As a senior sub-editor, Sandeep is generating tech-oriented content and also monitoring the content published on the website. He has over five years of experience in tech journalism and has expertise in product reviews, news articles, campaign articles, and listicles.
Comes with ADAS suite, 360° surveillance camera, and more
Offers up to 355 km maximum range
Hyundai Motors has added yet another EV to its portfolio in the international market. The brand has now introduced the Inster which is a sub-compact EV with dual battery pack options and up to 355 km maximum range delivery. Let’s take a look at the key powertrain and features which the Inster EV offers:
The Hyundai Inster EV has been unveiled at the Busan International Mobility Show. In terms of looks, this compact e-SUV features a design similar to the Casper ICE model available in the global markets. The Inster EV’s fascia includes round LED DRLs which gives them a distinctive and aggressive look overall. The blanked-off grille and a pill-shaped charging port slot completes the front profile.
The Inster EV comes with C-pillar mounted rear door handles. The large windows and functional roof rail makes it more practial. The compact e-SUV additionally features square-shaped wheel arches and feature a large 17-inch wheel profile. Inside the cabin, the Inster EV includes dual 10.25-inch infotainment screen and driver’s display. It has a multi-functional steering wheel and a drive selector dial.
Hyundai Inster EV comes with dual battery options. There is a smaller 42 kWh battery variant and a bigger 49 kWh battery model. The maximum range delivery claimed by the brand is up to 355 km on a single charge. Hyundai will be shipping the Inster EV with a 120 kW fast DC charger which will charge the EV from 10-80 percent in just 30 minutes. It comes with a 360-degree surveillance camera and ADAS safety suites.
Apple iOS 18 brought along topographic feature for Maps
Available for all iOS devices including iPhone, and iPads
Can also be used on Apple Watch
Apple WWDC concluded earlier this month with the Cupertino giant introducing a whole range of updates for iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS ecosystem. With the iOS 18, Apple introduced the topographic feature for Maps. This new feature specializing with hiking trails can be accessed on the Apple devices that run on the new versions. Which all versions support the topographic hiking trail feature and how can you set it up for easy use? Read on the step-by-step guide below:
OS Versions Compatible With Apple Maps Topographic Hiking Trails Feature
Apple has released the topographic hiking trail feature for Apple Maps recently at the WWDC 2024 event. This special feature will be useful for the users who seek outdoor adventures and goes on hikes and treks. The beta version is being made available to the compatible devices with the stable version being released in the later stages. As for the compatible OS versions, the Apple Maps topographic version will be available for the devices running iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, and MacOS Sequoia.
Skoda is getting a new EV fleet ready which will be including multiple e-SUVs. The rumor mill has shared multiple test mule images of the upcoming compact Skoda SUV and there have been rumors of an entry-level EV getting prepped up for a launch next year. Skoda has started testing the upcoming entry-level EV whose test mule has been snapped overseas during testing. Here’s what all the developments hints at:
Skoda Entry Level EV Testing Begins: How Does It Look?
The upcoming Skoda entry-level EV also happens to be the smallest electric vehicle model from the company. Called the Skoda Elroq, the first concept of the entry-level compact EV was first revealed ;last year. The test mule spotted this time seems to be near production-ready unit with a similar design as showcased with the concept model.
The test mule of the alleged Skoda Elroq EV doing test runs overseas is snapped with camouflage covers. But the key design aspects of the fascia and the rear have ben revealed. The upcoming entry-level Skoda EV’s test mule is snapped with split headlamp design. The grille isn’t clearly visible but is closed-off with vertical air vents.
The rear profile of the new Skoda compact EV sports a similar tail lamp design as the Kushaq. It is also said to feature LED tail lamps and connected LED light bar. The rear profile also includes a spoiler, wipers, and stomp lamp likely with washer feature. The entry-level Skoda EV’s test mule is seen with prominent wheel arches with drag-resistant alloy wheel design. While it is said to be the smallest Skoda EV, its overall length is said to be longer than the Kushaq at around 4.5 meters.
The Skoda entry-level EV might be built on the MEB platform and borrow some components from the Enyaq and similar high-end models. It could come with a RWD (rear wheel drive) drivetrain with the motor pack mounted on the rear axle. It might get a 62 kWh battery with up to 400 km range delivery. More details are expected to be announced by the brand soon.
Mystery Kinetic electric scooter test mule snapped again
Launch could be imminent
Expected to be a premium offering than the Lune e-moped
There have been rumors that Kinetic Green is working on a new electric scooter for the Indian market. The upcoming e-scooter model is said to be a premium offering with a slightly higher budget range than the Kinetic E-Luna moped. Its test mule was also snapped earlier covered with camouflage wrapping all over. Once again, the upcoming Kinetic e-scooter has made an appearance during a test run.
Upcoming Kinetic Electric Scooter Testing Continues
The latest sightings of the Kinetic electric scooter gives clues about the design. While not much is revealed, the upcoming e-scooter seems to flaunt a rather modern and a trendy design language instead of a subtle theme. Again the test mule snapped is with heavy camouflage taping but the LED headlamp can be seen on the lower half of the front panel.
The upcoming Kinetic electric scooter can also been seen with a single-piece seat which will be offering ample cushioning for a comfortable ride in the heavy city traffic. It appears that the mystery Kinetic electric scooter sits on big 12-inch alloy wheels painted in black.
The test mule is seen with a disc and drum braking system combination with the former being used for the front and the latter for the rear. The e-scooter seems to get a flat front floorboard with ample leg space. A TFT screen is also visible which is expected to come with Bluetooth compatibility It might display all important ride and battery stats.
Upcoming Kinetic Electric Scooter Expected Powertrain
The upcoming Kinetic electric scooter will use a hub motor linked to a unspecified battery size. We are expecting the battery, range, and performance metrics to be revealed via leaks going forward. However, the test mule is reportedly spotted doing a test run with a speed range of up to 50 kmph.
Whether this is the max speed or not is difficult to asses yet. Online reports also suggests that the new Kinetic electric scooter might offer up to 100 km range with the hub mounted electric motor. But we should wait for the brand for further clarification on the same.
Electric vehicles are gradually taking up the mainstream automobile market and are emerging as a preferred option for the urban commuters. While the EV tech is rapidly improving, it still is a long way before they replace ICE vehicles entirely. Developing infrastructure is another factor deciding the growth of the electric vehicle industry globally. However, we have powerful E2W and E4W with high mileage range successfully running through the city streets and highways. With the onset of monsoon in India, there must be some major concerns amongst the new owners whether it’s safe to drive an electric vehicle during rains.
Of course, driving an automobile which has an all-electric drivetrain and components can be concerning during heavy downpour. While EV manufacturers boast reliability of their E2W or E4W in all weather conditions, is it really safe to drive your EV during the monsoon? We have answered the look:
Electric vehicle manufacturers ensure that all their EV models be it an electric scooter/motorcycle, car, or SUV are safe to drive in harsh weather conditions. Not just the rains, EVs can withstand extreme cold and heat conditions too. But it’s advisable to take certain precautions to make your drive safer. All the EV makers use water resistant electric components for the safety of the vehicle as well as their owners.
Charging an electric vehicle is also safe during the monsoon. In fact, you can charge your electric two wheeler or electric four wheeler when it’s raining. All the charging components get weather resistant design which ensures charging during heavy downpour doesn’t affect the battery or the slot.
The answer is not really. Unless the battery or its terminals have been exposed to water or have moisture retention, the range delivery won’t be affected. The battery performance only tends to get affected in extreme cold or heat conditions. Monsoons generally have a pleasant atmosphere which hardly impact battery performance of EVs.
BGauss RUV 350 electric scooter marked its debut as the first RUV e-scooter capable of both rugged and city terrains. The latest e-scooter from the RR Group has arrived in a highly competitive E2W segment with the starting price of Rs. 1.09 lakh and features such as 3.5 kWh range and 90 km range. Which all top e-scooter models the RUV350 e-scooter is going up against in India? Let’s take a look:
TVS Motors is one of the successful players in the E2W market and is competing with the iQube e-scooter series in this segment. With a starting price of Rs. 94,999 lakh (ex showroom), this e-scooter comes up as a strong contender against the BGauss RUV350 e-scooter.
Features a practical and comfortable design suitable for city commutes
Is packed with a 2.2 kWh battery pack
Is equipped with BLDC hub motor
Motor delivers 4.4kW max power and up to 140 Nm peak torque
Reaches up to 75 km range per charge
Top speed attained is up to 75 km
Digital instrument control, multiple riding modes, and more smart features
Hero Electric’s Vida e-scooter lineup has been contending strongly amongst all the popular e-scooter models in the market. Flaunting a utility-oriented design for the urban commuters and a starting price of Rs. 1.02 lakh (ex showroom), the Vida V1 e-scooter takes up second spot in the list of BGauss RUV350 e-scooter top rivals.
Is powered by a PMSM electric motor
Motor packed linked to a big 3.44 kWh battery pack
Peak power produced is 6 kW and max torque generated is up to 25 Nm
Range delivery is up to 143 km on a full battery charge
Is able to reach a top speed of up to 80 km
Sports a 7-inch display and has keyless ignition, anti-theft alarm, geo-fencing, and more
Comes with a starting price of Rs. 1.02 lakh (ex showroom)
Ather Rizta is the latest addition to the company’s portfolio which is launched for the family consumer segment. Offering a spacious and comfortable design, the Rizta also gives the RUV350 a tough competition overall.
Is suitable for family-segment consumers with ample space for luggage
Uses a centre-mounted PMSM electric motor
4.3 kW peak power and up to 22 NM peak torque
Gets backed by a 2.4 kWh battery pack
Li-Ion battery module producing up to 123 km range per charge
Can offer up to 80 km range with full throttle
Has a digital instument console with Bluetooth app connectivity
Multiple riding modes
Price in India starts at Rs. 1.09 lakh (ex showroom)
The S1 Air is the affordable variant in the popular Ola S e-scooter series. This electric scooter comes with a relatively lower starting price tag of than the BGauss RUV350 e-scooter. The powertrain and feature-sheet offered by the S1 Air e-scooter is also solid which allows it to compete with the RUV350.
Lightweight design for a smooth ride
Uses a hub-mounted electric motor setup
Comes equipped with a 3 kWh battery pack
Max power produced by the S1 Air is 6 kW, while the torque generated is 150 Nm
Has the highest range delivery amongst these variants, i.e., up to 153 km per charge
Delivers a top speed of up to 90 km per charge
Multiple riding modes available
Starts at just Rs. 1.03 lakh (ex showroom) in India
Price in India starts at Rs. 1.19 lakh ( ex showroom)
GT Force is rapidly expanding its E2W portfolio in India. After launching the 2024 GT Force e-scooter range, the brand has introduced this new electric motrocycle under Rs. 1.20 lakh. With an affordable price range and powertrain including a BLDC hub motor, a 3.4 kWh Li-Ion battery module, and more the GT Texa seems to be a decent package in the budget electric motrocycle sgement where a handful options are available currently. Let’s take a look at the entire spec-sheet offered by the latest GT Force budget electric motorcycle:
GT Force GT Texa E-Motorcycle Powertrain And Features
GT Texa
Powertrain
Motor
BLDC
Battery
3.5 kWh
Range
Up to 130 km per charge
Top Speed
80 kmph
The GT Force GT Texa electric motorcycle comes equipped with a BLDC electric motor. The motor pack is said to be highly insulated and is linked to a decent 3.5 kWh battery pack. The GT Texa electric motorcycle is claimed to deliver a range of up to 120 km – 130 km on a full battery charge. This high range figure will allow it to be a good commute option for city travels.
The GT Texa electric motorcycle is capable of reaching up to 80 kmph top speed. The battery pack will take up to 5 hours maximum charging time. The electric motrocycle is equipped with a micro-charger feature with auto cut which will protect the battery form battery overcharge.
The GT Texa electric motorcycle has basic motorcycle design with a load capacity and gradability of 180 kg and 18° respectively. The latter will allow swift handling and smoother rides for easy navigation in heavy city traffic conditions.
Coming to the features, it has a 7-inch LED instrument cluster which shows speed and other ride statistics. The electric motorcycle features an E-ABS braking mechanism for safer rides and has 80-100/18, 120-80/17 mm front and rear tyre profiles respectively.
GT Force GT Texa Electric Motorcycle Price In India
The GT Force GT Texa electric motorcycle is priced at Rs. 1,19,555 in the Indian market. Buyers will get to select this new electric motorcycle from two color options including black and red.
TV evolution has come a long way over the last decade, and we have seen a rapid transition with TV technologies. Large screen smart TVs have been dominating the market for a long now. Reduced budgets and advanced features can be credited the success of big screen smart TVs in the country. And the trend got popular with the smartphone OEMs joining this race. We have complied several listicles mentioning the top smart TV models in different categories. In this article, we have picked the best smart TV models priced under Rs. 50,000 offering a large 50-inch screen.
Xiaomi has one of the biggest portfolios of budget-centric smart TVs. The MI A series 50-inch model is one of the affordable yet advanced smart TV models which takes the top spot in this list. Equipped with a big 50-inch screen that supports a HD resolution of 766 x 1368 pixels and has 60Hz refresh rate.
It has a standard 178-degree FoV and a range of useful ports including dual HDMI ports, dual USB ports, one AV port, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. It also has advanced wireless features which include Bluetooth 5.0 and dual band Wi-Fi. It offers 20W loud output and has Dolby Audio, DTS HD surround sound technologies enhancing the listening experience. This Xiaomi Mi A series smart TV lineup gets up to 1.5 GB RAM and 8 GB built-in memory and has third party app support as well.
Not just a bigger screen size, the TCL P755 also has a better panel compared to the Xiaomi Mi A smart TV series. But that also makes this unit expensive than the above model. The TCL P755 4K QLED smart TV is available in both 43-inch and 50-inch screen size with both the panels supporting 178-degree viewing angle. The TCL P55 smart TV model supports 4K screen resolution and integrates some advanced features such as MEMC, HDR, and the in-house game master 2.0 technology. This smart TV also has a wide range of connectivity ports which allows pairing external peripherals and consoles.
Another popular option which is well suitable for the budget-conscious masses in the country is the Vu GloLED smart TV. The 43-inch variant retailing under Rs. 30,000 comes as the best option for the consumers who need a big and clear screen TV for a home theater like experience. The smart TV employs the GloLED panel combined with Glo AI CPU to improve and upscale content quality while streaming from OTT platforms. It also has a premium sound system including a subwoofer for high-res audio delivery. This smart TV also has third part app support and one can stream content from Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime videos, and more.
Samsung smart TV’s are known for class-leading panels. The D series crystal 4K UHD smart LED TV is one of the best picks for budget audiences. It comes with a 4K UHD resolution and supports 50Hz refresh rate. Similar to other models in the list, this smart TV has a wide range of connectivity ports including USB A, HDMI ports, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The Samsung D series crystal 4K UHD smart TV delivers 20W audio which is both loud and clear. It has a variety of smart features as well which include a SmartThings Hub, Apple AirPlay, and IoT sensors.
Ultrabooks are the new hotshot in the laptop industry with the audiences gradually bending towards portable machines. It seems there’s a horde amongst the PC giants to dominate the market with the slimmest and most powerful notebook. Asus is amongst those top players which is actively meeting audience requirements by designing feature-rich ultraportable laptops that are meant for taking on demanding tasks. One of such models the Zenbook S13 OLED which is priced starting at around Rs. 89,990 and is updated with better hardware over the previous-gen 13-inch Zenbook lineup. We have used the 2024 ZenBook S13 model for a while now and here’s how it faired to our expectations.
We’ll have to give it to Asus for designing the Zenbook S13 OLED as one of the most compact and lightweight laptops in its segment. It undeniably takes the ultraportable OLED ultrabook title with just 1 kg weight and super slim dimensions of 11.66″ x 8.52″ x 0.43 (W x D X H). Besides the lightweight form factor, what grabs the eyes is the “plasma ceramic” design element used for the lid. It’s essentially a matte texture with geometric patterns which is both visually appealing and feels premium to touch. We receieved the Basalt Gray color variant which oozes a subtle and classic appeal overall.
The build quality also is impressive with the hinge quality being sturdy. The lid can be flat open to 180-degrees which makes it handy to operate in different scenarios. What further solidifies the deal is the US grade MIL-STD-810H military grade certification which adds to its durability. The backlit full-size keyboard with decent key travel ensures a premium typing experience throughout. For the writers and the creative users, the Zenbook S 13 OLED is a delight to use; specifically while typing long documents.
Despite being an ultraportable notebook, the Zenbook S13 OLED offers a whole range of ports selection. It has HDMI, USB 3.2 Type-A (10Gbps) ports, and also Thunderbolt 4 ports along with a 3.5 mm headphone jack. This allows convenience with hooking on external drives and peripherals. The usage experience is enhanced with the large and responsive trackpad.
The Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED new-gen model gets the same 13.3-inch screen size. It is an OLED panel which offers an aspect ratio of 16:10 and has 60 Hz refresh rate. Panel brightness of the Zenbook S 13 OLED is 600 nits, while the resolution supported is 3K (2880 x 1800 pixels).
Just a glance at this notebook’s screen and you’ll instantly notice the rich color production and higher clarity levels. With the added Dolby Vision and HDR 600, the content quality displayed on the Zenbook S 13 OLED is not just refined but apt for all kinds of apps and video playback.
You’ll be truly impressed with the screen’s quality and response with a variety of tasks. The OLED panel alone makes a huge difference here with the display performance when compared to IPS screens. Blacks are deeper and clean and you won’t notice dilapidated quality anyhow. And for the brightness levels, the 600 nits levels make sure there is no difficulties with content consumption on-the-go. It fairs well with gaming visuals too. You will be hooked to the responsive action on the screen where there is hardly any deterioration with the picture quality.
The Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED variant whichh we have received is backed by the Intel Core i7-1355U processor along with Intel graphics. This is a major upgrade over the AMD Ryzen processor used by the previous-gen model. The review unit we received at Giznext has 16GB RAM soldered combined with 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD storage.
That’s a solid configuration if you look at overall for the price package. Indeed, performance is the core area of the Zenbook OLED 13 laptop. It takes on even the most extensive applications swiftly. App launching is quick, and also the experience while switching between the already running applications has been fluid too.
We did run a few benchmark tests on the Zenbook S 13 OLED laptop and where it performed quite well. In the Cinebench R13’s CPU multicore test, it logged 5,988 points, whereas, in the single-core CPU test it achieved
Even with extensive usage, temperature fluctuations have been minimum. The fan does make noise at times when the usage is heavy. However, the Whipser mode comes in handy here. You simply can activate the Whisper mode by pressing Fn+ F key shortcut from the keyboard. Gaming performance might not be its prime forte, but the config it has can easily take moderate games quite well. Heating isn’t a big issue with the Zenbook S 13 OLED.
The Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED has been loaded with a 63 Whr Li-ion battery which apparently packs enough juice to drive the machine to up to two days on average. Consider this solid backup when you are using this notebook moderately and expect a slightly lower backup if the usage is extensive. Combined with 65W fast charger, the refuel duration is around 45 minutes and under 2 hours for a 50 percent and 100 percent charge respectively. Backup-wise too, the Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED pits itself as a reliable machine.
Asus Zenbook series is undeniably the best-in-class performance-oriented notebook lineup that is available in India. And Asus is upgrading the game by incorporating the top-tier hardware each year. The Zenbook S 13 OLED is a complete package when you are out looking for a creator-centric machine which is also ulltraportable and doesn’t have any compromises on the hardware. It performs exceptionally with a range of apps and software and is also potent enough for casual gaming. Advanced AI features make this laptop future-ready and at an asking price of Rs. 89,990, you hardly can ask for anything more.
Realme revived its most admired performance-league lineup the GT series last month in India. The comeback was made with the GT 6T. And now within just a month, another top-end model has been added to this lineup called the Realme GT 6. This latest model offers top notch features such as the Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 flagship processor, the brightest 6000 nits display, 50MP Sony LYT 808 camera, and super-fast 120W charging under Rs. 40,000. As interesting as a whole package it sounds, does it really pack that punch? Here’s a quick review that will clear this air.
This has to be the top highlight of the GT 6. Equipped with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, the GT 6 feels fluid with just all the tasks. Of course, gaming would be its prime forte. We have been testing the review unit for a while now and have been fairly impressed how fast it is with operations.
Realme is offering the GT 6 with up to 16GB RAM which makes it more reliable with performance. Storage option is up to 512GB which will be meeting the demands of avid and pro gamers. We will share our final thoughts with the GT 6’s performance delivery in the coming days.
Realme GT 6’s camera takes the limelight too. The primary setup at the rear gets the flagship 50MP Sony LYT808 sensor. Now, this is an upgrade over the Sony LYT600 lens offered by its sibling, i.e., the Realme GT 6T. Detailing gets real with the OIS enabled primary lens. But what makes the camera game stronger for the Realme GT 6T is the 50MP Samsung JN5 telephoto lens.
With this the GT 6 can offer premium DSLR like portrait shots. Realme has also incorporated advanced features such as AI night video which will be a pleasant deal for the shutterbugs. Selfie camera on the GT 6 is a 32MP lens which has offered some refined shots during our initial testing. We will share the camera shots with different set of backgrounds in our comprehensive review analyzing its full potential.
Powerful Backup Clubbed With 120W Super Fast Charging
Performance isn’t solely limited to gaming with the GT 6. It has segment’s biggest battery pack (5,500 mAh) combined with 120W fast charging. The larger battery pack is fully capable of handling the demanding performance providing backup of more than a day (as per brand claims). We are testing the battery performance to thoroughly and will share the feedback soon.
The tall 6.78-inch screen which is an AMOLED panel is another solid feature that the GT 6 offers. The panel has 6000 nits peak brightness which makes it the brightest panel out there in the market. You get a clear screen which is responsive and visible under the harshest sunlight. The display gets 120Hz adaptive refresh rate for a fluid touch response elevating gaming experience overall. For high-res video playback too, the GT 6’s screen is a visual delight.
Well, there is hardly any con which you’ll find looking at the overall package the GT 6 is. But the smudge prone rear panel will take a hit in our opinion. Of course, the design is all premium and ergonomic. However, the shimmering rear panel of both the color variants is the only con that can be counted. but despite a massive screen, it fits well into the palms and is easy to operate too with the basic usage. The large camera island with metallic rings around the lens looks appealing. It’s a robust looking handset with the metallic framing all around and the Corning Gorilla Glass display protection.
Touted as the AI Flagship killer, the GT 6 is setting up new standards with the price to specs ratio. And that’s what we have found this latest GT series edition to be in the initial impressions. It has potential to be the best-in-class gaming phone giving its counterparts a tough beat in the ring. But this isn’t our final verdict. We will be coming up with the detailed review detailing the user experience with the GT 6.
