Gadgets Weekly: Reliance JioPhone Prima 2, Sonos Ace headphones and more

Technology companies Reliance Jio, Tecno Mobile, Sonos, Realme and others launched smartphones, speakers, headphones, accessories and more this week (September 9-15, 2024).

DH's Gadgets Weekly edition lists the latest personal technology products to keep you abreast of everything happening in consumer electronics.

. Reliance Jio has launched a budget keypad-based phone. It features a leather-like finish on the back. Also, it supports some of the most popular applications such as Facebook, YouTube and even Google Assistant, a first in its class of feature phones.

It also supports Jio apps like JioTV, JioSaavn, JioNews and JioCinema and lets users make UPI payments via JioPay. The special JioChat availability enables group chat, Voice messages, and Photo & Video sharing. JioPhone Prima 2 comes with JioStore, hosting various apps, which users can download as per their needs.

The JioPhone Prima 2 4G runs on KaiOS and is powered by a Qualcomm processor comes with 512MB RAM and has 4GB of internal memory to host all the applications. It also supports external SD cards up to 128GB. This phone sports a 2.4-inch LCD screen and packs a 2000 mAh battery.

It has a tactile keypad with soft push buttons that are gentle to use and hosts a large navigation key with a microphone icon enabling easy access to the Google voice assistant.

Further, it has 3.5 mm headphone jack and the phone supports Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi connectivity. It supports English and 22 Indian languages. It costs Rs 2,799.

. The new premium over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones come with lossless and spatial audio features, and support Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Aware Mode.

It promises to deliver the most precise and immersive home theatre experience on a headphone.

Sonos Ace comes with contrasting colours inside the ear cups subtly signalling which way to put the headphones on. It also features beautifully tactile buttons that make controls easy to use while wearing them.

The headphones are made of lightweight, premium materials for an airy fit that gently hugs the head. Its pillowy soft memory foam interior is wrapped in vegan leather, while a custom headband and ear cups that hide the hinge create the perfect acoustic seal without catching on hair.

The headphones feature replaceable ear cushions and circular materials. This has helped Sonos to use 17 per cent less virgin plastic and a 75 per cent recycled travel case made from plastic bottles. The headphones are engineered to drive energy efficiency, wear detection pauses the music when the user removes Sonos Ace from the ears, minimising the need for charging frequently. It costs Rs 39,999.

. Former OnePlus executive, Jim Zhang has launched a new company DeperAI. It has announced the launch of the first product lineup-- ‘Superpower 65W’ and ‘Superpower 65W PRO’ adapters-- for Rs 1,499 and Rs 1,999, respectively.

These Superpower Adapters boast a powerful 65W charging capacity featuring a dual USB-C and a single USB-A port. The universal adapters, which are assembled locally in India, are the first in the country to support UFCS Fusion Fast Charging with an input range of 100-240V- 50/60Hz.

. Samsung is offering the top-end smartphone Galaxy S24 Ultra for Rs 1,09,999 as part of a limited-period offer. The smartphone was originally priced starting Rs 1,29,999. The special price includes an instant cashback of Rs 8,000 along with an additional upgrade bonus of Rs 12,000.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features a titanium case, a first for Samsung phones. It sports a 6.8-inch QHD+Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display with a 120Hz refresh rate (1~120Hz) and is protected by custom-made Gorilla Armor, the sturdiest screen protective gear seen on premium phones in the industry.

It comes with an IP68 rating, meaning it can survive even when dropped in a water body. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. It supports Google's Gemini Nano and Imagen 2-powered Galaxy AI support. With the new Artificial Intelligence (AI) feature, it will allow users to create their wallpapers with just text prompts.

It also can assist users with real-time phone call translation. With two-way Live Translate, it can understand real-time voice and do text translations of phone calls within the native app.

There is an Interpreter feature for video calls. It can understand live conversations and instantly translate it on a split-screen view so people standing opposite each other can read a text transcription of what the other person has said. It even works without cellular data or Wi-Fi.

For voice recordings, even when there are multiple speakers, Transcript Assist makes good use of Galaxy AI and Speech-to-Text technology to transcribe, summarize and even translate recordings.

. It comes with a 6.67-inch HD+(1600 x 720p) LCD screen with 120Hz refresh rate. It also supports triple slots (two nano SIMs and a microSD card), a 3.5mm audio jack, stereo speakers, side-mounted fingerprint sensor and the device comes with IP54 dust-and-water splash rating.

Inside, the new device features a 6nm class MediaTek Dimensity 6300 octa-core processor with Arm Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, Android 14-based HiOS 14.5 OS, 6GB/8GB (up to 8GB extra RAM with memory fusion) LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB / 256GB UFS 2.2 storage (expandable up to 1TB) and a 5,000mAh battery with 18W charger.

It also houses a dual-camera module-- main 108MP(f/1.89 aperture)+ AI lens with dual LED flash on the back. And, it features a 8MP camera (f/2.0) on the front.

It will be available in three colours-- azure sky, midnight shadow and aurora cloud. It comes in two configurations-- 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage-- for Rs 11,999 and Rs 12,999, respectively.

. It features a 6.67-inch full HD+(2400 ×1080p) AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, up to 2,000 nits peak brightness. It also comes with a Panda Glass shield and an IP65 water-and-dust-resistant rating.

It also comes with an in-display sensor, a 3.5mm audio jack, stereo speakers and dual SIM slots (nano).

The new Realme phone comes with a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7300- Energy octa-core processor with Mali-G615 MC2 GPU, Android 14-based Realme UI 5 OS, 6GB / 8GB / 12GB LPDDR4X RAM with 128GB / 256GB UFS 3.1 storage and a 5,000mAh battery with 45W charger support.

It also features a dual-camera module-- main 50MP (f/1.8) with a 2MP portrait camera and LED flash on the back. It also comes with a 16MP front camera (f/2.45).

The Narzo 70 Turbo 5G comes in three colours-- turbo yellow, turbo green and turbo purple colours. It is available in three configurations-- 6GB RAM + 128GB storage, 8GB RAM + 128GB and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage-- for Rs 16,999, Rs 17,999 and Rs 20,999, respectively.

. The Realme Buds N1 features a 46dB Hybrid Noise Cancellation technology. They are equipped with a 12.4mm Dynamic Bass Driver, which promises to deliver clear vocals.

These plus-sized drivers feature a larger diaphragm with titanium coating, high-tension HTW Wire Coil and high-thrust N52 Magnets to deliver crisp audio.

With a full charge, it can last for up to 44 hours. It cost Rs 2,499.

. It boasts a powerful 100W output and promises to deliver a robust and immersive audio experience.

The high-power system can offer clear, dynamic sound across all frequencies, enhancing the listening experience whether watching movies, playing games, or enjoying music. The substantial wattage not only provides excellent volume levels but also can ensure that the audio maintains its clarity and depth, even at higher volumes.

The 4.1 channel configuration comes with four compact satellite speakers and one subwoofer. It supports USB port, Bluetooth and audio jack ports. It costs Rs 9,990.

. For the uninitiated, the 5G network slicing divides a physical network into several virtual networks, each tailored to specific needs. These network slicing efforts create independent virtual networks with different features like speed, bandwidth, security, and reliability based on user needs. This allows for more flexible and efficient 5G networks.

"We at OnePlus, are thrilled to be collaborating with Jio on the ground-breaking 5G network slicing efforts. This partnership marks as a significant milestone in our journey towards advancing technology and enhancing user experiences for our Indian community. When we joined hands with Jio earlier this year to begin our 5G innovation lab efforts, we were confident that our commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation would lead to fruitful results. This successful 5G enterprise solution serves as a crucial benchmark in realizing practical 5G network slicing deployment and will truly serve as a global guide for network operators worldwide," said Ramagopala Reddy, VP at OnePlus India.