SAMSUNG GALAXY S7 THE VERDICT 100 May 2016 stu.tv/in
LG G5
cracks it
with swappable smart cards
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UPGRADE U P G R ADE OP T IONS OPTIONS
IT'S REAL! HTC Vive VR gets its first official test
SMOKIN'
ffor or gad gadgets dgetts you already own and love!
Gibson turns up the heat
Panasonic 4K FZ300 cam p52
Road trip in a Duster p78 WIN!
Denon Envaya Mini Bluetooth spea ker p88
SUPERTEST Phablets for the big and famous
WELCO Innovation is dead, or at least you would be thinking so before you turned to p10 of this magazine. LG has gone and done what its competitors have only been dreaming up behind closed doors – to make a phone that’s truly customisable by the user, without compromises. The G5 may not have landed on our shores yet, but it’s ruffling some big feathers in the wake of its international debut and we can’t wait to take it out for a spin. We did get to test out another game-changing gadget before its release this month and you can read all about the HTC Vive VR and how it really is a peek into the very-near-future, on p64. Chances are, you’re just like us here at Stuff and aren’t easily satiated with a stock gadget, and our cover story on p49 will give you enough options to choose amongst the best ways to upgrade your gadgets and infuse a new lease of life in them. Over to tests, we have quite a few big ones, including the definitive verdict on Samsung Galaxy S7 on p62, and if it’s worth your hard-earned beer money. As always, the pace of current tech advances is so rapid that the future seems like it's arrived quicker than expected and this edition of Stuff will take you there, now.
OUR LOGOS EXPLAINED... The bearer of this accolade has gone up against its peer(s) and emerged victorious.
T TES ER NN I W
A gadget sporting this badge is a five-star product, and the one we would buy, if we were us.
T HO Y BU
...and a word about prices Generally, we show the manufacturer’s recommended price. Two exceptions: • Asterisk marked prices (*) are indicative prices and subject to change depending on geographic location. • All prices in the Top 10s are the best we could find at the time of printing.
Nishant Padhiar, Editor / nishant@haymarketsac.com / twitter.com/nishantpadhiar
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david.ryan@haymarket.com Head of Partner Development, Asia: Lisa Vernall lisa.vernall@haymarket.com Partner Account Manager: Luc Higham luc.higham@hotmail.com Partner Account Manager: Giuseppe Messina giuseppe.messina@haymarket.com Managing Director David Prasher Chief Operating Officer Brian Freeman Chief Executive Kevin Costello Chairman Rupert Heseltine
News-Stand Price 100 Volume 08 Issue 06 May 2016 All prices and content correct at the time of going to press. (*denotes indicative pricing)
Cover Model Vartikka Singh Photographer Vikram Bawa Stylist Nazneen Harianawala Make-up and Hair Ambereen Yusuf Dress: Clothing Rental Store Shoes: Zara
All rights reserved. All the data contained in this magazine is based on the information available with the publisher at the time of going to press. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct. However, he can accept no responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions. Unsolicited material – including photographs and transparencies – is used in STUFF India, but is submitted entirely at the owner’s risk, and the publisher accepts no responsibility for its loss or damage. Advertisements are accepted by us in good faith as correct at the time of going to press. Printed and published by Hormazd Sorabjee on behalf of Haymarket SAC Publishing (India) Pvt Ltd, Raheja Xion, 4th/5th Floor, Opp Nirmal Park, Dr B Ambedkar Marg, Byculla (East), Mumbai 400 027. Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd., Kondapur Unit, Survey No 185, Kondapur Village, Serilingampally Municipality RR District 500 133, Telangana. Published at Haymarket SAC Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd., Raheja Xion, 4th/5th Floor, Opp Nirmal Park, Dr B Ambedkar Marg, Byculla (East), Mumbai 400 027. Editor: Nishant Padhiar CIN No. U22120MH1998PTC116780 This magazine contains 110 pages including both covers
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CON S p14
ON THE COVER
P62
p10 It’s a G whizz
HOT STUFF 10 The Hot Four ● LG G5 ● Aston Martin AM37 ● HP Elite x3 ● Nativ Vita/Wave 20 Gigapixel Tuning Fork Eat. Sing. Record. Repeat. 32 Vital stats Garmin Vivosmart HR Big, chunky and very good for your heart 34 Best of… Geneva Motor Show 2016 The latest crazy concepts from Switzerland 36 Vital stats DJI Phantom 4 The drone that refuses to crash into trees 38 Apps Downloads to teach your fingers how to surf 40 Vital stats Ricoh Theta S 360-degrees of visual goodness 42 Games Time-travelling Time tra elling gunplay g nplay in Quantum Break
TESTS p64 Vive vibing
p71 Active American
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62 First test Samsung Galaxy S7 Same goodness without the curves... 64 First test HTC Vive VR extremely pleased to see you 69 Tested Acer Predator 15 Eats puny laptops for brunch! 71 Tested Gibson Les Paul 8 Reference Monitor Our ears get blown on good ol’ Rock ‘n’ Roll 73 Tested Roli Seaboard RISE 25 The future of audio creation is here 81 Supertest Phablets We stretch our pockets testing four of the biggest and best phones on the market 76 Tested Games ● The Division
05.16
SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR BIG SAVINGS OFF THE NEWSSTAND PRICE!
p88
P74
P47
FEATURES 47 Upgrade your gadgets Yes, it’s great, but it could be even better… these are the best techcessories available for our favourite smartphones, DSLR, action cam and drone 66 Smart Tech Techie TLC for your home There’re some brilliant devices out there to turn your pad into a haven of gizmo comfort 74 Techspedition Triumph Tiger Explorer XC We ride deep into a wildlife reserve, scale tire shredding terrain and live to tell the tale 78 Travel Road trip destinations and gear Give the luxury resort a miss this year and go on a cross-country road trip instead 90 Media hoard Stuff reviews Midnight Special and The Brain 108 Next big thing? Forever memory Meet the ‘memory crystal’ capable of holding two billion cat gifs. That’s a lot of whiskers
TOP 10 OF EVERYTHING Looking to buy something but need a bit of advice? Turn to our Stuff Top Tens: our expert listings of all gadgetry, from p93
8 P78
Check out the two spanking new categories in this issue ! on p106,107
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THE ULTIMATE HOME CINEMA EXPERIENCE BenQ’s new W3000 and W2000 Home Video Projectors are here. Giving you Rec.709 colour accuracy, unmatched features, and class-leading optics, right in the comfort of your home. So sit back and get ready for the ride of your life, as your favourite TV shows, blockbuster movies, and sports tournaments come to life thanks to the world’s best imaging technology, only from BenQ!
Rec.709 for accurate colours that take your breath away
Now get a bright, punchy image with BenQ’s image tech
Add some colour to your weekends with BenQ’s Full HD home cinema projectors. Enjoy colours that leap out and grab your attention. Best of all, with BenQ’s 6x RGBRGB colour wheel that meets Rec. 709 norms (the international standard guaranteeing the accurate reproduction of cinematic colour), you know you’re watching a movie just how its creator intended! Combine that with innovative software optimisation and production line testing, and you’re guaranteed the best image quality imaginable.
BenQ’s home cinema projectors pump out a lot of power through every pixel, resulting in a crisp, clear, and lifelike image other projectors could never hope to replicate! A class-leading High-Fill Factor also eliminates any screen door effect. What’s that? You prefer watching art-house flicks with plenty of atmosphere? Great news for you, as BenQ ‘s SmartEco mode lowers the power output during dark scenes, keeping everything authentic! Want more? How about enhanced contrast and deeper blacks?
W2000
W3000
True-to-life Cinematic Colour to your living room *BenQ offers a 2-year onsite warranty on all DLP projectors with a lamp warranty of 6 months or 500 hours, whichever is earlier Website: www.BenQ.co.in
Customer Care Number: 1800-419-9979
Email: sales.enquiryin@BenQ.com
ADVERTORIAL
An easy install experience so you can just push play!
There’s enough space for all your friends and family
No matter how big or small your home theatre room is, you can still get the big picture with unmatched ease! With features like 2D Keystone Correction, Big Zoom, Horizontal / Vertical Lens Shift, and Side Projection, your BenQ projector is so easy to install, you can keep it in any room you want , and that too anywhere - Want to keep it in a corner? Don’t want to remove your stylish furniture? Just tweak the image! In fact, it’s so easy, your friends will all want to borrow your new projector!
Invited all your friends for a brunch and want to watch a new movie? Luckily, everyone can fit in your home theatre room now and still enjoy a picture up to 100inches in size. Yes, your BenQ Full HD projector features Short-Throw Projection, which lets it throw out a 100in picture from as close as 2.5m away. So push the projector close, pull up a few sofas, and make space for everyone in your life! Want more freedom? Get the optional Wireless Full HD Kit and enjoy 100m range with Zero Latency!
CinemaMaster takes your viewing experience up a notch
Flawless optics for the ultimate viewing experience
Stay home on the weekend! Yeah, with BenQ’s CinemaMaster Video+ technology, you don’t need to visit a cinema to get the best movie experience. All thanks to features like Motion Enhancer that smoothens high-intensity action scenes, Colour Enhancer, which balances richer hues and more detailed gradients, Pixel Enhancer, which sharpens detail to give you an immersive experience, and of course, Flesh Tone Enhancer, which optimises skin tones while leaving the rest of the picture untouched!
It’s all about the optics, isn’t it? Lucky you, as BenQ’s 1080p Full HD optical tech uses an all-glass projection system made of the highest grade optical glass with proprietary Low Dispersion lens coatings. What does that mean for the finicky cinema buff? True details possible only with glass, and minimised chromatic aberration. So no matter what format you prefer - DVD, DTH, or Blu-Ray, you’re guaranteed the best picture quality in any viewing conditions. Perfect, isn’t it?
Get blown away with powerful CinemaMaster Audio+
ISFccc Certification for an accurate, true-to-life image
What if your home theatre could bring you the roars of a football ground, the screaming guitars of a concert, and the epic soundtrack of the summer’s blockbusters? Why not! Well, as long as you have BenQ projector! Thanks to CinemaMaster Audio Enhancer with special presets and user-defined EQ, you’re prepared for everything you’d ever want to watch! And with a powerful Chambered Speaker System, even the softest whispers and the biggest explosions will be as clear as you could imagine.
No matter what you want to watch - whether it’s a classic Hollywood flick, a peppy Bollywood hit, a summer action blockbuster, an award-winning documentary, or even live football action, your BenQ projector will make sure you get unmatched image quality. That’s thanks to the magic of BenQ’s ISFccc Certification, which also includes separate day and night modes. What are you waiting for? Gather your friends, take out your Blu-Rays, and make tonight the ultimate movie night!
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One look at you and I can’t disguise, I got tiny eyes LG’s 360 VR is the smallest, lightest headset around. Instead of putting your phone inside, a USB-C cable attaches to the G5. The phone then turns into a controller for interacting with what’s on screen. The idea isn’t to go after the gaming crowd but to get VR out of the house.
New! Two! It’s official: two cameras is the new camera. The first looks like a repeat performance for the G4’s 16MP sensor, complete with laser focus for super-quick response and 75° field of view. The second pairs an 8MP sensor with a whopping 135° lens. It’s like carrying a DSLR with two lenses. Except, completely inferior. But, convenient!
MORE LG LAB ESCAPEES…
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LG 360 CAM
LG ROLLING BOT
Looking a lot like the venerable Ricoh Theta, this point-and-click cam has twin 13MP cameras with 180° lenses. It’s not as deliciously eyebally as Samsung’s Gear 360, but if LG gets the price right it could be a seriously cheap way to get into VR video.
LG’s engineers have clearly been watching The Force Awakens, except that the Rolling Bot can do a lot more than look adorable. It can control your TV; act as a home-roving security camera; and, thanks to its laser pointer, it could soon be your cat’s best friend.
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X games So proud is LG of some of the G5’s aspects that it’s given them their own phones to play in. Or maybe its just putting into production the test mules it used to develop those features. Either way, the LG X Screen is an affordable phone with the battery-saving always-on screen tech, whereas the X Cam gets the dualcamera smarts.
HANDS-ON WITH THE G5 @stuff_india Press a button on the side of the G5 and the entire bottom piece pops out slightly. With a bit of a yoink it comes out altogether, bringing the battery with it. You can then swap in a fresh battery, or change out the whole module for one with extra features. The phone recognises the module automatically when
you turn it back on. Bang & Olufsen partnered on the Hi-Fi Plus module, which is only marginally larger but adds a 32-bit DAC, good enough for DSD hi-res audio playback. Photographers wil love the Cam Plus plug-in. It’s an extra-steady handhold above all, but it also adds an additional 1200mAh of battery
and physical controls including a two-stage shutter button. All the modules have a pretty much seamless join with the main body – now an all-metal design – and the whole system doesn’t feel at all loose or in danger of falling out. If this is the future of phones, we like what we’re seeing.
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HOT FIVE #3 LOOKS THE BUSINESS HP ELITE X3
If there’s one thing a geek loves, it’s circumventing obstacles to ownership. Time, space and finances can all be bent. Invites, such as those until recently required by OnePlus to buy its phones, can be acquired. In the case of this HP Windows 10 phone, the barrier is that it’s not actually available to buy. Instead, HP will be supplying it to corporate customers: you have to persuade work to buy it for you. It’s a hurdle worth jumping, because the x3 is a fabulous 6in-screened phablet. Mixing business and pleasure, it has a Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 2K 1440x2560 display and Bang & Olufsen speakers. It’s water-resistant, with dual SIM and USB-C. We want one. So if we have to quit our jobs, start up a new business, become successful, hire an IT dept and put in a requisition for an HP Elite x3 then, dammit, that’s what we’ll do. As hot as… a challenged accepted tba / hp.com/in
IT’S A PC IN DISGUISE Because this is a Windows 10 phone, you can connect it via a USB-C cable to a monitor and do some ‘proper’ computing. Which you might actually have to, having just set up a business purely to own one.
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GET FIT.
IN STYLE.
Work out. Night out. Stand out. Whether you’re working out or going out, the new Fitbit Blaze™ is about to ignite your everyday fitness routine. With features like guided workouts, continuous heart rate, call and text alerts, and interchangeable bands, finding your fit has never looked better.
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NATIV VITA Behind the 11.6in Asahi glass is a world of possibilities. Talk to it, touch it, connect it to all the music in the house.
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HOT FIVE #4 SOMETIMES, PLUS IS MORE NATIV VITA / WAVE
NATIVE PULSE Isolating the allimportant power supply from source and DAC helps the music sound better, get it?
Not content with the current face of music, the Hong Kong-based team of Nativ decided to give it a facelift. What they finished with is more like radical plastic surgery. Split into different units that look similarly gorgeous, it’s a r l d system capable bl off revolutionary sound pulling music from any source around the h d it to a spa treatment house, sending th gh the h Wave DAC/headphone h d h through amp d giving you complete l control.l You can and even control it using just your voice and d it to play l the h video d off the h song command y l g to. An Indiegogo d g g project j you’re listening h l f it.. that’s almost a go, we can’t wait for As hot as…having h g Adele as a personal DJJ ba nativsound.com tba/ d m
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The bigger picture in tech
SING. EAT. PERFORM. Restaurants and music spots are aplenty in Maximum City Mumbai. What, then, makes Tuning Fork unique? Besides the ever-changing menu, stage for live acts and a recording room (with industry-grade, specially customised, acoustic panels for recording) and sound engineers who have worked with Coke Studio and such? How about the fact that this place, which buckles up as a recording studio (duh), offers food for the money spent by musicians on the recording? Yes, pay 1 for the recording, and you can redeem food worth the same amount as well. Musical philanthropy at its best, indeed! 20
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NEWS FEED
YOUR PAISA, YOUR RULES Quit using cash or, worse, your chequebook in the age of digital wallets, you neanderthal. Use Vodafone’s M-Pesa to pay your power bills (for Mumbai only) from BEST Undertaking, Reliance Energy and Tata Power Co. Ltd. Safe, secure and wireless, all the way.
DO YOU NEED A DOC? With information on over 400 health conditions, in English and Hindi, reviewed by Apollo Hospitals and Columbia Asia Hospitals, there’s enough material up here to help you get adequate warning signals on that weird wart on your neck. No, don’t go around playing doctor. Rather, use it to figure if you need to see one ASAP.
BROWSER EXTREME If you are looking for a browser that goes beyond Chrome, check out Vivaldi 1.0. There’s support for Chrome extensions, tricks like Tab Stack Tiling, Speed Dial, Mouse Gestures, Web Panels, Notes and Quick Commands, and a host of options for customising. Along with an inbuilt VPN! 21
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Pixel warrior
ASUS REPUBLIC OF GAMERS GT51 Try counting the number of reasons why any selfrespecting gamer would lust after the GT51 and you’ll run out of fingers (and toes) before you’re even halfway done. Let’s start with the fact that this 2016 CES Innovation Award winner uses a monstrous 6th-generation Intel Core i7-6700K processor. Next, you can spec it out with twin NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan graphic cards, which is essential if you want to drive three 4K monitors. But don’t forget its overclocking abilities and the ‘oooh, shiny’ effect from the customisable lighting. from 3,25,900 / asus.com/in
Mirror, mirror, on the wall
OPPO F1 PLUS Selfies. Some say they’re the sole reason we invented smartphones. If you agree, you might want to consider the F1 Plus: a Mediatek Helio P10 processor and 4GB RAM should keep things humming along nicely. Oppo has also fitted a 16MP, f/2,0 camera at the front – you’ll find a ‘special pixel arrangement’ that boosts low-light performance, Beautify 4.0, along with other concessions to your vanity: Panoramic selfie, palm shutter and screen flash. As for the rear camera, it’s got a 13MP resolution and Phase-Detect AF. But hey, it’s all about selfies, right? 26,990 / oppomobile.in
Huawei watchin'
HUAWEI SMARTWATCH CH The latest entrant to the smartwatch brigad de is Huawei with its unique retro looks that frankly, are a sight s for sore eyes. Powered by Android Wear, the watch ca an sync with Android and iOS users and provides alerts for calls, texts, emails and all other forms of what pretty mucch constitutes as digital poking. Bluetooth compatible, it can n sync with a wireless headphone too. You can also use voicce prompts for f everything from navigation to even locating your y 'missing' phone. Honestly, now that's a sight we'd pay y to watch as the search for the phone commencces.. 22,999 / flipkart.com
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PRIME TIME
Quick hands-on review of the coolest watches you need to pay attention to
Weighty issues no more
MERLIN DIGITAL AIR SCALE If you’re a frequent flyer and often suffer from extra baggage issues (physical, not emotional), this is just the tool for you. The nifty digital Air Scale can weigh anything from as little as 100gm to upto 40kg. With an easily legible numeric display, the Air Scale also doubles up as a USB charger with a hefty 5200mAh battery on board, so you can easily mask your neurosis. Hugs, bro... 5200 / mymerlin.in
Nooka Zem Zot Nightwatch $325 / nooka.com New York based Nooka has a penchant for crafting watches that look futuristic and tell time in the most exclusive way possible. This one, the Zem Zot carries the tradition forward while looking sharp and offering exquisite build quality and craftsmanship. We did find it difficult to tell the time for the first couple of days, however, you will easily be able to spot the hour between the 12 dots and the minutes through the horizontal bar. Its TDF LCD Electroluminescent display offers amazing visibility in broad daylight and the leather strap hugs the wrist in the most comfortable manner possible. We love this crazy watch.
Gimme fuel, gimme fire e
CREO MARK 1 We hate the garish skins and ov ver-the-top h UI we see on certain Android devicces, but b Creo say y they’ve been listening to us and that we might g like what they have on offer. Witth a Helio X10, 3GB RAM, 3100mAh battery, 32 2GB storage (expandable), the Mark 1’s hardware seems tasty enough, but it's the Fuel OS O that h really lly sounds good: A light touch on Google's gl UI, yet y with nifty features like anti-theft alerts that can’t be defeated with a factory y reset, customisable buttons, smart ro oaming for dual SIMs, OTP copy... Yup, temp pting.. 19,999 / creosense.com
Titan Juxt
from 15,995 / titan.co.in/juxt Titan has finally given in to temptation and given us the formidable Juxt smartwatch. It functions as a regular analogue watch with the added smart features that involve notification updates (incoming calls, email, Whatsapp, Twitter and more) via the tiny display on the watch face. Smartphones with Android 4.4 or iOS 8.1 and upwards are supported and it even supports activity tracking with daily, weekly and monthly monitoring of fitness goals. We quite like the way this watch is designed and it doesn't dissapoint when it comes to build quality. For a first effort, this one gets our thumbs up. 25
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VS Let Louie be!
EVOXY EVOTAG Loony Louie’s a bit of a goofball. With his head in the clouds, people often find themselves keeping a track of him, lest he gets lost. Simply put, he’s the reason the buddy system was invented. Instead of worrying about him, just make sure Louie’s wearing the tiny, waterproof Evotag and you can easily trace him via the companion app. Using Bluetooth Low Energy Technology, the tag has a battery life of one year and a motion detection range of up to 70 metres. Let him wear it as a neckpiece or put it in his bag, and let Louie go on and be the eccentric genius he’s bound to be. 1399 / snapdeal.com
Give Louie more
WILDCRAFT SPOT Sure, dear Louie’s happy to run about. But what if he goes beyond the 70-metre range? Well, you’ll need to call in the big guys. We’re talking Wildcraft’s Spot which supports a SIM, due to which it can be tracked by GPS via its companion app. Resembling the dial of a smartwatch, the pendant boasts of an accuracy of up to 10 meters. Louie also has an option of sending out an SOS to preregistered contacts, movement within a set up perimeter of upto 2km, movement out of which will alert said contacts, and much more. Screw comaprisons; Louie's happy. 5995 / wildcraft.in
QUICKTEST Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 9999 / amazon.in
Hey there good looking! Xiaomi’s UI, the MIUI 7.0 is delectable as it is slick. With nifty little touches that give you the satisfaction of a job well done, the Lollipop OS-toting Redmi Note 3 is a breeze to navigate through. We’re beginning to understand what goes into being brand Xiaomi. Unlocking the device is quick and using the finger sensor is a delight. It does stick at times (with a success rate of about 80%) but we’re not complaining.
Xiaomi is one brand of smartphones that well, to be honest, eluded our radar for mysterious reasons. But that hasn't stopped the brand from going from strength to strength with a consistent perfomance that's garnered a fiercely loyal fanbase rivaling Rajnikant's.
Goodbye Mediatek. Hello Qualcomm! The Mediatek chip has been bid adieu for a snazzy Snapdragon 650. With a 2GB RAM and 16GB memory, the handset is fast, doesn’t grumble during multitasking and will definitely wow those used to standard 10k handsets. The big gorgeous 5.5in Full HD is a delight to look at, delivering deep blacks and excellent brightness.
This is a 10K smartphone. No, seriously! From the moment you look at it, pick it up and get used to it's smooth, thin and svelte 'fruit brand-inspired' form factor, to noticing a finger sensor on the back – it's all a doozy. Why? Well, given the entry of amazing smartphones in the 10K price range, the Xiaomi has definitely raised the bar with the Note 3 and for a mere 2K more you get a 3GB and 32GB memory variant. Sweet eh.
Photography skills: Level Xiaomi Xiaomi is known to punch way above its belt in this department. A capable 16MP rear camera with dual ISPs for post-processing of photos make for some crisp clicks with a fairly quick focus. Low light does tend to take a bit of beating with noise creeping in. Selfies seldom disappoint on the 5MP cam.
brand’s love. The quick charge feature was a lifesaver at more than one occasion. The only downside – the unit gets uncomfortably warm during charging and that’s definitely a no-no.
Whole h l lotta l battery b love l Whenever you see a hefty battery size that goes the distance, one cannot help but feel the
Stuff says ★★★★✩
Sturdy and slick looks, a finger sensor and a lot more make it the 10K smartphone
Life in the fast lane Audi celebrates the achievements of an immensely talented group of youngsters by getting them together for a special track day at the Buddh International Circuit
Success comes naturally to them, and so does dedication, hard work, and that essential drive to succeed. While the rest of us wonder where we’re headed in life, these folks know exactly where they’re going, and nothing can distract them. It’s this zest for life that’s given them a place in the Friends of Audi programme. Conceived with the aim of discovering and working with youth making waves in their
THE AUDI FLEET - THE TT, RS7, RS6, S5, A6, A4, A3 AND THE A3 CABRIOLET - WAS OUT IN FULL FORCE
chosen fields, this initiative recently brought this talented group together along with a fleet of Audi cars at the nation’s foremost race track. The Audi RS7, Audi TT, Audi RS6, Audi S5, Audi A6, Audi A4, Audi A3 and the Audi A3 Cabriolet - a bevy of gorgeous, finely engineered beauties. And giving them company were some fast-rising stars. Here’s a quick look at how this special day went!
ADVERTORIAL
FANTASTICALLY ACCOMPLISHED CARS AND PLENTY OF CONVERSATION
L-R: Soundarya Jayachandran, Dhruv Mathur, Suchita Salwan, Trishala Sikka, Shereen Bharwani, Shuchir Suri, Anjali Batra, Sharmila Nicollet, Bhumika Bhatia, Nishka Lulla, Dhruv Mehra, Dhruv Visvanath, Aditya Patel
BETWEEN YOUNG RISING STARS LIVING THEIR DREAMS
BHUMIKA BHATIA
ANAHITA DHONDY
SUCHITA SALWAN
SHUCHIR SURI
Photographer This young artist started off painting, sketching and writing, and then picked up the camera. “It’s been almost a year since I’ve been associated with the brand. It’s been a great experience.”
Chef, Sodabottleopenerwala A passion for food inspired a young Anahita to start baking. By the age of 14, she knew she wanted to be a chef. “Fast cars and a kitchen are similar in so many ways... It’s the same rush that I get when driving.”
Founder & CEO, Little Black Book Her local discovery startup has made us fall in love with our cities once again. “Audi resonates with people who want to live life more interestingly, want to be adventurous and have fun while working hard.”
Founder, Food Talk India Shuchir believes in a life packed with passion. “My passion for food got me into this business. My real passion for cars came when Audi gave me the opportunity to get a real feel of the car.”
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Phantastic prosumer
SONY A68 Not all of us are the spiritual successors of Ansel Adams. But not having the talent to turn even a humdrum scene into a B&W photo with ‘soul’ doesn’t mean you stop working on your craft. Why not get yourself a meaty prosumer camera – like Sony’s new A68 – and get cracking? The A68 works with A-mount lenses so you have a big selection to choose from, there’s a 24MP Exmor sensor with great lowlight performance and nippy 4D focus for when you’re handed the camera at your nephew’s birthday party. from 55,990 / sony.co.in
Lumia goes 4G
MICROSOFT LUMIA 650 DUAL SIM There’s some die-hard Windows fans (or ex-hipsters, if you please) and Lumia keeps the torch burning for them. The latest is a Windows 10-running, 5in OLED HD display-sporting, dual SIM smartphone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 1.3 GHz Quad core chipset, a 2000mAh battery and 8MP/5MP cameras, all at a slim 6.9mm thickness. What’s new? Well, 4G compatibility. And with a 1GB RAM and 16GB memory, there just might be enough neigh in this horse to gallop with the competition. 15,199 / amazon.in
Wherever I may roam
PIONEER AVIC-F80BT “The earth becomes my bride,” snarled James Hetfield. If you share similar sentiments, Pioneer has a guide to, er, your wife, so to speak, and only in India, to be specific. The AVIC-F80BT is a 7in multicoloured LED display-sporting, navigation-cum-entertainment system, powered by Apple CarPlay, no less. Featuring Bluetooth, dual USB slots and a steering wheel control for many cars. It boasts of a hybrid positioning system with turn-by-turn guidance for more than 7000 cities and 5,00,000 towns/villages across India. Try getting lost, we dare you. 51,990 / pioneer-india.in
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RUNNING FREE Garmin Vivosmart HR 14,999 / garmin.co.in
The Garmin Vivosmart HR thinks it can cut through the fitness band clutter with its heart rate tracker and music control features
[ Words: Vaibhav Sharma]
● Another fitness tracker? The recent flood of fitness trackers is almost enough to put you off exercise. But we’ll cut the Vivosmart HR some slack as it’s packed with features that make your morning run seem less like punishment for the cheesecake you gobbled up for dinner. ● Muscle-bound band This Vivosmart HR doesn’t try to pass itself off as one of those svelte bracelets a flower-power 32
vegan would wear to a full moon meditation. It’s chunky and big, but happily so, in a sensible, meatand-potatoes kinda way. And with 5ATM water resistance, you don’t have to mollycoddle it like a baby. ● Heart skipped a beat? The ‘Elevate’ heart rate sensor reports your calorie consumption based on how fast the ol’ ticker’s going. There’s a barometric sensor that tracks the floors you elevator hogs deign to climb, and yup, it’ll also observe your sleep patterns. ● Notify that, punk When was the last time you received an SMS? Been a while, right? So it should please you to
learn that the Vivosmart HR can alert you not just to texts and calls but also email, calendar and other notifications you get. And you have to love the Garmin Connect app’s smart target feature - which adjusts its goals to help motivate anyone allergic to exercise. ● Mission control says hello The Vivosmart’s monochrome 160 x 68 touchscreen might seem rather poky for this day and age, but keep in mind this is an activity tracker, not a smartwatch. The touchscreen also comes in handy for controlling music on your phone. And if you’ve got a ViRB camera, just hook ‘em both up to control it from a distance.
IT’S NOT THE SLIMMEST FITNESS BAND, BUT IT COMES ARMED WITH PLENTY OF NEAT LIL’ FEATURES
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Run chubby run!
TECHNOGYM SKILLMILL This is what is probably missing from your workouts, the only thing that might actually make you lose weight. Meet the Skillmill from Technogym – a non-motorised product that offers exercises that help burn up all that accumulated mozzarella-fat from pizzas consumed. The main tool of Athletic Performance Training, a new methodology for improving sports-related fitness, the Skillmill assists in raising your metabolic activity and engaging maximum muscle activation. Fully integrated with Mywellness, Technogym’s cloud-based training platform and the Mywellness training app, there’s no excuse left for hanging on to those love handles anymore. from 2,00,000 / technogym.com
Avast, ye Midgardians!
BEEROSPHERE THOR’S BEER MUG If you, like us, think of yourselves as heathen gods meant to drink beer in any way but the mundane, then you ought to just head to utpatang.com and get yourself the mug of the gods. Don’t feel ‘Thor’ish? You must be lying. Regardless, Beerosphere has heard the call of every ice-blooded beer guzzler and gone beyond the glass to bring you a smorgasbord of beer-themed paraphernalia. From cushions to glasses, to even knick-knacks like the Spin Chill (that cools cans faster) to your very own USB can cooler, they’ve got it all. Drink up, mateys. 1390 / utpatang.com
Batman not needed
NEXTBIT ROBIN This is one Robin that won’t need to tag along with Batman. It’s a smartphone that aims to utilise cloud computing as a stock feature, as far as Androids go. With Qualcomm's hexa-core Snapdragon 808 chip at its heart, the 5.2in Full HD display smartphone comes with a 3GB RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, and 100GB cloud storage space. If you love uploading images of food more than eating it, this 13MP/5MP camera- and 2680mAh-toting Robin might be just the deal you’re looking for. tba / nextbit.com
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MOTOR SHOW 2016 Shockingly quick electric concepts faced off against old-school petrol power in this year’s Swiss showdown of speed
FOR THE FUTURE
Rimac Automobili Concept_One Croatian marque Rimac proves that eye-watering performance is achievable without frighteningly frequent trips to the petrol pumps. The Concept_One is powered by four electric motors that slurp from an 82kWh li-ion battery. Power is up to 1057bhp, with an unfeasible 1600Nm of torque; 0-100kmph in 2.6 seconds is the result, and a limited 355kmph top speed with a range of 186 miles. Eight Concept_Ones will go on sale at €800,000, as well as a stripped-out Concept_S model. 34
Honda Civic Concept Honda clearly wants to upset the stuffy Civic customer base – the latest concept has gone banzai with the styling. An aggressive, tarmac-grazing front end and bright green brake calipers set the tone. Honda claims the concept is “very close” to a production model, but it will have a more restrained choice of engines at launch, including 1.0 and 1.5-litre VTEC turbo petrol, plus a 1.6-litre diesel. Performance fans: there’s a Type-R on the horizon and, yes, it’s likely to be completely crackers.
Techrules TREV Concept China’s first hybrid supercar does things differently. Instead of a big engine, it packs six electric motors and a micro-turbine that recharges the batteries at lightning speed. Some may recall Jaguar’s C-X75 concept, which trialled a similar system. Stats for the AT96 model, whose turbine runs on aviation fuel, include a 0-100kmph time of 2.5 secs and a 350kmph top speed. The more practical diesel/petrol GT96 claims a range of 2000 km. Please don’t call it Trev.
DS E-Tense Concept Citroën’s snazzy sub-brand could soon see a range of electric sports cars on its forecourts, as the E-Tense promises almost 400bhp from its high-voltage powertrain. But let’s also get pumped about the curvaceous carbon fibre body and the 3D-printed dashboard. Performance is expected to be exciting rather than scary: 0-100kmph is 4.5 secs and the top speed would be limited to 250kmph. However, the E-Tense is more of a nod towards the future than a preview of a new model.
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Aston Martin DB111 With a new 5.2-litre V12 engine, a new lightweight aluminium chassis and a host of tech on board, the DB11 isn’t just a DB9 replacement. Inside is a full-colour 12in TFT LCD instrument panel and a secondary 8in TFT infotainment screen. Autonomous safety f y systems y are also a welcome addition. That new V12 develops 600bhp and 700Nm of torque, making it the most powerful production DB ever. All this doesn’t come cheap, though, h h with h prices starting at 1.5 Crores*. Ouch. h
Lamborghini g C t Centenario i To commemorate what would be Ferruccio Lamborghini’s 100th birthday, the company has created an insane £1.35million supercar. The limited edition Centenario boasts a ferocious 760bhp V12 engine g that h can propell it from f 0-100kmph in just 2.8 secs. It’s not the maddest design that Lamborghini has ever produced, and all 40 units (which ( have a already been sold) can be specified with h Apple l CarPlay l and d other h cr re comfor f .
Bugatti Chiron h n
Porsche h 911 R
How do you top a car that cost over Crores to buy and 13 7 3 Lacs to o service, and could top 402kmph? You add a bit more of everything. Bugatti’s Chiron, the Veyron’s successor, offers more power from the 8.0-litre quad-turbocharged W16 (1479bhp and 1600Nm of torque, to be precise), ) a top speed of 420kmph and a £1.9m price. It’s by far the most powerful production car available, and reports suggest 166 of the cars be built h have b been sold, ld with h one greedy d b buyer reserving six..
It seems Porsche only has to throw a manual gearbox into an existing model in order to have 911 devotees losing their minds. The 911 R carries the same 4.0-litre, flat-six cylinder engine as the GT3 RS, which means it develops 494bhp. The GT3’s huge h g rear wing g has h been b replaced with an electronic spoiler that raises at speed, while a rear diffuser improves grip. Less than 1000 will be sold, and you’ll need to be quick – despite the £137,000 price, Porsche fans have h b bought h most off them h already. l d 35
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THE DRONE YOU CAN’T CRASH
It detects obstacles up to 15 metres away, but that’s no excuse for sloppy piloting.
DJI Phantom 4 1,21,000 / flycams.in
How do you make one of the best drones out there even better? Take out the one thing that’s guaranteed to screw things up: human error. ● Crash-resistant A new feature called ActiveTrack takes the challenge out of flying and focusing on a subject at the same time. Rather than flying the drone and controlling the camera angle simultaneously (normally a two-person job for serious drone photographers), the Phantom 4 creates a 3D model of an object you choose, and keeps it in the frame as you fly around. Even 36
better, the same object-tracking cameras are also keeping an eye out for obstacles – try to smash this Phantom into a tree and it will either try to go around it or stop. ● Which is lucky, because… …the Phantom 4 is a bit of a speed demon. Normally it can zip along at 56kmph, but switch to Sport mode and you get a Fast & Furious-style boost that pushes the top speed up to 72kmph. DJI’s test pilots compare it to flying the pro-level Inspire, only for significantly less cash. You’ll nail batteries in Sport mode, of course, so keep it for emergencies. DJI has boosted Normal mode flight time to
28 minutes, up from 23 in the Phantom 3, but has used a new, larger battery to do it. Your old Phantom batteries are dust, bro. ● Eye, captain DJI hasn’t messed with its excellent 4K camera much. The lens has been upgraded to give sharper edge-toedge footage. You’ll be able to shoot 1080p at 120fps for the first time, which should make for some cool slo-mo shots, but 4K recording is still stuck at 30fps. Physically, the Phantom 4 has slimmer landing gear and smoother camera mounting – just different enough so that those other drone jockeys can see you got the new one.
TRY TO SMASH THIS PHANTOM INTO A TREE AND IT WILL EITHER TRY TO GO AROUND IT OR STOP
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Keep doing it
NIKE FREE RANGE This is one brand that ought to reconsider its slogan and maybe change it from ‘Just do it!’ to ‘Just keep doing it!’ or ‘Just did it again!’. These old-school masters of sole know what they’re doing when it comes to feet. Foot fetish jokes apart, the latest line of sports shoes from Nike feature something known as ‘progressive geometric auxetic midsole’ that mimics and adjusts intangibly with the human foot and its movements, so that the foot, rather than the shoe, dictates motion. With a variety of colour options to boot, this is one shoe that’s just you. from 8995 / nike.com/in
The pen just got mightier
PORTRONICS ELECTROPEN 3 The Electropen 3 uses a normal pen refill that writes on normal paper. Here’s the trick: whatever you write or draw can be viewed as a JPG image in real-time on a mobile, tablet or laptop. And it's not limited to static JPG images. You can actually save the entire process of taking notes or drawing a sketch - in video format, with a voiceover option! The inbuilt microphone allows you to record highquality voice while making notes, and the video can be stored on your phone for broadcast and replay. The pen just got a mighty update indeed. 1599 / portronics.com
Domination: mini version
MSI VORTEX This is one mini PC that fits anywhere. Potent yet small, like a mini tech-laden dustbin, the Vortex is only about 6.5L and is energy efficient with a 450W 80 Plus Gold-certified PSU. It comes packed with power, utilising a desktop Intel processor, dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 SLI graphics cards, and a 360° Silent Storm Cooling design with a fan on top. It will also support multiple 4K video outputs simultaneously and allow expandability with an easy-to-upgrade design for users who like to fiddle around with their machines. The future is here, in an uber smart packaging no less. from 2,10,000 / in.msi.com 37
A P P S This month’s mobile must-downloads 1
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SPOTLIGHT COSMIC WATCH from 250 Android, iOS
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1 MapMyMeet - Mapped Invitation
2 Kaizala - Chat | Act |Do
3 Twofold Inc.
free / Android, iOS You know those friends who need special invitations for them to have lunch with you? MapMyMeet takes care of exactly that. Send e-invites select where to meet up, and wait.
free / Android That’s something every aunty in a Maharashtrian neighbourhood says to the others while listening to the neighbours quarrel. Maybe they should up their game and use this app to do the same instead.
247 / Android You’ve already put this on your ‘meh’ pile, thinking it’s a low-strain pretty puzzle game. Wrong! It’s a fantastically flummoxing pretty puzzle game with a mind-melting exponential number dynamic.
4 PocCare
5 The BMW Museum
6 Zuver
free / Android, iOS Know any hyperchondriacs? Well, ask them to download this app and watch them go crazy booking appointments with leading health professionals for free. They can also chat or video call. (Don’t actually do this.)
free / iOS Want a BMW but can’t afford one? Just too bad. Want to know about the brand and the history of its cars? Just too good. Download the app and get a scoopful of history on what old car is what new car now.
free / Android, iOS This is something you say to a person who is driving like a pig and cuts you off on the road. But this app is all about ‘driver on demand’, so that you don’t need to deal with the ‘Zuver’ we referred to earlier.
7 Shopsity
8 OverDrive
9 Revv
free / Android Give Myntra a break and download this. Shopsity claims it is the best app to discover what’s selling in fashion stores nearby. Like something? Reserve it to get 10% cashback when you buy it in-store.
free / Android, iOS, Windows We promptly got bad looks from our colleagues at Autocar. Yes, they still don’t like it, despite us explaining that this is simply an app that lets you download ebooks, audiobooks or stream videos. Petrolheads. Sigh.
free / Android, iOS So, you don’t want someone to deal with the ‘Zuver’? Allrighty then. Download this app and tackle him/ her on yourself. You get doorstep delivery of the car of your choice that you want to rent. Vroom away.
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It’s beautiful and humbling. And very useful if you’re into star gazing. This interactive 3D app works as a real-time world clock, an astralchart generator, astrolab, time travel machine, orrey, armillary sphere and antikythera mechanism – no, we aren’t making any of this up. The clock face is a stunning ecliptic view of our planet. Tap a city on the globe and you’ll know not only its time, but also the stars and planets that shine above it.
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New smarts for an old TV
ASUS CHROMEBIT CS10 Do you rue missing the smart TV bandwagon? Fret not for Asus's got just the candy-barsized treat to brighten up your 'idiot box' woes. Winner of many a design awards (2015 Good Design and 2016 CES Innovation Award for design) for it's form factor, the Chrome OScarrying Chromebit CS 10 can turn any HDMI monitor or TV into a smart one. Wi-Fi's all you need to surf the web, hobnob on social media, stream content from your smartphone or tablet and a lot more. So quit crying and get buying. 6999 / asus.com/in
Unputdownable
AMAZON KINDLE OASIS Okay, this one is wow. The size, the features and just everything about it is wow, except for that price. It’s now thinner and lighter than ever, with the highresolution 300ppi display evenly lit by enhanced builtin adjustable light. It even has a spine with page-turn buttons on it, providing excellent grip for one-handed reading. Unputdownable? You bet. Which is why it now boasts the longest Kindle battery life ever there’s a leather charging cover in the package that boosts the battery to last months. from 23,999 / amazon.in
VR ready
KARBONN QUATTRO L52 Virtual reality is getting increasing mention with every passing issue of Stuff and the tech is now more accessible than you’d think. Among the new entrants is Karbonn’s VR-ready Quattro L52 smartphone that comes with VR glasses, plenty of embedded VR-ready content and apps that let you create your own VR content too, on a 5in HD display, powered by a 1.3GHz Quad Core. All you have to do is strap on the sturdy ABS-body VR glasses and enjoy till the cows come home. 8790 / gobazaar.com 39
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LIVIN’ IN A FISHBOWL Ricoh Theta S 39,995 / theta360.com
Fishbowl with a view Upload stills to Google Photos and videos to YouTube to show off your exciting life in 360 degrees.
[ Words: Vaibhav Sharma]
A 360° camera? Nope, we haven’t got our hands on the CIA’s wish-list. But this is something travel and adventure enthusiasts would drool over
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Mobile control Shoot, view, edit and share from your phone using the Theta 360 apps to feel like James Bond’s geekier cuz!
to tuck into your jeans as you deal with a pesky rock-face. But with no LCD, you won’t be stopping mid-climb to check out what you’ve been shooting.
● Wide, wide world This ain’t your common or garden point-and-shoot camera. With wide angle lenses on the front and back, its forte isn’t shooting cutesy puppy pics, but rather, getting a 360° view of the world.
● Say cheese A 12MP, f/2.0 sensor with shutter speeds ranging from 1/6400s to 60s means your low-light and long-exposure travel shots suddenly got more interesting than the artisanal chocolate you picked up from a farmers’ market in Berlin’s hipster quarter.
● Chocobar styling with a kick The Theta’s slim size and velvety finish make it look a lot like a chocolate bar and it’s just as easy
● A bird’s eye view What makes the Theta S even more of a must-have accessory for the parkour enthusiast, BMX
biker or rock-climbing guru is its ability to shoot Full HD, 30fps video. ‘Active lifestyle’ folk (you know who you are), will you just shut up about your exciting life if we gift you one of these? ● Apps ahoy Ricoh has a couple of apps out for the Theta S. Connect it via Wi-Fi and then use liveview mode to see what you’re shooting, or even edit and share your creations with the world. Videos shot on the Theta are compatible with Google Maps, Photosphere, YouTube’s 360° videos and even Facebook, so it’s easy for you to flood your friends’ social feeds with pics and videos of you doing cool, exciting things.
GET A GOOGLE CARDBOARD TO REALLY MAKE THE MOST OF THIS CAMERA’S ALL-SEEING EYES
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Sign of a meastro
JBL RAAGA SYNCHROS S500AR These are wireless, purple cans from JBL. What make them trulyunique is that they've been designed and endorsed by none other than the musical virtuoso. A.R.Rahman. Developed by suggestions from the maestro himself, these limited edition, collector's item feature his sign and are a must have. Onboard is a proprietary LiveStage signal processing technologythat claim to recreate the feel of a live performance. A claimed battery life of 20 hours from just a pair of AAA batteries is just the icing on thetop. 24,990 / harmanaudio.in
Work can be a breeze
DATAWIND I3G7 Big-screen phones might have killed off tablets, but what if you’re an on-the-move workaholic? Or at least someone who pretends to work while browsing YouTube? That’s when a tablet comes in handy. Something like the DataWind i3G7. This 7in tab runs Android 5.1 and has a quad-core processor, 3G and 8GB storage (expandable up to 32GB). In essence, everything eve yt g you need eed to goo goof off o even eve as everyone eve yone thinks t y you’re a dedicated employee. y Making g the deal e even sweeter is a y year’s worth of free Internet a access. Just don’t tell your y boss!! 5999 / datawind.com 5999/
YU can do it
YU YUREKA NOTE Everybody remembers Yu and its charming series of smartphones. Making a first of sorts, Yu has opened its phablet innings with the launch of the Yureka Note. With a 6in Full HD display, its phablet credentials are visually established. Underneath the surface lies a 1.5GHz Octa Core chipset with a 3GB RAM. Sporting dual SIM capabilities, the 4000mAh battery-hoarding smartphone with 13MP/8MP cameras make this a phablet that’s sure to be ‘phab’ulous enough to turn heads. (Yup, we too groaned at that wordplay.) 13,499 / amazon.in
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OUT NOW
FIRST PLAY QUANTUM BREAK Xbox One, PC Being able to manipulate time might sound fun, but if Stuff’s first experience of Quantum Break is anything to go by it’ll get you into all kinds of bother. More than four years in the making, Quantum Break puts you in the shoes of Jack Joyce, a man who acquires his special powers after an experiment with a black hole simulator contraption (the technical term) goes awry. The next thing you know, mysterious gunmen are on your case. Your newfound skills allow you to do things such as teleport 42
short distances, freeze enemies in place while you pepper them with bullets, and create a bubble of protection that freezes bullets in mid-air Matrix-style, turning what would be vanilla firefights into graceful dances of death and destruction. You can also use your timetweaking skills to manipulate environments to solve puzzles. Destroyed a wall of crates in order to advance but now find you need access to higher ground? Just rewind time until before you smashed them to smithereens, caper up the
crates and nuke ’em from above . Think Braid meets The Division and you’re not far off. It gives the game a level of replayability that it would otherwise lack. Quantum Break blends this third-person shooter gameplay with four 30-minute chunks of live action storytelling, with your decisions affecting the actors’ actions. It’s interesting seeing in-game characters portrayed by their voice actors. Is it revolutionary? Not quite, but there’s more than enough amusement to be found in the time-mashing gameplay.
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OUT 3 MAY
FIRST PLAY HERO SHOOTER HEAD-TO-HEAD OVERWATCH PS4, Xbox One, PC Blizzard’s first FPS is a team-based multiplayer shooter with a choice of 21 different playable characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, plus three unique abilities. Each character counters, and is countered by, a handful of their peers – a bit like a particularly violent and extravagant game of rock, paper, scissors. Overwatch’s characters are split into four classes: offence, defence, tank and support. Tanks are blessed with brute force and plenty of health, while defenders are good for blocking off choke points that lead to objectives. We particularly liked sniper Hanzo, grenadier Junkrat, and Bastion, who can transform into a high-powered static machine gun. You don’t have to commit to your character for the duration of each match, so if you’re getting battered you can switch things up for a change of balance and approach. From what we’ve played so far, Overwatch places just enough emphasis on its heroes’ abilities while retaining the FPS mechanics that make other team shooters such a blast.
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BATTLEBORN PS4, Xbox One, PC
LOADING
Much like Overwatch, anime-tinged team shooter Battleborn has no interest in gritty realism. It’s a chaotic blast of old-skool FPS action, with a hint of RPG-style levelling up within each round. As well as a competitive multiplayer mode called Incursion, there’s a story mode that you can tackle alone or with up to four pals in online co-op.
SELECT
Battleborn has a Marvel-style roster of 25 characters, each belonging to one of five factions. There’s no changing when you die, so it’s best to make sure your squad is balanced before you start. We liked Marquis, the robot butler turned gentleman sniper, and Benedict, the redneck bird of prey in a suit of armour who regurgitates rockets.
FIGHT!
Story missions are basically co-op arena battles wrapped in a universe-saving narrative. Defend this, escort that, and at the end you’ll unlock a new character to play as (you only start with seven). They’re lengthy and the characters are diverse enough to significantly alter the way you play, which should give Battleborn plenty of life.
INCOMING THIS MONTH ● DOOM 4 ● HOMEFRONT: THE REVOLUTION ● UNCHARTED 4: A THIEF’S END ● MIRROR’S EDGE CATALYST JUNE ● NO MAN’S SKY ● ASSETTO CORSA AUGUST ● DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED 43
UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS
ACC ESS ORI SE
LA L ARE AS
M eveake y o n ou afff thesfavou r fav ord e s rit ou abl ma er w rite e a rt ith ga dd and so dge itio (m m ts ns os e tly )
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UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS
APPLE iPHONE 6s
from 62,000 / apple.com/in Already acclimatised to your speedy iPhone 6s and its Force Touch-able apps? Take it to new heights with our pick of the best Apple-boosters… Become an insect-botherer
Take it to heart
Turn it into a portable studio
It might have Apple’s best ever snapper, but there are still many photographic tricks the iPhone 6s isn’t capable of. One of those is taking macro shots of tiny critters, who must love seeing the huge rectangular spaceships descend towards their ‘bad’ side. This set comes with 7x, 14x and 21x macro extenders, the latter of which is powerful enough for a profile pic of a dragonfly’s head. 7499 / amazon.in
Heart-rate tracking is the most accurate way to measure your fitness gains. And even more reliable than the optical sensors found in most fitness watches are chest straps like the Tickr. This phone-friendly one has both ANT+ and Bluetooth to ensure it talks to GPS watches, and also RunKeeper, Strava and Nike+. Prefer to pound treadmills? The Tickr Run’s accelerometer will track your indoor runs. 7889 / amazon.com
The iPhone’s mic is fine for a voice memo, but for recording music you’ll need the extra sensitivity of an external stereo mic. This condenser model captures 24-bit/48kHz audio, making it ideal for recording interviews, band practice or video audio. It plugs into your Lightning port and has a 90° hinge, which means you can point it towards the audio source while shooting landscape videos for your YouTube channel. $149 / shure.com
Boost its audio chops
Give it smarter power
Audiophiles used to be easy to spot. They were the strange folk with a portable DAC strapped to their iPhones with rubber bands. Now there is a more elegant way to refine an iPhone’s sound and power big on-ear cans. The MusicBoost might not be discreet, but it does house a Texas Instruments DAC, an Arcam amp and an external battery that promises to double your playing time. 16,800 / audio-one.in
Most external batteries are pretty dumb, overheating your phone and, occasionally, even melting its internal power cells. This 3000mAh pack (enough for one and a half extra charges) gives you peace of mind by monitoring your iPhone’s temperature and charge level via its app. The app’s Away Alert function can also give you a nudge if you accidentally leave the Power Tube behind. 2749 / amazon.in
A / OlloClip Macro Pro Lens
D / Arcam MusicBoost
B / Wahoo Tickr
E / MiPow Power Tube 3000
C / Shure Motiv MV88
ALTERNATIVELY Mikme Rather not use the Lightning port when recording? The Mikme is a promising wireless alternative. It captures 24-bit recordings onto its 8GB storage, which can be streamed to your iPhone via Bluetooth. $299 / mikme.com
NOW DO THIS…
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MAKE YOUR OWN APPS
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1 / Get with the flow
2 / One-tap Uber
3 / Power album
4 / Workflow widget
No need to jailbreak your iPhone to set up some automation. The Workflow app ( 190, iOS) lets you string together actions from different apps, and connect more than two actions.
One of Workflow’s gallery apps, Uber Home, lets you call a taxi with one tap. To make it an app shortcut, press the arrow icon at the top left and choose ‘add to home screen’.
We all have days when only Carly Rae will get us through. To set up a homescreen shortcut to your favourite album, make a button using ‘find music’ and add it to your homescreen.
Can’t find that washing machine timer shortcut? Add Workflow to your Notification Center. Drag your finger down from the top of the screen, then add Workflow to your ‘today’ section.
UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS
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Finishing touches D
Retro Apple logo decal Buy from ‘UnitedKingdomofDecal’ on Etsy and paste over the logo. US$5 / etsy.com Leef iAccess A handy way to add a microSD and quick access to your snaps. 3990 / flipkart.com
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UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS
A
E
Finishing touches Jaws Flex Clamp This mount quickly clamps to objects from 0.6cm to 5cm thick. 4189 / snapdeal.com TurnsPro Set direction and speed to add a new dimension to your timelapse. US$10 / amazon.com
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D
UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS
B
GOPRO HERO4 BLACK
52,999 / amazon.in GoPro’s flagship is at the summit of Mount Actioncam, thanks to its 4K video and compact form. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved with a few brilliant add-ons… Make it last all day
Give it night vision
Hone its hearing
You’ll always need more power than you think. The Powervault case takes care of this thanks to its built-in charger for GoPro Hero3/3+ and Hero4 batteries. You can charge them two at a time and its 5200mAh reserve is good for five full top-ups. The case itself is made from waterresistant ballistic nylon to protect your GoPro, accessories and batteries, and it has an extra USB port for charging other devices. US$70 / polarprofilters.com
Even though the Hero 4 Black’s low light performance is the envy of other action cams, there’s no substitute for shining more light on the subject. The Qudos’s three XB-D Cree LEDs pump out up to 400 lumens of bright white light and the 1000mAh battery can be recharged via USB. It comes with an adaptor for fitting side by side with your GoPro on whatever mount you’re using, and it’s even waterproof down to 40m. US$119 / usd.knog.com
While it may be tempting to just lay music over all your videos, recording some high-quality audio can help tell a story. Rode’s VideoMic series are widely used by filmmakers and the batteryless VideoMic Go will help focus on speech or action, while its shock mount combats vibration noise. It connects to the GoPro’s miniUSB port via the 3.5mm mic adaptor and there’s lots of mounting options. 5995 / amazon.in
Keep it on the level
Set it free
A / Powervault
B / Knog Qudos
D / Feiyu FY-G4 C
E / Removu R1
Nothing says pro video quite like silky smooth moving shots. While just a few years ago you’d have needed a huge vest with an arm, springs and weights, thanks to the magic of electronic gimbals you can now get it all in a stick and pop your GoPro on the end. The 3-axis FY-G4 has three stabilisation modes to help you make some next-level moves. It can even use its own battery to provide power to the GoPro itself. 33,599 / ebay.in
The Hero4 Black doesn’t come with an LCD screen. You could use the GoPro’s app, but hitting record on the move without sending your phone down a ravine isn’t easy. The Removu R1 acts as a remote viewer, offering live view on your wrist with playback and access to settings on its 2in, 320x240 LCD for up to three hours and at up to 70m away. Splashproof and shockproof, it’s also pretty tough. US$99 / removu.com
C / Rode VideoMic Go
ALTERNATIVELY Slick This 3-axis electronic gimbal is designed to be mounted wherever you’d normally mount a GoPro. Waterproof to 1m and more compact than the F-G4, it’s available to pre-order if you don’t mind waiting until July. US$260 / slick.video
NOW DO THIS…
SHOOT YOUR FIRST VIDEO TIMELAPSE 1 / Pick your scene
2 / Get steady
3 / Pick your lapse
4 / Go advanced
You’ll need a decent amount of movement to keep it interesting. City scenes with busy roads are a good place to start, with bridges and overpasses providing perspective.
You’ll need a firm base for your GoPro. You could set up a static shot with the Jaws Flex Clamp (see left) or, to really impress, add some movement using the TurnsPro.
Select ‘T Lapse’ in video mode, then choose your interval. The slower the movement, the longer the interval: busy streets need 1-2 secs, clouds need 5-10 secs.
Now you can move on to photo timelapses (producing separate images, not a video file) to capture more detail; these will need finishing in the free GoPro Studio software.
51
UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS
A
PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-FZ300
44,650 / panasonic.com/in With its winning blend of user-friendliness and stellar performance and 24X optical zoom, this shooter is the perfect trigger-happy companion. Here’s how to make it even better… Light up the dark
Make the skies beautiful
Be a sharper shooter
The Panasonic DMC-FZ300 has a pop-up flash for emergencies, and for good pictures in murky conditions you need exactly that. It’s perfect when you’re snapping your friends at a party (tip: point it at the ceiling to ‘bounce’ the light for a more natural look) and it functions off-camera so you can light subjects from any angle – even from behind. Although we advice not to do so. Or do it. US$430 / bhphotovideo.com
You can apply all manner of Instagram-style filter effects to your digital photos, but one filter that can’t be replicated by software is the venerable circular polariser. Screw it onto the front of a lens, give it a twist and you’ll see reflections on leaves, grass and water fade away, details on clouds gain definition and blue skies get richer. A must for any budding landscape photographer. 3599 / ebay.in
The DMC-FZ300’s kit zoom is fantastic for outdoor photography, but what happens when you need to get really, and we mean macro level really, close to your subject? That’s where the DMW-LC 55 close-up lens comes in as the knight in shining armor. With crystal clear optics this one will get you some of the most heart-pleasing macro shots you could imagine. US$75 / bhphotovideo.com
Keep it close
Keep it steady
A / Panasonic DMWFL580L External Flash
D / Joby UltrafFit Sling Strap
B / Panasonic DMWLPL52 Polarising Filter
E / Manfrotto Compact Action Tripod
If you’re aiming to become a shark-eyed street photographer, snapping your subjects before they’ve caught a sniff of you circling, this extendable shoulder strap will improve your reaction times. When worn over your shoulder it’ll keep a camera close to your body and prevent it from swinging wildly. But pull it forward in an upward arc and it’ll instantly extend to shooting length. 2969 / amazon.in
One of the first things you learn is to keep the camera steady when clicking that shutter – wobbling it around means blurry images or nausea-inducing videos. Make like the pros by fixing your FZ300 to this tripod, which opens up the possibility of long exposures (think streaky car headlights and silky waterfalls) and videos that won’t have your family reaching for the sickbag. 5128 / amazon.in
C / Panasonic DMWLC55 close-up lens B
ALTERNATIVELY Manfrotto 290 Far less bulky than a tripod (only 540g), this single stick monopod will still provide a measure of muchneeded stability without becoming a burden on long photo hikes. Bonus: it doubles as a walking stick. 4990 / amazon.in
C
NOW DO THIS…
BECOME A PORTRAIT PRO
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D
1 / Get set
2 / Focus and blur
3 / Go for the eyes
4 / See the light
Recruit a willing model (or bribe an unwilling one), or drag your colleague along. Now set the DMC-FZ300’s mode dial to aperture priority – you’ll need to keep the ‘f’ setting low.
You want to get your subject’s face in sharp focus while keeping the background out of focus. The lower the f-stop, the narrower the part of the image that stays in focus.
Portraits like this work well when the subject’s eyes are in focus, so train the focus point on the peepers. Check and see how much of the face is sharp. Too little? Push the f-number up.
Try lighting the shot differently with an external flashgun. Put it below or to the side of the subject to add drama – or even behind them to get an eerie silhouette.
UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS
Finishing touches SanDisk Extreme 128GB SDHC card 128GB is more than enough storage for thousands of JPEG images. 6450 / amazon.in Panasonic DMW-RSL1 Remote This cheap remote is a must for elaborate selfies. US$58 / bhphotovideo.com
E
Model : Vartikka Singh Photographer Vikram Bawa White crop top : Farah Sanjana Gold pants : Armaan Aiman Stylist: Nazneen Harianawala Hair/Make-up: Ambereen Yusuf
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B
A
D
Finishing touches Anker PowerCore+ Mini If you’re going bag-free, pocket this emergency backup. 1549 / amazon.in MiPow Playbulb Garden This water-resistant outdoor LED can change colour via its app. 7862 / amazon.in 54
UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS
C
SAMSUNG GALAXY S6
from 33,900 / samsung.com/in It might have been Stuff’s number one smartphone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take the S6 to places its octa-core processor has only dreamed of… Give it telescopic vision
Wrap it in smart armour
Give it an energy shot
A truly bonkers way to upgrade the S6’s camera, this 12x optical zoom lens lets you take longdistance garden shots pretending to be a giant with a tiny telescope. Try to get the same effect with digital zoom and you’d end up with a blurry smudge. As superextended zooms need to be kept extra still, it also comes with a little tripod that folds into the kit’s hard-backed case. 1699 / amazon.in
It might not be bulletproof or made from laser-cut bamboo, but this official Samsung case is still our favourite for the S6. Close the front cover and the phone switches into S-View mode, letting you answer calls, reply to messages and take snaps without opening the case. It’s also Qi-compatible, so you can use it with your Captain America charger (below) too. 1148 / snapdeal.com
Vying for the title of best-value accessory, this 10,000mAh battery will charge your S6 four times over for the price of a pub lunch. The 16mm-thick Power Bank is slim enough to slip into a coat pocket, and its minimalist design means your S6 probably won’t notice it’s made by rival OnePlus. Two USB ports mean you can charge two devices simultaneously. 1399 / amazon.in
Turn it into a portable telly
Shield it from tangles
A / 12x Zoom Telescope Case
B / S View Cover Case
D / Celluon PicoPro
E
We’ve seen pico projectors before, but none that are quite as good a match for today’s slim-waisted smartphones as this wireless, laser HD model. Despite being half an inch thick, the PicoPro can comfortably blast a watchable 50in picture onto a wall in a darkened room to show off your cat videos. It also connects wirelessly to Android devices via Miracast and has a two-hour battery life. US$349 / celluon.com
E / Avengers Qi Wireless Charger
Wireless charging might still be a distant dream for iPhone fans, but Qi pads for Android phones have already moved on to the ‘novelty coaster’ phase. This Captain America-themed number is more charming than your average black circle, and has rubber sections on the top and bottom to keep your S6 in place. It’s not as fast as a wall charger, but infinitely more convenient. 2299 / ebay.in
C / OnePlus Power Bank
ALTERNATIVELY Nexo Knight Wireless Charging Table If it’s been subtly suggested by your significant other that Avengers doesn’t quite suit the overall look of the bedroom, this table will deliver the satisfaction of secret wireless charging instead. 30,999 / pepperfry.com
NOW DO THIS…
SHARPEN YOUR S6 SNAPS 1 / Become a composer Go to the S6’s camera settings and enable the grid overlay. Get your main subject about a third of the way into the frame for more interesting photos.
2 / Beat low light
3 / Go macro
4 / Lock the focus
The S6’s ‘Pro mode’ lets you adjust manual settings. For more dingy scenes, attach your smartphone to a mini tripod then set the exposure to last five seconds.
To shoot the small stuff, go to ‘Pro mode’ in manual focus and use the vertical slider to go through the AF range and get your subject in focus. Way better than autofocus.
Sometimes you need the camera to stay focused on a subject as you move (perhaps away from a bear). Just hold your finger on the screen until the blue focus circle appears.
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UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS A
DJI PHANTOM 3 ADVANCED
69,000 / flycams.in This ready-to-fly drone comes with semi-pro filming capabilities thanks to its gimbal-stabilised 1080p camera, but you can make it even more of a dream to fly… Give it a ticket to ride
Pack some spare arms
Give it sunglasses
The first time you try to pack your drone back into its box you’ll realise that it just isn’t going to work – how do they fit it in there? This rucksack case, made from a sturdy but lightweight FormShell composite protective outer, will provide a much better home for your quadcopter. Its dividers make the perfect fit for your Phantom, plus there’s space for batteries, controller and a tablet. 10,849 / snapdeal.com
It’s always a good idea to have a set of spare propellers to hand when out flying, as they’re the first things to break in the event of ‘pilot error’. These replacement props not only look meaner than the stock units in stealthy black, but should be stiffer as they’re reinforced with carbon fibre. This should provide a faster response and an improvement in efficiency. 520 / flycams.in
This set of three filters will add the professional touch to your aerial vids. Replacing the stock UV filter, they screw directly onto the camera and add less than 2g in weight. The pack consists of a circular polariser to bring out the deep blues in the sky and limit reflections off water, plus neutral density (ND4 and ND8) filters that cut down the amount of light hitting the sensor to limit lens flare and rolling shutter issues. 9347 / amazon.in
Unleash its video
See through its eyes
A / Lowepro DroneGuard CS 400
D / DJI HDMI Output Module
B / DJI Carbon Fibre 9450 Propellers
E / HeadPlay FPV Video Goggles
This little module screws into the back of the standard controller, giving it a live mini HDMI output. It’s great for either sharing your Phantom’s camera view in 720p or getting a closer look using a dedicated monitor or some FPV goggles (see right). You can also choose to output picture only, or with all the on-screen overlays. There are also microUSB, USB and CAN expansion ports. 9000 / flycams.in
Taking your first steps towards FPV drone racing? These goggles have a 720p screen, which is fed video by the Phantom controller’s HDMI. Though not exactly subtle, their lightweight polystyrene build means you won’t put a kink in your neck, while their 70° field of vision lets you see what’s up ahead so you can avoid hurling into the nearest community-planted oak. US$245 / getfpv.com
C / Polar Pro Filter Set
ALTERNATIVELY FatShark Dominator V3 These goggles are compatible with DJI drones via HDMI as well as a number of other FPV setups. Their WVGA picture has a 32° field of view and there’s even a built-in anti-fog fan. US$349 / getfpv.com
NOW DO THIS…
USE WAYPOINTS TO CAPTURE CINEMATIC SHOTS
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1 / Enable Multiple Flight Mode
2 / Switch from P to F mode
Tap the drone symbol in the DJI app to open the Main Controller (MC) settings, then select ‘Advanced Settings’ and switch on ‘Multiple Flight Mode’.
Toggle the mode switch on the left shoulder of the controller from P (Positioning) to F (Function). Up should pop the Intelligent Navigation menu.
3 / Go on a mission
4 / Bust a move
Select ‘Waypoint’, then ‘New Mission’. Now fly, tapping Record (C1) to record the Phantom 3’s current position as a waypoint. You can delete the last point by tapping Delete (C2).
Select ‘Consistent to record’ under ‘Heading’ to make the Phantom 3 repeat the course as smoothly as possible. Apply settings and they will upload to the drone for automatic re-flying.
B
UPGRADE YOUR GADGETS
E
D
C
Finishing touches 96 Flight-Critical Stickers Even the most experienced pilots benefit from well-labelled controls. US$30 / uavstickers.com DJI Monitor Hood For Tablets This hood cuts down the glare for more squint-free flying practice. 2992 / amazon.in 57
ADVERTORIAL
Born to be wild Advanced tech, go-anywhere abilities and looks that can only be described as ‘utterly gorgeous’? That’s what goes into making the new Renault Duster the perfect SUV for the serious traveller It’s easy to see why the Renault Duster has been such a hit with road-trippin’ petrolheads. In fact, if you were the kind of wanderer who couldn’t stay at home on the weekends and absolutely had to head out to the hills or to a beach each time you got a few days off, it was easily the best SUV you could get. And guess what, it’s reborn in an all-new avatar, and it’s even better. Yes, all you highway stars, please take note, this is exactly what you need! Wanna know why? You see, it comes packed with more gizmos, cutting-edge engineering, an automated transmission, go-anywhere 4x4 traction, oodles of safety kit, engines that pack a mean grunt, uber-luxurious interiors (hey, we like our comfort!), enough space for you and your mates to finally make that Ladakh road trip dream come true, and of course, plenty of French savoir faire. Oui, the new Duster certainly has everything it takes to make us go Ooh là là!
Plenty of street smarts
The intelligent SUV
Vacation anywhere with 4WD
A reverse parking camera with guidelines and rapid deceleration warning makes it so easy for you to park in even the tightest spots.
Oodles of tech like ABS, ESP with Electronic Brake Distribution and Hill-Start Assist opens up the world to you. Pack your bags and just go!
A tough-yet-comfy suspension, 4x4 mode and a meaty 210mm ground clearance? It’s a match made in heaven for the thrill-seeking adventurer.
Packs a mean punch
Automatically fun
Vacation in style
A silky-smooth, quick-revving 1.6 petrol powerplant and torquey 1.5 diesel motors. Finding it hard to decide? We don’t blame you!
Crowded city lanes, countryside trails, or even winding mountain roads, everything’s a lot more fun with the new Duster’s 6-speed Easy-R AMT.
A dashing new grille, hawk-eye headlamps, gun-metal finish alloy wheels and LED tail lamps? Perfect. ‘Cos we’re picky about lookin’ good!
ADVERTORIAL
THE DUSTER WILL TAKE YOU ANYWHERE YOU WANT, AND IT’LL DO THAT WHILE LOOKING GOOD
Don’t stop driving Drive easy and stay fresh for even the longest road trips with the new Duster’s cruise control. Frankly, we can’t imagine a highway trip without this feature.
Even more safety kit With dual front airbags, impact-sensing door unlock, speed-sensitive auto lock and an advanced monocoque body, the Duster’s the safest space on the road.
Pack everything you want to If you’re like us and can’t decide what to leave behind, you’ll love the new Duster. Why? Well, with up to 475 litres of boot space, you can stop worrying and just take everything along on your grand road trip. More clothes? Yup. Bluetooth speakers? Of course. A portable barbeque set? Certainly. And there’ll still be space left!
FUN TO DRIVE, LOADS OF SAFETY KIT AND ENOUGH SPACE FOR LONG ROAD TRIPS. IT’S A HIGHWAY STAR!
G LIVIN R U YO S AS U O TU UMP S , E ID UTS O E TH K ON C O R AS A H G TOU
Ergonomic, indeed From the soft-touch surfaces and the perfectly ergonomic placement of all the controls, to the sporty instrument console and the excellent all-round visibility, the new Renault Duster makes it clear it’s been designed from the ground-up as an SUV made for the avid driver.
E INSID M ROO
GREAT DESIGN MEETS COMFORT AND TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE FOR AN UNPARALLELED DRIVING EXPERIENCE
Begone, summer!
Convenience everywhere
It’ll keep you entertained
Business-class inside
The Duster’s automatic climate control can make even the most torrid summer’s day seem like a lovely spring weekend.
We know you love gadgets. But you’ll also love how easily you can stow away all your gear when you just wanna enjoy the view.
The 7in MediaNAV infotainment and navigation system keeps you entertained and also makes sure you’re always on the right path.
An 8-way adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, front and rear armrests, steering audio controls... the only way we’d travel!
FIRST TEST SAMSUNG GALAXY S7
Plucky number 7 How do you trump the best phone of 2015? You make it again, of course. But can the Galaxy S7 really be even better than the wondrous S6? 48,900 / samsung.com/in
1
1 It’s business time Checking the time is tough, right? Well, Samsung thinks so. That’s why it’s introduced an always-on display with the S7 that constantly shows you the date, time and some select notifications. It’s useful when the handset’s left flat on a desk, and that’s about it.
30 hours with the Galaxy S7
W ait .Y ou ’re
Good Meh Evil
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Remember ‘crazy Samsung’? You know, the company that stuck a huge 10x zoom lens on the Galaxy S4, made seven Gear wearables in less than three years and paid Jay-Z US$5million so that it could release his album for free? Well, those days are over. The Galaxy S7 heralds the dawn of a new era. Welcome to the age of ‘sensible Samsung’, a smartphone maker of dependable excellence. Its latest flagship handset is the technological equivalent of a Steven Spielberg movie – the whole thing just oozes solid quality. Granted, this is not the most exciting gadget of 2016. Compared to LG’s G5, the S7 barely registers on the Richter scale of smartphone innovation. It looks almost identical to last year’s Galaxy S6, has a better camera, and has brought back the Galaxy S5’s water-resistance and microSD card slot. If this all seems a bit boring to you, then fair enough. The S7 doesn’t offer an alternative take on Apple’s pressure-sensitive 3D Touch tech or the ability to upgrade your phone with a modular camera grip and bigger battery. This smartphone is singleminded in its pursuit of simplicity, and it’s this lack of bloat or overreach that serves it so well. We won’t tell you to get the Galaxy S7 because of some revolutionary gimmick. Remember, this is a different kind of Samsung we’re dealing with. You should get the Galaxy S7 because it’s the best smartphone you can buy.
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Essential features
3
In elaborating on the Galaxy S6, rather than designing another phone from scratch, Samsung has repressed its urge to tinker. What was great before is even better and what needed tweaking has been festooned with some necessary TLC. Here’s what you need to know about the S7’s vital statistics:
2
S7 tech h specs p 4
Screen Sc ee 5.1in, 1440x2560 0 2 60 P ocesso Exynos 8890 Octa Processor GPU Adreno d 530 OS Android d d 6.0.1 Marshmallow M h ll RAM 4GB Storage S g 32GB, microSD up p to 200GB Batter Battery Batt y 3000 3 3000mAh Cameras Ca e as 12MP 2 f/1.7 rear, 5MP f/1.7 front Extra E ta features f s Fingerprint scanner, IP68 dust-proof d f and d water-resistant Dimensions Di i s 142x70x7.9mm,, 152g g 3 Toilet-proof, again We’ve all dropped our phone down the loo. Worse than having to fish it out is the sinking feeling you get when it doesn’t work any more. Thanks to the return of IP68-certified water resistance, the S7 can withstand a 30-minute dip in your local latrine.
4 Return of the microSD After Samsung dropped the microSD card slot, media hoarders cried: “Did we torrent every GOT episode for nothing?” Well, expandable storage is back, so you can add an extra 200GB of backstabbing to your S7.
5 Focus pocus The other major addition to the camera is Dual Pixel autofocus, which is a complicated way of saying you’re much less likely to end up with a blurry mess. How? More of the pixels are working to ensure your image is in focus.
The S6 was a fine-looking phone and the same applies to the S7. It’s a smidge heavier and thicker, but the biggest difference you’ll notice is that its camera bump has been trimmed right down.
■ BATTERY
■ CAMERA
As with the iPhone 6s, the Galaxy S7 will happily see you through a working day and a lengthy rehydration session at the pub. Ease up on Candy Crush on your morning bus and it’ll even last you until lunch.
Low-light photos are the scourge of many a phone camera, so Samsung’s gone to great lengths to accurately capture your late night shenanigans – the S7’s photos offer plenty of colour and clarity.
The verdict If the Galaxy S7 sees Samsung resting on its laurels, then they must be some pretty snug laurels. With a better camera, 4GB of RAM, water-resistance and the return of the microSD card slot, this sets a high bar for smartphones in 2016 and invites the rest of the competition to come and have a go. Your move then, LG and Apple. You’d best make it a good one. @stuff_india
STUFF SAYS ★★★★★ An imperious update of our favourite smartphone from last year: the Galaxy S7 is straight up brilliant
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2 All about the aperture It’s easy to get caught up in megapixels when talking about phone cameras, so let’s not. The S7’s most important phototaking feature is its f/1.7 aperture, which means it can capture more light than any competitor. Even more reason to go #nofilter.
■ DESIGN
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FIRST TEST HTC VIVE VR
Minority report As director Steven Spielberg showed us and pop singer Jamiroquai sang to us, the future is made of virtual insanity. And it begins here
1
65,000 (approx) / htc.com/in What with our drool bucket now being full, HTC has announced a secret that’s just in time for us to stall the salivating. The Vive VR headset got its first Indian outing and we got our first real taste of what the Taiwanese giant has been working on behind closed doors ever since MWC 2015. First things first. This rig isn’t for the casual gamer. It consists of a heavy-duty PC rocking the fastest GPU and CPU available commercially today. Twin base stations map the room and track your VR headset-clamped head, and set up a virtual perimeter which you’ll be seeing as a green fence through the headset. This prevents you from bumping into the actual room boundaries or into furniture like a blindfolded ostrich. It also makes the gameplay more immersive by spreading the gaming area over 15x15 feet, should you have that kind of empty space in your apartment. And if you don’t, you might want to create it once you experience “real” virtual reality!
2
1 Base to the future Unlike the Oculus Rift which ties you down to a chair, the two HTC Vive base stations here spray your environment with invisible lasers to create a virtual fence, within which you move around and get involved in the game experience like never before. Get ready to duck and dive.
2 Head, set, go The most serious-looking VR headset to make it to production yet, the Vive’s prima donna is affixed with 32 sensors, a frontfacing camera and adjustable straps to fit every face. The 3600 tracking is accurate and the optics provide a 1100 field of vision. Enough to spot pesky zombies.
Good Meh Evil
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60 minutes with the HTC Vive VR
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FIRST TEST HTC VIVE VR
Tech specs Display OLED, 2160x1200 Refresh rate 90Hz Platform Steam VR Field of View 110 degrees Tracking area 15x15ft (max) Input controller Steam VR, any PC compatible gamepad Sensors Accelerometer, gyroscope, laser position sensor, front-facing camera Connections HDMI, USB 2.0, USB 3.0
Experiencing virtual reality As expected, it has to be experienced to be believed. Duh! Having said that, let’s experience it virtually
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■ Act and react HTC’s room-scale tracking allows you to move around, dodging lasers and zombies, and shoot back effortlessly.
4 Flirting with the future As an experience, the Vive stands out as the most immersive VR set, thanks to the freedom of movement it offers, accuracy of the head- and hand tracking and, of course, the extensive support by Steam Valve in providing the platform to download new VR experiences everyday. For cheap.
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3 Take me by the hand Inspired by the Steam controller, the two supplied wireless handsets feature 24 sensors for perfect motion tracking. Playing Surgeon VR proves there’s more accuracy to coax out of them, but Space Pirate VR is a fun shooting game with haptic feedback and enough stickiness to last a day.
■ Space Pirate
■ Surgeon VR
The essential no-brainer to kickstart a revolution, this game is full of thrills that the Vive excels at. Point-and-shoot is accurate and so much fun!
Charged with the task of operating on the corpse of an alien, you are equipped with virtual hands. Use a myriad of tools to get the job done, which isn’t easy.
I’ve never been comfortable putting a contraption over my glasses, for obvious reasons, but the Vive fits well, hiding the excessive geekiness. Once strapped up, it really does transport you into the mythical but promised world of virtual reality. The launch titles are great if not excellent, but they do whet your VR appetite substantially. @nishantpadhiar
STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩ The best of the breed so far, and can be huge if HTC gets a lead on release date and the pricing right
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Is your home tech-laden enough to be the envy of the Sharmas? No? Then allow us to present seven techie treats for your humble abode that are worthy of a not-so-humble brag. And a huge dose of neighbour’s envy.
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1. Nexo Knight Wireless Charging Table
[Words: Nisha Khot]
Wires are ugly. Wire-concealing ducts are ugly too. But the Nexo Knight Wireless Charging End Table with Right Book Shelf in Premium Acacia Finish by Woodsworth is not. In fact, it’s good-looking and incredibly useful. Place it next to your bed or in your living room to provide wire-free charging to your devices. The charging unit is placed just under the table top – all you have to do is plug in the adapter cable located behind the table into any standard electrical socket. Turn the switch on and your table is ready for use. Place your device at the centre of the charging pad and let the juices flow. 30,999 / pepperfry.com
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HOME TECH
2. Tata Sky+ Transfer HD
3. iRobot Roomba 980
4. Videocon Aryabot
Watching your TV shows at home, recorded or otherwise, is a rare luxury for you, you jetsetter? Then Tata Sky’s new set top box will fit right in with your hectic lifestyle. You can now transfer or stream your recorded shows directly onto your Android or iOS device via Wi-FI and even record your shows on the go using the handy Internet Recording feature – you don’t need to be around the device or TV for that. There’s also a rather smart Series Link feature to ensure that repeat telecasts are skipped. Oh, and you can stop worrying about coming across spoilers anymore; instead, you can be the one putting them out. (Words of advice: Don’t be that horrid person. Just don’t.) 9300 / tatasky.com
Do your friends call you Monica – the neatness freak from Friends? Are your towels stored in piles labeled ‘daily use’, ‘fancy’, ‘guest’ and ‘fancy-guest’? Do you clean your floors as often as you check the notifications tab on your phone? And if this is beginning to get back-breaking, may we suggest the new Roomba 980? It keeps going until the job is done, for up to two hours, auto recharging as needed. Visual Localization helps it navigate an entire level of your home and keep track of its location. And if you’re particular about the schedule, use the handy iRobot HOME app to get the Roomba 980 going from wherever you are. You just need to trust it to do its job and not go cleaning after it. 64,900 / irobot.in
This AC is magic. Pair it with your smartphone and it’ll respond to your GPS position to switch itself off or on. There’s a USB slot for a webcam connection, so you get a livestream of the proceedings on your smartphone from Aryabot’s point of view (yes, we’re asking why too). What’s more, you can set and monitor your electricity consumption limits on it. Use the embedded voice command feature to give it instructions, such as setting the temperature levels for each hour of the night, or sensing the outside temperature and adjusting the coolness inside. Aryabot can even detect problems and suggest remedial actions to itself. And contact the service centre on its own. Gasp. from 34,000 / videoconworld.com
5. Axis A8004-VE Video Door Station
6. Mi Induction Heating Pressure Rice Cooker
7. Blueair Sense+ and Aware
This network video door station is just what you need if you’re a certified couch potato. And it doesn’t matter whether that couch is within your home or at a beach shack in Goa. It lets you identify and communicate with whoever’s rung your doorbell and even enable remote entry from your mobile device, an IP-desk phone or directly via the Video Management System (VMS). The inbuilt intercom provides clear, echo-free speech so you don’t have to keep repeating stuff, and an integrated HDTV camera with WDR and excellent low-light performance. tba / axis.com
This simple-looking rice cooker here is actually a Wi-Fi enabled gadget that can be controlled via the Mi Home app. You can set your grandma’s recipe on the app, and then sit back while it cooks. No family recipes? No worries, the cooker can even scan your pack of rice to identify the type of rice, brand and origin, and set the heating methodology accordingly (the list of supported rice types is ever-expanding). The app also has other recipes, like crispy rice and cakes – simply set it through the app, which currently supports 2450 heating methods. Nice, Mi lovely rice cooker, nice. tba / mi.com
Getting your home an air purifier is a very cool thing to do. Especially if it’s the Blueair Sense+. This Wi-Fi compatible unit cleans the air up to five times in an hour and claims to eliminate 99.97% of pollutants in just 10 minutes. Use the Blueair Friend app to set air flow speeds, timers, switch it on/off from anywhere, anytime and even get alerts for changing filters. Pairing it with the Aware – an air monitor that constantly checks the room’s pollution levels. Get real-time stats on CO2, temperature, dust and humidity to discuss with friends, while the Sense+ slays the airborne demons. 45,000 + 20,000 / blueair.in
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T E S T E D A C E R P R E D AT TOR 15
What’s in a name? A lot, according to Acer. Why then would they produce a 15in gaming laptop with specs similar to the Alienware 15 and call it the Predator 15? from 1,76,690 / acer.com/ac/en/in ■ Put the silly name games aside and what you have here is a serious contender. Or do you? The design is on the button for a gaming laptop that aims at pleasing ’80s disco lovers with its highlighted WASD keys and red keyboard with a blue number pad, and a green button to disable the horror. Some may love it; we think it could’ve done better. ■ However, the build quality, although not metal, leaves very little to complain about. The rubber-coated plastic fascia gives the Predator 15 a premium feel, but this means nasty fingerprints if you handle the laptop with sweaty palms. It’s also on the heavier side of the scale, but at 3.6kg, manageable nonetheless. ■ The 3.6kg you carry on your back is totally worth it once you know how good the system performance is. Benchmark scores of over 6000 in PC Mark prove the Predator is on par with the Alienware and it is blazingly fast in practical use too. Programmes tend to have faster reflexes than those of a waterboatman under threat, and load up quicker than a blink. ■ What’s better? The 980M graphics unit, of course. It ranks well on benchmarks, with scores topping 8000 on the 3D Mark Fire Strike test. Throw any game at it and it delivers in spades, quite like the BMC when it digs up our roads. GTA never dips below 55fps and Call of Duty: AW remains stable at 60fps with everything set to ultra. Way better performance than the BMC, we assure you.
Tech specs Screen 15.6in IPS LCD with 1920 x 1080 resolution, high-brightness Acer ComfyView Processor Intel Core i7-6700HQ Mobile Intel PCH Chipset HM170 OS Windows 10 64-bit SSD 1 TB, SATA 6 Gb/s, RAID-0; RAM 16GB DDR4 Connections Killer Wireless-AC 1535 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0 Dimensions 391 x 299.5 x 38.5mm Weight 3.6kg
■ Oddio
We know quality audio is every gaming laptop’s Achilles heel, but this one is a broken leg. Despite sporting two speakers and a sub, the output is akin to a march-past school band that hasn’t practiced much. Dolby doesn’t help either.
■ Cooling gimmicks
You can slide out the CD unit and slide in what Acer calls the Frost Care fan specially developed for the Predator by Cooler Master. Does it do any good? Yeah, only on the visual front, though – there’s no major change in temperature.
STUFF SAYS The Predator offers uber performance in an ’80s package ★★★★✩ Do looks really matter when it comes to gaming laptops? @kaizzzzad d
In today’s world, where almost every game takes multiplayer to the online universe, it is very tough to fight for the case unless you host or take part in a lot of LAN parties where you meet friends and flaunt your assets. If you don’t do any of this and are hidden away in your room, with the only thing noticing your laptop being your cat, I don’t think looks are important. But, to each his own. 69
G I B S O N L E S PA U L 8 R E F E R E N C E M O N I T O R
Les is more With the name of a legend d on its beating heart, Gibson's firrst monitor has to live up to its iconic iimage US$999 ( 70,000) Approx / gibson.com ■ Unpacking the very first sample of a limited edition product that most of the world hasn't even seen yet can cause a minor amount of nervousness. Even more so when you're dealing with a highgloss, tobacco-burst finish on the Gibson Les Paul 8 Reference Monitors, an ode to the legendary engineer and mascot that air-guitar players worldwide worship. ■ You could impress yourself or your mates in three sizes – 4, 6 or 8. The numbers denote the size of woofer in each variant. Our 8in review sample is the big daddy and moves a serious amount of air, thanks to its bass-reflex design and 250watts of built-in power. The unusual shape of the bass ports helps avoid the chuffing sound as highpressure air is let out while the carboncoated titanium tweeter soothes your pinnas with distortion-free vocals, from Adele to ZZ Top, Lata-tai included. ■ We could tell you how non-fatiguing the Les Paul sounds and how it presents the music in a balanced, uncoloured manner that is as entertaining as it is neutral (relatively). But all you want to know is how cool it looks and we can't keep a straight face anymore. We could just buy these for their design homage to the Les Paul guitar's archtop, flame maple finish and the glowing orange logo that pulsates in standby mode. The cream borders on the enclosure and certain elements only heighten the retro drama, and it works. It really works!
Tech specs Design 2-way, bass-reflex Drivers 1in diamond-like carbon-coated titanium tweeter, 8in non-woven carbon woofer Frequency response 37Hz-47kHz Crossover frequency 2.7kHz System power 247watts, Connections RCA unbalanced, XLR, 3.5mm Dimensions (HWD) 18.6 x 12 x 13.8in Weight 13.8kg
■ Prosumer aspirations
Designed with the help of engineers from pro-brand KRK, the Les Paul monitors offer trim adjustments for bass, treble and volume. Unbalanced/Balanced connections prove your worth.
■ A burst of colour
Available in three finishes, including these gorgeous cherry and cherry burst options, the Les Paul is aimed at the enthusiast, musician and artistically bent alike. Conversation starter, it is. Boring, it is not.
STUFF SAYS A riot as big as a GN'R reunion concert. And plays as loud too! ★★★★★ Does the Les Paul legacy have any place on a loudspeaker? @nishantpadhiar
Although the cynics will sniff out the marketing angle in this project, one look and listen at the Les Paul 8 will prove that this is a serious playback instrument. The Les Paul insignia on the woofer is a constant reminder that music is what matters, not analytics. Its sound is open, punchy and revealing enough to get under the artist's skin and does the Gibson Les Paul legacy proud with its aspirational value. 71
TESTED ROLI SEABOARD RISE 25
EXCLUSIVE
Keep on Roling! This is the reimagination of the trusted old keyboard and it is one heck of a smashing good hardware. We let our fingers sink into the sound... 99,990 (Approx) / roli.com ■ Did someone shove the good ol’ keyboard into a microwave and then blast it with secret tech from the future? Take a closer look though, and you’ll observe that the keys aren’t the melted kinds. Instead, they’re pliable soft silicon awesomeness. ■ On a normal keyboard, you bend your fingers gracefully, strike a note and that’s pretty much the end of the story. However, here, on the gooey black silicone layer wrapped on the Seaboard, you are invited to stretch and warp the notes. And don’t worry about your fingers, they won’t melt and disappear into the black abyss. ■ You can slide up and down the surface to shape the notes, and even lift off your finger to alter the pitch. You can indulge in a violin-style finger vibrato, or push down harder on a note you’re already playing to make it stronger. To put it simply, you can use the RISE 25 to literally shape sound as you would on instruments like the guitar, horn or cello. ■ While you are at it, you will surely appreciate the exquisitely understated build quality of the RISE 25. It even weighs just the right amount. There are over hundreds of preset instruments to choose from, and that is only the beginning. The real fun starts when you begin to fine-tune them further using the DAW Equator.
Tech specs Interface 5D Touch; 25 keys; pliable, pressure-sensitive keywaves; sensorembedded keywave surface; continuous pedal input (1/4in jack), Full MIDI compatibility over USB and Bluetooth Internal Battery Yes (8 hrs playback) Ports USB B, USB A, 9-12V 2A DC port Dimensions 505x210x22.86mm Weight 2.8kg
■ The Equator is hot, alright DAW or Desktop Audio Workstation tools help you record and edit sounds. The Equator does a fine job of offering an intuitive interface, keeping things simple enough to help you use finger movement and pressure to get the sound you want.
■ Make some ‘Noise’ Can’t wait to try out a tune? Use this nifty free app, named ‘Noise’ to create music on the move. It mimics the Seaboard RISE 25 and lets you create tunes directly on your smartphone. It even supports 3D Touch (iPhone 6s only).
STUFF SAYS The Roli Seaboard RISE 25 is the future of music production, period ★★★★★ Is this the future of music production? @yatish_suvarna
The RISE 25 absolutely blows my mind because it feels like I’m playing an acoustic instrument electronically. It takes the best of touch interface and mates it with a traditional keyboard-like interface, and it works incredibly well. Creating sounds and music on this is a thoroughly rewarding experience – it was tough to step away from it even for food or water. This one has time-travelled from the future. 73
GOODBYE
It will be a while until the 2016 Triumph Tiger Explorer XC hits the Indian shores, which is why we thought it would be a good idea to take the 2015 model on a 3000km round trip. Helmets on, please!
EXPLORER
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ESSENTIAL G N I S AD O R F
[Words: Yatish Suvarna]
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GLOVE S BOOT S
TECH SPECS
MUST HAVE
Engine 1215cc, in-line three-cylinder Power 137bhp Torque 121Nm Features Traction control, cruise control, rideby-wire, switchable ABS, shaft drive system Price from 18,75,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi)/ triumphmotorcycles.in
Helmet
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MT Blade SV Super R Helmet Price 5975/spartanprogear.com
Price 8250/amazon.in
Gloves
Jacket
ASPIDA Poseidon Water Proof Gloves Price 2950/spartanprogear.com
LS2 Waterproof Polyester Mens Mesh Jacket
Mototech MT0002Bk90 Bungee Cord
Bungee Cord
with Hook Price 190/amazon.in
Boots TCX-X-Square Evo Price 9500/ highnoteperformance.com
Tech it or leave it Right from the onset, the Tiger Explorer means business. There is so much safety tech crammed in that you would need to be a maniac to crash while riding it. Ride-by-wire helps the engine provide the precise amount of power depending on the riding condition. You can choose between three traction control modes, with the first not allowing any wheel slip at all. Switch to the second mode and the bike will allow the rear wheel to slip a bit. And finally, you can choose to completely turn traction control off – not advisable, though.
Roaring performance and handling While this one may not give you the kick in the gut, there is a wad of power across the band. The 1215cc inline three-cylinder engine is capable and delivers adequate power (137bhp peak) when required. Acceleration is quick, regardless of what gear you are in. We’d coast in 5th gear doing 60kmph, but open the throttle and the bike reaches 180kmph in no time, with zero lag. All of that is perfectly complemented by the sharp handling of the bike, despite its tall stance. Corners are dealt with confidence, and in case you enter one at speeds higher than recommended, there is a good chance that you might walk out alive. Thanks to the combination of smart traction control and ABS, the bike will stay composed in the event of you braking on loose gravel or water. Then there is the shaft drive system to take the stress out of your head, no matter what the riding conditions are.
Future Explorers
PLACES
TECHSPEDITION
EXPLORED Off-road Once you leave from Mumbai and reach Satara, heading towards Bengaluru on the NH4A, keep your eyes open for spots like these that offer an expanse of unadulterated terrain to ride on, with some stunning views. Doing a thorough inspection of the area is recommended before you change to full mud-slinging mode. Another absolutely stunning place to visit after monsoon is the Kaas Plateau.
Thro Th roug ugh h a wi wild ldlilife fe rres eser erve ve Don’t leave Karnataka without riding through the Kudremukh National Park. Here, you’ll be welcomed with some of the most amazing views along this route. Entry is prohibited beyond 5pm in the evening and it’s probably a good i a because the place is home to tigers, id ide leopards and wild dogs that hunt the abundant list of animals on the menu, which includes the wild pig, Gaur, Sambar and more.
Pay attention! Triumph has initiated something that will give owners of its Tiger range of motorbikes a chance to unleash the true potential of their machines, both on and off road – the Tiger Training Academy.
“TARMAC OR NO TARMAC, THE TIGER EXPLORER XC WAS INCREDIBLE FUN TO RIDE, WITH ALL ITS WIZARDRY WORKING SILENTLY AS WE CHASED THE HORIZON”
In the middle of nowhere Nestled about 30 minutes from Hassan, just off NH48 that connects Bengaluru to Mangalore, is Shettihalli Church – a structure that is as gothic as you can find. It was built roughly 160 years ago by the French on the banks of the Hemavathi river. The really eerie bit? More than 50 percent of this structure gets submerged in the river when the monsoon hits.
Yatish Suvarna 75
TEST GAMES
PS4, Xbox One, PC / gamestheshop. com
The Division New York has been decimated by a killer virus, and cleaning up the mess of a collapsed society is up to you alone… so how does the latest Tom Clancy blockbuster match up to the hype? ne’s got aliens and the other a disease-ridden real-life city, but The Division owes a debt to Destiny. Bungie’s smash hit created a whole new genre – the shared-world shooter – essentially a hybrid of single-player, co-op and massively multiplayer RPG elements, and The Division follows that template to thrilling, addictive effect. You can tackle the whole game solo if you like (although you still need to be connected to the net), or you can team up with three other players
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and co-op from start to finish. There’s also a walled-off area called the Dark Zone that brings players together in brutal competition for the game’s best loot (see panel). This everything-to-everyone approach comes out in other areas of the game, too. In classic RPG style there’s an endless amount of weaponry and armour to collect, modify and customise. But that’s not to say the game is a passionless grind for gear. The gunplay is, in fact, some of the finest
ever created. The amount of destruction you cause is based on how many damage points your weapon has versus the number of armour points your enemy has, which isn’t exactly realistic, but in practice it’s a system that feels logical. Plus the sound, look and feel of all the weaponry is brilliantly satisfying. The story’s compelling, too, even though it’s often told through decidedly cheesy dialogue, with collectables revealing events from
before and during the collapse in often harrowing style. With a game such as this, there’s an (unrealistic) expectation that it will continue delivering new stuff ad infinitum. Only time will tell if Ubisoft can keep things fresh for the months to come, but at about 20 hours in, there’s still so much left to see and do. Read our web review (stuff.tv/in) for updates, but we already have no hesitation proclaiming The Division an absolute corker of a game.
STUFF SAYS Vast, beautiful, action-packed and nerdy, The Division is all-round superb ★★★★★ 76
TEST GAMES
Highway to the Dark Zone
The graphical quality and detail of The Division is at times truly astonishing.
Your character’s abilities and appearance can both be heavily customised.
Open The Division’s map and you’ll see a large red area labelled Dark Zone. This is a scary place. So terrifying, in fact, that it’s recommended you don’t even go in there until you’ve reached at least level 10 (of 30). What makes it so nasty isn’t just the computer-controlled enemies, which are tougher than those you find in other areas – it’s the fact that this is the one area where you’ll bump into players who aren’t your squadmates. Everyone’s there for the same reason: the loot, which is even tastier than the stuff you find on the outside. By ‘tasty’, I mean so irradiated that instead of simply walking it out you have to call in a chopper to collect your gear for decontamination. Sounds simple, but the moment you fire that flare, every player for miles knows exactly where you are and that you’re carrying some great gear. That makes the 90-second wait for a chopper as tense as a tapdance in a snakepit. Sure, that guy could be here just to extract his own kit, or he could be planning to shoot you in the back. But if you shoot him first you’ll be marked as a Rogue Agent for everyone else to track and kill for cash. Eek! 77
TRAVEL
6 5 $ 7 6 < $ : + +, * 4
Sony X1000V 4K Action Cam
[ Words: Vaibhav Sharma Design: Sukhdeep Singh Photos: Ashley Baxter ]
3 Destination: Lahaul & Spiti The gompas of Tangyud (Kaza) and Kardang, along with the gorgeous Chandrataal lake, balance out the drive which gets increasingly rugged as you get further from Manali / Shimla. Delhi to Kardang: 671km via Manali Kaza to Delhi: 754km via Shimla
Coming up close to the Spiti valley? Strap on this GPS and Wi-Fi-enabled camera to your SUV to capture this awesome journey in 4K glory. 39,990 / sony.co.in
Biolite CampStove The CampStove should come in handy on your trip: Conjure up a nice meal and even juice up your phone, camera or tablet with the built-in charger. 13,132 / amazon.in
1 Minipresso portable coffee maker Leaving the dusty plains for the climb up to the Himalayas? It's the perfect time to take in some fresh air, best accompanied by an espresso. $59 / wacaco.com
Ray-Ban polarised sunglasses Chaotic highway and the sun’s glaring at you like an angry headmaster? That’s why you need these ‘shades’ with their composite, polarised lenses. 9990 / ray-ban.com/india
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Renault Duster RXZ AWD Four-wheel-drive, a diesel with loads of highway grunt, and a 7in infotainment and satnav system make this compact SUV a great choice for your rough-road adventures. 13,56,999 (ex-showroom, Delhi)/renault.co.in
Luxury resorts that pamper yo
u are very nic e, but they Instead, gather your outdoor g get borin ear and head g after a out on the day or t road trip wo. of your l ife
Destination: Bhadra Sanctuary
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A Project Tiger reserve with around 150 native bird species sounds good enough but there's also Hebbe Falls and the Mullayanagiri and Bababuddangiri treks to keep you nicely occupied. From Mumbai: 808km via Belgaavi From Bengaluru: 281km via Arsikere
3 Nikon EX Action Binoculars Play woodsman properly with Nikonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rugged EX Action binos. Multicoated lenses and nitrogen filling make this one heck of a birdwatching tool. 13,450 / nikon.co.in
Itiwit 3 inflatable kayak The Bhadra reservoir backwaters are a great place to get some kayaking action in before you retire to your campsite for some beer and kebabs. 34,999 / tribord.in
Amazon Kindle Oasis Bunking down in the great outdoors is the best time to catch up on your reading. And the ultra-light Kindle Oasis is pretty much perfect for this. 23,999 / amazon.in
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Lowepro Fastpack 150 AW II Tamron SP 150-600mm Di VC
Wildcraft Amphibia Track
Available for Nikon and Canon DSLRs, this superzoom lens is just what you need to get back some award-winning snaps from your road trip. 89,990 / tamron.in
Rubber outsoles, protective nylon shank, eva midsole and suede uppers make this the stylish way to go stomping around the countryside. 5995 / wildcraft.in
Protective padding, enough space for a camera, a couple of lenses and even your iPad means you can have all your gear with you at all times. 5699 / flipkart.com
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SUPERTEST PHABLETS
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The big four Prepare your puny pockets: the world’s greatest phablets are here to stretch your trousers You can put away your tablet and lose that laptop: your next smartphone will be big enough to battle them both. Gone are the days when mobile phones meant mini phones. Like TVs and Greece’s deficit, on-the-go talky-boxes are only getting bigger – and, in 2016, a better bigger has arrived. 1 Nexus 6P Beauty, value and power intersect. Huawei’s 6P is the device to get the Nexus series back on the rails.
With an average display diagonal of 5.7in, this is pocket-stuffing hardware for multitaskers, in a world where big devices still need to perform like glass and metal slabs half their size. OK, so the palm-filling phablet concept has been around for a couple of years, but the current
crop of big-screen, slim-body machines is the most desirable ever to hit the shelves. What’s more, in this clash of oversized titans it’s all up for grabs. Old favourites have faltered, new pretenders have arrived and edgy offerings have sliced their way to the very front. Who’ll take the giant crown?
2 Apple iPhone 6s Plus
3 Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
4Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
The design hasn’t changed – the invisible but brilliant 3D Touch tech is the star here.
A larger version of the superb S6 Edge: more screen gives its display an exceptional edge.
Erm, it’s made by Microsoft. But wait, it runs Windows 10 and can work as a mini laptop.
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SUPERTEST PHABLETS
The phone Google chose to show off Android 6.0 This is a phone of no compromise. If box-ticking alone were a measure of mobile greatness, the 6P would win this battle hands down. Despite being cheaper than the rest of the phablet pack, it doesn’t sacrifice the slick-running skills synonymous with Google hardware. There are some serious specs in the 6P’s slender shell.
Its software is bloat-free, making light work of vanilla Android Marshmallow – as well as getting all the good bits, such as Google Now on tap. Combining the liquid feel of Lollipop with the responsiveness of KitKat, it’s extremely nippy. In contrast, battery life is distinctly ordinary. Despite a hefty 3450mAh cell, the thirsty
Snapdragon chip that runs the 6P puts paid to anything more than a day from one charge. Still, at least it looks good. Huawei used to make some fairly awkward-looking phones. Not so with the 6P: it might not be as stunning as the Samsung but it’s smart-looking. At just 7.3mm thick, the aluminium body makes it a manageable bit of kit, even if
the glass-covered ridge on the rear spoils its slimline status. Beware its easily scratched dark outer finish, though. What’s more, while you’ll need two hands to tote the 6P, it’s not the thumb workout the Nexus 6 was. With all on-body buttons placed on the side and a fingerprint scanner on the rear, it’s a pretty successful piece of phone Tetris.
● NEXUS 6P FROM 39,999 ★★★★★
Two front-facing speakers add to the 6P’s entertainment credentials: they’re a decent-sounding duo with a stellar stereo effect and plenty of volume.
POWER
Whizz like the wind Everything about the 6P feels fast. The way menus scroll by at 1000 miles an hour makes it feel like it’s been at Microsoft’s secret sauce. Games run rapidly, with no lag in sight. It does get a bit warm, but only if you’re really pushing it. ●●●●●●●●●●
SCREEN
Borrowed beauty That’s a Samsung-made 2560x1440 Super AMOLED screen. Very big, very sharp and very bright, it’s a terrific display. It’s not pressure-sensitive and colour accuracy isn’t perfect, but it’s great for media and gaming. ●●●●●●●●●●
CAMERA
Big pixels Huawei has opted for larger pixels for better light harvesting. Results are a mixed bag, as metering can be iffy and HDR+ mode is sluggish – though shots are clean and noise-free, with good detail and low-light skills. ●●●●●●●●●●
The 6P is one of the first devices to use reversible USB-C as its plug-in interface, meaning quick charging to full in less than 2hrs and less fiddling with cables.
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NOW ADD THIS
SwiftKey Keyboard A smartphone the size of a surfboard is great for pleasing your eyes, but not your thumbs. SwiftKey to the rescue! You can resize and undock your keyboard, stash it in a corner, or tear it in two and weld it to your display’s edges. And it does that ‘scribble to write’ thing. free ★★★★★
SUPERTEST PHABLETS
Apple’s most powerful, most advanced iPhone Think you’re seeing double? Apple might have upgraded the internals of the iPhone 6s Plus, but there’s nothing new to look at: it’s Cupertino glass and metal to a tee – and virtually identical to its predecessor. In the flesh, although the 6s Plus’s 5.5in screen isn’t the biggest out there, you’ll still need substantial mitts to comfortably
use it. Movie lovers might also balk at the 401ppi display resolution, which leaves the 6s Plus lagging behind the hi-res phablet pack, while non-expandable, high-priced storage can be crippling. What makes the 6s Plus stand out is 3D Touch, Apple’s pressuresensitive touchscreen tech that can feel the firmness of prods for nifty navigation via pop-up menus
and quick previews. Once reserved for MacBooks and the Apple Watch, its move to mobile means seriously superior interactivity. The tap-happy functionality does mean the 6s Plus has gained 49g thanks to the thicker glass required but, if anything, the added heft is reassuring. So too is the 7000 series aluminium that now bolsters the iPhone’s chassis to
banish any repeat of the dreaded ‘bendgate’ scandal. Elsewhere, despite having had 5% shaved off its battery, the Plus can eke out the juice over an impressive number of hours, with iOS 9’s Low Power Mode kicking in when things get serious. There’s no quick charging, but the 6s Plus can comfortably last the day ready for a top-up at bedtime.
● APPLE iPHONE 6S PLUS FROM 72,000 ★★★★✩
POWER
Not a stutter The 6s Plus is slightly slower than the old 6s which, considering that added screen, isn’t a surprise. The A9 chip is nippy, but can’t match the competition on benchmarked scores. That said, it’s stutter-free when gaming and multitasking.
Apple’s Live Photos feature records one and a half seconds of footage before and after your snap. Selfie lovers will lap up its integration with the front camera.
●●●●●●●●●●
SCREEN
Last year’s visuals As was the case with the 6s, the 6s Plus has a 1920x1080 display, meaning it can screen Full HD video. On pure resolution it’s quite a way behind other flagships when it comes to detail, but the day-to-day difference is marginal. ●●●●●●●●●●
CAMERA
Snap-happy upgrade Apple’s upgrade to 12MP doesn’t disappoint. OIS is onboard for fudge-free action shots, while shots in most conditions are super-sharp. To film in 4K you’ll need good light, but the results can be double-take stunning. ●●●●●●●●●●
NOW ADD THIS
Procreate Pocket A sketching app for artists, Procreate Pocket’s beautiful interface is laden with responsive tools, configurable brushes and pressure sensitivity. Great with finger and stylus alike, the app will record every scribble, so you can show off how you created your work as HD videos. 190 ★★★★★
Touch ID on this monster phone is blazingly fast. Even with clammy hands, its improved sensitivity means you’ll be in your phone before you know it.
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SUPERTEST PHABLETS
Samsung goes big, curvy and exceptionally well dressed So much more than just a blown-up Edge, Samsung’s inflated flagship takes the form and functionality of its forerunner and stretches them to biblical proportions. While its sizeable shell is a stretch for small hands, at 6.9mm thick it’s still just about pocketable, and retains the Edge’s sleek metal styling – steering clear
of Samsung’s plasticky past. It’s also technologically superior to almost everything out there. Sure, there’s no microSD card slot nor an IR blaster for TV zapping, but NFC, a heart-rate reader, blood oxygen sensor and fingerprint scanner mean the Edge+ isn’t slacking on the tracking. Battery stamina is also up there with the best. Use it a fair amount
and you’ll definitely need to charge it every day. However, just use it to ping a few WhatsApps and snap the odd photo and you should be able to get a solid day and a half off a single charge. What’s more, happy snappers will be able to make the most of that efficiency with the Edge+’s 16MP optically stabilised sensor. Better still, a Pro mode means
photographic fiddlers can tweak and tinker with just about every shot setting. Admittedly, at around 53k for the ‘entry level’ 32GB version, it’s expensive enough to make your debit card wither – but, with curvy bits that catch the light and a chip quicker than Usain Bolt, this phone is what overdrafts were made for.
● SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 EDGE+ 53,900 ★★★★★
Glass on the front, glass on the back and aluminium on the sides make for a phone that feels hard, expensive and oh so sleek in your unworthy palms.
POWER
Cool runnings Samsung’s software has been pared down and runs like a dream. Nothing really challenges this phone: it’s almost totally lagfree. The eight-core Exynos chip runs far cooler than the top-end Android competition. ●●●●●●●●●●
SCREEN
Pixel perfect Our oglers can’t handle how terrific the Edge+’s screen is. Contrast is incredible, sharpness is near perfect at 518ppi and, with the right setting, colour is spot on. Plus it handles daylight better than just about any other phone. ●●●●●●●●●●
CAMERA
Do-it-all shooter With one of the best phone snappers ever, every element of the Edge+’s camera experience is top drawer. It’s fast to focus, quick to shoot – even when using HDR – and image quality is superb in almost all conditions. ●●●●●●●●●●
That curve might seem surplus to requirements with so many pixels to play with, but gesture shortcuts mean quick-flick access to apps and contacts.
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NOW ADD THIS
Snapseed Any photo-editing app is going to be a lot nicer to use on a larger display, but Snapseed really does feel like it was designed for bigger screens. (it started life on the iPad.) Its swipe-based adjustment controls are superb on a phablet, and nondestructive filters and edits make this a hugely powerful freebie. free ★★★★★
SUPERTEST PHABLETS
Microsoft’s monster is all business Let’s say you’re the kind of person who cherishes your Surface Pro, can’t wait to get hold of a HoloLens and loves to whip up a quick spreadsheet on your morning commute. Firstly, it’s time to get out more. Secondly, you should still think twice about owning a Lumia 950 XL. Microsoft’s flagship phablet is a decent enough phone, but it can’t
hold a candle to the competition here. Why? You guessed it – the Windows 10 operating system it’s running on. As with every other Windows Phone, there just aren’t enough apps to take advantage of that souped-up screen. Those apps that are available are often slower and less capable than the iOS and Android versions. You can’t post
videos on Instagram, for example – even though this feature has been available for almost three years elsewhere. And the 950 XL is pretty uninspiring to hold. At 165g it’s light enough, but that’s largely thanks to its boxy plastic casing. Something that doesn’t exactly scream ‘premium’. Despite its generous 3340mAh battery,
the 950 XL doesn’t offer much stamina either. You’ll have to hook it up to a USB-C charger before clocking off to sleep. It’s not all bad – its underlying hardware is sound, and with a Microsoft Display Dock ( 5941) you’ll be able to hook up the 950 XL to a display like a plug-in PC. Nevertheless, this phablet fumbles its software fundamentals.
● MICROSOFT LUMIA 950 XL 46,899 ★★★✩✩
POWER
Same old Snapdragon With the same Snapdragon chip you’ll find in the Nexus 6P and a healthy 3GB of RAM, you can’t say this Lumia is lacking in power. Still, last year’s top chip is soon to be outdated and many Windows apps take a while to load anyway.
Fancy a Windows Phone that’s a little bit less XL than this one? Microsoft’s also made the 5.2in Lumia 950… although that one’s a three-star affair too.
●●●●●●●●●●
SCREEN
Best face forward For all its faults, the 950 XL has one ace in the hole: its 5.7in screen. With a whopping 518ppi, the same resolution you’ll find in Samsung’s S6 Edge+, colours are sharp and vibrant when watching videos or capturing a quick snap. ●●●●●●●●●●
CAMERA
Decent pics, but that’s it Lumia phones used to be famed for their cameras but, despite its hump, this phablet’s camera is merely OK. You’ll get a reasonable amount of detail from your photos, although they can appear a little dull in low light. ●●●●●●●●●●
NOW ADD THIS
Lara Croft GO Turning Tomb Raider into a turn-based puzzler was a slice of genius. You still get tension and challenges, but without the control difficulties. On a larger display you can enjoy the visuals, and avoid your thumbs getting in the way, so Lara won’t end up in a snake’s gaping maw. 322 ★★★★★
When it comes to apps, at least Microsoft’s Office suite leads by example. Word, Excel and the rest are all available, and they work a treat.
85
SUPERTEST PHABLETS
The winner is… Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ A mighty screen and camera combo is probably the best reason to buy the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, other than the bragging rights of having one of the most expensive ‘non-luxury’ phones in the world. This is, simply, a brilliant smartphone. It gives you that oversized Note 5 flavour without the pesky pen, pairing a dazzling curvy design with performance power to pay the bills. Sure, some elements are not class-leading. Take the speaker: it’s essentially the same as the S6’s – a dinky outlet on the bottom edge. But, as an all-round, money-no-object package, this big-screen beauty is the one to beat. Who’d want an iPhone when Samsung builds phablets this sublime?
+ Now add these Samsung Gear S2 All about that bezel: the Gear S2’s Tizen interface might lack the apps of rival smartwatches and pack mediocre battery life, but its rotating frontage is a delightful way to whizz around. 24,300 / flipkart.com
Samsung Fast Charging Pad Cut the cords and make the most of the Edge+’s wireless charging tech by plonking it on this nifty platform. It’ll boost the Edge+ to full in less than two hours. 6962 / amazon.in
Cambridge Audio Go Combat tinny tunes with Cambridge Audio’s excellent offering. Audiophile quality at a budget price this. 12,500 / cambridgeaudio.com
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SUPERTEST PHABLETS
THE SUMMARY
● Samsung ● Nexus ● Apple ● Microsoft
POWER
WHAT’S NEXT? With phablets firmly on the menu for discerning mobile media lovers in 2016, the trend of titanic mini-tablets is only set to continue. In the standard-sized smartphone world, Apple’s shiny successor to the iPhone 6s is already on the horizon. Due to arrive in September, it will likely have a super-sized sibling in the shape of an iPhone 7 Plus (or something similarly named). Think a quicker chip, a better screen and a thinner body than anyone ever thought possible. Not to be left lagging behind, though, the Android crop is likely to get some delicious new cream rising to its top. Whether we’ll see a new Google Nexus this year isn’t clear, but Samsung’s Galaxy S7 – whenever it emerges – could well have a phabletsized partner, not to mention the much-wanted Indian edition of its 5.7in, pentoting Galaxy Note 5. It’s a good year to go big.
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OS
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Screen
Processor
Cameras
Battery
RAM
Storage
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ This big-screen beauty delivers classy design, an incredible screen and great performance in one fantastic package. from 53,900 / samsung.com/in
5.7in Super AMOLED 2560x1440
2.1GHz octa-core Exynos 7420
16MP rear, 5MP front
3000mAh
4GB
32GB (nonexpandable)
2nd
Nexus 6P A slick offering for the price, this Huawei-built handset has a great screen and plenty of power. from 39,999 / store.google.com
5.7in Super AMOLED 2560x1440
2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 810 v2.1
12.3MP rear, 8MP front
3450mAh
3GB
32/64/ 128GB (nonexpandable)
3rd
Apple iPhone 6s Plus We can’t get enough of 3D Touch, but in most other departments Apple should fear its Android rivals. from 72,000 / apple.com/in
5.5in Retina HD with 3D Touch, 1920x1080
1.84GHz dual-core Typhoon
12MP rear, 5MP front
2750mAh
2GB
16/64/ 128GB (nonexpandable)
4th
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL This modest black box will never be able to compete with the big boys while its app offering is so meagre. 46,899 / microsoft.com/in
5.7in AMOLED, 2560x1440
1.5GHz Snapdragon 810, Cortex A53 & A57
20MP rear, 5MP front
3340mAh
3GB
32GB (expandable)
1st
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REVIEWS
Media hoard We’re a bit winded after this month’s assault on our senses. senses From the deep blue sea to the deep dark spaces of nether galaxies, our home-theatre system coudn’t catch a break.
WATCH
Star Wars : Force Awakens_Blu-ray lways running a risk of letting down fanatical fans, a new Star Wars saga has to be borne by able shoulders, and director J.J. Abrams has served up soul food with a secret sauce here. The First Order is keen to wipe out the Resistance and thus commences a multi-billion dollar spin factory of merchandise, discs and ticket sales. We’re focusing on the 2-disc special Blu-ray edition here which comes with a ton of bonus features that includes a feature on ‘Building the BB-8’ and featurettes on John Williams’ legendary background score and the VFX from Industrial Light and Magic team. What makes a Star Wars movie great is not the plot but the power of good over evil and everything
Blu-ray discs courtesy Sony DADC India
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in-between. The rebooted franchise retains the classic characters such as Han Solo and Chewbacca but introduces new ones that keep the struggle for inter-galactic survival intriguing. The sound on the Blu-ray disc is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Master HD 7.1 and while Dolby Atmos fans might be disappointed, it has to be noted that the 7.1 track is immersive and very active in the surround channels. It definitely serves as a test disc to determine the even tonal balance of your system and how much torture your surrounds can handle. The video, with a hint of grain but ultra-realistic skin tones is a treat to watch. Nishant Padhiar
Inspired by the story that inspired Moby Dick, this is a stunning tale of human spirit, a thousand miles off the nearest inhabited land. There are storms, deck fires and whales the size of Noah’s Ark and it all makes for a superb watch in Dolby Atmos. Acting? Who needs that. Just wear a raincoat and get ready to spend some time with seamen. We said it. NP
A childhood classic retold, conjures up memories. Pan benefits from modern CGI in a favorable manner and gives us a chance to see Hugh Jackman in a very different avatar. Levi Miller fits the role well and the disc is quiet a stunner in its own right. Shot entirely in the digital format, the video and the audio with Dolby Atmos 3D surround make it worth a watch. NP
STUFF SAYS ★★★★★★
STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩
STUFF SAYS ★★★★★
In the Heart of
Pan
the Sea_Blu-ray
_Blu-ray
REVIEWS
LISTEN
Everything You’ve Come To Expect_The Last Shadow Puppets Everyone needs a hobby. Arctic Monkey Alex Turner spends his time away from his fellow polar primates making music with his pal Miles Kane (of Miles Kane, er, fame). This offshoot’s 2008 debut was all galloping symphonic pop, and while the widescreen drama has been toned down a little here, the result is an equally grandiose record
but one with more of a personality of its own. She Does The Woods, The Dream Synopsis and lead single Bad Habits wouldn’t be hugely out of place on an Arctic Monkeys album, but AM fans could do worse than spending another 40 minutes with these Puppets. Tom Wiggins STUFF SAYS ★★★✩✩
Patch The Sky
The Wilderness
_Bob Mould
_Explosions In The Sky
READ
The Brain_David Eagleman It might look like a sickly cauliflower, but the human brain is still by far the most complex object known to man. Yes, including your washing machine and its baffling interface. This book, written by neuroscientist David Eagleman to accompany the BBC TV series, boils its workings and its future down to 200 pages that are refreshingly free of self-help psychobabble. The style is more school
textbook than breathless enthusiasm, but it’s packed with moments of headshaking wonder. Eagleman’s idea of the brain as ‘computational material’ also leads to a fascinating final chapter on the ways in which we could soon evolve the ability to ‘feel’ live data and upload immortal simulations of our brains to the internet. Mark Wilson STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩
What’s It Like In Space?
All The Birds In The Sky
_Ariel Waldman
_Charlie Jane Anders
Thirty-five years after inventing punk to cry to, the Hüsker Dü and Sugar frontman has crafted a masterclass in distortirock. This energising mix of grunge, shoegaze and flat-out indie would have be called a classic in 1993, and although you’ve heard most of it before, it still deserves to elevate Bob to Grohl-like genius status. Will Findlater
Texas post-rock legends EITS have been doing only soundtracks since 2011… and on The Wilderness, it shows. While it has its moments – the opener, the Battles-esque single Disintegration Anxiety and the more driving duo of Infinite Orbit and Colors In Space – this lacks a little of EITS’s usual drama. Tom Wiggins
“Because it’s difficult to burp in space, you fart more.” This little book is full of fun astronaut-told facts. But… facts? FACTS? This is space!!! Where’s the breathless wonder, the mystical communion with infinity!? Well, there’s a bit of that at the end. But they should be sending poets up there, not astronauts. Richard Purvis
Two teenage outcasts struggle with their identities and infuriating families. So far, so usual. Except he builds time machines, while she’s a witch who can talk to animals. The story pans out in touching, witty ways as Anders masterfully combines the worlds of science and magic. Emily May
STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩
STUFF SAYS ★★★✩✩
STUFF SAYS ★★★✩✩
STUFF SAYS ★★★★★ 91
TOP TEN OF EVERYTHING (Brought to you by)
Smartphones Tablets Hi-fi streaming Headphones Home cinema TVs Home Computers & Consoles Cameras Laptops Games Wearables 1K?PRFMKC %CCI AACQQMPGCQ
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Samsung Galaxy S7 Welcome to the age of ‘sensible Samsung’, a smartphone maker of dependable excellence. The Galaxy S7 is straight up brilliant, setting a high bar for all of Samsung’s competitors. It looks almost identical to last year’s Galaxy S6 (except the camera bump has been trimmed), but it has a better camera, and has brought back the S5’s water-resistance and microSD card slot. Plus it’s got an always-on display and a whopping 4GB of RAM. We’re smitten.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Compared to the brilliant S7, the S7 Edge has a bigger 5.5in display, a higher-capacity battery and, of course, that curved touchscreen with its swipeable row of widgets. If you can afford it, then paying 8k more seems reasonable for a better-looking phone.
LG G4
STUFF SAYS An imperious update of our favourite phone from last year: this is the best smartphone you can buy
48,900 ★★★★★ 56,900 ★★★★★
The leather-clad LG G4 is a treat for those who want something that looks and feels a bit different. Its camera is incredibly powerful, giving you almost as much control as a DSLR, and the large screen is brilliant… but the battery life holds it back from the top.
46,500 ★★★★★
Google Nexus 6P
from 39,999 ★★★★★
The 6P gets the Nexus series back on the rails. Camera? Design? Performance? Software? All get a serious thumbs-up. Standouts include the finger scanner and the front camera, which are among the very best available at any price.
Apple iPhone 6s “Everything’s changed” is pushing it, but within the 6s’s familiar body lies a surprising amount of innovation. You’ll really notice the A9 processor’s added speed, the 12MP camera’s scope and quality, and of course, the time-saving delight that is 3D Touch.
OnePlus 2 The OnePlus 2 massively undercuts the big-name competition while offering a phone experience pretty similar to them. Good software, good performance and a great battery life make this one of the easiest top-tier phones. OnePlus has done it again.
HTC One M9+ Having been beaten by the S6, the M9+ is the step forward that perhaps the M9 should have been. With a bigger, more pixel-packed screen and a fingerprint scanner, it’s welcome at the next-gen superphone party, and it’s dressed just as smartly as before.
Sony Xperia Z5 Dual
from 62,000 ★★★★★ 24,999 ★★★★★
47,990 ★★★★★
Motorola Moto G (3rd Gen)
from 10,999 ★★★★✩
BlackBerry Priv BlackBerry’s first Android handset stands out from every other current smartphone thanks to its unique design and physical keyboard. It’s a capable powerhouse, and the shortcut functionality alone should be enough to tempt avid multitaskers.
BEST FOR VALUE FOR MONEY
52,990 ★★★★★
Do a higher-megapixel camera and neat fingerprint scanner revitalise this Sony? Nearly but not quite. This is a very good and attractive phone, but its price seems steep when it has no killer feature to offer over other Android kings. Motorola continues its onslaught on budget smartphones with this excellent third iteration. With 4G and microSD support adding to its list of useful credentials, this looks to be a worthy successor to previous Moto Gs. Once again, brilliant VFM.
BEST FOR CUTTING-EDGE GADGETEERS
57,490 ★★★★✩
BEST FOR RECESSION BUSTI NG
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TABLETS 95 T HO Y BU
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TE DA UP
7 8 9 10
Apple iPad Air 2 The iPad Air didn’t really need to be thinner, but that doesn’t mean 6.1mm isn’t mighty impressive. This combines with reassuring weight and impeccable build quality to make this the most desirable tab on the planet. While the display is the same Retina resolution as before, clever screen tech brings the pixels closer to the surface, and the whole experience is even faster than before thanks to the new A8X chip. Basically it’s the best tablet in the world made even better.
Apple iPad Mini 4 This is the mini tab we’ve been waiting for. It’s 1.4mm thinner and 32g lighter, just the right size for a great portable entertainment hub, and subtle display tweaks will do justice to games and graphic novels alike. Plus it will easily last three days on a charge.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 Slimmer and faster with a brilliant screen and serious stamina, the Galaxy Tab S2 sees Samsung back in the running for the Android throne. Tablets that come bundled with a keyboard offer an edge, but the S2’s a versatile, big-screen tab first and foremost.
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 At last, Microsoft has delivered on the promise of the tablet-cum-laptop hybrid. It proves there’s space in the world for a design that’s more productive than an iPad or Galaxy Note, but easier to hump around than a traditional laptop.
Apple iPad Mini 2 With Retina Display The iPad Mini 3 is completely out of contention, but the good news is that the Mini 2 is now down to 21,900, which is frankly bargain-tastic. That’s why the ‘old’ model makes it to our Top 10 – if you’re after a mini-tablet of quality, your choice has just got easier.
Google Nexus 9 The design isn’t as pristine, but this is a real Android contender to rival the iPads. You get the new Android 5.0 Lollipop software, bags of power and a super-sharp display. With 12 hours of video play and two front-facing speakers, it’ll be a great film buddy.
Google Nexus 7
STUFF SAYS Thinner, lighter and mightier: Apple’s iron-fisted reign at the top of the tablet charts continues unabated
from 31,900 ★★★★★ from 28,900 ★★★★★ 38,500 ★★★★★
BEST FOR MAGAZINES AND MOVIES
from 58,990 ★★★★★
BEST FOR USING ANYWHERE
from 21,90 ★★★★★ from 28,900 ★★★★★
So impressive and popular was the original Nexus 7 that it's believed to be the gadget that finally persuaded Apple to build a smaller iPad. Google had really raised the bar with this one back in 2013. So what if three odd years on, this beauty still entices.
15,999 ★★★★★
Apple iPad Pro
from 67,900 ★★★★✩
The iPad Pro is not for everyone. If you don’t see the value of owning such a large tablet, then its generous curves won’t be enough to persuade you to buy one. As for the rest, make sure you pick up a Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil with your iPad Pro.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet This Xperia tablet has all the right numbers - 1920, 801, 6000, making it a fun movie machine. All-day battery life and waterproof construction makes this tablet a decent option. Sure it's old and has been around a bit, but so has gold, sonny boy!
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 3 Pro A genuinely different tablet with great media skills and decent stamina, The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro is a tablet that doesn’t play by the conventional rules of the game. It’s quite heavy, pretty chunky and has a projector built into its hinge. No complaints here.
31,990 ★★★★✩ 39,990 ★★★★✩
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HI-FI & MUSIC STREAMING 97 T HO Y BU
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Bose SoundTouch 20 All this time, if you wanted a true multi-room system, you had no choice but to go the Sonos way. It took long enough, but we finally have an option, and one that you can buy at your friendly neighbourhood mall with zero effort. The Bose SoundTouch system wirelessly connects with your computer or NAS device and streams directly using your home’s Wi-Fi network. Multiple SoundTouch devices mean you can control what you want playing in which room. We love it.
Naim Mu-so Over 1 lac for a wireless speaker?! Well yes, but what a wireless speaker it is. Naim has ploughed all of its high-end hi-fi experience into delivering a beautifully made, great-sounding device with AirPlay, streaming and aptX Bluetooth all on-board.
KEF Muo The KEF Muo sounds as good as it looks, which is very nice indeed. It may be the size of a beer can, but it creates a room-filling sound, brilliantly balanced and packed with vim and vigour. The Muo has the audio solidity of the B&W T7, but with even greater detail.
Naim Mu-so Qb This can-do cube complements its big brother’s more refined character with a confident presentation that pays no attention to its physical size. And its features list makes it more flexible than Madonna’s yoga teacher. A stunning addition to the Mu-so family.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless ‘Wireless speakers’ and ‘quality’ don’t always go hand in hand. But this is a desirable product through and through – and in terms of sound and design, not a paisa is left unaccounted for. It’s the ultimate wireless speaker for the streaming-savvy audiophile.
Bowers & Wilkins T7 The T7 is B&W’s first attempt at a portable Bluetooth speaker, and its good looks and real hi-fi sound combine to make it a real winner. It’s solid and easy to use, and has an attractive honeycomb structure that helps reduce cabinet vibrations.
Monitor Audio Airstream S200 It may look a bit like a floppy skyscraper, but the Monitor Audio’s Bluetooth-plus-AirPlay speaker makes a lot of sense, mostly because it takes up very little shelf/desk/table space but makes loads of lovely noise. It’s a bit of a steal at this price.
Cambridge Audio Go There are loads of very cheap Bluetooth speakers out there, but we reckon it’s worth spending that little bit more to get something that’s really good – and that’s the Go. It sounds awesome, it’s really nicely built and its battery lasts a massive 18 hours.
Cambridge Audio Minx Xi It might not look all that fancy, but the Minx Xi is like that micro system you had at uni, only it gobbles internet music rather than Rage Against The Machine CDs. Just add a pair of quality speakers (try Wharfedale Diamond 220s) and you’ve got a great hi-fi.
Q Acoustics BT3 These ultra-versatile Bluetooth speakers have an optical input for waking up the audio of your flatscreen TV. The styling is simple and so is the sound – brilliantly so, with perfect hi-fi balance and an impressive focus to the stereo image.
STUFF SAYS Infinite music in every room without the need for custom installers? Sign us up now, please
33,638 ★★★★★ 1,39,875 ★★★★★
BEST FOR ONE-BOX WI-FI HI-FI
35,000 ★★★★★ 99,000 ★★★★★ 58,000 ★★★★★
BEST FOR WIRELESS TUNES
29,900 ★★★★★ 42,200 ★★★★★
BEST FOR PICNIC PARTIES
12,500 ★★★★★
BEST FOR PICNIC PARTIES
51,300 ★★★★★ 43,000 ★★★★★
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AKG K451 They’ve actually been around a little while now, but what’s put the K451 on-ears back on to our radar is a real world price of about 4999. For that money, they’re unbeatable – awesomely agile and punchy sound wrapped up in a subtly stylish and foldable design. Add both standard and three-button control cables for maximising compatibility and there’s practically no excuse for not getting brilliant sound from your phone.
AKG Y50BT Proof that good wireless sound doesn’t have to cost the earth: with none of the horrid hiss, whine, crack and pop that’s often a glitch of Bluetooth headphones, these serve up truckloads of detail, with a full charge promising 20 hours of juice.
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless The brand’s first foray into wireless brings luxury for your ears inside and out: these are the Aston Martin DB10s of wire-free cans. If you like your sound authoritative, dynamic and subtle (and who doesn’t?), you’ll feel right at home with these P5s.
SoundMagic E10S This is actually the third version of SoundMagic’s awesome, affordable in-ears – not that you’d tell by looking. They sound even better, though: a little smoother and more refined, with tight, weighty bass. Plus there’s now a mic and button for smartphone use.
Bose QuietComfort 25 The best kind of silence is the kind you then fill with sweet, sweet music, and that’s what the QuietComfort 25s give you. The active noise-cancelling quells office hubbub, air-conditioning and aeroplane hum, and delivers cracking sound in its place.
Jaybird X2 Still searching for an audio companion on your fitness sojourns? Well, look no further as the Jaybird X2 is pretty much it. Comfy with specially designed Comply ear-tips and wireless connectivity, it is a winner even in the audio quality department.
Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 The original Sennheiser Momentums were an almost perfect pair of on-ears, and we’re pleasantly surprised that the sequel is even more thrilling. They’re pricey, but dapper looks soften the blow, as does the lively, hugely transparent sound.
JBL Everest 100 The size of a pear drop, JBL’s wireless buds are all about fuss-free fit. Their eight-hour battery life will help get you through the daily grind and their sound is one you could easily listen to for that long… if you don’t mind your music on the meaty side.
Jabra Pulse A tech-packed but easy to use pair of wireless buds with good enough sound. The big draw here is connection to the Jabra Sport app, delivering heart-rate monitoring and pretty much any other stat you might want. There’s also an inline remote and mic.
Monster iSport Wireless Superslim These fairly chunky wireless units come with a choice of mini-hooks (and buds) that squeeze inside your outer ear. They’re expensive and sonically a little edgy, but these sporty buds have plenty of detail and the bass is agile.
STUFF SAYS Fantastic sound and great portability at an almost unbeatable price. The perfect PMP upgrade
4999 ★★★★★ 7,990 ★★★★★
BEST FOR GREAT SOUND WITH NO WIRES
28,950 ★★★★★ 2349 ★★★★★ 25,200 ★★★★★ 15,999 ★★★★★ 24,990 ★★★★★ 14,990 ★★★★✩ 11,499 ★★★★✩ 10,750 ★★★★✩
BEST FOR SHUTTING OUT THE WORLD
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HOME CINEMA 99 T HO Y BU
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Tata Sky+ Transfer HD The new Tata Sky boxes come with built-in Wi-Fi, to make it easier to access on-demand programming, of which there’s now more than ever, including prerelease blockbuster films. There’s also a 500GB drive available that, with more than 45 channels of HD, might well be worth the outlay. One of the most interesting parts about the Transfer HD is that it allows streaming/transferring recorded content directly to Android/iOS devices anywhere, anytime. It has a slick app to boot.
Q Acoustics Media 4 Sure, it doesn’t look like much. And yet, this soundbar has won awards two years in a row from our friends at What Hi-Fi? The Media 4 combines subtle detail with precise surround effects to be the best-sounding and best-value soundbar you can buy.
Onkyo HTS5805 The Atmos bandwagon beckons but you’re afraid to hurt the piggy? Fret not. This model from Onkyo’s HTIB (Home Theatre In a Box) series offers all the joys of an immersive audio experience with some smart pricing. Not at all a bad option for going surround.
Oppo BDP-103 The Oppo impresses, as its feature set is virtually impossible to beat at the price range – and this alone should be reason enough to buy it. Sonically, the Oppo favours a hefty, powerful sound and won’t hold back anything for a fun movie session, big bangs et all.
Dali Kubik One Dali knows a thing or two about making great-looking, great-sounding loudspeakers, and the Kubik One is a riveting listen. It can handle high-res files and offers a gorgeous high-end sound. If you’ve got the cash, this is a talented system worth investing in.
BenQ W1070T If you’re looking for big-screen entertainment on a budget, then this BenQ should be your first port of call. A Full HD 3D projector that delivers an astonishingly good performance, it’s an absolute bargain for its price tag. A must for your first home theatre.
Marantz UD7007
STUFF SAYS The only choice for serious TV, movie or sport addicts
from 9300 + Subscription ★★★★★
45,000 ★★★★★
BEST FOR TRUE-TO-LIFE SOUND
75,000 ★★★★★
BEST FOR ATMOS AT A SMALL COST
69,999 ★★★★★ 1,05,000 ★★★★★ 1,10,000 ★★★★★ 69,900 ★★★★★
BEST FOR THE ULTIMATE IN QUALITY
54,990 ★★★★★
BEST FOR SMART BAR SURROUND
Let’s put aside the gimmicks for a second and consider what’s most important: the sound. That’s where the Panorama 2 wins. You get a direct and focused sound, clear dialogue and beautiful design and build, although this is all very expensive.
2,11,500 ★★★★★
BEST FOR PREMIUM SOUND
REL S/5
from 1,95,000 ★★★★★
BEST FOR LOW FREQUENCY MAGIC
Pricey like an Aston Martin is pricey and about as satisfying to own, this Marantz can play any disc you like, streams music at high-def resolutions and can withstand an earthquake. If you really, really take movies and music seriously, this is your player.
Philips Fidelio B5 Just a year after cracking a brilliant idea, the Philips Fidelio sound lab launches a better soundbar that promises to adhere to the brand’s strict norms when it comes to sonic perfection. It may not be the audiophile’s choice but it would be dense to dismiss it.
B&W Panorama 2
It’s not often that a single component makes such a significant difference to the overall signature of a system and the REL S/5 is one of those rare components. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill sub and what it delivers isn’t ordinary boom. Period.
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100 T HO Y BU
TVs
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LG 55EG960T We knew that one day OLED and 4K would be joined in holy matrimony, and that the results would be rather special. That day is now upon us and ‘special’ doesn’t quite do it justice. This 55in LG is the new pinnacle of TV tech and performance, combining the unbelievable colours, contrast and brightness of OLED with the super-sharp, ultra-detailed images of 4K to create a picture that’s more real and enticing than looking out of the window.
Samsung UA48J6300AK A 48in screen seems to be the ideal size for most living rooms, and a prominent curve makes this Samsung eye-catching in every respect. The performance is stunning and the colours have the right balance of vividness and subtlety. This is a smart TV bargain.
LG 55EC930T Not everyone’s got 3 lacs to blow on a flatscreen, and if you have to choose between OLED and 4K, it’s OLED we’d take right now. The awesome colours, super-deep blacks and amazing contrast will make everything you already watch look extra-amazing.
Samsung UA48JU6670U This 48in display is a crowd-pleaser, with great performance, good looks, web-based smarts and plenty of connections. Picture quality is stunning – super-sharp and clear in 4K, and brilliantly upscaled in 1080p. There’s also a slick multitasking interface.
Samsung UA65JU6470U Finally, a 4K TV that can be recommended without hesitation, plus it’s just as good as a Full HD TV when playing 1080p stuff. Chuck in all of Samsung’s usual smart TV whizzbang, remove the silly motion-sensing controls and you’ve got a real star.
Sony KD-75X9400C This is 75 inches of holy cow: the sort of thrilling picture that lets you see exactly how much hair gel SRK uses, although the default setting is so bright you’ll squint like Clint Eastwood. And those proper speakers at the sides make a real difference.
Samsung UA55JS9000K Each of its 8.3million pixels is put to good use, filling the screen’s handsome real estate with pin-sharp outlines, potent contrast and eye-popping colours. Sound-wise, it’s way more powerful than bog-standard flatscreens. Worth the pretty paise ? Oh yes.
LG 55UF950T This telly comes to life in a flash, and menus don’t waste time loading – it’s a glossy double-page advert for pixel-packing 4K technology. The punchy palette revels in dazzling hues, deep blacks and Colgate-smile whites, and the sound is solid.
LG 65UF850T Want a huge TV that could still just about fit under the roof and won’t require you to get a second bank loan? This 65-incher fits the bill. It doesn’t have tip-top specs but does have LG’s superb WebOS 2.0 channel-to-app bouncing interface.
Sony KDL-55W800C If you’re not bothered about 4K but fancy a large, vibrant screen, this sleek 55-incher might be for you. The colour balance could be more natural, but it features Google’s new platform so you can download films, shows, games and music straight to the TV.
STUFF SAYS It’s mighty pricey, but if you’re after the finest flatscreen known to man, this is currently it
3,09,900 ★★★★★ 1,04,900 ★★★★★
BEST FOR VIEWING VALUE
2,69,900 ★★★★★ 1,52,900 ★★★★★ 3,14,900 ★★★★★ 6,04,900 ★★★★★
BEST FOR THE WOW FACTOR
3,14,900 ★★★★★ 2,09,900 ★★★★✩ 3,19,900 ★★★★✩ 1,24,900 ★★★★✩
BEST FOR AFFORDABLE BRILLIANCE
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TOP FIVE HOME COMPUTERS & CONSOLES 101 H O COMPUTERS HOME
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Apple iMac with Retina 5K display (2015) The 5K 27in iMac is the most desirable home computer in the world. It doesn’t try any funny stuff or any ‘revolutionary’ gimmicks. However, fantastic hardware design, great software and a terrific screen make it a joy to use day to day.
Raspberry Pi 3 B It just keeps getting tastier by the year – 50% faster, 100% more Wi-Fi, same price. No other circuit board computer touches what the Pi offers as a package: the amazing value hardware, the mountains of online support and the sheer wealth of projects you can try.
Asus ROG Tytan G30
from 1,72,990 ★★★★★ from 3468 ★★★★★
Weighing in at 15 kilos, the Tytan G30 is one beautifully crafted rig for gaming. This is a serious machine that will fulfil your gaming desires and much more. If you don’t want to build your own, just go ROG. May this begin your reign as the Ultimate Fraglord.
1,13,499 ★★★★★
Apple Mac Mini
from 40,990 ★★★★★
This tiny PC is still one of the most capable devices in the size group, and is intelligently priced as well. You are going to need to plug in the keyboard, mouse and monitor, but it’s a convenient little device that you could slip into your backpack if you need to.
Lenovo IdeaCentre A740 The A740’s stand mechanism allows that lumbering 27in screen to lie flat, which is ideal for multi-user access to its 10-point multitouch. A quad-core i7 processor gives it plenty of power. An upgrade over the A720, the A740 is definitely here to stay.
BEST FOR RETINAL PAMPERING
BEST FOR DIY PROJECTS
BEST FOR COMPACT POWER
from 1,13,400 ★★★★✩
GAMES G A CONSOLES
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Sony PlayStation 4 It may not quite be the finished article, but this is the best games machine on the planet. It has whisper-quiet operation, a sleek form and bags of power, with full 1080p on all titles and not a whiff of lag. When proper media streaming arrives, it’ll be unstoppable.
Microsoft Xbox One This is very different to the Xbox One of 2013. Most significantly, the unpopular Kinect feature is now out of the deal, allowing Microsoft to drop the price and releasing enough extra power for developers to make their games look and play better.
Microsoft Xbox 360 Yes, it’s been succeeded by the One, but the years have been kind to the 360. With an amazing catalogue of recent games that use its full potential, brilliant media streaming skills and a low, low price it’s impossible not to recommend it to cash-strapped gamers.
Sony PlayStation 3 The PS3 has been around a while but, like the Xbox 360, that just means it has plenty of great games. Online gaming via PlayStation Network is still brilliant and still free, and it’s worth buying for its Blu-ray and media streaming alone.
Sony PS Vita Slim If you’re serious about gaming on the go, the Vita is way better than a smartphone, and when you get home you can play your PS4 games in bed thanks to Remote Play. That’s gaming decadence, right there.
from 32,990 ★★★★★ from 34,990 ★★★★★ from 12,990 ★★★★★
BEST FOR BUDGET GAMING
from 16,990 ★★★★★ 16,990 ★★★★✩
BEST FOR GAMING ON THE MOVE
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photos, the X-T10 beats most other choices at any price. It also handles beautifully and can be paired with some of the most consistently superb lenses you’ll ever find.
Sony A7R II Yes, it’s expensive, but the A7R II combines impeccable build quality with a class-leading full-frame sensor, 5-axis image stabilisation, huge ISO range, super-fast autofocus, an excellent viewfinder and 4K video recording. Simply the finest Sony camera ever made.
Canon EOS 5DS A fantastic piece of kit that any pixel-peeping SLR fan will get heaps of enjoyment out of. The astounding 50MP sensor puts an incredible amount of pictorial detail at your fingertips, and the 5DS is very much pitched as Canon’s ultimate stills camera.
Olympus PEN-F
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★★★★★ (body only)
★★★★★ 2,52,995
(body only)
★★★★★ 81,990
(body only)
Sony A6000
40,990
Sony’s new system camera may be tiny but it packs a big photographic punch. There may be no optical image stabilisation but the incredible speed and accuracy of the A6000’s autofocus is a real highlight, as is its large, clear electronic viewfinder.
this level of versatility in such a lightweight package: a 30x optical zoom lens, 1080p video, manual controls and GPS for tagging… plus NFC and Wi-Fi for cable-free sharing.
Sony DSC-RX100 IV The RX100 IV is a superb premium point-and-shoot that offers all the versatility, flexibility and dependable all-round performance you could need. And while you may hesitate at the price, no other current pocket-sized camera can best it.
Fujifilm FinePix X100S Fujifilm’s souped up its fixed-lens retro shooter, with faster focusing and a big APS-C sensor. It’s not all new, though, keeping the 35mm-equivalent f/2 lens and hybrid viewfinder from the X100. A less retro version with black finish is now available too.
Nikon Coolpix S7000 If small and light is the way you need to go, you can jam the affordable S7000 in your jeans and you won’t even know it’s there. Yet it still packs a 20x optical zoom and back-illuminated 16MP sensor, as well as 4-axis image stabilisation and Wi-Fi.
Sony RX10 II Sporting a memory-attached sensor, this camera has the ability to record video at 1000fps or stills at 1/32,000 of a second – speeds usually reserved for pro kit. As an all-rounder with a non-interchangeable lens, there’s no other model that can touch it.
BEST FOR ALL-ROUND VALUE
2,39,990
The first with an electronic viewfinder and 5-axis stabilisation, this is the best PEN by some margin. It’s similar spec-wise to the OM-D E-M5 II, but this is a hugely desirable piece of design and an immensely capable camera for all-round shooting.
TC COMPACT CO O CAMERAS HO Sony Cyber-shot HX60V Y BU The HX60V is a top-class all-rounder, the Ian Botham of snappers. Few cameras offer NE
74,999
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★★★★★ (body only)
★★★★★
22,990 ★★★★★
BEST FOR TAKING ON HOLIDAY
69,990 ★★★★★
BEST FOR POCKETABLE POWER
83,999 ★★★★★ 9950 ★★★★★ 94,990 ★★★★★
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LAPTOPS 103 T HO Y BU
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Apple MacBook Pro 13in (2015) Apple hasn’t changed too many parts of the MacBook Pro for 2015. There’s a fancy new trackpad and the latest generation of Intel CPUs, which deliver better stamina as well as a chunk more power. This is an incremental upgrade, but given how good the Pro already was, that’s more than enough to keep it right at the top of the laptop honours list. If you need power as well as stamina and portability, this is one of the best laptops money can buy.
Dell XPS 13
STUFF SAYS If it ain’t broke… it hasn’t radically changed, but the Pro’s performance and trackpad are top of its class
from 89,900 ★★★★★
This nippy ultrabook packs mucho screen into not much space, without compromising on usability. With a backlit keyboard, decent battery and Full HD screen, only its lack of gaming power holds it back. It’s also thinner and lighter than the average 13-incher.
76,990 ★★★★★
Asus ZenBook UX305
from 54,999 ★★★★★
Asus knows what it’s doing. It knows that the Apple MacBook Air laptops are treading water and the ZenBook UX305 is pretty much everything the 2015 Air should have been, with its fetching aluminium design and as good a display as any 1 lac laptop.
Acer Aspire Nitro V15 - Black Edition A no-nonsense, affordable gaming laptop that gets all the basics right while packing enough grunt to shame pricier rivals. The Hitman of gaming laptops is here and it shoots big. Go on a gaming rampage , in 4K resolution. Kiss your normal life goodbye!
Asus ROG G751 The G751 is for the loud and proud PC gamer. While its design is rather brash, the awesome performance, good screen and highly effective fans that keep it pretty quiet under pressure make this one of the best gaming laptops around.
Apple MacBook (2015) This is no ‘Air’, nor ‘Pro’: a clear sign that this is what Apple sees as the future of the ultraportable laptop. And it’s certainly very desirable: a 12in lean machine with a superb screen and haptic touchpad. However, the lack of ports can be frustrating.
MSI GT80 Titan SLI
from 1,10,000 ★★★★★ 1,33,999 ★★★★★ 1,06,900 ★★★★★
With specs that can kill some of the more ambitious PCs, this behemoth seems to be the ultimate gaming laptop. Yes, at that price, it does seem to be made for the most intense (read rich) gamers and enthusiasts, but it surely is worth the asking price.
2,95,000 ★★★★★
Apple MacBook Air 13in (2015)
from 80,900 ★★★★✩
Apple is scraping by with pretty much the same Air design as before. You get a new processor, new connectors and slightly improved battery life, but still no Retina screen. However, if a portable road warrior is what you’re after, this is still a great choice.
LLenovo Yoga 3 Pro T third entry in the Yoga Pro line refines the laptop/tablet hybrid design with The a power-sipping new Intel Core M processor plus slimness and style to make even tthe MacBook Air look worried. And you can stand it up like a tent. If you want.
Lenovo Yoga 900 This is a new take on the Yoga 3 Pro. It’s slim, bendy, portable, and now more powerful. Spec up a Surface Pro 4 to this level and the price gets terrifying. The Yoga 900 won’t prove quite such a drain on your finances, and it’s a better all-round device.
1,19,890 ★★★★✩ 1,23,690 ★★★★✩
BEST FOR GAMING SHOCK AND AWE
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104 T HO Y BU
GAMES
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The Division PC/Xbox One A beautiful, exceptionally detailed vision of a disaster-struck New York, deep RPG elements with visceral, gritty action and a Dark Zone that is awesomely tense – The Division ticks all the boxes to be thouroughly addictive. Looked at entirely in that narrow light, The Division is a fine game indeed, but it’s far better when you engage with others. None of your Division-playing mates available? You can go from lone wolf to part of a four-man killing machine, and back in a matter of moments.
Quantum Break Xbox One A ridiculously ambitious techno-thriller that blends classic sci-fi gameplay with immersive interludes of motion-captured animation, this game promises futuristic thrills a plenty. Inspired yet formulaic, this is an imperfect, essential exclusive.
STUFF SAYS All the best bits of multiple genres, wrapped into one gorgeous, very addictive, action-packed package.
★★★★★ ★★★★★
XCOM 2 PC Aliens have taken over the world. It’s your job to save humanity in this thrilling turnbased strategy sequel. There’s a greater variety of missions and maps, superb tactical combat and highly involved strategic layer. Tip: Just be prepared to die. A lot.
★★★★★
4
Fallout 4 PS4 It’s not just the sheer scale and quality that makes this a must-have RPG. The complex systems Bethesda has created all overlap in a mesmerising fashion, creating an experience that is both huge and beautifully tailored at the same time.
★★★★★
5
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Wii U Zelda’s darkest incarnation is back and better than ever. Nintendo’s oft-forgotten gem gets a deserved reboot that reminds us why it’s one of the best in the illustrious series with brilliant characters engage you throughout the game. The legend’s back!
★★★★★
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Fifa 16 PC/ PS3/ PS4/ /Xbox 360/ Xbox One/ iOS/ Android While casual players will always accuse each new FIFA game of just updating the database, those of us who play it religiously notice the subtle differences. It’s the most realistic FIFA ever - and for us that makes it the best footie game out there.
Life Is Strange PS4 When was the last time a video game made you cry? If you’re a serial blubber, then it shouldn’t have been long ago. In theory at least. Prepare to fall hard for a unique approach to storytelling. This game is a fantastic advert for the butterfly effect.
★★★★★
★★★★★
Dark Souls III PS4 What’s likely to be the final Dark Souls is a fittingly brutal end to the series. Food for the soul, punishment for the body and mind. A worthy sequel indeed with loads of gloriously nightmarish beasties to slay and vast wastes that just beg exploration.
Far Cry Primal PC/ PS4/ Xbox One The series takes a trip back in time - and it’s one you shouldn’t miss. Taming and hunting beasts is great fun and ordering them to kill enemy soliders never gets old. Yes, it’s just Far Cry 4 in prehistoric times - but that’s still a massive amount of fun.
★★★★★
★★★★★
Hitman PC/PS4/ Xbox One Gaming’s favourite assassin has gone episodic, and with great results. Like Agent 47’s trademark, impeccably pressed suit, the new Hitman game simply fits. A pure, rewarding assassination sim with loads of replay value and a brave release method.
★★★★★
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WEARABLES 105 T HO Y BU
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Apple Watch Apple’s Watch is by no means the first smartwatch, but it is the most desirable. It is more luxurious (and yes, more expensive) than its rivals, its software is better thought out, and in the coming months you’ll see an explosion of new apps for it. It’s hard to pin down a specific thing that makes the Apple Watch special; in some ways it’s the ultimate gadget. Simply put, the right now of the Apple Watch is pretty great. But the future of Apple Watch is really amazing.
Jawbone UP3 Heaps of data, cleverly presented: the UP3 could be the answer to your motionmotivating dreams. The UP, like your puppy, will integrate into your life, urge you to move and help you sleep. You'll soon realise that it’s an incredible package; not the puppy.
Garmin Fenix 3 This is a serious sports watch. It’s especially geared for triathlon, with a dedicated race mode, but it’s also a great training tool for each discipline and other sports besides. It doesn’t do heart monitoring, but a 10-day battery life is your compensation.
Pebble Time Steel It’s very similar to the Pebble Time, but the extra Gorilla Glass 3 on the front makes it a bit less damage-prone and the bonus battery life means it’ll last for a solid week of proper use. These tweaks ensure that the Time Steel is the best Pebble you can buy.
Motorola Moto 360 (2015) Look and feel were never big issues with the Moto 360, but Motorola has done its best to make them even better in this second-generation smartwatch. This watch is a stunner, and its default leather strap feels great too.
Fitbit Flex
STUFF SAYS The Apple Watch is the classiest and cleverest smartwatch, with a platform teeming with possibility
from 30,800 ★★★★★ 14,999 ★★★★★ 37,000 ★★★★★ 24,490 ★★★★★ 19,999 ★★★★★
The Flex delivers all of Fitbit’s activity-tracking smarts but in a form factor that’s less fiddly than its belt-clip counterparts. It’s packed with Bluetooth, NFC, vibratamotor and an LED display. See also the new Fitbit Charge, with a full display.
6990 ★★★★★
GOQii Band
from 3999 ★★★★★
A fitness band, its propriety app and a fitness and habit expert who coaches you to achieve your ideal lifestyle is what you'll be signing onto with GOQii. Get a hands-on idea of your progress via collected physical data, complete with statistical analysis.
Moov Now It might look like just another wrist or ankle-mounted movement tracker;it’s anything but. It's real forte? It’s not a tracker, but a trainer. The focus is on active minutes, in whatever form they take. Moov wants the Now to become your new workout guru.
Sony SmartWatch3 The Sony SmartWatch 3 has the brains of a Google watch, coupled with GPS skills for fitness fans, with plenty of power and decent battery life. A waterproof build and GPS powers make this the best fitness smartwatch around.
Misfit Shine The Shine’s minimalist exterior redefines fitness trackers. Former Apple CEO and Misfit co-founder John Sculley may have something to do with that. Plus, its fitness and sleep monitoring skills are solid, and a button cell means no recharging. Perfect.
BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE
3999 ★★★★★ 14,990 ★★★★✩ 9990 ★★★★✩
BEST FOR TRACKING YOUR LIFE
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iRobot Roomba Scampering around Jesse’s place in Breaking Bad or blasting music for Tommy in Parks & Rec, the iRobot Roomba has long been the stuff of TV and movies. No more. No more will you have to sit there wistfully and wonder what it would be like to have a little robot vacuum cleaner. The Wi-Fi-enabled range of delightfullooking, disc-shaped vacuum cleaning robots that are as smart as they’re cute, are now officially here. That’s right, maids, be afraid... be very, very afraid!
Synology DS214se with DSM 5.0 We’ve been Synology fans for a while, thanks to its affordable and flexible approach to network attached storage (NAS). Within this entry-level hardware beats the best NAS software yet, sporting the latest version of its DiskStation Manager software
Roku Streaming Stick ‘Streaming Stick’ tells you all you need to know, really: this is a stick, and it streams. It streams plenty, too. And unlike Chromecast, it’s also a dab hand with your own video and music files. Lovely stuff.
Blueair Sense+ Wi-Fi compatible, this airpurifier is ultra fast and can be controlled by its Blueair Friend app to set everything from air flow speeds, timers, enable night mode and also switch it on/off from anywhere. Pair it with Blueair Aware air monitor for best results.
QNAP TS-212P NAS A refreshingly straightforward entry in the complex business of NAS drives, we love its ease of use and its array of useful available apps. A NAS drive with everything you’ll ever need for a supercharged home network - and it’s really easy to use.
Nest Cam Exceptional with superb picture quality, the wide-angle lens captures all the action effectively and the ability to zoom in and record is a nice touch, but the Nest stands out thanks to the brilliance of the magnetic mounting and multi-directional head.
Withings Home The Withings Home is slick, stylish and blends effortlessly into the modern home. Team it with a reliable Wi-Fi signal and you’ll be treated to continuous HD monitoring besides air-pollution alerts, wherever you are. The wide-angle night vision lens is a nice touch.
Videocon Aryabot
STUFF SAYS Plug, power and relax and let the Roomba show your maid what cleaning’s all about
from 29,900 ★★★★★ 21,624 ★★★★★ 5,999 ★★★★★ 45,000 ★★★★★ 15,540 ★★★★★ 25,599 ★★★★✩ 25,200 ★★★★✩
This Wi-Fi enabled, app-controlled, IoT-capable wunderkind from Videocon is every techie’s dream AC, with voice prompts, automatic settings based on outside temperature, including an option to connect a webcam to stream directly to the app!
14,500 ★★★★✩
Nexo Knight wireless charging table
from 10,799 ★★★★✩
Here’s an end-of-day scenario for you: You hit the bed after you fumble around with a charger to charge your phone overnight, versus you just plonk your phone on a good-looking wireless charger cum table. Pepperfry, you get us. Yes you do.
Google Chromecast This USB memory-stick-sized cord-cutter is compatible with YouTube, Google Play movies and more: a cheap, simple way of getting web-sourced movies and shows onto your living-room TV.
2999 ★★★★✩
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Raspberry Pi 3 There are a lot of circuit board computers around these days. Some are only really meant for IoT devs. Others are Raspberry Pi copies, to put it bluntly. But no other circuit board computer touches what the Pi offers as a package. The amazingvalue hardware, the mountains of online support and the sheer wealth of other people’s projects you can try without having to think too hard mean it has red-hot p appeal. We love how the Raspberry Pi just keeps getting tastier by the year. a
DJI Phantom 3 Standard Each of the three variants of the Phantom 3 drone is brilliant, but this most affordable version does more than enough for most quadcopter pilots. The budget Phantom camera drone jettisons some functionality, but its core greatness remains.
Kindle Paperwhite Quite simply the best ereader available, and therefore a must-have gadget for anyone with even a passing interest in the written word. A great screen, smooth design and that Amazon Kindle system we’ve known and loved for years make this the ereader to own.
DJI Osmo A game-changing camera for amateur filmmakers requiring smooth, stable footage, the Osmo’s really in a category of its own at the moment. There’s no comparable stabilised camera on the market. You’d end up spending far more money for the same output.
3Doodler
STUFF SAYS Pi 3’s performance increase is pretty massive. More power, more convenience
3549 ★★★★★ 45,000 ★★★★★ 8999 ★★★★★ 55,000 ★★★★★
Like Hulk, the 3Doodler stepped into the laboratory a normal pen, but emerged many times the size and countless times more awesome, as a shining tool of the future, roaring and squirting out fat 3D ink. The 3Doodler is our new favourite tech toy!
13,365 ★★★★★
DJI Phantom 2 Vision quadcopter drone
from 95,000 ★★★★
We could “drone on” about the Phantom 2 Vision forever - this is the hottest cameratoting quadcopter on the block. This powerful, easy to fly quadcopter sports not only a built-in anti-vibration camera, but also smartphone compatibility; an absolute blast!
Impossible Instant Lab Universal A camera that turns your smartphone shots into actual Polaroids? Yep! Pointless hipster throwback or ingenious device that evokes a time when photography felt more “authentic”? Who cares, we’re loving the nostalgic throwback to bits.
Sony Smart Tennis Sensor Warning: Using this doesn’t mean that you’ll suddenly start playing like the Swiss maestro Roger Federer. The Smart Tennis sensor, with its proprietary app, lets you in on everything that is going with your racquet swing, with stats, no less! Game. Set. Match.
Sphero BB-8 Droid The new R2-D2; this is a Star Wars toy that’s as fun as it is futuristic, The Sphero BB-8 Droid captures your imagination with an array of futuristic thrills with a simple set up and easy controls. Try one for yourself and you’ll see. If they’re not all sold out already.
Korg Volca Beats A diddy drum machine with a huge sound, this is an instant techno classic. With the Volca Beats, Korg has made a Roland TR-808 alternative for a fraction of the price. This tiny drum machine is the biggest thing to happen in electronic music for 30 years.
28,290 ★★★★ 20,100 ★★★★ 17,401 ★★★★ 15,843 ★★★★★
NEXT BIG THING?
For er mory hat’s the fanciest Pog I ever saw. If the official rulebook classifies any circular disc as a verified Pog then yes, it is, but you’re technically wrong. Really wrong, in fact. What we have here isn’t a simple kids’ plaything, but a glass storage crystal that’s capable of harbouring 360TB of data, which is around 75,000 DVDs or approximately 2.3 billion cat gifs. If that isn’t impressive enough, this next fact definitely is – the data has an essentially unlimited lifespan, although it will degrade after 13.8 billion years if kept at 190°C. Not a bad effort though, eh?
T
13.8 billion years? Are you serious? Our primary source of life, that big, burning ball in the sky, will run out of fuel in around five billion years. So when all trace of humanity is wiped out, when the Earth is covered in pitch black, unforgiving ice, your 5D Superman memory crystal will be just as readable as the day it was created. Assuming an advanced alien civilisation stumbles across it, of course. Your 5D what??? 5D Superman memory crystal. The Superman reference should be obvious, and the 5D refers
to five dimensions. A super-fast laser pumps out short, intense pulses of light – we’re talking as fast as one quadrillionth of a second each – and data is essentially burned into the quartz in three layers of dots, which are just five micrometres apart. The five dimensions refer to the dots’ size and orientation, as well as the three-dimensional position of the nanostructures. In other words, there are some very, very clever science-type things going on. While there’s no word on a general release for the tech, suffice it to say that we don’t expect to see it at Lamington Road any time soon.
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