Gadgets

New LED Based Train Headlight to Consume Less Energy

Train headlight is an important feature in any train. Trains which are slow to apply the brakes and stop, have to warn people or cars on the tracks to move away as a train approaches. One of the main features in any train headlight is the ability of the light to be seen from a far distance. This requires the light used to be strong. Current lighting in train headlight use halogen light bulbs or incandescent light bulbs. This form of lighting is not energy efficient to say the least.

The current form of illumination used in train headlight are not energy efficient and give off a lot of heat. Researchers are now looking for alternative methods to illuminate train headlight that are not only energy efficient but also give off less heat. Researchers have now come up with LEDs as a solution to be used in train headlight. This solution will not only give the desired power of light and over a longer distance but will also reduce green- house gas carbon dioxide emissions by 152 kilograms per year if the lights are used for 8 hours in a day.

How did scientists come up with a way to use LEDs in Train Headlight?

Using LEDs as a light source in train headlight means that trains will meet the standard required for them to illuminate the tracks ahead of them as well as getting the benefits of using LED lights. LED lights give off more power, consuming less energy and they are more rugged than other forms of light. They are also known to last longer than other conventional forms of lighting.

Researchers have come up with a design of placing the LED lights in such a way as to give maximum output of light but with consuming lesser amount of energy. This new design of LED train headlight use 20.18 Watts as opposed to several hundred Watts of energy consumed by current train headlights giving off the same amount of power.

Another advantage in using a number of LEDs in train headlights is that they can be dimmed by switching off a few of the lights when the train approaches a platform so as not to blind the people on the platform.

How was the LED Train Headlight made?

Like in cars, the LED train headlight combine the use of a parabolic reflectors that guides the LED light into a beam. LEDs used individually give off only a small amount of light. Therefore researchers came up with a solution of using a number of LED lights along with parabolic reflectors to give a strong beam of light.

Researchers had to balance using a less number of LED lights to give off a strong beam of light, using these LED lights in combination with the parabolic reflectors and also ensuring the LED lights did not become too hot to prevent any circuit damage.

Finally they came up with a solution which uses two half circular parabolic aluminized reflectors in making LED train headlight. This design solved two problems. The new design not only gave the desired amount of power using less number of LEDs but also ensured that the train head light did not get too hot and damaged the circuit. This design also left room for the circuit, that is needed to power the LEDs, to be placed in the middle of the two half parabolic reflectors.

Almost every other mobile manufacturers packs in their distinct version of the file manager with the Smartphone. Some are great but rest of them is just too miserable to use therefore Smartphone users tend to download third party file manager app from the app stores. Google brings it very own Files Go app which will soon become the must have and standard Android file manager in future.

It will become a simple and smart way for the Android users to find files instantly, share with others and free up space at the same time. Google is making the file search, share and management simpler and more aggressive on the Android platform with the Files Go. Some of the notable features of this app include:

1. Files Go do the Files search

Being a file manager it has to establish itself as the best in the file search functionality over the others. With Files Go users will get the ability to search the files just like they do on the internet. The inability to use microSD card at the time or living with the contacts of the internal storage has become quite common for the Android users.

Therefore they need to a good file search functionality which can help in finding and modifying files whenever needed.  Users are simply required to open the Files tab then give a tab on the search icon in order to find the files present on the smartphone within a matter of seconds.

2. Files Go Find the exact location of the duplicate files

Apart from the usual file search users also have a tough time finding the duplicates of the same file. Files Go will make it easy to free up space by getting rid of the duplicate files.

Files Go comes with a unique features which allows user to detect the duplicate files instantly by simply giving a long press on the “i” icon and get to see the location of the file. It has been found that most of the Smartphone users suffer from the low storage arising from the presence of the duplicate files.

3. Files Go remove the backed-up files

Now almost every Smartphone user is making use of the cloud services either by their own knowledge or without even knowing it. Most of the Smartphone manufacturer has started bundling their own cloud app which helps in backing up files like photos and videos online.

The best thing about Files Go is that it works like a charm with the Google Photos. With having the Files Go users will be able to detect and get prompt to remove the files which have been already backed up on the cloud in order to free up more space.

Files search and management has become an important and critical things for the smartphone users as app need more space while they are stuck limited storage on their devices. Some users even have to sacrifice second sim in order to get more space by adding the memory card. But Google Files Go will be a must have app for millions of Android users by offering great file search functionality and ability to free up space in split of a second.

Apple’s AirPower set for A March Release? Last September, there was talk of releasing Apple’s AirPower but since then there has been no news concerning the wireless charging mat until now. New reports suggest that Apple could be releasing the AirPower wireless charging mat somewhere in the later half of March 2018. This oval shaped AirPower mat is capable of charging three products at a time and all these products do not have to be Apple compatible.

Apple will begin shipping the Airpower wireless charging mat in March. The company released details of the AirPower mat alongside a statement about releasing the iPhone X and iPhone 8 last year.

What is wireless charging?

The concept of wireless charging is not altogether new, we’re just seeing the concept of wireless charging a phone or any other device now. The concept of wireless charging was thought of by Nikola Tesla who said that you could transfer power between two objects through an electric field.

Today the charging mats that have become so popular, contain a magnet as well as loops of coiled wires surrounding that magnet. When current is passed from the mains to the charging mat, the coiled wires create an electromagnetic field around the magnet or inductor, giving you your wireless charging.

The charge that the Apple AirPower can transfer to your smartphone or other Apple device will be around 7.5 watts meaning that charging won’t get any faster as conventional chargers are capable of transferring 15 watts.

What’s different in the AirPower mat that other wireless mats don’t have?

Currently all charging mats are capable of charging only one device at a time but the Apple AirPower oval mat is capable of charging three devices at a time and according to Apple’s vision those three seem to be an iPhone, AirPods and Apple’s Watch Series 3. Any device that is Qi enabled will also be able to be charged with the Apple Air Power wireless charging mat.

Besides the mat supporting three devices charging at once, the AirPower mat also comes with some extra tech that puts animation on the devices while charging. The iPhone being charged with the other devices will also show the charge levels on all three devices on its screen.

Apple’s Watch Series 3 is actually meant to be charged with Apple’s magnetic charging pucks, but the AirPower mat contains some additional tech which detects the Apple Watch Series 3 when it is placed on the mat for charging. Then the Apple Watch Series 3 will begin to charge as any ordinary device that supports Qi charging.

Release date for Apple’s AirPower mat and it’s Price:

Apple is likely to send its AirPower mat out for delivery in the later half of March as for the actual date there is no news. There is also the likelihood that Apple might launch its Air Power mats during their hardware event that is held in March. As for the price the Air Power will be available at seems to be around $200 if rumors are anything to go by.

Debussy Touch Screen Headphones So if you’re in the market for a pair of headphones and if you have the budget to go along with it, you might want to check out the new Debussy touchscreen headphones. While companies are scrambling to make the latest wireless headphones, Debussy has taken it a step further with a touchscreen LCD on the side of the ear cup. Debussy is bringing out these premium headphones with gold plating at the Consumer Electronics Expo this year. Coming in at a whopping $5000, these headphones are the height of luxury headphones and if you can burn a hole through your pocket, you would definitely want to flaunt these where everyone can see.

Touchscreen Debussy Headphones:

These days in order to use wireless headphones or Earbuds, you would require your phone or laptop or some other device with wireless connectivity. But with these  Headphones you need none of the smart paraphernalia.

The  headphones come with Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity and a LCD screen on the side of the ear cup. So there is really no need for the smart something with Bluetooth connectivity to listen to your favorite tunes.

The LCD screen on the Headphones allows you to browse through your favorite playlists and pause tracks when you have to take a call. But, is having a screen on the side of your head a good idea? I mean trying to scroll through the screen while listening to music seems to be a little difficult don’t you think? Well of course, you don’t need to pull out your phone to change the tunes and all but still….

For those who feel these  headphones are great, these Debussy Headphones developed by a French startup claims to offer a “musical life without limitations”. Maybe so when it comes to listening to tunes on these Debussy headphones but the only but serious limitation that comes to mind when getting these Debussy Headphones is the PRICE.

Features on the Debussy Headphones:

These gold plated Headphones come with Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity, which is good for wireless music streaming. These headphones also come with their own 4GB storage and a 20 hr battery life.

Coming to the voice control part, you can stop songs and take a call by accessing the in- built voice control. The Headphones have an in built mic that lets you record music and ambient sound.

The Design of these headphones may change along with the price but the main software will remain the same claims the company.

Reality of the Debussy Headphones hitting the market:

The CES is a place to be when it comes to checking out the latest and newest in gadgets. It is also a place for companies to showcase various prototypes but many of them don’t really come out for sale.

At present the Headphones are in prototype version with the startup Debussy planning on a kickstarter funding in the month of March. Debussy plans on launching their premium headphones within 18 months.

This year has brought a sudden surge of innovativeness and risk taking attitude toe the smartphone industry which was sorely missed last couple of years. Samsung took the stage with its refreshing take on the Galaxy S series with Galaxy S8after the debacle of the Note 7. On other hand Apple did the impossible and came up with an iPhone which simply takes every breath away with it bezel less wonder (with unfortunate top notch). Google isn’t far away from the party as it brought a new refined Google Pixel 2 which has more software based optimization making it the best of Android experience on any given smartphone.  Here is a through comparison which will aid in making an formed buying decision.Design Factor

 

All three models feature the bezels or edge to edge display in different manners but none of them are pioneer of it. The best thing about this display is that we get the same phone but with a large display without any increase in their overall form factor thereby making them easier to hold in hand than other options from the earlier days. iPhone X is quite larger when compared to the iPhone 8 and it is bit awkward to use while Samsung S8 slides into the hand perfectly without any issue. When it comes it comes to daily usage, ergonomics and utility Samsung S8 is the prime candidate while iPhone X comes next but Google Pixel 2XL is simply too large and bold than any other smartphone.

Biometrics/Security

All three of these smartphones has tried to boost the security on the mobile with more refined and new age bio metrics presence. Apple simply takes the lead with its Face ID which is its exclusive selling point. This facial recognition system can be easily used to unlock the phone without the need of entering passwords and it also saw the demise of the fingerprint ID on the Apple iPhone. This facial recognition is good, accurate and smart but it also fails to get the job done in the low light condition or you go through a makeover like growing a beard or simply shaving it off.

Samsung brought a whole arsenal of biometric security feature on the Galaxy S8 with facial recognition, fingerprint detection ad iris scanning onto the smartphone. However the most reliable option on this smartphone still happens to be the fingerprint scanner than any other method though the placement of the sensor beside camera was a poor choice. Google Pixel 2 XL comes with the facil as well as fingerprint recognition and both of them just work fine when comes to unlocking the device and nothing special about it.

Display

iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy S8 offers the best of the OLED based full-screen display while Google Pixel 2 suffers from the screen burning and blue glares which are evident in everyday use. However the notch on iPhone X display simply plays a spoilsport and winner emerges none other Samsung S8 which is just mesmerising to look into and upon.  All of these displays offers crisp and rich colors with sharper details and goes easy on the eyes. iPhone X comes with a 5.8 inch OLED display with a resolution of 2436 x 1125 even Samsung S8 also has a similar sized screen of 5.8 inch OLED display with a resolution of 2880 x 1440. Out of these three, Google Pixel 2 XL has the largest display at 6 inch with an OLED brimming at a resolution of 2960 x 1440.

When it comes to daily Samsung S8 happened to offers a best mix of colour and detail than any other smartphone. Though it is eveident than in showing certain pictures all of these smartphone tend to show completely different picture from one another which is cause a concern.

Battery Life

When comparing smartphones we tend to talk the battery backup right at the end but in order modern having a great smartphone which last for few hours isn’t an option. The battery lives offered by all these devices are quite similar and each phone has its own distinct way of handling battery usage to increase the overall life. Sadly iPhone X performed poorly on the daily basis by needing charge before the end of the day though depending upon your usage you might be able to stretch it to the end of the night. On other hand Galaxy S8 and Pixel 2 XL offered a much battery life due to battery enhancement baked right in the Android OS. In this regard winner was the Google very Pixel 2 XL which seemed to be charged enough to cover half of the next day as well.

Camera

Flagships are known to offers high end camera for almost DSLR level of photography experience and these three aren’t much different. Google Pixel took the crown of best camera on smartphone from the Apple iPhone last year and it even does so this year with Google Pixel 2 XL.  All of these devices excel in different areas when we exclusively talk about the camera performance. iPhone X tend to capture better color and details as well as the best selfies you can ever get hold of.  Google Pixel 2 XL is more aptly suited for the low light photography challenges while Samsung S8 simply doesn’t come any close of these two devices.

iPhone X has an elegant design with impressive display but it doesn’t have age old home screen which adds a learning curve for the users. Google Pixel 2 XL simply lay bare the best of Android on a device which is highly capable in very manner but that screen burn issue is serious advantage. Samsung S8 simply offers the best flagship smartphone experience but its interface isn’t as exciting as Google Pixel 2 XL or Apple iPhone X. Each of these smartphones excels in one area while lags in another. You should make your buying decision based on your priorities in the features.

The Google Mini is a 360 degree speaker and currently selling at $30. The Google Mini is wrapped in various coloured fabrics. Google has given importance to its design, but it is not as efficient as the Amazon Echo Dot.

It comes with a micro USB cable for power supply and the LEDs light up when the speaker is active. At the back of the Google Mini is a small slider, to mute the sound. The Google Mini has touch sensors to control the volume. When you tap on the left of the speaker, you can turn down the volume and tap on the right to increase the volume.

The Google Home Mini runs on Google Assistant, and makes use of voice commands to perform functions like setting alarms, getting weather reports, etc.

The Google Mini, one of the low cost speakers, was a popular choice for quite a few of the people out there. With its built-in speaker, it is used to listen to belt out loud music. It is not a very powerful speaker, but due to its low cost, many people went in for the Google Mini.

Performance

Some of its users were faced with the device crashing when playing music at high volumes. When turning up the volume, especially to the maximum level, the Google Home Mini crashed and restarted. This was noticed when playing a couple of songs. Sound tracks like “Royals” by Lorde and “Icon” by Jayden Smith, when played at high volumes were causing the Google Mini to crash.

It is not exactly clear at what volume, the Google Mini crashes. But the users say that the songs like “Royal” and “Icon”, when played at the highest volume, caused the Google Mini to crash.

This is likely to be caused by some bug.  Google is aware of the scenario, as many of the users have been posting their comments on the Google Forum as well as Reddit. They are gathering all the feedback from their users and are looking out for a solution to the problem.

Google has requested their users to use the power cable supplied along with the Google Home Mini. They have advised their users to fill out a crash report and send in their complaints. The company has assured them of a solution to the problem. Google is trying to fix the problem, but how long will it take is anyone’s guess.

If you have a Google Mini speaker, then the most advisable thing to do right now, is not to play it at maximum volume. One can only hope that Google comes out with a permanent solution as soon as possible.

Xiaomi has made a name for itself globally within the shortest amount though it majorly sells its products in two countries with the highest amount of consumers namely China and India. Since its inception Xiaomi wanted to be seen as a firm which brings a connected ecosystem of the device but not simply as a core smartphone manufacturer. Therefore Xiaomi funded other small companies, labeled its logo on its products and provided the best class connected devices at affordable price points. Xiaomi Yi 360 is another successful product from the Xiaomi backing of the Yi Technology which is growing like on global scale.Xiaomi Yi 360 as the name gives away is a ‘360 camera’ which offers a unique perspective to the users of their surroundings.

This camera is widely available globally from Europe, Asia to U.S. where it is being sold by the Microsoft’s brick and stores as well as online stores. Xiaomi has priced this camera aptly at just $399 which makes it highly competitive and value for money product in the market. It offers quite high end features to the users in it price range which gives a stiff competition to the Samsung Gear 360. Samsung Gear 360 has support for only 4K resolution video capturing but the Yi 360 can easily overtake with its 5.7 resolution recording capability.

Xiaomi Yi 360 Better hardware, better specs

The Yi 360 comes in a unique rectangular shape with a sleek modernized design though it is available in only black variant. It is loaded with a 12 megapixel Sony camera sensors with a f/2.0 aperture and the ability to capture 220 degree videos. Under the hood it has the Ambarella H2V95 processor which is good enough to stitch the videos in the 4K resolution but to make to turn videos in 5.7K resolution users will need to export it to a computer.

It has a single camera along with a 2 inch display screen which showcases the mode being used at any given moment. It also has three buttons, MicroSD card slot and Wi-Fi support. Users download its dedicated app from the app store and once you are connected with the camera then you will be able to preview footage in real time on your mobile device and shoot away.

Shoot videos like never before

With 5.7K resolution video quality is simply amazing though the mic provided with this camera isn’t good enough. Photos & videos captured using it is amazing both in the daylight conditions as well as low-light conditions. Colour accuracy is perfect, distortion is bare minimum and the details captured in the shot are quite impressive. The best thing about Yi 360 is that it can even record 360 time lapse videos which offer a unique perspective but it gets recorded only in 4K resolution. Xiaomi has provided this camera with a remarkable 1430 mAh battery which is good enough to get an hour of continuous recording.

OnePlus has carved a name for itself by offering flagship features at half the price of the high-end flagships from the rivals. Since last year it has also started a unique trend of bi-flagship cycle wherein two flagships devices are released within a year. OnePlus 5T isn’t a major upgrade over its predecessor but it is a much-needed upgrade to remain consistent in the ever-changing smartphone market. 2017 saw the launch of larger yet sleek display in the aspect ratio of 18:9 and the recent launch of flagship from Samsung, Apple, LG and other Chinese OEMs has simply made OnePlus 5 quite dated with its 16:9 screen ratio.

Keeping the price intact

In the long line-up of OnePlus devices, OnePlus 5T is the seventh smartphone from the Chinese flagship killer which offers a valuable upgrade over the OnePlus 5. OnePlus has decided to discontinue this smartphone in order to push the sales of the T variant. This latest smartphone was launched a mega event in New York where it was unveiled by none other than the company’s founder Carl Pei.  Like every other OnePlus device this smartphone also retains the iconic dash charge support which helps in charging the device at a lightning fast speed.

This new OnePlus 5T smartphone also keeps the similar dual camera setup with a minor change and it comes with a large 6-inch display when compared to OnePlus 5 display of 5.5 inches. Samsung and Apple are known to gradually push their flagship prices up with each passing iteration but OnePlus kept the ‘T’ variant same as the regular version of its flagship at just $499. This phone will be making the global debut on the November 21 and the good thing is that it will be made available in bulk in all the major markets.

Features boasted by the OnePlus 5T

OnePlus gives enough reason to the users to make the upgrade to its OnePlus 5T device. This smartphone retains the processor of OnePlus 5 as Qualcomm hasn’t released any new version in the last six months. OnePlus devices are known to offer almost stock Android like feel with its very own Oxygen OS which offers some quirky features under the hood.  Some of the exciting new features of the OnePlus 5T variant are as follows;

1. Larger displayof OnePlus 5T—larger display is everywhere from the iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S8 to LG G6. OnePlus, therefore, brought a massive 6-inch display on the 5T in the 18:9 aspect ratios to remain competitive in the flagship market.
2. Enhanced dual camera setup –OnePlus has improved the camera technology on the OnePlus 5T to bring better clarity to the low light photos. It comes loaded with a 16MP main shooter along with the 20MP secondary shooter working together to capture awesome low-light images.
3. Better and quicker facial recognition– Apple facial recognition is good with the so-called awful ‘notch’ OnePlus has simply aced it with a better and quicker facial recognition on the OnePlus 5T.

 

One of the things any new iPhone X owner would have to get used to is the fact that there is now no home button. Right from the time when the first iPhone was released to now there has always been a home button. This absence of a home button actually changes things up a bit.

It may take a couple of days to get used to the new gestures and ways to interact with your new iPhone X without a home button, but many of the tap, swipe, pinch and other functions remain the same as compared to previous models.

The Power button in the new iPhone X takes up some of the functionality of the home button that is where Face identification and a few tactile interactions are concerned. But in the end it is important to know how to navigate the interface without a home button.

 Going Home on the iPhone X:

If you are on a page or an app and are looking for ways to get off the current content and want to land the home page, then all you have to do is swipe the bar that appears on the bottom part of the screen, up and lift your finger off from there. That will take you directly to the home screen. The bar appears white or black depending on the matter you are reading.

Moving to different apps in the iPhone X:

To get to the apps that are at present running on the phone all you have to do is swipe right, this brings you to an app that is already opened. You can then swipe right or left depending on the app that you want to see. An important feature to note here is that if you pause at an app for a few seconds, the app moves to the rightmost position.

Swiping and getting rid of apps while multi- tasking in iPhone X:

To get rid of some of the apps that are running, you can access the multi- task list of apps by swiping the bar at the bottom to the top and hold it there, this is different form the home gesture as you remove your finger from the screen once the bar is dragged to the top. Once you get to a list of the apps running, it is then a simple task of tapping and holding on an app to get the minus sign on it that allows you to get rid of the app.

Swiping for Notification and Control center on the iPhone X:

To get to the notification center all you have to do is swipe down from the time that is displayed on the top of the phone, this then brings you to notifications that you can click on normally to go to the respective app.

Unlike previous models, the control center can be reached by swiping down from the WiFi, Cellular and battery usage icon.

Swiping to get Spotlight in the iPhone X:

All one needs to do in order to get the spotlight search is to swipe down from anywhere on the home screen.

 

HTC has come out with its latest smart phone-HTC U11 Life with the Android One operating system. It is the latest smart phone to join the Android One family.

The HTC U11 Life will be first launched in Germany and will roll out in Europe and Asia Pacific region either towards the end of this year or in 2018. It will not be selling in US any time soon. It comes at a cost of $349, which is almost half the price of its predecessor, the HTC U11.

Features

The body of the HTC U11 Life is of polycarbonate frame, IP67 waterproofing.

It has a 5.2” Super LCD screen, resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio.

The operating system used is Android One Oreo.

The HTC U11 Life has a Snapdragon 630 chipset with 3GB of RAM and 32GB  of storage with a microSD slot.

The phone is powered by a 2,600mAh battery.

The USonic headphones with noise cancellation  comes along with the phone and has Hi-Res audio.

The HTC U11 Life costs much less than some of the other smart phones, but it is the first Android One phone to launch with the Android Oreo. You can get the Google Assistant by squeezing the phone using the HTC’s Edge Sense technology. The HTC U11 Life has a powerful camera for taking high quality photos and videos.

Android Oreo

U11 Life is the first Android One phone that is launched with Android Oreo, making the phone more powerful with less battery drain. The Android phones are secure, coming as it were with monthly updates and malware protection.  It will be possible for the HTC U11 Life to upgrade to Android P when it comes into existence.

HTC’s Edge Sense technology

HTC has taken it one notch further, where the Edge Sense technology is used. The Google Assistant gets launched when you squeeze your phone. All the other smart phones using the Android One can get the Google Assistant by just saying “OK Google” or pressing down on the home button. By using the HTC’s Edge Sense technology, you can even take selfies, search for directions to your destination and perform various tasks with just a squeeze of the phone.

Camera

The HTC U11 Life camera is faster, and gives clearer and sharper photos even when the lighting is not much. It has a 16MP sensor with HDR Boost and has the capability of capturing high quality video. The front and rear cameras come with a 16MP resolution and f/2.0 aperture lenses.

Comparison of HTC U11 Life with HTC U11

Both are available in Sapphire blue, having a 16:9 black front display, finger print scanner and buttons for apps. Both have the Edge Sense feature, allowing you to perform actions by just a squeeze of the phone. Both of them also have the IP67 water and dust resistance. The  U11 Life  is slightly smaller than its predecessor at 5.2” and cheaper too. The U11 has a Gorilla Glass back panel, while the U11 Life is of acrylic, which makes it more prone to scratching, but does not crack or shatter easily. Hence, the fall in price as that compared to U11, which is priced at $649.