The COVID-19 outbreak has compelled us to reevaluate and introspect a lot of things in life.

What would your city do if it were struggling with perennial traffic congestion? India would bet big on a rollout of metro railways in as many cities as possible. Japan probably has no clue about the word ‘traffic’. China would build something to flaunt their tech superiority. No kidding; they are already working on a 1000-kmph ‘Super Maglev’ to take on Hyperloop.

Aargh! Yet another G? And, just after we have just come to terms with LTE! So, what is this 5G? What is so special about it? First, let us take a lookback at the timeline of cellular network technology. 0G was the era of the analog radiotelephone. 1G introduced the world to mobile phones. 2G kick-started mobile revolution and allowed users to digitally text one another. 3G transported mobile phone users online for the first time. 4G supplied faster speeds that you and I enjoy today.

Ask any of my management students, and they will tell you that I begin my Business Ethics lectures with Prof. Viru Sahastrabuddhe’s epic quote “This is not a philosophy class”.

Disclaimer first: I am as comfortable with the concept of bitcoin as Indian cricketers are on Australian pitches. Few days earlier, a student of mine asked me “Sir, should I invest in Bitcoin or should I go for Ethereum?” Now, I do make a few petty investments here and there, but I certainly don’t know how I achieved the reputation of being a cryptocurrency-consultant. Nonetheless, I (visibly rattled) muttered something, which no cryptologists can probably decipher. Yeah, that student is never coming back to me again.

“Alexa, order batteries.” “Hey Cortana, add milk to my grocery list!” “Okay Google, what are best deals at Walmart today?” While a substantial chunk of avant-garde tech-savvy consumers will have already smelled out what’s been cooking here, allow me explicate for my technology-challenged readers, somewhat like me.