Tech2 Touch

Author: Aniruddh

  • MG Astor SUV with India’s First Personal AI Assistant and First-in-Segment Autonomous Level 2 Technology Launched in India

    MG Motor India today unveiled the industry-first personal AI assistant and first-in-segment Autonomous Level 2 technology, to be featured in their upcoming mid-size SUV – Astor. MG aims to further its auto-tech focus by building on the concept of Car-as-a-Platform (CAAP) of possibilities and services.

    MG is working on emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable the development and application of services and subscriptions to support the ‘on-demand in-car’ needs of the customers. Astor is the first car to get a personal AI assistant in the company’s global portfolio.

    The personal AI assistant is designed by the acclaimed American firm ‘Star Design’. It depicts human-like emotions & voices and can give detailed information on every topic through Wikipedia. It will engage with people in the car and is powered by i-Smart Hub. It is a platform on which the partnerships, services, and subscriptions of CAAP will reside. It will allow customers to personalize their set of services.

    Speaking about India’s first personal AI assistant and the first-in-segment Autonomous Level 2 car Astor, Mr. Rajeev Chaba, President and MD, MG Motor India, said, “As an auto-tech brand, we’ve always introduced breakthrough technologies and now, we are moving forward with Artificial Intelligence. Astor is a step further and a catalyst for disruption with first-in-the-industry and best-in-class features that customers only get in premium/luxury segments. With a relentless pursuit of innovation and software at the heart of the production, our vehicles will continue to provide a smarter and safer driving experience by leveraging AI.”

    The Autonomous Level 2 MG Astor is powered by mid-range radars and a multi-purpose camera that can realize a series of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). These include Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, Intelligent Headlamp Control (IHC), Rear Drive Assist (RDA) and Speed Assist System amongst others. These functions can significantly improve driving safety and comfort, and they have been further optimized for Indian traffic conditions.

    The name Astor is derived from Raytheon Sentinel, an airborne battlefield and ground surveillance aircraft formerly operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), UK. MG Astor shares the popular ZS platform sold by MG across the globe in countries such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Norway, Netherlands and other countries in Asia too.

    For the first time in India, MG recently showcased CAAP with endless possibilities. Building an ecosystem of various in-car services, it hosts subscriptions and services, including maps and navigation with MapMyIndia, Jio connectivity, the first-of-its-kind Blockchain-protected vehicle digital passport by KoineArth and more. MG car owners will also get access to music on the JioSaavn app along with the industry-first feature of reserving a parking slot through a head unit (powered by Park+ – select cities to begin with) in the car. CAAP will create various possibilities which will evolve with time, creating a safer and smarter driving experience.

    MG ASTOR DESIGN TEASED

    Astor gets an all-new Bold Celestial Grille that is inspired by cosmic lines and forms which adds dynamism to the front of the car. The radial pattern concentrates the epicentre of the entire front face. The tungsten steel electroplated material forms a distinct appearance like the sun. The contrast of light and dark further highlights the three-dimensional effect of each flashing cell. The British automaker also revealed the unique ‘Dual Tone Sangria Red’ interior of Astor, which is one of the three interior themes, signifying state-of-the-art craftsmanship.

  • How to turn off or restart Samsung Galaxy S21 or S21 Ultra

    In this post, let us explorer three different ways to turn off or restart Samsung Galaxy S21 or S21 Ultra.

    Turn off or restart the Galaxy S21

    Method 1: Using the Hardware keys

    To use this method, you need to press and hold Volume Down and Power keys together. You will get the power menu on the screen. You can choose Power off, restart or enter into emergency mode by selecting the one based on your preference.

    Method 2: Using the Power off icon

    To use this method:

    1. Go to the quick settings.
    2. Here tap on Power icon. You will get the power menu.
    3. Select the one you want.

    Method 3: Reassigning Side key

    To use this method, go to the Power menu through Hardware keys or Power icon method. Tap on Side Key Settings. Alternatively, you can go to Side key settings from Settings, Advanced Features and Here Side Key. On this page, you have the option to remap side key to Power menu under Press and hold section. Select it.

    Now, whenever you press and hold the side key, you will get the power menu. Using the power menu, you can restart the Galaxy S21 or Power off the device.

  • How to take screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S21

    Samsung Galaxy S21 provides several different methods to take screenshot. Some of them are common to all android phones and some methods are unique to Samsung S or note series. Here is the quick look at popular methods of taking a Samsung Galaxy S21 screenshot.

    Different methods to take screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S21

    Method 1: Button combination

    This is the most common way to take a screenshot and it works on all latest Android phones. Just press and release volume down and Side key buttons simultaneously. The screenshot will be saved. Please note, no need to hold the buttons—just press and release. Holding the two buttons will display power off or restart menu. The screen will flash and screenshot will be saved to Gallery.

    Method 2: Using the palm swipe

    Taking a screenshot on the Galaxy S21 with a palm swipe may feel a bit difficult when you first try it out but it is easy once you get use to it. Just swipe the side of your palm across the whole screen from right to left or vice versa to take the screenshot. By default, this feature is activated. Incase if it is not working, go to Settings > Advanced Features > Motions and Gestures > and toggle the Palm swipe to capture.

    Method 3: Screenshot button

    This may be the the easiest method. For using the using method,

    • Go to Edge panel, by Swiping left to right. You can identify the edge panel by a small white line.
    • Tap on the Setting.
    • Add the “Tasks” to the Edge Panel by selecting it. 

    Whenever you want to take Galaxy S21 screenshot, go to Edge panel and then Task page. Choose take screenshot button. It will save the screenshot.

    How to take Scroll screenshot on Galaxy S21

    To take scroll screenshot, go to the page you want and take a screenshot using any of the methods mentioned here. You will get a screenshot toolbar. Tap the scroll capture button( first option that shows up at the bottom of the screen which looks like a down arrow). Repeat the tapping the scroll capture till you want or you reach end of the page. It will save the screenshot.

    Where to find taken screenshot on Samsung Galaxy S21

    S21 Screenshots are by default saved in Gallery->Albums->Screenshot folder. You can edit, delete or share the screenshots like any regular photo.

  • Asus ROG Phone 3 Review- Pros and Cons

    Asus ROG Phone 3 is designed primarily for gaming enthusiasts. It is not a slim and light weight phone. Considering this if you think it is not for mainstream consumers, then there is surprise. It offers a lot for the price even if you are not a gamer. Here is my Asus ROG Phone 3 review as a normal user and not as a gamer.

    This gaming smartphone is available in two variants. The one with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage which is available at a price tag of ₹46, 999 and 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage which is available for ₹49,990. Here are some of the pros and cons of Asus ROG Phone 3.

    Asus ROG Phone 3 Merits and Demerits

    Asus ROG Phone 3 Pros

    Gorgeous 144Hz AMOLED Display

    It comes with 6.59 inch AMOLED HDR10+ certified display panel which is claimed to be capable of reproducing over 1 billion colours, with a 1000 nit peak brightness and 113 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage and Delta-E average of >1 percent. The screen refresh rate can go upto 144Hz and has 270 Hz touch sampling rate and 25ms touch latency.

    It is a treat to watch movies or browse on the display panel. Touch feels smooth and responsive. Colors are punchy and outdoor visibility is excellent. This is one of the best display panel I have ever used in a smartphone so far.

    Performance beast

    The Asus ROG Phone 3 comes packed with Snapdragon 865 Plus SoC with 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It has integrated Adreno 650 graphics and dedicated logic for AI, image processing, video encoding, and security. It uses extremely fast UFS 3.1 storage.

    It offers one of the fastest and smooth experience. I have not faced any lagging and stuttering issue in my usage. The apps opens quickly and multitasking is a breeze. The great hardware is well supported by the UI. There no bloatwares and it offers close to vanilla android experience.

    Impressive battery life

    6000 mAh battery on Asus ROG Phone 3 is exceptional. With casual gaming it easily lasts around 2 days. The another aspect I liked on the phone is the battery care options Asus has incorporated on this device. The retail box has a fast charger with HYPERCHARGE standard. Users can use Slow charging mode in the battery menu to increase the longevity of the battery. Opting this will cap the charging at 10W and lowers the charging temperature by 34%. There is a option called Sleep Well. If you choose this option, then even if you leave the phone plugged in overnight, the phone will only tops off the final few percentages of trickle charge just before you wake up by selecting the end time by alarm, do not disturb , Airplane mode and turning off the charging LED indicator. It also supports passthrough power.

    Benchmark setting Stereo speakers

    The Asus ROG Phone 3 comes with pair of huge front-facing stereo speakers, each powered by its own NXP TFA9874 amplifier. Now it has 7 magnet design. It offers one of the best stereo effects on a smartphone for gaming as well as for media consumption.

    Good Call quality and signal reception

    The call quality and signal reception is good. Even the calls on speaker phone is exceptionally good. It has 4 different mics in different places of the phone and noise cancellation is good.

    Solid camera performance

    The camera performance is good in general. Except very low light situations, photos and videos came out well in both indoor and outdoor conditions. The video quality with EIS is very crisp and smooth in the day time.

    Asus ROG Phone 3 Cons

    No phone is perfect. ROG Phone 3 is also no exception to it. Here are some of the demerits or disadvantages of Asus ROG Phone 3.

    • No 3.5mm headphone jack. The box has USB C to 3.5mm audio jack adapter.
    • No IP rating for water or dust resistance.
    • Bulky and heavy.
    • Lacks wireless charging.
    • No optical image stabilisation.

    Asus ROG Phone 3 Verdict

    With price tag of less than 50k, Asus ROG Phone 3 offers great value for the money. If you are looking for slim, lightweight and stylish phone then this is not the phone for you. But if your preference is performance, battery life, audio and video experience with good call quality, then even if you are not a gamer and budget is around 50k, it is worth considering it.

  • Airtel Platinum Postpaid Review- Is it really worth?

    There is a huge hype on the Airtel Platinum Postpaid plans. It is expected to provide Priority 4G network and faster data speeds along with other set of features. I have been using the Airtel postpaid SIM for more than 5 years now. My plan was 399 per month. So upgrade to 499 plan to experience the benefits of Airtel Platinum priority 4G services. Here is my Airtel Platinum postpaid plan review based on my experience.

    My expectations from the Airtel Platinum postpaid plan was better data speeds. In my location, the signal strength is average. With my postpaid sim and prepaid sim was giving an download speed of 3 mbps and upload speed to 700kbps. Called the customer care center and asked about whether it improve the performance. Post confirmation, I have opted for the 499 Airtel platinum postpaid plan.

    Airtel Platinum Postpaid Review

    Claim 1: Free Doorstep delivery of SIM card

    I am using the eSIM. So called the customer care number and requested for the new physical sim card. The answer I got is I have to visit the Airtel store to get the sim card and it is charged Rs.25. When asked about free sim card and doorstep delivery, they replied that, it is applicable only for those who migrate from prepaid and not applicable to existing postpaid customer. I stay near a taluk center called Sullia. The centers which provides physical sim card near me are Mangalore, Mysore or Bangalore. That is around 100KM from my place. The sim card for my postpaid connection is not even available in Madikeri which is the district center of Kodagu. To get a replacement sim card being a Airtel platinum postpaid user, I need to travel at least 200 km(Considering the both side travel).

    The airtel prepaid sim card replacement is available in Sullia which is a taluku center. So a prepaid customer has better service compared to Platinum postpaid user.

    Claim 2: Priority 4G network

    This is the main reason I have opted for the 499 plan. I have placed my prepaid and postpaid sim cards of Airtel in Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra as well as on iPhone 11. Then ran a speed test. The results are as follows.

    As you can infer from the speed test results, there is no advantage of having a platinum postpaid plan over a prepaid plan.

    Claim 3: Priority customer support

    I have raised a complaint regarding the issue of data connectivity on September 9th 2020 through Airtel thanks app. The resolution date provided was 16th September. I repeatedly did a follow up. The answer I am getting is our network engineers are working it to resolve the issue. You will notified on the status. Even today, issue is not resolved.

    Claim 4: Other benefits like free data rollover Amazon prime membership

    I had this benefits on my 399 plan as well. Also as data speed are not reliable watching a live tv is not a good experience. Only the advantage I got is the free Amazon prime membership.

    Airtel Platinum Postpaid Plan review verdict

    The base plan to get Airtel platinum postpaid is Rs.499 plus GST. For that you 75GB of data per month and free incoming and outgoing calls. However, prepaid 599 plan gives you 56 days of validity and 2GB of data per day along with free incoming and outgoing calls. As there is no advantage of platinum plan or postpaid connection, prepaid connection is better value for money.