iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: A new generation of iPhone

Featuring New Glass & Aluminium Design, Retina HD Displays, A11 Bionic Chip, New Single & Dual Cameras with Support for Portrait Lighting, Wireless Charging & Optimised for Augmented Reality.

The new iPhone features a new glass and aluminium design in three beautiful colours made out of the most durable glass ever in a smartphone, Retina HD displays and A11 Bionic chip, and is designed for the ultimate augmented reality experience. The world’s most popular camera gets even better with single and dual cameras featuring Portrait Lighting on iPhone 8 Plus, and wireless charging brings a powerful new capability to iPhone. 

“iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are a new generation of iPhone that improve on everything we love about iPhone,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have new glass and aluminium designs, new Retina HD displays and A11 Bionic — the smartest chip ever in a smartphone. Packed with more advanced cameras with Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting, and the highest quality video capture in a smartphone, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus enable the freedom of wireless charging, all with AR optimisation like no phone ever before.”

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus introduce a beautiful glass back design made with the most durable glass ever in a smartphone in three new finishes: space grey, silver and gold. The glass finish is made using a seven-layer colour process for precise hue and opacity, delivering a rich depth of colour with a colour-matched aerospace-grade aluminium bezel, and is water and dust resistant.

The new 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina HD® displays with the addition of True Tone® adjust the white balance of the display to match the surrounding light for a more natural, paper-like viewing experience. The vibrant wide colour gamut Retina HD display offers the best colour accuracy in the industry. Redesigned stereo speakers are up to 25 percent louder and deliver deeper bass, enabling richer-sounding music, videos and speakerphone calls.

A11 Bionic, the most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone, features a six-core CPU design with two performance cores that are 25 percent faster and four efficiency cores that are 70 percent faster than the A10 Fusion, offering industry-leading performance and energy efficiency. A new, second-generation performance controller can harness all six cores simultaneously, delivering up to 70 percent greater performance for multi-threaded workloads, giving customers more power while providing the same great battery life. A11 Bionic also integrates an Apple-designed GPU with a three-core design that delivers up to 30 percent faster graphics performance than the previous generation. All this power enables incredible new machine learning, AR apps and immersive 3D games.

The cameras on iPhone 8 Plus are custom tuned for the ultimate AR experience. Each camera is individually calibrated, with new gyroscopes and accelerometers for accurate motion tracking. AR benefits from A11 Bionic, which handles world tracking, scene recognition and incredible graphics at 60fps, while the image signal processor does real-time lighting estimation. With ARKit, iOS developers can take advantage of the world’s largest AR platform, creating games and apps offering fantastically immersive and fluid experiences that go far beyond the screen.

The world’s most popular camera gets even better, featuring an improved 12-megapixel camera with a larger and faster sensor, a new colour filter and deeper pixels. A new Apple-designed image signal processor delivers advanced pixel processing, wide colour capture, faster autofocus in low light and better HDR photos, while a new quad LED True Tone Flash with Slow Sync results in more uniformly lit backgrounds and foregrounds. All this adds up to outstanding photos with vibrant, realistic colours and more detail.

The new camera also delivers the highest quality video capture ever in a smartphone with better video stabilisation, 4K video up to 60fps and 1080p slo-mo up to 240fps. The Apple-designed video encoder provides real-time image and motion analysis for optimal quality video. With iOS 11, both iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus support HEIF and HEVC for up to two times compression and storage for twice the photos and videos.

iPhone 8 Plus features dual 12-megapixel cameras and introduces Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting, bringing dramatic studio lighting effects to iPhone, allowing customers to capture stunning portraits with a shallow depth-of-field effect in five different lighting styles.

Portrait Lighting is based on extensive research into the art and science of portraiture and core photographic lighting principles. It uses the dual cameras and the Apple-designed image signal processor to recognise the scene, create a depth map and separate the subject from the background. Machine learning is then used to create facial landmarks and add lighting over contours of the face, all happening in real time, giving customers even more power to express themselves through photography.

The glass back design enables a world-class wireless charging solution. Wireless charging works with the established Qi ecosystem, including two new wireless charging mats from Belkin and mophie, available from Apple Authorised Resellers.

Apple gave a sneak peek of AirPower™, an Apple-designed wireless charging accessory coming in 2018, which offers a generous active charging area that will allow iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X customers to simultaneously charge up to three devices, including Apple Watch Series 3 and a new optional wireless charging case for AirPods®.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus come with iOS 11, featuring incredible advancements to Portrait mode, while new effects make Live Photos™ more fun and expressive.

iOS 11 also brings augmented reality to hundreds of millions of iOS devices with a new platform for developers to build apps that let users place virtual content on top of real-world scenes. Siri® debuts new male and female voices and can translate US English phrases into Chinese, French, German, Italian or Spanish.

Source : APPLE

Samsung Galaxy Note8 Wins ‘Gadget of the Year’ Award at India Mobile Congress

Galaxy Note8, the latest flagship from Samsung, has won the ‘Gadget of the Year’ award at the inaugural India Mobile Congress (IMC), 2017. India Mobile Congress awards recognize innovations and initiatives that have helped transform the ICT ecosystem.

Samsung, India’s biggest and most trusted smartphone brand, launched Galaxy Note8 in India on September 12, offering the next level Note for people who want to do bigger things. Galaxy Note8, Samsung’s most powerful smartphone, has received overwhelming response in India.

“At Samsung, we believe in inspiring the world and bringing meaningful innovation to help make lives better. With the launch of Galaxy Note8, we have further strengthened our leadership in the premium smartphone segment in India and this prestigious award bears testimony to our efforts. Our ear to ground approach led by innovative technologies across product and service categories have made Samsung a popular choice amongst consumers and it is a great honour to be bestowed upon with this recognition,” said Mr. Asim Warsi, Senior Vice President, Mobile Business, Samsung India.

With Galaxy Note8, consumers get a big, immersive Infinity Display that fits comfortably in one hand, S Pen to communicate in more personal ways, and Samsung’s best-ever true Dual Camera with dual Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) to capture stunning photos in all conditions.

Galaxy Note8 is designed for the way consumers lead their lives and lean on technology today. The incredible Note series loved by millions of consumers in India also comes with the revolutionary mobile payment service, Samsung Pay, and Samsung’s defense-grade security platform Samsung Knox.

Galaxy Note8 also comes equipped with Bixby’s voice capabilities, allowing consumers to experience a smarter way to interact with their smartphones. Staying true to Samsung’s legacy of ‘Make for India’, Bixby has been optimized to understand Indian accents.

Source : Samsung, Pic : Daily Mail

DATSUN LAUNCHES REDI-GO GOLD 1.0L LIMITED EDITION IN INDIA

To kick off the Diwali festive season and expand customer choice, Datsun India launched a new limited edition of the best-selling Datsun redi-GO: the Datsun redi-GO GOLD 1.0L, packed with exciting features and stylish enhancements.

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most auspicious and celebrated festivals in India, especially in the northern part of the country. According to Indian mythology, it is observed to celebrate the victory of good over evil. Hence, it holds a great importance in the hearts of Indians. During the festive period, many people choose to make new beginnings in life – be it making a new purchase, starting a new business or getting married. The Datsun redi-GO GOLD limited edition is one of Datsun’s contributions to making the festive season merry and special.

The Datsun redi-GO GOLD’s prominent, gold-inspired decals on the exterior and its gold-themed seats in the interior infuse an extra dose of style. It’s available in three body colors: grey, silver and white. The Datsun redi-GO GOLD comes with a first-in-segment Ambient Lighting app for mobile phones, letting customers choose the mood lighting of the passenger cabin to suit their taste. The limited edition model will also offer smart features such as a Bluetooth audio system and a reverse parking sensor.

“Datsun will make the festive season even more special for our customers by bringing more power, style and convenience in the Datsun redi-GO GOLD 1.0L limited edition,” said Jerome Saigot, vice president, marketing and Datsun business unit, Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. “The Datsun redi-GO GOLD offers an accessible price, peppy driving performance and a refreshing exterior, which together reinforce Datsun’s commitment to offer stylish, high-value-for-money cars to our customers.”

Datsun redi-GO GOLD prices will start from 369,737 rupees and will be available across the pan-India Nissan/Datsun dealer network.

Source : Datsun

Pollution : International Conference and Exhibition on Continuous Emissions Monitoring

Accepted the  invite to attend the 12^th International Conference and Exhibition on the issue of Continuous Emissions Monitoring  at Delhi,  as since last many years, I am directly concerned with all such issues. You can take it as my Social responsibility or the Social cause that I have regularly raised  such issues. Had filed my very first RTI at that time when no one was talking about the issue & those RTIs were duly covered by Print media as well TV channels.

My idea to accept the three day conference was that it will give me much more knowledge on the subject and will add to my experience. So very eagerly and to increase my own awareness on the issue, I started attending the Conference. There were so many speakers to talk about various issues & mostly, all of them were from overseas countries. They presented their research papers in the conference & the audience, including myself, tried to understand them wholeheartedly.

Speakers included Mr. Robert Baxter from USA, Mr. Bernhard Thull from Germany, Mr. Rod Robinson from UK, Mr. Jerome Laplagne from France, Mr. Roland Zepeck from Austria, Mr. Koh Yee Tiong from Singapore, Dr Carlo Bruno from Italy, Ms. Tuula Pellikka from Finland, as well many know persons from CSR, CPCB & other connected fields.

During the conference, I got the opportunity to meet Mr. Erkki Lamminen from DEKATI, Finland who had exhibited  an  equipment to measure the SPM 2.5. Soon we became friendly and we went outside on the road, in the open, near the CBD Ground, Karkardooma, almost at a distance of one KM from the Anand Vihar, which can be said as the most polluted area in the National Capital.

On the very first day, we checked the Real Time status of the SPM 2.5 at around 11am in the morning. Though the Average was at around 60, the PEAKS were almost 3 to 4 times of the average at that minute. The cause of concern was that while we are at that location and while the peaks were up to 3 to 4 times, if we keep inhaling there, what will happen to our Lungs?

Next morning, we again checked the status at around same time & this time, SPM 2.5 was at almost 120, while the peaks were almost double. To my surprise, Mr Lamminen told me that it Finland, the maximum SPM 2.5 was only up to 10 or 20, and while in New Delhi, he was already inhaling at at almost 5 to 10 times, and was really worried about his health.

Surprising factor is that while Chicago University in its latest study has very clearly stated that if we could comply with the WHO standards of Air Quality at Delhi, the residents here can get a life of 9 more years. But seems, no one is concerned, no one is shattered as there is no hue and cry from any corner. Residents just view the news, read and forget, as there is no time to consider for an additional life of 6 to 9 years.

SIA And Lufthansa Group Joint Venture Partnership To Launch On 1 October

28 September 2017 (Joint Release with Lufthansa Group) - Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Lufthansa Group have confirmed 1 October 2017 as the launch date for their joint venture co-operation covering flights between Singapore, Australia and Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium.

Customers can choose from a wider range of travel itineraries and fare products that will be progressively offered by the airlines under the joint venture agreement.

Since November 2015, when both airline groups signed the joint venture agreement, they have expanded capacity between Singapore and both Germany and Switzerland. This includes the introduction of new SIA-operated flights between Singapore and Dusseldorf in July 2016. In March 2017, SWISS deployed its new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on daily flights between Singapore and Zurich. Lufthansa has also announced plans to re-introduce services between Singapore and Munich from March 2018.

These benefits will further enhance existing Star Alliance arrangements that customers enjoy on SIA, Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian Airlines. On the same date, flights operated by SIA, Lufthansa and SWISS between Singapore and Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich will be included in a revenue-sharing agreement between the two airline groups.

The two airline groups have also significantly increased codeshare ties, with over 130 city pairs now offered between key markets in Europe, Southeast Asia and Southwest Pacific.

“We are pleased to launch our joint venture with Lufthansa Group, which has provided a strong foundation for us to work together to enable more flight frequency and enhanced travel options for customers of both airline groups. This joint venture demonstrates what we can achieve with the right partner, and we look forward to working even closer with Lufthansa Group,” said Mr Tan Kai Ping, Singapore Airlines Senior Vice President Marketing Planning.

Mr Dieter Vranckx, Lufthansa Group Airlines Vice President Sales Asia Pacific said, “This is a remarkable milestone for both Lufthansa Group and Singapore Airlines. With the launch of this joint venture, the two premium airline groups are jointly able to optimise the product offerings and high-quality services in a very competitive market throughout Europe, Southeast Asia and Southwest Pacific. We are very proud to team up with Singapore Airlines, a reputable and reliable high-end partner, giving our customers greater choices.”

Source : SIA

Be a part of the Indian Mobile Congress - 27th, 28th, 29th September, 2017, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

All-new S-Cross set to check into NEXA showrooms this festive season

The urban premium S-Cross from Maruti Suzuki, is all set to arrive in a brand new avatar this festive season. The all-new S-Cross will further strengthen Maruti Suzuki’s position in the premium segment. The Company today opened bookings for the all-new S-Cross at its network of NEXA showrooms across India.

All New Looks

The all-new S-Cross sports an entirely new, bold design with a powerful upright stance.

The masculine and aggressive upright stance is accentuated by a sculpted hood design and sleek headlamps. The sharp LED projector headlamps, housed neatly with the daylight running lamps (DRLs), make the all-new S-Cross more assertive.

The imposing chrome on the grille, along with the emphatic S insignia, makes the all-new S-Cross distinct and premium. The rear combination lamps (RCL), also equipped with LEDs, are cleaner, sharper and more contemporary in style. Wider tyres (215/60 R16), coupled with contrasting two-tone machine finished alloys, give it an imposing on-road presence.

Chic Classy Interiors

The interiors have also been tastefully upgraded and made classier with a satin chrome accent finish, a soft touch dashboard and well-coordinated seat fabric designs. More new-age technologies, like an intuitive touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay would also complement the all-new S-Cross. The piano black coloured central panel, together with a premium leather finish arm-rest, adds a dash of premium-ness to the offering.

All New Powertrain

In its newest form, the all-New S-Cross scores high not just on looks but also in technology and powertrain. The all-new S-Cross gets the DDiS 200 with Smart Hybrid technology. This is the third model in the Maruti Suzuki portfolio to host the DDiS 200 with Smart Hybrid technology. It comes packed with a host of features like idle-stop-start, torque assist, brake energy regeneration system and a gearshift indicator. Many of these features enhance energy efficiency in the S-Cross.

Ahead in safety: Tested at the company’s world-class Rohtak R&D facility, the all-new S-Cross is among the six models already compliant with advanced upcoming new safety norms - frontal offset crash, side impact and pedestrian safety. It comes with rear seat ISO-FIX child seat safety mount. These features are standard across all variants of S-Cross.

Launched in August 2015, S-Cross was the first premium offering to debut from the Company’s all new premium retail channel-NEXA. S-Cross therefore, has been instrumental in shaping the premium imagery of the channel and contributed significantly towards establishing NEXA. The Company has sold over 53,000 S-Cross in the domestic market and exported over 4,600 units.

Source : Maruti

India’s popular car WagonR scales unique feat of cumulative two-million sales

WagonR, India’s popular car from Maruti Suzuki has scaled the unique feat of two-million sales in cumulative wholesales. Launched in 1999, WagonR continues to feature among the top five best selling cars in the country for the last over 10 years.

WagonR has always attracted discerning customers, who want their car to be unique. Maruti Suzuki has consistently introduced new design as well technology upgrades in WagonR, which has made it as top choice for buyers. The Company has kept in mind that customers are aspirational and expects enhanced quality of design, features and technologies in their car. 

Maruti Suzuki has listened to its customers and progressively introduced features such as dual airbags, multiple fuel options, ABS, premium interiors and acclaimed Auto Gear Shift in WagonR. WagonR scored its first million sales in 2011, nearly 133 months after its launch. However, with gaining mass popularity and increasing mobility in the country, 

WagonR scaled its next million sales mark in just 79 months. This is the testimony of WagonR being relevant and delighting customers. 

Commenting on the success of WagonR, Mr. R S Kalsi, Senior Executive Director, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki, said, “Since its inception, WagonR has been ahead of its peers. Its comfort seating, spacious interiors superior fuel efficiency, practicality and pleasure of driving have made it a popular choice. To keep it strong, Maruti Suzuki has systematically upgraded the brand with new design and features. Needless to say WagonR has continued to top the sales chart. Despite intensified competition in small car space, WagonR continues to be the preferred choice of the practical car buyers.” 

WagonR has been the blue-eyed car for first time buyers. Nearly, 45% of WagonR customers have picked it up as their first car. At the same time, close to 20% of WagonR customers have purchased the car multiple times. While the brand enjoys national appeal, cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Ahmedabad have contributed handsomely towards it total sales. Among the news features added, Auto Gear Shift trims account for over 16% sales while CNG accounts for over 20% sales. 

With this achievement, WagonR becomes the third model in the country to enter the iconic league of cars like Maruti 800 and Alto, to cross the two-million cumulative sales mark. 

Source : Maruti

TVS Jupiter Crosses 2 Million Sales Mark in 4 Years

TVS Motor Company, India’s leading two and three-wheeler manufacturer in India, today, announced that their popular scooter brand, TVS Jupiter, has clocked sales of 2 million units within 4 years of its launch. 

TVS Jupiter, which was launched in 2013, has stayed true to the brand’s promise of Zyada ka Fayda, winning multiple accolades over the past 4 years. In early 2016, TVS Jupiter was the fastest scooter to reach the mark of 1 million sales, doing so in a mere 30 months. 

Commenting on this achievement, Aniruddha Haldar, Vice President (Marketing) Commuter Motorcycles, Scooters and Corporate Brand, TVS Motor Company said, “It brings us immense delight to see that TVS Jupiter is surpassing milestone after milestone since its launch. 

TVS Jupiter has the distinction of being the first scooter to reach this milestone in a short span of 4 years. This milestone is special as we now have 20 lakh happy customers in the TVS Jupiter family. It is occasions like these, which humble us, as well as, inspire us in our endeavour to continue offering superior products and complement them with dedicated customer satisfaction initiatives.” 

TVS Jupiter is powered by a next generation, all-aluminum, low-friction 110cc engine that delivers a remarkable mix of power, superior acceleration and best-in-class fuel efficiency. The metal bodied, TVS Jupiter is styled to have a substantial road presence, which delivers high performance ride quality with superior ride comfort making it a perfect, sensible companion. 

The scooter also comes with TVS patented Econometer, which guides riders in both 'Eco Mode' and 'Power Mode' and the engine delivers best-in-class fuel economy in 'Eco' mode. TVS Jupiter is available in Base variant as well as ZX and ZX with Disc Brake. The brand recently launched a Classic Edition which offers a variety of novel features such as all new sunlit ivory body colour, elegant full chrome mirrors, stylish windshield, a classy pillion cushioned backrest, along with other thoughtfully designed features like a smart USB charger and comfortable dual-tone seat. 

TVS Jupiter is also equipped with Sync Braking System (SBS) which ensures a safer and smoother riding experience. The scooter is available in colour selections of Royal Wine, Matte Blue, Stallion Brown, Titanium Grey, Midnight Black, Volcano Red, Pristine White, Jade Green and Mystic Gold.

Source : TVS

macOS High Sierra now available as a free update

Cupertino, California — Apple today announced macOS High Sierra, the latest release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is now available as a free update.

With macOS High Sierra, Mac users gain powerful new core storage, video and graphics technologies. A new file system ensures more efficient and reliable storage, and support for High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) brings stunning 4K video at lower file sizes. Metal 2 powers virtual reality content creation, faster performance and more. The Core ML developer framework makes it easy to create apps with powerful machine learning that predict, learn and become more intelligent. macOS High Sierra also includes a number of refinements to the apps Mac users enjoy everyday, including Photos and Safari.

“macOS High Sierra is an important update that makes the Mac more capable and responsive, while laying the foundation for future innovations,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “High Sierra introduces new technologies for VR, high-efficiency video streaming, advances in storage technology and more, while apps such as Photos, Safari, Mail and Notes are refined to give users even more reasons to love their Mac.”

New features in macOS High Sierra:

Apple File System (APFS)

• APFS is a new, advanced storage architecture providing an extensible foundation to support new features and future storage technologies on the Mac.
• APFS brings support for the latest high-capacity storage devices and delivers enhanced performance, security and reliability. 
• With APFS, common operations such as copying files and directories are nearly instantaneous.
• Data is protected from power outages and system crashes thanks to advanced data integrity features.
• APFS currently supports every Mac with all‑flash internal storage — support for Fusion and HDD Mac systems will be available in a future update.

High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) Support

• HEVC (H.265) is a new industry standard that enables extremely efficient compression, streaming and playback of video.
• HEVC enables users to watch 4K video files at full quality, while requiring 40 percent less storage space than the current H.264 standard.1 
• With HEVC, Apple is enabling high-quality 4K video streaming on networks where only HD streaming was previously possible.2
• Hardware acceleration on the new iMac and MacBook Pro delivers incredibly fast and power-efficient HEVC encoding and playback.
• Developers like Adobe, Blackmagic Design, GoPro and more are joining Apple in adopting HEVC.

 For more information, visit: apple.com/in/macos/high-sierra.

Jio Offers on iPhone 8, iPhone8 Plus Rs. 10,000 Cashback, 70 Percent Buyback

Jio is offering Rs. 10,000 CashBack on iPhone8 & iPhone8 plus on Citi cards on the 29th September only, and an option of 70% buyback. Jio is also offering exclusive offers for the 4G consumers. Please check with Reliance Digital stores for the exact details.

Source : Jio.com

RENAULT INDIA LAUNCHES THE NEW DUSTER SANDSTORM

Renault, one of the fastest growing automotive brands in India, today announced the launch of New DUSTER SANDSTORM EDITION. With 9 new exciting enhancements, the DUSTER SANDSTORM has an imposing presence and is tailormade for true automotive enthusiasts. 

The Renault DUSTER SANDSTORM EDITION will be available in two trims – RxS Diesel 85 PS SANDSTORM EDITION offered at an attractive introductory pricing INR 10,90,400 (exDelhi) and RxS Diesel 110 PS SANDSTORM EDITION offered at an attractive introductory pricing INR 11,70,400 (ex-Delhi). The Renault DUSTER SANDSTORM comes with 5-speed and 6-speed manual transmission and is available in a 2-wheel drive (2WD) option. 

Commenting on the launch of the new DUSTER SANDSTORM, Mr. Sumit Sawhney, Country CEO and Managing Director, Renault India Operations said, “Renault DUSTER, which has over the years acquired the stature of a cult product, has the widest offerings in the SUV segment. As part of our endeavour to keep our products and services innovative and contemporary, the exciting enhancements on the DUSTER SANDSTORM make it look even more rugged and tough - the very DNA of a true SUV. The new DUSTER SANDSTORM EDITION is offered at compelling price points and will provide the owners a bold, intelligent and efficient avatar of the DUSTER which will further continue to carry the legacy of the DUSTER forward in India.”

The exterior design of the New DUSTER SANDSTORM EDITION SUV is very powerful and imposing with the New Matt Black front armour with DUSTER Branding & Lamps. It maintains its robust iconic SUV appeal and the bold graphics make it even more expressive with the smart and striking SANDSTORM decals on the hood, doors, tailgate and ORVMs. The rugged look with the Shiny black front grille expresses the assertive personality of the SUV and the pride associated with the brand. Other exciting exterior embellishments like the all New style ZODIAC 16 inch machined alloys, and the Body Colored Outside Door Handle finish accentuate the rugged SUV look and perfectly resonates with this offering.  

The interiors of the Renault DUSTER SANDSTORM EDITION perfectly complements the vehicle’s exterior design. The exclusive touch in the vehicle’s interior environment is based on a host of innovative enhancements like the interior color harmony in black & grey, centre fascia with dark chrome finish, shiny black door trim decorative strip & grab handle and door handle finish in black. The exclusivity of the new vehicle extends to the new seat covers and floor mat set with ‘SANDSTORM’ branding. It is also equipped with a 7-inch touch screen and dual air bags. Colours: The New DUSTER SANDSTORM EDITION is available in 3 colour options - Outback bronze, Moonlight Silver and Slate Grey.

The DUSTER SANDSTORM EDITION will be powered by the powerful and frugal K9K 1.5 dCi (Common Rail Direct Injection) engine that effortlessly overcomes every challenge and is easy to own and maintain. The diesel engines churn an output of 110 PS and 85 PS. The powerful 110 PS version has a 6-speed manual transmission with gear ratios perfectly matched to the engine’s output with an excellent fuel efficiency of 20 kmpl (ARAI). The 85 PS version features a 5-speed manual transmission that delivers the best-in-class fuel efficiency of 20 kmpl (ARAI). Bookings for the New DUSTER SANDSTORM can be made either at the dealerships or through the Renault DUSTER App, which could be easily downloaded from the Google Playstore. “Renault DUSTER, one of the most awarded SUVs and known for its iconic SUV design in India has been able to make a strong connect with the Indian customers across diverse demographics and geographies. It has inspired us to offer something new and better to our customers in line with their ever evolving needs and preferences. The New DUSTER SANDSTORM EDITION will help us further bolstering the ongoing momentum of DUSTER in India,” added Mr. Sawhney. 

Source : Renault

Festive Celebrations Begin, Samsung India Announces ‘Never Mind’ Offer for Consumers

Source : Samsung

How To Do Bigger Things With Samsung Galaxy Note8

Galaxy Note8, Samsung’s most powerful smartphone is witnessing huge interest in India. Pre-bookings for Galaxy Note8, which opened on September 12 in India, has seen an overwhelming response so far. Pre-booked customers will begin to get their devices from September 21.

Galaxy Note8, the ultimate multitasking phone for work and play, comes with a 6.3-inch Infinity Display, allowing users to do more with their smartphones. With Galaxy Note8’s S Pen, users can express themselves in new ways. How ? Let’s find out from Aditya Babbar, General Manager, Mobile Business, Samsung India.  Take a look and share.

Source : Samsung

Any Vision. The highly personalized future of television from Nokia

IBC2017 Amsterdam - Nokia unveiled a glimpse of the future of entertainment with the release of its "From Television to Any Vision" report, which forecasts how entertainment content will be discovered, accessed and enjoyed, resulting in a dramatically different consumer experience by 2025.

Source : NOKIA

Honda Cars India introduces DIGIPAD AVN system in BR-V

Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL), leading manufacturer of passenger cars in India, today introduced its enriched BR-V, featuring the Digipad – Honda’s revolutionary 17.7cm Advanced Touchscreen Audio Video Navigation (AVN) system. Along with the new infotainment system, BR-V comes with newly introduced rear parking camera & rear parking sensors to offer a more convenient and safer parking experience. The new features have been introduced in the VX grade of the BR-V. The rear parking sensors have been introduced from S Grade onwards. 

Speaking about the enriched Honda BR-V, , Mr. Jnaneswar Sen, Sr. Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd said, “We are delighted to introduce the enriched version of the BR-V for our customers in this festive season. The BR-V with Digipad, and other new features, adds to the model’s versatility and we are confident that this “Be Ready Vehicle” will complement the varied lifestyles of our customers.” 

“Honda has introduced many new features in several Honda models during this festive season and they have received excellent customer response. We are quite optimistic of good sales numbers in this season,” he added. 

The revolutionary 17.7cm advanced infotainment system, with capacitive touch-screen – the DIGIPAD – – is especially introduced to add an advanced and interactive appeal to the BR-V. It features:

• In-built satellite-linked 3D navigation
• My Storage internal media memory of 1.5GB
• Mirror Link support for smartphone connectivity
• Internet access for browsing, email and live traffic via optional Wifi receiver
• Voice commands for media, navigation and calling
• Smartphone voice assistant activation
• Bluetooth for hands-free telephone and audio streaming support
• AM/FM Digital radio tuner, MP3/WAV, i-Pod/i-phone compatible
• USB slots (2 Nos), Micro SD Card slots for maps and media (2 Nos.) & HDMI-IN port

Honda BR-V is a new generation crossover utility vehicle featuring a combination of bold, sporty appearance and an extremely versatile and spacious cabin. BR-V has been able to attract diverse customers due to its Bold and Sporty stance, high ground clearance, powerful performance, excellent mileage and highly versatile premium 3-row seating. The versatile seating of BR-V offer recline, slide & folding options. 

Available in both diesel and petrol variant, BR-V has been well accepted by the customers across the country. The unique “Paddle Shift” option in the CVT variant provides the convenience of an automatic with enhanced driving pleasure of a manual. 

The 3 year unlimited km warranty policy on BR-V has been strongly appreciated by the customers. 

The price of the enriched VX grades of the BR-V (ex-showroom Delhi price) are as below: 

1.5L VX MT Petrol – Rs 12,27,169 

1.5L VX MT Diesel – Rs 13,22,512

Source : Honda

2018 Honda Odyssey Achieves Highest Safety Ratings from IIHS and NHTSA

• IIHS recognizes Odyssey with a 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating
• Odyssey earns 5-star Overall Vehicle Score from NHTSA
• Industry-leading Honda Sensing® technology standard on EX and above trims

The 2018 Honda Odyssey has continued its longstanding safety leadership by earning the highest safety ratings of TOP SAFETY PICK+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Odyssey earns TOP SAFETY PICK+ when equipped with available Honda Sensing® and LED headlights. Honda Sensing is now standard on EX and above trims, accounting for 99 percent of 2018 Odyssey sales1.

"Odyssey was designed to keep everyone in the family happy, and helping to keep everyone safer is a crucial part of that mission," said Ray Mikiciuk, assistant vice president of Honda Automobile Sales. "Honda's goal of reaching a collision-free society includes safety improvements for each new generation of Odyssey without having to sacrifice minivan-first technologies like available Magic Slide SeatTM, which consumers have come to love."

The model earned a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating as a result of scores on crashworthiness tests, earning GOOD ratings across the board, and with the help of two additions for the 2018 model year: available Honda Sensing and LED headlights. The Collision Mitigation Braking System™ in the new Odyssey, which is included in the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies, earned a SUPERIOR rating as a result of its performance in IIHS collision avoidance tests. In track tests at 12 mph and 25 mph, an Odyssey equipped with Honda Sensing avoided the collisions. The Odyssey Elite and Touring trims, accounting for 42 percent of 2018 Odyssey sales1, earn an ACCEPTABLE rating for their LED reflector headlights. The two trims include high-beam assist, a feature that automatically switches between high beams and low beams, depending on the presence of other vehicles.

To earn the 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, a vehicle must earn a rating of GOOD in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. It also must have an available front crash prevention system with an ADVANCED or SUPERIOR rating and headlights that earn an ACCEPTABLE or GOOD rating.

The Odyssey achieved a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score in the NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) by scoring 5 stars in the frontal crash tests for driver and passenger, 5 stars for side crash tests for both front and rear seats and pole, and 4 stars in the rollover test. 

Honda vehicles offer a broad range of active and passive safety features, including Honda Sensing, which can help drivers avoid a collision or mitigate its severity. There are more than 500,000 vehicles equipped with Honda Sensing on U.S. roads today. Honda Sensing is available on the Civic, Fit, HR-V, CR-V, Pilot, Ridgeline and Odyssey, and standard on the Clarity series and the soon to be available 2018 Accord. Honda Sensing is part of the pathway for the company's goal to introduce vehicles with highly automated driving capability in most driving situations (SAE Level 4). This goal builds upon earlier-announced plans for Honda vehicles to have highly automated freeway driving capability (SAE Level 3) by 2020. These are critical steps in Honda's commitment to contribute to a collision-free society.

Honda Sensing technologies include Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). All 2017 Honda models come equipped with a multi-angle rearview camera as standard equipment. Additional standard safety equipment on all Honda models include Advance Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure; Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); side curtain airbags (some vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor as well); advanced front airbags; and front side airbags.

Source : Honda

INDOOR POLLUTION - THE ENEMY INSIDE YOUR HOUSE

Pollution is a major killer & till date, we have mostly focused on the outdoor pollutants that come from Vehicular traffic, power plants, construction debris, etc., in the form of Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), i.e. PM 1, PM2.5, PM10,  Benzene, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulpher Dioxide (SO2), Ozone (O3), Heavy metals (Lead & Mercury), as well Volatile organic compounds (VOC),etc. 

But today, we will talk about the Enemy inside your house, i.e. the indoor pollutants in your home, which are also the serious cause of concern, as they too are the silent killers. These indoor pollutants include the Volatile organic compounds that come from your wall paints, as well the bio-aerosols, Nitrous oxides from the cooking gas in your kitchen, and so on. Please watch the Indoor Air Quality & Indoor Pollution video embedded below, that shows 5 areas of concern.



The above Air Advice for homes, clearly shows the status of various danger levels, inside your home, i.e. 
Danger level 5 - Carbon Monoxide, low level causes mild health effects such as Headaches, Dizziness, Disorientation, Nausea, Fatigue, while high level can be Fatal; 
Danger level 4 - Microbial Growth, i.e. Micro - organisms, Mold, Fungal spores, causes Allergies, Sinus & Respiratory infections as well as Infertility;
Danger level 3 - Allergens & Particulates, i.e. Dust, Pollen, Pet dander, Insect debris & Smoke, causes Nose & Throat irritation, Congestion, Sneezing, Coughing & Asthma;
Danger level 2 - Infectious illness, i.e. Bacteria, Viruses, Germs, Cold, Flu, Airborne illnesses & Microorganisms; 
Danger level 1 - Contaminants, Toxic compounds, Building material, Furniture, Carpets, Paints, Cleaning chemicals, and so on, along with other pollutants as above, may be the cause of serious health hazards such as Cancer, Asthma, as well a Stroke. 

The risk of indoor pollution has increased manifolds due to the massive use of  Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), in the buildings, painting of walls, as well varnishes used inside. Please view the video embedded below to understand, what are the Volatile Organic Compounds. 



Various opinions on the Indoor pollution :

1A. If you check the World Health Organization (WHO) Key facts on the indoor pollution, you will be shocked, as it says that over   People die every year from the exposure to indoor & household air pollution. # More than 50% of premature deaths due to pneumonia among children under 5 are caused by the particulate matter inhaled from household air pollution. # 3.8 million premature deaths annually from noncommunicable diseases including stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are attributed to exposure to household air pollution. 

1B. In yet another study, World Health Organisation (WHO) said,  # Ambient and household air pollution caused, respectively, 2.8 & 3.7 million NCD deaths from ischaemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer in 2012. #  Globally, 29% of COPD deaths are attributed to household air pollution, 8% ambient and 11% workplaces. # Reducing air pollution from transport, energy generation and industrial emissions; and exposures to ionizing and UV radiation, and chemicals, such as solvents, pesticides, asbestos and formaldehyde, can prevent lung and other cancers. Workers in certain occupations are at particular risk.

2. United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said, “Organic chemicals are widely used as ingredients in household products. Paints, varnishes, and wax all contain organic solvents, as do many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing and hobby products. Fuels are made up of organic chemicals. All of these products can release organic compounds while you are using them, and, to some degree, when they are stored”.

3. Tina Porwal, in her Abstract, “Paint Pollution Harmful Effects on Environment”, has said, that “Paint generally include pigment (the colour), carried by a resin and/or binder, a solvent to help the paint application, and a dryer. In vinyl and acrylic paints they will also include plastics compounds. Some will include formaldehyde, arsenic, thinners, and foam makers”. 

She continues,"Every year we like to paint our home, furniture, etc., for decoration, protection, identification, sanitation. But we forget the impact of paint on our environment. This can cause some serious hazardous effect on our body like headaches, trigger allergies, asthmatic reactions, irritate skin, eyes, and put increased stress on vital organs such as heart and not only paints but also its byproducts or by which paint creates are also more dangerous to us and our environment".

We are sure, by now, you have understood the seriousness of the issue and willing to get rid of these indoor pollutants from your sweet home, as the indoor pollution levels are much above the normal levels. Various experts have measured these at 2 to 5 times, as well, even up to 10 times and to reduce this pollution from your house, you require the ROYALE ATMOS.

INTRODUCING - ROYALE ATMOS - A new paint from Asian Paints. Asian paints have now introduced a new paint,"Royale Atmos", that looks much more beautiful. You will be surprised to note that, this new paint gives you a better Air Quality by providing, clean air inside your home. It makes the air in your home, purer than before, so that you can breathe easily. The Carbon technology Activated in this paint reduces the harmful pollutants from the air, inside of your home. Additionally, you won't feel certain select foul smells of household as Royale Atmos absorbs foul smells to give you a clean & fresh air, inside your home. Moreover, you will feel pleasure as this new paint has a fragrance & not the foul smell of Volatile organic compounds.




If you have any doubt that how the pollutants, such as formaldehyde will be reduced in your home, please watch this video:



If you want to understand that how Royale Atmos will clear the Air, please watch this video:



Please note, University of Chicago, in its recent report, has mentioned that,"National Capital Region residents are losing out on almost 6 years of life because of the dangerous air pollution levels. If WHO standards were met in NCR, people would live 9 years longer. In Kolkata and Mumbai better air quality would translate into almost 3.5 years longer life spans". The report says,"4.6 billion life years would be added in the country by complying with WHO standards". Hindustan Times Delhi covered this news very significantly:

Therefore, you must call Asian Paints immediately, to understand the product, to understand it's suitability, in order to reduce indoor pollution from your house. If you want to know more about the Indoor Pollution as well the Royale Atmos, please log on to www.asianpaints.com/atmos

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Data Source / Pics / Vids / Quotes, used with thanks:    WHO  WHO 2  EPA  TINA PORWAL ABSTRACT   ROYALE ATMOS  UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Air Advice for Homes  airocide  Hindustan Times