Heena Sharma Blog

Tablets were originally conceptualised as devices with bigger screen to bridge the gap between smartphones and notebooks. Until last year, they were seen as a natural extension of smartphones, but not much of a computing device. However, things changed for tablets in 2019 and the good ones launched during the year offered the best of both smartphone and notebook functions. Apple iPad Pro The iPad Pro 2019 is one of the best tablets launched during the year. It boasts a sleek design, top-notch performance, faceID, big screen estate, gesture support, and keyboard and pencil support. Besides, the iPad Pro is powered by a iPadOS – a dedicated operating system for Apple tablets. Like notebooks, the iPad Pro’s operating system is designed for easy and convenient multitasking and faster graphic rendering. The smart keyboard and pencil support makes it an ideal big-screen device striking the right balance between a smartphone and a notebook. Read More

The town squares of Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp were buzzing this year with people debating issues like Citizenship Amendment Act and scrapping of Article 370 with memes going viral, even as these companies battled the menace of fake news, data breaches and attempts by the government to frame rules to make social media platforms more accountable. With over 451 million Internet users (at the end of March 2019), India is second only to China in terms of monthly active internet users, as per estimates of industry body Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). Interestingly, about 66 million of these are children aged between 5-11 years, who access internet on devices of their family members, constituting about 15 per cent of India's active Internet userbase. Indians are creating and consuming content on their mobile phones -- right from TikTok videos and Netflix shows to news reports shared by friends and family members on various WhatsApp groups. A large n...

What do you do when you have enormous shoes to fill? For one, you steer clear of blunders. Not Rishabh Pant . Widely seen as a natural successor to MS Dhoni in the India cricket team, Pant in 2019 got a great opportunity to prove his mettle and seal his place in the squad. But, given his many misses, he has yet to give the team management enough confidence. As Dhoni made himself unavailable for selection after the ICC Cricket World Cup earlier in the year, all eyes were on the Delhi southpaw who is known for his power-hitting abilities and a decent fare behind the stumps. However, as a batsman he squandered many a good start, and as a wicket-keeper he did little to stand out. Doubtless, the youngster would have been under immense pressure of expectations. There are no two thoughts about his abilities as a young player and the backing of seniors and former players. Even the recently-appointed president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly heaped p...

5G is expected to bring some key improvements to the current generation of mobile networks with regard to data transfer speed, latency and throughput. Besides, the next-generation mobile network is also expected to enable the full potential of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, bringing to reality the concept of connected homes, office spaces, vehicles, and more. Considering the benefits of 5G , at least in terms of what it promises on paper, and given India's growing demand for data services, it is safe to assume that the technology would help put the country's dream of a digital economy on the fast track. However, despite several developments on the 5G front, the next-generation network does not appear to be anywhere close to getting rolled out in the country. What is 5G ? 5G is a mobile network touted to offer faster data transfer speeds than the current generation (4G) at a lower latency rate and higher throughput to handle more active connections simulta...

Top Foldable Smartphones 2019 : Foldable devices, which were seen only as a concept until last year, became a reality in 2019. Though the first breed of foldable devices boasts bendable screen, the technology industry did not shy away experimenting other formats, too, including the dual-screen design. From a new category of smartphones doubling up as tablets, to just smartphones with the same qualities, phone makers explored different avenues to market their first foldable devices. Business Standard takes a look at what the 2019 had in store insofar as foldable devices are concerned: Samsung Galaxy Fold Samsung Galaxy FoldThe world’s first foldable device, the Galaxy Fold, is the only bendable smartphone that is currently available for purchase in India. Pitched as a new category of smartphones with foldable screens, the phone has two displays — a 7.3-inch dynamic AMOLED foldable display that bends inwards, and a conventional 4.6-inch secondary super AMOLED display on the ba...

Smartphone design trends 2019 : Once a game of specifications, the smartphone market came a long way this year. Besides offering the best mix of specifications and features, mobile phone makers now are also making efforts on their products' design language — that might have been one of the key differentiators for smartphones launched in 2019. From a reflective gradient design to 3D curved body and obstruction-free profile, the smartphones launched in 2019 experimented with different designs while also enhancing the overall product build. Oppo Reno 2 The Reno 2 (review) perfected the smartphone design to become one of the best of the year 2019 in terms of looks. The phone has a dual-colour-tone design that looks absolutely gorgeous, especially in the luminous black colour. Moreover, its design is accentuated by better ergonomics and a light-weight build. The phone’s premium glass-metal sandwich construction complements its design, and the use of Corning Gorilla Glass on t...

The Bluetooth technology , having eliminated a clutter of wires to handle, has made life a lot easier for users. It has made it easy to enjoy music on the go — during a run or workout, or even while commuting in a crowded metro train. Though they came late on the scene, true wireless earphones caught people's fancy immediately. Even if their penetration remains lower than wired earphones because of their high price, the year 2019 saw the launch of several true wireless earphones that impressed with their sound quality and overall performance. Blaupunkt BTW-01 true wireless earphones Blaupunkt BTW-01 true wireless earphones Blaupunkt BTW-01 is lightweight and bass-heavy. It doesn't fall off your ear; and if you prefer carrying your music to your workout sessions, this is one of your best options. At Rs 5,999, this pair of true wireless earphones is certainly not a budget device, but it stops short of joining the premium category. Considering that premium true wir...

With technology evolving every day, smartphones are becoming power-packed performers capable of handling with ease even the most daunting jobs like multimedia editing, high-resolution video recording and gaming. Speaking of gaming on mobile phones, most current generation smartphones come with the hardware to run graphic-intensive gaming titles. Even so, there are some smartphones designed specifically for gamers. These come with top-notch specifications and gaming-centric value-added features for intuitive gaming experience. Though mobile phone gaming is still nascent in India, the launch of several gaming-centric smartphones in the country this year bear testimony to its huge growth potential. Asus ROG Phone II Asus ROG Phone II Taiwanese electronics maker Asus, widely considered the pioneer of gaming smartphones, had launched its first gaming phone, the ROG Phone (review), in 2018. This phone came with top-notch specifications, enhanced cooling system to sustain perfor...