Growing up, mama used to shop for all of us. And the wardrobes were filled with pink, yellow, purple and red outfits only. This resulted into light pink and purple being my only favorite color combination back then. But this combination faded right away when I entered my teenage years.

Aimlessly scrolling through Instagram feed, I have noticed baby pink color making a comeback recently.  Just like how subtle yet wholesome these trend-setters are looking in light pink outfits had me thinking about it all over again.

Looking at these cool tie dye outfits, I could not stop myself from buying one.

Not only for outfits but I see this color making its way in home décor as well.

I never understood the concept of telling kids that only girls wear pink. This gender-based color discrimination has been rooted so deep in me that whenever I see a guy wearing pink, the first thing my mind says is a big NO! But my heart gets really happy to see guys breaking this gender-based color discrimination. Like a 90s child is happily learning to let it all go!

Let’s look at all other cousins of the baby pink color or you can say powder pink as they call it powder pink nowadays:

This powder pink color now, when blended with certain pastel hues gives a feeling of hope and unexpected peace. Maybe this is why Inspire me Pakistan has used it intelligently for the cover of their positivity planner 2021. Just like perfect reminder of spring in summer and summer in autumn, the combination of baby pink and baby blue has got me dreaming of winters in this almost midsummer.

The fact that these colors appeal soothing to senses has got me questioning where did they come from?  The great mother nature of course! Like all other colors which are naturally present in our surroundings and are just waiting to be discovered at the right time.

Imagine having these colors right in the palm of your hand, sounds good? So good.  Without having to worry about letting go of these comforting colors, Infinix NOTE 10 Pro allows you to keep them closer and together in one place. The smartphone allows you to absorb all the colors along with the clear reflection of the light. Blending it all in would have not been easy but Infinix has done it in an unexpected manner.

Infinix NOTE 10 Pro does not ignore the other cousins of this color family. It perfectly reflects this color family with a pop of light creating a pleasing prism effect right in the palm of your hand.  The material used at the back of the phone feels familiar but new every time I hold it in my hand. Infinix has named this special color as Nordic Secret.

Infinix NOTE 10 Pro has been designed to fit right into the hand with its curved edges and light weight material.  Infinix NOTE 10 Pro comes with MediaTek Helio G95,6.95” FHD+ display and 5000mAH long lasting battery. Infinix offers NOTE 10 Pro beyond this color palate as well. It comes in 3 colors unique colors namely 95 Black, 7 Purple and Nordic Secret.

OPPO believes that service is not just about repairs but more about customer loyalty and trust. The brand hopes to make its consumers feel at ease and have trust which is why they have OPPO’s Service Day every month!

OPPO Service Day takes place on the 10^th of each month. And so, every month in addition to enjoying the basic maintenance discount, customers are welcomed by a free drink upon arrival at the OPPO service centre. And to make it easier for users to manage their time, OPPO service centres extend their business hours for that day. Additionally all OPPO users can enjoy free cleaning and software upgrade as well.

The brand prioritises customer care and satisfaction which is why they bring multiple services for you to benefit from. You no longer have to worry about buying a device or getting it repaired since OPPO promises you every bit of ease with their new and improved services.

Thanks to OPPO’s international warranty, you can now travel across the globe hassle free. That’s right, customers can now avail warranty, repair services and have software upgrades for designated devices in 59 countries/regions. Moreover, OPPO guarantees originality of spare parts for all the repairs you get. You get warranty on all parts that are replaced and best of all, it takes only 60 minutes to take get your phone repaired.

Are you worried that your broken phone will not deliver the same quality after being repaired? Don’t worry, OPPO has you covered. The company promises to deliver the same quality. So if you have a broken phone, don’t be upset because a visit to the service centre will make it as good as new!

OPPO always considers user’s safety as its topmost priority. The company organizes activities and sets strict business hours in accordance to government requirements. Moreover, the Service Centre staff is required to wear a face mask at all times, check body temperature, provide hand sanitizers to the customers and clean and disinfect the store every single day. So with all the safety measures and top of the line aftersales services, OPPO leaves no room for dissatisfaction. Visit the OPPO official page https://support.oppo.com/pk/service-center/ to find the nearest service centre Happy Service Day everyone!

Yes, it’s true! It might be hard to believe but it IS true! The right to expression is granted to ALL Pakistani citizens regardless of their age, gender, religion, and ethnicity or belief system. This right is especially important to the voiceless and silenced groups of our society, those who are marginalized and belong to minority groups.

Regarding freedom of speech and expression, Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan provides the right to freedom of speech and the protection of that right. According to Article 19, every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression.

But how are we exercising this right and who all are most in need of this?

Those most in need are the marginalized and the vulnerable ones because they are already silent and silenced members of our society. The marginalized and the vulnerable include women, children, elderly, disabled, transgender, religious and ethnic minorities, and the poorest of the poor.

Now coming to the “how”; it gives me immense pleasure in saying that we have successfully heard the voices of those in need, as a society, as a community, as an institute, and as individuals. We have surely come a long way when it comes to giving them their rights to express, to think, to speak, to believe and all of this has successfully helped them in bringing a change in their lives.

Let me quote some examples for you: The #metoo movement. This campaign was started organically by a single tweet, by the single voice of an oppressed woman, sick and tired of the harassment that she had to face in the workforce and the industry she was a part of. This single spark grew into a flame and gave light to more such cases when other women came forward with their tales of the same kind of unfortunate incidents. Even though this movement was purely digital but it translated into the real world, rather impressively. Laws were passed for the protection of women in their workplace, apps and helplines were created by the government for their safety. This is why freedom of expression at hand is important, it not only gives us a platform to speak our mind and share our experiences but also makes it easier for the rest of the marginalized to jump on the bandwagon, making it a platform, and easier way to come forward as they’re not the only victims but they are activists, fighting for a cause, fighting to make it a better world for themselves and others.

When we give the marginalized the knowledge of their rights, in this case, the right to freedom of speech, they avail themselves of it. They use it as a tool to empower themselves. The marginalized, in this case, the women, who were afraid to speak up before, took part in this campaign courageously, as they knew other women were backing them up. When a big number of the marginalized speak up for their rights, the state takes it up as a responsibility to protect and safeguard its people and to change the ways for the better.

The second example is how the government of Pakistan has taken commendable steps and measures to ensure all Pakistani citizens, especially the marginalized, are able to voice their concerns and grievances freely and safely. One such endeavor is the 1099 helpline and mobile application developed to provide a safe platform for people to report human rights violations and misconduct. Another similar platform is the Citizens Portal App that gives every Pakistani citizen the right to complain against anything they find unfair. The app is actively checked and the complaints are responded to quickly and effectively.

Not only this, these changes have allowed us to welcome diversity hence building more socially cohesive communities promoting prosperity, peace, and harmony. Via spreading awareness for their rights, listening to their voices, and letting them stand for their rights, we have gained their respect and valued their opinions to be heard and implemented without judging, discriminating, stereotyping, or creating prejudices. This allows us to be more responsible towards the marginalized, think differently, and be compassionate towards each other.

By listening to voices and views of the marginalized we can effectively and immediately raise awareness of their difficulties and address them. The marginalized should be able to exercise their rights without any fear, judgment or retaliation. We, as responsible members of the nation, as a responsible communities and institutions should take up the responsibility of creating a safe space and a platform through which the weak and vulnerable are able to exercise rights they are entitled to. Therefore, freedom of expression is the constitutional right of every citizen. Doesn’t just the sound of it motivate you to be more proactive towards the marginalized? I knew I would convince you, it IS a reality!

We’re living in a captivating world. The sights and sounds that surround us are mesmerizing and all the while we are left with a fleeting notion of encapsulating it all in our memory. Be it a leisure trip across picturesque locations, or a hike through vales and hills, everyone is looking for the best way to save those beautiful glimpses for a lifetime.

That’s where a good smartphone camera comes into play – because a good smartphone with a top notch camera allows us to capture those breathtaking moments and relive them over and over again. But, which camera is good since everyone is touting that theirs is the best. That’s where realme 8 Series comes in with their realme 8 Pro. The phone comes with a 108MP Ultra Quad Camera that takes infinitely clear photos, and not just from afar, but also Macro shots and Black & White portraits.

So, who determines what a great smartphone camera is? Pro photographers. realme roped in 10 smartphone photography enthusiasts from Instagram and made them put the realme 8 Pro to test. So, let’s see what these realme Photography Xperts captured with the realme 8 Pro.

Abdul Mougees’s (@portraitsbymougees) favorite was realme’s original 108MP Camera and the wide-angle lens which he used to capture amazing portraits. He also had a lot of creative images with the Portrait Mode and Dynamic Portrait Filter which give the captures an amazing moving effect.

One of the experts Muhammad Irfan (@hunzukutz_kahn) shared his beautiful landscape pictures using the tilt-shift feature of realme 8 Pro, giving it an out-worldly feel. He shared his experience of using the amazing 5x zoom which allows you to shoot from a great distance.

Similarly, Ubaid Ullah Baig (@ubaidullahbaig_) shot a candid moment while some cyclists were traversing the Karakoram Highway. He did that with the 5x Zoom of the realme 8 Pro while the Tilt-shift mode can be seen into play in the other photo of his.

Ahsan Javed’s (@theahsanjaved) work focuses on landscapes and he took some amazing shots using the HDR and AI mode. The High Dynamic Range (HDR) gave more detail to the shadow-areas, the shade under the trees, the sky, and clouds. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) feature helps decide the best setting for your phone camera all by itself. Here, you can see the Ancient Building mode of the AI lens.

Zaroon Ahmad Khan (@zaroonahmadkhan) was also included in the mix of photographers. Having seen his work, he put the Dynamic Bokeh mode to good use creating ethereal moments with the smartphone’s camera.

Usman Zafar (@usman_zfr) also used the Tilt-shift mode of the new realme 8 Pro in conjunction with its Ultra-wide Angle to capture some really impressive shots. Tilt-shift photos make the world look miniature, almost as if you are looking at a diorama, whereas, the Ultra-wide Angle gives a 16mm field of view to enhance your pictures making it the best when you are a landscape or cityscape photographer.

UmerKhalid (@tasveerkahani) is someone who likes to play with light and Light Painting modes of a camera. He does great photography in low-light, and when the realme 8 Pro provided an f 1/1.52 aperture, the results are a sight to behold. The phone’s Cyberpunk Mode gave a grunge effect that looks right out of a Hollywood movie.

Shehzad Mohammad Ali @shehzad_mohammad_ali’s favourite feature is the Starry Night Time-lapse feature. He used it to capture a stunning image of the night sky, along with bioluminescent waves of the sea. The result is a galactic feel to the imagery, looking right out of a distant planet.

Wajeeha Ijaz (@jeeya_graphy94) had the most fun trying out the Portrait Mode of realme 8 Pro. She took some spectacular Bokeh images that are not only sharp but highlight the subject in a unique way. Wajeeha’s favorite part was the phone’s ability to capture high-speed shutter pictures which allowed her to photograph the perfect moment.

With Munib Asad Malik (@munibasad), we see a great combination of low-light imagery and Black & White portrayal of a moment etched in time.

After looking at the results from realme’s Photography Xperts, it can be testified that realme 8 Pro has one of the best smartphone cameras in its price range. The wide array of not only ultra-clear lenses, but a plethora of photo & video modes make the realme 8 Pro a real treat for any photographer.

Areeb Haider

Today, Micro-processors are essential components in all electronic and mechanical products, ranging from Cell-phones and computers to Automobiles and appliances, etc. These tiny, but expensive silicon wafers offer versatile technological capabilities to control and perform various functions, with more accuracy and reliability, in gadgets, systems and devices, created by industries like; consumer electronics, bio-tech, automobiles, etc. 

After a year of extreme global recession caused by Covid-19, economies world over are getting into recovery phase and an increasingly large number of people are buying new automobiles and consumer electronics.  

This sudden boom in demand has caused a severe shortage and scarcity of microprocessors used by manufacturers, internationally. Over the decades, automobiles have evolved from primarily mechanical machines to smarter-vehicles, with multiple intelligent-systems, digital displays, electronic functions and GPS/internet connectivity, all controlled by these Silicon-chips and software. So, today’s car producers need hundreds of innovative chips to build these cars.

Automobiles manufacturing is also among the Pakistani industries that have achieved a rapid revival after the pandemic. The demand for cars in the country has shot up over the past few months. But unfortunately, since the Chip-makers’ supply-chains have become erratic, these Chip-reliant car-makers have been forced to adjust their production in almost every country, including Pakistan.

Some of the new players in Pakistan’s automobile industry are also suffering production-delays due to this global challenge, which is beyond the control of these companies. These are among the biggest, most resourceful ‘Original Equipment Manufacturers’ (OEMs) and automobile-producers, who have recently made large-scale investments in Pakistan. But in the early phase of their operations in this promising market, they are faced with this debilitating chip-challenge.

While this dilemma may pose challenges for these newly-established brands in Pakistan. The crisis will have a huge negative impact on the Foreign-Direct Investments (FDI) all over Pakistan.

Today, the biggest global car-manufacturers, including: General-Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, Honda, Toyota, etc. are expected to miss more than $61 billion of sales, cumulatively. Nearly 800,000 less automobiles will be produced this year, causing huge losses and job lay-offs in this vast sector.

The lead-time for fulfilling bulk orders for Micro-processors, has extended from the previous average of 12 weeks, to a current average of 26 weeks. Therefore, manufacturing of electronic components in several industries has been slowed-down or halted, while many technology goods are not readily available in stores today. The non-availability of microchips has also led to a 5% to 20% price-hike in digital & electronic products, as the cost of Chip-manufacturing and innovation has also risen exponentially, over the past one year. The world must take immediate corrective measures, because the industries cannot afford to let this crisis last till 2022.

As the global Silicon giants like; Samsung, ‘Taiwan Semiconductors’ (TSMC) and Intel, along with the political leaderships in developed countries, are striving to arrange large-scale investments in the global Chip-manufacturing sector, additional capacity can be built very rapidly to rescue the industries. Fortunately, many industry-analysts are hopeful that this chip-shortage is short-term and will ease in the coming months, as soon as the supply will be adjusted to meet the extra-ordinary rise in demand. 

In the coming years, the introduction of more Electric-Cars on a mass scale, will further increase the demand for Integrated-Circuits (IC). So, the world must get ready to produce even bigger quantities of Logic-Chips at reduced costs, to stabilize the global economy and recover from the losses incurred during the pandemic.