Gadgets – Tech Raman

Amazon updates the Echo Lineup and Introduces the Echo Sub, a sub-woofer for your Echo devices

Lakshmi Rajan — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 10:01:46 +0000

Amazon has updated their Eco line-up in India including the Amzon Echo Dot, Echo Plus and also have introduced a new Echo companion device, Echo Sub Smart speakers. The Echo Dot comes at a price tag of Rs 4,499, Echo Plus costs Rs 14,999 and the Echo Sub can be picked for Rs 12,999. The new lineup can be pre-ordered on Amazon India, while the new Echo Dot and Echo Plus will ship next month, the Echo Sub will be shipping later this year.

Key features of the new Amazon Echo Dot

new curved shape
all new fabric finish
Available in Charcoal, Heather Gray and Sandstone
More powerful sound

The Echo Dot is the entry level Echo device. It can connect to your home theatre or other speakers via Bluetooth or 3.5mm cable for extra, bigger sound. Like the other Echo devices, it also has Alexa-on board allowing the user to get talk to the device to listen to your favourite music, get weather information or other news, set timers and alarms and control compatible smart home devices.

Key Features of the new Amazon Echo Plus

A three-inch woofer and “increased back volume”
Now has an embedded temperature sensor
All new fabric design
Available in Charcoal, Heather Gray, Sandsone

The Echo Plus is the larger Echo device available and comes with a larger 3″ Neodymium woofer. It also comes with built-in Zigbee smart home hub, making Smart connectivity with the compatible devices easy and automatic without the need for additional hubs or apps. The Temperature sensor allows you to set temperature based routines using other smart home devices. For example, when the living room reaches 32 degree Celsius, Alexa can send a notification to your phone and turn on the AC connected to a smart plug.

What is Amazon Echo Sub

The most interesting introduction is the Amazon Echo Sub, a companion device for your Echo speakers. This is a wireless Echo subwoofer for those who wants to add some extra bass to their Echo speakers. The Echo Sub has a 6-inch woofer which can deliver 100 watts deep bass. The device can be paired to any other Echo device to create a 1.1 or 2.1 pairing for a stereo sound effect. It also has an equalizer to adjust the bass, mid-range and treble of the pairing via simple voice command, say “Alexa, turn up the bass” and so. Cool right? ]]>

SanDisk Dual Drive and SanDisk Memory Manager – Dual Drive, Multipurpose Daily Drives

Lakshmi Rajan — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 18:08:30 +0000

Yes, the Smartphone storage has got better now. Even budget mobiles with 32GB storage has become common these days, so some might even think do we still need the little pen drives still? Well, hell yes, it still has its place and let’s see why. It’s for no reason that the feature called OTG is enabled in most smartphones these days and is also one of the most deciding factor for many when they choose their smartphones. Not everything needs to end up in the phone storage, there are different needs and use cases. Mini USB Pendrives are convenient for immediate backup,to move files between Smartphones, PCs and laptops. To carry your favourite media files, when you are on travel, to take quick backup of the memories you shoot on camera and many more. While the storage has become beefier on the smartphones, so is the media contents stored, so still the Dual drives make sense to free up the space instantly and for safe backup too. And with Sandisk Dual drives having cross compatibility with Android, Mac , Windows it offers seamless transfer between various gadgets and qualifies it to be one of the most versatile little gadget to carry around. Western Digital owned Sandisk has wide range of mini drives which they call as Dual drives. The Sandisk Dual with USB 2.0 plug at one end and the more contemporary Sandisk Ultra Dual with a faster USB 3.0 plug. Then there are various storage options to choose from ranging from 16GB to 128GB. The Ultra dual with the USB 3.0 connector is backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports and can get speeds of upto 150 MB/s, so works well if you are a habitual big transferer of big media files. Apart from the drive itself what captured my attention was the Sandisk Memory Zone app available both on App store and Play store. The app is a neatly done memory manager to manage on your phone, the card and in cloud. And not just the memory management, the app can also has few more aces up its sleeves by doubling as file browser, backup, file compressor and also integrated media player. There are two utilities that stand out for me in this app, one is the automatic backup which I can schedule it on one particular day of a week and time and it makes sure my new contents on my phone be it the photos, videos or even files are automatically backed up into the drive. Neat, no manual work here. Secondly, It also allows to backup the images I put into the social media apps like Instagram, Twitter or Facebook which I might be posting from different devices and all gets backed up again here when I give the necessary permission to the app. Again, pretty neat and practical. It also allows to push the content to cloud directly via the app. https://youtu.be/1Zs3VU9A298 So now you might agree with me right? mini drives are not going to be history and SanDisk Dual Drives along with the Memory Zone app has made it a worthy addition to check in a gadget must have lists. Share your thoughts.]]>

Win Rapoo H3070 Wireless Stereo Headset: TechRaman Giveaway

Lakshmi Rajan — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 19:53:46 +0000

An eventful year is coming to an end and we thought of ending it with a bang. So we decided to have our first giveaway for our readers. Since we have covered Rapoo a lot this year, we narrowed down to one of their wireless gadget. Rapoo is a wireless peripheral maker and they make keyboards, mouse and headsets and has been actively updating their portfolio in Indian market this year. We recently reviewed Rapoo H307o and it also becomes TechRaman’s first giveaway. So in case you are hooked to a cable headset, here is a chance to reduce your wired mess at your desk. Rapoo H3070 works with almost all audio sources be it mobiles,tablets, laptops, desktops and even your TVs and any audio sources as long as it supports a 3.5 mm audio jack. You can hook on the transmitter to the audio sources and enjoy wireless stereo music on your headset. You can read our review for more on the product. For now, go ahead enter the contest and who knows you can be the lucky winner of Rapoo H3070 and end the year on a musical high! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last date to participate in the Giveaway is 31st December 2013
Name of the winner will be announced 5th of January
Please note that the product will be delivered only to an Indian address
If you have any queries then drop us a mail via techraman.com/contact-us or contact me on twitter @lakshmirajan

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Lenovo Yoga Tab to launch in India tomorrow, pre-order starts

Lakshmi Rajan — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 05:50:24 +0000

th November till the midnight of 17^th November. The privilege coupon also offers a pre-order bundle offer worth Rs. 5,499.

About Lenovo Yoga Tab

Available in 8-inch and 10-inch variant, both the tablets have a display resolution of 1280×800 pixel and comes encased in a metal body. Powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT8125 processor for the Wi-Fi version and the MediaTek MT8389 processor for the 3G version and including a 1GB of RAM and an option of 16/32GB of internal storage with microSD card slots. The tablet runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It also includes a 5 mega-pixel rear camera and a VGA front-facing camera. The highlights include the claims of 18 hours battery life and an innovative onboard kickstand. If you are interested for checking out the pre-order, hop over here.]]>

Moto G launched for $179; coming to India in January

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 19:50:56 +0000

Moto G will be available in 8GB and 16GB variants but there is no options for expandable external memory slot. In US the handset will be available through the company’s website and the price of the no-contract, SIM unlocked 8GB is fixed at $179 while the 16GB variant can be picked for $199. Motorola Moto G will be available in Brazil starting this week, and the smartphone will be released in Latin America, Europe, Canada and parts of Asia over the next few weeks. The company planning to make a comeback in India plans to out the Moto G in early-January.]]>

Gionee Gpad G3 launched in India, features 5.5" display and priced at Rs 9,999

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 08:21:53 +0000

Gionee Gpad G2 and now the popular Chinese mobile maker has officially announced Gpad G3 featuring a slightly larger display screen and priced aggressively at Rs 9,999. It should be noted that this particular model was already listed in e-commerce website Snapdeal last month and is available now for Rs. 9.425. The dual-SIM (GSM+GSM), dual standby smartphone features a 5.5-inch LCD display with a 480×854 pixels resolution and is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 processor, coupled with PowerVR SGX544 GPU and 1GB of RAM. The 5.5 inch display is marginally bigger than the previous G2 which came with a 5.3 inch display. The hardware internals seems to be identical. It runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. On the camera scale surprisingly Gionee has stripped down the specs. The Gpad G3 sports a 5-megapixel rear autofocus camera with LED flash and also includes a VGA front-facing camera. Ironically the G2 featured a 8 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front shooter. The battery luggage includes a 2250 mAh battery and measures 157.3×79.3×9.6mm. The GPad G3 bears 4GB of inbuilt storage, which is expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. Connectivity options on the phablet include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EDGE, GPRS and 3G. ]]>

Google announces Nexus 5; the first device to have a Android 4.4 kitkat inside

Lakshmi Rajan — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 19:27:25 +0000

The almost 5-inch display strengthened by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 has a 1080p fullHD resolution amassing a super healthy 441 ppi. The device is powered by 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM. A 8 megapixel camera on the rear with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a 1.3 megapixel front facing shooter makes up for the camera department but Google claims that its new lens captures more light and offers better low-light pictures. At 130g it is slightly lighter than the Nexus 4 and nests a 2300mAh non-removable battery. Unlike its predecessor, Nexus 5 supports LTE as well as ultra fast WiFi. Google touts the Nexus 5 as ‘the slimmest and fastest Nexus phone ever made’ and the 16GB variant is priced at $349 and the 32GB at $399. Beginning today it is available at Google Play store in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, and Korea. Google says it is ‘coming soon’ in India and more countries to follow. Let’s see how soon it would hit Indian shores as Nexus series has always made a late entry into Indian market.]]>

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 features video demo [with real life scenario]

Lakshmi Rajan — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:17:16 +0000

Mr.Foodie is a happy man now with Galaxy Note 3

Here in this video we have touched upon features like Photo Note, S-Note, Scrap book etc. Photo Note feature allows to write quick note behind the photos you have snapped for quick reference like how you write down at the back of real photos. S-Note is a hallmark feature of Galaxy Note 3 which makes best use of S-Pen. You can write notes, import pictures and annotate them and also share the notes. Scrapbooker is a new app making its presence in Galaxy Note 3 where we can syndicate and organize interesting data you come across including web pages, videos, pictures, notes etc.

How Galaxy Note 3 Screen Write feature comes very handy

Galaxy Note 3 introduces a new quick access menu tool, Air Command which pops up the moment S-Pen is pulled out. At any point of time it can also be accessed by clicking the S-button on the S-Pen. The Air command gives easy access to Note 3’s S-Pen optimized features like Action memo, Scrap booker, Screen Write, S Finder and Pen Window. In this video we have visualized a real life scenario where Screen Write features makes communication of thoughts very easy.

Mr. Executive starts using Galaxy Note 3

How many times you and me have come across situations where we scramble for a paper or writing pad to jot down the numbers or information while on a call? Many a times, right. Galaxy Note 3 simplifies life with its S-Pen as well as the newly introduced Action memo feature which recognizes and converts the memo ready for further action. For eg, if you have jotted down a phone number you can immediately add to contacts or call the number. Galaxy Note 3 does a fine job in handwriting recognition too. Did you enjoy our video? We will come up with detailed review of Galaxy Note 3 features in subsequent posts. Stay ‘Noted’]]>

Micromax Canvas Turbo launched for Rs 19,990, sports a 5-inch fullHD display

Lakshmi Rajan — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 18:55:41 +0000

After raising our eyebrows by roping in Hugh Jackman as their new brand ambassador and outing a video teaser with the Wolverine actor and Canvas Turbo, Micromax today unveiled the Canvas Turbo. As expected Micromax Canvas Turbo comes with a 5-inch IPS display touting a 1080×1920 pixels resolution, making it the first device from Micromax with a full-HD display. Micromax also mentions that its display is sourced from Sharp. Powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core MediaTek 6589T (Turbo) processor and 2GB of RAM, the smartphone runs Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean and the company says it would offer FOTA (Firmware-Over-The-Air) support. There is a 16GB internal storage and Micromax is silent on the expandable memory, so we assume it lacks microSD slot. What might irk the user is the fact that only about 1GB of this storage will be available for installing apps while about 12.5GB will be available for other data storage. On the shooter side, the Canvas Turbo features a 13 megapixel rear camera with autofocus and a 5 mega-pixel front shooter. The camera features include Panorama, Cinemagraph and Object Eraser. A 2000mAh battery sounds underwhelming at least on theory. Like the rest of the company’s phones, Canvas Turbo also is a dual-SIM smartphone but in this case there is one micro-SIM and another regular SIM. On the features list, Canvas Turbo includes some of the Smart features that Samsung made famous. Though how good it works has to be seen on practical tests. The smart gestures includes automatically answering the call by bringing the device close to ears, muting the device by turning it face down, flipping the phone to activate the speaker call, palm gestures like sliding over the screen for unlock, and waving hand to say cheese to camera etc. Oh and you can also blow you phone to unlock. On a lighter note, may be this idea is to rub the phone with a clean cloth after blowing it open. The Micromax A250 Canvas Turbo will be available to buy on October 26 in India for a market operating price of Rs 19,990.]]>

Nokia Lumia 1520 vs Lumia 1320: What's the difference?

Lakshmi Rajan — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 07:12:56 +0000

Display: Both are 6-inchers but … A 6-inch ClearBlack IPS LCD display and Corning Gorilla Glass 2 finds place in both the devices but the resolution differentiates both the devices. The Lumia 1320 has a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution with a 244 ppi, while the 1520 opens the windows to 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution for a windows phone with a neat 367ppi.

Design DNA: Sharp vs Rounded

Lumia 1520 takes its design cue from Lumia 925 with sharp edges and has a more premium feel while the Lumia 1320 comes with rounded edges and looks mellowed down and looks like Lumia 625.

Dimensions: Who is lighter and thinner?

The Nokia Lumia 1520 is the smaller of the two, inspite of both making use of a 6-inch display. While the Lumia 1520 measures 162.8 x 85.4 x 8.7mm, the Lumia 1320 is slightly beefier at 164.2 x 85.9 x 9.8mm. The Lumia 1520 is also thinner than the 1320. Even on weight scale, the Lumia 1520 is slightly lighter than the 1320 weighing 209 gms in comparison to 1320’s 220 grams.

The internals: The specs sheet

Beneath the polycarbonate body, there is quiet a notable differences too. Equipped with a quad-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset and 2GB of RAM, the Lumia 1520 is quiet a powerful device to handle any challenges. The Lumia 1320 sees a stepped down specs with a 1.7GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chipset and 1GB of RAM. Nokia Lumia 1520 scores the brownie points on internal storage too with 32GB while the Lumia 1320 has to content with a 8GB. Though you can slap a microSD card for boosting the storage in both the devices.

Camera specs: Who gets the PureView?

Traditionally Nokia takes the photography seriously and PureView is the toast of the Nokia’s camera advances. The Lumia 1520 gets the PureView tech with a 20-megapixel PureView camera on the rear, equipped with Zeiss optics, offering optical image stabilisation (OIS), a 1/2.5-inch sensor size, along with other bells and whistles apps and features. The Lumia 1320 though has to settle for a 5-megapixel rear camera, with a 1/4-inch sensor size. Even the front camera differs in both the Lumias. A 1.2 megapixel camera adorns the front of Lumia 1520 while the Lumia 1320 settles for a VGA camera.

The Price: The barrier

With differences in specs, it translates to different price points too. With superior specs, Lumia 1520 obviously commands higher price than the Lumia 1320. The Lumia 1520 is priced at $749 (£464) at launch while the Lumia 1320 is more affordable at $339 (£210). So if you are planning for a 6-inch Windows phone, there are two Nokia Lumia devices to suit your purse. ]]>