Comet, Tyroo's Gaming Vertical is all set to help brands tp the Uncharted Territory of Gaming and Metaverse

 Tyroo, a leading ad tech platform has launched its new gaming vertical, Comet in APAC. Taking the unique opportunity of the Metaverse, gaming is set to be the next big brand space for businesses to shape consumer experiences. With 11% of regular social media users and 56% of influencers already believing they actively participate in the Metaverse, the Indian Domestic market expects a growth of more than 1500 CR in 2023. Additionally, E-sports consumption accounts for 26% of the global internet consumption at present, creating multifaceted revenue opportunities for gaming in the metaverse.

 

With Comet, Tyroo initiates its journey into the vast metaverse of opportunities that lies ahead. The brand seeks to curate customer-centric experiences through in-game offerings, e-sports solutions, and creating Metaverse IPs for brands. The company’s efforts are well-guided, with 41% of regular social media users indicating that they believe social media is going to be soon replaced by Metaverse. Additionally, 38% of gamers into Roblox and Fortnite, enter these worlds to socialize along with gaming. Thus, with highly augmented online gaming, live entertainment, and social media interactions the global Metaverse revenue opportunity could approach $800 billion in 2024.

 

Siddharth Puri, CEO Tyroo says, “Comet comes at a time when the synergy between consumer experiences and brands is at its prime. While Gen X & Millennials shift from social media (a well-tapped space by brands), Gen Z is a generation that socializes via virtual activities and augmented reality. If anything, the last two years has accentuated this effect, and presents a key moment of integration for all generations into this space of opportunities. We believe Comet will emerge as a unique business solution, for brands across verticals to make a play at capturing the extremely engaged audiences of the world of gaming and esports. This opportunity will help brands to access the Multiplayer world through AAA titles, shape experiences powered by augmented reality, boost creator productivity via NFT/shopping goods of the Web 3.0 and community building via interactive ownership of assets.”

 

“Tyroo Comet is set to bring this market together under a single umbrella. The unique deliverable from Comet includes technology that will enable greater transparency, measurability, and accountability pertinent to brands quickly moving into this space.  We will tap into the gaming ecosystem that’s at the forefront of the virtual world and seek to on-board early adopters of Web 3: Genz, Web3:0, uber savvy audiences who are already present in several gaming universes.” Adds Akshay Mathur, CRO Tyroo.  Additionally, with a unique focus on APAC audiences, Tyroo seeks to foster an open decentralized environment to celebrate, engage, and create larger-than-life social experiences using Virtual Worlds. The brand also plans to introduce some top AAA labels to the advertiser community through partnerships.

 

India is currently home to over 430 million mobile gamers and the number is estimated to grow to 650 million by 2025. Additionally, Tier-III cities have joined the bandwagon resulting in 100 - 200 % growth. As most gaming companies in the country struggle to reach a target audience that’s unique to their domain and tap into the Gen Z consumer base with sufficient sustainable purchasing power, Comet seeks to leverage this unique market opportunity and bring together consumers from various walks of life, like housewives, mothers, senior executives, irrespective of their age, gender, location, etc initiating communication between brands and consumers. Tyroo’s funnel focuses on mobile gaming even at its preliminary stage encompasses e-sports, game streaming, content creation, and ends up in a confluence of commerce.

 

Using a decentralized ecosystem for bespoke brand activation and a robust e-sports calendar, Comet leverages a market of 450 million + high-engaged gamers across APAC and relevant cross-border channels. Comet’s ecosystem brings for scalable e-sports inventory access via IP creation for AAA titles such as BGMI, Fortnite, etc., a method for measuring CPM based outcomes, and full-cycle operations management (end-to-end tournament operations, influencer management, etc.).

 

As per research, In a world where 9 in 10 Gen Z’s play games, and 29% of global internet users are Mobile only gamers, 28 % are casual gamers, and 26% are e-sporters, Comet’s opportunities are highly promising. Tyroo seeks to build a multi-market offering across APAC and create a unique opportunity to boost business synergy. Assisted by considerable traffic through engaging virtual social experiences like music, technology, gaming, playing, sports, etc., Tyroo’s COMET is streaking across a bright horizon!

 

Synology Introduces DiskStation DS220j - Simple Data Backup and Multimedia Streaming

Synology has launched DiskStation DS220j, an entry-level 2-bay network-attached storage (NAS) built for data consolidation and management. 

"The ease of taking photos and videos has allowed anyone to become a content creator. Effective management and safekeeping of digital assets, whether for personal use or to share with others, has become a common challenge," said Michael Wang, Product Manager at Synology Inc. "The cost-effective DS220j allows anyone to easily set up a personal cloud to store and organize their data from other devices."

Start backing up your data

Enable automatic photo backups on your mobile device for easy management of content. The personal photo management solution, Synology Moments, allows you to view your entire collection of photos and videos on the go while freeing up valuable space on your mobile device.

Create your own personal cloud with Synology Drive for multi-versioned backups of your files on computers. Easily share and synchronize files with other people and across devices.

Additional features:

• Supports up to 32 TB 
• MacOS Time machine support
• Back up and synchronize with other devices or public clouds

Powered by Synology DiskStation Manager

DS220j runs on DiskStation Manager, the solid platform for data management, featuring data security and work efficiency. Synology has received numerous media accolades, topping the mid-range NAS category in TechTarget's storage solution survey and winning PCMag Business Choice for the sixth time.

For more information on DS220j, please visit https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/DS220j

Special Features

	CPU	Realtek RTD1296 64-bit 4-core 1.4 GHz
	Performance	More than 112 MB/s reading and writing1
	Safe storage	RAID 1 protection to avoid sudden drive failure
	Cost savings	No public-cloud subscription fees
	Price	₹16999 w/tax

Global debut of Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Redmi Note 9 Pro in India

 Xiaomi, India’s number one smartphone and smart TV brand, today announced the ninth generation of their Redmi Note series smartphones first in India. With an aim to fuel technological development and adoption locally, Redmi Note 9 Pro series brings support for ISRO’s indigenously developed navigation system, NavIC.

Anuj Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Xiaomi India, said “Redmi Note series has been the torch bearer of innovation for everyone. Redmi Note 8 series set new benchmarks continuing the Redmi Note legacy and evolved as one of the most sought after series. In 2019, Redmi Note 8 Pro became India’s No. 1 Quad Camera smartphone and Redmi Note 8 went on to become the No. 1 Android smartphone globally.^”

He added, “We are especially excited about Redmi Note 9 Pro Max as we push the boundaries of innovation across hardware and software in its segment. We are especially proud of our deep partnership with ISRO which allows us to bring India’s first navigation system, NavIC, to our Mi fans and consumers. Redmi Note 9 Pro series is built for true Mi Fans and we hope they would appreciate this perfect amalgamation of Aura design, Pro Cameras and Max Performance as we continue to bring the best specs with highest quality at honest pricing.”

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max - Pro Cameras. Max Performance.

Xiaomi India’s best-selling series Redmi Note introduces a Pro Max variant for the first time, pushing boundaries of technological innovation in the segment.

Aura Balance Design

Aura Design, which was introduced with the Redmi Note 7 series sees a paradigm shift with the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max. It features the improved ‘Aura Balance’ design. The 16.9cm(6.67) FHD+ Dot Display with a 20:9 Cinematic Screen brings an immersive experience and the in-display camera on the front eliminates the notch making it Redmi’s largest ever display on a smartphone.

The rear features a quad camera setup that sits snugly on the glass back and the square design enables consistent field-of-view across all the lenses enabling lesser shift in focus while switching lenses.

To further enhance user experience, Redmi Note 9 Pro Max also features the Z-axis linear vibration motor, becoming one of the only devices in the segment to feature it. Z-axis linear motor enables flagship-like haptic experience, with over 150 custom vibration patterns across the UI.

Performance

Powering the new Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is the performance focussed Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 720G, an 8nm chipset featuring a custom Kryo architecture. It is powered by 8 Kryo™ 465 cores (2 x Gold – Cortex A76 clocked at 2.3 GHz + 6 x Silver – Cortex A55 clocked at 1.8 GHz), coupled with the Adreno 618 GPU clocked at 750MHz along with Snapdragon™ Elite Gaming. To further enhance gaming and performance, the device features 2x2 MIMO WiFi, enabling upto 2X throughput, better latency, coverage and call clarity.

Xiaomi’s deep partnership with ISRO and Qualcomm Technologies has resulted in a leap with navigational tech bringing NavIC integration with the support of Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 720G. NavIC is ISRO’s indigenous navigation system, which allows lesser TTF (Time To Fix) and better accuracy across India and 1500km around the Indian subcontinent.  

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max features a massive 5020mAh battery while maintaining a slim profile. Redmi Note 9 Pro Max comes with a 33W fast charger in the box.

Camera: Better Quality, More Creativity

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max features a quad camera setup consisting of 64MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright GW1 sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor with a 119° field of view, industry leading 5MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. The front is adorned by a large 32MP sensor enabling high quality photography, videography and AI Face Unlock.

Redmi Note series has always sought to challenge the status quo with its camera performance and with the new Redmi Note 9 Pro Max, camera software has further improved by leaps and bounds. Users can now shoot selfies in dark environments, thanks to the front camera night mode for the first time in a Redmi smartphone.

To enable creativity and content creators, Redmi Note 9 Pro Max features tools for videography like Super Stabilisation on the rear camera, on both the main and the wide angle sensors. Super Stabilisation enables users to shoot videos with a higher level of stability as compared to EIS. Users can shoot in movie mode which allows for a 21:9 frame in their videos. The 5MP macro sensor enables video recording at 1080p, which is rare in the segment. Kaleidoscope, slow motion video on both the rear and front camera enable users to create engaging content. LOG mode, histogram, focus peaking, exposure peaking on the pro mode allows content creators to go beyond casual video making.

                                                             

Redmi Note 9 Pro - The Performance Beast

Redmi Note 9 Pro carries forward the legacy of the Redmi Note series, bringing cutting-edge performance and refined camera experience to the segment. It is the most competitive smartphone in its price segment featuring the latest Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 720G.

The 8nm Process Technology enables it to run 1 - 1.5° cooler for sustained peak performance than many other 12nm chipsets.  Like the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max, it also brings support for NavIC.

Redmi Note 9 Pro’s 48MP Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM2 sensor builds upon its predecessor to bring true 48MP photography by bringing features like Smart ISO, enabling better results in the toughest of lighting conditions. The 48MP sensor is coupled with an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens, a 2MP depth sensor and a 5MP macro sensor that lets you go as close as 2cm to the subject and support for 1080p macro video. For selfie lovers, there’s a 16MP sensor in the front.

It features the Aura Balance Design which brings Immersive Experience, Impeccable Craftsmanship and Functional Design to Redmi Note 9 Pro. With the side-mounted fingerprint scanner that sits flush on the matt-finish midframe, Redmi Note 9 Pro facilitates a natural approach to unlocking.

Quality

With the highest focus on quality, Redmi Note 9 Pro series feature triple Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5, on the front, rear and on the rear camera lenses. It is protected by P2i, splash proof nano-coating technology which protects them from accidental spills, while the reinforced corners provide better resilience to accidental falls.

Availability

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max will be available in three colour variants, Interstellar Black, Aurora Blue and Glacier White in 6GB + 64GB, 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 128GB storage variants for INR 14,999, INR 16,999 and INR 18,999 respectively across mi.com, Amazon India, Mi Homes and Mi Studios starting 25th March.

Redmi Note 9 Pro will be available in three colour variants, Interstellar Black, Aurora Blue and Glacier White 4GB + 64GB and 6GB + 128GB storage variants for INR 12,999 and INR 15,999 respectively across mi.com, Amazon India, Mi Homes and Mi Studios starting 17th March.

Both the devices will be available across all offline partner stores soon.

Amazon launches Echo Flex in India

Amazon introduced the Echo Flex, a plug-in smart speaker that saves on space by plugging directly into a standard electrical outlet; no more wires and chargers. It is the most affordable way to voice control compatible smart home devices and get help from Alexa at more places in your home. Echo Flex also has a built-in USB-A port so you can easily charge your phone (7.5W) or other devices, all while using only one outlet.

The Echo Flex plugs into any standard electrical outlet, making it perfect for spaces where power cords can be a hassle like the hallway or a bathroom. You can simply ask Alexa to control compatible smart home devices. Switch on the lights as you enter your home or turn off the AC as you leave the room, all without lifting a finger. Echo Flex works with devices such as smart lights and plugs from brands including Philips, SYSKA LED, Oakter, TP-Link and more.

You can also make announcements on other Echo devices in the household, add items to the shopping list or check the latest score of your favourite sports team, and responses will come through the speaker on the device that’s been optimized for Alexa’s voice.  Just like other Echo devices, you can connect the Echo Flex to your preferred speakers using Bluetooth or a 3.5 mm audio cable for a higher audio output.

“We are happy to introduce Echo Flex for users in India to access Alexa even more conveniently now from any room in the house. Our customers are looking for more options on where they can place Echo devices across their homes. We heard them. With its compact form, Echo Flex can be plugged in directly into an electrical socket to provide all functionalities of an Echo device,” said Parag Gupta, Head of Amazon Devices.

The Echo Flex is built with multiple layers of privacy controls, including a microphone off button that electronically disconnects the microphone. Additionally, you can also view, hear, and delete your voice recordings at Alexa Privacy Settings or in the Alexa app at any time. To delete by voice, you can also say, “Alexa, delete what I just said" or "Alexa, delete everything I said today”.

Synology Unveils Strategies for Future Data Management

Synology, taiwanese based company has announced a series of innovations at the event in India helping businesses effectively manage exponential data growth. At the core of the data management platform lies the new DiskStation Manager (DSM) 7.0 operating system, which streamlines on-premises storage management, cloud-based monitoring and issue prevention, and native hybrid cloud storage capabilities.

“In the first half of 2019, overall we boost up a 50%+ growth, and 80%+ growth of enterprise solutions in India. Synology has been managing data for more than 6 million homes and businesses worldwide, which is remarkable not only in the storage industry but also in the whole data management market,” said Mike Shay, India Business Head, Synology. “With a proven history of transforming the way users manage data, we are committed to provide data management solutions that empower users with smart insights and cloud connectivity.”

DSM7.0 key features:

24/7 server monitoring and issue prevention with Active Insight

Active Insight is Synology’s first cloud-based monitoring and issue prevention service, offering:

Predict & prevent: proactively alerts you to anomalies in any given servers as they happen and provides detailed remediation advice, reducing risks before they lead to actual damages.
·         Central monitoring: displays real-time and historical trends of server performance and system health of all users’ Synology NAS on a single pane of glass, allowing administrators to quickly identify bottlenecks or under-utilized assets.

Native hybrid cloud storage with Hybrid Share

Synology C2, the company’s own public cloud service, is currently protecting the backup data of more than 28,000 business and personal users. With the new Hybrid Share, users can now use the local NAS to mount Hybrid Share to quickly expand the storage space to C2 public cloud, achieving a highly scalable, and pay as you go storage space and additionally achieve:

Disaster Recovery: configurations can be restored to a new NAS in minutes in the event of disaster, immediately resuming access to all shared folders on C2.
Multi-site file sharing: offices in different locations can connect to the same shared folders on C2, with each NAS caching only the files they need. This dramatically reduces the bandwidth and storage space required.

Synology Photos

·         Taking over from Photo Station and Synology Moments, Synology Photos is created to offer sleek yet highly customizable photo management experience for professionals or consumers.

Dynamically filter photos using multiple conditions combined (time, place, people, or even camera models)
Share and collect photos through any albums – with your family, colleagues, or even friends who don’t have a DSM account. Photo upload speed, covert & index speed, all become 300% faster compared to Moments

Enterprise product portfolio

High-availability: active-active dual controller UC3200 for non-disruptive iSCSI services and active-passive SA3200D for full DSM functionality.

High-density: 4U 60-bay HD6400 to deliver close to 1PB capacity with controlled infrastructure costs.

Fiber-channel SAN: support for fiber channel network cards presents SAN administrators with an appealing, cost-effective option that can be seamlessly integrated into their existing environments.

Jabra PanaCast real-time intelligent video solution Certified for Microsoft Teams

Jabra has launched the Jabra PanaCast, engineered to be the world’s first smart Panoramic-4K Plug-and-Play video solution Certified for Microsoft Teams. With this, Jabra strengthens its foothold in solutions for office huddle rooms. This real-time immersive intelligent vision system offers 180-degree panoramic vision which ensures everyone in the room is seen. Jabra PanaCast provides unique value for huddle rooms and spaces, delivering wall-to-wall video, audio and data, which is critical for modern video collaboration. 

Jabra’s portfolio has always focused on solutions that enhance productivity through improved concentration, conversation and collaboration. With Jabra PanaCast, Jabra will be combining its 150-year expertise in sound with industry-first video technology to deliver the most collaborative huddle room experience to date.

Jabra PanaCast is the world's first intelligent panoramic video collaboration device with three 13-megapixel cameras, working together as one via core technology embedded in the built-in Jabra PanaCast Vision Processor. The multi-camera array solution offers a full 180-degree panoramic field of view delivering a naturally immersive experience – a key element in building trust, driving higher engagement and ultimately achieving better business outcomes faster. The panoramic video gives everyone in the room equal participation, fostering healthy discussion and true collaboration – despite not being in the same room.

Wall-to-wall coverage

Jabra PanaCast’s leading-edge cameras and microphones, fourth-generation stitching technology and Intelligent Vision software work as one to ensure optimal performance. Now any room can be used to video conference with wall-to-wall coverage in Panoramic-4K video. Jabra PanaCast enables companies to make use of their full meeting spaces, eliminating the approximately 40 per cent room wastage seen with conventional camera solutions.

Intelligent resource management

Jabra PanaCast’s built-in people detection technologies will provide the possibility of system-wide business intelligence by capturing accurate usage and occupancy information. As AV and IT become more and more integrated, the need for accurate data and metrics increases. The upcoming Jabra PanaCast API will enable developers and partners to query the system for real-time information, such as people count data.

The advanced AI utilizes a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to count the number of people in the field of view, up to 12m away, and provide numeric data which organisations can use to inform decisions on calendar management, room utilisation and resource management, or to automate facility assets’ power management, such as TV monitors, lights, videoconferencing equipment and more. The technology will be available through the Jabra PanaCast API built for the Windows operating system and can be used for large areas like classrooms, auditoriums and general gatherings.

Dr. Amitesh Punhani, Country Marketing Manager, India & SAARC, Jabra said: “We understand the needs of our consumers and always strive towards delivering products that are at par with changing technology. Jabra PanaCast will help our enterprise customers attain optimal workplace productivity and collaboration through both audio and video technology.”

Peter Jayaseelan, Managing Director, South Asia said “India is a key market for us and we are dedicated to help our customers enhance their productivity by communicating and collaborating more effectively. The recent acquisition of Altia Systems allows us to expand as an integrated audio and video communication solutions provider. Jabra PanaCast video solution will strengthen our enterprise portfolio. It’s unique 180 degrees panoramic-4K plug and play video solution will help us deliver superlative experience in easy to use video conferencing and fully utilize the huddle spaces.”

Bringing the huddle room to life

Jabra’s leading conference speakerphone series “Speak” can be integrated with PanaCast to further optimise the UC experience, enabling users to hold meetings wherever they may be without having to compromise on clear audio quality. Jabra’s unique technology boasts an omni-directional microphone and HD Voice – providing 360-degree coverage and picking up sounds from any angle.

Jabra PanaCast provides unique value for huddle rooms and spaces, ticking all the boxes critical for modern video collaboration. It easily mounts on a digital display or on a wall with available mounting hardware. The USB based connection allows connection to any compatible device for instant setup and mobile meeting capability.

The solution is compatible with popular cloud-based solutions including Microsoft Teams, Skype, Zoom, Cisco WebEx, Slack, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting, Unify Circuit, BlueJeans and more, so people can plug-and-play in seconds with their existing collaboration services by simply plugging the device into the computer USB port.

Key features and specifications: 

• Simple plug-and-play operation with no software required via a single USB cable
• 180-degree panoramic view seamlessly integrates video from three cameras with real-time dynamic stitching embedded in the onboard Jabra PanaCast Vision Processor
• Certified for Microsoft Teams
• Naturally inclusive and immersive experience gives everyone equal participation
• Crystal clear sound that picks up every voice in the room w. Jabra Speak series
• 0% wasted space with industry-first multi-camera array system
• Intelligent Vision (AI) products sense, anticipate and adjust automatically so people can focus on their meeting and discussion
• Industry-first Intelligent Zoom autonomously and continuously optimises the field of view to include everyone in the conversation
• Jabra PanaCast Vivid 2.0 automatically adjusts the video properties to optimise the video experience under varying light conditions
• The upcoming open and standards-based API provides data for companies and ecosystem partners to build value added services that can help optimise workflows, automate room/calendar management, enable green energy initiatives like automatically turning off unused equipment (smart building capabilities enablement)

Pricing and availability:

Jabra PanaCast will be available at all Jabra authorized resellers from Sept 2019 at USD 895 ex-works.

Review: Hobbs and Shaw

Hobbs and Shaw

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Vanessa Kirby, Idris Alba

Director: David Leitch

For all of you who don't know HOBBS AND SHAW is a spin off of the popular franchise FAST & FURIOUS. Over the course of 8 films the franchise has entertained us with car racing, car chase, cars going through buildings and more cars. What Hobbs & Shaw does is gives you that and more. It's more about people and emotions and also ...cars. 

Playing their roles from the original franchise, Dwayne Johnson plays Luke Hobbs, a former federal agent, and Jason Statham is Deckard Shaw, a British soldier turned mercenary. You might remember they fought on opposite sides in the last film, especially the scene in the prison which was so intense and, while they still don’t particularly like each other, they reluctantly join forces this time to save the world.

Both of them join hands against Brixton, a cyber-genetically enhanced soldier, played by Idris Elba, who is more machine than man. Brixton has been ordered to recover a deadly virus that could wipe out half of humanity, but a rogue MI6 agent Hattie (Vanessa Kirby) injects it into her body.

Hattie is also Shaws sister. It's good to see the actors having fun with it. Their sharp comic timing can be seen throughout the movie. I especially enjoyed the scene in which Statham single-handedly beats the bad guys while Johnson looks on pretending to be unimpressed.

The film also gives you some really good action. There are some impressive set pieces like one staged at a London skyscraper that is intense and thrilling. 

Not to mention the surprise element of Ryan Reynolds who plays a CIA cop. Though his role is small in the movie but I am sure in the next installment we will see him in a much bigger role. 

To end with Hobbs & Shaw is a pure popcorn entertainment. It’s a little long at 2 hours and 15 minutes, but a mix of action and comedy, and the presence of Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham is worth the watch.

What also will add to a great experience is where you watch it. When there is so much action, fight sequences you want to enjoy someplace which enhances the experience. We would recommend you going to Cinepolis, Fun Republic. What it gives you is a revolutionary Dolby 3D format. It basically transports you into the story with moving audio, that flows all around you with breath taking realism. The technology provides for sound that comes from all directions including overhead, creating an immersive experience. So going forward if you are a movie buff like me who enjoys the movie experience then do try out the Cinepolis Dolby Atmos experience. You will never go anywhere else.

By- Krunal Desai