Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi on January 4 launched in India the Redmi Note 13 5G series. The series encompasses the Redmi Note 13 Classic 5G, Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, and Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus 5G. All three models boast Xiaomi fusion design language.
The top-end Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus 5G is offered in Fusion Purple, Fusion Black, and Fusion White with vegan leather finish on back cover on the Fusion Purple colour and glass finish on the other two.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G is offered in Arctic White, Midnight Black, and Coral Purple with glass finish across colour variants. The Redmi Note 13 Classic 5G is offered in Prism Gold, Arctic White, and Stealth Black.
The Redmi Note 13 series will be available online on e-commerce platform Amazon India and Xiaomi online store, and offline across Xiaomi retail partners. As for the introductory offers, customers can avail instant discount of up to Rs 2,000 using ICICI cards.
US-based chipmaker Intel, in collaboration with global investment firm DigitalBridge, has formulated an independent enterprise-focused Generative AI software company. Called Articul8, the company aims to provide a full-stack, vertically-optimised Gen-AI software platform for companies to build, deploy and manage their own GenAI powered applications.
Articul8 Founder and CEO, Arun Subramaniyan in a press note said that Articul8’s GenAI software product is built from the ground up to accelerate adoption. “The design philosophy is anchored on four pillars: Speed (of deployment), Scalability, Security, and Sustainable Cost”, he added. Subramaniyan was leading the Datacenter & AI Cloud Execution and Strategy team at Intel before being named as the CEO at Articul8.
According to the company’s website, Articul8 uses ModelMesh, FlexLLM and LLM-IQ technologies to select and manage Large Language Models (LLMs) and probabilistic models to deploy enterprise grade GenAI applications faster while being cost-effective.
“With its deep AI and HPC domain knowledge and enterprise-grade GenAI deployments, Articul8 is well positioned to deliver tangible business outcomes for Intel and our broader ecosystem of customers and partners. As Intel accelerates AI everywhere, we look forward to our continued collaboration with Articul8,” said Pat Gelsinger, CEO, Intel.
Digital Bridge CEO commented that Articul8 has built a scalable and easy-to-deploy GenAI software platform that is already enabling enterprises to unlock value from their proprietary data. “We see GenAI as a pivotal force driving digital infrastructure, and we are pleased to collaborate with Intel to support Article 8’s growth”, he added.
Pressing a button will be one way to summon an artificial intelligence agent as Microsoft wields its computer industry influence to reshape the next generation of keyboards.
Starting this month, some new personal computers that run Microsoft’s Windows operating system will have a special Copilot key that launches the software giant’s AI chatbot.
Getting third-party computer manufacturers to add an AI button to laptops is the latest move by Microsoft to capitalize on its close partnership with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and make itself a gateway for applications of generative AI technology.
Although most people now connect to the internet and AI applications by phone rather than computer, it’s a symbolic kickoff to what’s expected to be an intensively competitive year as tech companies race to outdo each other in AI applications even as they haven’t yet resolved all the ethical and legal ramifications.
The New York Times last month sued both OpenAI and Microsoft alleging that tools like ChatGPT and Copilot formerly known as Bing Chat were built by infringing on copyrighted news articles.
The keyboard redesign will be Microsoft’s biggest change to PC keyboards since it introduced a special Windows key in the 1990s. Microsoft’s four-squared logo design has evolved, but the key has been a fixture on Windows-oriented keyboards for nearly three decades.
The newest AI button will be marked by the ribbon-like Copilot logo and be located near the space bar. On some computers it will replace the right CTRL key, while on others it will replace a menu key.
Microsoft is not the only company with customised keys. Apple pioneered the concept in the 1980s with its Command key marked by a looped square design (it also sported an Apple logo for a time). Google has a search button on its Chromebooks and was first to experiment with an AI-specific key to launch its voice assistant on its now-discontinued Pixelbook.
But Microsoft has a much stronger hold on the PC market through its licensing agreements with third-party manufacturers like Lenovo, Dell and HP. About 82 per cent of all desktop computers, laptops and workstations run Windows, compared to 9 per cent for Apple’s in-house operating system and just over 6 per cent for Google’s, according to market research firm IDC.
Microsoft hasn’t yet said which computer-makers are installing the Copilot button beyond Microsoft’s own in-house line of premium Surface devices. It said some of the companies are expected to unveil their new models at next week’s CES gadget show in Las Vegas.
Chinese smartphone brand Vivo has launched its flagship X100 series in India on January 4. The series has two models, the X100 and X100 Pro. Both the smartphones are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 system-on-chip, making them the first smartphones to introduce the chipset into the Indian market. The X100 Pro is available in Asteroid Black colour, while the X100 is offered in Stargaze Blue in addition to Asteroid Black.
Priced at Rs 89,999, the Vivo X100 Pro is offered in 16GB RAM and 512GB on-board storage configuration. The Vivo X100 smartphone, on the other hand, is offered in 12GB RAM + 256GB storage and 16GB RAM + 512GB storage at Rs 63,999 and Rs 69,999, respectively.
Both the Vivo X100 and Vivo X100 Pro are now available for pre-booking with availability starting from January 11. As for the introductory offers, Vivo is offering discounts of up to 10 per cent on select bank cards on both the models. Additionally, there is an exchange bonus of up to Rs 8,000 applicable on trade-in deals.
Japanese electronics giant Sony on January 4 launched the Float Run wireless headphones in India. Purpose built for runners and athletes, Sony said the headphones provide a comfortable and secure fit without compromising on sound quality. The Sony Float Run headphones are now available for purchase across Sony retail stores and select electronic stores, and online on Sony Center website and e-commerce platforms at Rs 10,990.
Sony Float Run: Features
Weighing approximately 33 grams, the Float Run headphones feature an off-ear design. These headphones are designed to fill the user’s ears, but not cover them, so they can be aware of their surroundings – said Sony. The company said that it has tested the flexible neckband design of the headphones on a wide range of head shapes to ensure a stable and secure fit. The neckband style headphones are IPX4 certified for protection against sweat and splashes.
The Float Run headphones boast 16mm drivers, specifically tuned to fit with the off-ear design. The company said that the unique design eliminates echo and eliminates unnecessary sounds such as footsteps and heavy breathing noise. The design also allows music to mix with ambient sound from the surrounding for a spatial effect.
Sony said that a quick charge of ten minutes would power up the battery on the headphones to provide an hour of playtime. The Float Run headphones support wired charging using USB-C. The headphones include a carrying pouch out of the box.
Other features include built-in controls for music playback and voice assistant and built-in microphone to attend calls.
Chinese smartphone brand Vivo is set to unveil its latest flagship X100 series smartphones in India on January 4. The X100 series encompasses a vanilla and a Pro model, both of which were launched in its home country China on November 14, 2023.
Today’s India launch event of the Vivo X100 series is set to kick off at 12 pm. It will live stream on Vivo’s official YouTube channel, besides the company’s social media handle on Facebook and X. You can watch the livestream in the video embedded towards the end of this article.
The Indian model of the X100 series smartphones are expected to be identical to Chinese models. Here are the specifications of Vivo X100 and X100 Pro:
Vivo X100 Pro: Specification
The Vivo X100 Pro sports a 6.78-inch fullHD+ LTPO AMOLED display of 120Hz refresh rate. The panel is capable of pushing brightness level to 3000 nits and features PWM dimming technology. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 chipset, the Vivo X100 Pro boots Android 14 operating system with the company’s own FunTouchOS 14 user interface layered on top.
For imaging, the smartphone boasts a triple 50-megapixel camera setup, co-created in partnership with ZEISS. It features a 50MP 1-inch-type primary sensor, a 50MP wide-angle lens, and 50MP telephoto camera with 4.3X optical zoom. The smartphone gets a 5400mAh battery under the hood that supports 120W fast wired charging.
Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED (2800×1260, 120Hz)
Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9300
OS: Android 14 based FunTouchOS 14
Camera: 50MP (1-inch-type) + 50MP + 50MP (4.3x)
Battery: 5,400mAh (120W wired charging)
Vivo X100: Specification
The base model sports a 6.78-inch fullHD+ LTPO AMOLED display panel with refresh rates reaching up to 120Hz. It features the same 3000 nits of peak brightness level and PWM dimming technology as the Pro model. Powered by the same MediaTek Dimensity 9300 processor, the vanilla model gets a different camera set-up. It sports a rear triple-camera setup on the rear, co-created with ZEISS. A 50MP main sensor, a 64MP periscope telephoto for 3X optical zoom, and a 50MP ultra-wide lens covers the imaging. A 5,000mAh battery, supported by 100W fast-wired-charging, powers the X100.
