The iPhone X released in 2017 in Pakistan. It was released to mark the tenth anniversary of Steve Jobs first smartphone. The price of the iPhone X in Pakistan is about PKR 149,999.

The screen display of the iPhone X is the largest display of any iPhone at 5.8 inches. Furthermore the built of the screen is of glass from the front and also the back. Furthermore, the glass of the smartphone is scratch resistant with olephobic coating.

The iPhone incorporates a nano sim system. While previous iPhones used to have a home button, this one has done without a home button and is all about the display.

The iPhone works on super amoled capacitive touchscreen technology, which is a first for Apple. The oled displays means brighter and sharper display and colors are enhanced. The screen resolutions are 1125 x 2436 pixels with a pixel density of 458 ppi.

The iPhone X runs on IOS system which is upgradable everytime a new update is available.

The smartphone also incorporates multitouch system. The iPhone comes in built in memory of 64 GB and 256 GB with 3 GB RAM and does not incorporate any memory card.

The iPhone X has two 12 MP cameras on the rear for clicking photographs and making videos. This is also a first for iPhones. The features in the camera include portrait mode which blurs background, 4K video mode, panorama shot, optical image stabilization, phase detect autofocus. One of the cameras is a wide angle f/1.8 while the other is a 2x telephoto zoom. One of the great things about the iPhone is the feature of live photos which make it seem like photographs are in motion, it’s almost like a photograph and video in one.

Portrait mode also works on the front camera which is a 7 MP camera which makes photographs look like they have been taken by a professional photographer. It also incorporates HDR, face detection, slow motion, time lapse and panorama features.

The iPhone X also does not have a 3.5 mm headphone jack which means only one jack is used for both charging and using the headphones.

Additionally, the iPhone comes with a lightning to 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter, 2.0 usb propriertary reversible connector, charger and headphones.

The smartphone does not have FM radio, it incorporates 5.0 Bluetooth while it has Airdrop for sending and receiving photographs and videos from other iPhone users. Other features include iMessage, Face ID, MMS, Sms, Push Email, iCloud service and many others.

The iPhone X incorporates a non removable 2716 mAh battery which can be charged using a fast charger (upto 50% charging in half an hour). The talk time on the smartphone is 21 hours with music play upto 60 hours. The iPhone X has an endurance rating of up to 74 hours.

The iPhone X comes in only two colors which is silver and space grey.

Winter season is upon us which means soon the winter break is going to come. If you’re thinking which place you should be visiting in the soon to come holiday season, have a look through places to visit in Pakistan:

Murree

Probably the first name that would pop up in anyone’s mind when they think of going for a winter getaway. Murree is a popular tourist spot for most people. This hill station is about an hours drive from Islamabad and about six hours from Lahore.

Situated at an altitude of 7,000 feet, Murree is visited by people all year round and gets quite populated especially in summers and winters. In winters, the place is covered by snow and looks as majestic as ever. A few of Murree’s major tourist attractions include Mall Road, Kashmir Point, Pindi Point, Chattar Park, Ayubia, Bhurban, Patriata and the likes. There are quite a few budget friendly guest houses or hotels/motels one can book to stay at. Many people even have their own accommodation in Murree. The hill station also has some decent dining options such as Usmania Restaurant, Marhaba Restaurant, KFC, Pizza Hut, Red Onion, Gloria Jeans, etc.

Nathia Gali

The second place on the list is Nathia Gali which is further up north located in the centre of the Galyat range comprising several hill stations within a close distance of each other. Situated at about 7,900 feet above sea level, Nathia Gali tends to get really cold during the weather season with temperature dropping to minus 8 at times. Many people opt to visit Nathia Gali as a day trip while staying at Murree.

A few of Nathia Gali’s major tourist attractions include St. Mathew’s Church, the Nathia Gali Bazaar, etc.

Malam Jabba

Malam Jabba is located in the Hindu Kush range of Swat Valley at about 300 km from Islamabad which roughly takes six hours to reach from the capital city by road. It is located at nearly 1000 feet above sea level and is one of Pakistan’s most beautiful hill stations.

Malam Jabba boasts of Pakistan’s oldest ski resort and also offers chair lift services from which you can enjoy the view of the resort from a different perspective. It also has two trekking areas for the adventure lover to climb up the mountains while a five star hotel with 50 plus rooms is being built in the area for overnight stays.

Chitral

Chitral is located in the Khyber Pakhtunwa district of the country at about 4,900 feet above sea level. Chitral is popular among tourists due to it’s striking beauty as it is surrounded by the Hindu Kush Range while the Chitral River runs through the town.

Some of the major tourist attractions include Chitral Fort, Chitral Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, the Old Royal Fort in Mastuj, Chitral Gol National Park and most importantly, the famous Chitral Polo Ground. One can stay at several budget friendly hotels in the area while in December you can also enjoy the Kalash Winter Festival.

The approval and opening of the Kartarpur Corridor was a historic moment between India and Pakistan. More so, the decision to allow visa free entry to Sikhs to visit the religious and beloved site whenever they wished, was a beckoning moment which would go down in history.

So why is the Kartarpur corridor so important one may ask?

The call for visa free Kartapur Sahib corridor was first initiated when the corriodor opened in 1999 and has been a old, long persistent demand from the Sikh community. Here we will tell you all you need to know about Sri Kartarpur Sahib.

Sri Kartarpur Sahib (Kartarpur, Shakargarh, Narowal District)

Sri Kartarpur Sahib is located in Kartarpur, Narowal. It is known to be the world’s largest Gurdwara and a holds a special place in the hearts of Sikhs around the world. It is also the second holiest site of Sikhism, after the Gurdwara Janam Asthan (the birthplace of Guru Nanak).

Baba Guru Nanak assembled a Sikh community at this very location and spent the last 18 years of his life until he passed away in the year 1539.

While the main shrine was built in 1925, the site was repaired in the 90’s with restoration work done in 2000’s and finally the surrounding areas had a courtyard, museum, library, domitories and locker rooms built from November 2018 which covers an area of 42 acres.

The opening of the Kartarpur corridor commemorates the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. Subsequently, the corridor connects two gurdwaras located on either side of the border – that is the Dera Baba Nanak in India and Sri Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

The Gurdwara is only a 2 hour and 15 minute drive away from Lahore which makes it 120 KM northeast of the city. Although a sacred religious site, anyone, belonging to any religion, can visit the site without absolutely no restrictions. The only things you need for entry are original CNIC and entry fee is PKR 200 per person for Pakistanis.

While the relgious site opened to pilgrims in 1999 after repairs and restorations, this is the first time and forever from now on that the site is accessible to Indians without any visa restrictions (a valid passport is required for identification purposes).

The corridor built between India and Pakistan allows easier access to travel and return the same day after paying darshan (pay respect) to the site.

If any Indian is visiting, there is a separate process for one time entry to the Gurdwara while entry fee for each visit is $20.

The best part of this initiative the social interaction between people from both sides. It can be a great meeting point for friends from each side of the border.

The Nokia 5 launched in Pakistan in June 2017. The Nokia 5 Price in Pakistan is at Very Nominal Rates of PKR 17,650.

The Nokia 5 comes in 5.2 inches screen display with IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display which means pixels are quickly activated thus increasing speed which in turn enhances contrasts and lights of the smartphone. The smartphone comes in corning gorilla glass protection making it 80% prone to breakages.

Moving on the screen resolutions are 720 x 1280 pixels with a pixel density of 282 dpi which allows the smartphone owners to use the phone in harsh sunlight as well as the brightness is enhanced. The weight of the handset is 160 grams and supports dual nano sim system. The Nokia 5 runs on an Android 7.1.1 Nougat system.

Furthermore, the smartphone has a capacitive touchscreen technology with an internal memory of 16 GB ROM with 2 GB RAM processed with 1.4 Ghz octa core cortex processor while it has a memory card slot which can hold upto 256 GB memory.

The phone has a 10 point multi touch screen which means it has excellent and smooth touch while typing and scrolling through apps. It also has a fingerprint sensor on the home button for locking and unlocking the smartphone.

The Nokia 5 has an 8 MP front camera with a front flash light. The back camera is of 13MP and has an auto focus and contains dual LED and dual tone flash with features of geo tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, HDR and making videos in 1080@30fps. Some of the best features of the smartphone is that you can click photos in low lighting conditions. It can also take photos in selfie focus while blurring the background, almost like a bokeh mode and also wide angle selfies.

The Nokia 5 runs on 4g LTE connectivity which is a very fast system. Furthermore, it supports all bands within the region including 2g and 3g. You can also connect WiFi, 4.1 Bluetooth and FM radio with RDS on it. The smartphone has an endurance rating for upto 53 hours.

The Nokia 5 has a non removable 3000 mAh battery and comes with micro USN port while supporting fast charging.

Additionally, it comes with micro usb cable and headphones. The Nokia 5 has a 24 month warranty. The smartphone comes silver, matte black, tempered blue and copper colors.

The Nokia 5 price in Pakistan is just PKR 17,650. Since the smartphone was released two years ago, it might be available in even lesser price now.

Dubai is one of the most visited places by Pakistanis especially because it is relatively easier to score a visa for the country. While the summer season is not ideal to visit the Middle Eastern country, winter is most desired for a vacation. Here’s a list of top things you can do while in Dubai in winters.

Visit The Dubai Mall/Burj Khalifa

The Dubai Mall is one of the largest shopping malls in the world. The mall is so huge that you would need more than one day to explore all of it. Here you can shop some of the world’s most famous luxury and high street brands from clothing, accessories to cosmetics. You can also eat some delicious food at the mall while enjoying the dancing fountain at the outskirts of the mall which has special shows every half an hour which are free to watch.

Just outside the Dubai Mall is the Burj Khalifa which is known to be the tallest building in the world.

Recreational activities inside the mall include The Dubai Ice Rink, VR Park, KidZania, Reel Cinemas just to name a few.

There is also The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo located on the ground floor of the mall. The fun part is that you can have a look at the underwater species from afar without spending any money or even go inside the aquarium for a fee. Shark diving, cage snorkelling, and glass-bottom boat tours are some quite popular activities for you to take part in.

Visit Global Village

Global Village in Dubai takes place from November till March every year. The entry fee for the park is about AED 15 which boats of iconic landmarks which depict different countries from around the world while serving some of their cultural cuisines. The village is open daily in these days from 4pm to 12am.

Visit Miracle Gardens

While being home to 50 million species of flowers covering 72,000 square metres, The Miracle Gardens hold the title of being the world’s largest natural flower garden. In addition, you can also witness some exceptional 3D structures in the gardens. Miracle Gardens are open daily from 9am to 9pm while entry free starts from AED 40.

Visit Souk Madinat Jumeirah

Souk Madinat Jumeirah will transport you to the Arabesque era while in the market you can shop for traditional spices, jewellery and cultural handicrafts. You can also take a boat ride in the abra which is a special Emirati boat and enjoy traditional cuisine in the area.

Go for Desert Safari

Book a Desert Safari and speed through the dunes. You can also race on quad bikes which in the desert. Once you’re done, you can enjoy some belly dancing with exceptional food.

Take a day trip to Abu Dhabi

Take a day trip to Abu Dhabi which is only about 1 and a half hours drive. Over there you should visit the Ferrari World Amusement Park which is home to the world’s fastest roller coaster.

While in Abu Dhabi one can also visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque which is popular for being the title holder of the world’s largest carpet in the prayer hall.

Anyone and everyone who is a pet lover knows how much mess they can make which is why animal lovers need to make their homes pet friendly. Here’s a few tips on how you can do just that:

Ditch the carpets

Furry Pets tend to shed a lot and you don’t want your whole house covered in hair or be sneezing and not be able to clean up the place if you’ve got carpets all over. Instead of getting your whole room carpeted, try and get your room in ceramic tiles or wooden flooring. They are much more easier to clean than carpets (which by the way, cats really like to scratch to sharpen their claws). You can also invest in slip proof rugs to make the place look less untidy.

Choose furniture smartely

You can’t really stop your furry friends from sitting on your furniture so choose a quilt or rug to place over them. Be sure to wash them regularly though. Use non toxic cleaners and sprays to clean your furniture as well in case your pets tend to scratch them. Avoid investing in super expensive furniture though because you don’t want to be upset if it gets ruined.

Move small decorations out of sight

Move small pieces of decorations out of sight and reach of your pets. Any breakable items should be kept in enclosed cabinets as cats and dogs tend to get over excited and might jump around and such items may be prone to breakage. Again, you don’t want to get upset due to loss of such items especially if they’re expensive.

Get trash cans with lids on them

Surely you don’t want a mess around your house if your pet knocks over your trash can while playing or running around. In this case, it is advisable to get trash cans with lids on them.

Designate eating spots for the pets

Place your pets’ eating bowls in one designated spot and train them to eat their and also not create a mess. You can take a trip to the pet store and buy 2-3 bowls which look super cute. You should also place your furry friends food securely in cabinets and only give it to them at proper timings.

Bathe your pets regularly

Your pets need to be groomed and bathed regularly so there is less fur and less mess around the household. This way you and your pet can also be safe from any allergies.

Secure electrical cords properly

Secure electrical cords away and out of sight from pets at all times. You don’t want them to get tangled in them or worse get an electrical shock. Cover and tuck them as far away as possible.

The Nokia 3 launched in Pakistan in June 2017. The Nokia 3 Price in Pakistan is at Very Nominal Rates of PKR 16,400.

The Nokia 3 comes in 5 inches screen display with IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display which means pixels are quickly activated thus increasing speed which in turn enhances contrasts and lights of the smartphone. The smartphone comes in corning gorilla glass protection making it 80% prone to breakages.

Moving on the screen resolutions are 720 x 1280 pixels with a pixel density of 294 dpi which allows the smartphone owners to use the phone in harsh sunlight as well as the brightness is enhanced. The weight of the handset is 140 grams and supports dual nano sim system. The Nokia 3 runs on an Android 7.0 Nougat system which is upgradable to 8.0 Oreo system.

Furthermore, the smartphone has a capacitive touchscreen technology with an internal memory of 16 GB ROM with 2 GB RAM processed with 1.4 Quad core cortex processor while it has a memory card slot which can hold upto 256 GB memory.

The phone has a 10 point multi touch screen which means it has excellent and smooth touch while typing and scrolling through apps.

The Nokia 3 has a 8 MP front camera with a front flash light. The back camera also is of 8 MP and has an auto focus and contains dual LED and dual tone flash with features of geo tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, HDR and making videos in 720p@30fps. Some of the best features of the smartphone is that you can click photos in low lighting conditions. It can also take photos in selfie focus while blurring the background, almost like a bokeh mode and also wide angle selfies.

The Nokia 3 runs on 4g LTE connectivity which is a very fast system. Furthermore, it supports all bands within the region including 2g and 3g. You can also connect WiFi, 4.0 Bluetooth and FM radio with RDS on it. The smartphone has an endurance rating for upto 53 hours.

The Nokia 3 has a non removable 2630 mAh battery but doesnot have Type C USB support means it can not be charged with a fast charger.

Additionally, it comes with micro usb cable and headphones. The Nokia 3 has a 24 month warranty. The smartphone comes silver white, matte black, tempered blue and copper white colors.

The Nokia 3 price in Pakistan is just PKR 16,400. Since the smartphone was released two years ago, it might be available in even lesser price now.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression which can affect anyone whether and usually comes and goes with the seasons mostly beginning in the start of fall or winter and going around spring time.

Symptoms of SAD

Some of the symptoms related to this disorder include lack of interest in activities, sleeping too much, lethargy, gaining weight, loss of appetite, lack of concentration in work or other activities, suicidal thoughts, social withdrawal, etc.

Seasonal Affective Disorder may occur due to a number of reasons. During fall/winter months our body receives less sunlight while darkness is more apparent, this in turn can affect melatonin levels (which is a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle), thus resulting in changes in sleeping patterns and leaving us feeling gloomy and upset.

Secondly, the lack of sunlight and Vitamin D can cause changes in the body thus triggering depression. The lack of sunlight can also cause a drop in serotonin levels (a chemical in the body which helps regulate mood, social behavior, sleep, memory patterns, etc) in the brain which can trigger depressive state.

Who all can suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Anyone can suffer from this type of disorder some categories include:

• Females
• Any person having a previous diagnosis of depression
• Anyone having a family history of this type of depression
• Younger people and children
• Anyone who lives in a country which receives lesser sunlight throughout the year

How to cure Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Get Professional Help – If you’ve had symptoms of SAD in the fall/winter months during the last two years, only then you are affected by the disorder. You must seek professional help in such a case. If you feel you can not cope yourself, a psychiatrist or therapist may be able to help you. Pay attention to your mind, body and overall physical state and visit a professional.

Antidepressant Medication – Medication should only be taken when prescribed by a professional for disorders.

Light Therapy – This is a therapy related to receiving light to cure the symptoms of SAD. During this method, you can sit or work near a device known as a light therapy box. This box will give you bright light which will feel like outdoor natural light. It is a safe way of treatment and has few side effects.

Vitamins and Supplements – Sunlight gives off Vitamin D but if you’re unable to receive much of it during the season, you can surely take supplements of Vitamin D. Other than that, Vitamin B6, B12 and omega fatty acids also improve mood and energy levels.

Eat the right food – Eating the right food can help increase energy levels and mood. Foods which contain carbs should be mostly avoided when you’re feeling symptoms of sad. Such foods are bread, pasta, potato chips, etc. You should try and eat healthy foods such as fish, berries, vegetables, etc.

Outdoor activities – Going out while there is daylight should be on your agenda. You can either take a walk outside or do some sort of exercise while taking in the sunlight while it is still there. Yoga, meditation and any other physical activity can also help cure SAD and ease the symptoms making you feel chirpy and happy.

Moving to a new area or a whole new city can be a daunting and overwhelming experience. Not only do you have to start over but you also need to settle down and get on with life. Here’s a guide on how to start over when moving to a new area or city:

Update your mailing address with a new one

Update your mailing address so you can get all your important mails at the right place. Moreover, be sure to cancel subscriptions for the older place so any new people who are moving in won’t be pestered with your name.

Additionally, get new subscriptions at your new place with the cable company, your new work place (if you have moved for work), the bank and so on.

Be friendly with the neighbours

When you are done and settled in your new home, get to know your neighbours. Go over to their place and introduce yourself. Once you’re friendly and get to them, if you ever have a problem or emergency, you’ll know you can count on them.

Your new neighbors can also tell you more about the area or any shops, eateries, etc which you can visit and explore in your spare time.

Get a new doctor/dentist

Find a new doctor and dentist in your vicinity which you can visit for regular checkups or emergencies.

Check the new area out

Go exploring the new area on foot and you’ll surely find some amazing places which can become regular hangout spots. You can use Google Maps so that you don’t get lost while exploring and just let yourself loose.

Check the new cafe out

A cafe which serves good coffee, tea and snacks should be a must on your list for your regular hangout spot. Anytime you have to work from home, you can come down here and change your setting to have a fresh mind regarding your work. On the other hand, a good regular hangout spot can help you make friends who visit the place often.

Meet new people through communities

Join your nearest community which holds events or meetups for people living in the vicinity. This can help you meet new people and make friends and even find a job.

Find or settle in the new job

If you have moved for a job, it would hardly take time for you to get busy. But if you have moved and don’t have a job yet, you really need to start looking for one. Look for jobs online which match your skill set or go online on job websites and drop your CV at designated emails. In the meantime, you can also do volunteer work which can help you land a job.

Enrol in baking classes or any other short courses

If you’re passionate about something or have a talent such as baking, cooking or any other, you can enrol yourself in classes to learn more about it.

While there is no dearth of picnic spots and places to explore in Lahore, one can always undertake a day trip to a never seen before place. Here’s a list of popular places to go for on a one day trip from Lahore:

Hiran Minar (Sheikhupura)

Hiran Minar is located in Sheikhupura and was built by Mughal Emperor Jehangir in 1606. While Hiran Minar literally translates to Deer Tower in English, it is believed that the 30 meter high tower was built in loving memory of Jehangir’s pet antelope whose name was Mansraj. There is a hunting pavilion called baradari which is built in the centre and accessible through a bridge which is a popular spot for photo shoots, whether it is fashion shoots or just family fun shoots. Many brands have shot their ad campaigns at Hiran Minar while many people come to the place for picnics and spending time with their families for a one day trip.

Hiran Minar is at a 40 to 50 KM distance and can be reached in one hour.

Changa Manga (Kasur)

Changa Manga is actually the world’s oldest and largest hand planted forests located in Kasur. This forest was planted during the British rule in 1886 and remains one of the most popular picnic spots for families and tourists to visit.

Changa Manga also has a beautiful lake with boating facilities. Moreover, the tourist attraction near Lahore also houses swimming pools, a waterfall, a water turbine, suspension bridges, a children’s play area, mini zoo and spectacular wildlife park covering about 40 acres of land. To make things easier for the visitors, a tram also runs through all major spots inside the park.

If you plan on spending more than one day exploring the forest, you can even book accommodation at Changa Manga Tourist Resort and explore nature at its very best. The forest is about 80 KM from Lahore and takes 1 and a half hour to reach.

Oasis Golf and Aqua Resort (Multan Road,Lahore)

Located on the outskirts of Lahore after just an hours drive, Oasis Golf and Aqua Resort is a members only amusement park. The luxury resort which is seemingly popular for it’s water slides and top notch swimming services also offers horse riding, archery, snooker, golf and other leisure facilities.

If one doesn’t have a membership, than they can go with someone who is a member.

Rana Resort (Head Baloki)

Rana Resort was established in 2007 and is situated in Head Baloki about 66 KM and 1 and half hours drive from Lahore. The resort has a wildlife sanctuary that allows visitors to see many animals in all their glory.

Rana Resort and Safari Park also offers different sorts of recreational facilities to its visitors, including boat rides, swimming pools, bonfire and a designated BBQ area and the likes. One can also enjoy camel and horse riding in the park.

The entry fee for Rana Resort is PKR 200 per person. However, there are separate charges for the swimming pool and the train ride. One can also spend a night at the resort for which certain rates apply. The resort also allows people to hold birthday parties and other private events on their premises.