Oppo F17 | Review & First Impressions | Is It Worth It?

As Oppo Launches their all-new Oppo F17 & Oppo F17 Pro, we’re sure you are going to get confused as to which one to pick? So here we are with our review about the Oppo F17. Watch the full video to see what we love about the Sleekest phone of 2020.

Travel buffs! Feast upon the new avatar of KOGO 2.0 with automated trip content creation & discovery!

Everyone loves travelling. As humans, we possess a natural tendency that makes us meet new people. We don’t realize it, but we all need it. While listening to an adventurous travel story, have you ever thought of telling one yourself? 

Well, what if someone tells it on your behalf? In an arranged manner without missing out on the slightest detail that we often tend to forget. This is where things get serious. Meet the KOGO TripTracker, the most intelligent device that you’ll witness while travelling! KOGO is a device-app combo that allows you to track your road trips precisely and create stories that include every moment you capture. An app that tells you the nearest local stores, food-points, chai tapris, and even talk and meet with other travelers on the same route for a better experience.  

 

Speaking on the development, Mr Raj K Gopalakrishnan said, “While Corona brought the world to a grinding halt, we worked overtime to add the maximum value to the product for our users. The result is 7 new features and 41 feature enhancements in KOGO 2.0, which I can confidently say is at par with the best platforms in the world today, in terms of performance, features, and architecture. But the big delight for users is AI trip videos. Creating Trip videos (amateur or vlogs) has plagued travelers globally. They never did it, because it required skill and time. We have completely automated the process with our proprietary AI Video Engine. Finish a trip and it’s like magic. A freshly minted video created automatically, with pictures, routes, stats, animation, graphics and music. I truly believe we have opened the floodgates to a boom of user-generated videos.” 

KOGO includes two pieces of an intelligent system. The hardware piece being the KOGO TripTracker with a built-in GPS tracker that tracks one’s position and the software is the KOGO App which eventually puts things together for you to see them. Whether you’re riding, cycling, driving, or hiking, KOGO records everything. It’s like a personal storyteller.  

LOOKS & FEATURES OF KOGO 2.0

kogo

The KOGO TripTracker is a little black box with a GPS tracker, a data SIM card, and its own battery. The device needs to be charged once every seven days. Additionally, don’t worry about travelling in no-network areas; the TripTracker stores up to 20 days of offline content. The device never interferes with your phone’s battery. The device can be mounted on to a motorcycle, a car’s dashboard, or can be put in your backpack. Once the app is enabled and synced with the KOGO TripTracker, it’s magic.  

However, the KOGO 2.0 version of the App has brought new enhancements along with 7 new features. The app is designed to work LIVE, while you enjoy your journey. The features include Kogo Carousel, a part of the new UI that gives a unified view of stories, videos, maps, and live features simultaneously. The AI Video Engine creates completely automated trip videos. Along with all this, you can be a part of the rich global community of travelers by discussing, suggesting, or asking for recommendations. You can participate in KOGO Quests, or create your own, giving yourself another reason to travel.  

KOGO 2.0 tracks every single detail of your trip capturing routes, halts, places of interest, weather, and more. You don’t even have to stop at times. The app does it automatically if you happen to miss an event or place of interest on the way. It finds an unlicensed photograph of the event for you to remember. Through the KOGO TripTracker, you’ll have automated sync of your photos, videos, and text with the route, stops and moments.  

The magic doesn’t end here. KOGO 2.0 enables enhanced discovery of trips, people, and quests with different filters such as Nearby, Trip Duration, Distance, Tags and Recommended. It also enables you to ask for Live help from other travelers and the community while on a trip. It also comes with a direct messaging feature between users. The AI storytelling Engine of KOGO turns your trip timeline into amazing trip videos and rich travel stories with maps, images, videos, and text. You can revisit and share your experiences through your stories across social media. It even creates customized cards of your content while you share.  

The KOGO App is free to download on Android and iOS and the device is available at an introductory price of INR 7,749. The one-year subscription cost for premium features of the app is INR 1,499. You can buy it on Amazon or across 125 points of sale in India.  

 

 

Acer Spin 5 | Review | Worthy Apple Alternative?

We recently switched sides from Apple to Windows and chose the Acer Spin 5 for the switch. Did it make us forget the Macbook or did it make us fall in love with Windows? Find out in this video where we talk about the convertible laptop.

Exhibit | Tech This Week | Episode 8

Hello, Welcome to the 8th episode of ‘Tech this Week’ where we bring you the latest & trending news of the tech world and reviews about the new launches in this tech industry. So if you don’t want to miss out on any latest updates then LIKE, SHARE & SUBSCRIBE to our channel & don’t forget to hit the BELL ICON to get all the notifications.

In today’s episode we talk about :

New Launches : Acer Swift 5 & Swift 3, Acer Spin 7 With Snapdragon 8cx 5G SoC, Samsung Galaxy Book Flex 5G, Realme 7 Pro and Realme 7, Oppo F17 Pro and Oppo F17, Compaq Smart TVs & Asus Unveils ZenBook.

Top 5 News of the week :
1. PUBG Mobile among the latest Chinese apps banned in India
2. Fujifilm breaks mirrorless speed record with new f/1.0 lens
3. Poco M2 With Water Drop Style Notch Set to Launch in India on SEP 8
4. LG Teases Dual Screen Smartphone Launch on SEP 14, Could be ‘Wing’
5. Samsung Galaxy A42 5G With Super AMOLED Display, Quad Rear Camera Setup Launched

Audi and Nunam transform old laptop batteries to mobile power banks!

Everyone is aware of the wonders-on-wheels that Audi launches. However, what we don’t know is that the company has been trying to give back to the environment! Yes, since 2009, the Audi Environmental Foundation has been supporting innovative projects that strengthen environmental protection. Recently, the foundation is known to support the non-profit start-up company ‘Nunam’. The 29-year old German-Indian founder found a unique way to prevent premature recycling of electronic waste and provide a cheap alternative of electricity to the ones in need.

Have you ever thought about what happens to your used, but waste-laptops; the ones that you sell for recycling purposes? Nunam is just another stop in the supply chain of electronic waste, except it’s a more sustainable one. The company buys discarded laptop batteries from scrap dealers in the Indian state of Karnataka and uses their battery cells for stationary energy storage systems. The results are another source of power that can be used to supply electricity to items that consume small amounts of power such as smartphones, fans, or lamps. These power banks further serve as a power source for small vendors, fruit and vegetable merchants at a market and in rural parts of the country. 

By doing so, the start-up is aiming to overcome various challenges with a single solution. First, it saves energy by ensuring that the batteries are fully utilized. Those batteries are not produced, they’re reused. This conserves raw materials and energy in the production phase. Additionally, reusing the material reduces the amount of scrap that would otherwise end up in residual waste, landfills, or recycling. The resulting power banks are charged with solar energy and not with coal-based electricity, thus fostering cleaner energy systems. At last, they’re providing access to clean energy to ones in need, with a 20% reduction in cost. 

Nunam co-founder Prodip Chatterjee says: “We are creating win-win situations: Old battery cells that would otherwise end up in residual waste are first reused and then disposed of properly. Scrap dealers earn money by reselling to us and Indian families and merchants benefit from affordable power banks. A five-year-old laptop can serve as a light source for Indian fruit and vegetable merchants at a market, can power a small fan, or can charge a mobile phone.”

The company takes care of the entire cycle of used battery system~ from procurement of used batteries to recollection from energy users and final recycling. They use real-time data, analytics, and cloud computing to help them track the whole process. Nunam has so far found that old laptop batteries have an average remaining capacity of approximately two thirds. It starts by testing the capacity and condition~ the ones with more than 60% residual capacity are assembled into new power banks, with approximately 1kWh; which eventually ends up charging smartphones or operating smaller household appliances for a day. These prototypes are connected to the Internet via SIM card and transmit data which ensures that the power banks are returned to Nunam again at the end of their service life. Nunam passes the ‘used-second-life’ batteries to a local battery recycling company. 

 “Technology is most environmentally friendly when it remains in use as long as possible. If we can do it for other purposes after their initial use, we can save energy and raw materials and reduce the amount of electronic waste. Effective cycles are an important lever for conserving resources,” said Rüdiger Recknagel, Managing Director of the Audi Environmental Foundation. The foundation therefore targets its support to projects for environmentally friendly use of technology under the “Greenovation” action area.

Tech This Week: The 7th edition!

Hello and welcome to the 7th edition of Tech This Week. We give you a weekly recap of all major tech events around the world, along with significant India launches. Apart from tech this week, we have reviews, unboxing, auto tech, and much more. Let’s get to it.

Nubia Red Magic 5S Pre-Orders Begin Globally

Nubia Red Magic 5S global availability has been announced, and pre-orders have begun in several countries outside of China. The base model of the smartphone is priced at EUR 579

Launched in July, the Nubia Red Magic 5S sports a 6.65-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with 2k resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 144Hz refresh rate, and 240Hz touch response rate.

The gaming smartphone features top-of-the-line specifications and comes with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC that has a maximum clock speed of 2.84GHz. The Nubia Red Magic 5S has a USB Type-C, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. Customers can also pair the phone with a number of accessories listed on the website. One of them is Ice Dock, which is essentially the company’s proprietary ICE 4.0 system that uses a combination of both thermal and air cooling to reduce heat generation.

Vivo Y20, Y20i launched in India

Vivo has launched two new smartphones in India. Launched under the Y series, the new phones are called the Vivo Y20 and the Y20i.vThe Vivo Y20 has been announced to be available for purchase at retail stores, Vivo India e-store, and other major e-commerce websites starting August 28, 2020. The company has announced that the device will be priced at Rs 12,990 for the single 4GB+64GB variant.

The Y20i will be available for purchase starting September 3, 2020. The phone has been announced to be made available at Rs 11,490 across retail stores, Vivo India E-store, and other major e-commerce websites. Both the Y20 and Y20i are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 Mobile Platform processors. The Vivo Y20 and Y20i come with a 6.51-inch Halo iView display with an elongated aspect ratio of 20:9 and HD+ (1600 x 720) resolution. The two devices also bring with them side-mounted fingerprint scanners which are claimed to unlock the phone in just 0.22s. Both the phones pack a massive 5,000mAh battery with 18W FlashCharge technology that is claimed to last up to 16 hours of online HD movie streaming and 11 hours of resource-intensive games.

Realme 7, 7 Pro India launch set for September 3

Realme will launch the Realme 7 and Realme 7 Pro, while a third toned-down version Realme 7i could enter much later in the series. The highlighted feature is going to be the 65W fast charging tech on the Realme 7 series. It could be the first smartphone series that brings the high-rated charging speed for about Rs 20,000.

There will be an in-display fingerprint sensor on the Realme 7-series, Realme has been teasing the word “faster” for the Realme 7 series ever since it began building hype around it. It may refer to a new Snapdragon or Helio processor that does not have 5G connectivity since a rumor suggested previously there will be no 5G support on the Realme 7 series. The rest of the specifications of the Realme 7 series are not out yet and we will have to wait for the company teasers, and finally, the event to know more about the Realme 7 and Realme 7 Pro.

Fitbit launches Sense, Versa 3 and Inspire 2 in India

Fitbit on Tuesday announced its latest lineup of wearables in India. The company announced Fitbit Sense, Versa 3, and Inspire 2. The Fitbit Sense is touted as the company’s most advanced heart smartwatch with sensors including an on-wrist skin temperature sensor, advanced heart rate tracking technology, and more. Fitbit Sense was launched in India for Rs 34,999 while the Fitbit Versa 3 is priced at Rs 26,499. The Inspire 2 is slightly on the cheaper side as it costs Rs 10,999.

Sony Bravia X9000H series 4K LED TVs have been launched in India.

Sony Bravia X9000H series 4K LED TVs have been launched in India. The new series features full-array LED backlighting, HDR, Android TV operating system, support for Apple AirPlay2, and HomeKit. It will also have the ability to run upcoming PlayStation 5 games at up to 4K resolution with a 120fps frame rate. Sony Bravia X9000H series will be available in two sizes in India. The 55-inch model  is priced at Rs. 1,09,990, while the 65-inch model  is priced at Rs. 1,59,990. The new series will be available across all major Sony retail stores and e-commerce websites.

Xiaomi Mi TV Horizon Edition to Launch in India on September 7

Xiaomi has announced that it will be launching the Mi TV Horizon Edition in India on September 7. It’s likely to be the company’s most premium offering in the television segment yet. A teaser page by Xiaomi has revealed some features, including familiar ones such as the company’s Patchwall launcher and the fact that the television will likely run Android TV at its base. The ‘Horizon Edition’ branding borrows from Xiaomi’s recently launched Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition, which features a high screen-to-body ratio with thin bezels. The Mi TV Horizon Edition could feature a similar design.

Asus Zenfone 7 Pro, Zenfone 7 bring flip cameras back, have 90Hz displays

Asus Zenfone 7 series is finally official and brings back the interesting flip cameras on them. Asus is launching the  Zenfone 7 and the Zenfone 7 Pro, with only a few differences between them. There is top-end hardware on both smartphones, but what has been significantly improved are the cameras. The Zenfone 7 and Zenfone 7 Pro have three cameras now.

Google and Netflix make it clear they are not buying TikTok

With not much time on its hands to sell its operations in the US, TikTok is making every attempt to save its ship from sinking. TikTok recently approached Netflix to acquire its US arm. However, the streaming giant did not show interest in a deal with TikTok. Also, Google (CEO) Sundar Pichai has said that the company has no plans to acquire TikTok. As of now, Microsoft and Oracle have been the front runners who have shown interest in buying TikTok.

Mi 10T Pro Live Images Allegedly Leaked, Tipped to Come With 108-Megapixel Camera

Mi 10T Pro live images have been allegedly leaked and the phone is said to be part of Xiaomi’s new Mi 10T series. The Mi 10 series includes the Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro, Mi 10 Lite, Mi 10 Lite Zoom, and the Mi 10 Ultra. The images on the OfferUp website show a Mi smartphone with a single hole-punch cutout on the top left, thin bezels all around, and a grey back panel. This phone is said to be the Mi 10T Pro. The camera module can also be seen on the back, with the 108-megapixel camera branding.

Redmi 9 with MediaTek Helio G35 SoC, MIUI 12 launched in India

It hasn’t been too long since the launch of the Redmi 9 Prime in India, and now the company has launched a new smartphone, the Redmi 9 in the country. The Redmi 9 comes with a 6.53-inch-display which can churn up to HD+ resolution. However, what’s under the hood is more interesting. For hardware, the device gets at least 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage paired to a powerful budget segment chipset, the Helio G35 SoC.

The phone is available in two variants, with the 4GB+64GB variant available at a starting price of Rs 8,999 while the 4GB+128GB variant will be available at Rs 9,999.

Apple will launch its first online store in India in September, physical stores are slated for 2021

Apple will launch its first online store in India in September, the online store will be ready for operations just ahead of the festive Dussehra-Diwali spending season.

Apple is also planning to bring in two physical retail stores in India. The first one will be launched in (BKC) locality, and a second store will be launched in Bangalore near Minsk Square.

Poco X3 leaked online

Since becoming an independent brand in itself, Poco has launched a number of new smartphones in the market. The latest in the list was the budget segment offering, the Poco M2 Pro, and now the company could be ready to follow it up with a slightly more premium phone, the Poco X3. The phone could come with a 5,160mAh battery with support for 33W charging (11 Volts at 3 Amps). This will be quite a step up from the Poco X2 which has a 4,500mAh battery with 27W charging.

DJI officially announces Osmo Mobile 4, adding magnetic mounts to the foldable phone stabilizer

DJI is expanding its lineup of motorized smartphone video stabilizers with the newly announced Osmo Mobile 4. The DJI OM4 is available for $149, about $20 more than the Osmo Mobile 3 cost at launch, but it’s worth pointing out that the higher price includes a lot more accessories: a magnetic ring holder, magnetic clamp, carrying case, and a tripod.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S7, Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ Tipped to Go on Sale in India on September 7

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 series was recently spotted on Amazon.in, hinting at an imminent launch in the Indian market, and now a rumor suggests that pre-orders for the tablets will begin real soon in India, and shipping will start from September 7. The two tablets are already listed on Amazon.in and Samsung India website, but their pricing or availability hasn’t been announced yet.

Flipkart Launches Nokia Media Streamer With Android 9 and Dedicated Remote, Priced at Rs. 3,499

Flipkart has launched the Nokia Media Streamer, a new Android-based streaming device for televisions, priced at Rs. 3,499. The  Nokia Media Streamer runs on Android 9, has a dedicated remote, and supports up to full-HD resolution streaming. Like other popular streaming devices such as the Mi TV Stick and the Amazon Fire TV Stick, this streamer will connect to your television through the HDMI port, and to the Internet via Wi-Fi to fetch streaming content. The Nokia Media Streamer has been on sale since August 28 on Flipkart.

Honor Watch GS Pro, Honor ViewPad 6, Honor ViewPad X6 to Launch on September 4

Honor Watch GS Pro is expected to launch at the IFA 2020 trade show on September 4. Honor is set to deliver a keynote address at the event in Berlin, where it is expected to launch the new smartwatch alongside the global variants of its Honor Pad 6 and Honor Pad X6 tablets. The 9.6-inch screen Honor Pad X6, also called ViewPad X6, begins at roughly Rs. 11,600. The Honor Pad 6 (or ViewPad 6) has almost the same specifications as the Pad X6, but a bigger 10.1-inch panel, and is sold at roughly Rs. 13,480.

ŠKODA to debut in the EV segment tomorrow: Here’s all you need to know!

ŠKODA lovers around the world have been waiting a long time for the Czech company to enter the electric vehicle market. Finally, the company has confirmed the launch of its first fully-electric vehicle on September 1, the ENYAQ iV. While all the official details and specifications will be revealed tomorrow, here’s what you should know about the electric SUV.

ŠKODA will offer the ENYAQ iV in various design versions: either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, with three different battery capacities and five performance versions. The basic model will be the ENYAQ iV 50 with a battery capacity of 55 kWh, which will have a 109 kW electric motor mounted on the rear axle and will deliver a range of up to 340 kilometres per charge. Next up will be the ENYAQ iV 60 with a 132 kW electric motor and a 62 kWh battery. This version will have a range of 390 kilometres. The biggest range, up to 500 kilometres, will be offered by the ENYAQ iV 80 with an 82 kWh battery capacity and a 150 kW electric motor. The two four-wheel-drive versions will also have the highest-capacity battery and a second electric motor at the front in addition to the one on the rear axle. The ENYAQ iV 80X will offer 195 kW of power, while the downright sporty RS will deliver 225 kW. The most dynamic version will accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds and have a top speed of 180 km/h. Both four-wheel-drive versions will have a maximum range of 460 kilometres.

The generous interior space of the ENYAQ iV is attributed to the MEB platform, which houses the traction battery in the vehicle’s floor. This leaves maximum possible room for the occupants. The 585-litre luggage compartment is proof that the car is also sufficient for most purposes. As a result, the ŠKODA ENYAQ iV will be both a dynamic and a practical electric vehicle.

Norbert Weber, head of interior design at ŠKODA says, “ The new design concept of the ENYAQ iV combines spaciousness and a ‘lounge feeling’. Instead of the usual equipment lines and numerous additional options, we are offering our new Design Selections in the ENYAQ iV for the first time. These are reminiscent of modern living environments, featuring perfectly coordinating colours and materials.”

At 4,648 millimetres long and 1,877 wide, the electric ENYAQ iV SUV will be slightly smaller than the standard ŠKODA KODIAQ. But its height of 1,618 millimetres is a clear sign that the ENYAQ iV will have more dynamic qualities. Even so, buyers of the first electric SUV from ŠKODA can look forward to a spacious interior that gives the impression of a living room. This is underlined by the new interior concept: customers can choose from various versions and ŠKODA, for the first time in a mass-produced car, is using sustainable materials like leather tanned with an olive extract.

Charging capacity will be up to 125 kW, which will make it possible to charge the battery from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in just forty minutes. The company is expected to reveal the price range for the e-SUV tomorrow, though it is expected to start from Rs 28 lakhs (ex-showroom). Deliveries should begin by 2021 across the world.

Asus ROG Phone 3 review: Entering the Republic of Gamers

I have been a gamer for a long time and I have been playing games since the age of 8-bit graphics and blocky controls. I have seen gaming evolve from gigantic controllers that only offered basic functions to gesture-based controls that take user inputs from thin air. Today, I will be talking about the pinnacle of modern gaming. This is a review of the Asus ROG Phone 3.

Touch and Feel:

Sticking to the ROG family, the ROG Phone 3 features subtle design upgrades such as a transparent window for the heat sink on the glass back and an overall sleek appearance. However, it carries forward the shape, dimensions, and RGB light-up logo at the back from the ROG Phone 2. ROG stands for the Republic Of Gamers and Asus wanted that to be the phone’s highlight. This was made evident the moment I held the phone in my hand. It has a hefty and chunky feel to it and its design simply calls out to the gamer in you.

I was greeted with a massive 6.59-inch AMOLED screen with a built-in fingerprint scanner.  The phone is quite comfortable to hold and gave me an intuitive experience. I really liked the two speakers that are front-facing, so the sound is not blocked even if I stick my fingers to the side of the phone. The volume rocker and power button are accompanied by two capacitive AirTriggers, which are extremely useful when playing shooting games like PUBG or COD.

Gaming benefits:

There is a special mode, called X Mode and this is where things get serious for the ROG Phone 3. Clicking on this mode will change the wallpaper, letting you know that the phone is ready to game. Next, this mode offers different scenario profiles, with different performance settings. It also allows you to thoroughly customize the phone’s performance for the game of your choice. For example, I was able to not only alter parameters like touch sensitivity, refresh rate for the display and network restrictions, I could also alter the CPU and GPU performance for each game individually! The phone also offers up to 144Hz refresh rate, giving a seamless response to every touch input, along with a completely lag-free gaming experience even at 60fps and higher.

Another gaming benefit of the ROG Phone 3 is the Snapdragon 865 Plus processor and an overclocked Adreno 650 GPU. This hardware has been specially designed to offer the best gaming experience and it nails the job. Any game I clicked on opened almost instantly and I was ready to play even before my friends’ games had started. The phone also gets a new cooling system to keep the heat out when overclocking for higher frame rates.

Battery backup:

Asus has given the ROG Phone 3 a 6000mAh battery which can easily last for more than a day, but with light use. Heavy gamers who prefer the highest graphic setting will find the battery draining a lot faster. However, that can be taken care of due to the fact that the phone supports QuickCharge 4.0 and comes with a 30W charger. This means you can fully charge the phone, from 0 percent in little more than an hour.

Camera:

Though it is a gaming smartphone, it does get a decent camera setup. There is a 64MP shooter posing as the main camera, along with a 13MP ultra-wide angle lens and a 5MP macro lens. Selfie lovers can use the single 24MP front-facing camera. Overall, the quality of the camera is not outstanding, but that’s not what this phone is about either.

Verdict:

With a starting price around the Rs 50,000 mark, the Asus ROG Phone 3 is definitely not a casual buy. But what you get for that kind of money is one of the best gaming setups in the market, in a size that fits in your pocket. It lacks wireless charging which is a drawback in this price range and overall the ROG Phone 3 is best used for gaming only. The phone is a little large and heavy to carry around, but ardent gamers will overlook these parameters easily. Personally, if I were to pick this phone I would give up all my gaming paraphernalia. But that’s just me…

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

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

LG GX 4K Smart OLED TV

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When Art & Technology meet to create an Immersive Experience.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Nokia 3210

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

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

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Blackberry 6210

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

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

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

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Amazon Kindle

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

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 Apple iPod

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

Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones

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

 Panasonic DVD L-10

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

 Sony Discman D-50

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

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

 Sony Walkman TPS-L2

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

Apple iPad

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

 LED

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

MicroSD 

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

Apple’s iPhone

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

Fisher AG7 Space Pen 

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

 

Motorola Razr V3 

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

Hamilton Pulsar 

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

Casio G-Shock DW-5000C

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

Lithium-ion batteries

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

Zippo 

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

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

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

Fossil Hybrid HR Smartwatch 

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

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

Google Glass

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

Black and Decker Electric Cordless Drill 

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

Epson HX-20

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

Palm Pilot 1000

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

Motorola Bravo Pager 

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

Acer Swift 5 

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

DJI Phantom

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

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

Belkin SoundForm Elite Hi-Fi Smart Speaker + Wireless Charger

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

Logitech Harmony Remote

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

Apple Watch Series 5 

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

Nintendo Game Boy

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

TomTom GPS

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

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

Sony PlayStation

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

Oculus Rift

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

FitBit

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

Segway

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

Google Nest Hub Max Smart Display

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

August wifi smart lock

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

SAREGAMA

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

Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD

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

Bose Portable Home Speaker

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

Apple AirPods Pro

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

Nintendo Switch Lite

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

Logitech mx master 3 advanced wireless mouse

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

Logitech G613 wireless mechanical gaming keyboard

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

 

JBL Pulse 4 waterproof Bluetooth speaker

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

Amazon Echo Studio Smart Speaker

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

Google Pixelbook Go Chromebook

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

iRobot Roomba Intelligent Floorvac

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

Philips Somneo Sleep and Wake-up light

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

Microsoft Surface Go 2

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

Audio Technica Turntable

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

NVIDIA Shield TV Streaming Player

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

Wemo Smart Plug

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

Amazon Echo Dot

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

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

GoPro HERO8 Black

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

Bose Soundbar 700

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

Toshiba DVD Player

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

Arlo Video Doorbell 

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

Victrola Record Player 

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

Sony Trinitron

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

Amana Radarange Microwave Oven

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

PhoneMate 400 Answering Machine 

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

JVC Video Cassette recorder

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

Fujifilm Instax Mini

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

Raspberry Pi 

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

Commodore 64

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

Atari 2600

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

Kodak brownie camera

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

Apple Macintosh

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

Vivo X50 Pro

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

Sonu Sood : THE MODERN MESSIAH | Editor’s Note August ’20

When I heard that CES 2021 is going virtual, it took me a few days to come to terms with that as I could not stomach this piece of news. Firstly, in my mind, 2020 is not to be counted and the start of 2021 without being at CES looked like an extension of 2020. In fact, for the last 9 years, it was nothing short of a religious process to start January submerged with all the tech and meet all my friends and folks who “download” themselves in Las Vegas from all over the world and in between the casinos and the exhibition halls, the year was shaped. But this was inevitable and an expo of that scale in between the pandemic would have been catastrophic. Even if we are at the tail end or in a better situation with vaccines being produced. So just like the virtual launches that we have got used to now with the Hector Plus, Tucson, Kia Seltos, the OnePlus Nord (With its AR launch), Samsung Galaxy unpacked event and the rest, Virtual CES is something that will be painful to swallow but will be in line with the new normal.

This month, launches kept dropping from the tech and auto world and the signs that we are in the midst of a pandemic started to diminish; perhaps signs of the economy opening up. Amidst all, the OnePlus Nord virtual AR launch was something that was a spectacular treat and satisfied the nerds in us. The auto sales this month are also almost neck to neck with July 2019, at 197,523 units. This is also the first issue since lockdown when we went to a studio, had a stylist, pro lensman, hair, makeup, studio and the entire sanitization frills along with the man of the moment Sonu Sood just like we used to do pre-COVID times, nowadays called ‘BC’ (Before COVID).

I have known Sonu for 4 years now and the first time I had met him was when he walked Exhibit -tech fashion tour. I had observed how the media and photographers lap on him. Because of his affable nature, having come from ground zero and made his own niche in south and Hindi film industry, it was hardly surprising when he came forward and has now made a name for himself in the history of “The Great India Migrant Movement’. Sometimes you just need to do your bit and a movement starts. Sonu Sood is that example and when we are in the cusp of celebrating our 74th independence with 74 gadgets that have changed our lives, there can be no better person to dote our cover.

His fearlessness and the decision to go out and meet 1000s of people amidst the COVID proves a point, either he believes in his immunity – the fitness freak that he is or in karma. I think it’s a bit of both. Now as we have learnt to live with the virus, we should never unlearn that it’s only the essentials that matter in life, rest everything is a chase a mirage which engulfs our whole life.

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