PARAPPALARU DAM & TALAKKUTHU FALLS (DINDIGUL - TAMIL NADU)

 THE BEST-KEPT-SECRET OF DINDIGUL TAMILNADU

A friend was continuously telling me about this waterfall, rather a road-less-traveled, secret waterfalls, located near his friend’s place. Finally, one fine day, things fell in place and all three of us were available on the same day to venture to this new place, which turns out to be one of the top places to visit near Madurai and Palani. 2 bikes and 3 of us, our first destination was Parappalaru Dam.

PARAPPALARU DAM

We headed towards Palani and after Vedasandhur & Oddanchatram, 14 hairpin bends led us to the hill top where a gate with a board said we were 3 km from Parappalaru Dam. Through that gate we finally reached the Parappalaru Dam. This is fairly a well-known place locally, one of the picnic places near Madurai and Palani. The area was vast – 266 x 83 x 123 ft in dimension!!! This river, Parappalaru, is essentially a tributary of Cauvery. Cauvery comes here via Aravakkurichi and becomes Parappalaru here. The place had a small government guest house, about which I have no much idea.

The water was pristine. With the constant fall of the water in different pressure, unique interesting formations & shapes have been formed on the rocks here!!! The view was great. More beautiful than the view was the flora here - the various flowering trees here were fabulous. As usual my animal luck was present here too. A doggy got really very friendly with us, to that extent that it became sad when it realized we had to leave!!!

Now, have a look at this pic. Ghostly??? Paranormal??? Psychic??? Yeah! Well, No!!! What happened was I put my camera in the panorama mode. In the first shot, I took the scene and in the 2nd i.e., follow up shot, my friend got into the scene and this is what my camera did!!!!!

VIRUPATCHI VILLAGE

After spending some time there, we embarked on our journey to the main location - searching for the secret waterfalls of Dindigul district! Downhill from Parappalaru Dam and we rode further towards Palani. A small lane exactly the 2nd one after Oddanchatram jn. towards Palani on NH83, to the left. A muddy path easy to miss, with a small tea kiosk at the corner. We got into the lane and went on enquiring about the waterfalls. We were directed to go as the road took us, and we crossed a small stream (which we later found is actually a section of the Aiyaru river that comes from the secret waterfalls). It had a few interesting, broken sculptures of Gods & Goddesses. (Its a normal practice that broken sculptures are not kept in worship in temples, but are respectfully discarded by either burying in the soil or throwing into waterbodies like ponds, rivers or seas!)

We met this old man on the way who wanted a lift and we readily gave. It’s a specialty of people belonging to villages – they are so caring and loving. He said time and again to be very careful and return by sunset mentioning that a few causalities that had already happened in this falls!!!

COVID Travel advice

COVID Travel advice

 https://www.icao.int/Security/COVID-19/Pages/Statements.aspx

Coronavirus

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. 

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.  Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. 

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. 

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

All You Need to Know About Wifi Calling

Nowadays, people are more and more mobile, yet we all have an even greater need to stay connected than ever before. One way to save money while traveling is to use Wifi calling. If you don’t know about this option, here we have all the details you need.

What is Wifi calling?

Although many people may be unfamiliar with Wifi calling, it has actually been around for a few years already. Essentially, Wifi calling allows you to make calls using a Wifi connection (or 4G) instead of using a regular telephone network.

Many apps also allow you to make calls over Wifi. Since most people are probably familiar with Skype, perhaps the best way to understand Wifi calling is to compare it with calls made using this popular app.

Skype allows you to call in two ways: either you can call Skype-to-Skype using Wifi (which is free), or you can use Skype to call landlines or mobiles. If you choose the latter method, you have to pay, but the calls are often considerably cheaper than making calls using a regular telephone.

Wifi calling is the equivalent of using Skype to make calls in this second way. Depending on where you call from and where you are calling, you may still have to pay; the difference is, you can do it directly on your phone without needing to install or use any extra apps to do it.

It is also a handy option when you can’t connect to a telephone network but can connect to a Wifi network.

Can I use Wifi calling?

Wifi calling is already enabled on most modern smartphones. Apple was among the pioneers, including it on the iPhone 6 when it was launched in 2014; all iPhones since then have had the ability pre-loaded. Now, most Android phones also include the built-in ability to use Wifi calling – although the details of exactly which phones can use it depend on which model you have as well as your country and operator.

In which countries can it be activated and which mobile operators offer it?

If you have a Wifi calling-enabled smartphone, you can use it wherever you can connect to Wifi or 4G. However, not all countries and not all operators offer the ability to make Wifi calls directly from your phone. Check out this article for further country-specific information regarding this.

Bear in mind, too, that some countries (including China, Vietnam, North Korea, and Cuba) block the use of Wifi calling, so if you are traveling in these countries, you won’t be able to use it, even if you have a Wifi connection.

FAQ

How do I use Wifi calling on an iPhone?

Making calls over Wifi using an iPhone is simple, it’s just a case of activating it in Settings.

1. Open the “Settings” app and scroll down to “Cellular”.
2. Click on “Wifi Calling”.
3. Click the toggle to turn Wifi Calling on. When the query message pops up, click “Enable”.

You can now make calls using Wifi.

How to activate wifi calling on an iPhone

How do I use Wifi calling on the Android?

Enabling Wifi calling on the Android varies depending on the model. These are the steps for the most recent models, e.g. Galaxy S9. For older models, the steps may be slightly different but are essentially the same.

1. Make sure Wifi is turned on. If it isn’t, go to the Quick Settings panel and turn Wifi on.
2. Open “Connections” and click “More” for more connection settings.
3. Click on “Wifi calling” and set the toggle to “On”.
4. Click on “Calling preference”. This allows you to tell your phone which option to prefer when there is a choice of Wifi or regular phone networks. The options are to prefer a cellular network, to prefer Wifi, to only use cellular or to only use Wifi.

How to activate wifi calling on an Android phone

• How do I choose preferred voice networks while roaming internationally?

Since Wifi calling uses Wifi and not a regular phone network, you don’t need to choose a preferred network to make calls – the call will be made via your home network, not a network in the country where you are making the call.

• Can I send SMS via Wifi calling?

Yes, if Wifi calling is activated, your smartphone will also be able to send SMS. Details of how to do this may vary depending on the brand and model of your phone as well as your operator.

• Can I make international calls?

Yes, although charges may apply. For example, someone in the US making a call abroad will be billed for the call. The cost will probably be similar to making a regular international call, although this will depend on your operator and your phone contract.

If, for example, a US customer calls a US number (not including premium) from abroad using Wifi, the call will generally be free. Again, this will depend on your specific operator and contract.

The details of pricing for international calls vary from country to country and from operator to operator.

• Should GPS be turned on to make a call?

Wifi calling does not depend on GPS so there is no need to activate it to make a Wifi call.

• Does Wifi calling work in airplane mode?

Wifi calling requires you to be connected to a Wifi network (or 4G). This means you need to deactivate flight mode to use it.

• Can I use Wifi calling with Travelers Wifi?

Yes! You can use Travelers Wifi to make free or cheaper calls wherever you go.

• How much does it cost?

Costs vary but using this option can be a great way to save money on calls, especially when calling home from abroad.

As an example, for most US users, calling a (non-premium) US number over Wifi from within the US will be free. The same is true if calling a US number over Wifi from abroad.

Costs vary from country to country and from operator to operator so it’s best to check the details before you start using it. Of course, if you use 4G, it will eat into your data allowance.

Bear in mind that using Wifi calling is certainly not always free. If you want to be sure to avoid all charges, the safest thing to do is to use a Skype-to-Skype call over Wifi (or similar with another app like WhatsApp) to be sure you won’t have to pay.

• How much data will a call consume?

Although it varies, a good guideline to remember is that a voice call will use about 1MB/minute. If you use Wifi calling for video calls, it will be higher, in the region of 6-8MB/minute.

Stay connected and make calls wherever you travel

Whenever you are away from home, you still need to stay connected on the go. With our practical portable Wifi solution, you can have unlimited internet access for Wifi calling or anything else wherever you travel. Click here for more details.

What are the advantages?

There are several advantages of using Wifi calling, including:

• You can call directly from your phone using numbers that you have already saved
• You don’t need to download any new apps to do it
• It is an excellent way to save money on phone calls while traveling abroad
• You can use Wifi calling even when there is no phone signal (as long as there is Wifi)

Thank You.

Short Film enthusiast

1. You need good actors. Nothing is better than a good actor performing. 

2. For the good actors to perform well, they need a very good script. Hope you have one.

3. Now comes the film making, and the quality is completely of ypur choice. If you could spend some money, then get a good camera so that whatever your actors do gets recorded well. 

4. Audio- i have learnt importance of audio recently, NEVER compromise on the audio. It should be given as equal importance as the video. To get a feel of it, do watch your favourite movie without audio, you won't like it.

5. Editing, to be frank, for a general shortfilm, any software works fine. Vegas/premiere pro is the best for starting off. But if you need any special effects to tell your story in a better way, then you might need after effects.
Happy filming :)

What is Jio Mart, How to Register and Claim Rs 3000 Worth Benefits: Full Details Here

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries just made its entry into the Amazon and Grofers dominated retail space. Ambani coined the market place as JioMart which aims to help retailers serve their products to customers by utilizing Jio‘s huge digital ecosystem. The Jio Mart operations kicked off as a pilot project in a few of Mumbai that includes Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Kalyan. Soon Jio Mart is expected to spread its wings to other parts of the country. The company aims to connect 3 crore retailers with 20 crore customers who seem to be online-focussed. Before we go deep into the Jio Mart and its offerings, let us know what exactly the Jio Mart is.

What is Jio Mart?

JioMart is the e-commerce market place that connects retailers with customers. Just like Amazon Prime Now and Grofers, Jio Mart will not maintain any warehouses but will allow local retailers and Kirana merchants to list their products on the portal and sell them to the customers. Jio will take care of the operations involved in this process which include logistics, payments, etc. Jio Mart aims to sell over 50,000 grocery products and will offer benefits that include

• Free home delivery on no minimum order value
• No questions asked return process
• Express delivery promise

In the initial stages, Jio Mart will house products like daily staples, soaps, shampoos, and other household items which will give tough competition to players like Amazon and Grofers.

How to Register for Jio Online Grocery Portal and Avail Rs 3000 Worth Benefits?

Jio Mart has made things so simple for both retailers and consumers by launching a dedicated app and a web portal. Jio Mart will be available for download for both Android and iOS devices soon. For now, as the service is available only in Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Kalyan, users of those areas can visit www.jio.com/jiomart and preregister to get Rs 3,000 worth of benefits at the time of launch. Users are required to give these things for the preregistration

• Name
• E-mail ID
• Mobile Number (Any Jio or Non-Jio number)

Type the above details and confirm the mobile number by entering the OTP. That’s it! You will receive the offer details to your mobile number and email once the service is launched.

It is reported that Jio has started registering Kiranas and giving POS machines by enabling digital payments. The firm is said to assist in getting loyalty, discount coupons from FMCG firms, which help the retailers get additional benefits.

New Year 2020 stickers WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger : How to download

 Apart from the celebrations socially, the people too wish their friends, relatives and others via social media platforms

WhatsApp New Year 2020 Sticker: The year 2020 is set to arrive in just a few hours from now. People across the globe will celebrate the New Year day with great enthusiasm. Apart from the celebrations, people wish their friends, relatives and others via social media platforms (like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Hike and others) using various stickers, images, quotes, status, pics, gif etc. Sending images, gif, stickers to others is more creative and colourful than writing messages or posting a status.

Know how to download WhatsApp stickers-

Facebook-owned messaging app ‘WhatsApp’ is one of the most known worldwide with more than 600 million users. The chat app often comes with particular stickers, gif, images for its users on special occasions.  People who are using the chat app on Android devices can easily download the New Year sticker by clicking on the ‘Google Play Store’. On ‘Google Play Store’ the user needs to type WAStickerApps Happy New Year Stickers, New Year Stickers for WhatsApp, Happy New year stickers, new year WhatsApp stickers, New Year Stickers for WhatsApp 2020, All Stickers for WhatsApp 2000+, Happy New Year 2020 stickers, New Year GIF 2020, and others.

All the above-mentioned are third party apps. Therefore, one needs to go through the reviews and developer before downloading the apps. However,  one using iPhone can’t download these third-party applications.

Know how to download stickers on Facebook-

Facebook, one of the most widely used social media platform globally too let the users wish their friends, family, relatives etc with various stickers of the new year. However, the users need to go through the following process –

(1) One needs to open ‘Facebook Messenger’ on their smartphone.

(2) After opening the ‘Facebook Messenger’, the user needs to open a chat.

(3) Click on smiley-button and search the stickers for New Year 2020.

(4) After this, the New Year stickers will be added.

6 Things Today's Learning Managers Should Do

If Learning and Development departments don't adapt to an ever-changing workplace, the task of training employees will only get harder. Here's what the role of today's learning managers should look like.

How The Role Of Learning Managers Is Changing

In the past few decades, the world has changed in such radical ways that it’s barely recognizable. Meanwhile, certain elements in the world of training and development have been set in their ways to the detriment of businesses and the employees within them.

From the Industrial Revolution until the end of the Second World War¹ staff training focused on upskilling workers in the midst of rapid social and economic upheaval. Through the later part of the 20th century², the Learning and Development industry focused on dealing with the challenges of high unemployment and increasing globalization. Since 1990³, the birth of eLearning and the rise of online learning in general changed the game for Learning and Development.

The possibilities that arose changed the nature of employee development and in ways that learning managers couldn’t predict and are still trying to come to terms with. Outside of the training industry, the employees themselves changed, further compounding the challenge.

The workers of today demand instant information in manageable pieces – not lengthy training units. The traditional methods of training no longer meet their needs and they are proving more and more ineffective. According to Josh Bersin⁴, “84% of business leaders cite the ‘need for improved organizational learning’ as a top priority, and 44% say it’s urgent… there is something more fundamental going on — a need to totally rethink corporate Learning and Development, to shift the focus to design thinking and the employee experience”.

The time has come to re-examine the role of the Learning and Development department and rebuild it in a better, stronger form. So what should today’s training managers aim to do?

1. Change Behavior

Imparting knowledge is an important function of Learning and Development, but it’s only the first step in a much longer journey. Knowing a process is not the same as embedding it in your daily work. It’s up to training managers to help the learners apply what they learn and live the values that are important to the organization. It’s these values that inform every aspect of their jobs, so even if they have gaps in their knowledge, their overall behavior will drive the business in the right direction.

2. Focus On Learner Experience

No matter how thorough and comprehensive the training content, if the learners don’t enjoy it, it won’t have the desired effect. If you’re aiming to change behavior, you can’t afford to create a negative association with the training program. At the very least, the learning platform should be easily accessible from any device. “Don’t Make Me Think” is the central tenet of user experience. Every time you ignore this rule, you increase the chances that your learners will switch off without completing their training.

3. Create Opportunities For Collaboration

There will always be a time for solitary learning, but it’s not the be-all and end-all of training. Employees learn as much, if not more, from each other than from a formal training unit. According to Mary Slaughter⁵, Chief People Officer at North Highland Company, “Today corporate learning is less about developing and conveying content and more about enabling people to adapt, contribute, and excel throughout their careers”. With a social Learning Management System. learning managers can create an environment that lets people bounce ideas off each other. This doesn’t just create opportunities for innovation, it gives these employees a chance to improve their communication, team work and leadership skills. These skills are difficult to learn in any other way and are immensely valuable to the business.

4. Make It Relevant To Each Individual

If your learners have to sit through training modules that have no relevance to their jobs, they’ll quickly lose interest in the training program entirely. As technology advances, new doors are opening that can create adaptive learning experiences. Identifying and exploiting these opportunities is part of the role of today’s Learning and Development professionals. Instead of creating one unit with a predefined contents list, learning managers will need to focus on creating smaller units that function independently of each other. This removes the need to trawl through irrelevant content looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. The switch to microlearning also makes the content easier to absorb and retain.

5. Recognize Individual Efforts

Besides tailoring the training content with a more adaptive learning approach, it’s also important to give credit where it’s due. If you’ve succeeded in creating a more collaborative learning program, the learners need to know that their contribution matters. Gamification has become a ubiquitous UX feature and one of the key game mechanics is the ability to earn status. If your learners can earn points for contributing to specific discussion boards, they can identify themselves as experts in that topic. They can then be assigned the role of expert within the Learning Management System, meaning they are recognized for their expertise and they can be easily found by other learners with questions.

6. Capture Intellectual Capital

Employees today switch jobs more regularly⁶ than they used to. This is a challenge for businesses, but it’s an opportunity for Learning and Development departments. It gives them the chance to capture knowledge from a greater number of employees and incorporate it into the company’s intellectual capital. A social learning platform is the ideal environment for employees to share their own knowledge. Having social features in the Learning Management System lets you take advantage of informal learning which makes up the largest part of all work-based learning. It’s up to learning managers to facilitate this knowledge sharing and use the information to augment their existing content.

Final Word

Ultimately, the role of today’s Learning and Development professionals is to engage employees with their training by whatever means necessary. Giving them a sense of ownership is the only way to get their buy-in and build a training program that works for everyone. With more efficient and effective processes in place, these employees can realize their true potential and the entire organization can profit as a result. If learning managers can do that, they can finally be recognized as the true saviors of the organization!

Thank you.

Telecom operators hike mobile tariffs, data tariffs by upto 42 per cent

Vodafone Idea hikes tariffs by an average of 20 per cent; Bharti Airtel raises tariffs by 42 per cent; Reliance Jio hikes rates by upto 40 per cent

In an attempt to tide over the crisis in telecom sector, incumbent operators Vodafone Idea (VIL) and Bharti Airtel hiked mobile tariffs by up to 42 per cent, effective December 3.

VIL, which posted its highest-ever net loss for a corporate in the country, hiked mobile tariffs by an average 20-30 per cent for its pre-paid services. In certain data schemes, the tariff increases were as high as 42 per cent.

The company has launched 16 new plans with various validities (2, 28, 84 and 365 days) and prices (ranging from Rs 49 to Rs 2,399), in an attempt to mitigate losses from Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) payout.

Earlier on November 18, Vodafone Idea had stated “acute financial stress” in the sector that required it to hike tariffs from December.

For the second quarter ended September 30, VIL posted a consolidated net loss of Rs 50,921.9 crore, impacted mainly by AGR provisions, the highest-ever for a corporate in India. For the comparable year-ago quarter, the country’s second-largest company by subscribers posted a net loss of Rs 4,973.8 crore.

VIL had provisioned Rs 25,677.9 crore for AGR payments, which is estimated to be about Rs 44,150 crore. This includes an estimated license fee of Rs 27,610 crore and Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC) of Rs 16,540 crore (with penalty and interest) for up to September 30.

Read the story: Airtel, Vodafone Idea to hike tariffs to hike tariffs from December 1

Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel also hiked tariffs by up to 42 per cent, with effect from December 3, by launching a slew of new schemes.

Airtel’s new plans represent tariff increases in the range of 50 paise per day to Rs 2.85 per day and offer generous data and calling benefits, the company said in a statement.

Shashwat Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer at Bharti Airtel said: “Our new mobile plans offer tremendous value to our customers and are backed by a superior network experience on Airtel’s nationwide 4G network. Airtel will continue to make large investments in emerging technologies and digital platforms to deliver world-class experiences to our customers”.

India has a mobile user base of 1.17 billion (TRAI September figures), of which nearly 98 per cent of the subscribers are on pre-paid tariffs.
Read: Bharti Airtel seeks to raise $3 billion to fund AGR dues

Reliance Jio

On its part, Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJio) has launched new all-in-one plans, effectively increasing tariffs by upto 40 per cent. The hike is effective December 6, RJio said in a statement.
The plans would provide 300 per cent more benefits to users, it said, without providing specifics of the plans.

RJio will continue to work with the Government on the consultation process for revision of telecom tariffs and looks forward to participation from all other stakeholders, it added.

According to industry experts, operators had to increase tariffs so as increase ARPUs by at least 25 per cent to tide over the present crisis.

Thank you

New Google Pixel 4 Is $200 onky on 2019 Black Friday

The New Google Pixel 4 Is $200 off With This Black Friday Sale

 

Plus, you can snag the Pixel 3 for even less on Amazon right now.

Top 20 Best Tech Websites & Blogs

At this age of modern technology where new gadgets and digital apps are developed or created each day, tech websites and blogs come in handy.Internet users would know these new technologies through reading blogs.

These are the 10 most ranked pages on Alexa and Google:

1. TechCrunch.com

Tech Crunch is considered as one of the well knows and popular website for providing quality information related to new gadgets and technology news. Also, Tech Crunch is one of the leading technology media on the internet as well as one of the most famous technology blog online. Mainly this provides articles related to internet portals, latest tech product reviews and news etc.

2. TheNextWeb.com

The Next Web is another leading blog on the internet which provides technology stuff on the daily basis to internet users. Mostly it covers guides and topics related to business, culture and technology. Also, it publishes useful articles for upcoming gadgets. It is highly recommended to must read and visit this website for next generation gadgets. Interesting thing is that it receives seven million monthly visits and more than ten million page views per month.

3. Wired.com

Wired.com is third most popular media on the internet providing news related to latest trends of technology. Also, it publishes helpful guides related to latest or upcoming gadgets, science, entertainment, business and design etc. Once you visit this website, you will surely be going to love Wired.com because of publishing quality stuff.

4. Tech2.com

Tech2.com mostly shares articles and guides related to new gadgets such as TV, mobile, tablets, laptops and gaming devices as well. Apart from this it also covers podcasts, videos and photos related to latest technology trends. Also, it comes really handy for comparing websites or new gadgets at the same time on this website easily. You will surely be going to get a lot of valuable information through reading this website on the daily basis.

5. Gizmodo.com

Gizmodo.com is another leading source on the internet which mostly covers gadgets related news and guides and is one of the best online portals for gadgets lovers. It mainly covers the latest news related to gadgets, best guides for gadgets and also tutorials relate to gadget. If you are a gadget lover, then this websites really worth’s and you must need to check out this website for finding latest and upcoming gadgets news.

6. Mashable.com

As most of you might have idea or know about the one of the top and much famous technology blog on the internet which covers latest technology news, gadgets, science and interesting stuff and provides helpful guides to the internet users. The best part about this website is that you can also check out videos related to latest technology news. Also, it receives around more than twenty million unique visits and has more than six million social media followers.

7. TheVerge.com

The Verge is another most popular and famous technology blog for tech lovers which are mainly interesting in reading tech news, product reviews and products information etc. Also, it shares interesting guides about the technology and how it affects the society.

8. DigitalTrends.com

Digital Trends is another largest hub of technology, computer gaming devices and interesting lifestyle guides. It also covers guides related to music, cars and photography etc and sometimes writes about the Apple news as well.

9. TechRadar.com

This is most popular technology news and gadgets related website on the internet. Also, it provides helpful guides related to tablets, laptops and mobiles etc. Also, it rates the different kind of Smartphone devices, mobiles as well as tablets also. The best thing is that if you are android lover, then this website also publishes android related news and guides on the website.

10. Technorati.com

Technorati is useful and most popular technology website in the world of internet which helps bloggers and tech blog owners to get more views on their website and provides a lot of quality technology guides and news. Apart from this it also covers guides related to android, apple, gadgets etc. and much more.

11. BusinessInsider.com

Business Insider is a fast-growing business site with deep financial, media, tech, and other industry verticals. The flagship vertical, Silicon Alley Insider, launched on July 19, 2007, led by DoubleClick founders Dwight Merriman and Kevin Ryan and former top-ranked Wall Street analyst Henry Blodget.

12. Macrumors.com

MacRumors.com is a website focused on Apple news and rumors. MacRumors attracts a broad audience of both consumers and professionals interested in the latest technologies and products. The site also boasts an active community focused on purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod and Macintosh platforms.

13. Venturebeat.com

VentureBeat is a media company obsessed with covering amazing technology and why it matters in our lives. From the most innovative tech and gaming companies — and the incredible people behind them — to the money fueling it all, we’re devoted to exhaustive coverage of the technology revolution.

14. Blog.us.playstation.com

Recognized as a global leader in interactive and digital entertainment, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is responsible for the PlayStation brand and family of products. PlayStation has delivered innovative products to market since the launch of the first PlayStation in Japan in 1994. The PlayStation family of products and services includes PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, PlayStation Store, PlayStation Now and PlayStation Vue. SIE also oversees Worldwide Studios, which is responsible for developing exclusive, world-class games for PlayStation. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, SIE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation and has regional headquarters in London and Tokyo.

15. Gigaom.com

Gigaom is technology research and analysis firm. Our focus is on helping business leaders understand the implications of emerging technologies and their impacts on business, media, and society.

16. Engadget

Engadget is the definitive guide to this connected life.Technology isn’t all about bits and processors. It’s the car with no driver, human organs printed in a lab and leisurely flights into space. It’s the future and we’re here to tell you all about it.

Since 2004, Engadget has exhaustively covered cutting edge devices and the technology that powers them. As we enter our second decade, we’re looking beyond the gadgets themselves to explore how they impact our lives.

17. Slashgear.com

Dedicated to highlighting the latest and greatest in personal technology since 2005, SlashGear covers everything from cutting-edge tech gear to the latest digital lifestyle trend. Distinctive, informative and fresh, Slashgear brings you device information and reviews you can trust as well as thought-provoking commentary.

18. Ubergizmo.com

Ubergizmo loves gadgets and the technologies that make the gadgets go.They talk about electronics in a way that everyone can relate to. From design, to user interface to practicality, pricing and competition, they make lists to help you decide what gadgets you need (or don’t).

19. Droid-life.com

Droid-life has the greatest Android community in the world. They talk general news, feature apps, review phones, and even teach you how to hack a little. If you were looking for the best place to learn about Android and talk with like-minded folks about all things tech, then Droid Life is for you.

20. Eurogamer.net

Eurogamer.net was founded in September 1999 and has been covering video games ever since. The site began life with a PC focus and a keen interest in the competitive FPS scene of the time, but over the years it has grown to cover every aspect of gaming – PC, console, indie, board games and anything else that the team and the site’s readers find interesting.