An investment fund specializing on firms operating in the metaverse has been launched, according to global asset management Invesco. About $30 million will be invested in major, medium, and small-cap enterprises along the Metaverse Value Chain, which “encompasses many diverse and linked industries that assist enable, generate, or benefit from the creation of immersive virtual worlds,” according to the Invesco Metaverse Fund. The fund will put money into businesses in the USA, Asia, and Europe, including shares of firms that make and use immersive virtual worlds. Tony Roberts, the fund manager, and James McDermottroe, the deputy fund manager, will share management of it.
Why the investment is made?
The fund will invest in seven industry-related thematic areas: next-generation operating and computer systems, hardware and tools that enable access to the metaverse, networks for hyperconnectivity, immersive AI platforms developed with blockchain, interchange tools required to achieve interoperability, and services and assets that will aid in the digitisation of the real economy. A spokesman for Invesco reportedly stated that the firm will pay a management charge of 0.5 percent, according to a Decrypt article. With the help of their digital avatars, users may explore a fully functional virtual world in the metaverse, blockchain-enabled Web3 company. Blockchain gaming companies are flocking to the market to advance the delivery of an immersive experience.
According to information provided by Invesco, the actively managed fund, which will be open to investors in 14 European nations including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands, Finland, Czech Republic, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovakia, and Spain, will invest in businesses of all sizes throughout the US, Asia, and Europe. This move is Invesco’s most recent venture into the world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. In March 2019, the company teamed up with Elwood Asset Management to introduce a blockchain ETF on the London Stock Exchange. Both the Invesco Alerian Galaxy Blockchain Users and Decentralized Commerce ETF and the Invesco Alerian Galaxy Crypto Economy ETF (SATO) will be introduced in September 2021 as a result of the company’s collaboration with Galaxy Digital.
The MSCI AC World (Net Total Return) benchmark will be used to gauge the fund’s performance, which will be assessed at a management fee of 0.75%. Yuga Labs, the company behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), the most well-known non-fungible token (NFT) project to date, claimed to have raised $450 million (roughly Rs. 3,400 crore) in funding for its upcoming joint ventures and partnerships as well as its previously teased metaverse project dubbed Otherside in March.
Vivo is a big tech giant that manufactures electronic devices based on a design-driven value and intelligent services galore. The company aims to build a bridge between the real world and digital world via unique creativity by providing users with an increasingly convenient digital life.
As of 2022, the company has branched out its sales network across more than 60 countries that cover numerous regions and has more than 400 million users worldwide that continues to grow with each passing day.
Vivo is going from strength to strength by pumping out new devices at regular intervals and things have only gone better as it has come out with its new V smartphone series as the lineup has expanded in many ways.
The company has launched two new smartphones, Vivo V25 and Vivo V25 Pro 5G, in India out of which the latter is available for purchase on portals like Flipkart and Vivo India e-store along with its retail store partners all over the country.
Whenever a new device comes out in the market, comparisons start doing the rounds all over as both common people and tech experts start comparing it to its predecessors and whether it will catch public eye in the same way as the other devices did.
Features & Specifications
It comes with a 6.56 inch FHD+ AMOLED display screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3D curved display. The device has two variants viz. 8GB RAM + 128GB internal storage and 12GB RAM + 256GB internal storage. They both come at a starting price of Rs.35,999 and Rs.39,999, respectively , and have two colour variants- pure black and sailing blue.
HDFC card users can get a discount offer of Rs.3,500 along with EMI transactions that includes an additional bonus offer of Rs.3,000, which is going to be a treat for anyone that has an account in HDFC Bank.
The handset has an AG Glass Design Technology that comes with a colour changing fluorite that frequently changes colour according to the type of light it receives exposure to and also has a fingerprint sensor to unlock it.
V25 Pro 5G has a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset along with a dual-SIM 5G support along with an additional 8GB of RAM. The device has a battery power of 4,830mAh capacity that supports a 66W fast charge.
Elista is India’s leading giant in world-class electronics, home appliances, IT, and mobile accessories brand that has a huge reputation to live up to. One can understand what they go through to make the next device better than the previous one. And this is from a company that was launched just two years back in 2020.
The company has announced the launch of the ELS TT-14000AUFB Twin Tower Speaker, a spectacle that might enhance the listening experience of many people that constantly complain about the sound quality of any leading device and this one offers dynamic sound & bass effect.
Brief Summary
It looks stunning and beautiful due to its innovative design coupled with new features that are bound to deliver enhanced audio experience at the starting price of Rs.10,500, which is good to start with considering the device’s efficacy.
The design is exquisite to say the least and is called Elista TT 14000AUFB Twin Tower Multimedia Speaker, which offers an illuminating experience with a 140W of sound output that any person with a fondness for sound effects would love.
This brand new Twin Tower Speaker not only offers superior sound experience but will be the life and soul of any rock any part/concert that one plans during festive season and we all know how people are so looking forward to it.
The speakers have a premium wooden finish that cuts out any distortions. Each speaker has a deep bass that rivals that of a movie theatre due to which viewers can avail a surreal experience as if they’ve watched an excellent movie sitting inside an IMAX theatre.
The device is also well-equipped in terms of connectivity, and accepts a wide range of multi-channel inputs that include AUX, BT, and TF/USB, which is a boon for music lovers all around that they can enjoy anywhere they want.
Mr. Pawan Kumar, CEO of Elista, said, “Elista is well known for innovating in the premium yet affordable consumer electronics space. With the release of the ELS TT-14000AUFB Twin Tower Speaker, we want to improve our position in the audio market. Coming on the back of our successful ELS ST 8000 Mini-Single Tower Mini Speakers, the new addition promises to take the music experience to another level. What better time to introduce it than now, at the start of the big festive season in India? Our customers can feel the beat of the music while dancing to the music for Navratras or listening to devotional music during Durga Puja. Self-reliance is our credo, and this atmanirbharta is reflected in every product we introduce in the market.”
Elista is well-known not just for its quality products but for providing excellent service to its customers as they believe in keeping them happy and they have lived up to their expectations many times.
The company offers a one-year warranty on the ELS TT-14000AUFB Twin Tower Speakers that will be available through Elista’s extensive dealer network that comprise of over 350 partners and Flipkart, Amazon, Tata Cliq and Payed.
Instagram is testing a new function called “Candid Challenge” that will notify users and ask them to take a random photo once per day. This new function is allegedly comparable to the BeReal programme.
The new Instagram Candid Challenge feature is being compared to BeReal because it is the first app to ever prompt users to take pictures of their surroundings by sending them a notification to the camera with a time limit of two minutes.
Alessandro Paluzzi, an app researcher, shared a screenshot of the feature. It was called “IG Candid Challenges,” and one of them showed receiving a notification at any time of the day and having two minutes to take and share a photo. BeReal invented this format.
According to Paluzzi’s screenshot, the original poster may add these contributions to their own Instagram stories by taking part in the challenge. Although the company’s most recent experiment might appear to be an expansion of its collaborative Stories tray with “Add your sticker,” the description closely resembles BeReal’s core functionality.
The social network is interested in seeing if it can replicate some of the factors that have contributed to BeReal’s current popularity, even if the feature doesn’t make it to the general user population in its current form. It was just last month that the “Dual Camera” feature, which combines photos from the front and back cameras, was introduced.
Many people believe Instagram has grown bloated and complicated as a result of its history of stealing features from other popular apps like Snapchat and TikTok. The app’s feature and algorithm decisions have consistently drawn criticism from users. In a move that mirrors TikTok’s method of surfacing content, the company was forced to roll back its heavily algorithmic feed in July. This feed featured more suggested content than content posted by your friends.
Despite the fact that BeReal is the topic of many tech discussions, data from Apptopia indicates that the app has only received slightly more than 43 million lifetime downloads. According to reports, Instagram has more than 2 billion active users each month (not including downloads). There is no immediate rivalry at the moment, but the Meta-owned business likely wants to eliminate any threat before it grows into a major social network.
Apple and Samsung are the two tech giants that produce some of the best electronic devices on the planet. They are age old veterans that have been in business for a long time despite getting stiff competition from other companies.
Nothing Phone is relatively new in the trade and to hold on to its own amidst so many old school players in the game is no less than a herculean achievement. Nothing launched its new device, Phone 1, in July 2022, and has received many positive reviews from users and tech experts alike.
The latest buzz is that the handset will get the Android 13 beta program around the end of 2022, which is after many other smartphones have started out with the program in large numbers.
The news was confirmed by Carl Pei, who is the CEO of Nothing, who had no choice but to give an official statement after the company received a lot of flak that the final update would come only in 2023, which was the last straw for many users.
Brief Up
The makers want to make sure that users get the best results regarding the beta program and are therefore in no hurry to bring it out unless all the tests are complete and give positive results.
Mr. Pei refused to provide any details regarding the Android 13 beta program but added that the company was focused on creating a riveting software experience to its users, which is why they are taking their time before launching the program.
The company has claimed that Nothing Phone (1) will receive Android updates of 3 years and security updates of 4 years and both will be rolled out every two months so that they can see how things work out.
The handset has got a price hike due to fluctuating rates in currency exchange and high component costs. It comes with a 6.55 inch AMOLED display screen and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 778+ chipset at a 120Hz refresh rate and finally, the battery power is at 4,500mAh that supports 33W fast charging.
There are many electronic gadgets out there that have made our lives much easier and it is by reducing manual labour. Be it smartphones, tablets, laptops, plugs, and many others, you can always rely on them to come in handy in times of peril.
Smartwatches aren’t discussed as much despite how they play a key role in keeping our health and fitness in check. This doesn’t imply that they’re unpopular but just one of those things that you don’t see them popping up in conversations as much.
There are many brands of smartwatches out there that keep releasing new devices on a regular basis with the latest entrant being a Fitbit model as the company has officially introduced what it calls its ‘fall lineup’.
It is going to launch Fitbit Sense 2, Versa 4 and act as an inspiration for 3 other wearables. Fitbit has evolved the designs of Versa 4 and Sense 2 in a subtle manner by choosing to abstain from bringing in some new revolutionary, benchmark-setting changes in that department.
Smartwatch Theme
Sense 2 and Versa 4 have many of their features similar to their predecessor like the EDA Sensor through which they get all-day stress management that warns the wearer of any potential triggers that happen due to immense stress.
It creates a stress management routine for the user that continuously builds resilience against stress over a short period of time. It also has 40 exercise modes, the same as Versa 4, and nearly 1000 workout sessions and mindful stress busting exercises, both of which are behind the Fitbit Premium paywall.
People that are afflicted with insomnia can utilize this feature to their advantage as they can now keep track on their sleep along with the Daily Readiness Score that alerts users as to when to take rest and when to keep going by pushing hard.
Both Versa 4 and Sense 2 have features that monitor heartrate on a 24/7 basis along with its statistical data and a strong battery life that lasts around 6 days, which means that fast charging is quite adept.
Sense 2 and Versa 4 come with a starting price of $299.95 and $229.95, respectively where users can avail a premium membership for auto-renewing for a period of six months, which has increased the interest of many people to purchase both models at the earliest.
Motorola is arguably one of the most underrated tech giants that has churned out some of the best smartphones in the business. It is therefore sad that it doesn’t come up in conversations when you talk about the top tech giants like Apple and Samsung.
Now the buzz is hot that the company will launch its newest smartphone model, Moto G72, into the market very soon but has kept mum as to when exactly it will happen, which is why users will have to keep patience until further information on the matter.
As with any other company, there are inside sources that leak information about the device that give rise to speculations among both users and tech experts as to what all they can expect and how new are the features going to be.
Tipsters have claimed that the device will come out in India around late September to early October 2022. They have also revealed information regarding its features and specifications so that users can get an idea as to what they can look forward to when Moto G72 is launched into the market.
Features & Specifications
The handset is claimed to be powered by MediaTek Helio G37 SoC and might have a storage capacity of 6GB and 8GB RAM options where it can be expanded to 12GB through inbuilt storage.
Moto G72 is speculated to be a 4G model while its Indian variant is tipped to have a codename ‘Victoria22’ along with an XT2255-2 model number. Further speculations include camera details like a triple rear camera unit that might comprise of a 48 megapixel primary sensor, an 8 megapixel, and 2 megapixel sensor.
Moto G72 battery power is hoped to be 5,000mAh that may support 33W fast charging. While these are the speculations surrounding the new handset, users will have to wait for further information from the horses’ mouth and not believe everything that tipsters say, no matter how reliable they are.
Google has come up with interesting devices for the last many years and has received massive accolades from both common folks and tech experts, which is why it is one of the biggest tech giants on the planet.
This has given rise to a massive debate as to which of the tech giants are better than the other but that’s another story for another day. We all know that Google Pixel 6a was launched last month and received tremendous response from one and all.
Its starting price in the US was $449 and it has got massive praise in the United States with many youngsters liking its features more than the previous models and the latest buzz is that Amazon is giving a $50 discount to Pixel 6a that has brought its price down to under $400 to $399.
Features
If you’re looking for a perfect pixel smartphone loaded with upgraded features then look no further than Pixel 6a as it has everything that a user would want and nowhere can he get a cheaper deal than this.
Google Pixel 6a is considered the company’s flagship model and top-end device that can compete with the best smartphones of other reputed brands. It comes with a 6.1 inch OLED display screen with a dual rear camera setup that comprises of 12MP+12MP and 8MP selfie camera.
You’ve got to hand it to WhatsApp to keep up with the expectations of their users as they expect nothing less from the Meta-owned messaging app. There is a reason why WhatsApp is considered the best messaging app that is far ahead of Telegram and Signal.
After the upgrading the status update feature just a few days back, WhatsApp has come out with a new update through which users can bring profile photos of group participants into group chats for a future update on the app.
This was requested by users and tech experts due to which WhatsApp has decided to oblige as now profile pics can be uploaded into group chats if the people in the pic are part of the group.
What is interesting about the feature is that while it can be enabled by default for all participants of the group, there is no option to disable it because it is still under development stage and there’s no news as to when it will come out.
After the latest update through which status updates can be now viewed in the chat list, this too will be met with appeal because we all know how pictures matter to people whenever they upload it on any platform.
Apple launches iPhone 14 series on September 7
Yes, it is officially confirmed. Apple Inc. has finally given the say so to launch its new iPhone 14 series of smartphones on September 7, 2022, along with numerous other devices like Apple Smartwatch, Mac PC, iPad, and others on the same date.
The event will take place virtually as the live recording will be streamed to everyone from Apple Park. Online viewers will be able to stream the event live from Apple’s official event page or official YouTube page.
Expectations are skyhigh for the iPhone 14 series as people are, for good reason, expecting it to be bigger and better than its predecessors in terms of size and features. There will be four new models in iPhone 14 series viz. iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone Pro, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
While 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max are expected to have a new Apple A16 Bionic chip, iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will have a tweaked version A15 bionic chip from 2021, which is interesting to hear.
September 7 is going to be a big day given the sheer number of devices set for launch that day and it will be interesting to see how the events unfold along with the response that they get from both masses and classes.
Whenever you talk about the best mobile games that have come out in the past decade, you’ll find Garena Free Fire Max to be somewhere at the top, which is also a spiritual sequel to Garena Free Fire Max.
There isn’t a single game in the genre of action adventures that can hold a candle to Garena Free Fire Max due to which it has set new benchmarks despite being launched just 5 years back.
Garena Free Fire was banned in India but that hasn’t curtailed its popularity in the country. It is a battle royale involving multiple players and with interesting but very difficult levels that are tough to crack.
Redeem Codes offer an interesting solution as not only can players now sail through comfortably across all levels but can also win interesting rewards in return like weapons, skin, costumes, diamonds, and many others.
You can get the redeem codes every day from the official Reward’s Redemption site available on Chrome and extract them but it has to be done within 24 hours as the codes are valid only for that time period following which new ones will come up.
The redeem codes for August 25, 2022, are as follows:
On Tuesday, a parliamentary committee asked executives of major tech firms like Apple, Google, Netflix, and Amazon to respond to 10 questions about what, in their opinion, is causing anti-competitive behaviour in the digital sphere. This was largely directed at Google.
In order to examine various aspects of competition in the digital market, the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, Jayant Sinha, reportedly called representatives from these tech giants’ Indian subsidiaries. The committee has previously met with representatives from other top companies, including Paytm, Swiggy, Zomato, Flipkart, Ola, Oyo, and the All India Gaming Association, to discuss similar issues.
The panel reportedly wanted to know why in-app purchases come with a 30% fee and why subscription costs are so high. Concerns about platform neutrality have been raised when online platforms act as both a marketplace and a rival. The executives of these companies were questioned regarding their keyword bidding policies, the use of data, and whether or not this usage hinders new competitors from entering into the market.
These businesses were also questioned about how they define markets, who their rivals are, how they adhere to the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), and what procedures they use when suspending apps. Additionally, some complaints they have received in recent months from Indian tech companies are the basis for this.
The search engine giant claimed to have made Rs 13,887 crore from the sale of advertising space in the 2020–21 fiscal year, according to sources.
In terms of billing and subscription fees, it also stated that they are eschewing a one-size-fits-all strategy. Google announced that it has also started a user choice billing pilot in India with Spotify and plans to add more partners. The deadline for adding Indian users to the Google Play billing system has also been extended until October 31, 2022.
According to Meta, a company’s overall data holdings don’t pose an entry barrier, and the company competes in both the international market and the Indian market.
Additionally, Netflix claimed that there is no entry barrier for competitors when it comes to entertainment data, which is easily replicable.
As a result, this committee requested suggestions, had all of these companies top executives appear before it, and is also preparing a report for the government.
Our main aim is to provide users with a healthy lifestyle devoid of disease, ailments, stress, and depression with the proverbial fitness guru. In this day and age when the atmosphere is replete with pollutants, human lives are the most at risk fo which Gizmore has an excellent solution. This device is a must for people dealing with health issues as it will help them keep their body in check. Read on to know further.
We want to know your brand journey: The mission, the vision, the beginning & the challenges you faced while entering the market. How is Gizmore coping with the challenges of the Indian market?
Gizmore was established in 2018 with the vision of becoming one of the top brands in the technology and lifestyle segment. The brand started in the mobile accessory segment and soon moved into the audio products, smartwatches and IOT category. Today, Gizmore is a popular choice in the personal audio, home audio and fitness (with the smartwatches) categories, which has been the primary focus in building the brand.
Like any other new brand, Gizmore also handled the competition in the industry in the early days. However, thefocus on continuous innovation to meet consumer demand for affordable premium products has been rewarded by anencouraging response.
We were clear about the mission to make Gizmore’s quality products available to a large number of people, including those residing in Tier-III cities and beyond in India. Gizmore is available in more than 200+ cities, have more than 100+ people in our team and 200+ distributors and are available at more than 20,000+ retail points. In addition, it is also present on popular ecommerce/ online websites while a significant part of sales is still coming through the offline medium.
Going forward, we are working to bring smart accessories, audio and lifestyle products within reach of everyone looking for premium quality and stylish devices.
What is Gizmore’s plan of action for becoming India’s top brand in the wearable category & how aggressively is the brand approaching this goal?
We position ourselves as a lifestyle, pocket-friendly brand. Created for the Indian youth, who aspire to improve their lifestyle through technologically advanced, good-looking products, the company is committed to introducing ultra-modern products in the segment.
Our brand is on a mission to bring intelligent accessories, audio and lifestyle products accessible and within reach of everyone looking for premium quality and stylish devices. The response to our products from the youth has been tremendous. Within a short while, we have attained a pan India presence thanks to our ability to bring the latest lifestyle products with innovative yet practical technology within everyone’s reach. It will continue to be our focus.
Keeping the Make in India initiative in mind how is Gizmore planning to contribute in the same?
As a homegrown brand, Gizmore has undoubtedly benefited from the Make in India programme, with pricing benefits to both of us as a brand and to consumers.
When we first started in 2018, most of our products were imported. However, it was always on our plan to make products within the subcontinent. Shortly after beginning operations, we started manufacturing our products in India and became self-reliant. Soon after, the government announced the SKD regulations and tariff benefits for accessory segments; we began shifting to manufacturing our products in India.
More than 80 per cent of our speaker portfolio is currently Made in India. All our recent launches in the segment are manufactured in the country with the support of our partners. We have also recently launched our Made in India line of smartwatches. We are working towards setting up a manufacturing facility in the country.
India is a price-sensitive market, so as a growing tech brand, what is Gizmore’s take on the “Price vs Quality” part when it comes to launching your products?
There will always be concerns when you change or adopt new methods. However, we have always maintained a balance between quality and price. Affordable does not have to mean cheap in quality. The quality of our products has proved itself in the market. It is significantly better than products being imported from China.
With all the duty benefits now in effect, we can provide our products at a competitive price. Research and Development have undoubtedly played a crucial part in developing a better and more innovative product with the most up-to-date features.
We believe that as a brand, we have an edge with this Make in India Initiative and operate from the heart of India (Delhi). Affiliation with various factories all around and near us has also aided our business and sales. We plan to manufacture all our products in India in about a year.
How is the market experience for Gizmore in India, in terms of market acceptance, branding, competition, and market penetration, according to the given business scenario?
Like every other brand, we want our products to be at the top. With the market growing at 300%, our focus will continue on fitness products, with smartwatches being the first in line. We are also aggressively moving towards making our products available on both online and offline mediums.
Our products have been well received in the market, with positive feedback from our retailers and distributors. We will expand our fitness product line to capture a larger market share.
We focus on proving “Make in India” products that incorporate best-in-class technology developed for the Indian masses. One of our key strengths is the after-sales service we provide. We have over 200+ Service Centres across India, each with in-house CRM to keep track of everything. With over 25+ service personnel, we can ensure that every complaint is handled and resolved with the appropriate solution.
As we know, the Wearable market is growing at a CAGR of 18% and is expected to be a market of $265.4 Bn by 2026. What do you think, about the future of wearables in India, is it really prospering or it’s just another hype?
India’s wearables market grew 113% year-on-year to ship 23.9 million units in the second quarter of 2022, while the first half (January-June) recorded shipments of 38 million units, growing at 65.8% year-on-year, according to International Data Corporation (IDC) data. It is predicted that wearable device shipments will surpass 90 million in 2022. The above figures make it clear the wearable market in India is prospering and will continue to do so.
Gizmore offers a wide range of accessories, so which one is performing better in the market, and what is your strategy to boost other products?
Our smartwatches have been a roaring success. GIZFIT 910 PRO, our first ‘Make in India’ smartwatch, was introduced at an introductory price of Rs. 2,499. At that time, it was the only watch in this price range with built-in calling and AI voice assistant functionality for health and lifestyle lovers. Our strategy is to expand our portfolio in the fitness wearables segment under the ‘GIZFIT’ series. We have recently launched a gaming smartwatch GIZFIT Ultra excessively on Flipkart. We will continue to expand in this segment and work towards establishing ourselves as a D2C brand. We believe that our competitive prices have allowed us to reach out to many individuals while providing strong after-sales support.
So, which platform yields maximum revenue for Gizmore is it online or offline?
Earlier, we were only present via offline mediums. We started with the Northern part of India, then the Western, then the Southern, and then expanded to the Eastern part of the country. We operate on a Pan India level, where more than 250 distributors district-wise take billing from us regularly. We are expanding our online presence with an exclusive tie-up with Flipkart in the Audio and Smartwatch category. We are strengthening our foothold in the online space and taking baby steps to establish ourselves as a D2C brand.
So as a tech Brand, what are your ambitions & plans for the next 10 years?
We are thrilled by the encouraging response we have got from the consumers. We have over 7 million happy customers and are growing at a healthy growth rate of 40% yearly. The ability to bring the latest lifestyle products with innovative yet practical technology within everyone’s reach has been the cornerstone of our success. Within a short while, we have attained a pan India presence thanks to our ability to bring the latest lifestyle products with innovative yet practical technology within everyone’s reach. It will continue to be our focus. We will focus on the AMOLED screen to provide an exceptional viewing experience with its wide range of colours offering an incredible degree of clarity. Smart watches with classical and premium looks provide more memory and a camera.
We will continue to bring innovative, high-quality products to expand our presence in the market. We will also plan further to strengthen our distribution network in the coming years and scale up as a D2C brand.
