Echo Input Now Available To Buy On Amazon India - Make Your Ordinary Speakers Smart.

Image Source: Amazon

            Yesterday Amazon launched their newest Amazon Echo Input for the Indian audience. Echo Input is essentially a small device which converts any of your ordinary set of speakers into a smart speaker giving them access to Amazon Web Services with the help of Alexa. You can connect your Echo Input to your speaker via the support of a 3.5mm audio connector(Cable has been included in the box), or via Bluetooth just in case you have a wireless speaker. After the connection is complete, you can keep yourselves entertained with the help of Alexa as you can utilise thousands of Alexa Skills from the Skills store. The Echo Input comes with a four-microphone array setup so voice detection would be good enough that you can invoke the Alexa Assistant from quite a distance.

Echo Input Now Available To Buy On Amazon India - Make Your Ordinary Speakers Smart.

Image Source: Amazon

               Speaking about it's all around form factor, the Echo Input is 12.5mm thick which is practically less than a deck of cards as quoted by Amazon's spokesperson. So it's sleek form factor helps it blend easily into any room. To check the additional functionalities of the Echo Input, one can use the Alexa App by downloading it from your respective app stores(Android/iOS). With the help of the app, you can create multi-room pairs to add a twist to your existing audio setup. Here if you have not connected your Echo Input to any other proprietary speaker, you won't be able to listen to the audio played as there are no speakers present on the Echo Input, which is unlike the small speaker present on the Echo Dot. However, you can control the volume of your Echo Input with your voice, though still the output of the same would be reflected on the connected speaker. Speaking about Audio, we are familiar with the fact that Amazon Prime Music subscription was announced earlier with Echo Legacy devices, which later expanded to Saavn and TuneIn. Well now with the help of the new launch of Echo Input, you can now enjoy your favourite music from the additional streaming services such as Hungama and Gaana starting today on all of your Echo Devices.


“Our customers tell us that they love the convenience of being able to ask Alexa to play music, get information, control smart home devices, & much more,” commented Jayshree Gururaj, Director, Amazon Devices. “With Echo Input, we are giving users even more options to choose the best Echo device for their needs. Adding Echo Input to your existing speakers is the easiest way to begin your voice-first experience with Alexa.”

Image Source: Amazon

          There is some early launch offers with the all-new Echo Input as well with the following brands - Bose, JBL and UE Boom. So when you purchase specific speakers from these earlier mentioned brands, you get up to Rs. 2,999 off. You can find the details listed here: Echo Input Offers. The Echo Input is available at a stand-alone price of Rs, 2,999 and it would be shipped immediately once the order gets placed. It'll also be available locally in Chroma, Vijay Sales and other offline retailers shortly. So the Echo Input finally joins the family of Echo devices in the Indian Smart home space adding the power of Alexa without disrupting your existing audio setup. 


Image Source: Amazon
Also See: Amazon Announces New 2018 Edition - Echo Dot, Echo Plus & Echo Sub in India. 

Alexa Can Now Play Songs On Your Phone Via The New Hands-Free Feature In The Amazon Prime Music App.

Image Source: Amazon

             If you're an Amazon Prime Member, you must be pretty familiar with the Amazon Prime Music services as it comes bundled with the membership. Not so long ago, they introduced Alexa integration within their Prime Music app. After which you could interact with Alexa to play your favourite song or control your smart home right within the Amazon Prime Music app on your phone. However, all the actions earlier were initiated by tapping the Alexa button inside the app. But yesterday Amazon announced that now you can control Alexa hands-free within the app to start listening to your favourite music. You don't need to type, search or select any song; everything is controlled purely via your Voice.

Alexa Can Now Play Songs On Your Phone Via The New Hands-Free Feature In The Amazon Prime Music App. 

Image Source: Amazon

           Amazon Prime Music subscribers can get a taste of hands-free music listening experience with the help of Alexa to play the music on the go inside the app, whereas yes it's readily made available on both Android & iOS platforms. So what are all the likely possibilities that we can verify via this hands-free Alexa update? Let's break it down.

• So primarily, it can be used to listen to your favourite tracks, playlists or any particular song as per your demands. You can create new playlists, play/pause/repeat, increase/decrease volume, listen to the latest songs etc. with your Voice. 
• The Hands-free experience can be accessed only when the user is using the app, which translates to the app being in the foreground and being active. It also works when you're listening to your favourite songs on your earphones; you can activate Alexa just by speaking the keyword, "Alexa, play......etc.". It is going to be a lot more convenient during workout sessions or let's say during any other task where your hands might be occupied in something else. 
• If you like a song which is currently playing, you can ask Alexa to add that particular song to your existing playlist or create a new one. 
• You can tell Alexa to play songs which you might not have heard since a while or play songs from the recently played playlists, and it'll do the required job. Primarily if you had an Echo device, all these existing commands would work the same here on your phone as before. 

Image Source: Amazon

             Mr.Sahas Malhotra, Director, Amazon Prime Music shared his thoughts on the launch, “We want to make music listening as easy & enjoyable as possible. The launch of the Hands-Free feature on the Amazon Prime Music app eliminates yet another step between you & your music, giving you the freedom from tapping the Alexa icon & simply asking for your favourite music and since its initial launch in the US in 2018, providing Hands-Free listening in the app has been one of the top requests by our listeners for the music app. Also, today, Amazon Prime Music is making mobile music streaming even better by enabling this new functionality in our app for our listeners. This brings the voice-forward music listening experience that customers love on Echo devices to the rich, visual mobile app interface”.

Image Source: Amazon

                   Amazon Prime members can access all these newly announced features for free starting today, all they have to do is update their app from their respective app stores. If you're not a prime member, then you can readily become one by signing up for the subscription service at Rs.129/month. Alternatively, if the users wish to disable the hand's free feature, they can do the same by unchecking the Hands-Free With Alexa mode in the settings tab inside the Amazon Prime Music app.


Image Source: Amazon
Also See: How to setup Amazon Alexa as your default assistant on your Android Device. 

LG Unveils The World's First Rollable OLED TV at CES 2019.

Image Source: LG

           LG is back with a bang by introducing the World's First Rollable OLED TV in a stunning, small form factor. The model name goes like LG Signature OLED TV R(Model 65R9), where the R stands for creating a revolution in the indoor entertainment systems with the help of the motorised sliding rollable TV mechanism, all accessible at a touch of a button. This new standard of a size variable form factor is quite the future, and that combined with the industry-leading OLED technology is cherry on the top of the cake. The new form factor produces better image quality thanks to the OLED panel, whereas it also boosts the sound output as compared to the earlier iterations of their products.

LG Unveils The World's First Rollable OLED TV at CES 2019.

Image Source: LG 

           So the first thing that might come to your mind is why the rollable TV approach? Well, ever since the beginning of the Television era we have all seen the boring old rectangular designs, as seen with the transition of CRT to LCD/LED displays, thus providing only one traditional way to interact with your boring old TV set. So even if you were using your TV set for listening to your favourite music, unnecessary pixels were being utilised thus ending up in consumption of more power. Whereas speaking about the general scenario, the TV set design takes up a lot of space when it's turned off & no it doesn't add any value to your living room in that state. So throughout the years, various manufacturers have tried their best to make slimmer more variable designs(Wallpaper) to make it look natural at times in your home. But this week, the company LG breaks the barriers in this space by introducing rollable designs by not only crushing the standard stereotype but by actually creating something meaningful in the form of multiple view prospects that we would shortly discuss.

Image Source: LG

            So the design as you can see from the image above is created in such a way that the display can magically rise up/down with the help of a button. LG quotes that this innovation defies logic and is a real game-changer regarding future tech. The LG Signature OLED TV can change itself in three different viewing modes - Full view, Line View & Zero View. All of these advancements are possible due to the ThinQ AI and the Alpha 9 Gen 2 processor on board. Now let's understand these three different viewing mode one by one.


Full View:

Image Source: LG

            The Full View as the name suggests is the FullScreen viewing mode which delivers the best performance ensuring that the contrast, colours, depth and all the minute details are to its fullest extent. It also comes embedded with AI Picture feature(composed with deep learning) and the sound quality on board is powered by the LG's Alpha 9 Processor which is a 2nd generation chipset. The users have the novelty to use Amazon Alexa and control the viewing experience, listen to songs or set up their smart home with the same. Surprisingly enough, even Apple Airplay 2 and HomeKit services are available for them to consume. With the help of Airplay 2, the iOS/Mac users can easily play videos from iTunes, and other related apps from the Apple App Store directly to the LG Signature OLED TV R. HomeKit integration allows users to directly control their smart home gadgets from their TV sets using the Home App or via Siri. Both of these services offered by Amazon and Apple are made available on all of the LG's AI TV Lineup for 2019.


Line View:

Image Source: LG

              The Line View offers a viewing experience in which the display screen opens up partially, which allows the use of some critical tasks or operations which do not require the entire screen real estate. In this mode, the users can use features such as Music Player, Home Dashboard Panel, Frames, Clock and Mood. When the user has selected the Clock mode, he/she can check the time and weather at a glance. In the Frame mode, one can view the family photos shared from their smartphone, whereas turning on the mood mode creates a relaxing atmosphere.


Zero View:

Image Source: LG

              In the Zero View mode, the entire 65 inch TV display remains tucked inside the base. Though in this mode, the users can enjoy their favourite music from the 4.2 channel 100W front firing Dolby Atmos audio bar system. Even when the entire display is tucked in, the soundbar beneath exudes excellent quality finish due to the brushed aluminum casing of the body.


             Apart from these details mentioned above, the Availability and pricing details are yet to be announced. However do keep an eye on our blog for much more coverage from CES 2019.


Source: LG
Also See: Matrix Powerwatch 2 Charges Via Body Heat And Boasts A Colour Display. 

Matrix announces the new Matrix Powerwatch 2 - Uses Body Heat For Charging & Solar Power.

Image Source: Matrix

           Even the thought of holding a gadget that doesn't even require any physical charging to operate is splendid, on top of that if the same doesn't include any power input for juicing up might seem a bit tangy at first, but it's quite exciting. By the topic of this post, you already know that we're talking about Smartwatches. Smartwatch - an extension to your smartphone for having a glance over your notifications and for tracking your fitness activities. This space is getting densely crowded thanks to the several smartwatch manufacturers. But the fact that there's one extra device to charge daily just annoys me, which is why I usually opt for either Smartbands or Hybrid Smartwatches wherein there's a novelty of charging the particular device once a week or more at the minimum. Well, the company Matrix was first to the rescue by solving this problem earlier this year by launching their Matrix Powerwatch which used to charge via the body heat. But it had few shortcomings, so to address those issues, the company Matrix is back this year announcing their newest offering - Matrix Powerwatch 2 at CES 2019. Let's find out more about its specifications, pricing and availability.

Matrix announces the new Matrix Powerwatch 2 - Uses Body Heat For Charging & Solar Power.

Image Source: Matrix

Matrix Powerwatch 2 Specifications & Features: 

• It sports a 1.2 inch LCD colour display than the earlier black and white. It's an always-on display; however, you can get an option to disable that feature. According to several publications featuring the story & covering the event live, the outdoor visibility on the watch is quite good. 
• Comes with GPS location tracking support, heart rate monitoring and Fitness Tracking features(pace, distance, steps, sleep, cadence, and more.). 
• It charges via thermometric charging technology which converts the heat emitted heat from your wrist & the ambient light into power. Also as an addition to the earlier iteration, it now comes with solar charging inbuilt. There is no port available for power input. The Powerwatch 2 is also able to tell, how much power it gets received from your body heat. 
• Its available in 42mm dial features an aluminium casing and has a rubber strap. The watch has a rugged built which is durable for outdoor activities on a stretch. 
• It's water resistant up to 200 meters, so you can easily take it out for a spin inside swimming pool. 

Image Source: Matrix

              The main headlining feature above all in this smartwatch is the thermometric charging technology, which makes it stand apart from its category. It is the same technology used by NASA for powering the Voyager Spacecraft and the Mars Rover. This charging principle is base on the Seebeck effect discovered back in 1821. Even the Solar Cell ring has been positioned inside the watch's bezels which is capable of storing power from either Indoor or Outdoor lighting conditions.

Matrix Powerwatch 2 - Above & Beyond Charging Approach.

Image Source: Matrix       

           Talking about the footprint, the PowerWatch 2 is a bit smaller when compared to it's earlier iterations, although you can still easily make out from the image above that it won't go well on smaller wrists. However that same big rugged built makes it suitable for wearing it on hiking & outdoor activities. But apart from that this won't be called as a smart - smartwatch, as there's an absence of an App Store; meaning you cannot install any third party apps, which means, in turn, there would be limited support for push notifications. That being said, the Powerwatch 2 is compatible with Apple Homekit and Google Fit, wherein you can easily sync your fitness activities to have an in-depth breakout of your workout sessions on the respective platforms. You cannot even place calls from the watch; however, I find this feature to be useless so I wouldn't complain about it.  So put it into a bigger picture the Powerwatch 2 cannot be compared to the likes of Apple Watch of the Google's large Android Wear devices, but instead, it can be considered as a novelty for those who rather stick to outdoor hikes or runs. It has been made for the ones who aren't always nearby a power source. So we must appreciate the efforts made by Matrix to go above an beyond the traditional and conventional approach and creating a masterpiece. It could quite possibly be the future of how smartwatches rather smart gadgets could get charged. Although I wish they find a way to support 3rd party apps in the coming generations ahead.

Image Source: Matrix 

            The PowerWatch 2 is available for pre-order on Indiegogo at an early bird offer for $199. The expected retails price is going to be $499 as mentioned on the Indiegogo campaign page followed by the products to hit the market in June 2019.

Image Source: Matrix

Source: Matrix via The Verge

Also See: 7 Things You Should Know About The Google Pixel 3 Devices. 

Nokia 106 Launched In India - Specifications & Price

Image Source: Nokia 

           Two days ago, HMD Global - parent company of Nokia announced their newest offering to the feature phone segment - the Nokia 106. As expected from a feature phone category, the new Nokia 106 offers incredible battery life & a simple, reliable design at an affordable price point.  Let's find out more details on it regarding its specifications and price.


           During the launch, Mr Ajey Mehta, Vice President and Country Head – India, HMD Global commented, “India is an important feature phone market. Consumers here seek outstanding battery life, a simple to use interface, & great durability from a trusted brand like Nokia. Nokia phones are synonymous with these qualities & we’re delighted to introduce the Nokia 106 to our feature phone portfolio & hope to continue to drive connectivity for millions of consumers here.”

Image Source: Nokia

 
Nokia 106 Launched In India - Specifications & Price. 

•  It comes with an 800 mAh battery which can provide up to 15.7 hours of talk time and standby time up to 21 days on a single charge.  Whereas to juice it back up, it comes with a micro-USB port for charging.  
• It features a polycarbonate body, and the company quotes that they have made the design to be less prone to scratches. The colour blends smoothly into the phone design as well, the phone is compact(70.2g) making it easier for a perfect grip in your hands. The company even says that keypad on the phones is more comfortable to type even in the dark, due to the proper feedback. 
• Regarding internal storage capacity, you can store up to 2000 contacts & about 500 messages. 
• The Nokia 106 also features an LED torch, and you can listen to your favourite radio stations with the help of the inbuilt FM option. 
• While giving it a classic retro touch, it comes pre-loaded with the Classic Snake Xenzia game. 
• Available in Dark Grey colour variant.

Image Source: Nokia

Nokia 106 - Price.  

       The Nokia 106 will retail for the price of Rs.1,299/- INR, and it'll be available across all major retailers in the country. You can find the phone listed on Nokia's website as well.

Best Buy Links(Slightly Costly): 
Amazon - Rs.1499
Flipkart  - Rs.1335 

Source: Press Release

Source: Press Release.
Image Source: Nokia's Website.

Also See: Google Maps now displays "Auto Rickshaw" mode for public transport in Delhi.  

Google launches new Google My Business App.

Source: Google My Business

         In this day and age, being digitally present is a key and an important task. More importantly, if you own a business, then creating a personal brand and creating awareness surrounding it should be one's utmost priority. On the other hand, Google has been helping out small and medium enterprises to stand out from the crowd by listing them on Google Maps since a while now. Looking at the increasing demand of the users, yesterday Google released an entirely new and redesigned version of the Google My Business app. The new app extends the services catering free and straightforward tools for SMEs to begin their digital journey around the globe via listings on Google Maps and then expanding their online presence with Google Search.

         The new app lets any business to update their profile, interact with the customers and find new ones in real time. The app now supports new features such as customer tab, new post button & bottom navigation bar. The latest update also lets SME's to connect with the customers and interact with them directly within the app. It is quite helpful as there's none other medium involved in the between, which is helpful in building trust factor between the customers and the SME's.

Source: Google My Business

• The new post button provides an easy way for any SME's to post and create meaningful content revolving around their products/services. They can quickly post photos, share offers, organise events and let these things to be displayed directly on their profile on Google for anyone to see, as the profile is public. Any changes made here in respect to information on the profile will be reflected directly in real time on Google Maps and Google Search.  
• The customer tab, lets businesses connect with the customers by replying their posted reviews or in a one on one manner via messages option. Here the businesses also get an idea of their followers as whenever a customer follows them, they receive a notification about the same. 
• With the help of the navigation bar present on the bottom, businesses can track the search results/queries that are relevant to them, as this option provides one-tap access to Home, Customer & Profile tab. 

         Commenting on the launch, Shalini Girish, Director - Marketing Solutions, Google India said; “The new Google My Business app deepens our commitment to help businesses grow online. The new app will encourage businesses to manage their presence on Google in real time, make their profiles more appealing & interact with customers. For instance, if you’re a restaurant owner & have a packed house on a Friday night, the app allows you to create a post with a picture of the restaurant to engage with prospective customers on Maps and Search. It’s this real-time presence that we hope will go a long way in helping businesses attract new customers and bring back existing ones.”

Google launches new Google My Business App

          The new Google My Business app can be downloaded from the respective app store platforms, ie. Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Source: Google My Business

          Throughout the years, Google India has been helping out small and medium enterprises to expand their business online through several initiatives. The SMEs who have a website associated with Google My Business get the benefit to create free and mobile-optimised sites immediately in 10 regional languages and more than 800,000 Indian businesses are already utilising these services. If anyone wants to learn any of the digital marketing services, Google offers the same in the form of a free app called primer which has also been downloaded more than 6.2 million times. Google even provides programs such as Digital Unlocked which has been designed to inject SMBs with digital skills via online and offline training modules. Google India has trained over 360,000 SMBs in the past two years.


Also See: Google Maps now displays "Auto Rickshaw" mode for public transport in Delhi. 
Source: Google My Business

Google Maps now displays "Auto Rickshaw" mode for public transport in Delhi.

Image Source: Google Post.

Remember those early mornings? Getting up late and then scrambling all of a sudden to get to your workplace on time? Almost everyone one of us faces these challenges on a daily basis. While we're on to that subject, we also cannot forget on the universal mode of transport - Auto Rickshaws. Though with the same topic, we also know the daily hassle to catch one, then helping in navigate and then negotiate with the drivers for the fare. So to merely solve this problem, Google has come up with a solution. Now, the commuters residing in Delhi will be able to use a new public transport mode in Google Maps with the tag - Auto Rickshaws. Hence while navigating from Point A to Point B, the commuters will now be able to view the respective routes according to their coordinates as well as the estimated Auto Rickshaw fares that would be charged by the drivers for the selected paths. It's going to be a lot helpful for the commuters residing in the town or maybe for the tourists, who are readily charged more in often cases. The same will also be beneficial in planning out on a trip promptly when a commuter might be on a tight budget inside the city. This new feature is available under the commute tab under the "Public Transport & Cab" modes in the Google Maps, whereas speaking about the accuracy regarding the Auto Rickshaw fares, Google has received the official fare model from the Delhi Traffic Police. This feature is rolled out in Google Maps on Android Devices.

 

Mr Vishal Dutta, Product Manager - Google Maps shared his thoughts on the launch, “The idea of this feature is to incorporate one of most commonly used modes of public transport in Google Maps & share transparent information about the price of the journey. Currently, for an unfamiliar journey, commuters often overpay & don't have an idea about the distance or best route. The feature will also help the users plan their journey better, so they could look at the expected cost of the auto-rickshaw ride & decide whether they want to take it all the way, or perhaps take a different mode of transport instead -- like a bus or the metro.”


If you're a commuter who resides in Delhi, you must update the Google Maps to the latest version(V.10.6 & above) from Google Play Store. Then to use the same, the user must tap on Directions followed by Public Transport tab. You will now find Auto Rickshaw result in the "Also Consider" section. Now after selecting the same, the commuter will be able to see the estimated fare of their journey along with the route's traffic information. This method is precisely the same used for booking cabs via Google Maps.


With the help of data accessed by the daily commuters, Google can help users with the real-time traffic worldwide. Google continues to evolve in this department by adding new partners very often. Many of these services regarding updates on real-time transit information would be soon announced and would be made readily available for the users. Just the Auto Rickshaw transit mode announced in Google Maps. It's still unclear whether when the company will be rolling out these updates to other cities. However, we will be sure to provide updates on the same.

Image Source: Google Blog.

Also See: 7 Things You Should Know About The Google Pixel 3 Devices. 

7 Things You Should Know About The Google Pixel 3 Devices.

Source: Press Release

            So the new Pixel's are out and let me say that Google has trolled us hard with their last tweet before the event, conveying did YouTubers knew everything? So after the most significant leak of all time, the new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL is finally out and more than it hurts to see that Jaw-drop of a Notch, it seems at least for this year, we just got to accept it. So instead of covering the launch & specs, we thought of bringing you the best 7 things that you should know regarding the new Pixel 3 devices.

7 Things You Should Know About The Google Pixel 3 Devices. 

Source: Press Release

1. Exclusive Features Of Google Lens:  

• Google Lens is a feature that allows you to find, interact and surf things better by just pointing your camera and letting Google's AI do its work. If you have never used this, you can now use it by downloading the Google Lens standalone app from the Play Store. Also as a tip, if your device is on Android Oreo and above, the Google Lens feature can be found integrated within the Google Assistant. Fire up your Google Assistant, and you can see the Google Lens logo on the lower left corner. 
• Now for Pixel 3 devices, the Google Lens feature has been enhanced to the core. The Google Lens feature can easily recognise Web URLs, E-Mail IDs, Phone Numbers, Local Addresses and QR Codes in real time just by pointing your camera towards it, while you're using this feature. This feature doesn't even require you to have an active internet connection, so in a hurry, this might be your time saviour. 
• All you have to do is point your camera to the subject, long press and hold on the object while you're in the viewfinder, then you can do things such as identify objects, plants, animals, copy text in real-time & search for the items that you've discovered via the camera lens. That is exquisite, and my most favourite part is the copy text option. Are you kidding me, copying text from the viewfinder? That's some nerdy thing. 

2. New Updated Camera:

Source: Press Release

• We all know that when it comes to smartphone photography, nothing comes nearby a Pixel smartphone. The Google Pixel 2 was already the benchmark in this category, now with the announcement of Pixel 3, that gets elevated to the extreme. 
• Top Shot & Night Sight mode announced with the new Pixel 3 are so astounding. 
• Top Shot: With the help of this feature, the user can stay at ease by never missing that point precision moment. As sometimes when we click a photo in an urgent moment, it's often.. that we blink. Whereas as that moment is gone we cannot retake that shot, but not with the new Top Shot feature. Due to the addition of this feature, Google's AI automatically takes few shots after and before you pressed the shutter button. Now you can revisit a clicked photo under photo settings and select the needed shot. Fun Fact, even here Google's AI suggests you 3-4 best shots out of the multiple shots taken by it.  
• Night Sight: This new mode makes the photos taken under low lighting conditions - bright and sharp. They even showed a comparison with iPhone XS Max and Pixel 3 using this mode, as expected the shot on the Pixel 3 was miles better.  However, this mode will be soon available on the Pixel 3 via a software update. 
• With the help of a Dual Wide angle lens and Google's sorcery with image processing, the new Pixel 3 devices will be able to take Group selfies like never before. Precisely about 184% perfect more field of view than the usual selfie camera lens, as quoted by Google. 
• You can even shoot RAW photos now and later on play with your favourite photo editing app to extract details from the shot. All of this is again coupled with Google's unlimited Photos storage for free until 1/31/2022. 

3. New Updated Google Assistant: 

Source: Press Release

• Call Screen Feature: This was probably the mode that blew everyone's mind as it was an extension of the Google Duplex AI, the weird call conversation that Google had showcased us during the Google IO 2018. Call Screen is a feature in which when the user receives a regular phone call he gets the option to either pick it up or else select Screen Call. When you select Screen Call, the Google AI speaks with the person on behalf of you getting the relevant questions as to who had called and what was the reason? You get to see the entire call conversation in real time on your phone's screen in a chat format. So that, if you feel that the person trying to call you is essential of any kind, then you have an option to pick up the call right away. This feature would be very much helpful for avoiding the useless telemarketing calls and maybe ignoring that less important person at ease. Although I'm now worried about the people, who are in relationships because that's going to hit hard.
• You will now receive a snapshot of your day with things such as reminders, calendar events, traffic alerts, weather information etc. whenever you fire up your Google Assistant. 

           


Note: Recently many new features have been introduced in Google Assistant, we have covered them in a separate post here. 


4. Introduction of Playground:

Source: Press Release

• So Playground is a new camera mode announced in the Pixel 3 devices, which is kind of similar to the AR Stickers mode currently present. However now you can interact with the Objects present in the Augmented World, so let's say if you're in a sad mood, the characters you choose will display similar behaviour. It's essentially predicted by the AI depending upon your facial expressions. 
• You can use the Playground mode to either click photos or shoot videos. Depending upon your background scenario, this mode will automatically suggest you captions and provide smart suggestions to amp up your shot. 
• Soon more characters will be included from the Marvel cinematic universe and with subjects like Sports, Weather, Signs etc. 
• This mode will be soon available to all older Pixel devices in the coming months. 

5. Using Google Assistant while your phone is docked-in.

Source: Press Release

• Along with the new Pixels, Google also announced an additional accessory, the Pixel Stand for the Pixel 3 devices. The Pixel stand is essentially a Wireless charger which with the help of software helps the Pixel 3 devices to act as a nightstand where in your Google Assistant can be triggered with your voice. You can also select the Google Assistant logo on the screen to trigger it.
• Here when you set the alarm and let's say it gets triggered in the morning, the Alarm will wake you up with warm sunrise colours by slowly brightening the screen before turning off. 
• It also provides the novelty of displaying pictures from your favourite albums on your phone while it's getting charged and is docked on the Pixel Stand. 

6. Digital Wellbeing:

Source: Press Release

• Digital wellbeing has been announced with the launch of Android 9 Pie; however, it wasn't available to the masses due to the beta phase. However, with the new Pixels, that's not the case. Digital wellbeing is a place present under settings, wherein the AI will show you how frequently you're using the phone and on which apps are you consuming most of your time. All this data will be presented to you in a dashboard view. 
• Now you can keep your phone face down to turn on Do Not Disturb, and with the help of this, it'll trigger the new Shh mode. In this mode, your phone will ignore all the notifications. 
• You can also set timers on how much time you wish to use a specific app, upon which you will receive a pop-up after the timer goes off. 
• The Wind Down mode will automatically trigger up turning the screen grey after you have used the phone for a certain period.

7. Privacy and Security Layers: 

• The new Pixel 3 devices get a dedicated Titan M chipset that adds security features and which keeps track of all the sensitive data that's present on the phone. This new custom chipset adds a security layer by safeguarding your lock screen and strengthening disk encryption. 
• It also takes care of the vulnerable threats coming to the operating system and helps the critical transactions happening on your devices under security.   

7 Things You Should Know About The Google Pixel 3 Devices. 

Source: Press Release

           Google Pixel 3 devices also come with  Type-C earphones which is pre-included in the box, though without using it it's hard to provide any verdict on it. Pixel 3 and 3XL are currently available for pre-booking on Flipkart and would be open to buy from 31st October. Anyways, we hope that you enjoyed reading the top 7 things we have brought up regarding the new Pixel 3 devices. If you did, share it on twitter and let us know if we have missed any.


Also See: You Can Now Use Google Pay(Formerly Tez) To Pay For Your Uber Rides In India.  
Image Courtesy: Press Release & Google(global).

Now You Can Book A Cab Ride With Google Assistant.

Image Source: Google Press Kit

             Remember those moments where you were in a hurry to rush over to the office to avoid the trouble of getting late, followed by the hassle to then getting in your car & again entering the details on your phone for navigation... A lot of time wasted right? This entire hassle reduces if you have let's a smart speaker like Google home, in such a case, you can easily say, "Hey Google, send me directions to XYZ on my phone", next thing you know while unlocking your phone is all you need to tap on start the navigation. Similarly, today Google is extending their services to book cab rides directly from your google assistant integrating the supported cab services from your area.

 Now You Can Book A Cab Ride With Google Assistant. 

               Just pull out your phone and say, “Hey Google, book a ride to the Bluebird Cafe” or “Hey Google, get me a taxi to Indira Gandhi International Airport.” and it'll show relevant cab ride options with the estimated pricing, wait times and more from every option shown as a cab ride(Uber, OLA, Meru, etc.). If you want let's say a specific cab ride from a specific provider, ask for it. It will be something like, “Hey Google, get me an Ola ride to Gateway of India” or “Hey Google, get me an Uber ride to Gateway of India.”. The same services can be accessed when leaving to your commute via your Google Home, where the Google Assistant will show the relevant options on your phone, provided you're using the same Google account.

Image Source: Press Release

             Once you have got your preferred cab service, select it, so that the corresponding app would open up to complete the later process. These features are rolling out in the English Language first and would be available in limited countries to begin wherever Google has one of their supported ride service partners. Google plans to expand these services to many more languages in the coming months. Convenient functions like these would be beneficial while heading out to anyone's party or family dinner where we usually are always in a rush.


Also See: You Can Now Use Google Pay(Formerly Tez) To Pay For Your Uber Rides In India.  

Amazon India Announces The New Fire TV Stick 4K & The All New Alexa Voice Remote Supporting TV controls.

Image Source: Press Release

           Yesterday Amazon India announced its new Fire TV Stick 4K in India as a successor to the 2nd Generation Fire TV Stick. This new Fire TV Stick 4K comes with an all-new Alexa Voice Remote with dedicated voice controls buttons which were found to be missing on the earlier generation remote. The entire bundle is available for the price of Rs.5,999. However, if you wish to buy the new Alexa Remote, it's available for Rs.1,999 as it is backwards compatible with the 2nd Gen Fire TV Stick.

Amazon India Announces The New Fire TV Stick 4K & The All New Alexa Voice Remote Supporting TV controls. 

• The new Fire TV Stick 4K is the first streaming stick from Amazon to support Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for achieving the optimum viewing experience. 
• The new Alexa Voice Remote now houses a dedicated Volume, Power and Mute buttons with which you can now easily control your TV. 
• Fire Stick 4K comes with a quad-core processor which is clocked at 1.7GHz which in turn delivers faster loading times and provides a good streaming experience. There are also a vast number of 4K titles including 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision & HDR+ supported content. Just say, "Alexa show me 4K TV shows".
• The users can also experience 3D surround sound with the compatible home theatre equipment systems. 

Image Source: Amazon

          Mr Marc Whitten, VP - Amazon Fire TV said, “We’ve listened to our customers and pushed to deliver a higher performance Fire TV. The new quad-core processor delivers a fast and fluid experience, and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ provides an amazing picture quality,” He then added, “It is a complete 4K solution our customers are looking for, all within a compact stick form factor. The team invented an entirely new antenna technology & combined that with a powerful 802.11ac Wi-Fi to optimize for the best possible 4K UHD streaming experience, even in congested network environments. Plus, the all-new Alexa Voice Remote lets you control your complete entertainment experience & use your voice to find the content you want quickly. Just say, ‘Alexa, find comedies’, or ‘Alexa, play The Grand Tour’. 

            Not to forget about the thousands of apps and Alexa Skills catered for the Fire Stick and Alexa Remote. Same goes for the vast amount of content which includes new and upcoming movies and TV episodes present on Prime Video, Netflix, Hotstar and others. Users can even get the glimpse of their social media channels with the supported FireFox or the preloaded Silk Browser. Not to mention the swift workaround to access the YouTube content. The users can also enjoy listening to their favourite music via several apps such as Amazon Prime Music, Saavn and TuneIn.

Image Source: Amazon

            Finding anything on the Fire TV Stick 4K now becomes much easier with the help of the new Alexa Remote. Users can press and hold the microphone button to search Movies, TV shows, Apps, check sports scores and even order food, book a cab, view live camera feeds, control your smart home - all thanks to the Alexa integration in the Fire TV Stick. Users also have the novelty to enable the Far Field Voice control on their Fire TV Stick 4K with the help of their existing Echo devices. Now imagine integrating the recently announced Echo Plus and Echo Subdevices, that'll be like bringing a party to your home. Integration of Echo devices also translates to the fact that the user can now watch and enjoy movies & songs without even touching the Remote. Just say, "Alexa, play ******* on my Fire TV."

Amazon India Announces The New Fire TV Stick 4K & The All New Alexa Voice Remote Supporting TV controls. 

Availability & Pricing: 
           The new Fire Stick 4K is available for pre-order on Amazon India at a price of Rs.5,999 including the new Alexa Remote. While the standalone Alexa Remote costs about Rs.1,999 only. Both of these devices will start shipping from starting November 14.

Fire TV Stick 4K:   amazon.in/firetvstick4k 
Alexa Voice Remote:  amazon.in/alexavoiceremote

Image Source: Amazon

        All the existing Fire TV devices in India will soon receive a software update starting from 14th November which will enable Alexa support on Fire TV which includes the Far Field Control support as well.

Also See: Amazon Announces New 2018 Edition - Echo Dot, Echo Plus & Echo Sub in India.