Popular technology majors such as Sony, Apple, Xiaomi, Daiwa, Acer, Panasonic, and pTron, among others launched new 4K TVs, phones, camera, and accessories such as earphones, and power bank this week (April 18-24).
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 X75 4K
Sony's new BRAVIA X75 Android smart TV series comes with a 4K Ultra HD LED display and is powered X1 4K processor. It uses advanced algorithms to cut noise and boost detail.
With an even clearer 4K signal, everything you watch is closer to 4K resolution, full of life-like colour and contrast, the company said.
An interesting aspect of the new Sony TV is that the mages filmed in 2K and even Full HD are upscaled close to 4K resolution by 4K X-Reality PRO using a unique 4K database.
Also, it comes with Open Baffle speaker (dual 10 W + 10 W), which promises to deliver impressive sound that’s well suited to movies, sport, and music. It features a built-in Chromecast, 1 RF port, 3 HDMI ports (2 x side, 1 x back), ARC, Audio jack, 2 x USB ports, and more.
It boasts Live Color feature, which expands colours to let the user experience the content with more vividness and liveliness. Also, The X75 lets users connect the TV with popular smart devices like Google Home or Amazon Echo, which allows viewers to control the TV and stream content on it just by asking smart speakers.
As far as durability is concerned, it comes with X-Protection PRO technology, which promises to offer superior dust and humidity protection, they also pass the highest standards of Sony's lightning tests. This means this new TV is safeguarded from lightning strikes and power surges.
Sony's new BRAVIA X75 4K TV series comes in two variants-- KD-50X75 and KD-43X75-- for Rs 72,990 and Rs 59,990.
Fujifilm Instax Mini 40
Fujifilm's new Instax mini 40 envelopes classical camera design. This a new entry-level model of Instax Series. The ‘CONTACT SHEET’ mini-format Instax film is releasing with the product, featuring text in orange that will add a classical touch to a black frame, in a style that complements mini 40. The design simulates a ‘contact sheet,’ a bromide sheet printed with photos taken in films to check individual images.
The Instax mini 40 features the popular ‘Automatic Exposure’ function, originally introduced to the Instax mini 11, released in May 2020. The camera automatically optimizes the shutter speed, flash output and other settings according to a shooting condition, making it easy to take the perfect photo in bright outdoors on a sunny day or dark indoors alike.
Users can also activate the ‘Selfie mode’ for taking selfies and close-up shots with ease by pulling out the front edge of the camera’s lens after powering it on. The mini 40 is an instant camera with a simple and classical design that has a presence. The surface has a premium texture that sits comfortably in the hand, while the black-based body combines silver frames as a design feature. It costs Rs 8,499.
pTron earphones and power banks
The new pTron Bassbuds Plus promises to offer excellent sound output and several smart features including a digital battery display and voice assistance. Its costs Rs 899. The new TWS product promises to deliver 12 hours and features Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, Single key controls, Insta pairing, and IPX4 rating for water and sweat resistance.
The company also launched two new-- Dynamo series of Powerbank - Dynamo Pro and Dynamo Lite.
The 18W High speed charging Dynamo Pro offers 10,000mAh of power with PD output and it allows the user to charge two devices simultaneously. The lighter version Dynamo Lite, offers 10W High-Speed charging. Both the devices are BIS certified and provide multiple protection against overcharge, over-Discharge, over-current, over-voltage, short circuit and reverse connection.
The new charging solution range comprises of Solero Type C Fast charging cable and Volta Plus Smart charger. Designed for Indian wall sockets, these BIS-certified devices are the most ideal for travel and work environments.
Both Dynamo Pro and Dynamo Lite are available on Amazon India at a special launch price of Rs 599 & Rs 549 respectively. The company added that all the products are made in India.
Anker's Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro
Soundcore (owned by Anker) launched Truly Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds Liberty Air 2 Pro. It comes with advanced active noise-cancellation (ANC), transparency and PureNote driver technology.
It comes with PureNote driver technology, which utilizes 10 hardened nanolayers to make up the 11mm driver in each earbud, offering accurate sound and clarity at all frequencies. The unique PureNote Driver Technology gets a 45 per cent boost to bass, and a 30 per cent wider frequency bandwidth than ordinary drivers. Soundcore then worked to tune the earbuds, both with ANC turned on and off, to make sure that music always sounded like artists originally intended.
Also, users can make use of the Soundcore app. it offers users HearID 2.0, the next generation in audio frequency customization. After performing a simple hearing test with the earbuds, the Liberty Air 2 Pro tunes the sound for the individual to ensure the best possible listening experience.
The Liberty Air 2 Pro supports Anker’s fast Charging technology - 10 minutes charging earbuds is enough to offer 2 hours of playtime. With a full charge, it offers 26 hours of battery life without ANC and, 21 hours with ANC. Liberty Air2 Pro comes with voice-assistant compatibility - Siri at launch, and other popular voice-assistants in the future. It comes in four colors including Onyx Black, Titanium White, Sapphire Blue, and Crystal Pink-- for Rs 9,999.
Acer Spin 7
Acer's new Spin 7 is a 14-inch convertible laptop featuring a magnesium-aluminum alloy body that measures just 1.4 kg and 15.9 mm thin, with a display that covers 100% of the sRGB gamut allowing for vivid and sharp colors.
Also, the touch screen is covered by a layer of Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass. A BPR & EPA-compliant silver-ion antimicrobial agent in the coating on the keyboard, touchpad, and surrounding surface is demonstrated to show a reliably high microbial reduction rate against a broad range of bacteria under the JIS Z 2801 & ISO 22196 test protocol.
Acer’s 360-degree hinge design lets users use the laptop in multiple modes including tent and tablet mode for the best experience as per application.
It runs on Windows 10 OS powered by Qualcomm Kryo 495 octa-core CPU with up to 3.0 GHz speed.
An interesting aspect of the Acer Spin 7 is that it is the first 5G capable laptop. It boasts Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G compute platform which supports 5G connectivity across both mmWave and sub-6 GHz frequencies.
Also, it has an Acer Active Stylus, a rechargeable stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity that employs Wacom AES 1.0 to offer users authentic sketching or note-taking experience on the device’s touch screen.
With the 56WH battery and efficiency of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G, the Spin 7 is capable of lasting for up to 29-hours. It costs Rs 1,34,999.
Sony Full-Frame G Lens
Sony launched three new E-mount line-up FE 50mm F2.5 G (model SEL50F25G), FE 40mm F2.5 G (model SEL40F25G) and FE 24mm F2.8 G (model SEL24F28G).
When paired with a Sony full-frame camera or APS-C, all three lenses boast high resolution, intuitive operability, and fast, precise, and quiet autofocus capabilities. The lenses have been introduced as a good set for photo and video for a wide range of uses including snap shooting, portraiture, and landscape shots.
The 50mm angle of view is perfect for portraits and snap shooting stills or movies, the FE 50mm F2.5 G has a minimum focus distance of 0.35m (AF) / 0.31m (MF) and a maximum magnification of 0.18x (AF) / 0.21x (MF), meaning it is ideal for a variety of scenes and objects. The FE 40mm F2.5 G 40mm angle of view is ideal for snap shooting stills or movies with a minimum focus distance of 0.28m (AF) / 0.25m (MF) and a maximum magnification of 0.20x (AF) / 0.23x (MF). Particularly for movie shooting, 40mm is the preferred angle of view as it corresponds to the natural field of vision and for stills, 40mm allows subjects to stand out against backgrounds. With a wide 24mm angle of view, the FE 24mm F2.8 G lens is perfect in situations where the background is included, such as gimbal or selfie shooting with a grip attached. With a minimum focus distance of 0.24m (AF) / 0.18m (MF) and maximum magnification of 0.13x (AF) / 0.19x (MF), you can also shoot close-ups with a blurred background.
In India, all three-- FE 50mm F2.5 G , FE 40mm F2.5 G and FE 24mm F2.8 G cost Rs 66,990 each.
Daiwa 4K UHD Smart TV (50-inch) ‘D50162FL’
It features a 96% percent screen-to-body ratio and offers 178 degrees of viewing angle. The 4K Ultra HD TV comes 3840*2160 resolution and supports 1.07 billion colours and HDR 10 content. It boasts Quantum Luminit Technology promises to deliver a real picture, closer to that seen by human eyes. It also enables a wider range of colors as well as depth in contrast between lighter and darker shades.
It comes with The 20W Box speakers with 5 sound modes and dbx-tv audio technology, which enables the surround sound experience to songs and dialogues in clear audio, soundbar – quality audio from built-in TV speakers.
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Powered by Cloud Tv certified AOSP (Android Open Source Project), the smart TV comes with Daiwa’s own ‘The BigWall’ UI - with 25,00,000+ hours of content with several official apps such as Disney+, Hotstar, Zee5, Sony Liv, Zee5, Voot, along with a movie box which presents 15,000+ free movies in 16 different languages.
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It also has its own content discovery engine – a universal search to find shows/movies across the app library with just one click. Users can also live stream news from news apps that are available on the BigWall or across multiple apps. The UI also shows trending content on the Home screen along with dedicated powered AI and OTA updates. The Smart TV (from next month onwards) will come with a voice assistance facility that enables command-based search and functionality, simply by pressing the mic on the remote control.
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Daiwa’s newest launch 50-inch 4K smart TV runs on the Android 9.0 version and A-55 quad-core processor, which comes with 2 GB RAM and 16GB storage. For connectivity, the TV comes with 3 x HDMI ports, 2 x USB, Wi-Fi, 1 x Optical Output, 1 x Ethernet, 2AV In, 1 x earphone out, and E-share for screen mirroring and using your smartphone as an air mouse.
The Bluetooth technology will enable viewers to connect their wireless headphones, music systems to the television set. The new Daiwa 4K Smart TV ‘D50162FL’ model is made in India and costs Rs 39,990.
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Poco M2 Reloaded
The new Poco phone comes with a 6.53-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD with a resolution of 2340 × 1080 and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. It boasts Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to provide protection from accidental damage and scratches. POCO M2 reloaded also features a fingerprint sensor on its rear side to allow quick unlocking.
It comes with a MediaTek Helio G80 octa-core processor, two Cortex-A75 cores at 2.0GHz, and six Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8GHz. It also features a 13MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide sensor, 5MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. POCO M2 reloaded packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. It costs Rs 9,499 (4GB RAM + 64GB storage).
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Apple iPad Pro 5G
Apple's new 12.9-inch iPad Pro model comes with a micro-LED-based Liquid Retina XDR display with TrueTone, ProMotion, and P3 Wide gamut technology. This will enable the device to offer brighter and more contrast display options.
It is the first iPad series to boast Apple's proprietary M1 silicon, which we see in all the latest range of powerful Mac devices.
Apple M1 chipset comes with The 8-core CPU design features the world’s fastest CPU cores in low-power silicon and is backed by the 8-core GPU. They are paired with 16-core Apple Neural Engine, an advanced image signal processor (ISP), a unified, high-bandwidth memory architecture with up to 16GB of memory, 2x faster storage, make iPad Pro more capable than ever.
The new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be available in silver and space grey finishes. The iPad Pro is available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB configurations in --Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + Cellular-- models with prices ranging from Rs 71,900 and Rs 2,12,900.
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Apple iMac with M1 silicon
The new iMac flaunts a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display with 11.3 million pixels, 500 nits of brightness, P3 colour gamut, True Tone technology, and support over a billion colors. It promises to deliver a brilliant and vivid viewing experience. Also, it comes with an anti-reflective coating for greater comfort and readability.
It powered by M1 silicon, which comes with a dedicated 8-core CPU paired with an 8-core GPU and a 16-core Apple Neural Engine. It promises to deliver up to 85 per cent faster CPU performance. This would mean users can export a video project in iMovie faster than ever, easily work with massive 100-megapixel photos in Lightroom, and compile new apps in Xcode in a fraction of the time.
Also, it can deliver up to 2x faster GPU performance for certain apps like Affinity Photo and Photoshop, and up to 50 percent faster than the most powerful discrete graphics in the fastest 21.5-inch iMac, allowing users to render edits in real-time or add complex filters to their photos in a snap.
The new iMac starts at Rs 1,19, 900, and is available in green, pink, blue, and silver.
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Apple AirTag, new iPhone 12 Purple and Apple TV 4K
Apple's new AirTag gadget is similar to the Bluetooth-based Tiles tracking device, which allows owners to find misplaced articles such as a vehicle or a house key in around a few meters range.
It comes in a compact circular design language and lightweight. AirTag features precision-etched polished stainless steel, and is IP67 water- and dust-resistant. It also houses a built-in speaker to play sounds to help locate AirTag, while a removable cover makes it easy for users to replace the battery.
Also, AirTag comes equipped with an Apple-designed U1 chip. It makes good use of the Ultra-Wideband technology, enabling Precision Finding for iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 users.
"This advanced technology can more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost AirTag when it is in range. As a user moves, Precision Finding fuses input from the camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope, and then will guide them to AirTag using a combination of sound, haptics, and visual feedback" the company said.
Apple launched iPhone 12 and 12 mini in a new colour. The purple colour beautifully accentuates the flat aluminum edges of iPhone 12, which are perfectly colour-matched to the precision-milled back glass.
On the other hand, the new Apple TV 4K comes packed with an A12 Bionic chip that provides a significant boost in graphics performance, video decoding, and audio processing.
Also, it promises to deliver high frame rate HDR with Dolby Vision and connecting customers to their favourite content with the highest quality. It also comes with an all-new designed Siri Remote. It makes it easier for customers to watch shows and movies on Apple TV with intuitive navigation controls.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
It sports a 6.81-inch Quad HD+ (3200×1440p) AMOLED screen, offers a peak brightness of 1700 nits (peak) brightness, supports HDR10 +, 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, in-screen fingerprint sensor with heart rate monitoring capability. And, it is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus shield and comes with IP68 certification.
The company has incorporated a small functional screen beside the camera module on the back. It has a 1.1-inch always-on AMOLED display with 126 x 294p resolution and offers a peak brightness of 450 nits. This comes in handy to take a selfie with the rear-side primary camera.
Inside, the new Mi 11 Ultra boasts Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 octa-core processor backed by 6400Mhz 8GB/12GB LPPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB/512GB (UFS 2.1) storage, Android 11-based MIUI 12.5, dual-SIM slots ( type: nano+nano), infrared sensor, a 5,000mAh battery, 67W wired and wireless charging capability via USB Type-C charger. It also supports Type-C audio, Hi-Res audio, dual speakers to offer stereo effect and boasts Harman Kardon audio system.
The new Mi 11 Ultra houses a feature-rich triple camera module-- main 50MP (1/ 1.12-inch Samsung ISOCELL GN2 sensor, 1.4μm pixel size, f/1.95, OIS: Optical Image Stabilisation) + 48MP 128-degree ultra-wide-angle lens (Sony IMX586 sensor, f/2.2) + 48MP telephoto camera (Sony IMX586 sensor, OIS, f/4.1, 5x optical, 10x hybrid, up to 120x zoom) backed by an LED flash, dToF (direct Time-of-Flight) sensor, flicker sensor. It is capable of recording up to 8K at 24fps, 4K at 30fps/60fps, full HD 1080p at 30fps/60fps, boasts gyro-EIS (Electronics Image Stabilisation) for stable videos. It houses a 20MP front snapper with 0.8μm pixel size and f/2.2 aperture.
It comes in 12GB RAM and 256GB storage for Rs 69,999. The company is offering two colours--ceramic black and ceramic white.
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