RNI NO. MAHENG/2015/69288
PHONES W E A R A BLES AUDIO T VS L A PTOPS `130
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INDIAN EDITION
EVERYTHING
INDUSTRY SPEAK COVID-19 impact on tech
FITNESS WATCHES FACE OFF Apple vs Fitbit vs Garmin
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SHOWSTOPPER Gadgets that showcase the very best that design and technology have to offer
QUALITY CARTRIDGE The X1’s impressive list of features is rounded off by a high-quality Pick It S2 MM cartridge. Manufactured by Ortofon, it features a special elliptical stylus tip that delivers detailed sound reproduction and expansive imaging – you’ll really notice the difference when listening to your records
PRO-JE C T X1 Many of the items that make it onto our Showstopper page do so because of their striking looks. But this month’s entry is every bit as easy on the ear as it is on the eye. Back in 1991, when CDs were beginning to dominate the audio sphere, Pro-Ject went against the grain by unveiling a high-end turntable called the P1. Now, nearly 30 years on, the Austrian manufacturer has created a direct successor to that now-iconic design, using more modern materials and production methods. Handbuilt on a heavyweight MDF chassis with either a gloss black/white or premium walnut-wood YHQHHU WKH ; ERDVWV D PLQLPDOLVW DHVWKHWLF WKDWèV LQĆQLWHO\ PRGLVK $QG LWV WHFK VSHF LV HTXDOO\ sophisticated, with a light and stiff 8.6-inch tonearm; a carefully isolated motor that ensures minimal vibration and noise; an electronic speed switch and height-adjustable aluminium feet that reduce acoustic feedback. This is one turntable that still stands out from the crowd. approx. `65,000, project-audio.com
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Welcome
Editor’s letter Tech in the times of a pandemic… While COVID-19 has certainly changed the way we used to work and live, it has also affected various sectors, including technology. Read what
Executive Editor Kunal Gangar Consulting Editor Girish Mallya Correspondent Gautam Doshi Editor (UK) Matt Bolton Contributors (UK) Duncan Bell, Alex Cox, Claire Davies Matt Evans, Amy Davies Publisher Girish Mallya Head Design & Production Ravi Parmar Senior Designer Prakash Gavnang Photography Mahesh Reddy Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Product Manager Perseus Master
some of the stalwarts in our industry think about
General Manager North and East - Ellora Das Gupta
its impact on pg 40.
General Manager South - Girish Shet Circulation Manager Circulation North and East - Kapil Kaushik
Moving onto our regular coverage, we look at the best tech one can buy. We also pit three best fitness watches against each other to see who takes the crown for the best fitness watch. The tech launches were few this month but we saw Apple launching the affordable iPhone SE, OnePlus’ eight-generation duo, a new fitness band from Fitbit and more. On the other hand, we had time to test some phones like the Galaxy S20 and a few more. We hope the issue gives a reprieve from the constant pandemic coverage. Happy reading and stay safe!
Kunal Gangar, Executive Editor k.gangar@nextgenpublishing.net
Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd. Views expressed by external contributors are their own and not those of the organisations they work for. Next Gen Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without adequate postal stamps for return postage. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express written permission of the publisher. All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. T3 India does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.
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BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE
This award, and others We give this only to Only a five-star review like it, are given for tech that stands out for earn a product our prestigious Platinum stunning aesthetics or a exceptional performance in a key feature clever build Award
BEST ON TEST
The winners of our group tests earn this accolade, showing them to be top tier
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4 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Contents
Contents 024
BEST TECH FOR EVERYTHING
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Ȏ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Horizon
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Ë? ČŠČ…Ë? ` Č‘Ë?$1 3!%Č? +) Some have questioned Huawei’s logic in launching a bunch of new agship handsets slap-bang in the middle of a global pandemic. The ip side of this argument, of course, is that during a lockdown, people are going to want something that can ably cater for their movie-watching, game-playing and home-working needs. The P40 – the standard model in a range of three devices – is undoubtedly an able phone. The aforementioned movies and games will dazzle on its 6.1-inch, 2340 x 1080 display. And though the 90Hz refresh rate isn’t quite up there with the best handsets in this class, it’s more than decent (and also a step up from the phone’s predecessor, the P30). The P40 features a sophisticated four-camera set-up: round the back you’ll ďŹ nd a 50MP RYYB f/1.9, a 16MP ultra-wideangle f/2.2, and an 8MP telephoto lens, while the front-facing camera shoots at a generous 32MP. We were pleased to hear that Huawei has used the same Kirin 990 5G chipset that impressed in its Mate 30 handsets at the end of last year – though, it must be said, news of the P40’s 3,800mAh battery left us feeling slightly underwhelmed. The P40 Pro and P40 Pro Plus offer a noticeably better spec, of course, but the P40 will do most things you want it to – and that includes getting you through the worst days of a nationwide lockdown.
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461&3 4503"(& All three of the P40 phones come with 8GB of RAM. However, while the standard handset offers 128GB of storage, the P40 Pro packs double that at 256GB, and the P40 Pro Plus serves up a whopping 512GB
“If you can cope without the extra smarts that its bigger brothers offer, then this handset is well worth your consideration� W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Horizon
ON A WIRE Sadly, there’s no wireless charging with this particular model – it’s 22.5W wired charging only. You get a much zippier experience with the more expensive versions
'"45 '*/(&34 The P40’s fingerprint sensor is said to be 30% larger than the one found on the Huawei P30. That should make it easier to use – and early reports suggest that it’s a lot faster, too
"114 :063 -05 Of course, thanks to the beef between the US and China, Huawei’s handsets don’t come with Android apps. Instead, the P40 runs the Huawei App Gallery, which takes some getting used to but is growing all the time
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
ˏȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȆȆ
Horizon '*5#*5 $)"3(& From `14,999, ďŹ tbit.com/in
With a stylish and sleek design, Fitbit has refreshed its range of Charge ďŹ tness bands. The Charge 4 features a scratch-resistant and sharper touchscreen display and now comes with built-in GPS to help users create heat maps for over 7 outdoor exercises. The Fitbit Charge 4 is also equipped with an advanced “Active Zone Minutesâ€? tracker that tracks users’ heart rates in over 20 different exercises and sports. But that’s not all. Fitbit Charge 4 focuses on helping the users get healthier in all aspects and realising the importance of sleep, it also tracks sleep patterns and gives users handy information like a sleep score derived from the number of hours slept, REM/light/deep sleep and so on. The Charge 4 also supports Spotify Connect that allows controlling Spotify playlist and songs and access to a 90-day free trial of Fitbit Premium adds a new dimension to ďŹ tness tracking with guided programs, new challenges and support through workouts by leading professionals. T3 SAYS: Since we are spending much more time at home nowadays, getting access to workouts from ďŹ tness brands like Popsugar, barr3, etc. through Fitbit Premium is an amazing way to stay motivated.
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approx. `9500, phonesoap.com According to PhoneSoap, the average handset is “18 times dirtier and contains more harmful bacteria than a public toiletâ€?. That’s why, a few years back, the American company launched its original, self-titled cleaning gadget, with the help of o Kickstarter funding. Looking much like a glasses K case, this pocket sanitiser contained an electronicsc friendly UV-C light that was able to kill 99.99% of the germs on your blower – including Inuenza T Type A, which, according to the makers, is “similar to the coronavirusâ€?. Now, PhoneSoap has unveiled a Pro version, which contains twice the number of UV-C bulbs, and can therefore do the job much U faster – the company claims it’ll obliterate those pesky organisms in just ďŹ ve minutes. p T SAYS: With everyone being worried about T3 germs at the moment, this new phone sanitiser g could clean up. c
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Ȇȇ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ë?ȇȅȇȅ
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Horizon
0110 8"5$) `TBA, oppo.com
There’s no hiding from it – Oppo’s ďŹ rst wearable looks a lot like the Apple Watch. Make no mistake, though, this Chinese-made device – due to land later this year – is an impressive timepiece in its own right. For a start, it boasts eSIM support, meaning you can make and receive calls on it independently of a smartphone. Its 1.91-inch, 326ppi “3D exible hyperboloid displayâ€? is a world-ďŹ rst for a smartwatch – the technology usually deployed on agship smartphones. There’s a wealth of ďŹ tness features on board, with ďŹ ve different exercise sensors, heart-rate and sleep monitoring, and waterprooďŹ ng to ďŹ ve metres. Plus, a dual-chip endurance system and VOOC ashcharging technology combine to deliver up to 21 days of use and super-speedy top-ups. T3 SAYS: Oppo’s ďŹ rst foray into the wearables market is much more than a tribute to Apple.
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Four years after its initial release in 2016, the secondgeneration iPhone SE is going to hit the markets soon, making it one of the most affordable iPhones out there. The new iPhone SE is powered by the mighty A13 Bionic chipset, which also powers heavyweights like the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. Made out of aerospace-grade aluminium and durable glass design, iPhone SE scores on the durability front that also has protection from dust and water. The phone features a 4.7-inch Retina HD display, supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 playback and also comes with the trusty Touch ID ďŹ ngerprint sensor. It also has a 12MP camera with f/1.8 aperture, ‘Portrait Lighting’ support and 4K video recording support at up to 60fps. T3 SAYS: iPhone SE supports fast charging and wireless charging but is bundled with a 5W charger
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Horizon 0/&1-64 "/% 0/&1-64 130 From `41,999, oneplus.in
The latest OnePlus 8 series consists of the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro, offer some signiďŹ cant upgrades making the duo strong contenders of being one of the best phones of 2020. Both, the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro get their unhindered speed, thanks to the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset and are equipped with up to 12GB of RAM. Users have voice and touch access to Alexa that enables a range of tasks from making calls to controlling smart homes. Among other activities, gaming on the OnePlus 8 phones seem promising as the OnePlus 8 Pro’s 6.78-inch QHD+ Fluid Display with a 120Hz refresh rate and the OnePlus 8’s 6.55-inch 90Hz display. The OnePlus 8 Pro comes with a quad-camera setup while the OnePlus 8 features a three-camera system both featuring a 48MP main camera. With the ‘Warp Charge 30T’ tech, both the phones can be charged to 50% in around 22 minutes but the OnePlus 8 Pro adds fast wireless charging chops, missing in the OnePlus family till now. T3 SAYS: OnePlus 8 series still runs the highly optimised OxygenOS with Android 10.
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Built for speedy and efficient performance, the newly announced Motorola Edge series is packed with a ton of impressive features. The Motorola Edge+ (pictured) is a 5G compatible phone and packs a punch with an ultrafast Snapdragon 865 processor and up to 12GB of RAM at its disposal. With a 6.7-inch Endless Edge display – which wraps around both the edges of the smartphone – offering an impressive 21:9 aspect ratio with HDR10+ support and with a 90Hz refresh rate. Users are in for a lot of fun while creating sharper and crisp images, and 6K videos through the multi-lens camera system, featuring the 108MP main + 16MP ultra-wide + 8MP telephoto lenses in its rear setup. Moreover, the Edge+ comes with a huge 5000mAh battery backup that supports TurboCharging and wireless charging. T3 SAYS: Motorola also has a less expensive model called the Edge that comes with Snapdragon 765, 4500mAh battery and 64MP triple camera.
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Style
WHICH WATCH
THE HOTTEST TIMEPIECES RIGHT NOW
CHRISTOPHER WARD, C1 MOONGLOW
HAMILTON, PSR
We love the C1 Moonglow because it’s quite unlike anything else in the CW collection. For under `2,00,000, you get the technically brilliant Calibre JJ04 and a truly unique watch dial.
Hamilton has revived the Pulsar – the first ever digital watch. It features the same dimensions as the original but now uses a hybrid display – mixing the latest LCD and OLED tech.
christopherward.eu
hamiltonwatch.com
BLANCPAIN, FIFTY FATHOMS BATHYSCAPHE 38MM
A.LANGE & SÖHNE, ODYSSEUS
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Odysseus is the brand’s first stainless steel sports watch. It embodies ALS’ legendary German craftsmanship, but is more suited to use on weekends spent hiking, swimming or sailing.
blancpain.com
alange-soehne.com
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
ˏȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ȇȋ
Horizon Auto
PEDAL TO THE METAL What could be more fun than ooring it in a shiny new sports car?? A And d there h are some b beauties i to choose from this year, as Paul Dimery discovers‌
From channelling your inner Magnum PI to satiating a midlife crisis, there are numerous reasons why you might want to splurge on a sports car. And there are some jaw-dropping new rides just waiting for you to tear up the tarmac in 2020 (speed limits permitting, of course). As you’d expect from a company that makes F1 cars, the McLaren 570S Spider (mclaren.com) emits the kind of menacing growl that turns heads on the street. And this muscular marvel’s bite is
as good as its bark, with a 3.8-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 lump yanking it from 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, and on to a top speed north of 320km/h (reduced to a mere 313km/h if the roof’s down). Of course, in this day and age, having a sports car and doing your bit for the environment needn’t be mutually exclusive. Due later this year, Tesla’s new all-electric Roadster (tesla.com) has been described as a “proper weapon� (whatever that means). Lithe and low-slung, the all-electric Roadster
can apparently muster 0-100 in under two seconds. Quick? That’s practically back in time. If you’re hoping for something a bit more budget friendly, look to France‌ At ďŹ rst glance, the French-made Alpine A110S (alpinecars.com) could be mistaken for a Porsche. It delivers a similarly intense driving experience, too, with a top speed of 259km/h, a 0-100 of 4.4 seconds and a chassis that’s been specially tuned for precision handling to leave you feeling on top of the world.
SPEEDY MOVERS Nifty – and sophisticated – ways to get around town SEGWAY-NINEBOT KICKSCOOTER MAX G30 !#3 5ČĽ %*! +0Čž/ ( 0!/0Ë?+ff!./Ë?/+(% ,!."+.) * !Ë?ȏȇȋ')ČŠ$ 0+,Ë?/,!! Ë? *d a 6ČŠČĽ ')Ë?. *#!ČČ‘Ë?3%0$Ë?&!((5ČĽ .!%*"+. ! Ë?05.!/Ë?"+.Ë?(+3Ë?,1* 01.! .%/'Č? $!.!Čž/Ë? (/+Ë? 1/0+)%/ (!Ë?".+*0Ë? * .! . . '!Ë?(%#$0/Ë?0+Ë?%),.+2!Ë?/ "!05Č?Ë? segway.com
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exwayboard.com
gocycle.com
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Living
GRAND PURE
TRANSFORM YOUR BEDROOM INTO AN ALLERGY-FREE HAVEN Sleep is your ally this allergy season, which is why lifestyle journalist Becca Caddy has rounded up the tech you need to help you rest well Allergies can wreak havoc with our wellbeing, especially by disturbing our sleep. Even though allergy season is right around the corner, there’s no need to panic if you have the right tech on your side. If you’re allergic to tree pollen, you may already notice the telltale signs, and grass pollen allergies will soon be causing sniffling and sleepless nights too. That’s why it’s important to rid your home of allergens, and your bedroom should be your top priority so that you can breathe easier and sleep better. The obvious place to start is with an air purifier. We love Dyson’s range, including the Dyson PureCool (dyson.in). For something smaller and more budget-friendly, try the Levoit Vista 200 (amazon.com), a compact purifier that removes 99.97% of fine particles from the air, including dust mites and pollen. It also has a quiet sleep mode, making it perfect for W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
your bedside table. Next up, the Shark DuoClean Cordless Vacuum Cleaner IF130UKTH (sharkclean.com) has anti-allergen tech built-in to capture and trap dust and allergens from your carpets and furnishings. Dust mites can cause allergies too, so invest in bedding designed specifically to combat them – the Dunlopillo Anti-Allergy Firm-Support Pillow (dunlopilloworld.com) uses allergy-beating fibres to keep dust mites at bay. Elsewhere, a humidifier in your bedroom can help you breathe easier in winter, but a dehumidifier is best for summer. The Meaco MeacoDry ABC10W (meaco.com) removes 12 litres of water from the air with next to no noise for night-time use. This is a must-have if your home is prone to damp as it’ll prevent mould growth, which can cause respiratory problems year-round. MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 17
Horizon Opinion
LED TVS – why the Chinese brands are winning market share V/S
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pinio
Duncan Bell is visiting Dyson Three interactions with retro tech make it clear that the past ain’t what it used to be o you remember that happy time, oh so long ago, when Dyson was known for making stylish and groundbreaking homewares, rather than stylish and groundbreaking ventilators? I do, and just before the world went loopy and the police started arresting people for shopping for non-essential Easter eggs, I was fortunate enough to go to the Dyson headquarters in Malmesbury. Who could turn that down? Apart from anything else, ‘Malmesbury’ is very pleasing to say out loud, especially in a Roger Moore voice. Mmm…almesbury. At the time, I was allowed out of the house, and Dyson had a new product to show off: the Corrale hair straightener. The Corrale is an attempt by the Great British Brand to do nothing less than reinvent the hair straightener. It does this by using less heat – ‘for 50% less damage’ – by being cordless, and using flexible plates to grip your hair – not my hair – in a new and exciting way and yadda yadda yadda. Now, as you can tell from the big photo of me next to this piece, I am not all that interested in hair straighteners. But I was certainly interested to go to rich, creamy and fruity Mmmalmesbury, because I wanted to see the top secret lair of dashing air-movement magnate Lord Dyson. Set in the rolling and expensive Cotswolds countryside, the Dyson HQ sadly turned out to be neither underground, nor hidden in a volcano. It is bloody large and impressive, however. There are acres of workshops and testing facilities. There’s a car park the size
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of Croydon. There’s a staff cafeteria – one of several, where a fighter jet hangs from the ceiling, suspended above Dyson’s dining employees, almost like some kind of threat. Oh and there’s also a Harrier Jump Jet ‘parked’ outside the main entrance. As you’d expect, James Dyson is a fan of jets. Then there are the converted aircraft hangars where Dyson is testing its new ventilators. These were previously used as a student social area, because another thing Dyson HQ has attached to it is an engineering college. Yes, really. In fact, just by wondering about the Dysonplex, you can see just why the products developed there command such high prices. Dyson doesn’t only do a lot of testing of its products, to ensure they hit statutory standards. Oh no, that would be too easy. They do that, and then
“The Dyson HQ sadly turned out to be neither underground, nor hidden in a volcano” they build their own test rigs to ensure their gizmos can pass tests they have made up. So, for instance, a machine was devised to simulate a 220kg human treading on the Corrale repeatedly, in stiletto heels. Just like in real life! In another top secret lab, robot hands pulled the straightener through tresses of scalped human hair repeatedly, to figure out how a person pulls straighteners through hair.
Of course, there’s something funny about a company largely staffed by blokes, developing advanced haircare products that will be used, in the main, by women. Like any enterprise devoted to engineering, Dyson is, despite its best efforts to address the balance, quite the sausage fest. However, there is no doubting their sincerity about wanting to develop the most effective hair care products possible – the effort involved is tremendous. The Corrale hair straightener, of course, faced the same reception as most new Dyson products, on release. You could hear the gasps at the sheer cost of it – at least double what you’d pay for a GHD hair straightener – from Malmesbury to John O’Groats. The BBC said the price of it would ‘make your hair curl’. Ho ho! However, whatever you think of Dyson, when you see the lengths they go to in designing and testing their products, it’s very hard to say they are ‘over-priced’. The Corrale is the culmination of nearly a decade of work and millions of pounds spent, and it makes your hair flat. It’s not something I’d want to do but I’m glad someone does.
ˏȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ȇȏ
Horizon Gadget Guru
T3’s hash slinger rustles up a fab feast of tasty tech answers
RAMESH CHAVAN
Why doesn’t my printer work? Little known fact: GaGu spent two miserable years doling out user-level technical support on behalf of a company that made labels for pre-packed sandwiches. Obviously his life has spiralled wildly downhill since then, but it has left him with just the teensiest bit of knowledge of printer maladies. Let’s run through what he learned on the job. Is it plugged in? Yes, it needs to be plugged in. And switched on. At the wall, yes. Is it connected to your computer? The computer. Not the screen, the box bit underneath it. Look, we’ll send an engineer; this is beyond Guru’s upsetting pay grade.
ILLUSTRATIONS: STEPHEN KELLY
A
Got an inkjet? When was the last time you used it? Whether by nature or (cynically) by design, the ink nozzles can get gummed up or dry out – particularly if you’re using third-party replacement cartridges, which are unquestionably a great thing given the horrendous price of ink but which can also circumvent low ink warnings and print themselves dry.
ABOVE Hammering it, or plugging it in? It’s a tech-support choose-yourown-adventure!
THERE’S SO MUCH THAT COULD BE THE CAUSE, BUT CHECK TO SEE IF YOU HAVE A WASTE TONER BIN THAT MIGHT NEED REPLACING
20 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
Give them a replace, and run whatever head cleaning routines your printer offers. Laser printer? There’s so much in that complex path that could be the cause, but check to see if you have a waste toner bin that might need replacing (not emptying – again, you’ll need to buy something) or a sheet of A4 jammed in the guttyworks somewhere. If it’s not that, let’s remember a fundamental truth: printers are the worst. Sometimes they just don’t work. GaGu would love that not to be true, but here we are. Consider percussive maintenance sanctioned. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Gadget Guru
7"36/ .0)5"
Is the air that I’m breathing in my home safe? knows what you’re up delightful digital nose around ďŹ ne " Guru to. You’re trying to trick him dust (PM2.5) as well as a bunch of into making all those obvious jokes about ‘volatile organic chemicals’ in the air. Thing is, there are plenty of devices out there ready to measure the gaseous emissions seeping through your halls, some of which can sniff out some particularly strange and dangerous brews. Take the AirThings Wave and the slightly brainier Wave Plus, both of which can huff up Radon, some of the nastiest gas there is. It’s silent and deadly, the kind of thing you wouldn’t know was there until it was too late – but when you know, you’re going to want to take action. Particulate matter is an obvious issue when it comes to localised pollution, so get yourself something that can detect the bad bits in the air – really, you can’t go far wrong with the Awair Second Edition, which is capable of getting its
other airborne nasties. That said, Guru has spotted that it’s out of stock at press time, so who knows what’s going on there. If you’re after something sensitive enough to pick up a thinner oating concoction, yet tough enough to muscle through a particularly thick fog, the Plume Labs Flow 2 can detect PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 – and it’s portable, with a leathery strap which allows you to waft it gently from room to room. You can even let rip with a reading outdoors, and share your results far and wide through the app. All jokes aside (and there were a few in there, believe it or not) get yourself a carbon monoxide detector now, and don’t even worry about it being smart – the Nest Protect can do it, but if you can’t afford it then a bog standard singleserving unit will do.
ABOVE 5IF *ODSFEJCMF )VML MPPLT MJLF IF NJHIU CF BU IPNF UPEBZy
("%(&5 (636 4 ."(*$ *$ #09 It turns out Old Uncle Guru placed slightly too much reliance on the structural integrity of the shelf directly above his wall-mounted monitor; when gravity eventually decided to do the thing it does, the contents of the shelf smashed the screen below to smithereens. Boo. Turns out, though, that GaGu’s VGA-only old monitors are still perfectly viable – all it took was a pair of ÂŁ6 BeneďŹ converter cables from Amazon to send HDMI and DisplayPort output from his graphics card to the 15-pin ports on those ancient displays. A more permanent solution is, naturally, in the offing – if it’s not superwide, something’s gone wrong. Strangely that’s about the only major disaster to have befallen GaGu this month. But indulge him with the airing of some minor gripes: why can’t he make any portable hard drive in the house work with Guru Jr’s W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
saved-up-for and fresh-to-him Wii U? ? Why has the software on GaGu’ss Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro become so sluggish and glitchy as to make it near useless? How was the shadylooking pedometer app that GaGu Sr installed on his Android phone able to inject ads into just about every other app the old man launched? These are the questions that Guru is usually paid to answer, but he’ll be damned if he’s going to do that off the clock. A positive, now. This month the Guru family’s slight obsession with the Eurovision Song Contest led to the viewing of a stack of national song selection ďŹ nals. It’s obviously been many years since the internet changed everything, but the childlike wonder of being able to just open an app and send Swedish TV to the living room screen is the same as that of Guru’s ďŹ rst forays into Yahoo chat rooms, talking to people from all over the world.
36450. #
How do I get the best CRT TV experience? you’re talking " Presuming about playing retro games, it’s a case of ďŹ nding the best second-hand TV – look towards Sony’s pre-at post-NICAM 4:3 Trinitrons if you can ďŹ nd them, or at least go for a known good brand as opposed to the glut of capabilitylimited cheaper screens – then using the best source you can. If your TV supports RGB SCART, pick up the appropriate connector; retrogamingcables.co.uk can supply you the necessary hardware. Original kit is a real plus, and the purist’s choice, but it’s not the only way. Perhaps most exciting (and Guru is truly very excited, because he’s ordered one to be delivered from Spain) is the RGB-Pi, a cable which plugs directly into the GPIO pins of a Raspberry Pi and pipes its output to RGB SCART, fuss free. It does frequency switching, resolution tweaks, the lot – it seems to be the best way to get emulated retro games displayed on the screens they were built for.
Ë?ȇȅȇȅË?T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȇȆ
Horizon Gadget Guru
NEW MEDIA
SHILPA T.
NOW PLAYING Where’s best for Guru finds the best media you need on your various screens
THE OTHER LATIF WNYC’s Radiolab presents a brilliant years-long deep dive into presenter Latif Nasser’s namesake, a prisoner in Guantanamo Bay. A clever and thought-provoking podcast.
a bike ride? always puts his trust in A Guru the wisdom of crowds,
unless they’re those crowds that hang around outside the gates of his palatial estate campaigning for him to switch off his ‘unsafe’ and ‘ill-conceived’ gadget incinerator. Those guys don’t know what they’re talking about. The crowds to listen to, in this case, should probably be those dedicated fitness-dudes out there that use Strava. Every time a bit of data is logged, be it a run, swim, cycle or ski, it’s painted onto a heat map that you can view at strava.com/heatmap – seek out the hottest areas, though do bear in mind that only Strava subscribers can zoom as low as street level.
ROMAN SAVIO
My noise cancelling ear buds don’t work THE SLOW RUSH Tame Impala’s new album takes them still further away from their roots and into an almost disco vapourwave swirl – not that Guru’s pink-and-cyan brain is complaining in any way.
CROCODILE DUNDEE Paul Hogan’s finest hour: a stupid film that doesn’t stand up to the standard of today’s movies but one which, if you’re flicking through Netflix anyway, you should watch.
GaGu can assure you that they (probably) work just fine – what you’re hearing is the disgusting sound of the inside of your own head. Blood pumping, saliva sloshing, bones clicking, the kinds of thing that any well-fitted ear bud tends to highlight. When you forcibly extract the sound of the outside world, the effect is simply heightened. You may find that a hybrid ear bud, which listens both on the inside and the outside of the ear canal, is a better choice, but it’ll be only a slight difference at best. If it’s a real problem, ANC cans are a little friendlier; Sony’s WH-1000XM3 are the best you can get today.
ABOVE Noise cancelling: be alone with your thoughts – and the burbling sound of gunk inside your head
MANOJ SHINDE
I want the Japanese toilet experience! from hiring your A Aside own bidet butler (turnover in that position is incredibly high) you’ll likely be looking at an add-on; Washloo’s range of smart seats are priced around `50,000.If you’re fitting a new bathroom, or don’t mind ripping out your current porcelain, Washloo also does a line of remote control all-inone smart toilets, and many other bathroom companies are offering their own smart options too. You’ll be clean enough to eat your dinner off. Err, scratch that last sentence!
IF YOU DON’T MIND RIPPING OUT YOUR CURRENT PORCELAIN, WASHLOO DOES A LINE OF REMOTE CONTROL ALL-IN-ONE SMART TOILETS
22 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
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Best tech for everythink
EVERYTHING Discover the greatest gadgets for working smart, getting fit, expressing yourself and entertaining the whole family Words: Alex Cox Photography: Neil Godwin
24 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
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Best tech for everythink
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ˏȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȇȋ
Best tech for everythink
CREATING
Cracking gadgets for crafting beautiful things 1 1
MAC PRO
Okay, it’s prohibitively priced (and looks like a cheese grater), but that’s not the point: if you want a creative workstation with the muscle to do anything and everything without missing a beat, Apple’s exquisitely designed and supremely capable powerhouse is it. It’s upgradeable, too, which is a big bonus. apple.com/in
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CANON EOS 90D
Making a highly compelling argument for the continued existence of DSLRs in an increasingly mirrorless world, this is a weighty and highly capable camera with a ZKROH ORW RI H[FLWLQJ IXQFWLRQDOLW\ LQVLGH QRW OHDVW RI which is its full-frame 4K shooting, which helps make the most of your lenses. in.canon
3
GOPRO MAX
Taking compactness to the extreme, the Max is GoPro without the compromise. While the Hero 8 Black is a marginally better choice if you’re looking for resolution, this does 360 shooting, has a rear screen, stabilises incredibly, ingeniously levels horizons, and doesn’t skimp on the shooting modes. gopro.com
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NETGEAR MEURAL CANVAS II
Though Netgear very much pushes the Meural Canvas II’s ability to pull from a 30,000 strong collection of artworks (with a subscription), we’d say the gorgeous digital frame is the perfect showcase for your own creations, whether they be family photographs or personal masterpieces. in.netgear.com
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KORG WAVESTATE
Resurrecting the classic Wavestation synth of old with a fresh 21st-century twist, this compact 37-key keyboard, which runs four sequenced sound layers at RQFH DORQJ ZLWK D KRVW RI ĆOWHUV DQG HIIHFWV LV DOO DERXW offering up new options for sound exploration. korg.com
5
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ORBA
What is a musical instrument? Artiphon’s Orba, just RXW RI LWV .LFNVWDUWHU SKDVH UHGHĆQHV WKH UXOHV 7DS it, tilt it, move it around, and your hand motions are translated into sound through its integrated synth. It’s just as capable as a MIDI controller, too. artiphon.com
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Creating Creati g
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WACOM ONE CREATIVE PEN DISPLAY Bringing pen-on-screen art down to the hobbyist price point, Wacom’s 13.3� One tablet can detect 4,096 levels of sensitivity, 60 degrees of pen tilt, and even connects to some Android phones. However you want to express your creativity, it’s a perfect choice. wacom.com
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LEICA SL2
Taking the foundation of the Panasonic Lumix S1R and coating it in a thick, delicious layer of /HLFD ĆQHU\ DQG SUHFLVLRQ WKH 6/ LV D WUXO\ incredible mirrorless snapper. Super fast, great at keeping out stray light, and perfect for video übDOWKRXJK \RXèOO QHHG D IDW ZDOOHW leica-camera.com
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BOOX NOTE 2
Powerful, extendable, and packed to the rafters with battery life, the Android 9.0-toting Note 2 is a solid 10.3� e-ink alternative to pen and paper. Great for sketching, PDF wrangling, reading, or even (in a pinch) using as a second monitor via its USB 3 connection. boox.com
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10 SONY RX100 VII For pro-level photography in a pocket SDFNDJH bORRN QR IXUWKHU WKDQ 6RQ\èV VOHHSHU which can autofocus in just 0.02 seconds and track the eyes not just of humans but of DQLPDOVbWRR $ SURSHUO\ VPDUW FDPHUD ZLWK D IDVW VHQVRU DQG D UHPDUNDEO\ ćH[LEOH 200mm Zeiss zoom lens. sony.co.in W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Ë?ȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȇČ?
Best tech for everythink
LISTENING
Amp up your audio and let your music carry you away 1
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CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MELOMANIA 1
&DPEULGJH $XGLRèV WUXH ZLUHOHVV EXOOHW EXGV GR H[DFWO\ what they need to: offer spellbinding sound and comfortable styling in an ultra-compact package, for a price that, at least next to strong competition from bigger names like Apple and Sony, seems very attractive indeed. A winner. cambridgeaudio.com
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RUARK MR1 MK2
What Ruark does with speakers is nothing short of witchcraft. This is a compact set, perfect for a bookshelf or a desk, but piping music through the MR1 Mk2 reveals it’s so much more: you get loud, rich, clear audio with real depth. Honestly, why go any bigger? ruarkaudio.com
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AIRPODS PRO
Apple’s best AirPods yet by a long chalk, and (thanks to their pressure equalisation, IPX4 rating and transparency-equipped ANC) the perfect partner for when you need either to block the world out completely or go for a big sweaty run and let a little sound in. apple.com/in
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AUDIO-TECHNICA AT-LP5X
We’re well aware of the temptation to spend through the nose for a high-quality turntable, but there’s absolutely no need: the unassuming style (and price) of the Audio-Technica AT-LP5x does nothing to mask its wide, exciting sound. There’s USB output too, which is always helpful. audio-technica.com
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NAIM MU-SO 2ND GENERATION
2QH OLVWHQ WR 1DLPèV UHĆQHG DOO LQ RQH DXGLR VROXWLRQ and wireless speaker (developed in collaboration with the French sound scientists at Focal) is all it takes. This is an utterly spectacular creation, one that brings QHZ OLIH WR VRXQG DQG GRHV DQ LQFUHGLEOH DPRXQW LQ D FRPSDFW VKHOO naimaudio.com
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LINN SERIES 3
As its price suggests, this is something very special. The Series 3 combines wide-ranging hi-res and streaming support, Linn’s design expertise and the company’s frequency-delaying Exakt audio tech to create the ĆQHVW ZLUHOHVV VSHDNHU \RXèUH HYHU OLNHO\ WR KHDU linn.co.uk ȇȎ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ˏȇȅȇȅ
WWW T 3 I N D I A . CO M W.T
Listen
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SENNHEISER MOMENTUM 3 WIRELESS The ANC headphone market is a war zone right now, and every weapon Sony, Bose, B&W et al put out is better than the last. Winning the arms race right now? Sennheiser. These pack clarity and rhythm into a comfortable collapsible package that belongs on your ears. sennheiser.com
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ECHO STUDIO
$PD]RQèV KLJKHVW HQG (FKR SDFNV ĆYH VSHDNHUV LQWR LWV shell, with 3D audio and Atmos support along with the smart home and voice control features you’d expect from such a device. Good enough to best the ace Homepod? We’d say so. amazon.in
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TECHNICS SL-G700
Realistically there are few clamouring to add SACD SOD\EDFN IDFLOLWLHV WR WKHLU KL Ć EXW DV DQ DGGHG H[WUD WR just about the best audio streamer you can buy, we’d argue it’s not such a bad thing. Technics’ SL-G700 is as precise and powerful as it is visually understated. technics.com
10 WHARFEDALE LINTON HERITAGE If you want a massive, open-ended sound from your stereo, Wharfedale’s modern-engineered but classicallystyled speakers are the way to go. They’re big (but not too big), with a huge amount of detail and real URRP ĆOOLQJ VFDOH wharfedale.co.uk W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Ë?ȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȇČ?
Best tech for everythink
WATCHING
Feel like you’ve escaped into another world for the evening 1
PANASONIC GZ2000 OLED 4K TV
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)HZ ZRXOG DUJXH WKH *= èV SRVLWLRQ DW WKH WRS RI WKH 79 WUHH RWKHUV PLJKW EH WKLQQHU RU KDYH ćDVKLHU interfaces, but few are as colour-accurate or as quick to respond as this one. This is reference monitor quality in a consumer TV, with all the HDR support and Atmos you can eat. panasonic.co.in
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FIRE TV STICK 4K
Now that Amazon and Google have made up and are playing nice, the YouTube-capable Fire TV Stick 4K has cemented itself as the premier plug-and-play media streamer. It’s app-rich, handles 4K like it’s nothing, and is fully compatible with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. amazon.in
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BENQ HT3550
Massively contrasty and highly detailed, with a powerful 4K HDR engine backing it up, %HQ4èV SURMHFWRU LV ZKDW DOO SURMHFWRUV VKRXOG EH ,WèV best in low light, but it’s fully capable wherever you choose to put it and with a vertical lens shift, you can JHW PLQXWHO\ GHWDLOHG ZLWK \RXU SLFWXUH WZHDNV benq.com
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SONY HT-X8500
Sony’s sound virtualisation tech is such that this 2.1 Atmos/DTS:X soundbar throws 7.1.2 sound all over the room even without a laundry list of cones. It’s got an integrated sub, too, so it’s compact enough to bring cinematic sound to even the most bijou of living rooms. sony.co.in
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PHILIPS HUE PLAY HDMI
Hue has long worked with Philips’ own Ambilight, which projects coloured light at the edge of a TV to expand its picture. But why stop there? The Hue Play sniffs HDMI signals to turn your whole Hue-infused front room into a massive glow-up of screen-linked colour, making for a glorious, immersive spectacle. philips.co.in
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PHILIPS OLED754
Solid from top to toe, including its basically bezel-free 4K HDR panel, its P5 processor and its superb audio package, the OLED754 is Philips’ entry-level OLED but you’d be forgiven for being fooled otherwise. For WKH SULFH \RX ZRQèW ĆQG DQRWKHU 79 TXLWH OLNH LW philips.co.in
Ȉȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ˏȇȅȇȅ
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Watch
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SENNHEISER AMBEO
Five high-quality tweeters, six long-throw woofers WKURZLQJ RXW EDVV DV ORZ DV +] WZR WRS ĆUHUV and Fraunhofer’s latest 3D sound protocols tying it all together makes for one remarkable soundbar, ZKHWKHU \RXèUH GULYLQJb'76 ; 03(* + 'ROE\ Atmos, or anything else. sennheiser.com
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FOCAL CHORA 826-D
Home cinema is made so much better by Atmos übDQG $WPRV WKURXJK )RFDOèV KLJKO\ WXQHG DQG IUDQNO\ JRUJHRXV ćRRUVWDQGHUV KDV QHYHU VRXQGHG EHWWHU 6XSHU OLJKW EXW XOWUD ULJLG 6ODWHĆEHU FRQHV mean power and delicacy in equal measure, and the build quality is superb. focal.com
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WD MY CLOUD HOME DUO
All that media has to live somewhere, and WD’s hefty 8TB NAS turns storage into an absolute breeze. Whether it’s a gargantuan 4K movie collection or a host of hi-res music, you’ll be able to access it anywhere on the network, with enough space to last you years. westerndigital.com
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10 DENON AVR-X3600H Driving an immersive home cinema experience demands an amp with skill. Denon doesn’t disappoint with the AVR-X3600H, a major upgrade to its previous generation receiver that offers 11 180W channels, Atmos Height Virtualisation and tight, snappy audio response. denon.com W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Ë?ȇȅȇȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ČˆČ†
Best tech for everythink
ENTERTAINING Keep your mind – and your family – occupied while stuck inside 1
NINTENDO SWITCH ANIMAL CROSSING EDITION
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The Switch Lite is amazing for travel, but the full-fat Switch still tops our list if you’re doing your gaming at home and Nintendo has done something wonderful with the cute-asD EXWWRQ Animal Crossing special edition, which includes the quietly upgraded battery of the second Switch release. nintendo.com
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VALVE INDEX
Obtaining one isn’t the easiest thing in the world ZKHQ WKH\ JR XS RQ VDOH RQ 6WHDP WKH\ WHQG WR VHOO RXW LQ VHFRQGV EXW WKHUHèV JRRG UHDVRQ for that. This the ultimate top-end home VR H[SHULHQFH DQG ĆWWLQJO\ LW FRPHV ZLWK D IUHH FRS\ of Half-Life Alyx too. steampowered.com
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AMAZON FIRE HD 10 KIDS EDITION /RZ HQG WHFKQRORJ\ KDV ĆQDOO\ FDXJKW XS ZLWK high-end ambition, as Amazon’s kid-friendly version of the Fire 10 HD does amazing things on a tight budget. It’s a solid and, frankly, incredibly good tablet for the money and tough enough to WDNH ZKDWHYHU WKH \RXQJVWHUV FDQ WKURZ DW LW amazon.com
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LOGITECH G PRO
Tenkeyless, so it doesn’t hog any desk space, and toting the tactile version of Logi’s excellent Romer-G keyswitches, this absolutely earns its ‘Pro’ moniker; whether you’re typing out a document or toting it around to esports WRXUQDPHQWV WKLV LV D WUHDW IRU \RXU ĆQJHUV logitechg.com
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ČˆČ‡ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ë?ȇȅȇȅ
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Fitness watches
Fitness watches
FITNESS WATCHES CAN GIVE YOU AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF INSIGHT INTO YOUR TRACK AND WORKOUT PERFORMANCE. BUT WHICH ONES GO THAT EXTRA MILE FOR ACTIVE PEOPLE? Photography: Neil Godwin
top-quality running watch will be a real step up if you have only used fitness trackers before. Unlike fitness trackers, running watches have a range of advanced features such as built-in GPS, more accurate wrist-based optical heart rate sensors and plenty of available sport modes. They also provide detailed running metrics in real time, like pace and cadence, that can help you better your running technique on the fly. Running watches have long been suitable, to varying degrees, for tracking
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your prowess in the gym; the reason they’re now often known as fitness watches is that brands explicitly design them for multiple sports and activities – not just gym but hiking, cycling, paddle boarding and a host of other fitnessfriendly activities. As well as all this, high-end models can often be used for navigation, thanks to their offline map function. However, you don’t necessarily need to opt for a pure sports watch. For more casual users, a decent smartwatch will provide all the fitness features they need,
and also do a whole range of other things that ‘proper’ running watches cannot do. And if affordability is more your concern than umpteen different activity modes or tweeting out mid-workout humblebrags, there are plenty more wallet-friendly watches that will enable you to track your runs, monitor your vitals and more besides. Clearly there’s a lot of choice on offer. To make it easier to decide which is the best option for you, we’re taking a look at the best in each of these three categories and seeing how they compare head-to-head.
MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 33
State of the Art
WHAT’S ON TEST…
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Fitbit Versa 2 While Fitbit’s entrance into the fitness smartwatch market lagged a little behind its rivals Garmin and Apple, with the Versa series it has carved out its niche at the more affordable end of the market. Offering improved battery life, Alexa-integration and even Oxygenlevel tracking, the Versa 2 has become the one to watch for the cash-conscious. But does it offer good value compared to more fullfeatured competitors? From `20,999, fitbit.com/in
SPECS DISPLAY 300 x 300 AMOLED BATTERY LIFE 5+ days CASE Aluminium DIMENSIONS 25.07x25.07x12.7mm WEIGHT 40g
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Garmin Forerunner 945 When it comes to fitness tech, Garmin usually races ahead of the pack. And so it’s reasonable to expect its flagship running watch, the Forerunner 945, to leave rivals eating its dust. Certainly, with its great battery life, full-colour maps and absurd variety of fitness features, it’s a premium product – but it comes at undeniably premium price. `59,990, garmin.co.in
SPECS DISPLAY 240 x 240 pixels BATTERY LIFE Smartwatch mode: up to 2 weeks; GPS mode with music: up to 10 hours CASE Fibre-reinforced polymer DIMENSIONS 47x47x13.7mm WEIGHT 50g
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Apple Watch Series 5 We can’t not mention the device that helped spawn the category. While Apple’s device is a generalist compared to brands like Garmin and Fitbit, it has consistently offered great health and fitness features. Not only that but it offers enough smart functionality to justify its place on your wrist 24/7. From `40,900, apple.com
SPECS DISPLAY 40mm: 324 x 394 pixels; 44mm: 368 x 448 pixels BATTERY LIFE Up to 18 hours CASE Aluminium / stainless steel / titanium / ceramic DIMENSIONS 40x34x10.74mm / 44x38x10.74mm WEIGHT 30.8g - 47.8g
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Fitness watches PRODUCT 01:
FITBIT VERSA 2
FITBIT VERSA 2 Fitbit has made strides in the running watch market – but has it been enough? he new Fitbit Versa 2 looks to be the most stylish and versatile Fitbit to date. It adds Alexa, a brighter screen, a better battery and a more refined look to the Versa version 1. Its AMOLED screen looks great – really bright and attractive – and it can be set to ‘always on mode’. You’re finally able to just see your heart rate while working out, without having to flick your wrist to turn on the screen. Amazon Alexa offers the usual news, music, weather, smart home controls and Fitbit control via an Alexa ‘Skill’ – you can, ‘Tell Fitbit to start a run’ for instance. Interestingly, Alexa is activated with a button-push rather than a wake word, and its responses appear on screen in text form rather than being spoken. When it comes to the new and improved battery, the Versa 2 boasts what Fitbit calls 5+ day battery life; you could consider that a 25% improvement over its predecessor’s 4+ day battery life. While we’re predominantly focusing on fitness features, the Versa 2 has decent sleep tracking. Not only does it rate the quality of your sleep out of 100 but, as of February 2020, Fitbit rolled out its ‘Estimated Oxygen Variation Graph’ feature. Generated from data sourced from the red and infrared sensors on the Versa 2, it alerts you to ‘short-term variations in the oxygen levels in your bloodstream’ which ‘may indicate variations in your breathing during sleep’.
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Runs, hikes and rides have to be tracked via your phone’s GPS
As with the original Versa, it’s swim-proof and water resistant to 50m, despite the addition of a mic for Alexa activation
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However, those who are more into fitness than wellness or sleepiness are serviced by Fitbit’s usual mix of automatic activity tracking, all-day and exercise heart rate tracking and ‘15+ goal-based exercise modes’. Runs, hikes and rides have to be tracked via your phone’s GPS – there’s no GPS built in to the watch itself. Alas, just like the original Versa and Versa Lite, Versa 2 is not one for the more large-wristed gent. You don’t have to be Popeye for it to look quite comically small on your arm. But for most women, smaller men and those who like small watches for whatever reason, it’s great. Everything has been refined to look sharper and sexier, with a pleasingly buffed, anodised aluminium finish. In terms of fit and finish, as long as you are not large of wrist this is easily the most stylish Fitbit to date, and that AMOLED screen really pops. The usual Fitbit suite of features is fine as far as it goes but to unlock its real value, you’ll need a subscription to Fitbit’s premium service.
MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 35
State of the Art PRODUCT 02:
GARMIN FORERUNNER 945
GARMIN FORERUNNER 945
Garmin’s sport watch may take the gold – in terms of both prizes and price
utting a premium price tag on a product is a bold move and, to justify it, brands really have to go the extra mile. But for our money – and yours – Garmin’s sports watch the Forerunner 945 justifies it. Sure, at a price of `59,990, it’s pricier than a Fitbit but this is a watch that will help you get really fit, not just count steps and track a few light workouts. Built for triathletes, the 945 is suitable for anyone who’s serious about fitness but wants something slim and stylish too. Probably the Forerunner 945’s most notable upgrade is the increased battery life. Thanks to the new Sony GPS chip and firmware updates, it lasts for 60 hours in UltraTrac mode, which switches off the GPS when not in use. If you want the GPS on all the time, you will get 10 hours out of the battery. Put it in smartwatch mode, with GPS off, and it’s good for up to two weeks. If you like listening to music while exercising but don’t want to take your phone, the watch’s Spotify support will make your heart skip a beat. You can store up to 1,000 songs (synced playlists or uploaded MP3s) on it. Just connect your running headphones and you’re good to go. It also boasts full-colour maps, making navigation in both urban and trail environments way easier. The optical sensors on the back of the watch can detect heart rate and pulse more precisely than before, helping it to track VO2Max metrics even better. More interesting still, the ‘Training Load Focus’ function sorts your recent training history into different categories based on activity structure and intensity – this could be a genuine step forward in training for races.
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It’s able to track dozens of activities away from the track, road and pool The watch is compatible with Garmin’s smart heart-rate strap for runners, and its waterproof one for swimmers, and can also pair with Garmin power meters to function as a surprisingly sophisticated, wrist-mounted bike computer. However, it’s also able to track dozens of activities away from the track, road and pool. It’s great for weight training, interval tracking, treadmill running and anything else you can do at the gym. It really is the ultimate fitness watch with pro features that Apple Watch can’t currently match.
36 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
While it’s built for triathletes, the Forerunner 945 is perfect for anyone serious about fitness, combining great tracking with a solid build quality
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Fitness watches PRODUCT 03:
APPLE WATCH SERIES 5
APPLE WATCH SERIES 5 Apple’s all-conquering smartwatch is also an excellent fitness wearable lthough it’s not explicitly a fitness device, Apple Watch must presumably be the world’s most popular fitness wearable by now. Some people buy it specifically to track steps, runs and more; others buy it as smartwatch and then may or may not use the exercise features. The latest incarnation adds very little over the Series 4 – the main non-aesthetic addition is the option of an always-on screen. For workouts, this is actually quite the boon, as it means you can immediately view your heart rate and other metrics, without having to activate the screen by turning your wrist. The down side is that battery life is reduced, but then the device’s battery life has always been quite poor compared to Fitbit or Garmin. That’s why it doesn’t incorporate sleep tracking; it’s expected that you’ll be charging your Watch overnight. Apple’s fitness game remains very strong, so long as you keep its battery topped up. Of course it does step counting, but there is also an excellent heart-rate tracker, as well as one for blood oxygen measuring. There are some moans about the pulse sensor online – everyone seems to get different results from wrist heart tracking – but we’ve always found it to be excellent. Calorie burn estimates seem consistently accurate, where most fitness trackers’ seem rather fanciful at times. In fact, we’ve done a bit of lab testing and found the Apple Watch’s calorie burn estimates to be remarkably similar to those shown by proper sports-medicine equipment, which
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Its fitness game remains strong, so long as you keep its battery topped up
The Apple Watch Series 5 already offers peerless heart-rate, blood oxygen and step tracking but download a few third-party apps to make it better still
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
you have to concede is quite impressive. Accurate GPS, consistently good exercise detection and the ability to stream music via Bluetooth make it a great running and workout watch. Of course, if you are not on Wi-Fi, you will need to use a 4G connection to stream, but there is also the option to store playlists on the Watch, if you don’t want to use up your data allowance. Apple’s own workout app doesn’t have some of the more advanced training metrics that Garmin offers, but via third party apps and sensors, the Watch can rival even the best fitness watches for sophistication, handling running, gym workouts and swimming with aplomb. One for the sporty type who likes to mix their activities, then.
MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 37
State of the Art VERDICT:
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MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 39
Industry speak
INDUSTRY SPEAK
With a global pandemic that has affected every industry, we ask a few key decision makers from the technology industry and learn how they are coping in the COVID-19 era. 40 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today MAY 2020
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FINGERS
Sandeep Parasrampuria, Founder and CEO, Dynamic Conglomerate (FINGERS)
Q Impact on the Supply Chain? If sourcing from China, when is the supply chain likely to be restored? A The unprecedented pandemic situation has given rise to several challenges and uncertainties. The supply chain has been deeply impacted with the lockdown being imposed first in China followed by India. As we see now, on China side things have almost normalised and they are ready to ship goods.
using the same this year, due to the virus? A Yes, we have done our bit and will continue to do so as one of our founding philosophies at Dynamic Conglomerate has always been to take care of our various stakeholders and the environment we operate in.
Q Are you looking at increasing levels of localisation?
Q Do you have adequate inventory in stock which can be sold
A We’d love to be able to manufacture our goods in India and
once lockdown is relaxed in India? If yes then for how long? How many weeks / months? A As a new brand, we always have ambitious growth plans and maintain optimal inventory to spur our growth. With the Chinese New Year Holidays preceding the lockdown in China, we did have limitations in sourcing required quantities. However, with improved situation in China, our supply partners are ready to dispatch our orders once business resumes here in India. Of course, market sentiments, shifts in Indian consumer attitudes, etc will all play a huge role to decipher the time taken to clear rolling inventories.
we are positive that the Make in India initiate will open up several avenues for us to consider this shortly.
Q What new products or changes are you planning for the
Q What is the impact you foresee on the topline and
coming months? Do you see consumer behaviour changing temporarily? A It is an interesting time to be in business. We’re in a transition that will have both positive and negative impacts. How consumer behaviour pans out, post the lockdown is a matter of speculation. Although, the skewed preference for online purchases and essentials won’t be surprising. At FINGERS, we have always been about introducing an intriguing mix of high utility and trend-setting gadgets to Indian consumers. We have several exciting launches in the pipeline that will focus on three abilities – affordability, availability and sustainability.
bottomline growth? A Approximately 20-30% for the year.
Q Has your organisation contributed / helped directly or indirectly with the disaster relief or Government or NGO efforts? If you have a CSR budget - How are you planning on
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Q Will this pandemic have an impact on the pricing of your products in the near future? A We do foresee the possibility of increased prices in the market, with costs of raw materials and other ancillaries shooting up already. There is also the concern of INR vs USD performance that has to be taken into consideration. That being said, it will be our constant endeavour to keep any price increase to the minimum.
Q Any revision in growth estimates given the revised FY targets? A Definitely, a call on revised targets will be taken considering all factors.
Q Do you see organisations using increasing levels of Work from Home concept and the impact if any on business? The lockdown situation demands a ‘Work from Home’ A situation. However, we being a brand and marketing organisation, with our sales team forming the major pillar of our work force and offline distribution, work from home does not fit in our case beyond a certain level.
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Optoma
Vijay Sharma, Country Head India, Optoma Q Has your organisation contributed / helped directly or indirectly with the disaster relief or Government or NGO efforts? If you have a CSR budget - How are you planning on using the same this year, due to the virus? A Currently we have not been involved in any government or NGO regarding the disaster relief. However, with offices around the globe, we are constantly finding areas that we could help in. At this point, we are playing our part to keep our employees and their family members safe to contribute indirectly. Optoma is a 20-year optical display brand, thus the best we could do to contribute value to this unfortunate situation is to stay in close contacts with the various partners we service, such as educational organisations, non-profit organisations, and governments, to support display products where it is needed to battle the pandemic.
Q Are you looking at increasing levels of localisation? A lthough it seems to be an option, it is unlikely to happen in the short term.
Q Will this pandemic have an impact on the pricing of your Q Impact on the Supply Chain? If sourcing from China, when is the supply chain likely to be restored? A Our supply is facilitated both from Taiwan and China. While Taiwan is fully operational and the lockdown is slowly but gradually lifted in China, we are expecting to restore the supply chain soon. However, factoring the uncertainty, we are watching closely the global situation of the pandemic, and always being prepared for any new updates.
products in the near future? A By watching the global economy, we can anticipate the increase of the pricing in general society, due to 1) the depreciation of Indian currency and 2) the steep hike in shipping cost. However, we will maintain the price as much as possible as we understand the drop in consumption can put a lot of pressure on the prices.
Q What is the impact you forsee on the topline and bottom Q Do you have adequate inventory in stock which can be sold once lockdown is relaxed in India? If yes then for how long? How many weeks / months? A With our existing stocks, we will be able to cater to the market for around 2 months, once lockdown is relaxed in India. Meanwhile, with the lockdown being gradually lifted in China, we are hoping to supply more to the market.
line growth? A Since our base in India is relatively small and has much potential to develop, we believe we will still see growth in both but not as expected and planned.
Q What new products or changes are you planning for the
Q Do you see organisations using increasing levels of Work
coming months? Do you see consumer behaviour changing temporarily? A We have recently launched Optoma UHD50X, the world’s first 240Hz projector for home cinema and gaming. During the time that social distancing is especially important, we are expecting to see the growth in the home segment and will work on providing more home projector options like UHD50X. In the mainstream segment, on the other hand, while we are highly dependent on education and government projects, we can foresee the purchase being postponed. However, while projectors are key displays in BOQ, we are also expecting to see government funds factored in places such as ICT or Sarva Siksha Abhiyan to continue the projects after the lockdown. Meanwhile, we have also seen some positive impact and new opportunities, for example, in the development of virtual classroom or virtual meeting room.
from Home concept and the impact if any on business? A The current compulsory Work from Home strategy is definitely impacting the business since we are based on a sales-driven operation in India, and it is a very competitive market here. It has always been important for us to go and meet our clients and relevant people. Once the lockdown is relaxed, we are likely to resume the normal business meetings, but we will also be maintaining our online relationship as well.
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Q Any revision in growth estimates given the revised FY targets? A Yes.
Q Any other point or topic related to your brand or industry that you want to share? We are constantly monitoring global news about the A coronavirus and focusing on making adjustments in order to push the business forward. We will also look into the new business development as mentioned previously, but it will be a relatively minor focus.
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TP-Link India Pvt. Ltd.
Bijoy Alaylo, VP – SoHo Sales, TP-Link India Q Impact on the Supply Chain ? If sourcing from China, when is the supply chain likely to be restored? A Since the outbreak, there has been a sourcing difficulty due to the difference in timing of the outbreak in China and India. Though now our factories have restored and working double shifts to fulfill the demands of the consumers. The lockdown in our country has kept the consumer supply on a standstill against the exploding demand.
Q Do you have adequate inventory in stock which can be sold once lockdown is relaxed in India? If yes then for how long? How many weeks / months? A Yes, TP-Link has prepared itself with a minimum of 4 weeks of inventory. Once the lockdown eases off we can start providing to our partners. Though this is as per the average demand, we strongly feel the demand will be much bigger than expected.
Q What new products or changes are you planning for the coming months? Do you see consumer behavior changing temporarily? eg. Higher volume for mass models / range A We already have a wide range of products being offered to the consumer like the Home Wifi Camera / Wifi Mesh system etc. There has been an increase in the numbers from the consumers and especially for the high end models since working class people have been Working from Home and need a better and stable Wifi router with advanced features. In addition, the people who did not have Wifi at home, have got it during this lockdown period.
Q Has your organization contributed / helped directly or indirectly with the disaster relief or Government or NGO efforts? If you have a CSR budget - How are you planning on using the same this year, due to the virus? A Yes, at TP-Link we do honour our part for CSR, we will be supporting the PM Corona relief funds, to combat the situation.
Q Are you looking at increasing levels of localisation? A As TP-Link we are already localized in maximum part of the country but we will always strive to reach out to the last mile of our channel where consumers can easily connect with us in their neighbourhood.
Q Will this pandemic have an impact on the pricing of your products in the near future? Unfortunately this time there has been a more severe impact A on the economy. The exchange rates are skyrocketing as well transportation costs are increasing on a regular basis. These are deemed to have an impact on our product pricing. But we will implement the maximum possible methods to absorb these increasing prices within our organization and have the least impact on our consumers and channel partners.
Q What is the impact you for see on the top-line and bottomline growth? A Top-line is set to increase in the coming days for sure because of the increase in demand of the wireless products during the lockdown phase. Bottomline growth for the company will be a
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matter of concern as the company will try to balance the expenses with the increasing external costs as well as sustaining our manpower at this difficult time.
Q Any revision in growth estimates given the revised FY targets? A We always speak positive in our team and seeing the increased demands we would like to take this FY as it comes month on month. The major challenge for us will be to match the supply against the demand and we are positively working to overcome the challenge.
Q Do you see organization’s using increasing levels of “Work from Home” concept and the impact if any on business? A WFH has been a compulsion placed on the current corporates and I feel this has given much learning to all of us. WFH is always a challenge being in the home environment and still concentrating on your work targets. This has made hardworking employees streamline their work properly and has also helped to identify one’s own strengths.
Q Any other point or topic related to your brand or industry can be shared with regards the current virus situation. A At TP-Link we always wish that our employees are safe firstly and then they have their job security with us. We wish that the industry also tries to manage through this difficult time and support their staff. I am sure once this situation normalises, all will work towards speeding up the growth achievements to cover up the losses.
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RP tech India
Kapal Pansari, Director, RP tech India Q Impact on the Supply Chain? If sourcing from China, when is the supply chain likely to be restored? A COVID-19 outbreak in China began in mid-December 2019 and became pandemic by the end of January 2020. Most disruption in the supply chain was faced by the industry in the month of February 2020. Post-Chinese New Year, the Chinese Government allowed to open factories with limited capacity and protocols to avoid further spread of COVID-19. In the meantime, most brands made roadmaps to bring back production capacity anywhere between 75-90% i.e. near normalcy. The current disruption in the supply chain is mainly due to the lockdown in India.
Q Do you have adequate inventory in stock which can be sold once lockdown is relaxed in India? If yes then for how long? How many weeks / months? A At RP tech India, we have adequate inventory to last for 5-6 weeks once lockdown is relaxed. We will have some shortages for laptops, due to high demand in work from home scenario.
Q What new products or changes are you planning for the coming months? Do you see consumer behaviour changing temporarily? A Vaccine for COVID-19 is still elusive and is rumoured to be a year away that can fight the pandemic. This virus will therefore, continue to thrive and spread in the near future. Therefore, there is a possibility of decreasing demand for desktop PCs and spike in laptop sales. Similarly, SaaS and cloud-based solutions will see a huge spike in demand for companies to enable employees connect remotely to their systems and communication.
Q Has your organisation contributed / helped directly or indirectly with the disaster relief or Government or NGO efforts? If you have a CSR budget - How are you planning on using the same this year, due to the virus? A RP tech India has donated Rs. 51 Lakhs to the ‘PM CARES Fund’ to fight the COVID-19 disaster. We are also working with NGOs to support distribution of food packets and essential commodities like food grain to various parts of India. We have so far distributed 15000 food packets and 7500 bags of food grain.
growth? RP tech India has 30% impact on the % of our growth in A FY-19-20 for both topline and bottomline. However, looking at the current scenario, we have planned to 20% growth over FY19-20 in FY20-21.
Q Are you looking at increasing levels of localisation? A At RP tech, our DNA is to operate locally with deep penetration
Q Any revision in growth estimates given the revised FY targets? A We have not revised any FY targets since we were overachieving
in the length and breadth of India. We divide the country into 20 regions with heads to drive regional operations. They operate under the guideline defined, discussed and deliberated by CO and State Heads understanding the dynamics of each region. Each department of these States branches are interlinked with CO to function in the most speedy and optimal levels of efficiency.
the same in FY19-20. RP tech India’s results could have been robust. Despite all odds, we have been able to offset our entire revenue loss of Apple iPhone distribution in FY19-20.
Q Will this pandemic have an impact on the pricing of your products in the near future? Most likely all products will have price impact of 5-10% A mainly on account of exchange fluctuation. Operation cost are also likely to add to the burden as it will be necessary to follow norms implemented by Health Department to contain COVID-19 spread.
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Q What is the impact you forsee on the topline and bottomline
Q Do you see organisations using increasing levels of Work from Home concept and the impact if any on business? A Definitely there will be increasing levels of preparedness by organisations for “Work from Home”. There is always risk of contracting COVID-19 disease. If anyone is detected with COVID-19, there is no option but to self-quarantine till recovery. This will reduce efficiency and bring in some delay on overall operation for businesses. Some industries will get impacted like retail, restaurants, theatres etc, where people will try to avoid going to crowded areas.
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Toshiba
Polad Garda, Country Head – Toshiba India – Storage Devices Q Impact on the Supply Chain? If sourcing from China, when is the supply chain likely to be restored? A We have our manufacturing from multiple locations across the globe and were decently placed with the supplies, so we had a minimal impact for a few of our products in the latter half of February. As of today, the bigger challenge is with the lockdown at home (India) due to COVID-19. China is already resuming now and our factory in China is already in operation.
Q Do you have adequate inventory in stock which can be sold once lockdown is relaxed in India? If yes then for how long? How many weeks / months? A Our distributors are adequately stocked with inventory and in the current scenario, we fathom it to take care of 1-2 months of requirements.
Q What new products or changes are you planning for the coming months? Do you see consumer behaviour changing temporarily? A We foresee a rush for backup / storage devices which would get some good momentum for the External Hard Disk Drives & Surveillance storage. Many countries had lockdown and work-from-home, we also see an increase for laptop HDDs for upgrades.
Q Will this pandemic have an impact on the pricing of your products in the near future? A We need to understand that there would be multiple factors playing a role here to be held responsible for an increase in pricing. First & foremost the currency fluctuation which would be the crucial component, followed by hikes in input, operation & transportation costing. Also, there might be an increase in the sub-suppliers for components cost too. After effects would be there for sure.
Q What is the impact you foresee on the topline and bottomline growth? A Due to lockdown, most establishments and malls remain shut. Like many IT & non-IT products, sales will be impacted and much depends when the lockdown would be lifted. Consumers now shall be prioritising their shopping patterns and this would be the deciding factor for all.
Q Any revision in growth estimates given the revised FY targets? A It’s still too early to comment. Again very
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much depends when the lockdown will be lifted and time to go back to normalcy. Normalcy itself would take time since it would have to be in a very protective & phased manner.
Q Do you see organisations using increasing levels of Work from Home concept and the impact if any on business? A COVID-19 would be getting many changes in the way we do business and lifestyles too. It would be in everyone’s mutual interest to implement more precautionary standards as per the timely advisories we get. WFH was the need of the hour and if that’s in the nation’s interest then we shall blindly abide by the same. Yes, we do see there are some shortcomings & delay in execution due to WFH but that’s the only next best available option to go with.
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ECS
Rajshekhar Bhatt, Country Manager, ECS India
Q Impact on the Supply Chain? If sourcing from China, when is the supply chain likely to be restored? A We overcame the supply issue because we have 2 manufacturing facilities in Thailand & China, plus even our factory in China had only 1-2 weeks of extended Chinese New Year Holiday because of the global pandemic. ECS is a large manufacturing company and many of our components and raw material are produced in house therefore beyond a point we didn’t face longer lead time for most of our products.
Q Do you have adequate inventory in stock which can be sold once lockdown is relaxed in India? If yes then for how long? How many weeks / months? A We have enough stocks with our distributor in India & also planned additional quantity at our factory for India. We don’t foresee any shortage issue.
Q What new products or changes are you planning for the coming months? Do you see consumer behaviour changing temporarily? A We do expect demand from ICT will increase to make various Govt agencies & corporates to work efficiently. PLUS we anticipate many people will like to upgrade/change their home PC based on the present WFH culture.
Q Will this pandemic have an impact on the pricing of your products in the near future? A No increase or drop in selling price in $ is expected - Some marginal increase or decrease can happen based on mode of shipment & INR-$ exchange rate.
Q Any revision in growth estimates given the revised FY targets? We are still bullish & expect to hit our planned A yearly number - Yes some % drop for this current quarters numbers are expected v.s planned.
Q Do you see organisations using increasing levels of Work from Home concept and the impact if any on business? A WFH will or should have +ve impact for ICT industry & Govt will recognize & make ICT industry an essential commodity after food, health & shelter.
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Belkin
Kartik Bakshi, Country Manager India and SAARC, Belkin International
Q Impact on the Supply Chain? If sourcing from China, when is the supply chain likely to be restored? A Starting in February itself, COVID-19 had already started disrupting the supply chain system coming out of China. Most CE suppliers are based in China & having their factories shut has impacted businesses worldwide. Not being able to meet the demand requirement & factories not being able to earn revenue has also impacted the financial model of many companies as well.
using the same this year, due to the virus? A Yes, we will be making contributions to the PM Relief fund. Our heart goes out to all the people who have been affected due to this pandemic and we will stand right behind them.
Q Are you looking at increasing levels of localisation? A For now, we have had no such discussion but we never know what may happen in the future.
Q Will this pandemic have an impact on the pricing of your Q Do you have adequate inventory in stock which can be sold once lockdown is relaxed in India? If yes then for how long? How many weeks / months? A Generally, most corporations like ours, forecast their requirements pro-actively. Hence, the lockdown didn’t really hit our business in India as bad as we thought, however, it has delayed a lot of our new product launches by a couple of months. Our stock situation in India is extremely healthy and we are awaiting further directions from the government.
products in the near future? A At least in India, there will be a massive negative impact on the pricing for imported goods. The rupee has plunged against the dollar by a good 7-8%, so consumers should expect a sudden price increase in goods. However, I am sure some companies may also take the hit to achieve higher sales but I don’t recommend this strategy to any leader as conserving cash is the key right now.
Q What is the impact you foresee on the topline and bottomline Q What new products or changes are you planning for the coming months? Do you see consumer behaviour changing temporarily? A Online school classes & working from home will change the dynamics of the consumer networking industry. We will see a greater demand for better-performing networking devices that can handle many more connected devices without any degradation in speed & range all at the same time. Due to the growing number of connected devices at home & the high amount of bandwidth being used (post lock-down), there’s been undue stress on home-networking devices where-in most low-cost routers are failing. Rather than just cost, Consumers will now be pushing for a more enriching experience. Q Has your organisation contributed / helped directly or indirectly with the disaster relief or Government or NGO efforts? If you have a CSR budget - How are you planning on
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growth? A The balance sheet has obviously been adversely affected as we are unable to sell non-essential goods. But we see this as a short term obstacle and are positive that once business resumes, we will be able to retrieve some part of the business back in the later parts of the year. New product launches & innovative promotions will be key.
Q Any revision in growth estimates given the revised FY targets? A Not for now. Q Any other point or topic related to your brand or industry that you want to share? A The only thing I would like to add is that e-commerce will become the way of life in most parts of India now and you will see a large number of brands now changing their focus to online with higher investments & detailed strategic moves.
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ViewSonic India
Muneer Ahmad, Business Head, ViewSonic India Q Impact on the Supply Chain? If sourcing from China, when is the supply chain likely to be restored? A With the outbreak of this global pandemic the supply chain is affected from other countries. It as not affected the supply chain for our products in India as our distributors had sufficient stock when this global crisis started. Now that China has almost recovered from the COVID-19 and the factories have reopened; hopefully sourcing of the products won’t be a barrier anymore.
Q Do you have adequate inventory in stock which can be sold once lockdown is relaxed in India? If yes then for how long? How many weeks / months? A Yes, our distributors have sufficient stock as of now. Also, as our Shanghai and Taiwan warehouses are operational now so we are expecting a good product flow in the coming future.
Q What new products or changes are you planning for the coming months? Do you see consumer behaviour changing temporarily? A Due to the pandemic, product launches will be delayed, we have a wide range of products from commercial displays, monitors to projectors that will be launching in the coming quarter. Products like M1 Mini, X100-4K, X1000-4K, CDE20 Series and XG2405 are in the pipeline. We are expecting a change in consumer behaviour but hoping it will be temporary. Once we overcome the current situation and the flow of the business in the country speeds up, we are hoping that consumer behaviour also develops.
Q Will this pandemic have an impact on the pricing of your products in the near future? A Yes, due to the pandemic, the exchange rate has increased and since our products are being imported from other countries, thus increase in price points will be seen.
Q What is the impact you foresee on the topline and bottomline growth? Due to the current crisis, market may not grow as we A estimated earlier, bottomline will also be strained due to exchange rates.
Q Any revision in growth estimates given the revised FY targets? A At this moment we cannot comment, we will only know once the crisis is over and people get back to normal life - seeing factors like duration and market demand. Q Do you see organizations using increasing levels of work from home concept and theimpact if any on business? Work from home has its own pros and cons in a business as A we have different departments and a huge team connected to the global team. Working with the partners and distributors becomes difficult and challenging when working from home. On a brighter side, as all our employees have been working from home, we are constantly upgrading our team member ȊȎ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ˏȇȅȇȅ
skills by providing product training and our esteemed partners, and marketing team will have more time to devote on digital aspects of marketing. On the other hand, for all those activities where ground efforts are needed like dealing with partners, providing product demos, and events etcetera won’t be possible while employees are working from home and revenue generation won’t be feasible for sales department.
Q Any other point or topic related to your brand or industry can be shared with regards to the current virus situation. Yes, owing to this situation of global pandemic, the A education sector is getting hampered, therefore we are offering ‘myViewBoard’ premium subscription free of cost to support distance learning. The students can learn themselves at home and teachers can guide them in these testing times. myViewBoard enables teachers to conduct distance learning facilitating students and their learning outcomes wherever they happen to be. It is easy to use and allows real-time collaboration through video audio conferencing, huddles and digital white boarding. The brand introduced Virtual classrooms with a capacity to facilitate multiple students by allowing two-way audio communication, video streaming, and Google classroom integration and other features to help build and uplift the digitization of education in India. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
MSI
Green Lin, Regional Marketing Manager, MSI
The unprecedented disease has brought more inconvenience and risk for human’s health, however, these are the times when we all come together in solidarity and encourage stay home with productivity, heralding a new era in the future of work. Just how MSI has always understood the demands of its consumers, it will continue to bring out innovations and technologies to solve every possible situation and help the consumers in need. MSI as a brand has always focussed on users and created value for consumers by adhering to its quality, innovation and services. With the continuously evolving market, the brand believes in making products in line with the growing requirements for the consumers. Keeping this in mind, MSI has comprehensively evolved over the past one year and globally launched a line-up of six series of gameroriented laptops along with creator laptops for budding creative professionals. As the first to bring the latest gaming laptop with 10th Gen Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX Super series graphics, MSI’s upcoming gaming products are newly designed to entertain and satisfy the gamers in all aspects. Featuring up to i9-10980HK processor, the latest Intel chip has a noticeable impact
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on FPS in demanding games and multitasking. With the latest Intel chip’s 50% boost in computing and the Single-Core Turbo boost reaching 5.3GHz, now gamers can enjoy an unparalleled gaming experience without being bored at home. At the same time, MSI also recommends Prestige 14 for people who work intensively with photo and video content. All the latest high technology fits perfectly in a slim and compact sandblasted aluminium chassis, the Prestige 14 weighs only 1.2kg with precise ergonomic design, including an elevated keyboard, and the screen can be laid to 180-degree flat for working with flexible angles. Its new battery design allows up to 10 hours of battery life, allowing users to indulge in non-stop productivity for an entire day without requiring a charger. The Prestige 14 comes with two Thunderbolt 3, accelerated by 10th Gen Intel Core processor, enabling high performance and the most versatile port for fast data transfer. The built-in Wi-Fi 6 also supports up to 3 times faster wireless connectivity and give you more freedom when working at home. The in-house production and design ability make MSI a leader in the segment with cutting-edge technology and premium quality. Both the gaming series and the content creation series are expected to launch for our Indian consumers by the end of April 2020. Furthermore, with the ongoing Work-from-Home situation, MSI is contributing its bit to keep its consumers happy and inspiring them to create their own special moments through engaging contests and creative campaigns on its social media handles. As a part of the entire campaign, MSI has introduced series of contests on its Instagram and Facebook handle inviting entries from all over the country. In addition to this, MSI has also announced the MSI Creator Awards which is honoring the creative professionals all over the world who are dedicated to 2D Graphic Design, 3D Animation and Video Editing creative fields. The concept theme, “Let your inspiration take off and shine like no other” is focused on elevating the consumer’s creativity and originality along with enhancing their skills. The winner will be announced on May 13th, 2020 and get a chance to win Content Creation Series laptops such as Prestige 14. Mr. Green Lin, added, “At MSI, we want to take this opportunity and help our consumers realize their creative potential through various activities curated for them to spend their time productively. We hope that our consumers stay home and enjoy these activities as we continue to engage with them through various platforms.”
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Asus India
Leon Yu, Regional Director, System Business Group, Asus India & South Asia situations. In China and US especially we have seen a significant increase in online shopping. Similar trends may emerge in India. Indian consumer and market is very different. We are still seeing a large portion of grocery shopping still happening offline in India. Once the offline retail in other categories is permitted to be operational India may behave differently. Still the larger trend of relative share of online business going up in short to medium term may replicate in India. Indian consumers consider IT and Mobile purchases as long term use products which have both a usage and emotional value. IT products will get high priority for purchase since many consumers would have realised a need to upgrade. We do not expect consumers to downgrade their preference in the current environment. Postponement of purchase of some categories seems like a higher possibility.
Q Has your organisation contributed directly or indirectly with the disaster relief or Government or NGO efforts? A Asus India has been consistently contributing to the Prime Ministers fund and we have continued the same practise. In addition to company contribution we have also enabled our employees to pool their voluntary contribution to the same.
Q Impact on the supply chain? If sourcing from China, when is the supply chain likely to be restored? A Let’s look at the chain of events. Jan 24 we had the Chinese New Year holidays that led to introduction of components getting suspended. Component suppliers resumed work on Feb 10 but recovery rate was less than 30% till Feb 20. Till March/M Component Manufacturing recovery was almost 80% but logistic and some key parts availability was still an issue. Planned inventories on hand helped salvage the impact up to a large extent for Asus. However from India perspective after the recovery emerged in China Components Ecosystem we faced lockdown situation in India. So from current perspective as soon as lock down ends partially we will see a recovery in supplies enabled by timely relaxations by the Indian government in logistics and supporting the industry with rightfully recognising IT and Mobile as key enablers essential for economy at large to function efficiently, especially in the work from home / study from home scenario.
Q Are you looking at increasing levels of localisation? A Being a leading Taiwanese company we are strongly committed to government’s phased manufacturing program in India and we continue to closely monitor how we can increase localisation. This is not related to the current situation but is more long term.
Q Will this pandemic have an impact on the pricing of your products in the near future? A The Pandemic has caused economic impacts that have led to significant depreciation of the Indian rupee. This has led to escalation in input costs of all IT and Mobile products. This cost increase has led to increase in prices of IT products and smartphones. Smartphones have had a double hit with increase in GST by 50% (From 12% to 18% GST) thus the pricing of smartphones have increased with larger differential.
Q What is the impact you foresee on the top line and bottom Q Do you have adequate inventory in stock which can be sold once lockdown is relaxed in India? If yes then for how long? How many weeks/months? A India is our top focus market and we have disproportionate support from our global headquarters to ensure that we quickly bounce back and restore supply to full extent as early as possible to meet the needs of our Indian consumers. It will not take us much time to restore full supply chain efficiency in IT products.
line growth? A We are a very fast growing company in India. So the current situation may impact our growth rates. However we are continuing to gain market share in Consumer PC market since the Industry wide impacts affect all players and if we relatively continue to do better we will grow our market share. When the situation stabilises in future we will once again return to the high growth curve.
Q Any revision in growth estimates given the revised Q What new products or changes are you planning for the coming months? Do you see consumer behaviour changing temporarily? e.g. Higher volume for mass models/range A COVID-19 Pandemic has potential of creating paradigm shift in consumer behaviour. We are carefully studying the
ȋȅ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ˏȇȅȇȅ
FY targets? A As of now there has been no revisions in our goals. We will continue to monitor the market situation as the context is unprecedented to have many past references to predict future for a specific category or industry in these circumstances.
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Kingston and Seagate Technologies
Kingston Technology
“As has been posted in the news recently, the Coronavirus (initiated from Wuhan, China) has spread widely throughout the China region during the Chinese New Year holiday. Kingston Technology acknowledges that this situation is very serious and has taken the appropriate actions to protect all our employees to the fullest. Kingston followed the China government’s decision to extend the Chinese New Year holiday (in our China facilities) through February 10 and delayed all shipments to and from the region. Moving forward, Kingston continues to closely
monitor the situation facility by facility with our Asia-Pacific (APAC) employees returning to work on a controlled schedule as conditions permit. Additionally, Kingston continues to suspend travel between our corporate headquarters in the United States and our facilities and countries in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This current suspension also extends to travel within APAC for our employees who are based there. These decisions are made out of an abundance of caution in keeping with the best interests of our Kingston family.”
Seagate Technology
“Seagate continues to closely monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and follow the most up to date guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and International SOS (ISOS). The health and safety of our employees, customers and suppliers remains our top priority.
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Additionally, Seagate is following local government guidelines in the countries in which we operate. Throughout this situation, Seagate has put in place strong proactive measures to both protect the well-being of our colleagues and contain the spread of the virus. Currently, all Seagate manufacturing facilities remain in operation in accordance with local government guidelines. ”
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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.
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Tested
CPU Exynos 990 / Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 GPU Adreno 650 Screen 6.2-inch, HDR10+, 120Hz,1440 x 3200 AMOLED 120Hz Memory 8GB/12GB Storage 128GB Battery 4,000mAh Cameras 64MP, 12MP, 12MP rear; 10MP front OS Android 10.0, One UI 2.0 Dimensions 151x69.1x7.9mm Weight 163g
20/20 VISION
Samsung Galaxy S20 With a slick 120Hz AMOLED screen and an impressive range of cameras, the S20 is a true Android powerhouse From `70,500 samsung.com t 6.2 inches the Samsung Galaxy S20 is hardly the biggest phone in Samsung’s lineup. With the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 Ultra looming over it, it’s not even the biggest in its own range. Nevertheless, the practically bezel-less screen, interrupted only by a tiny punchhole, is more than enough for everyday tasks and looks great, even if it’s not the sumptuous widescreen movie and gaming experience you could find on the S20 Ultra. However, at 6.2” it’s almost unfair to compare it to the massive Ultra. The S20’s AMOLED screen is crisp and clear, displaying HQ YouTube videos, movies and games alike with no softness. Likewise, the speaker offers great power with very little of that “tinny” nature smartphone speakers can so often have. Although it’s not as expansive as the rest of the range, the screen more than holds its own. The 120Hz refresh rate provides clean, silky-smooth
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Samsung Galaxy S20
movement as we swipe through the phone’s home screen options. It’s hard to describe just how good this is: the slick motion almost feels tactile as you slide through screens and scroll through apps.
The big picture Samsung has placed great stock in the camera equipment of all three devices, and they don’t disappoint. The 12MP ultra-wide and wideangle lenses and the 64MP main camera present a combination that’s clear and responsive with excellent colour balance. The wide angles proved great when capturing group shots and scenery snaps. Even without the S20 Ultra’s massive 108MP, exceptionally fine points can be captured in mid-range shots, with the time-of-flight sensor conveying depth as well as detail. While its 8K video functionality is a technical marvel, most people (those without an 8K TV) won’t get to enjoy it to its fullest extent. The punch-hole selfie camera’s 10MP sensor is a far cry from the Ultra’s massive 40MP front-facing camera. Consequently, you’ll find it
difficult to pick out background details. However, we’re nitpicking: the excellence of the rear-facing camera module more than offsets these slight discrepancies. Now comes the guts. The three models in the Samsung Galaxy S20 range are all equipped with the same processor, the Exynos 990 CPU (a Snapdragon 865 in the US), and an Adreno 650 GPU. It’s a powerful pocket rocket, able to process complex files without breaking a sweat. With less work to do in the S20 than the S20 Ultra, the phone whistles along at lightning speeds. The phone packs a 4,000mAh battery, which will do at the very least a full day of moderate use, but it’s not quite the 5,000mAh workhorse of the S20 Ultra. Given that the S20 has a lot of the S20 Ultra’s most premium features, battery life does suffer as a result of this. The phone also includes the now-familiar underscreen fingerprint sensor and facial recognition of its predecessors. However, the fingerprint sensor is quite sluggish, sometimes even
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Offering a 6.67” 90Hz screen, 256GB storage and a 48 MP main, a 16 MP ultra-wide, and an 8 MP telephoto camera, the 7T Pro gives a whole lotta bang for very little buck. From `47,999, oneplus.in
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The Galaxy S20 has powerful insides and a really great camera system
taking three or four tries before unlocking effectively. Audio on calls usually came out crystal clear on both ends, but we did have issues with the speaker phone functionality, as the mic struggled to pick up our voices clearly from more than a metre away, while indoors. The Samsung Galaxy S20 is, without a shadow of a doubt, an excellent flagship smartphone. Is it perfect? No. Is it too much phone for some? Yes. Is it awesome, packed full of great features, with a really enjoyable design and UI? Yes. For users that want an awesome Android flagship and either don’t care about 100x zoom cameras or don’t want to shell out over a lakh for a phone, the Samsung Galaxy S20 is among the best phones on the market.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Incredible AMOLED screen; ultra-premium chipset; camera bursting with features. WE’D IMPROVE Niggles with speaker phone and under-screen ĆQJHUSULQW XQORFN EDWWHU\ OLIH suffers with its high performance. THE LAST WORD Arguably better value than the S20 Ultra, with a gorgeous premium display, intuitive UI and impressive photographic capabilities.
ˏȇȅȇȅˏT3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȋȋ
Tested
MAINTAINING THE LEAD
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro The bestselling Xiaomi series gets a design and performance upgrade From `13,999, mi.com/in eneration after generation, Xiaomi has bettered its Redmi Note series to offer consumers a perfect combination of performance and value for money. However, with so many options in the 10-20k market, can the new Redmi Note 9 Pro fight the competition and maintain its lead in the segment. Let’s find out. Introduced first with the Redmi Note 7, the Aura Design finds its way into the new Redmi Note 9 series as well. Called as the Aura Balance design, it’s more refined from the previous iterations. The back is all glass and features a quad camera setup in a square design positioned right in the center, which is a refreshing change in a sea of phones with a vertical camera design. The cameras protrude at the back but are protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 along with the glass back. Xiaomi sells the phone in three colours with Aurora Blue being the flashiest one but if you are looking for a toned-down hue, there’s Interstellar Black and Glacier White. Another change is the side-mounted fingerprint sensor that is conveniently placed to work as a power button. As far as other ports and keys go, there’s volume rocker right above the power/fingerprint sensor, USB Type-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom, a SIM+microSD slot on the left and the handy IR blaster still makes the cut at the top. The body is also coated with P2i to protect the phone from water splashes and accidental spills. On the front is a large 6.67-inch display that ditches the notch for an in-screen front-facing camera. The 20:9 screen supports Full HD+ resolution and comes with colour temperature adjustment, reading mode and dark mode. Handling the performance is Qualcomm’s 8nm Snapdragon 720G and 6GB or 8GB of RAM. Like most mid-range phones, the Redmi Note 9 Pro handles most apps and games like a champ. MIUI 11 delivers a tried-and-tested experience but still suffers from unwanted notifications that sometimes leave an unpleasant taste. The phone’s quad-camera setup comprises a 48MP GM2 sensor, 8MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro and 2MP depth sensor. When it comes to camera performance, the phone can take decent pictures in daylight conditions with good dynamic range but the performance takes a hit in low-light conditions. Portraits turn out to be good and also allows to adjust the bokeh effect in real-time with a handy slider. The camera app is also equipped with various modes like macro, night, panorama and pro mode. One of the star features of the phone is its battery. The 5020mAh battery delivers a stellar battery life that easily gives you more than a day’s worth of use with moderate to heavy use. It is also one of the first phones to come with NavIC support - ISRO-developed navigation system. While the phone comes with other navigation systems, with NavIC on board, the phone can get a quicker and accurate location fix.
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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, performance, battery life WE’D IMPROVE Camera, MIUI THE LAST WORD Redmi Note 9 Pro underwhelms on the camera side but given its price, the phone offers tremendous value for money with good performance, design and amazing battery life.
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Tested
EVERYDAY COMPANION
Sennheiser CX 150BT The in-ear wireless from Sennheiser deliver good audio at an affordable price `4,990, en-in.sennheiser.com recent trend with most audio accessory and smartphone makers is to launch affordable truly wireless earphones and while Sennheiser does haave it in its portfolio, the award-winning truly wirelesss device is not exactly cheap. However, that’s not th he case with their recently introduced wireless in-ear earphoness. Today, we take a look at the CX 150BT. The CX 150BT has a minimalistic design and despite the glossy black finish, the earphones look good. However, the wire that connects both ends of the earbuds is underwhelming. Nevertheless, the CX 150BT comes with in-line controls that consist of a power/action button and volume +/- keys. The keys are well-spaced out and are big enough to avoid accidental pressess. The same three buttons can also be used to skip or fast forward da song, accept/reject or mute a call and so on. Adjacent to the controls is the USB Type-C port that can be used for charging. While the CX 150BT has a decent build quality, it doesn’t come e with an IP rating to know its actual water and dust resistance b but it’s safe to assume the CX 150BT can last your sweaty workout!! In terms of fit, the buds are small that fit in nicely and offer good sound isolation. Sennheiser also offers XS/S/M/L ear tips for a perfect fit. That said, considering CX 150BT’s travel-friendly design and weight, we dislike the fact that it does not come with a tra avel pouch. Also, there’s no magnetic clasp at the rear-end of the buds b that can automatically turn off the device when not in use, thu us saving battery life. Connecting the CX 150BT is a fairly standard affair just like any other Bluetooth device but this Sennheiser offering is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 that helps with the connected range and multi-connection support for up to two devices. During our use, we found the Bluetooth range to be exceptionally better when connected with a Bluetooth 5.0-enabled Android phone. We also connected an Android phone and iPhone and used simultaneously without any issues. The battery life is also a plus that gives up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge. As far as audio quality is concerned, CX 150BT delivers good audio playback and while you will notice the bass, it’s not overpowering, which is a good thing. However, we did notice some distortion in some songs at full volume. The soundstage and noise isolation are also pretty good. The device supports Sennheiser’s Smart Control but it’s worthless considering you can’t personalise EQ or do anything else when connected with the CX 150BT. CX 150BT is an interesting addition to an already-wide Sennheiser portfolio. The build quality could have been better but CX 150BT delivers good audio quality at the price.
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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Audio WE’D IMPROVE Build quality THE LAST WORD A decent option if you are looking for a good sub-5k wireless in-ear earphones
ˏȇȅȇȅˏT3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȋȍ
Tested
BROTHERS IN ARMS
Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro Realme spices up the mid-range market with two competitive devices From `13,999 (Realme 6); From `17,999 (Realme 6 Pro), realme.com/in
onsumers are spoilt for choice when it comes to a phone priced in between Rs. 10,00020,000. Honestly, the options are more than you’d ask for and joining the fray are Realme’s latest phones - Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro. While the Realme 6 caters to a more price-conscious crowd, the Realme 6 Pro comes with extra bells and whistles for a slightly higher price. We look at both the devices to see if it’s worth the asking price. Every Realme phone comes with some different rear design that makes the phone stand out and it’s no different with the Realme 6 series. The Realme 6 features a Comet design that signifies the phone’s “bright and fast” nature. Marketing spiel aside, the phone looks nice that amplifies the colour when the light reflects on the rear surface. The back, however, is prone to fingerprint smudges. Similarly, the Realme 6 Pro comes with its distinct pattern that is said to be inspired by lightning, which when the light shines on the surface, reveals a cool lightning design. However, unlike the Realme 6, we found the Pro variant to have a better hand feel and virtually no fingerprint smudges. The physical key and port placement for both devices are identical. The left side houses the volume +/- buttons along with the SIM slot while the right-hand side features the power button. As is the current trend, the power button also doubles up as a fingerprint sensor that claims to unlock the phone in under half a second. The bottom side of the phones feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C port and a loudspeaker. Overall, the phones aren’t lookers but have a pleasing design that one wouldn’t mind. One of the selling points of Realme 6 series is its display and both devices boast a screen that supports a refresh rate of 90Hz. Higher refresh rates ensure a smooth scrolling and improved gaming performance, and it’s good to see affordable devices adopting it. By default, the refresh rates are set to auto but gives users
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Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro the liberty to manually set it to 60Hz or 90Hz. Both phones have FHD+ resoluti resolution support (2400x1080) with n-to-body ratio of 90.5% in a screen Realme 6 that comes with a case of R h display and 90.6% in the 6.5-inch Pro variiant that has a 6.6-inch screen. Both displays are sharp with good contrast, however, we found the Reallme 6 display to be brighter than thee Realme 6 Pro. At least in our units. The Th phones support other software adjustments like dark mode, eye care, colour temperature ment and OSIE Vision Effect. adjustm The screeens are also protected by g’s glass solution and while Corning Realme doesn’t confirm the generation on the Realme 6, the Realme 6 Pro has Gorilla Glass 5. 6 is powered by The Realme R MediaTeek’s Helio G90T octa-core processor whereas the Realme 6 Pro boasts aan 8nm-based Snapdragon 720G octa-core chip. With 8GB of RAM, both phones excelled in ng day-to-day apps and handlin ding games without breaking demand a sweat.. The performance, however, is expeccted to vary if you opt for a lower R AM variant, which starts GB for Realme 6 and 6GB for from 4G Realme 6 Pro. Both have UFS 2.1 64GB orr 128GB internal storage and can be eexpanded further with a D card. In terms of battery microSD life, both devices gave more than a orth of run time on their day’s wo Ah rated battery and comes 4300mA d with a 30W charger for fast bundled charge. me UI based on Android 10 is Realm uns on both phones and they what ru are optimised well. There’s fluidity and cleaan, streamlined look that you expect ffrom a phone’s software and Realme UI delivers that. But one major grripe we have is the number of are apps that comes prebloatwa d in the device. There are at installed ne third-party apps that are least nin pre-insttalled in the phones. Good hough, is that you can thing th uninstall them. me has gone with a quadRealm camera setup for both the phones, but the setup differs. For Realme 6, nd a 64MP Samsung GW1 you’d fin sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle &W portrait lens and 2MP lens, B& WWW W.T T 3 I N D I A . CO M
macro sensor. Shots from the Realme 6’s main sensor have a good balance of colour and contrast with detail. Pictures from the main sensor are pixel-binned to 16MP but can take a full-resolution picture for higher detail. The wide-angle shots and macro performance is average but portraits turn out well with decent separation. The in-display 16MP camera handles selfies. The Realme 6 Pro comes with the same 64MP GW1 sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle and macro lens but swaps the portrait lens for a 12MP telephoto. The result is good quality pictures from the main lens with other lenses helping in different scenarios. Both phones shine in low-light performance and dedicated nightscape helps a lot. There are other modes as well, like the panoramic, expert, chroma boost and more. On the video recording front, phones support video stabilisation, up to 120fps slo-mo videos and regular videos up to 4K at 30fps. The Realme 6 Pro also comes with two lenses on the front for selfies. One is a 16MP Sony lens, and another is a 8MP ultra-wide lens for group selfies. Realme knows there’s a lot of competition in this segment, including some of their own devices. However, the things that work for the Realme 6 series is that both phones have a practical design and offer good performance, 90Hz display, battery life and fast charging.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance, display, battery life WE’D IMPROVE Realme UI bloatware THE LAST WORD Realme 6 and Realme 6 Pro are strong follow-ups to last year’s models with good performance bump, improved display and battery life
ˏȇȅȇȅˏT3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today ȋȏ
Game
Resident Evil 3 Capcom’s classic hit game gets a modern refresh `3,999; PC, Xbox One, PS4
sure shot way to get everyone’s attention is to feed the nostalgia. Take Capcom’s Resident Evil, for instance. Resident Evil 2 was well-received by fans - old and new - and set a bar on how decades-old games are ought to be made. Naturally, this year’s Resident Evil 3 has big boots to fill, but has Capcom done enough to meet the expectations? We play to find out. Resident Evil 3 follows the story of Special Tactics And Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) officer Jill Valentine who plans to leave the zombie-infested Raccoon City but instead gets chased by an intelligent bioweapon named Nemesis. However, with a will to survive, Valentine marches on while taking
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on the super soldier and in the process learns about the outbreak and other secrets around the virus. Resident Evil 3 is a fast-paced game. The game switches into full action mode within a few minutes into the game and unlike Mr. X in Resident Evil 2 who appears after some time in the game, Resident Evil 3 doesn’t waste any time to introduce Nemesis as he breaks into Valentine’s room to get rid of her. But the strong entry seems to fizzle out as you progress through the story and realise Nemesis is not as menacing as he looks. Sure, he comes at important junctures of the game with some new weapon in tow that makes life a little hard but tackling him for a few minutes of the game is comparatively easy to
60 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
Mr. X’s constant threat in the previous game. Resident Evil 3 is a visual treat. The game uses the same RE Engine that was used for the last few games and does justice to detailed locations and top-notch character modelling. Jill looks fantastic along with her buddy Carlos and so does Nemesis that makes him look badass in every avatar. Grotesque zombies are well, still ugly to look at but now their limbs don’t dismember when you shoot at them. This survival horror depends on two key things - combat and resource management. Combat options in Resident Evil 3 include a knife and a limited number of guns that can be found throughout the game. However, the game adds a bit W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Resident Evil 3
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of versatility by customising them with gun parts that increase ammo capacity, improves accuracy and deals more damage. This, of course, takes up inventory space, which is where resource management comes in handy and more so if you are playing the game on Hard mode. However, it’s not much of a hassle in Normal or Assisted mode as you get enough pouch upgrades to carry the most important items. Resident Evil 3’s constant action keeps you hooked to the game, but it has some shortcomings. Puzzles are present W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
throughout the game but are in a limited capacity. Maps are designed with exploration in mind, but they lack depth. And possibly, the biggest shortcoming is the length of the game. We finished our first playthrough in Normal mode in under seven hours and the second one in less than five. Given the linear story and no multiple ending, Resident Evil 3 does not make a compelling case for replayability, unlike its predecessor. But there is some replayability if you are looking to unlock some cool weapons like an infinite handgun, assault rifle or a rocket launcher, or costume via
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Game Resident Evil 3
the Shop that gets unlocked after the first playthrough. It’s a grind but having an infinite rocket launcher makes the job easy in higher difficulty modes like Nightmare and Inferno. Resident Evil 3 handles the singleplayer aspect but if you are looking for some multiplayer action, Capcom has spun off the component as a separate game called Resident Evil Resistance. It’s a 1v4 asymmetrical multiplayer experience where one plays the mastermind and the rest play survivors who have to escape from the location before the time runs out. Playing Mastermind is more fun than 62 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
survivors as you get a variety of tools, zombies and even Mr. X at your disposal to prevent survivors from escaping. It’s an interesting concept but long matchmaking time dampens the experience. Remaking a classic hit game comes with a lot of expectations and that not only includes from the fans of the original but also the new ones and Capcom has done it again with the Resident Evil 3. Sure, we would have liked the playing time to be longer but its story, fast-paced action, survival horror experience (and Nemesis) delivers a satisfying experience.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Gameplay, story, visuals WE’D IMPROVE Short playtime THE LAST WORD Resident Evil 3 may not be as great as last year’s Resident Evil but it still is a solid game and makes a strong case for remakes
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Nioh 2
Nioh 2 It’s a true test of your gaming skills `3,999; PS4 ioh 2 builds on a reputation of a difficult game and if the original Nioh feels difficult and unplayable, you can safely skip Nioh 2. But if you are up for a challenge, Nioh 2 is the game to play, which is what I did during the lockdown. Playing Nioh 2 is one part satisfaction and many parts frustration. Frustration because the game is unforgiving and one small mistake can cost you everything. Set in the 1500s in Japan, Nioh 2’s story is a prequel to the first game with a few chapters, in the end, moving the lore forward. Players take control of Hide who is half-human and half-yokai and if you love customising your character, the game offers in-depth character creation to truly personalise the protagonist. The story isn’t one of the strong points of the game but in fact, it’s the combat. It doesn’t matter how good you are at action games, Nioh 2 tests your gaming skills. Like really test them. It’s not your buttonmashing hack and slash skills but your agility, understanding of the weapon you are fighting with and observing enemy moves. Do it right and you are rewarded with satisfaction (albeit short-lived until you move onto the next foe) but make an error and you will be dealing with the same enemy multiple times. For hours, even. Adding to the combat are a selection of weapons and their unique combat style along with the ability to turn into a yokai to deal more damage briefly. No matter how you play, there’s death at every corner in Nioh 2 and while it can put you off but also work as a
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motivating factor to get rid of the pesky yet vulnerable enemies. Visually, Nioh 2 is not as appealing as recent PlayStation games that rely on realism but it scores high when it comes to handling fast-paced action combat. That said, Team Ninja has done an excellent job. Nioh 2 is a worthy follow up to the original game with hours of gameplay and amped-up difficulty.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Combat variety WE’D IMPROVE Overwhelming for new players THE LAST WORD Nioh 2 is right in the alley if you are looking for a challenge
MAY 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 64
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Warlords of New York The division goes back to new york to meet a familiar face ` 2,499; PS4, Xbox One, PC ack when we played The Division 2, we were happy to see how Ubisoft pushed the franchise forward with lots of missions and things to loot. And now to inject a new life in the year-old game is the latest expansion that not only expands the game with a new story but also improves with a better The Division 2 experience. The original game is set in Washington D.C. but the expansion takes the player to New York to face the rogue agent from The Division 1, Aaron Keener. The antagonist is now aided by four cronies who control different parts of Lower Manhattan and the only way to reach Keener is to eliminate these sidekicks by completing different missions and search for clues. Considering how the expansion is fused with the main game, we would recommend completing the base game’s campaign because once you start the expansion campaign, the game doesn’t allow to come back to Washington D.C. till the New York missions are over. However, for players who don’t care about the D.C. story, the game lets you jump to the expansion directly with a level 30 character. The thing we liked about the expansion is that it gives players complete freedom on how to proceed with the story. Players can just explore the ravaged New York to
B
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unearth clues about Keener and his henchmen or partake in random skirmishes, find loots, disrupt public executions, capture control points and so on. Give or take, it takes about 6-7 hours to finish the campaign and the good part is that now enemies match your experience level to give a worthy fight. In addition to the content, the expansion has finetuned the game to improve the overall experience. Item stats have been streamlined to give players better idea how good the loot is, better recalibration stats to see the usefulness of the loot, Skill Tiers, new skills and SHD level progression system once the player enters the endgame.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Gameplay, visuals WE’D IMPROVE May feel repetitive THE LAST WORD Warlords of New York is a decent H[SDQVLRQ WKDW DOVR UHĆQHV WKH JDPHSOD\ PDNLQJ 7KH Division 2 better
ˏȇȅȆȏ T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today Ȍȋ
Apps Working out at home by yourself is a challenge, especially for beginners. There is a crucial element of social connectivity that makes it fun to attend gyms and various fitness classes. But we have to stay united against the ongoing pandemic and thus continue to be at our homes and do our best to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
Cure Fit
Free (in-app purchases); iOS, Android Cure Fit is a well-known health and fitness brand known for its group classes in various activities like Yoga, Zumba, Strength & Conditioning, and more. But as of last month, Cure Fit started cult.live and mind.live that offers free (yes, free) workouts through live classes and recorded videos by professional fitness coaches. Additionally, you can also track your progress and compete with other users to see who ranks first after each session. You can also consult with a doctor and seek online therapy through the app. With free videos to exercises to help strengthen and work any and every part of your body,
66 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
KEEPING YOU ENTERTAINED CALL OF DUTY A part of one of the most famous franchises in the world – Activision’s Call of Duty Mobile – is now freely available to download. With a 100-player Battle Royale in some great maps, this game is very addictive. Free; iOS, Android PUBG MOBILE This game needs no introduction and has broken records over the past year. One of the best ways to spend time at home is to drop in and stay immersed in an interactive and fully customisable session, with each game taking a good amount of time and teamwork to complete. Free; iOS, Android
there are very few, freely-available amazing initiatives like Cure Fit out there which help you to stay fit during such uncertain times.
Nike Training Club Free; iOS, Android Nike Training Club (NTC) is another great app which is available for free. Its workouts are varied and are good for all sorts of spaces. Live in a tiny room, with barely any space? No problem, all you need is the determination and these workouts will have you sweating. Those who can go for runs, whether on their building terraces or within their compounds can also choose to download the popular Nike Run Club app. NTC offers over 185 free workouts, for people of all fitness levels. Body –part focused workouts along with strength, endurance, yoga and mobility workouts are available with clear videos and explanations with activities ranging from 15-45 minutes.
6 A PP S F O R …
SKY: CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT Created by those who brought the 2013 Game of the Year – Journey – to life, Sky: Children of the Light is a roleplaying game which has a beautifully crafted storyline and gameplay where you can team up with your friends and family and explore kingdoms to return fallen stars to their constellations. Free; iOS, Android TENNIS CLASH: ONLINE LEAGUE Play a tennis game with your friends through intuitive controls. Tennis Clash offers great ways for tennis fans to spend time with friends, no matter where they are! Free; iOS, Android INTO THE DEAD 2: ZOMBIE SURVIVAL Finding your way through a Zombie apocalypse in order to save your loved ones does sound clichéd but Into the Dead 2 is a ton of fun where even your dog kills zombies! Free; iOS, Android FORTNITE A sensation among youngsters all around the globe, Fortnite is one of the best ways to spend at home during the pandemic. Available not only on mobile phones, but also on consoles, this multiplayer action game will keep you glued to your screens. Free; iOS, Android W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
ISSUE 58/ MAY 2020
Retro
T3 India as a magazine/ezine rightly focuses on products that are new and under development. This, of course, does not suggest or imply that everything old is bad and outdated. The pace at which technology moves, demands that we cover all product developments for our readers. In few cases, this means going back to the
past. Look at the worldwide revival of turntables. Only 20 years ago, the turntable was consigned to the dustbin. Today, pressing plants are hard pressed to meet the demand. The area where retro is most in demand is music â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both Western and Indian, and T3 India seeks to address this gap. We hope you enjoy this section.
Inside 68
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Classic Artistes - Indian
MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 67
THE MUSIC OF DIWANA
THE MUSIC OF DIWANA ( 1967) Words: H. S. Billimoria
The huge box office success of ‘ SANGAM’ made Raj Kapoor a ‘hot’ property. Glowing in the success of SANGAM, Raj Kapoor signed three movies as a hero – viz. AROUND THE WORLD opposite Rajashree, SAPNO KA SAUDAGAR opposite newcomer Hema Malini and DIWANA opposite Saira Banu. DIWANA was launched with a great deal of fanfare. Anupam Chitra ( read N C Sippy ) was producing the film and Mahesh Kaul was the director. Veteran Lalita Pawar was to play a key role and Shankar Jaikishan were the music directors. The movie generated a lot of interest before release but proved to be a major flop. The reasons were varied. It was rumoured that the film took long in the making because of financial problems. Also, the plot of the film was hackneyed and stale. Again, the pairing of Raj Kapoor with Saira Banu was a disaster with Saira looking more like his daughter. In the ruins, one thing shone and that was the film’s music. Even prior to release, the music hit the charts and proved to be deeply moving. Shailendra and Hasrat’s lyrics also received acclaim. The music went on to be nominated for BEST MUSIC in the 1969 Filmfare awards since it was released only in 1969. DIWANA however lost out to BRAHMACHARI , another Shankar Jaikishan film starring Shammi Kapoor and Rajashree. DIWANA had nine songs on its musical album ; six solos by Mukesh and three solos by Sharda. When the film was released, all the songs sung by Sharda were missing. Saira Banu ended up not having a single song in the movie. The industry was rife with talk that the Sharda numbers had to be removed from the film under pressure from a ‘Singing Nightingale’. Sharda perhaps had the last laugh because one of her numbers, ‘ Tumhari bhi jai jai ‘ was nominated for the
68 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today MAY 2020
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
THE MUSIC OF DIWANA
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As an album, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Diwanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ranks very high and brilliantly showcases the musical talent of Shankar and Jaikishan. This was not an RK Ä&#x2020;OP \HW WKH PXVLF ZDV RI D YHU\ KLJK TXDOLW\ Not a single dud song. This is what evergreen music is all about.
MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 69
Best of the best
BEST OF THE BEST The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best tech, all in one place
INSIDE
,I \RXèUH ORRNLQJ IRU WKH YHU\ EHVW WHFK DYDLODEOH WRGD\ \RXèYH GHÄ&#x2020;QLWHO\ FRPH WR WKH right place. %HVW RI WKH %HVW LV WKH PRVW XVHIXO JDGJHW EX\LQJ JXLGH \RX ZLOO HYHU HQFRXQWHU To create it, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve extensively tested the best tech the world has to offer, to bring \RX URFN VROLG UHFRPPHQGDWLRQV IRU \RXU KRPH OLIH GDLO\ FRPPXWH DQG WKH WHFK \RX XVH DOO WKH WLPH In 21 different categories, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve chosen the top three products, so you can choose RQH WKDWèV MXVW WKH ULJKW PL[ RI IHDWXUHV DQG EXGJHW IRU ZKDW \RX QHHG 7KHVH UDQNLQJV FRPH IURP UHDO WHVWLQJ E\ RXU WHDP RI H[SHUWV Ã¥ WKH\èUH WKH SURGXFWV ZHèG FKRRVH IRU RXUVHOYHV DQG ZH FDQèW UHFRPPHQG DQ\ KLJKHU WKDQ WKDW
70 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today MAY 2020
Smartphones Mid-range Smartphones Value Smartphones Smartwatches Premium TVs Value TVs Streamers Game Consoles Truly Wireless Headphones Laptops Gaming Laptops Tablets DSLR Cameras Mirrorless Cameras Compact Cameras Action Cameras Drones Fitness Tracker Running Watch Smart Speakers Smart Bulbs
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W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Best of the best
SMARTPHONES
MID RANGE SMARTPHONES
VALUE SMARTPHONES
Ë? Ë?Č&#x2020;Č&#x2020;Ë?
Ë?Č&#x152;
Ë? Č&#x2020;
From `99,900, apple.com/in
From `37,999, oneplus.in
From Rs. 19,999, poco.net/in If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for an all-round performer, Poco F1 has practical design and brings in topnotch hardware with Snapdragon 845 chip, up to 8GB of RAM and 4000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.
Packing the best screen and camera on any phone, plus the fastest processor and a beautiful highquality build, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a phone that earns its Pro name. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a totally polished package.
Ë? Č&#x2C6;Č&#x2026;Ë? `69,500, huawei.com One of the best Android phones in the market right now, the P30 Pro comes with a new processor, quadcamera setup with zoom support a super fast charge support that tops up the battery in just around an hour.
Ë? Ë? Č&#x2020;Č&#x2026;É&#x152; From `69,900, samsung.com/in A premium build, LQFUHGLEOH ,QÄ&#x2020;QLW\ 2 screen with HDR10+, brilliant rear triple camera system and blazing performance in Samsungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slick new One UI make this the Android king.
The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; variant of the OnePlus 6 brings LQ VFUHHQ Ä&#x2020;QJHUSULQW sensor along with a fast Snapdragon 845 CPU, up to 10GB of RAM, high-resolution dual cameras, Optic AMOLED display and super fast Dash charging tech.
Ë? Ë? Č&#x2020;Č&#x2026; From `47,900, samsung.com/in The modestly sized and pocket-friendly 5.8-inch screen on the S10e is a breath of fresh air. With Samsungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impeccable levels of Ä&#x2020;W DQG Ä&#x2020;QLVK JUHDW software and top specs, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a deal.
Ë? Č&#x2021;Č&#x2026; From `37,999, hihonor.in Phoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claim to fame is the 48MP sensor and an allview display that brings the new hole-punch camera implementation. The phone packs Huaweiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 7nm CPU, 8GB of RAM and a full day battery life.
Ë? Ë? Ë?Č?Ë? Ë? From 13,999, mi.com/in Xiaomiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest Redmi Note packs a lot of features. It boasts a new glass design and is powered by the latest Snapdragon 675 chip along with up to 6GB RAM, and a whopping 48MP sensor and 4K video recording support.
Ë? Ë? Ë? Ë? Č&#x2021; From Rs. 9,999, asus.com/in The Zenfone Max Pro series is due for an upgrade this year but this is still a decent buy. It comes with a large 6.26-inch display, premium 3D design, Snapdragon 600 CPU, dual cameras and a 5000mAh battery.
Ë?Č?Ë?
Ë? Ë?Č&#x2020;Č&#x2026; Ë?
Ë?Č&#x2C6;Ë?
From `48,999, oneplus.in
From `39,990, oppo.com/in Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition hides an DQJXODU VKDUN Ä&#x2020;Q SRS up camera with an 11 degree inclination leading to maximum screen real estate. it is available in Ocean Green and Jet Black looking good on the rear glass panel.
From `13,999, realme.com/in/ Realme 3 Pro is a noticeable improvement over its predecessor with a better processor, camera and bigger 4045mAh battery paired with 20W VOOC 3.0 fast charging.
OnePlus 7 Pro brings in a 90Hz AMOLED curved display encompassing the entire front area thanks to the pop-up VHOÄ&#x2020;H FDPHUD 2Q WKH rear is a triple camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary sensor.
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 71
Best of the best
SMARTWATCHES Č&#x2039; From `36,900, apple.com/in This truly straddles the line between tech and fashion; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just the bestlooking smartwatch, but its health and Ä&#x2020;WQHVV IHDWXUHV always-on screen and good apps PDNH LW HVVHQWLDO
From `23,990, samsung.com/in
PREMIUM TVS Č&#x17D;
From `19,990, samsung.com/in
Č&#x160;
From `3,29,900, sony.co.in Marrying a perfect OLED 4K screen with Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s picture processing prowess makes for a jawdropping HDR TV at 55 or 65 inches. Motion handling and upscaling of content are both brilliant.
Č&#x2039;Č&#x2039; Č&#x17D; From `2,24,990 LGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OLED technology produces beautiful 4K HDR images, and makes HD videos look ace too. LGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s webOS smart platform is one of the better systems around, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideal for gaming.
The best smartwatch for Android users brings a circular screen with great rotating bezel, and slick Tizen software thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to use. It looks good too, and the battery life of up to six days is ace.
Č&#x17D; From `2,05,600, samsung.com/in Samsungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s QLED LCD tech is not only able to stand up to the quality of OLED, but even surpasses it in areas such as brightness. It means you get the full effect of HDR even in brighter rooms.
Sleek and powerful, this is the best smartwatch for Android users. The screen and design are on par with the Apple Watch, while a collection of new watch faces give it DbPRGHUQ HGJH
VALUE TVS Rs. 39,999, mi.com/in The TV has gone pro with the all-new Android OS giving users the goodness of Android interface and PatchWall. The 4.9mm thin TV comes with a 55inch 4K HDR display and Dolby Audio.
Č&#x152;Č&#x2020;Č&#x2026;Č&#x2026; From Rs. 41,990, samsung.com/in Samsungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s answer to the intense competition. It comes in three different size options and brings UHD playback, Live Cast support, screen mirroring and support for video streaming apps.
From Rs. 30,999, vutvs.com Vuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pixelight range brings 4K playback at an affordable price. It comes with its own version of Smart OS but supports access to widely watched video services like 1HWÄ&#x2021;L[ <RX7XEH DQG even Prime Video.
Č&#x17D;
ČĽČ&#x160;Č&#x2C6; Č?Č&#x2C6;Č&#x2026;Č&#x2026;
`14,396, fossil.com/in/en
`199,999, www.tcl.com/in/en The massive 85â&#x20AC;? monster looks stunning s in a sleek meta m frame and n narrow bezels surrounding s the vivid panel p that has HDR. It has h a wider brightness range and greater picture contrast.
`19,999, www.sanyoappliance.in/
Fossilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth generation of smartwatches serves up whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably the best Wear OS smartwatch available to buy today. Capable and wearable, with good app support.
72 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today MAY 2020
The IPS LED panel outputs a crisp Full HD picture and comes equipped with 16W box speakers that are decently loud. Additionally, the TV comes with a 3.5mm output jack.
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Best of the best
STREAMERS
GAMES CONSOLES
TRUE WIRELESS HEADPHONES
Ë?
Ë? Ë? Ë? Ë?
Ë?
`3,499, store.google.com/in
`44,990, microsoft.com
`14,999, headphonezone.in
The Chromecast is a receiver for phones and laptops and depends on them for control and content â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple, versatile and compatible with iOS, Android, Windows and Mac.
Ë? Ë? Ë? Ë?Č&#x160; Ë? `5,999, amazon.in
With 4K, Dolby Atmos, Ultra HD Blu-ray and a fairly FRPSDFW SURÄ&#x2020;OH this is the best Xbox ever. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even more powerful than the PS4 Pro and also a great home entertainment hub.
Ë? Č&#x160;Ë? `38,710, sony.co.in
4K HDR for under `6,000 isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t to be sniffed at. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best suited to Prime subscribers and Google apps are absent, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very capable and affordable streamer IRUb79 DQG PRYLHV
Ë? Ë?Č&#x160; Ë? iTunes has the biggest source of 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos movies, and lots of other services have DSSV KHUH WRR <RX can also easily stream to it from Macs and L26bGHYLFHV
Ë? `12,900, apple.com/in
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still overkill if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a 4K TV, but with 2160p HDR gaming, the PS4 Pro delivers incredible visuals and is smoother and faster than its nonPro siblings.
Ë? Ë? Ë?
`15,900, apple.com/in
Even more comfy, though perhaps slightly less secure, than the Jabras, these also offer best-in-class audio. Aside from a slightly odd carry case, these are textbook true wireless buds.
`29,990, microsoft.com The S is smaller, whiter and much cheaper than its big brother, and while you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get its siblingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s super-powered specs you still get Ultra HD %OX UD\ $ Ä&#x2020;QH KRPH entertainment hub.
Appleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wireless â&#x20AC;&#x2122;phones may not sound as good as some of the newer rivals, but they still beat them all for battery life, ease of use and often comfort. They work best with iOS, of course.
Ë? Ë? `9,990, samsung.com/in Samsungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest truly wireless earbuds have been tuned by AKG to deliver improved audio, adaptive dual mic tech helps keep the background noise at bay and up to 6 hours of playback and wireless charging support.
Ë? Ë? Ë?
Ë? Č&#x160;Ë?
Ë? Ë?Č&#x152;Č&#x2039;
`3,999, www.amazon.in The cheaper Fire TV variant tops out at Full HD but should be perfect for TVs with the same resolution. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bundled with the new Alexa voice remote that accepts voice commands to navigate or browse through content.
`29,999, www.sony.co.in Boasting a great variety of exclusives, the PS4 silm is getting long in the tooth but still has enough power to play current gen titles without too many visual compromises even if it has been surpassed by the Pro.
`15,499, www.jabra.in Lasting upto 5 hours on a single charge, these IP55 rated earbuds get an additional 10 hours with the charging case. A companion app enables access to extra features to further customise the listening experience.
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 73
Best of the best
LAPTOPS Č&#x2021; `1,37,999, microsoft.com Available in 13- or 15-inch sizes, with a 3:2 screen that gives you more height than other laptops, and plenty of power, this is a light and fast machine thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DOVR UHDOO\ Ä&#x2021;H[LEOH Perfect.
GAMING LAPTOPS From `2,39,990, asus.com/in The ROG Zephyrus S offers serious gaming performance in an ultra-slim form factor. The 16.15mm notebook features a 15.6-inch display, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, and a 144Hz display.
TABLETS Č&#x2020;Č&#x2021;Č?Č? From `89,900, apple.com/in The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 is unbelievably owerful and slick, with w an excellent screen, thin and s compact design, c great battery life g and a support for the ew Apple Pencil. Pricey, but worth it.
Č&#x2020;Č&#x2C6;
Č&#x152;Č&#x2039; Č&#x17D;
Č&#x160;
`84,390, dell.co.in
From `3,25,999, msi.com This gaming laptop manages to pack an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU, Intel Core i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM into a very portable package. Its Full HD, wide-view 144Hz panel is top rate, too.
`57,900, samsung.com/in 7KH Ä&#x2020;QHVW $QGURLG tablet, this delivers DbV\VWHP ZLWK a sharp OLED screen, S Pen stylus, excellent audio credentials, powerful internals, and a neat laptopaping DeX mode.
The Dell XPS 13 is thinner and more powerful than ever. Up to 1TB of SSD storage, 16GB of RAM, and powerful Intel Core i7 processors help make it a high quality all-rounder.
Č&#x2C6;Č&#x152;Č&#x2026; From Rs. 1,29,990, hpshopping.in The Spectre x360 packs in the looks and performance. It features a gem cut, all-aluminium design and brings in Intelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, audio from Bang & Olufsen and more.
Č&#x2020; `From 1,97,000, lenovo.com/in The 15.6â&#x20AC;? Thinkpad is slim yet packs in some powerful hardware for productivity. While v variants start from Intel Core i7, they g up to the top end go i7 chipsets paired with upto 1TB SSD storage and 64GB RAM.
74 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today MAY 2020
From `1,64,990, asus.com/in Built for FPS gamers, the 15.6inch ROG Strix Scar II has a refresh rate of 144Hz with 3ms response time. It has the latest GeForce RTX 2070 GPU, 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and more.
ČĽČ&#x2039;Č&#x2020; `From 2,99,590, dell.co.in The Area-51m is not only one of the most powerful gaming laptops till date but also supports upgradeability with a removable processor and GPU. Although the Core i7/i9 and Geforce RTX GPU will not get outdated.
From `37,999, microsoft.com While Windows 10 in tablet mode remains a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;mixedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience, its versatility is impressive and the ergonomics of Microsoftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new tablet computer are second WRbQRQH
Č&#x2C6;Č&#x152;Č&#x2026; `From 60,990, hp.com/in Sleek and lightweight, the Envy is highly versatile and can adapt to a number of situations given its transforming form factor. The battery life might not be amazing but the HP Active Pen is.
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Best of the best
DSLR CAMERAS
MIRRORLESS CAMERAS
COMPACT CAMERAS
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`2,34,950, nikon.co.in
`2,08,950, nikon.co.in
`96,990, sony.co.in
With a highresolution 45.4 megapixel sensor, 4K video capture, a 153-point AF system, and a sturdy body, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never be disappointed with what the D850 can create for you.
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With a full-frame 24.5 megapixel sensor, 12fps continuous shooting, phenomenal low-light performance and fantastic handling, this creates incredible images for a reasonable price.
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`1,36,950, nikon.co.in
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From `1,58,490, sony.co.in The advanced 24.2 megapixel lightweight, full frame Sony A7 III mirrorless interchangeable lens camera boasts of a remarkable eyeautofocus feature that all users, especially wedding photographers, love.
This solidly built camera is the SHUIHFW FKRLFH IRU those who like to shoot a little bit of everything, thanks to a brilliant autofocus system and glorious image quality from its 20MP sensor.
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From `66,750, nikon.co.in Designed for beginners and midlevel photographers, Nikonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s light-weight (465 g body with battery) APS-C sensor 24.78 megapixel D-SLR is a good choice to carry along the whole day.
The ultimate in pocket-sized image quality. A large oneinch sensor is joined by an ace 24-200mm lens, retractable YLHZÄ&#x2020;QGHU WLOWLQJ touchscreen and absolutely glorious picture quality. ` IXMLÄ&#x2020;OP LQ 7KH )XMLÄ&#x2020;OP ; ) is as beautiful as it is capable. If the retro ORRN Ä&#x2021;RDWV \RXU ERDW then the X100F is a thing to behold. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compact, but packs a large APS-C sensor and a lovely 35mm f/2.0 lens.
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From `2,99,990, sony.co.in Perfect for landscape photographers looking for the minutest detail in their large prints. In spite of its massive 61MP rating, it can shoot up to 10 frames per second with autofocus and auto exposure tracking in its Continuous Hi+ mode.
`40,395, canon.co.in Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compact cameras are a great alternative to your DSLR when travelling light. This is the sweet spot in the range, with a great balance between small size and a range of features.
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From `2,90,995, canon.co.in
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`50,500 (approx.), panasonic.com
The 30.4 megapixel D-SLR from Canon is one of its most sought-after models. Using a full frame sensor and Dual-Pixel CMOS AF for video, the 5D IV is the bread-andbutter camera for most photographers today.
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Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of things to like about the X-T3, including great autofocusing, fast frame rates, an impressive array of 4K video features and, this being )XMLÄ&#x2020;OP EHDXWLIXO retro looks.
This might be the ideal travel companion, with a versatile zoom lens up to 15x, and a fantastic one-inch sensor that captures bright, sharp images. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also stylish and pocket-friendly.
MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 75
Best of the best
ACTION CAMERAS Č? `35,000, gopro.com
DRONES approx. `57,000, parrot.com
The waterproof Hero7 Black makes capturing pro-looking shots easier, thanks to HyperSmooth electronic stabilisation. 4K image quality is excellent, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slick 60fps recording.
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`57,000, dji.com Packing a one-inch sensor, with a Zeiss lens bolstering the image quality further, in and out of the water. Other ace features include super-slow video and 15MP stills capture.
Č? `19,000, gopro.com The wallet-friendly Hero7 White borrows premium features from the Hero7 Black. Ideal for part-time adrenaline junkies needing a simple HD camera WKDW VKRRWV <RX7XEH ready footage.
Č&#x160; `9,999, www.yitechnology.com The affordable action camera is capable of 4K recording featuring a 12MP Sony IMX377 CMOS sensor with Exmor R. It can record 720p videos at 240fps but goes down to 24fps for 4K videos.
76 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today MAY 2020
Č&#x2C6; ` Ä&#x2020;WELW FRP
At just 320g, one of the lightest cameraequipped drones you can buy. Flight time is great, and the drone is near-silent in the air, which is appreciated. The camera and zoom are amazing.
`50,490, sony.co.in
FITNESS TRACKER
Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no GPS and the capacitive â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;buttonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a bit pants but this is otherwise a textbook tracker. Sleep, steps, swims, and serious cardio workouts are all handled with aplomb.
Č&#x2C6; `1,999, mi.com/in
The Mavic Air is a super-portable 4K camera drone. Video quality from the camera mounted on a three-axis gimbal is excellent, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so simple to control that beginners grasp it fast.
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Still trying to get a IHHO RI ZKDW D Ä&#x2020;WQHVV band does? Mi Band 3 is the answer with its simple design that tracks daily steps, sleep and even QRWLÄ&#x2020;HV WKH XVHU RI an incoming call or a message.
`16,990, garmin.co.in
`1,20,000, dji.com While this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer the same size to power ratio as the Air, its 4K video and stills capture are sensational, thanks to an onboard Hasselblad camera and fantastic stabilisation.
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Garminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rival to the Charge 2 boasts GPS for a similar price, but it also has a dodgy interface and some pointless extra features. The core functionality is good, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterproof.
Č&#x2021; `13,990, samsung.com/in
`1,00,000, dji.com The alter ego of the Mavic 2 Pro, the cheaper Zoom comes with a different camera, with a 2x optical zoom lens. Along with the folding design and long battery life, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UHDOO\ Ä&#x2021;H[LEOH
$ UDUH Ä&#x2020;WQHVV WUDFNHU with an AMOLED display that is big and bright enough to see all statistics at a glance. It can track Ä&#x2020;WQHVV DFWLYLWLHV OLNH swimming etc and accurately track your route via GPS.
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Best of the best
RUNNING WATCH
SMART SPEAKERS
SMART BULBS
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`39,990, garmin.co.in
`14,999, amazon.in
From `2,900, meethue.com Thanks to its integrated Zigbeecompliant smart home hub, the Plus is a great smart home starter. Never pay the RRP, though: Amazon discounts Echos every time LW KDV D VDOH
This does everything: GPS for running and cycling, heart rate tracking, VO2 Max, intensity monitoring and even acting as an MP3 player. Expect four days of use between charges.
Hue dominates the smart lighting sector for good reason: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a superb system with the widest range of bulbs and a simple, useful app. Rivals may be cheaper but they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compete with Hueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s variety.
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`44,990, garmin.co.in
`39,000, bose.co.in
`1,999, tp-link.in
Add Garminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extra sensors to this and you get incredible detail for how you run, swim, bike and more, as well as your VO2 Max, lactate thresholdâ&#x20AC;Ś itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for the very, very serious.
This Bose speakers offer the widest soundstage available in a smart speaker with a wall-to-wall stereo sound. It supports Amazon Alexa, which means you can ask questions to Alexa or control the device via voice.
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`24,990, garmin.co.in
`9,999, store.google.com
7KH RIÄ&#x2020;FLDO SULFH LV similar but thanks to discounting this is often much cheaper than the 645. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no heart-rate or music but you do get GPS, reliable tracking and ace running metrics.
Google Home is a nice addition if you use Google Assistant. It gives access to the Google ecosystem with personalised schedule, news, and even control smart home gadgets.
Known for its routers but TP-Link offers decent smart bulb solutions and LB130 is their latest solution that does not require a hub to operate, It can be controlled over Wi-Fi and supports multi-colour, circadian mode, voice control.
Ë? Ë? Ë? `1,299, mi.com/in The Mi LED Smart Bulb is the newest entrant in the smart bulb segment that works with both Alexa and Google Assistant without the need of a bridge and offers a colour space of up to 16 million colours.
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`17,995, www.fossil.com/in/en.html Fossil Sport runs on Snapdragon Wear 3100 giving an 2 days battery life and its 3 watch faces are fully integrated with Google Fit. in It comes in two case sizes of 41mm and 43mm with choices of six colourways.
`17,499, www.jbl.com The 360 degree lightshow produced by the JBL Pulse 3 adds a distinct party Ä&#x2021;DYRXU ZKHQHYHU songs are played or a voice assistant like Siri or Google Assistant is summoned.
From `1,799, syska.com Syskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main USP is that it uses a normal B22 cap and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t require a hub to operate. After connecting, the bulb can be connected DQG PRGLÄ&#x2020;HG IURP anywhere with the help of the app.
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MAY 2020 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 77
LUXURIES Exclusive gifts to seriously spoil yourself
MONO WATC H W IN DE R If your timekeeping is all at sea (and you have ample cash to splash), navigate your way towards this nautically themed luxury watch winder by Rapport London. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspired by the devices used by old sea captains to keep their watches ticking as accurately as possible â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a must for navigational purposes, naturally. The handsome Captainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mono Watch Winder FRPHV LQ D KDQG Ä&#x2020;QLVKHG SROLVKHG PDKRJDQ\ FDELQHW ZLWK EUDVV FRUQHU SURWHFWLRQ GHWDLOV and a soft-feel beige velvet interior, all of which add to the luxe feel. A leather-covered holder HQVXUHV WKDW \RXU WLPHSLHFH VWD\V Ä&#x2020;UPO\ LQ SODFH ZKLOH LWèV EHLQJ ZRXQG SURYLGLQJ D VDIH haven for your watch when it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t on your wrist. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even a lock and foldaway handles for when you want to take the watch winder on holiday or use it on a business trip. approx. `76,000 (â&#x201A;Ź925), rapportlondon.com
Č?Č&#x17D; T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today Ë?Č&#x2021;Č&#x2026;Č&#x2021;Č&#x2026;
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