Professor Kinnikambala Padmanabha Rao or commonly known as K P Rao. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview this genius and I have presented the same below. But before proceeding, allow me to introduce him to you as briefly as possible. 

K P Rao was born on 29th February 1940 in Kinnikambala, a small village in Mangalore. In his long career, he has donned several roles such as scientist (BARC), engineer, (ECIL, Tata Press, Monotype), Professor (Manipal University and IIT Guwahati) and writer (Varnaka and other research papers and articles).

He has received quite a few awards for his achievements in the field of Science and Technology. The prominent ones are in 2013 when he was honoured with Nadoja and Karnataka Rajyotsava the latter being the second-highest civilian award conferred by the Karnataka State Government.

Read along to know more about K P Rao, his achievements, his latest book and how he designed and developed the keyboard layout.

Ready? Let’s go!

How did K P Rao design the keyboard layout?

Surabhi:

You are basically known for designing – the first one to design the Kannada keyboard layout. How did you come up with the design, what is the concept behind it and if there are any challenges that you faced during the process? Also, can you tell me about the software “Sediyapu”? 

K P Rao:

Yeah, of course, it’s the question. 

When I put this idea about and the way that it was implemented, I already knew all the problems of Indian language composition with computers. I had predicted whatever or had foreseen the kind of problems and the kind of solutions that were required. I had seen it all. So that is why it was possible.

This is going to be very detailed and descriptive. And also it is going to be partially technical. 

So, let me start from the technical portion of it first. 

Basically, “Sediyapu” was invented for or was put into use for using Indian scripts on computers apart from Kannada. Just the languages for the time being. And that it was implemented in Kannada is a different story. But it was putting those Indian language characters and Indian language scripts onto the computer screen. 

And I started on it because it didn’t happen with “Sediyapu”, it happened a few years earlier to it. As early as something like 1980 for that matter. When I was working in a typesetting company, a company which made type and used those kinds of things known as Monotype. 

They were selling some large computer machines, computer-based machines for setting type – putting the pages onto the screen. They were totally mechanical machines. And with those mechanical machines, it was finally possible to print the characters onto a photographic film and from that, it will come to a printed page – whether it is a newspaper or anything that you have. All that was meant for English only. 

Now, when such a machine was to be adopted or modified, some kind of changes were required for Indian languages. 

Please remember, all these were digital computers. So, we had already seen the digital computer business – like the question of defining the characters with the screen, the number of dots and bitmaps were already known. 

But the question was how exactly to put relation to the English language characters or English language positions for corresponding Indian language positions? 

We had to invent some very interesting methods. Basically, this is what the entire art of programming was at that time to be able to configure tools like this paystub software. This was known as the phonetic input of characters. 

In English at least, we have got 26 basic characters. It’s upper case characters, capitals, and then the numbers and all that. So the entire lot of characters that are required for printing an English page is just about let’s say less than 128. So the reason why it’s 128 is different, but it is less than that. That is all that you need for printing a page in English.

But when it comes to Indian languages, this is not sufficient. You need many more parts of character shapes from which you combine and put the Indian languages. Whether it is printing it onto the screen or printing as a positive thing finally on to film, the procedure involved is the same. And it involves exactly importing or putting all those complex characters in place. 

Just to give the proper example from Kannada or Telugu. The “Ka” character itself is printed in one particular way. That is just one character. And then we’ve got the “Ki” and “Ku” and “Ko” and so many other characters that are derived from that basic character. 

Yes, and all of them have got their own specific shapes, which is not really desirable in that sense. 

And then I understood the trouble is, suppose we have a word called “Akka” and then there is a lower subscribed or lower case characters which have to go under the basic character. Then it is going to be something very very different. You should have a totally new position. 

So it all becomes very very complex to put or generate all these characters and have all those characters. And to put them all together, finally to make a page or to show them on screen was not that easy. 

Adding to the problem, the characters at that time in all the computers were English only. Even now they’re still the English keyboard only. So just with these 26 upper cases, we had to generate all the characters that were required. And to do that was not all that easy. 

So we had to write a computer program that will accept the keystrokes from the keyboard and from that generate all the characters that are required in the final form. And possibly modify depending on how you input the characters, show them on the screen correctly the way that it will be printed, or at least very near to the way that it is printed. 

This is known as the phonetic input. That is what we invented at that time. 

The idea started from this. Though our names are not language-independent, the Indian language names are written in English characters only. With a kind of modification, we can read it.

For example. Can I say “Ki” or Surabhi if you say “Su”, “S” and “U” together you can read it as “Su”? Whether it’s upper case or lower case is different. 

But then I got a “Ku” to come “K” and “U” can make a “Ku”. So that part is simple. But then each language or each of the scripts that you have got shows them differently under the screen and to generate them you need something much more complex. 

Maybe you start with the S, and S comes on the screen. The moment you put it “U” afterwards, the first character may be deleted or overwritten or added on to a new kind of a character, which finally would appear as S U – “Su”. 

Got a character like “Ki”, now you have the K and that might produce Ka on the screen. The moment you put an I next to it, the K has to go and KI has to be generated in that place. Replacing and deleting entirely the earlier character that was generated. 

To do this was very complex. We can do it with many more characters. The final characters shapes and all – to generate them is a very complex thing. 

This is exactly what we did. We created and generated these kinds of things. And I wrote the programs that time with just the 26 keys that are there in the right combination and the right assignment would produce whatever characters that were required finally in that language. 

We also had an advantage. When we are talking about Hindi or Kannada or any other thing, we have got a few characters that do not have any meaning or assignment on their own. But only when it is connected to another character, gets meaning. 

For example, the “U” matra that you use after that “K” or a “Sa” makes it a “Ku” or a “Su” that by itself never occurs anywhere. So effectively that “U” when it comes at the beginning of a word that is just after the space in the line or anything of that kind, can produce a complete vowel, because the vowel “U” never comes within a word. 

So it is possible to generate and use the same U in two contexts. When you just test it independently it produces the vowel character “U”, which is very different from the matra character that it generates. But if it follows anything like a Vyanjana or a consonant S or Sa or Ka or Pa or anything, it produces a different character that has to be put in there to make that character look nice or to look correct. 

In the same way, I would produce a different character when it is independent or when it is the beginning of a word, and when it comes after a consonant. Obviously, it will modify the consonant shape into something very new as I told you earlier about the key generation. It removes this entire character from being new, so this comes into that picture. 

So to do all these, you need not think and do it. Automatically when you write, you write it that way. But once it is input into the keyboard, it was interpreted that way, understood that way, modified and put on the screen, right? 

Surabhi:

Yes, I remember this. I remember looking at my screen while typing in Kannada it becomes Ka and then it changes when you add U or I and others. 

K P Rao:

Yes, exactly, that is what I told you. But then the input is also something else which actually we thought when we finally made “Sediyapu”. That is something that. 

If you have to store the entire information of a particular page. Whatever characters that you have introduced, it doesn’t matter. After all, there are going to be computer files. It’s not important to know it by the shape of the character. But it is enough to know how exactly it is being input from the 26 keys that are there. KI for that matter, you need not remember it as a single character KI. It is the K and I that has to be remembered. 

It was this concept that lead to something like Unicode at a later time – doesn’t matter of all modifications that they did. They took a totally different turn at a later time. 

So it is possible to input stored characters and store the entire linguistic text irrespective of the script in a totally different way just with these kinds of characters that are there on the screen. This is what we implemented when we brought in the idea. 

It’s a very difficult thing. I know that it is technical, but I can’t help making it technical. 

Surabhi:

Yeah, anyone who would have typed or at least tried typing a little bit of Kannada even on mobile would grasp it. 

K P Rao:

I told you this was invented or implemented as early as 1980 and it has gone unchanged. Virtually the same kind of logic is used even today for every other Indian language. 

When we did that, we implemented this for Telugu for a newspaper Enadu in Andhra.  

They bought a machine from Monotype and for them, it was necessary to implement this kind of phonetic input. And that is when we invented it and put it there.

The second one to use the phonetic input was those machines that went all the way into Kerala. Matrubhoomi also used those kinds of things in Malayalam. Then some party in Chandigarh sort of used it for Hindi and all that. 

Kannada, they never used these kinds of things. Our machines were not sold to them – the Monotype machine. 

How did he develop “Sediyapu”?

Surabhi:

Can you tell me more about “Sediyapu”? 

K P Rao:

“Sediyapu” came at a much later time. Because I was very anxious to use it for Kannada also. I sort of reworked down that, modified it and made the “Sediyapu” so that Kannada could be used. 

Initially, it was meant only for the screen just to get dot-matrix out but showing it on the screen with a lower resolution at that particular time. And then again I modified it into high-resolution laser output also. 

To produce our Tulu lexicon, the entire Dictionary of Tulu – the six volumes were composed using characters made by me using software that was done with this. In fact, it was Tulu that came up first and then other Indian languages like Kannada or anything else. 

So “Sediyapu” in a sense was kind of an implementation trial if you want to call it for Kannada, which is actually the derivative of what we already had done for Telugu or Malayalam or everywhere else at that time. Much, much earlier – 10s of years earlier to that we had done all this work. 

Surabhi:

OK, just a curious question. Which programming language did you use back then?

K P Rao:

I used C most of the time. 

Surabhi:

Oh!

K P Rao:

Yeah, the initial version 2 actually. In fact, I used an earlier version. It went almost unchanged. C was just being introduced at that time, so we used C. Because it was the most convenient thing that was there and we had a book also. So that was available – The original C programming language edition. 

Surabhi:

Ok. By Dennis Ritchie?

K P Rao:

Yes, exactly. So we learnt, we taught ourselves C programming and we did that. Actually me and some of my colleagues together that time. It was free. It was used entirely even from the beginning. 

Surabhi:

Wow, OK. We already know how powerful C is. Anyways, can you tell me how did your journey begin in this direction? What is the main inspiration behind designing the keyboard or getting interested in this field?

K P Rao:

No, no, no I had a job to do – that is Monotype. They wanted me to sell their machines and the machines had to be sold. We had to have an input system. I had to develop it. If I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have a job or I have nothing else to do.

So, to ensure I fill my belly I went ahead to invent something. It’s like inventing a knife to do a job that you want to cut. That is all. Nothing. No big inspiration in that. 

His love for languages and being a polyglot

Surabhi:

OK, so, I heard this. You speak quite a few languages. How many languages do you know? 

K P Rao:

Languages are secondary. I speak a few but that doesn’t matter. Scripts – I know virtually every other Indian language script including Urdu and all that. I wrote once in Urdu. But it’s not very far. In fact, the problem with Urdu is that it is not as phonetic as our other languages are. They have got some new sounds – a few less and a few more. And then, of course, going reverse or right to left is not a big deal. That is very fine. 

Surabhi:

So you know Sindhu Sarasvati – the Indus Valley script. You understand that also. You made it possible to print that language also. Can you tell me more about it? 

K P Rao:

Yeah, so that was on a very ancient machine. Which was not technically digital, or it was partly digital. And in fact, there was not much programming involved there. 

So if you had more characters, they will be just generated by a computer. At that time it was done by the CDC computer that they had at Tata Press at TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research). It was used for generating a book on Indian language script. 

The story starts with a learned man called Professor Iravatham Mahadevan. He had many doctorates and all that. He was the secretary in the Department of Industry in Government of India in Delhi and was given a Jawaharlal Nehru fellowship to do some work on Indus Valley script. 

Then he produced a table and a concordance for the Indus Valley script characters. This was sometime in about 1977 when the book was printed. He started working on that in something like 1972. 

So the data was prepared, the concordance was done, and then there was the job of printing it out. There was a semi-digital machine – I’ll still call it an analogue machine actually. It was known as Alphaset, a Chicago based machine that used visible forms or mechanical fonts of characters. But then they had to be printed that way in any book.

I could show you the characters that were being used. It’s very complex, with many complex looking characters. There were something like 380 characters or so and they had to be printed. Which had to be printed and where was decided by the TIFR computer. 

We didn’t have a job. Accepting that on all those character shapes had to be joined with hand sufficiently large, reduced in size, put in a proper grid position and mechanical grid. We had to expose that with the light known as phototypesetting. A flash lamp would expose the character onto photographic film and that would go next to each other the way that was desired. 

In fact, it was a very complex job. I had to draw all the characters with my own hand. I was doing all those kinds of things. Though I’m not an artist, I had to draw it and reduce it in size just to hide all my errors and then have it printed. 

Iravatham Mahadevan later resigned from his job. He died only in about 2018 at the age of about 88. He was born in 1930 actually. And then he was the founder of the source behind the Titan watches and all the Titan activities. More than that, Iravatham Madhavan was an ICS or IAS man, so he was very, very active. 

His interest in the Indus Valley script was because someone told him that the Indus Valley script might be a South Indian language. And Father Haras, one of the people at St. Xavier’s college was s history man. He decided that it could be Tamil.

And they had a sort of a character which was a fish, and so six fish would mean “aar mean”. So they had their own meaning associated with these things. And it was a very complex thing that he did. So he was interested. He wanted to try whether it is really a language? Does it convey any meaning and all that? 

Nowadays, the entire thing has been digitised – getting handled digitally. Rajesh Rao also worked sometime back – just about four or five years back. He thought about the possibilities of having these computers producing Indian languages, I mean producing these kinds of characters – whether it is a language at all was a question. They did some entropy experiments and found that the language is there. And there is immediately a response to say that no, it can’t be using their own data and understanding. So this controversy is going on. 

Well, this was the first time that Indus Valley script characters were printed large scale in a book or text form. After that time, maybe they will draw a few characters by hand here and there within some distributive pages, or they will take photographs of existing Indus Valley sheets. So this all happened in about 73 to 77 in that period actually. 

So that is the story of Indus Valley. It is the first Indian script to be printed by electronic means. 

Surabhi:

OK, so this was even before the normal Indian languages were printed – so this was the first one. 

K P Rao:

Yeah yeah, I told you then. The normal one that came into printing was the Enadu in Telugu with the phonetic input and all that again using laser comp. Monotype to laser comp machine which was made in Cambridge. It’s in fact the part of a Cambridge University PhD thesis by David Hedlund anyway. 

But then the machine was used and it came into existence for English. Very expensive but very fast and very accurate in that sense. So adopting that into Indian languages involved again a lot of digital work and the invention of the phonetic input. 

Just to make it possible finally. All this time I’m happy that I was involved in doing it, and that’s something. 

Is K P Rao’s latest book “Varnaka” really a novel?

Surabhi:

Wow. My next question is about your book. You recently released a novel called “Varnaka” in around I think September 2021 or something. 

K P Rao:

Yes yes yes.

Surabhi:

Yeah, I’m yet to read it. It’s on my reading list. So, can you tell me more about your book like what is the book about? 

K P Rao:

Yeah yeah, you know. Basically, I’m interested in language and grammar. Usually, whenever they speak about the Indian language and grammar, Chomsky, a great linguist, talks great about the components that Panini the first one. Some people say that Panini was a computer scientist and all computerization is possible from Panini and so many other things. They come out with circles. 

This is partially true. In fact, many methods actually look for something like a table lookup. But all that he did was he borrowed quite heavily from his earlier work. There were many mentors who worked earlier to Panini and had their own contributions to linguistics and language at that time. 

So I thought there’s no doubt that Panini did great work, but then it was based on lots of earlier work and possibly there’s not much later work to be done. But the most important part of Panini’s work that whatever standardisation he did for an experimental, a projected or a hypothetical language or developed language that is there was prescriptive rather than descriptive. You’re not trying to describe an existing language but you’re prescribing your language. Try to explain the rules for the creation of words and phonetic components and all that in his book. So that is what Panini did. 

What were the resources that were available to him? How did he do it? How was that possible was something which always sort of bothered me. So I thought I wanted to write in great detail about it. 

I found a few stories in Kathasarithsagara and so many else. Instead of the modern people talking about Chomsky and other things, there are a lot of people who are also talking about Panini. The last one who talked very seriously about it was, two or three people in 15th-century people – a Kerala person called Narayana Bhattathiri. Very well known for his work Narayaneeyam. 

So that part I thought I will go deep into that original process where it was created and what happened, how he brought it to people. How and what were the inputs? What were the kinds of things that we are looking for and all those kinds of things. 

See, there is a lot of analysis of language that has to be done which we call in our Indian language style Meemamsa. So there was some meemamsic work that was necessary. Some analysis of languages, analysis of the procedure, analysis of rules, dialectical sort of work on rules for grammar was essential. It had to be reconsidered and some parallels had to be drawn. Then all these had to be tabulated. Because a lot of people call it entertainment, lots of exposure to various languages or various dialects, various possibilities and various stories – stories about language before someone is initiated into a search engine. 

So I found two brothers of this kind. One of them was known as Varsha. I mean great Maharshi Varsha who actually, for some reason, ran away from home and wandered around the world from China to Egypt for all that I know. He learnt many languages and sort of was totally confused. So confused that he became virtually dumb. If you just give him a small job, a peanut, he wouldn’t have a word for that because he will have to search through the entire list of words that he has got and then that will take the time that you will call him dumb. So that is how things went with him. 

He had a younger brother who went in search of his older brother, who had run away from home. He went all the way to the foothills of the Himalayas, met someone called Sukeshaka Bhardwaj, a person mentioned in the Upanishads. He learnt a lot from him, had his lessons of all the meemamsas and then he also met two brothers – an older brother and a younger brother called Panini and Pingala. 

And there was a divine intervention where some powers come and say that these are the sounds that Dhamaruga makes or kind of a little drum makes, and that gave absolute moksha to one of them. And actually gave them all the rules that could be produced by a dakkan – when you sort of hit a drum, the kind of sound that would be produced. So they came with that and they produced whatever was essential at a later time. 

It was their story that I wanted to say with so many intermediate stories. Does the earth have a language? Does water have a language? Does air have a language? If there is a language without God? Can you get so fixed and still be sort of available for a language or amenable to a language? Can you call it divine at all?

When you don’t understand the language and you still understand things and also things I wanted to answer – that is the product of a huge thing. It ran into some 120 pages. 

Once it was produced, I knew that no one will understand each and everything. It is very hard. So I thought of some preludes just to include a little of a micro-history of a person like me in the village who are actually at the time of the story.

Anyway, I thought of the micro-history of myself for that matter, and then how a small person in a village gets exposed to the world and how knowledge accumulates. 

Finally, the book actually became K P Rao’s journey through language or everything in that case. It exposed to a micro-history of a small boy in a village, right up to whatever that kind of things happened. I enjoyed writing it. That’s all that I need to say.

Surabhi:

OK, why did you make it fiction and not like an article or series of articles or just a book? Why did you make it a fictional novel? 

K P Rao:

Yeah yeah. Even as a thesis there will not be any readers because even as a book I know that the portion that I’m actually interested in will not be read by people at all. 

Because there is no entertainment there. It is all hard knowledge. It looks like a linguistic review. 

So I thought I would just make it a part-novel. People who were serious and interested in still can visit that part of the book. So for whatever money they spend on or don’t spend, at least they will have some entertainment in the other part. That was the concept that I had. 

Yeah, see the one small unfortunate part was when the publisher wanted it to be named as a novel. I was not happy to call it a novel because it is not a novel as I said. But then the problem was, you know he said that to put it in a cupboard or a library, they should have a label that had to be there. So they called it a novel.

And that is unfortunate – it’s not a novel at all. OK, I don’t know. Technically it is a travelogue. It is my travel through the world of languages all the time. Yeah, right from the beginning to the end. 

Especially, I enjoyed writing the last portion of it called the 3rd part. Again it runs for 140 pages or so. That is an epilogue, which sort of rolls with that. 

I enjoyed writing it because it talks about whatever be the languages that are happening abroad and it’s failing. And no one has succeeded. But then the only success that got retained in describing the language wasn’t something. Or maybe just because those people were very, very adamant they didn’t want any change. I mean restricting their language very drastically. You cannot do so many things with that. But still, it’s related. You take this purity in that sense.

So that is what I just wanted to mention. You can’t write too many lines. There is the problem. It was already too thick and I didn’t want to add more pages.

And then there is the other thing also. You know, somewhere in between I said about the methodology that Panini has employed or adopted. It’s very interesting that it was more like a periodic table. Well, you can technically predict the things which are missing, like Mendeleev’s time. But unfortunately, people just called it a mathematical table – that everything is decided and you can’t make changes with it.

So only one who tried to make a change was our Narayana Bhattathiri. Who was shooed and finally, he went into oblivion in that particular sense. So it was a tribute to Panini and his method and also to the people who tried to make improvements and changes in their field. 

That is what the entire thing is about, actually. 

Surabhi:

OK, do you have any more plans to write other fiction like novels?

K P Rao:

Lots of them. No, no, not fiction. I don’t like fiction. This is not fiction. 

Surabhi:

OK, yeah, in the same way as this book? 

K P Rao:

Yeah, different thing. Working on a big thing. It is about when the language was being used as a weapon in so many arguments and everything. There is a lot of politics involved. I have shown it to a couple of friends and waiting for their response. 

He never stops learning

Surabhi:

So, my next question is, I think it’s obvious that reading is one of your main hobbies or interests. Are there any other interests that you have, apart from languages? 

K P Rao:

Thousands and thousands of them. See, the computers and internet archives have put anyone in total jeopardy like me. I don’t know. I can’t read more than about 400 pages a day. And then the amount that has been thrown around it is so much. 

And you know, I’m a very peculiar guy. I don’t like any strange rules. If I find a side door, I find something interesting, I go the other way and then possibly I may or may not come back to the main track. So that has been happening, and that’s why I get totally lost many times. 

I enjoy my life that is important. 

Surabhi:

Before we conclude, do you have any message for youngsters? Especially on researching? 

K P Rao:

No no no. One thing I’m sure, all good research has been done by non-academicians. The academicians have done nothing. Yeah, absolutely nothing. They only produce some junk publications, papers and thesis and it’s of no use and no insight on anything. 

Surabhi:

No, I am not talking about the research papers. Like in general, if a normal person wants to learn about something, how should they research about it?

K P Rao:

I go to the OCW library at MIT. I keep on taking courses for two months at least – one course or the other. I’ve very rarely only two courses I have given up. 

Well, there’s a course on lagrangians I thought I will do. Another I had to do for some personal reasons and then I got a message from the lady who was doing it. When Nancy Kochenower said why don’t you take that course that I’m doing? It’s a 26-hour course on the anatomy of the brain. 

Surabhi:

So, do you have any messages for youngsters? 

K P Rao:

I’m not a big man to say that. Live happily. It’s the only message that I got. 

Surabhi:

OK. Thank you so much for your time. I really learnt a lot. I enjoyed it. Yeah, thank you. 

K P Rao:

Yes, yes, thank you. Yeah, thank you for your interview. I hope you’ll find it useful. Bye.

Conclusion

So, that was it. 

Is your mind blown already? 

What did you learn from K P Rao’s journey and his thought process of problem-solving?

What is your takeaway from this interview? Let me know in the comments below.

Facebook recently rebranded its parent company name as meta to develop the metaverse. Since that, everybody seems to be talking about metaverse and many companies are investing heavily in this.

But what exactly is the metaverse? It does sound like a fictional universe like the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), DCEU (DC Extended Universe), Wizarding World (Harry Potter universe) and others.

Well, it is kind of a separate universe that exists virtually where you can interact with other people. Yes, it is in a way like virtual reality but it’s much more than that.

In this article, we will tell you all about the metaverse, what it is, why does it matter and how it’s being implemented.

Ready? Let’s begin.

What is Metaverse?

First of all, metaverse currently doesn’t exist. Yet. It is the future version of the internet that combines various technologies like virtual reality, augmented reality, digital currency and a lot more to build an online universe.

Confused? Let’s simplify it for you.

Suppose your friend lives in the US and is attending a concert by your favourite band. Right now, you can watch it on your laptop and mobile screens or through your VR headsets. But you will be just watching the concert – alone.

Imagine if you could see your friend standing next to you via a holographic projection and your friend can see you similarly. Not just seeing each other but you can actually interact by hi-fiving. How awesome would that be?

This is what you can do when metaverse will be in existence and fully operational. But it’s not limited to attending concerts. You can do a lot more like trying out clothes in online stores, taking part in sports, playing video games, performing transactions, travel, education, defence, aerospace and a lot more. 

History

The word “meta” is a prefix that means something beyond, transcending, changing or operating at a higher level. And the word metaverse means a universe that is larger and transcending the current one.

The origin of the word metaverse dates back to 1992 from a science fiction novel “Snow Crash”. Written by Neal Stephenson, it depicts a futuristic society where people interact in a virtual world through avatars. And this virtual environment was called the metaverse. 

And yes, like most of the technologies today, even metaverse is inspired by science fiction. 

Even though the word has its origin from Snow Crash novel, the perfect example for metaverse would be Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel Ready Player One and its 2018 film adaptation.

Image source: Wikipedia 

Misconceptions about the metaverse

One of the most common misconceptions about metaverse is that it is something that Facebook is creating. It’s not. It is a futuristic technology that Facebook is highly investing in and developing.

This is what Facebook tells about their role in developing the metaverse – “The metaverse isn’t a single product one company can build alone. Just like the internet, the metaverse exists whether Facebook is there or not.”  

Like we already said, it’s not here yet. But we are definitely moving in that direction and it will be here sooner than later.

Although it is a larger virtual world that will be a network of many virtual sub-worlds, you won’t be needing a separate VR device to access it. It would be as easy as connecting to the internet through your smartphones, tablets and laptops. How exactly? Only time will tell.

Why should you bother about metaverse?

Now, you might be wondering why should you bother about metaverse and why to try to understand it.

It’s pretty simple – it has a range of applications that you can’t just ignore.

On the outside, metaverse might look like another advanced way of entertainment with gaming and virtual concerts. It’s not just it. It will be part of your day-to-day activities too. 

Applications

Just close your eyes and think about all the new technologies and how they changed the world – right from the industrial revolution to the internet. 

Metaverse is going to be the next iteration of the internet which will change the way we perform our daily activities like social media, online shopping, online transactions, payments, video games, education, sports, watching movies, attending concerts, and many more.

It will be a world without physical boundaries and with unlimited interactions. You can probably run head-on into a moving train and not get hurt, strap a rocket to your back and fly away from the earth to view outer space, jump through a metropolitan city like spiderman and a lot more.

It will be a world where all virtual worlds, augmented reality, digital currencies, 5G networks, social networking will be blended into one single platform. 

Concept art of Nth Floor, a virtual office space. Image source: Wikipedia

How metaverse is being implemented?

Even though the metaverse is yet to be fully operational and accessible to everyone, most of its aspects are already here. One of them is the VR headsets.

VR headsets

You probably have used one. It is a head-mounted device that helps the wearer immerse and interact in a virtual world. They sometimes have extra accessories like eye-tracking sensors and gaming controllers that let you interact in the virtual world.

Some of the leading devices are Oculus, Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear, HTC Vive, Microsoft Hololens etc. But metaverse is not just the VR headsets. 

Extended Reality (XR)

XR is nothing but the integration of both Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). With its Microsoft Mesh Platform, Microsoft is planning to integrate mixed-reality by adding holograms and virtual avatars to Microsoft Teams. 

Virtual spaces

Image source: Roblox 

A huge gaming platform, Roblox is not just a game. But a platform that houses a lot of user-generated games. Apart from creating and playing games, you can build homes, work, shop for dresses and accessories or just hang out.

Another similar virtual world is the popular game Minecraft, owned by Microsoft. You can create your own digital characters and build anything you want. 

Second Life is another online virtual platform where you can create your own avatars and have a second life – digitally.

Future of metaverse

Image source: Oculus-HorizonWorlds 

Now let’s see how various companies are trying to develop metaverse. 

Horizon Worlds, formerly Facebook Horizon is a VR online game that was released on December 9th, 2021 as an invite-only beta phase. Facebook is also developing Horizon Workrooms where you can conduct online meetings using VR headsets. 

Apart from taking AR and VR to the next level, Facebook (Meta) is also partnering with other industries, governments, academic institutions for external research and investments.

Other players include Epic Games (creator of Fortnite), Roblox, Unity 3D (game development platform) and even the graphics Nvidia which is building its omniverse.

And it’s not just about gaming. Other tech giants like Microsoft, Google and Apple are also part of the race. 

Apart from IT companies, brands like Nike and Adidas have entered the metaverse by opening their digital showrooms on Roblox and POAP respectively.

Metaverse will also integrate cryptocurrencies and blockchains to track digital goods. Not to mention the NFT(Non-Fungible Token)s as well.

Conclusion

So, that was our humble attempt at explaining the metaverse. It is still in development and once it’s fully functional and commercially available, it might look entirely different than we expect.

If you want to be a part of its development, you can learn more about AR, VR, XR, Cryptocurrency, Gaming and join any of the companies that are developing it.

But, it is a long game and would take at least a decade before it is easily accessible for us as the internet. As Facebook says “It won’t be built overnight. Many of these products will only be fully realized in the next 10-15 years”.

So, what are your thought on the metaverse? What are you expecting it to look like once it is fully developed? Tell us in the comments below.

It is quite difficult to put a number on it because the number varies from one source to another. For example, it is almost 9000 according to the Online Historical Encyclopaedia of Programming Languages. But Wikipedia lists about 700, GitHub reports 370 and TIOBE indexes 150. 

Anyways, the number is not that important because there are about 50 languages that are popular in use. 

But which one should you learn? The one that the ad said because it will make you the next Elon Musk, Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg? 

Before you start learning any language, make sure that you have selected the right one for you. Because there are different types of programming languages and they are used for different purposes so you can create tools like this pay stub creator software.

In this article, we will tell about the various types of programming languages, which and how you should choose one to learn, how to get started as a beginner and the things you should know beforehand.

So, sit in a comfy chair and have some snacks next to you because this is going to be a long ride.

Ready?

What is Programming?

Let’s start with the basics. What is programming? 

Programming is the process of designing and writing a computer program that can be executed. The person who writes a program is a programmer.

Then what is a program?

A program is nothing but a set of instructions or commands that tells the computer what to do. But the computer doesn’t understand English or any other human language. It understands just 0s and 1s. Can you imagine talking to the computer like that?

That is why you need a programming language. It is a lengthy process but in short, you write a program using a programming language and run it. Then some series of internal processes take place after which the computer does exactly what you told it to do.

The above image shows how a C program looks. The 6 lines are what you call the code. When you run it, it just prints the words Hello, World!

Programming is a broad topic that involves understanding a problem, coming up with logic and solution to solve it, writing code, compiling (more on it later), testing and running.

Why learn programming?

Everything in the digital world takes place because one or more programs are running in the background. 

Every app and software on your mobile phone, PC, laptop and tablet is created by programming. In fact, the operating system your electronic device runs on – Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, Apple OS – all are created by programming.

Ok, then why should you learn programming?

• Programming is fun. Once you have mastered a programming language, you can create your own games, apps, platforms, software and even operating systems!
• Right from your digital clock to Google, every industry requires programmers to build tech to suit their requirements. Anyone with good programming skills will always have a job opportunity.
• It is quite a well-known fact that programming pays you a good salary. Of course, you need to be good at it. But like any other skill, you can develop this one too.

How does a program work? 

A program can be anything – as small as a simple calculator to as big as an Operating System. Such programs are written in programming languages that are usually English-like. But the computer understands only machine language – 0s and 1s. What to do?

Just like you need a translator to talk to someone who doesn’t speak your language, a special type of software called compiler is used to convert the program to 0s and 1s. This process is called compiling.

Once your program is compiled, you can run (use) it as many times as you want. This is a brief explanation of how a program works but behind the scene, it involves a lot of processes.

Different types of Programming Languages

You might have heard about programming languages like C, C++, C#, Java, Javascript, Python and others. Each language has its own features and is different from the other in its way of solving problems.

Programming Paradigms

Programming languages are categorised into different paradigms based on their features, execution method, sequence of operations and so on. The main two types are:

Image source: watelectronics

Imperative Paradigm

Imperative programming is an approach where you give step by step instructions to the computer. In such a language, you need to write a sequence of commands for the computer to execute at the end of which you get the intended results. 

There are further three types: Procedural, Object-Oriented and Parallel programming.

Declarative Paradigm

Declarative programming is an approach where you are more concerned with the results than the method to obtain them. You basically tell the computer what you want – the final result and the compiler takes care of the steps.

There are three types: Logic, Functional and Database programming.

Types of Programming Languages

Let’s talk about the main four types of programming languages that are popular and widely used.

Procedural Programming Languages

Procedural programming is also known as top-down language because the instructions are followed in a sequence from top to bottom by the compiler. It follows an approach where the instructions are grouped into procedures and you need to tell the compiler to follow a certain procedure.

Think of a morning routine where you perform some activities in order and each activity has a subroutine. Examples: C, COBOL, Pascal, BASIC

Object-oriented Programming Languages

Object-oriented programming is an approach where the code is divided into objects. Each object will have properties and a set of instructions to perform. As every entity is treated as an object, it is easier to scale, keep them secure and private when needed.

Think of this as a cricket game where to play the game (run the program) you need different players (objects). Each player based on their roles like a batsman, bowler, wicket-keeper, fielder and so on will have their own set of functions and characteristics (properties). 

Examples: C++, C#, Java, Python, Ruby.

Database Programming Languages

Database programming focuses on the data and its usage. Also known as data-driven programming, the instructions tell the computer what to do with a piece of information (data). It involves adding data to a database, removing data, viewing, updating and so on. 

Whenever you search for a name from your contacts, you see contacts with similar names. You can add an extra number, delete it, send it to your friend – all of these actions are performed by a database program in the background. 

Example: SQL. 

Scripting Languages

A scripting language is another type of programming language where you write scripts – a set of instructions to be carried out. Unlike other languages, you don’t need to compile these but directly run them. 

Scripting languages are mainly used in web development. As they are not compiled, some don’t consider them to be full-fledged programming languages. They usually work in collaboration with other object-oriented programming languages.  

Examples: JavaScript, Perl, Python, PHP, VBScript.

Which programming language you should choose?

Now that you know about the different types of languages, you might be wondering which one to learn. There are hundreds out there. Some might recommend one or the other because it has a scope or is an easy one. But that’s not how you should go about it.

Image source: watelectronics

Why do you want to learn programming and what do you want to do with it?

Before you decide on a language to learn first ask yourself the questions: Why do you want to learn programming and what do you want to do once you learn? What do you want to build or create?

You learnt about the different types of programming languages based on their features and styles. But to perform a certain task, you will need more than one style and more than one programming language. 

So, think about what you want to do. Web development, game development, app development, mobile development, robotics, artificial intelligence and so on.

Web development

Can you imagine your life without the internet? From entertainment to learning to businesses, almost everything happens on the internet today. In a world where people have personal websites, web developers are always in need to build and maintain websites.

In web development, there are two areas where developers work and based on this, you will have to decide which one to learn. Front end or back end languages. While the front-end handles the client-side, the back-end is for the server-side of the website. If you’re looking for further details regarding the rental agreement, you can click here.

Front end programming languages

Front-end developers take care of the user side of the websites and applications. Whenever you click on a button on a web page, game or any application, there will be a series of actions taking place behind. And no, these are not just limited to designing the buttons, icons and themes.

Some of the prominent languages you should know to be a front-end web are:

• HTML and HTML5
• CSS
• JavaScript

You can either take up paid courses or try W3schools tutorials for free. Once you are done with the basics, you can learn frameworks like AngujarJS, React.js, jQuery, and others.

Back end programming languages

Back-end programming languages deal with storing and managing all the data and resources to run the website. You build the part of the website or application that doesn’t interact with the users directly. 

Some of the prominent languages you should know to be a front-end web are:

• PHP
• C++
• Java
• Python
• JavaScript
• Ruby
• Node.js

You can either take up free or paid courses but don’t forget to read the reviews before enrolling yourself in one. Once you are done with the basics, you can learn back-end frameworks to upskill.

Software development

For any task you want your computer to do, there will always be an application or software that you need to run. And these are created and developed by programmers. 

If you want to go into a tech career, you can learn languages like C, C++, C#, Java and Python. But depending on what type of software you build, you will have to specialize and learn the respective frameworks.

Image source: Successful Student

Game development

If you want to develop games, you must learn C++ and/or C#. Two of the prominent platforms used to develop games are Unreal Engine and Unity. While Unreal EngineEngine uses C++, Unity uses C# or JavaScript. Also, you might have to learn other languages depending on which platform the games will be played.

App and mobile development

Did you ever have an idea for a good mobile app but didn’t know how to make one? With app and mobile development, you need to focus on one platform. If you want to build apps for iOS and Apple devices, you need to learn languages like C, Objective-C and Swift. For Android, you need to learn Java or Kotlin and the respective frameworks.

But there are different platforms where you can build apps that work on both platforms. You will have to learn JavaScript or Dart for that.

AI and robotics

If you want to get into robotics and develop artificial intelligence, then you need to learn languages like Python, Lisp, Java, C++, R, and so on.

Fun fact: Did you know that there is a programming language called “Boo”? And no, it is not a language used by the ghosts. It was used for game development in Unity along with C# and JavaScript until 2017 when it was dropped due to fewer userbase.

Want to hear another interesting name? “Hollywood”. We will leave you to google and know about it.

How to learn programming for beginners?

Okay. Now that you have an idea about the different programming languages and how to choose one, you are probably wondering how to actually get started with it? Just join an online course and be done with it? Nah. We will give you some step by step methods to follow.

Step 1: Decide on a language to learn

Yes. First, decide on a programming language to learn. This should be based on what you want to do after learning. This might be web development, app development, game development or any other field. You can go through the previous section again for clarification. 

Image by Pexels from Pixabay 

Step 2: Understand the basics

Programming or not, without understanding the basics it will become very difficult as you learn advanced concepts. While learning, don’t hurry and skim through the basics like variables, conditions, functions, loops, and other problem-solving techniques. 

Also, understand the core concepts of programming like algorithm, pseudocode, data structures and other concepts that are common across all programming languages. This will not only help you to learn advanced concepts but easily learn other languages too.

Step 3: Read books and Join online courses

Of course, there are plenty of free youtube videos out there. But if you are serious about learning programming, you need to take to step-by-step learning of concepts. Start with a good book and join online courses. Before joining, don’t forget to check out the reviews to make sure the course is as good as it claims.

Here are some good websites to learn programming:

• W3schools
• Coursera
• GeeksForGeeks
• Pluralsight
• CodeAcademy

Step 4: Develop logic and reasoning

To be a good programmer, you should have logic and reasoning skills. You can develop these skills by solving logical puzzles – like the ones you find in the IQ tests. 

While solving programming problems, first try to think of the solution logically – with algorithms and flowcharts. Try to visually represent the solution on paper and pen. Once you are clear with the solution and the steps to follow, start typing the program in the compiler. If you are not able to figure out the error messages, google it.

Step 5: Practice, Practice and practice

How to become good at programming? By practice. Solve as many as problems you can. You can search for programming puzzles and problems on Google. There are tons online. Or go the old fashioned way and refer to a book.

You might feel at first clueless when you read a problem. But as you solve more and more, you gradually develop intuition and become well-versed in various techniques. 

Step 6: Start with a personal project

With programming exercises, you learn to solve small and specific problems and scenarios. But you won’t have enough knowledge and experience to solve real-world problems. So, start with a small project. 

For example, if you are learning game development or app development, start building a small mobile app. 

Step 7: Join Bootcamps and communities

Learning is more fun when you have friends or others who share the same enthusiasm as you. Join online communities when you start learning itself. You get a lot of help and you might find mentors too. 

You can also join coding boot camps. These are intensive training programs that teach you to solve real-world problems rather than textbook problems. It is better to join after you have some basic knowledge about programming and not when you are a total beginner.

Prerequisites for programming

Many have the misconception that you need to be an expert at complex mathematics, be a nerd and a geek, wear glasses to learn programming. These are just the side effects of movies and their portrayal of stereotypes. 

We will tell you about the things you should know and the things you don’t need to know before you start with programming.

Image source: Dev.to

Things you should know before you learn programming

These are some of the things that you should know before you start learning programming.

Basic mathematics

Yes. Basic mathematics is a must. Knowledge of high school mathematics like arithmetics, basic geometry, linear and quadratic equations are far sufficient. But that doesn’t mean you need to know things like calculus, differentiation and integration. Although, knowledge of these will help you a great deal if you are going in the field of machine learning or computer graphics.

Understanding of boolean algebra

One of the first things that you learn in any programming knowledge is the variables and constants. If you have zero idea about algebra, you might find it a little difficult to grasp these concepts and how they are used to solve problems.

Also, have some understanding of binary numbers and boolean algebra. This will help you to better understand the operators and how they are used with logical values. 

Don’t worry. It’s not rocket science. You can learn them easily by watching some video tutorials.

Know how to operate computers

You don’t need to be an expert but must have the basic knowledge of operating computers, installing softwares, saving and retrieving files etc. is needed. And of course, how to google would help you a lot to search for answers when you are stuck.

Basic English

You don’t need to be like Shashi Tharoor. Just the basic communication, reading and writing ability is enough. Because most programming languages use English words for the keywords (pre-defined words) and libraries. Also, most of the tutorials, books and other resources are in English.

Patience, goal and motivation

Although many courses supposedly teach you programming in 30 days, it’s not that simple. Maybe you can learn in a month – only the theory. To get better at programming, you need to actually write lines and lines of code. Just mere watching video tutorials or reading books is not enough.

What you need is patience. Because learning programming is not just completing a course. You need to get practical. And without proper goal and motivation, you might just lose interest and stop learning.

What you don’t need before you learn programming

Now, let’s talks about the things that you don’t need to be or have before learning programming.

As we already mentioned before, you don’t need to know advanced mathematics and English.

College degree in Computers

You don’t need a university degree in Computer Science or be an engineer. It is an added advantage though but not a necessity. And even if you are an engineer, you need not be from Computer Science or Information Science branch. You can even be a mechanical or civil engineer!

Expensive computer

You don’t need to own an expensive computer. You need to have one though. An average computer with basic specifications is more than enough. Also, many online tutorials have online compilers so you don’t even need to install one in your system. But installing one on your device is recommended. Also, you don’t need to be rich.

Introvert, geek or gamer

Again, this idea comes from the typical stereotypes from the movies and series. You might be a great programmer and not love to play computer games. Also, programming is all about thinking logically. Introvert or extrovert – your personality plays no role in how you write your code.

Be young and a man

You don’t have to learn programming when you are a student or are in your 20s. It’s a skill and if you have the enthusiasm to learn, you can learn at any age. 

Also, your gender plays no role in learning programming or being good at it. Even though the industry is male-dominated, there are many female programmers. In fact, the very first computer programmer was a woman – Ada Lovelace. There is even a programming language called ADA, named after her.

FAQs

1. What is the difference between programming and coding?

Programming involves analysing the problem, conceptualization, writing an algorithm, logic, coding, debugging, compiling, testing and implementation. But coding is the part where you write the set of instructions in the compiler. It is the actual translation of the high-level language to machine language (the language of 0s and 1s that the computer understands).

2. What is an algorithm?

An algorithm is a set of rules and problem-solving techniques written in simple English that explains the basic logic of a program. It is language-independent and you can convert it into any programming language. It explains what to input, what the computer should do and what will be the output. 

3. What are some of the easy programming languages?

Programming languages like C, JavaScript, Python, Java, C#, PHP, Ruby and Swift are easy to learn for beginners. HTML and CSS, even though they are not really programming languages are easy too.

4. Which programming languages are hard to learn?

Programming languages like C++, LISP, Assembly Language, Haskell, Prolog, Malbolge, Cow (Yup, there is one such language), Whitespace, Brainfuck (No, we are not kidding) are harder to learn. 

5. Is HTML a programming language?

This is a highly debatable question and many programmers don’t consider HTML a programming language. Because it is a markup language and doesn’t involve conditional and logical statements which are the very basic concepts in programming. However, it is still a major and basic language to know for web development and hence we have mentioned it in this article.

Wrapping up

So, that was our humble attempt at explaining the basics of programming, different types, how to choose one to learn and how to get started as a beginner. We hope it covered all your doubts, questions and any confusion you had. 

Programming is fun to learn. But it will take you some time to become an expert. All you need is patience, practice and dedication towards it and you will excel. And don’t stop at learning just one language. Once you have crossed the beginner level in any language, you can easily learn another one.

So, which one are you going to learn first?

Wired or wireless? Do you want Bluetooth? 

On-the-ear or over-the-ear? 

Do you want noise cancellation? It will be costly.

What is your budget? Any particular brand? 

And a bunch more that I forgot.

But my answer was the same for all of them – I don’t know. Why? Because I hadn’t thought about all of these.

I’m sure you must have faced similar confusion before buying headphones or any gadget for that matter. As humans, we tend to get influenced by flashy ads and buy gadgets only to regret it later. Because no matter how good a gadget is, it might not serve your purpose.

So, to help you make the right decision with choosing the right headphones, I will tell you how to choose the perfect headphones in 7 easy steps.

But which one did I buy? I will tell you later.

Different types of Headphones

Let’s first understand the major types of headphones available in the market today.

Over-ear

Over-ear headphones are the ones with big cushions that cover and surround your ears. These are usually a bit heavy but stay on by applying light pressure on your head. You have two types: Closed-back headphone that doesn’t let others hear what you are listening to and the open-back that lets you hear your surroundings and others hear what you are listening to.

On-ear

On-ear or supra-aural headphones are similar to over-ears but the cushions don’t cover your ears. They are smaller, lighter and rest on your ears by applying light pressure on them. Even they have closed and open types but usually you can hear more of your surroundings while wearing them.

In-ear

In-ear headphones are nothing but your earphones. There are different types within it like earbuds, Bluetooth, wired, wireless, true wireless and so on. But in this article, we will be focusing more on the headphones (over-ear and on-ear) and not the earphones.

Having said that, you can still use this guide to choose earphones too.

Why you should have a pair of headphones?

You might be wondering why do you need headphones if you already have earphones. Earphones are great because of their portability but having an extra pair of headphones has its advantages.

No matter how good your earphones are, using them for a longer duration causes you discomfort as they are inserted inside your ear canal. But headphones are more comfortable as they sit outside your ear.

If you are a working professional who works from home and attends many meetings, it is better to use headphones instead of earphones. The same goes for students who attend online classes.

It’s quite known that using headphones and earphones for a longer duration causes damage to your hearing. But there is a misconception that headphones will cause less damage as they rest on your ears and not inside. It’s actually not true. But headphones are more comfortable and you will feel less fatigue while wearing them.

Also, listening to music, watching movies and playing video games gives you a better experience with headphones than earphones. Not to mention headphones have better noise cancellation and noise isolation.

How to choose the perfect headphones? A step-by-step guide

Now, as promised I will give you the steps to follow while choosing a headphone. 

Step 1: Usage

The very first thing you need to think about is the usage. If you will be using it to listen to music while you work, watch movies and play games then you can go with over-ear as they give you an amazing experience. 

But if you want it to be lightweight and portable to use while you go for a walk, jog or do your daily chores then on-ear would be a better option. These are a better choice for outdoors as you can hear surrounding sounds like approaching vehicles and their sounds. 

If you want to use them while you go for a run, earphones are a better option as headphones might easily fall off. But for workouts and gym sessions, true wireless earbuds are better like Jabra Elite 65t.

Step 2: Wired or wireless

The next thing you need to consider is connectivity. Do you want one that can be connected via Bluetooth or the good old-fashioned wired headphone? If you want the flexibility to switch, get a Bluetooth headphone that comes with an AUX cable. 

Wired headphones usually have a better audio quality than wireless ones but they keep you tethered to your device like computer, phone, tablet, TV etc. 

Wireless or Bluetooth headphones give you the freedom to move around your room by maintaining a distance. You can perform activities, do chores or even dance to your favourite song. But sometimes the signal strength might be lower. They need to be charged from time to time so check out the battery backup and its playback time before buying.

Step 3: With or without microphone 

For normal online meetings and classes, you can use headphones without microphones too. Because your laptop and mobile phones have built-in microphones that will be used during the calls. 

If you attend a lot of online meetings, conduct webinars, play online games or any other interactive sessions, you might want to choose one with a good quality built-in microphone. Some even have an extra control module with options like intercom, tap control, auto on-off etc. But these are usually higher priced. 

Headphones with an extra mic like the one below are called headsets.

Step 4: Noise cancellation

When it comes to noise cancellation, there are two types. Active noise cancellation (ANC) eliminates unwanted sounds by creating equal and opposite sounds. Passive noise cancellation just blocks the outer ambient sounds with the help of the headphones’ special or custom designs that fit your unique ears. 

Active noise cancellation consumes extra power as it needs to produce extra sounds thus consuming your battery. It might even cause ear fatigue if you listen for a longer duration. It is a better option if you constantly travel in aeroplanes or are around noisy environments like AC hum, drones etc.

For noise cancellation, Bose headphones and earphones are the best. But there are other brands too. Either way, the quality of noise cancellation and price varies from brand to brand. 

Step 5: Budget or high-end

By now, you probably know what type of headphones you want. You can even choose an earphone with this guide. What you need to know is that even if a headphone boasts of all the features, the quality might not be that good.

Because not all Bluetooth headphones have a strong signal strength, not all noise cancellation headphones actually eliminates all noises and not all headphones with a mic lets the other person hear you clearly. 

What you need to decide is how much are you willing to pay. You can enjoy most of the features at affordable prices. You can get a good pair of headphones starting from ₹1,800 itself. But if you are looking for high-end headphones with high quality, you need to spend at least 10K.

Either way, I would recommend waiting for festive seasons for heavy discounts and offers if you are not in any hurry.

Step 6: Comfort

Headphones might get very irritative if you are not comfortable wearing them. The first thing you need to make sure of before buying is that it has adjustable straps to fit according to the size of your head.

Another thing is that if you wear glasses, on-ear headphones tend to press your ears against the frame’s temples causing you discomfort. But it depends on your usage. For example, if you use headphones while going for a walk and wear glasses only while working on the computer, you can still choose on-ear.

Step 7: Brand, colour and aesthetics

While buying gadgets, some are very particular about a brand and stick to it no matter what. You can go with your favourite brand but I wouldn’t recommend it. Choose the brand after you make your other decisions on the features, type and price. Else you end up compromising on important features just because your favourite brand didn’t have them at affordable prices.

The colour and how the headphones looks must be the last step. Before buying you might see some options with the colour. If it is available only in one colour, don’t worry much about it and just buy. Because it’s the feel that is more important than the look.

Conclusion

And that’s it. I hope this article helped you to choose the right headphones. Of course, there are still more parameters than you might want to consider especially if you are tech-savvy. But these are the basic ones and are quite sufficient to buy a good pair of headphones.

To recap, you need to think about these things and choose one that best suits your purpose and is within your budget.

1. Usage
2. Wired or wireless
3. With or without a microphone
4. Noise cancellation
5. Budget or high-end
6. Comfort
7. Brand, colour and aesthetics

And don’t forget to do your research and read the reviews before buying. If possible, try it if a nearby shop or any friend has it. Because no matter how much the brand boasts about the features, you will get an idea about its quality only after you use it.

Oh, if you are curious about which one I got, it’s boAt Rockerz 600 (You can read the review here). 

So, which one are you going to buy? 

What if you had no wires but still enjoyed the sound quality and microphone with your earphones? Yes, we are talking about wireless earbuds. 

When it comes to Bluetooth wireless earbuds, you are probably thinking about Apple’s AirPod. If you had ever thought of buying it, you might have dropped the idea after checking the price.

What if you had a better alternative under ₹5,000? Enter Jabra Elite 65t, a true wireless Bluetooth earbuds which we are going to review today. 

Basic Features of Jabra Elite 65t 

True wireless earbuds have no wires but have microphones, battery, controls all built into the earbuds itself. You can connect them to any device via Bluetooth. Jabra Elite 65t is a true wireless earbud. Let’s see some of its important features. Shall we?

Sound quality

Jabra Elite 65t has a great sound quality. The sound is neutral, has clarity and has got no unnecessary bass by default. You need to install Jabra Sound+ on your mobile phone, which allows you to change the sound profile using the equalizer. You can change the bass, treble, and others to your liking. 

The earbud has auto-pause and auto-resume options. When someone talks to you and you remove your earbuds, the music or video automatically pauses and resumes the moment you put them back. You won’t miss your favourite moments from the song while talking to others. You won’t miss your favourite moments from the song while talking to others.

Design and build

Jabra Elite 65t has a small and sleek design but some might feel it a little bulky on the ears. The design is not similar to that of AirPods. If you have smaller ears, you can choose any of the three different earGels that come with the box. Try all three to know which one fits you the best. Also, a micro USB charging cable is provided. 

It comes in four different colours – Titanium black, copper black, gold beige and copper blue. While we are reviewing the standard model, you can buy Jabra Active 65t, which is a sports model with better water resistance, an accelerometer and a better grip on the buds. 

15-hour battery life

You can enjoy up to 5 hours of battery without needing to charge in between. When not in use, place the earbuds in the charging case that acts as a power bank. It can store up to two recharges. Thus effectively, you can enjoy 15 hours of playtime once the case is fully charged with the earbuds inside it. The best part – it takes only a couple of hours to fully charge it.

The opening of the case is a little annoying. You need to press hard on the lid and simultaneously lift it. It might take you some time to get used to this. Also, the earbuds and case lids are not magnetic. So, you need to place and orient the buds properly. But the earbuds turn off themselves the moment you place them inside the case and effectively saves your battery.

4 Microphones and hear-through

You can have a really good experience with making phone calls using Elite 65t as it has 4 microphones. Also, it has a hear-through option with which you can listen to your surroundings. Thus you don’t always have to remove your earbuds to have conversations. But unfortunately, it doesn’t have noise cancellation.

Controls and Voice assistant integration

Jabra Elite 65t has physical controls on both earbuds. While the left earbud has up and down controls, the right one has a single but multi-function button. 

With the multi-function button, you can turn the buds on/off, play, pause or resume media, answer or reject calls, turn on the voice assistant, turn on or off hear-through mode and so on. With the left bud buttons, you can change volume and tracks while listening to music or check the battery status.

With the Jabra Sound+ app, you can integrate Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. Once integrated, all you have to do is press the multi-function button on the right earbud for a second to access the voice assistant. 

Waterproof and sweatproof

Jabra Elite 65t is both waterproof and sweatproof. If you want to listen to music while in the shower or during your workout sessions at the gym – you don’t have to worry about the moisture damaging your earbuds.

But if you sweat a lot or go for a run in bad weather, you should probably go with Jabra Active 65t. It has better water resistance and sweat resistance. But it would cost you more for the upgraded quality.

Pros and Cons of Jabra Elite 65t 

Let’s see the pros and cons of Jabra Elite 65t:

Pros of Jabra Elite 65t

• Great sound quality and can customise the sound profile
• 15-hours battery 
• Waterproof and sweatproof
• Bluetooth 5
• Voice Assistant integration
• Auto-pause and auto-resume
• Value for money
• Accompanying app available on both iOS and Android
• 2-year warranty

Cons of Jabra Elite 65t

• No noise cancellation
• A little bulky on the ears for some.
• The audio lags for half a second sometimes while watching videos on Android devices
• Earbuds and case lids are not magnetic – need to place the buds properly.
• The case lid is a little annoying to open and close.

Jabra Sound+ app 

If you want to enjoy all the features of Jabra Elite 65t to their full extent, you have to install the accompanying app Jabra Sound+. It is available for both iOS and Android.

You can customise your sound profile to your liking – change the bass, treble, volume, and a lot more using the music equalizer. The app has some built-in ambient sounds that you can listen to while you work, read or meditate. You can even change the presets for commuting, focusing, relaxing and so on.

If you want to turn on the hear-through, you need to do it here. And this is where you set up the integration with voice assistants like Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. The app has other features like registration for warranty, user manual, guides, support and so on.

To buy or not to buy 

Now that you have an idea about the features, pros and cons, the question arises to buy or not to buy. It all depends on your usage. Because it costs almost ₹5,000 and not everyone wishes to spend 5K on earphones.

Buy if you want to listen to music while you go for a walk, run, workout in the gym etc. Because it sits securely on your ears and doesn’t easily fall off. Jabra Elite 65t is great for using outdoors as you have the hear-through option that lets to be aware of your surroundings.

Also, you are someone whole likes to listen to music, podcasts or audiobooks while performing your daily chores, this is a good option for you. Because you don’t have to deal with the dangling wires while you work.

If you are not ready to spend 5K on an earphone and can manage with a Bluetooth neckband, you can pass on Jabra Elite 65t. You can find inexpensive ones on the market but not all are water-resistant or sweat-resistant. 

Where can I buy Jabra Elite 65t?

You can buy Jbara Elite in many of the online stores like Amazon, Flipkart, Reliance Digital, Croma and others. If your local electronics gadget store has it, you can buy it from there as well. 

Most of the sites offer at ₹4,999 and some might offer at a lesser price. But if you are not in a hurry, you can always add it to your wishlist and wait for sales and festivals to buy at heavily discounted prices – as we did!

Conclusion

If you are someone who wants true wireless earbuds without spending much, you can buy Jabra Elite 6t. It provides a lot of features, great sound quality and value for money for just ₹4,999. 

So, this was our experience on using Jabra Elite 65t. Are you planning to get a wireless earbud? If you already have one, which one and how is your experience with it?

Tell us in the comments below. We would love to hear your thoughts!

Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives and are not a luxury anymore. With the leading brands churning new model after model almost every day, you are left wondering which one to buy.

A smartphone price may range from anywhere between Rs. 7000 to more than 2 lakhs! But many prefer in the range of 15,000 rupees because they are not only affordable but provide value for money too. We have rounded up the 7 best mobile phones under 15000 for you to choose from.

Looking for a mobile phone under 15000? Here are the top 7

Disclaimer: The price for each phone is the price at the time of writing this article. It is subjected to market competition and may change by the time you read this and head over to an ecommerce store. Any resemblance to the real price is purely coincidental.

Let’s get started, with the 7 best mobile phones under 15000, shall we?

1. Samsung Galaxy M32

Samsung Galaxy M32 is a recent addition to the Galaxy M series. Released in June 2021, it supports 2 Nano SIMs. With a high-quality 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display, it is perfect if you love to watch videos and movies on your phone. 

You can buy either the 4GB RAM + 64GB internal storage or the 6GB RAM + 128GB internal storage. If you need more space, you can extend up to 1 TB via a microSD card. Also, both the variants are priced below 15K.

Here are the rest of the specifications:

• Display: 6.4 inches, 1080×2400 px
• Camera: Front – 20MP and Rear – 64MP + 8MP + 2MP
• Battery: 6000 mAh
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G80
• CPU: Octa core 2 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,999 (6GB) and ₹12,999 (4GB)

2. Samsung Galaxy M12

Launched in February 2021, Samsung Galaxy M12 is another member of the M series that provides value for money. It is a dual SIM and has a dedicated slot for MicroSD that supports up to 1 TB. Like the previous one, you can buy either 4GB or 6GB variants with 64 and 128 GB of internal storage respectively.

Even though it has 6.5 inches of AMOLED HD+ display, it is not that sharp and vibrant. But it makes up with its great battery life that can last for two days when used moderately. If you prefer battery backup over a great display, you can go with this.

Check out the rest of the specifications:

• Display: 6.5 inches, 720×1600 px
• Camera: Front – 8MP and Rear – 48MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP
• Battery: 6000 mAh
• Processor: Exynos 850
• CPU: Octa core 2 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹11,499 (6GB) and ₹9,499 (4GB)

3. Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 edition

We know what you are thinking. Yes, it was first released in March 2020. But we are talking about Samsung Galaxy M21 2021 edition that was released in July 2021. It has great battery life that can last for 49 hours of talk time, 121 hours of music and 29 hours of video. 

A hit among the millennials, Galaxy M21 has a great display of 6.4 inches and a Super AMOLED screen protected with Gorilla Glass 3. Like most smartphones nowadays, it supports dual Nano SIMs and microSD up to 512 GB. You can either buy the 4GB RAM with 64GB internal storage or the 6GB RAM with 128 GB. 

Check out the rest of the specifications to make your decision:

• Display: 6.4 inches, 1080×2340 px
• Camera: Front – 20MP and Rear – 48MP + 8MP + 5MP 
• Battery: 6000 mAh
• Processor: Exynos 9611
• CPU: Octa core 2.3 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,499 (6GB) and ₹12,499 (4GB)

4. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S

Don’t want to buy a Samsung phone? No problem. You have got other options too. How about Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S? A part of Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 10 series, 10S has 6 GB RAM with two options for internal storage – 64GB and 128GB.

Note 10S has a great display of 6.43 inches with Super AMOLED protected by Gorilla Glass 3. You can take great pictures and shoot videos thanks to the quad camera. The price may seem a little over 15,000 but you can get it for a reduced price online during discounts and offers, especially with all the festivities around.

We will let the rest of the specifications speak for themselves:

• Display: 6.43 inches, 2400×1080 px
• Camera: Front – 13MP and Rear – 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP 
• Battery: 5000 mAh
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G95
• CPU: Octa core 2.05 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,999 (64GB) and ₹15,999 (128GB)

5. POCO M3 Pro 5G

Another one from Xiaomi is the POCO M3 Pro 5G. Yes, a 5G smartphone with affordable prices. You can either buy the 4GB RAM or 6GB RAM with internal storage of 64GB and 128GB respectively. It has a hybrid slot that supports up to 1TB of extra storage.

POCO M3 Pro has a sharp, full HD display of 6.5 inches covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 3 but the brightness is comparatively low. Supported by fast charging, it is suited for game lovers with good battery life. But the downside is too much bloatware.

Here are the other specifications to make your choice:

• Display: 6.5 inches, 2400×1080 px
• Camera: Front – 8MP and Rear – 48MP + 2MP + 2MP  
• Battery: 5000 mAh
• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 700
• CPU: Octa core 2.2 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,499 (4GB) and ₹16,499 (6GB)

6. Realme 8i

Released in September 2021, Realme 8i is a new addition to Realme’s 8 series. Like most phones, you can either buy 4GB or 6GB RAM with 64GB and 128GB internal storage respectively. Want more space? The dedicated card supports extra storage up to 256 GB. Also, it’s a dual SIM.

Realme 8i has an amazing IPS LCD display of 6.6 inches with great resolution. If you are an avid gamer or love to take photos, you can consider buying this. But it has a ton of bloatware that you need some patience to uninstall.

Here are the other specifications:

• Display: 6.6 inches, 1080×2412 px
• Camera: Front – 16MP and Rear – 50MP + 2MP + 2MP  
• Battery: 5000 mAh
• Processor: MediaTek Helio G96
• CPU: Octa core 2.05 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹14,499 (4GB) and ₹16,499 (6GB)

7. Nokia 5.4

Last but not the least, how can we forget our old friend Nokia? Released in February 2021, Nokia 5.4 has an attractive design and build quality. Not surprising as Nokia is known for its sturdiness. It’s available in two variants – 4 GB and 6 GB RAM with 64 GB of internal storage. You can extend up to 512 GB via MicroSD and it supports dual SIM.

It has a good, bright display that supports HD+ but the resolution is not that great. But the great part is that it has stock Android and no bloatware – something we wish we had in the other phones. 

Below are the rest of the specifications:

• Display: 6.39 inches, 1560×720 px
• Camera: Front – 16MP and Rear – 48MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP 
• Battery: 4000 mAh
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 662
• CPU: Octa core 2 GHz
• Android: v11
• Price: ₹15,999 (6GB) and ₹13,999 (4GB)

Which one to buy?

Even though the budget plays an important role in deciding on a mobile phone, that’s not it. There are other parameters to consider like the hardware specifications, dual SIM or not, storage, camera, display, audio quality and so on. 

Are you finding it difficult to understand the specifications and the technical terms? Don’t worry. Check out our guide on buying smartphones. You will not only understand the specs but will be able to make a decision based on the other parameters as well.

So, that was our list of 7 best budget-friendly mobile phones under 15000. Do you think any other phone should have made it to the list?  Which one are you planning to buy?

In this digital world, you need an account for almost everything. Be it emailing, messaging, using a phone, laptop, tablet (not the one you swallow along with water), shopping, banking etc. all need two important things to function – a username and a password.

As the app or device, you are using contain sensitive and personal data, it is imperative to create a strong password. This not only reduces the chance of you getting hacked but also prevents anyone from trying to guess yours by just looking at the things on your desk! 

But how do you come up with one? Read to find out.

What happens when you don’t have a strong password?

Password is used as a means of authorization, without which it becomes very difficult to restrict unwanted access. It also serves as the first line of defence against cyber attacks. 

I know, it becomes frustrating when you have to type your password every time you log into an account so you end up creating an easy and memorizable one. Remember that such words are not only easy for you but others as well especially hackers. 

I am not saying a hacker sits at his/her computer and types in the common passwords. Hackers use programs that guess common passwords which include many dictionary words. This is what leads to data breaches that you see on the news.

Password managers 

You might have heard about password managers. These are basically softwares that store, generate and manage your various accounts’ usernames and respective passwords. 

But they are softwares too. And like many softwares to use it you need to create an account. Having an account means – yes, you need a password for that too. They are known to be safe but some might feel a little insecure as even they have the risk of getting hacked. Not to mention sometimes you need to pay for it. 

Some of you might have tried writing it down and hiding it only to forget your hiding place. Or you might have stored it in a simple text file that is password protected but you forgot the password for that too!

How to come up with a strong password?

The most important thing is that your password should be a minimum of 6 or 8 characters long depending on the website. Here are some tips to remember while creating a strong password:

• Avoid any kind of dictionary words. These are the main reasons your account gets hacked.
• Avoid using random password generators as it becomes very difficult to remember those unrelated random symbols.
• Even though you need a minimum of 6 or 8 characters, try having at least 12 or 14 characters.
• You can shorten your name or add a nickname. But include numbers, special symbols (! # $ @ %..), a mixture of upper-case and lower-case letters, emoticons like =( etc.
• Don’t have the same password for multiple accounts. But you can customize it to different sites. For eg, if your name is Xyz with 21 being your birthdate, then have Xyz21@FB (Facebook) and Xyz21@AMZ (Amazon).
• Another way to personalise apart from using your birthdate is, adding your favourite quote, phrase or lyric. For eg: 4da1stTymein4eva (For the first time in forever from Disney’s Frozen).

Conclusion

So now that you know how to come up with a strong password, you don’t need to spend hours thinking before creating a new account or changing your password. Comment down one of your strong passwords. LOL! I’m just kidding. Don’t ever do that. But if you have any other tips, please mention them in the comments below.

Since my school days, I had the habit of writing things down in my pocket notebook. Be it a list of homework to get done, things to buy, or any other information worth keeping. This habit hasn’t died yet. Not that I write down homework lists, but others for sure.

Believe it or not, I still sometimes use notebooks for many things. But every time I ran out of my pocket notebook’s pages, I had to rewrite many things into a new book. It was becoming difficult to keep track of many things on different pages. 

So one day, I thought its time to go digital. Then I installed Google Keep which turned out to be a game-changer. Why? Read along. Who knows? It might help you too.

What is Google Keep?

Google Keep is a note-taking service by Google which was released on 10th March 2013. It is available as a web application and mobile app for both Android and iOS. This productivity app is integrated with other Google services.

Why it is a game-changer?

Initially, my requirements were quite simple. I could keep multiple lists, label them, colour code them and the best part – share it with others. I think the most practical use is the grocery list which is shared with my family members. Anyone can add items and later delete them once the item is bought.

Another thing which I find very useful is setting reminders. Normally in Google calendar, the built-in reminder function allows you to type only a few words. But with Google Keep, you can add as many details as you want and turn it into a reminder.

Note format

A note has two parts. The title and the body. You can have different things in the body like text, checklists (tick them off when done), pictures (existing or take a photo), voice notes, drawing for handwritten notes and more.

Google Keep features

The above features are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other really useful things you can do with Google Keep:

Organization

You can organize your notes by adding colour and label. You can archive less important notes and pin the important ones. You can even arrange the order of your notes and search for them. Oh, and you can delete them as well!

Reminders

You can create or turn your notes into reminders. And it’s not just the time you can set, even the location! Suppose you want to buy something at a particular store or do something when you are at a particular place. Just make sure your location is turned on to use this feature.

Sharing

Any note can be shared with others by just adding their email addresses. They can not only view but also edit the note.

Voice notes

Another feature I love is the voice notes. If I come up with an idea while walking, I can just record it and it will store both the audio as well as the text form, thanks to the text-to-speech feature.

Integration

As I have already mentioned, Keep can set reminders that will be synced with Google calendar. It even has a place on the Google sidebar on your browser. Thanks to this, you can easily drag and drop your notes to your Google Docs. 

Having Google Keep opened in your sidebar with Gmail has some advantages. The opened mail can be added as an attachment to your note. Or you can refer your notes while sending an email.

You can make a note through your Google Assistant too. OK Google?

OCR – Optical Character Recognition

As the name suggests OCR is a feature to recognise characters. You can take a photo of any writing – handwritten or printed form and Google Keep will convert it into a text. You can use this feature to grab text from existing images also. Another use of OCR is to grab text from the handwritten notes using the draw feature.

Dark Mode

Like most of the apps and softwares out there, Google Keep has the dark mode for both the app as well as the web version.

Bookmark

Google Keep has a chrome extension which can be used to bookmark any web page. You can add a book even from your mobile browser. Just click on the share option and select Google Keep.

Cross-platform

Even though it lacks a desktop app, It is available on Android and iOS. You can access the web version from your desktop and it even has a chrome extension.

Offline

The mobile app can be accessed even when offline. All the changes you have done will be synced and updated when your device gets access to the internet. But since it does not have a desktop app, you cannot use it offline from your desktop. 

Free

Yes. You don’t need to pay for the app. Like all other Google services, Keep uses Google drive to store all the data. Unless your drive has exceeded the 15GB limit, you don’t have to pay for the storage.

Disadvantages

Like any other product, Google Keep is not short of disadvantages.

• You cannot organise your notes into folders. There is no hierarchical system to store notes.
• There is a limit to the number of characters for every note, exceeding which you will be prompted to copy to Google Docs.
• No text formatting is available. Not even the simple options like bold, italic and underline.
• Another lacking feature of Keep is resizing of notes. If your note is lengthy, it takes almost the whole screen.
• Even though checklists is a useful feature, you cannot combine it with others. You can’t even add a simple text in the same note with checkboxes.
• Keep would be better if it had a desktop app. The web version cannot be used offline.
• You cannot sort your notes. But the search option is pretty good.
• Google Keep does not integrate with Google Calendar or Google Tasks. It can set reminders, but that’s it.

The main disadvantage of Google Keep is that it is too simple for a note-taking app. It can be a replacement for your pocket notebook but not for other notebooks. It lacks many other advanced features which I have listed above. If you want to store lengthy notes and other information in different formats, you can use other note-taking apps and softwares like Microsoft OneNote, Evernote, Notion, Apple’s Notes etc.

Conclusion

Even with the disadvantages, Google Keep shines in its simplicity. The absence of advanced features actually helps you in taking quick notes without worrying too much about organizing them. Think of Google Keep as your digital pocket notebook or digital sticky notes.  

If you want to try Keep, you can start with the web, Android or iOS version. Or try adding the chrome extension if you are already using it. 

If you are already a user, tell me what you like and dislike about Google Keep.

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a virtual cryptocurrency. And like any other currency, it can be used to exchange other currencies, buy products and services. But these are done digitally and you can never have a hard form like cash for it, learn more from online accountant experts at the link.

What is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency uses digital files as money and uses an online ledger. These ledgers are nothing but databases that contain details of ownership, secure transactions, control creation of coins and crypto wallets; 

Who started Bitcoin?

Bitcoin was released on 9th January 2009. It was created and developed by Satoshi Nakamoto which happens to be a pseudonym used by one or more persons. The identity of the person or persons is still a mystery although there have been many speculations.

How Bitcoin works?

Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency and is not controlled by a central bank or an administrator. The transaction details are stored in a shared public ledger called Blockchain which can be viewed by any user. You can get more in deep financial information about these currencies, see Bolton Accounting experts website.

To begin with, you need to install an app or software which serves as the Bitcoin Wallet. It will generate a bitcoin address also called a public key which you can use for a transaction. For each transaction, you need to generate a new address every time. 

In a transaction, value is transferred between Bitcoin wallets and the details are included in the Blockchain. Your wallet has a private key which is used as a signature for the transactions. Thus in the transactions, only the wallet IDs are used and not the owner names. And a wallet is tied to a particular device rather than the person.

You might be wondering how bitcoins are minted as they are not controlled by any country or bank. Read along to find out.

Mining is a record-keeping process through which a transaction is confirmed and stored in the blockchain. Miners process transactions and secure the network using computers with specialized hardware. They collect newly generated bitcoins as payment. The computers solve complex problems to generate new bitcoins.

If you are wondering that any user can create bitcoin, you are wrong. Generating requires special hardware, lots of electricity and it involves lots of rules embedded in the programming that prevent users to just create a bitcoin out of thin air.

You can also start buying altcoin in digital marketplaces called Bitcoin Exchange for other cryptocurrencies or normal currencies.

Is Bitcoin Illegal? 

Due to the anonymity of the owners, bitcoins have been used largely in illegal transactions. Thus some countries have banned Bitcoins. In India, as of now, Bitcoins are not illegal. But they are not recognised as a legal tender by the authorities and they have made them difficult to operate. 

So this was me trying to give you a bit of information on Bitcoins.

In 2019, more than 73% of India’s internet traffic was coming from smartphones. Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. We use them to send text messages, set alarms, make video calls, take photos, make videos, listen to music, play games, watch movies, send emails, attend and conduct online classes, business meetings, measure heart rate, flashlight, remote controller, and the list goes on. With the increasing accessibility to the internet, more people in India may also have the opportunity to explore various online activities, including online piano lessons, contributing to the diversification of their digital experiences.

Oh, we also use them to make calls!

Smartphone, mobile phone, cell phone – whatever you want to call it, is more than a phone. It is practically a computer. Just like the brain controls all organs in human beings or any living beings for that matter, even computers and mobiles have something called a processor.

Whenever you look at a phone’s specification, you see words like Qualcomm, Snapdragon, MediaTek, clock speed, octa-core, followed by a combination of words and letters which make you realise that memorising your Aadhar number is easier.

Don’t close the window because these words go over your head. You don’t need to be a geek or a techie to understand these words. I’m here to help you out.

Just scroll down to know about them.

What is a Processor?

Before I dive into mobile processors, let me explain what processors are in general. A processor is the “brain” of a device. As the name suggests, it processes everything. It receives commands, processes and executes them. In simple words, it controls every action of the device, be it a computer, a smartphone, a tablet or any other gadget.

What is a Mobile Processor?

Now let me tell you what a mobile processor is. Mobile processors are also known as SoC (system-on-chip) and chipsets. A system on a chip is an integrated circuit (chip) that integrates most components of a computer or any electronic system. These components usually include a central processing unit (CPU), memory, input/output ports and secondary storage – all on a single microchip.

Mobile computing-based SoCs, in short, mobile processors are connected to peripheral devices such as Bluetooth, accelerometer, GPS, Cellular modem, WiFi modules, etc. They are not only found in your smartphones but also other devices like tablets, eReaders etc.

Difference between Mobile Processors and Computer Processors

You might be wondering if mobile processors and computer processors are the same. Yes and no. Yes, because their functionalities are the same. And no, because they differ in other parameters like size, power consumption etc.

As you know, the word ‘mobile’ indicates something that is portable. That is the same case in the mobile processor as well. Mobile processors are smaller in size compared to their computer counterparts. Mobile processors use lower voltages and are designed to run cooler than the computer processors. They have more “sleep modes” that enable you to turn off certain parts of the chip when not in use. 

Another important factor is speed. A mobile and computer processor with the same speed differ in their performance. That is because the performance also depends on the other hardware components like RAM, GPU(Graphics Processing Unit) etc.

Now let me try to explain what those terms like core, clock speed, RAM and others mean.

What is a Core?

A Core is an element found in a processor which reads and executes instructions. It is basically a small processing unit. A multi-core processor, as the name suggests is a processor with more than one core each of which acts as a core.

Confused?

Let’s say you are having a small party at home and you are going to have some guests over. Among the other preparations, the most important one is the food. Unless all of them like Maggi, you want your menu to have at least 10 varieties of food. 

Think of these 10 food items as your tasks and your kitchen as the main processor. Preparing all those items single-handedly would consume a lot of your time. Luckily,  a couple of your friends are helping you out. Think each one of these cooks as the cores. Just like all of you cooking simultaneously can finish preparation of all the food items, the cores in a multi-core processor work simultaneously to finish all the tasks.

Multi-cores give you a smooth lag-free experience. You can load apps quickly, take high-resolution photos, play videos and games smoothly and much more.

The current generation of mobile phones always come with multi-core processors. They are usually hexa-core or octa-core (6 or 8 cores). You might be thinking that more the number of cores, more is the phone’s performance speed. But you are partially right because a phone’s performance is not solely dependent on the number of cores.

What is the Clock Speed?

Just because your friends are helping you with the cooking, doesn’t mean all of them will work at the same speed. Some might be faster, some might be slower. The same thing happens with a multi-core processor. If a phone has an octa-core processor, four of them might have different clock speed compared to the other four.

By now you might have guessed that the clock speed is something whose value denotes the speed of the processor. You are not wrong. The clock speed denotes the number of cycles the processor or the core executes per second. Clock speed is measured in GHz(gigahertz). The hertz is the unit of frequency and is defined as one cycle per second. So, 1 GHz means the processor can perform 1 billion instructions in 1 second. 

To create a balance between power and efficiency, manufacturers come up with different clock speeds for the cores. For example, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865+ is an octa-core processor. The clock speeds are 3.1 GHz for the primary core, 2.42 GHz for 3 performance cores and 1.80 GHz for 4 efficiency cores. Think this something like the head cook and other assistants.

So don’t fall for the number of cores in a processor. You need to check out the clock speeds of the individual cores.

What is RAM?

Let’s come back to our kitchen analogy. All the ingredients you need are stored in your kitchen shelves and accessing them sometimes might slow you down. So what do you do? Lay out all the ingredients needed for your recipe on the kitchen platform for easy and quick access. This is what RAM does.

RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It stores the working data and is normally measured in terms of GB(gigabytes). Having a big, spacious platform helps you to keep more ingredients thus increasing your efficiency and speed in cooking. The same goes here too. The higher the RAM size, the better the performance.

Normally, RAM sizes range from 2GB to 16GB. Some very high-end phones may even have 32GB RAM. You find the same phone models with different RAM options. Higher the RAM higher is the cost.  

So depending on your needs go for higher RAM. For eg. If you are an avid gamer, you need at least 6GB RAM. Opt for higher RAM only if you need it because you don’t want to pay for something that you don’t need.

What is a GPU?

GPU stands for Graphical Processing Unit. GPU is a processor mainly dedicated to graphics processing operations such as playing high-quality videos, playing games, shooting high-quality photos and videos and others. When running such graphics-oriented apps, a GPU helps to lighten the processing load on the CPU. 

It is not just high-quality videos and games that need GPU. It also handles other graphics-related operations like displaying web pages, pictures and short videos on your social media apps. In short, a GPU handles all graphical and visual data on your phone.

Without a GPU, you won’t get a smooth and lag-free experience while using your phone even when you are not using any photos, videos or games. This is because a GPU is also responsible for the UI – User Interface. All those fancy or simple animations while navigating through your main screen, background wallpapers and others make use of GPU.

Types of Processors

Now that you know about the processors, I will talk about or write about the leading smartphone manufacturers and the leading processors they use.

Some brands like Apple, Samsung develop their own mobile processors. Some use leading processors like Snapdragon by Qualcomm, MediaTek in their smartphones. 

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon

When you irritate a dragon and it snaps, it emits processors instead of fire and hence the name snapdragon. LOL! Just kidding!!

Snapdragon is a suite of SoC (System on a Chip) semiconductor products for mobile devices manufactured by the company Qualcomm Technologies Inc. Snapdragon processors are not only found in your smartphones, but also in tablets, laptops, smartwatches, 2-in-1 PCs and other such smart devices.

Snapdragon processors usually include a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a GPS (Global Positioning System), and a cellular modem all integrated into them. Before 2013, the processor series were named S1, S2 to S4. After 2013, the naming convention was changed to 200, 300 and so on up to 800 (with an exception of 500) as of now. 

The range somewhat indicates low to high-end. The 400 series processors are found in entry-level phones, the 600 in mid-range and the 800 in high-end or flagship phones. When I say Snapdragon 800 series, they are a family of processors with some random numbers like 800, 801, 810, 821, 835, 855 and so on with the latest being 888.

Snapdragon processors are used by most of the smartphone brands out there. You can find them in Google’s Pixel and Nexus, Samsung’s Galaxy, OnePlus, LG, Xiaomi, Vivo, Nokia, Asus, Moto, Micromax, Oppo, HTC and others. 

For more details check this and this.

MediaTek

Now that you have slayed the dragon, you can move on to MediaTek. (Sorry. No animal joke this time).

MediaTek is a semiconductor company which manufactures processors. MediaTek is the second widely used processor among smartphones after Snapdragon. These are not only found in smartphones but also in tablets, smartwatches, smart TVs and others.

Just like Snapdragon, even MediaTek processors have CPU, GPU and other wireless cellular units integrated into them. The naming convention goes like MediaTek Helio X, A, P, G series, or the latest Dimensity series. 

MediaTek is quite popular among the low-end and mid-range smartphones. MediaTek is a Taiwanese company and mostly found among Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, Huawei, Realme, Redmi, Oppo, Vivo and others. You can also find them in other brands like Samsung Galaxy, LG, Nokia, Moto, etc.

Apple processors

A for Apple

B for Bionic

C for….. Cat??? 

iPhones, iPods, iPads and other such iProducts (I totally made that up) from Apple Inc. design their own line of processors and are exclusively for Apple products. They are not only used in smartphones and other gadgets but also in Apple TVs. Observe that I said ‘designed’ and not ‘manufactured’. That’s because they are usually manufactured by Samsung.

Now let me talk about the naming ceremony. Sorry. I mean naming convention. Apple names their processors as A4, A5, A6 so on with the latest being A14. Since A11 there are known as A11 Bionic, A11X Bionic, A12 Bionic etc. Apple has other processor series such as S, T, W, H and M which are mostly used in other Apple devices but not iPhones.

Samsung’s Exynos

E for Exynos.

Exynos is a suite of SoCs developed and manufactured by Samsung Electronics. Until now, Exynos processors were used exclusively by Samsung smartphones but some brands like Motorola, Xiaomi, Oppo might have Exynos processors in them in the future.

Exynos processor series such as 7500, 7800, 9600, 800 are usually found in entry-level and mid-range Samsung phones. And Exynos 5400, 7400, 8800, 9800, 900 and the latest 1000 series processors are found in high-end and flagship smartphones. I know the naming convention is a bit confusing. Check out here for more details.

Other Processors

The above four are the most commonly used processors in smartphones these days. There are other processors like HiSilicon’s Kirin used in Huawei and Honor phones, OMAP (Open Multimedia Applications Platform) by Texas Instruments, Tegra by Nvidia and others.

I hope I was able to give you some basic ideas about what a processor means, their specifications and some of the manufacturing brands etc. Tell me in the comments below if this post helped you in any way. 

And I rest my case!!!

Well, you are not alone!!

Yes. You need to be smart before buying a smartphone. 

Gone are the days when a phone was used to only make calls. It’s a mini-computer now. With so many options out there you might end up being overwhelmed at first and then frustrated when you cannot decide on one single phone.

When you decide that you need a new phone, you don’t just walk into a mobile store and ask the guy to give you a phone. Or if you are planning to buy online, just google smartphones and you get thousands of results and offers on e-commerce websites.

There are many parameters that you need to consider before buying the right phone. Depending on your necessities you need to make the smart choice. 

Read further before you open a shopping website or go to a nearby mobile store so that you will understand the terms on those specifications. 

And don’t worry! You do not have to be a geek to understand these things.  

Budget

In simple terms, money. Yes, the first and foremost thing you need to decide upon is the amount of money you are willing or can afford to buy a phone. Keep an eye out on those online shopping websites for discounts, EMIs, etc. 

Hardware

The moment you read the specifications of a phone you come across a lot of technical terms which may or may not go over your head. Unless you are a geek don’t worry much about those processors and their numbers.

What you need to know are a few things:

Processor: Remember studying “CPU(Central Processing Unit) is the brain of the computer” in school? Observe that P stands for Processing. A smartphone is no less than a computer and a processor plays an important role in running the device.

A processor’s performance mainly depends on its number of cores and clock speed. More the number the better and more is the price. And you need to remember that the performance depends on the brand as well.

Most of the phones these days have 6 or 8 cores. These are sufficient for playing games, watching videos, running multiple apps simultaneously. But don’t fall for the number of cores. Instead, look for the clock speed.

A processor’s quickness depends on its clock speed which is measured in gigahertz (GHz). 1 GHz means that the processor can execute 1 billion instructions in 1 second. If you are an average user, a clock speed of 1.7GHz (gigahertz) is sufficient. You can go for higher if you need.

RAM: (2GB min, 16GB max) Random Access Memory stores the working data and is normally measured in terms of GB(gigabytes). You find the same phone models with different RAM options. Depending on your needs go for higher RAM. For eg. If you are an avid gamer, you need at least 6GB RAM. Opt for higher RAM only if you need it because higher the RAM higher is the cost. 

Data transfer: The cable used to connect to a computer and to charge may be C-type or micro-USB. It is not one of the important things but something to consider. 

Bluetooth version: Make sure it has the latest version 5 or at least 4.0. 

5G capable hardware: Not that important as 5G is not so prominent in India for now but it is a plus.

Dual SIM

You might be wondering why that is important since most of the phones these days are dual SIM. 

Nowadays dual SIM phones usually have 2 types of slots for the second SIM: dedicated or hybrid.

A dedicated slot is a slot exclusively for a nano-SIM. The tray may or may not have an extra slot for a micro SD card.

A hybrid slot is a slot that can have either a SIM or a micro SD card. Here you have to choose whether you want a dual SIM phone or a single SIM phone with extra storage.

Wondering what is the use of hybrid slots? Opting for hybrids help the manufacturers to save space and bring out slimmer phones.

Memory

The storage space or memory are of types: Internal and external storage – which are self-explanatory. 

Just like RAM, both internal and external memory are measured in GBs. And even here you find the same phones with different internal storage options. But you need to remember that higher the storage, higher the price.

If you store photos, music, movies and others a lot on your phone, go for higher storage. But the storage need not be internal itself. If the phone has an external storage option, you can buy a phone with less internal storage and add a micro SD card. But be sure to check out if the micro SD slot is hybrid or dedicated. 

Camera

In this age of selfies, phones have cameras on both front and back. And you might have observed that usually, both have different specifications. If you have a habit of taking a lot of selfies or video calling make sure to opt for a better front camera.

Now let’s talk about the back camera. If you are into photography, (or not) look for a camera with 12 or more megapixels(MP), image stabilization, an aperture of 1.7 or lower, ISO control and other options like high-speed and slow-motion, night mode, burst mode, etc.

I know it looks like a topic for a whole article but let me try to explain in brief.

MP: According to a common misconception, higher the MP(megapixels) better is the camera. Well, it is one of the factors that constitute a good camera but not the only one. 

Be careful, because some manufacturers cheat in the name of megapixels. For eg, one brand (who does not wish to be named) announced 48 megapixels whereas it was 12 megapixels and using what is known as pixel-binning.

Aperture: Aperture is an opening through which light travels into the lens. It is measured as f-number which is the ratio between the focal length and size of the hole. The smaller the f-number, wider is the aperture thus more light can reach the camera’s sensor.

Image stabilization: Many photos end up being blurred due to the shaking of our hands while clicking them. A phone with image stabilization option reduces this.

High-speed & Slow-motion: Shooting high-speed or slow-motion videos can be achieved by either different apps or sometimes from the built-in camera app itself. If you love shooting such videos, it’s better if the built-in camera supports them.

Night mode: Not all phones can take good pictures at night just like during the day. With this option turned on, your phone can take good photos at low-light conditions.

Burst mode: Burst mode, continuous shooting mode, sports mode, is a shooting mode in which the photographer captures several photos in quick succession. This is used to take shots of moving objects. The best shot can be chosen later.

Audio

Who doesn’t love music? Who doesn’t use their phones to listen to music? 

We all know how frustrating it is when bad earphones or speakers spoil a piece of really good music. It’s not just music. It’s also irritating when a good video or movie session gets spoiled because of bad audio.

When it comes to phone audio, there are two things to consider: external audio devices and built-in speakers.

External audio devices are your earphones, headphones, earbuds and even speakers connected externally. Some phones are included with earphones or earpods. If you already have good earphones see to that the phone has the required connecting port. 

Nowadays not all phones have a 3.5mm audio port. Some come with a C-type port which is also used for charging and usually they provide a C-type to 3.5mm converter. Make sure you have the latest Bluetooth version if you are connecting earbuds or wireless speakers.

Before I talk about built-in speakers let me explain mono and stereo sound.

Mono (Monophonic) tracks will output the same audio from both the speakers. Stereo (Stereophonic) tracks will often pan the sound, driving different audio signals through the left and right speakers.

In simple words, stereo sound imitates how we actually listen through our ears. If the sound is coming from the right side, we hear louder through our right ears than our left. You might have observed this while watching a movie or in some songs where we hear different sounds through our earphones.

Stereo sound is not only achieved in earphones but also in a phone’s speaker. If the built-in speaker has a mono output, audio through it is not as pleasant as through a stereo output.

Display

You need to pay attention to at least two things when it comes to a phone’s display. Screen size and screen hardware.

Screen size: When I say screen size, it’s not just the display size but it is also the size of the phone. Because screens with sizes around 7-inch may give good experience in watching movies but end up being too big for one-hand use.

Buy phones with sizes 5.5-inch or 5.8-inch if you have smaller hands or one-hand use is important to you. Another reason to go with a small-screen if for their compact design which easily fits into a pocket.

Screen hardware: Let’s talk about what these screens are made of. It might be LCD, TFT LCD, OLED, AMOLED, Super AMOLED panel etc. 

LCD means Liquid Crystal Display. In an LCD panel, the entire screen is lit up by a backlight. The display is bright, reduces glare and has better visibility in sunlight.

But it is not good at colour saturation. 

AMOLED stands for Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode. In an AMOLED screen, each pixel produces its own light individually. This increases colour saturation and hence good for watching videos, looking at pictures, playing games etc. But not good to look at in sunlight.

Super AMOLED is an improved version of AMOLED. Here, the touch response layer is integrated into the display itself, instead of an extra layer on the top of the display. Super AMOLED has better visibility in sunlight, consumes less power and is good at colour saturation.

Operating System (OS)

You might be thinking there are only two options: iOS and android which is true in a broader sense. If you are going for android it is not just the version (the latest being 11) you need to consider. You need to consider software updates, UI(User Interface), bloatware, etc.

Google recently released Android 11 but not all devices get the updates. So in case you are planning to buy a refurbished phone or a relatively older model, first check on the manufacturer’s website to know for how long they will be releasing updates.

Many Android device manufacturers add something called a “skin” on top of the OS. A skin is a UI overlay, which has custom designs like different icons and adds extra features for your phone OS. Many manufacturers like Xiaomi, RealME, OnePlus, Samsung have skins unique to them. 

You might be wondering if there are phones without these extra skins. Yes, there are and this type of OS is called as “stock android”. Manufacturers like Asus, Nokia, Google Pixel have stock android or something called as near-stock, which is UI with very minor changes.

Who doesn’t hate it when your phone has many unwanted apps that cannot be uninstalled? There is a name for it. Bloatware. They are preinstalled by the phone manufacturer. Make sure the phone you are buying has less of these apps.

Battery

All the above features are useless if your phone’s battery is dead. Hence having a phone with good battery capacity is important. 

Battery capacity is usually measured in mAh which stands for milliampere hour. If you are an average user look in the range of 3000-4000 mAh. If you play games, watch HD,4K videos, take photos or any apps involving graphics go for higher capacity.

Charging

What do you do when your phone’s battery runs out of its charge? Well, you charge it. And it really matters how fast your phone’s battery can charge.

You can either go with normal charging, fast charging or wireless charging. 

Normal charging is by your normal cable and normal charger which takes a few hours to charge. Something available in all phones but something which not all users prefer. 

Why? Because it takes time.

The solution is fast charging. Here you can charge your phone quickly within an hour. What you need to know is that for fast charging its not just the phone that matters but the charging cable and adapter too. So you will have to use the accessories provided along with the phone.

Now let’s move on to wireless charging. It is wireless not because you are not using any wires but because your phone is not connected with a wire. 

Confused? Let me explain.

Wireless charging requires a small charging mat, pad or some kind of holder on which you are supposed to place your phone. Your phone gets charged without being connected to any wire. But the device (pad, or some kind of holder) needs to be connected to a power source via a wire. So not exactly wireless.

Wireless charging definitely looks cool and all but its downside is it is slower. And the wireless charger is not something that is sold along with the device. You need to buy it separately.

Say you are hanging out with your friend and her phone runs out of battery. Neither of you has a power bank but on your phone, the battery is fully charged. Don’t you wish that you could just transfer some to your friend’s phone? You can if your phone has something called reverse charging.

Reverse charging is an option where your phone can act as a power bank and charge another phone. This can be done via a cable or wireless too depending on the phone.

Conclusion

What is important is that you need to research before you buy a phone. Especially when you are spending thousands of rupees you need to make sure your device has value for money. 

How do you research? Just read reviews and the specs on websites like Tech Focus and others, compare, see for discounts and offers (Yes. They are important too) and then buy your new smartphone.

Hope my post helped you understand those specifications. Do you think there are other parameters to be considered? Tell me in the comments.