Air pollution is not a seasonal issue anymore. And, the World Health Organization says, unlike what we believe, air quality indoors could sometimes be worse than outdoors. Most air purifiers do help minimise exposure to polluted air, at least indoors, but not all of them provide all-season utility. That is one gap that the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool seeks to plug.

Designed by British home appliances manufacturer Dyson, the Pure Hot + Cool claims to be one-of-its kind air purifier promising all-season use: It doubles up as a fan and a hot air blower while simultaneously removing pollutants and harmful gases in the air. These promises give this device an air of versatility, especially for cities that witness varied weather conditions — Delhi, for instance. But does the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool’s all-season utility justify its price tag of Rs 54,900? Let’s find out:

Design

To those unaware of Dyson’s design philosophy, the Pure Hot + Cool might not look like an air purifier, thanks to an unconventional form factor. It has a tower-shaped design with an elongated ring-shaped blower on top and a circular base. On the forehead of the base is a circular colour display which uses the device’s built-in sensors to show air quality information in real time. For ease of use, the air purifier comes with a tiny remote control, with magnets to help place it at a dedicated spot on the head of the blower. Read Complete Article

With the new series of smartphones it introduced for India’s price-conscious buyers this year, South Korean electronics major Samsung also brought to the country its full portfolio of smart wearables. From fitness bands to smartwatches, this new range of Samsung wearables caters to users in all price bands.

The latest addition to the portfolio, the Samsung Galaxy Watch LTE, a smartwatch with eSIM support, serves as a standalone device rather than a smartphone companion — just like the Apple Watch. With this device, Samsung seems to have offered Android users everything that Apple Watch offers iOS users. But does it perform equally well on all metrics? Let’s find out:

Design

The Samsung Galaxy Watch LTE is no design marvel. It lacks the charm of most current-generation smartwatches, even the Samsung Active (review). One culprit is its thick and bulky stainless steel case (Silver, 46mm review unit), which looks neither classic nor modern. And its black silicone strap looks rather cheap. Thankfully, the straps are swappable, so you can buy better ones separately and replace them — that might add some zing to the watch’s otherwise dull design. Read Complete Article

The premium smartwatch segment seems empty with very few options that can take on the exalted Apple Watch or Samsung S3 gear. However, some players now want to carve a niche for themselves.

We recently came across Mobvoi’s TicWatch Pro, a premium smartwatch with one of the best displays and a bag full of features. We felt the watch can easy give premium smartwatches a run for their money, but does the first impression stick on after almost a month of use? Let’s find out.

Design and build quality

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro smartwatch

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro looks like a premium smartwatch from every angle. It has hybrid leather straps on the outward side, while the inner side has a silicone layer. You can carry the watch with formals and casuals, it complements both the looks.

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Chinese smartphone brand Realme’s recently launched premium smartphone, the Realme X2 Pro, goes on sale under the company’s Black Friday sale at the Realme online store today. The phone comes in 8GB RAM + 128GB storage and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variants, priced at Rs 29,999 and Rs 33,999, respectively. As part of the company’s introductory offer on the phone, the Realme X2 Pro gets a 10 per cent instant discount (up to Rs 500) on HDFC Bank debit card transactions. The phone is also eligible for Bajaj Finserv’s no-interest equated monthly instalment (no-cost EMI) scheme. Additionally, the phone comes bundled with a Reliance Jio offer that includes benefits worth Rs 5,500 in the form of additional data and coupons.

At its price, the Realme X2 Pro has something in store for everyone — a premium design, 90Hz super AMOLED screen, Dolby-tuned stereo speakers, ultra-fast charging and quad-camera set-up on the back. Here are five reasons why you should consider this smartphone.

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Walmart-owned e-commerce company Flipkart has introduced a ‘smart assistive interface’ feature called ‘Flipkart Saathi’ to support first-time e-commerce users on the platform and enhance their overall shopping experience. This feature is available in Hindi and English to start with and is Flipkart’s attempt towards further humanising e-commerce. With this feature, Flipkart aims to empower consumers across tier II, III cities and beyond in rural India, as it seeks to bring the next 200 million consumers online.

The assistive interface feature (audio-guided navigation) aims at mimicking the typical real-life shopping experience for consumers who are comfortable being assisted by a salesperson. It uses a combination of text and audio-based instructions to guide new users in their e-commerce journey. This includes a list of key actions in the form of pop-up texts followed by audio for a better understanding. As audio is simple to follow and offers relatability, consumers can follow the instructions in a more immersive manner.

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Facebook-owned WhatsApp is working on a feature that will delete messages automatically after a stipulated time as set by users, according to WABetaInfo, a fan site that tests new WhatsApp features early.

Renamed “Delete Messages” from earlier “Disappearing Messages”, the feature is being tested in beta mode.

“In the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.19.282 update, we presented a new feature called ‘Disappearing Messages’ that will automatically delete messages after a certain time. The feature is still under development, and WhatsApp is starting to work again on it in the 2.19.348 update, where they renamed ‘Disappearing Messages’ to ‘Delete Messages’,” WABetaInfo reported.

Once available, the “Delete Message” feature will come with a toggle on/off button and users can choose a stipulated time — 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month or 1 year — for the messages to automatically disappear. Read Complete Article

Nearly a month after WhatsApp made its now controversial revelations about an Israeli software being used to snoop on Indian citizens, Google said on Tuesday that about 500 users from India were among 12,000 people informed about being targeted by ‘government-backed attackers’ between July and September this year.

The affected users were spread across 149 countries, and the number was similar to (up or down 10 per cent) the number of warnings sent in the same period of 2018 and 2017, Shane Huntley from Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) said in a blogpost.

“Over 90 per cent of these users were targeted via ‘credential phishing emails’… these are usually attempts to obtain the target’s password or other account credentials to hijack their account,” he said.

As an example, Huntley explains how a phishing attempt works. An attacker sends an authentic-looking email, which can be made to look like it was sent from Google, with a security alert. Read Complete Article

Reliance Industries (RIL) on Thursday became the first Indian company to hit Rs 10 trillion market capitalisation (m-cap) after the stock price hit a new high of Rs 1,581.25 on the BSE. The oil-to-telecom conglomerate’s m-cap zoomed to Rs 10,02,380 crore during the trade on the BSE.

Minutes later, however, the m-cap slipped below Rs 10 trillion-mark.

In the past eight trading days, RIL has outperformed the market by gaining 8 per cent, after Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of the company, said it will increase tariffs in next few weeks. In comparison, the S&P BSE Sensex has gained one per cent during the same period. “Like other operators, we will also work with the Government and comply with the regulatory regime to strengthen the industry to benefit Indian consumers and take measures including appropriate increase in tariffs in next few weeks in a manner that does not adversely impact data consumption or growth in digital adoption and sustains investments,” the statement had said.

Analysts believe tariff hike by telcos may boost sector revenue by at least 15-20 per cent in FY21. Read Complete Article

Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi recently launched in India the Redmi Note 8. A successor to the Redmi Note 7, the smartphone has got several upgrades, including a quad-camera module on the back, premium glass design with Gorilla Glass 5 protection, USB type-C charging and data transfer port, and fast charging support. Priced at Rs 9,999 for the base model (4GB RAM + 64GB storage), the phone seems to be a feature-rich option in the budget smartphone segment. But is it an all-round performer? Let’s find out:

Design and display

The Redmi Note 8 does not look any different from its predecessor. Its design might seem dated to some, but it has its own strengths. Like its predecessor, the phone has curved Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front and back that most phones in the segment lack. The glass construction, however, makes the phone heavy (190g) and you might find it difficult to operate for extended hours. Moreover, the protruding rear-camera module makes it uneven on flat surfaces. Therefore, you might not find it convenient to use while it lies on the table top, or other flat surfaces.

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Chinese smartphone manufacturer HONOR unveiled the HONOR View 30 series, the first dual-mode 5G smartphone lineup from the company, here on Tuesday.

The phones are equipped with 5G/4G dual-mode, which addresses the need of dual-SIM users in the 5G era, while maintaining compatibility with other network standards, like 4G, 3G and 2G.

“A 5G-enabled smartphone will change how we live, work and play, and pave the way for boundless opportunities in the Internet of Things,” said George Zhao, President of HONOR.

“Boasting the latest Kirin 990 processor series and the world’s first Aurora nano texture design, the HONOR View 30 series is our most innovative smartphone to-date, which will make spectacular impacts on the daily lives of people around the world,” he said. The View 30 will be available in 6GB RAM/128GB storage and 8GB RAM/128GB storage options at 3,299 yuan and 3,699 yuan, respectively. The View 30 Pro with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage costs 3,899 yuan and the 256GB storage variant is priced at 4,199 yuan.

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