Top technology companies such as Sony, Micromax. Xiaomi, Vivo, Sharp, GoPro and Motorola, among others launched new smart TVs, smartphones, laptops, air purifiers, camera and related accessories including power banks, earphones this week (November 1-7)
DH's Gadgets Weekly edition lists the latest prominent personal technology products to keep you abreast of everything that's happening in the world of consumer electronics.
Sony Bravia A8H 4K HDR smart TV
The new 65-inch Sony Bravia A8H 4K HDR (model no-KD-65A8H) comes with TRILUMINOS display. It has a very slim and minimalist ‘One Slate’ design having a ‘Flush Surface’ bezel. The TV is powered by self-illuminating pixels which are precisely and individually controlled by the picture processor X1 Ultimate.
With Pixel Contrast Booster, colour and contrast are enhanced in bright areas so one can enjoy their TV viewing with full of lifelike shades and hues, more depth, fine texture and the pure black contrast that only Sony’s OLED can deliver. With pictures created by millions of individually controlled pixels, everything is sharp and clear on this new OLED and with the X-Motion Clarity technology, even fast action stays smooth and clear, the company said.
Furthermore, it promises to great viewing experience on Netflix Calibrated Mode backed by Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
The new Sony TV also boasts an Acoustic Surface Audio system, which includes twin subwoofers for bass that enables sound to follow the action for a truly immersive experience. Add to that, it features a multidimensional sound effect with S-Force Front Surround Sound and Dolby Atmos built-in.
It is a Smart Android TV and offers hands-Free Voice Search powered by Google Assistant. Also, it works seamlessly with Alexa smart devices, Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit
Connectivity features include Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.2, HID (mouse/keyboard connectivity), HOGP (Low Energy device connectivity), SPP (Serial Port Profile), A2DP (stereo audio), AVRCP (AV remote control), Ethernet port x 1, RF x 1, HDMI x 4 (HDCP2.3 ), USB x 2,
The new Sony Bravia 4K HDR (KD-65A8H) costs Rs 279,990 and is available on Sony retail stores (Sony Centre and Sony Exclusive), Sony website, and major electronic stores and exclusively on Amazon India.
Sharp QNET Air Purifier
The new Sharp QNet ZENsational air purifier boasts the company's patented Plasmacluster ion technology, an integrated humidifier, and 7 Intelligent-Detection Modes, the first of its kind in this category. The co-branded air purifier is the second product partnership between QNET and Sharp.
Its Plasmacluster - ion technology is capable of reducing Airborne Novel Coronavirus (Sars-Cov-2) by 90%, the company claims.
The ZENsational Air purifier has an intelligent sensor system that monitors and indicates the dust, odour, haze, temperature, and humidity conditions of the room. Based on the requirement, the sensors detect the need and automatically adjust the function, resulting in energy efficiency. QNET’s distribution channel comprises a strong network of over 5 lakh distributors spread across key cities in India. It costs Rs 40,570 for a single pack and Rs 79,850 for Duo Pack.
Motorola wireless earphones
Verve Buds 100
Ergonomically designed Verve Buds 100 True Wireless Headphones have three different earbud gel sizes. It promises to offer sound quality and noise reduction, clear calling experience and powerful bass performance. Equipped with an innovative multifunctional touch button to manage calls, adjust the volume, skip songs and activate your choice of the voice assistant to provide users with additional control at their fingertips. Plus, it has up to 14 hours of battery life with a portable charging case providing long-lasting audio playback time. It costs Rs 2,699.
Verve Rap105
This model comes in a sleek and flexible earbud-style neckband design. It promises to offer up to 8 hours of wireless music battery life and an integrated mic for hands-free calling capability. It comes equipped with 15mm speaker drivers, the headphones produce deep bass with an enhanced sound quality to give an immersive music experience. Verve Rap105 features magnetic earbuds that lock together on the shoulders and neck when it is not in use. It costs Rs 1,699.
Verve Loop105
Motorola Verve Loop 105 sport in-ear earbuds feature tangle-free cables with magnetic buds that lock together around the neck to avoid dropping or misplacing. Ideal for sports and gym, the Verve Loop 105 wireless earbuds with touch control are super lightweight and come with stabilizing fifs for an extra secure fit. A long-lasting battery offers up to 8-hours of uninterrupted playtime. It costs Rs 1,299.
Beetel Flix power bank series
Beetel launched three new power banks-- Flix Marathon 10K Slim, Flix Decathon 10K Slim, and Flix Decathon 10K Pocket. They are available in both online and offline stores and comes with an industry-first 400 days warranty for prices starting at Rs 1,499.
All three power banks are equipped with a 10,000mAh capacity. Engineered with high-density lithium polymer batteries, its fast charging technology with 10W (Decathon 10K Slim) and 12W output(Marathon 10K Slim and Decathon 10K Pocket) charges phones instantaneously. The Power Banks come with Dual USB ports and Type C ports.
Furthermore, all power banks come with a LED indicator for battery charge-discharge information, making it convenient to use. The power-packed devices are encased in attractive designs. The Flix Marathon and Decathon 10K Slim Power Banks are sleek and slim, designed for a better grip. While the Flix Decathon 10K Pocket boasts of high structural strength.
GoPro Hero9 Black
The long wait for the much-awaited GoPro Hero9 Black series is finally over in India. It is now available for Rs 49,500 along with accessories.
It features a new sensor for 5K Video recording, 20MP Photos and HyperSmooth 3.0 video stabilisation, front-facing Display, larger rear-display, Max Lens mod accessory brings Max HyperSmooth and Ultra Wide-Angle Max SuperView.
GoPro Hero9 Black features a 1.4-inch front color display with live preview and status modes larger 2.27-inch rear touch display with touch zoom, 30% more battery life than Hero8 Black with improved cold-weather performance, removable, rechargeable battery, HyperSmooth 3.0 with in-camera horizon leveling, TimeWarp 3.0 featuring Real Speed and Half Speed, 1080p Live Streaming, 1080p Webcam mode, power tools: HindSight, LiveBurst, Scheduled Capture and Duration Capture, SuperPhoto + HDR Night lapse video, RAW photos, Digital lenses, voice control with 14 commands in 11 languages + 6 accents, three microphones with advanced wind-noise reduction, Stereo + RAW audio, sarger speaker for improved audio playback, removable lens cover, built-in folding mounting fingers, rugged + waterproof to 33ft (10m), compatible with Max Lens Mod, Light Mod, Display Mod and Media Mod. Video support: 5K at 30 frames per second (fps), 4K at 60 fps, 2.7K at 120fps, 1440p at 120fps, 1080p at 240 fps and more.
Also, Max Lens Mod, which costs Rs 10,500 boasts Max HyperSmooth video stabilization and low-distortion, ultra-wide Max SuperView to HERO9 Black at up to 2.7K at 60 fps. Max Lens Mod also allows for horizon lock even when the camera is rotated a full 360-degree.
The new Hero9 Black-compatible Mods also include the Media Mod for Hero9 Black (Rs 8,400), now with a removable foam windscreen; Display Mod (Rs 6,900); and Light Mod (Rs 4,700).
Micromax In Note 1 and In 1b
Among the two, In Note 1 is the top-end model. It features a glossy shell on the back with a fingerprint sensor and a 6.67-inch full HD+ display with peak brightness up to 450 nits.
Inside, it comes with 12nm class MediaTek Helio G85 octa-core CPU, 1000MHz ARM Mali-G52 2EEMC2 graphics engine backed by Android 10, LPPDDR4x 4GB, 64GB/128GB (eMMC 5.1, expandable up to 512GB storage) and a massive 5,000mAh battery with 18W charger in-box. It also features a dedicated Google Assistant button.
As for as the photography hardware is concerned, In Note 1 boasts a quad-camera module-- main 48MP (with 0.8μm pixel size) + 5MP ultra-wide-angle lens + 2MP macro lens and 2MP depth sensor (with f/2.4 aperture) backed by an LED flash. On the front, it features a 16MP front camera.
On the other hand, Micromax In 1b ultra-budget phone. It features 6.52-inch HD+ (1600x720p) mini drop display with 20:9 aspect ratio, fingerprint sensor, Android 10 OS backed by 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio G35 octa-core chipset, IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU, LPDDR4x 2GB/4GB RAM, 32GB/64GB storage (eMMC 5.1) and a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charger.
Micromax In Note 1 comes two storages-- 64GB and 128GB-- for Rs 10,999 and Rs 12,499, respectively. It comes in two colours-- green and white on Flipkart from November 24 onwards.
On the other hand, Micromax In 1b comes in two configurations -- 2GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage-- Rs 6,999 and Rs 7,999, respectively. It will be available in three colours-- purple, blue and green- on Flipkart from November 26 onwards.
Xiaomi Mi Notebook 14 e-learning edition
The new Mi Notebook 14 model flaunts a 14-inch full HD (1920 x 1080), anti-glare display with 178-degree wide-viewing angle, 16:9 aspect ratio, and 81.2 scree-to-body ratio. It also features an in-built HD camera. Weighing just 1.5 kg, the Xiaomi Notebook looks visually appealing in sleek body design.
It features scissor mechanism ABS texture with 1.3mm key travel, 19mm pitch per key, 2 x 2W Speakers, and DTS Audio Processing system. Connectivity features include Bluetooth 5.0, dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11ac), 2 x Type-A USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Combo Audio Jack and 1 x DC-jack.
Inside, it runs Windows 10 Home Edition OS powered by a dual-core 10th Gen Intel Core i3 processor paired with UHD Graphics 620. It is backed by 2666MHz 8GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB of fast SSD SATA 3 storage (600MB/s speed), ensuring an overall smooth performance. It also comes with Microsoft Office 365 (1-month trial edition), Mi Blaze Unlock and Mi QuickShare features.
As far as the battery is concerned, it comes with a 46Wh cell and can last close to 10 hours under normal usage. Also, the retail package includes a 65W power adaptor charger, which can power up the laptop from zero to 50% in just 35 minutes. It costs Rs 34,999.
Mi Pocket Power Bank Pro
It comes with 10,000mAh lithium-ion polymer battery cells and supports 22.5W ultra-fast charging and can charge a typical 4500mAh smartphone battery 1.6 times on a single charge, the company claims.
It is made from high quality and environment-friendly PC + ABS material that makes it lightweight, yet strong and durable. It features Type-C and Micro-USB charging input support and three output ports letting users not only charge their smartphone but other gadgets and accessories.
It also comes with 12-layer advanced chip protection which safeguards all devices from factors such as temperature protection, short circuit, reset protection, battery overcharge and over-discharge protection, the company added. It costs Rs 1,099 and is available at Mi.com and Mi Home retail stores. It costs Rs 1,099.
Vivo V20 SE
It comes with a 6.44-inch full HD+ (2400×1080p) AMOLED display with an in-screen fingerprint sensor, Android 10-based FunTouchOS powered by 11nm class Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 octa-core processor paired with Adreno 610 graphics engine, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage (expandable up to 1TB), and a 4,100mAh battery with 33W fast charger in-box. Within 30 minutes, the phone can power up from zero to 60%.
As far as the photography hardware is concerned, Vivo V20 SE boasts a triple-camera module-- main 48MP (with Samsung GM1 sensor, f/1.8 aperture, 6P lens) backed by an 8MP 120-degree wide-angle camera (with f/2.2 aperture, 5P lens), a 2MP depth sensor (with f/2.4 aperture, 3P lens) and LED flash.
On the front, it features a 32MP snapper with f/2.0 aperture and supports Super Night mode, Aura Screen light, and Multi-style Portrait features. Vivo's V20 SE comes in gravity black and aquamarine green for Rs 20,990.
Read more | Vivo V20 SE: Everything you need to know
Apple HomePod mini, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max
All the devices are for pre-order later this evening on the official Apple Store online and also on select authorised retail chains across India.
HomePod mini boasts Apple-designed acoustic waveguide to direct the flow of sound down and out toward the bottom of the speaker for an immersive 360-degree audio experience.
With this design, customers can place HomePod mini anywhere in a room and hear a clear and consistent sound. The three-microphone array is tuned to hear 'Hey Siri,' and a fourth inward-facing microphone help isolate sound coming from the speaker to improve voice detection when music is playing.
The iPhone 12 mini is the least expensive of the 12 series. It comes in three storages-- 64GB, 128GB and 256GB -- for Rs 69,900, Rs 74,900 and Rs 84,900, respectively.
On the other hand, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the most expensive model among the newly launched Apple products. It is available in three storages-- 128GB, 256GB and 512GB --for Rs 1,29,900, Rs 1,39,900 and Rs 1,59,900, respectively.
The new iPhone 12 mini and the 12 Pro Max feature the same design language with a flushed display encased in flat edges and curved corners. Even some of the key features such as display panel and processor, but differ in screen sizes, battery capacity and camera hardware.
The 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini and the 6.7-inch 12 Pro Max come with OLED-based Super Retina XDR display protected by Ceramic Shield, the sturdiest screen guard on a phone. They run the latest iOS 14 backed by A14 Bionic, the fastest and most powerful chipset in the mobile industry.
Also, they support Apple's new MagSafe wireless charging technology and accessories.
Apple iPhone 12 mini comes in aerospace-grade aluminium enclosure, while the Pro Max features surgical-grade stainless steel. Both come with an IP68 water-and-dust resistant rating, meaning the device can survive underwater for close to 6 metres up to 30 minutes.
As far as the camera is concerned, the iPhone 12 mini boasts dual 12MP sensors-- one Ultra Wide and Wide lens with up to 2X optical zoom and support Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 30 fps.
On the other hand, the iPhone 12 Pro Max boasts a triple 12MP camera--Ultra-Wide + Wide + Telephoto lens, with up to 5X optical zoom, Dolby Vision HDR video recording up to 60 fps. Additionally, it comes with LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanner, which comes in handy in Night mode portraits, faster autofocus in low light and next-level AR experiences.
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