Gadgets Weekly: Samsung Galaxy M15 Prime Edition and more

Technology companies Samsung, Xiaomi, Asus, ViewSonic and others launched smartphones, smart watches, TV projector, accessories and more this week (September 23-29, 2024).

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

Samsung Galaxy M15 Prime Edition

Samsung Galaxy M15 Prime Edition series.

The new Galaxy M15 Prime sports a 6.6-inch full HD+ (1080 x 2340p) Infinity-V Super AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate.

It also features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, a 3.5mm audio jack, hybrid dual-SIM slots (nano SIM + nano SIM or microSD card) and a type-c port.

It houses a 6nm class MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ octa-core processor with Arm Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, Android 14-based OneUI 6, 4GB / 6GB / 8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB storage (expandable up to 1TB) and a 6,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging capability.

It also boasts a triple-camera module-- main 50MP camera (with f/1.8) + 5MP ultra-wide camera (f/2.2) + 2MP (f/2.4) macro sensor with LED flash on the back. It has a 13MP (f/2.0) front camera.

Samsung's latest Galaxy M15 Prime Edition comes in three colours-- blue topaz, celestial blue and stone grey. It is available in three variants-- 4GB RAM + 128GB storage, 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 128GB storage-- for Rs 13,499, Rs 14,499 and Rs 16,499, respectively.

Sony BRAVIA Theatre U neckband speaker

Sony BRAVIA Theatre U neckband speaker.

The new neckband speaker promises to deliver an immersive sound that surrounds the user's ears for open-air yet personal listening. It also features an IPX4 rating, meaning it can survive accidental water splashes.

The 360 Spatial Sound feature creates the spatial sound field around the user for atmospheric listening when paired with Sony’s compatible BRAVIA TVs.

It comes with an X-Balanced speaker unit which enhances movies and dramas with cinema-quality audio, so every word spoken by the actors is clear and precise.

With a full charge, it can deliver up to 12 hours. Also, it supports fast charging. With 10 minutes of charging, it can last for a little over one hour.

Sony BRAVIA Theatre U (HT-AN7) costs Rs 24,990.

Asus NUC 14 Pro AI PC

Asus NUC 14 Pro AI PC.

It comes in a compact 0.6-litre chassis with a height of just 34 mm. It comes with a US MIL-STD 810H rating and is capable of working at extreme temperatures--a maximum of 55 degrees celsius and a minimum of -22 degrees Celsius.

It runs Windows 11 OS and is powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processor (Series 2) multi-architecture CPU, Intel ARC GPU, and NPU. It can deliver up to 115 total platform TOPS (Trillion Operations Per Second). The NPU delivers up to 47 TOPS, providing enhanced AI capabilities, and tripling the AI performance for applications compared to its predecessor.

It comes with a Thunderbolt 4 USB port, HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and a 3.5mm Audio Jack. It also supports Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), 2.5G Ethernet and Bluetooth 5.4. It will hit stores later this year.

NVIDIA showcased GeForce RTX AI PCs in Bengaluru

John Gillooly, Technical Product Marketing Manager, Asia Pacific South, NVIDIA showcasing latest Nvidia-powered AI PCs in Bengaluru on September26, 2024.

Nvidia earlier this week showcased the top-of-the-line GeForce RTX AI PCs in Bengaluru.

It included ASUS TUF A15, HP Victus, Lenovo LOQ, Acer Aspire 7, MSI Crosshair 16HX, and Dell G15. The company highlighted their AI-enhanced capabilities for gaming, creation, and productivity.

John Gillooly, Technical Product Marketing Manager, Asia Pacific South at NVIDIA demoed several use cases of the latest NVIDIA GPU-powered AI PCs.

Nvidia Broadcast and Canvas app demoed at the event in Bengaluru, September 26, 2024.

The new GeForce RTX GPU features Tensor Cores, dedicated AI accelerators--to deliver the best gaming experience. Also, helps content creators edit videos smoothly.

The devices with GeForce RTX can also be used for software coding and research work for STEM. The need for this horsepower exists, to unlock advanced AI capabilities.

The company also showcased the NVIDIA Broadcast app. The latter can transform any room into a home studio. It can enhance live streams, voice chats, and video conference calls to the next level.

ViewSonic M10 portable RGB laser projector

ViewSonic M10 portable RGB laser projector.

It features a premium brushed metallic finish and a minimalistic industrial design.

With the RGB lasers, it can offer a wider colour gamut that meets BT.2020 standards. This surpasses DCI-P3, delivering more vibrant, lifelike colours ideal for large-scale cinematic displays.

It boasts 2,200 RGB Laser Lumens of brightness to ensure clear and vibrant cinematic-level visuals, even under ambient lighting. Furthermore, the mercury-free and lamp-free light source guarantees consistent brightness for up to 30,000 hours.

Also, it comes with intelligent auto-setup functions for seamless usage. It adopts ToF technology which enables instant autofocus, ensuring sharp images within seconds after adjusting the projector's position. It's auto horizontal/vertical keystone allows users to enjoy a hands-free setup, achieving perfectly shaped images whether the projector is projecting from the side or even up onto the ceiling.

Also, it has a high-quality built-in Harman Kardon speaker and can pair with headphones as well.

It can directly connect with smartphones and tablets through a USB-C port; and facilitate ceiling projection without an additional tripod. It costs Rs 1,50,000.

Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Lite

Xiaomi Redmi Watch 5 Lite.

It sports a 1.96-inch vibrant AMOLED display with 600nits brightness. It comes with a 5 ATM water-resistant rating. It can withstand water pressure up to 50 meters depth for 10 minutes and other water-based activities.

It supports hundreds of watch faces, runs Xiaomi HyperOS, and Bluetooth-based voice calling and with a full battery charge, it can last for up to 18 days.

It has an in-built GPS to track walking and running. Also, it can monitor sleep, heart rate and 200-plus sports and physical activities to keep a count of calories burnt to help users track their fitness. It comes in two colours-- Black and Grey – for Rs 3,499.

BenQ GW2486TC monitor

BenQ GW2486TC monitor.

It comes in two screen sizes-- 24-inch and 27-inch-- with a full HD IPS display panel with an edge-to-edge slim bezel. They are TÜV Rheinland Certified and RPF 35 Compliant. It ensures low blue light and flicker-free operation for optimal eye comfort.

They support 100Hz refresh rate, 65W USB-C power delivery, HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort 1.2 allowing flexible integration with various devices

With VESA-certified Media Sync, it guarantees optimal performance and compatibility. It has a USB Hub(Dual USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A downstream) and features a daisy chain topology to link with other computer networks in a small office or home office space.

The BenQ GW2486TC 24-inch monitor is available for Rs 14,998. And, the larger 27-inch GW2786TC will soon be launched for Rs 18,490.

Google showcases Gemini for Google Workspace assistant

Gemini at Work for Workspace.

After launching Gemini Pro 1.5 and Gemini Flash AI models, Google earlier this week hosted a Gemini at Work global event.

The company showcased nearly 50 new customer stories from organisations around the world including PODS, Snap, Volkswagen US, Warner Bros. Discovery and others to highlight just how impactful generative AI can be when you put it to work at scale.

Gemini for Google Workspace assistant, users can significantly improve their productivity at work. According to Google's recent study of enterprise customers, it saved an average of 105 minutes per user, per week.

"We’re inspired by the ingenuity and speed with which our customers are embracing gen AI. We continue to work hard to partner with customers to help them deliver real business value in the form of incremental leads, conversions, sales, and profits. We’re committed to taking a bold and responsible approach to make AI helpful for everyone, helping organizations of all sizes solve real-world challenges in entirely new ways," said Thomas Kurian CEO, of Google Cloud.

Winners of 2nd Edition Imagine Smartphone Photography announced

[L to R] Vivo Jury members--Karun Arora and Zoya Akhtar with the winner Kukkala Suresh.

Recently, Vivo kicked offer the 2nd edition of the Imagine Smartphone Photography contest in India.

This year vivo received more than 17,000 entries out of which 30 finalists were selected after a rigorous competition.

The company announced the winners at an exclusive event held at Taj Santacruz, Mumbai in the presence of Zoya Akhtar, Writer and Filmmaker.

Kukkala Suresh, the jury winner, took home the grand prize of Rs 5 lakh and a vivo X100 Pro for his stunning shot. The six category winners were awarded one vivo X100 Pro smartphone each.