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The World’s Leading Gadget Magazine!

Tomorrow’s Technology Today INDIAN EDITION

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| UP TO 10 th GEN. INTEL ® CORE™ i7 PROCESSORS | WINDOWS 10 HOME / WINDOWS 10 PRO | UP TO NVIDIA ® GEFORCE ® GTX 1650 WITH MAX-Q DESIGN GRAPHICS | IN.MSI.COM Bangalore Coimbatore Delhi Kolkata Pune Lucknow

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SHOWSTOPPER Gadgets that showcase the very best that design and technology have to offer

WAX LYRICAL The Automatic Turntable MkII boasts a high-ďŹ delity built-in valve phono stage, designed for moving oving magnet cartridges cartridges. The resulting sound is beautifully waarm and toasty

T U R N TA B L E M K II Gearbox Records, a London label that originally made a name for itself as a purveyor of archival jazz, is what you might call a music connoisseur. So it should come as no surprise that its turntable is a bit special. Inspired by Dieter 5DPVè LFRQLF %UDXQ WXUQWDEOH ZKLFK DOVR LQVSLUHG -RQ\ ,YHèV ĆUVW L3RG WKH $XWRPDWLF 0N,, LV D SOXJ èQè SOD\ Bluetooth-connected design masterpiece that would hold its own in the most exquisite surroundings. Naturally, Gearbox wanted it to sound great too, which is why the turntable contains a number of audiophile features. These LQFOXGH D SUHFLVLRQ EHOW GULYH D SUH PRXQWHG 2UWRIRQ 20 FDUWULGJH D VROLG JODVV SODWWHU DQG D ORZ YLEUDWLRQ V\QFKURQRXV PRWRU ZLWK EXLOW LQ HOHFWURQLF VSHHG FRQWURO 2XU IDYRXULWH IHDWXUH" 7KH WUDFN UHFRJQLWLRQ VRIWZDUH XVHG LQ FRPELQDWLRQ ZLWK WKH *HDUER[ $XWRPDWLF DSS HQDEOHV XVHUV WR DGG whatever they’re playing on the turntable WR WKHLU 6SRWLI\ SOD\OLVW $V MD]] W\SHV PLJKW VD\ WKDWèV VPRRWK gearboxrecords.com

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Welcome

Editor’s letter Happy New Year! A lot happened in tech in 2019 and while we look forward to the new year, our cover story this month showcases some interesting tech from last year. We have got a couple of interesting features this month. If you’re a console gamer, do check out our story on the next-gen consoles and what to expect from Sony and Microsoft. Another feature goes deep into smart displays from Google, Amazon and even Lenovo. New product launches dried up but there were a few products that attracted our attention like LG’s dual-screen phone, Acer’s ConceptD Pro 9 laptop for professionals and Huawei’s Watch GT 2. As for reviews, we have got an interesting mix of products, which includes a high-end projector from Optoma, affordable truly wireless buds from Realme, gaming headsets and more.

Kunal Gangar, Executive Editor k.gangar@nextgenpublishing.net

Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd. Views expressed by external contributors are their own and not those of the organisations they work for. Next Gen Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without adequate postal stamps for return postage. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express written permission of the publisher. All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. T3 India does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.

OUR AWARDS PLATINUM AWARD

THE DESIGN AWARD

BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE

This award, and others We give this only to Only a five-star review like it, are given for tech that stands out for earn a product our prestigious Platinum stunning aesthetics or a exceptional performance in a key feature clever build Award

BEST ON TEST

The winners of our group tests earn this accolade, showing them to be top tier

T3 is… Executive Editor Kunal Gangar Consulting Editor Girish Mallya Copy Editor Kriselle Fonseca Contributors Anshuman Ghosh, Aniruddha Rao Editor (UK) Matt Bolton Contributors (UK) Duncan Bell, Claire Davies, Alex Cox, Louise Blaine, Alistair Charlton, David Nield, Alistair Jennings Publisher Girish Mallya Head Design & Production Ravi Parmar Senior Designer Prakash Gavnang Photography Mahesh Reddy Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Product Manager Perseus Master General Manager North and East - Ellora Das Gupta General Manager South - Girish Shet Circulation Manager Circulation North and East - Kapil Kaushik BRANCH OFFICES Mumbai 105-106, Trade World, B Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai-400013. Tel: +91 22 43525252 Ahmedabad Devendra Mehta - Mob No.- 09714913234 Bengaluru Unit No. 509, 5th Floor ‘B’ Wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bangalore -560001, India Tel: +91 80 66110116/17 Fax: + 91 80 41472574 Chennai Salma Jabbar Cenetoph Elite,No.5,1st street, Teynampet, Chennai-6000018 Tel: + 91 044 421-08-421, 044 421-75-421 New Delhi Ellora Das Gupta 26-B, First Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase-III, New Delhi - 110020 Tel: +91 11 4234 6600 / 6678 Fax: + 91 11 4234 6679 Pune S.No.261/G.L.R.No.5 East Street,Camp, Pune-411001 Tel : + 91 20 26830465 Hyderabad Srinivas Gangula -Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Mobile no. 09000555756 Kolkata Vidyasagar Gupta -Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation). Mobile no. 09804085683 Subscription Enquiries Tel: +91-22-43525220 Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: help@magzter.com All rights reserved. Published with the permission of Future plc. Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part without prior written permission from Future plc & Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd. with regard to their respective content is prohibited. Printed by Girish Mallya. Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd., 105-106, Trade World, B Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai-400013. Published by Girish Mallya on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd., 105-106, Trade World, B Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai-400013. Printed at Kalajyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd., 105-106, Trade World, B Wing, 1st Floor, Kamala Mill Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai-400013. Editor: Kunal Gangar

6 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

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Contents

Contents 028

TECH’S GREATEST HITS

Whatever your lifestyle there’s a gadget to make it better. We URXQG XS WKH EHVW RI WKH ODVWb\HDUèV WHFK to see in 2020

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SMART SCREENS Your complete guide to smart home display assistants

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Ȏ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

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Contents BEST OF THE BEST 089 INTRODUCING THE BEST BUYER’S GUIDE KNOWN TO MAN

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JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Č?

Horizon ACER CONCEPTD 9 PRO ` On demand, lenovo.com/in Professional creators like graphic designers, architects often have to settle for a computer that’s geared towards gamers but Acer has launched the ConceptD series that specifically targets the creators. The series consists of high-end desktops, monitors and laptops and this month we take a look at their top-of-the-line ConceptD 9 Pro laptop. The laptop features a CNC-machined Ezel Aero Hinge allowing the 17.3-inch display to flip, extend and recline. Moreover, the display is Pantone-validated with 100% Adobe RGB colour gamut and Delta E<1 colour accuracy. The ConceptD 9 Pro packs Intel’s 9th Gen Core i9 CPU and up to Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 graphics. The laptop also includes a Wacom EMR stylus that magnetically attaches to the device. T3 SAYS: ConceptD 9 Pro supports a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels.

TECH-O-METER

VIVO V17 `22,990, vivo.com/in Each of the Vivo phones have one distinguishing feature and the all-new Vivo V17 takes the cake for shooting low-light photos. Equipped with a Super Night Mode and Super Night Selfie feature, both rear and front cameras can capture sharp, detailed photographs in challenging light. For other camera needs, there’s 48MP quad-camera setup comes to the rescue and 32MP on the front. In terms of other hardware, V17 features a 6.44-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED iView display with in-screen fingerprint scanning, Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 AIE processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage and dual-engine fast charging support for its 4500mAh battery. T3 SAYS: Vivo sells the V17 in two colours Midnight Ocean and Glacier Ice.

TECH-O-METER

10 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

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Horizon )6"8&* 8"5$) (5 From `15,990 (46mm), consumer.huawei.com/in

Huawei is following up its successful smartwatch with the stylish-looking Huawei Watch GT 2. Boasting a minimalistic design, the Huawei Watch GT 2 looks great with a highquality 3D glass face, complemented with a sporty band, metal or leather. The watch is powered by Huawei’s in-house Kirin A1 processor that allows the watch to work continuously for up to two weeks on a single charge and track user’s heart rate, notiďŹ cations, ďŹ fteen sport workouts that includes eight outdoor sports. The Huawei Watch GT 2 also comes with built-in storage that can store up to 500 songs. T3 SAYS:Huawei currently sells the 46mm variant and will sell the 42mm at a later date for `14,990.

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'*/(&34 #&"65¤ `1,899, ďŹ ngers.co.in

Adding to Fingers’ wide range of audio products is BeautÊ, an affordable and colourful wireless headphone. The headphone boasts form and function that comes with leatherette earcups and Bluetooth 5.0 support. BeautÊ supports the latest Bluetooth protocol and even features a microSD card slot, FM Radio, 9 hours of battery life and 40mm drivers to improved audio playback. BeautÊ also features aux and mic support. T3 SAYS: BeautÊ comes in four colours - Emerald Green, Gun Grey, Mocha Maroon and Mauve Brown.

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Horizon

-&/070 4."35 )0.& %&7*$&4 `8,999, lenovo.com/in

Lenovo ventured into the smart home category earlier this year and now they have expanded the lineup with three new products. First is the 7-inch Lenovo Smart Display (pictured) that boasts a 7-inch screen with dual-array microphones and full-range speaker. The device supports Google Assistant and allows to control any Google Assistant-enabled device. With the plug-and-play Smart Bulb, users can change colour, temperature and brightness. It supports both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Finally, the Lenovo Smart Camera offers high-resolution images with a horizontal 355-degree ďŹ eld of view (FOV) and vertical 120-degree FOV. It also features infrared night vision for low-light recording and features a built-in mic and speaker for two-way communication. T3 SAYS: You can use the display to showcase personal photos from Google Photos.

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".";0/ &$)0 */165 1035"#-& `4,999, amazon.in

Echo Input Portable is Amazon’s ďŹ rst attempt to make its Echo speaker truly wireless. The entrylevel Echo speaker now allows users to carry the device to any room, provided it’s connected to the Wi-Fi. The device looks like an amalgamation of the Echo Input and Echo Dot and features a four-microphone array along with Amazon’s Echo Spatial Perception technology to determine the closest voice. Users will get the full Alexa experience like play music, read news, control smart home devices and more. T3 SAYS: The speaker does not have a 3.5mm line-out but only Bluetooth.

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ENGINEERED IN GERMANY

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DURABLE

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FIT & COMFORT

3D SHAPE MOULDING

Horizon

#&/2 (8 5 `11,990, benq.co.in

Working on small displays of laptops and tablets can affect students’ vision and bone development, which is why BenQ has launched GW2480T monitor. The monitor is equipped with BenQ’s exclusive Eye-Care Technology with Low Blue Light and FlickerFree performance for a comfortable and extended viewing session. There’s also a built-in ambient light sensor that detects the ambient brightness and automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen. The 24inch monitor features an IPS panel, 4ms response time and height adjustment feature. T3 SAYS: The monitor features an invisible cable management system that hides all the connected cables for a cleaner look.

ČĽ ČĽ

456''$00- 8# `3,799, stuffcool.com

For what has become a commodity today, power banks are becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate. However, Stuffcool has established itself as a premier power bank manufacturer over the last few years and their latest WB110 power bank comes with a unique feature - wireless charging. If you have a Qi-compliant device, you can charge them through the power bank wirelessly without having to connect any cable. It even works when the device is 6mm away from the power banks, making it work with pop sockets and phone cases. Additionally, WB110 supports Type-C charging with 18W PD (power delivery) and regular Type-A T3 SAYS: You can fast charge two devices simultaneously.

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Horizon

4".46/( ("-"9: 8"5$) "$5*7& ( `35,990, samsung.com/in

Expanding its 4G smartwatch portfolio, Samsung has now introduced the Galaxy Watch Active2 with 4G support. With 4G e-sim support in tow, Galaxy Watch Active2 users can take calls, access social media from their watch without having to carry their phone around. As for the design, it’s similar to the Wi-Fi variant that comes in a premium, solid stainless-steel case with a leather band. The 44mm watch features a Super AMOLED display with a touch bezel and is equipped with advanced sensors that accurately track up to 39 distinct activities. T3 SAYS: Jio and Airtel currently support e-sim tech.

ČĽ ČĽ

-( ( 9 5)*/2 `49,999, lg.com/in

Foldable phones are prohibitively expensive but LG has a unique solution in mind. Presenting the dual-screen G8X ThinQ. The phone can be docked to a cover display that shows off notiďŹ cations, date, time, battery life available at a glance and supports 360-degree Freestop hinge that allows the phone to lock at any angle, making it convenient to use. Moreover, the dual-screen experience allows better browsing, typing and gaming experience. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 powers the phone along with 6GB RAM and comes with a 6.4-inch display, IP68 water & dustproof design and 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC. It has a dual-camera setup at the back and 32MP camera on the front. T3 SAYS: The phone is powerful, innovative and well-priced.

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Ë?ȇȅȇȅË?T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȆČ?

Special Feature

M2 Taking over from the WI-1000X, Sony brings the WI-1000XM2 that is an upgrade in every sense.

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Special Feature

INDUSTRY LEADING NOISE CANCELLATION HEADPHONES Enjoy music in solace with its advanced noise cancelling tech. The WI-1000XM2 is equipped with a dedicated HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 that not only cancels noise but also uses less power. Moreover, the in-ear earphones come with dual mics—one feedforward and one feed-back—that catch ambient noise for a distraction-free experience. ADAPTIVE With the Headphones Connect app, you can FRQĆJXUH $GDSWLYH 6RXQG &RQWURO WKDW DGMXVWV the audio volume and noise cancellation according to the activity you do For instance, walking will allow you to be aware of everything or while traveling give you the full experience. OPTIMISED FOR PRESSURE The earphones support Atmospheric Pressure Optimising, which means you get high-altitude RSWLPLVHG QRLVH FDQFHOODWLRQ LQ ćLJKW

HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1

Supportss Amazon Alexa an nd Google Ass stant

BRILLIANT SOUND The WI-1000XM2 comes with HD Hybrid Driver 6\VWHP DQG FXVWRP GHVLJQHG PP G\QDPLF GULYHU that delivers deep bass, clear mids and natural high tones.Needless to say, it is also capable of playing HiRes audio. SMART COMPANION Go with your choice of voice assistant as WI1000XM2 supports smart assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. TRAVEL-FRIENDLY The WI-1000XM2 is designed for all-day use, which is why it comes with a silicon soft neck-band design. When not in use, the foldable design allows to stow the earphones in the supplied carry case. QUICK CHARGE A single charge allows for up to 10 hours of continuous playback and if you run out of juice, a 10 minute quick charge will give 80 minutes of playback.

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Most advanced on noise-cancellatio nd tech in a neckban

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JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 19

Horizon Smart Home

WIPRO NEXT SMART BULBS XJQSPDPOTVNFSMJHIUJOH DPN

The proliferation of voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant has led to the rise of use of smart home devices with smart bulbs being the most common and affordable product under the smart home category. We have seen and used a variety of smart bulbs in the past and this month we take a look at Wipro’s Next line of smart bulbs. The feature set of Wipro’s range is similar to the competition. However, one area where Wipro has the edge is how bright the bulb is. The NS1200 consumes 12W of power but delivers a brightness of

ȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ë?ȇȅȇȅ

up to 1000 lumens. This is better than most of the competition and good for the consumers who seek a wirelessly controlled bright smart light. Wipro Smart bulbs also don’t require any hub to operate. Just download the Wipro Next app, connect the bulb to a Wi-Fi network and control via the app or any voice assistant. You can change the bulb’s colour (from 16 million colours or even change to warm white to neutral to cool white), brightness. Moreover, the bulbs can be remotely controlled or group together to create different scenes.

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Opinion

Duncan Bell is bricking it Getting unwired for sound needs a technical touch that some companies just can’t muster ere’s a thing that’s not happened to me for a while. I’ve just updated a product – a wireless speaker as it happens – and the software update has bricked it. By which I don’t mean the software has soiled itself; I mean the update has destroyed (‘bricked’ as today’s young people say) the speaker. This is not one of those ‘premium’ wireless speakers like an Apple HomePod or the new Amazon Echo Studio, however. Oh no no. This is an ‘ 01 ((5 .! ((5 !4,!*/%2!, high end’ wireless speaker. It’s worth thousands. Or at least it was until I just killed it. It’s okay, I expect it can be revived. And so not for the ďŹ rst time, I ďŹ nd myself asking this: what is wrong with hi-ďŹ businesses? Do these folk 3 *0 to go bust? Don’t get me wrong. Slightly modifying the old-school racist trope, a lot of my best friends are in the hi-ďŹ business. They all seem like good chaps. And they are mainly chaps. But so many brands in this fabulous sphere have now spent 10 years trying to pretend wireless streaming isn’t something that even exists, and then another ďŹ ve years ballsing up implementing it. First they tried to pretend nobody would listen to MP3, because it was ‘lossy’, which is a terrible word but let’s not get bogged down in that. MP3 is compressed and dispenses with a certain amount of musical detail in order to make it possible to ďŹ t more tunes on a hard drive. They assumed true music lovers would stick with CD – which is weird, because the hi-ďŹ industry spent a fair few years decrying CD as a load of old crap that would never

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supplant vinyl. Meanwhile, !2!.5+*! %* 0$! 3+.( bought an iPod (or similar) and started listening exclusively to MP3 (or AAC for Apple fundamentalists). A lot of us even ripped CDs to convert them into MP3. And after a matter of merely four to ďŹ ve years, a few brave audio brands started catering to this by grudgingly making high-quality speaker docks. The problem with this was that everyone by this point had an iPhone (or similar) and they did not want to have to dock it, because they wanted to always have their lovely phone to hand so they could admire its handsomeness and send DMs to their friends or whatever. So at this point, everyone in the ‘serious’ audio world said nobody would ever put up with listening to music via Bluetooth because it sounds rubbish and, yes, they had

Tech brands worth trillions can easily acquire the skills of hi-ďŹ brands worth millions heard of Sonos but that kind of streaming over Wi-Fi was very hard to implement, and anyway, it was rubbish and nobody wanted that. Meanwhile, !2!.5+*!Ë?%*Ë?0$!Ë? 3+.(  got on with buying wireless speakers, wireless headphones, wireless you-name-it. The obvious success that several brands had with premium, wireless speakers prompted a grudging confession

that, yes, wireless audio could be ‘hi-ďŹ â€™. Unfortunately, a lot of brands who thought they could make money from wireless didn’t realise something quite fundamental: that their expertise in making amazingsounding audio products now required similar expertise in app making, app maintenance and commitment to tech updates. Unfortunately, the big tech giants change their hardware and software requirements a lot. A lot of hi-ďŹ brands didn’t understand that. Before you knew it, there were streaming products costing into the hundreds – thousands – that barely worked, because Apple or Google had tweaked this or that in the part of their operating systems. What they probably also didn’t understand is that tech brands worth trillions can easily acquire the skill sets of hi-ďŹ brands worth millions, when it comes to dabbling in wireless audio. Now we have Echo Studio and HomePod: premium audio products, with immediate brand recognition, trusted by most people. Neither sounds anywhere as near as good as the several-thousand-pound wireless speaker my software update just killed‌ but what good does that do it now?

Ë?ȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȇȆ

Horizon Auto

MG ZS EV – MORRIS GARAGES’ FIRST ALL ELECTRIC SUV With the success the MG Hector has seen thus far in India, MG Motor India have brought the MG ZS EV to widen their sales audience. The MG ZS EV is a five-seater SUV which is 4314 mm long, making it a direct competitor of the Hyundai Kona EV. Revealed recently, the MG ZS EV is next on the cards for the Indian market and promises to be a family-friendly and fairly priced car. The electric SUV was recently showcased in Delhi but the car will be officially launched in January 2020 when the company will announce its price. Morris Garages(MG) claim that the ZS EV is their most high-tech car ever, with the MG Pilot driver assistance suite setting new standards of specification and delivering exceptional value for money. The ZS EV combines the 24 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

spacious qualities of the original ZS with a new efficient electric powertrain. Powering the new MG ZS EV is an intelligently packaged and water-cooled 44.5-kWh lithiumion battery pack, feeding a front-mounted electric motor which delivers 105 kW (143 PS) of peak power and 353 Nm of instant torque. Company claims the the ZS EV can achieve 0-100 km/h in an impressive 8.5 seconds. Water-cooling manages the battery temperature and allows for frequent rapid charging and optimum range whatever the weather. The company claimed during the unveiling in India that the ZS EV will have a range of 340 km on full charge. However, the Worldwide-harmonized Lightvehicle Test Procedure (WLTP)-certified range of the car is 163 miles or 262 km, and the MG ZS EV is offered with a W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Horizon Auto

seven-year warranty that covers the car and the lithium-ion battery pack. MG’s distinctive star-rider grille upfront integrates the CCS charging port for the battery. The MG ZS EV is designed to provide customers with a stress-free driving experience. MG Pilot is a driver assistance suite that complements the driver and offers support when required. Both variants ‘Excite’ and ‘Exclusive’ include MG Pilot as standard, with features including Advanced Emergency Braking, Blindspot Monitoring, Lane Keep Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control. Fine-tuning is offered in the form of three driving modes and three levels of regenerative braking that can be set to the driver’s preferences. Among the new features are the 17-inch alloy wheels that are designed to be light and extremely aerodynamic. The battery has been smartly positioned underneath the car so that there is no compromise in cabin or storage space. The full-sized boot gets hidden storage areas, a split-level boot and practical features to keep items secure while on the move. The ZS EV also gets a panoramic sliding Sky Roof that gives the interior a bright and airy effect. On the entertainment front, the MG ZS EV gets an 8.0inch colour touchscreen featuring satellite navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Bluetooth phone connectivity with audio streaming among others. The W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

updated iSMART EV 2.0 has an inbuilt embedded SIM providing internet onboard and can also be connected to an external Wi-Fi connection. This allows users to connect their ZS EVs to their home networks and mobile hotspots, making it a truly connected electric car. MG is offering five charging options with the ZS EV. A 50 kW DC fast charger that take just 50 minutes to charge 80 percent of the battery; the MG provides 7.4 kW AC home charger take around 6 to 8 hours for a full charge; while the standard cable that comes with the ZS EV can be plugged into a regular wall socket. Apart from this, MG Motor India are also installing DC fast charger at select MG showrooms. Lastly, they also have an on-demand charging facility where a mobile-unit can drive a charging station to your doorsteps. Internationally, the first 1,000 customers to purchase the car will get it at an introductory price of £ 21,495 (Rs 18.43 lakh). A free home charging point and standard installation also apply to the first 1,000 retail orders. As mentioned, the MG ZS EV has only been showcased and deliveries will begin in January 2020 in India. We expect it to be priced around Rs 25 lakh. The company has setup charging station in Gurugram and will be expanding it to other cities soon. To start with, MG Motor India hope to sell about 2,000 to 3,000 units annually. JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 25

Horizon Gadget Guru

T3’s tech master answers queries faster than the eye can perceive

BHUSHAN BHATIA

Will I ever need a 144Hz TV? What difference does it make? White coat Guru here, with your spurious science report. ‘The human eye can only discern around 60 frames per second’ whine the naysayers, forgetting that the eye and brain are, in fact, in squishy organic harmony rather than quartzclock activated machines. Yes, persistence of vision is a thing. We notice the jump from 25 to 30 to 50, and then again to 60Hz: while 144Hz content may not make such a marked difference, that’s not really the reason that higher refresh rates are a thing. It’s all about the persistence of the in betweens. A 144Hz screen can

ILLUSTRATIONS: STEPHEN KELLY

A

update its picture (in theory) 144 times per second; a 60Hz display can only manage 60. If the transition between those 60 updates is a little mucky, it’ll affect the image’s crispness. A screen updating at 144Hz, even if it’s fed a source running at a lower rate, offers each frame more breathing room, and presents a clearer picture.

ABOVE ‘If you can see, the numbers all go to 144. Right across the board…’

A SCREEN UPDATING AT 144HZ, EVEN IF IT’S FED A SOURCE RUNNING AT A LOWER RATE, OFFERS EACH FRAME MORE BREATHING ROOM

26 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

That said, 144Hz (which isn’t really hitting TVs so much as Big Format Gaming Displays) isn’t super well suited to general media consumption, and barring a moment of insanity from those behind the camera it’s likely to stay that way. GaGu would recommend running at a refresh rate that’s a multiple of the source (generally 30 or 60fps), so sticking to 120Hz displays for now. This sidesteps the screen’s need to pull frames down, thus increasing smoothness further – note, though, that films generally run at 24fps, which multiplies into 144 very nicely, so there may be a case for 144Hz displays yet. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Gadget Guru

NEW MEDIA

NOW PLAYING Guru finds the finest media you need on your various devices

THE WITCHER Rumour has it that Netflix’s Henry Cavill-starring swords, sex ’n’ spidey senses fantasy romp will launch some time in December – Guru’s loins are truly girded.

KALPESH GUPTA

What’s up with Philips Hue? odorous, damp A The breath on GaGu’s neck tells him T3’s pet lawyer is getting foamy, so he’ll refrain from comment and stick to the facts: Hue parent company Signify appears to be set to kill off cloud support for the firstgeneration Hue Bridge in early 2020. This could mean Hue setups which rely on it losing a bunch of functionality, like activation via Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT. Functionally, the first generation hub isn’t all that different from the second, so if the worst happens, you’ll could grab a newgeneration hub, though Philips’ bulbs can also be powered by other hubs, such as Ikea’s Trådfri Gateway.

DEVANG DAS ON A CLEAR DAY I CAN SEE YOU FOREVER Norwegian nu-disco proponent Lindstrøm appears to have broken his 808 for this paredback, almost ambient EP. Close your eyes and lay back.

YOU’RE DEAD TO ME A history podcast for people who don’t care about history, like Ol’ Uncle Modern Times here: surprisingly informative, entertaining, and silly. Greg Jenner is the presenter. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

How do I stop my bike getting so filthy? Guru will presume you’re not going to employ the services of a local youth to walk in front of you with a streetmop as you cycle. That would be ridiculous even for GaGu, who has a man come in to shovel Weetabix into his waiting mouth of a morning. Some of the crazier mountain bikers GaGu knows recommend coating your frame with some kind of spray grease like you’d find in the supermarket, but that’s a bit extreme for Guru’s blood: try cleaning with Rhino Goo’s Fast Action spray, then treat your frame with Muc Off’s Miracle Shine, which leaves a waxy coating that repels muck.

ABOVE You can hear the compressed ‘Sega’ voice via this image, can’t you?

MANISH SHANKAR

Mega Drive Mini: yay or nay? return to the A Sega’s hardware game is a resounding success. The Mega Drive Mini is very good. GaGu can understand your worry, though: if you’ve bought any of the previous 11 miniature Mega Drive consoles, all produced by AtGames, you’ve likely felt more burned than those confidential files Guru absolutely never had in his possession and definitely didn’t incinerate. Those previous models had atrocious sound emulation and terrible video outputs, but Sega’s own-brand attempt is spot on – even the menu music has been lovingly composed on the classic Yamaha YM2612 FM synth chip.

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 27

Tech’s greatest hits

TECH’S GREATEST Whatever your lifestyle the ere’s a gadget that can make it bettter. We g ro ound up the very best tech of o 2019 to get you sorted for the new w year Words: Alex Cox

ȇȎ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ë?ȇȅȇȅ

W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

A stylish life

A STYLISH LIFE Up your sartorial game, and polish your skin and teeth, instantly with these smart style accessories and grooming gadgets 1 2

1

Y-BRUSH

Brushing your teeth in 10 seconds may so ound like a terrible idea, but the Y-Brush can reach h all three visible faces of all 32 of your teeth at oncce. Coat it with toothpaste, activate its sonic vibrations, and \RXèUH IUHVK LQ D ćDVK y-brush.com

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APPLE WATCH SERIES 5

Simply the best smartwatch you can buy. The design LV QLJK RQ SHUIHFW ZLWK WZR VL]H RSWLRQV Ć ĆWWLQJ D majority of wrists. The Apple Watch trulyy stradd d les the line between tech and fashion, especially variations like the Gold Stainless Steel Caase with Milanese Loop. apple.com/in

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FOREO LUNA MINI 3

Not only will Foreo’s latest little Luna clean nse your skin and unclog dirt from pores in 30 seconds, it’ll help you better control your skin’s natural oil producction and ough the help you maintain a healthy glow, even thro depths of winter. foreo.com

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GILLETTE HEATED RAZOR

(YHU\ERG\ DQG WKHLU PXP KDV ERXJKW Db*HUPDQ razor factory and set up a subscription service by QRZ OHDYH LW WR *LOOHWWHbWR VSHFWDFXODUO\ UHLQYHQW WKH UD]RU 7KHbKHDWHG EDU UHDFKHV WHPSHUDWXUH LQ D second, giving a hot-towel feel to any shave. gillette.co.in

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NIKE ADAPT BB

Nike’s wirelessly-charging basketball ERRWVbĆWbWKHPVHOYHV SHUIHFWO\ WR \RXU IRRWbVKDSH DV VRRQ DV \RX VOLS WKHP RQ DQGbDGMXVW WKDW ĆW RYHU WLPH DV \RXU EORRG ćRZbLQFUHDVHV DQG \RXUbIHHW VZ ZHOO nike.com W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Ë?ȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȇČ?

Tech’s greatest hits

A SMARTER NEST Kit out your house with some of your favourite smart home gadgets and accessories, plus a few top recommendations from us 1

MEURAL CANVAS 2

1

A decadent addition to any wall, this PDWWH ĆQLVK GLJLWDO IUDPH LV EXLOW IRU DUW reproduction – and with a subscription to Meural’s library and a wave of your hand you’ll be able to display whichever masterpiece you choose. meural.netgear.com

2

BEKO CONNECTED DISHWASHER WITH AUTODOSE 2QFH \RXèYH ĆOOHG XS WKH &RQQHFWHG Dishwasher with detergent, you can basically leave it to do its thing; it’ll sense the muckiness of your plates and adjust to match, and you can use Alexa to DFWLYDWH LW RU ĆQG RXW WKH UHPDLQLQJ wash time. voltasbeko.com

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NEOS SMARTCAM

The most affordable security camera we’ve ever seen – for the price of one 6 competing camera, you can swathe your whole home with sharp 1080p coverage, with night vision, motion detection, sound activation two-way audio and free cloud storage. 6 TADO SMART neos.co.uk THERMOSTAT V3 If you’re yet to enjoy the ease and luxury of smart heating, don’t hesitate 4 DYSON V11 ABSOLUTE WR MXPS LQ ZLWK 7DGR :LWKbLWV ODWHVW A rechargeable vacuum so light and so smart thermostat you can control your powerful that Dyson decided to bow heating via an app, and Tado Radiator out of the corded market altogether. Thermostats enable you to spotStrong enough to suck up pollen and control heating in individual rooms. EDFWHULD DQGbVXSHU ĆOWHUHG IRU WKH tado.com FOHDQHVWbDLU RXWSXW LWèV ZKDW \RXU carpets are crying out for. 7 LITTER ROBOT 3 dyson.co.in There aren’t too many downsides to owning a cat, the weird and wonderful 5 DYSON LIGHTCYCLE little characters that they are. There Whatever you’re working on, the is one though, but – at last – even that Lightcycle makes light work of it. has been done away with: no longer do Adjusting its colour temperature to you need to squat down and scoop match the time of day, the work you’re up anything nasty, as the Litter-Robot’s doing, or even the recommended smart sifter will keep its litter light levels for your age, it’s a highly clump-free at all times. illuminating lamp. litter-robot.com dyson.co.in Ȉȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȇȅȇȅ

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W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Active outdoors

ACTIVE OUTDOORS 7KHUHèV QRWKLQJ PRUH LPSRUWDQW WKDQ NHHSLQJ WKH EORRG ćRZLQJ WR HYHU\ SDUW RI \RXUbERG\ VR NHHS DFWLYH ZLWK WKH KHOS RI WKHVH FOHYHU JL]PRV 1

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ENDLESS POOL E2000 SWIM SPA No room for a full-size pool? No problem. Set WKH WHPSHUDWXUH DQG ćLFN RQ WKH OLJKWV DQG jets via Wi-Fi, work yourself hard with a swim m against the E2000’s ever-rolling tide or on itss underwater treadmill, then hop into its spa area to rest those tired muscles. HQGOHVVĆWQHVV FRP

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GPCA CARABINER

Every adventure needs a toolkit, but the last thing it needs is extra weight. Hence this: morre than just a quality carabiner, it’s a knife, it’s a pry tool, a screwdriver, a box cutter, a bottle opener, and so much more besides. gpca.us

3

GOPRO HERO8 BLACK

Extendable and upgradeable, with a range of custom clip-on accessories built just for the HERO8, GoPro has taken a real leap here: this is its best action camera by some way. gopro.com

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TRACTIVE GPS TRACKER

Whether you’re dealing with an unruly dog at the park or a skittish cat with a predilection fo or wandering, Tractive’s collar-mounted tracker both helps you keep tabs on their travels and keep detailed statistics on their activity. tractive.com

5

DJI OSMO POCKET

Gimbal and camera come together for the most stable handheld image going whether you’re getting into some serious action n or treading the streets on holiday, this is aadept at more. panning, timelapse, face tracking and m dji.com

6

ON CLOUDROCK WATERPROOF Lightweight walkers ready to battle through the wind and water, with a highly advanced sole that adds stability, traction, extra gr g ip RQ VRIWbWUDLOV DQG D ZKROH ORW RI FXVKLRQLQJ J h ke for the most comfortable and quickestt hi you’ve ever had. on-running.com W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

6 5

Ë?ȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ČˆČ†

Tech’s greatest hits

WATCH AND LISTEN Turn your living space into an auditory and visual fun palace with some of the most exciting and sophisticated TV and sound equipment out there 1

PANASONIC FZ802D

Low price doesn’t mean low end; Panasonic’s cheapest OLED pulls down the HCX Pro processor from higher models which means it does some fantastic things. These include Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and HDR10+ – and the picture is just amazing. panasonic.com

2

BEATS BEA EATS POWERBEATS TS PRO

5HVLVWDQW WR VZHDW DQG ĆWWLQJ VXSHU VQXJ RQ DQ\ HDU DU %HDWVè ĆWQHVV IRFXVHG HDUSKRQHV KDYH HYHU\WKLQJ \RX QHHG WR SXPS \RXU ZD\ WKURXJK D SULYDWH ZRUNRXW ĂĽbDQG WKDWbLQFOXGHVb$SSOHèV + ZLUHOHVV FKLS ZKLFKbVWRSVb signal dropouts. beatsbydre.com ČˆČ‡ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ë?ȇȅȇȅ

3

LG C9

If you’re a gamer this is a top-line TV, with a 1ms grey-to-grey response time on LWV 2/(' SL[HOV D WLQ\ PV LQSXW ODJ DQG 1YLGLD * 6\QF VXSSRUW YLD D ĆUPZDUH update. Even if you’re just kicking back, it’s an incredible panel, available in 55, 65 and 77in sizes. lg.com W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Watch and listen

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COWON PLENUE D2

A budgett digital audio player it may be, but there’ss no othing budget about the sound of WKH VHFRQ QG JHQ 3OHQXH ' ,WèV FDSDEOH RI playing back 24-bit/192kHz WAV, FLAC, $/$& DQG $,)) ĆOHV DQG KDV D PDVVLYH battery that just won’t quit. c cowongl obal.com

5

SONY WF-1000XM3 SON

True wire eless has never sounded so big 6RQ\èV PP GULYHUV DUH D ULFK ERQXV LQ D set of earphones that would shine even with OHVVHU VRX XQG 7KH\ GR QRLVH FDQFHOOLQJ ZLWK PLFV SRLQWLQJ IURQW DQG EDFN DQG FDQ HYHQ live-upscaale your audio. sony.co.in

6

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BOSE NC 700 HEADPHONES

Bose’s haandle on the magic of noise cancelling can’t be argued. a Its latest salvo of wireless cans goes goe even further: they carry peerless NC with voice-isolating mics that can let the important stuff through, and voice assistant integration to boot. bose.co.in

7

KEF LSX

The LSX isn’t just a set of glorious-sounding and powerful compact speakers, it’s a full KL Ć V\VWHP LQ D ER[ ZLWK D SDLU RI : DPSOLĆHUV DOO WKH ZLUHOHVV WHFKQRORJ\ \RX could want, and a stack of inputs. Plus, let’s face it, it looks great. kef.com

8

SAMSUNG Q950R

Extravagance in TV form, Samsung’s high-end panel runs at a full 8K resolution, and upscales lower-res content in a smart, realistic way: we’ve literally never seen anything quite like it. An astonishing thing. samsung.com W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Ë?ȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ČˆČˆ

Tech’s greatest hits

GET IT DONE Work tasks to complete is always a thing, so ensure you do them with panache – our selection of high-end products will give you some great choices

1

HP EN NVY 13

As adept at entertaining as it is at accompanying you throug gh the work day, the Envy is a light, powerful aand tightly designed laptop that impresses o on every front. It’s secure, too: there’s a web bcam kill-switch and DbEXLOW LQ ĆQJHUSULQW UHDGHU hp.com m

2

ONEPLUS 7T

OnePlus’ best phone till date that comescomes with a super smooth 90Hz AMOLED display, complemented with fast Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB RAM and UFS 3.0 storage. There’s a 48MP triple camera setup at the back, a 3800mAh battery and Warp Charge 30T for faster charging. oneplus.in

ČˆČŠ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ë?ȇȅȇȅ

3

SATECHI ALUMINUM MULTI-PORT ADAPTER V2

7KH VOHHN GHVLJQ RI PRGHUQ ODSWRSV KDV PHDQW GHDWK WR SRUWV übVR LI \RXèUH JRLQJ WR SXVKbWKDW ODSWRS WR LWV OLPLW D FDSDEOH 86% & KXE LV D PXVW 6DWHFKLèV 9 JLYHV \RX WKUHHb86% SRUWV . FDSDEOH +'0, (WKHUQHW DQG D FDUG UHDGHU WR ERRW satechi.net W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Get it done

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SAMSUNG SPACE MONITOR

A huge, pro-grade 4K monitor that’s as kind d to surface space as it’s possible to be, the 32in Space M Monitor mounts to the very rear of your desk on an arm that can VLW ćDW DJDLQVW D ZDOO ,W HYHQ FRQFHDOV WKH FDDEOHV IRU DQ H[WUD QHDW ORRN samsung.com

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ROCKETBOOK FUSION

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LIVESCRIBE AEGIR

1RWH WDNLQJ KDV QHYHU EHHQ VPDUWHU /LYHVFFULEHèV ORQJ HVWDEOLVKHG GLJLWDO WUDQVFULSWLRQ ZKLFK K LQVWDQWO\ VHQGV \RXUbVFULEEOHV DQG UHFRUGHG DXGLR WR \RXU HGLEO\ SKRQH LV WDNHQ WR WKH QH[W OHYHO E\ WKHbLQFUH VOLP GHVLJQ RI WKH $HJLU livescribe.com

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APPLE iPAD AIR

:KLOH WKH L3DG 3UR LV D VXSHUE GHYLFH WKH VXSH OLJKW L3DG $LU LV DUJXDEO\ MXVW DV FDSDEOH 3LFN WKH 6PDUW .H\ERDUG FRYHU DQG DQ $SSOH 3HQFLO WR FRPSOHWH WKH FRPER DQG \RXèOO EH ZRUNLQJ DQG SOD\LQJ ZKHUHYHU \RX DUH apple.com/in

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APPLE iPHONE 11 PRO MAX

Apple’s biggest-ever and smartest-ever phone bumps the screen space up to an impressive bLQFKHV DQG WKH 3UR GHVLJQDWLRQ PHDQV D WKUHH OHQV FDPHUD WKDWèV EULOOLDQW ZKDWHYHU WLP of the day it is – and a processor capable enou IRU DQ\ WDVN apple.com/in W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Ë?ȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ČˆČ‹

Tech’s greatest hits

LIFE’S A GAME <RX NQRZ ZKDW DOO ZRUN DQG QR SOD\ PDNHV \RXð 6R NLFN EDFN DQG PDNH WKHVH KDUG WR UHVLVW WLPH ZDVWHUV 2 1

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LEGO IMPERIAL AR STRO R

$ ZRQGHUIXOO\ FKDOOHQJLQJ EXLOG ZLWK DOPRVW SLHFHV WR ZRUN WKURXJK an incredible amount of detail, and HYHQ D VFDOH PRGHO RI WKH 7DQWLYH ,9 VWDUVKLS WR VKRZ MXVW KRZ JLJDQWLF LW LV WKLV LV WKH XOWLPDWH /HJR GLVSOD\ SLHFH lego.com

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SQUARE OFF

Every chess player’s dream come WUXH D VPDUW ERDUG ZLWK SLHFHV WKDW PRYH WKHPVHOYHV <RX FDQ SOD\ WKH computer, attempt to best online opponents, or even sit back and ZDWFK UHDOWLPH PDWFKHV EHWZHHQ WKH JUDQGPDVWHUV DV WKH\ KDSSHQ 6R QHDW squareoffnow.com

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OCULUS QUEST

5LGLQJ WKH 95 WUDLQ KDV QHYHU EHHQ HDVLHU ĂĽb\RXU WLFNHW LV WKH 2FXOXV Quest, a bargain standalone SDFNDJH ZLWK D SDLU RI FRQWUROOHUV ČˆČŒ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ë?ȇȅȇȅ

D 6QDSGUDJRQ SRZHUHG $ G SGUDJRQ SRZHUHG $QGURLG KHDGVHW DQG QRZ WKH DELOLW\ WR SOXJ LQWR D 3& WR SOD\ 5LIW JDPHV WRR oculus.com

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ARCADE 1UP STREET FIGHTER II Build yourself a nearly full-size arcade FDELQHW ZLWK D SURSHUO\ OLFHQVHG JDPH UHDG\ WR JR 7KLV FRPHV ćDW SDFNHG VR LWèV ZD\ FKHDSHU WKDQ D SUH EXLOW RSWLRQ $XWKHQWLF WZR SOD\HU VL[ button arcade controls mean you’ll EH GUDJRQ SXQFKLQJ IRU GD\V arcade1up.com

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NINTENDO SWITCH LITE 7KH ORZHU SULFH LV JUHDW EXW ZHèUH LPSUHVVHG E\ KRZ VROLG WKH 6ZLWFK /LWH IHHOV 7KLV FRRO WDNH RQ 1LQWHQGRèV ĆQHVW FRQVROH LQ \HDUV truly cements it as a handheld gaming essential, particularly given WKH 6ZLWFKèV SHHUOHVV OLEUDU\ amazon.in W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Multi-room Music. The Hi-Res Way.

HI-RES AUDIO

CUSTOM INSTALL

APP CONTROL

VOICE CONTROL

DOLBY SURROUND

MQA

AIRPLAY 2

20+ STREAMING SERVICES

Bringing Greater Joy to your Movie and Music Experience Mumbai | Bangalore | Chennai | Delhi | Hyderabad | Vadodara

www.k ϐ Ǥ ǣ esponse@k ϐ Ǥ oll Fr ǣ ͳǦͺͲͲǦʹʹǦͶʹͶͶ

Face lift

Meet the statement watches that demand attention. It’s time to stand out with incredible design-led timepieces that don’t break the bank Words: Alistair Charlton

38 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Face lift

PICTO WATCHES 40MM MUSTARD YELLOW

As striking as it is simple, the Picto watch tells the time by rotating both its face and a single hand. A white dot on the face indicates the hour, while the hand sweeps around once an hour, thus indicating minutes. Such a face might take some getting used to, but we think it looks great - especially in the unusual mustard and white colour combo shown here with Picto’s ‘thunder grey’ silicone strap. The polished steel case is 40mm in diameter, accepts 20mm straps, and houses a Miyota 2025 quartz movement. Also available with white or grey dials, and a 30mm case.

pictowatches.com

W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

ARNE JACOBSEN SLOW ROUND 11 BANKERS

This striking timepiece by Arne Jacobsen is all about the details. Just look at the hour markers; each is made of 12 empty squares with one filled in to denote the number. Arguably pointless for anyone who can read the time, but a lovely piece of clean Danish design with character, as is the red centre point. Powered by a Miyota GL26 quartz movement, the watch is offered with four different stainless steel case size options ranging from a compact 30mm to a huge 16mm, with leather strap sizes varying accordingly. The Bankers has a concave dial and convex M2 glass front, and is water resistant to 3 ATM. It's also available as wall or bedside clocks.

arnejacobsenwatches.com

Ever find the progress of normal watch hands just a bit too… fast? Then try out the Slow Round 11. Like all Slow watches, the Round 11 has just one hand, which sweeps oh-so-slowly around a 24-hour dial. Midday sits in the 12 o’clock position, as you’d expect. But midnight is at what would be the six o’clock position on a regular watch. You’ll probably find it tricky to tell the exact time but that’s the point of Slow’s watches; chill out, and remind yourself the difference between 14:23 and 14:24 is inconsequential. This Swiss-made timepiece features a 40mm stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal and housing a Ronda 515.24 quartz movement.

slow-watches.com

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 39

Face lift

EONE BRADLEY BRAILLE TACTILE WATCH

Built primarily to help blind people tell the time, the Eone Bradley is also a statement timepiece for those who want something different. The watch is named after Bradley Snyder, who lost his sight defusing bombs in Afghanistan, but later went on to win gold in the London and Rio Paralympic Games. The watch has two ball bearings which are moved by magnets. A ball bearing on the face is for minutes, and one rotating around the outside edge of the watch is for hours; feeling the location of both tells you the time. The quartz watch has a 40mm face and is offered with cases and faces made of titanium, stainless steel or ceramic, and straps of steel mesh, leather or canvas.

eone-time.com

MARLOE WATCH COMPANY CONISTON BLUEBIRD

Handmade in the UK, the Marloe Watch Company is celebrating the water speed records attempts of Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald. The Coniston is named after both the lake where Campbell set his records, and Bluebird K7, his jet-powered boat which set a record of almost 280mph back in 1964. Sadly, Campbell was killed three years later, when Bluebird crashed on Lake Coniston at over 300mph. Limited to 1,000 pieces, the 40mm Coniston Bluebird has a hand-wound Miyota 8N33 mechanical movement visible through a clear case back, is water resistant to 10 ATM, and offered with a choice of 11 different leather straps.

marloewatchcompany.com

40 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Face lift

SKAGEN HORIZONT BLEND WATCH BROWN LEATHER DUAL TIME Perhaps a little less out-there than the other options here, but the Horizont by Skagen should still catch many admiring glances. The Danish company has a reputation for bold but minimalist timepieces, and this one is no different. It somehow has a face which seems both full of blank space and details at the same time. The stainless steel 42mm case is 12mm thick, water-resistant to 5 ATM and accepts standard 22mm straps, if you’d like to swap out the included NATO-style leather option. A pair of secondary dials are used to track a second timezone of your choosing and 24-hour time.

skagen.com

W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Now here’s a statement watch if ever we saw one. Not only is the USmade Blend Watch offered in three striking colourways, but the watch actually features no hands. Instead, the case houses two coloured and semi-transparent discs, each with the shape of a hand cut out of them. When placed over a white background, the two dials produce a new colour, while the hand cut-outs remain unchanged. It’s all to do with subtractive colour theory, where semi-transparent colours laid over each other create a new hue. Showcased by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the watch has a 37mm stainless steel case, leather strap and a Japanese Miyota quartz movement.

store.moma.org

MVMT CHRONO 45MM GUNMETAL SANDSTONE

If it’s a stealthy look with flair you’re after, this is for you. Available in 40mm and 45mm options, the MVMT Chrono gunmetal features a matt black case, bezel and hands, with subtle grey hour markers and accents to the hands just about making them visible. Contracting this are the bright blue hands for the three-dial chronograph and the second hand. Those three sub dials are for a 24-hour clock, 30-minute timer and 60-second timer - so while they don’t have any markings, they’re still entirely readable for those specific tasks. A small date complication sits between four and five o’clock, and water resistance is to 5 ATM.

mvmtwatches.com

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Next gen

NEXT GEN With two brand new consoles arriving later this year, it’s time to take a closer look at PlayStation 5 and Xbox ‘Project Scarlett’ Words: Louise Blaine

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Next gen

PS5-Vs-Project Scarlett Processors 8-core AMD Ryzen Zen 2

Custom AMD Ryzen Zen 2

Graphics Custom AMD Navi

Custom AMD Navi

Storage Custom SSD

Custom SSD

RAM TBC

GDDR6

Optical drive Yes (4K Blu-ray drive)

Yes (4K Blu-ray drive)

Maximum output resolution 8K

8K

Maximum frame rate 120fps

120fps

Backwards compatible? Yes (PS4)

ere we are. After seven years and countless iterative consoles, it’s finally time for a new PlayStation and Xbox to take their rightful places under your television for a new generation. What better way to start a new decade than with a fresh set of consoles to gently argue over? But, now we know what’s coming during the sacred period known only as Holiday 2020 - that’s October to December for us Muggles - it’s important to look ahead and uncover the tech behind the new generation. It turns out that the chipsets, processors and drives at the heart of both the PS5 and Microsoft’s Project Scarlett

H

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Yes (Xbox One, Xbox 360, Xbox)

are very, very similar. Both use custom processors from AMD, very similar graphics cards and a solid state drive in their quest for gaming glory, but that doesn’t mean you’ve not got an important choice to make. We’ll go into the details of the specs here and what it means for your 2020 gaming experiences, but we’ll also be diving into the big differences in the consoles and what we know so far. Despite a very clear absence from E3 2019, Sony has still managed to grab headlines with its tasty teasery reveals of new PlayStation tech and internetmelting dev kit designs. Meanwhile, details have seeped out about Microsoft’s plans, which look to be heavily service

focused, leaning on adding even more games to its subscription services, and revealing more first party studios. It’s also important to break down the jargon swirling around both console releases. We’ll take a look at what ‘ray tracing’ will really do for your games, ponder how realistic 8K gaming can be, and investigate just how big a performance leap solid state drives will offer. Just so you know, it’s big. And, whether you choose Sony or Microsoft - or indeed both, we won’t judge - it’s important to draw up that launch day wishlist of games. Now, let’s answer some those questions about your next consoles.

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Next gen

This strange V-shape fan design is in use on the PS5 development kits. We expect a different shape for the final thing, but this is what it looks like now. Images courtesy of Let’s Go Digital: letsgodigital.org

PlayStation 5 From 3D audio to a haptic controller, here’s everything we know about Sony’s dive into the next generation Sony really isn’t one for code names. Sure, it held out for a while, somehow resolutely staying mute on the name of its new console, but now we know that the follow up to the PS4 is, of course, the PlayStation 5. And whether you’ve had a PlayStation since the days of that surprisingly large grey rectangle or are a recent adopter, the box that lies ahead is a tantalising future machine. Even better is the fact that we know a surprising amount about what’s to come. Spoiler: it’s going to be fun. First off, let’s take a look at what lies under the (probably) plastic hood. Similar to Microsoft, Sony is touting a third-generation AMD Ryzen processor. This has eight cores of AMD’s brand-new 7nm Zen 2 microarchitecture to ensure maximum performance in much less space than a PC has to play with. For graphics, the PS5 has a custom AMD Radeon Navi that includes hardware

support for ray tracing, providing much more realistic lighting techniques. Put simply, PS5 is going to be fast and powerful. Team this processor and graphics card with flash storage, and the improvement over PS4

Expect speeds many times faster than what current consoles can handle and PS4 Pro will be significant. This is no ordinary iterative upgrade. Sony might have quickly retracted a ‘world’s fastest console’ claim from a recent job advert, but it will surely be battling for that. The solid-state drive is what lies at the heart of this speed upgrade. While the PS5 will still have an optical drive capable of

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reading 100GB discs - not to mention 4K Blu-rays - all games are going to have to be installed on the SSD before you play to make the most of all that new processing power. But it will happen at speeds many times faster than current hard drives can handle. According to lead system architect Mark Cerny, for the first time we’ll be able to choose what we install with “finer grained access to data”. If you’re spending all your time in CoD’s multiplayer, why let the campaign clog up much-needed space?

CONTROLLER FREAK

In a surprising move potentially aimed at avoiding another PS3-boomerangcontroller debacle, Sony has revealed a stack of information about its new controller. It hasn’t gone as far as confirming it as the DualShock 5 heaven forbid - but has discussed the new pad’s innards. We’re

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Smart screens talking improved speakers, haptic feedback functions, and a new adaptive trigger system. Gone is the now archaic rumble of old. Instead, PS5’s controller lets you feel everything differently. Draw a bow back using L2 and you’ll feel it start to resist as you draw tighter. Pull the trigger on a shotgun and it should feel very different to that machine gun you tried for size earlier. More detailed haptic feedback is a big move (literally) for the new controller and something that Sony’s first-party titles will definitely make the most of. While the use of the touchpad and speaker has sometimes felt arbitrary - oh hello, Death Stranding baby - a full sensory extravaganza sounds significantly more immersive. Sony has shown off demos from Astro Bot Rescue Mission developers Japan Studio with slow, sluggish sand to wade through, slippery ice and the bouncing of a wooden bridge, all reflected perfectly in the haptic feedback. Oh, and it might officially not have a name yet but Sony is happy to say that while the haptic coils mean it’s slightly heavier than the DualShock 4, it’s still lighter than the Xbox wireless controller. Touché. In terms of the design, a leaked patent shows off a very similar style to the current controller. Looks wise, not much has changed if the patent is to be believed, but there are a number of subtle key differences and potentially a microphone on the controller itself. While the touchpad remains in place, a USB-C port replaces the microUSB of the current model, and the patent is missing the iconic light bar from the DualShock 4. While it’s fun to watch it change colour in compatible games, the primary function of the bar is for VR tracking. Intriguingly, if it’s gone, then it

MOSTWANTED GAMES

Sony’s first-party stable is full

looks like Sony might be using an alternative tracking system for its new virtual reality offering. A wireless PSVR 2 patent has been uncovered, but there has been no official discussions on the future of Sony’s plans. Regardless of PlayStation’s VR future, PS5 is aiming to be the full package when it comes to losing yourself in games. Sony has also revealed a greater focus on audio immersion. Mark Cerny discussed his dislike for the lack of any kind of aural upgrade between PS3 and PS4, so wants to make sure the hardware supports a significant improvement this time around. This comes in the shape of what he calls 3D Audio which will come with the audio chip built into the processor. Given that this won’t require external hardware, it looks like it will create a 3D soundscape to make sure you can hear exactly when you’re being sneaked up on. The PS5 is shaping up nicely, then. With backwards compatibility for PS4 titles and the ability to play online with PS4 users, it looks like Sony is focusing on growing its ecosystem, not shutting everything out in a hunger for new tech. Not that we’re complaining about that hunger…

GHOST OF TSUSHIMA The movement of Sucker Punch’s Sony-exclusive samurai ’em up to late 2020 doesn’t officially guarantee a PS5 release as well as PS4, but it’s quite the coincidence. As beautiful open worlds go, it’s hard to think of anything hungrier for ray tracing than feudal Japan

HORIZON ZERO DAWN 2 It’s not been confirmed to exist yet, let alone be a PS5 launch title, but studio Guerrilla Games’ job listings heavily hint at a sequel to Aloy’s adventure. Vegetation Artist for the world of Horizon anyone? We’ll bet a robotic dinosaur on an announcement soon.

ASSASSIN’S CREED 2020 Rumoured for a reveal at Sony’s PlayStation Event in February and apparently called Ragnarok, Ubisoft’s newest Creed will definitely sync with new-gen consoles. A Viking setting should still be taken with a handful of salt, but rumours are pointing that way. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

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Next gen

The Xbox One X is already a marvel of compact high-end computer design – we’ll probably see something quite similar from its successor. Images courtesy of Concept Creator: youtu.be/H5UnyBmXwvE

Xbox Project Scarlett Microsoft’s next-generation offering isn’t planning on making you seeing red While we’d probably all like to think ourselves above terms like ‘console wars’, the game industry is looking ahead to next year’s holiday season with interested, if not quite bloodthirsty, eyes. After a generation at least initially dominated by PS4, Microsoft has everything to play for with its nextgeneration console. And, because it likes code names, we’re stuck repeatedly saying Project Scarlett instead of just Xbox Series X. The good news is that we have plenty of details on Microsoft’s future tech. Some of it might just be very familiar if you didn’t skip the last page. Project Scarlett will be making the most of a custom AMD processor with Zen 2 technology and a custom AMD Navi graphics chip. Yes, this is distinctly similar to the tech at work in the PS5, but the word custom is key here. While the internals are probably the most similar we’ve ever seen when it comes to Xbox versus PlayStation, the ways the tech is utilised can be completely different. Microsoft has also happily announced

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that it will have GDDR6 high-bandwidth RAM as well as a custom SSD to create a console four times more powerful than the current Xbox One X. Just like Sony with the PS5, Microsoft is relying on the higher read speeds of a solid state drive. It hasn’t discussed the operating system or interface, but expect a similar installation-based setup to PS5 to make everything as seamless as

Getting games to run at 60 frames per second in 4K is the goal for the console possible. While Microsoft has said that Project Scarlett will support 8K, true 4K gaming is the target here. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has discussed at length that getting games to

run at 60 frames per second in 4K is the design goal for the console. Ray tracing again comes as standard, with dedicated cores specifically for the visual tech to run as seamlessly as possible. And we even know the first game to turn this all into reality. Halo: Infinite is the only known first-party game for the Project Scarlett launch. When it comes to a choice of titles though, it looks like Microsoft might just trump PlayStation 5 for day one.

CLOUD MINE

Not only is Project Scarlett backwards compatible for all Xbox One games, you’ll also be able to play all your original Xbox and Xbox 360 games at launch using the optical drive. Praise Viva Piñata! Unless you have some kind of emotional attachment to those probably very dusty consoles and SCART to HDMI adaptors, you’re only going to need one box under your TV from now on.

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Smart screens

MOSTWANTED GAMES

The even better news is that if your favourite games are yours via Xbox Game Pass, those will be transferring to Project Scarlett too. Phil Spencer confirmed at XO 2019 that Microsoft’s impressive subscription service will be making the trip to the next gen with all of its games and saves attached. Given that Game Pass has quickly become the most attractive game subscription service available, with a huge number of titles included, this is a serious win for Microsoft.

FAMILY AFFAIR

It’s also important to note that Project Scarlett will happily run alongside your Windows PC. Microsoft is big on the Xbox ‘family’ and that includes your time at a gaming PC. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also hands over PC access to a stack of games and, with the addition of Project xCloud – Microsoft’s new gaming streaming service to take on Google Stadia – you’ll be able to access your games and achievements wherever you are. It’s an area Sony hasn’t quite caught up on, despite a renewed promise to improve on PlayStation Remote Play. Microsoft has a sprawling network of ways to access content that, if you’re already even a small part of it, makes owning Project Scarlett a natural progression. Unlike PS5, there has been no big reveal or even discussion around Project Scarlett’s controller. However, given the latest Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 release this year, it’s clear that Microsoft is currently doubling down on the tech to make you feel like a pro. Chances are that the console isn’t going to come with one of these - we can always hope - but the focus on adjustable tension thumbsticks, grip, and customisation is a hint that Microsoft is staying away from

What to expect in those launch offers

what could be seen as gimmicks. Although, without the more detailed haptic feedback available on both PS5 and even the Nintendo Switch, Microsoft might be missing out if it doesn’t up its vibration game significantly. We do know that all previous Xbox headsets and controllers have been confirmed to be forwards compatible with the console. Although, perhaps don’t bet on Kinect making the upgrade… And finally, there’s the small matter of price. Sony hasn’t even touched on the cost of its console, while Microsoft’s Phil Spencer has said that it will not be “out of position on power or price”. Given Microsoft’s misstep in pricing at the start of the Xbox One generation, this could mean that we get a dangerously good deal on Project Scarlett as it outprices the competition. The main cost for both console makers is going to be that SSD storage, so it will be interesting to see what size the initial capacity of both is. Regardless, Project Scarlett’s impressive array of launch games via Xbox Game Pass and backwards compatibility makes for a ludicrously enticing 4K package, even without the bells and whistles that Sony has already revealed for PS5.

HALO INFINITE One first party launch title is official: 343 Industries is once again responsible for the return of Master Chief but with all new tech. The Slipstream Engine promises to deliver even more bombastic performances with greater fidelity. It wouldn’t be an Xbox with Halo…

EVERWILD Rare’s Xbox exclusive follow-up to Sea of Thieves is all about playing in a “natural and magical world”. It’s perhaps a little too much like wishful thinking to expect it for launch, but it’s good to know the legendary studio is busying away on something charming.

WATCH DOGS LEGION Trigger-happy octogenarians forming a resistance force in a violent postBrexit London? If any game deserves the trip to next gen, it’s Ubi’s latest open world dronefest. Thankfully there’s no need to threaten to hack anyone. It’s already been confirmed. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

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Next gen

RAY TRACING EXPLAINED Shining a light on the latest visual technology

It’s been a long time since visuals in games were the very first things we noticed. Every console generation has come with its own jump in quality, but in the years since PS4 and Xbox One were first released, we’ve become accustomed to a certain graphical standard, making every new leap forward seem somewhat small. Ray tracing is not small. It’s the future of how we see digital worlds, and probably the reason you’ll wear out your screenshot button. Put simply, ray tracing simulates the physical behaviour of real light. Where previously developers had to create specific lighting effects to fool you into

thinking something looked real, ray tracing delivers a real-time recreation of your favourite worlds in their glowy glory. It’s also what Hollywood has been using in its CGI for years. Plus, like the well-lit call coming from inside the house, ray tracing is already here. Nvidia’s RTX range of graphics cards already bring it to compatible games, so it’s easy to see what a big difference this new tech makes. The inclusion of ray tracing tech in both PS5 and Project Scarlett - with the latter going as far as to say it has dedicated ray tracing cores - means that nextgeneration console visuals are truly taking a giant step.

Minecraft

Control

Metro Exodus

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8K gaming

Will Project Scarlett and PS5 truly be able to deliver resolutionary pixel power? Let’s face it, 8K gaming in 2020 seems hopeful. While both Project Scarlett and PS5 claim to have maximum resolution outputs of 8K - yes, that’s 7680x4320 - there are a few technical reasons why we probably won’t be playing launch games with more pixels than we thought would ďŹ t in our eyes. This isn’t to say that 8K won’t eventually be possible with next-gen consoles, but there are deďŹ nitely some limitations when it comes to what these new boxes will be able to achieve. Not to be too negative, but the good news is that you don’t have to upgrade your TV yet‌ It’s a little cheeky but, to say they are 8K ready, technically all PS5 and Xbox Project Scarlett have to do is use the new standard of HDMI, HDMI 2.1. This new connector allows much faster refresh rates, with 8K resolution supported at 60 frames per second and 4K at 120fps. Presumably both new consoles will have exactly this, meaning that on the surface, it is possible for 8K gaming to speed down your new favourite wires. The problem arises when it comes to the machine doing the hard work‌ and natively 8K gaming is seriously hard work. Given that our current benchmark is 4K and it takes a not

insigniďŹ cantt gam t ac heady d heights in new games, it is phenomenally unlikely for games consoles in 2020 to have the capability to power four times the pixels. However! Look at the current PS4 Pro and it’s easy to see how future consoles might cope with the next step in TV tech. Sony’s updated PlayStation 4 uses a combination of native 4K and 4K upscaling to deliver an improved experience onscreen that makes it diďŹƒcult to tell whether you’re looking at ‘real’ 4K or not. Studios working on the current generation of games have had to get

SSD SPEED In news to absolutely no one, it turns out that switching out the whirring moving parts of a traditional hard drive for a solid-state version improves your gaming experience. Ray tracing and potential 8K gaming are the ashier claims to fame, but PS5 and Xbox Project Scarlett’s upgrade to SSDs as standard is the true leap forwards for next-gen gaming. As open worlds have grown in both size and visual ďŹ delity over the years, it’s become the norm to hit ‘continue’ and perhaps go and make a cup of coffee while the loading bar gradually creeps up. Well, prepare for your caffeine levels to drop signiďŹ cantly. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

i l iinventive ti with ith a variety i t off seriously development techniques that deliver better, crisper imagery using less processing power. Checkerboard rendering has long become the new norm for both PS4 Pro and Xbox One X to deliver on 4K targets. It’s also important to look at upscaling. Where a standard PS4 lets your 4K TV do the grunt work of pixel stretching, the PS4 Pro takes care of the process, delivering smoother 4K visuals. Imagine a future console delivering a next-level version of this upscaling,and 8K gaming feels a bit more reasonable.

An upgrade from traditional hard drives is a solid but expensive step into the future of gaming

When it comes to the PS5, lead system architect Mark Cerny has happily revealed that loading times haven’t just been halved, they’ve been annihilated. In a recent demo of Sony’s dev kit, a loading time previously measured at around 15 seconds in Marvel’s Spider-Man on a regular PS4 became 0.8 seconds on PS5. And while long loading times will similarly be a thing of the past on Project Scarlett, Microsoft has revealed that the use of an SSD in its new console will allow for what’s known as Virtual RAM. This means that games can use the SSD as a memory booster, letting terrain and worlds load even faster than usual.

However, to butcher a Spidey quote, with great power comes great increases in ďŹ nancial cost. Solid-state drives aren’t cheap and 1TB and 2TB models are still signiďŹ cantly more expensive than their HDD brethren. It’s telling that neither Sony nor Microsoft has conďŹ rmed their storage capacities, with Sony going as far as to say that you’ll be able to choose what parts of games you want to download to maximise space Ikea-style. Add in the fact that it will ruin the experience to use a standard drive as extended storage and a rumoured cartridge based SSD upgrade system for PS5 doesn’t seem too outlandish.

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Budget drones

Budget drones

Drones no longer cost a fortune – the latest batch of budget models pack in high-end features at low prices. Here we look at the best Words: Alistair Jennings Photography: Neil Godwin

rones are great fun, and there’s a huge choice out there, ranging from those costing a few pounds to several thousand. DJI leads the field with advanced features, high-end build quality and innovation that have driven the drone market forward. But not everyone can afford a DJI, or needs all of that tech. The good news is that even on a smaller budget, there’s still plenty of choice.

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The budget drones we’re looking at here cost a fraction of their high-end rivals but still pack in features that will give you hours of enjoyment. They’ll help set you on the path to becoming an experienced enthusiast or pilot. One of the most important features that you should look for is a built-in gyro – this is an absolute essential for stable flight. The addition of GPS is also a bonus and will enable you to program in-flight paths and other

autonomous flight control. Signal strength is essential for good aerial control, and most drones will use Wi-Fi, which means they can connect to your phone. Then there’s the camera; this feature is what propelled these small airborne devices into the mainstream. Look for Full HD quality, and for the most fun check to see if the footage can be streamed live to an accompanying app for your mobile device.

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State of the Art

WHAT’S ON TEST…

1

Holystone HS100 Taking on the tried-and-tested form factor, the Holystone HS100 instantly stands out. GPS and a built-in gimbal-controlled 1080p HD camera, headless mode and ‘follow me’ make this drone an appealing proposition. holystone.com

SPECS FLIGHT TIME 15 minutes SENSORS Six-axis gyro, barometer, GPS CAMERA Full HD 1080p FLIGHT MODES One key takeoff/ landing, headless mode, altitude hold, follow me, FPV and VR CONTROLLER FREQUENCY 2.4GHz SIZE 500x500x180mm WEIGHT 700g

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Eachine E511 The smallest and cheapest of the drones on test, the Eachine E511 is designed with portability in mind. The foldable design means that it will pack neatly into a backpack so that you can take it pretty much anywhere; it also has a decent camera built in. eachine.com

SPECS FLIGHT TIME 17 minutes SENSORS Six-axis gyro CAMERA Full HD 1080p FLIGHT MODES Return to home, headless mode, trajectory flight, FPV CONTROLLER FREQUENCY 2.4GHz SIZE 350x 360x70mm WEIGHT 260g

3

Potensic D85 A futurist design instantly makes the Potensic D85 stand out. Featuring full dual GPS, this drone is ultra-easy to use with automatic flight modes such as ‘follow me’ and ‘point of interest’. An upgradable camera option enables you to swap the camera for a GoPro if you want. potensic.com

SPECS FLIGHT TIME 20 minutes SENSORS Dual GPS CAMERA Full HD 1080p FLIGHT MODES Return to home, point of interest, follow me CONTROLLER FREQUENCY 2.4GHz SIZE 250x250x380mm WEIGHT 600g

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Budget drones PRODUCT 01:

HOLYSTONE HS100

HOLYSTONE HS100 A neat all-round performer that features a good quality camera rones come in all shapes and sizes, and Holystone is known for the quality of its entry-level models; from drones that are pocket-sized to the larger HS100. If you want to capture stunning video and aerial shots, the HS100 is ideal. It’s equipped with advanced flight features that ensure stability when capturing aerial imagery. GPS used to be a feature that would only appear on premium models, but now it’s filtering down to the less expensive. Its inclusion here enables features such as ‘return to home’, so it can auto-pilot back to you, alongside other flight features like maintaining a steady altitude and headless mode (which makes the drone move to your left when you press left on the controller, not the drone’s left – great for beginners). The 1080p gimbal-mounted camera hangs from the undercarriage and live streams footage back to the app, all while capturing stunning aerial shots. Out of the box, the Holy Stone HS100 is almost ready to fly. The only assembly needed is to attach the four propellers and pop in the charged battery. Attaching the props is a little tricky – you must get the right axis then insert a small screw to hold it all in place. It’s fiddly. Once those bits are installed, you can power-up the controller and drone, then launch the app for iOS or Android. A quick pairing process is then required before you’re ready to fly.

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As long as you’re taking a leisurely stroll, the drone keeps up with ease

After the initial trickiness of installing the small prop screws, the HS100 proves to be an excellent drone ideal for aerial photography

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The one-touch take-off and landing makes things easy. The take-off point is also set as the ‘return to home’ reference, so if you get into trouble, hit the button on the controller and the drone will return to base. Initial flight is simple enough, with the app starting you off in a sedate beginner mode. As you become more experienced, you can switch off the beginner mode to enable full speed. The GPS and altitude hold do an excellent job, and although there is some wobble, the HS100 is easy to control. Switch flight from the controller to the ‘follow me’ mode and the drone does an impressive job. Your movement can’t be too quick, but as long as you’re taking a leisurely stroll the drone keeps up with ease. Overall the HS100 is an impressive budget drone. In-flight, the GPS and gyros do an excellent job and the inclusion of the gimbal-mounted camera make the HS100 a great choice for anyone thinking of getting into drones and starting out with aerial photography. JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 55

State of the Art PRODUCT 02:

EACHINE E511

EACHINE E511

Small in price, and also small enough to easily transport to your destination

he E511 is one for those looking for a little, lightweight drone that will easily pack into a backpack side pocket and can be taken anywhere, thanks to its folding design – the arms pivot to sit right against the body. Flight times of 17 minutes are solid and more than enough to capture stunning imagery from the 120-degree field of view, 90-degree tiltable gimbal-mounted 1080p camera. An FPV mode is a big feature, with live video feedback to the app, which is available for iOS or Android. Those starting with a drone will appreciate the ‘headless’ mode. This ensures left and right are always your left and right no matter which direction the drone is flying. Despite the lack of GPS, there’s still a ‘return to home’ feature, which is handy. As well as the stable flight features, there’s also room for fun with easy 360-degree rolls: this mode flips and rolls the drone at request for some exciting aerial acrobatics. Build quality of the drone is generally good. Yes you can feel the lightweight plastic, but everything feels solid enough for the size and weight. Getting started is fast: unpack, charge, unfold the legs and pair the controller, and you’re ready to fly. At take off, the one-touch option on the controller sets the props spinning, and within seconds the E511 is a good metre off the ground. Because there’s no GPS, a slight breeze will start to move the drone off course, requiring some levelling with the controller. Finesse controls for each direction are available – these are small adjustments you can make to the drone’s calibration to ensure it flies the way you expect it to. On first taking off, a little time is spent just ensuring that the

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There’s plenty here to keep you occupied, especially considering the price drone is flying true, since there’s no GPS to handle this. Once finessed, the drone performs well and provides good solid flight. The camera is pretty good, and the 90-degree camera tilt that enables you to shoot directly down at the ground is a huge advantage – it gives you a great new angle. Convenience and portability are the big selling points for the E511, and of the three drones it was undoubtedly the easiest to transport. The lack of GPS was noticeable, and although the drone handles well in flight, you’ll notice it start to drift away when stopped. The small camera and its flexible angle work exceptionally well, and there’s plenty here to keep you occupied, especially considering the low price. If you’re looking for a drone to throw in your backpack and to capture a few shots of you and your friends, or the dramatic landscape, and just generally have fun with, the E511 is a great choice.

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The E511 is easy to get started with: unpack, charge, unfold the legs and pair the controller, and you’re ready to take to the skies

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Budget drones PRODUCT 03:

POTENSIC D85

POTENSIC D85 Comfortable to control and will fly through the air with the greatest of ease otensic is another big player in the drone world, with a vast selection of well-priced and wellfeatured models. The D85 is in the mid-range (it’s the most expensive of our three budget picks) and includes some interesting features that set it out against the others. A fully-featured app enables you to switch from general flight to a first-person view (FPV) racer, or with the 1080p camera it’s an ideal travel companion. The camera in the box offers a wide 130-degree field of view, is optimised for aerial photography and can be operated from the controller or app. There’s also the option to upgrade this camera to another model from Potensic, or simply swap in a GoPro instead if you want to switch to 4K HDR video and add extra stabilisation. The battery offers up to 20 minutes of flight time. The D85 also features dual GPS, and this accurate positioning enables the ‘return to home’ feature as well as the ability to easily plot flight routes. Being equipped with FPV potential is one thing, but with a top-flight speed of 50kph, this drone is fast enough for some true racing action. The D85 looks the part, too. Unlike the other drones on test there is a little construction required before you get started, with legs and camera cage needing to be screwed in place. Once charged, and the initial pairing and calibration procedure has been run through, the drone is ready to fly. Take off is a one-touch procedure, and in the air the drone sits a metre off the floor, ready to be controlled. Initial steady

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With a top-flight speed of 50kph, this is fast enough for some true racing action

The D85 is easy to set up, and once you get it going controls are fast and responsive, and there are plenty of flying options

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flight shows the drone to be a proficient flyer with a little drift, but nothing major. Using the drone at speed really shows the quality of flight, and the automatic braking system is spot on. The controls are fast and responsive, and after a few minutes this drone feels natural to fly. Advanced features such as ‘follow me’ are all accessible from within the app and do their job well, although you need to keep movement to a pretty moderate pace for it to track you. Set-up and first flight are all straightforward, and the ‘return to home’ feature works well. The FPV options make for some fun flying, and with the ability to swap out the camera for a GoPro, there’s plenty of options and flexibility. The D85 is suited to those wanting the first steps to flying FPV, flying at speed or alternatively looking to get some high-quality aerial footage from their GoPro.

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State of the Art VERDICT:

1st

7+( 29(5$// :,11(5 ,6ð Holystone HS100 holystone.com

WE’RE IMPRESSED Offers everything you need to get started; the GPS performance is VROLG DQG ćLJKW FKDUDFWHULVWLFV enable easy control with the addition of a decent app; what makes it stand out is the small gimbal-mounted camera that offers good versatility for anyone wanting to get into GURQHbLPDJLQJ

WE’D IMPROVE The propeller PRXQWLQJ LV ĆGGO\ RQFH WKH props are slotted on the screws DUH GLIĆFXOW WR LQVHUW DQG WLJKWHQ THE LAST WORD A great all-round drone with plenty of DGYDQFHG ćLJKW IHDWXUHV DQG D GHFHQW FDPHUD WR FDSWXUH whatever action you choose.

Potensic D85

Eachine E511

potensic.com

eachine.com

2nd

3rd

WE’RE IMPRESSED Stable ćLJKW HDV\ WR FRQWURO DQG IDVW can swap out the camera. WE’D IMPROVE A small tilt gimbal would improve the aerial imaging potential. THE LAST WORD A reliable all-round performance and a great drone that would quickly ULVH WR ĆUVW SODFH ZLWK WKH inclusion of a controllable gimbal.

WE’RE IMPRESSED Packs down VPDOO DQG LV HDV\ WR WUDQVSRUW ćLJKW modes add value; a great choice for anyone starting out. WE’D IMPROVE No GPS means the slightest wind can blow the drone off course. THE LAST WORD At almost KDOI WKH SULFH RI WKH RWKHU WZR drones, the performance was UHOLDEOH *UHDW IXQ HDV\ WR ć\

SAFETY ESSENTIALS WHEN FLYING A DRONE 01 ALWAYS KEEP THE DRONE IN SIGHT Because many drones are now HTXLSSHG ZLWK )39 OLYH YLGHR stream, you would assume that LWèV RND\ WR ć\ \RXU GURQH SXUHO\bXVLQJ D KHDGVHW :KLOH LW is possible, it’s not legal in the 8. VR LI \RX ZDQW WKH )39 experience get someone else WRbć\ WKH GURQH ZKLOH \RX H[SHULHQFH WKHbDFWLRQ

02 '21è7 )/< $%29(b )7 Many drones have a max

altitude limit or are simply limited by the atmospheric FRQGLWLRQV +RZHYHU IW LVQèWbWKDW KLJK .HHS EHORZ WKLVbDOWLWXGH WR DYRLG FROOLVLRQV with light aircraft; you’ll see altitude information displayed LQbWKH DSS

03 MAKE SURE YOU 3$66 7+( '521(b7(67 $Q\RQH ć\LQJ D GURQH WKDW weighs more than 250g will need to register their intent to ć\ DQG SDVV WKH WHVW 'HWDLOV RI KRZ WR UHJLVWHU FDQ EHbIRXQG

58 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

online.

04 .((3 $:$< )520 PEOPLE AND BUILDINGS :KHQ ć\LQJ DQ\ GURQH \RX must ensure that you are at least 50 metres away from SHRSOH DQGbSURSHUW\ ,I RSHUDWLQJ LQ DbEXLOW XS DUHD RU somewhere where there’s a FURZG WKHQ \RXbPXVW EH DW OHDVWb PHWUHVbDZD\

05 YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE ,I \RXèUH VWDUWLQJ WR OHDUQ WR ć\ make sure you are well away from buildings or people. The OHJDO UHVSRQVLELOLW\ RI ć\LQJ D drone is down to you.

06 AVOID AIRPORTS It goes without saying, especially after recent incidents. Many GPS drones have geofences that will stop you IURP ć\LQJ FORVH WR DLUSRUWV 7KH UXOH LV GRQèW ć\ IURP ZLWKLQ DQ airport’s restricted zone.

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5

Budget drones

ESSENTIAL ADD-ONS Buying your drone is just the start – there are plenty of extras to improve the experience

01 02

1

MANFROTTO D1

When travelling from A to B, you’ll need something to safely stash your drone and its controller in. The Manfrotto D1 drone backpack has a purpose-made interior designed to easily store your GURQH DQG DOO RIbLWV DFFHVVRULHV DORQJ ZLWK plenty of space for a few other items. manfrotto.com

2

SPARE BATTERIES

'URQH ćLJKW WLPHV DUH H[WHQGLQJ EXW at around 20 minutes maximum they’re still relatively short. A good idea is to buy a couple of spares for whichever drone you go for; that way, you know you’ll QHYHU EH ZLWKRXW WKH DELOLW\ WR ć\

03

04

3

KIDULT DRONE /$1',1*b3$'

SANDISK ULTRA 64GB MICROSD CARD

5

BOMCOMI BIG ARCH RACING AIR GATE

These small collapsible mats might seem like a luxury, but actually they’re an important part of any drone pilot’s kit. It gives you a stable launchpad and, if your skill set’s up to it, it’s also a landing point. Buy two and they become good fun as part of a drone challenge to practise take-off and landing. amazon.com

The Holystone HS100 comes with a small memory card, but make sure you’ve got space for as much recording as you could need with this well-sized card. Bigger cards exist, of course, but in terms of securing your footage, it’s best not to put everything on one losable card. sandisk.com

05 W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Want to hone your drone control skills? Grab some of these gates and build yourself a course – they’re easy to put up and pull down, and can withstand an impact without them or the drone getting damaged. amazon.com

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 59

The complete guide to…

60 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Smart screens

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO…

Smart screens

You’ve met the smart speaker… now meet the smart speaker with a display attached, which gives you a whole lot of extra options when it comes to what you can do Words: David Nield Photography: Phil Barker

ay back in 2014, when it made its debut, the Amazon Echo seemed slightly odd because it didn’t have any kind of screen – it went all in on voice. Wouldn’t that limit what you could do with it? Was voice input (and output) really as versatile as it needed to be for the Echo to be a success? Well, yes, as it turned out – Amazon had no qualms about launching a device without a screen, the Echo went on to sell in huge numbers, and it’s now commonplace to see a smart speaker or seven tucked away in the corners of a home. Kudos to Amazon for the foresight. The screen, though, is making a comeback. A speaker might be attractive in its simplicity and in its low price, but add in a display and the whole approach changes: think videos, photos, maps, on-screen controls and more. It turns out that having a device with a screen was a good idea after all. Now these smart screens are propagating as fast as the smart speakers before them – Amazon

W

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alone has three different models on the market (plus one, the Echo Spot, that now seems to have been discontinued). It’s no exaggeration to say you’ve now got dozens of options to pick from when it comes to smart screens and smart speakers. As with smart speakers, you’ve really got two choices when it comes to what’s powering your smart screen: it’s either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (though third-party manufacturers besides Amazon and Google may make the external hardware). That’s not a lot of choice, but it does make it easier to decide on a purchase. Facebook has a couple of smart displays of its own, built primarily as ways of video-calling friends and family over Facebook Messenger. These devices, the Portal smart screens, come with Alexa on board and so do function in the same way as other smart displays, but we’re not going to dwell on them much here because Facebook comes with so much baggage over privacy right now that we think few will choose them.

Picking the right smart screen is therefore largely about choosing between Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and then secondly a choice about how big a display you want dominating your bedside table or kitchen worktop. For the first question, Alexa and Google Assistant are so evenly matched at this stage that you’re likely to simply opt for the one that you already use most often: Echo speakers and screens make sense if you’re a Prime subscriber and use Amazon’s various entertainment services, for example, while if you’ve already got Google Assistant on your phone and spend a lot of time watching YouTube, the Googlepowered displays are a better option. Got a lot of security cameras around the home, and a Fire TV Stick plugged into your TV? Then you’re probably best sticking to the same brand for your smart screen, and choosing one of the Echo Show devices. Alternatively, if it’s cameras and a Chromecast that you’ve already got installed around the house, you’re going to

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 61

The complete guide to‌

The top three‌

SMART SCREEN COMPANIONS Once you’ve bought your smart screen, these are the other gadgets you’ll want to go along with it $!Ë? !*+2+Ë? ) .0Ë? %/,( 5Ë? 0% '/Ë?0$!Ë? +4!/Ë?"+.Ë?0+,ČĽ -1 (%05Ë?/+1* Ë? * Ë?2%/%+*

01

AMAZON ECHO DOT Smart screens work well with smart speakers, if you stick to the same brand. You could, say, use an Echo Show in the kitchen to play music on an Echo Dot in the kids’ bedroom, or just call them for dinner. `3,499, amazon.in

02

PHILIPS HILIPS HUE SMART BULB BULBS Smart screens excel as smart home hubs, and the Hue bulbs work with both the Amazon and Google platforms. Turn your smart lights on or off – or change the brightness or FRORXU ü ZLWK D YRLFH FRPPDQGbRU WDS From `1,499, meethue.com

03

NEST CAM IQ INDOOR IN If your smart screen is one that runs *RRJOH $VVLVWDQW WKHQ LWèOO EH DEOH WR VKRZ a feed of any Nest cams connected to your home Wi-Fi check out the view from \RXU EDFN JDUGHQ RU WKH GULYHZD\ ZLWK D YRLFH FRPPDQG approx. `28,000, google.com

want to stay with Google for your smart screen needs. The list goes on, to music services and photos and so on. Whichever ecosystem you’re already most involved in is the one you probably should pick for your smart screen. Of course there’s nothing wrong with setting up two different ones for two different rooms – they just won’t work very well together. Google Assistant is certainly the most ubiquitous of the two apps, because it appears on every Android phone and has an iOS app available too (it also features on most Chromebooks). Alexa does have apps for Android and iOS, but you can’t use them to ask questions and give commands, just to manage your devices. Admittedly, Alexa is spreading fast across a whole host of other gadgets besides phones though, from clocks to microwaves (with more devices appearing all the time). Your other main decision is about what screen size you want – a bigger screen means a better picture for your images and videos, as well as better sound (because there’s no doubt a bigger speaker attached). Larger displays take up more room though, and are going to cost you more money, so it’s not always the case that biggest is best. Options on the market at the moment range from a compact, sub-phone-size ďŹ ve inches all the way up to a tablet-esque 10 inches, so have a think about how you’re going to be using your smart screen (and how far away you’re going to be standing when you do). That should tell you the size you should be thinking about. The good news for us users is that these smart screens and their digital assistants are getting better all the time, with Google and Amazon regularly adding useful new features

ČŒČ‡ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ë?ȇȅȇȅ

and capabilities to them that give you even more options – some of which we’ll get into below.

SHOW AND TELL If you’re wondering what exactly a smart screen can bring to your life, it’s simply everything that a smart speaker can, and then some. The weather forecast for today, tomorrow or next week is a good place to start – a smart speaker can tell you whether it’s going to rain, a smart screen can break that down by time. Or take your calendar schedule, which can be displayed as well as read out to you if there’s a screen available. Or perhaps you want an early morning news bulletin, which on a smart speaker is limited to audio, and on a smart screen can include video too. It’s a bit like choosing between a radio and a television set: if you think you’re going to make use of the visuals, it’s worth the investment, but if not, you can save yourself some money. You could always have a smart screen in one room, and smart speakers in the others – as long as they’re using the same digital assistant, they should be able to work happily together (eg broadcasting a house-wide message that dinner is on the table). Video is, of course, a big feature of any smart display, but double-check what you’re actually getting before you buy – Googlepowered speakers play YouTube, of course,

A smart screen is everything that a smart speaker is, and then some W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Smart screens T3 recommends...

OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST SMART SCREENS These are the smart displays you want to be bringing home with you

THE ALL-ROUNDER

GOOGLE NEST HUB This is the smaller Nest Hub from Google, so it’s cheaper and fits in a tighter space – and it doesn’t come with an integrated camera either, so you won’t feel so uncomfortable about sticking it in the bedroom. Even with the smaller seven-inch

touchscreen, it still excels at showing YouTube clips, pumping out audio, and doubling up as a digital photo frame – and it works as a Chromecast speaker and display too. `8,999, store.google.com

THE BEDSIDE SCREEN

AMAZON ECHO SHOW 5 With a 5.5-inch screen, this is one of the smallest smart displays in the business, which makes it perfect for sitting on your bedside table and waking you up in the morning – and maybe less than perfect for binge-watching shows W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

on Amazon Prime Video (though it can do that too). The audio quality is better than you might expect also. You can choose your own clock face and use your own photos on the home screen. `7,599, amazon.in

There aren’t quite as many smart screens available to buy as there are smart speakers (the speakers had quite a head start, after all), but the selection of devices with displays is growing all the time – and we’ve chosen four of the very best for you to pick from here, depending on what your requirements are. What you need to decide first is whether you prefer making friends and chatting regularly with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (or perhaps which one you already know best); after that, you can choose a screen size, which also directly relates to the price you’ll have to pay too.

THE POWERHOUSE

LENOVO SMART DISPLAY 10-INCH Made by Lenovo but with exactly the same Google Assistant software as the Google Nest Hubs, what the Smart Display gets right is a winning combination of picture quality and sound quality – this can easily fill a

room with high-fidelity music, no problem at all. Chromecast functionality is built in as well, so you can easily beam across music, audiobooks, podcasts, television shows and more. `14,999, lenovo.com

A HYBRID DISPLAY

AMAZON FIRE HD 8 TABLET WITH SHOW MODE DOCK Something a little different here: an Amazon tablet that turns into an Echo Show when you plug it into the accompanying dock. You get the versatility of having a device that can be both a smart screen and a tablet when needed – though the

device runs the Amazon version of Android, so you don’t get any of Google’s apps on board. It boasts up to 10 hours of battery life, a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and 1.5GB of RAM. approx. `2,850, amazon.com

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 63

The complete guide to… Smart screens and off via a voice command, but an Echo Show lets you use your voice or tap on the screen, and see at a glance what smart home gear you’ve got set up (and the status of each device). It’s a more comprehensive option. Smart home tricks extend to viewing live footage from a security camera or video doorbell, which most smart screens can do – provided you’re using compatible cameras, naturally (this is another reason why you need to weigh up the gadgets you’ve already invested in before you pick a smart screen). Something else that almost every smart screen can do is video calls. If you want to be able to see your family and friends as well as hear them, it might be worth the price The Google Nest Hub works as a Chromecast display too

and Amazon-powered speakers play The best option is to work out the types Prime Video, of course... but beyond that it’s of video and audio content you think you’re not quite as clear cut as you might think. going to want access to, and then pick a Smart screens with Google Assistant on smart screen accordingly. Spotify, you’ll board also act as Chromecast devices, which be pleased to hear, works across just about means you can cast audio and video from every smart screen on the market, so you apps on your phone (not Netflix, though – don’t need to worry on that score. these smart screens don’t meet Netflix’s What’s more, with a smart screen, your stringent standards for what counts as a content – from podcasts to TV shows – can display suitable for streaming video). be controlled with a press on the display. Just about every app on your phone will Instead of shouting at your smart speaker to offer a cast feature, so you can get the likes skip tracks or to pause playback, you can of Plex, iPlayer, the ITV Hub, YouTube and so simply tap on the screen instead (and if on up on a Google-powered screen. In terms you’re listening to a mix of new music, you of supported streaming video, there’s a don’t have to be constantly asking Google bigger range of options than there is on the Assistant or Alexa what the current song is). Echo Show, where you’re really limited to This sort of convenience extends to Amazon Prime Video, plus iPlayer and controlling smart home devices too. An Echo YouTube through the on-board web browser. speaker can turn your bedroom lights on

Almost every smart screen can make video calls to the same kind of device premium needed to upgrade from a smart speaker to one with a display attached. Typically though, you can only call smart screens and speakers of the same make – so find out what your closest friends and family members are already using. Finally, recipes, which smart screens featuring both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are good at. If you’re going to be setting up your gadget in the kitchen, then it’s a lot easier to follow instructions on a display than it is to try and remember everything that a smart speaker is telling you while you’re up to your elbows in flour.

PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY AT HOME

Should you be allowing even more cameras and microphones into your home? The spotlight is on Google and Amazon (and the rest of the big tech giants) in terms of user privacy right now, and you’d be forgiven for being a little wary about allowing yet more microphones and cameras into your home. Indeed, it puts some people off these devices completely – which we understand. The latest smart screens on the market, including the Google Nest Hub Max and the Amazon Echo Show 8, come with physical buttons and shutters for disabling the integrated cameras and microphones when you don’t want to be disturbed, listened to, or watched. The Google Nest Hub doesn’t have a camera on it at all, so there’s no way you can

be watched (and there’s no way you can make video calls either). Besides disabling different sensors and features on your smart screen, you should also familiarise yourself with companies’ user privacy and data collection policies – primarily Amazon and Google, but also the companies who make kit that connects to your smart screen, or apps that run on top of it. These policies are often couched in ambiguous and vague language, but you should be able to spot any obvious red flags. Look not just at what data is being collected by the companies you’re dealing with, but also how that data is being used.

64 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

Both Google and Amazon keep records of your voice commands and searches – so they can improve the accuracy and relevance of their services, they say – but if you’re not happy with this, you can delete the logs inside the accompanying mobile apps or on the web. In your Amazon account on the web, look for the Review Voice History option under the Alexa Privacy tab on the Manage Your Content and Devices page; in your Google account on the web, follow the Data & personalisation, then Activity controls. In both cases you can review the data that’s been logged, and wipe some or all of it from the record. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

TESTED Get the lowdown on the latest gadgets before you buy

66

SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S6 70

HIFIMAN TWS600 71

OPTOMA P1 72

REALME BUDS AIR 73

XIAOMI REDMI NOTE 8 75

REALME X2 79

CORSAIR VIRTUOSO RGB WIRELESS 80

GAMES

HOW WE TEST In T3, we feature only the finest gadgets out there, and we believe that you – our loyal reader – deserve only the best tech in your life. We don’t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and that’s exactly why our Tested section exists. In here you’ll find only the latest and hottest tech. Each product has been handpicked and tested by T3’s experts.

We only choose people with special knowledge for each test, so you know you’re going to get an outcome based on many years of experience in their respective field. As well as our traditional five-star rating system (right), we also give out awards to particularly exceptional gadgets, using the line-up below - so when you spot one of these, you’ll know you’re onto a good thing.

THE SCORES EXPLAINED Forget it Below average Good for the price Very good all round An exceptional, best-in-class product

OUR AWARDS Only the best products – those that score five PLATINUM stars – receive our AWARD Platinum Award

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This is given to winners BEST ON of our group tests, so you can see which is TEST the best at a glance

This accolade, and BEST FOR others like it, show you BATTERY which gear is best for LIFE specific features

THE DESIGN AWARD

For kit with exceptional industrial design and refinement, in addition to being a great buy

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 65

Tested

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Screen 10.5-inch, 2560x1440 AMOLED Memory 6GB/8GB Storage 128GB/256GB Battery 7,040mAh Cameras 13MP wide, 5MP ultra-wide rear; 8MP front OS Android 9.0, OneUI Dimensions 244.5x159.5x5.7mm Weight 420g

TAB TRUMPS

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Samsung’s latest pro tablet refines the formula, but it’s still living in Apple’s long shadow 66 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

From `59,900 samsung.com/in he tablet world is now a lot like the introduction to an Asterix book, where the iPad is the Roman Empire, dominating all, and the Samsung’s tablets are a plucky Gaul village holding out a corner. The Tab S6 is the company’s latest answer to the iPad Pro, packing in plenty of power, a pen that attaches to the tablet magnetically and charges

T

wirelessly, an in-screen fingerprint reader, and sticking with a 16:10 aspect ratio that’s good for movies. The screen is a 2560x1600 AMOLED panel, and it’s a real looker – HDR10+ support makes cinematic video look beautiful, and photos look gorgeous on it, thanks to the excellent contrast provided by OLED. As a media tablet, this is definitely a great option, especially when you factor in the impressive speakers, which are loud, clear, and give solid stereo separation when it’s square in front of you. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6

For movies, there’s a deďŹ nite edge that the S6 has over the iPad Pro, but it lacks in a couple of other areas: it can’t go as bright, it doesn’t have Apple’s easier-on-the-eyes True Tone tech (you’ll notice a blue tint to whites on the Tab S6’s screen), and it doesn’t have the 120Hz refresh rate. The latter is most noticeable when you’re using the S Pen stylus. The iPad Pro with Apple Pencil is as responsive as drawing tools get, but there’s clear (though small) lag when drawing with the S Pen. If you’re note taking, it’s not a problem at all; for drawing, it’s a little more frustrating. That said, the S Pen’s accuracy is impeccable, because you get a little dot on screen showing where you’re about to press, so ďŹ nishing a line you’ve already started is awless. It’s also smaller than Apple Pencil, which is good for portability, but not for comfort. The S Pen is integrated into the OS well, via Samsung’s One UI, with easy ways to take and annotate screens, and (brilliantly) to capture an area of the screen and copy text visible in it using character recognition. The Pen attaches to the rear of the

tablet to charge, which is madness, honestly – it can’t lay at, unless you buy one of Samsung’s cases, which ďŹ xes this. It falls off easily, is not that easy to attach correctly ďŹ rst time.

Middling multitasking There’s loads of power on offer here (we’ve yet to make it struggle while editing with an app, though it does sometimes skip slightly when scrolling a long web page), yet productivity can be its stumbling block compared to an iPad. The split-view multitasking works well enough, but doesn’t have the extra touches that make it work better on iPad – drag and drop between apps, and the ability to open multiple windows of the same app, for example. It doesn’t help that the One UI interface feels very much made for phones – in the landscape version of the multi-tasking view, tapping an app to see all its options only shows you half of them unless you scroll: a waste of space, even though the list itself is a great way of doing things. Mouse support can be a boon, for sure (without it, we found the pop-out app windows way too ďŹ ddly), and the

THE ALTER ALTERNATIVES APPLE iPAD AIR

AP PPLE iPAD PRO

Apple’s cheaper work tablet gives you a taller screen (bettter for docs), loads of power, but not as nice a screen. There’s n no USB-C port, but in other wayss, it’s generally better for work than the Tab S6. From `44,900, apple.com/in

In 11- or 12.9-inch sizes, this thing is ludicrously powerful, brilliant for drawing, and expensive. Apple Pencil v2 is the t be es to est way to draw, and attache the e tablet on the edge. Fro om `71,900, apple.com/in

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7KH SHQ ĆWV LQWR a groove made specially for it, but it being on the back is just‌ odd

desktop DeX mode continues to be an interesting option that still feels too niche (if you want a laptop that turns into a desktop, Microsoft is your better bet), but needs to be better purely on the touchscreen for work. The Tab S6’s problem is that Apple squeezes it on both sides: it’s cheaper than an iPad Pro, but not quite as advanced. But the iPad Air matches it for power and is actually cheaper. For most people, we’d still recommend those, especially since Apple’s App Store has a broader, more advanced set of pro apps. But there’s plenty that Android does that iOS won’t, and no shortage of excellent apps, so if it’s an Android productivity tablet you want, this is the best yet.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Fast and powerful; good S Pen control and accuracy; nice thin design; great OLED screen for movies. WE’D IMPROVE Productivity just isn’t as good as iPad; slight lag on S Pen; no headphone jack; some odd One UI foibles. THE LAST WORD If you want a top-tier Android tablet, this is the one to get. But you can get media tablets for less, and for work, the iPad simply offers more.

Ë?ȇȅȇȅË?T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ČŒČ?

Tested

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7UXO\ ZLUHOHVV PDUNHW LV KHDWLQJ XS DQG +LĆPDQ KDV D SUHPLXP VROXWLRQ ` KLILPDQ FRP martphone companies have started moving towards a 3.5mm headphone jack-free future, that has led to a surge in the sales of wireless earphones and smartphones. One particular sub-category that has grown exponentially, is the true wireless earphone category. Here at T3 India, we have seen our fair share of true wireless earphones at varying price points and the new one to join the fray is HiďŹ man’s TWS600. Unlike the AirPods, the HiďŹ man TWS600 does not have a stem, which means it sits just like you’d have an earbud but it’s a tad larger than a regular earbud. The TWS600 is a blend of silver and translucent body with an action button to control media playback, volume and voice assistant. The idea to integrate a button is good but loses its importance once you realise pressing it actually pushes the TWS600 deep inside the ear canal. The earbuds are also IPX4 rated that gives it some resistance against dust and water. While we are ďŹ ne with HiďŹ man’s approach to the earbuds’ design, we didn’t like how they designed the carry case. The egg-shaped case matches the listening unit’s silver colour but using as our daily driver, we found the case to get scratched easily, even when kept in a bag. It’s a ip-out style case with a rubberised bottom surface for better grip on the surface and USB Type-C port at the back, adjacent to the hinge. Another thing missing is the battery indicator on the case, which means there’s no way of knowing the remaining battery life until you actually open the case. The ridge to open the case is small that makes it diďŹƒcult to ip the case open with one hand. It may look like we are nitpicking here but it is something to take a look at considering it competes with the Apple AirPods and the ilk in the same price range. However, things get better once you open the case. The battery LED indicator is placed right in the middle with a docking area for the earbuds that start charging automatically, once they are adjusted to their correct position with the help of the integrated magnet. HiďŹ man bundles a number of eartips to give you the perfect ďŹ t and after using it for weeks, we can safely say, the TWS600 have an excellent ďŹ t. You can use them during a run or a workout without any issues. The ďŹ t also helps with noise isolation, making it a good commuting companion. As far as audio quality is concerned, the TWS600 does not disappoint. The audio is crisp with great-sounding mids and highs but underwhelming bass. The built-in mic performance is decent but the main highlight is the battery life that gives around 30-32 hours of listening time with a fully charged case. The TWS600 also touts long-range Bluetooth connectivity and while we couldn’t get the promised 150m (that depends on multiple factors), it was certainly better than other devices.

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Č?Č…Ë?T3 Tomorrow’s Technology TodayË? Ë?ȇȅȇȅ

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED $XGLR SHUIRUPDQFH EDWWHU\ OLIH WE’D IMPROVE &KDUJLQJ FDVH THE LAST WORD 7:6 LV RQH RI WKH EHWWHU VRXQGLQJ WUXH ZLUHOHVV HDUSKRQHV ZLWK LWV JRRG EDWWHU\ OLIH DQG ZLUHOHVV UDQJH

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Tested

ULTIMATE PROJECTION

Optoma P1 Optoma redefines home cinematic experience with the all-new P1 ` 4,99,999, optoma.com/in

fair share of projectors have dropped by our office but only a handful piqued our interest and one of them is Optoma’s P1. The ultra-short throw laser projector has a distinguished look, unlike most other projectors. Clad in black, the projector resembles a rectangular box with space at the top center of the P1 for the glass lens. The front sports integrated NuForce’s soundbar whereas the back hosts connectivity ports like HDMI, USB, S/PDIF, RJ45 and 3.5mm audio-out. The sides also have a couple of additional ports but have ventilation for heat dissipation. Considering the space-saving design, The P1 can be placed a few inches away from the wall to get a laser picture projection to up to 120-inches in size. While the projector automatically corrects the keystone based on the distance and its position, a more accurate projection is possible through SmartFIT companion app with auto geometry correction system for smartphones. However, this only works with Optoma’s ALR screen. The projector features a 0.47-inch ECD DMD by Texas Instruments that supports a native resolution of 4K (3840x2160). The laser light brightness is rated to up to 3000 ANSI lumens with a life of up to 30,000 hours in eco mode and up to 20,000 hours in normal. When it comes to performance, the P1 doesn’t disappoint. The projector produces accurate colours, thanks to 121% of Rec.709 gamut coverage, 87% of DCI-P3 coverage and BT.2020 compatible. Additionally, it is equipped with technologies like Dynamic Black that smoothly adjusts the lamp output to create a high contrast ratio image. PureMotion helps reduce image

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judder and motion blurring whereas 144Hz refresh rate enables smooth flicker-free images. The NuForce 40W soundbar comes with 2 full-range aluminium drivers, 2 woofers and ported chambers that deliver excellent room-filling audio. The soundbar can also be used to stream Bluetooth audio when the projector is not in use. The P1 boasts other bells and whistles like USB media playback, two PIR sensors that dim the light source if it detects a person or an object is in the light path and Smart+ support that enables support for assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or IFTTT. The projector is also able to display an InfoWall showcasing art or useful information like calendar, weather, etc. Overall, Optoma has nailed with the P1. The ultrashort throw laser projector boasts excellent projection quality that is complemented with top-quality audio.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance WE’D IMPROVE N/A THE LAST WORD Optoma P1 is a power-packed ultra-short throw laser projector that delivers on both - projection and audio.

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Tested

WIRELESS FOR REAL

Unimaginative design but boasts goo od features at an aggressive price ` 3,999, realme.com/in

ealme is known for their smartphones but in the last few months, they have been expanding its accessory range and the latest to join its growing portfolio is their very ďŹ rst TWS product - Realme Buds Air. As evident from the image above, Realme Buds Air looks like something that has been heavily inspired by Apple AirPods. Sure, there are black and yellow colours to choose from, in addition to white but design-wise, it’s easy to confuse the Buds Air with Apple’s product. Created from glossy plastic, both the buds and the case are prone to ďŹ ngerprints and while the earbuds are well-built and lightweight, the case feels imsy, especially the cover. The case has a clean design with one button on the front and LED light just above it along with the USB Type-C port at the bottom. The ip-open design works well and ensures auto-connection (or pairing, if you’re using it for the ďŹ rst time) with the paired device. The Buds Air also supports Google’s Fast Pair feature but it will be enabled in the coming weeks. The Buds Air is equipped with a 12mm sound unit and a custom DBB (Dynamic Bass Boost) solution and during our use, we liked what Realme has to offer. Theds Air doesn’t produce the best sound but it certainly is good at the price it sells. The audio is crisp and even has a hint of bass at a higher volume. There’s no active noise cancellation, which means ambient noise will seep in if you’re listening in a crowded place. The buds are equipped with Realme’s R1 chip with Bluetooth 5.0 for stable connection and support lowlatency mode for gaming. The buds don’t have any physical button but integrate touch control to play/pause music, skip to the next song, receive or end calls and more. However, our experience with the controls was hit and miss. When it comes to calls, Buds Air deliver a far better experience. The dual mics use environmental noise cancellation aka ENC that leaves out the ambient noise for crystal-clear voice calls. Buds Air also integrates an optical sensor in the bud that plays or pauses the music when you insert or remove them from the ears and while it works as intended, we

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noticed there’s a second or two lag between the actual removal of the buds and pausing p g the music. The Buds Air are good enough for one movie on a single charge and up to 17 hours with a fully charged case. Charging the Buds Air can be done conventionally via the Type-C cable but it also supports wireless charging that allows the case to be charged via any Qi-enabled wireless charger. Long story short, Realme Buds Air does not win any points when it comes to innovative design but it surely wins in terms of sheer value and the feature it brings to the table along with acceptable audio quality.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Features WE’D IMPROVE Design THE LAST WORD The thing that works for the Buds Air is its aggressive price and its rich feature set

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Tested

ALL-ROUNDER

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 The new Redmi Note is a solid upgrade over its predecessor From `9,999, mi.com/in iaomi’s strategy of offering a premium specced phone at an affordable price has worked very well for the company. They have shipped over 100 million smartphones in India this year. The Redmi Note series, in particular, has been a popular one for Xiaomi and recently got an upgrade. The Redmi Note 8 builds on Redmi Note 7’s design. It has the new Aura Fluid Design and is available in three colours - Space Black, Neptune Blue and Moonlight White. Xiaomi has gone with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back and while the glass isn’t slippery, it is a ďŹ ngerprint magnet. Xiaomi has included a protective case in the box, so you are taken care of. On the right of the phone is the volume rocker and power button with the SIM card slot on the left. A 6.3-inch IPS LCD capacitive screen occupies the front of the phone with an 81.7% screen-to-body ratio. The screen is bright and has a resolution of 1080x2340 pixels. The display is quite sharp and bright even when used outdoors. The Redmi Note 8 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 665 processor. The base variant comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage, while the top variant has 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage onboard. For users who want to save more pictures and videos, the storage can be further expanded to 512GB. The Redmi Note 8 handles multitasking without any hiccups. If you’re into gaming, the phone handles that well with PUBG Mobile playing without any stutter when graphics is set to Medium. However, we experienced the phone to heat up a little when we changed graphic settings to High. The Redmi Note 8 has a quad rear camera setup. The primary 48MP wide camera with f/1.79 aperture has an 8MP ultrawide lens, a 2MP dedicated depth sensor and a 2MP macro lens for company. The overall quality of pictures is very impressive considering the Redmi Note 8 costs under Rs. 10,000. The primary sensor takes crisp shots in well-lit conditions. There is a dedicated night mode and while results are good but there’s a hint of graininess. As expected, the quality of pictures taken with the ultra-wide isn’t as good as the ones taken with the primary sensor. The edges on portrait shots are quite sharp and the overall quality is good. Videos can be recorded in 4K at 30fps and in 1080p at 30, 60 and 120fps. Videos recorded under good lighting conditions are good, but low-light videos were disappointing. For selďŹ es and video calls, there is a 13MP camera. The Redmi Note 8 comes with a 4000 mAh battery which supports 18W fast charging. The battery is good enough to last an entire day even if you play games, take pictures or watch videos. The Redmi Note 8 runs MIUI and while MIUI has some positives, the overall experience can be improved. Is the Redmi Note 8 worth the price? Absolutely. The phone has a premium design with steady performance and solid battery life. More importantly, the camera performance is good.

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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, battery life WE’D IMPROVED Software THE LAST WORD Xiaomi continues its heat streak, thanks to Redmi Note 8’s solid performance and good battery life.

Ë?ȇȅȇȅË?T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Č?Čˆ

Tested

MULTIPOINT ENGAGING FINGERS 2B!

Fingers 2B Musi-Addicto This wireless neckband earphone comes with dual batteries ` 2,199, fingers.co.in WORDS ANSHUMAN GHOSH

ingers is a new and innovative digital accessories brand from Dynamic Conglomerate. Not very known as yet, it started with the launch of variouss digital accessories equipped with the latest technology and the latest to launch is the Fingers 2B MusiAddicto, a wireless neckband Bluetooth earphone. SpeciďŹ catio ons coupled with the appearance of the device, 2B Musi-Addicto look promising too! The unit is well ďŹ nished with a lightweight and sturdy desig gn, and soothing smooth metal casing for the batteries. It is equipp ped with a microphone in a separate case and provided with 3 butto ons of volume control and play/pause. The noisy play/pause button is provided with additional features of connectivity of a new deviice and answering/ending call. Among the non-compromising US SPs for the unit, is it being powered by 10mm Neodymium drivers. A feeble magnetic interlocking of earbuds acts as a convenience, avoiding entanglement of wires. The sweatresistant earbuds are not provided with sensors, they do not automatically turn off when the earbuds are joined together. Premium angular earbuds sit with comfort, they’d ďŹ t every earr easily! Good exibility of the band allows for wrapping easily and tucking them away without a fuss. I’ve spent quite some time with these outdoors, at work and even while working out. The quality is commendable, in a word d, ir though may not really give the established brands a run for their money. The speakers are used with a powerful ampliďŹ er giving them the versatility to listen to nearly all genres of music, good decent controls on distortion and noise. The microphone, when used while calling, catches external noise than a focused voice, sometimes making it a bit diďŹƒcult for the user while calling. The Intelligent Voice Assistant feature could be delightful, enabling the user to read the news, have a number dialled or even ask a query, all without touching the phone purely on voice command. Another big USP is the battery of this device and is the strongest point to be considered. It is situated with an additional battery which provides a playback time of up to 20 hrs and a standby time of up to 300 hrs. The battery backup of 240 mAh takes about 3 hrs of charging time. The ďŹ nely ďŹ nished body of a metallic case protects the battery. Fingers 2B Musi-Addicto on its oďŹƒcial website, has a price tag of about Rs. 2199 and available conservatively in a colour combination of black and grey. Overall, it is a nice companion for versatile music, long calls, aided with ample battery and ergonomics!

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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Battery life, build quality WE’D IMPROVE Microphone THE LAST WORD Not addictive, but engaging! Battery strong, simple ergonomics and apt for versatile music at competitive pricing!

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Tested

XPERT PERFORMER

Realme X2 Realme X2 comes with an improved processor, faster charging From `16,999, realme.com/in WORDS KUNAL GANGAR

ealme aggressively expanded its smartphone portfolio in 2019 and as the last launch of the year, they released the Realme X2. Although the name implies that it is part of the X2 Pro family, the X2 is in fact, a successor to the Realme XT. Design-wise there’s not much to differentiate between the new Realme X2 and the Realme XT. The front boasts a dewdrop notch display with a built-in ďŹ ngerprint sensor whereas the rear features a glossy multi-coloured 3D curved glass that boasts a hyperbolic pattern and spectral gradient design. The sides have physical ports and keys like the power button on the right, volume keys and SIM card slot on the left, and the loudspeaker, Type-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom.

The 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display looks gorgeous with vibrant colours and deep blacks. The phone comes with various display adjustment options like tweaking colour temperature, colour modes and supports features like night shield, icker-free eye care and OSIE Vision Effect that makes the images on the screen more vibrant. The phone also supports always-on display that shows the time and remaining battery life. Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G powers the Realme X2 that’s targeted towards gamers. The octa-core chip coupled with Adreno 618 GPU improves CPU and GPU performance by 35% and 25% respectively. Practically speaking, Snapdragon 730G coupled with 8GB of RAM, the overall experience is buttery smooth. Everyday apps and graphic-intensive games like PUBG or Call of Duty: Mobile work awlessly. The phone also comes with 4GB and 6GB RAM options. The built-in storage is 64GB or 128GB UFS 2.1 but users can expand the storage via microSD card. It runs ColorOS 6.1 and while the overall user experience is uid we feel the OS can go light in terms of pre-loaded apps. Good thing for the user is that they can be uninstalled. Moreover, the OS also supports systemwide dark mode. The quad-camera comprises of a 64MP sensor along with an ultra-wide, macro and portrait sensors. The result is excellent with good details, colours and low-light performance with NightScape 2.0. The ultra-wide sensor can take wide 119-degree shots whereas macro is capable of taking pictures from 4cm focus distance. The portraits are improved with good edge detection and detail. The 32MP front-facing camera is pretty good for high-resolution selďŹ es and with Super Nightscape Portrait mode coming soon, the phone will enable taking nightscape photographs from the front-sensor. The rear and front cameras support EIS with the rear sensor capable of recording videos in up to 4K videos. The 4000mAh battery is great for full-day use and supports VOOC Flash Charge 4.0 charging tech that charges the battery at 30W.

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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance, battery life WE’D IMPROVE Software THE LAST WORD Realme X2 starts from Rs. 16,999 and is a good upgrade over the Realme XT considering the improved processor and faster 30W charging.

Ë?ȇȅȇȅË?T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Č?Č‹

Tested

CURVACIOUS

ViewSonic VX3258 ViewSonic’s latest monitor makes gaming immersive `28,499, viewsonic.com/in

ames need to be enjoyed on a big screen and while we have got large-sized TVs and projectors these days, both don’t come close to the feature set a dedicated gaming monitor offers. ViewSonic is targeting gamers with its VX3258, which is what we take a look at this month. Gaming monitors these days look fancy with RGB and flashy design but we like how understated ViewSonic’s monitor looks. The VX3258-2KPC-MHD (yes, that’s the official name) looks elegant in a black body with a silver stand. The easy-to-install stand is bundled with the monitor but once in place, the only design flaw comes to light - you cannot adjust the height! The monitor can be tilted forward or backwards but the variability is minimal. The ports HDMI, DisplayPort, 3.5mm audio out and power are placed along with a single multi-directional physical button for direction and power. Overall, the design is clean and not in-your-face that you generally see with gaming monitors. ViewSonic sells the VX3258 monitor in two variants - one with Full HD resolution support and the other with WQHD (2560x1440) resolution, which we are reviewing. The 32-inch VA panel has a contrast ratio of 3000:1 with a brightness of 300cd/m2 and 88% NTSC colour gamut for improved colour accuracy. The VX3258 also features different preset modes like Game, Movie, Web, Text, Mac, and Mono that automatically adjusts the colour temperature, contrast, depending on the use. The 1800R curvature of the monitor makes it ideal for players’ FOV

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for an immersive gaming session. Image ghosting, blurring and screen tearing is taken care by monitor’s 1ms response time along with 144Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync. Other display-centric features include a flicker-free backlight circuit to reduce dryness of eyes and a blue light filter to moderate the blue light output to reduce eye irritation and fatigue. The monitor also features two 2.5W speakers and while it’s handy to have integrated speakers, we found the performance to be weak. That said, ViewSonic VX3258 offers a curvy package for a gamer with a decent feature set at under `30,000.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, features WE’D IMPROVE Speakers THE LAST WORD The speaker performance is weak but otherwise a decent gaming monitor.

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Tested

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nďŹ nix has been steadily expanding its smartphone lineup and the latest one is the S5 Lite, a lighter version of the InďŹ nix S5. The S5 Lite has a 6.6-inch HD+ display and triple camera, but how does it perform and compare against others in this category? We ďŹ nd out in our review. The InďŹ nix S5 Lite has a plastic body and hence it is quite lightweight. The back has a glittery ďŹ nish, but it isn’t slippery and is comfortable to hold. The volume rocker and power button are placed on the right, with the SIM card and microSD card tray on the left. The InďŹ nix S5 also has a rear ďŹ ngerprint scanner. Its placement though is a bit high and you will have to stretch your ďŹ nger to unlock the phone. The S5 Lite has a 6.6-inch display with a punch-hole display to house the front camera. It is an IPS HD+ display with a resolution of 1600x720. The display is bright outdoors and the colour reproduction is decent. However, there is no ambient light sensor, which means you will have to adjust the brightness manually. The InďŹ nix S5 Lite is powered by MediaTek Helio P22 chipset. It can handle day-to-day tasks well, but there is some noticeable lag when you open multiple apps. The experience is also not smooth when playing PUBG or Asphalt. InďŹ nix S5 Lite has only one variant (4GB RAM with 64GB storage). The storage can be further expanded to up to 128GB. For security, the InďŹ nix S5 Lite has a rear ďŹ ngerprint sensor and face unlock. Both worked without a glitch. The S5 Lite has a triple rear camera set-up. A 16-MP primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture, 2MP depth sensor and a low-light sensor complete the setup. Most pictures seemed underexposed but overall results are good in ideal lighting conditions. There is no dedicated night mode though considering there is a low-light sensor. Portrait shots are average. The front camera is a 16MP sensor for selďŹ es. The phone is packed with a 4000 mAh battery. With heavy to moderate usage, the battery easily lasts an entire working day. Charging the phone takes more than two hours though. The S5 Lite runs Android 9 Pie out of the box with XOS5.5 skin on top. Although the XOS 5.5 skin is not too heavy, it comes with pre-installed bloatware. Most apps are pointless and cannot be uninstalled. There is also an ‘Instant apps’ section which is unneeded. The InďŹ nix S5 Lite is priced at `17,999 rupees. For this price, you are getting a phone with a big display and good battery life. But its performance is average, and the battery does not support fast charging. But at the same time, the camera performance is decent for its price. By paying a couple of grand more, you can get the Redmi Note 8 that offers everything the S5 Lite can plus more.

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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED &DPHUD WE’D IMPROVE 1R IDVW FKDUJH VRIWZDUH THE LAST WORD ,QĆQL[ 6 /LWH FRPSHWHV LQ D FRPSHWLWLYH VHJPHQW DQG ZKLOH WKHUH DUH RWKHU EHWWHU RSWLRQV 6 /LWH LV RQH RI WKH IHZ PRGHOV WR FRPH ZLWK D SXQFK KROH GLVSOD\ DW WKLV SULFH SRLQW

Ë?ȇȅȇȅË?T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Č?Č?

Tested

REAL ALPHA

HyperX Cloud Alpha S An upgrade over the original HyperX Cloud Alpha with focus on bass `13,200, hyperxgaming.com yperX has carved a nam me for themselves in the afforrdable gaming headset segment. Theiir recently announced HyperX Clloud Alpha S ups the ante for HyperX in terms off pricing but for a higher ask, HyperX brings in tuniing options like bass adjustment slider and custom-tuned HyperX 7.1 surround sound. But is it worth it? Let’s ďŹ nd out. We have a liking towards any product that has a clean design and is easy-to-use an nd HyperX Cloud Alpha S ďŹ ts the bill perfectly.. The black and blue headset not only looks good bu ut feels like it’s built to last. The matte ďŹ nish earpads adorn the HyperX logo and even feature a basss adjustment slider. The left earpad boasts two po orts - one for the 3.5mm cable and another for th he detachable mic. The adjustable hinge is made o of aluminium and is covered with thick memory foam. Similarly, the ear cushions also com me with memory foam and a breathablle leatherette that’s comfortable on th he ears for prolonged listening session ns. When it comes to audio performance, the Cloud Alpha S’ 50 0mm drivers with neodymium magnets deliver audio comparable to its predecessor, Cloud Alpha. Plugging the headset directly into the t source with a 3.5mm cable, the audio sounds ba alanced, however, when the same cable is ro outed through the audio mixer, the audio quality w was ain when you underwhelming. Things change again activate 7.1 surround sound that tends to spruce up the highs. The audio mixer is an interesting way to tweak audio settings without the use of any software. The mixer also allows adjusting the game and chat audio balance, mute/unmute mic and even adjust the volume. The bass adjustment sliders feature three levels of bass and opening the slider completely enables maximum bass but during our use, we found the bass jump was negligible. The exible microphone is bi-directional that delivers good performance with decent noisecancellation to cut out the ambient noise. The mic is also certiďŹ ed by Discord and TeamSpeak.

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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design WE’D IMPROVE Bass THE LAST WORD While Cloud Alpha S’ bass performance is underwhelming, it is a good addition to HyperX’s gaming headset portfolio with its overall audio and mic performance.

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Tested

CRYSTAL CLEAR

Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless Corsair’s premium gaming headset boasts function and form `26,000, corsair.com

orsair is known for PC components but the American company has expanded its product lineup dramatically. Good thing is, the products are still geared towards gamers, including this headset - Virtuoso RGB Wireless. A look at Virtuoso RGB Wireless and you know this is not your regular looking gaming accessory. The headset looks and feels premium. Made out of machined aluminium construction, the Virtuoso RGB Wireless is lightweight yet durable and sturdy. It also has a very streamlined design. The exterior of the earpads features Corsair’s RGB-ďŹ ed logo with the ports and keys hiding in plain sight at the bottom side of either earpad. The left earpad has slots for the mic, USB Type-C and 3.5mm jack whereas the right earpad features a volume ring and a wired/wireless slider that doubles up as an on/off slider. The memory foam earpads with leatherette are complemented by the headband, allowing to wear them for hours without any discomfort. Virtuoso RGB Wireless can be used as a wired headset or wirelessly. For wired operation, Corsair bundles a 3.5mm cable to connect to a multitude of devices or can use the bundled Type-C cable that will enable to listen to high-ďŹ delity audio. Wireless is the most convenient option but the bundled Slipstream wireless dongle needs to be connected to the PC or PS4 for a stable connection between the PC or PS4 and the headphone. The audio is delivered through 50mm neodymium drivers and emulated 7.1 surround sound, for immersive audio. However, if you’re not happy, the Corsair iCue software allows you to tweak audio proďŹ le, equaliser settings, in addition to customising its RGB lighting. Microphone quality is as important as audio in a gaming headset and this is where the Virtuoso RGB Wireless excels. The 4mm detachable omnidirectional microphone provides excellent range and voice clarity, even earning Discord’s certiďŹ cation. Virtuoso RGB Wireless has a battery life of up to 20 hours and supports intelligent features like sleep and wake that automatically turns off the headset when the user puts it down. To conclude, Virtuoso RGB Wireless is an expensive gaming headset but at that price, you get good audio coupled with excellent mic performance.

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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Mic, battery life WE’D IMPROVE Need a dongle for wireless capability THE LAST WORD Virtuoso RGB Wireless’ forte is its broadcast-grade microphone and is nicely complemented by its audio quality and comfortable design.

Ë?ȇȅȇȅË?T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Č?Č?

Game Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order

Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Step into the shoes of a young Jedi in the latest Star Wars action-adventure `3,999; PS4, Xbox One, Windows

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he first official Star Wars game was released way back in 1982 and after several releases, a Star Wars-branded game still attracts a lot of attention. Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order is EA’s third game in the Star Wars world and while the first two focused more on the multiplayer-aspect, the latest game emphasises on the narrative-driven single-player campaign. Jedi Fallen Order follows the story of Cal Kestis, a young Padawan who’s gone into hiding after the Order 66 that wiped out most of the Jedis. As luck would have it, he has to use the Force to save a friend but instead, it reveals his identity and

thus begins the cat-and-mouse game between him and the Empire. Admittedly, the start feels a little weak but I guess, there needs to be some incident to start this interplanetary adventure. That said, things do get better as we progress through the game. The story picks up nicely and it’s the combination of exploration, combat and upgrades that make the whole journey satisfying. One thing we noticed right at the start that the game doesn’t point out how and where to proceed but instead leaves it to the player to figure out. However, the game occasionally throws a bone when solving a puzzle takes some time and even teaches

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you new abilities in the form of flashback from his Jedi training. Exploration is key in the game as it takes you to different planets. The planets are well-designed, elaborate and distinct. The game wants you to explore the map thoroughly in search of secrets about the place, shortcuts, and pathways to reach a particular area. Exploring along with Kestis is BD-1, a droid partner who acts like a true companion throughout the game. He can be used to loot boxes, scan areas, use as a zip line handle and even hand out health stims. As you progress, the game allows upgrading BD-1’s abilities. Combat is another area where the game truly shines. Fighting enemies W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order

in Jedi Fallen Order is tough, frustrating and satisfying. The enemy list not only includes Stormtroopers, Purge Troopers and robots from the Empire but also the weird, gigantic bugs and animals. Armed with a lightsaber and Force powers, you can tackle them but it requires some parrying/striking and dodging skill. Saving a game session is inconsequential in most games but not in Jedi Fallen Order. Save points aka Meditation points are located throughout the map (depending on the difficulty level you play) and it is where you can choose to upgrade Jedi’s abilities and/or choose to rest that replenishes the health. However, the tradeoff here is that resting will respawn all the enemies and you’ll have to fight them again, even if you killed them a while back. In a nutshell, with Jedi Fallen Order it feels like EA has finally delivered a worthy Star Wars game that has a good story, visuals and excellent combat.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Combat WE’D IMPROVE Mid-game load freeze THE LAST WORD Jedi Fallen Order is an excellent game with a compelling story and combat

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Game

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts Snipe your way to victory Prices vary; PS4, Xbox One, PC ost shooting games want the player to go allguns-blazing and while I like it how loud and entertaining it can be, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts is a completely different ballgame. It has a different approach that tests your patience, stealthiness and discipline. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts starts off with a story linked to the troubling times in the Soviet Union and Siberia. The story is weak and becomes a link as to why you have been given the license to kill. You play as a specialist sniper who is assigned with 25 contracts to complete, spread across five sandbox-style maps. The five maps in the game are massive and contrasting, to say the

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least. From a blizzard struck Siberian secret facility to a container ship docked at Port Harbour to a tropical condo tucked away in the middle of a forest, the terrain spread in Contracts is exciting and diverse. This diverse world lets you scale and explore various tactical hideouts and vantage points. However, the downside of such a huge map is getting to the extraction point is tiresome, which are far away from the objective and requires careful route planning. This is fine for the first few hours of the missions but gets exhaustive as you progress. That said, the game does support a fast travel feature but not when you have to be extracted. What’s a sniper-centric game if the

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elements are not authentic and I am happy to report the sniping mechanism in the Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts has a sophisticated approach that you’d want from a sniper game. There are various factors that need to be considered before you pull the trigger like the distance to the target, wind direction and speed to create the perfect shot. The slowmotion cinematic effect is pretty good, affirming a successful kill when the shot is lined perfectly. The game tries to push the boundary further by forcing the player to step out of his comfort zone by retrieving intel, hacking phones and planting bombs. These tense moments with a tricky extraction point add versatility to the gameplay. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts

DESIGN AWARD 2019

ROG Strix

Fusion 300

The game comes in three difficulty settings and we played it on Sniper Mode (medium difficulty) that offers a good balance of difficult enemies and sniping experience. However, the occasional frame drop and AI glitches did hinder the fluidity of the game, not to mention the inconsequential upgrading system of weapons and skills that do not enhance the gameplay to desired levels. All said and done, spending hours playing Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts may feel repetitive but its the variety of ways of how you approach the target which makes the game exciting. Contracts demand you to be patient, clinical, silent and skill full to bring out the best marksman in you. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

A New Bread of Audio Sensation True-to-Life Gaming Audio Incredibly Deep Bass

VERDICT WE’R IMPRESSED Sniping physics and gameplay WE’D IMPROVE Story THE LAST WORDS Be it crawling silently into enemy territory or waiting for the right opportunity at a vantage point, the game is authentic to give you the sniper experience.

7.1 Surround Sound On The Go For Sales Enquries : vincent_liu@asus.com For feedback, email reachus@asus.com info_india@asus.com

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 83

Game Shenmue III

Shenmue III Eighteen years between the sequel but retains the same old charm Prices vary; PS4, Windows he 2001 Shenmue II ended with Ryo and Shenhua visiting a stone quarry and discovering a dragon and phoenix mirrors and in the case of Shenmue III, marks the start of the game. Accompanied by Shenhua, Ryo is still on the trail to catch his father’s killer and while eighteen years is a long time, Shenmue’s sequel feels the same. Shenmue III builds on the existing gameplay, which means, there is a lot of asking around, searching for clues and objects that will eventually help to progress through the story. However, the game does not want to relentlessly pursue the objective, which is why the game introduces a new element. Ryo’s stamina now depletes throughout the day and requires regular rest and food to restore the level, just like in real life. There’s virtual money to be earned by completing various tasks throughout the game that can be spent on items to advance the mission. Additionally, there are mini-games to be played, gambling and even learn new martial art moves. Although these may seem like grinding to advance the story, we did prefer the slow pace of the game. However, we would have appreciated better voice acting and graphics, which is better than Shenmue II but certainly not up to the standards of modern games.

T

84 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Gameplay WE’D IMPROVE Voice, graphics THE LAST WORD Shenmue III feels like it’s been cryogenically frozen and while its gameplay and slowpaced nature will be appreciated by Shenmue fans, newcomers may feel out of place.

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ISSUE 54/ JANUARY 2020

Retro

T3 India as a magazine/ezine rightly focuses on products that are new and under development. This, of course, does not suggest or imply that everything old is bad and outdated. The pace at which technology moves, demands that we cover all product developments for our readers. In few cases, this means going back to the

past. Look at the worldwide revival of turntables. Only 20 years ago, the turntable was consigned to the dustbin. Today, pressing plants are hard pressed to meet the demand. The area where retro is most in demand is music – both Western and Indian, and T3 India seeks to address this gap. We hope you enjoy this section.

Inside 86

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Classic Artistes - Indian

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 85

TOP HITS VOL 3

TOP HITS VOL 3

In this issue, we look at a medley of melodious songs, again from T Series. Words: H. S. Billimoria DABANGG meaning fearless was the first (2010) in the successful ‘Dabangg’ films from Arbaaz Khan Productions. Directed by Abhinav Kashyap and starring Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha and Sonu Sood, the film was a super hit. Although Sajid Wajid’s misic is remembered for the ‘Munni Badnaam Huyi’ number, our choice is the Rahat Fateh Ali Khan – Shreya Ghosal duet, ‘Tere mast mast do nain’.

PAHELI, released in 2005, was a Shahrukh Khan movie directed by Amol Palekar. It was a moderate success at the box office. M M Kreem of the South gave music. Notable was the duet, ‘Dheere jalna’ sung by Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghosal.

MAINE PYAR KYUN KIYA (2005), was produced by Sohail Khan and starred Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Sushmita Sen. It was a big box office success. Himesh Reshamiya provided the hit music and our choice is the Udit Narayan – Alka Yagnik duet, ‘Sajan tumse pyar’. David Dhawan was the director.

KYON KI ITNA PYAR (2005), directed by Priyadarshan, was a romantic film starring Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Rimi Sen. The film was a success; so was its music by Himesh Reshamiya. Kunal Ganjawala’s ‘Dil keh raha hai’ was our favourite number.

86 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

JAB WE MET (2007) is probably one of the best romantic films from Bollywood. Directed by Imtiaaz Ali and starring Shahid Kapoor opposite Kareena Kapoor, the film became a huge success. Pritam’s music was outstanding. Mika Singh shone in the ‘Mauja hi mauja’ number.

GUZAARISH (2010) brought Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai together in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. A beautifully directed film, Guzaarish unfortunately did not perform too well at the box office. Apart from superlative performances, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s music was also good and the duet, ‘Udi teri ankhon se’ rendered by Sunidhi Chauhan & Shail Hada was one to remember.

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TOP HITS VOL 3

SALAAM E ISHQ (2010) ZDV D ELJ EXGJHW ĆOP starring Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, Juhi Chawla and Priyanka Chopra. The movie was a ćRS 7KH RQO\ UHGHPSWLRQ was the music by Shankar (KVDQ /R\ :H OLNHG WKH Adnan Sami track, ‘Dil Kya Kare’ in particular.

Priyadarshan’s DHOL (2010) ZDV D FRPHG\ ĆOOHG ZLWK thrills. It starred Sharman Joshi, Tushar Kapoor and 5DMSDO <DGDY )RU D QRQ VWDU FDVW ĆOP 'KRO GLG UDWKHU ZHOO DW WKH ER[ RIĆFH 3ULWDPèV music is remembered for the duet, ‘Bheega aasmaan’ rendered by Shaan and 9LMD\ <HVXGDV

HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM (1999) was a EORFNEXVWHU ĆOP VWDUULQJ 6DOPDQ .KDQ $LVKZDU\D 5DL DQG $MD\ 'HYJDQ Ismail Durbar provided a chart busting score. Our choice is the track, ‘Chang Chhupa’ rendered beautifully by Udit Narayan DQG $OND <DJQLN 7KLV ĆOP HVWDEOLVKHG 6DQMD\ /HHOD Bhansali as a name to reckon with.

ISHQIYA (2010) was a KLJKO\ DFFODLPHG ĆOP starring Naseerudin Shah, 9LG\D %DODQ $UVKDG :DUVL 7KH ĆOP ZDV DOVR VXFFHVVIXO DW WKH ER[ RIĆFH 9LVKDO %KDUGZDM SURYLGHG WKH musical score. The number, ‘Dil to bachha hai ji’ rendered E\ 5DKDW )DWHK $OL .KDQ ZDV a big hit.

THE TRAIN (2007), not to be confused with the HDUOLHU 5DMHVK .KDQQD ĆOP starred Emraan Hashmi, 6D\DOL %KDJDW DQG *HHWD %DVUD 7KH ĆOP IDUHG PRGHVWO\ DW WKH ER[ RIĆFH Mithoon provided the music DQG DORQJ ZLWK 6KLOSD 5DR rendered the best song, ‘Woh Ajnabee’.

5DMHVK 5RVKDQ KDG D NQDFN RI providing good music even in EDG ĆOPV ‘MAQAAR’ (1985) ZDV RQH VXFK ĆOP 7KLV 9LQRG 0HKUD %LQGL\D *RVZDPL 5DNHVK 5RVKDQ VWDUUHU GLG QRW even get a proper release. All WKH VRQJV DUH JRRG :H KDYH chosen the Kishore Kumar number, ‘Tu hi mera sapna’, for its sheer melody.

5DNHVK 5RVKDQ produced ‘BHAGWAAN DADA’(1985) under the )LOPNUDIW EDQQHU 7KH ĆOP was directed by his fatherin-law, J Om Prakash and VWDUUHG 6ULGHYL 5DMQLNDQW and Tina Munim. The ĆOP ćRSSHG EXW EURWKHU 5DMHVKèV PXVLF ZDV D VXFFHVV :H KDYH VHOHFWHG the Kishore Kumar number, ‘Tujhse pehle’ for its mellow tune and touching rendition.

5DMNXPDU .RKOLèV BEES SAAL BAAD (1988) was not a patch on the ĆOP ZLWK WKH VDPH QDPH 7KH ĆOP VWDUULQJ Mithun Chakraborty and Dimple Kapadia was a ćRS /D[PLNDQW 3\DUHODO provided the music. The title track sung by Anuradha Paudwal was a hit. T3Ë? India

= W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 87

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INSIDE

,I \RXèUH ORRNLQJ IRU WKH YHU\ EHVW WHFK DYDLODEOH WRGD\ \RXèYH GHĆQLWHO\ FRPH WR WKH right place. %HVW RI WKH %HVW LV WKH PRVW XVHIXO JDGJHW EX\LQJ JXLGH \RX ZLOO HYHU HQFRXQWHU To create it, we’ve extensively tested the best tech the world has to offer, to bring \RX URFN VROLG UHFRPPHQGDWLRQV IRU \RXU KRPH OLIH GDLO\ FRPPXWH DQG WKH WHFK \RX XVH DOO WKH WLPH In 21 different categories, we’ve chosen the top three products, so you can choose RQH WKDWèV MXVW WKH ULJKW PL[ RI IHDWXUHV DQG EXGJHW IRU ZKDW \RX QHHG 7KHVH UDQNLQJV FRPH IURP UHDO WHVWLQJ E\ RXU WHDP RI H[SHUWV Ã¥ WKH\èUH WKH SURGXFWV ZHèG FKRRVH IRU RXUVHOYHV DQG ZH FDQèW UHFRPPHQG DQ\ KLJKHU WKDQ WKDW

W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Smartphones Mid-range Smartphones Value Smartphones Smartwatches Premium TVs Value TVs Streamers Game Consoles Truly Wireless Headphones Laptops Gaming Laptops Tablets DSLR Cameras Mirrorless Cameras Compact Cameras Action Cameras Drones Fitness Tracker Running Watch Smart Speakers Smart Bulbs

90 90 90 91 91 91 92 92 92 93 93 93 94 94 94 95 95 95 96 96 96

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 89

Best of the best

SMARTPHONES

MID RANGE SMARTPHONES

VALUE SMARTPHONES

Ë? Ë?ȆȆË?

Ë?ČŒ

Ë? Ȇ

From `99,900, apple.com/in

From `37,999, oneplus.in

From Rs. 19,999, poco.net/in If you’re looking for an all-round performer, Poco F1 has practical design and brings in topnotch hardware with Snapdragon 845 chip, up to 8GB of RAM and 4000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.

The ‘T’ variant of the OnePlus 6 brings LQ VFUHHQ ĆQJHUSULQW sensor along with a fast Snapdragon 845 CPU, up to 10GB of RAM, high-resolution dual cameras, Optic AMOLED display and super fast Dash charging tech.

Packing the best screen and camera on any phone, plus the fastest processor and a beautiful highquality build, and you’ve got a phone that earns its Pro name. It’s a totally polished package.

Ë? ČˆČ…Ë? `69,500, huawei.com One of the best Android phones in the market right now, the P30 Pro comes with a new processor, quadcamera setup with zoom support a super fast charge support that tops up the battery in just around an hour.

Ë? Ë? Ȇȅ From `47,900, samsung.com/in The modestly sized and pocket-friendly 5.8-inch screen on the S10e is a breath of fresh air. With Samsung’s impeccable levels of ĆW DQG ĆQLVK JUHDW software and top specs, it’s a deal.

Ë? Ë? Č†Č…ÉŒ From `69,900, samsung.com/in A premium build, LQFUHGLEOH ,QĆQLW\ 2 screen with HDR10+, brilliant rear triple camera system and blazing performance in Samsung’s slick new One UI make this the Android king.

Ë? ȇȅ From `37,999, hihonor.in Phone’s claim to fame is the 48MP sensor and an allview display that brings the new hole-punch camera implementation. The phone packs Huawei’s 7nm CPU, 8GB of RAM and a full day battery life.

Ë? Ë? Ë?Č?Ë? Ë? From 13,999, mi.com/in Xiaomi’s latest Redmi Note packs a lot of features. It boasts a new glass design and is powered by the latest Snapdragon 675 chip along with up to 6GB RAM, and a whopping 48MP sensor and 4K video recording support.

Ë? Ë? Ë? Ë? ȇ From Rs. 9,999, asus.com/in The Zenfone Max Pro series is due for an upgrade this year but this is still a decent buy. It comes with a large 6.26-inch display, premium 3D design, Snapdragon 600 CPU, dual cameras and a 5000mAh battery.

Ë?Č?Ë?

Ë? Ë?Ȇȅ Ë?

Ë?ČˆË?

From `48,999, oneplus.in

From `39,990, oppo.com/in Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition hides an DQJXODU VKDUN ĆQ SRS up camera with an 11 degree inclination leading to maximum screen real estate. it is available in Ocean Green and Jet Black looking good on the rear glass panel.

From `13,999, realme.com/in/ Realme 3 Pro is a noticeable improvement over its predecessor with a better processor, camera and bigger 4045mAh battery paired with 20W VOOC 3.0 fast charging.

OnePlus 7 Pro brings in a 90Hz AMOLED curved display encompassing the entire front area thanks to the pop-up VHOĆH FDPHUD 2Q WKH rear is a triple camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary sensor.

90 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Best of the best

SMARTWATCHES ȋ From `36,900, apple.com/in This truly straddles the line between tech and fashion; it’s not just the bestlooking smartwatch, but its health and ĆWQHVV IHDWXUHV always-on screen and good apps PDNH LW HVVHQWLDO

From `23,990, samsung.com/in

PREMIUM TVS ČŽ

From `19,990, samsung.com/in

ČŠ

From `3,29,900, sony.co.in Marrying a perfect OLED 4K screen with Sony’s picture processing prowess makes for a jawdropping HDR TV at 55 or 65 inches. Motion handling and upscaling of content are both brilliant.

ȋȋ Ȏ From `2,24,990 LG’s OLED technology produces beautiful 4K HDR images, and makes HD videos look ace too. LG’s webOS smart platform is one of the better systems around, and it’s ideal for gaming.

The best smartwatch for Android users brings a circular screen with great rotating bezel, and slick Tizen software that’s easy to use. It looks good too, and the battery life of up to six days is ace.

Ȏ From `2,05,600, samsung.com/in Samsung’s QLED LCD tech is not only able to stand up to the quality of OLED, but even surpasses it in areas such as brightness. It means you get the full effect of HDR even in brighter rooms.

Sleek and powerful, this is the best smartwatch for Android users. The screen and design are on par with the Apple Watch, while a collection of new watch faces give it DbPRGHUQ HGJH

VALUE TVS Rs. 39,999, mi.com/in The TV has gone pro with the all-new Android OS giving users the goodness of Android interface and PatchWall. The 4.9mm thin TV comes with a 55inch 4K HDR display and Dolby Audio.

ČŒČ†Č…Č… From Rs. 41,990, samsung.com/in Samsung’s answer to the intense competition. It comes in three different size options and brings UHD playback, Live Cast support, screen mirroring and support for video streaming apps.

From Rs. 30,999, vutvs.com Vu’s Pixelight range brings 4K playback at an affordable price. It comes with its own version of Smart OS but supports access to widely watched video services like 1HWćL[ <RX7XEH DQG even Prime Video.

ČŽ

ČĽČŠČˆ Č?ČˆČ…Č…

`14,396, fossil.com/in/en

`199,999, www.tcl.com/in/en The massive 85� monster looks stunning s in a sleek meta m frame and n narrow bezels surrounding s the vivid panel p that has HDR. It has h a wider brightness range and greater picture contrast.

`19,999, www.sanyoappliance.in/

Fossil’s fourth generation of smartwatches serves up what’s probably the best Wear OS smartwatch available to buy today. Capable and wearable, with good app support.

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The IPS LED panel outputs a crisp Full HD picture and comes equipped with 16W box speakers that are decently loud. Additionally, the TV comes with a 3.5mm output jack.

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 91

Best of the best

STREAMERS

GAMES CONSOLES

TRUE WIRELESS HEADPHONES

Ë?

Ë? Ë? Ë? Ë?

Ë?

`3,499, store.google.com/in

`44,990, microsoft.com

`14,999, headphonezone.in

The Chromecast is a receiver for phones and laptops and depends on them for control and content – but it’s simple, versatile and compatible with iOS, Android, Windows and Mac.

With 4K, Dolby Atmos, Ultra HD Blu-ray and a fairly FRPSDFW SURĆOH this is the best Xbox ever. It’s even more powerful than the PS4 Pro and also a great home entertainment hub.

Ë? Ë? Ë? Ë?ČŠ Ë? `5,999, amazon.in

Ë? ČŠË? `38,710, sony.co.in

4K HDR for under `6,000 isn’t to be sniffed at. It’s best suited to Prime subscribers and Google apps are absent, but it’s a very capable and affordable streamer IRUb79 DQG PRYLHV

Ë? Ë? Ë?

`15,900, apple.com/in

`29,990, microsoft.com

iTunes has the biggest source of 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos movies, and lots of other services have DSSV KHUH WRR <RX can also easily stream to it from Macs and L26bGHYLFHV

Ë? `12,900, apple.com/in

It’s still overkill if you don’t have a 4K TV, but with 2160p HDR gaming, the PS4 Pro delivers incredible visuals and is smoother and faster than its nonPro siblings.

Ë? Ë?ČŠ Ë?

Even more comfy, though perhaps slightly less secure, than the Jabras, these also offer best-in-class audio. Aside from a slightly odd carry case, these are textbook true wireless buds.

The S is smaller, whiter and much cheaper than its big brother, and while you don’t get its sibling’s super-powered specs you still get Ultra HD %OX UD\ $ ĆQH KRPH entertainment hub.

Apple’s wireless ’phones may not sound as good as some of the newer rivals, but they still beat them all for battery life, ease of use and often comfort. They work best with iOS, of course.

Ë? Ë? `9,990, samsung.com/in Samsung’s latest truly wireless earbuds have been tuned by AKG to deliver improved audio, adaptive dual mic tech helps keep the background noise at bay and up to 6 hours of playback and wireless charging support.

Ë? Ë? Ë?

Ë? ČŠË?

Ë? Ë?ČŒČ‹

`3,999, www.amazon.in The cheaper Fire TV variant tops out at Full HD but should be perfect for TVs with the same resolution. It’s bundled with the new Alexa voice remote that accepts voice commands to navigate or browse through content.

`29,999, www.sony.co.in Boasting a great variety of exclusives, the PS4 silm is getting long in the tooth but still has enough power to play current gen titles without too many visual compromises even if it has been surpassed by the Pro.

`15,499, www.jabra.in Lasting upto 5 hours on a single charge, these IP55 rated earbuds get an additional 10 hours with the charging case. A companion app enables access to extra features to further customise the listening experience.

92 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

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Best of the best

LAPTOPS ȇ `1,37,999, microsoft.com Available in 13- or 15-inch sizes, with a 3:2 screen that gives you more height than other laptops, and plenty of power, this is a light and fast machine that’s DOVR UHDOO\ ćH[LEOH Perfect.

GAMING LAPTOPS From `2,39,990, asus.com/in The ROG Zephyrus S offers serious gaming performance in an ultra-slim form factor. The 16.15mm notebook features a 15.6-inch display, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, and a 144Hz display.

TABLETS ȆȇČ?Č? From `89,900, apple.com/in The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 is unbelievably owerful and slick, with w an excellent screen, thin and s compact design, c great battery life g and a support for the ew Apple Pencil. Pricey, but worth it.

Č†Čˆ

ČŒČ‹ ČŽ

ČŠ

`84,390, dell.co.in

From `3,25,999, msi.com This gaming laptop manages to pack an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU, Intel Core i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM into a very portable package. Its Full HD, wide-view 144Hz panel is top rate, too.

`57,900, samsung.com/in 7KH ĆQHVW $QGURLG tablet, this delivers DbV\VWHP ZLWK a sharp OLED screen, S Pen stylus, excellent audio credentials, powerful internals, and a neat laptopaping DeX mode.

The Dell XPS 13 is thinner and more powerful than ever. Up to 1TB of SSD storage, 16GB of RAM, and powerful Intel Core i7 processors help make it a high quality all-rounder.

ČˆČŒČ… From Rs. 1,29,990, hpshopping.in The Spectre x360 packs in the looks and performance. It features a gem cut, all-aluminium design and brings in Intel’s Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, audio from Bang & Olufsen and more.

Ȇ `From 1,97,000, lenovo.com/in The 15.6� Thinkpad is slim yet packs in some powerful hardware for productivity. While v variants start from Intel Core i7, they g up to the top end go i7 chipsets paired with upto 1TB SSD storage and 64GB RAM.

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From `1,64,990, asus.com/in Built for FPS gamers, the 15.6inch ROG Strix Scar II has a refresh rate of 144Hz with 3ms response time. It has the latest GeForce RTX 2070 GPU, 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and more.

ȼȋȆ `From 2,99,590, dell.co.in The Area-51m is not only one of the most powerful gaming laptops till date but also supports upgradeability with a removable processor and GPU. Although the Core i7/i9 and Geforce RTX GPU will not get outdated.

From `37,999, microsoft.com While Windows 10 in tablet mode remains a ‘mixed’ experience, its versatility is impressive and the ergonomics of Microsoft’s new tablet computer are second WRbQRQH

ČˆČŒČ… `From 60,990, hp.com/in Sleek and lightweight, the Envy is highly versatile and can adapt to a number of situations given its transforming form factor. The battery life might not be amazing but the HP Active Pen is.

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 93

Best of the best

DSLR CAMERAS

MIRRORLESS CAMERAS

COMPACT CAMERAS

Ë? ČŽČ‹Č…

Ë? Ë?ČŒ

Ë? ȆȅȅË?

`2,34,950, nikon.co.in

`2,08,950, nikon.co.in

`96,990, sony.co.in

With a highresolution 45.4 megapixel sensor, 4K video capture, a 153-point AF system, and a sturdy body, you’ll never be disappointed with what the D850 can create for you.

With a full-frame 24.5 megapixel sensor, 12fps continuous shooting, phenomenal low-light performance and fantastic handling, this creates incredible images for a reasonable price.

Ë? Č‹Č…Č…

Ë? Č?Ë?

`1,36,950, nikon.co.in

Ë? Ȇȅȅ

From `1,58,490, sony.co.in The advanced 24.2 megapixel lightweight, full frame Sony A7 III mirrorless interchangeable lens camera boasts of a remarkable eyeautofocus feature that all users, especially wedding photographers, love.

This solidly built camera is the SHUIHFW FKRLFH IRU those who like to shoot a little bit of everything, thanks to a brilliant autofocus system and glorious image quality from its 20MP sensor.

Ë? Č‹ČŒČ…Č…

Č?

From `66,750, nikon.co.in Designed for beginners and midlevel photographers, Nikon’s light-weight (465 g body with battery) APS-C sensor 24.78 megapixel D-SLR is a good choice to carry along the whole day.

The ultimate in pocket-sized image quality. A large oneinch sensor is joined by an ace 24-200mm lens, retractable YLHZĆQGHU WLOWLQJ touchscreen and absolutely glorious picture quality. ` IXMLĆOP LQ 7KH )XMLĆOP ; ) is as beautiful as it is capable. If the retro ORRN ćRDWV \RXU ERDW then the X100F is a thing to behold. It’s compact, but packs a large APS-C sensor and a lovely 35mm f/2.0 lens.

Ë? Č? Ë? Ë?

From `2,99,990, sony.co.in Perfect for landscape photographers looking for the minutest detail in their large prints. In spite of its massive 61MP rating, it can shoot up to 10 frames per second with autofocus and auto exposure tracking in its Continuous Hi+ mode.

`40,395, canon.co.in Canon’s compact cameras are a great alternative to your DSLR when travelling light. This is the sweet spot in the range, with a great balance between small size and a range of features.

Ë?Č‹ Ë?

ČĽ Čˆ

Ë? ȇȅȅ

From `2,90,995, canon.co.in

` IXMLĆOP LQ

`50,500 (approx.), panasonic.com

The 30.4 megapixel D-SLR from Canon is one of its most sought-after models. Using a full frame sensor and Dual-Pixel CMOS AF for video, the 5D IV is the bread-andbutter camera for most photographers today.

94 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

There’s plenty of things to like about the X-T3, including great autofocusing, fast frame rates, an impressive array of 4K video features and, this being )XMLĆOP EHDXWLIXO retro looks.

This might be the ideal travel companion, with a versatile zoom lens up to 15x, and a fantastic one-inch sensor that captures bright, sharp images. It’s also stylish and pocket-friendly.

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Best of the best

ACTION CAMERAS Č? `35,000, gopro.com

DRONES approx. `57,000, parrot.com

The waterproof Hero7 Black makes capturing pro-looking shots easier, thanks to HyperSmooth electronic stabilisation. 4K image quality is excellent, and there’s slick 60fps recording.

Č…

`57,000, dji.com Packing a one-inch sensor, with a Zeiss lens bolstering the image quality further, in and out of the water. Other ace features include super-slow video and 15MP stills capture.

Č? `19,000, gopro.com The wallet-friendly Hero7 White borrows premium features from the Hero7 Black. Ideal for part-time adrenaline junkies needing a simple HD camera WKDW VKRRWV <RX7XEH ready footage.

ČŠ `9,999, www.yitechnology.com The affordable action camera is capable of 4K recording featuring a 12MP Sony IMX377 CMOS sensor with Exmor R. It can record 720p videos at 240fps but goes down to 24fps for 4K videos.

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Čˆ ` ĆWELW FRP

At just 320g, one of the lightest cameraequipped drones you can buy. Flight time is great, and the drone is near-silent in the air, which is appreciated. The camera and zoom are amazing.

`50,490, sony.co.in

FITNESS TRACKER

There’s no GPS and the capacitive ‘button’ is a bit pants but this is otherwise a textbook tracker. Sleep, steps, swims, and serious cardio workouts are all handled with aplomb.

Čˆ `1,999, mi.com/in

The Mavic Air is a super-portable 4K camera drone. Video quality from the camera mounted on a three-axis gimbal is excellent, and it’s so simple to control that beginners grasp it fast.

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Still trying to get a IHHO RI ZKDW D ĆWQHVV band does? Mi Band 3 is the answer with its simple design that tracks daily steps, sleep and even QRWLĆHV WKH XVHU RI an incoming call or a message.

`16,990, garmin.co.in

`1,20,000, dji.com While this doesn’t offer the same size to power ratio as the Air, its 4K video and stills capture are sensational, thanks to an onboard Hasselblad camera and fantastic stabilisation.

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Garmin’s rival to the Charge 2 boasts GPS for a similar price, but it also has a dodgy interface and some pointless extra features. The core functionality is good, and it’s waterproof.

ȇ `13,990, samsung.com/in

`1,00,000, dji.com The alter ego of the Mavic 2 Pro, the cheaper Zoom comes with a different camera, with a 2x optical zoom lens. Along with the folding design and long battery life, it’s UHDOO\ ćH[LEOH

$ UDUH ĆWQHVV WUDFNHU with an AMOLED display that is big and bright enough to see all statistics at a glance. It can track ĆWQHVV DFWLYLWLHV OLNH swimming etc and accurately track your route via GPS.

JANUARY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 95

Best of the best

RUNNING WATCH

SMART SPEAKERS

SMART BULBS

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`39,990, garmin.co.in

`14,999, amazon.in

From `2,900, meethue.com

This does everything: GPS for running and cycling, heart rate tracking, VO2 Max, intensity monitoring and even acting as an MP3 player. Expect four days of use between charges.

Thanks to its integrated Zigbeecompliant smart home hub, the Plus is a great smart home starter. Never pay the RRP, though: Amazon discounts Echos every time LW KDV D VDOH

Hue dominates the smart lighting sector for good reason: it’s a superb system with the widest range of bulbs and a simple, useful app. Rivals may be cheaper but they can’t compete with Hue’s variety.

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`44,990, garmin.co.in

`39,000, bose.co.in

`1,999, tp-link.in

Add Garmin’s extra sensors to this and you get incredible detail for how you run, swim, bike and more, as well as your VO2 Max, lactate threshold‌ it’s for the very, very serious.

This Bose speakers offer the widest soundstage available in a smart speaker with a wall-to-wall stereo sound. It supports Amazon Alexa, which means you can ask questions to Alexa or control the device via voice.

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`24,990, garmin.co.in

`9,999, store.google.com

7KH RIĆFLDO SULFH LV similar but thanks to discounting this is often much cheaper than the 645. There’s no heart-rate or music but you do get GPS, reliable tracking and ace running metrics.

Google Home is a nice addition if you use Google Assistant. It gives access to the Google ecosystem with personalised schedule, news, and even control smart home gadgets.

Known for its routers but TP-Link offers decent smart bulb solutions and LB130 is their latest solution that does not require a hub to operate, It can be controlled over Wi-Fi and supports multi-colour, circadian mode, voice control.

Ë? Ë? Ë? `1,299, mi.com/in The Mi LED Smart Bulb is the newest entrant in the smart bulb segment that works with both Alexa and Google Assistant without the need of a bridge and offers a colour space of up to 16 million colours.

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`17,995, www.fossil.com/in/en.html Fossil Sport runs on Snapdragon Wear 3100 giving an 2 days battery life and its 3 watch faces are fully integrated with Google Fit. in It comes in two case sizes of 41mm and 43mm with choices of six colourways.

`17,499, www.jbl.com The 360 degree lightshow produced by the JBL Pulse 3 adds a distinct party ćDYRXU ZKHQHYHU songs are played or a voice assistant like Siri or Google Assistant is summoned.

From `1,799, syska.com Syska’s main USP is that it uses a normal B22 cap and doesn’t require a hub to operate. After connecting, the bulb can be connected DQG PRGLĆHG IURP anywhere with the help of the app.

96 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

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OR

LUXURIES Exclusive gifts to seriously spoil yourself

SA M SU NG TH E WA L L If you have got some serious dough lying around, Samsung’s The Wall can be a nice addition to your spare wall. Promising an immersive viewing experience, The Wall takes advantage of Samsung’s modular MicroLED display to create a huge display screen, starting from 146-inch and goes up to 292-inch. The Wall brings an immersive viewing experience with up to 8K support (292-inch), HDR10+ support, 120Hz refresh rate and AI upscaling. Moreover, the 100,000-hour lifetime ensures you can use The Wall day and night that can be used to showcase art or personal pictures with the ambient mode. From `3.5 crore, samsung.com/in

98 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today JANUARY 2020

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