Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS are the most popular and the most used mobile Operating Systems worldwide. While their success is unprecedented and doesn’t seem like it can be beaten; there was a time when many companies were close. Here is the list of all the once-promising competitors to the hulking giants in the smartphone OS market. Most of them have been forgotten in the wheel of time.
Windows Phone
Windows Phone first debuted in the early 2000s and ran on QWERTY based mobile phones. After the ever increasing hold of Android and iOS on the consumer market, Microsoft shifted its strategy and named it Windows Phone in 2010. With support for touchscreen devices and partnership with renowned smartphone OEMs like Nokia, HTC and Samsung; it was a refreshing take on Operating System for mobile phones. Alas, due to the poor app support and partners backing out of the project, the company officially shut down the Windows Phone two years ago. While the loyalists would still swear by its fluidity and colourful UI; the Windows Phone is still the closest any competitor ever arrived at beating Android and iOS.
Symbian
Symbian OS was developed by Symbian Limited and was launched in the year 1998. While it was earlier designed for Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), many major phone makers adopted the OS. The most prominent one of them was Nokia. The king of mobile phone OEM at the time also used a User Interface (UI) called S60. But, due to the ever increasing adoption of Android and iOS and Nokia’s foray into Windows Phone, Symbian also had to meet its ill-fated end. The legendary Nokia 808 PureView released in the year 2012 was the last phone to run SymbianOS from Nokia.
Sailfish OS
Sailfish is developed by Jolla after the MeeGo interface by Nokia in its smartphone, the N9. While the latter was soon discontinued after its release, the former still receives consistent updates. Sailfish was designed to be a replacement for Android, promising better and safer software integration. To appeal to its investors, the company even had to release its own smartphone, called Jolla Phone. But, due to issues with various part suppliers, the company failed miserably and announced bankruptcy. However, software updates to the OS are still delivered quite regularly.
BlackBerry OS
Blackberry, the Canadian smartphone maker was once the most popular brand amongst businessmen and college goers. Remember when all the cool kids had access to BBM? This was due to the BlackBerry OS inside the devices. It was a secure operating system that was capable of supporting touch screen and QWERTY input. Although, like most entries in this list the BBOS also fell flat to its competition over the lack of apps and a dated UI design. While the company tried fixing it by allowing the installation of Android apps on the devices. But, BlackBerry eventually gave up and launched the Priv, a smartphone running Android OS in the year 2015.
FirefoxOS
One of the biggest names in web browsers, Mozilla’s foray into the mobile OS business is nothing to write home about. First shown in the year 2012, it was designed for entry-level smartphones. But again, due to a sluggish adoption and lack of app support made the company discontinue Firefox OS in the year 2016. While it didn’t have a good run, the OS is credited for the birth of KaiOS. It is the latest software to power feature phones to make them smarter.
Tizen
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Tizen is an open source Operating System mainly embraced by Samsung in its Z series. It was mainly intended to run on entry-level budget smartphones and as a replacement to Android. The Tizen OS promised a faster UI with future support for popular applications. All the promises fell flat, however as these premises were met with no results. Tizen was last seen in the Samsung Z4 in the year 2017.
With the evolution of gaming, a lot of brands have emerged which aim to provide catered products as per the consumer base. For instance, streamers may require more flashy and aesthetic peripherals than regular gamers, who might end up focusing more on specifications of the same. The same may also depend on the game in concern. For example, if you play more FPS games than MOBAs, keyboards and mice with fewer add-on keys are perfect for you. Similarly, while playing MOBAs, macro keys and buttons come in handy.
A lot of people pay more attention to gaming mice rather than the keyboard, but it is important to note that both the peripherals complement each other equally. Since a keyboard can be used for more than one task (for instance, typing and gaming), it makes sense to focus on the keyboard as well. And since membrane keyboards have given way to mechanical keyboards, it would be more viable to get a good mechanical keyboard that serves your purpose.
The K95 Platinum is a keyboard that has a plethora of features, which is apparent from its huge size. Keeping in mind that it will occupy its fair share of space in your desk, the K95 RGB Platinum delivers on all fronts. The keyboard has MX Brown switches, which don’t produce as much sound as Cherry MX Blue switches, so the keyboard doesn’t create a huge racquet when you decide to type on it. In terms of functionality, the K95 has a metallic volume wheel, dedicated media controls and above all, class-leading RGB integration, using which you can easily sync it with other peripherals. A detachable wrist rest ensures maximum wrist comfort while playing. Moreover, users can swap the WASD keys with a set of textured keycaps that come bundled with the keyboard.
If you are on a bit of a budget, the HyperX Alloy Elite is a perfect package. While not as “beautiful” as the Corsair K95, the Alloy Elite packs all the necessary set of features required in a good mechanical gaming keyboard. Customers can choose from Cherry MX Brown, Blue and Red keys on the keyboard. Albeit it doesn’t have a set of dedicated Macro keys, it is priced much lower than the K95 keyboard. Also, the keyboard features just a single Red backlit version for the base model. Similar to the K95 RGB Platinum, it is bundled with an extra set of silver keycaps for the WASD keys as well as 4 number keys. N-key rollover ensures that all the key presses will be registered without any errors.
As mentioned previously, a good gaming mouse always complements the keyboard. This means that the first preference while choosing a gaming mouse is that it should fit the hand’s native grip. There are a total of three general grips: The first is the palm grip, in which the user grips the mouse with his complete hand and rests his/her palm on the rear section of the device. The second grip is the Claw Grip, where the person’s fingertips are almost perpendicular to the mouse click buttons. The last grip is named as the “finger grip” because the fingers rest flat on the mouse click buttons themselves.
Logitech’s own prized baby, the G502 looks like a hybrid of the Logitech MX518 and G500. Packing one of the best native 16,000 CPI sensors in the market, the G502 weighs at about 121 grams with all its weights removed (the mouse comes bundled with extra weights). The mouse is best for palm grip users and has a premium build quality that makes it a pleasure to use. A notable feature of the mouse is the fact that the scroll wheel of the same can be switched between a notched spinning mode and a free spinning mode.
Razer Deathadder is a mouse that needs no introduction to gamers. The first generation of the Razer DeathAdder was unveiled in 2006. Since then, the mouse has undergone significant improvements, and almost 10 years later, the Deathadder Elite was launched by the company. The mouse is an all-round performer, and it uses a 16,000 CPI sensor, which is developed by Pixart in collaboration with Logitech. The sensor claims to provide 99.4% resolution accuracy, which means that the mouse delivers best-in-class tracking.
Some of the best games available for PC are enjoyed in isolation. Although getting a good pair of speakers is necessary too, headphones enable you to cut-off from sounds around you and focus on the task at hand. Moreover, multiplayer games require acute sound sense, for hearing the sound of footsteps approaching can be a difference between winning and losing the game. Overall, it has been deduced that wired headphones provide better sound quality, but with technology evolving at an extremely fast pace, wireless headphones have become equally popular.
If you can shell out the money for it, the Steelseries Arctis Pro GameDAC provides the best audio quality available amongst a variety of headphones today. The headphones offer high quality lossless audio streaming feature with a 5Hz-40KHz frequency response range. The headphones sport a modern design, which male them perfect for regular usage as well. The highlight of this headset is the GameDAC, which comprises of the following components:
Priced at less than half of the price of Steelseries Artics, the HyperX Cloud Alpha may not have a DAC module, but it is one of the best performers on the scene. Sporting no extra gimmicks, the HyperX Cloud Alpha are bass-rich, making them the perfect companions to both music and gaming. The headphones have 50mm dual chamber neodymium drivers, which accurately reproduce frequencies. The headphones provide a high amount of comfort over long periods of time and feature a decent microphone.
Over time, Video games have evolved, but the legacy that recent games have built is laid on the foundation of classic games that redefined the way games were perceived as. And no, we are not just talking about games like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic. We are talking games that have remastered versions being developed even today, after all these years. Games that you can play today and still enjoy without a shred of guilt. 
If you look at video games and wonder where all the bloodshed therein came from, Mortal Kombat will probably top the list. Some creators say that Mortal Kombat was the sole reason why the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) started regulating video games more seriously. Either way, Mortal Kombat introduced characters like Skorpion and Rayden, which were undoubtedly the coolest characters of their time. The game was released way back in 1992, and amidst all the 2D combat, Fatalities (which involved decapitation and slashes of sorts) became very popular, and the genre of the game is carried forward to rebooted versions of the same today.
Mario is a very common name in Italy, and even more popular as the game which gave birth to countless unforgettable moments. First spotted in 1981 in the insanely viral “Donkey Kong” game, Mario’s first character got its first solo appearance in the 1985 game “Super Mario Bros”. A game that literally needs no introduction, it was first released on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System), and offered a fun 8-bit gameplay with equally fun to experience music. Apparently, Mario was in search of his princess, and you, the player had to help him achieve his goal by besting everyone and everything that stood in your way. Almost 50 iterations of the original game have been released till now, and the developers have no intentions of slowing down.
As mentioned before, Doom was created by the same developers who designed and put Wolfenstein on the map. The game, when released, was nothing short of perfect. It had everything to propel it to the very top: the perfect level of mystery and thrill, seismic music that put players on edge while playing and action-packed combat physics that were never seen before. Players played in the cast of the devil, who was the protagonist of the game, and his sole goal is to eliminate all forms of demons and filth roaming everywhere around him. A little ironic, but since its release in 1993, the game has been adapted into more than 10 versions of the same, each more demanding than the last.
One year before the debut of Mortal Kombat to the fighting genre, Street Fighter created ripples as a game that can be enjoyed to levels that can only be deemed as insane. The game had the perfect gameplay depth and design required to engage the players. The game quickly became popular, and players started memorizing all the button combinations in an attempt to become the best at it. Some of the game combinations are even carried over to the modern-day adaptations of the same, with Ryu and Ken’s fireballs being an all-time favourite attack.
This is probably the only sandbox game on this list, and rightly so, because Minecraft had everything a player needed to spend countless hours on a game that allowed him/her full freedom to experiment with anything he/she wanted. The game had an engaging storyline. The game had one of the biggest open world scenarios ever seen. What’s more, the game is receiving full support from its developers even today, and for this reason, Minecraft still has a huge player base across the world. Also, did we mention that facing a zombie without a weapon in Minecraft during the dead of the night can be the most terrifying thing in the world?
Erangel is the most recognised and the primary map in PUBG. But does the name mean anything or is it just fictionary? The name Erangel was inspired by the creator Brendan Greene’s daughter Eryn. So combining ‘Eryn’ with ‘Angel’ gives us one of the most recognisable places by any gamer who has played PUBG.
Not that it is relevant, but the first headphones were developed in 1910 and it’s been a long road. Almost a century later, headphones have acquired a completely different look and style. A lot of people are not aware when it comes to buying wireless headphones, owing to the recent surge in their popularity. Most people prefer Bluetooth headphones over wired headphones because of increased convenience and a better style statement. But what things do you need to keep in mind while going for a new pair of Bluetooth headphones?
If you are a fitness-oriented person who has to run and workout on a daily basis, over-the-ear headphones will probably not work out for you. All the sweat and the humidity may damage the leather/memory foam of the cushioned earcups, thereby reducing the overall quality of the headphones. Furthermore, over-the-ear headphones may restrict movement during working out, which is why on-the-ear headphones or wireless sport earbuds may be the best option for you. Headphones like 
On the other hand, people who spend the major part of their staying stationary are able to enjoy more immersive sounds, and they may even compromise some comfort for sound quality. Programmers and Gamers prefer solitude, so noise cancelling headphones such as the 
The sound quality is technically the primary attribute of a good pair of headphones, but it certainly isn’t the only one. Nonetheless, some people limit the audio quality to just bass and treble, but it’s so much more than that. While buying a decent pair of wireless headphones, always be sure to consider the following factors:
Some people directly relate the sound quality to the audio codecs supported by the headphones. While this may be true to an extent, the audio codecs rule a wide variety of functions on Bluetooth headphones. Some of the majorly used audio codecs are listed below
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If we turn the clock two or three years back, a majority of customers used to rant about ridiculously expensive $800 smartphones. They would make fun of smartphone brands which ventured into a fairy-phone land where smartphones can be sold higher than the price of a high-end laptop. Market analysts loved ridiculing brands like Apple, which priced their devices at prices hitting $800 or $900. But times have changed, and so have the smartphone prices. Now, they’re hitting $2,600 (roughly INR 1,80,000), and consumers are not even batting their eyelids.
From one perspective, the customers are to be blamed for the same. We, as consumers, have allowed the bar to be raised to a point where a smartphone worth $1000 is the norm for a premium device. A lot of analysts and consumers still blame Apple for the steep prices of smartphones nowadays. But you have to give it to the company which broke the 4-digit price barrier and started selling the 
Once Apple proved it’s market worth with the iPhone X, companies like Samsung and Huawei followed the trail and started unveiling smartphones which exceeded the previously mentioned price point. But why exactly are these devices becoming pricier day by day? And above all, why are consumers still buying expensive handsets?
Most companies when prodded regarding the aforementioned issue have a similar statement, and that is the increasing cost of smartphone components. It’s not a false statement at all since better smartphones require better components to drive them. With handsets with quad camera setups hitting the market, it can only be expected that the company is using top-notch modules in the smartphone. On the top, components are becoming smaller than ever in order to accommodate them in considerably smaller, thinner and lighter smartphones, which eventually leads to newer devices becoming more expensive than their predecessors.
One reason is the global economy, which is pushing smartphone brands to charge more per smartphone so as to fulfil targets for profit. When a user buys a smartphone, he pays for the smartphone (including its components), the labour and energy required to design that product, and salary of all the employees who were involved in designing and marketing that product. Companies can’t help it, the global economy puts too much pressure on the same. 
Another solid aspect which is trending right now is competitive pricing, which is the underlying reason for a lot of smartphone brands placing their new devices at high price points. Some companies such as Huawei and Samsung follow competitive pricing, whereas some brands follow an entirely different route: Aggressive pricing, which sells more smartphones but returns a lower net profit, which brings us to the next point. 
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