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ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
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VOLUME 05 ISSUE 01 AUGUST 2019
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CUTTING-EDGE SOUND
To provide the truest, clearest possible audio, the gorgeous Air D1 uses ‘transconductance’, whereby the amp constantly monitors the loudspeaker’s behaviour, correcting its own output accordingly for ‘phenomenally low distortion’
OR B IT S OU N D A IR D1 It’s rare that we find a product that fully encapsulates true style and incredible sound, so when we do, we get excited. Allow us, then, to break out the bunting for the Orbitsound Air D1. Described as ‘the world’s only one-box luxury loudspeaker’, this sumptuous floor-standing active speaker has been designed by renowned audio engineer Ted Fletcher (a music world luminary who has worked with Dusty Springfield, Dire Straits and The Who) and son Daniel. Orbitsound’s own Airsound technology (first developed in 2005) has been polished and perfected to deliver audiophile performance with a compelling stereo image, meaning you’ll hear the same tonal and spatial presentation wherever you’re sitting in the room. You can stream music wirelessly, connecting your device to the Air D1 via either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and take advantage of one optical, one Ethernet and three aux inputs. The Air D1 is available exclusively from Harrods for an initial launch period. `TBA, orbitsound.com
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TX5/Titanium
Available at all leading stores across India www.stepperindia.com
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Welcome
Editor’s letter We’ve turned four! When we started in August 2015, we set out to bring the best coverage of the latest tech. As we complete our fourth year, I would like to thank for your continued support. Your feedback is what drives us to deliver insightful stories.
T3 is… Executive Editor Kunal Gangar Consulting Editor Girish Mallya Correspondent Ankush Mahajan Contributors Sujith Gopinath, Sarmad Kadiri Copy Editor Kriselle Fonseca Editor (UK) Matt Bolton Contributors (UK) Duncan Bell, Claire Davies, Ben Andrews Publisher Girish Mallya Head Design & Production Ravi Parmar Senior Designer Prakash Gavnang Photography Mahesh Reddy Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Product Manager Perseus Master General Manager North and East - Ellora Das Gupta
Moving onto our cover story this month, we take a look at three mirrorless cameras that you can carry it on your next vacation.
General Manager South - Girish Shet Circulation Manager Circulation North and East - Kapil Kaushik BRANCH OFFICES
A lot of new gadget launches this month starting with LG’s new AI-enabled TV. HP announced its dual-screen laptop while Fujifilm introduced its 100MP camera for the Indian market. Our special story this month is about the Lego Star Wars where we sit with the man-in-charge. Read our thoughts on Xiaomi’s Redmi K20 Pro as well as a router from Asus that doubles up as an Alexa speaker from pg 70.
Kunal Gangar, Executive Editor k.gangar@nextgenpublishing.net
Views and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd. Views expressed by external contributors are their own and not those of the organisations they work for. Next Gen Publishing does not take the responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without adequate postal stamps for return postage. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the prior express written permission of the publisher. All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. T3 India does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only.
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This award, and others We give this only to Only a five-star review like it, are given for tech that stands out for earn a product our prestigious Platinum stunning aesthetics or a exceptional performance in a key feature clever build Award
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The winners of our group tests earn this accolade, showing them to be top tier
Mumbai Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai 400 013 Tel: +91 22 43525252 Ahmedabad Devendra Mehta - Mob No.- 09714913234 Bengaluru Unit No. 509, 5th Floor ‘B’ Wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bangalore -560001, India Tel: +91 80 66110116/17 Fax: + 91 80 41472574 Chennai Salma Jabbar Cenetoph Elite,No.5,1st street, Teynampet, Chennai-6000018 Tel: + 91 044 421-08-421, 044 421-75-421 New Delhi Ellora Das Gupta 26-B, First Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase-III, New Delhi - 110020 Tel: +91 11 4234 6600 / 6678 Fax: + 91 11 4234 6679 Pune 201 Gera Serenity, North Main road, Koregaon Park, Pune - 411001. Tel: + 91 20 26830465 Hyderabad Srinivas Gangula -Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Mobile no. 09000555756 Kolkata Vidyasagar Gupta -Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation). Mobile no. 09804085683 Subscription Enquiries Tel: +91-22-43525220 Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: help@magzter.com All rights reserved. Published with the permission of Future plc. Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part without prior written permission from Future plc & Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd. with regard to their respective content is prohibited. Printed by Girish Mallya. Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai 400 013. Published by Girish Mallya on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai 400 013. Printed at Kalajyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E), Mumbai 400 013. Editor: Kunal Gangar
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MZ Audio Distributions (India)
Email : al@mzaudiodistribution.co.in / info@mzaudiodistribution.co.in Call : 9833006667
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LUXURIES
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Horizon
LG OLED AI THINQ From `2,49,990, lg.com/in Showcased earlier at CES 2019, LG has brought the refreshed OLED range to India that include W8, E9, C9 (pictured) and B9. The OLED AI ThinQ series are integrated with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant along with Apple Homekit and Airplay 2 support available on all except for W8. The Alpha 9 Gen 2 processor in E9,C9 (unavailable in W8, B9 does but with Alpha 7 Gen 2) uses AI to enhance the overall experience. It adjusts the brightness by taking into account the ambient conditions and optimises the picture by selecting the best algorithm based on the source quality. The AI also fine tunes audio settings according to the type of content as well as the environmental noise. HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos are also supported. Streaming apps like AltBalaji, Amazon Prime Video, Eros Now, Hotstar, Hungama Play, Netflix, Sun Nxt, YouTube, YuppTV, and Zee5 come preloaded. T3 Says: The bundled LG Magic remote is capable of contextual voice understanding and lets users access Alexa routines.
TECH-O-METER
SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH ACTIVE `19,990, samsung.com/in Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is an attempt from the company to make a powerful yet slim smartwatch. It bears a 1.1-inch circular AMOLED screen with 360x360p resolution that is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The IP68 rating and MIL-STD-810G certified build ensure it can withstand upto 5ATM water resistance. Wearable OS 4.0, based on Tizen runs on the proprietary Exynos 9110 processor coupled with 768MB RAM and 4GB internal storage. The 230mAh battery is said to provide 45 hours of usage on a single charge. The watch can auto detect when the user is running, biking, rowing or starting a dynamic workout. Over 39 activities can be manually engaged and daily goals be set to monitor progress. Blood pressure monitoring, sleep monitoring and stress checking allow users to keep tabs on their health. T3 Says: Bixby voice assistant is present for users to issue voice commands for making calls or sending messages.
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OPTOMA P1 SMART 4K UHD `(TBA), optoma.com/in Optoma’s marketing angle for the P1 Smart 4K UHD Laser is as a connected all-in-one AV system and they’re not exaggerating at all. It is capable 3,000 lumen brightness projecting upto 120” in size. A 4K resolution and 8.3 million pixel filled image is produced via the TI DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) chip. The front facing area of the short throw projector has an integrated soundbar designed by NuForce offering Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus audio o decoding capabilities. It has individual woofers and aluminum full range drivers with isolated speaker enclosures for low distortion. P1 supports smart compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT (If This Then That) platform for home automation with IoT devices. Optoma Marketplace provides access to a variety of apps like NetFlix, YouTube, Firefox among others. Auto geometry y correction is possible with the SmartFIT app. T3 Says: Users can check or customise the infowall homescreen with Optoma Connect app to further integrate it into their home ecosystem.
TECH-O-METER
HP OMEN X 2S From `2,09,990, hp.com We’ve seen many dual-screen laptop solutions but HP is the world’s first to introduce one dedicated to gaming. The Omen X 2S has a 15.6” FHD display with 144Hz refresh rate and a 6” FHD touchscreen panel. The latter can mirror the screen and magnify or be used for opening applications like OMEN Command Center software, YouTube, WhatsApp, Twitch, Spotify and more. This almost eliminates the need of alttabbing or stacking a smartphone. Coming to the specifications, X 2S has upto 9th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q GPU, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD+1TB PCIe SSD storage or the choice of Intel Optane. The backlit keyboard and Omen logo on the lid have customisable RGB lighting. Special liquid metal CPU thermal paste has been applied said to have 10 times higher thermal conductivity than thermal grease. A 12V fan with a 3-phase motor and fluid dynamic bearings further helps in heat dissipation. T3 Says: The sound system is custom-tuned by Bang & Olufsen and DTS:X Ultra simulates multi-dimensional audio.
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ASUS 2019 ROG RANGE From `59,990, asus.com/in Asus ROG has been very active in India as of late and recently refreshed their entire gaming series. All the hardware is equipped with the latest Intel 9th gen processors and Nvidia GTX 16 or RTX 20 series GPU running on Windows 10 Home OS. Joining the updated Zephyrus S models GX701 and GX701 is th he Zephyrus M GU502 (shown) using a Pantone validated display, ESS Sabre HiFi DAC and a cooling system with 83 blade fans. Strix Scar III and Hero III target esports players having 144Hz or 240Hz refresh rate with 3ms response time. An exclusive NFC module dubbed the Keystone stores player profiles and can unlock a hidden storage area. The desktops include the top end Huracan G21CX and Strix GL12CX coming with a Z390 motherboard and front, rear speakers bundling the Strix Flare keyboard and Gladius II mouse. The more affordable Strix GL10CS has two isolated air chambers with the upper area housing the CPU and CPU while the power supply unit resides at the bottom. T3 Says: The pricing ensures that Asus has catered to every budget.
TECH-O-METER
HUAWEI MEDIAPAD T5 From `14,990, consumer.huawei.com/in Almost out of the blue, we get a tablet from Huawei in the form of MediaPad T5. It comes with a 10.1” FHD (1920x1200) display with 16:10 aspect ratio giving a 76.4% screen-to-body ratio. A dual speaker setup resides at the bottom having virtual left and right channel sound output. On the front is a 2MP fixed focus camera while a 5MP sensor lies on the back for basic photography purposes. Special additions for kids have been made allowing parents to set limits and customise the content at hand. Health is also taken into account with Posture Guidance, Blue Ray Filter and Usage Time Control. WiFi 802.11ac, 4G LTE, GPS and Bluetooth round up connectivity options. Strangely, EMUI 8.0 based on the older Android Oreo OS, is running on the device and we hope an update is in the works. T3 Says: Available in Black colour, MediaPad T5 will be present in two variants of 2GB RAM+16GB storage and 3GB+32GB.
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PHILIPS E9 From `9,999, philips.co.in Think of displays and televisions are the first thing that come to mind. However, Philips E9 is actually a series of monitors available in 3 sizes: 22”, 24” and 27”. Using FHD IPS panels, they have an anti-glare display and use Ultra-Wide Color technology. The surrounding bezels are quite thin making them great for multi-display or tiling set-ups. The bottom is a tad thicker as it houses 3W in-built stereo speakers. For connectivity we get VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort, PC audio-in and Headphone out. Gamers with AMD cards will be interested to know E9 has FreeSync supporting dynamic refresh rate to eliminate screen tearing and stuttering. Going a bit more in-depth, they have a 4ms response time, 178 degree viewing angle and a W-LED backlight system. Longer sessions won’t be as fatiguing to the eyes owing to flicker free technology to regulate brightness and LowBlue mode to reduce blue light. T3 Says: The monitors are mercury and lead-free with eco-friendly materials used as per international standards.
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OCULUS QUEST O `T TBA, oculus.com La ast year, Oculus took a giant leap forward in the VR sta akes with its Go headset, a gadget that enabled ussers to explore the virtual universe without a co omputer or a smartphone – albeit via head tracking alo one. With its latest launch, the Facebook-owned co ompany has gone one better: marketed as its first “all-in-one gaming headset”, the Quest retains the Go o’s standalone smarts but offers much more fle exibility. Built-in sensors provide room-scale tracking to give users six degrees of freedom, while the inc clusion of dual hand controllers means you can now shoot, swipe and punch your virtual enemies with grreater precision. If one VR thing’s going to turn sceptical heads, Oculus’s latest wireless wonder is it. T3 3 SAYS: The all-in-one Oculus Quest offers Rift-style VR R gaming, but without the need for a top-end PC.
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BOSE FRAMES `21,900, bose.co.in We’ve seen various types of novelty sunglasses over the years – ones that can record video, ones that can squirt water… – but we rarely come across a pair that play your favourite tunes. Pairing with your smart device via Bluetooth, Bose’s musical shades for men (Alto) and women (Rondo) contain audio technology in the arms that directs sound towards the wearer, meaning other people can barely hear it, and it lets in outside sounds, so you’re aware of your surroundings. A simple button on the frame enables you to skip and pause tracks, and take hands-free calls, while a single USB charge will grant you around three and a half hours of listening. Bose is said to be working on a number of AR applications for these sunnies, but for now, simply look cool and listen. T3 SAYS: Listen to your tunes while you lounge in the sun with these clever shades.
TECH-O-METER
MICROMAX ANDROID TV RANGE From `13,999, micromaxinfo.com After staying out of the spotlight for ages, Micromax is back with Android TV models certified by Google. The range consists of various sizes in different resolutions starting with 32” HD (1280x720), 40” and 43” FHD (1920x1080), and finally 43”,49” and 55” UHD (3840x2160) televisions. They are differentiated on the basis of RAM and ROM leading to a large number of SKUs. As is the case with official Android TVs, expect complete access to compatible apps on the Google Play Store, and view smartphone content on the big screen with built-in Chromecast. Further, Google Assistant helps with voice command-based searches and queries. For external soundbar users with only one input, ARC (Audio Return Channel) will be very useful as devices like BluRay player, game console etc. can be directly connected to the TV, which will pass down the audio signal, bypassing the requirement of extra cables. Sound from the embedded TV speakers is enhanced by Dolby Audio. T3 Says: Micromax is promising one system upgrade and two version updates of Android.
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1MORE DUAL DRIVER BT ANC `14,999, india.1more.com 1More has come up with one more (pun intended) earphone for those who enjoy listening to quality audio. The Dual Drive Bluetooth Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) earphones sport a dual-driver setup that has one dynamic driver and one balanced armature driver in each earpiece. Using this low distortion armature results in no signal loss as high frequency ones are sent to the ears directly rather than through the ANC driver. ANC has two phases with the first effectively a “light” setting that reduces power consumption while the second ensures a very quiet experience in noisy environments. The flexible neckband design with in-line remote weighs 44 grams. They have a wireless range of 30 metres connecting via Bluetooth v4.2. Taking around an hour to charge after plugging into the Type-C port, it gives a total playback time of 7 hours and thanks to fast charging a 10 minute top up provides 3 hours. T3 Says: Incisive Noise Cancellation (INC) is also present to filter extraneous sounds and let in what is important.
TECH-O-METER
TECNO PHANTOM 9 `114,999, tecno-mobile.in Phantom 9 from Tecno is the first smartphone in the sub-15k price segment to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor. It sports a 6.4” FHD+ AMOLED display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 600 nits brightness. The notch in the front houses a 32MP selfie snapper with dual flashlight that will help take brighter selfies in low light. On the rear is a triple camera setup housing a 16MP primary sensor with f/1.8 aperture, 8MP ultra wide lens with 120 degree FoV, and a 2MP depth sensor. The camera features AI Cam, AR Mode, Animoji, Beauty, Bokeh, HDR, Portrait, Wide Selfie, Panorama and Google Lens integration. Coming to the hardware, we get an octa-core MediaTek Helio P35 processor, 6GB RAM, 128GB internal storage and a 3500mAh battery. Out of the box, it runs on HiOS 5.0 based on Android 9.0 Pie. T3 Says: The 3D back cover has received special attention having a reinforced surface with nanooptical and anti-fingerprint coating.
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FUJIFILM GFX100 `7,86,999, fujifilm-x.com It was only a matter of time until Fujifilm would have crossed the century landmark in terms of megapixels. The GFX100 is the world’s first medium-format camera equipped with a 102MP BSI CMOS sensor having 5-axis in-body stabilisation and Phase Detection AutoFocus (PDAF). There is a dual-hinged 3.2” touchscreen with 2.36 million dot resolution and a removable EVF having 5.76 million dot resolution. The full sized body weighing 1.36kg is dust and weather resistant having been built using a magnesium alloy. It has an ISO range of 100-12,800 and is powered by the company’s X-Processor 4 image processor. 4K video recording upto 30FPS is possible and 10bit 4:2:2 uncompressed footage can be output to an external recorder via HDMI. It has a Type-C USB port and 2 SD card slots supporting UHS-II speeds. T3 Says: The compatible Premista series lenses (sold separately) include Premista 28-100mm T2.9 and Premista 80-250mm T2.9-3.5 .
TECH-O-METER
STUFFCOOL FAST CHARGING ACCESSORIES From `1,299, stuffcool.com Fast charging has become the need of the hour given how everyone wants to stay connected 24x7 with zero downtime. Stuffcool’s fast charging accessories will keep the latest devices ready to go. Knight is a USB-C to USB-C cable that can connect to a computer or Macbook to a smartphone/tablet for data transfer as well as allow for charging. The 1m long cable has sturdy construction and connectors with molded strain relief to withstand frequent unplugging. Chief is a Type-C to lightning fast charging cable for the latest Apple products that comes Mfi certified from the company itself. It is 1.5m in length having solid PET braiding for added durability. Both the cables can be connected into the Celox Type-C power delivery wall charger that is capable of 18W power. An LED indicator on the front shows charger functionality without any confusion. T3 Says: All three come with 6 months warranty from Stuffcool.
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FINGERS COMFY MUSITALK `1,799, fingers.co.in Bluetooth headsets aren’t as common with wireless headphones taking over but there are still some that swear by them. Comfy MusiTalk is one such headset made for people who have to multitask and don’t want to bother with their mobile. The onboard controls enable summoning the voice assistant and making or receiving a call easily. A full 1 hour charge provides upto 13 hours of talktime while a 5 minute charge gives out 2 hours thanks to fast charging. For the musically inclined, a detachable cable for stereo music is bundled allowing constant playback for 11 hours. It can be used even if you’re wearing glasses given it has a behind-the-ear design and can be fit on both sides. This is due to it rotating and can turn 180 degrees straight as well as counter-clockwise. T3 Says: Connecting via Bluetooth v5.0, MusiTalk has an effective range of 10 meters.
TECH-O-METER
FINGERS FANTASTICO PORTABLE SPEAKER `2,825, fingers.co.in From the name itself, Fingers Fantastico literally sets the tone for what users should expect from it. It isn’t light as it weighs 687 grams but the retractable handle makes it extremely easy to tote around with you anywhere. There is no ambiguity in controls given the separate buttons for FM, On/Off, Volume Down, Volume Up and Mode on the left while the right side has Previous Track, Play/Pause, Next Track and Call. It supports USB, MicroSD, Aux and FM radio in addition to playback from paired Bluetooth devices. Voice calls can also be received on it enabling group talk effortlessly. The 360 degree surround sound has a 20W bass heavy output making it perfect for small parties or get-togethers. The 2200mAh battery can run non-stop for upto 8 hours on a single charge. T3 Says: The Slate Grey and Black dual-colour tone makes it blend into any sort of environment without standing out.
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Special Feature
SONY: WH-XB900N
Wireless Noise Cancellation Extra Bass Headphone Get the best of both worlds on the WH-XB900N. Extra Bass and noise cancelling feature keeps you engrossed in music while keeping the outside noise at bay. The headphones are exclusively designed to enhance all the low-end frequencies for exceptional bass and provide a seamless listening.
Quick Attention Mode Touch the right earcup and the music volume will automatically reduce in an instant for you to hear external sounds. So forget about the hassle of removing headphones and experience quality listening, be it during an announcement at railway stations, airports or someone asking you for direction.
Touch Control for effortless listening First introduced on the Sony WH-1000XM series, now HYHU\WKLQJ LV RQ \RXU ĂşQJHUWLSV 7RXFK RU VZLSH WKH panel on your headphones to change the track, turn the volume up or down or even receive phone calls. Listening uninterrupted music was never this easy. 28 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
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Special Feature Supports Google Assistant Amazon Alexa Connect the headphone’s in-built-mic with your smartphone voice assistant and manage everything smartly. Enjoy entertainment, connect with friends, get information, listen to music and more. Keep a track of your day-to-day activities by setting reminders, alarms and lists.
L Long battery lif b life ffor all-day ll d playback l b k with ih quick charge Charge the WH-XB900N for four hours and get a playtime of up to 30 hours. You can go on listening to your favourite tracks and if run low on the battery, a ten minute quick charge is enough for an hour long jam session.
Stylish design The simple, sleek and sophisticated design of WH-XB900N headphones with a single colour accent on the housing suits all kind of styles. Soft, cushioned ear pads offer long-lasting comfort, that is ideal for listening to your favorite tracks, back-to-back. And when your done, fold the headphones and keep them back, it’s that simple.
Headphones Connect App Customise your listening experience by connecting the headphones with the Headphones Connect app on Android or iOS. Features like Adaptive Sound Control, automatically detects your surroundings and adjusts the external sound setting to suit your situation. So either you are walking or waiting, your headphones will automatically customise for quality listening. The app also lets you customise your preferences, adjust sound levels with the equaliser and more.
Best `16, Buy 9 90/-
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 29
Horizon Hands-on
DIGITEK 3-AXIS GIMBAL `10,995, digitek.net.in Smartphones have become serious video creation tools in the last few years. Whether you are an amateur vlogger or a professional looking for a portable solution to your video requirements, a stabiliser is a necessity for creating professional-quality videos. The Digitek 3-axis gimbal is one of the versatile and value-for-money smartphone gimbals available in the market. The Digitek gimbal allows stabilisation along all three axes of motion during video capture. The device offers a flexible camera mount that allows you to mount most smartphones available today. The control panel includes a joystick, which lets you control the movement of the gimbal, a mode button, a power/record button and two status LEDs. The snapshot button at the back lets you capture a still image, and the zoom lever at the side can be used to zoom in and out. The gimbal includes a USB port to charge the smartphone. The device connects seamlessly with the Gimbal Pro app, which can be downloaded from the Play Store or App Store. The app includes an editor, which lets you do basic video editing. The Digitek smartphone gimbal is lightweight and has an engineering plastic body. You can adjust the orientation of the smartphone to vertical or horizontal, and the primary arm can be adjusted for stability. The bundled tripod stand can be attached to the base of the gimbal for independent operation. The device provides a pitch angle of up to 325 degrees, roll angle of up to 160 degrees and pan angle of 300 degrees. It has a standard operational time of around 12 hours. The gimbal weighs 440 g. The Digitek gimbal retails at an Rs.10,995, but Amazon and Flipkart offer up to 50 percent discount.
TECH-O-METER
30 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
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Style
DRESS LIKE
NICHOLAS HOULT The dashing Dark Phoenix star showcases anything but Beastly styles THE JACKET There’s a whiff of cowboy around Nicholas’s pink trucker-meetsblouson jacket. Todd Snyder’s Dylan Suede Trucker (mrporter. com) is a touch more pink, but gets you pretty close. THE SHIRT Looks like Nicholas has been paying attention to the floral print trend. Mango stocks a great range of these shirts, including the Hawaiian Print Shirt in black-multi (mango.com). THE BOOTS For similar high-tops, try the allblack Common Projects Achillies Mid Trainers (selfridges.com), or Kurt Geiger’s Brighton Leather High-Tops (kurtgeiger.com) for added eyelet detail.
MONEY NO OBJECT Hammered Slide Sandals
Leave it to Alexander McQueen to give summer’s easiest-to-wear shoe a punk update. Available in red and black, the unisex, studded Hammered Slide Sandals feature supple leather outers and a grippy rubber sole. We’re not saying you can go totally off-road with them, but they’ll keep you steady pool-side. farfetch.com
32 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
TIDE YOU OVER
WHAT TO PACK FOR A CRUISE Tuxedos, sunscreen and knitwear… Get set for a crash course in cruisewear Packing for a cruise is challenging, as you’re basically packing for different scenarios: it could be hot during the day, freezing after dark… and then there’s the matter of formal night. No wonder the inside of the average cruise suitcase looks like a fancy dress box. Organisation is the key to avoiding this. First up, pack mostly for your ultimate destination, but don’t forget about stop-offs along the way – will they have different climates that you need to layer up for? If so, take a couple of jumpers (it gets cold on the open sea at night, anyway). Then factor in clothing for whatever active pursuits or shore excursions you’ve already booked. A capsule wardrobe of tees, short-sleeved buttondowns, tailored shorts and two pairs of swim shorts are ideal for daywear, plus pool sliders, clean white sneakers or boat shoes, and a pair of supportive walking shoes. Take a lightweight waterproof, such as the Mammut Masao Light (mammut.com), and stuff anything you’ll need for a day by the pool or sightseeing into a waterresistant backpack like Patagonia’s Refugio (patagonia.com). Nighttime dressing depends on whether there are formal events. Daytime attire is good enough for buffet dinners, and for smart-casual dining you should pack a few long-sleeved shirts, two pairs of chinos (one dark, one light), plus a pair of dark rinse jeans. Shoes can be brogues or loafers. Formal events require fancier dressing, so either take your best suit or go timeless with a tux. Most cruise operators tend to issue dress guidelines for formal events, so you’ll know in advance of which one to pack. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Horizon Fitness
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CANYON SPECTRAL CF 7.0 Canyon’s entry level carbonframed mountain bike is fast and efficient, even when the trails point upwards. It comes equipped with a RockShox Pike fork, SRAM GX Eagle 1x12 gearing with a 10-50 cassette, and powerful SRAM Guide R brakes. canyon.com
BELL SIXER MIPS HELMET Performs like a pro-level helmet but costs way less. Float Fit tech creates a more custom fit, with 26 vents and the MIPS brain protection system keeping your head cool and protects. There’s also a Breakaway Camera Mount for your action camera.
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This type of training can be done in short bursts throughout the day, and is especially fun with the new breed of strength training tech… Strength training is an effective way to tone up and get heart-healthy, and it’s becoming even more effective thanks to the arrival of new gadgets you can use at home or work. Take the Activ 5 (activ5.com), for example. This wireless device guides you through short-burst workouts over the course of a day, delivering toning exercises in seated and standing positions that you can do from your sofa or desk, keeping you active without getting in the way of daily life. Next, put some swing in your strength training with the Jaxjox KettlebellConnect
PACE SETTER
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ABUS BORDO LITE 6050 Despite its diminutive size, Abus’ bike lock offers a solid level of security thanks to those 5mm-thick light steel bars, each with a synthetic coating to prevent paintwork damage. It’s small enough to fit in your pocket when not in use.
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(jaxjox.com), the world’s first six-in-one smart kettlebell. It features six individual weights and, at the touch of a button, you can select weight in 6kg increments, from 5.5kg to 19kg, all visible on the LCD display. How is this possible? It uses a bullet stacking system with a rotating weightselection core that locks in and out of weighted plates, enabling the weight to be added or dropped in seconds. It’s ideal for anyone looking to slim down, pump up or boost their cardiovascular health at home.
Looking to beat your running personal best? These speedy new shoes could provide the boost you need Okay, so your old running shoes might fit like a glove, but are they responsive, supportive and hell-bent on reducing foot fatigue? No? Then Hoka One One’s new lightweight Carbon X running shoes have yours licked. Hoka reckons the Carbon X (hokaoneone.com) is its most innovative shoe yet, and it isn’t isn’t just for pro athletes – anyone serious about running will benefit from the carbon-fiber plate in its midsole and an aggressive Metarocker, designed to provide an efficient, propulsive ride regardless of your running speed.
34 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
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Opinion
Duncan Bell feels the Beats
The headphones mega brand has been on quite the journey since its birth 13 years ago
hen you write a column about tech for 10-plus years, you do find that you repeat yourself a bit. I’m sure you can identify with that everyday concern. A piece I’ve definitely written a number of times over the years is one about real innovation being replaced with more marginal improvements to existing things. And another is about the fact we’re living in a tech golden age, but everyone is so used to it that they are rather unappreciative. And so, here we go again… Or rather, we don’t! In recent months, there seems to be a trend towards genuinely out-there products and features. And it’s part of a new Golden Age of Tech that I hope we’ll all be appreciative of. In the old days, eccentrics knocked up whacky inventions in sheds. In the slightly less old days, eccentrics knocked up whacky inventions and got people to fund them on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Today, humungous, bazilliondollar corporations are getting inventive, and they’re probably not in sheds. Although interestingly, they are increasingly using crowdfunding sites. Not because they need the money, but as a means to gauge interest levels, and to get early, in-depth feedback from those platforms’ users, who are famously ‘very engaged’/bonkers. The reason companies have a tendency to bang on about innovation but seldom come out with anything really new is that it’s a risk to do so. However, social-funding platforms can help by providing a ready-made audience of early adopters. Some great examples of this
W
have come from Gille ette and Bose – both, alass, too late to score a T3 Inn novation Award nomination. They have both dipped a toe in Indie-Starter waters to help with the development of som me seriously out-there gizmos. You’ve been Framed Following 2018’s Sleepbuds – inear buds for night-time wear, designed to sooth you to sleep with ambient noises – Bose has now come up with Frames. These are, wait for it, headphones… that are also sunglasses… that can help you play better golf… via a kind of sonar. That’s quite innovative, right? Slide the Frames onto your face and music magically cocoons you (or Google Maps directions, or phone calls, or anything audio). This doesn’t involve putting
You can question whether people want this stuff, but you can’t deny the quality anything in your ears, and it’s not bone conduction; it’s more like tiny, very directional speakers in the arms of the sunnies. And it has apps. For many years, Bose has been synonymous with great sound quality and, I suppose, innovation in the fields of marketing and refining certain audio technologies. This, however, is a whole other thing.
36 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
What makes Frames stand out from the Kickstarter hordes is that because it’s from Bose, rather than some optimistic start-up/man in a shed, the level of finish is very high. You can question whether people actually want sunglasses that are also headphones and golf sonar, but you can’t deny Bose has delivered it to a very high standard. That also goes for Gillette’s new Heated Razor. Can you guess what that does? This is a quite amazing bit of kit that does exactly what it says on the tin. Although on the face of it, making a heated razor might not seem either difficult or worthwhile, when you think about the problems faced in making it work well – and then experience the results of those efforts – it’s quite extraordinary. The Heated Razor looks, feels and is expensive. It heats up in literally seconds and then heats back up in less time than that, after you rinse it with cold water. The battery lasts a week and recharges wirelessly. It is completely waterproof – a relief for anyone not impervious to electric shocks. Gillette and Bose have taken very well established technologies and added something genuinely new, and created hugely impressive products in doing so. Let’s hope the market – ie: you lot – rewards and encourages such boldness. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Horizon
B A T3 3 interviews the man who runs w u one of the coolest brands in history
or 20 years, Jens Kronvold Frederiksen has been the resident Jedi Master in charge of Lego Star Wars. As creative director, he’s overseen its transformation from a cool concept into a juggernaut of creativity and desire. Speaking to him, it’s clear he has a deep love for the brand he shepherds. He talks about his work with a personal connection and affection that’s no surprise, given how much of his life he’s been doing this. The first thing we ask, obviously, is which of the ships over the years has become his favourite. Jens walks us over to a pair of Millennium Falcons – the two versions of the expensive Ultimate Collector Series models that have been released over the years. The first version was designed by him. It started life as a bit of fun after people online had complained that all the Falcons made up to that point couldn’t fit four minifigures in the cockpit, like in the movies, so Jens started experimenting with what a model of that scale would look like. When others saw it, he was encouraged to go wild and make the best Falcon he could, no matter the size or how many pieces. For him, it was a kind of freedom that only really came around once. Since then, a new version of the Ultimate
F
Collector Series Millennium Falcon has been released, but it’s that very first one that clearly holds the fondest memories for him. Here T3 3 speaks to Jens about all things Lego Star Wars, from the more obscure TIE fighters to fan favourites... DO YOU HAVE OTHER FAVOURITE SHIPS IN THIS ROOM?
“There’s another model I would also really like to mention. It’s very special to me. It’s the Death Star. We’ve had two versions of that product. I can’t remember when it was launched the first time, but it’s been available for many years now. And what I really like about that set is that it contains all the scenes – all the major scenes – from the Death Stars in the movies. So kids are really able to play out the scenes. “We know children build it. I think it’s marked 14+, but very often it’s something that’s on a kid’s wish list. The family put it together, which is something I really like, specifically, about that product.”
“When they start filming g we are invited to visit the set often. So we’ll see the sets and the costumes”
38 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
WHEN YOU’RE MAKING SOMETHING LIKE THE DEATH STAR, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO FIT INTO THE DIFFERENT SCENES?
“That was a long process. The two designers that made the first version spent many, many hours watching the movies, and then we decided together which ones were the most important. We also involved children along the way. In a case like that, we’re looking at whether the kids can handle the functions. Do they understand them? Do they make sense for the children? Are they fun? Things like that are super-important for us.” WHAT’S THE PROCESS OF STARTING WORK ON SETS BASED ON A NEW FILM THAT YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YET?
“The big challenge is that we’re starting more than a year before it will end up on a shelf in stores. They’re filming at the same time as we’re deciding and making the products. Normally, the first thing that happens is we’ll be taken through – very often by the director – the full story of the movie, so we can get a picture of what are the important things in the movie. So then we get the reference material. And based on that – or the W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
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Horizon
HUNK OF JUNK HU
The Millenium falcon has gone through a few guises. Top-left is the very first version; left is Jens’ big Ultimate version; above is the current Ultimate version
concept art, most often – we try to put together an assortment. “Usually, when they start filming we w are invited to visit the set often. So we’ll be in Pinewood Studios, seeing the sets and seeing the costumes, which is, of course, very, very good inspiration for us. But it’s challenging g because if there are late changes to the movie, we’re almost ready for production with a product. And then it’s, ‘Okay, can we change this?’” WHEN YOU MAKE NEW MODELS BASED ON THE OLDER FILMS, IS THAT DRIVEN BY WHATEVER YOU GUYS THINK WILL BE FUN TO MAKE?
“We always have some classic items. And that’s something that I think we’ll always have. [The X-Wing] is like, as we call it, the Fire Station in Lego City. You know? It’s just something that needs to be available. Typically, we’ll have it worked out, and then we let it rest for a while, and then we’ll make a new version. Everything is, of course, in cooperation with Lucasfilm. But the classic assortment is very often us. What fits into the portfolio? What did you have in last year’s assortment?” HOW COMPLETE ARE THE SKETCH MODELS YOU SHOW TO THE KIDS? AND HOW MUCH DETAIL DO YOU
PUT INTO THEM BEFORE YOU LET PEOPLE PLAY WITH THEM?
“Almost from the earliest draft. And we learn so much from these tests. First of all, whether the kids understand the models. But also, stability. Does the model fall apart when they’re playing with it? You’ll probably be surprised if you saw a sketch, because in most cases there isn’t really, visually, a big difference from the earliest draft to the final one. What takes a long time in the design process is working around stability, for instance, and playability. “Another thing is that kids should be able to build it – it might be e that the first sketch model is a super-complex build that can’t be made by kids. But visually it looks pretty close to what the final product would look like. “Sometimes we get big surprises when testing something. I remember
40 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
one case when we were testing the Slave I. We were lifting the model [from the front] and there was no problem. Then when we had the kids test it, a kid lifted it and pressed it, and the model totally disintegrated in the middle. It totally collapsed. “That’s because I have a bigger finger than a kid. So a kid is grabbing the model at a different place and it couldn’t hold together. That’s why the kids’ tests are super-important, because they’re handling and playing with the models in a very different way.” HOW DO YOU FIND THE BALANCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL WANT TO PAY AND HOW MUCH DETAIL YOU’D LIKE TO PUT IN?
“That’s where the designer’s skills are really being tested. Because W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Horizon
usua ally they’re being briefed that this new model d l is i going i to t be b $79.99 or whatever. That’s in the brief, so that means there’s a limit of how many pieces you can put in it. Because you could continue adding pieces and make a product that cannot be afforded by anybody. The experienced designers will have a good idea about how many pieces they can put into a set. “Also, we want to ensure for the consumer that the value they get is similar to another set at the same price. So we have a good idea about how many pieces you can get.” TOP Every Luke model from the last 20 years IS THERE A SET THAT YOU HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE YET, BUT YOU WOULD LIKE TO EVENTUALLY?
“Yes, there are several. And that’s for different reasons. There are some that would be very difficult to make a play model of, both because they would be too fragile, or are maybe not appealing to kids. There are models that are super-difficult to create. “One example, for instance, is the medical frigate [from the end of The Empire Strikes Back]. We know that that specific ship has been a high request from fans, and there are a lot of fan creations out there of that ship. But we haven’t really solved the stability issue. I’m not going to say a medical frigate will never happen, but we need to make sure that the quality is the level it should be. “Sometimes we try models again, and it could also be, in the meantime,
ABOVE Jens (in the grey jumper) with his crack team of Lego Star Wars model designers
that we’ve got some new elements that solve a specific problem we had when creating the first model or so.” WHAT’S AN EXAMPLE OF THAT?
“Slave I, where the first versions were very brick-like. The only angled pieces we had were roof tiles, and later we had shaped elements, which made us capable of making a more accurate model. When creating new models we try to make things from existing pieces, also to show the versatility of Lego. You can use what you have in your bin and create anything. So we’re trying to avoid making too many special
“I build everything that the designers are doing. That’s as a check, but also… I want the products to be consistent”
42 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
pieces i ffor our models. d l “When the elements are created the right way, they can be useful for other things. When we’re designing it, we’re always saying that we’re not looking at the elements for what they’re intended for – we’re looking at them as shapes. “We have a huge wall where we have all the elements, and there could be, let’s say, a pink flowerpot sitting there that’s been used in one of the fringe models. But it looks exactly like the exhaust. Then we’ll just make it in a new colour, and add that element, and it’s showing that versatility again.” DO YOU STILL GET TO DESIGN MUCH THESE DAYS?
“Unfortunately not, but I’m a big part of it, and I love to build models. I build them in the process [of development], and when the products are done. I build everything that the designers are doing. That’s as a check, but also… I love to build. It’s also that I want the products to be consistent. It’s okay if Star Wars Lego fans can tell, ‘Oh, it might be that designer who built this model’, but it shouldn’t be too clear. “Along with the design style, it’s super-important with Star Wars that it’s very, very clear that it’s Lego. It means that maybe we’re creating a model that could easily cover up the knobs on the back, but I want there to always be visible Lego knobs. It should clearly look like a classic Lego model. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Lego Star Wars BREAKING THE MOULD These are some of the early casts and experiments for unusual minifigure shapes and helmets needed to get the Star Wars look rightt for characters
“But there are also some things that conflict with the design. First of all, we want to make a good toy. So it means that if we have a completely grey or white vehicle in Star Wars, it wouldn’t be all white or all grey as a Lego model. There would be different shades. There would be black, there would be dark red, there would be a few white or sand colour pieces, and so on. That’s because we want it to be a good building experience. If you open a box full of white pieces, it’s a nightmare. And when you search for a specific element, it shouldn’t take too long. But I wouldn’t even call all that a limitation. It’s just part of it. “You will also see inside of even the more accurate models, like the Ultimate Collectors Series, that there is a rainbow of colours. It’s hidden. And that, again, is to make it a good building experience. And also, if you put a grey piece on top of a grey piece, it can be really hard to tell W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
exactly how it’s fitting. Maybe it’s a small piece that you have to put on something, but if that little piece is red, it’s easy to see.” HAVE YOU MADE SHIPS FROM THE WIDER MEDIA, FROM COMICS OR NOVELS AND SO ON?
“We’ve done it a few times. Many years ago, we made a set called TIE Fighters Collection, and it contained four TIE Fighters. There was Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter, there were two from the movies, and there was one called Droid TIE Fighter. That’s a ship that’s never been seen anywhere. It’s been
mentioned in what they call the Expanded Universe, so it might have been in a novel or a comic or something. Honestly, I just saw it in a book and thought it was super-cool. And then we made it as a product. “I also remember a very creative one called the TIE Crawler. I don’t know where it comes from – it was also in a book. Imagine a TIE Fighter where around the wings they are like tank tracks, like a WW1 Mk4 tank. So it could drive on these tracks. Anyway, that made it far as well, many|years ago. So we have been exploring a lot of things. We also will in future, that’s for sure.” AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 43
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Horizon
BUILDING LEGO’S NEW STAR WARS DROIDS First you build the models from bricks, then kids learn to program with blocks
Lego’s new big Star Wars set, and one you can expect to see a lot more of as we come towards its September 2019 release date, is actually three sets and an app in one box. The Lego Star Wars Boost set lets kids build three iconic droids, including R2-D2, and program them through missions using an app. It’s designed to teach kids the core concepts of coding, with programming done by dragging blocks together on a phone or tablet to form a series of commands. The droids can move around, but also have lots of extra things they can do, partly driven by attachments you can add to them all. We had the chance to try out the new robots with designers Carl Merriam and Steve Geist, with an early version of the app. The main difference from the current Lego Boost set is that you can have all three robots built and ready to go at any time – the original Boost had five things to build, but you had to take one apart to build the next. “We found, from Boost, that the kids actually use only one of the five
models, because, of course, once you build one, and then you get into its character, it’s part of your family now,” explains Karl. “And then you have to take apart his face to make the other thing. Kids don’t want to do that.” The learning and programming is based around missions in the app – each of the droids has a story to follow, and obviously they’re very different given that R2-D2 is a hero of the Rebellion, the Mouse droid is the most adorable part of the Empire, and Gonk is… a walking battery that says “Gonk”. “One of the big things we’ve tried to do with the missions is actually achieve some of the things that our characters do in the movie,” says Steve. “So you know, R2-D2 can help you fly an X-Wing, he can talk to a computer and decode a message; Gonk can help you power your other droids; and the Mouse can deliver messages. “Most missions have a small build associated with them, so that we keep going with the ‘build, code, play’ mentality that we’ve tried to do.” This will mean building R2-D2’s little computer interface arm, which slots into a matching computer terminal, and
46 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
rotates to access files, just like in the movie. As it rotates, it reveals different colours on a wheel, which are detected by a sensor on its front. In the case of Gonk, you’ll build assorted weaponry, including a spinning buzzsaw and punching boxing arms. In all cases they really wanted to keep hold of the personality of the droids, so that kids will engage with them as much as possible. The Mouse zips around, Gonk wobbles slowly into place, and R2 is full of little touches. “We decided fairly early on that we wanted him to be able to go from a standing position to a tripod position. That’s just so much of his character, being able to do that. The animation that we get out of that gives a lot of personality. And obviously there’s head movements,” says Steve. “We probably built five different versions of the mechanisms of R2-D2 transforming, and probably at least five, six or seven of Gonk walking,” adds Karl. We expect this to be massively popular this Christmas. From our time with the set, it’s shaping up to be educational and kind of stupidly fun. with it. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Lego Star Wars
FROM SKETCH TO BOX See how ow the droids went from early trials to final versio ve on
FINAL VERSION GONK A few different colours of the Gonk droid were tested before the Teal colour was settled on. It’s the first time this particular colour l off Lego b brick c has as been bee used in roughly oug y 20 0 yea yearss, ssince ce tthe e old o d Rock oc R Raiders id sets. t
FINAL VERSION
MOUSE OU Th M The Mouse d droid id wentt th through h versions that had doors that open in all kids of directions, directions and even one with ith a gun that th t could ld pop out and fire, all powered from the Accelerator motor unit.
FINAL VERSION R2-D2 Getting R2-D2’s looks and driving motion correct were vital. The final version drives from the front leg, and the two rear legs have wheels specially developed to this set, with curved sides that make it more easily able to corner.
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 47
Horizon Auto
CHARGING AHEAD The Hyundai Kona comes to India and we head to the Buddh International Circuit for a truly electrifying experience WORDS SARMAD KADIRI
There’s this curious case of diminishing tech terms from the dictionary of a motoring journalist. Common terms such as fuel stops, transmission tunnel, turbo-lag, and manual gearbox are gradually disappearing. Hang on a sec… am not hitting the panic button just yet because deep down I am honestly glad to let go of a few of these. Fellow motoring scribes have been asked to up their tech vocabulary with catchy words to make the fast-evolving world of mobility comprehensible for the layman. This means making sense of terms such as wall box charger, range anxiety, single-speed reduction gear, and a thing called “quick charger” which makes you wait for an hour before you can resume driving again. Matter of perspective, my friends. Having flipped through a bunch of EV brochures and armed with my updated lexicon, I reach the BIC... ready for some electrifying action. I come face to face with the first all-electric, long-range SUV: the Hyundai Kona Electric. It looks like a contemporary mid-sized crossover, about the size of a Hyundai Creta. The design of the Kona is not striking but is unique enough to merit an approving second glance. Being an electric vehicle, the Kona doesn’t require a front grille and to give a familiar face, the engineers have etched the large front bumper to impersonate Hyundai’s signature hexagonal grille. It also conceals the charging socket which is hidden beneath a small flush-finished lid. The headlamps are mounted low on the singlepiece bumper, while the sleek LED daytime running lights are positioned above, making it an eye-catching design. It’s only when you look at it from rear three-quarters does the Kona appear more robust and SUV-ish. The high roof-line, pronounced rear wheelarches, and the plastic cladding add up to give it a more robust appearance. The rear styling gets the usual Hyundai treatment with slim LED tail-lamps and a curvaceous boot-lid. When you get inside the car, you’re greeted by a neat-looking cabin. You can’t complain about the quality and finish, but considering the car’s asking price, it doesn’t feel as premium. The buttons and knobs seem well-built and feel good to use. There are loads of features, including ventilated seats, wireless phone charger, driving modes, and a seven-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Using the EV menu screen you can get data about Eco-driving, power consumption, and charge management. Interesting creature comforts include a driver-only air-con option which keeps only the blower near the driver on and saves precious energy. The front seats are comfortably large and provide decent all-round support. The driver’s seat is powered and 10-way
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Horizon Hyundai Kona Electric
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AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 49
Horizon Auto
HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC Price: `25 lakh (estimated) Electric Motor: Permanent Magnet Synchronous Max Power: 100 kW / 136 PS Max Torque: 395 Nm Transmission: Automatic, front-wheel drive Suspension: MacPherson strut front, multi-link rear Battery: 39.2 kWh, Lithium-ion Polymer Range: 452 km (ARAI claimed) 0-100 km/h: 9.7 seconds Top Speed: 155 km/h
adjustable. The rear bench, in comparison, isn’t as supportive. This is because the floorboard is higher than usual due to the battery pack underneath. This robs the seats of the desired under-thigh support. You might not even notice it on short city drives but it may become obvious if you try to test the battery range. As mentioned in our previous drive report of the Kona, India gets the smaller 39.2-kWh lithium-ion battery with a 100-kW (136-PS) motor that powers the front wheels. Internationally, it is said to have a range of about 289 km but here, due to the different testing cycle of the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), the electric SUV claims to run for 452 kilometres on a full charge. In real world conditions, expect a range of a reassuring 225 km approximately, which takes care of the usual range anxiety. For the price, you get two charging kits with the Kona. A basic 2.8-kW portable cable charger which can be plugged into a standard electric socket takes about 19 hours for a full charge. Apart from this, you also get a Rs 70,000 worth 7.2-kW AC box charger that can be mounted on your garage wall and which takes about six hours to juice up the Kona completely. The latter takes just an hour to provide a charge to last for 50 kilometres. Thankfully, the Kona I was testing had enough charge for me to pit it against India’s premium racetrack: the BIC. Behind the leather-wrapped steering wheel, I reached out for the gear stick... only to realize that it has given way to a modern button gear selector. Damp squib. I had to dab on the “D” for the drive mode to engage the single-speed reduction gearbox. The best thing about an electric car on a racetrack is that it delivers instant surge. The entire 395 Nm of torque is at your service from the 50 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
moment you’ve selected the Drive mode. No turbo lag, no gear shifts, just heap-full of linear propulsion and a whizzing electric motor, and faint tyre noise and nothing else. The feeling is surreal and a complete contrast to IC cars I’ve driven at the BIC earlier. The Kona gets four driving modes: Eco, Eco Plus, Comfort, and Sport. Eco Plus is by far the most efficient. For an electric car, this one drives surprisingly well and feels peppy enough at city speeds. Hyundai claim a 0-100 km/h time of 9.7 seconds and we hope to test it once we get some more time with this e-SUV. The handling is like other Hyundai hatchbacks available in the market. It’s light and effortless to use with decent feedback, though lacking a bit in terms of feel. The suspension on the smooth tarmac of the racetrack didn’t feel too soft and helped restrain body-roll. On pothole-riddled public roads, however, this set-up might feel a bit firm and there can be a feeling of heaviness in fast-paced change of direction owing to the battery stacks. Our short track drive experience of the Kona came to an end rather quickly. Rolling into the pit-lane I anchored the Kona, using the steering-mounted paddle-shifters that manage the brake energy regen. To think of it, this can be a pretty good everyday city car with zero emission and low running cost. Hyundai claim it’s one-fifth of a similar-sized conventional crossover like the Creta petrol’s running cost per kilometre. That would be less than a rupee/km for the Kona! This EV with fewer moving parts should also be cheaper to maintain. This should help justify the e-SUV’s steep asking price of Rs 25.30 lakh (ex-showroom). With the whole paradigm shift towards electric and the new benefits offered by the government, the Kona does make good sense after all. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Horizon Auto
SMART IN-CAR INFOTAINMENT
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay wants to be your perfect driving companion WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
Listening to music is a priority for users when using their in-car entertainment system. However, with smartphones entering the fray, there was a need to modernise the in-car entertainment to an infotainment system and this is where services like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come into the picture. Car manufacturers have been marketing it for quite some time but are you really aware of the advantages of using it compared to the car manufacturer’s built-in infotainment system? Safety is paramount when it comes to driving and that’s one of the reasons why you see car manufacturers implementing features like on-steering multimedia controls so that the driver is not distracted while trying to fiddle with the infotainment controls or screen on the dashboard. Smart infotainment systems take safety a step ahead and also enhance the user’s driving experience. 52 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
Using these smart infotainments is quite simple. Just plug in an Android device if the car supports Android Auto or an iPhone for Apple CarPlay. You may have to download the Android Auto app if your device does not come with it. The phone automatically detects that it is plugged into an Android Auto or Apple CarPlay compatible system and will switch to the respective user interface on the car’s display. Coming back to the advantages compared to the infotainment system that’s baked in, the user interface on the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is much more user-friendly and responsive, making it easy to use compared to the car’s default interface. You can leave pressing the buttons or fiddling the dashboard display to navigate because everything can be controlled via Google Assistant (on Android Auto) or Siri (on Apple CarPlay). In our experience, Google Assistant is better at picking up Indian accents that W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Horizon Auto
make it easier for the system to understand it and execute. You can even dictate messages or ask to call a contact via the voice interface. That said, if you still want to use the physical buttons on the steering wheel or the intuitive touch interface, you can still do it. Android Auto or Apple CarPlay can take care of your music as well. There’s no need to curate music for your long trip or listen to random songs on the radio. You can listen to the same music in your smartphone via the same favourite apps like Google Play Music, Apple Music, Spotify and more. Another important feature that you can take advantage of is the navigation. The issue with the car’s navigation function is the recency of the map data. But with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay you can use Google Maps (works in CarPlay as well) to get the updated map data along with real-time traffic details. But that’s not all. Smart infotainments support additional apps that you can use while driving. The apps that work right now are limited but you can use messaging apps like WhatsApp or listen to podcasts on your favourite app.
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AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 53
Horizon Gadget Guru
GADGETGURU
T3’s resident smart assistant should be heard and not seen
RAM SHARMA
Which display should I add to my smart home?
ILLUSTRATIONS: STEPHEN KELLY
A
This is a tough question, because there are so many potential uses for a smart home screen, and several platforms. If you’re tied to Google Home, you won’t want an Alexa device, and vice versa. But if you’re just starting out from scratch, GaGu leans towards Amazon’s second-gen Echo Show. It has the widest range of support from other devices such as security cameras, ties into Amazon’s cheaper range of visual Echos, and you can watch YouTube on it through the built in browser. That’s not to discount the much cheaper Google Home Hub (you
can import it). Although the big G puts ‘the ultimate digital photo frame’ as its main descriptor (despite digital photo frames dying a justified death some time ago) it’s a highly capable smart home controller and a decent kitchen companion. The Lenovo Smart Display is the one to get for a big display that comes with Google’s smarts, and
ABOVE Your home’s super-brain can do many things your puny human one can’t
Set it to scroll your current Spotify track, set it to display your depressing gadget-depleted bank balance
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is the nicest hardware of all three. Let’s go left-field, though. Guru happens to find the colourful pixels of the LaMetric Time very attractive, and while it doesn’t show your photos, it’s one of the coolest displays around. Set it to scroll your current Spotify track, to display your gadget-depleted bank balance, to show your single-digit YouTube subscribers… as its name suggests, it’s a great way to monitor metrics. But you can also bang a button to pull in data from all your smart home appliances, use it to switch off your lights, or cook up some IFTTT routines. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
Gadget Guru
NEW MEDIA
HARDEEP SINGH
NOW PLAYING What’s the best Guru finds the finest media you need on your various screens
way to listen to audiobooks? A
MY HEART IS LIVE IN BERLIN While GaGu would prefer fresh material, Theo Katzman’s new live album is a magical showcase of the Vulfpeck member’s wonderful solo songs.
TAOFLEDERMAUS What happens when you shoot stuff you shouldn’t out of a shotgun? Guru’s banned from performing such experiments, so this YouTube channel is just the release he needs.
CASEFILE TRUE CRIME Could Casefile be the best crime podcast out there at the moment? It doesn’t take a deerstalker and a magnifying glass to work out that it’s definitely a prime suspect.
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It would certainly appear that Amazon, via Audible, has as iron a grip on the digital audiobook market as it does on just about everything else. It’s a behemoth, and it ain’t cheap: while a `199 membership gets you a book credit per month, which generally lets you download books being sold for much more than that, voracious ear-readers may find themselves spending a fair amount more. Unless you have credits to spend that desperation better be strong enough to cough up to hear Stephen Fry grind his way thorough 72 straight hours of Sherlock Holmes books. To be fair, Audible’s app is just brilliant, with a bunch of features to suit people who like to be read a story before they sleep or hear words very quickly indeed. If you’d rather not pay, there are other options. Public libraries have generally moved on from what Guru’s old mum used to call her ‘story tapes’, offering online digital rentals of audiobooks for nothing more than the hassle of applying for a library card. They’re usually smothered in digital ‘protections’, but if you’re listening through a modern player – your phone, for example – you likely won’t have any trouble getting them going. Most libraries seem to be partnering with Rakuten Overdrive (overdrive.com) to offer the service, so you can case the joint (and use it to find your local library) before you sign up. Then there are the other options. Librivox (librivox.org) for example is a cute volunteer effort to record public domain books in audio format; Guru would dodge anything marked collaborative, because your narrator could change from chapter to chapter, and not every reader is particularly listenable. Poke around Scribl (scribl.com) and you’ll find a host of rickety audiobooks from independent writers, delivered in ad-supported podcast form.
ABOVE When listening to audiobooks be aware of any approaching snakes…
PRATHIK P.
Is wireless charging safe? Depending on your tendency to keep frayed cables in operation well past their fire hazard point, it’s probably a lot safer than what you’re doing right now. It’s slower, too, by some margin. And, most importantly, Qi charging doesn’t match its namesake and actually beam mystical Chinese energy beams out into the air right next to your sleeping brain. That would be irresponsible. Yes, it uses an electromagnetic field to stimulate an induction charger built in to the device you’re charging or, in the case of phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10, channels its own battery to spit out those same waves. But Nikola Tesla’s mental wireless electricity plan this is not: strengthwise, the reason you need to plop your device onto a charging pad rather than just leaving it nearby is that there’s less radio energy coming out of a Qi charger than your router. If you’re already worried about that, GaGu imagines you’re sleeping with your tin foil hat on as it is.
A
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 57
Travel cameras
Sun, sea and holiday snaps: we’ve picked the best mirrorless cameras that have big features in a small body, perfect for travel Words: Ben Andrews Photography: Neil Godwin
t can be tempting to save some luggage space and rely on your phone as a super-portable travel camera, but with it already taking care of directions, travel tips and translation, packing a dedicated camera is a smart idea. While top-end phones now boast image quality and processing far beyond what a traditional compact camera is capable of, they’re still no match for the performance of an interchangeable lens camera. These pack significantly larger image sensors that capture
I
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more detail. Built-in Wi-Fi enables you to send snaps to your phone and share them, and you can expect high bitrate 4K video and cutting-edge autofocus systems. To find the ultimate travel camera, we’ve picked a trio of mirrorless models that are all compact and easily portable, yet don’t sacrifice anything when it comes to performance and tech. Each has a host of manual control options if you want to get serious, but also a fully automatic setting and filter effects to ease the transition from
phone photography. You can buy any of our options just as a camera body, with no lens. But a much better bet if you’re starting out is to opt for a bundle deal that gets you the camera and a basic zoom lens for much less money than if you were buying both individually. If you need more zoom reach, a telephoto lens can be added for a reasonable price, but all our featured brands also offer superzoom optics ideal for travel.
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 59
WHAT’S ON TEST…
1 Fujifilm X-T30
At the cutting edge of mirrorless camera tech, the X-T30 sports a highly advanced image sensor and autofocus system, as well as topspec 4K video, all wrapped up in an exquisite body that makes this camera a real pleasure to use. from `74,999, fujifilm.in
2 Olympus OM-D E-M10 III 3 Sony Alpha a6400 It feels like the most pocketable camera here with its tiny kit lens, yet this baby Olympus sacrifices nothing in terms of features and performance. If you want to travel light, the OM-D E-M10 III is worth serious consideration. from `58,990, olympus-imaging.co.in
Sony’s been in the mirrorless camera game longer than most, and the a6400 is the culmination of its expertise. What it lacks in good looks it more than makes up for with clever AF and video recording that’s good enough for pros. `75,990, sony.co.in
SPECS
SPECS
SPECS
SENSOR APS-C, 26.1-megapixels VIDEO 4K, 30fps max AUTOFOCUS 2.16 million AF points, 100% frame coverage SCREEN 3-inch tilting touchscreen, 1.04-million dots CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi, Bluetooth SIZE 118. x82.8x46.8mm (body only) WEIGHT 383g (body only, with battery and card)
SENSOR Micro Four Thirds, 16.1-megapixels VIDEO 4K, 30fps max AUTOFOCUS 121 AF points SCREEN 3-inch tilting touchscreen, 1.04-million dots CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi SIZE 121.5x83.6x49.5mm (body only) WEIGHT 410g (body only, with battery and card)
SENSOR APS-C, 24.2-megapixels VIDEO 4K, 30fps max AUTOFOCUS 121 AF points SCREEN 3-inch tilting touchscreen, 1.04-million dots CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC SIZE 120x66.9x59.7mm (body only) WEIGHT 403g (body only, with battery and card)
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Travel cameras PRODUCT 01:
FUJIFILM X-T30
FUJIFILM X-T30
The X-T30 may not sit at the top of the X-series range, but it’s a fine all-rounder
or most people, the first image that springs to mind when they think of a mirrorless camera is the Fujifilm X-series model. The X-T30 is a prime example of the breed, with its classic camera looks delivering instant visual appeal, while also providing great ergonomics. Those old-school dials festooning the top panel enable instant access to the camera’s shooting modes, as well as more advanced settings like shutter speed and exposure compensation. Stick the camera in Auto mode and you may never need them, but if you want to get creative with your shots, the X-T30 is a great camera for learning the ropes. Beneath the retro aesthetic is seriously cutting-edge tech. Fujifilm’s flagship X-T3 may have slightly quicker continuous shooting and can capture 4K video at a faster frame rate, but the X-T30’s advanced 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans sensor and latest-generation X-Processor Pro 4 image processor still enable high bitrate 4K video recording at 30fps, as well as a respectable 8fps continuous stills capture. Autofocusing is just as impressive, thanks to an incredible 2.16-million individual AF points that cover the entire image frame, backed up by very effective automatic face and eye-detection algorithms. The only downside to having so many options on offer is that you need time to learn how to get the most from the X-T30. Fortunately, the menu interface is clear and intuitive, and there are options for no-fuss image filters, including many that emulate Fujifilm’s classic colour and black and white film looks from yesteryear.
F
The X-T30 beats the others for battery life, albeit by a slim margin
Round the back is a three-inch touchscreen monitor (tiltable up and down), via which you can check out a bright and accurate image preview
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What has really earned the X-series cameras their reputation? Core image quality, and here the X-T30 excels. Its X-Trans image sensor uses a fundamentally different design to regular digital camera sensors and it results in an increase in dynamic range. Move to a dimly lit setting and you’ll also be amazed at how little grain is visible in high ISO shots, while the 26.1-megapixels on tap ensure plenty of fine detail is always captured. The X-T30 also beats the mirrorless competition for battery life, albeit by a slim margin. It’s capable of 380 shots per charge, the Sony a6400 trails by 20 shots, and the battery in the bijou Olympus only manages 330 shots. However, it’s worth noting that if you need maximum staying power, a DSLR camera – even a small, entry-level model – can easily last twice as long as the X-T30.
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 61
PRODUCT 02:
OLYMPUS E-M10 III
OLYMPUS OM-D E-M10 III
A tempting travel camera that proves good things do come in small packages lympus mirrorless cameras are all based around the Micro Four Thirds image sensor design, which is around 50% smaller in area than the APS-C-sized sensors in the Fujifilm and Sony cameras. This means the size of the whole camera can be reduced. At 121.5mm x 83.6mm x 49.5mm, the OM-D E-M10 III is a similar size to the competition, but this is due to protrusions around the camera body. It feels less bulky in the hand than the boxier Fujifilm and Sony cameras. The smaller sensor also allows for smaller lenses - take almost any Micro Four Thirds lens and it’s likely to be significantly more compact than an equivalent Fujifilm or Sony optic, as these lenses can often be a similar size to their DSLR lens counterparts, somewhat negating the size benefit of going mirrorless. The reduced sensor size means resolution is pegged at ‘only’ 16MP, but images are still extremely crisp. Though the Olympus can’t quite resolve the same amount of very fine detail as the more pixel-packed Fujifilm and Sony cameras, the real-world difference is much more subtle than the specs suggest, so you’d need to scrutinise the images at full size to notice. Low light image quality is also respectable, with image noise being negligible up to ISO 6400, and detail at this sensitivity is as crisp as it is in shots from the X-T30. When it comes to video, the E-M10 III can also shoot 4K at 30fps, but lacks the X-T30’s more advanced high bitrate options. Despite the pared-down body, the camera feels solid,
O
Despite the pared-down body, the E-M10 III feels solid and secure in use and there are ergonomic hand grips on the front and rear so it also feels secure in the hand. Olympus has also managed to use every available space on the top and rear panels for dials and direct-access buttons, including two multi-function dials for easier control of manual shooting modes. The 3-inch tilting monitor is also touch sensitive, but only to set autofocus point, capture an image, and for you to swipe through shots. Autofocus specs are no match for the Fujifilm, with just 121 AF points, and the system is technically slower than the X-T30’s. But in operation the E-M10 III quickly focuses, only slowing when the going gets very dim. The 5-axis in-body image stabilisation system makes it easier to get sharp shots. Wi-Fi connectivity, a plethora of scene modes and 15 Art Filter effects also make it an ideal first travel camera for transitioning from phone photography.
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Menu navigation is reliant on the physical buttons, which is just as well, because the menu design is just too fiddly to be reliably controlled by touch
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Travel cameras PRODUCT 03:
SONY ALPHA A6400
SONY ALPHA A6400
Sony’s portable powerhouse mixes great image quality with pro-level video ony’s professional full-frame mirrorless cameras often steal the limelight, but the company’s smaller-sensor APS-C mirrorless options still deserve attention. The a6400 offers many of the features of the top-of-the-range a6500, but it lacks in-body image stablisation. It’s a surprising omission given the cheaper Olympus E-M10 III does have this feature, and it means you’ll need to rely on lens-based stabilisation to help ensure sharp shots. Where the a6400 beats both the Olympus and Fujifilm cameras is ergonomics. It’s comfortable in the hand, and the 3-inch rear screen can hinge through 180 degrees to face forward for easy selfie framing. It’s not perfect, however: the screen resolution is relatively low, and Sony’s dated menu interface hasn’t been designed to make the most of touchscreen control. Compared to the others, the Sony’s more utilitarian body design is also starting to look dated. That said, the a6400 does feel chunky and well made thanks to its pro-spec magnesium alloy construction and weather sealing. Its more streamlined array of physical controls aren’t as comprehensive as those on the Fujifilm and Olympus cameras, but you get buttons and dials for the most essential settings, with plenty of custom buttons to assign to your most-used functions.
S
Sony’s accurate Real Time Eye AF feature can even track animal movements
Sony’s latest-generation Bionz X processor can crank out a rapid 11 shots per second with minimal display lag
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Inside, Sony’s 24.2-megapixel image sensor provides decent image quality, but dynamic range is no match for the X-T30, and the a6400 generates noticeably more grain. The latter isn’t really noticeable at low ISO sensitivities, but dim the lights and the a6400’s shots are grainier than equivalent images from both the Fujifilm and Olympus cameras. There’s 4K video recording, which, though capped at 30fps like in the X-T30, can be captured at high bitrates with advanced colour grading profiles and expanded dynamic range to help you produce pro-looking footage in a wide variety of lighting conditions. Autofocus performance is equally impressive. The a6400 uses an advanced AF system with 425 phasedetection points for increased speed, and while this and the 84% frame coverage still trails the X-T30, autofocus speed and accuracy are every bit as accomplished in everyday shooting. We’re also fans of Sony’s clever Real Time Eye AF feature. It’s uncannily accurate at facial detection and can even track animal movements.
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 63
Travel cameras 1st
VERDICT:
THE OVERALL WINNER ISâ&#x20AC;¦ FUJIFILM X-T30 IURP ` IXMLÄ&#x2020;OP LQ
:(è5( ,035(66(' The X-T30 :(è' ,03529( No in-camera manages to stay ahead of the image stabilisation stings when game by nailing the basics. Stillsthe cheaper Olympus includes and video quality are second to this, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a non-issue if you use an optically stabilised lens. none, and the camera rarely 7+( /$67 :25' misses its mark thanks to incredibly accurate autofocus A professional grade camera and exposure metering. Factor with pocketable proportions, and all at a relatively accessible LQ WKDW EHDXWLIXOO\ GHVLJQHG price. body and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got one fabulous camera for travel.
Sony Alpha a6400
Olympus OM-D E-M10 III
` VRQ\ FR LQ
IURP ` RO\PSXV LPDJLQJ FR LQ
2nd
:(è5( ,035(66(' The total body and lens compactness of the E-M10 III is very appealing, and the price is tempting. :(è' ,03529( Smaller image dimensions compromise some Ä&#x2020;QH GHWDLO DQG EDWWHU\ OLIH LV limited. Kit lens is slow to zoom. 7+( /$67 :25' A mighty Ä&#x2020;QH WUDYHO FDPHUD WKH ( 0 III just falls short against the rest.
:(è5( ,035(66(' Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IDVW DFFXUDWH DXWRIRFXVLQJ DQG blistering burst speed makes the a6400 great for action snaps. :(è' ,03529( Stills quality, though good, trails behind the X-T30. Bland body styling needs a makeover and more controls. 7+( /$67 :25' If video matters as much as shooting stills, the a6400 makes sense.
6,; /(16(6 72 %2267 <285 3+272*5$3+< 352:(66 01 X-T30 BUNDLED LENS The X-T30 is available in a kit with a Fujinon XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ lens for just a few more than its body-only price. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as light in your pocket as it is on the camera, but this is a result of the mostly plastic construction that feels at odds with the premium X-T30.
OIS. You get weather sealing, excellent autofocusing, and class-leading image stabilisation.
04 OM-D E-M10 III TRAVEL LENS
Olympus makes a 12-200mm superzoom lens, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big, pricey and optical quality is 03 OM-D E-M10 III lacking. Panasonic Micro Four BUNDLED LENS Thirds lenses are compatible The E-M10 IIIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kit lens adds to with Olympus cameras, so a its body-only price, and for that EHWWHU FKRLFH ZRXOG EH WKH you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get much lens, but in a Panasonic 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 good way. This M.Zuiko Digital II ASPH OIS. ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 EZ 02 X-T30 TRAVEL LENS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pancakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lens is just that: 05 A6400 BUNDLED LQFUHGLEO\ Ä&#x2021;DW DW RQO\ FP Your best bet for a single, LENS long when retracted, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GR LW DOO )XMLÄ&#x2020;OP WUDYHO OHQV LV WKH On top of the a6400â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bodyDbIHDWKHUZHLJKW J 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 WR LM R only price, it can be bundled
64 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
with a basic 16-50mm lens. However, a more versatile travel lens is Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS.
06 A6400 TRAVEL LENS Sony offers 18-200mm options with even more zoom, and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll set you back big bucks. Instead you could look at the ultimate Sony-compatible travel lens: the Sigma 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM | C. Not only does it have a huge zoom, but image quality is great. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quite the bargain, really.
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AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-SR30BT 80
MOTOROLA ONE VISION
HOW WE TEST In T3, we feature only the finest gadgets out there, and we believe that you – our loyal reader – deserve only the best tech in your life. We don’t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and that’s exactly why our Tested section exists. In here you’ll find only the latest and hottest tech. Each product has been handpicked and tested by T3’s experts.
We only choose people with special knowledge for each test, so you know you’re going to get an outcome based on many years of experience in their respective field. As well as our traditional five-star rating system (right), we also give out awards to particularly exceptional gadgets, using the line-up below - so when you spot one of these, you’ll know you’re onto a good thing.
THE SCORES EXPLAINED Forget it Below average Good for the price Very good all round An exceptional, best-in-class product
OUR AWARDS PLATINUM AWARD
BEST ON TEST
BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE
THE DESIGN AWARD
For kit with exceptional Only the best products – those This is given to winners of our This accolade, and others like industrial design and group tests, so you can see it, show you which gear is best refinement, in addition to that score five stars – receive for specific features which is the best at a glance our Platinum Award being a great buy
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Tested
KNOCKOUT
Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro
Xiaomi brings flagship performance and features at an affordable price WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
iaomi has cracked the sub-10k and the sub-20k market with its exhaustive range but the Rs. 20,000+ segment still remains elusive. They tried with the Mi Mix 2 and the POCO F1 last year but the market hasn’t been as receptive as Xiaomi thought they would be. However, things are different this year. OnePlus has gone premium with their OnePlus 7 Pro and there’s not much of a competition in the Rs. 20,000-40,000 segment, which is why Xiaomi is trying to leverage its strong Redmi brand. The Redmi K20 series is Xiaomi’s most expensive Redmi yet but also the most powerful. We look at the K20 Pro variant to see if it is enough for customers to consider a Redmi phone near the Rs. 30,000 price bracket.
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DESIGN Xiaomi made it very clear at the outset that the K20 series is not your average Redmi series but a premium one. And it is evident in the design too. The Redmi K20 and the K20 Pro takes Xiaomi’s Aura design to the next level with Aura Prime. The phone looks gorgeous with the back of the phone featuring a dark hue in the centre but the sides boast a pattern that shows off a distinctive pattern when light reflects on the back surface. The phone comes in three colours - Flame Red, Glacier Blue and Carbon Black that are inspired by fire, ice and carbon respectively. The front is all-screen, which Xiaomi calls it as Horizon AMOLED Display and just like the back, the screen is also protected with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5. When it comes to placements, the SIM card slot along with the USB Type-C port and loudspeaker are at the bottom, power and the volume keys are on the right and a pop-up front-facing camera with 3.5mm headphone jack at the top. The regularly featured infrared blaster on Xiaomi phones now goes missing. At the back is the triple camera setup with an LED flash. Couple more things to note about K20 Pro’s design is the even weight distribution. Despite weighing 191g, the phone does not feel heavy like the OnePlus 7 Pro. The phone is not waterproof but comes with a special P2i coating that makes the phone splashproof. PERFORMANCE Qualcomm’s top-of-the-line Snapdragon 855 processor and choices of 6GB or 8GB of RAM handle the processing needs of the phone along with Adreno 640 GPU for 70 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
PRICE `27,999 (6GB/128GB), `30,999 (8GB/256GB) URL mi.com/in DIMENSIONS 156.7x74.3x8.8mm WEIGHT 191g DISPLAY 6.39-inch (2340x1080) AMOLED CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 RAM 6GB/8GB INTERNAL STORAGE 128GB/256GB CAMERA 48MP+13MP+8MP (rear), 20MP (front) DUAL SIM Yes OS MIUI 10 BATTERY 4000mAh with Quick Charge 4.0 support
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Tested graphics. The default internal storage starts from 128GB and doubles it to 256GB in the other variant. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no expandable storage so make sure you get the variant that fulďŹ ls your storage needs. The phone is a powerhouse. Period. Having a ďŹ&#x201A;agship processor and ample RAM, the phone handles everything thrown at it with ease. The double-sided heat dissipation keeps the thermal temperature in check. The MIUI performance is ďŹ&#x201A;uid and so are the apps and games performance. The Redmi K20 Pro runs MIUI 10 and while the underlying OS is still what you ďŹ nd in other Xiaomi phones, there are a few changes here and there. Ads are MIUIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bane but they have been taken care of (mostly) as the phone comes pre-installed with POCO launcher. There are few ads that appear in the notiďŹ cation panel from Xiaomiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own apps but they can be easily managed by turning the recommendations and notiďŹ cations off from the respective app. The OS also brings some noteworthy features like Game Turbo 2.0 that improves the performance of the phone while playing games and even allow advanced customisation for games like PUBG. Dark mode is now supported system-wide and while itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a welcome addition, the mode needs some tweaks for the text that appears in some apps. Always-On feature is also available on the Redmi K20 Pro, thanks to the OLED display. The 6.39-inch Horizon AMOLED display is top-notch that delivers vivid colours and deep blacks. The display
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On the video front, the phone can shoot 4K videos at up to 60fps, up to 960fps slo-mo recording and supports EIS. The front-facing camera 20MP pop-up selfie camera takes decent selfies and comes with beautify features, HDR and AI camera. Just like other pop-up cameras, the Redmi K20 Pro also retracts the lens as soon as it detects a drop or when pushed inside to save the camera. The front-camera can also be used for AI face unlock but we found to have the in-screen fingerprint sensor to be convenient and accurate. Xiaomi phones are very well optimised to give more than a day of battery life and the Redmi K20 Pro is no different. The 4000mAh battery is good enough to last more than a day and if used conservatively, close to 1.5 days. Xiaomi bundles an 18W charger in the box but the best part is that the phone supports Quick Charge 4.0 for superfast charging. The phone also supports Xiaomi’s recently introduced 27W Mi SonicCharge charger.
supports FHD+ resolution (2340x1080) with a pixel density of 403ppi and contrast ratio of 60,000:1. The screen also supports HDR, making it a treat to watch HDR-enabled videos on YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The display also hosts an in-screen fingerprint sensor, and it works as intended. The Redmi K20 Pro has a triple camera setup at the back. The 48MP Sony sensor is assigned as the main sensor whereas the 8MP telephoto takes care of zoom (up to 2X optical) and 13MP for wide-angle shots. The main sensor is the same found on the Redmi Note 7 Pro and even the OnePlus 7 Pro, which means there are no real surprises here. The phone takes excellent pictures with good colours and minimal noise in daylight. Default pictures are shot at 12MP with 4-in-1 pixel binning that helps to capture more details from the large 48MP sensor. The regular ‘Photo’ mode is more than enough for most scenarios but if highly detailed shots is what you’re looking for, Xiaomi has dedicated a special camera mode for 48MP. The detail is excellent here but it takes a second or two to save the shot, which we found it rather odd considering the high-end hardware. 72 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
CONCLUSION There has been some chatter on the phone’s Rs. 27,999 starting price but if you ask us, Xiaomi has hit the sweet spot with the Redmi K20 Pro. They promised us a flagship experience at an aggressive price and the Redmi K20 Pro rightfully delivers it with its premium design and superfast performance.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, Performance WE’D IMPROVE Ads in Xiaomi’s apps THE LAST WORD Redmi K20 Pro is a great buy if you’re looking for an all-round performance, good looks around the Rs. 30,000 price range
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Tested
STILL ALIVE
Samsung keeps on giving hope to Android tablet lovers WORDS $1.86+ 0$+$-$1 tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s becoming increasingly rare to see new tablets these days but luckily Samsung is keeping the ďŹ&#x201A;ag ďŹ&#x201A;ying high. Galaxy Tab S5e is their thinnest offering in the space till date that is deceptively light and small. The relatively slim bezels surrounding the display afford a comfortable grip that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lead to accidental touches. The 10.5â&#x20AC;? Super AMOLED screen actually surprised us with its brightness and vivid colour reproduction that almost puts many higher priced tablets to shame. Everything pops out without feeling oversaturated regardless of the content viewed on it. Turning DeX on gives an experience similar to a desktop with the UI switching to landscape. The interface allows multiple windows at the same time and some can be resized. Multi-tasking in DeX is where the onboard RAM feels constrictive and 6GB RAM would have been great otherwise it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hamper daily usage in tablet mode. Sadly, the S Pen is neither bundled nor supported which seems like a missed opportunity. Connecting via pogo pins, the Book Cover keyboard accessory sold separately (`7,999) has a somewhat steep learning curve to get used to the layout. The non-backlit keys have a strange tactile feedback that lies between clicky and mushy that threw us off while trying to touch type. Thankfully, the cover ďŹ nishing is solid and the magnetic enclosure perfectly holds the S5e in place but this is more of a try before you buy. The audio setup consists of 4 stereo speakers located on each corner of the tablet that orients sound according to how it is placed. Tuned by AKG, they offered loud yet crystal clear output that really impressed in a variety of scenarios be it watching ďŹ lms, listening to music or gaming. Speaking of games, we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recommend intensive play sessions given the Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor and Adreno 615 GPU combo is more of a mid-ranger rendering at 2560x1600 which is well above its comfort zone. Cranking down the graphic settings to Medium made PUBG and Asphalt 9 play with a smoother and less janky framerate. The battery gave about 12-14 hours of usage that included streaming, playing, browsing and typing. It can last a full work day and the 15w fast charger tops up the battery from 0-100% in a span of around 2.5 hours. The cameras are not the focus on a tab and both lenses are average at best but work well for video calls and bright indoor shots. For security purposes, we get the trinity of face unlock, pin and biometric sensor. The latter is embedded into the side-mounted power button lying next to the volume rocker but the odd placement made us wish for an in-display one.
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PRICE `35,999 (Wi-Fi), `39,999 (Wi-Fi +LTE) URL samsung.com/ in/ DIMENSIONS 245x160x5.5mm WEIGHT 400 g DISPLAY Y 10.5â&#x20AC;? Super AMOLED PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 RAM 4GB STORAGE 64GB (Expandable via microSD) BIOMETRIC LOCK SidePRXQWHG Ä&#x2020;QJHUSULQW )DFH 8QORFN OS Android 9.0 Pie INTERFACE 2QH 8, CAMERA 13MP rear, 8MP front USB PORT Type-C BATTERY 7040mAh SPEAKERS Stereo x 4 FAST CHARGE Yes, 15W
VERDICT WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE IMPRESSED Great display, excellent sound, lightweight, decent battery WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D IMPROVE Pricing, Processor choice, DeX multi-tasking THE LAST WORD At a 15% lower price, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have zero hesitation in recommend it.
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POWERPACKED
The best sounding audio pair in your living room WORDS H. S. BILLIMORIA arantz (along with Denon) has always been at the forefront when it comes to making mini-systems of high quality. This month we have the Marantz Melody M-CR 612 mini system for review. The system was supplied with Q Acoustics’ Concept 40 floor standing speakers. Apart from the receiver and the CD player, the M-CR 612 features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth & internet radio. Streaming options include Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify, Tidal, Napster & others. The CD player will play both MP3 and WMA music files. The M-CR 612 also offers Hi-Res audio.
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Marantz M-CR 612 with Q Acoustics Concept 40
The M-CR 612 is nicely finished in black and weighs 3.4kgs. Power output is 60 Watts x2 at 6 ohms. Remote control is standard. Paired with the Q Acoustics Concept 40, the Marantz produced excellent sound quality. Stereo separation was excellent & the system produced a musical, rhythmic sound of high quality. The system excels with both classical & popular music. The Concept 40 speakers are immaculately finished & employ Q Acoustics’ ‘Gelcore’ cabinet construction for a better sound. The speakers are supplied with their own stands. Sensitivity at 90DB enables you to hear the music very loud. For those seeking stand-mounted speakers, the Q Acoustics 3020i should be a good choice.
MARANTZ M-CR612 PRICE `84,900 URL marantz.com DIMENSIONS 280x303x111mm WEIGHT 3.3kg OUTPUT 2x 60W NUMBER OF CHANNELS 2 FREQUENCY RESPONSE 10Hz-40kHz SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO 90dB CD COMPATIBILITY Y Yes FM Tuner Yes APPLE AIRPLAY 2 Yes WI-FI Yes BLUETOOTH Yes VOICE CONTROL Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri
Q ACOUSTICS CONCEPT 40 PRICE `1,22,000 URL qacoustics.com DIMENSIONS 972x170x288mm ENCLOSURE TYPE :D\ 5HćH[ ZLWK 'RXEOH :RRIHU BASS UNIT 2x5” TREBLE UNIT 1” FREQUENCY RESPONSE 53Hz-22Hz CROSSOVER FREQUENCY 2.3kHz NOMINAL IMPEDANCE 8 Ohms
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Audio quality WE’D IMPROVE N/A THE LAST WORD This is a super sounding system. We doubt that its musicality can be bettered at the price
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ROUTER THAT TALKS
A smart router with Alexa support WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
ere at T3 India, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had the privilege to check out some interesting routers in the past. Right from the ones with displays to mesh and even with RGBs. We have seen it all. But Asusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; latest offering takes the cake of being a router but not actually looking like one. The Lyra Voice looks like any other speaker in the market but a closer look at the back reveals its real purpose. Lyra Voice brings the smartness of Alexa and router packed into one. Design-wise, Lyra Voice comes with textured fabric exterior along with an LED light on the front that tells you if Alexa is listening or not while the top comes with mic and four physical buttons like the volume control, mute and an action key. The back hides the gigabit LAN and WAN port, AC adapter port and the on/off slider. Overall, the Lyra Voice looks fantastic and a perfect addition to the living room. One thing we particularly like about Asus routers is how easy it is to set up. All a user needs to connect the cable and go through the on-screen instructions on the free app. Asus maintains a separate Lyra app for its Lyra devices, which we feel could have been integrated with the main Asus router app. Even easier is to use it as a mesh node with another Asus AiMesh compatible router. The Lyra Voice is a tri-band AC2200 MU-MIMO router that takes care of web surďŹ ng, video streaming and other network-centric features without compromising on the speed. The router also supports advanced parental controls
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PRICE `24,990 URL asus.com/in DIMENSIONS 270x75x75mm WEIGHT 975g OPERATING FREQUENCY 2.4GHz/5GHz-1/5GHz-2 MEMORY FLASH (RAM/ FLASH) 512MB/256MB BLUETOOTH Bluetooth 4.2 I/O PORTS WAN Port x 1, LAN Port x 1 ANTENNA 6 internal single-band antennas (5GHz x 4 + 2GHz x 2), 1 internal Bluetooth antenna FEATURES AiMesh mode, Router/AP/Repeater mode, AiProtection, Spotify Connect MICROPHONE )DU Ä&#x2020;HOG PLF DUUD\ HFKR FDQFHOODWLRQ 360-degree sound detection SPEAKER 8-Watt stereo speaker x 2 Passive Radiator x 2
and built-in AiProtection Pro to protect against viruses and malware. On the audio side of things, the Lyra Voice comes with two 8W speakers that produce top-quality sound. The audio quality is crisp with no distortion even at high volume and a hint of bass. Users can also enable or disable DTS but it needs to be done through the app. We would have preferred a physical key for quick DTS access. The initial conďŹ guration for Amazon Alexa is through an app. Once successfully conďŹ gured, the Lyra Voice acts like any other Alexa-enabled device. This means you can ask Alexa to play songs, ask questions and even control smart home devices. The Lyra Voice also supports audio via other Bluetooth devices and other streaming services like Spotify or Pandora.
VERDICT WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE IMPRESSED Performance, Setup WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D IMPROVE Consolidate apps THE LAST WORD Lyra Voice is a bold attempt to bring a router to the living room and while Asus succeeds it with a competent product, the biggest hindrance for people to experience it is the price.
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Tested
PRICE `7,990 URL saregama.com BLUETOOTH Yes AM/ FM TUNER Yes PRE-LOADED SONGS Yes, 5000 songs USB PORT Yes WI-FI Yes APP SUPPORT Yes BATTERY LIFE Up to 6 hours
RETRO WIRELESS
Saregama Carvaan 2.0 The retro music player gets a Wi-Fi upgrade WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
aregama hit the jackpot years ago when they first launched the Carvaan music player. It was an ideal player for someone who wanted to listen to old hit songs. Since then Saregama has launched many Carvaan devices in different sizes and for different languages. This month we take a look at Carvaan 2.0, making it the first Carvaan device that takes advantage of Wi-Fi. Although preloaded old songs are the highlight in Carvaan devices, another thing that goes for it is the design. The Carvaan 2.0 features the old transistor design that adds to the nostalgic value but with some modern touches. Various audio function buttons like artistes, moods, Geetmala and Wi-Fi are placed on the front along with jog dial, small display and previous/next buttons. There’s a volume slider and 3.5mm headphone jack on the righthand side while the left sports different audio modes like Saregama, Bluetooth, USB and AM/FM Tuner physical keys. If you have used Carvaan before, you’ll feel right at home. You can play songs based on your favourite artist, mood or decade-wise segregated Geetmala with commentary from Ameen Sayani. Carvaan’s algorithm ensures you don’t listen to the same song again (for some time) which is a smart move considering the huge pre-installed library. The good thing is Saregama bundles a remote control along with Carvaan 2.0 because navigating through the dial is laggy where the device keeps scrolling even when you’ve stopped rotating the jog dial. The audio quality is decent that easily fills up the room but if you’re looking for something better, Carvaan’s Gold variant comes with Harman Kardon speakers. Carvaan 2.0 also supports the free Carvaan app. Downloadable
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on Android or iOS, the app gives a better way to sift through the 5,000 preloaded songs. It allows users to glean through the library, search and play a particular song or create a playlist. The app is also needed for the setup of the Wi-Fi mode and once it’s configured, the app can be used again to stream songs over Wi-Fi from the library. While this idea to expand the library wirelessly is interesting, the actual library that can be streamed over Wi-Fi is not. The devotional category takes over the first few stations followed by health, lifestyle, entertainment, kids and music. We would have liked using the app more if it allowed us to customise our app experience. That said, the Carvaan 2.0’s preloaded library is solid and users looking to reminisce retro songs will appreciate. The app is a logical extension but also remains Carvaan’s weak point that makes it more complex for the crowd it targets.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, audio library WE’D IMPROVE App THE LAST WORD The app needs work but Carvaan 2.0 takes you back with its nostalgic design and preloaded retro songs
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Tested
AN OATH TO TAKE
Thomson mostly gets it right WORDS ANKUSH MAHAJAN homson re-entered the Indian market last year with a focus on the television segment and Oath 9000 is the first official Android certified TV series in their portfolio. We got the 43” variant for review that looks plain with slim bezels surrounding the display but the bottom is thicker due to housing the speakers. The bundle in the box includes a wall-mount for fixing it on the wall and stands for placing on a desk. Powering the television is a Quad Core A53 CPU and Mali T-860 GPU paired with 2.5GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. It should be noted the storage is double the amount that is generally found in this range. It has a slow boot up time of 50 seconds to reach the main menu but standby mode takes just a few seconds although it isn’t on by default. Navigation is quick and button presses from the remote are almost instantly acknowledged. The stock interface is no-nonsense minus any visual flourishes geared more towards functionality which is a big plus in our book. But certain settings were buried too deep and obscurely placed. Chromecast always worked as intended to cast videos without delay from smartphones or tablets. Netflix, Youtube, Google Play Music, Google Play Movies and Google Store Play come pre-loaded with the latter offering access to more apps. Installation of new apps didn’t take much time and they would open up quickly but games were another matter. Running some confirmed Oath to be unsuitable for playing given the choppy framerate. However, viewing content is the priority and we put it through the wringer. The 8-bit IPS panel gave decent colour reproduction with good contrast and brightness. 4K content from streaming sites ran very smoothly provided your net connection can keep up. Even 1080p content remained sharp but sub-HD suffered as the scaling was weak and showed pixellation. As it is not a 10-bit panel, the HDR10 effect was passable and not really worth mentioning. With high bitrate videos, there was significant ghosting and trails which would obscure faces of characters on screen when they moved. Sometimes action sequences had slight traces of motion blurring that wasn’t as distracting but there nonetheless. Audio quality was clear having weight to it and didn’t feel empty or hollow. We were satisfied with the 20W output after playing a variety of audio. The large remote control is button heavy and didn’t cause issues when issuing voice commands via Google Assistant although it would mishear us occasionally. Port placement could have been better as there is only a single HDMI, USB and LAN port on the side panel while others lie on the bottom. Over here, spacing isn’t enough to accommodate larger devices as they encroach the space of adjacent slots.
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PRICE From `29,999 URLthomsontv.in DISPLAY Y Size 108cm (43”) SCREEN Type LED RESOLUTION UHD 4K (3840x2160) HDR10 OPERATING SYSTEM Android Oreo 8.1 PORTS 3xHDMI, 2xUSB, 1xEthernet(RJ45) Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n REFRESH RATE 60Hz BRIGHTNESS 450 Nits CONTRAST RATIO 500000:1 (Dynamic) RESPONSE TIME 6.5 ms CPU Cortex A53 Quad Core GPU Mali-T860 MEMORY 2.5GB RAM FLASH STORAGE 16GB in-built WEIGHT 9.66kg SPEAKERS 10Wx2
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Smooth 4K Streaming, Audio, Storage WE’D IMPROVE Startup time, Port placement, Average HDR THE LAST WORD Needs some adjustments but till now the best effort from Thomson
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GOES ON AND ON
Audio-Technica ATH-SR30BT Headphones with a super-long battery life
PRICE `7,990 URL audio-technica.com WEIGHT 193g TYPE Closed-back Dynamic DRIVER DIAMETER 40mm FREQUENCY RESPONSE 5-35,000Hz IMPEDANCE 32 ohms MICROPHONE Yes BLUETOOTH Version 5 SUPPORT CODEC AAC, SBC BATTERY LIFE 70 hours
WORDS KUNAL GANGAR he ATH-SR30BT is part of the Sound Reality series that promises good quality audio performance you’d expect from an Audio-Technica product at an affordable price. But does it deliver? We find out. The ATH-SR30BT’s design is consistent with what you find with other Audio-Technica headphones. The signature logo is on the earcups’ exterior, with physical controls for volume, power and action button, along with a status LED and microUSB port on the left earcup. The headphones can be folded into a more compact form factor, making it ideal while travelling but Audio-Technica does not bundle any carry case. The ATH-SR30BT is comfortable to use with its lightweight plastic body, soft memory foam earpads and headband. The memory foam on the earpads is covered with leatherette and while the over-ear design of the ATH-SR30BT doesn’t hot up the ears with the leatherette, it is not as roomy. The headphones support Bluetooth 5 and codecs like SBC and AAC. When it comes to ATH-SR30BT audio prowess, we were satisfied with what the 40mm drivers had to offer. The bass is not overpowering, which is what we prefer, and manages an overall well-balanced sound across all frequencies. The soundstage is decent as well. We didn’t find any latency issues while using it with streaming services like Netflix or YouTube. The ATH-SR30BT comes with a built-in mic but the mic performance is average. But the one thing that is not average is its battery life. The ATH-SR30BT can go for about 70 hours on a single charge, which is impressive for a headphone in this price range. During our brief three-week use, we had to charge it just once. Just make sure you don’t run out of battery though, as the headphones do not have a 3.5mm input for it to be used as a wired headphone. The ATH-SR30BT is priced at `7,990 and for that price, you get good sounding headphones, average mic but stellar battery life.
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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Audio, Battery life WE’D IMPROVE Microphone THE LAST WORD A good pair of cans with an amazing battery life
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A NEW VISION
Motorola One Vision A camera-focused Android One device WORDS SUJITH GOPINATH otorola pegs the One Vision as the first-ever smartphone with an ultra-wide 21:9 CinemaVision display. The device is a deviation from Motorola’s existing designs by catering to the latest trends in glass back phones, and a notch-less design with a punch-hole front camera. The One Vision has a trendy design, sans the overpowering brilliance of current gradient-design phones. The device is protected by a 2.5D cover glass at the front and a 3D Gorilla Glass 3 at the back with IP52 certification for dust and splash resistance. The phone uses a USB Type-C and offers a 3.5mm headphone jack. The One Vision is powered by an Exynos 9609 Octa-core processor that has been designed for AI-powered signal processing with a dual camera setup. It runs the Android One variant of Android 9 Pie version, which means it will receive security updates for three years, along with two major OS updates. It features 4 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage with microSD card support up to 512 GB. The One Vision uses a 6.3-inch LTPS (Low-Temperature PolySilicon) IPS display with 432 PPI pixel density. The display provides FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2520 pixels). The phone uses a dual main camera setup with a 48MP primary unit along with a 5MP, f/1.7 secondary unit for depth information. The camera utilises Quad Pixel technology, which combines four pixels to provide an output of 12 megapixels. Videos can be recorded at up to UHD quality at 30fps. It provides Slow motion, Timelapse, Hyperlapse and Youtube Live Stream options. The phone has a 25MP, f/2.0 front camera, also featuring Quad Pixel technology, resulting in a 6MP image. The front camera offers up to FHD quality videos at 30fps along with slow-motion movies at 120fps. The camera performed quite well with the images exhibiting good sharpness and low noise. Low-light performance was pretty good and portraits were impressive with pleasing bokeh effect. The One Vision is powered by a 3500 mAh, non-removable battery and Motorola bundles a 15W TurboPower charger with the device. The charger tops up the battery from zero in under two hours, which is rather slow. However, the battery charge lasted for more than a day on moderate use, which almost makes up for the slow charging. The One Vision is not one of those powerful phones in the market, but considering other mid-level devices, this phone did not disappoint. We did not experience any lag in performance on moderate use and the device could handle graphic intensive games such as Asphalt 9, though not smoothly as the higher-priced competitors. The Motorola One Vision is a good option in the sub-20k range, with a capable camera and good overall experience. We wish the phone was less slippery, and the cameras less protruding.
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PRICE `19,999 URL motorola.in DIMENSIONS 60.1x71.2x8.7mm WEIGHT 180g DISPLAY 6.3-inch (2520x1080) IPS CPU Samsung Exynos 9609 RAM 4GB INTERNAL STORAGE 128GB CAMERA 48MP+5MP (rear), 25MP (front) DUAL SIM Yes OS Android 9 Pie BATTERY 3500mAh with 15W TurboPower
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Camera performance WE’D IMPROVE Battery life THE LAST WORD A decent device with a good camera, though there is hardly anything new to boast
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Tested
IMMERSIVE
Sony’s latest soundbar brings cinematic sound in your living room WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
ith exceptional content being churned out by streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, having a good audio-video setup in a home is now essential. While high-end TVs bridge that gap by providing topnotch video experience, Sony is offering its audio solution with the HT-Z9F. It’s a 3.1ch soundbar that aims to bring the goodness of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X in your living room. The main soundbar unit is about a meter wide that houses its three drivers and can be hidden away behind the magnetic grille. Either way, the soundbar looks fantastic with its clean design and a small display on the front. (which by the way, isn’t clearly visible if you put on the grille). The top features touch-sensitive buttons whereas the rear boasts the important connectivity ports. The 52W soundbar is complemented with a 20W wireless subwoofer to handle the bass and if you need 5.1 channel audio, Sony sells the wireless SA-Z9R separately. Sony also bundles a remote control with the unit. Setting up the soundbar with the subwoofer is fairly easy as Sony has done an excellent job walking us through the process. The rear wireless speakers do need some dabbling before it can talk with the main unit. But when you’re ready to go, the difference in the audio is night and day. The wide soundstage is evident and enhanced further by the Vertical Surround Engine that adds depth while the
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PRICE `62,990 URL sony.co.in DIMENSIONS 1000×64×99mm (main unit), 190×382×386mm (subwoofer) WEIGHT 3.1kg (main unit), 8.1kg (subwoofer) AMPLIFIER TYPE S-Master HX SPEAKER LAYOUT 3.1 channel INTERFACE HDMI (ARC), Optical-audio input, Analogue in (stereo mini), USB type A, Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 HDR Yes AUDIO Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, SBC, AAC, LDAC SOUND MODE Auto Sound, Cinema, Music, Game Studio, News, Sports, Standard VIRTUAL SURROUND S-Force PRO/Vertical Surround Engine
subwoofer handles the bass with ease. Watching a show like Game of Thrones with the HT-Z9F gives you an idea how much you missed the audio cues in your first viewing. Adding to its audio prowess are the different audio modes like Cinema, Music, Game Studio, News and Sport that optimise audio depending on what you’re watching or listening. Moreover, the HT-Z9F comes with Chromecast built-in that makes it easy to stream content from the phone directly to the TV and can stream audio with Spotify Connect or via Bluetooth. The soundbar also supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Audio quality WE’D IMPROVE N/A THE LAST WORD The HT-Z9F retails for Rs. 62,990 but adds a whole new dimension to enjoy good quality video with top-notch audio.
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 81
Tested
VIVACIOUS
A formidable competitor in the sub-20k segment WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
martphone wars in the lower and mid-range segment in India are mostly fought based on price. This is mainly because of the price-sensitive nature of customers who want the best bang for the buck. The latest entrant in this aggressive space is Vivo’s Z1 Pro. Displays with notches have become the norm but Vivo has taken a slightly different approach. It boasts a hole-punch camera display that makes the viewing experience on the 6.53-inch display immersive with a screen-to-body ratio of 90.77%. The screen supports FHD+ resolution (2340x1080) with good picture quality and viewing angle, thanks to the IPS panel. The phone also supports Widevine L1, which means you can enjoy HD content on streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Most phones these days have a premium and good looking design, and Z1 Pro is no exception. While the front is all display, the back features a glossy finish with a triple camera setup and fingerprint scanner beside it. The phone comes in three colours - Mirror Black, Sonic Black and Sonic Blue, and it’s the Sonic Blue variant that stands out in the crowdm, with a dual colour finish that changes colo rs when light reflects on the back surface. The Z1 Pro has a Snapdragon 712 AIE chip, and while it’s di cult to discern the actual performance advantage over the Snapdragon’s 600-series chipsets, we were satisfied with the overall perfor ance. Coupled with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM, the apps, games and Funtouch OS 9, based on Android 9, runs well. Funtouch is a customised Android OS by Vivo that feels bloated. However, s me features are useful like the game mode that optimises phone s ttings for an uninterrupted and better gaming experience. The triple camera setup comprises 16MP f/1.78 main sensor, 8MP wide-angle and 2MP for depth. The Z1 Pro takes some good qu lity detailed pictures, decent colour reproduction and dynamic ra ge. On the video side, the camera can shoot in up to 4K resolution and comes with lots of fun filters. Overall, we like what the triple camera is capable of in this price range. The front-facing 32MP camera resides in the hole-punch di play that takes detailed selfie shots, with the ability to spruce it up ith AI filters, AR stickers, portrait light effects and more. The icing on the cake is Z1 Pro’s 5000mAh battery that ens res you don’t run out of battery in under a day, and even supports 18W fast charging. The only issue for us is the bloated Funtouch UI, but if that something you can work with, Z1 Pro delivers good performance, battery life and camera, which you expect from a phone at thi price point.
PRICE `14,990 (4GB/64GB), `16,990 (6GB/64GB), `17,990 (6GB+128GB) URL vivo.com/in DIMENSIONS 162.39×77.33×8.85mm WEIGHT 201g DISPLAY Y 6.53-inch (2340x1080) IPS CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 RAM 4GB/6GB INTERNAL STORAGE 64GB/128GB CAMERA 16MP+8MP+2MP (rear), 32MP (front) DUAL SIM Yes OS Funtouch OS based on Android Pie BATTERY Y 5000mAh with 18W Fast charging
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VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance, battery life, camera WE’D IMPROVE User interface THE LAST WORD With triple cameras, smooth performance and excellent battery life, the Z1 Pro is positioned well in the highly competitive segment
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Tested
WIRELESS BUDDY
Truly wireless earbuds from Stuffcool are here WORDS KUNAL GANGAR
ruly wireless earbuds are all the rage right now and Stuffcool too has jumped into the fray with their aptly named Stuffbuds. The Stuffcool Stuffbuds is one of the compact wireless earbuds you’d find in the market and while we don’t have the exact weight, they are pretty lightweight. Stuffcool bundles the earbuds with a travel pouch, different sizes of ear tips, USB cable and a compact case. The case is lightweight, just like the earbuds and boasts a rubber-like exterior with a microUSB port at the back. Opening the case cover reveals the earbuds’ docking and charging area. The good thing about this is that they are magnetic so Stuffbuds fit right in without the user needing to adjust them. However, couple of things we dislike about it is that the cover is untethered to the case, which could get misplaced easily and second, there are no status lights to tell the remaining battery in the case. The earbuds, on the other hand, are small and have a glossy body. The exterior part acts as a button that helps to turn on/off the Stuffbuds, pair them or control multimedia playback or receive/end calls. A small light bleeding out tells you the connection status of the Stuffbuds. Setting up Bluetooth devices is straightforward but Stuffbuds have an unusual requirement when you use them for the first time. You need to reset and pair the two Stuffbuds first before connecting it to a mobile device or a PC. The reason to do this is that Stuffcool allows you to use the Stuffbuds as two separate devices, which is a good thing if you want to save on the battery or be aware of your surroundings while wearing them but we feel the Stuffbuds should come paired together out of the box. Stuffbuds’ 8mm drivers emphasis on the treble and mid-range with little to no bass. That said, we actually liked what Stuffbuds’ small drivers can deliver. The earbuds last for about 3 hours on a single charge but a fully charged case can give up to 12 hours of playback time with multiple recharges.
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PRICE `4,490 ` URL stuffcool.com DRIVER SIZE 8mm BLUETOOTH VERSION 5 BATTERY LIFE 40mAhx2 (stuffbuds), 300mAh (Charging dock) WORKING RANGE 8 to 10 m CHARGING TIME 1.5 hours for stuffbuds, ~3 hours for charging dock PLAY TIME 2.5 hours STANDBY TIME 120 hours
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design WE’D IMPROVE Pairing process THE LAST WORD Stuffcool Stuffbuds is one of the most affordable truly wireless earphones with decent audio quality
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 83
Tested
X FACTOR
Realme X The Realme flagship phone that pops WORDS KUNAL GANGAR ealme may be one of the late ones to arrive in the Indian smartphone market but since their arrival, competitors have had to revise their go-to-market strategy. Realme X is the latest phone from Realme that brings some interesting features at an aggressive price point. The phone’s curvy back gives the phone a good grip and the 3D pattern design with dual colour tone at the back makes the phone stand out. The glossy back, though, is prone to fingerprint smudges. The volume buttons are on the left whereas the SIM slot and power button are on the right. USB Type-C port and speaker are at the bottom along with 3.5mm headphone jack whereas the front-facing pop-up camera is at the top. The excellent screen-to-body ratio of 91.2% means the front is all display. The 6.53-inch AMOLED display boasts vivid colours, deep blacks and excellent viewing angles. The Full HD+ (2340x1080) display reaches a pixel density of 394 ppi and has a maximum brightness of 430 nits, which is pretty good. It also features screen colour temperature adjustment, night shield to cut the blue light and low-brightness flicker-free to reduce eye fatigue. Since it’s an AMOLED panel, the Realme X also supports an off-screen clock mode (always-on display on other phones), which is just limited to showing the time, date and the battery percentage. The in-screen fingerprint scanner is fast and works as intended. The Realme X is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 710 processor and comes with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM. Despite being a year-old SoC, the Snapdragon 710 works well for everyday use. Our 8GB variant showed no signs of slow down for prominent apps and games that we use regularly. Internal storage is limited to 128GB UFS 2.1 flash solution. ColorOS 6 experience remains more or less the same with a clean UI but comes with its own set of customisations. For gamers, there are features like Hyper Boost 2.0, Game Space and Game Assistant to improve the overall gaming experience. However, Realme should consider removing some pre-loaded apps. The Realme X is upping its camera game with a dual-camera setup at the back. The main camera is Sony’s IMX586 48MP sensor with a 5MP depth sensor. The result is great-looking pictures with a lot of detail and good colours. The AI scene detection is accurate, supports HDR and Chroma Boost for regular photos. Low-light photos taken with the Nightscape take a few seconds to process but produce highly detailed low-light shots. The front-facing pop-up 16MP camera is used for selfies that support AI intelligent beauty, portrait styles and HDR. On the video front, the phone can capture videos in up to 4K resolution and 960fps slo-mo at 720p. The 3765mAh battery lasts for a good 16-17 hours with moderate use and supports VOOC Flash Charge 3.0 at 20W that tops up the battery real quick.
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PRICE `16,999 (4GB/128GB), `19,999 (8GB/128GB) URL realme.com/in DIMENSIONS 161.3×76.1×9.4mm WEIGHT 191g DISPLAY 6.53-inch (2340x1080) AMOLED CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 RAM 4GB/8GB INTERNAL STORAGE 128GB CAMERA 48MP+5MP (rear), 16MP (front) DUAL SIM Yes OS ColorOS 6 based on Android Pie BATTERY 3765mAh with 20W VOOC Flash Charge 3.0
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Performance, design WE’D IMPROVE ColorOS 6 THE LAST WORD The Realme X is a culmination of what Realme learned with the success of its Realme Pro series. It’s good overall performance and competitive price makes the phone a serious contender if you’re looking for a device in this price range.
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Tested
DUN DUN DUUUN!
A portable projector that runs on Android WORDS KUNAL GANGAR handful of players have dabbled with selling th heir portable projector in India and the latest entran nt to try their luck is Dune with the Dune HD Traveler. Dune HD Traveler’s unique selling poiint is its Dune HD user interface running on Andro oid OS. But will Android OS be enough for customers to grab on nto the portable projection phenomenon? Let’s check it out. Dune HD Traveler’s design is right on point with its comp pact form factor and lightweight at 330g, making it easy to carry y it around. The glossy white finish looks good and has strategically placed vents to absorb the cool air from the outside and throw hot air out. The 0.2-inch DLP RGB LED lens is on the front with a focus ring on the left. The power button n is placed on the right, a tripod slot at the bottom and USB, HDMI, audio and power ports at the back. Touch-sensitive D-pad buttons are at the top. Given the portable nature of the projector, we were surprised to see the lens did not have any y kind of protective cover. However, Dune manages to bundle e some accessories like a carrying pouch, Bluetooth remote control and a small tripod mount. The Dune HD Traveler runs on Android OS (version 6) but Dune prides itself for the Dune HD GUI. The user interface is fluid and gives users direct network access to play multimedia content via SMB, NFS or uPNP. The UI also organises the user’s catalogue of movies and TV shows and brings support for third-party apps that work on Dune device from the Dune store. The device also supports Google Play Store, which means you can download all your favourite video and music apps on the projector. That said, the UI is not perfect. You still require a remote control to navigate as the interface is not optimised to be operated with just the D-pad on the projector. As far as media playback goes, we did not face any issues playing videos in formats like mp4 and MKV. The projector can also play 4K videos with HDR support with no issues. Depending on the distance from the viewing surface, the Dune HD Traveler can be extended to up to 120-inches in size. It has a brightness of 150 ANSI lumens, which we found to be decent for such a small projector along with automatic keystone correction. The built-in 7500mAh battery may seem a lot but it can last for just 1.5 hours to 2 hours, depending on the projector brightness. Dune HD Traveler may appeal to some with its portable projection and feature-rich UI but at an asking price of Rs. 79,900 becomes a big obstacle when you know you’ve got other competitors at a lower price with a similar feature set.
A
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PRICE `79,900 URL dune-hd.com DIMENSIONS 12x28x112 WEIGHT 330g TYPE DLP LED RESOLUTION 864x480 BRIGHTNESS 150 lumens THROW RATIO 1.3 PROJECTION SIZE 10” to 120” CONTRAST RATIO 3500:1 ASPECT RATIO 16:9 CONNECTIVITY USB port, HDMI input, audio output (3.5mm headphone jack), 15V DC input. INTERNAL SPEAKERS Yes, 2x1W ANDROID VERSION 6 BATTERY Y 7500mAh
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Design, multimedia playback WE’D IMPROVE User interface, battery life THE LAST WORD If you look over the price, Dune HD Traveler delivers a decent portable projection experience
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 85
Tested
SHOOT TO THRILL
DJI Osmo Pocket This dinky stabilised camera helps you shoot high-quality videos you’ll be proud to share `33,999 dji.com JI drones feature some amazing technology, not least their gimbals that enable them to create super-steady video in buffeting winds. The Osmo Pocket harnesses that magic in a 12MP mechanically stabilised camera that fits in the palm of your hand and weighs just 116g. Sitting behind the 26mm (35mm equivalent) f/2.0 lens, which captures an 80-degree field of view, there’s a 1/2.3-inch sensor capable of producing 4K (3840x2160) footage at 60fps and 100Mbps. Alternatively, Full HD footage can be recorded at up to 120p for ace slow-motion playback, or you can shoot stills, panoramas, time lapses and motion lapses. And although there are automatic shooting modes, you can also take control over aspects such as the shutter speed, white balance and sensitivity (ISO). The smart part, however, is that as well as ironing out the inevitable shake that comes from hand-holding a camera, the mechanical gimbal enables it to track faces or other subjects that are selected with a tap on the touchscreen. DJI supplies the Osmo Pocket with a neat plastic cover that keeps the gimbal and lens safe when you’re carrying it in your pocket - and at 121.9 x 28.6 x 36.9mm, it fits in many.
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86 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
However, a quick flip of the retaining strap and a press of the power button means you’re ready to film within two or three seconds. Controlling the camera is easy with taps and swipes on the screen or the occasional press of a button. If you prefer, you can also connect it to a smartphone via the included Lightning and USB-C connectors. This gives you a bigger view of the scene, as well as more intuitive control.
Card trick
The Osmo Pocket saves video and stills to a microSD card and you can either transfer the files to a computer for editing or use your phone. Even though you can only transfer Full HD footage and not 4K, the Mimo app dishes out plenty of editing control, enabling you to trim and join clips. Once you’ve finished, the video is saved to your phone’s photo album for sharing. Naturally, the best results are created when you edit 4K footage on a computer, but the results from the Memo app are tremendous and you can quickly produce a slick-looking video. It’s well worth splashing out an extra £53 to get the DJI Controller Wheel, as this gives easier, smoother and more precise control over the panning and tilting of the camera in the gimbal without connecting a phone.
VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Small, light and easy to use; ideal for handheld shooting; excellent integration with a smartphone; superb stabilisation. WE’D IMPROVE Full HD footage edited on your phone is output at 720p; no pan control without connecting a phone or the Controller Wheel. THE LAST WORD Perfect for everyday fun, holidays and photography days out.
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DEALING WITH TINNITUS Learn to manage and deal with this incurable ailment
WHIST - TINNITUS RELIEF Whist lets users fully modify the sound to best match the pitch, noisiness and loudness of the user’s tinnitus. Free; Google Play, App Store
TINNITUS THERAPY PRO Free (In-App purchases); Google Play PUBG Mobile Lite, as the name suggests, is a lighter and pared down version of the wildly popular multiplayer battle royale PUBG Mobile game. It has been optimised for users having budget smartphones with low end hardware with less than 2GB RAM playing in areas with poor connectivity. Running under these limitations has meant sacrificing various things. The biggest are cutting the maximum user to 60, a smaller replica of the Erangel map and a 10 minute duration of each match. This has the advantage of making each map gain a sense of urgency and indirectly pushes players to be more active. The graphics have
been scaled down with building interiors especially looking scarce as a lot of indoor props are gone. However, the grass and foliage is still present to crawl around and ambush in. Bullet drop has been excised and their speed increased to account for weak network environments which will be exploited by veterans. We faced disconnections over WiFi in three out of ten matches and that was always when there were only 5-6 players left. Loading also took a long while which was to be expected but somewhat understandable. As it is regularly updated, we hope the experience improves overtime.
ETMONEY
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It helps identify the exact frequency of your tinnitus and plays a pink noise to filter it forcing the ears to slowly readjust. `340; Google Play
TINNITUS RELIEF APP It requires users to wear headphones and play the white, pink or brown noise at a level which the tinnitus can be masked. Free; Google Play
TINNITUS SOUND THERAPY Promotes sound therapy by integrating in daily functions like alarm clock and sleep timer that can be controlled via audio mode. Free ; Google Play
WHITE NOISE: SLEEP SOUNDS Choose from a database of 30 relaxing sounds that can slowly fade out, auto pause during incoming calls and work in the background. Free ; Google Play, App Store
Free; Google Play, App Store ETMONEY offers users an intuitive interface through which they can plan their monetary matters like bills, investments, insurance, expenditures and more without providing extensive input thanks to an AI-based money manager. It then helps them with investing in all types of Mutual Fund plans and if money is short, the LoanPass option can be 88 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
availed. The expense tracker is very useful in keeping track of all expenses be it ATM, net banking or credit transactions which are automatically sorted into various categories including travel, dining etc. Their summaries can be checked on a daily, weekly and monthly basis giving insights to spend patterns.
TINNITUS THERAPY PRO SOUND OASIS Includes 24 tuneable therapeutic sounds with a 12 band graphic equaliser enabling precise frequency control. Upto 2 settings for each can be saved. `490; Google Play, App Store
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Game Sea of Solitude
Sea of Solitude Fighting the monsters within Prices vary; Xbox One, PS4, PC
D
epression maybe just a word for some but for someone living through it, is something indescribable. The longer one takes to realise, the more diďŹ&#x192;cult it becomes to treat this beast. Sea of Solitude takes you on a similar journey with Kay who battles her own monsters in a sea of loneliness. After playing through four-odd hours, we can safely say the Sea of Solitude is not a game. Rather, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an experience that one needs to go through to learn about Kayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and how she became so depressed and lonely with her actions (or inactions). The premise of the game is simple. You play as Kay and move in a boat in the submerged city or on foot when the water level changes as you progress. Loneliness is a dark place where thoughts go wild and with the game full of metaphors, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ďŹ nd different elements representing a character or feeling. For instance, the boat in which Kay moves around in the submerged city is her safe space where the sea monster cannot hurt her or the air vents in a particular level represents her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anger and frustration or a giant raven signiďŹ es her bullied brother. Although a few things are open to the playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interpretation, most of them are pretty straightforward which is explained well for the players to relate. The reason we say Sea of Solitude as an experience is because of the simple nature of the game. You jump around roofs or traverse in a boat to see how self-centred Kay was and how sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trying to repair it with her family and her boyfriend. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no real challenge to progress through. Yes, there are few puzzles to solve but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not as diďŹ&#x192;cult as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d expect. There are collectibles to ďŹ nd, like messages in a bottle or shooing seagulls away but they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really add anything to the game. For trophy hunters on PS4, however, the game is an easy platinum. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
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VERDICT WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE IMPRESSED Tackling a sensitive topic head-on WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D IMPROVE Gameplay THE LAST WORD Sea of Solitude aims to tell you a personal story about loneliness and it succeeds to put its message across
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AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 89
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ISSUE 49 9/ AUGUST 2019
Retro
T3 3 India as a magazine/ezine rightly focuses on products that are new and under development. This, of course, does not suggest or imply that everything old is bad and outdated. The pace at which technology moves, demands that we cover all product developments for our readers. In few cases, this means going back to the
W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
past. Look at the worldwide revival of turntables. Only 15 years ago, the turntable was consigned to the dustbin. Today, pressing plants are hard pressed to meet the demand. The area where retro is most in demand is music â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both Western and Indian, and T3 3 India seeks to address this gap. We hope you enjoy this section.
92
Ten Top To Bollyy wood So o und dtrack cks of All T ime
94
Clas iicc Artistes - Indian
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s o o Technology o Today 91
TEN TOP BOLLYWOOD SOUNDTRACKS OF ALL TIME
Top Bollywood
10 Soundtracks of All Time Choosing the Top 10 tracks from Bollywood is no easy task. It is also very subjective. The T3 selection gives a lot of importance to the longevity of the ďŹ lmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music. An album that is popular long after its release and sounds fresh or relevant even today has a lot going for it. Words: H. S. Billimoria
1) BARSAAT ( 1949 ) Barsaat, which was released in 1949, had three major distinctions: i) Barsaat catapulted the careers of Raj Kapoor and Nargis to stratospheric heights ii) It launched the career of Shankar and Jaikishan who came WRJHWKHU IRU WKH Ä&#x2020;UVW WLPH DQG created an album to remember iii) Shankar Jaikishan chose an unknown Lata Mangeshkar to playback 9 of the 10 songs. Lata never looked back. Never in the history of Hindi Ä&#x2020;OP PXVLF KDG WKH PXVLF FUHDWHG such an impression. Barsaat was easily the best selling music of the 1940s. To youngsters who have not heard this album, rush and listen to it. No Shankar Jaikishans are likely to emerge from Bollywood anymore. Just sample three tracks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mujhe kisise pyar ho gayaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Jiya bekarar haiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hawa mein udta jaayenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, all Lata solos. Lyrics were provided by the newly discovered Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. However, two songs were written by Ramesh Shastri and Jalal Malihabadi respectively. Barsaatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music is indeed special; how else do you explain its magnetic power a full 70 years later?
Awaar was released in 1951 and featured Raj Kapoor in the role of the tramp/ vagabond. Nargis was the heroine. Shankar Jaikishanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music again hit the jackpot and the title song, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Awaara Hoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rendered by Mukesh, became an international success. It saw phenomenal popularity in the Soviet Union, China and the Middle East. Apart from /DWD DQG 0XNHVK 6KDPVKDG %HJXP 0RKDPPHG 5DÄ&#x2020; and Manna Dey also featured in the album. One more OHJHQGDU\ VRQJ IURP WKH Ä&#x2020;OP ZDV ç*KDU DD\D PHUD SDUGHVLè %ROO\ZRRGèV Ä&#x2020;UVW GUHDP VHTXHQFH DQG LW LV YHU\ SRSXODU even today. With Awaara, Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri became the permanent lyricists of Shankar and Jaikishan.
3) SHREE 420 ( 1955)
4) AASHIQUI ( 1990 )
Released in 1955, Shree 420 was, in PDQ\ ZD\V D VHTXHO WR $ZDDUD 5DM Kapoor again starred with Nargis and played the role of the tramp to perfection. Shankar Jaikishan again FDPH XS ZLWK D PDJQLÄ&#x2020;FHQW VFRUH ZLWK the Mukesh number, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; Mera joota hai Japaaniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; becoming a cult number. Manna De joined Lata for the romantic duet, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; Pyar hua ikraar huaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and 0RKDPPHG 5DÄ&#x2020; MRLQHG 0XNHVK DQG Lata for the legendary â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ramaiyya Vastavaiyyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. These Telugu words were used by Shankar, who although a Punjabi, was raised and brought up in Hyderabad.
Nadeem Shravan hit the musical scene with a bang in 1990 with $DVKLTXL &UHGLW JRHV WR WKH ODWH *XOVKDQ .XPDU ZKR KDG D WHUULÄ&#x2020;F ear for music and saw the talent in the Nadeem Shravan duo. If a Ä&#x2020;OP UDQ RQO\ RQ WKH VWUHQJWK RI LWV PXVLF LW ZDV $DVKLTXL 7KH Ä&#x2020;OP KDG LQWR[LFDWLQJ QXPEHUV DOO HTXDOO\ JRRG -XVW DV 6KDQNDU Jaikishan had catapulted Lata Mangeshkar to fame with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Barsaatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Nadeem Shravan made Kumar Sanu a household QDPH <HV WKHUH LV VRPH 3DNLVWDQL LQÄ&#x2021;XHQFH LQ WKH PXVLF EXW that does not diminish the musical genius of Nadeem Shravan. :LWK $DVKLTXL WKH FRPELQDWLRQ RI 1DGHHP 6KUDYDQ 6DPHHU and Kumar Sanu became a hit combination.
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2) AWAARA ( 1951)
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TEN TOP BOLLYWOOD SOUNDTRACKS OF ALL TIME 5) MERA NAAM JOKER ( 1970 ) When ‘Mera Naam Joker’ was released, it was a big flop. Raj Kapoor had clearly got carried away and made a film that was far too long and heavy. The movie got a new life thanks to Shankar Jaikishan’s music. The movie had 12 songs of which 3 were left on the recording table because the movie was proving to be far too long. On the video circuit, ‘Joker’ became a huge hit. Randhir Kapoor confessed that the highest music royalty received by R K Films was for “Joker’. Three songs of Joker are immortal. All of them are philosophical. Manna De’s ‘ Ae bhai zara dekhke chalo’ is perhaps his most popular song ever. ‘ Jeena yahan, marna yahan’ by Mukesh is so meaningful and full of pathos, it can bring tears to your eyes. Finally, ‘Jaane kahan gaye woh din’ again by Mukesh is an emotional number that tugs at the heart. All the other numbers are also very special. Such was Bollywood in those days that even after such a magnificent effort, the failure of the film made Raj Kapoor look for other music directors. The role of ‘Brutus’ was played shockingly by Mukesh who took Raj Kapoor to Laxmikant Pyarelal. Mukesh, actually, owned his entire career to SJ who very often had fought to have Mukesh sing their songs. E.g. Yeh mera diwanapan hai in Yahudi.
7) TEESRI MANZIL ( 1966 ) All of Shammi Kapoor’s movies had excellent music. This was because he had made a remarkable combination with Shankar Jaikishan. Nasir Hussain had a huge hit with Shankar Jaikishan in ‘Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai’. SJ were riding the crest of success and were overwhelmed with assignments. Nasir Hussain wanted to try out Rahul Dev Burman. Shammi Kapoor had reservations but eventually gave in. A young Rahul Dev Burman proved that he also could achieve magic with Shammi Kapoor and ‘Teesri Manzil’ became a huge musical hit. ‘O mere sona’, ‘ O haseena zulfonwali’ and ‘ Aaja aa aa aaja’ were monster hits in their time and are popular even today. Teesri Manzil brought in a new trend of racy and foot tapping dance music.
9. AN EVENING IN PARIS ( 1967) Wow! One more Shammi Kapoor film! This one deserves its place only for one reason - the longevity of the music and its freshness even today. Inerestingly, all the numbers of the film were composed by Shankar, bar one. Jaikishan’s contribution was the ‘Akele Akele’ number. All the songs carry rich orchestration. Just listen to the title track or the ‘Deewanon ka naam to puchho’ number and you could feel that they were composed today! Again, ‘Raat ke humsafar’ ranks amongst the most romantic duets ever. A superb album, indeed. The lead pair of Shammi Kapoor & Sharmila Tagore lent extra punch to the picturisation. W W W.T 3 I N D I A . CO M
6) ARADHANA ( 1969 ) Until Aradhana, Shakti Samanta specialized in producing crime dramas. With Aradhana, he made the move to love stories and hit the jackpot. Aradhana made the careers of Rajesh Khanna and Kishore Kumar. It featured S D Burman at his very best. All the songs were of a very high standard but ‘ Roop tera mastana’ and ‘Mere sapnon ki rani’ remain evergreen numbers. Sadly, Aradhana did not pick up any major music awards. This is a commentary on the awards rather than on the superb music of S D Burman.
8. GUIDE ( 1965) Dev Anand’s ‘ Guide’ ranks amongst his best movies. Contributing in no small measure was S D Burman’s delightful music. ‘Gaata rahe mera dil’ and ‘Kanton se kheench ke ye aanchal’ still move song lovers and Mohammed Rafi’s ‘ Din dhal jaaye’ brings in the emotions. Shailendra’s lyrics lent greater meaning to the songs. Song picturisation was also top class. No doubt, Guide was a musical milestone for both Dev Anand and S D Burman.
10) PAKEEZAH (1972) Long in the making, Pakeezah finally made it to the theatres in 1972. What a film and what a brilliant musical score! Ghulam Mohammed was the music director but he died before the film could be completed. Naushad stepped in and did the needful. Lata Mangeshkar is in full form and songs like ‘Chalte, chalte’, ‘ Inhee logon ne’ and ‘Chalo dildaar chalo’ are immortal. Yes, we know that the younger generation has no stomach for classical or semi classical tunes. However, Pakeezah clearly shows what they are missing. As an ethnic score, Pakeezah has no equals. Next month : Top Bollywood Soundtracks of all Time 11-20 AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 93
THE BEST OF JATIN LALIT & A R RAHMAN
A R RAHMAN
Words: H. S. Billimoria
Venus had a few ďŹ lms with both Jatin Lalit and A R Rahman. This month we discuss their best work under the Venus label.
A R Rahman Rahmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s association with Venus started with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Humse Hai Muqablaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; released in 1994. 7KH Ä&#x2020;OP VWDUUHG 3UDEKXGHYDD ZLWK 1DJKPD DQG KDG D WHUULÄ&#x2020;F PXVLF VFRUH 7ZR WUDFNV KLW WKH MDFNSRW 7KH Ä&#x2020;UVW RQH ZDV ç0XTDEODè D IRRW WDSSLQJ GDQFH QXPEHU DQG WKH VHFRQG ZDV çÂ&#x153;UYDVKLè
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THE BEST OF JATIN LALIT & A R RAHMAN
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Jatin Lalit
-DWLQ 3DQGLW DQG /DOLW 3DQGLW ZHUH WZR EURWKHUV ZKR EURNH LQWR WKH %ROO\ZRRG music scene in 1991 with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yaara Dildaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. 7KH Ä&#x2020;OP ZDV D PRGHUDWH VXFFHVV EXW -DWLQ /DOLW PDGH DQ LPSUHVVLRQ ZLWK WKHLU UDF\ PHORGLRXV PXVLF 7KH PRVW SRSXODU QXPEHU ZDV ç %LQ WHUH VDQDPè UHQGHUHG E\ 8GLW 1DUD\DQ .DYLWD .ULVKQDPXUWK\ $OVR SRSXODU ZDV ç7XP KL KDPDUL KR PDQ]LOè D GXHW VXQJ E\ 8GLW 1DUD\DQ $QXUDGKD 3DXGZDO ç.KLODGLè IROORZHG LQ DQG ZDV D FRPPHUFLDO VXFFHVV ,W VWDUUHG $NVKD\ .XPDU DQG $\HVKD -KXOND 7KH PXVLF ZDV WKH Ä&#x2020;OPèV VWURQJ DVVHW DQG WKH GXHW ç:DDGD UDKD VDQDPè VXQJ E\ $EKLMHHW DQG $OND <DJQLN WKH PRVW SRSXODU QXPEHU $OVR YHU\ SRSXODU ZDV WKH PDOH GXHW ç.KXGNR N\D VDPDMWL KRè VXQJ E\ $EKLMHHW DQG 8GLW 1DUD\DQ ç<HV %RVVè ZDV D 6KDKUXNK .KDQ Ä&#x2020;OP SUHVHQWHG E\ 9HQXV ,W ZDV DQ HQWHUWDLQLQJ Ä&#x2020;OP DQG FRPPHUFLDOO\ VXFFHVVIXO 7KH PRVW VXFFHVVIXO QXPEHU ZDV ç0DLQ NRL DLVD JHHW JDRRQè VXQJ E\ $EKLMHHW DQG $OND <DJQLN ç6XQL\H WRè E\ $EKLMHHW ZDV DOVR YHU\ PHORGLRXV DQG SRSXODU DOWKRXJK LW LV LQVSLUHG E\ D +HVKDP $EEDV QXPEHU T3 India
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AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology Today 95
BEST OF THE BEST The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best tech, all in one place
INSIDE
,I \RXèUH ORRNLQJ IRU WKH YHU\ EHVW WHFK DYDLODEOH WRGD\ \RXèYH GHÄ&#x2020;QLWHO\ FRPH WR WKH right place. %HVW RI WKH %HVW LV WKH PRVW XVHIXO JDGJHW EX\LQJ JXLGH \RX ZLOO HYHU HQFRXQWHU To create it, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve extensively tested the best tech the world has to offer, to bring \RX URFN VROLG UHFRPPHQGDWLRQV IRU \RXU KRPH OLIH GDLO\ FRPPXWH DQG WKH WHFK \RX XVH DOO WKH WLPH In 21 different categories, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve chosen the top three products, so you can choose RQH WKDWèV MXVW WKH ULJKW PL[ RI IHDWXUHV DQG EXGJHW IRU ZKDW \RX QHHG 7KHVH UDQNLQJV FRPH IURP UHDO WHVWLQJ E\ RXU WHDP RI H[SHUWV WKH\èUH WKH SURGXFWV ZHèG FKRRVH IRU RXUVHOYHV DQG ZH FDQèW UHFRPPHQG DQ\ KLJKHU WKDQ WKDW
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Smartphones Mid-range Smartphones Value Smartphones Smartwatches Premium TVs Value TVs Streamers Game Consoles Truly Wireless Headphones Laptops Gaming Laptops Tablets DSLR Cameras Mirrorless Cameras Compact Cameras Action Cameras Drones Fitness Tracker Running Watch Smart Speakers Smart Bulbs
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SMARTPHONES
MID RANGE SMARTPHONES
VALUE SMARTPHONES
APPLE IPHONE XS
ONEPLUS 6T
POCO F1
From `99,999, apple.com/in
From `37,999, oneplus.in
From Rs. 19,999, poco.net/in If you’re looking for an all-round performer, Poco F1 has practical design and brings in topnotch hardware with Snapdragon 845 chip, up to 8GB of RAM and 4000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0.
The phenomenal speed, hyperpremium build quality, fantastic camera and gorgeous HDR screen with Dolby Vision support make this the world’s most desirable phone.
HUAWEI P30 PRO `71,990, huawei.com One of the best Android phones in the market right now, the P30 Pro comes with a new processor, quadcamera setup with zoom support a super fast charge support that tops up the battery in just around an hour.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S10 From `55,900, samsung.com/in The Galaxy S10 series comes in three different variants, depending on your preference but offers top-notch performance with an excellent camera, stunning display, fullday battery life and a head-turner design.
The ‘T’ variant of the OnePlus 6 brings LQ VFUHHQ ĆQJHUSULQW sensor along with a fast Snapdragon 845 CPU, up to 10GB of RAM, high-resolution dual cameras, Optic AMOLED display and super fast Dash charging tech.
SAMSUNG GALAXY A9 From `33,990, samsung.com/in Touted as the world’s ĆUVW SKRQH ZLWK D quad-camera at the back, the Galaxy A9 offers decent midrange performance with a Snapdragon processor, up to 6GB RAM, Super AMOLED display and host of other features.
HONOR VIEW20 From `37,999, hihonor.in Phone’s claim to fame is the 48MP sensor and an allview display that brings the new hole-punch camera implementation. The phone packs Huawei’s 7nm CPU, 8GB of RAM and a full day battery life.
XIAOMI REDMI NOTE 7 PRO From 13,999, mi.com/in Xiaomi’s latest Redmi Note packs a lot of features. It boasts a new glass design and is powered by the latest Snapdragon 675 chip along with up to 6GB RAM, and a whopping 48MP sensor and 4K video recording support.
ASUS ZENFONE MAX PRO M2 From Rs. 9,999, asus.com/in The Zenfone Max Pro series is due for an upgrade this year but this is still a decent buy. It comes with a large 6.26-inch display, premium 3D design, Snapdragon 600 CPU, dual cameras and a 5000mAh battery.
ONEPLUS 7 PRO
OPPO RENO 10X ZOOM
REALME 3 PRO
From `48,999, www.oneplus.in
From `39,990, oppo.com/in/ Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Edition hides an DQJXODU VKDUN ĆQ SRS up camera with an 11 degree inclination leading to maximum screen real estate. it is available in Ocean Green and Jet Black looking good on the rear glass panel.
From `13,999, realme.com/in/ Realme 3 Pro is a noticeable improvement over its predecessor with a better processor, camera and bigger 4045mAh battery paired with 20W VOOC 3.0 fast charging.
OnePlus 7 Pro brings in a 90Hz AMOLED curved display encompassing the entire front area thanks to the pop-up VHOĆH FDPHUD 2Q WKH rear is a triple camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary sensor.
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Best of the best
SMARTWATCHES APPLE WATCH SERIES 4 From `40,900, apple.com/in
PREMIUM TVS SONY A8F
SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH From `24,900, samsung.com/in
Marrying a perfect OLED 4K screen with Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s picture processing prowess makes for a jawdropping HDR TV at 55 or 65 inches. Motion handling and upscaling of content are both brilliant.
LG OLED55C8PTA From `2,24,990 LGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OLED technology produces beautiful 4K HDR images, and makes HD videos look ace too. LGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s webOS smart platform is one of the better systems around, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideal for gaming.
The best smartwatch for Android users brings a circular screen with great rotating bezel, and slick Tizen software thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to use. It looks good too, and the battery life of up to six days is ace.
HUAWEI WATCH GT From `15,990, consumer.huawei.com/in
XIAOMI MI LED TV 4X PRO
From `3,29,900, sony.co.in
This truly straddles the line between tech and fashion; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just the best-looking smartwatch, but its plethora of health and Ä&#x2020;WQHVV IHDWXUHV SOXV strong app options, make it the most useful.
SAMSUNG Q8C From `2,05,600, samsung.com/in Samsungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s QLED LCD tech is not only able to stand up to the quality of OLED, but even surpasses it in areas such as brightness. It means you get the full effect of HDR even in brighter rooms.
A simple and elegant looking smartwatch that features a ceramic bezel design, stainless steel shell and DLC coating. It boasts an AMOLED display, real-time heart rate tracking and up to 2 weeks of battery life.
VALUE TVS Rs. 39,999, mi.com/in The TV has gone pro with the all-new Android OS giving users the goodness of Android interface and PatchWall. The 4.9mm thin TV comes with a 55inch 4K HDR display and Dolby Audio.
SAMSUNG NU6100 UHD TV From Rs. 41,990, samsung.com/in Samsungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s answer to the intense competition. It comes in three different size options and brings UHD playback, Live Cast support, screen mirroring and support for video streaming apps.
VU PIXELIGHT ULTRA HD LED SMART TV From Rs. 30,999, vutvs.com Vuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pixelight range brings 4K playback at an affordable price. It comes with its own version of Smart OS but supports access to widely watched video services like 1HWÄ&#x2021;L[ <RX7XEH DQG even Prime Video.
FOSSIL EXPLORIST HR
TCL P8
SANYO XT-43S7300F
`21,995, fossil.com/in/en The versatility of Explorist HR lies in it allowing users to swap both the dial and strap essentially making it look like new. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not lacking in features given the HR, untethered GPS, QRWLÄ&#x2020;FDWLRQV DQG PRUH
`199,999, www.tcl.com/in/en The massive 85â&#x20AC;? monster looks sstunning in a sleek meta frame and m narrow bezels n ssurrounding the vivid panel that has HDR. It p has a wider brightness h range and greater picture contrast.
`19,999, www.sanyoappliance.in/
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The IPS LED panel outputs a crisp Full HD picture and comes equipped with 16W box speakers that are decently loud. Additionally, the TV comes with a 3.5mm output jack.
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STREAMERS CHROMECAST
GAMES CONSOLES MICROSOFT XBOX ONE X
`3,499, store.google.com/in
`44,990, microsoft.com
The Chromecast is a receiver for phones and laptops and depends on them for control and content – but it’s simple, versatile and compatible with iOS, Android, Windows and Mac.
AMAZON FIRE TV STICK 4K `5,999, amazon.in
With 4K, Dolby Atmos, Ultra HD Blu-ray and a fairly FRPSDFW SURĆOH this is the best Xbox ever. It’s even more powerful than the PS4 Pro and also a great home entertainment hub.
SONY PS4 PRO `38,710, sony.co.in
4K HDR for under `6,000 isn’t to be sniffed at. It’s best suited to Prime subscribers and Google apps are absent, but it’s a very capable and affordable streamer IRUb79 DQG PRYLHV
APPLE TV 4K iTunes has the biggest source of 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos movies, and lots of other services have DSSV KHUH WRR <RX can also easily stream to it from Macs and L26bGHYLFHV
RHA TRUECONNECT `14,999, headphonezone.in Even more comfy, though perhaps slightly less secure, than the Jabras, these also offer best-in-class audio. Aside from a slightly odd carry case, these are textbook true wireless buds.
APPLE AIRPODS `12,900, apple.com/in
It’s still overkill if you don’t have a 4K TV, but with 2160p HDR gaming, the PS4 Pro delivers incredible visuals and is smoother and faster than its nonPro siblings.
MICROSOFT XBOX ONE S
`15,900, apple.com/in
TRUE WIRELESS HEADPHONES
`29,990, microsoft.com The S is smaller, whiter and much cheaper than its big brother, and while you don’t get its sibling’s super-powered specs you still get Ultra HD %OX UD\ $ ĆQH KRPH entertainment hub.
Apple’s wireless ’phones may not sound as good as some of the newer rivals, but they still beat them all for battery life, ease of use and often comfort. They work best with iOS, of course.
SAMSUNG GALAXY BUDS `9,990, samsung.com/in Samsung’s latest truly wireless earbuds have been tuned by AKG to deliver improved audio, adaptive dual mic tech helps keep the background noise at bay and up to 6 hours of playback and wireless charging support.
AMAZON FIRE TV STICK
SONY PS4 SLIM
JABRA ELITE 65T
`3,999, www.amazon.in The cheaper Fire TV variant tops out at Full HD but should be perfect for TVs with the same resolution. It’s bundled with the new Alexa voice remote that accepts voice commands to navigate or browse through content.
`29,999, www.sony.co.in Boasting a great variety of exclusives, the PS4 silm is getting long in the tooth but still has enough power to play current gen titles without too many visual compromises even if it has been surpassed by the Pro.
`15,499, www.jabra.in Lasting upto 5 hours on a single charge, these IP55 rated earbuds get an additional 10 hours with the charging case. A companion app enables access to extra features to further customise the listening experience.
100 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
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Best of the best
LAPTOPS MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2 `1,37,999, microsoft.com Available in 13- or 15-inch sizes, with a 3:2 screen that gives you more height than other laptops, and plenty of power, this is a light and fast machine that’s DOVR UHDOO\ ćH[LEOH Perfect.
GAMING LAPTOPS ASUS ROG ZEPHYRUS S From `2,39,990, asus.com/in The ROG Zephyrus S offers serious gaming performance in an ultra-slim form factor. The 16.15mm notebook features a 15.6-inch display, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-8750H CPU, and a 144Hz display.
TABLETS APPLE IPAD PRO 12.9 From `89,900, apple.com/in The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 is unbelievably owerful and slick, with an excellent w sscreen, thin and ccompact design, great battery life g and support for the a ew Apple Pencil. Pricey, but worth it.
DELL XPS 13
MSI GS65 STEALTH THIN 8RF
SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S4
`84,390, dell.co.in
From `3,25,999, msi.com This gaming laptop manages to pack an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU, Intel Core i7 CPU and 16GB of RAM into a very portable package. Its Full HD, wide-view 144Hz panel is top rate, too.
`57,900, samsung.com/in 7KH ĆQHVW $QGURLG tablet, this delivers D V\VWHP ZLWK a sharp OLED screen, S Pen stylus, excellent audio credentials, powerful internals, and a neat laptopaping DeX mode.
The Dell XPS 13 is thinner and more powerful than ever. Up to 1TB of SSD storage, 16GB of RAM, and powerful Intel Core i7 processors help make it a high quality all-rounder.
HP SPECTRE X360 From Rs. 1,29,990, hpshopping.in The Spectre x360 packs in the looks and performance. It features a gem cut, all-aluminium design and brings in Intel’s Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, audio from Bang & Olufsen and more.
LENOVO THINKPAD X1 EXTREME `From 1,97,000, lenovo.com/in The 15.6” Thinkpad is slim yet packs in some powerful hardware for productivity. While variants start from v Intel Core i7, they go up to the top end g i7 chipsets paired with upto 1TB SSD storage and 64GB RAM.
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ASUS ROG STRIX SCAR II From `1,64,990, asus.com/in Built for FPS gamers, the 15.6inch ROG Strix Scar II has a refresh rate of 144Hz with 3ms response time. It has the latest GeForce RTX 2070 GPU, 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and more.
ALIENWARE AREA-51M `From 2,99,590, dell.co.in The Area-51m is not only one of the most powerful gaming laptops till date but also supports upgradeability with a removable processor and GPU. Although the Core i7/i9 and Geforce RTX GPU will not get outdated.
MICROSOFT SURFACE GO From `37,999, microsoft.com While Windows 10 in tablet mode remains a ‘mixed’ experience, its versatility is impressive and the ergonomics of Microsoft’s new tablet computer are second WRbQRQH
HP ENVY X360 `From 60,990, hp.com/in Sleek and lightweight, the Envy is highly versatile and can adapt to a number of situations given its transforming form factor. The battery life might not be amazing but the HP Active Pen is.
AUGUST 2019 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 101
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DSLR CAMERAS
MIRRORLESS CAMERAS
COMPACT CAMERAS
NIKON D850
NIKON Z 7
SONY RX100 VI
`2,34,950, nikon.co.in
`2,30,450, nikon.co.in
`96,990, sony.co.in
With a highresolution 45.4 megapixel sensor, 4K video capture, a 153-point AF system, and a sturdy body, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never be disappointed with what the D850 can create for you.
CANON EOS 7D MARK II `1,14,995, in.canon
With a full-frame 45.7 megapixel sensor, a superb 493-point AF system, a 3.2-inch touch-sensitive screen and a VWXQQLQJ YLHZÄ&#x2020;QGHU the Z 7 is simply a fabulous camera.
SONY A9
FUJIFILM X100F
`2,90,490, sony.co.in The A9 is expensive but earns every penny by packing an incredible 24.3MP full-frame sensor capable of 20fps shooting with tracking autofocus the whole way. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a technical marvel.
Trading up from an entry-level camera? The 7D Mark II is the camera of your dreams. A superb all-rounder with a 20.2-megapixel sensor and a host of features WR VXLW D YDULHW\ RI needs.
NIKON D500
CANON EOS R
`1,36,950, nikon.co.in
` IXMLÄ&#x2020;OP LQ 7KH )XMLÄ&#x2020;OP ; ) is as beautiful as it is capable. If the retro ORRN Ä&#x2021;RDWV \RXU ERDW then the X100F is a thing to behold. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compact, but packs a large APS-C sensor and a lovely 35mm f/2.0 lens.
CANON G7X MARK II
`1,74,995, in.canon
This solidly built camera is the SHUIHFW FKRLFH IRU those who like to shoot a little bit of everything, thanks to a brilliant autofocus system and glorious image quality from its 20MP sensor.
The ultimate in pocket-sized image quality. A large oneinch sensor is joined by an ace 24-200mm lens, retractable YLHZÄ&#x2020;QGHU WLOWLQJ touchscreen and absolutely glorious picture quality.
`40,395, canon.co.in The EOS R is a classic Canon, but adds a couple of new twists, such as the customisable touch-sensitive multifunction bar. The LPDJH TXDOLW\ LV RQ SDU ZLWK WKH 'b0DUN IV DSLR.
Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compact cameras are a great alternative to your DSLR when travelling light. This is the sweet spot in the range, with a great balance between small size and a range of features.
CANON EOS 800D
CANON EOS RP
PANASONIC TZ200
`54,995, in.canon
`110,495, in.canon
`50,500 (approx.), panasonic.com
The 800D inherits specs from higher up Canons, including a snappy 45-point AF system. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also an excellent articulating screen with fast Live View. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect for '6/5 EHJLQQHUV
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The EOS RP brings full-frame mirrorless shooting to the masses â&#x20AC;&#x201C; its 35mmsize 26MP sensor captures high-end DSLR-class images, yet itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much smaller and lighter, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aggressively priced.
This might be the ideal travel companion, with a versatile zoom lens up to 15x, and a fantastic one-inch sensor that captures bright, sharp images. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also stylish and pocket-friendly.
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Best of the best
ACTION CAMERAS GOPRO HERO7 BLACK `35,000, gopro.com
DRONES PARROT ANAFI approx. `57,000, parrot.com
The waterproof Hero7 Black makes capturing pro-looking shots easier, thanks to HyperSmooth electronic stabilisation. 4K image quality is excellent, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slick 60fps recording.
SONY RX0
`57,000, dji.com Packing a one-inch sensor, with a Zeiss lens bolstering the image quality further, in and out of the water. Other ace features include super-slow video and 15MP stills capture.
GOPRO HERO7 WHITE `19,000, gopro.com The wallet-friendly Hero7 White borrows premium features from the Hero7 Black. Ideal for part-time adrenaline junkies needing a simple HD camera WKDW VKRRWV <RX7XEH ready footage.
YI 4K ACTION CAMERA `9,999, www.yitechnology.com The affordable action camera is capable of 4K recording featuring a 12MP Sony IMX377 CMOS sensor with Exmor R. It can record 720p videos at 240fps but goes down to 24fps for 4K videos.
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FITBIT CHARGE 3 ` Ä&#x2020;WELW FRP
At just 320g, one of the lightest cameraequipped drones you can buy. Flight time is great, and the drone is near-silent in the air, which is appreciated. The camera and zoom are amazing.
DJI MAVIC AIR
`50,490, sony.co.in
FITNESS TRACKER
Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no GPS and the capacitive â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;buttonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a bit pants but this is otherwise a textbook tracker. Sleep, steps, swims, and serious cardio workouts are all handled with aplomb.
XIAOMI MI BAND 3 `1,999, mi.com/in
The Mavic Air is a super-portable 4K camera drone. Video quality from the camera mounted on a three-axis gimbal is excellent, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so simple to control that beginners grasp it fast.
DJI MAVIC 2 PRO
Still trying to get a IHHO RI ZKDW D Ä&#x2020;WQHVV band does? Mi Band 3 is the answer with its simple design that tracks daily steps, sleep and even QRWLÄ&#x2020;HV WKH XVHU RI an incoming call or a message.
GARMIN VIVOSPORT `16,990, garmin.co.in
`1,20,000, dji.com While this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer the same size to power ratio as the Air, its 4K video and stills capture are sensational, thanks to an onboard Hasselblad camera and fantastic stabilisation.
DJI MAVIC 2 ZOOM
Garminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rival to the Charge 2 boasts GPS for a similar price, but it also has a dodgy interface and some pointless extra features. The core functionality is good, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterproof.
SAMSUNG GEAR FIT 2 PRO `13,990, samsung.com/in
`000,000, dji.com The alter ego of the Mavic 2 Pro, the cheaper Zoom comes with a different camera, with a 2x optical zoom lens. Along with the folding design and long battery life, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s UHDOO\ Ä&#x2021;H[LEOH
$ UDUH Ä&#x2020;WQHVV WUDFNHU with an AMOLED display that is big and bright enough to see all statistics at a glance. It can track Ä&#x2020;WQHVV DFWLYLWLHV OLNH swimming etc and accurately track your route via GPS.
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Best of the best
RUNNING WATCH
SMART SPEAKERS
SMART BULBS
GARMIN FORERUNNER 645 MUSIC
AMAZON ECHO PLUS
PHILIPS HUE
`39,990, garmin.co.in
`14,999, amazon.in
From `2,900, meethue.com
This does everything: GPS for running and cycling, heart rate tracking, VO2 Max, intensity monitoring and even acting as an MP3 player. Expect four days of use between charges.
Thanks to its integrated Zigbeecompliant smart home hub, the Plus is a great smart home starter. Never pay the RRP, though: Amazon discounts Echos every time LW KDV D VDOH
Hue dominates the smart lighting sector for good reason: it’s a superb system with the widest range of bulbs and a simple, useful app. Rivals may be cheaper but they can’t compete with Hue’s variety.
GARMIN FORERUNNER 935
BOSE HOME SPEAKER 500
TP-LINK LB130
`44,990, garmin.co.in
`39,000, bose.co.in
`1,999, tp-link.in
Add Garmin’s extra sensors to this and you get incredible detail for how you run, swim, bike and more, as well as your VO2 Max, lactate threshold… it’s for the very, very serious.
This Bose speakers offer the widest soundstage available in a smart speaker with a wall-to-wall stereo sound. It supports Amazon Alexa, which means you can ask questions to Alexa or control the device via voice.
GARMIN FORERUNNER 235
GOOGLE HOME
`24,990, garmin.co.in
`9,999, store.google.com
7KH RIĆFLDO SULFH LV similar but thanks to discounting this is often much cheaper than the 645. There’s no heart-rate or music but you do get GPS, reliable tracking and ace running metrics.
Google Home is a nice addition if you use Google Assistant. It gives access to the Google ecosystem with personalised schedule, news, and even control smart home gadgets.
Known for its routers but TP-Link offers decent smart bulb solutions and LB130 is their latest solution that does not require a hub to operate, It can be controlled over Wi-Fi and supports multi-colour, circadian mode, voice control.
MI LED SMART BULB `1,299, mi.com/in The Mi LED Smart Bulb is the newest entrant in the smart bulb segment that works with both Alexa and Google Assistant without the need of a bridge and offers a colour space of up to 16 million colours.
FOSSIL SPORT
JBL PULSE 3
SYSKA SMART LIGHT
`17,995, www.fossil.com/in/en.html Fossil Sport runs on Snapdragon Wear 3100 giving an 2 days battery life and its 3 watch faces are fully integrated with Google Fit. in It comes in two case sizes of 41mm and 43mm with choices of six colourways.
`17,499, www.jbl.com The 360 degree lightshow produced by the JBL Pulse 3 adds a distinct party ćDYRXU ZKHQHYHU songs are played or a voice assistant like Siri or Google Assistant is summoned.
From `1,799, syska.com Syska’s main USP is that it uses a normal B22 cap and doesn’t require a hub to operate. After connecting, the bulb can be connected DQG PRGLĆHG IURP anywhere with the help of the app.
104 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today AUGUST 2019
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