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Apple

Six biggest announcements by Apple revealing a bunch of new hardware products.

On 21st April 2021, Apple held an event at its campus in Cupertino, California, and announced six new hardware products. The biggest highlights of this event were the new iPad Pro which is coming with a mini-LED display, a redesigned new iMac, Apple’s new podcast subscription service, a brand new Apple TV streaming box, a stunning purple color option for iPhone 12, and finally the long-awaited AirTag. These six new products by Apple are way too exciting for both its existing users and potential audience. So, let’s have a glimpse at all the specifications of this new hardware.

New iPad Pro with M1 Chip

The new iPad Pro is coming with the revolutionary M1 chip which will lead to a huge leap in performance. This new product features a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with high-speed storage of up to 2TB along with Thunderbolt expansion. The new iPad Pro is featuring an 8-core CPU design which will deliver 50 percent faster CPU performance than A12Z Bionic. It will also deliver 40 percent faster GPU performance which will make iPad Pro the fastest device of its kind. The product is having a next-generation 16-core Apple Neural Engine, an advanced image signal processor (ISP), and high bandwidth memory architecture. The new iPad Pro has a true depth camera system featuring a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera. You can order the new iPad Pro from 30th April on the official website of Apple.

Apple
Image Source: apple.com

Apple’s All-new iMac

The All-new iMac by Apple is featuring a much more compact and thin design enabled by the M1 chip. The new 24-inch iMac is designed for very powerful performance. It has a 4.5K Retina display with 11.3 million pixels and a peak brightness of 500 nits. It also has a 1080p FaceTime HD camera for a better experience attending those Zoom meetings along with studio-quality mics and a six-speaker sound system. It is for the first time ever that Mac brings Touch ID ensuring better security. The device will be powered by macOS Big Sur which will get your everyday tasks done at a very high speed and enable smooth multitasking as well. It will be available from the second half of May in several different colors, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver.

Apple
Image Source: apple.com

Podcasts Subscription

Apple introduces Apple Podcasts subscriptions which will help listeners around the globe discover premium subscriptions that are offered by many creators along with free shows on Apple Podcasts. This product will also roll out in May in more than 170 countries. Users will be able to sign up for premium subscriptions for content by their favorite creators, add free music, exclusive access to new series, etc. Users will be able to get premium subscriptions from channels and brands like Tenderfoot TV, Pushkin Industries, QCODE, NPR, Sony Music Entertainment, etc. Apart from the listeners, the Apple Podcasts for Creators website will immensely help them to stay updated and they can access a dashboard that will help them visualize user engagement and track performance using various tools.

Next-Generation Apple TV 4K

Apple reveals the next-generation Apple TV 4K which will deliver high frame rate HDR with Dolby Vision enabling fast-moving action at 60 fps (frames per second). It will help customers connect with their favorite content in the best ever quality. The new Apple TV 4K is featuring the A12 Bionic chip that will provide a significant boost not only in graphics performance but also video decoding and audio processing. The Siri Remote as usual will make work several folds easier with intuitive navigation controls. Users will have access to many award-winning shows and movies like Greyhound, The Morning Show, Lasso, etc on the Apple TV+ app. The Apple Fitness app is always placed on the new TV providing both workout mantra and entertainment at once.

iPhone 12 in a Stunning Purple Color

Apple has introduced a stunning purple color for Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini. The new color is enhancing the look of the product to several folds accentuating the flat aluminum edges and equally complimenting the precision-milled back glass. Both phones have expansive edge-to-edge Super Retina XDR displays with OLED and a super-advanced dual-camera system. The durability of the phones has been increased with a ceramic shield front cover. The new purple iPhone 12 is powered by A14 Bionic which is the fastest chip in a smartphone.

Apple Introduces AirTag

Apple
Image Source: apple.com

Apple has introduced AirTag which is a small accessory that will help the customers keep track of items and also find them using Apple’s Find My App. You can attach them to anything from keys to your handbag and it will help you find the location of that object. AirTags are offered in a single or four-pack priced at Rs 3190 and Rs 10900 respectively.

Predator Helios 300

Acer launches Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop with Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs.

Acer launches new gaming laptops Acer Predator Helios 300 in India with Nvidia GeForce RTX GPUs. The new series of laptops will be powered by a 10th generation Intel Core i7 octa-core mobile gaming processor. Many new features have been added to these new laptop models to enhance the gaming experience. The laptops have Killer’s E2600 Ethernet Controller and Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i which reduces the latency while playing games. The response time has been reduced to 3 milliseconds for smooth gaming.

Many new gaming laptops from other brands have also launched within a single year. Since the pandemic, the tech industry has witnessed more sales of laptops, gaming consoles, etc as people are trying to enhance their mode of entertainment since locked up in their homes. Acer Predator is one of the finest gaming laptops in the market. So, let’s have a detailed look at all the specifications of the new Helios 300 models.

Specifications of Acer Predator Helios 300

The new Acer Predator Helios 300 is going to be your next dream gaming laptop if you look at all the specifications. This laptop will directly drop you into the gaming zone with an insanely fast refresh rate of 240 Hz and a response time of only 3 milliseconds.  Acer is embedding NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU into the system to make the gaming more profound. The laptop is also provided with custom-engineered fourth-generation Aeroblade 3D technology. The size of the laptop is 15.6 inch and it has a full HD+ IPS display with a peak brightness of 300 nits.

The processor of the new Acer Predator Helios 300 is a 10th generation Intel core i7 Mobile processor with 2933MHz DDR4 memory up to 32GB. RAM up to 32GB means the laptop will be super fast and it will also have high-speed storage for your gaming library. Gaming laptops are expected to be super fast and that’s why it always has high RAM and excellent graphics. Speaking of graphics, the GeForce RTX 3080 is powered by NVIDIA’s 2nd generation RTX Ampere architecture. This technology has new ray-tracing cores, tensor cores, and streaming multiprocessors. All these combined, the performance of the new Predator Helios 300 will be increased by several folds.

Predator Helios 300
Image Source: bgr.in

The new models will have Intel 10th generation processors which are now clocking up to 5.0GHz Turbo. It will have up to 6 cores and 12 threads so you don’t need to worry about tasks that it cannot perform. You give the load to the laptop and it will figure out the rest. The laptops have 3rd generation Tensor Cores which enables mixed-precision computing, dynamical calculations, high rate of acceleration while preserving accuracy. The 2nd generation Ray Tracing cores simulates the true behavior of light. This enhances the real-time cinematic quality to help the gamer experience a more virtually intense environment while playing.

Acer Predator Helios 300 also has Nvidia DLSS whose AI capabilities boost both the frame rate and at the same time preserves the image quality. Previously mentioned 4th generation Aeroblade 3D Technology is all about having a very efficient cooling system that reduces noise while increasing the airflow. Predator CoolBoost is also present which increases the fan speed depending on the heat generated thus keeping critical areas continually cooled.

Keyboard and Audio System

Acer Predator Helios 300 keyboards are very attractive coming with 4-zone RGB that uses Predator typeface. You can experience quality audio with a high-end 360 degrees surround sound system. The audio system can be customized according to your preference and while you are gaming it seems like you are standing next to your opponent. The sound system of the laptop creates a wide expansive sound stage which provides improved harmonics for both mono and stereo.

Price and Availability

The price of the new Acer Predator Helios 300 is starting from Rs 1,19,990 in India. You can order the laptop now on Acer Exclusive Store, Acer Online Store, and Flipkart.  You can apply for both bank discounts and EMI options.

Zenbook

Asus launches ZenBook Duo 14 and ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED with ScreenPad Plus Secondary Display.

Asus has recently rolled out two new laptop models of the company, that is, Asus ZenBook Duo 14 and ZenBook Pro Duo 15 in the Indian market. These are the two new premium ZenBook models that are targeting a wide range of customers from students to professionals. Since remote work has become the routine of our life now every customer is looking for highly productive and multitasking laptop models. Both of the new ZenBook models are featuring a secondary display called ScreenPad Plus which is offered along with the regular display. The secondary display is the most catchy feature of the new ZenBook models expanding user’s productivity.

The new ZenBook Duo 14 has 11th generation Intel Core processors and also carries Intel Evo verification. On the other hand, ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is running on 10th generation Intel Core processors. The latter one also has Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 graphics. The graphics show that the new ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED can also be the first choice of many gamers. Both the machines are provided with Asus’ proprietary Active Aerodynamic System (AAS+). When one opens the laptop’s lid the built-in ScreenPad Plus rises and offers up to 49 percent higher airflow and better thermal management.

Specification of Asus ZenBook Duo 14

The new Asus ZenBook Duo 14 is featuring a 14-inch full HD IPS level display. The maximum brightness of the screen is 400-nits and has 100 percent sRGB color coverage. It has a screen-to-body ratio of 93 percent. The secondary screen of the ZenBook, that is, the ScreenPad Plus is 12.65-inch and has a resolution of 1920X515 pixels, and includes stylus support. The main purpose of the secondary screen is to enhance multitasking which is a prime need for any working professional and even students. The OS of the model is Windows 10 and the laptop is powered by an Intel Core i7-1156G7 processor. The GPU provided is of Nvidia GeForce MX450 and the RAM is up to 16GB LPDDR4x RAM. Storage of the machine is up to 1TB of M.2 SSD.

For connectivity purposes, Asus ZenBook Duo 14 has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, one HDMI 1.4, and a 3.5mm headphone jack (Gadgets 360). For wireless connectivity, it also has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth v5.0. The audio system of the Asus ZenBook Duo 14 is very impressive as it comes with Harman Kardon-backed speakers along with an array of microphones that will have support for Cortana. The noise-canceling technology of the laptop is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Asus ZenBook Duo 14 has a battery of 70Wh which will power the laptop for 17 hours on a single charge. The laptop weighs 1.57 kgs and the dimension is 324X222X16.9mm.

Zenbook
Image Source: asus.com

Specification of Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED

The second premium ZenBook that Asus has launched in India recently is Asus ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED. This laptop is featuring a 15.6-inch OLED 4K ultra HD NanonEdge touch-enabled display. The display has 178-degree viewing angles with 100 percent DCI-P3 color gamut and up to 400 nits of brightness. The display of the model is also Pantone validated and TUV Rheinland certified. IT also has VESA Display HDR 500 True Black certification. The secondary screen of this model is a 14.1-inch tilting ScreenPad Plus display. The resolution of the secondary screen is 3840X1100 pixels which also provides 400-nits peak brightness.

ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is powered by an Intel Core-i9 10980HK processor. The RAM provided in the model is up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and 1TB M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD storage. The laptop has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, HDMI 2.1, and a headphone jack. For Bluetooth connectivity, there is Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth v5.0. There is a microphone array and Harman Kardon-backed speakers. The battery of this model is a 92Wh battery and it measures 359x249x21.5mm and weighs 2.34 kilograms.

Price and Availability

The starting price of ZenBook Duo 14 in India is Rs 99,990 and of ZenBook Pro Duo 15 OLED is Rs 2,39,990. It is currently made available in India and can also be bought from online platforms like Flipkart and Amazon.

Samsung Neo

Samsung brings the new 2021 Neo QLED TV with Quantum Matrix Technology.

On 14th April 2021, Samsung launched the new ultra-premium Neo QLED television range in India. Samsung has always been the leading company in India when it comes to the television sector and this new series of flat-screen will become a magnificent piece in your drawing room. The new televisions are coming with bezel-less Infinity One Design with the best real-life picture quality to level up your cinematic experience. The customers buying a model from this new line-up will enjoy Samsung TV Plus Service without any subscription or additional charges.

Samsung Neo QLED TV
Image Source: news.samsung.com

Specifications of Neo QLED TVs

The QLED TVs will soon rule the market with its Quantum Mini LED which is controlled by Quantum Matrix Technology and Neo Quantum Processor. The processor used is specially optimized for Neo QLED TVs which uses up to 16 neural network models trained by AI and deep learning technology. Picture quality is much improved in this new range of televisions displaying fine light and contrast levels. This has been possible because the Mini LEDs incorporated in this television are 40 times smaller than the regular LEDs. To make the HDR experience more authentic the luminance scale has been increased.

The display technology of Neo QLED is not like something you have witnessed before. The televisions will be available in 8K and 4K models which are the flagship products. There will be five different sizes for each of these models which are 85-inch, 75-inch, 65-inch, 55-inch, and 50-inch. Consumers who will pre-book Neo QLED TV can avail offers such as Samsung Galaxy Tabs and cashback.

Gaming Experience in Neo QLED TVs

Samsung has designed this new product range considering the gamers thus making the gaming experience out of the world. The Neo QLED TVs have the Motion Xcelerator Turbo+ feature which provides an immersive ultra-wide gaming experience. This feature allows the gamers to play both PC and console games with a Super Ultra-Wide Game View and Game Bar. The TVs also have an auto low latency mode which prevents tearing and stuttering thus providing a reliable experience. The Game Bar saves much time as it provides the gamer with direct options to connect a wireless headset, change the aspect ratio, etc.

Samsung Neo QLED TV
Image Source: news.samsung.com

The features in the Samsung Neo Quantum processor 8K includes higher frame rate, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), and eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel). These are some of the best features along with the Motion Xcelerator Turbo+ that minimizes blur and enhances motion clarity. The aspect ratio options are 21:9 and the ultra-wide option of 32:9. Since the beginning of lockdown, the demand for game consoles, televisions, and other entertaining devices has increased unexpectedly. Samsung rolling out a TV that will give the best gaming experience on a flat screen is like a dream for gamers.

Technology used in Samsung Neo QLED TV

Apart from the exceptional picture clarity, Samsung NEO is providing, the audio system of the television is also very impressive. The 2021 Samsung Neo comes with an Object Tracking Sound Pro (OTS Pro) that produces the audio from the point of action. This means the action moves and the sound moves accordingly. The audio system of Samsung Neo QLED also comes together in harmony as Q-Symphony syncs them with your speaker or other audio devices to get a better audio experience. There is also another feature called SpaceFit sound tech which analyzes the room environment to auto-calibrate TV sound. For noise cancellation, the Active Voice Amplifier feature is available which helps in producing clear sound.

The Samsung Neo QLED 2021 also has Quantum Matrix Technology which reduces picture blooming to a massive amount using precise lighting. It also features nano-sized Quantum Dots that helps the viewer to witness 100% color volume every time. You have never experienced this amount of vibrancy before as you are going to experience with the new Samsung Neo QLED.  For this product range, Samsung is offering a 2-years warranty on all panels and a 10-years warranty for no screen burn-in on the 4K models. The starting price of the models is Rs 99,990 and it will be available in the Samsung retail stores. You can also buy it from leading electronic stores or the official website of Samsung. 

Surface Laptop 4

Surface Laptop 4 introduced by Microsoft with Intel and AMD options.

It has been a decade the Surface laptops have successfully enhanced user experience by bridging the gap between people and technology in a frictionless manner. Surface laptops provide premium design, top-class performance, immersive touchscreen display technologies, and many more. The series of Surface laptops target broad customers from students to professionals meeting individual needs. Currently, Surface Laptop have the highest customer satisfaction rating in its class.

The requirements for every user are unique and till today Surface laptops have served them well. In the journey to provide a better experience to the people so that they can connect in a better way to the world and to their work through technology, Microsoft introduces Surface Laptop 4. The users are free to choose color, size, and price starting from $999.99 and can be currently ordered from the US, Japan, and Canada. In the US, whoever will order before 15th April will receive free Surface Earbuds as a gift.

Price of Surface Laptop 4

The price of 13.5″ laptops starts from $999 (Rs 75,196 approx) for the Ryzen 5 variants. The same size laptops for Core i5 variants are priced at $1299 (Rs 97,778 approx). The i7 variants will be available at a price of $1699 (Rs 1,27,887 approx). For the Intel processor, customers will have four color choices while in the case of AMD, the model will be only available in grey color. For the 15″ laptops, Intel processor Surface Laptop 4 is starting at $1699 (i7 variant) and Ryzen 7 models are starting from $1299.

Specifications of Surface Laptop 4

The new Surface Laptop 4 is optimized for Microsoft experiences. It will retain the same iconic design and the materials used in the previous versions of Surface laptops. The laptop will have a 3:2 PixelSense touchscreen which will come in 13.5″ and 15″ models. There will also be a number of choices for colors which includes a new option, Ice Blue finish. The built-in front-facing camera in the laptop is full HD that can work magnificently in low light.

Surface Laptop 4
Image Source: blogs.windows.com

Surface Laptop 4 has a studio microphone array that will ensure high-quality audio in meetings. It also has Dolby Atmos Omnisonic speakers to enhance your cinematic experience. One of the best features about this new laptop is it will provide you options between 11th Generation Intel Core and AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors with Radeon Graphics Microsoft Surface Edition (8 cores). For both the processors, you will experience a very highly efficient laptop pioneering your multitasking demand.

Comfortable Multitasking

Surface Laptop 4 will make you feel that the product is exclusively designed for you with its multitasking capabilities. From office workers to students, from gaming enthusiasts to content creators, you can do some serious multitasking on this laptop without the fear of compromised performance. Moreover, you can work with this laptop from anywhere and attend meetings as this product can perform well even in low light. So, no matter if you are spending a vacation inside a deep forest or camping up in the mountains, this laptop will always have your back. Surface Laptop 4 also provides brilliant typing comfort and large trackpads. This is very advantageous for content creators and bloggers.

Surface Laptop 4 has the advanced feature of face sign-in which saves your time and you can start working from right where you left. The laptop also has all-day battery life hence it will not interrupt your workflow. You can backup all your work-related files and other documents in the cloud with integrated OneDrive storage. Surface Laptop 4 also gives you a choice of memory capability of 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB LPDDR4x RAM. This option for RAM is especially helpful for developers who need extremely high capabilities. The 13.5″ laptops have comparatively more battery life in the case of both Intel and AMD Ryzen.

Surveys say that most of the employees even after the end of the pandemic prefer remote work culture. To make their working efficiency better, Microsoft is introducing Surface headphones which will provide a better experience when attending a meeting. Customers already love the technology, design, and performance of Surface laptops and Microsoft is striving to improve the existing system along with Windows.

HMD Nokia

HMD Launches Nokia’s Six Affordable and Premium C, G, and X Series Smartphones.

After the big ban on Chinese products from many countries, HMD, the Nokia-branded smartphone maker, is trying to dominate the smartphone industry through its new affordable smartphone lineup. The company launched six smartphones under its three different series, i.e., C, G, and X. Each series has introduced two smartphones, named as Nokia C10, Nokia C20, Nokia G10, Nokia G20, Nokia X10, and Nokia X20. HMD launched the smartphone on Thursday, April 8.

Nokia C10 and C20 Specifications

The two smartphones from the Nokia C series have got all similar features. The major difference between the two is the processor used in both. The Nokia C10 is powered by a quad-core Unisoc SC7331e SoC, whereas Nokia C20 is packed with an octa-core Unisoc SC9863a SoC. Both support 2GB of RAM. Storage-wise, C20 has got two options, i.e., 16GB and 32GB, along with the support for expansion up to 256GB via a microSD card. The Nokia C10 smartphone comes with an inbuilt storage of 32GB, which can be expanded up to 256GB.

Nokia C10 and C20 include a 6.51-inch HD+ (720×1,600 pixels) display, rendering a 20:9 aspect ratio and 400 nits of peak brightness. The display is protected with a 2D Panda Glass. Both have a single 5MP camera on the front as well as rear, along with a flashlight on both sides. Nokia C10 and C20 are 4G smartphones and offer Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.2, connectivity features. Both the smartphones include a 3,000mAh battery supporting 10W charging and weigh around 191 grams, with dimensions equal to 169.9×77.9×8.8mm. These two smartphones run on Android 11 (Go edition).

HMD Nokia
Image Source: engadget.com

Nokia G10 and G20 Specifications

The HMD Nokia G10 and G20 are more powerful smartphones than the C-series phones. These two run on Android 11 and have a similar build, except for the camera and the processor. The Nokia G10 smartphone is powered by the octa-core MediaTek Helio G25 SoC, whereas the G20 smartphone includes the octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 SoC processor. Both come with 4GB RAM. The Nokia G10 comes in 32GB and 64GB variants, whereas the G20 comes in 64GB and 128GB onboard storage options. Both smartphones have got dedicated SD slot for storage expansion up to 512GB.

Nokia G10 is packed with a triple rear camera setup, having a 13MP primary sensor, a 2MP macro shooter, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the other hand, the G20 smartphone boasts a quad-camera setup, including a 48MP primary sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide shooter, a 2MP macro shooter, and a 2MP depth sensor. Both smartphones include an 8MP front camera. The Nokia G10 and G20 have got a 6.5-inch HD+ (720×1,600 pixels) display, providing a 20:9 aspect ratio. The size of both the smartphone is also equal, i.e. 164.9×76.0x9.2mm, and both weigh around 194 grams. The Nokia G10 includes a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging, and the G20 smartphones come with a 5,050mAh battery with 10W charging.

Nokia X10 and X20 Specifications

The Nokia X10 and X20 are the most powerful smartphones of them all, having better camera setups and a more powerful processor. Display-wise, both have the 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) hole-punch display rendering a 20:9 aspect ratio and 450 nits of peak brightness. Both the smartphones are shipped with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 SoC and provide support for up to 8GB of RAM.

The Nokia X10 and X20 have got a quad-camera setup on the rear. The X10 has got a 48MP primary sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide-angle shooter, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro shooter. On the other hand, the Nokia X20 includes a 64MP primary sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide shooter, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro shooter. The camera setups of both the smartphones feature the Zeiss optics and OZO Audio. The front camera of the Nokia X10 is an 8MP camera, and the Nokia X20 features a 32MP selfie camera.

The HMD Nokia X10 comes in the 64GB and 128GB variants, and the storage can be extended up to 512GB using an SD card, whereas the Nokia X20 is packed with 128GB of onboard storage with expansion ability up to 512GB. Both the smartphones provide support for 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0 connectivity. The dimensions of the two measures 168.94×79.7×9.1mm and both weigh around 210-220 grams. Both Nokia X10 and X20 come with a 4,470mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. Also, both are IP52-rated dust and water resistance smartphones.

Price and Availability

Nokia C10 and C20 are on the affordable side. The Nokia C10 costs around EUR 79 (about Rs. 7,000) for its base model and the Nokia C20 starts at EUR 89 (around Rs. 7,900). Both the smartphones will be shipped starting from June this year to some selected markets. The Nokia C10 comes in Grey and Light Purple color options, and the Nokia C20 is available in Dark Blue and Sand colors.

The base model of the Nokia G10 starts at EUR 139 (around Rs. 12,300), whereas the starting price for the Nokia G20 price is set at EUR 159 (around Rs. 14,000). The availability of the Nokia G10 starts from April this year and will be available in two colors, i.e., Dusk and Nightshades. HMD will start shipping the Nokia G20 in May in Glacier and Night color options.

The Nokia X10 starts at EUR 309 (around Rs. 27,400), and the Nokia X20 will be available at starting price of EUR 349 (around Rs. 31,000). Nokia X10 will be available in the selected market starting from June and will have Forest and Snow color options. On the other hand, the Nokia X20 will be out in the market starting from May in Nordic Blue and Sun color variants.