Category: Lookit!

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Tech

Nokia’s Lumia 630 launches in India

Nokia’s newest phone is priced reasonably at Rs 10,500. Meanwhile, the Nokia XL will go on sale later this month.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

The Lumia 630 packs a 1,830 mAh battery pack, comes with 8 GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 128 GB, and weighs around 134 grams.

The phone comes in green, yellow, white and black colour options, and has been launched at a price of Rs 10,500 for the single SIM variant and Rs 11,500 for the dual-SIM variant.

Nokia-XL-Dual-SIMNokia’s second Android-based phone (AOSP 4.2), the Nokia XL (in pic on left), got showcased in India a few days back. The phone, which was first unveiled at this year’s MWC in Barcelona, has got dual-SIM capability and has the same Fastlane UI in place seen on the Nokia X.

This budget (4.2) device has got a 5-inch (800×480) LCD touchscreen and has got the popular Nokia Glance Screen to view time, notifications while the screen is locked. Connectivity-wise, there is Bluetooth, microUSB 2.0, WiFi b/g/n, FM Radio, and 3.5 mm headset jack.

Under the hood, there is a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 SoC (1 GHz dual-core processor, Adreno 203 GPU), along with 768 MB of RAM. It packs in 2,000 mAh battery and 4 GB of internal storage, which is expandable (up to 32 GB) via a microSD card.

On the back, there is a 5 MP (f/2.8) camera with an LED flash; while the front has a 2 MP camera. Some of the pre-installed apps include the usual HERE Maps, Nokia MixRadio, OneDrive and Skype (not pre-installed) – includes 1 month of free worldwide calling from your Skype Account.

Categories
Tech

Motorola unveils Moto E in India at Rs 6,999

Motorola’s low-end Android handset unveils tonight; its global release happens in India through Flipkart, just like Moto G, unveiled earlier.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

Motorola has unveiled its awaited low-end Android handset, the Moto E. In a world showcase, the Moto E got launched in India, as it goes on sale midnight, available on Flipkart, just like the Moto G.

Moto E_The device is has a 4.3-inch (960 x 540) screen with Corning Gorilla Glass on top, and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 200 SoC (1.2 GHz dual-core processor, Adreno 302 GPU), along with 1 GB of RAM. On the back, there is a 5 MP camera (no LED flash), but there’s no front-facing camera in place.

Running on Android 4.4.2 with a few Motorola applications services in place, the company promises it will provide at least one major upgrade to the phone, and, if possible, will provide software support for 18 months. The phone packs in a 1,980 mAh battery unit, and 4 Gb of internal storage, expandable up to 32 GB.

The Moto E follows a similar round curved back design like the Moto G, but has a noticeably more bezel size.

This dual-SIM smartphone comes with something called Intelligent Calling, which allows you to set one of the SIMs as default call and messaging number for your contacts. Connectivity-wise, there is Bluetooth 4.0, 3.5mm headset jack, 3G, WiFi, FM Radio.

Apart from the phone, you can also buy as many as 9 different-coloured shells from Flipkart for the phone. The device comes in White and Black colours, and has been launched at Rs 6,999.

Categories
Event

Come out and Play, Mumbai!

The Metrognome brings to you the city’s first family games event – and all of Mumbai is invited! Register now.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The vacations will be over soon, and all of us will go back to the grind, so how about some good family time before we all slip into our routines?

How about if we come out of our houses and play?

The Metrognome and Ideators Events have conceptualised a unique games event for Mumbai – where entire families are invited to step out of their homes for a day and bond with each other over fun games. The event is slated to happen on Sunday, June 1, 2014, at Mahalaxmi Racecourse, from 9 am to 3 pm. Says Vrushali Lad, editor of The Metrognome, “Children these days are hardly stepping out of their houses to play, since gadgets and the TV at home keep them reasonably occupied. And then there is the question of where to play, if one does step out. There aren’t enough good grounds to play on, and if there are, most of us remain unaware of them.”

Adds Ketan Ranga of Ideators Events, a city-based company, “We thought of bringing children out to play, but more importantly, we thought it would be fun if children stepped out with their parents. Let’s face it, the games we played in our childhood – langdi, chippi, sack race, lagori – how many children play them now, or have heard of them? Parents can introduce their children to these games. Besides, the family that plays together stays together.”

What’s in store

The event will feature at least 10 games that are traditional in nature, and which will be modified to include entire families. For instance, if there’s a sack race event, an entire family will compete against another. “It’s not just about playing a game – anybody can step out and do that. Mumbai is fast losing the space and the will for collective community activities. Imagine the level of fun and laughter you can get out of playing at a sprawling ground, with so many others. Besides, when was the last time our parents played anything?” says Vrushali.

Entry to the event has been kept free, but participants will have to register. “We’ve created dedicated email IDs and social media pages for people to register on. We are tying up with citizens organisations to ensure that word spreads and that more numbers of people can join us to play,” explains Ketan.

The prizes

Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria will be the chief guest at the event.

Winning families get passes from the event’s Entertainment Partners Adlabs Imagica and vouchers from Apparel Partner Libas. One lucky family will get a helicopter ride in Mumbai from Sshawn Aviation.

RWITC is the venue partner for the event.

Register for ‘Come out and play’ by sending an email to comeoutandplay2014@gmail.com. You can register by tweeting @Comeoutplay2014 or liking the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Comeoutandplay. The first 1000 registrations will receive ‘Come out and play’ T-shirts. 

Categories
Tech

Sony launches Xperia Z2 in India at Rs 49,990

Sony’s newest phone comes with a few improved features, is waterproof and dust resistant and comes in three colour options.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

Sony launched its much-awaited Android 4.4.2 device – Xperia Z2 – in India last week. The phone is an IP58 certified (waterproof and dust-resistant) device that has a 5.2-inch full HD Triluminos display.

SmartBandUnder the hood, there is a Snapdragon 801 chipset (2.26 GHz quad-core processor, Adreno 330 GPU), coupled with 3 GB of RAM. The Xperia Z2 comes loaded with 16 GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 128 GB. Packing in a 3,200 mAh battery unit, by enabling the phone’s Stamina mode, which basically puts your phone into an energy-conserving mode, you can extract some juice out of it for several days. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0 (with A2DP), NFC, A-GPS, 3.5 mm headset jack, FM Radio (with RDS), Miracast, microUSB 2.0 (+MHL), and 3G.

On the back, there is an improved 20.7 MP (Exmor RS – CMOS) camera that can shoot 4K videos; while the front has a 2.2 MP camera with HD video capabilities. Having Sony’s own Xperia UI on top, the phone, as many other Sony phones, comes pre-loaded with a lot of Sony apps such as Xperia Link, Sony LIV, Walkman music player, PlayStation app, etc.

The Xperia Z2 is available in purple, white and black colour options, and has been launched at a price of Rs 49,990, which includes Sony’s new SmartBan SWR10 and a case. The Smartband is compatible with any Android 4.4 handset, and can also be purchased separately, available in the same three colours, for Rs 5,990.

Categories
Do

A photo contest for the eco-friendly community

Have you spotted an eco-friendly activity in your area? Document it in photographs for a very cool, national photo contest.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

We don’t do enough to appreciate the efforts of local eco-friendly warriors. If we can’t help them further their cause, we can at least do the next best thing – document their efforts for posterity.

To this end, the SPAN website is inviting entries for the ‘My Community, My Planet’ photography contest from all across the country. The photographs one sends must depict how the efforts of an individual or a group can contribute to the creation of a clean and healthy environment.

The contest is already open- it commenced on April 22, 2014 – and will close on May 13, 2014. The winners will be announced on the SPAN website on World Environment Day, on June 5, 2014. The first prize for the contest is an iPad Mini, while other prizes include a Nikon Coolpix L820 and an iPod Touch. Entries will also be considered for such parameters as entries with the most likes, the entry which scores highest on creativity, the entry which scores highest on composition, the entry which best depicts the theme, the entry which scores highest on photo quality and the entry which scores highest on originality.

Register here and know more on entry rules, submission guidelines, judging criteria, etc.

(Picture courtesy travel.india.com)

Categories
Watch

Watch: ‘Three women’, at the NCPA

Lavish costumes, live electronica and folk pop music and three fascinating characters make this production a must watch this weekend.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Avid Learning, in partnership with NCPA, Neerupama Properties and Godrej Properties will present Isheeta Ganguly’s, Three Women,  a musical theatre production based on three iconic women that represent Rabindranath Tagore’s Bengali Renaissance, two of whom are fictional and one who is from his own life. ‘Bimala’, the female protagonist of Tagore’s novella The Home and the World and ‘Charu’, her counterpart from his work The Broken Nest, are seen from the perspective of ‘Kadambari Devi’, Tagore’s sister-in-law and lifetime muse, as they instigate change from patriarchy towards  progression and freedom.

Set to electronika and folk-pop beats and laced with pathos and edgy humour, MeherAcharia Dar, AvantikaAkerker and IsheetaGanguly play urban, educated women of the 21st century, who are negotiating their notion of identity and self-worth in relation to the times that they live in, voicing issues relevant to the global gender empowerment discussion. With customised costumes by TarunTahiliani and live accompaniment by Sunita Bhuyan on the violin and Suchet Malhotra on percussion, this production, written, directed and musically composed by Isheeta Ganguly is a sensorial treat with gravitas.

After drawing a crowd of over a thousand people at the Kala Ghoda Festival in February 2014, this show’s national tour kicks off from the NCPA on Saturday, May 10, 2014, in Mumbai. 

(Pictures courtesy NCPA)

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