The best Android alternatives to the iPhone 8 and iPhone X

Apple has revealed its new flagship iPhone X smartphone, its premium device that will be available for pre-order on October 27 and includes a host of new features including wireless charging, an edge-to-edge display and facial recognition.

The company has also released the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, two upgraded smartphones which start at £699 and £799.

But the new premium Apple device is set to cost users as much as £1,149, and there are many fantastic smartphones out there that rival the iPhone at a lower cost.

And yet, while the iPhone X's features have got Apple fans excited, several of the best ones are present on devices already on the market. 

Here's a rundown of some of the best alternatives to the iPhone X and how they stack up against the new flagship's specs and features.

Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, OnePlus 5, HTC U11, Nokia 8, Sony Xperia XZ Premium, Google Pixel XL

with thanks : Yahoo Finance : LINK : for more details & pics

32kmpl Maruti Suzuki Swift hybrid spotted in India

Maruti's all-new Swift was spotted on Indian soil for the first time. This is the same car that was unveiled globally earlier this year. However, there is a minor difference to the car that was spotted here. This is the Suzuki Swift Hybrid and the full blown one with an electric motor. This car was showcased a month ago in Japan. It's no secret that Maruti Suzuki will launch the all-new Swift in India during the Auto Expo 2018. From the look of it, Maruti may be interested in launching it here as well.

The new Maruti Suzuki Swift looks upmarket and has LED DRLs and projector headlamps

The Maruti Suzuki Swift hybrid will combine a 10kW electric motor generator and a 1.2-litre 91PS engine. It is mated to a 5-speed AMT. In the Japanese cycle, this 2-wheel drive model is claimed to deliver 32kmpl. Essentially the motor shuts off the internal combustion engine when it detects that the vehicle is coasting with a relatively lower road and in heavy traffic conditions. Suzuki also says that the Swift hybrid can travel a few kilometres on electric power only before needing assistance from the internal combustion engine.

with thanks : Yahoo Finance : LINK : for more details & pics

#RyanMustAnswer - IndiaToday TV - B S Vohra

Unveiling the mystery behind iPhone X

It’s that time of the year, and this time, it’s also that time of the decade. Yes, the new iPhone is about to be launched, and this time, the stakes are huge. It’s the 10th anniversary for this small bundle of super profits and maximum revenue for Apple. For the last few years, almost anything and everything that Apple has done has got leaked in a steady flow of spy pictures, rumours and leaks. This time, the leaks and rumours are many, but confirmations are few and far between. That’s because the 10th year of the iPhone will be celebrated by having more than one phone released. And Apple seems to have toyed, experimented and discarded a number of things, leading to absolute confusion. So, let’s try and bury a few rumours by playing my annual game of ‘Let’s test how much I get right’. I shall make some predictions and two days later you can mark me on how much egg I got on my face.

The Apple event for the launch of the new iPhones is on September 12, and according to India time, all shall be revealed by late night that day. This is the first ever event being held inside their massive spaceship-like new campus in Cupertino. The actual stage event will happen inside the Steve Jobs Theatre. Even the invitation card says, ‘Let’s meet up at our Place’. And now, for the actual products itself.

The X

There will be three of them, and the first one to celebrate the 10th year of the iconic phone will be called the iPhone X. Look, this is where I may get the most egg smothered all over my mug, but I’ve been predicting this now for more than a year. Apple usually doesn’t play around with names and monikers, and tends to avoid being over dramatic. But, this is a very dramatic occasion and must be marked and underlined as such. Many have said that it will be called the iPhone Edition or iPhone 8 or even the iPhone SJ (for Steve Jobs; never going to happen!), but I’m going to stick to my guns on this one. Thus, the celebratory phone will be called the X, as in the Roman numeral for 10. It will have a radical change of design and looks, acquire some serious curves on the sides, have an extraordinary 5.8- inch OLED display that is completely edge-to-edge on all sides. Due to this display, despite having the bigger screen, the phone will be much smaller than the Plus iPhones. It will have a much faster processor, an all-glass back, an all new form of facial recognition for security and access, no physical home button on the front, a new touch ID system integrated elsewhere and full wireless charging with a dock right in the box. There will be some other bells and whistles in the camera and optics department as well as the graphics engine, but, in essence the big deal will be the above. This may well be the most expensive iPhone ever sold. Get ready to celebrate with Apple with a bit of a sticker shock.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK : for detailed news report

Ford, VW, Nissan, Skoda, Audi, General Motors may give Auto Expo 2018 a miss

At least six automobile companies are likely to skip the biennial Auto Expo 2018, South Asia’s largest show, as they seek to cut costs amid weak sales.

Ford India Pvt. Ltd, Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd, Skoda India Pvt. Ltd, Audi India Pvt. Ltd, Nissan India Pvt. Ltd, Ducati India and General Motors India Pvt. Ltd (which is exiting India) have decided against participating in the show, at least one executive in each of the companies said, requesting anonymity.

Eicher Motors-controlled Royal Enfield, Bajaj Auto Ltd and Harley-Davidson India Ltd skipped the show in 2016 citing high participation cost and inadequate returns and have also decided against participating in next year’s event.

A Skoda India spokesperson confirmed that the company will not participate. Emails sent to the other companies did not elicit any response till press time.

The executives cited non-availability of India-specific models to showcase in the show and financial constraints as reasons for not participating.

“They have not been able to sell vehicles. All the money that they get from customers, half of that goes to the government in terms of taxes,” said a senior executive at a car maker who did not wish to be named.

In the four months ended 31 July, sales at Ford India grew 0.24% from a year earlier; GM India sales plunged 70%; and Nissan’s sales fell 7.15%. Skoda India’s sales grew 29% and Volkswagen grew by 3.84% from a low base. That compares with the 7.29% growth in the Indian passenger vehicle industry during the period.

“Auto Expo is not only about price that they pay for the space but also about construction, labour, imported materials and cars,” the industry executive cited earlier added.

While several companies are likely to skip the show, SAIC’s MG Motor unit, Peugeot and Kia Motors Co are likely to participate for the first time.

A spokesperson for Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the organizers of the Auto Expo, said that preparations are going on and it’s still receiving bookings.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK : for detailed news.

Our breaking Meteorite news of November 2011

Suzuki Swift Sport technical specifications leaked

While last few weeks were all about whether the Suzuki Swift Sport is coming to India or not, today's marked for the technical details of the car. While Suzuki did drop teasers and unveil dates for the new Swift Sport, they conveniently skipped the power train details. Now a leaked scan of the brochure gives out all the information.2018 Suzuki Swift Sport gets body work as well as 17-inch blacked out alloys.

The 2018 Suzuki Swift Sport gets a tuned 1.4-litre turbo petrol Boosterjet motor that's good for 140PS/230Nm. The engine sends power to the front wheels through a 6-speed manual or automatic. While the manual Swift Sport is claimed to deliver 16.4kmpl fuel efficiency, the auto returns 16.2kmpl. Expect the Suzuki Swift Sport to also have a sub-10s acceleration number with a kerb weight less than 1,000kg. In comparison, the Fiat Abarth Punto weighs nearly 1,200kg and makes the same amount of power.

with thanks : yahoonews : LINK : for detailed report

A Ragpickers interview - It can be Life threatening !

Flipkart launches first private fashion label Divastri

BENGALURU: Flipkart has announced the launch of its first private label in the fashion category to tap into the demand for women's ethnic wear. With the launch of Divastri, the company is targeting unstitched garments category, typically served by long tail merchants in a bid to control quality and pricing in the segment. 

“We have some basic line of private label but Divastri will be our first brand in the fashion space,“ said Rishi Vasudev, VP of fashion (retail) at Flipkart. “We have selected over 20 sellers, some of whom double up as manufacturers to licence the brand and sell on the Flipkart fashion marketplace. We have started with a selection of 1,500 and will soon ramp it up to 2,500.“ 

According to Flipkart, fashion accounts for more than 60% of all units sold on the online platform.Of this, nearly half the units sold are in the ethnic wear and Indian contemporary wear category. 

Vasudev said the company will be introducing new labels in the coming months as part of the fashion vertical. The current line will meet quality standards with a uniform design story for its offerings, he said. The share of fashion in the company's gross merchandise value has remained stat .. 

Source : Economic Times : LINK  Pics source : DIVASTRI : LINK

Petrol powered Audi Q7 launched at Rs 67.76 lakh

MUMBAI: Audi on Monday announced the launch of the petrol powered Q7 40 TFSI quattro in India, starting at Rs 67.76 lakh (ex-showroom). Propelling the car is the 2.0-litre TFSI engine that powers multiple models from the fleet of the German carmaker - including the TT Coupe.

The inline-four motor churns out 252PS and 370Nm of torque, said to accelerate the car from standstill to 100kmph in 6.9 seconds. Audi also claims a lightning-fast power redistribution through quattro permanent all-wheel drive, and a top speed of 233kmph. The declared fuel efficiency of the Q7 petrol is 11.68kmpl which is approved by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). The SUV also gets segment first Audi Virtual Cockpit and a smart Audi Smartphone Interface.

Addressing the launch, Rahil Ansari, Head, Audi India, said, "This is the year of 'Audi Reloaded' for us. 'Audi Reloaded' just doesn't mean new products or new touch points but it signifies a nimbleness to tweak the strategy as per the market demand. We have taken a strategic decision to increase our petrol mix and started off the process with the launch of the Audi Q3 1.4 TFSI in March this year. We do have some other surprises planned for this year."

The car is already available in India with a 3.0 TDI engine which is no different from the new petrol version in the terms of design and functionality. The car continues to feature adaptive suspension along with the electromechanical power steering and shift paddles. Key highlights of the Q7 include a high-end infotainment system, four-zone automatic climate control, cruise control, auto park assist and eight airbags among the other features.

The car is also available in Premium Plus edition and the fully loaded Technology edition.

Source : TOI : LINK