15 Top Gadgets Launched This Week

January 08, 2015

CES 2015 is already underway and as always, it's the most exciting platform for new product announcements, innovations and tech startups. Here are some of the most exciting new launches and announments from the world's largest tech show.

1. Alcatel OneTouch Watch

January 08, 2015

Sporting a 1.22-inch circular touchscreen display, Alcatel's stylish and affordable (just US$180 onwards) smartwatches have a heart rate sensor, stainless steel chassis and 210mAh battery. It's IP67 certified for dustwater resistance & works using an iOSAndroid app. Note that this is not Android wear, but Alcatel's proprietary OS.

2. HP Stream Mini

January 08, 2015

Inside this cute and compact box is a 1.4Ghz Celeron processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB SSD and built-in WiFi Bluetooth connectivity. The US$180 you spend on it gets you dual display (DisplayPort + HDMI), 4 x USB 3.0 ports, Ethernet and headphone. The price includes keyboard, mouse & Windows 8.1.

3. Lenovo LaVie Z550

January 08, 2015

At a mere 700 grams, the Z550 (priced at US$1,299 onwards) is touted as the world's lightest 13.3 inch laptop. It has a sturdy magnesium lithium chassis, the latest 5th gen Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD and a battery life of up to 8 hours. In addition to the ultra lightweight design, the laptop has a hinge that lets the screen open up a 180 degrees.

4. Toshiba Portege Z20t

January 08, 2015

This sleek Windows 8.1 tablet has a 12.5-inch touchscreen and comes with a keyboard dock.Powered by an Intel Core M processor, up to 8GB RAM and up to 512GB SSD storage, it rivals Microsoft's Surface 3. Toshiba says that it has a battery life of up to 9 hours, which increases to up to 17 hours with the keyboard dock.

5. Asus Zenfone 2 & Zenfone Zoom

January 08, 2015

An update to the brilliantly priced & popular Zenfone series, Zenfone 2 features a 5.5-inch 1080p display, 64-bit quad core Intel Atom processor, 3,000mAh battery & a neat brushed aluminium finish. The Zoom will interest photo buffs: it has a 13MP rear camera with 3x optical zoom (internal mechanism) and optical image stabilisation.

6. Canon CS100 Media Station

January 08, 2015

This US$299 device has a built-in 1 TB hard drive, SD and CF card slots, Ethernet port, HDMI as well as WiFi and NFC connectivity. You can use it to transfer store photos and videos from a camera (directly or wirelessly) and then connect it to a TV or projector for viewing using the remote for convenience.

7. Sony ZX2

January 08, 2015

When you first hear the price for Sony's new ZX2 Walkman, you'll think it's a typo! But this US$ 1,200 Android-powered media player is aimed at audiophiles and includes support for almost every lossless music format, a HX digital amplifier and high-resolution audio playback.

It runs Android 4.2 and comes with a 4-inch display (854 x 480 pixels), 128GB built in storage, a microSD slot for further expansion, Bluetooth, NFC, WiFi and a claimed battery life of up to 60 hours (audio playback).

8. Lenovo Vibe Band VB10

January 08, 2015

Lenovo's new US$89 band features an always on e-ink display in a metal body and rubberized strap. It can monitor the number of steps you take, distance, calories, sleep and can even display notifications from your smartphone. Thanks to the e-ink display, Lenovo claims a battery life of up to 7 days.

9. Android Car Stereo

January 08, 2015

Parrot's RNB6 is a dual DIN car infotainment system with 7-inch IPS HD touchscreen, wide-angle dash cam and a customized version of Android 5.0. It has preloaded navigation, Bluetooth handsfree calling, voice controls and also connects to your car's OBD port for vehicle diagnostics.

The highlight is that you can connect it to an IOS or Android device for added functionality (like screen mirroring) and Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

10. Lamborghini Tonino 88 Tauri

January 08, 2015

Much like Vertu's super premium phones, this Lamborghini branded Android phone is hand-made to exacting standards using the most premium materials.

Although, at an estimated price of over `4,00,000, it will re main the reserve of the most elite few. main the reserve of the most elite few.Lenovo P90 & Lenovo Vibe X2 Pro Lenovo's Vibe X2 Pro features a layered design, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 610 processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage (expandable), dual 13MP cameras and a 5.3-inch 1080p LCD.

The P90 is the budget 4G offering with quad core CPU, 5.5-inch 1080p LCD, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage & 4,000mAh battery.

11. Garmin VivoFit 2

January 08, 2015

Garmin's updated fitness band (priced at US$ 130 onwards) looks almost identical to its predecessor -- an OLED display in a silicone band and 1 year battery life however, you can now get it in various bands including stainless steel and leather.

12. Samsung Tizen TV

January 08, 2015

Samsung Electronics has introduced its new range of SUHD 4K TVs. Powered by the Tizen operating system, the three new TVs - JS9500, JS9000 and JS8500, will be available in nine screen sizes from 48-inch to 88-inch sizes.

According to Samsung, TVs leverage proprietary, nano-crystal technology and intelligent SUHD re-mastering picture quality engine, offering enhanced contrast, brightness, colour reproduction and detail.

SUHD re-mastering engine automatically analyzes the brightness of images to minimize additional power consumption while expressing better contrast levels, producing images with darker blacks and an elevated brightness up to 2.5 times brighter than conventional TVs, and twice the colour adjustment points for accurate colour reproduction, as per Samsung.

13. Samsung SSD

January 08, 2015

Samsung has introduced Portable SSD T1, an external portable solid state drive (SSD) that sports a slim and compact design, is smaller than an average business card and weighs about 28.35gram.

The drive has sequential read/write speeds of up to 450MB per second with a USB 3.0 super speed interface and random read/write speeds of up to 8,000 inputs/outputs per second (IOPS) and 21,000 IOPS respectively.

Available in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB storage capacities, the Portable SSD T1 will launch globally in 15 countries across the United States, European and Asian markets later this month.

14. Kodak IM5

January 08, 2015

Built in collaboration with British firm Bullitt, IM5 is camera legend Kodak’s first smartphone. The smartphone sports a 5-inch screen with 720x1280p display resolution. It has 13MP rear camera (with LED flash) that comes with unique image management software and 5MP front camera. It comes with 8GB internal storage which is expandable up to 32GB via microSD card; 1GB RAM and is powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core processor. 

The device runs on Android 4.4 KitKat, but is soon to receive an upgrade to Android Lollipop 5.0.

15. Poloroid Zip

January 08, 2015

Poloroid Zip is an instant photo printer. With a size similar to that of a phablet, it connects to both Android and iOS devices via Bluetooth. Poloroid lets users print 2×3 inch color photos from any image found on their mobile device.

Polaroid Zip uses Zink zero ink printing technology and promises to print 25 images on a single charge. The device is expected to launch in spring.

CES 2015: BlackBerry unveils Internet of Things platform

LAS VEGAS: BlackBerry says it will use its expertise in secured messaging services to offer new ways for cars, home appliances and other devices to communicate with each other while keeping data secure and private. 

In the emerging field known as the Internet of Things, everyday products have sensors and internet connectivity so they can think for themselves and take action autonomously. The problem is that if the system isn't secure, hackers might fool a "smart'' door lock into opening, for instance. Or hackers might tap into a connected fitness tracker to obtain sensitive heath data. 

So BlackBerry is opening its data centers and other technologies to businesses needing such security. BlackBerry already is well regarded in corporate circles for providing security in phones, email and other messaging services. 

"We have a combination of knowledge, process and experience, which we combine to provide complete security,'' Sandeep Chennakeshu, president of Blackberry Technology Solution, said in an interview after Wednesday's announcement. 

He said customers would have complete control over data, including who gets access to which information. Someone might want to share a week's worth of heart-rate data with his or her doctor but not the insurance company, for example. What if the customer is a company? In the case of a car, the manufacturer would decide what data a mechanic or car insurer could see.

CES 2015 gives peek into cars of the future

LAS VEGAS: It has four wheels, is always connected and the driver is optional: the car of the future is starting to take shape from collaboration between automakers and their technology partners.

At this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, a new breed of cars with nearly complete autonomy and elaborate gadgetry has provided a peek into transportation solutions in the coming years.

One of the most ambitious of the prototypes on display comes from German auto giant Daimler, which rolled its electric-powered Mercedes-Benz F 015 through the streets of Las Vegas without a driver to show how four occupants can converse face-to-face while leaving the driving to an on-board computer.

The interactivity extends beyond the vehicle itself: the car can project a virtual crosswalk to assist pedestrians in its path.

"Obviously we talked about autonomous cars before. We have shown that we can do it and we dominate the technology" Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche said in an interview with AFP.

"But now this is more than technology. We want to show where mobility goes all together and the two most important things that we're giving people back: space and time. So they can focus on whatever they want to do, working, relaxing, video conferencing, sleeping."

The auto and technology firms at the Las Vegas show have been demonstrating what is possible even if it's not clear whether the public is ready.

While Google is working on a fully autonomous car, other automakers are taking a more gradual approach, focusing on things such as self-parking and crash avoidance technology.

"We have what we know can be done technically and what the public is ready to accept," said Guillaume Devauchelle, vice president for research at French auto equipment firm Valeo.

The notion of a fully autonomous car is "scary," Devauchelle says. "What we are trying to do is build confidence in functions which are simple and less expensive."

Valeo demonstrated some of this by taking journalists on a ride through Las Vegas in a Volkswagen Passat equipped with its Cruise4U technology, which allows a driver to use an autopilot mode for steering, accelerating and braking, as well as to avoid collisions.

Valeo sees systems like these coming into service by 2017, but Devauchelle said it may take several generations of vehicles before we see automation in more complex driving situations.

Audi meanwhile used its prototype to navigate 550 miles (900 kilometers) from northern California to Las Vegas.

Daniel Lipinski, project leader for highway pilot at Audi of America, also cautions about moving too fast on the technology. Even with autonomous vehicles, he said, "there will be some sort of supervision to make sure the driver is able to take over."

Ford meanwhile is promoting "semi-autonomous" cars with assistance on certain functions.

"We're already manufacturing and selling semi-autonomous vehicles that use software and sensors to steer into both parallel and perpendicular parking spaces, adjust speed based on traffic flow or apply the brakes in an emergency," said Raj Nair, Ford chief technical officer.

Another key theme is the connected car. Some are connecting not only to smartphones, tablets and the Internet but to wearables such as smartwatches.

South Korea's Hyundai introduced an Android Wear watch that connects to its Blue Link system to start or stop the engine, lock or unlock the doors and the driver can say "find my car" to locate the vehicle in a parking lot.

And BMW showed a system to use a television to lock one's car doors. Zetsche said these innovations are examples of small steps being taken and that "fully autonomous will be in the next decade."

TCS job cuts: Trade unions crack IT code

CHENNAI: The last bastion has been breached. The Indian information technology sector, which was untouched by trade union activity, is suddenly being targeted by both organised and unorganised groups. The trigger appears to be the decision of the country's biggest software services firm, Tata Consultancy Services, to send home "underperformers".

First, it was a loosely knit Forum for IT Employees (FITE) that took to the streets of Chennai and Bengaluru to draw attention to the rights of tech workers at TCS. Now, the floodgates appear to have been opened with organised trade unionists like the left-wing CITU, right-wing BMS and INTUC jumping in. Political parties such as PMK have also asked for government intervention to protect jobs.

"I believe the IT industry is due for unionisation though the employees themselves have so far stayed away from the trade union system due to fear of being black-listed. The industry was also given exemption from Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act," said Chandrika R, a researcher and coordinator of Tamil Nadu Labour, a blog on labour issues in India.

Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act requires employers to define and inform workers of the terms and conditions of employment. While industry sources said the Act is not relevant to the modern services industry, activists said the absence of standardized hiring, appraisal and firing policy will make IT employers less accountable for their actions.

As per Trade Unions Act, 1926, seven or more members of the union can submit their application in the prescribed form to the registrar of trade unions. The application should be accompanied by a copy of the rules of the trade union. The members need to be current employees of the establishment. Activists say reluctance of staff is the biggest problem in unionization of the IT sector.

A few weeks ago, TCS said it would send home "non-performers". While agitating techies say TCS was sending home more than 25,000 workers, the tech giant maintains that it will send home not more than 3,000 techies as part of its "workforce restructuring".

"Right now, our focus is to mobilize maximum signatures for our online petition addressed to the Prime Minister since we need collective strength and unity to consider forming a union in the future," said Parimala P, coordinator of FITE.

A Soundararajan, general secretary of CITU, Tamil Nadu, said his union was aware of the happenings in TCS and has dispatched a few of its members to show support and solidarity to FITE. "We will sit down and discuss the issue with those involved and decide on further action," said Soundararajan.

BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) officials said they would get a first-hand account from the affected TCS staffers. "We have to understand this sector and TCS. We will then mobilize people for the union, if need be," said S Durai Raj, secretary of BMS.

Tamil Nadu state president of Congress-backed INTUC, G Kalan said that though the time is ripe for a trade union for the IT sector, one can take off only if employees cooperate.

However, TCS, which is the eye of the storm, said, "As a performance-driven company, workforce optimization is a continuous process, which happens throughout the year, taking into account employee performance, business needs, and people's aspirations. This leads to some amount of involuntary attrition in the company. This is nothing out of the ordinary or a special situation for us to comment about." The company has a total hiring target of 55,000 professionals and is on track to meet it.

IT industry lobby body Nasscom did not wish to comment on the matter.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge in India for 'testing'

NEW DELHI: Samsung Galaxy S6 has arrived in India. The latest flagship from the house of Samsung has not yet been unveiled globally and a number of speculative stories about its launch have been doing the rounds. 

But the Korean smartphone giant's Indian unit has reportedly imported a prototype of the Galaxy S6 to into the country for R&D purposes. 

According to the import data website Zauba, model number SM-G925F -- apparently the curved variant of Galaxy S6 -- was imported on January 3 in Bengaluru. Samsung declared the price of the unit at Rs 44,909 for the import declaration purpose, it seems. 

If speculation is to be believed Samsung Galaxy S6 and its curved variant may be unveiled at CES 2015 in Las Vegas this week. However, according to a report, the much-awaited successor to Galaxy S5 will at best be showcased to selected trade partners, and not to consumers. 

The device is expected to feature a Quad HD (2560x1440p) display, 64-bit Exynos 7420 or Snapdragon 810 processor, 16 or 20MP rear camera, 5MP front camera with 32, 64 and 128GB storage options and Broadcom's new BCM4773 sensor chip. 

The South Korean tech giant has been working on Galaxy S6 under the codename 'Project Zero' as it aims to redesign it from the scratch in order to make it 'the best Galaxy S flagship yet'.

5 Twitter dos & don'ts for employees

The 140 characters on Twitter, with their reach and impact, can give an employee's image a push or shred it. Irrespective of whether you separate your official account from your personal one, your employer has his or her eyes on your handle. We explore 5 ways to use Twitter...

1. Abstain from sharing professional information

January 07,2015

"You can tweet information about your industry or company if you have the official sanction to do so, and tag your colleagues. Ensure you do not divulge sensitive information," says K Sudarshan, managing partner, India and regional VP, Asia, for search firm EMA Partners.

On Twitter, if you are identifying yourself as the employee of a particular company, then it is best to add a disclaimer to your bio saying that the views your tweet are personal and don't reflect those of your employers.

2. Mind your language and topics

January 07,2015

If one's personal and official account on Twitter are the same then keeping watch over the Ps and Qs is advisable.

"It is important to watch your language and the kind of things you tweet. Being opinionated is fine, but using abusive language is not. Make sure you don't use swear words," says Sudarshan. On Twitter, it is best to avoid controversial or sensitive topics which are usually taken up by anonymous handles, he adds.

3. Control the urge to spam

January 07,2015

Tweeting and retweeting messages and posts to colleagues round the clock will have one booked for spamming. "Spamming occurs when there is misalignment of a link between thoughts and what followers may want to know," says Aditya Narayan Mishra, president, staffing, Randstad India.

Employees should refrain from constant updates and opinions on all topics, many of which may be unnecessary information for co-workers, adds Mishra.

4. Respond to tweets and give credit

January 07,2015

While re-tweeting posts that talk about an industry or work done by a firm, polite social networking skills call for giving credit to the author. If there are direct messages from a colleague or contemporary, then one must respond to them and acknowledge their contribution.

"When quoting an industry expert or thought leader, giving credit is a must. They have other followers and one cannot pass off popular quotes as their own," says Mishra.

5. Be conscious of the impact you have

January 07,2015

Companies across sectors have teams monitoring candidate profiles on various social networking sites. The images put up on Twitter, the reports shared, the quality of conversations, the kind of followers and groups one is associated with, form the first impression.

Also, re-tweeting positive comments posted about a company product and service reflects loyalty, which both your current and future employer will appreciate.