Triple threat – Pixel 6a, Nothing Phone (1) and OnePlus 10T

Most of us already use phones, and the upgrade cycle seems like a constant change we all must endure. Either the phone gives up, or you are simply bored of using something daily that feels dated! If you are in the market with a midrange budget and want something different from most others, your options are still plenty. We have three amazing new phones, all launched a few months ago and all of which have received their share of OTA updates. Contenders demanding your hard-earned money are as follows.

Google Pixel 6a – The first phone in India to officially get the Android 13 update, albeit with beta program enrollment.

Nothing Phone (1) – The first phone from Nothing and one of the most astonishing phones money can buy.

OnePlus 10 T – OnePlus’s latest offering cuts the costs associated with additional hardware while providing a sensational nostalgic experience of the OnePlus from the past.

Disclaimer – All these phones are different from one another. From their choice of chipsets to hardware and software, these are one of the only phones with a bloat-free near-stock Android experience out of the box.

The whole design truth

Pixel 6a – I love the form factor, and with the clever use of good-quality polycarbonate plastic at the rear, the phone feels lightweight. The front glass is Gorilla glass 3, one of the best iterations of Gorilla glass, to be honest. The camera bump is less pronounced compared to most phones. The emission of a headphone jack feels unnecessary but encourages wireless audio accessories. Overall the Pixel 6a form factor and feel are second to none, and adding the IP67 rating; this phone is built to age gracefully.

Nothing Phone (1) – Interesting looking smartphone, isn’t it? The overall silhouette resembles an iPhone 13 pro max, albeit with lighter weight in comparison, and a whole conversation starter of a rear. Getting a call with the Glyph interface is like enhancing the flashlight effect on most phone ringtones and amplifying it to the next level. The edges are smooth, and the overall feel is sturdy and dense though slippery. Unlike most phones, this phone does not get an oleophobic coating on the touch Gorilla glass 5. The transparent back is an eye-catcher, and cases with lights shining through add to the appeal of using this phone. Nothing phone (1) gets an IP53 rating.

OnePlus 10T – No alert slider, duck move! The chrome bezels may appeal to bling lovers, while the subtle curves on the camera bump make this design feel like a polished version of the OnePlus 10 Pro. Gone is the hideous text neat the cameras, and this phone feels like an excellent OnePlus reboot with the essentials done perfectly.

Performance

Pixel 6a uses Samsung architecture to make their Tensor SoC with an additional Tensor processing unit for the camera, privacy, AI and machine learning. The processor is paired with 6GB DDR5 RAM, and overall, the performance is decent unless you start pushing this setup while gaming. The phone manages to throttle and warm up considerably during long gaming sessions. Other than that, the Android 13 update has improved the overall experience on the Pixel 6a by many folds. The battery drain is now optimised when idle, and currently, the phone manages a day with ease.

Up to 12GB DDR5 RAM powers nothing Phone (1), and the Snapdragon 778+ is a balanced mix of performance and stamina. The phone has gotten almost six updates since our time with the phone, and the overall UI, camera performance and gaming performance have only improved over time. Excellent work, team Nothing!

OnePlus 10T – Hell yeah! This is the OnePlus that most OnePlus fans were waiting for! Flagship internals paired with decent above, average hardware makes the 10T an excellent choice for someone who wants to best of Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 in a relatively budget package. Games run at top levels of graphic fidelity with smooth and overall operations are snappier than ever before. Camer processing in low light takes a couple of seconds, making it an excellent phone for performance lovers. Also, this is the only one of the three that comes with a charger, a freaking 150W charger that charges 0-100% in less than 20 minutes. Pixel 6a lacks charging versatility with only 18W charge capabilities and is adamant about using good cables and chargers. Nothing phone (1) charges at 45W!

Cameras

In daylight, all these phones click amazing pictures with rich details, OIS and EIS goodness with good contrast and saturation. The ultrawide sensors are also pretty decent on all the phones. The Pixel wins hand down on most post-processing thanks to Google algorithms. The thing to note is that in low light conditions, the Pixel viewfinder is noisy AF. Still, post-click image processing does wonder! Both the Nothing Phone (1) and the OnePlus 10T use the same Sony IMX766 sensor, and this sensor is no joke. In fact in low light, the sensor beats the 12MP sensors of the Pixel 6a in pure details thanks to added information with more megapixels.

Conclusion –

All three phones appeal to different target audiences. If you already use the iPhone and want a decent Android phone as your second phone, the Pixel 6a, with the absolute best of Google and Android, is a great option. The camera sensors are tried and tested 12MP sensors found on the Pixel 5 series with years of algorithmic trickery, the phone is relatively compact, and an additional magic eraser in the photos app makes editing images a breeze. The Internet has proven this to be a 90Hz display with a 60Hz lock for system stability. Maybe a future OTA update might unlock a smoother refresh rate.

The OnePlus 10T is an example of the quintessential OnePlus of the past. It does away with things that add to the price while performing like a flagship smartphone of this era. Let’s not forget that the 10T packs hardware rivalling the best smartphone worlds at a relative midrange price. For gamers, this is the phone of choice and being the largest proves to be a great multi-media companion. The Nothing Phone (1) brings a cool factor to midrange smartphones and, at this price, is one of the only ones that get wireless and reverse wireless charging. The iPhone-like wrapped OLED display is top-notch and makes for a fantastic smartphone experience. You cannot go wrong with either of the phones in this era. Let us know your favourite among the three and which one would be your weapon of choice.

Canon Maxify 6070-The real DOER

Canon’s latest super tank printers have been a favourite amongst small & medium-sized business users. Keeping this demography as the main focus point, Canon has introduced its MAXIFY GX6070 series with a lot of ink, enough for around 6000 mono and 14000 colouring pages.

Moreover, this printer can print on various textures and print surfaces and ensures businesses do not need to buy different printers when there is a need to switch between envelopes, labels, glossy paper, and banner paper. Equipped with an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder), it can easily hold up to 100 documents at a time to process. Also, the convenience of not just printing but even scanning, copying and faxing makes it a versatile all-rounder printer to have.

How are the overall Design and Build quality?

Weighing close to 11.6kgs, it definitely isn’t a small device which restricts its portability, knowing that a printer’s placement is hardly changed in a corporate environment. The white boxy look is pretty contemporary with room for 250 sheets in the main paper tray, 100 sheets in the tray at the rear and another 100 sheets in the ADF.

It is sturdy and well-built with a tiltable touchscreen to control all its functions. The translucent ink tanks are large enough to hold a substantial amount of ink, which eliminates downtime as compared to its cartridge alternative. Even the paper output tray is comparatively larger than usual and is capable of holding 100 sheets of paper.

How well is the Connectivity?

A USB Host port has been given for walk-up printing from a flash memory drive, which is a convenient option, but this printer has built-in Wi-Fi, broadening its connectivity horizons. It misses out on an NFC module but is compatible with all of the popular wireless protocols such as Apple AirPrint, Wireless Direct, Mopria and of course Canon’s own PIXMA Cloud Link. It also works with Google Assistance and Amazon Alexa, but the most I enjoyed most was by printing directly using my smartphone and being connected via wi-fi to the printer. What makes the Canon Maxify, even more, user-friendly is the tilting touchscreen which offers quick and easy access to the printer’s host of features.

What’s the Performance like?

The Canon MAXIFY GX6070 surpassed our expectations without any paper jams or misprints. It’s printing speed is quite quick when printing just in black and white. It functions quietly too at just 49dB. Printing monochrome pages like that of a textbook, look consistently sharp and crisp.

Colour documents and photos on photo paper also appear clean and unblemished by horizontal lines or any other disturbances. However, higher resolution images with too much detail, colour and shadows can look grainy, even at the highest print quality.

Should you consider it?

There’s not much to pin-point about the Canon MAXIFY GX6070. It is well built, user-friendly, comprehensively feature packed and has an all-rounded performance which packs enough for domestic or business purposes. The icing on the cake is those big refillable ink tanks which can store a generous amount of ink, which eliminates the need for you to buy more for a long time. And when you do happen to excruciate every drop of it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the cost of the bottled ink and the price you pay per print. For its price, yes, it’s high for an inkjet printer in today’s scenario, but you’ll end up saving money in the long term.

Reasonable: Cost of printing and connectivity

Bad: Form factor is obsolete

Ugly: High price for an ink tank printer

Rating: 3.5 star

Price: Rs.48,000 /- ( Approx as online )

Specifications :

Print, Scan, Copy
ISO standard print speed (A4): up to 24.0 images per minute black / 15.5 images per minute colour
Wireless, Wired LAN, Mopria, AirPrint, Direct Wireless
Recommended monthly print volume: 300 to 2 500 pages (A4 (21.0 x 29.7cm))

Xiaomi pad 5-Challenger or a complete iPad Rip-off

Xiaomi Pad 5 specifications:

10.95-inches 2.5K LCD display |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 processor |
6GB RAM+ 128GB or 256GB storage |
13MP rear camera + 8MP front camera |
8720 mAh battery with 22.5W charging |
MIUI for Pad on Android 11|

Design

The design is no doubt spectacular and sleek. It feels rigid and weighs around 511 grams, which does make it slightly heavier than the iPad 9th gen, but it doesn’t feel much heavy. This tablet has a polycarbonate back, though at first glance it certainly doesn’t look and feel like one. This does not mean that the build quality is compromised in any way. All in all, with its sharp edges and curves, it does feel premium to hold. The leatherette keyboard, which is an added accessory, turns into a nice case for the pad, which accentuates the overall appeal of the pad 5.

Functionality

The Xiaomi Pad 5 comes with quad speakers at the top and bottom, there’s a Type-C USB port, and a magnetic pin on one side to connect it with the keyboard. The Xiaomi Smart Pen can be attached to the side where the volume buttons are placed. There’s no headphone jack. Xiaomi is also limiting the Pad 5 to just WiFi-only variants in India. There’s no cellular option, and presumably, those would have cost extra as well.

In terms of controls, you’ll only find a power button and volume rocker on two sides of the same frame corner. Elsewhere there’s a USB-C port and a POGO connector for Xiaomi’s accompanying keyboard.

Display

This is a panel with a meaty 2.5K resolution (1600 x 2560).

The tablet has a 10.95-inch LCD and this is a 2.5K resolution with a 16:10 format. Although it’s IPS LCD – rather than OLED – you still get excellent colour range and support for both HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The maximum refresh rate is 120 Hz, though you can also stick with the base 60 Hz.

Audio

The entertainment use case is further helped by the loud and rich audio churned out by the quad speakers – two on each side. These speakers support Dolby Atmos, and what’s more, they can even map and adjust stereo sound automatically as you switch tablet orientation between horizontal and vertical. All this might look pointless for a tablet, but these tiny details at the end of the day all add up and help make a difference to the overall experience.

Software

The Xiaomi Pad 5 comes with the Snapdragon 860 processor, 6GB RAM and 128GB or 256GB storage version. In terms of daily performance, there were really no complaints as such. Yes, this tablet is powerful enough to run your daily quota of games, productivity or casual browsing and entertainment. But wait, it still runs an android OS, which makes it have its own limitations.

Keyboard and Stylus

Xiaomi is also offering a stylus pen and a keyboard folio cover as optional accessories in a bid to add functionality and increase the Pad 5’s appeal. The keyboard is sleek and the leatherette texture surely feels premium to hold, but considering the size of the keyboard, it just fulfils its dire need. The Xiaomi Smart Pen is an active stylus that connects with the tablet over Bluetooth and attaches magnetically with the slate on its top spine. Attaching it to the tablet also charges its built-in battery. The use cases are as expected – the pen can be used to scribble notes, draw, annotate etc. The only drawback to which is that the two buttons on the pen cannot be customized, but rather have predefined functionalities.

Verdict

If you are looking for an Android tablet that offers a good display and performance while fulfilling daily entertainment and basic productivity needs, the Xiaomi Pad 5 delivers well. The Xiaomi Pad 5 is an exceptional Android tablet – but it is still an Android tablet, which has many limitations. But, considering the cost it is available, it really does serve a purpose.

Rating: 4 star

Good :

Capable display

Smooth performance

Audio output

Bad :

Misses out on the 3.5mm headphone jack & fingerprint scanner

Odd placement for the front camera

Ugly: Software limitations

LG Puricare Wearable Air Purifier The future of face masks ?

What is it all about?

Since the onset of the pandemic, facemasks have become the new norm when going out in public but donning them represents its own sets of challenges.

The new LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier is a literal breath of fresh air as it aims to resolve all these conundrums while adding a modicum of technological chic. The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier is an electronic face mask and has a number of updates compared to the last version.

The second-generation LG PuriCare comes with added tech, in addition to being smaller, lighter at 94g, and a much more efficient motor. It features dual fans that control airflow automatically by sensing the user’s breathing patterns to enable easy breathing. According to LG, the mask can be worn comfortably for up to 6-8 hours, while its 1,000mA recharges in 2-3 hours with the included Easy Charge USB cable.

What’s new?

The wearable air purifier is Bluetooth enabled, which allows you to connect it to the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier app for Android. Once connected, the app allows you to adjust voice volume and airflow, view respiratory data reports, manage filter duration and replacement cycle, check real-time battery information, turn the unit ON/OFF and perform firmware updates. The LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier Gen 2 uses the same H13 HEPA Filters and professional-grade filters found in all other premium air purifiers.

What’s in it?

The new LG PuriCare comes in a compact form package. Inside the box are two PuriCare HEPA filters, a packet consisting of 15 inner covers and a face guard packed in separate packaging.

The design of the wearable air purifier is cleaner and more streamlined and makes it comfortable to wear. The smart, ergonomic design was designed to fit any face. It fits and seals the face, comfortable for everyday wear while minimizing air leakage. It also uses medical-grade silicone that has been checked for safety. However, you’ll start to feel the strain of wearing the purifier after an extended period of time.

Usability

Using the air purifier requires a little bit of assembling. First, you need to open the filter case on the left and right sides to place it in the PuriCare filters. Then you insert the inner cover and finally the face guard by just sliding it into place and the built-in magnets hold the face guard in place. The magnets are strong enough to hold the face guard in place while wearing it, yet it’s easy enough to pull off when you have to remove it.

The LG PuriCare needs to be charged before you can start using it. It takes about two to three hours to fully charge up the device’s 1,000mAh battery. LG says that you can use the PuriCare for eight hours on a single charge, and based on real-world usage, we got about six hours of usage before plugging in to recharge.

Once the assembly is complete, the PuriCare can be turned on using the power button at the bottom. The fan inside the mask starts to kick in only when you inhale, as there is a respiratory sensor. It detects the cycle and volume of the wearer’s breath and adjusts the dual three-speed fans accordingly. The fans automatically speed up to assist air intake and slow down to reduce resistance when exhaling to make breathing effortless. You can even change the fan speed via the mobile application.

Verdict :

From a purely functional standpoint, the LG PuriCare Wearable Air Purifier makes for a highly effective solution that directly addresses several of the traditional pain points seen when wearing normal surgical or fabric masks. Its application is more suited for individuals who suffer from breathing problems as it aids in purifying the polluted air. It makes breathing easier and is more comfortable to use while the VoiceOn feature helps with social interactions but the cost of expendables and the initial high cost of entry may be daunting factors. If your budget permits, this is definitely something worthy of consideration.

Star Rating: 3.5

Specs : ( Choose and pick any )

Colour	Ocean Black Creamy White
Operation Noise (dB)	35dB (Min) ~ 52dB (Max)
Bluetooth	Yes (BLE 5.0)
Fan	Dual Inverter Fan
Air purifier Filter	HEPA13 (2EA) (99.95%)
Sensor	Respiratory Sensor
Usage time	8hr (Max)
Recharge Time	approx. 2 Hours
Battery	Built-in Li on Rechargeable (1000mAh) / USB C Type
Air Volume(LPM)	10~55 (Max)
Dimensions	142 × 109 × 52mm
Weight	94g (112g, including L size Face Guard)

Good :

Smaller and quieter Dual Fan motor.
VoiceON Technology
H13 HEPA Filters

Bad: 1000 mAh battery lasts less than 8 hours before having to be recharged.

A little bulky over the face

Ugly: Expensive

How to protect your privacy in a digital era

In an increasingly digitized world, protecting one’s privacy may, essentially, be an impossible task. It is no longer a mystery that we are being watched with every move we make on the internet. As small and accessible as our worlds are now, it comes at the cost of losing autonomy over who has access to our private information and what they do with it. So, how do you reap the benefits of a technologically advanced planet while ensuring that you are safeguarding sensitive information, sufficient downtime, and your sanity? WhatsApp is a popular internet-based text and voice messaging service with over two billion users worldwide. It is possible to use their privacy features to minimise visibility and disruptions.

Open WhatsApp, go to Settings, tap Account, and then Privacy to customize who has access to your ‘Last Seen’, ‘Status’ and who is allowed to add you to WhatsApp groups. You can block or report contacts by clicking on the contact name and scrolling all the way down and tapping Block Contact or Report Contact. Instagram is a popular social networking and photo-sharing app that allows you to connect with celebrities, brands, family and friends. There are multiple ways that you can be discreet on Instagram.

You can change the settings to make your account private thereby controlling who has access to your photos and videos. You can do this by going to Settings, Privacy and then tapping next to Private Account.You can block users by tapping on their username, scrolling all the way down and tapping on Block. If what you really need is a break from social media then you can temporarily disable your Instagram account by logging onto www.instagram.com, clicking on your profile and tapping on Edit Profile. You can scroll down and connect Temporarily Deactivate Account.

These privacy considerations are the bare minimum in times when the fear of losing oneself to the peculiar ways of the internet is looming large. As users become more vigilant, there will be a need for more intricate privacy settings such as time-specific visibility on social media and instant messaging applications.

Xiaomi Smart TV 5A!An important update in a competitive market

Research has found that 43-inch televisions are the most sold television size in India. Thanks to the predecessor of the unit we review below, 43-inch television prices became competitive. In 2022, getting a new television is not that big deal. Infact there is now a paradox of choice. Most options are so good that it is almost impossible to go wrong when selecting a 43-inch television. I own the Xiaomi Smart TV 4X, and this is how I feel the newer 5A TV has improved over the years.

New age budget package

This time around, the Xiaomi 5A TV features slim and thin bezels. It makes the television seem much more premium than its asking price. It has almost identical TV stands as the earlier models, and nearly all exterior is gloss black plastic, including the stands. A subtle Xiaomi branding upfront and an LED light with a power button below it keep the design clean. There are two HDMI 2.0 ports with one supporting ARC, two USB Type-A ports mashed into one socket, an ethernet port, an AV composite port, an optical port and a 3.5mm audio jack. Basics done right! The display has improved many folds. The remote, too, has seen improvements with Google Assistant speak to command button right below the power button.

The remote buttons have been updated, and now this television gets 14 controls with a volume rocker. These also include popular OTT applications Netflix, amazon prime video, Disney+ Hotstar and a dedicated apps button to access all the apps quickly.

Evolutionary improvements

The 43-inch display now comes with IPS LCD technology. A new vivid picture engine powered by a new age low-end quad-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, and 8GB ROM, make the display brighter and more vibrant. The overall feel, bezel-less design, and better picture quality make the Xiaomi Smart TV 5A a worthy competitor in a crowded, dynamic TV market. The TV comes loaded with Android TV 11 based on Android 11 and thus supports all modern apps available on Google Play Store for Android TV.

The video experience is enhanced with global dimming controls, local contrast control and adaptive luma control. But the main highlight is the vivid picture engine that makes the contrasts, brightness and colours look better than in previous iterations. The most significant change from the last 4 series must be the new and improved 24W dual-speakers with Dolby Atmos and DTS-X software enhancements.

The audio quality of the television is further improved with options like DTS-X bass enhancement, surround virtualizer and dialogue clarity. If that wasn’t enough, there is a DAC-4 dialogue enhancer with three levels of settings. Technicals aside, the television sounds above average in its segment and is enough to fill a small room easily.

A budget option in a crowded market

The 43-inch TV market is buzzing with good options from all brands. Xiaomi Smart TV 5A is an excellent addition to the budget market and improves on the overall appeal as a feature-loaded budget smart TV. Android 11 over and above the improved audio-video experience. This is a worthwhile investment if you’re looking for a budget 43-inch FHD TV.

Good – Improved AV experience, Android TV 11

Bad – No more bundled OTT content

Ugly – Competitor offerings

Price – INR 25,999

Specs

43-inch IPS Panel

Dual-band WiFi, BT 5.0

Android TV 11

Quad-core A55 SOC with 1.5GB RAM and 8GB storage

24W Speakers with Dolby Audio, DTS-X

Rating – 3.5/5

July 2022 – Top 10 releases of the month

Rocketry: The Nambi Effect

Madhavan has risen from being a cute romantic hero of the early 2000s to being the first A-list actor to make an OTT debut, and now he has added one more star on his shoulder by writing and directing the upcoming film Rocketry: The Nambi Effect. The biographical film is based on the life of Nambi Narayanan, a former scientist and aerospace engineer of the ISRO, who was falsely charged with espionage and arrested.

Release: 1st July (in theatres)

Genre: Biography

Directed by: R. Madhavan

Stranger Things S4 Volume 2

Stranger Things S4V1 revealed a few new characters, two of whom are quite brutal, the villains of the story – Vecna in the upside-down and number ONE in the laboratory. At the end of the S4V1, we saw Nancy fall into a new dimension while trying to climb the rope of the new world. Volume 2 of the Season 4 consists of two episodes of about 2 hours each called ‘Chapter 8 – Papa’ and ‘Chapter 9 – The Piggyback’, respectively.

Release: 1st July (Netflix)

Genre: Science Fiction Horror

Created by: The Duffer Brothers

Thor: Love and Thunder

The Marvel Cinematic Universe fans are going crazy over the release of Thor: Love and Thunder. The 29th superhero film in the MCU is based on the Marvel Comics character Thor and is the direct sequel to Thor: Ragnarok (2017). The film shows the story of Thor returning to action after spending a brief time looking for inner peace. In the process, he recruits Valkyrie, Korg, and Jane Foster to stop Gorr the God Butcher from eliminating all gods.

Release: 8th July (in theatres)

Genre: Superhero

Directed by: Taika Waititi

Boo, Bitch

We have seen Lana Condor as Lara Jean Covey in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy, and now she’s returning with yet another mind-boggling character. Her upcoming mini-series – Boo, Bitch is a supernatural comedy which depicts the story of a high school student who lives a life of a wallflower and wakes up one morning only to find out she’s a ghost. The series is labelled as a mini-series, and it will have eight episodes.

Release: 8th July (Netflix)

Genre: Comedy

Created by: Tim Schauer, Kuba Soltysiak, Erin Ehrlich and Lauren Iungerich

Jaadugar

Jeetu Bhaiyya is back again with another movie, and this time he plays the magician’s character. His recent release, Panchayat 2, is already breaking the records and the audience across genres appreciates his performance. With Jaadugar, the actor is looking forward to expanding his movie resume. In the film, Jitendra Kumar plays a role of a Jaadugar with no athletic skill and must win a football trophy to marry his love interest.

Release: 15th July (Netflix)

Genre: Sports Comedy

Directed by: Sameer Saxena

Shabaash Mithu

We have seen films/documentaries based on many cricketers, be it an MS Dhoni or Sachin Tendulkar or the most recent one, Kabir Khan’s 83, but what about the female cricketers? Yes, we have two films in the pipeline based on the female cricketer’s life journey, and one of them is Shabaash Mithu, based on the life of former Test and ODI captain of the India women’s national cricket team, Mithali Raj, and it stars Taapsee Pannu in the titular role.

Release: 15th July (in theatres)

Genre: Biographical Sports Drama

Directed by: Srijit Mukherji

Hit: The First Case

The remake of 2020 released Telugu-language action-thriller film with the same name, which starred Vishwak Sen and Ruhani Sharma in the lead role. The Bollywood remake of the movie stars Rajkummar Rao and Sanya Malhotra in the lead role and follows the same plot where the lead character Vikram Rudraraju (Rao), a police officer of the Homicide Intervention Team (HIT) who is tasked to investigate the missing case of a young girl.

Release: 15th July (in theatres)

Genre: Action Thriller

Directed by: Dr Sailesh Kolanu

Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi

Recently, Netflix India declared they are on the other side of the success and trying to rise from their current situation in India. However, the company has done great homework over the course and observed what the Indian audience wants to watch! After “House of Secrets – The Burari Deaths”, now they’re all set to release their next true-crime documentary “Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi.” In the end, Netflix realised good documentaries could prevent them from drowning.

Release: 20th July (Netflix)

Genre: True Crime Documentary

Directed by: Ayesha Sood

Shamshera

June was all about Ranbir Kapoor. We witnessed the actor being the part of the two trailer launches (Brahmastra and Shamshera) and, of course, the pregnancy announcement with his wife, Alia Bhatt. When people experienced the trailer for Brahmastra, they were in awe, but when they saw the trailer for Shamshera, they hailed him like a king. The period drama film is set in the 1800s and tells the story of a dacoit tribe and their fight for independence against British rule.

Release: 22nd July (in theatres)

Genre: Period Drama

Directed by: Karan Malhotra

Vikrant Rona

Since the theatres opened after the pandemic South Indian movies are going on another level. With every new release, they’re coming up with a masterpiece, be it a Pushpa, KGF, Vikram or 777 Charlie. Vikrant Rona is a fantasy action-adventure film which stars Sudeep in the title role alongside Nirup Bhandari and Neetha Ashok. The movie is based on incidents in which people from a remote village start witnessing a series of unexplainable supernatural events.

Release: 28th July (in theatres)

Genre: Fantasy Action

Directed by: Anup Bhandari

Everything new in iPadOS 16

The iPad, iPad mini, and iPad Pro are Apple’s three iPad product lines. For tech products to thrive in the market, updates and changes are very important. Apple has done precisely that.

In the recent update, Apple Inc. introduced an entirely new multitasking experience with the Stage manager and full external display support, bringing in new ways to collaborate via the Messages app, significant updates to Mail and Safari, new apps and more.

Updates to Messages

The Messages application now has new capabilities that make it simple to collaborate and manage shared material across Apple-based applications like Files, Keynote, Pages, Notes, Reminders, Safari and other third-party applications. The document, spreadsheet, or project is automatically shared with all the members of the thread/group when users submit a collaboration invitation via Messages. Everyone will also be able to see live updates to a shared file right at the top of the Messages thread when someone modifies.

In addition to the improved collaboration, messages will also allow users to have a better messaging experience by enabling users to edit sent messages and recover recently deleted messages.

New Application: Freeform

Apple is introducing a collaboration application called Freeform during the iPadOS 16 updates. With this application, you can view, share, and collaborate all in one location without worrying about layouts or page sizes. Coming to iPadOS 16 later this year, Freeform will permit users to view others’ contributions as they add content or make edits while enjoying a real-time collaboration space by starting FaceTime sessions and getting updates from others on Messages.

New Application: Weather

In the new update, the long-awaited weather app is being added to the iPad. Users may access essential weather information with only a swipe or browse maps to check precipitation, air quality, and temperature. Users will also receive notifications when a severe weather alert is issued in their location and monitor the air quality using a colour-coded scale.

Updates to ‘Live text’ and ‘Visual look up.’

Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Live Text identifies text in photos. This functionality has been extended to videos, allowing the reader to interact with stopped video frames. Users can now use this feature to convert currencies, translate different languages, or copy the text in a live video!

Updates to Safari & Mail

Shared Tab Groups allow users to collaborate on a set of tabs with friends and see updates instantly while they work together, share tabs and bookmarks, and start a conversation right from Safari.

Passkeys, a quicker and safer sign-in technique meant to replace passwords on the web and in applications, make browsing in Safari even more secure. Passkeys are stored on the iPad and are unique to the sites they were created for. Hackers can’t leak passkeys or fool users into providing them since they’re special digital keys that stay on the device and are never saved on a web server.

Mail introduces new smart tools; some are options to cancel the delivery of a message before it reaches a recipient’s inbox, schedule emails to be sent at the perfect moment and more.

New Feature: Powerful Multitasking

Stage Manager is a brand-new multitasking experience that organises programmes and windows for you, making switching between jobs a breeze. Users may now construct overlapping windows of various sizes in a single view, drag and drop windows from the side, or start applications from the Dock to build groups of apps for quicker, more flexible multitasking on the iPad for the first time.

Final Conclusion

These are the most significant updates coming to the new iPadOS 16. These changes will positively impact the user experience of iPads because additional features for multitasking were much needed, which now have been implemented to the iPadOS.

LG TONE Free A meridian-tuned unique TWS

We are not new to the world of TWS with ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) but there comes a product every now and then, adding some value to become special. The USP (unique selling point) of the LG TONE Free has to be LG’s borrowed tech from its purifiers to cleanse these TWS inside their case with UV-nano technology. Yes, these earbuds promise bacteria cleansing LG’s UV nano, a patented sanitising technology which destroys bacteria on the earbud head when they are placed inside the case. In a world where sanitizing our hands is normal, why should TWS be any exception?

LG also sells and equips these with medical-grade hypoallergenic ear gels, another healthy name for silicon that cleans via UV rays. The technology is neatly packed in a clean round case with an essential multi-colour LED notification light, a switch to toggle an amazing feature and a USB Type-C charging port at the rear. The case and earbuds are fairly lightweight and easy to carry around as your ear companions.

LG TONE Free app

LG has a TONE Free app both on Playstore and Appstore for Androids and Apple devices. Usually, these additional apps bring out additional features of the earbuds, but in LG’s case, this app is more or less mandatory if you truly wish to listen to Meridian tuned audio and improve the earbud’s audio quality overall. The app neatly showcases the battery percentage on each earbud and also allows you to tune the earbuds based on two custom settings.

The ANC controls allow high or low levels of noise cancellation along with two transparency modes and the option to turn off ANC when not required. There’s also a neat animated manual available at all levels with general information on the software and the ability to auto-install OTA (over the air) updates for the app and earbuds. The app also allows to edit three levels of tap settings on either earbud, allowing customisations as per user choices. Last and the most important settings are ready equalisations by Meridian. There are seven preset equalizers to choose from including, immersive, natural, bass-boost, treble-boost, 3D sound stage, etc. Why are these important you ask?

Audio quality – Treble happy!

LG TONE Free earbuds are tuned by Meridian and without their equalizers, they sound treble-heavy. Bass is tight and never boomy but lacks the punch required in most hip-hop numbers. Bass-boost setting on the app aids the bass but compromises on the other frequencies. The trebles on these earbuds are rich and shine in every track while the vocals are audible despite different equalized settings. For audiophiles, there are quite a few frequencies to equalize in two custom settings. None of which matched the finesse of Meridian-tuned presets.

Out of all the presets, immersive and natural were the most balanced presets that suit almost all genres of music. ANC is average and nothing extraordinary like most other TWS in a similar price range. The sound stage is head biased but not too small, nor too widespread. What really shines on these earbuds are the treble in each track. It’s bright and prominent, a unique take on clarity but compromises on the lower frequencies to sound thumping on certain tracks. LG claims 6 hours battery life with ANC turned on and 21 hours of total playback with the charge case. Battery life depends on the volume and we managed 4+ hours each time.

One unique cable inside the box, apart from USB Type-C to Type-A cable, is a Type-C to 3.5mm headphone jack. There is a toggle on the case, which allows the case to connect as a medium to turn any analogue 3.5mm headphone port into wireless connectivity via the case. The real champ of this package is thereby the case of the LG TONE Free. It not only cleanses the earbuds, but also adds battery life and added functionality to turn any analogue source into seamless wireless connections.

Verdict

LG TONE Free is a feature rich pair of earbuds with richer trebles and a versatile compact round case. This is a good pair of earbuds for someone not keen on bass, listens to a lot of string instruments, vocals and chimes. The quality of the TWS is decent and same could be said about the audio quality. At similar prices, there are better sounding earbuds but none as versatile.

Good – UV nano, ANC, Treble

Bad – Low frequency response

Ugly – App dependency for better sound

How Technology Improved The Financial Industry

On August 6, 1991, one of the most significant pieces of technology was launched. The Internet “World Wide Web” was introduced to the public about 21 years ago. People and business entities did not immediately take to the Internet. It was quite a task to bring an Internet connection into a building. An Internet service provider had to run a cable from the mainline to the inside of the building. From here, an Ethernet cable was utilized to create a connection between the Internet service and router. Another Ethernet cable was needed to connect the Internet router to a computer. This complex process is still utilized today but is no longer viewed as a hassle.

As time went on, more private networks were created. It did not take long before everyone was hooked and eventually reliant on the Internet. Today, there are approximately 5.16 billion Internet users across the globe. When you break down these Internet users, you see people, businesses, government entities, nonprofit agencies, and public institutions.

Financial Industry And Internet

One industry majorly impacted by the Internet is the financial sector. Long gone are the days of spending precious time waiting in line to cash a check. While some financial institutions continue to see some foot traffic, the volume has drastically decreased, thanks to the Internet.

Commercial banks, asset management firms, credit unions, insurance companies, check-cashing firms, payment processors, finance companies, payment processors, stock brokerage firms, and asset management firms are reliant on the Internet.

The Internet is so commonplace in the financial sector. Everyone from the consumer to the small business to the large corporation conducts business with at least one financial institution.

Mobile Banking

Mobile banking is one of the most notable finance technologies. Thanks to this amazing piece of technology, consumers can conduct most of their financial activities online. Instead of spending hours in line at a bank, consumers can cash their checks online. This includes both payroll, cashiers, and personal checks.

Nearly every small and large financial institution utilizes software for its mobile banking services. The account holder must download their bank app to their desktop computer, laptop, or smartphone. Some people tend to download their bank apps to all their mobile devices and desktop computer. So, they have quick and easy access to their personal bank account at home and on the go.

Other financial services available through most bank apps include check cancellation, wire transfer from one account to another, bill pay, and balance inquiry.

Digital Currencies

Cash was the go-to payment before the public discovered the Internet. Modern banking systems hold a specific level of capital in hopes of avoiding economic stress. Digital money is stored electronically to streamline the existing financial infrastructure.

Electronic money transactions are much simpler and quicker than physical cash. Financial institutions can transfer money from one account to another in what seems like nanoseconds. For example, an account holder enrolls in a เว็บสล็อตเว็บตรง service. The initial deposit takes less than 15 minutes. The process involves removing electronic money from a bank account to the service provider’s bank account. The balance is then recorded in the player’s personal account.

Email

Nearly all financial institutions utilize email for various tasks and processes. Banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions incorporate email into their marketing strategies. Email marketing allows financial entities to build their customer bases, promote their lending services, communicate with their customers and other consumers, share time-sensitive information, and employee-to-employee communications.

Email marketing is an effective technique that has proven itself over time. Just ask any financier how they feel about email. They will all agree it has improved their every financial process in every way possible.

Video And Audio Chat

Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, financial institutions are no longer forced to host traditional meetings. Hosting a traditional financial meeting is never easy, especially when your employees, partners, and investors live across the globe. Fortunately, this is no longer the case, with video and audio chat technologies.

Virtual meetings can be held without a moment’s notice. To set up a virtual meeting requires a computer or smartphone, video & audio capabilities as well as an Internet connection.

Some banks even do one better by utilizing special virtual meeting software. They encourage their employees to keep the app downloaded to their smartphones, so they can be reached at all times.