iQOO’s latest launch, the iQOO 9 series is one of the most awaited flagship series’ in recent times, which includes 3-smartphones – iQOO 9 Pro, iQOO 9 and iQOO SE. We recently reviewed the iQOO 9 – BMW Motorsport Edition, it was one of the most stunning smartphones we reviewed recently, of course after the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
When iQOO launched iQOO 9 in India, it was available in two colours – Legend and Alpha. Yesterday, the company launched a third colour variant of the smartphone in India, dubbed Phoenix Orange. The newly introduced Phoenix colour comes with colour-changing technology, making it stand apart from the previously launched colours.
In India, we’ve already seen smartphones with colour-changing technology with the likes of the Realme 9 Pro, Realme 9 Pro+, Vivo V23 5G, and Vivo V23 Pro. The iQOO 9 Phoenix coloured variant marks the fifth smartphone in India that arrives with colour-changing technology. The new variant changes to orange colour when exposed to sunlight or other artificial UV light sources.
As per the iQOO, “The new vibrant colour of iQOO 9 is produced by a geometric craft on Frosty AG Glass. It changes colour when exposed to sunlight and other sources of artificial UV rays and transforms into different colours. The UV Rays of Sunshine changes the internal structure of glass molecules resulting in changing the existing colour to Phoenix (Orange) colour variant.”
Apart from the new colour, everything else remains the same between the new and previously launched iQOO 9 smartphones, including the price tag. The smartphone has a 6.56″ punch-hole AMOLED display, and it is powered by a Snapdragon 888+ chipset. The base model of iQOO 9 with 8GB RAM + 128GB(5G) storage is available at ₹42,990, while the 12GB+256GB(5G) variant will cost you ₹46,990.
The South Korean tech giant Samsung has partnered with Swedish–Swiss multinational corporation ABB, where the two leading giants will help in the expansion of Samsung SmartThings and its integration in more buildings, offices and homes.
ABB has expertise of over 130 years, and to date, they’ve manufactured and sold more than 5,50,000 products. The company’s ABB-free@home automation solution controls various building equipment, including access detection, communication and climate systems for residential and commercial complexes.
“With SmartThings, Samsung has been able to create an eco-system of smart appliances making homes smarter and more efficient. We are excited to build on that by partnering with ABB to expand the SmartThings experience to new customers making it easier for consumers to reduce costs and create positive environmental impact,” said Chanwoo Park, Head of IoT Business at Samsung Electronics.
The partnership aims to strengthen Samsung’s Home IoT solution in the residential and industrial construction market, combining smart domestic solutions with SmartThings for a greater advanced, cost-effective and energy-efficient solution for tracking and controlling houses and buildings.
Samsung SmartThings and ABB- free@home will develop a cloud to cloud integration which will be a smart, efficient and energy-saving solution to transform the house, office or building into an intelligent one, allowing consumers a wider control.
With Samsung’s SmartThings platform, customers can monitor and manage ABB’s portfolio of devices, like cameras, sensors and comfort structures included with SmartThings, permitting customers to access their smart home functions from anywhere with a single application.
SmartThings features a neat device control tab easily accessible from your Samsung phone’s drop-down menu. Samsung and ABB’s partnership gives a scalable, turnkey smart domestic solution with top-class Samsung appliances and ABB devices that could significantly reduce operational charges through efficiencies and predictive maintenance services.
Week-offs are designed to reduce stress and increase productivity, but how do ordinary people spend their week-offs? They stay awake till the wee hours watching a movie or web show, then sleep till the next afternoon, and have breakfast post lunchtime. Later, they head out to the malls in the evening only to get stuck in traffic or end up sleeping more, to wake up again and worry about the next day, which makes their week-offs pathetic.
Whereas the French people who are famous for their love for sleep come back home right after work, relax a little and au dodo by 10-11 PM, wake up early and spend their week-off mornings listening to relaxing music. Later in the day, they indulge in cosy activities such as reading a book in the cafe, cooking a nice meal for their loved ones, meeting a friend over famille lunch, and all those little things that make their heart happy and relaxed.
Walking Over Driving
Since the inception of smartwatches, the whole world has been trying to follow the default 10,000 steps a day format, but it’s an old ritual for the Frenchmen as walking has been an integral part of their lifestyle for ages. Even if most French people have cars at home, they prefer to walk instead of taking their cars out, as they only choose to drive when required, and the destination is not walkable.
Also, the developed cities in France or, perhaps, Europe were designed to get everything you needed for your daily life by walking around the neighbourhood, and the number of cars in France is way greater than the number of parking spaces. Adopting this habit is one of the simplest ways to integrate the French lifestyle into our daily routines, as we all know the benefits of taking a walk in the morning, to the market and stroll after dinner.
The Sacred Meal Hours
The French people are crazy about their meals and drinks like nothing else, and if you don’t believe my words, watch them while they’re drinking or having breakfast, lunch or dinner. They spend about 2 hours and 13 minutes per day eating, and they don’t regret it even once. Eating at a slow pace while enjoying every element of the food and savouring each bite is a french way to salut the food maker.
The Frenchmen usually prefer to eat fresh and delicious food as they believe it’s easier to eat slowly when your meal tastes real good. Their meals include small portions of meat, vegetables, and coffee to finish off the meal. They prefer eating food with their family or friends while listening to soothing music instead of watching television or chatting over the phone. One must adopt this habit as it allows you to sit and eat peacefully.
The Minimalist Fashion
When it comes to fashion, French people are very sophisticated and go for the most subtle clothes as they’re fond of minimalist style. The French fashion is all about effortless basic clothes with one statement piece like a scarf, a dress shirt, a hat, over a great pair of jeans and shoes. Also, they don’t like to overdo or overdress anything, especially the French girls, they genuinely hate 5 pounds of makeup.
The French believe you should prefer pleasing yourself above all and define beauty as feeling good about yourself. They see beauty in effortless and natural aesthetics. The young generation in France follows the “less is more” mantra. Being well-dressed is one of the key practices the French likes to follow as it helps them walk with confidence throughout their day. These guys are not flashy and pick neutral colours for their outfits.
Shop at Local Farms
Up till here, if you think that you can’t adopt the French lifestyle outside the big cities, then you’re mistaken. The French always crave fresh and season-based foods, which helps them in their habit of eating mindfully. They’re keen on shopping from the local farmers’ markets as it allows them to interact with local farmers and other people. Shop this way to make your shopping experience enjoyable rather than a regular chore.
The Intellectual Wealth
The simple pleasures are irreplaceable, and French people choose to embrace them. When you walk around the streets of Paris or perhaps anywhere in the French land, you’ll easily notice people reading books by the cafe, river, parks or all around the places. They’re very fond of reading books, as being well-read is essential to the French lifestyle. Though Indians are already on top in reading as we spend an average of 11 hours a week on reading.
The Art of Doing Nothing
I was freakingly good at this one, as it was part of my studies. The art of doing nothing doesn’t mean being lazy, but it’s the idea of finding pleasure in idleness. Have you heard of that quote by Lao Tzu, “doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing.” If you haven’t heard it before, you have read it now. Adopt this one into your everyday life to rescue yourself from getting burned out in the rat race.
In my experience, “dolce far niente” (doing nothing) is a highly beneficial activity, introduced by Italians, who carry it regularly, but nobody does it better than the French. However, they have a similar term, “joie de vivre” (joy of living), which they practise passionately in day-to-day life. The French are very devoted to the art of doing nothing, as it aids them to fall in love with life every day.
The Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is heavenly popular in developed and developing countries, but nobody follows it in real-life scenarios. Statistically, people living in these countries constantly talk about work, except the French. It’s just not in their culture to talk about work outside the workspace, no doubt they’ve only 35 hours of the work-week. Besides fewer work hours, they also get five weeks of paid time off for vacations and have a life.
The Frenchmen never discuss work at a dinner table and when they’re chilling with friends even though they spend a lot of time eating and drinking. The Belgian guy told me the French sit together for hours but never care to ask where the other fellows work or what kind of work they do? as they’re culturally bound to not discuss such things while eating. Adopt this one in your life and focus on meaningful conversations at the dinner table.
Je ne sais quoi Over Anything
The French are recognised due to their different approach toward life and style of living. They’re always in favour of je ne sais quoi, be it food, drink, clothing, skincare, or home decor, which drives the rest of the world towards their culture. The people in France believe that less is more and one should own only those things that bring joy in life. It is the sole reason they go after high-quality items, which keeps them elevated in life.
Spend A Day Like You’re French
The reason behind most of life’s struggle is you’ve almost zero expertise in saying no, or you were perhaps born in a place where saying no is considered an insult or you’re a part of a generation where FOMO haunts. The world never forgets to describe the French people as a rude, cold and arrogant breed, but the truth is they’re good at maintaining boundaries and their raw culture.
Now, tell me, are you happy with your mundane routine? Well, being a part of the rat race, most of us are not, and even if you’re, what’s the harm in following a different lifestyle for a day. Be prepared, and this weekend give it a shot and try to spend a day like a French and note down what changes it brings to your life. I’m telling you, it has more benefits than you would ever have thought.
Let me help you with what a day looks like in a French lifestyle. First of all, they breathe discretion and stay low key as much as possible, the total opposite of the world that follows the American culture of always staying in the limelight, chasing the meat. The French have a natural talent to turn most boring things into poetic works of art with a little more mindfulness in the activity.
Being a newbie, let’s start with your normal routine (a week-off is better) but wake up a little early to enjoy every essence of life. Take a shower with skincare ingredients that smell wonderful, and slow down a little while sipping your morning tea/coffee. Listen to some serene music while wearing the dress that has a timeless silhouette in a neutral tone and while heading out, try to walk like a flaneur.
Walk into a cafe, take a few minutes to soak yourself and place your order as the french do, un cafe s’il vous plait. I know you can’t go all poetic in one day, but being polite has its magic. Slow down – enjoy every sip of the coffee and the surroundings while staying calm and composed. I’m telling you, if you follow this throughout the day, by the evening, you’ll fall in love with this cosy routine because c‘est la vie, and the French know it better.
The month of February 2022 is undoubtedly going down in history as a month of smartphone launches. We’ve witnessed many launches during the month, except for Apple iPhones, which came a little late to the party. Who cares? Especially when you’ve Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in your hand – a perfect blend of Galaxy S Ultra and Galaxy Note Ultra.
The new-age smartphone from Samsung arrives in a black cardboard box that’s now even smaller than before, which kind of makes you think about iPhone packaging. Oh, have I mentioned anything about the S-Pen yet? Of course not. Well, the company has successfully managed to fit the S-Pen entirely into the device itself.
First Impression
They say the first impression is the last impression, and Samsung took it very seriously. To be honest, this is the perfect smartphone I have ever held in recent times. It has premium looks, and even a single glance is enough to predict the price. However, after two weeks of use, I understood that the saying nobody is perfect could be applied here.
Design & Display
I’ve already mentioned above that the Galaxy S22 ultra is a crossover of two old flagship models, but the sharp and squared-off angles make it appear as a stunning device. The smartphones ship in four colours – Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green and Burgundy. The only thing I would like to appreciate about this device’s design is its camera module.
The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a metal and glass slab with sharp corners, but no worries, the rounded side edges will save the game. The S22 Ultra boasts a power button and a volume rocker on the right, advertised as made from recycled fishing nets. The front glass of the smartphone has high-gloss and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, while the back is covered with a satin finish.
The flagship smartphones from Samsung are always loved for their classic displays and the same proceeds to the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The S22 Ultra has a sharp, bright, colour-rich and ideal for outdoor viewing display, probably the best in the current smartphone world. The 6.8-inch AMOLED display of the S22 Ultra has rounded side edges and has a 120Hz refresh rate.
Build Quality
The phone is massive (dimensions – 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm) and takes you back to its NOTE roots but weighs about 230 gms, making it lighter than Apple’s flagship devices. The flat surfaces of both sides wrap the device like a sandwich. Overall, the build quality of the S22 Ultra is superb, but with curved edges like this, it’s going to be an uncomfortable ride for the first few days.
Camera
When it comes to S22 Ultra’s camera, indeed Samsung has plans for overtaking the camera legacy of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and Google Pixel 6 Pro. The camera module appears similar to the S21 Ultra, but it’s completely different, thanks to the processor. The S22 Ultra has a 40-MP selfie camera that supports dual video calls and offers 4K video quality at 30/60fps and 1080p@30fps.
On the rear, the phone has a 12-MP ultra-wide camera, 108-MP wide-angle camera, and two telephoto cameras with 10-megapixels, one with 3X optical zoom and another with 10X optical zoom. The smartphone offers better low-light photos, 4x faster multi-frame processing, and an AI-boosted portrait mode. The nightography camera of the S22 Ultra is advertised as Samsung’s best innovation yet.
S-Pen
The S-Pen acts as a smartpen, pull it out, and the phone will automatically launch the Notes app. The S-Pen is an active one and has its battery, gyro, accelerometer and Bluetooth connectivity for communicating with the phone. The Smart select option of the S-Pen allows you to take differently shaped screenshots, which you can use to create short GIF animations.
Chipset & Performance
The Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the first smartphones that get the latest flagship SoC from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The device runs on Android 12 with OneUI on top and a 4nm chip that promises better CPU and graphics performance. The smartphone arrives with 12GB of RAM, and for storage, it has in 3-options, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB.
I’ve been using iPhone 13 Pro Max as my primary device for the last few months, and I’m not ashamed to say that the Galaxy S22 Ultra felt faster than it and completely outperforms Apple’s latest flagship phone. The smartphone offers fantastic gameplay with high graphics games such as Call of Duty Mobile without a single hiccup.
Battery
A 5,000mAh battery powers the S22 Ultra, but the phone comes with an FHD+ resolution with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, which makes the chances of decreasing the battery life relatively high. Of course, with out-of-the-box settings and an average of 6.5 hours of screen-on time, the device can smoothly run for a day and spare a little juice (about 25% to 35%) for another one.
Verdict
The Galaxy S22 Ultra has no single competition in the current market, and no other smartphone has the guts to tick off the boxes that S22 Ultra accomplishes. The phone is packed with the latest processor, brightest smartphone display, the highest megapixel camera, and the built-in S Pen, making the S22 Ultra superior in every section. So, if you’ve loads of money, I’ve three words for you – GO FOR IT!
On August 6, 1991, one of the most significant pieces of technology was launched. The Internet “World Wide Web” was introduced to the public about 21 years ago. People and business entities did not immediately take to the Internet. It was quite a task to bring an Internet connection into a building. An Internet service provider had to run a cable from the mainline to the inside of the building. From here, an Ethernet cable was utilized to create a connection between the Internet service and router. Another Ethernet cable was needed to connect the Internet router to a computer. This complex process is still utilized today but is no longer viewed as a hassle.
As time went on, more private networks were created. It did not take long before everyone was hooked and eventually reliant on the Internet. Today, there are approximately 5.16 billion Internet users across the globe. When you break down these Internet users, you see people, businesses, government entities, nonprofit agencies, and public institutions.
Financial Industry And Internet
One industry majorly impacted by the Internet is the financial sector. Long gone are the days of spending precious time waiting in line to cash a check. While some financial institutions continue to see some foot traffic, the volume has drastically decreased, thanks to the Internet.
Commercial banks, asset management firms, credit unions, insurance companies, check-cashing firms, payment processors, finance companies, payment processors, stock brokerage firms, and asset management firms are reliant on the Internet.
The Internet is so commonplace in the financial sector. Everyone from the consumer to the small business to the large corporation conducts business with at least one financial institution.
Mobile Banking
Mobile banking is one of the most notable finance technologies. Thanks to this amazing piece of technology, consumers can conduct most of their financial activities online. Instead of spending hours in line at a bank, consumers can cash their checks online. This includes both payroll, cashiers, and personal checks.
Nearly every small and large financial institution utilizes software for its mobile banking services. The account holder must download their bank app to their desktop computer, laptop, or smartphone. Some people tend to download their bank apps to all their mobile devices and desktop computer. So, they have quick and easy access to their personal bank account at home and on the go.
Other financial services available through most bank apps include check cancellation, wire transfer from one account to another, bill pay, and balance inquiry.
Digital Currencies
Cash was the go-to payment before the public discovered the Internet. Modern banking systems hold a specific level of capital in hopes of avoiding economic stress. Digital money is stored electronically to streamline the existing financial infrastructure.
Electronic money transactions are much simpler and quicker than physical cash. Financial institutions can transfer money from one account to another in what seems like nanoseconds. For example, an account holder enrolls in a เว็บสล็อตเว็บตรง service. The initial deposit takes less than 15 minutes. The process involves removing electronic money from a bank account to the service provider’s bank account. The balance is then recorded in the player’s personal account.
Email
Nearly all financial institutions utilize email for various tasks and processes. Banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions incorporate email into their marketing strategies. Email marketing allows financial entities to build their customer bases, promote their lending services, communicate with their customers and other consumers, share time-sensitive information, and employee-to-employee communications.
Email marketing is an effective technique that has proven itself over time. Just ask any financier how they feel about email. They will all agree it has improved their every financial process in every way possible.
Video And Audio Chat
Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, financial institutions are no longer forced to host traditional meetings. Hosting a traditional financial meeting is never easy, especially when your employees, partners, and investors live across the globe. Fortunately, this is no longer the case, with video and audio chat technologies.
Virtual meetings can be held without a moment’s notice. To set up a virtual meeting requires a computer or smartphone, video & audio capabilities as well as an Internet connection.
Some banks even do one better by utilizing special virtual meeting software. They encourage their employees to keep the app downloaded to their smartphones, so they can be reached at all times.
We’re not the average of five people we spend the most time with, but we’re what we listen to and feed to our minds. Let me put it in a simple way by asking you a few questions. Why do lots of people struggle to get over a breakup? What do we do when we start to like someone? What do we prefer to do while commuting long routes? What do we do when we’re not able to sleep? We listen to the songs.
I agree we all need a little entertainment regularly, and there’s no damage in listening to the songs, only if you’re in control because songs and music can lead you anywhere. They have the power to change the whole perspective of your day or, perhaps, your entire week. However, after a specific time, you’ll get bored of that song you have been listening to for the last few weeks, ain’t it right?
In contrast, podcasts are immensely educational and add more knowledge to your life. Now, some of you will ask, what about the entertainment part? Don’t worry, buddy – they’re entertaining as well. I was the guy who used to wear earphones all the time (on and off, doesn’t matter), mainly to avoid human interaction, and then one fine morning, Spotify updated me about the hours I’ve spent listening to the songs.
At first, I was shocked but, fortunately, that happened a few weeks before the new year, and slowly-steadily I moved on from songs to podcasts. Yes, that knack to avoid human interaction stays the same, we’ll discuss it someday. I’m a big-time fan of storytelling and was looking for one when Spotify recommended me “Death, Lies and Cyanide” by Indian Journalist Sashi Kumar.
I listened to the above podcast in one go and was thrilled to know why people were so addicted to radio shows back in the century. Since my first podcast, I’ve listened to several others, and I’ve been working hard on lowering my music intake. What you want to listen to is ultimately a matter of personal preference as both podcasts and songs are designed for a specific audience in mind.
Okay, let’s see the benefits!
A certain song that appears randomly on your music app or radio can put you in a spot where you might feel an urge to recollect those memories or re-read those chats connected to that one song. Whereas in the case of podcasts, they only offer solutions and thoughts that provoke you to do something in life. Also, they don’t sink you after a while as they come in various genres and offer versatility.
The term podcast is a combination of two words – pod + broadcasting, and it is a relatively new phenomenon in India. Yet, it is getting popular rapidly, thanks to the pandemic and a few popular YouTubers who decided to come up with podcasts that offer entertainment and knowledge at the same time. A typical podcast usually ranges from 10 minutes to 2 hours and consists of episodes that make us cling to them.
Podcasts are perfect for mindless chores as they offer almost everything you want, such as from soothing sounds of meditation to heart-pounding true crime stories. Whenever you listen to narrative podcasts, it stimulates multiple parts of your brain and activates your auditory cortex, which ultimately helps you boost the feelings of trust, compassion, empathy and building relationships.
I’m a sucker for crime stories, as they trigger the production of dopamine and serotonin, which are happy hormones, and they also help improve your mental concentration. I started listening to this podcast named “Serial Killings: A Podcast”, and it helped me know more about how a person grows from a normal human being to a killer and understand their overall thought process.
We all know laughter is the best medicine for almost everything, and that’s why comedy is one of the most popular genres in nearly every sector, be it movies, web shows or even podcasts. Every time we listen to comedy podcasts, it activates our frontal lobe and cerebral cortex, which triggers things like laughter, surprise and delight. Comedy podcasts are best known as stress busters, as they help you cure the stress in no time.
A number of Indian stand-up comedians have started their podcasts on various platforms where they elaborate on common topics and give the podcast a more conversational angle. Amongst Indian comedy podcasts, No New Notifications by Kanan & Manek, Simple Ken by Kenny Sabastian, The Overthink Tank by Surbhi Bagga and The Internet Said So by Varun Thakur are the podcasts that could make your day anytime.
Along with comedy, educational and personal growth podcasts are gaining a considerable audience lately. Woice with Warikoo by Ankur Warikoo, The Ranveer Show by Ranveer Allahbadia, Simmy Said Whatt? by Simmy Goraya and On Purpose with Jay Shetty are some of the top podcasts in these genres. Besides the above mentioned popular genres, there are hundreds of other genres, and they all have different impacts on our brains.
Nowadays, all types of Podcasts are gaining popularity as they’re available for free listening on most popular platforms, which sets them apart from the music as you don’t have to encounter commercial breaks. Over the last few months, I’ve managed to get over my music addiction, and I’m not regretting it. Well, off we go now, as I can’t wait to see where this podcast love takes me!
Being a frequent traveller, I’ve learned road trips are not about how quickly you reach your destination, but it’s all about how much you enjoy the journey while heading towards your goal. All you need is a road trip when life hits hard because it will help you focus on the way ahead and help you realise that every exit takes you to an entrance somewhere else. The time has arrived when you must look at life through the windshield, and to help you, we’ve jotted down the top 16 incredible roads in the world for you to take in 2022.
Kolkata to Kumaon
Distance: 1600 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to February
The Route: Kolkata→ Varanasi→ Lucknow→ Nainital→ Pithoragarh→ Munsiyari
A road trip from Kolkata to Kumaon is considered one of India’s unique road trips as it takes you on a journey to witness the plains and uphills altogether in one trip. On the first day of the trip, you can seize the longest and the most challenging leg of the entire road trip, which takes you to the holy city of Varanasi. You can start your day two by taking a dip into the River Ganges and head further towards the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow.
Spend a day by visiting the famous tourist attractions in the city of Nawab’s and head towards Bhimtal, which is on the foothills of the Kumaon mountains. The final leg of the road trip will take you on the challenging ride up the hills of Kumaon, from Nainital to Pithoragarh and at the end to Munsiyari, a paradise for travel enthusiasts. Visit the stunning places around Munsiyari, such as Thamari and Maheshwari lake or go on a hike to the glaciers of Ralam and Milam.
Mumbai to Rann Of Kutch
Distance: 950 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to February
The Route: Mumbai→ Ankleshwar→ Vadodara→ Bhuj→ Rann of Kutch
People living in metro cities of India are always looking for a quiet place, especially Mumbaikars, who can’t even imagine living peacefully in the middle of their dream. We all need a little peace of mind to function well in a fast-moving world, and the Rann of Kutch is the best destination to bring back peace in your life. On the way to Rann of Kutch, your first pit stop would be Ankleshwar, a small town 10kms away from the Bharuch district of Gujarat, famous for a Golden Bridge, a British era bridge constructed between 1877-1881.
You can stay for a day or two in Vadodara, exploring its beautiful streets, royal paces and plethora of temples. Take an early morning drive to Bhuj and experience the beauty of ruins like Aina Mahal, Prag Mahal, and Rani Mahal. The final destination of a road trip from Mumbai to Rann of Kutch would make you think how barren landscapes can be so mesmerising? The salt desert looks beautiful when it reflects the moonlight at night. Also, don’t forget to buy embroidered bedsheets, carpets, clothes, sarees, and jackets to treasure the trip winks.
Munnar is the most picturesque destination in South India, thanks to the surrounding hills and tea plantations, making the place popular amongst the British officers during the 19th century and now for everyone looking for the elegant beauty of nature. Bangalore to Munnar road trip via Mysore can be a pleasant one even during a monsoon season, but only if you’re comfortable taking a ride in the middle of rains. The first stopover on this route would be Mysore, a city known for its palace, sweets and highway restaurants.
The next major stop on this route would be Ooty, which would demand an enormous level of patience as when you leave Mysore and get back on the road to Ooty, you’d witness heavy traffic, full of numerous trucks and buses. However, you’ll not regret it, thanks to the abundant natural beauty of the place. Spend a day in Ooty to enjoy beautiful lakes, waterfalls, the famous Nilgiri railway ride and head to the final destination, Munnar, which will tempt you with its greenery and take away all the exhaustion from your body, mind and soul.
Srinagar to Leh via Zoji La Pass
Distance: 420 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: April to July
The Route: Srinagar → Sonamarg → Kargil → Leh
Srinagar and Leh are two of the most famous dream destinations for road lovers, and covering these two in one go is like feeding two birds with one seed. Srinagar To Leh via Zoji La Pass is the best alternative for going to Leh compared to the Manali-Leh road, as it remains drivable for a longer time. The 420-Km road doesn’t offer the regular bushes and forests we see on familiar Indian roads, instead, it presents thrilling passes, mesmerizing mountains, and picturesque valleys.
The Zoji La Pass is one of the world’s most dangerous mountain roads. The pass is a part of National Highway 1 (NH1), which offers stunning views of the valley and heart-stopping arches. The 25.8 km long pass consists of unpaved roads, is the gateway to the majestic Ladakh, but indeed not recommended for Sunday drivers. The route runs through the famous war town of India, Kargil, where you can stop for sightseeing before heading towards your final destination Leh.
Jaipur to Daman
Distance: 1000 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to February
The Route: Jaipur→ Udaipur→ Ahmedabad→ Vadodara→ Daman
“Thelma & Louise” and “Y Tu Mamá También” are two of the most popular films on road trips, and if you ever feel like recreating these two road trips in India, then you should consider taking a drive from Jaipur to Daman. The journey starts from the capital city of Rajasthan, Jaipur, and till you reach Ahmedabad, you’ll witness vast deserts and grainy yellow sands, just like Utah from Thelma & Louise. After the first half of the trip, when you’re headed towards the beach town of Daman, you’ll catch Y Tu Mamá También vibes.
Jaipur is constantly flooded with tourists, and if you’re a Jaipurian who’s exhausted with all the local sites, then take out that car from your garage and drive down to Daman via Ahmedabad. Explore the city of lakes, Udaipur, which is more peaceful than busy Jaipur and head to Ahmedabad. Spend a day visiting the local diamond cutting shops and have some mouth-watering snacks to satisfy your taste buds. Take a leave from Ahmedabad and head to Daman to enjoy the tranquil beach life you’ve ever desired.
Guwahati to Tawang
Distance: 450 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: September to March
The Route: Guwahati → Tezpur→ Bhalukpong→ Dirang→ Tawang
After Kashmir, the North-East region of India deserves to be called heaven on earth, and even a madman will not say no to the road trip from Gangtok to Tawang. The 450-Km long stretch consists of ancient Buddhist monasteries, mighty landscapes, stunning lakes, and high mountain passes. The unique and adventurous trip is for those who like to go offroad and explore offbeat places but make sure you obtain an Inner Line Permit before entering the region. Arrive a day before in Guwahati, get your body acclimated to the cooler weather, and then begin your road trip.
The first destination on this route would be Tezpur, a city located on the banks of the river Brahmaputra. Halt for a day in the cultural capital of Assam and explore the tourist places such as Cole Park, Bamuni Hills and Kalia Bhomora Setu. On the next day, leave early in the morning as your next stopover- Bhalukpong has a lot to offer, as it is the dawn of scenic vistas of Arunachal Pradesh. The Bhalukpong to Tawang road, which consists of towns like Bomdila and Dirang, will keep you engaged with its beautiful hills and valleys.
Delhi to Jaisalmer
Distance: 800 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: November to February
The Route: Delhi→ Jaipur→ Ajmer→ Jodhpur → Pokhran → Jaisalmer
The road trip from the capital city of India, Delhi, to the Golden City, Jaisalmer, allows you to explore a number of stunning places and helps you get an experience of a lifetime. One should avoid taking this route or this trip during summers as these regions are one of the hottest zones in India but happen to be one of the best routes during winters due to their major attractions. The first stopover on this road trip would be Jaipur, where you stay for a day to explore the famous spots like the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort.
Leave Jaipur early in the morning and stop at Ajmer Sharif Dargah – the tomb of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, visited by millions of pilgrims every year. The next pitstop for the day could be Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur, known for its beautiful architecture. Spend a night in Jodhpur, wandering the local markets, enjoying the starry view from the fort, and head towards the Pokhran to visit Salim Singh Ki Haveli and Pokhran Museum. The trip’s final destination, Jaisalmer, will amaze you with its fort, which has incredible yellowstone architecture and Longewala War Memorial close to the Pakistan border.
Hyderabad to Kannur
Distance: 900 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: November to April
The Route: Hyderabad→ Hampi→ Kannur
It will be unfair if a place from God’s Own Country isn’t included in the top 10 incredible roads list. A road trip from Hyderabad to Kannur via NH167 takes you from the ancient history of the Nizams to Hampi, the medieval Hindu kingdom of the Vijayanagara Empire and at the end to the Manchester of Kerala, Kannur. Once you commence the journey from Hyderabad, stay on the road till the next 380-Km, and you’ll enter into the ancient Hindu Empire. Though all you can see are ruins, they have their own beauty, only if you have eyes for the same.
Spend a few days in Hampi and explore the famous spots such as Matanga Hill, Virupaksha Temple, Elephant Stables, Lotus Mahal, and Hippie Island by driving down the road, cycling or walking. Next up on the itinerary is Kannur, a city of looms and lores. Head to Kannur, and you’ll witness the exact opposite of what you have seen in Hampi. Kannur is a coastal city often called the crown of Kerala due to its natural treasures and is also known for its handloom industry and folk art called Theyyam. The beaches and backwaters of Kannur are a pleasant sight, and you’ll soon lose the soreness caused by the Hampi ruins.
Visakhapatnam to Pondicherry
Distance: 950 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to March
The Route: Visakhapatnam→ Guntur→ Ongole→ Nellore→ Pondicherry
When water bodies from three sides surround a country, it indeed creates a great chance of having scenic roads that run along the sea, and being a peninsula country, we have a few such roads in our quiver. Mumbai to Goa is one of India’s most-travelled and famous coastal roads, thanks to several Bollywood movies that were shot on this route, but the east coast of India also offers some of the best scenic roadside attractions, and the port city of Visakhapatnam is the Jewel of the East Coast.
The 950-Km route takes you from Vizag – a place of many scenic beaches and drops you at the ex-French colonial settlement where you can explore the preserved French legacy with tree-lined streets, mustard-coloured colonial villas and chic boutiques. Pondicherry is a vibrant city located on the south-eastern coast of India and offers a plethora of things to do and see. A drive from Visakhapatnam to Pondicherry would be a pleasant journey, and you’ll not regret the decision of taking your car out on this route.
Old Silk Route
Distance: 350 Km (approx)
Best time to Take the Trip: October to March
The Route: Siliguri → Reshi→ Old Silk Route→ Zuluk→ Gnathang→ Sillery
Hotel Belvédère is the iconic Swiss Hotel on the edge of the Rhone Glacier and perhaps one of the most photographed hotels in the world due to its location. In India, we don’t have such a hotel lying lonely on the beautiful edge of the road, but fortunately, we have a similar route, and it is called the Old Silk Route. The ancient hilly road is a rare confluence of natural beauty and used to play a significant role in cross-country trades and cultural exchanges between the Western and Oriental civilizations.
The route used to connect Lhasa in Tibet via the Jelep La Pass to India, and outlying, it used to connect China and other South Asian countries to the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Nowadays, only a tiny part of this route exists in India, in East Sikkim and West Bengal. The Old Silk Route is only a 70-Km long journey, but you must arrive at Siliguri to reach the place. Further, you’ll have to reach Reshi and then drive to Old Silk Route, where you can visit Jelep La Pass, Kupup & Memencho Lake. Later on, you can take the Zuluk→ Gnathang→ Sillery route to reach Siliguri.
OnePlus has launched its latest flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 10 Pro, an extension of its Never Settle product philosophy. What does one expect from a flagship device? A top of the line processor, more than enough RAM and storage, a great camera, and a premium design. And this is exactly what the OnePlus 10 Pro has to offer.
Design
It’s very difficult for a smartphone to stand out in the market since most of them look just the same. OnePlus 10 Pro is anything but a routine looking smartphone. It comes in two distinct colours – Volcanic Black and Emerald Forest and comes with a not-so-regular glass back. The back of the Volcanic Black model has micro-crystals that make the smartphone look like glittery grains of sand are boxed in it. The camera unit is the star aspect of this smartphone. The camera effortlessly blends into the metal frame of the smartphone and flows to the side of the phone.
Specifications & Price
The OnePlus 10 Pro has a 6.7 inch 2K AMOLED display with a 120hz refresh rate and comes with dual-colour calibration, a one-of-a-kind technology that ensures the delivery of natural and accurate colours. The triple camera setup consists of a 48 MP main sensor, a 50 MP ultra-wide sensor and an 8 MP telephoto sensor.
The smartphone runs on OxygenOS and is based on Android 12. The phone has a 5,000 mAh battery which can easily go through a day of heavy usage. In addition, you get an 80W SuperVOOC charger in the box. OnePlus 10 Pro runs on Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. The 8 GB RAM /128 GB Storage variant is priced at ₹66,999, while the 12 GB RAM + 256 GB Storage is priced at ₹71,999.
Conclusion
The OnePlus 10 Pro manages to deliver better performance, camera, and other aspects than the OnePlus 9RT, which was released last year. It also stands out from other smartphones in terms of design which is one of the major challenges for most smartphones.
The father of Canadian photojournalism, Ted Grant, once quoted, “When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes, but when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!” The quote is true to every word, as the colour duo, black and white, is said to be more realistic as it contains all colours, and at the same time, it excludes all, but we all know in which era we’re living and how much colours are important in today’s times. Then, why would our gadget-makers stay behind?
Colour plays a vital role in the world we live in and has always been a prominent aspect of human life. However, the gadget making companies took a lot of time to put coloured clothes on their products. Since the mid-50s, we have been witnessing coloured devices in the form of telephones, radios, speakers, etc. But later on, in the mid-90s, colours moved a little away from us, at least in the gadget sector, due to several concerns and again put on a band of bland colours, including black, white, grey and sometimes blue.
The phones in the early days mainly came in one or two colours, offering limited options for the customer as the companies were bound not to manufacture phones with particular colours as each geography in the world has colours for good and bad omens. Also, customers are treated like a god in most countries, and companies have to show sensitivity to people’s sentiments before launching a global variant. Though in recent times, everything has changed and now gadget makers are competing fiercely over coloured gadgets.
The First Step
Since Apple launched its first iPhone in 2007, whatever happens in the world of tech is directly co-related to Apple. It’s more like when other companies do things they seem ordinary to us, but it becomes cool when Apple tries the same with their products. Apple unveiled the iPhone 5C in 2013 and brought life to their phones with 4-colour variants – banana yellow, bubble gum pink, kiwi green, and Slush Puppie blue.
Since then, almost every smartphone manufacturing company has become colour obsessed. Being one of the top smartphone manufacturing companies globally, Apple has always come up with impressive marketing ideas that attract consumers. For instance, every time someone buys an iPhone with PRODUCT RED colour, they contribute to the Global Fund’s support of AIDS programmes and COVID‑19 Response.
The company has been collaborating with RED for the last 15 years and has raised nearly $270 million since the inception of the idea, including a $21 million donation to the Global Fund’s COVID‑19. Recently, Vivo launched India’s first colour changing smartphone Vivo V23 & V23 Pro. The smartphone has Fluorite AG glass that changes colour when exposed to sunlight and other sources of artificial UV rays.
Along with smartphones, various gadgets boast colours nowadays, and the list includes earphones, headphones, speakers, tablets, smart home gadgets, smartwatches, power banks, and portable mouses. The arrival of various colours in devices made consumers happy as it opened more options. When smartphones were introduced to the world, companies wanted to play it safe, so they only experimented with neutral colours.
Samsung was one of the first who introduced smartphones with colourful backs, but they created a kind of blue and red for their LTE-A phone that is fresh and new to people, which helped them stand apart. Nowadays, people are more open to trying different colours than in the earlier days when people were not welcoming towards various colours, and it allows companies to come up with more colourful designs.
Why are smartphones coming in a coloured back panel?
The younger generation prefers to flaunt colours in every way possible, and all over the world, these fellas are very casual towards new things, especially gadgets. Also, when you can have a smartphone or gadget in your favourite colours, which adds some joy to your life, why would you go for the neutral ones! The smartphone maker understands this mindset and decides to implement the same.
Polycarbonate back panels are usually considered the cheapest material as most mid-range smartphones come with them. Glass has been the preferred smartphone material in the past couple of years, and most flagship smartphones come with glass panels. The glass-panelled back on the smartphones looks premium, and it can be painted in different colours, which paves the way for smartphone makers.
The brighter and gradient colour panelled back in the smartphones was popular among Chinese smartphone makers, but the world accepted it when global players such as Apple and Samsung launched their phones with coloured panel backs. In the future, we might witness something more advanced in this back panel sector where we could get an option to change the colours according to the touch.
iQOO is a newbie in the world of smartphones, but in just 3-years, the company managed to grab millions of eyes and thousands of customers. Their latest launch, the iQOO 9 series is one of the most awaited flagship series’ in recent times which includes 3-smartphones – iQOO 9 Pro, iQOO 9 and iQOO SE.The one we received for the review was an iQOO 9 – BMW Motorsport Edition, and this is the first iQOO phone I ever used as a primary device. Let me tell you one crucial forte upfront, the iQOO 9 series’ launched in China, and the one launched in India is altogether a separate series of phones in many aspects.
First Impressions
Let’s begin with the packing – the company has made sure to come up with an innovative packing to grab your attention. The box contains a device, a 120W charger, a few other necessary things and yes, a 3.5-mm adapter. The smartphone looks stunning at first sight, and you couldn’t stop yourself from saying, “Wow!”
Design & Display
The phone looks premium, and the one thing that makes you go weak at the knees is its design, particularly the camera module and the rear side that features BMW’s tri-colour stripes. A single look at the iQOO 9, and you would say, oh, finally, somebody’s working on the design and appearance.The smartphone has a 6.56″ punch-hole AMOLED display in the front and is coated with matt gorilla glass at the back, not prone to fingerprints. The iQOO 9 Pro and iQOO 9 have almost similar-looking BMW stripes on the back, but if you look closer, the iQOO 9 Pro has a slightly different shade of white, making it more attractive.The power button brings an absolute charm to the phone as it has a blue-coloured tone. The phone is not massive and can fit into average-sized hands. About the display, it has a pixel density of 398ppi, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and it supports HDR in the Netflix app, which is like a cherry on the top moment.
Chipset & Performance
iQOO has been known to manufacture powerful smartphones such as iQOO Z3, iQOO Z5, iQOO 7, and 7 Legend, but the iQOO 9 series is on another level when it comes to performance. The smartphone runs on a Snapdragon 888+ chip and directly competes with the OnePlus 9 RT. The unit we had for a review was loaded with 12GB RAM and up to 256GB storage.
Camera
The iQOO 9 sports a triple camera set-up – a 48 MP primary camera with f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF, gimbal OIS and 13 MP telephoto camera with f/2.5, 50mm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom. While the third one is a 13 MP ultrawide camera, f/2.2, 16mm, 120˚ and 16 MP selfie camera, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.1″, 1.0µm with support for 1080p@30fps.
Gaming & Battery
The smartphone scores 851,613* on AnTuTu but still offers average gaming performance. One can’t play Marvel Future Revolution fluently on this smartphone due to the frame drop issue, but one can have a little fun on low graphics. In the case of Asphalt 9, it runs well and doesn’t cause any trouble. iQOO has claimed the charger will take only 18 minutes and a few other necessary items. Maybe that’s one of the reasons BMW teamed up with the iQOO.
Verdict
Being the first flagship smartphone from iQOO, we were expecting a lot, but iQOO 9 disappoints us with many elements. The smartphone is priced at ₹42,990 and packs a lot of features, especially when you’re taking a look at the other smartphones from BBK electronics. At first, iQOO seems like a decent and premium smartphone, but you’ll encounter a few troubles on the way. At this price range, other smartphones are available that offer very classy features.
