Author: The Philox

The Case for and Against Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Retirement from International Cricket

The recent tailspin of cricketing royalty India has witnessed the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of whom are in the throes of severe tests, with their eventual international retirement being a constant demand, especially after Australia in Test series. More than a few voices – media, former players and fans alike – have called for their retirement in recent times. This factor involves their aging, losing physical power, and increasing youthful blood. The retirement argument finds some supporters advance it as the only way of paving way for young blood and other experts take it as something they need for themselves since they have earned legacy to remain to offer the same. This discussion presents an argument for retiring of some and those who do not support this with a basis for their previous leadership and service to the country.

Lashana Lynch Disappointing Performance as Bianca in Day of the Jackal

She stars in the television series “The Day of the Jackal” as MI6 agent Bianca Pullman. Review and audience comments vary; many praised her while most other viewers condemned her as the weak spot in an otherwise amazingly received series. Their criticism might be about the fact that her character was never deepened up to the level of the rest of the show. Discussions have also been brought forward on the character’s involvement in the story and how race plays out within the mostly white ensemble cast. This article explores such criticisms and addresses how Lynch saw her role in this production and compares the reception of her work to the praises heard throughout the series in general.

Vivo V50 Upgrade Not Justified for V40 Owners

Launched as a model ready to launch in February 2025, the Vivo V50 can easily be said as the Vivo V40 successor but after comparing with all details; the advancements would not be really different. Because, here it’s equipped with Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 and camera also comes almost alike in configuration offering not-so-nearly good upgrades in each section. Whereas V50 offers slightly bigger batteries with slightly faster charging capabilities, upgrades aren’t too substantial to update current V40 owners. To make matters worse, V50 will probably sell for more, further diluting value. And, when minor design differences between Vivo V40 and Vivo V50, same software, same features, with almost negligible enhancements in both designs, one does not find adequate reasons to update to V50.

Virat Kohli Restaurant One8 Commune To Start in Jaipur After Indore

The food venture of Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli, One8 Commune, is now taking it to Jaipur. Success was already experienced in Indore. This food venture had earlier outlets in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, and Bengaluru. Diverse menus, which are mixed with the favorite dishes of the cricketer, are part of this venture along with the local flavors. The outlet here is going to be quite interesting as it would feature Rajasthani specialities along with international fare. The restaurant will be designed, thus inspired by Kohli’s travels and the rich cultural heritage of Jaipur, to be inviting. This expansion is going to be a step toward the vision of Kohli in the community dining experience and is likely to enhance Jaipur’s culinary scene, provide employment, and attract tourists.

HP Victus to Launch Gaming Laptop with RTX 5050 and 5060 Reportedly

HP is very soon going to roll out its Victus series of gaming laptops in India. They come with the newest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 GPUs. Given their high performance and affordable price points, they have their focus on the students and the gamers. The RTX 50 series of GPUs promises improved performance with enhanced power efficiency and superior graphics compared to NVIDIA’s previous set, the RTX 30 series, in addition to introducing DLSS 4.0 technology. New Victus laptops will have advanced cooling systems, high-quality displays, and extended battery life. Demand will be met to the Indian markets for affordable gaming solutions through the Victus range of laptops.

How Prime India Defeated Netflix with Local Stories Like Panchayat and Family Man

Amazon Prime Video has emerged as a major player in India’s streaming market and even outdid its competitors like Netflix by investing heavily in locally resonant content. Original series like “The Family Man,” “Panchayat,” “Mirzapur,” “Farzi,” and “Paatal Lok” are extremely popular, which has thus contributed to Prime Video’s expanding subscriber base. Regional preferences, collaboration with Indian creators of fame, and competitive models in price are strategic decisions that have cemented the standing of Amazon Prime Video in the Indian OTT scenario.

The Union Budget’s Role in BJP’s Strategy to Topple Kejriwal in Delhi

Delhi’s political landscape is undergoing change since the AAP government, slowly and gradually over time, is seen to mess up major civic issues like pollution, health-care facilities, congested traffic conditions, and shoddy road network. In the process, there is this obvious anti-incumbency mood in voters’ minds. The middle class has also reacted well to tax exemptions up to ₹12 lakh in the Union Budget of 2025 as this will also give them big relief in the pocket, though the cost of living is ascending. BJP, therefore, will tactically implement this budget decision coupled with strong criticism of governance of AAP against the latter. With a grassroots campaign that hails solutions for pressing issues and the unfulfilled promises of AAP, it is likely that BJP will take away the reins of the present government.

Not China’s Gaokao, UPSC and IIT are the toughest exams for General Category Students in India

Not only is it very stiff and competitive, the Gaokao is China’s national college entrance examination. However, for students of the general category in India, other tests they will have to contend with include the UPSC Civil Services Examination and the IIT JEE-the latter of which is a bit tricky while the former is very competitive. These exams not only demand vast knowledge and years of preparation but also work within a framework where reservation policies significantly impact general category candidates. The UPSC’s vast syllabus and the IIT JEE’s deep focus on core scientific subjects, combined with intense competition and socio-economic factors, make them particularly daunting. This article talks about the form, matter, and unique problems that characterize such exams, thus ranking them at the topmost for India’s general category students.

The Pi Coin Deception Earning Through Ads While Users Mine for Nothing Disguised as Crypto

Pi Network is an application with which the users can “mine” Pi Coins, again just by the tap of a button every day with no cost, no up front. Though this app has million users and this is the rapid growth it sees, many of the skeptical voices are being thrown around the platform. This model is said to be working based on a business model similar to a pyramid scheme, as it has an entire system that only depends on referral, and an actual working mainnet does not exist, hence the Pi Coins are useless and worthless. In-app commercials money is made when users are compelled to view adverts before they could continue mining. This will deceive the users, who waste their time without any benefit, and the advertisers, who take into account greater engagement metrics. All these factors lead to the assumption that the model of Pi Network is more biased toward revenue generation from ads rather than providing genuine cryptocurrency experience.

The Exodus of Investors from Whirlpool India Amid Sharp Decline in Stock Value

The recent move by Whirlpool Corporation to reduce its stake in Whirlpool India from 51% to around 20% by mid-to-late 2025 has led to a sharp decline in the latter’s share price. The latest move follows a 24% stake sale in February 2024, which has alarmed investors about the parent company’s interest in its Indian business. Apart from these, market competition, low-profit margins, and regulatory impediments are some of the other challenges. The financials also depict a dismal trend: net profit for the quarter ending September 2023 saw an erosion, and sales are projected to decline in 2025. The competitive intensity by players like Samsung, LG, and local players continues to be a challenge for Whirlpool India to innovate and maneuver its market share and profitability.

Why Earning Popcoin Through Pop UPI App is Virtually Useless

It rewards users with 2% back in Popcoins on every UPI transaction; these Popcoins can only be redeemed within the POP ecosystem to buy products from partnered D2C brands, which is an inherently closed loop and limits the utility of the Popcoins themselves. This leaves users often no choice but to buy products within the app, potentially at a higher price point, thus cancelling out any savings perceived. Unlike the more flexible traditional rewards systems that allow cash redemption, Popcoins offer neither real money nor convenience that saves consumers for a real bottom line.

Why GPUs Are Becoming as Precious as Gold and Diamonds due to AI Innovation

The development of AI technologies at this pace has never led to such an unprecedented demand for graphics processing units. They power both machine learning and deep learning applications, and their price has gone up to levels where selling gold and diamonds are not unheard of. While companies like NVIDIA are seeing their data center revenues surpass the revenues reaped from their old traditional gaming businesses, it seems clear that market behavior is shifting. Meta and Microsoft and other tech giants are buying such huge amounts of GPUs that the supply is insufficient and is causing the prices to shoot even further. Inelasticity of supply because of manufacturing constraint; the time of manufacture is quite a long period, and with a requirement for having some new fabrication plants as well. Therefore, it led to this kind of scarcity; some companies reused even gaming GPUs for using in AI, which affected even the gaming segment. Smaller organizations may find it extremely challenging because of the relatively higher cost of GPUs and very limited availability in the market, which can centralize AI among the wealthier organizations.

Air Crash Trends in Recent Years Lessons from Korea to America

Air travel is still considered one of the safest modes of transportation, yet incidents do raise a concern regarding the safety of aviation. Accidents like Jeju Air Flight 2216 that crashed in South Korea and the DHC-3 Turbine Otter that crashed in Washington, USA, can be attributed to some of these causes, including bird strikes, mechanical failures, and human errors. It reviews such incidents and others to determine their causes and lessons in enhancing the safety of aviation.

Our Long March has not even begun

India must transform into a modern industrial giant to eradicate poverty, unemployment, and malnutrition, drawing inspiration from China’s Long March which led to the 1949 Revolution. However, India remains caught in religious and caste-based divisions, exacerbated by perpetual elections and political polarization. Developed nations might resist this transformation due to competitive threats from India’s low-cost labor. The responsibility falls on India’s patriotic intellectuals to lead an ideological battle against feudal mindsets, superstitions, and communalism. Only through such a long, united struggle can India achieve socio-economic emancipation, marking what could be its finest hour in history.

Know the Differences Between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air

The iPhone 17 series will be released in September 2025. The two major variants of the series will be the standard iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Air. The iPhone 17 Air would be the thinnest smartphone ever developed by Apple, with a highly slim design featuring ultra-thin dimensions achieved via lightweight aluminum material construction. Whereas the new iPhone 17 takes a step down with the design but it has more traditional looks but is accompanied with a 6.3-inch OLED screen that is relatively small in comparison to Air which offers 6.6 inches OLED ProMotion with 120Hz refresh rate. Camera configurations also vary, as the Air features a dual-camera setup with a 50-megapixel primary sensor and the iPhone 17 has a single 48-megapixel camera. Both variants will be fueled by the A19 chip, so performance is excellent, but the iPhone 17 might have better battery life because it is bigger. Connectivity-wise, the iPhone 17 Air would feature an eSIM only and the standard one would retain its physical SIM slot. That may also come for a premium.

Facing DeepSeek Challenge ChatGPT Might Make All Premium Features Free

DeepSeek has been the new challenge that the AI domination of OpenAI and its favorite software, ChatGPT, faced. Always a market leader in the industry, whether for free or for paid subscription plans, the popularity of ChatGPT was growing with every passing day. In contrast, DeepSeek was giving away its model, Dark Seek-R1, free of charge. The open-access strategy led to high penetration, topping all charts within both U.S. and U.K. The pricing for DeepSeek’s API is low-cost, being a fraction of what OpenAI charges, thus attracting businesses and developers searching for cost-effective AI solutions. Benchmark tests suggest that DeepSeek-R1 performs at least on par with, or in some technical tasks, it surpasses ChatGPT, which only further erodes the market place for ChatGPT. So, OpenAI is forced to either change its pricing model or improve its offerings to retain the users. This would open the gates to mass adoption of AI, which gives cheaper and more accessible AI solutions, thus impacting a larger section of the audience, which is good for competition and innovation.

Xbox Forza Horizon 6 on the Horizon Amid PlayStation Horizon 5 Launch

One of the most eagerly awaited games in the Forza Horizon series is Forza Horizon 6, which has been waiting in anticipation of its release with graphic-based phenomenals and diversified cars on the large open-world map and speculations that range it as a “Japan-based setting.” This sequel would probably take everything good from Forza Horizon 5 and feature new stuff such as advanced weather systems, new car physics, and multiplayer. The Forza Horizon 6 trailer has already become something people have made speculations about, even in what to expect from this game. It also will come out on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, as another journey for Microsoft into an open approach of gaming, making the game more accessible to a wider market. New possibilities for customization and an enhanced convoy system make Forza Horizon 6 ready to refresh open-world racing for a new generation and to deliver one of the most impressive gaming experiences to date.

Microsoft Looks to Windows 12 to Regain User Trust Lost with Windows 11

Microsoft is expected to release Windows 12, the next-generation operating system, by the end of 2025. With all the feedback gathered from Windows 11, Windows 12 will bring much more improvements in deep integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve user experience and productivity. AI-driven features will help users with file organization, system optimization, and personalized suggestions. A major innovation to be represented will be the modular design of a “Core PC,” which tries to provide a more flexible, secure, and efficient system with faster update times and superior hardware scalability. Windows 12 will also build upon the new user interface offered by Windows 11, creating more customization choices, an optimized File Explorer, and an even better taskbar. These updates, on one hand, will address criticisms from Windows 11, for instance: the high system requirements and the mandatory Microsoft account setup, concentrated on more compatibility and more user-centric features of the product. Therefore, Windows 12 would better embrace various technological advancements that change user preferences, be it competitive demand or increased adoption.

Meta Plans to Launch Ray Ban Zen 2 Glasses Unveiled by Mark Zuckerberg

Meta has just entered the market of smart glasses with its technology partner Ray-Ban. Having presented the first version of smart glasses, called Ray-Ban Stories, back in 2021, this time around in 2023, the company can introduce to the public the upgraded version that will feature an improved camera, better audio, and connectivity to Meta’s AI assistant. These came to the market with tremendous commercial success, selling over 1 million units in 2024. The third version by Meta, probably called “Zen 2,” will probably have even more refined features, like an inbuilt display for notifications, enhanced AI processing, and increased battery life. Mark Zuckerberg’s dream of a time when smart glasses might eventually replace smartphones could come true in these glasses. With all the wearable tech market leader being Meta, and next-generation smart glasses poised to revolutionize our interactions in the digital space as well as with technology around us, concern about privacy will always be a relevant issue-the question is the importance of those issues in camera-related and data-security aspects.

Yami Gautam and Pratik Gandhi Set New Comedy-Action Standards with Dhoom Dhaam’s Unique Concept

Dhoom Dhaam is the Bollywood film of Yami Gautam and Pratik Gandhi, coming on Netflix on 14th February 2025. It is a romance comedy action movie that takes us into newly wed Koyal, played by Yami Gautam, and Veer, portrayed by Pratik Gandhi, and how their honeymoon night turned haywire when a man named Charlie for whom the goons were searching turns up on the couple. The movie by Rishab Seth directed and produced by Aditya Dhar, Lokesh Dhar, and Jyoti Deshpande has showcased the wonderful transformation of Yami Gautam from being a shy bride to an aggressive action heroine, as commendable from the fan base. The trailer has been causing much hype and captured the attention of the audience by the young on-screen chemistry of Yami and Pratik. With such a different script and energetic performances, Dhoom Dhaam will surely be the perfect Valentine’s Day movie watch with thrilling and fun experiences for the audience.

Modi Government Might Team Up with Jio to Challenge Chinese DeepSeek

India is building its sovereign Artificial Intelligence model. The initiative has reportedly been government-backed and comes with a budget of ₹30-40 crore. That aligns well with the greater vision India shares to reach complete digital sovereignty, thus wean off dependency on foreign AI models such as DeepSeek, an AI system of China and US-based AI models. National security, economic development, and privacy of data form the important rationale for the sovereignty of an AI system. Speculation of a supposed collaboration between the Modi government and Jio in using the latter’s digital infrastructure towards AI progress continues. India has already started some sort of innovation by initiating AI in the country, like the IndiaAI Mission, and public-private partnerships. Some issues have arisen, such as funding, talent retention, and infrastructural limitations. It is believed that a good AI strategy can eventually make India one of the biggest technology leaders in the world, further bringing innovation and more jobs. The cooperation with Jio is still unofficial, but there is a clear intent to focus on AI to further make sure that India’s technological future will be secured through Modi.

Deva Movie Review Shahid Kapoor’s Brilliance Makes This Action Thriller Unforgettable

Directed by Rosshan Andrrews, the movie “Deva” is an intense action thriller with Shahid Kapoor essaying the lead role of an aggressive and smart police officer who is rebellious. The storyline revolves around an investigation led by Deva of a high-profile case while gradually unfolding a very complicated web of deceit, involving his personal troubles. Kapoors received accolades for depth, intensity, and authenticity in his work, especially the physical transformation that added to the action sequences. It has a great cast with Pooja Hegde, Pavail Gulati, and Kubbra Sait, and cinematography, pacing, and choreography are superb. “Deva” will be new as a standard for an action drama film in Bollywood as this film will score 4.5 stars.

Meet the Brain Behind the Jaipur Literature Festival William Dalrymple

He has, in his co-founding of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), altered the cultural face of India. The modest beginning JLF made in 2006 has today blossomed into the world’s largest free literary festival, drawing people from across the globe and featuring some of the world’s greatest authors. With a vision of a platform inclusive of literature, art, and culture, Dalrymple democratized the literary discourse by giving access to literature. Annual international lineups in Jaipur, curated by him, help form a global literary community. No controversy like the Salman Rushdie affair in 2012 deterred him from making JLF the beacon of cultural exchange and free speech. Besides the festival, his prize-winning writings on Indian history enrich the literature he founded and for which he was awarded the President’s Medal by the British Academy. Dalrymple’s work has not only beautified Jaipur as a place of literature but has also contributed to the flourishing of literary festivals all over South Asia, and such a forum will be etched in the pages of books and ideas forever.

Elon Musk Vows to Bring Sunita Williams Home Before NASA’s Efforts

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore have been on the International Space Station, or ISS, since June 2024. Technical problems on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft extended their time more than initially expected on the ISS after becoming too difficult for astronauts to return back. Thruster malfunctions, a leaky helium, were some of the issues encountered with the spacecraft which made it not safe enough to take astronauts back. This, in response, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk promised the people to speed up their return using the Crew Dragon capsule after a call from U.S. President Donald Trump. The situation is an ongoing competition between Boeing and SpaceX within NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which shows how SpaceX has implemented operational capability in crewed space missions.

Sony’s PS5 Could See a Massive Price Drop in India to Rs 30,000

The gaming market in India has been experiencing tremendous growth, and Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) has clearly been ahead of the curve. Since its launch, PS5 has always been in constant demand; however, supply constraints along with issues regarding its price have been a considerable limitation toward its wider acceptability. As of now, the standard disc version of PS5 costs almost Rs 54,990, whereas digital version is quoted to be around Rs 44,990. Now, reports indicate that Sony could scale down the deep price reduction of PS5 and cut it to Rs 10,000 to reach close to Rs 30,000 for market penetration in India, an extremely price-sensitive market. Yet, even with gaming mania soaring rapidly there, Sony is still not going to allow India business to run amok. Historically, Sony has introduced several offers of discounts like Rs 5,000 and Rs 13,000 at certain times during the sales to make the PS5 more affordable. This huge slash in the cost of the PS5 will, not only give access to many more people than it did when the product came out, but also increase growth in the market within the gaming sector, that affects gamers, retailers, and the overall dimension of the market.

Wamiqa Gabbi Rumored to Star Alongside Shahrukh Khan in ‘King’

Wamiqa Gabbi may be the next actress to share screen space with Shah Rukh Khan in Siddharth Anand’s much-awaited action thriller “King”. She has already made stature for herself with the kind of versatility on display in films like “Khufiya” and “Jubilee”, not to forget bagging awards as an ardent Punjabi film industry artist. Maybe this will be her turning point. The movie, which has Khan acting in a double role; of a don and an under-cover agent, has quite an action and drama-filled storyline. The tentative news does not confirm any information related to the film. However, according to sources close to the industry, Gabbi, of late being successful in her films, and the director being interested in the new talent will be offered the most important part in the movie.

Sania Mirza reveals why she divorced Shoaib Malik & New Love of Her Life

Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik’s marriage to actress Sana Javed in January 2024 reportedly ended his previous marriage to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza. Sania, it appears, opted for ‘khula’ – an Islamic procedure where the woman seeks divorce – after allegedly learning about Malik’s extramarital affairs. The public nature of Malik’s new marriage forced her to respond, but more than that, she also had to do so because she felt the fact that Sania kept her private life strictly off-limits during her 14 years of marriage only began in 2010 and saw her son Izhaan being born in 2018 made all her efforts all the harder.

Why Nick Kyrgios is the most controversial and ill-mannered tennis player of all time.

Nick Kyrgios is an Australian tennis player who has, without a doubt, garnered much attention for his exceptional skill on the court but also for his outrageous behavior both on and off it. Even though he won the Wimbledon finals in 2022, his career has seen too many incidents in which he grabbed attention for arguing with officials, displaying disrespect to opponents, and performing unsportsmanlike behavior. These acts have earned him hefty fines alongside scathing remarks from tennis legends, fans, and analysts. It details the most critical moments that defined Kyrgios as one of the most controversial tennis players in history.

This Indian badminton player holds the record for the most powerful smash in history.

Indian badminton player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy smashed into the Guinness World Record book by creating the record for the fastest badminton smash on 14th April 2023. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy achieved the unthinkable speed of 565 km/h. This Malaysian Tan Boon Heong achieved the same back in 2013, achieving a speed of 493 km/h. Satwiksairaj smashed this record in the controlled environment at the Yonex factory gymnasium, Soka, Saitama, Japan. It takes a Formula 1 car close to 372.6 km/h at maximum speed to even come close to Rankireddy’s smash, making it extremely exceptional in racquet sports. This paper digs into the larger implication of the record, science behind such powerful smash, and the career as well as the partnership of Rankireddy with Chirag Shetty that has made him achieve such extraordinary feats, in addition to a wider implication in the sport itself.