Thinking of starting to vlog and buying a phone that supports it. Can anyone suggest me some good ones within the budget of INR 50k

iPhone 18 Pro Max leaks point to a 2nm chip, variable aperture camera and bigger battery

Apple's yearly iPhone upgrades are getting harder to justify when phones already have excellent cameras and performance. But the iPhone 18 Pro Max is shaping up to target some of the areas where Android flagships have been pushing ahead.

A variable-aperture camera and a larger battery could be more meaningful upgrades than another small CPU performance bump.

• The A20 Pro is reportedly moving to a 2nm manufacturing process.
• A variable-aperture main camera is expected.
• Leaks point to a battery exceeding 5,000mAh.
• Apple is also reportedly working on improved Siri capabilities and a smaller Dynamic Island.
• The Indian market could see strong competition from Samsung, Google and Chinese flagship makers if these upgrades materialise.

If the iPhone 18 Pro Max actually gets a 5,000mAh+ battery and variable aperture, would that be enough to justify upgrading from an iPhone 15/16/17 Pro?

Mahindra's new EV can use Gemini AI to control 200+ car functions

Voice assistants in cars have mostly been limited to navigation, music and basic commands. Mahindra is pushing this much further by putting a Google Gemini-powered AI agent into a production vehicle.

The interesting part for Indian buyers is not the AI branding. It is whether this actually makes driving easier without turning the car into another gadget that needs constant internet connectivity.

• Mahindra has introduced TEQ_Talk, powered by Google's Gemini Enterprise automotive agent.
• It is debuting in the BE 6 SPORTEQ.
• The system can control more than 200 vehicle functions.
• Functions include navigation, entertainment, climate control, cabin features and the digital owner's manual.

Would you actually trust an AI assistant to control 200+ functions in your car, or would you rather have traditional physical controls?

Your phone has two SIM slots. Here's how to actually use both

Most people use dual SIM simply to keep two phone numbers. But there's a smarter way to split them.

1. Keep banking separate

Use one number only for your bank accounts, UPI and important documents. Don't use it for shopping, social media or random website registrations.

2. Use different networks

One SIM can handle mobile data while the other handles calls. You can pick whichever operator offers better pricing or coverage.

3. Separate work and personal life

Keep your personal number for family and friends and use the second for work. You can silence the work SIM after office hours without disconnecting your personal number.

4. Have a backup network

Travel somewhere with poor coverage from your primary operator? Switch to the second SIM.

5. Keep your main number away from spam

Use your secondary number for shopping, delivery apps, online registrations and other services that don't need your primary number.

The key is to treat your two numbers differently instead of simply having two active SIMs.

Do you actually use your dual-SIM phone strategically, or is the second SIM just sitting there unused?

India's private space sector has changed dramatically since the government opened the industry to private players in 2020.

According to the latest government data:

• Around 440 space-tech startups are registered with DPIIT.
• 113 authorisations have been granted to 52 private entities by IN-SPACe.
• 18 of those authorised companies are startups, including Skyroot, Agnikul, Pixxel, Digantara, Bellatrix and Dhruva Space.
• Private investment jumped from $100.5 million in FY2021-22 to $618.5 million by March 2026.
• Two commercial rockets from Indian private companies are planned for FY2026-27.
• More than six private launches could take place in FY2027-28, although that launch manifest is yet to be approved.

The interesting shift is that India's space story is no longer just about launching satellites.

Private companies are now working across rockets, propulsion, satellite constellations, Earth observation, space communications and in-space technologies.

The next test is execution. Can India turn hundreds of startups and billions in capital into a globally competitive commercial space industry?

Which Indian space startup do you think has the best chance of becoming the country's next major global space company?

India's nuclear plants generate around 0.15 cubic metres of radioactive solid waste per MW every year, according to a recent parliamentary reply.

That's roughly 150 litres per MW.

But not all nuclear waste is equally radioactive, and it isn't simply dumped somewhere.

The interesting part:

• Waste is classified as gaseous, liquid or solid.
• Gaseous waste is treated before controlled release within regulatory limits.
• Liquid waste undergoes purification.
• Solid waste is segregated and its volume reduced before disposal.
• Solid waste is placed in engineered facilities with multiple protective barriers.
• Disposal sites are continuously monitored, including groundwater through bore wells.
• The AERB regulates and authorises radioactive waste management.

India also follows a closed nuclear fuel cycle. Spent nuclear fuel isn't simply treated as waste. It can be reprocessed to recover usable uranium and plutonium, leaving a smaller quantity of high-level waste requiring long-term management.

That's different from the US, which largely follows a once-through fuel cycle.

Finland has gone further with Onkalo, an underground repository designed to isolate spent nuclear fuel deep inside stable bedrock.

As India plans a major expansion of nuclear power, waste management could become just as important as building the reactors themselves.

Would you be comfortable living near a nuclear waste storage facility if the monitoring and safety systems were independently verified?

Airtel has removed its ₹299 prepaid plan across India, along with the ₹579, ₹619 and ₹649 packs.

The new entry point for an unlimited daily-data plan is now ₹349.

• ₹299 plan: 1.5GB/day for 28 days
• ₹349 plan: 2GB/day for 28 days
• That's a ₹50 increase, or roughly 16% more
• ₹199 and ₹219 low-data plans remain
• Several mid-range options have also disappeared

The interesting part isn't just the price hike. Airtel has effectively removed some of the middle ground. If you need more than a basic low-data plan, ₹349 is now the obvious step up.

Airtel is already India's highest-ARPU major operator at around ₹264, so this looks more like targeted monetisation than a blanket tariff hike.

And if Airtel can move users upward without losing them, expect Jio and Vi to be watching closely.

Would you pay ₹349 for 2GB/day, or is this the point where you start looking at Jio/Vi?

The debate around "Gen Z work culture" just got an interesting reality check from Zoho's leadership.

After a viral post claimed Gen Z is killing the traditional 9-to-5, Zoho CEO Mani Vembu responded by saying the company has worked with flexible schedules for nearly 30 years.

His point was simple:

• Flexible work isn't a Gen Z invention.
• People have always wanted autonomy.
• What matters is trust and accountability, not fixed office hours.

Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu took the conversation further, arguing that values shouldn't be tied to age.

He shared examples of young employees supporting their families, saving money, and choosing simple weddings, saying qualities like discipline, responsibility, and thrift exist across every generation.

It's a perspective that cuts through the usual stereotypes. Instead of framing workplace expectations as a battle between generations, Zoho argues that flexibility and strong work ethics have always coexisted.

With hybrid work becoming the norm, the bigger question may not be whether Gen Z changed work culture, but whether companies are finally catching up to ideas that some organisations adopted years ago.

Do you think flexible work is genuinely a Gen Z movement, or have companies simply started embracing practices that were always possible?

Reports that the government is planning to charge for UPI have sparked confusion, but the proposed change is not aimed at regular users.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has clarified that the proposed amendment only creates a legal framework to introduce a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on certain UPI transactions. If implemented, the fee would be paid by merchants, not customers.

What is MDR?

MDR is a fee merchants pay to banks and payment providers for processing digital payments. Similar charges already apply to many credit and debit card transactions, but UPI payments have largely remained MDR-free since launch.

Who could be affected?

No final decision has been taken yet, but one proposal reportedly under discussion would apply a 0.3% to 0.5% MDR on UPI transactions above ₹2,000, primarily for merchants with an annual turnover exceeding ₹1.5 crore.

Another proposal would calculate the fee based on a merchant's annual turnover instead of individual transaction value.

Why is the government considering it?

According to Sitharaman, allowing MDR could help banks and fintech companies invest more in payment infrastructure, security and innovation. Currently, they earn little from processing UPI transactions despite handling billions of payments every month.

Should UPI users worry?

For now, no.

The proposed amendment only empowers the government to introduce MDR if it chooses to do so. The NPCI-led UPI and Services Steering Committee is yet to make a decision, and any implementation would come only after Parliament passes the amendment.

For most users paying for groceries, cab rides or utility bills through UPI, nothing changes today.

If an MDR is eventually introduced only for large merchants, should businesses absorb the cost, or is it inevitable that some of it will eventually be passed on to consumers?