Tag: Tech Blogs

LG Gram 17 + View Display – Weight? What weight!

LG’s Gram series of laptops was always known for its insane lightweight laptops. Not only did they defy their perception of weight, but they were also excellent productive machines. Continuing their legacy, LG has improved their Gram series for 2022. This laptop tends to defy physics at 1.4kgs for the LG Gram 17-inch. We test the LG Gram 17, and an additional Type-C powered 16-inch WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS View Display.

Productivity perfected 

LG Gram 17 weighs a mere 1.4 kgs and comes with a relatively small 65W Type-C charger. The minimal bezels and bright IPS panel dominate the display area with WQXGA (2560×1600) resolution. Sharp enough for a display this size. Complementing the Gram 17 is a WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS panel called View Display. In an era of a multi-monitor setup, the Gram with View Display makes for an attractive matte-finish mobile workstation. The styling is subtle, with a gram logo on the lid and LG branding below the massive display. The gram logo on the LHS below the keyboard and subtle Intel Evo logo keep things minimalistic yet classy. 

LG Gram 17

Above the display sits a 720P camera alongside an IR camera. LG has done some software trickery with the Glance feature. More on that later. The keyboard is a full-fledged backlit chiclet keyboard with three levels, off, low and high. Ports include an HDMI 2.0 port, two Thunderbolt 4 (type-C) ports, and a headphone jack on the left. There’s a Micro-SD card reader, two USB Type-A 3.2 ports and a Kensington lock on the right. A pair of stereo speakers are placed facing the bottom and could easily get blocked on soft surfaces but sound decent for the laptop size. 

Lightweight chassis with heavyweight performance 

Powered by the latest 12th generation Intel Evo i5-1240P octa-core processor with 16 threads, a blazing fast 5200Mhz 8GB DDR5 RAM, quality 1TB SSD, Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 powered by an 80Wh battery, the LG Gram 17 is a beast wearing a well-fit suit. Everyday productivity is handled like a breeze. Iris(R) Xe graphics unit does a decent job when required. The hardware is more than capable of running Windows 11 Home edition efficiently and comes bundled with Office applications for easy productivity. 

The key press is satisfying on the laptop, and a sizeable gesture-supported touchpad makes the right moves. The View Display is 16-inches and super styled with a brush metal finish; it supports the exact same resolution as the laptop and has seamless connectivity through its thunderbolt 4 ports. The Gram 17 and View Display is configured in a 16:10 ratio, making them apt productivity combinations. The laptop has some additional features and applications to make it ready to use immediately. 

LG Gram 17

The most exciting feature is Glance, a privacy tool that uses LG Merametrix hardware and software to blur the display when someone else is peeping at your display or when you are not looking at your laptop. It’s an interesting take on privacy and security. There are other features in Glance, including Smart Pointer that tracks your eyes to bring the pointer where you’re looking, Snap Window that moves your privacy to the display you are staring at, smart player to pause media when you’re not paying attention and many other smart features. Considering this series is usually preferred as productivity machines, this is an excellent tool for professional and personal use. The View Display gets an Alcantara finish case that doubles as a stand. 

Verdict 

LG’s latest Gram series brings better hardware, software and design in a similar yet fantastic lightweight package with updated ports. Couple that with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a slim, stylish View Display with sturdy built, and this combination is a perfect multi-monitor mobile setup. 

LG Gram 17

Rating – 4.5/5

12th Gen Intel Evo i5-1240P

5200Mhz DDR5 RAM

1TB reliable SSD

Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211

80Wh Battery, 65W Type-C charging

How does Instagram influence music trends?Trending reel music starts trending on music streaming platforms

Instagram is an addictive yet entertaining app. TikTok and other apps popularised the vertical short-form video format. Instagram soon followed as an update to keep up with the consumer demands of our generation. Instagram calls this feature Reels. Reels are arguably one of Instagram’s most consumed forms of video content. Long-term Instagram users may know that Instagram was a picture-sharing platform, but as nerds call it, each video is either 24/30/60 frames of pictures per second. 

Instagram influences music trends 

Instagram reels are all about trending music and music suitable for content uploading. Adhering to the needs of Instagram users, reels have a built-in music selection for your video content on Instagram. TikTok is no longer available in India, so many content creators have switched to what is available, Instagram. A new trend is emerging involving music consumed by the masses in the form of short video content on Instagram.

Maximum reach is achieved when one selects music on the Instagram app for reels. Reels allow user content audio to play alongwith trending music for the reels, followed by many people hopping on the latest trending music to make their content. A new trend witnessed due to this approach is how the selection of music on trending reels influences consumption of that particular song or music on other streaming and download platforms. 

Anatomy of music trends

The song that trends on Instagram as a story or reels directly impacts the song’s consumption in other apps like Spotify, Gaana, Saawan, YT Music, etc. This is a recent phenomenon and is genuinely impacting the music industry. What was once possible for products and services as a form of entertainment through influencer marketing now applies to the music industry. For example, Duke & Jones, Louis Theroux – Jiggle Jiggle song was released on 13th May 2022 and was introduced by the duo as a form of music on TikTok on 14th May 2022. Thanks to the platform, this music saw 2.6 million views on just one platform by 17th May 2022. As the world trend followed, it was soon popularised on Instagram, and millions of views are pouring in as you read this article. A direct influence has this song trending on top charts across music streaming platforms. We believe that as the short form of video consumption popularises new and old music, it will shape and transform the music industry.

Sennheiser IE 300 – The BASSY Buds

To start with, I do not particularly like the hardened cable that stays in one place, but I was pretty surprised by how well Sennheiser 300 sits on my ears. After trying these earphones on, I would not like to change a thing about them, except a few, which we will talk about shortly. 

IE 300 has a decent treble response if we talk about the sound signature, but the bass response on these is pretty sick! Infact, bass response is the standout feature of this device and has a very strange texture. You usually get to hear two types of bass responses in headphones. One is similar to the natural bass sound, like an ample drum space being hot by a large stick, and the other is an electronic one, which is artificial but more powerful. IE 300 has a more natural texture to it but is supremely strong. I recommend buying it if you have an ear for the particular tuning. 

Remember that these earphones cost around Rs 30,000 and is not for a regular headphone user. The device is specially designed for audiophiles who give music their all. Inside the box, you get different sets of earphone tips – silicon, foam and E types; and a soft case for keeping your earphones safe. These earphones are much more expensive than the entry-level ones but promise an experience that capitalises on the benefits of high-resolution audio streaming. 

The body is completely made up of plastic, with each earpiece weighing around 4gms. The included hard cable is detachable, uses a standard MMCX connector, and has a 3.5 mm plug for the incoming audio signal. 

I like these earphones because they give gentle, cheerful beats, and the vocals and instruments all sound distinct and full-bodied. I could listen to all the elements in track as it was meant to be heard. 

However, the downer for IE 300 is that it lacks the microphone feature. If you receive a call when your earphones are plugged in, you’ll probably have to plug it out. 

An In-Depth Look at Smart Contract Audits

I have been thinking about the smart contract audit process and its cost, so I did some little research. Distributions of smart contract arrangements onto the Ethereum blockchain are increasing. Since late 2017, the figure of effective calls to smart contracts has remained steady at 1.2 million per day. It is convincing to ensure that these smart contracts, often holding significant assets, are not misused. At present, a contract audit before deployment is the most preferable option available to detect subtle vulnerabilities and assessing the security code and quality.

What is a smart contract audit?

I am therefore convinced that smart contract audit is a valuation of the secure growth process. In the cause of a smart contract audit, developers have a chance to learn from Ethereum specialists, denote underspecified areas of their system, and detect gaps in their coding process. 

What is smart contract audit cost”

The record shows that over 2 billion USD worth of digital assets safeguarded since it was founded in 2017. Some factors contribute to the cost of a smart contract audit, mention as follows; 

“How much does a it cost?”

 The record shows that over 2 billion USD in digital assets have been safeguarded since the company’s inception in 2017. 

The following factors contribute to the cost of a it:

Complexity

The cost of an audit is affected by the changing complexity of the audit. 

A low-cost audit, for example, is a token that strictly adheres to the ERC20 standard. 

The ERC20 token standard is one of the earliest patterns in Ethereum smart contract development and is defined by the number of hours spent on it.

When the complexity of an audit increases, it necessitates more engineering hours, resulting in a high audit cohesion.

Clear documentation can also help to reduce the complexity of an inspection. 

The cost will rise if there is a lot of time spent.

 Timeline

The issue of time arises when clients require smart contracts audits to be completed in a short period. These clients will be asked to pay a premium. 

The amount of time spent auditing a project varies according to its complexity. 

As a result, the best option is to contact Quantstamp as soon as possible so that you can factor audit time into your development cycle

However, just as smart contract audits cannot replace internal quality assurance, poorer architectures, or overcome complexity or vulnerability, everything in this world has limitations.

Founders Club | Shashank Kumar, Co Founder – Razorpay | Leadership Series

Samsung Galaxy M32 review: M-azing or M-bitious?

If there is a brand synonymous with variety, it has to be Samsung. Right from bank-breaking technological marvels to pocket-friendly mobiles, the Korean tech giant has something for everyone. Its latest offering is the Galaxy M32, which we recently got our hands on. With a price tag comfortably below the 20k mark, let’s see if this smartphone is yay or meh. 

First impressions:

The box it comes in is quite simplistic and not extravagant, which is evident for a smartphone in this price range. Apart from the smartphone, users will also get a charger, ejector pin and manual.

The phone itself is Light Blue and gets 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage. Although it has a 16.21 cm display, its rounded corners reduce the overall size to 15.87 cm. Not that it is terrible, but it is still a compromise. That said, the Super AMOLED Display does ensure all details are vividly seen.

Usage:

Holding the phone is a breeze due to its ergonomic design. That said, I have always been against fingerprint sensors on the lock screen, but that’s just my personal opinion. The phone doesn’t make its weight felt despite being packed with intensive hardware. 

The Galaxy M32 gets a quad-camera setup at the back, with a 64-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide shooter, a 2-megapixel macro shooter, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. A 20-megapixel front camera ensures the most explicit selfies with bright colours. The camera quality is not the best-in-class, but it offers everything to desire in its segment.

Verdict:

Samsung Galaxy M32 packs a 6,000mAh battery claimed to deliver up to 130 hours of music playback, 40 hours of talk time, or 25 hours of video playback on a single charge. The phone also supports 25W fast charging, though it is bundled with a 15W charger in the box. 

 

With a starting price tag of Rs 13399, the phone seems like a good offer. But we’ll have to use it for a while before passing the final verdict!

What Is Lossless & Spatial Audio In Apple Music?

Audiophiles were excited when Apple announced its lossless audio option and industry-leading high-resolution sound quality to subscribers with the addition of Spatial Audio that support Dolby Atmos, but how many of us truly know about its actual definition and purpose? How much better is it than what you’re currently listening to? The answers are a little more involved.

Lossless Audio:

Music in modern times has often been all about innovation, and with every other launch, it offers sharper results. Apple has developed its own lossless audio compression technology called Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), which helps preserve every bit of the original audio file. 

The lossless format can compress the silences to almost zero space while maintaining all sound data as their name implies, making them smaller than uncompressed files and offers Apple Music subscribers the exact same thing that the artists created in the studio. The higher bitrate will help the digital audio file to sound more reliable and accurate. The bitrate of a standard lossless audio track is around 1,411 kbps which is more than four times the audio quality of an MP3 file with a bitrate of 320 kbps.

Lossless audio is available on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV 4K. The company will add an entire Apple Music catalogue of over 75 million tracks available in Lossless Audio by the end of 2021.

How to use Lossless Audio service on your iPhone or iPad:

  1. Go to Settings > Music
  2. Tap Audio Quality
  3. Tap Lossless to switch it on or off. You can choose the audio quality for streaming and downloading audio from here.
  • Choose Lossless for a maximum resolution of 24-bit/48 kHz
  • Choose Hi-Res Lossless for a maximum resolution of 24-bit/192 kHz

How to use Lossless Audio service on your Mac:

  1. Open the Apple Music app.
  2. Choose Music > Preferences.
  3. Click the Playback tab.
  4. Under Audio Quality, select or unselect Lossless to switch it on or off. You can also change the settings for streaming and downloading lossless from here.
  • Choose Lossless for a maximum resolution of 24-bit/48 kHz
  • Choose Hi-Res Lossless for a maximum resolution of 24-bit/192 kHz

Apple becomes the latest one to join the Lossless club along with companies like Spotify, Amazon, Tidal, Deezer, and Qobuz, who have already launched a lossless audio feature for their subscribers. Amazon Music HD offers its subscribers the experience to listen to “Ultra HD” (up to 24-bit/192kHz), while Tidal gives its HiFi subscribers the choice of listening to Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) certified tracks (up to 24-bit/96kHz).

Apple’s Spatial Audio:

Apple’s Spatial Audio was first introduced on its AirPods Pro earbuds in September 2020 with iOS 14 and has evolved tremendously over time. Recently, at WWDC, Apple brought Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos to Apple Music and made its greatest advancement ever in sound quality as listening to a song in Dolby Atmos is like travelling to another world.

Spatial audio is a 360-degree sound format that takes 5.1, 7.1 and Dolby Atmos signals and virtualises them into directional audio filters that surround you, making it seem you are in the heart of the action. Spatial audio recreates the audio experience of a cinema and makes watching movies with Apple products more immersive. 

Apple Music and Dolby are making it easy for musicians, producers, and mix engineers to create songs in Dolby Atmos by transforming the boundary of music. Apple Music is also collaborating with artists and labels to add new releases and create music specifically for the Spatial Audio experience.

Currently, the service is supported in Apple TV 4K, Airpods & headphones with H1 or W1 chip and built-in speakers of the latest iPhone, iPad and Macs with M1 chips. However, Apple Music isn’t the first to introduce spatial audio service on Apple devices, as Tidal launched Atmos Music to Apple TV 4K back in May 2020.

How to listen to Dolby Atmos on your iPhone or iPad:

  1. Update your iPhone or iPad to iOS or iPadOS 14.6. 
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Tap Music.
  4. Under Audio, tap Dolby Atmos. 
  5. Choose Automatic, Always-On, or turn Dolby Atmos off.

How to listen to Dolby Atmos on your Mac:

  1. Update your Mac to macOS 11.4.
  2. Open the Apple Music app.
  3. Choose Music > Preferences.
  4. Click the Playback tab. 
  5. Choose Automatic, Always-On, or turn Dolby Atmos off.

The company is also bringing the Spatial Audio experience to FaceTime, its video conferencing app. Apple’s Spatial audio feature is yet to be available for its headphones as Apple is still working on the technology needs that’ll support head tracking. Still, at the same time, Sony’s Reality Audio 360 is available on its own headphones and high-end speakers.

The Cupertino based company loves music and always tries to offer the latest innovations to its consumers. Once Apple revolutionised the music experience by putting a thousand songs in your pocket with the launch of the iPod and iTunes, and now they are taking your music experience to another world with Lossless & Spatial Audio.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite Review: To Tab Or Not To Tab?

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.

Epidemic, Endurance, and Exhibit!

When SpaceX’s latest launch, the SN8, burst into flames, millions of dollars evaporated but there was not a single wrinkle on Elon Musk’s forehead. In fact, the mad scientist went on to congratulate his team on the failure! That’s how the man is built; taking failures into his stride and on a mission to do the impossible. The idea of building a colony on Mars is the wildest and weirdest dream anyone can have, and if anyone has the ability to execute it in our lifetime, it is probably Musk. I have always been fascinated by him, his journey, his tweets, the hero of startups, and one crazy soul who does first, think later, and goes all in. Read his book, Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance and you will start believing even in Spiderman and Superman. Why Elon Musk, you ask? Because it’s that time of the year when you will be making new year resolutions, and in that it’s a must that you should slide in after you have browsed through our take on 31st parties in these Covid times.

The turn of the year always brings positivity, aspirations, and hope. 2021 will definitely go down the century as the year where hope for 7.5 billion people are all glued in for the vaccine, for the skies to open, to live freely, to stay alive! By this time, the preparations for CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas are in full swing, like many things now it’s a ritual which will be missed massively in fact for the first time ever since the first edition of Exhibit came about – 15 years ago.

Since then, we have seen a lot of highs and lows, though nothing as radical and life-changing as this pandemic. Nevertheless, it is our Nature to bounce back harder than we are hit and that’s exactly what we have done. We persevered through the toughest of times and faced the highest of pressures. But as they say, only the coal that can sustain the highest pressure turns into a diamond. It’s a wrapping issue of 2020, and we have just dropped our podcasts on Spotify and other platforms, next time give us a thumbs up, we will have plenty of conversations, tech hacks coming up there. Moving forward to the next year, all we can wish to carry forward from this year are the learnings, the lessons, and the alterations that we have voluntarily done to our lives. Otherwise, I think you all would pretty much agree that 2020 should have never existed!

Asim Warsi | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: Which quote/s do you always refer to when the chips are totally down?
Asim: Harry S Truman said, “ It’s amazing what you can achieve when no one really cares who takes credit for it.” That has inspired me considerably. I believe it is more about the team and the team effort in the end.

Ex: How has your schedule changed in the new normal?
Asim: When the lockdown happened our schedule did change, but it is pretty much back to normal. However, the intensity of working has increased since it has become imperative to stay connected and keep working. What you would do outdoors now you do at home. So that has been the biggest change in my schedule, in terms of intensity.

Ex: Do you think the extensive use of AI support is dumbing down creative talent and why?
Asim: Whether you look at Bixby or several other platforms that we are working on globally, they have a lot of AI embedded in their development and their backend. So it will surely be a backend in our future development.

Ex: Which are the current premium features of Samsung that will be introduced in budget smartphones?
Asim: We do that as a “main course” for us. Flagships are the fountainhead of the experiences we introduce. In a span of a few years, you see a lot more of the key
technologies cascading into our budget smartphones. For example, the camera tech, the display tech, and the memory tech have all percolated to the lesser-priced models.

Ex: Samsung Pay is an innovative way of payment, How long do you think until it becomes mainstream?
Asim: Since we launched Samsung Pay in 2017, its usage in the Samsung devices has been strong. We have over 10 million users of Samsung Pay and their frequency of usage is quite high. When the users understand the benefits of Samsung Pay, it becomes their go-to payment platform. It is pretty mainstream with Samsung users by now.

Anupam Mittal | Top Leaders In Tech & Auto

Ex: What is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
Anupam: I believe there are a lot of truths out there waiting to be discovered. Even if most people deny this, there are indeed many things that we are yet to know and yet to figure out. The truths that we believe to be true, aren’t necessarily true. Historically speaking, we always have a perspective of many historical events. But as they say, history is a narrative of the victorious. So it is quite possible that the historical events we know today could simply be propaganda.

Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn?
Anupam: The most important one is, you have to lead by example. Surprisingly, I have seen this more in India than abroad. A lot of times we start assuming that the rules that apply to us may not apply to others. I feel that is a big shortcoming. For
youngsters, it is important to understand that the rules that apply to others, apply to them as well. Secondly, leadership has to be about learning. It should not be about dictating. Leadership is about being humble and vulnerable and accepting that just because you are in a leadership position, you are not invulnerable.

Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Anupam: There was a book that I read in 1995 called 2020 Vision by Stanley Davis and Bill Davidson. If you read through that book, it gives you a systematic approach to the way things happen in the contemporary world. Everything written in that book has unfolded verbatim. So I find that quite fascinating and I keep revisiting it frequently.

Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by?
Anupam: There are many quotes that I follow since all of them point out to a different aspect of life. While it is difficult to pinpoint a single one that I adore the most, there is one by Roosevelt that goes, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of
deeds could have done them better.” I also draw a lot of lessons from the Gita.

Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic especially, with dependency on apps and the digital medium increasing drastically?
Anupam: The biggest thing that I am most amazed by, is our adaptability. The way we have adapted to the new way of life, new technologies and whatnot have really surprised me. To me, it is a deeper statement about the human spirit and our need to conquer everything that is thrown our way. So I think that is the biggest lesson for me in the pandemic.

Ex: Shaadi.com must have seen an influx of activity on the platform in the lockdown, what was the key trend that you noticed during this phase?
Anupam: Unfortunately, finding a life partner in India is seen as a very high-pressure situation. The way matchmaking or marriage works in India is completely different from how it works in the West. All our intent is to take away the pressure that is created by Indians during this phase. We saw a huge upsurge in engagements and marriages during this lockdown period. When people logged on to shaadi.com, they realised it is not just a matrimonial site, but a platform for planned marriages and lifetime commitments. So that worked significantly in our favour.

Exit mobile version