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VOLUME 04 ISSUE 09 APRIL 2019

The World’s Leading Gadget Magazine!

OLED ART:

BEAUTIFUL 4K TVS

Tomorrow’s Technology Today INDIAN EDITION

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

MAKE YOUR MOVE Fancy a round of chess on the go? Square Off’s rechargeable battery should be good for around 30 games. The board even comes with a neat stand for your smartphone, so you can easily keep an eye on the app

The internet has revolutionised how we engage in our favourite board games, enabling us to play Scrabble, Carcassonne and so on with loved ones halfway across the globe, even while sat on the toilet. But online chess has never quite cut it, lacking the thrill that comes from brooding over a real-life chequerboard like Field Marshal 0RQWJRPHU\ SODQQLQJ KLV QH[W EDWWOH VWUDWHJ\ 5HFRJQLVLQJ WKLV D FRPSDQ\ FDOOHG ,QĆ9HQWLRQ KDV GHYHORSHG D gadget called Square Off. Pairing with your smart device, it lets you lock horns with absent pals or strangers via the web, but on a physical board. Watching your invisible opponent’s pieces glide autonomously across the handcrafted rosewood surface can be eerie, but you’ll quickly become too engrossed in the game to care. In the event that you FDQèW ĆQG VRPHRQH WR SOD\ DJDLQVW \RX FDQ FKDOOHQJH 6TXDUH 2IIèV EXLOW LQ $, HQJLQH å WKHUH DUH VNLOO OHYHOV WR choose from. Or, if you want to learn from the best, you can live-stream a professional match and, as if by magic, the action will unfold in real-time on your own Square Off board.

From $369 (approx. `25,440), squareoffnow.com

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

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 7

Welcome

Editor’s letter The era of beautifully designed TVs

Executive Editor Kunal Gangar Consulting Editor Girish Mallya Correspondent Ankush Mahajan Copy Editor Kriselle Fonseca Editor (UK) Matt Bolton Contributors (UK) Duncan Bell, Claire Davies, Alex Cox, Luke Edwards, Ben Andrews Publisher Girish Mallya Head Design & Production Ravi Parmar Senior Designer Prakash Gavnang Photography Mahesh Reddy Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Product Manager Perseus Master

With the proliferation of Smart TVs, TVs are not an idiot box anymore that it used to be years back. And now with new TVs coming to the fray, companies have started focusing on the industrial design as well. Our story on pg 59 this

General Manager North and East - Ellora Das Gupta

month talks about the beautifully designed TVs

General Manager South - Girish Shet

that can be the centrepiece attraction in your

Circulation Manager Circulation North and East - Kapil Kaushik

living room.

Do you have a gadget wishlist? If not, our list showcasing the latest tech can certainly help.

As for our reviews this month, we pit three mirrorless cameras from Nikon, Canon and Fujifilm against each other to see which one comes out on top.

More of a smartphone fan? Check out our Galaxy S10+ if you’re looking to splurge or Xiaomi’s latest 48MP affordable wonder from pg 65.

Finally, we treated ourselves to a new gaming PC and went overboard. Do read all about it on pg 30.

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. 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

T3 is…

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

8 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

BEST ON TEST

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

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Editor: Kunal Gangar

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Promotion

ANT AUDIO WAVE SPORTS 450: THE ULTIMATE WORKOUT PARTNER Gone are the days of earpods popping out! ANT AUDIO’S latest brainchild, the wave sports 450 is here to stay with its endless playtime and made-to-fit earbuds.

ERGONOMIC DESIGN

Made with quality metal and TPU components, this light set can barely be felt resting on your neck. When not in use, the metallic earbuds snap handily in place so it doesn’t fall!

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The Wave 450 is IPX5 rated for sweat and water resistance meaning it can endure pretty much any physical activity you engage in. What’s more it won’t slip from your ears during your heaviest workout sessions.

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The Wave 450’s in-built 160mAh battery delivers 10 hours of playtime and a whopping 150 hours of standby time, ensuring your music never dies out!

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 9

Contents

Contents

HORIZON 014

TOP LAUNCHES

035

2019’S GADGET WISHLIST

The top new launches this month include an interesting gaming laptop from Alienware to Apple’s latest iPads, Samsung’s Series 6 TVs and more

Incredible tech is heading your way right now, and it’s on a mission to better your life! Get set for epic gaming laptops, laundry robots and a beer fridge that restocks itself

028

STYLE Here are some handy tips to make your skin protect from weather

029

FITNESS Buddy up with the latest fitness gadgets to lose belly fat and feel trim

034

TALKING TECH TVs are so damn good now, says Duncan Bell, that it makes it harder to know which one to buy

032

GADGET GURU Our tech sage talks ultimate Blu-ray setup, and whether sucha thing as a ‘no-effort’(from you) robot vac exists

027

AUTO Are you ready for the age of connected cars?

10 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

050

STATE OF THE ART The world’s most advanced mirrorless cameras go lens-tolens in our huge super-review

059

THE ART OF TV Shouldn’t your TV be as beautiful off as when it’s on?

Here are our picks of the visual masterpieces

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Contents BEST OF THE BEST

INTRODUCING THE BEST BUYER’S GUIDE KNOWN TO MAN

0 5G: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW It’s coming and it’s going to change everything. Speedier downloads are just the tip of the mobile tech iceberg, as you’ll now discover in our guide to 4G’s mighty successorspecial coverage

TESTED 066 SAMSUNG GALAXY S10+

From p phones to tablets, and camera to cars, our selection of the ver best tells you what to buy

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12 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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Horizon ALIENWARE AREA-51M From `2,99,590, dell.co.in The Alienware Area-51m laptop has received a major makeover, a conscious decision from the company, making the redesign completely unrecognisable from previous offerings. Housed within is an Intel Core i9 9900K CPU, Nvidia Geforce GTX 2080 GPU, upto 64GB RAM and 1TB storage. Generally, only the RAM and/or hard disk can be changed, but here users can replace the GPU and CPU. Alienware will be providing service and installation for future upgrades, as they are swappable components tailor made for the 51m. The cooling system has been designed for everything to run without any throttling or overheating. The 17.3-inch non-reflective display comes with 1080p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and Tobii Eye tracking. Running on Windows 10, the new Command Centre software will provide users the option to overclock the GPU and CPU. T3 Says: We’ve reached the point where the lines between a PC and a laptop are getting even more blurred!

TECH-O-METER

APPLE IPAD AIR 019) & IPAD MINI (2019) From `34,900, apple.com/in Apple has brought back the iPad Air along with an upgraded iPad mini to replace the mini 4. The iPad Air comes with a 10.5-inch Retina Display with 1668x2224p resolution, A12 Bionic SoC, 8MP (f/2.4) rear camera with five elements lens, and a 7MP front snapper having Retina flash. Touch ID with Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0 and optional LTE support providing connectivity. The iPad Mini packs a 7.9-inch display with 1536x2048p resolution while the rest of the specifications are largely identical to the Air. The new Apple Pencil is not compatible, but users can still purchase the older one which does work. Viewing for a longer period of time will not strain your eyes much, thanks to True Tone dynamically adjusting the white balance – based on lighting around the user. Both devices deliver upto 10 hours of battery life.

T3 Says: Polyurethane and Leather Smart Covers will be sold separately for the two models in various colours.

TECH-O-METER

14 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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Horizon SAMSUNG SUPER 6 SERIES From `41,990, samsung.com/in Keeping current competition in mind, Samsung is entering the affordable 4K UHD smart TV segment guns blazing with the Super 6 series. The naming is due to the six smart features included in the entire lineup like Live Cast, Tune Station, Screen Mirroring, Lag Free Gaming, Real 4K resolution and 60K+ Titles. Live Cast allows broadcasting live from any location using a smartphone to the Samsung TV, Tune Station adds visual elements to the playlist when listening to audio and Screen Mirroring lets users mirror content on their phone to the TV. Running on proprietary Tizen OS, the TV will support major streaming apps such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, Eros Now, Sony Liv, Jio Cinema and more. The 4K resolution LED TVs come in a slim form factor housing 20W speakers, 2 HDMI ports and 1 USB port. The display panel uses PureColor along with UHD dimming technology for better sharpness and contrast levels while the 60Hz refresh rate should help with a smoother picture.

T3 Says: Super 6 will be available in 43-, 50- and 55-inch screen sizes.

TECH-O-METER

OTTOMATE SMART FAN From `3,999, ottomate.com Prepare yourself for an increased influx of smart fans with Ottomate being the latest company to throw their hat in the ring. Having spent more than a year in research and development, Ottomate’s offering houses Qualcomm’s Bluetooth Low Energy CSR1020 chipset with CSRmesh. Coming on a single printed c c circuit board, the smart fan packs in industry-grade digital sensors to adjust air flow to ambient room d temperature and humidity. The speed of the electric motor can be controlled via the Ottomate Smart App m available on the Google Play Store with Auto, Breeze, a and Turbo modes among others. It can also be a adjusted manually. The fan will be getting OTA a firmware updates that would soon enable fi compatibility with virtual assistants like Amazon, c Alexa, and Google Assistant. Voice-enabled smart A fans will be added to Ottomate’s portfolio down the road.

T Says: The Ottomate Smart Fan is a complete T3 ‘m made in India’ product sold both online and offline.

TECH-O-METER

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 15

Horizon LG SL10 `TBA, lg.com Here at T3, we like our movie soundtracks to be pant-soilingly realistic. After all, what’s the point in watching Jurassic Park if you can’t imagine thatt it’s you who’s about to become the T-Rex’s mid-morning snack? So naturally our ears pricked d up when we heard about LG’s latest soundbar in collaboration with high-res audio pioneer Meridian. With support for both Dolby Atmos and d DTS:X, lossless audio playback, 4K pass-through and Meridian’s Bass & Space and Image Elevation technologies on board, this promises immersive, lifelike sound. Not only that, but the SL10 has Google Assistant built in, so you can use your voice to increase the volume, carry out tasks around your smart home… or maybe order some new underwear.

T3 SAYS: LG’s latest soundbar combines premium audio tech with voice assistance for a memorable movie-watching experience.

TECH-O-METER

PIONEER VSX-534 `TBA, pioneer-india.com.in Never has the old adage ‘less is more’ been more appropriate than in the case of Pioneer’s new entry-level AV receiver. The VSX-534 may be compact-ish, but it packs some serious capability.

There’s support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, but in the event that you don’t have height or surround speakers, you can still enjoy allconsuming 3D audio thanks to the inclusion of Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizer and DTS Virtual:X tech. What’s more, Pioneer’s MCACC (MultiChannel Acoustic Calibration System), developed in conjunction with professional recording-studio engineers, should ensure you get precision balance from your setup, even if your speakers are unevenly spaced and different sizes.

T3 SAYS: Not only is this feature-packed AV receiver great value for money, it’s pretty much future-proof too.

TECH-O-METER

16 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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Horizon MEURAL GENERATION 3.0 CANVAS $595 (approx. `41,184, 27-inch model), meural.com Splashed out on an expensive artwork, only to soon get bored of it? A couple of years back, tech start-up Meural aimed to put an end to such frustrations with its Smart Canvas, a Wi-Fi-enabled wall device that enabled you to browse 30,000 images from the world’s galleries, before displaying your chosen work on a high-def digital panel. Well, last year Netgear bought the company, and the partnership’s first launch is a third-gen edition of said device, offering enhanced Wi-Fi performance and an additional size option (21.5-inches, to go with the original 27-inch unit). Bezels come in a range of styles – black, white, light wood or dark wood – to match your home furnishings. And the display will even respond to changing lighting conditions, ensuring your print ooks awesome night and day.

T3 SAYS: Meural’s smart art panel now works better than ever.

TECH-O-METER

ASUS ROG ZEPHYRUS S GX701GX `3,49,990, asus.com/in The name might be a handful but the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX701GX is anything but! The 17.3-inch FHD (1080p) anti-glare display has a 144Hz refresh rate with 3ms response time and Pantone Validated colours with factory calibration and ProArt TruColour Technology making it work well for both gamers and content creators. The reduction in bezels and 81% screen-to-body ratio has lead a bundled slimline external webcam that can be clipped.

There is per-key RGB backlighting for the keyboard and a numeric touchpad has been integrated into the trackpad at the bottom right similar to the UX333/UX433. A nice touch is the volume roller usually for precise sound adjustment.

The empty space above the keyboard is where the ROG Active Aerodynamic System (AAS) is located which keeps everything super cool despite the slim profile.

T3 Says: Top of the line components like an Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 GPU, 24GB DDR4 RAM and 1TB PCIe SSD make up the configuration.

TECH-O-METER

18 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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Horizon HUAWEI WATCH GT From ` 15,990, consumer.huawei.com/in After debuting abroad last year, Huawei Watch GT has finally hit Indian shores coming in two variants. The Classic model packs a leather rubber strap with steel chassis while the Sport edition (pictured) has a dual colour silicone strap with a black steel chassis costing ` 1,000 extra. Rest all is the same as they sport a 1.39-inch OLED display (454x454p) having 326ppi pixel density with DLC coating on the glass and a ceramic bezel. The smartwatch is said to deliver 14 days of battery life credited primarily due to the dual chip architecture inside. The activity tracker has modes for cycling, free training, hiking, outdoor walking, running and trail run. With TruSeen 3.0, users will be able to see a more efficient and accurate heart rate measurement than traditional offerings. TruSleep 2.0 will help identify common issues related to sleep and provide over 200 suggestions to improve it.

T3 Says: Time, distance, step count, stride frequency, aerobic and anaerobic training and VO2max are all tracked.

TECH-O-METER

BLAUPUNKT AUDIO RANGE From `499 , www.blaupunkt.com/in Blaupunkt has forayed into the audio segment with a wide array of products including 3 earphones and 2 soundbars. BTW01 are truly wireless earphones having IPX5 rating, Google Assistant and Siri support, touch controls and a charging case with 590mAh battery that can fully top it up 3 times.

BE-10 Floatz includes Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, microphone and remote control, IPX7 rating all in all weighing less than 10 grams. EM01 is a budget wired in-ear headset supporting hands-free calling.

Coming to the soundbars, SBW-100 has 120W output, a front firing speaker with 2 x 2.5” drivers and a side firing subwoofer with 6.5” driver. SBW-02 has slightly lesser 100W output but gains Dolby Digital HD sound tuning as well as HDMI with Audio Return Channel. Both models are 2.1 channel coming with a dedicated remote and support auxiliary, USB, optical audio and Bluetooth connectivity.

T3 Says: The German brand is making major headway into covering various consumer segments.

TECH-O-METER

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 19

Horizon VIEWSONIC X10-4K AND M1+ LED From `60,000, viewsonic.com/in After populating the market with many a monitor and display, Viewsonic has unleashed X10-4K and M1+ LED projectors for home entertainment purposes. The X10-4K has a short throw lens with 4K resolution and an easy carry handle makes it convenient to move around without hassle. It has an operational life of 30,000 hours and 2,400 LED lumens brightness.

What’s different is the integrated OS and WiFi connectivity allowing users to directly stream content from online services such as YouTube. The M1+ LED is a truly portable, offering with a built-in battery providing six hours of battery life, integrated dual Harman Kardon speakers and even 16GB internal storage. It supports an array of connectivity options like Bluetooth, HDMI, USB 2.0, USB Type C, MicroSD and audio out. The LED offers upto 30,000 hours, having 300 ANSI lumens brightness and a 120,000:1 contrast ratio. As solid state LED technology is used, it is mercury and lamp-free, making it a tad more environment friendly.

T3 Says: The two target different segments but have an equally impressive set of features.

TECH-O-METER

SHARP KC-G40M `33,000, mysharp.in We’ve been seeing many air purifiers in the market lately but it’s rare to see one that also doubles as a humidifier.

Sharp KC-G40M does both packing in a passive HEPA and PANDAA filter combination that eliminates PM2.5, Pollen and gaseous substances like Ethyl Benzene, Toluene and other HAZE compounds. Additionally, Active Plasmacluster technology helps generate fresh air while at the same time removes toxic fumes, VOC, gases and numerous pathogens. The in-built humidifying function maintains a comfortable humidity level through a natural evaporation technique that is useful in maintaining body hydration as well. The device can cover 350 square feet and manage 60% Relative Humidity (RH). This leads to keeping the Air Conditioner between 25 to 27 degrees helping save electricity. As it has considerable weight of 9.8kg, the castor wheel should help with moving it without any strain.

T3 Says: Long term product users will be happy to know that Sharp will keep selling spares and consumables for 5 years after the model is discontinued in India.

TECH-O-METER

22 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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www.ComputexTaipei.com.tw

Horizon

CANON EOS RP ` 1,10,495 (body only), in.canon It has only been a short span of time since the EOS R was revealed last year. Now Canon has brought forth the EOS RP targeting a different segment evident from the cheaper price and lighter body weight of 485 grams. The 26.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor is partnered with the same Digic 8 image processor found in the flagship R model. There are 4,779 selectable autofocus (AF) points, Dual Pixel AF, eye AF that also works in Servo AF mode and a native ISO O range of 100-40,000. The OLED electronic viewfinder has a 2.36 million dot resolution with a 22mm eyepoint and the 3-inch display is usable as a touchpad for touch and drag AF. Further, it comes with 4K video recording, EV-5 focusing and 0.05s focus speed. A PD-E1 adapter needs to be purchased for charging through the USB Type-C port.

T3 Says: While the native lenses are currently less, it can be paired with EF and EF-S lenses via an optional adapter.

TECH-O-METER

YAMAHA AVENTAGE LINEUP From `96,990, in.yamaha.com Yamaha’s lineup of High Definition Home Theatre receivers aim to cover a variety of user needs. It consists of RXA1080, RX-A2080, RX-A3080, RX-A880 and a pre-amp, the CX-A5200. The company has incorporated next generation AI technology called Surround:AI into all the receivers except for RX-A880. To summarise how it works, the audio transceiver is combined with the company’s proprietary artificial intelligence algorithm which is able to read the stereo input channels. Thus, in real-time it gauges the TV audio source delivering it to the satellite speakers depending upon the relative on-screen position. Further, Dolby ATMOS and DTS:X 3D surround is fully supported.

Yamaha’s MusicCast platform pairs wireless front speakers and enables multi-room wireless music casting from one receiver. Turning on the HTS, closing the shades and even lowering the lights with a single button press is possible with installed home-control systems like Control4 and RTI. T3 Says: It has taken a while to hit Indian shores but Aventage seems to be worth the wait.

TECH-O-METER

24 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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Horizon TP-LINK NEFFOS X20 AND X20 PRO `TBA, neffos.com Not many in India know that TP-Link sub-brand Neffos is internationally renowned for making smartphones for quite sometime now. X20 and X20 Pro are the latest additions to the X range running on NFUI 9.0 out of the box, which is based on Android 9.0 Pie OS. Both use a 6.26-inch display with dewdrop notch having 19:9 aspect ratio. The back is covered with a colour gradient effect that has been achieved using a nanocrystalline multilayer coating technique, giving it an aesthetically pleasing look. On the rear is a dual camera setup comprising a 13MP primary sensor and 5MP depth sensor.

Improvements to the camera app should lead to more natural bokeh shots and incorporation of AI in Scene Recognition helps detect upto 17 different scenes, while AI beauty will take better selfies with well-defined facial features.

T3 Says: X20 will be sold in black, blue, red, and aurora purple, whereas X20 Pro is going to be made available in obsidian black, sapphire blue, malachite green, and sunset purple.

TECH-O-METER

TP-LINK DECO M4 From `8,999, tp-link.in TP-Link has certainly spiced things up by giving the Deco M4 a column form factor, quite the departure from their disc-like products. The whole home mesh WiFi system consists of 3 units that can be customised to provide upto 4,000 square feet of network coverage and scaled to accommodate larger spaces as well. By utilising Adaptive Path Selection, M4 identifies and selects the fastest route for the devices to connect to the network, thereby ensuring it is always running at top speed. The Deco app available on Android and iOS makes it easy for users to understand instructions to do the complete setup and management. Limiting the access of a family member or monitoring their time is possible with parental controls, and monthly reports are sent automatically to give a clear picture of consumed data traffic. A maximum of 100 devices can be connected at any given point of time.

T3 Says: It is fully compatible with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT which leads to interesting possibilities.

TECH-O-METER

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 25

Horizon Auto

AGE OF SMART CARS Connected cars and third party devices show off a lot of information right on your mobile device Tracking a car’s location or rating a driver is what we do when riding in an Ola or an Uber. What if we told you that your own car can do the same and even rate you on your driving skills?

As cars get smarter every day, a lot of telemetry data is recorded in a car that makes diagnostics of cars easier when one goes to a service center. While not all data is shared with the owner, the new connected cars share a lot of vital information to the driver.

Volkswagen’s Connect Edition car range is one of them. These cars are fitted with an onboard diagnostics (OBD) unit that records data from the car and relays that information to the car owner’s mobile device.

The OBD device in the car talks to the VW Connect app via the Bluetooth interface and shows off important information like the vehicle’s identification number (VIN), mileage, fuel tank level, battery level, oil service and so on.

To make things easier and a one-stop app for everything related to the Volkswagen car, the app lists service centers based on the car’s location and acts as a digital logbook that tracks all the trips, distance travelled and even a visual representation on the map along with the last location of the parked car.

That’s not all though. VW Connect rates your driving skills as well. The app rates your overall driving based on the engine speed, acceleration, braking and speed. This kind of assessment helps to know where you have committed a mistake on the road and improve it.

26 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

Horizon Auto

While this solution is good for Volkswagen Connect Edition car owners, one thing to keep in mind is the OBD’s reliance on Bluetooth. The data plug in the car can only communicate with the app when the car is on. Also, the trip data needs to be synced before turning off the ignition.

On the other end of the spectrum is Letstrack that offers third-party solutions for not only cars but also bikes. Letstrack Premium (pictured) is also an OBD device that communicates with the corresponding mobile app but unlike VW Connect, Letstrack Premium lets you check the location of the vehicle anytime, anywhere. This is because the Letstrack device comes with an activated SIM service and built-in GPS. The device allows the car owner to track their device in real-time even when the ignition is off and can be geo-fenced so if the car moves outside the geo-fenced area; you get an app notification regarding the same.

However, the area where Letstrack shines is its AC on/off tracking and engine cut off. The app not only notifies the user about when the engine and air-conditioning are turned on or off but with a single tap on the app, the owner can even remotely cut the ignition. This is beside the tow alert that sends out a notification if the car is moving even when the engine is turned off.

Other nifty features Letstrack Premium offers are speed alerts, driver behaviour, SOS and even Police alert that notifies W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

the nearest police station.

Now in our use, many of these features worked fairly well but you may face issues of no or delayed response if cellular coverage in the area is weak as it relies on a network connection to relay the data. It’s an issue that Letstrack can do little about but it hinders the overall user experience.

All said and done, these two solutions show what our cars are capable of and as cars and its related technologies get smarter, we’ll see many more intelligent solutions that will allow us to understand our driving habit and its impact on the vehicles we drive every day.

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 27

Style

DRESS LIKE

CHADWICK BOSEMAN Lift your style game just like the Black Panther star THE COAT Whichever film premiere he attends, Boseman always looks confident and dapper. This checked camel overcoat holds the outfit together. Try a lookalike checked coat from Mr P. (mrporter.com).

THE TROUSERS Alternating to trousers in a darker brown than the coat provides a clever colour anchor for this outfit. A similar side-striped pair from Stella McCartney works a treat. (matchesfashion.com) THE SHOES Boseman keeps it low-key with a simple pair of boots, but which also strengthen his posture. Copy this with a well-cut pair of Chelsea boots from Leqarant. (farfetch.com)

MONEY NO OBJECT Gucci, Bee embellished grained leather gloves These Italian-made gloves from Gucci are the ideal accessory for making a statement. Made from black leather and featuring cashmere lining, they exude sophistication thanks to the minimalist detailing and quality construction. Tonal topstitching is used to frame the gloves, while the goldtone bee embellishment shows that what you’re wearing is unmistakably Gucci. matchesfashion.com

28 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

SMOOTH TALK

HOW TO NOURISH YOUR SKIN A skincare expert shares what you need to know Months of cold weather have already passed at this time of year, so it’s likely that your skin has suffered the extremes of temperatures and extra heating to compensate for it. This can leave the skin on your face and hands feeling rough. While you could go for all-out professional treatment, there is plenty you can do to move towards healthier skin. To find out the best approach, T3 asked Susan Mortimer, director of brand Hey Gorgeous Skincare (heygorgeous.uk), how it’s done.

Mortimer recommends a range of products, namely an activated charcoal cleanser, vitamin C serum for collagen regeneration, plus moisturiser and eye cream as part of a daily routine. “Men should cleanse and moisturise their skin on a daily basis,” Mortimer says. “Clean and hydrated are vital components of good skincare. I would recommend that anyone over the age of 30 include some anti-ageing products as well.” A good treatment at this time of year is one to remove dead skin cells. That’s because they clog pores, form the base of blackheads and prevent products from reaching the skin. “A good exfoliator once a week in winter will clean out the pores as well as brighten the surface of the skin,” she explains.

Using a quality moisturiser consistently each day will prevent some of the knock-on effects if your skin has a tendency to dry out. “Choose a moisturiser that uses Jojoba…[and] avoid any harsh products that strip away the skin’s natural defences. Squeaky clean is not always a good thing,” Mortimer says.

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

Fitness & outdoors

WEIGHTING TIME

THREE EXERCISES THAT BURN BELLY FAT Becca Caddy shows you how to slim down, de-stress and improve your health with the latest fitness tech It’s common for weight to build up around your middle, but belly fat is often linked to the likes of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Rather than do thousands of crunches, focus on exercises that’ll work your major muscle groups, then vary them.

Kettlebell workouts help you lose weight and build strength. The KettlebellConnect (jaxjox.com) is a smart kettlebell fitted with motion sensors, which help you keep track of your progress.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves short

bursts of intense exercise alternated with low intensity recovery periods, and it’s great for burning calories fast. Bring a HIIT workout to your lounge with the Peloton Bike (onepeloton.com) – it encourages you to ride along with classes 24/7 to keep you motivated.

If you don’t like to work out indoors, get outside.

Walking helps with weight loss and managing stress levels (which encourages weight loss). Choose shoes designed for rough terrain, such as the Inov-8 Mudclaw G 260 (inov-8.com) with a Grapheneenhanced sole for the best grip around.

COOL IT

A NEW ICE AGE Could the current cryotherapy craze spell the end for chronic pain and fatigue?

Thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo, Serena Williams and, er, Mark Wahlberg, people are going sports-crazy for cryotherapy, but what exactly is it? In a nutshell, it involves immersing your body in a cryochamber set at -135°C for up to three minutes, which is said to have benefits such as reducing chronic pain and fatigue, and healing damaged muscles by increasing blood flow and oxygen.

Keen to try it? One session at the Harrods Wellness Clinic costs approx. `8,620 (harrods.com), or you can rent a cryochamber from CryoAction (cryoaction.com).

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APRIL2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 29

Horizon

WE CAN BUILD...

ULTIMATE PC GAMING RIG We at T3 India love gaming, which is why we went out for a little shopping to create a gaming rig for ourselves and understandably, went overboard.

A

SUS TUF GAMING GT501 CASE WITH ROG THOR 850P PSU

When you’ve got hardware as this one, you want a case to show off to the world, right? Behold, Asus’ first mid-tower case that features 4mm-thick, smoked, tempered-glass side panel to showcase the internals and boasts a metal front panel with custom TUF Gaming spatter pattern. But Thor ups the ante of a mundane component like a power supply unit by fitting an OLED panel that shows the PC’s power draw in real-time and is RGB-ified with Aura Sync.

I

NTEL CORE I9 9900K WITH CORSAIR HYDRO SERIES H110I PRO RGB LIQUID CPU COOLER

III for audio, ROG GameFirst V, Aura Sync and lots more.

The Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro memory modules light up the PC with its integrated lights and come with XMP 2.0 support, over-clocking support and aluminium heat spreader to improve cooling.

ROG Strix 2080Ti is all you need to play the latest games at the highest settings. This ROG GeForce RTX card offers 6x the performance compared to previous generation GPUs, dust resistant design, GPU tweaking support and of course, the Aura Sync.

Teamgroup’s T-Force Delta is our choice to handle the storage that offers a transfer speed of up to 560MB/s, S.M.A.R.T. technology support and yes, RGB lighting!

What’s a gaming PC without an impressive monitor? This 27-inch variant boasts quantum dot IPS panel with a wide DCI-P3 colour gamut and support for 4K HDR playback. The monitor has a refresh rate of 144Hz, G-SYNC compatible and Asus Aura Sync to sync RGB with rest of compatible products.

A

C

One of the best motherboards you can find to complement Intel’s powerful processor. The board features an elegant yet functional design with a lot of performance features to keep the power users happy along with a host of gaming features like SupremeFX and Sonic Studio 30 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

Asus ROG Thor 850P

A

Core i9 is the best and the fastest gaming processor on the market right now and couple it with Corsair’s H110i Pro RGB liquid CPU cooler and we’re talking some serious performance with CPU temps in constant check. This CPU cooler comes with two 120mm fans for improved airflow and offers great control to the user. In case you were wondering, it also supports RGB lighting.

SUS ROG MAXIMUS XI FORMULA MOTHERBOARD, CORSAIR VENGEANCE RGB PRO RAM, ASUS ROG STRIX 2080TI O11G GPU AND TEAMGROUP T-FORCE DELTA RGB SSD

A Asus ROG M Maximus i XI Formula

SUS ROG SWIFT PG27UQ MONITOR

Corsair C i Vengeance RGB Pro

ORSAIR K70 RGB MK.2 KEYBOARD AND ASUS ROG GLADIUS II WIRELESS

The heavy-duty keyboard features a durable aluminium frame, Cherry MX keys, RGB lighting control and macro programming support. Tag teaming the Corsair keyboard is Asus’ wireless gaming mouse with a promise of wired-like performance. The mouse is designed to suit different grip types and supports 16000 dpi sensor with a super fast speed of 400-inches per second. As with every other Asus gaming product, Gladius II Wireless also supports Aura Sync.

Corsair H110i Pro RGB Liquid CPU Cooler W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

We can build…

Teamforce T-Force Delta RGB Asus ROG Strix 2080TI O11G

Asus TUF Gaming GT501

Corsair K70 RGB MK MK.2 2

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Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ Q

Asus ROG Gladius II Wireless

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 31

Horizon Gadget Guru

GADGET GURU

T3’s laser-guided autonomous helper solves your tech queries

VIJAYKUMAR

Is there a truly no-effort robot vacuum out there?

ILLUSTRATIONS: STEPHEN KELLY

A

Robot vacuums, it is fair to say, suck. Some of them are also bad, at least on the lower rungs. A cheap robot vacuum will meander over your rug in much the same manner as Guru does with his 3AM kebab after a particularly long night – and it’ll similarly eat socks because it can’t quite see what it’s doing.

Avoid the lower end, because you will spend more time dragging things out of its stupid brushes, emptying its dirtbox, and cursing its inefficiency than you will watching your cat take an adorable little ride on it. Mid-range vacs, starting around the `30,000

mark, do a lot better. They usually have some kind of internal mapping system built in, so they learn the layout of your room and cover the whole thing rather than careening around idiotically.

They’re not completely self-reliant, though; GaGu’s Neato Botvac D6, despite its laser navigation, frequently reverses over the kids’ toys, and you still need to empty its small dust canister with

ABOVE If you could replace all your chores with nap time you’d… end up awake at 4am, probably

A cheap robot vacuum will meander over your rug in much the same manner as Guru does with his 3AM kebab

32 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

alarming regularity (Guru Towers is… dirty). For the ultimate in robotic luxury, iRobot has finally cracked the formula by getting a bit meta. The Roomba i7+ (approx. `75,700 in the US) comprises a combination of the Roomba i7 vac and the Clean Base charger, the latter of which basically includes a little vacuum for your vacuum, sucking the dirt out of the roving unit. Nice as that is, Guru will hold onto his wallet until iRobot introduces a third robot which sucks the filth out of the Clean Base directly into his outside bin, then puts it out on a Tuesday morning.

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

Gadget Guru

NEW MEDIA

RAMNARAYAN H.

NOW PLAYING What’s the best Guru finds the finest media you need on your various screens

NIGHTFLYERS Netflix science fiction space spooks based on a George RR Martin novella – less Game Of Thrones, more Game Of Oh God What Is That Thing And What Does It Want.

Blu-ray setup? real question is which A The metadata-rich video format you opt for, be it Dolby Vision or the almost-ready HDR10+.

The former works with 12-bit colour (HDR 10+ only does a paltry 10-bit) and the metadata it depends upon is painstakingly created by hand by professional colourists at studio level. HDR10+, on the other hand, has its metadata cooked up by a vice-free robot using an upscaling algorithm, making it much easier to produce. So get yourself a player that supports both, like the superb Panasonic DP-UB9000EBK. This means that even if your TV only supports one now, when you upgrade it, you’re ready for any amount of exciting metadata.

RUPESH PANDE

DREAM PLAZA Mélonade’s neat album imagines a world where we are all trapped in a mall.

Thankfully, it’s a bouncy, glitchy mall with some of the smoothest muzak going.

SLAY THE SPIRE Guru’s daily Steam game of choice: climb a tower, build a deck of deadly cards as you go, and use them to beat up monsters. Properly addictive, and brilliantly balanced.

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

How do I get more mileage from my car?

A

There are so many mechanical things that could affect your car’s efficiency, but here’s a few things: replace your air filters and spark plugs; pump your tires up to the correct pressure for your load; reduce that load wherever possible; always use the correct oil.

In terms of your driving, use the pulse and glide technique, where you accelerate hard to the speed you need to go (which helps your engine work closer to its maximum efficiency) then coast for a while before repeating the process. On the highway, stick as close to 60kmh as you can, and use cruise control to keep yourself from going gung-ho with your right foot.

ABOVE Turn your whole house on and off with a smart button; great for arguments with the kids

SHANKAR RANA

What can I do with a smart button?

With the tiny bluetooth-based Flic button you can do a whole host of phone related shenanigans through its overenthusiastic app, while Logitech’s Pop button does a little less but is also less likely to get swallowed by a child.

Look for HomeKit integration (the version of the Pop sold through Apple’s store, a Hue switch of some kind, or the Fibaro button) if you want to trigger scenes and automations on Apple’s platform – Guru would suggest not relying on a button to fire off IFTTT applets, because it’s very slow and unreliable recently. Who knows why.

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 33

Opinion

Duncan Bell has square eyes How the hell are you meant to buy a TV when they’re all really good? Let me guide you…

here’s something ever so satisfying and yet oh-so aggravating when it comes to the – boringly consistently excellent – state of tech today. Nowhere is that more evident than in the world of television. Sweet, sweet 4K (or maybe 8K), HDR, motionsmoothed, thin-bezelled TV. We’ve just had CES and a few more European-centric telly showcases and I think it’s fair to say that this has been the best year ever for new TVs. This is great news for all of us in many ways, but on the other hand is it, really? If we’ve got `90,000`2,70,000 to splash on a gogglebox, bountiful riches await… but which of the enticing lovelies do we opt for?

This is a fantastic time to buy a TV because all the most important new technologies are now well entrenched. Over the last few years, the early adopters have squandered their cash on experiments, as usual.

Consequently TV makers have been able to continue to develop new image and sound-boosting tech, from HDR and OLED to in-home Dolby Atmos. Now, us normal people can reap the benefits.

T

Smooooooth The problem with this is it makes it harder than ever to choose which new television to buy. I think I could break it down thus: Samsung is best if you want a bright TV you can see in daylight.

Panasonic is best if you want something more ‘cinematic’ – a hard term to define, but I hope you

know what I mean. LG and Sony are arguab bly the best all-rounders.

Philips, interestingly, is often considered best by ‘AV purists’ and its TVs are gene erally jolly good, but the way th hey insist on turning their motion smoothing up to 11 in demos does put me off a bit. And after that you have the likes of Toshiba and Hisense, who make similarly amazing TVs but for less money.

What screen you think looks best is pretty subjective, and a lot of the time, the customer service guys in shops will recommend the ones they like personally or the brands that pay them the most commission. So that’s tricky, but on the plus side, above about `72,600, all LCD and OLED panels

Most punters still don’t even really know what 4K is, never mind its upscaled big bro, 8K are broadly pretty similar, and all very good.

So my advice would be to focus on near-future-proofing yourself as much as possible.

Pick a screen you like the look of, but make sure it has support for on a weirdly large number of Blu-rays – you’ll almost certainly need an external system.

Realistically, 8K is all very lovely, but it’s not something you really

34 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

need. There is next to no ‘native’ 8K content – the UK’s broadband services can only just deal with 4K and nobody is going to be broadcasting in it any time soon.

Come to that, most punters still don’t even really know what 4K is, never mind its upscaled big bro.

Look at the HDMI inputs – mmm, yes, this is all sexy stuff.

Ideally you want four of them at least, and you want them all to be able to take 4K HDR sources. That could become useful sooner than you think.

Perhaps most importantly when viewing a new, premium TV in the shops, ask to see something on it that you’d actually watch in real life. TV shops are very keen on showing Hollywood FX bonanzas with all the image smoothing and vivid-ification settings dialled up to 11. Or, even worse, specially-shot demo footage, usually involving people dancing somewhere exotic whilst having paint powder blown over then in extremely slow motion.

Try watching some broadcast TV on it, or sport, or a movie you love, with the settings on a more ‘normal’ level. You might be surprised at how different it looks.

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

2019’s gadget wishlist

2019’S GADGET WISHLIST

Meet the year’s most exciting new tech and discover how it will supercharge your entire world! We’ve got smart sneakers, Dolby Atmos kit, talking toilets (yes, really) and much more…

Words: Matt Bolton

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

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 35

2019’s gadget wishlist

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

2019’s gadget wishlist

JaxJox KettlebellConnect

Oh, you thought a lump of metal couldn’t be smart? You underestimate the tech world! There are two clever parts to this kettlebell. First is the design, which makes it easy to adjust the weight using buttons on the base – when you lift it, it’ll be just right, leaving behind any weight units it doesn’t need (it goes up to 19kg). Secondly, it tracks your workouts, sending info about reps, rest time, weights used and more to your phone.

This helps you track your progress over time. jaxjox.com

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 37

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2019â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gadget wishlist

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Sony LSPX-S2 Glass Sound Speaker Looking like a modern update on an oil lamp, this speaker delivers crystal clear (sorry) sound in 360 degrees using similar technology to Sony’s brilliant ‘Acoustic Surface’ system on its TVs. The entire glass tube at the top acts as the tweeter, vibrating to create detailed audio. That’s paired with a 35mm mid-range driver and bass radiator for big sound at the lower end. You can change the brightness of the light, and it has a ‘candlelight’ flickering mode, plus eight-hour battery life, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. sony.co.in

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2019â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gadget wishlist

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2019â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gadget wishlist

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5G guide

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW It’s fast. Really fast. But speedier mobile downloads are only part of why 5G will change everything Words: Alex Cox

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 45

5G guide

As you might have guessed from the name, 5G – the fifth generation of mobile technology – is the successor to 4G. It’s due to start arriving (lightly) this year, and the difference between the abilities of 4G and 5G is stark. On paper, 5G is faster than any currently available Wi-Fi tech, and faster even than any home broadband available anywhere outside South Korea. 4G LTE, the fastest standard currently available in the India, is around 100 times slower than 5G when considering theoretical lab maximums. That’s huge. It’s also not entirely realistic; in real-world applications, 5G may introduce a 50 times increase in speed, though we’d wager it’ll be less than that when all is said and done.

Those numbers, even if they’re not wholly likely to be what we end up getting, are still impressive, and it’s important to see them in context. They’re easily enough to pull in entertainment content; the BBC requires 2.75Mbps to stream high-definition content from iPlayer, while Netflix asks for around 25Mbps for streaming its Ultra HD video. Even if new colour technology, frame rates or the move to 8K bumps those requirements up still further, there’s cavernous headroom in the top-end 1,000Mbps bandwidth of the 5G spec to cope with it. If we only see speeds of 200 or 300Mbps, that’s still comparable to the best home broadband connections available today.

5G reaches those speeds in a few ways.

46 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

The 5G rollout may focus on delivering faster wireless broadband first First, it uses multiple antennas, allowing it to take advantage of Massive MIMO, which is similar to the tech used in modern Wi-Fi routers. Put simply, MIMO involves opening up multiple data streams from and to your device simultaneously, for a theoretically faster and more consistent connection.

BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS

5G uses frequencies in a similar range to the current bands, and most 5G modems will also include backwards compatibility and fallback should a true 5G signal not be available. But that’s not all: it also takes advantage of a new region of the radio spectrum. The 5G New Radio spec (AKA 5G NR, more on that later) does its magic by utilising so-called millimetre waves in the EHF band, running at somewhere between 30 and 300GHz. The shorter wavelength (emitting pulses between 10mm and 1mm apart, hence the name) means these frequencies are capable of huge amounts of bandwidth. Consider, if you will, the quality

of AM radio, which has a long wavelength, with the much shorterwaved FM – the difference in signal quality and consistency is stark, because FM’s higher frequency helps it carry a much more detailed signal in the same time window.

Data capacity isn’t the only advantage. Improved latency – jumping from an average of between 30-60ms on 4G LTE to as little as 3ms – means 5G data can get from one place to another much faster. 5G radios, in theory, should also be much smaller. The same is true at both ends of the communication; devices will be able to shave off space (particularly if they’re able to drop Wi-Fi modules) and 5G transmitters will end up much less intrusive than current masts. Naturally, this also leads to better power efficiency, giving smart devices the battery life they so sorely need.

Again, this is mostly theoretical, and it won’t all come at once. The 5G rollout is likely to focus on delivering faster wireless broadband first, before introducing additional infrastructure to improve latency and support massive numbers of smart devices. The service you get on day one will not be the same service you get as the network matures – both in terms of upgrades that are likely to happen, and the speeds that will be available once the network becomes more congested with devices.

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The 5G devices to watch

THE 5G DEVICES TO WATCH What to expect from the big phone makers

SAMSUNG

APPLE

SONY

Though the coming Galaxy S10 lineup appears 5G-free at the time of publication, expect an S10 X to hit the market soon, with more before yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s end. Samsung has developed its own multi-mode modem, featuring 5G and 4G on one chip.

Barring an unexpected â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;one more thingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from Tim Cook at an upcoming Apple event, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bank on seeing any new iOS devices with 5G support until 2020 at the earliest. Apple took a wait-and-see approach with 4G and 3G before it.

Details are leaking about a 21:9 screened Xperia XZ4, mere months after the launch of the XZ3, and Sony is good about keeping on the curve with its processors: looks like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have a 5G-capable Snapdragon 855 chipset inside.

HUAWEI

ONEPLUS

HONOR

Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MWC saw Huawei showing off at least one 5G-capable phone, perhaps a whole suite of them (the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wording has been vague so far) and apparently it has its own multi-mode modem cooked up for 5G and 4G.

OnePlus has set its engineersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sights on getting 5G hardware out fast, and claims we could see its ďŹ rst 5G handset on the market before the end of May. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be a sight pricier than previous OnePlus phones.

Honorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan has always been to be ďŹ rst to market with a 5G phone, although at press time we have no more information than that. Given the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rivalry with OnePlus, though, swooping in before May would make sense.

LG

GOOGLE

ConďŹ rmed for MWC, LGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ rst 5G phone Lips are sealed at Google HQ so far. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with a Snapdragon 855, 4,000mAh Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a slim possibility of the Pixel 4 battery and some nifty vapour cooling supporting 5G, but Google tends to lean tech â&#x20AC;&#x201C; looks likely to be revealed alongside on already-proven tech for its big the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s G8 ďŹ&#x201A;agship. Or perhaps feature phones, so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be surprised theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be one and the sameâ&#x20AC;Ś to see it in there this year.

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NETGEAR Not a phone, but Netgear has pushed out one of the ďŹ rst proper 5G devices in the form of its Nighthawk hotspot, which turns a 5G signal (if you can ďŹ nd one in the limited US markets itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being tested in) LQWRbVSHHG\ DF :L )L

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 47

5G guide

But still, let’s look at the long term: the unprecedented speed upgrade of 5G could change the way we think about all of our tech, and bring some massive consequences for the development of basically everything in the future. The same generation that once spent five minutes loading a few kilobytes of unreliable computer software from cassette tapes could soon able to download an entire 4K movie to our phones in far less time.

We’ll be able to send messages between each other, over the air, literally faster than your eye can see.

It could be the enabler for tomorrow’s transport network, made up of entirely autonomous and seamlessly interconnected cars and trucks. Sharing sensor and mechanical status data between them, and talking constantly to one another at super high speed, future cars will be effectively accident-proof, and they’ll balance their

routing to avoid traffic for a more efficient ride – something 4G doesn’t have the muscle to keep up with efficiently. 5G’s huge capacity could also take that transport to the air, backing an intricately piloted array of delivery drones programmed to keep to the correct airspace and not clonk into each other. A Blade Runner-style flying car future perhaps isn’t on the cards yet – 5G can’t do anything about gravity, sadly – but it’s not hard to see the impact it’ll have.

5G’s high capacity will also take the notoriously bandwidth-heavy tech of VR to the next level. Not only could it do away with the wired tether that makes most VR experiences awkward and restrictive, it could also push the powerful PCs that have traditionally been required for VR into obsolescence, moving all that effort into the cloud. You won’t even need to be at

home to strap on a headset, provided you’re in 5G range – and those autonomous vehicles will know where you are should you wander into the street. The low latency of 5G also means VR should react to your movements more precisely than ever before, eliminating the potential for sea sickness caused by today’s microscopic delay.

5G’s immense bandwidth could make a huge difference when it comes to crowding.

If you’ve ever been to a concert or sports game – or even visited a busy town centre – you’ll know the pain of having a supposedly full 4G signal yet absolutely atrocious (and possibly non-existent) data rates. Your local 4G tower, and the frequencies it uses, can only throw out so much data at one time. If everyone wants a slice of the pie, it needs to cut it infinitesimally thin; 5G masts will be far more numerous, and able to support many more simultaneous devices. Kit will be able to stay constantly connected. Smart devices won’t need to rely on Wi-Fi, and the smart home will move outwards – indeed, constant low-power networking could mean tomorrow’s smart devices do more than we can even imagine today.

THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN We’ve barely scraped the surface as to the sort of technology 5G could power, and there are some who theorise that 5G could lead to major change: the demise of local storage, the death of home broadband, even the end of the smart phone as we know it. There’s a lot of sci-fi brainstorming out there, mainly because a 5G future, one with unprecedented connectivity and network speed, is so exciting to imagine.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that even though there’s a lot of potential, 5G is still fluid. It’s yet to be proven, even in the 5G previews run thus far. The test installation

HOW DOES 5G COMPARE TO 4G? DOWNLOAD SPEED (TOP 90%)

4G 71Mbps

5G 186Mbps

MEDIAN LATENCY

4G 10Mbps

MEDIAN BROWSING SPEED

5G 1,400Mbps 4G 115ms

5G 4.9ms Source: Qualcomm network simulation

48 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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5G guide hardware available today that’s actually ready to take advantage of 5G. That won’t be the case for long. Networks are committing to and pushing for a rapid rollout, and even collaborating to get the job done in the case of O2 and Vodafone. Device manufacturers are equally excited to get on board – with a global standard now seemingly ratified, and networks readying up their masts, expect 5G support in phones and even home routers to become the norm. And let’s not forget consumers. We all want to get our hands on 5G devices. It’s a perfect storm of demand and, hopefully, supply.

YEARS OF HOPE

showcased at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, used a prestandard version of 5G developed by Korea Telecom, while Verizon’s 5G fixed-wireless broadband implementation, launched to limited markets late last year, uses the company’s own self-developed 5G formula.

The first and most crucial factor of 5G’s rollout is consensus; happily, it looks like the 5G NR standard has been pretty much universally adopted worldwide, and even Verizon has stated that it’ll change its standard in the future as long as 5G NR meets its expectations.

5G also has a host of other external factors to deal with. While it’s able to throw around a massive amount of data very quickly, 5G is far more prone to atmospheric interference than slower-speed wireless tech – if you’ve

ever compared 2.4GHz Wi-Fi to 5GHz and noticed the latter struggling with reach, it’s a similar situation. 5G’s radio waves can, at the most, propagate around a kilometre in clear line of sight and with no obstructions, and generally aren’t effectively received outside of around 250m. Put walls or other obstacles in the way, and that distance is reduced even further. Taking advantage of the fastest 5G transmissions requires close proximity to a mast – so our mobile infrastructure, and even the theory around it, is going to need a major overhaul to make 5G the norm.

We’ll also need a jump forward in device support. Backwards compatibility with 4G networks won’t be an issue since the older system won’t be going anywhere for the foreseeable future, but there’s little

5G absolutely means a bright future for technology, and it’s one that’s pretty close.

By the end of 2019, the networks will have been installed 5G in some of the country’s busiest urban areas. But the rollout will likely not be as fast as, say, 4G, which itself was frustratingly slow to expand - 5G’s comparatively short range means it requires many more transmitters, making widespread installation a difficult task. It could be years until 5G reaches your street, so don’t bin your current phone just yet.

Rural areas will almost certainly have to wait even longer once the main 5G rollout is complete, but for those forced to rely on satellite internet because traditional broadband is too expensive to install, 5G (when it reaches them) may be a truly life-changing tech.

We’re also not positive on what the price will be. If 5G continues to employ the capped data plans of 4G, its utility may be limited not by its speed but by its cost – so your home broadband connection is safe for now. But that’s an ‘if’ – given the potential capacity of 5G, unmetered connections like the 50 Euro per month plan announced by Finnish network Elisa may be a solid possibility.

We can only hope.

5G FAKERY When is 5G not 5G? When it’s 4G wearing a fake moustache and glasses. American network AT&T has begun transitioning some of its customers to what it calls 5G E, and convinced some manufacturers to display a 5G E logo on the status bar of phones. Thing is, 5G E absolutely isn’t 5G. In fact, it’s a slightly boosted form of 4G LTE with an average data rate of around 40Mbps, slapped with a confusing, and some might say highly misleading, label.

T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray, biased as he may be, claims AT&T is “duping customers into thinking they’re getting something they’re not.” Sprint’s spokesperson went

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

one further, stating “AT&T is blatantly misleading consumers.” It’s not hard to see why this has everyone riled; AT&T’s mocked-up screenshots show the ‘5G’ part of the logo large, and the ‘E’ in a tiny font next to it – all this on what is resolutely a 4G network.

AT&T seems happy with its decision.

“Every company is guilty of building a narrative of how you want the world to work,” said AT&T CEO John Donovan on stage at CES, “and I love the fact that we broke our industry’s narrative… and they’re frustrated.”

Don’t expect this deceptive branding to be a common thread as the 5G rollout happens. But when your favourite network starts offering ‘5G’, it’s certainly going to pay to do your research and be absolutely certain of what you’re really getting before you sign up.

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 49

State of the Art

Fancy shooting with the most advanced mirrorless camera money can buy? We look at the crème de la cam Words: Ben Andrews Photography: Neil Godwin

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ON TESTâ&#x20AC;Ś

1

)XMLÄ&#x2020;OP *); 5 Thought full-frame sensors were the dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s danglies? The 51.4MP sensor in the GFX-50R has around 66% more surface area than fullframe. That means more detail and less image noise, though extra bulk. ` ERG\ IXMLÄ&#x2020;OP LQ

50 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

2

1LNRQ = Nikon has gone all-out to make this the ultimate mirrorless. Its 45.7MP full-frame sensor can resolve tons of detail, partly thanks to new, razor-sharp Z-mount lenses. ,W KDV Ä&#x2020;YH D[LV LQ ERG\ LPDJH stabilisation ` ERG\ QLNRQ FR LQ

3

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

Mirrorless images

he past few months have been exciting ones for premium digital cameras, with Canon and Nikon both entering the professional mirrorless camera market with superb snappers. Usually first attempts tend to be half-baked disappointments, but Nikon’s debut full-frame mirrorless camera - the Z 7 - has received acclaim by packing no-compromise components such as a 45.7MP full-frame sensor into a svelte, go-anywhere body that can be attached to some stellar lenses, including the vast back catalogue of Nikon’s DSLR optics.

Just weeks later, Canon countered with its first mirrorless camera built around a full-frame sensor, the EOS R. Though

T

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

outwardly similar to its Nikon rival, the R recycles many of its internals from Canon’s 5D Mark IV DSLR camera to keep costs down.

While headline specs like 30.3MP trail the Z 7, and you don’t get sensor-shift image stabilisation - usually a standard feature in mirrorless cameras - you can have an EOS R in your hand for around 30% less cash than the Nikon.

Most recently Fujifilm has joined the party with its GFX-50R. Rather than simply matching the full-frame competition, Fujifilm has gone even bigger and crammed a colossal ‘medium format’-sized sensor into the 50R for maximum bragging rights. This trick has been done before with Fujifilm’s GFX-50S, but the the 50R is more compact.

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 51

State of the Art TEST 01:

FUJIFILM GFX-50R

HANDLING

These cameras are all about excellent ergonomics and manual control he EOS R may be the least expensive camera in our trio, but it certainly doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel it. The gun-metal-grey magnesium alloy body is reassuringly solid, and Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deeply sculpted hand grip makes the EOS R feel the most comfortable camera here, especially if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got larger paws. Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intuitive DSLR control layout has been carried over, which, combined with the EOS Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear touchscreen interface, makes quick setting adjustments a breeze. There are also new tricks, like the touch-sensitive M-Fn Bar just right of the electronic viewďŹ nder. This can be set to adjust things like ISO sensitivity or white balance and can be tapped or swiped. In addition to the usual zoom and focus rings, each RFmount lens has a third customisable control ring around the lens barrel that can be set to adjust aperture, shutter speed, white balance or ISO sensitivity.

While the Z 7 boasts a much higher sensor resolution than the EOS R, externally itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost exactly the same size. Build quality feels suitably professional and rugged, with the rubberised hand grip coating extending all the way round the side of the camera to the rear. This conceals the Z 7â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sole memory card slot, which is of the XQD format. This is designed as a professional card standard and is faster than SD, but XQD

T

Nikonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3.69-million-dot electronic viewďŹ nder is as crisp as they come cards are physically larger and require a dedicated card reader. Nikonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3.69-million-dot electronic viewďŹ nder is as crisp as they come, and paired with the responsive 2.1MP touchscreen monitor makes image composition and review a joy. The only downside is that the monitor can only be tilted up or down, whereas the EOS Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s screen will ďŹ&#x201A;ip completely forward for selďŹ e shooting.

Cameras with a medium-format sensor are traditionally big beasts, and while the GFX 50R is one of the most compact medium-format cameras ever, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still signiďŹ cantly bulkier than the EOS R or Z 7. But if you can handle that, the 50R is no harder to use than FujiďŹ lmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more modest mirrorless cameras.

52 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

)RU D PHGLXP IRUPDW FDPHUD WKH )XMLÄ&#x2020;OP *); 5 LV DFWXDOO\ TXLWH compact â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still a fair bit heftier than the competition here

SPECS SENSOR SIZE & RESOLUTION MEDIUM FORMAT (43.8x32.9mm), 51.4MP Video Full HD (1920x1080) at 30fps RECOMMENDED LENS )XMLÄ&#x2020;OP )8-,121 *) PP I 5 :5 COMBINED SIZE & WEIGHT 161x97x155mm, 1.27kg

TEST 01: WINNER

CANON EOS R Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a close call, but the EOS R manages to feel every bit as classy as the Nikon or FujiďŹ lm cameras for much less.

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

Big Picture NIKON Z 7

CANON EOS R

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SPECS

SPECS

SENSOR SIZE & RESOLUTION Full-frame (35.9x23.9 mm), 45.7MP VIDEO 4K (3840x2160) at 30fps RECOMMENDED LENS NIKON 1,..25 = PP ) 6 COMBINED SIZE & WEIGHT 134x101x148 mm, 1.18kg

SENSOR SIZE & RESOLUTION Full-frame (36x24mm), 30.3MP VIDEO 4K (3840 x 2160) at 30fps RECOMMENDED LENS &DQRQ 5) PP I / ,6 860 COMBINED SIZE & WEIGHT 136x98x172mm, 1.36kg

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE 6(1625 6,=( ,6 $ %,* '($/ :,7+ 7+( :25/' 2) ',*,7$/ &$0(5$6 å +(5(è6 :+<

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

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 53

State of the Art TEST 02:

FEATURES

FUJIFILM GFX-50R

There’s so much more to these cameras than just big sensors

T

hese may be serious cameras, but you don’t need a degree in photography to operate them. Both the Canon and Nikon have fully automatic shooting modes, and though the Fuji requires you to individually set lens aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity to automatic, it’s then just as easy to use.

The Z 7 separates itself by incorporating IBIS (in-body image stabilisation) which moves the image sensor to counteract camera shake.

Image stabilisation is usually optical, meaning an element in the lens moves instead, but that requires a suitable lens, whereas IBIS gives you a stabilised image with any optic. Sadly you don’t get this feature with the EOS R, but the Canon RF-mount 24-105mm lens is at least optically stabilised. The GFX 50R also lacks IBIS, but given the huge sensor and pareddown body size, its absence is more understandable.

However, this isn’t the only compromise you have to make for medium format. Where the Canon and Nikon are capable of shooting 4K video, the 50R maxes out at good old Full HD, and even that is only at 30fps. The EOS R isn’t without fault though, as its 4K video comes with a 1.7x crop factor, meaning you get a much tighter field of view shooting video than when

NIKON Z 7

CANON EOS R

IBIS moves the image sensor to counteract camera shake capturing stills. Only the Z 7 uses the full sensor width to shoot 4K video, with no nasty cropping surprises.

If you’d prefer to record a series of stills to capture a fleeting moment, the Z 7 is your best bet of the options here. It can manage an impressive 9fps continuous burst rate, where the Canon fires at 8fps, and the Fuji lags behind at just 3fps.

Effective autofocus is critical for making the most of a pixel-packed sensor, and here all three cameras are well featured. The EOS R boasts an incredible 5,655 focus points that cover 88 per cent of the image frame, while the Z 7 can ‘only’ offer 493 AF points, but they expand over 90 per cent of the frame. The 50R’s 425 points spread right into the corners of frame.

54 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

TEST 02: WINNER

NIKON Z 7

When it comes to features, the Z 7 is almost without compromise. Whether you shoot stills or video, you’re treated to top-class specs.

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Big Picture FUJIFILM GFX-50R

TEST 03:

PERFORMANCE Time to ditch the spec sheets, as we put each camera through its paces hooting with both the EOS R and Z 7 is a real pleasure, as their advanced autofocus systems are as good as instantaneous in virtually any lighting environment. The GFX 50R uses a slightly slower AF system that requires a brief moment of hesitation before it locks on, but it takes less than a second and focussing accuracy is still top notch.

Though the EOS R lags behind the Nikon and Fujifilm cameras in terms of outright resolution, all three cameras manage almost identical dynamic range up to ISO6400, with the Canon only performing marginally worse at higher sensitivities. You can capture a wide range of highlight and shadow detail with any camera here, even in low light.

Shoot a scene containing very fine detail and the Nikon and Fujifilm cameras really flex their muscles, resolving miniscule details that are simply not visible in the Canon’s images. However, the Fuji requires more skill, as only two of its seven compatible lenses sport image stabilisation. It just takes a tiny camera shake to introduce enough motion blur to cancel out the sensor resolution advantage over the other two cameras.

Low light sees the Z 7 edge ahead again. The

S

NIKON Z 7

CANON EOS R

Both the Nikon and Fujifilm devour memory cards scarily quickly

TEST 03: WINNER

NIKON Z 7

All three cameras are capable of generating superb quality images, but it’s the Z 7’s shots that are the most consistently stunning.

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

EOS R’s images show slightly less noise at higher ISO sensitivities, but the Nikon records more detail. The GFX 50R’s low-light shots contain similar detail levels to the Nikon and grain appears less prominent, but this is largely due to the 50R’s tendency to slightly underexpose, effectively hiding noise. Dial in exposure compensation to boost brightness and grain soon becomes visible.

With the Nikon and Fujifilm generating huge images of 8256x5504 and 8256x6192 pixels respectively, both devour memory cards scarily quickly. You’ll also need a very powerful computer to edit their raw files, which in the 50R can top 110MB each. The EOS R’s shots are more manageable at around 40MB per raw. The Canon manages 370 shots per battery charge and the Nikon and Fujifilm around 400, so all three have staying power.

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 55

State of the Art 1st

VERDICT:

BEST ON TEST

THE OVERALL WINNER ISâ&#x20AC;¦ 1,.21 = `2,48,450 (body), nikon.co.in

:(è5( ,035(66(' Nikonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ä&#x2020;UVW IXOO IUDPH PLUURUOHVV FDPHUD RIIHUV QHDU Ä&#x2021;DZOHVV performance, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still compact enough for any occasion and easy to use.

Uncropped 4K video, great autofocus and excellent new compatible lenses add appeal. :(è' ,03529( The single XQD card slot with no SD

alternative can be a pain, as can dealing with such large image Ä&#x2020;OHV EXW WKH ODWWHU LV WKH SULFH you pay for being at the cutting edge of image quality.

7+( ),1$/ :25' Nikonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ä&#x2021;DJVKLS PLUURUOHVV FDPHUD LV WKH new benchmark for camera image quality.

CANON EOS R

)8-,),/0 *); 5

`1,74,995 (body), canon.co.in

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:(è5( ,035(66(' Autofocus is class-leading, while build quality and ergonomics are just as impressive. :(è' ,03529( The heavily cropped 4K video mode is the PRVW VLJQLÄ&#x2020;FDQW EXJEHDU 7+( ),1$/ :25' Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to pass off the EOS R as a reskin of old DSLR components, but it turns out to be very likeable.

3rd

:(è5( ,035(66(' Stunning detail and an extra sense of spatial depth are the medium format advantages. :(è' ,03529( This is a big beast, and no image stabilisation demands a very steady hand.

7+( ),1$/ :25' A very special camera, but overkill for most photography and demands more compromises.

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56 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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

Big Picture

5

ESSENTIAL ADD-ONS

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

The Retina screen on the Macbook Pro 15-inch is simply stunning, even when compared to the latest generation of widegamut displays on rival laptop PCs. 512GB of storage is a must for these cameras though, and that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cheap.

DSSOH FRP

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The Art of TV

The art of TV Your TV is one of the biggest things in your living room, so it should be more than just the picture thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful.

These sets match stunning 4K images with fantastic industrial design Words: Matt Bolton Photography: Neil Godwin

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 59

Samsung The Frame

Samsung The Frame Designed by tech icon Yves Behar, The Frame is all about art. Styled after a picture frame, Samsung has included a service that displays works of art (classic and modern, famous and unknown) on the screen when you’re not using it for movies, so it sits right alongside that Matisse we’re sure you you have. Wall-mounted or on a discreet stand, it looks gorgeous, and fits anywhere with 43-, 55- or 65-inch sizes. The finish is customisable (black, walnut, beige or white), and you can use a single near-invisible cable for power and video. And it’s also a fabulous TV, of course – 4K and HDR come from Samsung’s brilliant QLED tech. samsung.com

60 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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The Art of TV

LG W8 This is a cutting-edge TV that basically becomes part of your wall. At just 2.5mm thick, the 65- or 77-inch screen attaches to the wall (there’s no stand option) magnetically, as if it’s just a rectangle you painted on. A thin, hard-to-see ribbon cable connects to an external box, which packs in the smarts to drive the screen, and has all the connections. You can hide it out of the way, but it also acts as a soundbar, so you might want to keep it around. The end result is one of the most futuristic things you’ll ever see – a gorgeous, bright OLED 4K and HDR screen that seems to just float on the wall. lg.com/in

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 61

Bang & Olufsen BeoVision Horizon

Bang & Olufsen BeoVision Horizon

We’ve praised a lot of the TVs here for how they disappear and let the screen shine, but Bang & Olufsen likes to lean into its industrial design, emphasising the physicality of its products. The Horizon’s lipped aluminium bezel and slatted soundbar feel like they could be from the sketchbook of the great Dieter Rams. It comes with a few funky stand choices, including a wheeled option, which calls to mind B&O’s first ever TV from 1952. The actual television is a 4K LED screen, and comes in 40- and 48-inch sizes, while the built-in speakers pack in some serious punch, unsurprisingly. bang-olufsen.com

62 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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The Art of TV

Sony A9F Masters Series One of our favourite TV designs in years, Sony’s OLED screen features a slim front panel, and an angled arm that holds it up out of the back, like a standing picture frame (though it can also be wall mounted). The arm has the tech in, so the front panel is thin as you like, and is all about the 4K HDR picture: there’s no visible structure to get in the way. Most brilliantly, Sony has turned the entire surface of the display into a speaker, with a woofer packed into the back for extra oomph, so it even sounds fantastic, despite no obvious speakers. With the arm not even visible from most angles, it will truly drop jaws. sony.co.in

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 63

Philips OLED 803

Philps OLED 803 Slim simplicity earns this TV its spot here– its physical presence is made to just melt away when the screen is on. The OLED tech that powers the stunning 4K HDR display means the bezel can be tiny, and the body super-thin. Combined with the small visible section of its feet (which have a reflective finish, so even they seem to disappear into whatever you’ve stood it on), it’s as unobtrusive as it gets, while still fitting on a thin unit. The three-sided Ambilight spreads colour onto the walls to match the images on screen, so it feels like there’s no edge at all. philips.co.in

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TESTED Get the lowdown on the latest gadgets before you buy

66

SAMSUNG GALAXY S10+ 69

XIAOMI REDMI NOTE 7 PRO 70

HP SPECTRE X360 71

SYNOLOGY DS218+ 72

ANT TREBLE 900 73

SKULLCANDY PUSH 74

HYPERX CLOUD FOR PS4 75

REALME 3 78

GAMES

HOW WE TEST In T3, we feature only the ďŹ nest gadgets out there, and we believe that you â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our loyal reader â&#x20AC;&#x201C; deserve only the best tech in your life.

We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exactly why our Tested section exists.

In here youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ďŹ nd only the latest and hottest tech. Each product has been handpicked and tested by T3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experts.

We only choose people with special knowledge for each test, so you know youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to get an outcome based on many years of experience in their respective ďŹ eld.

As well as our traditional ďŹ ve-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, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll know youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 ĂĽ WKRVH WKDW VFRUH Ä&#x2020;YH PLATINUM stars â&#x20AC;&#x201C; receive our AWARD 3ODWLQXP $ZDUG

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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 VSHFLÄ&#x2020;F IHDWXUHV

THE DESIGN AWARD

For kit with exceptional industrial design and UHÄ&#x2020;QHPHQW LQ DGGLWLRQ to being a great buy

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 65

Tested

PRICE `73,900 (8GB RAM+128GB), `91,900 (8GB RAM+512GB), `1,17,900 (12GB RAM+1TB) URL VDPVXQJ FRP LQ DIMENSIONS [ [ PP WEIGHT J DISPLAY Y LQFK 4+' '\QDPLF $02/(' PROCESSOR ([\QRV RAM *% *% STORAGE *% 7% ([SDQGDEOH XSWR *% YLD GHGLFDWHG PLFUR6' BIOMETRIC LOCK K 8OWUDVRQLF )LQJHUSULQW )DFH 8QORFN OS $QGURLG 3LH ZLWK 2QH8, CAMERA A 03 ZLGH 03 WHOHSKRWR 03 XOWUDZLGH UHDU 03 03 IURQW WI-FF D E J Q DF D[ :L )L BLUETOOTH USB PORT 7\SH & BATTERY Y P$K HEADPHONE JACK <HV FAST CHARGE <HV

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he Samsung Galaxy S10+ has a lot to live up to given it is the 10th anniversary of the Galaxy range. The Korean smartphone maker has left no stone unturned to pull all the stops and cram in nearly everything but the kitchen sink without resorting to adding useless gimmicks.

We got the Prism Blue model, a shade thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s become quite synonymous with a majority of Samsung devices. It looks pretty snazzy when light reï¬&#x201A;ects on it at certain angles but doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall into the trap of verging into chintzy territory. This is important now since the Gorilla Glass 5 clad back can only withstand so many drops

T

66 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

before shattering. Curiously, the top is protected by the newer Gorilla Glass 6 making us wonder why it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t applied on both sides. The rear is nearly empty except for the horizontally aligned cameras and heart rate sensor. At the top lies the hybrid tray allowing operation of dual nano SIM or one with a microSD card while the bottom houses the speaker grille, USB Type-C port and headphone jack. On the right is the power button that for some mysterious reason has been placed too high up and the same can be said for the volume rocker resting at the same height on the left side.

Right below it is the Bixby button, the only one that can be pressed W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Samsung Galaxy S10+ easily without adjusting the S10+ in our hand. Like last time, it is IP68 rated guaranteeing protection against dirt, dust, sand and water submersion upto a maximum depth of 1.5m for 30 minutes. Overall, it exudes a classy aura with excellent craftsmanship that is completely befitting and expected from a flagship grade device like the S10+.

It’s not a stretch to call the 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display as one of the best we have ever seen on a smartphone. It is gorgeous and viewing any sort of content is an absolute delight. On its top right you will notice the ‘Infinity-O’ cut out aka hole-punch that takes up a marginal amount of space housing the dual cameras. Users might be divided on it but we felt it a better compromise than any form of notch that hijacks a bigger part of the display. While there’s enough space for the earpiece, the notification LED has been dropped. The bezels are slim and contribute towards the impressive 93% screen-tobody ratio but there was a potential for more by reducing the chin at the bottom. The 19:9 aspect ratio combined with the WQHD+ (3040x1440) resolution offer ample screen real estate but by default its runs on FHD+ (2280x1080). While Natural mode shows colours in accordance to the proper sRGB space, Vivid can be selected to get a punchier albeit less precise picture.

Colours can be further tweaked via the RGB sliders to achieve a particular look if so desired. We did notice a few unintended presses accidentally registering on the screen but overall the capacitive touchscreen took our inputs accurately like a champ.

HDR10+ opens up the possibilities for the Video Enhancer to improve the contrast and keep details visible in dark spots that generally remain hidden. It’s effectively a step ahead than last year exposing obscured details without washing them out.

When Always on Display is enabled, it remains visible enough yet non-intrusive at the same time making us keep it on from morning till night. Speaking of the after hours, Night mode is a dark theme turning the entire interface into a mix of grey and black for comfortable reading at night. Now certified

by TÜV Rheinland, the Blue Light filter cuts down on the aforementioned light by 42% to reduce eye strain. Talking about security, iris unlock has been dumped but 2D facial recognition is still in place along with an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner embedded under the screen. The latter is said to be more reliable and foolproof than conventional scanners working even with wet fingers requiring just a light tap rather than a forceful press.

Sadly we struggled with the correct placement as the target area is small. Thankfully, the time taken to unlock has been vastly reduced and raising it towards us almost always unlocked without much delay.

Taking a look at the optics, there is a triple camera setup on the rear comprising of a 12MP primary sensor (f/1.5) with Dual Pixel PDAF (Phase Detection AutoFocus) and Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), 12MP telephoto lens (f/2.4) with 2x optical zoom, AF, OIS and a 16MP ultrawide lens (f/2.2). This definitely changes the game and gives you different perspectives to play with on the fly. The daylight shots were great having faithful colour reproduction however sometimes they were a tad overexposed. Auto focusing was snappy, even during fast paced situations. The overzealous tendency to oversmoothen for lesser noise makes skin tones look strange. Low light photography indoors passed muster most of the time but stumbled outdoors as the level of detail was lacking. They are fine for sharing online though which is where the integrated Instagram button will W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

come in handy to quickly populate your profile page. A dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) helps differentiate between 30 scenes and optimise the camera settings accordingly. Portrait clicks of objects came up better than live subjects by a slight margin. It’s marvellous to see just how much can be captured in one go by the ultrawide lens without adjusting your position. The edges get distorted which can be fixed with post processing correction that straightens them out. We found the telephoto lens to be very handy when wanting to take critical shots where time is of the essence and pinching to zoom means that perfect shot is long gone. Live Focus now includes fun ways to add depth effects to pictures that can be changed even after taking them. The HDR processing is well balanced and able to capture additional detail from bright and dark areas. On the front we have a dual camera system consisting of a 10MP primary lens (f/1.9) with Dual Pixel PDAF and an 8MP depth sensor (f/2.2). We were satisfied with a majority of our output but noticed that rarely the depth sensor couldn’t completely figure out protruding hair strands to be part of the subject and would proceed to blur them. We also preferred taking all our selfies in the wide mode as the other one basically just crops the image. Video recording offers a bevy of choices like 1080p@30/60fps,

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 67

Tested Samsung Galaxy S10+ 2160p@30/60fps, 0.4 seconds of super slow motion @720p and 0.8@480p but what truly raised expectations was HDR10+ output making our recorded footage looking very natural. Certain features like stabilisation or autofocus would be turned off at certain resolutions. 4K was very sharp having balanced contrast. Shakes or stuttering when panning were mitigated with ease and we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ďŹ nd any issues.

Shipping with One UI based on Android 9.0 Pie out of the box, Samsung has taken user feedback to heart by creating an interface thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cleaner and feels more responsive than the older Experience interface. The bold look and large rounded icons seemed odd to us at ďŹ rst but we got accustomed to it. Even though we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t entirely fans of the empty space left at at the top, it did help make one handed navigation easier to an extent.

Edge panels for adding app shortcuts and customisable Edge lighting are ever present showing no signs of going away. NotiďŹ cation cards have been dropped and the task switcher offers less choices than before. Although it could do with some reďŹ nement, gesture navigation makes its debut in the S series. Unfortunately Samsung is still peddling Bixby hoping users give the chance to set routines or learn from their habits to automate tasks according to the time and day. Our 8GB RAM+128GB unit ate apps for breakfast thanks in no small part to Exynos 9820 SoC and Mali-G76 GPU. Daily tasks were handled without any signs of lag or delay. After playing resource intensive games like PUBG, Asphalt 9, Fortnite and Darkness Rising for more than an hour, we noticed the sluggish framerate and it was evident that we were experiencing throttling to cool down the internals. The touted vapor chamber cooling isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t able to do much on this front but atleast keeps the temperature down to a level where holding the phone is bearable. Coming to audio, AKG stereo speaker implementation is better than ever remaining crystal clear at max volume producing songs or sound effects with remarkable presence. We kept Dolby Atmos enabled as it boosted the audio by adding more nuance and richness to it. The bundled AKG earphones sound pretty decent and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make you rush out for a separate pair unless you are an audiophile demanding peak aural perfection. Call quality was ďŹ ne and was able to ďŹ lter most ambient noise. The signal reception was better than the Note 9 and the network strength didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wildly ďŹ&#x201A;uctuate. The 4000mAh battery was reliable enough to last a full day of normal use extending to 1.5 days when interacted with sparingly. It takes around two hours to fully charge from zero with the 15W fast charger packed inside the case which is a shame given how the competition is going for faster solutions. Wireless Powershare, a new feature, enables 9W wireless charging of supported devices by placing it on the back panel of the S10+. Being the ďŹ rst smartphone with Wi-Fi 6, it can be seen as the proverbial cherry on top of an all rounder package. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d appreciate Samsung delivering timely updates to ďŹ x impending issues and keep in mind the ergonomics for the eventual S11+.

68 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

VERDICT

WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE IMPRESSED Display, Stereo speakers, daylight camera, ultrawide lens, build quality WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D IMPROVE Uneven low light camera, game WKURWWOLQJ Ä&#x2020;GGO\ XOWUDVRQLF VHQVRU VLGH EXWWRQ placement THE LAST WORD The Galaxy S10+ treats you to a slice of the future in a meticulously curated package.

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Tested

BUDGET KING

PRICE `13,999 (4GB+64GB), `16,999 (6GB+128GB) URL mi.com/in DIMENSIONS 159.21x75.21x8.1mm WEIGHT 186g DISPLAY Y 6.3-inch Full HD+ (2340x1080) CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 RAM 4GB/6GB INTERNAL STORAGE 64GB/128GB CAMERA 48MP+5MP (rear), 13MP (front) DUAL SIM Yes OS MIUI 10 BATTERY Y 4000mAh

The new Redmi Note phone bumps up the camera and performance WORDS KUNAL GANGAR he bestselling Redmi Note series is known for its affordable price tag and best possible hardware. While Xiaomi took an iterative approach with last year’s Redmi Note 6 series, the new Redmi Note 7 duo has undergone a complete transformation in terms of looks and hardware.

The metal is now replaced with the 2.5D gradient reflective glass that makes the phone a little slippery but gives it the much-needed style boost. The glass on the front and back features Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 for improved reliability and comes in three colour options black, blue and red.

The front sports the 6.3-inch display with a “dot notch” that houses the front-facing camera whereas the back has the fingerprint sensor and the protruding dual camera sensor. Xiaomi still keeps an IR blaster on the top with a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB Type-C port at the bottom.

Overall, the Redmi Note 7 Pro’s overhaul looks great and in fact, is one of the best-looking Xiaomi phones in recent times.

The Redmi Note 7 Pro’s screen looks great, thanks to the Full HD+ (2340x1080) resolution support with a 1500:1 contrast ratio. There are sunlight, night and reading modes and adjustable colour temperature.

Under the hood is Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 675 octa-core chip coupled with up to 6GB of RAM. Our 4GB review unit handled MIUI 10’s fluid animations with no fuss and demanding games like PUBG Mobile. Speaking of MIUI, there are instances where ads show up (app scanner) but can be easily dealt with.

Battery life has never been an issue for a Redmi Note phone and Redmi Note 7 Pro is no different. The 4000mAh battery lasts for more than a day with a good amount of web surfing, video, music, and a bit of gaming. The phone supports Quick Charge 4.0 but Xiaomi bundles a 10W charger inside the retail pack.

The camera has got a significant boost, which now comes with a 48MP Sony sensor at the back with 5MP acting as a secondary sensor.

By default, the phone takes 12MP shots with the full 48MP option limited to the Pro mode. The camera takes some impressive shots with great detail and dynamic range. Low-light photography has been improved as well. On the video front, the phone can capture 4K videos at 30fps.

Redmi Note series is known to give the best bang for its buck and the Redmi Note 7 Pro does exactly that. It’s a phone that’s not only is a looker but offers some serious processing and camera performance you don’t see in a phone in this price bracket.

T

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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, overall performance WE’D IMPROVE Software THE LAST WORD Xiaomi has repeatedly proved why the Redmi Note series is the king of affordable phones.

The Redmi Note 7 Pro is a no-brainer if you’re looking for a phone around `15,000.

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 69

Tested

SPECTACULAR

HP Spectre x360 HP ups the game in the premium notebook segment with the latest Spectre refresh WORDS KUNAL GANGAR hen it comes to offering a premium notebook experience, there are few manufacturers who come close to delivering it. HP, over the years, have delivered it with its Spectre range and this year have refreshed their lineup with a convertible and a folio device - Spectre x360 and Spectre Folio, respectively. This month we take a detailed look at the former to see if it remains true to Spectre’s legacy.

HP Spectre is one of the most beautifully designed Windows notebook series and the Spectre x360 is no different. The notebook stands apart from the competition with its gem-cut, all-aluminium angular design. The chamfered edges give the notebook a distinct look and have well-placed buttons and ports on the side to avoid accidental taps. The two faceted edges host the power and USB Type-C port for charging. There’s another Type-C port (both support Thunderbolt 3) and a full-size USB 3.1 Gen 2 on the other side.

The notebook also features a 3.5mm headphone jack and a card reader. There’s no Ethernet port but comes with Wi-Fi 802.11ac with support for up to Gigabit speeds. Interestingly, the notebook also supports a stylus pen but doesn’t have a slot to accommodate, making it easy to lose.

The 13.3-inch variant sports a Full HD resolution panel but if you’re willing to shell out more, HP gives an option to upgrade to a 4K UHD panel. The IPS panel is great with detailed colours and brightness that reaches up to 300 nits.

The touch screen display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass and features HP Sure View that darkens the picture from various angles to keep prying eyes away.

When it comes to privacy and security, the laptop also comes with a physical slider that disables the built-in webcam and comes with a fingerprint sensor along with Windows Hello infrared camera.

Powering the laptop is Intel’s 8-gen Core i7 CPU with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of fast SSD storage. Needless to say, the Spectre x360 handles multiple tabs of Chrome, Photoshop and other processing tasks with ease. Just don’t expect it to be a gaming machine as it comes with integrated graphics.

The backlit keyboard features a full-size island-style spaced out keys and a large trackpad with support for multi-touch gestures. Audio quality is excellent, thanks to the integration of Bang & Olufsen speakers and HP Audio Boost 2.0.

HP Spectre x360 is a perfect combination of beauty and brains. The notebook is a visual treat, delivers a solid performance that runs a good 8-10 hours on a single charge.

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70 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

PRICE From `1,29,990 (i5-8265U+8GB+256GB+FHD), `159,990 (i7-8565U+16GB+512GB+FHD), `189,990 (i7-8565U+16GB+1TB+UHD) URL hpshopping.in DIMENSIONS 12.16x8.58x0.57in (WxDxH ) WEIGHT 1.32kg DISPLAY 13.3-inch touchscreen IPS panel RESOLUTION FHD/UHD CPU 8th gen Intel Core i5/ i7 RAM 8GB/16GB STORAGE 256GB/512GB/1TB OS Windows 10 AUDIO Bang & Olufsen B&O Play I/O PORTS 2x USB Type-CT 3.1 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 3, DP1.2, PD3.0, Data transfer, HP Sleep and Charge), 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (HP Sleep and Charge), 1x 3.5mm jack, microSD card reader CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2x2), Bluetooth 5 BATTERY 4-cell, 61 Wh Li-ion polymer

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, performance WE’D IMPROVE N/A THE LAST WORD Spectre x360 justifies its price tag with its great looks and powerful performance

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Tested

SYNC ON

Compact NAS solution for home users he ease of use and accessibility is why many consumers prefer a cloud backup solution over a physical one.

However, things have changed with some solutions offering the privacy of a physical backup, but with the ease of accessing it over the internet as well. Take Synology’s DS218+ for instance.

It’s a compact networked-attached storage solution by Synology that has its own operating system and is enhanced by the services it supports. NAS devices are meant to be tucked away in one corner of a home or office, which is why you don’t see a strong focus on the design. While DS218+’s design is not its strongest suit, it is still well thought out. The front features status LEDs, power and copy buttons, USB 3.0 port and 2-bay slots for 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch drives that are concealed neatly behind the removable plastic cover. The back has a fan to keep the internal temperature in check, along with two USB 3.0 ports, an eSATA port and a Gigabit Ethernet port.

Setting up a NAS seems like a daunting task but it’s refreshing to see how easy it is to set up this Synology device. The web interface does a good job of finding the NAS on the network and install DiskStation Manager (DSM) to get the NAS up and running. DSM is Synology’s operating system for the NAS that works within the browser. Another point to note is like many other dedicated NAS solutions, DS218+ requires you to add your drives, which supports a maximum internal raw capacity of up to 28TB and RAID configuration.

Powering the NAS is Intel’s dual-core Celeron chip along with 2GB of RAM. There’s an additional RAM slot that can be used to bump the RAM to up to 6GB. During our use, the NAS performed with no hiccups, but few users simultaneously accessing the storage slows it down.

Home users can take advantage of setting it up as a Plex server and enjoy all the content on their supported viewing device or stream stored 4K content on-the-fly with online transcoding via Video Station that will play in a compatible format and resolution on the viewing device.

There’s a dedicated app store for the Synology NAS that helps to enhance the usability of the device. For instance, Cloud Sync will allow users to keep their local and public cloud data synced, use another app to take control of complete Office 365 data, or use QuickConnect to access NAS data from anywhere. The possibilities are endless.

The Synology DS218+ is a power-packed NAS solution at around Rs. 30,000 (on amazon.in) that brings a lot of flexibility with a whole ecosystem of apps and services to make the NAS more than just a storage solution.

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PRICE `30,000 URL www.synology.com DIMENSIONS 165x108x232.2mm WEIGHT 1.30kg CPU Dual-core Intel Celeron J3355 MEMORY 2GB DRIVE BAYS Two COMPATIBLE DRIVE 3.5” SATA HDD, 2.5” SATA HDD, 2.5” SATA SSD SUPPORTED RAID TYPE Synology Hybrid RAID, Basic JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1 CONNECTIVITY Gigabit Ethernet, 3x USB 3.0 port, 1x eSATA TRANSCODING SUPPORT Yes, H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), MPEG-2 and VC-1

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED 4K transcoding, Plex support WE’D IMPROVE Should offer with a disk combo to home users THE LAST WORD The DS218+ is a decent NAS for home users, that offers goodness of Plex support and RQ WKH ć\ . YLGHR WUDQVFRGLQJ

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 71

Tested

ZERO TREBLE

Drop the bass WORDS ANKUSH MAHAJAN

K-based Ant Audio is no stranger to the Indian market staying out of the spotlight until the introduction of their new range serving as a sort of comeback for them. We have on hand the Treble 900, an on-ear wireless headset marketed by the company as having “extra bass” and they certainly live up that.

All songs had their bass extremely punctuated, sometimes to a fault distracting from the highs and mids.

It is evident that Ant has gone overboard with the low end response which is good for mega bass fans but will compel those in the market for balanced music to look elsewhere. The left earcup houses the 3.5mm port and 3 audio playback buttons pull double duty. They were responsive and did not cause delays in registering input but their assignment left much to be desired. To increase or lower the volume we had to keep the button depressed which was imprecise and made us either turn the volume to the max or completely mute it. On the flipside, a single tap is all that is needed for skipping forward or back.

Users who love changing songs often will like this but others who don’t should keep this in mind. We felt noticeable fatigue during longer listening sessions and had to take a break as the pressure inflicted by the cans became a bit too much turning our ears uncomfortably warm. The ear pads include soft memory foam that has a fine texture but could have been thicker and the same can be doubly said for the headband which suffered more because the padding was insufficient making us feel the heft of the metal. Clear indicators for the Left and Right direction marked inside the cups are appreciated given how many accidentally wear earphones wrong due to the print being small. The overall black design fits well in any environment without looking garish or out of place.

Coming to the battery, a full charge takes around 2.5 hours and gave approximately 8-9 hours of playback time. Attending voice calls went without a hitch but we found out that the in-built microphone doesn’t work when connected via the 3.5mm jack. The bundled cabled is just the right size for wired listening but the mini USB charging cable should definitely be bigger. It is a hard sell at the MRP (`5,999) but taking into account the `2,099 price point on online platforms, we have no issue in telling bass lovers to go for it.

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PRICE `5,999 URL antaudio.co.uk DIMENSIONS 7.2 x 18 x 17.6cm HEADPHONE TYPE On ear DRIVER UNIT 40mm IMPEDANCE 32Ohm BLUETOOTH 5.0 WIRELESS RANGE 10m BATTERY Y 300mAh CHARGE TIME 2 hours

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Powerful bass, decent battery WE’D IMPROVE Volume controls, uncomfortable for long periods, heavy THE LAST WORD Treble 900 has a one track focus on bass turning into a double edged sword

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Tested

PUSH NOT PULL

Good effort but misses the mark WORDS ANKUSH MAHAJAN

ruly wireless earbuds have slowly started becoming ubiquitous with audio brands, an nd Skullcandy is no exception. Their proverbia al toss into the ring comes in the form of the Push earbuds. Our review unit was the Psychotropical Teal va ariant that certainly lived up to its name, giving off a nice sheen n with light reďŹ&#x201A;ection also extending to the top of the charrging case. Speaking of the lid, it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spring loaded and has to o be opened using both hands.

Although they are lightweight, the plastic build quality left us wanting more from a product at this price point. The Th case was much larger than expected and only offers a sin ngle charge of six hours, equivalent to the charge held by the buds themselves, providing a sum total of 12 hours. The four blue b LED indicators on the side of the case were helpful in ďŹ n nding out the exact status of the power left. The earbuds themsselves protrude out of the ear but keep a ďŹ rm grip owing to the FinFit ear gel design, working as advertised and not loosening during a walk. A sudden downpour or water splash shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be cause for concern, given the IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance. As there is a single physical button on each earbud, the controls have a slight learning curve, but complete mastery still evaded us. This was due to skipping tracks forward or backward requiring a three second hold, but turning off takes ďŹ ve seconds. This two second window became crucial and many times we turned them off inadvertently which was annoying. Atleast playing and pausing was simple, needing one push (pun intended) on either side, then two for volume control (up on the right, down on the left), and ďŹ nally three clicks summoned the voice assistant on our smartphone. A few times there was a delay in registering our input, which is ďŹ ne when sitting or resting, but might spoil the rhythm of someone engaged in a workout. Bass heavy songs performed the best, but extended listening to a varied playlist highlighted how the vocals were getting drowned. This gives the highs a muddy feel and quieter songs suffered as a result. However, the warm signature made punchy numbers sound extra energetic. Call clarity gave us no reason to complain, but we would have preferred to hear in stereo rather than just on the left. In fact, the placement of your input device should favour this side as it is the master, and right is the slave pairing to it because occasionally, the connection would get cut off. This would lead us to hearing a symphony of confusing beeps between the two.

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PRICE `9,999 URL skullcandy.in/en WEIGHT 54.2g HEADPHONE TYPE True Wireless In-Ear DRIVER DIAMETER 9.2mm IMPEDANCE 16Ohm BLUETOOTH v4.2 FREQUENCY RESPONSE 20Hz â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 20KHz MIC Yes WIRELESS RANGE 10m BATTERY 12 Hours

VERDICT WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE IMPRESSED &RORXU 6QXJ Ä&#x2020;W LED charge indicators WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D IMPROVE Overpowering bass, big case, less battery storage THE LAST WORD Given the quirks, we advise bass enthusiasts to wait for a price drop.

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Tested

CLOUD NINE

&ORXG LV WKH Ä&#x2020;UVW RIÄ&#x2020;FLDO OLFHQVH HG 36 KHDGVHW E\ +\SHU; WORDS .81$/ *$1*$5

yperX has a decent range of headphone es targeted at gamers, but the fact that ma akes this HyperX Cloud special is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s th he ďŹ rst headset from them to be oďŹ&#x192;cially licen nsed

by Sony for their PlayStation gaming console.

The Cloud for PlayStation 4 headset is more or lesss similar to its non-licensed counterpart but gets an aesthetic boost. The Cloud for PlayStation 4 featuress black and blue colours that complement the consoleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colo our scheme, along with a matching-coloured logo. The matte-ďŹ nish headphones look good and are sturdy, and have a retractable aluminium frame along with a comfortable headband that has adequate padding.

While the overall design is decent, there are a cou uple of design ďŹ&#x201A;aws. First is the cable being exposed from the band to the ear cup, and second is the tiny mic cove er which is easy to lose.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an in-line volume and mic control as welll that makes it easy to adjust the volume and activate or deactivate the mic.

Performance-wise, the Cloud headset is equipped with 53mm neodymium drivers and delivers good audio output with a hint of bass. The headphones come with padded memory foam ear cushions that make it comfortable to use during extended gaming sessions.

Gaming aside, the Cloud headset is pretty good for listening to music as well on any device that features the 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Cloud for PlayStation 4 also bundles a detachable mic with a ďŹ&#x201A;exible handle. The ďŹ&#x201A;exibility of the mic allows to adjust its position as per userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s convenience, and offers great performance and the ability to cut down ambient noise.

The HyperX Cloud for PlayStation 4 carries a price tag of `9,990 and it competes directly with Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oďŹ&#x192;cial PS4 headsets. However, what works in Cloudâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favour is that it is backed with a two-year warranty, and delivers good audio and mic quality that one expects from a HyperX headset.

+

74 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

PRICE `9,990 URL K\SHU[JDPLQJ FRP WEIGHT J ZLWK PLF

TYPE &LUFXP DXUDO &ORVHG EDFN '5,9(5 '\QDPLF PP ZLWK QHRG\PLXP PDJQHWV FREQUENCY RESPONSE +]ĂĽ +] IMPEDANCE RKPV CABLE LENGTH P

VERDICT WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE IMPRESSED 3HUIRUPDQFH WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D IMPROVE ,PSURYHG GHVLJQ RI WKH PLF FRYHU THE LAST WORD ,Q WUXH +\SHU; VW\OH WKH &ORXG NHHSV 36 JDPHUV KDSS\ ZLWK LWV PDWFKLQJ GHVLJQ DQG JRRG SHUIRUPDQFH

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Tested

REAL COMPETITOR The budget phone market gets more competitive with this new entrant

PRICE `8,999 (3GB+32GB), `10,999 (4GB+64GB) URL realme.com DIMENSIONS 75.6x156.1x8.3mm WEIGHT 175g DISPLAY Y 6.2-inch HD+ (1520720) CPU MediaTek Helio P70 RAM 3GB/4GB INTERNAL STORAGE 32GB/64GB CAMERA 13MP+2MP (rear), 13MP (front) DUAL SIM Yes EXPANDABLE STORAGE Yes OS ColorOS 6 based on Android Pie BATTERY 4230mAh

WORDS KUNAL GANGAR e’ve said this countless number of times that the Indian smartphone market is crowded with many players but that doesn’t deter new brands entering and trying to get that piece of the market. Realme is such a brand that launched in the Indian market last year and have been giving some tough competition to the likes of Xiaomi, Samsung and Asus.

Gone are the days when companies used to focus on function or form for its budget devices. Realme 3 looks good with its unibody design and contoured back that gives the phone a good grip. The front is all screen with a dewdrop notch design that gives the phone a 88.3 per cent screen-tobody ratio with physical buttons and ports placed on the sides of the device. The gradient colour scheme at the back, which comes in dynamic black or radiant blue makes the device stand out from the competition.

Realme 3 features a 6.22-inch display that has HD+ resolution support and an aspect ratio of 19:9. The screen is sharp with good colours and contrast and comes with a slider to change the colour temperature. The phone also gives an option to activate Night Shield, which is nothing but night mode that activates the blue light filter. While Night Shield gives the option of scheduling the feature based on time, another option to activate or deactivate it by syncing with the sunrise and sunset time would have been nice.

Under the hood, the phone is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P70 processor along with 3GB or 4GB of RAM (depending on the variant you choose). As expected, we didn’t experience any major lag except for when the phone comes out of the flight mode and starts pushing all the pending notifications. However, it’s not a deal breaker. The phone runs ColorOS 6 based on Android Pie and boasts a fast fingerprint sensor and AI face unlock. The 4230mAh battery gives about a day or a day and a half (if used sparingly) of run time on a single charge.

Camera-wise, there’s 13MP and 2MP sensors at the back and supports PDAF autofocus with f/1.8 aperture. Pictures shot in daylight boast good colours, contrast and details.

With AI scene detection and features like Chroma Boost, Nightscape helps to improve the picture quality but they are a hit or a miss. The front 13MP sensor takes decent selfies.

On the video front, the phone’s capable of recording to up to 1080p resolution, slo-mo and time-lapse.

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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, Performance WE’D IMPROVE Camera THE LAST WORD Realme 3 jumps into one of the most crowded price segments but is a decent performer with a full day battery life and overall performance.

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 75

Tested

First-time fitness trackers

Looking to start keeping an eye on your fitness? These are great first buys, from simple trackers to sporty watches that give you features to grow into Words: Duncan Bell, Luke Edwards Photography: Neil Godwin

COMPLETE FITNESS MADE EASY

PERFECT PLACE TO START

ROOM TO GROW

FITBIT IONIC

FITBIT CHARGE 3

GARMIN FORERUNNER 645

`24,999 fitbit.com

`13,999 fitbit.com

`44,990 garmin.com

With the ability to store music, detect crunches and other gym workouts, as well as having built-in GPS and pulse tracking, this is the most complete tracker Fitbit has made, yet retains the company’s easy-touse approach for beginners. Tracking of steps, distance covered, calories burned and so on is here, with lots of extra options including coaching, for going up a notch. It’s also something of a smartwatch, but only in a very basic way. Annoyingly, the heart rate monitor is inaccurate at lower rates (it’s fine when higher). The battery lasts four days.

This is the best simple fitness band (rather than watch), no question. It tracks deep and light sleep, steps, distance, calories and heart rate, and auto-detects when you’re doing serious exercise, so you don’t have to remember to tell it you’re going for a jog or getting on an elliptical. Fitbit’s excellently presented app and sprawling ecosystem mean you can use it as the basis of a total fitness and diet programme. No GPS will hold it back for runners over time, but with features such as VO2 Max hidden away, it’s still very capable.

This is quite a serious running watch, but with a feature set that ranges from simple fitness tracking to marathon-level advice, so it’s perfect if you think you’ll get more into running or cycling over time. There’s step and stair tracking, and wrist-based heart rate monitoring. The Forerunner 645 also offers a range of running-specific metrics, and measures fitness so that it can advise you on optimal recovery times. It’s well made, easy to use, lightweight, has a bright screen and looks good. And it has a seven-day battery life even with all that going on.

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First-time fitness trackers

e see a lot more people try to get (back) into fitness, whether that’s to lose weight, feel healthier, or even just to prove that they really can do a half marathon if they want.

If you’re going to get off your

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sofa and work towards a 5k run, you’ll need a bit of guidance to make sure you’re doing the right things. The fitness wearables below range from basic trackers that can tell you whether you’re walking a decent amount per day, right up to running

watches with the capability of coaching you like a pro. The key thing is that they’re all great options for those of you who are starting out – some just offer more headroom for the future than others. Let’s see which one is ideal for you…

MORE THAN FITNESS

BIG TECH, LOW PRICE

APPLE WATCH SERIES 3

GARMIN VIVOSPORT

POLAR M200

From `28,900 , apple.com

`16,990 , garmin.com

approx. `19,000 , amazon.in

The older Apple Watch is just about all the tracking most people keeping an eye on their health need: it measures calories, steps, exercise time, heart rate, GPS and more, plus workout tracking for loads of activities. The Fitbit range beats it for easy analysis and coaching, and the Garmins beat it for metric tracking, but it wins out for non-fitness features (calls, notifications, texts, emergency alerts), and it’s the bestlooking option. The battery lasts around four days if you don’t use GPS much, and it only works with iPhones.

A lesson in how usability is as important as features: the Vivosport directly rivals the Fitbit Charge, but adds great extras such as GPS, a mode for counting reps at the gym, and a tool for monitoring your stress levels. But while it’s a solid performer, it’s less pleasant to wear than the Charge, the screen is less clear, and the app is more fiddly than Fitbit’s. The same metrics are there, and more beside, but they’re harder to find and use. Syncing is painful at times.

For tech specs, this is excellent, but we would always reach for the Fitbit.

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ENTRY-LEVEL, RUNNING FOCUS

If you want a serious running watch at a newbie-friendly price, this is ideal. The basic run workout tracking shows your route, distance, speed and pace, your heart rate through the optical sensor, calories burned and HR zones – simple and effective. If you’re training for an event, the M200 will create a program for you to follow that builds you up over time. It also tells you how many steps you’ve walked, how many hours of sleep you’ve had, and how well you actually slept. It’s not pretty, but it does its job really well.

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Game Tom Clancy’s The Division 2

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 THE NEW DIVISION GAME SHOWS HOW A LOOT AND SHOOT GAME SHOULD BE `3,999; Xbox One, PS4, PC

he first Division game we play now was not when Ubisoft released it three years back. Having received flak for its lack of content at launch, Ubisoft made sure they don’t repeat the same for The Division 2 and it seems to have worked.

Developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft, The Division 2 is a big step forward to the franchise and the looter shooter category of games in general. A game this huge overwhelms players, but that’s not the case with the Division 2. In fact, that makes it more appealing with the loot and hundreds of missions spread across the dilapidated Washington D.C. On the verge of collapse, it’s Division agent’s job to save America’s capital. The narrative is weak and

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understandably, as it just wants to set the tone for the player to pick up a gun and go blazing. The Division 2 wastes no time in going through the basics and within the first few minutes throws open the sprawling area of grim-looking Washington D.C. filled with a lot of detailed views of landmarks, natural landscapes, neighborhoods, and enemy hideouts.

There are different enemy factions like Hyenas, True Sons, Outcasts, and Black Tusk, all of which vary in difficulty you need to defeat, which become easier as you level up your character and equip with better weapons and armour.

While we prefer single-player experiences, The Division 2 has been created with a multiplayer setting in mind and although it’s possible to complete most missions solo, calling for a backup will make lives easier. A

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Tom Clancy’s The Division 2

VG248QE Gaming Monitor

Clear Out the Chaos Uncompromised ® NVIDIA 3D Vision™ immersion True-to-Life Gaming with Vivid Visuals ASUS-Exclusive GamePlus for Accuracy in Action call allows nearby players to drop-in and help you out or you can do the same. This is all seamless, which is why it makes multiplayer so much fun on The Division 2.

The enemy AI has been improved and so is the choice of tech and weapons making the whole combat engaging. Levelling up the character will give access to better tech and perks like deploying a drone to strike the enemy first, a turret and much more.

The Division 2 is a great looter and shooter game that gives hours and hours of play time even after the completion of the main campaign.

This is because the dev focuses on the W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

endgame where the player has to again reclaim most of the city again with better weapons but also a tougher opponent.

Extensive Connectivity with Ergonomic Design IGN Fan Favourite

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Gameplay, Multiplayer WE’D IMPROVE Overwhelming for a first-time player, Story THE LAST WORD Division 2 is a perfect example of how a looter and shooter game should be designed that offers seamless multiplayer experience and loot interesting enough to keep players hooked to the game for hours

Best Gaming Monitor Manufacturer - 2017

For Sales Enquries : vincent_liu@asus.com For feedback, email reachus@asus.com info_india@asus.com

Scan Me

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 79

Game Trials Rising

Trials Rising A GAME THAT IS EASY TO LEARN, BUT DIFFICULT TO MASTER `2,499; PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC

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ooks can be deceiving, at least when it comes to Trials Rising. Don’t be fooled how simple it looks! It tests your skill and patience as you jump over obstacle courses with varied levels of difficulty.

However, there’s a dedicated tutorial menu that allows new and old players to learn new tricks, which is helpful as you advance through the levels.

Racing games are generally about how fast can you reach the finish line, but Trials Rising is primarily about reaching safely across. You will crash, and going by how difficult some levels can be, you will crash hard. But one button level reset makes it easy to go again without experiencing any loading time.

Trials Rising may seem like a challenging game, but races finish in under two minutes, and they are just as fun and addictive. The level

designs are excellent with visually rich backgrounds that add to each level’s fun factor.

Races are spread across the globe that unlocks as you level up in the game. Trials Rising also emphasises on the social element, that makes competing with international players and local co-op easy and fun. The Tandem Bike mode is a must-play if you’re looking for some hilarity where two players control the same motorcycle, trying to balance the jumps and throttle.

Trials Rising offers a lot of customisation, however, it’s restricted to cosmetic changes. Every win gives players a loot box that reveals some kind of customisation or stickers that can enhance the looks of the in-game character or the vehicle.

For players who get bored with the game’s built-in tracks, there’s a

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detailed Track Central that allows the player’s imagination to run wild with their own fantasy track, or play other fan-made ones.

Trials Rising is a game that stays true to its roots. It has the right balance of fun and difficulty that makes it addictive to play.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Gameplay, customisation WE’D IMPROVE Level progression THE LAST WORD Trials Rising is an easy game to pick up but difficult to master, and that is what makes the game special. It offers endless hours of entertainment, irrespective if you’re playing solo or with friends.

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MAGAZINE READERSHIP

THE POWER OF

MAGAZINES! 1. No need to switch â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;onâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

2. Not dependent on electricity or batteries.

3. A purchase of a magazine costing `100 to `150 indicates a commitment, a positive desire to read it from cover to cover.

UP 75%

- IRS 2017* and researched articles, magazine content has far more credibility than any other source.

Magazines are more engaging.

8. Special interest magazines are read by avid enthusiasts; they are opinion makers who create a ripple effect by influencing others.

4. Production values of magazines are about the best you can get in print. Higher 9. Most magazines offer their content quality images, reproduced with full colour and to the reader in a medium of their choice, gloss, allow a clearer picture of the product or whether paper or digital. representation of the service.

10. Magazines can be shared Consequently, 5. The shelf life of most magazines is a month more persons can read a single magazine. and not just a few minutes in the morning.

11. Globally, 7.3% of the total 6. Magazines are read when you are at leisure. advertising spend is spent on magazines.

Therefore, a lot more is ingested and imbibed.

In India, the magazine revolution started only With magazines, therefore, advertising works and after 2005 and the share is 2%. makes an impression.

12. Targeting with precision and 7. For special interests, magazines are without wastage is a key strength the best source. With competent writers of magazines.

Magazine Advertising actually works! *INDIAN READERSHIP SURVEY (IRS) 2017 : BETWEEN 2014 AND 2017, MAGAZINES SAW A 75% INCREASE WITH 38 MILLION NEW READERS.

Game Devil May Cry 5

Devil May Cry 5 HACK AND SLASH, BABY! `3,999; Xbox One, Sony PS4, PC evil May Cry 4 (DMC 4) came out in 2008 and it goes without saying that fans were looking forward to the next instalment with great anticipation. Here we are 11 years after and we’ve finally got Capcom’s latest hack and slash action-adventure, Devil May Cry 5.

Set a few years after the events in DMC 4, the game brings three characters in focus - Nero and Dante from the previous games and V, a new character who bring different combat play with the end goal of slaying demons and in style.

It pays to know the background of the almost two-decade-old franchise but if you’re just jumping into the action-packed world of Devil May Cry, Capcom has got a nice introductory video at the start of the game for newcomers to bring them up to speed with the series.

The new game follows a storyline, but that’s not why everyone likes a DMC game. It’s the fast-paced action and the ability to better oneself with every battle is what keeps everyone hooked. While button mashing works to a certain point, it always helps to learn some combo moves that help to earn a stylish rank. It’s the rank that displays on the right-hand side of the screen showing how a player is faring in that particular combat.

Capcom’s RE Engine did wonders to its last two Resident Evil games and DMC 5 also takes full advantage of it. DMC 5 looks beautiful with realistic character design, combats and world detail.

Devil May Cry 5 is a game that takes around 10-12 hours for its first playthrough but it’s the replayability factor and impressive combat makes the game fun.

D

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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Gameplay WE’D IMPROVE Story THE LAST WORD If fast-paced hack and slash combat is what you’re looking for, Devil May Cry 5 will not disappoint

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Apps

AQI India

6 A PP S F O R …

READING FAN FICTION

MONITOR AIR QUALITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Expand your reading horizon WATTPAD Wattpad enjoys one of the largest community of users who share stories across genres, and a variety of articles on a daily basis Free ; Google Play, App Store

YARN

Free; Google Play These days clean air has become a luxury, making it all the more imperative to view the real time values of the air outside so that you don’t damage your health further. The app helps check the Air Quality Index (AQI) and PM 2.5 separately, based on the user location fetching it from closest of the 300 pollution monitors installed by AQI India. Users can save their preferred locations for quick

Yarn offers tales in the form of short text message conversations between people including superheroes, celebrities, and hypothetical real life situations.

access. It can also provide personalised health recommendations based on their details. The values of many states and cities of India can be viewed with a quick glance, and comparison of data across various time frames of 24 hours, 7 days, and a month is possible. Even the major parameters contributing towards the score can be checked.

Free (Paid Subscription) ; Google Play, App Store

PENANA A publication platform allowing aspiring writers to show off their writing chops, Penana even gives fans a chance to add revisions to a story.

Free; Google Play, App Store

YouTube Music

BOOK BREAKS

A SPECIAL VERSION OF YOUTUBE ONLY FOR MUSIC Free (Premium `99 monthly); Google Play, App Store YouTube Music has become available internationally since last year, but was officially launched last month in India. This is the music-only counterpart to YouTube serving songs and music videos across a number of languages and various genres. The search function is unique as users can identify an unknown song by typing lyrics from the middle and still get results. The premium music subscription enables music playback without advertisements, background play that allows it to run when minimised and downloads for offline listening. Existing subscribers of Google Play Music W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M

Romance story lovers will find Book Breaks to be their ultimate destination for such stories, ranging from 30 minutes to hours on an end.

Free; Google Play, App Store

SWEEK Sweek seeks to engage both writers and readers with chances to read endlessly on various devices, or enter competitions to win big, and more.

Free ; Google Play, App Store

DREAME will already get the paid version as a part of their monthly subscription. With the sudden influx of paid music players, it’s hard to see a specific reason for anyone to pay for this as the overall experience is quite rudimentary.

Catered towards the female audience, Dreame delivers serialised online fiction by the ton with an interface designed specially to suit their sensibilities.

Free ; Google Play, App Store

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 83

ISSUE 45 5/ APRIL 2019

Retro

T3 3 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

84 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

past. Look at the worldwide revival of turntables. Only 15 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 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both Western and Indian, and T3 3 India seeks to address this gap. We hope you enjoy this section.

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Classic s Artist stes - Western n

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Classssic A rtistes - Indian

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Herb Alpert

Herb Alpert Words: H. S. Billimoria This month, we feature Herb Alpert, a multi faceted artiste whose career whizzed to the top in the 1960s. Herb was born in Los Angeles in 1935. His father was a Russian Jew and his mother, Hungarian. He began his career as a songwriter.

He, later on, went on to form the band â&#x20AC;&#x153;Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brassâ&#x20AC;? and became famous both as an ace trumpeter and a solo artiste. His PXVLF ZDV KHDYLO\ LQÄ&#x2021;XHQFHG E\ 0H[LFDQ DQG Latino nuances and covered the whole gamut from pop to jazz. $ORQJ ZLWK SDUWQHU -HUU\ 0RVV +HUE $OSHUW IRXQGHG $ 0 5HFRUGV ZKLFK WKH\ ODWHU VROG to Polygram.

T3 recommends his following albums: 1) The Lonely Bull (1962) 2) Whipped Cream (1965) 3) Going Places (1966) 4) The Beat of the Brass (1968) 5) Steppinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Out (2013)(2013)

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 85

RAJESH ROSHAN’S GREATEST HITS VOL 6

Rajesh Roshan’s Greatest Hits -Vol 6

Words: H. S. Billimoria

Rajesh Roshan has given a number of hits with Venus.

This month, we seek to identify some of them that relate to the late 1980s.

We start the Cd compilation with Sujit Kumar’s ‘Anubhav’ (1986) Anubhav came at a time when Rajesh’s career was at a low thanks to some flops. Anubhav was a small budget film starring Padmini Kolhapure with Shekhar Suman. When the music was released, Filmfare called it ‘The Resurrection of Rajesh Roshan’. The music was uniformly good and saved the movie which became a modest success.

Lata’s rendition of ‘Pyar mein tujhse’ is poignant and soul stirring.

This is definitely amongst the best Lata solos with Rajesh’s music. The second song is a duet ‘Tere nainon ne baan’ by S P Balasubramanian and Alka Yagnik . To our recollection, this is SPB’s only song with Rajesh Roshan. The duet is an intoxicating number. The third song that we have selected from ‘Anubhav’ is ‘Baahon mein aaja’ sung by Rajesh Roshan himself and picturised on brother Rakesh. Rajesh has very rarely given playback for his songs. Anubhav, Do aur Do Paanch and Kites were exceptions.

86 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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RAJESH ROSHAN’S GREATEST HITS VOL 6

Mahesh Bhatt had earler worked with Rajesh Roshan in ‘Kabzaa’. Kabzaa was an average musical effort.

‘Kaash’ (1987), however, saw Rajesh in his element and he produced one of his best musical efforts in this film.

Kaash was very popular with the critics and classes and was considered the first film in which Jackie Shroff actually got around to ‘acting’. All the songs were popular with the best being ‘O yaara’ sung by Kishore Kumar and Anupama Deshpande. The story goes that Lata was to join Kishore for this duet but could not make it to the studio. Anupama, a backing singer recorded the song in her absence. Both Mahesh Bhatt and Rajesh Roshan were so impressed by her rendition that they decided to retain her voice in the duet. The second most popular song was a Kishore Kumar solo, ‘Baad muddat ke’. Kishore’s rendition won him a nomination for ‘Best male singer’ at the Filmfare awards. The third track from Kaash is a Mehmood number where Mehmood plays a magician.

The number, ‘Kya hai tumhara naam’ rendered by Mohd Aziz, Sonali and Mehmood is both catchy and melodious.

‘Kaash’ indeed was a musical triumph for Rajesh Roshan and was an award worthy score.

Rakesh Roshan’s first big hit as a producer – director was ‘Khudgarz’ (1987). ‘Kaamchor’, which released earlier, was a moderate success. The film got a big boost from brother Rajesh’s hit music which richly deserved awards. Three tracks stood out. The first was ‘Zindagi ka naam dosti’ rendered ably by Nitin Mukesh and picturised on Rishi Kapoor. The second was a duet by Mohd Aziz and Sadhana Sargam – ‘Log Kehte Hain’. Picturised on Jeetendra and Bhanupriya, the duet oozes melody and ranks amongst Rajesh’s best duets. The third number is ‘Aap ke aa jaane se’ picturised on Govinda and Neelam. Whatever Bappi Lahiri can do, Rajesh Roshan can do better. This Govinda duet sung by Mohd Aziz and Sadhana Sargam rocks and has an infectious beat.

Our next choice is from ‘Ghar Sansar’ (1987), Vimal Kumar’s first film. The film starred Jeetendra with Sridevi.

A social film, it nevertheless saw limited success. We have selected the Alka YagnikHemlata number, ‘Teri oonchi nahin deewaar’ picturised on a naughty Aruna Irani and Shakti Kapoor.

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‘Dariya Dil’ (1988) was again a Vimal Kumar film starring Govinda with Kimi Katkar. It was a mild hit and is still remembered for Nitin Mukesh’s hit number, ‘Woh kehte hain’. This solo ranks amongst Rajesh Roshan’s best numbers. The only fly in the ointment is the out of tune picturisation of the number on Govinda.

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 87

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INSIDE

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90

ENTERTAINMENT

91

AUDIO

92

LIFESTYLE

93

AUTO

94

SMART HOME

95

COMPUTING

96

TRAVEL

APR RIL 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 89

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90 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

MARANTZ SR6012 $ IHDWXUH SDFNHG UHFHLYHU WKDW RIIHUV FKDQQHO VXSSRUW 'ROE\ $WPRV DQG '76 ; VXUURXQG GHFRGLQJ HLJKW . +] +'0, SRUWV +'5 +(26 ZLUHOHVV multi-room music support and smart 4K XSVFDOLQJ `1,24,900, marantz.com

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TURNTABLE REGA PLANAR 3 $ VROLG SURGXFW IURP 5HJD WKDW ORRNV JRRG ZLWK WKH KLJK JORVV DFU\OLF laminated plinth and offers improved VWDELOLW\ ZLWK QHZ SUHFLVLRQ EHDULQJ DQG D UH GHVLJQHG IRRW `80,000, rega.co.uk

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APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 91

Best of the best BEST OFâ&#x20AC;¦

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Kit yourself out with the ultimate in personal technology. This is the stuff you use every day, so make sure you get it spot on with our picks $1'52,' 3+21(

35(0,80 3+21(

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92 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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YI HOME CAMERA $Q DIIRUGDEOH VHFXULW\ VROXWLRQ IRU \RXU KRPH <L +RPH FDPHUD LV FDSDEOH RI UHFRUGLQJ YLGHRV LQ S ZD\ DXGLR PRWLRQ VHQVLQJ GHWHFWLRQ DQG HYHQ QLJKW PRGH 7KH FDPHUD FDQ VWRUH YLGHRV RQ D PLFUR6' FDUG `1,999, amazon.in

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YALE YMF40 $ GLJLWDO GRRU ORFN WKDW FDQ XQORFN D GRRU WKURXJK D PHFKDQLFDO NH\ 3,1 DQG HYHQ RQHèV Ä&#x2020;QJHUSULQW ,W HYHQ FRPHV ZLWK DQ G% DODUP LI DQ\RQH DWWHPSWV WR EUHDN LQ `39,999, yale.co.in

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94 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

AMAZON ECHO PLUS 7KH (FKR 3OXV LVQèW MXVW $OH[D å LWV EXLOW LQ hub can discover and control tech from 3KLOLSV +XH DQG RWKHUV GLUHFWO\ VR \RX GRQèW QHHG D KXE IRU HYHU\ GLIIHUHQW KRPH WHFK EUDQG `10,499, amazon.in

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Best of the best BEST OFâ&#x20AC;¦

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From gaming paradise to mobile workhorses to tablets with laptop power, these computer and accessory picks will up your productivity ULTRAPORTABLE LAPTOP

PRO LAPTOP

HP SPECTRE 13 6LPSO\ WKH PRVW JODPRURXV DQG KDQGVRPH ODSWRS \RX FDQ EX\ WRGD\ DQG WKDW GRHVQèW PHDQ VDFULÄ&#x2020;FLQJ SRZHU HLWKHU +3 KDV VRPHKRZ PDQDJHG WR VTXHH]H D &RUH L LQWR LWV LPSRVVLEO\ WKLQ FP WKLFN VKHOO From `1,10,290, hpshopping.in

GAMING LAPTOP DELL INSPIRON 15 7000 (7577) $ SRZHUIXO JDPLQJ ODSWRS ZLWK WK JHQ &RUH L 1YLGLDèV *7; *38 ZLWK 0D[ 4 GHVLJQ DORQJ ZLWK )XOO +' DQWL JODUH ,36 GLVSOD\ 7KH ODSWRS DOVR IHDWXUHV D PRQR KLQJH GHVLJQ WKDW KHOSV LPSURYH WKH DLUÄ&#x2021;RZ `1,27,390, dell.com/in

GAMING PC CORSAIR T1 GAMING CHAIR ,QVSLUHG E\ PRWRUVSRUW VHDWV WKH JDPLQJ FKDLU JLYHV FRPIRUW DQG VXSSRUW ZLWK IXOO\ PRXOGHG IRDP XSKROVWHU\ DQG VWHHO ERG\ IUDPH 7KH FKDLU DOVR IHDWXUHV D IRXU GLUHFWLRQDO DUPUHVW GHJUHH UHFOLQH DQG XS WR GHJUHHV RI VHDW WLOW `35,000, corsair.com

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ALL-IN-ONE APPLE IMAC WITH 5K RETINA DISPLAY 7KHUHèV QHYHU EHHQ D VFUHHQ OLNH WKLV %LJ HQRXJK IRU HYHU\ WDVN GHWDLOHG EULJKW colourful, and it happens to have a Mac VWXIIHG LQ WKH EDFN RI LW DV ZHOO From `1,47,400, apple.com/in

HYPERX CLOUD REVOLVER S 3OXJ Q SOD\ KHDGVHW WKDW RIIHUV YLUWXDO 'ROE\ VXUURXQG VWXGLR JUDGH VRXQG VWDJH D GHWDFKDEOH QRLVH FDQFHOOLQJ PLF DQG DQ DGYDQFHG 86% DXGLR FRQWURO ER[ ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR 3&V LW DOVR ZRUNV ZLWK PDMRU FRQVROHV `12,999, hyperxgaming.com

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GAMING MONITOR VIEWSONIC XG2703-GS ;* *6 LV D * 6\QF HQDEOHG PRQLWRU WKDW ERDVWV D 6XSHU&OHDU ,36 SDQHO ZLWK +] UHIUHVK UDWH DQG VXSSRUW IRU [ :4+' UHVROXWLRQ ,W DOVR FRPHV ZLWK 'DUN %RRVW *DPH 0RGH IXQFWLRQ `84,999 viewsonic.com/in

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APPLE MACBOOK PRO 7KLV $SSOH KDUGZDUH LVQèW MXVW KLS LWèV DOVR HIÄ&#x2020;FLHQW PDF26 LV PDGH IRU SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG LWèV DW LWV EHVW LQ WKH 0DF%RRN 3UR ZKHUH WKH 7RXFK %DU ZRUNV LQ D Ä&#x2021;DVK DQG WKH LQWHUQDOV UXQ IDVWHU IRU ORQJHU From `1,47,900, apple.com/in

ASUS CERBERUS MECH RGB $ IXOO\ PHFKDQLFDO NH\ERDUG ZLWK IDVW UHVSRQVH DQG GXUDELOLW\ 5*% LOOXPLQDWLRQ DQWL JKRVWLQJ DV ZHOO DV RQH WKH Ä&#x2021;\ PDFUR UHFRUGLQJ `6,300, asus.com/in

PREMIUM TABLET APPLE iPAD PRO 7KH L3DG 3UR LV PRUH WKDQ D WDEOHW ,WèV D FUHDWLYH WRRONLW D SURFHVVLQJ SRZHUKRXVH DQG DQ HVVHQWLDO DGGLWLRQ WR DQ\ PRELOH ZRUNÄ&#x2021;RZ ZKHWKHU \RX RSW IRU WKH LQFK RU LQFK PRGHO From `50,800, apple.com/in

APRIL 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 95

Best of the best BEST OFâ&#x20AC;¦

TRAVEL & OUTDOORS Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re off for a holiday or just hitting the running trail, get the most from your trips with these amazing tech buys ENTRY-LEVEL DSLR CANON EOS 200D ,WèV OLJKW VWXUG\ DQG FRPSDFW HQRXJK WR Ä&#x2020;W LQ D EDJ ,W KDV D ODUJH 03 $36 & &026 VHQVRU QHZ 'LJLF SURFHVVRU )XOO +' YLGHR UHFRUGLQJ DW ISV DQG VKDUH WKHP LQVWDQWO\ ZLWK WKH EXLOW LQ :L )L From `47,495, canon.co.in

MIRRORLESS CAMERA S SONY A9 &OHYHUO\ HQJLQHHUHG WR SXW HYHU\ & FFRPSRQHQW ULJKW EHKLQG WKH 03 VVHQVRU IRU VSHHG WKH $ FDQ VKRRW DW D ULGLFXORXV ISV WDNH . YLGHR DQG K KDV SRLQW IRFXV ZLWK D IXOO IUDPH VVHQVRU `3,29,990, sony.co.in

ACTION CAMERA GOPRO HERO6 BLACK The most advanced action camera on the SODQHW FDQ VKRRW VWXQQLQJ . YLGHR DW ISV ZLWK DGYDQFHG VWDELOLVDWLRQ PDNLQJ IRRWDJH VXSHU VPRRWK DQG UHDOLVWLF ,WèV DOVR ZDWHUSURRI WR P ZLWKRXW D FDVH `45,000, GOPRO.COM

5811,1* :$7&+ GARMIN FORERUNNER 935 7KH )RUHUXQQHU PHDVXUHV HYHU\ DVSHFW RI \RXU ZRUNRXW IURP KHDUW UDWH WR FRPSOH[ UXQQLQJ PHWULFV OLNH JURXQG FRQWDFW WLPH ,W KHOSV \RX WR LPSURYH SRVWXUH DQG XSJUDGH \RXU SDFH `42,990, garmin.com

)8// )5$0( '6/5 NIKON D850 $ SUR FDPHUD WKDW WDNHV JUHDW SKRWRV DV ZHOO DV YLGHRV LQ . 7KH FDPHUD FRPHV ZLWK D 03 ); IRUPDW %6, &026 VHQVRU ([SHHG LPDJH SURFHVVLQJ HQJLQH DQG ZLWK QHJDWLYH GLJLWLVHU IXQFWLRQ DQG DQ DGGLWLRQDO DFFHVVRU\ FRQYHUW ROG QHJDWLYHV LQWR GLJLWDO SKRWRV From `2,49,950, nikon.

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:$7(53522) 3257$%/( 63($.(5 UE WONDERBOOM $V DW KRPH RQ WKH EHDFK RU Ä&#x2021;RDWLQJ LQ WKH SRRO WKDQ LW ZRXOG EH LQ \RXU NLWFKHQ WKH 8( :RQGHUERRP JHQHUDWHV D GHJUHH VRXQG IURP LWV WLQ\ ,3; UDWHG VKHOO 8S WR WHQ KRXUV RI EDWWHU\ OLIH LV JUHDW WRR `7,995, ultimateears.com

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96 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today APRIL 2019

STUFFCOOL MARVEL CABLES $GG VRPH Ä&#x2021;DLU WR WKH PXQGDQH ORRNLQJ FDEOH ZLWK 0DUYHO EUDQGHG FDEOHV IURP 6WXIIFRRO ,WèV EUDLGHG ZLWK Q\ORQ IRU H[WUD GXUDELOLW\ VXSSRUWV IDVW FKDUJH DQG V\QF and even bundles a soft pouch for safe VWRUDJH `799, stuffcool.com

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LUXURIES Guilty pleasures to seriously spoil yourself

R ÉM Y M A RT IN LOU I S X III SM A RT DE C A N TE R Unless you’re over 80, or have appeared on Bullseye, you’ve probably never owned a decanter. But you might want to break that habit for this little gem. Designed for fans of Rémy Martin’s luxury Louis XIII cognac, it’s WKHbĆUVW VXFK UHFHSWDFOH WR ERDVW VPDUW connectivity. Once you’ve registered with private members’ club the Louis XIII Society, simply tap your NFC-enabled phone or tablet on the mouth-blown, crystal cork stopper and \RXèOO DFWLYDWH D UDQJH RI VZDQN\ EHQHĆWV EHVSRNH HQJUDYLQJ VHUYLFHV QRWLĆFDWLRQV RI limited-edition releases; access to a private advisor for arranging personal tastings; and an invitation to network with Louis XIII lovers all over the world. If ever there was a reason to develop an unhealthy drinking habit, this is it. `TBA, louisxiii-cognac.com

98 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today APRIL 2019

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