Apple’s 13 models are in short supply, thanks to a global chip shortage. Don’t be surprised if the prices of your smartphone models increase, reversing the decade-long trend of falling prices. The business law says that demand meets supply; if there is a mismatch, the price either goes up or down. Exciting times are ahead, and the same goes for the automobile industry, with months-long waits across car models.
Demand for everything has shot up, and the economy, which has been crying for the last 1.5 years, has finally gotten the vaccine and has begun to sprint. Look everywhere, and you will see everyone planning to buy a new house, smartphone, car, and everything they used to dream of during Covid times. Travel plans are at an all-time high, and resorts are sold out. Even a trip to the moon is now possible if you have the dough. Call Jeff Bezos or Sir Richard Branson and they will sort you out. Revenge tourism and now revenge consumerism is happening.
Cryptocurrencies are skyrocketing, stock markets are just refusing to look down, and all the stocks are on a high-speed bus that is just relentlessly accelerating. Everything is going up as if there is no tomorrow; this is where we all have to be cautious because the second law of nature is that what goes up has to come down. The problem is should you wait for it to come down or risk missing that proverbial bus or rocket. That’s a million-dollar question that no one can answer, and there are millions to be made or lost.
What still holds good is that sentiments are joyous and up. After months of prolonged uncertainty over life, the economy, and 100 crore vaccinations, we can see a shining silver lining, and the dark clouds are quickly disappearing. We already have many startups who have attained the status of a unicorn and many more to happen in the future, with Paytm slated to drop the largest IPO in the county. It’s never been a great time to write the next chapter of your life because life lies ahead, and never forget that we are all in this together.
Global warming and other forms of viruses will always loom over us, and we have to keep that in our mind and do our bit to contribute to the more significant cause of humanity, which is life. It has never been a better time to indulge in festivities because once you have seen darkness, you know how beautiful the first ray of sunlight is. I wish you all readers a very happy Diwali. Celebrate, indulge, and laugh, but don’t forget to wear your mask. As they say, it’s never done till it is done!
We took the two luxury SUVs from Delhi to Leh and upwards. River rafting, go-karting, and ATV on the world’s highest track is an adrenalin-pumping experience and the whole road journey is intoxicating. Leh & Ladhak is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the world and certainly has to be on top of your bucket list.
Have you ever wondered whether you should switch sides from android to apple or vice versa? in-case you have check out our video and let us know your views in the comments section.
Vu Televisions continues to dominate India’s Luxury TV market as it once again becomes the highest-selling TV brand at Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale. Riding high on this success and ushering in the festive season, Vu has introduced an upgraded line of its most popular luxury TVs.
The company’s large-screen TVs have witnessed incredible success at the Big Billion Days sale, with Vu TV being bought every 19 seconds on Flipkart.
The company’s luxury television lineup that includes their Vu Premium TV, the Vu Cinema TV Action Series, and The Vu Masterpiece TV will be introduced this festive season with upgraded features.
New features include AI picture boost technology, Dolby surround sound, Cricket mode, and an anti-glare screen with a matte glass finish.
Over the last few years, Vu has experienced an incredible response from customers in India, with a large-screen Vu TV being bought every 19 seconds on Flipkart since the beginning of its Big Billion Days sale. With a response nearly 4 times faster than other big premium brands (Sony, LG, and Samsung), Vu Televisions has come out on top as the largest selling TV brand in the 55″ or larger category for the 7th year in a row.
Vu Televisions continues to innovate with a slew of updated features across its range of large-screen luxury televisions with such exceptional market performance. With this new range, Vu introduces:
The world’s first TV entirely powered by artificial intelligence, AI Picture Booster technology enables the best picture output.
An immersive surround sound experience, with special Dolby certified box speakers.
Intelligent pixel technology in Cricket Mode enhances each pixel, particularly while watching a match, putting you ahead of the umpire!
And finally, Matte glass finish, an anti-glare display that guarantees the best visual experience while protecting your eyes.
Commenting on the launch, Devita Saraf, Chairman and CEO, The Vu Group, said, “Vu’s continued success is a clear reflection of the fact that Indian customers are truly intelligent buyers who don’t opt for the lowest costing TV and are willing to pay the right price for quality brands. Audiences today are much more discerning and are looking for better experiences from both the products as well as the brand. And with the response we’ve seen so far, it is safe to say that Vu Televisions has hit the mark on both counts. Also, the fact that more than 80% of the customers who purchased Vu TVs were returning customers or recommended to do so by a friend, shows how a good product speaks for itself.”
The festive season product range includes; the incredibly successful range – Vu Premium TV (in 65″, 55″ and 43″) that now has a set of upgradable features, as well as the Vu Cinema TV Action Series (in 65″, 55″ and 50″) in an all-new avatar. The crown jewel of the Vu portfolio, The Vu Masterpiece QLED TV (85″), will also be a part of the festive range and will feature its signature Armani Gold colour finish along with an in-built home theatre.
The newest entrant in the mid-size SUV segment is ready to lock horns. Find out in our first-drive review. It’s tech on wheels and has features that can become an industry benchmark.
Premium hatchback offerings have reduced drastically in recent years, but the segment maintains its popularity among Indian consumers, and that’s why Hyundai Motors has come up with the i20 N Line. The original i20 was and still is one of the most popular hatchbacks in our country, but having a sportier and premium version of the i20 is a dream come true situation for many Indians looking for a small car with a premium design and features.
Hyundai has been enjoying success in the Indian car market for over two decades, and now the company is prepared to bring N Line products here, which it sells abroad. The N Line cars are equipped with styling and high-performance upgrades that set them apart from conventional vehicles. The company recently launched the much-anticipated i20 N Line car, the first hatchback from the N Line segment to be launched in India.
What does ‘N’ stand for?
The company will launch more full-blown N performance cars in the future, but what does ‘N’ in the N Line stand for? The N represents Namyang, an R&D Center in South Korea, where Hyundai and Kia test many of their new vehicles. Hyundai Motors established the N segment in 2019 by resembling BMW’s M and Mercedes’ AMG segment. The sportier i20 N Line stands apart from the regular i20 with some light performance upgrades to areas like the brakes and suspension.
Engine
The all-new i20 N Line is going to be one of the most fun-to-drive cars in India with its 120hp, 172Nm, 1.0-litre Turbo GDi Petrol engine. The engine arrives with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) or a 6-Speed intelligent manual transmission (iMT). It may sound normal as the i20 N Line has the same engine we have heeded on the regular i20, but according to Hyundai, the i20 N Line can deliver 0–100 Kmph acceleration in just 9.9 seconds. Well, that sounds like a premium.
Variants
The company is offering a new i20 N Line in two variants, N6 and N8. Both the N Line trims come with a stiffer suspension, paddle shifters, rear disc brakes and has been claimed to have a fuel efficiency of 20 kmpl. The sportier car is available for sale in four monotone paint options, Thunder Blue, Fiery Red, Titan Grey, and Polar White and two dual-tone paint options, Thunder blue with Phantom black roof and Fiery red with Phantom black roof.
Exterior
Hyundai has worked really hard on the new segment and that’s why they are advertising it boldly as a performance-oriented car. The new i20 N Line is all about styling and showing sportiness along with ample enhancements. The car has a sportier dual-tone bumper with red inserts. The front bumper of the i20 N Line features a revised all-black grille with a Chequered Flag inspired design that displays the N Line logo.
In profile, the car gets 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels with an N Logo that sets the car apart from the regular i20. The sportier car also features a side sill garnish with red front brake callipers. On the rear side, the car gets a newly designed bumper along with a roof spoiler with side wings finished in black. It gets a triangular rear fog lamp and the N Line emblem on the tailgate.
Interior
On the inside, the i20 N Line gets black interiors with athletic red inserts and Chequered Flag design leatherette seats with N Logo, sporty metal pedals, red interior highlights embedded with the ‘N Line’ branding on the air vents, door handles and gear lever, red ambient lights, a bespoke 3-spoke steering wheel and an N-branded iMT/DCT gear knob. The overall dashboard layout is very identical to the standard car, but all these things make the i20 N Line a little different from the regular i20.
Features
The original i20 already comes loaded with a lot of features and apart from those, the new i20 N Line gets an extra Sports Mode button and a sportier instrument cluster. The car also gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, digital instrument cluster, automatic climate control, a single-pane sunroof, air purifier, connected car technology and a 7-speaker Bose sound system. The car additionally gets new voice recognition functions along with an updated Bluelink app, and for safety, it offers 6 airbags. Overall, the N Line gets only cosmetic changes and doesn’t get engineering alterations of the proper N series, which might piss some of the buyers.
Final Verdict
The hot hatch starts at a price of ₹9.84 lakh (ex-showroom) and stretches all the way to ₹11.75 lakh (ex-showroom). If you’re looking for a sportier-looking car with a few mechanical upgrades to the suspension and steering, better-appointed interiors and better safety, then, of course, go for i20 N Line; it is one of the best premium hatchbacks available in the market.
Blue Dart, a Mumbai-based logistics company and a part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL), recently announced that it has successfully commenced its ambitious Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) drone delivery trials under the Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium in Vikarabad, Hyderabad, on September 9th, 2021. Blue Dart, one of India’s leading express logistics service providers, is proud to be given the first opportunity amongst various consortiums to initiate the Drone trials.
Balfour Manuel, Managing Director, Blue Dart, attended the launch as the organization furthered its technological prowess. The initiative was launched under Telangana Government’s ‘Medicine from the Sky’ project; these trials have delivered promising results, bringing the country one step closer to ensuring the last-mile delivery of vaccines, emergency medicines, medical samples and other healthcare items in India. Along with these, Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) trials was initiated on September 11th, 2021 and will continue till the end of the week.
This event was graced by Sri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, Shri KT Rama Rao, Hon’ble Minister for ITE&C, I&C and MAUD, Govt. of Telangana, Shri Pradeep Singh Kharola, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India, Smt. Rama Devi Lanka, Director of Emerging Technologies, Govt. of Telangana, and Smt. Nikhila, Collector & District Magistrate, Vikarabad District.
The Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium was formed earlier this year with the mission of revolutionizing the delivery of vaccines and emergency medical supplies to the remotest parts of India with Drones. Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium is a part of the ‘Medicine from the Sky’ project in collaboration with the Government of Telangana, World Economic Forum, Niti Aayog and Healthnet Global.
Commenting on the launch, Balfour Manuel, Managing Director, Blue Dart, said, “Blue Dart is championing future-ready technology; and collaborating with the Government of Telangana in its ‘Medicine from the Sky’ project, provided us with a perfect opportunity. The initiative is aimed at creating a robust healthcare infrastructure for last-mile delivery in the interiors of India, providing every individual with the healthcare they deserve. As we witness the marvel of drone technology, we look forward to extending this service across the nation and bringing the world closer to these remote areas.”
Ketan Kulkarni, CMO and Head – Business Development, Blue Dart, shared his thoughts on this event, saying, “technology has become the backbone of not just the logistics industry, but of almost every industry across the world. At Blue Dart, technology continues to be an important pivot for our business and these drone trials are just the beginning of what we aim to explore. In line with our organization’s ‘First In Last Out’ policy, we have created these opportunities to contribute to the development of our nation while we achieve our business goals. Blue Dart will leave no stone unturned to make logistics in India remarkable and trustworthy.”
The Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium drone delivery trials currently involve delivering vaccines from Vikarabad to the primary health care centre in Sidduloor using a multi-rotor drone. A total of 6-7 trials for VLOS operations (up to 1km) and 4-5 trials for BVLOS operations (up to 9kms) were conducted per day. Operated by remote pilots, the drone can travel up to 10kms in a single run, at a speed of 32 km per hour.
These Unmanned Aircraft Systems or drones can even handle Blue Dart’s specialized Temperature Controlled Shipments with a payload of up to 5kgs and are equipped to pick up and deliver the shipment from the distribution centre to the towns that need the medical supplies and vice versa. The task to bring vaccines and such emergency supplies to remote areas at perilous heights and volatile terrains is not easily achieved without technology. These trials mark the beginning of advanced age in logistics for the nation.
Leading the Express Logistics industry for close to three decades, Blue Dart’s Reliability, Resilience and Responsiveness enabled it to continue fulfilling its role as the Trade Facilitator to the nation during these challenging times. Blue Dart played an active role in the nation’s fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic by partnering with the Government of India’s ‘Lifeline Udan’ initiative to deliver mission-critical supplies, including essentials such as PPE kits, enzymes, Blood samples, medicines, respirators etc.
On the international front, Blue Dart has also been operating cross border to China (Guangzhou and Shanghai) to support the carriage of medical supplies and expanded its charters to Myanmar, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh. Blue Dart has also facilitated the movement of crucial shipments for COVID-19 related clinical trials, COVID samples, and vaccines against the virus domestically while also aiding the first-mile movement of these shipments across borders to Bhutan and Albania, amongst other nations.
Apart from this, Blue Dart is also flying its charters to carry oximeters, ventilators, and oxygen concentrators. The Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium Drone flights will deploy an immersive delivery model to optimize the current healthcare logistics within Telangana. Leveraging an efficient system of this kind, Blue Dart intends on supporting and improving the healthcare logistics infrastructure to be faster and more efficient, especially in rural & deep rural interiors of the nation.
The 2021 Hyundai i20 with its N Line plugs the gap for an enthusiast with its twin-tip muffler exhaust, stiffened suspension, and other cosmetic upgrades making it sportier.
The flip phones are nostalgic and today we have reviewed the much-awaited Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G. This is a top-spec smartphone from Samsung and comes with a host of features including a 120 Hz screen, Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Octa-core processor, and a lot more. This is also pocket-friendly both literally and figuratively – priced at Rs 84,999 for 8GB – 128GB version and 4,000 more for 256 GB RAM at 88,999. Sadly there is no 12 GB Ram available.
Also, we will be giving away a Samsung UV Sterilizer with Wireless charging to one lucky winner! Watch the video and follow the rules to win the giveaway. Best of luck!
