Exhibit april 2017

Vol.12.Issue.11.April.17

TECHNOLOGY|AUTO|GIZMOS|PEOPLE|WATCHES|LIFESTYLE where tech meets lifestyle

` 125 €8 $8 thetechy.com|thewheelz.com

10 top

Millionnaire

heirs heiresses

+ startup

failures

Analysis of the lessons learnt

Geneva

Motor Show

+ Basel World snapchat

From “that sexting app” to the billion dollar advertising darling

Birla Entrepreneur by Mind,Musician by Soul!

REVIEWED: Vivo V5 Plus | Intex Aqua Supreme + | OnePlus 3T Colette Edition | LeEco Super4 X40 | Epson TW-8300 DRIVEN: BMW 3 Series GT | Jaguar XF

Skip the reams of paper

Go Green in a tech way.

Your one stop access to all the daily feeds In the world of tech & Lifestyle Get instant access on the go Faster than a fingerprint scanner Skip the paper mode And switch to a tab or Bowser .

Paper has a different feel and a Luxury but if you are going around the world then our WeB /tAB edItIon IS the onLY AnSWer.

WELCOME TO THE

TABLET EDITION Look further for exhibit enhanced play sign to watch the page come alive.

ENHANCED

APRIL 2017

CONTENTS Baselworld

exhiBit loves

Exhibit covered the most popular Watch and Jewelry show on the planet BASELWORLD - and traced its journey right from the start. >> 25

Young entrepreneurs Read the curated list of Millionaire Heirs and Heiresses from across the world to learn about what they’re up to right now.>> 65

how Big is coke This month, we covered Coke, the popular beverage company to give you all the details about what a magnanimous business it is.>> 36

48

Hunting down coveted fashionmaking items this month, we selected top 10 picks for all the Fashionistas out there! >> 120

Binge watch!

exhiBit on wheelz

We hunted and compiled a list of some great content available across digital platforms that you can do marathons of and be obsessed with in turn. >> 34

This month we bring to you a comprehensive coverage of the Geneva Motor Show, a day by day analysis of the BMW 3 Series GT and a review of the new Jaguar XF. >> 42

super Mario run : YaY or naY?

101

Our very favourite gaming character, Mario, is on Android now and we give you all the details about it. Does it work?

Read to find out! >> 96

shutterBug Your monthly Photography tutorial is back and this time, Shutterbug gives you a detailed tutorial on how to use point-and-shoot cameras.>> 101

25 startups that failed!

The startup culture in India is blooming but not all meet with the same success. Find out about the 25 startups that didn’t quite make the cut.>> 106

MONEY!

58 tech diva urvashi rautela Urvashi Rautela got the temperature soaring higher than they already are and she exclusively spoke about her preferences in bags.>> 58

clusive

ENHANCED

72

ananya birla

Livin’ the Life, ONE dAY At A tIME!

#TECHKEDUP 9th-10th SEPT 2017 ST.REGIS, MUMBAI

For Partnership

Dron : 9820008105 dron@exhibit.co.in

Janvi : 9820010261 janvi@exhibit.co.in

AN PROPERTY

SEASON 3.0 Witness all the fashion elements infused with technology on one platform itself by the topmost designers taking centre stage, to showcase the future of tomorrow. The surreal concept will change the way you look at fashion through the eyes of tech in the most unimaginable ways.

www.techfashiontour.com

FroM THE

EdITor’S dESK H

‘‘

‘‘

Don’t start a company to raise funds and buy that two seater Jag. Do it because you will put that car for sale to pump up your startup if required.

appy New F# Year! Of course I mean the financial year! And for all the entrepreneurs, startups and corporates who were fucked by demonetization, I hope this year brings in the double digit growth back and your bank accounts hit centuries like the ones we shall be watching this IPL season.

her riches. “Entrepreneur by Mind and Musician by Soul” actually is the perfect bio title for Ananya who is in complete control of her life and busy following her passion. Although her heavy surname and the “Billionaire daughter tag“ do haunt her making it difficult to be on her own, but Ananya is actually being herself and is out there Livin’ the Life.

Talking about what’s happening at the Exhibit Pad, well…we just moved in to a swanky office 5 times our previous one which means we are doing pretty good. Touchwood!

Also the timing of this issue - with rounding up 10 very famous “Millionaire Millennials” and what they are up to now along -is just the perfect set up for this Issue.

But we know one thing for sure there is one golden thread which runs through all the entrepreneurs, startups, musicians, sportsmen, actors or actress which decides how far they will reach and that is ‘Mad Passion’. Being successful also comes with its own share of ifs - if you are willing to stick it out, if willing to fail, if willing to become the butt of all jokes and if willing to give up anything or do anything to see the light of the day. Don’t start a company to raise funds and buy that two seater Jag. Do it because you will put that car for sale to pump up your startup if required.

On the same note, in this issue, we went through a few startups that failed to reach success and we made a note of all the lessons we can learn from them while we are busy hunting down and curating the Hottest 100 Startups of 2017 all coming together with the guys who have the money (Vcs) on 14th April at St. Regis, Mumbai.

The whole loop for our Entreprenuer issue just got completed, with Ananya Birla on the cover which makes the music of our spring in April 2017 rising several decibels higher.

Ananya, who I had first met at the launch of her single, Livin’ the Life a few months back, bowled me over with her energy level and super down to earth demeanor. Just like true entrepreneurs we instantly captured that energy with a beautiful shoot at one of the top 10 haunted places in India – Mukesh mills. As Ironic as it would be, the shoot location could have been Eiffel Tower in Paris but being a part of the independent Gen X that she belongs to, Ananya does not like bragging her surname and

get social with Us >>

/exhibitmag /exhibitmagazine /exhibitmagazine /exhibitmag /thetechycom /thetechycom /thetechycom /thetechycom

/exhibitmagazine /thetechycom

And, how can I forget this. Next month is our birthday month - we turn 12! The next issue is going to be a special one so do watch out for the issue and ring in to give us a nice birthday message!

Ramesh Somani Founder, Publisher & Chief Editor @somaniramesh

@ramesh_somani

Vol.11.Issue.10.March.16

TECHNOLOGY|AUTO|GIZMOS|PEOPLE|WATCHES|LIFESTYLE ` 100 €6 $8 thetechy.com | thewheelz.com

where tech meets lifestyle

the apps issue

\

100 iOS AppS fOr iphOneOgrAphy

10 Reasons to Buy

ASpire Switch 12 S

expeRts opine on tech Budget

The Suave Geek-

Irrfan khan

Vol.10.Issue.12.May.15

TECHNOLOGY|AUTO|GIZMOS|PEOPLE|WATCHES|LIFESTYLE Mwc 2016the hAndheld150 €6 BAttlefield

+ $8

10th anniversary special

RaMesh soMaNi

CHIEF EDITOR & PUBLISHER

EDITORIAL

Features Editor shreya Bhattacharya (features@exhibit.co.in )

Ready foR f1 fRenzy?

100

where tech meets lifestyle

collector’s eDition

thetechy.com

10

hottest tech start ups of silicon valley

Automobiles Editor sanjoy alexander (auto@exhibit.co.in ) Konark tyagi (thewheelz@exhibit.co.in ) Edit Team sakshi somani (sakshi@exhibit.co.in) shintu Dhang (edteam@exhibit.co.in) Utsavi Jha (editorial@exhibit.co.in)

Biggest photographers & DJ’s in inDia cars that changeD the auto inDustry Drinks to get high on...

saif ali

khanThe Geek Within the Nawab!

Contributing Editors Dr. Yasho V Verma, omar

BUSINESS

Head of Marketing Regional Head - Sales Sr. Manager Mktg Manager Media & Content Marketing Team-Outdoor

Rohan Bajaj (rohan@exhibit.co.in) Dron Bakhai (adv@exhibit.co.in) Janvi shah (advt@exhibit.co.in) Meryl (media@exhibit.co.in) Rakesh sharma, atul sachdev

ART & DESIGN

Art Director Graphic Designer Graphic Designer Web Developer Web Developer Video Editor Asst. Manager - Digital Marketing

Radhika Maheshwari (radhika@exhibit.co.in) Purvaja Ramteke (design@exhibit.co.in) Priya waingankar (graphic@exhibit.co.in) supriya Malkar (webteam@exhibit.co.in) Jigar Patel (webmaster@exhibit.co.in) harmanpreet singh (video@exhibit.co.in) shayani Mukherjee (sm@exhibit.co.in)

ACCOUNTS & HR

THE TECHNOLOGY|AUTO|GIZMOS|PEOPLE|WATCHES|LIFESTYLE where tech meets lifestyle

Vol.12.Issue.5.October.16

HR Manager Durgesh Vaish (hr@exhibit.co.in) Accounts Manager Manjiri Patange (finance@exhibit.co.in) Senior Accounts Exe Mithun gupta

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54

INTERNATIONAL

20

Tech Indulgences To lusT for

TimEs AppLE did & oTHErs copiEd!

ExHibiT buckET LisT...

shuTTerbuglong exposure

phoTography

European Sales Director christophe Brisset (christophe@exhibit.co.in) Mobile+33 607893184 (Paris / France) International Marketing & Pascal haider (pascal@exhibit.co.in) Allowances Mobile +41 768242012 (switzerland)

THE nEw one plus 3sHuT up &

buy iT !

The Tale of Tesla: The enTIre TImelIne SIVE EXCLU s ‘

TEcH fAsHion tour 2.0 iT jusT HAppEnEd!

SUBSCRIPTION

+

sunny leone

[East & West] [North & south] Manita akshita, shraddha (022) 26740174 - 77 subscription@exhibit.co.in

even google dIdn’T know ThIs!

Vol.11.Issue.5.October.15

TECHNOLOGY|AUTO|GIZMOS|PEOPLE|WATCHES|LIFESTYLE ` 100 €6 $8

thetechy.com

where tech meets lifestyle!

the luxe life

of silicon

valley kings

55

CIRCULATION

Circulation Exe (West) sachin-9867069322 (circulation@exhibit.co.in) Circulation (North) Dinesh Kumar-9891838341 (circulation.d@exhibit.co.in)

InterestIng Facts about MIcrosoFt...

toP

50

l globa ns Ico tech

top fashion

Weeks of

+

the World

the Jhakaas

gentleman

Anil kApoor

REVIEWED: Moto X Play| Fiio X1 | yu yunique |Canon G3X| inFoCus M812| Brainwavz Blu 100| Mini CooPer D 5 Door|triuMPh thunDerBirD lt & more...

CONTRIBuTORS THIS MONTH

NEW DELHI Exhibit Technologies Pvt.Ltd 1012A, 1014 & 1015, Kirti Shikhar Building, District Center, Janak Puri.

New Delhi-110058

Mr.Amit Agarwal

SVP & Country Head, Amazon India gave an insight about Amazon’s vision for India.

KOLKATA Exhibit Technologies Pvt.Ltd 33/1 NS Road, Room No. 111, Ground Floor, Marshall House Kolkata - 700 001.

DistRiBUteD iN iNDia, Usa, UK & DUBai

Ms. Payal Singhal

>>

Founder of Voonik sharing his business mantras and other trivia that sure make for an interesting read!

>>

MUMBAI Exhibit Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Suite No. 811, Crystal Paradise, 8th Floor, Off Veera Desai Rd, Opp Skoda Showroom, Andheri (W), Mumbai 400053.

022 - 26740174 -77

Mr.Sujayath Ali

>>

>>

Arjun Mark

Popular advertising and editorial photographer, is recognised as the only Indian photographer on the jury of the prestigious international WPGA Awards in 2011.

Popular Fashion Designer who showcased at the LFW and won the ‘Shoppers Stop Designer of the Year’ award.

The publishers apologetically announce that they cannot be liable incase of any errors and/or omissions in the publication.

The content, opinions and views in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are requested to cross check from specialists before acting on the information which are mainly targeted for general use and may not be apt for the readers’ circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged.

Edited, published, printed & owned by Ramesh Somani for Exhibit Technologies Pvt. Ltd., “Diamond Chambers” Block - II, Floor 9, Unit - 9I, 4 Chowringee Lane, Kolkata - 700016. Printed at CDC Printers Pvt. Ltd., Tangra Industrial Estate - II, 45 Rabrindranath Chowdhary Rd, Kolkata - 700015. Place of publication - 3A, Auckland Square, Kolkata - 700017.

Launches of SamSung galaxy a7 (2017) >>

Brainwavz Blu-Delta >>

Samsung has launched a new Galaxy A7 with curved metal design and glass back which are going to be dust and water resistant with an IP68 rating. The Galaxy A7 smartphone is packed with gorgeous 5.7-inch Super AMOLED full HD(1920x1080 pixels) display. The device is expected to be powered by Samsung’s octa-core Exynos 7880 processor with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, which is expandable via a MicroSD card.

Brainwavz BLU-Delta wireless bluetooth earphones offers 8 hours of audio playback, 100 hours of standby and can be fully charged within 2 hours through MicroUSB charging port. The BLU-Delta covers a range of 30ft (10m) without any disruption to audio quality or performance.

In-line remote contains bunch of buttons including Play/Pause, Volume UP, Volume Down and microUSB charging port. They also include cable cinch and a clip provided for the user to clip into your shirt for more secure fit. The BLU-Delta wireless earphones come in 3 sets of silicone ear tips with size small, medium and large.

Price: `33,490/-

PanaSonic eluga PulSe x >>

FaStrack reFlex Smartwatch >>

The Panasonic Eluga Pulse X feature 5.5-inch HD IPS display with Asahi Dragontrail glass. The device is powered by 1.25 GHz Quad Core processor paired with 3GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory which can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD slot. The device has a 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera.

Eluga Pulse X runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS and comes with a 3000 mAh battery.

Fastrack has entered into the smart wearable segment with the launch of Reflex. Fastrack Reflex is a smart wearable that can keep track of the activity along with the notifications, texts and incoming calls. The Reflex can track activity including calories burnt, sleep pattern and total steps.

It can store data for up to 15 days.

The Fastrack Reflex boasts 7 days of battery life on a single charge and it takes 60 minutes to fully charged.

The band is water-resistant, but that doesn’t mean you can go and take it for a swim. The Reflex band uses Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy for connectivity and it is compatible with Android and iOS devices.

Price: `10,990/-

Price: `3,699/Price: `1,995/-

PanaSonic eLUga PULse x Fastrack reFLex smartwatch

SamSung galaxy a7 2017

Brainwavz BLU-DeLta

10 I

I APR 17

the month xiaomi reDmi 4a >> The Phone packs a unibody design with delicate finishing for better grip and premium look. On the front, it packs 5-inch HD display which provides crystal clear picture quality. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, it comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, depending on the SKU. Xiaomi Redmi 4A offers 4G with VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/g/b/n, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS, microUSB, and Infrared. Battery capacity is rated at 3120 mAh battery. The handset sports a 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera.

Price: `5,999/-

oPPo F3 PluS >> OPPO has launched its first new dual-selfie Selfie smartphone that features first-ever 120-degree wide-angle Group Selfie Camera along with standard selfie camera.

The 16-megapixel front camera is same as previously offered on the ‘Selfie Expert’ F1s. It also has a specialized 120-degree wide-angle 8MP camera which captures up to 105 percent more field of view. The F3 Plus features a metal unibody design, resulting in a sleek and thin smartphone. The 6-inch full HD display covered by 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 screen. The device runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 653 processor backed by 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM. OPPO has its own customized ColorOS 3.0 ROM based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The device comes with 4000 mAh built-in battery.

Price: `30,990/-

leeco SuPer4 x50 Pro >>

JaBra talk 2 >>

The LeEco Super4 X50 Pro ecotv comes with 4K Ultra HD display with HDR10 to provide crystal-clear viewing experience. The screen offers 178-degree wide viewing angle and a wide color gamut of up to 85% NTSC. The Super4 X50 Pro has a narrow bezel of 8.9mm and 9.9mm thickness. The ecotv is powered by MStar 6A938 processor coupled with 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage for superior performance.

The Super4 X50 Pro ecotv runs custom EUI 5.8 based on Android Marshmallow 6.0.

Talk 2 is a new easy-to-use Bluetooth headset from Jabra. The mono headset builds on the success of Jabra Talk to provide an optimal solution for mobile phones. Jabra Talk 2 offers excellent HD quality and noise filtering mic. Jabra Talk 2 provides a secure and comfortable fit for everyday use. It also offers 9 hours of talk/music time on a single charge and up to 9 days standby time. Jabra Talk 2 uses Jabra Assist app to connect with Android and iOS devices.

Price: `2,099/-

Price: `86,990/-

JaBra taLk 2

xiaomi reDmi 4a

Leeco sUPer4 x50 Pro

oPPo F3 PluS

expect

SOME MIght thINk thAt wE MIght bEcOME LESS huMAN If wE MOdIfY OuRSELvES but I bELIEvE thERE IS NOthINg MORE huMAN thAN dOINg thAt. -NEIL HARBISSON

12 I

I APR 17

e c n e i per

cYbORgS C gEN tERMINAtOR hAS ARRIvEd!

by Utsavi Jha

yborg technology is slowly but surely advancing and already making significant ripples in the form of bionic humans. While “technological singularity” might still be a phenomenon of the future for many, it is already being achieved by quite some individuals who are turning science-fiction into reality.

what are cYBorgs?

The word Cyborg was originally used to refer to human beings with bodily functions controlled or assisted by technology in the form of an oxygen tank, pacemakers or insulin pump. “Cyborg”, which is a combination of words cybernetics and organism, was coined by Manfred Clynes to describe the need for mankind to artificially enhance biological functions in order to combat physical disabilities. Over a period of time, the term has found a much more general use that refers to a greater dependence of human beings on technology.

the understanding of augMentation Human augmentation is not a novel phenomenon. Much on the contrary, transhumanism - the desire to perpetually and fundamentally keep transforming the human condition - has been existing for ages. Technical augmentation brings in great capabilities, so much so that many people go on to believe that it makes one superhuman. However, it is important to dispel that myth and stay grounded in scientific reality. On the flip side, some people come from the school of thought that when humans begin to augment themselves, they might lose control of themselves or become annatural.

A very concrete answer to that was given by artist Neil Harbisson who wears an antenna that allows him to “hear colour”. He is assertive when he says, “I strongly disagree with those who think that our union with technology will alienate ourselves from reality, from nature or from other livings. In my case, becoming technology doesn’t make me feel closer to machines, or to robots, but quite the opposite. Having an antenna

makes me feel closer to insects and other creatures that have antennae. I feel a stronger connection with nature now than I ever did before. Technology can bring us back to nature.” Neil was born with achromatopsia, or extreme colorblindness that allowed him to see the world only in black-and-white.

However, using the antenna, he is now capable of experiencing colours beyond the scope of normal human perception.

In addition, Neil Harbisson said, “Some might think that we might become less human if we modify ourselves but I believe there is nothing more human than doing that.”

cYBorgs in our world It would be surprising to know that more number of cyborgs than you believe live among us in the world today. Like the following, they are all making unachievable feats a reality and it’s awefetching.

In 2002, Naumann became the first person in the world to get an artificial vision system in the form of an electronic eye. Even though it comes with its own limits, Nauman actually sees the world which is not possible using other cyborg implants that translate visual information into other senses.

Claudia Mitchell became the first woman to become a cyborg when she was outfitted with a bionic limb that is connected to her nervous system.

The range of motion is extraordinary, allowing her to use it for all kinds of daily tasks.

Nigel Ackland got an incredibly advance robotic prosthetic after losing part of his arm during an accident. The range of movement is truly extraordinary as Ackland can control the arm through muscle movements in his forearm. In the same line, paraplegic Nathan Copeland was fitted with a prosthetic hand that was equipped with a two-way feedback mechanism allowing him to not only use his hand but also “feel” when it’s being touched. Jalava made use of a 2GB USB port to embed it into his prosthetic hand after losing a finger in a motorcycle accident thus being a total opportunist.

Taking his profession way too seriously, Kevin Warwick, professor of cybernetics at the University of Reading, UK is on his way to become the world's most complete cyborg. He has been experimenting with various electronic implants since 1998 and also owns the Cyborg Foundation.

Moreover, Cyborg technology is proving to be quite useful for amputees who are now being equipped with new robotic limbs that can be operated just like normal limbs.

what is the future like?

The “Man and Machine” amalgamation is going to be an evolutionary one in biology. Certain individuals like Tesla founder Elon Musk have gone ahead to highlight the importance of living up with the future of mankind and he believes that, “Humans must become cyborgs if they are to stay relevant in a future dominated by artificial intelligence.”

Musk argued that as artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated, it will lead to mass unemployment. “There will be fewer and fewer jobs that a robot can’t do better.” He also added that if humans want to continue adding value to the economy, they must augment their capabilities through a “merger of biological intelligence and machine intelligence”. Considering the fact that the human race is driven by dissatisfaction and would not be able to resist the temptation to ‘upgrade’ themselves, some people have gone ahead to say that an increasing gap between the rich and poor would be witnessed, as wealthy humans are likely to become cyborgs within the next 200 years.

While the thought of humans turning into cyborgs is scary as it does increase the pressure, it does not mean that the human race will become obsolete forever.

Experts have also gone ahead to call Elon Musk’s prediction that AI will surpass the human brain ‘total baloney’ because humans won’t become irrelevant until machines can replicate the human brain.

Either ways, we cannot wait to see, like all technological wonders, what changes Generation Termination aka Cyborg has in store for humanity.

experience

A & Q t i b i h 1 How reliable is getting onto

the dating app bandwagon?

Hinjal Mehta, Bengaluru

There can just not be a sure-shot answer I can give you because as unhelpful as it sounds, this whole online-dating business has worked for some and not worked for some at the same time. A lot has to do with your preferences and personality. Just look at the number (clutter) of dating apps available. The more options people have, in the back of their mind, they know that there is an option if a date does not work out. Hence, more are the number of “first dates”. Think about it- there are so many inactive accounts, survey has shown that people are swiping when they’re bored and there is no guarantee that a match that occurs will finally lead to a conversation. After a while, these dead-end conversations can become tiring. So, you don’t want to get onto a lot of apps simultaneously. But what we can tell you is to make a wise selection of the app you’re getting onto and that will trace the way your online-dating life pans out.

2

Do global car manufacturers introduce downsized or phased out car models in India?

Mittal Dudhat, Surat Unfortunately yes. This or we get the international models post 1 year of their international launch. Things are changing though and the actual time difference from their international launch in coming down.

5

SamSung Pay iS Something web iS all about Since a while. tell me more about it.

Gauri Shinde, Pune

Samsung Pay is Samsung’s own mobile pay service that allows you to make payments with your phone - as long as it’s one of six Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S7, and Galaxy Note 5. If you have one, then all you need to do is get the app, and enter your card details on first run. Voilà!

It is also really easy to use. Like Apple Pay, it’s accessible from the lock-screen. Simply swipe from the bottom, and then swipe left or right to pick the desired one.

It remembers what you used last time around, so if you frequently make payments with the same card, you’re good to go with one swipe. Then, align your phone’s back with the card reader, and authenticate using your fingerprint/ PIN combination.

3

can you PleaSe SuggeSt me the beSt Dual camera PhoneS below rS. 30,000?

4

I have been using OnePlus from last 6 months.

Although it comes with Gorilla Glass protection, I am noticing scratches on the display. Does this mean that there is something wrong with the phone?

Sunil Singh, Pune Gorilla Glass is scratch resistant, not scratch proof. While it can protect your display from most of the scratches, it is not completely indestructible. But, if you want to prevent the device from scratch, then you should consider getting a screen guard.

is tata tigor a good compact sedan?

Sirish Rane, Mumbai

Manoj Thakur, Haryana

I would suggest you go with Huawei Honor 8. It has a same 12-megapixel dual camera setup as seen on Huawei P9, but misses Leica branding. One camera takes a Black and White photo while the other camera takes a color photo, this lets the camera take two photos in two different exposure at the same time minimizing noise while maximizing details and textures. Even the 8-megapixel front camera takes beautiful selfies.

Yes, Tata has really stepped up their game in the design front with the new IMPACT design philosophy.

They have also priced it very aggresively at `4.7 Lakhs which makes it a good buy!

Send us your queries at edgroup@exhibit.co.in 14 I

I APR 17

EXPLAINED

Panasonic smartphones

ENTErs THE WOrLD Of ArTIfICIAL INTELLIgENCE WITH

Arbo

P

anasonic enters into the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with its in-house developed virtual assistant ‘Arbo’. Arbo – name – has been derived from Esperanto, which means a framework that supports climbing plants.

Panasonic has also unveiled two new smartphones Eluga Ray Max and Eluga Ray X which are equipped with Arbo. The smartphones were launched in the presence of Mr. Manish Sharma - President and CEO, Panasonic India and South Asia, Mr. Pankaj Rana - Business Head – Mobility Division, Panasonic India, and Mr. Ajay Yadav Vice President – Smartphones BU, Flipkart.

ARBO VIRTUAL ASSISTANT Panasonic’s virtual assistant Arbo can self-learn and understand user behaviour. It maps users’ daily activities and provides prompt responses asking them to make changes to their phone settings. The Arbo can handle daily task and activities like calls, messages that need to be sent out at a specific period. It also keeps track of the application usage and provides detailed information on users’ habits and informs them accordingly.

To improve Arbo, Panasonic is currently in talks with third-party developer to support Arbo into their application. It also plans to launch a Phase 2 for Arbo, where it will announce new capabilities and developed skills for the virtual assistant.

with the launch oF our FirSt ai-enaBleD SmartPhone, we are now exPanDing our ProDuct oFFeringS which will helP emPower our conSumer BaSe anD aSSiSt them in PerForming taSkS in a Smarter way

BRIEF OF THE ARBO-ENABLED SMARTPHONES ELUGA RAY MAX The Panasonic Eluga Ray Max features a 5.2-inch full-HD display powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC paired with 4GB of RAM and will be available in two inbuilt storage variants — 32GB storage at `11,499 and 64GB storage at `12,499. Both of these smartphones are expandable up to 128GB via microSD card slot. The device runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system.

Under the camera section, the device sports a 16MP rear camera with dual-LED flash and an 8MP selfie camera. The front facing camera comes with a wide-angle lens and offers a front flash. A fingerprint scanner is embedded within the home button of the device. It is packed with a 3000mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging support. Eluga Ray Max is available in three colour variants– Gold, Metallic Silver, and Rose Gold.

ELUGA RAY X The Panasonic Eluga Ray Max sports a 5.5-inch HD IPS display. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow, powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM and offers 32GB of inbuilt storage which is expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. Similar to Eluga Ray Max, the said device comes with a fingerprint scanner integrated

into the home button of the device and is available in the same three colour variants– Gold, Metallic Silver, and Rose Gold. The handset features a 13MP rear camera with dual-LED flash and a 5MP front-facing camera. Panasonic Eluga Ray X is priced at `8,999 exclusively on Flipkart.com.

Mr. Manish Sharma, President & CEO, Panasonic India & South Asia, and Executive Officer, Panasonic Corporation said, “Panasonic has always strived onto creating a sustainable connected environment for its customers across the world. With the launch of our first AI-enabled smartphone, we are now expanding our product offerings which will help empower our consumer base and assist them in performing tasks in a smarter way. AI has been dubbed as the technology which in future will shape the product interface and the way we interact with our smartphones, with this pilot advancement we hope that this will not only enhance our market share but will also further strengthen our position within the industry.”

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Pankaj Rana, Business Head – Mobility Division, Panasonic India, said, “With hectic work schedules and over-burdened social lifestyles, Arbo is the best virtual assistant for working professionals. Today we are delighted to present before you Eluga – Raymax and Ray X, Panasonic’s first AI assisted smartphones powered by Arbo, a perfect blend of innovation and style. The features embedded within the smartphone will provide our customers with on the go access to high speed information and content at a value-based pricing.”

exclusive

x x

by Shreya Bhattacharya

taBlets are dyingSHOULD I BE HAPPy OR ALARMED? 16 I

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ReAlly?

Tabs are dying?

Tabs are no longer in frequent use? Or is it something like people are using them only when they need them? Like something really useful which is to be used only when required and not for all-time purpose. And we did already have a debate on this recently in a friends’ meet.

YES, tAbS ARE dYINg! ActuALLY dYINg… For a few years after the 2010 launch of the iPad, there seemed to be a gold rush, with every company — from PC makers like Dell to phone companies like HTC and even the cassette-tape vendor Maxell — making tablets. Fast forward to 2017, and 2-in-1s, which serve as both laptops and slates, are popular, but the market for stand-alone tablets has fallen through the floor. Do you even need a tablet these days?

Tablet sales have dropped 30 percent since their peak in 2013 and declined a full 15 percent between 2015 and 2016. And trust me, it could have been ever sharper!

The public's romance with tablets is over, because average phones have gotten large enough to serve as great mediaconsumption devices, and because laptops, which are far superior productivity devices, have gotten lighter and more affordable. A 2016 consumer survey from Deloitte asked 30,000 respondents to name their preferred device types for 15 different activities, which ranged from watching TV to conducting video chats and shopping online. The tablet was the preferred device for none of these activities. Alarming, isn’t? (asking the tabs lovers!)

but wAIt…whAt If, tAbS ARE gEttINg tO thE POINt Of bEINg REALLY uSEfuL? Tablet PCs today are more like landlines phones and calculators. People have them but they hardly put them to use. And when they use these devices, their requirements are limited to a specific set of pointers.

Despite the lack of appeal for consumers, markets continue to see new devices still flourishing. Why is that even happening?

Before understanding this crucial part, let’s explore the current market situation for tablets. Worldwide tablet shipments, inclusive of slates and detachable, reached 38.7 million in the second quarter of 2016.

The sharp decline in sales is seen due to a thrust given towards either large screen phones or their elder brothers named laptops.

whAt MAdE thE MINdSEt chANgE? Logically, there is a sharp change in mindset these days. Usually when people consider buying tablets, they would rather opt for a phone with larger screen, as mostly the latter would do almost all the work that can be

done on a tablet. The market for tablet initially started as a trend, with larger screen size for playing games and watching videos. It was the perfect pass time device which can be used anywhere and anytime.

Long gone are the days when Samsung used to unleash a new tablet every month in order to have an edge over its competitors like Asus and Sony. Tablets that are still making through dry time are the ones that are mostly ‘hybrids’ such as Lenovo’s Yoga Tab 3 Pro and Google Pixel C which are mainly semi laptops a.k.a tabtops.

ARE SMARtPhONES kILLINg Off thE tAbLEt PcS? With upgradation to slimmer, sleeker and attachable keyboard, tablets are becoming like phones or laptops. It is used as a leisure device at home for celebs’ latest Twitter rant, binge-watching The Walking Dead in bed, or checking Facebook, and most people’ needs are fulfilled by the model they already own.

The entertainment purpose of tablets is slowly diminishing, and diversifying into anything which is related to mobile phones or laptops.

Ideally, it is more common to TVs, PCs or gaming consoles. They're an investment you make once every few years, and, ideally, when you feel like upgrading it, you'll be getting something significantly better than what you had before.Additionally, the luxury aspect is also declining.

IS thE NExt wAvE Of tAbLEt INNOvAtION IN thE MAkINg? However, the action is still not completely off, as companies like Microsoft, with its Surface line of tablets, is still making noise. In the meantime, Samsung TabPro S, Google Pixel C and Apple iPad Pro are all making strides, too.

Well, the tablets may not have a consistent future, but it is sure that they’re not dead yet.

It’s just that for now, the companies need to develop a new approach to have stability in market. There is a significant difference between slate tablets and detachable tablets and that detachable tablet shipments are expected to grow over 30%, due to increased market demand and new models launched by vendors. So, the next round of innovation in tablet PCs might be on its way.

Whatever the future of tablets maybe, one thing can be said that most of us will be viewing this article on phones or laptop, not in that 2-year-old tablet which were perhaps received as a birthday gift.

tAbS ARE dYINg OR NOt, thE hYPE IS dEfINItELY dEAd! But the only hope remains, may be tabs would come back, or at least they would find a way in the “useful” zone. Even though their popularity is waning, there's still a place for tablets, however limited. Predictions say that tablet sales will fall another 10 percent in 2017, but that still amounts to around 165 million units worldwide. One of those tablets

could be right for you, but only if you need it for a very specific purpose.

REASONS tO buY A tAbLEt: Despite their limitations, there are several reasons you might buy a tablet, though these motivations don't apply to everyone.

“

1. KIDS' DEVICE: Tablets are ideal first devices for children who are too young to have a smartphone. There's a huge ecosystem of kid-friendly mobile apps and games for both Android and iOS, and the interfaces for the two mobile operating systems are so simple that even a toddler can master them. Children ages 10 and under use tablets a lot, but by age 14, most kids employ either smartphones or laptops as their primary computing devices.

2. READING: If you want a larger screen for reading books, an inexpensive 7- or 8-inch tablet could be your best choice. While many bookworms prefer dedicated eReaders like the Amazon Kindle, tablets can be used to surf the web, play games or check social media for those times when you're not reading. Small tablets are the best choice for reading comic books and graphic novels, because they offer full color.

whAtEvER thE futuRE Of tAbLEtS MAYbE, ONE thINg cAN bE SAId thAt MOSt Of uS wILL bE vIEwINg thIS ARtIcLE ON PhONES OR LAPtOP, NOt IN thAt 2-YEAROLd tAbLEt whIch wERE PERhAPS REcEIvEd AS A bIRthdAY gIft. 3. ENTERTAINMENT FOR TRAVELERS: Whether you're flying around the world or taking the bus to work, you need to stay entertained on your journey.

You can watch movies or catch up on your favorite shows on a tablet. Though you can, of course, perform these tasks very well on a smartphone, using a tablet will preserve your phone's battery and give you a larger display to view.

4. LARGE-SCREEN DRAWING AND NOTE-TAKING: If you need to take notes or fill out forms while standing or, if you need to do serious drawing, an 11- or 12-inch tablet like the iPad Pro or the Surface Pro 4 could be a good solution. Most tablets in this size and price category also have optional keyboards that make the devices good for writing. Expect to spend $700 or more. However, at those prices — or even for less — you can just buy a dedicated 2-in-1 that turns into a tablet.

“

YOu dON't NEEd A tAbLEt fOR thESE tASkS 1. PHOTOGRAPHy: Your phone probably has a much better camera than anything a tablet can provide. And a smartphone is easier to point and shoot.

2. MOBILE GAMING: Unless you want to get a tablet for a child who has no phone, a smartphone is better for gaming and makes it easier to move or steer in games that require tilting the device.

3. EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA: There's no real benefit to engaging in these activities on a tablet rather than your existing phone or computer.

4. PRODuCTIVITy: A 2-in-1 or a clamshell laptop is much better for writing and editing documents.

EXPLorE

e c n e i r e p

vr and here’s how

I

t’s been some time since we are talking about VR a bit too much? And that’s certainly not for no reason. VR has been under spotlight since quite a while and we are all mind blown by the amazing tech behind it.

But do you know how VR tech tricks your brains?

How does it actually work?How does wearable tech make you think you're standing on Mars when you're actually about to bump into the kitchen counter.

Well, with the army of virtual reality headsets ever expanding, let us explore how VR actually works and 18 I

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tricks Your

Brain!

how it tricks your brain to believe what it shows.

While devices generally take the same form, how they project imaging in front of our eyes varies greatly. The likes of the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift provide PC-based operations, though major players such as Google and Samsung offer more affordable, smartphone-based headsets. Sony has also managed to crack the console scene with Playstation VR.

Once your headset and power source are secured, some kind of input is also required for you to connect - whether this is through head tracking, controllers, hand tracking, voice, on-device buttons or trackpads.

TOTAL IMMERSION IS WHAT EVERYONE MAKING A VR HEADSET, GAME OR APP IS AIMING TOWARDS - MAKING THE VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE SO REAL THAT WE FORGET THE COMPUTER, HEADGEAR AND ACCESSORIES AND ACT EXACTLY AS WE WOULD IN THE REAL WORLD.

Total immersion is what everyone making a VR headset, game or app is aiming towards - making the virtual reality experience so real that we forget the computer, headgear and accessories and act exactly as we would in the real world. So how do we get there?

thE bASIcS

VR headsets like Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR are often referred to as HMDs, which simply means they are head mounted displays. Even with no audio or hand tracking, holding up Google Cardboard to place your smartphone's display in front of your face can be enough to get you half-immersed in a virtual world.

to match the distance between your eyes, varying from person to person.

These lenses focus and reshape the picture for each eye and create a stereoscopic 3D image by angling the two 2D images to mimic how each of our two eyes views the world ever-so-slightly differently. Try closing one eye then the other to see individual objects dance about from side to side and you get the idea behind this.

One important way VR headsets can increase immersion is to increase the field of view i.e. how wide the picture is. A 360-degree display would be too expensive and unnecessary. Most high-end headsets make do with 100 or 110 degree field of view, which is wide enough to do the trick.

And for the resulting picture to be at all convincing, a minimum frame rate of around 60 frames per second is needed to avoid stuttering or users feeling sick. The current crop of VR headsets go way beyond this - Oculus is capable of 90fps, for instance, while Sony's PlayStation VR manages 120fps.

hEAd tRAckINg

Head tracking means that when you wear a VR headset, the picture in front of you shifts as you look up, down and side to side or angle your head.

A system called 6DoF (six degrees of freedom) plots your head in terms of your X, Y and Z axis to measure head movements forward and backwards, side to side and shoulder to shoulder, otherwise known as pitch, yaw and roll.

by Shreya Bhattacharya The goal of the hardware is to create what appears to be a life size, 3D virtual environment without the boundaries we usually associate with TV or computer screens. So whichever way you look, the screen mounted to your face follows you. This is unlike augmented reality, which overlays graphics onto your view of the real world.

Video is sent from the console or computer to the headset via a HDMI cable in the case of headsets such as HTC's Vive and the Rift. For Google's Daydream headset and the Samsung Gear VR, it's already on the smartphone slotted into the headset.

VR headsets use either two feeds sent to one display or two LCD displays, one per eye. There are also lenses which are placed between your eyes and the pixels, which is why the devices are often called goggles. In some instances, these can be adjusted

There are a few different internal components which can be used in a head-tracking system, such as a gyroscope, accelerometer and a magnetometer.

Sony's PSVR also uses nine LEDs dotted around the headset to provide 360 degree head tracking thanks to an external camera monitoring these signals, while Oculus has 20 not as bright lights.

Head-tracking tech needs low latency to be effective - we're talking 50 milliseconds or less or we will detect the lag between when we turn our head and when the VR environment changes. The Oculus Rift has an impressively minimized lag of just 30ms.

Lag can also be a problem for any motion tracking inputs, such as PS Move-style controllers that measure our hand and arm movements.

Finally, headphones can be used to increase the sense of immersion. Binaural or 3D audio can be used by app and game developers to tap into VR headsets' head-tracking technology to take advantage of this and give the wearer the sense that sound is coming from behind, to the side of them or in the distance.

MOtION tRAckINg

Head tracking is one big advantage the premium headsets have over the likes of Cardboard other mobile VR headsets. But the big VR players are still working out motion tracking. When you look down with a VR headset on the first thing you want to do is see your hands in a virtual space.

For a while, we've seen the Leap Motion accessory - which uses an infrared sensor to track hand movements - strapped to the front of Oculus dev kits. We've also tried a few experiments with Kinect 2 cameras tracking our flailing bodies. But now we have exciting input options from Oculus, Valve and Sony.

Oculus Touch is a set of wireless controllers designed to make you feel like you're using your

own hands in VR. You grab each controller and use buttons, thumbsticks and triggers during VR games.

So, for instance, to shoot a gun you squeeze on the hand trigger. There is also a matrix of sensors on each controller to detect gestures such as pointing and waving.

It's a pretty similar set-up to Valve's Lighthouse positional tracking system and HTC's controllers for its Vive headset. It involves two base stations around the room which sweep the area with lasers.

These can detect the precise position of your head and both hands based on the timing of when they hit each photocell sensor on both the headset and around each handheld controller. Like Oculus Touch, these also feature physical buttons too and incredibly you can have two Lighthouse systems in the same space to track multiple users.

Other input methods can include anything from hooking an Xbox controller or joystick up to your PC, voice controls, smart gloves and treadmills such as the Virtuix Omni, which allow you to simulate walking around a VR environment with clever ingame redirections.

And when it comes to tracking your physical position within a room, Oculus is looking to catch up to rival HTC's with the recent drop of its "experimental" system. Essentially, Rift owners now have the option to purchase a third sensor for $79 and add more coverage to their VR play area.

The problem, though, is that this still isn't on par with HTC. While two SteamVR sensors for the HTC Vive can deliver a tracked play space of up to 225 square feet, two Constellation sensor cameras from Oculus only provides coverage of 25 square feet (with a third camera sending the recommended space goes up to 64 square feet).

Sony is also hunting around this area, if a recent patent is anything to go by. The filing details a VR tracking system based on light and mirrors that uses a beam projector to determine the player's position, though whether such a feature would appear on the current device or second iteration of PSVR (or not at all) is all speculative at this stage.

EYE tRAckINg

Eye tracking is possibly the final piece of the VR puzzle. It's not available on the Rift, Vive or PS VR but it will feature in FOVE's very promising VR headset. So how does it work?

Well, an infrared sensor monitor's your eyes inside the headset so FOVE knows where your eyes are looking in virtual reality. The main advantage of this - apart from allowing in-game characters to more precisely react to where you're looking - is to make depth of field more realistic.

In standard VR headsets, everything is in pin-sharp focus which isn't how we're used to experiencing the world. If our eyes look at an object in the distance, for instance, the foreground blurs and vice versa.

By tracking our eyes, FOVE's graphics engine can simulate this in a 3D space in VR. That's right, blur can be good.

Headsets still need hi-res displays to avoid the effect of looking through a grid. Also what our eyes focus on needs to look as life-like as possible. Without eye tracking, with everything in focus as you move your eyes - but not your head - around a scene, simulation sickness is more likely. Your brain knows that something doesn't match up.

experience

-rated

Price

Who’s the

Best?

MOtO g5 PLuS: `16,999 (FLIPKART)

MOtO g5 PLuS vS hONOR 6x vS REdMI NOtE 4

T

speed and fluiditY Testing the phones side by side, the Honor 6X quickly falls behind. In day-to-day usage, the Honor 6X shows very noticeable lags in simple UI animations and transitions. This, though, is absent from both the RedmiNote 4 and Moto G5 Plus.

There’s very little separating the Redmi Note 4 and Moto G5 Plus, however. The two phones are impressively fluid in regular usage, and app load times are kept to a minimum. The Redmi Note 4 is just slightly snappier than the Moto G5 Plus in this case, thanks to higher clock speeds. To be clear, both phones have the Snapdragon 625 clocked at 2GHz. However, Xiaomi seems to allow higher average clock speeds than the G5 Plus.

On the other hand, the extra Cortex A72 cores on the Snapdragon 652 running on the Coolpad Cool 1, give it extra speed over the other devices. Benchmarks obviously put the Cool 1 ahead of the other devices in this comparison, but the more powerful Cortex A72 cores make the SoC less power efficient. That said, the Cool 1 remains the most powerful amongst all these devices at the moment. However, this difference is difficult to spot in regular usage.

Qualcomm’s Trepn Profiles shows the eight cores on the Redmi Note 4, clocking between 1.7GHz and 2GHz at most times. The G5 Plus, however, keeps them somewhat subdued, between 1.5GHz and 1.7GHz, until you launch games or other heavy apps. As a result, the Mi device is only slightly faster in regular usage, but it’s tough to point out the difference without side-by-side comparison.

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Strictly speaking, the XiaomiRedmi Note 4 is the fastest of the lot, followed by the Moto G5 Plus and then the Honor 6X.

REdMI NOtE 4: `12,999 (EBAY)

gaMing To test gaming on the devices, we used Asphalt 8, with half an hour gaming sessions on each device. The objective was to establish which phone managed the highest frame rates, and with the maximum stability. For reference, the Adreno 506 GPU runs on the Motorola and Xiaomi phones, while the Mali T830MP2 GPU runs on the Honor device.

Testing using Gamebench, which gives you real time frame rates, we found the the Honor 6X is behind in this case. The former dropped to as low as 17 fps while playing Asphalt 8, while frame rate stability was only 71%. It also achieved best frame rates of about 22fps, which is significantly lower than you would want. As a result, one can see definite stutters while playing Asphalt 8, or during its menu and in-game transitions.

On the other hand, while the two Adreno powered phones were ahead, the Moto G5 Plus came out ahead of the Redmi Note 4 here, by a hair. The Motorola phone achieves stable frame rates of 30fps over half an hour, with 80% frame rate stability, whereas the Redmi Note 4 caps frame rates at 29fps, with the same stability. This, as you probably know, is the bare minimum for stutter free gaming, and both phones fare well in this case.

teMperatures Internal temperatures on all the phones remain around 36 degrees celsius at most times.

Impressively, both the Moto G5 Plus and Redmi Note 4 managed the same when we were gaming on it. The Honor 6X kept stable temperatures of 39 degrees here, rising to 40 degrees for a few seconds.

All three phones, though, remained within permissible limits, not raising any alarms worth talking about. They cool down fast, too, making it easier to manage after a long gaming session.

MOtO g5 PLuS

alk about budget phones, and we have lots of options today. Welcome Lenovo’s Moto G5 Plus with an exceptional camera in this range (though it doesn’t quality in ace in other categories, obviously!)

The rest 3 phones do have exceptionality in different categories and we are going to compare category-wise.

by Shreya Bhattacharya

hONOR 6x: `12,999 (AMAZON)

BatterY life In terms of specs, the Moto G5 Plus comes in last here. The phone has a 3000 mAh battery against the 3340 mAh unit on the Honor 6X, 4100 mAh on the Redmi Note 4 and 4060 mAh battery on the Cool 1. Brute forcing the battery, with PC Mark’s Work 2.0 battery test, the Redmi Note 4 comes out in front. It lasts 8 hours and 55 minutes, against the Moto G5 Plus’ 7 hours and 29 minutes and Honor 6X’s 5 hours 19 minutes.

sTrICTLy spEAkINg, THE XIAOMI rEDMI NOTE 4 Is THE fAsTEsT Of THE LOT, fOLLOWED By THE MOTO g5 pLus AND THEN THE HONOr 6X.

It’s actually quite surprising that the Honor 6X falls behind the Moto in this test, since the latter’s faster processor should ideally drain more power. Regardless, it’s possible that Moto’s optimisations are slightly better than Honor’s.

BottoMline The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 and Moto G5 Plus are evenly matched in terms of performance.

Both phones are fast, snappy and well-tuned.

However, the G5 Plus’ camera does make it a better buy than the Redmi Note 4. To camera enthusiasts, the Moto G5 Plus would make more sense. However, the Moto G5 Plus makes sense for those who want a balanced smartphone as well. The choice basically comes down to whether you’re willing to pay nearly `5000 more for the advanced camera on the G5 Plus.

hONOR 6x

Benchmarks aside, all these phones can get you through over 10 hours easily. The Redmi Note 4 and Moto G5 Plus can go nearly up to 24 hours, give or take an hour. The Honor 6X will last through your work-day with a single charge, but it will need an extra half an hour or so charge, to last a full 24 hours.

For those who want performance over everything else, the Coolpad Cool 1 is the phone to pick, and it has a pretty good camera as well.

However, there is a slight compromise here, on battery life. It is also worth noting that the Redmi Note 4 and Honor 6X are the cheapest of these devices, and while the Honor 6X has a really good camera (better than the Cool 1), while the Redmi Note 4 is a balance smartphone, offering something of everything.

For those asking, we do not recommend buying the 16GB variant of the Moto G5 Plus.

In fact, we do not recommend buying 16GB smartphones at all, in this day and age. Images shot by the Moto G5 Plus are 4MB and above often, and with only about 12GB of usable space, you will run out easily.

REdMI NOtE 4

ex-rated

MOST SEARCHED ON

(TECH) Google is undoubtedly the most used search engine in the entire world.

People use Google search for very different reason like research for an assignment, movie listings, news, etc. So here we show you the list of top searches for this month.

Jio Prime Samsung S8 iPhone 6 32GB Google Assistant

JIO PRIME Jio Prime is one of the most searched on Google as Reliance Jio Free Welcome Data offer ending soon and Jio Prime membership are required to enjoy services in the future. People are searching for offers available to further extend the Jio unlimited service plans.

iPHONE 6 32GB Apple iPhone 6 was previously launched only in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB storage options.

While 16GB is considered to be inadequate for a powerful smartphone, but recently Apple made a new 32GB storage variant of iPhone 6 available for purchase on Amazon India. This resulted into Apple fans to reconsider owning Apple iPhone 6 32GB variant.

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SAMSUNG S8 After Note 7 fiasco, Samsung has spent quite a good amount of time investigating the faults and delaying the future launches until it has been fixed. Samsung has launched its Galaxy S8 smartphone on March 29th at an event in New York. Samsung S8 was one of the most eagerly anticipated launches of the year.

GOOGLE ASSISTANT Google Assistant was revealed as a Pixel exclusive that runs on latest Android 7.1 OS. Now, Google Assistant has finally launched for the devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and above. Google Assistant is similar to Google now with an added improvements. The AI-powered Assistant is also able to respond to commands based on what’s in your Google accounts.

explore

#thetechy #gadgetsreview #technews #launches #smartphones #apps #howto #techexplained #luxurygadgets #flagship #techevents #techkedup #techonmymind #audiophile #techincars #techmeup

TY PROPER AN

aggressively in the country with a long term horizon to transform the way India buys and sells.

clusive

: you have spoken about the 3 pillars that Amazon operates on. Can you tell us some more about it?

AA: Our experience of working around the world confirms our belief that customers, no matter where they reside, value three things the most – vast selection available at low prices, that are delivered fast & reliably.

POwER tALk WITH

aMit AgArWAL SvP & cOuNtRY hEAd, AMAzON INdIA

W

e interviewed Mr Amit Agarwal, the Country Head of Amazon India, this month and came back with an insightful conversation about Amazon’s vision for India and Mr Agarwal’s approach towards making that reality. : Mr. Agarwal, you and Amazon go a long way down and you have come to become an indispensable part of Amazon India right now.

How does it feel to be having such a huge responsibility?

AMIt AgARwAL: Naturally I am very happy, excited and humbled. While it is a personal achievement, it is more a recognition of how excited the Amazon leadership is with our progress in India in a very short time. It supports our commitment to transform how India buys and sells. : Jeff Bezos decided to make a substantial investment in the Indian market of $5 billion dollars. How do you see that shaping Amazon’s future in India?

AA: We are very happy and excited by the growth we have in India over the last 3+ years. The growth has been tremendous. Today Amazon. in is the most visited, preferred and trusted e-commerce site in India. We have the most downloaded shopping app in the country, we have the largest online store with over 100 million products and we have grown 124% last year in an industry reportedly flat or negative and our seller base is growing at 160% YoY. We have always maintained that India is a key growth region for Amazon and we will continue to invest

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Even though e-commerce in India is new, the customers are as evolved as anywhere else globally. Likewise, the small and medium seller base here in India is as evolved in their thinking as anywhere else in the world, even though they are new to online retail. They care about sales, profitability and a fair and transparent platform to operate : Amazon has always been subject to comparison with rival brands. What are your thoughts on that and how do you plan to combat it?

AA: We are not competition focused but customer obsessed. Our single-minded focus continues to be on working backwards from the customer & seller needs and innovate on their behalf. This is in our DNA. It has worked for us in the past in other geographies and looking at the past over 3 years of our growth in India, we have every reason to believe that it is working here as well. As a leader usually does, we are leading in opening up new markets – launching new categories and bringing new customers into the industry.

Our goals and our targets are only focused on building a better experience for our customers and sellers. That has always been the case and will continue to be going forward. We believe that good results are the by-products of thoughtful, relevant inputs that address customer needs.Our input-driven strategy will focus on improving selection in existing categories, adding new product lines, enhancing in-stock selection, bringing efficiencies in processes, reducing defects, bettering the mobile and app experience and raising the bar of the delivery experience. For Amazon, India is one of the highest priority investments. We continue to look at India as a key growth region and are committed to investing aggressively in building a great customer and seller experience. : How would you like to describe the current scenario of e-commerce in India and where according to you will e-commerce be heading in the next 5 years AA: The Indian e-commerce space is still at a very nascent stage with significant potential for innovation and growth. We believe growth is at an inflection point and there is a tremendous amount of opportunity. For one, the customers moved to shopping for many more product categories – we sold significantly high numbers of mobiles and smartphones and appliances but we also sold across more everyday consumables category, debunking the myth that consumers only look for high price point items. Two, we saw phenomenal growth in new customer acquisition and 75%

‘‘

We do believe that if we execute well and stay razor- focused on working backwards from customer needs and innovate on their behalf, India would be Amazon’s largest geography outside the US”

of these were from non-metros, deflating another myth of e-commerce being a metro phenomenon. And third, we saw Prime as the highest selling product despite such high growth across categories, clearly showing that customers care about fast and reliable delivery and convenience and not just discounts. We are proud to have brought about such a significant change in consumer mindset towards e-commerce in just three years in India and are humbled that customers continue to have Amazon.in as their preferred shopping destination.

We believe there is room for multiple formats, players and most importantly, for innovation.

For us it’s still ‘Day 1’ in India; we have just got started. Over the last 3 years, we have invested in incubating the seeds of a lot of innovations which we believe will grow to be game changers for us in the future. We have already started seeing the positive impact of these India-first innovations on the ecosystem – for customers or sellers alike. : Do you have any extensive plans to take Amazon in a particular route now that you can shape its future here the way you’d like?

AA: We do believe that if we execute well and stay razor- focused on working backwards from customer needs and innovate on their behalf, India would be Amazon’s largest geography outside the US. We continue to look at India as a key growth region and are committed to invest aggressively with a longterm horizon and transform the way India buys and sells.

qUIckIES Best piece of advice: “In the end, we are our choices” and “Take pride not in the gifts you have but in the choices you make in life.”

Most inspiring book: Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!

An important milestone in life: Birth of my daughter and first child, Aashi One indispensable morning routine: Exercise or Run at 5:45 am Most important gadget: I would consider Kindle more as an indispensable companion than a “gadget”, but surely rank it as the most important.

EXCLUSIVE

e r o l p

A Tale of Watches and Time Let’s date back to the brilliant picturesque landscapes of Switzerland in 1917. We’re talking about a small section devoted to watches and jewellery at the opening of the first Schweizer Mustermesse Basel (muba). Cut to now - BASELWORLD - the world’s largest marketplace and trendsetting show of the international watch and jewellery industry. Who would’ve known that a tiny section would grow only to become one of the biggest watch and jewellery shows around the globe? So, this year, just like the thousands of people who scurry from around the world to acquaint themselves with the latest trends, I made my way from Exhibit to Basel to give you an exclusive coverage!

by Utsavi Jha

EXPLorE

I wouldn’t be saying anything new when I tell you how awestruck the magnitude of the event made me - large halls spread across a sprawling 1.5 million square feet show floor (adds up to a total distance of 21km). To look at future world trends first hand was a grand feeling but not going to lie, the walking got my feet blistered! However, Baselworld has more to it than the exhibitions alone. Owning up the perks my press pass brought me, I got a chance to attend the various exclusive tours and workshops that explained the mechanism behind the craft of watchmaking not to mention network extensively with the representatives of leading brands. So if you think you know how perfect the trip was beautiful, luxury watches, jewellery and me clad amongst the picturesque Basel - well, you don’t know half of it!

Baselworld aka Basel Fair is the only show that witnesses key players from watchmakers to jewellers showcase dazzling new collections so as to attract orders from all around the world. It can be compared to the Detroit Auto Show or Paris Fashion Week of the watch and jewellery world and it wouldn’t be wrong to call Baselworld the lifeblood of the watch industry. The show has come a long way from its humble beginnings as part of the Muba Exhibition in 1917 to being this massive 8 day exhibition as the indisputable king of the watch trade shows. The largest event in the horological calendar by far, Baselworld has been an institution in the watch world for almost as long as there have been watches.

Over the course in 1925, muba invited several watch manufacturers to showcase their exclusive collections and later, making a leap of its own, the Schweizer Uhrenmesse (Swiss Watch Show) was first held in a dedicated pavilion in 1931. Following that, companies from France, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom were invited after Europe’s meeting place exhibition. 1983 saw a change in name to BASEL and companies from outside Europe started to be included thus increasing the number of visitors from outside Europe. The show gradually came to be known as BASEL - The World Watch, Clock and Jewellery Show and in 2003, the exhibit got the name it currently carries. That is when began a whole new journey! Not only is the show important from the buyers’ and sellers’ perspective, it also gives journalists like us an excellent opportunity to explore key brands and feature news about numerous new watches and collections.

Breitling Nativimer Rattrapante

Fossil Smartwatch

Rolex Cellini Moonphase 26 I

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Graff Princess Butterfly You must have figured that you, me and secret watch

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Dior Grand Soir Botanic collection

At its inception, Switzerland was chosen as the ideal location for this showcase due to its perfect geography. Being situated in the centre of Europe on the borders of Germany and France enables easy access for all who wish to attend the giant event. Also, thanks to the location, a lot of visitors are able to commute from Germany and France which are situated at an hour’s distance from Basel. But mind you, the key to attending this event hasslefree is starting early. Making prior and advance accommodation and air tickets arrangements is a prerequisite as everything books up fast.

It thus becomes clear that Baselworld is the birthplace of the latest trends for the coming year, and that explains why editors from leading fashion magazines scurry their way to provide aroundthe-clock coverage of the latest trends.

Bloggers, early-adopters and journalists like us dive straight into this frenzy and love to go on an information overload spree at this world event. Judging by figures from previous shows, there will be more than 4,000 journalists covering the event, representing over 70 different countries. The show is open to public and it is hard to believe when I tell you that Baselworld has 100,000 attendees, enough to fill one of the world’s largest football stadiums. In the modern times, Baselworld attracts some 2,100 exhibitors from over 45 countries.

However, the show is not for retail sales.

Watches and jewellery are displayed in glass cases for the public to view.

In association with brands like BBC, Porche, Fedex, Baselworld 2017 took place from March 23 - 30 and was, like each year, a whopping success.

the other 150,000 visitors must struggle to cover an overwhelming patch of land that ought to be covered in a span of 8 days. For those not well-acquainted with the location and event, Baselworld also offers a great free app service for Apple, Android and Blackberry devices which includes exhibitor lists, detailed, zoomable 3D maps, and other information. Baselworld has leading luxury watch and jewellery brands come and exhibit their latest collections.

Among them, Rolex, Omega, TAG Heuer, Breitling, Patek Philippe, and Breguet are some of them. Top jewellery and fashion houses such as Chopard, Harry Winston, Hermès, Bulgari, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci and Dior also show their latest collections. Brands like Cartier, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Panerai and several others do not attend since they have their own show in Geneva called the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, or SIHH.

Slim d’Hermes L’Heure Impatiente

Of what has been observed for a while, digitisation has been a trend that we have seen many brands adopting for themselves. That’s when a lot of people contemplated over the fate of mechanical watches. However, looking at the maddening popularity for mechanical timepieces observed at Baselworld, it can be firmly said that electronic watches are not going to be replacing mechanical timepieces anytime soon.

The 2017 edition was undoubtedly spectacular owing to the great launches by big and small brands alike. While we couldn’t skim through all of them, there were definitely some we loved and made a note ofThe magnitude and grandeur of the event dawned upon me when I made a stop at each stall to elaborately admire the beauty only to realise that there were 12 more buildings and just 7 more days! In the process of covering the world’s biggest watch and jewellery show that was supposed to be a job, I ended up having one of the most explorative and knowledgeable trips of my life and become a watch aficionado in turn. And who wouldn’t?

With so much beauty all around me in the form of precious gemstones, fancy watches and breathtaking landscapes,

Patek Philippe 5320G

I was in for one hell of a treat. So there I was, among several thousands of attendees fancying themselves up with watches and luxury, realising how untouchable the scope of the event was. One thing I learnt for sure on my event coverage trip to Basel was that no matter how far technology moves forward or how well or worse the economy grows, the footfall at Baselworld shall keep growing and that is a testament to Baselworld’s perennial popularity!

EXPLORE

fOuNdER’S cLub

sujayath

ali

FoUNDer, Voonik This month, Exhibit met up with the Founder of the popular e-commerce Fashion site Voonik, Mr. Sujayath Ali, to trace his journey and learn about his thoughts on Technology. We also got him to share his business mantras and other trivia that sure make for an interesting read! : Hello Mr Sujayath Ali, can you trace the journey of how you came up with the idea of starting Voonik? Also, can you elaborate on the process that you followed?

SujAYAth ALI: My journey into retail, rather fashion began when I was a boy. I had grown used to my dad commenting on my dressing sense or lack thereof. Gradually, after I got married, my wife picked up from where he left off. I thought luxury brands and paying more for clothes would be the key to my external transformation but that strategy didn’t seem to help. That’s when I asked myself, “If I don’t need to be a geek to buy a laptop, then why should I know about fashion to buy clothing?” So, my co-founder Navaneetha and I decided to start our company, Voonik which caters to the real women of India who are not brand or fashion conscious, rather variety conscious. This truly changed my insights of retail by creating a new way of shopping that enables customers/users to buy what suits their build, lifestyle, and budget.

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My Business Mantra is to have a vision like Steve Jobs and execute it like Andy Grove. I also pick the fights worth fighting!

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: What was the greatest reason that pushed you to start your own business?

SA: This was in 2013, when the economy was shaky and the business outlook uncertain which made it a less than ideal time to turn entrepreneurial. But that’s when my co-founder Navaneetha and I launched our company, Voonik. I pitched my idea of creating a new way of shopping that enables users to buy what suits their build, lifestyle, and budget and he was convinced. I returned to India in 2013 and Navaneetha quit Freshdesk to jump into our venture. The retail industry is a very stimulating and fast-paced environment which leads to accelerated personal and career growth. It’s a great feeling to be able to play a significant role in understanding what truly customers need.

There is always a constant change in the retail industry, which only means that there are more opportunities, challenges and excitement. :Tell us about the obstacles you had to overcome in the process of setting up Voonik?

SA: I think there are endless professional challenges one faces. My only concern with my company Voonik was that it initially lacked the focus of concentrating on one segment and tried to be everything for everybody. Gradually, I

learned that we have to offer a single solution to a big enough market where there is no alternative for that solution. That learning is guiding Voonik through every decision the company makes. : How did your experience help you in starting and running Voonik?

SA: I come from Tamil Nadu where I did my engineering from Mepco Schlenk Engineering college. I started my career as a Senior Software Development Engineer with iNautix Technology. After completing my MBA from ISB Hyderabad, I joined Amazon as the Product Manager and worked there for 7 years as Senior Product Manager before joining as VP at Visa. I then quit Visa to start Voonik in 2013. I believe in the power of technology for solving customer problems. Voonik is born out of the vision that technology can address even the fashion and style needs of people by connecting them with the right products at the right price. I co-founded Voonik with my friend from engineering days, Navaneetha Krishnan, who is the CTO and the force behind Voonik’s advanced technology. : How do you tackle competition looking at the number of ecommerce websites that are operating? How do you try to set Voonik apart from the competitors?

SA: Before Voonik, the Indian fashion ecommerce market was dominated by e-tailers who focused on bringing well-known brands to the fashion-forward, brand-conscious and relatively affluent online shoppers. They did not address the mass women segment who were not brand-conscious and had limited budgets. The only online shopping options these women had were horizontal players such as Amazon and Flipkart, who sold clothing as one amongst hundreds of categories, along with mobile phones and kitchen mops.

At Voonik, we believe in making fashion personalized and accessible to all, thus moving away from the discount led brand fashion that other players are talking about. To help our real woman shop with confidence, we created an AI-based, curated feed. This ‘insanely relevant’ feed is based on an algorithm that factors in her body shape, lifestyle and skintone, amongst other parameters. Our engine takes into account stylist recommendations in creating a personalized feed. Proof of our concept is a massive following in tier 2 & 3 cities of India, where customer’s best fashion shopping option is to sieve through crowded offline stores. More than 70% of our customers’ hail from non-metro cities. By eliminating the middlemen, we are able to deliver very competitive prices, thus eliminating any need for discounting etc. Also, we keep feeding market intelligence to our sellers thus helping them in knowing latest fashion trends and in creating styles accordingly.

Thus, we are moving rapidly towards our dream of becoming the country’s largest online fashion company. Voonik is among the top 3 most engaging Apps for women.

: Currently, India is witnessing a great boom with regards to the Startup scene.

In your opinion, what are the positives and negatives about India as a Startup hub?

SA: This is the best time for startups in India.

With Government initiatives such as Startup India and Make in India, increased internet penetration and an overall high technology adoption by the large youth population of the country, the stage is set for some breakthrough ideas and companies. As long as the execution of initiatives are in balance to maintain the pace of growth between the Government and companies, everything will go well. : On a personal level, how big a consumer of technology and the internet are you? Which are your go-to sites and apps?

SA: I am a gadget lover! I like reading on my Kindle, watching Netflix through Chromecast, browse using my iPad, listening to songs through Gaana, playing games using my playstation and xbox, using VR through Samsung Galaxy Edge and shopping mostly on Mr Voonik. : How would you chalk out your greatest strengths and weaknesses with regards to your personal and professional life?

SA: My strength is that I can be patient, be data-driven, and maintain my composure through turbulent times. My weakness is that I am a bit soft and introverted. : What changes do you envision in the various payment options and emergence of the many payment gateways?

SA: Post demonetization, we have seen a steady increase in cashless payments across our platforms. We have noticed that consistently prepaid orders result in higher order delivery percentage, deeper customer engagement, richer shopping experience and better economics. Most of the new e-commerce customers are from non-metros, tier 2 & 3 cities of India. We expect more payment gateways to make inroads within these cities by creating light and fast platforms for a massive enrolment. : What are your Business Mantras?

SA: To have a vision like Steve Jobs and execute it like Andy Grove. I also pick the fights worth fighting! : Which are your favorite influential and inspiring books that you would suggest readers to get their hands on?

SA: “The Hard Thing About Hard Things”, “Great by Choice”, “The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success” and “Only the Paranoid Survive.” : Describe a quintessential day in the life of Sujayath Ali. SA: I wake up in the morning, drop my children to school and head to work. At work, my day typically starts by reviewing the previous day’s sale, revenue and operation efficiency. I also

spend a lot of time with my technology team to understand the progress and roadblocks in our key tech projects. : What do you like to spend time doing when you are not working?

SA: I like spending time in reading, browsing through news and technology articles, watching some of my favorite TV shows and spending time with family. : What is next on the cards for Voonik?

SA: We are focusing on expanding categories on Voonik. We are already seeing good leading indicators in western wear, footwear, lingerie, skin care, makeup and Plus Size categories. In the coming weeks, we want to scale each of these categories to be at least 50 % of the current size of our ethnic main categories. Mr Voonik, is already growing at a fast pace, being the men’s only fashion app that was started out in 2016. It became an overnight success as we crossed 10,000 daily shipments within six months of operation. If we believe the initial data, Mr Voonik will be bigger than Voonik in a few months.

qUIckIES Best piece of advice given to you: Keep fighting…the distance between huge success and failure is often one payroll cycle for startups.

Most unique gadget you’ve come across so far: Alexa Most useful gadget that’s not a smartphone or laptop: Chromecast One thing on your bucket list: Meet Elon Musk One thing that gets on your nerves: Egoistic People Business Guru: Andy Grove TV shows you ardently follow: Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley Describe Voonik in a statement: Everyone’s Personal Stylist Luck or hard work: Hard Work with Planning is called Luck If you had to make your own gadget, what would it be like: A VR video calling device that simulates as if I am speaking to the real person.

Recipe for a perfect business: Always be asking, “What are we not doing?”

If you could dirty your hands on any other industry, which would it be: Automobiles Advice you’d give to budding entrepreneurs: Believe and don’t quit.

exclusive

BixBY does what?

BixBY is what?

C ould artificial intelligence make devices easier to use? According to Samsung, it sure can, and that’s what the company is out to prove with its Bixby AI service.

Bixby is being loaded on the Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones and that’s nothing new we are telling you about. Bixby is an agent that can help the smartphones talk, recommend, and remind. The AI service is being positioned as a more intuitive way to use and interact with smartphones. For example, Bixby can help smartphones execute tasks with a voice command. It also brings cool features like image recognition and language translation on board in the S8 smartphones.

Bixby isn’t intended to be a service like Amazon’s Alexa, Microsoft’s Cortana, or Apple’s Siri, though it does have some of their features. It’s also not a replacement for S Voice, which won’t be present on S8 and S8+ but will live on in Tizen devices.

Samsung plans to “Bixby-enable” other devices, such as appliances made by the company, though

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it is unclear when that will happen.There is a dedicated Bixby button on the smartphones.

Samsung didn’t provide a chance to test Bixby and didn’t say when the AI service would come on the new smartphones.

Once you long-press the Bixby button, here’s what the S8 handsets should be able to do.

1. execute touch coMMands Whatever you can do with touch, you can do with voice. That’s what Samsung is aiming for with Bixby. Give the smartphone a command - like to take a selfie, launch the photo gallery app, or to make a phone call - and the device will be able to decipher it. You can speak out a command in multiple ways, and Bixby will understand it.

3. language translation Samsung provided an intriguing example of Bixby being able to take a picture of text and translate it into different languages. Bixby supports 52 languages, but the service isn’t based on Samsung’s homegrown technology. Instead, the company is using a partner to provide this service.

Samsung didn’t provide the name of the partner and didn’t say if the company was also using a backend service like Google Translate for the capability.

4. learn More aBout users over tiMe Over time, Bixby will learn about smartphone usage patterns and anticipate user needs. That feature will manifest in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphones organizing and displaying “cards” based on anticipated actions.

For example, in the morning you may automatically see news and weather information, or Bixby may help fire up Uber to contact a cab to take you to work. In the evening, a reminder to set up the alarm may pop up. The goal is to contextualize use from commonly used apps in one single place.

5. which apps?

The Galaxy S8 smartphones will be able to take pictures, identify objects, and provide context to the images. Samsung provided the example of Bixby recognizing the Flatiron building in New York City and then providing recommendations on places to eat nearby.

Bixby shines with the cameras in the S8 smartphones, bringing more context to images. But the bad news: Bixby won’t work with all apps. It is initially being integrated into a few apps like Photo Gallery, with wider app support coming later. Later on, Samsung will provide a software development kit, and developers will get to work with Bixby APIs (application programming interfaces).

This feature is also being linked closely to shopping. Users can take an image of a product and post it on Pinterest, which is partnering with Samsung. Users will also be able to take a picture of any product and check pricing, shop, or see recommendations of the products from sites of retail partners.

The APIs could be helpful to retailers looking to integrate their stores into the Bixby recommendation engine. They will also help internet-of-things device makers that want to create devices for Samsung’s SmartThings device management system, which could get Bixby support later.

2. iMage recognition

EXPLorE

SPLURGE

iPAD PRO

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o matter what camp you are in - Anti or for Apple - Apple remains to be one of the strongest electronics company even after its run of so many years. That explains why the iPad, even after so long, features in this column. Of course, the iPad Pro is a line of the refined and latest tablets by Apple and so this month, we recommend you get your hands on the iPad Pro if you have some money to splurge.

APPLE iPAD : THE BRAND

Apple is an American multinational technology company headquartered in California and the world’s largest information technology company by revenue.

It designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services.

WHAT IS THE iPAD PRO LIkE?

by Utsavi Jha

iPad Pro gives more efficiency than most PCs as it comes with iOS 10; the most advanced operating system in the world. It comes in 2 versions- the 12.9-inch version and the smaller 9.7-inch version. iPad Pro comes with several internal storage capacities - 32, 128 or 256 GB - becoming the first iOS device to offer that storage size. Both models come with the A9X chip, the Apple M9 motion co-processor, built-in apps and multitasking capabilities. The 12.9 inch version includes 4GB of RAM and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro comes with an embedded Apple SIM. Buyers can also get their hands on accessories made specifically for iPad Pro which are a screen cover, an active bluetooth tracking stylus, Apple Pencil that is a precision stylus exclusive to the iPad Pro and a Form-Fitted Silicone case that is compatible with the Smart Keyboard.

WHAT WILL MAkE YOU SPLURGE?

The display puts a lot into the iPad experience as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro comes with the highest resolution of any iOS device and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro screen is the brightest and least reflective in the world. Four stereo speakers are located in pairs on top and bottom of the device creating a wide and detailed soundstage. iPad Pro

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uses the Touch ID technology and enables you to use your fingerprint as password. Apple Pencil feels incredibly responsive letting you to create a range of artistic effects. The 12.9-inch model’s 8-megapixel iSight camera and the 9.7-inch model’s 12-megapixel iSight camera make for remarkable cameras. The 9.7inch iPad Pro is also the first iPad to feature Retina Flash and True Tone Flash making skin tones look great regardless of lighting. Irrespective of the model you choose, the iPad Pro line is versatile and portable and in a nutshell, it’s amazing!

“IRRESPEctIvE Of thE MOdEL YOu chOOSE, thE iPAd PRO LINE IS vERSAtILE ANd PORtAbLE ANd IN A NutShELL, It’S AMAzINg!” ex-life

to be pinned down with a specific style.

Sometimes you need to keep reinventing your style of work. I like to be more versatile. However, I create a specific mood in my pictures that is trademark of my style. Most of my pictures have a certain spontaneity with the subjects I shoot unless I intentionally want them to pose. My pictures are usually candid.

ARJUN MARK

Photographer of the month Arjun Mark, popular advertising and editorial photographer, is recognised as the only Indian photographer on the jury of the prestigious international WPGA Awards in 2011. Known as one of the most creative photographers of his generation, our photographer of the month caught up with us and gave an insight into his relationship with photography. : The journey.

Arjun Mark: I’m a student of Visual arts, though I haven’t really had any formal training in photography. I got introduced to photography in college and ever since, there has been no looking back.

The journey has been a struggle for several years before I could crack into the mainstream industry.

As a photographer, you are always on your own and sometimes it is the independence that can be intimidating. The other perpetual impediment is the encounter with the ‘no budget’ client. The notion that photography comes cheap is disrespectful, utterly exploitative and humiliates me. In my opinion, these are the severe adversaries of this industry. However, it has been very exciting throughout. : Your style of photography.

AM : Objects around me are no longer impassive; they are ideas. Photography makes me discern altogether another unexpected side of me and has become the premise of my artistic exploration.

There has been a considerable transition in my style in the last few years. However, I don’t like

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THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HARD WORK AND HUMILITY IS AN INVALUABLE VIRTUE.

: Photoshoot closest to your heart.

AM : There are many that I love.

The campaign for Farah Khan has always topped as one of my favorites from my gamut of work. The campaign was a collaboration in crafting a richly expressive body of art. To me, it marks a blurring between reality and fantasy, and inhabits a fictive universe. They are the workings of imagination and our deeply shared love of beauty. These images are a culmination of artistic expression in all genres– jewellery, photography, & fine art. One of my biggest inspirations while shooting women have been sculptures.

Their ethereal quality and understanding of form have influenced this body of work. : Process for any photo-shoot.

AM : Pre-planning is the key to a successful photo-shoot. Most of the work happens before the shoot, the shoot day is only the execution. Firstly, an idea has to be cracked for the shoot, based on which appropriate talents for wardrobe, art and beauty are selected. Most of the time we have a casting session with the models a few days prior to the shoot. Once the talents are in place, a pre-planning meeting is held with all the talents of the shoot along with the client to make sure everyone is on the same page and to make any small last moment changes if required. : Arjun Mark and Tech.

AM : I was never a tech person until two years ago when I realised that technology is taking over at a really fast pace. At the scale of 1-5, I’m probably 3.

: Technology and Photography.

AM : Technology undoubtedly has had a tremendous role to play in the transformation of photography over the decade. Not only did technology replace analogue with the digital format in cameras, they also brought in advancements in the lighting technology that enables photographers to become a lot more versatile and flexible. : Social media and Photography.

AM: With the rising popularity of digital technology, social media has become a tempting platform for photographers to promote their talents online. This could be good and bad in a way. In a way social media is destroying the art of photography. The platform however opens a whole new perspective to photographers to explore and easily reach more audiences than they could have imagined. : Indispensable photography equipment.

AM: My 85mm f/1.2 lens. : Field of photography in 5 years.

AM: In the current day, photography is not just photography but can be termed digital imagery.

Photographs are no longer pictures that come out straight out from the camera. Post-production these days has become almost as important as photography itself. People are constantly evolving and exploring new techniques and setting new standards in the world of digital image making. : Feat you wish to achieve.

AM: There really isn’t something as specific as a single feat to achieve. However, I am working towards making my imagery a lot more powerful and expressive. : One Go-to photography trick.

AM: I hope we had one, haha! There is nothing like a go-to trick for a shoot! No shoot is ever the same. It’s always different faces, different talents, lights, location, etc. and it’s impossible to have a one to-go trick to solve a problem. In almost every shoot, you are bound to face a challenge at some level that has to be tackled cleverly with the available resources. : Advice for budding photographers.

AM: There is no substitute for hard work and humility is an invaluable virtue. Irrespective of whether you are ‘successful’, it is important to remain humble and receptive. This is the something that has always been of phenomenal pertinence to me.

Quick Q&A: One photography cliché you keep yourself away from: I would never want a subject to pose.

One classic or contemporary photograph that speaks to you: There are many, however most of them are from Helmut Newton’s archive.

A gadget you swear by other than your laptop and smartphone: Honestly, these are the only two gadgets I use!

One unique gadget that you would love to own: A drone.

Your inspiration: Things around me in nature.

Biggest Regret: Nothing really.

Most costliest buy: Camera of course.

If not photography, then what: Maybe an interior designer.

FASHION DESIGNER OF THE MONTH

It gives you the ability to tell your story how you envision it, without any restrictions that sharing a show slot might put on you. : Describe your personal style.

PS: My personal style is very comfortoriented, and my wardrobe is full of travel-friendly clothes and fabrics that don’t need ironing. But at the same time, I enjoy fashion so I always pick pieces that are high on style as well. It’s all about maximum impact with minimum effort for me.

l a h g n i S l a y Pa

Exhibit’s Fashion Designer of the Month, Ms Payal Singhal, sure makes for a great story as she tells her story herself right from winning the ‘Shoppers Stop Designer of the Year’ show to most recently having a standalone showcase at the LFW‘17.

Read on to find out the whole story as she shares her highlighted career moments and preferences in technology and fashion with us. : Your journey.

Payal Singhal: When we started out 18 years ago, there was a vacuum in the space for modern Indian clothes for the younger generation. So we decided to fill that void and thus younger, fresher silhouettes became our niche. I started off in fashion at a time when there was no real platform for design in the country. Social media, fashion week, and celebrity stylists were unheard of concepts. From that to the current state of the industry, the evolution has definitely been massive. : Most remarkable experience in your career was with.

PS: Shibani Dandekar. I’ve known Shibani for close to 14 years now and we share a great camaraderie. We were both part of a fashion show in New York that was being organised by common friends. Our connection goes back to before we reached the professional success we enjoy today. It’s an extremely emotional equation, and moreover, Shibani carries every PS outfit beautifully as well! : Can you tell us about your first big break?

PS: The first mainstream outfit that I designed was for the ‘Shoppers Stop Designer of the Year’ show at the age of 15 that was worn by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. It turned out to be the winning garment, and even after so many years, continues to be a defining moment in my career as it validated my choice of fashion as a career. : Your experience at LFW 2017.

PS: This was my first solo show and it was an amazing experience. Initially, I was nervous as the pressure to pull off a whole show by yourself is daunting. But on the day, things went off as smoothly as ever, leaving me wondering why I had any worries in the first place. A solo show is an incredible opportunity.

: Fashion scene in India now and 5 years later?

PS: I love everything vintage. But I also feel it needs to be practically adapted and contemporarised for the present generation. Hence, modernising silhouettes is the need of the hour according to me. Now I see an increasing number of designers catering to a similar mindset and creating for a global consumer who wishes to wear her tradition with a dash of modern insouciance. Sadly Indian fashion has been straitjacket into a frivolous category

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PS: I am a very visually driven person and textures and patterns inspire me. To create something concrete and see a concept turn into a reality also drives me. I’m extremely taken by shows like Downton Abbey, and books like Pride & Prejudice.

There is just something about the romanticism, simplicity, and conduct of the period that draws me to it. : Advice for budding fashion designers.

PS: Young designers today are in a big hurry to make it big. Our culture of social media and instant gratification fuels that too thus making it easier to launch oneself. But I think it’s imperative to get the right work experience and training by working with a designer or production house. It is an invaluable part of our education and it’s a great disservice to your career if you ignore it. : What’s on cards for Payal Singhal next in 2017?

PS: I started the year with my first solo show at Lakmé Fashion Week in February. Inspired by the dark romanticism of the murder mystery 'Death on the Nile’ by Agatha Christie, this Summer 2017 ‘Lady M’ collection was a nod to the nuanced finesse of high society dressing in the late 1930s.

2017 will be an exciting year for our brand — we are revamping our online store for a more enhanced experience and have also launched our quarterly in-house magazine called PS Diary.

EVEN AFTER SO MANY YEARS, MY WIN AT THE ‘SHOPPERS STOP DESIGNER OF THE YEAR’ SHOW CONTINUES TO BE A DEFINING MOMENT IN MY CAREER AS IT VALIDATED MY CHOICE OF FASHION AS A CAREER. but the industry is in fact, grossly underrated.

Fashion is a substantial, serious business and also a very lucrative industry for the country’s revenue. : Tech, Fashion and Payal Singhal.

PS: I have a love-hate relationship with technology. So, while I’m not totally alien to it, I am also not as adept as the younger generation.

However, Technology does feature in various aspects of my life beyond just work— from Kindle, Apple watch, and Apple TV to wireless speakers, there’s no denying its omnipresence. However, I am a social media addict and love Instagram. Social media and online shopping has given brands the kind of reach that wasn’t possible earlier.

Even while sitting in an African country you can order an outfit from an Indian designer, make your payment online and have it shipped it to your doorstep, all thanks to technology! : Your inspiration.

Quick Q&A: Fashion myth: That dark-skinned people should only wear dark or bright colours.

Go-to fashion trend: Low crotch dhoti pants – they are comfortable and can go from day to night, and casual to formal easily.

Best piece of advice given to you: From my father when I started my career at 21. He said, “In this industry, be a race horse with blinkers in your eyes and focus on your finish line i.e. your goal as a designer and not get distracted by other opportunities that may come your way. Don’t be a Jack-of-all-trades.”

One product on your tech bucket list: Samsung Gear VR, a virtual reality headset.

Most cherished career moment: Winning the ‘Shoppers Stop Designer of the Year’ at the age of 15.

Favorite people to dress up in your collections : Neha Dhupia and Shibani Dandekar One fashion trend that you’d like to make obsolete forever: Puffed-sleeved frocks in bright coloured satin that was so popular with actresses in the ’80s.

Favorite apps: Beauty plus.

Runway or Red Carpet: Runway.

press

critics.

ARE YOu bINgINg ON thESE ALREAdY?

w

e at Exhibit LOVE digital streaming, exploring new content and dissecting it. This month, we jotted down recommendations that you NEED to start following now and probably thank us later because they are SO good. So, here are some of the suggestions across various categories that we are currently obsessing over and you should too. Take a look!

1)aMazon priMe

Transparent is an American comedy web series based around a family in LA and their lives post discovering that their father is transgender.

Currently in the 3rd season of its run, this Amazon Original proves why it is number one on our list with the number of Golden Globe and Emmy wins it has in its pocket. It is also so awesome that it got renewed for a 4th season even before the 3rd one aired!

Mozart in the Jungle, the comedy-drama series, is an Amazon Original creation that aired in 2014.

The story was inspired by oboist Blair Tindall's memoir of her professional career in New York and has since received favourable reviews with critics calling its content fresh. This 3 seasons old show was renewed for a 4th season in January 2017.

by Utsavi Jha

Although The Americans show might not be an Amazon Original, it sure counts as one of the best shows to stream on Amazon.

This period drama is set during the Cold War around two Soviet officers posing as an American married couple living in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. with their children and FBI agent neighbor. The series premiered in the United States in 2013 and would mark its final season in 2018.

2)netflix Critically claimed to be “Exceptionally executed with charm, humor, and heart”, the comedy-drama web series Master of none was created by Aziz Ansari and is a refreshingly offbeat take on a 30-year-old actor and his life in New York City. This show was first aired in 2015 and has been renewed for a 2nd one scheduled in May 2017.

A series of unfortunate events, the super popular Netflix Original, is an American black comedy-drama television series based on the children's novel series of the same name. The show that premiered in 2017 has already been renewed for a second season with a tentative 3rd season already in plan.

3)indian weB series Indian web series are taking a leap with one such show called Permanent Roommates becoming a huge hit among the youth with the first episode amassing over 5 million views on YouTube. This TVF creation revolves around a young couple who face the prospect of marriage after being in a long distance relationship for 3 years.

Baked, said to be one of the most ambitious web-series creations, is being called one of the best Indian shows. It is based on 3 university flatmates who decide to start a midnight food delivery service and keep finding themselves in misadventures each time.

4)Movies

Described as an "eccentric, pubescent love story”, Moonrise Kingdom is a 2012 American coming-of-age film about two lovers who escape their town causing a search for them to ensue. The film went on to gather multiple Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

It’s the era of Indie films and one of our particular favourites is the 2013 release Short term 12 which is an American drama starring Brie Larson as the supervisor of a group home for troubled teenagers. Praised for its realism and intimacy, Short Term 12 has also been honoured with many awards and nominations.

The Big Short was a 2015 American comedydrama film about the financial crisis of 2007– 2008 and was complimented for the techniques

Daredevil is an American Netflix Original web series based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It revolves around Daredevil, a blind lawyer-by-day who fights crime at night. First released in 2015, the series has been renewed for a third season and has received an exceptional rating by Rotten Tomatoes and

thE bIg ShORt

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A SERIES Of uNfORtuNAtE EvENtS

dAREdEvIL

Ed ShEERAN it employed to explain complex financial instruments. In addition to having a great starcast, this financial and critical success garnered great reviews and multiple nominations.

5)Music We can easily call him the apple of the eye of the music industry looking at the massive popularity of his previous two albums. All set to do the same with the third one titled ÷ (Divide), English singer-songwriter ed Sheeran is a constant on our playlist with hit songs like “Castle on the Hill", "Shape of You” and many more.

dONALd gLOvER

24K Magic, the third chart-topping studio album by American singer Bruno Mars, is an instant favourite featuring the blockbusters “24K Magic”, “That’s what I like” and “Versace on the Floor” because Bruno never fails! As the singer embarks on a World Tour, we only pray he comes to India sometime soon.

La La Land was a critically acclaimed film, no doubt, but what is stuck in mind are the songs and the background score of the movie.

Composed and orchestrated by Justin Hurwitz, songs like “City of stars”, “Someone in the Crowd”, “A lovely night” among others are heart-

kAtY PERRY touching and we cannot stop listening!

Looking at how bubbly and peppy the beats and the video are, it’s no wonder that Katy Perry’s Chained to the rhythm made it to this list and on multiple music charts as well, not to mention topping them, too.

After a long absence of 4 years, Kiwi singer and music industry’s beloved Lorde FINALLY released a new song titled Green Light and we can’t stop grooving (Lorde style).

6)YoutuBe standup Agreed when you say there are MANY stand up comedians on YouTube but we cannot help but mention in particular the brilliance of American comedian Donald Glover.

And we must mention, Glover makes quite an impression with his super shining repertoire of being an actor, writer, producer, director, comedian, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Promise us you’ll YouTube him today!

We know that the world knows about him and so do you, but it only helps you if we remind you to keep following the bag of funny that American actor, comedian and writer Aziz Ansari is. Trust us, he won’t disappoint.

24k MAgIc,bRuNO MARS

express

‘The handful of people of who the ‘secret formula’ of Coca-Cola never travel together on a plane, because they are the only one who know this formula!

BIG IS

There is hardly any person that I have known in my entire life who hasn’t had a sip of a Coca-Cola beverage. With a portfolio of almost 500 different drinks and a daily consumption by close to 2 million people, Coke is definitely the biggest beverage brand of the 21st century.

what is coca -cola?

Unless you have been living under a rock or are a harcore health freak, here is what Coca-Cola is all about. Coca-Cola (popularly known as Coke) is a carbonated soda created by The Coca-Cola Company.

Initially proposed as a patent drug, it was created in the late nineteenth century by John Pemberton and was purchased out by specialist Asa Griggs Candler, whose showcasing strategies drove Coca-Cola to its predominance of the world soda pop market all through the twentieth century. The drink’s name alludes to two of its unique fixings, which were kola nuts (a wellspring of caffeine) and coca seeds/leaves. The present equation of Coca-Cola remains a prized formula, despite the fact that an assortment of announced formulas and test diversions have been distributed.

‘

how is it Made?

HOW

The Coca-Cola Company produces the concentrate or the basic mix, which is then sold to authorized Coca-Cola bottlers all through the world. The bottlers, who hold restrictive region contracts with the organization, create the completed item in jars and containers from the think, in blend with sifted water and sweeteners. A common 12-US-liquid ounce (350 ml) can contains 38 grams (1.3 oz) of sugar (more often than not as high fructose corn syrup). The bottlers then offer, disseminate and stock CocaCola to retail locations, eateries and candy machines all through the world.

The Coca-Cola Company additionally offers think for pop wellsprings of significant eateries and food service merchants.

Many other products are also sold by the company under the Coke name.

The most well-known of these is Diet Coke, alongside others including Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and uncommon adaptations with lemon, lime, and espresso. In light of Interbrand's "best worldwide brand" investigation of 2015, Coca-Cola was the world's third most profitable brand.

[2] In 2013, Coke items were sold in more than 200 nations around the world, with customers bringing down more than 1.8 billion organization drink servings every day.

by Konark Tyagi 36 I

I APR 17

Dr. John S. Pemberton was the main man behind the Coca-Cola. Created in 1886 in Atlanta, , Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage at Jacob’s Pharmacy by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water. Coca-Cola was patented in 1887, registered as a trademark in 1893 and by 1895 it was being sold in every state and territory in the United States. In 1899, The Coca-Cola Company began franchised bottling operations in the United States and in 1906 bottling operations for CocaCola began to expand internationally.

inter cocaesting fac ts aBo cola ut

who invented coca-cola?

ALMOST 55 BILLION SERVINGS OF BEVERAGES ARE SERVED AROuND THE WORLD EVERyDAy OuT OF WHICH 1.7 BILLION ARE COCA-COLA PRODuCTS! COCA-COLA’S FIRST BOTTLING PLANT IN ASIA OPENED IN THE PHILIPPINES IN 1912.

COCA-COLA HAS A PRODuCT PORTFOLIO OF MORE THAN 3,900 BEVERAGES,MORE THAN 500 BRANDS INCLuDING EVERyTHING FROM SODAS TO ENERGy DRINKS TO SOy-BASED DRINKS.

secret-vault

The secret formula for CocaCola has been one of the best kept secrets in the last century. The secret formula has been kept inside the vault shown in the image below. During the 125th Anniversary, Coca-Cola gave a chance to some people to get closer to the “Secret Vault”.

‘With a portfolio of almost 500 different drinks and a daily consumption by close to 2 million people, Coke is definitely the biggest beverage brand of the 21st century.

COKE MAKES SO MANy DIFFERENT BEVERAGES THAT EVEN IF A PERSON DRANK ONE PRODuCT EVERyDAy, IT WOuLD TAKE 9 yEARS TO TRy THEM ALL. COCA-COLA’S FIRST BOTTLING PLANT IN EuROPE OPENED IN FRANCE IN 1919.

3.1% OF ALL BEVERAGES CONSuMED AROuND THE WORLD ARE COCACOLA PRODuCTS

EXPLorE

products under coca-cola’s portfolio ‘the’ coca cola Coca-Cola is the most popular and biggestselling soft drink in history, as well as one of the most recognizable brands in the world.

fanta Introduced in 1940, Fanta is the second oldest brand of The Coca-Cola Company and our second largest brand outside the US. Fanta Orange is the leading flavor but almost every fruit grown is available as a Fanta flavor somewhere.

Consumed more than 130 million times every day around the world, consumers love Fanta for its great, fruity taste.

sprite Introduced in 1961, Sprite is the world's leading lemon-lime flavored soft drink. Sprite is sold in more than 200 countries and ranks as the No. 3 soft drink worldwide.

diet coke Diet Coke, also known as Coca-Cola light in some markets, is a sugar- and calorie-free soft drink. It was first introduced in the United States on August 9, 1982, as the first new brand since 1886 to use the Coca-Cola Trademark. Today, Diet Coke/Coca-Cola light is one of the largest and most successful brands of The Coca-Cola Company, available in more than 185 markets around the world.

coke zero Launched in 2005, Coke Zero was The CocaCola Company’s largest product launch in 23 years. It reached billion-dollar status in 2007.

Coca-Cola Zero offers great Coke taste, uplifting refreshment and zero sugar.

Minute Maid Minute Maid has been making juice for more than 60 years and has a heritage of nutrition, innovation, and quality. In 1945, the U.S. Army ordered 500,000 pounds of powdered orange juice from the Florida Foods Corporation, which later renamed itself Vacuum Foods and then finally the Minute Maid Corporation. The Minute Maid Corporation was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company in 1960, marking its first venture outside of soft drinks.

georgia coffee Introduced in 1975, Georgia Coffee is the No. 1 ready-to-drink coffee brand in Japan.

Led by Georgia Emerald Mountain Blend, the highly popular Georgia line-up includes more than 100 varieties of cold and hot coffees sold throughout Japan. In recent years the brand has also expanded to other markets, including China, South Korea, Singapore and India.

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powerade A ready to drink product for athletes, Powerade combines carbohydrates and electrolytes in a sports drink to help provide energy to working muscles. Basically it helps in replenishing minerals lost during sports or other intense activities.

schweppes A very interesting product in the Coca-Cola portfolio, German-born watchmaker, amateur scientist, and ruthless dreamer, Jacob Schweppe was drawn to the new art of carbonating water discovered by Joseph Priestley in 1770.

Schweppe refined and patented his own process of creating mineral water in 1783.

The Schweppes brand is owned by The CocaCola Company in more than 100 countries, excluding, among others, the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia and most of the European Union countries.

siMplY Simply is not-from-concentrate 100% juices, as well as a variety of juice drinks. All products are made with simple ingredients and have no added preservatives, colors or artificial flavors.

Simply was launched in 2001 and reached billion-dollar status in 2009. It is sold in the United States and Canada.

aquarius Similar to Powerade, Aquarius was first launched in Japan and is the No. 1 selling sports drink in that country. In certain countries, Aquarius is an isotonic beverage providing active hydration, while in other countries Aquarius is a popular water brand.

Minute Maid pulpY orange Minute Maid Pulpy was launched first in China in 2005. It was the first sub brand that was developed and launched in an emerging market to reach the billion-dollar mark, which occurred in 2010. Pulpy Orange has been doing well in the Indian market as well and is my personal favourite.

dasani Dasani is another water brand which was launched in 1999. It is basically purified water enhanced with minerals. Dasani is distributed in PlantBottle, made of up to 30% plant-based materials. Unlike other plant-based packaging, the PlantBottle is compatible with standard recycling plants and represents up to a 25% reduction in carbon emissions when compared to standard water bottles.

‘Coke has been through a lot of controversies and nutritionists have gone as far as comparing it with detergents and hard acids. However, the brand has still managed to be profitable for over a century. From the ‘thanda matlab Cocacola’ TV AD campaign to huge celebrity endorsements, Coke has surely redefined the term ‘Refreshment’ .

‘

E-tattoo

SkINMARkS NEWBOrN IN sMArT-WEArABLE fAMILy

S

cientists have developed ultra-thin temporary electronic tattoos which can turn skin blemishes and wrinkles into touch-sensitive buttons for controlling your smartphone.Researchers, including those from Saarland University in Germany, used conductive ink to print wires and electrodes on temporary tattoo paper.

A team of scientists from Saarland University in Germany have developed temporary ultra-thin electronic tattoos that can turn the wrinkles and blemishes on your skin into touch-sensitive buttons. With these, you can control your smartphone. They have used conductive ink to print electrodes and wires on temporary tattoo paper.

The tattoos, called SkinMarks, are thinner than the width of a human hair.

The SkinMarks are transferred on your skin using water. These tattoos can last a couple of days and can be rubbed off.

Martin Weigel, Saarland University, states that people know the location of their birthmarks and bumps. These can be ideal locations for the touch-sensitive buttons.

The researchers have stated that the volume of the smartphone can be tweaked by sliding one finger across a tattoo that is placed along another finger. On bending the tattooed finger, the volume rocker will turn into the play/pause button. The tattoos placed on the knuckles can double as four distinct buttons when a fist is made using the tattooed hand. When the fingers are extended, the same can function as a long slider.

Juergen Steimle of the university states that they have made use of the skin's elastic properties such as stretching and bending

to achieve this. The tattoos are responsive to the changes on the skin surface. This way, the tattoos can be incorporate with multiple commands at the same location.

IN qUOTES:

"People intuitively know the location of their own bumps and birthmarks, which makes them ideal locations for touch-sensitive buttons", said Martin Weigel of Saarland University.

"You could adjust your smartphone volume by sliding one finger across a tattoo placed along the side of another finger. Bend the tattooed finger, and the volume slider could become a play and pause button," researchers said.

Similarly, tattoos on the knuckles could act as four distinct buttons when the hand is making a fist, but then function as one long slider when the fingers are extended."We make use of the elastic properties of the skin, including bending and stretching," said Juergen Steimle of Saarland University. "By having the tattoos responsive to changes in the skin surface, they incorporate multiple commands at one location," he added.

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PEOPLE INtuItIvELY kNOw thE LOcAtION Of thEIR OwN buMPS ANd bIRthMARkS, whIch MAkES thEM IdEAL LOcAtIONS fOR tOuch-SENSItIvE buttONS"

explore

cYBer

ALL thAt wE kNOw ANd YOu ShOuLd kNOw

by Shreya Bhattacharya

NOtE: NOt tO bE cONfuSEd wIth cYbERPuNk 2077 whIch IS A vIdEO gAME 40 I

I APR 17

W

hAt IS cYbERPuNk? To start off with, let me clarify that trying to define Cyberpunk is a difficult task. In short, however, Cyberpunk refers to both a culture and a genre.

Cyberpunk is a sub-genre of science fiction that features advanced science and technology in an urban, dystopian future.

On one side you have powerful megacorporations and private security forces, and on the other you have the dark and gritty underworld of illegal trade, gangs, drugs, and vice. In between all of this is politics, corruption, and social upheaval.

Cyberpunk is also a culture with attitude and a distinct style. Anti-authoritarian, brandaverse, tech-literate; these are just some of the qualities you may find in a cyberpunk. cYbERPuNk ORIgINS Cyberpunk began as a literary movement but has become a subcultural organism. “What is Cyberpunk?” is a complex and multi-layered question, whose answer is ever-changing as the subculture and our perception of the future changes. The tendrils, that began in the written word, have infiltrated beyond movies to all forms of art, fashion and philosophy generating an all-encompassing and evergrowing subculture.

There are number of ways to examine the origins of the cyberpunk movement. The term “cyberpunk” itself can be traced to the short story Cyberpunk by Bruce Bethke. Then of course, there are the core cyberpunk authors that are generally accepted to have laid the ground work of the cyberpunk movement William Gibson (Gibson is considered the founder of Cyberpunk), Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, Rudy Rucker, John Shirley and Lewis Shiner. There are also a number of precursor novels that had strong themes and imagery that would be later associated with the cyberpunk genre such as The Demolished Man (1953) and The Stars My Destination (1956) by Alfred Bester, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) by Phillip K. Dick, Dr. Adder (Written in 1972, but not published until 1984) by K.W. Jeter, Gravity’s Rainbow (1973) by Thomas Pynchon, The Shockwave Rider (1975) by John Brunner, and True Names (1981) by Vernor Vinge. More recently Neal Stephenson, author of Snow Crash (1992), is largely credited with bringing cyberpunk into the post-cyberpunk era.

Blade Runner and Neuromancer were a convergence event that created the filmological and literary birth of a movement.

Blade Runner influenced, and still does, all cyberpunk that would come after it visually, the same way that Neuromancer influenced, and still does, all cyberpunk literature.

Cyberpunk never was just a literary genre. fINdINg A dEfINItION We can break down a basic definition of cyberpunk by dissecting the word itself.

Cyber refers to technology, and is most often associated with cyberspace (this word was originally coined by William Gibson himself), and cybernetic enhancements to the body. But this can also refer to other technologies such

as biotechnology and nanotechnology for instance.

Punk, on the other hand, refers to the people and the attitude that cyberpunk has. Protagonists in cyberpunk tend to be outsiders, anti-heros, outcasts, criminals, visionaries, dissenters, and misfits. The underlying aspect that applies to all of these groups is their subversive nature.

To subvert is to overthrow or undermine something. The cyberpunk genre itself subverted science fiction, and we never looked back. To be punk is to question authority, and to actively subvert any of that authority you don’t agree with. Different people do this in different ways, just as our cyberpunk protagonists do. An example is Motoko Kusanagi from the Ghost in the Shell franchise. On the surface she seems to be a tool and agent for the Japanese government. This is true, but this is not what defines her, nor how she defines herself.

Throughout the series she is not afraid to go rogue and take things into her own hands if it will get her closer to what she thinks is right – fuck the politicians. She is a subversive element within the government. thE ESSENcE Of cYbERPuNk There are a number of quotes that help to illustrate the essence of cyberpunk: “The future is already here — its just not very evenly distributed.” – William Gibson This quote puts the cyber/punk and the “High Tech, Low Life,” dichotomy into context. There exists today high technology, but this technology has failed to erode away social divisions leaving a disparity between the classes which leads to social strife. In addition, although this technology exists the low class does not have the means by which to benefit from it, thus widening the divide as the rich elite get richer and thus have more access to technology.

“Anything that can be done to a rat can be done to a human being.” – Bruce Sterling This is an important concept. We do terrible things to rats in the pursuit of progress, and we are not impervious to any of them. Many cyberpunk plots resolve around some sort of drug effect or brain tampering that we have, in reality, already done to rats. It’s just a matter of time before we start tampering with ourselves in the same ways. Rats are just the preview.

“The street finds it’s own use for things.” – William Gibson This gets down to the punk/low life aspect of cyberpunk and puts it into the context of the open source, maker, and DIY movements.

The rate of technological development is so fast that we generate a lot of stuff that is just there, and obsolete. These things lose their perceived value and are discarded, but then this refuse can be repurposed and used in ways that the original creators never would have imagined. Like using a DVD player to test for HIV. cYbERPuNk Off-ShOOtS Biopunk is a subgenre of cyberpunk, that focuses more on the biological technologies such as genetic manipulation. Often cited examples are Gattaca, and Dark Angel.

These can be considered cyberpunk because although Biopunk tends to lack the cyberspace and cybernetic aspects that cyberpunk sports, it is faithful to the “High Tech, Low Life,” aspects. It is a different visualization of the same ideas.

Post-Cyberpunk is a modern reaction to the now antiquated visual qualities of ’80s inspired cyberpunk. PostCyberpunk tends to have a greater focus on Transhumanism, space travel, and emerging technologies that weren’t imagined at the time of the ’80s. bEINg cYbERPuNk A cyberpunk has attitude. This attitude is culturally and socially aware, just like the fiction from which they take their name.

They question everything and anyone and decide for themselves what they believe is true. This path to understanding yields different world views and opinions, but diversity is key to a successful population.

A cyberpunk knows that the system isn’t in your favor, and the deck is stacked against you. A cyberpunk knows how to hack the system so that doesn’t matter.

Don’t fuck with a cyberpunk.

A cyberpunk has style. This style can be different for each person. It can be practical (Mil-Tec) or flashy (Cybergoth).

The style often mirrors the cyberpunk personal philosophy and thus can vary drastically. There are recurring themes such as traditional punk, Blade Runnerinspired, Matrix-inspired, CPUs, Mil-Tec, and Cybergoth. whEN IS cYbERPuNk? Cyberpunk is now. Many of the things that were predicted in cyberpunk are coming to pass today. Improvements in prosthetics and brain computer interface have resulted in brain controlled prosthetics, a mainstay of cyberpunk.

Corporations increasing dominate global politics, and influence culture creating a situation ripe for subversion.

The poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer, creating a larger and larger divide.

‘The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed

‘

The cyberworld is ever merging with the real world through things such as the Internet of Things, social media, mobile technology, virtual reality, and augmented reality. Hackers have brought gangs, corporations, governments, and individuals to their knees. We have entered the cyberpunk age…welcome.

Cyberpunk has spread to all forms of media, creating a subculture rather a simple genre. There are cyberpunk movies, television, comics, music, and art everywhere. All you have to do is look. Cyberpunk has influenced fashion, architecture, and philosophy. Cyberpunk has become much more than what it was when it began. And it will continue to evolve and become more relevant as we move further from the Cyberpunk Now into the Cyberpunk Future. Keep watching…

EXPLorE

e m e r t

lAUNCHeS THIS MONTH

by Konark Tyagi

tOYOtA cOROLLA fAcELIft Toyota Kirloskar Motor has launched the new Corolla Altis facelift in India at a price tag of `15.87 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Mechanically, the car remains the same and the main changes have been aesthetic only.

Under the hood is the same 1.8-litre VVT-i unit for the petrol variants and the frugal 1.4-litre variant for the diesel powered variants. The petrol unit produces 140PS of power along with 173NM of torque whereas the diesel variant produces 88PS of power along with 205NM of torque. Talking about the main aesthetic changes, the front headlights have been revised with LED integration and DRL’s along with a new front bumper. The alloy wheels have been updated with a new 16-inch design. On the inside, the Corolla Altis facelift now sports more safety features like 7 airbags, hill start assist, vehicle stability control and ABS + EBD with brake assist.

Hyundai’s Elantra has been doing well in the D-sedan segment and the Altis was long due for an update. Log on to www.thewheelz. com for a detailed review of the new Corolla Altis Facelift and a comparison with its chief competitors- Skoda Octavia, Chevrolet Cruze and the Hyundai Elantra.

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LAMbORghINI AvENtAdOR S Lamborghini India has added a more powerful, faster variant to the Aventador lineup -the Aventador S at a price tag of `5.01 crore (exshowroom India). The ‘S’ variant gets 41 more horses over the standard Aventador and uses the same mammoth 6.5-litre V12 engine with the power output now at 730bhp.

It can hit the 100kmph mark from a standstill in just 2.9 seconds and can go all the way up to 349kmph! Yes, you read that right.

It still retains the carbon-fibre monocoque chassis which has been tweaked to handle more power.

Transmission duties are carried by a one of a kind Independent Shifting Rod suspension. The most interesting addition to the ‘S’ variant is the new four-wheel-steering which helps the bull to carve corners faster.

Three drive modes remain similar to the standard car, Strada (street driving), Sport and Corsa (race performance). Changes have been made to the interior of the car as well, the hypercar now flaunts new TFT display with updated graphics with Apple CarPlay integration as well.

PORSchE PANAMERA tuRbO

Porsche India has launched the Panamera Turbo in India at a starting price of `1.93Cr. The prices weren already revealed online at their official website a day before the launch. It is powered by a new, lighter and more compact twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine that is good enough for 550PS of power and 770Nm of torque.

The engine is now mated to a new 8-speed PDK gearbox and comes with all-wheel drive as standard. The 4.0-litre V8 ensures a 0-100kmoh time of 3.8 seconds and will go all the way till 306 kmph.

It comes with Porsche Connect which enhances existing vehicle functions with intelligent services and apps, all of which are intended to make the connection between car and driver even more intimate, to intensify that sports car fascination, and to make the challenges of everyday life quick and easy to overcome.

Audi India has launched the facelifted Q3 in our country at a price tag of `34,20,000 for the FWD Q3 and `37,20,000 for the AWD Quattro variant.

The Quattro variant is good enough for of 184hp of power whereas the 2WD variant has been downtuned to deliver 150bhp of power. Even the 7 Speed S tronic transmission has been tuned to improve fuel consumption and performance as well.

hONdA wR-v Japanese auto giant Honda has launched the new WR-V in India at a price tag of `7.75 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.Honda dealers have already started taking pre-orders for the car at a token amount of `21,000, while the deliveries will commence towards the end of this month.

Panoramic Sunroof, 17� alloy wheels, LED Headlights with signature LED DRLs and Deluxe 2 Zone Automatic Air Conditioner are now included as standard features. Aesthetically, the bumpers have also been revised, making the facelift slightly distinguishable than the outgoing model.

AudI Q3 fAcELIft

Honda has targeted the WR-V as a Sporty Lifestyle Vehicle for the young Indian buyer who wants upmarket and premium interiors coupled with modern features. Based on the Jazz hatchback, the WR-V will shares a lot of parts from its hatchback sibling and the recently updated Honda City. The same 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol and 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine do the duty for the WR-V as well in a similar state of tune as the Jazz.

NISSAN tERRANO fAcELIft Nissan has finally updated the Terrano in India with 22 new features. It's French counterpart the Duster has received many facelifts ever since it has been launched in India and this is the first facelift for Terrano.

DSK Hyosung launched a limited edition variant of its Aquila 250 cruiser in India.

Priced at `2.94 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the DSK Hyosung Aquila 250 special edition costs `10,000 more than the standard model. The changes are just skindeep though with the only update being the addition of three new colours - Matte green, Carbon Black and Desert Brown.

Only 100 units will be sold. Mechanicals remain the same as the regular model with a 249cc V-twin engine that produces 26.21bhp of power and 21.37Nm of torque coming mated with a 5-speed transmission case.

The 22 new features include new Premium Dual Tone Interior, Cruise Control, 7.0 Touchscreen Navigation system, Steering Mounted Audio/Phone Control, One-Touch Lane Change Indicator, Anti-pinch Driver Side Window, and new Steering Wheel Design. It also get the 6-speed AMT unit which has been coupled with the top-of-the-line XVD variant and is priced at `14.94 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi.

dSk hYOSuNg AQuILIA 250 LIMItEd EdItION

EXtrEME

Think of the Harley-Davidson Street Rod 750 as the drag race-inspired version of the Street 750 – a faster, meaner version of it. And with its revised styling which reminds one of the V-Rod and the Night Rod from the same stable, the Street Rod 750 is more or less the entry ticket to that league. Launched in India with a price tag of `5.86 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi), the middleweight dragster stands out, thanks to its aggressive looks and of course due to its skills of burn some rubber when asked.

The drag race bike design revision is obvious in its matte black engine and exhaust finish, kickedup rear end, redesigned saddle, taller front cowl, lower handlebars and bar-end mirrors. The 749cc, 8-valve, liquid-cooled, V-Twin, Revolution X engine has been taken from the Street 750.

But it gets more power and torque, because of tweaking that has been done. The new twin-port injection system also deserves a decent share of credit for the bump in oomph. The 6-speed gearbox remains unchanged and is in more or less the same state as it was while serving on board the Street 750. There is 5kg weightgain which need not be a matter of concern since the 11% increase in power is expected to compensate for the additional weight.

The chassis and suspension set-up have gone through extensive changes including alterations in the rake angles which saw the ride height getting a bump up and the wheelbase being reduced. The centre of gravity is going to be higher for the Harley-Davidson Street Rod 750.

But the handling department is going to benefit a lot since the bike is going to be more easy to click around, given the shorter wheelbase.

Stopping power has been amplified with two 300mm discs up front and a single 300mm disc at the rear, ably assisted by the sheer excellence of ABS which comes as standard. The all-new beefier radials enhance the bike’s cornering abilities and the new foot peg position makes it a much easier bike to attack corners with, compared to the cruiser on which the Street Rod 750 is based.

Available in three colours – Vivid Black, Charcoal Denim and Olive Gold – the HarleyDavidson Street Rod 750 is now open for booking and dealerships is start issuing test rides to prospective customers soon as well.

RENAuLt kwId cLIMbER EdItION First showcased at the 2016 Indian Auto Expo, Renault has finally launched the Kwid Climber in India at an introductory price of `4.30 Lakh for the manual variant and Rs. 4.60 Lakh for the Automatic variant. Only the 1.0-litre variants of the Kwid get the Climber treatment and is coupled with the range topping 1.0-litre RXT (O) variant.

This Climber variants are almost `25,000 more than their normal counterparts, making them the most expensive in the Kwid range.

Mechanically, the cars remain unchanged and use the same 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol motor. The Kwid Climber is available in the following color schemes – Electric Blue, Outback Bronze and Planet Grey.

Right after Maruti has created buzz with the Ignis amongst the youth, the Climber variant seems to be addressing the same lines.

tAtA tIAgO AMt Tiago has been a successful product from Tata ever since it has been launched in India and the same has now got an AMT gearbox. Only the petrol variant (XZA top-spec) gets the AMT gearbox and the same has been priced at `5.39 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), about `40,000 above the topspec manual variant.

hARLEY dAvIdSON StREEt ROd 750

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The Tiago AMT also gets two drive modes - Sports and City which according to Tata tweak the performance according to “a peppy driving experience and city cruising” respectively and even a ‘creep’ mode which will be a boon for city traffic conditions. The AMT Tiago uses the same 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder Revotron motor which is good for 85PS of power and 114Nm of torque. Fuel efficiency has been rated at 23.84kmpl for the manual variant and the AMT is also expected to deliver similar figures. The Tiago AMT will compete with the Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Celerio AMT, Hyundai Grand i10 and the Honda Brio.

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#thewheelz #realtimenews #unbiasedreviews #obsessedwithauto #internationalnews #autoporn #techinauto #fortheenthusiasts #carreviews #bikereviews #travelouge #kitnadetihai

TY PROPER AN

grAN WE HAvE spENT 4 DAys WITH THE BMW 320D GT AND HErE Is A DAy-By-DAy ACCOuNT Of THE sAME!

by Konark Tyagi

what is it?

daY 1- The 3 Series GT has been

Facelifted version of the BMW 3 Series GT. Has similar driving dynamics as the standard 3 Series sedan with a 200mm longer wheelbase which translates into more space in the rear seat.

dropped underneath my office, but I have some articles to finish before I head out for a little spin. Cut to 7 PM, I am done with work and as soon as I reach the parking lot, first thing that strikes me is that the 3 GT parked in grey looks more muscular than the regular 3. The frameless windows roll down a little as soon as I unlock the door, and I am greeted by a quite familiar BMW cabin. I take the car out from the parking lot and straight into peak hour Andheri West traffic. Since I started off in Efficiency Pro mode, the Auto start-stop system kicked in which kept on turning the ignition off at every stop as I was inching towards the traffic signal. So I manually turned the system off and things became normal. The NVH levels are surprisingly on the lower side and despite having frameless windows, there is hardly any sound that creeps in.

how does it look?

If you look at it from the front, there are hardly any differentiating factors in between the normal 3 Series and the 3 GT ( a closer look will show you some differences like revised air damps).

Come over to the side, first thing that will strike you is the coupe-like floating roofline and the updated alloy wheel design. At the back, the adjustable spoiler and the large tailgate shape define the 3 Series Gran Turismo.

On the inside, the cabin has a very similar design language as any other BMW i.e modern and retro at the same time. The connected iDrive infotainment system is quite intuitive and definitely is one of the top techloaded systems I have seen in a car priced south of `50 lakh. You can toggle between different drive modes which have their own displays. In the efficiency pro mode, the iDrive system shows exactly how much fuel is being consumed and what is the exact car system straining the battery.

In Sport mode, you can also see the real-time power and torque figures which in my opinion is a very cool bit.

I could actually figure out at what point am I using the peak torque and how early or late the power is delivered in the rev band.

I have spent four days with the 3 Series Gran Turismo and here is a day-wise experience of the same.

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daY 2- It's a weekday again and I have to go to work. As soon as I start my journey, I accidentally placed my hand in between both the front seats to find something and it looks like I accidentally hit the trackpad which is a pretty neat feature. You can feed inputs to the maps and all by drawing things on the pad you know! daY 3- It’s around 11 in the night and I feel like going for a drive.

So I pick the Gran Turismo’s keys and switch the Bluetooth on in my smartphone. *Kygo- It Ain't Me* plays in the background*, the 3 GT is comfortably warmed up in Comfort Mode for a nice 15 minutes until I reach the highway and I switched the drive mode to Sport.

Now I am out on the highway and I am toggling between Sport and Sport Plus modes. The Sport Plus does turn the traction control as well so I am being a bit conscious with the throttle inputs. Also, I am slightly being hesitant as I don't wanna go sideways 450Nm-ing on public roads as I exit a corner (BMW’s are RWD remember?).

Having said that, the 3 power delivery from the 2-litre diesel motor is quite linear to do anything sideways, the turbo-petrol would have been a better bet for this. So now it’s way past midnight and I have reached the Worli Sealink. Time to put the 3 Series through its paces. The 8-speed GEARBOX is smooth, shifts are instantaneous and jerk-free as I get off the line and there's this huge wave of torque that I am floating on.

Oh, and the speakers (total 9 in number) are now playing some song by Diljit Dosanjh which talks about a Lamborghini and is really upbeat. So the 100 mark comes up in around 8-ish seconds but in a very linear and a sedate way. This is when it hits me that this car can be a perfect touring companion for three to four people. It can cruise all day at triple digit speeds, can hold all your luggage properly and offer all the space at the rear seat.

daY 4- It is shoot time! We need a nice double spread image on which the text that you are reading has been smartly placed by our graphic team. So we decide to start the shoot early in order to avoid the morning hour traffic rush. We finally reach our shoot location(which shall not be disclosed) and our ace photographer Harman is doing what he does best! Done and dusted with the shoot, it is time to return the car back. If I had to sum up my experience of the 3 Series GT in a word, it would be ‘Practicality’. The 3 GT is indeed quite a practical car with an efficient diesel engine and a spacious rear seat. And the best part is the fact that all of it comes with almost similar driving dynamics as the standard 3 and stays true to the ‘GT’ badge.

`43.3 Lakhs (ex-showroom delhi)

SPEcS: Engine-2.0-litre turbo diesel Power- 190bhp Torque- 400NM Transmission- 8-Speed Automatic, RWD Acceleration- 0-100kmph - 7.7seconds

EXtrEME

jAguAR xf dIESEL PuRE tEStEd!

by Konark Tyagi

48 I

I APR 17

what is it?

A facelifted version of Jaguar’s answer to Audi’s A6, BMW’s 5 Series and Mercedes’ E-Class.

Also, comes with a new 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel engine.

facelift? what are the changes?

‘‘

thERE’S NO dENYINg thE fAct thAt A jAguAR StILL gRAbS MORE EYEbALLS thAN ANY Of ItS gERMAN RIvALS.

We were testing the base spec i.e the ‘Pure’ variant. It comes with smaller 17-inch rims, no rear parking camera, no sunroof, no keyless entry and a smaller 7-inch InControl Pro Unit. About the changes, the rear end is where you’ll see most of them.

Inspired from the F-Type, the rear tail light looks similar to the XE, its younger sibling and this is one concept that I fail to understand.

Not just Jaguar, even the entire German trio has been following this design philosophy. If you fail to understand the minute details, there is a strong chance that you will confuse a 35 lakh rupee car for a 70 lakh one. Step inside the cabin and the gear selector will rise out, the side AC vents will do the theatrics, similar to the previous model. You'll feel at home if you have ever been inside a Jag before. All the buttons, dials, design elements have been carried over from either the last generation or from its siblings- the XE and the XJ.

whats under the hood? how does it drive?

`47.5 Lakhs (ex-showroom delhi)

SPEcS: Engine- 2.0-litre Ingenium Diesel Power- 180hp, Torque- 430Nm Accelaration - 0-100kmph- 8.1 seconds Top Speed- 229kmph Transmission - 8 Speed ZF Automatic, RWD

One of the main changes with this facelift is the addition of the new lighter 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel mill instead of the old Ford-sourced 2.2-litre diesel mill.

The new Ingenium mill is good enough for 180 hp of power along with 430Nm of torque.

The difference can be felt right from the moment go. The new engine feels more refined, power delivery is quite linear and even sounds alright when revved hard.

Taking care of the transmission duties is the 8-speed ZF torque converter gearbox. It shifts smoothly between the cogs and the addition of paddle shifters add to the entire feel. This new variant is also based on a new iQ aluminum-intensive platform which is lighter than before and what that translates into is a better driving experience.

You can be confident chucking

the XF into corners and the body roll is quite negligible.I have been testing a lot of high-end cars off late and one thing that really stood out in this new XF was the driving position. The seat bolstering, the steering wheel placement/ size, everything just feels perfect and inspires oodles of confidence as soon as you get behind the wheel. The steering wheel offers good feedback and you feel connected with the road, the suspension is stiff yet comfortable at the same time and the brakes have a decent bite. You can alter the steering, transmission and engine response with the standard Jaguar Drive Control by toggling between Normal, Dynamic, Eco, and Rain/ Ice/Snow modes. The dials turn red when you put it in Dynamic mode, the steering weighs up and the gearbox holds each gear for longer, giving it a sporty vibe.

Things are nice and comfortable for the rear occupants as well. The wheelbase has increased from the last generation which translates into more leg space at the back. The seats again are quite comfortable, offer good all around support and since the NVH levels are on the lower side, the cabin is definitely a good place to be in.

should i BuY one?

There’s no denying the fact that a Jaguar still grabs more eyeballs than any of its German rivals. Having said that, the new XF even drives well, has decent space at the rear and is even priced competitively. The base ‘ Pure’ variant that we tested feels quite under-equipped in terms of features in front of the competition. Also, the new Volvo S90, long-wheelbase Mercedes E-Class and the upcoming BMW 5 Series have seriously raised the bar in the executive sedan segment.

We will have to pit it head to head against its competition to declare a clear winner but having said that, we can safely say that the Jag is a better driver’s car than most of it’s competition and has an unmatchable brand value!

EXtrEME

The Importance of Riding Gear The number of fatalities in our country because of road accidents involve a huge number of two wheeler accidents. Lack of basic safety gear is one of the main reasons behind the loss of life. There has been a major myth that riding gear is very expensive and is only necessary when you are riding on a track. Here are some basic tips that you must follow to keep yourself safe at all times and experience one of the best feeling in the world.

by Konark Tyagi

RIdINg gLOvES

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HARD SAFe

Get a Certified Helmet

There are certain grades and tests that have been set by various road safety organisations like SNELL, DOT. So whenever you are planning to buy a helmet, ensure that your helmet either has an ECE R22-05, SNELL or a DOT protection rating.

The ECE R22-05 protection is one of the most common helmet certification internationally and is compulsory in over 50 countries worldwide.

I have been using the Royal Enfield Street Nimbus (as seen in the image above) which is a classic full-face design helmet. It is a ECE R22-05 rated and a DOT approved helmet. The shell has been made out of lightweight fibreglass which has been designed to absorb the actual impact over a larger surface area which ultimately helps in improving protection. The Liner is made out of expanded polystyrene which further absorbs the shock in case of a crash. I have been using this helmet during warm 30-degree afternoons and it comes with two vents on the top which help in passing some air, keeping my head cool during stressful traffic conditions (the exact reason I have stopped driving to work every day). The liner is also removable and washable and so is the chin curtain. The polycarbonate visor is wide enough to give you view of the road ahead as well as the parallel traffic. The helmet has a Shiro badge at the back and has been basically been rebranded for Royal Enfield. At the end of the day, you can’t put price on your head and buying a helmet after doing some research is a thing that is recommended by any professional rider.

ridinG Gloves

Riding Gloves play another vital part in the safety phenomena of riding gear. Not only do they look great, they provide great protection for your fingers, palm and wrist in case of an accident and also keep the weather out. In the case of a fall from a two-wheeler, the first reaction of the rider would be to try and protect himself by pulling out his palms and bracing himself for the fall. Now what this means is that is the first hit would definitely be taken by your fingers, palms and wrists. Hence, riding gloves are really important to ensure complete safety while riding.I have been using the Royal Enfield Honeycomb gloves from the last couple of months for my daily commute. The outer shell is made from leather and polyester air stretch mesh which has polyester tricot lining. It has protection for the knuckles but strangely the little finger doesn’t get any protection. Also, the little finger is quite vulnerable to impact as it can be the first thing to make contact with the ground in the event of a crash.

Riding through warm Mumbai summer with these gloves hasn’t been an issue as there is decent ventilation for air to flow in. Also, they go well with the Darcha riding jacket that I have been using along with the gloves. However, these are entry level gloves and are not suitable for high speed interactions.

ridinG JaCket

Yes, they look cool, identify you as a serious rider and save your upper body from a major crash as well. I have crashed at speeds around 60-70 kmph and got off unscratched because of a good

gEt A cERtIfIEd hELMEt

quality riding jacket. So make sure that you always invest in a good quality riding jacket. There are a number of Jackets available in our market which offer great crash protection. I have been using the Royal Enfield Darcha Four season Jacket from the past one month. It has been made by a Dutch brand called Rev’It and just as the name suggests, it offers protection from heat, water and is a boon in cold temperatures as well. It comes with Knox Flexiform shoulder and elbow protection which is CE1 approved and you can also add a back protector inside the jacket.

Basically, a three-layered jacket - the topmost layer is made from water-resistant polyester on the outside and a mesh layer on the inside. You can remove the inner two layers if you are riding in warm temperatures and use it as a summer jacket. It has a couple of vents at the front and two at the back as well which help in ventilation once the mercury level rises. Both the inside jackets are strapped onto each other and you cannot use just the inside layers as a separate half jacket. Once you put on all the three layers, the jacket does become slightly heavy and can be a bit bulky during long rides. It has a plethora of storage pockets all over and a huge pocket at the back which means that you can carry all of your necessary stuff while touring. It even gets a waist, arm, neck strap adjuster- ensuring that you can adjust the jacket as per your requirements.

RIdINg jAckEt

ridinG Pants

Your lower body is exposed to a lot of damage during a two-wheeler crash, so wearing a riding pant along with proper knee protection would be really helpful in the case of a fall as you tend to slide around on your thigh/knee once you crash at a high speed. Some riding pants with added hip protection as well . The best way to judge the best riding pant for you is to actually try out the pants and swing a leg over your bike to check for the proper fitting and comfort. The knee protection must be positioned firmly above your knee so that it doesn’t move around in the case of a crash. Another very important point to take care of when buying a riding pant is to ensure that it is CE certified/approved.

RIdINg PANtS

ridinG Boots

Boots play a vital role in the event of a crash as one of the most common injuries that happen after a crash is an ankle fracture. Since the ankle is holding all of your body’s weight when you are standing or walking, it is already a strong muscle. However, during an impact with the road, it can simply snap and break in a matter of seconds. Riding boots are the easiest fix to prevent this and they prevent the ankle from being bent beyond a certain point.

There are different types of riding boots available in our market depending on your usage of touring/ commuting or track purposes. Some brands have also been making basic leather boots and branding them as riding boots off late which has led to the confusion of ‘normal boots’ vs ‘riding boots’. Before buying riding boots, if possible, one must try them out and go for a short ride to find the right fit for themselves.

Riding a two-wheeler is a beautiful experience a proper riding gear will ensure that you can be safe at all times and enjoy this experience over and over again without breaking your bones!

RIdINg bOOtS

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e m e r t

tAtA tAMO RAcEMO SPORtS cAR

2017

GeNevA Motor show thERE wERE MANY & wE hAd tO chOOSE PAINfuLLY

by Sanjoy Alexander

StARS

2018 PORSchE 911 GT3 52 I

I APR 17

A faster, more powerful update of the purposeful sports car, the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 comes with a 6-speed manual transmission which makes the naturallyaspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine use 500bhp of power and 458Nm of torque in the most excitement-inducing manner possible. But that’s the optional transmission case. And with that gearbox you can clock 0-96kph in 3.2 seconds and blast off all the way till 318kph. Now, if you stick with the standard 7-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission case, your 0-96kph time will improve by 0.1 seconds. But the top speed will come down to 317kph.

We have a redesigned front fascia for improved airflow, new headlights and taillights, an updated chassis, a new carbon-fiber rear wing, a new diffuser with a set of tail pipes and Rear Wheel Steering. On the inside, Porsche Communication Management system comes as standard equipment and there are more special updates like the steering wheel from the Porsche 918 Spyder hypercar.

This is the first car to be unveiled under the sub-brand TAMO. The Racemo is also the first car to be featured in Microsoft's Forza Horizon 3 in its track version form - the Racemo+. Both versions were on display at the Tata pavilion.

Combining both physical and digital worlds with strong connectivity features such as cloud computing, analytics, geospatial and mapping as well as an enhanced human-machine interface, the Tata Racemo is India’s first globally developed “phygital” car. Designed at the Tata Motors Design Studio in Turin, Italy and built on a patented MoFlex Multi-Material Sandwich structure, the Tata TAMO Racemo comes with a 3-cylinder 1.2-liter turbocharged petrol engine that produces 187bhp of power and 210Nm of torque. The car is midengined and the powerplant comes mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration figure for the 0-96kph dash is less than 6 seconds. Connected car features like navigation, predictive maintenance, remote monitoring and over-the-air updates using Microsoft cloud-based technologies are also part of the package.

Employing the same 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine which powers the lineup, the Lamborghini Huracan Performante is more ferocious than the standard Huracan. Thanks to an additional ration of power and torque which has taken the numbers up to 631bhp of power and 600Nm of torque. They didn’t stop there.

In order to make the car quicker, Lamborghini improved the air intake design, redesigned the exhaust, added new titanium valves and optimized the fluid dynamics for the intake and exhaust.

So how did all that translate to real-world performance? 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds.

0-200kph in 8.9 seconds. Both those numbers are improvements over what the Huracan LP 610-4 can pull off. The Lamborghini Huracan Performante should be thankful for the 40kg weight loss and that tweaked 7-speed dual-clutch transmission which contributed to the enhanced performance. Lamborghini also took the time and effort to stiffen the suspension and recalibrate the electromechanical power steering, dynamic steering and electronic stability control. The 4-wheel-drive system also went through a round of tweaking which in turn made the car grippier around corners.

LAMbORghINI huRAcAN PERfORMANtE Zenvo Automotive hit the 2017 Geneva Motor Show with a 1,163bhp-1,100Nm rocket punch called the Zenvo TS1 GT. A 5.8-liter twin-supercharged V8 churns out all the brute power and torque as it is mated with a 7-speed sequential racing gearbox with helical-cut gears.

The gearbox which has been developed in-house by Zenvo themselves is capable of shifting gears in 40 milliseconds. That’s more or less the same time taken by an F1 car to shift gears. The carbon-bodied, 2-seater, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive supercar from the Danish carmaker has been built to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the company.

zENvO TS1 GT

The carmaker hasn’t revealed the actual performance figures of the Zenvo TS1 GT. But given that the standard version of the car which was revealed last year had an electronically-limited top whack of 373kph and a 0-100kph dash time 2.8 seconds, the Zenvo TS1 GT will be topping those numbers for sure. There are rumors of the hypercar being capable of clocking 402kph.

The renowned automotive design house with decades of history in designing some of the best-looking cars in the world, has finally decided to shift lanes to building hyper-exclusive supercars for the niche market. Starting things off is the Italdesign Automobili Speciali Zerouno V10. The first one to bear the new brand name of Italdesign Automobili Speciali, the Zerouno V10 is so exclusive that only 5 will be made and one of them will be delivered by the end of the year.

Designed by Filippo Perini, who also penned the beautiful lines of the Lamborghini Veneno, Huracan and the Aventador during his days as the Head of Design at Lamborghini, the Zerouno does borrow cues from the designer’s finest works. The rear and the engine cover in particular do give the impression that the designer is still in love with Veneno. The stunning bodywork has been done in carbon-fiber and is wrapped around an aluminium and carbon fiber internal structure, which is more or less the same as the one seen in two supercars in the VW Group – the Lamborghini Huracan and the Audi R8.

ItALdESIgN AutOMObILI SPEcIALI zEROuNO v10

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It’s the successor to the highly-successful McLaren 650S and while that car was more of a rehash of the MP412C, the new McLaren 720S is an all-new creature.

The engine has grown bigger now at 4.0-liter and the engineers at Woking have introduced new twin-scroll turbochargers and lighter internal components into the system. The powerplant is mated with a super-fast 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The modifications have bestowed the McLaren 720S with 710bhp of power and 770Nm of torque. It can do 0-96kph in 2.8 seconds, cover a quarter mile in 10.3 seconds and warp off to a top speed of 341kph. Styling can divide supercar lovers into two factions. Though the McLaren 720S does have a bit of Pagani Huayra vibe in its design, it isn’t the best-looking car in the segment. The front fascia isn’t something which will make many drop to their knees either. Once again, the McLaren design department seems to have focused more on science than art when they went about creating the design for those body panels which are made of carbon-fiber and superformed aluminium.

McLAREN 720S

If the Middle East can have the Lykan Hypersport, then why should Singapore be left behind? Here is the answer and it’s called the Vanda Dendrobium. Named after an orchid which is native to Singapore, the electric hypercar has been developed by Singapore electric mobility company Vanda Electrics with generous help from Williams Advanced Engineering.

The Dendrobium looks futuristic and has the looks of a car which Dominic Toretto would like to go skyscraper-hopping with, if and when the Fast and Furious reaches Singapore in the near future.

The front end is quite imposing with those super-long vertical headlights on both sides. The rear

end is pretty space-age too with the twin rear diffuser and that unique LED taillight cluster bar which stretches from one end of the rear to the other like a bridge.

With body panels made of carbonfiber, composite monocoque chassis, aerodynamic floor and carbon ceramic disc brakes, the oddly-named Singapore hypercar has a lot of things in its favour on paper. We are being told is that the hypercar will be in a position to do 0-100kph in 2.7 seconds and put a top speed of 320kph once it reaches the testing phase. What it now needs is a robust testing prototype which will validate the claims made by Dendrobium’s makers.

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McLaren amped up the car’s flamboyance in certain other areas, like the welcome sequence which is activated when the driver is approaching the car. In addition to the usual trickery of deploying the wing mirrors and sweeping up the indicators, the McLaren 720S also takes the time to illuminate the engine bay. Plus, when you open the door, the Folding Driver Display in the dash does its rotating trick which is mighty impressive to behold as you step in. There is a Variable Drift Control System too for those who don’t mind changing those expensive set of tyres often.

Retaining everything that made the design study such a big hit four and a half years ago, the production model of the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo adopts the beloved Shooting Brake style roofline. Porsche has added a rear roof spoiler too, so that the downforce demanded by the new shape is delivered. In addition to making the car look sportier, the Shooting Brake design also adds a lot of room inside for stowing your luggage. The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo can seat more people too. Nope, we aren’t hinting at the existence of any awkwardly-placed seats in the luggage bay. It’s the rear seating area which gets the added passenger space as the design now facilitates seats for three compared to the seats for two arrangement that’s available in standard Panamera.

PORSchE PANAMERA SPORt tuRISMO

MERcEdESAMG GT cONcEPt

They made the Mercedes-AMG GT coupe and the convertible.

Now Mercedes-AMG is teasing the world with this – a 4-door high performance sedan, simply called the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept.

Unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the concept employs the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 taken from the sports car and along with that powerplant they have also added an electric motor. AMG has borrowed some of the wizards from their F1 team to get the hybrid powertrain engineering right and since the unit now spits out 800bhp of power, the decision to rope them in has proven to be the right one. That makes this 4-door high-performance sedan more powerful than the Beast of the Green Hell – the Mercedes-AMG GT R.

The devilishly evil Panamericana grille, those thin horizontal headlights and taillights and the overall design philosophy is in line with what you’d expect from a third member of the GT family. However, Mercedes-AMG sees the production version of the GT concept being built around a modified version of the MRA platform used by the C-Class and E-Class, instead of the unique aluminum platform structure of the GT coupe and convertible.Mercedes-AMG is serious about taking the car to production and there is a strong likelihood of a more productionready version coming up in spy pics soon as the carmaker is planning for a 2019 launch.

Two-time F1 and Indy champion Emerson Fittipaldi had been busy. Putting together a team of engineers and designers who can create a potent and in fact possibly iconic new supercar isn’t a walk in the park.

Well, he seems to be headed in the right direction as the Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show has the potential to be the next Pagani Zonda.

The supercar has been designed by Pininfarina and engineering by HWA, an offshoot of AMG that runs Mercedes’ DTM operations. The styling is reminiscent of a shark and the entire body has been made out of carbon-fiber. Wrapped around a racing-style monocoque chassis, the bodywork has also been garnished by a super-sized rear wing which will upset a Lamborghini Veneno. The headlights may be missed by many at first glance, given its position.

The super-light body and chassis have also been proven its crashworthiness which will be a big relief for serious drivers who are planning to buy a Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo.

Now, the engine. HWA built it from ground up instead of opting for the familiar and at times easier route of borrowing one and then going about with the job of retuning it. This all-new powerplant is an old-school naturally aspirated 4.8-liter, 600bhp, 420Nm V8 which comes mated with a 6-speed sequential gearbox and a two-way mechanical limited slip differential. Power is directed towards the rear wheels and that promises a lot of tail-happy fun from this machine. There are no carbon ceramic disc brakes as the creators have opted for ventilated steel units instead.

vOLvO xc60

fIttIPALdI Ef7 vISION gRAN tuRISMO

Closely resembling its bigger brother – the XC90 – in its styling, the new Volvo XC60 adopts the Thor’s Hammer DRL design at the front and the waterfall design taillight design at the rear, though both have been modified to complement the new SUV’s individual design identity. Inside, the dashboard houses a large iPad-esque display at the center which takes care of infotainment duties. A four-zone climate control system has been employed to provide fresh air devoid of pollutants to the occupants.

The new Volvo XC60 will be available in both diesel and petrol variants. The diesel powerplants are D4 and D5 engines producing 190bhp and 235bhp respectively. 254bhp T5 and 320bhp T6 powered variants will cater to the petrol-loving customers. Then there is the T8 Twin Engine petrol plug-in hybrid which churns out a staggering 401bhp of power which is the top-of-the-line variant. All these versions will come with an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive. Volvo has plans to launch front-wheel-drive versions as well as smaller-engined (both petrol and diesel) variants in the future. But that may take a while.

extreme

RANgE ROvER vELAR

Porsche 718 Cayman and Alfa Romeo 4C are getting a new rival in the form of the allnew Alpine A110. Styled as a Berlinette coupe, the light-weight mid-engined sports car from France made its debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. With both its body and chassis made of aluminium, the car weighs 1080kg and with its 247bhp, 320Nm, 1.8-liter turbocharged, inline 4-cylinder Renault engine, the Alpine 110 boasts of a remarkable power-to-weight ratio of 231bhp per tonne.

The modern-day incarnation of an iconic sports car from the past doesn’t disappoint at all as it can go from 0 to 100kph in 4.5 seconds and top out at an electronically-limited 250kph.

Special mention goes to the Getrag 7-speed dual-clutch transmission which reins the

engine. We may also have to add that the 0.32 drag coefficient is the lowest in the segment which means that the Alpine 110 will cut through air like a sailfish through water. The flat floor and rear diffuser deserve their share of credit here.

Lightweight 18-inch forged aluminium wheels from Otto Fuchs, one-piece bucket seats from Sabelt, all-aluminium brake calipers – there is a strict weightloss program that the Alpine 110A has followed to be a super-light sports car. And it has worked spectacularly for it. There are three modes too – Normal, Sport and Track – which brings forth changes in the engine, the gearbox, the steering, the ESC threshold, the exhaust note and the driver display based on the setting.

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The new SUV’s styling is clearly an amalgamation of the two brothers flanking the Range Rover Velar on the price list. The front end has been borrowed from the Range Rover Evoque while the profile is more Range Rover Sport than anything else. But the rear end looks more inspired by the SUV with which is shares its major engineering foundation with – the Jaguar F-Pace. Built on the same aluminium architecture as the Jaguar F-Pace with the same wheelbase as the SUV from the leaping cat, the Velar is bigger than the BMW X4 and offers loads of interior space for the passengers as well as the luggage that they are carrying. The interior is more futuristic than the ones in its competition as the Range Rover Velar comes with a clean dashboard which is devoid of clutter.

Two large 10-inch touchscreen displays occupy the console with the one on the dash meant for infotainment.

The Touch Pro Duo infotainment system has an Intel quad core processor, high-speed 60GB solid-state drive and ultra-fast Ethernet network. The other screen which is located on the center console taking care of the business of displaying car information and details pertaining to controls like air-conditioning.

North America will be getting the Range Rover Velar in three engine options – a 247bhp 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol, a 380bhp 3.0-liter supercharged V6 petrol and a 180bhp 2.0-liter diesel. All units will come mated with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Europe on the other hand will be spoilt for choice with more engine options – 177bhp and 236bhp 2.0-liter fourcylinder diesels, along with a 295bhp 3.0-liter V6 diesel powerplant and 246bhp 2.0-liter and 375bhp 3.0-liter V6 petrol engines.

tEchRuLES REN dIESEL tuRbINEELEctRIc SuPERcAR

We have seen our share of petrol-electric and allelectric supercars. The 2017 Geneva Motor Show gave us an ambitious diesel turbineelectric supercar to drool over.

Presented by upcoming Chinese automaker Techrules, the Techrules Ren is the company’s first production model and the cutting-edge charging system for the supercar is a diesel-powered turbine. Techrules claims that the supercar has 1,287bhp of power and 2,340Nm of torque at its disposal which makes the Ren one of the most powerful cars which made their debut at the show. But that power and torque output is available on the top-of-the-line model only, and that version comes with a total of six electric motors. It can race

off to a top speed of 320kph and boasts of a 0-100kph time of 2.5 seconds. The Techrules Ren will be available in lesspowerful variants too, with two and four electric motors. The two electric motors version comes with 429bhp of power and 780Nm of torque, while the four electric motors version has 858bhp of power and 1,560Nm of torque to play with. So we have a machine which is shifting lanes among the categories of sports car, supercar and hypercar across the range. The variants come with three battery packs of 14 kWh, 25 kWh and 32 kWh respectively and with a DC fast charger these power banks can be topped up by up to 80 percent in 15 minutes.

TRENDING

tecrhs

&cVIa DEOS

the world’s greatest car drag race The contestants for the greatest car drag race are- Acura NSX, Aston Martin V12 Vantage S manual, Audi R8 V10 Plus, BMW M4 GTS, Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE, Dodge Viper ACR, Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R, Jaguar F-Type SVR, McLaren 570S, Mercedes-AMG GT S, Nissan GT-R, and Porsche 911 Carrera S.

what’s inside apple airpods Would you like to know what’s inside a 199 dollars Apple Airpods? If yes, do watch this video out on Youtube. These guys went too extreme to find out what’s inside the Apple Airpods.

nokia 6 vs nokia 3310 drop test! a new legend?

self driving Mercedes - Mercedes’ autonoMous car tech at ces 2017!

Mercedes Benz showcased a self driving car at this years CES and the video has now been trending on the Internet.

Back in 2000, Nokia launched an indestructible 3310 that sold 126 million units worldwide. Now, Nokia launched Nokia 6 at MWC. Will Nokia 6 be as tough as the mighty Nokia 3310? Scan the QR code and watch the result.

world’s first passenger drone: ehang 184 sets world record

Mo gets a new rolls roYce Mo is a 21 year old automotive vlogger who lives in Dubai. He has just bought a new Rolls Royce. Check out his insane garage.

The Ehang 184 Autonomous Aerial Vehicle (AAV) is world’s first single-passenger drone that transports people at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet, thus setting the world record for being the World’s first passenger drone, according to the World Record Academy.

explore

Urvashi RAUTELA & hER fETish foR

O

Bags

by Utsavi Jha

ENHANCED

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I APR 17

Yellow dress - Montage by Ritika Arya | Earring - Prerto | Bag - Gio Collection

ur Tech Diva this month was none other than the ravishing Urvashi Rautela who came with an abundance of sizzle, striking poses and a lot of cool bags to pose with. That’s when we got down to discuss about what preferences a busy starlet like her would have in terms of bags. When we asked our tech-diva what were the 4 essential things that we would find in her bag at all times, she said that would have to be her - Cell phone, Cash, Hand sanitizer and Perfume. Quite agreeable.

Skirt and top - Fancy Pants | Bag - Gio Collection

aPril 2017

ENHANCED

tech diva

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While Urvashi might not be into using smartbags (at the moment), she sure was prompt in answering which her favourite bag brand was with the answer being bags from the Gio Collection.

In addition to these smaller bags, the cool HiSmart backpack by Lepow has a smart remote embedded on the strap that lets you carry out multiple functions like control music and take pictures.

On being asked for her preference from amongst Slings/Purses/ Handbags/Backpacks, Ms Tech Diva chose Backpacks. Elaborating on the same, she said her preferred style would be bags in different shapes, colours and those that are huge in size because she has a lot of things to put in her bag. So, the next time we meet the gorgeous Urvashi, we’re going to suggest she got her hands on the HiSmart backpack which would make her happier than she is.

Next, we asked Urvashi what tech gadgets we’d always find in her bag to which she said Travel chargers and Mobile charger. Sure, draining gadget battery troubles us all and it would only be worse for busy celebrities.

Photographer | Dabboo Ratnani Makeup & Hair | Ojas Rajani Stylist | Shreeja Rajgopal Location | Tamasha

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While urvashi might not be into using smartbags (at the moment), she sure was prompt in answering which her favourite bag brand was with the answer being bags from the Gio Collection.

Blazer dress - Urbane Label | Bag - Gio Collection

Now, we don’t mean to start an argument here - we think bags of all sorts are beautiful. But, then some of the technically advanced folks in the world looked at bags at one point and wondered. They wondered why should such an important accessory be devoid of the magic touch that technology ushers? Enter - a whole new avenue of bags with techembedded smart features. And, we totally agree! Having a great looking bag around that is also connected and in sync with where the world is heading is sure a good idea!

So, we went on a hunt for these bags.

Brands who introduced their smart counterparts like Mezzi come with a phone charger, bluetooth speakers, call and message notifications, in-bag light and luggage tracking.

Next is Stellé Audio clutches which are equipped with a Bluetooth sound system so you have your music on the go in addition to charging your phone. Along with these, Lorna & Bel handbags hold a 5000mAh battery with a charging cable available in a rear pocket.

So, for the ultra-busy Ms Rautela, we recommend bags with smart charging features. One being Everpurse that charges itself when placed on top of a white charging mat, second being Gianoi that allows one to plug-in their phone and charge and it also notifies every time a text, email, Instagram notification or WhatsApp message is received. Knomo’s Dering and Smartbag also come with charging capabilities with the latter one having a GPS Locator, too.

ENHANCED

Black blazer - Priyanka Gangwal | Bralet - Flirtatious | Pants - Madison | Accessories - Prerto | Bag - Gio Collection

Apart from these bags, there are also other brands that come with unique yet very useful smart features. For instance, Bluesmart Carry-On suitcases have a builtin, global 3G SIM card from Telefonica, a GPS system, built-in charger and Bluetooth tracker if your bag is lost. Another one is iBag that keeps the user from overspending on a shopping spree by automatically locking itself or sending an SMS alert when they enter a ‘danger spending zone’ (favourite shopping centre).

Scan the QR code and catch all the action in the making of this shoot or simply log on to /exhibitmagazine.

tech diva

” P P A g N I t x E S t A h “t

fROM bILLION dOLLAR

tO thE

adverTISINg darLINg

Sna

pch

at

by Shreya Bhattacharya

versus Harvard - and ended up in litigation, with Snapchat cofounders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy against Reggie Brown.

n

ow this is some “story” to be told times and again – how the humble beginner (as a sexting app) Snapchat evolved as today’s $31 billion public company. It sounds like a dream, but the reality is a dream-come-true for every startup. Snapchat is worth the hype today and its story needs to be heard with élan.

In Snapchat's case, it wasn't two ousted cofounders (the Winklevoss twins) against Mark Zuckerberg.

But still, it featured the backdrop of an elite university - Stanford versus Harvard - and ended up in litigation, with Snapchat cofounders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy against Reggie Brown.

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The notoriously secretive company is now a publicly listed one and to mark the occasion we explore its journey to date, analyzing whether it will emerge as a serious player in the digital arena or do a disappearing act?

Snapchat began much like Facebook (refer “The Social Network” and you’ll get what I mean!). In Snapchat's case, it wasn't two ousted cofounders (the Winklevoss twins) against Mark Zuckerberg. But still, it featured the backdrop of an elite university - Stanford

Having been founded in 2011, Snapchat spent the first three years of its life without a robust commercial model, but co-founder and chief executive Evan Spiegel has always been adamant that ads on his platform should buck the digital trend and serve up formats that are native to the experience rather than “creepy”.

At stake was the founding story of a social network to make photos disappear. Snapchat's founders ended up paying $157.5 million to settle the case.Snapchat survived its rocky starts to make its debut on Wall Street, where it closed on Friday with a $31 billion market cap.Here's how Snapchat went from a million-dollar idea about disappearing photos to the giant social media company called Snap today…

Like many other startups, ground zero for Snapchat’s story is Stanford University, where a young Evan Spiegel from Los Angeles befriended Reginald (Reggie) Brown. The pair decided to join Kappa Sigma fraternity — where they would meet Snapchat cofounder Bobby Murphy — although it would be a few years before they turned the idea of disappearing photos into a business.

In Summer 2011, Snapchat was born — except it wasn't called Snapchat at first. When it launched in the App Store, it was called Picaboo. Brown, Spiegel, and Murphy spent the summer working on it. Spiegel even drew the now famous GhostfaceChillah ghost icon.

But Picaboo wasn't a smash hit. By the end of the summer, it only had 127 users. Then Brown, Spiegel, and Murphy had a fight over the startup's ownership. It ended up in Spiegel hanging up the phone and locking Brown out of all the startup's accounts. The move would later cost them millions.

The now-duo changed the app's name to Snapchat in September 2011, its official birthday. It still wasn't a smash hit, but it started to slowly catch on when Spiegel's cousin started using it at a high school in Los Angeles. Teens had found a way to send photos and messages that would disappear seconds after opening.

By spring 2012, the app that once had just over 100 users now had 100,000 daily active users.

That also came with a problem: rising server costs.

Spiegel and Murphy were paying nearly $5,000 a month to keep the app going, and just as they were about to run out of money, Lightspeed Venture Partners' Jeremy Liew found Spiegel and gave Snapchat its first check.

When the money hit his bank account, Spiegel walked out of school. He was just three credits shy of graduation from Stanford. He and his team (which had then expanded to two other developers) moved into Spiegel's dad's house in Los Angeles. By the end of 2012, Snapchat had hit a million daily active users.

That's when Facebook gave Snapchat a huge gift.

In December 2012, it launched its own Snapchat competitor, Poke. At first Spiegel was worried it was going to crush his app, but Snapchat quickly surpassed Poke. Spiegel now calls it the "greatest Christmas present" to Snapchat.

The app continued to grow and only attracted more attention from venture capitalists. But that's when Snapchat's story turns into a founder drama like "The Social Network." In February 2013, Reggie Brown — the guy who came up with the idea for disappearing photos — sued Murphy, Spiegel, and Snapchat for cutting him out of the business.

Still, the trial didn't slow Snapchat's growth down. In Fall 2013, the company unveiled Snapchat Stories — its first step to making things less ephemeral.

Snapchat users could upload their snaps to a story that would last 24 hours. It's the closest Snapchat would come to recreating the Facebook timeline.

Snapchat's fast rise — and seeming defeat of Facebook Poke — soon gained the attention of Mark Zuckerberg. The Facebook CEO came to Evan Spiegel with an offer: $3 billion for the company. Spiegel famously played hard to catch before turning Facebook down.

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016-2017 2011

Snapchat wasn't Spiegel's first startup. Murphy had recruited Spiegel, a Kappa Sig brother one year younger than him, to help with an idea he had about a social network. In 2010, they then launched FutureFreshman, a site meant to make applying to college easier. It never really took off, but Spiegel had caught the entrepreneurial bug.

It wasn't until Spiegel's junior year that the idea for Snapchat was born. "I wish these photos I am sending this girl would disappear," Brown told Spiegel in April 2011. His friend immediately got excited about the concept of disappearing photos and told Brown that this was a million-dollar idea.

Five years later, that idea would now be worth billions.

$ There was also a rumor that Google tried outbid Facebook and pay $4 billion for the company.

Either way, it stayed in Spiegel's hands.

A month later, Snapchat was hacked. The username and phone numbers of more than 4 million accounts were exposed and people were furious.

After all, the app still had a reputation for sexting at this point — and people were afraid what else might leak. At first, the young CEO didn't see the need to apologize, but the backlash was swift. The company settled a few months later with the FTC over charges that it misled its users.

Sleazy emails from Spiegel's Stanford days were then posted by Valleywag, a Silicon Valley news site, in May 2014. With subjects like "F--- b------ get laid," the emails shined a negative light on the CEO who was already drawing comparisons to Steve Jobs.

But that didn't slow Snapchat's success. It finally added a chat function, and launched Live Stories, or curated perspectives from thousands of people.

By July 2014, investors valued the company at $10 billion. In three years, it had gone from a milliondollar idea to a $10 billion dollar one.

According to Nick Bell, Snapchat's Live Stories feature was inspired by a visit from illusionist David Blaine to Snapchat's headquarters. He watched as all of his friends were recording video of the magic trick, and he wanted to put the different perspectives together to see if he could figure it out. That's when they realized that you could tell a better story by having the viewpoints of thousands of people on an event instead of just one.

The company started expanding from outside the Venice Beach bungalow where it moved after leaving Spiegel's dad's house and picked up more office space. It also started hiring a bunch of senior leaders to help the then-24-year-old CEO. Its Chief Strategy Officer, Imran Khan, joined in January 2015 from Goldman Sachs. Snap's CFO, Drew Vollero, joined from Mattel in August 2015.

Still, Spiegel was the one clearly in charge — and mapping where it would go next.

Snapchat also started welcoming outside content in. In January 2015, it added the Discover section, which allowed publishers to post Snapchat-friendly news items. The app became not just about sharing photos with friends, but sharing everything from Discover articles to chats to life in the moment.

Snapchat also found a way to make money — much to the relief of its investors. It started out by adding ads in its geofilters. So if you were in a McDonald's, you could Snapchat a photo of yourself covered in fries.Geofilters were just the start though. After Snapchat acquired Looksery, it added those famous lenses (like the barfing rainbows) that helped turn Snapchat into the sensation it is today.

By the end of 2016, 300 million people were using it every day.

Snapchat had also secretly bought Bitmoji, a popular cartoon-figure app that had once blown up on Facebook. This was only confirmed though when Spiegel got engaged in July 2016 to Miranda Kerr, an Australian model he'd been dating for a year.

While Snapchat the app took off, Spiegel and Murphy had actually started working on a new secret project: sunglasses. It was revealed in the Sony Hack of 2014 that the company had purchased Vergence Labs, the maker of Epiphany Eyewear smart glasses. The division of the company called Snap Labs was so secretive that only a few people knew that it was working on a hardware project at all.

It was only revealed in June 2016 that Spiegel had been photographed by the paparazzi wearing an early prototype while on vacation with his girlfriend Miranda Kerr.It was only when Snapchat finally unveiled the Spectacles — a surprise to employees internally — that it also revealed that it changed its name to Snap Inc. in September. The change name also came with a changed motto: Snap Inc was now "a camera company."

The name change was a clear sign that the company was ready to go public: "You can search Snapchat or Spectacles for the fun stuff and leave Snap Inc. for the Wall Street crowd :)" the company said in a blog post.

On February 2, 2017, Snap Inc. finally filed to go public — ending a drought in tech IPOs. More than 158 million people use the app daily, something the company attributed to the fact that "we eat, sleep, and poop with our smartphones every day." And in the filing we finally learned how much Snap paid to make Reggie Brown disappear: $158 million.

"When we were just getting started, many people didn’t understand what Snapchat was and said it was just for sexting, even when we knew it was being used for so much more," the company wrote in its filing. Its journey from a million-dollar disappearing photo app to the publicly-trade camera company proves that people don't have that problem today. They're expecting it to be worth much, much more.

On March 2nd 2017, Snap officially began trading on the public markets. It had originally priced its IPO shares at $17, but the stock started trading at $24. Its initial public offering netted the company $3.4 billion.

Thanks to its IPO, Snapchat's twenty-something founders are each worth more than $5 billion — more than Facebook offered to buy their whole company 4 years ago, and a long way from the days in the Stanford dorm.

explore

Jio Prime Vs Airtel P

whO OffERS It bEttER?

ost the inception of Reliance Jio and its plan, there has been an interesting tariff war among telecom companies, where many including Airtel and Vodafone have accused it of disrupting the market. While the 'Happy New Year' is nearing its end, meaning there will be no free data and unlimited calls, as you need to pay to avail the offer.

In order to make things attractive, Reliance Jio launched its Prime plan that of course looks quite good for the cost. To compete, Airtel, Vodafone, and Idea have come with up their own version of bundled plans offering free local+STD calls and up to 28GB of data for prepaid users. Let’s compare the bundled plan of both Airtel and Reliance Jio and find out which one is more profitable for the customers.

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If the above plan doesn't suit you, from 1st April 2017, users can pay `303 per month to avail free unlimited calls, SMS, and 1GB internet per day. This tariff plan can avail 28GB of data for just `303 with a validity of 28 days. Also, the Jio users will still continue to enjoy free 4G internet from 2 AM to 5 AM at night.

If suppose 1GB per day is not enough for you, users can opt for another plan that is priced at Rs 499 which will offer 56GB of 4G data along with free unlimited calls and SMS. In this plan, users will get a 2GB daily limit on this plan.

airtel In an attempt to counter the threat posed by Jio, Bharti Airtel also came up with an offer equivalent to Jio's 303 Plan.

In order to continue using the 'Happy New Year' Plan, the user must sign in to the Prime membership plan with `99 per year.

In addition to that, users need to pay for a chosen tariff per month starting at `149. If you are not recharging your number after Prime membership enrollment, the company will automatically cancel your plan. The last date for enrolling into the Jio Prime membership program is March 31st.

The `345 plan from Airtel will get you 28GB of 3G/4G data with a validity of 28 days but with a catch here. If you recharge for `345 customers will be able to use only 500MB of the 1GB daily allowance between 6 AM to midnight and the other 500 MB can be used between 12 AM to 6 AM only. Moreover, customers need to recharge this `345 plan before March 31st to avail this service for a period of 12 months. In addition to data, customers will also get unlimited local and STD calls as well.

The Plans of Reliance Jio are as follows: Rs 149 plan: Prime Members get 2GB data in 4G speeds with a validity of 28 days along with 100 SMS.

Analyze your need, and choose the plan wisely that suits your requirement. All the best.

I APR 17

ex-rated

Karan AdAni

clusive

AnAnyA Birla DaviD Holly Branson Oracle Holly Branson AkAsh AmbAni

AriAnA RockefelleR

AkAsh Karan AmbAni AdAni

Roshni DaviD Nadar Oracle

Keeping

the Legacy

DaviD Oracle

AnAnyA Birla

Alive

I

ndia is home to giant businesses and business leaders are worshipped here. So much so that many businesses have had generations running the company and leaving behind a legacy in that process.

Quite similarly, international businesses have been generators of unimaginable amounts of wealth and bigger work responsibilities that would be passed on to the next generation. In the same thought, we looked at some such massive business houses of India and the ones abroad and we couldn’t help but think about the legacy they would be leaving behind. And while we were at it, we gave into curiosity to take a closer look at those who would be leaving that very legacy behind. Some quite quintessentially and some in their own way, are doing it- keeping the legacy alive. These young entrepreneurs and millennials are not taking the silver spoon for granted and are shaping our future and its absolutely brilliant!

by Utsavi Jha

Karan AdAni

AnAnyA Birla

AriAnA RockefelleR

Isha AmbAni AkAsh AmbAni Kavin Mittal

Ivanka Isha AriAnA Trump Roshni Nadar AmbAni RockefelleR

ananya

kumar birla

DAuGHTER OF ADITyA BIRLA GROuP CHAIRMAN KuMAR MANGALAM BIRLA AND NEERJA BIRLA Economics and Management at university of Oxford, uK Founder at Svantantra Microfin, MPower and Curocarte and Singer

Ananya Birla defies norms related to age as she started her first entrepreneurial venture, Svatantra Microfin, company at the young age of 17. Svatantra Microfin lends moans to women entrepreneurs in rural India. She followed that with yet another feat by co-founding MPower, a mental health awareness company with her mother Neerja Birla. Adding on to that, she went ahead and launched her third entrepreneurial venture Curocarte. com which is a luxury ecommerce website that sources home décor products from nine countries across Europe and Asia.

Living by her tattoo that says “conquer”, Ananya went ahead and conquered her most recent achievement which was launching her music career with an international pop single “Livin’ the Life” released by Universal Music Group in November 2016. Even though her professional stint as a musician may have just started, her love affair with music she began way early in life. She played the santoor growing up and started singing and playing the guitar at live gigs when she was in college. She urges everyone to believe in themselves and feels that if she is able to mentor three more leaders within her organisation, that would be more valuable than gathering a few more degrees. Ananya loves long drives, working out and staying healthy. Birla also values her dog, Sky, the most, is closest to her mother, Neerja Birla and thinks of her grandfather as her biggest inspiration.

The young entrepreneur has big plans for the future wishes to make a difference by getting Svatantra the status of a national bank, getting Curocarte up and running and making impactful, high quality music.

I wANt tO buILd MY OwN LEgAcY!

clusive AgE

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tuRN tO PAgE 72 tO REAd thE whOLE cOvER StORY fEAtuRINg ANANYA bIRLA

akash

mukesh ambani

ELDEST SON OF MuKESH AMBANI, THE CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RELIANCE INDuSTRIES LIMITED AND NITA AMBANI, FOuNDER OF RELIANCE FOuNDATION. Economics at Brown university, uSA Chief of strategy of 4G service provider, Jio

AgE

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MY LEgAcY ONLY MOtIvAtES ME, I wOuLdN’t SAY It wEIghS ON ME.

Akash Mukesh Ambani is an Indian businessman and is known to be heir to one of the biggest and richest businesses in India.

Upon his graduation, Akash Ambani was inducted into the Board of directors of Jio and Reliance Retail. Akash is said to have wanted to work in the USA. However, a conversation with his father changed his plans. When Mr Mukesh Ambani asked his son what is it that he used the Internet for? Akash Ambani said to read, learn and gain knowledge. That is when Mr Ambani told his son wouldn't he like to provide that knowledge to 1.2 billion Indians? That is when, he says, he was on board with the project. "Both my parents taught me to dream big, aim high but to not forget humility and individual connections is critical.” “Leading one of the most dynamic and youngest businesses of India feels incredible,” as quoted by Akash Ambani who takes it as a lifetime opportunity to contribute to one of the largest rollouts of digital services in the world. On a personal front, Ambani is an avid cricketer and that explains his participation in the family-owned IPL franchise Mumbai Indians. In addition, he is also a serious football fan involved in the Indian Super League (ISL) to promote soccer in India. The Ambani heir is super close to his family as he admits to find his parents as a deep source of inspiration and holds their lessons close to his heart. He also credits his taste for simplicity to his mother and quotes his father Mukesh Ambani by saying, “Trust people and they will trust you and business can grow only in an environment of trust and respect.”

akash

AgE

25

DAuGHTER OF MuKESH AMBANI, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RELIANCE INDuSTRIES LIMITED AND NITA AMBANI, FOuNDER OF RELIANCE FOuNDATION. Psychology & South Asian studies at yale university, uSA Board of directors of Jio and Reliance Retail, branding and management segments of AJIO Ranked 2nd on the Forbes' Youngest Billionaire Heiresses list and named among 12 powerful upcoming businesswomen in Asia, Isha Ambani truly lives by her surname as she exudes the power. Isha Mukesh Ambani is an Indian businesswoman and daughter of Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani. After her undergraduate studies and a brief internship stint, Isha Ambani was inducted into the Ambani Empire worked into the boards of Reliance Jio and Reliance Retail. Isha Ambani is a woman with many talents and interests. Her hobbies include Lawn Tennis and music. Being a trained pianist and playing for her university’s soccer team add up to be some of her talents. When not working hard at Ambani headquarters, Isha can be seen upping the style quotient at many events. With an ardent sense and interest in fashion, Isha Ambani looks up to designer Manish Malhotra as her fashion mentor and definitely puts up a stylish demeanour everywhere she goes. The suave girl holds a special fondness for Manish Malhotra’s designs. However, at the end of the day, she and her siblings are the quintessential ideal kids as they respect their parents’ word to the tee.

isha mukesh ambani

I dON’t thINk I AM OR wAS EvER gIvEN A chANcE tO bELIEvE thAt I wAS bORN wIth A SILvER SPOON. I hAd tO dESERvE EvERYthINg I gOt.

exclusive

kavin

SON OF SuNIL MITTAL, THE FOuNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF BHARTI AIRTEL

bharti mittal

Master’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Management at Imperial College London, uK Founder and CEO of Hike Messenger

AgE

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It IS IMPORtANt tO hAvE thE gLASS hALf fuLL PERSPEctIvE ANd tO bE gRAtEfuL EvERY StEP Of thE wAY.

Kavin Bharti Mittal decided to take the road less taken by giving up the offer to join the family business worth millions to instead, well, start his own business worth millions. The software engineer and Internet entrepreneur went ahead to find Hike messenger in 2012 that currently holds a valuation of $1.4 Billion and 100 million users. It also became one of the fastest growing companies. With an interest in building stuff, junior Mittal always had a knack of making apps. Before he made the world’s sixth largest mobile messaging application, he set up a movie-ticketing application called MoviesNow for IOS, in collaboration with movietickets.com. During his college times, Kavin Mittal was a part of the college go-kart and cricket team. He is also a follower of Zen Buddhism. When it comes to life and philosophy, the one thing that he abides by is to never fall into this trap of leading life like it is a glass half empty. He believes a lot of people are never satisfied with what they have and that mindset has taught him better. That, he claims, has had a big impact on his thinking and how he approaches work and life.

akash AgE

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DAuGHTER OF u.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRuMP AND HIS FIRST WIFE, FORMER MODEL IVANA TRuMP Economics at Georgetown university, transferred to the Wharton Business School at the university of Pennsylvania, uSA Executive Vice President of her father’s company- The Trump Organisation and unappointed advisor to the President She is the first daughter of the United States of America and there will hardly be a day when she or her family is not mentioned in the news.

Ivanka Marie Trump is many things- a businesswoman, former reality TV personality, socialite, author and fashion model. She resides in Washington, D.C with her husband Jared Kushner and three children. President Trump has been vocal about his admiration for daughter Ivanka and takes heed of her opinions. Hence, she is considered an adviser to her father despite not having any official role or title as part of the administration. In 2007 she created Ivanka Trump Fine Jewellery- her own line of fine diamond and gold jewellery in association with a diamond corporation which closed after a few years. However, what stopped the business still remains unknown. In addition to jewellery, she also has her own line of fashion items, including clothes, handbags, shoes, and accessories. Trump was a former model and apart from her entrepreneurial ventures, she has been on covers of leading magazines, been a part of advertising campaigns of major brands and walked the ramp for some of them. She is also an author of a book, “The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life” and another soon-to-be published second book titled “Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success.”

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Ivanka Trump

AS A cItIzEN, I LOvE whAt MY fAthER IS dOINg. AS A dAughtER, It’S ObvIOuSLY MORE cOMPLIcAtEd.

LEADERS IN

An initiative

SAVE

THE

DATE

25

th

MAY 2017

On the eve of our 12th Anniversary in May’17, Exhibit invites leaders from across Tech companies to the “Leaders in Tech Dinner”- an exclusive inviteonly event organised by Exhibit - for a 7-course scrumptious sit-down dinner and an evening filled with networking.

Co-Hosted by -

St.Regis, Mumbai Entry by invitation only.

DAuGHTER OF HCL FOuNDER, SHIV NADAR

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Communication, Radio, television and film at Northwestern university, uSA, MBA- Social Enterprise and Management & Strategy at Kellogg Graduate School of Management, uSA Executive Director and the CEO of HCL Corporation

Roshni NADAR

A LOt Of wOMEN IN thIS cOuNtRY dON’t hAvE thE PRIvILEgE thAt I dO. If thEY cAN juggLE bEtwEEN MuLtIPLE ROLES, thEN I dAMNEd wELL bE AbLE tO dO It tOO!

Only child of the Founder of HCL Corporation who’s worth over 9 billion now, Roshni Nadar Malhotra sure leaves a mark with her multitasking nature. Primarily, Roshni Nadar functions as the CEO and Executive Director of HCL Corporation wherein she is responsible for strategic decisions regarding the overall direction of the Corporation. In addition to her corporate roles, she is deeply involved in philanthropy.

She is a trustee at the Shiv Nadar Foundation which is one of the top private engineering and business schools in India. She also plays a vital role at the Vidya Gyan schools in UP which provides free, quality education to rural children from economically backward backgrounds.

Moreover, she joined forces with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation to promote education of Dalit and Muslim girls in UP. However lastly, she dispenses the most important role in her life, according to her, which is starting and ending the day with her son, Armaan. She is also married to Shikhar Malhotra who is also a part of the family businesses. She has been honoured with many accolades like “NDTV Young philanthropist of the Year- 2014”, “World’s Most Innovative People Award for Philanthropic Innovation” and is also a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. When not working, Nadar junior likes to indulge in travelling, yoga and sports. She is a trained classical musician and a wildlife enthusiast. Being a part of such a big company does bring a tremendous amount of responsibility as she says, “It was only when I started handling Treasury Operations that I realised all of a sudden just how much wealth we have. That is a huge responsibility, so I decided to get on with it and learn how to manage it. I am privileged to have the kind of platform I do and the kind of support I do.”

akash ELDEST CHILD OF VIRGIN GROuP FOuNDER RICHARD BRANSON AND JOAN BRANSON

Holly

Branson

Medicine, university College London, uK Virgin Management Holly Branson took the tough road and studied 6 years to become a doctor before finally diverting and joining her father’s company.

Saying that it was an offer she couldn’t turn down, Holly Branson thus ensued a new chapter in her life. But that does not keep her from letting the doors of her medical career be open in future as she believes she worked hard to become a doctor and cannot shut that door completely. Before finally starting at Virgin Management, she interned at different companies under the Virgin umbrella to see where she fits. Another project that caught her attention was for Virgin Healthcare that her father required her expertise for. She is an achiever but according to her, her biggest achievement is being a mother to twin babies that she has with husband Freddie Andrewes. When not working on management projects, Holly spends her time involved in philanthropic activities. On a personal front, Holly and her family love excitement and adventure as they’ve attempted to break the mono hull sailing record across the Atlantic, kite-surfed the English Channel, completed several marathons and sprint triathlons. Holly believes in the power of positive energy and has learned, “Not to let the fear of failure stop her from attempting to fulfil her dreams – whether that dream involved a change in career, attempting to set world records, or helping young people.”

She is also all set to become the first billionaire heiress in space as she gears up to be on the first commercial flight by Virgin Galactic for which she says, “I’m not nervous yet but when they give me a date to go, I will be!”

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AgE

33

vALuINg fAILuRES & SEtbAckS IS A MINdSEt thAt’S dEEPLY EMbEddEd IN thE wAY wE tAckLE NEw chALLENgES & ExPERIENcES.

Ariana

DAuGHTER OF DAVID ROCKEFELLER JR., THE PROMINENT FOuRTH-GENERATION MEMBER OF THE ROCKEFELLER FAMILy

Rockefeller

Political Science and Visual Arts at Columbia university, uSA Businesswoman, designer and equestrian

MY fAMILY’S LEgAcY Of PhILANthROPY IS ONE I AM vERY PROud tO bE A PARt Of, ANd ONE thAt hAS dEfINEd ME IN MANY wAYS.

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Ariana Rockefeller is many things – designer, businesswoman and the legacy-bearer of one of the richest families of the USA. Claiming to gain inspiration from her grandmother, Ariana Rockefeller decided to go ahead and pursue her dream. She thus became the first one in the family to associate her contemporary clothing line with her powerful surname as she opened a pop-up shop in SoHo in 2014. She and her husband are also deeply involved in philanthropy as they believe in what was said by her great grandfather, John D. Rockefeller, Jr.- “Think of giving back as not only a duty, but as a privilege.” Apart from her work, Ms Rockefeller likes horse riding and is an avid equestrian. The heir knows her power and accepts it but with humility as she likes to believe that she’s just a 31-year-old normal girl who does come from an amazing legacy. She calls herself a little carefree and someone who loves to joke. She like to keep it very classic and natural and that’s probably why she isn’t in the public eye all the time. But, she also does not shy away from all the attention she and her surname garner her.

SON OF ADANI GROuP CHAIRMAN GAuTAM ADANI AND PRITI ADANI

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Economics at Purdue university, uSA Chief Executive Officer of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZL) of Adani Enterprises Limited

David Ellison Oracle

Karan Adani likes to keep a low profile and that can be said by the ardent focus on work and no other buzz surrounding anything otherwise. He joined the Adani Group in 2009 and now looks after the strategic development of all Adani ports in the country. On the work front, Karan Adani believes the company to have grown at a very fast pace. Professionalising the organisation without losing the entrepreneurial DNA of his employees is according to him the biggest challenge. Another one is finding the right balance of these two and putting the right systems and processes in place.

Mr. Adani is technologically savvy with a global outlook and believes in setting the highest benchmarks across all areas of business.

Karan Gautam Adani

SON OF BILLIONAIRE ORACLE CORPORATION CTO LARRy ELLISON, AND HIS EX-WIFE, BARBARA BOOTHE ELLISON. university of Southern California, uSA, drop out American film producer and CEO of Skydance Media

AgE

34

David Ellison has earned himself big bucks from his production ventures and is easily one of the richest and most daring film producers of Hollywood. So much so that Variety mentioned him in the “Dealmaker list” for 2010 and Forbes in its “30 Under 30” list in 2011. However, in addition to that, he is also an actor. As an actor, Ellison has performed in the films Flyboys Little Fish, Strange Pond and Hole in One. By choosing to pursue what he liked to do instead of joining the family business, David Ellison went ahead to start his own production company Skydance and be a part of many movies. Moreover, he also came up with his own new line of men’s clothing called the “LANAI Collection in 2014. He is married to actress and singer Sandra Lynn Modic and has a sister, Megan Ellison, who is also a film producer. On a personal front, Ellison is multi-talented as he is an aerobatic, fixed-wing, multiengine and helicopter licensed commercial pilot with instrument ratings.

exclusive

raring Unstoppable O

ANANyA BIRLA SPEAKS HER MIND WITH HONEST YET WELLTHOUGHT ANSWERS TO uTSAVI JHA

ne of our most anticipated shoots, we knew instinctively, was going to be replete with a lot of youthful vibe despite the location (which is popularly said to be one of the most haunted places of Mumbai) and we couldn’t have been more right. Ananya Birla and her youthful entourage totally justified the theme of our issue.

The banter, Ananya’s quirky yet honest responses to our questions and her being a total pro at striking just the right poses all made for a great shoot.

And finally, Ananya was everything she stands for - humble, charming, gentle and genuine, and we were in awe. As we caught her in between shots, she bared her thoughts showing us why she is not just her father’s daughter but her own unique identity that’s ready to propel the Birla legacy to greater heights.

“What’s in a surname?” Tell us about the stress that comes with being a Birla.

ANANYA: I see myself as a girl following her passions and pursuing her vision. I feel very blessed for the emotional strength parents, siblings, grandparents lend. My biggest challenge is to live up to my own expectations which, at times, can be stressful.

You can’t take the Birla out of Ananya – is it so? Or the other way?

I would like to believe that both complement each other to distinctly make me who I am today.

From Businesswoman to Popstar – what’s the transition about and why?

I don’t see it as a transition. It is just a parallel career path that I have taken up. I have always been composing my own music and at one point decided that I wanted to share it with the world. Soon after, I started to pitch my work to music labels and in due time, eventually after the struggle, saw acceptance at Universal Music Group - India.

Does your childhood dream and present reality match when career is concerned?

Yes absolutely! I always wanted to be a singersongwriter, but always doubted myself. As soon as I was able to break out of those shackles and become more self-aware, it all started to fall into place.

Tell us something about Svatantra and MPower.

Svatantra is a Microfinance company, a mini lending-bank of sorts. I started Svatantra when I was 17, so I am very emotionally attached to it. We lend loans to women in rural and semi-urban areas in India to financially support their businesses. In a sense, being an entrepreneur myself, I wanted

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to fund rural entrepreneurs given the vast potential and confidence these women have. Svatantra means ‘freedom’ in Hindi and the organization is one of the fastest-growing microfinance organizations today in India. The key aim is to encourage entrepreneurship, self-sufficiency, and financial literacy and inclusion.

While studying at university in England, I interacted with people about my own age who were suffering from anxiety and depression. The experience stirred something familiar in me. In fact, when someone breaks a leg or has a surgery, they get flowers and get well soon cards. But to someone who suffers from mental health related illness, the empathy is sporadic just because they don’t see an actual wound! I co-founded MpowerMinds as it is a cause very close to my heart, to increase public awareness about mental health and diffuse the social stigma associated with those suffering quietly. At the Mpower center, we let people know that they are not alone and offer a range of confidential services including therapy and psychiatric help.

What are the other business ideas that Ananya is brewing up in the days ahead?

At present, creating music is my main aim and personal focus. However, we have many leaders in our team and together, we are working on a few other ventures as well. You will hear about this soon enough. They all have a larger vision of creating a positive impact and I hope that as a community, it enables conversations and sees participation on various levels.

‘

At the end of ouR time heRe, we ARe All just stoRies And i would like mine to mAke An inteRestinG ReAd.”

ENHANCED

ANANYA BIRLA

Scan the QR code and catch all the action in the making of this shoot or simply log on to /exhibitmagazine.

EXCLUSIVE

Ananya – the Businesswoman or Ananya – the Popstar – which one do you like more personally?

This is a very tough question as I fancy both the facets in different ways. The business woman keeps my mind going. However, I think being able to create music for myself and the world is probably closer to my soul. I see them both cross pollinating eventually and thus the time I invest would be prioritized as such. Having said that, presently I am investing more of my time in music.

What have been your lowest lows and highest highs?

I had a phase in my life while studying at Oxford where at times I wasn’t able to get out of my cottage. There was a lot brewing inside me then, which at times saw an outlet in composing and writing my music. That time, feeling stifled was probably one of the lowest I have been. Even though there have been speed bumps after the launch of my music career, I have had my highest highs during this journey. I would say peaking on #11 on Shaazam was one of them. Being the first Indian to have DJ Afrojack’s remix of Livin’ the Life being backed by PM:AM - one of the largest dance labels in the world - was another one. I find making history, however small or large that maybe, quite contagious.

If YOu hAvE thE RIght vALuES, YOu wORk hARd, bE SELfRELIANt ANd SELf-AwARE, YOu cAN dO ANd AchIEvE ANYthINg YOu SEt Out tO dO NO MAttER whAt thE cIRcuMStANcE.

ENHANCED 74 I

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ENHANCED

‘

i Am An exploReR, A wRiteR, A sinGeR And just A GiRl who believes in followinG heR dReAms And wishinG to mAke A chAnGe in this woRld.

Scan the QR code and catch all the action in the making of this shoot or simply log on to /exhibitmagazine.

EXCLUSIVE

Who is your inspiration to reach where you are now?

A larger vision; a wish to impact people’s lives through my work is what keeps me inspired. If you ask of a person, it will have to be my grandfather.

Do you think your age comes in the way at any point?

Only in a positive way. Retrospectively, if I wasn’t 17 when I had started my first company, I would not have made certain decisions that have led up to it being successful today. Having more experience under my belt now, I have learnt a lot from my mistakes and my achievements. I am now in a position where I stand strong and plough my knowledge to excel further in all my other ventures.

What’s Ananya’s definition of “Livin’ the Life”?

Spreading love and seeing people smile. I question whether true altruism exists, however having pure intentions is all that matters. Enjoying everything I do, making the best of every moment that we have been offered, is also what Livin’ the Life means to me.

Ananya Birla – give us the unknown story.

I am an explorer, a writer, a singer and just a girl who believes in following her dreams and wishing to make a change in this world. At the end of our time here, we are all just stories and I would like mine to make an interesting read. I love the energy each new day brings.

Some days are spent in board rooms leading strategy, other days are more creative and spent ideating on music. Mostly all my hours are hi-performance driven and crazy but it is that energy that I enjoy. With all that goes on through the week, I try and take a break and choose to be lazy on Sundays. These are spent in bed with my comfortable blanky, reading a book and fighting for space with Skai, my Yorkshire Terrier.

‘

enjoyinG eveRythinG i do, mAkinG the best of eveRy moment thAt we hAve been offeRed, is Also whAt livin’ the life meAns to me.

ENHANCED

How do you keep a balance between business, music and personal life?

I don’t. I am learning to. I don’t truly see it as ‘work’, reason being both the businesses and my music have become a part of my lifestyle. Where my personal life is concerned, I am lucky to have found friendships within my core team itself. Outside of this, my circle is very close knit, very supportive, always there for me and very understanding.

What is the impact of social media?

I think anything powerful has both boons and banes.

Where social media is concerned, I think one must be absolutely honest and authentic to themselves. That is how I choose to run my social media handles as well.

I think it is a great platform, and if used correctly to voice our thoughts and opinions, we can bring about a collective positive change to make the world a better place.

Your take on relationships.

Always be yourself. Don’t compromise on who you are.

What kind of boys would you like to go out with?

Blonde hair, blue eyes...haha! On a serious note, someone who I connect with on a spiritual level is important to me.

Quote that gets you motivated.

‘Fall down for 7, Stand Up 8’ and ‘Try your best and leave the rest to God.’ Any closing thoughts or positive vibes for our readers?

Wake up in the morning and seize each day. Believe in yourself no matter what anyone says because they don’t know the entirety of your life and story – let’s not judge. If you have the right values, work hard, be self-reliant and self-aware, you can do and achieve anything you set out to do no matter what the circumstance.

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Photographer | Karan Nevatia Hairstylist | Ishan Supriya Milind Makeup Artist | Sonam Chadha Stylist | Gabriella Demetriades

I ALwAYS wANtEd tO bE A SINgER-SONgwRItER, but ALwAYS dOubtEd MYSELf. AS SOON AS I wAS AbLE tO bREAk Out Of thOSE ShAckLES ANd bEcOME MORE SELf-AwARE, It ALL StARtEd tO fALL INtO PLAcE.

ENHANCED

qUIckIES 1) Your favourite: • Gadgets – Boring answer but it has to be my iPod • Outfits – Torn Boyfriend jeans, White shirt and Havaianas. I need to be comfortable when not at events or the red carpet.

• Vacation – Rishikesh and Florence • Cuisine – Lebanese • Music – Rap and mainstream pop.

Acoustic renditions always touch my soul.

2) Music idols: Eminem and Kurt Cobain 3) You would tag him on a #ManCrushMonday: Zac Efron. Honestly though, I think I have a new man crush everyday.

4) Your guilty pleasure: I chew way too much gum to the point that my jaws start hurting.

5) Food item you hate the most: Cucumbers 6) One gadget you have your eyes on: A drone 7) New Year resolution for 2017: To be less critical of myself.

8) One thing on your Bucket list: I want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for Mpower.

EXCLUSIVE

1

8

s

martwearables are the new in-thing in tech world. And to top it all in the list are smartwatches. A Smartwatch is a device, which can make your constant notification filled life much organized.

Besides functionality and ease, a smartwatch does have a style statement too which you can’t really ignore.

hibit picks

best smARTWATcHEs 7

2017

by Shreya Bhattacharya

Market is full of good smartwatches and that’s exactly where the confusion arises. There are some really good with functionality, butbites loud on the pocket. And then, there are some not worthy of spending your penny on. And then there are several few which are beyond your necessity!

Here are a list of few smartwatches available in India – pick the one that suits your choice, necessity and budget…

1. Moto 360 (2nd gen) Moto 360’s second avatar is undoubtedly the best looking smartwatch available today. Available with Android Wear and offering a good performance, makes it the best smartwatch to buy at the moment.

Good display, good performance, easy to replace straps A bit pricey, Battery life though decent has a long way to go Price: `21,999

2. saMsung gear s2 The Gear S2 from Samsung is built upon Tizen OS and has a very intuitive rotating dial via which one can interact with the watch. However, the only place the watch lacks is in the apps section.

Rotating bezel is the most intuitive way to navigate around a smartwatch, Very good display, Premium build Lack of apps, Battery life needs to be longer Price: `24,300

3. apple watch Apple Watch, which was recently dubbed as Apple Watch series 1, is a good smartwatch for iOS users only. It is available in various finishes and bands.

Premium look, 2 day plus battery life Excruciatingly slow, Expensive, works with iPhone Price: `23,900

5

4. huawei watch

2

Huawei’s attempt at making a smartwatch is good but not as good as watches above it. It works well, has reasonably accurate tracking, and is built really well to exude a premium feel.

Very well built, Superior display, Large number of watch faces by default, Decent battery life Some gestures are not responsive, No noteworthy innovation here Price: `19,999

5. asus zenwatch 2 The Zenwatch 2 is actually one of the most affordable android wear watches on the market.

It also offers a 2 day battery life but it does not as look as premium as any other smartwatch.

Although, you need to keep in mind, it is priced quite low as well.

Inexpensive, Premium design, Two-day battery life Android wear isn’t intuitive enough, Display does not respond to gestures well.

Price: `8,999

6. peBBle tiMe (round) The Pebble time round is a thin, light and functional smartwatch. It may not offer the rich OS experience of Android Wear or WatchOS but it does provide you with all the essential features you may need from a smartwatch. Also, it does not have a touch-screen.

Slim design, Extremely light, Charges 100% in little over an hour, Decent library of apps and watch faces Thick bezel, No touch screen, Water resistant only, Low battery life when compared to the Pebble Time Price: `13,599

7. peBBle tiMe steel

Good battery life, Clean UI, Large library of apps, Good display Buttons interface is tedious when compared to the Gear S2’s wheel, No Google Now or Siri like voice functionality Price: `15,999

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8. lg watch urBane If you are interested in buying a round faced smartwatch, which looks and feels quite premium, the LG Watch Urbane can easily be considered. However, the Urbane does not have a very good battery life.

Good design, Smooth Interface Expensive, Poor battery life, Android wear has a long way to go Price: `29900

9. titan Juxt If you want the basic functionalities of a smartwatch in a normal watch, Titan Juxt might be the smartwatch for you. It is a little bulky, but has a 5 day battery life.

Premium build, Looks good, 5-day battery life Heavy, difficult for long-term wear, App needs to remain on always, Lag between notifications on phone and watch Price:`19,595

3

The Pebble Time Steel offers a similar functionality as the Pebble Time (Round), but the sizes are different. The Time Steel also looks and feels quite premium compared to the normal Pebble and Pebble Round watches.

Here's is the summary list of Best Smartwatches in India for March 2017

PRICE STARTING FROM

AVAILABLE AT

RATING

Moto 360 (2nd Gen)

PRODuCT NAME

19999

N/A

73/100

Samsung Gear S2

24300

Flipkart

77/100

Apple Watch

23900

Flipkart

N/A

Huawei Watch

19999

Flipkart

70/100

Asus Zenwatch 2

8999

Flipkart

79/100

Pebble Time (Round)

13599

N/A

70/100

Pebble Time Steel

15999

N/A

N/A

LG Watch Urbane

29900

N/A

67/100

Titan Juxt

15995

N/A

69/100

6

4

ex-life

AMINE

BEAsT GOEs

Black ONEpLus 3T COLETTE EDITION

hOw dOES It PERfORM?

whAt IS It? OnePlus has introduced a new color scheme for its flagship device, the 3T. Comes only with the top of the line 128GB variant. We got our hands on this exclusive Colette Edition which is limited to only 250 units, the midnight black variant is similar to this but misses out on the Colette branding.

hOw dOES It fEEL Out Of thE bOx?

Reviewed by Konark Tyagi

Let’s talk about the box only firstGoing with the black theme, the box is also black in color along with a blue jacket on top which looks pretty neat. Similar to the OnePlus 3T, you get a Dash charger with a Type C cable, user manual and sim ejector pin inside the box. This variant also comes with a black back cover. The back panel of the OnePlus 3T looks similar to the Matte Black iPhone variant. According to the brand, it is made up of space-grade aluminum with three carefully applied dark coatings 14 microns thick which helps in maintaining the natural look and feel of metal.

ENHANCED

Since it uses the same 821 Snapdragon processor along with 6GB of RAM, performance is identical to the normal 3T. This is a good thing as you can multitask with as many applications as you want, play the most graphic loaded games and the 3T won’t break a sweat. The Adreno 530 GPU works like a charm coupled with this processor the overdose of RAM offers a desktop-like performance. The display is bright and vivid - Optic AMOLED with a full 1920 x 1080 resolution and a pixel density of 401ppi. The 3T also saw a battery upgrade to 3400mAh coupled with Dash charging which means that you can easily extract a day’s juice even after heavy usage and can charge it back to 100 percent in around 60 minutes. The front and the back camera are both 16MP and can click decent pictures and videos, however, a dual-camera setup would have taken things to another level. If rumours are to be believed, the OnePlus 5 will come with two shooters at the back.

Log on to & stay tuned to the /thetechycom & stand a chance to win the

ONEPLuS 3t cOLEttE EdItION

00

ALSO REvIEwEd

EPSON tw8300

PRIcE: `2,41,339/-

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90

100

ScAN thE QR cOdE OR LOg ON tO thetechy.com fOR A dEtAILEd REvIEw

The 4K enhancement technology is not true 4K and is a smart feature which basically shifts each pixel diagonally by 0.5 pixels. The outcome of this is that the resolution ends up looking a lot like 3840 × 2160 or 4K. Having said that, the Epson TW8300 is a strong contender and is very hard to beat if you’re looking for a great Full HD or 3D Projector.

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vivo v5 Plus The battle for the best selfie-centric smartphone is just heating up and Vivo V5 Plus is a testament to that. Though the specs seem to be average, it has other worthy features like battery efficient processor, large 4 gigs of RAM, plenty of storage with 64GB internal memory and above average battery life. Is this the best selfie camera smartphone to buy? The answer is yes especially if you really want to Bokeh effect while taking the selfie.

PRIcE: `27,980/-

since it uses the same 821 snapdragon processor along with 6gB of ram, performance is identical to the normal 3t.

PRIcE: `34,999/-

SPEcS Chipset - Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 821 CPu - Quad-core (2x2.35 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) GPu - Adreno 530 RAM - 6GB LPDDR4 Battery - 3400mAh, Dash Charge (5V, 4A) Storage - 128GB (not-expandable, do you even need more?

vErDICT

Well, the OnePlus 3T has always been a great value for money proposition considering the high end specs that the phone has to offer. The addition of the black variant is a good move and should have been done earlier. That brings us to one last question- Has it made the best even better? In a word- Yes!

Intex Aqua Supreme Plus Intex Aqua Supreme Plus is a value for money device and offers good performance for its price range. It has a sharp IPS display, great battery life, 4G VoLTE support plus it is capable of handling most of the tasks with ease. However, in the same price range, you have better smartphones available in the market such as Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime, Lenovo K6 Power and Honor 5c that offer fantastic performance and specifications.

PRIcE: `9,490/-

LeEco Super4 x40 Without any doubt, this smart TV is totally worth it. You are getting a full HD 40-inch LED TV with Android marshmallow operating system. There are no cons except the speaker which are good according to LED standard, but you will definitely need to buy a good pair of speakers. Now there are better LED TV’s available in the market, but no LED TV comes close to this price segment that LeEco offers. It is also worth mentioning that the LeEco X4-40 TV comes with 2 years warranty.

PRIcE: `46,990/-

examine

whatsapp “text status” is Back: learn how to set it up

NEwS TIMeLINe

by Shintu Dhang

1. OPPO uNVEILED WORLD’S FIRST 5X DuALCAMERA ZOOM TECHNOLOGy 2. RELIANCE JIO PRIME PLAN: ALL THAT yOu NEED TO KNOW 3. PANASONIC LAuNCHES ELuGA PuLSE & ELuGA PuLSE X IN INDIA

4. SNAPCHAT GOES PuBLIC! DEBuTS AT $24 A SHARE 5. PHOTOFAST HAS INTRODuCED NEW 4K IREADER FOR APPLE DEVICES 6. BRAINWAVZ HAS LAuNCHED BLuDELTA WIRELESS BLuETOOTH EARPHONES

7.CLOuDWALKER HAS LAuNCHED NEW CLOuD TV 8. OPPO IS A NEW OFFICIAL TEAM SPONSOR OF INDIAN NATIONAL CRICKET TEAM 9. ASuS uNVEILED CuSTOM NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1080 TI GRAPHICS CARD 10. FASTRACK LAuNCHES SMART WEARABLE “REFLEX” IN INDIA 11. APPLE RuMOuRS: 10TH yEAR OF IPHONE TO BRING ON SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

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12. ONEPLuS LAuNCHES EXCLuSIVE LIMITED COLETTEENGRAVED ONEPLuS 3T 13. SNAPCHAT FROM “THAT SEXTING APP” TO THE BILLION DOLLAR ADVERTISING DARLING 14. CAT S60 LAuNCHED IN INDIA

oneplus launches exclusive liMited coletteengraved oneplus 3t

15. LEECO LAuNCHES NEW SuPER4 ECOTV SERIES IN INDIA 16. IN NEWS: VODAFONE INDIA AND AMAZON PRIME VIDEO STRIKE A DEAL 17. WHO’S THE BEST? DIGITAL VOICE ASSISTANTS 18. HOW’S BIXBy DIFFERENT FROM SIRI, ALEXA, CORTANA AND ASSISTANT?

19. APPLE uNVEILS REFRESHED PRODuCTS – INDIAN CONSuMERS BE HAPPy! 20. NuBIA LAuNCHES Z11 MINI S IN INDIA FOR `16,999/21. WHATSAPP “TEXT STATuS” IS BACK: LEARN HOW TO SET IT uP

22. SAMSuNG OFFICIALLy LAuNCHES SAMSuNG PAy IN INDIA 23. OPPO FIRST DuAL-CAMERA SELFIE PHONE LAuNCHED IN INDIA

FOR MORE INFORMATION, SCAN THE QR CODE

reliance Jio priMe plan: all that You need to know

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tRANSfORMINg tEchNOLOgY fROM A LuxuRY INtO AN INvEStMENt.

C

onsidering the fact that we need a wholesome 8 hours of sound sleep each night, it becomes essential to sleep in a healthy and comforting ambience.

Stepping in to do precisely that, Cruise Air-Conditioners promise to give you a premium experience by blending its superior technology with its promise for a healthier lifestyle! the Brand proMise - high-qualitY technologY is Your Birth right.

Going by its motto, Cruise believes that everyone is entitled to great engineering and technology. Making that a reality, it makes sure users have a comforting sleep by equipping its ACs with superior VarioQool Inverter technology. With features that keep the temperature constant all night, keep the air healthy and maintain pin drop silence without any disturbance whatsoever, Cruise finds its way to becoming a brand that really cares! The VarioQool model is also

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equipped with Vitamin C & Silverion filter, AURAsense Intelligence, 4D Auto Airflow among many other features. Moreover, Cruise features the widest AC model range across Inverter, Split, Window & Portable air conditioners types. the Better sleep proMise - get a good night's sleep, it’s Better.

While ACs might be luxury for many, Cruise transforms them to be an investment that are a part of your daily lifestyle. Even more so when the ACs become a perfect match for those who are looking for an escape from the discomfort that summers and their unbearable heat usher. Wth its prowess of extraordinary, advanced technology, Cruise aims to add value to the ordinary. It helps you make a long-term investment for the health of your family as it brings the finest tech innovations into your home. So, invest in your health, invest in comfort, invest in happiness - Invest in yourself!

Model - Kati, TOABH Management Location - W Hotel Goa Photographer - Savio Barco

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while Acs miGht be luxuRy foR mAny, cRuise tRAnsfoRms them to be An investment thAt ARe A pARt of youR dAily lifestyle. experience

W

e landed in Goa and no matter how many times we go there, it never fails to draw us with its irresistible charm, exuberant spirits and rich fusion of global cultures.

W Goa marks the 50th hotel by W Hotels Worldwide - a part of Marriott International. While we had a perfect setting for our shoot, we were also bowled by the hospitality and the property.

W Goa has 160 stylish and spacious guestrooms, chalets and villas discreetly spread out across the private coastal setting with breathtaking views of the sea with minute details taken care of. Situated on the buzzing Vagator Beach, it really captures the rustic and dramatic landscape of Goa as well as its cosmopolitan, multi-cultural vibe. Maybe it’s true when people say that Goa is not just a place, it’s a state of mind. And bringing this energy to life, W Goa makes for an exhilarating stay with it’s passion for fashion, design, music and an intoxicating energy! A must stay in your next visit should be at W (WOW) Goa.

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raYa

thE SEcREt cELEbRItY dAtINg APP

W

e would generally sigh if you haven’t heard about a popular trend. But, not this time.

For those of you who haven’t heard about RAYA the dating app, we have two things to say- 1) It’s meant to be a secret app so in a way, whatever it is that they’re doing, is working 2) You’d rather not know about it if you aren’t cool, good-looking, famous, have famous friends, or an interesting/creative job.

what’s RAYA? If you think that was a little too straightforward (rude), then trust me, it isn’t us but the app. RAYA, known as the celebrity dating app, is a private, membership-based dating community that is open to a very selective audience. RAYA was launched in March 2015 by social elite Jesse Johnson as an IOS application with the aim to allow people to show off more of their personality than the average dating app.

who’s on RAYA? Rumour has it that a bunch of celebrities are, or at some point, were on this dating app and if the sources are to be believed, the repertoire isn’t bad at all! Names like John Mayer, Joe Jonas, Cara Delevingne, Chelsea Handler, Zedd, Avicii, Ruby Rose, Diplo, Alexander Wang, Cody Simpson, Flume, Matthew Perry, John Cusack, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Elijah Wood, Raven, Phoebe Dahl, Zach Braff, Bonnie Wright, Samantha Ronson, Trevor Noah, Kelly Osborne, Amy Schumer are said to be or have been on RAYA. In addition to a bunch of celebrities, you can also find people from creative industries on it. Top advertising executives, DJs, singers and anyone who is in a creative field of work is on this, as RAYA likes to bill itself, exclusive dating app.

how to get on the app?

In order to be on RAYA, one needs to fill out an application which would then be filtered. “Aspiring applicants” need to fit the bill. Not that Raya has a

specific set of qualifications for its applications, but it ratifies your identity via your Instagram account - a social network it believes to be "the most expressive and creative". Higher the number of followers, higher is your chance of getting in. The selection algorithm, however, remains a mystery as many community members with small Instagram followings claim admittance. In addition to that, would be members also need to be referred by another current member in good standing. This application is then reviewed by an anonymous committee made up of "people from various backgrounds, geographies, and creative industries". Once your application goes through, you wait until you get a message stating your confirmation or rejection. In addition to its initial purpose of helping people collaborate romantically, RAYA introduced a new feature titled “Work” in 2017 to enable members to collaborate on work related projects. To stay on the app, members need to abide by a subscription model that is either £5.99 for a one month membership or £22.99 for a six month membership.

how does it work?

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Because everyone Needs Somebody To Love

Once you’re on the app, you can create a profile that’s essentially a slideshow linked to your Instagram and camera roll. You can also connect your favourite songs to the images to create personal “stories”.

Privacy RAYA is stern about its privacy policies which is an understandable requirement if it wishes to remain an exclusive app. So, if you take a screenshot of someone’s profile, you get a warning or rather a threat that you’d be denied access to the app if the picture is shared online.

Similarly, it does not entertain disrespectful or inappropriate behaviour on the app. Careful curation, thus, allows the app to maintain its secrecy.

EXPoSED

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hi

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5

t

he Bluetooth technology was first initiated in 1989

by Nils Rydbeck, CTO at Ericsson Mobile. Now it is been more than two decades and Bluetooth is still one of the most widely used wireless technologies for short distance transfers. Bluetooth is integrated into more than 8.2 billion products including Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Health, Mobile phones, PC Peripherals, wearables, sports, etc.

what is Bluetooth?

Let’s first talk about Bluetooth. Bluetooth is based on radio waves technology. When Bluetooth was introduced, it had a very short range, mainly intended to replace short cables between two Bluetooth enabled devices (especially between headset and smartphones). Then it went through several versions to gain more improvements and capabilities. The latest version of the Bluetooth 5 was announced in 2016.

what’s new in Bluetooth 5?

So with Bluetooth 5, Bluetooth classic will remain exactly the same and it is completely backwardly compatible. So, all your existing Bluetooth wireless keyboards, speakers and mouse will work with Bluetooth 5 devices flawlessly. However, the biggest changes come with Bluetooth low energy in Bluetooth 5.

here are soMe Big iMproveMents: The Bluetooth 5 has a greater range The Bluetooth 5 has a high transfer speed The Bluetooth 5 uses less power

iMproveMents over Bluetooth 4 Bluetooth 4 has an expected outdoor range of around 50 metres and indoor range of around 10 metres - of course it depends on interference such as walls and thickness. Now with Bluetooth 5, the range has been boosted to 200 metres line-of-sight directly with no obstacles in the way. The indoor range is around 40 metres, now I don’t know how much big your house, but my house has everything within 40 metres.

This improved in-range gives a boost for the areas like Internet Of Things, home automation and even for home security because this device can connect with each other wirelessly with low energy consumption within 40 meters radius and that’s a really good improvement.

Not only the range has improved, but also the speed. In Bluetooth 4.0, the physical Bluetooth speed is around 1 megabits per second, now that has been boosted to 2 megabits per second in Bluetooth 5. Now I said physical speed, that’s because one time you add protocols error checking

and so on the actual data rate is reduced. But the theoretical throughput for a Bluetooth 5 Low energy device is 1.6 megabits per second, that’s full duplex mode which means in both directions. So in a single direction speed is around 783 kilobits per second. However, practically the devices like the MiBand 2 or other similar devices will sync at least twice as fast and it also means that new areas can be explored now because data can be sent quicker.

Also, as I said earlier there is less power consumption with the Bluetooth 5. One might assume that with all the extra speed and extra range, the power consumption would go up. However, thanks to some clever technology including better use of frequency and different ways of doing the modulations, the actual energy consumption can be 2.5 times less depending on the usage situation. So greater range, greater speed and less power consumption.

one More extra thing: connectionless Broadcasting In Bluetooth 4, there was an idea of connectionless broadcasting. If you remember, you mainly use Bluetooth by pairing it with your phone to your wearable or pair Bluetooth keyboard with your wireless computer and so on.

The latest Bluetooth 5 allows you to have a connectionless advertising and this is aimed at the idea of things called beacons, basically a little device that can transmit Bluetooth information in areas such as shopping malls. For e.g. In shopping malls, you go into a particular store and there may be a Bluetooth beacon that would transmit information about the offers or access to their online site with more categories to shop. There are lot more possibilities that can be explored with Bluetooth 5.

iBeacon from Apple and the other is Eddystone from Google which try to define how those 31 bytes looks and what information they can contain.

Now when you add protocols inside of those data packets, actually the amount of space gets decreased in which actual data can be stored.

But with Bluetooth 5, it jumps from 31 bytes to 255 bytes. That means even if you include the protocols, there are still a huge chunk of space left where the sophisticated data can be stored. So Bluetooth 5 will see a boost in the use of beacons because that allows you to add extra information.

when will we get it?

There are changes occurring in new hardware, as this isn’t a software-only upgrade. So the chipset makers are on their way to make new Bluetooth 5 chips. So once the chipset makers are able to ship those to the smartphone manufacturers or OEMs, we can probably see a new Bluetooth 5 implementation on their latest devices. Let’s expect to have products that support Bluetooth 5 towards the end of 2017. So if you are looking for a new smartphone by this year, then you should get one with Bluetooth 5 onboard.

“

The idea of Bluetooth name came from Jim Kardach of Intel, who was reading a historical novel about vikings and King Harald Bluetooth.

There was a problem with Bluetooth 4 is that it allowed only 31 bytes inside those broadcasting packets and it was upto the developers on how those 31 bytes was formatted. There were different variants available, one is

EXPLorE

future-ready

strategY

i

creation

n the beginning of the series, strategy is examined as a competitive advantage essential for creating and sustaining superior performance. In this part of the series, I would like to elaborate fundamentals and decisiveness of its implementation.

Few weeks ago while conducting a management workshop for leaders in an organisation, it emerged strongly that while the senior team had necessary wherewithal for forming up world class strategies, it was the ability to execute it flawlessly or with minimum deviations that was the biggest concern and deterrent in meeting goals. Rather at some point the senior executives confessed that the path to execution is the toughest and more important than even the quality of an advanced or distinctive strategy, latter formed with due market intelligence, diligence and competition analysis.

The recent upheaval at Tata Group also indicated that change of strategic direction needs closer attention and simply cannot be underestimated. As per my experience of interacting with core or senior teams across various industries, I observed that selling of a strategy internally in an organisation is critical and needs to be unanimously accepted and appreciated by employees before it can become a success story, and that happens much later. The Board’s involvement and role in approving strategy is a prime factor as during the later stages of execution, fallouts can be avoided.

One of the reasons strategies change and many a times drastically is to utilise opportunities to its optimal while creating value. An example to explain further is that in an industrial economy, companies create value with their tangible assets by transforming raw materials into finished products and opportunities may shift from managing tangible assets to managing knowledge based strategies deploying organisation’s intangible assets.

Automation for instance has changed the way machines were operated and supervised changing roles and processes. A Brookings Institute study conducted in 1982 showed that tangible book values represented 62% of industrial organisation market values. By 1993 - 94, that ratio dropped to 38% and recent studies show it accounts for only 5 to 10%.

Now tools to assess current and appropriate strategies must also be reviewed and undergo best suited changes. As we know Amazon has been making continuous losses since its inception as per books and recent valuations substantiate it further, barring few exceptional quarters. This also suggests that Jeff Bezos' strategic direction is arguably proving right but had we used archaic tools for strategy assessment, he would have been seen as failed.

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Another critical issue for senior teams is attempting to implement knowledge based strategies in organisations designed originally for industrial age achievement. Past strategies were developed at top and executed through the central command.

Change was incremental and ‘budget’ was a tactical management control system slowing reactions and response rate of managers, this may have been a wise strategy then keeping in check critical decision making process. These were suitable in 20th century but are considered passé now.

Organisations in current times have recognised that competitive advantage comes more from intangible assets - knowledge, capabilities and relationship created over time. Hence alignment of strategy with all internal stakeholders becomes critical. Organisations now need a language for communicating strategy, processes and systems that help them implement strategy to gain constructive feedback ploughed back into the organisation.

Aligning organisations to a common philosophy or strategy is certainly daunting and fatiguing, but worth every penny and sweat. In very large MNC’s with multiple divisions and units that also compete in other industries or within themselves for both market shares and talent, it is most important that they are driven by a single belief or value set. There will be synergies in terms of sharing perspectives across spectrum of various functions like finance, customer experience, internal process frameworks, market intelligence and growth. Tata Empire is an example with big companies within its fold - Tata Steel, Tata Motor, TCS catering different business segments. Corporate role is primarily of providing them values to govern, vision to follow, financial views, creating synergies by operating an efficient internal capital market.

Some of the organisations share common business processes and require corporate’s role of ensuring their most effective use. Few MNCs and their SBU’s share common technologies and knowledge like LG Electronics Inc. and Honda Motor Co Inc. use its superb capabilities in engine and design and manufacture produce superior products in different market segments – Air Conditioners, Refrigerators, or Motorcycles, automobiles, power generators et al. Procurement is also often a shared business process as in case of Walmart.

Developing ‘balanced scorecard’ can resolve complexities in such situations. This corporate scorecard should articulate the theory of the corporation, the rationale for having several SBUs operating within the corporate structure rather than each SBU operating as a separate entity.

Originated by Robert Kaplan (Harvard Business School) and David Norton as a performance measurement framework that adds strategic nonfinancial performance measures to traditional

financial metrics to give managers and executives a more 'balanced' view of organizational performance, balanced scorecard serves as a strategic planning and management system and the most extensively used across industries, government and non-commercial organisations.

Balanced scorecard has also been selected by the editors of Harvard Business Review as one of the most influential business ideas of the past 75 years that can address a serious deficiency in traditional management systems: the inability to link a company’s long-term strategy with its shortterm financial goals. The scorecard lets managers introduce four processes that help companies make that important link other than helping create synergies through shared services. The service agreement and the SSU Balanced scorecard should accomplish the following: TRANSLATING THE VISION - SBUs must hold commonly shared values, beliefs and ideas that reflect the corporate identity, it helps managers build a consensus concerning a company’s strategy and express it in terms that can guide action at the local level.

COMMuNICATING AND LINKING – This calls for communicating strategy at all levels of the organization and linking it with unit and individual goals. It aligns the efforts of the unit as per the priorities of its customers. Actions mandated at the corporate level that create synergies at the SBU level are taken, like cross selling to customers across SBUs. It further strengthens a culture of customer based performance and continuous improvement within the unit BuSINESS PLANNING – This provides a basis of accountability between the units and its customers enabling companies to integrate their business plans with their financial plans FEEDBACK AND LEARNING - gives companies the capacity for strategic learning testing the hypotheses on which a strategy is based, and making necessary adjustments. This further helps track the progress in the performance of the unit While we are at discussing ‘Corporate Strategy’ it is important to know that there will be no particular framework of keeping it defined in a block, it undergoes transformations even while I pen down my past experiences and bring forth current definitions, theories, practical contexts and most pragmatic approaches until there are updates, reviews or innovations to the existing ones.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Yasho V Verma is a Management Thinker & Philosopher, a Mentor and a Strategy Consultant, an Academician and a Veteran in consumer durables and retail.

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Organisations now need a language for communicating strategy, processes and systems that help them implement strategy to gain constructive feedback ploughed back into the organisation.

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A 7 PP & LE 7 i PL Ph uS O NE

d e t a r -

PIcKINg uP

THe BeST

4G vOlte

SUppORteD SMarTPHONeS V

oLTE stands for Voice over Long Term Evolution. While buying a new smartphone, you probably consider the specifications that includes the best processor, RAM, internal memory, battery and display screen size. We often use to ignore features like VoLTE support.

But after the launch of Jio 4G and its free Data and Voice service, the demand of 4G VoLTE supported smartphones in India rises to its peak.

Every smartphone manufacturers & OEM’s started launching 4G VoLTE enabled smartphones and upgrading their existing smartphone to support 4G VoLTE.

If you are Apple fan, you don’t have to look out for Android phone for 4G VoLTE. Apple iPhones already support 4G VoLTE out-of-the-box. Other specs include is a new A10 Fusion chipset along with 2GB of RAM. The bigger iPhone 7 Plus uses the same A10 Fusion chipset but gets 3GB of RAM. Another added feature on iPhone 7 Plus is the dual camera setup with 12-megapixel six element lens image sensor. Both iPhone 7 & 7 Plus has a 7-megapixel front camera for selfie and video calling.

OnePlus 3T is the latest smartphone from OnePlus that offers flagship performance at an amazing price point. OnePlus 3T is a dual SIM smartphone with 4G VoLTE support in both SIM slots.

It’s has a flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor paired with 6 gigs of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. This put together with a good camera and a brilliant screen makes it a very capable device. OnePlus 3T offers a 16-megapixel front camera for HD video calls over VoLTE.

So, here we go, I will give you the options between few of the best 4G VoLTE enabled smartphones.

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by Shintu Dhang

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S gA AM Ed L Su gE Ax Ng Y S7

g PIx OO EL gL xL E

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge are an evolution from the previous Galaxy S6 lineup. The Galaxy S7 Edge features dual SIM hybrid slot, both SIM slot supports 4G VoLTE networks. The S7 Edge is powered by Exynos OctaCore processor paired with 4GB DDR4 RAM and an on-board storage options with expandable storage this time around. Starting this year, the S7 Edge can be upgradable to latest Android 7.0 Nougat via OTA (Over the Air) update. Both the front 5MP and the rear 12MP camera come equipped with f/1.7 aperture, which allows for 25% more light than the previous generations.

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The Google Pixel devices that were launched in India came with Android 7.1 Nougat that didn’t have the option to enable VoLTE. But with the latest update to Android 7.1.1 Nougat brings 4G VolTE support to the Pixel devices. The Pixel XL is touted as the first to be “made by Google” smartphone that features latest Android version including Google assistant built-in. The Pixel XL also packs the fastest Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and comes with a 5.5-inch Quad HD(2560x1440 pixels) display at a pixel density of 534 pixels per inch. Google Pixel XL has an 8-megapixel front facing cameras for HD video calls.

LG V20 is the world’s first smartphone to come with Android Nougat operating system preloaded out of the box. It is also the first smartphone to pack every goodness of Google Android, like Google’s In Apps feature that lets you find contents from any user-installed apps and the web.

As for connectivity, LG V20 packs advanced 4G X12 LTE networks that support up to 600 Mbps LTE category 12 with 3x carrier aggregation. LG V20 fully supports all Indian 4G bands along with support for VoLTE. It packs with a 5.7-inch main IPS Quantum Display and a unique secondary display, similar to previous LG V10.

The LG V20 camera is the first to use Qualcomm’s digital image stabilization that augments the optical system.

Lg g5 Lenovo z2 Plus Oppo f1 Plus vivo v5 Plus htc 10 Moto z

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GHOST REcON wildlands - Bold and Beautiful Reviewed By: Omar 00

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Publisher – Ubisoft Reviewed on – PlayStation 4 Price– `2,999 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC

FIrSt ImPreSSIon – With almost every video game going down the ‘openworld’ route, it isn’t a surprise to see Ghost Recon do the same. This military tactical shooter is Ubisoft’s most renowned franchise alongside Assassin’s Creed, Prince of Persia and Far Cry. After nine iterations focusing majorly on stealth in a linear format, this one gives you the freedom to complete each task at hand stealthily or explosively, in the fictional country of Bolivia. The key feature of this game other than the massive open-world is the co-op play, something we experienced in The Division. With new additions to the franchise, Ghost Recon: Wildlands is definitely Ubisoft’s boldest project yet. revIeW – You are part of a special ops team on a mission in Bolivia. The instructions are simple – put an end to Santa Blanca, a drug cartel which has done more harm than good to the country and its citizens. The cartel led by El Sueño has enough clout amongst officials to get away with every illegitimate act. Like any cartel, they have a hierarchy which will put a lot of corporates to shame.

Slowly but surely, you have to take out every rung of the ladder, which will eventually lead to El Sueño. While you are at war with Santa Blanca, you will also fight battles with La Unidad, a Special Operations Division.

Also, the local rebel group, Kataris 26, will come into play (in a supporting act) every now and then. After customizing your character, the game puts you in thick of the action with a rescue mission. Afterwards, you travel to the length and breadth of Bolivia, to rescue hostages, extract information, stop convoys, steal helicopters and of course, complete the story missions to get to El Sueño. The country is divided into 21 provinces and each province has its own lynchpin. They key to connecting the dots is extracting information from gang leaders and Intel in form of recordings and photographs scattered across the map.

The scale and magnitude of fictional Bolivia is impeccable. Ubisoft has quite possibly created 94 I

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the biggest open world in video games and they have done full justice to a country which is as diversely variable as Bolivia. From sky high mountains to lush green fields, the country has been well depicted in Ghost Recon: Wildlands.

During high speed chases or escapes, you may start on a narrow street surrounded by houses and human population and it will probably end on a road surrounded by fields. The diversity in the setting and environment is simply amazing.

I spent several minutes every now and then, staring at sunrises. Different geographical conditions like rainfall, day and night change the dynamics of every mission. Ghost Recon: Wildlands has a gigantic world and that is quite truly the best thing about the game.

The world of Ghost Recon: Wildlands throws countless missions and side missions at you.

At the end of each, you are rewarded with various items. There are supplies that you can tag, which are then picked up the rebels. Some missions also reward you with Skill Points which can be redeemed to upgrade your weapons and items like drones and binoculars. At the same time, you can not only upgrade your skills, but also the skills of your fellow ghosts.

Speaking of which, on every mission, you will be accompanied by three other ghosts. If you are playing solo, these ghosts are at your command. You can instruct them to hold fire or go in all guns blazing. Sync shots is a great feature which can take out 4 bad guys after they’re tagged. In co-op, you and three other friends can take the bad guys out together.

While, solo gameplay has its charm, Ghost Recon: Wildlands is best enjoyed with friends.

Co-op missions not only involved more tactics, but they are also hilarious when all your tactics fall apart.

The game gives you the freedom to choose your style of play and mix them all if needed.

During several missions, I waited in the shadows and took out the bad guys especially snipers placed at high locations, with headshots and sync shots. After that, I went in all guns blazing spraying bullets at anything that moved. That tactical freedom is the most

pleasing characteristic of the game. Using a gun is a really smooth affair and it excels in that department, something a shooter game should.

Using drones to sneak around and tag enemies was the mainstay of my gameplay.

From guns to rocket launchers, your arsenal is fully loaded and you are never short of options. Upgrading these weapons makes it easier to complete tasks at hand. To move from one point to another, the map is laden with cars, bikes, speed boats, trucks, airplanes and helicopters. Crashing airplanes and helicopters into cartel hideouts felt really good. Death comes to you in many ways in the game. I died from enemy fire, and more amusingly, I was killed by an oncoming train, quite an embarrassing death for a special ops ghost.

A world of this magnitude does not come without bugs and Ghost Recon: Wildlands has plenty of them. While, none of them are game breaking, they will make you question the laws of physics. The game begins with a bang and leaves you with promises of fun and a gripping story. As you progress, the story also starts to disappoint and missions get very repetitive.

With so many characters brought together, the writers had to get their act right to ensure the game shines on all fronts. Sadly, popular writers, Don Winslow and Shane Salerno, do not do justice to a game with beaming potential. Some of the banter between the ghosts may force you to switch off the subtitles and play the game on mute.

verdIct - Ghost Recon: Wildlands does a lot of things right. The landscape is overwhelming, the gameplay is glorious and though it gets monotonous, it is content rich. It also guarantees many hours of entertainment.

Ghost Recon franchise has returned with a makeover, and though it isn’t perfect, it is quite enjoyable. Simply put, Ghost Recon: Wildlands is a game that you should definitely play.

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super Mariorun Yay or Nay?

uper Mario Run finally makes its way to Android devices. Nintendo of America announced on 23rd March 2017 that Super Mario Run dropped on the Android app stores. Super Mario Run is one of Nintendo’s first mobile games and it released last year for iOS. Super Mario Run is free to download, but it will only come with levels 1-1 to 1-4 and a trial of the World Tour, Toad Rally, and Kingdom Builder modes. The full game is available to purchase for $9.99 and it’s a one-time fee. There are no microtransactions.

Many of us have already been addicted the game – thanks to nostalgia more than the game strategy. But is it worth the hype? Or is it not at par the expectations?

good news first: Okay, so let us be pretty clear of the fact that this comes from someone who was and is still a big fan of Super Mario (Run). And hence, this has to do more about the good-things!

The first "Super Mario" game for iPhone and iPad - which finally arrived on Android this week, after a 99-day exclusivity period with Apple - is really, really good.The game is "Super Mario Run," and it's the first smartphone game starring Nintendo's ubiquitous mustachioed plumber.It looks like classic 2D Mario, and it plays like it too.

there is a difference, hold on nostalgia: This isn't a Mario game about pixel-perfect jumps and deep challenge. Yes, Mario moves from left to right, and there are enemies/ obstacles in the way of his progress. But you don't actually control the speed or direction of Mario's movement.

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Instead, little Mario automatically runs from left to right - your one job is to tap the screen to jump. If you hold after tapping, Mario jumps a little higher.

No swiping, no virtual d-pad on-screen, no Bluetooth gamepads connected to your iPhone/ iPad/Android phone.

Instead of worrying about moving Mario forward, you're instead concerned with stomping on enemies and carefully timing your taps to jump at just the right moment.

that doesn't Mean "super Mario run" is easY, per se: It's slightly easier than your average Mario game, perhaps, but there's still plenty of challenge to be found. If you've spent any time playing "Super Mario" games, you're rarely going to find yourself unable to complete a level in "Super Mario Run" solely because of enemy placement or intentionally challenging level design.

Much of the challenge in "Super Mario Run" is in the game's "pink coins" mechanic - collect all five pink coins strewn throughout a given level, and the level moves them to five new, slightly harder to find places. Collect those, and the five pink coins become five bronze coins hidden in question mark boxes, down pits, and in the clouds. I've only found all three sets on the very first few levels, and finding the final five bronze coins was genuinely tough. Yay! Another layer of replay value to the game's somewhat meager offering of 24 levels is the ability to play as a variety of other Mario characters.In "Super Mario Run," you'll start out as Super Mario, but a gaggle of his friends also appear as playable characters. Maybe you're more of a Princess Peach kinda player? Perhaps you identify most with an affable green dinosaur named Yoshi?

Both are playable characters in "Super Mario Run," with a total of six to choose from. Since each of the characters plays slightly differently

- Luigi jumps higher, Princess Peach floats in mid-air, etc. - you could replay levels to get more excitement out of them.

what else: There are two modes that are distinct from the classic Mario gameplay of "World Tour" mode - they are "Toad Rally" and "Kingdom Builder." In the former, you race against other players to collect the most coins, stomp the most enemies, and generally play as skillfully as possible.

If you do better than your opponent, you're rewarded with new followers (Toads of various types). The more followers you have, the higher your level is; the higher your level is, the larger your kingdom is.

And that last bit is important, because it determines the size of your buildable land in the "Kingdom Builder" mode. If you've ever played "Clash of Clans" or "Game of War," you're already familiar with this game mode - you build stuff using coins earned in the "World Tour" mode. This stuff ranges from decorations (mushrooms of various types) to houses for various Toads.

But let's Be clear: Both Toad Rally and Kingdom Builder are ancillary modes to the meat and potatoes of World Tour mode. Players are coming to "Super Mario Run" looking for classic Mario gameplay, and World Tour mode is where they're going to find it.

Thankfully, the two ancillary modes serve to complement World Tour.Kingdom Builder allows you to see the progress you're making in the game beyond just completing levels; Toad Rally allows you to put your playing skills to the test against other players. Neither is fantastic by itself, but they do a good job of accenting the classic Mario gameplay of World Tour.

so, should You spend the extra MoneY on "super Mario run"? i think You should, Yes: There are no microtransactions, so that $10 is an "all-in" price.

And for that $10, you get a solid - if somewhat

MANy Of us HAvE ALrEADy BEEN ADDICTED THE gAME – THANks TO NOsTALgIA MOrE THAN THE gAME sTrATEgy. BuT Is IT WOrTH THE HypE? Or Is IT NOT AT pAr THE EXpECTATIONs?

limited - "Super Mario" game from the folks who created the franchise. "Super Mario Run" isn't going to make anyone's top five list of all-time Mario games, but it's certain to please returning fans and new fans alike.

since i started this with soMe good news, here's soMe More: There's a free version of "Super Mario Run" that has the first three levels in entirety available to play. Go give it a shot and decide for yourself!

tiMe to face soMe realitY Is it just me who thinks spending $10 for the game is okay enough? Guess so, because Super Mario Run has surprisingly not been the commercial hit Nintendo expected on iOS due to its steep $10 price point.

by Shreya Bhattacharya

Revenue from the game "did not meet our expectations," Nintendo President TatsumiKimishima said. Previously it was reported that the game's gross revenue hit $30 million in two weeks.

Despite this, the company isn’t planning to focus freemium games completely, citing its success with Fire Emblem: Heroes being an outlier. While the Android version of Super Mario Run will allow more people to experience the game, monetisation isn’t expected to be the main objective. It appears that Nintendo is looking to make good on its claims to use smartphones to introduce its games to a wider audience.

experience

-rated

f

rom the past few years, there was an on-going trend of dual rear cameras and bigger brands like Apple and LG already implemented it on their flagship device.

Now all of a sudden, Vivo and Oppo are trying to change the trend by introducing dual front camera smartphones in the market. The main aim is to capture high-quality selfies with bokeh effect or taking group selfies. So let’s find out which device deserves to be the best dual camera selfie smartphone in the market.

design

From the front, both the device looks exactly similar to each other with a minor difference. OPPO F3 Plus is slightly larger than the Vivo V5 Plus. Placement of components like display, speaker, dualcamera and fingerprint sensor are exactly at the same location on both the devices.

Moving towards the back side, both the device looks different from each other except the logo placement. The Vivo V5 Plus mimic iPhone 7 back with the same antenna design format; it’s a straight-up clone of the Apple iPhone 7. On the other side, OPPO F3 Plus has split them into three spaced tramlines, which makes it look different than the other devices.

Taking the look at the bottom, the Vivo V5 Plus has 3.5mm audio port, microUSB and a speaker grill. If you look Vivo V5 bottom through a mirror, that’s how OPPO F3 Plus will look like from the bottom.

specs & perforMance

The OPPO F3 Plus looks to edge ahead here.

In figures, the Vivo V5 Plus is powered by a 2.0GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset coupled with Adreno 506 GPU. On the other hand, the OPPO F3 Plus sports a 1.95 GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 652 chipset paired with Adreno 510 GPU. Both, Oppo F3 Plus and Vivo V5 Plus comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

In terms of performance, you will notice a minor difference between the OPPO F3 Plus and Vivo V5 Plus. Both the devices also run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with ColorOS 3.0 on the Oppo and FunTouch OS 3.0 on the Vivo. While both the skins are not perfect in terms of optimizations and battery, both of them keep you satisfied. If you don’t crib about the maximum performance, the Vivo V5 Plus and Oppo F3 Plus will do the job here.

caMera

When we come to the camera, things get even more interesting as Oppo F3 Plus and Vivo V5 Plus has something unique to offer in

this segment. Both the device sports a dual front camera set up. OPPO dual camera has a combination of 16-megapixel and an 8-megapixel sensor with f/2.0 aperture, while Vivo V5 Plus offers 20-megapixel and an 8-megapixel sensor with f/1.8 aperture. The Oppo dual camera setup will basically help users get a wide-angle selfie pictures and Vivo dual camera helps out to take photos with Bokeh effect. Flipping the device, the back of the Oppo F3 Plus and Vivo V5 Plus features a 16-megapixel sensor with phase detection autofocus, OIS and LED (dual tone on Oppo) flash.

BatterY

The battery is another area where Vivo V5 Plus falls short when compared to the Oppo F3 Plus. While the Vivo V5 Plus comes with a 3160 mAh battery capacity, the Oppo F3 Plus packs in a 4000 mAh battery. What’s important to note here is that the Oppo F3 Plus comes with a bigger 6-inch screen, so they are bound to suck a little more battery on a day-to-day basis.

For the verdict on this one, we would go for the Oppo F3 Plus followed by the Vivo V5 Plus. But, Oppo F3 Plus comes with its trademark VOOC Charging which is probably the fastest on any device right now even though Vivo V5 Plus comes with its Dual engine quick charging technology.

Dual

encounter

by Shintu Dhang

98 I

I APR 17

exhiBit verdict

PRIcE: `30,990/-

And now for the verdict, OPPO F3 Plus packs a slightly better processor than the Vivo V5 Plus which improves the overall performance of the device. Combining the front camera and device performance, the OPPO F3 Plus seems to be a clear winner.

OPPO f3 PLuS

PRIcE: `27,980/-

vIvO v5 PLuS

ex-rated

Android wins over iPhone TIMES MORE THAN

P

6

sst, all you Android phone owners, you can now shut your iPhone owner friends up who boast about their superiority! Well, there’s absolutely no denying the fact that iPhone is the boss indeed, but then there are times when Android phones seem to be getting an upper hand on the former. Check out how and when:

1) sMarter calling, and Messaging Truecaller, a really popular crowd-sourced phone directory service, is available on both Android and iOS. But the most useful thing about the app - where you get to see names of identified unknown callers when a call comes in, is available only on Android. In iOS 10, a new API lets Truecaller show an incoming spam call, but it won’t show names of every caller - you have to manually check those. The Android app also syncs the call logs so you can even see names of unknown numbers listed in a chronological fashion - you can even use it as a replacement for your default dialer. Whereas in iOS, the app only shows a log of people whom you’ve called using the app, not all calls.

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2) Backup to google photos in the Background Google Photos is an incredible service that offers unlimited backups of photos and videos captured on your phone, for free. And although there’s some compression, the quality will be fairly acceptable for most of us. Now, although there is an iOS app for this service, it doesn’t reliably backup photos when the phone’s on standby that’s because Apple doesn’t have APIs for apps to perform tasks like uploading content in the background. On Android though, not only will photos sync when your phone is asleep, you can even set a rule so that they start uploading only when the phone’s on charge.

3) run two apps at once Although you can run two apps side-by-side on an iPad, the same isn’t available on an iPhone, yet. On Android, multi-window has been available on a number of different phones for years, and now it is officially baked into Android 7.0 Nougat. This can be useful when you’re juggling between two apps constantly. Oh, and a neat little bonus, on Android Nougat you can ‘Alt-tab’ between two apps by consecutively tapping the multitasking button.

4) record phone calls This is yet another thing that you can’t do on an iPhone - record phone calls. Sure, there are some hacky ways around doing this or by using third party subscription services on iOS, but it isn’t as easy as installing an app on an Android phone. Apps like Automatic Call Recorder can record every call by default and you can also share the AMR file over email or cloud storage.

5) share Your device with others Multi-user mode has been around on Android since version 5.0 Lollipop. With it, you can hand

over your phone over to another person with ease of mind, by simply logging into the guest account, or by creating a separate user account, which does not have access to your private data much like we do on computers. While this is how it works on stock Android that runs on phones like the Google Pixel, different manufacturers have their own implementations.

6) Manage files Better for easier attachMents Android’s way of handling files is similar to that of a computer - there’s a root folder (like the C Drive on a Windows machine) and files sorted within a folder structure. Every app has access to this centralized storage, making it possible to say, attach a PDF file from within an email app on Android. The same thing isn’t possible on iOS, because by design, files are encapsulated within the apps themselves. On iOS, if you go to the Mail app and want to attach any file other than photos, then you have to open the app that contains the PDF file, hit the ‘share’ button, and choose an email client, which then creates a new email.

Bonus Apart from these, there are some other features that receive a bonus mention - things like the ability to download torrents which is near impossible to do on an iPhone. Not to mention launchers, that can radically transform the way your home screens appear.

Lastly, and this is just a pet peeve, for clearing notifications on an iPhone, it’s a two-step action - a swipe and tap on the ‘clear’ button. Just imagine the number of times you have to do this daily. Whereas on Android, clearing notifications is easier, with a simple swiping gesture.

explore

P int and-shoot

ca era

by Shreya Bhattacharya

I

have met many photography enthusiasts who want to take good shots, but somehow can’t end up taking professional shots. It’s because deep in their mind they believe they don’t have the ‘professional gears’ which we more popularly call DSRLs. When we see professional photographers on the news and in the movies it often appears that only the DSLR cameras and super-fast lenses they carry are capable of making great images. Most amateur shooters want to take good pictures too, but they don’t want to spend a lot of money on esoteric photographic gear or learn anything about f-stops. Consequently, many amateur/ casual photographers believe that only complex and expensive gear can produce truly beautiful photographs.

But I say, socket wrenches and screwdrivers don’t fix cars…good mechanics do! Cast iron skillets and French saut-pans don’t create delicious meals…good cooks do! The camera (like a cast iron skillet or a socket wrench) is simply a tool.

And learning how to use that tool is how you can create amazing images.

Trust me, you can pick a point and shoot camera and capture excellent pictures, like your DSLR owner friends might be doing!

LEARNINg hOw tO uSE thAt tOOL (POINt-ANd-ShOOt cAM) IS hOw YOu cAN cREAtE AMAzINg IMAgES.

EXPLorE

what’s point & shoot caMera?

If defined very simply, a point-and-shoot is a film or digital camera in which the focus and exposure is entirely automatic. You aim and press the button, the camera does the rest. Point-and-shoot cameras can range from cheap throw-aways to pocket-sized digitals. Even high-end cameras have a point-andshoot option, in which the camera makes all settings automatically. Although there may be settings for different lighting conditions such as bright sun vs. dusk, point-and-shoot cameras have no options to manually set the aperture, shutter speed and focus.

How are they different froM dslrs?

Not surprisingly, DSLR cameras cost far more than point and shoot cameras. DSLR cameras also have more accessories available than beginner cameras, such as interchangeable lenses and external flash units. The interchangeable lenses give the DSLR quite an advantage over the point and shoot camera, because these extra lenses give the DSLR the ability to greatly change its capabilities and feature set as you change them.

A key difference between the two models involves what the photographer sees as he frames a shot.

With a digital SLR, the photographer typically previews the image directly through the lens, thanks to a series of prisms and mirrors that reflect the lens image back to the viewfinder. A point and shoot camera often doesn't even offer a viewfinder. Most of these tiny cameras rely on the LCD screen to allow the photographer to frame the photo.

Advantages of point-&-shoot over dslrs •Size, to start off with: You can simply slip them into your pocket and carry them anywhere. Heck, some of the new phones have excellent cameras and you don’t even need a dedicated point and shoot camera anymore… hitting those ski slopes and keeping good memories is easier than ever.

•Weight: Most point and shoot cameras are very light weight. You do not need extra bags, tripods or other accessories to carry around. There are, however, advanced “SLR-like” point and shoot cameras that tend to get bigger and bulkier, due to their super zoom capabilities.

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•Fixed lens: All point and shoot cameras come with fixed lenses.

You don’t sweat in trying to change lenses.

•Massive Depth of Field: In layman’s terms, it means that point and shoot cameras typically cannot separate foreground from background, bringing everything in focus and making the entire scene look sharp. This could be both good and bad.

•Price: A point-and-shoot camera is always going to be cheaper to purchase and maintain than a DSLR.

MOSt POINt ANd ShOOt cAMERAS ARE vERY LIght wEIght. YOu dO NOt NEEd ExtRA bAgS, tRIPOdS OR OthER AccESSORIES tO cARRY AROuNd

How to take good pictures with point & shoot?

8. Position Your frame Properly In photography, don’t always think that putting the subject in the middle of the picture is interesting.

It really isn’t, it’s typical and very cliché this is why framing creates interest. It draws the attention of the viewer to where it’s supposed to be. When taking a picture, include either the entire background or just a bit of it.

1. Know Your Camera Like You Know Your Self Read the manual! Face it. You don’t always know what your digicam can do. Take your time in knowing the presets of your camera. Read the manual and see which menus are available to your use. Some Digital cameras can also take manual photos, you can ditch presets and go for manual settings where you can control the aperture and the shooting speed of your camera.

If your camera is less capable of doing this, then focus on the things your camera can do. Check which filters are available to your point-and-shoot use them whenever possible. When you know what the settings are used for and which menus are needed in a certain scenarios then will be using your model to the fullest.

Don’t just use your camera when something is happening. The best shots are always shots of something ordinary. No matter how uneventful something is, take a picture. Play around with your settings and see which would be best in taking a picture when it’s dark and when it’s bright. It’s your camera, you should know what you can do with it.

2. Make The Most of What You Have Taking your camera when going to a beach or attending a birthday party is just common use for your model. Great shots can be taken anytime and anywhere. Put your camera in your camera at all times.If what you have are the typical pointand-shoot modes like automatic modes such as landscape, portrait, night mode etc. use them! Try things out with what works best to prepare yourself for manual mode.

It’s nice to take photos where your subject is highlighted and their background is blurred. You can use night mode to create such a shot. Night mode can also be used if you want to create depth in your photographs, night mode is best used in lowlight situations but it can also be used just to make your background blur. If you want a steady well-balanced photo, use a tripod with this mode.

3. Exploit Your body’s flexibility With lesser filters and lesser ways of manipulating your cameras settings, use your body as a camera trick. Don’t just go for a shot where your subject is right in front of you. Kneel if you must: to get a better view from the ground. Stand on a chair if you must: you can get really awesome headshots. Go behind a bush if you must: it creates a rustic frame.

4. Experiment on a Certain Style of Taking Photographs Don’t aim for high caliber styles that your camera cannot handle. Styles like HDR photography, Infrared, panoramic shots or underwater shots (unless your camera is waterproof and pressure proof) are beyond your cameras caliber.Shoot simple color shots and black and white and even try landscape shots and portraiture with your typical digital camera.

POSItION YOuR fRAME PROPERLY 5. Setting is the key Fix your settings to fit the situation you are in.

Sometimes, good photography isn’t only about a good camera; it’s also about a good location.

Finding yourself on a hill with the view of a mountain filled with houses can be a good subject for your pictures. Set your typical digital camera on landscape mode and start taking pictures.

If landscape mode doesn’t work, try night mode.

Try different modes and play around your settings to capture the landscape. Landscapes are one of the best pictures styles that you can get. Don’t hesitate on taking a picture with just your point-and-shoot, take a picture of a gazebo in the school yard. Take a photo of the restaurant filled with diners or an empty diner early in the morning.

a)Don’t ever cut a picture of a person on the waist or on the knees. It’s always better to take a picture either on close-up or on a broader view.

On close-up go only as far as a person’s shoulders and/or upper arm; if not, take a picture of the entire person from head to foot. Remember that pictures cut on the waist or on the knees can destroy the quality of a photo. Taking a picture of the entire thing gives a sense of completeness and continuity. b) Cut your frame on the waist when taking a formal picture. It is the best way to present a business-like image.

9. Take Your Flash Off the Menu (most of the time) You should pay close attention to the position of your flash. If your flash is close to your lenses or right above your lenses, try to lessen your use of the flash. Taking a picture with the flash on would remove the shadows of your subject creating a flat lifeless picture.You may dim your flash a little by putting a semi-clear folder over the flash or even a thin piece of tissue. This will lessen the strength of the light making the picture more realistic.

Flashes are only good when the background of your subject is brighter. Turn on the flash to highlight your subject against a brighter background.

6. Light the Path Close up of photographing with smartphone Lighting is one of the factors that gives life and depth to a photo. Dimly lit places are places where your camera is quite limited. Point-and-shoot cameras cannot take high definition shots when the lighting is low and that is where the flash come in.

The way for a good shot is by finding the proper lighting for your shot. Work with the light that is available. If you found yourself in a place, where the only available light is a lampshade then that would make a good vintage shot.

Always take a picture against the light. If you happen to be inside the house with the window behind your subject turn the flash on and take a picture.

7. choose a creative Subject

LIght thE PAth

Nostalgic antique wooden spinning top Creative subjects don’t always mean it’s a person smiling in front of a camera. A subject will be something that will be of interest. It can be a pet on lying on the ground, your baby just grabbing a toy or just a person jogging around the block. a)You can choose someone who is pouting or crying or just a face that gives you a really intense look. b)If the person or thing of interest is found in a good background, take a shot of the background as well. c)In taking a portrait, don’t just take a picture head on. Take a picture of someone from the side or semi-side view. You can even take a portrait of a person from above it creates depth and illusion. d) Don’t take a picture with a flash either, you might end up with a picture of flat quality where shadows are gone because of the flash.

ExPERIMENt ON A cERtAIN StYLE Of tAkINg PhOtOgRAPhS

EXPLorE

top 5 point & shoot caMeras 2017 Here’s a list of best point and shoot digital cameras in India with excellent image quality. This list contains the best cameras picked from enthusiasts, travelzoom and bridge camera categories.

1. sonY cYBer-shot rx100 iv Why should you buy this: This super compact is a jack of all trades Exhibit picks as:Our top pick Price: `69,990 Who’s it for: Photographers who want a small but high-performance camera.

If you had to pick one compact camera that does it all, it’s this one. Sony’s RX100-series defies the limitations of a tight space. With every new model, Sony demonstrates its engineering chops. This pocket rocket is highly compact, yet it has a large, 20.1-megapixel, 1-inch sensor that uses a new “stacked” design that provides faster performance, like 40x super-slow-motion at 960 frames per second (fps), 1/32,000th electronic shutter speed, 16-fps burst mode, and 4K movie capture.

If you’re looking for a versatile pocket camera with a hot-rod engine, this is the ultimate.

2. sonY cYBer-shot rx1r ii Why should you buy this: For capturing the highest-resolution image quality…

Period Exhibit picks as:The best luxury pointand-shoot camera Price: `259,990 Who’s it for: Street and portrait photographers who print their images If you were a pro photographer, the RX1R II might be the pocket camera you carry. At this range, you better have the budget to buy one, too. But this advanced point-and-shoot is special not just because of the many modes and features, but the 42-megapixel full-frame (35mm) sensor inside — the same sensor inside Sony’s lauded A7R II mirrorless camera, one of the highest you can currently get. It also has a fast, fixed prime lens (35mm at f/2.0) that delivers superb images.This isn’t a camera for everyone, simple because for the price, you can buy a full-frame DSLR or mirrorless camera. But it definitely feels so luxurious in the hands.

3. canon powershot g9 x Why should you buy this: An affordable, highly compact camera with 1-inch sensor Exhibit picks as:The best large-sensor(1inch) point-and-shoot camera Price: `29,500 Who’s it for: A strong large-sensor option for those on a budget

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The G9 X Mark II is the slimmer sibling to its older, beefier G3 X brother, but both share the same 20.2-megapixel, 1-inch sensor.

The G9 X functions more like the popular PowerShot S-series we’ve loved in the past, but the larger sensor delivers better quality images than the 1/1.7-inch used in the PowerShot S120 — and it’s only $100 more.

Although it has advanced shooting features, it’s more of a simple point-and-shoot than the G3 X, and features a shorter 3x lens.

Consider this the budget alternative to Sony’s RX100 cameras. The image quality is not only pleasing, but also a nice replacement to the much-loved S-series.

1

4. sonY cYBer-shot rx10 iii Why should you buy this: A camera with long zoom, 4K video, and high-end performance and features Exhibit picks as: The best point-and-shoot for budding pro photographers Price: `114,990 Who’s it for: Any photographer looking for a DSLR alternative Imagine the RX100 IV as a larger camera with a premium lens, and what you get is the Cyber-shot RX10 III. It shares the technologies found in the smaller camera, but the RX10 III has an 25x Zeiss VarioSonnar T lens. It has a DSLR-like body that provides the user with a good grip, and it’s weather-sealed against the elements. Sony also upgraded the camera’s video-capture capabilities, rendering it a budget-friendly filmmaking camcorder that’s well suited for things like YouTube.The price, however, puts it in the enthusiast category; if you decide to go this route, you’ll need to decide if you want a fixed lens solution or opt for an interchangeable DSLR or mirrorless model.

2

3

5. olYMpus tough tg-tracker Why should you buy this: Tough as nails camera that withstands the elements Exhibit picks as:The best rugged point-andshoot camera Price: `39,995 Who’s it for: Travelers who take their cameras into the water Rugged cameras are essentially point-andshoot cameras that are built to be tanks, and the new Tough TG-Tracker is the most powerful yet. Like all rugged cameras, it’s waterproof, freeze-proof, dustproof, and shockproof. But what sets it apart is a sensor that captures data — latitude, longitude, altitude, direction, temperature, etc. — and overlays it on top of your video content (up to 4K). This is great for, say, a point-of-view bike ride where you want to see how fast you’re going at any given moment.It also makes for a great vacation camera, since it’s easy to pack yet can take a hit in any weather condition.

4

5

EXPLorE

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d e s po

H

old on, I am going to share a shocking fact about startups. In the year 2016, more than 1,000 startups shut down in India. Several others folded up. As many as 1,000 startups shut down, more than half of which were founded in the Indian startup ecosystem’s takeoff period of 2013 and 2014. And there are so many others that are struggling to survive and are uncertain of their fate in the upcoming days.

What went wrong? Strategies? Planning?

Funding? Target customers? Or all together?

Some were startups solving real problems that simply ran out of runway as VCs tightened their purse strings and hedge funds fled the scene.

Others found, to their dismay, that me-too business models borrowed from the West don’t always work in India. Several got gobbled up in low-value acqui-hires.

The reasons for the failures were varied, and there’s a lot to learn from them. Here’s a selection of startups that closed last year… along with analysis of the lessons we can draw from their experience.

FAIlURe FOR sOMe leSSONS FOR mANY

by Shreya Bhattacharya

106 I

I APR 17

1. peppertap, localBanYa grocshop

3. zooMo (gozooMo) INDuSTRy: uSED CAR MARKETPLACE

INDuSTRy: ONLINE GROCERy

This was an unusual shutdown. Used car marketplace Zoomo (earlier called GoZoomo) raised US$7 million in funding, had more than half of it left in the bank, but decided to call it quits. The founding team of three IITians looked at the data and saw the unit economics were not adding up, despite several iterations in the business model. Then they took the tough decision to shut shop instead of burning VC money on an unsustainable business.

Hyperlocal grocery delivery startup PepperTap has the dubious distinction of being the biggest failure of 2016. The Gurgaonbased startup had raised over US$50 million, including a US$36 million series B round led by ecommerce player Snapdeal in September 2015. And yet, less than a year later, it shut down.

It’s not the only one: LocalBanya, which raised US$5 million, also floundered and bit the dust. A third significant flop was GrocShop, founded by IIT Bombay alumni and selected by Google for mentoring.

ANALySIS: Essentially, grocery delivery startups have been ‘buying’ customers, who pay no convenience fees to get the groceries delivered to their doorsteps. Also, when a discount is offered to acquire more customers, it’s the local retailers who grab the cheap groceries from these apps, thus defeating the intention to acquire more customers.The bigger players hope to offset the cash burn with scale, but that has run into problems too.

Newer players claim to have learned from the mistakes of their predecessors by maintaining a sharper focus. The leading player BigBasket, which is also one of the earliest in this space, has adopted an inventory-based model by sourcing, stocking, and packing its grocery. This is a deeper play than those jumping in to connect suppliers with customers.

ANALySIS: The problem it set out to solve was the lack of trust in the Indian used car market, where vehicle history rarely has a paper trail.

GoZoomo tried to crack this with inspectionbased quality assurance for peer-to-peer transactions, keeping car dealers out of the marketplace.

The problem GoZoomo ran into was haggling over price, in a culture where consumers often put a premium on discount instead of quality.

Perhaps the market was just not ready for this solution – because without a doubt there’s a problem of trust in used cars, despite the presence of several well-funded players like Cardekho, Droom, and QuikrCars.

2. iprof, purple squirrel INDuSTRy: ED-TECH (ONLINE EDuCATION) Edtech is another domain in India which puts investors in a dilemma. Its potential is huge in a population of 1.3 billion with scarce access to good quality education. But sales cycles are long, traditional institutions slow to adopt innovation from outsiders, and there are too many me-too players without the patience to tackle core problems.

ANALYSIS

A case in point is iProf, one of the earliest test prep startups in a country where college entrance exams are do-or-die affairs. It raised US$15 million in its seven-year run, but wound up in 2016. Another edtech startup, Purple Squirrel, with US$2 million of funding, shut down early 2016.

ANALySIS: The biggest player in India’s edtech space has an online-cum-offline model. Byju’s uses a chain of coaching centers to complement its apps. It has raised US$149 million, including US$125 million in two rounds this year alone.

Among its backers is Mark Zuckerberg.Edtech startups have two main problems to solve: a) finding ways to monetize in a space where consumers are used to free stuff online, and b) building differentiated products and services.

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4. askMe INDuSTRy: ECOMMERCE If the GoZoomo founders displayed rare ethics in returning millions of dollars to their investors, here’s the other end of the spectrum.Malaysiabased investor Astro had to file a petition in the Delhi high court to close down Getit Infoservices, the parent company of ecommerce marketplace AskMe.

ANALySIS: The investor says the business has been floundering despite the US$300 million it pumped in since 2010. And despite holding 99 percent of the shares, it was thwarted in liquidating the company.Getit was a listing site for small vendors.

It morphed into an ecommerce marketplace, trying to leverage its vendor database. But it struggled to set up a managed system for the vendors to sell online. Top managers complained of lack of transparency from the founding team.

5. doorMint INDuSTRy: LAuNDRy The marketplace model has a low entry barrier, but it’s hard as hell to execute profitably in India. On-demand laundry startup Doormint discovered this the hard way.It began as a home services startup in Mumbai, then pivoted to the laundry vertical for more focus. This seemed promising and Doormint was selected in the first batch of the Google Launchpad accelerator.

“

The costs of processing clothes, pick up and drop logistics, and packaging were difficult to recover through prices”

But despite several tweaks to its business model, it was unable to scale up without an unsustainable cash burn. “The costs of processing clothes, pick up and drop logistics, and packaging were difficult to recover through prices,” Doormint cofounders Abhinav Agarwal and Naman Lahoty said in a goodbye statement.

ANALySIS: One factor that neither the founders nor investors seem to have taken into account is the widespread use of lowcost house help in India. Every neighborhood also has a local laundry person. An online laundry service has to beat that in convenience and cost. That’s a tall ask.In the case of Doormint, the assumptions it made about the problem it was solving and its execution were proven wrong.

6. tinYowl, zuperMeal, BitecluB, zepperY, itiffin INDuSTRy: FOOD DELIVERy Food delivery startups have borne the brunt of the yo-yo effect of a funding gluttony last year and starvation this year. The failures of the well-funded TinyOwl and ZuperMeal typify the problems in this space.

TinyOwl raised US$15 million in February 2015, followed by a bridge round of US$7.4 million in October to give it an extended runway. But all the funding could not solve the core problems of delivery costs, negative margins, and unreliable food quality and service from restaurants. It had acrimonious layoffs followed by a merger with logistics startup Roadrunnr.A similar fate befell Zupermeal, which wanted to connect home chefs with professionals ordering food in cities.

It got US$2 million in seed funding from angel investors, including celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor.

But it closed down within eight months. iTiffin, backed by Bangalore cricket star Robin Uthappa, had a subscription-based model for delivering meals with a predefined calorie count. It was unable to raise growth funding. Likewise with Gurgaon-based BiteClub, which could not make it despite backing from prominent angel investors like Alok Mittal, founder of debt financing company Indifi, and Aneesh Reddy, founder of Capillary.

ANALySIS: As for Zeppery, it modeled itself

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on American mobile shopping app Tapingo. It connected users with food outlets nearby. But the startup could not scale.Overall, the food tech space saw an 87 percent decline in funding in 2016.This left FreshMenu, which developed its own kitchens to ensure quality and build a brand, sitting pretty and talking of becoming profitable next year. And the well-funded Swiggy emerged as a dominant player amid the ashes. It raised US$57 million this year, and got breathing room to experiment with its own kitchens. It also paid attention to the process of onboarding restaurant partners and providing Uber-like efficiency.

7. fashionara, ladYBlush INDuSTRy: FASHION Fashion ecommerce is another area with too many copycats and too little differentiation.

So it’s not surprising to see some spectacular flameouts here.One of them was Bangalorebased Fashionara, which adopted a flash sales model. It could only lure customers with deep discounting.

ANALySIS: Once the cash ran out and no more investors were in sight, it had to shut shop. This, despite being founded by experienced professionals – former Reliance Trends CEO Arun Sirdeshmukh and former Times Internet CTO Darpan Munjal. US$8 million in funding and a four-year-run went to nought.Similarly, women-only fashion portal Ladyblush, based in Gurgaon, had US$4 million in funding and four years to get its act together. But once the funding dried up, it was left blushing.

9. Buildzar INDuSTRy: REAL ESTATE A sudden change in the business environment can sound the death knell for a startup. This is what happened to Buildzar, a one-year-old marketplace for building materials in Delhi NCR (National Capital Region).

ANALySIS: Last month, India imposed a clampdown on the use of cash, in a bid to curb black money and digitize the economy.

The real estate business, where cash transactions are the norm to avoid various taxes, got hit the most. Suddenly, sellers became scarce on Buildzar and it had to shut down. It did not have a long enough runway to adjust to a new way of doing business.

8. truckMandi, parcelled INDuSTRy: TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS An estimated 15 percent of India’s GDP is spent on logistics and transportation. Logistics and delivery account for 30 percent of the costs of ecommerce companies in India.Little wonder there’s been a plethora of startups in this space, with investors buzzing around them.

But logistics, transportation, and delivery are complex in India and costs can spiral out of control. The two failed startups Parcelled and TruckMandi are evidence of that.

Parcelled was in the business of last-mile logistics, handling pick-ups, packaging, and moving goods to the next point in the delivery chain. But it closed operations because of poor margins and cash burn. TruckMandi, founded by former employees of ecommerce company Snapdeal, was an on-demand truck booking app. Transporters could bid for customer loads for a fee – two percent of the carrying charge.

It sounded good on paper and raised US$2 million, but shut down in a year and a half.

ANALySIS: Logistics is a space that separates the wheat from the chaff quickly. “It is not just about booking a truck,” LetsTransport co-founder Pushkar Singh, who had earlier managed a biscuit manufacturing unit for ITC, had explained. What he meant was that the logistics needs of a biscuit manufacturer are different from those of a food delivery business or a construction business.

“We understand the client from an operations perspective and then cater to their needs, instead of just sending them any truck,” Pushkar told. His startup has backing from Japanese VC Rebright Partners and wants to help its clients adopt a Japanese-style just-in-time manufacturing model, which requires wellplanned, appropriate, and timely logistics support.

10. klozee INDuSTRy: FASHION ECOMMERCE A number of startups got VC backing in the fashion rental space. It’s a proven model in the US, with Poshmark and Rent the Runway, as well as in China, with Secoo.Flyrobe, Liberent, Elanic, SwishList, Klozee, The Clothing Rental – a whole line of startups came up in the last couple of years to crack this space in India. But it’s harder than it sounds on paper.

Klozee, which had backing from TracxnLabs, the investment arm of Tracxn, shut down within six months of its founding. “We felt that the market is not prepared for this. We did not see demand shaping up the way we expected. Klozee was doing around 12-15 orders a day,” Klozee cofounder Arman Haji told.

ANALySIS: Indians are not used to borrowing clothes, even to flaunt high fashion. Apart from the concept itself, many would be concerned over hygiene, despite assurances of super cleaning.It may take time to overcome this mindset and develop the market, which has great potential on paper. Klozee did not have the funding or business model to stay the course. But others may crack it. Even as Klozee closed, Flyrobe raised a series A round of US$5.3 million from Japan’s Gree Ventures in August to be the “Uber for women’s fashion.”

“

We understand the client from an operations perspective and then cater to their needs, instead of just sending them any truck,”

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11. shotpitch

12. autoncaB

INDuSTRy: APP

INDuSTRy: TRANSPORT

A regulatory shift also appears to have contributed to the downfall of Shotpitch, a mobile app to enable an entrepreneur to send a pitch to an investor with a single click.

A number of startups came up in India, wanting to be the Uber for three-wheeler auto-rickshaws.

And they even caught the attention of observers abroad as the poor man’s Uber. These mobile auto-hailing apps are “demonstrating how modern technology can be mashed up with traditional technology to solve problems in developing cities around the world,” gushed Harvard Business Review.

ANALySIS: Opening new channels of funding for early stage startups on mobile devices seemed like a logical extension of crowdfunding and other online funding models. But it’s a gray area. The Securities and Exchange Board of India issued a notice on August 30, cautioning investors that such platforms may be violating the laws on private placement of equity by operating like stock exchanges.The Shotpitch founder, Prashant Sharma, had earlier worked for funding platform LetsVenture.

ANALySIS: Unfortunately, the ground reality is different. Adoption has been slow among drivers even in tech hubs like Bangalore and Gurgaon.

Riders haven’t rushed for them either, because the fares on hatchback Uber cars work out almost the same as auto-rickshaw fares.

Inevitably, the auto-rickshaw apps have started to die. Gurgaon-based Autoncab’s closure is a case in point. It’s probably the well-funded players like Ola – or Uber itself – who’re better placed to crack the “Uber for auto-rickshaw” space.

The smaller players just don’t have the financial muscle, knowhow, and experience for it.

INDuSTRy: APP

INDuSTRy: MEDIA APP

And finally, we have the heartbreak of India’s first Tinder shutting down. Founder Layak Singh started DateIITians while he was a student at premier engineering college IIT Kharagpur way back in 2011.

Being a novelty, it quickly went viral but that didn’t translate into stickiness.

ANALySIS: FranklyMe began as a site for connecting celebs with fans, then pivoted to video blogging. It had tools to help users create and post videos. But it was unable to build traction.

“While the market seems keen on adopting video to consume happenings around itself, video creation still remains a challenge and probably a problem a little ahead of its time,” FranklyMe founder Nikunj Jain said in a blog post.Murmur was another media app aimed at millennials, offering a personalized mix of photos, videos, GIFs, and news. Again, this had no clear value proposition or monetization scope.

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14. dateiitians, cogxio

13. franklYMe, MurMur Now, here are two other startups that were part of the first batch of the Google Launchpad accelerator program. Like on-demand laundry startup Doormint, FranklyMe and Murmur shut down barely a year after attending the Google program in Silicon Valley.

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“

While the market seems keen on adopting video to consume happenings around itself, video creation still remains a challenge and probably a problem a little ahead of its time,

The founder then launched a new startup, Cogxio. This was a dating app that used location intelligence to link up those who were already connected online.

Analysis: It wanted to tie up with consumer internet businesses to provide dating options like places to eat and vacations.

But by now, there were already wellfunded players like TrulyMadly, Woo, and Vee. Tinder also arrived in India, and so both DateIITians and Cogxio packed up. It just could not get backing in time to build a viable business model.

e r o pl WHY INFORGRAPHIC? • Shareable on social media platforms • People respond better to visual information than text • Infographic is a permanent linkable asset that retains its relevance even after it is published

INFOGRAPHIC The future of visual content

WHY IS INFOGRAPHIC IMPORTANT? Infographics enable brands to gain traction and links in difficult, complex industries. All you need is data to convert it into something interesting.From showing a timeline of any brand to providing new trends, infographics are the best tool to optimize the data for consumers.Infographics also allow sites with little natural linkage to earn links from other markets. Also, infographic always gets credit regardless of the contextual relevance or credibility of your site.

EASIER ON THE HUMAN BRAIN

T

he future of visual content is bright and content marketers are already exploring new ideas to create engaging graphics.

A good infographic is great for the audience because it helps them to understand the complex information by presenting it in an easy/interesting format. We have already witnessed the popularity of GIFs and a massive push by brands to increase their online user engagement.

Infographics are becoming one of the most consumable and most created types of content on the Web right now. Why? Because it only takes about 250 milliseconds for a brain to process and assign a value to an image or symbol.

The human brain finds it hard to process large numbers and information. However, visuals increase the chance of the message being heard loud and clear by the consumer.

Infographics bring together important tables, charts, and data into a single frame.

GOOD FOR NEWSJACKING Infographics are good for news-jacking because they offer something to editors when they’re reporting on news stories. They’re particularly important in this age of data journalism.They are useful for data release and analysis as they help convey figures more effectively.

EASY ON ROI AND SEO FACTOR On-page visual elements provide more value to marketers than infographics. Infographics offer quick measurable results such as social shares, backlinks, citations, and traffic. These results allow SEOs to create a comprehensive ROI report for their clients. The viral nature of the infographic content makes people link to your site and Google Page Rank algorithm will index your website higher.

YOUR KNOWLEDGE DISPLAY Conclusion: Infographic is going to remain the hot-favorite of the content marketing industry due to its usability and compatibility.We are in the Age of Information, and we have the power to access almost anything we want.

Our power of sharing is increasing and this is the reason why infographics are playing a key role in shifting our focus from text heavy content to visual content. Thanks to our decreased attention span, infographics is hot right now and will remain so in the future.

The research required to create an infographic will display your knowledge and will establish your position as an expert on your category or topic.

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tiMe is running out!

learn

catch up…

‘‘

WE'rE HArD-WIrED TO sAy yEs, BuT pArT Of TIME MANAgEMENT Is LEArNINg THAT EvEry HOur HAs vALuE. If AN OppOrTuNITy ArIsEs THAT IsN'T WOrTH yOur WHILE, TurN IT DOWN.

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1. Turn off your notifications. Setting aside a couple of time slots each day for e-mail and social media accounts, to minimize distraction is highly advisable.

2. Work less. Long hours can actually derail productivity. If you're not allowing yourself enough "me time," you're possibly not doing your best work. Pencil a bit of non-work into your schedule and you'll find yourself less inclined to fritter away work time.

3. Set incremental deadlines for long-term tasks, especially gruelling ones. It's easier to start a project when you see it as a series of smaller ones rather than one never-ending assignment.

4. Group meetings together to allow for longer stretches of work time before and after. You'll avoid wasting an afternoon broken into bits of time too short to be useful.

5. Stay calm. Rushing through your to-do list can actually cost you extra time. As the old saying goes, haste makes waste.

If you relax and think things through, your blood pressure and boss will thank you.

6. Make every minute count. If there's a flight or waiting room in your future, use that time to catch up on e-mail or read status reports.

7. Break up your day. Divide your time into periods of focused work, such as research, and engaged work like replying to e-mails. Allotting 60 to 90 minutes for focused blocks and roughly 30 minutes for engaged periods is best for better productivity.

8. Set boundaries to help you focus. If you work in an office, let your colleagues know you're not up for chatting by putting on headphones or closing your office door if you have one.

9. Get started in the morning by preparing your to-do list the night before. Write down three or four things you'd like to accomplish the next day before bed, and make those the first items you check off.

10. Reward sprints of work with short breaks. Think of your brain as a muscle that needs some light stretching, and accept that you can't run a marathon every day.

11. Colour-code your calendar, giving each type of item-work, fitness or time with family and friends-a different colour in your planner. You'll get a quick view of how you're using your time and where you can do better.

12. Productivity apps like RescueTime run on your computer and analyze how much time you're spending on websites (read: the minutes you're burning on Facebook and BuzzFeed). RescueTime generates a daily report to show how your accomplishments compare to previous days' and can block distracting websites to save you from yourself.

13. Learn to say no. We're hard-wired to say yes, but part of time management is learning that every hour has value. If an opportunity arises that isn't worth your while, turn it down.

#E ar St ot xH p tu

2017

7

s1

Presents

www.thetechy.com/startups

14 EVENT DATE

th

April 2017

JURY MEMBERS ANANYA BIRLA

Musician, Entrepreneur & Mental Health Campaigner

MANASI KIRLOSKAR Executive Director, Kirloskar Systems Ltd.

ST.REGIS, MUMBAI

G V KESHAV REDDY Co-Founder, Reddy Futures Fund

GOPAL MODI

Operating Partner, Orios Venture Partners

hibitmag

REHAN YAR KHAN

Co-founder & Managing Partner, Orios Venture Partners

MOHIT GULATI Founder, Altius Ventures

PANKAJ RANA

Divisional Head for Mobility, Panasonic India Pvt. Ltd.

RAMESH SOMANI Founder and CEO, Exhibit Technologies

D E T A -R

BuDgET

P

icking up the right graphics card can change how you feel about your PC. But going through detailed graphics card specifications and reading multiple long reviews might be time-consuming(assuming you have the time to do the research). But at the end of the day, a gamer needs to know what the best graphics card available for their money.

CArDs

So, are looking to upgrade or buy a new GPU? We've compiled a simple list of the best gaming cards offered in any given price range

by Shintu Dhang

gigaBYte gtx 1050 ti g1 4gB

Model: gv-N105tg1 gAMINg-4gd `14,040 If you want to play the latest 2017 gaming titles but you don’t want to burn a big hole in your pocket, then Gigabyte GTX 1050 Ti is for you.

NVIDIA introduce new budget gaming cards GTX 1050 Ti. The GTX 1050 Ti is based on a new GPU from Nvidia, the GP107 which is manufactured

by Samsung 16nm FinFET process. Games like Ashes of the singularity, Battlefield 1, The Division, Rise of Tomb Raider, Fifa 17 and other latest titles can be played at 1080p in medium to high settings without a sweat.

asus rog strix rx460 4gB

bESt budgEt

bESt MAIN StREAM gPu

asus rog strix rx480 8gB Model: StRIx-Rx4808g-gAMINg `26,699

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Asus ROG Strix RX480 is another mid-range graphics card based on AMD’s new Polaris architecture. This graphics card is AMD Radeon VR ready with Dual HDMI 2.0 ports for simultaneous output on VR headset and monitor. For cooling, it comes with Triple fans to increase

the airflow and make less noise. Asus Autoextreme manufacturing technology delivers premium quality hardware to add strength. Asus ROG Strix RX480 supports AMD crossfire multi-GPU technology.

Model: StRIxRx460-4g-gAMINg `12,725 To combat NVIDIA’s 1050 Ti budget gaming graphics card, AMD has introduced its new RX460 GPU based on a new Polaris 11 architecture. For the best performance, Asus ROG Strix RX460 is one of the best RX460 graphics cards in the market for best performance and premium quality hardware. You’ll love the AURA RGB lighting which is a must have GPU for cabinets with glass. The card comes with nice ROG decals to customize your cabinet. Almost in all games, you’ll get 40-60fps on ultra settings.

bESt MAIN StREAM gPu

Msi gtx 1060 gaMing x Model: MSI GTX 1060 gaming x 6g `25,927 MSI’s GTX 1060 graphics card has some advance features which step out from other manufacturers.

The MSI GTX 1060 GPU uses a premium thermal compound with 8mm thick smooth heat pipes to maximize heat transfer. It comes with advance Zero Frozr technology that stops the fans in low-load situations, keeping a noise-free environment. Colorful LEDs are integrated into MSI graphics card, with each LED can be controlled individually and animation effects are available through MSI gaming app. Talking about performance, this graphics card can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming quite easily at ultra high-end settings.

gigaBYte geforce gtx 1080 ti founders edition Model: gv-N108td5x-b `69,499

bESt OvERALL gRAPhIcS cARd

If budget is not your main concern, and you want the beast then Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 Ti should be your first choice. It’s the founder edition which means it looks similar to the NVIDIA’s reference design card with blower style cooling. The graphics card is based on new pascal GP102 architecture. The memory is also GDDR5X, dialled all the way up to 11Gbps. The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Founders Edition performance is capable of running latest titles at high graphics settings. This GPU will deliver strong frame rates at 4K on any game at high graphics levels.

bESt PERfORMANcE fOR MONEY

zotac gtx 1070 aMp extreMe zt-P10700b-10P `40,346

Those looking for some serious rendering power but don’t want to spend a huge amount of money, then Zotac GTX 1070 will find you more attractive. Driven by the new NVIDIA Pascal architecture, the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1070 AMP Extreme GPU delivers the amazing performance and innovative new gaming technologies such as VR. It’s built using ultra-fast FinFET and high-bandwidth GDDR5 technologies for the fastest,

smoothest, most powerefficient gaming experiences.

This is the perfect option for gaming at 1440p at 60fps. Graphics cards such as the Zotac GTX 1070 AMP Extreme run very cool and quiet even when under full load gaming. With no competition in this price range, the Zotac GeForce GTX 1070 AMP Extreme GPU is the obvious option for gamers.

ex-rated

Popular

S

GAmEs

THAT WENT FROM

console to mobile

martphones are commonplace today.

Almost everyone has one. They are basically a powerful computer that fits in your pocket packed full of features to make the life easier. Smartphone supports apps which can be transformed into musical instruments, business machines or a Gaming Console. It’s not to surprising that the smartphone of today are most powerful device than the old console these games originally ran on!

Here are some of the popular console games that have been successfully ported to smartphones by respective developers. I’m sure this games would definitely bring the child in you. So let’s get started...

by Shintu Dhang

Square Enix brought its most popular original Tomb Raider II title for both Android and iOS devices. It brings back the glorious days of the 90s with Tomb Raider II. Tomb Raider 2 was originally released in the year 1997 for PlayStation and Windows PC. Later next year, it has been ported to Mac OS.

Gta vICe CIty

The story is based on Lara’s activities to find a key to open a door and find another key with lots of puzzle in between. It’s the process of finding the key of that particular door that you need to open, that makes Tomb Raider II a truly engaging adventure games.

One of the most popular PC games by Rockstar, GTA Vice city can be played on your portable handheld system. Rockstar celebrated their 10th-anniversary version with the launch of the GTA: Vice city games to mobile devices in the year 2011. The 10th-anniversary release features high-resolution graphics and updated character model and improved controls for the mobile format.

The games have sold over 8 million copies as of 2003, making it the second best-selling games of the franchise. Square Enix priced the classic game Tomb Raider II at just `60 for Android and `80 for iOS devices.

GTA: Vice city was released back in 2002. It is based on the story of Tommy Vercetti, and is set in a Miami-like city in the 80s’. After a setup gone awry, Tommy is forced to deal with biker gangs, Cuban gangsters and corrupt politicians.

Most of the Vice city seems to want Tommy dead. But he has plans to take over the city himself.

GTA: vice city has sold over 17.5 million copies making it the second highest-selling game in the GTA franchise next to San Andreas which has sold over 21 million copies worldwide. If you want to bring your childhood memories back, then you probably think of getting your handson with GTA: Vice city and take over the city.

The game is priced at `156 for Android and `400 for iOS devices.

toMB

RAIDeR II

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On June 2015, Square Enix’s held a press conference at E3. When the long-requested 1997 role-playing game was announced, attendees stood up and cheered and the company’s stock reached to the highest level in seven years.

Final Fantasy VII was first officially released on PlayStation in June of 1997, and it was an instant hit among games.

Later PC port came out in three CD’s and it had 40 hours worth of gameplay. RPG genre was finally given the respect it deserved.

final FANtASy vII

In the game, you control Cloud Strife, a snarky ex- “1st class Soldier” who’s now working as a mercenary.You were hired to help the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE in an attempt to destroy the Mako reactors throughout Midgar. Barrett, the group’s leader, believes the Mako is the planet’s lifeblood, and Shinra’s reactors are killing the planet. As you progress through the game you travel across Final Fantasy VII’s massive and beautiful world.

The PC-port of the games was released for Android and iOS devices. The games support external controllers and have built-in gameplay cheats. Square Enix priced the RPG game - Final Fantasy VII for `1050 on Android and `1250 for iOS devices.

Xcom: Enemy Within is a standalone expansion to the 2012 strategy game of the year Xcom: Enemy unknown. The Xcom: Enemy Within was first released for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 as a part of the Commander Edition bundle with Enemy unknown. The iOS and Android versions were released as standalone apps not requiring the original mobile port of Enemy Unknown to play. The gameplay of XCOM: Enemy Within mostly remains same as XCOM: Enemy Unknown with some additional features. The player needs to manage the XCOM headquarters in almost real time progress, but much of the gameplay consists of turn-based battles against the invading aliens. The game is priced at `800 for iOS devices and for Android device, it cost just `650.

If you are a fan of racing games, you might remember Colin McRae Rally which was launched back in the year 2000. It was one of the popular rally simulation game, which was the benchmark for rally games for years. The game put players behind the driving wheels of several 4x4 vehicles on a number of twisty tracks and required them to compete against the clock. There are 3 difficulty levels, namely Novice, Intermediate and Expert. It also includes Arcade mode, with direct head-tohead competition against AI drivers.

Colin McRae Rally 2.0 was the most popular games in the series. You can experience the full port of the rally simulation classic on your Android and iOS devices. The games is priced at `75 for Android and `250 for iOS devices.

colin mCRAe RAlly

XcoM: eNemy WItHIN

ex-rated

Edward Snowden exposes nSa spying programs It’s impossible to not talk about important leaks without discussing Edward Snowden, an ex-National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who leaked thousands of documents related to the agency and its practice of spying on, well, pretty much everyone.

According to the documents leaked

by Snowden, the NSA was collecting data pertaining to phone records. The documents revealed the existence of PRISM, a program in which the NSA demanded information from the likes of Google, Facebook and Apple to gather user data. Not only that, but the NSA was also spying on foreign leaders around the world in addition to US citizens, and it had multiple efforts to crack encryption methods so that it could keep up its surveillance.

Safe to say, there was significant backlash as a result of the leaks, though any real changes have yet to be seen.

10 tEch-lEakS THAT MADE HEADLINEs

sINCE A DECADE

W

ikiLeaks and CIA have been in news for some time. The former published a trail of information related to the CIA’s hacking capabilities and possibilities. It did shake up the world when it popped up that CIA is able to spy on your smart gadgets even when they are switched off! It’s a huge thing to literally turn your mind towards all the negativity of technology.

While, this ‘leak news’ is making big in the headlines these days, trust me this is not the only one that made such buzz. I was running through the history on the web and found a record of last 10 years where the ‘leak news’ made some noise.

Many of these leaks have exposed difficult truths, and more than a few have led to policy

changes, or at least raised public awareness of the spying powers of the government, wartime atrocities, and more.

There’s a lot we still don’t know after these leaks, and while the morality of some leaks is debatable, they help to open a larger conversation about cyber security, including how it pertains to your personal information.

Here’s a look at the 10 biggest leaks we’ve seen in the last 10 years, in no particular order. This list of 10 leaks is by no means exhaustive, and we're sure to see ones that rival even the biggest in the years ahead. What we can say is that many of these leaks will have a lasting impact in every corner of society, and none will be easily forgotten.

by Shreya Bhattacharya

WikilEakS Vault 7 and thE cia

The newest leak on this list is also one of the biggest, and it involves WikiLeaks, an organization that you’ll find is featured here more than once.

In this case, WikiLeaks published a trove of information related to the CIA’s hacking capabilities.The CIA has developed zero day exploits that allow

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it to tap into smartphones, smart TVs, and even connected cars, according to the leak, letting the agency to basically turn these into spying devices.

In one example, the CIA was able to make a Samsung TV appear as if it was turned off, but in reality it was still on and recording audio of whatever happened in the room.It’s important to note that the fallout of the leak is ongoing, and we don’t yet have any evidence that the CIA was using these tactics to spy on anyone, for that matter.

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British National Party member list

cablegate Cablegate dates back to 2010, and includes massive dumps of files onto WikiLeaks related to countless international tensions. Diplomatic cables themselves are a confidential message exchanged between an embassy or consulate and the foreign ministry in its parent country. As you can imagine, there’s some highly sensitive information in these exchanges, and governments surely don’t want them leaked.

The cables in this case date from December 1966 to February 2010, and at the time included the largest set of confidential information ever, although they have now been surpassed.

The leak brought to light that Iran may have North Korean-built nuclear missiles, the US had secretly bombed Yemen, the US bartered with prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, and that a number of countries had been pressing the US to attack Iran.Chelsea Manning, who was an intelligence analyst in Iraq and known as Bradley Manning at the time, is largely credited as being behind this leak.

In 2008, a list of members of the extreme right-wing British National Party was leaked online, and while the original list was eventually taken down, copies of it were posted on sites like WikiLeaks. The list included a number of prominent figures, including a police officer, several teachers, and more.

The BNP is characterized as being far-right, and it promotes biological racism, calls for racial separation, and opposes non-white migration to the UK. For these reasons, you can imagine why a list like this out in the wild would cause issues for members of the party.

posed Iraq and afghan War Logs The Iraq and Afghan War Logs are also credited to Chelsea Manning, and these too were dumped onto WikiLeaks, however they specifically relate to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The leaks were first released on July 25, 2010, and exposed horrible war atrocities, including a recorded 66,081 civilian deaths out of 109,000 total deaths in the Iraq war, and an undisclosed number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

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One such incident was captured on video and dubbed Collateral Murders, as it depicted a July 12, 2007 air strike on Baghdad in which multiple innocent people were gunned down, including two Reuters reporters and a man driving a van with two young children inside.It’s difficult to say if there’s been definitive fallout from these leaks, however torture and the treatment of prisoners have become topics of political discussion over the past several years, and the Iraq and Afghan War Logs almost certainly played a role in that.

To date, the Panama Papers represent the biggest leak in history when it comes to the number of documents that leaked, comprising a massive 1.5 million files. But what’s included in those files? In essence, they expose a number of ways in which the rich can exploit offshore tax regimes.

Named as doing so are a hefty 143 politicians, several hundred celebrities (including Bollywood actors) and 11 other national leaders.

The Panama PaPers

Sony picturES 'thE intErViEW' hack and lEak!’

In 2014, Sony Pictures was hacked by a group that called itself the “Guardians of Peace,” after which a slew of confidential documents were leaked online, including details about executive salaries and copies of unreleased films. Shortly after the hack, the group demanded Sony pull its film The Interview, which depicted the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, fueling speculation the hack was actually carried out by the country. The group even threatened terrorist attacks on cinemas that showed the movie.

How did all this affect Sony, if at all? The threat did have an impact; the film was eventually pulled from cinematic showings, however it was released digitally with huge success. It’s still not clear if North Korea was behind the hack or who else may have carried it out.

WikiLeaks reveals Scientology secrets Scientology has long had a veil of secrecy, but that veil was at least partly lifted in March 2008, when the secret “bibles” of Scientology were published by WikiLeaks, outlining various aspects of the religion. In particular, WikiLeaks published a manual on the eight different Operating Thetan levels, or levels that Scientologists can achieve within the organization. The leaks also gave instructions on some of

Scientology's “drills,” which are somewhat difficult to understand.

After the leak was published, the Church of Scientology sent a letter of warning to WikiLeaks, suggesting the organization had infringed on the church’s intellectual property rights. WikiLeaks refused to remove the material, claiming the church "aids and abets a general climate of Western media selfcensorship."

One of the biggest pieces of information in the Panama Papers leak involves ex-British Prime Minister David Cameron, who ran an offshore investment fund and avoided taxes by having a group of residents of the Bahamas sign paperwork for the fund. The papers themselves were obtained by an anonymous source from Mossack Fonseca, the world’s fourth largest offshore law firm.

The firm is Panama-based.

ashLey MadIson

thE Guantanamo FilES In another set of leaked documents, WikiLeaks, along with publishers like the New York Times and The Guardian, revealed a slew of information regarding Guantanamo Bay and how prisoners there were treated. A total of 779 documents were leaked, and they exposed that as many as 150 innocent Afghans and Pakistanis were being held at the prison without charges.

In 2015, a group known as “The Impact Team” threatened to release the names and personal information of members of Ashley Madison, if Avid Life Media, the site’s parent company, didn’t shut the site down.

Ashley Madison is an online dating site devoted to people looking to cheat on their partner.

Eventually, the group followed through on the threat, and a full database of members of the site was published online, essentially exposing people who were cheating or looking to cheat on their partners. A whopping 60 gigabytes of data was published online and verified to be valid. For its part, Avid Life Media published a statement asserting the hackers were criminals, and said it was working with authorities to investigate the hack.

Not only that, but the leak also revealed the prison’s youngest and oldest detainees were an 89-year-old man and a 14-yearold boy, both of whom were suffering from mental and physical conditions.

Furthermore, the leaks showed there was a heavy emphasis on attempting to extract information from prisoners, many of which were tortured at the prison.

exposed

s s e r p T-SHIRT BY H&M

The coolest trend for Spring and Summer ‘17 are prints of all sorts. That makes this H&M piece a perfect catch. We love how fresh the white T-shirt with all-over grey print and gently dropping shoulder feels, especially on a warm day. When paired with chinos or denims, these would be just fine for a day-out. (`2,299)

SkINNY FIT cHINOS BY H&M

We love these skinny fit olive-coloured Chinos from H&M. Not only do they fit perfectly, they’re very comfortable to wear.

These are made of stretch cotton and come with side pockets and welt back pockets with a button. (`1,999)

fAShION PIckS THIS MONTH

by Utsavi Jha

FAUX LEATHER SHOES

BY METRO

These brown false leather shoes by Metro are what we call stylish. They’re a perfect combination of classic with a different touch in the form of the intricate design work on the surface. Good to go for casual and formal outfits both, these shoes are a catch! (`7,490)

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FLORAL PATTERNED DRESS BY H&M

H&M is big on our fashion listicle this month and we have absolutely no regrets. Abiding by the fashion charts for this season that predict a good year for Floral prints, we spotted a perfect fashion-correct dress from H&M. This black dress with colourful floral patterns and unique bell-sleeves is airy and makes for a very cute day dress! (`2,699)

TOPSHOP RED OFFTHE-SHOULDERS DRESS

This red off-the-shoulder short dress from Topshop is beyond cute - it’s hot. Making for a great day dress that can be taken through the evening, this is definitely one dress to have. (`2,299)

kENDRA ScOTT RING

Not going to lie, although the price might stress your pockets a bit, just one look at the ring makes it hard to not take a second one. Exquisite in appearance, this Kendra Scott ring has stones in shades of blue embedded on a gold ring and it looks surreal! (`4,538)

WATcH BY FURLA

This Furla watch looks and fits like a dream. This watch comes with metal straps and it’s colour, Champagne, is classic just how we like it to be.

Simplistic in detail yet elegant in appearance is how we’d like to define it. (`21,650)

HIDESIGN RFID WALLET

BRUNE LAPTOP BAG

We found this Brune Camoflage Tri-Color Genuine Leather Laptop Backpack extremely stylish right from the shape, to the design, to how subtle the colours are. Made from genuine leather and anti-sweat Aero Spacer for comfort, this one is sure as hell a good choice for rough and tough use and chic looks both. (`6,999)

We sure like how simple yet classic the Hidesign wallet looks and feels.

However, there is a catch here. What makes the wallet coveted is its RFID lining. It protects your credit and debit cards from any kind of information infiltration or pickpocketing that is a growing concern nowadays. (`1,195)

HANDBAG BY GIORDANO

Solid and bright colours are hot this season and so is hot-red that never goes out of style. This handbag by Giordano is neither too big nor too small and would prove to be a perfect accent to your outfit. (`4,290)

express

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