When the big guns in the industry who have worked at Timex and Nike collaborate with a company, the product that they create is one of finesse. Here's a brand called Vector launched as a result of partnership between Steve Jarvis, ex-designer at Nike, Joe Santana, ex-CEO of Timex; Steve Jarvis, ex designer at Nike and Andrei Pitis, the CTO at Vector. At the Basel's jewellery event in Switzerland, Vector Watch was launched as a new smart timepiece that should compete with the likes of Apple Watch and Moto 360. The Vector smartwatch is not only compatible with the three most popular operating systems - Android, Windows and iOS (for running apps, alarms and notifications), it has taken a lot of people by surprise with the promise of a battery life that lasts 30 days.
Operating on the Vector system, the Vector watch has been unveiled in two form factors - the round-faced Luna and the rectangular Meridian designs. To suit the preferences of the customers, the Vector Watch can be bought in different kinds of steel finishes and get either leather or link straps. If you like to keep your options open, you can even use the bands interchangeably. The company wants to keep the design minimal with a focus on what a wrist watch is basically supposed to do - show time. The smarter features such as showing appointment from the calendar will be displayed along the edges of the smartwatch and notifications can be sensed by a small vibration. This is followed by the message which is visible as long as the wearers raises their watch arm. Take a look at the three designs below -
Coming back to the most impressive feature on the Vector Watch, the 30 day battery life claim. That has been made possible with the use of the low-power consuming custom OS and the monochrome memory LCD screen. The company wants developers to create various apps for the Vector watch platform. Moreover, since these smartwatches follow the If This Then That (IFTTT) web based service, users can customize their commands for conducting specific functions on their watches.
Coming to the pricing, the Vector Watch Luna model is going to retail at $349 and the Meridian model will sell at $199. The company hasn't announced a release date as of now. What are your thoughts on the Vector Watch's features and pricing? Share with us in comments below.
Sony has launched PumpX, a portable speaker for personal entertainment. The device contains two 10W speakers that have support for Bluetooth and NFC as well. Sony claims that the wireless-chargeable speaker has the battery life of five to twelve hours and is capable of delivering music for five hours of continuous use. PumpX (SRS-X2) lets user stream music via smartphone or tablet and also packs a built-in microphone for hands-free call management. The virtual surround sound speaker can be charged via USB.
PumpX with its simple design offers impressive surround sound of 20W and is small enough for easy carrying. The device supports Bluetooth 3.0 or a standard 3.5mm audio and several devices using NFC for quick connection and easy pairing. Though compact, PumpX gives listener an impression of room-filling sound. It features two channel bass-reflex speaker system with two full-range speakers. For convenience, it has built-in microphone and LED indicator.
There’s a microUSB slot for charging the speaker and user may enjoy music while it charges. The speaker is powered by 5V DC supply or built-in lithium-ion battery. PumpX measures approximately 171 x 60.5 x 56.5 mm and weighs about 500gm. PumpX speaker is available in Black, White and Red across all Sony Centres in India along with several other prominent electronic stores. It comes with a price tag of Rs 7990 and customers would get a USB adapter, a carrying pouch and a couple of reference guides with the package.
After launching an entry-level smartphone Intex Aqua Amoled, last week, the Indian mobile manufacturer has now introduced a new budget smartphone- Intex Aqua Xtreme V. A successor to Intex Aqua Xtreme, the smartphone is listed on the company’s official website and can be grabbed at INR 11,290. The main difference between the two phones is that the Xtreme V comes with 16GB of inbuilt storage while rest of the specifications are almost similar. At the time of launch of Aqua Xtreme, the company had promised Android 5.0 Lollipop update and we can expect the same with its successor.
As far as the specifications are concerned, the phone flaunts a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display with Dragontrail glass for protection and runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box. It is equipped with a 1.7GHz true octa-core MediaTek (MT6592) processor coupled with 2GB of RAM and supports 16GB of inbuilt storage which can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. The device sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Other camera options include continuous shot, face beauty, Panorama, face detection, live photo mode and smile shot. Connectivity options include 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB, FM and Bluetooth 4.0. It packs a 2000mAh battery that the company claims to deliver up to 7 hours of talk time and up to 180 hours of standby time. The dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) phone weighs around 120 grams and is available in Black, Grey, and Red colours.
Let us know your views on this new budget smartphone from Intex. Share with us in comments.
South Korean electronics maker LG just introduced two new products in its LED projectors range. According to the LG press, these new products are portable projectors that will come under the Minibeam range. This time LG has focused on the portability and durability of the projectors. PF1500 and PW800 are the two new debutants of the Minibeam series. Both projectors are manufactured for different purposes. Let's go through some of the product specifications and find out how they are different from each other.
The first product in the Minibeam lineup is the PF1500 model or as it is alternatively Minibeam Pro. This is the top-line model and it can deliver an output with Full HD (1920 x1080) resolution. Speaking of the projection capability, this one can project diagonals up to 120 inches which is a fairly big projection and has a optical zoom functionality which can enlarge a image with a 1.1 factor. The brightness of PF1500 projector is 1400 ANSI lumens. This projector can mirror your phone, tablet or laptop wirelessly and it also supports sound via bluetooth pairing which saves the hassle of complicated wired setup of sound systems. PF1500 has very compact dimensions - 132 x 220 x 84mm and weighs around 1.5 Kg.
The second product on the list is the PW800 which has a different focus area because it has a TV tuner built inside and thus named as Minibeam TV. Minibeam TV has a low output resolution than Minibeam pro which is 1280 x 800 pixels and it can project diagonals upto 100 inches. Brightness of PW800 is of 800 ANSI lumens. This well equipped projector is more compact and light weight than Minibeam Pro and it weighs only 0.6 Kg with dimensions set at 140 x 140 x 50mm.
Moving to the durability, LG claims that both these projectors have same life time of 30,000 hours, which translates to 10 years if they are used 8 hours daily. They will be available in US and Korean market by this month and rest of the world will get these in coming weeks. Price of PF1500 is 999 USD as per the listing on Amazon and price of PW800 is confirm yet. What are your views on these portable projectors? Share your views through comments in the comment section below.
If you were following the launch of Datsun Go+ MPV in India during the month of January this year, here's some exciting news from the company. The Japanese automobile giant, Nissan has decided to launch its brand new Datsun I2 car in Indian market within next 18 months. Though it is being said that the Datsun I2 will be placed below the Datsun Go car, we recommend reading about the Datsun GO+ pricing and specifications here. Now, the news about Datsun I2 car's India launch came to light when Nissan India president, Mr. Guillame Sicard told Reuters about it. Touted to be priced below Rs. 3,24,000, making it the cheapest Datsun car in India, the I2 is going to be the most affordable product from the company yet.
For keeping the cost that low, it is being said that, Datsun will be manufacturing the I2 in India (most probably at the Chennai-based manufacturing unit) while using locally made car components. To be based on the new Renault-Nissan Alliance CMF-A platform, the small Datsun I2 car may be inspired from the Datsun Redi-Go concept that we saw at this year's Delhi Auto Expo.
It is going to be a challenge for Nissan's Datsun to maintain good fuel efficiency without compromising on either the car's quality or safety. Since last year, the company has been able to sell more than 62,000 cars in India. Speaking of the company's success, another noteworthy achievement in the completion of a decade of operations for Nissan India. To mark the day, the company celebrated with “The Nissan Carnival”, an experiential event to showcase the well known products and technologies at their Buddh International Circuit office in Greater Noida.
We will be eagerly waiting for the Nissan Datsun's I2 car's technical specifications announcement from the company. The launch might happen sometime during mid 2016. What are your thoughts on a new entry level car from Nissan? Share with us in comments below.
While most of us are still getting acquainted with Android’s Lollipop version, the 2nd generation of Moto X is all geared up to get a new update to Lollipop. It is no secret that the users are facing some significant issues with the Android 5.0 OS. Maybe that is why Android has quickly come up with the Android 5.1 update and they are all ready to soak test it with the Moto X 2014 in the coming few weeks. Let’s look at the important updates and bug fixes that Android 5.1 has to offer.
Notifications and Interruptions
If you set your alarm at any time within next 12 hours and select the ‘No Interruption’ option, then you won’t get any notifications (messages or anything else) by the time the alarm rings. One other important change that this update is bringing is the ability to changenotification volume while watching a media like a video. Along with the volume control of the media, there will be a bell icon clicking on which would bring up the notificationvolume controls. Additionally, if you see a heads-up notification then instead of clicking the dismiss button you can swipe up to dismiss the notification from your screen. This notification would be present in notification tray and can be dismissed later.
Quick Settings and Camera
If you are an Android Lollipop user, you know that if you need to connect to a separate Wi-Fi point or a different Bluetooth device than your latest one, you need to click on the name to select the required point/device. In the Android 5.1 update, there will be a pull-down menu on the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth tile which will allow quick access to required point of connection. Also the conditional settings tile like ‘Invert colours’ or ‘Hotspot’ that shows up if you use it constantly can be removed by long pressing on the tile, a facility not available in Android 5.0.
The new update will improve the responsiveness of the front camera of the phone and will reduce noise in case of low-light shots
Performance and Lockscreen
Android operating system’s application runtime environment Android Runtime (ART) has been improved in the update and will work faster leading to quick launch time of applications.
Keeping in mind those who often switch to the ‘Ambient Display’ option, in the update, the minimum swipe distance has been increased to reduce accidental interactions.
Additionally, there are some bug fixes like Chrome crashing on launch, Calculator floating point applications and general stability improvements that the Android 5.1 update will offer. Please check this link to see a full list of updates and bug fixes.
Acer recently launched the updated version of its popular Chromebook C910 which packs a better Intel core processor. The previous models of Chromebook are powered by Intel’s i3 and Celeron processors, whereas the recently launched model would have more powerful fifth-generation Intel core i5 5200U processor. The product is globally famous as it is believed to be the perfect piece for educational and office purposes. Acer Chromebook C910 (model no: C91054M1) would be launched in US by April and the other models, introduced in January would be available as well.
Acer Chromebook C910 features a large 15.6-inch display available in two resolutions- 1920 x 1080 or standard laptop resolution of 1366 x 768. The display comes with Acer ComfyView and anti-glare properties. It is available 32GB internal storage capacity coupled with 4GB RAM. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11ac with MIMO technology, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0 and 2.0, HDMI support.
The device retains durability as that of previous models. Acer claims that it can withstand daily damage that can withstand up-to 60kg of pressure and corners that can withstand drop from about 45cm. The Chromebook weighs about 2.2kg and has measures 393 x 256 x 24.2 mm. Acer C910 has the largest touchpad among all other Chromebooks. The gadget is powered by a battery which according to Acer, can be used for up-to 8 hours on a single charge. Thus, an average user can easily use it for a single day on a charge.
The device is scheduled to hit US market in April at a price tag of $499.99. It is expected to be made available in other major markets soon.
If you are one of those people who has to lock and unlock their smartphone tens of times a day and would love to have an automated solution for it, here's a new feature in Android OS running phones, that you got to love. Known as the 'on-body' detection mode, here's an update to Google's Android that can smartly lock and unlock your smartphone depending on where it is. It means that, if your phone is in contact with your body, it will automatically unlock and if it's just lying on the couch or a table, it will stay locked. This means the feature not only ensures the user's comfort, but also keeps your phone's data safe from an intruder's or thief's eyes.
The simple mechanism behind this feature lies in the fact that most smartphones today have an accelerometer fitted inside the body. Using it, this smart lock feature figures out when your device is in your hands and when it isn't, by determining if it is being continually moved. Now during the time the phone is your hands, it will stay unlocked and get locked only when you put it down. The thing to note here is that, if you pick it up again, you will need to manually unlock it and if the phone is handed over to someone when it is in the unlock mode in your hands, it will not lock on its own. The feature isn't able to recognise the owner, but only whether someone is holding it or not.
Folks over at AndroidPolice have found that the new feature works on smartphones running Android's 5.0 or above version. The roll out seems to be a gradual one and if you are running the latest version of Google Play Services (7.0.97), it should soon reach your phone.
We believe that the feature is only for the user's convenience and not as a security option. Do let us know if you are seeing the On-Body detection mode in your phone's settings and have you started using it.
What do you do when you have access to all the personal information of hundreds of millions of people on the Internet, and you go by the name of 'Facebook'? Well, you develop an app that tries to put TrueCaller out of business! That's exactly what the rumours on the social media are hinting at. World's largest and currently unbeatable social network is trying to create a dialer application that will mimic the functionality offered by TrueCaller. The app will intend to put an end to anonymous phone calls.
TrueCaller, the app that currently offers this feature has a database of millions of people around the world, which it's collected through its app available on various platforms. Whenever the app senses an incoming call, it quickly looks up its massive database for the information associated with the phone number. The information is then presented on the screen of the phone receiver so that the receiver knows who's calling even if the phone's made from an unknown number.
Facebook already has a ton of information about almost everyone on the planet and with access to people's phone numbers, it can look up all of the required information to uniquely identify any caller. If the number is in the list of commonly blocked phone numbers, the app will automatically block that number. Facebook is also likely to use the call data to personalise advertisements shown to you and for its own marketing, research analysis.
The app is likely to be called 'Phone'; which ain't a very attractive name for the app. The screenshot leaked by AndroidPolice shows [FB-ONLY] tag along with the name which hints that the app got accidentally leaked from FB's intranet. Hitting on 'Install or Update' led to 404 error page. It's not clear when will FB release this app. Do you think it will be a TrueCaller killer?
While most people are waiting for Sony to release Xperia Z4, Sony on the other hand is constantly introducing new products. After unveiling Sony Xperia M4 and Sony Xperia E4 (LTE) within a period of one month, Sony has launched yet another Xperia variant: Xperia J1 Compact. The most eye-catching feature about this phone is that it is Sony’s first SIM-free phone. The phone is launched only in Japan for now and has the MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) support that will provide voice calls NTT DOCOMO (a phone operator in Japan).
The Xperia J1 Compact has 4.3 inch HD display. It is great processing capability thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, Adreno 330 GPU and 2 GB RAM. The phone has 16 GB of internal storage which can be expanded upto 128 GB via microSD card. The Android 4.4 KitKat OS based phone comes with an impressive 20.7 megapixel rear camera with flash and a 2 megapixel front snapper. The phone comes with IP68 certification and that means it is certified to be water and dust resistant. Under connectivity it offers 4G LTE, Wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.0 GPS/A-GPS and NFC. The device has a non-removable 2300 mAh battery and though the exact battery life is yet unknown, but considering the small screen size, it seems that the battery life will be substantial.
The specs of the phone suggests that the phone may seem a good buy for those looking for a small yet powerful handset. It is worth mentioning that this phone is Sony’s first unlocked smartphone to launch in Japan. The phone costs 54,800 yen (28,000 INR). In Japan, the pre-orders for the phone will begin from 27th March while the actual sale will begin from 20th April. International availability of the phone is yet unknown.
Benelli, one of the oldest manufacturers in Italy, launched a range of superbikes for Indian auto market. Benelli has partnered with Pune-based DSK Motowheels to introduce range of bikes priced from Rs 2.8 lakh to Rs 11.81 lakh. These include the entry level model TNT 300, a 300cc two-cyllinder bike, TNT 600i, 600cc model with four-cylinder engine, TNT 600 GT, a tourer-style model, TNT 899, a 898cc four-cylinder bike and three-cylinder TNT R featuring 1131cc engine. All bikes would be assembled at DSK plant near Pune and would be available across India with nine dealers.
Coming to specifications, TNT 300 has 300cc two-cylinder engine capable of generating 37.73bhp @11500rpm and torque of 26.5Nm @ 10000rpm. It comes with 6-speed gearbox and 16 litres of fuel tank capacity. The front brake is twin-disk while rear one is single-disk brake. It comes with seat height of 795mm and ground clearance of 160mm. the other model TNT 600 has two variants- 600i and 600 GT. As the name suggests, it is a 600cc engine model that can produce 83.90bhp @ 11500 rpm. This one comes with 15 litres fuel tank capacity. Belleni 600 GT variant is almost similar to 600i but with maximum fuel capacity of 27 litres.
Apart from average-range superbikes, the company introduced two high-end models as well. Benelli TNT 899 features 898cc four-cylinder engine generating maximum power of 118.36bhp @ 9500 rpm and maximum torque of 88Nm @ 8000rpm. This one comes with fuel tank capacity of 16 litres. The top-end model among all five bikes is TNT 1130 R having 1131cc engine. This one is capable of generating maximum power of 155.84bhp @ 10200 rpm and max torque of 120Nm @8400 rpm. TNT 1130 R has 6-speed transmission and fuel tank capacity of 16 litres. The instrument panel all launched bikes include digital speedometer, odometer, trip meter and analogue tachometer. Introducing five bikes, DSK also confirmed to launch a 250cc bike in last quarter.
Tata Motors' future cars, small as well as mid-size ones, will offer keyless entry and operations. The technology, called "Passive Entry Passive Start Systems" has been designed and developed by Germany based Marquardt will be made available to Tata Motors. The company has received its largest order from India last year and has decided to set up a research and development center in Pune, Maharashtra. Marquardt is the sole supplier of the system to a range of luxury car makers across borders and brands. Mr. Herald Marquardt, the CEO of Marquardt said that the new cars will roll out starting Q3 of 2016.
The new technology offers great convenience and security as well. The overall system comprises of an electronic key, an on-board computer, couple of sensors and locking system. The electronic key needs to be present inside the car for the owner to be able to enter and operate the car. The owner can start the car with a press of a button. If the electronic key gets lost, a duplicate key can be quickly generated using the car and owner data. The lost key can be easily disabled so that it can't be misused. Unfortunately, the system cannot be retrofitted.
The details of the contract between Tata Motors and Marquardt have not been disclosed. The order however seems to be of the tune of 'double-digit million euros' and the delivery is expected to be of 10K pieces. The company also intends to set up a manufacturing unit in Pune in the next five years. Till then, the products will be supplied from China.
LG’s G Pad 8.0 tablet along with two other LG tablets were actually unveiled in Europe way back in May 2014. LG had begun the sale of the tablets in August. And now, apparently looking at the demand and success of a number of devices launched in India, LG decided to bring the LG G Pad 8.0 to the country. But they have done it rather quietly without making much noise. There was no announcement, no press release but the device is already available for sale via third-party retailers like Snapdeal for a cost of Rs 17,999.
The tablet comes in two variants: the Wi-Fi only model and a model that offers 4G connectivity. The model available via Snapdeal is the Wi-Fi only model. Apart from the connectivity option, all other specs of the variants are exactly same. The tablet has an 8-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. Considering it is a tablet, the device has a low processing capability courtesy its mere 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex A7 processor along with 1 GB of RAM. Many smaller devices like smartphones have better processing power than the tablet.
In the camera front, the tablet has a 5 MP rear camera and 1.3 MP front camera. The device is based on Android KitKat 4.4.2 OS and has an internal storage of 16 GB which is expandable upto 64 GB using a microSD card (USB v 2.0). It sports a huge battery of 4200 mAh and can work for 6 hours continuously with a single charge. Under connectivity, it offers 2G, 3G, GPS and Bluetooth options. The device is available in two colours: Black and White.
Besides the above features, some additional features that the device contains Touch and Shoot and Gesture Shot. The Gesture Shot is for the selfie enthusiasts. It allows the user to click a photo from the front camera by a simple gesture like opening and closing of palms. The Touch and Shoot feature enables the tablet to focus on the subject automatically by tapping anywhere on the screen. Additionally, Snapdeal is offering a free flip cover for the tablet. It is apparent that LG is hoping that all these additional features would help them achieve stability in Indian tablet market.
AllizHealth works towards simplifying process of storing, accessing and sharing of health data. AllizHealth, a Health, Wellness and Fitness Company, was founded in 2012 by Chinmoy Mishra. It is headquartered in Bangalore, with offices in Delhi and Pune.
Chinmoy Mishra completed Computer Science Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, in the year 2001. Chinmoy then worked with Infosys for almost six years and then with Health Asyst Pvt. Ltd. for close to four years prior to starting up with AllizHealth.
In an exclusive interview with CrazyEngineers.com, we got Chinmoy to talk about his experiences at AllizHealth, what made him quit his job at Infosys Technologies and start-up with AllizHealth, how a startup in Health Care domain is different from any other start-up, their main competitors, various services offered by AllizHealth and a lot more. Read on!
Chinmoy Mishra
1. Hi Chinmoy. Could you tell our readers something about AllizHealth?
Chinmoy: AllizHealth is a technology venture in the space of preventive health. We are building an analytics platform which could be mined to come up with preventive care interventions at individual, family and community levels. Given the alarming increase in non-communicable and preventable diseases in India, there is an urgent need to transition from a traditional curative care model to preventive health. Through our initiative, we are trying to facilitate this transition and address some of the challenges with our healthcare delivery model.
We started out as a two member team in July, 2012 and at present grown to a 10 member team with an office in Pune, Maharashtra. We are backed by a group of eminent physicians who also act as our advisors.
2. What made you quit your job at Infosys Technologies and startup with AllizHealth?
Chinmoy: It was at Infosys, that I first got into the healthcare industry and been a fascinated by the space ever since. While Infosys provided me a wonderful platform and a great support system, as with any other big size firm, at some point we have a bit of complacency setting in and we start getting satisfied with mediocrity. Fortunately, I realized this drift quite early and decided it was time to move on. Being in the healthcare industry for quite some years by then, I definitely had a liking to it and, secondly, I could see plenty of things which could be improved or innovated in the Indian healthcare space. So, after moving away from Infosys, I pursued my MBA at Babson College and then was with another healthcare firm for few years before taking the plunge and starting AllizHealth.
3. How is a startup in Health Care domain different from any other startup?
Chinmoy: As compared to other domains, the healthcare space definitely has high barriers to entry. Knowledge of the space and understanding of the ecosystem is vital to build a sustainable advantage. So, that limits competition to some extent. However, as a start-up in this space, one always needs to have the ears glued to the regulatory environment.
4. Who do you think are your main competitors? What makes AllizHealth different from the rest?
Chinmoy: We are looking at completion from both established players such as CIGNA TTK and Apollo Life and from start-up firms in preventive care and wellness space. We believe, what differentiates us from our competitors is our use of technology to drive user collaboration and address the last mile issue. Our business case goes beyond identifying user health risks and includes personalized treatment options, recommendations and regular follow-ups to close the loop on user participation, health data collection, analysis and providing care interventions. Unlike our competitors, our platform encourages user engagement and focuses on the user rather than the care givers.
The Team
5. What are the various services offered by AllizHealth? Who are your clients?
Chinmoy: As mentioned earlier, we are building a platform of health data analytics. As part of the platform, we are developing three consumer facing solutions;
a) Health Risk Assessment - Based on proprietary and evidence based algorithms, this unique solution helps figure the health risks of an individual and predicts susceptibility of various medical conditions,
b) Personal health Records - This cloud based solution helps keep track of various health conditions, store health documents, set reminder’s & alerts and connect with specialist’s,
c) Analytics Dashboard - Helps our partners view real time, various health trends and design targeted intervention programs and wellness calendars.
To get users on to the platform, we partner with schools on our school health program and with corporates, insurance providers & hospitals for our corporate wellness programs. As part of these programs, we assess individual health issues, help monitor these issues and finally provide strategies to mitigate these risks.
6. If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be?
Chinmoy: I would go with 30 any day. At 30, one is smart enough to know and young enough to enjoy. While you are considered adult enough to try anything you want, if something doesn’t work out, you are pardoned for being not matured enough. On a slightly more serious note, I miss that energy and the ability to put in relentless hours.
7. When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time?
Chinmoy: I am a voracious reader and can read anything under the sun. Moment I get an opportunity, I go back to reading something. It could be anything from world politics to sports to Bollywood gossips. I love to be aware of what is happening around me. My friends actually do believe that if I don’t find anything new to read, I re-read the same articles and books.
8. Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad but it turned out to be for the best? What will be your advice to engineers who get disheartened easily?
Chinmoy: Yes, very early on in our journey, we were close to signing up with a big group that could have instantly got us the visibility and traction. However, in order to get the project, we had to do make few of the decision makers happy. At one point we did consider this option, only for a rebuttal from our conscience. We did not go ahead with it and as expected lost the order. But, as we look back, it was turning point for us as we came out with our integrity intact and just strengthened our resolve and depth of persistence. It was a great thing that could happen to us so early on. So, my two cents to my friends, never compromise with your integrity, be resolute even if it means losing out on short term achievements. As they say, it is not how hard you punch, but, how hard can you take one and still come back.
9. Thank you for your time. Any message for our readers?
Chinmoy: Thank you for the opportunity. As for message for my friends, just go, do it. It may be a rollercoaster of a journey and certainly not for the faint hearted, but, every moment of it is worth in gold and an amazingly humbling experience.
Last year in September, Bose Corp. introduced its new QuietComfort 25 (QC25) acoustic noise cancelling headphones only for iPod, iPad and iPhone models. The premium headphones are acclaimed for better noise reduction and audio performance. Today, the company has announced that the new version of stylish QC25 headphones is now available for most of the Samsung Galaxy smartphones/tablets and Android devices. Priced at $299.95, QC25 is being offered in two colour variants- black and white, each with blue accents and will be available at authorized Bose dealers beginning in June, 2015.
Like iOS variant, the latest version also features an inline mic and remote that makes it easier for the users to take calls and control music at their fingertips. It comes with 'audio advancements' that reproduce music with better clarity and accuracy. Moreover, the Active EQ is now more finely tuned for providing smoother frequency response across the full spectrum of sound, irrespective of the level at which the users are listening. The technology called ‘TriPort’ delivers detailed low notes of high-quality. The comfortable QuietComfort 25 headphones with protein leather ear cushions draw power from an AAA or triple-A battery that can work up to 35 hours. Even if the battery dies, the users can still listen to the music but without noise reduction. The luxurious suede-like material, underneath the headband of stunningly designed headphones, is used for providing extra comfort.
The microphones are placed both inside and outside the earcup, which features a soft-touch TPE bumper and cast zinc pivot, for effective sensing and measuring of unwelcoming sounds. These measurements are then delivered to a digital electronic chip for accurate and precise calculation of equal and opposite noise cancellation signal, within a fraction of a millisecond. Later on, the noise cancelling headphones deliver better audio with no distortion or exaggeration of instruments or vocals.
If you are a frequent traveler who uses a tablet computer extensively for work or just love to operate the smartphone on the go for blogging and accessing social media and have found it annoying to type in the crammed-up on-screen keyboard, well, the new Microsoft designed Universal Foldable Keyboard may be the right product for you. The bluetooth-enabled keyboard works with all Android devices, Windows Phones and tablets as well as iOS powered iPhones and iPads. It's the design that has been rethought while launching a portable keyboard. Microsoft researchers have brought an ultra-thin and super compact design to the tablet with the new foldable keyboard.
We all have one time or the other found that typing on the small touch screen keyboard gets uncomfortable if you are typing in a lot of content. Not only is it slow, but it's also prone to typing mistakes and editing the text is a hassle. As smartphones and tablets get thinner by the day, here is a product from Microsoft that's not only incredibly thin at 11.5 mm thickness when folded (and just 5mm thin when opened), but also really lightweight. The built-in rechargeable battery is said to last about three months in use on a single charge.
Thanks to Bluetooth pairing, the Foldable Keyboard gets set up two any device in seconds and what we really love is the fact that if the user pairs the keyboard with any combination of two compatible devices, he can quickly switch between them with one touch. Last but not the least on the feature highlights list is the durable design. The keyboard is designed to be spill-resistant, hence you won't have to panic if you spill the coffee on it on your next round of meeting over gadgets.
Microsoft has set the price of the Universal Foldable Keyboard at $99.95 (approx. Rs. 6,200) and would be available for buying by July 2015 via the Microsoft Store and various other retailers. Take a look at the following video to see the foldable keyboard in action -
Researchers at University of Cambridge are working to make real time 3D holographic displays possible. The researchers have designed a new type pixel element having unique switching capability. This newly designed pixel element enables greater control over displays at the level of individual pixels. Scientists believe that this research might bring real-time 3D holographic displays one step closer to reality. A photograph is created due to light falling on an object, whereas light bouncing from a surface creates a hologram. The bouncing light projects the image of the surface which gives viewer an impression as if the object is present right in front of them.
Large amount of optical information is present in a hologram and representation of holographic image requires information to be modulated on the display device. The findings of the research concludes that large area of the pixel is underutilised that can be used to store additional information in order to make the display suitable for holographic displays. Additional functionalities can be added with the help of nanostructures to increase the capacity of pixels.
The team working on this research is led by Calum Williams, a PhD student at Department of Engineering who is also the lead author of the paper and co-author Yunuen Montelongo. The team has achieved much control over holograms through plasmonics (study of how light interacts with metals on nanoscales). Real world applications require properties of optical antennas to be switched, which is not usually possible in currently available devices. However, integration with liquid crystals allowed researchers to actively switch which hologram is excited and there which output image is selected.
The research extends the opportunities in the field of plasmonics and these pixels could develop displays that would be totally different compared to currently used conventional displays.
Google’s Chromecast is one of the most popular digital media player available in the market. But one of the drawbacks that it had was that it could be controlled only via a smartphone or a laptop. Even if you want to pause a program for a few seconds, you need to open the laptop or go to the settings of the smartphone to do it. But Google seems to have quietly overcome this small yet significant problem. A recent update to Chromecast indicates that it is now possible to pause or restart playback video using the TV Remote control.
Although there has been no official word from Google, but tech buffs are speculating that control via TV Remote is possible now because of Chromecast’s use HDMI-CEC which is an extension of the HDMI protocol. It is HDMI-CEC that allows the TV Remote to interact with the Chromecast in the same manner as the remote interacts with a Blu-Ray player. The TV acts as a mediator and converts the infrared signals of the remote and sends it to Chromecast because the Chromecast doesn’t have an infrared player.
After the pause/resume button is pressed, the state of the video player is updated on the smartphone/laptop and you can resume/pause the video using these devices as you normally do. This feature was added to Chromecast in the latest 27946 firmware update. The feature works with the old remotes but it might not work for old TVs because old TVs do not support the HDMI-CEC protocol.
According to Chromecast users, the feature is working successfully for most apps like YouTube, WatchESPN, HBO Go etc. but there are certain apps like Netflix which are yet to support the same. It is worth noting that in some TVs the HDMI-CEC protocol is present but is switched off by default. It is possible to change this setting and here is the link on how to do it easily.
With a mission to study and have a greater understanding of a phenomenon called ‘magnetic reconnection’, United Launch Alliance rocket- Atlas V 421 was successfully launched at 10:44 p.m. EDT on Thursday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. NASA’s four Magnetospheric Multiscale or MMS spacecraft were placed one on top of the other on the rocket and were later positioned in the Earth’s orbit in less than two hours after the launch. These identical observatories will be deployed into a pyramid formation for providing the very first 3D view of reconnection that occurs in the Earth’s magnetic space environment (magnetosphere).
Magnetic reconnection is believed to be acting as a catalyst for the powerful explosions that are happening in the solar system. It takes place at the time when the magnetic fields link together, disconnect, and reconfigure explosively. During this fundamental process, billions of megatons of trinitrotoluene (TNT) of energy is released. These explosions are capable of sending the nearby space particles at about the speed of light. The study of the phenomenon will also provide deep understanding of these events that can damage present-day technological systems such as GPS navigation, communications networks, and electrical power grids. It will also help to acquire knowledge about the processes in the sun and other stars atmosphere, surroundings of black holes and neutron stars, and also at the borderline that is between the heliosphere of the solar system and interstellar space.
The spacecraft will fly in a fixed formation while advancing through the areas of reconnection activity. The MMS consists of sensors for measuring the space environment and instruments that are sensitive enough to notice a difference equivalent to a 4 volt change in space. It is the fourth assignment in the NASA Solar Terrestrial Probes (STP) Program.
Video-sharing giant YouTube has brought virtual reality now to actual reality. Although not as quite as effective, but YouTube has brought what it had promised back in January. YouTube has introduced the ability to upload and view 360 degree angle videos on their website naturally with the intent to keep up with the technology and attracting a larger audience. If you’d look at the video below, you will realize that YouTube has done a great job especially because the videos look great without the use of a virtual reality headset.
The support to 360 degree views is currently available on YouTube’s Android app and on Google Chrome on the web. On the phone/tablet via the app, the user can change the angles of the video by changing the orientation of the device. On Chrome, the angle can be changed in a traditional Google Map style arrow buttons available on the video.
The good news is that it isn’t necessary to visit the YouTube website every time you wish to see 360-degree video. The same functionality is available also on embedded videos. The bad news is, currently there is no 360 degree support for iPad and iPhone users. However, YouTube has assured that they are working on the same and support will be available soon.
Among the many products in the portfolio of Intex Technologies' televisions now stands a new 32-inch LED TV with HD resolution (1366 X 768 pixel). The 80 cm television comes with a price tag of Rs. 23,990 and the promise of a good viewing experience for the user. Powered by the Eye Safe T Matrix LED technology, the Intex 3111 HD TV features a vertical panel for wider view. The television has been designed to reduce power consumption and reduce time lag. Intex Technologies also bring auto channel search and sleep timer to the table. With a dynamic contrast ratio of 1000000:1, the Intex 3111 LED TV comes with stereo sound system with bottom speakers and some of the advanced features such as perceptual motion flow tech, full HD video playback through USB 2.0 and digital noise reduction.
At a net weight of 4.4 kg, the television looks to be quite on the heavy side. Other than that, we take a look at the various ports on the Intex 3111 television, only to find a HDMI ports, a VGA input ports, two composite AV in ports and a composite AV out port as well as a RF in port.
If we compare the Intex 3111 with the other HD ready 32-inch TVs in India such as the LG LB515A or Samsung UA series or Bravia models, you will find that the Intex 3111 is one of the cheapest options. What are your thoughts on the new 32-inch model? Share with us in comments below.
