Indian consumer and lifestyle tech brand Quantum has unveiled a premium range of three audio products, which are perfect as gifting options or to be brought home ahead of Diwali.
The latest offerings from the house of the homegrown manufacturer of contemporary tech items include two all-new speakers equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology – SonoTrix 81 and SonoTrix 51 – and a pair of True Wireless Earbuds SonoTrix X. While SonoTrix 81 and SonoTrix 51 are currently available at introductory prices of Rs 1,299 and Rs 799, respectively, SonoTrix X TWS can be grabbed at a launch price of Rs 899 on quantumhitech.com and Amazon, along with other leading e-commerce platforms.
“Over nearly three decades now, we have kept it sacrosanct to develop products that are conducive to the need of the hour. In the new normal, there is a pertinent need of audio products that are smaller, easy to carry and more personal with regard to usage. Our latest offerings have been engineered and designed taking all these factors into consideration. While the Bluetooth speakers are perfect for listening to some music with your family, you can bank upon the TWS earbuds for a solo or me time,” said Arnav Mutneja, Director,Quantum Hi-Tech.
SonoTrix 81: The portable light weight speaker that gives an 8 Watt output is equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5 technology for seamless connectivity, even as it supports TF/SD card, Aux input and USB. It has an inbuilt noise cancelling mic while its IPX7 certification makes it dust, water and splash proof. A robust 2000mAh battery ensures a playback time up to 18 hours while the speaker can be charged fully in just 8 hours.
SonoTrix 51: With an assured output of 5 Watt, the speaker is engineered using cutting edge technology to produce superior sound couple with a punchy bass. One can use the speaker as a personal hands-free speakerphone, thanks to the inbuilt mic in the Bluetooth speaker. On a single complete charge, it assures a playtime of almost 20 hours and the audio output is sans any distortion or shrill effect.
It is imperative to mention here that both the aforementioned speakers have TWS function, which means they can be paired together to play in stereo mode.
SonoTrix X: The latest TWS earbuds from the house of Quantum are powered with smart control options, dual microphones and voice assistants. Easy touch sensors allow users to seamlessly access the multiple functions of the buds, which are congruent with a plethora of new-age devices. In addition to an immersive Hi-Fi stereo, deep bass and intelligent touch control, the buds offer a playtime of a whopping 42 hours, thanks to the aesthetically designed charging case that also adds to the style statement.
Also Read: Clubhouse announces 13 new languages and new app icon
Clubhouse today announced the addition of 13 new languages to make it more accessible to people who want to see the platform available in their native languages. The 13 languages are – Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian) and Spanish.
In addition to the multiple languages, Clubhouse also announced a brand-new app icon, featuring musician, singer and songwriter Anirudh Deshmukh.
In the year or so since Clubhouse hit the App Store, we’ve seen millions of people meet, make friends, have deep talks, share ideas, hang out and even get married on the app. The variety of conversations is increasing each day — from Steve telling people how to load their dishwashers to entire rooms dedicated to debating cousin Greg’s true intentions in Succession. It has honestly amazed us that people in so many countries have managed to come together to do this on an app that only supports English.
Today, all of that is changing, as Clubhouse are rolling out their first wave of local language support. They are starting on Android with thirteen new languages launching immediately — including French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kannada, Korean, Malayalam, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish, Tamil, and Telugu. They will be adding support for iOS and additional languages soon, so that people from Mumbai and Paris to Sao Pãulo and Jakarta can experience Clubhouse in a way that feels a bit more native to them.
Of course, the platform couldn’t take such a momentous step without ushering in a new app icon, as well — Anirudh Deshmukh!
Anirudh is a part of an incredible corner of Clubhouse where hundreds of different languages are spoken. And just like his predecessor Mandiie Martinez, founder of the Chingona AF club, Anirudh is a multi-hyphenate human of many talents. He’s an architect turned singer, songwriter, composer, and more. Based in Mumbai, Anirudh joined Clubhouse at the start of the year and by the spring, had launched his now 72K member club, Anirudh, where he hosts his nightly show ‘Late Night Jam.’ Budding artists from around the world have come to love Anirudh for the authenticity and genuine support he shares, as he encourages them each night to take the stage and share their music, poetry, and life experiences.
Also Read: Yellow Class: Designed for parents and kids looking for free online hobby classes from world-class mentors
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and IT, released Vision Document (Volume-I) on “Increasing India’s Electronics Exports and Share in GVCs”. The report, prepared by ICEA, analyses the challenges and outlines key success factors for increasing electronics exports, while benchmarking against competing nations.
Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to increase exports and India’s share in global supply chains “Local Goes Global”, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology released Volume-I of Vision Document, “Increasing India’s Electronics Exports and Share in GVCs – Towards Atmanirbhar Bharat”. This comes as a part of MeitY’s Vision 1000 Days that sets a target of achieving $1 trillion Digital Economy for Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
The Vision Document (Volume-I) has been prepared by Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) in consultation with the industry. It is a call to action which analyses the challenges and outlines key success factors for increasing electronics exports, while benchmarking against competing nations.
The document focuses on the opportunities and key inputs to increase India’s share in the Global Value Chain and build large-scale manufacturing capabilities to achieve a substantial share in global electronics export. The report by ICEA makes recommendations to increase scale, competitiveness and domestic value addition over the next 1000 days.
Addressing the event and speaking about the transformation of electronics manufacturing space after pandemic, the Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that India has an unprecedented opportunity to grow electronics manufacturing to USD 300 billion in the next 3-4 years, building on scale, competitiveness, large market and enabling policies.
“Post-Covid world represents coming together of many things/elements including the renewed confidence under visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, policy making, investments, jobs and a strong preference for trust in Global Value Chains. These together present an unprecedented – never before opportunity for India in electronics sector,” said Chandrasekhar.
He further said that the industry needs to focus on expanding product categories which can serve new markets and new types of consumers. “We are in a world where hardware plays less role in innovation and software plays more significant role. In this scenario, India has the ability to use its strength in electronics design, systems design along with electronics manufacturing,” the minister said while releasing the vision document.
Commenting on collaboration with industry in realizing the vision, Chandrasekhar said, “We will approach the industry as a partner and will fully support it in its efforts to increase the overall competitiveness of the economy.” He quoted the PM’s speech “Yahi Samay Hai”, signifying the narrow window of opportunity available in the electronics sector.
The push for the ESDM sector is preceded by India emerging as the second largest manufacturer of mobile handsets in the world in volume terms, producing 30 crore handsets (2020-21) as against 6 crore handsets in 2014-15. Over 200 units are manufacturing cellular mobile phones and parts in the country which is up from only 2 units in 2014. Production of mobile handsets has grown from INR 19,000 crore in 2014-15 to INR 2,20,000 crore in 2020-21. This has given a significant boost to the sector and to the vision of achieving self-reliance under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
MeitY Secretary Ajay Sawhney, briefing the media about the vision document, said that despite the very serious nature of the pandemic and the impact it had across all the industries, India was able to maintain its overall production at $75 billion in 2021 and aims to reach $250 billion in five years, with a CAGR of 27%. “And that is where we need to now revisit and reassess what we are attempting to do, how do we change our course? What do we do differently, to be able to sustain this level of growth,” said Sawhney.
The Vision Document is the first of a two-part series. The second volume will present product-wise strategies and forecasts as part of the campaign to build a US$1 trillion Digital Economy, in pursuit of reaching US$5 trillion GDP.
“We need tactical and strategic steps for each product line to build India’s competitiveness to meet the PM’s vision. Government and industry need to collaborate seamlessly in this effort without wasting a minute. We know the issues and the solutions. It’s time to implement,” said Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman, ICEA, while making his opening remarks at the event.
The document makes recommendations on short-term (1-4 years) and long-term (5-10 years) strategies to increase electronics exports from India, shift of electronics manufacturing ecosystem investments, and expand exports by increasing competitiveness and scale.
The report critically analyses the impact of tariffs on inputs on India’s competitiveness, and makes specific recommendations in view of the goals set by the Prime Minister. The Vision Document also emphasises on the strategies to build Domestic Champions and the need for linking their products with Lead Firms and GVCs.
It seeks to protect Domestic Champions from unfair trade practices, while requesting policy support in the areas of financing and design development. It identifies key electronic products, namely mobile phones, IT hardware, hearables / wearables etc, which provide the highest potential for exports, in view of massive global demand for these products.
The release ceremony was attended by a wide spectrum of people from the industry and industry associations, MeitY, academia amongst others. A presentation on the vision document was given by Dr Harsh Vardhan, Chairman, IKDHWAJ Advisers LLP. Remarks were also given by Hari Om Rai, CMD, Lava Mobiles, and Virat Bhatia, Chairman FICCI National Committee on ICT and Mobile Manufacturing.
Vivo has announced attractive Diwali offers on popular smartphones — Vivo X70 series, V21 series, Y73 and Y33s. The smartphone brand has partnered with Bajaj Finance to enable customers to buy a phone for just Rs 101. Additional offers include up to 10 percent cashback on select bank cards and one-time screen replacement for specific Vivo smartphones. Vivo has also partnered with Jio to offer benefits worth Rs 10,000. These offers are applicable across mainline channels only and will be valid till November 7.
Also Read: Vivo X70 Pro: The Camera King – Phone Review
Instagram now allows users to publicly participate in Stories
Instagram has introduced a new feature through a Stories sticker called “Add Yours” that allows users create public threads in Stories that anyone can participate in. The new “Add Yours” sticker is designed to allow users to create public threads in stories and to encourage other users to upload their own stories to the thread or to discover new people who are also participating. The sticker is available now and can be found next to the location and mention sticker.
WhatsApp might remove the time limit for ‘Delete for Everyone’
WhatsApp is reportedly working on extending the time limit for ‘Delete for Everyone’ feature. As per the report, the instant messaging app from Facebook is rolling out a new video playback interface for iOS devices for videos shared from YouTube, Instagram and more such platforms. The message delete feature for WhatsApp was initially introduced in 2017 and the ‘delete for everyone’ feature’s time limit was set to seven minutes and a few months later was increased to more than an hour.
Netflix brings free-to-play games to all members on Android
Video streaming service Netflix adds five games to its Android app globally. The games include Stranger Things: 1984 (BonusXP), Stranger Things 3: The Game (BonusXP), Shooting Hoops (Frosty Pop), Card Blast (Amuzo & Rogue Games), and Teeter Up (Frosty Pop). To further build out its library of Netflix games, the popular OTT platform, in September, also acquired the independent game developer Night School Studio, best known for narrative-driven titles like Oxenfree.
Also Read: Nokia T20 Android Tablet Launched in India: Check Out Specs and Price Now
Good news for Nokia fans! Right ahead of Diwali, Nokia T20 Tablet– the first Android tablet by Nokia brand licensee HMD Global – has arrived in India. The newly unveiled tablet comes with a big display, a good design, and stock Android with regular updates. It also underlines the efforts of HMD towards India, which is one of its most important markets.
“The company combines the signature attributes of Nokia phones in terms of design, build quality, unmatched battery life and for security updates and upgrades,”HMD Global said in a statement.
Nokia T20 Tablet Release Date in India
The Nokia T20 Tablet made its debut in India on November 2, 2021. The first of them under HMD Global, the second to run on Android, and the third-ever tablet to sport the Nokia name, the T20 has something to prove.
Nokia T20 Specifications & Features
Nokia T20 Tablet
Display
Talking about its specifications, the Nokia T20 comes with a 10.4-inch 2K in-cell display with thick bezels all around. It has 400 nits of peak brightness, a pixel density of 226 PPI, and a 60Hz refresh rate.
Nokia T20 Processor
Under the hood, the Nokia T20 is powered by a Unisoc 12nm Tiger T610 chipset, which is paired with 3GB and 4GB RAM options. Users get up to 64GB of internal memory and can add a microSD card that supports up to 512GB for more storage. The tablet houses an 8,200mAh battery, which means a long runtime. It also supports fast charging through a 15W compatible charger.
Read Here: Nokia C20 Plus launched in India, Nokia C30 and C01 Plus to Arrive Soon
Camera
Coming to the cameras, the Nokia T20 houses an 8-megapixel camera sensor at the back and a 5-megapixel selfie camera sensor at the front. The rear camera setup is paired with an LED flash. As per Nokia, the dual speakers OZO Playback can deliver an immersive listening experience “wherever you are.”
Software & Security
The newly launched tablet runs on Android 11 out-of-the-box, and the company promises two years of software updates and three years of security updates. It further comes with Face Unlock for security.
Other features
Other key features of the tablet include 4G LTE (optional), Bluetooth v5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, USB Type-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Besides, the Nokia T20 tablet comes pre-loaded with Google Kids Space that is designed for kids and works with Google Account of your child.
Nokia T20 Tablet Price in India
The Nokia T20 Tablet has two storage options – 3GB RAM + 32GB storage variant, which is available at Rs 15,499 and the price goes up to Rs 16,499 for the 4GB RAM + 64GB variant. The tablet comes in blue colourway only.
Nokia T20 – Where to Buy?
The Nokia T20 is available to purchase on the official website of Nokia and it will be available on Flipkart as well.
Also Read: Maxima Max Pro X6 smartwatch with Realtek chipset, Bluetooth calling feature launched
HMD Global has launched its first tablet – Nokia T20 – in India. Available in 3GB and 4GB RAM, these models support Wi-Fi plus calling. The tablet is powered by an 8,200mAh battery that can deliver up to 15 hours of browsing on a single charge. The 32GB tablet is priced at Rs 15,499 and the 4GB variant is available at Rs 16,499. The other option consists of 64GB internal storage. The tablet also comes with expandable storage of up to 512GB via mciorSD card. It is being sold in two colour options – Deep Ocean and Ocean Blue.
XGIMI launches smart portable 4K projector Elfin in India
The XGIMI Elfin smart projector has gone official in India. XGIMI has launched a new portable projector dubbed Elfin. The company has expanded its portfolio with a feature-laden projector that weighs less than 1 kg. Aside from that, the Elfin smart projector comes with special features that offer efficient eye protection. It packs a big battery that claims to offer a longer battery life. The company also said that its new projector will offer a safer viewing experience by minimising waste and checking the blue light exposure.
Also Read: Ultimate Battle includes Asian Games Esports titles on its platform
TCL X20 SE and TCL 20A 5G launched
According to a report, TCL X20 SE and TCL 20A 5G have been launched in the US. Both new phones are said to have triple rear cameras and also a custom-designed TCL UI on top of Android. It comes with 18W fast charging support. On the distinction part, the TCL X20 SE is reportedly powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P22 SoC, whereas the TCL 20A 5G carries Qualcomm Snapdragon 480. The latter also has high-speed 5G connectivity. The TCL X20 SE carries a pricing of $160 at Metro by T-Mobile. There is no information on the pricing of the 20A 5G.
Huawei Watch Fit launched in India
Huawei Watch Fit was unveiled in India. The wearable was launched in August globally, and its India availability was first teased on Amazon India last week. It has a 1.64-inch vivid AMOLED display, comes with over 97 workout modes, and all-day SpO2 monitoring. The Huawei Watch Fit has a large display, and it includes features like 24×7 heart rate monitoring, and 10-day battery life. It resembles a lot with the newly launched Redmi Smart Band Pro, which also offers SpO2 tracking.
With esports all set to make its debut at the Asian Games next year, Ultimate Battle (UB) now boasts of all the five esports medal games that India may participate in. Gamers will get a first-hand opportunity to train and compete in these games on the UB platform ahead of Asia’s prestigious sporting event.
With an aim to popularise and encourage the fan base for these games in the Indian gaming ecosystem; Ultimate Battle is the only platform in the country to introduce all the five video games permissible among the eight titles that will be part of the 2022 Asian Games.
Among the eight esports titles to be part of the Asian Games, PUBG Mobile (Asian Games version), Arena of Valor and Dream Three Kingdoms (DTK) 2 are the ones in which, for now, there is no clarity on India’s participation as the first two titles are currently banned in India while the DTK2 is not available to play in our country. The other five titles which can see participation of Indian gamers and are now available on UB platform are:
FIFA (made by EA SPORTS)
Dota 2
League of Legends
HearthStone
Street Fighter V
Regular tournaments will be hosted on the UB platform, providing an optimum chance for the casual gamers as well as professional esports athletes to ace their game. They will also have a ranking system in place as part of the automated leader board based on the performances of each of the players. The winners will be awarded with exciting prize money.
“We want the Ultimate Battle platform to be every gamer’s practice and competitive ground. They can not only train but compete as well with other gamers and esports professionals as much as play for sheer joy and develop a keen followership for each of the titles ahead of the Asian Games. We hope UB can become the ultimate avenue for all the professionals as well as gaming enthusiasts who come to our platform with an easy access and a seamless interface to participate and challenge, as well as hone their skills and increase the followership for the respective gaming titles and make larger esports ecosystem respectively,” said Tarun Gupta, Founder, Ultimate Battle.
Also Read: WhatsApp will stop working on these phones from today: Check out the list
In recent years and especially after the pandemic, when the sporting world moved on to become virtual, esports was the biggest gainer in the domain. Games like League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Call of Duty, Free Fire and Online Chess are some of the competitive games whose popularity shot up in the last 15 months.
Currently, the UB platform has 15 games, including all the popular titles, and they currently boast of a player base of more than 3,30,000 and the number is on the rise. With close to 54,000 monthly active users, gamers get an active community to interact with and compete against each other. Apart from enjoying the platform on Ultimate Battle’s official website, the gamers can also play tournaments by downloading Ultimate Battle’s recently-launched app directly from the website.
Popular watch maker Maxima Watches has introduced a new smartwatch in the market called the Max Pro X6. Featuring metallic casing with a premium ceramic feel back, the smartwatch boasts a big 1.7-inch super bright HD screen, topping 400 nits for an incredible viewing experience, ensuring zero viewing problems, even on the sunniest of days.
The Maxima Max Pro X6 also has a Bluetooth calling feature and comes with an inbuilt mic and a high-definition speaker. The company claims to have spent several hundred hours in research and development to deliver best-in-class audio and mic receptions. Maxima has also worked extensively on eradicating call drop issues to give its users a seamless calling experience.
This latest offering from Maxima is equipped with a high-performance Realtek chipset and allows its users to choose between a honeycomb or list style UI as per their preference. Moreover, the users can add their favourite contacts through the pairing app to directly contact them from the watch.
For those who like to keep a track of their health, the watch comes geared with an intelligent AI Sleep Monitor and SpO2/ Continuous Heart Rate Monitor as well. It also connects smoothly with the Da Fit app which provides accurate motion recording, sleeping details, and exercise analysis.
Maxima is known for its unparalleled after-sales service and Max Pro X6 comes with the assured “X-Service” policy where customer will register their watch with maxima on their website. Post registration, user will receive regular software updates, access to a toll-free service agent and Live one-to-one video service room to clarify any doubts on the watch functions. In the unlikely event if there is a technical problem, Maxima will arrange a home pick-up and delivery of the smartwatch through their service logistic partner (Blue Dart).
Also Read: Infinix to debut INBook X1 laptop, unveil Note 11 series by December in India
Manjot Purewal, Managing Partner of Maxima Watches, said, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of our most advanced smartwatch, the Max Pro X6 with Bluetooth calling function. We always work obsessively on our products throughout the development process and with regard to the X6, our primary focus was to ensure a great smartwatch with terrific calling functions. So, we left no stone unturned to ensure that the X6 has an excellent speaker and mic – which is a notch above what is available in the market in our target segment.”
“We have also upgraded our software to eliminate all call drop issues for a smooth sailing experience while taking or making calls. I am confident that we have successfully developed a product that delivers both style and performance and that will fulfill the expectations of our customers,” he further stated.
The smartwatch comes with an introductory price of Rs 3,999 for a limited period.
To add to the Diwali festivities, smartphone brand Infinix is geared up to launch its first INBook X1 laptop. Packed with several FIST (First in Segment Technology) features that are not been offered by any other brand, the all metal-body laptop will be available in three processor variants i3, i5 and i7 and a multi-utility fast Type-C charger, said Infinix in a statement.
To be priced aggressively, the INBook X1 laptop will come in three colours- Noble Red, Starfull Grey and Aurora Green and will be launched on Flipkart in December.
Meanwhile, its much-awaited, powerful new gaming Note 11 series is also set to make its official entry in the market during the same time.
To be priced between the range of Rs 10K and 15K, the all new Note 11 series will promise a powerful gaming experience with its latest G96 processor, and most importantly it will have the first in segment AMOLED FHD+ display.
Gaming enthusiasts can also get their hands on the limited Free Fire edition of Note 11 series.
So, let the countdown begin towards a power-packed year-end.
Also Read: Maxima Max Pro X6 smartwatch with Realtek chipset, Bluetooth calling feature launched
WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging app. Many Android and iOS users use the platform on regular basis to stay in touch with their family and friends. But recently, the Facebook-owned messaging app has announced that it will stop working on a number of Android and iOS devices from November 1, i.e. today.
WhatsApp will soon become non-existent for users who despite getting repeated warnings from the instant messaging app, did not upgrade their phones. The company has shared a list of smartphones that will no longer support WhatsApp staring November 1, 2021. In general, these devices will be Android phones that are running on Android 4.0.3 or lower, and Apple iPhones that are running on iOS 9 or older.
Check out the complete list of phones
Apple
iPhone 6
iPhone 6s plus
iPhone SE
Android (based on phone manufacturer)
LG
Lucid 2
Optimus F7
Optimus F5
Optimus L3 II
Dual Optimus L5
Best L5 II
Optimus L5
Dual Best L3 II
Optimus L7
Optimus L7
Dual Best L7 II
Optimus F6
Enact Optimus F3
Best L4 II
Best L2 II
Optimus Nitro HD
Optimus 4X HD
Optimus F3Q
Huawei
Ascend G740
Ascend Mate
Ascend D Quad XL
Ascend D1 Quad XL
Ascend P1 S
Ascend D2
Samsung
Galaxy Trend Lite
Galaxy Trend II
Galaxy SII
Galaxy S3 mini
Galaxy Xcover 2
Galaxy Core
Galaxy Ace 2
ZTE
Grand S Flex
ZTE V956
Grand X Quad V987
Grand Memo
Sony
Xperia Miro
Xperia Neo L
Xperia Arc S
There are some others devices too from lesser-known brands, like Archos 53 Platinum, Caterpillar Cat B15, HTC Desire 500, Alcatel, Wiko Darknight, Lenovo A820 UMi X2, Run F1, THL W8, and Wiko Cink Five which will have to bid adieu to WhatApp.
Also Read: JioPhone Next finally on sale: Check out specifications, price and everything you need to know
Here’s how to check if your phone is eligible
If your phone is running on an old operating system and present in the list, upgrade the software to the latest version. Follow the steps to check for any pending software update:
Step 1: Go to Settings on your phone
Step 2: Now, go to About Phone option
Step 3: Here you will be able to see which software is running on your phone. If your phone is running on Android 4.1 or later, WhatsApp will continue its support otherwise not
If there are no pending update and WhatsApp is not working for your device anymore, it is time to get a new smartphone with the latest OS support. However, before that you need to back up your chats if you don’t want to lose it.
Also Read: WhatsApp Tips: How to backup, restore chats to Google Drive
