One name, Countless Achievements: 74 Gadgets that Celebrate Independence with India

As India celebrates its 74th independence day this month, we thought of taking a look at certain gadgets in the world of technology. These gadgets stand out not only because of their segment leading features, but also because of their innovation and sheer creativity. These gadgets, like our country, have secured their names in history as being revolutionary in their field as well as introducing the world to something hitherto unheard of. With that, here is a list of 74 gadgets that celebrate their individuality with India.

LG GX 4K Smart OLED TV

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When Art & Technology meet to create an Immersive Experience.

LG’s latest offering is the GX, which is a 4K Smart OLED TV available in 77- & 65-inch screen sizes.

It is not only equipped with the best-in-class display technology, but also with LG’s innovative artificial intelligence called ThinQ AI. LG OLED TV is unique thanks to its self-lit pixels that can illuminate one by one to deliver the deepest blacks, richest colors, and most realistic picture quality. Over 100 million self-lit sub-pixels come together to deliver the next level of TV, expressing infinite contrast, its ‘Perfect Black’. LG OLED TVs surpassed standards for blue light, flicker, and high-quality imaging to ensure no harm is done to your eyesight even when you are binge-watching.

LG’s 2020 OLED TVs flaunt unique, innovative designs that integrate effortlessly with any home decor. The all-new minimalist OLED GX Gallery Series comes in the most elegant wall mountable designs with an ultra-thin form factor – the 65-inch model is a mere 20 millimeters (0.79 inches) thin. Paired with an included specially-designed wall mount, these 65- and 77-inch class models hang completely flush on the wall, providing a dramatic appearance, transforming the OLED into a piece of art.

The OLED GX series comes with a 3rd generation α9 AI processor 4K that analyzes the quality of the original content with deep-learning technology and optimizes content in accordance with your ambient surroundings. Working on the platform of ThinQ AI, LG has launched its’ GX series with Hands-free Voice Control feature. Just say, “Hi, LG” and give simple commands to your TV or control your smart home appliances. LG ThinQ AI has a deep learning feature, so the more you use it, the better it gets. It also supports AirPlay 2 and HomeKit so Apple users can cast their videos directly from their smartphones, iPad or Macbook. OLED GX also has built-in Google Assistant and Alexa, so no external devices required. By using LG Routines through the Home Dashboard, you can automate your smart home devices. A bedtime routine includes ThinQ AI turning off the lights, turning down the air conditioner, and locking the doors when you say “Good Night”. The TV also offers LG’s entire content store as well as a full web browser. Users can also share their content using features like Screen Share and Mobile Connection Overlay.

An additional benefit of LG TVs is the Bluetooth based Magic remote that makes it possible to control your TV from any corner of the room, no need to stand in front of your TV or set-top box to operate it. AI Launcher enables you to see content previews of the OTT Apps when you hover your Magic remote cursor over the icons. Isn’t it truly magical?!

The promise of self-LIT GX OLED TV is to deliver the 4S to its customers- Sharp Picture, Speedy Response, Smooth Motion and Slim Design. Sharp Picture makes cinema more expressive. It comes with features like Dolby Vision IQ, Atmos and Filmmaker Mode that preserves the cinematic experience and lets you enjoy the full artistic intent of every film with immersive sound. LG ThinQ AI TVs support unlimited OTT Apps for your unlimited entertainment. From Netflix to Prime Videos, Disney+ Hotstar to Zee5, you can surf through movies, TV shows, live sports, news and documentaries- all in one place.

Speedy Response makes gaming more responsive. If you are a gaming enthusiast or even an occasional gamer, you are in for a real treat. As the first TV manufacturer to offer NVIDIA G-SYNC® Compatibility, LG OLED GX Series provides a flawless PC gaming experience without screen tearing or other distracting visual artifacts. It boasts a higher frame rate, VRR, ALLM, and eARC with HDMI 2.1 support, fast 1ms response time and HGiG profile that promises to show every game at its absolute best, without any lag.

Smooth Motion to make Sports more realistic. A brand new feature this year is Sports Alert which keeps you updated with scores and results, even when you’re watching something else. So you get notifications about your favorite team/ match scores before, during, and after games. Residual image (motion blur) is a common problem while watching sports. Now, with the OLED Motion feature, you can watch every quick movement of players without the blur on your TV. And finally, to get immersed in surround sound, you connect any two Bluetooth speakers to your GX OLED TV and feel as if you’re watching the match live in a stadium.

Slim Design makes your space more artistic. Needless to say that LG TVs are high on the aesthetic quotient adding luxury and elegance to your home interiors. The new GX series’ gallery design is one to impress, sitting flush with your wall like a wallpaper. The TV can now fit into your interior, as is.

Picking the LG GX OLED TV for our list was a no-brainer because it practically blurs the line between reality and science fiction. Using one of LG’s OLED TVs will surely make you feel like Tony Stark, don’t you think? 

Editor’s Take
LG GX practically blurs the line between reality and science fiction”

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Nokia 3210

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 The Nokia 3210  was a very popular mobile phone, launched in March 1999. A combination of cutting-edge features such as internal antennas and predictive text ensured massive success for the 3210 With more than 160 million units sold globally, it became a bestseller of that time.

 The 3210 also attributes much of its success to an advertising campaign aimed primarily at young people, first in the mobile phone industry. It is considered to be the first phone with an internal antenna, preloaded games, changeable covers, customizable ringtones and competitive prices, which had led to a huge popularity among the masses and hence, we have it on our list!

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Blackberry 6210

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[read] The BlackBerry 6210, officially introduced in 2003, stood out as the phone merged wireless email, phone, SMS, browser and organizer apps, and more into a single device.

 The 6210 was the 10th BlackBerry released by RIM but the first with an integrated phone. The 5810 had been the first to have phone functionality, but it required a headset to work. The 850, introduced in 1999, was just a two-way pager. Released in 2003, the 6210 offered e-mail, phone, SMS, a Web browser and BlackBerry Messenger, making it the modern BlackBerry we’ve all grown to love. Or hate.

 Either way, it was clear that Blackberry 6210 was the first official business phone. That is why it is on our list.

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Amazon Kindle

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Four models and ten generations later, Kindle still holds court over the realm of e-book-readers. It’s on our list because it wasn’t the first e-book reader, but Amazon’s reading experience was seamless and easy. Books are downloaded in seconds, and newspaper subscriptions are updated automatically overnight. And the fact that you can sync and import books through various devices definitely doesn’t hurt!

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 Apple iPod

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Steve Jobs debuted the iPod in 2001 (with capacities of 5-GB and 10-GB), but it wasn’t until 2004, when the fourth-generation Classic iPod was released with a color screen and click wheel, that the masses really began to notice. Clearly those telltale white earbuds were no longer a sign of status — they were omnipresent. There have been numerous different models and generations since 2001, but it was the first iPod colour that forever changed the way the world listens to music. Apple’s sold more than 500 million iPods to date, which is why it is included in our list.[/read]

Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones

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We can hop on an intercontinental flight, drown screaming children, cancel the noise of airplane engines and the Chatty aunties seated next to us, all thanks to Dr. Amar G. Bose. Bose, dissatisfied with the headphones he had been given on a flight in 1978, created the first pair of noise-canceling headphones in 1986. [/read]

 Panasonic DVD L-10

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 In 1998 Panasonic launched the first ever portable DVD player. The DVD-L10 was equipped with a 5-inch  Colour LCD screen and Stereo Speakers set. Compared to today ‘s DVD players, it was very large, but it didn’t really matter at the time because it allowed you to take your DVD collection wherever you wanted. The first portable Blu-ray player was also released by Panasonic, in 2009. [/read]

 Sony Discman D-50

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When it was released in 1984, the D-50 became the first portable, smallest and most affordable CD-player in the world. More importantly, it sparked popular interest in compact discs at a time when cassette tapes were still the norm.   

 The case was designed to be no thicker than three or four stacked CD jewel cases, many existing components had to be repurposed to fit inside. The D-50 could be used as a stationary unit, connected to a hi-fi, or as a portable player with the addition of a heavy battery pack. [/read]

 Sony Walkman TPS-L2

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Far before there were iPods and BlackBerrys, one of the first pocketable electronic devices was the Sony Walkman TPS-L2.  Designed and produced by Sony in 1979, this portable sound system shipped with a set of lightweight headphones. Sony included two different headphone jacks that were called “guys” and “gals,” so you could share your music and not be antisocial about it. There was even a “hotline” feature that encouraged listeners to talk to each other without having to take off their headphones or pause the song. The TPS-L2 created a whole new genre of personal, mobile music, dominated by Sony for almost two decades. [/read]

Apple iPad

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Apple’s iPad wasn’t the first tablet computer, but it’s the most popular one: 3 million iPads were sold in the first 80 days of its availability. Steve Jobs, speaking at the D: All Things Digital Conference in early 2010, admitted that the idea for the iPad had come before the iPhone. “I’m going to tell you a secret. It started with the tablet. I had this concept of getting a glass display, a multi-touch display that you could type on with your fingertips. I asked our people about it. Six months later, they came back with this awesome device, and I gave it to one of our very clever UI guys. He got scrolling work and some other things, and I said, ‘My God, we can build a phone with that. So we put the tablet aside, and we went to work on the iPhone.” So we put the tablet aside, and we went to work on the iPhone.” [/read]

 LED

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Nick Holonyak invented the light-emitting diode (LED) in 1962, which is widely used today due to its low power consumption. The LED can be used essentially as a semiconductor in TVs, flashlights, computer monitors, and watches. [/read]

MicroSD 

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The microSD format, developed by SanDisk, was introduced in 2005 at capacities ranging from 32 to 128 MB. The dime size portable memory card has now grown to 1 TB and can be used in mobile phones, cameras and other small devices with large data appetites. As demand for storage exploded in 2019, with people capturing videos in 4 K, and 8 K SanDisk was the first to launch a 1 TB microSD card and bring it into volume production.  [/read]

Apple’s iPhone

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Apple’s iPhone got a very modest start when it was launched by Steve Jobs in 2007. An intuitive interface, a touch screen allowing multitouch gestures and the best mobile web browsing experience were just a couple of the reasons Apple was able to sell one million iPhones in just 74 days. This number pales compared to the 1.7 million iPhone 4s sold in only three days, even without the App Store, the iPhone lasted a full year — which was a big reason for the iPhone’s popularity. The first iPhone rocked the mobile phone market, and its competitors are still struggling to catch up. [/read]

Fisher AG7 Space Pen 

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The Space Pen, also known as the Zero Gravity Pen, is unique as the ink cartridge is pressurized with nitrogen, ensuring that the ink flows only when needed, not freely. It works at extreme temperatures, underwater, upside down and even at zero gravity. Following two years of NASA evaluations, astronauts aboard Apollo 7 used the AG7. [read]

 

Motorola Razr V3 

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It wasn’t until the Razr V3 came out in 2004 that we thought of a mobile phone as an item for fashion rather than an instrument. The $500 V3 made from aircraft-grade aluminum was the ideal combination of form and function, with a super slim 13.9-mm profile, an external colour screen and a 2.2-inch primary display. It also had Bluetooth, capability to play MPEG-4 video, and 1.3 megapixel camera with 4x zoom. Motorola sold 130 million Razrs, making it one of the best-selling phones of all time. [/read]

Hamilton Pulsar 

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Mechanical gears have been driving timepieces as big as clock towers, and as small as pocket watches for decades. Inspired by Stanley Kubrick ‘s 2001 space odyssey, the first digital electronic watch was born. The Hamilton Watch Co. Pulsar, with red LEDs and an 18-karat-gold case, retailed for $2,100. [/read]

Casio G-Shock DW-5000C

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Hamilton’s Pulsar was the first digital watch and Casio’s Casiotron was the first digital watch with an automatic calendar. But the shock-proof G-Shock could be thrown from the top of the building and still work. [/read]

Lithium-ion batteries

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Lithium-ion batteries, first invented by chemist M Stanley Whittingham in the 1970s, have been a standard of consumer electronics and are still used today. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery, capable of being packed in various sizes and shapes, is claimed to have one of the highest energy-to-weight ratios possible. They ‘re also able to carry a charge while not in use for a long period of time. [/read]

Zippo 

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It’s the little things that can sometimes leave a lasting impression. Low-tech compared to the rest of the list, the windproof Zippo lighter by George Blaisdell has stood the test of time since 1933. Yes, Zippo ‘s unconditional lifetime guarantee says “it works or we fix it free,” and the company insists no one has ever paid a penny to repair their Zippo. Since the first one was launched 77 years ago more than 425 million lighters have been made. [/read]

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

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The full-frame 21-megapixel 5D Mark II was the first DSLR to feature full HD (1080p) video recording, an innovation which changed the industry. Filmmakers were quick to adopt the cheaper alternative to traditional and costly interchangeable-lens cameras used by film studios. An episode of the famous medical drama House by Fox was shot entirely with the 5D Mark II, and it was the first digital camera used to capture the official presidential portrait of the United States. [/read]

Fossil Hybrid HR Smartwatch 

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Hybrid smartwatches by Fossil are watches that look like a conventional watch, but function like a smartwatch. These watches’ elegant, traditional style makes it almost impossible to realize they are powered by smart technology. These watches use minute and hour hands instead of a touchscreen face to alert you to your phone notifications.

You can track your calories burned, steps and distance traveled, monitor heart rate and sleep while wearing this hybrid smartwatch just like every other smartwatch. This one is a new twist on a classic analog watch. [/read]

Google Glass

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The Google glasses acted as a hands-free device, enabling users to use voice commands to access the mobile internet browser, camera, maps, calendar and other features. Glass made it easier for users to secretly record videos, which led to some restaurants , bars and theaters ban the device. Ahead of its time, Glass was officially launched in 2015, while augmented reality — displaying computer-generated images across the real world — is a concept that many companies are still trying to perfect including Google. [/read]

Black and Decker Electric Cordless Drill 

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In 1916 Black & Decker launched the first electric control drill. Forty-five years later, the firm launched a variant of cordless. A cordless hedge trimmer powered by nickel-cadmium and four more cordless drills joined the market the next year, making it simpler for both do-it-yourselfers and professionals alike. [/read]

Epson HX-20

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The Epson HX-20 was unveiled at the 1981 COMDEX computer show in Las Vegas, attracting great attention marking the beginning of a new trend-efficient, battery-operated, briefcase-sized computer. Everything that you would need was included in this compact and portable computer – a full-size keyboard, an LCD screen, built-in data storage, and rechargeable batteries. Even though the screen appeared to be very small with only 4 lines of text, 20 characters per line, it was one of the largest LCD screens available then. [/read]

Palm Pilot 1000

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The world’s first successful Personal Digital Assistant and the first Palm OS handheld, Pilot 1000, had become an icon of mobile technology. It was a device that rejuvenated the PDA industry and made the term ‘Palm Pilot’ a household name. Launched in March 1996, the Pilot 1000 debuted with 128k of memory and a black monochrome on a green glass touch-screen display. Pilot was also the first device of its kind to sync with either a Windows 95, 3.1 or Macintosh desktop computer.  [/read]

Motorola Bravo Pager 

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Beepers had been the way to keep in touch on the go even before mobile phones became ubiquitous. Early pagers allowed users to send codes to each other, such as 411 for “What’s going on” or 911 to indicate an emergency. Recipients of the message would respond by calling the sender. According to Motorola, the Bravo Flex, launched in 1986, was the world’s best-selling pager giving many people their first experience of mobile communication. By the early 1990s, having a pager had become a status symbol, paving the way for more advanced communication devices like a two-way pager, a cell phone, and eventually a smartphone now. [/read]

Acer Swift 5 

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The Swift 5 is the lightest 14″clamshell notebook which weighs just 990 grams and has a powerful NVIDIA graphics card, built to be carried around the day for work and entertainment. It has an innovative and thoughtful look with soft textured nano-printed cover, the chamfered diamond-cut edges and the glossy metallic hinge. The Acer Swift 5 also has the newest Intel CoreTM CPU and is only 14.95 mm thin, so you can be assured of its powerful design.  [/read]

DJI Phantom

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Similar to the evolution of smartphones, computers, and the internet, drones have evolved rapidly from a DIY hobby to a popular technology that is used worldwide. Fast-paced innovation has made today’s drones smaller, faster, and more affordable than ever before, although flight features and camera quality have continued to improve exponentially.

DJI, a drone manufacturer based in Shenzhen, China, is the company that has risen to lead the pack of this billion-dollar industry. Reportedly, DJI currently controls about 72 percent of the global drone market and has become renowned for its dedication to innovation and powerhouse production, consistently launching a steady stream of industry-leading drones as their competition struggles to keep up. [/read]

Belkin SoundForm Elite Hi-Fi Smart Speaker + Wireless Charger

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The 2-in-1 SoundForm Elite smart speaker is created through the collaboration of Belkin with Devialet, the sound pioneers. The SoundForm Elite produces high-fidelity sound that delivers a powerful listening experience combined with fast wireless charging (up to 10 watts) through a uniquely designed cradle at the top of the device. Better still, it features vibration-canceling technology allowing you to continue charging your phone safely even while your favorite tunes are blasting out from the speaker. [/read]

Logitech Harmony Remote

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As more and more gadgets have found their way into our home entertainment cabinets, a lot of confusing and redundant remote controls have come with them too. But the Logitech Harmony remote emerged as a saviour with one-touch commands that can be programmed for various activities requiring different devices to be on or off, such as watching TV, watching movies, and playing video games. Harmony has once again been restored to households around the globe. [/read]

Apple Watch Series 5 

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Apple Watch Series 5 debuted with an Always-On Retina display that never sleeps, making it easy to see the time and other important information without raising the display or tapping. New location features, including a built-in compass to current elevation helped users navigate their day easier, while international emergency calling allowed calls directly from the Apple Watch in more than 150 countries, even without having an iPhone nearby. It came combined with the power of WatchOS 6 that made users empowered to take care of their health and fitness with features such as Cycle Tracking, Noise App and Activity Trends. [/read]

Nintendo Game Boy

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Japanese gaming console manufacturer Nintendo took the world by storm when it launched the Game Boy in 1989. Since then, it has redefined handheld gaming and has pioneered the genre of portable consoles. The Game Boy was an 8-bit handheld game and combined the features of both the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game & Watch hardware. This led to a line of handheld game consoles, dubbed ‘The Game Boy Family’. [/read]

TomTom GPS

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TomTom is a name best-known in the world of location and navigation technology. The Dutch multinational developer and creator jumped to the spotlight when it launched the first generation of satellite navigation devices to market in 2004. The company offers fee-based services under the name TomTom Plus (stylized TomTom PLUS), which include services to warn drivers about speed cameras, provide weather updates, change voices and provide traffic alerts. Since it practically made map-reading obsolete, it grabbed a spot on our list.

A curved gaming monitor has to be the holy grails for ardent gamers. After all, who wouldn’t want their screen to fold around themselves when they’re already immersed in their favourite game? Well, that’s what MSI is offering with the Optix Curved Gaming Monitor, at least to some extent. Its 27-inch size and a 2k resolution are a clear sign for gamers to go all out and enjoy their gaming experience to the fullest. [/read]

Sony PlayStation

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Sony’s PlayStation is on our list because of one simple reason: It offered everything. Since its debut in 1994, the PlayStation has bloomed to become a  videogame brand that consists of five home video game consoles, as well as a media center, an online service, a line of controllers, two handhelds and a phone, as well as multiple magazines. There must hardly be anybody who didn’t try to convince their parents to buy a PlayStation because it “was an entertainment console for the family.” We were sly kids back then. [/read]

Oculus Rift

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Though Oculus is a fairly recent company, it brought in the era of Virtual Reality, which is why it is on our list. In 2012, Oculus was founded as an independent company, after which it initiated a kickstarter campaign to fund the Rift’s development. The project successfully raised almost US$2.5 million from around 10,000 contributors. Then in March 2014, Oculus was purchased by Facebook for $2 billion. [/read]

FitBit

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FitBit, originally named Healthy Metrics Research, Inc. is a wearable gadget-maker. It specializes in making wearable devices that measure data such as the number of steps walked, heart rate, quality of sleep, steps climbed, and other personal metrics involved in fitness. It is considered to be the fifth largest wearable company in the world and continues to offer segment-leading products for your fitness tracking, which is why it gets a spot on our list. [/read]

Segway

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A two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transport is something that might have seemed far-fetched at one point. However, Dean Kamen brought it to reality when he invented the Segway and introduced it to the market in 2001. It was first christened as the Segway HT (Human Transporter) that was later changed to Segway PT (Personal Transporter). The company has also developed an  autonomous robot based on the Segway miniPro called the Segway Robot. [/read]

Google Nest Hub Max Smart Display

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Google introduced the line of smart speakers in 2016, under the moniker Google Nest. It allows the user to interact with the Google Assistant through voice commands. The Google Nest Hub Max Smart Display offers almost complete control over major appliances in the house and can help the user automate his home almost completely. [/read]

August wifi smart lock

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August Inc revolutionized the world when it released their first smart lock in 2013. It had a metal frame and could be controlled using Bluetooth, via a smartphone app. August devices clip on to the inside portion of a door which also permits the use of a normal key. [/read]

SAREGAMA

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SAREGAMA is one of India’s oldest companies which was founded as the Gramophone Company of India in 1946. It was later changed to SAREGAMA in 2000 and has since been the forerunner in Indian music. Its latest home entertainment system, the SAREGAMA Carvaan offered the company’s complete experience in a compact package. It is a portable music player with a pre-loaded collection of mainly vintage Bollywood songs, due to which it is on our list. [/read]

Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD

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A solid state drive (SSD) is always preferred over a standard Hard Drive due to its better storage capabilities and extremely fast reading speeds. Samsung took it one step further when it introduced the t7 touch portable ssd. It not only fits in your pocket and is very light to use, but also offers tremendous storage and operation abilities. Its added security measure of a fingerprint reader ensures that the data cannot be accessed by anybody other than the user, which is why it is on our list. [/read]

Bose Portable Home Speaker

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Bose is widely considered one of the best companies in the world when it comes to sound systems. With its Portable Home Speaker, the company promises a whole new sound experience. The speaker has a built-in voice control and offers a 360-degree surround sound. It can be controlled via voice, touch or an app.  [/read]

Apple AirPods Pro

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American tech giant Apple introduced the AirPods Pro in 2019, after which they quickly garnered global attention. The AirPods Pro are wireless Bluetooth earbuds that offer active noise cancellation, automated frequency profile setting, IPX4 water resistance, a charging case with wireless charging, and interchangeable silicone tips. They are also equipped with a microphone that filters out background noise, accelerometers and optical sensors that can detect presses on the stem and in-ear placement, while the music is automatically paused when the AirPods are taken out of the ears. These features make the AirPods Pro a sureshot entry on our list! [/read]

Nintendo Switch Lite

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The Switch Lite is another handheld game console from Japanese gaming expert Nintendo. It was released in 2019 as a compact version of the Nintendo Switch. Apart from a smaller body and a wide range of colours on offer, the Switch Lite has the same features and specifications as the standard Switch. However, it offered a more convenient gameplay for casual gamers, which is why it belongs to this list. [/read]

Logitech mx master 3 advanced wireless mouse

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A good mouse is an indispensable weapon in any gamer’s arsenal and Logitech has taken it one step further. With the MX Master 3 advanced wireless mouse, the company aims to redefine PC gaming. It is equipped with an all-new MagSpeed™ Electromagnetic scrolling that is precise enough to stop on a pixel and quick enough to scroll 1,000 lines in a second. It is also customizable for multiple apps and makes working on Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro and Microsoft apps a breeze. This is why it is on our list. [/read]

Logitech G613 wireless mechanical gaming keyboard

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Apart from being a perfect gaming keyboard that offers an excellent gaming experience, it offers an unheard 18 months of battery life! All it needs is a pair of AA cells and it will let the user play games for more than a year, if the gamer can handle it, that is. This is one of the many reasons why it gets a spot on this list. [/read]

 

JBL Pulse 4 waterproof Bluetooth speaker

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If making excellent sound systems was not enough, JBL took it one step further with the pulse 4 waterproof bluetooth speaker. These speakers are not only thoroughly waterproof, they also offer an excellent light show with their pulsing and flickering LEDs. With a complete boombox packed inside a compact body, the jbl pulse 4 waterproof bluetooth speaker have their sweet spot on this list. [/read]

Amazon Echo Studio Smart Speaker

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Amazon has come a long way from being a courier service and has now bloomed into a global tech giant. Its offering in the sound system, the Echo Studio Smart Speaker is proof of just that. The Echo Studio gets three 2-inch drivers and a 1-inch tweeter, along with a 5.25-inch subwoofer. These work in tandem with 330W making Class D amplifiers, which gives the user a thoroughly immersive and surround sound experience. [/read]

Google Pixelbook Go Chromebook

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Google’s Pixelbook Go is not just a laptop, it is practically a portable supercomputer Offering up to 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 4K display, the Pixelbook Go is an obvious choice for all performance freaks. Oh also, it has a compact and lightweight body of barely more than a kilo, so you don’t need to worry about an aching back after carrying it around all day. [/read]

iRobot Roomba Intelligent Floorvac

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The repetitive and exhausting process of cleaning floors has been an age-old curse to every housemaker. Luckily, iRobot stepped in to help. With its intelligent floor-vac called “Roomba” you don’t have to worry about spraining your back while cleaning the floor ever again. It intelligently detects the surface it is on and ensures that you get a spotless surface, automatically! [/read]

Philips Somneo Sleep and Wake-up light

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Gone are the days when you had to manually switch the lights on or off, while worrying about a headache or a disturbed sleep. With the Philips Somneo smart light, you can enjoy the simulation of a sunset, set an automatic wake-up function with light and sound and a touchscreen to adjust the settings easily. Could you ask for a better sleeping buddy? [/read]

Microsoft Surface Go 2

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If convertible laptops are your thing, there cannot be anything more perfect than the Microsoft Surface Go 2. Sold as a tablet with external peripherals, the Surface Go 2 can easily transform from a laptop to a tablet as per user convenience. Because of its versatility, it gets a spot on our list! [/read]

Audio Technica Turntable

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One of the oldest contributors to the world of music, Audio Technica is no stranger to offering top-notch products. One of them is the AT-LP60 turntable. features a built-in phono preamplifier, a user-replaceable stylus, and fully automatic operation. It plays 7- and 12-inch records with precision and verve. Hence, it is on our list! [/read]

NVIDIA Shield TV Streaming Player

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In spite of being one of the priciest streaming players in the market, the NVIDIA Shield TV Streaming player remains unbeaten due to its sheer performance. Offering up to 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage, coupled with the Android TV and Chromecast, this is a perfect device for the entire family. Also, the fact that it doubles up as a micro game console and streams games from Nvidia’s own Geforce Now service is sufficient to place it on our list. [/read]

Wemo Smart Plug

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What could be better than being able to control your home appliances with your smartphone? No, it does not exist just in sci-fi movies and fiction. It can be realised with the WeMo Wi-Fi smart plug. These cost-effective plugs connect directly to the Wi-Fi and can be used to control a plethora of other smart home systems. This is enough reason for it to be on this list, don’t you think? [/read]

Amazon Echo Dot

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Among the latest versions of Amazon’s compact yet powerful smart speakers, the Amazon Echo Dot performs many more duties apart from playing music. Right from controlling a smart home with a few voice commands to making calls almost everywhere in the country, there is hardly anything that the Echo Dot cannot do. It can’t cook food and wash clothes for you though, in case you were wondering.  [/read]

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
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Korean tech giant Samsung has always been among the segment-leaders when it comes to development in technology. With its Galaxy Watch Active 2, Samsung proves its mettle yet again. Offering an unmatched performance, a fully digital interface, eSIM compatibility and an astounding 2-day battery life, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 had to be on our list! [/read]

GoPro HERO8 Black

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Capable of shooting at up to 60fps on 4K and up to 240fps on 1080p, the GoPro Hero 8 Black is in a league of its own. The compact sports action camera captures photos and videos with HyperSmooth stabilization and also gets a Boost option. All these reasons make the Hero 8 Black a worthy contender in the market. [/read]

Bose Soundbar 700

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With built-in Amazon Alexa support, eight custom microphones, echo cancellation and near field detection, the Soundbar 700 from Bose is almost like your personal AI assistant. Along with that, users can also control the Soundbar 700 with an app that gives you full control over all your sources of music. Why wouldn’t we add such a wonderful product to the list? [/read]

Toshiba DVD Player

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In the early 1990s, electronics manufacturers were still fiddling with standalone optical storage, but in November 1996, Toshiba’s SD-3000 DVD player was the first to be commercialized. Obsoleting noisy, tangle-prone magnetic tape (as well as the “original” versus “copy” binary) allowed the DVD player to view crisp digital movies from a tiny platter of just 12 centimeters in diameter – still the de facto size of mainstream optical media (like Blu-ray).[/read]

Arlo Video Doorbell 

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Designed to capture what conventional video doorbells can’t, the vertical field-of-view of the Arlo Video Doorbell allows users to get a bigger, more precise picture of their front porch. The Video Doorbell captures footage in a square aspect ratio that allows users to fully view packages on the ground or from head to toe. It also offers features such as HD resolution image quality along with clear, dual-way audio for users to see and talk to visitors simultaneously. Unlike traditional doorbell cameras, Arlo Video Doorbell delivers direct-to-mobile video calls and personalized alerts when packages, people, vehicles or animals are detected, allowing users to respond quickly or take action.  [/read]

Victrola Record Player 

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While the phonograph was invented in 1877, it was Victrola’s Victor Talking Machine Company that first made the audio players a staple in the homes of most people. The amplifying horn of the system was hidden inside a wooden cabinet which gave it the elegant look of a sophisticated piece of furniture. Records for the system by classical musicians and opera singers have been common buys. Finally, RCA bought the Victor Talking Machine Company, which became a powerhouse in radio and television. [/read]

Sony Trinitron

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Trinitron is Sony’s brand name for its aperture-grill-based CRT range that is used in TV sets and computer monitors. One of the first truly innovative television systems to reach the market since the 1950s, the Trinitron was launched in 1968, widely praised for its bright images which were around 25 per cent brighter than traditional shadow mask televisions of the same era. The improvements it provided in the quality of the pictures justified paying a premium. It was the first consumer electronics product to win an Emmy in 1973. Eventually, Sony sold 280 million Trinitrons as TVs and computer monitors later. The Trinitron was a significant jump in TV technology and a monster commercial success, enough to secure a spot in our Hall of Fame. [/read]

Amana Radarange Microwave Oven

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Amana’s Radarange launched in 1967, was the first home-made compact microwave oven. By 1975, when Ed and Flo Harper purchased this Radarange as a family Christmas gift, first-time sales of microwave ovens outpaced the gas ovens. For a fast-paced world, the convenient, time-saving microwave oven had become a practical necessity. People dedicated less time to cooking. [/read]

PhoneMate 400 Answering Machine 

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By today’s standards, the thought of an answering machine weighing more than a few grams may sound ridiculous. Yet, in 1971, the approximately 5 kilograms Model 400 from PhoneMate was seen as a glimpse of the future. The Model 400 was considered the first answering machine built for the home at a period when the technology was used in workplaces only commonly. It kept about 20 messages and allowed owners to privately listen to voicemails via an earphone. [/read]

JVC Video Cassette recorder

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An innovator in the analog era, JVC created the VHS videocassette recorder in the early 1970s, establishing the home video industry and changing the economies of the TV and movie businesses. Video cassette recorders (VCRs) were regarded by the television industry as having the power to disrupt their business, whereas television users regarded the VCR as a means to control their viewing experience. In the 1970s and early 1980s, the home video industry fought a format war – VHS and Betamax earned the most media attention. Ultimately, VHS won the battle, winning 60 per cent market by 1980 and emerging as the dominant home video format in the tape media period. [/read]

Fujifilm Instax Mini

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Who doesn’t like instant film cameras? There is no more fun than clicking a photo of yours against an iconic backdrop and immediately getting a hardcopy of it. This is what the Fujifilm Instax Mini instant camera offers. With a battery-operated and minimalistic function, the Instax Mini is the perfect companion for travellers looking for a quick snap to add to their travelogs! [/read]

Raspberry Pi 

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Since its introduction in 2012, British invention Raspberry Pi has been helping students across the world to study computer science. Offered as a series of small, single-board computers with all the basic functions, the Raspberry Pi aims at simplifying the world of computers. [/read]

Commodore 64

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Considered one of the forefathers of modern computing, the Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced in 1982. It was introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show, after which it went on to immortalize its name in the Guinness World Records as the highest-selling single computer model of all time. Naturally, it had to be on this list. [/read]

Atari 2600

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Japanese video game experts Atari revolutionized the world of gaming when it introduced the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS) in 1977. This was later rebranded as Atari 2600 in 1982 and was offered with two joystick controllers and a conjoined pair of paddle controllers. It popularized the use of microprocessor-based hardware and games, which could be accessed via ROM cartridges. This changed the gaming industry forever and that is why the Atari 2600 belongs to our list. [/read]

Kodak brownie camera

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Introduced in 1900, Kodak’s Brownie series of cameras first made the concept of a “snapshot” accessible to the public. It was sold as a basic cardboard box camera with a simple lens that took pictures on a 117 roll film. Because of its ingenuity and innovation at the time, the Kodak brownie camera gets a place on our list. [/read]

Apple Macintosh

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There is hardly a need to introduce the Macintosh series of personal computers. Since its introduction in 1984, the Apple Macintosh series has been a favourite of working professionals and entrepreneurs all over the world. The original Macintosh is also credited with being the first successful mass-market personal computer to have featured a graphical user interface, built-in screen, and mouse. An obvious choice for our list, don’t you think? [/read]

Vivo X50 Pro

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The Vivo X50 Pro recently launched in July 2020 comes equipped with a Gimbal Camera System to reduce shaking and allow users to take clear photos and videos while in motion, or even at night. Modelled after a professional full-size gimbal, X50 Pro’s built-in miniature gimbal module moves in the opposite direction of shaking movements, providing the main camera with improved stability. This system also widens the rotation angle and anti-shock area compared to popular stabilization methods, resulting in super-clear images. The Gimbal Radar, an on-screen animated ball that reflects the movement of the gimbal, lets users know when the frame is stable. Vivo ‘s motion-deblur algorithm, customized sensors, and continuous focus tracking further enhances image and video clarity. [/read]

Evolution of Marketing in Tech during COVID

All of us have been constantly talking about the impact of COVID in various industries. In this post, let’s read about the evolution of marketing in tech during the COVID-19 era. All we have seen are adverse effects albeit a few industries like online education, e-commerce, mobile apps and social media platforms have seen a growth. When we talk about tech, we know that’s the future and the good thing is that we already are in the future! With artificial intelligence slowly taking centre stage, being under control of our businesses is becoming easier. With all of this, there’s one thing where we want to spend the money right now and at the same time we don’t want to. Marketing. We need recall more than ever but do we have the funds? If we have the funds and if marketing is the priority, do we have the right ways, channels, communication methods to do it? 

Not only the world has changed in terms of the economy and health but also in mindset and behaviour. How do you present yourself in front of someone who has no intention to buy right now, especially if you don’t fall under the category of ‘essential goods’. While so many tech brands suffer from figuring out the right way to communicate at the moment, some others have taken this opportunity to gain a new set of audience and to build more credibility. Honestly, it’s the way you perceive the situation and build a strategy on it. Let’s take a look at some of the tech brands and what have they been doing in the last few months to stay in their people’s minds. 

1. Amazon

For years Amazon has been responsible for changing a buyer’s mindset, thereby changing their behaviour when it comes to online shopping. While for regular things such as books, household items, etc it was always the ‘go to’ app, lately it’s focus on groceries has given fruitful results. Initially where customers were apprehensive of buying grains and pulses from an app that has never done so before, today they’re not only buying groceries but are also trusting the giant for long term usage for the same. Insane. Isn’t it? They’ve also been focussing on promoting sellers who provide health and fitness products or services. After all, our well-being is of utmost importance in such times. We’d say, Amazon has been quick to make this happen and the communication to the consumer has been effective. 

Take a look at how Amazon has been doing this via their social media platforms:

As you can see the introduction of ‘Wow Wednesdays’ is a great idea. Promoting OZiva that deals in natural and herbal products and focusing on wellbeing via special IG TV episodes has helped Amazon Garner attention. While these sessions also help the brand OZiva, at times like these, Amazon is in a complete win-win situation. Topics like fitness and mental health are sure to keep the customers interested for a long time to come and choosing social media to run ‘episodes’ that revolve around the same will keep the audience coming back. 

Right. Now, it is best to make the most use of social media for all kinds of marketing. The benefits as we know are:

  1. You already have an audience.
  2. Lesser spends give you more reach. 
  3. That’s where everyone is spending the most time right now. 

Not only has Amazon picked the right channel but also the right products and messaging. The subject of wellness and fitness is something that is a universal favourite at the moment. 

Here’s a few other essentials they’ve been focussing on and all the focus is on the things you can do at home right now. 

We think this is a great way to communicate not only with your audience but also an opportunity to showcase all the essential products and services you offer to them during a phase like this. Directly shoving your products in the customer’s face right now is of no use. This is an ‘authentic’ way to show you care. 

Read about Facebook Shops

2. Audi

We know that the automobile industry has been negatively impacted but Audi’s communication to the audience is simple, concise and effective. While they can’t change the fact that the whole industry is going downhill, they’ve made sure that the message they give is positive and reassuring; focussing on the ‘journey’ ahead. They’re not losing hope and are holding on to their audience with comforting communication. 

Take a look. 

Their quick thinking drove them to create the MyAudi Connect App that lets you book services, know your trip history, get fuel updates and more! 

The same Audi with a different messaging, offering an ‘app’ experience to all the customers. Very evolutionary and very quick. 

3. Apple

Hasn’t Apple always done something unique that touches people’s lives and hearts? It has always had an ‘inclusive’ culture where it always has made efforts to be a part of its own community. With a human touch, Apple has never failed to impress it’s audience, despite all the controversies it has been a part of. With the lockdown during the pandemic, it’s no different. Here’s how they’ve been working on keeping everyone together and connected during ‘COVID times’. 

#TheAtHomeSeries is the hashtag they’ve added to #ShotoniPhone when people are sharing their images. This, along with sharing the stories associated with those images is intriguing and uses ‘storytelling’ to captivate it’s audience. 

Storytelling can never go wrong, especially in times like these where everyone is seeking a more authentic human connection. Marrying the art of storytelling that involves ‘at home’ activities with the impeccable quality images shot on iPhone is a brilliant idea. The images become a part of the story and build the much needed empathy and connection. 

While all of these are just a few examples of how tech brands are perceiving the pandemic and using the opportunity to showcase a different kind of messaging, there are many who are trying their best to keep up with the times. However, survival will belong to those who ‘evolve’ with the times. 

Chapter VI – The Experts Roundtable I Changing Marketing Dynamics

We heard the Managing Directors, and now it’s time to hear the front line ‘Brand’ Warriors. All marketing leaders are facing challenges in generating demand and keeping the conversations salient. We speak to heads of some of the most influential brands in India today, understanding the challenges they face, how they overcame them, and what have they planned for the future. 

Panelists for The Experts Roundtable Chapter 6

Vivek Srivatsa, Head Marketing, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors
Shreyash Sigtia, Head of Industry, FMCG, Google India
Pallavi Singh, Director, Marketing, BMW India
Siddhant Narayan, Head of Marketing, OnePlus India

Moderator: Ramesh Somani- Chief Editor & Publisher, BBC TopGear India and Exhibit.

[Ramesh Somani]: Pallavi, I have known you from Harley-Davidson, then MG Motor India, and now BMW India. These are the time when we can’t be silent but salient, what’s your marketing strategy going ahead, in these challenging times when both the demand and supply are restricted.

[Pallavi Singh]: I think the times are unprecedented, and they need extraordinary measures of course. Automotive has been very traditional for a long time, and we are trying to upscale the digital transformation. From a strategy point of view, I think the next few months are going to be very critical, we really need to understand how the consumer behavior is changing, we are looking at first-party data, third-party data and really looking at what’s happening on our own platform and tracking how the customer journey is changing.

Digital transformation is going to lead to digital commerce, and that is something we really need to put forward to our stakeholders, our dealer network, and our customers. I think this a time that requires new learning; there is a lot of skill that we require to live in the post-COVID19 reality.

[Ramesh Somani]: Siddhant, you have worked with some of the most prominent brands – Nike, Daniel Wellington, and Jio. So tell us, how does your previous experience merge with your current role with OnePlus?

[Siddhant Narayan]: I consider myself very fortunate to work with very consumer-centric brands, a lot of youth-focused names. From a personal standpoint,

I have to come to realize whether it’s an Indian consumer of a global consumer, the consumer actually has more similarities than differences.

Whichever industry you look at, these young Indian consumers have more similarities than differences. A lot of this starts from consumer insights, and that’s my approach as well – looking for customer needs and answering them with our products and marketing strategies.

[Ramesh Somani]: We know the markets for automobiles are opening up as the relaxations are rolling out, what are your top three priorities from a marketing standpoint? 

[Vivek Srivatsa]: Priorities are pretty straightforward in times like these. The first is to ensure customers feel confident in visiting our showrooms once again, a lot of work is needed and not only from Tata Motors but from the industry as a whole. Second is the overall concept of safety and wellbeing, how this has significantly gone up in the customer’s minds and as an industry we need to talk to them. The third point revolves around the difficult 15-18 months that the automotive industry has been facing, and we need to work together and get the ball rolling at the right speed. 

[Ramesh Somani]: What are the user trends you are seeing during the lockdown Google? 

[Shreyash Sigtia]: To sum it up in a few words, we were going online till February, now we are living online. I’ll give you a very simple example of how the transformation has taken place – my dad now pays his electricity bill online, my wife now buys groceries via apps and my kids go online to get educated. We would have had this panel face-to-face with the audience sitting in front, but here we are doing it virtually with the audience now coming in as viewers. These are some of the most picked up trends in the past few months. The last two and a half months has forced us to learn new skills to be more relevant in the current times. And now that you have forced me to speak about some really big trends, there are a couple of interesting commonly searched things. People are now looking up groceries near them, and I’ll give one thing from the automotive industry –

people now want to know if it is safe to visit dealers and they are looking up ways on how to sanitize their cars. People will use their mobile phones for a lot more things, and smartphones will become their lifeline in the coming post-COVID-19 era.

[Ramesh Somani]: What’s your source of marketing ideas? Any books, website how do you come up with marketing ideas?

[Pallavi Singh]: One thing that I go back to is 9GAG, and secondly, I have started playing a lot of video games because there is a lot you learn when you look at Call of Duty or you look at Far Cry – how intense these games are but it’s a team’s work together. If you collaborate your spirit, you can implement any idea, especially in times like these when ideas aren’t all that different, they are generally the same ideas but how do you reinvent the idea, how you can communicate them with your customers, those are the most important things. I think it’s all about the team spirit. The idea can be great but if you don’t have a team that can work it through, then it can fall flat. Also, I read a lot of books by Malcolm Gladwell, he writes a lot about business strategies and ways to approach markets. 

[Siddhant Narayan]: I consider myself very fortunate to be working with a young, energetic, and tech-oriented team who are always high on energy, extremely passionate, and very committed. A lot of my ideas are actually my teams and a lot of credit goes to them. I’m also in constant touch with my professors and my ex-bosses and we discuss ideas and market trends. Also, since OnePlus is a community first brand and we have a lot of discussions going on our forums, I just stay in constant touch with the conversations there and bring up ideas from these forums to work with.

[Vivek Srivatsa]: As marketers and people on the commercial side of the business, we have been through a range of books that teach us a few tricks but today there is so much happening around in the world, I consider myself fortunate to live in this world where information is freely available, and the way I approach is to train my mind better to learn from what’s happening around us. This kind of learning probably doesn’t come from books, but we should probably train ourselves on how to take these learnings from things happening around us.

[Shreyash Sigtia]: I would really want to agree with Siddhant, a lot of ideas and creativity comes from the team. Especially in the COVID-19 times, people really come up with ideas that would be otherwise considered wacky but they make so much sense in today’s era. A lot of ideas also come when you sit with your partners and brainstorm for ideas to tackle the challenges that they are facing. My bias would be towards actions, a few months down the lie

I don’t want to be thinking I had this idea but I never got around to try it. I would rather try a lot more things to move the needle. 

[Ramesh Somani]: How effective is “Influencer Marketing” in terms of promoting luxury brands digitally? 

[Pallavi Singh]: BMW is an experiential brand, a lot of our customers can vouch for that and we design and engineer our cars very thoroughly. A lot of our influencer strategy is built on real people, people who use our cars whether they are celebrity chefs or lifestyle influencers in the fashion space. We work with them because they truly understand the brand, and they personify the brand because they are also using them. Some of them have helped us sell cars within their circles, and that is the kind of relationship we build with our fans – we call them brand fans and they are not really influencers they are fans of the brand.

[Ramesh Somani]: We saw a few influencers being associated with the launch of the Tata Altroz. How was the engagement like, were there any lessons learned that you would want to share with us?

[Vivek Srivatsa]: The way we approached the influencer engagement with the Tata Altroz was quite different from what we would have done a year or two back. We have to extremely clear with what we require from the influencers, and we need to cater and align our content to what the influencer does, what’s the audience he or she caters to. Today we are far more nuanced in the way we approach influencer marketing, we align our products or an aspect of our product with that kind of creator or audience and that really helped us. It also helps us dive deeper into our product proposition and it’s been a very fascinating journey so far. 

[Ramesh Somani]: Domin8 has been seeing really good traction, how has been the campaign response?

[Siddhant Narayan]: We are still very fresh from the event that happened on the second. Summer is India is synonymous with cricket, this is the time when consumers are used to turning on their devices and watching the biggest premier leagues. A lot of these top cricketers also play computer games in their off-pitch time and while brainstorming with the team, the idea came up. It was actually something that we took a very big risk on, and as far as the measurement of all of this is concerned, we have got an incredible PR coverage around it. We also got a lot of organic engagement and coverage because something like this was never done before. 

LIVE AUDIENCE POLL:  – Will you go back to buying and reading print magazines?

RESULTS :   57 percent say yes, touch, and feel matters. 35 percent do it with e-mags and 8 percent are yet to decide.   

[Ramesh Somani]: In this new normal, digital marketing has taken the front seat. How will events change shape the future?

[Pallavi Singh]: Well most recently it was Rihanna who did the live concert during the lockdown time, I think there has to be a hybrid model between online and offline. Traditional events like music concerts or even with automobiles where people come to look and feel the automobiles and hear it go for the first time – it’s always been about the physical touch but moving forward things will change. Hybrid models haven’t entirely been innovated in the COVID-19 scenario, they existed before as well. We will have to bring out more ideas and opportunities on the table, try combinations, and focus on technology integrations.

It’s too early to say how events will look like in the future, but we sure have seen virtual launches by various manufacturers using AR in the most recent times.

[Ramesh Somani]: Now local brands are being pushed to help recover the economy and many campaigns have been launched by the government. Do you have any marketing strategies aligned in line with this new #Vocalforlocal

[Vivek Srivatsa]: One point in that is that we don’t have to look for a slogan, it’s smartly ready. But I think as Tata Motors we don’t have to stress more on our local parts. As a brand, we are as Indian as it gets, and the community-building activities that we conduct need no introduction.

We do not wish to piggyback this slogan, we don’t want to push our cars to people because they are local. We want people to come to our showrooms or experience our cars from their homes and then want to buy them.

Our brand has the safest range of mass-marketed cars, and as a cost to features and value for money ration, we sit in a sweet spot. It’s a good sentiment that people have currently, but we do not plan on riding our products on those waves.

[Ramesh Somani]: Tata Motors was one of the biggest sponsors for IPL, with such a big percentage of your marketing budget parked towards it. Since the cricket league has been canceled for now, where else are you going to try and advertise your brand?

[Vivek Srivatsa]: I think IPL will probably happen later towards the year, but generally speaking in terms of the marketing budget, companies have shifted their focus on the digital space. That’s where customers are going, and that’s where the business lies. There are endless opportunities and possibilities in digital ways. Many companies have already broken the line of doing conferences online, rather than spending on those huge travel expenses which ultimately reduce the global carbon footprint. Opportunities are immense, and I am really excited about the times ahead as they are as challenging as ever.

Because of time Constraint – We could only take one Question from 565 Live Attendees :

Esha Mishra from MG Motor India  & her question When the COVID-19 curve flattens, do you think the current marketing challenges will stay or completely fade away?

[Pallavi Singh]: The challenges will be there, digital transformation has to kick in really quickly. There were will huge challenges because there will be new skills and talent required to push the digital transformation. It is important to get the right people and work with them.

But one question to ask – who is it that bought the digital transformation to the industry –was it the CEO, the CTO or the COVID-19.

We really need to understand what a consumer wants, and not what the brand wants. It will be challenging, marketing will have to reinvent itself and it’s going to be a roller coaster ride ahead.

[Ramesh Somani]: That’s right, this is a one in a hundred-year phenomenon and while the challenges are difficult, they are also very exciting. Let’s try and work towards our goals better by reinventing each of our brands while riding the digital transformation wave. Thank you for your wonderful insights! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon, take care of yourself & Stay Safe everyone.

Also Read:
The Experts Roundtable – Chapter 5 with Gary Shapiro, CEO – Consumer Technology Association [CES]

Chapter 1 – The Experts Roundtable | The Changing Times

The outbreak of Coronavirus had halted human activities worldwide. While the pandemic has harmed the national economy by a hefty extent, it has forced individuals to sit back- staying confined within their houses and compelled companies to rethink their operational strategies, workforce management, and infrastructure configurations.

The Experts Roundtable, a forum conceptualized by teams at Exhibit & BBC TopGear India whilst working from home, was successfully orchestrated in its first form – bringing together leaders from the consumer electronics and automotive domain together to share some purposeful insights on how companies are dealing with the pandemic and their thoughts. For its first form, the panelist talked about the changing times- through and post COVID-19. It was a 45 minutes discussion and we have curated the video here to 12 minutes and the below are the key takeaways.

PanelistS for Chapter 1:

Devita Saraf- Founder & CEO, VU Technologies
Madhav Sheth- CEO, realme India
Yadvinder Singh Guleria- Director Sales & Marketing, Honda2Wheelers India
Tarun Garg- Director, Sales, Marketing and Service, Hyundai Motor India

and moderated by Ramesh Somani- Chief Editor & Publisher, Exhibit & BBC TopGear India.

Ramesh Somani: “Media launches are very important for the smartphone industry. Would you go back to on-ground launches or continue with web-based launches?”

Madhav Sheth: “I think this lockdown has given us a new mantra for doing our launches online-  which is mainly because of social distancing, but I still believe on-ground launches give us a connection point with media and also with core fans, where we can demonstrate what the product is all about and obtain real feedback whether customers like the product or what are the shortcomings of the product. That is important, however, there is a new mantra in the new age of technology that we keep up with by trying to do online video launches and still keep the rhythm going on. I would love to go back to on-ground launches, maintaining a stricter SOP.”

Ramesh Somani: “Two-wheeler showrooms typically have the highest footfall – what are the changes you are planning at a dealer level, especially with regards to social distancing and sanitization?”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “Of course it is going to be a big changer because typically in the auto business it is less of online and more of offline engagement. While online maybe the tracking part, knowing more of the specifics of the product, etcetera, the real experience starts at the showroom once the customer walks in, touches, and feels the product. This is what differentiates auto buying, and the reason why India did not go so far with online. Two-wheelers have more number of inquiries because of the total percentage of the conversion and volumes, that’s why we have a large number of customers walking in. We need to look at online platforms that provide a social 360-degree viewpoint of the product. Virtual test rides could be something that the future could offer, but nothing that’s coming immediately. As far as hygiene and sanitization are concerned, not just the dealerships and showrooms but also the manufacturing plants will be expensive to run and operate because of the kind of guidelines the government will impose when the lockdown is lifted.”

Ramesh Somani: “What according to you is going to be the ‘new normal’?

Tarun Garg: “New shifts will emerge- in attitude, in policy, in work culture, in consumption patterns, and these will be the new normal. More emphasis on compliance will be the new normal, civic sense will be the new normal.

All of us have learned new things, which will be new normal. Digital is not very successful with the automotive industry, however, the click-to-buy website has been getting good traction. Infact, the number of visitors has surpassed the visitor count of the corporate website. The entire sales process is not complete without the consultant as such, but there is a big plus in online platforms that the world will see, and this transition will be the new normal. The second new normal would be consumers realizing the importance of their own vehicle. In the last two years, there were a lot of speculations on shared mobility being the new thing. But the pandemic has made me realize that now my car is going to be my third personal space, in addition to home and office, which I believe is going to bring a very big change in the market demand. The current average usage of cars in India is limited to around 800 to 1000 kilometres a month- with a lot of usage being confined to weekends as people use public transports for their daily commute. The usage of cars will increase, people will start commuting more in their own vehicles. From a marketing perspective, we will see how to leverage these patterns and motivate customers towards better choices.”

Ramesh Somani: “We are in a situation that, to say the least, was unexpected. What was your first response when you heard about the lockdown?”

Devita Saraf: “We were prepared, we had our notes taken on how to work from home. Before it started, I called my management team for a meeting and asked them in case of a lockdown, what is the contingency plan for the next one week or one month. We checked and sorted out connectivity and a tech team was put in place. Luckily we were prepared. So when the PM announced the lockdown, the team and I were ready. If you think the lockdown was a shock, then you generally were living in denial.”

Ramesh Somani: “The Government is promoting a lot of apps to be downloaded on smartphones. If these apps are mandated to be hard-bundled, as a smartphone manufacturer, what powers do you have to deny this as data privacy is a huge concern.”

Madhav Sheth:Technology gives a lot of awareness, these apps prevent a lot of incorrect and fake news flowing around as people will gain access to the genuine news. So far, we have not been asked to force bundle any such apps. Over time, this can be more helpful to the masses and any app which promotes public health, well-being, and safety will be happily forced bundled in our devices.”

Ramesh Somani: “How does electric cars’ future look like when fuel becomes so cheap? Almost free?”

Tarun Garg: “The progress of electric cars, if you try and link it with fuel prices, it is a very myopic view of things. Electric cars are much more than the comparison of cost of ownership. If anything, COVID-19 has taught us the power of nature, we are all seeing some clean air and benefits of not taking nature for granted. The world will continue to move towards electric cars- we have to see how much funds are being channeled to the electric R&D divisions and OEM investment issues could come in, but as far as the world goes and India goes, we would continue to move towards a cleaner mobility, and we are already headed in the right direction.”

Ramesh Somani: “The total TV consumption has increased in India in the last one month. Do you think this could convert into sales once the lockdown is over?”

Devita Saraf: “With the lockdown in place, people have realized they need TV, in fact, more than one TV per household. The realization and appreciation for the product have gone up. People need more than one TV in their house because you can choose the kind of content you want. It gets difficult to watch entertaining content on mobile screens and laptops. But then, the demand also depends on the liquidity and cash crunch in the market. Once the lockdown is lifted, distributors might go back in savings mode, which might affect the business. It is difficult to predict, and any speculations should be kept aside as these are unprecedented times which we have not encountered before.”

Ramesh Somani: “Do you think Honda 2Wheelers will ramp up the online experience for customers?”

 Yadvinder Singh Guleria: We cannot hit a moving target with fixed strategies. It’s a lockdown time, not look downtime. We can always go back, go inside, reinvent and re-imagine and look for a new way of reaching the customers and engaging them. We started with the first online product in 2015- to book products online, with the back-end for money to go to the respective account of dealers depending on the location of the showroom that the customer chooses. After some time, we realized the platform needs to be engaging, giving more reasons to the customer to come back, and we have identified the need of creating a platform beyond the benefit of booking or selling point of view. We are already in the process of it, seeing the market and situation. Standardization of digitization should be picked up rather than standardization of dealerships.”

Ramesh Somani: “Do you think people would be more comfortable working from home, and companies would be happy to allow working from home?”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “Depends on the vertical and area of work. Manufacturing cannot happen from home. But the traditional working practices, traditional mindsets will evolve. Companies will be able to identify some areas of operations where flexibility to work from home can be tried in the future.”

Devita Saraf: “Work from home will be useful in emergency situations. Earlier in case of bad weather or national strike, companies would just give an off. But with work from home, it opens an opportunity of working at the comfort of home, and meetings can happen as usual over video conferencing and all.”

Ramesh Somani: “What is the biggest challenge you are facing working from home?”

Madhav Sheth:Planning and planning, no actions. You just get tired of planning. I miss my office as much as I love working from home. I wish it could be a mix of both, but I would prefer working from my office.”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “Agreeing with Madhav, there are a ton of ideas that are coming in, and we are putting them in the basket. The fire of execution and seeing the results is missing. We have found some good opportunities and great ideas, but until and unless we do not practice or execute them, we do not know the real results.”

Tarun Garg:Miss giving a pat on the shoulder to the employee, we are very result-oriented people. Currently, we are occupied the whole day making strategies, and the revision of the lockdown dates has brought in a lot of inefficiencies as plans are made and then remade. Effects need to be seen. Key is to see how to see the strategies developed while working from home pick up once the lockdown extends.”

Ramesh Somani: “One book or show you have picked up during the lockdown.”

Madhav Sheth: “Currently reading JW Collins, From Good to Great. Getting into the spiritual side, controlling my adrenaline rush.”

Devita Saraf: “Right now is a good time to be a customer and see what customers doing

Customers have a whole different taste, and I am sitting back and living a life observing and understanding my customers.”

Tarun Garg: “My millennial twins have come back home after 5 years.  We talk about customers, about millennials, and we think we know them- we want to believe that, but that’s never the case.”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “I reserve books for travelling, my bookmark is still between the pages that I was last reading while travelling. I am currently watching NDTV Food, trying dishes that can be prepared in 10 minutes or less. Prepared 15 dishes, and 90 percent were up to my satisfaction  level.”

Ramesh Somani: “How has the impact been for you in terms of big bike sales – you have quite a range of big bikes on sale in India.”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “As far as they are concerned, they are a different set of customers. They enjoy riding in groups, they enjoy riding solo, they enjoy riding on the weekends. It is a lifestyle product. It won’t have a big impact on sales, as these customers love to feel and experience the adventure or ride further. We have a new vertical which looks into this. This class of buyers or consumers will not change much, as for them it is all about experience and adventure. We are upbeat about this business to recover and pick up the pace, quicker than the mass segment which would suffer from the economic slowdown.”

 Ramesh Somani: “Do you think there will be a big spike in car buying post the lockdown is lifted?”

Tarun Garg:Looking at the China example, there is enough evidence to suggest people will look for safer mobility and maintain a sense of hygiene and social distancing. We believe our subscription model will get more traction. Hyundai will have a complete range to cater to- right from the entry-level first-time buyers to the range-topping SUVs. Many customers who used to take shared cabs to work will think about buying or subscribing to our products.”

CONCLUDING NOTE

Ramesh Somani: “The whole panel has been very positive about the lockdown amidst the pandemic. We cannot predict the future, not even the government. Instead of speculations, all we have to do is stay home and spend time with our parents, kids- and take up new skills and learn something new and wait for this to get over and come out all stronger. A big Thank you to all the panelists for their  time.”

 

Samsung A21 | Expected Specifications, Features and Launch

While things might not be moving for most of the people in the world right now, things at Samsung have been definitely. Samsung has launched its mid-range smartphone the A21 earlier this month. And now if the rumours are to be believed, Samsung is expected to launch the A21s soon.

The Samsung A21 will also be a mid-range budget smartphone offering and the company is known to offer good features and hardware in the budget category and the A21s will also be an interesting device to look at.

According to tipster Sudhanshu Ambore who share the details on this official Twitter account. His tweet mentions that the upcoming mid-ranger will come with a 6.44-inch HD+ IPS display with 720×1600 pixels. It will sport 3GB of RAM and will be coupled with 64 gigs of internal storage space with further expansion on the cards with a microSD memory card.

The camera on the A21s is expected to be a triple-camera setup and will have a 48-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel sensor. Expect one of them to be a wide-angle sensor and another one for telephoto purposes. The front camera is expected to be a 13-megapixel snapper. The phone will suck its juice from a 5000mAh battery. The rest could be the usual; micro-USB port, Bluetooth and NFC, support for 3.5mm jack.

The details shared here are very speculative and cannot be confirmed until Samsung makes an official announcement for the A21s.



Is Apple Still Leading the Forefront of Smartphone Innovation?

Smartphones have come a long way through. Small screen devices have been replaced by larger ones, single cameras by multiple, fingerprint scanners by face-id, single-screen by foldable and more. Trends in the smartphone industry are changing rapidly and innovation is the only way to survive this cut-throat competition.

If you closely keep a track of the smartphone industry, you would have noticed the fact that the baton of innovation has now been taken by new players in the industry. Manufacturers like Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi are determined to bring new technologies to market. While Samsung and Huawei are still on the run Apple seems to be lacking behind. iPhone’s in recent years have felt iterative rather than innovative. The company that is known for creating trends has been dormant for quite a while on the innovation front. Which brings us to question, is Apple still leading the forefront of smartphone innovation? 

Apple’s recent contribution to smartphone innovation

Apple, the company that has been the pioneer of the modern-day smartphone, is relying on technologies that people are already aware of. Even the newest iPhone’s “iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max lack innovation. Both these devices tout a triple camera setup and a glass back body, which is definitely not new. These are technologies that have been embraced by various manufacturers and Apple is really late to the party.

The most recent contribution by Apple was in the form of Face ID. First introduced in iPhone X, Face ID is a facial recognition technology built into the front camera system of the smartphone. It replaces Touch ID Apple’s fingerprint recognition system used in the previous generation of iPhones.

Face ID uses a “True depth camera system” consisting of sensors, camera and a dot projector to create a detailed map of the users face. The data is then used for authentication every time the user looks into the device.

The Face ID came out in 2017 since then the company has remained silent on the innovation front

Contribution of other manufacturers in the smartphone Industry

  • In-display fingerprint scanners

Major players in the smartphone industry like Apple and Samsung were in the run to bring In-display fingerprint sensors first to the market. But it was Vivo a Chinese firm that beat them to bring the first phone “Vivo X20 UD” with this technology at consumers disposal. 

The technology was brought in to meet the growing need for bezel-less displays. Apple’s answer to the In-display fingerprint scanners is Face ID, abandoning the idea of fingerprint authentication altogether.

  • Foldable Phones

Another category where Apple is lacking behind the rivals is the foldable phones. While Manufacturers like Samsung, Huawei, Moto have taken considerable steps in this direction, Apple is yet to bring a foldable device. Samsung has already taken a lead bringing the “Galaxy Fold” to the market.

Steve Wozniak himself said during an interview with Bloomberg he is concerned about Samsung’s two-year lead. “Apple is not the leader in things like the folding phone and that worries me because I really do want a folding phone. You know, it’s one of those new technologies that does catch my attention,” Wozniak said. Goldman Sachs agrees and recently described the Galaxy Fold as “the main potential challenge” for Apple.

  • AI and Virtual Assistant

It is not just the hardware where Apple is lacking behind. Apple’s closest competitor Google has certainly taken a lead coming to virtual assistants. Google assistant is way smarter than Siri and Apple need to make a serious effort in order to match its competition.

It is evident that smartphones from Apple these days are not exemplary innovative modern devices as they used to be. There has been a sudden shift in the smartphone industry, we’re seeing innovative technologies from new brands rather than market leaders. It is disappointing to see a lack of innovation in smartphones from a brand like Apple. 

The competition is getting tougher and certain tweaks, upgrades will not help them maintain their leadership as a technology innovator. It will be interesting to see what Apple brings to the table with its next-generation iPhones. But for now, it seems like Apple is losing its position as a smartphone innovator.

8D Audio – The Newest Trend In Music?

The latest trend in online music is 8D audio which has been making rounds. Often messages pop up asking to listen to some songs from  YouTube with your headphones on. Claims of experiencing a sing with your brain, rather than your ears, for an out of body experience as the sound would seem not to come from the headphones but outside.

What is 8D audio?

After listening to an 8D audio song, if you wondered how sound is completely different from normal audio. The result is surprising as it feels completely out of the world. You can make out that the sound is in the environment around you rather than coming in from the headphones. The effect is very similar when you walk around in your city and all the ambient sounds that come from all around you giving you a sense of space. You can clearly say where the temple bells are ringing, how the police van siren approaches from far away and goes past you. The sound comes from all different directions. This is the similar effect that comes from 8D audio when you listen to it on your headphones. 

8D audio as it might seem is new for most people. It seems to be like a futuristic technology that allows you to recreate the feeling of music being played by speakers distributed around us. This provides a sort of immersive and suggestive experience. So yes, this is definitely a new experience but not essentially a new technology. There is no real technology behind 8D audio and neither it has any true commercial applications. It is rather an effect that could be applied to any pre-existing songs and make them sound like 8D. Also, 8D would mean 8 dimensions which are not possible. 

Is 8D audio for real?

The reality is that there’s no new technology but a technique that allows hearing sounds as if you were in the middle of it. That feeling of music that runs through your head, thanks to the use of headphones, is the result of equalization techniques, panning and effects combined together. In short, panning is the ability to distribute the sound on different audio channels. If you think about your earphones, they have two physical channels: left and right. You can pan the sound all the way to the left or the right or, you can choose a specific sound to be played by one or the other earphone.

The result is the so-called 8D audio (which has no sense as the physical space where we live is mapped on 3 dimensions) that let you appreciate sounds coming from different directions. You can find on YouTube or Soundcloud this kind of audio recordings from the lowest quality where the record simply moves from left to right without a real point or, you can find high-quality records where the sound is correctly located in a specific region of the 3D space and you can clearly hear it through your earphones.

The reality of the spatial audio

An even more advanced “8D audio” is the Dolby Atmos, a technology developed by Dolby that, instead of using audio channels uses sound objects. With this technology, the sound moves around you in three-dimensional space, so you feel like you’re inside the action.

In conclusion, does the 8D audio exists? Yes, but no. Yes because there is the ability to hear sounds all around you on a 360° space; no, because it’s not a new technology and it’s definitely not called 8D audio but, we can call it more properly spatial sound or 3D audio. If you don’t own a 7.1 system or a Dolby Atmos supported system, use your earphones/headphone or you won’t be able to hear the effect.

It is no new technology but simple panning and equalization techniques that give to the sound a spatial feeling and that is what this 8D trend is all about. 

https://www.exhibit.tech/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Audio-8D.wav?_=1

How to – Fake GPS location on Android

GPS enables us to rightly locate a place but there are instances when you don’t want to be tracked. There is a multitude of apps and websites that are restricted in certain locations. And to access them you might need to spoof your location. While spoofing Android locations is something that is used mostly by developers However, ordinary Android users can also use it for various purposes. This might seem like a troublesome task but the actual process is pretty easy. So without any further ado let’s quickly find out how to use Fake GPS location app.

Download a fake GPS location app

The very first that you will require is a fake GPS location spoofing app. There are various apps available on Playstore but we used the Fake GPS location by Lexa for this purpose.

As soon as you open the app, you will be asked to head to developer options and set Mock location app.

Set mock location app in Developer options

For enabling Developer options to head to About Phone. Look for software information and then tap on build number for 7 times. This will enable Developers options.

Within Developer options, you will find an option to set a Mock location app. Set it to Fake GPS

Set location to GPS only

You will have to set the location to GPS only. As smartphones these days make use of wifi, Bluetooth for better accuracy. Turning these off will ensure proper working of the fake GPS application.

Spoof your location with fake GPS app

Now head back to the fake GPS app, set a location and then press the green play to spoof your location. 

To verify, open Google Maps and check your current location, it will show the location that you had selected on the fake GPS app.

Is 5G Responsible For COVID-19?

5G has been in works for quite a while but it is still to be known when it will come into force completely. It is the next generation of mobile internet connectivity that will offer faster speeds and more reliable connections.

This faster network will bring about a huge change in the way we use smartphones and other gadgets. Consumers will get to experience internet speeds like never before, with average download speeds of about 1Gbps.

5G network deployment has already begun in a few countries like the US, UK, South Korea and China. But India is still too far away from 5G rollout. 

Network transitions like these require time and infrastructure. For instance, 4G phones appeared much before 4G networks were made available for consumer use. This is the reason why the smartphone industry has shifted its focus towards bringing 5G ready devices to the consumers.

There’s a lot of confusion around 5G and its future. Also, several theories have originated from 5G and Coronavirus. So let’s dive in to clear the air around.

What is 5G?

5G is the next-generation wireless network that will replace the existing 4G LTE connection. It will offer extremely fast download, upload speeds and more reliable connections. We will see a multitude of tech products that will be quicker and smarter than ever before. These networks will work in conjunction with existing 4G networks before transforming into completely standalone networks.  5G will completely reshape how we work and live our lives today. 

How 5G works?

A 5G network system consists of two main components 

  1. Radio Access network
  2. Core network

Radio Access network

A Radio Access Network includes 5G Small Cells and Macro Cells that form the core of the 5G wireless technology as well as the systems that connect the mobile devices to the core network. The 5G Small Cells have to be available in large numbers cause millimetre wave frequencies can only travel over short distances. These Small Cells help Macro Cells in wider coverage.

The Macro Cells use MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) antennas which offer multiple connections to send and receive large amounts of data.

Core Network

The Core network is responsible for the management of data and internet connections for the 5G network. It is designed to integrate with internet and cloud-based services. Moving further, features like network virtualization and network slicing for different applications is also managed by the core.

4G vs 5G

Speed

Speed is a major differentiator between two different generations of networks. 5G is expected to be 100 times faster than 4G. Meaning movie download times would reduce to secs from minutes. Streaming movies or games will not be a pain anymore.

Speeds like those are possible because most 5G networks are built upon super high-frequency airwaves, also known as high band spectrum. 

But these high-frequency waves cannot travel long distances and can be easily barred by hard objects, buildings, walls, etc. In order to overcome this challenge, a large number of Small Cells are installed in close proximity to one another.

Latency

Latency is the time taken by devices to communicate with each other. For instance, the time difference between sending a signal and it is received on the other end is latency. 4G network service offers low latency but with 5G there will be almost no latency at all. Lower latency will benefit technologies like autonomous driving, cloud gaming and more.

Capacity

A lot of devices connected to a network can cause congestion. Which results in slower data speeds and longer lag times while watching videos or downloads. 

With 5G we can expect significantly higher capacity than 4G. Which means more devices can be connected together without compromising with data speeds.

Myths around 5G and Coronavirus

The Coronavirus is spreading like a wildfire and with that is the misinformation surrounding it. One such myth gaining lots of traction is that 5G is spreading Coronavirus. 

Several social media posts, tweets are claiming that 5G is the sole reason for the outbreak of Coronavirus. While some other theories on the internet say that 5G technology brings Coronavirus by sucking human oxygen. But all these claims are false as radio waves do not carry viruses that cause COVID-19.

The outbreak of Coronavirus started from the city of Wuhan in China, somewhere around December last year. And a month before that China had begun 5G operations in the same region. Which has led to beliefs like these?

Keri Hilson an American singer made several tweets which attempted to relate 5G and Coronavirus. She wrote: “People have been trying to warn us about 5G for YEARS. Petitions, organizations, studies…what we’re going through is the effects of radiation. 5G launched in China. Nov 1, 2019. People dropped dead.” Keri’s theories were questioned by people and she was unable to justify her wild claims. Soon after which her management team stepped in and asked her to delete the tweet.

A post in a Facebook group called ‘Stop 5G UK’ said that 5G tech weakens the immune system of a person, and Wuhan people tend to be the first ones that experienced this viral disease as they are the ones that got the first access to 5G.

5G health concerns?

5G is new to the tech industry and concerns are being expressed about the technology’s effect on people’s health. These concerns are valid too, as a version of 5G runs on very high-frequency radio waves called millimetre wave. Millimetre waves cannot travel long distances, which requires more no towers to be placed in close vicinity. There are concerns that radio waves could produce harmful radiation resulting in brain cancer, reduced fertility and other illnesses.

The FDA and FCC say there’s nothing to be worried about. Most studies haven’t found a link between radio frequency signals from cellphones or cell towers and disease, the agencies say. But because 5G is so new, there’s no definitive way to know if it will cause long-term health problems.

“It’s a ridiculous concept,” said John Bucher, a senior scientist with the National Toxicology Program, a US Health and Human Services interagency program dedicated to testing and evaluating substances in our environment. “Each year, you get a new strain of flu that goes around. That’s what viruses do – mutate and move around that way, probably as long as there’s been life.”

As per Coronavirus is concerned it is a virus that spreads from physical contact. It doesn’t travel through radio waves. So you will not get it by using your smartphone, TV or FM radios.

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