1. 100 June 2013 GADGETS / APPS / GEAR
1Ditchyourkit 2Getthisstuff
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100 June 2013 / APPS // APPS / GGEEARARRGADGADGGETETSS
1Ditchyourkit1 2Getthisstuff2
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TELLYLG’s IMPRESSIVE 2013 LINEUP
p43
2.
3.
4. LG’s 84-inch (213cm) Class Display boasts Four Times the Resolution
of Full HD, Ushers in New Era in Picture Quality for Large-Screen TVs
LG’s Ultra HD TV boasts superb
picture quality with 8 million pixels,
four times the resolution clarity (3840x2160)
of existing Full HD TV panels. Thanks to
LG’s advanced Triple XD Engine and the
Resolution Upscaler, LG’s Ultra HD TV
offers shockingly sharp picture quality on
its enormous screen. Armed with Cinema
3D, it can also convert any 2D picture in
full 3D format, allowing you to enjoy this
massive Ultra HD 3DTV to its fullest!
True Cinema experience
The massive 84in of screen size has a
presence that has to be seen to be believed.
Equal to four 42in TVs in terms of square
inches, the LG Ultra HD 3D TV immerses the
viewer in a true cinematic experience.
Magic Motion Remote Control
Choose between voice, gesture, point or
wheel as your control method with this
revolutionary new remote control bundled
with the LG Ultra HD 3D TV. You will never go
back to a "regular" remote again!
2.2 Speaker system for ultimate sound
speaker system to ensure the best possible
sound. With two woofers on board, it is
probably the only TV in the entire world to
sound as good as its picture looks.
Built-in Wi-Fi and LG Apps
The ever growing app library comes to life,
thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi connectivity that
the LG offers. What's more, it also features
Intel Wi-Di technology that lets you stream
videos wirelessly from compatible devices.
Dual Play mode for serious gaming
Gone are the days when you had to share
screen space with your buddy while racing or
boxing. With Dual Play technology, both the
players enjoy the full screen to themselves,
taking gaming to a whole new level.
Make everything 3D!
Using advanced algorithms and scaling
technology, LG is able to deliver stunning
results when converting standard 2D content
to 3D and at the same time offering you
precise control over depth effect.
Nishant Padhiar
Editor, What Hi-Fi?
HD technology was
during the CES 2011
and it's incredible that
within two short years,
LG has managed to put the technology
into mass production and even bring its
state-of-the-art Ultra HD 3D TV to the
Indian market!
While Full HD (1080p) resolution has
is time to take visual presentation to the
next level. ultra HD resolution will clearly
be the future because it is better suited to
large screen sizes and manage 3D content
extremely well with its increased number of
pixels that eliminate any side effects of 3D
viewing. Bewarned, once you set your eyes
on a ultra HD TV, it will be impossible to live
with anything less!
THE ADVANCED FEATURES AND TECHNOLOGY
THAT MAKE LG Ultra HD 3D TV BETTER THAN ALL...
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Thismagazinecontains126 pagesincludingbothcovers.
...and a word about prices
JUNE 2013 / STUFFINDIATHE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING GADGET MAGAZINE
May 2013 / StuffIndia / 5
44 / StuffIndia / June 2013
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 45
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
RESET
YOUR
TECH
LIFE
YOUR TECH LIFE
RESET
CORETECH
SETUP
p45 MASTER
THEWEB
p49
TUNEUP
YOURTUNES
p52YOURSMARTER
SNAPPERSETUP
p50
SUPERCHARGE
YOURVIEWING
p54
ROBOTICISE
YOURHOME
p57
Imagine if you could start again
tomorrow, ditching all of the tech you’ve
accrued over the years and building
an all-conquering web of gadgetry
that works as a team. Here’s how we'd
rebuild your tech life from scratch – or
just get some of your existing gadgets
talking to each other, thereby making
the world a better place to be…
BOOKMARKSnishant@haymarketsac.com
The bearer of this accolade
has gone up against its
peer(s) and emerged
victorious.
A gadget sporting this
badgeisafive-starproduct,
and the one we would
buy, if we were us.
Generally, we show the manufacturer’s
recommended price. Two exceptions:
Asterisk marked prices (*) are
indicative prices and subject to change
depending on geographic location.
All prices in the Top 10s are the best
we could find at the time of printing.
OUR LOGOS EXPLAINED...
SmartphoneshavetakenapageofftheAmerican
EncyclopediaofCapitalism.Bigindeedseemstobebetter.
Samsung’slatestweaponofmassiOSdestruction,the
GalaxyS4(p38)hasgrownbeyondthereachofone-
handeduseandtheHuaweiAscendMate(p30)isactuallya
tabletmasqueradingasasmartphone.PanasonicandSonyfrontthe
JapaneseattackoftheAndroidswiththeir5inofferingsandwehaveallof
thesemegaphonesinonemagazine!Ifyoulikeking-sizedgadgets,maybe
youwanttogothroughthiseditioncarefully.
Feelingjadedwithtech?Whynotresetyourtechlife(p44)withthetipsand
tweakswesuggestthatcanliftyourageinggadgetsbygivingthemaBotox
boost.Evenifyoufeellikemakingyourowngadget,weshowyouhowtoget
akickstart!Allthisissupplementedbytheusualmixoftheexclusiveandthe
enchantingbutoneofmypersonalfavouritesisastorythatdigsintoour
archivalvaultsandexposesthemostanticipatedgadgetsthatnevermade
ittothemarket.Lovinglycalled“vapourware”(p84),thesephantomsofthe
techworldwerespokenaboutinhushedtonesbutseldomseenoutinthe
wild.Breatheinsomeofthewondrousfindingsnow.Goon,it’slegal.
twitter.com/stuff_indiafacebook.com/stuffindia
HOT
BUY
TESTWINNER
6.
7. JUNE 2013 / STUFFINDIA
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 7
THE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING GADGET MAGAZINE
FEATURES
HOT STUFF
10 The Hot Five
■ LG 55EM 9700 OLED TV We sneak a peek in
to the future with LG’s latest super tellys
■ Panasonic P51 There’s a new 5in smartphone
in town, should you have it on your wishlist?
■ Nokia Lumia 925 Take a Lumia 920. Add
aluminum. What do you get? Lumia 925!
■ Huawei MediaPad Link 10 All the Android
chops you desire for a wallet-friendly price
■ Asus Transformer AiO The desktop with the
removable screen. All-in-one, and then some
23 In detail Nikon Coolpix A
Compactcamera,massiveDSLRsensor
27 Quicktest HCL ME Connect 3G Y3
Dual-sim capabilities in a 7in chassis
29 Quicktest SoundLogic Speaker/Receiver
The power of Bluetooth in a tiny package
30 In detail Huawei Ascend Mate
Super-huge6.1phabletcanbeyourmatetoo
31 Spotlight Daft Punk: Random Access Memories
Ourfavouritebotsarebackwithalong-awaited
electronicsetthat’strulytimeless
33 Games Comics
MarvelbattlesDCforsuperheroicgamingglory
37 My gadget life RDB
We bring you all of their secret sonic plans!
32 Gadget doctor
It’s just like psychiatric help for gadgets, really
44 Reset your tech life
Come the gadget apocalyse, we’ll have to
rebuild our tech lives from scratch. Here’s how
we’d do it properly this time
62 Fashion Trainers
The best way to put one foot before the other
75 Kickstarter’s greatest hits
From a desk-mounted Siri alternative to DIY
space exploration, Kickstarter’s funded it all
86 Vapourware
The tech that tried - but never succeeded
92 Design Enigmatic gadgets
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! er, what is it then?
124 Next Big Thing? Catalytic cloth-verters
Clothes that are green in an environmental,
but not necessarily pigmented way
CONTENTS
THE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING GADGET MAGAZINE
Ditch your current tech and build a web
of gadgetry that works as a team ” p44
8.
9. THE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING GADGET MAGAZINE
CONTENTS
SUBSCRIBE AND WIN!
TESTED
60 Win!AcoolnewiPadtowerspeakerandsome
alien-lookingBluetoothspeakersinourcontest
72 SubscribetoStufftoavailadiscountofupto
45%andgetsomecoolfreebies
38 First test Samsung Galaxy S4
The S III was The Best Phone In The World for
ages, but its Android rivals are now bigger,
faster, better. Can Sammy reclaim its throne?
41 Tested Ford EcoSport 1.0L
Ford likes to call their creation an ‘Urban SUV’.
It’s chock full of tech, safety features and a
strange new engine that confuses us a bit
42 Tested Asus FonePad
We finally know which phone to get the Hulk
on his birthday. Phew!
43 Audi A6 2.0 TDI Vs Jaguar XF 2.2L
Can the German tame the (now) Indian cat?
59 Video gadgets
Do camcorders still have a place in our world?
Or should we record everything on our iPads?
64 Supertest Compact cameras
Canon PowerShot G15 ● Nikon Coolpix P7700
● Pentax MX-1 ● Samsung EX2F
● Sony DSC-RX100
82 Planet of the apps
Apps to simplify the present-trudge
98 Long term test Sony Xperia Z
Denon MC2000 ● Mackie DL 1608
● Novation Mininova ● Pioneer RMX-1000
THE ULTIMATE BUYING GUIDE
p103
JUNE 2013 / STUFFINDIA
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 9
10. HOT
STUFF
06/13
17 PAGES OF THE
BEST NEW GEAR
MONEY CAN BUY
10 / StuffIndia /June 2013
HOT
FIVE #1
LG55EM9700 OLEDTV
OLEDSTHEDOGSOUT!
tba|lg.com
LGhasbeentinkeringwithOLEDtechsinceawhilenowbut
weforgivethemformakinguswait,consideringtheirworld’s
first55inOLEDsetisastaggeringamalgamationofbeauty
andtech.Ifyoudon’tpayattention,youcouldalmostmissits
4mmthinframefromaside-onangle.Ifyouaren’tonyour
kneesyet,drooling,onelookieatthe4-colourpixeltech+
infinitecontrastinjectedscreen,willhaveyoudoingjustthat.
LGistightlippedaboutitsavailabilityherebut ifyouitchfor
thefutureofTVsinawaferthinpackage,youshouldstart
savingup! OLEDTVswon’tbecomingcheap.
Ashotas...fusingstarmattertobuildascreenthisgorgeous
12. HOT
STUFF
06/13
12 / StuffIndia /June 2013
HOT
FIVE #2
PanasonicP51
PANACATTACK
26,990|panasonic.co.in
Panasonichasfinallywokenuptothefactthatithasrathermissedouton
the scrumptioussmartphonepie.Whichiswhyitplanstobitebackwiththe
P51,mindyouitisnotaspecbusting,competitionannihilating,gizmotastic
handheldfromthefuture.InsteadPanahaschosentosidewiththemasses
withaphonethatcostsaroundthe 25kmargin.Youmightthinkthisisjust
anotherGalaxyGrandoraMicromaxCanvasHD.Forthemostpartitis,but
wheretheP51shinesandinchesaheadofitscompetitionisinitsbuild
qualitywithitsgorgeousunibodydesignandthefactthatitcomesloaded
withAndroid4.2outofthebox.Thephonefeelsfantastictoholdandits
Quad-coreinnardsmakeitsnappytouse.Regardlessofwhatisavailablein
themarket,welovethisshinynewP51!
Ashotas...beingintheIronMansuit,sanstheAC!
13. June 2013 / StuffIndia / 13
06/13HOT
STUFF
HOT
FIVE #3
NokiaLumia925
SUBRAMANIAMALUMINUM
tba|nokia.co.in
AsmuchasAndroidanditshardwarecroniesmaytry,Nokiajustwon’t
bedefeated.They’vetakentheWindowsPhonemarketbystorm,and
offeredaviable,not-so-buggy,ifslightlyunder-appedalternativeto
thelittlegreenrobot,whilepackinginalltherighthardwareatallthe
rightpricepoints.NowAndroidandApplewanttogoaluminuminthe
fighttolookmorepremium?SOCANNOKIA.Theywanttoputfancy
camerasandhigh-resscreens?DITTOFINLAND.Youwantadisplay
thatmakesthephonetoobigforyourhands?NOKIAKNOWSHOW.
Now,theyjustneedtofigureouthowtoshowtheworldthatWP8is
actuallyaprettyneatOS.Thatwouldbethehardpart.
Ashotas...moltenchocolateoverachocolatebrownie
HOT
FIVE #4
HuaweiMediaPad10Link
WHOAREWE,REALLY?
26,990|huaweidevice.co.in
We’dsayHuawei’sbroughtitsA-gametothetabletarenabut
we’dbelying.Whileitisn’tthespec-beastwe’dliketocallit,it’sa
decentofferingfortherelativelylowpricetag.Whatyougetfor
your 27kisa10intabletpoweredbyHuawei’shome-grown
K3V2Quad-coreprocessorcombinedwith1GBRAM,16GBsof
storagespace,a1280x800screenandAndroid’sdeliciousJelly
BeanOS.Now,beforeyougoaboutsnappingyoursurroundings
withtheultragrainy3MPcam,youmustknowyou’lllooklikean
idiot.Don’tdoit.But,auditioningoneofthesewell-pricedtabs?
Notsuchadumbmoveafterall.
Ashotas…Yourbellyafteraroad-side‘Chinese’meal
14.
15. June 2013 / StuffIndia / 15
06/13HOT
STUFF
HOT
FIVE #5
AsusTransformerAiO
HALFALL-IN-ONE,HALF(HUGE)TABLET
from 86,999|in.asus.com
Ifyoualreadyhaveanall-in-onecomputer,suchasaniMac,try
rippingthescreenoffthebody.What’sthat?It’sstoppedworking?
Sorry-thathappens.Butperhaps,youshouldreplacethesmashed
remainsofyourpreviouscomputerwiththisWindows8touchsreen
all-in-onefromAsus.All-in-two,actually-pickthe18.4inscreenup,
anditworksasawirelessdisplay,beamingyourPCinterfaceacross
theether-or,thankstoacleverbitofdualbooting,it’salsoa
completelyindependent(andcompletelymassive)Android4.0
tablet.Um…sorryaboutyouroldscreen.Getoneoftheseinstead.
Ashotas...summeronCybertron
16.
17.
18.
19. NEWS FEED
SMARTPHONES
APPS
ENTERTAINMENT
SECURITY
The most awaited Nexus
The LG Google Nexus 4 is finally
here! Qualcomm Snapdragon S4
Pro CPU 1.5 GHz Krait processor,
4.7in WXGA (1280 x 768)
resolution (320ppi),
8MP rear camera,
1.3MP front camera,
2GB RAM and a price
tag of 25,999. You
can’t ask for more!
Paytmappenablesonlinebookings
The Paytm app enables users to
book bus tickets from anywhere in
India. There are 12,000 routes
available to book anywhere across
India. Available on iOS
and Android only, the
app also provides
exclusive offers on
Bookmyshow,
Domino’s and more.
Watch movies in HD on your pad
ThroughtheBigflixHDapp,
Appleuserscanwatchtheirmovies
inHDontheiriThings.Youcan
watchapartofamovieonyouriPad
athomeandthen
proceedtocontinue
watchingit(from
whereyouleftoff)on
youriPhoneonyour
waytooffice.
Kaspersky updates tablet security
Kaspersky offers an upgrade to its
already existing Tablet Security
Software. The existing bunch of
registered users can upgrade free
of charge, though they will need
to reinstall the software. It also
features an alarm tool to find lost
tablets. Get your copy at a nearby
IT retail outlet.
BACK-UP BATTERY
Yell’s new range of battery packs
Yellhaslaunchedarangeof
productsincludingbatterypacks
andBluetoothspeakers.TheYell
EnergyStick(picturedhere)retails
for 2299andisavailableinarange
ofcolours.An
absolute-mustfor
power-hungry
portablesthattend
todieonyouata
crucialtime.
Beyondexpectations
ByondPhabletP1
10,999 |byondtech.com
The biggest battle in smartphone history was
and still is the Samsung Vs Apple douchebaggery.
We’ve relished every bit of it and it was all fun and
games till Byond and a bunch of others started taking
cheap jabs at the Korean giant with phones like the
Phablet P1. Disguised as its pricier option, the P1 packs
in a 5.3in IPS display, 8MP camera and a 1GHz dual core
processor. Even the OS is designed to complete the
illusion. Now that’s what we call beyond belief!
Beyondexpectations
ByondPhabletP1
10,999 |byondtech.com
The biggest battle in smartpho
and still is the Samsung Vs App
We’ve relished every bit of it a
games till Byond and a bunch o
cheap jabs at the Korean giant
Phablet P1. Disguised as its pri
5 3in IPS display, 8MP cam
OS is desig
June 2013/ StuffIndia / 19
06/13HOT
STUFF
Marvel T-shirts
A collection of your favourite characters on t-shirts! Sweet.
from 500, myntra.com
Hotspotseverywhere!
LavaRouterW200
2499 |lavamobiles.com
Oh those summer getaways to Goa!
That one week of the year when you eat,
drink and stroll around in your favourite
trunks with nobody around to judge you. Well
almost. Unfortunately the occasional picnic
with the family is generally on a budget and the
destination is Essel World. Not a pleasant sight. We
tend to save our sanity with the help of tools such as
the W200. It creates a Wi-Fi hotspot for 32 users over
LAN. And it’s a power bank too! Sweet mother of routers!
g
all beyond belief!
one history was
ple douchebaggery.
nd it was all fun and
of others started taking
t with phones like the
cier option, the P1 packs
mera and a 1GHz dual core
gned to complete the
nd belief!
Earittobelieveit
LogitechUE900
34,995 |logitech.com
We’d like to believe that occasionally, grandpa’s
weak hearing works to his advantage. Not
having to go through the daily yelling, honking
and all, doesn’t sound like such a bad thing. Then
again there’s always a tech-filled solution to the
problem. Logitech’s newest offering from their
new Ultimate Ears range sounds like just what we
need. The pair feature a Dual-Bore technology that
boosts sound and a quad armature design, all to make
sure you are only listening to your tracks without any
external disturbance. Sweet, sweet peace.
20.
21. June 2013/ StuffIndia / 21
06/13HOT
STUFF
Gionee GPad G2
Value for money with 5.3 inches of pure pad fun!
13,990, gionee.co.in
AGalaxynotsofaraway
SamsungGalaxy
GrandQuattro
17,290|samsung.com/in
Let’s give it up for Samsung. We’re pretty
sure that as of today, the Koreans have
produced more Galaxies than God himself.
Mind you, that’s no complaint. This
Samsung Galaxy Grand Quattro is an
attractive star to look at. Within its guts,
the Quattro packs in a 4.6in display,
1.2GHz quad-core processor and dual-sim
capabilities. For under 18K it’s the the
kind of Galaxy we’ll pocket with pleasure.
Goshockyourself!
CasioG-ShockGB-6900AB
9995|casio.co.in
It’s one of those watches that you’ll forget to
use to actually see the time. Casio’s new
G-Shock GB-6900 features Bluetooth 4.0
tech which it uses to pair with your iPhone4S
or iPhone5 notifying you of incoming calls,
e-mails, Twitter and Facebook. It also
features a phone finder option, which
triggers the iPhones alarm in case you lose
your precious. Futhermore, there’s boring
features such as time. But, who needs that?
Poowho?
Rapoo7100PWirelessMouse
1879|rapoo.com
It has to be a lion in a mouse skin for a mouse to be
featured in the Hot Stuff section and the Rapoo
7100P lets out a roar we have not heard in a while.
This little mouse features a frequency of 5GHz and
the best part about it is the 4D H-Scroll
technology. English translation? Well that’s what
we are here for! The 4D scroll allows you to scroll
vertically and horizontally. Simple. The 7100P also
avoids emitting that dreaded red laser from the
bottom, thanks to the Invisible Optical sensor
tech. Squeak Squeak!
22.
23. 06/13HOT
STUFF
THE SMALLEST, LIGHTEST SUPERCOMPACT
NikonCoolpixA
Being greedy gadgeteers, we all want pro-looking
pictures without lugging around a DSLR – hence the
sudden boom in compacts with big sensors. After the
FujiX10SandtheSonyRX100,here’stheCoolpixA:
the first Nikon compact with a DX sensor.
54,950|nikon.co.in
Adding to the low-light abilities
bestowed by that large sensor is
an impressive ISO range. It goes up
to ISO 6400 as standard, and can
be extended to a whopping ISO
25,600. Your image is likely to be
noisier than a duck in a wind
turbine at that level, though.
While the Coolpix A does not,
at first glance, look like 50k
worth of camera, it does have a
considerably higher build quality
than its more affordable forebears.
A magnesium alloy body and
metal dials should make it
hardwearing and tactile, while a
leatherette grip provides stability.
With thesame16.2MPDXsensor
asintheexcellentD7000DSLR, the
Coolpix A should be an excellent
low-light performer. Backing it
up is an Expeed 2 image processor
that can shoot four full-res images
in a second, and also produce
pro-friendly RAW files.
111mm
40.3mm
64.3mm
TECH SPECS
Sensor16.2MP,APS-CCMOS
Display3inTFT,921kdots
Lens18.5mm(28mmequivalent),f2.8
ISO 100-6400(extendableto25,600)
Video 1080p@30fps
Built-in flashYes
StorageSD/SDHC/SDXC
Alternatively…
Canon PowerShot G1 X
47,995 | canon.co.in
Nikon isn’t the only one dabbling
in the ultra-premium compact
segment. Canon have a slightly
cheaper option that matches
the Nikon A in every way.
To reaffirm that the A is pointed at
serious photographers, it doesn’t
have a zoom. Instead, it has an f2.8
primelenswitha35mm-equivalent
focal length of 28mm, which is
wide, but versatile - great for
getting spur-of-the-moment
snaps and people shots without
the need to back away to fit it all in.
This is a snapper aimed at DSLR
users, so it has a focus ring around
the lens to override the autofocus
and allow you to get creative. The
Mode wheel will feel reassuringly
familiartoDSLRshooters,too,with
apertureandshutterprioritymodes
aswellasfullmanual.Themenus
don’tskimponsettings,either.
Small size and unassuming
looks belie the abilities of
this miniature powerhouse
299g
June 2013/ StuffIndia / 23
Portronics Pure Sound BT
Waft out your tunes on this Bluetooth speaker.
2499, portronics.com
24.
25. June 2013/ StuffIndia / 25
06/13HOT
STUFF
June 2013/
PredatorDrone!TakeCover!
KingstonDataTraveler
HyperXPredator3.0
tba|kingston.com
The army knows what a Predator Drone
(Unmanned aerial vehicle which carries missiles)
is and how dangerous one can be if its hovering
over you at 10,000 ft. You will also know about
it if you’ve been blown apart by one in Call of
Duty. The more friendly kind such as this one
stores a monstrous 1TB of your data and allow
for fast transfers thanks to USB 3.0. Time
to chuck those space-eating hard discs.
Zync Quad 10.1
A budget tablet with a full HD screen and Quad core processors
14,990, zync.in
Stalkermuch?
BenQGH650
11,990|benq.co.in
We have almost got to the point where to click a
beautiful image or shoot stunning video, all you
need to do is to look at something, blink, and it’s
done. We’re not quite there yet, Google Glasses is
yet in the development stage - on the BenQ
GH650 you still have to do things the traditional
way to capture what you want a beautiful 16MP
image of. But with the 26X optical zoom, 1cm Super
Macro Mode and HD recording capabilities all
allowing you to get eerily close to your subjects,
BenQ is making it all rather easy.
Timederivedfromsatellites!
CitizenPromasterEco-
DriveSatelliteWave-Air
tba|citizenwatches.co.in
It may take a few hours of memorizing before you
can confidently blurt out the name of Citizen’s
latest time-keeper next time someone asks.
Launching in September, this ticker’s features are
as big as its name: it derives the time, day and
date from a satellite hovering above the Earth at
20,000 feet! Its design is inspired by birds and
airplanes in flight. The dials suggest rotating fan
blades of an aircraft engine. Yup. If someone
argues about the time with you when you’re
wearing this baby, punch them in the face! Just
make sure you take the watch off first.
26. 26 / StuffIndia / June 2013
06/13HOT
STUFF
Victorinox Maverick
A Victorinox favourite now available in blue, red, green and gold.
from 22,950, victorinox.com/in
USE IT WITH...
miCoach SPEED_CELL
tba | adidas.co.in
Thishi-techchip
measuresdistance,max
speed,numberof
sprintsandmuchmore.
Itisnowpossibletoget
coachedonline!
Onyourmarks,getset,charge!
AdidasNitrocharge
11,999|adidas.co.in
ThefutureofIndianfootballlooksgrimthanksto
theothervarietyofsportsplayedinthecountry.For
examplecricket,cricketandcricket.Butforthoseof
youwhoburnthemidnightlampandgetinspiredtotry
yourfootattheball,theAdidasNitrochargemightjust
bewhatyouneed.Ithasan“EnergySling”whichis
supposedtosharpenyouralmostperfectreaction
onthepitchandthe“EnergyPulse”istoprovide
energytoyoursorryfeetwhileyousprint.Incase
youarearookieathittingaball,Adidashasalso
fitinprotectionpadsandameshtoprotect
yourpedicuredfeet.
27. June 2013/ StuffIndia / 27
06/13HOT
STUFF
TP Link TD-W8968 Wireless Router
Share your data wirelessly with this USB sharing capable router.
5580, tp-link.com
Androwhaaat?
PortronicsAndroview
28,999|portronics.com
When you are young, you chalk out certain
ambitions and aspirations such as “I want to be a
scientist dealing with Lysergic acid diethylamide.”
Or something of the sort- We know, we did- and
as you grow up, you end up settling for the couch,
a bag of chips and the latest shooter around. Ok
maybe that’s just us, but we’d rather do it in style.
Case in point, this Android running projector that can
project HD quality pictures at a screen size of 80
inches with 50 lumens packed in! Die aliens, die!
at?
sAndroview
tronics.com
young, you chalk out certain
d aspirations such as “I want to be a
ing with Lysergic acid diethylamide.”
g of the sort- We know, we did- and
up, you end up settling for the couch,
ps and the latest shooter around. Ok
t us but we’d rather do it in style.
ojector that can
QUICKTEST
10,999 | hclmetablet.com
What we didn’t like
The Y3 does not come with the Google Play
Store unlike other HCL tablets, instead HCL has
its own store. This does not mean it lacks the
general everyday apps, but if you are looking for
something specific, you might not find it. Games
run fine but take a few extra seconds to start
up and once it runs, it runs smoothly. The Y3
consumes a lot of its battery, infact an 8 minute
video on YouTube will cause the battery to drain
down by 4%. It would be better if this Y3 would
charge as fast as it drained, but it fails in that
department as well! It takes hours to charge and
the wait makes us wonder, WHY3?
The rest of the deal
The HCL Connect 3G is a superb performer and
we were very impressed with what its 1GHz
processor could do. Only a few departments that
need to improve are the battery life, Google Play
Store and an upgrade from Android’s 4.0.4 ICS.
But for the HCL Connect 3Gs asking price, it is a
huge double thumbs up from us.
Stuff says ★★★★✩
Could do with a little more juice to support
the smooth-running 1Ghz processor it packs
tablet experience in a counted four
minutes from the initial boot.
Running it in
HCLclaimthescreenontheY3
isa1024x600WSVGAHD,butit
justaboutimpressesus,keeping
inmindthattheConnect3Gisa
budgettablet,wewon’tcomplain
tooloudlyaboutthenot-so-
sharpdisplay.Afterplaying
aroundabitandchecking
intensivelyforlag,wecouldn’t
findatraceofit,whichis
verysurprisingfora1GHzCortexA9Processor,
thumbsuptoHCLforthat.ThedualSIMcapability
oftheY3isdecentanddoesthejobwell,with
goodsignalreceptionandeasytochange
SIMfunctions.Wehavenothingtocomplain
aboutinthatdepartment-exceptthecheap
earphonesthatcomebundledwiththetablet.
Theearphonesembosstheterm“plasticky”but
remember,thisisabudgettabletandyouhave
thechoicetobuyyourownearphonesfromthe
market;justremembertogetonewithabuiltin
mic.ThecameraontheY3isa3.2MPsnapperand
youwouldn’twanttouploadpicturesclickedbyit
onFacebook.Thefrontcameraisa0.3MPpuny
affairandaslongasthepersonyouareSkyping
withknowsitisyoutheywilljointhedots.
HCLMEY3
It is the age of hybrids and tablets.
Laptops and PCs are slowly becoming
a thing of the past. Today, tablets
come in different sizes and shapes and
the notion seems to be : the smaller the
better. Of course price plays its part and
is the main reason a segment of budget
tablets exist. HCL has been a known
contender in the budget tablet market
with their range of ME tablets. This one is the
HCL ME Connect 3G Y3, if you ignore the long
name, it is quite a tablet to consider if you are on a
budget and need a decent slate for everyday use.
Booting it up
There isn’t anything too flashy about the Y3, the
box itself is a dull maroonish coloured cardboard
and has logos of some of the bloatware installed
onto the tab. Open the cover and there lies the
silver tablet wrapped in a plastic covering. The
tablet is not too heavy but feels plasticky, not to
mention it is made of plastic! The HCL Connect
3G is light but takes some practice for one hand
use. The first time boot takes a few minutes but
the setup is easy. We are ready for some budget
28.
29. June 2013/ StuffIndia / 29
06/13HOT
STUFF
D-Link DIR-868L Wireless Router
This one can pass speeds of one GB/second! Super fast we say!
tba, dlink.co.in
Whatanidea!
LenovoIdeaPadLynxK3011
51,990|lenovo.com/in
If you liked Lenovo’s previous offering; the IdeaPad Yoga, which
literally bent over backwards for you, you might want to check this
new tablet from the brand. It does rob you of half a lac but the Intel
Clover Trail-W Dual Core 1.8Ghz processor and the brilliant 11.6in IPS
HD 400 nit (a.k.a. very bright screen) are all worth the cash.
Reminder: go get your Yoga fix some place else.
QUICKTEST
2999 | soundlogic.in
Buying yourself a simple audio solution can
either be a very expensive proposition if you
choose to go big-name, or it can be affordable,
if you look beyond the guys that advertise a lot.
Something like this speaker from Soundlogic.
Multi-functional
The Soundlogic Wireless Receiver and Speaker
is designed intelligently. It’s got a fairly effective
suction pad that lets you clamp it to a wall or
glass surface. This is especially useful if you
want to use it in a car or in the shower. Oh yes,
you can use it in the shower, since it is splash-
proof. We tried it out, and sure enough a few odd
splashes didn’t really bother the system while it
was working.
Sound quality
We decided to try out the speaker with some
bass-heavy tracks, first off was a classic club
anthem ‘Drop The Pressure’ by Mylo. The
Soundlogic speaker is capable of loud volumes,
options in the market at this price. The battery
on this receiver isn’t very large because of its
size and naturally didn’t last too long, but that
isn’t too much of a problem.
Using it in a car
The size, capabilities and suction pad mean this
Soundlogic speaker is ideal to use in cars as a
Bluetooth speaker device. The only problem
here is the fact that it doesn’t have an in-built
microphone, and your phone’s microphone
would be needed if you aren’t the type who just
listens. It’s a shame, because the addition of that
one measly mic could have made this such a
versatile product.
To conclude…
At this price, the Soundlogic speaker and
receiver set is immense value if you’re
looking for something portable and flexible
for your car, room or bathroom. If you’re
looking for something with more precise
audio capabilities, you’ll have to up your
budget and look elsewhere.
Stuff says ★★★★✩
Not the last word in purity and definition,
but it’s a feature-filled and useful little gadget
SoundlogicWireless
ReceiverandSpeaker
far more than its size suggests. It isn’t the last
word in definition or even punch and power for
that matter, but it does a decent job when you
consider the price and features that they’ve
packed into this little device. As mentioned earlier,
we did use this in the shower, and considering
that isn’t somewhere we’ve had access to music
before, we were happy on the whole.
Detachable receiver
Here’s where the Soundlogic is different. The
tiny Bluetooth receiver in the center snaps right
off. Connect that to any speakers or system
through the 3.5mm jack and you’ve given that
speaker the gift of Bluetooth. This is particularly
useful, because there aren’t too many similar
30. For devotees of the Note,
Samsung’s S-Pen stylus puts the
‘phab’ in phablet. Huawei has not
furnishedtheMatewithanysortof
stylus,perhapstoavoidaccusations
of one product looking a bit too
much like another. This should only
botheryouifyoulikemakingnotes.
THE WORLD’S BIGGEST PHONE
HuaweiAscendMate
Everyone laughed at Samsung’s
massive 5.5in Galaxy Note, then
about 10 million people bought
one. In its wake, a new species –
the phablet – has arisen, and the
biggest yet is this 6.1in Huawei.
Let’s give it a big hand…
29,900 |huaweidevice.co.in
With 1080p phones beginning to
emerge as a new standard, the
Mate’s 1280x720 screen isn’t
exactly leading the charge into
Resolutionland. Then again, it does
have a higher resolution (on a
smaller screen) than the Nexus 7
or the iPad Mini, so neither
is it short of a pixel or two.
On a phone that’s designed to drop
a boredom-bashing movie into
your Rail Replacement Bus Service
nightmare, storage is important,
and Huawei has sensibly included a
microSDHC slot. If gaming’s more
your thing, the Mate’s quad-core
1.5GHz processor and 2GB RAM
should provide plenty of power.
The idea of a mega-screened
phone makes sense. It’s easily
big enough to replace your 7in
tablet for games and movies, but
small enough that you can hold it
up to your face without looking
like an idiot (although that partly
depends on your face). Being only
6.5mm thick at its narrowest helps.
Many an Android phone has been
launched with the dreaded words
‘upgradeable soon’ tacked on,
meaning you won’t see the latest
OS on it for ages. It’s a relief, then,
to see that the Mate has Jelly Bean
from the start. It’s 4.1 rather than
4.2, but the differences aren’t big.
Size matters when it comes to
battery life, and Huawei has
crammed a whopping 4050mAh
cell into the Mate. That gives it
around twice the power storage of
the average smartphone, although
how long it takes to use up that
power is another matter.
Big on screen and big on
battery: this could be the
start of a beautiful friendship
198g
85.7mm 9.9mm
163.5mm
TECH SPECS
Display6.1in,1280x720
CPUQuad-coreHuaweiK3V2@1.5GHz
RAM2GB
Storage8GB(+upto32GBmicroSD)
Camera8MP,1080p(rear);1MP,720p
(front)
ConnectivityBluetooth4.0,microUSB,
3G(HSDPA),3.5mmsocket,Wi-Fi(b/g/n)
Alternatively…
Samsung Galaxy Note II
37,380 | samsung.com/in
It has a slightly smaller screen and a
slightly smaller battery than the
Huawei, but this big brother to the
Galaxy S III is one tasty phablet. We’ll
fight them in due course, but right
now our money’s on the Note.
iBall Slide Q9703
Tablet of the future! The Q9703 supports 4k resolution!
15,999, iball.co.in
06/13HOT
STUFF
30 / StuffIndia / June 2013
31. June 2013/ StuffIndia / 31
06/13HOT
STUFF
Buffalo Travel Charger
Charge your devices on the go, Buffalo style!
tba, buffalo-asia.com
Smallwonder
NokiaAsha501
tba|nokia.com
Nokia has come a long way in the mobile phone
business and it has made the mobile phone
accessibletoyourgrandma,yournewphewand
hisbestfriend.ThislittleAshahasNokia’slatestSDK
(SoftwareDeveloperKit)whichmakesitopensource
justlikeAndroid.Thisfeaturephonewillpackallsorts
ofhigh-endsmartsforafractionofthepricealong
with40freeEAgamesandloadsofotherapps!
Stuff says
SPOTLIGHT…
So smooth and sun-kissed, it’s
electronic assembled with love
Eight years I’ve waited for this!
What took so long!
Wehearyou,buddy.BeingDaft
Punkjunkies,it’sbeenone
excruciatinglylongwait.Theduo’s
lastalbum,HumanAfterAll,
debutedallthewaybackin2005,
anditonlyleftuslongingformore.
Featuringcollaborationswith
PharellWilliams,JulianCasablancas,
PandaBear,NileRodgers,Giorgio
Moroder,PaulWilliams,Todd
Edwards,andDJFalcon,it’s13
tracksofpureelectroniclove.The
wholeworldwasevengivenan
earlytasteofthealbumwhenit
wasavailabletostreaminits
entiretydaysbeforetheglobal
launch.Trailedbythesunshine
juggernautGetLucky,Random
AccessMemoriesfeltlikeacool
150 | itunes.apple.com
breezeinthescorchingheatby
sheerforceofitsgood-time
personality.
That track. It played on loop till i
was humming it in my sleep.
You’re not alone. Here’s a few stats
so you don’t feel so bad about your
meteorological intensity is Nile
Rodgers and his supernaturally
relaxed playing.
Good thing they put the whole
album online to stream. That
sealed the deal for me.
It’s the kind of practice that makes
Daft Punk the invincible force
that it is in the world of electronic
music. Possibly the most hotly
anticipated album release since
the term ‘album’ became a
complete anachronism, R.A.M. is a
scrumptious serving of the duo’s
signature sound when the album
is heard as a whole. It sounds
effortlessly vintage chic which
makes it potentially timeless.
Chunky disco sounds mixed
with a gloriously live feel are only
propelled by Rogers’ unmistakably
fluid, lyrical rhythm guitar.
Get Lucky addiction. In its first few
days, the track went number one
on the singles chart in 55 different
countries. It became the number
one single on the iTunes Pop songs
chart, and number four on the
iTunes albums chart. More
importantly, it is now the most-
streamed song ever on Spotify, by
a mile. Enough proof that more
than a few of us have OD’d on the
single starring Pharrell Williams.
Central to this album’s
DaftPunk–
RandomAccessMemories
32. Email the experts stuff@haymarketsac.com
DOCTORGADGET
/MAIL
helpful when it comes to browsing.
The Mini (from 21,900) is
excellent for a smaller tablet, but
the Retina Display is more
versatile. Of course, if you want to
carry it around with you a lot, the
Minimaybethebetterpick.
Stock control
Q I’m about to start college soon
and I need a new phone to
replace my ancient LG. I’d like a
Nexus 4 but it’s constantly out
of stock. I need something with
a decent screen and a relatively
up-to-date version of Android or
Windows Phone because it will
have to last me a couple of years.
My budget is around 25,000.
Gaurav Naik
A Well timed, young Gaurav. In
recent smartphone
Supertest, we pitted five sub-
25,000 smartphones – including
the Nexus 4 – against each other.
Without wanting to give the game
away, you might want to keep
checking that website – or turn to
our list of Top Ten smartphones to
find out how the others stack up
for almost twice the money.
Adventurus gadgetus
Q I have a bit of a hectic year
coming up: I’m turning 30,
running a marathon, driving
from Mumbai to Jaipur and going on
honeymoon to Japan. I’m no Bear
Grylls but I want a half-decent
camera to capture what should be
a very memorable 365 days. Any
ideas dear gadgeteers?
Sohil Vora
A Sounds like the Sony HX20V
( 19,990, sony.co.in) is the
one for you, Sohil. It’s easily the
best compact all-rounder, with a
20x zoom, superb low-light skills
and brilliant video. An SLR would
take better pictures if you knew
how to use manual mode but the
Sony is more convenient and
much more likely to capture the
moment before it’s gone. Have a
great year!
The real thing
I’msearchingforanewpairof
earphonesbut am completely
baffled by the range available. My
budget is around 5000 and I need
someIcanwearonarun,witha
decentcablelength(atleast1m),
goodall-roundsoundandnoise
isolation.Whatdoyousuggest?
Vikram Kharvi
A Firstly, Vikram, we care a lot
about ears, so whether
you’re a fan of Daft Punk or
Arabian Disco, Sennheiser’s
CX 680i ’phones ( 4490, shop.
sennheiserindia.com) will make
you feel like King for a Day, plus
the sporty build should stop them
from Falling to Pieces. There’s
even an Epic 1.2m cable. You can
take them out on a run without
worrying about ruining them.
PowerPoint to the people
Q I’m currently a student
at university and as our
lectures are given to us beforehand
as PowerPoint files I’d like to get
an app for my new iPad that’ll
let me annotate the slides in
preparation. Do you know of
any that will let me do that?
Pankaj Varma
A If this is so you don’t have to
go to your lectures and
can instead stay in bed eating
Oreos we’ll be very disappointed in
you, Pankaj. As long as you promise
not to do that you can download
Quick Office Pro HD ( 1100,
quickoffice.com), which is
compatible with all Office docs and
allows you to edit Powerpoint
presentations on your iPad.
Remember to stay in school.
Ask a silly question...
Q I’m in the market to replace my
iPod classic. I’m looking for
something to tempt me away from
the 160GB model I’ve currently
got my eye on: something with
large storage that’s easy to
sync with my iTunes catalogue, at
around the 20,000 mark. Help!
Shayne Noronha
A Let’s see, Shayne. So you’d
like a large amount of storage,
around the same amount as you
get with an iPod Classic, for around
the same price as an iPod Classic,
and you’d like it to sync easily
with Apple’s music management
software, a bit like an iPod Classic
would. Have you considered
getting an iPod Classic?
Deba-tablet-able
Q I’m currently debating
whether to get an iPad Mini
or the new iPad with Retina Display.
I like to watch videos, browse
Facebook and email frequently and
the netbook I’m using at the
moment just isn’t as handy as a
tablet. What would you reckon I
should get myself?
Saurabh Pant
A If price isn’t a barrier go for the
iPad with Retina Display (from
31,900). Its superior resolution
will flatter videos, there’s more
headroom for future updates and
you’ll find the extra screen space
brought to you by
37. June 2013/ StuffIndia / 37
06/13HOT
STUFF
RDB
MYGADGETLIFEMYGADGETLIFE
FromsingingintheGurdwaratoRealDesi
Beats,totech,theUKbandrevealsall.
Tell us a bit about the music you are
currently working on. Are you rop-
ing in any international music
personalities for singles
or OSTs?
We are working on and making
a series of different styles from
Punjabi hiphop, to hindi rock to
Punjabi house music. We are also
trying to introduce some punjabi
heavy rock style. Currently all of
that is for movies. As well as that
we are working on Nindy Kaur’s
brand new single ‘Gal Mitro’ Feat
Raftaar as well as our 3rd
Mainstream collaboration - RDB
Feat T-Pain ‘Daddy da Cash’ which
is a complete hiphop feel song with
punjabi vocals by Manj.
Which one of you is an absolute
gadget hog? Tell us about the one
gadget each of you dont leave
home without.
Well we are both gadget hogs if
we are being honest! We buy every
so called gadget we can get our
hands on. I (Manj) even bought
some shades with lights on the
front once for reading at night,
and I never actually used them.
The one thing we definitely can’t
leave home without has to be our
laptops. For Surj it’s because of
the need to access emails for
business related enquiries and for
me it’s all about producing music!
We call ourselves GAJSINGH Kings
not Gadget kings!
Would you be rather seen using
a smartphone or a futuristic
smartwatch?
No matter how enticing a
smartwatch might feel like, for
us it definitely would be the smart
phone. Agreed the watch would be
great, but with it being so small,
you would always miss out on the
games and other fun features that
are impossible to enjoy on a small
smartwatch screen.
Would you rather unwind to a quick
game on your cellphone? or would
you rather take it out on the big
screen via a console?
We would opt for the big screen
any day of the week, simply
because we love big screen gaming
and we carry every possible cable
there is! While the world is going
wireless, at the moment you still
need cables for optimum AV
quality. You can’t beat the realism
caught on a quality big screen
(Plasma, LED, or Projection) So
there you have it!
We need to ask, any India tours
RDB is planning on?
Yes, as always we are constantly
on the run and currently we are
working on regular shows in India.
With the launch of ‘Daddy da Cash’
we are looking at planning a tour
with the whole team across India –
RDB, Nindy Kaur and Raftaar.
We call ourselves GAJSINGH
Kings not Gadget kings ”
Spice Stellar Pinnacle pro
A 5MP front camera shouts for Skype. No selfies!
14,990, spice-mobiles.com
38. 38 / StuffIndia / June 2013
SAMSUNG
GALAXYS441,500 | samsung.com/in
first test
The sequel to the Stuff Award-winning S III
is here, packing a 5in, 1080p screen and
otherwordly no-touch-needed tech. We
find out if it’s enough to see off Android’s
new heroes…
The S4 is too plasticky to break
any hearts, but it’s thin, light and
impressively pocketable thanks to
the slim bezels flanking its huge 5in
screen. Plus, it’s the only 2013
flagship with microSD expansion, a
removable battery and an IR blaster;
team that with its EPG widget and
you’re in TV heaven.
If you’re a fan of crisp fonts and vivid
colours, you’ll love the S4’s 1080p
Super AMOLED screen. It’s
dazzlingly bright, with excellent
viewing angles, and the pixels look as
if they’re sitting on the glass. That
screen uses up plenty of juice, but its
2600mAh battery just about
survives a day’s use.
The India-spec S4 packs in an eight-
core Exynos processor that is the
fastest processor on a 5in phone
currently. It handles intensive tasks
such as Multi-Window (which runs
two apps on screen at once) with
ease. Oddly, prosaics such as the
keyboard and gallery can lag – we’re
hoping a software update will fix it.
Ifyou’reimpatientforthefuture,thesmart,nearly
touch-freeS4couldbeyourdream handset. Its
cutetricksdon’talwayswork, butwhenthey do
they’regreat,andevenwithoutthemyouhavea
killerhandset.It’snotquitesexy enoughtostopus
reachingforthe HTCOne,though:you’llfindexcuses
tostrokethatall-aluminiumbeauty. We’dchoose
theHTC’sscreen,too:it’ssmaller, despitetheOne
beingbiggerthantheS4,butitscontrastandnatural
coloursmaketheS4’slookgaudy. Atthetimeof
writingyou’llalsogetasmootherJelly Bean
experiencefromtheOne,althoughbenchmarks say
theS4isthemorepowerfuldevice.WheretheS4
trumpstheOneis withskills suchas Multi-Window
andexpansion:youcansticka64GBmicroSDinitif
youneedto.Bothphones maketheiPhone5look
small andstaid.Apple’s AppStorestillthrashes
GooglePlay,andtheiPhone’s cameraskills remaina
forcetobereckonedwith,butiOSfeels oldin
comparisontoAndroid’s info-richwidgets.Which
wouldwebuy? Fornowwe’retorn;checkthenext
issueforourdefinitiveresults.
VERSUS :SAMSUNGGALAXYS4vsHTCONEvsiPHONE5
/TEST/06.13/■■/
39. June 2013 / StuffIndia / 39
36
STUFF SAYS ★★★★★
Stunning set of features and a
long list of gimmicks makes
this Samsung a top performer
Display 5in, 1080x1920 (441ppi)
OS Android 4.2.2 with TouchWiz
Processor Eight-core Samsung Exynos -
1.6GHz Quad Core + 1.2GHz Quad Core
Storage 16/32/ 64GB (+ microSD up to 4GB)
RAM 2GB
Camera 13MP, 1080p (rear);
2MP, 1080p (front)
Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0,
3G, 4G, IR, NFC, MHL 2.0
Battery 2600mAh
Dimensions 136.6x69.8x7.9mm
Weight 130g
TECHSPECS:SAMSUNGGALAXYS4
SAMSUNG GALAXY S4/TEST/06.13/■■/
BIGBLOWERISWATCHINGYOU
Launching with the latest version
ofAndroid (4.2.2) is a boon, and this
year’s TouchWiz interface skin has a
much slicker Samsung Hub. All your
info is front-and-centre, and
although it’s not as fuss-free as
stock Android, it has useful widgets
such as Google Now.
The 13MP rear and 2MP front
cameras are among the best we’ve
used. Colours are accurate and detail
is phenomenal for a smartphone. It’s
also up there with the best in low
light, and packs in fun features such
as Dual Shot, which mixes front and
rear shots in one. A gimmick? Yes,
but a good one. Full HD video is silky
and crisp.
122cm
71cm
3.5cm
>Air Gesture
The S4’s extra-sensitive screen enables
you to swipe web pages and images,
and switch tabs, simply by gesturing above
it. It’s neat, and with practice, reliable; it
could even occasionally be useful (while
cooking, say).
>Air View
More subtle for the commute is one of our
favourite tricks, Air View.
Borrowed from the Note 2,
the sensor tracks you
hovering over video
timelines, emails and
gallery folders to see mini
previews or magnify web
pages. It works well up to
about 2-3cm away.
>Smart Screen
Samsung’seye-trackingtechwins
theMostLikelyToComeIn
Usefulaward,butinuseit’s
hitandmiss.Hands-free
pagescrollingislikemagic…
ifyouhavethetimetowait
forittonoticeyour
peepers.SmartPause
worksabout50%ofthe
time,stallingvidsifyou
turnaway.
>S Health
Pedometerappsmaybeten-a-penny,
butthefeature-packedS
Healthiswellworthhaving
allthesame.There’sa
healthboardforgoals,
plussnack-tracking,
temperatureandhumidity
sensorsandstep-counting
tools.Thisisonehealth-
conscioussmartphone.
Thechrome
borderand
lessweight
standout
Timetostop
playingand
gettowork
onthisreview
Weareloving
theGoogle
Nowcardson
thisscreen!
Batterylifeis
surprisingly
robustfora
smartphone
AirGestureis
comingin
handywhile
havinglunch
Videorecis
crispandone
ofthebest
rightnow
Camera
featuresarea
noveltythat
maywearoff
Smooth
throughhome
screensbut
lagsintyping
Screenpops
withitssuper
resolution
andcolours
Heywehad
askedforthe
S4,notthe
GalaxyS3
02 05 24 451808 57 601701
Samsung Galaxy S4Thefirsthour
130g
HTC One
42,900 | htc.com/in
It may have stolen the
iPhone’s recipe for all-metal
slice of heaven but the HTC
goes the whole hog with
UltraPixel camera tech and a
well-informed home screen
UI called Blink Feed. With its
photographic skills and
Beats audio, it does beat
the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Stuff says ★★★★★
40.
41. 2518 55 60
Welovethe
highseat
positionand
view
We’reinlove
withthiscar.
We’dbuy
five
Ourtest
convoyis
gettingthe
eyeballs
It’svery
noisyoutside
butrather
quietinhere
Theparking
sensorsare
extremely
helpful
Voice
recognition
works,
sortof
TheEcoBoost
engineisa
pleasureto
drive
..butit’sfiddly
touseanda
bittoo
complicated
Thein-car
audiosystem
blendsin
perfectly...
Wow,thisis
onestunning
car.It’snot
toobigeither
05 35 5007 10 1502
Ford EcoSport Thefirsthour
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 41
45
FordEcoSport1.0L
12 lacs (estimated) | india.ford.com
tested
STUFF SAYS ★★★★★
This urban SUV looks
brilliant, is great to drive
and packs in loads of
useful tech.
Engine 1.0L EcoBoost (3-cyl)
Power 125PS
Torque 170Nm
Transmission Manual (5-speed)
Ground Clearance 200mm
Fuel Economy 18.9km/l (under
test conditions)
Connectivity Audio/MP3 CD,
USB, Aux, iPod (through USB),
Bluetooth
Kerb weight 1259kgs
[Vs]
Move over weak little hatchbacks and giant
trucks, it’s time for the compact, urban SUV.
The year’s most anticipated vehicle is finally
here, and it’s packed with new-age tech.
FORD ECOSPORT 1.0L/TEST/06.13/■/
TECH SPECS:
FORD ECOSPORT 1.0L
The EcoSport has some
convenient add-ons such as rear
parking sensors connected to the
display, keyless entry with a start/
stop button, and effective interior
noise-dampening drastically
reduces cabin noise levels. It’s a car
built to make your life easier, and it
really does the job.
SYNC is Ford’s way of keeping you
entertained with your hands firmly on the
wheel. The voice-recognition system
works effectively to control your music
and phonebook, though it does have
trouble understanding Indian accents, and
just likes to be plain difficult at other
times. It also talks too much.
Like the Fiesta, the EcoSport
comes with a fully integrated,
beautifully placed entertainment
system. Apart from CD and USB,
you can also connect your phone
via Bluetooth and use Ford’s all-
new SYNC system (more below).
Safety is a big deal, and
Emergency Assist is the key.
When the EcoSport is involved in
a crash, it calls 108 using a paired
phone and sends the car’s GPS
coordinates before opening up a
voice line. Also, we invariably
saw the system in action and it
happened to work perfectly.
Ford is particularly proud of their
new Ecoboost 1.0L engine which
makes its debut in the EcoSport.
This 3-cylinder 1.0L powertrain
certainly feels more zippy than its
displacement suggests. High
torque levels make this a perfect
blend of petrol refinement and
diesel pulling-power.
[WordsAliPardiwala]
3999mm
1708mm
RENAULT DUSTER
RXL
8.9 lacs (ex-showroom,
Mumbai) | renault.co.in
The Renault Duster made waves when
it created the compact SUV category
and priced itself competitively. The
EcoSport and it’s bags full of technology
look set to give the Duster a run for
its money.
42. AsusFonepad15,999 | in.asus.com
tested
STUFF SAYS ★★★★★
[Vs]
ASUS FONEPAD/TEST/06.13/■/
TECH SPECS: ASUS FONEPAD
196.4mm
NOW ADD THESE
120.1mm 10.4mm
340g
GOOGLE NEXUS7
15,999 | play.google.com
The Asus-built, Jelly Bean-running
Nexus is astonishing value. It may lack
the Fonepad’s expandable
memory and 3G skills, but
its Tegra processor is
brilliant for gaming and
other heavy tasks. Plus
there’s next-gen toys such
as NFC and the all-seeing
Google Now to play with.
Stuff says ★★★★★
A powerful slice of
Android whose 3G
smarts and expandable
storage are hard to resist
Display 7in LED IPS, 1280x800
OS Android Jelly Bean 4.1
CPU Intel Atom Z2420 1.2GHz
RAM 1GB
Storage 8GB expandable
(up to 32GB microSD)
Camera 3MP (rear); 1.2MP front)
Battery 4270mAh
Connectivity Bluetooth 3.0,
Wi-Fi, 3G
Andre the Giant and the Incredible Hulk:
two monstrous behemoths who could
happily hold a 7in device to their faces.
But for the rest of us mere mortals, is
the Fonepad a viable phone alternative?
NFS: Most Wanted | 270
A good way to put a tab through its
paces, the latest NFS will push the
Fonepad. Our
unit didn’t
break a sweat,
though. Of
course your
paws might.
Logitech Mini Boombox | 6999
Pocket-sized, battery powered and
far better-sounding than it has a
right to be, this
Bluetooth
speaker will
free your
tunes from
your device.
WidgetLocker | 164
This customisation- heavy app
allows you to add
iPhone style slide to
unlock, details from
HTC Sense and hidden
swipe down actions
that no-one else can
access. Neat!
Adobe Photoshop Touch | 540
Photoshop Touch is becoming one
of the most fully-featured photo-
editing tools for Android. It shows
every spec
of detail so
you can
filter on-
the-go.
Its rear-facing 3MP camera and
the 1.2MP front-facing offering is, as
you can imagine, nothing to write
home about. Shots are grainy, unclear
and generally both cameras are unfit
for anything more than video calling.
Also, no sane person should use a
tablet to take photos in public.
Asus has plumped for a 1.2GHz Intel
Atom processor. Inrealuse,the
FonePad’sperformancegaveusno
causeforconcern–weevenranthe
gorgeousandgraphicallygargantuan
RealRacing3withmultiplebackground
appsandbothavideoandbrowser
widgetoverlaidwithzerolag.
Sure, it’s a lot easier firing out texts
and emails, but unless you feel like
carrying a bag everywhere or
awkwardly slipping it into your back
pocket (if it fits) then there’s simply
no way that the FonePad can fully
replace your existing smartphone.
Unless you’re comfortable wearing
clown trousers in public.
It has a screen that’s lovely and bright,
and the outdoor mode pumped up
the brightness far enough to make
the screen usable under the harsh
sun. Colour saturation, hues and
temperature can be customised
to taste with Asus’ pre-loaded
‘Splendid’ calibrator app.
The FonePad sits heavily yet
comfortably in the hands. We felt no
aches or pains in our wrists after
hours of swiping, gaming and
browsing, which is what we like to see
from a 7in tab. Unlike the Nexus 7’s
grippy and dimpled rubberised back,
the Asus FonePad sports a metal rear.
[WordsFarhanKapadia]
42 / StuffIndia / June 2013
43. A special edition German and a landmark English battle it out in our head-to-head
The8-speedgearbox
cangetnervoustoshift
rapidlybuthelpsgive
theJaggreatcomfort
Rearpassengers
canadjustthefront
passengerseatvia
thesebuttonson
thedoorpanel
Awaken the big cat from its slumber and its AC vents open up
like batting eyelids and the Drive Selector raises itself from
the depths of ether. It may be theatrical but the promise of
infusing a “live” element into every Jag is honoured here.
The 7in MMI interface is intuitive to work with, as relevant
information is splashed across the screen. You could also opt
for the 8in MMI touch display. Rear passengers too get to
command the radio and the Sat/Nav via the MMI remote.
This may be the most affordable Jag on sale in India but it is
big on power. Useable power. 450Nm of diesel torque with a
healthy 188bhp of shove set you off the line very quickly. It
does suffer from turbo lag and a nervous kick down though.
Managing without a knobby interface, the Jag goes for a full
touch 7in screen that handles commands with good response.
The Sat/Nav is one of the best in the business but the 250W,
10-speaker hi-fi leaves a lot to be desired.
The 2-litre diesel we drove pumps out a decent 177BHP that
does not kick you in the gut as you floor the throttle, but is
still fun enough to drive once you get going. The suspension,
felt a tad bit soft, but that can be tweaked via ‘Drive Select’.
If you don’t lose yourself in the drive, you could sink yourself
into your playlist thanks to the 6CD/DVD changer which is
Bluetooth ready. The optional Bose speakers for which you will
have to shell out more, do a good job of firing refined sonics.
Even on 17in wheels, the baby Jag rides like its more expensive
sisters, which in one word means plush. Road imperfections
are dismissed by a shrug of the tyre sidewall while the odour
and humidity controlled AC transports you in top shape.
The new face of Jaguar includes an arresting ‘J Blade’ lighting
cluster and on the XF, it follows the snarling look of this angry
cat perfectly. A heavily sculpted bonnet mixes a hint of sport
to this luxury dish. The class act continues on the inside too.
As we sunk in to the Valcona draped seats, found only in the
SE, the four-zone AC ensured we did not get roasted in the
blistering Jaipur heat. On the outside, the adaptive air
suspension soaked up pothole battered roads with ease.
To put it simply, there is no visual difference between the
regular A6 and this Special Edition. Which means if you like the
sharp looks of the A6, the one reason you could invest in the SE
would be for the features that have trickled down from the A8.
AudiA62.0TDISpecialEdition
46.30*lacs|audi.com
JaguarXF2.2LDiesel
45.25*lacs|www.jaguar.com/in
The Audi might be
the better all
rounder but the
Jag has your heart.
Engine 4cyl
Power 177bhp/380Nm
0-100 km/hr 8.2 secs
Transmission 6-speed
Sat/Nav Yes
Audio 600W/14-Speaker Bose
surround, W/Bluetooth
Engine 4cyl supercharged
Power 188bhp/450Nm
0-100 km/hr 8.5 secs
Transmission 8-speed
Sat/Nav Yes
Audio Jaguar 250W/10-
speakers w/Bluetooth
[ COMFORT ]
[ DESIGN ]
[ DRIVE ]
[ INFOTAINMENT ]
[ INTERFACE ] *ex-showroom,Delhi
STUFF SAYS
1455mm
1460mm
4915mm 4961mm
1585kg 2320 kg
★★★★★ ★★★★★ HOT
BUY
CARS/TEST/06.13/■/
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 43
44. 44 / StuffIndia / June 2013
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFEYOUR TECH LIFE
RESET
CORETECH
SETUP
p45 MASTER
THEWEB
p49
YOURSMARTER
SNAPPERSETUP
p50
45. June 2013 / StuffIndia / 45
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
RESET
YOUR
TECH
LIFE
TUNEUP
YOURTUNES
p52
SUPERCHARGE
YOURVIEWING
p54
ROBOTICISE
YOURHOME
p57
Imagine if you could start again
tomorrow, ditching all of the tech you’ve
accrued over the years and building
an all-conquering web of gadgetry
that works as a team. Here’s how we'd
rebuild your tech life from scratch – or
just get some of your existing gadgets
talking to each other, thereby making
the world a better place to be…
46. ●GoogleApps(incl.Drive)
●●GoogleApps(incl.Drive)
THEKIT
●AppleMacBookAir(13in)
●HTCOne
●AppleMacBookAir(13inn)
●AppleiPad
●AppleiPad●HTCOne
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
46 / StuffIndia / June 2013
Apple’s iCloud won’t play with Android,
so it’s up to Google Apps to build a bridge
between our gadgets. A single account
syncs your email, contacts and calendars
across devices and gives you 5GB of
Google Drive storage (or more if you’re
willing to pay). It’s built for work, letting
you create and upload documents
through a browser or app – and even has
offline editing available in the Chrome
version. But its main superpower is in
getting your disparate gadgets speaking
to each other; you can work on a doc
wherever you are and on whatever you
havetohand,beitlaptop,phoneortablet.
from free / drive.google.com
A proper laptop is still the best way to
get stuff done. You could try Google’s
Chrome OS – but it’s nigh-on useless
without Wi-Fi. Or you could try Win 8 –
but we’ve not yet seen a W8 laptop that
doesn’t compromise in at least one key
area. Which is why we’d go for the 13in
MacBook Air. Striking a brilliant balance
of portability, ergonomics and power, it
packs a Core i5 processor and 4GB RAM,
which will tear through photo and video
editing workloads on the fast and simple
OS X Mountain Lion. Load up Steam on it
(see p54) and it’ll even sync your Diablo III
game with your Mamba media PC (p52).
from 81,900 / apple.com/in
Android is at the bleeding edge of
smartphone innovation, and right now
the quad-core HTC One is the best of the
best. Its a lovely aluminium object, and its
Sense interface furnishes you with news
and social goings-on at a glance, plus it
only takes a few apps to get it working
in harmony with all your similarly shiny
Apple kit (see right). The 4.7in screen
is also a fine companion for the iPad’s
Retina display, with a cornea-caressing
468ppi resolution and full HD video skills.
42,900 / htc.com/in
Alternatively…
LG Nexus 4 25,999
Android’s best bits for half the cost.
This is the foundation that
supports your entire gadget
life, so you need to get it right.
If we were starting again now,
we’d go for a sprinkling of
Apple, a dash of Google… and
get the best of both worlds
YOURCORE
TECHSETUP
With a next-gen smartphone for comms
and a killer laptop for getting stuff done,
what’s the point in having a tablet? For all
the other stuff, of course. The 4th-gen
iPad makes browsing the web in front
of the TV, editing photos with gestures,
playing point’n’click games with prods
and swipe-DJing all seem second nature.
Plus, its 9.7in, 2048x1536 screen renders
games, movies, photos and books sharp
enough to do yourself a mischief. Right
now, there is no better media machine.
from 31,900 / apple.com/in
Add these…
Sennheiser MM 450-X 31,990
Sumptuous sound minus the wires.
47. ●GoogleChrome
●Found
●●GoogleChrome
●●Found
●FolderSync
●●FolderSync
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 47
This winning web browser uses your
Google account to sync your history and
bookmarks across platforms, so you can
surf away on your MacBook then fire up
Chrome on your iPad or One and pick up
the same tabs where you left off. There’s
also a Web Store that’s crammed with
apps, extensions and games for the
desktop version, including Drive, Pocket,
Evernote, Angry Birds and Netflix.
free / google.com/chrome
With files stored locally, in the cloud and
in your inbox, finding the one you want
can sometimes be tricky. Found is an
app that hooks up to your various Gmail,
Google Drive, Evernote, Dropbox and
Skydriveaccounts,and,whensummoned
with a double-tap of the ctrl key, handily
sifts through the entire lot. It’s Mac-only
at the moment but there are Windows
and iOS versions in development.
free / foundapp.com
Android’s Google+ app can automatically
upload every photo you take on your
phone to a private folder, but let’s face it,
no-one’s on Google+ (and larger images
get compressed). A more suitable option
is FolderSync: it’s compatible with cloud
storage services such as Dropbox and
Google Drive, and works over 3G and
Wi-Fi to keep all of your pictures and files
automatically backed up in one place.
169.95 / play.google.com
48.
49. 6Mailbox
66Mailbox
3SendtoKindle
33SendtoKindle
5SavetoDrive
55SavetoDrive
2Feedly
22Feedly
4Untweeps
44Untweeps
1Lumi
11Lumi
MASTER
THEWEB
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 49
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
1
3
5
2
4
6
Mailbox is an iOS app that changes the
way you handle your Gmail. Rather than
letting emails get on top of you, Mailbox
allows you to swipe left to ‘snooze’ any
email that’s not urgent for a pre-set
amount of time, or swipe right to archive
or delete it. Interested? It’s so popular
you have to join a waiting list to use it.
free / mailboxapp.com
Reading the odd news story on your
laptop or phone is fine, but anything
longer than a few hundred words and it
starts to feel like a chore. Amazon’s
Send to Kindle button does exactly that
and can be installed as an extension
for Firefox and Chrome, or downloaded
as an app for Mac, PC and Android.
free / amazon.com
Saving stuff you find online to Google
Drive needn’t be a two-step process.
This Chrome extension allows you to
click on an image or PDF and save it
directly to your Drive without having
to save it to your computer first. It can
also grab web pages as they appear
onscreen or the raw HTML code of a site.
free / chrome.google.com
With Google sending Reader off to live
on the farm for retired RSS feeds, you’re
going to need a new way to keep on top
of the news. Lots of users have already
switched to Feedly, which has web, iOS
and Android versions and allows you to
read and subscribe to just the sites you
like, which means no more SEO guff.
free / feedly.com
Chances are that in among @stuff_india
and the other real zingers you follow on
Twitter there’s a load of lapsed users
clogging your account. Pick a time scale
(say, 30 days) and Untweeps scans who
you follow and shows you who hasn’t
tweeted in that time, allowing you to
unfollow anyone who’s dormant.
free / untweeps.com
While it normally wouldn’t be wise to let
anything track your web browsing, Lumi
doesn’t do it for nefarious purposes.
Created by the founders of Last.fm,
it applies a similar ethos to the web,
making use of your internet history
rather than your music listening to create
personalised website recommendations.
free / lumi.do
The internet’s a scary place
these days: dive in headlong
and you’ll likely emerge
covered in Lolcats and Daily
Mail clickbait. These six simple
tools will swiftly sort the
interwheat from the webchaff
50. ●Eye-FiProX2
●●Eye-FiProX2
●IFTTT
●●IFTTT
THEKIT
●OlympusOM-DE-M5
●●OlympusOM-DE-M5
●Snapseed
●●●Snapseed
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
50 / StuffIndia / June 2013
It costs more than a standard SD card of
the same capacity, but with an Eye-Fi
card in your camera you can send your
pictures to a phone, tablet or computer
wirelessly. While some snappers include
Wi-Fi features of their own, they’re often
tricky to set up and temperamental in
practice. But with the Eye-Fi card, you
can even tell it to automatically delete
images once they’ve been copied over,
making it a great way to clear space for
more shots when you’re in a rush.
from 4000*(8GB) / ebay.in
Once the Eye-Fi’s shifted your images to
your iPad or HTC One, you might want
to do a little tweaking. This free app is
perfect for making quick adjustments
and corrections: head straight for the
Auto Correct feature to pull out detail
and fix any kinks in the colour balance,
then straighten, crop and make fine
adjustments manually. Trendy analogue-
style effects are of course on hand too,
and once you’re done, you can upload the
pics to Flickr using the Android/iOS app.
free / snapseed.com
Short for “If this, then that”, IFTTT is a
canny way to automate lots of common
tasks related to social networking and
onlinestorage.Signupforanaccount,and
by dragging and dropping a few icons you
can set up a task that says, for example,
“If I upload a picture to Flickr, then back it
up to my Google Drive too.” It’s a very
simple scripting language that can also
be used to deliver Facebook and Twitter
notifications, knit together your social
networks and even check the weather.
free / ifttt.com
The E-M5 is one of the most desirable
objects you could own, combining the
things we like about old cameras with all
that’s useful about new ones. Based
on the Micro Four-Thirds system, this
switchable-lens style icon ditches the
lumpen bulk of a DSLR for a compact
form that packs in a crisp electronic
viewfinder. Pictures are outstanding,
and in dark settings it can go up to ISO
25,600 without murking up. Talking of
which, we’re particularly taken with the
E-M5’s Live Time mode, which lets
you watch long exposures ‘burn in’
in real time on its articulated LCD screen.
66,990 / olympus-imaging.co.in
Got a chunky DSLR and loads
of lenses? Stick ’em on eBay.
Still using a 5MP compact
from 2006? Same again –
because your photographic
future is smarter, sexier and
built around the brilliant OM-D
YOURSMARTER
SNAPPERSETUP
51. /RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 51
Go small
FujifilmX10
You might not have a lac to
splash out on an E-M5 but
Fujifilm’s X10 bundles almost
asmuchretrojoyintoasmaller
frame for half the price. With a
viewfinder and manual zoom
ring prompting you to shoot in
the classic style, framing and
composing feels much more
enjoyable and less disposable
than the arm’s-length style of
snapping we’re accustomed
to these days. Video quality is
a letdown but stills are great,
and while thoroughly modern
compacts beat it practicality-
wise, they’re a fraction as fun.
44,999 / fujifilm.in
Go pro
NikonD600
If you’re too set in your ways
to ditch your DSLR, that’s
alright – but at least go for
one with a serious advantage
over the OM-D. The D600 is
that camera: a full-frame
18MP shooter that doesn’t
cost much more than the
Olympus but that offers
incredible low-light
performance, superb image
quality and a super-fast
39-point autofocus.
Videographers will also love its
uncompressed HDMI output
and audio input, while dual SD
card slots are ideal for all those
space-hungry RAW files.
1,25,950 / nikon.co.in
ALTERNATIVELY...
52. ●●●SpotifyPremium
TUNEUP
YOURTUNES
●DoubleTwistAirSync
●●DoubleTwistAirSync
THEKIT
●Sonossystem
●●Sonossystem
●MambaFanlessMediaPC
●●MambaFanlessMediaPC
●GroovesharkAnywhere
A truly cutting-edge music
setup should be built around
the best digital streaming
tech while still finding a place
for the welcoming sound and
epic cover art of vinyl. Here’s
how to unify the two…
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
52 / StuffIndia / June 2013
Youcankeepyoursoundqualityconcerns
(Grooveshark isn’t exactly audiophile-
friendly) and your iTunes Matches (who
wants to pay to stream music they
already own?). In a country that’s anal
about music copyrights, Grooveshark is
a breath of fresh air. Although the noose
of the anti-piracy hangman looms over
its head. Until the inevitable happens,
Grooveshark is a great way to discover
and listen to music anywhere you like,
just as the name suggests.
$10/month /grooveshark.com
Your digital music collection needs the
right home, and that home should be
unimposing, efficient and capable of
expanding as your tastes do. Enter the
silent,fanless,Win8-basedMamba.Itcan
be specced with over 8TB of storage and
an optical drive for ripping your music
and movies in a lossless format. Hey
presto: the perfect Sonos-compatible
media archive. Hook it up to your TV (see
p54) and you can even use it for gaming
and Blu-ray playback. But sadly not vinyl.
from 73,680* / quietpc.com
Sonos already allows you to stream
songs stored on a connected iPad or
iPhone but it’s yet to do the same for
Android kit. Instead, you’ll need to find
a workaround, such as DoubleTwist’s
AirSync app, which lets you stream
music from an Android phone to your
Sonos system and other AirPlay-
compatible kit. And when it’s teamed
up with the DoubleTwist desktop app for
Mac or PC, it can transfer songs to your
phone wirelessly.
400* / doubletwist.com
Thebeauty ofSonos’ multiroom music
systemis howflexibleitis. A 21,500*
Play:3andBridgesetupallows youto
streamyourdigital musicandaworldof
webradiooverWi-Fi, butfromthereit’s
almostendlessly expandable. Addthe
beefierPlay:5, Suborevenhookupan
existing stereo using the Connect to
createahouse-full ofindependent
music-playingzones. Eachoneiscapable
ofstreamingadifferentsong
simultaneously, or if you fancy, you can
unitethem foronebigorgy oftunes. And
bestofall, youcanuseyouriPad,
MacBookorHTCOnetocontrol thelot.
from 21,500* / sonos.com
53. TannoyRevolutionDC6
TannoyRevolutionDC6
Pro-JectDebutCarbon
PhonoUSBPhonoUSB
++ utPro-JectDebutPro JectDeb CarbonCarbon
tPro-JectDebutPro JectDe Carbon
PhonoUSBPhPhononooUSUSBBPhonoUSBPhonoUSB
HOWTO...
BUILDASTREAMING,RECORD-SPINNINGHI-FISYSTEM
SonosConnect:Amp
+Bridge
SonosConnect:Amponnect:AmpSonosCoSonosCo
+Bridge
BYEBYEITUNESTRYTHESESINSTEADINSTEADBYEBYEBYEBYEBYEBYEITUNESTRYTHESEINSTEAD
+ +
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 53
TheConnect:Ampturnsany old(ornew)
pairofspeakersintoapartofyourSonos
system.Theamppumps55Wthrough
twochannels,withthenecessary holeto
addasubwooferifyouwantsomeextra
low-endoomph.AccesstheAndroidor
iOSapp–etvoila!–you’veturnedapair
ofcommon-or-garden-variety speakers
intoastreaminghi-fi withaccessto
internetradioandyourownlocally stored
musiccollection.Isn’ttechnology grand?
42,000* / sonos.com
Like trying to eat a roast dinner without
using your mouth, listening to music on a
hi-fi without speakers is fairly pointless.
So maybe get some speakers, yeah?
Tannoy’s Revolution DC6 standmounters
are excellent all-rounders: they sound
tight and punchy, with reassuringly solid
cabinets in tasteful light oak or espresso
finishes and silver trim. Unless you’re
after bass that’ll provoke complaints
from your nearest graveyard, at this price
there’s nothing to moan about.
36,000 / acoustic-arts.com
Vinyl bods wanting to hook up a turntable
to the Connect:Amp will need a separate
preamp or a turntable with one built-in,
such as Pro-Ject's Debut Carbon Phono
USB. Once it’s connected and you’re
spinning your charity-shop-bargain
copy of Prince’s Purple Rain soundtrack,
you can select the line-in option on any
Sonos zone in your house to hear the
purple sex pixie shred away. Multiroom
vinyl? The future just went retro.
tba / fxentertainment.in
Singles Going
Home Alone 2013
Matador Records’ annual vinyl
subscription offers 13 new 7in
singles over the year, sent in
threes every three months to
the UK (total cost US$105). The
releases for the second half of
the year are TBA but expect
anything from punk to folk.
matadorrecords.com
Boomkat
Selling everything from FLAC
to the odd cassette (with the
occasional free MP3 thrown in),
Boomkat does independent
music proud. Just don’t come
here looking for One Direction;
it’s strictly for underground
electronica, hip-hop and stuff
you wouldn’t play to your mum.
boomkat.com
Drip.fm
Commanding a roster that
includes everything from Ninja
Tune to Domino, Drip.fm allows
you to subscribe to labels for as
little as US$10 a month. New
releases and exclusive tracks
will then be delivered to your
inbox with the option to stream
or download as MP3s or WAVs.
drip.fm
Bleep
Affiliated with legendary
Sheffield label Warp Records,
Bleep offers downloads and
physical releases from a range
of labels. While much of the
catalogue is dance-oriented,
you’ll still find music from other
genres, such as Nick Cave’s new
record Push the Sky Away.
bleep.com
54. SUPERCHARGE
YOURVIEWING
●●SonosPlaybar
●iTunesMovies
●●Netflix
THEKIT
●SamsungUA55F8000
●●SamsungUE46F8000
●Steam
●●●Steam
●SonosPlaybar
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
54 / StuffIndia / June 2013
Sonos’ first toe dipped into the world
of home cinema has been a resoundingly
successful one, making this soundbar
a good choice for anyone who’s already
invested in the multiroom music system.
You can use a pair of Play:3s as rear
speakers to expand the sound and a
Sonos Sub to give it some extra rumble,
plus it plays tunes better than any
soundbar we’ve ever come across.
50,000* / sonos.com
As the PS4’s just around the corner, now
really isn’t the time to buy a new console.
But with the Mamba PC hooked up to
your telly and Steam’s Big Picture mode
activated, you can still get great gaming
in. Just plug in a wired Xbox 360 pad and
off you go, playing AAA titles such as
Tomb Raider and cult classics including
Braid and Super Meat Boy. Stick Steam
on your MacBook to take the fun mobile.
free / steampowered.com
Undercutting the Google Play Store by a
substantial margin in terms of rental and
purchasing costs, the recently launched
iTunes movies and music store is sparse
but growing at a rapid rate. Currently, you
can either stream or buy movies from a
selection of Hindi or English, in SD or HD.
They start from as low as 80 for a SD
rental and can go up to 490 for an HD
buy. Still cheaper than buying DVDs.
from 80/movie / itunes.com
There’smoretoagoodTV thanhow
manypixelsitcanshowyou. Insidethe
F8000isaquad-coreARMprocessor
that’llkeeptheappsandstreaming
servicesflowinglikeabutteredbadger
downawaterslide. Onthetopthere’sa
5MPcameraforSkypingandgesture
control,andUSBrecordingsoyoucanfilm
oneshowwhilewatchinganother. Even
theremoteisclever, withatouchpadfor
navigation(youcantraceachannel
numberontoit) andamicforvoice
commands.Or,controlitallfromyour
HTCOne.Didwementionitalsolooksand
soundsamazing?Thattoo.
2,30,900/ samsung.com/in
Tata Sky or Videocon? Both
are great, but we’ll choose
neither. Because the really
cutting-edge living room
setup is all about cloud-based
on-demand entertainment
55. ●AppleTV
●●Sky+HD2TB
AALLTTEERRNNAATTIIVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLYYYYYY.........ALTERNATIVELY...
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 55
While we chew down our fingernails
down to the bone waiting for the “real”
Apple TV, the vacation version has been
out in the US for years . Us techies in
India moaned a collective sigh of relief
when it went on store shelves last
months at our local Imagine and Uni
Apple reseller stores. Now, you can
stream, view and mirror whatever your
iOS devices is throwing back at you.
8295/ apple.com/in
Sony32HX750
Not everyone has space for a mini IMAX, but that doesn’t mean
you should miss out on the smart bells and 3D whistles of a top-
end telly. The soon-to-be-replaced 32in Sony HX750 is brilliant
for a TV of its size and comes with Wi-Fi and streaming skills.
57,900 / sony.co.in
56.
57. ROBOTICISE
YOUR HOME
●WithingsSmart
BodyAnalyzer
●●WithingsSmartWithingsSma
BodyAnalyzerB d A l
gg
●LGHomBot2.0
●●●iRobotRoomba660
THEKIT
●●BelkinWeMoSwitch
●RedEyePro
●BelkinWeMoSwitch
●●BritishGasBritishGasRemoteRem
HeatingControlH ti C t l
Home automation is no longer
the preserve of the rich and
nerdy. Smartphones, Wi-Fi
and ever-shrinking silicon
mean turning yourhumblepad
intoaweb-connectedsmart
palaceisnowwithinyourreach
A normal set of scales? Heck no. The
Smart Body Analyzer is more like having
a personal trainer living inyourbathroom.
It’llmeasureweight, body fat percentage
and restingheartrate,andautomatically
uploadthem via Wi-Fi to the Withings
Health Cloud, which you can access using
the Health Mate app. Monitor progress,
set targets, even measure the levels of
CO2intheair–andfeel thecrushingguilt
a real personal trainer imbues you with.
16,499 / playgroundonline.com
Everything you always wanted to do to
get your room to the perfect southern
French temperature can be down by your
smartphone or your PC, thanks to this
award-winning device. Using the power
of Linux as its backbone, the RedEye Pro
can act as the ultimate universal remote
control, giving you access to all your
home-theatre components or the HVAC
system on your handheld or desktop
device. Be wise, get an installer to do it.
from 55,000* / thinkflood.com
LG’s VR6170LVM isn’t a looker but it is a
grower. You won’t find any Wi-Fi or app
control here, just fast, fully automated
robo-cleaning power. Despite the
seemingly random nature of its path it’ll
cover every inch of carpet, sucking up
dust and dirt as it roams. Using Zig-Zag
and Cell modes, it plots the topography
of your room and cleans until it’s clean
while it’s hi-tech Butler breeding allows it
to return to the charging station
automatically. Alfred, are you still there?
48,590 / lg.com/in
Itmightlookasexcitingasaporridge-
scentedplug-inairfreshener, butthe
WeMoSwitchisthefirststepintoan
exciting world of internet-connected
homefurnishings. Hookituptoyour
Wi-Fi,plugandapplianceintoit, andyou
canturnitonandoffusingtheWeMoapp
(whichis iOS-only fornow, butcomingto
Android this summer). You can also fix
burglar-bamboozlingschedules, adda
motionsensororsetupIFTTT rulesto
fullyautomateit. Forexample: hookit
totheAC, plumbitintotheWeather
Channel,andsetitsothatifthe
temperaturerisesabove30ºC, itturnson.
5600 / ebay.in
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 57
/RESET YOUR TECH LIFE
58. 58 / StuffIndia / May 2013
Now
thateveryTom
,Dickandsm
artphone
HarrycanshootHDqualityvideo,isthehum
ble
cam
corderdoom
ed?Notonthisevidence…
THEYSTORE
THEYSHOOT,
CAMCORDERS/TEST/06.13/■■■/
HD
hiccups
TheJVC’s1080i
50fpsfootagelooks
superbonaTV,but for the
webyou’llwantto use the
progressiveiFrame
format,limited
to720p.
59. June 2013 / StuffIndia / 59
CAMCORDERS/TEST/06.13/■■■/
Panasonic
HC-V720
39,990 | panasonic.co.in
Pitchittome
Don’t let the 720’s name fool you: this
Panny offers hi-def 1080p recording at
50fps. Arty video effects and a time-
lapse mode are backed up with a lens
that goes wider than the JVC and zooms
a whole lot further too. – up to 50x
optically. There are Wi-Fi remote control
skills too, via Android and iPhone apps.
Sharpshooter?
Side-by-side there’s precious little to
separate the Panasonic’s video from the
JVC – they’re both superb – but the
greater practicality of the Panasonic’s
1080 progressive footage just about
gives it the edge. The 50x optical zoom
is stable when hand-held, and although
the 1500x digital maximum is a joke, you
can take it up to a telescopic 200x with
confidence. Monitoring and controlling
the camera via a phone over Wi-Fi is
straightforward enough and will find
its uses. It loses a star for its shorter
battery life, but otherwise the Panny
is a genuinely class act.
Stuffsays★★★★✩
Top marks for footage, zoom and
stabilisation, but bring a spare battery.
TECHSPECS
Video1080p@50fps
Zoom21xoptical,1500xdigital
Batterylife55minsrecording
Size60x69x124mm,321g
JVC GZ-VX815
NA | jvc.com
Pitchittome
If size has put you off using a camcorder
in the past, the JVC’s 1080i-capable
compact form might just win you over.
It may not be able to compete with the
Panasonic’s big zoom but it makes up for
that with an impressive list of features,
including time-lapse, stop-frame
animation recording, plus Wi-Fi skills that
can beam live images to a smartphone
or broadcast to the web.
Sharpshooter?
The JVC is a canny operator: autofocus is
rapid, even when using the zoom; the
image stabilisation is calm and even
intelligent, sensing when you want to pan
and when you want to stay locked on to
a particular point; colours are rendered
fairly cautiously but still have more punch
than the Panasonic’s. Played on a telly,
there’s very little between the two, but
without full 1080p the JVC suffers on a
computer screen. Wi-Fi is welcome but
fiddly to set up, but what might swing
it for the JVC are a few extra creative
features, and a battery that keeps
shooting for 90 minutes.
Stuffsays★★★★✩
Excellent footage and features but
the absence of 1080p@50fps is a blow.
TECHSPECS
Video1080i@50fps/720piFrame
Zoom10xoptical,200xdigital
Batterylife90minsrecording
Size36x57x116mm,235g
SamsungGalaxySIII
30,950|samsung.com/in
There’snozoombutsharing
videooverthewebissimple
andthelargescreen,light
bodyandthoughtfullens
positioningmake
foreasyfilming.
Its1080pfootage
isasgoodasany
smartphonebut
eventhatcan’t
matchthese
camcorders.
Weknowwhatyou’rethinking:
doIreallyneedacamcorder?
We’vetestedthevideoskillsof
thebestrivalstofindout.
Canon650D+
18-135mmlens
77,995|canon.co.in
Onatripod,inacontrolled
environment,the650Dcan
producethegoods,butout
inthewildpanningand
zoomingareastruggle.It’s
topsfordetailandmanual
control,butall-roundquality
video
froma
DSLR
costs
more.
Sony
Cyber-shotHX20V
19,990|sony.co.in
TheHX20Vtakessharp,
smoothvideorightupto
1080pat50fps,througha
stabilised20xopticalzoom.
Footageisjustasgoodasthe
Pannyhere.Thecamcorder’s
onlyrealadvantageisthe
Sony’sshortbatterylifeand
itsrecord
limitofjust
halfan
hour.
AppleiPadMini
from 21,900|apple.com/in
Ifyoucanlivewiththelarger
formandafewfunnylooks,
theiPadMinimakesagreat
camcorder.Its1080p,30fps
footageisn’tthebest,butit
canrecordfor
hoursatago
andonboard
editingwiththe
iMovieappis
quickand
simple.
ALTERNATIVELYTESTWINNER
Pro
pretensions
We’recertainlyin
amateurterritorybutthe
Pannyiskeentopushthe
envelopewithits5.1sound
recordinganda
detachable
shoe.
60. WORTH
17,000
/COMPETITION
CONTEST MANIA
Terms & conditions
ThiscontestisonlyopentoIndianNationals.Prizesarenottransferable.ContestisnotopenfortheemployeesofHaymarketGroup&Acetron.Theprizescannotberedeemedorexchanged
forcash.Winnerswillbeliableforanytaxliabilitythatmaybeleviable/applicableonaccountofbenefitsaccrued/enjoyedfromcontest.Themodelsandimagesofprizeshowninthecontest
areforillustrationpurposeonly.HaymarketSACPublishingIndiaPvtLtdwouldnotberesponsibleforanyentrieslostordamagedornotreachingbeforetheduedate.Photocopiesofthisform
wouldalsobeentertained.ThedecisionofHaymarketSACPublishingIndiaPvtLtdisfinal&bindingonallthepartiesincaseofanydisputes.Disputes,ifany,subjecttoMumbaiJurisdictiononly.
1
4
Lucky Winners
Lucky Winners
iPad Tower Speaker
Alien bluetooth Speaker
Product Highlights1. iPad docking2. Bluetooth connectivity
3. Aux in
4. Video out5. FM Radio
Product Highlights1. Bluetooth compatibility
2. Built in Mic3. USB input4. Aux in5. MMC Card6. Rechargeable batteries
WORTH
3499
WORTH
14,999
Prize courtesy
To know more visit : soundlogic.in
Sendusyourentrieswithyourcontactinformationby
Email:stuffcontest@haymarketsac.com
withthesubjectline‘SoundlogicContest’
facebook.com/stuffindia
Competitioncloses20thJune2012.
How to enter:
ForachancetowinSoundlogiciPadTowerSpeaker,
answerthequestiongivenbelow:
WhichfeaturesarenotavailableontheSoundlogic
iPadtower?
A)Bluetoothconnectivity
B) VideoOut
C) Nearfieldcommunication
WhichfeaturesarenotavailableontheAlien
BluetoothSpeakers?
A)Bluetoothcompatibility
B) Built-inMic
C) iPadDocking
WhichcountryisStuffmagazineoriginallyfrom?
A)UK
B) USA
C) India
Unleash the music on your iPad the way it was
meant to be heard with this outstanding iPad tower
active. Built-in FM Radio and Aux-in too!
WIN!
iPAD TOWER SPEAKER
61. Soyou’vegotyourcam
corderofchoice?Now
it’stim
etocraftyourm
oviem
asterpiece
AND…
ACTION
1 Capture
HoldsteadyShooting
handheld is fine for action
and quick clips, but bolt your
camera to a tripod for a more
professional feel, perfect for
scene-setting. Should you
need to do some rescuing,
YouTube’s Video Editor or
iMovie can work wonders
with wobbly footage.
KeeprollingCount to five (in
your head) before you stop
recording to give yourself
wiggle room for editing
and fancy transitions.
CutitoutFilm plenty of
cutaways – short clips of
related action or scenery
that you can splice in to alter
your film’s pacing, or just
hide inconsistencies.
LightforthelensVideo
requires more light than you
might think, so make sure
your subject has plenty
shining on it. If it doesn’t,
consider adding your own.
3 Sound
EarsypleasyGood quality
sound is vital. Built-in mics
can sound tinny and pick up
a lot of background noise –
a tie-clip mic or focused
‘shotgun’ directional mic
works wonders when
recording dialogue. If your
camera doesn’t have a
suitable mic input, rig up
a separate sound recorder
– or even a smartphone.
JohnnybegoodYou know
all those ‘this video has been
removed due to a copyright
claim’ notices on YouTube?
Go the legal route to ensure
that doesn’t happen to your
flick. Vimeo Music Store
provides low-cost tunes
that won’t land you in
trouble, and there are plenty
ofotherroyalty-freeoptions.
YouTube now allows you to
use some big-name tracks
– but check before you set
your heart on a certain tune,
and remember you won’t be
covered on other sites.
4 Editing
Don’tdelayGet editing right
away or you’ll never do it.
Plus, cutting together your
own footage is the quickest
way to learn what you’re
doing right and wrong.
SoftwareiMovie on Mac or
Windows Movie Maker are
free and will get you started.
Adobe Premiere Elements
gives you more control while
online tools such as YouTube
Video Editor and WeVideo
have their place.
MixyourmediaChuck
photos into your holiday vid,
or cut in footage from other
sources (such as friends’
cameras) for fuller coverage.
TellastoryGive your video
a clear narrative. Set the
scene, establish the subject
and fill gaps with details.
Trim,trim,trimShorteris
usuallybetterasitkeepsup
thepaceandholdsattention.
5 Sharing
WheretouploadOnce
your video is honed to
perfection it’s time to
show it off on the web.
YouTube has a bit of
everything, Vimeo is
generally for more serious
film makers and Mpora is
ideal for action-packed
sports footage. Take note
of the sites’ encoding
instructions to make
sure that your exported
video looks spot on.
SelectiveviewingIf you
just want to show your
finished masterpiece to
a select group of people,
Vimeo and YouTube allow
you to password-protect or
set your videos as ‘unlisted’.
Want to keep it even closer
to your chest? Share the file
itself using a cloud service
such as Dropbox. But
remember: no-one ever
won an Oscar by keeping
their film in the cloud.
Just look at Cloud Atlas.
2 Storage
MemorycardsNot all are
created equal, so pick a
reliable brand to minimise
the risk of data errors later.
SD cards should be Class 6
or above, to cope with the
demands of HD video.
BackitupAs with anything
important, keep an extra
copy or two at all times, but
the large size of video files
can make storage trickier.
ExternalstorageHaving
an external hard drive
dedicated to video is handy,
and because the disc won’t
suffer from slow-down
when the editing software
is doing its thing, it can even
speed up the editing process.
OnlinestorageKeeping
extra off-site backups with
services such as Dropbox
offer an extra level of data
security – but expect
lengthy uploading times
thanks to our sad internet.
FiLMiCPro
270|iPhone,iPad
TurbochargesyouriThing’s
camera,givingyoucontrolof
everythingfromwhitebalanceto
framerate.Perfectforportableor
low-profileshoots.
Unlessyou’re
holdingupaniPad.
ThePhotographer’s
Ephemeris
from free|iOS,Android,PC/Mac
Whenplanninganoutdoorshoot
it’scrucialtoknowlight
conditions.Thisappplots
thesun’sraysonamap,
soyoualwaysknow
wheretobe–andwhen.
DSLRfilmmakertoolkit
450|iPhone
Aone-stop-shopforserious
filmmakers,thisapphasitall:from
adigitalslate(akaclapperboard)
andtime-lapsesettingcalculator
toalensfield-of-
viewsimulator
forDSLRusers.
VelbonDV-7000
6410|zoomin.com
Don’tskimponyourtripod.
Acheapunitisguaranteedto
breakinthemiddleofthat
once-in-a-lifetimeshot.
Thisoneisgreatvalueand
itsfluidheadwillpan
smoothly.
NOWADDTHESE
2
3
4
5
edtooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
at
d
June 2013 / StuffIndia / 61
1
CAMCORDERS/TEST/06.13/■■■/
62. 62 / StuffIndia / June 2013
10,999|adidas.co.in
AdidasBoost
TRAINING
/FASHION
HARD
TRAIN
AGOODDAYTO
Beatfatigueandcrushyourrivalswith
theserunningshoes.Whitevestoptional
63. June 2013 / StuffIndia / 63
$79|ebay.com7999|pum
ashop.in
8995|nike.com
/in
ReebokSm
oothflex
Pum
aM
obium
Elite
NikeFlyknitLunar1+
TRAINING
TRAINING
TRAIL
RUNNING
/FASHION
64. 64 / StuffIndia / June 2013
PREMIUM COMPACTS/SUPERTEST/06.13/■■■■■■■■/
Sony DSC-RX100 34,990
The RX100 is built for true compactness, being the
only model here you can really call pocket-sized.
But with the biggest sensor on test, it’s no small fry.
Canon PowerShot G15 34,995
CanonG-seriescamshavelongruledthepro-
compactroost,buttheG15debutsanew,slimmed-
downdesign.Willitcontinueaproudfamilytradition?
Nikon Coolpix P7700 24,950
Much like the Canon, the P7700 is aimed squarely
at the pro-on-a-day-off market. It also has the
biggestzoomrangeontest,so could be a contender.
WHAT WE TESTED…
Pentax MX-1 NA
With its knowing retro design and brass body,
Pentax’s most advanced compact is designed to
appeal to the heart as much as the head.
High-endcompactcamerasgetsmallerandlighter
everyyearbutsomehowkeepgainingmorefeatures
and taking better photos. Weird, huh? This year’s
crop is the best yet; but which should you buy?
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Thesepremiumcompactsproveyounolonger
needachunkyDSLRforsupremeimagequality
Size and weight
It’s obvious, maybe, but a
compact camera should be
compact. There’s always a
trade-off between size and
loads of useful features
though; you won’t get both.
Maximum aperture
The smaller the f-number,
the more light your lens will
let in. This helps you get
sharperimagesinlowlight
andniceblurrybackgrounds.
Lookforf/1.4orf/1.8.
Usability
Advanced compacts offer
manual controls, giving you
plenty of scope for creative
shooting. A good layout
and choice of controls is
therefore vital.
Screen quality
With viewfinders falling out
of fashion, screens are now
the chief way to compose
photos. Look for displays
that offer lots of dots plus
a bright, contrast-y image.
Samsung EX2F NA
AspartofSamsung’s‘Smart’camerarange,theEX2F
hasbuilt-inWi-Fiforcable-freesharingandarchiving
of photos. Great – but what are the pics like?
WHAT’S NEW?
SMALLBODIES
BIGPICTURES
65. June 2013 / StuffIndia / 65
PREMIUM COMPACTS/SUPERTEST/06.13/■■■■■■■■/
JARGON
BUSTER
ISO
A measurement of the
sensor’s light sensitivity.
Ramp it up and you’ll be able
toshootindarkerconditions.
Noise
Grainy artefacts that appear
in high-ISO shots, lessening
sharpness and detail.
There’s no such thing as a
free lunch in photography.
Exposure compensation/EV
A way of automatically
adjusting the image
exposure to make shots
darker or lighter. Useful
when the camera isn’t
capturing a scene the way
you want it to – for instance
inaverydarkorbrightroom.
RAW
An image file which contains
all of the data captured by
the camera’s sensor.
Shooting in RAW allows for
later tweaking of white
balance, exposure and more.
Aperture
The size of the lens’ opening.
A larger aperture (lower
f-number) means more light
reaches the sensor.
