Technowize May 2022

Editor’s Note May 2022

A picture on the internet was sold for over $70 million.

Ever since, NFTs have begun to pervade mainstream culture in a number of ways. Saturday Night Live parodied them, and celebrities like rapper Snoop Dogg and NBA player Stephen Curry endorsed them. Every week, public markets such as Foundation, OpenSea, and Nifty Gateway, as well as custom-built apps such as NBA Top Shot and VeVe, sell hundreds of millions of dollars in NFT. Our May cover story delves into the world of the most expensive NFTs and what makes them valuable.

You’ll find even more interesting — and engaging — stories from the world of technology, where nothing is beyond reach once humans and machines join forces.

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T H E

T E A M

EDITORIAL

DESIGN

Anna Domanska

Kevin Paul

Editor-in-Chief

Sr. Graphic Designer

Olivia Miller Sub-Editor

Anna Versai Sub-Editor

Diana Coker

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Sub-Editor

Tony Raval

Priya Verasai

Project Director

Content Writer

Jay Raol Project Director

TECHNOLOGY John Hancock Head-Web Department

Le Manh Coung Sr. Software Coordinator

Julia Hunt Magazine Production

ADVERTISING Richard Dean Advertising Manager

Contents MAY 2022

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HAUTE MONEY Previously Valued at $39 Billion, Instacart Cuts Valuation by 40%

TECHNOPOLIS Top Digital Payment Service Providers

TRENDSPOTTING Robotaxis are Coming Soon

COVER STORY Most Expensive NFTs Ever Sold

50 58 66 78

FUTURIST Unpacking the Disruptive Potential of Blockchain

HARDWARE, INC. The Best Wireless Gaming Headset

APP LABS 10 Best Language Learning Apps

TECH EVENTS & TRADESHOW The events section divulges all up-andcoming events influencing the world of technology.

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Previously Valued at $39 Billion, Instacart Cuts Valuation by 40% Grocery startup Instacart is reducing its valuation, as it believes that this move will help attract top talent and adapt to the changing market. In a shocking move, the company slashed its valuation by almost 40%, to $24 billion.

INSTACART’S FALL FROM GRACE The grocery delivery and pick-up service flourished during the lockdown caused by the pandemic. Americans increasingly turned to the app for getting their basic necessities home-delivered.

Across North America, the delivery company partners with 750 national, regional, and local retail brands to provide online shopping, delivery, and pickup services.

Its platform is available to American and Canadian households.

In September, the Gig Workers Collective, MAY 2022 | TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE |

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a body representing over 13,000 Instacart shoppers, launched a campaign called #DeleteInstacart.

However, in the latter half of 2021, Instacart workers started sharing their frustrations and urged shoppers to delete the app. They cited unsafe working conditions and falling pay rates as the reason behind their dissatisfaction.

Their demands include requests for a default tip set at 10% instead of 5%, occupational death benefit, and to be paid by individual order instead of a batch of orders, amongst others. In February 2019, the company faced a lawsuit for subsidizing wages with tips.

When the campaign started gaining traction, the company commented that its pay structure has not changed since 2019.

Some workers received certain health benefits after they staged a walkout in March 2020.

In a statement, the company commented, “Our team built Instacart into the market leader it is today, and we believe investing in 10 | TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | MAY 2022

them is the right thing to do. Markets go up and down, but we are focused on Instacart’s longterm opportunity to power the future of grocery with our partners.”

The company generated a revenue of $1.8 billion in 2021. However, rising inflation and high interest rates have put a damper on future projections.

INSTAGRAM TO SHAKE HANDS WITH NFTS SOON It is known that Mark Zuckerberg wants to include NFTs into Instagram in the near future. The Meta CEO did not include too many details,

but we are sure that this change will be a huge step for the company.

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Users will be able to bring existing NFTs over to Instagram Zuckerberg spoke at South by Southwest (SXSW), which is an annual conference that features film, music, and tech industries. He mentioned that the company is working on bringing NFTs onto the app, and this will happen in the next several months. He said that he is not sure when exactly this will happen, but he is sure it will happen in the near future.

With this innovation on the app, the users will be able to mint things within the environment, and this will create many interactions between the users.

As part of announcements for this company’s step, Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri said that the company was exploring the NFTs and their integration into the app. They were

“exploring NFTs and how they can make them more accessible to a broader audience.”

According to Mosseri, it is “an interesting place where we can play and also a way to help creators.” Mosseri said all of these pieces of information in an Instagram story in December, and we now see that the company is moving forward with the plans.

Zuckerberg said that your avatar can wear clothing that can be minted and transferred between different places.

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Activision Blizzard shareholder suing over sale to Microsoft A shareholder of Activision Blizzard has filed a lawsuit against the game publisher and its board of directors for alleged Securities Exchange Act violations in the company’s proposed sale to Microsoft.

Kyle Watson, a shareholder, filed the case in California on Thursday.

Watson’s lawyers called Activision Blizzard’s plan for the sale, as outlined in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposal, “unfair for a number of reasons,” one of which is that the board is looking to “procure significant and immediate benefits for themselves and senior management.”

The lawsuit raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest, claiming that the acquisition “is not in the best interests” of Activision Blizzard, Watson, or company stockholders, and that it “would yield financial benefits for [Activision Blizzard’s] officers and directors.” It also alluded to the “golden parachute” that some executives, such as CEO Bobby Kotick, would receive if fired. The SEC filing, known as 14 | TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | MAY 2022

14A, contains information required before shareholders vote in accord.

Watson’s lawyers also claim that Activision Blizzard’s SEC filing on February 18 is “materially deceptive and incomplete,” in violation of the Exchange Act. It identifies missing material in the SEC filing relating to the “ad hoc committee” that oversaw the sales process, as well as information about “post-transaction employment” and other pertinent data.

As part of the proposed purchase, announced in January, Microsoft will pay $95 per share for Activision Blizzard, for a total cost of $68.7 billion, making it the largest acquisition in Microsoft history. Despite calls for his resignation following his role in Activision Blizzard’s sexual harassment and gender discrimination claims, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick remains to lead the company through the merger.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Kotick and the corporation are already under SEC investigation. The Federal Trade Commission is also set to conduct an investigation into Microsoft’s acquisition, according to Bloomberg earlier this month.

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Soul Hackers 2 Will Invade Your Minds in August 2022 Atlus West informed fans that they will be releasing Soul Hackers 2 on August 26. For PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows, and Steam, it will be released on August 25 in Japan.

Sadly, there is no information on when it will be available on the Nintendo Switch.

The company shared the information on Twitter with the post, “In a war between Devil Summoners, it’s up to Ringo and her team to decrypt destiny and save the world from apocalypse! Soul Hackers 2 releases August 26, 2022 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.”

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THE DEVIL SUMMONER Atlus initially released the Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers game, part of the Megami Tensei series, in 1997. Later, the game was adapted for the PlayStation in 1999 and the Nintendo 3DS in 2012.

Soul Hackers was developed after its predecessor the original Devil Summoner became hugely popular amongst fans and gamers. Development of the game started in 1996 and the original producer Kouji Okada and character designer Kazuma Kaneko returned to take the series forward.

EXPECTATIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS The development team consists of members from the Atlus and Megami Tensei titles. Soul Hackers 2 is being produced by Eiji Ishida who directed Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey. In a recent interview with Famitsu, Eiji Ishida admitted that, “I’m relieved that we’re going to be able to release a new game, but at the same time, I’m scared to death that we won’t be able to meet everyone’s expectations.” He also mentioned that he would like for the players to focus on the new characters, especially Ringo, as she “is a female character who can speak for herself.”

Soul Hackers 2 will be available worldwide in English and Japanese audios with English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese subtitles on August 26.

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Coinbase’s QR Code is What Great Advertising is Made of Coinbase splurged some big bucks at the Super Bowl 2022 to show an advert that consisted of a QR Code bouncy around the screen.

The cryptocurrency firm’s ad was exactly what American advertising executive Leo Burnett would look for. His words, “Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at,” fit the commercial the company aired at the game.

At nearly $14 million for 60 secs, Coinbase took a big risk, which paid of, but how! It generated so much traffic that the app crashed within minutes and the company had to put a message asking people to stay patient while they fix the issue.

THE QR CODE AND THE ENSUING STORM The bouncy QR code would change color whenever it hit the side of the screen.

The ad drew admiration and criticism in equal parts.

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ences. While some poked fun at the crypto company’s lack of preparedness, others made light of their attempt to scan the code.

The lucky ones who managed to scan the elusive QR code were taken to the website, which was offering approximately $15 worth of free Bitcoin for new users and other promotional offers.

After the Coinbase app crashed, Chief Product Officer, Surojit Chatterjee informed users about it via Twitter by saying, “Coinbase just saw more traffic than we’ve ever encountered, but our teams pulled together and only had to throttle traffic for a few minutes. We are now back and ready for you at http://drops.coinbase.com.

Humbled to have been witness to this.”

Those who tried to access the app while it was down were greeted with a message that informed them about the situation and a promise that the company will email them once things are up and running.

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TOP DIGITAL PAYMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS BY: PRIYA VERSAI Digital payments, often known as electronic payments, are transactions in which the payee and payer exchange monies electronically. There is no real physical exchange of money with this sort of payment, but it does allow you to utilize real currency in an electronic manner. Digital companies combine cloud computing, data analytics, and IoT (Internet of Things) to provide the best payment gateway for customers and businesses.

The rise of digital payments has been fueled by rising demand for flexible deployment choices and speedier payment expectations, as well as favorable government legislation. Furthermore, the Covid-19 epidemic has fueled digital payment modalities throughout the world, as it lets customers benefit from touch-free checkouts and reduces the necessity for face-to-face retail contact. Payment wallet solutions, point-of-sale solutions, and fraud control solutions provided

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by digital payment businesses have boosted consumer acceptance of virtual payments. The worldwide digital payment market is estimated to reach USD 215.88 billion in 2028, growing at a CAGR of 13.3 percent over the forecast period, according to Emergen Research.

THE ADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL PAYMENTS Globally, the expansion of the internet and the rise of e-commerce platforms has resulted in an increase in the use of digital payments. Consumer and business adoption has grown as digital payments free up time, money, and energy. The following are some of the advantages of digital payments:

• Enhances the purchase experience for customers.

• Tracks inventory, monitors cash flow, provides insights, and assists businesses in generating business insights.

• Payments that are made more quickly increase the cash flow of an organization.

• Reduces the dangers connected with cash transactions (such as theft).

• Transactions are accurately recorded, and processing expenses are reduced.

• Cashback or reward points can be earned.

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TOP 10 REVENUEGENERATING DIGITAL PAYMENT COMPANIES IN THE WORLD The following payment businesses are helping to fuel these advantages by making payment processing quicker, easier, and more secure.

JP Morgan Chase & Co.

REVENUE: $119.54 BILLION

JP Morgan Chase & Co. is a financial services holding company located in New York, New York. It was founded in 2000. With total assets of US$3.386 trillion as of the end of 2020, the business was the largest bank in the United States and the fourth-largest bank in the world. The asset management, investment banking, private wealth management, private banking, and treasury services industries all use the J.P. Morgan trademark. In a fast-changing payments market, the organization is investing in digital payments, employing sophisticated technologies to suit growing demands, and cooperating with fintechs to better serve the clients.

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Visa Inc. REVENUE: $21.85 BILLION Visa Inc. is a global financial services firm located in California, United States, that was founded in 1958. To facilitate digital payments, the firm offers Visa Digital Solutions (Visa Token Service, Visa Digital Enablement Programme, Visa payWave), as well as development programs (Visa Developers Program, Visa Ready) and mobile payment solutions. VisaNet is the world’s most secure and dependable payment network, capable of processing over 65,000 transaction messages per second.

PayPal Holdings Inc. REVENUE: $21.45 BILLION PayPal Holdings Inc., based in California, USA, was founded in 1998 and works as a payment processor in the majority of nations. PayPal’s Venmo app, which allows consumers in the United States to transmit money to each other, processed payments totaling USD 51 billion in the first quarter of 2021, an increase of 63 percent. The Venmo app is likely to include basic banking and shopping functions, as well as bitcoin functionality and a new “Pay with Venmo” checkout experience.

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Mastercard Inc. REVENUE: $15.3 BILLION Mastercard Inc. is a worldwide financial services firm located in New York, United States, that was founded in 1979. From 1966 to 1969, the corporation was known as Interbank, and from 1969 to 1979, it was known as Master Charge. Mastercard has launched Team Cashless India, a program aimed at educating small businesses on the advantages and benefits of accepting digital payments. In June 2021, the firm made a strategic equity investment in Instamojo, which would help them prepare for the pandemic by providing digital payment acceptance capabilities. Furthermore, in February 2021, the firm announced a partnership with Razorpay to make digital payments more accessible to MSMEs and entrepreneurs.

Fiserv Inc.

REVENUE: $14.85 BILLION Fiserv Inc., based in Wisconsin, is a Fortune 500 firm that offers financial services to financial institutions, credit

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unions, leasing and financing companies, securities broker dealers, thrifts, and retailers. It was founded in 1984. The company’s Enterprise Payments Platform provides financial institutions with a centralized payment system that is available 24/7/365, provides a seamless 360-degree view of all payment activity, and is expandable to meet all volume and functional requirements.

Stripe

REVENUE: $7.4 BILLION Stripe, a financial services and software as a service (SaaS) firm with offices in San Francisco and Dublin, Ireland, was founded in 2009.

The firm provides a wide range of payment processing software and APIs for mobile and e-commerce websites. Stripe is the finest payment gateway since it’s simple to set up recurring payments, has a great reminder system, and provides a smooth checkout experience.

Intuit Inc.

REVENUE: $6.78 BILLION Intuit Inc., based in California, specializes in financial software and was founded in 1983. Mint, a personal financial software, TurboTax, a tax management tool, and QuickBooks, a small business accounting

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platform, are among Intuit’s offerings. Credit Karma (access to credit ratings), QuickBooks Commerce (open platform for product-based small enterprises), and ProConnect are some of the other items available (professional tax products). Intuit Quickbooks and UK paymentsas-a-service platform Modulr teamed together in 2021 to enable SME (Small and Medium Enterprises) digital payments accounts. This meeting will address four of the most typical issues that small businesses face: administrative load, confidence, cash flow, and late payments in and out.

Global Payments Inc.

REVENUE: $3.98 BILLION

Global Payments Inc., based in Georgia, USA, was founded in 2000 and is a global leader in credit/debit card transaction and payments processing services. The S&P 500 firm handles about six billion transactions each year for one million merchant locations and is a member of the S&P 500. Global Payments Inc. established a cooperation with Google in February 2021 to rethink digital payments and expand the Google Cloud portfolio of cloud-based products.

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ACI Worldwide Inc. REVENUE: $1.29 BILLION ACI Worldwide Inc., based in Florida, was founded in 1975 and is a payment systems firm. Banks, financial intermediaries such as switch interchanges, and third-party electronic payment processors use the company’s software. The firm facilitates omni-commerce payments, assisting merchants in increasing conversions through smooth online payments, as well as meeting customer expectations for seamless digital payments through fraud and risk management.

PayU’s REVENUE: $ 159.97 MILLION PayU is a fintech firm based in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, that was founded in 2002. Freelancers, startups, corporations, and multichannel businesses may use the company’s payment gateway for their website and app, which includes several payment alternatives. It accepts online payments with a simple sign-up procedure, minimal effort, and a quick and easy onboarding process.

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SPOTTING

Robotaxis are coming soon By: Diana Coker

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You can count on Elon Musk to provide juicy details about ten futuristic projects he’s working on that were previously unknown to the public. Here’s an example: During April’s call, Musk hinted that Tesla will have a completely autonomous robotaxis with no steering wheels or brake pedals in service by 2024— just two years away. That is, at least, the objective.

“With respect to full self-driving— of any technology development I’ve been involved in, I’ve never really seen more false dawns— or where it seems like we’re going to break through, but we don’t— as I’ve seen in full self-driving,” he said. “And ultimately, what it comes down to, is that to sell full self driving, you actually have to solve real world artificial intelligence, which nobody has solved,” Musk said.

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SPOTTING

“The whole road system is made for biological neural nets and eyes. And so actually, when you think about it, in order to solve driving, we have to solve neural nets and cameras to a degree of capability that is on par with, or really exceeds humans. And I think we will achieve that this year.”

He added, “I think it can be very powerful product where we aspire to reach volume production in 2024. I think [the robotaxi] really will be a massive driver of Tesla’s growth.” He said he thinks Tesla robotaxis will be “by far the lowest costper-mile of transport that [people have] ever experienced. Look at some of our projections. It would appear that a robotaxi ride will cost less than a bus ticket, a subsidized bus ticket, or a subsidized subway ticket.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know for sure right now, although there’s speculation that it might resemble the “People Mover” drawing that’s been linked to Boring tunnels.

What might a rollout strategy involve? Will they only serve city inhabitants or will they also serve suburban and rural areas?

In some ways, constructing a purpose-built vehicle makes sense in order to incorporate desirable characteristics like as face-to-face sitting, large sliding doors for simple access, 4-wheel driving, easier maintenance, and so on that we hope to see in the Robotaxi.

Tesla may even create a variety of Robotaxis to help with certain needs. Tesla, for example, may develop a vehicle that is more suited to resting, allowing you to rest while driving to your

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destination.

Another car may resemble a home office, complete with numerous screens and accessories that enable you to begin working as soon as you enter.

For some people, features like these might considerably improve their quality of life by giving them an hour or two back in their day.

It was recently reported that Tesleases to make it illegal for conthem or sell them to a third party at the conclusion of the lease period. They appear to have little option but to return to Tesla, given the price of used Te s l a s

la has modified the conditions of its sumers who lease their cars to buy

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SPOTTING

has just risen due to market disruptions created by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Since 2019, that restriction has been extended to Model 3 leases, with the idea that once the original lease has expired, they will form the backbone of the Tesla robotaxi fleet. Apparently, it isn’t going to happen. The question is whether Tesla will continue along the path of completely autonomous robot vehicles that are meant to be able to drive anywhere, or will it only solve specific specialty issues to allow the cars to drive themselves successfully in specific geographic areas so that they may be put on the road. The idea has always been to go with the first option.

Will Tesla continue to rely solely on cameras for its self-driving technology hardware when nearly every other business on the planet has included radar and/

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or lidar into its autonomous driving technology?

It has been speculated that an event would be held next year to provide more information about the robotaxis. Musk great at putting on shows, but the idea of a completely driverless Tesla has been circulating for years. Musk recently dismissed the concept of a less costly automobile, claiming that the business currently has too many projects on its plate — including the Cybertruck, the Semi, and the Roadster 2.0, among others — to take on any more.

Yet, a new robotaxi model has been added to the schedule without any indication of where it’ll be built or how many would be produced. Despite his numerous virtues, Elon loves making empty promises from time to time. Will Tesla robotaxis be operational in 2024? “We’ll see,” says Musk.

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Most Expensive NFTs Ever Sold By: Anna Versai NFTs were initially introduced to the market in 2015, heralding the beginning of Web 3 activity. Despite the fact that NFTs have been around for a long time, they only became broadly recognized in 2021. NFT is an acronym for Non-Fungible Token. They’re simply tokens— usually art— that can be bought and traded on exchanges and kept on the blockchain.

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We’ll look at the top ten most costly tokens that paid out handsomely for early investors in the future.

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The Top Ten Most Expensive NFTs on the Market As previously said, given their meteoric rise to notoriety, it is not surprising to see some NFTs sell for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. The main reason for this is the project’s buzz and community.

Before enabling investors to acquire a restricted number of tokens, most projects build a community on social media and Discord. When a project can create a lot of interest, the basic laws of supply and demand kick in, and the price skyrockets.

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1. The Merge Finally, Pak’s ‘The Merge’ was the most expensive NFT ever sold.

The $91.8 million price tag was a world record for a public sale of an artwork by a living artist. Nifty Gateway sold the NFT to 28,893 collectors who bought 312,686 units of mass production (which were single NFTs). The initial cost of these machines was $575, with a $25 rise every six hours.

Three huge white masses (dots) against a black backdrop make up the NFT. The greater the number of mass customers, the greater their mass would become. The NFT has a scarcity mechanism built in that ensures the token supply decreases over time. Every Merge token transmitted merges with the receiving wallet’s token, resulting in a single token with a larger mass value. Perhaps, in time, there will be only one ultimate mass.

For NFT holders, there is a built-in leader board that lets them track the mass collected by other collectors. Different style classes will be awarded to the top 100 and top 5 on the leaderboard.

The Alpha class, which is granted to the top collector, is the highest conceivable. The NFT’s dynamic setup sets it apart from other collections and is likely one of the reasons it sold for such a high price. However, because the money was obtained from almost 30,000 investors rather than a single individual, there is significant debate about whether this is the most expensive NFT ever sold.

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2. The First 5000 Days Another of Beeple’s high-grossing NFT ventures is The First 5000 Days. Beeples developed it as part of his Everyday’s project, and it’s a collage of 5000 unique NFTs. In 2021, Christies Auction House sold it for an incredible $69 million (42.329 ETH).

The NFT was sold to Vignesh Sundaresan, a Singapore-based programmer who has made the majority of his money by trading in the cryptocurrency markets. He is also the creator of the Metapurse NFT project and goes by the online alias MetaKovan. This is the most costly NFT that has ever been sold to a single investor.

In the metaverse, the artwork is now on show in an online gallery. If you wish to have a look, you may do so by using a web browser!

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3. CLOCK The genesis of the third most expensive NFT ever sold is a little unusual.

It was set up to help Julian Assange’s defense fund when he was controversially imprisoned in May of last year. The NFT is essentially a clock that displays the number of days Assange has been detained.

Over 10,000 backers, each of whom owns a share of the NFT, contributed to the massive $56 million price tag. The Wau Holland Foundation, which supports Assange’s defense, received 100% of the funds.

Pak, an unnamed artist, is the inventor of the NFT. The artist’s secrecy— he or she refuses to divulge their identity in interviews— is in keeping with the purpose for which they are raising funds. It has encouraged many people to think again about Assange’s tumultuous situation, as well as freedom and access to information.

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4. THE HUMAN BEING Beeple also created Human One, a digital/physical hybrid piece of art. On November 9, 2021, it was auctioned off for a record $28.9 million as part of Christie’s 21st Century Evening Sale.

The artwork on this NFT changes over time, which is a fascinating feature. Although Beeple does not own the art, he has remote access to it and is able to update it on a regular basis. The NFT displays an astronaut going across several environments that, as previously said, vary throughout time.

People claimed that the sculpture was inspired by experiments integrating many televisions into various forms and patterns. The one-of-a-kind final product has resulted in one of the most costly NFTs ever!

5. (CryptoPunk)#5822 CryptoPunk #5822 is the most expensive CryptoPunk ever sold, for a staggering $23 million. On the NFT, there has also been a lot of bidding and listing activity. Throughout the token’s existence, there have been many offers of over 1000 ETH ($3 million). The owner, on the other hand, has refuted all of them.

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Furthermore, the owner, 0xDeepak, has sold it for tens of thousands of ETH several times. None of these ads, however, have come to fruition. The NFT was moved to an unnamed wallet called 7DDFFB 19 days ago, and the owner hasn’t listed it since.

When it comes to the NFT’s rarity, it just has one feature. Only 2% of the collection has a single trait, making it extremely unusual. Furthermore, it is a bandana that accounts for barely 5% of the total collection.

Finally, #5822 is a component of the Alien skin, which, as previously said, is the rarest skin available (0.09 percent chance). The CryptoPunk’s insanely high price is probably due to the enormous number of uncommon qualities.

6. (CryptoPunk) #7523 CryptoPunk #7523 is the second most valuable CryptoPunk NFT that has ever been sold. It fetched a whooping $11.75 million! Furthermore, a wallet offered 20,400 ETH for it over four months ago, which we believe equaled about $65 million USD. The bid, however, was canceled before it could be accepted. Pranksy, a well-known NFT collector, placed an 800 ETH offer, which equaled nearly $1.5 million. However, this bid was also canceled. These massive 44 | TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | MAY 2022

bids demonstrate how highly the CryptoPunk collection is regarded.

The NFT has a variety of unique characteristics when it comes to rarity.

To begin, it is part of the Alien sub-collection, with only 0.09 percent of CryptoPunks possessing this trait. It contains three qualities, which account for 24% of the collection, and an earring, which accounts for 25% of the collection. A knitted cap, which only 4% of the collection has, and a medical mask, which only 2% of the collection has, are two of the slightly uncommon qualities. The NFT’s uniqueness is highlighted by its profusion of unusual qualities.

7. CryptoPunk #4156 The CryptoPunk collection also included the fifth most costly NFT ever sold. Number 4156 was sold for 2500 ETH, which was worth $10.26 million at the time. Unlike the first two CryptoPunks on our list, #4156 has been sold several times over the years. It was sold for 650 ETH just over a year ago, though the seller is probably cursing themselves for doing so. It was previously sold for 3.29 ETH a few months after it was created, almost 4 years ago.

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on 5% of the collection, and Ape Skin is found on 0.24 percent. As a result, the Ape trait is the second most uncommon skin after the Alien skin. It also only has one attribute, which is shared by just 2% of the collection. This NFT is, in principle, less common than its extraterrestrial cousins. When the value reaches a certain level, however, it appears that investors are more concerned with how the work looks than with its rarity.

8. CryptoPunk #3100 When CryptoPunk #3100 sold for 4200 ETH, which was $7.67 million USD at the time, it surpassed the previous highest sold NFT from the collection. This was the first and only time #3100 has been sold since it was produced five years ago.

It also includes the Alien skin, which, as previously stated, is only found in 0.09 percent of the collection. This is, without a doubt, the most important aspect influencing the token’s value. It also contains a headband, which is seen in just 4% of the collection. Finally, it has only one feature, which only 2% of the collection possesses. The combination of these high rare features is another reason for the NFT’s high worth.

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The CryptoPunk collection includes the tenth most expensive NFT ever sold.

On the Ethereum blockchain, the CryptoPunk project is a collection of 10,000 unique characters. CryptoPunks are highly valued since no two are the same. When they were first published, CryptoPunks were initially free to mint for anybody with an Ethereum wallet.

CryptoPunk #7804 has some of the most uncommon features in the whole collection. It contains ‘Alien’ Skin, for example, which just 0.09 percent of the collection has. It also contains a Pipe, which is found in just 3% of the collection. The Small Shades characteristic adds to the rarity, since it is found in only 4% of the collection. Finally, just 3% of the collection have the Cap Forward attribute. CryptoPunk #7804 is incredibly rare because of all of these factors, and as a result, it has made it into our top 10 most expensive NFTs list.

Since it was coined over 4 years ago, #7804 has only been sold once for $6.6 million.

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10. Beeple’s Crossroad 10. Beeple’s Crossroad

‘Crossroad,’ by renowned artist Beeple, was the most expensive NFT ever sold at the time of its sale. On the NFT Ex‘Crossroad,’ by renowned Beeple, was the expensive change Nifty Gateway, it soldartist for $6.6 million.

The most painting NFT ever sold at theman timelaying of its sale. the NFT Exchange features a melancholy on theOn ground, which is be- Nifty Gateway, it soldTrump for $6.6 million. painting a melanlieved to represent after he wasThe defeated byfeatures Joe Biden manpresidential laying on the ground, is believed represent in choly the 2020 election.

Thewhich NFT was unique intothat Trump after he was defeatedand by would Joe Biden the 2020 presidenit was sold before the election varyindepending on tial election.

The NFT was unique in that it was sold before the the outcome. election and would vary depending on the outcome.

Beeple is a multi-award-winning artist with over 1.8 million InBeeplefollowers. is a multi-award-winning with over 1.8 million Insstagram He’s also worked artist on a number of high-profollowers.

He’s also including worked onNike, a number high-profile filetagram projects with companies Louis of Vuitton, projects companies including Vuitton, and othand others.with In fact, Beeple created our Nike, fourth Louis most costly NFT, ers. In fact, created our mostin costly NFT, HUMAN HUMAN ONE,Beeple demonstrating his fourth influence the business.

ONE, demonstrating his influence in the business.

The NFT is a one-of-a-kind item. This sets it apart from other The NFT collections is a one-of-a-kind it apart high-profile such as item.

BoredThis Apesets Yacht Club from and other high-profile where collections suchexpensive as Bored Bored Ape Yacht and CrypCryptoPunks, the most Ape Club NFT was toPunks, where the most expensive Bored Ape character NFT sold for sold for $2.3 million dollars.

Its one-of-a-kind is $2.3 million Its one-of-a-kind character is are most likely why it most likelydollars. why it was so pricey. Beeple’s works currently was at so $63,000 pricey. Beeple’s are currently priced at $63,000 priced on Niftyworks Gateway. on Nifty Gateway.

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Unpacking the Disruptive By: Priya Versai

he distributed ledger technology known as blockchain is used by all types of cryptocurrency. Blockchains function as decentralized platforms for recording and documenting transactions involving a certain digital currency. Simply explained, a blockchain is a distributed ledger that keeps identical copies of transactions on each computer in a network. The blockchain’s security is aided by the fact that the ledger is dispersed throughout each section of the network.

T

While Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies gained a lot of traction in the financial and investing realms in late 2017 and early 2018, they have since become more of a niche topic for cryptocurrency fans. Blockchain technology, on the other hand, continues to be a rapidly developing area of growth for businesses in a variety of industries. It’s likely that blockchain technology may be viewed

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Potential of Blockchain as the most significant invention to emerge from the bitcoin craze. We’ll take a deeper look at blockchain in the sections below, and see why it might be beneficial to organizations of all sizes.

While Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies grew intensely popular among the general financial and investment worlds in late 2017 and early 2018, they have since become more of a niche area for cryptocurrency enthusiasts. However, blockchain technology remains a rapidly growing area of growth for companies across a host of industries. It is possible that blockchain technology will ultimately be seen as the most important innovation to come out of the cryptocurrency boom. Below, we’ll take a closer look at blockchain and see why this technology could be valuable to businesses of all kinds.

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The Fundamentals

of Blockchain arties may be able to access prior ledger entries and record new ones depending on the blockchain. However, most block chain networks have complicated rules for adding new groups of data, or “blocks,” to the chain of earlier records. The contents of the blocks, as well as the blocks themselves, are safeguarded by strong encryption, ensuring that prior network transactions cannot be falsified or erased. As a result, blockchain technology enables a digital currency to maintain a secure transaction network without the need for a central authority. Because of this, digital currencies are referred to as “decentralized.”

P

While blockchain is best known for aiding the emergence of digital currencies in recent years, the technology has a wide range of non-cryptocurrency applications. Indeed, some blockchain proponents feel that the technology has the ability to far outperform cryptocurrencies in terms of total effect, and that its true potential is only now being realized. As a result, financial advisers and others in the investment industry are likely to come across blockchain technology more frequently in the coming years, whether it’s related to a single cryptocurrency or used in a variety of different applications.

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Payments Made Across Borders Historically, value transfer has been both costly and delayed, particularly for payments made across international borders. One reason for this is that when different currencies are involved, the transfer procedure usually necessitates the cooperation of many institutions in multiple places before the intended receiver may get his or her funds. There are services available to assist in speeding up this procedure, but they are usually extremely pricey.

“While normal money remittance charges can be as high as 20% of the transfer amount, blockchain may enable prices as low as 1% of the transfer amount.”

Traditional cross-border payment systems may be replaced by blockchain technology, which has the potential to be faster and less expensive. While normal money remittance charges can be as high as 20% of the transfer amount, blockchain may enable prices as low as 1% of the transfer amount, as well as assured and real-time transaction processing speeds. There are obstacles to overcome, such as cryptocurrency legislation in various regions of the world and security concerns. Nonetheless, this is one of the most promising and widely discussed applications of blockchain technology.

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Smart Contracts Smart Contracts are frequently seen as a strong application of blockchain technology. These agreements are basically computer programs that can oversee every stage of a deal, from facilitation to completion. Smart contracts can be totally self-executing and self-enforcing if certain criteria are satisfied. Smart contract proponents argue that these technologies offer a more secure, automated alternative to traditional contract law, as well as a faster and less expensive application than traditional techniques.

Smart contract technology’s potential uses are virtually endless, and it could be used in practically any industry where contract law would ordinarily apply. Smart contracts are not a miraculous alternative to old-fashioned diligence, despite their popularity. In reality, the Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) in stance serves as a cautionary tale and a warning to investors that smart contracts are no better than the knowledge and organization that a user puts into them. Smart contracts, on the other hand, are one of the most intriguing ways that blockchain technology has already expanded outside the cryptocurrency realm and into the larger corporate world.

“Smart contract proponents argue that these technologies offer a more secure, automated alternative to traditional contract law.”

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Identity Management Identity security has been one of the most difficult consequences of the internet era. Regardless of how conscientious many individuals and organizations are about protecting their online identities and private information, malicious actors are continually attempting to steal and profit from these digital assets. Blockchain technology has already shown that it has the ability to revolutionize the way people handle their online identities.

Due to separate verification procedures that take place among member computers on a blockchain network, a blockchain provides a high level of security. This verification is used in digital currency to validate transaction blocks before they are put on the chain. This approach might also be used for other sorts of verification procedures, such as identity verification and a variety of other uses.

Blockchain and identity management have a wide range of applications. For example, blockchain might be used to help keep track of voter information and ensure that the voting process runs well. Blockchain might be used to transport user data securely and effectively across platforms and systems. The system might also be used to keep track of real estate ownership, titles, and other information.

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Uses of the Supply Chain A well-functioning, efficient supply chain is critical to the success of many firms in numerous industries. Blockchain technology is already being utilized in a variety of businesses to track supply chains and ensure their efficiency. This might reduce the need for human labor and the risk of mistakes in a complicated and critical procedure.

“Blockchain technology is already being utilized in a variety of businesses to track supply chains and ensure their efficiency.”

At current time, blockchain is a technology with a remarkably broad range of possible applications. Although blockchain is most known for its ties to the burgeoning cryptocurrency sector, it has already been used for a variety of other purposes. Perhaps even more intriguing is the fact that new applications for blockchain are being developed on a daily basis. As a result, whether you work in the digital currency industry or not, it’s critical to learn about blockchain and how it may be utilized to alter the business and investing sectors.

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The Best W Gaming H

By: Priya

W

IRELESS IS CHEAPER THAN EVER, but if you’re going to spend hours coordinating with your squad in a game— or even sitting through your tenth Zoom conference of the day— it has to be comfy, sound sharp, and pick up your voice clearly. We’ve tested dozens of wireless gaming headsets for PCs, Macs, Android phones, iPhones,

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Wireless Headsets

a Versai

Nintendo Switch (all models), Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4 over the last four years to compile this list of the best wireless gaming headsets for PCs, Macs, Android phones, iPhones, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. We’ll keep testing new models over time, so keep an eye on this section for updates.

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LOGITECH G PRO X WIRELESS The Razer Opus pulled off a remarkable balancing act by beating several of the other headsets we tested while being less pricey. Nonetheless, the Logitech G Pro X has outdone itself. Soft matte cans with a silver plate on the edge are featured. DTX:S object-based surround sound is also supported, which has a significant influence on games and movies with spatial audio. It’s a game-changer to be able to know exactly which direction an enemy’s footsteps are coming from.

For PC gamers, Logitech’s G Hub provides exceptionally sophisticated options for customizing EQ filters and sound profiles per-game, with the program switching between them seamlessly. The speech filter improves the audio quality of your microphone, which your colleagues should notice. You won’t have access to the G Hub, but you can use this headset wirelessly with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 and connect to most other devices through a 3.5mm audio connection.

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Arctis 7+

by SteelSeries We’ve been thrilled by a number of SteelSeries Arctis headsets, and the Arctis 7+ (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorites. It has a 30-hour battery life and is comfortable enough to wear for lengthy periods of time. The best aspect, though, is its small, low-profile USB-C adaptor, which allows it to connect to everything from Android phones to the Nintendo Switch. While the Switch supports Bluetooth audio, this headset offers lower latency and higher sound quality.

Arctis 9X from SteelSeries The Arctis 9X is by far our favorite Xbox headset. It connects to your Xbox in the same manner that a controller does— no dongle required— and offers all of the same features as previous Arctis headsets.

It’s as comfortable as hell on your ears (and skull), the mic and sound are fantastic, and it has a wonderful retractable mic with balanced mic monitoring so you can hear your own voice while you’re talking, which helps you avoid shouting loudly when you’re simply trying to communicate.

The battery life is around 20 hours.

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A50 (Astronaut) (2019) At first glance, the Astro A50 appears to be a monster. Unlike most other headsets, this one has a base station that charges your headset while it is not in use. The base station also has a built-in MixAmp, which allows you to modify the balance between game audio and voice chat sounds simply tapping the right ear cup’s side. The A50 is a fantastic headset, featuring compatibility for Dolby Atmos object-based surround sound and excellent equalization features on the PC.

Headset Razer Opus It’s not very often a headset will satisfy you in every manner while being reasonably priced. The Razer Opus headset is one of the most affordable on this list, and even if it were more costly, it would still be a fantastic set of headphones. The body is made of a semi-matte plastic that 62 | TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | MAY 2022

Wireless audio is supported by two different versions for Xbox and PlayStation, however both types may also be utilized wirelessly with PC and Mac.

feels high-quality and light while still having some heaviness. The ear cups are exceptionally soft and pleasant to use for extended periods of time.

They’re fantastic for gaming, watching movies, or anything else that involves being engulfed in a complex soundscape, thanks to their THXtuned surround sound.

When it comes to music, you’ll want to experiment with the supplied software to find some equalization settings that work for you, but once you do, these headphones generate rich, layered sound with ease. They can also be connected by Bluetooth or a 3.5mm wire, and the active noise cancellation is powerful enough to shut out practically everything.

ARCTIS PRO WIRELESS STEELSERIES The Arctis Pro received a rare 9/10 rating as well as our coveted WIRED Recommends badge. It boasts superb audio quality, as well as the Arctis’ signature comfy cushion and ski goggle shape. Toggling EQ, mic monitoring, and even RGB lights are all included into the bundled transmitter box.

The hot-swappable rechargeable batteries are its standout feature. Each battery lasts roughly 10 hours, however the transmitter box features a charging slot for the spare. It can also use Bluetooth to connect to a phone. While there are a few alternative headsets that are less expensive, this is still a wonderful deal.

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SteelSeries Arctis 3: A Versatile Nintendo Switch Headset (with Bluetooth) The Nintendo Switch now has official Bluetooth audio functionality, allowing you to connect wireless headphones straight to the system. Except in some games, such as Fortnite, it still uses a mobile app (on Android and iPhone) for voice chat. One of the few headsets that can handle both is the Arctis 3 Bluetooth. You may use a 3.5-mm cable to connect it to the Switch and couple it with your phone over Bluetooth to hear your game’s audio (including on Discord).

SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ for PS5 The Nintendo Switch now has official Bluetooth audio functionality, allowing you to connect wireless headphones straight to the system. Except in some games, such as Fort64 | TECHNOWIZE MAGAZINE | MAY 2022

nite, it still uses a mobile app (on Android and iPhone) for voice chat. One of the few headsets that can handle both is the Arctis 3 Bluetooth. You may use a 3.5-mm cable to connect it to the Switch and couple it with your phone over Bluetooth to hear your game’s audio (including on Discord).

Arctis 7P+

by SteelSeries for PlayStation 5 Official Sony headsets have previously been recommended as good PlayStation headsets, however the company’s most recent Pulse 3D headset did not meet our expectations. So, this time, we’re going to try something different.

The Arctis 7P+ (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is nearly identical to the previously mentioned Arctis 7+. A dial on the 7+ controls ChatMix, a PC feature that balances team conversation and game audio, which is a minor difference. The 7P+, however, utilizes this dial to modulate sidetone because this function isn’t accessible on the PlayStation.

Aside from that, it boasts a 30-hour battery life and comes with a wireless USB-C dongle, making it compatible with most systems.

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ALPHABET

10 B LANG LEARNiN abc

WRITING

TRANSLATION

SPEECH

LISTENING

By: Priya

As technology brings the world closer than ever, language helps us bridge differences and forge meaningful relationships. Learning languages is as much a craft as it is an uphill task.

Self-learning took off in a big way as the pandemic forced people to stay at home, with limited means of entertainment. Many took to a new hobby or skill to make use of the additional time on their hands.

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LESSONS

BEST GUAGE NG APPS LEARN

READING

TALK

a Versai

Duolingo, reported double the number of sign-ups during Covid-19.

Although people started off enthusiastically, it soon petered down as they struggled to keep up or found the apps lacking. Most applications use a mix of techniques to help learners become fluent or atleast achieve some level of proficiency in a language of their choice. Techniques range from pictograms to completing a story to speech recognition.

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1.Duolingo Duolingo tops the list simply because, in the past few years, the app has become synonymous with one of the most reliable free language learning apps. Both tutors and students recommend it and turn to the Duolingo app to get some additional practice in. Its user-friendly layout coupled with rewards to maintain a daily streak, keep learners coming back for more. The app also provides fun lessons to improve one’s listening, speaking, and reading skills in over 20 languages. Duolingo provides a number of features in its free version, but one can have access to unlimited content without ads through the paid version.

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2.Babbel Initially released in 2008, Babbel GmBH is a subscription-based language learning app. Its services are available on the web, Android and iOS. Its content for around 15 languages is developed by highly qualified educators and linguists. With exercises designed to mirror real-life situations and gleaned from research, it is one of the best language learning apps and promises students that they will be able to have conversations within the first three weeks. The Babbel app also focuses on imparting knowledge about the history of a language, along with the culture.

With its interesting array of podcasts, videos, and games, it gives a good bang for your buck.

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3.Busuu With over 120 million registered users, there is no denying Busuu’s popularity. Each lesson takes anywhere between three to 15 minutes. Before beginning one’s course, the app checks your level of fluency before charting your course. It is available on the web, Android and iOS, and offers free and paid versions. Busuu app’s premium plus plan is extremely versatile and offers features like feedback from native speakers, AI-powered lessons, and personalized study plans. They are also quite affordable and the company often runs promotions and discounts.

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4.Memrise While the Memrise app is free to download and sign up, it also comes with a monthly, quarterly, and yearly subscription plan. The app offers courses in over 16 languages and boasts of over 35 million users. The platform was founded by Ed Cooke, a Grand Master of Memory, and Greg Detre, a neuroscientist specializing in memory and forgetting. It relies on research-based techniques to promote learning and retention.

User-generated courses, memory aids, and video lessons make this app easy to navigate. The paid plans start around $8 while the lifetime pass costs approximately $120 and it often makes it to the top 10 language learning apps listicles.

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5.Pimsleur American-born linguist, Paul Pimsleur was well-known in the field of applied linguistics and is credited with developing the Pimsleur language learning system. The app provides courses based on the Pimsleur method. It offers courses for over 50 languages with English as the source language. They also have audio lessons, with a special driving mode that can be enabled while one is traveling. Roleplaying challenges and flash cards enable easy learning.

The premium subscription costs around $20 per month and the audio-only subscription is priced at $15 for a month.

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6.Rosetta Stone A veteran in the field of language learning, learners, who mastered languages from their CDs, even today attest to their expertise. According to one user, the Rosetta Stone Language Learning exercises start out tough but help you quickly pick up as the learner is first required to match sound or text to images. The online subscription plan gives one access to a comprehensive course load that includes different games and the Rosetta community. One can learn around 24 languages, through iOS and Android, Rosetta Stone: Learn Languages app. Rosetta Stone’s Discover Languages app is only available on the Xbox One and caters to a game-playing audience in the virtual world.

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7.Tandem To learn in tandem with each other, one needs to create an account on Tandem. The app functions on a mutual language exchange between Tandem users. Every learner is paired with another who is a native speaker of the language they want to learn. In this manner, both partners work together to build their language skills, as they play the role of both student and teacher. The best language app for participants who wish to receive an immersive experience, it helps them gain exposure to their target language culture and social know-hows. In-app correction and translation tools help keep the conversation going in over 50 languages as one makes new friends.

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8.HelloTalk Another popular language exchange app is HelloTalk, which has users in over 200 countries. Learners can chat with native speakers through their phone to pick up a new language. One-on-one conversations can be conducted over text, voice, and video calls. The Hello Talk app uses artificial intelligence to better its services, which range from transliterations to partner corrections, and more. It supports over 150 languages and offers a free and paid version. It is better to subscribe to a paid lesson, if one wishes to thoroughly master a language.

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9.Bilingua Bilingua stands at the intersection of learning, dating, and friendship. It feels so because the modern app uses custom algorithms to find a partner who matches one’s interests, personality, and language skills. When learners are paired with people with whom they share quite a few similarities, it makes for more meaningful conversations and work seems like play. The app also has game and quiz-based learning plans, and is compatible on iOS and Android devices. It is free to download and use.

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10.Drops If a learner is looking for something that is fun, fastpaced, and based on mnemonics, Drops is the app for them. Launched in 2015, it has a feature called Travel Talk, that offers a crash course of sorts if one wishes to pick up basics before traveling to a new region. One can learn over 45 languages through audio courses and engaging gameplay. Users can customize settings to fit in their learning needs as per their schedule. The app is renowned for offering courses in languages ranging from niche to endangered, including Māori and Samoan. The premium version is available on iOS and Android for approximately $160 for lifetime access. They also offer a week-long free trial of the premium version, along with monthly and yearly plans.

Learning a new language, with all the new words, grammatical structures and pronunciations, can be tough, and at times intimidating in an inexplicable way. But nothing quite broadens one’s horizons, without traveling, like picking up a new language. It introduces people to new cultures, stories, and history. Furthermore, the next time one decides to visit a new place, it enriches their experiences as they pick up certain nuances and subtleties that are often lost in translation.

So, in case you wish to travel “cheap”, register on any of the apps, and get learning.

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