Category: Lifestyle

Fitbit Launches Blaze Smartwatch in India

Fitbit’s Blaze smartwatch arrives in India and is up for preorder today while availability with retailers all over the world starts in March.The watch boasts of features like compatibility with over 200 Android, iOS and Windows devices and a battery that lasts up to 5 days, according to Fitbit.

The watch comes equipped with a sleep-tracker, GPS and Bluetooth Smart which notifies the user of calls, texts and calendars notifications. The user can also accept or reject calls using the watch when its connected to a compatible smartphone. On-screen controls also allows the user to navigate and play music from the connected smartphone. PurePulse feature of Blaze tracks the heart-rate of the user and helps make training routines more efficient.

Blaze seems high on design with its interchangeable bands, modular design and a high resolution colour touchscreen. It has a stainless steel display which further has three options to choose from -black, mist grey and camel. There is another option of a Luxe stainless steel band paired with the display frame available in silver.

The watch is priced at Rs. 19,999 and has three colour variants for the band -black, blue and plum. The company promises additional changeable accessories for the watch soon.

January 6, 2016
New 46mm Cognac Leather Variant Launched for Moto 360 (2nd Gen)

Motorola is kicking off 2016 with some exciting new offers for its newly launched Moto 360 (2nd Gen) smartwatch. Consumers can avail the Moto 360 (2nd Gen) men’s collection on Amazon.in from today. The collection includes cognac leather, black leather and black metal variants of the smartwatch. The collection also introduces, for the very first time in India, a 46mm Cognac Leather variant.

Other than the size and range, there have been very subtle changes to the new design from the previous Moto 360, such as – a re-positioning of the button to the 2 o’clock position and one can even customize the finish of the small bezel that surrounds the display. With respect to the processor, Motorola has upgraded its device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor.

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They have also further improved the battery life and say that the 46 mm watch will last up to two days between charges, while the 42 mm watch will be able to last about a day and a half.

The Live Dials of Moto 360 Gen 2 give access to summarised information in one glance. Depending on what matters to the user most, the watch will give weather updates from among footsteps count, rate of heart activity and calorie count etc. The Moto Body is a feature that will keep an account of not just footsteps and heart rate, but also sleep patterns and nutrition of the user.

Additionally, the watch is rated at IP67 which means it can be soaked in 1 m (3.3 ft) of water for half an hour. The watch further boasts of voice controls. You can check out our unboxing of the Moto 360 (2nd Gen) to know more.

The product will be available at the given below prices.

?      Cognac leather (46mm) – INR 20,999

?      Cognac leather – INR 19,999

?      Black leather – INR 19,999

?      Black metal – INR 23,999

January 4, 2016
US Aviation Association: Over 45,000 Drones Registered in Two Days

America clearly loves its drones. The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) has revealed that over 45,000 drones have been registered just two days after the Federal Drone Registration website went live.

The deluge of registrations has led the FAA to take the website down for a few hours starting Wednesday, 9 PM ET. This move is to prepare the website better for the unexpected response. It will be available again on Thursday morning at 6 AM ET.

Close to 400,000 drones are expected to be sold this holiday season. Strict penalties will be imposed on those who fail to register their drones in time. Drones which are bought post 21st of December must be registered before their first flight. Those purchased before that have till February 19th, 2016 for registration.

The registration is expected to help the FAA trace the owners in case of accidents or injuries caused by drones. The administration has further announced formidable penalties that include fines up to $27,500 and fines which can go as high as $250,000 and/or imprisonment up to 3 years. Drones clearly have taken the tech world by storm. It would be interesting to see how this new piece of technology is incorporated in the contemporary lifestyle.

December 24, 2015
Kim Kardashian Kimoji App – Breaks the App Store

After making a super popular game, Kim Kardashian now wants to get into the emoji business. The new App for Kim Kardashian emojis aka “Kimoji” is live. The app that currently costs US $ 1.99 and in India Rs.120. Is not a big fan favourite, especially since people need to pay to even try the App.

When the App went live however, many of the reality star’s fans have taken to Twitter to complain they were unable to download it. According to Kim the App was so popular it caused problems for the App Store servers.

Apple, I'm so sorry I broke your App Store!!!

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) December 21, 2015

I can't believe so many people downloaded my KIMOJI app that it affected the entire app store!

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) December 21, 2015

Kardashian West announced the app, which launches Monday, on Twitter and Instagram.

KIMOJI

A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Dec 20, 2015 at 9:43pm PST

One user said

Well first off it began with asking for full access and if you don’t give full access you can’t use it. (Possibly out of your $1.99 if your lazy enough to ask for refund) It reads it will not store any info you type but yet when you click full access it reads it will save all info. Including credit card information :|. The emoji design themselves are great, they couldn’t be more perfect for her. I do wish they were a bit smaller like the original emojis. The keyboard crashed or just didn’t appear the first time I tried using it. I had to delete and reinstall. Every so often it will appear blank, no emojis will pop up only the letters keyboard. I think over all it’s a great idea but room for improvements

Either way, there are still a lot of Kardashian fans that would love to get these “Kimojis” in play. Sigh!

App Store

December 22, 2015

Delhi NCR Most Active in E-Commerce According to Flipkart, Amazon

Flipkart studied consumer trends and preferences between 1st January and 14th December 2014, and concluded that mobile phones and accessories are the most in demand products across India. Additionally, Delhi NCR ranked as the city with maximum purchases of mobile phones, beating Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai – in that order. Another set of stats by Amazon revealed that 60% of its customers belong to Delhi NCR.

Mobile phones and accessories, LED television sets and smart wearables are doing immensely well with customers. It has also been revealed that 69% of online customers were males -yes, that’s the sound of shattering stereotypes related to shopping.

Top Selling Mobile Phones Brands	Top Selling Smart Wearables Brand	Top Selling TV Brands
Lenovo	Motorola	Vu
Motorola	Samsung	Micromax
Xiaomi	Apple	Samsung
Micromax	Moov	LG
Samsung	Honor	Panasonic

The age group that dominates the e-retail space is 25 to 34 years, predominantly office-goers followed by students. Is that what you’re doing all day at work or in college then?

This huge shift to online shopping marks a significant development in the consumer-supplier relationship. As more and more buyers become tech savvy, the movement to online platforms gains immense importance, especially when it comes to electronic goods. Looks like it’s been a good day for technology.

December 16, 2015

3-D Printed Soles in Shoes Combine Fitness With Technology

World’s new obsession from the world of tech seems to be with 3-D printing these days. From pens that let you create miniature structures from out of thin air to printers that print three-dimensional metallic objects – 3-D printing has seen some quite impressive breakthroughs lately.

The latest in the development of this realm is shoes with 3-D printed soles to meet the specific requirements of each wearer. Researchers at New Balance are looking into creating a mid-sole which takes care of the demands of a person who lands on their heels as well as one who uses the mid-region of the foot.

The team is working with a Boston based design studio called Nervous System to design a sole which can be customised and therefore be user-specific. Jessica Rosenkrantz, Nervous System’s creative director mentions the use of a proprietary elastomer to create a geometric structure equipped with a sensor grid inside it.

Depending on the date collected by this sensor, the shoe-sole will be customised making sure the wearer gets the most efficient and optimised experience. Brands like Adidas have experimented with 3-D printed soles recently and employed similar biomechanics in their running shoes. Following suit, New Balance too aims to introduce its shoes with 3-D printed midsoles in 2016.

December 13, 2015
OnePlus Brings The Luxurious OnePlus 2 Wild Phone Case to India

OnePlus brings the ultra luxurious Hard Graft accessory to India. Hard Graft has been a popular name and a leader in luxury leather goods brand. The accessory comes with a strong design and immaculate quality that sets it apart from the rest. The designers at Hard Graft have brought their Tuscan leather expertise to the Wild Phone Case for OnePlus 2.

There is something special about washed Italian leather. It’s soft, relaxed and the rugged skin structure tells a million stories. Crafted with hand selected premium materials, the Wild Phone Case is the perfect home for your OnePlus 2.

The case is made of made of signature ash grey washed and traditionally tanned leather. The Wild Phone Case, made of premium material, uses “buttery soft leather” that gets smoother with each use. The outer leather protects your device from wear and tear while the inner lining made of wool keeps the screen clear and smudge-free.

The leather case also comes with two sleeves that lets you store your most important cards and money. The Hard Graft also has an opening to allow for headphones to be plugged in. The limited-edition accessory is available for a price of Rs. 7,499.

December 1, 2015
DJI Osmo Launched in India

For the first time ever, DJI will be brining its hand-held camera into the Indian market. The company today unveiled the DJI Osmo, which uses DJI’s signature three-axis gimbal stabilisation technology that eliminates the problem of shakiness that goes with traditional cameras.

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“DJI consistently refines the way cameras move in space – whether they are in the air or on the ground,” said Michael Perry, DJI’s Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Mumbai launch event. “With the Osmo, we have created a camera specifically designed to capture a smooth moving image regardless of filming conditions.”

The Osmo comes standard with a 4K, 12MP camera with a 1/2.3-inch sensor and a 94-degree field of view lens. It is also compatible with DJI’s Zenmuse camera series. The Osmo is all about controlled shooting. It’s main USP is that it provides a smooth video experience. The trigger allows you to toggle between multiple modes of operation.

“Traditional handheld cameras are either shaky, or require bulky stabilizers that are difficult to set up,” Perry continued. “The Osmo moves the experience of handheld filmmaking from capturing what happened, to sharing expressive, smooth video that shows what an experience was like.”

The Osmo comes with these smart filming functions:

Panorama – Take a picture and the camera will automatically pan around 360°, taking and stitching overlapping photos to create a panorama shot.

Long Exposure – Make handheld long-exposures crisp using the camera’s stabilisation technology.

Slow Motion – Capture slow motion shots at 120 frames-per-second (fps) up to 1080p.

The Osmo also comes with additional accessories such as a tripod, extension rod, bike mount, universal mount and a straight extension arm.

The Osmo is available in India in 10 key cities including Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, and will also be available through direct shipping anywhere in the country. The camera is priced at Rs. 69,990.

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November 30, 2015
US Sets Up Three Centers for Treatment of Smartphone Addicts

Nomophobia is the fear of not having access to a smartphone. Yes, it exists and is real enough for an American fascility called Morningside Recovery to provide formal, systematic treatment for it. The treatment begins with collecting the smartphones of individuals with the condition. Following this, they are allowed only limited access to their devices, promoting other kinds of activities they may have been missing out on lately. By cutting contact with the outside world, the individuals are encouraged to interact with each other, and participate in group and individual activities.

The sufferers of nomophobia are encouraged to develop new behavioral patterns that do no involve smartphones. With the help of breathing exercises, the individuals are trained to deal with anxiety and panic attacks. Morningside Recovery has three centres providing this treatment located in California, Texas and Arizona.Dr. Waterman, the director of the programme, advises not just his patients but also smartphone addicts all over to “just try to put it [smartphone] down for a few moments and re-focus on their daily interactions.” Kindly take note. In a world where smartphones have become an extension of our bodies, it is not long until facilities like Morningside Recovery start popping up in India as well.

November 28, 2015
Google Glass Patent Hints at Possible New Design

In September 2012, before the Google Glass became the creepy privacy invader that it is seen as today, Google filed a patent for a design unlike what the original Google Glass looked like. This new design depends on the user balancing the wearable on the side of their head rather than having it rest on the nose. The Glass is designed in a snake-like flexible headband that will sit on only one side of the user’s face. This patent was finally awarded to Google on November 24 2015.

The device can be configured to fit around the user’s face keeping the display above one eye. Whether the display is limited to one eye or not is uncertain, though the use of a prism could allow videos to be seen in both eyes. The original Google Glass, as you may know by now, was criticised for privacy invasion and was banned in bars, movie theatres and some restaurants.

Since the failure of the fist Glass, Google has been working on a second prototype that will look to make the Glass a lot less creepy. The patent could just bring the second version of the Google Glass to fruition, though nothing has been confirmed as of now. Google has been keeping the details of the Glass closely guarded.

November 28, 2015
Body Art Meets Technology to Help You Keep Track of Your Health

Tech Tat, a tattoo prototype made using electro-conductive paint, can help you keep track of your pulse rate and heart beat. Made by an Accenture team interestingly called Chaotic Moon, this kind of tattoos are also capable of carrying information like credit card and ID details.

https://youtu.be/9iFuTaqD4fM

The enthusiastic team of the little piece of technology accepts that not only does it take care of important business like serving as a fitness tracker and a portable carrier of your private details, it’s also visually pleasing. However it’s not been confirmed yet if and when Tech Tat will be available commercially.

“We can’t conjecture about when people could get their hands on one. Typically, we will explore the best partners that would help us get Tech Tat to the consumer,” says Chaotic Moon’s CEO, Ben Lamm

This isn’t the first time body art has met technology. Motorola’s Moto X had a fling with using temporary body tattoos to unlock the smartphone last year. Having said that, it’s still hard not to look forward to seeing Tech Tat in action. Let’s see where this tech-tattoo fusion leads us next.

November 26, 2015
Fashion Meets Tech in these Cool Sneakers With App-Controlled Screens

What happens when fashion meets technology? Awesome things, yes that’s what happens. ShiftWear has introduced sneakers with fitted app-controlled screens, and things only get better and better from there.

The design of the shoes can be controlled by a smartphone app that lets the wearer decide from a bunch of ideas depending on their whim and fancy. From basic geometric patterns to complex art designs -any of these can be sported on the shoes using the app and the screen on the shoes. Van Gogh paintings or your favourite Manga character -match your footwear to your mood, and of course, the rest of the outfit if you so desire.

The tagline of the product is: “The most adaptable shoes you’ll ever own, customized straight from your smartphone.”

It doesn’t end there -these sneakers are waterproof and can be machine-washed as well.They run on self-charging, eco-friendly batteries that get charged with every step the wearer takes. Check the snazzy video below to get a better idea of this latest 21st century contraption.

ShiftWear is a new company testing the waters with this innovative idea and trying to raise funds for their project using Indiegogo. If you want to get yourself a pair, prepared to shell out a $150 (close to Rs. 10,000). Would you be willing to invest in a product like these app-controlled sneakers for the love of fashion and technology?

November 25, 2015
New and Improved Selfie Stick: It’s Longer and Here to Stay

In an unusual twist of events, the selfie stick has been revamped by author Mansoon and made longer, and somewhat, more absurd (if that was even possible). The selfie stick made by Mansoon is longer and has ended up achieving what it had set out to evade -extra attention in public.

The modified product is featured on the website Omocoro. Mansoon explains his intention behind the product as to avoid the embarrassment of using something a selfie stick in public. Two prop hands ordered off Amazon to make this contraption by him. Needless to say, the clothes had to be modified as well to make the prop hands look like part of his body.

In case you are interested in getting one of these for yourself, the website offers a step-by-step DIY. Take a look and try it at home (or not) if you’re tired of watching the grass grow or the paint peel off the wall.

November 23, 2015
Hasbro Helps You Fight Loneliness With its New Robotic Kitty

Good bye, ‘forever alone’ moments as Hasbro comes up with a solution for the lonely. The company has come out with a robotic cat which purs, meows and responds to touch. You don’t have to worry about cleaning up after them, feeding them, deciphering their unpredictable mood swings and selective affection with these new kitties.

The Joy for All companion pets are primarily designed for the elderly who often find themselves struggling with loneliness. But feel free to get yourself one of these furry robots if they catch your fancy. They are up for sale at a price of $99.99 or about Rs. 6,600.

Just recently, Japan had introduced us to Pepper, the first ever fully functional humanoid robot meant to provide companionship. A lot of people seem to be welcoming the idea of finding warmth and comfort in Artificial Intelligence and its various forms. Would you be willing to try and connect with an AI a la ‘Her’? Let us know in the comments below.

November 19, 2015
‘Quit Facebook, Stay Happy,’ Says Happiness Research Institute

Facebook, like smoking or drinking, can be regarded as an addiction for the digital age. Well, maybe not as harmful to the body as the latter, but according to a study conducted by the Happiness Research Institute (yes, it’s a real place), Facebook can be quite harmful, mentally.

A study was conducted by the Happiness Research Institute on 1,095 Facebook users in Denmark to see how the social media might be affecting their mood. The researchers first discovered that over 94% of the participants visited Facebook on a daily basis.

The subjects were them split into two groups – one group continued their daily use of Facebook while the other were made to stay off the site completely. One week later, the Happiness Research Institute found that 88% of the quitters said that they felt “happy,” while 81% of Facebook users felt the same. According to the results, Facebook users reported greater rates of anger, worry, sadness, depression and loneliness; while the quitters reported higher rates of happiness and enthusiasm, better social lives, fewer problems with unproved concentration.

Let it be known that this study is far from being scientifically accurate as the subjects basically wrote down what they felt, which cannot be all taken at face value. But the study itself revels a growing concern over our dependance on scrolling through timelines and news feed every chance we get, worrying about our status updates and the number of likes, among other things.

Let’s be honest, we’ve all felt like giving up Facebook at some point in our lives. We’ve also deactivated our accounts only to return to it the next day. The potential effects of Facebook and other social media addiction cannot be properly quantifiable, which is what makes this form of addiction silently scarier than others. Let us know what you think about the effects of social media on you in the comments below.

November 14, 2015