Home Blog Page 1258

Inbase launches ‘Urban Q1 Pro’ TWS earbuds with smart touch control in India

0

Electronics brand Inbase brings out another valuable addition to its TWS category with its all-new Urban Q1 Pro earbuds. These earbuds allow you to get your daily dose of music while jogging, cooking, or driving as it easily gets connected with any device without the hassle of wires. They are sweatproof and enable you to enjoy non-stop music for a longer duration.

For music lovers, Urban Q1 Pro wireless earbuds provide an unforgettable musical experience as it delivers crystal clear immersive sound and indulges the user with its blissful audio quality. Available in attractive Black, Blue and White colours, these buds promise to match the level of millennials’ vibes. With, Bluetooth 5.0 technology, this device comes equipped with multiple connectivity options making it easily compatible with any laptop, tab, or smartphone with just one touch.

Comfortable fit and hi-fi stereo sound

The all-new Urban Q1 pro wireless earbuds are extremely comfortable and are equipped with a 10 mm dynamic driver that brings out an outstanding sound quality and let the user have smooth and clear calls. The buds can be worn all-day long without hurting the ears as one can choose the buds from three different sizes available as per their comfort.

Also Read: Garena announces Dussehra Dhamaka, an all-new festive Free Fire tournament on Booyah!

Easy and smart touch control

Extremely easy to operate; these buds are manufactured to recognize ‘touch’. By simply touching the earbuds, one can easily control the music. They also come equipped with an inbuilt mic that allows the streamlined call management. One can easily take or reject calls, repeat the song, even change the song with just one touch.

Fast charging with magnetic charging case

One can enjoy up to 18 hours of playtime, thanks to the portable charging cum storage case that automatically starts charging once the earbuds are back in the case and gives standby up to 7 days. These wireless earbuds will connect to the Bluetooth device automatically and immediately with one-step pairing mode.

Pricing and Availability:

Inbase Urban Q1 Pro can be purchased through Urban Official Website and other leading retail outlets. With a 12 months warranty, the product is available in the market at an introductory price point of Rs 1,799.

Vivo introduces V21 Neon Spark colour edition

0

Adding to the joy of festive season, smartphone brand Vivo today launched an all-new colour variant of V21— Neon Spark. Designed to #DelightEveryMoment, the new Vivo V21 Neon Spark offers stylish design that is complemented with a unique OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) front camera housed within one of the industry’s slimmest smartphone designs to deliver an unmatched mobile experience. Constructed specifically for Indian consumers, the V21 Neon Spark is a device that is perfect for those who want to stand out from the crowd and express their individuality.

According to Vivo, the Neon Spark colour is inspired by the pristine nature that brings peace, harmony and elements that spark up energy. The freshness and calmness of the lime green colour makes V21 Neon Spark truly a compelling colour, it said. Created with the experts at Vivo design division, the V21 Neon Spark stands true in expressing consumer emotions. It gives a bold, striking spark appeal and becomes an extension to an individual’s personality. It can also act as a new styling accessory and is becoming the colour of the season across fashion and lifestyle space. In addition to this, materials like AG matte glass with its “rough yet exquisite” graininess and flat frame offer an aesthetic appeal.

Nipun Marya, Director-Brand Strategy, Vivo India, said, “We at Vivo evolve as per the changing needs of the consumers. The vivo V21 has received a tremendous response from consumers, particularly for its design and with the new color variant, we aim to take this legacy forward. V21 Neon Spark will add a new dimension to the user’s style by helping them make bold statements in their social circles.”

The new V21 smartphone showcases an industry-first OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) front camera housed with the industry’s thinnest smartphone design to deliver an unmatched mobile experience. Apart from this, V21 is a feather-light phone that grabs attention with its solid design and offers 4000mAh battery with 33W FlashCharge. The smartphone also keeps you future ready with 5G network capabilities.

Consumers will also get an array of attractive offers, such as flat Rs 2,500 cashback via ICICI debit and credit cards and Kotak Mahindra Bank, or triple zero offer via Bajaj Finserv, plus one-time screen replacement warranty.

Garena announces Dussehra Dhamaka, an all-new festive Free Fire tournament on Booyah!

0

Garena announces Dussehra Dhamaka, an exhilarating tournament for Free Fire streamers on Booyah! Its all-in-one dedicated platform for gaming livestreams and videos. The tournament will feature 48 top Free Fire streamers battling it out to win from a prize pool of US$ 3,000. The 2-day broadcast will take place on October 15 and October 16 3:00 PM IST onwards on both days. This tournament presents plenty of high-octane competitive action, and fans who tune in stand to win a host of exciting Free Fire drops over the two days of the event broadcast.

Tournament format

The Dussehra Dhamaka tournament will feature top streamers such as Jonty Gaming, X-Mania, Instagamer, TripleR, and Gaming Girl, among others. The tournament follows the classic Battle Royale format and will be played over 6 matches each day. Winners for each day will be determined based on the points system. Each team will have 2 streamers and a +1 who can be a viewer, a mod, or even a friend. Streamers will have to work in a mixed team mode to get as many kills as possible, given that the points system leans towards kill points over placement points. Expect non-stop action as the streamer teams push each other aggressively through this awesome showdown.

BOOYAH Tournament format

What’s new for fans?

The Dussehra Dhamaka event presents Booyah!’s latest feature: Multiperspectivity. For the very first time in India, viewers can switch out of the main broadcast and follow their favourite streamer’s point of view on Booyah! It’s quite simple to do, all they have to do is click on the ‘eye’ icon on the Booyah! India channel and select their favourite streamer to watch. A total of 12 teams will be participating per day, with 2 streamers per team, and so 24 streamers per day. That means viewers can choose between 24 perspectives. This new feature completely transforms the way viewers observe tournaments on the platform. That’s not all. Viewers who tune in will stand a chance to win drops such as Free Fire emotes, Gun Crates, Weapons and Diamond Royale vouchers if they watch the broadcast for 30 minutes.

Broadcast Details

Fans can catch all the action by tuning in to the live broadcast on the official Booyah! India channel.

Also Read: OnePlus 9RT to launch today: Here’s all you need to know

OnePlus 9RT to launch today: Here’s all you need to know

0

OnePlus 9RT, a new smartphone from Chinese smartphone company OnePlus, is all set to launch in China today (October 13). The launch event will take place at 7:30 PM local time (5:30 PM IST) and will be live-streamed via OnePlus’s China website and the company’s official Weibo account. Alongside the OnePlus 9RT, the Chinese tech giant will launch OnePlus Buds Z2 with up to 40dB noise cancellation.

According to the reports, the upcoming OnePlus 9RT is said to launch exclusively for the China and India markets. The new smartphone is also likely to be released in India in a couple of weeks. However, the company is yet to give a confirmation on the same. Let’s take a quick look at all we know about the OnePlus 9RT.

OnePlus 9RT confirmed specifications

Ahead of the official launch, OnePlus has revealed that its latest device will pack Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon 888 processor, which currently powers the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. The Chinese smartmaker firm has already confirmed through a teaser that the new model will come with a five-dimensional heat dissipation structure design. OnePlus has also confirmed to pack a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging. It will likely ship the 65W fast charger in the retail box.

According to the teasers, OnePlus 9RT will come with a triple rear camera setup at the back, which will include a 50-megapixel camera sensor. The tech giant hasn’t revealed the other lenses in the setup yet. Besides, one of the teasers also reveals that the OnePlus 9RT will be made available in two color options – Black and Grey. The rest of the details are yet to be revealed.

Also Read: itel emerges as most popular brand in sub Rs 7k smartphone segment: CMR

OnePlus 9RT India launch

OnePlus 9RT is also expected to launch in India, but there is no confirmation on how long the company will take before bringing the latest device to India. But, if rumors are to be believed, the latest smartphone will go official in the country later this month, most likely on October 18 or October 19. The same Chinese model of the phone is expected to head to the Indian market, which means the specifications of the Indian OnePlus 9RT will be similar to the Chinese model.

Expected price of OnePlus 9RT

The official pricing details of OnePlus 9RT is yet to be revealed. If we go by the rumors or leaks, the new device is likely to be priced between CNY 2,000 (roughly Rs 23,250) and CNY 3,000 (roughly Rs 34,800) in China. It will go on sale in China on October 19 and the pre-order window will open on October 13.

Tech NewsWrap: Apple’s October event date announced… and more

0

Apple’s October event date announced

After months of rumors and speculations, Apple confirmed it is holding its second fall event of the year on October 18. The event will be broadcast live from Apple Park at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET across Apple’s website and on the company’s YouTube channel. The company is teasing the event with the tagline “Unleashed.” At the event next week, the Cupertino-based tech giant is likely to announce new Macbook Pro models, Mac mini, AirPods 3, and more. However, Apple hasn’t exactly revealed the products that will be announced at the virtual event.

Gmail suffers outage in some parts of India

Gmail went down in some parts of India on October 12 as users were unable to send or receive emails. According to outage tracking portal Down Detector, 73% users reported that they were facing issues in website, 14% reported server connection and 12% mentioned about login issue in the country. Users in India and in some other countries went on social media platforms like Twitter to complain that they were unable to access Gmail. The issue was later fixed.

Also Read: AnkerWorks enters India, unveils ‘PowerConf’ Bluetooth speakerphone

Samsung announces Unpacked 2 event for October 20

Samsung has sent out invitations for the second Galaxy Unpacked event of the year it is holding on October 20. It is called “Galaxy Unpacked Part 2”. The virtual launch event will be livestreamed on Samsung’s YouTube channel beginning at 7AM PT / 10AM ET. Leaks and rumors suggest that the smartphone maker may launch the often-rumored Galaxy S21 FE at the event or possibly new mid-range devices. Apple and Google will host their event on October 18 and October 19, respectively.

itel emerges as most popular brand in sub Rs 7k smartphone segment: CMR

As per new CMR insights on the go survey findings from CyberMedia Research (CMR), over the course of the pandemic, the smartphone (in the sub-INR 7,000 segment) has been a key enabler of human lives. In the pandemic year, Indians spend over 522 hours on online education, and over 738 hours on infotainment on their smartphones. In the sub-INR 7,000 smartphone segment, consumers seek the best-in-class specs, and value for money offerings. itel has made rapid gains in the India smartphone market and is now a clear leader.

itel emerges as most popular brand in sub Rs 7k smartphone segment: CMR

0

As per new CMR insights on the go survey findings from CyberMedia Research (CMR), over the course of the pandemic, the smartphone (in the sub-INR 7,000 segment) has been a key enabler of human lives.

In the pandemic year, Indians spend over 522 hours on online education, and over 738 hours on infotainment on their smartphones. In the sub-INR 7,000 smartphone segment, consumers seek the best-in-class specs, and value for money offerings. itel has made rapid gains in the India smartphone market and is now a clear leader. It leads the competition in this smartphone segment, in terms of current brand satisfaction, advocacy and future consideration. itel users are most satisfied with its product quality, price and value for money. It has the highest NPS (60%) followed by Realme (58%) and Xiaomi (54%).

Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, Transsion India said, “We are happy to know that itel has been able to build the highest brand consideration in the INR 7,000 segment from our discerning consumer base. In the new world order where smartphones have become a necessity, our singular objective of democratizing technology for the masses is empowering new India to seamlessly continue with their daily lives in a true sense. Consumers have shown strong affinity towards itel consistently and this has led to us being recommended within their friends and family, which is our true strength.

This vision and continued focus on product innovation, in-depth consumer understanding, our localized market connect interventions and programmes are the key pillars behind itel’s success story in India. To make smartphones accessible and affordable, in the recent past, itel has collaborated to offer technologically advanced smartphones bundled with Jio service offerings to empower the value-seeking consumer segment. itel in this year launched itel A23 Pro and reloaded itel A48 smartphones to bridge the digital divide by making devices accessible at an ultra-affordable proposition. Multiple partnered devices are being launched, tailored to offer a portfolio across segments which will further enable accelerated migration of consumers towards a true Digital India vision.”

Prabhu Ram, Head- Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CyberMedia Research (CMR), “Over the course of the pandemic, the smartphone has been a key conduit for enabling human lives. Whether it be online education, digital payments, or consuming infotainment, the smartphone has enabled consumers across Urban and Aspirational (Tier-III cities and beyond). For the value conscious buyers in the sub-INR 7,000 smartphone segment, smartphone brands, such as itel, have consistently focused on bringing increasingly accessible and affordable smartphones, packed with the best-in-class trendy innovations, that enable the consumers to connect with India’s growing digital economy.”

Here are the key study highlights in the sub-INR 7,000 smartphone segment:

Smartphone purchase considerations

  • Nearly two in every three smartphone users visit nearby mobile store for purchasing smartphone.
  • In purchasing their next smartphone, consumers trust recommendation from loved ones (79%) as well as retailers (77%).

Also Read: AnkerWorks enters India, unveils ‘PowerConf’ bluetooth speakerphone

Smartphone Brandscape (Sub INR 7,000 smartphone segment)

  • Consumer Satisfaction: itel (98%), Realme (96%) and Xiaomi (96%) consumers are the most satisfied with their smartphones. City wise, itel has got 100% satisfaction in Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Guwahati. Realme has got 100% satisfaction in Delhi, Kolkata and Jaipur. Xiaomi has got 100% satisfaction in Lucknow, Bhubaneswar and Indore.
  • Brand Advocacy: Net Promoter Score (NPS) of itel is the highest (60%) followed by Realme (58%) and Xiaomi (54%). City wise, itel scores highest in Bengaluru (78%), Chandigarh (75%) and Jaipur (68%) whereas Realme scores highest in Delhi (76%) and Chennai (72%).
  • Future smartphone brand consideration: Amongst consumers, itel is the most considered choice (59%), followed by Samsung (50%) for future purchase. City wise, itel is the most considered choice for upgrade in Guwahati (82%), Chennai (79%) and Jaipur (75%). Similarly, Samsung is the most considered choice for upgrade in cities such as Delhi (83%), Bangalore (78%) and Lucknow (70%).

Brand Imagery:

  • Samsung wins for ease of availability, product quality, and good after-sales service
  • Consumers associate itel with trendy technology, sleek design, and good quality at affordable prices
  • Realme scores with consumers for its design aesthetics, product quality and high repeat purchase

Smartphones as life enablers

Online Education:

  • 56% smartphone users have enrolled for new online education programs since the pandemic began
  • Byjus (38%), Unacademy (17%) and Vedantu (17%) are the most preferred apps for digital courses

Mobile Payments:

  • 58% smartphone users undertake digital transaction on their smartphones; Indians spend close to INR 8,500, mostly for digital payments
  • PhonePe (69%), Google Pay (62%) and Paytm (46%) are the most popular apps for digital payments

Infotainment:

  • 28% smartphone users spend around INR 1000 on infotainment per month
  • Amazon PrimeVideo (41%), Gaana (28%) and Dailyhunt (15%) are the top three apps for entertainment, music and news

According to Satya Sundar Mohanty, Head – Industry Consulting Group (ICG), CMR, “For consumers in the sub-INR 7,000 smartphone segment, the top three key considerations for smartphones include accessibility, affordability and availability. They trust smartphone brands that offer durable devices, focus on trendy smartphone specs, and deliver on reliable after-sales. Brands, such as itel, that are able to deliver on these fronts are the real winners with the highest net-promoter score in the price segment.”

AnkerWorks enters India, unveils ‘PowerConf’ Bluetooth speakerphone

0

Anker Innovation announced its new sub-brand – AnkerWorks – in India that shall launch great quality accessories for home and office workers at the most prudent prices. The first product in the line-up is its compact & wireless conference speakerphone ‘Anker PowerConf’. The Bluetooth speakerphone with six microphones, enhanced voice pickup & 24 hour call time is designed exclusively for the Home Offices. Whether it is used as a portable phone or as a speakerphone for conference calls, Anker PowerConf covers it all. The product is available with Flipkart and comes with an 18 months warranty.

The speakerphone is officially zoom certified, which ensures high-quality communication for the personal workspace. The six-microphone array gives the PowerConf Bluetooth speakerphone 360-degrees of listening, and when combined with the Anker’s custom digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms, it offers real-time echo cancellation up to 70 dB and background noise reduction by 20dB and ambient noise suppression, to provide a stunning ultra-clear voice quality. The PowerConf has an omnidirectional voice pick, even in the noisiest environments. Even when users are at different distances from PowerConf, the Bluetooth speakerphone automatically adjusts the volume, so everyone’s voice sounds loud and clear.

PowerConf Bluetooth speakerphone gives 24 hours of call time. It has a built-in 6,700mAh battery to power days of calls. The integrated Anker PowerIQ technology allows you to charge other devices via PowerConf at optimized speeds. The speakerphone has two connectivity options – Bluetooth 5.0 & USB port.

Also Read: Registrations start for inaugural edition of All India Esports League by Ultimate Battle

The PowerConf is compatible with most popular conferencing apps such as FaceTime, ZOOM, Skype, GoToMeeting, and Slack. The PowerConf is kitted out with several buttons, with the main controls being on the top and LED Lights to understand the operation.

Gopal Raghunathan – Country Manager India & SAARC said, “Many people have shifted to working from home during the pandemic, and many jobs are expected to remain remote even when returning to the office is possible post-pandemic, so Anker’s pivot into the home office and business gear seems will-timed. The new AnkerWorks line will embody the simple, no-frills approach with affordable pricing. We are excited for the launches in India.”

Anker PowerConf comes with a handy travel case. Lightweight & compact Anker PowerConf is perfect for taking on business trips. The company under AnkerWorks plans to announce over seven new products within the next three months.

Registrations start for inaugural edition of All India Esports League by Ultimate Battle

0

Esport platform Ultimate Battle (UB) is all set to host the inaugural edition of the All India Esports League (AIEL).

AIEL aims to support and encourage the esports ecosystem, with athletes competing and showcasing their skills on popular multiplayer games namely BGMI, Free Fire, Valorant, FIFA 21, and Chess.

The high-energy gaming action will be hosted on the Ultimate Battle platform, to bolster and encourage more esports athletes to establish themselves. The tournament will prove to be a single platform with professional esports players connecting and giving some exciting moments to sit back and enjoy the highly engaging virtual gaming stream to their loyal fans. The league also boasts of awarding a massive total prize pool worth Rs 5 lakhs.

“All India Esports league (AIEL) is the flagship tournament of Ultimate Battle which is a milestone on our road map to take Indian esports to a more superior platform. These nation-wide tournaments will stage as a perfect pillar, taking it closer to a well-defined establishment. We are constantly working on sustained initiatives and hope to see the gaming segment in a more profound manner. We want people to grow in a sector which they enjoy and have a deep passion towards it.

We have been consistently hosting tournaments on our platform in the past year and we plan on establishing more similar platforms in future. We want to be protagonists in the business of gaming in India,” said Tarun Gupta, Founder of Ultimate Battle.

Also Read: Creative Galileo raises $2.5 million in seed funding from Kalaari Capital and others

The league which will be played over four months will be seeing popular multiplayer battle arena esports games including recently-launched BGMI (Mobile) along with the other prevalent games Free Fire (Mobile), Valorant (PC), FIFA 21 (Console – PS4), and Chess (PC and Mobile) as part of the league.

The format for the event has been designed as follows:

Register on Ultimate Battle: Players need to have an Ultimate Battle account to participate in AIEL.

Choose your Game and Join Qualifier: The gamers will have to choose the game they wish to participate in and join the online qualifiers.

Qualify for Finale: Fixed number of winners from the qualifiers will move to the final event where they will compete for pre-fixed slots in the finale.

Prize Distribution: Winners in the finale event will be distributed with prize money, merchandise, and goodies.

The professional esports athletes as well as enthusiasts from across the country, of age 18 and above, can register themselves free of cost for the league, with an Ultimate Battle user account.

Creative Galileo raises $2.5 million in seed funding from Kalaari Capital and others

0

EdTech start-up Creative Galileo today announced it has raised $2.5 million. The round was led by Kalaari Capital with an investment of $2.1 Mn and remaining from well-known angels, such as Harish Bahl, Shashin Shah, Jinesh Patel, Atul Nishar, Ashwin Puri and Giridhar Malpani.

The capital will be used for scaling, product development and enhancement, creating new engaging content, forging partnerships with leading animation houses, and hiring talent.

Creative Galileo is one of the fastest growing early learning apps in India with record breaking 4 million+ downloads in the first 12 months of its launch. With a monthly active user base of over half a million, the app has become popular among kids and parents for its innovative approach. The app weaves together the best of education and entertainment to create personalized, integrated learning experiences for young minds. It accelerates a child’s development through narrative videos, gamification and personalized learning journeys.

Apart from the Indian subcontinent, the app is also gaining traction in international markets, with 10% downloads recorded from Nepal, Bangladesh, UAE, USA and other countries.

Prerna A Jhunjhunwala, Founder, Creative Galileo, said, “We are excited to partner with Kalaari Capital, the CXXO initiative, and angel investors on our growth journey ahead. Our vision is to provide millions of children with access to high-quality content for learning in the early years for a solid foundation while keeping the process fun. The funding will help us add more famous Indian and International characters and languages, hire talent, scale-up and forge new alliances. This will further fuel our efforts in creating more personalized, inclusive and relatable content helpful in a child’s development in the early years.”

According to a recently published report by UNESCO, over 800 million learners from around the world do not have access to quality education. Creative Galileo’s ‘Kids Early Learning App’ was launched to make learning accessible especially for the early learning segment which represents an under-penetrated and under-invested sector.

Also Read: Indus App Bazaar joins forces with BreachTape; provides developers with unique CDN services

“At Kalaari we believe that technology in learning can bring unmatched access and affordability and improve literacy for a much larger target segment. Technology as a means of transformation led by passionate founders designed for the next generation of young digitally native learners is what Creative Galileo stands for,” said Vani Kola, Managing Director, Kalaari Capital. “When we met Prerna and Nikhil, we truly saw them as shapers of a digital tomorrow building the EdTech solutions for global learners of the future. We are also proud that Creative Galileo is our first investee from our flagship CXXO Program that we launched earlier this year.”

CXXO is a Kalaari Capital initiative that seeks to level the playing field for female founders in India’s start-up ecosystem. The initiative focusses on access to capital and brings together a community of women achievers across different sectors to provide mentorship to future leaders.

Creative Galileo is Founded by Prerna A Jhunjhunwala, and co-founded by Nikhil Naik, ex Vuclip. The edtech company currently has tie-ups with Big Animation, Amar Chitra Katha, Periwinkle, Shermaroo, Toonz Animation and many industry leaders providing quality content, gamification and interactive learning journeys for children.

Indus App Bazaar joins forces with BreachTape; provides developers with unique CDN services

0

Indigenous app store Indus App Bazaar has partnered with BreachTape, an innovative IT Infra & CDN services provider. This is in line with the AppBazaar Vision of an ‘Empowered Developer Ecosystem’ where AppBazaar strives for helping the developer community within India to help them scale and be their growth partner by extending all possible support, including infrastructure and CDN Space that can save them costs which can be further utilized by the developer for other marketing or R&D activities.

It will also help them offload traffic from content servers and enhance the overall web experience of users.

Through this association, developers will get free CDN services under two options – 10 TB and 100 TB – from BreachTape for the first 3 months. The initiative underlines Indus OS’s commitment to helping young and emerging developers create and deliver apps of high quality to the end-users. As part of the same offer, developers will also get integration services free of cost.

Anand Singh, Head of Developer Relations, Indus OS said, “In our endeavour to help developers bring innovation to the app store ecosystem, we have inked this partnership with a leading IT Infra & CDN services company like Breach Tape. We look forward to this strategic association and hope to encourage the entire developer community to bring change in the form of an innovative app and content solutions to the end-users.”

Also Read: Win big in India’s biggest rummy tournament ‘Rummy Utsav’

BreachTape spokesperson said, “We are delighted to join hands with a leading name like Indus OS. New developers have a lot of creative potential but due to some barriers – both technical and financial – they somehow fail to deliver their best. We hope our partnership with Indus OS will significantly help them create and bring more innovative solutions to the app store ecosystem.”

This partnership is currently open and not time-bound and will continue till both parties, Indus OS and Breachtape, find business value in the partnership. The developers can register themselves at or post signing up on developers portal of Indus OS, the user can learn more about the deal with just a mere click on a gift icon.