American watchmaker Timex has established itself as a premium yet affordable brand with a plethora of watches to choose from. Recently it entered the smartwatch segment with iConnect Premium Active, whose Rose Gold coloured, metal-strapped version we got a chance to review. So, is it budget luxury or expensive mediocrity? Read on.
First impressions:
Right off the bat, the watch bears a strong resemblance to Apple iWatch. Intentional? Probably. Intimidating? Not quite. The watch does feel like a bit of a rip-off, but it has a premium appeal nonetheless. It offers all the basic features present in a smartwatch but fails to stand out among the competition. It is also available with a soft silicone strap, though the flexible stainless steel mesh band looks professional and suave as compared to the alternative. The soft silicone option is available in black as well as pink colour while the stainless steel mesh band is offered in silver or gold finishes. It is claimed to be IP68 water-resistant and displays its data on a 36mm rectangular dial. It has rounded corners for a softer finish and also is complete touchscreen.
Features and usage:
Users can connect the smartwatch to their smartphone via the iConnect by Timex 2 app. The app displays all the data that is collected by the smartwatch. Timex has programmed the iConnect Premium Active Smartwatch with a heart rate sensor, sedentary reminders, activity tracking, sleep tracking, and music playback controls as well. The smartwatch also gives direct notifications for calls, texts, and calendar events. It is charged magnetically via a pair of pogo pins that are placed just beside the heart rate sensor.
While using the smartwatch is not an extraordinary experience, it does its job well, with no complaints there. However, it loses its ground due to the fact that the entire navigation system on the watch is controlled by one button, as opposed to the swipe-based touch function available on other smartwatches. The giveaway is thick bezels and a touch button, sans which it could have looked sleeker. Its measurements aren’t accurate either and tend to miscount the steps and the watch also has a slight lag when measuring the heart rate, though I give it the benefit of doubt there. The sleep tracker, too, feels out of place and a rather forced addition than a genuine accessory. The battery life, however, sticks to its promise of lasting for almost five days, albeit with normal to minimum usage. Then again, what are the chances that you will spend the entire day just operating the smartwatch?
Verdict:
Despite the lag and error in calculation, Timex iConnect Active Premium does its job well, although it will be difficult to justify the price tag of Rs 7295, especially when compared to the much cheaper, yet equally feature-packed alternatives. However, if you are a Timex loyalist or just like to splurge and look fancy, this one is for you!
ViewSonic Corp. recently collaborated with Ingram Micro for the exclusive distribution of ViewSonic’s LCD monitors in the Indian market.
The LCD monitor business in India is at a matured state and high-end professionals and gaming professionals have been the key players in fostering its growth. Mr Eric Wei – Senior Director, Asia Pacific ViewSonic said, “We are glad to cooperate with Ingram Micro, a reputed national distributor, to jointly develop business in India. With Ingram’s strength and ViewSonic’s advantage, I believe we can create the value and share the value with partners and customers. Then eventually make life more convenient and make business more efficient.”
“We are excited to expand our offerings from ViewSonic to their LCD business. This partnership further strengthens the relationship between the two organizations and gives an opportunity to offer LCD monitors to our channel partners. It complements our existing portfolio. The best-in-class products from ViewSonic and Ingram Micro’s wide channel footprint will be mutually beneficial to both the organizations in advancing the business”, said Mr Sanjay Achawal, Executive Director, Ingram Micro India.
Commenting on the association with Ingram Micro, Mr Sanjoy Bhattacharya, IT Business Head, ViewSonic India said, “We are happy to welcome Ingram Micro as National distributor for ViewSonic range of LCD monitors in India. Ingram Micro is India’s largest distributor, and they have a vast product portfolio of computer peripherals/hardware, with ViewSonic monitor they have completed the basket.”
He also added, “ViewSonic is a global leading display brand with a futuristic product line up. I am sure this association will do wonders and together we give the best display solution to the Indian consumer & commercial customers.”
The exclusive distribution partnership with Ingram Micro will strengthen ViewSonic’s LCD business in India. The company has been steady in developing ergonomically designed LCDs in pursuit with the latest technology and best in class smart features for its end users. In this year, ViewSonic will be adding new and innovative products in its portfolio compelling with its end customers. This sole partner will ease the distribution process benefiting both. Ingram Micro has commenced its business with ViewSonic from 1st January 2021.
Strengthening its endeavour of bringing best-in-class storage experience, Kingston Technology, a world leader of memory products and technology solutions, today announced the launch of three new compelling USB flash drives- KingstonDataTraveler Kyson, Kingston DataTraveler 80 and Kingston DataTraveler Duo in India. The new USB flash drives aim to provide versatility, flexibility and ultimate connectivity on-the-go.
Kingston DataTraveler Kyson (DTKN) -It is a high-performance Type-A USB flash drive with extremely fast transfer speeds of up to 200MB/s read and 60MB/s write, allowing quick and convenient file transfers. With up to 256GBof storage, you can store and share photos, videos, music and other content on the go. The capless metal design will save you the trouble of losing a cap, and the functional loop makes it easy to be taken wherever you go. DataTraveler Kyson is a stylish, dependable USB-A Flash drive that comes with a limited 5-year warranty.
Kingston DataTraveler 80 (DT80)-It is a high-performance USB flash drive that supports next-generation Type-C laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets. Designed for professional and business use, DataTraveler 80 features fast speeds of up to 200MB/s read and 60MB/s write which allows for quick and convenient file transfers. The compact and capped design has a durable casing and key ring loop making it ideal for on-the-go storage.
Kingston DataTraveler Duo (DT Duo)- It features dual USB connectors that work with both standard USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports to easily share files between laptops, desktops and mobile devices. The dual-interface drive is also ideal as extra storage with 32GB and 64GB capacities. The USB 3.2 Gen 1 speedsallow users to easily access and transfer documents, photos, videos, music and more. Dual sliding caps protect the connectors when not in use. DT Duo is the latest addition to the Duo family of plug-and-play drives that complement mobile needs:
DataTraveler microDuo 3C (DTDUO3C): Dual interface that works with both standard USB and USB Type-C with fast read speeds up to 100MB/s. Available with up to 128GB capacity providing plenty of extra storage for the latest smartphones, tablets, PCs and Mac computers.
DataTraveler microDuo 3.0 G2 (DTDUO3G2): Dual interface micro-USB and USB Type-A for Android™ smartphones and tablets that support USB OTG (On-The-Go). DTDUO3G2 can be plugged into micro-USB ports that are used for charging devices as expanded storage (up to 128GB) for quick and easy file, photo and video transfers between mobile devices and PCs.
KingstonDataTraveler Duo, Kingston DataTraveler 80 and Kingston DataTraveler Kyson USB drives are backed by a five-year warranty, free technical support and legendary Kingston reliability. All three USB drives are now available on tatacliq.com.
Creative Technology today announced the release of Creative Stage V2, an upgraded successor to the well-received Creative Stage which packs some nifty new features. Debuting with new audio technologies powered by Sound Blaster and sporting bigger dimensions, it offers users not only better and clearer audio, but also wider surround soundstage that delivers more bang for the user’s buck with high-quality audio at a pocket-friendly price.
The Stage V2 packs a bigger audio punch and features better connectivity than its predecessor. With the new Clear Dialog audio technology, users can hear each syllable clearly without cranking up the volume as the spoken dialogue is extracted and amplified without compromising the ambient effects. On top of that, the Surround technology adds an expanded soundstage to offer the ultimate movie experience right at the comfort of one’s home. Fitted with two custom-tuned mid-range drivers along with a powerful subwoofer, the Creative Stage V2 can fill the living room with rich audio and impactful bass that will bring users closer to the action.
Creative Stage V2 also comes with a wide range of connectivity options —TV ARC, optical, AUX, Bluetooth, and even audio streaming via USB— making it a one-stop audio entertainment system for devices including TVs, computers, mobile phones, or even gaming consoles. In addition, the soundbar is conveniently accessible via remote control, and users can switch input sources, adjust treble and bass settings as well as toggle Surround and Clear Dialog on or off with a simple press of a button. With a sleek and minimalistic design, the Creative Stage V2 can fit right into any room and be wall-mounted to deliver a truly immersive audio experience.
Creative Stage V2 is priced at the MRP of Rs 17,999 but will be available at the attractive marketing operating price (MOP) of INR 9,999 on Amazon and Flipkart around the third week of December 2020.
Hewlett Packard, or HP as it is most commonly known, has always been the go-to brand for style, functionality and reliability. Among its wide range of laptops is the latest Envy 15, which targets the professional users such as video editors, creators, and graphic designers. While it is loaded with top-notch specs, it does have its share of shortcomings. Will the HP Envy 15 make your colleagues green with envy? Find out.
Aesthetics and first impressions:
One glance at the HP Envy 15 is enough to conclude that it is indeed a professional laptop and it carries that badge with pride. Thanks to its aluminium build in a silver-metal finish, the laptop oozes subtlety and elegance. That is complemented by the stylish chrome HP logo on the display lid, while the slim bezels on the top and sides of the 15.6-inch full HD IPS display panel further enhance the sleekness of the laptop.
The bottom bezel, however, takes away some of the glamour with its rather large design. The backlit keyboard is flanked by speaker grilles on both sides (From Bang & Olufsen, particularly) that give out quite decent audio output, while the arrow keys are accompanied by a nifty fingerprint scanner. The touchpad is also quite smooth (more on that later).
Two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support, a full-size HDMI 2.0 port, a USB-A 3.1 port and a microSD card reader constitute the left side of the laptop. The right side houses a headphone jack and another USB-A 3.1 port. All this is housed in a sleek case measuring 14.1 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches (LxWxH) and weighing 2.14 kg. This does seem like a lot, but it can be seen as a compact design if you consider the specs it comes loaded with.
Video and Audio:
As mentioned above, the laptop gets a 15.6-inch full HD (1920×1080 pixels) IPS, anti-glare display. Its 60 Hz refresh rate might not be in the same league as 144Hz screens, but the display is clear, crisp, and colourful nevertheless. Most colours on-screen pop out vibrantly, but it isn’t too abrasive to the eye.
HP has added a 720p webcam to the mix, which does its job as it should but is nothing to ponder over. However, the highlight of the webcam is the external shutter and microphone mute keys on the keyboard. Coming to the B&O speakers, a decently stereo surround sound can be experienced, though an immersive experience is not guaranteed.
Hardware:
I can safely say that the HP Envy 15 gets one of the best keyboards to work on. Comfortable, intuitive and well-lit, the keyboard looks as pleasing as it is to work on. The trackpad also does its job well and there is hardly anything to complain about here. If you had to be nitpicky, you could wish for a bigger trackpad, but that will only be an occasional woe rather than a regular complaint. The keys are not only well-spaced, but the back-lighting also ensures that every individual key can be clearly seen. The layout is overall quite symmetrical and pleasing to the eye.
Internals:
Armed with an Intel Core i7-10875H CPU, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q GPU, 16GBDDR4 RAM and 1TB NVMe SSD, the laptop can take on anything that you throw at it. Be it heavy files, complex designs or intense gaming, there is nothing that the HP Envy 15 can’t handle. However, the laptop isn’t immune from heating, which it does after a while of extensive usage. It isn’t unmanageable, however, and can be overlooked as well. For the average commercial user, this laptop will fulfil all purposes and will still have the capacity for more. Nevertheless, it could offer a better performance had it been equipped with better internal components such as an Nvidia RTX series graphics card or 32GB of RAM.
Should you go for it?
Priced well above the Rs 1.50 lakh mark, the HP Envy 15 is not a casual buy for sure. But if you are willing to invest that kind of money, you will definitely be pleased with the outcome. There is not much that is left to desire for after owning an Envy 15, but that is only if you are a jack of all trades. Purpose oriented buyers such as gamers or professional video creators might want something more from it, but the Envy 15 will still carry all the tasks given to it diligently.
Being associated with one of the oldest brands in the country is a special thing and being able to be a part of history enhances the feeling so much more. To that essence, India’s oldest music label SAREGAMA is offering the Carvaan. It has more than 5000 preset songs that you can play to relive the good ol’ golden days. How can you be a part of it, you ask? Well, with the newest addition to the Carvaan family, the Carvaan Karaoke.
Now, before the teens get all pumped up and ready to sing their favourite Eminem or Drake raps, let me give you a fair warning: This Carvaan is not for anyone born after the 80s. At least it isn’t for someone who does not know about or like songs produced before the 2000s. Coming back to the Karaoke part, it does offer an extensive list of songs to let your inner singer loose! More on that later.
Unboxing happiness:
The device comes in a neat box encased in a cosy packing. Inside, apart from the Carvaan is a pair of wireless microphones and a box of goodies. Well, that is if you consider a remote, two pairs of batteries, an antenna and a charger to be so. Talking about the Carvaan itself, it features multiple modes for you to curate the music you listen to. While the genre of songs is limited to the Golden Era and prior, there are close to 5000 songs to choose from! This means that the fathers and grandfathers in the house will surely be in a jolly mood with this device.
A trip down memory lane:
Apart from the list of preset songs, the Carvaan also offers an FM/AM mode, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as WiFi usage. That can be used via a smartphone app available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The company claims that it will give access to over 15,000 songs, with hundreds more updated daily. Regardless of the choice, you are sure to be treated with a rich selection of timeless classics from singing legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Jagjit Singh and many more.
Design and operation:
The Carvaan Karaoke stays true to its family design and comes in a rounded rectangular shape. Our review unit is draped in a rich metallic red colour, which further enhances its elegance. It features four selector buttons on the front, with a small LCD screen that shows the current selection. Beside that is the prominent rotary dial accompanied by the seek buttons below it. On one side are the buttons to choose the saregama app, USB/AUX mode, FM/AM mode, and Bluetooth mode. On the other side is the singular Karaoke mode button that is accompanied by the volume selector and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Operating the device is fairly easy as it can be done from the main body itself as well as the wireless remote that it comes with.
Karaoke mode:
Addressing the elephant in the room, the Karaoke mode. At the single touch of the Karaoke button, a 9-inch TFT screen will pop up, indicating that it is time to rock! Offering a significant range of 1000 songs, the Karaoke mode will sure uplift the mode of any party. Considering it is a party of oldies that is! The songs are categorised as per artistes, actors, eras and Carvaan’s list of Top 50 karaoke hits. It also offers you a chance to save your list of favourite songs, for quick access. The menu can be scrolled through using the remote or either of the microphones that it comes with. If I had to be nitpicky, I’d say a touchscreen would have been better for easier selection.
Verdict:
As I have emphasized earlier, the Carvaan Karaoke is a perfect choice for someone who either is from the times gone by or loves the music from that era. To be considerate, it does offer an extensive and immersive experience for the list of songs it provides. It will be the perfect gift from a son to his father, for them to spend some quality time together.
I had been looking to buy a dash cam when one showed up on my doorstep, a gift from my son. Dash cams have been around for several years and I have read several articles about the necessity to have one in countries like Russia where if you don’t have a dash cam, you will be a victim of a staged accident. Since there are many options to consider when buying a dash cam, I remained stuck, not able to finalize a decision and bite the bullet.
Now that I have had a firsthand experience, I have seen just how invaluable a dash cam is under the right circumstances. I can now appreciate why certain features are more critical than others and the ultimate importance of having one in each of one’s vehicles. My firsthand experience was an accident with our car when my wife was driving without passengers. I got the phone call just before noon from my wife that she was in a car accident.
The damage to both vehicles was to the front end and on the other vehicle the right front wheel well. On our vehicle, it was to the front end and the left wheel well. Without witnesses, considering the damage pattern of both vehicles, and both drivers saying they had green lights, it was a matter of “she said, she said” and the insurance company would not accept responsibility. That was until I submitted the dash cam video.
So what’s the takeaway? Dash cams are relatively inexpensive devices [the one that captured my wife’s accident was purchased on Amazon for under $50 US (around ₹7,496)], had excellent reviews and made by Apeman (Apeman C420) that everyone should have in each of their vehicles. Sharing a single dash cam amongst vehicles is a very bad idea because if dash cams are not fully automatic, coming on each time the car is started and staying on for the full duration of the ride and then turning off automatically, the likelihood of the dash cam working its magic in the unexpected incidents is greatly diminished. Dash cams need to be “set up, test the results by taking a ride and then reviewing the video for clarity, positioning, and automatic operation, and then forget it,” that is until you need it.
Here is my take on the critical features/options for choosing your dash cam:
Resolution – at least 1080p, 4K is now affordable and would be a better option to catch license plate numbers, but it also requires 4 times the storage space
Viewing angle – at least 150 degrees
Window mounting suction cup – this is critical, the dash cam has to stay on your window, if it keeps falling off you won’t use it
Night vision – check out YouTube videos of the dash cams you are reviewing to confirm that the captured night video is of value.
Power plug – it must fit well into the cigarette lighter (power point) or the automatic operation of the dash cam will be hindered
Ease of removal of the dash cam but leaving on the suction cup – this is important for theft prevention. You do not want to keep putting on and removing the suction cup from your windshield as it can be time-consuming to affix the suction cup correctly.
Removable SD memory card storage.
Dash cams are not only helpful to car owners when they are in an accident, but they can also prove very valuable when a driver witnesses a road rage incident where they are the target or when another vehicle operator is the target. Some dash cams can be set up to monitor your vehicle when it is parked and even notify you of an incident if one occurs. Since dash cams store both video and audio a driver can read off a license plate number and car description aloud and know that it’s captured on the dash cam, so you don’t need to write it down or memorize the information.
Technological advances are often a double-edged sword, where the benefits must be weighed against the drawbacks of costs, inconvenience, and loss of privacy; dash cams are no exception. Many dash cams record all the audio (unless configured not to do so) spoken when the car is in operation, so you need to be mindful of what is said in a “dash cammed” vehicle. Dash cams will capture evidence of the cam’s owner’s own mistakes and could be used to prove the guilt of the cam owner. The vehicle operator needs to pay attention to the dash cam’s signalling indicating that the cam is in operation and when the operation has ceased or like any other technology it may stop operating and become just a useless appendage to the vehicle’s windshield. However, the benefits cannot be overstated if you need a witness and one does not come forward.
Dash cams have become a commodity product. The components used to make them are inexpensive and readily available. While there are many options that can complicate purchase decisions, the most important decision is “do I need a dash cam?” As with any product, it is important to read the reviews and make purchases from reliable companies that stand behind their products. That said, the most important decision is whether or not you need a dash cam. In my experience, the answer is a resounding “YES.” Regardless of the sophistication, options and features of the dash cam you choose, having one in your vehicle is much more important than having the “best one” in your vehicle.
Garmin India, a unit of Garmin Ltd. today launched their pocket-friendly yet feature-loaded latest GPS smartwatch: Venu Sq and the Venu Sq Music Edition. The Venu Sq is built with bright colour display, sleek design and best suited for every part of your day while keeping a track of your health and fitness activities.
The new Venu Sq series boasts over 20 built-in indoor and outdoor sports apps including Pilates, yoga, strength training, running, pool swimming, cycling, golf and many more supporting its users with extensive workout required to inspire movement. Adding more to it, the Music edition features on-device music storage for phone-free listening.
Apart from the sports app, the smartwatch also comes loaded with health monitoring features including advanced sleep with Pulse Ox2, respiration tracking, abnormal heart rate alerts (high and low), menstrual cycle tracking, stress tracking with relax reminders, hydration tracking and more. Bringing more convenience to the users, the Venu Sq supports battery life of up to six days in smartwatch mode and up to 14 hours in GPS mode.
Ali Rizvi, Director of Garmin India said, “We at Garmin have always focused on fulfilling the needs of our customers with the best of quality products and high-end technological innovations. Today, with the launch of Venu Sq, we are now entering into a new market segment under which people can buy a Garmin smartwatch at a competitive price with premium features including 20 built-in sports apps, on-device music storage, advanced sleep with Pulse Ox2 with the broadest range of 24/7 monitoring features available on the market.”
Venu Sq’s robust suite of workout options also includes preloaded workouts on the watch, preset workouts available to download from Garmin Connect, and “create your own” customizable workouts. Whether training for a 5K or something longer, the Venu Sq is compatible with Garmin Coach, free training plans adapted to a runner’s goals and performance, complete with a virtual personal trainer for added motivation.
Innovative Body Battery energy monitoring also lets users monitor their energy level which can help with scheduling workouts, rest times and sleep. The Venu Sq series provides all-day connection and convenience with a host of smart features including notifications, music storage, safety and tracking, and more.
The new series of Venu Sq will be available for ₹ 21,090 and the Venu Sq Music will be available for ₹26,290.
What do we do when we go to the restaurant for lunch or dinner? We skim through the complete menu card for a couple of minutes, and then except for the foodies, the rest of the people order the same favorite food they have ordered in the last few yea₹ But, we can not apply this logic when we're looking for a nice pair of earphones, earbuds, or headphones . The confusion starts from there and we will stick to True Wireless earbuds which are all having some great deals going on on Amazon and Flipkart around the world. I have kept a few parameters in mind while choosing these, such as:
Great Battery life , it’s a must and all of them have 20-30 hours of juice.
Water & sweat resistance. Don’t need to go swimming underwater but anywhere near a pool is ok.
Descent to great sound quality.
Should work with Android and iOS both.
All of them have magnetic properties and won’t fall off accidentally while
opening.
All of them have C type Charging and a wireless charging case to hang
around with.
OPPO Enco W51 True Wireless Headphone Good:
Premium Design
Wireless Charging Support
Excellent Call Quality Bad:
Audio Lacks Refinement
Customization Is Limited To Oppo Smartphones
Oppo has been contributing to the Indian market with some excellent audio
products and W51 is one of them. These headphones are available in two colors, one in starry blue and another one is in floral white; the price of these earbuds is ₹4,999, but now have deals going on in e-commerce sites.
Just 15 minutes of charge can entertain you for 9 hours of music playback/calls with ANC (active noise cancellation) on. Connect them once with your device, and then you don’t have to repeat that ever. Open the case, and the buds will connect with your device automatically, and they’ll disconnect when you put them back to the case.
The Enco W51 earbuds are half in-ear buds with soft silicone tips. The buds feel comfortable in the ears and offer a reliable fit. They stay at their place and do not fall off even while running or cycling. Weighing only 3.95 grams, these earphones are professionally designed and are certified IP54 dustproof and waterproof. The sound quality is not so refined, but at this price range, they are one of the best and can pass off as Apple buds. Verdict: It's going to be my pick at sub 5k level and is the only one amongst these five which comes with wireless charging and is light in your ears.
OnePlus Buds
Good:
Looks good especially the Nardo blue. Bad :
No advanced Bluetooth codec support
The sound quality is below the oppo w51
Does not have rubber tips , and it might just slip out of your ears.
OnePlus is like that excited teenager who wants to try his hands at everything; First, they started with smartphones, then they moved on to accessories and audio products, and then last year, they launched their television sets. Launched alongside the OnePlus Nord smartphone, these OnePlus buds are priced at ₹4,990, and are the company’s first true wireless headset.
Giving a loud and clear output, they are equipped with a unique noise cancellation algorithm and three microphones to improve clarity. They have a powerful sound and allow you to enjoy up to 30 hours of listening time. The case we get alongside these buds work like a power bank. Charge it for 10 minutes and you can enjoy up to 10 hours of listening. You can experience 3D stereo with Dolby Atmos or stunning sound quality with Dirac Audio Tuner support. I quite liked the Nord blue colour buds that were sent for review, but you also have another option for buying the OnePlus Buds, they are also available in white. These buds are said to work best when used with an OnePlus smartphone, but to our surprise, they work just fine with other devices too. The charging case is tiny and easily pocketable. The USB Type-C port for charging is at the bottom, and the pairing button is at the back. Verdict: Once paired, it’s easy to connect and reconnect and the same silicon tip might just work best for some ears If you are a OnePlus user its best recommended.
Creative Outlier Air TWS
Good: IPX5 water resistance
Almost 50% discount on the e-com sites now. Bad:
Slippery charging case
Poor isolation
The cylindrical shape is a little bulkier to tug along and not pocketable.
The Creative Outlier Air earbuds and its charging case are lightweight and compact, making it easy to transport them in a purse or pocket. Like their name their manufacturing is also a little creative, they come with IPX5 certification, they are sweatproof, water-resistant, and can handle all that hard-earned sweat, accidental splashes, and even rain very easily.
The Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds have a 10-meter wireless range, and the 380mAh
charging case it comes with provides an additional two charge cycles, carrying you through nearly a full day of listening. Charging takes up to two hours, and the same applies to the USB-C charging case. They have stunning 30 hours of battery life and graphene-powered audio excellence, and dual voice calls along with controls. One can hear audio out of both earbuds when making a call and enjoy convenient access to Siri or Google Assistant with Outlier Air.
They are said to be graphene drivers, but I’m not sure these drivers are completely built from graphene. I found the sound output to be playful and more tuned towards bass response. It prioritizes the bass response over clarity, but still, the sound output is appreciable. It has a decent design with IPX5 certification but also fragile in terms of the structure of the case. Verdict: Not the best bet; If the charging case was not so bulky, it would have made a perfect cut.
Jabra Elite Active 75t True Wireless ANC Bluetooth Earbuds
Good :
Fantastic Carrying Case.
More comfortable, smaller design.
Good sound quality with thumping bass.
Easy to pocket, looks premium Bad :
Average Jabra ANC.
Controls can get confusing
At ₹13,999 Jabra hits the second place in our list. They are claimed to be the best-fit earbuds yet in the market. Jabra says they have scanned thousands of ears to create these best-fitting sport earbuds with a special grip coating to make sure they stay in while you work out, and I guess Jabra is right. You can run, jump, you can do any physical activity while wearing them, and they will stick with you all the time like they are one of the parts of your body. Although entirely plastic, the earphones look and feel good. The Jabra Elite 75t is available in a single color – titanium – and is IP55-rated for dust and water resistance. This is the biggest difference between the Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t; the latter is IP57-rated for better water resistance. That said, the Elite 75t will be able to handle reasonable amounts of exposure to sweat, water, and dust, making them appropriate for standard everyday use.
The earphones each have a physical button, an indicator light, and a motion sensor. The sensor is used to automatically pause music when either earphone is removed, and resume when it is worn again. The buttons can be used to control everything on the earphones, including volume, playback, hear-through mode, and the voice assistant on a paired smartphone. However, the button-press combinations are a bit complicated, and I often pressed the wrong button because to remember each function with the tap will not be easy and anyways our memories are all gone to surf the internet.
The headset uses Bluetooth 5 for connectivity, with support for the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. 6mm dynamic drivers power the earphones, with a frequency response range of 20-20,000Hz. Up to two Bluetooth source devices can be actively connected to the earphones at a time, and up to eight devices can be remembered. The earphones have four microphones (two on each earbud) for calls and noise reduction on calls. Verdict: It’s the best premium TWS earbuds that you can buy and has practicality, style , quality all mirrored in. And through the Jabra Sound App you can customize controls and hear through.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Earbuds
Good:
Excellent sound Quality, best in its class.
Customizable controls.
Solid ANC performance. Bad:
High price
Unintuitive default controls
No wireless charging on the case
Charging Case bulky
Weight of the buds is on the heavier side.
Now, it’s time to know about the last one but the best one in our segment, when it comes to sound quality: The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless in-Ear Bluetooth Headphone with Multi-Touch Fingertip Control. With these advanced headphones, you can control your music, calls, and voice assistant simply through intuitive touchpad technology built into both earbuds.
It doesn’t come with many accessories, but they cover the basics. You get the
earbuds, the charging case, a piddly 20cm USB-C cable to charge the case, and four different sizes of silicone ear tips, ranging in size from extra small to large. There are no extra little wings to hold the earphones in your ear’s cartilage, but thankfully, I didn’t find them necessary. I popped the MTW2s in my ears, and they fit snugly the first time.
In fact, whether I was exercising or out on a cycle ride (with noise-cancelling turned off, naturally), the earbuds stayed snugly in my ears The only time I had to take them out mid-exercise was when I couldn’t remember if they were IP rated high enough to deal with my sweat. I needn’t have worried; they’re IPX4 rated, meaning they should survive light splashes. They protrude a little more from your ears than the smallest of earbuds like the Jabra Elite 75ts.But the important thing was that they still felt snug, and they didn’t feel like they were dangling at all. I tried wearing them while eating, and they held firm.
I think that everyone should customize the controls of the MTW2s when they first get them because, out of the box, the controls are wildly unintuitive. By default, you tap the left earbud once to play/pause, twice to skip to the next track, three times for the previous track, and you hold it to turn the volume down. The right earbud summons your voice assistant, turns on transparent hearing, turns on ANC, and raises the volume using the same commands. It feels oddly one-sided. The transparent hearing keeps you aware of your surroundings, allowing you to easily listen and chat without having to remove your earbuds.
Their premium price (and, for some, the touch controls) mean they won’t be for everyone, but if you’re after a pair of truly wireless earbuds that come close to matching the quality of a premium pair of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, then Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2 are easy to recommend. You can experience the good quality sound of these headphones which are made for every environment with durable, tough, splash-resistant materials.
Verdict: If it was not the weight of the earphones and the beautiful but bigger charging and carrying case. I would have put my money on it. But If you are an audiophile it’s the closest you can come in TWS. Period.
American tech giant Apple has launched the latest iPhone series around the world. The new iPhone 12 will be available in three variants apart from the standard one. These include the iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and an affordable option, the iPhone 12 mini.
Apple launched the phones at its virtual “Hi, Speed” event which was live-streamed on its official YouTube channel as well as its website. CEO Tim Cook took the centre stage where he announced the latest lineup of the iPhone, as well as the latest HomePod mini.
The iPhone 12 will run on Apple’s latest operating system, the iOS 14. All phones will also have complete 5G support. While the iPhone 12 is still a 6.1-inch device with an OLED Super Retina XDR screen, the iPhone Pro Max will span 6.7 inches. That, as well as the 6.1-inch iPhone Pro, will be equipped with an OLED Super Retina XDR display with 10-bit Colour Depth. The iPhone 12 Mini, on the other hand, gets a 5.4-inch OLED screen. All phones will also carry over the notch from their predecessors, though none have a 120Hz refresh rate.
Apple has made the iPhone 12 stronger by giving it a “ceramic shield”. Essentially a stronger protection material for the display screen than conventional materials, the “shield” is claimed to be four times tougher than other smartphone glasses.
Apple has equipped the iPhone 12 Mini and the iPhone 12 with a dual-camera setup that includes a 12MP wide and a 12MP ultrawide lens, while the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max get triple cameras each that offer an additional 12MP telephoto camera with 4x optical zoom. The Pro models also borrow the LiDAR from the iPad Pro models.
The LiDAR Scanner offers the ability to measure light distance and use pixel depth information of a scene. This technology delivers faster, more realistic AR experiences and improves autofocus by 6x in low-light scenes for more accuracy and reduced capture time in photos and videos. This advanced hardware, combined with the power of the Neural Engine of A14 Bionic, also unlocks Night mode portraits, rendering a beautiful low-light bokeh effect.
The entire series will be powered by Apple’s latest A14 Bionic chip. It is the first chip in the world to be built on the 5nm technology. It gets a hexacore CPU along with a quadcore GPU. Its Neural Engine also now gets 16 cores, increasing its performance by 80 percent, taking it up to 11 trillion operations per second! The iPhones get 4GB RAM and are offered with an option between 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage.
Coming to the HomePod, it is integrated with Apple’s latest S5 chip which makes it more of artificial intelligence than a simple smart speaker. Combined with Siri, the HomePod mini offers a chance for users to transform their homes into complete smart homes, quite like living in a Tony Stark mansion!HomePod mini makes controlling smart home accessories easier than ever with simple voice commands for Siri to turn off the lights, change the temperature, lock the doors, or set a scene. HomePod mini is the perfect home hub, providing access to smart home accessories while at home or away.
A new Intercom feature offers a quick and easy way for family members to connect with each other at home. One person can send an Intercom message from one HomePod to another — whether in a different room, a specific zone, or multiple rooms throughout the home — and their voice will automatically play on the designated HomePod speaker. Intercom works with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and CarPlay, so everyone in the household can get Intercom notifications and send Intercom messages from the backyard or on their way home.
Apple has given the iPhone 12 a base price of $799 while the mini retails at $699. The iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max will be offered for $999 and $1099 respectively.
