Category: Lifestyle

This Is What The Apple AR Glasses Might Look Like

A Dutch-based designer has come up with a concept render for the Apple AR Glasses. The concept images are very realistic, which showcases the aesthetics and the function of the glass. Unlike the Google Glass, Apple AR Glasses looks like regular sunglasses with Apple logo on both sides of the frame.

Google was the first company to release a pair smart glasses. However, owing to its unusual appearance and intrusive features, it failed to take off. Intel recently came up with a concept called Vaunt, which uses retinal projection technology to project an image directly on your eyeball. One of the main features of the Vaunt is how simple they look. Unlike the Google Glass, it will be hard to notice these smart glasses in a crowd. Also, they aren’t as intrusive either, since there are no cameras to secretly record footage.

Intel’s new smart Vaunt Glasses. Image courtesy: Verge

Even Snapchat came with Spectacles, which comes with a dedicated camera to record videos. The Snapchat Spectacles also have a glowing LED ring, which notifies that the user is recording a video.

If Apple does launch the Apple AR Glasses, it has to be minimalistic. The glasses cannot have an in your face design, like the Google Glass. The renders reveal that the Apple AR Glasses will look close to regular spectacles. If the design is anywhere near the final product, the Apple AR Glasses could be a success.

Features of Apple AR Glasses:

According to Martin, the Apple AR Glasses uses a micro-projected to project the images on the lens. So, the Apple AR Glasses user will be able to see real-world information and the smart information from glass simultaneously.

These glasses will be based on Augmented reality, rather than the virtual reality. With the help of smart glasses, the user will be able to check phones battery percentage, network reception and notifications with a blink of an eye. Like Apple Watch, the Apple AR Glasseses are expected to support wireless charging using Qi-wireless compatibility.

The glass frame is expected to feature sensors like camera, GPS, and light sensor. There will be complete Siri integration with all the functionality. The Glasses are also expected to feature dual speakers, which can transfer the sound to the user directly.

These Glasses will be powered by Apple’s rOS, which will be based on iOS, with a battery efficient chipset. The rOS stands for reality operating system, focused on AR capabilities.

GBH Insights analyst said:

While this has been a late entrant from an AR/VR perspective, we believe Apple AR Glasses will be the next step in the wearable category for Apple.

Conclusion:

So far, there have only been rumours about this. Some reports claim that the Apple AR Glasses might start shipping as early as 2020.

February 20, 2018
Nokia 8 Pro With Penta-Lens Camera Setup Might Launch At MWC 2018

The alleged Nokia 10 might, in fact, be the Nokia 8 Pro. A new report claims that the company will soon launch the Nokia 8 Pro. The device will have a camera setup, originally rumoured for the Nokia 10. The Nokia 8 Pro will succeed the Nokia 8, which was the flagship device of 2017 for Nokia.

The Nokia 8 was the first flagship smartphone from HMD Global, which offered flagship grade specifications. Nokia 8 was bested by the likes of the OnePlus 5T and Xiaomi Mi Mix 2. This was largely due to their superior design. The Nokia 8 also did not impress with its camera quality which was hyped by the company.

It looks like HMD Global’s plan of launching a Penta-lens smartphone will be more than just a concept. It was rumoured that the Nokia 10 will be unveiled as a concept phone at MWC 2018 and go into production in late-2018. However, it looks like the Nokia 8 Pro will be launched alongside the likes of Nokia 7 Plus at the upcoming event.

If true, the Nokia 8 Pro will definitely grab quite a few headlines. It is also expected to run on the latest Snapdragon 845 chipset. However, the Nokia 8 Pro won’t be the device running on this chipset. Smartphones like the Galaxy S9 and Mi Mix 2S are also expected to be unveiled running on the Snapdragon 845 chipset.

Specifications:

Like the Nokia 8, the Nokia 8 Pro is expected to offer top of the line specifications. As per the leaks, the smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, coupled with either 4 or 6GB RAM. Like most other flagship smartphones of 2018, the Nokia 8 Pro will offer an 18:9 aspect ratio with minimal bezels. The exact screen size of the device is yet to be revealed, but, as per the trend, we might see a 6 inch display with rounded corners.

The smartphone might house a dual-camera setup at the back, with a possible wide angle sensor and a telephoto sensor. The smartphone does offer dual front-facing camera which is expected to offer features like portrait mode.

Design:

Nokia 8 Pro is expected to follow the trend by offering all glass back panel, with a possible support for Qi-based wireless charging. The dual grills on the front also suggest that the smartphone might offer dual front-facing stereo speaker like the Google Pixel 2 XL.

Conclusion:

We expected this smartphone to go live at MWC. But the recent APK tear-down suggests that the Nokia 8 Pro might get launched in August-September of 2018. However, the company might showcase a prototype at the mobile world congress.

February 19, 2018
LG V30 Raspberry Rose Colour Launched

LG announced the LG V30+ back in August during IFA 2017 in Berlin. While the device was slowly spread out to global markets after its initial launch in South Korea, the smartphone made its way to India in mid-December. In India, the V30+ is available in only two colours, Aurora Black and Cloud Silver while globally there are two more colour variants available, Moroccan Blue, and Lavender Violet.

However, right before CES 2018 went underway, the South Korean company announced a new colour variant of the LG V30, called Raspberry Rose. It is a shade of red which is different from other red coloured smartphones in the market and has a more violet-pink hue to it. Images of the new colour variant show that the colour of the smartphone shifts a bit when you when you move the phone around in your hand, similar to the HTC U11 Solar Red.

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In the ongoing trend of launching limited edition colour variants of popular smartphones a few weeks after its official launch, the LG V30+ in Raspberry Rose might not be a distant dream after all. Other smartphone makers like Xiaomi and OnePlus have already launched a limited edition red colour of their popular smartphones in India. Even Honor is gearing up to launch a red colour variant of the Honor 7X in India close to Valentines Day.

While a flashy new red colour exerts more impetus on consumers to buy a particular smartphone, it barely sways one person from a different device to that particular device. But, the Raspberry Rose appears to be a much better implementation of a “limited edition” colour than some of the other OEMs. In the same way that the Solar Red HTC U11 dazzled the consumers, the LG V30+ in the Raspberry Rose might convince a few consumers to opt for the LG flagship although, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are on the horizon.

January 12, 2018
Reliance Jio, Airtel, Idea And Vodafone Working On Making Networks 5G Ready

Major telcos in India are future proofing their networks by working on the next big thing in the telecom industry, 5G. We had earlier reported that the government of India wants to be a big player in the 5G industry and take adequate steps earlier on in order to not fall behind in the 5G race. Now, major telcos like Airtel, Relieance Jio and more are preparing to introduce massive MIMO technology into their respective networks. The 5G technology is expected to be rolled out by 2020 and the massive MIMO technology is considered to be a key component in enabling 5G.

Massive MIMO, or massive multiple input multiple output, increases capacity of a base station by five to seven times and reduces interference substantially, in turn boosting the transmission signal to the devices. This means that a consumer using voice and data, will get data speed which can be between 30 MBPS and 35 MBPS on average. These speeds can go up to 50MBPS during peak time. Comparatively, depending on one’s 4G data provider and plan, the mobile internet speed varies from 4 MBPS to 16 MBPS on paper.

It is fair to say that 5G data is still a few years away as India has barely adopted 4G in its full capacity. Director of Technology at Vodafone India says:

While 5G is still may be a few years away, we are bringing some of 5G technologies like massive MIMO into 4G and applying them. We are conducting trials of this technology. It is very futuristic in 5G, but we are using it in 4G.

Airtel has already begun the first round of deployment of the technology in Bangalore and Kolkata and will expand to other cities like Pune, Hyderabad and Chandigarh. Reliance Jio on the other hand, is currently running trials of massive MIMO technology with Chinese gear maker ZTE. Idea as well, which now has a pan India 4G network is working on bring massive MIMO technology on 4G in India.

The Indian government has also acknowledged that bringing 5G to India is a priority. For this objective, the ministries of telecom, information and technology, and science and technology have been included in the forum. A budget of Rs 500 crore is set aside for research and development of 5G technology by the government.

October 9, 2017
Google Launches The Google Max For US$399

After the announcement of a small speaker focussed more on AI, Google has launched the Google Max smart speaker. The Google Max will focus a lot on bass and the company claims it is 20 times louder than Google Home.

Google Max will concentrate on “smart sound.” For example, if the speaker is near a wall or on a shelf, it sounds different. Google is automatically tuning it. “This is all done dynamically” and it can change sound automatically. Google Max supports YouTube Music, Spotify and all other major music streaming services. The Google Max is also powered by Google Assistant and can recognise your voice even if the music is playing loudly thanks to a smart mic placed in the speaker. Home Max has two 4.5 inch woofers with tweeters covered by a fabric speaker grill. It features touch controls, supports Bluetooth as well as Google Cast and has a 3.5mm audio jack.

Just like Apple’s HomePod, the Home Max can tune itself for the room it’s placed in using a machine learning feature called Smart Sound. Google says Smart Sound can tune the Home Max for the audio you’re listening to, be it a song, podcast, or a phone call.

The Google Max will be available in the US in December for a price of US$399 and will be available in two colour variants. It will make its way to other countries in early 2018.

October 4, 2017
Niantic Sued By Attendees Over Pokémon Go Fest Fiasco

The Pokémon Go Fest, which marked the game’s first anniversary turned out to be an absolute disaster. The fest was supposed to be a huge celebration. Players were promised rare Pokémons, rewards, training tips but were served with nothing but disappointment.

The event seemed to be a magnet for screw-ups. The attendees waited for hours to play, only to be told that the games are not working. The game servers quit working (due to the congested network) and the company had no backup plan. Maybe Niantic wasn’t prepared for neither the server load nor the network congestion.

The fest fiasco obviously didn’t go down well with the event attendees. Few of the visitors decided to file a class action lawsuit against the company. According to reports, the attendees want to be reimbursed for the travel and other expenses as Niantic failed to deliver on its promises of an unmatched gaming experience.

Soon after the disaster, Niantic issued an apology to mitigate the situation and offered to reimburse the event tickets of all gamers present. The CEO also stated that all visitors will further receive $100 of in-game credit, along with the promised legendary Pokémon Lugia for free.

But the reimbursement and the $100 of in-game credit weren’t enough to pacify the case. Some angry visitors threw water bottles onto the stage, chanting, “We want refunds!”. Though the company’s apology was acknowledged but it wasn’t enough for the people who travelled from far and incurred huge expenses just to attend the event.

Jonathan Norton, a California local who flew to Chicago for the Pokémon Go Fest, has filed a lawsuit against Niantic for false advertisement. According to his lawyer, Thomas Zimmerman, 20 to 30 others have joined the suit. and that they will be asking for monetary compensations for their travel expenses:

[My client] paid to fly out for the festival, and had to wait for several hours in line, just like most everybody else in order to get in… We’re not seeking any relief with respect to the failure to get legendary Pokémon, because Niantic is offering that. But Niantic is not offering to refund people’s travel expenses for coming to Chicago. Most of the people came from out of state, many people from other countries — I talked to someone who flew in from Japan. – Zimmerman

Though Niantic has made several attempts to compensate the fest attendees, nothing seems to be working in company’s favour. Along with facing the embarrassing fest fiasco, Nianco will now be facing angry gamers and a lawsuit.

July 31, 2017
KFC’s Gamer’s Box Will Be Your Partner In Virtual Crime

The tech industry strives to evolve on a daily basis and it results in some of the coolest products you can get your hands on. KFC seems to have recognised that the tech industry has a huge potential for fan-engagement and innovation can get you the right publicity. Earlier, KFC teamed up with Huawei to launch a limited-edition KFC Huawei Enjoy 7 in order to celebrate its 30th anniversary in China. The smartphone was launched with a 5.5-inch screen and a Snapdragon 425 processor and a fingerprint scanner.

But, if fried chicken and FIFA 17 are your thing, then look no further than the KFC Gamer’s Box 2.0. If you are a sucker for limited edition stuff then this weird yet pretty awesome piece of tech (or food?) is just for you. Only 10 of these bad boys will be produced and you need to log on to KFC’s website or Mountain Dew’s Facebook page to try and win one of these.

KFC and Mountain Dew have teamed up for this bizarre product and we can’t help but get really excited about it because well, fried chicken! It’s a nifty little accessory to have, you can marvel at the bright red box on which you can play a few games while connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Yes, your food now comes with Bluetooth out-of-the-box (that has to be the most 2017 thing to say).

This is not the first time KFC turned your run-of-the-mill 5-in-1 meal box into a tech product. Back in 2016, KFC released the ‘Watt A Box’ which charged your phone after you ate all the chicken from it. The out-of-the-box thinking (get it?) has come a long way since and the gamer’s box can be your gaming companion when the touchscreen gets too redundant.

If you love either fried chicken, controllers to play games on your smartphone or a collectable piece of tech or well, all three of them then this little fried chicken meets gaming console is just what you needed.

July 27, 2017
Stranger Things Season 2 Trailer Reveals Release at Halloween

The Stranger Things 2 trailer aired during the Super Bowl and while everything about “Stranger Things” gives us goosebumps the trailer also reveals that the next season will be coming to Netflix during Halloween 2017.

Netflix :

Stranger Things 2 is coming. Halloween 2017.

A year after Will’s return, everything seems back to normal… but a darkness lurks just beneath the surface, threatening all of Hawkins.

Watch the Trailer :

February 6, 2017
Xiaomi Wants to Clean Your House with the Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner

We have many companies already making these cleaners, iRobot was one of the first Robo-vac makers with the Roomba, they even have a wet washer called the Scooba. We even have some household brands like LG and Samsung manufacturing them and an brand easily available in India by the name of Milagrow also makes and sells these autonomous vacuum cleaners. However, the one thing in common for these lean and autonomous cleaning machines is the price. They usually cost upwards of $400 for a decent vacuum cleaner. Xiaomi wants to change this and they have launched the new Mi Robot Vacuum.

Just like Xiaomi phones, Mi Robot Vacuum cleaners are loaded with specs, for starters you have 12 sensors including Laser Distance Sensor (LDS), ultrasonic radar sensor, cliff sensor, gyroscope and accelerometer. The Mi Robot Vacuum has a 1800Pa air pressure capable bristles DC motor. The best part, it sells for RMB 1699 or Rs. 17,000 (US $ 250 approx).

It will clean for a 2.5 hours straight with a 5200mAh battery, and it syncs up with the Mi Home app, so that you get the ability to control robot remotely. We always wanted remote control toys that would have a bigger purpose in life. The Mi Robot Vacuum has pneumatic brushes that automatically adjust height to create tight seal with floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc87hq4YCfg

August 31, 2016
Top Water Resistant Smartphones for this Holi

India’s festival of color and water is just around the corner. While we would seriously advocate that you do not waste water and play a dry Holi. For those still willing to go all out, the smartphone is one of the biggest victims of an accident on and around the festival of Holi.

Imagine your phone gets struck by a water and color filled balloon, and moments later it is time to go hunting for a new one.

While every smartphone should now feature some kind of waterproofing, many companies do not agree with us. So if you plan on playing Rambo on Holi try the following smartphones guaranteed to last through the water filled festival. Zip lock bags and plastic wrapped phones are soon to be a thing of the past.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge

The latest and greatest flagship from Samsung is actually now iP68 rated, means that it will mostly survive if immersed for up to 30 minutes or 1.5 meters under (water). The glass and metal should also prevent it from easily getting colored by Holi colors, however, industrial dyes and the infamous gold men may be instrumental in helping you change the color of your handset from say black to Gold.

iPhone 6s and 6s Plus

Apple’s latest releases, to everyone’s surprise, do indeed feature a water resistant body. Though not rated or officially announced by Apple. This secretive water resistance was Apple’s way of reducing servicing costs and general user appreciation. Tested out by many people including us, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, turns out to be more resilient than Samsung’s latest and greatest S7 and S7 Edge. Offering up the same all metal design, the iPhone should fare well in colored water as long as you don’t have some serious stainers.
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MotoG (gen 3) and Moto X Play

Motorola has been adding water resistant coatings on their devices for a while, while not fully rugged they would help the phone survive spills of coffee or accidental drops in puddles. The Moto G gen 3 was a whole new breed from Motorola, with an IPX7 rating the phone is water resistant for up to 1 Meter and for a total of 30 minutes. The body is made from plastic, which may not do too well with colors, though. On the plus side, the back panel is cheap and easily replaceable. The X Play offers up a water resistant coating too though it may not survive dunking like the Moto G, however, may be less prone to color accidents or damage.
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Sony Xperia Z5, Z5 Premium, Z5 Compact

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium

With dual IP68 and IP65 ratings, the Xperia phones from Sony are no stranger to water. The revolution by far has ben led by the Japenese manufacturer who has led the water resistance category smartphones for a while.

With glass on both sides and a glossy metal bezel, the Xperia Z5 series is very resistant to color and water. As a matter of fact, the number 5 in the IP65 stands for resistance from water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction. Reminds you of a certain subject of this story doesn’t it.
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HTC Desire Eye

With a whole lot of optical capability, the HTC Desire Eye makes our list. Although this complete plastic phone may not do so well with colors the HTC Desire Eye has serious cameras on the front and the back. With an IPX7 certification just like the Moto G, the phone will survive for 30 minutes under 1 m of water guaranteed.
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Of course there are many other phones and gadgets that would easily survive the onset of Holi. Have any favorites add them to the list below.

March 18, 2016
Mattel’s New ThinkMaker 3D Printer lets you Create your own Toys

At the recent New York Toy Fair, Mattel unveiled the ThinkMaker, a ’70s toy maker that uses modern 3D printing technology. But the new ThinkMaker is a lot more than an ordinary toy maker that could mould bug-like creatures or Creepy Crawlers as they were popularly called.

The new 3D Printing ThingMaker can design complex objects like figurines, jewellery and accessories using the ThingMaker Design app, which Mattel developed together with Autodesk. The toy maker will start shipping this fall and comes at a very affordable price of $300.

There are so many reasons to love Mattel’s new ThinkMaker. At $300, the toy maker is not only cheap, but it can also train kids in 3D designing from an early age. It also engages the child’s creativity as it allows kids to use the ThinkMaker to create a variety of things. Kids will be able to design toys from scratch and the toys can be customised with different colours and textures.

Instead of having to pour liquid plastic into toy moulds as was the case with Mattel’s original ThinkMaker back in 1960, the new ThinkMaker spits them out like any other 3D printer. And the fact that this is a 3D printer that is easy and safe to use makes it a great purchase for kids and adults alike.

February 16, 2016
Apple Brings Technology to Fashion at Met Gala This Year

From wearables to 3D printed shoes and dresses at this year’s CES, technology and fashion are two forces whose paths have been crossing pretty frequently lately. It is only natural that this fusion gets a formal acknowledgement as Met Gala 2016 gears itself to bring technology and fashion together aptly naming its fashion event this year -“Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology”.

When we say technology one of the first few names to pop up in our heads includes Apple. Consequently, it’s no big surprise the Cupertino based tech giant is partners with the Costume Institute for the this year’s Met Gala fashion event.

Andrew Bolton, who is the curator for the Institute describes the event as “unraveling the hand-machine conundrum”, which refers to the chasm between hand-made and machine-made fashion.

Issey Miyake’s “Flying Saucer” ,dress unveiled in 1994, was made entirely using machine sewing -indicating a clear presence of technology in fashion.

Therefore the event aims to bridge the gap between technology and fashion -no more seen as opposing forces. The two are brought together in a celebration of the successes of both fashion as well as the technology.

Pieces from Chanel and Christian Dior would be part of the collection.The line-up would draw inspiration from Fritz Lang’s sci-fi masterpiece Metropolis, and automobiles and electronics in its design and essence.

February 16, 2016
Smart Rings Are the Future of Fashion (Or Not)

Smart rings are the latest fad in both tech as well as the fashion world. You may love them, you may hate them but you sure can’t ignore them. These little pieces of jewellery (or technology?) can be used to send basic commands on smartphones, receive notifications of calls and texts, and connect to other devices using Bluetoooth. Having said that, let’s take a look at what we have been offered by way of smart rings so far.

MOTA DOI SmartRing

Capable of being paired with your Android or iOS device, this smart-ring would notify the user of emails, calls and messages. Depending on the usage, the company claims its smart-ring is capable of lasting 24 to 72 hours with a single charge and can be charged with a wireless charging source. The ring is available in “two majestic colours” – read: black and white. Priced at $200, MOTA can be pre-ordered here. It will be available starting April 2016.

Ringly

This is a smart-ring for the fashion-conscious techie. The ring has no external signs of being a gadget and it can very easily pass for an innocent piece of jewellery. But look closer and think again for this offering by Ringly is capable of notifying you of messages, social media updates and reminders of fitness and parenting apps. There is an entire range of different styles and designs offered by the company for the user to choose from. Pricing starts from $195 and the rings can be purchased here.

NFC Ring 2016

A crowd-funded Kickstarter project, NFC ring can be “used to unlock doors, mobile phones, transfer information and link people”. It comes in many options and variantsvto suit individual preferences. The ring is waterproof for up to 50m and it never requires charging. No, we did not make a typo -no charging ever. Pricing for NFC rings start at $29 and they can be purchased here.

Smarty Ring

Started as an Indiegogo crowd-funded project, Smarty Ring never made it to the market. Though things are quite unclear about its current status, this truly is one of the coolest concepts for a smart ring. The Smarty Ring is a chic, little gadget that aims to fulfill all functions of a smartwatch. The ring according to the concept was capable of supporting Bluetooth along with a battery that would last up to 24 hours. Even though the project reached its budget goals in December 2013, we have still have no news of its shipping. Fingers crossed until we get another update on this front.

Pulse Ring

This one doesn’t win a lot of points on style, or even utility, but it’s simply here for old time’s sake. One look at the ring means a trip down the memory lane -with its retro touch and feel, the ring is a reminder of a time when things were simpler in the tech circuit. Pulse Ring is capable of tracking your pulse, telling the time and playing grandparent to the smart-rings of today. The ring is priced at £22.99 on Amazon.co.uk.

February 16, 2016
Best Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Techie-Better-Half

Now that we are done and dusted talking about dating apps, let’s move to the second step -making your techie-Valentine happy with the perfect gift this year. Here’s our guide to shiny, little objects to shop for this year.

FitBit

If your partner is into fitness, look no further than the FitBit range of smart-wearables. From motion trackers to smartwatches, the company offers it all. The most recent addition to its family is FitBit Alta, a chic fitness tracker that can be personalised to suit your style. All FitBit wearables can be bought off Amazon or the official FitBit online store.

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Gear VR

How about spreading some VR-love this Valentine’s? Check out Samsung’s virtual reality head-set called Gear VR launched in India just last month. The Samsung Gear VR Headset is priced at Rs.8,200. Gear VR is available through the company’s retail stores, as well as through Flipkart.

Headphones

This is the perfect gift for all music aficionados. The best part about gifting headphones is that you will always find one that suits your budget. From Skullcandy to Sennheiser to an endless list of brands and designs and colours -you really are spoilt for choice here.

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Portable Speakers

Talking about music lovers, here’s something else to add to the list. Portable speakers are by far one of the best things that happened to music. Connect them to your laptop or smartphone with Bluetooth or choose a bright, colourful AUX chord, which barely cost a dime, and voila! A nice portable speaker would easily fit within Rs. 2000.
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Powerbanks

If your partner finds it hard to stay off their smartphone (no matter how much it may have annoyed you in the past), it’s time to let them know you’re not only willing to accept this trait of theirs, but also encourage it by gifting them a powerbank. This will ensure their phone never runs out of juice again while they never run out of love for you. A decent powerbank would fall under Rs.2000.

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GoPro

After music, it’s time to talk about photography and GoPro is the next big thing on this front. GoPro is the perfect answer to extreme-action videography. If you’ve been looking for a GoPro camera that doesn’t pinch your pocket and yet has some important features such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, your answer lies in the GoPro Hero+ priced at $199.99 (Rs. 13,200 approx).

Kindle

Kindle is the perfect gift for the bookworm in our lives . Ask any bibliophile and they would agree without a second thought how this is the best technological development ever. You could narrow down your choices between the basic, entry level variant or the back-lit Paperwhite. There is also a white colour option you could go for if a black Kindle is too mainstream for you.

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Netflix Subscription

Yes, yes, this is not exactly a gadget and therefore does not belong in this list, but Netfilx just arrived in the country and we cannot stop talking about it. If all else fails and there is absolutely nothing you can come up with -just gift your partner a Netflix subscription – an epicly entertaining gift which is also easy on the pocket.

February 14, 2016
UK Newspaper to Shut Down 30 Year Old Press, Focus on Online

As contemporary existence becomes more and more technology-centric, there is another development to emphasise this movement further. UK’s Independent has announced that the paper will go out of print, after a long, flourishing career of 30 years. Instead, the platform would become a digital news portal with http://www.independent.co.uk and its associated sites.

The owner of The Independent and the Independent on Sunday newspapers, Evgeny Lebedev announced today. The last Independent issue would hit the stands on the 20th of March, while Independent on Sunday on the 26th of March. Following this, it will be a digital-only product sold to Johnston Press for £24 million.

Lebedev told his staff, “We faced a choice: manage the continued decline of print, or convert the digital foundation we’ve built into a sustainable, profitable future.”

Many employees would join Johnston Press while many would have to be laid off. However, it’s been further added that those who are “long-term casuals” as per their contract will receive two weeks’ pay for each year worked, along with their notice period.

It is indeed time to say goodbye, and perhaps go on a trip of nostalgia often associated with the forward movement of contemporary lifestyle owing to the changes ushered in by technology.

Source

February 12, 2016