Tag: tech

Best Budget Diwali Gifts On Amazon

With the festival of lights almost here, it is the time to give gifts and spread joy. While many of us want to, certain budget restrictions might stop us from giving the best gifts to our loved ones. Here’s a list of some really cool gifts, within a budget, to make your Diwali better.

Camera Lens Coffee Mug

This is for the photography buffs who also like a nice hot cuppa in the mornings. A replica of the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, this looks exactly like a lens but is actually a coffee mug. It features an air tight cap with open/closed lid for small sipping. The cup is made from food grade ABS plastic materials outside and extra-fine stainless steel insulated interior and is sure to keep your coffee warm on the go. The food grade plastic keeps your hands protected from hot liquids. It is available for a price of Rs 249 and is a steal at this price!

Lenovo Smart Band With Heart Rate Monitor

This fitness band if for the exercise freak who is on a budget. At a price of Rs 1,299, the fitness band can make for a perfect gift for people who like living a healthy lifestyle. The smartband features a dynamic heart rate monitor. The band can be set to automatically check your heart rate every 15 minutes with 24-hour real-time heart rate monitoring. The activity tracker has features like sedentary reminder, workout tracker which records your steps, distance, calories burned, sleep quality all day. The best part of this band is you don’t have to worry about liquid damage since it is liquid splash and dust proof. It has a Pedometer, Calories and Sleep Monitoring, Bluetooth Enabled and boasts of an OLED Display.

Beauty Lights With USB

What better gift for Diwali than rice lights with a twist! These Beauty lights are made of high quality 0. 4mm copper wire and LEDs. It is also battery powered. This makes it easy to use in areas without a socket nearby. One can plug in their USB port to a power bank, USB adaptor or socket as well! It has a low power consumption and heat insulated copper wire. The light features a warm white and has 20 pcs of LED. The copper wire length is 16.5ft/5m. It is also extremely reasonable at a price of Rs 399.

BoAt Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Some good speakers never go to waste! The Boat Stone 200 is is a waterproof speaker for the active, outdoorsy lifestyle. The construction of the speaker with durable rubber matte finish makes it shock proof, which offers all around outdoor protection against dust and water. You can swim, camp, hike, cycle and do pretty much all you can imagine with it. It’s small, lightweight and handy as well. The speaker uses Bluetooth 4.1 transmission with no loss of audio performance and can be paired with all types of devices that use Bluetooth technology and you can also connect the speaker with aux which is a good thing if you own an Amazon echo or any other device with Alexa support. It is priced at just Rs 1,099 on Amazon and makes for a great Diwali gift for your close ones.

Self Adhesive Led Strip Light

Tech enthusiasts always appreciate good lighting in their studio. This LED strip is a great way to get some ambient lighting in your home, office or studio at a very cheap price. The length of the strip is 5 metres and is warm white in colour. It has self adhesive tape which sticks to your furniture and the light nicely reflects on your walls to give great lighting. Priced at just Rs 336, this is a great option for a Diwali gift.

Noise DSLR Backpack

This is a lightweight DSLR/ Action Camera/ Mobile camera case with adjustable, padded dividers which allow you to customise the camera compartment. It can be a great addition to a photographer’s arsenal and any photographer in your family will be happy to receive it as a gift. It has two internal mesh pockets for accessories which is very handy. Apart from that there are two internal mesh pockets for batteries and an extra memory cards as well. The bag is light weight and has a comfortable soft handle and shoulder straps with softened bands. The camera case in the bag has adjustable padded dividers which helps your camera and equipment fit snugly. With a price of Rs 799 on Amazon, it is very reasonable if we compare it to other camera bags in the market.

November 6, 2018
Top 10 Xiaomi Products Not Available Globally

Xiaomi Inc. has fast become a brand that has more than just smartphones in its arsenal. With a host of home products and accessories available in India, it has built up quite a fanbase here in India. But as with a lot of Xiaomi smartphones, there is a host of other Xiaomi products that aren’t available outside the Chinese market. so, let’s take a look at Top10 Xiaomi products that are only available in China.

1. Xiaomi Smart Air Quality Monitor PM2.5 Detector

The rise and rise of pollution in this world has left us all huffing and puffing for fresh air. The Smart Air Quality Monitor is your reality check at every step, telling you the quality of the air you’re breathing at that very moment. It links up with the Xiaomi Air Purifier, and with its small form-factor, it’s a must-have Xiaomi product especially if you live in a metropolitan city with tons of cars emitting harmful toxins right in your face!

Click here to buy.

2. Xiaomi Wireless Bluetooth 4.1 Music Sport Earbuds

In an era of wireless earbuds, the Xiaomi Wireless Bluetooth 4.1 Music Sport Earbuds is exactly what you need. They’re portable, comfortable and have an IPX4 rating, which means that you can sweat it out in the gym while listening to your favourite jam and not worry about ruining these earbuds!

Click here to buy

3. Xiaomi Selfie Stick Camera Shutter

Let’s admit it, we all buy the fancy phones nowadays in pursuit of that perfect club selfie with your friends. The pleasure of getting that group selfie with all your friends in it just makes the day a little better, doesn’t it? The Xiaomi Selfie Stick is the perfect companion when it comes to taking those tedious group selfies ensuring all your friends are in the frame!

Click here to buy

4. Xiaomi Smart Power Strip

This is a power strip you would need at your home. It’s the new-age power strip that does more than just charging your appliances. It connects to an app which enables you to timely switch it off to avoid over-charging and electricity consumption. It also lets you measure the electricity it has consumed. Genius, isn’t it?

Click here to buy

5. Xiaomi Philips Eyecare Smart Lamp 2

The strain caused to your eyes while working in a setting where the lighting is either too bright or too dim is something we’ve all experienced. In this era of smart lighting, Xiaomi has come up with a smart lamp in collaboration with Philips and it’s an instant winner. Take good care of your eyes and don’t let this lamp go out of stock!

Click here to buy

6. Xiaomi PLAY2 3D VR Headset

A modern-day smartphone needs to be VR compatible to gain any kind of traction, such is the sudden emergence of Virtual Reality in our lives. The Xiaomi VR headset is a budget offering which has a full set of functionalities and it won’t disappoint!

Click here to buy

7. Xiaomi Smart 720P WiFi IP Camera

This smart wireless camera will help you get some much deserved sound sleep. Install this surveillance camera and get night-vision footage of up to 9 meters away. The rotatable design of the IP camera makes it capable of monitoring wider range in the horizontal and vertical direction.

Click here to buy

8. Xiaomi Bluetooth 4.1 Round Music Alarm Clock

This can be a potential gift during parties because it looks cool and the function is even better! It wakes you up to soothing music and even helps you sleep at night! The smart alarm clock speaker has a simple one-key use so it is super simple to use!

Click here to buy

9. Xiaomi Portable Mouse

This little mouse is your perfect travel companion. If you hate using your laptop’s trackpad and carrying a chunky wired mouse is even more annoying, then Xiaomi Portable Mouse is tailor-made for you. It requires 2 AAA batteries to run and compatibility won’t be an issue.

Click here to buy

10. Xiaomi Capsule Espresso Coffee Machine

Who doesn’t love a good cup of coffee in the morning? The next offering by Xiaomi is for all you coffee lovers out there. Brew your favourite cup of coffee right at home with this easy-to-use espresso coffee machine and you’ll never have to stand in those annoying lines at coffee shops!

Click here to buy the Xiaomi Espresso Coffee Machine

Tell us what product you’re most excited about and share with us the products that you’ve bought!

July 29, 2017
Google’s Next Glass Will Not Have Glass

The team of Google Glass, now called Project Aura, is reportedly working on three new prototypes of wearable technology. One of them happens to be a gadget which relies entirely on audio. It is unclear at this point how it will be different from any other pair of headphones or a Bluetooth earpiece. However, it is highly likely to be part of the Project’s work on hands-free computing.

Started in June as the successor to the Google Glass division, Project Aura was initially part of Google X “moonshots” lab. It’s now headed by Tony Fadell, the Nest Labs CEO, along with the reputed designer, Ivy Ross.

When Amazon laid off a bunch of its engineers, many of whom were audio experts, Google gave them refuge. Now they seem to be working on developing the audio-focused gadget for Google.

At the same time, Project Aura won’t get rid of screens altogether. The company is working on two other devices other than this audio-only gadget. The other two gizmos are likely to have screens and are reportedly meant for businesses that require head-mounted display. Let’s see how this Project and its goals pan out. We’ll update you as soon as we have more information.

November 17, 2015
Weekly Tech Highlights : Marshmallow, WhatsApp Web for iOS and More

This week was loaded with new product releases and announcements from around the world. We have compiled a list of news that made the rounds.

Google M Gets a Name!

We were debating over M&Ms, Malteasers and even – Malai Kulfi. However this year’s Android name is Marshmallow. This news was announced by Dave Burke, Android’s VP of Engineering via his Twitter account on Monday. Reports also suggest, that Google has released a “near-final” SDK version of the new operating system for developers.

Click here for more details.

WhatsApp Opens Up its Web Service to iOS Users – Finally!

The WhatsApp web client had been launched in January 2015 and has since been available to Google, Windows, Blackberry and Nokia operating systems. However, this is the first time it has been available for Apple’s smartphone device. This service allows you to send and receive messages on your computers and phones.

Click here to read more.

India Pricing of the Samsung S6 edge+ Revealed

The S6 Edge+ has now been launched in India as well. The smartphone is priced at Rs 57,900, and will go on sale from August 28 onwards. From what we hear, only the gold and silver colour variants with 32GB storage will be made available in India.

Click here for more info.

Apple Begins Replacing iPhone 6 Plus’ With Faulty Cameras

Apple Inc. has announced the launch of its iSight Camera replacement program for the iPhone 6 Plus. This program is said to help replace the camera module in some of the iPhone 6 Plus devices that have allegedly come with a faulty rear camera.

Click here for more info.

Upcoming Android Devices Will Come With Less Google Bloatware

Android users all around the world will soon be getting less bloatware on their phones. Therefore apps like – Google+, Google Play Games, Google Play Books and Google Newsstand will not come pre-installed.

Click here for more info.

Meet the 16 Year Old Who’s Challenging Google Search

16 year old, Anmol Tukrel is an Indian-origin Canadian citizen who is now challenging the Google search engine. He has designed a personalised search engine that he claims is 47 percent more accurate than Google and is 21 percent more accurate, on an average.

More info here.

Silent Circle Announces the Second Edition of its Super Secure Smartphone

The second edition of Silent Circle’s privacy-focused handset, called Blackphone 2 has been made official. This device is now available for pre-order, however, the price has not been announced as yet.

More details here.

Asus Deluxe Edition Zenfone 2 Comes With a Massive 256GB Internal Storage

Asus has unveiled the Deluxe Special Edition of Asus Zenfone 2 in Brazilon Friday. The feature that makes this phone truly ‘deluxe’ is the fact that it comes with a 256 GB of internal storage.

Specs and more details here.

August 23, 2015
Here’s How U2 is Smoothly Mixing Music and Technology

At U2’s recent eight-show run at Madison Square Garden, Bono pulled up a woman onstage, handed her a smartphone and announced that they were live streaming the performance onto the internet. The stream was then displayed off a huge feed from U2’s Meerkut account.

At this particular concert, famous talk show host, Jimmy Fallon made a surprise appearance for a duet of “Desire”. This tour also includes messages condemning the 1974 car bombings of Ireland, a call to fight AIDS, Stephen Hawking’s voice, high-tech gimmicks and more than two hours of music that included songs from U2’s 2014 album, “Songs of Innocence”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VWsGG2Z-dI

U2 packs technology into its Innocence and Experience tour by incorporating the smartphone spectacle each night for at least one song. Yet, this isn’t the first of U2’s tech savvy performances. One can recall a stage they had built in the shape of a four-legged spaceship, and now, they have designed a two-sided display that hangs over the arena, providing a good view to each and every person.

The band also used a new form of musical storytelling, they climb up to perform within the display while Bono walks along the base, with displays showing visuals and animation to help create an analogy of him akin to that of walking the street on which he grew up.

But, it is said that the most creative way U2 used technology for this tour is one that cannot be seen. Most touring production companies store visuals directly on the systems they use for running the video screens. The problem with that is, if something needs to be changed, the entire thing would need to be copied to the show system with a pen drive, which might even delay the show.

Image: Rich Fury/Associated Press

U2, is now, using a modern technique for its tour with the help of a cloud storage company called EMC. Therefore, if they need to switch setlists or songs, the team is able to update visuals and deliver them on time. But, because cloud relies on the internet, which may not be available at major venues for security reasons, U2 uses an on-premise tech unit so that they have access to the data even without a web connection. EMC is said to be archiving the HD video streams with their cameras used during the show.

While previously, tours were held to promote music so that an album was successful, nowadays monetizing concerts and merchandise have become more important, as we have seen in Taylor Swift’s 1989 tour, which has an entire line of clothes created with the album’s theme kept in mind. This is said to be done, so that later on, the band can use the footage and decide how to monetize those archives.

The Innocence And Experience tour is definitely said to be a high-tech futuristic event that has been created, not just for fans but anybody who wants to be entertained.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://mashable.com/2015/07/24/u2-tour-technology/”]Mashable[/tw-button]

July 25, 2015
Tech Highlights of the Week : E3, LG G4, Apple Watch 2 and More
This week was loaded with new product releases and announcements from the most-awaited annual gaming show, E3. We have compiled a list of news that made the rounds.

Here are the top 10 highlights of the week:
1. LG Launches the G4 Flagship in India
Finally, LG brought its latest flagship, the G4, to India. The premium leather-clad handset is priced at Rs. 51,000. Sporting a 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS LCD display, the phone comes with a 1.8GHz Hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with Adreno 418 GPU, 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage space. The phone runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop. A 16MP shooter is fitted at it back, while the front is an 8MP camera. A 3,000mAh powers the smartphone.
1. Samsung Galaxy J5 and J7
The Korean firm launched two mid-range phones – Galaxy J7 and Galaxy J5. The smartphones are priced at CNY 1,798 (Rs. 18,400 approx.) and CNY 1,398 (Rs. 14,300 approx.) respectively. The Galaxy J5 features a 5-inch HD TFT display (1280x720p resolution). It is backed by 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 SoC coupled with 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, which is expandable. With a battery capacity of 2600mAh battery, it sports a camera of 13MP at the back and a 5MP camera at the front.

The Galaxy J7, on the other hand, boasts the same 5.5-inch TFT HD display with an octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor with four cores clocked at 1.4GHz and the four cores running at 1GHz. The Galaxy J7 fits a 3000mAh battery.
1. Nokia Confirmed to Re-Enter Smartphone Market by 2016
Finnish electronics firm Nokia, once a leader in smartphone manufacturing, has made an official declaration saying that it will again start designing and licensing smartphones. Once again, users will come across Nokia-branded smartphones in retail shops as well as online. The firm will restart with the same old strategy of just designing the handsets, and not manufacturing them. Nokia is looking for suitable partners to fulfil the task.
1. Apple Watch 2 is Already Under Development
Apple is planning on developing the next-generation watch, Apple Watch 2. Sources close to Apple disclosed its plans of launching an improved iWatch version, which is said to reduce the dependence of the wearable on the iPhone. The next Apple Watch will sport a camera on top of the watch bezel, to provide users with the facility of video calling. Watch owners can make or receive FaceTime calls while on the go, and there is no need to slip an extra gadget in your pocket.

Replacing the currently embedded Wi-Fi, a chip with the potential to locate a user’s location will be installed. Things like ordinary conversation can take place with the integration of a dynamic wireless chipset, but substantial actions such as software updates, media files synchronization, and few more will indeed require iPhone support.
1. iPhone 6s will be Stronger, Wider and Larger
The inclusion of Force Touch technology was reported to find space on the next iPhone. It is speculated to increase the dimensions of the phone by 0.15 millimetres crosswise as well as in length, and 0.2mm in thickness. Apple will also employ Series 7000 Aluminium, introduced with Apple Watch, on the next-generation iPhones. The custom metal is 60 percent stronger than the regular aluminium and has just one-third the density of stainless steel.
1. OnePlus Two Will Come with Snapdragon 810
OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau, revealed a crucial detail about the next OnePlus flagship. As stated by Lau, Snapdragon 810 v2.1 will administer the processing demands of the phone. The processor is capable of streaming 4K Ultra HD videos, high-resolution 3D games and has an enhanced battery life. The forum also read that the overheating issue of the processor has also been resolved with the new version of the SoC. This will increase the price of the smartphone by around Rs. 3,000. Pete Lau stated since Snapdragon 810 v2.1 costs 60% more than the Snapdragon used in the OnePlus One, the handset may cost roughly around Rs. 25,000.
1. Epic E3 Titles Released at E3
Sony, Microsoft, Disney, Activision, and more stepped onto the podium of E3 to showcase what they have to offer this year. The Last Guardian, Holographic version of Minecraft, Call of Duty: Back Ops 3, Hitman and a few more wooed the game fanatics, compelling them to give developers a standing ovation. The titles will release either later this year or in 2016.

Click here to read more.
1. Xbox Elite Controller
This year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) saw the release of a new Xbox controller, and it is definitely a beast in its own terms. Described as the ‘Elite Controller for Elite gamers’, the new Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller has been added with many new features. The analog sticks and directional pad can be swapped out with different grips — concave, convex, textured, or whichever accessory creators come up with. Every button can be remapped and reset using a companion smartphone app that will be released for Xbox One and Windows 10. You can even control the sensitivity level of the triggers on the back and analog sticks. The Elite Wireless Controller comes out in October and is priced at $150 (Rs 9,623 approx.)
1. Micromax Canvas Sliver 5
A couple of days back, Micromax unveiled a slim smartphone, Canvas Sliver 5, holding a thickness of 5.1mm. Weighing a mere 97 grams, the handset accommodates Aircraft grade aluminium and integrated touch sensitivity. The 4G/LTE enabled phone is powered by a 64-bit quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with 2GB DDR3 RAM. The display size stands at 4.8-inch HD AMOLED with 720p resolution. The device, running on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, comes with 16GB internal storage space with no expandability option. Priced at Rs. 17,999, the phone boasts an 8MP shooter at the back and a 5MP camera in the front.
June 21, 2015
Tech Meets Sports : How Technology is Shaping the Future of Football

With the invention of television, tech changed the way we interacted with sports. Now, almost a century later, technology still strongly influences the way we watch, train for and play sports. These days, advanced fitness technology has been infiltrating professional sports, giving coaches and players detailed insights on how their bodies work and what they need to excel at, on the field. Taking it to a whole new level, with apps like Ubersense which provide real time video analysis and feedback on smartphones.

Soccer being the most beloved sport in the world surely gets the most advanced treatment when it comes to tech. Earlier this year the smartphone manufacturer HTC and the “futurologist” Dr Ian Pearson collaborated on a document titled The Future of Football. In the next few decades, robot football could become common, shirts might come with tiny cameras and fans could end up controlling players with smartphones. It all sounds a little strange, yes, and from a rather distant future but recently we have witnessed many changes in the football scenario that have been fuelled by tech.

Lets see how technology has taken soccer to a new level, promoting both player performance and comfort.

Real Time Performance Analysis

With the advancement in technology, many developers have come up with sophisticated apps and softwares which can analyze players performance in real time. Such apps including UberSense, V1sports and many more saves the coaches and players the tiresome task of collecting data on a number of laptops, charts and spreadsheets to keep videos and stats of the players. Wearable technology has also made training easy as players are now getting the help of fitness devices to get an edge on their competition. Devices like Adidas, miCoach, Speed_Cell and various heart rate monitors lets coaches analyse various parameters important in the game. For example, the Speed_Cell clips on to shoelaces or adidas shoes and measures maximum speed, distance, stride rate and game time. Coaches then take that data and analyse it to find ways to improve each player’s performance.

Wearable tech

Wearable tech in sports isn’t limited to fitness trackers anymore. Even the uniforms of soccer players have got a tech makeover. There are high-tech shirts with sensors that track information and promote player comfort during matches. In the 2014 world cup tournament, players wore shirts that were fit for the warm, humid conditions in Brazil, allowing players to keep cool and dry during the game, affecting overall stamina and performance.

Protective gears also make use of technology to ensure the safety of players. Most notably; cleats, shin guards, athletic taping and compression-fit fabric work to micro-massage players’ muscles to prevent excessive vibration and promote muscle health and energy supply. Sensors in shin guards allow players and coaches to collect data and analyse performance, too.

High Tech Soccer Balls

One of the most important highlights of this year’s world cup was the inclusion of the GoalControl technology in the soccer balls. Also called the Goal-line tech, it helps referees to determine whether the ball has completely crossed the goal line or not. Also, there are balls that measure impact and trajectory. Equipped with internal sensors, the ball sends feedback to its compatible app via Bluetooth technology. This data can help players improve their game.

Sideline viewing system

This is latest development in the field of NFL. Sideline viewing system hasn’t been used in Soccer as of now but the application of this system, which uses Microsoft’s Surface Pro, is much more practical for the soccer field. It allows NFL teams to review photos of plays instantly on the sidelines and up in the booths. For example, when the quarterback goes back to the bench, the Surface can then be used to see the opposing team’s defensive formation during the most recent drive and the same goes for the coaching staff that keeps an eye on the game from higher grounds. Even though the whole campaign was to promote Surface Pro, the application of this system is very beneficial on field for both players and coaches.

May 17, 2015
Revisiting 2014: 10 Epic Kickstarter Campaigns of Last Year

The independent tech community went big last year. Websites like Kickstarter.com have given the opportunity to millions of people to become venture capitalists and investors in new products. Such websites have given common people the power to see their ideas changing millions of lives.

We are listing top 10 brilliant Kickstarter campaigns which made this tech year so fun.

1. MIYO

This small piece of hardware is the revolution in the audio tech industry. Still running its campaign, MIYO is a digital-to-analog converter which lets you rediscover your favorite music as though it were high-quality vinyl. MIYO delivers the same amazing sound quality you would expect from that track, at a fraction of the size and cost.

2. Powerlace P-One

This Kickstarter campaign has made all ‘Back To Future’ fans go gaga. The company created the first shoes with auto-lacing capabilities that McFly made popular back in 80s. The shoes named Powerlace P-One don’t look similar to the sneakers in the movie, however, they certainly get the job done. The Powerlace shoes have a simple mechanism for auto-lacing that doesn’t involve any voice commands, complex chips, apps, batteries or motors.

3. Biofueled Triplane

It’s the world’s first eco-friendly plane powered by biofuel and has been named Bio-Electric-Hybrid-Aircraft or BEHA. This prototype is almost silent and cancels out night flight restrictions and pollution concerns. The six-seat aircraft could be a revolution in the field of aviation. Meanwhile, the BEHA prototype is in its initial phases of development. The developers claim that it is likely to take to the skies post 2020.

4. Pico

Pico is a tiny trigger that you can program through your smartphone and then easily use the programming to shoot time-lapse videos. The accompanying app gives you multiple shooting options such as HDR, speed ramping, and bulb ramping. With these in your hand, you can easily create professional looking visuals to enthrall your audience.

5. Reeljuice

Reeljuice is the world’s first backup battery pack with built-in universal charging cable, so you’ll always be prepared to recharge your phone or tablet. It features a 48-inch long, retractable charging cable which can be used to charge an array of popular devices available in the market. Reeljuice is the only portable power solution in the world that integrates patented, retractable, cord reel technology. It is created by a team of designers and engineers, who have received worldwide acclaim for their innovative products.

6. Pryntcase

A French startup, Pryntcases, has introduced a phone case that converts your phone to a Polaroid camera. Presently, the device can only take one polaroid film at a time and takes a minute to print the image, but it is still a great case to have. The appeal of physically holding a photograph can’t be matched with the tons of electronic images. The case comes with an accompanying camera app, which has a cool feature. It takes video while you are taking a picture. Then, when you hold the developed picture in front of the case, it will start playing the video.

7. Everykey

Available in a multitude of colors, Everykey is an innovative universal access device for everything that requires a physical key or password. It allows immediate access to a user’s password-protected electronics such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer, as well as physically locked items including doors, car doors, bike locks, and other access devices that need to be controlled.

8. Modbook Pro X

The company, famous for turning Apple’s MacBook Pro into an iPad-like tablet, launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund its project, the Modbook Pro X, back in August. The Modbook has been around for about seven years, when Axiotron and Other World Computing teamed up to deliver the first Mac tablet at Macworld. At the time, 331 backers converted their own Retina MacBook Pros into a tablet. The conversion incorporates the laptop’s original hardware, with components shifted from the lower half of the computer to just behind the 15.4-inch 2,880 x 1,800-pixel LCD.

9. ZUtA Pocket Printer

ZUtA Pocket Printer is simple, softball-sized and compatible with any electronic device. It can be used anywhere, anytime. Since it doesn’t necessitate any special drivers, it can be accessed via computers, smartphones or tablets, by using the traditional print function or an app. It works with paper of any size and will print roughly 1,000 sheets of paper on a standard, disposable ink cartridge. The printer lasts for up to an hour on full battery and can be recharged via a USB cable.

10. Hendo hoverboard

Inventor Greg Henderson has created hovering technology that he calls Magnetic Field Architecture (MFA). Using the technology, you can practically get everything hovering and a hoverboard is the bare minimum that MFA can achieve. The Hendo hoverboard uses magnetic levitation principle, similar to the one used in Maglev trains. The device hovers 1-inch above the ground, that is good for a start. The board looks bulky, but its design is sleek and sexy. The device is capable of integrating with the natural movement of the rider.

January 1, 2015
Revisiting 2014 : 10 Most Epic Gadgets Released in 2014

From Virtual reality to 3D printing, the past 12 months have been a whirlwind of impressive new gadgets and game-changing innovations. Apple launched a handful of devices including iMac with Retina 5K display, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and most notably, the Apple Watch. It was big year for Virtual Reality as well with Google’s, simple yet intelligent, Cardboard project, Samsung’s Gear VR and Oculus Rift’s $350 development kit coming into the market this year.

We look into 2014’s most epic and innovative releases:

10. YotaPhone 2

YotaPhone 2 was officially announced earlier this month and is already setting benchmarks when it comes to innovation. The YotaPhone 2 has got some considerable improvements over its predecessor. It features a 5-inch 1080p AMOLED display and a 4.7-inch QHD e-Ink touchscreen, which is way better than the 4.3-inch screen of the previous model. The e-Ink paper display on the smartphone is similar to the e-Ink display we find on Amazon’s Kindle readers. It shows notifications, clock, weather, and is great for reading books and other readables in an eye friendly display.

9. Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard is a fold-out cardboard smartphone mount that, when combined with lenses, a magnet, a piece of hook-and-loop fastener, rubber band and held against the face, affords a virtual reality experience. Impressive, right? This is a DIY project from Google can can be made right at your place with minimal investment. In order to build it, all you need is a pair of lenses with a 40mm focal distance to keep the phone’s screen in focus some magnets, velcro and a rubber band. Thats it, with this tiny tinkering, you’ll be ready to hit the virtual reality experience. And if you don’t want to take the efforts of making one, you can always find ready made Cardboard headset for just $20-$40.

8. Vibso headphones

Build by designer Renaud Defrancesco, Vibso headband is made of a transparent acrylic glass and sends music vibrations across its surface to the user’s ears. The VIBSO headphones play music via Bluetooth and has a vibrating electromagnet that is hidden under an opaque plastic cover on top of the head and helps create the sound for the wearer. The electromagnet works like a speaker and has a connecting element that causes a membrane to vibrate and create sounds. The membrane, in this case, is made in a two-mm-thick transparent acrylic glass. Defrancesco used acrylic glass because it transmits sounds well and is flexible and easy to form.

7. Epson Wireless Workforce WF-100

Touted as the world’s smallest and lightest mobile printer yet, the WF-100 comes with built-in wireless and Wi-Fi direct capabilities to hook up to your laptop, tablet or any Android phones. The printer uses a rechargeable battery that charges via a USB port. It can print both A4 as well as 4X6 inch photos. It prints at the speed of 6.7 pages in a minute for black and 3.8 pages per minute for color.

6. LIX – 3D Printing Pen

London-based startup LIX created the smallest 3D printing pen in the world, a device that enables users to doodle in the air. Milled from aluminum and measuring 164mm x 14mm, it allows users to make objects in just a few seconds, including calligraphy, accessories and one-off prototypes. With functionalities similar to 3D printers, the USB port chargeable LIX pen quickly melts and cools colored plastic, which enables the pen to create rigid and freestanding structures on demand. Drawing in the air, now its cool or what?

5. DJI Phantom 2 Vision+

The DJI Phantom 2 Vision+Quadcopter comes with a GPS based navigation system, flies for up to 25 minutes, and has the capability to take still photos and shoot streaming video. The $1,200 price tag may make you lose the interest, but this drone is known of its exceptional flying capabilities and its powerful camera.

4. Blackphone

The Blackphone is a smartphone developed by SGP Technologies, that provides encryption for phone calls, emails, texts and internet browsing. SGP Technologies is a joint venture between the makers of GeeksPhone and Silent Circle. Blackphone’s Security Center in PrivatOS gives control over app permissions, such as the bundled Silent Phone and Silent Text services that encrypt communications so no one can eavesdrop on voice, video and text calls.

3. GoPro Hero4 Black

GoPro’s latest offering, the Hero4 lineup builds on the legacy and comes with great new upgrades. On the top of the line-up is the Hero4 Black, which comes at a price of $499. It shoots 4K video at up to 30 frames per second, giving you some incredible eye-popping visuals. Apart from that, it shoots Full HD (1080p) at 120 frames per second so you can play with some sweet slow-motion action shots. And of course, it offers 12-megapixel photos for folks who want a selfie at an epic destination.

2. Oculus Rift Developers Kit

The Oculus Rift DK 2 is an amazing piece of hardware, and while it’s far from ready for consumer use, it delivers a highly compelling experience that shows exactly how easy it is to get lost in virtual reality. From a gaming perspective, there’s no doubt that this is one of the most interesting new pieces of hardware. Oculus claims that the display works at 75 Hz, which is above the standard 60 Hz refresh rate. On their website, Oculus calls its display a low persistence OLED display, to eliminate motion blur and judder, two of the biggest contributors to simulator sickness. The 5.7 inch Note 3 display might address the pixilation issue and probably save people from the day long motion sickness they feel after wearing these headgears.

1. Apple Watch

Among other things, 2014 marked the return of Apple. Its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus rollout was usual – full of giddy anticipation and excitement. The two models did not just break sales records globally, but they put Apple back on the front row. Apple also launched another product which is probably 2015’s most awaited device called the ‘Apple Watch’ (not iWatch). Apple is entering a completely new market category by bringing out the first Apple Watch. This smartwatch, expected to be out in early 2015, will come in three variations – Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and the Apple Watch Edition. The wearable will be compatible with iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6 Plus.

December 28, 2014
This Nano-Technology Based Battery Can Charge Your Phone in 30 Seconds

We are living in a tech-driven society and with the excessive need of gadgets to get the work done, we need them charged all day long, well we try to. In a potentially ground-breaking development, an Israeli company called StoreDot claims that it has invented a battery that can drastically reduce the charging time up to 30 seconds on your smartphone.

The game-changing battery uses nanotechnology to synthesise artificial molecules, which allows this battery to store a higher charge in less time than the existing technology. It can be likened to a super-dense power sponge. According to a research firm, the prototype battery could be ready for the market sooner, potentially transforming the smartphone and electric car industry.

However, the battery is very bulky to be used in a smartphone right now. The company believes that it will be ready to market a slim battery by 2016 that can absorb and deliver a day’s power for a smartphone in just 30 seconds, as mentioned above.

Back in April, the Tel Aviv-based StoreDot revealed at the Microsoft Think Next Conference that it had developed a prototype battery that charged a dead Samsung Galaxy S4 to full power in just 26 seconds. The technology is based on ‘nanodots’, described by StoreDot as bio-organic peptide molecules. Nanodots change the behavior of the battery to allow for rapid absorption and retention of power.

Backers have so far invested $48 million over two rounds of funding. One significant backer is an unnamed Asian mobile phone manufacturer. This year, the number of smartphone users is expected to reach 1.75 billion, a big market for StoreDot. Experts predict that the company could be a winner if it continues to develop its product.

November 26, 2014
Apple’s Latest iOS Update to Speed Up Old Devices

As expected, Apple rolled out the second update iOS 8.1.1 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. While the last update brought features like Apple Pay, return of the Camera Roll and fixed bugs with third-party extensions, iOS 8.1.1 is essentially a usability update.

The new iOS 8.1.1 update includes a number of bug fixes, improved overall stability, and most importantly, performance improvements for older devices including the iPhone 4s and iPad 2. Apple says that the latest release should speed up the iPad 2 and iPhone 4s, two of the company’s old generation devices.

These devices, while technically supported with iOS 8.0, suffered a performance hit as a result of increased demand for the new OS, and this update should help make life easier for those who’ve already upgraded. Updating old generation devices to the major upgrade can often result in degraded performance, making the user experience slower and worse than it had been before.

Apple says the latest release should speed up the iPad 2 and iPhone 4s.

The same was experienced with iOS 7 last year, and now again Apple is working to make things better for customers who are still holding onto their old gen devices. Usually, the company provides a list of particular bugs and the updates fix, but this time around, the company has not done so. Anyway, the main feature of this update appears to be increased performance for iPhone 4s and iPad 2.

Along with the iOS update, the company has also rolled out an update for Mac devices. OS X 10.10.1, as it is called, is the first update to Apple’s Yosemite. According to the company, the new update will result in “better Wi-Fi reliability, improved Microsoft Exchange connections, and fixes for reliability in Mail when sending messages using ‘certain’ email providers.”

The update also provides two fixes for enterprise customers. One makes the Mac App Store report that an Apple Remote Desktop update is available even when it’s not true, and another allows you to append search domains for partially qualified domain names when performing DNS lookups.

November 18, 2014
Techies at Work: Making India Proud

“The U.S. is looking to India as more than just a marketplace for our defense products, but as a technology, aerospace and strategic partner for our future endeavors”, said Kit Bond, a former US Senator. The current global technology scenario, clearly, highlights the rise of Indians in the worldwide market and as Indians, we take pride in it. After all, what is a country without its countrymen? And what do we toil for, if not our own country?

As India celebrates its 68^th Independence Day, we bring to you the top Indian techies from all over the world that have done all they can and more to make India proud.

1. Satya Nadella

CEO, Microsoft

Born in a Telugu family in Hyderabad, Satya Nadella replaced Steve Ballmer as the CEO of Microsoft. He joined Microsoft in 1992 and since then, has worked at various projects including the company’s transformation from client services to cloud infrastructure and computing.

Before being announced the CEO of the company on 4 February 2014, Nadella was working as the President of the Server and Tools Division. His desi reason for success, he mentions, is the leadership and teamwork skills he learns from cricket!

2. Padmasree Warrior

CTO, Cisco Systems

Padmasree Warrior is the current CTO (Chief Technology & Strategy Officer) of Cisco Systems and the former of Motorola Inc. Born and raised in the city of Vijayawada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, she has worked for 23 years at Motorola and 7 years (and still counting) for Cisco Systems.

At Cisco, she is responsible for strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, integration of new business models, incubation of new technologies and talent. Earlier this year, she was listed as the 71st most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine.

3. Amit Singhal

Senior Vice President, Google Inc.

Amit Singhal, also called a “Google Fellow”, is the current Senior Vice President of Google Inc. A product of IIT Roorkee, Mr. Singhal is also the head of Google’s core ranking team. He joined Google in 2000 and has worked sincerely towards its development ever since.

According to New York Times, he is the master of what Google calls its “ranking algorithm” — the formulae that choose which Web page provides the most suitable answer to a user’s question. Prior to joining Google, he worked in AT&T Labs.

4. Shantanu Narayen

President and CEO, Adobe

He started his career at Apple and is currently, the President and CEO of Adobe. His journey includes various other landmarks such as Silicon Graphics and Pictra Inc. Born in Mumbai, raised in Hyderabad, Mr. Narayen is currently the Board Member of Dell Inc., Adobe Systems and University of California at Berkeley.

He was one of the most hard working and inspirational forces behind Adobe’s $3.4bn attainment of multi-media company Macromedia in 2005. His 16 year career at Adobe reflects the Indian technology talent that currently resides in the creative technology tool industry.

5. Vinod Dham

Managing Director and Founder, Indo US Venture Partners

This list will not be complete without the ‘Father of Pentium’. An inventor, entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Mr. Dham is a celebrated Indian among all techies from the world for his contribution to the development of highly successful Pentium processors from Intel.

A respected alumnus of Delhi College of Engineering, he specialized in solid state electronics – the technology which forms the basis for the storage that is found in every smartphone and tablet as well as many laptops. He led the development of the Pentium processor, and also co-invented Intel’s first flash memory technology.

August 15, 2014
Google Partners With Novartis To Create World’s First Smart Contact Lens

Google and Novartis join hands to set new boundaries of wearable technology. Google’s smart contact lens technology is one step closer to reality with the company announcing its partnership with Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis .

The press release stated that Novartis’s Alcon unit will work with Google’s secretive Google X division on lenses with non-invasive sensors, microchips and embedded miniaturized electronics to monitor insulin levels for people with diabetes, or to restore the eye’s natural focus in people who can no longer read without glasses. No terms of the deal are yet disclosed.

Google said it hoped the technology would help diabetics around the world by removing the need to perform regular, painful blood tests. Novartis has said that in addition to helping diabetics manage their disease, it is hoped that the technology can also be modified to help those suffering from vision loss that occurs with age.

Novartis’ CEO Joe Jimenez identified eye care as one of three key divisions, along with branded and generic drugs, in announcing a $28.5 billion restructure of the company in April that involved selling off the vaccines and animal-health units and buying GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s cancer business.

“The promise here is the Holy Grail of vision care, to be able to replicate the natural functioning of the eye,” Jimenez said. “Think about a contact lens that could help the eye autofocus on that newspaper and then when you look up it would autofocus in the distance.This is a key step for us to go beyond the confines of traditional disease management, starting with the eye.”

The smart contact lens technology were originally developed by Google X, the “audacious” research and development lab that is responsible for the company’s self-driving cars, internet weather-balloons and Google Glass.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin said: “Our dream is to use the latest technology in the miniaturization of electronics to help improve the quality of life for millions of people. We are very excited to work with Novartis to make this dream come true.”

July 17, 2014
Top 5 Gadgets Every Tech Geek Should Have

A man’s greatness can be measured by the number of cool gadgets in his home, or at least, the number of cool gadgets he’d like to have at home. We’re talking about the kind that are so cool that you’ve just gotta own them. So in the spirit of all things awesome, we bring you this list of gadgets every tech geek should have, or at the very least, want to have.

1. Star Trek Style Glasses

If you don’t mind looking like Star Trek’s Geordi La Forge, this pair of virtual television glasses are for you. With these glasses, you can watch movies and even play console games. There are several manufacturers including China-based Teleplus Electronics with an offer price of around $120. It also offers an 80-inch screen model which will set you back an additional $100. Brookstone’s iDesign Digital Video Glasses serve up a 50-inch screen for use with the iPhone or iPod and will cost you back about $150.

2. Print Your Toaster

Designed by Othmar Muehlebach, this toaster thinks that it’s a printer. The idea is to lay a stack of bread on the top and it runs through the toaster, and each slice comes out with a print. It could be modified to burn any kind of graphics on the bread and run ussing USB. While it’s still just a concept product, the big question is — would you like to spend all morning wrangling with jammed pieces of toast?

3. Roomba

Roomba is a series of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners sold by iRobot. Roomba can change direction on encountering obstacles, auto-detect dirty spots on the floor and detect steep drops to keep it from falling down stairs. It is the perfect solution for Post-Star Wars Marathon cleaning.

4. Nvidia Shield

This Android Console is portable enough to play on a bus. As well as having access to hundereds of games via Google Play, the shield can stream full PC titles from your PC. Pretty damn cool.

5. Trikke Tribred Pon-E

Possibly the most exciting three-wheeler we have ever seen, this electric scooter runs for a good 40 KM on a single charge and hits a top speed of 25 kmph. To top it all, you don’t even need a license to ride one of these on the road.

July 16, 2014
5 Ways Music Woven With Technology Sounds Incredible

The power of technology has been shaping our lives for generations. It touches everything we do, experience or listen, YES LISTEN! With the push of technology we now have a recent trend of innovative interactive music videos, apps and so much more.

We are listing 5 of our favorite music videos and albums that are inspired by mighty technology:

1. Reflektor- Arcade Fire (Interactive Geo-tagging Video)

Indie-Rock chart toppers, Arcade Fire put their video skills of HTML5 on use with the The Wilderness Downtown, directed by Chris Milk. An interactive music video which takes you to a run in your hometown. Type in the address of the place you grew up, and the stabbing piano of Arcade Fire’s We Used to Wait starts. A hooded figure begins to run down the streets you knew so well, taking you almost literally for a trip down memory lane. Sinister birds swoop over the Google Map showing your home, and dive-bomb to the ground in climax as trees explode from the familiar road.

2. House of Cards- Radiohead (Lidar Technology)

Radiohead is one of the most prolific band in the music industry.They have been known for their creativity and innovation in music. Staying true to their part, they created a video of a song ‘House of Cards’ using Lidar Technology. Without using any camera, this video was made by building data maps of Thom Yorke and lasers rotating 360 degrees to capture the scene. Beautiful blues, greens and yellows slip away as lines and pixels sketch waveforms into human shapes.

3. Biophilia- Bjork (Interactive App/Album)

Some call Bjork’s app a promotional tool, which of course it is. You have to buy the damn thing though, to use it. But it’s also a thing of beauty that it could return us to the days of heady listening sessions spent thumbing and re-thumbing through liner notes, without threat of Wikipedia, Twitter, or any of the other million new points of focus that make music an easy background character these days. This one of a kind app, first in business and a creative use of one of the most popular technology in the world right now: Smartphones.

4. Double Bubble Trouble- MIA (3-D printing and Drones)

You won’t find this video, a tech-savvy one in the first look. The lyrics of “Double Bubble Trouble” reference immigrant struggles and the outsider status of refugees; the high-rise apartments seen in the video could very well be the modest homes of refugees, now filled with technology unimaginable generations ago. Usually, talk about technological revolutions tends to emphasize the tech itself. In the video for “Double Bubble Trouble,” M.I.A. sets her sights firmly on the revolution. Some of the highly political items that appear in the video includes Quadcopters, 3-D printed guns and Anti-surveillance masks and scarves.

5. Somebody I Use To Know : Gotye (Old School Computer Remix)

Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know – Old School Computer Remix” was created by a person in Canada who knows a thing or two about technology. A HP Scanjet 3C somehow sits in for the vocals. Two hard drives pull off drums and a cymbal and a xylophone is controlled by a PIC16F84A microcontroller. This tech wizard has hand full of videos in his youtube channel and altogether has more than 6 million views for them.

July 14, 2014