Tag: Exhibit Magazine India

How to Block UPI Apps if You Lose Your Phone?

The Unified Payments Interface, or UPI, has become a regular payment choice for millions of Indians as it allows consumers to transfer money from one bank account to another bank account within a few seconds, and that too without any hassle. Apps like Paytm, Google Pay, PhonePe, Amazon Pay, BHIM app, WhatsApp Pay, MobiKwik, and banking apps such as SBI Pay, BOB Pay, and Axis Pay are a few of the top UPI payments apps in the country.

Almost 6 out of 10 smartphone-owners in India have one of these apps in their smartphones, which is directly linked with their respective bank accounts. All of the apps mentioned above are secured, and as per the latest reports, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has recently developed a method for transferring funds via UPI that does not require the use of an internet or mobile application.

The newly developed technology named USSD 2.0 allows smartphone users to send money via UPI by dialling*99# instead of the old method, which only works when the phone is connected to the internet. Almost every user knows how to utilise these UPI apps, but do you know how to block or deactivate these UPI payments apps from being misused if you lose your mobile phone? If not, we’re here to be your saviour.

All major banks in India support the UPI payment system to help the country transform into a digital economy. Currently, it is the most common and most favourable payment system in the country, with over 3000 million transactions to date. Also, in a highly populated country like ours, losing a smartphone is not a big deal, but it will definitely raise security concerns if you have an active UPI account on your smartphone. 

Nowadays, even a street vendor in India offers an option to pay via UPI, and every passing day we’re getting more addicted to the transaction system. Staying safe and alerted will never wreck you down, so first, understand one crucial element about UPI payment systems before getting into the step-by-step guide. Never share your UPI PIN or any other delicate details with anyone after losing your smartphone and during the whole process.

Step-by-Step guide on How to Block UPI Payments apps if You Lose Your Phone?

  • If you have a Paytm Account:

Step 1: Take another phone and call Paytm Payments Bank helpline number 01204456456, which will connect you with the customer care executive.

Step 2: After connecting, select the option for a lost phone.

Step 3: Later on, choose the option to enter an alternative number and enter your lost mobile number.

Step 4: Choose to log out from all devices, and head to the Paytm website, to select 24×7 help.

Step 5: Further, choose ‘Report a fraud’ and select an appropriate or any category.

Step 6: Click on the “message us” option and submit proof of account ownership (it can be either your credit/debit card statement showing Paytm transactions or a confirmation email/SMS for a Paytm account transaction or police complaint proof against lost or stolen phone)

Step 7: Once verified, Paytm will approve your request and block your account, and you’ll receive a confirmation message from the company.

  • If you have a Google Pay Account:

Step 1: If you’re a Google Pay user, then call the helpline number 18004190157 to block your account

Step 2: 

  • Choose your preferred language.
  • Inform the customer care executive about your issue.
  • Ask them to block your Google Pay account.

Step 3: If you’re an Android user, then you’ve one more alternative to block your Google Pay account. Android users can ‘remote wipe’ data from their phones saving them from after theft issues.

Step 4: Meanwhile, iOS users can follow the same by erasing their data remotely, but first enable Find My iPhone settings.

  • If you have a Phonepe Account:

Step 1: Phonepe users can call the helpline number 08068727374 or 02268727374.

Step 2: Select a preferred language and report your issue with your Phone Pe account by selecting the appropriate number option.

Step 3: Enter your registered phone number to get an OTP and then choose the option of not having received OTP.

Step 4: Now, select the given option to report loss of SIM or mobile phone.

Step 5: Further, you’ll be connected to the executive who will ask you the required information related to your account, and then the executive will initiate your block request.

  • If you have any other UPI Payment Accounts:

Step 1: First, call the customer care service of your network provider and request them to block your mobile number, which will restrict thieves from misusing your mobile number, generating a new UPI PIN, and do anything with your pre-linked UPI accounts.

Step 2: Next, call your bank helpline number and request them to deactivate your account linked mobile number and disable the UPI service.

Step 3: File an FIR complaint about losing your mobile phone and get a copy of the report so that you can use the copy of the FIR to apply for the same SIM card number in future.

List of AIoT Products Realme is Going to Launch on October 13th Launch Event

We’re on the edge of the great Indian festive season, and to make most of it, Realme India is holding an event on 13th October to launch Realme GT Neo 2 and Buds Air 2, but according to the recent announcement from the Realme, apart from these two products, the company is also planning to launch a bunch of new AIoT products and the Snapdragon 870-powered smartphone on the same day.

The newly added list of products includes Realme 4K Smart TV Google TV Stick, Realme Brick Bluetooth speaker, Green-coloured Realme Buds Air 2, Realme Cooling Back Clip Neo, Realme Type-C SuperDart game cable, Realme mobile game trigger and gaming accessories. The event will begin on 13th October at 12:30 PM, and it will be live-streamed on the official YouTube and Facebook channel of the Realme.

Realme 4K Smart TV Google TV Stick

Realme’s first accessory to the TVs is said to be India’s first Google TV streaming device. Earlier, it was supposed to be launched on Flipkart during the Big Billion Days Sale, but somehow the company didn’t release the product. The upcoming Smart TV Stick will be available in Black colour and will feature a powerful processor. The product will compete with the likes of the Xiaomi Mi Box 4K and Amazon Fire TV 4K. 

The Smart TV Google Stick, based on the Android platform, will come with an HDMI port to connect to your TV, and with this stick, buyers can turn their non-smart TV into a smart TV, or they can upgrade their existing smart TV to get a Google TV experience. The upcoming TV will provide seamless entertainment to its buyers with its built-in entertainment platforms and multiple connectivity options.

Realme Brick Bluetooth Speaker

Along with the 4K Smart TV Google TV Stick, Realme will launch its third Bluetooth speaker called the Realme Brick Bluetooth Speaker. The speaker packs a 20W Dynamic Bass Boost Driver, and it offers a long playback time of up to 14-hours along with additional features such as stereo pairing and equalizer presets. The speaker will come with a 5,200 mAh battery, and buyers can pair two Realme Brick Bluetooth Speakers to enjoy a 360-degree stereo sound experience.

About gaming accessories, the company will unveil a cooling back clip Neo that offers a rapid cooling solution, while the Type-C SuperDart game cable will empower gamers to play carefree while charging. The Mobile Game Trigger is advertised to “bring reactivity to gamer’s fingertips, and it will help mobile gamers to play better. Lastly, the Realme Buds Air 2 will arrive with a Closer Green colour, but the specs and features will remain the same as earlier.

Why the Apple Watch isn’t branded as the iWatch?

Apple recently launched the iPhone 13 lineup, along with several other products, including iPad, iPad Mini and Apple Watch Series 7, in the ‘California Streaming’ virtual launch event. While some people were budgeting out to buy the newly launched Apple products, a group of college-going young intellectual minds started wondering if the “i” prefix has graced Apple’s renowned trademark, then why the Apple Watch isn’t branded as the iWatch?

iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad, all of these famous Apple products are named according to a similar pattern except Apple Watch, and every time Apple launches a new model of the Apple Watch Series, the same question arises why it is called as Apple Watch instead of iWatch? Well, by now, a number of Apple enthusiastic people have known about the reason behind it and for the rest, here comes the answer but first, let’s take a quick look at iHistory.

A Little iHistory

When Apple acquired NeXT in 1997, Steve Jobs returned to Apple, taking over the helm of Apple as CEO of the company he co-founded in 1976 with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The company was struggling when he returned and was on the verge of breaking, and then magic happened when Apple released the iMac in 1998. Soon, it became a popular product, and Apple came back on track.

The name iMac was referred to by Ken Segall, a man who worked for Apple’s advertising agency, and after tasting a massive success with iMac, Apple continued using the lowercase “i” prefix for various products including, the first iBook, which was released in 1999, for iPad since 2001, for web-based Apple services- iReview, iTool, iTunes, and for iPhone since 2007.

The launch of the iPhone in 2007 turned out to be revolutionary for the company as it cemented its place in the world of technology, and then Apple started developing its first-ever smartwatch with a would-be plan to name it an iWatch. Apple wasn’t aware of the already ongoing courtroom drama around the name iWatch, and all of it came to Apple as an unexpected and unwanted surprise.

High Voltage iDrama

It all started in June 2007, when a New York-based M.Z. Berger & Co. filed to trademark the iWatch name, which was dragged down by Swiss watchmaker Swatch. The Swiss company created a valid point leading to trademark litigation that the iWatch name would create confusion with Swatch buyers. While in European Union countries, a Dublin-based firm named Probendi has held the rights to the iWatch name since 2008. Their website claims that it is the only entity allowed to use the term iWatch in the European Union and warns to take strict legal action against any company that uses the iWatch name in the EU region.

Later on, in 2012, Fresno-California-based OMG Electronics, which was intended to create a smartwatch, applied for a trademark for the iWatch name before Apple. The application proposal was displeased when Swiss watchmaker Swatch challenged OMG Electronics over the company’s trademark application. At the same time, OMG Electronics sought to raise $100,000 to produce a smartwatch on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo, but unfortunately, it only managed to raise $1434. 

Leaving the US struggle behind, Apple applied for a trademark for iWatch in the UK, but again Swiss watchmaker Swatch demonstrated that it had an earlier trademark for iSwatch, which sound almost similar to iWatch and would cause confusion. Apple failed to convince the Intellectual Property Office of the UK and the result was declared in favour of Swatch in Oct. 2014. Further, Apple appealed the decision to the High Court, and this time the result was stated in favour of Apple.

After struggling over the iWatch trademark in the United States and European Union countries, Apple went further to try their fate in China, but to Apple’s lousy luck, the company got to know that in China, nine different companies have held the iWatch trademark. Overall, Apple managed to obtain the iWatch trademark in a number of countries, including Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, and Russia.

However, when Apple unveiled the first-ever smartwatch in 2015, it was branded as Apple Watch because the company failed to secure the iWatch trademark in large segments of the world. Whenever asked in the media about whether it made a bid to buy the iWatch trademark from the current holders as it did with the iPhone and iPad, the company never implemented a straight answer.

How to Multiply Your Productivity with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3?

Samsung has unveiled a set of devices and gadgets during an all-virtual Galaxy Unpacked 2021 event, but the third generation of Galaxy Z Fold smartphone was one of the most-awaited devices amongst all. The 12GB/256GB Galaxy Z Fold 3 variant is priced at ₹1,49,999, while the 12GB/512GB variant is priced at ₹1,57,999. The third-generation Galaxy Z Fold is loaded with premium features, which most users aren’t aware of, and that’s why we’ve arrived with a few tips and tricks to help you multiply your productivity with the Galaxy Z Fold3.

Pin the Taskbar

The most striking feature of the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is its foldability, and it offers a multitasking wonder to the user. Since unveiling the Galaxy Z Fold in 2019, the company is trying its best to attract customers with its innovations. The third-generation Galaxy Z Fold features a Taskbar to make your UI experience better. You can pin the Taskbar to the side of the screen for quick access and to view frequently used apps in seconds.

The edge-to-edge 7.6-inch internal display is a big stage for every user, and to make it comfortable, users need to set up a Taskbar as it helps save valuable time. If you want to activate the Taskbar, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Labs > Enable Pin your favourite apps > Open the Edge Panel > Tap More (the icon with the three vertical lines) > Tap Pin. Now, the Taskbar will stay pinned to the right side of the screen; you can tap the pin again to hide the Taskbar.

App Pairing

We all have our favourite apps that we use more than often, but sometimes we literally get bored with switching from one app to another app continuously as it reduces our main focus, and we end up swearing on the technology. Well, keep your blasphemings to yourselves as the newly launched Samsung Z Fold3 allows you to save, pair and launch selected two apps together or even three apps at the same time. So, pair up your favourite apps and be a multitasker.

If you wish to utilise the app pairing feature for improving your workflow, then touch the three circles on the dividing line between the two apps and tap the Add App Combo to Edge Panel icon, the one with the plus symbol. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 owners can use this feature whenever they are attending a meeting session and writing down the notes by pairing the video conferencing app and notes app or dragging picture/media on social media apps.

Drag & Split

The newly launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is super user-friendly, and its colossal display offers much more multitasking options. The third one on our list is Z Fold3’s Drag and Split feature, where users can open up additional windows in the same app. The feature comes in handy when you’re browsing on Samsung’s in-built web browser and trying to compare two products or want to open another link without losing the previous window. Suppose you’re looking at one product and want to compare it with another one; at such times, you can drag and drop the second product, which will appear in a split-screen form. Besides the web browser, the Drag & Split feature is also available in Samsung Message, MS Office and One Note.

Multi-Active Window

The Z Fold3 offers tons of extraordinary features, and the Multi-Active Window is one of the finest amongst all. We all wish to finish our tasks before time, and to do that, we need to multitask and work smarter. The Multi-Active Window feature lets you launch three different apps simultaneously, which you can use while working on a project or during a conference call to make live presentations. The added feature Natural Window Switching lets you reconfigure the layout and detach the windows with one tap.

The S Pen

The Galaxy Z Fold3 is the first Samsung foldable compatible with the S Pen, which unlocks a world of creativity. Galaxy Z Fold3 owners can use the S Pen while in tablet mode to take notes during a video call, mark up documents, annotate PDF, draw sketches, create specific screenshots, and even as a writing pad. The foldable smartphone also supports the S Pen Pro, a Bluetooth-enabled stylus. The Z Fold3 also allows its users to practice it as a blank paper whenever they’re in a rush or something, press the button on the S Pen and tap the phone’s main display, and a blank canvas will appear on a screen.

Camera View

The Z Fold3 has an under-display camera, and the company has tried their best to make it blend in as best as possible. The camera is not one of the best in the market, but it certainly has innovative features. It allows you to click a selfie with main cameras, and another cool feature of the Z Fold3 camera is its cover screen turns into a viewfinder whenever you’re clicking somebody’s photo, which helps them know how they are looking and what pose they should go for? Along with these, the foldable smartphone also allows you to see all the recent pictures that you just clicked by allowing you a side window while you’re going for the next shot.

Why WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram Went Down?

On late Monday, a global outage intruded Mark Zuckerberg’s empire of apps, which include WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Oculus VR, and apps that required Facebook login to work. The services of these vital Facebook platforms used by billions of people were down worldwide, including in India, for about 6-long hours. The apps slowly flashed back to life, but it turned out to be the most prolonged outage in the history of Facebook platforms.

Over 3.5 billion people worldwide use Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp to communicate with friends and family, and a large number of people use these platforms to expand and promote their businesses through advertising and outreach. The outage again shows the world how much we’re dependant on social media platforms and how a couple of hours of outage could disrupt our day-to-day lives.

The Reason

The company hasn’t clarified the reason behind the outage yet, but when contacted, a WhatsApp spokesperson said in a statement, “We’re aware that some people are experiencing issues with WhatsApp at the moment. We’re working to get things back to normal and will send an update here as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience!” A similar official statement arrives from a Facebook and Instagram spokesperson apologizing for the inconvenience.

The outage could be due to issues related to the server-side, like past outage incidents wherein platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger experienced massive outages. Another reason could be issues related to its Domain Name System records, often referred to as the internet’s phone book, which is where those sites stay live. One of the Twitter users discovered and tweeted, “someone nuked the DNS A and AAA records for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp”.

Meanwhile, taking advantage of the situation, Twitter CEO jokingly asked the same user who revealed the issues related to DNS A and AAA records how much are Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp up for sale? Furthermore, during the 6-hour long outage, people favoured Twitter, Signal, iMessage and others to connect with friends and family members. Facebook and its platforms ultimately restored their services after a team got access to the server computers, but the outage’s cause remained unclear.

How Big Is Nike?

Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you, which means it’s important to have a pair of high-quality shoes and when it comes to high-quality shoes, who’s going to beat Nike, the undisputed leader in the shoe market. The company started off with a shoemaking business, and currently, Nike, Inc. is engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, and sales of footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services.

How Was Nike Started?

Nike, originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) from 1964–78, is the world’s most popular and biggest sportswear company headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, America. The company was founded by a track athlete Phil Knight and his track-and-field coach at the University of Oregon, Bill Bowerman, on January 25, 1964.

The company initially operated in Eugene, Oregon as a distributor for Japanese shoemaker Onitsuka Tiger and sold 1,300 pairs of Japanese running shoes grossing $8,000 during its first year of business. In the next couple of years, the sales reached above $20,000, and with that, BRS inaugurated its first retail outlet in 1966, at 3107 Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, California.

Blue Ribbon Sports expanded retail and distribution operations on the East Coast after a tremendous boost in sales, and shortly by 1971, the relationship between BRS and Onitsuka Tiger came to an end. After parting, BRS prepared to launch its footwear line, rebranded as Nike, which was named after a goddess from Greece. The company launched the first Nike brand shoe and showcased its newly designed Swoosh logo on June 18, 1971.

Top 5 Nike Products:

No matter what people around you think of who you are, your hair or skin colour, Nike convinces consumers that you’re beyond all these materialistic things and you can do whatever you want to. The shoe-making legend respects the consumer and the importance of providing a quality product. The brand is creating top-notch products for athletes as well as everyday customers that help them perform better. 

Apart from shoes, the company makes other sports-related products like T-shirts, tracksuits, jackets, gloves, hats, socks, and glasses. Nike produces a wide range of sports equipment and apparel, but the company started its journey with track running shoes, and within a couple of years of establishment, brought jogging as a regular exercise to America. Let’s take a look at some of the best shoes produced by Nike over the 50 years.

  • The Cortez:

The Cortez shoes manufactured by Onitsuka Tiger and distributed by BRS were one of the best-selling shoes in 1968, and most of its credit goes to the 1968 Olympics, held in Mexico. The product was so successful that they couldn’t keep up with the demand, and Onitsuka Tiger was fulfilling the local demand first and was sending only leftovers to America. The fact is Bill Bowerman designed them, but back then, BRS wasn’t an established brand, and till the contract date, all the rights belonged to Onitsuka Tiger. Only during these times, Bill & Phil thought about evolving beyond a simple distributor. The Cortez shoes paved the path of Nike as the founder duo understood what they could do if they started their own shoe-making business single-handedly.

  • Nike Air Max:

Nike Air Max shoe lineup was first released in 1987 and was conceptualized by Tinker Hatfield. They are identified by their midsoles incorporating flexible urethane sacks filled with pressurized gas, noticeable from the shoe’s exterior and designed to provide cushioning underfoot. The Air Max lineup holds consistent popularity, especially among sneakerheads, hip-hoppers and gabbers. The latest product in the lineup was released in 2019, named Air Max 720.

  • Nike Air Jordan:

Nike signed the ever-popular basketball player Michael Jordan in 1984 to promote the brand, which proved to be one of the biggest boosts to Nike’sNike’s publicity and sales. The massively successful collaboration between Nike & Michael Jordan resulted in the creation of the unique Air Jordan brand. The Nike Air Jordan shoes were built and designed by keeping the basketball environment in mind. The Air Jordan shoes represent hard work, determination, swag, and drive to accomplish whatever you put your mind to.

  • Nike SB:

Nike SB or Nike Skate Boarding is a lineup of shoes, clothing, and other skateboarding equipment. Nike began production of its line of skate shoes in 1997 but failed to create an impact on the market during its initial years due to other established skate shoe-making companies like DC, Globe, and Vans. Later on, Nike signed popular American street skateboarder Paul Rodriguez as a figurehead for the brand, and it helped the brand gain people’s attention. Over the years, the Nike SB lineup has created many products, including a few special edition shoes.

  • Nike Air Force:

The Nike Air Force is an athletic shoe range, and Air Force 1 was the first product from the lineup which designer Bruce Kilgore created in 1982. It was the first basketball shoe to use the Nike Air technology and was offered in low, mid and high-top. The Nike Air Force shoes were named after the plane that carries the President of the United States.

Acquisitions:

Currently, Nike is one of the bestselling shoe manufacturers in the world and since its establishment back in 1964, the shoemaking giant has acquired a number of companies. Nike acquired upscale footwear company, Cole Haan, in 1988; it was Nike’s first Acquisition. Later in the years, Nike purchased Bauer Hockey in 1994, Bob Hurley’s surf apparel company Hurley International in 2002, and paid US$309 million to acquire once-bankrupt rival Converse in the year 2003. Acquiring other companies and handling their businesses somehow distracts Nike from its core business, and to concentrate more on its own brand, Nike sold Bauer Hockey in 2008 and Cole Haan in 2013. Currently, Converse is the only subsidiary owned by Nike.

Valuation:

Currently, Nike is the world’s leading athletic shoes and sports apparel company. The company has claimed the title of World’s Most Valuable Apparel Brand in 2021 (it’s seventh in a row) and has maintained a considerable lead over second-ranked Gucci. Nike has a market valuation of about $244 billion, and the Oregon-based company has over 1100 stores all over the world. The Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his family control about 20% of the business entity, and they are the world’s 23rd richest with a net worth of $58.8 billion.

Did You Know?

  1. Billy Bowerman, the co-founder of Nike, used to make prototypes from kangaroo leather, deer hide, and fish skin during the company’s initial days.
  2. Nike was formed because Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, was challenged to come up with a business plan for a college assignment.
  3. The popular Nike slogan ‘Just Do It’ was inspired by a serial killer, Gary Gilmore’s last words ‘Let’s Do It’, which he said before his execution.
  4. Nike sells over 900 million items in one year and takes up approximately 62% market share of athletic shoes.
  5. Graphic Designer Carolyn Davidson is best known for designing the Nike Swoosh logo, but the company paid her only $35 for her work. Currently, the Swoosh logo is worth $26 billion alone, not a fair deal for Carolyn.
  6. Nike has recently created electronically paired-up shoes that can connect with a smartphone of whoever is wearing the shoes through a computing device embedded into the footwear.
  7. The largest Nike store spans over 42,000 square feet and is situated on Oxford Street in London.
  8. Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase was the first athlete to endorse Nike, and Jeff Johnson was the first employee of Nike; yes, Jeff is the guy who came up with the name “Nike.”

How Advertisements & Marketing Strategies Boost Nike’s Brand Value?

Nike is one of the most popular shoe-making brands globally, and a lot of its credit goes to its advertisement campaigns and marketing strategies. The company created its first brand advertisement called ‘There is no finish line’ without showing a single product. The company was renamed Nike, Inc. in 1978 and went public after two years. Nike’s colourful shoes and sneakers were already in great vogue among teenagers. Around 1980, to attract American youth, Nike launched items like tracksuits, shell suits and baseball caps to its business, which helped the company expand its business. By the end of the ’70s, Nike had accomplished more than a 50% market share in the U.S. athletic shoe market.

The Birth Of ‘Just Do It’ Slogan:

Good shoes take you to good places, and Nike shoes take you to incredible places, thanks to the innovative and motivational slogans. Being an athletic focused brand, Nike worked with Wieden+Kennedy to create many print and television advertisements which remain Nike’s primary ad agency. The founder of the Wieden+Kennedy agency, Dan Wieden, coined the famous slogan “Just Do It’ in 1988. The ‘Just Do It’ campaign was highly successful, where the company defines the meaning of ‘Just Do It’ as both universal and deeply personal. The slogan helped Nike increase its share of the North American domestic sport-shoe business from $877 million to $9.2 billion during the years 1988 to 1998.

Brand Promotion – The Nike-way:

Nike believes in building meaningful stories and taglines for brand promotions, and that’s one reason the brand is one of the leading and successful shoe-making brands in the world. Currently, Nike is the 13th most valuable brand globally, and most of its success credit goes to its marketing with compelling ads and brilliant campaigns. 

Nike spends over $3 Billion in advertisements and campaigns a year, and currently, no one in the shoe market spends as much money on sports sponsorships as Nike. The shoe-making giant always focuses on building a loyal fanbase by telling them meaningful stories and attracting customers’ attention through emotional branding. 

The purpose of these advertisements and campaigns is simple, making people talk about the brand, which eventually helps the brand generate mouth publicity and expand customers. In 1982, Nike produced their first TVC, and since then, the company has won many awards for innovative TVC’s, including two Emmy awards for best commercial and Advertiser of the Year in 1994 and 2003.

In many Nike advertisements, the company focuses more on the benefits of exercise instead of its products, which directly impacts customers’ minds. Nike incorporated a number of people from varying ethnicities/races and various notable athletes to attract customers and promote the brand as being reliable for everyday customers and professional athletes. In 1984, the company signed famous basketball player Michael Jordan for its brand promotion. 

In the later years, the company signed contracts with famous players like Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Along with players, Nike is the official kit sponsor for many sports teams, including the Indian cricket team, which helps the company to promote its brand into various parts of the world.

OnePlus Blames the Recent Charger Explosion to External Factors

OnePlus Nord 2 5G charger is back again in the headline with another harrowing user experience, which puts the company in a tight spot. The incident happened with a Bangalore-based software engineer, Jimmy Jose, who connected his charger to a socket for quick charging, which unfortunately resulted in a huge blast. The concerned user tagged the Twitter profiles of OnePlus India and OnePlus Support in a series of tweets and explained what exactly happened?

Previously, Delhi-based lawyer Gaurav Gulati had claimed that his OnePlus Nord 2 smartphone exploded in his gown. The incident happened when the lawyer was sitting in his chamber, and when he complained about the same to bring the company’s attention to the incident, he was left stranded. Going further, he filed a lawsuit against the OnePlus, to which the company sent him a cease-and-desist notice, stating that he has been defaming the company by posting false statements on social media.

In both the cases and even during a similar incident that occurred in Bengaluru a month ago, where a OnePlus Nord 2 5G exploded in a woman’s sling bag, the company said that the explosion happened due to external factors and not due to any manufacturing or design defects. In the case of Jimmy Jose, the OnePlus technician said the incident occurred due to an issue with the socket or a voltage fluctuation and promised to provide a replacement charger.

“We take any claim like this very seriously. The user has handed over the damaged OnePlus Charger to our service centre and has been offered a replacement. OnePlus chargers contain built-in capacitors which control and store energy. In this case, after a thorough analysis, the capacitors have remained intact concluding that the blast has been caused by external factors such as voltage fluctuations.” OnePlus mentioned in a statement and strongly urges users to follow safety precautions and warnings specified in its user manual.

Meanwhile, in the case of a Delhi-based Lawyer, the company said that it couldn’t perform a proper diagnosis as the user refused to give them the device and sent a legal notice to the lawyer to give self-contradictory and false statements. Overall, the company refused to accept that all three blasts were caused by manufacturing issues or design defects and blamed it directly on external circumstances such as voltage fluctuations caused by the rainstorm, not taking certain safety precautions and warnings specified in its user manual.

Top 7 Entry-Level Cameras for Aspiring Photographers

A number of aspiring photographers start their photography journey with a smartphone, thanks to the smartphone manufacturers who develop and market their smartphones primarily by showcasing their triple or quad camera setup. The offering saves money and helps aspiring photographers easily explore aspects of photography. These beginners start photography as a hobby and eventually, after receiving many accolades from friends, decide to promote their passion from smartphone photography to DSLR/mirrorless photography.

Now, when it comes to buying your first DSLR camera as a photographer, choose the camera that would be your companion for the next few years as you grow in the field. Of course, look for an affordable one, and don’t spend your hard-earned money during your initial days, but that doesn’t mean you should go for the cheapest possible camera. So, if you’re one of those aspiring photographers looking for an affordable DSLR camera to kick off your photography passion, here are some recommendations from our side but first, let’s understand what to look for when you’re buying your first camera?

  • Simple controls:

The expert at anything was once a beginner. So, while buying your first camera, take a good look at its functions and modes. Prefer the one with the most straightforward controls as it will help you boost your confidence and adapt to the basics in a short time.

  • Resolution & Sensor Size:

The resolution intimates the maximum size of images that a camera can capture, while the sensor size indicates the image quality. A number of entry-level cameras lie between 16MP to 24 MP, and companies try to attract buyers by highlighting more on megapixels, but the whole game depends on sensor size. So, prefer a camera with a larger sensor size as it produces more attractive tones and depth.

  • Interchangeable Lenses:

When buying a camera, you’re investing in an entire ecosystem, including lenses and accessories. Do a little research on the lens support and mount systems because a large number of cameras support only their native lenses, which means if you buy a Canon EF mount camera, then you’ll have to stick with EF mount lenses. So, look for a camera that supports Interchangeable Lenses.

Nikon D3500 (Price – ₹53,950)

Type: DSLR

Sensor: APS-C

Megapixels: 24.2MP

Screen: 3.0-inch, 921k, fixed

ISO Range: 100-25600

Max burst speed: 5fps

Max video resolution: 1080p (Full HD)

Nikon D3500 is one of the best entry-level cameras for aspiring photographers as it includes a dedicated Guide shooting Mode that acts as an interactive guide to photography and camera settings. Nikon D3500’s guide mode, which appears on the rear LCD screen, works as a digitutor and gives access to various frequently used and valuable camera functions. The camera is compact for an SLR and features a wide handgrip with the trademark Nikon red stripe. It sports a top-quality 24.2MP APS-C sensor and offers an 11-point focus module along with a solid autofocus system to help you click extraordinary images. The Nikon D3500 camera is less expensive, but at the same time, it offers equally appealing features. So, if you’re more into photography rather than videography, then D3500 may be the perfect match for you as it provides a retouch menu for quick image adjustments in the camera and comes up with long battery life.

Canon EOS M50 / Mark II (Price – ₹58,995)

Type: Mirrorless

Sensor: APS-C

Megapixels: 24.1MP

Screen: 3in vari-angle touchscreen, 1040k dots

ISO Range: 100-25600 (Extended: 100 to 51200)

Max burst speed: 10fps

Max video resolution: 4K UHD

Canon EOS M50 / Mark II is the most popular entry-level camera from the house of Canon. The Mark II is recently replacing the original M50 with very few noticeable updates. The M50 / Mark II has a built-in viewfinder which is rare to find in many similarly priced mirrorless cameras. The versatile camera has a simple user interface and a unique Dual Pixel Autofocus system. The compact and lightweight camera has a number of features for vlogging, including live YouTube streaming and vertical video support. The EOS M50 / Mark II camera provides a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor with a 4K video recording option making it the tailor-made camera for casual and aspiring photographers. If you’re considering a camera for everyday photography, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II is a reliable option, but if you are getting an older version at a fairly discounted price, go for it, as most of the features are identical.

Fujifilm X-T200 (Price – ₹66,999)

Type: Mirrorless

Sensor: APS-C

Megapixels: 24.2MP

Screen: 3.5in vari-angle touchscreen, 2760k dots

ISO Range: 100-51200

Max burst speed: 8fps

Max video resolution: 4K

The old-school looking X-T200 35mm SLR film camera from Fujifilm is feature-packed with great controls and is one of the best mirrorless beginners’ cameras in the current market. The Japanese multinational camera company has put a lot of work into making the X-T200 as its previous version, X-T100, was a letdown for most buyers. The stylish X-T200 camera is offered in three finishes, dark silver, silver and champagne gold. The camera has an electronic viewfinder and can shoot excellent 4K videos. The camera offers one of the largest LCDs (3.5 inches diagonal) you’ll find in a consumer camera and an improved hybrid AF system comprising the whole frame, together with updated face and eye detection. The fine starter camera for aspiring photographers is a little costly compared to its rivals, but it offers access to the X series of lenses, one of the highest-quality lenses for mirrorless cameras.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV

Type: Mirrorless

Sensor: Micro Four Thirds

Megapixels: 20.3MP

Screen: 3-inch 180-degree tilting touchscreen, 1037k dots

ISO Range: 200 to 25600 (Extended: 100 to 25600)

Max burst speed: 8.7fps

Max video resolution: 4K UHD

Olympus is famous for making travel-friendly mirrorless cameras, and if you travel often and like to click attractive images on the go, then you should definitely consider buying the new pocket-sized powerhouse camera, Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV. The camera lags in advanced features but offers plenty of assistive shooting modes, which helps the user click brilliant stills. The lightweight Mark IV is designed explicitly for smartphone switchers, and it retains the 4K video option and attractive styling from its predecessor Mark III. The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV has one of the widest lens catalogues on the market, and if you’re looking for the first camera of your life, this camera will surely make your photography experience memorable. The plastic-build camera is small enough to carry around anywhere and is considered one of the best cameras for vloggers, travellers and aspiring photographers.

Sony A6000 (Price – ₹48,990)

Type: Mirrorless

Sensor: Micro Four Thirds

Megapixels: 20.3MP

Screen: 3-inch 180-degree tilting touchscreen, 1037k dots

ISO Range: 200 to 25600 (Extended: 100 to 25600)

Max burst speed: 8.7fps

Max video resolution: 4K UHD

The award-winning Sony A6000 is one of the oldest devices on the list. Sony first launched the A6000 camera about 6-years ago, and even after a half-decade, it is still one of the best entry-level cameras from Sony. The company is still manufacturing it, which confirms the camera will not disappear any time soon. The widely available camera has a tiny body that packs a 24.3MP image sensor and electronic viewfinder. The A6000 camera can capture detailed photos at up to 11fps but fails to record 4K movies, but if you can manage without some of the latest innovative features and photography is your primary focus, this camera is a strong alternative.

Nikon Z50 (Price – ₹85,995)

Type: Mirrorless

Sensor: APS-C CMOS

Megapixels: 20.9MP

Screen: 3.2-inch tilted touchscreen, 1040K dots

ISO Range: 100 to 51200 (Extended: 100 to 2,04,800)

Max burst speed: 11fps

Max video resolution: 4K UHD at 30p

The small and lightweight Nikon Z50 shares the same DNA as Nikon’s full-frame Z6 and Z7 cameras. The highly versatile camera instantly grabs aspiring photographers attention as it’s from one of the trusted companies and has a good grip along with good external controls. The beginner-friendly entry-level mirrorless camera from Nikon is an ideal option for travellers and aspiring photographers. The main selling point of the Nikon Z50 is its ability to shoot 4K videos and impressive APS-C sensor, which lets you connect with dedicated Nikon Z series lenses. Along with these features, the Z50 offers a burst speed of 11fps, a decent electronic viewfinder and a helpful tiltable screen. The all-rounder Nikon Z50 is a bit expensive compared to its competitors but is an excellent option for aspiring photographers as it could last longer.

Panasonic Lumix G100

Type: Mirrorless

Sensor: Micro Four Thirds

Megapixels: 20.3MP

Screen: 3-inch vari-angle, 1840k dots

ISO Range: 200 to 25600 (Extended: 100 to 25600)

Max burst speed: 10fps

Max video resolution: 4K UHD at 30p

Panasonic’s latest compact vlogging camera, Lumix G100, is one of the best beginner cameras for aspiring photographers and content creators. The highly versatile camera has an approachable button layout that lets you quickly capture high-quality videos in 4K/30p and excellent 20.3MP stills. The super-small Lumix G100 camera offers Nokia developed OVO Audio technology, which enables you to capture better-sounding audio without any external microphones, and it is the first camera in the world to incorporate OVO technology. The camera also offers five-axis hybrid image stabilization and built-in flash, making it a perfect first camera for vloggers and aspiring photographers.

How do Electric Vehicles Help to Save the Environment?

The COVID-19 pandemic was a nightmare, but somehow, it helped us maintain pollution as many vehicles were inside the parking lots for a long time. Over the last few years, we’ve understood the importance of climate change and electric vehicles as almost 98% of people living on the earth can not afford a trip or a permanent stay on Mars or any subsequent planet.

How do Electric Vehicles help to save the environment?

When the automobile industry was suffering due to rising fuel prices, many manufacturers began adopting electric vehicles for a better future to emerge back in the business. Since then, the production and demand of EV’s have developed on a large scale as they help reduce CO2 emissions and the dependence on dying petroleum products.

Nowadays, Electric vehicles (EVs) are the talk of the town, and everyone is bragging about them, but how can EVs save the environment when most countries produce electricity from fossil fuels? The answer is simple, the countries that favour coal-intensive electricity generation must find other ways to produce electricity as soon as possible.

Electric vehicles are the future as they cause less air pollution and save pedestrians from breathing in hazardous gases. EVs use one or more electric motors powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, the one we find in our smartphones and laptops. EVs contribute fewer emissions than ICE vehicles and help maintain the life of tyres and brakes, which benefits the environment.

EV manufacturers use eco-friendly materials to leave a limited carbon footprint, and fully electric vehicles don’t use an exhaust system, saving the environment from tailpipe emissions. EVs are cost-friendly and emit fewer greenhouse gases and air pollutants over their lifetime than conventional cars. According to the latest predictions, by 2030, EVs will take over 40% of the market worldwide.

EVs are a sustainable transportation alternative for several middle-class families in India, as they’re cost-friendly and have a good life cycle. Though the country is facing challenges ahead of the growth path as currently there are very few charging stations available, but we will soon solve the problem, and till then, check our list of the Top 10 electric bikes in India.

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