While we can’t speak for sizing, Jabra’s new Elite 65t wireless earbuds also available in a sporty Active 65t model have caught our eye by flaunting one-touch access to Amazon Alexa, Goog
Trang 1The World’s Leading Gadget Magazine!
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TODAY'S BEST CAMERAS Canon or Nikon? DSLR or CSC? We explain it all! ISSN 2454–9703
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Trang 5The tech that’s so cutting edge,
a year before the G5 came to fruition, Blocks introduced its modular smartwatch to Kickstarter, and over two years later LWèVĆQDOO\DYDLODEOHWREX\DQGZHWKLQNLWORRNVSUHWW\HSLF%X\WKH%/2&.6&RUHVWDQGDORQHZDWFKDQG\RXJHWQLFHWLHVOLNHDFULVS$02/('GLVSOD\ĆWQHVVWUDFNLQJDQG$OH[DYRLFHFRQWURODPRQJRWKHUV%XWDGGLQD%/2&.60RGXOHWRDspare slot on the strap to upgrade its capabilities with features like an environmental sensor or bone conduction speaker
a fingerprint reader, environmental sensor and more The possibilities
are, potentially, endless
Trang 6Editor’s letter
Kunal Gangar, Executive Editor
k.gangar@nextgenpublishing.net
T3 is…
Consulting Editor H S Billimoria
Executive Editor Kunal Gangar
Correspondent Ankush Mahajan
Copy Editor Tania Tarafdar
Contributors Lysander Fernandes
Editor (UK) Matt Bolton
Contributors (UK) Jon Porter, Lauren Scott, Claire Davies, Duncan Bell, Dan Grabham, Nick Odantzis
Publisher Girish Mallya
Head Design & Production Ravi Parmar
Senior Designer Prakash Gavnang Nandkishor Sawant
Photography Mahesh Reddy, Sanjay Raikar
Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik
Product Manager Perseus Master
General Manager North and East - Ellora Das Gupta
General Manager South - Girish Shet
Circulation Manager Circulation North and East - Kapil Kaushik BRANCH OFFICES
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Printed at Kalajyothi Process Pvt Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20 Published at Next Gen Publishing Ltd., Mafatlal Chambers B, Ground Floor, N M
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OUR AWARDS
The winners of our group tests earn this accolade, showing them
to be top tier
This award, and others like it, are given for exceptional performance
in a key feature
We give this only to WHFKWKDWbVWDQGVRXWIRU
stunning aesthetics or a clever build
BEST ON TEST
BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE PLATINUM
There were a lot of gadget launches this month, including a new camera from Fujifilm, Mi TVs and even a new drone from DJI
For our Man Vs Tech feature this month, my colleague got a chance to drive an actual Formula 1 car Full story on pg 58
As for the reviews, we take an in-depth look at Samsung’s latest Galaxy S flagship, Vu’s first Google-certified Android TV, a couple of 2-in-1 notebooks from Dell and Lenovo and lots more
Last but not the least, we’ve got a handy guide for you to buy the right camera
Trang 8012
TOP LAUNCHES
Cutting-edge tech heading your way,
featuring the new Hasselblad camera,
Asus laptop, new projectors from
Optoma and Viewsonic and cameras
IURP&DQRQDQG)XMLĆOP
030
STYLE
Boost your fashion credentials with
some stylish products
032
TALKING TECH
Duncan Bell offers an alternative
viewpoint on Appe’s new kid on the
block
036
GADGET GURU
T3’s tech sage dishes out the solutions
to all of your life’s problems Whether
you actually want to go through with
them, though, is up to you
on the planet – and avoid putting it into the tyres? You’ll have to ĆQGRXWð
066
BUY THE RIGHT CAMERA
From Compact Mirrorless models to Full-Frame DSLRs, follow our guide to take the confusion out of camera choices
Trang 9Available at all leading stores across India
www.stepperindia.com Frame style shown: SI-20049
Trang 11*ODSFEJCMZMJHIU 4UFBMUIJMZ'BTU
Trang 12HASSELBLAD H6D-400C MS
`29,05,198 hasselblad.com
We’ve been searching for the right camera
to document our vintage Star Wars toys in
magnificent detail Hasselblad has now provided
the perfect tool, with its epic 400MP camera,
available this spring Okay, so a 400MP camera is
overkill for us, but museum folk and nature
photographers will love the H6D-400c MS
for documenting antiquities, art and bugs
Hasselblad says the camera produces the highes
resolution and most colour-accurate
medium-format images on the market, utilising True Focu
tech (precision-focus adjustment) and Multi-Sho
capture, which merges six images into one
super-high-res shot The camera also offers 4K video
capture Hmm, maybe we should shoot a promo
video for our radio-controlled Jawa Sandcrawler?
T3 SAYS: Capture the world in unprecedented
detail with this 400MP multi-shot monster
JABRA ELITE 65T
`12,999, amazon.in
The upside to wearing wireless earbuds is that we can go hands-free and don’t have to deal with pesky wires The downsides often include middling battery life and abnormally large buds While we can’t speak for sizing, Jabra’s new Elite 65t wireless earbuds (also available in a sporty Active 65t model) have caught our eye by flaunting one-touch access to Amazon Alexa, Google Now and Siri, and a claimed five-hour battery life from a single charge with up to 15 hours via the included charging case There’s even a customisable EQ feature for tailored sound Jabra has wind noise covered too, with ample wind noise reduction tech to keep your music sweet, and a four-mic array for clearer voice calls
T3 SAYS: With integrated Alexa, Siri and Google Now, Jabra’s new wireless earbuds could be a connected commuter’s dream
s
st
s II
ot r-r?
TECH-O-METER
TECH-O-METER
Trang 14DJI MAVIC AIR
`TBA, dji.com
How many times have you stacked a drone?
These things look easy to fly but most take some getting used to, unless you’re a whizz If you’re not, DJI has designed its new hobby drone with you in mind The Mavic Air weighs less than a pound, folds down to fit in a (roomy) pocket and can fly itself without any help from you, thanks very much The Mavic Air is infused with obstacle-avoidance tech and automated flight modes, including some that require only a controller tap from you before the drone whizzes off (up to a 2.4 mile flight range) to shoot 4K video, 12MP stills and 32MP spherical panoramas via the built-in camera You can boss the drone around with hand gestures, too, making it take endless selfies of you prancing around in the park
T3 SAYS: We love the folding design and automated flight modes, and that price is decent
Plenty of authors extol the virtues of handwriting
ideas and stories as a way to get the creative juices
flowing Typing up those notes and stories can be a
real pain, which is why we always keep an eye out for
new smart writing devices
Royole hopes it has made such a device with the
RoWrite Smart Writing Pad, designed to digitally
reproduce, store and share handwritten or
hand-drawn work When sitting underneath a sheet of
ordinary paper the RoWrite instantly reproduces and
saves your work, ready for syncing with your other
smart devices or the cloud, with no pesky
lag either
We look forward to digitally preserving our doodlings
when the RoWrite ships the product
T3 SAYS: Royole’s smart writing pad could be ideal
for students, writers and those who want to digitally
preserve hand-drawn work
ROWRITE SMART WRITING PAD
`TBA, royole.com
TECH-O-METER
TECH-O-METER
Trang 15A very classy and feature-packed single-box solution The new SR8012 is about as feature-packed an AV receiver as you’re likely to find, with every current format covered and a few new features in the pipeline As with all Marantz receivers, the SR8012 is incredibly easy to setup thanks to their excellent Setup Assistant, which takes you through the entire process step
by step The SR8012 also handled two-channel music
extreme-ly well, with the new Water boys album ‘Out of All This Blue’ sounding superb.”
SR8012 THE FIRST MARANTZ
11.2 CHANNEL NETWORK AV AMPLIFIER
The Pinnacle of Home Entertainment
Trang 16XIAOMI MI TV 4A
From `13,999, www.mi.com/in
Soon after making a debut in the television segment
with Mi TV 4, Xiaomi is expanding their line up with M
TV 4A available in 32” and 43” sizes Although both
share the same base hardware, the key difference is
with the 43” model sporting a full HD (1920x1080)
panel while the smaller one is HD ready (1366x768)
The display panel has a 60Hz refresh rate and a
178-degree viewing angle The sound setup consists of
dual 10W speakers with support for DTS-HD audio
Like its elder sibling, the 4A series has an 11-button M
Remote that can double up as controller for the set-top
box via a separately sold Mi IR cable It also runs on
Xiaomi’s custom PatchWall UI which is based on deep
learning AI It will adapt to user’s viewing habits and
accordingly suggest content Multiple users need not
fret as the company plans to add user profiles in the
manufacturing process as opposed to the 28nm processors used in the previous 2 models Not only does it mean improved battery life but also better performance Qualcomm claims up to 25% faster graphics rendering and 30% lower power consumption in comparison to Snapdragon 435 that was used in Redmi 4 last year The one thing that’s been reduced is the battery gone down from 4100mAh to 3300mAh It is available in 3 RAM+storage variants: 2+16, 3+32 and 4+64 Further, they will come in a number of colours including black, gold, rose gold and blue
T3 Says: Looks like the base model will be ignored
We recommend going for the 3+32GB model for the best experience
Mi
of
i op
p t
Trang 17W W W.T3 IN DI A CO M APRIL 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 17
Horizon
TECH-O-METER
Fitbit Versa
`19,999, www.fitbit.com/in
Fitbit Versa is the lightest smartwatch from the company
to date featuring a unisex design that looks good on any
wrist The female health tracking feature especially
makes it more appealing to the ladies They will be able
to record their menstrual cycle data and see dynamic
cycle predictions using company’s proprietary cycle
algorithm that is said to get smarter over time with
continuous logged user data Other features include a
4-day battery life, personalised on-device health
dashboard, quick reply for Android smartphones,
real-time heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking and Fitbit
coach with pre-prepared exercise modules A variety of
unique accessories to supplement the Versa will be sold
at prices ranging from `2,499 and `8,999 It comes in
three colour options: full black, gray with a silver
aluminium case (pictured) and peach with a rose gold
aluminium case Users will have to shell out `2,000 extra
for the special edition
T3 Says: The lack of GPS should be considered before
opting for the Versa but it is a unique proposition
T3 Says: The X360 ticks all the important 3 P’s: Power, Portability and Privacy
TECH-O-METER
Trang 20ASUS STRIX GL702ZC
`1,34,990, www.asus.com/in/
ASUS ROG has beat everyone to the punch and
brought forth the world’s first gaming laptop
powered by the octa-core AMD Ryzen 1700
processor The privilege goes to ROG Strix GL702ZC
favouring AMD again for their GPU with the Radeon
RX580 While it comes out of the box with 16GB
DDR4 RAM, it can be expanded upto 32GB and for
storage we get a 256GB SSD boot partition and 1TB
HDD The 17.3” FHD IPS screen supports FreeSync
which minimises frame rate stutter and eliminates
visual tearing Four display modes namely Normal,
Vivid, Eyecare and Manual have been implemented to
suit the user’s current viewing requirement Shifting to
the keyboard, it has anti-ghosting technology
ensuring keys are correctly interpreted even with 30
simultaneous keys pressed The ROG Gaming Center
acts like a dashboard for launching ROG applications
and accessing the settings menu This includes ROG
GameFirst IV, XSplit Gamecaster and ASUS Splendid
T3 Says: AMD purists will find the laptop to be
perfectly suited for FHD gaming
IBALL SLIDE BRACE-XJ
`9,999, www.iball.co.in
iBall’s flavour of the month is the Slide Brace-XJ which is
a 10.1” IPS HD tablet with a pixel density of 150ppi It is powered by a 1.3GHz octa-core MediaTek processor, Mali T720 GPU, 3GB RAM, 32GB inbuilt storage (expandable up to 64GB via microSD) and 7800mAh battery Coming to the optics, we get a 5MP front camera and an 8MP autofocus sensor on the rear The dual-chambered speakers deliver satisfactory audio Resting in between them is a kickstand that is sturdy enough to hold it vertically when watching video content An array of connectivity options include micro HDMI, USB OTG, Hotspot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Cast Screen Not to forget, a microSIM slot that enables 4G VoLTE and voice calling A DC pin is present exclusively for charging which leaves the micro USB jack free for other purposes
T3 Says: Running on Android Nougat 7.0 OS, Slide Brace-XJ supports 22 regional languages for reading and writing
TECH-O-METER
Trang 22OPTOMA HD27E
`99,840, asia.optoma.com
Not content to settle down, Optoma HD27e is an
upgraded version of the now outgoing HD27
projector In comparison, it is said to deliver brighter
images, longer lamp life of upto 12,000 hours and
make less running noise at 25dB The Full HD
display has a native 16:9 aspect ratio, maximum
image size of 301” and a throw ratio of 1.47:1-1.62:1 It
weighs just 2.8kg and comes integrated with a
single 10W speaker making it a good choice for
those moving around frequently Of course, there is
a separate 3.5mm port for when users plugin an
external audio system along with a pair of HDMI 1.4a
sockets out of which one is MHL ready for
smartphone or tablet connectivity Taken a step
further, it can even be turned into a smart projector
by connecting a dongle like Apple TV, Amazon Fire
TV or Google Chromecast
T3 Says: Optoma is making a name for itself with its
decent offerings and the HD27e is no exception
us most making operation convenient in the dark
T3 Says: We recommend the Viewsonic to experienced users with an abundance of 4K HDR content
Trang 24CANON EOS 1500D
`TBA, www.canon.co.in
The entry-level EOS 1500D (seen here with the
EF-S18-55 III Lens) finally replaces the 2-year-old
Canon EOS 1300D It shares the same 24MP sensor
present in several other APS-C format cameras from
the company which is about 19 times larger than the
usual 1/3.2” standard sensor found in smartphones So
it’s perfect for novices wanting to move up from them,
the feature guide and Scene Intelligent Auto mode with
creative filters for social media ready snaps should help
make the transition easier These include effects like
soft focus, toy camera, fisheye, miniature and
black-and-white Full HD videos can be captured at up to
30FPS Media transfer is made simple with the Canon
Camera Connect app available on both Android and
iOS It can also be used to adjust settings and even
shoot images remotely
T3 Says: EOS 1500D will serve as a good gateway
product into the world of DSLRs
is supported at Full HD Physically, an overhaul has been done starting with more robust construction using thicker magnesium and a larger grip that should afford a secure handhold
T3 Says: The additions in the X-H1 should give other players in the segment a run for their money
Trang 26ASUS BRT-AC828
`20,000, www.asus.com/in/
The unassuming black and angular BRT-AC828 from
Asus is a dual-band 802.11ac wireless router with a 4x4
antenna configuration The business-focused device
features dual Gigabit WAN able to handle up to 2Gbps
aggregated bandwidth and automatic failover for
uninterrupted flow of data An array of LED indicators
are located on the top side to display the status of
connections It houses 2 ports for the internet, 8x
Ethernet, 1x USB 3.0, WPS, Reset and an On/Off butto
Supporting both 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequencies, it ca
manage up to 250 simultaneous WiFi connections
ASUS AiProtection has been incorporated for protectio
purposes using real-time network monitoring to detect
malicious data and unwanted intrusions before reachin
network devices Management might seem like a
headache but the ASUSWRT graphic menu system
keeps things simple Further, device grouping and
built-in RADIUS server add more value
T3 Says: Reliability is key for business routers and the
Asus will not disappoint
SPHERO MINI AND SPHERO BB-8
From `5,000, www.sphero.comThe Sphero Mini is the world’s smallest app-controlled robotic ball that has a surprising amount crammed inside An accelerometer, Bluetooth, gyroscope, LED light and a rechargeable battery are housed within 3-inches! Various colour options can be had using interchangeable shells It is also bundled with 3 mini-traffic cones and 6 bowling pins Controllable via voice commands, Sphero Mini has an adaptive personality that changes over time The bigger and more expensive BB-8 (pictured) priced at `11,000 will probably make Star Wars paraphernalia collectors happy The autonomous BB-8 moves around as it pleases and doesn’t sit still even while getting juiced from the induction charging station The embedded holographic simulation lets users explore the Star Wars galaxy and help with training Multiple BB-8 droids can also interact with each other like in the movies The only thing missing
is a speaker and all sound will come directly from the smartphone
T3 Says: Both can be controlled using smartphones or tablets running on Android, iOS and Windows Phone
TECH-O-METER
Trang 28CASIO G-SHOCK
RANGEMAN GPR-B-1000-1
approx `72,000, g-central.com
We once led a hike and got everyone lost We
should have armed ourselves with a watch built
for keeping tabs on location and route, but this
was before the Casio G-Shock Rangeman Now
that it’s revamped for 2018 we might think about
leading the charge again on a hike, and not worry
about the weather either – this solar-powered
(there’s wireless charging too) watch laughs in
the face of rain, dust and mud It also has a
built-in GPS Navigator function If you use this
feature when out running or hiking, the watch
should display a real-time compass bearing to
your destination The Rangeman even offers a
Backtrack function, should you need to navigate
back to your start point
T3 SAYS: Explorers will love Casio’s
solar-assisted, triple-sensor watch, which offers
POLK COMMAND BAR
$299 (`20,000), polkaudio.comAmazon’s voice assistant is slowly infiltrating all aspects of the smart home In fact, we’re pretty sure talking toasters are somewhere in our future… but not before chatty soundbars make
an entrance This spring, Polk Audio is releasing the Command Bar, a home theatre soundbar with integrated Amazon Alexa, plus HDMI throughput that supports 4K HDR The Command Bar offers all Alexa skills, so you can control your connected home from your TV setup – you’ll never have to leave the sofa again The soundbar has Echo-style hardware buttons
on top and a remote control featuring an Alexa Action Button designed to lower the volume to ensure your commands are heard If we get a Command Bar we’ll be using it to stream music too – and asking Alexa to DJ
T3 SAYS: This soundbar could transform your
TV setup into the hub of your connected home
TECH-O-METER
TECH-O-METER
Trang 29W W W.T3 IN DI A CO M APRIL 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 29
INTERESTING TECH OF THE
Special Feature Audi R8 V10 Plus
Audi’s R8 V10 plus, the
quintessential German supercar, is also a technical marvel that comes loaded with a host of technologically superior features that make it a scintillating car We recently travelled to Buddh International Circuit or BIC, to drive the R8 V10 plus and see how technology has helped the R8 become a fierce supercar
Power – Naturally Aspirated V10 Engine
In a world where manufacturers prefer slapping a turbocharger to the engine of their car, Audi have left that very breathing apparatus out of the equation The 5.2-litre V10 of the R8 gives birth to 610 horses and also produces a ground-breaking 560 Nm of torque All this power and torque is sent to all four wheels via the seven-speed S tronic, which uses two clutches to
go through the cogs, making the shifts smooth and seamless
Quattro – All Wheel Drive System
Audi are considered to be the pioneers of the modern-day four-wheel technology and it can be experienced in the R8 V10 plus as well The system in the R8
is smart as it constantly monitors the driving conditions and varies the torque supply, giving you the optimum output at all times
Audi Magnetic Ride – Brilliant Suspension
Audi are known for tuning their cars with the best suspension setup and on the R8 V10 plus you get the superb ‘Audi Magnetic Ride’ aluminium double
wishbone suspension The smart setup adjusts the damping depending on the driver’s driving style and the terrain, making fine adjustments throughout the drive to provide superior handling and ride-quality
Words: Ravi Chandnani
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
Audi R8 V10 Plus
Audi’s brilliant R8 V10 plus is a marvellous piece of engineering and recently we drove the R8 on Buddh International Circuit to discover its brilliance
Trang 30DRESS LIKE
RYAN REYNOLDS
The Deadpool star mixes prep with casual
for a stylish all-American look
MONEY
NO OBJECT
Stefano Ricci Square Sunglasses
THE JACKET
Denim jackets are a staple in
Ryan Reynolds’s wardrobe, but
you won’t find any weird washes
here – the Deadpool star sticks
to indigo hues and tailored fits
For a similar vibe try Edwin’s
High Road Jacket in Mid Sleet
Wash (edwin-europe.com)
THE CARDIGAN
Ryan’s off-duty look takes its
cues from traditional American
cool with a dash of preppy To
ape it, layer a white tee and linen
shirt beneath a navy button-up,
such as the Merino Wool
Cardigan by John Lewis
(johnlewis.com)
THE SHOES
Ryan’s box-fresh white Converse
Chuck Taylor All Star Lean
(converse.com) give his look a
sporty boost
Coffee, tea, red wine and other indulgences stain teeth over time, and the older you get the more the enamel on your teeth thins, leaving it prone to stains and showing the naturally yellowing dentin beneath A number of at-home products claim to have the power to restore your pearly whites, with a slew of electric toothbrushes, such as the Philips DiamondClean Smart (amazon.in), offering dedicated whitening modes
Style blogs exploded last year with reviews of activated charcoal toothpastes and oil-pulling mouthwashes, offering a gentler way to draw bacteria from teeth while whitening enamel Polished London has
a best-selling Charcoal Whitening Teeth Powder (polishedwhitening.com), while Georganics’s Activated Charcoal Oil Pulling Mouthwash (amazon.com) claims to create a “glossier smile”
Whitening strips are also popular and simple to use – apply them to your teeth, wait the recommended amount of time, then peel them off Try Crest’s 3D White Whitestrips (amazon.in) or Polished London’s Whitening Stripes
Whitening gels will get you closer to a professional whitening treatment and often come with a mouth tray, application syringes and gels with higher levels of hydrogen peroxide The iWhite Instant Teeth Whitening Advanced Kit comes with pre-loaded trays and claims to whiten teeth up to eight shades lighter You can also get non-peroxide gel kits, like the Diamond Whites Home Whitening Kit (amazon.com) Just don’t leave whitening strips or gels on longer than stated, or you’ll look like a piano got lost in there
Shades that evoke vintage style will never go out of fashion,
making these new season Stefano Ricci sunglasses a true
investment piece for SS18 Testament to the luxury brand’s Italian
craftsmanship, these suave Embellished Square Sunglasses are
adorned with polished gold-tone hardware and designed with an
acetate frame that will flatter a variety of face shapes
`1,12,200, harrods.com
Trang 31Digital Platform Partners
Now read your favourite magazine wherever you go
Available on PC Mac Tablet or any other handheld device!
Available on
Trang 32hen Apple announced
HomePod, the general
reaction to it was
positive, if not ecstatic
An Amazon Echo rival that sounds
better but costs more, and you have
to use Siri… You can see plusses and
minuses, right?
But there’s one group of people
whose reaction I reckon was very
different If they have any sense,
anyone who makes wireless
speakers would have had this
response: “Oh no No No! Nooooo!”
Then probably a bit of keening and
wailing, and rending of garments,
while shaking their fist at the sky
Apple makes very pleasing
products, but it is also a bit like that
dragon lady from Game of Thrones
Apple moves into new tech areas,
lays waste to them and feasts on the
delicious tears of its fallen foes, the
old monarchs of that realm
Making sweet music
Apple is now positioning HomePod
very much as a music device, rather
than a Google Home/Amazon Echo
home assistant (though yes, it does
do all that stuff too)
That makes sense, because
Amazon is entrenched as the
world’s personal AI purveyor of
choice, even if Alexa does at times
seem to be as thick as a bag of
mince, and deaf It also makes sense
because music is a realm that Apple
once ruled For many years, it
practically was an audio company,
thanks to iPods, the iTunes Store
and to a lesser extent, iTunes the
app, and AirPlay
In that time, Apple scored the
implausible feat of appealing both to
the mass market and to those who
consider themselves aficionados of
music and ‘hi-fi’, albeit more
grudgingly
Then the iPhone arrived, Apple became The Biggest Brand In The WorldTM and music became just one more plate it spun Audio was simply another iCommodity, alongside mobiles, apps, a reinvigorated premium laptop line, watches, TV, movies and I dunno, shoes? Lots of stuff
Actually, in the fallow period between Peak iPod and the Dawn
of the HomePod, Apple launched
an excellent music streaming service and snapped up the world’s biggest headphone brand, so I am not going to claim it completely took its eye off the audio ball
Judging by their ubiquity in the earholes of the world’s big cities, I think AirPods may have been what persuaded Apple to make a swing for the wireless speaker market
AirPods don’t sound amazing by
And that is why all right-thinking makers of wireless speakers should
be afraid Very afraid Because as AirPods demonstrated, Apple doesn’t even need to make an audio product sound great to conquer a market
All wireless speakers are built
on a foundation set down by Apple and, to a lesser extent, Android The phones are where their music comes from Up to now, third parties have had the market to themselves, apart from that weird Star Wars ghetto blaster thing Apple tried back in 2006
For now, Apple is going after the top end of the wireless speaker market and there are several limitations to the HomePod – no Bluetooth, no multi-room at launch.But we all know how this plays out Next there’ll be a more affordable one, then a battery-powered portable one, a cheap one The quirks will get ironed out Then there’ll be Bluetooth updates and cheap bundle deals with Apple Music subscriptions, and ones that match the colours of the iPhone XI, and one with a screen and… And then everyone currently making money from wireless speakers of all kinds will look upon the smoking ruins of their empires and say, “Oh bugger.”
Apple doesn’t even
need to make an audio
product sound great
The HomePod does sound good
Everyone who went to its demo agreed that it sounded better than the Echo and the Sonos One – because of course it did; they’re much cheaper speakers – but also that it was a very fine-sounding thing in its own right
Will Apple’s HomePod put it back on top
in the audio game it dominated for years?
Trang 33smartphotography.in smartphotography spmagazine
Trang 36kilometre tracking Even the
ricketiest old junkbucket should
include a trip tracker that’ll mark
off your travels from point A to
point B, and your main odometer
had better be accurate overall – it
wasn’t the crumbling wheel wells
or racing-slick tyres of his first
motor that got a junior Guru into
trouble, it was the highly
suspicious 1350 kilometre on
the clock
That’s a short answer to what
GaGu suspects is a question you were hoping to nibble a little more meat from So let’s say you’re the only one driving your car, or that you’re incapable of reading, operating, or logging odometer activity reliably AutoTrip does a mysteriously-priced, business-leaning HMRC-compliant OBD-II module which plugs in, stays in, and records your movements to ensure accurate mileage claims
Realistically though, if you’re just doing this for the fun of filling
in spreadsheets, you may as well put your faith in a phone app
What’s the best way to track my car’s mileage?
ABHILASH MUKHERJEE
A rather than a specific device And there are absolutely loads of trip
tracker apps available now, most
of which won’t cost you a penny Hit up your app store, pick one, remember to use it, and you’re away MileIQ (on both Android and iOS) is great, though costs
Trang 37W W W.T3 IN DI A CO M APRIL 2018 T3 Tomorrow’s Technology Today 37
GADGET GURU’S MAGIC BOX
What can I do with this smart
plug that I just bought?
USMAN KHAN
It’s 2018
Where’s my robot?
KETAN SYAL
It was one of GaGu’s three yearly
birthdays this month and, as is tradition, he
made out like a bandit with the presents
Rising to the top of Guru’s official friend
ranking is the chap who bought him an
Otamatone, the oh-so-Japanese musical
instrument in the shape of a cutesy musical
note It consists of a touch-strip stem that
makes various honking noises emerge from
an internal speaker, and a squishy notehead
that shapes the sounds as they
emerge It’s silly and brilliant and
Guru’s cats (and wife) absolutely
hate it
Second on the gift ranking, Mrs
Guru’s begrudging contribution was
a massive mouse mat – the Cmhoo
XXL 90x40, `800 from Amazon –
for GaGu’s desk It has a classy
monochrome world map on it,
which is useful for planning one’s
escape while professionally
procrastinating, and a
desk-wide pad makes a surprising
difference to the grippiness of Guru’s long-suffering keyboard No longer does it try to flee from the heavyweight hammering of his fingers
On the subject, Guru is eyeing up a new PC He snuck into the office for a play with the outrageously pricey Razer Blade Pro
(`3,04,339 plus your left arm and/or first
born), and it really is quite the machine But ol’ GaGu fancies a go with the Big Boy Lego
of building his own PC There are plenty of problems with this idea, Guru’s Tesla coil-esque static buildup notwithstanding Mainly,
he hasn’t constructed a box by himself since the original Pentiums were a thing, and has
no idea what to buy So readers, over to you – does Guru go Ryzen or Core? GeForce or Vega? Red or white? Is there any way to make the process any less baffling?
Let GaGu know at the usual email
A It was at CES Where were you? This year’s Consumer Electronics Show was positively lousy with frivolous digital golems peddled by companies of varying levels of likeliness to actually be able to pull off making that kind of complex product But if you ask GaGu, nobody’s got it right quite yet for something people want stomping around their homes
In the short term, the first home robots will be basically mobile Amazon Echos, using cameras to act as security bots, and following you from room to room on wheels They will all be very cutesy
Consumer robots aren’t the clanking whirring automatons that you see in sci-fi movies They’ve been redefined by the connectivity and ubiquity of digital assistants You might be able to buy a thing with wheels and a happy face, but when you hold your phone in your hand, you become a de facto cyborg Best start talking like one
A Scrutinising one’s energy usage is, Guru is told,
incredibly important and not
in any way cripplingly dull We will, for
the sake of professionalism, ignore
your author’s feelings towards his
smart meter – they involve taking
something very electrically inefficient
to its stupid condescending screen
– to state that smart plugs are great if
you want to save a few pennies
Something like TP-Link’s HS100
can do real-time and historical
monitoring of the juice you’re sucking
– if you’re wondering specifically
which device is causing the klaxon to
sound on your meter and the angry
chap with the clipboard to start
banging on your door, a smart plug is
a great way to find out Switching
things on and off, though, is their
prime goal Pretending you’re at
home via a Kevin McAllister-style
display of automated light-based
shadow puppetry is certainly one
thing you could do More realistically, automagically dropping the power from an entire multi-socket full of kit when you’re not using it makes an infuriating amount of energy-saving sense Even better when it’s something that works with the Amazon Echo or Google Home, like the aforementioned hubless HS100
or Energenie’s hub-based range of plugs
Problem is, this doesn’t always work well Guru just shouted at Alexa
to turn on his TV, and she complied, sort of: power might have been siphoned into it, but the thing starts in standby, which is useless If GaGu didn’t have his feet up some way from the remote, he certainly wouldn’t have hollered at a cybernetic being If you’re more concerned with automation than frugality, devices like lamps or old-school hi-fi equipment work particularly well in this context
ABOVE
We said we wanted two sugars, you rust bucket!
Trang 38How do I drink whiskey properly?
I need a good notebook!
ADITYA BAJAJ
ABOVE
We only drink whiskey for the fancy glasses (please don’t tell anyone)
SANJAY PODDAR
HARD SUN
Luther’s Neil Cross returns for
this pre-apocalyptic thriller
about two police officers who
uncover MI6 secrets that the
sun is going to die Cue mystery,
paranoia and lots of explosions
CELESTE
In this beautifully animated
puzzle platformer, you play a
girl called Madeline who must
climb gigantic mountain Celeste
while facing her inner demons
(and collecting strawberries)
DOOMSDAY CLOCK
Our minds were blown when
we found out that Watchmen
was coming to DC If you’re
a fan of comic books, seeing
Rorschach and Batman on the
same page is quite the thing
NEW MEDIA
Guru finds the finest
media you need on
your screens A You cannot knock a Moleskine Classic, a
timeless notebook that, Guru was alarmed to discover, has only been in production since 1997
The paper’s perfect for any kind of pen, the corners are fashionably rounded, and the signature bit of elastic means your private notes won’t get ruffled
If you lean towards something more exclusive, Choosing Keeping’s stapled A5 notebook (32 sheets) is red-edged, super-smooth, and looks like something that Grandad Guru would have kept in his best beige coat Midori’s Spiral Notebook (spiral bound) offers a pocket on each page for creative note-stuffing
A Simple answer, you
can’t If your battery is going to go bad, then
by golly it’s going to go bad, just like GaGu’s cousin, Prison Steve But, like said jailbird, that ill behaviour can at least be mitigated by avoiding certain triggers
Don’t leave your phone plugged in and active unless you absolutely need to Don’t drop it or stab it, dummy Don’t use dodgy knock-off chargers Don’t smother your phone in a cosy insulator when it’s charging Don’t wait to toss your phone if it starts to get
ridiculously hot: the bell has already tolled
A Guru has not so much as tasted the brown stuff since he was 14 – he tasted
it once each in two directions that night, and the memory is still too troubling to bear – so blame the ever-sozzled Guru Sr for these tips
Start, he says, with the right vessel, which should be a proper lowball
or ‘rocks’ glass Pour the whiskey neat the first time you taste it, as that’s the way the producer intended it Shove your nose in the glass before you sip in order to utilise your whole palate Only once you’ve done all this can you add ice or water – use a tiny bit to start, and add more whiskey if you go too diluted Then add more whiskey as you see fit
Trang 39Gadget Guru
How can I make
A If you’re still pedalling around under your own steam, then you’re really much fitter than Guru, and we salute you for your persistence
For cycle fans of a less enthusiastic nature, now might
be the time to switch to e-power
But what if you can’t bear to part with your tried and tested steed?
The good news is you can absolutely get that Raleigh Grifter running on battery power, though it’s not the cheapest thing to do Ecotricity’s
kits start at approx `27,500, but you’ll want to spend an extra
`4,500 on a switchable 250W/1,000W motor to beat the government’s fun-limiting power restrictions
Then you’ll need a battery: Ecotricity’s pannier rack battery, ugly as it is, is what you’ll want to provide that 1,000W wheel with enough go juice But fitting properly, so your ride won’t fall
to bits at 65kmh, will cost you
At which point you’re better off spending the cash on a full ebike
A Guru could answer this question in his sleep,
because he often has to: the
throngs of gadget fans do not stop
to examine GaGu’s face or listen to
his snores before they start burbling
their queries in his direction So
imagine ol’ Guru laid on his side,
padding his hands and feet like a dog
running in a dream and reciting the
following in a slightly worried, unclear
and groggy voice
Turn the brightness of the screen
down Turn the volume of the
speakers down Stop playing games,
and turn off any pointless visual
effects Switch from the discrete
graphics cards to your otherboard’s
integrated solution, if that’s an
option Power down radios you’re not
using Make use of your Windows or
macOS power saving options‚ drag
the slider on the battery meter to the
left to use less power and conserve
more battery In the battery settings,
change the level that’s regarded as
‘critical battery’ to something a little
lower If you’re on a MacBook, install
the latest updates and use the
Energy Saver section of System
Preferences to do the obvious things
this menu does
There are myths around laptop
battery that have been perpetuated
based on a mixture of outdated
information and downright stupidity
Don’t, for example, think that leaving
your laptop plugged in is going to
knacker its battery Nope! Unless
there’s something very wrong with
your charging circuit, this is a
perfectly safe thing to do And don’t
bother putting an older machine into
the freezer to boost its life; there’s
the possibility of a slight effect on
your battery’s chemistry on a
temporary basis, but nothing that’ll
last, and the rest of the machine
might suffer Definitely don’t poke
holes in your batteries to let air into
them, as this also lets the fire out
Trang 40Gadget Guru
We’re getting there, albeit in a haphazard way The
potential for seamless smart home TV control via
Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa is considerable
Both AI platforms (to flip your question on its head) support a
level of TV interaction Sony’s 2018 connected Android sets
will offer voice control of basics like channel selection and
volume via a connected assistant LG is upping the smarts of
its connected sets this year by including ThinQ AI, which will
enable users to control their TV using Amazon Alexa More
intriguingly, ThinQ AI TVs promise to support wider device
control (think lighting, heating and smart lighting)
Smart home control via the telly isn’t new Philips first teased
home automation through its Android TV platform back in
2015, using middleware developed by MyLiveGuard
Applications included smart doorbells, Nest thermostat control and security camera monitoring Having smart control over security camera feeds through a TV screen makes sense Perhaps your best solution is the NVIDIA Shield TV media streamer, used with a Samsung SmartThing Link dongle (shop.smartthings.com) This combo will enable you to manage connected SmartThings compliant devices via the NVIDIA Shield TV box More TVs are getting Alexa and Google Assistant voice control, however
Ultimately, home device control may be getting smarter, but that doesn’t mean the scene is any less confusing
Is it possible to control my
smart home from my TV?
GOPAL AYYAR
A