JOIN USGadgets Weekly: Mi TV Stick, Garmin Instinct Tactical and more
Technology majors such as Samsung, Google, Acer, Xiaomi, Garmin, and Asus, among others launched a new line of phones, laptops, and related accessories such as smartwatches and more this week (August 2-August 8).
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.
Xiaomi Mi TV stick
The new Mi TV Stick comes in a compact and lightweight design (28.5 gms, 92.4 x 30.4mm). It offers full HD resolution content when connected to the internet on any television. It supports Dolby and DTS audio compression technologies promising rich audio for a cinema-like experience. Inside, the Mi TV Stick comes equipped with a quad-core Cortex A53 processor backed by 1GB RAM and 8GB of internal storage, one HDMI port, Micro USB port and Bluetooth 4.2.
It supports Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Hungama Play, Zee5, Aha Entertainment and several other Over-The-Top streaming apps. In total, it is compatible with 5000 applications and games on Google Play store. The package comes with a Bluetooth-enabled remote with dedicated buttons for Netflix and Prime Video comes alongside the Mi TV Stick, making thousands of films and shows available for consumers with just one click. Also, it comes with Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in in addition to innovation for India features such as Data saver, which will help the user have control over Internet data consumption. It costs 2,799 in India.
Garmin Instinct Tactical Edition
Notable features of new GPS smartwatch include Jumpmaster (designed for experienced skydivers, particularly those in the military. It provides detail information for speed of descent and altitude), Dual Position Format-Access projected waypoint and a dual-format GPS coordinate data page that supports the display of MGRS, degree/ minutes/seconds & more.
It also boasts a Night Vision feature, which reduces backlight setting to a level that doesn’t interfere with the operation of night vision goggles. It features stealth mode, which will stop storing and sharing the user's GPS position and disable wireless connectivity and communication.
It can track monitors heart rate, activity, and stress throughout the day to keep track of the user’s daily activity level. Equipped with preloaded activity profiles, users can enjoy running, biking, swimming, and more. It also has mission-specific training options, including Jumpmaster and a preloaded tactical activity.
Also, users get a TracBack option, which will help navigate the same route back to the starting point or even plan trips in advance with the Garmin Explore website.
Most importantly, the Instinct Tactical promises to offer close to 14 days battery life in smartwatch mode, up to 16 hours in GPS mode, up to 40 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode. It costs Rs 31,990.
Garmin's new Tacx indoor cycling trainers
The Garmin Flux 2 Smart is equipped with a bigger and stronger resistance unit and a heavier flywheel resulting in a wider simulation range, better ride feel, and more accurate power measurement.
"With a bigger resistance unit, allowing for a wider simulation range, it is able to realistically simulate inclines up to 16% gradient. Providing a reliable, accurate, and consistent power measurement Flux 2 Smart measures your power accurately within 2.5%. The Flux 2 Smart is designed to bring vibrations and noise levels to the absolute minimum resulting in a very silent flywheel equipped bike trainer. The well-balanced design and large footprint of the FLUX 2 Smart trainer ensure maximum stability, even during the most explosive sprints, up to 2,000 watts," the company said.
Flux S Smart direct comes with a heavy flywheel, which promises to offer a realistic ride feel. It measures data accurately within 3%. "The Flux S Smart is designed to provide power, speed and cadence measurements to help riders track their performance and progress. To train for those big climbs, the Flux S Smart realistically simulates inclines up to a 10% gradient and powers sprints up to 1,500 watts," the company said.
The new Tacx Flux 2 Smart and Flux S Smart are available at the price of Rs 79,990 and Rs 69,990 respectively. The Antares and Galaxia roller trainers are available at the price of Rs. 17,990 and Rs. 23,990 respectively.
Shinco's new smart TVs
Shinco India launched a new line of smart TVs in sizes 43-inch (full HD), 49-inch (4K UHD), and 55-inch (4K UHD) and is now available on Amazon.
The new Shinco 43-inch LED Smart TV SO43AS (Black) comes with full HD (1920x1080p), refresh rate: 60Hz, viewing Angle: 178 degrees, connectivity: 3 HDMI Ports to connect a set-top box, Blu Ray players, gaming console, 2 USB Ports to connect hard drives and other USB devices, Bluetooth connectivity, 1 optical Output to connect high-end soundbars, AV receivers, speakers, 1 Ethernet Port, WiFi, sound: 20 Watts output, stereo box speakers, surround sound, display: A+ Grade Panel, Quantum Luminit Technology and 1.07 billion colours, smart features: 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal storage, Android 8.0 with Uniwall, A53 - Quad-core processor, OTA updates, free live news Streaming, 1,500,000+ Hours of Content, 7000+ free movies in 16 different languages and multiple genres, content discovery engine, E-Share for iOS and Android - screen mirroring. It costs Rs 18,199 but can be grabbed for Rs 16,699 for a limited time on Amazon.
Shinco 49-inch Smart LED TV SO50QBT (Black) 2020 model comes with 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160), refresh Rate: 60Hz, viewing angle: 178 degrees, connectivity: 3 HDMI Ports to connect set top box, Blu Ray players, gaming console, 2 USB Ports to connect hard drives and other USB device, 1 Optical Audio Output to connect high end soundbars, AV receivers/speakers , 1 Ethernet Port, smart features : 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, Android 9.0 with Uniwall, A55 Quad core Processor, OTA Updates, Certified Apps (Cloud TV Certified AOSP) 1500000+ hours of content free live news Streaming, 1,500,000+ Hours of Content, 7000+ free movies in 16 different Languages and multiple genres, content discovery engine, E-Share for iOS and Android - screen mirroring, 7000+ Free Movies from 16 different Languages and multiple genres with MOVIEBOX App , Bluetooth connectivity, inbuilt Wifi, sound: 20 Watts output, box speakers, dbx-tv Technology, surround sound, display: A+ Grade LED Panel, Quantum Luminit Technology, HDR 10, 1.07 billion colours. It costs Rs 24,250 but can be grabbed for Rs 25,999 for a limited time on Amazon.
Shinco 55-inch Smart LED TV SO55QBT (Black) 2020 model comes with 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160), refresh Rate: 60Hz, viewing angle: 178 degrees, connectivity: 3 HDMI Ports to connect set top box, Blu Ray players, gaming console, 2 USB Ports to connect hard drives and other USB device, 1 Optical Audio Output to connect high end soundbars, AV receivers/speakers , 1 Ethernet Port, smart features : 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, Android 9.0 with Uniwall, A55 Quad core Processor, OTA Updates, Certified Apps (Cloud TV Certified AOSP) 1500000+ hours of content free live news Streaming, 1,500,000+ Hours of Content, 7000+ free movies in 16 different Languages and multiple genres, content discovery engine, E-Share for iOS and Android - screen mirroring, 7000+ Free Movies from 16 different Languages and multiple genres with MOVIEBOX App , Bluetooth connectivity, inbuilt Wifi, sound: 20 Watts output, box speakers, dbx-tv Technology, surround sound, display: A+ Grade LED Panel, Quantum Luminit Technology, HDR 10, 1.07 billion colours. It costs Rs 28,999 but can be grabbed for Rs 29,999 for a limited time on Amazon.
Acer Swift 3 laptop PC series
It features thin bezels with a screen-to-body ratio of up to 84% and comes with a 13.-inch screen with IPS LCD screen with 2256x1504p resolution with 3:2 ratio that gives 18% more vertical height so there’s more length to read on. For further color enhancement, Swift 3 also includes Acer Color Intelligence and Acer ExaColor Technology, the company said.
The new Acer Swift 3 series comes with latest 10th Gen Intel Core processors featuring Intel Iris Plus Graphics offer first-rate performance for work and play. It also includes a max. of 1TB PCIe Gen 3 x4 SSD and up to 16GB LPDDR4X RAM.
It promises to deliver 17-hour battery life with fast charging capability (up to 4-hours of use for just 30 minutes charge) and comes with USB Type-C offers Thunderbolt 3 capability, Intel Wireless Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and 2x2 MU-MIMO technology and promises average network throughput by up to 3 times and reduces latency by up to 75% compared to Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). Through the use of the full function, USB-C users get superfast data transfer over Thunderbolt 3, USB3.1 Gen 2, and Display Port and it can also be used for power delivery. It costs Rs 64,999.
Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime
The new Redmi 9 Prime comes with 6.53-inch full HD+ (2340 × 1080p) LCD screen with pixel density of 400 ppi (pixels per inch), protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 shield, a 12nm class MediaTek Helio G80 (2GHz Cortex-A75 x 2 cores + 2GHz 6x Cortex-A55 x 6 cores) octa-core processor backed by 950MHz ARM Mali-G52 2EEMC2 graphics engine, hyper engine game technology (dynamically balances the load between CPU, GPU, and RAM for smooth gaming performance with thermal control and battery) with Android 10 with MIUI 11 (upgradable to MIUI 12), 4GB LPPDDR4x RAM, 64GB / 128GB (eMMC 5.1) storage (expandable memory up to 512GB via microSD), 3.5mm audio jack, IR sensor and a 5,020mAh with Type-C 18W fast charger. Its prices start at Rs 9,999.
Must read | Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime: Everything you need to know
Google Pixel 4a
After months of speculation, Google unveiled the company's mid-range phone Pixe 4a.
It sports a 5.81-inch full HD+ (1080 x 2340p) OLED-based screen with a pixel density of 443 ppi (pixels per inch), 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 100,000:1 super contrast ratio, support HDR, Always-on display and comes with full 24-bit depth for 16 million colours.
Under-the-hood, it comes with a Titan M security module, 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 octa-core (2.2 GHz x 2 cores + 1.8 GHz x 4 cores), Adreno 618 graphics engine, Android 10 with Google Lens, 6GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB storage and 3140 mAh battery with 18W charger support.
It boasts 12.2 MP dual-pixel camera on the back with 1.4 μm pixel width, Auto-focus with dual-pixel phase detection, Optical + electronic image stabilisation, ƒ/1.7 aperture and 77-degree field of view. It also supports 1080p at 30 FPS (Frames Per Second), 60 FPS, 120 FPS, 720p at 30 FPS, 60 FPS, 240 FPS and 4K at 30 FPS.
On the front, it houses 8MP 1.12 μm pixel size, ƒ/2.0 aperture, Fixed focus, and 84-degree field of view. The new Google Pixel 4a costs $349.
Must read | Here's when Google Pixel 4a coming to India
Xiaomi Mi Beard Trimmer 1C
It comes with 20 length settings with 0.5mm precision to ensure accurate and even cuts. It boasts self-sharpening blades and ensures a longer blade life. The new Mi Beard Trimmer 1C features a high capacity battery with a run time of 60 minutes that can easily last up to a week.
It also comes with an LED battery indicator, so you know how much battery is left before you start styling your beard. Featuring a minimalist design, Mi Trimmer 1C can be charged with a standard USB charger, allowing you to charge it even from a laptop or power bank, the company said.
Xiaomi Mi Beard Trimmer 1C costs Rs 999 and is available on mi.com and Flipkart.
Lava Z66
The new Lava Z66 comes with a 6.08-inch HD+ notch display with a 2.5D curved screen, 19:9 aspect ratio, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage (expandable up to 128GB), 1.6GHz octa-core processor, pure Android 10 OS, 13MP + 5MP with LED flash on the back, 13MP selfie camera on the front, a 3,950 mAh battery which provides up to 16 hours of talk time, fingerprint scanner and a face-unlock feature that unlocks the phone in just 0.6 seconds.
It comes in colour variants – Marine Blue, Berry Red, and Midnight Blue-- for Rs 7,777.
Apple iMac 2020 series
The new 27-inch Apple iMac flaunts a 5K Retina display with True Tone and Nano Texture option. "With 14.7 million pixels, 1 billion colors, 500 nits of brightness, and support for P3 wide color, the Retina display on iMac delivers an immersive front-of-screen viewing experience," the company said.
With the Nano Texture glass option, users are assured of better viewing experience under various lighting conditions, such as a bright room or indirect sunlight. There will be extremely low reflectivity and less glare on the monitor.
The new iMac will also get updated FaceTime HD camera with 1080p resolution support, while the Image Signal Processor in the T2 Security Chip brings tone mapping, exposure control, and face detection for a much higher quality camera experience, the company said.
Under-the-hood, 27.5-inch iMac houses Intel's new powerful chipsets. It will be offered with the latest 6-core and 8-core 10th-generation Intel processors. Turbo Boost speeds can top 5.0GHz for up to 65 percent faster CPU performance. And when working with memory-intensive applications, iMac features double the memory capacity for up to 128GB. The new 27.5-inch Apple iMac will be available in India later this month with prices starting at Rs 1,69, 990.
Samsung Galaxy Note20 series, Galaxy Buds Live, Watch 3 Galaxy Tab S7, Z Fold 2
Samsung, earlier in the week, unveiled a new line of Galaxy Note20 series along with Galaxy Watch 3, Tab S7, Buds Live, and the premium Galaxy Z Fold 2 during the Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event online.
Both the Galaxy Note20 and the Note20 Ultra boast Infinity-O display and also gorgeous unibody design language, but the Note20 Ultra boasts premium metal-based case with glass cover. Whereas the standard Note20 features a polycarbonate shell on the back.
On the front, the Galaxy Note20 Ultra boasts a 6.9-inch edge Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity-O Display (3088x1440p) with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus shield, pixel density of 496ppi (pixels per inch) HDR10+ certified and 120Hz refresh rate.
On the other hand, the Galaxy Note20 features a 6.7-inch flat full HD+ Super AMOLED Plus Infinity-O Display (2400x1080p) with a pixel density of 393ppi and HDR10+ certified.
with an in-screen ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and depending on the region of sale, they feature Samsung's in-house silicon Exynos 990 series, but this model will be limited to Europe, India, and select global regions. In other markets such as the US, China, the Galaxy Note20 series is almost confirmed to come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 or the latest 865+ series processor.
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra comes with a triple camera module-- 12MP Ultra Wide Camera (with Pixel size: 1.4μm, FOV: Field-Of-View- 120-degree, f/2.2 aperture + 108MP Wide-angle Camera (with PDAF, OIS, Pixel size: 0.8μm, FOV: 79˚, f/1.8, 1/1.33-inch image sensor size) + 12MP Telephoto Camera (with Pixel size: 1.0μm, FOV: 20-degree, f/3.0) with Space Zoom- 5x Optical Zoom, up to 50x Super-Resolution Zoom, OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and Tracking AF (Auto Focus).
On the other hand, the Galaxy Note20 houses triple-camera module-- 12MP Ultra Wide Camera (with Pixel size: 1.4μm, FOV: 120-degree,. f/2.2) +12MP Wide-angle Camera( with Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, OIS, Pixel size: 1.8μm, FOV: 79-degree, f/1.8, 1/1.76-inch image sensor size) +64MP Telephoto Camera (with Pixel size: 0.8μm, FOV: 76-degree, f/2.0) with Space Zoom, 3x Hybrid Optic Zoom, Up to 30x Super-Resolution Zoom, OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and Tracking AF.
Both the Galaxy Note20 Ultra and Note20 feature 10MP front selfie camera with Dual Pixel AF, Pixel size: 1.22μm, FOV: 80-degree, and f/2.2.
he Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra come with 4,300mAh and 4,500mAh batteries, respectively. They both support improved wireless charging speeds with Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 and USB PD 3.0 (PPS) certified Fast Charging for wired charging (AFC and QC2.0 compatible).
The S Pen comes with the Galaxy Note20 is said to offer lifelike precision promising more accuracy and responsiveness. It also comes with five new Anywhere actions make touchless navigation of the device – like returning to the home screen or taking a screenshot – as simple as a flick of the wrist. In India, the Galaxy Note20 price starts at Rs 77,999.
Must read | Samsung GalaxyNote 20 series launch offers in India
The new Galaxy Z Fold 2 comes with two edge-to-edge, nearly bezel-less Infinity-O Displays. The Cover Screen is 6.2-inch super AMOLED and inside, it has massive 7.6-inch Ultra Thin Dynamic AMOLED.
Also, the company says that it has learned a lot of lessons from the first generation Galaxy Fold and the Galaxy Z Flip, and based on feedback, it has incorporated a lot of improvements in the new Galaxy Z Fold 2. The latter has undergone more durability tests and will fare well with daily wear-and-tear tests in the lab.
Under-the-hood, it is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ processor and will be available with the same chipset across global markets. It backed by Android 10 OS, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, and a 4,500mAh battery with 25W charger.
On the front (on both cover and inside screens), it comes with 10 MP sensors and f/2.2 fixed-focus lenses. It features primary triple camera-- 12MP main (with OIS, f/1.8) + 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP telephoto lens.
Must read | Everything Samsung launched at Galaxy Unpacked 2020
Asus Republic Of Gamers (ROG) Zephyrus G14
The new Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is powered by the latest AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS, which has up to 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 MaxQ GPU, UHD resolution Pantone-validated display. The G14 can also accommodate up to 32 GB of RAM. The G14 is customisable and other processor and graphics unit options are also offered.
Must read | Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 review: A mighty performer
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Other features include fingerprint login, Windows 10 OS, Intel Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, 14-inch thin-bezel display, dual display output, Dolby Atmos, 4-cell 76 WHr battery, Type-C charging by 65W adapter and a 180W AC adapter. Its price starts at Rs 98,990.
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