Geek Appeal: New gadgets & apps on the block

The Tech Panda takes a look at recently launched gadgets & apps in the market.

Gaming storage: Acer FA200

BIWIN Storage Technology introduces the Acer FA200, a cutting-edge PCIe 4.0 SSD for the discerning needs of gamers and content creators. With a combination of a high-performance controller, premium NAND flash ICs, and the latest NVMe 2.0 interface, the FA200 offers sequential read speed of up to 7200 MB/s. Its sleek single-sided design ensures compatibility across a wide range of devices, from desktops and laptops to the PS5, making it the ultimate choice for storage expansion and upgrades.

“The dynamic digital ecosystem evolves rapidly and it is paramount to ensure a seamless digital experience without any lag. This assumes all the more significance for a few intensive tasks like 3D rendering, AAA gaming as well as design, and Acer FA200 is the most perfect cutting-edge solution. We are happy to take it to Indian consumers,” said Rajesh Khurana, Country Manager at Consumer Business for Biwin, adding that Acer FA200 PCIe 4.0 SSD would be made available across the country by Fortune Marketing and its channel partners.

Features

• Faster Read & Write Speeds
• PCIe Gen 4 x4 NVMe 2.0
• Single-sided design
• Heat Dissipation
• Power Management
• HMB technology, plus SLC Cache
• Acer FA200 uses a state-of-the-art PCIe Gen 4 x4 NVMe controller with the NVMe 2.0 interface, bringing in a new era of responsiveness. With lightning-fast application launches, swift game gamers loading, and seamless multitasking, content creators will appreciate a smoother workflow, while will enjoy better performance.
• Acer FA200 includes Host Memory Buffer (HMB) technology, along with SLC cache, speeding up computer boot times, file transfers, and game-loading speeds.
• Offering a Thermal Throttle mechanism and dedicated Power Management, FA200 dynamically regulates the SSD’s operating temperature and power consumption. With a high thermal conductivity graphene pad, it guarantees optimal performance even during intensive tasks such as design, 3D rendering, and AAA gaming.
• Acer FA200 includes a customized version of Acronis True Image. This useful cloning software allows effortless data transfer and backup capabilities. This ensures the preservation of your data, security, and privacy.

Audiotech: Wireless Earbuds

Inbase, a mobile accessories brand, launched 3 new TWS Wireless Earbuds – Inbase Freebuds Elite, Freebuds Neo, and Freebuds Dots for an enhanced audio experience.

Nitesh Kumbhat, Co-Founder, Inbase, stated, “At Inbase, our vision has always been to seamlessly integrate innovation and practicality into everyday tech experiences. With the launch of Inbase Free Buds Elite, Neo, and Dots, we continue to uphold this commitment, delivering TWS earbuds that not only prioritize superior audio performance and  caters to the diverse segment of people. These releases exemplify our dedication to enhance lives through technology, offering a perfect blend of form and function to our users.”

Features

Inbase Free Buds Elite

• Design and Fit: Inbase Elite highlights a premium black matte metal finish, exuding an ultra-premium and durable aesthetic. The snug-fit design and soft silicone earbuds ensure a comfortable and secure fit for extended usage.
• Audio: Experience high-definition sound output that elevates the audio quality to deliver a rich and immersive listening experience.
• Battery: With an impressive 40 hours of playtime and up to 400 hours of standby, Inbase Elite ensures extended usage without compromising on performance.
• Connectivity: Seamless connectivity is guaranteed through the latest Bluetooth 5.3 technology, offering a reliable and uninterrupted connection for an enhanced user experience.
• Voice Assistant: Featuring a one-tap voice assistant activation, Inbase Elite allows effortless interaction with Siri and Google, adding a convenient hands-free element to your daily activities.

Inbase Free Buds Neo

• Design and Fit: Inbase Neo combines style and comfort with a snug fit design, ensuring a secure and comfortable placement. Its vibrant array of colors, including black & yellow, blossom pink, and navy blue, add a touch of personal flair to the user experience.
• Audio: Equipped with 13mm audio drivers, Inbase Neo delivers high-definition sound output for an immersive and superior audio experience. The dual HD microphones and passive noise isolation enhance call clarity and overall audio quality.
• Battery: Neo boasts an impressive battery life, offering up to 30 hours of listening time and 400 hours of standby, providing users with extended usage and reliability.
• Connectivity: Seamless connectivity is achieved using Bluetooth 5.3 technology, ensuring a stable and efficient connection for uninterrupted audio playback.
• Voice Assistant: Neo offers a hands-free experience with its integrated voice assistant, allowing users to effortlessly access voice commands for Siri and Google, enhancing convenience in daily tasks.

Inbase Free Buds Dots

• Design and Fit: Inbase Dot, the smallest TWS in the lineup, combines a compact form with a snug-fit design, ensuring a comfortable and secure fit. Its minimalist design is complemented by the availability of classic colors – blue, white, and black.
• Audio: Despite its size, Inbase Dot delivers powerful audio with big 13mm audio drivers, providing users with an impressive sound experience. The snugfit design and passive noise isolation contribute to an immersive audio environment.
• Battery: Enjoy extended usage with up to 40 hours of playtime on a single charge, making Inbase Dot a reliable companion for daily activities. The inclusion of Type C charging adds convenience to the charging process.
• Connectivity: Experience seamless connectivity with Bluetooth 5.3 technology, ensuring a stable and efficient connection for uninterrupted music playback.
• Voice Assistant: Though compact, Dot doesn’t compromise on functionality, offering a convenient voice assistant feature for hands-free access to voice commands, enhancing the overall user experience.

EV: The first transparent look of an electric motorcycle at the GIM

Raptee Energy, an EV startup, showcased the first transparent look of its electric motorcycle at the Global Investors Meet (GIM) in Tamil Nadu on the 7th & 8th of Jan’24. The electric motorcycle, set to be launched in April 2024, promises a thrilling experience for riders with its high-voltage drivetrain and cutting-edge technology.

Dinesh Arjun, CEO and Co-founder of Raptee Energy, highlighted the significance of Raptee’s achievement, stating, “Our first ever showcase of our motorcycles couldn’t have been at a better event. The TN GIM attracted Suppliers and investors from around the world and the buzz around our booth was electric! The fact that we were not merely a vehicle integrator but had developed the entire stack in India intrigued everyone. Our indigenous high voltage powertrain not only delivers stunning torque and consistent top speed but also addresses the long-standing demand for reliable e-motorcycles. Having built on a High Voltage power train, Raptee Motorcycles will be the only Two wheelers compatible with the fast-expanding CCS2 public charging infrastructure”.

Jayapradeep Vasudevan, CBO of Raptee Energy said, “We are overwhelmed by the response for our first display of Raptee in the Tamil Nadu Global Investors meet 2024. We have received very good interests from potential investors and suppliers. The customer footfall ranged across all age groups, predominantly college students and bike enthusiasts. We are quite hopeful that this positive response from consumers will translate to good demand when we launch the product a few months from now. Our team is super thrilled at the moment and looking forward to an exciting launch.”

The Company has already set up its first factory in Chennai spanning 4 acres, with a proposed investment of Rs 85 crore investment. The facility, featuring a cutting-edge R&D center, will produce up to 1 lakh units annually, serving as Raptee’s main production hub for the next 24 months, employing 470 individuals for manufacturing and design innovation, including a dedicated battery pack assembly line.

Features

Raptee’s electric motorcycle boasts a powerful drivetrain, enabling a top speed of 135 kilometres per hour and an impressive real-world range of 150 kilometres on a single charge. Recharging is hassle-free at any CCS2 charging station, taking just 45 minutes to reach 80% capacity or 40kms in 15 minutes charging. With a rapid acceleration of 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, this vehicle leaves traditional gas-powered counterparts behind.

Apart from stunning torque and consistent top speed, Raptee’s streamlined silhouette is designed to deliver a stunning and often surprising level of performance. R&D has successfully delivered the first production-ready model, and a full-fledged launch is slated for April 2024.

Industrial automation: Next-gen of LAN969x Ethernet switches with Time Sensitive Networking, scalable bandwidths & powerful single-core Arm

To provide designers with a reliable and robust network solution with deterministic communication, Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) today announces its next-generation of LAN969x Ethernet switches with Time Sensitive Networking (TSN), scalable bandwidths from 46 Gbps to 102 Gbps and a powerful 1 GHz single-core Arm ® Cortex ® -A53 CPU.

“Prior to the introduction of Microchip’s LAN969x Ethernet switches, customers who wanted to implement TSN and HSR/PRP features required multiple ICs. Microchip’s new LAN969x solution is a single chip that can reduce the number of components and system level costs,” said Charles Forni, vice president of Microchip’s USB and networking business unit. “These devices are also supported with our VSC6817SDK IStaX Linux® application software package that can enable designers to quickly bring products to market.”

The Why

The growth of the industrial automation market encompasses innovative technologies like Machine Learning (ML) and robotic systems. Embedded solutions with deterministic communication are essential for industrial automation applications to control, monitor and process data.

Features

• For applications that require greater redundancy, the LAN969x Ethernet switches can be configured with High-availability Seamless Redundancy (HSR) and Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP).
• HSR and PRP are hardware protocols that provide zero-loss redundancy in Ethernet networks. The LAN969x Ethernet switches support multiple HSR and PRP Redundancy Box (RedBox) instances that can operate in parallel and in series, as well as at Ethernet port speeds from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps.
• The LAN969x can implement a QuadBox, which is a function that connects two HSR networks to each other. This feature is particularly useful in applications where high reliability and zero downtime are critical. Alternative solutions that implement a QuadBox typically require multiple different components that can drive up design complexity and system costs.
• The LAN969x Ethernet switches are highly configurable with options of up to 30 ports. The Ethernet ports support multiple interfaces including RGMII, SGMII, QSGMII, USGMII, and USXGMII. The LAN969x family targets secure and safety-critical applications where high- port-count 10M/100M/1G/2.5G/10G switching links are required.
• The LAN969x family is available with security add-ons such as secure boot and secure firmware execution based on the customer’s root-of-trust manufacturing process. Security is provided through Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM)-based frame processing using a Versatile Content Aware Processor (VCAP), Arm Trusted Firmware methodology for fast secure boot, crypto libraries and hardware security accelerators for boot and code encryption, and one-time programmable immutable key storage.

FMEG: the 360 Degree power adaptor with dual USB ports & multiple international sockets

Goldmedal Electricals, an Indian Fast Moving Electrical Goods (FMEG) companies, introduced the 360 Degree power adaptor. This power adaptor is equipped with dual USB ports and multiple international sockets that allow you to effortlessly connect and power your devices.

Kishan Jain, Director, Goldmedal said, “At Goldmedal, our commitment prioritizes both efficiency and safety. Equipped with a heavy-duty cord, international sockets, and USB ports, our 360 Degree power adaptor is a must-have device for modern homes and offices. It ensures rapid charging, while integrated features like surge protection and thermal trip technology provide unparalleled safety and reliability.”

Features

• The circular design of the 360 Degree power adaptor delivers maximum freedom while using minimum space.
• Enhancing its usability, the master switch at the centre ensures easy, one-touch control.
• Fire retardant high-grade plastic body: Ensures safety, reduces the risk of fires, and enhances the adaptor’s durability.
• Overload protector: The in-built surge protector in the adaptor protects the connected electronic devices against power surges and spikes.
• Thermal trip technology: The thermal trip feature automatically shuts off the power to prevent overheating and potential fire hazards.
• LED indicator: Indicates if the power of the adaptor is ON/OFF.
• Heavy-duty 2-meter power cord: Increases durability and flexibility, allowing users to connect devices from a greater distance.
• Output 2100 mA: Enables fast charging of devices like smartphones and tablets.
• 360 Degree Power adaptor is available both online and in retail stores for Rs. 1100. It comes with a one-year warranty.

AI: AI-led multi-energy, electro-mechanical, & color scanning machines at the Ram Mandir

Vehant Technologies installed AI-led multi-energy, electro-mechanical, and color scanning machines at the controversial Ram Mandir. The checkpoints within the temple grounds are equipped with AI-powered devices. 11 advanced security devices, including X-ray baggage scanners and under-vehicle scanning systems, are installed in the temple to ensure its safety.

With the anticipated large crowd and the presence of high-profile individuals at the inauguration ceremony, the combined technology ensures a robust security framework.

Features

• The machines have highly advanced area scan imaging technology and screening machines for medium and large baggage.
• They’re effective in spotting prohibited items through x-ray images and sending real-time alerts to operators to prevent potential incidents.
• They’ve additional features like Threat Image Projection, a superior central console, and video management.

AudioTech: Entun’z Mega Pro and Double Barrel party speakers

Endefo, a Dubai-based player in the audio technology sector and a part of the Ashtel group unveiled its Entun’z Mega Pro and Double Barrel party speakers. The products will be available on their website across 19,000 Indian pin codes. Additionally, by 21st January 2024, these products will be available for customers at 2000+ retail stores including Sangeetha Mobiles, Supreme Paradise, Lot Mobile, Nandilath Digital, Ideal Home Appliances, Easy Store, Gulf Own Digital, Image Mobiles, and Computers.

Aneef Tas, CEO of Endefo, expressed his enthusiasm for the launch, stating, “We are thrilled to introduce the Entun’z Mega Pro and Double Barrel speakers to the Indian market. With a perfect blend of state-of-the-art technology and affordability, we believe these speakers will resonate well with the Indian consumer. This launch marks a significant step towards solidifying Endefo’s position in India and reinforces our commitment to delivering innovative and high-quality audio solutions at an affordable range.”

He further commented, “Our brand is one of a kind, embedded with the latest features and advanced tech. This expo is a perfect opportunity for us to display our offerings and share our plans for expansion with our consumers. Our previous products, like the recently launched Endefo watches and TWS, have been well-received in the market. We are pleased with their success, and it motivates us to continue bringing the latest tech-enabled affordable products to the Indian market.”

Features

Priced at 9999 INR each, Endefo aims to redefine the value proposition in the speaker market by offering the Entun’z Mega Pro and Double Barrel at an exclusive consumer price point of 6999 INR and 5999 INR, respectively.

Entun’z Mega Pro (70 W Ultra Bass)

Price 6999 INR

The Entun’z Mega Pro boasts a powerful 70W Ultra Bass, delivering crystal-clear voice and an immersive audio experience. Packed with features such as a Karaoke Mic, Surround Sound, LED Display, Remote Control, Mobile Holder, AUX, USB Drive, Micro SD Card, FM Radio, and an enhanced life battery, this speaker is a versatile and stylish addition to any entertainment setup.

Double Barrel (100W Ultra Bass)

Price 5999 INR

The Double Barrel, with its impressive 100W Ultra Bass, offers a dual speaker configuration for an enhanced surround sound experience. Equipped with an Equalizer Control Board, LED Display, Tone Control, Remote Control, AUX, USB Drive, Micro SD Card, FM Radio, and a long-life battery, this speaker is designed to elevate audio enjoyment to new heights.

Automotive temperature sensors: The MCP998x family of 10 automotive-qualified remote temperature sensors

Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) launched the MCP998x family of 10 automotive-qualified remote temperature sensors. The MCP998x family is one of the largest portfolios of automotive-grade multi-channel temperature sensors in the industry and is designed for 1°C accuracy at a wide operational temperature range. The device family includes five sensors with shutdown temperature setpoints that are designed not to be overwritten by software or maliciously disabled.

“This new family of remote temperature sensors is expanding customer choice in a product category that, historically, has offered limited options,” said Fanie Duvenhage, vice president of Microchip’s mixed-signal and linear unit. “With 10 devices to choose from, each offering better accuracy in very high temperature applications and five with shutdown safety features, the MCP998x family gives customers a broad range of automotive multi-channel temperature sensors to choose from.”

The Why

Thermal management is a critical aspect of automotive design, yet compared to many other components, there is a noted lack of options when it comes to multi-channel remote temperature sensors. The launch is aimed to fill this gap.

Features

With up to five channels of monitoring and several alert and shutdown options for security, this product family can support systems that supervise more than one thermal element. The remote sensors also integrate resistance error correction and beta compensation, eliminating the need for additional configuration for improved accuracy. Monitoring temperatures at multiple locations with a single, integrated temperature sensor reduces board complexity and size and simplifies design for a lowered bill of material (BOM).

More accurate where it counts, designed for 2.5°C accuracy up to 125°C, the MCP998x device family can be used at the high end of the traditional temperature range where many competitors are challenged. This high temperature tolerance makes them well-suited for automotive applications where operating temperatures for electronics is a major factor. The MCP998x sensors are designed to support vehicle functions including HID lamps, advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS), automotive servers, video processing, infotainment systems, engine control, telematics and body electronics such as seat control, lighting systems, mirror control and power windows. Visit the website to learn more about Microchip’s full portfolio of temperature sensors.

Cybersecurity: QR safety app to protect users against any digital attacks

With the aim to empower everyday users with advanced protection against malicious QR codes and URLs, Atomic Asher’s QR safety app ensures that users are protected against any digital attacks. Founded by Anirudh Asher, the company focuses on providing technology solutions to complex and a wide gamut of societal problems.

“The launch of the QR Safety app is not just a milestone for our company but a significant advancement for the digital ecosystem at large. Our commitment to fostering a safer digital world has been our driving force, as well as mishaps experienced by my own grandparents. This app is a testament to our dedication to protecting users against the evolving threats in the digital domain, ensuring a secure and trustworthy environment for digital interactions,” said Anirudh Asher, Founder, Atomic Asher LLP.

The Why

The surge in QR code related scams in the country suggest that an increasing number of individuals are falling prey to attacks by cyber criminals, including public facing entities. With a majority of information being QR code linked in the form of tickets, billboards, Maharera, newspaper ads, etc, it has become even more imperative to have a safety firewall in place. Atomic Asher’s QR safety app provides an extra filter to help safeguard both individuals and businesses.

Features

The QR safety app has been designed by integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning to empower users to stay ahead of cyber criminals. The app sports tech features like real-time scanning, AI-driven threat detection and its multilingual interface. The scanning technology has been built to meticulously scan QR codes for potential risks. This app not only safeguards users against known threats but also learns and adapts to new ones.

In a bid to stay ahead of cyber criminals, the QR safety app has been built with agility, to be able to scale up and evolve to address potential future digital threats. The app will soon be integrating features like UPI account holder identification and protective measures against digital misdirection, such as rickrolling for the benefit of its users.

Drones: UAMs to revolutionize healthcare in India

Skye Air Mobility, an Indian SaaS-based autonomous logistics solution provider, acquired seven transformative contracts with government healthcare service providers across the nation, including AIIMS Jodhpur (Rajasthan), AIIMS Rajkot (Gujarat), AIIMS Bhubaneswar (Odisha), AIIHPH Kolkata (West Bengal), CLTR Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu), RLTRI Bankura (West Bengal), and RLTRI Aska (Odisha).

Ankit Kumar, Founder & CEO of Skye Air Mobility, said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with these esteemed healthcare institutions and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Skye Air is dedicated to leveraging drone technology not just as a technological advancement but as a strategic initiative toward revolutionizing healthcare in India. These contracts provide a significant opportunity to work hand-in-hand with leading healthcare institutions, aligning our efforts with the visionary goals of the Ministry.”

Features

Employing their flagship StarLiner and Artemis drone models, Skye Air ensures the safe and timely transport of medical supplies using temperature-controlled boxes.

In tandem with their drone technology, Skye Air will leverage its state-of-the-art Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) software system, ‘Skye UTM,’. This system facilitates seamless coordination with multiple Air Traffic Controls (ATCs) in both rural and urban settings, offering real-time tracking and ultra-fast communication.