Samsung recently launched a bunch of Galaxy products, albeit in the budget segment. Among the lot was the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite, which is expected to fall in the mid-range tablet segment. While we are yet to explore it fully, here’s a quick review of what we have learnt so far:
First Impressions:
The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite comes in a simple white box. Apart from the tablet, its contents include a travel adaptor, a data cable, an ejection pin, and a manual. Samsung has also provided a book cover for the Tab, though I doubt it will be offered as a standard accessory. The cover itself is priced at 2199, which is still considerable, should a potential customer opt for it.
The model we received gets 3GB RAM and 32GB of storage. There is also a higher version available with 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage. Both models share an 8.7-inch HD Display that might not be the best in class, but it does its job flawlessly. The tab gets an 8MP camera at the front and a 2MP unit at the rear. Neither are excellent for photography, but a tablet isn’t supposed to be used for severe photography either!
Usage:
Being equipped with just 3GB RAM means the tablet is rather sluggish. Honestly, I felt a slight lag right from the time I booted it up. The interface is typical Samsung with nothing to admire, though Samsung loyalists will find no fault. The usual Samsung paraphernalia is included in the Galaxy Tab A7 Lite, while it also gets an optional e-educator. It’s a nifty addition, especially in current times.
The tablet is not bulky to hold and feels more like an enlarged phone. However, its awkward dimensions mean that fluent operation is more of a habit than intuition. The display, however, is classic Samsung and shows all colours in vivid beauty. However, the lack of a suitable processing system and supporting hardware means that the Tab’s potential might be untapped, should it have any.
Verdict:
Samsung has given the Tab a 5100mAH battery. While it is not monstrous, it should suffice for a day’s worth of light or medium usage. It is clear that Samsung aims to market this Tab as a jack of all trades, and it is doubtful that it will be a master of any. That said, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is a suitable pick for anyone looking for a multi-purpose utility tool without too high expectations and while also being reasonably priced. The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is available in 3GB + 32GB and priced at Rs 14,999 for LTE and Rs 11,999 for WIFI model.
Google Photos is one of the best photo storage apps you’ll ever come across, but recently Google announced the payable packages for Google Photos storage once users upload more than 15GB onto their accounts. In that case, if you’re one of those users who clicks many photos and always runs out of storage or looking for a secure and convenient cloud storage solution, this article is for you as we’re about to help you with the best Google Photos alternatives.
Microsoft OneDrive:
If you work in the corporate sector, then Microsoft OneDrive is a perfect option for you. Although not particularly designed for storing photos and videos, still it’s an excellent performer. It costs Rs 4,899/year (or Rs 489/month) for 1TB and Rs 6,199/year (or Rs 619/month) for the 6TB Family plan (1TB for per person). The 1TB OneDrive package also includes the Windows 10 suite, productivity tools and premium safety features in the mobile app.
DigiBoxx:
India’s very own cloud storage platform DigiBoxx offers 20GB of free cloud storage. The free plan supports Gmail integration and unlimited external collaborations, along with end-to-encryption. DigiBoxx offers 100GB of cloud storage space per month for just Rs 30, which is pocket friendly for everyone. Digiboxx includes on-demand, real-time access, which is helpful for users to update their digital assets on the go from their smartphone or personal computers.
Amazon Photos:
Amazon Photos is a cloud storage service available on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows. Anybody with Prime membership will get access to its free unlimited storage, but non-Prime members can upload only up to 5GB of videos and unlimited photos. Along with all the features, the Amazon ecosystem surrounding Photos allows users a super-fast delivery of many types of prints.
iCloud Photos:
If you’re an iOS user, you’re probably already familiar with iCloud, The best Google Photos alternative for iOS users. Apple Photos is an affordable, feature-rich, and highly secure photos app that offers all iPhone, iPad, and Mac owners up to 5 GB of free iCloud storage space with seamless integration. Apple offers 50 GB, 200 GB, and 2 TB packages; you can choose the data upload limit as per your usage.
Flickr:
Flickr is one of the most trusted cloud-based photo storage services and a social media network for amateur as well as professional photographers to share their portfolio with the world. A free Flickr account allows you to upload up to 1,000 full-resolution photos, with the image limit equating to roughly 2–3GB. Flickr Pro accounts provide unlimited storage, ad-free browsing, and access to analytics for images displayed across the Flickr platform.
Kingston Technology recently announced its new high-performance, enthusiast and gaming brand: Kingston FURY. The leading gaming manufacturer and parts maker has rebranded its DRAM, flash and SSD gaming line into Kingston FURY.
“We are extremely proud to debut the new Kingston FURY brand representing the highest-performing memory modules for PC enthusiasts and gamers,” the company stated. “Kingston’s core strength and global leadership as a manufacturer of quality DRAM and flash solutions brings resources and enthusiasm to the brand and firmly demonstrates our dedication to both performance and reliability.”
The company will soon unveil its full line of FURY DDR4 and DDR3 offerings, and in Q4 will launch the DDR5 memory modules currently undergoing compatibility and qualification testing with motherboard vendors.
Kingston FURY will consist of the following product categories:
FURY Renegade: High-performance speeds and low latencies for insane performance. Top-of-the-line performance leader (in RGB and non-RGB) with DDR4 frequencies up to 5333MHz.
FURY Beast: Kingston’s gaming memory is DDR3 and DDR4 RGB and non-RGB, with speeds up to 3733MHz.
FURY Impact: Powerful SO-DIMM performance boost for laptops, NUCs and other small form-factor PCs (DDR3 and DDR4) with speeds up to 3200MHz.
The name leverages the already popular FURY memory product category (established in 2014) and has earned the right to carry the torch, expanding the Kingston tradition of delivering high-performing and ultra-reliable DRAM in the market for PC enthusiasts and gamers.
Apple launched AirTag item trackers at the company’s event in April, and recently, the tech giant has announced a bunch of changes designed to improve the privacy of AirTag item trackers. Apple is upping its privacy efforts with AirTags a week before the Worldwide Developers Conference Event is a brilliant move made by the company.
The new update in AirTag item trackers will change the time window for when it will make a sound to alert others of a lost tracker. Previously, AirTag trackers would only make a sound after three days of the tracker being separated from its owner, but with the new update, to restrict users from using AirTags to track people without their awareness, the separated AirTag will now make a sound at a random time, between 8 and 24 hours.
Apple updated the AirTag trackers to avoid unwanted tracking a little over a month after they went on sale for ₹3,190 a pack and ₹10,900 for a four-pack. Currently, only iPhone users and Android devices equipped with NFC can detect an unwanted AirTag tracker, and they can disable the tracking by tapping on it with their respective devices, as it leads them to instructions on how to disable the unwanted tracking.
But what if someone owns an Android device and is dealing with unwanted tracking? To overcome such issues and reassure people about its AirTags, Apple is developing an app for Android users where they could use the Find My-enabled accessories option and check if an abandoned tracker is around them.
“The recent introduction of AirTag included industry-first proactive features that discourage unwanted tracking,” Apple said in a statement. The upcoming app will allow Android users to receive proactive notifications to alert them from unwanted tracking. The American tech giant told CNET that it’d release an Android-friendly unwanted tracking app later this year.
Data storage has evolved from storing bits of data in room-sized devices to uploading unlimited data on the cloud. Here’s a quick rundown of some fun trivia!
1725 was when Basile Bouchon invented the first storage device, called a punch card.
1928 was when the replacement of punch cards, the magnetic tape was patented
48 KB was the capacity of a Magnetic Drum
Random Access Memory (RAM) was invented in 1948
Initially, RAM stored only 1024 bits.
Magnetic tape had a storage capacity of 231 KB.
The first HDD had a purchase price (per GB) of $10,000,000.
Floppy disks evolved into Zip Drive and could store up to 250 MB to 750 MB
First CDs could store 650-700 MB of data.
DVDs revolutionised storage when they stored 1.46 GB.
The first SD cards held around 64 MB
25 GB was the maximum storage that BluRay discs offered in 2003.
Data storage requirements are growing at a p.a. Rate of 40%
2.7 zettabytes of data exist in the digital universe today.
The manufacturing industry has the highest requirement, with 966 petabytes.
38% of public cloud users keep inactive data in the cloud.
As is clearly evident, the demand for data storing space and the hustle to fulfil it seems to be a never-ending one. We can safely say, data has become an impartable part of our lives!
Xiaomi launches a 200W HyperCharge fast charging technology and excites other smartphone manufacturers in ongoing charging wars. The Chinese smartphone brand claims to charge a 4,000mAh battery in less than 8 minutes, and with that, Xiaomi brings a long-awaited vision into reality. Along with 200W HyperCharge fast charging technology, the company has introduced 120W wireless fast charging technology that fills the same battery capacity in under 15 minutes.
Xiaomi became the first Original Equipment Manufacturer to come up with a practical concept of 200 W HyperCharge technology in a smartphone. Last year, the company introduced 120W wired charging and 80W wireless fast charging in the Mi 10 Ultra. Along with Xiaomi, currently, Realme has its 125W UltraDART, and Oppo has its 125W Flash Charge in the wired charging war that claims to charge a 4,000mAh battery in 20 minutes.
Charge up to 100% in just 8 minutes using wired charging and 15 minutes wirelessly! #XiaomiHyperCharge
The Chinese tech giant announced the invention of 200W charging on Twitter along with a video, where the experiment took place with a custom-built Mi 11 Pro with a 4,000 mAh battery instead of the 5,000 mAh regular model. We can see in the video that the phone reaches 10% charge in 44 seconds, 50% in just 3 minutes, and accomplishes the benchmark of 100% within 8 minutes with the wired fast charging technology.
On the other hand, we can see a 10% charge on the wireless charging test in less than a minute, followed by a 50% in seven minutes and ultimately a 100% charge in 15 minutes. HyperCharge fast charging technology looks excellent at first glance, but only regular usage will tell us whether it’s a good invention or not, as such kind of fast charging might harm the device.
Xiaomi is a top-five vendor in over 47 countries worldwide and one of the most popular smartphone makers in India. Though, the company has announced 200W wired and 120W wireless charging technologies but hasn’t shared a timeline of when we can expect to see these two chargers in the box and which phones will get it first. However, it’s expected to debut this year with the upcoming flagship models from the company.
A meme is universally recognized as a reason to smile. Mere images posed in funny angles or clever snippets of film dialogues inserted in correct situations can turn any situation comical. In the times that we are currently living in, it is difficult to find reasons to be happy. With sadness and despair running rampant, we can safely say that the world needs a laugh. Luckily for us, we have some entrepreneurial geniuses who are keen on pushing away the fog of gloom and opening up to sunny skies. One such entrepreneur is Kyle Fernandes, the CEO of MemeChat. In an exclusive interview with Exhibit Magazine, he revealed some of his efforts from the beginning and some of his plans for the future.
What is one truth you believe that most people disagree with you on?
Memes will eventually become powerful enough to sway the opinions and judgments of Gen Zs and millennials. Memes are what they relate to, and it’s going to be a potent tool.
How has the journey of MemeChat been so far?
The journey of MemeChat has been very empowering in terms of our learning because we’ve been able to take an app from 0 to a million monthly active users despite a small team and limited resources. It’s a learning process that I would imagine very few people can access since it requires a lot of money to reach a million monthly active users.
One thing you believe is necessary for sustained growth.
The only thing necessary for growth is constantly evolving your app or your product based on what people want to use and see while removing features that fail to meet the test of functionality and usability. Creating relatable, trendy, and newsworthy content is a significant factor for growth in our industry.
How difficult is it to maintain a work-life balance?
There is no work-life balance; life is work. It is work if you are thinking of it as a means to reach a number or a goal, but that’s not how we feel about it. We have fun doing what we are doing: it’s fun to analyse user insights, data insights, and growth strategies. So for us, work is life, and life is work.
How does meme marketing help on a commercial level?
Companies are skillfully leveraging meme marketing because Gen Z and millennials trust a brand associated with memes. That gives you higher sales, higher conversions, leading to organic growth. Meme marketing will become an even bigger tool for companies in the future.
How does the meme world pose as a vocational aspect for youngsters?
If AI doesn’t take over, businesses will get creative professionals to make memes for their companies. We will see more copywriters and meme creators who will be creating content for a company’s social media handles and various other outlets because that will be the language of the future. As a meme platform, we are also paying creators to make memes.
How do you plan to take things ahead in the coming years?
In the coming years, we are going to push the social networking elements of a meme. We will use it to bring that entire viral effect and widen our network. We are excited to see our plans come into effect. We are currently growing at a pretty good pace, but we will see something incredibly new and exciting when our strong network kicks in.
We can’t deny the fact that we live a life either in our way or Google way; this is the level of impact Google has on our lives. Right from searching for something to paying someone online, Google apps surround us; without any doubt, we can say Google is the best friend we haven’t seen yet but been with it all the time.
In a recent I/O 2021 event, Google announced many more things, including Android 12 preview beta, a futuristic 3D video calling booth, lots of health-focused apps, and a foldable phone with the name Passport, but most of these things are associated with the future and currently limited for a few specific devices. But there’s no need to panic out as Google has more than 100 apps issued on the Play Store and Apple App Store that can make your day to day life better, and here, we’ve enlisted a few of the most incredible and must-have apps from Google.
Google Drive
Google Drive is a cloud-based storage option that lets you store your images, videos, documents, files, and almost every sort of material allowed with your phone on their cloud server. The default Android app provides you with 15 GB of free storage, with that you can access, edit and share materials from anywhere to anyone, that too, in a super-smooth way. You can work on Microsoft Word or Excel documents in Google Drive and collaborate with your teammates with an easy to use interface. Google Drive arrives with a safe option where you can set access levels for who can view, comment or edit your data; also, the app lets you share your data materials with anyone using a custom link.
Snapseed
Snapseed is a Google-owned photo-editing application that allows users to beautify photos and apply pre-loaded digital filters. If you’re trying your hands at smartphone photography and wishing to get an impressive number of followers on Instagram, then you should Snapseed right away; it’s a kind of application even professional photographers recommend to others and use to enhance their photos. When compared to other photo-editing apps, Snapseed is way too easy to learn, and once you understand its inner beats, there’s no coming back.
Google Forms
Google Forms is a web-based app that’s completely free with a Google account, and you can access it anywhere, anytime. If you’re running an NGO, a registration campaign, questionnaires, or any kind of survey, Google Forms is the app that’ll help you in every way to know better about what your clients want. The application allows you to create professional-looking forms/surveys using themes and can be shared with respondents by sending a link, or you can even embed them on your webpage or blog.
PhotoScan
Have you ever thought of turning your old physical photos into digital form? If yes, then you must have known about the Google PhotoScan app. The app uses your smartphone’s camera to let you scan and save your preferred printed photos. The app doesn’t just take a photo of your physical photos; instead, it creates advanced digital scans, and about the results, you know how good Google is with its camera software.
Google Ads
Google Ads, also called PPC (PayPerClick), is an online advertising platform developed by Google to show paid ads, product listings, or videos on Google search results. If you’re an advertiser who wants to grab the attention of your clients to grow your business, then Google Ads is the only app you’ll ever need. The app is an effective way to quickly generate a ton of qualified traffic toward your site, product, or online stores. Google Ads work better than SEO and even lets you target a specific audience from specific countries for better business opportunities. Once you learn how to use Google Ads, particularly about listings, then the app can be your major source to get the businesses.
Google Meet
Google Meet is an essential and secure video conferencing application for those who want to conduct video meetings online. The app lets you create, join and share high-quality video meetings with up to 1,00,000 viewers. The app allows you to create events directly from the calendar and offers security on every connection, be it audio or video. Google Meet is extremely easy to use and authorises you to share your video, desktop, and presentations with others.
Google Photos
If you click tons of selfies or photos on a daily basis and always run out of storage every other week, then you should consider backing up your old photos with a pre-loaded Google Photos app. The app lets you store, share, view and edit photos and videos with an automatic backup, you just have to select the particular folders. Google Photos also notifies you when about photo memories along with date and location. The app is straightforward to use, and it comes with AI-boosted editing and organisation features, including facial recognition, automatic collages and auto-created movies.
Google Pay
Google Pay is one of the most popular apps developed by Google. The app offers paying-requesting money, bills, recharges, and other online transactions when you add your bank details linked with your current mobile number. The app provides lots of offers and reward points, so next time before you pay via Google Pay, look for the ongoing offers; you might end up earning a hefty cashback or discount after a successful transaction.
Google Arts & Culture
Google Arts & Culture is an excellent app that allows its viewer to visit historical and cultural artworks virtually, but it hasn’t been in the main flow due to less traction and lingered behind. Like its name, it is developed for people who are fond of Art & Culture; the app lets you explore arts, historical wonders and more from thousands of archives, museums and other history organisations. If you’re tired of indoor-travelling on Google Maps and want to go further in these pandemic days, then Google Arts & Culture is the app for you.
Asus is a brand synonymous with extravagance. Be it smartphones or laptops; the brand always offers something extra. But is it always good? We got a chance to answer that question when we reviewed the Asus VivoBook 17 M712. Here’s how it went:
First impressions:
With a 17.3-inch Full HD NanoEdge display, the laptop ensures an immersive and crystal clear visual experience. That, coupled with SonicMaster audio technology, translates to a theatre-like experience in a closed room. It also has an 85 per cent screen-to-body ratio that could have been better, but it looks good.
Usage:
The laptop functions fantastically as a professional device. After all, with the AMD Ryzen 5 Processor and AMD’s integrated Radeon graphics equipped, it is sure to offer smooth performance. However, it is more of a generalist than a specialist and can be best used for productive multitasking, multimedia editing, or casual gaming. It gets 16GB RAM and a PCIe SSD storage that offers quite substantial storage and run speeds. Asus also provides additional storage alongside the SSD, with 1TB SATA HDD.
However, the downside of its enormous size is its keyboard. Although it is a full-size backlit keyboard, it is relatively far from the base of the laptop. Probably because the mouse tracker occupies significant space, but that pushes the keyboard further towards the screen. This makes it slightly cumbersome to use over extended periods, and prolonged usage is almost guaranteed to cause wrist pain. The keys have 1.4mm of travel, which allows feather-touch typing, but their proximity and flatness can lead to frequent mistype under speed.
Connectivity options are plentiful in the VivoBook, with one USB Type-C port, featuring an any-way-up design that makes connecting devices as easy as possible. In addition, there is one USB 3.1 Gen 1 and two USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI 1.4 output, and a microSD card reader. All these options ensure that the user can opt for multiple inputs for the laptop.
Verdict:
A starting price tag of Rs 62,990 might make the user consider other options, but anybody who opts for the VivoBook 17 with a generalist approach will not be disappointed. However, it would be nice if Asus could update the keyboard design in its future models to increase the comfort level of using its laptops.
There are some phrases which patients do not deserve to hear.
“Only if we knew more about the symptoms earlier.”
“We would have been in a better position had you approached us last month!”
“We could have avoided hospitalization if you had taken the right precautions.”
Nor should the doctors be made to say such things given the skill sets they possess. Delays in care are directly related to health risks, high costs, and unnecessary complications. However, what can we do to avoid such instances?
Where does the problem lie?
We have some of the best doctors and pharmaceutical brains in the world, and we also have world-class medical schools and quality care delivery institutions around the country. Yet, we aren’t anywhere close to being called the “best healthcare system in the world.” Reasons are plenty:
Culture of “self-treatment” – Many patients tend to avoid visiting a doctor to save money.
Lack of the culture of wellness – Our healthcare system is based on the goal of treating patients instead of ensuring their wellbeing.
Not enough care providers – Against the WHO recommended ratio of 1:1000, India has 1 doctor for every 1456 people.
Uneven distribution of care providers in urban and rural areas – According to another report, 75% of the healthcare infrastructure of India is concentrated in urban areas despite the fact that more than 65% of the population resides in rural regions.
Unavailability of a connected care continuum – Our healthcare system is not digitized in the major part of the country. The patient information exists in digital or non-digital files which aren’t always accessible to each care stakeholder.
Lack of enough resources – India spends less than 2% of its GDP on healthcare, one of the lowest in the world.
Doctors Deserve To Witness The Innovation
As a nation, we often talk about technology and engineering prowess. From ordering the cereal we eat in the morning to the AR-powered video games we play, technology is at the root of it. From the way we book our movie tickets to how we transfer money from one bank account to another, technology has made this world more convenient and exciting for everyone. However, healthcare has still stayed an exception.
Our banks know more about us than your family physicians – and they are in a better position to manage our preferences than our care providers. One simple reason – our bank piled up every piece of information about its clients and analyzed it to add value to it. On the contrary, our physicians never had the means to analyze anything they ever knew about us!
Role of Data Analytics In Improving Wellness
Early detection of symptoms and making patients aware of their susceptibility to certain health issues have a two-fold benefit of better care outcomes and reduced cost. However, to ensure the same, it is necessary that doctors remain connected with their patients in near or real-time, are empowered with trustworthy data, and supported with actionable insights.
This is where data comes into play. By aggregating, analyzing, and activating data coming from disparate sources, healthcare technology innovations can empower care providers with insights that matter the most right in the moment of care. Imagine your doctor has access to your medical history, your ongoing medication, your vitals, and even your food habits – and then they customize a care plan for you to address every facet of your lifestyle. Double this up with the fact that your doctor regularly recommends wellness checkups and sends you awareness literature around possible health issues. Sounds comprehensive, right?
Such highly sophisticated algorithms can also eliminate the need for manual administrative interventions during patient-doctor interaction time, and thus substantially increase doctors’ understanding of their patients. When implemented across the entire network, AI-enabled, data-driven insights can have a great impact on care and cost outcomes.
Strengthening Primary Care For Quality Healthcare
For any nation, primary care facilities represent the first touchpoint between the system and the people. It is where the at-risk population can be identified and triaged into buckets for the hospitals and even governments to act upon systematically. Once vulnerable groups are identified, we can dedicate ample resources to ensure that their health conditions don’t exacerbate unnecessarily. These timely interventions can not only result in avoiding health complications, but also ensure our already-burdened health system is not further burdened with avoidable emergency care needs.
A population-level comprehension of patient data serves multiple purposes simultaneously. Population health analytics, in fact, can solve different use-cases for different stakeholders too, some of them are listed below:
Hospitals
Increased patient satisfaction and outcomes
Reduced administrative burden on care teams
Enhanced patient awareness
Better resource management and timely care delivery
Rural facilities/ community centres
Quality-focused patient triaging and triggering
Low-cost treatment
Early detection of symptoms
Disburdened facilities
Patients
Increased awareness
Improved relationships with care teams
Reduced expenditure on care needs
Better care outcomes
Policymakers
Evidence-based resource allocation
Rigorous policy improvement cycles
YoY population-level health trends monitoring mechanisms
Timely public health emergency troubleshooting
The Road Ahead
The canvas of technology is untamed, and so should be our aspirations! We need to believe that India’s healthcare system can one day become one of the greatest in this world, but for that to happen, we would need to follow a quality-driven and data-backed approach that can take us closer to this collective objective! Undeniably, primary care will play a crucial role in this transition.
