By Ashwin Rajagopalan
Your monthly ‘how to spend it’ guide to all the cool new gadgets
Here’s your monthly ‘how to spend it’ guide to all the cool, new gadgets launched last month. From smartphones like the Xiaomi 12 Pro and the Motorola Edge 30 to laptops and wireless earbuds, the last month had something for every tech enthusiast.
SLEEP TIGHT
The Google Nest Cam (Battery) gives you an additional control and peace of mind. This camera seamlessly integrates with your smartphone, backed by Tata Play’s subscription based service. The Nest Cam is about 3.27-inches wide, and sticks to the base with a magnetic connector. It’s quite secure, and the base is easy to install should you choose a wall mounted option. It’s IP54-certified, ready for splashes from the rain. The Nest cam offers a 130-degree diagonal field of view, 6X digital zoom, two-way audio, and delivers clear visuals thanks to a 1080P camera. Rs 11,999 onwards.
LONG LIVE THE NIGHT
The Vivo X80 is part of Vivo’s latest flagship duo (along with the X80 Pro), and is betting big on its rear camera system. You can’t miss the large rear camera module co-designed with Zeiss that blends a 50MP primary cam, a 12MP ultra-wide and a 12MP telephoto lens (2x zoom). The 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display (2400 x 1080 pixels) features a 120Hz refresh rate and is binge proof. It’s powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor, and comes with a 4500 mAh battery under the hood. Vivo’s 80W in-box FlashCharge charger takes your device from 0 to 100 per cent in just over 40 minutes. Rs 54,999 onwards.
SLINKY ROAD WARRIOR
ASUS’ Zenbook S 13 OLED is positioned as the world’s thinnest and lightest 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED touch screen laptop. This slinky workhorse is just 14.9mm thin, and weighs just above 1 kg. It’s the first notebook in India to be powered by Ryzen 6000 series CPUs. Crafted with a magnesium aluminium alloy that keeps the laptop light and durable, the S13 comes in two refreshing pastel shades. The immersive screen features a tall 16:10 ratio, and is backed by dual speakers with Dolby Atmos support. Battery life is solid, thanks to a 67WHrs battery; there’s a 65W fast charger in the box. Rs 99,990 onwards.
LIGHT AS AIR
The new MacBook Air, powered by the M2 processor, is probably the biggest overhaul of Apple’s slim laptop line since its debut in 2008. At 11.3 mm, this is one of the thinnest laptops out there, and weighs just a shade above 1.2 kg. It’s thin from every angle and crafted with a durable, all-aluminium unibody enclosure. The M2 chip is the talking point of the 2022 MacBook Air. It starts the next generation of Apple silicon for the Mac, taking the breakthrough performance, power efficiency, and capabilities of M1
even further. This laptop features a more powerful 8-core CPU and up to 10-core GPU, so you can get more done faster. The other showstopper is the new 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with much thinner borders that peaks at 500 nits of brightness. Rs 1,19,000 onwards
TICKS ALL BOXES
The OnePlus Nord 2T is a throwback to the OnePlus of old, and scores on the features that matter for the most of us. We dig the Gray Shadow colour option with a sandstone finish, reminiscent of the OnePlus One, the OnePlus device that started it all. At its heart is a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 processor that’s complemented by two hardware variants— 8GB/128GB or 12GB/256GB. Our favourite feature is the rear camera that combines a 50MP Sony IMX766 primary lens with an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP mono-lens, and delivers across different scenarios. Other highlights include a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and an 80W SuperVOOC charger in the box that powers the device in less than 30 minutes. Rs 28,999 onwards
KEEPING TABS
The OPPO Pad Air marks the brand’s first foray into the tablet space at a time when tabs are witnessing a comeback of sorts. It lives up to its Air suffix with its slim 6.94mm thickness. The 10.36-inch (2000 x 1200 pixels) 2K IPS screen packs gorgeous colours. This ultra-light tab is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor, and comes in a choice of 4GB/64GB and 4GB/128GB hardware variants. It feels really good in your hand with a unique 3D Texture, and also offers stylus support for OPPO’s Smart Stylus Pen. Rs 16,999 onwards
Reproduced with permission from Mansworldindia.com
