Do you prefer aero or upright, pedal power or electric? Whether you are a club or competitive, cycle only in fair weather at the weekend, suit up for the commute on Monday morning, or spend your winters in a virtual world on your indoor trainer, we want to hear from you.
The world of cycling is changing faster than ever, and to help keep you abreast of all the developments, we want you to tell us your views.
We'd like to hear about your bike and the sort of kit you choose to make the most of your cycling, from bike components and accessories through to what you like to wear.
Cycling can be an all encompassing hobby for some, with a huge range of options from best bikes, kit, gadgets and training products to improve your fitness, reach targets and stay at the top of your game.
In contrast, some people will use the same tried and trusted bike they've had for years. So let us know where you sit.
This cycling survey takes about 6-8 minutes to complete and to say thank you for your time, your entry will be placed into a prize draw for a chance to win an Amazon voucher worth $300 or £250*.
*T&Cs apply. Prize draw for US, UK and Europe only. The survey runs to 22 September 2021 and is open to readers in Australia and Canada as well, although those in these territories will not be eligible for the prize draw.
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https://ift.tt/2esqxUn getting smartphones to connect properly with vehicle infotainment systems are now the top gripe among consumers according to the latest study of new model quality by market research firm J.D. Power.
After announcing its in-house chipset Tensor for Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro smartphones, it seems Google will build larger size CPUs as well for its notebook and tablet computers.
Nikkei Asia, quoting three sources privy to the development, said Google has plans to unveil new chips by 2023 for laptops and tablets that run on its Chrome operating system.
Google is apparently encouraged by the success of Apple with its custom-built M1 chips. Also, companies like Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Tesla, Baidu and Alibaba Group Holding are all working to build their own semiconductors to power their cloud services and electronic products.
Companies are veering towards the idea of developing their custom chips because it helps to pack their own features into those chips for their specific purposes. Basically, it helps in seamless software and hardware integration.
"The new CPUs and the mobile processors that Google is developing are based on the chip blueprints of Arm, the Softbank-controlled UK chip company whose intellectual property is used in more than 90% of the world's mobile devices," Nikkei Asia said in its report.
Smaller chips can put more computing punch in devices with restricted, or passive, cooling designs like tablets, thin-and-light laptops and mobile phones.
Actually, it is no secret that Google was at making its own CPU designs from the middle of the last decade. But most of the research was focused on chipsets for its flagship Pixel phones to possess real-time faster computational processing for video and photos and better AI intensive mobile tasks. The Pixel 6 series will also feature Google’s own mobile silicon that go by the insider-name Whitechapel.
The Nikkei Asia report quoting analysts said that it will cost around $500 million to design a new chip on TSMC’s 5 nanometre process, whereas something built on the traditional 28 nanometre process would only cost about $50 million.
Google is also said to be hiring chip engineers around the world, including in Israel, India and Taiwan.
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Tesla is slowly but steadily moving towards its India debut. Four of the company’s cars have got a nod from the Indian Transport Ministry.
Since this certification is mandatory for any new vehicle -regardless of its origin, it confirms that all the four models offered by Tesla can be launched in India.
The identification of these variants is not known as of now. Also, this certification may not guarantee that the company will introduce all these cars in the country. It only ensures that the tested vehicles are roadworthy and meet all the regulations set by the relevant authorities.
BREAKING : Tesla has completed homologation & received approval for 4 of it's vehicle variants in India. While we don't have any confirmation on names yet, these are probably Model 3 & Y variants. Will post more once we have confirmation.#TeslaIndia🇮🇳 #TCIN #Tesla pic.twitter.com/ozE5LV1u8YAugust 30, 2021
The leading electric car maker is eyeing an India launch for some time and is setting up operations in the country. It had recently hired top-level executives and even had been scouting for showroom cum experience centres in three Indian cities - New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
In all probability, these four cars that have got regulatory approvals are variants of Tesla 3 and Y cars as these cars were recently spied testing camouflaged. The Model 3 comes in three variants: Standard Range Plus, Long Range, and Performance and it is expected that the Standard and the Long Range variants may get introduced in the country initially.
That said, the Tesla India launch may still have some hurdles that need to be cleared. While the Indian government is ready to offer extra subsidies to Tesla, Elon Musk recently tweeted his concerns about the high import duties. The company is said to be initially looking to import fully built units hence attracting extra charges which in turn will be passed on to the end consumers.
Analysis – Why is Tesla's India launch important for Indian consumers?
Though the awareness of electric vehicles in India is increasing and we have brands like Ola - which has built a massive factory for electric vehicles and other startups that are making slow and steady progress. When it comes to electric cars, we have a handful of brands with battery-powered cars in the market.
Apart from Tata’s EVs most of the cars available in the Indian market are priced premium and even the cars from Tesla are expected to be priced in the north of Rs. 50 lakhs. However, the introduction of Tesla in the country could give a booster shot to India’s EV dreams.
Not only will it help international brands consider India as a serious market for electric vehicles but Tesla setting up its manufacturing facility in India will help set up the supply chain and research facilities in the country. This will aid other manufacturers and will surely bring the costs of electric vehicles down in the long run.
Additionally, the arrival of Tesla will also mean that the charging infrastructure will improve since, unlike other carmakers, Tesla does not have any ICE-powered vehicles. This lack of charging infrastructure is probably the biggest reason why consumers are still hesitant in buying electric cars currently.
The OnePlus Buds Pro are the company’s latest and the most premium pair of true wireless earbuds. The OnePlus Buds Pro offer active noise cancellation, an excellent audio experience, and good battery life 一 all for a price tag of Rs 9,990.
Now, the company is reportedly working on a new pair of affordable true wireless earbuds which is said to have an active noise cancellation feature and also carry an aggressive price tag. According to tipster Max Jambor, OnePlus is working on a lower-priced pair of earbuds which is also said to come with ANC feature.
1+ is working on a new - lower priced - pair of headphones with ANC. Some sort of Lite edition of the Buds ProI really like the Buds Pro so I am curious what those cheaper ones have to offerAugust 30, 2021
See more
He also further says, the upcoming buds will be some sort of Lite edition of the Buds Pro. OnePlus entered the TWS market with the OnePlus Buds last year which were priced at Rs 4,999, later the company launched the OnePlus Buds Z for Rs 2,999 and this year, along with the Nord 2, the company revealed the OnePlus Buds Pro for Rs 9,990.
The OnePlus Buds Pro offers premium features like active noise cancellation, wireless charging, IP55 rating, fast charging, etc. With the new and upcoming cheaper model of the OnePlus Buds Pro, we could see OnePlus omitting a couple of these features to keep the price down. Since the tipster has confirmed the presence of ANC, that will remain as one of the prominent features of the new buds.
OnePlus Buds Z(Image credit: Srivatsa Ramesh)
OnePlus has captured the second spot in TWS market
According to a report by Counterpoint Research, OnePlus is India’s second-largest TWS brand with a 12% market share with just two products 一 OnePlus Buds and Buds Z. This might also be one of the reasons for OnePlus to consider launching a cheaper version of the OnePlus Buds Pro. While we still do not have a timeline of more details on the newer buds, it could be the successor of the OnePlus Buds Z from 2020.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) latest broadband report has found the NBN is finally living up to its promises, with data collected in May 2021 showing fixed-line users experienced record high speeds.
On average, NBN users monitored for the report reached 98.4% of their plan’s rated speed during all hours, which fell slightly to 97.6% during the evening hours (between 7pm and 11pm when the network is at its busiest).
It’s a decent increase from the ACCC’s previous findings, which reported figures of NBN users attaining 96.5% of their plan’s top speed during all hours and 95.7% during the busy hours.
As the report points out, internet providers have mostly achieved this due to NBN Co overprovisioning the network.
NBN plans: compare providers and best deals at every speed
FTTN NBN is the worst NBN
As has been well-documented in consecutive reports by the ACCC, not all NBN connection types are created equal.
Despite the number of underperforming services decreasing among the NBN users monitored, fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) services overwhelmingly remain the problem, and are still not performing as well as other connection types.
As shown in the table below, the ACCC found that FTTN households on an NBN 50 or NBN 100 plan received lower speeds than the maximum plan speeds achievable at any given time.
(Image credit: ACCC)
The figures are particularly dismal if you’ve got a FTTN 100Mbps plan, as it’s the worst for delivering on its speed promise, and has an average download speed about 17Mbps lower than other connection types on the tier.
The report found these monitored users reached 84.7% of their plan’s rated speed on average while other technologies were able to surpass 100% due to their overprovisioning.
Unfortunately, the only real solution for Aussie’s on underperforming FTTN NBN 100 plans is to move to a slower (and cheaper) plan.
Cheap NBN plans: compare the best internet deals in Australia
Dodo and iPrimus show speed improvement
Along with recording record high speeds on the network during May 2021, the ACCC also found certain internet providers showed significant improvement in delivering promised speeds.
Dodo and iPrimus, which both form part of the Vocus Group, increased their performance during all hours and busy hours, up by 5.4 percentage points in comparison to the previous report, which was the biggest jump in performance among the telcos monitored.
These improvements come after Dodo and iPrimus were ordered to pay AU$2.5 million in penalties by the Federal Court for making misleading claims about the typical evening speeds on their plans.
Other improvements came from Vodafone and MyRepublic, who both recorded an increase in their speeds during the peak evening period. Vodafone jumped by 4.3 percentage points in comparison to the previous report, while MyRepublic improved by 3.7 percentage points.
Overall, the ISPs monitored reached between 92.2% and 100.5% of plan speed across all major NBN plans during busy hours, with Dodo and iPrimus recording 92.2% and Exetel topping 100.5% – the figure above 100% is due to overprovisioning.
That means the gap between ISPs is getting smaller, as the numbers account for a range of 8.3% between internet providers, compared with a range of 12.3% recorded in the previous report.
“The performance gap between retail service providers’ download speed metrics has narrowed significantly in recent reports,” says the ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey, “however individual consumer experiences by retailer still vary”.
And that varied experience, as we know, is largely due to your fortune, or misfortune, in connection type.
The true wireless earbuds which are famously known as the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds picked up their pace and went mainstream in 2020. In India, we are seeing a massive spike in the true wireless earbuds segment. As per the latest reports, the global TWS market will see 33% YoY growth in 2021.
Thanks to popular smartphones brands who have jumped into the true wireless earbuds segment in India, we’re seeing a lot of demand for these tiny pair of earbuds in India. Although, the market is filled with budget TWS priced under Rs 5,000, Rs 3,000, and Rs 2,000 there are certain earbuds that are priced above Rs 5,000 and offer a better overall experience.
Best TWS under Rs 10,000
1. OnePlus Buds Pro
2. Oppo Enco X
3. Lypertek Tevi
4. Sony WF-XB700
5. Amazfit Powerbuds
6. Nothing Ear 1
7. Skullcandy Indy Evo
8. Soundcore Liberty Air 2
We have some excellent offerings from brands like players from Oppo, Sony, Lypertek, Skullcandy, and Nothing. However, OnePlus leads the list with its impressive OnePlus Buds Pro. As with the current situation, we can consider the Rs 10,000 TWS segment as the top tier segment if not the flagships. We are also now seeing the trend of active noise cancellation on TWS in this segment, which was unheard of previously.
The TWS market started exploding when Apple’s AirPods made its debut a couple of years ago. Of course, just like the other Apple products, the AirPods are also out of reach for many as they’re priced pretty high. But, there are many other True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds in the market currently. If you are looking for a good pair of TWS, you’re at the right place. Check out our list of the best true wireless earbuds under Rs 10,000.
A big leap forward from the original OnePlus Buds, the new OnePlus Buds Pro offer an excellent audio experience, effective active noise cancellation, good battery life, and comfortable fit. While they might not beat the Apple AirPods Pro, the OnePlus Buds Pro represent good value for money and are a great alternative to the Oppo Enco X and the Galaxy Buds Pro.
Thanks to large 11mm drivers, you get an extremely enjoyable listening experience from these earbuds, with thumping bass that drives your music without overwhelming the other frequencies overpowering the vocals. Their clean and energetic sound lends the OnePlus Buds Pro to most genres, with a spacious soundstage.
The OnePlus Buds Pro do an excellent job at blocking out external noise by up to 40dB and you get to choose from three ANC modes 一 noise cancellation, max ANC, and smart. In terms of battery life, the OnePlus Buds Pro last up to 24 hours with the case and ANC turned off. With ANC turned on, it drops to 20 hours 一 which is still respectable, if not class-leading. A quick 10-minute charge offers up to 10 hours of playback which is quite handy, and there’s also support for Qi wireless charging.
The Oppo Enco X are an impressive audio product from the brand which is known for its smartphones. The presence of ANC is very effective and the sound quality is top-notch. The Oppo Enco X are an easy recommendation from our side. To offer better audio experience, Oppo has teamed up with Dynaudio, a brand which is one of the best in the business. The earphones are suitable for everyone including those who are hardcore audiophiles.
The sound quality is excellent and the active noise cancellation is pretty effective and Oppo has added two noise cancellation levels which is pretty smart. There are plenty of controls available but there are some limitations when it comes to customization. While Oppo and Android users get some customization options, iPhone users won’t get any options as such.
The battery life is pretty average, especially when listening to music with ANC and volume set to 100%. There is no support for fast charging either but, you get wireless charging. Overall for the price and quality of the audio on the Oppo Enco X, it is hard not to recommend these. Initially launched at Rs 9,990, the Oppo Enco X are now available for Rs 8,990.
One of the newest entries to the TWS segment, Lypertek Tevi is one of the best value for money TWS currently available in India. It offers a neutral audiophile-like sound and comes in a pill-shaped charging case. It harnesses Bluetooth 5.0 and comes with IPX7 water-resistant rating to protect the buds from rain and sweat.
The Lypertek Tevi features a 6mm graphene driver with SBC, AAC and aptX codecs, offering some of the most natural and well-balanced audio we’ve seen from a pair of earphones in recent times. It offers up to 10 hours of battery life in the buds, and a further six full charges housed in the case.
The company has also launched a new TWS called the Lypertek Levi. It brings most of the Tevi goodness for just Rs 4,999.
Sony is the latest company to announce its TWS in India. The WF-XB700 comes under Extra Bass series so, you can expect deep and punchy bass. It features a 12mm driver unit and harnesses Bluetooth 5.0 and 12mm drivers. You get punchy, thumpy, and deep bass with this pair of earbuds.
On the battery front, you get 9 hours of playback with an additional 9 house with the case. You can charge the case via Type-C port. These are IPX4 rated so, you get protection against the water splash and sweat. It comes with buttons on each bud which can be used to play, pause, or skip through tracks and adjust the volume. You also get a mic for voice calls and voice assistant.
Launched at Rs 6,999, the Amazfit PowerBuds is now available for just Rs 5,999 The Amazfit PowerBuds hopes to address the never-ending issue of wireless earbuds’ fit with a design that can convert into something more reliable. The ambitious design implementation is backed by great battery life, a sound signature tailored for the task and a sprinkling for smart features to keep you going.
The Amazfit PowerBuds sound is delivered from 9mm drivers in each bud with rich bass and clear trebles. The Amazfit PowerBuds come equipped with PPG sensors in each earbud, which use light-based technology to monitor blood flow and produce a heart rate reading.
If you’re looking for a pair of buds that work great for fitness while staying minimal and tiny, prefer music with a bit of bass, and value features such as heart-rate tracking, then the Amazfit PowerBuds are an easy recommendation.
The Nothing Ear (1) don’t quite live up to the hype, with an underwhelming sound and just average noise cancellation. They are very comfortable, though, and some will love the transparent design enough to take a risk on the first true wireless earbuds from Nothing.
However, these are also the most unique looking pair of TWS and in India, they cost less compared to the global markets. The unique transparent design shows off the inner workings of the earbuds and charging case. Nothing hasn't taken the concept far enough for the wireless earbuds to really make an aesthetic impact.
The audio performance is nothing to write home about. With large drivers made in collaboration with Swedish audio company Teenage Engineerings, we were expecting an impressive soundstage from the Nothing Ear (1). Instead, we found the buds to be tinny, and frustratingly quiet – though we appreciated the amount of detail in the higher frequencies. The noise cancellation provided by the Ear (1) leaves a lot to be desired, too.
While we do not recommend the Nothing Ear 1 for its sound quality or ANC, this one can be a good one for those who can live with these cons and get a unique looking TWS and pair of earbuds which are comfortable.
Skullcandy Indy Evo offers decent audio experience - the highs and lows are good while the bass is refined well so that you enjoy thumping effect. However, it can get a bit mushy at times sometimes. As for the fit, they are not comfortable for all as they come with ear hooks. Also, it’s hard to fully close the carry case due to the fin design.
The microphone quality is really good on this one and can be used for taking calls without having to take them off. It comes with a bunch of touch controls which are hard to memorize but once you get hold of that, you will enjoy it more. For audio listening, you get three modes - music, podcasts and movie. Another major issue is that the buds needed to be reconnected every time when you want to use the app. And, lastly, on a single charge, the Skullcandy Indy Evo lasts up to 5 hours, which is good for a TWS.
Anker's Soundcore Liberty Air 2 sports two Diamond-coated drivers that produce good sound quality over Bluetooth 5.0. There is no active noise cancellation onboard, but the TWS offers four mics featuring cVc 8.0 noise reduction technology to ensure that you are always audible clearly during the calls.
The Soundcore app offers over 22 EQ settings and coupled with Hear ID, this app lets you personalize the music listening experience by creating a customized sound profile based on your preference. The earbuds offer up to 7 hours of playback time while the charging case offers additional 28 hours of mileage.
These were our recommendations for the best true wireless earbuds under Rs 10,000 in India. Among the list of ten TWS earbuds, we've given options for gamers, bass lovers, music, and fitness freaks. You can opt for the one according to your need. In case your budget is a bit less, you can check out our other buying guides:
https://ift.tt/154AwVo Galaxy A52s 5G was launched in India on Wednesday. The new Samsung phone comes with a 120Hz AMOLED display and carries a quad rear camera setup.
https://ift.tt/2NZCRuZ 8i has been teased to launch in India soon. The company has now confirmed that the mid-range phones will come with the new MediaTek Helio G96 SoC. Earlier this month, some official-looking design renders of the smartphone surfaced online along with key specifications. The phone may come with a 6.59-inch full-HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Its MediaTek S...
https://ift.tt/1yhd1WC Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro could be unveiled on October 19, as per the latest leak. At the time Google unveiled the design of the Pixel 6 series, it had was said that the phones will launch later this year. But it now seems like we have a date for Google’s launch event.
India's largest telecom operator Reliance Jio is offering a new range of prepaid plans that come bundled with unrestricted access to all content on Disney+ Hotstar, starting from Rs 499.
Jio’s new plans, in addition to offering 1 year subscription of Disney+ Hotstar, comes bundled with unlimited voice, data, SMS, Jio Apps and other benefits, a company statement said.
Jio earlier bundled Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription (access to live sports, Hotstar specials, movies and TV shows and dubbed content in 3 Indian languages) in its plans that started from Rs 401.
The new Jio plans will offer all the old benefits on Disney+ Hotstar plus new library of international content in English language including Disney+ originals, TV shows from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, HBO, FX, Showtime.
(Image credit: Reliance)
The new plans will be available for recharge from today (September 1, 2021.)
All Jio customers on active Disney+ Hotstar plans will continue to enjoy the existing benefits until their current subscription expires.
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