The new lolly
Android’s latest software is the flavour of the season and marks a major change in the way people will use mobile devices
Divyanshu Dutta Roy

The Nexus 6 is 5.96-inch phablet that features the best of the innovations of the new software

What is software made of — with that innocent and powerful question a team of designers and engineers at Google got down to working out not just how the new version of the world’s most widely used mobile operating system should look like but also the experience a user shall have.

And they found the answer with something called Material Design which was showed off when Google unveiled Android L earlier this year. L went on to become Lollipop and Material Design is finally making its way into the hands of users and is being billed as the top new feature for the mobile platform.

The genesis of Material Design lies with the rise of ‘flat design’, a design philosophy promoted unexpectedly by Microsoft with the development of the new Windows Phone platform four years ago. While the design language, once called Metro UI, flourished with Windows Phone and faltered with Windows 8, the idea caught on and soon everybody, even Apple, followed to flatten out their designs (thus iOS 7). Google finally bit the bullet sometime last year and discovered their JonyIve in Chilean design engineer Matias Duarte.

Concept

The Nexus 9 is an 8.9-inch tablet that comes with nine hours of battery life and storage choice of 16 GB and 32 GB Photos: AFP

The unifying metaphor for the design direction is the idea that software is composed of substance complete with their own laws of physics. “It is a sufficiently advanced form of paper as to be indistinguishable from magic,” was Google Design Vice President Matias Duarte’s profound yet confounding response when asked about the material behind Material Design.

Apparently, that answer came from two designers from Google’s Search division, which was looking at the sliding cards that the company started using in Google Now and wondered: when you swiped one away, what was underneath? That sparked off Google’s new way of thinking about software. Designers at Google imagined an interface composed of material that the cards were made off mimicked actually real, tangible objects.

The design team concluded that all software hereof shall behave like some form a magical paper and ink that’s flat, floats slightly above the surface of the background, and tends to be white. Of course the material will be lit by a consistent light source and therefore have real shadows.

The design of the material itself aims to be bold, graphic and ‘intentional’ – as if it was meant to be there and not slapped on as an afterthought. The colours, imagery and typography all aid the sense of hierarchy exposing functionality and providing waypoints to the user.

The material is also rich with motion and animation which both add meaning and give a greater idea of tapping what will set off what and make the screen more intuitive than buttons or menus and vanishing pages. It was only after the physics were settled that a vibrant and playful palette was devised and printed on to the devices going on sale.

Devices

Besides Material Design, Lollipop also brings welcome additions such as notifications on the lockscreen, optimisation for 64-bit processors and purported battery life improvements among others.

The first devices to run Android Lollipop are the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9. The 6 is 5.96-inch phablet designed by Motorola that features the best of the innovations brought forth by Lollipop. By the early looks, it is as much an answer to the iPhone 6 as much as it is fiercely Android.

The Nexus line has always been best of the classic Android phones out there and the 6 that will sell for a fairly pricey $649 does not disappoint. It sports a quad HD display, a Snapdragon 805 processor, a 13-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front camera, a 3220 mAh battery (that can turbo-charge six hour-life in 15 minutes), and two front-facing speakers and 32 GB or 64 GB of storage.

The Nexus 9, meanwhile, is an HTC-manufactured 8.9-inch tablet with a QVGA resolution display, Nvidia'sTegra K1 64-bit processor, 2 GB RAM, nine hours of battery life and storage choices of 16 GB and 32 GB. Depending upon configuration, the tablet sells between $399 and $599.

But despite all great things about Android, an issue that goes consistently unaddressed is also one that is being increasingly used by Apple in its assertions of superiority and also the biggest reason why Material Design is not enough to fix the Android experience.

Fragmentation

Even though Android users are increasing, three-fourth of all Android users today are stuck with a flavour more than two years old and that even after over 300 days of its release and at the launch of a new version, the last edition KitKat reached only 25 per cent of the total base.

If Google truly wants to improve the experience its users have with Android, the company will have to do more about taking along its users as it keeps updating the platform and not leaving the responsibility on manufacturers such as Sony and HTC. These manufacturers take a ludicrously long time to update even their flagship phones to latest software and preposterously forget any phone below their high-end portfolio.

And though divide between its bevy of versions will certainly not dent Android’s vision of reaching out to the ‘next billion’ of the global population, many of who are not connected at all much less looking out to be on the cutting edge of mobile platforms, but it will certainly do no good to the already buggy street-rep of the big green robot.

The next-gen gadgets
Technology is being redefined with gadgets that can be worn on the body. These not only help you access social media when on the go, but also keep a tab on your health and monitor where your baby goes
Prachi Mudgil

So many times, we have seen reel wearable computers lending our actors the superhero feel. We have also seen them use devices that can be worn around the neck like a tie, strapped around the waist like a belt, slung from the shoulders or even tied on arms and legs...the stuff of sci-fi world.

Now in the real world too, we have ample of these as companies like Apple, Google, LG and a host of others have come up with devices that surprise no end. Engineers, designers and scientists are creating what they envision as the future of personal computers: Wearable terminals.

These body-clinging digital gadgets are predicted to become indispensable life tools as well as fashion accessories. Devices like glasses and watches are redefining the idea of computers. You can sync these with smartphones or use these independently as mobile computers worn on the body.

The bright picture

The Google Glass, for example, is an Android-powered computer mounted on a pair of glasses, which displays text and information right in front of your eyes. It promises to change the way we work with computers. The glasses give information about an object simply by looking at it. For example, when you look at the sky, weather readings will flash in front of you. Or, when you arrive at a railway station or airport, the timing of trains or flights will start streaming in front of your eyes.

Google is not alone in this endeavour. Canadian firm, Recon Instruments has launched Recon Jet, which is a pair of sporty sunglasses with an integrated, Android-powered display that could make activities like running and cycling far more exciting, or at least far more information-packed.

It gives the wearer access to critical information, including heart rate, speed, distance, elevation, connectivity to the smartphone and an HD camera. Its comprehensive set up of on-board sensors delivers performance stats and data. Though most suited for professional athletes, the Jet is surprisingly finding widespread acceptance among amateur sportspeople and gym enthusiasts, who like to maintain a diary of their workout numbers.

Right on your wrist

According to researchers, the age of wearable technology has arrived. Besides glasses, companies are also creating prototypes of a number of lightweight computers, which can be worn like clothes. These will make work easier and a user won't need to carry heavy laptops, notebooks and tablets. Memos could then be dictated while travelling, or simply utilising the time while having a cup of coffee or travelling from home to office. Computations could be done while relaxing in the evening or even at the golf course.

These gadgets promise a serious use of such personal wearable computers. These would greatly enhance the quality of medical services with the doctor always being just a click away. All a doctor has to do is get the data of a patient and then communicate back the remedy.

To watch your weight

The flip side Though still in the conceptual stage, many wearable technologies are likely to become so powerful that they would pose a danger to privacy. Experts say that devices like smart glasses would come loaded with so many features in the future that they could become a privacy threat. All that the wearer has to do is to look at a stranger and the glasses would instantly access his or her name, occupation and even the Facebook, Instagram or Twitter profile in real-time. The time is coming when many wearable medical devices such as insulin pumps, glucose monitors and pacemakers would be remote controlled by doctors via the Internet. This would expose them to hackers who could take control of these devices and administer lethal doses to people. Wearable fitness bands that track the activity levels of people and their lifestyle could end up being counter-productive to the users. Insurance companies could use this data to find out about the wellbeing of people and their potential health threat, which in turn could impact medical premiums and also the settlement of medical bills. Finally, some experts have been voicing concern about the danger posed by the electromagnetic waves that are emitted from digital devices. Though there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that the body can be harmed by these waves, the medical fraternity is concerned about having too many wearable devices on the body. Some doctors say that too many devices could pose a health threat.

Apple has recently developed a smartwatch which is more of a wearable computer than a device to tell the time. It is designed to work with iPhone and is a comprehensive health and fitness device. It allows you to connect and communicate directly from your wrist.

Many feel this watch is the ultimate hands-free device. Apart from telling the time, it does facetime, sends messages, plays music, takes pictures, has a GPS navigator and does limited web browsing. The wearer is also able to watch videos and movies on it. And all that is done without a keypad! But Apple is not the only player in this field. A slew of other companies are already in the market with similar models. Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch instantly captured the imagination of the tech-savvy people and the company claims to have sold a mind-boggling 8,00,000 pieces around the world in just the first two months of its release.

Other companies that have launched a smartwatch are Sony, Qualcomm Pebble, Motorola, LG, Hyundai and more. Most of these watches have a coloured touchscreen that gives you the option of taking your calls, view text messages, set reminders for meetings and also lets you enjoy high-quality stereo and audio from your mobile.

Many wearable computers are fitness devices that help you lose or gain weight and keep fit. These are activity trackers and keep count of the steps you walk everyday and motivate you to achieve your goal if you are falling short of the optimum 10,000 steps a day. These monitor your pulse rate, add up calories consumed and burnt, record pulse rate and keep tab on vital signs like temperature, blood oxygenation and heart activity.

Wonder devices

The market is inundated with wearable devices like Nike Fuel, Jawbone UP, Garmin Forerunner, Fitbit Aria, Griffin Adidas Armband, Basis Healthtracker, Striv Pedometer and many more. These are wonderful jogging companions that track distance, duration, pace, speed, elevation and calories burnt.

There are devices that fit into a pair of compatible running shoes, which record up to eight hours of data, relating to running speed, acceleration, distance travelled, pace and the pulse rate. Most of these contraptions can be hooked to wrists, legs, belts, ties. These new-age devices weigh no more than a few 100 grams and are made of very soft yet durable plastic and can be strapped around the body. These come in various shapes and colours.

Indeed, these personal wearable computers have the potential of revolutionising the world around us. Even if a person is travelling or vacationing or just dining out, he or she doesn't need to lug a laptop along. What is required is just a contraption, which can be worn like an ornament with a small display screen.

Guiding light
Google Glass is an Android-powered computer mounted on a pair of spectacles, which displays text and information right in front of your eyes. It syncs with email, text messages, Facebook and Twitter. It takes photos, records movies, provides location information, directions and much more.
Price: Around Rs 1.30 lakh

Celebrating technology
While most smartwatches are wearable-info attachments of your mobile, Italy's Exetech XS-3 seeks to pack everything into one watch-like device. Thanks to an included touchscreen, GPS, and Wi-Fi, you can enjoy a 007-worthy moment, and read messages or make and take calls directly from this watch.
Price: Rs 29,100

Easy to use
The MC10 Biostamp is a collection of sensors that can be applied to the skin like a removable tattoo. It can be used to verify a person's identity on a computer or mobile device. It can also be used to collect medical data such as body temperature, heart rate, brain activity and exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Price: Yet to be announced

Sprint in style
The German-made Screeneye X Sports Visor is an extremely useful device for a sports person as it can be set to display a runner's speed, heart rate, lap time, distance travelled and even calories burnt. Besides keeping a tab on your sports' activities, it provides information like current time, ambient temperature and performance analysis.
Price: Rs 15,000

News at a clock
This smartwatch by Motorola gives you timely notifications on a host of things like weather, flight alerts, traffic and a lot more. Through voice control you can send text messages, set a reminder and even ask for directions. It keeps a tab on your health through an app that tracks your fitness on a daily basis.
Price: Rs 18,000

Mirror image
Virtual retinal display is a system where images are projected directly onto the retina. These can include movies and photographs seen through a headset called the Glyph that is mounted in front of the eyes. The technology also holds out the promise of extreme privacy when viewing top-secret documents.
Price: Around Rs 30,000 (still being developed)

Your health monitor
The Lumoback is a device that is especially made for people who are hunched over their office desk for hours. It wraps around the waist and vibrates when it senses that you are slouching and reminds you to correct your posture. It also counts the steps you walk in a day and keeps a close watch on your fitness levels.
Price: Rs 6,000

Point to be noted
The Fuel Band is an innovative wristband from Nike that helps you lose weight and keeps you fit by monitoring your everyday activities. You earn Nike Fuel points when you work out in a gym or a park. Running, walking, playing games or climbing stairs makes you earn points as you work on your fitness.
Price: Rs 14,500

Pick and choose
This is an LED smart bracelet that connects with your smartphone via bluetooth and displays SMS and social media updates in the form of a text that scrolls across your wrist. Though all messages can be displayed, the Linkme bracelet also offers you the option of selecting what you want and what you don't want to receive.
Price: Rs 6,000

As you deem fit
The Embrace+ is a wristband that alerts you about notifications on your smart phone. You can set colours to match specific alerts, such as red for Facebook, blue for text messages and green for phone calls. The application that links this to your mobile is free and allows you to customise it to suit your requirements.
Price: Rs 3,000

Close to your heart
The NuMetrex heart rate monitoring racer-tank top combines style and performance in a form-fitting garment. It features a top with sensor fibres, which are knit directly into the fabric to keep a tab on the heart rate. A small transmitter is placed in the pocket to send data to a smartwatch or smartphone.
Price: Rs 3,000

A lot in a sticker
A bluetooth-enabled circular sticker about the width of a coin, Stick N find sticker can be tied around the neck of a child or a pet. In case ababy or a dog wanders off, the sticker will send an alert on your smartphone. It can also be stuck on a keychain, mobile, tablet, wallet, passport, laptop or travel bags.
Price: Rs 1,800 for two stickers

PACESETTER Inderpreet Singh
On a lyrical journey
Engineer-turned singer, Inderpreet Singh, believes in exploring every aspect of music with a rhythm of its own
Jasmine Singh

IF only paths could be etched clearly like the lines on our hands, we wouldn’t have any problem taking the straight course. Since this is not the case, each one of us is busy marking one’s own lines. But then there are some like Inderpreet Singh, lovingly called IP, who would rather swim with the flow. For someone who set out to be an engineer is now the lead singer of the Delhi-based music band, Faridkot. “After completing my engineering in manufacturing processes and automation, I realised that this wasn’t something I would be taking us as a career,” he says.

Recently, the band made headlines with its track Mastaaney in the Hindi version of Hollywood flick Expendables 3. Apart from singing in his band, which was formed in 2008, IP is getting much news space for an advertisement on YouTube, which has been getting a number of hits every day. The video track Baap Wali Baat, which is a Unicef initiative about how fathers should encourage their girls to study and not marry them off at an early age, has received a very positive response.

On being asked what kind of music he enjoys singing the most, Inderpreet replies, “I don’t restrict myself to singing one particular kind of genre or track. This is because music is malleable. It can take different shapes and forms. It can heal. It can hallucinate. It can convey a message. It can make you fall in love… and can mend broken hearts. Music extends beyond everything”.

Once Inderpreet set out with his friend and soulmate, Rajarshi Sanyal to form the band Faridkot, there was no looking back. Selected at Channel V Launch pad in 2009, they went on to release two albums Ek and Phir Se.

“Presently, I am working on my third album. Hopefully, it should be out soon,” shares the singer, traveller and explorer.

It hasn’t, however, been a pure joyride for IP and he’s had his share of problems. From a four-member group, they are now just two, (IP and Rajarshi), “A break-up in bands is not a new story but carrying on with what you have started makes all the difference. We still believe in the magic of music, so we play along,” he adds. From Arunachal Pradesh to Kerala to Tamil Nadu to Mumbai, IP has performed all across the India.

About his performance in Kabul, he says, “I was surprised with the response we received in Kabul. Our tracks were an instant hit there.”

IP, who got much appreciation from singers like Palash Sen, Vishal Shekhar, will soon be singing the title track of an upcoming comic film Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene.

“Since the title track of the film is like the opening scene of a film, we have tried to do something different from what we have been doing before. It is edgy and has a raw sound. Lot of brainstorming went into the making of the song.”

IP has also dabbled in theatre and given a chance he would want to act in films as well. “I don’t understand why Sikh characters are always portrayed in a funny manner. I would like to do a role that is rustic and raw, something that has weight like the sound of music,” he winds up.

Bling it on

Gold-Class travel
This stylish travel companion is exclusively for high rollers who have a peripatetic streak and loads of money. Gucci’s heritage leather trunk is clad in diamante-patterned yellow leather and is trimmed with light fine gold hardware. It opens up to hold all designer apparels in five pullout chests and a removable storage box with a single handle. A garment cover with zip pocket and interior garment straps keeps the clothes neatly in place. Measuring 52 inches in length and 22 inches in depth, it has antique gold hanging rods with wooden hangers to take care of clothes that cannot be folded. A push lock closure with key and latches will keep all your wardrobe contents secured, though considering its cost, you may need to secure the trunk itself.
Price: Rs 29.58 lakh

Harry Potter’s Chamber of Secrets
No Harry Potter fan would miss the golden opportunity of entering the magical world of the young wizard. If you too want to get up close and personal, then check into London’s Georgian House Hotel, which is offering a Harry Potter-themed suite that is sure to charm the muggle of Harry Potter devotees. The Georgian House Wizard Chamber has two bedrooms with a “gothic” feel. Remaining true to the spirit of Hogwarts, the suite has four-poster beds, potion bottles and cauldrons and unexpected wizardly details. The demand for rooms is so great that the hotel’s website has been crashing due to the crush of people trying to book online. If you too are a Potterhead, come join the merry crowd. According to reports, the mystery rooms are full up till December 2015!
Price: Rs 25,000 per night for two persons

Rembrandt on wheels
He is counted among the greatest sculptors of the world yet from now on Rembrandt’s name will also be associated with the iconic French car Bugatti. Not many know that he was the younger brother of Ettore Bugatti, the founder of the automobile company. The Dancing Elephant sculpture, which is one of the most significant works of Rembrandt, decorates the radiator of the newly unveiled Bugatti Type 41 Royale, which is powered by the epic W16 engine that takes it from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.6 seconds. The luxurious car with full leather upholstery has a maximum speed of 408.84 km/h making it the fastest in the world. But it may not be easy to lay hands on this beauty even if you have the wherewithal. It is in a limited edition of three.
Price: Rs 18 crore

Digitalising the typewriter
Time was when you could sit peacefully at home and pound away on the typewriter intent of writing the next great bestseller. However, the coming of the internet era has brought along with it a number of distractions like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a lot more. If you crave for those diversion-free days, then you need the Hemingwrite, which is a single-purpose device. It combines the simplicity of a 1990s era word processor with the modern tech like cloud backups and integration into document editors like Google docs and Evernote. The six-inch E-ink screen with backlighting is readable in daylight or at night, so you can truly write wherever inspiration strikes. Though hardcore geeks and social media addicts may not be impressed the Hemingwrite is likely to have lovers of retro devices queuing up when it hits the market.
Price: Yet to be announced

smart feeder FOR PETS
Though automatic pet feeders are nothing new, the SmartFeeder by Petnet takes doggie and kitten feeding to a new level. The smartphone-connected feeder can be used to remotely control the pet’s feeding as also change eating schedules and portions. Using advanced algorithms, it finds the ideal food recipes and also counts the pet’s calorie intake and records its eating habits and weight history. It also recommends changes in its diet as needed — even going so far as to analyse food selections for potential allergies. Your pet may not be able to speak but this device will make sure it is fed healthy food that is to its liking.
Price: Rs 12,000

Game changer
It’s a billiards table one moment that changes into an air hockey table the next. Magic? No, this rotating table incorporates two full-size game room favourites in a space typically reserved for one. The air hockey table’s glossy white playing surface enables fast-paced action. When you want to switch from hockey to something requiring strategy and finesse, simply rotate the playing surface and lock it into place. Now you have yourself a billiards table made from warp-resistant, high-density surface covered in a nylon blend cloth for a consistent roll. A two-in-one fun for the entire family.
Price: Rs 48,000

Tome on Stones
They have released 55 albums and sold more than 200 million records worldwide during their 50-year career, yet the Rolling Stones continue to get the obsessive adulation of millions of fans around the world. Their latest release is not an album but a book. Simply titled the Rolling Stones, the limited edition coffee table book charts the band’s remarkable history in more than 500 pages. One of the most expensive books ever to be sold, the book contains photographs from their private collections and each copy is signed by the band’s current members — Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ron Wood. So the fans pay not just for their autographs but also the rare pictures which very few have seen.
Price: Rs 3 lakh

Frightful time
This startling watch is certainly not for the faint-hearted. The cranium-shaped Crazy Skull timepiece by Swiss high-end watchmaker De Grisogono is set with more than 890 diamonds and rubies totalling 23 carats. Its production required nearly one year of research and 250 hours of painstaking work. Apart from accomplished watchmakers others who contributed to its making have included gem-setters, goldsmiths, diamond-cutters and polishers. It can also be custom made according the whims of the wearer and is guaranteed to add a touch of glamour and drama to the wearer.
Price: Ranging from Rs 3.78 cr to Rs 4.93 cr

Picture this
Though smartphones have virtually replaced cameras, we sometimes miss the gratification of printing pictures as digitally clicked photos are rarely sent to a lab. Now you can take a trip back in time with this palm-sized portable smartphone picture printer that prints pictures directly from your mobile. Offered on American online mega store Hammacher Schlemmer, the printer connects wirelessly to an iPhone or android-powered phone to print colour photos instantly. A free app adds captions, borders, or decorations to pictures prior to printing them at 290 dpi on patented paper. The process takes just a few minutes and brings alive the magic of real pictures.
Price: Rs 9,600