It's easy to look back a few years ago and reminisce on how life used to be. Remember when we didn't store every single photo on our phones because they didn't have that much storage space and the quality was so low? Remember when we actually uploaded photos into Facebook albums? We used to spend all our free time playing physical games, meeting friends physically and so on. Last 10 years have seen extreme technical changes. Social Media, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Virtual Assistance, Cloud Computing, Smartphone, Smart TV, Gadgets, Electric Car, Autonomous Car, Robots, Computer Games, E-Commerce and Internet - The list of innovations from iPads & Smart Speaker to advancement in Space Technology is a long one and radically changed our day-to-day lives.

List of technologies from last decade is comprehensive but here are a few of them listed below:

Social Media:

At the cusp of the last decade, Facebook and Twitter were slowly emerging as a place that goes far beyond just a place where you put up random quotes or shared pictures of birthdays and other functions. Photo sharing site Instagram, Instant messasing app like WhatsApp and others were not yet there. For most of us, Google chat & Yahoo Messenger with its accessibility was the place to have conversations with friends and family.

Image by Thomas Ulrich from Pixabay.

Smartphones:

Apple may have unveiled the first iPhone in 2007, but the smartphone truly became ubiquitous in the 2010s. Smartphones have become indispensable to both our private and work lives, growing more powerful in terms of performance and packing a wide range of sensors and technologies, such as cameras that record 4K videos, GPS for navigation, microphones, fingerprint scanners, near-field communication, Bluetooth, and high speed wifi. Smartphones can easily replace a laptop, while offering more mobility, flexibility, and availability, allowing everyone to stay connected and online every second. Activities that required desktops or laptops — from shopping, banking, email, and social networking, all the way to security authentication, gaming, and photo or video shooting — are now part of the smartphone experience.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Artificial intelligence:

Ultimate AI would be a recreation of the human thought process -- a man-made machine with our intellectual abilities. The term “artificial intelligence” may sound intimidating to some, but it has been in use for decades and its applications are more common than you might imagine. AI assists in every area of our lives, whether we’re trying to read our emails, get driving directions, get music or movie recommendations. Facebook’s friends recommendation or “people you may know" also uses AI. Advancements in machine learning means that AI is smarter than ever. Driverless car, Robots uses AI to function. Some big E-commerce platform uses AI to recommend product to customer. Google AdSense Auto ads is just the latest demonstration of how artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in the digital marketing and advertising market. In coming years, artifically intelligent robots will be able to replace human intervention in various job in hotel, banks, BPO and companies etc.

Image by kalhh from Pixabay

Virtual Reality:

While technologies like AR and VR haven’t become commonplace yet, newer products like Oculus Go—a more portable VR headset—and Microsoft’s Hololens, an AR headset, continue to show many potential applications and benefits. Hololens, in particular, has helped surgeons to understand a patient’s unique anatomy quickly and accurately, while the police have used it ‘record’ and revisit crime scenes!

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

E-commerce:

More and more people are choosing to shop online. Thanks to technology, huge retail chains have websites & applications where you can buy anything from a pin to a plane. Nearly all types of purchases—from software to travel arrangements to insurance—can be done in your pjs. E-commerce has soared and with it comes new opportunities for businesses. Without technology it was not possible just the help of a website or apps. Data in E-commerce are technically synched in real time with various partners like courier partner, sms provider, payment gateway, social platforms and customer, etc.

Cloud Computing:

Everyday life activities such as Banking, Email, Media Streaming, and Ecommerce all use the Cloud. On the Business side, Applications, Infrastructure, Storage, and Sales/CRM all have their presence out in the Cloud. Cloud computing is essentially the offering of an application or service that is offered over numerous devices, or locations. Users can store, calculate, arrange, manage, host, create, publish, delete, share, edit and manipulate remotely hosted system software and applications software’s, Data & Information by using the Internet. Google Drive, Mircosoft’s Dropbox are example of Cloud Storage.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Robots:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is arguably the most exciting field in robotics. A Robot with ability to learn just about anything, the ability to reason, the ability to use language and the ability to formulate original ideas. The real challenge of AI is to understand how natural intelligence works. Developing AI isn't like building an artificial heart -- scientists don't have a simple, concrete model to work from. We do know that the brain contains billions and billions of neurons, and that we think and learn by establishing electrical connections between different neurons. But we don't know exactly how all of these connections add up to higher reasoning, or even low-level operations. The complex circuitry seems incomprehensible.

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

Electric Car:

The sales of electric vehicles are growing slowly but steadily with many car drivers choosing their purchase over a petrol-driven vehicle. In the UK, for example, 2018 saw 5,000 new electric cars being registered every month (statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders). Electric vehicles will affect how much their owners spend on their monthly transport expenses because of their running costs and lower maintenance costs. Their impact on the environment is another clear benefit. Electric cars have no emissions and make less noise so their increased use will mean cleaner and quieter cities and towns and improve quality of life.

mage by (Joenomias) Menno de Jong from Pixabay

Autonomous Car:

Imagine getting into your car, typing - or, better yet speaking - a location into your vehicle’s interface, then letting it drive you to your destination while you read a book, surf the web or nap. Google is diving into this promising new technology with its Waymo division. Google has launches its Waymo division to develop and market consumer-ready driverless vehicles around the globe. In a paper published on the preprint server Arxiv.org this week, researchers at Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) propose an AI technique to improve autonomous vehicles’ traffic movement predictions. Self-driving cars are finally here, and how they are deployed will change how we get around forever. From Tesla to Google to Uber to all the major automakers are working hard to get this into market.

Virtual Assistance:

A virtual assistant or digital assistant is an application program or device that understands natural language voice commands and completes tasks for the user. Such tasks, historically performed by a personal assistant or secretary, include taking dictation, reading text or email messages aloud, looking up phone numbers, scheduling, placing phone calls and reminding the end user about appointments. Popular virtual assistants currently include Amazon Alexa, Apple's Siri, Google Assistant and Microsoft's Cortana -- the digital assistant built into Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 10. To use the Amazon Echo virtual assistant, called Alexa, users call out the wake word, "Alexa." A light on the device signals to the user it is ready to receive a command, which typically involves simple language requests, such as "what is the weather today," or "play pop music." Those requests are processed and stored in Amazon's cloud.

Mumbai, a city that never sleeps, it is always on the move, vibrant and happening. It is often referred to as Bombay. Tall skyscrapers, frenzied partying and architectural brilliance that’s Mumbai for you! Mumbai is India’s commercial capital, its entertainment capital, and is famously known as the city that never sleeps.

A prevailing outbreak of a pandemic disease COVID-19 has compelled the world to impose lockdown.

“Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)”

The world's largest lockdown means all factories, markets, shops, and places of worship are now closed, most public transport suspended and construction work halted, as India asks its citizens to stay home and practice social distancing.

I hope that everything would be normalized soon but meanwhile, we as a human being have to contribute to the nation in terms of whatever we can. To withstand the outbreak of this pandemic disease, we have to stay at home unless there is an emergency.

Sharing with you some pictures of Mumbai during lockdown.

Stuck inside and getting antsy? Try one of these fun activities.

What to do at home for so many hours? If you are one of those who don’t work being stuck at home can get so boring. Boredom often comes when you are idle at home. Not having something specific to work on will make you feel useless and bored.

The following ideas are some productive and fun things you can do when stuck in your home with nothing to do. You just take note of the ideas below and we are sure you will never get bored at home again!

Fun activities to do when stuck inside

Play a board game:

Turn off the TV and challenge the family to a board game. Introduce the kids to a classic like Chutes N Ladders or Monopoly, or try a newer one like Settlers of Catan that you can all learn together.

(Photo by JESHOOTS.com from Pexels)

Practice yoga:

A few deep breaths and several rounds of sun salutations are an awesome way to distract your mind from boredom. Roll out your yoga mat and do some stretches at home, or just sit there and practice deep breathing.

(Photo by Prasanth Inturi from Pexels)

Re-watch you favourite movie:

Have you ever heard of movie therapy? It turns out that watching a favorite film can revitalize you. You can get at least a couple of hours of relaxation and may help decrease your anxiety. The different perspectives in the film can encourage you to be more innovative and creative when tackling issues in real life.

Experiment with your hair:

Practice curling it with a straight iron, or get it damp and put some rollers in. See if you can find a new look.

Plan your next getaway:

Don't just daydream about getting away from it all. Do one better and actually look up plane tickets and hotel rooms.

Learn a new language:

Thanks to “Internet”, you can stretch your mental muscles wherever you are.

(Photo by freestocks.org from Pexels)

Call a friend:

Is there someone that doesn’t live nearby and you hardly ever see these days, but always puts a smile on your face? Arrange a specific time and make a video call with your friends, so you can get rid of the loneliness of staying home and enjoying your company.

Cook Together:

Lucky if you have someone in the family who can cook and teach. But if there’s none, fret not because there are tons of online courses and YouTube videos available that can help you start.

(Photo by Elle Hughes from Pexels)

Start a Garden:

If you want to start gardening as a hobby, check out this post from Common Sense Home. It offers detailed information on the basics of gardening. Likewise, to get serious about it, you might want to purchase these essential gardening items:

• Seeds and Seedlings
• Garden Hoe
• Garden Shovel
• Dirt and Leaf Rake

(Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels)

Try painting or drawing and let your creative juices flow:

Don't worry, you don't have to be a trained painter or artist to create your own works of art. Painting or drawing a picture can be a good way to express yourself and fight boredom. If you are bored and stuck at home, make the day a lot more fun by creating some interesting art. Anyone can learn the basics of painting or sketching. If you're already an artist, set yourself a challenge, such as painting a river rock or learning to draw a horse. There are plenty of other arts and crafts to try as well, from wet chalk drawing to sculpture. Have you ever made an infinity mirror or galaxy jar?

Try writing your thoughts down:

You might want to spend some time writing while home alone to help keep you busy and pass the time. Writing can help you tell a story, organize your thoughts, or express your feelings. Let your creativity flow onto the page to fight feeling bored while home alone. You could write a short story, a poem, a myth, or a daily journal.

Create a photo collage:

Pick up your photo album and go through the old memories. Now, take all the photos you like, and turn them into a photo collage. Remember? How creative were you during your childhood days? Create a photo collage or a wall frame just to check how much of your creativity has been affected as you grew old.

(Photo by picjumbo.com from Pexels)

Read books:

Reading books is one of the best things to do when bored. You will not only get some precious knowledge but will also be able to pass your time very easily. Who knows, reading books will become your favourite pass time once you start your “reading.”

Become a YouTube star:

Pretend you're Julia Child and film your own cooking show, or teach the camera how to DIY a craft or organization technique. The lifestyle of the rich and famous awaits.

Refresh your mantel:

Make the most out of your fireplace by thoughtfully decorating the mantel for the season. Rotate in a fresh crop of family photos or add a pop of color with fresh or silk flowers.

Take a bubble bath:

Why not? Let yourself relax!

Learn to play the piano or guitar or saxophone or any instrument:

Learning a musical instrument is a satisfying way to spend some free time. It takes time and effort. Your first tries on a new instrument may be quite cringe-worthy. But if you stick with it you will have a wonderful hobby for times when you are bored.

(Photo by Stephen Niemeier from Pexels)

Write down a few love notes:

Write down a few love notes on small pieces of paper. Hide them among your significant other’s clothes or bags.

Get lost on Pinterest:

Not sure how to style your new black pencil skirt? Need a theme for your baby’s first birthday party? Thinking about painting your kitchen chairs? Pinterest is full of ideas on all of these topics and so much more.

Learn a dance:

Download the TikTok app and challenge yourself to learn one of the trending dances everyone is doing.

(Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels)