CTC BLOG

FP TrendingAug 26, 2021 17:23:07 IST

Mars is a dusty planet, even the ice on it is dusty and darker as compared to snow on Earth. Researchers have come across a new approach to determine dust content on Mars’ ice and whether it could melt.

A special team from the Universities of Arizona State and Washington collected data from NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to match the brightness of Mars’ ice and dust content.

In 1609 Italian Galileo Galilei observed Mars with a primitive telescope and in doing so became the first person to use the new technology for astronomical purposes. Imagte credit: NASA

Dusty Mars with its dusty ice (or snow) results in it getting darker and thus warmer which affects both its stability and evolution through time. Under these conditions, it might also mean that the ice or snow on Mars could melt faster.

“There is a chance that this dusty and dark ice might melt a few centimetres down. And any subsurface liquid water produced from melting will be protected from evaporating in Mars’ wispy atmosphere by the overlying blanket of ice,” said Aditya Khuller, a scientist at Arizona State University.

A team of planetary scientists including Khuller, Philip Christensen, and Stephen Warren, came up with this new approach to research Mars’ ice. A result regarding the research has been recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.

Further speaking on the research, Khuller stated that throughout its history, Mars has experienced multiple ice ages. Over the last million years, the dusty snowfall on the planet has formed a layer that was then dug up by the Phoenix Mars Lander. The ice being exposed on the mid-latitudes of Mars is a residue of this ancient dusty snowfall that had taken place, explains Khuller.

The team intends to dig deeper into ice exposures on Mars and learn more about the planet’s climate history.

Giving an insight into their study, he emphasized that they are currently working on developing improved computer simulations of Martian ice. As a team, they are working on how the Martian ice has evolved over time and if it melts into the water gradually or not.

tech2 News StaffAug 30, 2021 14:44:00 IST

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker, has announced it will hike prices across models from next month citing a steady rise in input costs. This marks the third price hike for the manufacturer in 2021. On 16 April, Maruti Suzuki announced the weighted average price increase in ex-showroom prices (Delhi) across models of 1.6 percent. On 18 January this year, the automaker had announced a price hike for select models by up to Rs 34,000 due to rise in input costs.

In a regulatory filing shared on 30 August, Maruti Suzuki said, “… over the past year the cost of company’s vehicles continues to be adversely impacted due to increase in various input costs. Hence, it has become imperative to pass on some impact of the additional cost to the customers through a price rise.”

The third price hike for Maruti Suzuki’s entire model range will come into effect in September. Currently, Maruti Suzuki sells a range of models, starting from the entry-level hatchback Alto and topping out with the S-Cross crossover. In September, Maruti Suzuki is also expected to launch the second-generation Celerio hatchback.

Ameya DalviAug 30, 2021 09:51:45 IST

The OnePlus Buds Pro is the latest flagship audio product from OnePlus, and its most expensive so far. It is brimming with modern features such as active noise cancellation (ANC), programmable pinch controls, wireless charging and more. More importantly, OnePlus has chosen to play in the upper midrange segment, a space it hasn’t ventured into before. The near-Rs 10,000 segment has different dynamics and expectations. Let’s see if these true wireless (TWS) buds live up to those.

OnePlus Buds Pro: Design and Comfort (8/10)

The OnePlus Buds Pro’s design is inspired to an extent by the Apple AirPods Pro, but one cannot call it a replica. We got the black variant for review, where the body has a smooth matte finish, and the stems are glossy. The combination does look good, but the stems do attract smudges. Despite the solid build, the buds are light, weighing just 4.35 grams each. The preinstalled mid-sized silicone tips go into the ear canals offering decent passive noise isolation. Two more pairs of tips are included in the bundle to choose from.

The OnePlus Buds Pro sports a matte black finish for the body and a glossy finish for the stems. Image: Tech2/Ameya Dalvi

The buds are IP55 rated dust- and sweat-resistant, and even the charging case is IPX4 moisture-resistant. That’s quite unique but also most welcome. The case is well-built, too: it’s easily pocketable and has the same matte finish as the buds with the brand name on top. You get a tiny LED charge indicator at the front and a USB-C port at the back. It hosts a 520 mAh lithium-ion battery and weighs 52 grams. The case also supports Qi-certified wireless charging.

The earbuds fit nicely into the ears and provide good passive noise isolation. I wouldn’t describe the fit as perfect, and while they generally stay in place during jogs or workouts, you need to push them back in or readjust them from time to time. However, they do not cause any discomfort in the ear even after you’ve been wearing them for a few hours. The stems have pressure-sensitive touch controls that are fun to use. More on that in a bit.

OnePlus Buds Pro: Features and Specifications (8/10)

Unlike its closest competitor, the Oppo Enco X, OnePlus hasn’t opted for a dual-driver setup with the Buds Pro. Instead, each bud has an 11 mm dynamic driver to handle all frequency ranges. Each bud also has three microphones meant to cut down on wind noise and other unwanted ambient sounds to improve ANC and call quality. They also have wear detection sensors to pause the audio when you remove a bud from your ear, and resume when you put it back in.

The OnePlus Buds Pro is equipped with wear detection sensors to pause the audio when you remove a bud from your ear. Image: Tech2/Ameya Dalvi

The OnePlus Buds Pro is Bluetooth 5.2-compliant, and supports SBC, AAC and LHDC audio codecs. LHDC is available on few phones, and you will most likely end up using these buds with AAC codecs, like I did for this review. I would have preferred to see aptX or LDAC support instead, but it is what it is. These earbuds do not support normal touch controls but have pressure sensitive controls instead. In simple terms, you need to pinch the stems softly to perform a particular task.

At first it seemed a little odd, but it grows on you quickly and is more enjoyable than standard touch controls. It also eliminates undesired actions due to accidental touches, making this system more practical, too. When you pinch the stems with a small amount of force, you hear a click to inform you that a press has been registered. Different functions are assigned to single/double/triple pinches and pinch + hold. The buds can be configured using the OnePlus Buds app on OnePlus phones (OnePlus 6 or newer) or using the HeyMelody app for non-OnePlus phones. HeyMelody is available on iOS, too.

Strangely, you only get to assign functions for the triple-pinch gesture, and the only choices are either to return to the previous track or use the voice assistant. A single pinch performs the play/pause functions, while a double pinch lets you jump to the next track; it’s the same for both the buds. You cannot change that arrangement; something I did not like. Wonder why they bothered making triple pinch configurable either. In theory, pinch + hold is also configurable, but you only get to choose between the ANC toggles (ANC on, ANC off, Transparency mode). There is no volume control on the buds.

You can choose between three ANC modes in the app; users will also be able to create a unique Audio ID. Image: Tech2

Speaking of ANC, you can choose between three modes from the app – Faint, Extreme and Smart. Faint mode reduces noises by up to 25 dB, while Extreme can go as high as up to 40 dB. Smart is meant to automatically switch between the two modes depending on the quantum of ambient noise to prolong battery life. Frankly, I did not notice any major difference in noise reduction between either of the three modes, so might as well leave it on Smart and let the buds do their thing.

The OnePlus Buds Pro also lets you create your unique Audio ID using a listening test that determines your hearing profile based on your sensitivity to different sounds. This is a feature straight out of Anker/Soundcore’s playbook; however, the implementation isn’t as good. You can certainly give it a shot and see if you enjoy the output better with the Audio ID compared to the default profile. Lastly, you have Zen Mode Air, which plays one of the five white noises of your choice to help you relax or sleep. The chosen white noise is stored on the buds and can be played by pinching and holding either of the buds for a few seconds. Neat little feature, that.

OnePlus Buds Pro: Performance (7/10)

Pairing these earphones with the phone is a standard process. However, you will need to install the HeyMelody app to configure them if you aren’t using a OnePlus 6 or more recent OnePlus phone. In newer OnePlus devices, the preloaded OnePlus Buds app does what HeyMelody can. The connection stays strong for the specified 10 metres with a clear line of sight, and over half of that with a concrete wall in between.

Before we discuss sound quality, let’s touch upon active noise cancellation. All the ANC modes noticeably cut down on several low frequency ambient sounds like the whirr of a fan or the buzz from an AC, and to a great extent even outdoor traffic, though not entirely. The ANC is not in the league of more expensive TWS buds such as the Sony WF-1000XM3, but is more effective than budget buds priced at half or two thirds of its price. Comparing apples to apples, noise cancellation is at par with that of the Oppo Enco X or Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro that sell for a similar price.

Sound quality is where things get a little tricky. On a positive note, the OnePlus Buds Pro is one of the loudest pairs of earbuds around, and can get sufficiently loud at 40 percent volume itself. Even outdoors, I rarely had to go beyond 50 percent loudness. I believe the Indian version is blessed with higher decibels than the global version. The sound produced by the Buds Pro is quite enjoyable across various genres of music, thanks to the smartly boosted lows. It is even more enjoyable when watching OTT content on Netflix and Prime Video, and the buds are Dolby Atmos-compliant. I did not face any latency issues either.

The OnePlus Buds Pro case features an LED charge indicator at the front and a USB-C port at the back. Image: Tech2/Ameya Dalvi

The sound profile here can be broadly classified as V-shaped, given that the lows and highs are boosted. Mind you, the bass boost isn’t like what you get in sub-Rs 3,000 earphones, and is handled smartly, especially the sub-bass. While there is an abundance of bass here, it is mostly tight. The auditory masking is more noticeable in bass-heavy tracks, with the lower end of the midrange spectrum getting suppressed. Vocal clarity is good, but I have heard better in this price bracket.

The highs are quite sharp, and while they do not sound sibilant, they could have been tempered better. You can hear the extra hiss on and off a bit more than you should. The overall detail in sound is decent and imaging is handled well, but the soundstage feels surprisingly crammed for an upper midrange product. So, while the sound is generally enjoyable, it is not as detailed as one would expect from a pair of buds priced at Rs 10,000.

The competition, namely Oppo Enco X and Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro, clearly trump the Buds Pro in this department. The former presents you with a lot more resolved detail in sound, thanks to the dual driver setup (along with Dynaudio’s tuning) and better flexibility in configuring touch gestures. The latter offers a more balanced sound, a better in-ear fit and a far superior companion app that lets you tweak the audio in more ways than one, including creating a HearID – a more accurate personal sound profile.

OnePlus Buds Pro: Call quality (7/10)

Call quality on the OnePlus Buds Pro is serviceable at best. The person on the line could hear me clearly for the most part but could immediately tell I was using a Bluetooth headset. The wind noise suppression technology needs a bit of a tweak, as the person on the other end could hear wind noise when I stepped out. Interestingly, traffic noise was suppressed quite well.

At my end, the ANC seemed to mellow down during calls as I could hear a lot of ambient noise that was otherwise suppressed when listening to music. I could always hear a soft hiss when calling from a moderately noisy location. It’s probably an issue with the environmental noise suppression algorithm that the company needs to fix with a future update.

OnePlus Buds Pro: Battery life (8/10)

The battery backup on the Buds Pro is quite good, though not as high as advertised. With ANC on, the buds lasted a little under four and a half hours, and without ANC, I could push them closer to six hours. The case can recharge the buds about four more times, thus taking total battery backup to between 21 to 29 hours with and without ANC, respectively. That is pretty good battery life for the features the Buds Pro offers.

The case has a 520 mAh lithium-ion battery and can recharge the buds about four more times. Image: Tech2/Ameya Dalvi

The OnePlus Buds Pro supports quick charging, and ten minutes of charging gives you close to two hours of play time on the buds with ANC on. Though I didn’t clock it to the last minute, one can charge the case and buds fully in well under an hour. The battery status of each earbud as well as that of the charging case is visible in the OnePlus Buds and HeyMelody apps.

OnePlus Buds Pro: Price and verdict

The OnePlus Buds Pro is priced at Rs 9,990 with a one-year warranty, and has been available for purchase since 26 August. Purely on the basis of sound quality, the price seems a bit too high. But this product is loaded with features like good ANC, wireless charging, pinch controls, good battery backup and more. Despite that, I wish OnePlus had priced these buds a couple of thousand rupees lower given the competition. While the Buds Pro is not a bad product at all, the Oppo Enco X that sells for the same price offers noticeably better sound and call quality and more customisable controls, making it our top recommendation under Rs 10,000.

FP TrendingAug 26, 2021 18:57:16 IST

Xiaomi, at its Smarter Living 2022 event, has launched two new laptops under its Mi laptop portfolio in India. The Mi NoteBook Ultra and the Mi NoteBook Proact as successors to the Mi NoteBook 14 series that was launched last year.

According to a press release, both the laptops come with a backlit keyboard, the latest Intel 11th Gen processors, Mi TrueLife display, an Aerospace grade Series 6 Aluminium body, USB Type-C fast charging, and Thunderbolt 4.

the Mi NoteBook Ultra. Image credit: Twitter/@XiaomiIndia

Mi NoteBook Ultra price, features, specs

The Mi NoteBook Ultra comes with a 15.6-inch Mi TrueLife+ 3.2K IPS Display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 90Hz refresh rate. It comes with TÜV Rheinland certification and DC Dimming to reduce eye strain.

It comes in two processor variants: 11th Gen TigerLake Intel® Core i7 and i5 H35 series, This is coupled with Intel Iris X graphics and dedicated AI hardware. The laptop comes with up to 16GB of 3200MHz DDR4 RAM and 512GB of NVMe SSD storage.

The last but not the least. *drumrolls*

Grab your #MiNoteBookUltra starting at ₹59,999 and#MiNoteBookPro starting at ₹56,999#SmarterLiving2022 #FutureIsSmart pic.twitter.com/zyysGff8CH

— Mi India #SmarterLiving2022 (@XiaomiIndia) August 26, 2021

There is a 70Wh battery, which is claimed to last for 12 hours on a single charge, and a 65W fast charger that can go for 0 to 50% in under 45 minutes. It also includes a 720p HD camera with a 2D array dual-microphone setup. Connectivity-wise, the Mi NoteBook Ultra supports Thunderbolt 4 port, HDMI 1.4 port, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, USB 2.0, and USB Type-C port.

With a minimal all-metal design, the laptop weighs 1.7 kgs. The backlit keyboard includes a travel distance of 1.5mm for each key and a trackpad (with gestures and more), which is 62% bigger than the one on the Mi NoteBook 14 series. Additionally, it comes with two 2W stereo speakers, DTS audio, a fingerprint scanner, and Windows Hello.

The price of Mi NoteBook Ultra is Rs 59,999 (Intel Core i5-11300H + 8GB RAM), Rs 63,999 (Intel Core i5-11300H + 16GB RAM), and Rs 76,999 (Intel Core i7-11370H + 16GB RAM)

Mi NoteBook Pro price, features, specs

The Mi NoteBookPro comes with a 14-inch 2.5K display that also gets a 16:10 aspect ratio. A high refresh rate is missing. It comes with up to16GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 512GB of NVMe SSD storage.

Don’t fret about powercuts now because we’ve got a battery that’s got you covered for really long .

Give us a if you love it. #MiNoteBookPro #SmarterLiving2022 #FutureIsSmart pic.twitter.com/sfAr44Phrx

— Mi India #SmarterLiving2022 (@XiaomiIndia) August 26, 2021

Other than this, the laptop shares the same processor options, a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint scanner, and more.

The price of the Mi NoteBook Pro is Rs 56,999 (Intel Core i5-11300H + 8GB RAM), Rs 59,999 (Intel Core i5-11300H + 16GB RAM), and Rs 72,999 (Intel Core i7-11370H + 16GB RAM).

A port of one’s own.

1⃣ Wifi 6
2⃣ Bluetooth 5.1
3⃣ Thunderbolt 4
4⃣ USB Type-C
5⃣ HDMI
6⃣ USB A
7⃣ 3.5mm audio jack

Seven wonders of #MiNoteBookPro just for you. #SmarterLiving2022 #FutureIsSmart pic.twitter.com/zn9pgYA67q

— Mi India #SmarterLiving2022 (@XiaomiIndia) August 26, 2021

Both laptops will be available to buy, starting August 31 via Mi.com, Mi Homes, Amazon.in and retail stores. HDFC Bank users can get up to Rs 4,500 as an additional discount.

tech2 News StaffAug 27, 2021 10:29:38 IST

Electric two-wheeler rental firm EBikeGo is now stepping into the e-scooter business with its own product. It’s named the EBikeGo Rugged G1, an electric moto-scooter billed India’s toughest e-scooter till date, and priced from Rs 84,999. For those wondering, EBikeGo is not the manufacturer itself – having only had Hero Electric scooters in its rental fleet, the aggregator has teamed up with Tamil Nadu-based Boom Motors, and the Rugged G1 appears to be a rebranded version of Boom’s own e-scooter, named the Boom Corbett. EBikeGo says the Rugged G1 will be manufactured in Coimbatore, at a plant said to be close to reaching a capacity of one lakh units soon.

The Rugged G1 will be available in single- and dual-battery versions. Image: EBikeGo

EBikeGo Rugged G1 range, battery, motor

The Rugged G1 looks somewhat barebones in its appearance, with its chunky, exposed steel cradle frame, but EBikeGo is willing to back up its claims of toughness by offering a seven-year warranty on the chassis.

The Rugged is available in two versions – the single-battery G1 (Rs 84,999) and the dual-battery G1+ (Rs 1,04,999); the first 1,000 buyers will get an additional discount of Rs 5,000. These prices include the FAME-II subsidy of Rs 27,000 for the G1 and Rs 54,000 for the G1+.

A full charge for the G1 is said to take four hours using a standard 15A wall socket and EBikeGo charger. Image: EBikeGo

The G1 has a single, 1.9 kWh lithium-ion battery, while the G1+ has two of them. The batteries – with an IP67 dust and water-resistance rating – are portable, slotting in under the handlebar and below the underseat storage, and EBikeGo claims can be swapped in as little time as 60 seconds. In Eco mode (top speed restricted to 35 kph), the Rugged G1 has a claimed ‘true’ range of over 80 kilometres, while the Rugged G1+ has a range of over 160 kilometres. In Power mode (top speed raised to 75 kph), range for the G1+ drops to 135 kilometres.

Charging the batteries is said to take four hours, using a standard 15 A wall-socket and the EBikeGo charger. There is no fast-charging support. Warranty for the vehicle, battery and charger is set at three years or 20,000 kilometres, and EBikeGo says it is working on extended warranty packages as well.

EBikeGo says the G1 is the first electric two-wheeler in India to have an indigenously developed hub motor. Image: EBikeGo

Power comes from a BLDC hub motor – that EBikeGo claims is the first indigenous hub motor for an Indian electric two-wheeler – that has a nominal output of 1.5 kW (2 hp) and a peak output of 3 kW (4 hp).

EBikeGo Rugged G1 specs and features

The G1 rides on 14-inch alloy wheels shod in 120/70 tyres, has a ground clearance of 175 mm, weighs 102 kg and has a claimed underseat storage space of 50 litres. Up front is a leading link suspension, and at the back are adjustable twin shock absorbers. The scooter has disc brakes front and back, and is equipped with a combined braking system (CBS).

It also has all-LED lighting, a digital instruments display, a USB charging port and optional connectivity features such as vehicle performance and service record tracking, theft prevention, charging monitor, remote bike start and more.

EBikeGo Rugged G1 availability

EBikeGo says it is in the process of setting up experience centres all across India, but will establish the first of those stories in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Goa. Pre-orders are open now, with the reservation amount set at Rs 499, and EBikeGo is aiming to commence deliveries of the scooter from November this year. In states such as Maharashtra and Gujarat, the Rugged G1 will be amongst the more affordable electric scooters on sale in the country, factoring in the state subsidies.

While its rather basic appearance may make it look like it’s meant for commercial use, Irfan Khan, Founder & CEO of EBikeGo, says, “The G1 is available for everyone in the public market. In fact, we believe the market today has a lot of enthusiasts but limited economic options keeping aside the Chinese kit assembled vehicles. We are looking to be the go-to choice for the economic B2C segment.”

The WHO panel visited China and found evidence pointing to the pandemic starting as a result of zoonotic transmission of the virus, meaning a spillover from an animal to humans.

Liang Wannian, center, the Chinese co-leader of the joint China-WHO investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, speaks during a press conference in Beijing, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Image credit: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

tech2 News StaffAug 27, 2021 11:12:44 IST

Nissan has announced it will launch its all-electric microcar for the Japanese market early in 2022. Developed in partnership with Alliance partner Mitsubishi (under the NMKV Co LTD joint venture), Nissan’s micro EV will feature ‘instant acceleration, smooth driving and cabin quietness that are key characteristics of electric vehicles’, Nissan said in a statement issued early on 27 August.

Nissan has confirmed the electric microcar – believed to be previewed by the IMk concept showcased in 2019 – will be 3,395 mm long, 1,475 mm wide, and 1,655 mm high; dimensions that will help it slot into Japan’s kei car segment.

Nissan’s electric microcar will also feature advanced driver assistance systems. Image: Nissan

The Nissan micro EV will have a 20 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and is expected to have a range of around 200 kilometres on a full charge, which Nissan says has been estimated keeping ‘daily needs in Japan’. The company has also confirmed the microcar will feature the Nissan Energy Share vehicle-to-home charging capability, as well as ProPilot driver assistance systems such as remote valet parking and adaptive cruise control. In case of emergencies, the microcar will also double up as a remote power source.

The Nissan micro EV will be priced at around two million yen (INR 13.50 lakh) in its home market, with local subsidies driving the price further down to around 1.5 million yen (INR 10 lakh).

Nissan recently announced that every all-new model it launches in key markets will be electrified by the early 2030s.

tech2 News StaffAug 27, 2021 13:42:59 IST

The new-generation Indian Chief range of motorcycles has been launched in India with prices starting at Rs 20.76 lakh. Succeeding the heritage-style Chief motorcycles introduced years ago, the 2022 India Chief line-up adopts a more minimalistic look, and comprises a total of three variants – Chief Dark Horse (starts at Rs 20.76 lakh), Indian Chief Bobber Dark Horse (starts at Rs 21.40 lakh) and Indian Super Chief Limited (starts at Rs 22.82 lakh, all prices, ex-showroom). Each variant is available in a choice of three colours, with the price varying for each version by a few thousand rupees.

The New 2022 Chief Line Up in India

The wait for India is over. The 2022 Indian Chief lineup is here now.
The new #IndianChief, Indian #ChiefBobber and Indian #SuperChief offer three unique takes on the classic American V-twin. Check out the new lineup at https://t.co/g3AVlxjor6 pic.twitter.com/IcV3OK1imY

— Indian Motorcycle IN (@IndianMotorIND) August 27, 2021

All three motorcycles are powered by an 1,890 cc air-cooled engine that makes 162 Nm of torque and are equipped with a circular, four-inch Ride Command touchscreen system and three ride modes – Sport, Standard and Tour.

Standard on all three motorcycles is a 46 mm telescopic fork up front, and adjustable twin shock absorbers at the back. All three bikes are fitted with Pirelli Night Dragon tyres and have 300 mm disc brakes front and back, but it’s only the Chief Dark Horse that rides on 19-inch wheels – the other two variants ride on 16-inch wire-spoke wheels shod in chunkier tyres. The Super Chief Limited also gets a large windshield and saddlebags.

The new Indian Chief Dark Horse weighs in at 304 kg (wet). Image: Indian Motorcycle

The new Chief line-up features a 15.1-litre fuel tank, preload-adjustable rear shocks, dual exhaust, LED lighting and keyless ignition among other features. The bikes have a wheelbase of 1,626 mm and seat height of 662 mm. The Chief Dark Horse weighs 304 kg (wet), which is a considerable reduction over the previous-gen Chief Dark Horse.

Commenting on the launch of the all-new Chief range in the country, Polaris India Pvt Country Manager Lalit Sharma, said, “As an ode to this brand on its 100th anniversary, we have launched the new Chief line-up of motorcycles today that will excite every ardent cruiser enthusiast in India with their technological prowess, timeless elegance and modern performance.”

Anirudh RegidiAug 27, 2021 15:49:49 IST

Powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 5800x CPU and an Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro has a lot of grunt. More importantly, it knows how to take full advantage of that grunt. With a 140W TGP and an airy chassis, that GPU is allowed to stretch its legs. Powerful fans mean that the CPU can do the same. The speakers are great, the display is phenomenal and there’s plenty of high-speed storage for all your games.

It might seem like I’m giving away the plot too early, and I might be doing just that, but one of the luxuries of reviewing great, focused products is that they deliver exactly what was promised and there’s really nothing else to say because, well, Lenovo has delivered exactly what it promised. The Legion 5 Pro is one of the best gaming laptops you can buy in this price range. It’s that simple.

Display

Gaming laptops tend to offer fast, Full HD displays. Lenovo has gone with fast (165 Hz), but also upped the resolution to 2K (2560×1600) in a 16:10 aspect ratio. Better yet, at 500 nits, this 16-inch display is nearly twice as bright as that of other gaming laptops, and it’s also perfectly calibrated. This makes a huge difference.

The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro looks good and performs well. As a complete package, it’s hard to beat. Image: Tech2/Anirudh Regidi

Apple’s displays, be it on iPads or MacBooks, look so good because they’re quite bright and colour accurate. Until the Legion 5 Pro arrived at my doorstep, I don’t think I’ve encountered a gaming laptop with a display that’s this bright and accurate. I also like the taller 16:10 aspect ratio that Lenovo has opted for here, because it makes a difference when I’m working. There’s just that little bit more room for docks, controls, and other UI elements. If you’re just gaming or watching movies, this shouldn’t matter.

Measuring with an i1DisplayPro Plus, it appears that the display maxes out at 519 nits and covers 95 percent of the sRGB spectrum. Contrast ratio was an impressive 1206:1 and average △E was a mere 0.2. And this is before calibration. △E is the variation in rendered colour from its expected value. Any value under 2 indicates that the variation is small enough to be nearly indistinguishable to the human eye.

If this were a MacBook, I’d be complaining about the lack of AdobeRGB or DCI-P3 coverage. Because it isn’t, and especially because it’s running Windows 10, which struggles with wider colour gamuts to begin with, I think Lenovo made a smart decision here by not bothering with a wide gamut display. Games and movies will draw you in, and that fast refresh rate coupled with the superb contrast ratio means you won’t miss a shot in those super competitive lobbies.

Performance

Performance is great. The laptop consistently pushed 60+ fps at its native 1600p at max settings — and nearly 200 fps in CS: GO. With DLSS – an AI-based upscaler from Nvidia – enabled, even the demanding Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition ran at a comfortable 81 fps with RTX set to High. Versus the ASUS Tuf Dash 15, which is Rs 20,000 cheaper while also packing an RTX 3070 (albeit with an Intel CPU), the Legion 5 Pro is nearly 50 percent faster when it comes to gaming. It nearly matches the RTX 3080-toting Zephyrus Duo 15 with most games, and even manages to take the lead with some others.

As can be seen from the graphs, the 140 W TGP of the 3070 in the Legion 5 Pro gives it an edge over its rivals, even those packing a 3080.

These performance gains are easy to explain when you look at the TGP (not TDP, which is heat dissipated) of the GPU. Most laptop GPUs are capped at about 80 W TGP, the amount of power they’re allowed to consume. The 3070 in the Tuf F15, for example, is rated at 80+5. The Legion 5 Pro allows its 3070 to get to 140 W, which is near the upper limit of what Nvidia specifies for its RTX 30-series laptop parts. That massive performance headroom allows the GPU to run fast, and the chassis design allows it to stay relatively cool while doing so. While gaming, temperatures rarely crossed 80 C and the GPU didn’t appear to throttle.

Lenovo has built some performance profiles in, and switching between these is as easy as pressing a couple of buttons. The performance mode is indicated by the colour of the power button LED.

The more powerful CPU in the Zephyrus Duo 15 certainly helps in image editing tasks. The brighter, more accurate display on the Legion 5 is more useful here.

Personally, I really like this system. While the likes of ASUS and MSI have software that let you finely tune clock speeds, power delivery, etc., I find these systems too cumbersome, and the result of all that tweaking is rarely rewarding. In any case, the Legion 5’s profiles are quick and easy to switch between and there are no gratuitous animations to distract you.

You can still tweak settings manually if you want to, but the software isn’t thrown in your face the way it is on other gaming laptops.

In max performance mode, the fans do get loud, but they don’t whine like cheap cooling fans. The hot air is pumped out the back, which saves my hands from being roasted when gaming.

While the two ASUS laptops are both packing the same CPU, the Duo 15’s chassis allows for better cooling. It’s also for this reason that the Legion 5 Pro’s 5800H is able to compete with the 5900HS in the G15.

Lastly, the speakers are good. They’re loud enough to drown out fan noise, have enough bass for ambience and music, and enough clarity for adequate stereo separation when playing games. They come nowhere near matching the quality of Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro speakers, but they get the job done.

I do have one complaint, and that’s to do with battery life. At just two and a half hours (with the display set to 120 nits) in our PCMark 10 Modern Office test, the Legion 5 Pro offers less than half the battery life of its rivals. Bear in mind that the Modern Office test only simulates a regular office workload, i.e. documents and graphs, web browsing, and video conferencing, etc. The test doesn’t involve gaming or heavy rendering workloads. This was with the laptop in its balanced mode. If you’re just watching videos, you can expect about five hours from this one.

Design and ergonomics

I’ve reviewed several Legion laptops over the years, and while I found them sturdy, I generally found the designs to be quite plain. That’s not the case with the Legion 5 Pro. Firstly, the body’s made of metal and feels amazing, and secondly, there’s a bit of style thrown in. People will know you’re toting a premium laptop but will also not curl their lips at overused RGB lighting and an overly colourful chassis.

Like Lenovo’s premium ThinkPads, the design of the Legion 5 Pro is, I think, understated, and I like that.

There’s plenty of I/O, and most of it is at the rear (RJ45, USB-C, 3x USB-A, HDMI and power), with only a USB-A port on the left, and a USB-C port and audio jack on the right. This leaves more room for air intakes on the sides of the device, and less clutter for your mouse-operating hand to deal with.
RAM and storage are upgradeable.

Verdict: Hard to fault a laptop this well made

If I had Rs 1.8 lakh to spare, I wouldn’t hesitate in picking up the Legion 5 Pro. This laptop is sensibly designed and is, without a doubt, one of the best gaming laptops you can get for under Rs 2 lakh. Battery life could have been better, and I’d have liked to see a bit more RAM for heavier workloads, but with a display this good and upgradeable storage, it feels churlish to complain.

FP TrendingAug 27, 2021 18:02:40 IST

On 25 August, Japan-UK-based aerospace company Astroscale achieved a major milestone — its space junk removal demo satellite successfully used a magnetic system to capture and release a client spacecraft.

Space debris, or the unused man-made junk revolving in the Earth’s orbit, poses a risk of collision with other satellites.

Elsa-d ESA says approximately 9,200 tonnes of debris in orbit. Image: Astroscale/PA

The End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-demonstration (ELSA-d) mission was launched in March this year with the aim of being the world’s first commercial mission for the demonstration of the space debris removal system. Launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the satellite consisted of a 175-kg service spacecraft and a 17-kg client satellite.

The ELSA-d mission included two separate spacecraft: a “client” that poses as space debris and a “servicer” designed to remove said debris.

Why is this a big deal?

A major challenge of #spacedebris removal, and on-orbit servicing in general, is docking with or capturing a client object.

And this test demo served as a successful validation of #ELSAd‘s ability to dock with a client. pic.twitter.com/BgtrgBgcoX

— Astroscale (@astroscale_HQ) August 25, 2021

The demonstration was proof that the servicer can manage to capture and release other spacecraft, according to a statement by Astroscale. The company explained that the major challenge of space debris removal — docking with, or capturing, a client object — can be managed by the servicer.

Hear from our Mission Operations team in the UK on how we achieved this.

We’ve got more to do but this first step paves the way for the remainder of our pioneering demos! pic.twitter.com/NyTju6J3EW

— Astroscale (@astroscale_HQ) August 25, 2021

But the mission isn’t complete yet. The ELSA-d must reattempt the capture-and-release process three more times successfully before Astroscale can consider the mission accomplished.

The servicer must capture and release the provider from a greater distance for the second attempt. After that, the process will be replicated with the provider simulating a tumbling, uncontrolled object. The final demonstration will be a “diagnosis and client search,” with the servicer inspecting the provider from a close distance, moving away, and then re-capturing it.

Astroscale is one of several companies working on the issue of space debris. NASA has estimated that over 27,000 pieces of debris are floating in the Earth’s orbit as per the global Space Surveillance Network of the Department of Defense. The amount is expected to grow as launching a spacecraft grows less expensive.

FP TrendingAug 27, 2021 19:25:00 IST

The wait for the Apple iPhone 13 may finally be over soon, as Apple is said to be gearing up to host a launch event for the iPhone 13 and other products on 14 September. As per a FrontPageTech report, the new launches have been planned on the exact lines of the Apple roadmap. The Cupertino giant’s new lineup may include the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, and iPhone 13 mini. The iPhone 13 may sport a Sunset Gold colourway with dual rear cameras and a front notch.

For the uninitiated, Apple has planned launches every year in September, on a Tuesday in either the first or second week of the month. However, as the pandemic hit, bringing nations to a grinding halt, the tech giant faced its own share of hardships. Production was delayed and consequently, the company had to shift its launch dates and put the items on sale just after a month of unveil.

With the spread of coronavirus slowing, Apple may gradually return to its original schedule of September launches. The new lineup of products may be available for pre-order a few days after the event, on 17 September.

FrontPageTech recently published a fact-backing report based on source inputs. As per the report, the iPhone 13 lineup will be up for pre-order on 17 September and the sale may start from 24 September. Backing this, a tipster shared screenshots of all the new iPhone 13 models rumoured to be available at launch, for pre-order. According to him, the AirPods 3 could also be unveiled on 30 September, and could feature IPX4 water resistance.

FP TrendingAug 27, 2021 18:24:51 IST

Samsung has finally introduced the latest Galaxy Watch4, Watch4 Classic, and the Galaxy Buds2 TWS in India. The company has also revealed the pricing and availability details of the same.

Samsung Galaxy Watch4 series

Samsung has introduced two smartwatches: the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Watch 4 Classic. The vanilla smartwatch comes in 40mm and 44mm dial sizes, while the Classic variant gets 42mm and 46mm size options. Both come with a number of enhanced health features. The health features include a blood oxygen monitor, the ability to measure body composition, sleep management, and more. The watches also come with a heart rate monitor, of course.

Samsung Galaxy Watch4 series

With a round watch dial and changeable straps, the smartwatches also come with over 90 exercise modes, the ability to track calories, count steps, GPS, a number of watch faces to choose from, and loads. more. It runs WearOS (a first for a Samsung watch) that is designed by both Samsung and Google and supports a number of Google and third-party apps.

The Galaxy Watch 4 (40mm) is priced at Rs 23,999 for the Bluetooth variant and Rs 28,999 for the LTE variant. It comes in Pink Gold, Black and Silver colours. The 44mm variant is priced at Rs 26,999 (Bluetooth) and Rs 31,999 (LTE). It comes in Black, Green and Silver colours.

The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic (42mm) is priced at Rs 31,999 (Bluetooth) and Rs 36,999 (LTE), while the 46mm variant is priced at Rs 34,999 (Bluetooth) and Rs 39,999 (LTE). Both options get Black and Silver colour options.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

The Galaxy Buds 2 is the latest truly wireless earbuds by the company. With an in-ear design and a number of colours options to choose from, the TWS comes with features such as ANC, dynamic two-way speaker, three-mic system, and up to 5 hours of battery life on a single charge and 15 hours with the case. It also comes with the Auto Switch feature to switch between multiple Galaxy devices.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 is priced at Rs 11,999 and will be available in Graphite, White, Olive Green and Lavender colours.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series and the Galaxy Buds 2 will be up for pre-order via online and offline platforms, starting August 30. The availability will start from September 10.

As for the offers, customers can get an e-voucher worth Rs 6,000 and Rs 3,000 upon pre-booking the Galaxy Watch 4 series and Galaxy Buds 2, respectively. There will be also a cashback of Rs 3,000 (for the smartwatches) and Rs 1,200 (for the Buds 2) across all leading banks.

Sygic Travel Map is a competitor in the map and navigation space. While Google Maps tends to reign supreme in this category, Sygic has tried to distinguish itself by offering features that make it more traveler friendly. But most of the stand-apart features require a subscription, so functionality in the free version of the software remains limited. Still, it might be a good place to start to see if an alternative navigation tool is right for you.

In the free version of Sygic Travel Maps, you’ll have the option of either exploring a map of your immediate area or planning a trip.

Exploring will take you to a map overview dotted with small icons and images. Click on one of these, and you discover an interesting attraction such as a park, historic monument, museum, movie theater and more. The icons will also lead you to nearby hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, train routes and bus stops. It is by no means exhaustive, but definitely clues you in to lots of destinations in your area. Click on the image or icon and you’ll have the chance to navigate to it, add it to a trip or mark it as a favorite. 

Unfortunately, though, descriptions of the destinations are only available in the premium version of the software. So you might see a nearby museum in which you might be interested. If available, the app will show you a photo of it, but in terms of additional information such as opening hours or what the attraction is all about, you’ll have to upgrade – or use a Google search.

Speaking of Google, when you click the “navigate” button on any attraction, the app will kick you out to your preferred mapping software on your device such as Google or Apple Maps, which begs the question: why use Sygic in the first place?

Some users might find an answer to that question in the app’s “Trip” feature. When you set out for a trip, you can enter your final destination in the app and you’ll have access to a range of information about it. This includes a list of interesting local places, tours, a weather forecast, links to car rentals and hotels, and a map of the destination. If you want to download all of that information for use offline though, you’ll again have to upgrade to the premium version.

Upgrading to the Premium version of the app gets you the features described above – access to offline maps and data along with enhanced place descriptions – plus you get walking directions, and an ad-free experience. Fortunately, upgrading is relatively affordable, and several different plans make it easy to try out. You can choose monthly for $3.99; yearly for $14.99; or you can buy lifetime access for $19.99, which is clearly the best deal. 

But starting out with the free version of the app, comparing it to other mapping and navigation apps like Google Maps and Wayze, certainly seems like a good first step. You might find that Sygic’s easy navigation, friendly interface, and complete trip-planning package suits you better than those other offerings. 

Sygic Travel Maps is available on the internet as well as a downloadable app for Apple and Android devices.

Download Sygic Travel Now

The ConversationAug 27, 2021 12:01:26 IST

When we talk about amazing geological features, we often limit ourselves to those on Earth. But as a geologist, I think that’s crazy – there are so many structures on other worlds that can excite and inspire, and that can put processes on our own planet into perspective.

Here, in no particular order, are the five geological structures in the solar system (excluding Earth) that most impress me.

The grandest canyon

I left out the solar system’s biggest volcano, Olympus Mons on Mars, so I could include that planet’s most spectacular canyon, Valles Marineris. Being 3,000km long, hundreds of kilometres wide and up to eight kilometres deep, this is best seem from space. If you were lucky enough to stand on one rim, the opposite rim would be way beyond the horizon.

Valles Marineris seen in a colour-coded topographic view as if from 5,000 km above the surface (left), and imaged by the High Resolution Stereo Camera on Esa’s Mars Express (right). Google Earth and NASA/USGS/ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

It was probably initiated by fracturing when an adjacent volcanic region (called Tharsis) began to bulge upwards, but was widened and deepened by a series of catastrophic floods that climaxed more than 3 billion years ago.

Venus’ fold mountains

We are going to learn a lot more about Venus in the 2030s when two NASA missions and one from ESA (European Space Agency) arrive. Venus is nearly the same size, mass and density as the Earth, causing geologists to puzzle over why it lacks Earth-style plate tectonics and why (or indeed whether) it has comparatively little active volcanism. How does the planet get its heat out?

Fold mountains in Ovda Regio, Venus. The insert is a similar view of part of the Applachians in central Pennsylvania. NASA/JPL

I find it reassuring that at least some aspects of Venus’ geology look familiar. For example, the northern margin of the highlands named Ovda Regio looks strikingly similar, apart from the lack of rivers cutting through the eroded, fold-like pattern, to “fold mountains” on Earth such as the Appalachians, which are the result of a collision between continents.

Blasted Mercury

I’m cheating a little with my next example, because it is both one of the solar system’s largest impact basins and an explosive volcano within it. Mercury’s 1,550km diameter Caloris basin was formed by a major asteroid impact about 3.5 billion years ago, and soon after that its floor was flooded by lavas.

Right: most of Mercury’s Caloris basin, its floor covered by dull, orange lava. Brighter orange patches are remnants of explosive eruptions. Lower left: close-up inside the red box of an explosive volcanic deposit. Upper left: details of the vent interior. NASA/JHUAPL/CIW

Some time later, a series of explosive eruptions blasted kilometres-deep holes through the solidified lavas near the edge of the basin where the lava cap was thinnest. These sprayed volcanic ash particles out over a range of tens of kilometres. One such deposit, named Agwo Facula, surrounds the explosive vent that I have chosen as my example.

Explosive eruptions are driven by the force of expanding gas, and are a surprising find on Mercury, whose proximity to the Sun was previously expected to have starved it of such volatile substances – the heat would have made them boil off. Scientists suspect that there were in fact several explosive eruptions, possibly spaced over a prolonged timescale. This means that gas-forming volatile materials (whose composition will remain uncertain until ESA’s BepiColombo mission starts work in 2026) were repeatedly available in Mercury’s magmas.

The tallest cliff?

In soil or vegetation-rich regions on Earth, cliffs offer the largest exposures of clean rock. Although dangerous to approach, they reveal an uninterrupted cross-section of rock and can be great for fossil hunting. Because geologists love them so much, I give you the seven kilometres-high Verona Rupes. This is a feature on Uranus’s small moon Miranda that is often described as “the tallest cliff in the solar system”, including on a recent NASA website. This even goes so far as to remark that if you were careless enough to take a tumble off the top, it would take you 12 minutes to fall to the bottom.

Verona Rupes, about 50km long and several km high, but not actually so cliff-like as it appears as seen by Voyager 2 during its 1986 flyby. NASA/JPL

This is nonsense, because Verona Rupes is nowhere near vertical. The only images we have of it are from Voyager 2, captured during its 1986 fly by of Uranus. It is undeniably impressive, being almost certainly a geological fault where one block of Miranda’s icy crust (the outermost “shell” of the planet) has moved downwards against the adjacent block.

However, the obliqueness of the view is deceptive, making it impossible to be sure of the face’s steepness – it probably slopes at less than 45 degrees. If you stumbled at the top, I doubt you’d even slide to the bottom. The face appears to be very smooth in the best, but rather low resolution image that we have, but at Miranda’s -170°C daytime temperature, water-ice has a high friction and is not slippery at all.

Titan’s drowned coastline

For my final example I could happily have chosen virtually anywhere on Pluto, but instead I have opted for a hauntingly Earth-like coastline on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Here, a large depression in Titan’s water-ice “bedrock” hosts a sea of liquid methane named Ligeia Mare.

Ligeia Mare on Titan. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASI/Cornell –

Valleys carved by methane rivers draining into the sea have evidently become flooded as the sea level rose. This complexly indented coastline reminds me strongly of Oman’s Musandam peninsula, on the south side of the Straits of Hormuz. There, the local crust has been warped downwards because of the ongoing collision between Arabian and the Asian mainlands. Has something similar happened on Titan? We don’t know yet, but the way that the coastal geomorphology changes around Ligeia Mare suggests to me that its drowned valleys are more than a straightforward result of rising liquid levels. Left: Part of Titan’s Ligeia Mare, showing a coastline with valleys drowned by a sea of liquid methane. Right: The Musandam peninsula, Arabia, where coastal valleys are similarly drowned, but by a saltwater sea.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASI/Cornell and Expedition 63, International Space Station (ISS)
Rock and liquid water on Earth, frigid water-ice and liquid methane on Titan – it makes little difference. Their mutual interactions are the same, and so we see geology repeating itself on different worlds.

David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences, The Open University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.