The current decade would most probably be remembered as the age of mobile technology. The world is going digital and the scale of involvement is massive. No company wants to miss out out on the revenue pie. Thus, a new day, a new smartphone app has pretty much become the norm these days. It is like a fashion trend: they come and go; few stay but a product from a big player never goes unnoticed. Facebook Rooms is one such app. Rewind your brains a bit, go back to the days when we only had a dial-up connection and chatting meant the world for us. Yes, the great Yahoo Chat is what I am talking about. Back in those days it was the only way one could connect to unknown people across the world without revealing any identity. But then things changed. Services like Hi5 and Orkut marked the beggining of a virtual social world where you need to have an identity. Until recently, this idea was the sole focus of all messaging and social media companies but Facebook decided to go retro! There got to be some business logic behind this, right? "When you are a company that's more than ten years old and you have been number one for so long, you are in a prime position to make attacks and create headlines. You need to introduce things in order to keep your user base fresh. Facebook's original audience lies in the '20s and '30s age group but the company needs to maintain its relevance for 16-year-olds as well. They got their in-house innovation team for the first time three months ago, so expect more news from Facebook," says Jason Mander, Head Of Trends, GlobalWebIndex. Allo, a free chat application, won rave reviews from US and UK users for being completely ad free and offering secure annonymous networking. This further pushed Facebook to take a reactive approach and launch its own Rooms app on similar lines. With IT driving the Indian growth story, the country has a growing consumer base of text applications with a solid chunk of young population to back the growth where competitors can co-exist profitably. "There is a clear transformation to multi-networking. Apps are going to compete with each other but from the user's perpective, they are not hard wired to one single application," says Jason. Facebook already has a massive user base through two of its premiere offerings: Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp. Of all the internet users in India who actively use chat applications, Whatsapp is the favourite with 52 per cent users. This is followed by Skype with a market share of 42 per cent. Facebook will definitely use its established platforms to market Rooms and draw young and diverse user base towards it. So what are competitors doing? "In a short span of time since entering the Indian market, we have achieved 30 million registered users milestone.The peer-to-peer messaging is growing at an astounding rate of 23 per cent in India and the numbers are likely to spike further," says Damandeep Soni, Head, India Business, LINE. We have an application called LINE Hidden Chat which promises to delete each message from LINE’s servers after a certain period of time to indicate how privacy and security is one of our foremost concerns. LINE prioritizes user privacy protection and stable service support as top priority, and we continue to offer the most dynamic services that can be trusted anywhere around the world." WeChat, with a market share of 26 per cent Indian internet users, has been using star power and has been running regular campaigns since a long time. This has enabled it to scale up its user base with a massive increase of 2364 per cent from Q3 2013 to Q3, 2014. They already have chat rooms and intend to add more features and functionality to it. It is clear that Facebook Rooms is an experiment from the social media giant. The app, in its present form, has limited functionality. Users have reported that it is difficult to locate a room (one can name a room of his/her choice). An anonymous chat application always comes with security concerns and the app has already found an audience with evil minds. The established players are combat ready and it won't be easy for this new kid to carve a place for itself. On the brighter side, Rooms might still be able to recreate that old charm of anonymous chat rooms. After all, seldom does any one return empty handed from the land called India!
Read More
With the growing utility of a smartphone in today’s world, we are being exposed to the countless innovative mobile platforms that augment the performance of a device significantly. In an endeavor to address the requirement of a superior device which delivers the need for a long lasting battery and is feature rich, Intex Technologies has announced the launch of Aqua Power. The device packs a super-efficient 4000mAh battery that gives you 18 hours of talk time while using 3G and 30 hours of talk time for 2G, 600 hours on standby and charges within 2.5 hours. The supreme Octa-Core processor is an additional power feature of this smartphone. Commenting on the launch, Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, Mobile Business Head, Intex Technologies said, “At Intex, it is our effort to constantly understand and deliver on customer expectations and we feel that the Aqua Power with its extensive battery life and powerful Octa-Core processor will cater to our consumers’ needs in a far more effective manner. We hope to address these concerns with this smartphone that will guarantee long hours of talk time along with a smooth and fast interface. We look forward to our users experiencing a state of the art smartphone.” Godrej Security Solutions Launches Video Door PhoneGodrej Security Solutions (GSS), one of the leading providers of comprehensive security solutions in India, announced the launch of its new video door phone (VDP) SEETHRU 7. This innovative product utilises your landline to call your mobile phone in case you want to talk to your visitor when you are not at home. This 7 inch screen VDP has a TV out option, can support multiple outdoor units, indoor monitors, CCTV cameras and contains a removable SD card for recording images/video. GSS has a long standing history of introducing innovation using consumer market insights. In the development of SEETHRU 7, the needs of the target audience were identified - as the need to be able to communicate with people who visited when no one was home to shield the elderly and children from unknown visitors. Additional insights were identified, such as, ability to answer the VDP without having to walk to the indoor unit at the door, ability to retrieve the stored images etc. On the occasion of the launch, Mehernosh B. Pithawalla, Head-Marketing, Godrej Security Solutions commented, “We are proud to launch such evolving products such as the current SEETHRU 7 video Door Phone which epitomizes Godrej Security Solution’s vision to provide innovative solutions for home security. This product not only ensures home safety but also provides additional benefits for the customer when he is not at home.” Tablets Improving Workplace Productivity Dell, one of the world’s fastest-growing large integrated IT company, has announced the results of its 2014 International Tablet survey of IT Decision Makers (ITDMs) indicating that current implementations of tablets in the workplace are beneficial for businesses, increasing mobility and productivity, while getting a favorable reception from employees. Commissioned by Dell, the 2014 International Tablet Survey of ITDMs in 10 countries was conducted online by Harris Poll in summer 2014, and was designed to provide insights and feedback of ITDMs on tablet usage in the workplace. Survey results include policies, purchase habits, business impacts and challenges, comparison to other devices, and how well tablets met their expectations. In India, the survey was conducted with 152 Indian ITDMs belonging to large organizations with a workforce of 999—5000 employees. From the insights garnered, Dell India announced the results for Indian ITDMs and their outlook towards tablet deployment in their organization’s IT policy. “The workforce in India and across geographical boundaries is transforming as organizations are evolving in terms of how work is being conducted. As businesses and economies become globally integrated, the most pressing need for the employee is to be mobile and therefore accessible, wherever he may be. The Dell 2014 International Tablet survey is an abstraction of this sentiment across ITDMs in several geographies, including India. The study reflects optimism of ITDMs in India it terms of tablet adoption in organizations, which is eventually resulting in increased productivity of employees,” said Indrajit Belgundi, Director & General Manager, End User Computing, Dell India.
Read More
It is often mentioned if you need to know someone, then you should just have a look at the kind of books they read. Now, the easiest way to know someone will be to look at the mobile phone and the kind of applications they are using. Yes, consciously or unconsciously mobiles phones have become an extension of our personalities - choice of colours, back covers, ringtones, caller tunes, and other accessories. Everyone wants to flash the latest smartphone, and reap the image it brings along What is more fascinating is the fact that number of smartphones and complimentary services/products are reaching its peak, and we are far from a saturation point. Smartphones have continued to grow at a fast pace in India. That's also been suggested by the latest report by IDC, which says shipments in Q2 2014 grew 84 percent year-on-year and an impressive 11 per cent quarter-on-quarter.India's smartphone market today is supporting large number of options for users to choose from and greater opportunities for telecom players to offer innovative smartphones and services. This revolution is being driven especially by new entrants in the market, majorly local or Asian brands. In the previous decade, our mobile phone market was in different shape with major chunk hijacked by large manufacturing conglomerates that were premier in both pricing and quality. Targeted at, majorly corporate and CAT audiences, the phones offered features at a premium cost. Affordable, smartphone segment shared a thin line of existence in the market pie chart and no one thought that the share will expand in just few years.Like the advent of the 'Affordable - Family Car' in India in the mid-1980s, smartphones have also undergo a transformational phase and has made big companies wake-up and smell the coffee. The transformation at the consumer side, with higher disposable incomes, the youth started embracing mobile phones and demanding more services like data, apps, etc; this ran parallel to the transformation in the overall market with younger smartphone mobile brands disrupting inertia in the market ruled by feature phones and fewer brands. The fact that India's market is providing fast paced growth to newer players is that the demand of today's aware and tech savvy young consumer has made the market organic and welcoming. Allowing newer players like Obi, Gionee, Oppo and others to survive along with brands existing for many decades. It is indeed an era with smartphones with the world revolving around it. The youth of India has become more curious than before, tech savvy and willing to experiment, they are largest consumers of the new smartphones brands. For them, smartphones have gone beyond 'a desire', 'a want' and has become part of life. Hence, the majority of trends in the industry are bending as per the lifestyle of a young smartphone user. Infused with internet, that is like the soul of a smartphone and precisely the reason for why a phone should be referred to as a smartphone; these phones have become a small window for an individual to explore the infotainment space on their own terms - getting the best of both productivity and fun. The other reasons for this hyper connected lifestyle, are social networking sites to stay in touch with family and friends and to share their views on an array of topics, including popular culture, religion, and politics along with the rage on online shopping. This coupled with games and reading newspapers or magazine, the smartphone is really a window to the world. Their popularity due to customized features and services that suit as well as reflect an individual's personality is also becoming a differentiating factor in terms of user experience. An inevitable aspect of youth changing their phones in short frequency is majorly due to accessibility of smartphones in terms of affordability and easy availability online and in brick and mortar stores. It is also because the youth are picking smartphones over other devices like tablets and personal computers, mostly because of ease and quick readiness to the internet. Its actually been estimated that some users experience the internet for the first time on their smartphones. It's a great time to be in the smartphone business - both for the company and the customer. Smartphones have evolved dramatically over the past decade and will continue to do so with new features, form factors and who know display outputs; because this revolution has just begun.
Read More
Tablet market in India started on a lower note because of Bureau of India Standards (BIS) compliance requirements, which seemed to have settled with the vendors by now. According to International Data Corporation (IDC) India tablet market reported the strongest year to date growth in Q3 2014, fuelled by festive buying and strengthening commercial demand. Tablet market shipments in India witnessed a strong quarter-on-quarter growth of 10% making it a 0.94 million units market. “The initial phase of impulsive buying seems to have faded, as the consumers are more aware of the use case of tablets now. Therefore the current size of the market looks more realistic and stable,” says Tanvi Mann, Market Analyst, IDC India. “Due to continuous onslaught from the “Phablets” (which IDC defines as 5.5 inches -6.99 inches screen size smartphones), small screen tablets are taking a hit and there is more uptake on tablets which are screen sized between 8-9 inches. This has however led to an overall improvement of the average selling price for the category,” says Kiran Kumar, Research Manager, Client Devices IDC India. Xolo Opus 3 Launched At Rs 8,499XOLO, the premium smart devices brand, on Friday (28 November) announced the launch of OPUS 3, the latest addition to the OPUS series, signified by the best in class multimedia experience delivered on a large screen. For a pleasurable multimedia viewing experience, OPUS 3 comes packed in a compact body with a 5” HD IPS display and is powered by a 1.3 GHz Quad-core processor. In addition, OPUS 3 offers a delightful photography experience, boasting of 8MP rear camera with Sony Exmor R Sensor and dual flash for superior quality images, even in low-light conditions. 5P Lens with f/2.0 aperture enables much sharper images and real life pictures. Every click with XOLO OPUS 3 is a moment to cherish that comes with the simplicity of use. For selfie-loving generation, OPUS 3 comes with a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, with 88 degree wide-angle lens, flash and BSI Sensor. The device comes with motion control technology which makes the use of accelerometer and proximity sensor to control Music player, FM radio, Gallery, Camera and even calls; allowing users to control the everyday functions by just the wave of the hand near the proximity sensor. OPUS 3 also allows access to multiple apps via Float Task on a dual window operation mode, enabling easy multitasking. While reading or watching a video, users can just pin their favorite app to the Float Task screen and it will follow, while they do other tasks. ASUS Announces Live The #ZenLife CampaignASUS on Friday announced a special campaign for its exquisite Zenfone Series 'Live the Zen life with Rannvijay'. Under this campaign, ASUS challenges Rannvijay - a star of all adventures to experience the zen life with the Zenfones. This campaign spreads across five weeks and every week will bring a new challenge for Rannvijay. Commenting on this announcement, Peter Chang, Regional Head - South Asia & Country Manager – System Business Group - ASUS India said, “Its our pleasure to engage Rannvijay in our quest for delivering unparalled innovation, creativity and quality. This challenge is certain to bring the zen way of living. Over these five weeks, Rannvijay will be able to re-discover various aspects of his life and enjoy the redefined Zen life. It will be interesting to see him accompanying our flagship product of the year and further explore from his experience.” Commenting on his association with ASUS, Rannvijay, an Indian television host, film actor and presenter said, “I am extremely excited to witness life the zen way with the amazing Zenfone. Its light weighted built, stylish look, superb battery life, and most importantly the camera and pre-loaded apps fits perfectly into my daily schedule. I am all set to enter in to the Zen life with ASUS. I am looking forward to the excitement that will be brought to me as a surprise every week.” Cyanogen Partners With MicromaxCyanogen Inc, a leading mobile OS company, has announced an exclusive partnership in India with Micromax Informatics, the largest Indian mobile brand. The arrangement highlights the significance of the software-hardware partnership and the shared vision of delivering a whole new class of user-focused mobile device experiences that will immensely benefit the end user. Micromax has announced a new Internet brand YU, which is slated to announce its first device on Cyanogen OS. Cyanogen’s exclusive deal also means that Cyanogen OS will not support any other devices shipping in India with future updates including Lollipop. The first device from YU slated to be announced in December will also be the first to launch with Cyanogen’s new Themes app, supported by a powerful theming engine that will enable deep levels of UI personalization, and Nextbit’s Baton, a revolutionary cloud-syncing app service. As part of the strategic relationship, Cyanogen Inc. and Micromax will be building a game changing experience for Indian consumers and tech enthusiasts. Ferrero India Inaugurates ‘Pietro Ferrero Kindergarden’ Standing by its philosophy of spreading joy and developing communities where it is located, Ferrero India – one of the three Ferrero Social Enterprises of the Ferrero Group today opened a world-class child care centre about 100 meters from its production plant in Baramati, Pune. It was inaugurated by Hon’ble Smt. Supriya Sule, M.P. in the presence of Hon’ble Shri Sharad Pawar and Hon’bleShri Ajit Pawar, Senior Management of Ferrero India, other distinguished guests and employees of Ferrero India. The Pietro Ferrero Kindergarden is named after the former CEO Pietro Ferrero. Pietro Ferrero was the force behind the Ferrero Social Enterprise and one of his social spirit initiatives aimed at safeguarding the health, education and social development of children under the motto: United Kinder of the World. This Kindergarden is very close to the heart of the Ferrero Group. It has been constructed in an area of 2 acres with plenty of space for children to play and run around and it has built up area of 10,000 sq. ft. tags:
Read More
Six-inch smartphones are no longer a rarity, of course, but even so, one can’t help but re-notice the sheer largeness each time. The Vibe Z2 from Lenovo makes you remark on its size from the moment you hold the device. It’s a hunk of a phone, rather masculine, solid, even heavy. My feminine hands find the smartphone rather chunky, even though I’m accustomed to my own large phone. But then there’s a reason the Vibe Z2 is built like a tank. It is meant to appeal to geeks; those who want a lot of phone and want to do a lot with it. It really contrasts with Lenovo's recently launched Vibe X2, which is more dainty and fashionable, prettily coloured and for those who care very much about a phone's looks The Z2 Pro on the other hand, is all magnesium alloy and well, like the motorcycle of phones. The X2 is really a mid-range Android, but the Z2 is topped up with specs.The X2 isn’t a bad looker though. There's an interesting pattern on the non-removable back, in the metal, and Lenovo's logo glints nicely in the top center. One other little accent breaks the grey sheen on the back -- a red border around the camera lens. I don't know if this does the job of protecting the protruding lens a bit. The sides are somewhat rounded and so smooth that the phone can slip silkily to the floor if you’re not careful.Still, in the weeks it's been with me, I've gotten very fond of the Z2 Pro. It's targeted right at someone like me, letting me do a lot with that roomy Quad-HD screen and I find myself missing a tablet less and less. If it weren't for a handful of specific creativity apps on the iPad, I'd be content with using a phone the size of this one. For one, the screen, an IPS LCD, is comfortable to work with. It has a high pixel density of 490 so everything is good to look at. You can even adjust the colour balance on it to give it a warm yellow tinge and make it easier on the eyes. Both comfort and expanse make it great to watch video on this device. It has a good full sound, really adding to the experience. Calling and Skyping have been satisfyingly clear. Reading, browsing and going through your photos is rather nice too. The colours on this screen are very strong and saturated, but well, I rather like it that way, all vivid and bright. Sunlight legibility is okay.The Vibe Z2 Pro (and yes, I’m fed up of all these confusing Z-something names companies are so fond of) has a top-of-the-line set of specs. There’s the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz Quad-core processor, working with 3GB of RAM and Adreno 330 graphics processor. There’s 32GB of internal storage with no external card slot. And a big 4,000mAh battery. The camera doesn’t skimp on specs either – it’s a 16MP and a 5MP set.Lenovo has its own interface Vibe UI 2.0 on top of Android 4.4.2 (sadly not the latest version of Android) and one can’t say when and how readily the update to Lollipop will happen, though there were hints that it will, in time. The Lenovo interface has a few bells and whistles such as themes, gestures and tricks on the lock screen, but for the most part anyone who’s tech savvy will want to take up the option of switching to stock Android, which is one of the best things about this phone. Tap seven times on the Android version in Settings and you’ll activate the developer mode from where you can just tap on the option to switch the interface.For those who want it all, the 16MP camera is really quite good, not a low-light specialist, but definitely good with details in images. It has optical image stabilization, autofocus, and dual LED flash and can do 4k video recording.This big phone isn’t without its problems, though. It used to heat up, but after a software update, I haven’t faced any issues with that. Even while video recording, the phone didn’t heat up as much as some users are reporting. They also report some rebooting, which I didn’t find even once on the device. It’s fast enough, even with many apps on it. The Vibe Z2 Pro does hiccup though, at specific points such as when unlocking the screen. I also faced a few app crashes, frequently fixed with a reboot. The screen also goes unresponsive at times and needs to be tapped or swiped in a specific way. Again, not enough to make me want to stop using the device. Benchmark tests put it close to the Galaxy S5.The battery, despite being a whole 4,000mAh, doesn’t last as long as one would have thought and compares with phones that are a 1,000mAh less. There are power saving options but how often will one want to save battery when one has bought a large phone to use as both phone and tablet?The Vibe Z2 Pro is a dual-SIM but both are not active and one doesn’t support 3G. Call quality was pretty good and in fact, better than my primary phone, the Note 4. It supports 4G networks. For Rs.32,990 on Flipkart, it’s a good buy but of course, it competes with a host of others in this price bracket. mala@businesworld.inmala.bhargava@gmail.com@malabhargava
Read More
Global Web Index (GWI), on of the world’s largest multi-market research company specialising in online consumer behaviour, recently conducted a massive study relating to the mobile messaging and use of social media across the globe. The study, covering 32 markets and representing 90 per cent of the global internet audience, unveiled that conversations are now moving from traditional social networks towards mobile networking. The mobile messaging app audience continues to show a steady growth, with 46 per cent in the APAC region using these services. On the other hand, interaction on social networking sites is on a decline. “Mobile messaging tools have experienced substantial growth during this recent period, particularly amongst the younger generation. Social networks are now being treated more passively, meaning the number of people messaging friends on social networks is now declining. People see mobile messaging apps as an efficient way to communicate. We are expecting the number of mobile messaging users to continue to grow in the coming quarters,” stated Jason Mander, Head of Trends, GlobalWebIndex. According to GWI, the top reasons for this surge in usage is the free access, low data rates and the instant delivery of the messages via messaging/text apps. The Indian ScenarioIn India there has been a 113 per cent increase in the number of people utilizing mobile messaging tools since 2013. According to GWI’s study, smartphones are vital to the internet users in India, where 79 per cent of the online population own a smartphone. Furthermore, users of mobile messengers are young, affluent and highly active online. In Q3 2014, 83 per cent of online Indians accessed the internet via a mobile, resulting in the increased popularity of mobile messaging apps. Top mobile messaging apps in India include WhatsApp, WeChat and Facebook Messenger. Among these, WeChat has experienced significant growth with an active user base increase of 2364 per cent in India, and 156 per cent globally, between Q1 2013 to Q3 2014. Even though WhatsApp currently remains the top messaging app in India, WeChat has quickly become a dominant messaging app globally, used by nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of the world’s Internet users, along with an impressive 39 per cent users within the APAC region actively using the app.
Read More
Sony India on Wednesday (26 November) announced the launch of its new MDR-XB450BV headphones, perfect for those who enjoy listening to music with extra bass while in style with a frequency response of 5Hz-22000Hz. MDR-XB450BV is a step up model of MDR-XB450 with Extra Bass Boost and Vibration feature. MDR-XB450BV is a 30mm dynamic driver unit that delivers high quality, powerful sound while keeping the bass level high the for all the music lovers. In addition to the high music quality, the vibration feature further enhances the whole listening experience by giving vibration to the listeners favorite songs without diminishing the quality of vocal tracks, recreating the sound and feel of a pulsing club. The MDR-XB450BV sports a slim, swivel folding style allowing for convenient storage in a bag, briefcase or backpack, and its pressure relieving earpads provide extended comfort for long commutes. Further, MDR-XB450BV has a flat serration cord allowing a tangle free experience while on the go. Amarinder S Dhaliwal Joins YU As COOMicromax Informatics, the Indian mobile brand, on Wednesday announced the appointment of Amarinder S Dhaliwal, former co-founder & CEO of Done By None, as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for its new Internet brand, YU. With over 20 years of experience managing and incubating businesses, Amarinder has earlier led leading brands including Indiatimes Shopping and Zigwheels.com. Amarinder’s appointment is a testimony to the vision for YU, which is to bring in the best minds from the Internet industry and build a world-class team. Amarinder will work closely with Rahul Sharma, co-founder Micromax, to build an innovative digital brand that engages directly with the user community. “I am very excited with the opportunity to build YU as the first truly global internet and technology brand originating from India. My strong beliefs resonate with the company’s vision to be user centric and build world class products. We are building a brand where the user has the power to co-create and make things happen their way. We will build a strong ecosystem of connected devices thereby creating a revolutionary, new age internet brand.” said Amarinder S Dhaliwal on his appointment. Micromax Announces Collaboration With IntelMicromax Informatics Limited today announced a strategic collaboration with Intel in India aimed at offering a bouquet of high-performance mobile devices to the Indian consumer. The company launched the 8-inch Canvas Tab P666 – its first Intel Processor powered device in India. Powered by the Intel® Atom Processor Z2520 (1M Cache, 1.2 Ghz), the new tablet will offer users a premium package with superior performance along with great aesthetics and an elegant glass finish design. Commenting on the partnership announcement, Vineet Taneja, Chief Executive Officer, Micromax said, “Our collaboration with Intel will be instrumental in our vision of creating a range of new mobile devices to meet the needs of both evolved as well as first-time users. At Micromax, we have always believed in bringing the most innovative solutions for our consumers by opting for smart partnerships.’ Commenting on the launch, Debjani Ghosh, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Group, Managing Director, South Asia, Intel said “We’re very privileged to be working with Micromax, India’s leading local mobile device company to bring to market a high quality product at an affordable price. The Canvas Tab P666 is the first Intel® powered tablet to be assembled in India by Micromax and is one significant step in the direction of realizing the government’s ‘Make in India’ vision.’ DB Schenker In India Appoints Suresh Kumar As Director Schenker India Pvt. Ltd, part of DB Schenker, the transport and logistics division of Deutsche Bahn AG, has appointed Suresh Kumar as Director – Region West India, with effect from November, 2014. He will be responsible for further development and growth of the DB Schenker organization in region West India which includes important economic states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. With an overall experience of more than two decades, and having worked with leading service providers in the industry in Asia, Suresh has been with DB Schenker since 2010 and was based in the Asia Pacific Regional Head Office in Singapore, and most recently in the Philippines. Before taking up his current role in India, he held the position of Director - Contract Logistics & Supply Chain Solutions in Schenker Philippines. Speaking on the new appointment Reiner Allgeier, Managing Director, Schenker India Pvt. Ltd., said “Suresh has a vast experience in Asia pacific and in the global freight forwarding market, which will benefit our customers in western part of India. West region in India is one of our focus areas and we are confident that Suresh will bring more value to customers’ growing expectations in the region.”
Read More
Finding your soulmate might be easier than finding that perfect piece of metal (or glass) that brings you terminal joy. Assimilating the tangible benefits of cutting-edge tech with indispensable human craftsmanship and design, this choice crop of gadgets will certainly alter your lifestyle, if not your life! Vertu Signature TouchPlacing your phone on the dinner table may just be the modern form of intimidating your business associate or client. Restaurants are more open to them over revolvers and if they cost as much or more, it just raises the stakes. Vertu has been crafting fine communication pieces for over a decade and their latest creation is the Signature Touch. Swathed in Jet calf leather, grade 5 titanium and ceramic, it’s quite unlike any other smartphone. But the exclusivity extends to its insides as well. Ringtones created by The London Symphony Orchestra, camera certified by Hasselblad, sound tuned by Bang & Olufsen... the list of A-listers goes on. Of course, the legendary Vertu Concierge service is standard so you can order a set of flamingos in Faridabad or Bengali sweets in Berlin. Over the years, these services have reached a high stage of curation and can get you front-row access to many VIP events, simply by virtue of ownership. The Achilles’ heel of Vertu has always been its ageing operating system but with the latest version of Android KitKat running through the speediest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, this has been addressed too. This may just be the ultimate symbol of personal accomplishment. Dyson Cinetic Vacuum CleanerYes. You read it right. The Dyson Cinetic is a vacuum cleaner but unlike no other. James Dyson is obsessed with making our daily lives more elegant and simple, by engineering solutions. The Cinetic (pronounced kinetic) is the pinnacle of this philosophy. Imagine a vacuum cleaner that requires no filter change and suffers from no loss of suction power, ever. It’s a tall claim but Dyson does it by employing high-frequency vibrating rubber tips that never get clogged and a very fine mesh that blows air out while trapping the dust in a one-touch emptying bin. Various attachments, again designed by Dyson, work effortlessly on hard or carpeted surfaces without the user ever having to change any mode or switch between brushes. This level of engineering isn’t ordinary and nothing that Dyson designs, really is. This may not exactly be a Monet but if you ever wanted to flaunt a piece of engineering art in your living space, this is it. Porsche 911 Office ChairAny and every Porsche owner would vouch for the car’s iconic status as being one of the primary reasons behind the purchase. It’s the ultimate example of the car and owner becoming one unit whether it’s during driving, washing or just sitting in the cabin and admiring the exquisite build quality. But if you want to keep the dream alive, you also have to keep working and the Porsche Office Chair enables you to do both at once. It’s made from the same specifications and materials as the 911 Carrera Sport and even features electronic backrest adjustment so you never feel out of place while plotting those PowerPoint presentations. The embossed emblem on the headrest reminds intruders that this is, indeed, the boss’s throne and sends a signal to keep out. Well, not literally but it does have a presence that reeks of power and performance, which in traditional Porsche Design style, doesn’t come cheap. Samsung VR HeadsetWhile the world waits for virtual reality to become a reality, Samsung has gone ahead and announced its first commercial product that should go on sale by the end of the year! Cleverly collaborating with Oculus, the pioneering company that gave the world the first peek at Tom Cruise’s headset, Samsung has brought the cost down dramatically too. By using its flagship Galaxy Note 4 as the primary display, using all of its 5.7-inch real estate and Super AMOLED 1440x2560 pixels, the sensor-packed headset tracks your head movement across all axes and immerses you in a 96-degree viewing angle, covering your entire field of vision. Games, movies or navigating through a new city virtually, it all takes on a whole new dimension. The first gaming title out will be a World War II epic named Bandit Six and will let you gun down bombers. So if you’re on the fence regarding the purchase of a Galaxy Note 4 as your next smartphone, now you have another very compelling excuse. Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon UltrabookPeople in the know, know. There is no substitute for a ThinkPad, especially when it comes to workhorse-like ethics and a keyboard second to none. If God had to type a memo, it’s pretty obvious this is the machine he would put his thoughts down on. The X1 Carbon Touch is an improvement over the 14-inch ultrabook from 2013 and now adds a touchscreen and an all-glass trackpad, just like the MacBooks. Thanks to the carbon fibre top and internal bracing, this is as light and stiff as Air, pun intended. Intel Core i7, fingerprint sensor security, Lenovo RapidCharge that gives you five hours’ work time on a 35-minute charge are just some of its headlining features. But perhaps the one that is the most revered is its yogic posture of 180 degrees — it makes all the difference when you’re working while on a flight, in bed or while you are doing yoga too! This may be too pricey for a Windows 8 laptop but then, it has no peers and that’s what makes a ThinPad. Estelon Audio Extreme XPutting Estonia on the map aren’t just their beauty pageant entries. If you’re into serious hi-fi, really serious, then take a look at Estelon Audio. They’ve been awarded multiple times for their blend of technical brilliance and handmade craftsmanship but the Extreme is indeed their most extreme expression of breaking the loudspeaker norm. Built entirely of a marble composite, the 250-kg heft of each speaker allows it to focus all its sonic energy into the room and not waste it radiating internally. The two-piece cabinet keeps the twin 10-inch woofers separate from the height-adjustable high-frequency module that houses the midbass, midrange and tweeter. A motorised column allows the listener to select between five preset positions and lock in the most appropriate given the listening position and acoustic conditions. Available in exotic finishes like copper, gold, dark silver and black lava, this is a statement piece that is more than just a conversation starter. It may, in fact, just end any conversation as it starts playing! Samsung 110-inch UHD TVTelevision has been with us for decades now but it has finally come of age, packing in more pixels and going on a stricter diet than ever before. The result is Ultra HD (4K) resolution screens. Take the Samsung S9 for example. It’s a huge slab of glass measuring 110 inches across and is the absolute state-of-the-art in terms of viewing technology. The integrated stand also hides speakers along the sides and the top and the easel-like form makes it look as timeless as any living room gadget can get. Obviously, if something looks so stunning when it’s switched off, it better look better when it’s on. The S9 is certainly equipped with the ammo to bawl your eyes out with detail. Local dimming, UHD upscaling, ultra clear panel, wide colour enhancer are just some of the terms you’ll find coming your way if you get serious about bringing this beauty home. The most underrated feature is the Samsung EVO Kit, which allows you to upgrade the TV to new future standards and interfaces. There isn’t a big library of 4K content yet but if ever you wanted to get future-ready in style, this could be your ticket to anti-obsolescence. Hasselblad Lunar Limited Edition Compact CameraThe Swedes know a thing or two about style and, as it turns out, even about photography. Hasselblad was the camera of choice for Nasa during the Apollo mission, so your picnic in the park shouldn’t break it into a sweat. The Lunar is the most luxurious compact system camera you can buy. Understanding the tangible bond between the photographer’s hand and the camera grip, Hasselblad offers the Lunar in a choice of grip finishes, which include black or brown leather, carbon fibre, olive wood or mahogany. The cases and straps are all sewn from the finest Italian leather, so you won’t have to worry about a rash, ever. Though it’s built on the back of the highly acclaimed Sony NEX-7, Hasselblad has modified the aesthetics, ergonomics and retained all the good bits of the Sony. It captures a massive 24 MP image and shows up the preview on a 3-inch pivoting screen. It lets you shoot a bat in darkness with its ISO 16000 upper limit. Usable with a wide range of Sony’s E-mount lenses, the real reason why you would want to buy one of these is for the heart, not the head. Ultrasone Edition 5 HeadphonesMany people are serious about music but a minuscule percentage is serious about the quality of music they hear on the move. Germany’s Ultrasone is on the path to changing that. Or at least do what it can to the best of its abilities. The Edition 5 is one of its top headphones and one that was years in the making due to a special funnel-shaped arrangement of the driver. Unlike regular headphones, Ultrasone likes to mount the drivers off centre in the ear cups, thereby creating a much more three-dimensional spatial feel, more akin to high-end loudspeakers in the room. Partnered with its proprietary S-Logic EX technology, the Edition 5 aims to provide the same resolution and effect as recording studio monitors. Using materials like titanium drivers, moor oak for the ear cups, Ethiopian long-haired sheep’s leather for the ear pads and headband, the limited edition run of these headphones means only 555 lucky owners will ever be able to experience sound the way it was meant to be. Give those packaged iPhone earbuds a rest now. B&O A9 AirPlay SpeakerThe BeoPlay A9 is a visual statement. To some, it may resemble a mobile telecommunications tower, to others it could be an oversized smoke detector, but to no one does it look ordinary or affordable. The distinct aluminium frame is typical B&O and the white or black fabric can be ordered in mind-bending prints too! Perched on its optional tripod stand, it looks like a mini-sputnik but it is B&O’s biggest wireless speaker that works via AirPlay or DLNA. Don’t lament the lack of Bluetooth support, the sound quality via AirPlay is just as good if not better and the visual drama of partnering this with a non-Apple device just wouldn’t be the same now, would it? Powered by a trio of amplifiers, a three-way speaker system is cleverly hidden inside the sphere of sound and no part or design detail is non-functional. Even the handle at the back doubles up as the bass-reflex port while the row of tiny dots across the top edge works as a touch-sensitive volume control. (This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 15-12-2014)
Read More
