I am not sure how many people actually know of this sleek user-friendly tool on Microsoft Edge. It is called the Immersive Reader. Staying true to its name, it is a great tool for readers to indulge in.
Take a look at this article with distracting elements (navbar, widgets, ads).
Article without immersive reader enabled
Now, click on the Immersive Reader option next to your URL bar.
Click to enable
And, voila! You can now read the article peacefully.
Immersive Reader Enabled
I feel this is great for reading long articles. It has a very Kindle-like experience to it. You can increase the font size using the “Text Preferences” tool. You can change the theme as well. There are many options which I have not yet explored. As a reader, I want to focus just on the article, with the freedom to increase its font size if need be. This tool offers all that and more.
You can also use the “Read Aloud” feature if you want the article to be read out to you. The voice is as natural as it can get, not sounding robotic.
The Immersive Reader is still in its early stages. It does not always render the correct page, and you have to wait till the page loads completely to see the icon. But so far, I am extremely pleased.
If you do not see the Immersive Reader icon on Microsoft Edge:
Make sure you are viewing an article and not the home page
Wait till the page loads completely
If you still do not see the icon, use read:// before the URL. For example if the URL is 𝚑𝚝𝚝𝚙𝚜://𝚠𝚠𝚠.𝚖𝚜𝚗.𝚌𝚘𝚖/𝚎𝚗-𝚒𝚗/𝚗𝚎𝚠𝚜/𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛/𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚕-𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚖-𝚝𝚘-𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜-𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍-𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜-𝚒𝚗-𝚋𝚒𝚑𝚊𝚛-𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎-𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚜-𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚎-𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎/ then use 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍://𝚑𝚝𝚝𝚙𝚜://𝚠𝚠𝚠.𝚖𝚜𝚗.𝚌𝚘𝚖/𝚎𝚗-𝚒𝚗/𝚗𝚎𝚠𝚜/𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛/𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚕-𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚖-𝚝𝚘-𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜-𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍-𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜-𝚒𝚗-𝚋𝚒𝚑𝚊𝚛-𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎-𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚜-𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚎-𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎/ to launch the article in the Immersive Reader.
How is Googling a skill? Anyone can search on Google, right?
Yes, but not everyone does. Why? Because most people do not like to research or read.
In the tech industry, many of the answers are easily available online. Just a search away. It is very rare that you are the first one to face an issue. For a lot of coders, Stack Overflow is like a second home.
Whichever industry you are in currently, Googling is a good skill to have. It is right there, all the details, 24×7, for free. If you are able to research and find out an answer on Google for most of your problems, then in my opinion, that IS a skill. To learn more, to be self-reliant, without being overly dependent on others, is a skill.
Even if you get help from someone, you should STILL Google about it to learn more. Most people are too busy to get into in-depth teaching. They will just touch the topic at a high-level. I always make it a point to do some Googling when someone offers me a solution. It has helped me a lot in building on my base knowledge.
Why Do So Many People Dislike Googling?
People are hesitant to Google for an answer even if it is much easier than waiting for an answer from someone.
We are all naturally lazy (including yours truly). We just want all the answers to come to us without effort. We like to be spoon-fed without lifting a finger (even if it is for a search engine that automatically does the rest of the work for you). But growth happens (as cliché as the next line might sound) – “outside our comfort zone.”
I realized many people are bad at Googling when I posted snippets of some random articles on my Instagram story (with the title, website name et all), and my friends still asked me for the link instead of searching on Google using the article name. Mind you, to provide them the article link, I had to go through the exact same steps – search using the article name on Google, copy the URL and paste it on our chat. I did not have the link stored anywhere for easy access.
It continues even today.
Even after explaining to them how to search on Google.
I am not a passive aggressive type, so I find it difficult to use the infamous “sure, let me Google that for you” when someone asks me something that can be easily Googled.
Some Neat Googling Tips & Tricks
Most of the time, we can get what we want by just entering the search query on Google.
But what if we want something extra?
Well, for the curious cats, here are some cool Google search tips and tricks you can use to get a desired result.
Double Quotes
My most favourite.
Use double quotes if you want the exact phrase in the same order to appear in your search results.
For example, “I want to live in New York” will give results where the phrase appears in the exact same order.
Remove the quotes, and you will have the keywords scattered all over the article, and not exactly in the same order.
Using double quotes is also a great way to search for articles using just their titles.
In the example below, I want to search for posts that have mentioned “I want to live in new york” in the exact same order.
Using Double Quotes to Search for the Exact Phrase on Google
Define
Defines a word and also includes an audio clipping on how to pronounce it correctly.
Use Define: followed by the word.
Use Define: to Find Out How a Word is Defined and Pronounced
Search
Searches for results on a specific site.
Use Search: followed by the website URL and search query.
In the example below, I want to search all recipes for apple pie on YouTube.
Use Search: to View Search Results from a Specific Site
Asterisk*
Use the * asterisk symbol to let Google do the guessing work. This allows you to see the most popular search phrases that match a part of your query.
Insert * wherever you want Google to add in the most popular search words/phrases. In the example below, I have used how to * money, so it will consider popular search phrases like how to make money, how to earn money etc.
Use Asterisk (*) to Search for Missing Words
Related
If you find a website you really like, and wish to see similar ones, use Related: followed by the URL of the website you liked.
In the example below, I want websites similar to Udemy that offers courses online.
Use Related: to Find Related Websites
Tilde~
This is a great way to include synonyms.
Use ~ before the word that requires synonyms.
Use Tilde (~) to Find Synonyms
Location-specific
If you wish to see search results only related to a specific location use location: after the search phrase.
Use Location: to Find Specific Location Results
File Type
In case you are looking for content in a particular format, use filetype: followed by the type of file (example: pdf).
Use Filetype: to Search for Specific Formats
Exclude
Exclude something from search results by using dash –.
For example, let us consider the example below, when you type -money, this means you want Google to exclude the word “money” from the search results. I have additionally added another exclusion, that is the website YouTube.com.
Exclude Certain Words & Sites from Results (Potato Milk?! You learn something new everyday :))
Over the past one year, I have been trying not to announce all my latest material possessions, achievements and personal milestones online.
Why? To find out if I can enjoy them without the world getting to know.
I used to be obsessed with posting everything on the gram. Every little thing. “If it’s not online, it never happened,” applied to me. But then I started getting agitated – when I didn’t get enough likes, when my friends or relatives whom I thought are close didn’t respond as often. It sucked out the joy in me and I felt I was getting more and more negative with every passing post.
It was then that I decided to cut back on announcing everything online.
I realized, weirdly, once online, a personal achievement didn’t feel personal anymore. It is now out in the open for the world to judge. It kind of loses its value (for me, at least).
Exposing something that’s near and dear to you has its cons. Once it’s out there, after a day or two, when the comments and likes dwindle down, you lose the high. And then you are looking for the next high. Another super hit post that can derive the maximum likes and comments. You forget to just “sit” with your latest achievement. Your high is not linked with your achievement anymore, it is linked to those likes and comments.
I realized by not posting online, I was able to extend this high. Savor it like slow-cooked food instead of junk. The type of soul-food that’s healthy for you. A high that lasts for days, weeks and sometimes even months. You look back at the milestone and it still seems raw and precious, not yet exposed to anyone’s judgments. It is something that I am enjoying and appreciating a lot honestly.
This is not just applicable for achievements by the way, it can be a selfie that you love, a video you took to capture the beauty around you, a beautiful moment.
Sometimes, the intensity with which you feel about something is not reflected by the people around you, and we all know how big a mood dampener that can be. Our highs might (just might) end up not feeling like a high anymore. Something gets lost in the whole process of displaying things online. For me, it feels like whatever I have posted about has been disconnected from me, and now it’s up to the others to give it value.
I keep telling my friends that if ever there comes up an old-school social media network, that doesn’t rely on validation like likes, I would gladly join it, and ditch the others.
Most of my posts are limited to Insta stories nowadays and are aimed at providing information that others might find helpful in some way – on what I have used, the benefits, cons if any, experiments, thoughts. Rarely about what I have achieved. I share that with my loved ones, but not online.
The rest are for me to savor. For my mind alone, for my heart to hold dear.
I close my eyes and think of all my blessings and feel this surge in energy. It is something everyone should experience. Makes you feel the world is a wonderful place.
But I am privileged.
I can afford to shut my eyes and just lose sense of my surroundings.
There are many right now in war-torn areas who are afraid to even get a good night’s sleep, let alone shut their eyes to meditate.
How did we land up so lucky? To be able to enjoy this peace and calm.
How did they get so unlucky?
Prayers do not seem to be the answer, because for sure many in turbulent places are religious.
It is more or less like a casino, where a country’s fate is decided over a roll of dice.
Only if luck could be donated like money. Everyone would have contributed a bit to ensure no country is left empty.
Still I pray for Afghanistan. It is the only thing I can do.
I pray for other countries too who have not experienced what freedom is like.
It is said that only when you experience something, do you understand its value. When you have never been free, you do not know what it is like, so the pain is less. But when you have experienced freedom and you lose it, you feel pain, because you now know how liberating it can be, and how happy it made you feel.
A bird whose cage has been opened, will look around for a while, unsure and skeptical. But it will eventually fly away and appreciate its new found freedom.
Let’s hope all countries get to that point one day, where the cage opens, and the birds stare at the world in wonder, finally free.. to choose life. The only life they will get to live.
Take a look at Twitter, and you will see never-ending debates on whether startups or MNCs are the best.
Having worked in both, here are my 2 cents.
MNCs or established, large companies might be the better option for you if you want:
Higher pay: Big companies are willing to pay the best of the best for talent
Better job security: They have been in the business for a longer time and are more stable
Well equipped work space: They have the money to invest in the best tools and resources needed for upgrading your work
Better perks: Health benefits, freebies
Cons:
Office politics: This was the worst part for me.
Feeling undervalued: There are a lot of employees, and it is practically impossible for the higher order to listen to everyone. Your opinions or inputs tend to be given less importance.
Not flexible: Most of the companies want you to stick to their rules. Employees are rarely consulted on what *they* want.
Startups or smaller companies might be the better option if you want:
More job satisfaction: The pride you feel when your company is growing is unmatched. You played a role in it, and that is a huge achievement.
Less office politics
A tightly-knit workspace where everyone is easily reachable including the CEO
A job where you are valued
Cons:
Lesser pay: Small companies can hardly compete with MNCs when it comes to offering the best pay package
High pressure: Lots of work, less work-life balance
Cash-strapped: Hardly any freebies; access only to those tools that are absolutely essential for your work
Of course, this does not apply to all the MNCs and Startups out there. Each one is different. But from my experience, this is what I have encountered.
Honestly, I feel everyone should try both at least once to see what it is like.
Then go the Marie Kondo way perhaps – choose the one that sparks joy.
To finish this off, posting a snippet I saw on Quora. It made me smile.
It goes without saying that our screen time has doubled (maybe even tripled) after COVID-19 induced lockdowns and quarantines. All that time indoors has made us reach for our devices. So it is not surprising when studies indicate our eye problems have worsened in the last one year or so.
For someone who is working in the field of Information Technology, spending a lot of time staring at the screen is nothing new.
But there is another problem – I love reading.
Physical copies are expensive, and there was a storage problem at home, so I had resorted to using the Kindle app. It was highly convenient. I loved it. But then the eye strain began. Dryness and a heavy feeling above my eyelid. I knew this was happening because of all the phone reading, because when I stopped, the discomfort would subside.
I realized it was time to finally invest in a Kindle.
For someone who loved reading so much, why didn’t I pick up a popular e-reader like the Kindle sooner?
I am frugal. I don’t buy something unless I am absolutely convinced that it would add some kind of value to my life. The reason why I wasn’t convinced is the next point.
I never knew Kindle was anti-glare& easy-on-the-eyes. All I heard from fellow readers was about its space-efficiency. Yes, storage was a problem at home, but that was not a serious concern for me, which leads us to the third point.
I was ignorant. I did not know the benefits of using a Kindle. I did not bother looking too much into it, because a) it wasn’t cheap b) mentioned in the next point.
I was truly happy with my Kindle app. Everything a Kindle could do, my Kindle app was able to do perfectly. The app could even highlight in colors, something the Kindle device could not do. So why even bother?
I am sure there are more, but these are the reasons at the top of my head.
A couple of days back, I finally succumbed and got this Kindle.
In just a day, my eye strain considerably reduced. I do not feel any heaviness or pain. I think I even shed a few happy tears over how relaxed my eyes feel now.
A few reasons why I got the Kindle Oasis.
I initially thought of getting the basic model. But through some research, I realized it is best to invest in an e-reader that offers at least 300 ppi resolution (for sharp text). The basic Kindle model has 167 ppi.
I thought of going for the Paperwhite next. This model generally has the best reviews. It was a close call, but what made me finally get the Oasis was the a) warm, adjustable light b) the page buttons c) a fantastic Amazon Prime Day sale!
I find the warm light really helpful & relaxing for night time reading. The page buttons are okay, but I would have been fine even without them. That said, if there wasn’t a sale going on, I would have gone for the Paperwhite.
An investment for the eyes. That’s how I would prefer to look at it.
The Monkey Dilemma 
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