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March 2022

The Minister also said that compulsory airbags are very important from a road safety point of view and that is why we made them mandatory for all cars including in the economic models too.

Six airbags to be made mandatory for cars from October 1

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. (Image: Twitter/@nitin_gadkari)

Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari told the Rajya Sabha that Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Programme, also known as the Bharat NCAP, has already been notified by his Ministry.

Responding to the question by Congress MP KTS Tulsi about the safety norms in vehicle manufacturing, as the deaths in vehicle accidents have gone up in the country, Gadkari said that all over the world, the major car manufacturing companies have the safety standards and this is also need of the hour in India.

“Every year, over five lakh of accidents happen in India, reporting over 1.5 lakh deaths in these accidents, therefore, we took a decision and made six airbags mandatory for all cars,” he said. Just recently, Gadkarihad confirmed that all new cars manufactured from October 1, 2022, will come equipped with six airbags.

The Minister also said that compulsory airbags are very important from a road safety point of view and that is why we made them mandatory for all cars including in the economic models too.

Citing the figure of the road accidents, he said that in the year 2020, a total of 25,289 accidents happened out of which 30 per cent of lives could have been saved with by the airbags in case of front collision while 31 per cent of lives could have been saved in side collision by the use of side airbags.

He also said that under the Bharat NCAP, the structural safety of the vehicle, adult occupants, stiffness of the vehicle structure, crash tests safety of child occupants, assessment of the car from the pedestrian’s safety point of view and the bonnet design, active safety assistance technology, six airbags norms, 3.5 seat belts and seat belt alert system, have been included as the new features.

“We want to protect the lives of the people and this is the reason, we are also going to start the ‘rating system’ for the manufacturing companies. This will create more employment opportunities in the vehicle manufacturing sector and boost exports as well,” Gadkari said.

The Bharat NCAP will envisage the cars sold in the country will be assigned by star ratings based on their safety performance. It will be implemented in phases, according to the plans being drawn up by the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project.

We cap our quarterly lists with the best smartphones you can buy in India under Rs 75,000 or less than 1000 USD as some may like to put it. You generally don’t see a big shuffle in this segment every quarter, and understandably some of the phones from our previous list have held onto their spots. Some of them have become more affordable though, which is great news if you were considering them. We also have a couple of new additions that offer some exceptional features and power. Time to look at who made the cut this month.

Best phones to buy under Rs 75,000 in India

Apple iPhone 12

The Apple iPhone 12 price continues to get more attractive every passing quarter. While its mid variant with 128 GB storage was available in this budget last quarter, you can now purchase its 256 GB storage variant well under 70K. The phone is just the perfect size to be used with one hand. You get a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display that is compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. A ceramic glass with oleophobic coating protects it against scratches and smudges. It also has IP68 rated ingress protection.

Apple-iphone-12

The phone is powered by Apple’s previous flagship A14 Bionic chip that is still amply powerful with a good headroom for the future. Photography department consists of two 12MP cameras at the back with the primary lens offering OIS (optical image stabilisation), while the secondary is capable of capturing ultra-wide shots. The performance in photography and videography is top notch, as you have come to expect from iPhones. The Apple iPhone 12 launched with iOS 14, and is upgradeable to iOS 15.

Apple iPhone 12 price in India: Rs 67,999 for 256 GB storage

Apple iPhone 13 Mini

If you want a more recent Apple device, you can purchase the smallest of the latest Apple iPhones comfortably in this budget, and again, its 256 GB storage variant. The Apple iPhone 13 Mini is refreshingly compact, and arguably the smallest flagship smartphone around. The availability of a proper flagship device in this form factor without skipping any key feature is a great choice to have for those who like compact phones without compromising on power. It runs the latest iOS 15, and one can expect newer OS updates for another half a decade.

Back-2

The Apple iPhone 13 Mini is pretty much the iPhone 13 in terms of design, processing power and most of the features, just smaller. It has a sharper 5.4-inch Full HD+ Super Retina XDR OLED screen, compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. At its core is the latest A15 Bionic chip that powers the entire iPhone 13 series. The two 12MP cameras at the back are similar to those found on the iPhone 12 with just a different alignment. The photography performance is at least as good, or slightly better maybe.

Apple iPhone 13 Mini price in India: Rs 69,990 for 256 GB storage

Samsung Galaxy S22 5G

Continuing on our theme of compact flagship phones, we have one more to offer from another popular brand. Just like the iPhones above, the new Samsung Galaxy S22 5G too has IP68 rated ingress protection. Speaking of protection, the phone sports an aluminium frame and has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ at the front and back. It has a 6.1-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits, HDR10+ compliance and 120 Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Qualcomm’s fastest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and you get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. The phone runs Android 12 with Samsung’s One UI 4.1.

Photography department on the Samsung Galaxy S22 5G has a combination of three cameras at the back starting with a 50MP primary camera with dual pixel PDAF and OIS, 12MP ultra-wide camera with Super Steady video support and a 10MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3X Optical zoom. The camera performance is expectedly flagship grade. Like all Android phones in this list, this phone too can record videos up to 8K resolution. A 3700 mAh battery keeps the phone running for a day of moderate use and supports 25W fast charging as well as 15W fast wireless charging.

Samsung Galaxy S22 5G price in India: From Rs 72,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus 10 Pro is just days away from release, and that explains the discounts on their current flagship with the right credit/debit cards, making the OnePlus 9 Pro a welcome addition to this list. It has a 6.7-inch LTPO Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a higher resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels. The HDR10+ compliant screen can display a billion colours and get up to 1300 nits bright. The phone has an elegant design courtesy of a metal frame and a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back.

The rear camera department is quite versatile with a combination of 48MP primary camera with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus, 8MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3.3X optical zoom and a 2MP mono camera. The Hasselblad colour tuning improves the colour accuracy and makes the photos look closer to natural. The cameras manage to capture some impressive images in different lighting and modes. The 16MP front camera is adept at handling selfies and video calls.

OnePlus9- (1)

The OnePlus 9 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship grade Snapdragon 888 SoC, and you can get the top variant of this phone with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage comfortably in this budget even without the discount. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 65W Warp charger takes it from 0 to 100% briskly. The phone also supports fast wireless charging. It has IP68 rated ingress protection and runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11. OxygenOS 12 update based on Android 12 is already available for this phone.

OnePlus 9 Pro price in India: Rs 64,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

iQOO 9 Pro 5G

Here’s another fully loaded device from the Vivo sub-brand. The new iQOO 9 Pro 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and you get 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage to go with it. It has a high quality 6.78-inch HDR10+ compliant AMOLED display with 3200 x 1440 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate and can display over a billion colour shades. The phone runs Android 12 with FunTouch OS 12 out of the box. Did I mention the rear camera department here is absolutely loaded?

You get a 50MP primary camera with Gimbal OIS, accompanied by another 50MP ultra-wide camera with auto-focus and 150-degrees FOV. There’s also a 16MP telephoto camera with OIS that facilitates 2.5X optical zoom. Not to forget the 16MP front camera for selfies and video calls. The iQOO 9 Pro 5G has a 4700 mAh battery that lasts for over a day of moderate use. And here comes the best part, the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge it fully in just 20 minutes! It also supports 50W fast wireless charging.

iQOO 9 Pro 5G price in India: Rs 64,990 for 8 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

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To mark the sales milestone and showcase its leadership position in the super-luxury car segment, Lamborghini India curated its third edition of ‘Lamborghini Day’ in Goa.

Lamborghini crosses 400 cumulative sales milestone in India

A Lamborghini Urus on Lamborghini Day in Goa. Representational photograph. (Image: Lamborghini)

Italian luxury sports car maker Automobili Lamborghini said it has crossed the 400 cumulative sales mark in India since initiating full-scale operations in 2007. Moreover, the folks at Lamborghini state that 86 percent of that growth was recorded in India just last year.

Commenting on this occasion, Sharad Agarwal, Head of Lamborghini India said, “We are pleased to announce the achievement of 400 Lamborghini in India and mark the Lamborghini Day experience with this milestone achievement along with our customers who have supported us in this journey. We will continue to offer unique platforms that our existing and prospective customers are able to experience the values that define the Lamborghini brand in India.”

The company offers unique platforms where existing and prospective customers can experience the values that define the Lamborghini brand in India, he added. To mark the sales milestone and showcase its leadership position in the super-luxury car segment, Lamborghini India curated its third edition of ‘Lamborghini Day’ in Goa.

(With inputs from PTI)

Singer Daler Mehndi made news just a few days back when he became the first Indian to purchase land in the Metaverse. This comes just a week after he earned the title of being the first Indian celebrity to perform in the Metaverse.

According to reported information, the singer named his virtual property as named ‘Balle Balle Land’ and acquired it through Metaverse platform PartyNite.

According to an NDTV report, the singer will host films and music concerts in Balle Balle Land. Moreover, the virtual land will soon have a Daler Mehndi Store, which will sell merchandise as Non-Fungible Tokens or NFTs.

A Business Today report had Mehndi quoted as saying, “I went with an open mind on PartyNite Metaverse and it was a very rewarding experience. Audiences have moved online and I believe it is going to stay. The physical world has its own charm but with Metaverse, sky’s the limit. I really enjoyed performing on PartyNite and I wanted a permanent presence & hence created Balle Balle Land.”

As Mehndi enjoys his new acquisition, we try to break it down for you: What it means to buy land on Metaverse, how does one do it, its benefits and other celebrities and their virtual land purchases.

What are virtual lands?

Virtual lands are digital spaces or land plots that you can buy, sell, build upon, and explore in a virtual world.

The metaverse describes a vision of a connected 3D virtual world, where real and digital worlds are integrated using technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). This immersive environment will be accessible through the likes of VR headsets, AR glasses and smartphone apps.

Users will meet and communicate as digital avatars, explore new areas and create content. The idea is the metaverse will develop to become a collaborative virtual space where we can socialise, play, work and learn.

Once a person buys this virtual land, the possibilities are endless.

An individual or an organisation could hire architects to design a building of some sort and then hire a 3D game developer to build it for them. It can be anything they desire, a virtual mall, amusement park, or even a stadium.

And unlike real-life structures, they can create any designs they could think of without the hindrance of the laws of physics.

Benefits of buying virtual land

Like real estate in the real world, the reason to buy virtual land — either for entertainment or business reasons — one can’t deny that it is an investment for the future.

Metaverse real estate gives users a place to connect online with other people. Individuals can use their digitised land to play games and socialise. Creators can monetise the content of their property by charging for access or trading their NFTs. Brands can use their virtual properties to advertise services, organise virtual product launches, and provide unique customer experiences.

A recent report by crypto asset manager Grayscale estimates the digital world may grow into a $1 trillion business in the near future.

Janine Yorio, whose virtual real estate development company, Republic Realm, spent a record $4.3 million on a parcel of virtual land, however, in a CNBC report warned that investing in digital real estate is risky business.

“It’s highly, highly risky. You should only invest capital that you’re prepared to lose,” Yorio tells CNBC. “It’s highly speculative. It’s also blockchain-based. And as we all know, crypto is highly volatile. But it can also be massively rewarding.”

How to buy virtual land

Once a person or organisation finalises their virtual land, there are some steps they will need to keep in mind to go through the process.

Firstly, one will have to set up a digital wallet that will store your cryptocurrency, as virtual land cannot be bought with traditional currency. One will also have to sign up with a metaverse platform, like Decentraland, The Sandbox, Axie Infinity, among others.

Like real-world properties, you can also purchase metaverse land through brokers and property managers. Unlike in the real world though, metaverse brokers don’t need licences and are under no regulations. So one has to make sure that they transact with reliable ones.

Famous and expensive virtual lands

Even though it sounds absurd to spend thousands and millions on ‘fictitious’ land, there are people who are doing it.

Last November, a patch of virtual real estate in the online world Decentraland sold for a record $2.4 million worth of cryptocurrency.

One of the world’s largest producers of electronic gadgets, Samsung made its debut in the metaverse by opening its shop in Decentraland. Samsung announced that they’ve built a replica of their flagship store located in New York and that people can visit them through the Decentraland’s platform.

Nike and Adidas, two giant sneaker brands, also made a big splash on the metaverse. According to reports, Adidas has purchased virtual land on The Sandbox’s platform.

Nike has their virtual land as well. They’ve partnered up with Roblox and opened their land called NIKELAND. platform.

International celebrities such as Snoop Dogg and Paris Hilton have also jumped on to the virtual land bandwagon.

Snoop Dogg’s ‘Snoopverse’ exists on The Sandbox and is being advertised as a place for virtual concerts, art and car exhibits, pool parties, shopping, and a digital replica of his massive California mansion.

There is also Paris Hilton’s virtual island built within Roblox, dubbed Paris World, complete with digital copies of her California home and closet where users can raid her wardrobe and purchase outfits.

Artists such as Travis Scott, Justin Bieber, Marshmallow, and Ariana Grande have also given performances in the Metaverse.

With inputs from agencies

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As was the case before, this latest version also makes its way to India via the Completely Knock Down (CKD) route.

2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports launched in India

2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports. (Image: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India)

Honda has launched the updated version of the Africa Twin Adventure Sports in India, which comes with a few changes in comparison to the older generation model. Apart from a new paint job, there’s the readjusted console screen, updated touchscreen TFT display with Android Auto compatibility, redesigned windscreen and a slightly updated DCT transmission. Speaking of which, the Africa Twin Adventure Sports still comes with two transmission options – a six-speed manual and a dual-clutch automatic. As was the case before, this latest version also makes its way to India via the Completely Knock Down (CKD) route.

It continues to be powered by the same 1082.96cc, parallel-twin engine which produces 99hp and 103Nm of torque, from before. It comes with a 24.5-litre fuel tank along with LED headlamps with a cornering function. While the manual version costs Rs 40,000 more than before, the automatic variant still retails at the same price. To put it simply, the MT costs Rs 16.01 lakh, while the AT costs Rs 17.55 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Haryana). Also, the MT version can only be had with the Pearl Glare White Tricolor paint scheme, while the latter is available with just the Mat Ballistic Black Metallic colour.

Other than that, the bike pretty much remains the same as before. That includes various features like six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), 2-Channel ABS, HSTC (Honda Selectable Torque Control) and Bluetooth Connectivity feature. Both MT and DCT variants get four default riding mode settings: Tour, Urban, Gravel and Off-Road plus two customizable – User 1 and 2 settings. Moreover, the windscreen can now be adjusted (five-step) without the help of any tools, just like the seat. Although it has become more expensive, there’s no denying the fact that there will be quite a number of takes for Honda’s ultimate off-roader in India.

The German automaker says that the price correction will be in the range of 3 percent, across the entire model range.

Mercedes-Benz India announces price hike on all models from April 1

Mercedes-Benz logo. Representational photograph. (Image: Mercedes-Benz)

Mercedes-Benz India has announced an upward revision in price of its entire model range effective April 1, 2022. The German automaker says that the price correction will be in the range of 3 percent, across the entire model range. The constant increase in input costs in addition to an increase in logistics costs have been exerting significant pressure on the overall costs of the company.

Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said, “At Mercedes-Benz we continue to offer the most technologically advanced products for an unmatched product experience. However, to run a sustainable business a price correction is necessary to offset the continuous rise in input and operational costs. The new price range of our vehicles will ensure the brand’s premium price positioning, enabling seamless continuation of best-in-segment ownership experiences for our discerning customers.”

From April 1st, the following will be the starting prices for all the models across the range (all prices are ex-showroom).

A 200 limousine – Rs 42 lakh
GLA 200 – Rs 45 lakh
GLC 200 – Rs 62 lakh
GLE 300 d 4M – Rs 86 lakh
GLS 400d 4M – Rs 1.16 crore
LWB E-Class 200 – Rs 71 lakh
S-Class 350 d – Rs 1.60 crore
AMG E 63 S 4MATIC (CBU) – Rs 1.77 crore
AMG- GT 63 S 4 Door Coupe (CBU) – Rs 2.70 crore

The rising input costs also led to a significant increase in the company’s operational costs, prompting Mercedes-Benz to revise the ex-showroom price of the entire model range.

All in all, the Tata Altroz DCA is available in seven variants, two of which are the beloved #Dark editions.

Tata Altroz DCA launched in India; Priced from Rs 8.10 lakh

Tata Altroz DCA. (Image: Tata Motors)

After a number of teasers over the past month, Tata Motors has finally launched the automatic version of the Altroz in India. It’s called the Altroz DCA (Dual-Clutch Automatic), and prices start at Rs 8.10 lakh and go up to Rs 9.90 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi). All in all, the Altroz DCA is available in seven variants, two of which are the beloved #Dark editions. There’s also a new colour option called ‘Opera Blue’, which basically looks like a darker version of the already existing ‘Harbour Blue’. In total, there are six colour options. But, what about that automatic transmission?

As mentioned earlier, it is a dual-clutch automatic and uses the same technology that a dual-clutch transmission does, conventionally speaking. However, Tata Motors has made some changes to the gearbox to make it more user friendly in a country like India. For example, usually, a DCT has nearly 20 gears within the transmission system for conducting the shifting process. Tata’s six-speed DCA uses only 13 gears, which should make things a little more efficient thanks to lesser moving parts. Tata also claims that the DCA has 35 percent lesser components than the conventional DCT. Do note that the automatic version is about 20 kilograms heavier than the manual variants.

The DCA gearbox also comes with a separation between the wet clutches, which should mean a cooler transmission. Speaking of which, there’s also an active cooling technology for the wet clutch, which is monitored 100 times per second. It basically ensures that the gearbox responds well in hot or cold conditions. That’s not all, Tata Motors has also added a unique ‘Auto Park Lock’ feature that ensures that given a certain number of parameters, the Altroz DCA will automatically shift into ‘Park’ mode. These include if the engine is on, the pedals are inactive, the driver’s side door is open and if the seatbelt is unbuckled.

Tata Altroz DCA launched in India Priced from Rs 810 lakh

Tata Altroz’s six-speed DCA. (Image: Tata Motors)

This works as a fail-safe if someone forgets to put their Altroz in ‘P’. The DCA uses shift-by-wire technology, which Tata claims further improves the shift quality. Furthermore, Altroz automatic also boasts of machine learning, which basically learns the driving style of a certain driver and adapts the gearbox accordingly. There’s even self-healing technology that uses a self-diagnosis system to clear out any dust from within the transmission. There’s also a greater concentration on keeping dust out in the first place to prolong the life of the DCA.

Sadly though, this transmission is only available in the 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine which produces 86PS of peak power and 113Nm of torque. Hopefully, we could see this gearbox become a standard feature on the Nexon in the near future. Interestingly, the premium hatchback segment in India comes with quite a number of automatic gearboxes. For example, the Honda Jazz uses a CVT, while the Hyundai i20 uses a CVT as well as DCT and iMT. The Volkswagen Polo uses a torque converter unit, while the recently launched Glanza and Baleno uses an AMT.

The Tata Altroz DCA has just arrived on the scene but how does it compare to its rivals on the AT transmission front?

Tata Altroz DCA vs rivals - Which automatic transmission is best for you?

Tata Altroz’s six-speed DCA. (Image: Tata Motors)

Tata Motors had finally launched the Altroz automatic in the country, very recently. Its Dual-Clutch Automatic (DCA) gearbox comes with a number of technological upgrades in comparison to a conventional dual-clutch transmission, to make it more India-friendly. Prices for the Tata Altroz DCA start at Rs 8.10 lakh and go up to Rs 9.90 lakh (all prices ex-showroom). So, if one is out looking for an automatic in the premium hatchback segment, there are a number of choices, all with different forms of automatic transmissions. So, let’s break it down to make it a little simpler with each of the rivals.

Honda Jazz

Honda’s premium hatchback has been around for quite some time now, but recently got an impressive overall rating of four out of five stars in the Global NCAP’s #SaferCarsForIndia crash test. It’s priced between Rs 8.81 lakh and Rs 9.95 lakh (all prices ex-showroom). Moreover, it’s fitted with a CVT, which is widely considered to be one of the more superior AT transmissions, in comparison to an AMT, at least. It’s sort of become a Honda staple over the years and has a reputation to be quite reliable, as well.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki had decided to do away with the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and go instead with a more pocket-friendly AMT gearbox. Over the years, Maruti has made quite a number of improvements to their AMT but there’s still a bit of sluggishness and head nod, especially for those who enjoy a more spirited form of driving. That’s not to say that CVT doesn’t have a rubber band effect when pulled hard, but the AMT just inherently feels inferior to any of the other transmissions. Nevertheless, it does provide a more pocket-friendly option, with pricing between Rs 7.69 lakh and Rs 9.49 lakh (ex-showroom).

Toyota Glanza

The Glanza is no different in that regard. In fact, it comes with the exact same engine and transmission options as the Baleno and only distinguishes itself with a few visual changes on the outside and inside. Toyota’s premium hatchback retails between Rs 7.79 lakh and Rs 9.69 lakh (ex-showroom). That slight premium over the Baleno can only be justified with the superior three-year/one lakh kilometres standard warranty that Toyota offers on its products in India.

Hyundai i20

The i20 is probably one of the most well-equipped hatchbacks in the segment, however, it does come at a fairly decent premium as well. First and foremost, there are two automatic transmissions to choose from – an IVT and a DCT. The Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT) is just another name for CVT, while the DCT is quite obviously a Dual-Clutch Transmission. While the IVT is offered only with the 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine, the DCT comes with the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol motor. Price? Well, IVT ranges between Rs 8.90 lakh and Rs 10.66 lakh while the DCT costs between Rs 9.76 lakh and Rs 11.48 lakh. That’s quite a lot more expensive than the Altroz DCA, at least.

Volkswagen Polo

Last but certainly not least, is the Volkswagen Polo, which now comes with a six-speed torque converter unit instead of the seven-speed DSG. The automatic variants cost between Rs 8.93 lakh and Rs 9.99 lakh, which again makes it quite a bit more pricey than its rivals, especially given its age. If online reports are to be believed, VW will soon phase out the Polo from the Indian market.

All in all, it’s easy to tell that Tata Motors has priced the Altroz fairly well, given that it comes with a superior DCA gearbox. It costs only Rs 40,000 more than the AMT-equipped Baleno (base variant comparison), which isn’t a lot when you consider the kind of transmission the homegrown brand is offering. There’s also the five-star Global NCAP crash test safety rating to consider, which again gives the Altroz a slight edge over its rivals. The only bummer here is the fact that the DCA isn’t offered with the turbo-petrol variants. Maybe Tata is saving that for another day?

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

Could the upcoming version of the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 finally come without a kick start?

Upcoming Royal Enfield Bullet 350 spotted on test - What can we expect?

The current-generation Royal Enfiled Bullet 350. (Image: Royal Enfield)

After recently launching the Scram 411, it seems that Royal Enfield is on track to unveil a number of other products in the market soon. Just recently, another RE motorcycle was spotted out on test and the pictures clearly point to an updated Bullet 350. Currently, the Bullet 350 is the only product sold with the 346cc, single-cylinder, Unit Construction Engine (UCE) and hence, is due for an update pretty soon. Just like the Classic and Meteor, the Bullet will also be based on the company’s J-platform.

As per the spy shots, the Bullet seems to have taken on a more butch look, especially at the back with thicker rubber. The engine casing is identical to the one on the Classic, however, the single-seat isn’t. The fuel tank seems to have grown too, and there’s a typical chrome strip around the round headlamp. Overall, at least visually, the updated Bullet 350 is likely to look quite similar to the Classic 350, which has always been the case even with the UCE era. However, some subtle changes like a slightly different taillamp unit and the graphics on the bodywork would be welcome additions.

Could the Bullet finally come without a kick start pedal? It seems likely since the Bullet will be fitted with the same 349cc, single-cylinder motor from the already mentioned, Classic and Meteor. The power output figures are likely to match as well, with 20hp and 27Nm of torque. The gearbox, too, will be the same five-speed unit. There could be other changes like kerb weight, ground clearance and of course, colour schemes as well. Moreover, trusted online sources say that the new Bullet 350 is likely to arrive sometime in the second half of this or maybe even at the beginning of 2023. There could be a small price hike as well, given all the updates.

The company’s export portfolio consists of 18 two-wheeler models.

Honda 2Wheelers India exports over 30 lakh units in 21 years

Honda Dio is the preffered two-wheeler when it comes to exports. (Image: Honda 2Wheelers India)

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India has announced that its cumulative exports have now breached the 30 lakh units’ mark in its 21st year of operations. Honda 2Wheelers India began exporting back in 2001 with its debut model – Activa. While Honda’s cumulative exports crossed the 15 lakh mark in 2016, the next 15 lakh exports were added in only the last five years. FYI, Honda exports to over 29 global markets from India.

Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, Atsushi Ogata – Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Such milestones are a shining testimony of HMSI’s sustained efforts in expanding Honda’s footprint in global exports. Last year we flagged off our global engine production line at Vithalapur plant in Gujarat, thus strengthening our export capabilities further. As we make further inroads into developed markets, our reinstated focus on exports expansion takes HMSI one step closer to become a ‘Manufacturing Hub for the World’.”

Speaking on this milestone achievement, Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Director – Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “In the last two decades, Honda has delighted more than 30 lac two-wheeler customers through exports. Led by Dio Scooter, we are expanding our export portfolio including both scooters & motorcycles. To establish high quality and efficiency, matching global standard, HMSI raised a dedicated Overseas Business vertical in 2020.”

Moreover, in 2020 the company established a new ‘Overseas Business Expansion’ vertical and also expanded its global exports footprint to developed markets like the United States, Japan & Europe among others. Additionally, HMSI has also commenced the manufacturing of global engines from its fourth factory at Vithalapur, Gujarat. The company’s export portfolio consists of 18 two-wheeler models. However, it’s the Honda Dio that is the most preferred two-wheeler from HMSI’s exports contingent.

Lexus claims that the buyback program for ES 300h will offer the highest buyback price in the luxury car market with up to 60 percent residual value.

Lexus India launches new Buyback Promise program for ES 300h

Lexus ES 300h. (Image: Lexus)

Lexus India has announced the launch of its new ‘Buyback Promise’ program starting with the locally assembled ES 300h. There’s also a loyalty program under the ‘Lexus Life’, umbrella. Lexus had commenced operations in India, back in 2017, and is celebrating five years of operations in the country. The buyback program for ES 300h claims to be amongst the highest buyback price in the luxury car market with up to 60 percent residual value. Under this program, the Japanese luxury carmaker will offer its guests the industry’s best low-cost finance options and residual value for its cars. The loyalty program will benefit existing Lexus customers for their next Lexus purchase with a whole host of offers and packages.

Commenting on this occasion, Naveen Soni, President of Lexus India said, “Firstly, I would like to sincerely thank all our guests for their constant patronage, trust & confidence on the Lexus brand over these 5 years which has made this journey a memorable one. Celebrating 5 years of Lexus in India with introduction of the Buyback Promise scheme for the Lexus ES 300h as well as the Lexus Loyalty scheme, we would like to strengthen our guest’s faith in Lexus, at the same time show our confidence on the Lexus cars and our strong commitment to the Indian market. In this new era, consumers are more mindful about their purchases, and we are crafting the best for them. Staying true to the Lexus belief of “Omotenashi” we ensure to deliver exceptional experiences to our guests. We look forward to offering more such experiences to our guests and enriching their lifestyles.”

Lexus India had launched the ‘Lexus Life’ program in 2021, an exclusive ownership program for Lexus buyers who at Lexus, are treated like ‘guests at home’. Under this program, Lexus brings in new ownership benefits through ‘Lexus Ownership Portfolio’ which includes a variety of crafted plans for finance, service, warranty, insurance & roadside assistance. Additionally, Lexus also introduced ‘Lexus Pre-Owned’, a new platform for customers to trade-in and upgrade their Lexus cars with ease.

Top 5 upcoming car launches in April 2022 - Buy now or wait for the right car?

We take a look at all the upcoming car launches in April 2022.

The month of March saw quite a number of car launches in the country. We got the Skoda Slavia, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Toyota Glanza, BMW X4, Lexus NX and a whole lot more. In that regard, the month of April also promises to come with quite a number of launches, as the Indian auto industry slowly climbs its way back to normalcy. So, is it wise to buy a new car right now or wait for the right car? Well, that’s the reason we’ve compiled a list of the top five most exciting car launches coming up next month. Hopefully, these upcoming top new car launches should help in answering that question!

Maruti Suzuki XL6

A number of spy shots have already surfaced on the internet, which points to a number of design-based updates to the updated XL6 MPV. We could also see a revision of the features list, just like the Baleno, with a whole host of segment-first features, to combat the threat posed by the Kia Carens. Although it won’t be as heavy an update as the Baleno, there will certainly be a number of distinguishing features. One major change expected on the XL6 has to be the addition of the six-speed torque converter unit instead of the outdated four-speed one.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga

Just like the XL6, the Ertiga, too, will come with a number of cosmetic changes. Again, the six-speed torque converter could make its way to the Ertiga as well. In terms of differences between the upcoming XL6 and Ertiga, there’s the usual body cladding on the former, that should be carried forward, while the rear-end could be pretty much the same on both models. However, the front-end, like the current-generation models, could be unique to each. One other area where the Ertiga will set itself apart is the CNG department.

Volvo XC40 Recharge

Trusted online sources report that the XC40 Recharge as already been listed on Volvo’s India website. In case you’re wondering, it’s priced at Rs 75 lakh, which is quite a tidy sum of money, given that this the all-electric version of Volvo’s entry-level SUV. However, do note that these prices have not been confirmed yet by the Swedish automaker. It’s expected to come with a 78kWh battery pack, 400-odd kilometres of range and 408hp of peak power.

Toyota Hilux

After halting the booking process not too long ago, Toyota will reportedly get it back online in the month of April. This will be a welcome decision for all those eagerly waiting to get their hands on the utterly reliable and robust Hilux pick-up in India. The pricing is expected to be around the Rs 30 lakh mark, and once it does arrive, it will square off against the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross. Since the Fortuner and Hilux are extremely similar, expect it to share features, powertrains and components with the SUV.

Honda City Hybrid

The Honda City has been around in India for quite a while and has been constant on roads all around the country. It’s come in four different generations and then Honda launched the fifth-generation model in India last year. Now, there are reports that suggest that the Japanese automaker could be bringing a hybrid model capable of returning an astonishing 27.7 km/l (claimed), which should make things quite interesting. Although, the Honda City Hybrid will command a premium over the standard version.

Apart from these cars, there could also be a number of other launches, as well. Online reports suggest that the updated BMW X6 could also be launched in the month of April. There are also rumours that suggest that the CNG-equipped Baleno could also make its way to the market. In all honesty, it’s rather hard to pinpoint exactly which models will arrive. But, there can be calculated guesses made on information put out by trusted sources. Some of the most exciting launches post April have to be the Volkswagen Virtus and Jeep Meridian.

Royal Enfield sold 120 units of these limited edition motorcycles through an online flash sale in India in the month of December last year.

Royal Enfield commences deliveries of anniversary edition 650 twins in India

Indian Navy Rear Admiral Philipose G Pynumootil with his 120 years Anniversary Edition Interceptor 650. (Image: Royal Enfield)

Royal Enfield has commenced deliveries of the 120th year Anniversary Limited Edition 650 Twin motorcycles – the specially designed Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 – to customers in India. Unveiled at EICMA 2021, these motorcycles are conceptualized and designed in celebration of Royal Enfield’s rich and storied legacy of 120 years. A total of only 480 units were produced and distributed across four regions with 120 units each for India, Europe, Americas and South-East Asia, comprising 60 Continental GT 650s and 60 Interceptor INT 650s. Royal Enfield sold 120 units of these limited edition motorcycles through an online flash sale in India in the month of December last year.

Both these motorcycles come with a unique black-chrome colour scheme, complemented by blacked-out components with the engine, silencer and other elements in an array of black colour schemes. The motorcycles adorn a specially hand-crafted die-cast badge on the fuel tank and also bear the legendary Royal Enfield hand-painted pinstripes. The motorcycles are equipped with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories such as flyscreens, engine guards, heel guards, touring and bar end mirrors, amongst others, in a black disguise to complement the overall design.

The online flash sale that went live on December 6, 2021, saw an enthusiastic response from buyers across the country with over 17,000 registrations prior to the sale. In fact, RE claims that 120 units of these limited-edition motorcycles were sold in under 120 seconds. Earlier this week, the company began simultaneous deliveries of these limited edition anniversary motorcycles to customers across the country. Among several passionate motorcycling enthusiasts, Royal Enfield had the honour of delivering these limited edition motorcycles to a few celebrated and renowned personalities across the board.

As a piece of software, Krita has had an interesting history. With origins in various projects reaching back to 1998, Krita eventually became a free image-manipulation tool like Photoshop, or GIMP from about 2004 to 2009. After that time, the open-source program recruited students to work on its improvement, and in 2012 the Krita Foundation was formed to raise funds to continue supporting the completely free software. In 2015, Krita launched a Kickstarter campaign to take things to the next level. After smashing its fundraising goal, Krita got a basket of goodies added to it, making it unbelievably powerful, especially considering that the company still doesn’t charge for the product.

Unlike Photoshop, Krita is more aimed at straight-up illustrations, and so it’s a compelling tool for game designers, illustrators, comic creators and other makers who draw from scratch. You can, of course bring in photos and work on them just fine in Krita, but if photo work is your primary goal, you’ll likely want to get a more specialized software package.

However, when it comes to painting, Krita is hard to beat. 

You’ll find all the usual tools here including the chance to choose from over 100 different preset brush styles (including pens and pencils), as well as the chance to completely customize your own brush by working with nine different brush engines. One nice feature that illustrates Krita’s cooperative spirit, is that it offers users the ability to import brushes from other users and share brushes you create with the community. 

The software works with the layers system familiar to all Photoshop users, but the latest release of the software improved layer management, making it more flexible and intuitive. 

While Krita could rest on simply being a painting tool, the organization’s ethos leads to continual improvements, so with the new release of the software, animation is now supported. Just drop in your illustrations and the software will stitch them together into a smooth flow. And speaking of smooth, Krita also comes with built-in brush stabilizers to smooth out your lines if you have a shaky hand. 

The software is also packed with vector tools – including speech bubbles that make it easy to add words to your comics – and a new wrap-around mode lets you create repeat patterns that morph as you alter just one image. 

The standout feature of Krita’s new release might well be its improved speed. After all, the rallying cry of the 2015 Kickstarter campaign was “Let’s make it faster than Photoshop!” While it’s hard to say if that goal was achieved, it’s clear that Krita has received a serious speed boost. Previously, when working with very large canvases and large brushstrokes, users would have to put up with lag as the image rendered and re-rendered. Now, a real-time preview feature lets you see what you’re doing as you’re doing it, removing a source of frustration for serious designers.

Krita is available free for Windows, Mac and Linux, or inexpensive paid versions can be bought from the Windows Store ($9.97) or Steam ($9.99). Paying for a version lets you support Krita’s future development and entitles you to automatic updates every time one is released. 

We’ve compiled a list of the most economical CNG cars in India, and yes, all of them are Maruti Suzuki cars.

Top 5 most fuel-efficient factory-fitted CNG cars sold in India

There are a total of 12 factory-fitted CNG cars in India.

There are a total of 12 factory-fitted CNG cars sold in the country, all of which fall under the Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom) category. The prices range between Rs 4.95 lakh for the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 and go up to Rs 9.87 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Ertiga. There are also a few commercial vehicles, which aren’t available for the public to purchase. However, since the idea of CNG cars, surely, is to have a fuel-efficient and clean way of motoring. So, we’ve compiled a list of the most economical CNG cars in India, and yes, all of them are Maruti Suzuki cars. However, we’ve also added some honourable mentions towards the end of the article, along with all the other factory-fitted CNG cars sold currently.

Maruti Suzuki Celerio

The Celerio S-CNG is the most fuel-efficient of the lot, with a mileage of 35.6 km/kg (kilometre per kilogram), which is mighty impressive. Maruti Suzuki is said to have improved its S-CNG cars, which in total add up to seven models. It’s powered by a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, K-Series engine which produces 59PS of peak power and comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

The Wagon R comes in second with 34.05 km/kg, and is a lot more spacious than the Celerio, in that respect. It, too, is powered by the same 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, K-Series engine which produces 59PS of peak power and comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission. It’s priced from Rs 6.34 lakh (ex-showroom).

Maruti Suzuki Alto 800

The ubiquitous Alto 800 is next on the list with a mileage of 32.99 km/kg, which does make it rather pointless since there is a much more spacious and modern sibling out there with better fuel economy. It must be said though, that the Alto is in desperate need of a serious upgrade soon. It’s powered by an 800cc, three-cylinder petrol engine with 39PS of peak power.

Maruti Suzuki S-Presso

The boxy-yet spacious S-Presso follows the Alto with a fuel efficiency figure of 31.2 km/kg, which is impressive but puts the S-Presso in a similar predicament to the Alto 800. If one can go ahead and buy a Wagon R, then would the S-Presso stand a chance? Yes, price is a factor but so is space and size.

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Then there’s the freshly launched Maruti Suzuki Dzire, which is priced from Rs 8.14 lakh (ex-showroom) and boasts a fuel economy figure of 31.12 km/kg. It’s powered by a slightly peppier 1.2-lite, four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 77PS of peak power.

Although they aren’t the most fuel-efficient CNG cars sold in India, a special mention must go out to the Tata Tiago iCNG and Tata Tigor iCNG, as well. They are immensely safer than some of the CNG cars mentioned on this list, and that has to count for something. Other CNG cars on the market include the Hyundai Santro, Hyundai i10 Nios, Hyundai Aura, Maruti Suzuki Eeco and the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. However, one overbearing fact is that no factory-fitted CNG car in India comes with an automatic gearbox.

Once the Ferrari Purosangue SUV does arrive, it will compete against the Lamborghini Urus, Aston Martin DBX and Bentley Bentayga.

Ferrari Purosangue SUV officially teased ahead of debut later this year

Ferrari Purosangue officially teased for the very first time. (Image: Ferrari/Instagram)

The SUV bug has bitten almost everyone now. It was almost blasphemous to think that a sports or luxury car maker like Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Bentley or Ferrari would ever succumb to the pressures of the automotive world to finally make an SUV. Nonetheless, the day has arrived and Ferrari has finally teased the upcoming four-door Purosangue SUV on its social media handles. And although there were a few leaked images not too long back from a factory floor, Ferrari is counting on bringing out info on its brand new SUV in phases.

For example, the Instagram caption reads, “You’ve heard the rumours… and we’re delighted to confirm they’re true (some of them). All will be revealed later this year.” The front end shown in the teaser image points to a look clearly inspired by the SF90, especially those split LED headlamps. The muscular lines on the bonnet go well with the rather restrained look, at least from the front. There are also those large air intakes just below the LED DRLs and, of course, the slightly flared wheel arches, with the famed Ferrari logo smack dab in the middle of it all.

The Purosangue is expected to be powered by three different powertrains. The first could come from the 296 GTB, which is the twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor that puts out 819bhp. Then, there could be the hybrid twin-turbo V8 from the SF90, putting out a mind-blowing 1000bhp. Given that Ferrari had committed to producing V12 engines, the Purosangue SUV could probably come with a 6.5-litre, naturally aspirated, 12-cylinder engine as well. For the sake of purists, let’s hope that turns out to be true. Once it does arrive, it will compete against the Lamborghini Urus, Aston Martin DBX and Bentley Bentayga.

Given the rich pedigree of the Tiger models, could the 660 fill in the entry-level gap for the first time Triumph buyer?

Triumph Tiger Sport 660 set to arrive on March 29 - All you need to know

Triumph Tiger Sport 660. (Image: Triumph)

Triumph has released quite a number of teasers for the upcoming Tiger Sport 660 arriving in India, and recently we got a date as well. On March 29, the UK-based motorcycle manufacturer will launch its Trident 660-based tourer in India. As the name suggests, the Tiger Sport 660 will be the smallest adventure tourer the brand has in the country. However, it will differ from the Trident in a number of crucial ways. Namely – ergonomics, style and pricing. Given the rich pedigree of the Tiger models, could the 660 fill in the entry-level gap for the first time Triumph buyer?

In terms of ergonomics, the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 makes use of the same frame as the Trident 660, but has a slightly altered sub-frame and a longer swingarm, resulting in a longer wheelbase (11mm). Suspension travel has been increased too, on both ends by 150mm, which also means the seat height has gone up to 835mm. Triumph has also fiddled around with the seat to make it much more touring-friendly. However, the Tiger Sport will be powered by the same 660cc, three-cylinder motor which puts out 81hp and 64Nm; and comes mated to a six-speed gearbox.

In terms of design, the most obvious change has to be the semi-fairing, twin-LED headlamps and bigger fuel tank. There’s also a new TFT instrument cluster to go along with all the other changes. Overall, the Tiger Sport 660 looks quite well-finished and does appear like a genuine alternative to the Trident for the more touring-oriented. What remains to be seen is the pricing Triumph will employ with their upcoming ADV. It is likely to be priced around the Rs 9 lakh mark, according to trusted online sources, but that still is a lot more than the closest competitor – Kawasaki Versys 650 – which retails at Rs 7.15 lakh (ex-showroom).

Ola Electric has clocked around 1,766 total electric vehicle (EV) registrations in the country since 15 December, according to the government’s Vahan dashboard, as compared to 4,000 scooter shipments the company had claimed to have made in the month of December.

A majority of these registrations were done in Maharashtra and Karnataka, followed by Gujarat, Odisha and Tamil Nadu.

The company registered about 238 EVs in December, about 1,102 EVs in January and 424 EVs in the first week of February, data shows.

To be sure, Vahan dashboard does not capture data from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Lakshadweep, due to which the number of registered EVs in these states are not available.

An Ola Electric spokesperson told Moneycontrol that Vahan is not an accurate reflection of their dispatch and sales data, since there is a “long lag in data getting updated on the dashboard” and it only captures permanent registrations.

To put things in context, EV registrations for rival Ather were at 1,880 for the month of January according to the Vahan dashboard, while the company said it sold 2,825 units during the month.

This development comes on heels of Ola Electric raising over $200 million at a valuation of $5 billion from Tekne Private Ventures, Alpine Opportunity Fund, Edelweiss, and others.

Delayed deliveries

Ola Electric, which was spun out of the ride-hailing major Ola in 2019, had started deliveries of its electric scooters on 15 December, a significant delay from its initial plans of an October delivery timeline.

On 30 December, the firm had claimed to have shipped almost 4,000 scooters in December, of which it had claimed to have delivered more than a couple of thousands of vehicles across the country. But Vahan dashboard had showed less than 100 deliveries, Moneycontrol had reported.

Ola had told Moneycontrol at the time that the discrepancy in both the numbers was because different state RTOs upload their data on Vahan at a different pace, since some of them are on the older version of Vahan.

It’s worth noting that Ola has taken a direct-to-customer approach, wherein it is delivering the vehicles directly to the customers’ homes, instead of the traditional dealership model. On 31 December, Ola group CEO Bhavish Aggarwal had said on Twitter that the registration took longer than anticipated since a fully digital process was new for all stakeholders.

“Lots of learnings for us on varied RTO systems, regulations across states. Will be faster with registration in future!” he said on Twitter.

In a communication to Ola Electric customers on 14 January, Ola Electric had stated that deliveries of scooters can take 10-20 days after they have been dispatched from manufacturing facility, depending on the customer’s location and the RTO process requirements in their city.

Deferred production of Ola S1 scooters

In the same communication, Ola also said that it was prioritising the production of its costlier variant S1 Pro (which costs Rs 1.3 lakh) since a “vast majority” of its customers have purchased this variant and it will be making the S1 variant (which costs Rs 1 lakh) only in late 2022.

All customers who had booked the S1 variant, were now being “automatically upgraded” to S1 Pro hardware. Users will be able to unlock the Pro features such as increased range, hyper mode, hill hold, cruise control and voice assistance, by paying an extra Rs 30,000.

The company noted that this software upgrade was optional and customers can also choose to exercise this choice at a later stage. An Ola spokesperson said those receiving the S1 Pro still benefit from a better range of 105 km, which is less than the 135 km real-world range of the software-activated S1 Pro, but more than that of the S1.

“If you still wish to buy our S1 variant, we will notify you as soon as we put that into production and you can make the final payment then,” Ola said in the communication on 14 January.

Hypercharger Rollout

Meanwhile, Ola group CEO Bhavish Aggarwal recently announced that they have begun the rollout of its charging network points called Hypercharger across cities, starting with residential complexes and key BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited) petrol pumps.

“We’re installing across India and will make them operational in 6-8 weeks. Will be free for use till end June 2022 for all customers,” Aggarwal said.

The company plans to install over 4,000 charging points through next year, he said. In April 2021, Ola Electric had stated plans to invest $2 billion over the next five years along with its partners to set up more than one lakh charging stations across 400 cities.

Ola Electric is also among the 10 firms that have submitted bids under the Rs 18,100 crore production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery storage, the government said on 15 January.

The Bengaluru-based mobility firm is gearing up for a public market debut later this year. On 16 December, it raised $500 million debt financing from marquee international institutional investors through a Term Loan B route, joining the likes of Byju’s and Oyo.

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) often posts stunning pictures of the universe on its social media account. But this time, the agency has posted some images of divers “at the bottom of a very dark swimming pool”, training for NASA’s upcoming Moon mission.

The images, which take viewers behind the intense preparation involved in sending people to space, has left social media users intrigued.

The images were taken from a recent test held in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre. The images show a group of divers moving about in almost pitch-black conditions. The images were shared three days ago, on 6 February.

View the photos here:

According to NASA, these tests aim to prepare astronauts for future missions by exposing them to conditions that mimic those on the Moon, such as lunar terrain, suit mobility and one-sixth gravity.

NASA also gave a detailed explanation of how it is creating an environment similar to the Moon’s South Pole, where the agency aims to send its upcoming Artemis mission. At the South Pole of the Moon, the Sun will only be a few degrees over the horizon, which will create long, dark shadows. To create a similar environment, divers “turned off the lights, put up black curtains on the pool walls to minimise reflection, and used powerful underwater lamps to simulate the environment astronauts might experience on lunar missions”.

The sand visible in the images is common pool filter sand, mixed with some other specialised materials, as per the agency. NASA also stated that the present test was with divers in scuba gear to get the lighting conditions accurate. The agency will soon conduct tests using space suits in the low-light environment.

Since being posted, the images have been liked over 984,000 times. Several social media users have called the pictures “spooky”, while others have praised the agency for the stunning images.

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What’s in the name, you ask? In this case, probably everything if you happen to know its predecessor well. The Oppo Enco M31 wireless neckband was a cult classic courtesy of its detailed and balanced sound output. The audio quality was exceptional for its selling price close to Rs 2,000, unlike its bass heavy competitors. And it’s not like it completely ignored those who preferred extra bass (a vast majority of users in the segment) either.

The neckband had two sound profiles built in, and one could switch between balanced output and bass boost at the click of a button. A smart way to appeal to a broader audience. On top of that, the neckband supported Sony’s LDAC codecs for better throughput and flaunted a Hi-Res certification too. The only real drawback was its average battery backup south of 10 hours. All that Oppo needed to do with its successor was fit the Enco M31 with a larger battery and leave everything else untouched.

When the Oppo Enco M32 was announced with 28 hours of battery backup, we thought the company was looking to do exactly that. M31 with almost thrice the battery life was a tempting proposition indeed. Unfortunately, that is not what the company had in mind. Now there are two ways of looking at the Oppo Enco M32, one as a successor to the M31 and other as a completely non-related product saddled with a wrong model number. We will explore both routes in this review.

Price: Rs 1,499 to 1,799

Rating: 3.5/5

Package

Oppo Enco M32: Design and Comfort (8/10)

The build quality of the Oppo Enco M32 is pretty good. The earbud shells, battery pods and the rubberised neckband are made of quality materials. It has a nice even matte finish across with just a hint of gloss at the back of the earbud shells. We received the new green variant for review, which looks quite elegant, and is good enough even for someone like me who generally prefers black.

The Oppo Enco M32 weighs less than 27 grams, and the flexible neckband causes no discomfort around the neck even after hours of use. The angled silicone ear tips sit well in the ear canals and the U-shaped wings at the back of the buds provide a more reassuring fit, especially during a jog or a workout. Speaking of exercising, the Enco M32 is IP55 rated dust and splash resistant, and should easily survive a bit of sweat or a light drizzle.

Other than the preinstalled medium sized silicone eartips, the company bundles two more pairs to choose from to achieve good passive noise isolation. A volume rocker and a multifunction button located on the right module let you access all the key functions of this neckband, ranging from playback to calling. A USB-C port is placed under a protective flap for charging this neckband. A tiny multicoloured LED indicates the pairing status of these earphones and also gives you a rough idea about its battery level.

Oppo Enco M32: Features and Specifications (7/10)

‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix’, but who’s listening! Oppo made far too many changes to the product to a point where it barely feels like M31’s successor. The support for Bluetooth codecs is now limited to SBC and AAC; no LDAC support here. Oppo hasn’t even bothered to upgrade the Bluetooth version from 5.0 with several brands now offering version 5.1 or 5.2.

The dual sound profiles have been given a skip too, and you have to make do with the default sound signature which isn’t as good as the M31’s. There is no companion app to tweak it either. The size of the dynamic drivers has increased, which is fine. Each earbud is now fitted with a 10 mm unit. The back of the buds have magnetic tips that hold the earbuds in place when not in use, and also act as an on/off switch, just like its predecessor. The magnets are powerful enough to hold them in place and avoid accidental separation with minimal force.

Battery backup is the only area where it shines brighter than the M31, much brighter. Battery capacity has been increased significantly from the measly 88 mAh on its predecessor to 220 mAh on the M32. Even better, this significant increase in battery reserves has led to only a 5 grams weight gain, that is not even noticeable. The neckband doesn’t look bloated either. So a job well done on this front.

Control Pod + USB-C

Oppo Enco M32: Performance (6.5/10)

Pairing the Oppo Enco M32 is a standard process. All you need to do is separate the buds to enter pairing mode, find the neckband in the list of Bluetooth devices and pair. Wireless range is perfectly fine with the neckband retaining a strong connection up to 10 metres with a clear line of sight, and half of that with a concrete wall in between the source device and the listener.

Moving on to the sound quality, gone is the balanced sound signature of the Oppo Enco M31. It is now replaced with the typical V-shaped sound on the M32 to please the masses. And even that is a little imbalanced on either side of 40 to 60% volume level. Chances are you won’t even notice the issue as more often than not you will play the audio in that loudness range. But let me explain.

The earphones get sufficiently loud at 45 to 50% volume, and even outdoors, I didn’t have to go beyond 60% often. When you listen to music on these earphones below 40% loudness, the sound is largely bass dominated. The excess bass overshadows the midrange frequencies and lower midrange frequencies get majorly impacted. Even vocals feel recessed in bass-heavy tracks. Closer to the halfway mark, there is a lot more balance between the lows and highs with a good amount of sparkle.

As you go beyond 60% volume, the highs start to dominate and the bass feels inadequate. Beyond 70%, these earphones sound sibilant and far from pleasant. Hence, it is advisable to play the Oppo Enco M32 in the 40 to 60% loudness range for best results. The imaging is decent but the soundstage feels more centred than broad here; passable for the segment.

Buds design

Oppo Enco M32: Call quality (6/10)

Calling is not one of the strong points of the Oppo Enco M32. The call quality is average, especially when outdoors. It is perfectly fine when indoors with both people on the call perfectly audible to each other. But outside in a noisy area, the environmental noise cancellation circuitry (if any) barely works. The omni-directional microphone picks up a lot of ambient noise that impacts the conversation.

Oppo Enco M32: Battery life (9/10)

The battery backup is supposed to be the most striking feature of this neckband and it delivers in abundance. The company claims a battery backup of 28 hours. During my testing, at 50 to 60% loudness, the neckband went on for close to 24 hours with roughly 3 hours of daily usage, mainly music playback and movies and very little calling. These are excellent numbers, and way higher than those of the Oppo Enco M31.

As I mentioned earlier, the M32 has a USB-C port for charging. What’s more, it supports fast charging and the numbers are mighty impressive. A mere 10 minutes of charging gave me over 15 hours of play time, which is topnotch. This neckband can be charged fully in about 35 to 40 minutes, which is quite brisk. All in all, Oppo has managed to do a great job in the battery department on every front.

Oppo Enco M32: Price and verdict

The Oppo Enco M32 was launched at an introductory price of Rs 1,499 with a one year warranty, but later bumped it up to Rs 1,799. But it often sells for its launch price even now, which is fair for what it offers. Close to 2K, it would run into competition it won’t be able to handle. By now we know that the M32 is not the ideal successor for the M31. The company could have called it anything else and the complaints would have been far fewer.

If you keep the model number aside for a moment, you get a wireless neckband with good finish and build, decent sound output in the right loudness band, excellent battery backup and even better fast charging. And let’s not forget, it is a good 25% cheaper than its predecessor, which is almost impossible to find these days. The Oppo Enco M32 also has other competitors under Rs 1,500 to contend with; Boat Rockerz 330 and Realme Buds Wireless 2 Neo to name a couple.

The Boat Rockerz 330 offers comparable audio quality and battery backup, and much better call quality. However, the finish and build aren’t as good, and it also lacks features like a magnetic power switch. The Realme Buds Wireless 2 Neo matches the Oppo in terms of features and build quality, and also offers a more pleasant sound output and further customizations through the companion Realme Link app. However, the battery backup is significantly lower, and fast charging is not at the same level as that of the M32.

One thing Oppo can still do (and I hope they do) is take the battery department of the M32 and plug it into the M31 with all its features intact, add a bit of premium to the selling price and call it Oppo Enco M32 Pro. Worth a shot, no?

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Our list of phones under Rs 50,000 this month is loaded with handsets with top of the line processors, premium designs and high quality cameras — basically pretty much everything one expects from a flagship smartphone. There are quite a few new entrants in this list as compared to the one from last quarter. Time to meet them.

Best phones to buy under Rs 50,000 in India

Apple iPhone 12 Mini

The smallest of Apple’s iPhone 12 series phones is still available under Rs 50,000; its 64 GB storage variant. The Apple iPhone 12 Mini is great for single-handed operation. And it’s not just about a smaller size but the availability of a proper flagship device in a compact form factor without skipping any key feature from its larger sibling is what makes it special. It is powered by the A14 Bionic chip that powers the entire iPhone 12 series.

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The Apple iPhone 12 Mini is pretty much the iPhone 12 in a smaller body. In fact, its display is even sharper than the 12 in terms of pixel density, thanks to its compact Full HD+ 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen. Two 12MP cameras (primary with OIS and an ultrawide shooter) at the back offer top notch performance in different lighting, and can shoot some excellent videos too. It launched with iOS 14, and is easily upgradeable to the latest iOS 15.

Apple iPhone 12 Mini price in India: Rs 49,999 for 64 GB storage

Asus ROG Phone 5s

The Asus ROG Phone 5s is pretty much the ROG Phone 5 with an even faster processor, and sells for the exact price. Other than a powerful processing hardware, the phone has several optimisations and enhancements to give the gamers a premium gaming experience. The phone is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888+ SoC, and you get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant in this budget. This phone runs Android 11 with ROG UI.

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Its large 6.78-inch Full HD+ 10-bit AMOLED display has a 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compliance and can get up to 1200 nits bright. Though this phone is targeted primarily at mobiler gamers, the rear camera department is more than decent. It consists of a 64MP primary camera, 13MP ultra-wide shooter and a 5MP macro camera. The Asus ROG Phone 5s retains the large 6000 mAh battery for long, uninterrupted gaming sessions, and even better, the bundled 65W fast charger can juice it up fully in under an hour.

Asus ROG Phone 5s price in India: Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Motorola Edge 30 Pro

The newly launched Motorola Edge 30 Pro is another mighty impressive option in this budget that offers some top features. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s fastest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. Its 6.7-inch Full HD+ OLED display flaunts a 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compliance and capability to display over a billion colour shades. There is Corning Gorilla Glass protection against scratches at the front and back.

The photography department on the Motorola Edge 30 Pro is helmed by a 50MP primary camera with OIS. You get another 50MP camera for ultra-wide photography and a 2MP depth sensor. If that wasn’t enough, Motorola has opted for a 60MP front camera to woo the selfie crowd. Its 4800 mAh battery lasts for over a day of moderate use and supports 68W fast charging as well as 15W fast wireless charging. This phone runs Android 12 out of the box, and like most Motorola phones, you get a clean and near-stock user interface.

Motorola Edge 30 Pro price in India: Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

OnePlus 9

The price of the OnePlus 9 has dropped significantly and you can score even its top variant with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage within our budget. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship grade Snapdragon 888 chip. It has a 6.55-inch Full HD+ Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ compliance. The phone has an elegant design with a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back.

The rear camera department isn’t as versatile as its Pro variant, but you do get Hasselblad colour calibration here too that does make a difference. Photography is handled by a 48MP primary camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus — one of the best ultrawide cameras on phones, and a 2MP mono camera. The cameras manage to shoot some impressive images in different lighting conditions with natural colours.

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A 16MP front camera located in a tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen does a good job with selfies and video calls. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use comfortably, and the bundled 65W Warp charger juices it up in just about half an hour. The phone launched with OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11, and the Android 12 update with OxygenOS 12 is already available.

OnePlus 9 price in India: Rs 44,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage; Rs 49,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

iQOO 9 5G

Here’s another fully loaded device from the Vivo sub-brand. The new iQOO 9 5G too is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888+ chip, and you get either 8 GB or 12 GB RAM and 128 GB or 256 GB internal storage to go with it. Its 6.56-inch HDR10+ compliant Full HD+ AMOLED display has 120 Hz refresh rate and can display a billion colour shades. The phone runs Android 12 with FunTouch OS 12.

The rear camera department here is quite interesting. You get a 48MP primary camera with Gimbal stabilisation, accompanied by a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 13MP 50 mm professional portrait camera, which is particularly interesting. You get a handy 16MP front camera for selfies and video calls. The iQOO 9 5G has a 4350 mAh battery that lasts for a day of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge it fully in just 18 minutes. Yes, you read that right!

iQOO 9 5G price in India: Rs 42,990 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage; Rs 46,990 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

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Some of the handsets from our list of phones under Rs 60,000 from last quarter have retained their place in this list too. However, in most cases, you now get a higher capacity variant or a more lucrative deal, which is great if you were dreaming about owning those phones. Powerusers, gamers, photography enthusiasts, all have a lot to look forward to in this list. Check it out.

Best phones to buy under Rs 60,000 in India

Apple iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 was available for a Rupee under Rs 60,000 last quarter too, but now you get its 128 GB storage variant for the same price as opposed to 64 GB. The iPhone 12 has just the perfect size for single handed operation. Its 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen is compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and protected against scratches and smudges with a ceramic glass and oleophobic coating respectively.

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Powering it is Apple’s previous flagship A14 Bionic chip that is still quite a powerful processor for any task you intend to perform on this phone. You get the two trusted 12MP cameras at the back with the primary lens offering OIS, and the secondary capable of capturing ultra-wide shots. You already know that the performance is top notch in different lighting, and it can shoot some excellent videos too. The Apple iPhone 12 launched with iOS 14, and is easily upgradable to iOS 15.

Apple iPhone 12 price in India: Rs 59,999 for 128 GB storage

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

We are fond of compact flagship phones, and hence we added one more to this list from an equally premium brand. Just like the iPhone 12, the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G too has IP68 ingress protection. It has a 6.2-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits, HDR10+ compliance and 120 Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2100 chip which can be found in most of their high-end phones in recent times. You get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage here. The phone runs Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.x.

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Photography department on the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has a combination of three cameras at the back starting with a 12MP primary camera with OIS, 12MP ultra-wide camera and a 64MP telephoto camera with OIS that provides up to 3X Hybrid zoom. The camera performance is impressive with excellent detail, close to natural colours and wide dynamic range. Its low light performance is commendable too. This phone can also record videos up to 8K resolution. A 4000 mAh battery keeps the phone running for over a day of moderate use and supports wireless charging too.

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G price in India: Rs 51,900 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus 9 Pro is another great option under 60K, and you can save as much as another Rs 10,000 on Amazon India if you have the right credit card. It is a pretty good buy even without the offer. A metal frame and a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back makes the phone elegant and sturdy. It has a 6.7-inch LTPO Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a higher than usual resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels. The HDR10+ compliant screen can display a billion colours and get up to 1300 nits bright.

The photography department is highly versatile with a combination of 48MP primary camera with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus, 8MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3.3X optical zoom and a 2MP mono camera. Hasselblad’s colour tuning lends a natural tone to the colours as compared to its predecessors. The cameras manage to capture impressive shots in different lighting and modes. The 16MP front camera located in a tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen is more than decent for selfies and video calls.

OnePlus-9-pro1 (1)

The 5G ready OnePlus 9 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship grade Snapdragon 888 SoC, and you get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage variant in this budget. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 65W Warp charger juices it up in just about half an hour. The phone also supports fast wireless charging and has IP68 rated ingress protection. It runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11. Android 12 update with a lot of bug fixes is already available for this phone.

OnePlus 9 Pro price in India: Rs 59,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Asus ROG Phone 5s

While the top variant of the Asus ROG Phone 5 was hard to find, there are no such issues with the 5s, at least for now. You can get the 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage variant comfortably in this budget. Needless to say it is a great option for gamers in this segment. You may also consider its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant. Except for the memory numbers, the rest of the stuff remains the same, and you can save a good Rs 8,000 too. The phone offers several optimisations and enhancements to give the gamers a superior gaming experience.

ROG-Phone-5-1280 (1)

The Asus ROG Phone 5s is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888+ SoC, and has a 6.78-inch Full HD+, HDR10+ compliant, 10-bit AMOLED display with 144 Hz refresh rate. The rear camera department consists of a 64MP primary camera, 13MP ultra-wide snapper and a 5MP macro camera. It has a large 6000 mAh battery that facilitates longer gaming sessions, and the bundled 65W fast charger can charge it fully in less than an hour. This phone runs Android 11 with ROG UI.

Asus ROG Phone 5s price in India: Rs 57,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage; Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Motorola Edge 30 Pro

The new Motorola Edge 30 Pro actually sells in the sub-50K bracket, but the phone is good enough to give the phones in this budget a run for their money, courtesy of its processing muscle and some premium features. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s fastest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip and comes with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. It has a 6.7-inch Full HD+ OLED display that flaunts 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ compliance and capability to display over a billion colour shades. There is Corning Gorilla Glass protection against scratches at the front and back.

The photography department consists of a 50MP primary camera with OIS. You get another 50MP camera for ultra-wide photography and a 2MP depth sensor. The selfie enthusiasts are in for a treat too thanks to its 60MP front camera. Its 4800 mAh battery lasts for over a day of moderate use and supports 68W fast charging as well as 15W fast wireless charging. It runs Android 12 out of the box, and like most Motorola phones, the Motorola Edge 30 Pro has a clean and near-stock user interface; another big plus.

Motorola Edge 30 Pro price in India: Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

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