Tech Launches You Should Be Looking Forward To

Tech is dynamic and sometimes offers more than what can be consumed. The current market condition begs for the latest products and updates, and brands have been rightly doing so to stay ahead of their competitors. Here are the latest technology launches that you should be paying attention to. 

MacBook Air M2

Apple has released the MacBook Air M2 laptop with a 13.60-inch LED-backlit display. It is powered by Apple’s M2 processor and comes with 8GB of RAM. The device also packs 256GB of SSD storage.  MacBook Air M2 comes with a 30W USB-C power adapter and packs a 52.6Wh lithium-polymer battery. The price of the Apple MacBook Air M2 starts at Rs 1,19,900.

Specs

Four-speaker sound system
8-core CPU with 4 performance and efficiency cores.
2560×1664 native resolution with 500 nits brightness
Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology

Nothing Phone (1)

With few leaks and rumours, Nothing has already gotten people excited about the device. Carl Pei’s London-based startup will reveal its first Nothing smartphone with new aspects like the new Glyph lightning, the back, and the new NothingOS skin. The company has introduced an invite-based pre-order system for smartphones. The same trick was used for OnePlus smartphones to build the hype. 

Specs

6.55-inch OLED Screen
50MP + 50MP Dual-Rear Camera
Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G Plus chipset
4500 mAh battery

Asus ROG Flow Z13

The Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) launched a detachable 2-in-1 gaming tablet known as ROG Flow Z13 for its Indian consumers. It is the first gaming tablet and packs up to a 14-core Intel i9 and Nvidia up to GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, in the most powerful gaming tablet form factor. The device will be available at a starting price of Rs 1,36,990.

Specs

Up to a 14-core Intel® Core™ i9-12900H processor
NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3050 Ti
Refresh Rate:60Hz
1TB PCIe® 4.0 NVMe™ M.2 SSD

The Amazfit GTS 2

The smartwatch comes in two colors – Midnight Black and Petal Pink for a retail price of Rs 11,999. The Amazfit features a 1.65 edge-to-edge curved display which is made of 3D Corning Gorilla Glass. It comes with a rotatable display, which means you can wear it on your left and right hands and customize the gestures accordingly.

Specs

Water Resistant
Touch screen with 1.65-inch screen size
AMOLED screen
iOS and Android OS

LG Signature

The world has witnessed its first and only rollable TV with the release of the LG Signature. The television has a rollable OLED design with α9 Gen 4 AI Processor 4K, Dolby Vision IQ, and Dolby Atmos. LG Signature TV seems like a work of art that rolls up and down into a frame. The price of the TV is slightly higher at Rs 79,99,990 in the Indian market.

Specs

Rollable OLED design
Self-lighting OLED: Perfect Black, Intense Color, Infinite Contrast
α9 Gen4 AI Processor 4K
High Frame Rate of 4K 120 FPS

LG Gram 12th Gen

LG is refreshing its entire range of Gram laptops and introducing a portable monitor as well. The Gram devices will use Intel’s 12th Gen Alder Lake core processors. What’s interesting about this device is the inclusion of AI-based software called LG Glance. It allows each laptop to automatically lock the screen if the user steps away and blurs content on the screen if it detects someone looking over your shoulder. 

Specs

Anti-glare Display
LG Glance by Mirametrix
Intel Evo Platform Powered by 12th Gen Intel® Core™ Processors
17″ 16:10 WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS Display

Waterproof Tech Gadgets

It’s summertime and for most people, this season represents trips to lakes, beaches, pools, or even running through sprinklers- after all, we don’t judge. You wouldn’t want your beautiful day ruined by a drink spill or your clumsy hands. I’m well aware of how bad things get when gadgets and water meet. Growing up, I always heard one thing constantly- don’t let the devices near water. This was true for a long time until companies started making tech gadgets that could last even in a thunderstorm. 

The durability of most tech gadgets is measured on the IP(Ingress Protection) scale, which indicates its resistance to water and dust. Most high-end smartphones and watches come with an IP67 or IP68 rating, but what does that mean? 

The International Electrotechnical Commission sets the IP ratings, which tell you the level of protection a device offers against solids and liquids. The first number ranges from one to six and tells you the device’s level of protection against solid particles(dust, dirt, etc.). The second number goes from one to eight and tells you how much water a device can handle. The rubber seals that protect the high-rated IP phones from damage usually get eroded with time when met with coffee, champagne, or soft drinks, and this is why all gadgets must be handled with care despite their IP ratings to last long.

Here are the gadgets that perform best against water:

JBL Flip 5

Pool party? Perfect. Sudden cloudburst? Covered. Bash on the beach? It couldn’t get any better. JBL Flip 5 is an IPX7 waterproof portable device three feet deep and provides fearless outdoor entertainment. 

You get 12 hours of playtime to keep the music going longer and louder. The device also uses a new driver designed to create better-sounding bass, and the PartyBoost feature allows you to pair two speakers together for stereo sound to pump up your party. 

Apple Watch Series 7

In line with Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple Watch 7 is made entirely of recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, including the taptic engine. Also, Watch 7 is made without harmful chemicals like mercury, PVC, beryllium, and BFRs. 

Apple says that the watch was designed with swimmers in mind and is water-resistant up to 50 meters. This means you can take the watch with you in pools and, in some cases, even in the ocean. However, you cannot use it for diving purposes where it may encounter higher pressures or low temperatures than it’s rated for under the ISO.

Insta360 GO2

There has been a surge in 360-degree cameras, which use two lenses to capture the entire scene. Insta360 GO2 has a stunning IP8 4 rating, which means it can go down to 4m without a case. You can take this camera underwater, take immersive videos of yourself at the beach and pop it into the app, and even colour correct it. 

Insta360 can record videos at 1440p and take up to 150 minutes of video per charge, and its internal battery can be recharged by plugging the USB cable into the adapter. 

Samsung Galaxy S22

Your smartphone goes almost everywhere you go. Cooking dinner? There’s a high chance your phone will get to see the recipe too. At the beach? You can use it to listen to good music. At a park? You’ll likely read a book on your smartphone screen. You do not worry about your PC getting all wet in the rain, but it is a genuine concern with smartphones. 

The Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, and S22 Ultra come with an IP68 resistance rating. This does not necessarily mean that they are waterproof, but they are water-resistant and durable. This translates to Galaxy surviving up to 1.5 meters of water submersion for 30 minutes. 

If your S22 falls in the sink, gets submerged in the pool, or gets caught in a rainstorm, it would do fine. 

GoPro Hero Session

GoPro has become synonymous with adventure, so much so that you can never plan on doing a sport and not miss the GoPro. The GoPro Hero Session can capture 1440p footage at 30fps and 1080p footage at 60 frames per second. It is very lightweight and can go underwater up to 33 feet.

GoPro camera bodies have a rugged, waterproof design, making them an amazing camera for underwater sports. You can attach the Hero Session to your helmet or bike and get the first view of the adventure that you are in. 

Conclusion

Look, you should not let terms like ‘waterproof’ and ‘water resistant’ fool you when it comes to technology. All tech devices are electronic devices and should be avoided against water except for devices specifically made for the purpose. The good part is that waterproof devices have helped people get a little more relaxed when buying expensive devices. 

iOS 16 Not available for iPhone 7 or lower

In the recent WWDC 2022 event on June 6, Apple inc finally announced its iOS 16 update, which will be released in September 2022. Although this is excellent news for all the tech followers and smartphone enthusiasts, this is also bad news for some previous iPhone users. 

 

With iOS 16, Apple also announced that some devices wouldn’t be receiving these updates, specifically the iPhones starting from 7 Plus to the bottom will not be receiving these updates. The announcement shocked many people because the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were released in September 2016, which isn’t a long time for smartphones not to receive further updates. 

Like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, iOS 16 is not to be released for the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, among other devices. Following Apple’s WWDC event on June 6, iPhone 7 customers rushed to Twitter to voice their frustrations over the lack of an update for their phones. 

Optoma GT1080HDR DLP Projector – An Ambiguously Pleasing 4K/HDR DLP Projector

Don’t we all love large displays, why else would we want to watch movies on those large crisp projections in a movie theatre? LCD, and OLED displays as good as they may be and as large as they get, might not be the optimal solution when it comes to viewing content on a large canvas especially while saving some bucks. Do you know how much a 55-inch television with 4K HDR 120Hz refresh rate costs in India? You might want to google search and see for yourself!  This is exactly why movie theatres use projectors rather than large AMOLED displays. Today, we have an alternative to something as large as a 300-inch crisp 4k HDR 120Hz display, powered by something so small, that we could carry it around. Meet the Optoma GT1080HDR DLP Projector

Simply Optoma:

Design is simple yet lightweight and installation on a table or ceiling is easy. The front-facing projector is about a foot wide with 12.4-inches, 4.5-inches tall and 9.5-inches in length. The remote has all the necessary buttons and every button is illuminated. There’s also a lens cover that covers the short throw lens neat and complete. 

More value than money:

Being DLP this projector is virtually maintenance-free, has better picture quality, wider colour range and greater contrast while also being capable of displaying up to 3800 Lumens of vibrant bright projection. Do not go by its name of GT1080HDR as the projector is able to project up to 4K HDR at 120Hz refresh rate. Optoma has packed the GT1080HDR DLP Projector with multiple I/O when it comes to connectivity. HDMI 2.0, HDMI 1.4a, VGA in and out, USB power in and out, audio in and out, RS 232 port, AC power and Kensington lock. 

Projector distance can be adjusted from as low as 1.3 feet to 11.3 feet. Being a short-throw projector the Optoma GT1080HDR DLP Projector can produce a crisp 4K 120inch display from a mere 4 feet. The remote is illuminated, a clever trick especially for a projector. Active and passive 3D is offered with the right content and glasses at a rapid refresh rate of 144Hz, mighty impressive for a product that costs less than a 55inch 4k television with similar specs. The contrast is 50000:1 and thanks to DLP, the projector lamp is easily replaceable by a claimed viewing time of 10 years as per normal usage of 4 hours per day. If all of this wasn’t enough, Optoma has loaded a 10-watt speaker inside the projector to have an audio and video experience right out of the box. 

 

We played a couple of games at a 4K HDR high refresh rate and the projector pleasantly surprised us. Colours and contrast are amazing in games and games look more immersive with naturally punchy colours. The speaker too performs decently for a built-in speaker and no complaints here. The built-in fan is relatively silent and never audible. Next, we tried a couple of movies, youtube songs and the audio-video experience left us mesmerised. Optoma colour reproduction is one of the best when it comes to projections. Colour tones are natural throughout ECO and ECO+ modes. HDR performance was at par with expensive projectors and overall, the Optoma GT1080HDR DLP projector seems to have more value than money for what it provides.

Verdict:

If you are looking for a capable 4K display and own a new-gen console like the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, definitely consider auditioning the Optoma GT1080HDR DLP Projector. With the right panel, proper sources and innate capabilities like impressive colour tones, passive 3D, and keystone correction with +/- 40 degrees, this Optoma projector is definitely a great value addition to your display arsenal. 

Rating – 4.5/5

Good – Short-throw projection, display customisation

Bad – Manual keystone correction, old UI

Ugly – Bright mode distorts colours

Projection – Upto 300inch 4K Signal / HDR Compatible

Shorter installation distance with short throw lens design

Bright 1080p projector – 3,800 ANSI Lumens

High contrast outcome – 50,000:1

Easy connectivity – HDMI, VGA, R232, 10W speaker

Low ownership costs – up to 15,000 hours of lamp life (Eco+ Mode)

26dB Quiet Operation

Mom and Technology- What They Like and What They Don’t

There are certain things that moms like, and there are things that moms despise. If my mom is to be believed, I would be living a much-sorted life if I didn’t invest much time on my mobile phone. The funny part is that I see my mom busting out YouTube videos at maximum volume as I jot this article down.

Here are five tech devices that our mothers prefer or do not prefer having.

Smartphones

The one thing that moms have a love-hate relationship with. They only love it when the ball is in their court. Smartphones have become a convenient medium to kill the boredom of aged beings. The inclusion of OTT platforms has also made it easier for our parents to watch movies on the go. Now that I am mostly out for work, I find it relieving that my mom has her little friend to keep her occupied. And yes, I almost forgot, the annoying family Whatsapp groups make the smartphone even more interesting.

Video-games

I have lost count of the number of times I got trashed in my childhood for playing video games. I am sure most of you have gone through this or at least have been asked to pause your online game. Playstation and other video game consoles are totally uncool and would ruin your eyesight, of course, according to our moms. 

Television

Although my mom wasn’t ever into television dramas, I have seen in my friends’ house how much of a television buff moms become when those family dramas start to roll on the screen. I still haven’t figured out why anyone would watch 1000 episodes of something that doesn’t seem to go anywhere. Or maybe I am just bad at understanding moms.

Amazon Echo

During the corona days when everyone was stuffed inside their homes, I bought an Amazon Echo device, and little did I know it would be one of the essentials for mom. Now she orders Alexa to play music or listen to recipes, and stream movies, and there’s a pinch of excitement every time she does it. Echo has been a constant with mom, especially when she’s in the kitchen preparing food. 

Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Ah! The hate that moms have for this machine is real. They wouldn’t trust anyone with the house cleaning out themselves. We always get to hear this complaint that the vacuum cleaners do not cover the corners, which becomes a big headache for moms. Why have a machine when everyone can do their bit of cleaning and chores and not leave everything for moms?

#HappyMothersDay

Volkswagen Tiguan Review I Exhibit Magazine I Chahatt Khanna

Volkswagen Tiguan is a spacious 5 seater SUV that’s been launched in its facelift Avataar. This German makes a good fit for a city SUV as well as long distance SUV. We gave the car to Chaht Khanna and asked her to review this from her perspective.

What is the Future of Logistics with blockchain?

Understanding the past and observing the present enables extrapolation to what the future holds for the logistics Industry. Increased globalization, free trade, and outsourcing all contribute to a continuing and growing interest in logistics/SCM.

A McKinsey & Company study found that “By 2020, % of the world’s goods would be designed and produced in a country other than where they are consumed, up from 20 % today.” There will be a massive shift in the movement and consumption of goods, necessitating ever better management of the associated supply chain processes. With the recent pandemic, logistics services have become even more in demand, with everyone requiring online purchases due to the current lockdown.

This situation has demonstrated the effectiveness of this industry in keeping things running as smoothly as possible during a crisis. Consider a realm without logistics; it would be chaotic, even more so than life currently feels. Logistics has aided our personal development. Improvements in logistics services help the world run smoothly, allowing us to enjoy essential and luxury items from all over the world. This industry has often embraced technology and will continue to do so

Purchasing items online has become a simple process. It means that people can buy goods in a matter of minutes and have them delivered in a matter of minutes. With just an increase in competition, its warehouses that store the goods and the distribution network that gets them to each of us have seen a dramatic change. Purchasing items online has become a simple process. Because of the industry’s tenacity and foresight, those at home can maintain some semblance of normalcy in terms of getting what they need when they need it.

By definition, logistics is the art and science of obtaining, producing, and distributing material and products in the proper place and quantity.

Transport, Shipping, and Logistics Issues to be solved Using Blockchain

Technology Payment for transportation and risk management

 The average amount of day’s sales in inventory in trucking is 36.9 days. Smart contract payment technology can reduce payment delays and disputes. 

Administrative expenses

 The cost of document processing and administration can reach 20%. blockchain aims to reduce transportation costs accounting for two-thirds of total costs. Blockchain-based technology can significantly help to reduce it. 

Quality control and freight monitoring 

Cold chain monitoring is a significant challenge for the pharmaceutical industry, where temperature variations affect 8.5 percent of global shipments. This figure can reach 20% in some countries. 

Transparency and faith

 Cargo thefts alone are estimated to cost the world $30 billion per year. The implementation of blockchain results in a reduction in illegal behavior and its detection throughout the supply chain. Blockchain enables transportation and logistics companies to run more efficient and cost-effective businesses. 

Titanium AI Can Deter Cyber Attacks on Supply Chain Sector

Cyber attacks can disrupt any sector if it has a huge outreach. And, if it threatens the supply chain, you must understand that it can have a catastrophic impact on your life for sure. An attack on supply chain and logistics can lead to a loss of lacs and crores of Rupees. Hence, it becomes necessary to build resilient solutions that can deter such attacks. Recently, Massachusetts-based cybersecurity startup ReversingLabs has launched its AI product to track such attacks. Such products can give a real boost to other sectors after making suitable changes related to those domains. Let’s know more about this AI product and how it will help reduce the chance of cyberattacks on the supply chain ecosystem.

Why can an attack on the Supply Chain be drastic? 

Before understanding the reason, one should also understand the vulnerabilities existing in the supply chain system. Suppose you procured an item from Flipkart. Now, Flipkart, through its inventory and logistics management system, will start giving you information about the whereabouts of your product. But, Flipkart is also dependent on a third-party vendor that is accomplishing the delivery process. The platform of a vendor holds the major risk and can face an attack from the hacker. Once entered into the third-party vendor, they can reverse any information which will affect both the e-commerce portal and a user like you. Therefore, it is necessary to work on solutions that can track and avoid such attacks. 

 

I Am Titanium

The EDM of David Guetta can not allow anyone to hold their nerves. And, with a song like Titanium, David has shown how he can steal hearts. But, Exhibit is not here to discuss David Guetta’s Titanium. The Titanium that we are talking about is the AI product built by the ReversingLabs team. This product can help you detect and analyze every file coming into your network, be it binary-based. The Titanium engine has a huge database of more than thousands of file types. Thus, at an instant, Titanium can track a file and compare it with billions of files that pose a threat to your system. 

Steps Taken If Threat Detected

First of all, ReversingLabs’ product tries to extract every information from the file. Accordingly, it flags an alert as per the risk index that a particular file carries with it. The security analysts then get the threat intelligence as per this index and start working on the in-depth resolution by accelerating investigation to understand the source of this file and its location. The core USP of this software is that Titanium can track down the software risks proactively and transparently even if you don’t have source code access.

Final Remarks

ReversingLabs’ Titanium Engine has showcased the potential of what it can deliver. I am sure that with this blog, you have understood which is the most vulnerable point in the supply chain ecosystem and what amount of monetary loss it can lead to if there’s some sort of damage. To check out other articles covered under the AI section, click here.

Drone Destroying Technologies: Nullify UAVs’ Impact

A few days ago, the Exhibit team came out with certain essential concerns about drones. Drones which, if it is in your hand, make you feel empowered. Otherwise, you are vulnerable. In the previous article on drones, Exhibit also discussed those points that are creating an issue. And, to counter them, Exhibit laid out several methodologies to upgrade drone detection systems. But, this time, Exhibit will display how to neutralize such entities if such elements penetrate your territory. Keep an eye and understand what you need to do to destroy or take control of such weapons. 

RF Jammer

In the previous article, we have thoroughly discussed how to upgrade detection equipment with an RF analyzer. But the time has come for jammers. What happens in jamming? I hope you have heard of these instruments earlier. Remember when a political figure sitting at the zenith of administration and governance comes to your vicinity. You may complain about network signals getting lost. The same happens with drones. These jammers emit radio frequency signals at enormous energy. Due to this, the controller signals are unable to reach such UAVs. Once it has lost connectivity, it may go back to its original position or fall uncontrolled.

GPS Spoofers

Imagine you are going to a location using your GPS (through a mobile app). Suddenly, you feel like the distance that was reduced again increased. No, don’t worry, such things don’t happen. But, to counter UAVs if such situations arise, you may easily deter such defensive entities. How? Consider that if you detect a drone has trespassed your land and is trying to make a lethal move, you can send a signal that tells a drone that it has come to the wrong location and must move back. GPS Spoofers is a non-lethal method to resist lethal moves (Quotable quote, isn’t it?). Hence, through such systems, you can avoid drone attacks. 

HPM & HEL Devices 

In easy language, you can imagine that your GPS Spoofers or RF Jammers are like Windows OS. And, this OS platform wants to download updates. Once downloaded, it’s an upgraded element for sure with enhanced features. The HPM (High-Power Microwave) device also sends an electromagnetic pulse (similar to an RF signal). But, this pulse can destroy the electronic circuitry in these UAVs. It is because such vibrations create a high difference in voltage. This difference results in a high jump in current, and that destroys the circuitry. The same is true for HEL (High-Energy Laser) devices, but here you send a laser beam. However, HEL has the edge over all other drone-destroying instruments due to its long-range fire. HEL also helps to reduce collateral damage. 

Conclusion 

The Exhibit has come with another byte on defense technology. This time it has covered aspects of destroying drones. But these are hard bits and pieces. Imagine if all such functionalities and traits integrate into one place. Today, defense R&D is trying to hammer and tap the other aspects too. For other articles on defense technology on the Exhibit platform, click here

Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: NITI Aayog’s Policy Review Part – 2

So far, we have discussed EVSE, Battery Capacity Segmentation, and Battery Swapping when we reviewed NITI Aayog’s Policy Document on Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure. If you missed all of these sections, along with concrete recommendations made by Exhibit, you could read all of them here. Let’s move on and go further with this document to assess what all things are here for you.

Public Charging Points

Not so important section, but you cannot ignore it. Well, it becomes important for stakeholders to think about bringing establishments and distance between such closest points. NITI Aayog has given the example of the EU and how they have kept different charging points or stations for several categories of vehicles. However, one should only see the good practices present in the EU countries and not adopt them as the conditions in India will be pretty different. In addition to this, Exhibit will also suggest you check how electricity for charging is getting produced. Even, Government and private players who will get involved in this domain need to ponder about green production of electricity. One such example is of setting up a Solar-powered electric vehicle charging station in Karnal (midpoint of Delhi and Chandigarh in the Delhi Chandigarh highway by BHEL). 

Setting Targets 

Don’t worry; you are not playing a cricket match where one of us has set a target for another. The Indian team had proved its mettle on Lord’s again a few days back when they defeated the England team by 151 runs. Since the core discussion is on electric vehicle charging infrastructure, we will stick to it. The Government of India, through different ministries, has set a target of where to install a charging station, be it in a public place, semi-public place, or private place. But, the issue is that again all this is going through different branches. Rather, the focus should be brought to a special-purpose vehicle or working group that will formulate everything in this sector. No doubt NITI Aayog has talked about nodal agencies and working groups. However, NITI Aayog has assigned different niches to them.

Assessing Demands

Trust me, but this section is very confined on which the policy formulation team has worked properly. Under this, NITI Aayog has laid out the assessment plan with which you as a stakeholder can understand the demand. NITI Aayog is right in its place to record data of how many vehicles are coming, along with the charging time it takes to refuel the batteries installed in EVs. Also, you have to examine the timeline to understand how this demand is increasing.

Leveraging Streets & Electricity Grids

NITI Aayog has also provided information on how a Germany-based startup has utilized the street poles to upgrade them and build mini charging points. Hence, there is optimum space for leveraging the street and its essential points where one recharges their EV batteries. And, to tap such poles for electricity, it becomes important to ponder electricity grid and street poles connection. But, if one thinks of such connections, one has to consider electricity tariff rates. For this purpose, all the state governments have to come up with a consolidated strategy. Consolidated strategy means instructing DISCOMS to establish a parallel framework or bring a new connection for such electricity supply. 

Final Remarks on NITI Aayog Policy’s on Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

No doubt, NITI Aayog has laid down a vibrant framework to ensure a country like India can create a conducive ecosystem. But, it also becomes necessary to work upon eliminating loopholes. For other Auto-Tech section articles, click here.

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