Exploring Ideas

Arattai is an instant messaging app developed by Zoho Corporation , a company known globally for its wide range of software solutions and enterprise tools. The word Arattai itself comes from Tamil, meaning “casual chat”, which perfectly reflects the app’s purpose of enabling natural and effortless conversations among friends, families, and communities. The app has recently witnessed a remarkable surge in popularity, with daily sign-ups growing 100 times in just three days. From an average of about 3,000 registrations a day, the number suddenly reached nearly 350,000. This sharp increase has been linked to strong social media discussions, mentions from government circles, and the interest of Indian users in supporting a platform built within the country. The rise has quickly placed Arattai in the spotlight and made it a subject of wide attention in the technology space. Arattai comes with a range of features that bring it on par with leading messaging applications. Users ca...

In today’s digital age, much of our personal communication takes place through messaging apps, video calls, and email services. With so much information being exchanged online, the question of privacy becomes important. End-to-end encryption, often referred to as E2EE , is one of the strongest ways to protect digital communication. At its core, it means that data is encrypted on the sender’s device and can only be decrypted on the recipient’s device, ensuring that nobody else, not even the service provider, can read the content in between. The main purpose of this system is to keep conversations private and secure, even as messages travel across different networks and servers. It prevents hackers, internet providers, governments, and even the platform itself from accessing the content of your communication. This is why many widely used services such as Signal, WhatsApp, certain settings in Zoom, and even secure email platforms like ProtonMail have adopted end-to-end encryption. The way...

In many homes today, an inverter has become almost a necessity to keep the lights and fans running during power cuts. While it is a comfort during outages, something I started noticing is that in several households, electronic devices like printers, routers, televisions, and other gadgets tend to develop complaints in their circuit boards more frequently when part of the wiring is connected to an inverter. At first, this looked like just bad luck or poor product quality, but after looking closer and discussing with technicians, it became clear that the root cause lies in the way inverter power behaves. The electricity we normally get from the power grid is a smooth sine wave, but not all inverters supply that kind of clean power. Many cheaper or older models produce a stepped or modified waveform, which is fine for simple devices like lights and fans but not so healthy for sensitive electronics. Gadgets that rely on delicate circuit boards and power supply components can get stressed b...

YouTube Premium has become a familiar name among people who prefer uninterrupted video streaming and music without advertisements. For many in India, it is not just about avoiding ads but also about the convenience of downloading videos, playing content in the background, and enjoying YouTube Music without interruptions. With internet usage growing rapidly in the country, prepaid and monthly subscription models of YouTube Premium are now gaining wide acceptance, especially among those who do not want to commit to long-term plans. The most common option for users in India is the monthly plan that starts at ₹149 per month. This plan is straightforward and allows subscribers to enjoy all the benefits of YouTube Premium, including ad-free videos and music, offline downloads, and background play. Alongside this, prepaid options are also available for those who want to pay in advance without worrying about auto-renewals. A monthly prepaid plan is priced at ₹159, while quarterly and annual pr...

India’s agricultural sector has always been central to the country’s economy and food security. For centuries, farming has relied on traditional knowledge, seasonal rhythms, and local practices. But with rising population, climate challenges, and the need for efficiency, agriculture today demands modern solutions that blend tradition with technology. The Digital Agriculture Mission is one such effort that aims to transform farming into a digitally empowered, data-driven system while keeping the farmer at the center of every initiative. The vision of the Digital Agriculture Mission is to create a comprehensive ecosystem where farmers’ information, land details, crop surveys, soil health data, and government schemes are integrated into a single, transparent digital framework. By using space technology, geospatial mapping, and real-time data collection, the mission seeks to make governance in agriculture smarter, more reliable, and far more accessible to farmers. At the same time, it ensu...

Early phase: Training at Pratiksha Computer Centre began with the Sinclair ZX Spectrum in the mid-1980s, operating with BASIC and audio cassettes (Compact Cassette) as storage media, where students learned BASIC programming and used audio cassettes for saving programs . One of the most famous computers of that era was the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, released in 1982 in the UK and later brought to India by enthusiasts. At that time, the Spectrum was a rare machine in Kerala, and many students experienced their very first exposure to computers through this platform. Transition phase: By the time Personal Computers (PC) first became available in Kerala through sellers in Ernakulam, Saji Kallat immediately brought them to the institute. The centre introduced IBM PCs and compatibles, starting with Intel 8086 processors that used 5.25-inch floppy disks for storage. Students learned to boot the systems using floppy disks and practiced commands in text-only DOS environments...

In today’s digital world, children are introduced to smartphones, tablets, and the internet at an early age. This exposure opens up opportunities to learn, play, and connect with others, but it also brings certain risks that families need to be aware of. Among these, online privacy has become one of the most important aspects of cyber safety, especially for children who may not always realise the consequences of sharing personal information on the internet. In India, internet access has grown rapidly with affordable smartphones and cheaper data plans, making it easy for families in both urban and rural areas to stay connected. While this digital growth supports education and communication, it also increases the chances of children coming across strangers, scams, or content that may not be suitable for them. Many youngsters use social media platforms, gaming apps, and messaging services where they might share details such as their name, school, address, or photos without considering how...

In the last decade, India has witnessed a remarkable transformation in internet connectivity and speed, reshaping the way millions of people communicate, work, and access information. From a time when dial-up connections and slow broadband were the norm, the country has now emerged as one of the fastest-growing digital nations in the world. This rapid progress has been driven by a combination of affordable data, increasing smartphone penetration, and strong investments in telecom infrastructure that have brought high-speed internet even to smaller towns and rural areas. One of the key reasons behind India’s rise in internet speed and usage is the aggressive expansion of 4G services across the country. Affordable data plans have made it possible for a large section of the population to enjoy high-speed internet, which was once considered a luxury. The introduction of competitive telecom players further pushed down data prices, making India one of the most affordable markets for mobile i...

In the 1970s and early 1980s, many home computers didn’t come with floppy drives because they were too expensive. Instead, they used standard audio cassette tapes (Compact Cassette), the same kind people used for music, to save and load programs. The computer would convert digital data into sound, often a series of screeches and tones, which could then be recorded on a cassette tape. To load the program back, the tape player would send the sound into the computer, which decoded it into digital form once again. This method worked, but it was slow and sometimes unreliable. Loading even a small program could take several minutes, and a misaligned tape head or a damaged portion of tape could easily corrupt the data. One of the most famous computers to use this system was the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, released in 1982 in the UK and also brought to India by enthusiasts. The Spectrum connected to an ordinary cassette recorder through audio cables, while its display output was usually ...

Artificial Intelligence may sound like a futuristic concept reserved for tech companies and research labs, but the truth is that it has already become part of the daily routine for millions of Indians. From waking up in the morning to commuting to work, shopping online, or even managing finances, AI quietly powers many of the tools and services people rely on without even realizing it. One of the most visible examples is the use of voice assistants. Whether it is Google Assistant on smartphones, Siri on Apple devices, or Alexa in smart speakers, Indians interact with AI whenever they ask for the weather, set a reminder, or play a song. These assistants use AI to process natural language, understand accents and regional variations, and deliver quick responses. Similarly, predictive text and autocorrect on mobile keyboards are driven by AI, making typing in English and Indian languages faster and easier. AI is also behind the recommendation systems of popular platforms that Indians use e...

India has always been home to a vast and diverse treasure of knowledge that spans millennia. Much of this wisdom survives in the form of ancient manuscripts preserved in temples, monasteries, libraries, and even within families. Written on palm leaves, birch bark, handmade paper, sanchipat, and cloth, these manuscripts hold immense cultural, scientific, and spiritual value. They cover subjects as varied as Ayurveda, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, governance, philosophy, poetry, spirituality, yoga, and the arts. Far from being just relics of the past, these works are living records of a civilization that continuously engaged in the pursuit of knowledge and discovery. Recognising the urgency to safeguard this fragile heritage, the Government of India has launched “ Gyan Bharatam ,” a national movement to rediscover, conserve, digitize, and share these manuscripts with the world. Envisioned by the Prime Minister and announced as part of the Union Budget 2025–26, the initiative aims to ...

When Unified Payments Interface , better known as UPI, was launched in India in 2016, few could have imagined how quickly it would become a part of daily life. In less than a decade, UPI has transformed the way Indians send and receive money, turning smartphones into instant payment devices and making digital transactions possible even for small amounts. From splitting a restaurant bill with friends to paying for vegetables at a local market, UPI has become a familiar and trusted method of payment across the country. One of the biggest reasons behind UPI’s success is its simplicity. With just a mobile number or a virtual payment address, people can send money instantly without the need to remember account numbers, IFSC codes, or wait for bank processing times. It eliminated the traditional hurdles of digital banking and brought convenience to the fingertips of millions. The system works round the clock, allowing payments at any time, including weekends and holidays, which was a limitat...

ChatGPT Go has recently been introduced as a new subscription plan designed to make advanced AI tools more affordable and accessible in India. It sits between the completely free version and the more expensive Plus plan, offering a balance of features and cost that aims to benefit students, professionals, freelancers, and everyday users who want more power without paying a high fee. Priced at ₹399 per month , this subscription brings access to the latest GPT-5 model along with several useful features that were earlier limited to higher tiers. With ChatGPT Go, users can generate more responses, create images, upload files, and use advanced tools such as Python for data analysis. The plan also allows for longer memory, meaning conversations can be more continuous and personalized compared to the free version. Projects and Custom GPTs are available too, which can help in managing work or personal tasks in a more streamlined way. In comparison, the free plan restricts usage significantly, ...

Air travel has become an essential part of modern life, whether it is for business, leisure, or visiting loved ones across different cities and countries. Along with this growing demand, the interest in flight tracking has also increased. Many people like to keep track of flights, check arrival times, or simply enjoy the hobby of plane spotting. For all these needs, Flightradar24 has emerged as a smart digital companion that brings the skies to your fingertips. Among the different plans available on Flightradar24, the Silver monthly subscription stands out as a balanced option for casual users and frequent flyers alike. Priced at ₹249 per month, the Silver plan offers excellent value with a wide range of features. Users can also save significantly by choosing the annual subscription, which costs only ₹1,399 per year, almost 54 percent less than paying month by month. This makes it an attractive choice for anyone who wants to enjoy uninterrupted features throughout the year. The Silver ...

Train travel in India has always been an integral part of daily life, whether it’s for work, family visits, or long-distance trips. One of the biggest challenges for passengers has often been knowing exactly where their train is, how much delay to expect, or which platform it will arrive on. To make this journey smoother, the “ Where Is My Train ” (WIMT) app has become a trusted companion for millions of travelers across the country. The app was created by Sigmoid Labs and launched in June 2015, before being acquired by Google in 2018. Over the years, it has grown in features and popularity, and today it is widely recognized as one of the most useful train tracking apps available. The latest version (v7.1.5) was released on March 25, 2025 for Android devices, and an iOS version was officially launched in June 2025, making it accessible to a wider audience. What makes WIMT stand out is its innovative approach to live train tracking. Unlike many apps that rely solely on internet or GPS, ...

In today’s world where our phones ring constantly, not every call is one we actually want to answer. From unknown numbers to potential scams, it has become harder than ever to know which calls are safe to pick up and which ones to ignore. This is where Truecaller has made a huge difference over the years, giving people across the globe the power to identify callers, block unwanted numbers, and enjoy more control over their daily communication. Taking this a step further, Truecaller Premium offers an upgraded experience filled with extra benefits designed to make calling more secure, professional, and worry-free. With Truecaller Premium, the first feature that stands out is the ability to see who viewed your profile. Just like how you might want to know who is checking out your presence on a social platform, here too it adds a layer of awareness. And if you wish to look at someone’s profile without letting them know, Incognito Mode gives you that choice. The experience is also complete...

In today’s world, where our lives are deeply tied to smartphones, laptops, and digital devices, the amount of personal data we carry with us every day is immense. From family photos and videos to important documents and contacts, everything now exists in digital form. With this shift comes the need for reliable storage, and cloud services have become the natural solution. Jio, a brand that has already reshaped the digital landscape in India, has brought forward its own storage platform that has now evolved into JioAICloud, offering not just storage but an intelligent way to manage and secure your data. JioAICloud starts with a generous 50 GB of free storage space available for every user. What makes it more interesting is that Jio customers get this storage completely free without any subscription fee. For those who are not Jio users, the platform offers a three-month free trial after which you can continue either by switching to Jio or opting for a paid plan. The storage isn’t just a ...