4K Ultra Definition TVs: The Next Big Thing?

At the recently held Home Entertainment Show in New Delhi, LG finally revealed its much awaited Ultra Definition TV, which boasts of a humongous 84 inch screen and a screen resolution that is four times the number of pixels in a conventional HD TV (that is, 1920X1080) – or 4K as it is popularly called. This release generated quite a buzz at the LG stalls, and I personally noticed many a gentleman gawking at the TV in silent amazement – the 84 inch screen was really impressive!

As far as I know, the launch of the LG 4K TV – the model is named as LG 84LM9600 - in India has been concurrent with its global launch, making it the largest flat panel TV that sports a 4K resolution – at least for one full month – as Sony is also expected to launch an 84 inch screen 4K TV – called the Sony XBR-84X900 by November end, 2012. Still later, and over the next year, more TV makers – JVC, for example – are also expected to join the fray.

Here is another interesting piece of information – all these 84 inch giants have one thing in common – they are all passive 3D TVs. When viewed together with the intricacies of the technology and the attendant costs involved, many observers suspect that the panels for all these brands are being supplied by one company – LG. Of course, LG representatives have refused to confirm this, only asserting that the panels in LG 4K 3D TVs are made by LG. Make your own interpretations!

Now coming to the all important question – is it the right time for 4K TV? Is the TV viewer ready for an ultra definition TV that has a huge screen size and is priced to match? Well, look at it this way – when HD made its debut many years back, it had its fair share of skeptics. The world is not ready for this yet – they said – and no one is going to pay this much for a TV. But look at where we are today – HD TVs are commonplace, and much more affordable. Going still back in time, top of the line Plasma TVs cost as high as US $ 5,000 or more when they were introduced.

In other words, this is what happens with every new technology that is adapted for consumer use – the initial prices are too high for general users, but some dedicated band of power users just cannot wait, and do the buying. This increases production, gradually making things cheaper and more affordable for general users.

As far as the giant size of the screen – 84 inches (that is 7 feet!) – is concerned, a 4K resolution actually demands such a large screen. The average screen size of TVs is increasing – people are buying larger screen sizes, and the trend is clearly in favor of larger screens. When one moves to screen sizes 72 inch and above, the picture quality on the screen actually demands more pixels – hence the need for 4K resolutions.

I can still envision some skeptical observers, those who will point out that ours is a country that has not yet even adopted digital broadcast, and even “normal” HD TVs are out of reach for a huge majority of viewers. Yet, I can safely venture that 4K IS the future of TV watching – even if that future takes a long to come to fruition. 

Blingy Gadgets – Too Much of a Good Thing?

Bling, Bling!

When presented with the impossible choice of selecting the best gifts for their better halves, most gentlemen are known to become completely clueless. At the risk of sounding stereotypical, I would venture to say that jewelry is a safe bet – but isn’t that getting a tad old? What about gadgets, but then again, women are not quite into gadgets and gizmos – although they might love the convenience that comes with them. Why not combine these two options – jewelry and gadgets? I am sure women will love them!

So, for the most discerning of buyers – and those who like a little bling in their life, here are a few bling-bling gadgets for your perusal. Get one, and shine!

Sony Vaio encrusted with Swarovski Crystals

For those on the move, a laptop is a trusted companion. Now, you can get a bejeweled version of a Vaio laptop – so that you can easily add doses of style to an otherwise mundane device. Not to say that this beauty is without brains – an Intel Dual Core processor, NVIDIA graphics card, 4 GB of RAM and 250 GB of hard disk space give ample bite to this beauty. Inlaid with more than 2000 individual Swarovski crystals in 50 colors, this is a work of art that you can carry with you!

Price – about US $ 5000

Swarovski Encrusted Vacuum Cleaner

Outside of home, you can drive in a Rolls Royce, and people will easily know that you are a billionaire. But how will the visitors to your home know that? Dazzle them with this vacuum cleaner (Oh yes, you heard it right – a vacuum cleaner!)- a Swarovski encrusted vacuum cleaner by Hyla. No shortcuts here – a full 32,000 crystal have been had studded to this home appliance. Obviously, with so much labor of love added to the sparkling crystals, this things does not come cheap – only US$ 21,900! Who uses these things?

Jewel Encrusted iPhone 5 Case

OK. SO you have stood for hours in a queue to get your hands on your favorite iPhone 5? Now, show some tender loving care to your cell phone – provide it with some protection against scratches. Only in this case, you might need to protect even the iPhone case! Also, since everyone will get an iPhone 5 eventually, how will you stand out among the hoi polloi? Show them, get a white gold iPhone 5 cover that comes encrusted with 2,830 sapphires, 38 rubies and one green sapphire. This exclusive iPhone 5 cover can be yours for just US $ 100,000.

Limited Edition iPhone 5 in Gold and Diamond

Don’t have US$ 100,000 to buy the iPhone case? Don’t worry we have a cheaper alternative available – a gold plated and diamond finished iPhone 5 that is priced at a comparatively modest US $ 36,000. This iPhone is Limited Edition – so that you can maintain exclusivity.

Designer 3D TV – Vu Limited Edition

Looking for the latest 3D TVs, yet not satisfied with the simple designs? Why not consider a Vu Limited Edition 55 Inch LED TV – aptly named “Opulence”. This beauty packs a mean punch though – with quite decent specs to go along with its stunning looks – Full HD, i3 Dual core processor, 500 GB hard drive etc. The only problem – you may get so lost in admiring the crystal studded TV that you may even forget mundane stuff like picture quality.

Weekly Tech Roundup- A Tablet Story

iPad Mini Launch

This week’s technology roundup is going to be full of tablet happenings around the world. Perhaps this is a strong signal of what is really happening in the technology, or more specifically, the computing technology domain – the focus is definitely in tablets at this moment.

Love it or hate it – you cannot ignore it – yes, I am talking about Apple. After the high profile and much anticipated launch of its iPhone 5, and later the fiasco over the Apple Maps, the company was in news again. This time, the news was about iPad – another of Apple’s celebrated innovations. More than the iteration of the original device, this time the focus was on iPad Mini – a smaller careen version of the iPad. Surprisingly, Steve Jobs had once ridiculed smaller tablets in very uncharitable words – saying that people would need to sandpaper their fingers so that they can use the screen (smaller screen, that is). Yet – here we are – and Apple has a smaller, 7.9 inch screen.

The most probable and credible reason for a iPad Mini is competition – Apple could no longer ignore the tremendous success and user approval of other tablets with smaller screen. If there was any doubt about this, it was further clarified by Phil Schiller and Tim Cook, who repeatedly berated “other smaller tablets” for trying to copy the success of iPad. Why, the, would Apple need to launch a smaller tablet – is a question that would be quite interesting to ask?

For Apple lovers in India, this week bought some happy tidings – Apple finally announced its intent for iPhone 5 India launch – and the date has been announced – as November 2. For those who have spent considerable sums of money – reportedly up to Rs 1.25 lakhs – the announced process will produce quite heartburn – from Rs 45,500 to Rs 59,500 – depending on models.

Pantel 3D Tablet

Another of the notable tablet launches this week was for Surface – by Windows – a tablet that will sport another product that was launched the same day – Windows 8. The tech world was hugely abuzz with the anticipation for launch of Surface – and we will see a lot of first hand experience notes and reviews – which I will share with you.

Staying on the tablet front, the Indian market saw two notable launches – and both are firsts in introducing new technologies. First, the launch of Penta T Pad WS702C tablet – supported by BSNL – and sporting 2G connectivity with 3G compatibility. The unique thing about this tablet is that it is a 3D Tablet – the screen can support 3D pictures and videos. The other tablet launch was for Slide 3G 7334 by iBall – the first Dual Sim tablet in India.

LG 4K 3D TV

 Another important piece of tech news related to India – LG has finally announced the launch of its huge 84 inch Ultra Definition 4K TV – which is actually a 3D TV. The exact launch date has not been announced, though the expected MRP of the gargantuan 3D TV has been set at Rs 17 lakhs. 

Top 5 Coolest Remote Control Designs

Since its inception, the remote control has had a bit of unremarkable life. While a lot of design effort has gone into beautifying and adding to the main device – that the remote is supposed to control – the remote control device itself has been rather neglected. But this scenario seems to be changing – whether because designers have suddenly discovered the virtues of a well designed remote, or whether they have exhausted their efforts on the main device – the fact is we are getting to see some truly amazing remote controls. Today, I will present the 5 most amazing remote control designs – that have at the cool factor going for them!

Brace yourself, here comes the list –

Remote Control Beads

Add some bling to your living room – with this beaded remote control – called Remobeads  - and was originally developed by a Russian designer – Dima Komissarov. The premise is simple – each bead contains some controls for a specific feature – and you simply press the beads to activate it. If you want, you can also add sound effects to the bead-pressing! If you are prone to lose your remote control, or you are sick and tired of friends who hog the remote – just wear it around your neck!

Wearable Universal Remote Control

Taking the fashion idea further – much further – here is another remote control that can be used as a fashion accessory too. The curiously named Multi Chalk is a very compact looking, ring shaped device that can neatly fit around the buttons of clothes that you are wearing. So, use it to control your MP3 player, your TV or whatever other device that works with a remote control. No wonder it is available in multiple color choices to suit your ensemble for the day!

Interactive Giant Remote Mat

A perfect antidote for couch potatoes – this is the perfect remote control if you want to up the level of your current exercise regimen from deft thumb movements for controlling you current remote. You will literally have to jump from one button to another – I am sure you will be cured of your speed channel surfing addiction!  It looks like a sketch of a remote drawn by a small kid – only it is on a much bigger canvas! If you manage to lose THIS remote…

Touchpad Remote Control

The EchoStar 922 remote control is a sort of anti-remote – all the number buttons are gone – replaced by a vacant space that is used as a touchpad – just like the one in your laptop. However, this remote works only with the Echo Star device – it needs a dedicated user interface on the screen to control various options by scrolling.

Magic Motion Remote

The Magic Motion Remote of LG Smart TV is a sweet combination of form and function – combining a cool design with user friendly and intuitive controls. Its curvaceous, minimalistic design is unique – with a very few buttons to clutter it. Its unique feature is a scroll wheel, which makes scrolling web pages and menu functions a breeze. And don’t let its minimalistic design confuse you – it can control almost all the features that a standard remote can control – and then some. It can also be used to execute a selected gesture control commands.

Magic Motion Remote Control in Action

Post PC Era – Is it Already Here?

Let us start with an amazingly prescient Bill Gates quote, which he made circa 1999.

For most people at home and at work, the PC will remain the primary computing tool; you'll still want a big screen and a keyboard to balance your investment portfolio, write a letter to Aunt Agnes, view complex Web pages, and you'll need plenty of local processing power for graphics, games and so on. But the PC will also work in tandem with other cool devices. You'll be able to share your data — files, schedule, calendar, e-mail, address book, etc. — across different machines; you won't have to think about it; it will be automatic. If you want to find the best price for a new car — and check out your budget to see if you can afford it — you'll be able to do that at the dealership, on the device you have with you. Wherever you are, whatever you want to do, you'll have all the information you need.

Similarly, at the recent 1^st death anniversary of Steve Jobs, his amazing vision was revisited again – and true to the adage of great minds thinking alike, it was revealed that he was also thinking along the same lines as Bill Gates. Compare the visions of these two great visionaries with the reality today – and then you will truly appreciate their genius – that they could see so far into the future – and correctly too!

Microsoft, founded by Bill Gates, is at an important juncture today – the impending launch of its first ever hardware device – the widely anticipated tablet called Surface. Over the last few weeks, Microsoft has released a series of peppy Surface Tablet TV ads that have highlighted a few of the features – and the actual launch is also expected in a few days. On the back of the release of Windows 8, this will mark a major foray for Microsoft – and a brave new step into the so called “Post PC” era – so early predicted by Bill Gates himself.

For Microsoft, the launch of Surface is crucial – the sales of its much vaunted software have been flat, actually reducing – the company recently reported a 6% drop in revenues and 22% drop in net income. With computing habits decidedly shifting away from PC to mobile devices, the message was clear to the decision makers at Microsoft – evolve, or suffer.

Indeed, the trend has been decidedly in favor of moving towards introducing devices and applications that can be adapted for mobile use. This strategy has been fine tuned to perfection by Apple – which has discovered a sweet combination of software and innovative hardware that keeps it relevant to changing consumer needs and preferences.

Another example is Google – the search engine giant. Not content with dominating search alone, and obviously because they understood the future – Google has made repeated  forays into hardware – Nexus, Google TV and Chrome notebooks are just some of the examples. A recent - much talked about - Google innovation is the Google Glass Project.

Another mover and shaker that comes to mind is Amazon – the leading online retailer of the world. Indeed, it stepped into the game early – with its marquee Kindle e-reader – a great idea that bundled its virtual bookstore to a tangible piece of hardware. Later, Amazon moved up the product value chain by introducing Kindle Fire, a device that could stream videos and other media from Amazon stores – opening yet another potential revenue stream for the company.

Whether this proves to be just a transient phase in the evolution of these tech giants, or the trend of marrying hardware to software and services is here to stay – will remain a question in realm of the future. But make no mistake – the post PC era is very much here! And if your brain has become woozy from reading all this, here is a video to make you smile!

Sci Fi Gadgets: Gesture Control Screens

In my last post on sci fi gadgets and I had started by talking about a Tom Cruise movie. Incidentally, today’s blog post on another sci fi gadget that has actually become reality will also start with discussing a Tom Cruise movie – The Minority Report. Those who have seen the movie will remember the cool manner in which the Tom Cruise character interacts with the computers – simply by gesturing.

Gesture control for computers and other screens has now become a reality. Though the extremely slick gesture control interface is still some time away, we are surely reaching there. While the touch-screen is a widely available in a number of devices that we currently use – Smartphones, tablets etc – the gesture control interface has also become a reality – and is indeed adapted for consumer use.

One of the most well known devices that understands and responds to gestures is the Wii gaming console – along with its remote. Many successful motion based games have been released based on this technology. Microsoft developed Xbox also bought out a similar gaming device – the Kinect – which turned out to be quite successful.

While touch screens have almost become par for the course for portable computers, some PC makers have already started experimenting with the gesture control interface too. The recently released E-Series Vaio laptops have a limited gesture control facility. Samsung has also recently released an all in one PC that has gesture control as one of its features.

The gesture control feature is one that will find ready acceptance in the home entertainment segment.  After all, what will appeal to a couch potato more than to be able to control his TV by mere gestures – in case the remote is kept on the table? Samsung has also adopted the gesture control technology for its range of top end Smart TVs. The EA8000R model of Samsung Smart TV, for example, features the gesture control, where pre-defined gesture patterns control certain TV functions.  In the home entertainment category, gesture control has also been adopted in nTobeBox, a Smart TV box.

Another TV that has adopted gesture control is the LG SmartTV range – albeit the method is slightly different from that of Samsung TVs. While Samsung uses hand gestures, LG Smart TV follows the Wii model – and uses a smart device called the Magic Motion Remote. The Magic remote works quite well – and is actually fun to operate once you get used to. You can use it to scroll through the Smart TV dashboard, check out the apps, breeze through the menu functions, and even play the pre-loaded 3D games. I have had great fun while playing Angry Birds on my LG Smart TV – using the Magic Motion Remote!

As I have already stated above, my guess is that this technology will be definitely refined further, and more widely adapted for wider use in home and office. With further improvements in computer vision and image processing technologies, the bugs in the current gesture controlled devices will be hopefully removed, thus leading to wider applications. 

More Festive Season Goodness: Best Shopping Deals

In a recent post, I had highlighted the importance of festive season shopping deals in India, and enumerated a few great shopping deals for you. In today’s post also, I will continue with the same theme – and will tell you about another couple of festive shopping schemes that have been published over the last couple of days.

First, let us talk about Sony – a very popular consumer electronics brand in India for a very, very long time.  Despite of slipping down in other important markets all over the world, Sony still manages to maintain its hold in India – probably due to the huge brand equity. Anyway, for the festive season of 2012, Sony India has also announced a slew of shopping deals, packages and discounts.

In combo offers, there are some good bargains if you want to buy a Sony Bravia TV. A Home Theater Combo Offer is on the table – where you can save up to Rs 2000 when you buy a Bravia TV along with select HTS models. If you buy from a list of select Bravia TV models, you can also get an 8 GB or 4GB Pen Drive pre-loaded with movies – absolutely free! Also, on purchase of a Sony Bravia 3D TV, you can avail of a bundle worth Rs 19,990 (the bundle consists of a BD player, 2 3D movie titles, 1 active 3D glass and one HDMI cable) by paying just Rs 9,990 – that means a saving of Rs 10,000 right away!

If you want to try your luck, Sony is also offering a luck draw, which will be open to buyers of selct Sony products. The prizes in this lucky draw are quite attractive – 100 Bravia KDL 3D TVs, 200 TMZ-1 Head Mount Displays, 500 Sony tablets and 1000 Xperia Smartphones. With thousands of prizes available, who knows, you might get lucky! Learn more about this Sony festival offer.

If you want to buy a Sony Handycam, this festive season may be just the right time for you! Sony is offering a 3 year warranty on the product, and free HDMI cables and carry cases with select models of Sony handy cams. If you need a financing option to take care of your purchase, easy finance schemes are available from Bajaj Finance, and various Credit Card companies are also offering EMI options.

For affordable consumer electronics offers, you might want to consider Videocon, which is jumping into the fray with a number of attractive offers for the festive season. For example, Videocon is offering the recently introduced DDB enabled HD TV at nice discounts. You can also avail a premium HD pack from Videocon D2H service – this offer alone is worth more than Rs 5,000. Videocon has also introduced a couple of Side by side refrigerator models, and they are also available at attractive discounts from the MRP. In addition to TVs and fridges, Videocon is also offering good schemes on other electronic items such as ACs, washing machines and Microwave ovens. Needless to say, you can also avail of 0% financing options.

I will keep you updated as and when I learn of more festive offers from other consumer electronics companies. In the meanwhile, you can always learn about the attractive LG products festive shopping deals. 

4K, 3D and IMAX – Movie Watching of the Future

I recently came across an interesting video, which is actually a part of the first ever 4K movie to become commercially available. It is a documentary – called the TimeScapes – and captures our planet in amazing 4K detail. I watched the video on my HD computer screen – and the detailing and clarity is simply breath-taking. I am sure that watching it on a suitable screen – such as that of the soon-to-be-introduced 4K HD TVs – will definitely be an eye-opening experience.

Over the recent years, a handful of film-makers have shown a willingness to experiment with different formats to shoot their movies – just to provide a different experience to their viewers. For example, the widely awaited “The Hobbit” – set for a December 2012 release - is being shot in 5K resolutions – the first full feature length movie to do so. In fact, that is not all – in terms of what the makers of “The Hobbit” are experimenting with. The movie – in addition to 5K resolutions – is also being shot at 48 frames per second (against industry convention of 24 FPS) and in 3D! So, movie aficionados the world over will probably wait with baited breaths to witness the effect of this whole exercise – I am sure the effect would be amazing!

Another cinematographic technology that has been to an astounding effect is the IMAX format. The IMAX format has been around for many years – and many of the commercially successful movies have used it well. The Polar Express, Space Station, Deep Sea 3D etc are some of the notable movies in IMAX. The most recent example of using IMAX to a great effect is in The Dark Knight Rises – where Christopher Nolan has included almost 1 hour of footage shot in the IMAX format. The epic fight sequence between Batman and Bane owes a lot of its awesomeness to the fact that it is in IMAX – which delivers great detail and clarity to viewers.

3D is another exciting format that adds excitement to movie watching. The 3D format has been quite popular over the years, and the popularity seems only to be growing with time. James Cameron has emerged as the biggest champion of 3D – his epic magnum opus – Avatar – setting the veritable industry standard for making a great 3D movie. The movie’s 3D BluRay release is one of the most awaited and has been released only a couple of days back. As and when the 3D collectors edition of Avatar become available in India – I will surely grab one to enjoy it on my LG 3D TV – I have been waiting patiently for months for this! Another great commercial success in recent times – the Amazing Spiderman – has also been released in 3D – and well received.

I am especially hopeful for the 4K and 3D formats – while 3D has been widely adopted by TV buyers, 4K TVs are all set to make their debut soon. The soon to be introduced 4K 3D TV models by LG and Panasonic are huge 84 inch behemoths, and will likely set new standards in cinematic experience on TVs. 

Festive Shopping Bonanza – Indulge Yourself!

It’s that time of the year again! Finally, after a long period of shopping abstinence, the Indian buyers are ready to indulge again – the month of Shraddh (a period devoted to paying homage and remembering ancestors) is over, and Navratras are eventually here! Over the past, the Navratras have emerged as an important landmark in the shopping calendar – especially for consumer electronics segment. It marks the beginning of the upcoming long festive season – which ends with Diwali.

Traditionally, shoppers have tended to wait during the Shraddh period – and begin shopping in right earnest from the start of navratras. Since each day of the navratra is considered auspicious, the tradition obsessed Indians make big ticket purchases during this period. The marketers have also realized this – smart beings that they are – and now make drool worthy shopping offers during this period.

For middle class dominated India – almost every electronic item is a big-ticket and important purchase – to be done during an auspicious period –and after great deliberation. You will often find people waiting patiently for months to buy a TV or a fridge – everyone waits for the Navratra – when shopping discounts are galore, and marketers run attractive campaigns to lure buyers to stores. So, as a buyer of consumer electronics, what can you expect this year – in 2012?

One of the categories worth paying attention will be certainly the television and home entertainment category. Over the last many months, action has really been notched up in the premium segment – the Smart TVs are a matter of great focus for TV makers.  You must have certainly noticed how the leading TV brands – especially LG and Samsung – have run highly visible campaigns over a variety of media. After all that build-up, you can definitely expect a major battle for buyer eyeballs and footballs during this major shopping season. So, if you have been thinking of upgrading your home theater, or buying a high end TV – this is the time that you have been waiting – and probably saving money for!

Take the case of LG – the consumer electronics giant. For its top end 3D Smart TV, the LG India website mentions a few very attractive offers. For example, you can get a combo of a 3D camcorder, a 3D USB, 4 3D glasses and home installation – everything absolutely FREE – with selected models of the LM Series of LG Smart TV. An alternative offer is for a FREE combo package of 3D Blu Ray player, three 3D movies titles, 4 3D glasses and home installation with a few select LG Smart TV models. In case you need a consumer loan to avail of these attractive offers – 0% finance is available (conditions apply) with no PF and no hidden charges. The finance facility is available for all Cinema 3D TV models and 3D home theater systems.

If you wish to add more bang to your budget – you can also consider the Combi offers on LG TVs. For example, a LG Slim TV can be purchased at attractive prices – in combination with a DVD player. LG Smart TVs and LG Plasma TVs are available in Combi offers with home theater systems – where you can save as much as RS 20,000 – which is almost as good as getting a free HTS!

These attractive shopping offers are not limited to the TV segment only. For example, if you want to buy an AC (now it is off season – and you can get good deals now), you can pay as little as Rs 555 and take home an AC – under a consumer finance offer. Those buying a microwave oven can expect free goodies like a start up kit, a cookery book and cooking classes – plus attractive financing schemes to suit your budget. If you want to buy an LG Smartphone, you can expect a free flip case and a free stylus to go along with your phone.

For more offers regarding LG products, you can visit the LG India website. 

Tech Roundup – Weekly Dose of Tech News

iPhone5 - India launch postponed

Let us start with the bad news. In a step that is sure to disappoint Apple lovers in India, Apple officials have firmly scotched the rumors of an impending iPhone 5 launch on 26 October. Various rumors had been floating around for some time, with a website even reporting the expected price – Rs 62,990 – for an undisclosed variant. The hopes of Apple fanboys were also raised on back of price cuts for existing models – iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S – a step considered as preparatory for a product launch. The grey market is reaping gold – where unlocked iPhone 5 64 GB variant is commanding a price of Rs 1 lakh and above.

Galaxy S3 Mini with Big Brother

Meanwhile Samsung also announced an anticipated release – of Galaxy S3 Mini – a smaller, more affordable version of its much vaunted offering Galaxy S3. The Mini is almost a true replica of S3 in terms of most of the features – the only difference that the specs are understandable lower. For example, Mini has a 5 MP camera against the 8 MP camera of S3, and the processor is 1 GHz dual core compared to the big brother’s quad core 1.5 GHz processor. Thankfully, the Mini sports the latest Android version – Jelly Bean. The phone is DLNA compliant, ensuring connectivity with your Smart TV.

Close rival LG; however, seems to have stolen the march over Samsung – in that the next Google Nexus offering is almost confirmed as from the stable of LG. A Russian website has leaked some pictures of the LG Nexus device – with some specs details as well.

In the Indian tablet market, however, all multinational giants have been beaten to the post by a home grown challenger – Micromax. In the first quarter figures (April to June) released recently, Micromax has been confirmed as leader in the Indian tablet market in terms of market share – with an 18.3 figure. Samsung is second at the 13.3% mark, while Apple is third at 12.3 %. Micromax ascent can be solely attributed to its popular affordable tablet offering – the Funbook series.

Micromax sprang another surprise this week – this time on the competitive home entertainment market. Micromax announced a slew of products in this category – including a range of LED 3D TVs that seem to have been priced attractively. Micromax also launched a BD player and two home theater models. In true Micromax tradition, the pricing has been kept affordable.

The entertainment market has another piece of good news – at least for the denizens of the four metros. Dish TV, one of the leading DTH service providers in India, has announced that it will offer a lifetime free pack of basic TV channels to users that shift to its services from their existing cable connections. The pack consists of 70 channels, and obviously does not include any HD channel. Of course, there will be a fine print to contend with – and users are advised to read all the conditions before migrating to a new service provider. For those who demand nothing but the best, and will not be content with a pack of mere 70 channels, this is just the right time to make another switch. Get a Smart TV this festive season, and step into a whole new world of infotainment!

7 Gadgets that would make James Bond Proud!

James Bond celebrated 50 years of his existence recently. Although James Bond is well known and loved for a lot of his exploits, his gadgets are something that have always garnered a plenty of attention. Built by the Q branch of the British Secret Service, these gadgets always make an appearance towards the beginning of Bond films, and are invariably used in the course of the movie – often saving Bond’s life and always retrieving him from adverse, tricky situations. Needless to mention, the gadgets also enhance to already considerable cool quotient of James bond – and further add to his invincible aura.

James Bond gadgets are very imaginative, and in some cases have shown rare prescience in showing technology that has been later adapted to practical use. As such, they are any gadget lovers’ dream – and envy! And with the considerable resources of the Q branch at his disposal, James Bond has a steady access to a fresh supply of the coolest, snazziest gadgets – I mean, people would kill to be in his position (Was that a lame pun?).

Yet, James Bond does not have all the luck in the world (thankfully!) when it comes to gadgets! There are scores of cool gadgets that James Bond himself would be proud of – and I will show you a few such gadgets. Hold your breath!

Carrera Virago

In the business that James Bond is, he is often stuck in tight spots, with little to count upon except his sharp wits. He may want to add a Carrera Virago to his arsenal – which boasts of a lightweight, full monocoque carbon frameset, Shimano gearing and Tektro alloy brakes. So, when getting away from determined pursuers or chasing hardened criminals through busy thoroughfares, Bond can rely on this bicycle – if his car is parked farther away or in the basement!

Nest Thermostat

James Bond must be rarely stepping into the confines of how own home – with all the globetrotting that he does. Yet, when he DOES step into his apartment, the master spy should have a comfortable house – and that is where the Nest thermostat steps in. This good looking gadget – designed by iPod designers – is quite smart in itself. It actually monitors your activities, and predicts your preferred temperature settings at any particular time. It has in-built Wi-Fi, so it can be controlled anywhere from the world.

Lytro Light Field Camera

One look at the device and you will never guess that this is a camera. Which is fine – it is just the stealth gadget that James Bond needs. This is a unique camera – since you can adjust the focus AFTER you have taken a shot. And oh yes, you can also view the images in 3D – if the fancy catches you!

LG Optimus 4X HD

Powered with a Quad Core processor, a capable battery, a 4.7 Inch IPS LCD full HD capacitive touch screen and an 8 MP camera – this is the phone that can handle all the apps that a James Bond can need!

One

The curiously named One is another device that appears to have been designed by Samsung with James Bond in mind, and some of us have definitely fantasized about such a gadget. It looks like a pen, but you can actually pull out a full screen from the inners to reveal a mobile phone – complete with a camera! An external screen built into the body displays basic information like time, date, new message notifications etc.

Lifebook

James Bond needs all his devices around him, yet he needs to travel light. How about rolling a number of needs into one, and that can be pulled out as and when needed? In comes Lifebook, a gadget that combines a laptop, a tablet, a camera and a smartphone into a single slim device. Just look at the device and you will believe. And oh, the Lifebook has been designed by an Indian – Prashant Chandra.

LG OLED TV

The entire bad guy chasing and saving the world routine can tire anyone – even a James Bond. What better way to rest and relax than catch a few favorite TV shows and movies on the slimmest TV in the world - the LG OLED TV.

Smart TVs vs. Media Hubs – Who Will Prevail?

Your TV is changing – it is becoming smarter. It goes beyond whether your TV has been has branded as Smart TV by the TV maker or not. The changing face of entertainment and information has dictated that we demand more of our TV, and Smart TVs and other devices that make the TV smarter are just a part of the trend.

The buyers of today are simply much more connected, and like to multitask even while being entertained. A few weeks back, I read a report that more and more people like to fiddle with their Smartphones even while watching TV. They do it for various purposes – to share something they watch on TV, to check about something, or simply seek more information about some programs. So, rather than turning to their PC, they do so at a leisurely pace – and on their smartphones.

Additionally, net surfing is also a part of our daily infotainment diet. Most of us, after spending a day at work on workstations, still go back to our home PCs to surf the internet. We may download our favorite tunes, download a movie, or just your favorite apps – they are all a part our daily entertainment or rather, infotainment schedule.

Smart TV boxes, media hubs and media streaming devices such as Apple TV, Roku and Google TV are just fulfilling a function to integrate most of such functions in a single device. The devices – either hardware based or services based – are meant to be attached to your HDTV, and seek to become a total infotainment hub – when connected to the internet.

Some of these efforts have outright failed, while some have achieved only a moderate degree of success. For example, though well regarded and positively reviewed, Apple TV has still seen low penetrations, especially when compared to the craze that every other Apple product or service seems to attract. The Google TV has been a big failure for the search engine giant – despite repeated attempts at resuscitation and rejuvenation.

The field for these players is further queered by the TV makers, who have realized the potential of an integrated entertainment and information device – and are offering a solution themselves in the form of Smart TVs. Considering that media streaming devices and services like Google TV and Apple TV are dependent on HD TVs for final output, the entry of the TV makers in the field should be a matter of concern for them.

The Smart TV makers are also playing it much smartly – the solution set offered by the Smart TVs is much more comprehensive than that of media streaming services and STBs. For example, LG Smart TV offers a comprehensive suite of applications, games and a combination of free and premium services to the buyers, in addition to access to social networking sites and net surfing. Additional features like Smart Share and 3D viewing further strengthen the case of Smart TVs.

The much anticipated union of TV and internet is already happening, and the Smart TVs are seemingly taking the fight away from media hubs. The coming days will see interesting action on this front, and whether media hubs and streaming services still stay relevant, or lose their ground to Smart TVs will be an interesting thing to watch. 

Tech Roundup – Tech News from around the World

Steve Jobs – First Death Anniversary

After the fiasco generated by the faulty iOS 6 maps, and the flak that Apple drew for it, the technological world has cooled down and general focus has shifted back to business as usual. Incidentally, today - October 5 – is exactly one year from the death of Apple founder and visionary technologist and entrepreneur. One of his earlier speeches is circulating around – enumerating how Steve Jobs had visualized mobile telephony and mapping services way back in 1983. That is the true sign of a visionary and innovator that Jobs surely was.

Facebook

Over the last couple of days, Facebook has achieved the one billion monthly users mark, which is a humongous achievement – considering that one out of every seven human beings on earth is now connected via Facebook. This achievement has inspired much celebration in Facebook – and the company has released its first ever TV campaign. However, this milestone has been marred by increasing concerns over the long-term financial viability of the Facebook business model, and how the potential of the social networking will be translated into revenues for the company. Recently, FB has launched another endeavor geared towards this effort – wherein members can actually pay to have their posts promoted.

Tables and Mobiles

The tablet and Smartphones market is breathing easy at this moment, after the flurry of launches that were done in September. RIM has announced its intention to bounce back in the Smartphones category, and regain at least some of the considerable market share that it has lost to other, more nimble footed players. Some leaked specs of its upcoming model Blackberry 10 have been leaked, and analysts have already started raving about it.

A number of tablets have been launched in the Indian market – the most notable being Micromax Funbook Tablet P350 and another model by Zync. The market is also abuzz with the news of iPad Mini – and that the production for a 7.9 inch screen version of the acclaimed iPad has already commenced – and the product may be formally announced and launched in the coming months.

Others

Further on the Indian front, another notable product launch was that of a “Smart Box” – a surprisingly generically named Smart TV box from Akai. The Smart TV box has recently developed as a credible segment, with notable incumbents like the Evo TV Box from Amkette. This also underscores the development of Smart TV as a segment – and should warm the cockles of heart for the TV makers, who have been really pushing their Smart TV offerings to the Indian consumers. 

Sci Fi Gadgets: HUD Glasses

Do you remember the opening sequence of Mission Impossible 2 – the almost impossible rock climb that Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) does, and the cool glasses that he wears thereafter? In the movie, the glasses show him a video, and provide him the information for the next mission – impossible on a virtual screen. A similar glass had made an appearance in an earlier movie – True Lies – where the Arnold Schwarzenegger character uses it to catch his daughter stealing money from his wallet, and then use the same glass to fool a spy following him.

For a long time, imaginative sci fi writers and movie makers have visualized similar types of eyeglasses – also called Head Up Display (or HUD). Truth is, HUD has been around for quite some time – for example, fighter planes have extensively used the technology to assist pilots – for whom it provides a lot of tactical information. HUDs have also been adapted for civil aviation, and some passenger car models have also used it in a limited way.

For years, scientists and designers have been working on HUD glasses that could be widely adapted for general users, but mostly they were unwieldy and impractical devices, and limited in application by the technology of the day. But now, with rapid advances in display technology, the HUD device has actually become practical to make – and apply for various purposes. The usage for HUD glasses varies – from hi tech manufacturing to medical sciences to gaming and movie watching – the HUD glasses are being in a lot of areas. Indeed, HUD glasses and its offshoot – augmented reality – where the inputs of the real environment are augmented with extra data.

The recent announcement by Google regarding the development of Google Glass – a project to develop a HUD based “wearable computer”, that is expected to become available for users by 2014. Sergey Brin, Google co-founder announced its debut in a dramatic press conference, where sky divers wearing the Google glasses were connected, and the resulting footage was displayed. Since then, the technical community has been abuzz with excitement regarding the product, and Google Glass has got extensive coverage.

Vuzix is a company that has been making the HUD glasses for some time, and selling them with limited success. The current generation of Vuzix HUD glasses is capable of displaying 2D and 3D visuals, and equipped to shoot and transfer 1080p videos. This HUD can find possible uses in medical sciences and Search and Rescue missions – where GPS fed info can be used to pinpoint the exact location of survivors, and then guide rescuers with minimal risk and in quick time.

Epson Moverio BT 100

Brother, the reputed printer making company, also makes a HUD wearable glass that uses a monocular LCD screen to project information such as instructions to workers in real-time, and can be used in manufacturing and medical applications.

Movie watching and gaming is another area that is attracting a lot of HUD glass action. Epson Moverio BT-100 looks like bulky sunglass from the outside, and packs a number of features in its frames. Wear it, and virtual effect you get is like an 80 inch screen at about 17 feet. You can enjoy 3D movies on it – imagine watching movies on a huge, 80 inch 3D TV – or simply surf the web. The device is connected to a control module, which can be used to navigate through the interface.

Sony HMZ T1

The entertainment giant, Sony, has also got a finger in the HUD glass pie – and its acclaimed HMZ T1 device seeks to provide a full fledged immersive 3D viewing and gaming experience. Wait till you hear its humongous display output – it is equivalent to a HUGE 750 inch screen that is set 65 feet away – a true cinema like experience. To complete the picture (pun intended), HMZ T1 also gives out a 5.1 surround sound output.