Valentine week has begun, and the couples are already making plans to celebrate the special day, but what about those who are not in a relationship? Well, those guys can always try their best on dating apps, and this is the best time to install a few of the dating apps on your phone because somebody’s out there waiting for your text. You know, like that dialogue from The Green Book, “The world is full of lonely people afraid to make the first move”. So, be the change and make the first move with our list of top 5 dating apps.
Tinder
Every time someone thinks of online dating, Tinder is the first app that strikes their minds. The easy-to-use dating app from the house of Match Group is best for casual dating, hook-ups and whatnot. Tinder was the first one who introduced the swiping sensation that we do today on almost every single dating app, and it has one of the best algorithms in dating apps.
Bumble
Bumble is a women-centric dating app where men are not allowed to initiate a conversation with women, as the app only permits women to have the leverage to make the first move. The app has various options from which you can choose what you want to try, such as you want to go on a date, looking for a BFF or trying to work on your networking.
OkCupid
OkCupid is a better dating app than Tinder, especially if you’re looking for a long-term relationship. The question-based matching of OkCupid takes a lot of information from you to help you with precise matches, making the app one of the most liked. The popular dating app has lost its indie charm since Match Group acquired it, but it still has enough components to awe you.
Hinge
Hinge is another big name on the list of dating apps where starting a conversation is an easy task to do as it lets you like specific parts of someone’s profile instead of the whole thing. The follow-up system – after exchanging phone numbers, unique branding, in-depth profile, and integration with Facebook set the app apart from the rest of the dating apps.
Happn
Have you ever crossed paths with a cute-attractive person and imagined how it would look like walking with them hand-in-hand? Well, the french-born app Happn lets you do this as it shows you the people you cross paths with, but they must have to be on the app to make things work. Also, make sure you fill up all the necessary details to get matches with similar interests.
The world we live in now is completely different from then. Though it’s just a matter of 16 years, it brought many advancements in the world of technology. When Steve Jobs launched the first iPhone on 29th June 2007, he defined it as a ”revolutionary mobile phone” and ”breakthrough internet communications device” as it helped put the internet in everyone’s pocket. Besides iPhones, a lot more happened over the last 16 years, let’s take a brief look at it.
E-Commerce
Earlier, when the concept of e-commerce was introduced in India, people were a little hesitant towards it. Then, in December 2012, Google India partnered with e-commerce companies including Flipkart, HomeShop18, and Snapdeal to launch the Great Online Shopping Festival. The rest is history as nowadays 10 out of 7 people prefer online shopping over offline and the e-commerce market in India is expected to reach US$ 111 billion by 2024 and US$ 200 billion by 2026.
Smart Home Assistants
Gone are the days when people used to depend on alarms to wake up early in the morning. At first, alarms were replaced by phones and, in the last few years, everything has changed, mainly due to smart home assistants. The smart speakers such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant acts as virtual assistants and help us to update with the current traffic, weather, latest headlines, play your music and lots more.
Ride Apps
We all have dealt with ignorant cab and auto drivers at least once in our lives, and some of us who were tired of dealing with their pristine attitude developed ride apps. The launch of apps like Ola in 2010 and Uber in 2013 transformed the public transportation industry. The app-based service allows people to book a private or shared car using an app. The concept has set the stage for many other ride apps, such as Savaari and ZoomCar.
UPI Payments
Earlier in the 2000s, people used to stand in a queue to deposit and withdraw money from the bank. Though ATMs were already there yet people were not satisfied with payment options. In India, PhonePe became the first payment based app when it was launched in 2015, and soon, a number of other apps joined the lineup, such as GooglePay, and PayTM. The arrival of several apps helped people to transfer and receive the money within a few seconds.
Smart Wearables
The first Apple Watch turned 7 last September, and over the last few years, smart wearables have replaced the century-old wristwatches. There was a time when people were obsessed with buying expensive wristwatches, but in the modern world, people are more obsessed with their health/fitness, and the thing that keeps them updated with it is smart wearables. No doubt, the smart wearable market is valued at USD 40+ billion.
Xiaomi is launching a number of products under the Redmi banner on February 9, including Redmi Smart TV X43, Redmi Note 11S smartphone, and Redmi Smart Band Pro. The company already have several X series TVs in their portfolio, such as Redmi Smart TV X50, X55, and X65 models, but the upcoming X43 would be the smallest TV in the line-up.
The official teaser page suggests it will sport a 43″ display with 4K resolution that features support for HDR and Dolby Vision. The smart HDR TV will support powerful Dolby 30W speakers with Dolby audio for better sound output. The company hasn’t revealed the processor of the smart TV yet, but the page shows it will have a future-ready flagship performance to provide a seamless experience.
The previously launched X-Series smart TVs, such as Redmi Smart TV X55, sport quad-core MediaTek SoC with Mali G52 GPU, paired with 2GB of RAM. Besides powerful processors, the X-Series TVs also feature e-ARC and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), which makes us expect almost the same features from the upcoming 43″ smart TV.
The upcoming smart TV will feature the company’s latest PatchWall software and IMDb integration. The PatchWall is the company’s unique launcher which sits on top of the core Android TV software, which acts as an alternate user interface and helps you access over-the-top (OTT) platforms. It also supports controlling smart home devices like smart lights and Mi Air Purifier.
The price of the upcoming Redmi X43 smart TV hasn’t been unveiled yet, but it is expected to be priced below the cost of the Redmi Smart TV X50, which is currently priced at Rs. 37,999 and available on Amazon for sale. The Redmi X43 TV will be available for sale on Xiaomi official website, and it might be going on for sale on Amazon too.
Micromax made its comeback to the Indian smartphone market with Micromax IN Note 1 in the second half of 2020. The comeback turned out to be a successful one for Micromax as it helped them reach its highest market share in the last six quarters and get featured in a list of the top-5 companies of the Indian feature phone market in the first quarter of 2020.
The Made in India smartphone company is set to launch Note 1’s successor in India on January 25, dubbed Micromax IN Note 2. A dedicated micro-site on Flipkart is already live, which displays some of the top features of the upcoming smartphone, such as glass finish, 6.43-inch AMOLED display, MediaTek Helio G95 SoC, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and 30W fast charging.
The rear panel of the Micromax IN Note 2 has a Dazzling Glass finish, and it sports a quad rear camera setup, highlighted by a 48-megapixel primary sensor. The phone’s battery size is not confirmed yet, but it is expected to come up with a 30W charger, which will charge the phone from 50% in 25 minutes.
The phone is expected to come with Android 11 out of the box, and it will be offered in 6GB and 8GB RAM options, paired with either 64GB or 128GB storage. The company hasn’t revealed the exact price of the phone, but it is expected to come in the price range of rupees 10,000 to 15,000.
We throw some light on the purpose of various kinds of headlights and know how they perform. In order to keep safe behind the wheel, a driver must remain attentive at all times, constantly taking note of their surroundings. While this tends to be a rather straightforward affair when driving during the day, the main complications tend to arise as the sun sets and darkness falls.
Poor visibility often casts doubt when making crucial decisions from the driver’s seat, posing several potential hazards. Luckily, many such limitations can be nullified through the use of upgraded headlights, which are now widely available even in the aftermarket segment. These headlights are designed to cast far more light into your travel path than that produced by standard Halogen bulbs. Among the most pertinent of these options are HID, LED, and Laser headlights.
In many cases, consumers encounter a certain amount of difficulty when attempting to differentiate between these headlight configurations. This often leads to confusion, especially when determining which speciality of a headlight offers the best value in any given situation. In recent years, the automotive market has seen a significant incursion of new headlight options that threaten to end the dominance of halogen lights.
If you wonder about the advantages of LED vs HID headlights for cars or the differences between HID and LED headlights in an effort to sort out these equally tempting options, we can understand why. So what are HID headlights, and how do they trump halogen bulbs? What are LED headlights, and how do they compare to HIDs? All of these questions deserve to be explored in detail, but let’s start with understanding what all these actually are.
Halogen Headlights
Halogen light is formed from a combination of argon and nitrogen gases that are trapped within a heat-resistant envelope that also contains tungsten filament. When an electrical charge is sent to the tungsten by the battery of the vehicle, the filament heats to about 2,500 degrees Celsius, and this ignites the glow (light) you can see from outside the bulb. In short, this is what’s known as the incandescence process, which is similar to any electric bulb found in any household. These lights are not very efficient as most of the energy is wasted in heat generation rather than illumination.
Advantages:
Low Cost and easily accessible
Simple to replace and durable
Emits warm, bright light
Disadvantages:
Produces more heat
Energy-intensive
Extra sensitive
HID Headlights
HID stands for High-Intensity Discharge. When used in an automotive headlight bulb, this technology lights up in a manner that isn’t possible with the use of standard halogen bulbs.HID headlights forgo the use of a traditional filament strand. Instead, bulbs of this configuration rely upon the use of xenon gas as their source of illumination and hence can be termed as Xenon lights also.
Xenon, in high-pressure form, is charged through electrical inputs from an HID headlight’s high-voltage electrodes. Once charged, this supply of xenon is superheated into a plasma state, which eventually produces a rich light-blue or white illumination. Most HID headlight units are used in conjunction with projector-beam assemblies, which are intended to concentrate the light and direct the beam onto a predefined path. This maximizes the effectiveness of HID headlights while also minimizing the chance of inadvertently blinding fellow motorists at the same time.
HID headlights have now been around for quite some time, and they generate over 3000 lumens. They first appeared in the 1991 BMW 7-Series. Over the course of 30-years since they rose to prominence, HID headlights have become known for their long service life, which averages more than 30,000 hours in most of the applications. Overall, HID headlights serve as a better & viable alternative to the standard bulbs. In the majority of instances, properly installed HID headlights produce 2-3 times more light than halogen bulbs while accounting for less draw on the vehicle’s battery and alternators.
Advantages:
Less power consumption than Halogens
Brighter than Halogen lights
Longer lifespan with greater efficiency
Disadvantages:
Intense glare can blind the oncoming traffic
Relatively expensive than Halogen
LED Headlights
LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode. While LED technology has been used in various applications over the past decades, lighting of this type within the automotive industry has recently gained substantial popularity. Out of all the headlights on the market, LED undergoes the most unusual process to generate light. Inside a LED headlamp, negative electrons run against holes in a semiconductor to produce a light-emitting diode, hence the light’s name. When the electron enters a low-energy hole, a photon is released. The process is also known as electroluminescence. The frequency at which this process occurs — thousands of times per second — is what produces LED light.
LED headlights do not make use of pressurized gases within their design, as is the case in both Halogen and HID headlights. Instead, LED headlights discharge light through semiconductors or diodes. However, LED headlights also come in a number of different individual colours. These varying colours are created through the use of coloured lenses, which, when applied over a bulb’s individual diodes, emits the colour of preference. The legality of non-standard coloured LED headlights generally differs by state.
Advantages:
Brighter than the lot
It does Not glare like HID
Energy efficient
Disadvantages:
Produce much heat and hence require a more complex cooling system.
Expensive than the rest
Laser Headlights
The most recent of innovations in the headlight segment is the laser light, which debuted in the early 2010s and has since then been aggressively promoted by Audi and BMW in the European market. Out of all the headlight types we have covered so far, laser lights are the closest thing to prophesy fulfilment for the futuristic Sci-Fi of decades long past. While lasers are considered dangerous, actual lasers play a minuscule role in the luminescence of laser lights as they actually rely more on phosphor to create the light.
Looking at something like the Laser Headlight found in the BMW I8 – three blue lasers shoot through tiny mirrors, which in turn point the energy onto a phosphor plate or lens. When interacting with lasers, phosphor generates white light. This light is then relayed onto a reflector and then, of course, onto the road. As a result, laser headlights project with far more clarity than any other type of vehicle lighting solution available on the market. This can prove quite helpful while navigating through winding hazardous roads during low visibility.
NFTs have been in trend for over the last couple of months, and every company wants to be a part of it. The latest company joining the lineage of NFTs is Lamborghini, which just unveiled its first NFT dubbed Lamborghini Space Key. The artist behind the space-themed artwork is not disclosed yet, and it is limited to five units.
What is NFT?
NFT stands for Non Fungible Tokens, and they can be traded or exchanged but only with an equivalent item. NFTs are unique identifiers recorded on a distributed ledger known as Blockchain and tied to a digital asset such as pictures, videos, music, or other records.
Technically all NFTs are collectibles and allow their buyers to own the original copy of a digital file, which means you do not own or receive anything physically. Each token is unique, allowing its owners to guarantee asset authenticity, scarcity, programmability and trackability over the internet.
The artwork is a piece of advanced carbon fiber composite material that Lamborghini sent to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2019 as part of a joint research project. After returning from space, the carbon fiber composite becomes a part of the Space Key. These materials mark yet another milestone for the company, this time as a gateway into the NFT world.
We love to get out of our comfort zone and discover new spaces. We are glad to announce Lamborghini Space Key. A space-themed artwork, consisting of five units created by a secret artist with the carbon fiber material we sent to ISS in 2019.#Lamborghini#ToTheMoon
Each of the five Space Keys is linked to an exclusive and purely digital artwork by the same artist through the QR code on the backside of the carbon fiber. Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, said, Being a leading company for carbon fiber composite materials within the automotive sector, Lamborghini pushed boundaries two and a half years ago with the joint research project in space.
He further added, “the NFT world has been calling to us, and we are excited about engaging with this very passionate and innovative community.” The company has entered the NFT world in cooperation with NFT PRO™, and soon the company will share further details, including the name of the artist of the Space Key and the link to the auction registration.
NFT PRO™
NFT Pro™ is the top-notch enterprise white-label NFT solution for global brands, making NFT campaigns seamless, easily executed, and on-brand. They offer an enterprise-grade platform, proprietary methodology and enterprise-level support. They help global enterprises with strategies, creations, sales, and the distribution of NFT-based digital authentic assets.
Being an open social media platform, Twitter generally attracts several controversies very often, and it happens due to the nature of the platform. The popular social media platform allows users to post about everything except images or videos depicting graphic violence, hate-group imagery and pornography. Though Twitter’s latest policy on pornography permits users with verified accounts to share explicit content within their tweets by marking it “this media is sensitive.”
Also, in the last couple of years, we have witnessed many controversial tweets from all around the world, be it on #blacklivesmatter or #metoo movement and in the case of our country, most of these tweets are coming from a few celebrities and stand up comedians who tweeted their blunt views on patriotism or government strategies, but we’re not going to focus more on controversial tweets because, over the years, Twitter has blessed us with a few good tweets too and before walking into 2022, let’s take a look at the positive side of the platform.
Barack Obama
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion…" pic.twitter.com/InZ58zkoAm
Let’s begin with the tweet of Barack Obama, who’s a two-term President of the United States and the most followed individual currently on Twitter with over 130 million followers. The ex-president mostly tweets about his activities and work related to his Obama Foundation, but the tweet that went viral and caught everyone’s eyes was “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion…”
The tweet, which quotes a line from Nelson Mandela’s autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom”, came after the violence in Charlottesville where a 32-year-old woman was killed, and 19 others were injured when a man allegedly accelerated his car into a crowd of counter-protesters. The tweet stayed on the top as the most-liked tweet until Chadwick Boseman’s family disclosed the news of his demise with the tweet from his account.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is known for his contradictory work, theories, tweets and comments. When coronavirus was at its peak in foreign countries like the United States, United Kingdom and China, a tweet from Elon Musk caught everyone’s attention. In a tweet, the SpaceX founder said, “The coronavirus panic is dumb,” even though he doesn’t have a background in medicine or virology. The tweet didn’t age well as globally coronavirus infections crossed over 27.5Cr while killing over 53.5L people and counting.
Breaking the news of Osama bin Laden’s Death
So I'm told by a reputable person they have killed Osama Bin Laden. Hot damn.
One of the reasons behind Twitter getting popular after 2010 was its news breaking culture. The platform has unveiled a number of top news’ through its wide base of users, and one of them was the news of Osama bin Laden’s death which came out from a tweet of Keith Urbahn, a former chief of staff to defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Before this tweet, one more tweet provided a hint of the news, and it came from a Pakistan-based IT consultant, Sohaib Athar, which reads, “Helicopter hovering above Abbottabad at 1 AM is a rare event”.
#BlackLivesMatter
“Racism isn’t getting worse, it’s getting filmed” – Will Smith
The hashtags #BlackLivesMatter first came into the limelight during 2013 as the movement to curb police violence gained steam but arose like a spaceship missile during May 2020, when George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was murdered in the Powderhorn Park. The protest was against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against black people.
While protesting physically, the protestors also started using the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media platforms, especially on Twitter, to gain the world’s attention and support. Since 2013, more than 41 million tweets have been tagged with #BlackLivesMatter, but one of the tweets that went viral during this phase was from Femi Koleoso, and it mentions a quote from Will Smith, “Racism isn’t getting worse, it’s getting filmed.”
If you want to win at social media, you have to focus on creative marketing as people might usually don’t care about the brand, but if you do the marketing job well, they’ll surely remember your brand and then eventually end up having it. One such great marketing tweet came during a Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 when a surprise blackout delayed the game of the National Football League for 34 minutes. A quick-moving tweet from Oreo reads, Power out? No problem, followed by an image that shows a text, “you can still dunk in the dark.”
The iconic bird logo of the social media platform Twitter is named Larry as a tribute to NBA player Larry Bird, who played for the Boston Celtics, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone’s home-state team.
In 2009, Evan Williams and Biz Stone were listed in Time’s 100 most influential people in the world, even before Jack Dorsey.
As of January 2022, the most-liked tweethas over 7.2 million likes, and it was tweeted from the late American actor Chadwick Boseman’s account by his family, informing the world about his demise.
Only the South Korean band BTS has more than three most-liked tweets in the top 30. The band has 21 tweets in the list of top 30 most-liked tweets.
Twitter is blocked in China because Chinese authorities prefer their homegrown social networks as they can have complete control over them, which Twitter doesn’t permit.
Justin Bieber is the most followed celebrity on Twitter with over 114m followers, only behind former United States President Barack Obama.
Twitter has enough money in the bank to survive approximately 412 years.
The official Twitter account of @Sweden is given to a random Swedish citizen every week to manage with the expressed goal to manifest Swedish diversity and progressiveness.
Twitter first made a profit in the fourth quarter of 2017, earning $91m (£65m).
Out of 1.3 billion Twitter accounts, over 391 million accounts have no followers at all.
Taylor Swift is the most influential person on Twitter, followed by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modiand Katy Perry.
The Face with Tears of Joy emoji “😂” is the most popular emoji on Twitter.
The hashtag was first brought to Twitter on 23rd August 2007. Chris Messina introduced it in order to filter the tweets and help the existing users connect with a particular theme.
The Twitter logo consists of overlaying 15 different symmetrical circles, which signifies giving everyone a voice.
Out of all the Americans on Twitter, 71% use the platform only to read the news, and 42% use the platform to discuss politics.
The statistical data shows over 75% of emojis tweeted on Twitter are positive, and the number increases by about 2% during Friday and Saturday.
Since the last couple of years, we have witnessed many top-notch companies launching their audio sunglasses, which ultimately helped the audio sunglasses section to grow and have a category of their own. The original Bose Frames delivered surprisingly pure sound, and with the arrival of three new models, Tempo, Tenor, and Soprano, Bose stands tall in the audio sunglasses market. Bose Tempo is a sporty looking gadget, while the other two, Rectangular shaped Tenor and Cat Eye shaped Soprano, are best for everyday use. The company has done a lot to improve the sound quality, which helps the sunglasses to deliver crisp and clear sound. The audio sunglasses are the best gift option for the person who likes listening to music while riding a bike, resting by the pool/beach, walking, running, or hiking.
Apple MagSafe Battery Pack – Price: ₹10,900
Apple is one of the top-ranked smartphone manufacturing companies in the world, but at the same time, it is infamous for its battery backup. However, the company has understood the issue and has come up with a solution in the form of an Apple MagSafe battery pack. The rectangle-shaped and white coloured MagSafe battery pack fits perfectly on the back and is compatible with iPhone 12 series and iPhone 13 series. The slim and sturdy battery pack is small enough to slide into a pocket or bag. The MagSafe Battery Pack offers a 1,460mAh capacity which sounds low, but the numbers are deceiving as the battery pack easily adds a few hours of use to your iPhone. If you have experienced frequent cries related to battery backup from your loved one who uses an iPhone, then the MagSafe battery pack is a must-buy gift option.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) – Price: ₹13,999
Amazon has been a leading company in manufacturing smart speaker displays over the years, and its recent launch, the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen), is the best smart display in the lineup. The 2nd gen Echo Show 8 offers a superior 13-megapixel wide-angle camera for enhanced video calls along with a faster processor and an auto-framing feature, which lets the device pan and zoom automatically to adjust the frame while making video calls. The Echo Show 8’s sound output is way better than the top trim Echo Show 10, but the flagship smart home device Echo Show 10 steals the show when it comes to other features. If the person you’re planning to gift this Christmas is a newcomer to the smart home space, then Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) would be a great gift choice.
Ember Mug² –
Price: Various options available from ₹16,000* on amazon.in or get it from ember.com for $129.95 USD
The winter is coming, and all we need to survive the chilliness is a cup of hot tea or coffee by the table, but every time we plan to enjoy the hot drink, it turns cold before we finish it and ruins our mood. Well, if you know someone who is a big-time hot tea or coffee lover, then gift them the Ember Mug² temperature control smart mug, and it will never let their tea or coffee go cold again, at least for up to 1.5 hours with Ember Mug² 10 oz and up to 80 minutes with the Ember Mug² 14 oz. The smart mug is designed for home or office use, and it allows you to set an exact drinking temperature so your coffee is never too hot or cold. The washable smart mug allows you to set and control your prefered temperature with your smartphone via the dedicated Ember app.
Beats Studio Buds Wireless Earbuds – Price: ₹14,499
Apple purchased Beats in 2014, and since then, every product Beats launched was somehow tied up with the Apple ecosystem. Then Beats decided to ditch the traditional Apple H1 and W1 chips and launched Studio Buds Wireless Earbuds with MediaTek chipset. The change in the chip helped Beats to go beyond its competitors and suit Android phones along with Apple devices. The Beats Studio Buds are Beats’ smallest earbuds to date and the best-sounding earbuds Beats has ever manufactured. The wireless noise-cancelling earbuds fit perfectly in the ear, and the solid grip makes sure they’ll not fall out even during intense workouts. So, if you’re looking for a gadget to gift your gym-addict friend, then these stand-out earbuds are the perfect little thing.
GoPro Hero10 Black Action Camera – Price: ₹54,500
GoPro recently launched the new Hero10 Black, with a new faster custom processor. The Hero10 Black sports a 2.27-inch touch screen main display on the back and a 1.4-inch display on the front. It arrives with Incredible video stabilization and a new GP2 chipset, enabling new slow-motion frame rates, faster transfer speeds, and improved image quality. The camera can record smoother videos up to 5.3K @ 60fps, and for slow-mo videos, it can go up to 4K @ 120fps and 2.7K @ 240fps. The waterproof Hero 10 Black is powered by a GP2 sensor and packs a 1,720mAh battery. The GoPro Hero10 Black could be the best gift option if your loved ones are travel enthusiasts, vloggers or into adventure sports.
WD My Passport Go Portable SSD – Price: ₹11,469* (for 1TB on flipkart.com)
SSDs (Solid State Drives) are faster and more power-efficient than HDDs (Hard Disk Drives), and that’s the reason they’re always in demand. WD is one of the most popular SSD and HDD-making companies globally, and their recent addition, WD My Passport Go portable SSD, is one in a million kinds of devices. The My Passport Go portable drive has a shock-absorbing rubber bumper and no moving parts, making it drop-resistant up to 2 meters. The square-shaped, rugged SSD is 2 times faster than typical portable hard disk drives and compatible with both Windows PC and Mac computers. The Pocket-sized drive has a built-in cable for convenient portability and is available in three variants, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB. You can gift the SSD to the person who never feels satisfied with the in-built storage of their respective devices.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro – Price: ₹10,990*
Samsung has tasted success with the launch of exceptionally built Galaxy Buds Plus and failure with the launch of not so excellent Galaxy Buds Live, which helped the South Korean tech giant analyse the segment well and come back hard with the Galaxy Buds Pro, the best true wireless earbuds that the company has ever made. The Buds Pro includes active noise cancellation, wireless charging, speech detection mode, and support for the Scalable advanced Bluetooth codec. When paired with a Samsung smartphone or tablet, the earbuds offer the best sound quality and go beyond these key features. The Buds Pro also offers IPX7 water and sweat resistance features along with improved mic performance. So, if you’ve someone who owns a Samsung smartphone or tablet and likes to play along with music and calls, then go for these earbuds and make your loved ones happy.
E-book readers are reliable and handy instead of the traditional paper-based books because e-book readers offer thousands of books in one gadget, and when it comes to choosing the best e-book reader in the market, you’ll never find anything better than Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (10th Gen). The waterproof e-reader has a 6-inch e-ink display, and it is available in different variants that range from 8GB to 32GB of storage. The Kindle Paperwhite is one of the most popular e-readers on the market with good battery life, and if you have someone in your friend circle who’s an avid book reader, then this 10th Gen Kindle Paperwhite could easily replace your place in your friend’s life.
Budget Gifts (Below ₹10,000)
LG XBOOM Go PL2 Water Resistant Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – Price: ₹7,990
The LG XBOOM Go PL2 is the smallest and least expensive portable Bluetooth speaker from the PL range of speakers. The IPX5 water-resistant portable speaker offers a Sound Boost mode, USB-C charging, stereo pairing, and up to 10 hours of battery life. The PL2 speaker can be controlled with your smartphone’s voice assistant and can make any party fun in no time. The rounded design, compact and lightweight speaker has a good build quality and is best suited for travel enthusiasts. If you know someone who is a travel addict and likes to do weekend campaigning by the lake or hill, then LG XBOOM Go PL2 portable speakers can be a good companion for such personalities.
Oral-B Pro 2 2000N Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush – Price: ₹4,199
Technology has evolved our daily needs from smart home devices to electric toothbrushes. A decade ago, Oral-B was making regular manual toothbrushes, but then the company decided to take a look at the big picture and started manufacturing electric toothbrushes to cope up with the new age of connected tech. The Oral-B Pro 2 2000 electric rechargeable toothbrush offers only the necessary features for your dental health and works without any app support. The electric toothbrush helps you to remove more plaque and leave gums healthier than a manual toothbrush. The Oral-B Pro 2 200 electric toothbrush features two brushing modes and a pressure sensor, making it the simplest yet elegant electric toothbrush. It can be an excellent gift for people with sensitive teeth who have never experimented with an electric toothbrush.
Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller – Price: ₹9,321* on amazon.in
Everyone has their own choice, and not all people want a regular PlayStation or Xbox controller. Some people go beyond the ordinary world and prefer exciting gadgets such as Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller, which offers a seemingly lag-free gaming experience on the phone. The go-to mobile gaming controller has a split apart design, and it can connect directly through the USB-C charging port. The Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller fits most smartphone devices and offers a solid grip that lets the gamer have great control over a device. If you’re friends with someone who follows mobile gaming like a devotion, in that case, you should consider gifting Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller to them this Christmas as this killer gadget will not only please them mentally but will permanently change their mobile gaming experience.
Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device with Alexa Voice Remote – Price: ₹5,999
Amazon has acquired almost all crucial markets, from online shopping to smart house gadgets to streaming services and even streaming devices. The business strategies and tough competition in the market have made consumers’ lives easy as many widgets are available at affordable prices, and the list includes 4K streaming devices. Since the Fire TV Stick 4K launch, Amazon has emerged in this market, and the latest Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K includes the Alexa voice remote in the box. The latest 4K stick offers improved performance and is slightly larger than the standard Fire TV Stick but has the same colour and texture. The latest 4K stick features a guide button that can quickly take you to live TV and offer Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG like the standard stick. If you’re looking for a budget gift this Christmas, then the Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device with Alexa Voice Remote could be a perfect one.
Bellroy 3 Card iPhone Wallet Case – Price: from $68 to $88 (including $9 express shipping charges)
We often see people, mainly Indians having a 50 or 100 rupees/dollars note on the back of their smartphone cover. Some even put their credit or debit cards on the back of their smartphone cover, and when asked, they defend themselves in the name of emergency needs. Well, Australian accessories making brand Bellroy decided to provide a stylish look to the regular habit and created a multi-functional smartphone wallet case that holds up to 3 cards, slots devoted to a SIM tool and SIM card. The professional-looking case has a smooth, barely textured premium leather sheath covering the back panel, and you can even use the card compartment door as a kickstand to watch videos. So, if you know someone who prefers a luxury lifestyle and owns an iPhone from 12-series or 13-series, then Bellroy 3 Card iPhone Wallet Case will be a great gift and add a style statement to their life. Though the case is only available on the official website of Bellroy, if you want to purchase one, hurry up because it will take a few days or even a week to ship in India.
Noise ColorFit Pro 3 – Price: ₹3,999
Noise, India’s homegrown brand, has already acquired the top position in India’s wearables market. The budget smartwatch, Noise Colorfit 3 Pro, comes with many features and specifications, such as a SpO2 monitor for blood oxygen monitoring, a stress level monitor, and a bigger-better display. The lightweight smartwatch sports a 1.5-inch HD touchscreen colour display and follows the subtle design language like an Apple watch. The water-resistant smartwatch features about 14 workout modes, including Outdoor Walking, Outdoor Running, Outdoor Cycling, Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Cricket, Hiking, Yoga and Workout. The Noise Colorfit Pro 3 comes in 6 colours and offers several high-end features, which we usually find on Apple & Samsung smartwatches. So, if you’re looking for a budget Christmas or new year gift, then Noise Colorfit 3 Pro could do the math.
Wagr’s GPS & Fitness Tracker for Dogs – Price: ₹3,499
The world is getting smarter with smart wearables, and along with us, our very canine best friend also needs smart wearables because about 6 lacs dogs get lost every year in India. The pain of losing our pooch friend can cause severe sickness to dog parents, and this thought made IIT alumnus Advaith Mohan and two of his friends, Siddharth Darbha and Ajith Kochery, come up with a solution. The trio created a dog wearable Wagr, India’s first GPS tracker for dogs which tracks the dog using high-precision GPS and even allows you to create safe zones. Once you attach the Wagr tracker to your pup’s collar, it will help you track your dog’s activity, walks, safe zones, and it will also alert you when they leave the safe zone you’ve created. If you have a dog of your own or someone from your friend’s circle who owns a dog, then Wagr’s location & fitness tracker is a must-have gadget.
