Meizu Zero With No Physical Buttons Listed on Crowdfunding Site Indiegogo

The Meizu Zero on Indiegogo is priced at $1,299 for the 'Exclusive Engineering Unit', and at the time of writing, only 16 phones were claimed.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2HG1GO8

Microsoft Outlook for iOS Gets New Design, Custom Swipe Actions

Microsoft Outlook new features include custom swipe actions, deeper integration of calendar, and more.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2DMnsMk

China's Bytedance Staff Say Bonuses Clipped by Slowdown, Competition

Bytedance, which owns short-video platform Tik Tok, has cut back holiday bonus payments ahead of the Chinese New Year, according to employees.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2UwP91f

Huawei Mate Mini, Huawei Mate Smart Trademark Applications Surface

Huawei P30, P30 Lite, and P30 Pro are likely to debut at MWC 2019 next month.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2DLeFdF

Apple Music Can Soon Be Streamed Free on on American Airlines Flights

Apple has announced that Apple Music subscribers can stream songs or videos without buying Wi-Fi on any domestic American Airlines flight from February 1.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2TlteK8

WhatsApp Payments Coming to More Countries Soon, Reveals Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg revealed that Facebook will soon roll out Payments on WhatsApp in select other markets.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2BbvdKe

China's Chang'e-4 Probe Wakes Up After First Lunar Night

The rover and the lander of China's Chang'e-4 probe have been awakened by sunlight after a long "sleep" during their first extremely cold night on the Moon.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2CVRhsb

Uber Suspends Taxi Service in Barcelona After New Regulation

The new regulation came after pressure from taxi drivers, which have held many strikes in Barcelona and remain on strike in Spanish capital Madrid.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2sZvag0

Nokia featurephone TA-1139 spotted at TENAA

HMD is preparing a new Nokia featurephone, a Series 30+ handset rather than Kai OS or other. It has a nice ergonomic shape (plus, it's feather light at 83.6g) and with a 1,020mAh battery should last forever on a charge (compared to smartphones). Don't expect much out of the phone TA-1139, it has a 2.4" display (240 x 320px), a 3MP camera on the back with an LED flash, optional dual SIM, a microSD slot for up to 32GB memory expansion, MP3 player and an FM radio. You know, it's a phone. A 2G dual-band phone at that, so you can't use it on a growing number of operators (Wikipedia has a...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2CWO2k5

Tata Harrier online configurator goes live

Over the last two months, you’ve seen plenty of the Tata Harrier. You’ve read the review, watched the video review and have even been surprised by the competitive pricing – but so far, most have only seen Tata’s highly-anticipated SUV in range-topping XZ trim, replete with neat-looking chrome detailing, 17-inch alloys, leather seats and the 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Potential buyers are probably still waiting to see what the lower-spec variants of the Harrier – which miss out on a number of features – look like; and now they can do just that, thanks to the online configurator that has just gone live on the Tata Harrier micro-site.

Titled ‘Imaginator’, the online configurator for the Harrier lets one pick from the four variants the SUV is available in – XE, XM, XT and XZ – and previews what it looks like in each trim. For example, you can check out the bare-basic Harrier XE (Rs 12.69 lakh) for the first time, which can only be had in Orcus White, and gets wheel covers instead of the Harrier XZ’s 17-inch alloys. It also gets a pretty basic single-tone interior that misses out on a touchscreen infotainment system.

For Rs 1.06 lakh more than the XE, the Harrier XM (Rs 13.75 lakh) gets front fog lamps, rear wiper/washer, electric mirror adjustment, remote central locking and driving modes – Eco, City, Sport. What’s also included is a 7.0-inch touchscreen with six speakers and steering-mounted controls. Taking it a step further is the Harrier XT (Rs 14.95 lakh) that gets 17-inch alloys, wood finish on the dashboard, an eight-speaker sound system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, rear defogger, reversing camera, engine start/stop button, automatic climate control, electrically folding mirrors, auto headlamps, rain-sensing wipers and cruise control. And then, of course, there’s the fully-loaded Harrier XZ, priced at Rs 16.25 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).

The configurator also showcases what the Harrier looks like sporting some of the official accessories on offer. The accessories list includes a wide variety of chrome embellishments, roof rails, side steps, mood lighting and interior mats. That said, it’s best to avoid ticking too many options, because doing that can add close to Rs 1 lakh to the Harrier’s ex-showroom price – and that does not include labour and installation charges. Customers can save the configuration of their choice and even book it online – but anyone placing a booking now will have to wait a bit, because the Harrier already has a waiting period of three months.

For those who need a quick recap, the Harrier is based on Tata’s Omega Arc platform, derived from Land Rover’s D8 architecture that underpins the Discovery Sport. Its official fuel efficiency figure is higher than the Mahindra XUV500’s (but lower than that of the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Creta), and it is available in five exterior paint options - Calisto Copper, Thermisto Gold, Ariel Silver, Telesto Grey and Orcus White.  

Which variant of the Tata Harrier do you think makes the most sense? Let us know in the comments.

Also see:

Tata Harrier buyer's guide video

Tata Harrier accessories revealed

The story behind the Tata Harrier’s killer price

All-new Tata Harrier SUV: Top 5 key facts

2019 Tata Harrier review, test drive

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2TmWC2D

Mitsubishi Teases Engelberg Concept Ahead of 2019 Geneva Motor Show Debut

Details are scarce but the company says it's electrified. What we also see here is the Dynamic Shield grille rolling out across the Mitsubishi range. We don't however, know yet, if it is a plug-in...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2HHjPeD

Sony Xperia XZ4 Said to Sport 52-Megapixel Camera

Sony's upcoming flagship, the Xperia XZ4 is said to sport a triple camera setup consisting of a 52-megapixel primary sensor, 16-megapixel telephoto lens and a 0.3-megapixel TOF sensor.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2DLbhzj

Foxconn Reconsidering Plans to Make LCD Panels at Wisconsin Plant

Foxconn, a major supplier to Apple, reiterated its intention to create 13,000 jobs in Wisconsin, but said it had slowed its pace of hiring.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2UvCeMS

Realme 2 Pro With Android 9 Pie Spotted on Geekbench, Tips Imminent Update

Realme seems to be currently testing Android 9.0 Pie on the Realme 2 Pro, which should be rolling out soon.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2MIhNKf

BSNL Extends 'Bumper Offer' Giving 2.2GB Additional Daily Data Benefits

BSNL originally launched the Bumper Offer back in September last year.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2D0YfvU

Roy Kurian resigns from Yamaha Motor India

Roy Kurian, India Yamaha Motor's vice president – marketing and sales, has resigned from his role. His stint of 14 and a half years in the company ends today.

Kurian joined Yamaha as a marketing manager in the OEM's Southern region office and rose up to the rank of VP - marketing & sales in January 2011. Prior to Yamaha, Kurian has had stints in Funskool India and Godrej. He says that he plans to take his career 'in a new direction' now.

The timing of this development is certainly interesting, given that Yamaha is only just ramping-up its motorcycle range in the country – as can be seen with the launch of the new FZ V3.0 and the impending arrival of the highly-anticipated MT-15. Yamaha’s ‘The Call of the Blue’ campaign is also clearly directed at a more performance-oriented future unlike in previous years, wherein the brand has attempted to establish its footprint in the mass-market space.

It remains to be seen whether Kurian’s departure from Yamaha’s operations in India proves to be a blow to this momentum or brings about an ideological shift in the brand’s policies. Yamaha Motor India is yet to declare a successor to Roy Kurian. Watch this space to know when they do.

Also see:

 

from Autocar India - Bikes http://bit.ly/2TvrmOU

Images of the OppoF11 with periscope selfie camera surface

A bunch of live images of an Oppo smartphone appeared online but unfortunately, even the source doesn't know the exact model of the handset. The anonymous tipster himself isn't sure if this is the upcoming R19 or the F11. What's for sure is that the phone has a pop-up selfie camera similar to the vivo NEX, which lets it do without a notch or a punch hole camera. Oppo's mysterious phone from the front and back We assume this is the F11 we are seeing here given the thick bezels. After all, the R-series are flagship phones so we would expect slimmer bezels or at least just as...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2To0tMV

Oppo launches SuperVOOC car charger for $30

Have you ever been frustrated that your SuperVOOC-compatible phone is attached to a charger for a whole 36 minutes until it reaches 100% charge? Worry no more, because you can take the SuperVOOC with you in your car with the charger Oppo has just released. The gadget has a carbon finish around its upper part and orange ring with LED lights that glow when a device is plugged. Aside from the SuperVOOC capabilities, it is pretty much a regular car charger with a USB port. But since it supports 50W charging, you can use it for your Oppo Find X Flash Edition, Find X Lamborghini Editon,...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2SlVSgS

Tata Motors To Supply Tigor EVs To Capgemini India

Tata Motors has announced its new partnership with consulting, technology and digital transformation company Capgemini for the supply of Tigor electric vehicles. The Tata Tigor EVs will be used for...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2UwCFXr

Koenigsegg And NEVS Enter Into A Strategic Partnership To Develop New Cars

Alongside NEVS capacity for production in Trollhattan and China, NEVS through its majority owner Evergrande, has a wide distribution platform and channels through ownership in one of China's largest...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2HGBSBv

2019 Bajaj Pulsar 180F Details Leaked; Launch Soon

ajaj Auto has been updating its Pulsar range since late last year with cosmetic tweaks and the mandatory addition of ABS. The latest model to join the line-up is the 2019 Bajaj Pulsar 180F as per the...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2Rs74Ev

Vodafone Now Offering 4GB of Free Data to New 4G Customers

This Vodafone Idea offer is only available to new 4G customers, including those 3G users who switch to the new 4G SIM in the mentioned circle.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2WtVjRu

New 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R bookings cross 16,000 units

The new 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R was launched last week and takes on the likes of the new Hyundai Santro. The car will be sold through the Arena range of Maruti Suzuki dealerships and according to dealers across the country, there has been a very good response to the new, mid-range, tall-boy hatchback. According to official Maruti Suzuki figures, bookings for the new Wagon R have already crossed 16,000 units. The waiting period also extends into a few weeks, depending on the variant; the 2019 Wagon R comes with 1.0-litre and 1.2-litre engine options, with manual or AMT automatic gearboxes.

The 1.0-litre K10 petrol motor has been carried forward from the last-generation Wagon R and makes 68hp, while the new 1.2-litre K12 engine – also available in the Swift and the Ignis – makes 83hp and 113Nm of peak torque. When it comes to ARAI fuel efficiency figures, the 1.0-litre Wagon R variants do 22.5kpl, while the new 1.2-litre variants go 21.5kpl.

Prices for the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R 1.0-litre start at Rs 4.19 lakh for the base model while the top-spec AMT is priced at Rs 5.16 lakh. The 1.2-litre engine variants, on the other hand, are priced from Rs 4.89 lakh for the entry level variant and go all the way to Rs 5.69 lakh for the top-spec model.

The new 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R gets an all-new design language that looks much better than before. It is also larger than the older-generation model in all aspects, and is based on the new platform that it shares with the likes of the Swift, Dzire and Baleno. The new Wagon R also gets a major interior update. It comes with Maruti’s new SmartPlay Studio infotainment system and the touchscreen hardware itself is now updated and gets better touch responses, among other changes. The new Maruti Suzuki Wagon R also comes with ABS, airbags and rear parking sensors as standard on all models.

CYRUS DHABAHAR

Also see:

New 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R review gallery

New 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R review, test drive

2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R: Top 5 things you need to know

All-new Suzuki Alto world debut in October 2019

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz 1.5 diesel vs rivals: Price, specifications comparison

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2S4xj9e

Tesla CFO Deepak Ahuja steps down

Tesla is set to part ways with Indian-origin CFO Deepak Ahuja as the brand, on Wednesday, announced that it was looking to record profits in every quarter of 2019 and begin production at its factory in China. Zach Kirkhorn, Tesla’s Vice President of Finance, will be taking over as CFO.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the brand’s focus for 2019 was to reduce prices for the entry-level Model 3 in a bid to make it accessible to a larger audience.

Tesla said that reducing costs for the Model 3 hinged around the brand’s China facility with the company eyeing production numbers of 10,000 Model 3s per week by the year-end – 7,000 from its US plant and 3,000 from the new Shanghai factory, as per company estimates. The company is reportedly eyeing production numbers of 5,00,000 vehicles annually from its Fremont and Shanghai facilities by mid-2020.

Musk estimated that the originally promised $35,000 (estimated Rs 24.90 lakh) Model 3 would likely be introduced sometime in mid-2019 – the current model retails with a starting price of $44,000 (approximately Rs 31.31 lakh).

Earlier in January, Musk announced a 7 percent reduction in workforce saying that it was crucial to cut costs of the Model 3 while still maintaining profitability.

Tesla began work on its Shanghai Gigafactory in January this year with the brand also looking at setting up a facility in Europe.

Also see:

High-speed EV transport tunnel showcased by Elon Musk

It’s Electrifying

Robyn Denholm appointed new chair of Tesla's board

Tesla Model X P100D review, test drive

 

SOURCE

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2S4wq0o

Another Apple Engineer Accused of Stealing Company's Self-Driving Car Tech

Jizhong Chen - a Chinese national - was investigated after another employee reported seeing the engineer taking photographs in a sensitive workspace.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2UvgVLk

Intel Xeon W-3175X CPU With 28 Cores, 56 Threads Launched for $2,999

Intel's latest CPU brings workstation-class performance and features to the enthusiast market, plus Intel's highest ever core count.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2MJ4Lw2

Uber to Start Speedboat Service in Mumbai From February 1

In June 2017, UberBoat launched a similar service for tourists in Croatia who wish to explore the picturesque local islands.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2sVFhSS

Foxconn to Set Up Industrial Artificial Intelligence R&D Centre in Hyderabad

According to release by the Telangana Government, the R&D platform would provide technological services and smart manufacturing solutions to Foxconn Group.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2FYKxha

Nokia 8.1 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage Variant Launched in India

Nokia 8.1 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant price in India is set at Rs. 29,999.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2HKqVPw

WhatsApp Announces 'Startup India-Grand Challenge'

WhatsApp, which has 1.3 billion global users and over 200 million users in India, has been working closely on its business platform for a year now.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Wx4vVi

Toyota bets on body-on-frame construction

Body-on-frame vehicles are typically heavier, costlier and less fuel-efficient than monocoque constructions. Thus, it is not the form preferred by carmakers for their medium to small-sized models, and to some extent, even large vehicles. Japanese carmaker Toyota, however, does not plan to move away from body-on-frame vehicles anytime soon, according to Masakazu Yoshimura, managing director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

The carmaker admitted that sticking to the traditional body-on-frame chassis has its challenges but reiterated its allegiance to this form of construction which underpins its models, including the hugely popular Crysta.  The company has said it will continue to look at ways to make it more rigid and minimise the disadvantages. In fact, the Crysta is said to have no carryover parts from the older model and even the body-on-frame is developed completely new.

“I think the construction is very good in terms of the rough terrain drivability, as is widely known. We will try to keep the frame as long as possible, and as long as regulation allows it. Moreover, our engineers are trying to minimise it, lighten it and make it more rigid by using other materials,” Yoshimura said. For the Crysta, Toyota has changed the frame’s cross-section size and firmed up torsional rigidity to improve riding comfort.

“But it’s very difficult, that’s why our engineers ask themselves the question (about body-on-frame’s future) every day,” he said.

The company believes the go-anywhere ability of its ladder-frame models and upbeat demand, especially in regions such as the Middle-East will continue to favor its decision. It's bread-and-butter model, the Hilux, which completed 50 years of being on sale in 2018, uses a body-on-frame construction and has a reputation for being indestructible. In fact, Kaoru Hosokawa, Chief Engineer for the Hilux, believes that ladder frames still have plenty of room for improvement, not just in their reliability and durability, but also in their driving performance and quietness.

Interestingly, Yoshimura  points out that the first-ever-win by its motorsport arm - Toyota Gazoo Racing- in the recent Dakar rally is seen as a testament to the body-on-frame construction's capability. “We won the Dakar Rally 2019 in Peru for the first time ever. And that was with a ladder-frame vehicle,” he said.

Q&A MASAKAZU YOSHIMURA, MD, TOYOTA KIRLOSKAR MOTOR

On the collaboration with Suzuki.
Suzuki and Toyota’s collaboration is not just for India but for global markets as well. They’re very good at producing small cars and we are perhaps good at producing the mid- and upper level cars. So together, we will be able to offer a variety of models to the customers.

On the possibility of an India-specific model and a C-segment SUV.
It’s too early to say if we will do an India-specific model. Demand in the Indian market is for a B-segment SUV while the trend globally is more C SUV. But unfortunately Toyota is not as good as other manufacturers in producing A and B segment of cars. Also that’s part of the learning with Suzuki as well.

On the prospects for EVs.
For hybrids and EVs, how the electricity is produced is very important. We have the technology for zero emissions, which is fuel cell, but we are struggling to reduce its cost. So currently, self-charging cars such as Camry hybrid are best for India.Large vehicles like the Innova will continue to use ladder-frame for the foreseeable future.

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2Tpb9Lc

Samsung reports bleak smartphone sales in Q4 and FY 2018

Samsung has just released its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2018 and the complete fiscal year. The final three months saw a decline in both sales and operating profit, but the full year results were still record-setting. Despite weak sales of mobile devices, the IT & Mobile Communications division reported gains on the back of 5G equipment installations and expansion of LTE networks. Earnings are likely to improve after the introduction of commercial 5G services in South Korea and the planned launch of the Galaxy S10 on February 20 at the Unpacked event in San Francisco,...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2DL5b1M

All-new Suzuki Alto world debut in October 2019

Suzuki will unveil the next-gen Alto in October 2019. The first-ever Alto was shown globally in October 1979, hence, the Japanese carmaker plans to coordinate the next-gen model’s unveil so that it coincides with the Alto brand’s 40th anniversary.

Not to be confused with the India-spec Maruti Alto 800, the Suzuki Alto sold globally is a completely different car with unique styling. The current-gen Suzuki Alto made its debut in October 2014 and is available with a 660cc engine in multiple states of tune. The next-gen Suzuki Alto is likely to be built on the brand’s Heartect platform that currently underpins almost every new Suzuki hatchback introduced globally. The recently launched Wagon R for India is one of the latest cars to be underpinned by this architecture.  The new Heartect platform is not just lighter, but also stiffer, which means the upcoming Suzuki Alto could perform even better than the outgoing car, especially in its sporty “Works” avatar that could come with a 64hp, 660cc engine.  Suzuki is expected to showcase the next-gen Alto Works sometime in 2020. 

Closer to home, the Maruti Suzuki Alto has been on sale since 2012, and is also expected to see a full-model change since the current-gen car will not clear the upcoming crash test norms that come into effect on October 2019. 

Also see:

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz 1.5 diesel vs rivals: Price, specifications comparison

New 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R review gallery

New 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R review, test drive

2019 Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift: What's new

 

SOURCE

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2RvoCiM

Volkswagen Group retains top spot in global auto sales

The Volkswagen Group, which comprises Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini and Skoda, has retained its leadership spot amongst global automakers in 2018, seeing a cumulative sales figure of 10.83 million units sold. The group saw a growth of 0.8 percent, as compared to the 10.76 million units it sold in 2017. Not too far behind is the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance that has sold 10.76 million vehicles. They saw an increase of 1.4 percent as compared to the 10.61 million units sold in 2017, despite being rocked by controversy in November 2018 with the arrest of CEO Carlos Ghosn who is facing charges of financial impropriety.

In third position, behind the Volkswagen Group and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, is the Toyota Group with a total sales figure of 10.59 million units in 2018. The Toyota Group, which includes the likes of Lexus and Daihatsu, saw an increase of 2 percent over the 10.38 million units sold globally in 2017. American automotive giant General Motors, who incidentally ended India operations in 2017, will stand fourth in the global standing of automakers, with an expected sales output of over 8 million vehicles in 2018.

Rounding up the top-five list is the Hyundai Group, which includes Kia, coming in at 7.4 million units globally. That said, with rumours of a possible takeover of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) by the South Korean automaker, the Hyundai Group might leapfrog the likes of Volkswagen to be the world’s largest automaker in the near future. Other carmakers in the top 10 list include the BMW Group, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Honda.

CYRUS DHABHAR

 

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2HHR0yM

IDC and Counterpoint: 2018 saw first ever smartphone sales decline globally

Last year ended on a down note that smartphone sales were in decline and there is no light in the end of the tunnel. With January ending, two top analyst companies - IDC and Counterpoint, introduced their reports about sales in 2018 and the numbers do not look good. Both reports show a total decline of 4%, with IDC calling it "the worst year ever". IDC numbers • Counterpoint numbers IDC and Counterpoint have a different way of calculating sales, but the numbers more or less align - Samsung and Apple posted a yearly decline in units pushed, while the four biggest Chinese...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2MHbjv4

Jio GigaFiber User Answers All Your Questions About Jio's Broadband Service

Jio GigaFiber price, plans, installation process and everything explained first hand by someone with a Jio GigaFiber broadband connection.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2MGtGQE

Samsung, Apple Led First Global Smartphone Market Decline: Counterpoint

Samsung managed to ship 291.8 million smartphone units in CY2018, as compared to 318.1 million smartphone units in CY 2017.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2GaQiaQ

Red Dead Redemption 2 Discounted in India for the First Time

Red Dead Redemption 2 for PS4 and Xbox One gets its first official discount for India.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Gd8jW7

Oppo R19 or Oppo F11 Photo Leak Suggests Pop-Up Selfie Camera

The new Oppo phone is tipped to either be the Oppo R19 or the Oppo F11. These leaked photos show the phone from the front and back, revealing all design details.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2CVVvjs

Google Chrome to Warn Users About 'Lookalike URLs' Soon

The latest stable version of Chrome has a "Navigation suggestions for lookalike URLs" flag to confirm the feature.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2sYZCa6

Tata's New Premium Hatchback Launch Details Revealed

The X451 will be the first model to use the company's all-new Advanced Modular Platform (AMP), which is expected to underpin a host of models from the automaker in the future. Engine options are...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2FX2dtH

LG Sees Fourth-Quarter Profit Plunge as Rivals Crowd TV Business

LG Electronics Inc posted its slowest quarterly profit growth in two years on Thursday citing higher marketing costs and tougher competition in the television business.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2sWO0V5

How to Set Up Alexa on Amazon Echo Devices, Android Phone, or iPhone

How to set up Alexa on Amazon's Echo series of devices including the Echo Dot, Amazon Echo, Echo Plus. Setting up Amazon's voice-based digital assistant starts with the Alexa app.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2CV7aPy

Samsung Shipped 70.4 Million Smartphones in Q4 2018: IDC

Although certain markets such as India continue to see growth, the global smartphone segment is in decline.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2MJOU03

Ghosn: Arrest a result of 'plot and treason' by Nissan execs

Former Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi boss, Carlos Ghosn, says that charges of financial misconduct brought against him are the result of a “plot” by Nissan executives to stop him further integrating the three alliance partners.

Ghosn was arrested in Japan last November on a string of financial misconduct charges relating to his former role as Nissan chairman, including claims he under-reported his salary and transferred personal financial losses from foreign exchange contracts to Nissan. He has since been dismissed as the chairman of both Nissan and Mitsubishi, and recently stood down from his chairman and CEO roles at Renault.

The 64-year-old remains in detention in Japan after judges decided he could be a flight risk, but was allowed to speak to Japanese media firm Nikkei for 20 minutes. In the interview, he said he has “no doubt” the charges against him – which Nissan says result from a whistleblower operation – were due to “plot and treason” by Nissan executives opposed to plans he was developing to further integrate Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi.

Ghosn said that "there was a plan" to integrate the three alliance partners more closely, creating “autonomy under one holding company,” which he discussed with Nissan president Hiroto Saikawa last September. Ghosn added that he had wanted to involve Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko in the talks, but Saikawa demanded a one-on-one meeting.

Responding to accusations that he effectively ran Nissan as a ‘dictatorship’ during his 19 years as chairman, Ghosn told Nikkei: “People translated strong leadership to dictator, to distort reality.”

Ghosn responded to some of the specific charges laid against him. He said that Nissan’s legal department had signed off on the purchase of luxury properties for him in Brazil and Lebanon – which Nissan claims were paid for improperly.

Japanese prosecutors are also investigating Ghosn for using Nissan funds to make payments to Saudi businessman Khaled Juffali in return for a letter of credit to help with his personal investment losses. Ghosn said the Nissan executive in charge of the Middle East region has signed off on the payments, which he said came from a “CEO reserve” pot of money he was free to decide on how to spend.

Ghosn also denied that he was a flight risk if released on bail, saying: “I won’t flee, I will defend.”

James Attwood

Also see:

Renault chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn resigns from position

Carlos Ghosn offers to wear ankle tag for bail in Japan

Former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn officially charged for financial misconduct

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2CZPa6v

Sony Xperia XZ4 to have 52MP sensor

Yesterday, we heard about some specs for the Sony Xperia XZ4 leak ahead of an official announcement. Just a few hours later, a wonky report surfaced claiming that the Xperia XZ4 will have a 52MP sensor, the highest of any smartphone right now. The current record is held by the Honor View 20, which has a 48MP sensor. The camera system in question is comprised of three cameras. The first is a 16MP telephoto camera with an f/2.6 aperture lens. The middle camera is the 52MP camera with f/1.6.The last camera at the bottom is a 0.3MP ToF sensor with an f/1.4. Source: Sumahoinfo This...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2FYdtpr

Indian-Origin Tesla CFO Leaves As Automaker Promises Profits And Cheaper Cars

The departure of Deepak Ahuja as well as missing Wall Street profit targets for the end of 2018, sent Tesla shares down nearly 6 percent after hours.

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2GcBp80

More Powerful Yamaha FZ V3.0 Set To Arrive In 2020

The 2019 Yamaha FZ V3.0 ABS was launched last week and the motorcycle gets a host of upgrades for the new generation version. The changes are cosmetic yet substantial and bring a refreshed look to the...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2GaEzJn

ISRO Unveils Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru

ISRO aims to send humans to space by December 2021 through its Gaganyaan mission.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2MI1sVV

Nokia Sees Fast Shift to 5G Ahead After Strong Fourth Quarter

Nokia forecast stronger-than-expected 2019 and 2020 results thanks to fast-rising investments in 5G networks, after beating fourth-quarter sales and profit estimates on Thursday.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2FYbbql

Nintendo Switch Sales Total 32.27 Million Since Launch

Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS, and game sales have been solid for Nintendo this quarter.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2HFgRaE

Instagram Stories Hit 500 Million Active Daily Users

Instagram Stories was launched as a Snapchat clone back in 2016.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2GcAtk0

Mario Kart Tour for Android and iOS Delayed to Summer 2019

Mario Kart Tour release date delayed and Nintendo explains why.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2G0c4Ph

LG V50 ThinQ 5G to Launch Alongside LG G8 ThinQ on February 24: Report

LG's upcoming 5G smartphone will reportedly be launched as the LG V50 ThinQ 5G at MWC 2019 alongside the LG G8 ThinQ.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Gc839J

ZTE Blade V10 spotted on TENAA with 32MP selfie camera and waterdrop notch

ZTE's latest smartphone has just been certified with China's TENAA. The filing reveals some of the phone's specifications including battery size, camera resolutions, and screen size. According to the TENAA filing, the device in question is a ZTE V1000, which is likely the successor to last year's ZTE Blade V9. The V9 was announced last year during the MWC so we might expect ZTE to announce the Blade V10 at the same show towards the end of February. Source: TENAA We brightened the photos a little bit and were able to see a bit more on the rear view. There's a...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2MJkKdc

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Won't Be in Fast and Furious 9

Dwayne Johnson won't be part of Fast and Furious 9, the next mainline entry in the franchise, The Rock has revealed in a new interview. Jason Statham as well, possibly.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2WwxDvK

Vodafone Launches Rs. 1,699 Recharge With 365 Days Validity

Vodafone launched the Rs. 1,499 option earlier this month, but it has now been replaced with the Rs. 1,699 recharge plan.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Wvcxhg

Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram Integration Won't Arrive Until at Least 2020

Facebook said one of the major reasons why it wants to move forward with the integration is making end-to-end encryption default in more its services.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2CZFPvt

Apple's Response to Group FaceTime Bug Being Probed by New York

The Group FaceTime bug allows an iPhone user placing a call using FaceTime to hear audio from the recipient's phone even if the call has not gone through.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2WqQI2B

Samsung May Be Working on a Second Foldable Smartphone Aimed at Gamers

The phone seems to have a foldable display and a flip-up physical game controller

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2RVVHtr

PayPal Adds Record 13.8 Million New Active Accounts in Q4 2018

Comparably, PayPal had added just 8.7 million new active accounts a year earlier. Around 2.9 million of new accounts were added through acquisitions.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2RveIhg

OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T Users Report Audio Issues in Some Third-Party Apps

OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T users are experiencing distorted, low-quality, and tinny audio while using third-party apps like Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Usa99l

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz 1.5 diesel vs rivals: Price, specifications comparison

As good as the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is its 1.3-litre diesel engine has always come across as a bit outdated. Things are all set to change with the arrival of Suzuki’s in-house-developed 1.5-litre diesel engine. The new four-cylinder engine is more powerful than the 1.3-litre unit it will replace, and would make the Ciaz a closer match for its diesel mid-sized sedan rivals. We’ve compiled all the facts and figures to tell you how the upgraded Ciaz fares against the 1.3-litre outgoing Ciaz, the Hyundai Verna, the Honda City, the Volkswagen Vento and the Skoda Rapid. All these models have been compared in their respective top-spec variants.

Powertrain

The new 1.5-litre diesel motor from Maruti is expected to put out 95hp and 225Nm of torque. This marks a bump over the 1.3-litre’s 90hp and 200Nm of torque. The new engine will come coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission in place of the 1.3-litre’s 5-speed unit. Meanwhile, the Verna has the largest displacement motor that also leads the charts in terms of power and torque. The Honda City’s 1.5-litre unit does produce more power than the Ciaz’s 1.5-litre engine but, loses out on torque. Both the Verna and the City come mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox while the Hyundai gets the option of a 6-Speed automatic, too. The Vento and Rapid share their engines and produce identical power and torque, and both can be had with 5-speed and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission options. 

In terms of fuel efficiency, both Ciaz models reign supreme. The older 1.3-litre returns an ARAI-rated 28.09kpl while the new 1.5-litre is close behind, rated at 26.82kpl. The Skoda Rapid is the least frugal manual while the Verna is the least fuel-efficient automatic in this comparison.

Powertrain
	Ciaz 1.3 (Old)	Ciaz 1.5 (New)	Verna	City	Vento	Rapid
Displacement	1.3-litre	1.5-litre	1.6-litre	1.5-litre	1.5-litre	1.5-litre
Type	4 cyls	4 cyls	4 cyls	4 cyls	4 cyls	4 cyls
Power	90hp at 4000rpm	95hp at 4000rpm	128hp at 3000rpm	100hp at 3600rpm	110hp at 4000rpm	110hp at 4000rpm
Torque	200Nm at 1750rpm	225Nm at 1500-2500rpm	260Nm at 1500-3000rpm	200Nm at 1750rpm	250Nm at 1500-3000rpm	250Nm at 1500-3000rpm
Gearbox	5-speed manual	6-speed manual	6-speed manual/automatic	6-speed manual	5-speed manual/7-speed automatic	5-speed manual/7-speed automatic
Fuel economy (ARAI)	28.09kpl	26.82kpl	24.75 kpl (MT)/21.02 kpl (AT)	25.1kpl	22.27kpl (MT)/22.15kpl (AT)	21.13kpl (MT)/21.72kpl (AT)

Dimensions

In terms of dimensions, the Ciaz has the longest wheelbase, the most width, the largest boot and is the longest overall, as well. As a result, the Ciaz has class-leading interior space. The Honda City, meanwhile, is the tallest of the lot and has the same amount of boot space as the Ciaz. All sedans here run on 195/55-section 16-inch wheels apart from the City, which comes with 185/55-section tyres. 

Dimensions
	Ciaz 1.3 (Old)	Ciaz 1.5 (New)	Verna	City	Vento	Rapid
Length	4490mm	4490mm	4440mm	4440mm	4390m	4413mm
Width	1730mm	1730mm	1729mm	1695mm	1699mm	1699mm
Height	1485mm	1485mm	1475mm	1495mm	1467mm	1466mm
Wheelbase	2650mm	2650mm	2600mm	2600mm	2553mm	2552mm
Boot capacity	510 litres	510 litres	480 litres	510 litres	494 litres	460 litres
Tyre size	195/55 R16	195/55 R16	195/55 R16	185/55 R16	195/55 R16	195/55 R16

Features

Standard safety kit for all sedans here include dual airbags and ABS. However, in their top-spec trims, the Rapid gets two additional airbags while the Verna and City both get four additional airbags. All cars get touchscreen infotainment systems – although the Ciaz, Verna and City each feature 7.0-inch units while the Rapid and Vento get smaller 6.5-inch units. Honda City aside, all cars also get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Leather seats, rear AC vents and automatic headlamps are also common to all competitors while the City, Rapid and Vento go one further and offer automatic wipers, too. Buyers will also appreciate the sunroof that comes with the Verna and the City – a feature that the others miss out on. 

Features
	Ciaz 1.3 (Old)	Ciaz 1.5 (New)	Verna	City	Vento	Rapid
Airbags	2	2	6	6	2	4
Infotainment	7.0-inch touchscreen	7.0-inch touchscreen	7.0-inch touchscreen	7.0-inch touchscreen	6.5-inch touchscreen	6.5-inch touchscreen
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	No/No	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes
Leather seats	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto headlamps/wipers	Yes/No	Yes/No	Yes/No	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes
Sunroof	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Rear AC vents	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Price

In terms of pricing, the new Ciaz is expected to be priced slightly higher than the outgoing model. Even at its higher price point, the 1.5-litre Ciaz is expected to undercut its rivals. If you factor in the engine’s efficiency, the Ciaz is sure to remain the value choice among mid-sized sedans.

Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi)
	Ciaz 1.3 (Old)	Ciaz 1.5 (New)	Verna	City	Vento	Rapid
Manual	Rs 11.02 lakh	Rs 11.5 lakh (estimated)	Rs 12.94 lakh	Rs 14.05 lakh	Rs 11.97 lakh	Rs 12.73 lakh
Automatic	NA	NA	Rs 13.99 lakh	NA	Rs 14.32 lakh	Rs 13.99 lakh

Also see:

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Ertiga to get new 1.5 diesel engine in February

New 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R review, test drive

2019 Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift: What's new

Toyota-badged Baleno confirmed for launch in 2019

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2WyaR6D

Hero MotoCorp sets up R&D facility in Germany

Hero MotoCorp has set up its first research and development centre abroad at Stephanskirchen, Germany. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Hero MotoCorp, the Hero Tech Center Germany GmbH will operate in tandem with the company’s Global R&D hub, the Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Commenting on the new R&D facility, Dr Pawan Munjal, chairman, Hero MotoCorp said, “Setting up of the Hero Tech Center Germany is a realisation of our aspiration to build an R&D eco-system that is spread across global geographies. Ever since Hero began its solo journey in 2011, we have had a clear and focused plan to enhance and strengthen our technological know-how and product development capabilities. We set up the Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur in 2016 and since then, this facility has been designing and developing a range of new mobility solutions for customers across the globe.”

“The Hero Tech Center in Germany will be a source of modern technologies with a focus on the global customer base, thereby further strengthening our R&D capabilities. The Tech Center will also enable us to easily tap into the huge pool of resources readily available across Europe and merge them with our ongoing operations at the CIT.”

To begin with, the Hero Tech Center Germany, which will be under the direct supervision of Dr. Markus Braunsperger, chief technology officer at Hero MotoCorp, will focus on development of new vehicle concepts and future technologies in close cooperation with the teams at CIT in Jaipur. It will also be the epicentre for Hero’s motorsport team – the Hero MotoSports Team Rally – and will facilitate all rally participation activities, including new product development for the Team.

from Autocar India - Bikes http://bit.ly/2GaLxOC

Hero MotoCorp sets up R&D facility in Germany

Hero MotoCorp has set up its first research and development centre abroad at Stephanskirchen, Germany. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Hero MotoCorp, the Hero Tech Center Germany GmbH will operate in tandem with the company’s Global R&D hub, the Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Commenting on the new R&D facility, Dr Pawan Munjal, chairman, Hero MotoCorp said, “Setting up of the Hero Tech Center Germany is a realisation of our aspiration to build an R&D eco-system that is spread across global geographies. Ever since Hero began its solo journey in 2011, we have had a clear and focused plan to enhance and strengthen our technological know-how and product development capabilities. We set up the Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur in 2016 and since then, this facility has been designing and developing a range of new mobility solutions for customers across the globe.”

“The Hero Tech Center in Germany will be a source of modern technologies with a focus on the global customer base, thereby further strengthening our R&D capabilities. The Tech Center will also enable us to easily tap into the huge pool of resources readily available across Europe and merge them with our ongoing operations at the CIT.”

To begin with, the Hero Tech Center Germany, which will be under the direct supervision of Dr. Markus Braunsperger, chief technology officer at Hero MotoCorp, will focus on development of new vehicle concepts and future technologies in close cooperation with the teams at CIT in Jaipur. It will also be the epicentre for Hero’s motorsport team – the Hero MotoSports Team Rally – and will facilitate all rally participation activities, including new product development for the Team.

from Autocar India - Bikes http://bit.ly/2GaLxOC

New Bajaj Pulsar 180F priced at Rs 86,500

Not one to leave a gap unplugged, Bajaj has now come up with a value addition to the Pulsar range – the 180F. The math is simple – it goes a step further from the Pulsar 180 while still staying clear of the 220F, and the result is a motorcycle that will look exactly like the 220F as it blurs past. As if the existing Pulsar range wasn’t confusing enough to decode in a crowd!

 

The Pulsar 180F gets the half-fairing from the 220F and, therefore, the twin vertically-stacked headlights as well. It also gets a single-channel ABS, although the braking hardware remains unchanged, with a 260mm/230mm (front/rear) disc combination. The 180F will sport no mechanical updates over the existing model which, by the way, will continue to be sold alongside the F variant. Now is a good time to bring up the 180F’s reported price tag – Rs 86,500 (ex-showroom, Mumbai), which makes it just Rs 1500 more expensive than the standard 180. This does indicate the existing 180’s growing irrelevance in the segment, given that it isn’t as lucrative a proposition as compared to alternatives such as the TVS Apache RTR range and the Suzuki Gixxer, among others. Having said that, with the undoubtedly more exciting 220F (now with a single-channel ABS as well) being priced at Rs 1.05 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune), the 180F does justify its existence, at least from a value perspective.

 

On the positive side, the Pulsar 180F is now the only half-faired motorcycle in its class and it surely looks the part, although it remains to be seen how much of an impact it makes on Bajaj’s bid to revive the 180’s fortunes. The motorcycle will make its way to dealerships soon although Bajaj isn’t expected to make a formal announcement about it. Think it’s an opportunity well taken? Or an experiment we didn’t need? Let us know in the comments.

Source

from Autocar India - Bikes http://bit.ly/2G0A8lg

Volkswagen Aims To Open E-Vehicle Platform To Competitors

Volkswagen wants its modular car platform to become a standard not only for the VW group.

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2sXNohS

Bosch To Invest Four Billion Euros In Autonomous Cars Development

Bosch has 4,000 engineers working on autonomous vehicles technology and is working with Daimler to develop self-driving cars.

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2TtfUnj

Volkswagen To Reveal Fully Electric Dune Buggy At The Geneva Motor Show

The concept of the fully electric buggy is based on the vehicles that were created in the 1960s in California. Back then, the Beetle chassis served as the basis for these buggies; now, the MEB is...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2Tmez1p

Dune Reboot Said to Eye Spider-Man Star Zendaya as Love Interest Chani

Zendaya - best known for Spider-Man: Homecoming - is in early talks to play Chani, the love interest of the protagonist Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) in the Dune reboot from director Denis...

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2WyBAjR

PhotoGallery: New 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R review gallery

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2RVRKVw

Qualcomm Signs New Interim Patent Agreement With Huawei

Qualcomm has revealed that it has negotiated a new and slightly better interim patent contract with Huawei Technologies.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2SbSipN

Apple Said to Plan 3D Cameras for New iPhone Models in AR Push

Apple is said to plan to launch iPhones with a more-powerful 3-D camera as soon as next year, stepping up the company's push into augmented reality.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2UxlsgC

Sony Increases PlayStation Plus Cloud Storage From 10GB to 100GB

PS Plus members will have more space to store their game saves now.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2DK1rxA

Google + will sunset personal accounts on April 2

Back in December, Google announced that it would shut down Google + sometime in April due to low usage and Google's wish to shift its resources towards something else. In a blog post, Google outlines its phasing out of the social network. Google + will begin to shut down personal (consumer) accounts beginning on April 2 and users will have until then to download all their Google + data. Pictures on Google Photos won't be deleted. Starting February 4, you won't be able to create new Google + profiles, pages, communities, or events. In the coming weeks, you will not be able to sign...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2Wxll6g

Samsung Galaxy A50 Leak Tips Triple Rear Cameras, Infinity-V Display

As per leaked images of the Galaxy A50's internal design, it will feature triple rear cameras and will sport an Infinity-V Display.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2MLWQOA

Ben Affleck-Less The Batman, Suicide Squad Reboot to Release in 2021

DC Super Pets will release on May 21, 2021, followed by The Batman - minus Ben Affleck, and focusing on a younger Bruce Wayne - on June 25, 2021, and James Gunn's soft reboot The Suicide Squad...

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2TrZJGQ

Samsung Galaxy M20 vs Galaxy M10: Price, Specifications Compared

Samsung Galaxy M20 price in India starts at Rs. 10,990, while the Galaxy M10 price in India starts at Rs. 7,990.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2SepDQF

Redmi Note 7 Pro May Get 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage Option, Xiaomi CEO Tips

Redmi Note 7 Pro will not see a 3GB RAM variant at all, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun's new Weibo post suggests.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2sUsq3k

Google+ to Lose Some Features Next Week as Company Prepares to Delete All Data

Google says it will shut down Google+ completely on April 2, 2019, but some essential features will be taken offline as early as next week.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2G2IbxM

How to Record WhatsApp Calls on Android and iPhone

Recording WhatsApp calls is far from straightforward. There are two ways to go about it, and both have a similar issue. But if you are wondering how to record WhatsApp call on iPhone or Android,...

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2MFvzwQ

OnePlus Pulls OxygenOS Beta Updates for 4 Phones After Reports of Bricking

OxygenOS Open Beta 26 was released for the OnePlus 5 and Open Beta 24 for the OnePlus 5T, while the OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T received OxygenOS Open Beta 12 and Open Beta 4, respectively.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2HDOV6V

Samsung Galaxy M20, Galaxy M10 Get Their First Software Update

Samsung Galaxy M20, Galaxy M10 are now receiving firmware version M105FDDU1ASA7 and M205FDDU1ASA9 respectively.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2ShlED3

SBI Reportedly Left Banking Data of Millions Unprotected Online

The alleged unprotected server of SBI was housed in a Mumbai data centre and included two months of data from SBI Quick service.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2sYmtSW

Samsung Profits Slump Along With Drop in Demand for Its Key Products

Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest smartphone and memory chip maker, reported a slump in fourth-quarter net profits on Thursday.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Tnd3w5

Google Follows Facebook, Disables iPhone App That Studied User Habits

For now, the app Screenwise Meter is still available for Android phones via Google Play.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Rps8v3

Nokia 1 Plus Might Just Have Been Spotted

The mysterious Nokia TA-1152 phone is said to be designed for the Indian market.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Wt8xxS

iPhone XS Max successor to look the same, have three rear cameras

Apple is planning to keep the successors to the iPhone XS and XS Max looking pretty much the same. However, the bigger model will ship with three rear cameras, according to a new report from "people familiar with the plans". The third shooter is likely to be a wide-angle camera, complementing the normal one and the telephoto lens nicely, allowing for a higher range of zoom. There will be some assorted software magic too, with one possible feature being automatic repairing of videos or photos to fit in a subject that may have been accidentally cut off from the initial shot. An enhanced...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2HGuPJk

Microsoft Posts Profit on Ongoing Cloud Businesses Growth

Chief executive Satya Nadella said Microsoft continues to see gains from its cloud services after having shifted away from many of its consumer offerings

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2MIbrKD

Tesla CFO Leaves as Automaker Promises Profits and Cheaper Cars

The departure of Deepak Ahuja as well as missing Wall Street profit targets for the end of 2018, sent Tesla shares down nearly 6 percent after hours.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2G9Llim

Facebook Monthly Active Users Grew to 2.32 Billion Despite Privacy Issues

Facebook on Wednesday easily beat Wall Street's profit estimates, soothing investor concerns that increased spending on the privacy of its users would blunt growth.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Tnm9ZH

Apple Busts Facebook for Distributing App That Harvested User Data

Apple says Facebook can no longer distribute an app that paid users, including teenagers, to extensively track their phone and web use.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2DKogRP

Review: New 2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R video review

More on the new Maruti Wagon R

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2RoMfK0

Verizon's Galaxy S9 and S9+ are now getting the Android 9 Pie update too

Well, that didn't take long. Yesterday the Android 9 Pie update for the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ finally reached the US, going out to the units sold by Comcast's Xfinity Mobile MVNO. And today Verizon has started the rollout for the same updates as well. If you bought your S9 or S9+ from Big Red, expect to see an update notification pop up in the next few days. Once you install the new release, you'll be on build number G960USQU3CSAB for the S9, and G965USQU3CSAB for the S9+. If you haven't gotten the notification yet and are impatient, perhaps it won't hurt to manually check for the...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2UyCwTv

Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Review: The Bread Box Gets Sexier, More Capable!

The new Wagon R gets more character in the face. The style factor comes in with the new headlamp cluster, front grille and all that metal work I was referring to. The floating roof and smartly done...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2Wx8AIU

Toyota to make more performance cars

Toyota recently unveiled its new Supra at the Detroit motor show, a sportscar that was co-developed by the company’s performance division, Gazoo Racing (GR), in conjunction with BMW. It seems that the GR Supra was only the start, as there are plans to create an entire range of performance vehicles under the GR nameplate.

Toyota has not announced any specific models that will be part of the GR performance line-up but speculation suggests that the GT86, and the Yaris (as it is used in World Rally Cross) and Corolla hatchbacks (to compete with the Honda Civic Type R and VW Golf GTi in Europe) will be likely contenders.

A few months back we had reported the possibility of Toyota bringing back the MR2 as an electric sportscar. It is very likely that if they do revive the MR2, the GR division will have a hand in developing it, just like the new Supra.

Also see:

First new-gen Toyota Supra sells at nearly Rs 15 crore

Toyota Century GRMN images surface online

2019 Toyota Supra image gallery

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2Uo6x8e

Choosing between the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the Jawa Perak

I want a bike for long-term use and have shortlisted the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the
Jawa Perak. Which one would be the most comfortable on occasional long rides?

Abhishek Sreepal, Bengaluru

AAA We haven’t ridden the Jawa Perak yet and the bike isn’t expected to be ready until at least August 2019, so we can’t comment directly on that bike. What we can tell you is that the Interceptor offers a much higher level of refinement and performance than the Jawa and Jawa Forty Two we have recently ridden. As far as reliability goes, both products have much to prove in this regard. But if money is no concern, we suggest you go for the superior riding experience of the twin-cylinder Royal Enfield.

from Autocar India - Bikes http://bit.ly/2CTqywp

Report: iPhone hacking tool used by UAE to spy on targets in 2016

A report from Reuters Investigation claims that there is an powerful iPhone hacking tool called "Karma" that has been used by the UAE government for the purpose of remotely hacking those iPhones of people in key interest. Former US Intelligence members working for the UAE were said to have developed the tool to monitor targets starting in 2016. This is the first time a report has been released about the tool's existence. According to the report, Karma could remotely access iPhones by entering a phone number or email address into a system. In 2016 and 2017, the tool could access photos,...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2RrJtnk

Tata Nano to be discontinued from April 2019

That the Tata Nano is on its way out is a known fact. Autocar India had first reported Tata Motors’ decision to end the Nano chapter back in August 2018. Sales of the manufacturer's smallest passenger vehicle have stuttered and sputtered, and yet, the company chose to keep the Nano alive for 10 full years as it represented the company’s dream of making motoring affordable for the Indian masses.

However, the decision is no longer in Tata Motors’ hands. The plug is about to be pulled on the Nano – originally dubbed the ‘Rs 1 lakh car’ – because of new safety norms that will be implemented this year.

Even before it can get to the October 1, 2019 deadline for all cars to meet the updated crash test norms, the Tata Nano has another hurdle to deal with. From April 1, 2019, all cars made in India need to have an anti-lock braking system (ABS), which the Nano does not – and will not – get. With demand almost non-existent, it makes little financial sense for Tata Motors to invest in upgrading the Nano and giving it ABS at the end of its life cycle. And it is for this very reason that the Nano will neither be upgraded to meet the updated crash test norms nor meet the BS-VI emission norms – both of which will require an even bigger investment. Hence, the necessitation of ABS will be the final blow for the Nano, and the car will be discontinued in April 2019.

Sales of the Nano – which was famous for being the cheapest new car in the world – hit a new low in June 2018, when Tata Motors sold just three examples. Between July and December 2018, the company found only 310 buyers for the car that was designed to sell in the thousands every month. Hobbled by several setbacks early on in its life, it was always a challenge for the Nano to capture the Indian buyer’s attention.

Tata Motors tried a number of measures to give it a shot in the arm. It included the addition of a power steering in 2014 and the inclusion of an AMT with the ‘GenX’ update aimed to make the Nano a competent city car. The company is also said to have invested Rs 400 crore in the development of the next-gen Nano (codenamed ‘Pelican’), which was to get a more powerful engine, a more comfortable interior and most importantly, a beefed-up structure that would help it meet crash test norms – but the project has been shelved. It’s in line with Tata Motors’ new strategy of having a model range based on two platforms only – Alfa and Omega.

Now with the Nano about to be relegated to the history books, Tata Motors is set to vacate the ultra-low-cost entry-level segment entirely. And with more and more first-time car buyers opting for more aspirational (and relatively more expensive) models, it seems unlikely that any other carmaker will venture into the space that was, at one point in time, expected to become a Tata stronghold.

Also see:

Tata Nano AMT long term review, final report

Tata Nano AMT vs Maruti Alto K10 AMT comparison

Tata GenX Nano AMT video review

Tata Nano Twist vs Maruti Alto 800 comparison

Tata Nano review

Pocket rocket: Nano on steroids

The Great Big Nano Adventure

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2WyaMzV

Samsung has started Galaxy S10 mass production

An insider speaking to The Investor says that Samsung kicked off mass production of the Galaxy S10 flagship last week - January 25. These are the three 4G models, which will primarily be manufactured overseas, work on the 5G model will start later on. The source says that all three Galaxy S10 models will feature in-display fingerprint readers. The 6.1" and 6.4" phones will go with a Qualcomm-developed ultrasonic reader (with better accuracy and reliability) while the 5.8" one will use an optical reader. The mid-sized and large Galaxy S10 will have curved screens and Samsung will ship...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2BbWqMu

The Huawei P30 Lite will have a 1080p+ screen, 20MP triple camera

Huawei's P30 phones have fashion-themed names - Elle, Vogue and Marie Claire. The latter seems to be the Huawei P30 Lite as info of the MAR-LX1M has been trickling out. UA Profile: 1080p+ resolution • Android 9 Pie • Code name certifications from the EEC The User Agent profile of the phones browser confirms a screen with 1,080 x 2,312px resolution - that's 1080p+ with 19.3:9 aspect ratio. This entails a teardrop notch as you can see in this render of the MAR-AL00 (the Chinese model, which may go under the nova 4e name). The screen will likely measure 6" and the fingerprint...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2UnEq9c

Xbox One Black Screen Crash Caused by Xbox Live: Microsoft

Xbox One black screen crash at startup? Blame Xbox Live.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Tik8Ol

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 teardown shows the magnets of its unique sliding mechanism

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 uses a unique sliding mechanism that relies on two pairs of strong neodymium magnets to hold the phone in the up and down positions and also provide the "springy" feeling in between. If you're curious about how that works, you can watch Zack from JerryRigEverything take the phone apart. You can see two magnets at 2:35, but that's only half of them. The other half are behind the screen - they line up perfectly when the Mi Mix 3 is closed and push each other away when it is open. There's a ribbon cable that hooks through a hole in the motherboard to connect the two...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2WutA3i

ZTE Axon 10 Pro with Snapdragon 855 found in Geekbench

ZTE's newly returned Axon line may welcome a new member soon. An A2020 Pro showed up in the Geekbench database, a clear followup to the A2019G - aka the Axon 9 Pro. So, let's call it the ZTE Axon 10 Pro. How did it do? Very well, actually, it posted high single-core score and showed good multi-core performance. The chipset seems to be a Snapdragon 855, despite reporting itself as "pine". The phone packed 6GB of RAM and ran Android 9 Pie. JRGRAPH_EXPANDABLE_VERSION = false; GeekBench 4.1 (single-core) Higher is better Apple iPhone XS Max 4777 ZTE...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2Rs4Pkf

Samsung Galaxy A50 panels show a triple camera, no room for a fingerprint reader

The chassis of the Samsung Galaxy A50 has leaked and while there are no internal components, it still provides a wealth of information. The opening on the back is large enough for a triple camera (just below it is the hole for the LED flash). One of the camera modules will feature a 24MP sensor, the other may be a 3D ToF module. The punch hole for the selfie camera on the front is clearly visible (it's supposed to house another 24MP sensor). Triple camera on the back • Punch hole selfie camera on the front What's missing is a spot for a fingerprint reader, which supports the...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2sTK87d

Hero MotoCorp Sets Up New R&D Centre In Germany

World's largest manufacturer of two-wheelers, Hero MotoCorp has set up its new research and development (R&D) centre - Hero Tech Center Germany GmbH. The new facility is a wholly-owned subsidiary of...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2RrREje

You can have a port-less Meizu Zero for $1299 through Indiegogo in the US

It looks like Meizu has turned to crowdfunding platform Indiegogo to finance its port-less and button-less Meizu Zero smartphone concept. The Zero's campaign is live on Indiegogo in the US and the entrance fee (which gets you an Engineering sample Meizu Zero) is $1,299. If you don't know how a crowdfunding campaign works - a company sets a funding target (in Meizu's case that's $100,000), which it needs to bring a project to reality and people pledge money to it. If Meizu reaches the target money it has set then it will manufacture the Zero and those that have pledged above a certain...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2HG4TNS

Tata Motors To Supply 255 Electric Buses In 6 Cities Across India

Tata Motors has recently received a sizeable order of 255 electric buses, which the company will be supplying to State Transport Undertakings (STUs) of six cities across India.

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2RroMru

Sony Xperia XZ4 specs leak - 6.5-inch OLED, 4,400mAh battery

A list of specs of the yet unannounced Sony Xperia XZ4 has surfaced, detailing some of the most important parts of the upcoming flagship. The key novelties are the screen - a 6.5-inch 21:9 3360x1440px OLED, the 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (expandable through a microSD) and the 4,400mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive Charge. If all of these specs pan out then the Xperia XZ4 will be a formidable beast. We'll have to wait and see. So far we know that Sony's next flagship will carry an unusual 21:9 tall-aspect display and a Snapdragon 855 chipset. The flagship will become official...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2DIClPD

India-Spec Yamaha MT-15 Specifications Leaked

Following the spotting of a camouflaged test mule of the upcoming Yamaha MT-15, we have now come across some specifications details about the motorcycle as well.

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2G2npP1

Samsung Galaxy M10 Review

Samsung Galaxy M10 sports a display notch and interesting design aspects. But is there more to this phone than just its looks? Read our review to find out.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Ws44vj

Fortnite adds Bluetooth controller support on mobile

Epic Games has updated Fornite for mobile with support for Bluetooth controllers in their latest version 7.30 patch. Both iOS and Android users can now use Bluetooth controllers from popular brands. On Android, you can use practically anything, including the SteelSeries Stratus XL, Gamevice, Xbox One X controller, Razer Raiju, and the Moto GamePad. On iOS, you will need a MFi or Made for iPhone certified controller, such as SteelSeries Nimbus and Gamevice. Epic has also added support for 60fps mode on Android. However, currently it is only available on three devices, Samsung...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2HFX0be

Apple Shipped Over 71 Million iPhone Units in Q4 2018: Canalys

Strategy Analytics reports the latest iPhone shipments represents a 15 percent year-over-year decline from the 77.3 million units shipped during the first fiscal quarter of last year.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2FZittQ

Samsung Galaxy S10 Mass Production Reportedly Begins

A new report also claims that all the three variants come with in-display fingerprint scanner, and a detachable screen protector as well.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2GccXDQ

Chrome 72 Rolled Out for Desktop, Android, and iOS Users: Here's What's New

Chrome 72 for Android brings along upgrades for the media player notifications while using Incognito tab, and more.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2CUVSeg

Moto G7 Plus Leak Tips 27W TurboPower Charging, OIS-Enabled Camera

A bunch of leaked Moto G7 Plus hands-on images suggest that it will bring support for 27W TurboPower charging and OIS.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2SdN8cU

Windows 10 October 2018 Update Emerges as Least Successful: AdDuplex

Out of more than 100,000 PCs surveyed, only 12.4 percent run the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, AdDuplex said in its latest report.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2TrNKsR

Indian Motorcycle Trademarks 'Renegade' Name For New Motorcycle In The US

Polaris-owned Indian Motorcycle has registered a new bike name 'Indian Renegade' in the US. The new name joins the 'Raven' moniker that was recently registered by the biker maker with the US Patents...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2sWjjiz

LG to bring both the G8 and V50 ThinQ to the MWC, the V50 will be its 5G phone

While some companies will launch new product lines for their 5G phones, LG will release its own handset under the V-series banner. Korean publication ETNews shares some behind the scenes info on LG's strategy for this year. The LG V50 ThinQ and G8 ThinQ will both be unveiled at the MWC in February. The V50 will feature 5G connectivity and will be available in March to fight the Galaxy S10 X (also set for a March launch). The LG V50 will reportedly have a 6" screen and a new hands-free interface that will let you control apps and multimedia by waving your hands up/down and left/right. It...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2G8eoCW

India-spec Yamaha MT-15 details revealed

Yamaha will soon launch the MT-15 in India, and the bike has been spotted testing in near-production form last month. This week, a ‘Type Approval Certificate’ registered with the CMVR (Central Motor Vehicle Rules), surfaced online, revealing a few details of the upcoming bike.

The document dated January 17, 2019 confirms that the MT-15 will be powered by the same 155cc, single-cylinder engine on the R15 V3.0 that produces 19.3hp at 10,000rpm and 14.7Nm at 8,500rpm.

Also revealed in the document are the bike's dimensions. The India-spec MT-15 measures 2,020mm in length, 800mm in width and 1,070mm in height. In comparison, the Thai-spec bike is just as wide, but measures a slightly lesser 1,965mm in length and 1,065mm in height. However, that being said, the Thai- and India-spec bikes have the same 1,335mm wheelbase. The extra length of the India-spec bike could be the result of a longer tail section or different tyres.

What's also seen in the document is the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), which is 288kg. The GVW of a vehicle is essentially the kerb weight in addition to the weight of its passengers (in this case, rider and pillion). Assuming that the average weight of each person in the test is 75kg, this would result in a kerb weight of 138kg for the India-spec MT-15. For reference, the Thai-spec bike weighs 133kg. This assumption makes sense given that the R15 V3.0 gained a similar 5kg when it made its way to India.

The India-spec MT-15 receives a few changes compared to the international bike, like a conventional telescopic fork rather than a USD unit, and a basic, box-section swingarm and not the aluminium unit found on the R15 V3.0 and international-spec MT-15.

The MT-15 was recently teased at a Yamaha dealer event and we expect the bike to be officially launched in the coming weeks.

from Autocar India - Bikes http://bit.ly/2sVti83

TRAI Asks DTH Firms to Honour Commitment on Long-Duration Packs

TRAI has asked DTH operators to honour pre-paid commitment on ongoing long-duration packs, if customer wishes to continue.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2DIF5wt

Huawei's Founder Faces Fight for Company and Family

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei survived food shortages during China's Cultural Revolution, but now the reclusive billionaire faces an existential fight for his family and company.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2UnQEyw

Zack Snyder Returns to Filmmaking With Netflix Zombie Heist Movie

Zack Snyder is returning to filmmaking with a new $90-million project set at Netflix: a zombie horror thriller heist movie called Army of the Dead.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2TlKXkP

Intel, Israel Agree to Reciprocal Spending Deal: Ministry

Intel will receive an Israeli government grant of 9 percent of its planned ILS 40 billion investment to expand its manufacturing operations in the country.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2RrvHkn

Mortal Kombat 11 Nintendo Switch Release Date Delayed

Mortal Kombat 11 release date for Nintendo Switch may be delayed to May 10.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2Wuz0eA

UAE Said to Use Cyber Super-Weapon to Spy on iPhones of Foes

A team of former US intelligence operatives working for the UAE are said to have used tool called Karma to hack into the iPhones of activists, diplomats, and rival foreign leaders.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2ThCdMt

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 Gets a Titanium Edition in India

Asus has today launched the Titanium edition of the ZenFone Max Pro M2 which is now available exclusively from Flipkart.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2CQTYv6

Volkswagen Surpasses Toyota And Nissan In Global Sales In 2018

Toyota Motor Corp. sold 10.59 million vehicles globally last year, fewer than the 10.83 million delivered by German rival Volkswagen AG, the Japanese automaker said Wednesday. Separately, the...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2sWTkaJ

2019 Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift: What's new

First launched in 2015, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno has been a top-selling premium hatchback for India’s largest automaker. Sold exclusively from the Maruti's Nexa chain of premium outlets, it gave Indian buyers a bigger, more spacious and more feature-packed car compared to the Maruti Suzuki Swift. And of course, it took on the likes of the well-equipped Hyundai i20 and the fun-to-drive Volkswagen Polo. But that said, while the Hyundai i20 got a mid-life update last year, the Baleno was pretty much unchanged since launch – apart from the introduction of the sportier Baleno RS variant in 2017. But now Maruti Suzuki has given the popular premium hatchback a mid-life update. So what’s new? Read on to find out.

So let's start with the exterior changes on the new Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift. The updated premium hatchback gets a new bumper that looks a lot sportier and has a wider air dam with bigger openings. The fog lamp console is now detached from the central air dam too. The Baleno also gets an LED headlamp update instead of the HID lights seen on the current car. The headlight, however, remains unchanged.

Also part of the facelift is a new grille that is more sculpted, with an updated chrome lining that makes the front end look more premium. Around the side, the Baleno remains largely unchanged apart from the new 16-inch, diamond cut, black two-tone alloy wheels, making the car look a lot more current taking a cue out of the Hyundai playbook. Around the rear though, Maruti Suzuki has not made any changes to the Baleno.

Moving to the interior, the updated Baleno hatchback retains the overall design of the dashboard and the placement of the buttons. What's new is the upholstery on the seats – now in a blue and black combination and it looks rather chic. The Baleno facelift also gets a new infotainment system; the overall size of the screen is the same but it gets a new head unit sourced from Harman and more importantly, a whole new user interface that looks a lot more modern.

Connectivity options like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remain in the Baleno as before, but the new navigation setup now showcases traffic warnings and speed limits as well. Coming to speed limits, as with every new car, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift also gets the speed limit beeper that buzzes continuously after 120kph, and once after 80kph and 100 kph.

In terms of engine and gearbox options, nothing has changed. The updated Baleno gets a 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, K12 petrol engine that makes 83hp and 113Nm, and a 1.3-litre, turbocharged DDiS diesel engine that makes 75hp and 200Nm of peak torque. The diesel engine is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, while the petrol engine gets the option of a 5-speed manual and a CVT automatic. 

CYRUS DHABHAR

Also see:

Toyota-badged Baleno confirmed for launch in 2019

2019 Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS facelift revealed

2019 Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift price, variants explained

2019 Maruti Suzuki Wagon R: Top 5 things you need to know

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2DK2ZaZ

Mercedes could assemble more cars in India

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz believes there's a possibility that more of its future models could be assembled locally, thanks to the Indian government's decision to relax the norms for imported vehicles. The move allows carmakers to import 2,500 passenger vehicles a year without requiring them to be homologated in India. As a result, automakers can bring them to our market with little or no investment, gauge consumer demand and accordingly make a decision on local assembly.

"The rule can be an entryway for local assembly, eventually. We can bring models with limited efforts (investment) and see how the market responds. In principal, it’s an opportunity to explore the market with reduced efforts and I’m very confident that this is a good model to help us to explore other opportunities as well," Martin Schwenk, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India told Autocar India in an interview. 

Mercedes recently launched the V-class luxury MPV in India, which has also benefitted from the relaxed norms. "With the V-class, we could shorten the time for introduction to the market. Apart from time, it also saved us some homologation cost," Schwenk said. While the cars don't have to be homologated locally, they still need to be compliant with international testing standards such as the EEC, ECE or Japanese norms.

At present, the carmaker locally assembles nine models at its plant in Chakan, Pune. These comprise the Mercedes-Maybach S 560, S-class, E-class, C-class, CLA, GLA, GLE, GLC and the GLS.

IN CONVERSATION WITH MARTIN SCHWENK, MD & CEO, MERCEDES-BENZ-INDIA

What are your expectations with the newly launched V-class?
We have created a new segment in India with the V-class. Thanks to the versatility of the luxury MPV, big families can travel in luxury and customers can conduct business meetings as well.

Mercedes-Benz India has had a pretty flat year but you've sustained your market share as well. With sales of over 15,000 units, do you feel you have hit the limit?
I’m absolutely convinced we have not hit the limit. I personally believe the long-term trend is completely unbroken. We will see the luxury and the overall passenger car market grow over the next few years. Although, in the short term, there could be some weakness and the first-half of 2019 could be slow, but the long-term trend is still intact.

What's the strategy for further investments?
Currently, we have a production capacity of 40,000 cars and the manufacturing facility now carries an investment of Rs 2,200 crore. Having said that, I think we still have to invest, but that’s more on localising products, which we’ll continue to do towards new models that require adjustments, tooling modifications, robotics, etc. But we are satisfied with the current capacity.

You’ve been the first to adopt BS-VI, but now with it becoming a standard, is there any opportunity in terms of products being more streamlined globally and coming faster to the market?
Definitely. I think it always helps to be aligned; it makes everything in line with global standards and that is definitely an advantage. We will continue to tap into our global portfolio to see what is available to us and, depending on the demand, introduce new models on a relatively short notice.

Also see:

In conversation with Martin Schwenk, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India video

2019 Mercedes-Benz C 200 petrol review, test drive

Luxury car market feels the sting of a challenging 2018

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2UqWVcY

2019 Bajaj Dominar Spotted In New Green Paint Scheme Inside Factory

The 2019 Bajaj Dominar is one of the more awaited models for the new year and the bike maker will be introducing a comprehensive set of upgrades on the all-new models. While a lot of the changes will...

from NDTV Auto - Latest http://bit.ly/2FXGqSn

Canalys: Apple ships fewer iPhones in 2018, Samsung misses targets too

The smartphone market is past its peak, say analysts from Canalys. The two big players, Apple and Samsung, both slipped down. Apple was the top smartphone vendor in the final quarter of 2018, however it's in second place for the full year. It fell about 7% in Q4, which put it very close to Samsung (down 5%) and the market shares of the two giants are within a percentage point. Meanwhile, Chinese brands gained ground. The iPhone XR was the top model with over 22 million shipments. As for the premium models, the iPhone XS Max (14 million) was significantly more popular than the smaller...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2WuXfZW

This PS4 Racing Game Has More Players Than Need For Speed and GT Sport

PS4-exclusive Driveclub is the most played PS4 game with close to 10.5 million players.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2RtuXvg

Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 8 Now Getting January Security Patch: Reports

January 2019 Android security patch for the Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 8 is reportedly rolling out in select markets, including India, Iran, and the Netherlands.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2RrAHWf

Asus Unveils New ZenBook Laptops in India, Starting Rs. 71,990

Asus' new ZenBook series laptops are priced starting Rs 71,990 and go up to Rs. 1,39,900.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2S1rdGF

This PUBG PC Tool Shows If Your Kills Were Caught on a Twitch Stream

Dubbed PUBG Report, it lets users look up any handles that may have been involved in a kill on Twitch and you'll be able to watch them just right before the kill.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2RrcNdF

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 Update Brings Camera Improvements and More

Asus has revealed that it has started rolling out a new software update for its ZenFone Max Pro M2 smartphone.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2CVjgrM

Moto G7 Plus to have 27W TurboPower charging

After the massive Moto G7 leak the other day, we didn't expect any new info before the phones' launch in February. But here we are with another live image of the handset and its retail box revealing key features. According to the retail packaging, the Moto G7 Plus will support 27W TurboPower fast charging, which is a big step up compared to the Turbo charging on the current Motorola smartphones. However, the image doesn't say whether this feature will only be available to the Plus variant or the rest of the Moto G7 phones will get it too. Moto G7 Plus fresh out of the...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2TnTinR

Samsung Led Premium Smartphone Market in India in 2018, Says Counterpoint

Samsung led the premium smartphone segment in India in 2018 with 34 percent share of shipments, followed closely by OnePlus at 33 percent, Counterpoint Research said.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2HG6y66

Fortnite 7.30 Leaked Skins Listed

Fortnite 7.30 skins, back bling, gliders, axes and more leaked.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2WruHk4

Samsung announces 1TB smartphone storage chip just in time for Galaxy S10+

Samsung Electronics announced the industry's first 1TB eUFS 2.1 (embedded Universal Flash Storage). The chip has already entered mass production so we can expect the next-generation premium smartphones to feature it and the Galaxy S10+ will likely to be the first one. The new 1TB eUFS chip is just as big as the previous 512GB chip (11.5 x 13mm) while holding double the storage capacity by combining 16 stacked V-NAND flash memory layers and a newly developed controller. But Samsung was able to make substantial speed gains as well. The new chip boasts sequential read speeds of up to...

from GSMArena.com - Latest articles http://bit.ly/2G8p9Fq

Sponsored Feature: Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Autocar India Car of the Year 2019

A lot happened in 2018. 30 new cars, including major updates to existing models, were launched across the price spectrum. It only made what is an already tough market, much tougher. More choices for consumers meant more competition for manufacturers. That meant manufacturers were working even harder to offer consumers more value per rupee. But how do we choose which car was best? There’s no way to compare an entry-level hatchback to a high-performance SUV or a luxurious limousine. What we do check is which car made a significant impact in its own segment. We check if there was a car that, well, changed the game in its segment in a way that its competitors could not.

HOW IT’S DONE

Our jury of experts doesn’t randomly decide which car deserves the coveted Car of the Year award. There is a precise scientific process for the jury to determine the contenders and then work out which car stands above all others launched in that year. With decades of experience and expertise between them, it’s no surprise that the jury consisted of Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor of Autocar India; Renuka Kirpalani, Editor, Autocar Show; Shapur Kotwal, Editor, WhatCar?; Manvendra Singh of Barwani, car historian; Gaurav Gill, ace rally driver and Narain Karthikeyan, ex-F1 racing driver.

ELIGIBILITY FACTORS

Each car had to meet a specific set of requirements to be eligible for the 2019 Car of the Year award. They are:

• It should have been launched between January 1, 2018, and November 30, 2018, and be commercially available for purchase.
• It needed to have a new body style (or significant sheet-metal changes), new or updated interiors, and a new engine.
• Minor cosmetic upgrades would not qualify.
• New engine options and added variants would only be eligible for the ‘Variant of the Year’ award.
• It had to be homologated in India and be in series production.
• It should have been tested by Autocar India and made available to the majority of the jury members for a test drive – sufficient to form an opinion.

After this, each car was put through a series of tests and an exhaustive list of parameters were analysed to decide the winner of the award.

In the end, one car emerged above all the others to clinch top honours – the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. It was so good, it even bagged the ‘Value for Money Car of the Year’ award and the ‘MPV of the Year’ award. Turn the page over to find out why.

CHOOSING THE CAR OF THE YEAR

The voting process at the Autocar Car of the Year Awards is designed to pick the most outstanding car from the list of contenders. The jury is assisted by objective test data and analyses conducted by Autocar India which has exhaustively tested all eligible vehicles. Every car was individually assessed but ranked in relation to its direct market rivals. This is the full list of parameters and the Ertiga excelled almost everywhere:

• Design and Styling
• Fitness for purpose
• Relevance to market
• Value for money
• Engine, gearbox and performance
• Ride, handling and brakes
• Driving pleasure
• Fuel efficiency
• Safety
• Ownership experience

RAISING THE BAR

The first-generation Ertiga was a very competent car. It was easy to drive, had compact dimensions, seven seats, very efficient engines and even a CNG option. Moreover, its aggressive pricing combined with Maruti’s huge support network saw over 4.2 lakh units sold across the country in about six years. Maruti Suzuki has now taken that car and made it even better. Take a look at the parameters where the Ertiga excelled.

DESIGN AND STYLING

It’s much more stylish than the first–gen, van-like Ertiga. Swept-back projector headlamps, an attractive chrome-studded grille and a flattish bonnet give it a distinct identity. There’s a chiselled waistline, chrome door handles and multi-spoke wheels. The blacked-out D-pillar for the ‘floating roof’ look adds freshness. On the back, the L-shaped, 3D tail-lamps with LEDs look classy, too. Put together, the new Ertiga is a very desirable package.

FITNESS FOR PURPOSE

The new Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is built on the carmaker’s fifth-generation Heartect platform, which is much lighter than the previous one. This Ertiga is also 99mm longer, 40mm wider and 5mm taller than before. The Ertiga’s third row has more legroom now and reclines for added comfort. The boot size has also increased to 209 litres. This makes it a practical, efficient and comfortable people mover that works in an urban environment without compromising its highway presence.

RELEVANCE TO MARKET AND VALUE FOR MONEY

MPVs today have to be evolved. They have to function well as family cars. The Ertiga has done that; and well. Its all-new sculpted dashboard with wooden finish has been crafted with high-quality materials. The Multi-Information Colour Display shows the car’s vital information while the 7.0-inch SmartPlay Infotainment System with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto keeps you connected and entertained. The leather-wrapped, flat-bottom, multi-function steering wheel, the interior chrome accents, the air-vents with their premium feel add style. The front seats are also larger, more supportive and along with a new sliding front armrest ensure enhanced levels of comfort.

There’s more space and comfort for passengers too. The smart flexi-seating along with third-row recliner seats and second-row air conditioning enrich the cabin experience. A host of cubbyholes add practicality. A 60:40 split for the second row and 50:50 split for the third row help expand the 209-litre boot space to 803 litres.

Put it all together and you get a car that packed with user-friendly features, comfort, and practicality as required by its consumers – and it’s available at a price point that makes it great value for money.

ENGINE, GEARBOX AND PERFORMANCE

The Ertiga is powered by an all-new K15 petrol engine with Progressive Smart Hybrid Technology in a dual-battery set-up that provides idle start-stop, regenerates energy from braking and has Torque Assist functionality. This means that the engine is more powerful and more efficient at the same time. It’s even available as a manual or an automatic. Fun for everyone.

The DDiS200 diesel engine has Proven Smart Hybrid Technology that adds efficiency and a variable geometry turbo that generates optimal power and torque.

And the results are:

3 AWARDS.

1 GREAT CAR.

Maruti Suzuki heard everything its customers wanted and built the all-new Ertiga to meet their demands – and how!

Value for Money Car of the Year

The Ertiga was already a success. But the Indian consumer is never satisfied. Maruti Suzuki understood what its consumers wanted and delivered more of everything – space, features, fuel efficiency, the works. It even added feel-good features like an overall sense of being more premium, cooled cupholders and more to up the value offered. The new Ertiga then presents great value and a lot more.

MPV of the Year

MPV buyers don’t just want a vehicle to move people and things around anymore. Maruti Suzuki understood that buyers have evolved and designed an Ertiga that people would want. It looks upmarket, has new-age features, improved comfort and ride quality and has uncompromised practicality. In its segment and at its price point, this is the best MPV in the country.

Car of the Year

Maruti Suzuki was smart. It leveraged the existing set of Ertiga owners to create the new model. It transformed a well-liked, practical MPV into a desirable family car. It looks premium on the outside, meets the shift in buyer preferences to petrol and adds efficiency with a dual-battery mild-hybrid setup. It has an automatic gearbox on offer, too. Interior quality has also been stepped up and there’s a lot of space and flexibility for second- and third-row passengers. It has thoughtful touches like cooled cup-holders. Put all the little details together, and the Ertiga comes across as a very pleasant car to live with. It’s exactly what MPV buyers and family car buyers wanted; and now they can have it – the Autocar India 2019 Car of the Year, Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.

from Autocar India - Cars http://bit.ly/2G1Wbbh