T3 India

Music

Marshall Launches Major V headphones

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Marshall reveals Major V on-ear headphones with 100+ hours of wireless playtime and enhanced comfort. Major V sets new standards with Marshall signature sound, supreme comfort, and exceptional battery life.

“With Major IV we broke the mould with 80+ hours of playtime, but Major V go miles further by taking that total to 100+ hours,” says Martin Wennberg, Product Manager for Marshall headphones. “To honour the first pair of headphones we ever made, every detail has been painstakingly considered and refined for the fifth incarnation of Major – from their explosive sound to their iconic design.”  

 Major V feature the classic Marshall look and are built to withstand everyday wear and tear. Major V, customisation of the M-button means it’s now possible to enable in-app features like Spotify tap, EQ switching and voice assistant.

Available to pre-order today and for sale from July 2nd  on Marshall.com , Major V (14,000 INR) lets you tune in and turn it up, by prioritising rock ‘n’ roll performance over complicated features.

MAJOR V KEY FEATURES INCLUDE:

ICONIC SOUND
Major V delivers the Marshall signature sound and with the new generation, the sound has been improved to reduce distortion, allowing the music to be heard with absolute clarity.

100+ HOURS OF WIRELESS PLAYTIME

Your next adventure awaits, and Major V is in for the ride. Packing in 100+ hours of wireless playtime, you can be gone for days and never be left without a soundtrack. When you do run out of power, your journey won’t be held up for long.

RUGGED AND FOLDABLE DESIGN

Major V’s ruggedness means it’ll take a lot to wear them down, while their foldable design makes them easy to pack away and carry with you wherever you go.

CUSTOMISABLE M-CONTROL BUTTON

Instantly access your favourite features with the M-button and Marshall Bluetooth app. By pressing the M-script logo, Spotify Tap opens by default. Or you can use the app to reconfigure the settings to access EQ presets or voice assistant. How you use it, is up to you.


WIRELESS CHARGING

Thanks to wireless charging, it’s simple to give Major V a boost. Just rest your headphones on a charging pad and you’re good to go. No more last minute scrambling in search of the right cable when you’re in a rush.

BLUETOOTH LE AUDIO-READY

Both Major V and Minor IV are geared up for a Bluetooth LE Audio future. This future-proof technology will deliver higher audio quality, while increasing streaming range and improving audio sync, for an even better connection when watching video.


TECHNICAL INFO MAJOR V
MANUFACTURER’S SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE MAJOR V

DRIVERS: 40 mm, dynamic

DRIVER SENSITIVITY: 106 dB SPL (100 mV @ 1 kHz)

DRIVER IMPEDANCE: 32 Ω

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

WEIGHT: 186 g / 6.56 oz

PLAYTIME: 100+ hours of wireless playtime

TIME TO FULL RECHARGE: 3 hours with USB-C
IND:14999 INR

The Ultimate Portable Party Speaker

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Sony ULT Field 7

The ULT Field 7, Sony’s largest carry anywhere Bluetooth speaker, is perfect for beach trips or camping. With powerful drivers, customizable LED effects, and karaoke inputs, it justifies its premium price tag. The speaker supports high-quality Bluetooth codecs for both Android and Apple devices and is versatile in handling both home and outdoor audio needs.

Sony ULT Field 7: Powerful Bass with ULT Button

Measuring 20.2 x 8.8 x 8.7 inches and weighing 6.30 kgs, the ULT Field 7 is substantial yet portable, thanks to its sunken / recessed handles. It features a cylindrical design and can stand upright like a tower. The speaker includes two 1.8 inches tweeters and two 4.5 inches woofers, offering a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. Customizable LED rings on passive radiators add visual flair.

It supports Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC, LDAC, and SBC codecs, Google Fast Pair, and multipoint connectivity. The top control panel includes buttons for power, Bluetooth, play/pause, volume, and audio modes, while the back panel houses inputs for power, USB-A, 3.5mm aux, and a quarter-inch mic/guitar input, along with additional controls for lights, battery, key control, and echo.

The ULT Field 7 is dustproof and water-resistant, making it suitable for most outdoor environments. Its battery life varies from 30 hours at low volume with LEDs off to 3 hours at maximum volume with LEDs on. Charging takes 5 hours for a full charge, while a 10-minute charge provides about 3 hours of playback.

The Sony Music Center app, available for Android and iOS, offers useful tools for managing audio experience, though it lacks some advanced features. The app displays the speaker’s battery status and includes options for navigating music library, controlling playback from plugged-in devices, and accessing default music and Spotify apps. The Settings section allows to choose from Custom EQ, ULT 1, ULT 2, and Off modes, as well as Sound Field optimization and DJ effects like Isolator and Flanger. Lighting effects can be controlled in the Illumination section, with presets such as Cool, Hot, Rave, and Strobe. The optional Fiestable app offers better lighting control and simplifies DJ effects management.

The ULT Field 7 delivers impressive bass depth, in ULT 1 mode, it provides full-bodied bass, while ULT 2 mode adds physicality to the low frequencies. Even without these modes, the bass remains rich and distortion-free. While it can’t reproduce the sub-bass, it still delivers a strong kick drum thump and clear vocals. On tracks with less deep bass, the ULT 2 mode makes the drums sound thunderous but natural, with boosted baritone vocals and balanced high-mid crispness.

The Sony ULT Field 7 is an excellent choice for outdoor gatherings, delivering exceptionally loud sound with various audio modes to suit any listener. Its fun lighting effects and karaoke inputs make it perfect for parties. Despite its INR 39,999 price tag, the ULT Field 7 is robust and has high-end performance and outdoor-friendly features.

Verdict: Sony’s rugged ULT Field 7 speaker offers deep bass at high volumes and karaoke inputs, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor parties.

https://www.sony.co.in/wireless-speakers/products/ult-field-7
  • MRP: INR 39,990

From Alia Bhatt’s net worth to box office collection of Pathaan—here’s what India asked Alexa last year

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Throughout the last year, Alexa became a dependable companion that charmed the customers with its knowledge and clever banter, satisfying their curiosity about the year’s hottest topics, celebrities, sports, and entertaining them along the way. In fact, last year, there was a 37% increase in requests to Alexa from Indian users for information about Bollywood, business, sports, general knowledge, festivals, and much more!

Hence, it comes as no surprise that the most-asked questions to Alexa during this time period included the net worth of celebrities, interest in some of the biggest movies and reality shows of the year, requests for trending music, and of course, movie dialogues—a type of request unique to Indian customers. Interestingly, Alexa users in India also enjoyed posing some unique questions such as, “Alexa, are you single?” or “Alexa, क्या तुम मेरी बहन बनोगी?”. The diverse nature of requests Alexa receives, and has been receiving over the last six years, is a testament to customers’ love for the AI.

Here’s a peek into what users asked Alexa based on aggregated requests made by Indian customers from January 2023 to January 2024.

General Knowledge

Indian users not only exhibited a keen interest in global developments and current affairs, but also in trivia like birthdays, geography and historical events. Here’s what they asked:

  1. “Alexa, who is the richest person in the world?”
  2. “Alexa, whose birthday it is today?”
  3. “Alexa, what happened today in history?”
  4. “Alexa, A.I. क्या होता है?”
  5. “Alexa, how many countries are there in the world?”
  6. “Alexa, who is the first prime minister of India?
  7. “Alexa, भारत के प्रधान मंत्री कौन है?”
  8. “Alexa, what is Chat GPT?”
  9. “Alexa, आसमान में कितने तारे हैं?”
  10. “Alexa, how did Matthew Perry die?”

Popular Personalities

Celebrities and sports legends continue to pique the interest of customers. Over the last year, they turned to Alexa to inquire who these people are. Moreover, customers also wanted to know about the ages and net worth of popular figures.


People Alexa users were most curious about

  1. “Alexa, who is Alia Bhatt?”
  2. “Alexa, who is Steve Jobs?”
  3. “Alexa, who is Mohanlal?”
  4. “Alexa, who is Pawan Kalyan?”
  5. “Alexa, who is Puneeth Rajkumar?”
  6. “Alexa, who is Elon Musk?”
  7. “Alexa, who is Shreya Ghoshal?”
  8. “Alexa, who is Sundar Pichai?”
  9. “Alexa, who is Mammootty?”
  10. “Alexa, who is Mark Zuckerberg?”

People whose net worth sought popular interest

  1. “Alexa, what is the net worth of Shah Rukh Khan?”
  2. “Alexa, what is the net worth of Virat Kohli?”
  3. “Alexa, what is the net worth of M S Dhoni?”
  4. “Alexa, what is the net worth of Cristiano Ronaldo?”
  5. “Alexa, what is the net worth of Sachin Tendulkar?”
  6. “Alexa, what is the net worth of Amitabh Bachchan?”
  7. “Alexa, what is the net worth of Taylor Swift?”
  8. “Alexa, what is the net worth of Lionel Messi?”
  9. “Alexa, what is the net worth of Alia Bhatt?”
  10. “Alexa, what is the net worth of Jeff Bezos?”

People whose ages garnered most requests

  1. “Alexa, what is the age of Shah Rukh Khan?”
  2. “Alexa, what is the age of Amitabh Bachchan?”
  3. “Alexa, what is the age of Salman Khan?”
  4. “Alexa, what is the age of Alia Bhatt?”
  5. “Alexa, what is the age of Rajnikanth?”
  6. “Alexa, what is the age of Kareena Kapoor?
  7. “Alexa, what is the age of Anushka Sharma?”
  8. “Alexa, what is the age of Virat Kohli?”
  9. “Alexa, what is the age of M S Dhoni?”
  10. “Alexa, what is the age of Allu Arjun?”

Recipes
Alexa continued to be a trusted sous-chef to customers. From basics like chai and cold coffee to delicacies like biryani and butter chicken, here are popular dishes and beverages customers sought recipes for:

  1. “Alexa, चाय कैसे बनाते है?”
  2. “Alexa, Maggi कैसे बनाते है?”
  3. “Alexa, what is the recipe of butter chicken?”
  4. “Alexa, how to make palak paneer?”
  5. “Alexa, what is the recipe of biryani?”
  6. “Alexa, how to make pizza?”
  7. “Alexa, how to make cold coffee?”
  8. “Alexa, how to make Potlee biryani?”
  9. “Alexa, what is the recipe of कढ़ाई chicken?”
  10. “Alexa, how to make chocolate?”

Entertainment
Indian users are ever-curious about the world of film and TV. Reality shows, movie dialogues, box office collections, and the answer to “who is the king of Bollywood?”—here’s a look at questions most popularly asked from the world of entertainment:

  1. “Alexa, who are there in Bigg Boss?”
  2. “Alexa, tell me a dialogue from Pushpa”
  3. “Alexa, Pathaan का dialogue सुनाओ”
  4. “Alexa, मंजुलिका की कहानी सुनाओ”
  5. “Alexa, बाबूराव का dialogue सुनाओ”
  6. “Alexa, who won Khatron ke Khiladi 13?”
  7. “Alexa, Tiger 3 ने कितना कमाया?”
  8. “Alexa, जवान की कहानी बताओ”
  9. “Alexa, who is the king of Bollywood?”
  10. “Alexa, what is the box office collection of Pathaan?”

Music
Where there’s music, there’s Alexa! There’s no doubting how Alexa has become a trusted DJ to many Indian users across the country. Here are the songs which were most requested in the last year:

Popular Songs (Overall)

  1. Shree Hanuman Chalisa
  2. Baby Shark
  3. Bones
  4. Jhoome Jo Pathaan
  5. Calm Down
  6. Maan Meri Jaan
  7. Lakdi Ki Kathi
  8. Vishnu Sahasranamam
  9. Believer
  10. Har Har Shambhu Shiv Mahadeva

Popular Regional Songs

  1. Naatu Naatu [Telugu]
  2. Khalasi | Coke Studio Bharat [Gujarati]
  3. Kaavaalaa [Tamil]
  4. Ranjithame [Tamil]
  5. Tum Tum [Tamil]
  6. Saami Saami [Telugu]
  7. Oo Antava Oo Oo Antava [Telugu]
  8. Srivalli [Telugu]
  9. Naa Ready [Tamil]
  10. Buttabomma [Telugu]

Alexa’s personality

Customers continued to foster a unique connection with Alexa making it their conversational companion. Engaging with its unique personality, they posed intriguing questions that delved into Alexa’s hypothetical personal life. Here’s what they wanted to know about Alexa:

  1. “Alexa, who are your parents?”
  2. “Alexa, are you single?”
  3. “Alexa, क्या तुम dance कर सकती हो?”
  4. “Alexa, do you know my girlfriend’s name?”
  5. “Alexa, आप को चाय बनानी आती है?”
  6. “Alexa, क्या तुम मेरी बहन बनोगी?”
  7. “Alexa, do you go to school?”
  8. “Alexa, क्या तुम मेरे साथ घूमने चलोगी?”
  9. “Alexa, are you scared of ghosts?”
  10. “Alexa, तुम्हारी शादी कब होगी?’

Sports

Alexa became the go-to source for sports enthusiasts seeking up-to-the-minute details on match scores, player updates, and the pulse of major sporting events. Here are popular questions to Alexa about sports:

  1. “Alexa, cricket score क्या है?”
  2. “Alexa, who is the best football player?”
  3. “Alexa, India का अगला match कब है?”
  4. “Alexa, who won the toss?”
  5. “Alexa, who will win the match?”
  6. “Alexa, who will win the World Cup?”
  7. “Alexa, whose match is today?”
  8. “Alexa, give me the India vs Australia score?”
  9. “Alexa, आज का cricket match कौन जीतेगा?”
  10. “Alexa, best cricket player कौन है?”

From unravelling the mysteries of celebrities’ lives to providing updates on global events, Alexa has solidified its position as the go-to companion for Indian customers. Its ability to seamlessly blend knowledge and humour reflects its ever-evolving role in their lives, offering more than just answers.

If you’ve got a question on your mind, #JustAsk Alexa.

Creative Newtech Partners with Ruark

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Creative Newtech  announced its partnership with Ruark, UK’s premium Audio brand, which will see them available in India. Ms. Ajita Hathlia – Deputy Director, Trade & UK Exports, South Asia , British High Commission & Farhad Unavala – Senior Trade Adviser, Lead for Western India – Technology, Education, Innovation & Smart Cities, were present alongside Ketan Patel, CMD, Creative Newtech, Richard Mckinney , Global Marketing & Sales Director, Ruark UK , at a press conference held to announce its India entry.

In her remarks, Ms. Ajita Hathila, Deputy Director, Trade & UK Exports, South Asia, British High Commission, said,” The UK Government congratulates Ruark Audio and its partner Creative Newtech on their entry into the premium Indian Audio marketplace. Ruark’s arrival in India builds on its export successes in other markets and its strong reputation as a UK export champion”.

Commenting on the India entry, Richard Mckinney, Global Marketing & Sales Director, Ruark UK, said,” We are delighted and happy to be here in one of the world’s fastest growing economies with a growing audience whose appetite for great music is apparent. The credit for us being here entirely goes to the team at Creative Newtech who helped plan the entire India entry meticulously. Their shared passion for quality and consumer delight combined with their in-depth understanding of the Indian market, the nuances of distribution and their large network both offline & online, am sure will help Ruark fins its audience of audio lovers across India.”

In his comments, Ketan Patel, CMD, Creative Newtech, said,” Ruark is a great addition to the ever-growing portfolio at Creative Newtech. Being a premium brand targeted at true music lovers and those with a design bent, it’s part of our strategy to bring more high-end brands into our portfolio. Indian market for high quality audio is still growing and the appetite has only grown post covid aided by the growing affluence particularly among millennials and GenZ. We thank the team at Ruark for believing in us and am sure it will be a mutually win-win partnership. With this global launch, Ruark is introduction the below mentioned range of products MR1 MK2, R2 MK4, R3S, R410, RS1 available in India. With starting range INR. 69,000/- upto INR 4,99,000/-

The return of Sony Walkman, but now with Android

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With a mix of new-age tech and nostalgia, the latest Sony NW-A105 Android Walkman is here to build on its predecessors to change the way people listen to music on the go. It comes with a 3.6-inch HD touchscreen display and a 26-hour battery life. The NW-A105 runs on Android 9.0 and has a built-in 16GB memory which is expandable up to 128GB.

The NW-A105 is built around Sony’s promise to deliver a high-quality audio experience like the iconic Walkman Series. The NW-A105 features Hi-Res Audio support like DSD and FLAC to enhance the joy of listening to studio-quality sound and even common MP3, WAV, WMA formats.

The new Walkman also features the S-Master HX digital amplifier that helps deliverING high-res audio with reduced noise and distortion, enabling listeners to enjoy the subtleties of any song. It also enables users to connect to Wi-Fi to stream music. The NW-A105 supports Bluetooth and Near-Field Communication (NFC) that allows to connect to nearby devices seamlessly.

Priced at Rs. 23,990, the Walkman NW-A105 is equipped with a USB Type-C port for fast charging. The NW-A105 is available in black colour and will be available at Sony Centers, major electronic stores and e-commerce websites from January 24, 2020.