Sound Engineering The Jabra Elite Way!

On the occasion of World Music Day (June 21), Jabra - part of the GN Group -  leading developer and manufacturer of communications and sound solutions - aptly expanded its Elite franchise, a family of headphones and earbuds engineered for superior sound to provide the best - combined voice and music experience.

Building on the brand philosophy of using sound to transform lives, Jabra aims to create products that rely on innovation and design to enhance productivity and efficiency. Driven by ambition and the inspiration and desire to change, Jabra builds on its understanding of human hearing capabilities to 'Engineer For Purpose'.

The GN Group has an illustrious history of 149 years to its credit, making Jabra one of the most reliable brands in its field of work. Jabra is the only company on the face of the globe to manufacture headphones, headsets, and hearing aids for people of all ages.

While the consumer-grade and professional-grade products feature under the umbrella of GN Audio, it is the Resound wing that caters to medical-grade products. What's more is that both the factions have the same R&D to ensure seamlessness and sync.

The Elite Lineup has been designed for life-on-the-go and has two form factors to provide the best music at the best cost.

• True Wireless
• Neckband & Headset

Dr. Amitesh Punhani was quick to introduce the Elite franchise being engineered to meet the needs of users looking not only for outstanding music quality but also for strong voice capability, whether they’re making calls or increasingly using voice assistants such as Alexa, Siri or Google Now. 

Adding to that Mr. Ankit from the consumer business division remarked that with the Elite family of products, headphone users no longer have to make a choice between great music headphones or a headset designed for voice and calls, now they can have both with whichever Elite product they choose. 

Jabra’s research shows that the daily usage of headphones by frequent users focuses on calls (58% of users each day), music (53%) and voice control (35%). These findings were the motivation to roll-out the new products in India. 

Jabra is showcasing five new products:

• Elite 65e neckband wireless earbuds provide two levels of noise cancellation including Jabra’s leading Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) solution.
• Elite 45e for users who want the best-combined voice and music experience in a headset with a discreet design and a great fit.
• Elite 25e are full mobility on-the-go headphones that allow for seamlessly switching between calls and music throughout the day for optimal effectiveness and productivity – all of this for an accessible price point.
• Elite 65t is a third generation true wireless earbud aimed at those who want the best voice and music experience without wires.
• Elite Active 65t for those who want the features of the Elite 65t, while being able to use the earbuds in a sports or training setting. 

Drawing on the GN Group’s long-standing audio, headset, and hearing aid expertise, each new Elite product contains unique microphone configurations to ensure users will always be heard, whether while speaking to Alexa or an acquaintance or indoors or out on the street. In addition, the companion Jabra Sound+ app allows personalization of music to personal taste and liking. 

In addition to the best-in-class voice and music experience, the new Elite products also come with the security of a two-year warranty against dust and water ingress (two years for the Elite Active 65t also including sweat ingress). 

While users will experience the great voice and music experience that Elite products offer, they will also be able to choose the wearing style that suits them best. The Elite family includes true wireless and soft neckband variants with the suffix letter signifying the styles clearly using ‘e’ for earbud and ‘t’ for true wireless. 

Jabra's Elite 65e for instance, as a case in point, has been designed as neckband wireless earbuds are engineered for best-in-class wireless calls and music and provide two levels of noise cancellation including Jabra’s leading Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) solution, challenging existing solutions in the market. 

On top, the Jabra Elite 65e offers incredible conversation quality with three-microphone technology that creates a noise-blocking zone – making sure your voice is conveyed with crystal-clear clarity.

The first level consists of the development and design of the earbuds and Jabra EarGels™. The optimal engineering of the mechanical fit and the design of the oval earbuds – developed by Jabra to ensure a better fit in the ear canal – in combination with the ear gels for a perfect grip, provide an optimal seal for the passive noise cancellation of ambient sounds.

The second level is the more known technology of Active Noise Cancellation that digitally removes additional noise levels. Having included ANC in professional headsets for years, Jabra now brings leading business grade ANC to consumers – providing superior total noise cancellation to the wider audience.

Building on products designed for the mass premium segment, Jabra's products are also the first ones to be Alexa certified in India, given the fact that they support leading voice assistants of the likes of Siri, Google Now, and Amazon Alexa itself.

The premium colors schemes across the Elite range is also a pointer to the fact that Jabra provides a touch of elegance backed by a style sense in their products.

Jabra Elite Series is available in Amazon, Croma and Jabra authorized retailers.

On the whole, the Jabra Elite series comes across as a promising one for a revolution in the consumer-grade audio industry. :)

VitrA's Touch-Free Bathroom Solutions...

VitrA is the leading bathroom solutions brand under the aegis of Eczacıbaşı Building Products Division in Turkey that has introduced its technologically advanced V-care smart WC pan.

Designed by the famous design studio NOA, these innovative toilets combines the functionality of a toilet and cleaning properties of a bidet with impressive WC design to offer increased comfort.

There a number of products on display at the VitrA Delhi Showroom, where the V-care range of WC Pans was newly launched a couple of days back.

The bathroom solutions offered by VitrA include basins, shower channels, faucets, shower heads, cisterns, and water closets.

The new V-care range of WC pans with a specially designed nozzle spray allows the user to regulate the water as desired.

V-care can be used via a remote controller that helps in controlling features like nozzle position, water pressure, and the temperature of the water and the seat. Thanks to elegant designs that incorporate advanced technology, this range is built suits any and every washroom.

The innovative V-care range by VitrA is ergonomically designed for maximum comfort and hygiene. The rimless design of the inner bowl and a conspicuous installation by VitrA makes it easier to clean the WC.

Coming with two alternatives - Basic and Comfort - that present all the features of a modern WC with added advantages of an elegant touch-free toilet - V-care range provides technological advancement in the bathroom solutions sector.

Here's what Mr. Sumit Shah, Regional Manager - North, Eczacıbaşı had to say about VitrA and the newly launched V-care range...

Both the Basic and Comfort models offer a range of features that can be set to personal preference through a remote-control handset that is easy to use, thanks to its hand-fitting ergonomic form and user-friendly interface.

Here's a snippet of the V-care WC Pan and Remote in action...

V-care Basic has fundamental features pitched at an affordable price, while V-care Comfort, as the name offers the most comfortable experience. A single button on the pan provides conventional washing for patrons who might prefer manual use, ensuring maximum convenience for everyone.

The V-care WC pan offers different washing options so that cleaning can be customized to the hygiene needs of each family member. The specially designed nozzle allows you to adjust water temperature, pressure, and position for ultimate comfort. The nozzle automatically self-cleans before and after each use and can be easily removed for manual cleaning if desired.

With features like maximum drying and air purification, V-care comes across as an ideal solution for personal cleaning and hygiene.

Dining In Style Courtesy Chef Sanjeev Kapoor...

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is the ultimate personality when it comes to a mention of the gastronomic arena. He is the undisputed king. Naturally thus, when it comes to an establishment in the F&B industry that has to cater to patrons for a dine-in experience, SK Restaurants as a brand has to be the ideal choice.

This was the sole motivation behind my decision to visit Sura Vie, Netaji Subhash Place for lunch and I was sure that the name was enough to guarantee a pleasant gastronomic sojourn, and so it was.

Given the fact that I have witnessed Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's gastronomic prowess in action first-hand, I was even more confident.

Located prominently on the first level in the Aggarwal Millenium Tower, Sura Vie is a fine-dining outlet camouflaged as a casual dining one, thanks to its plush interiors, soothing vibe, courteous and attentive service, all coupled with minimal stress to the wallet.

The name of the outlet 'Sura Vie' is itself intriguing as is proclaimed on the first page of the Menu itself, i.e. Sura Vie as a brand, is a complete package, offering the best of both food and beverages.

The restaurant features two private dining spaces - perfect for large groups or intimate gatherings, as the case may be.

A floral beckoning at the entrance itself is pleasantly welcoming.

Backed by the concept of Buffet and Ala Carte, patrons are spoiled for choice, as whichever pattern they may choose boasts of variety.

The 'Make Your Own Salad' concept at the buffet spread is enticing enough too.

There are few trinkets and flora here and there to up the pleasant vibe of the outlet too.

Here's what I would recommend trying when at Sura Vie...

Try Seventh Heaven, Santra Tantra, or Blue Sparkle if you wish to beat the heat on a sweet note.

Or the tried-and-tested Jaljeera if a tanginess in your mocktail of choice beckons.

With Indian Cuisine being Chef Kapoor's specialty, it comes as no surprise that the Murg Yakhni Shorba comes across as a clear winner, complete with a couple of strands of Kesar too, the authentic Kashmiri way.

As for the classic warm broths, Cream of Mushroom and Tomato & Basil soups were also well prepared.

Among Salads, I decided to opt for the simplistic Caesar Salad, complete with crisp lettuce, baby tomatoes, olives, and croutons.

Appetizers were a mix of Indian and Oriental cuisines, with Stir Fried Veggies In Nest being an aesthetic culinary delight complemented with baby corn, mushrooms, broccoli and the likes served in a crispy noodle bowl.

Among the Indian ones, while Chatpati Khatti Meethi Seekh stole the show with its knack of being presented with veggie skewers being encased in an enviable crispy crust, Makai Creamy Kaju Tikki was perfect with its flavor of the unbeatable combination of sweet corn, cream, and cashew nut.

Teen Mirch Ka Paneer Tikka, on the other hand, had a tangy aftertaste in its soft cheese chunks paired with bell peppers served alongside a savory mint dip.

I again decided to venture on the Indian route for the Main Course, as we settled for the in-house specialty Shaam Savera prepared as spinach and cottage cheese savories in a tangy tomato gravy, and signature Lalla Mussa Dal with black and green lentils, paired with a bread basket.

As the absolute conclusion to the meal, we savored Kulfi garnished with nuts and a warm, soft Brownie chunk paired with ice-cream that had a syrup drizzle as a topping.

On the whole, my visit to Sura Vie was a pleasant one, and I would like to revisit the place whenever I am in the vicinity next. 

Mobiistar Says Namaste! ~ #EnjoyMore...

IndiBlogger has been a constant ever since I started blogging. IndiBlogger Meets have been a routine affair too. However, this time around, it was the first IndiBlogger Meet of 2018 on May 23.

As usual, online registrations were done to procure respective IndiPasses, agenda checked, and escape plans made to dodge #MidWeekBlues on a Wednesday. With timely reminders for the meet and the exact hall at the venue being notified beforehand, it was a breeze to arrive for the IndiBlogger Meet at Hyatt Regency, Delhi.

The star of the day was to be Mobiistar, with their motto #EnjoyMore, as they unveiled their 'Selfie Star Series' Smartphones. With both pre-event and post-event 'IndiBlogger Drives' online being taken care of, the bloggers' curiosity and interest had been piqued already.

One thing was clear - the Indian gadget market was set to witness the launch of selfie-centric devices - as Selfie was the keyword - once with the Blogging Contest pre-event recollecting each participating blogger's 'one precious selfie' - and twice owing to the post-event Instagram 'Selfie Contest' prompting Bloggers to respond to 'How Wide Can You Go?' hinting at a key feature of being able to capture wide-angle selfies with Mobiistar devices.

At the scene of the launch, the Indian launch of Mobiistar - a Vietnamese smartphone brand founded in 2009 - while the demo zone was being prepped, the check-ins were in full swing at the registration desk. A quick cuppa of tea helped to shun the lethargy post lunch, right in time for a welcome by Mobiistar and Indiblogger for all of us.

The meet was kick-started by Karthik from IndiB, with customary introductions by newbies and veterans about their blogs and themselves. However, Anoop had missed this meet big time, and we missed the usual number game too, big time! Instead, ice-breaking took place by prompting bloggers to highlight what excuses they had given to their superiors at the workplace to bail out and be at an IndiBlogger Meet right in time on a Wednesday afternoon.

IndiBlogger had cut the first turf and now it was time to pass the baton to the graceful master of ceremony - Shobha Rana - who welcomed us on behalf of Mobiistar.

She invited Mr. Carl Ngo - Co-founder and CEO - Mobiistar India - who came on stage with folded hands and marked the formal launch of Mobiistar in India with a humble Namaste.

He began by informing Indian Bloggers of how the humble beginning of Mobiistar in Vietnam grew on the basis of engagement with Vietnamese users through social media.

Here's what he had to say about the Indian Blogger community and Mobiistar's association with IndiBlogger right at the start.

Given such brand-connect with the masses in Vietnam, it came as no surprise that Mobiistar had been awarded as 'Most Impressive Vietnamese Smartphone 2017'. Coming to brand philosophy behind the launch of the two new selfie-centric devices, Carl had an interesting anecdote to share.

The brand name Mobiistar was coined as a consequence of the fact that owning a Mobiistar device makes the consumer a star among their peers. Also, there is an interesting nugget of info as to how the 'Selfie Star Series' came into being.

Carl had seen a bunch of tourists in India trying to take a group selfie or 'groupie' as it is called, with the aircraft, right after they arrived - enjoying with selfies - although struggling to include all the friends and the aircraft, both in the frame at the same time.

It was then that the idea stuck to #EnjoyMore - MORE  SELFIE and MORE  VALUE  FOR  MONEY.

In fact, there was a comparative blind selfie satisfaction survey carried out among four leading selfie-phones in the market, wherein certain Delhiites were asked to rate their selfie captured by each of the four phones on a scale of ten, or rather the user pool was prompted to rank the four phones in order of preference and thereafter, also guess the price range of the four devices.

The majority of users had an opinion that the phone that captured the best selfie of the lot should be the costliest one. However, they were pleasantly surprised when it was revealed that quality captures need not always be exorbitantly priced, but meaningful user experience can be economical too, as far as Mobiistar is concerned.

A visual representation reported that Mobiistar came a close second at 8.3 on a scale of 10 when it came to the selfie-satisfaction rating vis-a-vis the price range, and in-fact Mobiistar emerged as the brand with the most economical device as well. A win-win situation for both the consumer and the brand there, is it not?

With their motto being #EnjoyMore, the key features of both devices CQ and XQ Dual - selfie-centric devices - were unveiled.

Being Mobiistar's 'Selfie Star Series', the most important feature would undoubtedly be the camera, complemented by a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor 425 SoC for CQ, and 430 SoC for XQ Dual.

Mobiistar targets Good Selfie - For Self and For Group. Keeping that in mind, two distinct devices have been designed with the right technology and crisp designs aiming to provide the ultimate experience.

CQ features a 13 MP Selfie Camera with 'Face Beauty Mode' that offers a seven-level beautification, while XQ Dual, as the name suggests, sports a  13 MP + 8 MP Dual Selfie Camera for the ultimate 'Selfie Experience'.

Additionally, both devices have been aimed at providing users a meaningful selfie experience backed by the front, dual selfie camera that captures a 120° wide-angle shot as most of the users had a qualm that phone screens could capture 66% people when capturing a group selfie or 6/10 users were of the opinion that the screen couldn't fully capture the picturesque backdrop whether they were capturing a selfie or groupie. Moreover, both CQ and XQ Dual phones are available in two color variants to make a style statement by themselves.

Would you like to go for the Black CQ or the Gold CQ? :)

For those who have their eyes set on XQ Dual, it comes in a classy Champagne against a chic Black hue. :)

Both devices are backed by a ViLTE + VoLTE facility for Video Over LTE and Voice Over LTE. ViLTE is an extension of VoLTE, a conversational video service attempting to enhance voice services with a high-quality video channel.

With 1000 operational service centers across the country, Mobiistar aims to effortlessly provide after-sales services to its user pool in India.

Partnering with Indian e-commerce giant, Flipkart, Carl highlighted how they have co-created a range of products thanks to consumer understanding built over a decade.

Thanks to an exclusive alliance with Flipkart, sales were kick-started at 12 noon on May 30, and have been going strong so far. The price point for XQ Dual is ₹7999, while for CQ, it is ₹4999. Bang for the buck with enviable features, I must say.

As if the devices themselves weren't enticing enough, Mobiistar has brought Exclusive Offers into play by associating with Flipkart yet again for their Exchange Deal and Complete Mobile Protection, the latter being a comprehensive post-purchase solution able to tackle any and every phone-related issue except for theft, of course.

As for Complete Mobile Protection, it covers the following device issues (barring theft of device):

On the other hand, Jio has stepped into the arena by offering a ₹2200 instant cashback, making the purchase of Mobiistar's devices in India the perfect steal deal.

With that, Carl's presentation was drawn to a close and Shobha once again took center-stage to throw open the Question Hour for bloggers to interact with Carl.

During the Q&A session, while a blogger tried albeit in vain to find out which three phones other than Mobiistar's were in the running during the selfie satisfaction survey, another was curious about other features that the 'Selfie Star Series' possessed apart from a powerful camera.

The Selfie Satisfaction Experiment ~ Demo Zone

To that, Carl reiterated that the phones had been designed in compliance with the industry standard, keeping in mind that Mobiistar had to be a part of the ECOSYSTEM, and as the folks at Flipkart had told Mobiistar that any new smartphone launched in India must possess a 3000 mAh battery, both CQ and XQ Dual had been endowed with a powerhouse that would last an entire day, from the moment one steps out in the morning to the moment one steps back in.

Keeping in mind Brand Positioning, Mr. Carl wanted Mobiistar to build on Social Capital i.e. focus first on consumers' mind share and heart share, and thereafter on market share - on being asked what is the market share that Mobiistar aims to capture within say a year of its sales and presence in India.

Also, he could not help but emphasize the fact that word of mouth through social media would be most beneficial to Mobiistar as a new brand in the Tech Arena in India.

Coming to an interlude, High Tea was laid open for some chit-chat, with a melodious Musical Duet in the meanwhile by two talented musicians being the highlight.

As always, food, music, and good company are the best comrades, without a doubt. In case you missed it, here's a snippet of the talented rendition on violin and saxophone.

Upon resuming, it was time for Networking - The IndiBlogger Way - as ten teams with ten members each were formed and it was 'Story Time Through Selfie Time' wherein the theme was #EnjoyMore. Each team had to click at least 15 selfies (which could be 30 at the maximum) within a twenty-minute timeline, using the Mobiistar phone provided.

With the activity drawn to a close, it was also time to draw the curtains on the first IndiMeet of 2018 - with the customary group capture taken by Renie himself! Spot me all smiles, below. :)

As we bid adieu, each of us had a bit of the #EnjoyMore stardust and some sweet delicacies to take back.

On the whole, the India launch of Mobiistar and the first IndiBlogger Meet of 2018 was concluded on a pleasant note. :)