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VOLUME 04 ISSUE 03 OCTOBER 2018
The World’s Leading Gadget Magazine!
Tomorrow’s echnology Today INDIAN EDITION
www.t3india.com
EVEALED RE
iPhone XS
ISSN 2454–9703 97
AM I G GADGETS ADG T B RAIDER PLAYED MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN | SHADOW OF THE TOMB
GAMECHANGER The tech that’s so cutting edge, \RXèUH ULVNLQJ \RXU ĆQJHUV just turning this page
A SKY FULL OF STARS
Fancy catching a closer look at the night sky while you’re camping? Due to its portable size, rechargeable battery and ability to function without a Wi-Fi connection (if needed), the Hiuni is the ideal companion for travelling stargazers
H I U N I SM A RT TE L E S C OPE The night sky may look pretty much the same as it did 50 years ago (give or take the odd cepheid variable), but the tech that enables us to examine it has expanded. Available for pre-order now, the Hiuni Smart Telescope is a true gamechanger, offering all the fun of a traditional telescope and adding a layer of connected smarts for enhanced viewing. Not only can you control this portable telescope from your tablet or smartphone, you also have the option to share its live views with astronomers all over the world, facilitating debates about the existence of alien life forms. Our favourite feature is Sky Map, which enables you to locate a celestial landmark from an interactive diagram, then kick back as the telescope, which ERDVWV D &DVVHJUDLQ VW\OH GHVLJQ ZLWK DQ DOWLWXGH D]LPXWK PRXQW ĆQGV LW LQ UHDO WLPH DQG SUHVHQWV LPDJHV RI LW RQ \RXU phone or tablet. Those photos can then be saved and shared via email or social media. The app also features educational DFWLYLWLHV VXFK DV WRXUV RI WKH QLJKW VN\ VR \RX FDQ ĆQDOO\ OHDUQ \RXU 3RODULV IURP \RXU &DQLV 0DMRU $1,190 (approx. `87,000), hiuniscope.com
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Welcome
Editor’s letter All play and no work Okay, not entirely true but this month has been a blast for us working on our gaming special. Check out our list of gaming gadgets you should have if you’re looking to game casually or professionally. Also, check out some upcoming games that are launching later this year and reviews of Spider-Man and the latest Tomb Raider. Apple made news with their new iPhones along with its ECG-capable Apple Watch Series 4. Other announcements include cameras from Canon, Fujifilm and Nikon and a new high-end TV from Sony. And finally, for the products going through our scanner, we thoroughly looked at Asus’ ZenBook Pro 15, TP-Link’s high-end gaming router, Beyerdynamic’s super expensive headphones, and more.
Kunal Gangar, Executive Editor k.gangar@nextgenpublishing.net
Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd. Next Gen Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without adequate postal stamps for return postage. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express written permission of the publisher. All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. T3 India does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.
OUR AWARDS PLATINUM AWARD
THE DESIGN AWARD
BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE
This award, and others We give this only to 2QO\ D ĆYH VWDU UHYLHZ like it, are given for WHFK WKDWbVWDQGV RXW IRU earn a product our prestigious Platinum stunning aesthetics or a exceptional performance in a key feature clever build Award
6 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
BEST ON TEST
The winners of our group tests earn this accolade, showing them to be top tier
T3 is… Consulting Editor H. S. Billimoria Executive Editor Kunal Gangar Correspondent Ankush Mahajan Copy Editor Tania Tarafdar Editor (UK) Matt Bolton Contributors (UK) Claire Davies, Duncan Bell, Damian Hall, Michelle McLaren Publisher Girish Mallya Head Design & Production Ravi Parmar Senior Designer Prakash Gavnang Nandkishor Sawant Photography Mahesh Reddy Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Product Manager Perseus Master General Manager North and East - Ellora Das Gupta General Manager South - Girish Shet Circulation Manager Circulation North and East - Kapil Kaushik BRANCH OFFICES Mumbai Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai 400 013 Tel: +91 22 43525252 Ahmedabad Devendra Mehta - Mob No.- 09714913234 Bengaluru Unit No. 509, 5th Floor ‘B’ Wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bangalore -560001, India Tel: +91 80 66110116/17 Fax: + 91 80 41472574 Chennai Salma Jabbar Cenetoph Elite,No.5,1st street, Teynampet, Chennai-6000018 Tel: + 91 044 421-08-421, 044 421-75-421 New Delhi Ellora Das Gupta 26-B, Ground Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase-III, New Delhi - 110020. Tel: +91 11 4234 6600 / 6678 Fax: + 91 11 4234 6679 Pune 201 Gera Serenity, North Main road, Koregaon Park, Pune - 411001. Tel: + 91 20 26830465 Hyderabad Srinivas Gangula -Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Mobile no. 09000555756 Kolkata Vidyasagar Gupta -Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation). Mobile no. 09804085683 Subscription Enquiries Tel: +91-22-43525220 Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: help@magzter.com
All rights reserved. Published with the permission of Future plc. Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part without prior written permission from Future plc & Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd. with regard to their respective content is prohibited. Printed by Girish Mallya. Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai 400 013. Published by Girish Mallya on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai 400 013. Printed at Kalajyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-160/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai 400 013. Editor: Kunal Gangar
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Contents
Contents
HORIZON 012
TOP LAUNCHES Bank card at the ready? Good! Because here we go again with the month’s most exciting tech, including Apple’s expensive new iPhones, Technogym Skillbike, new cameras and more
027
LIVING Is your hallway underused? We show you how to turn it into a retro games arcade
GAMING GADGETS 047 056
031 TALKING TECH 7KH (8 KDV ĆQHG *RRJOH RYHU Android, leading Duncan Bell to ponder, what would it be like if Android never existed?
UPCOMING GAMES The last quarter is packed with a lot of releases. We list the most important ones.
034
GADGET GURU Clinic is in session. This month: electric skateboards, sleep tech that really works, and what the heck is Blockchain?
040 MAN VS TECH Could tech help you survive in the vast wilderness if you have no idea where you are or where you are going? Our writer is about to ĆQG RXW +ROG RQWR \RXU headlamps, people!
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TX5/Titanium
Available at all leading stores across India www.stepperindia.com
Frame style shown: SI-20049
Contents BEST OF THE BEST 089 INTRODUCING THE BEST BUYER’S GUIDE KNOWN TO MAN
HOME
TESTED
046
066
LIVING SMARTER
LENOVO MIRAGE SOLO
Build the world’s teeniest remote control using a smart button
The next big standalone VR headset is here, and it’s way more advanced than the Oculus Go. Is it the next big thing?
From p phones to tablets, and camera to cars, our selection of the ver best tells you what to buy 085
070
PARROT ANAFI Ah, DJI. You’ve had a good run, but Parrot has come along with a drone that looks set to blow the Mavic Air out of the sky sky. Or is it? Find out whether the $QDĆ UHDOO LV D '-, NLOOHU
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XIAOMI REDMI 6 PRO Xiaomi is out with yet another affordable phone. We test it to see if it’s worth
077
ASUS ZENBOOK PRO 15
097 098
Fancy a notebook with second screen? ZenBook Pro 15 is the one to look for
SUBSCRIPTIONS VICES
SUBSCRIBE
AND SAVE BIG MONEY
097
079
BEYERDYNAMIC AMIRON WIRELESS One of the best wireless headphones money can buy
080
GAMES :H SOD\ 0DUYHOèV 6SLGHU 0DQ 3(6 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider 10 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
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Horizon
ay The best new tech heading your wa
Apple iPhone XS, XS Max & XR From `76,900 , www.apple.com/in/ Apple lovers will find much to rejoice with the company bringing in 3 models - XS, XS Max and XR that replace last year’s iPhone X. Beating everyone to the punch, the new A12 Bionic SoC powering them is built on a 7nm fabrication making it the industry’s first to be commercially available. In addition to being faster, the new octa-core Neural Processing Unit (NPU) enables apps to harness real-time AI algorithms. Moving to the cameras, a dual 12MP+12MP rear setup is present on the XS and XS Max while XR has to make do with only one 12MP lens but the 7MP front sensor is the same for all. Smart HDR is said to increase image fidelity by taking 4 diferent shots recording aspects like lighting and depth in them. Face ID has been improved to such a level with facial feature detection that Touch ID has been completely dropped. The XS Max justifies its naming by introducing 6.5-inch of screen real estate having a resolution of 2688x1242 pixels with the 5.8-inch XS coming in second. Other than the size, both are fundamentally the same enjoying IP68 rating which is a step up from IP67 from yore. The 6.1-inch XR now replaces the older generation as the “cheapest” iPhone of 2018 so it also misses out on dual-SIM. However, this is an eSIM implementation like the Watch and iPad that requires certain steps to be taken to run as intended. Screen interaction has also gotten an upgrade thanks to the 120Hz touch sensing (not refresh rate) that should provide better haptic feedback, quicker typing and recognition. The audio experience greatly benefits from the stereo speakers that output a wider sound space with notable clarity and enhanced spatial sound.
TECH-O-METER
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e has Battery life benefitted with an increase of 60-90 minutes over the iPhone X
A number of different finishes and colours are available for the new series.
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Apple iPhone 2018
SUPER FAST Loaded out of the box with iOS 12, performance is snappy and responsive.
THE LOADED NOTCH The wide notch houses within an array of sensors, speaker, camera and a dot projector
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Horizon APPLE WATCH SERIES 4 `TBA, www.apple.com/in The fourth iteration of the Apple Watch comes out of the gate with noticeable physical changes. This includes the design with thinner bezels around the display that is 30 per cent larger than Series 3. It runs on the dual-core Apple S4 SoC and new GPU that is approximately two times faster compared to the previous one. Haptic feedback is given by the digital crown now that further helps make navigation easier. The accelerometer and gyroscope have been updated with up to twice the dynamic range and around 32 g-force. For user wellness, alerts are issued for low heart rate, atrial fibrillation, and electrocardiogram (ECG). The ECG and health apps will store the results that can be shared via a PDF file. WatchOS 5 has been overhauled with key highlights like the ability to add health and fitness statistics, new watch faces, podcasts, a smarter Siri. T3 Says: The improved speaker is much louder while the microphone is kept apart to reduce echo.
TECH-O-METER
FUJIFILM X-T3 ` 1,17,999, www.fujifilm.in/ The X-T3 comes two years after Fujifilm released the X-T2 back in 2016. The new premium mirrorless camera is equipped with a back-illuminated 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor that has 2.16 million phase detection pixels. This efectively expands the phase detection autofocus (AF) area to the entire sensor ensuring its usage even when the subject is located away from the centre of the frame. It can also be used in low light conditions as the AF limit has been increased from -1EV to -3EV. The X-Processor 4 image processing engine is around 3 times faster than current models that adds Monochrome Adjustment to the Film Simulation modes. ISO 160 sensitivity is now part of the normal ISO range going from 160-12800 that can be extended from 80-51200. The high resolution 3.69 million dot EVF with a magnification ratio of 0.75 times has a display time lag of 0.005 seconds. T3 Says: It’s major claim to fame is being the world’s first APS-C mirrorless camera capable of 4K/60fps 10-bit video capture.
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Horizon POLYMEGA MODULAR GAMING CONSOLE Base unit: $250 (approx. `18,000), Modules: $60 (approx. `4,300), ` polymega.com Hit the loft, because gaming’s golden age is coming back. The Polymega aims to keep your old cartridges alive using a modular system that lets you add console support, and controller ports for that authentic experience, to one base unit. Using what it calls hybrid emulation to get Mega Drive, NES, SNES and others playing, the Polymega includes a Bluetooth controller for wireless play, and lets you back up your cartridges to its internal memory. It even includes an optical drive in the base unit for compatibility with disc-based systems like the PS1, Mega CD and Neo-Geo CD. If you have a love for the classics, upscale them to HD... Once pre-orders open, that is. T3 SAYS: If the quality of the Polymega’s hybrid emulation system holds up, this will be essential.
TECH-O-METER
TECHNOGYM SKILLBIKE `5 00 000, technogym.com/int/#IN 5,00,0 With terrible weather outdoors, keeping fit within the es of your own home is becoming a necessity confine a luxury. Technogym’s Skillbike is a rather than t stationa ary bike that will allow cycling lovers and enthusiasts to feel the outdoors inside the house. In fact, it is the first indoor bike with real gears that will help replicate hill riding and by shifting, the change in nce can be countered along with maintaining the resistan correctt power and rhythm for maximum eiciency. The handlebar are shaped to accommodate a frame and a variety of riding positions like mountain bike, road and time trial. The 7-inch colour LCD console displays all relevant data of user performance with real-time ment on various aspects like cadence, watts, assessm gear ratio and more. To increase user efectiveness, feedback on the circularity and symmetry of pedaling at diferent gear ratios is provided. s: The Skillbike comes fully integrated with T3 Says Strava, Garmin and Zwift and loaded with a range of g programs, targeted routes and routines. training
CH-O-METER TEC
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Horizon BENQ X12000H `5,00,000, benq.co.in Nearly a year after the X12000, BenQ has followed up with the X12000H promising an even better viewing experience to users. The projector uses CinematicColor to produce optimal colours as well as attain DCI-P3 colour space and contrast quality with over 8 million pixels. 4.15 million micro mirrors of DLP 4K UHD DMD, fast switching speed and advanced image processing capabilities of the chipset are harnessed to achieve CTA 4K UHD certification. The 14-element lens array inside is structured into 6 groups using a metal barrel and cell framework enabling greater light penetration, clarity, sharpness and colour performance. HDR10 and HLG are supported through HDR Pro along with Auto HDR Color Rendition that should lead to improved brightness, contrast range and image enhancement. The True Zoom system adjusts automatically to follow focus modifications and optimise zoom ratio while the 3 focusing lens work in tandem with the zoom lens group to negate any curved field. T3 Says: Checking almost all boxes, the X12000H will be the one to get for those willing to spend.
TECH-O-METER
LENOVO LEGION RANGE From `24,990, lenovo.com/in Lenovo Legion has refreshed their gaming lineup for the Indian market that includes laptops, desktop hardware, and a mo monitor. The Y530 laptop has 62 per cent thinner bezels in co omparison to previous variants from the company with a wh hite backlit keyboard and re-engineered dual channel cooling. The Y730 (pictured) comes in 15-inch and 17-inch screen sizes notably equipped with Corsair iCUE RGB em lighting, 6 custom macro ‘Y’ keys and Dolby Atmos syste spea aker with Dolby Sound Radar. The T730 is a 28-litre towe er with an RGB chassis and tool-free upgrade system that is VR-ready. Similarly, T530 has red lighting that glows from m behind its thermal venting. TheC730 is a portable 19-littre small form factor PC with a cube design embracing RGB B illumination that can be seen from the transparent top pane el. The Y25f-10 monitor is a 24.5-inch bezel-less display with AMD FreeSync. It has a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time claiming to minimise stutter and input lag. T3 S Says: The diverse configurations among the products ensu ure something for everyone.
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Horizon ROOMBA E5 ROBOT VACUUM `41,900 , irobot.in iRobot has been slowly making progress by generating awareness of robot vacuums among Indian consumers. The Roomba e5 is another step in that direction coming with a power lifting suction and high eiciency filter to clean dirt both visible and invisible to the human eye. The 3-stage cleaning system uses dual multi-surface rubber brushes and power lifting suction to pull in debris while the edge sweeping brush is designed to push that unwanted matter away from the edges and corners right into the robot’s cleaning path. Concentrated areas accumulated with muck and heavy traic zones receive special attention after getting detected by the sensors to work harder there. Amazon Alexa compatibility opens up possibilities to voice control and develop conditional statements for the Roomba. The iRobot HOME app will help schedule cleanings from anywhere provided the cleaner is connected to a WiFi network. T3 Says: It is always ready to serve as the robot automatically docks and charges when not in use.
TECH-O-METER
BLAUPUNKT TV RANGE From ` 12,999, blaupunkt.com/in Blaupunkt marked its entry into the LED TV segment in the country with 3 new series. The 4K UHD premium series (43-, 49-, 55-inch) have a built-in 60W soundbar and boasts to be India’s first voice-enabled Android open source panel. Further, they are bundled with a voice recognition smart remote working in parallel with the AI driven smart user interface. It runs on a Quad Core ARM Cortex-A53 processor with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage. The Smart Sound series (32-, 43-, 50-inch) packs in an additional soundbar providing 30+60W sound output easily filling the entire room controlled by a smart air mouse. The Family series (32-, 43-inch) with 30W sound has been designed to supply a great experience to even those on a budget. The Blaupunkt TV Care app available on Android is a nice touch that helps provide support for servicing, tutorials, warranty and customer care for all the models. T3 Says: This is a very promising debut from the German brand that prospective buyers should definitely consider.
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Horizon CANON EOS R COSYSTEM ` 1,89,950 (body only), in.canon The EOS R is the first full-frame mirrorless camera from Canon supported by four types of RF mount adapters, seven lenses including 4 RF, 2 supertelephoto EF and 1 prime EF-M. Coming with a 30.3MP full-frame CMOS sensor, the company’s proprietary DIGIC 8 image processor rests on the inside. The normal 100-40,000 ISO range expands to 50-102400. Burst mode results in 8FPS shoot while 4K videos can be recorded at 30PFS and FHD (1080p) at 60FPS. A fully articulated 3.2-inch TFT LCD display helps with navigation and review. Besides, original or reduced size images can be directly transferred to a smartphone via WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. The 54mm diameter RF mount will be of notable interest as its short back-focus of 20mm and 12 pin contact points are said to augment communication between the lens and body. T3 Says: The all-inclusive ecosystem houses a versatile assortment of attachments to supplement the EOS R camera.
TECH-O-METER
ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR II ` 1,79,990, asus.com/in Built specifically for First Person Shooter (FPS) titles, Asus ROG Strix SCAR II is the laptop of choice for e e-sports. The new design has dual contrasting brushed fi finishes covering the lid, front light bar and changed k keys. It features a 15.6-inch FHD 144Hz super narrow b bezel display with 3ms response time, 8th gen Intel C Core i7 processor, up to 32GH DDR4 RAM, 512GB PCIe S SSD paired with 1TB FireCuda SSHD storage and Nvidia G Geforce GTX 1070 GPU. The HyperStrike Pro gaming k keyboard has a desktop-inspired layout that includes e ergonomic keys with 0.25mm deep keycap curves, four h hotkeys, customisable Aura Sync RGB backlighting a across four zones and ROG Overstroke that has longer o overstroke distance enabling earlier key actuation. The HyperCool Pro thermal system comes with an H extended cooling plate that helps soak up the heat and e spread it evenly to avoid throttling and keeping internal s chipset components below 90 degrees Celsius. c T3 T Says: We’re happy to see a ROG laptop having a specific focus on twitchy shooters.
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Sophisticated Engineering AV8805 Pre-Amplifier
MZ Audio Distribution India North India: +91 9999662755 I Maharashtra: +91 9773205806 I East India: +91 999962755 I Gujarat: +91 9999662755 Karnataka & Andhra: +91 8123751286 I Kerala & Tamil Nadu: + 9442269635 I Email : al@mzaudiodistribution.co.in
Horizon NIKON Z SERIES From ` 1,69,950, nikon.co.in The Nikon Z series includes two full-frame mirrorless cameras each, namely the mid-end Z6 and the highend Z7. Both are powered by the Expeed 6 image processing engine having a backside illuminated CMOS sensor with focal-plane PDAF pixels and an OLED panel EVF having a magnification of 100 per cent and 0.8 times with about 37-degree diagonal viewing angle. While the Z7 comes with a 45.7MP sensor supporting ISO 64-25600 range, the Z6 bears a 24.5MP sensor having an ISO range of 100-51200. The Z7 has 493 focus points and the Z6 makes do with 273 that cover 90 per cent of the imaging area horizontally and vertically. The eyepiece protection window has a fluorine coating that helps repel dirt. The models provide in-body stabilisation or vibration reduction attesting up to five stops eiciency with native Nikon Z lenses and three stops with adapted Nikon F lenses. T3 Says: There are also three new Nikkor Z lenses including the standard zoom Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S, wide-angle prime Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8 S and standard prime Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S.
TECH-O-METER
SONY A9F BRAVIA OLED From `4,29,900, sony.co.in The Sony Master Series A9F Bravia OLED ups the ante in the television department. The X1 Ultimate image processor alongside the pixel contrast booster can intelligently detect and analyse each object in the picture through Sony’s new object-based superresolution mechanism for boosting accuracy and detail. A single slate design philosophy has been embraced with only one stylish stand in the back propping it up. Thanks to acoustic surface audio+, that the multidimensional sounds are played according to their positioning on the display. The panel can even double as the center channel in a home theatre system makes for a very interesting experience. Running on Android Oreo 8.0, hands-free voice search with the built-in microphone lets users speak to play media. There is multilingual support for 11 Indian languages and 14 international dialects. T3 Says: Netflix Calibrated Mode will find much favour among the streaming service lovers as it mirrors the same picture quality on the A9F as intended by the content makers.
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Horizon Style
DRESS LIKE
SAM CLAFLIN The Adrift and Hunger Games star’s style is an easy steal. And it starts with three key pieces... THE SUIT Sam’s suit contrasts nicely with the navy and white in his outfit. To add more depth to your look, choose the Savoy Taylors Guild Charcoal Birdseye Suit (moss. co.uk), which features notch lapels and an autumnal-ready fleck. THE T-SHIRT In true smart-casual style, with this look you can wear a tee when you’re seeing out the last days of summer, then swap in a longer-sleeve top for autumn. We like Reiss’ Maurice Crew Jumper (reiss.com). THE SHOES Pristine white trainers go perfectly with a grey suit, so try it for yourself with the Clean 360 Sneaker (in white leather) from Axel Arigato (axelarigato.com).
MONEY NO OBJECT Loro Piana Houndstooth Cashmere Overcoat The cooler days are approaching fast, so get a jump-start on your autumn tailoring now with this modern take on the overcoat. Loro Piana’s single-breasted Houndstooth Cashmere Overcoat is a sumptuous way to protect your clothes from drizzly weather, thanks to its water-repellent finish. Pair the coat with ripped jeans and a sweatshirt to put a modern spin on a classic look.
mrporter.com
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IN THE DETAILS
HOW TO STYLE UP YOUR OUTFIT WITH ACCESSORIES It’s surprisingly easy to do, as stylist and fashion blogger Sam Squire explains An eye-catching belt, a well-placed lapel pin, a colourful backpack… There are infinite ways for you to accessories your outfit, helping to dress up or accentuate a certain aspect of your look with minimal efort. Accessories can instantly transform a daytime vibe into a stronger nighttime look, taking you from office to bar with little re-styling efort. And if you choose your accessories wisely, they needn’t break the bank either. When it comes to adding extra style and class to an otherwise casual look, a watch is perhaps the easiest place to start. It won’t necessarily overhaul your entire look (unless, perhaps, it’s a blinding colour), but if you’re wearing something as simple as a crisp Oxford shirt, a watch will definitely accent your look. If your current outfit is lacking colour, and you find yourself feeling a bit dowdy on a sunny day, pop on some sunglasses with tinted or coloured lenses, adding a welcome splash of colour to your look. Make sure you choose sunglasses that suit your face: round and oval-shaped faces suit more rectangular frames – so simple Wayfarer-style sunnies would be good – while triangular and square faces suit softer frames, such as Clubmasters. When you’re cultivating a more smart-casual look, try an open-collar jacket and a pocket square. Something patterned will add extra detail to your look without overpowering it. While we’re on the topic of smartcasual outfits, if a brogue or smarter shoe feels too OTT, throw on desert or chukka boots instead. These still look smart-ish, but lend an edge to your look.
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Horizon
GAME ON
TURN YOUR HALLWAY INTO A RETRO GAMES ARCADE It’s death to the coat stand as Paul Dimery shows you how to transform your hallway into a palace of vintage gaming joy Hallways can be a criminally underused space or a dumping ground for coats, bags and shoes. Why not use that area instead to create a retro gaming arcade? If you have a few grand to spare, your foyer fun could centre around Love Hulten’s Origin X (approx. `2,15,852, lovehulten.com). Inspired by Atari’s Pong machines of the 1970s, this wall-mounted unit enables you to build, via USB, a library of up to 10,000 emulated games. Anyone for Gauntlet? Or, if you want pre-installed games, check out the Cosmic II 412-in-1 Multi Game Arcade Machine (approx. `1,01,155
libertygames.co.uk), which ofers a multitude of classic arcade games, with one- and two-player options. While your pals are waiting for their turn, let them recline fully on a comfy Wakka Wakka Squashie Squarbie (from `4,231, rucomfybeanbags.co.uk), a bean bag that pays homage to NAMCO’s dot-gobbling Pac-Man. They could even listen to a few throwback tunes on the 8Bitdo Cube (`2,538, funstockretro.co.uk), a portable Game Boyinspired Bluetooth speaker that ofers eight-hours playback.
CLEAN MACHINE
CLEAN UP YOUR HOME AIR Protect yourself from harmful toxins at home with Awair’s revamped smart indoor air pollution tracker Poor ventilation, burning candles, cooking... All these things pollute the air in our homes. The good news is that one of our favourite indoor air pollution trackers, the Awair, has just been revamped. The app-controlled Awair 2nd Edition (getawair.com) monitors five key air pollutants that can
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impact our wellbeing: dust, chemicals (VOC), CO2, temperature and humidity. Compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, Nest and IFTTT, Awair alerts you to the level of indoor pollution and provides tips on how to make the air in your home safer.
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PHOTO CREDIT: SAMUEL HESS/JAN REIFF/MARKUS MEIER FOR ZERO MOTORCYCLES B.V.
Horizon
EASY RIDER
TORQUE OF THE DEVIL Think electric motorbikes lack bite? One ride on the full-blooded 2018 Zero S will change your mind, as Paul Douglas finds out... There are 12 of us riding along the winding roads of the Black Forest in Germany. We’re each on Zero electric motorbikes, and even though most of them produce more torque than a MotoGP race machine, they’re so quiet that a deer in a nearby field just stands there watching us pass by. That wouldn’t have happened if our group was riding petrol-powered Ducatis. T3’s on a Zero S, a naked street bike and the first model in the Zero range, now updated for 2018, while others are riding Zero DSR Black Forest Editions, a new addition built with touring in mind. Within minutes of us leaving the start point we twist the throttle on the 2018 Zero S and blast ahead to the
30 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
next corner. It sounds like we’re riding a Lightcycle from Tron and we can’t help but grin. Zero’s bikes are near-silent, connecting you with your surrounding environment in a way petrol-powered bikes don’t – we could talk easily with our riding companions as they pulled up alongside us. E-motorbikes should prove cost-efective when you take into account the cost of charging the battery versus buying petrol. But, let’s be honest, you’re not on a bike to save cash. You’re riding for the thrill of it, and Zero’s bikes deliver thrills in spades. If you want to experience it for yourself, book a test ride at zeromotorcycles.com/eu
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Opinion
Duncan Bell is Googling it now The EU recently handed Google a `4.3bn fine over Android, but what if it had never existed? here is a massive disconnect between what the media, lawmakers and regulators want from tech brands, and what punters want. In some ways, this disconnect defines many of the bad bits about the world in which we live today, from web security to fake news. The diference in attitude can be simplistically summed up like this: (some) journalists and regulators can see that lax internet security and the way mega tech brands do business is causing massive danger, potential harm and actual harm. And customers just want their damn devices to work so they can download this video clip or meme they’ve been sent. Anyway, I thought about this again recently, when the EU slapped Google with a massive ``4.3 billion fine for, as far as I can make out, giving away its Android OS to handset brands, but including Google Search in it. You could go on about the rights and wrongs of this for quite a while. Possibly Google acted in a way that stifled competition at the dawn of the mobile internet age, but trying to fix that now is like trying to make the sky a bit lower. It got me thinking about what mobile phone shops would look like now if the EU was able to go back in time and strangle Android at birth, just like in Terminator 2.
T
Apple vs The World I think I may have mentioned this before, but there’s a very interesting infographic you can view relating to smartphones. It consist of about 50 basic line drawings of phones before and after the iPhone became W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
a mainstream success (aroun nd iPhone 3G, I expect). Before: every size, shape and d style you could imagine a phone to be. After: rectangu ular screens with a bezel around. That wasn’t just down to Apple e, though. In fact, it was mainly driven by Google Android. The People’s Operating System actually started out on a weird fold-out keyboard made by HTC, but the iPhone’s success soon pushed Android hardware towards a uniform, all-screen approach. As a result, everyone now has that style of phone. Without Google giving away (subject to certain requirements) Android OS to hardware brands, it’s hard to see that happening. We could now be in an alternate universe where those with money have iPhones (or
Google can pay its fine by cracking open the jar of 1000 Euro notes it keeps to pay the milkman phones made by Google itself), and everyone else has phones made with very difering approaches, quality levels and competing OSes. Everything from Microsoft Windows 7 to Nokia Symbian 47 could be doing battle in a chaotic marketplace with standalone operating systems from Sony, Samsung, et al. Challengers would be using mobile Linux or an OS knocked up in the shed as a hobby.
Would Facebook or Twitter be so huge if they’d had to build and maintain apps for multiple competing OSes? Would iOS and Android have blazed forward as they have if the competition – especially at the cheaper end of the market – had nowhere near the resources of Apple and Google? Well, who does have their resources? Google can probably pay its ` `4.3bn fine by having a bit of a root down the back of its sofa, or cracking open the jar full of 1000 Euro notes that it keeps on the dresser for paying the milkman. It is a shame that all those interesting-shaped phones were lost along the way. We know from online traic that there’s a ton of interest in reading about folding phones, but that doesn’t mean anyone would buy them. Google creating and distributing Android for (sort of) free was like the invention of the wheel. It changed the world. Some of the ways Android has changed the world are bad – you can put a wheel on an ambulance or on a tank, after all – but many are good. Above all, they’re changes that are fundamental and irreversible. That’s why the EU fining Google for what it supposedly did at Android’s birth feels so weird.
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Horizon
WE CAN BUILD YOU...
The best bits of tech you need to take your paintings and illustrations to the next level
1
INTUOS DRAW
2
APPLE IPAD PRO
If you’re new to digital art, you’ll need a graphics tablet. There are a number of options, but the most afordable are pen tablets. You plug these into a computer and draw on them with a stylus, which functions efectively like a mouse. Wacom is still the big player in this category and its entry-level ofering is the Intuos Draw. This compact packages comes with drawing software, plus access to online tutorials, making it ideal for novices. wacom.com
The iPad Pro 12.9-inch is the best tablet for digital art that money can buy. It ofers impressive processing power and an brilliant display. Pair it with the Procreate app for professional-standard art. While the mammoth screen size provides plenty of space for you to express yourself, unless you have biceps like Arnie, you’ll need a table to rest it on before you start sketching. apple.com
3
APPLE PENCIL
While the Apple Pencil only works with the iPad Pro, this bit of kit transforms a great tablet into a seriously impressive digital drawing tool. It also means you can feasibly create finished artwork on the iPad without having to rope in a desktop machine for the final stages. Pressure- and tilt-sensitivity, low latency and outstanding palm rejection create a natural drawing experience. apple.com
4
MOLESKINE SMART NOTEBOOK
5
CUTTLELOLA DOTSPEN
6
REMARKABLE
For a traditional drawing experience that’s just a tiny bit more advanced, try this smart notebook from Moleskine. It’s like a regular notebook, but special page markings and a companion app enable you to take your sketches into Adobe’s Creative Cloud. Capture a drawing from within the app and it will optimise and convert it into an SVG (scalable vector graphic), ready for it to be opened in Illustrator or Photoshop. moleskine.com
The Dotspen is an electric pen for creating a stippled efect in pen sketches, saving tons of time (and your wrist). A little chunkier than your average pen, it charges via USB and works with gel ink cartridges. There are two speed settings for better control: slower for outlines, or faster for filling in large areas. cuttlelola.com
The reMarkable promises the most paper-like drawing experience of any tablet. Its E-Ink display is matte and textured, so it feels like paper and is gentle on the eyes. Unlike a regular tablet, you can’t browse the internet or check your email… which could be just the thing to help you switch of from the outside world. Its associated Marker pen requires no battery, but still has pressure sensitivity and tilt sensing. remarkable.com
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We can build you…
Get creative anywhere with a mix of paper and digital art tools!
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Horizon Gadget Guru
GADGETGURU
T3’s most furious (in every sense) typist is here to save your joints
ANAND IYER
My room is noisy. How do I sleep? You probably don’t know this, but Guru once lived on a construction site. Well, ‘lived’ is a bit strong. Perhaps ‘hid’ is a better descriptor. Whatever the semantics, during that time your favourite gadget uncle learned a thing or two about sleeping in loud and dangerous environments. First, you’ll want to make sure your ears are suitably blocked. Bose’s SleepBuds are a neat solution, fizzing all sorts of brain-deadening noise into your ears throughout the night. But you don’t have to spend that much money as good ear plugs,
ILLUSTRATIONS: STEPHEN KELLY
A
like Mack’s, might be all you need as long as you’re happy with the sound of your own fluids sloshing around inside your head. You can go custom, with ear plugs moulded specifically for the shape of your lugs (the ProGuard MYO) or really push the boat out with the titanium Isolate Pro buds from Flare Audio, although the latter pokes out a bit too much for comfy
ABOVE Do you live in a noisy house? Fear not, for there’s tech to help you block the blighters out
The Smart Nora slips into a pillow and repositions the head of nighttime honkers whenever they start to really give it some
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sleep. You might think about sorting out your sleep environment. If you sleep with a snorer, as Mrs Guru does, try Smart Nora. The device helps to resposition the head of nighttime honkers when they start to really give it some while you’re trying to sleep. The Silent Partner Smartpatch is also an interesting take on noise cancelling, emitting a reversewave counter snore to cancel out those somnambular emissions. If it ever sees the light of day—the fanciful crowdfunded device has hit a few development nightmares recently.
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Horizon Gadget Guru
NEW MEDIA
SWAPNIL GARG
NOW PLAYING What is Guru finds the finest media you need on your various screens
SHARP OBJECTS Amy Adams stars in this dark HBO miniseries about a woman investigating murders of girls in her home town. Quietly thrilling, evoking the first season of True Detective.
blockchain? It’s as dull as it is baffling, A Swapnil. Blockchain is
essentially a big secure public spreadsheet, automatically populated when a transaction is made with the precise time and value of that transaction. When a network of computers operates on a blockchain, the thing is up-todate by default, and each machine knows what the other has done. Blockchain’s involvement in Bitcoin means every transaction can (theoretically) be traced, and no two people can have the same coin at one time. It’s breaking of into other areas of tech, like energy and medicine, so it’s great, but GaGu laments not being able to make silly jokes about it.
TEJAS PAREKH
ALOE BUD Do you sometimes get so busy you struggle with self-care? This iOS app sends you gentle reminders throughout the day to take short breaks and drink water, all in beautiful pixel art.
What’s the best way for me to stream Twitch? far the best thing about A Bywatching Twitch streams
BATMAN #50 This milestone issue from Tom King brings us to the longawaited Batman and Catwoman wedding. It’s rare to see a gentle side of Batman, making this one of the most tender DC stories.
on the big screen is that you don’t have to put up with the people in Twitch Chat, which is like the YouTube comments section but even more horrifyingly toxic. If Guru is honest, he’s probably a bit too old now for Twitch. It’s a new culture and he really doesn’t understand most of what goes on there. What is a PogChamp? Who is this Kappa? Kids these days, with their memes and their computer games and their electronic telephones and their warped world views developed on 4chan and the Facebooks... Tut. Oh, you asked a question? Use a Chromecast. It works perfectly.
36 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
ABOVE Of course we know what Blockchain is. It’s all about blocks and, er, chains, right?
PUNIT DAS
I keep breaking my charging cables. Help! news: they’re cheap, A Good so get a bunch of them from Amazon. Guru’s taken to abusing his Prime subscription by getting packs of three braided cables delivered same day for an afordable price. GaGu chooses to believe these slightly rickety cables are not a fire risk, but you may have slightly more sense, in which case the AmazonBasics or Stufcool might be more your thing with their top notch quality backed with a warranty, will hopefully survive the abuse that you subject these cables to.
GURU IS PROBABLY TOO OLD NOW FOR TWITCH. IT’S A NEW CULTURE AND HE DOESN’T REALLY UNDERSTAND. WHAT IS A POGCHAMP? WHO IS KAPPA? W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
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Man vs Tech
MAN TECH
THE MISSION Being lost can feel overwhelming even for the most seasoned adventurers. If you’re lost on a hike or walk you’ll need a calm head and some navigational nous to prevail. But could tech help you find your way back faster and safer? Michelle McLaren is acceptor of intense physical challenges. In the name of tech journalism we dropped her in the remote countryside with zero information and a handful of outdoor gadgets. Can tech help her find her way safely through our challenging route to back again?
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The rough guide
FIELD NOTES
The rough guide Can tech help you survive in the uncompromising wilderness, with no idea where you are or where you’re going? Words: Michelle McLaren Photography: Ben Brain
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Man vs Tech t’s unbelievably early on a Friday morning and I’m being bundled into a car, given a blindfold to put on and driven… Somewhere. After hours in the car, during which no-one gave away any information, we arrive... Somewhere. The sun is coming up and the first details of my challenge are revealed: can I survive and navigate alone in the wilderness, and return to my starting point safely, with only tech to help me? Well, I won’t actually be alone. I’ve got a buddy photographing this entire expedition, documenting everything using the new Fujifilm X-E3, and who I’ll yell at for help if I end up in a 127 Hours-type situation. But he’s been told not to help me with this task. The team hands me a pair of Salomon X Ultra Trek GTX hiking boots (miraculously in my size), an Arc’Teryx Beta AR Jacket and an Icebreaker Cool-Lite Mira Pullover Hoody. I assume I’m at risk of getting wet, because they then give me a Patagonia Stormfront backpack... And there’s more tech goodies inside. I’m starting to feel apprehensive, so the team finally tell me the final part of the challenge: I need to find my way to the top of the huge mountain in front of me, and back down again, but on a completely diferent route.
I
RABBIT OUT OF A HAT Going through my backpack full of
tech, I first pull out a Black Diamond Revolt headlamp. It’s light out, but only just, so I pop it on. The Revolt has multiple LEDs for diferent levels of illumination. I don’t need the ones designed for better navigation at night (I hope I’ll be back down by then!) but it’s helping to make things clearer now. Next out of the bag is a Handpresso Auto Capsule portable cofee maker. Whether you consider this to be true survival gear probably depends on your daily need for cofee. I’m pleased to see it, and could do with a cofee right about now. The Handpresso Auto Capsule is very easy to use: just plug it into your car’s
and the GPS tells me that I’m in Snowdonia. So yeah, all I need to do is find a route that will take me up Snowdon, and another to come back down again. Simple, right? Surely the easiest way for me to do this is by following some other people up, but the team quickly says that’s against the rules. Also, no one else is foolish enough to be around at such an ungodly hour, so it’s pretty quiet here at the moment. It’s okay, though, because the phone comes loaded with ViewRanger, which gives me access to premium Ordnance Survey mapping. I search for Snowdonia on the phone
WHETHER OR NOT YOU CONSIDER A HANDPRESSO TO BE SURVIVAL GEAR DEPENDS ON YOUR DAILY NEED FOR COFFEE 12/24-volt socket, add water and a capsule, then watch it brew a tasty espresso. Like some kind of tech magician, I next pull a DJI Mavic Air out of the bag. A drone? Really? When I ask how a selfie drone is supposed to help me climb a mountain, the team says it has features that might be useful to me.
and, quick enough, a range of routes appear on screen. I decide upon the PGY track going up, and guess I’ll figure out what track I’ll use to come back down once I get to that point. I’ve also been given some Binatone walkie talkies, but these are more of a safety gadget for staying in touch with the team in case anything goes wrong during the challenge.
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN
DRONE SCOUT
At this point I still have no real idea of where I am, but next out of the bag comes a big, heavy-duty looking phone. Now we’re cooking! It turns out that this phone is actually the Land Rover Explore Outdoor, purpose built for adventuring and exploration. I turn on the phone (mercifully, the team has charged it fully)
After a quick look at a few tutorials on how to get the DJI Mavic Air up and running, its usefulness dawns on me: I’m some way of from the trail I want to join, and can’t see how I’m going to get over to it, so I send the Mavic up for a reccy. Being able to see (via the drone’s 4K UHD camera) that the path
LEFT Who needs to queue in a cafe when you can use a Handpresso portable cofee maker instead? RIGHT A headlight can make all the diference on early morning starts, evening descents, or when you’re exploring darker spaces
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The rough guide
TREK TECH FIND YOUR WAY, AND STAY HYDRATED AND CONNECTED, WITH THESE GADGETS
DJI MAVIC AIR
LIFESTRAW GO
Folds down into a super-compact package, and captures smooth, pro-level 4K HDR footage from its gimbal-mounted camera. The Mavic Air records to onboard storage, or live streams to the DJI app. It flies itself and everything. dji.com
Fill it up from any clean-ish natural source and its twostage filtration means you’ll sip only healthy water through the straw. No power required, and no iodine or similar chemicals that can leave a weird taste or discolouration. lifestraw.com
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HANDPRESSO LAND ROVER AUTO CAPSULE EXPLORE Powered from your OUTDOOR car’s charger port, pop in some water and a Nespresso capsule and you’ll get a lovely fresh espresso. Perfect for preparing yourself before heading out into the wilderness. handpresso.com
BINATONE TERRAIN 850
With a big battery inside, and a hyper-tough case that provides even more battery, this five-inch Android phone comes loaded with OS maps. landroverexplore. co.com
With a range of up to 8km and 968 channels to avoid interference, plus noise cancellation, these walkie talkies help you stay in touch no matter what. Catch the weather report via the built-in FM radio. amazon.in
BLACK DIAMOND REVOLT Bright as hell (up to 300 lumens) and with diferent LED settings for diferent times (a red LED helps with night vision, for example), this headlamp helps you see clearly in all situations. amazon.in
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 43
Man vs Tech
ESSENTIAL APPAREL Technical clothing can make your mountain trek safer and easier Mercifully, the team made sure I was outfitted properly for my challenge. First up, the Salomon X Ultra Trek GTX hiking boots (salomon.com) are lightweight, have a supportive high ankle and are waterproof. The Arc’Teryx Beta AR Jacket (snowandrock.com) is equally waterproof and also windproof thanks to cutting-edge Gore-Tex Pro. Patagonia’s Stormfront Pack 30L Backpack (patagonia.com) kept my gear dry and made the weight comfortable. Finally, the Cool-Lite Mira Pullover Hoody (icebreaker.com) gave me a merino wool base layer of warmth (and it was comfy as anything). 44 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
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The rough guide
A FEW HOURS IN AND I’M NEARING THE TOP, AS EVIDENCED BY THE INCREASING COLD AND RAIN over one rise is too rocky saves me time. Using the Mavic again, I’m able to scout out a gentler path further along. With the drone’s job done for now, I fold down its propellers and stuf it into the Patagonia backpack. The sun is trying to come out and it’s relativity warm, so of I go. But I soon realise that I don’t have a full water bottle with me. Luckily there’s one more gadget in my backpack of tricks: a LifeStraw Go water filter bottle. The LifeStraw Go uses a two-stage filtration system to remove bacteria and protozoa, so I can fill it up from natural sources (rivers, lakes and such) and drink without worry. I top it up from a nearby waterfall, down half, then re-fill it to get me to the summit.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY A few hours in and I’m nearing the top, as evidenced by the increasing cold. The Welsh rain appears around this point too, so I pull on the Arc’Teryx jacket and all gadgets apart from the waterproof phone goes into my pack. Reaching the summit, I decide to check in with the team back at the start. The W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Binatone Terrain 850 has a range of 8km, which is just as well as I’m around 7km away from the nearest team member. The weather is turning ever-colder and windy, so after a decent rest I’m eager to get down. Out comes the Land Rover phone again to help me work out what the fastest trail. I find something promising but have trouble working out where to join it, so I wander around with the phone out in front of me, like an orienteerer with a compass. I’m soon on the trail. Halfway down I also have the chance to refill my LifeStraw Go from a stream. I radio in again to tell the team which trail I’m on, so they can see me coming (and give me a guard of honour). The terrain gets really rocky and slippery around here, so I’m glad to be wearing Salomon’s firm-grip boots. Arc’teryx’s jacket is also holding up well, and the Patagonia backpack is still keeping all of my gadgets dry and protected. Ok so this isn’t hardcore survivalism, but I’m no outdoors fanatic and without tech I’d have struggled to find the fastest, safest routes up and down. As I sit in the car, resting my feet, I spy the Handpresso. I totally deserve one more cofee for the road... OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 45
Home Living Smarter
HOME LIVING SMARTER
Control your media with a smart button Use the awesome Flic smart button to hook into all of your home entertainment kit Just one press of this teeny smart button can trigger any number of custom actions
HOW TO CREATE A TEENY TINY REMOTE CONTROL Connect your Flic button to VLC and get watching EARLY PREP Install the Flic app, get registered, and connect up your Flic button. Tap your newly added button on the screen, then select one of LWV SRWHQWLDO DFWLRQV WR FRQĆJXUH Head over to the tools screen, ZKHUH \RXèOO ĆQG 9/& OLVWHG
PAIR THEM UP
One look at the dinky Flic should be enough to convince you of its charms. The siliconcovered Bluetooth button is small and tactile, and its app offers up a host of controls. You can map three of them to a single button, based on whether you press it once, twice, or hold it in. It could do anything from triggering silly sounds to making a fake call to your phone – perfect for escaping awkward social situations with a pocket press. The Flic’s portability, and the fact that you can mash it anywhere, means it’s a pretty perfect remote control; as long as it’s within range of your phone, and your phone is KRRNHG XS WR D QHWZRUN \RX FDQ FRQĆJXUH LW to pipe three distinct commands into excellent everything-player VLC (see right), or use the &KDQJH &RQĆJ DFWLRQ LQ FRQMXQFWLRQ ZLWK )OLFèV built-in action chains to enable more. There’s also a Chromecast function, if that’s your current preferred method of streaming, and there are plenty of media options beyond
46 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
that. Why not use a Flic to pause, play and skip music tracks, perfect for use in the shower (thanks, silicon water resistance) or while piping your music into your car? Or take advantage of the Flic app’s hooks to Spotify, Deezer, and Bose and Sonos wireless speakers for more direct control? It’s even able to talk directly to certain TVs as long as they’re either running Android TV or LG’s WebOS, and there’s a connection to /RJLWHFKèV +DUPRQ\ 5HPRWH IRU PRUH VSHFLĆF commands. That said, if the Harmony is core to
The Flic button can be used to control your TV and music streaming your home entertainment setup, you’ll get a slightly better experience if you opt for a Logitech Pop rather than a Flic.
Tap VLC and open it on a computer on your local network. Tap ‘Find host’, then follow the instructions to enable VLC’s network features on your Mac/PC. Add your VLC computer’s IP address, then scan to link them.
SET ACTIONS Select your VLC host (Flic can support multiples), then set the action using the bottom radio buttons. Select Save Action, then repeat this last bit (you won’t need to add the host again) for each of the three Flic functions.
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Gaming Gadgets
GAMING GADGETS We’re back with our annual list of what’s hot in the world of gaming. Check out our list of best peripherals, components, PCs, upcoming games and a quick word from our industry leaders WORDS S KUNAL GANGAR & ANKUSH MAHAJ MAHAJAN
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OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 47
Gaming Gadgets Monitors
US ROG SWIFT PG27UQ ASU he first monitors to deliver a 144Hz refresh rate at 4K UHD, One of th the ROG Swift PG27UQ is a 27-inch powerhouse with numerous features. The much-touted 384 zone FALD backlight will allow for delivering superior contrast owing to the 10-bit IPS (AHVA) panel. ` A, as asus.com/in `TBA,
SAMSUNG CHG90 Calling the CHG90 an ultrawide is an understatement, given the insane 49-inch width that will most likely take up all your desk space. The 32:9 aspect ratio and 3840x1080 resolution deliver a field of view that completely immerses your senses. Colours pop out thanks to the proprietary quantum dot technology employed. `1,50,000, samsung.com/in
48 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
ACER PREDATOR XB321HK Vibrant hues and nice viewing angles on a large yet manageable 32-inch IPS 60Hz display can be had on this particular model from Acer. Coming with 4ms response time and Nvidia G-Sync, frame tears or skipping will be a thing of the past. Height adjustment is somewhat limited though. Approx. `80,000, acer.com/in
BENQ EL2870U Not strictly a gaming monitor but we were impressed with the versatility of EL2870U. The 28-inch LED monitor boasts of a 1ms response time with FreeSync as well as HDR. Although the colours will be limited by the TN panel, the low price point for everything on ofer will make it an attractive buy. `35,000, benq.co.in
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Gaming Gadgets Projectors
VIEWSONIC PX706HD Designed with a focus on gaming, the short throw PX706HD can output a 1080p picture that is bright enough to even be used in the day. There are many customisation options and auto keystone adjustment to make setup hassle-free. The dedicated games mode drops down input lag to about 16ms. `TBA, viewsonic.com/in
OPTOMA UHD51A The UHD51A is for those who love to stay on the bleeding edge of technology. It is packed with almost everything you’d want like 4K playback, HDR10, Blu-ray 3D compatibility as well as Amazon Alexa integration. Voice control can be used to issue commands using Echo as well as Google Assistant devices. Approx. `2,60,000, optoma. com/in
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BENQ W1210ST The short throw W1210ST has been popular because of its great gaming performance outputting a crisp 1080p image upto 100 inches. Coming with 2,200 lumens brightness, it’s the really low input lag that will win fans. Doesn’t hurt to get 2x10w in-built speakers enhanced by BenQ CinemaMaster Audio+ tech. `1,25,000 , benq.com/en-in/
EPSON EH-LS10500 Employing 3LCD reflective panels and dual laser light sources, the image output is said to be very close in accuracy to the source material. The contrast ratio is zero lumens during absolute black scenes which is mighty impressive. Bright 3D Drive technology helps reduce the blackout time of 3D glasses to provide greater brightness. Approx. `6,00,000, epson.co.in
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Gaming Gadgets
MSI GS65 8RF STEALTH THIN This thin laptop from MSI does what it claims to be. At just 17.9mm in width, the notebook boasts meaty hardware like the latest gen Intel Core processor, DDR4 RAM, and GeForce GTX 1070 handling the graphics department. The 4.9mm thin bezel around the display makes games more immersive and the 144Hz refresh rate ensures tear-free gaming sessions. The laptop also comes with per-key RGB Steelseries keyboard and up to 8 hours of battery life. `1,89,990, in.msi.com
LENOVO LEGION Y730 The Legion Y730 comes in a clean yet stylish design with RGB ambient system lighting. Lenovo ofers the laptop in two near-edgeless screen size options - 15-inch and 17-inch with Full HD resolution support and 144Hz refresh rate. In addition to the latest gen Intel chips, gamers get Corsair’s overclocked 16GB RAM, iCUE RGBbacklit anti-ghost keyboard and better thermal management with four thermal vents for improved airflow. From `96,025, lenovo.com/in 50 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR II (GL504GS) The Strix SCAR II is the follow up to last year’s successful esports model. Aimed largely at FPS players, the notebook features a 15.6-inch Full HD panel with a refresh rate of 144Hz and 3ms of response time. The laptop also comes with HyperStrike Pro technology keyboard with highlighted WASD keys and HyperCool Pro to keep the internal temperature in check with two high-performance 12V fans. From `1,39,990, asus.com/in
ZOTAC MEK1 GAMING PC This futuristic looking PC from Zotac not only looks good but packs the necessary grunt required for graphic-intensive gaming. The slim chassis is designed to maximise airflow for better heat dissipation and comes with 7th-gen Intel CPU, up to 16GB of RAM, GeForce 1060 or 1070 Ti graphics and up to 1TB of storage. Zotac also bundles a mechanical keyboard and gaming mouse with the MEK1. From `99,990, zotac.com W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Gaming Gadgets Laptops & PCs
ALIENWARE 15 look for in a Announced at Gamescom,, the Alienware 15 ofers p performance that you y gaming laptop. The laptop is VR-capable, thanks to Nvidia’s 10-series GeForce GPU support, latest gen Intel Core CPU and DDR4 RAM. The stylish laptop also comes with steel-reinforced Alienware TactX keyboard with RGB-per key lighting and desktop-grade performance with the optional Alienware Graphics Amplifier dock. TBA, alienware.com/in
LENOVO LEGION C730 This unassuming 19-litre cube packs in a lot of punch that’s comparable with the larger 28-litre tower machines. The C730 comes with an aesthetically pleasing front grille and a transparent top panel with an integrated RGB system lighting. Equipped with the latest Intel Core processors with Octane memory and support for Nvidia GeForce GPU along with optional Corsair overclocked memory, it ensures you get the best possible gaming performance. `1,34,599, lenovo.com/in
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HP OMEN 15 HP has updated its Omen 15 with better hardware, which now features Intel’s latest family of Core CPUs, GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q design, up to 16GB RAM and dual SSD+HDD storage options. Moreover, there’s 144Hz Full HD display with Nvidia G-Sync support and better heat dissipation with larger fans. From `1,05,990, hpshopping.in
ACER PREDATOR ORION 5000 The top-end Predator Orion 5000 comes with the usual hardware you expect from a gaming PC but it’s the chassis that makes it worth the mention. The transparent side panel shows of its powerful internals as well as easy-open side panels makes component upgrades a cinch. The IceTunnel 2.0 helps to compartmentalise the system into diferent thermal zones for better heat management while the front mesh panel with dust filters inhale massive amounts of air without letting the dust in. TBA, acer.com/in `TBA acer com/in
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Gaming Gadgets
HYPERX PULSEFIRE FPS PRO The refresh of the Pulsefire brings with it the Pixart 338 89 sensor and quality Omron switches with 20M click durability. The ergonom mic design can accomodate users. The HyperX NGenuity so software can be used to both palm and claw grip users customise RGB colours and tinker with performance, macro and DPI settings. `4,990, hyperxgaming.com
RAPOO VPRO V600S WIRELESS Available in 5 colours, the V600 is a highly compatible gamepad that can be used to play new and old games alike via XInput and DirectInput modes. It afords a solid grip owing to the slipresistant sides and contours. The dual vibration motors help provide precise feedback. `3,499, rapoo.com 52 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
COOLERMASTER CK550 The CK550 is perfect for those who’d prefer to make alterations to lighting and macros without installing added software. The mechanical switches are rated for 50 million clicks so they can withstand the assault of heavy duty play sessions. There are even plenty of backlighting patterns to fit your mood. `6,500, coolermaster.com
CORSAIR HS50 These over-the-ear cans have been built for comfort evidenced by the use of plush memory foam and adjustable earcups. The detachable unidirectional microphone helps reduce ambient noise for increased voice quality. As they are multi-platform compatible, the HS50 can be used on PC, consoles and mobile devices. `8,250, corsair.com W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Gaming Gadgets Peripherals
XBOX ADAPTIVE CONTROLLER Gaming should be accessible to everyone, right? Microsoft has aimed to help gamers with limited mobility with their new ofering. It has 2 large programmable buttons and can connect to third party accessories like buttons, external switches, joysticks and mounts. Backing this up are the 19 3.5mm jacks allowing multiple assistive input devices. approx. `6,800 , xbox.com/en-in
CORSAIR DARK CORE RGB SE PERFORMANCE There was a time when many would have scofed at wireless gaming mice but no more. The Corsair Dark Core with a 16,000 DPI sensor lets users choose from 1ms 2.4GHz, low-latency Bluetooth or wired USB operation. The latter also powers it up but Qi wireless charging helps eliminate the cable hassle. `14,999, corsair.com
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SENNHEISER GSP 350 The closer ear cup aesthetics of the GSP350 bring virtual 7.1 Dolby surround sound and a broadcast quality noise cancelling microphone. It automatically mutes when the user is lifting the device or makes sudden breathing sounds. The closed back headset has an adjustable split headband boasting a sturdy build. `10,990, en-in.sennheiser.com
HYPERX ALLOY ELITE RGB KEYBOARD The beautiful yet large Alloy Elite RGB from HyperX has everything you could ever want from a keyboard. The proof is the inclusion of a solid steel frame, responsive cherry MX mechanical key switches with 100% anti-ghosting and n-key rollover, dedicated media buttons, separate volume wheel and detachable wrist rest. `15,999, hyperxgaming.com
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Gaming Gadgets
TP-LINK ARCHER C5400X TP-Link’s first gaming router that is specifically designed to cater to the needs of gamers. The fast processor and ample RAM ensures smoother gameplay with zero latency with three wireless bands dedicated to gaming and internet traffic. The router also features RangeBoost for better connectivity and 16GB internal storage that can be accessed as remote storage. `24,999, tp-link.in
ASUS ROG RAPTURE GT-AC5300
NETGEAR NIGHTHAWK PRO GAMING WIFI ROUTER (XR500)
The tri-band router that prioritises gaming with two dedicated gaming LAN ports, Game Boost feature that analyses traffic coming from consoles, and lag-free gaming with WTFast. The router also comes with Asus AiMesh, Game IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) and VPN Fusion that lets you run a VPN and an unfettered internet connection simultaneously.
New entrant that claims to keep gamers happy with a dual-core 1.7GHz CPU, four-gigabit ports and a combined throughput speed of 2.6Gbps. The router is powered by DumaOS that gives a real-time glimpse on the bandwidth utilisation, ping delays and comes with a gaming VPN to protect the network.
`20,000 (excl. taxes), asus.com/in
`23,000, netgear.com
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PNY GEFORCE GTX 1080 TI XLR8 GAMING OVERCLOCKED EDITION One of the best GPUs from PNY packed with some serious horsepower. The 11Gbps GDDR5X memory and a massive 1GB frame bufer ensure fast performance and silent operation. VR ready card supports up to 8K resolution and host of Nvidia technologies like G-Sync, GameStream, GPU Boost 3.0 and a few more. Rest assured, the GPU is more than enough to handle today’s demanding games. Approx. `78,630 (TBD), xlr8gam1ng.com W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Gaming Gadgets Network & Components
CORSAIR VENGEANCE RGB PRO DDR4 The Vengeance RAM is impressively fast but while it’s handling the memory intensive work, the dynamic multi-zone RGB lighting adds to its looks. Each module comes with ten individually controlled RGB LEDs that can be controlled with the iCue software and can be synced to match with the system. `16,000, corsair.com
HYPERX PREDATOR RGB DDR4 The ultra-fast Predator DDR4 RAM delivers performance with style. Predator DDR4’s black heat spreader looks great and helps to keep the RAM cool. Supporting speeds of up to 4133MHz, the RAM is available in 8 or 16GB modules and supports Infrared Sync technology that works with motherboard’s RGB software. From `16,000, hyperxgaming.com
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GIGABYTE X399 AORUS XTREME (REV 1.0) Gigabyte’s gaming sub-brand has got a high-performance motherboard for AMD users. Compatible with both 1st and 2nd generation Ryzen Threadripper, the motherboard can handle even the most daunting workloads with ease. The X399 boasts advanced thermal design, host of I/O ports, 4-way Crossfire/SLI and multi-zone RGB light for that visual appeal. `45,000, gigabyte.in
COOLER MASTER COSMOS C700P Your special gaming rig requires an equally special chassis. Behold the Cosmos C700P with a modular design that allows for a complete disassembly and features a dual-curved tempered glass side panel to show the beautiful innards. Adding to the aesthetics is the RGB lighting control that ofers diferent RGB modes and even syncs up with the motherboard. `27,500, coolermaster.com
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Gaming Gadgets
FORZA HORIZON 4 Forza Horizon 4 delivers a shared open world with photorealistic fidelity. Drive across the UK in a variety of rides through distinct weather and seasonal conditions that will reflect in the stunning environments. The emphasis on social experience nudges towards making friends or challenging fellow players. PC, Xbox One; October 2
ASSASSIN’S CREED ODYSSEY Odyssey is set before last year’s Origin predating the beginning of the Assassin-Templar rivalry. There is a choice to play between male or female leads with a bigger focus on RPG elements like collectible gear, dialogue options during cutscenes and even multiple endings. PC, PS4, Xbox One; October 5
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WWE 2K19 With over 180 wrestlers, WWE 2K19 showcases an enormous roster filled with WWE Legends, Superstars, Hall of Famers and more. MyCareer mode has been reinvented from the ground up to be exciting. Refined campaign modes, updated visuals and extensive character creation combine together to give an authentic WWE afair. PC, PS4, Xbox One; October 5
CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS IIII The oddly numbered fourth installment of Black Ops has completely done away with the single player campaign and instead focuses on Blackout, a take on battle royale mode. Multiplayer has been expanded along with Zombies mode that can now be played solo with AI controlled bots. PC, PS4, Xbox One; October 12
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Gaming Gadgets Upcoming Games
LEGO DC SUPER-VILLAINS For a change, the new LEGO puts players in control of a villain created from scratch from the existing pool of DC characters. Even though the darker side is in the spotlight, the developers are promising it to be the funniest in the series to date. PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One; October 16
SOULCALIBUR 6 After six years, the weapon dominated fighter has returned and just in time for its anniversary! Instead of continuing the tale from the previous entry, this is a sort of reboot that is bringing back old fan favourites. The tradition of a guest star is maintained netting us Geralt of Rivia from ‘The Witcher’. PC, PS4, Xbox One; October 19
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MY HERO ONE’S JUSTICE The well-liked manga and anime have spawned a 1vs1 fighting game comprising a good number of characters from the huge cast. After selecting a main, two more can be picked to assist as sidekicks who will help deal extra damage to opponents via various timed attacks with destructible environments showing the scale. PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One; October 26
RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 The sequel to the wildly popular Western of 2010 is back taking place many years before it. Dropped in the cowboy boots of Arthur Morgan, the player is part of a gang including familiar faces like Dutch Van der Linde and John Marston. A plethora of improvements all around has been teased. PS4, Xbox One; October 26
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Gaming Gadgets
CALL OF CTHULHU Inspired heavily from H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos, the setting is appropriately creepy delivering horror in spades. Many times it will be a battle, both mental and physical, to distinguish reality from fantasy having to delicately balance a sanity gauge. Combat is shunted in favour of stealth and puzzles. PC, PS4, Xbox One; October 30
OVERKILL’S THE WALKING DEAD The oft-delayed Co-op from the developers of Payday ofers an action-packed take in the zombieinfested world of The Walking Dead. Each character will have unique skills and to succeed in completing the objectives some decent teamwork will be required. It will touch corners that aren’t delved into by the TV show. PC, PS4, Xbox One; November 6 58 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
RIDE 3 The threequel debuts more than 70 new models never before seen in Ride across 30 diferent brands. There is a catalogue of 230 bikes among groups ranging from Sportbikes to Vintage. The refreshed career mode will show progress by way of various magazines made up of material from the motorcycling world. PC, PS4, Xbox One; November 30
11-11: MEMORIES RETOLD The unique painterly aesthetic hides the grim and ugly horrors of WW1 where this story-driven narrative is set. 11:11 in the title refers to Armistice Day which signalled the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front. Personal tales of people who were afected by the war are promised. PC, PS4, Xbox One; November 9 W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Gaming Gadgets Upcoming Games
SPYRO REIGNITED TRILOGY Old gamers will remember the forgotten Spyro franchise which has received a remake from the ground up of the original trilogy. The refined control system and overhauled graphics don’t mean the level layout or structure has also changed. It’s the same as it was over two decades ago just with added modernity. PS4, Xbox One; November 13
HITMAN 2 Agent 47 dons his suit again for the second season of Hitman executing his targets in the most bizarre ways while wearing equally outlandish outfits. Like before, black humour is always at the forefront of everything. Repeated playthroughs of the exotic locales will reward those exploring through each nook and cranny with secrets. PC, PS4, Xbox One; November 13
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FALLOUT 76 In a marked departure, Fallout 76 is the first to turn into a live service online game making players the inhabitants of the titular vault. They are tasked with re-inhabiting the wasteland as chronologically it is 25 years after the nuclear war giving a glimpse into how things came to be. PC, PS4, Xbox One; November 14
BATTLEFIELD 5 Going back to the roots of the franchise, Battlefield V is set in WW2 with the Singleplayer delivering War Story vignettes to tell tales of diferent soldiers across the continents. After the backlash from BattleFront II, all future multiplayer content will be free and devoid of loot boxes. PS4, Xbox One; November 20
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Gaming Gadgets
DARKSIDERS 3 Fury, the third Horseman gets the center stage after War and Death in the earlier parts. Her weapon of choice to hunt down the Seven Deadly Sins is the whip with magic elements also added to the mix. There is a conscious decision to not focus on the story but push gameplay first. PC, PS4, Xbox One; November 27 7
JUST CAUSE 4 The new weather system adds thunderstorms, blizzards and sandstorms that further up the ante when Rico Rodriguez (and his grappling hook) once again wreak havoc on the island. The dynamic efects will make firefights highly chaotic and epic so the element of uncertainty will keep things fresh. PC, PS4, Xbox One; December 4 60 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
MUTANT YEAR ZERO: ROAD TO EDEN This real-time RPG with a party of 3 mutated animals takes place in a post-apocalyptic Earth where humans have been decimated. The campaign is said to be tough even on easy mode and will take 15-20 hours to complete with the promise of meeting new characters along the way. PC, PS4, Xbox One; December 4
SUPER SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE This is the big one as each and every character from previous entries is showing up making it the largest roster in the history of the title. The lineup will see the debut of Inklings and Ridley while others will receive outfit updates. Match pacing has also been tweaked to be faster. Switch; December 7 W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Gaming g Ga adgets g Industry stry S Speak
SAVIO O ALMEIDA G.M. - Marketting, TP-Link India
Q) When designing a router that caters to gamers, do you favour form over functionality? I’ll go with functionality any day as performance for a gaming router is paramount than form. Q) What is the one thing a gamer should look for when zeroing in on a gamingfriendly router? When you game at the highest settings, it’s imperative you have a router with great processing power. The gaming router should be able to deliver that to perfectly execute every move and application to eradicate latency and deliver smooth gameplay. A tri-band router would be my preferred choice for a gaming-friendly router. Q) When the ping in a multiplayer match is bad, how much of an effect would a gaming router have on the network quality? A 5GHz gaming router along with its powerful processor and strong wireless chipset will eliminate those ping issues while playing
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multiplayer, thus, enabling an uninterrupted gaming experience. Q) Do tri-band routers make a noticeable difference in connectivity over their dual-band counterparts? A tri-ban and router definitely delivers a better performance e in terms of the Wi-Fi a 5GHz connectivity as we can an dedicate dedic GHz band to deliver blistering fast Wi-Fi connectivity to the connected devices. MU-MIMO and Airtime Fairness is used to balance the requests of every device with speed and precision, distributing dedicated Wi-Fi streams to each device, leaving you to focus on taking down the opposition instead of fighting your allies for bandwidth. Q) What’s your pick - PUBG or Fortnite? It has to be PUBG for me, as it has more realistic graphics and gunfights, which creates a real war-like experience. I also like the fact it has multiple maps, character customisation, and reckless driving experience.
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Gaming Gadgets
VISHA AL PAREKH Marketing g Director, HyperX & Kingston Technology – India
Q) How big is e-sports in India? Enough for a gamer to make a career out of it? Compared to global scenario, eSports rts in India is growing g g pa pace. We are seeing a at a mind boggling huge growth th iin th the number of gamer participants and numerous tournaments being announced. With directions and invested energies from endemic and non-endemic brands, we are excited to see the tournament prize pools gradually rising to international standards. To give a benchmark, ESL India Premiership has a pool of `1 crore this year. We also recently saw e-Sports making a dazzling debut at Asian games 2018 (as a demonstration sport) and India seems to have the second highest number of teams that qualified for the event. The evolving gaming landscape has made it easier for players to choose gaming as their career path. The increased frequency of tournaments has allowed gamers to earn good money, build social connections and create a well-rounded lifestyle. Also, it’s not just the playing, eSports brings a lot of allied opportunities for players to make a career in. Q) What is HyperX doing to promote the gaming culture in India? HyperX is globally trying to bring a diference to the gaming industry. We are passionate about the gaming community in India too and have been encouraging national tournaments like ESL India Premiership. We also work with gaming cafés to create a platform for gamers to compete on and prepare for various global gaming tournaments.
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HyperX also takes purposeful eforts in extending support to the Indian gaming teams with high quality peripherals. We believe that the “gamer” experience matters and we strive to improve and broaden our product oferings to accommodate the latest gaming trends. Q) Do you think RGB is just a trend or the future of gaming peripherals? Primary requirement for most professional gamers is a high performance system as they want better accuracy, precision and a game specific audio/ video setup without a lag. RGB, however, has caught the eye of the mass gamers as it enhances the visual aspect of the peripherals and in turn, enhances the overall gaming experience. A variety of gamers see RGB as a key factor while looking to purchase a new product, sometimes it even means compromising on performance. Q) How often do you game and what are you playing these days? Currently, finding the needed time to game isn’t as easy as it used to be. But whenever I get some time, CS:GO and PUBG Mobile are my go-to games. Q) What’s your pick - PUBG or Fortnite? I haven’t personally played Fortnite yet but our HyperX streamers love the game for its arcade’ish feel. Since I have played PUBG on PC and Mobile, that’s my pick.
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Gaming Gaadgets
MARK LITTLE Executive Pro oducer, WWE 2K19
Q) What are some of the changes 2K has implemented from last year’s WWE2K edition? That’s actually a long list, which is a good thing forr the fans. Some things that stand out to a large number of users that are obvious are Daniel Bryan Showcase where you can play through the history of his days as a beginner at WWE to the pinnacle of his success, retirement and now his come back. Next is the new MyCareer mode that for the first time in our franchise, features voice-over by WWE superstars themselves, making the narrative immersive with lots of plot twists. Gameplay now puts focus on basic improvement, flow, responsiveness and the fluidity, which is hard to describe but easier to feel when you play and the Payback system, a mechanism where players can regain momentum in a match. As you can see, the list is very, very long and you’ll find some kind of improvement or feature addition in every area of the game based on our vision and feedback from fans. Q) What are the things that 2K considers while finalising the roster? That’s a long process for us. The short answer is, we probably like to have them all, but it’s not possible. Between us and WWE, we go back and forth a lot about who we like to see in the game, who they can provide, contractual obligations. But in general, our goal is to have the most up-to-date and most accurate roster for the current WWE and on top of that, we want to have a selection of the most and interesting legends throughout history because there are fans who love wrestlers from the older era and there are fans of the current WWE.
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Q) Realistic character modelling is what fans look for. Can you share some insight on how 2K has achieved it? Well, as far as their appearance goes, we have a photogrammetry-based character scanning system tha hat we use to give us hyper-accurate scans of their body an and face. It gives us everything, right down to the core detail tail of the skin, colour. We do photo sessions every year where we capture p e them in all the ring attire to make sure we’ve actual photos of them so that we can see exactly how they look and how the attire fits them. And finally, a lot of attention of detail by the art team to make them look good in the game. Q) Does MyCareer mode allow RPG-like decisions? It’s definitely between user decisions and a fixed story like modern games where at the decision points you’ve to make a decision and that will change the path of the story. But obviously, when you want to write an interesting narrative and be able to script it out and record commentary, you need to have some ideas as to where the story’s heading. In short, it’s a blend of a linear story and full choose-your-own-adventure style RPG game that strikes a nice balance. Q) Any particular reason to skip the game on Nintendo Switch? This year we decided it’s best to focus on the core platforms that we’re working on - PS4, Xbox One and PC. We’ll continue to evaluate opportunities on other platforms in the future and maybe be back on Switch.
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Ga Gaming g Gadg Gadgets
VINA AY SHETTY Regiona al Director - Components Business, Asus India and So outh Asia
Q) Having been in the market for many years, what is the one thing you’ve noticed that has changed over time when it comes to gaming? Gaming has become the blue-eyed boy of the Industry now and this is good for the entire fraternity, be it the gamers, brands, cafés or the media. It’s aiding the entire community and the eco-system. A lot of brands are sponsoring teams to be more self-sufficient but bringing accountability and exposure at the same time to the Gamers. Q) Which one ROG-branded product you feel has an edge over its competitors. ROG as a brand has created a niche for itself. So picking a single product from our portfolio, in this case, wouldn’t be unfair, because each product is built keeping a wide range of needs and requirements of the gamer community. It’s crucial as a brand what we build and deliver is accepted and beneficial for the end user. Q) How often do you game and what are you playing these days? Not very often but whenever I am, it’s either Call of Duty or Fortnite or PUBG on my PC at home
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Q) What’s your pick - PUBG or Fortnite? I will pick the Fortnite at the moment. Q) In a price-centric market like India, how do you justify the features of a premium product? From my perspective, people have the opinion that only India is price-centric – however, I beg to difer. Globally everyone is price-centric. The only diference is, we fail to fully understand the features and the benefits of the product and end up only scratching the surface before making the choice of purchasing a PC. In that quest, customers are ready to overlook and accept what is ofered if the price is lower. We have witnessed many a case where customers come back faltering on their purchasing decisions. Many commercial gaming cafes have realised this and have upgraded to Asus ROG products and experienced a notable diference in customer experience and feedback. Q) What’s your take on VR? Is Asus working on something? I think the world is moving rapidly in the AI space at the moment. VR will have its select space. All our motherboards and graphics cards are manufactured keeping VR in mind.
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TESTED
66
Get the lowdown on the latest gadgets before you buy
LENOVO MIRAGE SOLO 70
P PARROT ANAFI 74
TP-LIN NK ARCHER C5400X 76
XIAO OMI REDMI 6 PRO 77
ASUS S ZENBOOK PRO 15 78
DELL LATITUDE 5290 2-IN-1 79
RDYNAMIC AMIRON BEYER WIRELESS 80
GAMES
HOW WE TEST In T3, we feature only the ďŹ nest gadgets out there, and we believe that you – our loyal reader – deserve only the best tech in your life. We don’t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and that’s exactly why our Tested section exists. In here you’ll ďŹ nd only the latest and hottest tech. Each product has been handpicked and tested by T3’s experts.
We only choose people with special knowledge for each test, so you know you’re going to get an outcome based on many years of experience in their respective 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, you’ll know you’re onto a good thing.
THE SCORES EXPLAINED Forget it Below average Good for the price Very good all round An exceptional, best-in-class product
OUR AWARDS Only the best products ü WKRVH WKDW VFRUH ĆYH PLATINUM stars – receive our AWARD 3ODWLQXP $ZDUG
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This is given to winners BEST ON of our group tests, so you can see which is TEST the best at a glance
This accolade, and BEST FOR others like it, show you BATTERY which gear is best for LIFE VSHFLĆF IHDWXUHV
THE DESIGN AWARD
For kit with exceptional industrial design and UHĆQHPHQW LQ DGGLWLRQ to being a great buy
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Tested
DISPLAY LQFK ,36 /&' RESOLUTION [ REFRESH RATE 75Hz FIELD OF VIEW GHJUHHV OS 'D\GUHDP 26 DIMENSIONS [ [ PP WEIGHT J CPU 4XDOFRPP 6QDSGUDJRQ RAM *% STORAGE *% CONNECTIVITY 86% & PLFUR6' FDUG VORW :L )L %OXHWRRWK
DAYDREAM BELIEVER
Lenovo Mirage Solo 7KH ĆUVW VWDQGDORQH *RRJOH 'D\GUHDP 95 KHDGVHW DGGV KLJK HQG WUDFNLQJ WR D WRWDOO\ ZLUHOHVV YLUWXDO H[SHULHQFH `TBA OHQRYR FRP 66 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
s much as VR feels like the future when you try an HTC Vive or PlayStation VR, it’s pretty clear that getting tangled in cables powering the headset from an expensive gaming box would always keep it niche. Phone-based headsets weren’t going to solve the problem, because even slotting your phone in is too much hassle. To take off, VR needs to be easy, convenient, not interfere with the rest of your life, and affordable. That’s where standalone VR headsets come in: all the good stuff, totally wireless and self-contained.
A
Solo mission Like the Oculus Go, the Lenovo Mirage Solo basically has an Android phone built into it. It’s powered by Google’s Daydream platform, which the best phone-slotting headset uses
– this means it’s ready to go with a wide range of apps and experiences immediately. It’s a pretty advanced system too, that promises to let you do VR the way it was meant to be: tracking in threedimensional space thanks to sensors inside and out means you can move around the environment. It’s even comfortable enough for long VR sessions every so often – not something every headset manages. Getting it to this standard does come with a trade-off, though, and in this case, the cost is… well, the cost. At approx. `30,000 , it’s straining against the idea that mobile VR should be budget. The Oculus Go can be had for roughly half the price, but that’s less technically advanced. An HTC Vive set with sensors and controllers is `69,990, and that offers an even higher-quality experience – but you also need a gaming PC that W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Lenovo Mirage Solo
STEREO VISION The two cameras can detect objects and depth, so the headset can warn you about nearby walls before you FRPH WR D KDUG VWDQGVWLOOĂ°
Middle ground So, it meets its remit of being cheaper than the high-end sets, but it’s still a big chunk of change more than the Oculus Go. There are enough extra technical enhancements jammed in here that we think it’s actually worth it for those looking for something future-proof for the world of VR that’s coming. But Google’s Daydream platform still needs to grow considerably to make this a truly tempting purchase for the mainstream audience over what the Oculus Go has. Especially when this looks so much more ‘techy’. The Mirage Solo is almost like the love child of the PSVR headset and the Google Daydream View – it’s bright and cheerful, but with two cameras on the front like googly eyes, and a big solid headband, it lacks the casual lifestyle look that the Oculus Go nails. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
BAND TOGETHER The adjustable headband is a lot like the PlayStation VRs, and puts weight on the forehead (rather than the nose), mercifully
That said, the fact that everything The 110-degree ĆHOG RI YLHZ LQ WKH is stuffed into the headset itself 0LUDJH 6ROR LV MRLQW makes the comfort levels here really ZLGHVW LQ WKH impressive. The weight sits partly on PDUNHW EXW LV VWLOO your forehead, with a twisting knob IDLUO\ FRQĆQHG for adjusting the ďŹ t around your skull correctly. The display housing can move back and forth without distorting the image, so if you ďŹ nd that light’s seeping in around the edges, you can easily ďŹ x it. Those cameras on the front are for WorldSense, Google’s technology that gives the Mirage Solo its impressive 3D tracking. Like the HTC Vive, this headset makes a map of your environment and warns you when you’re about to step outside of a safe zone. Except unlike the Vive, you’re not bound to your VR-ready room full of sensors. You can take this literally anywhere‌ that you’re comfortable wearing a headset that cuts you off from the world. Even in a large open
areas, Daydream OS seems to limit most experiences with a boundary of about six feet in either direction. It’s not a massive headset in the scheme of things, but it’s still tough to ďŹ t into a bag for travel, or toss into a drawer to hide away. Again, the Oculus Go tops it for convenience. The package includes Google’s Daydream remote, which is how you’ll interact with Daydream OS, as well as games and apps.
Unplug and play We usually have to set aside a whole swathe of a VR headset review to talk about setting it up. Even the Oculus Go, vanguard of the convenient future, still has a whole set of steps to take from your phone. But the Lenovo Mirage Solo is as easy and breezy as it should be. Give it a charge, put it on, start it up with the controller
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 67
Tested
SNAP AWAY The Lenovo Mirage Camera is an opttional accessory. It’s made super--simple, so it’s easy to take 4K vid deo and stills that work on You uTube VR (and the Solo)
IN CONTROL The Mirage Solo’s co ontroller is simple: motion ccontrol and buttons, but QR RQH RI WKH DGYDQFHG ĆQJHU VHQVLQJ RI WKH 2FXOXV 5LIW
in-hand, and after going through a few easy steps in Daydream OS, Google’s dedicated VR operating system, you’re done. Finding something to do on it is as simple as ďŹ ring up the Google Play Store, which will show you only compatible apps and games. Google does a pretty decent job of pushing cool new stuff to the front. Some is free, most costs under a tenner, and it’s of varying levels of quality, as you might expect. Daydream OS itself is a bit like a games console, in that when you hit the home button during a game, you’ll see a screen that lets you
7KH ZKLWH ĆQLVK PDNHV WKLV ORRN OLNH WKH L3RG RI 95 ZKLFK LW NLQG RI LV
adjust settings and switch between other recently launched apps or games.
Seeing things We tried a load of WorldSenseenabled experiences, from the old (the remarkably clever Virtual Virtual Reality) to the new (Blade Runner: Revelations, and The Chinese Room’s narrative-driven So Let Us Melt). It doesn’t take WorldSense to make a VR game good, though its safety features mean it’s useful to have there even if whatever you’re doing doesn’t technically require it. But the
tracking accuracy takes the whole experience to a new level for both new and older games. In Blade Runner: Revelations, which is a good time anyway, we got a lot more out of it by being able walk around the environment and analysing clues and characters up-close. The WorldSense safety bubble felt frustratingly small at times, but there’s huge potential here for proper high-end VR experiences for a lot less money. Everything we did on the Mirage Solo was smooth and slick – the phone-like innards seemed to be more than up to the task of VR.
THE COMPETITORS
OCULUS GO
PLAYSTATION VR
HTC VIVE PRO
&KHDSHU WKDQ WKH 0LUDJH 6ROR PRUH SRUWDEOH DQG PRUH OLIHVW\OH IULHQGO\ EXW VLPSOH WUDFNLQJ PDNHV IRU D PRUH EDVLF 95 H[SHULHQFH WKRXJK WKH VFUHHQ TXDOLW\èV XS WKHUH ZLWK WKH EHVW 7KH SODWIRUP LV VWURQJ WRR oculus.com
7KH VFUHHQ LV ORZ UHV WKRXJK LWV +] 2/(' VFUHHQ LV VWLOO \HW WR EH PDWFKHG EXW WKH KHDGVHW LV FRPIRUWDEOH WUDFNLQJ LV JUHDW DQG WKH 3695 DQG 36 FRPER LV WKH EHVW YDOXH ZD\ LQWR ELJ QDPH 95 JDPLQJ sony.co.in
7KH EHVW 95 H[SHULHQFH SRVVLEOH ULJKW QRZ LV D IXOO +7& 9LYH 3UR JDPH URRP ZLWK D VRXSHG XS 3& ,WèOO FRVW \RX EXW WKH KLJK UHV VFUHHQ H[FHOOHQW FRQWUROOHUV DQG LPSHFFDEOH WUDFNLQJ PDNH WKLV D WUXO\ LPPHUVLYH H[SHULHQFH vive.com
68 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Lenovo Mirage Solo
EXPLORE THE T SPACE You’ll need a chun nk of empty space to move around in for the full effect, but the Mirage Solo will warn you of impending disasterrs in smaller spaces
In terms of visual ďŹ delity, there’s not much to complain about. The 110-degree ďŹ eld of view matches the likes of the Oculus Rift, and the 5.5-inch 2560x1440 display is suitably high-res, matching the Oculus Go, and almost as sharp as the HTC Vive Pro. It’s plenty bright, the colours look great, and the all-important refresh rate (locked at 75Hz) mean it’s impressive overall. The only downside is that its blacks aren’t very black (it’s not OLED), which is more noticeable when it’s right up against your face. It comes with 64GB of storage built into the headset, which should keep you going for a while. There’s a microSD slot that can take it up to 256GB too, so you’re sorted either way. Lenovo is also making a matching VR camera – the Mirage Camera, of course – that can shoot in the new VR180 format. Swapping a microSD card from the camera to here lets you view the images in their immersive glory. It’s a nice touch. Being totally wireless means a battery, naturally. Lenovo claims it’s good for 2.5 hours of continuous use, but you’re rarely going to test this to its limit. A W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
more reasonable half hour of games usually brought it down by about 25 per cent for us, and leaving it for a day on standby dropped the battery by roughly 15 per cent, so you can get decent amount of sporadic use from a single charge. Charging every couple of days, or each day after more pronounced use, seems good to us. Given that there’s no shortage of VR headsets across the whole price gamut now, the biggest questions are: how much money do you want to spend, and what do you actually want to do with a VR headset?
Tough choice The elephant in the review is the Oculus Go. While similar in their top-level approach to cutting the cord and ditching the phone, Lenovo’s option is really in a league of its own by comparison, but that applies to both features and price. The Mirage Solo is almost double the cost of the Go, but is advanced enough to warrant the difference. Those differences are best for experiences and games where you want to move around. If you want something for primarily viewing VR videos and images while slumped on a sofa, the Go is great.
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If you want high-end gaming experiences, you still need a PC headset or PlayStation VR, though the Mirage Solo makes a great case against them too. With the microSD slot, it’s more versatile than the likes of the Vive, and it’s higher-res than the PSVR. And it’s much cheaper all-in. Lenovo has hit a sweet spot of VR capability and price, but the slightly clunky design and still-fairly-high price may hold it back from being a mainstream hit. It will be supported by the Daydream platform either way, so it’s still a safe and excellent buy.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED 3KRQH IUHH VHWXS :RUOG6HQVH ZRUNV EULOOLDQWO\ JUHDW 95 \RX FDQ WDNH DQ\ZKHUH JRRG YDOXH WE’D IMPROVE 1RW LGHDO IRU WUDQVSRUW 2/(' VFUHHQV ZRXOG EH QLFH PRUH DSSV DQG JDPHV THE LAST WORD 7KLV LV D JUHDW 95 KHDGVHW E\ DQ\ VWDQGDUG HYHQ PRUH EHLQJ VWDQGDORQH %XW D FKXQN\ GHVLJQ PHDQV LW PD\ UHPDLQ QLFKH
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 69
Tested
`TBA parrot.com
MAD PROPS
3DUURW $QDĆ 3DUURWèV QHZ ODXQFK LV WKH ĆUVW drone to cause a stir in the DJI teacup, but does it have the right level of polish to take the lead? 70 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
any brands have tried and failed to take on DJI’s rock-steady fleet of premium camera drones. Paris-based Parrot pretty much started the whole consumer drone trend when it launched the popular AR Drone way back in 2010, so it’s no surprise that Parrot is the one to now come closest to knocking DJI out of the sky with the insectoid Anafi. It’s comparatively cheaper than its nearest DJI rival, the Mavic Air, yet boasts almost as much ground-
M
breaking tech in a similarly portable package. Is this too good to be true?
Lighter than (Mavic) Air At just 320g the Parrot Anafi is now one of the lightest camera-equipped drones on the market, and that’s a major benefit should it ever fall out of the sky, since it’s less likely to sustain major damage... In theory, anyway. Fold the Anafi’s four arms and it collapses down for easy transport. However, its 244mm length when collapsed makes it impossible to pop in a pocket. Just as well, then, that it comes in a slim transport case that snugly fits into a small backpack. Despite looking like a giant mosquito, the Anafi was actually W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Parrot AnaďŹ
POWER UP The entire top-back section RI WKH $QDĆèV çWKRUD[è LV WKH EDWWHU\ VR LWèV HDV\ WR VZDS out. Topside lights display the current charge level
inspired by the bee. In place of a head, the drone has its three-axis gimbal and camera mounted directly in front of its body. Crucially, this means the propellers will never appear in shot when the drone is moving forwards at high speed. It also means the camera can be pointed 90 degrees upwards for a perspective that currently no other drone can achieve. We’re used to aerial shots, but this can actually shoot you from below. When placed side by side with the DJI Mavic Air, the AnaďŹ looks much more toy-like and, unatteringly, insect-esque. However, once in the air it takes on the familiar drone form we’ve all come to know.
Cruise control Being able to charge your drone’s battery via USB-C should be considered a major plus, given that we now all have access to portable powerbanks. However, in this instance it’s completely spoiled by the woefully long charging times. With the right USB Power Delivery adapter it’s not too bad at 105 minutes, but use something akin to a W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
phone charger and you’re looking at three hours. On the plus side, the battery provides up to 25 minutes of ying time, which is ďŹ ve minutes more than the Mavic Air. That’s doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a 25 per cent boost in ight time; it could get you that killer shot you were aiming for. Spare batteries cost approx. `8,000. The hand controller is built like a brick outhouse and feels a lot heavier than the drone itself. It’s too bulky for a pocket, and looks pretty sparse on the button front. Aside from the ‘take off’ and obligatory ‘return to home’ buttons, the controller comes with two index ďŹ nger buttons on the rear: one for taking images and video, and the other for resetting the gimbal and optics. Plus, there’s two rocker arms for gimbal tilt and camera zoom. The phone cradle will accommodate anything up to an iPhone Plus. Any consumer drone worth its salt must integrate seamlessly with an Android or iOS, and the AnaďŹ does it superbly. The new Parrot FreeFlight 6 app is well designed and
7KH $QDĆ KDV D suite of creative camera modes, including the Hollywood favourite Hello Dolly. Hitchcock would love it
really easy to follow. Granted it doesn’t allow for as many camera, ight and gimbal tweaks as the DJI Go 4 app, but it’s suitable for ďŹ rst-time users. The HD image quality streaming from drone to phone is impressive, though we did experience a few visual glitches and some pretty poor lag from time to time (not replicated in footage recorded to microSD card, of course).
Up in the air Okay, that’s enough of that. You want to know what it’s like to y, right? Flight performance is very good, though it’s still not as conďŹ dence-inspiring as the Mavic Air. For a start, the AnaďŹ doesn’t have any obstacle avoidance. Therefore it loses quite a few points to the clever Mavic Air – obstacle avoidance is something you will almost certainly miss if you’re using the AnaďŹ â€™s autonomous modes in crowded areas. Once airborne the AnaďŹ is easy to control and very stable, even in a stiff breeze. Both the Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity are solid, and the drone OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 71
Tested
BIRD’S EYE 7KH FRQWUROOHU ZHLJKV almost as much as the drone itself. With a phone running the app, you get a live feed from the camera WKDW \RX FDQ XVH IRU ć\LQJ
LOOKING UP The 180-degree tilt gimbal is unheard of on this type of consumer drone, and should lead to some stunningly unusual angles
limit for control. However, you should keep in mind that new drone ight regulations state that no drone should be own further than line of sight. Prop noise is one of the main factors that puts people off ying drones in public spaces – the loud buzzing sound they make always attracts attention, sometimes of the wrong kind. But not this little fella. In fact, the AnaďŹ is so quiet you can hardly hear the drone even when it’s hovering a few metres above you. This is one of its major advantages over other drones. At 53kmh the AnaďŹ is also rather sprightly, but
Although the controller feels heavy in the hand, it’s comfortable enough that you soon get used to the weight
only when kicked into Sport mode. As you’d expect from a modern GPS-equipped drone, the AnaďŹ also features Geo-fencing, a smart return-to-home feature, and a Find My Drone function that geolocates the drone while it emits a beep.
Fly and shoot Perhaps the biggest selling point of these types of drones is to capture high-quality video and stills of unusual angles, so it’s excellent news that this is where the AnaďŹ really shines bright. Having tested it in the ďŹ eld (as it were), both video and photo quality seem on a level
with the Mavic Air, and in low-light shooting it’s actually better. The AnaďŹ â€™s 4K video (you can record in normal 2160p, or the slightly wider Cinema 4K format) and 21MP images, produced by the 1/2.4-inch Sony CMOS sensor, are tack sharp, providing excellent detail and rich contrast. The camera also supports HDR video recording and can take stills in DNG raw format. Rare for a consumer drone, the AnaďŹ â€™s camera also features 2.8x lossless zoom when recording in Full HD, or 1.4x zoom in 4K, which works amazingly well with no discernible loss in image quality.
BETTER FILMING ON THE FLY
FIT A FILTER KEEP IT SLOW
PANNING TECHNIQUE
If you dart around the sky, veering the craft from one direction to the other, the footage you shot will look messy. The best approach is to keep things moving slowly, without sudden changes in direction. This lets the sensor capture the level of detail it’s capable of.
Never pan from a static position using the drone’s yaw control (ie, don’t rotate the GURQH LQ D ćDW FLUFOH ,QVWHDG VORZO\ ć\ DW low altitude from one side of the scene to WKHbRWKHU SHUKDSV ZKLOH DGGLQJ D VPLGJH RI yaw rotation in the process.
72 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
Although there’s been no announcement yet, you can be sure that third-party accessories supplier PolarPro will soon produce a set of QHXWUDO GHQVLW\ DQG SRODULVLQJ ĆOWHUV IRU WKH $QDĆ 7KHVH ZRXOG KHOS footage look even better, cutting down on overblown sunlight. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Parrot Anafi
FOLD TIGHT The arms fold into the body for transport, making it IDLUO\ ORQJ EXW RQO\ DV ZLGH as its thickest point here. ,WèV DOVR VXSHU SRUWDEOH DQG sized for small backpacks
The Anafi’s camera gimbal (the mechanism that holds the camera stable no matter what the drone is doing) features two mechanical roll and tilt axes and a digital panning axis. We’re not convinced that a digital axis is quite as smooth as an all-mechanical gimbal, such as the one fitted to the Mavic Air, but so far we haven’t noticed anything odd with the footage we’ve shot. One thing we have observed, though, is how the Anafi controller’s gimbal rocker switch is nowhere near as tactile as the Mavic Air’s finger wheel. This makes slow, gentle tilting of the gimbal extremely tricky, and we really hope that Parrot includes a means to adjust gimbal characteristics in a future update. The positioning of the camera and gimbal setup at the front works well for getting the promised excellent video, and although we didn’t do any sports that were extreme enough to require action video from below, the feature worked great in our tests. It’s not something you’ll use a lot, but having it there, just in case, is nice. Like the Mavic Air, the Anafi also provides a host of automated flight modes – Boomerang, Follow Me W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
(keep reading), Orbit and more – including one amazingly smart feature that uses the camera’s zoom facility to superb Hollywood effect...
Hello, Dolly The effect is called Dolly Zoom and you can use it to re-create Alfred Hitchcock’s famous Vertigo effect (also used in Jaws, and other films when someone realises something dramatic). In essence, Dolly Zoom is when the camera moves towards someone while the lens zooms out, keeping the subject the same size but altering the perspective of the background. Normally it’s hard to do, but here it’s automated and looks fantastic. This creative feature works best when used against a striking background, such as a mountain range or an imposing building. Cameraman is another cool mode that hands flight controls to the pilot while the camera remains pointed at the subject of the shot. This is a great option to select if you’re shooting a static subject with an upwards or downwards motion. Why? The gimbal will automatically tilt at a gentler pace than is possible using the controller’s clunky rocker-arm
In terms of looks, WKH 3DUURW $QDĆ can’t hold a candle to the stunning DJI drones. We’d like one in a different colour please
setup. Further flight mode options include Hyperlapse and SlowMotion. However, functions such as Follow Me and Touch&Fly are locked at first and require an in-app purchase, which is quite frankly ridiculous. Once you’ve forked out this much for the Anafi, every app-based function should be included in that price, so charging extra really sours the taste of what is otherwise a top-notch camera drone.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Flight time is great; near VLOHQW LQ ćLJKW DPD]LQJ FDPHUD DQG ]RRP WE’D IMPROVE Gimbal control system is awkward; obstacle avoidance would be great. THE LAST WORD 7KH $QDĆ LVQèW TXLWH XS WR WKH lofty mark set by the DJI Mavic Air, but it’s almost there, is a chunk of change cheaper, and is the bestHTXLSSHG GURQH RI LWV SULFH
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 73
Tested
ULTIMATE GAMING ROUTER
TP-Link Archer C5400X
PRICE `24,999 URL tp-link.in DIMENSIONS 288x288x184mm (with antennas) WEIGHT 1.5kg CPU 1.8GHz quad-core CPU and three co-processors ANTENNA 8 external detachable antennas Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 802.3ab PORTS 1x GE WAN, 8x GE LAN, 2x USB3.0 FEATURES MU-MIMO, Beamforming, Airtime Fairness, RangeBoost, NitroQAM APP SUPPORT Yes
The new powerful router for gamers WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
he one thing that most gamers ignore while arranging their gaming setup is the router. A good router is as important as the latest CPU and GPU for the best multiplayer experience and this month we’ve e got TP TP-Link’s Link s top-of-the-line top of the li C54 C5400X, X their first router targeted towards gamers. Clad in black and red with eight antennas all around the router, the C5400X is stylish albeit big and clearly means business. There is power, LED on/off and WPS buttons in the front with eight gigabit LAN and one gigabit WAN port at the back along with two USB 3.0 slots. The router can be set up conventionally via TP-Link’s browser-based user interface or via TP-Link’s Tether app. Handling the demanding performance is a 64-bit quad-core 1.8GHz and 1GB RAM that can handle heaps of data with ease and helps to reduce latency. The router boasts three bands - one at 2.4GHz with a theoretical speed to up to 1000Mbps and the remaining two at 5GHz at 2167Mbps each. Having three bands means one 5GHz band can deliver gaming traffic while the other two can be used for the internet. The router also supports Smart Connect that lets the router decide which band to connect for best throughput performance. The C5400X performed excellently during our use. The range is excellent with RangeBoost, covering even the farthest corner and with MU-MIMO and Airtime Fairness, there’s no compromise on the speed when multiple devices are connected. Wired connections get the gigabit love but hook up two LAN ports using Link Aggregation to double connection speeds to up to 2 Gbps for Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices and PCs with LACP. Moreover, combine the WAN with a LAN port to connect DOCSIS 3.1 modems. The integrated USB 3.0 ports can be used for network storage but the router also comes with 16GB of internal storage that can be accessed via the TP-Link’s FileBank app. Security-wise, the router supports OpenVPN, guest network mode, parental controls and comes with HomeCare antivirus intrusion prevention solution provided by Trend Micro. The C5400X is priced at `24,900 and while it may be on the pricier side; the router brings in some powerful features that ups the ante for gaming and even regular use.
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74 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance WE’D IMPROVE Design to be compact THE LAST WORD One of the best gaming routers you can buy right now
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Now read your favourite magazine wherever you go... Available on PC... Mac... Tablet... or any other handheld device!
Available on
Digital Platform Partners
Tested
DEPENDABLE
Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro
PRICE `10,999 (3GB+32GB), `12,999 (4GB+64GB) URL mi.com/in DIMENSIONS 149.33x71.68x8.75mm WEIGHT 178g DISPLAY 5.84-inch Full HD+ (2160x1080) CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 RAM 3GB/4GB INTERNAL STORAGE 32GB/64GB CAMERA 12MP+5MP (rear), 5MP (front) DUAL SIM Yes EXPANDABLE STORAGE Yes OS MIUI BATTERY Y 4000mAh
New Redmi phone that’s low on price, high on features WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
here’s no doubt that Xiaomi has cemented itself as a brand for the masses but the one range that actually certified their position was Redmi 5. The company has now announced its successor and added three new devices in the Redmi 6 series. This month we take a look at the most expensive Redmi 6 device - the Redmi 6 Pro. Xiaomi follows a certain design language for their devices and Redmi 6 Pro is no different. The phone has a metal body with tapered edges that give the phone a good hand feel with the dual camera and fingerprint sensor placed at the back. The front is graced by a 5.84-inch display with a narrow notch above. The full-screen display supports Full HD+ resolution with an aspect ratio of 19:9. The display quality is similar to other Redmi devices in the price range and offers different screen modes like night and reading and even allows to adjust the colour temperature. There’s no other proponent as strong as Xiaomi is for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625 chip, thanks to its power efficiency and performance. The Redmi 6 Pro also comes with the same tried and tested SoC and coupled with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM, delivers great performance at this price. If we talk about the battery, the 4000mAh is good enough to last for more than a day with moderate use that includes a few calls, videos, music and camera. Redmi 6 Pro also joins the dual camera lineup with its 12MP + 5MP sensors at the back. The main camera takes decent pictures in daylight with good colours and details but tends to suffer in less than adequate lighting situations. The portrait mode works but it takes some effort to get it right. There are HDR, EIS and Full HD video recording. The front has a 5MP camera that supports AI portrait mode, beautify and HDR. The phone runs MIUI 9.6 out of the box but just like rest of the Xiaomi devices, the Redmi 6 Pro will also be updated to MIUI 10. In addition to the fingerprint unlock, the device also supports Face Unlock that works well. On the storage front, there’s 32GB or 64GB of internal memory depending on the variant you choose but the good part is that it also comes with a dedicated microSD card slot that can be used with dual SIMs. The Redmi 6 Pro is a thousand rupees more than Redmi Note 5 and while both devices are similar in hardware, the thing that works for the new phone is the inclusion of a dual camera matched with decent performance and good battery life.
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76 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance, battery life WE’D IMPROVE Low-light camera quality THE LAST WORD Xiaomi delivers yet another reliable phone with excellent battery life
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Tested
DUAL-SCREEN MAGIC
Asus ZenBook Pro 15 The innovative ScreenPad wants you to be productive WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
ust a few months after its global reveal at the Computex, Asus made its ZenBook Pro series official and this month we take the larger-sized ZenBook Pro 15 notebook for a spin to see if the second screen is worth the hype. At first glance, the ZenBook Pro 15 may seem like any other Asus notebook with its signature concentric circle, an all aluminium unibody design and a myriad of input/output connectors on the side but it’s the trackpad is the highlight here. Dubbed ScreenPad, the unassuming trackpad is actually a 5.5-inch Full HD display that acts as a mouse trackpad when you want to, a second screen or just extend the functionality of apps that are on the main display with the help of ScreenPad apps. Having spent considerable time with it, we can safely say the ScreenPad has potential. Asus has created apps like calculator, media player, a calendar that works on the ScreenPad and some extensions that work with Microsoft Office or playback control for YouTube but its popularity depends on how aggressively Asus promotes allowing developers to adopt and develop solutions around it. Needless to say, users can completely disable the ScreenPad and use it as a regular trackpad. The ZenBook Pro 15 is just 18.9mm thick with a weight of 1.89kg but despite the compact design, the notebook packs some serious power. In India, Asus sells the ZenBook Pro 15 in two SKUs and the one we tested came with Core i9-8950HK processor with 16GB DDR4 RAM and 1TB PCIe SSD, making the laptop a good choice to work on performance-intensive tasks. There’s also a discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU onboard to handle casual to moderate gaming. Asus has gone with a 15.6-inch 4K display that boasts great colour reproduction with 100% Adobe SRGB colour gamut and Pantone validated screen. It also features Asus Eye Care protection to cut blue light by 30 per cent. The only thing we dislike is the battery life that falls considerably short. During our use, we got around four hours of run time with ScreenPad running all the time with the main screen brightness at 50 per cent and Wi-Fi on. Except for the battery, the ZenBook Pro 15 is an excellent notebook when it comes to overall performance and hopefully, in the near future, we‘ll see ScreenPad on other cheaper notebooks as well.
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PRICE From `1,79,990 URL asus.com/in DIMENSIONS 189x365x251mm (hxwxd) WEIGHT 1.89kgDISPLAY 15.6 IPS Touch RESOLUTION 3840x2160 (UHD) SCREENPAD 5.5-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) Super IPS+ CPU Up to 8th gen Intel Core i9-H RAM 16GB GRAPHICS 4GB GeForce GTX 1050 Ti STORAGE 1TB PCIe SSD BATTERY Up to 9.5 hours INTERFACE 2 Type-C USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 3), 2 Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 2, 1 HDMI, 1 Combo audio jack, 1 MicroSD card slot
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance, ScreenPad WE’D IMPROVE Battery life, more ScreenPad apps THE LAST WORD Overall, a great laptop with an innovative ScreenPad only undermined by its mediocre battery life
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 77
Tested
PORTABLE WORKHORSE
Dell Latitude 5290 2-in-1
A 2-in-1 that’s perfect for work and entertainment
PRICE From `74,990+ taxes URL dell.co.in DIMENSIONS 208.8x292x9.76mm (dxwxh) WEIGHT 860g DISPLAY Y 12.3-inch 3:2 with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 RESOLUTION Full HD (1920x1280) CPU Up to 8th gen Intel Core i7-U RAM Up to 16GB GRAPHICS Integrated Intel Graphics STORAGE Up to 512GB SSD CAMERA Optional IR camera, 5MP (front), 8MP (rear) BATTERY Y Up to 42WHr Polymer PORTS & SLOTS 2 Display Port over USB Type-C (with optional Thunderbolt 3), 1 USB 3.1 Gen1 (with PowerShare) Type-A, optional SIM card slot
WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
icrosoft Surface is the most prominent Windows running 2-in-1 but Dell’s latest convertible comes close. The Latitude 5290 2-in-1 offers the performance that one needs from a business notebook without the bulk of a powerful notebook. The Latitude 5290 2-in-1 has been designed for mobility. It weighs under a kilo and is slim enough to easily slip in a sleeve case. It’s a 2-in-1 at the end of the day, which is why you’ll find a kickstand at the back. The cool thing about the kickstand is the auto-deploy feature, which when placed and pressed against a flat surface, the kickstand opens up automatically and can be extended up to 150-degrees. The kickstand works flawlessly on a flat surface but it’s a tad cumbersome to use it on an uneven surface or in the lap. The front is dominated by a 12.3-inch display having an aspect ratio of 3:2 and 1920x1080 resolution support. The display quality is good that reaches a maximum brightness of up to 340 nits and even
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comes with an anti-reflective and anti-smudge coating along with screen protection by Corning Gorilla Glass 4. Dell sells the laptop with a couple of processor options and the one we tested came with Intel’s 8th gen Core i7-8650U along with 16GB LPDDR3 RAM. During our use, which mainly included web surfing on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox (30 tabs cumulatively) along with a bit of writing in Word, the laptop handled it well. It’s quiet and keeps the heat in check for prolonged use. In terms of battery life, we got a runtime of around 5.5-6 hours and can be recharged with the included 65W charger or an optional hybrid charger that also works as a power bank for mobile devices. The laptop is bundled with a keyboard cover that protects the laptop when not in use. The magnetic keyboard is easy to attach or detach and is comfortable to type on with the spaced out keys. The trackpad area is decent and supports Windows 10 gestures. The 2-in-1 also allows interacting with a Dell stylus pen that needs to be purchased separately. Considering the limited space, you’d find USB-C ports (supporting Thunderbolt 3) and a regular USB 3.1 port at the sides. However, a separate USB dock adds the ubiquitous LAN port, few more USB ports, and HDMI. The Latitude 5290 2-in-1 is a good-looking laptop that delivers performance and battery life in a compact form factor.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Looks and performance WE’D IMPROVE I/O ports THE LAST WORD An all-around performance makes Latitude 5290 2-in-1 is a good Surface alternative
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Tested
PERFECT SOUND
Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless
PRICE `59,990 URL beyerdynamic.com WEIGHT 380g TYPE Circumaural, Closed TRANSDUCER TYPE Dynamic, Tesla FREQUENCY RESPONSE 5-40,000Hz IMPEDANCE 32ohms CODECS aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, AAC, SBC BLUETOOTH Yes, v4.2 BATTERY Y Up to 30 hours
Big in size, price and quality
WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
here’s no shortage of options when it comes to wireless headphones but it’s a stark contrast when it comes to the expensive ones. We’ve got good sounding earphones around the `30k mark from Bose and Sony but at double the price, can Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless can justify its high price tag? We find out. The two requisites for a good headphone are that they should be comfortable to use and sound good. While we’ll discuss the audio quality in a bit, we can vouch for Amiron Wireless’ comfort. The size, initially, feels overwhelming but they’re extremely comfortable to wear. The circumaural headphones ensure it fits all ear sizes and gives a certain amount of breathability so that the headphones can be worn for hours without the ears getting sweaty. The headrest also has a good amount of padding. That said, the headphones are bulky and while Beyerdynamic bundles a travel case, commuting with them is not ideal. For the second requisite, the Amiron Wireless delivers here as well. They sound fantastic. The audio is filled with rich detail with great frequency balance playing back the nuances that you’d have missed with another headphone. You can feel the bass but it doesn’t enhance it unnaturally, keeping it true to the song. The Amiron Wireless lasts for anywhere in between 24-27 hours but you can use a 3.5mm aux cable for a wired experience with no compromise on the audio quality. Interestingly, the headphones do not support active noise cancellation but passive works well to cut the ambient noise. However, these are ineffective on roads. The headphones support USB-C for charging. The right cup also hosts touch-based gesture controls that allows to play or pause, adjust volume with just a touch or swipe. They support the MIY app that helps to personalise audio settings. All said and done, Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless, no doubt is an expensive offering but it delivers on its promise of top-notch audio quality albeit with a bulky design.
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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Audio performance WE’D IMPROVE Bulky design THE LAST WORD Impressive sound quality and comfort but the bulky design makes it less than ideal to carry it
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 79
Tested Game
Marvel’s Spider-Man Insomniac’s friendly superhero swings into action `3,999; PS4
ony’s having a great year so far with their line-up of exclusives. God of War and Detroit: Become Human brought excellent single-player experiences, albeit, catering to a specific audience. Spider-Man, on the other hand, has a lot of fans — thanks to comic books, cartoons, and movies. Besides, it is important to deliver a game that satisfies its fans and gamers. Insomniac Games’ iteration shows Parker in his mid-20s, as an active superhero and has progressed with a new career and his personal life. We quite like the fact that the game does not focus on how Peter
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Parker became Spider-Man, but instead, jumps right in showing us the ropes by throwing in a fight with Spider-Man’s nemesis, Fisk. The first fight could prove daunting if you’re not used to fast-paced action, but give it an hour or two and you’ll have a first-hand understanding of what it’s like to be your friendly neighbourhood superhero. The reason behind this is Insomniac’s impressive mechanics that nails Spider-Man’s actions, including traversing through Spider-Man’s world. Holding R2 and pushing forward, the left analog stick makes Spider-Man reach the extreme ends of the city with ease. The game plays fast travel as well but
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Spider-Man
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web-swinging is so much fun. Spider-Man is a superhero based out of New York, and the game beautifully captures the essence of the city complete with its tall, glossy skylines and bustling cityscape with that buzz of activity on the ground, if you do decide to take a walk. The crowd is reactive to spideyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions and will respond to his presence by clicking selďŹ es or ducking when heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swinging low to the ground. Spider-Man can also high-ďŹ ve random New Yorkers and earn XP in return. Citizens will also take on a Twitter-like social media to comment on politics, crime and of course, Spider-Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions. However, a dynamic follower count for our favourite superhero depending on his positive or negative action would have added that extra touch to the little details that make the game a realistic depiction of a modern-day setting. But, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re okay with or without it because their virtual world is lively and beautiful nonetheless. Interestingly, the time is not dynamic and changes according to the mission. The game allows you to control night and day as you progress in the story. However, that works only when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not on any missions. When it comes to combat, Spider-Man generally tackles multiple enemies at once, and it all depends on how good your reďŹ&#x201A;exes are when it comes to dodging an incoming attack, with a quick maneuver to counterattack in the next move. The ďŹ ghts can overwhelm sometimes but with a combination of dodging, counter attacks, use of gadgets and W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
swinging in the air, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to beat even the ďŹ ercest of enemies with some practice. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a fan of Spider-Man suits, the game has plenty. Most of the suits possess a special power and the best part is that once unlocked, you can use your favourite suit with any power. Spider-Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abilities can be upgraded as well, and making him learn new tricks allows for better prowess when handling more powerful enemies. The 20-22 hour main story feels predictable, but it certainly keeps you hooked with its exciting gameplay and good voice acting from all characters, including the anti-Spider-Man guy, J. Jonah Jameson. That said, we experienced a few glitches but they were few and far between, which can easily be solved with a future update. All said and done, Marvelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spider-Man n is an excellent effort by Insomniac with its simple and addictive traversal mechanics and combat.
VERDICT WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE IMPRESSED Beautiful graphics, web swinging and combat WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D IMPROVE Random glitches THE LAST WORD Spider-Man fan or otherwise, the game is a must buy
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OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 81
Tested Game
Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 The pitch is still theirs Prices vary; PC, PS4, Xbox One f there are any sports game that vies for attention from fans, its gotta be football. Every year EA and Konami duke it out with their FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) franchise, respectively. This month we dribble and shoot a few to see if Konami’s PES still got to take on EA’s behemoth. Over the years, PES has relied on the gameplay and this year is no different. The game has been improvised with a lot of new features to make it more realistic. Ball physics are top-notch that respond to in a more natural fashion. The trajectory of the ball now depends on the player posture, how the ball was kicked, where it landed, and so on. The animations have also got an upgrade with PES adding more passing, dribbling and shooting animations, adding to the game‘s realism. PES also features snow weather effect that can now fall during the match and affect the gameplay. This year, PES has added new
I
animations 11 new skill traits that improve player’s uniqueness like edge turn, no look pass, etc. and are more prominent for a reputed player like Messi, Coutinho or Ronaldo. Visually, PES 2019 looks fantastic. Konami has reworked on the lighting that mimics real lighting and features stunningly designed stadiums, at least the licensed ones. The crowd animation has also got a bump. That said, audio leaves a lot to be desired. The crowd sounds are very well captured, but the commentary is uninteresting and repetitive. Another disappointment that, in fact, has been for many years now, is the lack of club and league licenses. While PES 2019 comes with 19 official clubs and 20 leagues, the number dwarfs in comparison with EA’s FIFA. As of this year, PES 2019 will not come with UEFA Champions League. Sure, there is still a way to update the names and kits on PS4 and PC, Xbox users are out of luck unless it‘s edited manually. The game menu is a welcome
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change that gives access to various PES 2019 game modes like myClub, Master League to manage a football club and the regular online or offline co-op matches with friends. PES famously uses “the pitch is ours” as their tagline and it certainly holds true. PES 2019 brings the best virtual football experience, but it lacks the presentation, style and licensed leagues that its counterpart offers.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Gameplay WE’D IMPROVE Commentary, need more licensed clubs and leagues THE LAST WORD PES 2019 is a good game that makes football real fun to play but needs some work when it comes to licensed leagues
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Tested Game
Shadow of the Tomb Raider Lara Croft returns to save the world from an apocalypse `3,999; PC, PS4, Xbox One
s someone who appreciates Uncharted series’ action, storytelling and set pieces, the first 30-odd minutes of Shadow of the Tomb Raider looked like something off Drake’s adventures but only when you progress through the game, the differences are telling where the new Tomb Raider comes into its own. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the third game in the rebooted trilogy that picks up months after its previous game, Rise of the Tomb Raider. Lara Croft goes head-to-head against a dangerous organisation, Trinity but a wrong move by her sets off a Maya apocalypse, which she races to stop. A promising narrative that delves into the Mayan history and takes us to hidden cities and the Amazonian jungle. You’d expect the game to pick up the pace gradually but in fact, the
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game jumps right in and gives players a glimpse of Lara Croft’s high-octane adventure. This time around, the game allows players to independently set the difficulty for combat, environmental cues and puzzles that can be tweaked as and when required to suit different players. For instance, one might change the difficulty if they find the puzzles to be vexing but combat easy. The world created by Eidos Montreal is beautiful and feels lively that captures the essence of the environment along with the highly detailed tombs that work your grey cells rather than feeling like a chore. However, we experienced a few stutters. Character modelling for Croft and her companion Jonah are designed well with some good voice acting. In-game upgrades are straightforward but include
gathering resources, finding loot boxes or even looting the gunned down enemy while upgrading Croft’s ability requires skill points that are earned via XP points. Long story short, if a lot of action, hunting, crafting and puzzle-solving excites you, you’ll feel right at home with Lara Croft’s latest adventure.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Gameplay, Beautiful world WE’D IMPROVE Side missions THE LAST WORD Shadow of the 7RPE 5DLGHU LV ĆOOHG ZLWK DFWLRQ DQG mysteries that make the game one of the best in Tomb Raider’s modern trilogy
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 83
ISSUE 39 9/ OCTOBER 2018
Retro
T3 3 India as a magazine/ezine rightly focuses on products that are new and under development. This, of course, does not suggest or imply that everything old is bad and outdated. The pace at which technology moves, demands that we cover all product developments for our readers. In few cases, this means going back to the
84 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
past. Look at the worldwide revival of turntables. Only 15 years ago, the turntable was consigned to the dustbin. Today, pressing plants are hard pressed to meet the demand. The area where retro is most in demand is music â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both Western and Indian, and T3 3 India seeks to address this gap. We hope you enjoy this section.
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Classic s Artist stes - Western n
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Classssic A rtistes - Indian
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Phil Collins
PHIL COLLINS
Words: H. S. Billimoria This month, we look at the career of one more British singer cum songwriter who made it really big in the 1980’s. Born in London, Phil Collins took to playing drums at the age of 5. In 1970, he joined the band GENESIS where yet another stalwart Peter Gabriel was the lead singer. After Gabriel’s departure from Genesis, Phil Collins took over as the lead singer in 1975. He also began his solo career and produced outstanding albums like Face Value (1981), No Jacket Required (1985) and But Seriously (1989).
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Collins met with a lot of success in the United States, where he had more Top 40 singles in the 80’s than any other artiste. Phil Collins won 8 Grammy awards and at an estimated 150 million album sales worldwide, ranks amongst the world’s best selling artists.
Now 67, Phil Collins still goes on tour and is still drawing huge crowds at his shows where his most popular singles “Sussudio” and “Another Day in Paradise” are repeatedly requested by the audience.
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 85
BAPPI LAHIRI
THE BEST OF
BAPPI LAHIRI – Vol III
This month, we look at the best work that Bappi Lahiri has done with T-Series.
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Words: H. S. Billimoria Ilzaam (1986) starred Govinda with Neelam Kothari. Other stars included Shashi Kapoor, Shatrughan Sinha and Anita Raj. The film was a box office hit and made the lead pair a hit team. We have selected three songs from Ilzaam. The first one is a racy duet by Amit Kumar and Asha Bhosle that goes ‘Pehle pehle pyar ki....’ Govinda and Neelam’s energetic movements add zest to the song. The second number, ‘Main aaya the liye’ is a duet by Nazia and Zohheb Hassan. In the flim, it is picturised on Govinda and Anita Raj. The third number, “I
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BAPPI LAHIRI
and starring Mithun with Smita Patil is yet another example. The film was a modest success but the music was very popular. Alisha Chinai’s ‘Zooby zooby’ was the most popular number; although it appears only in the opening credits. ‘Zindagi mein dance dance’ by Vijay Benedict and Alisha was yet another popular number from the film. Hatya (1998) was produced by Govinda’s brother, Kirti Kumar and starred Govinda with Neelam. An average success, Hatya is remembered for the Sapna Mukherjee-Mohd Aziz duet – ‘Main Pyaar ke Pujaran’. The song has also been well choreographed and nicely picturised.
am a street dancer’ is sung by Amit Kumar and picturised on Mithun. Anjaan provided the lyrics for both the numbers. Muddat (1986) was a Mithun Chakraborty-Jaya PradaPadmini Kolhapure starrer. An average performer at the Box office, Muddat had some good music from Bappi Lahiri. The first number is a Mohd
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The film ‘Thanedaar (1990) is now remembered only for its hit duet ‘Tamma Tamma’ sung by Bappi himself along with Anuradha Paudwal. ‘Tamma Tamma’ sadly was not an original Bappi Lahiri Composition. The original ‘Tamma’ has been composed by African Musician Mory Kante. Laxmikant Pyarelal first stole Mory Kante’s tune for Amitabh Bachachan’s Hum, where the lyrics ran ‘Jumma, Chumma Doge’ Picturised on Bachchan, the song became a huge hit. The Thanedaar number came later. Madhuri Dixit’s energetic dancing made the number popular.
Aziz-Asha Bhosle duet, ‘Pyar hamara amar rahega picturised on Mithun and Jaya Prada. The second number is a Kishor Kumar solo, ‘Mujhko kehte hai romeo’ picturised on Mithun. This is a typical Mithun-Bappi Lahiri disco number. Indeevar wrote both the numbers. Bappi Lahiri, with some exceptions, was at his best with Mithun Chakraborty as the hero. Dance Dance, released in 1987
Bappi’s style of composing as also his slightly accented voice is popular even today. Vishal-Shekhar used Bappi’s vocal chords to very good effect in ‘The Dirty Picture’ starring Vidya Balan. T3 India is pleased to add this number ‘ooh la la’ as a bonus track. T3 India
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 87
BEST OF THE BEST The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best tech, all in one place
If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for the very best tech DYDLODEOH WRGD\ \RX KDYH GHÄ&#x2020;QLWHO\ come to the right place. Best of the Best is the most useful gadget-buying guide you will ever encounter. To create it, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve UXWKOHVVO\ Ä&#x2020;OWHUHG GRZQ WR WKH ELJJHVW groups, to bring you rock-solid recommendations for your home life, daily commute and the tech you use all the time. Within each of those groups, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a dozen categories for key tech buys. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve picked one product for every category that we think is the best you can get on balance, taking into account price, quality and features, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to know what you need in your life. You should also check out T3.com, ZKHUH \RXèOO Ä&#x2020;QG HYHQ PRUH categories, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for something that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t here. From big-budget buy to the little (but essential) accessories, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got you covered.
INSIDE
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ENTERTAINMENT
91
AUDIO
92
LIFESTYLE
93
AUTO
94
SMART HOME
95
COMPUTING
96
TRAVEL
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Best of the best BEST OFâ&#x20AC;¦
ENTERTAINMENT
However serious you are about your TV, movies and gaming set-ups, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the perfect buys for a tricked-out living room OLED 4K TV
VALUE 4K TV SONY A8F 6RQ\èV QH[W JHQ . +'5 79 ORRNV IDQWDVWLF WKDQNV WR LWV 2/(' GLVSOD\ DQG DGYDQFHG LPDJH SURFHVVLQJ %HFDXVH RI LQJHQLRXV WHFK WKDW XVHV WKH VFUHHQ LWVHOI DV D VSHDNHU LW DOVR VRXQGV VXSHUE From `3,29,900, sony.co.in
VU PREMIUM UHD SERIES The series starts from 43-inches that supports . SOD\EDFN DQG 3L[HOLJKW +'5 IRU LPSURYHG SLFWXUH TXDOLW\ ,W DOVR EULQJV D VPDUW 79 LQWHUIDFH TXLFN DFFHVV EXWWRQV IRU 1HWÄ&#x2021;L[ DQG <RX7XEH DQG PRUH From `46,000, vutvs.com
UNIVERSAL REMOTE
TOP-END 4K TV B&O ECLIPSE %DQJ 2OXIVHQèV IDQWDVWLF 79 IHDWXUHV D JRUJHRXV 2/(' SDQHO DQG D FRORVVDO ZDWWV RI VSHDNHU WKURXJK LWV LQWHJUDWHG VRXQGEDU 7KH (FOLSVH FRPHV LQ GLIIHUHQW Ä&#x2020;QLVKHV WR PDWFK \RXU URRP SHUIHFWO\ From `10,00,000, bang-olufsen.com
VALUE 4K BLU-RAY PLAYER
LOGITECH HARMONY ELITE A dual-purpose remote, as at home in \RXU KDQGV DV LW LV VDW LQ WKH FRUQHU RI \RXU OLYLQJ URRP FRQWUROOLQJ HYHU\WKLQJ IURP \RXU 79 WR \RXU OLJKWLQJ <RX FDQ even control it from a phone app! `38,999, amazon.in
PORTABLE GAMES CONSOLE
XBOX ONE S <HV WKLV LV SULPDULO\ D JDPHV FRQVROH EXW < LWèV D GDPQ JRRG 8+' %OX UD\ SOD\HU WRR :K\ SD\ PRUH IRU VRPHWKLQJ WKDW MXVW SOD\V GLVFV ZKHQ \RX FRXOG EH JHWWLQJ \RXU JDPH RQ ZLWK WKH PRQH\ OHIW RYHU" `29,990, microsoft.com/in
VIDEO STREAMER
NINTENDO SWITCH 1RW WKH PRVW SRZHUIXO FXUUHQW JHQ FRQVROH EXW ZLWK WKH OHJHQGDU\ JDPHV OLQH XS DQG WKH Ä&#x2021;H[LELOLW\ WR SOD\ LQ GLIIHUHQW FRQWURO FRQÄ&#x2020;JXUDWLRQV LWèV WKH EHVW SRUWDEOH PDFKLQH \RX FDQ EX\ `30,000 (approx.), nintendo.com
4K GAMES CONSOLE
AMAZON FIRE TV STICK &XUUHQWO\ \ WKH EHVW RSWLRQ LI \RXèUH ORRNLQJ WR VWUHDP YLGHR FRQWHQW RQ \RXU ELJ VFUHHQ $ VWDQGDORQH GHYLFH JLYHV DFFHVV WR 3ULPH 9LGHRV 1HWÄ&#x2021;L[ +RWVWDU FRQWHQW DQG PXFK PRUH ,W DOVR FRPHV ZLWK D KDQG\ UHPRWH FRQWURO ZLWK YRLFH VXSSRUW `3,999, amazon.in
TV SOUNDBAR
SONY PS4 PRO 7KH ODWHVW DQG JUHDWHVW 3OD\6WDWLRQ \RX FDQ EX\ ULJKW QRZ WKDW HQDEOHV WR SOD\ JDPHV LQ . ZLWK +'5 DQG HYHQ DOORZV KRRNLQJ XS WR SOD\ 95 JDPHV WKURXJK WKH RSWLRQDO 3OD\6WDWLRQ 95 DFFHVVRU\ `38,990, sony.co.in
AV RECEIVER Q ACOUSTICS M3 This brilliant soundbar offers balanced GULYHUV URRP Ä&#x2020;OOLQJ VRXQG DQG DQ LQWHJUDWHG VXEZRRIHU 0DVVLYH DXGLR LQ D VPDOO DWWUDFWLYH EDU LGHDO IRU DGGLQJ FLQHPDWLF VRXQG ZLWK QR PHVVLQJ DURXQG `42,100, qacoustics.co.uk
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MARANTZ SR6012 A feature-packed receiver that offers FKDQQHO VXSSRUW 'ROE\ $WPRV DQG '76 ; VXUURXQG GHFRGLQJ HLJKW . +] +'0, SRUWV +'5 +(26 ZLUHOHVV multi-room music support and smart 4K XSVFDOLQJ `1,24,900, marantz.com
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Best of the best BEST OFâ&#x20AC;¦
AUDIO
From wireless convenience to audiophile heaven, this is the gear you need to make the most of your favourite music WIRELESS SPEAKERS
PORTABLE WIRELESS SPEAKERS
BOWERS & WILKINS ZEPPELIN WIRELESS 7KLV VSHDNHU ERDVWV H[FHOOHQW DXGLR UHSURGXFWLRQ ZLWK FU\VWDO FOHDU TXDOLW\ URRP Ä&#x2020;OOLQJ EDVV DQG VXSSRUW IRU $LU3OD\ DQG %OXHWRRWK 6SRWLI\ DQG $SSOH 0XVLF `67,000, bowers-wilkins.com
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ULTIMATE EARS MEGABOOM 7KH VSHDNHUV SDFN D ORW RI SXQFK ZLWK GHJUHH VRXQG XS WR KRXUV RI EDWWHU\ OLIH ,3; FHUWLÄ&#x2020;HG ZDWHU UHVLVWDQFH DQG PRUH IHDWXUHV ZLWK WKH 0HJDERRP DSS RQ L26 DQG $QGURLG `19,995, ultimateears.com
:,5(/(66 ,1 ($5 ($53+21(6 SENNHEISER CX 7.00BT 7KH QHFNEDQG GHVLJQ &; %7 IHDWXUHV detailed sound and enhanced bass UHVSRQVH ,W VXSSRUWV %OXHWRRWK 1)& DQG 4XDOFRPP DSW ; IRU +L 5HV PXVLF ,W DOVR VXSSRUWV 86% DXGLR DQG KDV D KRXU EDWWHU\ OLIH `11,990, en-in.sennheiser.com
APPLE AIRPODS 'HVSLWH LWV TXLUN\ ORRNV $LU3RGV DUH UHDOO\ HDV\ WR XVH ZLWK WKH L3KRQH 7KH DXGLR TXDOLW\ LV GHFHQW DQG FRPHV ZLWK XS WR KRXUV RI EDWWHU\ OLIH DQG 6LUL VXSSRUW `11,999, apple.com/in
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+, ), 67(5(2 $03 MARANTZ PM6006 $ ZRUWK\ VXFFHVVRU WR WKH 30 ZLWK JUHDW DXGLR SHUIRUPDQFH VXSSRUW IRU RSWLFDO DQG FRD[LDO GLJLWDO LQSXWV DQG D VKLHOGHG PHWDO KRXVLQJ WR NHHS WKH DQDORJXH VLJQDO IUHH IURP DQ\ HIIHFW IURP D GLJLWDO VWDJH `54,900, marantz.com
MARANTZ CD6006 An improvement over the SUHGHFHVVRU WKH 0DUDQW] KDV ULJLG feet to eliminate vibration and comes ZLWK D KLJK TXDOLW\ &6 '$& WKDW FRQYHUWV GLJLWDO VLJQDOV WR DQDORJ IRU D QR FRPSURPLVH VRXQG TXDOLW\ `54,900, marantz.com
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TURNTABLE REGA PLANAR 3 $ VROLG SURGXFW IURP 5HJD WKDW ORRNV JRRG ZLWK WKH KLJK JORVV DFU\OLF laminated plinth and offers improved VWDELOLW\ ZLWK QHZ SUHFLVLRQ EHDULQJ DQG D UH GHVLJQHG IRRW `80,000, rega.co.uk
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OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 91
Best of the best BEST OFâ&#x20AC;¦
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Kit yourself out with the ultimate in personal technology. This is the stuff you use every day, so make sure you get it spot on with our picks $1'52,' 3+21(
35(0,80 3+21( APPLE iPHONE X 6RPHKRZ HDUQLQJ LWV FRORVVDO SULFH WDJ WKLV LV D PDVWHUSLHFH RI GHVLJQ DQG HQJLQHHULQJ 7KH VFUHHQ LV WKH EHVW RXW there, the camera is fantastic, and it IHHOV OLNH D GHYLFH IURP WKH QHDU IXWXUH From `95,390, apple.com/in
SAMSUNG GALAXY S9 6DPVXQJèV VXSHU VOLFN VPDUWSKRQH LV WKH PRVW UHÄ&#x2020;QHG $QGURLG H[SHULHQFH WR GDW $Q H[FHOOHQW FDPHUD JRUJHRXV ,QLIQLW\ 'LVSOD\ VFUHHQ DQG VRPH VPDUW H[FOXVLYH IHDWXUHV PDNH IRU D WUXO\ IDQWDVWLF SKRQH From `57,900, samsung.com/in
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9$/8( 3+21( XIAOMI MI A1 7KH Ä&#x2020;UVW $QGURLG 2QH GHYLFH IURP Xiaomi that offers stock Android H[SHULHQFH ZLWK GHFHQW GXDO FDPHUDV DW WKH EDFN UHOLDEOH SHUIRUPDQFH GD\èV EDWWHU\ OLIH DQG PXOWLSOH FRORXU FKRLFHV From `12,999, mi.com/in
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AUTO Get the best driving experience possible, no matter whether you tend to go for two wheels or four â&#x20AC;&#x201C; these are the top vehicles and accessories around MUV
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SUV JEEP COMPASS A versatile 4X4 that does not compromise RQ GHVLJQ DQG VDIHW\ ,W FRPHV ZLWK SOXVK leather interiors and infotainment that should keep both Android and iOS users KDSS\ ZLWK $QGURLG $XWR DQG $SSOH &DU3OD\ From `15.16L, jeep-india.com
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ENTRY-LEVEL PERFORMANCE BIKE HONDA GRAZIA -XVW DV WUXVW\ DQG GXUDEOH DV DQ $FWLYD EXW PRUH VW\OLVK DQG EHWWHU ORRNLQJ WKDQ LWV SUHGHFHVVRU ZLWK LWV VSRUW\ GHVLJQ IXOO\ GLJLWDO LQVWUXPHQW FOXVWHU (FR ULGH IHDWXUH PRELOH FKDUJLQJ VRFNHW DQG PRUH From `59,516, honda2wheelersindia.com
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GARMIN DASH CAM 35 $Q LQWHOOLJHQW +' GDVK FDP UHFRUGHU WKDW FDQ FDSWXUH FULVS DQG FOHDU IRRWDJH DQG HYHQ FRPHV ZLWK KDQG\ IHDWXUHV OLNH IRUZDUG FROOLVLRQ ZDUQLQJ LQFLGHQW GHWHFWLRQ DQG ORWV PRUH `24,999, amazon.in
OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 93
Best of the best BEST OFâ&#x20AC;¦
SMART HOME
Upgrade your house with the best tech for monitoring security, saving energy, and controlling everything from one place VOICE ASSISTANT
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94 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
AMAZON ECHO PLUS 7KH (FKR 3OXV LVQèW MXVW $OH[D å LWV EXLOW LQ hub can discover and control tech from 3KLOLSV +XH DQG RWKHUV GLUHFWO\ VR \RX GRQèW QHHG D KXE IRU HYHU\ GLIIHUHQW KRPH WHFK EUDQG `10,499, amazon.in
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
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From gaming paradise to mobile workhorses to tablets with laptop power, these computer and accessory picks will up your productivity ULTRAPORTABLE LAPTOP
PRO LAPTOP APPLE MACBOOK PRO 7KLV $SSOH KDUGZDUH LVQèW MXVW KLS LWèV DOVR HIÄ&#x2020;FLHQW PDF26 LV PDGH IRU SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG LWèV DW LWV EHVW LQ WKH 0DF%RRN 3UR ZKHUH WKH 7RXFK %DU ZRUNV LQ D Ä&#x2021;DVK DQG WKH LQWHUQDOV UXQ IDVWHU IRU ORQJHU From `1,47,900, apple.com/in
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GAMING LAPTOP DELL INSPIRON 15 7000 (7577) $ SRZHUIXO JDPLQJ ODSWRS ZLWK WK JHQ &RUH L 1YLGLDèV *7; *38 ZLWK 0D[ 4 GHVLJQ DORQJ ZLWK )XOO +' DQWL JODUH ,36 GLVSOD\ 7KH ODSWRS DOVR IHDWXUHV D PRQR KLQJH GHVLJQ WKDW KHOSV LPSURYH WKH DLUÄ&#x2021;RZ `1,27,390, dell.com/in
GAMING PC CORSAIR T1 GAMING CHAIR ,QVSLUHG E\ PRWRUVSRUW VHDWV WKH JDPLQJ FKDLU JLYHV FRPIRUW DQG VXSSRUW ZLWK IXOO\ PRXOGHG IRDP XSKROVWHU\ DQG VWHHO ERG\ IUDPH 7KH FKDLU DOVR IHDWXUHV D IRXU GLUHFWLRQDO DUPUHVW GHJUHH UHFOLQH DQG XS WR GHJUHHV RI VHDW WLOW `35,000, corsair.com
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OCTOBER 2018 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 95
Best of the best BEST OFâ&#x20AC;¦
TRAVEL & OUTDOORS Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re off for a holiday or just hitting the running trail, get the most from your trips with these amazing tech buys ENTRY-LEVEL DSLR CANON EOS 200D ,WèV OLJKW VWXUG\ DQG FRPSDFW HQRXJK WR Ä&#x2020;W LQ D EDJ ,W KDV D ODUJH 03 $36 & &026 VHQVRU QHZ 'LJLF SURFHVVRU )XOO +' YLGHR UHFRUGLQJ DW ISV DQG VKDUH WKHP LQVWDQWO\ ZLWK WKH EXLOW LQ :L )L From `47,495, canon.co.in
MIRRORLESS CAMERA SONY A9 S &OHYHUO\ HQJLQHHUHG WR SXW HYHU\ & FFRPSRQHQW ULJKW EHKLQG WKH 03 ssensor for speed, the A9 can shoot at D ULGLFXORXV ISV WDNH . YLGHR DQG KDV SRLQW IRFXV ZLWK D IXOO IUDPH K VVHQVRU `3,29,990, sony.co.in
ACTION CAMERA GOPRO HERO6 BLACK The most advanced action camera on the SODQHW FDQ VKRRW VWXQQLQJ . YLGHR DW ISV ZLWK DGYDQFHG VWDELOLVDWLRQ PDNLQJ IRRWDJH VXSHU VPRRWK DQG UHDOLVWLF ,WèV DOVR ZDWHUSURRI WR P ZLWKRXW D FDVH `45,000, GOPRO.COM
5811,1* :$7&+ GARMIN FORERUNNER 935 7KH )RUHUXQQHU PHDVXUHV HYHU\ DVSHFW RI \RXU ZRUNRXW IURP KHDUW UDWH WR FRPSOH[ UXQQLQJ PHWULFV OLNH JURXQG FRQWDFW WLPH ,W KHOSV \RX WR LPSURYH SRVWXUH DQG XSJUDGH \RXU SDFH `42,990, garmin.com
FULL-FRAME DSLR NIKON D850 $ SUR FDPHUD WKDW WDNHV JUHDW SKRWRV DV ZHOO DV YLGHRV LQ . 7KH FDPHUD FRPHV ZLWK D 03 ); IRUPDW %6, &026 VHQVRU ([SHHG LPDJH SURFHVVLQJ HQJLQH DQG ZLWK QHJDWLYH GLJLWLVHU IXQFWLRQ DQG DQ DGGLWLRQDO DFFHVVRU\ FRQYHUW ROG QHJDWLYHV LQWR GLJLWDO SKRWRV From `2,49,950, nikon.
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CAMERA DRONE DJI MAVIC PRO 7KH 0DYLF 3UR IROGV LQWR D VPDOO SDFNDJH EXW WKDWèV RQO\ RQH RI LWV WDOHQWV 0RUH affordable than the Phantom 4, capable of VKRRWLQJ DZHVRPH YLGHR DQG PLQXWHV Ä&#x2021;LJKW WLPH ZLWK D IRXU PLOH UDQJH `86,000, dji.com
WATERPROOF PORTABLE SPEAKER UE WONDERBOOM $V DW KRPH RQ WKH EHDFK RU Ä&#x2021;RDWLQJ LQ WKH SRRO WKDQ LW ZRXOG EH LQ \RXU kitchen, the UE Wonderboom JHQHUDWHV D GHJUHH VRXQG IURP LWV WLQ\ ,3; UDWHG VKHOO 8S WR WHQ KRXUV RI EDWWHU\ OLIH LV JUHDW WRR `7,995, ultimateears.com
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STUFFCOOL MARVEL CABLES $GG VRPH Ä&#x2021;DLU WR WKH PXQGDQH ORRNLQJ FDEOH ZLWK 0DUYHO EUDQGHG FDEOHV IURP 6WXIIFRRO ,WèV EUDLGHG ZLWK Q\ORQ IRU H[WUD GXUDELOLW\ VXSSRUWV IDVW FKDUJH DQG V\QF and even bundles a soft pouch for safe VWRUDJH `799, stuffcool.com
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T3 OCTOBER 2018
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VICES Guilty pleasures to seriously spoil yourself
In this day and age, your average board game faces an uphill struggle appealing to friends and family hooked on console titles such as God Of Warr or Far Cry 5. But what we have here is not your average board game. This is one of the world’s oldest pastimes, reimagined by Alexandra Llewellyn, a London-based designer whose wildly creative backgammon sets have caught the attention of everyone from Elle Macpherson to Sir Richard Branson. With its santos rosewood casing, hand-painted peacock feather motifs, ornate brass hinges and antique gold and black playing pieces, it’s got ‘heirloom’ written all over it. approx. `3,55,500 conranshop.co.uk
98 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today OCTOBER 2018
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