This week Google at an event in India launched its latest Chromecast streaming device and the Chromecast Audio.
The new Chromecast comes in a circular design and has a small built-in HDMI cable. The puck clips to the HDMI cable with a magnet and it comes with Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2.4GHz/5Ghz) support. It lets you cast content from mobile apps and PCs, Macs, Chromebook or laptops from Chrome browser to your TV at 1080p resolution.
The Chromecast Audio lets you connect it to your loudspeaker’s AUX input port and cast audio from Android, iOS devices, Chromebook, Mac and Windows laptops to the speakers.
The Google Chromecast 2 is at Rs. 3,399 and will be available through online retailers Flipkart, Snapdeal, Paytm as well as offline retailers like Reliance and Croma and Chromecast Audio is also priced at Rs. 3,399 and is available through Flipkart, Snapdeal, Paytm and offline retailers. Check out the unboxing video below.
httpv://youtu.be/K5WO2wvjOUU
Apple released 12-inch Retina Macbook refresh with a new rose gold colour variant that joins the gold, silver and space gray variants from last year. It refreshed Macbook gets upgraded it with faster sixth-generation dual-core Intel Core M processors, 25% faster graphics performance with Intel HD Graphics 515, faster flash storage and an additional hour of battery life.
The Macbook with 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 processor (Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.2 GHz), 8GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 RAM and 256GB of flash storage is priced at Rs. 1,06,900 (MRP). The 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core m5 processor (Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.7 GHz), 8GB of 1866MHz LPDDR3 RAM and 512GB of flash storage variant is available for Rs. 1,29,900 (MRP).
Micromax launched Canvas Spark 2 Plus, which is an upgraded version of last year’s Canvas Spark 2. It has a 5-inch FWVGA display, is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). It has a 5-megapixel fixed-focus camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
This is the company’s first smartphone to come with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) our of the box. Apart from RAM and internal storage that have been upgraded to 1GB and 8GB, respectively, battery has also been upgraded to 2000mAh. The Micromax Canvas Spark 2 Plus comes in Metallic Grey, Copper Gold and Champagne Gold colors and is priced at Rs. 3,999, same as the Canvas Spark 2. It will be exclusively available from Snapdeal.
Syska India launched Rainbow LED Bulb, which is a smart bulb that can be controlled wirelessly over Bluetooth. You can choose up to 3 million colors using the Android or iOS app. You can also color pick from Camera or photo, which will be sensed as per the visual perception of the snapshot and also set timer. It is a 7W bulb which provides 480 Lumens brightness and promises a lifespan of 25000 hours.
The Syska Smartlight Rainbow LED bulb comes in Gold, Silver and White colors, is priced at Rs. 1,999 and is available from leading retail stores and several e-commerce portals, including Flipkart and official Syska online store.
iBall launched Slide Co-Mate tablet that surfaced on the official website recently and also the Slide Snap 4G2 tablet with 4G support. Both the tablets come with dual-SIM support and have voice calling capabilities. Both these have a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The Slide Co-Mate comes with 1GB of RAM with 8GB of internal storage, while the Slide Snap 4G2 packs 2GB of RAM and comes with 16GB of internal storage.
The iBall Slide Co-Mate comes in Metallic Blue color, is priced at Rs. 6,999 (MOP) and is available from Flipkart. The Slide Snap 4G2 comes in golden color, is priced at Rs. 7,999 (MRP) and will be available through online and offline stores.
HARMAN India has launched limited edition JBL Raaga Synchros S500AR headphones, autographed by A.R. Rahman.
The headphones feature a lightweight, durable design and are powered by 2 ‘AAA’ batteries to deliver 20 hours of on-the-go listening, and are compatible with iOS and other smartphones. It has scientifically designed ear cup and a premium 50mm driver offering JBL PureBass performance. The JBL Raaga Synchros S500AR is priced at an MRP at Rs. 24,990 and is available at an offer price of Rs. 19,990 from HarmanAudio.in and Amazon.in in limited numbers.
TP-LINK launched Archer C50 (AC1200) Dual Band Wireless Router in India. It leverages the 802.11ac technology and has two external antennas promising stable wireless connections and optimal coverage. It also has USB Port that lets you share a printer locally and also share files & media with networked devices or remotely via FTP server.
The TP-LINK Archer C50 is priced at Rs. 3,599 (MRP) and is backed by a 2-year warranty. It is available at a price of Rs. 2700 from Amazon.in.
Weekly Announcements
LeEco announced Le 2, Le 2 Pro and Le Max smartphones at an event in China. The Le 2 and Le 2 Pro have 5.5-inch 1080p screens and narrow bezels. The Le 2 is powered by a deca-core MediaTek Helio X20 SoC and 3GB of RAM, while the Le 2 Pro comes with a deca-core Helio X20 or X25 processor and 4GB of RAM. The Le Max 2 has a 5.7-inch Quad HD display, is powered by Snapdragon 820 SoC and comes in 4GB or 6GB of RAM variants. All the have unibody metal design.
All these smartphones come with new Continual Digital Lossless Audio (CDLA) audio standard for loss-less audio through USB Type-C port and doesn’t have 3.5mm audio jack. Check full details here.
the LeEco Le 2 is priced at 1099 yuan (US$ 169 / Rs. 11,230 approx.) and the Le 2 Pro is priced at 1399 yuan (US$ 216 / Rs. 14,300 approx.) for the Helio X20 version, 1499 yuan (US$ 230 / Rs. 15,320 approx.) Helio X25 version.
LeEco also introduced new 50-inch fourth generation Super TVs at the same event. The SuperTV X4-50 has a 1080p screen, while the SuperTV X4-50 Pro comes with a 4K screen. Both these have 9.9 mm ultra-slim metal bodies, Mstar 6A938 chip, 3GB RAM, 16/32 GB eMMC5.1 and support MEMC dynamic image processing technology, as well as HDR technology.
The LeEco SuperTV X4-50 and SuperTV X4-50 Pro are priced at 2499 yuan (US$ 386 / Rs. 25590 approx.) and 2999 yuan (US$ 463 / Rs. 30,710 approx.), respectively. Both these are now available for order and will go on sale in China from April 26th.
Lenovo’s ZUK introduced Z2 Pro, the company’s flagship smartphone at an event in China. It has a 5.2-inch 1080p Super AMOLED 2.5D curved glass display with 1.41mm narrow bezel on the side, is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 820 SoC and runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with ZUI 2.0 on top that also lets you sync with Apple’s iCloud. It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with dual-tone LED flash and hybrid phase-detection auto-focus (PDAF) that can focus in 0.1 seconds and a 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
The ZUK Z2 Pro comes in Titanium Black and Ceramic White colors and is priced at 2699 yuan (US$ 416 / Rs. 27,630 approx.) for the 6GB RAM with 128GB storage variant.
ZTE announced three new smartphones nubia Z11 mini, Blade A910 and Blade V7 Max in China. The nubia Z11 mini has a 5-inch Full HD display with 2.5D arc glass, is powered by an Octa-Core Snapdragon 617 SoC and runs on Android 5.1 (Lollipop) with new nubia UI 3.9.6. It has 16-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, phase-detection auto-focus (PDAF) that lets you focus quickly and a 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
ZTE yesterday announced Blade A910 and Blade V7 Max smartphones in China. The Blade A910 has a 5.5-inch HD AMOLED display, is powered by a MediaTek MT6735 SoC and runs on Android 5.1 (Lollipop) with MiFavor 3.5 UI. It also has a fingerprint sensor on the back. The ZTE Blade V7 Max has a 5.5-inch 1080p display, is powered by an Octa-Core processor and runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). It has a fingerprint sensor on the side. Both the phones have dual SIM support and 4G LTE connectivity.
The ZTE nubia Z11 mini comes in Silver, Black and Gold colors with optional back covers, is priced at 1499 Yuan (US$ 231 / Rs. 15,375 approx.). The ZTE Blade A910 is priced at 1299 yuan (US$ 200 / Rs. 13295 approx.) for the 2GB RAM + 16GB storage version and 1499 yuan (US$ 231 / Rs. 15,350 approx.) for the 3GB RAM + 32GB storage version. The ZTE Blade V7 Max comes in black, silver and gold colors and is priced at 1799 yuan (US$ 278 / Rs. 18,420 approx.) for the 3GB RAM version and 1999 yuan (US$ 308 / Rs. 20,457 approx.) for the 4GB RAM version.
Anker introduced PowerHouse, it’s first portable generator or a power bank with 36 individual batteries, each one is rated at 3,350mAh, adding to a total capacity of 120,600mAh, or 434Wh. For a high capacity power bank it weights just 4.2kgs, is compact and also has a handle to carry it easily on outings or road-trips.
It takes 10 hours to charge when plugged to a wall outlet and also has optional solar charging that can charge it in about 16 hours under direct sunlight. The Anker PowerHouse is priced at $499.99 (Rs. 33120 approx.), is available for order from Amazon in the US and ships by the end of May.
GoPro announced Omni VR Camera and GoPro VR 360-degree content platform. These announcements are part of the company’s line-up for the NAB show, happened this week. The GoPro Omni is a cube shaped camera that features six Hero4 cameras and an aluminum rig, which is lightweight and made for action shots. All these six cameras work at the same time and when the footage from the cameras are stitched together, a single 360-degree video is created. The camera comes with an over capture feature that captures at 8K and extract an HD deliverable.
The GoPro Omni VR costs $4,999.99 and includes one GoPro Omni Sync Rig, GoPro Kolor Software License, six GoPro HERO4 Black cameras and batteries, GoPro Smart Remote, Six GoPro Mini USB Cables, 32GB microSD Cards and card readers and Ultra compact, rugged shipping case. Pre-orders for the GoPro Omni will begin starting today.
Acer introduced Chromebook 14 for Work which is company’s first Chromebook compliant with Google’s Chrome for Work, and new Predator gaming line with notebooks and desktops ready for virtual reality and Switch Alpha 12 liquid-cooled 2-in-1 notebook.
The Chromebook 14 is powered by Intel’s 6th-generation Celeron and Core processors and can be configured with up to 8GB of memory. It is the first laptop that comes with Vibrant Corning Gorilla Glass which provides a durable glass finish that can be customized with various images. The Acer Chromebook 14 for Work will be available in several configurations, either with 32GB or 16GB eMMC storage and either 8GB, 4GB or 2GB of dual channel LPDDR3 SDRAM.
The Acer Chromebook 14 for Work is available in several models with price starting at $349 and will be available in May. Acer said that pricing and availability will vary according to different regions.
The new Predator 17 X notebook also has custom triple-fan cooling system, compact Predator G1 desktop supports full-sized GeForce GTX graphics (up to Titan X) and new Predator Z1 series of monitors includes Acer’s first curved 27-inch gaming monitor featuring NVIDIA G-SYNC technology that matches the monitor’s refresh rate with the PC’s powerful GPU, to eliminate screen tearing and minimize stuttering
The Predator G1 desktop supports full-sized NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics (up to Titan X), 6th Generation Intel Core processors, up to 64GB DDR4 memory, 4K2K Ultra High Definition visuals, up to a 4TB (7200 RPM) hard disk drive or a 512GB solid state drive. Both the Predator 17 X notebook and Predator G1 desktop are NVIDIA GeForce VR-Ready, as well as ready for virtual reality (VR) devices from Oculus, HTC Vive, OSVR and StarVR.
Lastly, the firm introduced Liquid Zest Plus, months after it introduced the Liquid Zest and Liquid Zest 4G smartphones at the MWC. This has a 5.5-inch HD IPS Zero Air Gap display, has a 13-megapixel rear camera with laser auto focus, phase-detection auto-focus (PDAF) and contrast detection, which Acer is calling hybrid tri-focus system and packs a 5000mAh battery with Quick Charge and promises up to 3 days of battery life.
The Acer Liquid Zest Plus comes in Pure White and Metallic Blue colors and will be priced under $250 (Rs. 16620 approx.). It will go on sale in Asian markets soon.