A lot of new products were introduced this week. New gaming laptops from HP were unveiled, and Realme, Fire-Boltt, and Noise all released new smartwatches. In India, Samsung unveiled its newest soundbars. Google introduced its Nest Cam to India, Telegram became “Premium,” and Microsoft opted to discontinue Windows 8.1. Our best tech news of the week includes all of this and more.
A lot of new products were introduced this week. New gaming laptops from HP were unveiled, and Realme, Fire-Boltt, and Noise all released new smartwatches. In India, Samsung unveiled its newest soundbars. Google introduced its Nest Cam to India, Telegram became “Premium,” and Microsoft opted to discontinue Windows 8.1. Our best tech news of the week includes all of this and more.
Microsoft has decided to bid adieu to Windows 8.1. The Redmond-based software giant announced that it will end support for Windows 8.1 in January 2023, with alerts to users starting from next month.
“Microsoft 365 Apps is no longer supported on Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 after they have reached their end of support dates. To avoid performance and reliability issues, we recommend that you move to a newer version of Windows,”, said the tech giant in an update.
India was the first country where leading local audio and wearable producer Noise unveiled its first smart eyewear. Priced at Rs 5,999, the Noise i1 smart eyewear is available now. On gonoise.com, the device will be accessible. Stocks will be restricted because it is a limited edition device.
With features including motion estimation, motion correction, a microphone for calling, magnetic charging, hands-free voice control, and more, Noise i1 smart eyewear is a Made in Indian product.
The Noise i1 supports Bluetooth 5.1 and boasts a battery life of up to 9 hours on a single charge. The smart eyewear also enables quick charging, and users may listen to 120 minutes of music after only 15 minutes of charging.
At a board meeting, Zomato’s board of directors authorized the acquisition of online grocery retailer Blinkit (formerly Grofers) in an all-stock deal, according to a BSE filing. The eagerly awaited merger will greatly improve Zomato’s position in the buzzy, lightning-fast supermarket delivery market. Zomato has been a strong proponent of speedy commerce.
The transaction is valued at approximately $570 million, or Rs 4,447 crore. It is over 43% less than Blinkit’s last valuation, which was a little over $1 billion. Following a $120 million investment from Zomato and Tiger Global, Blinkit achieved unicorn status in 2021.
With the introduction of its most recent generation of gaming laptops, HP has upgraded its whole lineup. New OMEN 16, OMEN 17, and Victus 15 & Victus 16 laptops are part of the updated lineup, with pricing starting at Rs 67,999. The latest gaming computers are powered by AMD Ryzen 6000 series and 12th generation Intel Core CPUs. The business has also updated its Omen, Victus desktop, and Omen Gaming Hub apps in addition to this.
Thermals have been updated for the HP Omen 16 and Omen 17. The newest laptops have an integrated IR thermopile sensor that can divide power between the CPU and GPU in real-time. The business asserts that this provides improved in-game FPS.
The laptops feature a QHD 165Hz IPS panel with a 3ms response time and a 100%sRGB rating.
They come with up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070Ti laptop GPU/RTX3080 Max-Q or AMD Ryzen RX 6650M GPU
Launch of Telegram Premium on iOS and Android with subscriber-only features
This week, iOS and Android users were able to download Telegram Premium, a paid version of the user-privacy-focused cloud-based messaging software. The most recent version of the Telegram app for mobile devices will get you access to it. A variety of premium subscribers-only features is available, including faster downloads, 4GB uploads, voice-to-text functionality, and more.
Poco F4, company’s most expensive phone of 2022, arrives in India
Poco this week finally launched the much-awaited Poco F4 – a spiritual successor to Poco F1 – in India. The vanilla F4 is the second smartphone in the F4 lineup, which consists of another gaming-oriented F4 GT. Poco F4’s key specifications include a 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 870 chipset, 64MP triple camera setup, and a 4500mAH battery with 67W fast charging. The Poco F4 is said to be a rebranded Redmi K40S.
The Poco F4 comes in three storage variants in India – 6GB+128GB, 8GB+128GB and 12GB+256GB. The base storage configuration is priced at Rs 27,999, while the 8GB+128GB variant costs Rs 29,999 and the high-end model comes at Rs 33,999. The Poco F4 comes with two years of warranty. The smartphone will be available in two color options – Nebula Green and Night Black.
The smartphone will be available to purchase through Flipkart starting June 27. Poco is offering an instant discount of Rs 1,000 and a Rs 3,000 discount on SBI debit and credit cards on the first day of the sale. Customers can purchase the smartphone at a discount of up to Rs 4,000 on the first day.
Google Nest Cam launched in India: Price, free offer, features and more
Google Nest Cam has made its India debut. Google has launched its home security services in the country in collaboration with Tata Play, previously known as Tata Sky. Google Nest Cam is based on battery (rechargeable) and it will work with Tata Play’s satellite-based platform.
Google Nest Cam (battery) is priced at Rs 11,999. Buyers get Google Nest Mini worth Rs 4500 free and 2 months Nest Aware subscription with Tata Play Secure Play Plus plans.
Google Nest Cam offers features including Animal/Vehicle/Person alerts, two-way communication via its built-in microphone and speaker, a built-in battery, weather resistance, and more. It houses a 1/2.8-inch 2MP sensor with a 130-degree field of view and can capture live video in 1080p HD.
The Google Nest Cam also supports HDR and Night Vision. Users can check up on things whenever they want, from anywhere using the Google Home app, claims the company. Nest Aware includes features such as familiar face detection and 30-Day or 60-Day event video history depending on users’ plans.
Realme Launches its first smartwatch with Bluetooth calling feature in India
Realme has added a new smartwatch to its lineup with the launch of the Realme TechLife Watch R100. This is the first smartwatch of the company to come with Bluetooth calling functionality. The wearable comes with a built-in microphone and a speaker. It means that users can answer calls and also talk using the device. The smartwatch also comes with Amazon Alexa support.
Realme TechLife Watch R100 comes at a price tag of Rs 3,999. Customers can purchase the smartwatch in two color options: Black and Grey. As part of a launch offer, buyers can purchase the smartwatch at Rs 3,699. The wearable will be available online on realme.com and Flipkart starting June 28.
The Realme TechLife Watch R100 sports a 1.32-inch color touch display with 360×360 pixels resolution. The smartwatch offers up to 450 nits peak brightness and more than 100 watch faces. It comes with more than 100 sports modes like Outdoor Running and Walking with automatic tracking, Outdoor Riding, Cricket, Swimming, Yoga, Rower, Elliptical, HIIT, and more.