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Showing posts from June, 2024

What Should We Watch?

  Remember the days when your biggest TV dilemma was choosing between a few channels? Now, we’re living in the golden age of streaming, with endless content at our fingertips. Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max—the list goes on. But here’s the catch: having too many choices can be just as paralyzing as having too few. It’s called the paradox of choice. With so many options available, deciding what to watch can become an overwhelming task. You spend more time scrolling through the catalog than actually enjoying a show or movie. The abundance of choice can lead to decision fatigue, where the act of choosing itself becomes exhausting. Moreover, the pressure to pick the "right" show is real. With friends and social media constantly buzzing about the latest must-watch series, there’s a fear of missing out (FOMO). This can turn what should be a relaxing activity into a stressful one. Instead of unwinding, you’re anxious about staying up-to-date. And let’s not forget the cost. Subscrib...

The Convenience of Online Shopping

  Picture this: you're lounging on your couch, scrolling through your phone, and in a few taps, you've ordered a new pair of shoes, a kitchen gadget, and a book. All to be delivered to your doorstep in a couple of days. The convenience of online shopping is undeniable, and it’s not just a luxury—it’s a modern marvel. Take apps like Blinkit, Zomato, and Uber Eats, for instance. Blinkit promises groceries delivered to your door in 10 minutes, making those last-minute dinner plans a breeze. Zomato and Uber Eats have revolutionized the way we think about dining. Craving sushi at midnight? No problem. With a few taps, a hot meal is on its way, bridging the gap between restaurants and your dining table. Online shopping also opens up a world of variety. You’re not limited to what's available in your local stores. Want a rare book or a niche gadget? It’s just a search away on Amazon or eBay. This access to a global marketplace empowers consumers, providing endless choices and compe...

AI: A Feature or a Product?

  I recently watched an MKBHD video that tackled an interesting question: Is AI a feature or a product? Marques Brownlee, the tech guru, argued that AI is more of a feature than a standalone product. And you know what? I agree. Let's break it down. AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is embedded in almost every piece of technology we use today. From the voice assistants like Siri and Alexa to the recommendation algorithms on Netflix and YouTube, AI enhances the functionality of these products. It's not the main attraction; it's the magic behind the curtain making everything run smoother, smarter, and more efficiently. Consider your smartphone. The AI capabilities it boasts—photo enhancements, predictive text, personalized app suggestions—are features that improve your overall user experience. They’re not what you buy the phone for, but they make it indispensable once you have it. Now, some might argue that AI-driven devices like self-driving cars or robots are products. But eve...

Social Media Echo Chambers

  Imagine a world where every opinion you encounter aligns perfectly with your own. Sounds great, right? Wrong. Welcome to the world of social media echo chambers. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook, with their intricate algorithms, are designed to show you content that you are most likely to engage with, reinforcing your existing beliefs and preferences. It's like living in a bubble where everyone agrees with you. But here's the catch: this bubble isn't harmless. It breeds polarization. When you only see content that aligns with your views, you become increasingly convinced that your perspective is the only correct one. Disagreements become not just debates but full-blown battles. Civil discourse? Out the window. The result? A society divided, with each faction entrenched in its own reality. Take a step back and think about it. The stories you share, the posts you like, the comments you leave—they all contribute to the echo chamber. It's not just about seeing what you...

Mr. Clutch, The Logo, and Mr. Outside

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  I have been a crazy fan of the NBA for nearly 4 years now. Funnily enough, the league itself did not grab my attention, but in fact, it was NBA 2k20, which my brother bought because it was on sale. He was familiar with the NBA, but I had no clue it even existed. After downloading this gigantic game, we grabbed our controllers and played our first game ever (after the tutorial, of course). He chose All-Time Warriors, and I chose All-Time Lakers. After just 2 quarters, I was in love with, not the game, but the players. Kobe’s' mid range. Magic’s playmaking. Shaq’s unbelievable dominance.   But the player I made 33 points and 11 assists with was Jerry West. His incredible shooting, playmaking, and inside game just made him work. Combine that with making the defenders dance like they were in   a club and being able to guard someone twice his size, and you have The Logo. Mr. Clutch was known to be extremely, extremely competitive. He is the only player in NBA history to be n...

Nuclear Power on Trial

  Judge: Order in the court! Let the trial begin. This is The People v. Nuclear Power. Prosecution: Your honor, I only have one word to start off my argument: Chernobyl. Nuclear: Why is it that anytime anyone debates over this, Chernobyl is the first name to come up? It was one simple mistake. Prosecution: Simple? Nearly 50 people died just because of the initial explosion. Dozens of others died later due to radiation-induced cancer. How is that simple? And one mistake? What about the Fukushima accident? Nuclear: You say all of these things, but keep in mind, nuclear threat was the only reason WWII ended. I have helped save countless, countless, lives. Prosecution: And how many had to die to achieve that? How many people have suffered due to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Nuclear: A small price to pay for several years of peace. Prosecution: You sound like every supervillain ever. Nuclear: Objection. Not relevant. Judge: Sustained. Nuclear: And what about the energy that t...

My Brother Bought a Tesla

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  I’ll just say it: I’m not the kind of guy who would look at a Lamborghini and go, “which model is that?” No, I’m the kind of guy who would just be happy that he saw a Lamborghini. So you would think that when my brother told me that he bought a Tesla I would be like, “huh, that’s cool, I guess.” But a Tesla for me is way better than a Lamborghini. "Why dost thou make such an outrageous claim?" Before you take out your swords, let me explain. I do not like driving cars. The minute I put my hands on the steering wheel, my body goes into petrified mode. Even if the road is empty, I’m scared I’ll crash the car into the curb.  Tesla’s full self driving though, that changes things. I no longer need to worry about steering, switching lanes, or just driving in general. The car does that for me. So, ironically enough, my dream car turns out to be a car… which I don’t drive.

Minecraft: The Greatest Video Game Ever Made

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  Minecraft, the most sold video game of all time. It beat GTA V, Tetris, and Wii Sports to be the most famous video game of all time. When I first saw someone play it, I was like, “Seriously? These are blocks. Literally blocks. You break blocks, you place blocks, you click on zombies with a sword. How in the world is this such a popular game?” But then, something changed. I decided to give it a try, if only to understand the hype. It was one of those moments where you go in with negative expectations, just waiting to stop doing it. And boy, was I in for a surprise. As soon as I started playing, I realized that Minecraft is not just about blocks. It's about creativity, freedom, and intelligence. As I delved deeper, I discovered that Minecraft is like a digital playground where your imagination is the only limit. Want to build a replica of the Eiffel Tower? Go ahead. How about playing Quidditch using mods? Absolutely possible. Feeling adventurous? Dive into survival mode and face th...

Visit to MPIF

 I am associated with the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Foundation, which is a community service project. It aims to provide unprivileged kids the education they need to get a job and secure a stable salary to support their family. Mainly it focuses on teaching Computer Science, but also does some courses on Sales. In my visit, I checked the resumes for any unnecessary information, grammatical errors, or format errors. In doing so, I made sure that their resumes were polished, making sure that the piece of paper would not be the factor which would hinder them in one of the most crucial times of their lives.

Privacy

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  In a time where 85% of your life runs through Instagram, no stalker is ever going to peek through your windows. The stories you post, showing off that you’re in Malibu sipping on Mojitos? These never would’ve happened without the technological age. Think about it. Posting these stories is the same as telling everyone you know, (don’t even get me started on public accounts) “hey! I’m currently in paradise, right at this spot. Let’s split some nachos.” And this is the stuff you send out willingly. When you log into the Starbucks WiFi and buy a $100 body pillow using your credit card? A guy sitting in the corner with a hood on his head sipping on a Frappuccino could be going ham at a Gucci store next door. It’s as easy sniffing out the bits you sent through the router and just letting them diffuse into the hacker’s laptop. It’s not even individuals doing this stuff. Remember Mark Zuckerberg? The human robot? Yeah his social media platform Facebook has gotten into at least 8000 contr...

Apple and AI

  Being the Apple fanboy that I am, Apple has definitely fallen behind in the AI race when comparing with Microsoft, Samsung, and Google. Google and Microsoft surging ahead is something I can live with. But not Samsung. Hey, I have nothing against Samsung, but my loyalties lie with Apple. Having said that, I do feel that Apple should stay away from any gimmicky stuff and concentrate on stuff that is truly going to help the billions of users that use its devices, including me. We have the WWDC starting in 2 days and I, for one, can’t wait for the keynote. I make it a point to watch all the keynotes live and this one will be no different. Plus this time, the developer conference is all online, so looking to attend as many sessions as possible will be one of my priorities.

JVM: A Hand in Every Bowl

  What is it? JVM (Java Virtual Machine) is one of the more dominant run time engines (software that allows applications to be run) out there. It supports languages beyond just it’s namesake, include Kotlin, Scala, Clojure, and many others.   Kotlin allows developers to not just write code that removes unnecessary jibber-jabber eating up their application’s memory during runtime, but also immaculately integrate existing Java frameworks and libraries in their Kotlin code. Scala combines object-oriented and functional programming, offering powerful features like recursion, immutability, and higher-order functions, which are commonly seen in functional programming languages. Why is it Awesome? Oracle’s release of GraalVM (an extension of JVM) in 2019 allowed developers to not just make the memory their apps consume minimal, but also include languages like Python and Javascript in their code. It includes a Python 3.8 compliant runtime, allowing Python to run at native, yes, native...