Everyone wants to join the NFT parade, including you. However, the struggle to understand the process kicks most of us out of the race right away. NFTs are already over the moon and have the capability to make you a millionaire in a quick time. I hope you’ve heard the story of an Indonesian student who sold his years of selfies as NFTs as a joke and accidentally became a millionaire.
Currently, the NFT market stacks about $17 billion as the transactions worldwide jumped 21,350% from $82.5 million in 2020. A number of investors are looking at NFT as a side-hustle and a source of a second income but are not aware of where to start and how to indulge in an NFT drama? No worries, we have your back and it’s high time to take a look at the 5 ways to make money with NFTs.
Digital Artforms
Are you an artist who’s interested in auctioning or monetising your fully digital artwork? Well, if you’re an artist, then the NFT ride would be pleasurable for you as we have witnessed people who sold their digital artforms on NFTs and earned millions. You can create anything and mint money with it through NFT platforms but make sure you’re creating something practical and no more farts, please.
Trade NFTs
Everyone can’t be an artist, but you can always play your business card and trade NFTs. Some NFTs are worth millions, while some are damn worthless, and if you’re one of those people who understand the value of the art and are good at predicting the fate of the art, then start trading NFTs. Start buying less valued but potentially worth NFTs and make profits during resale.
Licensed Collectibles
We all were, and some of us still are, huge fans of trading cards. Owning a rare type of trading card, exchanging a trading card and buying a newly launched limited edition trading card was just another stupid habit we had during our younger days. Well, you can turn this tradition into a money-making machine now as the price of a digital trading card is unbelievable, particularly when you have a rare one.
NFT Gaming
We live in a time where people even earn through playing games, reviewing games and whatnot. Also, we at least have one friend in our group who can spend enormously on virtual items. In future, gaming companies (which are already worth billions) might offer in-game items as NFTs, and it might push the development of Non-Fungible Technology forward. Be quick, and get your kitty while it is free.
NFT Royalties
Back in the 20th century, wise men used to invest in real estate and rent it out to people, which provided them with a constant flow of income every month or on an annual basis. Now, in a tech-advanced world, you can create or purchase someone else’s NFT and set a 10% or 20% royalty on your NFTs, which will help you earn money every time someone buys your NFT.
One should learn marketing and advertising techniques from the guys who work at OnePlus. The company has launched 3-smartphones in a span of 4-weeks, which justifies its slogan “Never Settle”. On 28th April, OnePlus India launched a premium smartphone – OnePlus 10 R 5G, a mid-range smartphone – OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite and budget earbuds – OnePlus Nord Buds.
The Status Quo
The Nord Duo of OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite and OnePlus Nord Buds is budget-friendly and work best when clubbed together. The price of the smartphone starts from ₹19,999, while the earbuds are currently priced at ₹2,799. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite appears classy, but once you dive deep, it shows the real mid-range colours, while the earbuds are pretty adequate for the price point.
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite is available in two colours – blue tide and black dusk. The blue tide colour looks classy, while the black dusk colour seems somewhat dank and ordinary. The IP55 dust and water resistance earbuds look dapper and offer ultra-fast charging (10 minutes for 5-hours). They are available in two colours: white marble and black slate.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite
The OnePlus Nord 2 CE 2 Lite boasts a 6.59” IPS LCD display and is loaded with a 120 Hz refresh rate, 5,000 mAh battery, 3.5 mm headphone jack, 64-megapixel primary sensor, and 33W fast charging. The watered-down version of the OnePlus Nord 2 CE runs on the Android 12 Operating System with custom OxygenOS 12.1 skin and is a value-for-money deal.
The plastic-made OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite is the first smartphone from the house of OnePlus, which features a 120Hz IPS screen and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner which also functions as a power button. The display of the Nord CE 2 Lite offers a lot of screen space, thanks to the thin bezels. The display also has superb colour reproduction, one of the top necessary things for gamers and binge-lovers.
The OnePlus Nord 2 CE Lite is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset paired with Adreno 619 graphics unit and is available in two RAM options, 6GB and 8GB. The smartphone is power-packed with a mammoth 5000mAh battery which comes with a 33W SUPERVOOC fast charging. The Nord 2 CE Lite is excellent for gaming and runs well for a long period without any hiccup.
OnePlus Nord Buds
The OnePlus Nord Buds are well-built, value for money and probably one of the best budget earbuds in the current market. They offer about 7-hours of listening once charged fully and have AI Noise reduction, which helps you have better calls. The Nord buds have a gigantic pair of audio drivers and a smooth equalizer to make you dance.
The earbuds feature a big 12.4 mm Titanium Audio Driver and Dolby Atmos support for deeper bass and crisp sound. The lightweight earbuds are pretty suitable for outdoors as they have a tight grip and hold. The serenade composition mode offers one of the best vocals, and the ergonomic design makes sure to offer all the comfort you want.
If you own a Lamborghini or Ferrari, you must have missed a very creative TVC of Samsung Galaxy A series smartphones, including Galaxy A33, A53 and A73. All the smartphones from the A-series were well appreciated and added a lot of success to the company’s portfolio, particularly in the mid-range smartphone market. Out of these three recently launched smartphones, we picked Galaxy A53 5G.
The Good
The Bad
The Ugly
Great Display
User Interface
No charger included
Outdoor Camera Performance
Overall Performace
Exynos 1280 Chipset
Design & Display
The smartphone has an almost similar design to its predecessor, Galaxy A 52s 5G, but it has a distinct design language that helps it appear as a premium smartphone. The smartphone looks stunning from every angle, but the bezels are noticeably thinner, which lowers the interest somehow. The 6.5-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED display of the Galaxy A53 5G is protected by a flat piece of Gorilla Glass 5.
The Galaxy A53 5G weighs only 189 grams, and the comfortable rounded body of the smartphone allows you to have an excellent grip on the phone. The smartphone is mainly made from plastic, yet it feels premium in hand, thanks to the matte-finished polycarbonate back panel and placement of the cameras. The fingerprint reader of the A53 5G is embedded in the display and is quite reliable.
Chipset & Performance
The smartphone is equipped with Samsung’s new in-house chipset Exynos 1280 but doesn’t offer a few top-notch features which we usually get in Galaxy phones. However, the company does offer the promise of extended software support for the Galaxy A53 5G, which means one can expect about 4 OS upgrades and 5-years of security patches.
The smartphone supports 5G, Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, and regular satellite navigation systems. The predecessor of the Galaxy A53 had a much more powerful chipset (Galaxy A52 – Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G) compared to this one. However, the company remarks speak a different story. The Galaxy A53 failed to impress us in the game testing as there were some hiccups here and there.
Camera & Battery
The Galaxy A53 5G features a familiar quad-camera setup which includes a 64 MP F1.8 primary camera with optical image stabilization, 12MP ultrawide and two 5MP sensors. Overall, all the cameras are satisfactory, but thanks to the increased AI performance, it helps the phone to have an improved portrait mode for both front and back cameras. Also, the phone now has more vivid and saturated colours.
Verdict
The base model of the Galaxy A53 5G (6GB+128GB) is priced at ₹34,499, while the top variant of the A53 is priced at ₹35,999. The phone is available in awesome blue, black, peach, and white. The smartphone looks premium, works well, and offers a pleasing outdoor camera output, but if you compare it with the M33, priced at ₹17,999, you would definitely scrap the idea of buying the Galaxy A53.
When judges asked her during the final question and answer round of Miss World 2017, “Which profession should receive the highest salary in the world?” she responded, “A mother”, and we all knew what happened ahead. The young lady was crowned Miss World 2017, and she’s none other than our very own Manushi Chhillar, who’s recently roped in by UNDP to spread awareness and all set to get the biggest launch in Bollywood opposite superstar Akshay Kumar in Prithviraj.
Ex: You have taken over the world quite literally, how would you like to describe your journey?
Manushi:I would describe my journey as fun, exciting, and I think it was like an adventure ride because there was so much I got to do in life, and there’s so much growth that I’ve seen in the last four years. But I think most importantly, it’s been a vast learning experience for me because I got to experience a lot of things at a very young age. Whether it was travelling, meeting different kinds of people, or meeting world leaders to the most underprivileged of a particular society. So I think it’s been a fascinating journey, and there’s been a lot of learning.
Ex: What is your favourite Mumbai street food?
Manushi: I think Bombay is incomplete without its Vada Pav, and I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad Vada Pav in Bombay.
Ex: Most people perceive that you need to be an exceptional beauty to hold a title like ‘Miss World or Miss Universe. How would you describe the term beauty?
Manushi: I believe that beauty for me is being unapologetically yourself and being who you are. We’re all unique, and we can all stay unique as long as we are ourselves. And when you talk about Miss Pageants, like Miss World, I’d say that they are not about being an exceptional beauty, but they’re about recognizing the fact that all of us, including all the contestants and everyone else, are exceptional beauties.
Ex: What do you do for a digital detox?
Manushi:My digital detox is usually on the days when I’m not working because on the working days, there’s always something or the other that’s happening on the phone, and all the communication happens over there. However, I love taking at least one day off a week and doing something that I love doing, maybe painting. And when I’m in that zone, I usually don’t need any gadgets, or I don’t even look at my phone. I travel a lot, but I click very few pictures because I don’t like to have my phone on me when I’m travelling. Unless, of course, you need to make an urgent call. So my holidays are my digital detox because I don’t like being on my phone. Otherwise, when I’m on set and when I’m working, except for the parts that I’m shooting, I need my phone.
Ex: What is your average screen time on a daily basis?
Manushi: My average screen time keeps varying. There are days when I only spend an hour on my phone, and I’m not kidding, but then there are days when this goes up to almost 8 hours a day. So basically, it depends on what kind of day I’m having.
Ex: Manushi, you have inspired many young women, but who has been your inspiration all this while?
Manushi: I think it’s really sweet and humbling when people tell me that I have in some way added value or inspired them in life. But for me, I’ve had a lot of great men and women that I’ve looked up to growing up. And the constant has been my parents. I think they are two individuals that I really look up to, and I absolutely adore, and I’ve always tried to become someone like my mother.
Ex: What is that one cause you always stand up for and believe everyone should come together?
Manushi: I have always strongly felt for health and hygiene, especially for women, because I believe that if the woman of a family is healthy and learns the right hygiene, that impacts the entire family. She makes sure that the entire family is healthy and entire family knows how to practice good hygiene. So for me, female health and hygiene have always been essential. And I think that is something which I wish is very basic and I hope that it’s something that a lot more people in the world would take up.
Ex: What is the most expensive piece of gadget you own, and what is that one gadget besides your phone, of course, that you believe holds great importance in your life or home?
Manushi:The most expensive piece of gadget that I own is my watch because I love how mechanical watches work and how they use kinetic energy in order to make sure that the watch runs for a longer time. I absolutely love that whole idea, so it has to be my watch. A gadget that holds great importance in my life or home besides my phone would definitely be my iPad and AirPods because I really can’t go anywhere without them. I think our houses are now so dependent on gadgets, whether it’s a good television set or great speakers. There are so many gadgets that go into the kitchen and, of course, your air conditioning. All of these gadgets have evolved so quickly over time. So it would be challenging for me to pick just one crucial device for homes.
Ex: Three things you do to keep yourself calm during stressful times.
Manushi: There are many things that help me keep calm during stressful times but talking about the top three – The first one is a form of physical activity, whether it’s cycling, taking a long walk somewhere around nature or working out or dancing. Physical activity helps release all the endorphins I need during a stressful day. The second has to be painting as it has a long-lasting effect on my mood, and I always feel very calm when I paint. And the third is spending time with family and loved ones.
Ex: Every actor takes something away from the character they portray. What do you take away from your first film Prithviraj?
Manushi:My takeaway from my first film, Prithviraj, would be the fact that Sanyogita is the first character that I will be portraying on screen and the first character that I prepared for a film. And I feel like a lot of situations that she was put in and a lot of opinions that she had or emotions that she felt were very new to me as an individual who had not experienced such a situation in life. So it took a lot of understanding because I had to justify her actions to myself before I could justify her actions to the world in front of the camera. Also, there’s a lot to learn from that girl who had a transition from being a Princess to being a Queen and standing up for what she believed was right. And more than anything else, your first film, your first experience, teaches a lot to you. And I only fall in love with the process of filmmaking through Prithviraj.
A Few Quick Bytes
Ex: What do you prefer? Movies or web series?
Manushi:Movies.
Ex: What’s your dream car?
Manushi: One of those convertible red Porsche, those two-seater ones.
Ex: What’s your favourite place to escape to?
Manushi: Currently it would be Paris.
Ex: Where do you stand on the pineapple pizza discourse?
Manushi: I don’t think I stand anywhere because I would rather throw up.
Ex: Are you fond of collectibles? What do you like collecting?
Manushi:Yes, I do like to collect keychains, stickers, and postcards.
Ex: One bizarre dream you remember having recently?
Manushi: Recently, I dreamt that I had broken my phone.
Ex: Your Instagram feed and YouTube videos are full of your daughter SKY, and we all love her. So first, tell us what change she brings in your life or perhaps your vlogging life?
Ans: She has made me a better and happier man than I ever was, and that energy now reflects through my vlogs.
Ex: What type of content you’re planning to shoot in the future? The same moto vlogging and lifestyle videos or something new like the daddy-daughter vlogs that goes best with SKY?
Ans: Daddy daughter vlogs as there are so many beautiful moments that I’d like to share with my MN squad, but nothing can stop my travel, riding and lifestyle content either. I enjoy creating that kinda content a lot.
Ex: What kind of equipment do you think every budding moto vlogger should own and brief us about the road safety measures while vlogging?
Ans: A nice GoPro with a perfect mic set up on it with a 360-degree camera and about safety measures, don’t get distracted while riding and vlogging at the same time. Nothing comes over safety on the road. Also, make sure you are comfortable with vlogging while riding, and only then go ahead n do it while you hit the road.
Ex: You’ve been uploading at least one video a day for the last few months. How do you manage to maintain consistency in vlogs? Also, how does technology play a role in all of this?
Ans: We all have at least 10-15 minutes of interesting things happening in our lives. Honestly, I have hardly missed 2-3 days of vlogging this year. I think we all have at least 10-15 mins of interesting things happening in our life every day. That’s what I do. I capture those interesting moments in my vlog every day and manage consistency. Plus, as I have progressed, I upgraded to a better camera, laptop & internet connection which helps me with this.
Ex: What’s your most recent tech purchase?
Ans: GoPro hero 10 & Macbook M1 pro max.
Ex: Do you think YouTube is a different place in terms of growth compared to when you started?
Ans: Yes, completely. Today, it’s much, much easier than it used to be. The emphasis is on much because now you have a platform set in every genre from the creators who started it.
Ex: What is your definition of success?
Ans: Doing what you love to do without faking it.
Ex: What’s the best comment you’ve ever received on your social media accounts?
Ans: There are so many, but if I had to pick, it’s the one where people comment how my videos have motivated them to never give up.
Ex: You’re one of the best influencers in India, but who is the one other personality that influenced you the most?
Ans: Casey Neistat.
Ex: What are the best tech and auto purchases you’ve ever made?
Ans: Audi Q7 for auto and tech is Sony a7s3. (probably one of the best cameras of today’s times)
Ex: What are the worst tech and auto purchases you’ve ever made?
Ans: I would say none because I deeply research before buying stuff, and there is no auto and tech purchase that I have not used to the fullest and its value to date.
Ex: What are the perks of being an influencer? And how do you demonstrate your work when somebody with no youtube knowledge asks you about it?
Ans: You get a lot of things for free. I make an actual reality show on youtube about my life.
Ex: What’s the dumbest way you’ve been injured while vlogging?
Ans: I have never been injured while vlogging.
Quick Bites
Ex: Your all-time favourite bike?
Ans: BMW GSA 1250
Ex: Which one would you choose between, BMW R 1200 GS or Triumph Tiger?
Ans: BMW GSA
Ex: iPhone or Android?
Ans: iPhone
Ex: One gadget you can’t live without?
Ans: My Camera
Ex: A road trip with friends or an international trip with the family?
Ans: Anything with family
Ex: Crypto or NFT?
Ans: Crypto
Ex: A quote that defines your current life?
Ans: If you don’t respect time, the time will never respect you
Being a girl or woman in a collectivist country like India, where almost everyone is judgemental, especially in terms of fashion, is not an easy task. However, like every other obstacle, Indian women have successfully conquered the collectivist culture of our country and have come a long way.
The dog days are already here, and most of us are looking for a solution to get away with it. Alas, we can’t get away with summer heat that easily, but we can’t wait to go out as soon as possible as we have spent a considerable amount of time in our homes lately dealing with covid restrictions.
Going out in summer, even for a short time, sounds terrible, but you can survive the nasty summer by choosing the right wardrobe. One can’t dare to wear everyday clothes during summer, especially in a tropical region like India, where the temperature easily outshines 40° and scorches you alive.
Any wardrobe is incomplete without the summer essentials as we have to face the summer season for about 3-4 months. When dealing with summer, we have to raise the style bar similar to the scorching temperature as that keeps us going ahead and makes us comfortable in and out.
Suitable fabrics and colours for Summer Season
Summer clothes should be made of breathable fabrics such as cotton, and they must be bright in colour as such colours subconsciously augment our energy levels. Now, take a good look at the refreshing list of summer wardrobe essentials that we have created for you and beat the heat in style.
White T-Shirt
Let’s start from the basics! I know, seeing a white t-shirt at the top of the list is least expected, but don’t forget summer is all about going basic. A white t-shirt is one of the most versatile pieces you can wear during summer as it looks good on almost everything, be it relaxed fit blue jeans or a floral patterned skirt.
Shirt Dress
A shirt dress can easily help you swing the hot Indian summer days as they’re one of the classy garments that offer breathability along with a versatile look. You can pair up a shirt dress with a blazer for professional outings or pair it with white sneakers and hit the local café in style.
Tank Tops
We have a lot of options when it comes to tank tops as one can wear them almost everywhere, be it while sweating out in the gym or heading to the mall. Wear a tank top with a maxi skirt for a boho-chic look, or pair it up with a pencil skirt to have a formal look.
Denim Shorts
A pair of comfortable fit denim shorts can do wonders, especially when searching for a summer outfit. Wear a patterned bodysuit, white t-shirt or a crop top and add a statement belt, a handy phone bag along with black heels, and you’re ready to show off the summer chic look.
Sunglasses
One can’t survive the brutality of the summer (at least during the summer) without sunglasses unless you have spectacles and have no option rather than dealing with the harsh sun. While looking for sunglasses, go for the ones that suit your face shape the best and invest in a high-quality pair as they provide a decent shield.
Slides
Slides are one of the most comfortable and cute footwear you’ll see in summer as they’re easy to get on and off. Slides are the most versatile flip flops as they blend perfectly with a variety of outfits. Add the slides to your closet for summertime and style them with your favourite cropped, tapered, or relaxed denim.
Linen Wide Leg Culotte
Culotte may sound weird to the clan who always prefer to wear skinny jeans, but these wide-leg pants are easy to pull off and are favourite outdoor wear for the top celebrities, including Kendall Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, and Kate Middleton. They’re a perfect option if you’re looking for something airy during summer.
White Sneakers
White sneakers will never go out of style as they’re one of the top-notch footwear options, particularly during summer. Also, white pair of sneakers go with any outfit until you know how to keep them clean. Wear them with a polka dress or graphic tee with blue jeans, and thank me later.
Breton Striped Shirt or T-Shirt
A french-born Breton staple shirt or t-shirt can stand out amongst all the summer outfits and help you get a chic look. The original design featured 21 stripes, one for each of Napoleon Bonaparte’s victories, but who cares? Breton staple shirts or t-shirts look classy when paired with jeans or shorts.
Swimsuit
The best way to overcome the summer heat is diving into any kind of water body, such as pools, rivers, or beaches but going down the pool area in a t-shirt and shorts sounds a little outdated. Instead, get a proper swimsuit like a stylish one-piece and re-visit your inner sea mermaid.
The great Indian summer is here, and most of us are already drowning in a pool of sweat while commuting to work, playing outdoor games or perhaps everywhere. Nobody wants to go out in the summer, especially when living in a tropical country like ours, but that’s not the prime reason to stay inside.
Do you know why a massive number of men prefer winter as their go-to season? Well, the first thought that hits your mind is exemplary – salute to you, but besides that, the styling guide plays a key role. In winter, you can layer up yourself with cool jackets, funky shawls and whatnot, making it a style season.
While, in the case of the summer, we can’t even imagine getting out in a disgusting humid 40+ degree temperature. However, we’re eager to venture out as we’ve had enough during these last 2-years, and people are finally planning something where they’re packing everything except masks.
Well, nothing stays intact in a world of fast fashion but having a proper wardrobe essential and styling guide could save you anytime as these are the core elements that will allow you to enjoy the great tropical vibes while commuting to work or walking on a beach.
Suitable fabrics for Summer Season
Every season has its list of appropriate fabrics, and when it comes to the summer season, one must go with lighter fabrics with flexible weaves, such as cotton, linen, sheer and khadi, as these fabrics keep you cool inside and comfortable outside, all these benefits without surrendering any of style statement.
Suitable colours & fit for Summer Season
One can not summarize the bright and wonderful summer season without colours and patterns. Summer will be chiller if you add lighter shades of blue, browns, and greys to your wardrobe, along with clothes with colours like millennial pink, sage green, varsity red, and pastel purple.
One should avoid wearing dark shades during summer as they trap the heat from the sun and make you feel uncomfortably hotter. Also, loosen up your fit a bit like the guys from middle eastern countries do and go with relaxed fit clothes, which offer a decent room to breathe. Come on, it’s time to dive in.
Button-down long-sleeve Shirts
A pair of button-down long-sleeve shirts will serve as a smart casual for any summer situation, and once paired with relaxed/slim fit jeans or chinos, they’ll save you from having an everyday summer look of boring t-shirts and shorts. While walking out with these, make sure you unbutton the top button and roll up your sleeves.
White Sneakers
The white sneakers trend started back in the 20th century as a street style look, and it landed in the 21st century as a wardrobe classic, and indeed, they’re not going off the trend anytime soon. They’re known for their versatility as one can wear them casually and even with a tailored suit, but only if you know how to take care of them.
Ultralight Chinos
Chinos are the ideal bottom wears for the heat-season, of course, due to their welcome nature that offers breathability and comfort. I would say go for a lighter shade – slim fit chinos and pair them up with canvas sneakers and button-down long-sleeve shirts, henleys or even slim fit t-shirts.
Polo T-Shirts
Polo t-shirts are known as a middle ground between button-down shirts and t-shirts as they’re the perfect choice when you want to be professional and feel relaxed at the same time. While shopping for polos, go with a few muted summer colours of your choice and only buy the ones that equip you well.
Summer Shorts
Shorts are probably one of the most favoured outfits of the summertime as they offer the comfort you want in the warmer weather but only when you know how long your shorts should be! The shorts should be 1″ to 3″ above your knees, and if you’re planning to buy shorts that go past your knees, please turn the page.
Cuban-collar shirts
Cuban-collar shirts are famous for their collars which offer a little more breathing space (summery comfort) between collar and body. It was once known as strictly retro wear, but they’ve graduated into a men’s wardrobe staple in recent times. Go with the tropical, floral or geometrical prints and, of course, half sleeves.
Lightweight Jackets
Whoever said you couldn’t wear jackets during summer either damn-o-single or don’t prefer to go out on a date night. The lightweight jackets with signature large pockets are my favourite alternative to a blazer as they’re great to build breathability and always help you look smart while planning to go out.
Summer Shades
You can’t imagine hitting the outdoors during summertime without carrying a pair of reflective shades. Well, no kidding, you can’t imagine as the sun doesn’t let anyone do that. So put on the summer shades like Wayfarer, Clubmaster, Aviator or round eye lens to look stylish and keep the sun from blinding you.
Swim Shorts
Whether you know how to swim or not, swim shorts are one of the necessary wardrobe-essentials one should have during summer. We often prefer to visit water parks, beaches, and riversides in summer, and many guys fail to control a masculine urge to throw themselves in the waterbody. So yeah, get your swim shorts asap.
Summer Cologne
Summer brings a lot of unwanted heat and turns us into a sweaty phenomenon. Now, to overcome the heat, most of us overuse a cologne, resulting in an unsavoury smell due to an adverse chemical reaction. Hence, note it down – during summer, less is more, and for the best colognes, click here.
Since the arrival of Web 2.0, we have witnessed many changes in human lifestyle, especially the ones that directly relate to the internet. Whether from static pages to dynamic web pages, social media advancement from mails to apps or from cash-driven society to electronic money transactions. Digital currency, or digital money, is a new fad that is driving people crazy and the hype it has created since its inception is absolutely unbelievable.
What is Digital Currency?
The word anatomy certainly belongs to the science that studies the structure of the body, but it goes along quite well when someone is describing digital currency. The human body consists mainly of water and organic compounds, while digital currency or digital money is any form of money, currency, money-like asset or payment that is primarily managed, stored or exchanged in electronic form, especially over the internet.
Digital currencies or electronic currencies are known for making secure, transparent and trusted payments that exist only in a virtual format and are not tangible. They are mainly divided into two territories – centralised currencies and decentralised currencies. Now, you should know one thing upfront – centralised currencies are regulated and need licenses to operate, while decentralised currencies are complicated to regulate.
The money you have in your bank accounts is called electronic money. It does not fall in the category of digital currency because you can take your bank stored money out in cash form anytime you want, just by visiting the banks or ATMs. However, you can’t do such acts in the case of digital money as it never takes physical form, unlike currencies with printed banknotes or minted coins, which makes it exchangeable only via digital pars.
Types of Digital Currencies
Cryptocurrency
Almost everyone on this planet earth is aware of cryptocurrency due to its popularity over the last few years. It is a type of digital currency designed to work as a medium of exchange through a computer network that does not rely on any central authority, making it supremely rebellious. Cryptocurrencies are categorised into DeFi, NFT, utility tokens, and store of value tokens like Ethereum, Bitcoin and Litecoin.
Cryptocurrency uses encryption to verify transactions, and it is a digital currency with the actual value and worth, though it keeps fluctuating and volatile. It doesn’t belong to any specific nation and isn’t integrated with any one country’s economy. The first-ever cryptocurrency was Bitcoin, founded in 2009, and even today, it is a widely accepted and one of the most highly valued cryptocurrencies in the world.
Virtual Currency
Virtual currency is a type of digital currency which is not issued or controlled by a central bank. Also, in some cases, it acts as a substitute for real currency (only when it has an equivalent value), and then it is referred to as “convertible” virtual currency. They are further categorised by currency flow and classified as closed virtual currencies and convertible virtual currencies.
Central Bank Digital Currency or CBDC
Central Bank Digital Currency or CBDC is a type of digital currency issued by a central bank. The idea of Central Bank Digital Currency came from cryptocurrencies, but in reality, it differs from cryptocurrencies. The significant difference between these two is centralisation, where instead of putting money, the central bank issues electronic coins and accounts. The government backs all these coins and accounts, making the currency a fully trusted digital currency.
Do you remember those days when we all used to have keypad phones? Then a decade and a half ago, we started expecting more from our phones, and tech giants introduced us to touch-screen phones, followed by more modern and technological advanced smartphones. However, they couldn’t satisfy our tech cravings, and the ultimate research operation began.
Then, to get over this situation, smartphone makers started developing foldable smartphones, the most recent one being the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Now, following the footsteps of other smartphone manufacturers, The BBK-owned smartphone brand Vivo unveiled their first foldable phone, dubbed the X Fold, along with a 7-inch Vivo X Note smartphone.
Vivo X Fold has an inward foldable display that can unfold into an 8.03-inch 1800x2200px LTPO2 AMOLED E5 display, similar to what the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series offers and when folded, it offers a 6.53-inch AMOLED display. The outer display of the Vivo X Fold somewhat appears like any other regular smartphone, again more or less like Galaxy Z fold series smartphones.
The LTPO2 panel on the device offers allows the display to refresh between 1Hz and 120Hz to save some power. Also, the Vivo X Fold has a 120Hz refresh rate for both the displays and 300,000 folds for the hinge. The foldable phone uses Schott’s Ultra Thing Glass (UTG), and, as per the brand, it is the first smartphone ever to have a dual 3D ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner.
The Vivo X Fold is powered by a flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip with 12GB of RAM and backed by a 4,600mAh dual-cell battery with 66W fast wired charging support. The foldable phone sports a quad rear camera setup – a 50MP f/1.8 main camera, a 12MP f/2.4 2x (47mm) zoom camera, a 5x periscope zoom camera (with 60x digital zoom), and a 48MP f/2.2 114-degree ultrawide lens.
The inner and outer display of the foldable Vivo X Fold features a punch-hole camera which means the phone has two 16MP selfie cameras. Currently, the foldable phone is only available for sale in China at CNY 8,999 (approximately ₹1,07,207) with three colour options – Black, Blue and Gray but soon, the company will launch it globally.
We all have experienced dating apps at least once in our lives. Now, don’t spoil the excitement by saying you haven’t. Chalo, let’s assume you haven’t because we live in a country where matrimonial apps have more subscriptions than dating apps, and we’ve met many people in their twenty-somethings who are either interested in playing video games instead of dating or have lost faith in love due to several bummers.
Alas! We wish we could help you get a date, but we can’t. However, we can surely help you know more about the dating industry, where you might find something interesting that you can use to show off on your d-day. For instance, do you know back in the 20th-century, when newspaper ads became an integral part of human lives, “lonely soldiers” of World War I started connecting with their women over personal ads?
Now, please don’t overdo it by using the above reference while you’re on a first date. Getting back to the point, as technology started emerging in our lives, in 1965, a team of Harvard undergrads created the world’s first computer dating service, Operation Match, and since then, we have come a long way from launching the world’s first dating site in 1995 to inventing several mobile dating apps in the 2010s.
The Rise of Online Dating
When Gary Kremen and Peng T. Ong founded match.com in 1995, the internet was already booming, at least in first-world countries. Later on, within a short span dating culture spread out in the rest of the world like a pandemic, and people started focusing on its benefits, especially singles looking for a match. However, dating culture is still considered taboo in many countries, including India. Though, the recent reports tell a different story.
Thanks to Millennials and Gen Z, India has about 31 million people on dating apps.
Nowadays, if you ask 10 people how they met their partner? At least 7 of them will answer online instead of through family or friends, which speaks volumes about the rise of online dating. It all happened in the last decade only, when dating sites were replaced by dating apps. At first, at least during the initial days of their service, they were trying to help singles get a partner/date, but as they understood the growth prospects of the field, it became a business of love.
Algorithms played a massive role in developing dating apps as the developers tremendously improved their basics to match couples more efficiently than ever before. Besides algorithms, another thing that helped the dating industry grow was numerous couple studies that say couples who met online and got married have a subordinate share in the overall contribution of divorce. The global online dating market is currently worth $8 billion and is expected to hit the mark of 10 billion by 2025, which shows how much people enjoy dating online.
Valuation of the Online Dating Industry
The online dating industry has grown tremendously well in such a short amount of time and is currently valued at approximately USD 8-billion. However, if you look at the matchmaking success rate of dating apps, it is far below what you might expect. Only 40-45% of the users get their ideal matches, while the rest either wait or uninstall the app.
The industry is expected to reach a value of USD 10-billion by the end of 2024, and users will pass the 500 million mark. Some of the top companies in the online dating industry, such as Tinder & Bumble, are already setting up their dating metaverses to develop more user-friendly options in the future. As a whole, the industry seems to have a bright future.
Why doesn’t online dating work for most people?
Now that we’ve shared the list of top 5 dating apps, you (especially if you’re a male) must be wondering, I’ve tried most of them or, in some cases, all of them, but they didn’t work for me, forcing you either waiting for a match or playing the game of install and uninstall the app after every other month. In some cases, people get a response now and then, but not from the one they want to date.
Don’t worry about it, you’re not the only one who’s dealing with it, and if dating apps were perfect, people would use it once, find their soulmates and end up uninstalling the app happily. The dating apps are here to stay, to earn profits, and they’ll only get it done if they’re bad at it. So, don’t get frustrated and annoyed by the results. Work on where you’re going wrong and hone your skills.
Why you’re failing at online dating?
Physiognomy
You’re always swiping right on the basis of looks, appearance and hotness. Well, there are thousands of people who do the same, which means that one attractive person receives thousands of requests and you end up being a part of the highly competitive race.
The first impression
Your profile picture and bio play a crucial role in online dating, and if it doesn’t instantly connect with the person at the other end, you’ll end up swiping right and left for a long time. Also, don’t try to impress with a fancy name, be authentic as possible.
Don’t skip the questions
Skipping questions on the dating apps will harm your match score just like it does in the exams. Why would someone make an effort to reply to your text or pick-up line when you’re not even taking a minute to fill up those forms that ask simple questions about you.
That lame icebreaker
Don’t expect a reply if you’re sending boring variations of – hi hottie, hello there, and hie sweetheart as they’re not going to even look at it. Now, don’t go on google to search for creative icebreakers, because google is accessible to everyone. Be a little innovative, and create your version to drive them crazy.
Don’t try too hard
When they’re not replying to you, don’t bombard them with lots of messages asking why are they not responding! Take a deep breath, dude, and move on to the next profile. That person might be not interested, and there are plenty of fishes in the sea. I like betta fish, though – they’re pretty aggressive.
Yes, we have solutions too!
The right app before the right swap
Every dating app has a different purpose and people, mostly girls do a little homework before installing the apps. So first, decide what’s your purpose and what do you want from the app. Only then things will fall in place otherwise, it would look like you’re fishing in a dead sea.
Appear as impressive as possible
Like I already said, the first impression is a key in online dating, but that doesn’t mean you’ve to wear branded clothes and pose like a runaway model. Just try to appear confident, and presentable but don’t overdo anything and upload only those photos which can trigger them to swipe right.
The anecdote
Don’t dare to describe yourself with a borrowed bio or with all the things mentioning you, you and only you. Write your bio in an interesting way, and mention a few of your hobbies along with interests while focusing at least 30% on what are your expectations from the other person.
That one icebreaker
Please don’t spend too much time reading about him/her profile and trying to understand what’s her view! It’s a complete waste of time, but that doesn’t mean you’re allowed to send messages out blindly. Tailor your one icebreaker and try to play around it according to the profile.
ONLY FOR MEN
Your male friends are not going to be a great help when choosing the right pictures. Instead, try to get female feedback, and if you don’t have any female friends, ask someone who’s hardcore straightforward. Trust me, they’re the only species that gives blunt answers without any second thought.
