“Too big!” That’s a refrain you will hear enough when someone talks or writes about the Samsung’s Galaxy Note II, successor to the popular Note and according to Samsung selling away speedily in its new avatar at the rate of 3 million in the first month. And big it is, but not because someone resized it all wrong in photoshop, but because it was intended to have screen real estate. Before pegging its sheer size down as a disadvantage, one needs to realise that some err… like it big. I, for one, have always loved expansive screens on which images leap out, colours look juicy and text looks delicious. Smaller, to me, is a diminished experience. I am assuming there are others who feel similarly. But this doesn’t mean I dislike the much smaller iPhone 5, which I wouldn’t say no to either; That’s a different experience and it’s just that the size of the Note II suits my usage better. In other words, this form factor is for those who like a phone-tablet and don’t mind doing whatever they need to in order to adjust to its dimensions, which happen to be 5.95 x 3.17 x 0.37 inches. It’s not a negative for those who like it — only for those who prefer a different size. The ErgonomicsHolding: The Note II has been reshaped in comparison to the original Note. It’s been narrowed, yet now wears a bigger screen of 5.5 inches. It has an easy grip despite its size, but it isn’t a one-handed device. I have never figured out why people need to use a phone with one hand anyway, except in rare situations. There are several videos online of reviewers demonstrating speedy fiddling on the Note using one hand — it even looks awkward and is simply unnecessary. What’s so urgent that the other hand can’t be deployed? But for those who insist, Samsung has put it some software tricks to help you go one-handed such as shift the dialer to one side, but I would say the nature of this gadget is not for urgent half-attentive use. It’s much more of a full involvement phone-tablet. Carrying: On the go, the Note II is bound to be different from carrying a more typical mobile phone. Get it if you are willing to take the trouble to carry it. We women can just drop it into a handbag, but it’s a little heavy for a shirt pocket and will stick out of trouser back pockets. One tends to forgive it when one realises that the weight is all battery and that the battery can take you through about one-and-a-half days of usage, but if you don’t want to make that trade off, consider something lighter. I have seen people readily carry a whole iPad around, so the Note shouldn’t be that much of a problem for those who want its functionality and handiness. Dropping: At its dimensions, the Note II could possibly be easier to drop — just my opinion. With small phones, your hand can grip it enough to protect it more easily. With a large screen device, you don’t want someone to knock hard into you while you’re busy using it, or some such disaster. If it falls and you’re using the flap plus case, I am not sure the back will come apart to take the shock. I am not trying it however. Suffice is to say that if you want to use this gadget, you will have to be a little extra careful with it. As I use it, this is becoming second nature and I find myself doing things like firming up my grip when someone’s rushing past me too close. Calling: Making phone calls with a gadget this size can look unwieldy but doing so, I didn’t catch any curious glances in my direction. Possibly people just get used to seeing different sizes of devices being used. I no longer get odd looks if I take an occasional photo with my iPad, either for that matter. Of course, I just swish my hair over the Note II anyway and no one is the wiser... If you are someone who gets a call a minute though, another size of device may be more suitable. This device really comes into its own when you use its screen and stylus to good effect rather than mostly talk on the phone, though there are always Bluetooth earpieces. Once again, it’s about the user’s habits. Calling is actually not more than 20 per cent of my smartphone usage, so I don’t mind a larger device. Voice quality and the speaker are excellent. The Design And StyleLooks: There’s nothing special about the way the Note II looks. It’s like a big S3, particularly if you get a white one. With the grey, there’s an extra touch of elegance because there’s a silky-toned look to the back and the cover (which is optional and extra) matches. But it’s the same old Samsung plastic and one can’t help thinking of how nice it could have looked if some other material had been used but it seems like Samsung is stubbornly refusing to let go of the shiny plastic they have adopted. In fact, a textured material which also enhances the grip would have been a good idea. Build: We have a solid device here. Its weight is significant but reassuring, giving it some stability in your hands when you are using it. There are no sharp edges or corners on this smartphone, and that’s undoubtedly a good thing. Overall, it looks professional, particularly with the flap on. Unfortunately it isn’t a smart flap, switching the screen off like the iPad’s smart cover does. But there are widgets on the market that will let you turn off the screen quickly by flipping it downwards or with a quick shake, if you like. As long as you don’t drop the device in the process. The Pen ParadoxHandwriting: Don’t let anyone tell you that the stylus or “S-Pen” is an add-on you can ignore. To do that would be a waste because the Note II really comes into its own with the stylus. Otherwise, although it’s one of the most powerful mobile devices in the world (certainly at the time of launch) there are other large phones and “phablets” coming up each week, practically. The stylus in fact works exceptionally sensitively and this, so far, distinguishes the Note II from others. Like many others who use technology to the hilt, I have long since lost my once-pretty handwriting. Today I scrawl so badly that even a chemist wouldn’t be able to de-code my writing. But interestingly, the Note II can. I was startled at how intuitive and effective the handwriting recognition is on this device though I shouldn’t be because it has a Waccom digitizer layer and Waccom tablets are what designers have used for decades to do the most precise design and art work. I found that when I scribble a letter, change my mind, rescribble or go back a stroke or two and make a bigger mess of it, the Note II still gets what I was writing. I didn’t set out consciously wanting to use a stylus, but once I began trying it out I found it so buttery smooth, pressure sensitive, and easy and quick that I now automatically pull out the pen when I reach for the phone. To my surprise I have seriously begun to enjoy making lists, taking notes, writing pieces of articles, etc on this device. It doesn’t make my handwriting look any better because of of its slipperiness but converting to text on the fly has been mostly accurate. There are word suggestions but no spell checker, though there’s probably one you can download. Drawing: I’m no artist but if I were, the fine precision with which I could draw something with this pen is amazing. There’s also a drawing app, Paper Artist which, if you don’t find adequate, can be supplemented with others from Google Play. Samsung has been pushing the creativity aspect of the Note II a lot and I’m sure those can sketch and design things will like noting down and developing their ideas on this gadget in addition to whatever else they do. Software: I wish there were a host of interesting apps that made use of the stylus but that’s not the case. However, there are the most important ones. There’s an S-Note app which gives you a bunch of templates for different kinds of input. And yes, you can readily convert writing to text on the fly. All it needs is for you to get into the settings and choose the combination that suits you most. The S-Note app has various modes and customization settings. You can even record audio into your notes. Neat Tricks: The S Pen has a few nice tricks up its sleeve. First, it slips very neatly into a slot on the phone and if you set it to, will make a soft sound to let you know it’s properly in place. And because it’s inevitable that you would put the stylus down and forget about it, there’s a setting that alerts you when you walk away with the pen not inserted in its slot. This is even when you may have it in your other hand — it’s the walking off that does it. You can also set the S-Pen to pop up a memo the second you take it out of the slot. I have found I can take down a number someone tells me as they say it. The stylus also interacts with the screen when you hover over it. This is the Air View mode. You can see a tiny cursor change depending on the context. Hovering can be used to scroll, show pictures from an album, frames from a video show information from a menu, bits from an email, text from an SMS, etc. There’s a little button on the stylus for additional functions. It’s really difficult to find though and each time you have to feel all over the pen for it. That’s unfortunate because it only slows you down inside of making things easier. It’s also not easy to press. For instance, you can press and make a less than sign to go back a page. But in the time it takes to find the button, press it and draw the sign, you may as well just press the back virtual key on the device. The pen is something to be explored in depth by the user as settings will throw up more features and customisations. The button on the pen can take screen shots (even shaped ones) and let you annotate them. You can even flip over photos and write on their virtual back. You can create your own “Quick Commands” too. It will be fabulous if Samsung can support this with software updates or apps that make further use of this little powerful pen. And Everything ElseFull Specs: There would have been little point Samsung making this smartphone large and feature-filled and under-powering it. The Note II is instead a full spec powerhouse with a 1.6GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage with a micro-SD card for expansion. It’s running Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. An update to 4.2 which has recently been released, is awaited and should be interesting because it brings more features including a new keyboard with a swipe action that shows the word as you swipe. There’s a giant 3100 mAh battery which lasts anything from one to one and a half days depends on how you use it. And it’s user replaceable, though I don’t see a situation where you would need to do that. The back of the phone opens very easily if you need to access the battery Or the micro-SD card or micro sim. All this powers a 5.5 inch HD Super AMOLED (1,280 x 720) display. It’s a great screen, not sharp like the Apple Retina Display, but nevertheless easy on the eye and with rich colors. Reading on this screen is very comfortable, which makes it fun to browse on in landscape and a totally usable e-reader. . Pictures and video look good and details such as water and smoke in movies are smooth and clear. The device has all of the features introduced on the Galaxy S3, including the “Smart Stay” for keeping the screen on while you look at it and voice commands through S-Voice, though Google’s Voice Search works very well too. Camera: The camera is an 8 megapixel with many settings including a good low-light mode, stabilization and a voice command capture. All the tagging, sharing, best photo selection etc that first turned up on the S3 are here. Video recording and playback is HD 1080.The audio is full and pleasing and there’s a nice set of earphones (with extra earbuds of different sizes) which you can also use to take calls. Jelly Bean: Because the device is now on Jelly Bean, you also get to use the fascinating Google Now which, if you feed it with your location, calendar and tasks will give you all sorts of information it considers relevant and useful to you, including traffic conditions when you go somewhere. Jelly Bean was supposed to bring a faster smoother Android and on this device it certainly does. Navigating around on the phone is very fast and browsing is top speed. With this version of Android you can customise your phone even more with information and widgets on the lock screen. Samsung’s TouchWhiz interface sits right on top of the Jelly Bean and while people have complained about this on other phones, here it makes sense because of the tons of features it brings. Take for example the way in which you can press one of the native buttons at the bottom to enable a slide out menu with some of the essential apps ready to access. These apps can also be used in split screen mode. Pull a video on to the screen and then pull in a browser to share the screen with it. Now you can watch and look for some info on the cast at the same time. Not all apps get into this split screen mode though. The Note II costs Rs 39,990 but is available for a little less in some places. The cover is an extra of about Rs.1500. All smartphones are, I think, exorbitant. Some nearly cost half a lakh. But the Note has so many features, endlessly customizable with Android, handy and focused as a productivity tool that I consider it value for money in a way that some phones are not. It’s a unique device that helps you get things done and for those who can get past the size, really worthy of consideration. Quick ComparisonsGalaxy Note: If you’re a prolific user of the original Note and have the budget, moving up to the Note II would be a good idea. The pen is so much more improved, the form factor so much easier to handle and the sheer power this device now has so great that you may not want to miss out. Sell your Note and go for it, is what I would say. 7-inch Tablets: The experience on 7 inch-or-so device is really quite different. First of all, there’s no stylus and it’s the pen that distinguishes the Note and makes it so useful. The Note is more handy and productivity oriented. The 7-inch tablets including the iPad Mini are certainly portable but still not in the get things done category. The Full iPad: Whatever version you’re considering, it doesn’t compare with the Note II which is in a different usage slot altogether. I could summarise it this way: The iPad is a joy. The Note is a super convenience. The iPad is a more comprehensive tablet with unbeatable apps from Apple’s App Store. The Note II must rely on Android apps which are not of the same quality except for the pen and its apps that Samsung has put in, taking it in a different direction. You can do many of the same things on both, but not in the same way; not to the same comfort level. A choice between the two — if you don’t happen to want both — has to come from some examination of your likely usage. Large Smartphones: In this season of big phones, there are many choices. Even the Galaxy S3 is a contender. The Nexus 4, HTC One X+, several Windows phones, could be in the running if you are considering the Note II. The big difference of course is the stylus. You may not know you will enjoy using it, but if you begin, it’s likely to become increasingly useful. Problem is you have to get somewhere where you can try it out. But, if design and phone charisma, another operating system, colours, popularity and appeal, etc. all matter, you should have a good look at large smartphones as well. The choice here isn’t straightforward. The iPhone 5: These two devices are poles apart but because of the rivalries between the companies that make them and their carefully timed arrival so as to bump into one another, many find themselves trying to decide between these two. The two operating systems Android and iOS 6, are one of the factors you should decide on. Size and form factor is another. On the design front, the iPhone wins, as it does on calling — but then it is a phone not a phablet. Also consider what your other devices are because it’s becoming increasingly fashionable to access and sync all your data and content across devices making it necessary for them to talk tone another. LG Optimus Vu: It’s unfortunate that LG pitted its Optimus Vu against the Note II because there it doesn’t stand a chance. The first problem is its very peculiar square-ish shape which makes it difficult to even hold in one hand, let alone be used that way. It’s not the natural orientation for 16.9 aspect ratio videos, and looks even more bizarre being held up to one’s ear – like making a phone call with a picture frame. The Vu has an attractive screen but its pen sensitivity doesn’t match the Note’s and nor do its speed or power. LG also has a Vu II which could be a better bit of competition, but the same can’t be said of the Vu original. Worse, it’s also priced rather high at Rs 34,500 without the features of the Note II. mala(at)pobox(dot)com, (at)malabhargava on Twitter
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It’s interesting to think that LG is maker of both the much talked about Google Nexus 4 giant phone and the thoroughly odd Optimus Vu “phablet”. Not wanting to be left out of the phablet race, LG came up with a peculiar square-ish device with a 5-inch screen. At dimensions of 139.6 x 90.4 x 8.5 mm, it’s difficult to hold unless you put it down flat on your palm and stand very still. It may look pretty enough on the table or on a dock, but to take this one up to your ear for a phone call is stretching style rather a lot as you’ll look as if you’re talking into a picture frame. Talking of pictures, the Vu has a very nice 1024x720 pixels screen with natural colours and viewing angles, though you have to watch out for the auto brightness. The Vu also has a good 8 megapixel camera which takes clear pictures. Read: A Smartphone Square Off Other than its shape, the Vu has a good build; big without being heavy, slim without being dangerously light. It has a textured back that will help it not to slip too easily. But it has no slot for its biggish stylus (proudly called the Ruberdium, for some reason) and this means anyone who uses it has to find some way of carrying it without losing it. It’s just an additional thing to worry about. The stylus should have been exciting to use, but it isn’t if you have gone anywhere near the Note II. On this device it isn’t pressure sensitive or fast and nor is it as versatile and feature filled as the one with the Note II. It does have a note and memo app though. The Vu runs on a 1.5GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor with 1GB RAM and 32GB of internal space and a microSD slot. There’s a 2,080 mAh battery that you cannot get at, but it doesn’t last more than 6 to 8 hours. It’s still on Ice Cream Sandwich. Launching the Vu at anywhere near the time that the Galaxy Note II arrived was not a good move for LG to have made. In reality, the Vu doesn’t even compare favourably with the original Note. Plus it’s known that LG has a Vu II with some improvements but which hasn’t been launched outside Korea yet. With these phablets, Samsung worked on the ergonomics while LG seems to have gone stubbornly in a different direction and has defied logic with a gadget that you can’t even hold easily. On every other front too – power specs, stylus, battery, operating system , etc, the Vu loses out to the Note II. On top of that, it’s only a few thousand cheaper than the Rs.39,500 Note II at Rs.34,500. Let’s hope the Vu II offers a better experience. mala(at)pobox(dot)com, (at)malabhargava on Twitter
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The yearly launch of the latest iPhone is a bit like a big-ticket movie release. Intense anticipation and hype followed by a craze to be among the first few to experience it. And much like the movies, if you don't snag it in the opening weekend, all the best with catching it easily thereafter. Just ask the droves who didn't pre-book the iPhone 5 when it launched in India and are still looking for one… But wait a minute? Haven't the naysayers already said this is just an incremental upgrade to the previous generation iPhone, meant only to play catch-up with the Android super phones? Or, for that matter, one that stakes claims on no records — not the biggest screen, not the thinnest specs, nor world's-first hardware feature. All these reasons to be seemingly disappointed with the new iPhone 5 go away when you first pick it up. First reaction: is this a dummy unit? It really is that light, and no amount of knowing that it is lighter than the 4S by 20 per cent prepares you for it. And unlike the plastic bodies that you see on a number of competitors, the reduced weight in no way feels any less premium than the previous iPhone - this is a phone frame designed for strength, it just does so a little more subtly. And the finish! Comparisons to a handcrafted piece of jewelry abound, and they're not off the mark. Get past this and there's the taller (but not wider) 1136x640 pixel Retina display, ostensibly meant to let you still swipe across it with your thumb, unlike its significantly larger competition that are, quite literally, a handful. Maybe I'm spoilt by the bevy of large screen devices of late, but I personally would have preferred a bigger, wider screen. As it stands, most apps are being updated to the new resolution, but you may still have the odd app that is letterboxed (black borders along the short edge of the phone). There're a fair number of spec bumps as well — an updated processor, better cameras, better call quality and the most controversial - a new reversible Lighting connector that renders the 2003-spec older analog connector and all your accessories obsolete (or you pony up for an adapter). It may be tough to stomach in the beginning, but then again, obsolescence is never pretty. The iPhone 5 then is a much-polished and highly refined revision to Apple's flagship device, and if anything, it's the operating system here that's beginning to show its age and feel a bit dated. Rating: 9/10Price: Starts at Rs 45,500 for the 16GB variantURL: http://bit.ly/YUR7qM Integrated InnovationIf you own a Mac and have been secretly eyeing all the fun your friends have been having with Windows 8, or you'd just like to take Microsoft's new app-friendly OS for a spin, Parallels Desktop 8 is something you should strongly consider. Much like its stellar previous versions, PD8 makes getting started with a virtual OS - an operating system that sits inside the Parallels environment, letting you run Windows or Linux, or another version of Mac OS within a window alongside your current Mac OS - really easy. I had a copy of Windows 8 up and running alongside Mac OS X Mountain Lion in less than 30 minutes from installing the software. The wizard even asks you whether you'd like to integrate your Windows programs with your Mac OS, sharing folders and even better - running in Coherence mode, which lets Windows apps be placed on the Launchpad and run in their own window on the Mac desktop. Or you could choose to keep Windows desktops and programs in their own window, but still have the ability to drag and drop objects or perform cut-and-paste between the OS X desktop and the virtual Windows desktop. Naturally, most processor or graphics intensive will push your Mac a bit hard, but everyday use apps work without a stutter. I'd gladly accept the mild performance tradeoff for the ability to run all my favorite Windows software (and most games) without starting up my PC. And with version 8, I get to use some of Mountain Lion's new features - voice dictation, receiving notifications from both Mac and Windows software in Mountain Lion's notification screen, and using Mountain Lion gestures in Windows 8 apps - which makes the process of switching between Windows and Mac OS so very seamless. Rating: 8/10Price: Rs 3,999URL: http://bit.ly/SQdBGZtechnocool at kanwar dot nettwitter@2shar
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Manish Desai, a 32-year-old Mumbai-based executive with a leading multinational, often travels to New Delhi on work and frequently stays at the Taj Palace Hotel. Mostly, he has lunch outside at a meeting, but there are times when he finds himself alone during lunch hour. “I go straight to Masala Art and order a dabba,” he says. Dabba at a five-star hotel? Masala Art, the hotel’s north Indian restaurant, has recently introduced dabba meals, inspired by the popular lunch boxes of Mumbai. Of course, this dabba, with its stainless steel covering encompassing delicate china bowls, is a far cry from the Mumbai ones served in offices. You can choose between a Punjabi or a Lucknowi dabba and between vegetarian, non-vegetarian and seafood. For Rs 1,200 plus taxes, you get a vegetarian meal with soup, kebab, a main course and dessert. All this is accompanied with rice and breads. “A five-star meal at affordable rates has made our dabba popular. We sell between 8-10 daily,” says Rajesh Wadhwa, executive chef at the Taj Palace Hotel. The dabba isn’t the only value meal on offer at the hotel. If you fancy Vietnamese cuisine, step into Blue Ginger for a bento box.TOKYO ON A TRAY: The Japanese set meal at Fenix, The Oberoi, Mumbai; QUICK BITE: The Welcome Meal tray is ITC’s version of the modest thali Typically a Japanese concept, the bento box gives you a sampling of their signature dishes such as silken tofu and water chestnut cari, wok-tossed fish in hot bean sauce and grilled chicken lime leaf for Rs 1,500. Taj Westend, Bangalore, also serves the bento box. Executive lunches or meals for single diners have caught the fancy of hoteliers and restaurateurs across the metros, from Delhi to Mumbai and from Bangalore to Chennai. “The idea is to serve some of the most iconic dishes of the restaurant in a simple fixed menu with sufficient portions for a single diner making it cost-effective,” says Manisha Bhasin, executive chef at ITC Maurya in New Delhi. So you can walk into Bukhara and instead of ordering a la carte, order the Express Platter that will serve you a helping each of barrah kebab, peshawari kebab, reshmi kebab, seekh kebab, murgh malai kebab and murgh tandoori with dal bukhara, a choice of breads and dessert for Rs 2,200 plus taxes. If you’d rather eat in the comfort of your room, try the WelcomMeal tray, ITC’s take on the modest thali. Take your pick from Indian, western and oriental cuisine. For those who crave Italian, Travertino at The Oberoi offers a two-course and three-course menu for Rs 1,250 and Rs 1,500 respectively. Dig into a minestrone soup along with a seafood platter and finish with some Belgian chocolate cake and homemade hazelnut ice cream. A key feature of an executive lunch is time. “Our appetisers are served within 4-5 minutes and as soon as you are done with them, the main course is served in another 7-8 minutes,” says Soumya Goswami, executive chef at The Oberoi. The same philosophy is followed at The Oberoi, Mumbai, where Vetro offers the Pronto! Lunch — a two- or three-course Italian meal featuring regional home-made specialities. The whole experience is completed within 45 minutes. The hotel also offers a Japanese set meal at Fenix, which is popular with those looking to grab a quick yet wholesome meal. Mumbaikars with a craving for Chinese food often head to Ming Yang at Taj LandsEnd where a soup and a platter of dim sums costs Rs 1,300 plus taxes. Executive lunches are fast gaining popularity with Bangaloreans as well. “We see a lot of diners who prefer a working lunch where they combine business with either a functional lunch or one hosted for a client,” says Amit Wadhawan, executive chef of The Oberoi, Bangalore. Rim Naam, the hotel’s specialty Thai restaurant and Szechwan Court, its Chinese restaurant, both offer express lunch menus starting at Rs 750. Further south, the city of Chennai is also welcoming the concept. The Hyatt Regency offers express lunch menus at its Chinese restaurant Stix and Italian one, Focaccia. Priced at Rs 999, both places offer a great selection of vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare with signature dishes such as spring chicken and seared tuna. All of ITC Grand Chola’s restaurants — Ottimo, Cucina Italiana and Peshawari — also offer single-diner menus. So the next time you plan to take your client or colleague out for lunch, don’t fret, it won’t burn a hole in your pocket. smita(dot)tripathi(at)bworld(dot)com(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 03-12-2012)
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Indulgence seems to top the agenda of most Indians on vacation, but there is a growing awareness of wellness and fitness holidays. Sources: Trip Advisor travel survey (conducted across 5,800 respondents in India) and Amadeus airline industry reportClick Here To ViewGraphic: Sajeev Kumarapuram)(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 03-12-2012)
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There’s something that just doesn’t add up with the Google’s latest built-by-LG Nexus 4 smartphone. For a flagship Google device, the Nexus 4 has an almost suspiciously good price – a contract-free Nexus 4 can be purchased in the US for a very mid-range Rs 18,000 if you’re lucky enough to make your way past Google’s troubled ordering process and snag yourself one. You’d think maybe it’s packed with inferior hardware, or maybe they’ve cut corners someplace — something’s gotta give, right? Actually… no! Sure, this phone is rather uninspired in the looks department, but it feels really good to hold in the hand. It’s well-weighted and has the kind of heft that inspires confidence, although I’d recommend a case for the all-glass back which is mildly prone to scratches … and cracks, if you manage to drop it! Once on, the Nexus 4’s got a bright 4.7-inch 1280x768 pixels IPS display, and the high pixel density (320 pixels per inch) makes for sharp text and bright and vivid images. Compare it to the super AMOLED displays on the S III, and you may end up feeling that the Nexus 4 screen doesn’t offer the high saturation levels (more punch) but it makes up with accurate color and contrast levels. Under the hood, the Nexus 4 is incredibly fast. It runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset with 2GB of memory, and is extremely snappy running the pure Android 4.2 Jelly Bean experience and just about any app or game I threw at it. Speaking of which, the stock version of Android really shines on this device, right from the cleaner built-in widgets to Google Now, Google’s incredibly useful yet somewhat creepy search assistant. You also get wireless charging with an optional accessory, and an 8 megapixel shooter that produces pretty vivid images with a fairly low amount of noise – the results not class leading, but really not worth complaining about either. Has Google cracked the formula of making a top-notch device at half the price of the competition? Sure, the Nexus 4 has its flaws – no memory expansion, so you’re stuck with a fixed amount of onboard storage. Battery life is middling, but should get you through the day. But at this price, this is the tech deal of the year. Go get one! That’s if you can find one. It’s currently heavily backordered over at Google, and sadly LG’s India launch plans for the Nexus 4 are far from clear, which may make this phone the best purchase you cannot make. Rating: 9/10Price: $299 plus taxes on the Google US Play StoreURL: http://bit.ly/XwA3ZsZooming AheadI know I speak for many of you out there when I say that the Need for Speed series of games has defined the genre of racing games, but the franchise has started feeling like more of the same in the past few years. To mix things up a little bit, game developers Criterion have taken the experience from their blockbuster Burnout: Paradise series and applied it in Need for Speed: Most Wanted. An aside, couldn’t they have picked a different name and avoided confusion with the 2005 game with the same name? The premise of the latest installment for Need for Speed is simple. The police are after ten racers — the biggest guns in the street racing scene — and you've got take them all down to be the best. That's it. Beat the cops, race better than the other guys and take them down to be the ultimate victor. Along the way, you can unlock new cars, car modifications and secret routes to add to your points tally. With well over 60 cars and multiple missions per car, there’s a lot to keep you busy here. Plus it’s a whole load of fun to boot! Rating: 8/10Price: Rs 2,999URL: http://bit.ly/TKLEAH Breaking The BarrierDo you have that one room in the house where you just can’t get a wireless network signal? Pick up the ultra-compact DAP-1320 wireless range extender from D-Link. With push-button connectivity for easy setup and multiple antennas, the DAP-1320 will work just fine with the existing router already installed in your flat. Wireless dead zones…begone! URL: http://bit.ly/YTtZKVPrice: $49.99 Right Kind Of SupportYou did read that bit about the Nexus 4 and its glass back, didn’t you? While the phone isn’t delicate per se, one drop and its all over. I’d recommend picking up a case from the folks at Amzer – the TPU Hybrid Case in particular is interesting in that it combines a durable semi-hard shell with the snug fit and anti-slip feel that silicon cases typically provide. Good stuff, and at a price that doesn’t break the bank! URL: http://bit.ly/TIyEL2Price: cases from Rs 399 onwardstechnocool at kanwar dot nettwitter@2shar
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Welcome the New Year with signature drinks from leading bars across the countryFrom the Harbour Since 1933.Click Here To View Signature Drinks For This New Year (This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 31-12-2012)
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Budapest serves up a double whammy alright. In one fell swoop, I get to savour two cities for the price of one — the medieval Buda and the modern Pest! Apparently when Nobel Prize winner Enrico Fermi was asked if he believed in extraterrestrials, he offered a classic riposte: “They are among us, but they call themselves Hungarians!” As an extension perhaps, Hungary’s capital city is endowed with competing imperatives. It is peaceful and bustling, sprawling and convivial, historic and cosmopolitan, all at the same time. Known as the Pearl of the Danube, the glutinous river is the pivot around which the city seems to flow. And the best place to soak it all in — as I discovered during my sojourn — is the promenade on Chain Bridge. From here, you can imbibe the twin faces of the city: the hilly Buda and the flat-as-a-pancake Pest. The latter crisscrossed with elegant boulevards and monuments like the neoclassical Museum of Fine Arts on Heroes’ Square, St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Parliament, a neo-Gothic masterpiece on the Danube modelled after Westminster. Not for nothing is the city nicknamed the Paris of the East. Indeed comparisons to the French capital can be trite, but are inevitable. The tree-lined Andrássy Avenue, for one, will transport you straight to the Champs-Élysées. Shopping anyone? Emporio Armani, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, all the big daddies of the branded world seem to have a presence on Budapest’s thriving commercial landscape like Paris. Heroes’ Square is undeniably Budapest’s most impressive slice of real estate, evident from the camera-toting crowds milling here. Smack dab in the middle of the square stands the magnificent Millenium Monument with Archangel Gabriel on top holding the double cross of Christianity and the Holy Hungarian Crown. No less gobsmacking is the Hungarian State Opera building with its gold-patinated ceilings and baroque features. I saunter into Old Town and get sucked into the vortex of its gravelly, medieval charm. Its cobble-stoned streets offer kaleidoscopic images of a bygone era that have dominated the country’s social matrix for centuries. There’s a whiff of Hungarian history here, the imperiousness of the Ottoman Empire and the majesty of the Hapsburg presence. The Turks’ 150-year occupation has left behind a tangible legacy — mosques, hamams and an enduring coffee culture as showcased by the city’s cafes. Beer lovers can quaff the local flavourful Dreher beer here while caffeine addicts (like me) can enjoy a froth-topped cappuccino. With warm liquid flowing through my veins, I do as the locals do — walk. The jazz bars peppering the city play live peppy numbers as days meld into luminescent evenings. Street performers enchant onlookers at every other street corner… LAYERS OF JOY: The Parliament (right top), and assorted Hungarian delicaciesIts cultural heft notwithstanding, Budapest sends out a fun and energising vibe with its sun-splattered streets offering tones of atmosphere. Trams are everywhere. The quirky wooden carriages radiate the charm of a museum piece as they rattle and shake their way along metallic tramlines cutting through the cobbles. The city is also justifiably proud of its culinary tradition. I eat at the acclaimed Fakanál Restaurant at the bustling Great Market Hall. Here, amidst the happy chatter of weekend brunch-ies, I partake of local goodies: lángos (a deep-fried savoury pastry napped in garlic, cheese and sour cream), flavour-charged blinis, Hungarian stew (with a hint of local rosé) while volleying between multiple dessert counters, fighting the urge to not wolf down everything in sight! The Hungarian approach to food, I notice, is reflective of its peoples’ pride in their culinary traditions coupled with an embrace of external influences. The result is a delightful eclecticism that revolves around meat (pork, beef, veal, poultry), a liberal use of spices (paprika, thyme, rosemary) and toothsome desserts (pastries/cakes called ‘torta’). However, the star in Budapest’s culinary constellation is goulash — the fiery Hungarian soup — which turned out to be a treat for my Asian palate with its piquant rogan josh-like overtones. All the big daddies of the branded world have a presence on budapest’s commercial landscapeOne iridescent evening, we nip up to the stunning Buda Castle, where at Halászbástya Restaurant we experience magic. Musicians serenade us with violins while we sip pink champagne and soak in the gorgeous cityscape from this vertiginous structure. What better way to conclude one’s trip in this uber city than to go for a high-octane whirl on the Danube? I hold tight on to dear life as the Dunarama Cruise ship rips through the river water at breakneck speed. I capture some of the splendid architectural masterpieces that crowd this riverside Legoland on my Nikon. An unexpected downpour aborts my photographic ambitions. But heck, it’s been one hell of a ride. I disembark — wind-whipped and wet — but basking nonetheless in the afterglow of an adrenaline-rich adventure. Neeta Lal is a Delhi-based senior journalist (This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 31-12-2012)
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