JOIN USGadgets Weekly: Microsoft Surface Laptop Go, LG K42 and more
Popular technology firms such as Microsoft, Xiaomi, Oppo, LG, Samsung, Vivo, Ambrane and Zoook, among others launched new tablets, laptops, smartphones, and accessories such as earphones, and wireless speakers this week (January 17-23).
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.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go
Microsoft launched the new Surface Laptop Go in India. It is offering the PC in four configurations with prices ranging between Rs 63,499 and Rs 110,999.
The Surface Laptop Go features a 12.4-inch PixelSense (1536 x 1024p) display with 148 pixels per inch, an Aluminum top case, and the base is made of a polycarbonate composite resin system with glass fiber and 30% post-consumer recycled content.
Inside, it comes packed with 10th gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 Processor, Intel UHD Graphics card, Windows 10 Home in S mode, Microsoft 365 Family 30-day trial, 4GB/8GB/16GB RAM (LPDDR4x), 64GB (eMMC)/ SSD- 128GB/256GB storage firmware TPM, enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello one-touch sign-in, One Touch sign in with fingerprint reader power button (Surface Laptop Go model with 4GB RAM+ 64GB storage does not biometric sensor)HD (720p, f/2.0) camera (front-facing), Dual far-field Studio Mics, Omnisonic Speakers with Dolby Audio, 39W Power Supply and can last up to 13 hours.
As far as the connectivity is concerned, the Surface Laptop Go has multiple ports-- USB-C (1), USB-A (1), 3.5 mm headphone jack, Surface Connect port (1), Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible.
LG K42
LG K42 comes with a MIL-STD 810G military-grade rating and can sustain a wide range of working conditions. It has 6.6-inch HD+ (1600 x 720p) full vision display, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Android 10, 12nm class 2GHz MediaTek Helio P22 (MT6762) octa-core chipset with 650MHz IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU, 3GB RAM, 64GB storage, expandable memory up to 2TB, quad-camera module-- main 13MP + 5MP 115-degree Ultra-wide sensor + 2MP macro sensor+ 2MP depth sensor-- with LED flash, 8MP front camera, and a 4000mAh battery. It comes in gray and green colours for Rs 10,990.
Shinco smart TVs
Shinco launched two smart TV models-- SO32SF (32-inch HD Ready display) and SO43AS (43-inch full HD) -- for Rs 11,999 and 19,999, respectively.
They come with 3 x HDMI, 2 x USB, A-35 quad-core processor, 1 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage, and Android 8 with UNIWALL-UI, these smart TVs are a must-buy. The TV comes with a Voice Remote along with dedicated hotkeys for Disney+Hotstar and SonyLIV.
Also, they come with support for Alexa-enabled devices such as the Echo smart speakers, or the Alexa app. Users can say the wake word ‘Alexa’ followed by the command to the connected device such as “Alexa ask Shinco TV to Switch to HDMI 1 and do other tasks.
Samsung's new ACs
The new Samsung Convertible 5-in-1 Inverter ACs promise to save energy while providing a cool and comfortable environment. The 5 different modes allows customized operation from 40% to 120% creating the perfect room environment.
The Easy Filter Plus is conveniently located outside, on the top, so it can easily be removed and cleaned. These filters reduce up to 99% of harmful bacteria and help the air conditioner work efficiently with less effort.
The 4 Way Cooling technology enables the air conditioner to cool the room from every direction, thus leading to faster cooling and better performance. Users can now control AC and settings anytime, anywhere through Wi-Fi. The AI auto-cooling automatically optimizes the cooling based on usage and living conditions. Moreover, welcome cooling uses the Geo-fencing feature to automatically cool down your room based on the users’ location.
On the other hand, the standard Samsung On/Off AC series comes with highly efficient and durable 100% copper condensers. The Turbo Cooling Mode cools the room quickly and effectively while the Energy Saving mode helps save up to 20% energy compared to conventional window AC.
The new ACs come with a de-humidifier and Good Sleep Mode that ensures users enjoy a good night's sleep without feeling too cold by automatically regulating the room temperature. The Anti-dust and bacteria filter removes harmful irritants from the air and ensures a healthy air environment.
Samsung also unveiled a new Wind-Free system. It uses 23,000 micro-holes to gently spread air evenly throughout the room, maintaining a comfortable level of coolness without any draft. Once the desired temperature is reached, the system disperses fresh air uniformly.
The New 2021 Wind-Free range comes with a PM1.0 filter that keeps the air really clean by quickly capturing even ultrafine particles. The filters capture up to 90% ultra-fine dust in 20mins and sterilize more than 99% of bacteria. This is twice as fast as the cleaning speed of the PM2.5 filter. The air quality gets monitored through a laser sensor which the users can see through a digital 4- color aurora lighting wherein the color red indicates very poor, yellow indicates poor, green indicates normal, and blue indicates good air quality. These innovative filters can also self-clean themselves through AI Purifying function.
The Wind-Free enables users to control their ACs through voice commands using the Bixby, Alexa, and Google Home through Wi-Fi. The AC allow the user to remotely control the functions and schedule operations. The AI auto-cooling automatically optimizes the cooling based on usage and living conditions. Moreover, welcome cooling uses the Geo-fencing feature to give an option to the user to cool down the room based on the consumer’s preferences before reaching the location.
Consumers can also monitor and limit power usage as per their needs. The latest Wind-Free ACs are equipped with Motion Detect sensors (MDS) and automatically go into an energy-saving mode if it does not detect any human presence for 60 minutes. Another key option that users get through this feature is to choose the wind direction towards or away from the user.
Samsung’s 2021 AC line-up will include 51 ACs across Wind-Free, Convertible 5-in-1, and On/Off ACs. The new AC range will start from a price point of Rs 36,990 and will go up to Rs 90,990.
LG Ergo Display
The new LG Ergo display come in 31.5-inch UHD 4K IPS (3840 x 2160p) resolution. It promises good image quality and feature realistic and enhanced colour, contrast and clarity at wide angles which lets the user see a clearer lifelike vision of productivity, play and entertain and reimagine new ways of doing work. The new Ergo Monitor comes with HDR10 which helps in exceptional image quality and DCI P3 95% for color accuracy. Interestingly, its compact design takes up very little desk surface and offers easier installation.
Ergo’s USB-C One Cable solution also conveniently provides fast data transfer and power for laptop charging through a single cable, helping users achieve a clutter-free working experience and environment. It costs Rs 59,999.
Xiaomi Mi NoteBook 14
It features 14-inch fHD (1920 x 1080p) anti-glare display with 81.2% screen-to-body ratio. It also comes with an in-built HD webcam.
Inside, it comes with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 CometLake processor which clocks up to 4.2GHz, ensuring top-notch performance. CometLake processor promises to offer 16% better performance over the previous generation chipset and over 41% better productivity on Office 365. It comes paired with 8GB of DDR4 RAM clocked at 2666MHz and up to 512GB of SATA SSD storage. The model comes with Intel UHD Graphics 620. However, the customer will also get the option to add NVIDIA GeForce MX250 with 2GB of video RAM in the configuration.
The Mi Notebook 14 (IC) offers a 46Wh battery which delivers a backup of up to 10 hours. It comes with a 65W fast charger that gets you up and running from 0 to 50% in just over 35 mins.
Connectivity features include 2 x high-speed USB 3.1 port, 1 x USB 2.0 port and 1 x HDMI 1.4b port. It also has a 3.5mm jack which doubles as a headphone and a mic in.
Xiaomi Mi NoteBook 14 comes in silver colour for Rs 43,999 on Mi.com, Mi Homes, Amazon.in, Flipkart and retail partners.
Vivo Y31 and Y20G
The new Vivo Y31 come with 6.58-inch full HD+ (2408 × 1080p) LCD screen, 11nm class Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 octa-core CPU, Adreno 610 GPU, 6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128GB UFS 2.1 storage, expandable memory up to 1TB, Android 11-based Funtouch OS 11, triple-camera: main 48MP (f/1.79) + 2MP depth sensor + 2MP macro sensor-- with LED flash, EIS and a 16MP (f/2.0) front camera and a 5000mAh with 18W charger. It costs Rs 16,490.
On the other hand, Vivo Y20G features 6.51-inch HD+ (1600 x 720p) LCD screen, 12nm class MediaTek Helio G82 octa-core CPU, Adreno 610 GPU, 6GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB storage, expandable memory, Android 11-based Funtouch OS 11, triple-camera: main 13MP (f/2.2) + 2MP depth sensor + 2MP macro sensor (f/2.4)-- with LED flash, EIS and a 8MP (f/1.8) front camera and a 5000mAh with 18W charger. It costs Rs 14,990.
Ambrane NeoBuds series
NeoBuds 11 comes with Bluetooth version 5.0 for seamless connectivity. The charging case comes with LED Digital Display which shows the numeric battery level of both the case and the earphones.
The earbuds offer up to 4 hours of music playback time and up to 12 hours with the charging case. It can full charge under 1.5 hours. It comes with IPX4 sweat resistance rating, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) eliminates loud ambient noise, for crystal clear conversations anywhere, anytime. To give you freedom from wires, the earbuds are engineered with the touchpad control and support Google and Siri assistance for convenience.
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NeoBuds22 comes with a 5.0 Bluetooth version, multi-functional button, voice assistance, and much more in a palm-sized pack. It offers up to 4 hours playback time and upto 14 hours with the charging case. It can fully be charged within 1.5 hours. The earbuds seamlessly support a good transmission range of 10 meters. When on the move, control music and calls as well as conveniently operate your device with voice assistance.
They both cost Rs 2,499.
Zoook Rocker Thunder Bolt
It comes with 30 watts high-power output speaker with a wireless microphone. Also, it features dynamic LED lighting on the front and flashing DJ lights.
Additionally, it has a 6-inch woofer for hosting a karaoke party. Besides a wireless microphone, the speaker also has an in-built mechanism to let users add echo to their sound. The microphone remains connected up to a range of 10 metres. It weighs less than 1.5 kg and hence can be moved anywhere without trouble.
The speaker is powered by a 3.7V 1200mAh battery, which allows non-stop music playback for up to five hours, following a charge time between three to five hours. With ZOOOK Rocker Thunder Bolt, you get X-Bass, which ensures a thumping deep bass sound. Apart from Bluetooth, the party speaker further offers multiple connectivity options such as Aux, USB flash, and Mic-In.
Also, the top console of the speaker houses different controls and buttons for functions such as playing the previous song, next song, play, pause, volume control, Mic control, equalizer, power on/off. There is also the option to toggle between music sources such as USB or Aux-in. It costs Rs 2,499.
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Beetel Flix S1 smartwatch
The new Flix S1 smartwatch sports a 1.4-inch QVGA high-resolution display and comes with IP68 water resistance. It has a long battery life, that can last up to 7-10 days on a single charge.
The wearable device can be connected to a smartphone using Bluetooth version 5.0. One of the noteworthy features includes - Find your phone, which helps in tracking the phone right from the watch through the HitFit Pro app. The Hitfit Pro mobile app is available on both iOS and Android, helping users with real-time feedback and insightful result analysis.
Also, users can check notifications for calls, texts, or any calendar events directly from the watch, without the need for the phone.
It can detect body temperature 24/7 and keeps users informed which in the given scenario will facilitate safety and timely actions. It also comes with a heart rate monitor in real-time to understand the well-being. The Smartwatch is priced at Rs. 2499.
Oppo Reno5 Pro 5G
It comes with a 6.5-inch full HD+ (2400 × 1080 p) OLED screen, in-display fingerprint sensor, 11nm class MediaTek Dimensity 1000+ chipset with Mali-G77 MC9 GPU backed by Android 11-based ColorOS 11.1, 8GB RAM LPDDR4X RAM, 1280GB (UFS 2.1), and a 4,350mAh battery with 65W SuperFlash charger.
It also boasts quad-camera module-- main 64MP (f/1.7) + 8MP 119-degree Ultra Wide Lens (f/2.2) + 2MP macro + 2MP mono portrait lens (f/2.4) with LED flash on the back, On the front, it features 32MP (f/2.4) camera. It costs Rs 35,990.
Read more | Oppo Reno5 Pro 5G: Everything you need to know
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