Exhibit Magazine

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/benefits-buying-pre-owned-vehicles/

The Benefits of Buying Pre-Owned Vehicles

Some people think that buying used cars is a waste of money. In their minds, pre-owned vehicles have a lot of issues and this would put them at a great disadvantages. However, this is not always the case and unless you have a huge amount of money at your disposal, then you can opt for a brand new vehicle. But for most average individuals who have a limited budget, buying a new car is not always that feasible. Actually, you need to realise that there are several benefits from buying used cars.

For starters, used cars are less expensive than its brand new counterpart. As a matter of fact, you can save thousands of dollars when you choose a second hand vehicle. The outrageous cost of buying a brand new vehicle is somewhat unnerving. There’s even a car that can cost around £30,000. With that price, some people may not be willing to shell out their life savings for one particular brand. Although, they might be convinced to buy a car of the same brand, but it will definitely be a pre-owned car. In fact, they may even find a car in a pristine condition that doesn’t cost as much as a brand new vehicle. So, it all comes down to choosing the right car dealer that can offer you with the best deals for your money.

Another great benefit from buying used cars is the fact that you have a better opportunity to negotiate with the used car dealer. This will give you a chance to avail of a much bigger discount, and that would mean the total cost of the vehicle you’re buying is lower than what you have expected before.Therefore, your savings will be much bigger and you can even have the budget to buy several new accessories for the car. It’s also possible to customise the vehicle you bought from your dealer, since you can now afford to buy some cool body kits for that particular car.

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/9658/

Some people think that buying used cars is a waste of money. In their minds, pre-owned vehicles have a lot of issues and this would put them at a great disadvantages. However, this is not always the case and unless you have a huge amount of money at your disposal, then you can opt for a brand new vehicle. But for most average individuals who have a limited budget, buying a new car is not always that feasible. Actually, you need to realize that there are several benefits from buying used cars.

For starters, used cars are less expensive than its brand new counterpart. As a matter of fact, you can save thousands of dollars when you choose a second hand vehicle. The outrageous cost of buying a brand new vehicle is somewhat unnerving. There’s even a car that can cost around £30,000. With that price, some people may not be willing to shell out their life savings for one particular brand. Although, they might be convinced to buy a car of the same brand, but it will definitely be a pre-owned car. In fact, they may even find a car in a pristine condition that doesn’t cost as much as a brand new vehicle. So, it all comes down to choosing the right car dealer that can offer you with the best deals for your money.

Another great benefit from buying used cars is the fact that you have a better opportunity to negotiate with the used car dealer. This will give you a chance to avail of a much bigger discount, and that would mean the total cost of the vehicle you’re buying is lower than what you have expected before.Therefore, your savings will be much bigger and you can even have the budget to buy several new accessories for the car. It’s also possible to customize the vehicle you bought from your dealer, since you can now afford to buy some cool body kits for that particular car.

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/chinese-motorcycles-worth-buying/

Chinese Motorcycles – Is It Worth Buying?

Motorcycles have become the most preferred means of transportation for several countries around the world. This is due to various factors like fuel economy, accessibility and the cost of owning one is just a fraction of what you need to pay for a brand new car. For this reason, the motorcycle market is flooded by different brands from popular manufacturers like Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, BMW, Harley Davidson, MV Augusta and Ducati. However, several new players from China have already made a foothold on the European motorcycle market. These companies have produced motorbikes that are very affordable yet the design is almost identical with most branded motorcycles.

A few years back, Chinese motorcycles are not known for their quality and reliability. We have seen several complaints from European customers regarding the overall condition of these motorcycles. Another problem was the availability of their spare parts, since there were no Chinese motorcycle parts dealer before. No one will take their chances with these motorcycles and this has led to poor sales. But these shortcomings were just temporary setbacks for most manufacturers from China. They madesome adjustments, especially on their quality control department. That’s why they came back strong in 2012, when they released several top quality motorcycles like the Lifan LF250 andZongshen’sArtixEnduro.

Today, these motorcycles can even rival both its Japanese and European counterparts. In terms of performance and handling, Chinese motorcycles are no longer pushovers because they can now hold their own on the road. They even tied-up with several industry leaders like Showa and Galfer. These are known manufacturers of high-end disc brakes and shock absorbers. Therefore, most of their parts are now considered branded. Furthermore, they are still cost effective and buying a Chinese motorcycle or scooter can be a logical decision. As a matter of fact, you can now purchase genuine spare parts from credible dealers in the UK. All you need to do is to search for them on the Internet.

So, if you own a Chinese motorcycle, scooters or quads and you want to replace some of its parts, then you can easily buy it through these suppliers. Some of them are even direct importers of Chinese motorcycles and scooters, but they also have an extensive collection of spare parts from European, Japanese, Taiwanese and American motorcycles. However, before you buy from a supplier, it would be wise to check their track record by visiting their main website.

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/chinese-motorcycles-worth-buying/

Chinese Motorcycles – Is It Worth Buying?

Motorcycles have become the most preferred means of transportation for several countries around the world. This is due to various factors like fuel economy, accessibility and the cost of owning one is just a fraction of what you need to pay for a brand new car. For this reason, the motorcycle market is flooded by different brands from popular manufacturers like Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, BMW, Harley Davidson, MV Augusta and Ducati. However, several new players from China have already made a foothold on the European motorcycle market. These companies have produced motorbikes that are very affordable yet the design is almost identical with most branded motorcycles.

A few years ago, Chinese motorcycles were not known for their quality and reliability. We have seen several complaints from European customers regarding the overall condition of these motorcycles. Another problem was the availability of their spare parts, since there were no Chinese motorcycle parts dealer before. No one will take their chances with these motorcycles and this has led to poor sales. But these shortcomings were just temporary setbacks for most manufacturers from China. They made some adjustments, especially on their quality control department. That’s why they came back strong in 2012, when they released several top quality motorcycles like the Lifan LF250 and Zongshen’s Artix Enduro.

Today, these motorcycles can even rival both its Japanese and European counterparts. In terms of performance and handling, Chinese motorcycles are no longer pushovers because they can now hold their own on the road. They even tied-up with several industry leaders like Showa and Galfer. These are known manufacturers of high-end disc brakes and shock absorbers. Therefore, most of their parts are now considered branded. Furthermore, they are still cost effective and buying a Chinese motorcycle or scooter can be a logical decision. As a matter of fact, you can now purchase genuine spare parts from credible dealers in the UK. All you need to do is to search for them on the Internet.

So, if you own a Chinese motorcycle, scooters or quads and you want to replace some of its parts, then you can easily buy it through these suppliers. Some of them are even direct importers of Chinese motorcycles and scooters, but they also have an extensive collection of spare parts from European, Japanese, Taiwanese and American motorcycles. However, before you buy from a supplier, it would be wise to check their track record by visiting their main website.

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/benefits-buying-pre-owned-vehicles/

The Benefits of Buying Pre-Owned Vehicles.

                                Some people think that buying used cars is a waste of money. In their minds, pre-owned vehicles have a lot of issues and this would put them at a great disadvantage. However, this is not always the case and unless you have a huge amount of money at your disposal, then you can opt for a brand new vehicle. But for average individuals who have a limited budget, buying a new car is not always that feasible. Actually, you need to realize that there are several benefits from buying used cars.

For starters, used cars are less expensive than its brand new counterpart. As a matter of fact, you can save a ton of money when you choose a second hand vehicle. The outrageous cost of buying a brand new vehicle is somewhat unnerving. There’s even a car that can cost around 28 Lakhs. With that price, some people may not be willing to shell out their life savings for one particular brand. Although, they might be convinced to buy a car of the same brand, but it will definitely be a pre-owned car. In fact, they may even find a car in a pristine condition that doesn’t cost as much as a brand new vehicle. So, it all comes down to choosing the right car dealer that can offer you with the best deals for your money.

Another great benefit from buying used cars is the fact that you have a better opportunity to negotiate with the used car dealer. This will give you a chance to avail of a much bigger discount, and that would mean the total cost of the vehicle you’re buying is lower than what you have expected before.Therefore, your savings will be much bigger and you can even have the budget to buy several new accessories for the car. It’s also possible to customise the vehicle you bought from your dealer, since you can now afford to buy some cool body kits for that particular car.

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/rough-tough-sony-xperia-2/

Rough & Tough In Every Way – Sony Xperia Z

                          First Impression

I often tend to judge phones on the way they create a first impression. Simply by its looks and build quality does it appear like a phone worth the price? Who would purchase a phone that costs 40k but looks like a regular budget phone. Don’t worry, Sony Xperia Z did not let me down. On the very first look, the phone creates a great impression. The 5 inch fully capacitive touchscreen offers great display. The flaps used to cover most sockets can be irritating, but it is all forgiven because we were blown away by the USP of this product. The water resistance (almost water proof) and dust resistance of the phone is remarkable. So, Katrina Kaif wasn’t lying or creating a gimmick through all the advertising after all!

Review

I would be lying if I said we could review the phone in a short span of time. If anyone managed it, the person is probably lying. There is so much to do with the phone. Firstly, the build quality of the phone is excellent. The shatter-proof and scratch-resistant glass and the Sony Mobile BRAVIA 2 engine, together are a deadly combination. We dropped the phone, threw it on purpose and it always came back for more! The phone is so light-weight and thin that it charms you in every way. Although, it has an Android Jelly Bean operating system, Sony continues to stick to its standard customizations of internal aspects like Walkman (music), Album (images), Movies (videos) and so on. This is great because some users are truly tired of the age old gallery.

Now we come down to the hardware and specs. Xperia Z boasts of a Qualcomm MDM9215M / APQ8064 chipset, Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait processor, an Adreno 320 GPU 2 GB RAM and 16 GB of internal storage (phew!). With so much packed under the hood, the phone offers excellent performance. We had absolutely no complaints when it came to any phone functions like apps, games, music, web usage, etc. The phone neither hangs nor does it have any issues in running multiple apps side by side. Benchmark tests rate this higher than any other smartphone in the market (woah!). The phone comes with a 2330 mAh battery, whose performance is much better than any other Android phone we reviewed recently.

Is the Sony Xperia Z flawless? The answer is NO! We hate to highlight these two and only two complaints we have with the phone. First, when a phone boasts a 13.1 megapixel camera, you expect it to be nothing short of exceptional. The phone does offer great pictures when indoors but they should have been excellent. The images simply lack detail. You will need perfect lighting conditions or simply use the ‘superior auto’ mode. Secondly, the phone heats too quickly. A 30 minute session of Real Football and we could have made an omelette on the phone (we are exaggerating of course!). But, yes the phone does have this issue.

Verdict

We drowned it, we threw it, we pushed it to its limits and every time it impressed. Sony Xperia Z without a doubt is the best smartphone the Japanese giants ever created. It is not just about its water and dust resistance, but there is whole lot more to it. Purely, on the grounds of performance it is simply an immortal piece of technology. No lags, high-end specs, cheaper than most competitors… what more can one wish for? However, we hate to point out the over-heating and the camera shortcomings of the device! These are the only aspects that take some of the brownie points away from this fantastic piece of technology.

Specs

5 inch fully capacitive touchscreen

Android 4.1 – Jellybean operating system

Qualcomm MDM9215M / APQ8064 chipset,

Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait processor, Adreno 320 GPU

2 GB RAM

16 GB internal memory

13.1 megapixel primary camera and 2.2 megapixel secondary camera

Price – Rs. 38,990/-

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/shutterbug-experiments-infra-red-photography/

ShutterBug Experiments: INFRA-RED PHOTOGRAPHY

In this article, you’ll learn about the infrared choices available, how to take infrared photographs using a filter, process your photographs to a high standard and avoid any common mistakes along the way.

Let’s begin.

Infrared Photography: A Brief Introduction

Infrared (IR) is a challenging form of photography. When going through this article, you need to be very methodical about the process of setting up your equipment and taking the shot.It would be a good idea to print out some notes to take with your when shooting as there is a lot to think about, and it can easily go wrong. We have created a handy checklist for you to make not of and fold up into your bag.

IR Shooting Checklist

Shoot RAW

Turn off long exposure NR

Exposure Delay Mode/Mirror Lockup

Focus before putting the filter on, then switch to manual

Remote release/Self timer

Custom/Pre-set white balance

Image stabilization off

Small aperture + Low ISO

Check to See if Your Camera Can Capture IR Light Check before you go and buy filter, as certain cameras cannot capture IR. A quick tip to find out if you can capture IR is to put your camera in live view and point a remote control at the lens and press a few buttons. If you notice a flashing red tinted light, your camera can capture IR light well. If the light is dimmer, this means your camera can still capture IR, but it means your exposure times will skyrocket due to your camera having a strong internal IR blocking filter.If your camera does not have live view, set a long exposure, start taking the shot, and point and press buttons on the remote towards the lens. The resulting picture should show the red tinted light. If you do not see anything from the remote, this means your camera cannot capture IR, and cannot use this article to effect.

Purchasing the Filter There are a few offerings available when it comes to infrared filters. There are both screw in types from brands such as Hoya, and square filters from Cokin, for example. Screw-in filters are a great way to make infrared photographs. They are, however, relatively expensive. Our advice is to buy a well-known brand to get the best results. We purchased a Hoya R72 and we’re impressed by the results, although they sell for around Rs. 5,000+ for the larger sizes.Square filters offer the advantage of being able to slot in and out quickly. While these work fine, the risk of the shot being ruined from light leaks is much higher than a screw in type. Prices range from around Rs. 2,500 for normal sizes.A handy tip is to buy the biggest screw-in filter you can afford, and use a stepping ring so it can fit on all your other lenses without having to buy a new filter for each lens.

Wavelength & Other Infrared Options 720nm is considered standard IR. I believe it is best to start off with this wavelength. There are others available such as 900nm models (RM90), but the prices of these are astronomical. We have seen them going for around Rs. 1,500+. These are reserved for serious IR photographers with deep pockets only!There is another option for IR photography if you do not want to use a filter. You can have your DSLR converted permanently to capture the IR spectrum. This can be done by sending away your camera and a lens to be calibrated. It is very expensive, and leaves your camera only able to shoot in IR.

What/When to Shoot? One of the most popular IR genres is landscape photography. Because of the effects of IR, foliage can be rendered pure white when processed, making photos look eerie, and have a haunting sense about them. Example subjects to experiment with include trees, flowers and grass.Ideal conditions for IR photography are a bright sunny days, rendering (when false color processed) skies a deep blue and foliage a bright white. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get brilliant results on overcast days. With the longer exposure times available to you with the IR filter fitted, results will be similar to a Neutral Density (ND) filter, giving a strong sense of motion to the photograph. It is up to you to experiment, so don’t be limited by these example subjects and situations!

Lens Issues Certain lenses can produce abnormalities when shooting in IR, namely hotspots. When looking at an image, a bright, discolored ring can be seen in the middle of the photograph when it has been affected.Other issues can occur such as streaks over the image. These can be minimized is post-production, but are a real pain to deal with.Currently, there is no truly comprehensive list to show what lenses work well, and what lenses produce hotspots, but there are some helpful forums online who have written on a number of popular lenses to help you see what lenses could cause you problems when shooting.

1. Setting Up Setting up the camera is an important step in the process to getting great IR photos. Do not attach the IR filter until you have completed the necessary steps, including focusing, exposure and white balance. First, set up your camera on a sturdy tripod. Put your camera bag on the hook of your tripod to add extra weight and minimize movement. Next are a few settings that are important to help you get the cleanest image possible:

Shoot RAW: Shooting RAW allows you to easily alter the white balance in post-production without any problems clipping colors. Shoot in uncompressed RAW so you get the most bits possible. This will give you greater flexibility when processing later. Never shoot JPEG, otherwise when processing images, noise and clipping will become more apparent.

Turn off long exposure noise reduction: Because of the long exposures involved in IR photography, turning off long exposure noise reduction will mean no in-camera noise processing, resulting in no lag when the shutter closes. This also means you can finely tune the strength of the noise-reduction later.

Turn on exposure delay mode/use mirror lockup: Turning on exposure delay mode or using mirror lock up will make sure vibrations from the mirror are minimized when you release the shutter.

Remote release/self timer: Using a remote release is optional, but will further reduce vibrations as you will not be touching the camera when you release the shutter. Alternatively, you can use a 2 second self-timer if you do not have a remote.

2. White Balance White balance is an important part of getting a decent IR image. You can use a pre-set value, or you can use Pre-White Balance to capture the White Balance in the current conditions. Either way, you will need to alter it in post-production to get any desirable results.

Using preset White Balance values is fine. Incandescent is the coolest preset available. Taking a pre-white balance reading from a subject when on location is even better. Because IR will make foliage under sunlight white, this is what the white balance target will be. Go into the white balance menu and select ‘PRE’ as the white balance. Then… Press OK Select ‘Measure’ and press OK. Select ‘Yes’ and overwrite any pre-existing data Make sure in the viewfinder, the subject is mostly green. A good idea is to aim for a patch of grass. Take a shot, and wait for your camera to report back. It will either say ‘Data Acquired’ or ‘Gd’. If the camera flashes ‘Unable to acquire’ or ‘No Gd’, then make sure you expose properly. The resulting exposure will be heavily tinted red/magenta/orange. This will be corrected later in post-production.

4. Focusing & Stabilization Focusing is a difficult part of IR photography and can be a bit hit and miss in some respects unless your lens has IR focusing marks (Usually a small red nib, or on older lenses, a longer red line). It is best to use a narrow aperture, such as f/20, to ensure a large depth of field and minimize focusing issues. If your lens does have IR focusing marks, focus manually, and adjust accordingly to focal length. If your lens does not have IR focus marks, it is pretty much impossible to focus properly without a bit of a trick. One of the best things you can do is to set a small aperture to ensure you have a large depth of field. This little trick will make sure your shots are sharp, but it does mean you cannot use wider apertures for shallow DOF effects. Without converting your camera to permanent IR and sending your lens away to be calibrated, there is nothing else that can be done to achieve consistent focus at wider apertures. However, feel free to experiment. First focus and compose on your subject as normal with Autofocus. Then switch to manual focus. If you have a lens which has a rotating front thread, be very careful not to move it! Make sure any image stabilization systems are turned off. VR/IS/OS is not required because the camera is on a tripod, and also because the lens will try and make adjustments when not needed, which could result in a blurry photo.

5. Aperture One of the most important settings in your exposure setup is to use a small aperture. This is not only great for landscape shots, giving you a larger depth of field, but it also minimizes focusing issues as explained in the focusing section above.

6. ISO Next set the ISO. Generally, it is best to use as low an ISO as possible to minimize noise. Taking into account the length of the exposure, I would recommend a maximum of ISO 800 for shots between 10 seconds and 1 minute, and a maximum of ISO 400 for shots over 1 minute. Any greater than these values, and you will risk of having copious amounts of noise and hot pixels in post-production. Sometimes however, this is unavoidable. Also remember that going from ISO 100 to 200, for example, will half the time you are waiting for an IR exposure. So an 8 minute exposure at ISO 100, can be a 4 minute exposure at ISO 200. Only a slight increase in noise will be noticeable and it’s a good idea if you are pushed for time!

7. Shutter Speed The last setting to choose is shutter speed. At first it will be an experimental process to determine exposure time. Most often you will need bulb mode, so be sure to bring a stopwatch! IR filters are dense and force slower shutter speeds, in the same way as ND filters, so you can calculate the amount of stops you need to compensate for by using an exposure calculator/chart, or you can work it out for yourself. So for example, if your visible light exposure is 1/30th, ISO 100, f/11, and your best resulting exposure in IR after experimentation is 1 second, then you know your filter is equivalent to a 5-stop reduction in light.

8. Taking the Shot, Finally! Finally, you can screw the IR filter to the lens/stepping ring. Be careful not to adjust any settings or accidentally nudge the focus ring. You are ready to take the shot, so go ahead. Press the button, and await the results.

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/review-samsung-nx1000-review/

REVIEW: Samsung NX1000 Review

First Impressions Our devices are getting smarter, and can most times do more than just their primary role. Yes, even beyond our smartphones and tablets (and PC’s of course) – almost every gadget is a multi-tasker, it would seem. Cameras now have built-in Wi-Fi functionality, along with GPS for geo-tagging and instant sharing with friends and family over social networks. The NX1000 is one such candidate from Samsung – I’m not expecting it to be mind-blowing with image quality, but let’s see what it has to offer.

Review The NX1000 (especially the white one) is a handsome looking camera, with nicely laid out buttons and dials all around the back and top – with good use of space and great quality of materials used. Once you start shooting, you realize how easy to use the whole camera is – though it’s not that quick. Not quick to get Auto-focus, nor quick to share, edit and review images. Maybe I’m a bit harsher on cameras – but I really do expect the best from each one of them, especially if they cost a good amount of money. The NX1000 does take good pictures in good lighting, but in slightly low lighting conditions – the images are too soft and colour noise starts creeping in. Not that much, but it’s there – especially at higher ISOs. There is an external flash provided with the package, which mounts on the standard hot-shoe, but that could’ve been avoided with an in-built flash. The images were a little soft straight out of the NX1000 at the default sharpening setting and ideally require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting for JPEG files. The night photograph was excellent, with the maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds and bulb mode of 8 minutes allowing you to capture plenty of light. Wi-Fi implantation is easy to use and works well, but there is no touchscreen so entering your user name and pwd takes a lot longer than you expect. Plus, videos of only lower resolution can be directly uploaded to your YouTube account – which is a bit disappointing. However, sharing images on Facebook and Picasa is easy and fairly quick – the Menu is navigate from the images you took, to sharing them is as easy as on most smartphones. Of course, don’t expect to have features like tagging your friends and such to be present in the camera too, but overall the feature is neat – there is an app available as well to control the NX1000 remotely. Samsung’s various Picture Wizard options are similar to Olympus’ Picture Modes, Nikon’s Picture Styles and Canon’s Picture Controls, offering preset combinations of different sharpness, contrast, saturation and colour tone settings, all of which can be changed. There are many more fun modes as well, which basically introduce ‘creative’ effects on the images you take.

VIDEO Full HD video can be captured quite well, but changing aperture while shooting is quite a task – since you have to do that from the Menu screen. There is a terrible shutter roll effect as well, but nothing out of the ordinary.  

SPECIFICATIONS 20.3 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor Samsung NX mount, Samsung Lenses 3” LCD, 9,21,000 dots Full HD Video Recording SD, SDHC, SDXC card support In-built Wireless adapter Geo-Tagging with Option GPS Module micro USB, micro HDMI ports.

Verdict For almost 35K, this camera is loaded with goodies for the beginner photographer – or the casual social media junkie, looking for some manual controls to explore. The image quality may not be as high as some of the competition, but it’s the unique features that Samsung is banking on – something I don’t really feel too enthusiastic about.

Exhibit Rating: 3.5 / 5

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/review-htc/

REVIEW: HTC One

First Impressions

Not every high-end smartphone will evoke the same reactions from the people, but there are some common reactions that the One from HTC will certainly get. That of sheer delight. With its light-weight unibody design, to its excellent aesthetics and even the front positioning of its dual-speakers (top and bottom) – everything feels right. But I kept digging for the faults and after a while, found just a few, and really started falling in love with the phone.

 Review

The One feels so light-weight and ‘premium’ in your hands that you wish every high-end smartphone was built this way. The aluminium unibody design impresses, but on the very edge of the glass there is the tiniest gap that might collect some unwanted lint. The right panel houses the volume rocker which feels part of the side panel itself and is kinda hard to operate. The top panel has the power/lock key which also doubles up as an IR blaster, a fairly neat feature, as well as the 3.5mm audio jack. On the right you’d find the micro-SIM tray that can ejected with a pointy pin and on the bottom is the microUSB/micro-HDMI slot and mic. There are dual speakers in the front, one at the top and one below the soft key buttons on the bottom – with the HTC proprietary Boom Sound. Beats Audio integration really helps it to give it some amazing audio output. You can’t open the back panel though, which means no microSD card slot nor replaceable battery.

Coming over to Sense UI 5.0 with the updated ‘Blinkfeed’ feature, I really thought it was a great addition to have to such a clean and fluid UI experience. Blinkfeed essentially brings you a list of stories that you can subscribe to (including Exhibit Magazine) and stay updated on-the-go. You can also include your social networking feeds, as well as post updates directly to Facebook and Twitter. Overall, the UI feels crisp, smooth and snappy. HTC has customized the Android experience deeply, but it’s a good change – though some quirks like long pressing the home screen will not give you the option to update wallpapers, seems confusing at first. Once you get used to the overall usability, though, things are a whole lot better.

The camera has some cool new features, some of them are gimmicky – like I found them on the Lumia 920. It’s a great camera though, doesn’t matter the resolution only goes till 4MP, the ultra-pixel technology really helps it out in low lit conditions. Especially when compared to the best smartphone cameras, it can hold its own. The Zoe feature takes you take moving images (a la Cinemagraph on the Lumia 920) or images with audio. More gimmicks, but some of them can be used rather creatively, as we’ve already seen on many ad’s by HTC. Full HD video recording is also superb, perhaps one of the best on a smartphone right now.

You can’t talk about the best Android experience on a smartphone without mentioning the benchmark scores, to be honest – some of these are not even a true reflection of a phone’s sheer power.  But the One does out-muscle most phones thanks to its Snapdragon 600 chipset and the 1.7 GHz quad-core Krait 300 processor, coupled with Adreno 320 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. It can’t much up to the power of the S4, but in real world usage they both feel and perform pretty much the same way.

 Verdict

No matter how you look at it, there is no denying that the One is the best looking smartphone in the market right now. It also is a beast with its performance and has a crisp, smooth and sexy UI. If you have the pockets for it, the One is the phone to have! No questions asked.

 DISPLAY

With 468 ppi, the 4.7″ Super LCD 3 screen with full HD resolution is just stunning. With excellent colour contrasts and amazing viewing angles too. Outdoors, it even outdoes the Samsung Galaxy S4 and also the iPhone 5. Colours are more natural, though the AMOLED of the S4 has more saturation.

 SPECS

4.7″ Super LCD 3 full HD screen

1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600

Android OS v4.1.2 Jelly Bean

Adreno 320 GPU | 2 GB RAM

4 MP rear cam with LED flash, 2.1 MP front cam

Full HD video on both cams

32/64 GB internal memory

Exhibit Rating: 5/5

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/review-samsung-galaxy-s4/

REVIEW: Samsung Galaxy S4

First Impressions

With Android’s latest OS (v4.2.2) rolled out directly out of the box in the S4, it straight away puts itself a small step ahead of the HTC One. But then again, it is still a plastic built phone with a design not that much different from the S3. It’s actually a mini Note II in some ways, especially when it comes to camera mic and SIM slots inside the back panel. But the best of the lot? Hmm..

 Review

Right from the more compact frame to the 3gms lighter body, the S4 is certainly an improvement over the S3. Only by that much. However, once you unlock and start using these new ‘Samsung’ features is when you will see the start differences. The TouchWiz UI is certainly a lot smoother and runs extremely responsively on the quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor. It feels great to hold and operate though the plastic feel is quite a downer. The button layout is a lot more comfortable in the S4, with the lock/power button on the right and volume rocker standing out from the left panel. The 3.5 mm audio jack is on the top and the micro USB port on the bottom, with the mic. A nice touch is the chrome band running across the borders of the phone which really add a much better grip, over the S3 and even the Note II.

TouchWiz UI with Android’s 4.2.2 are certainly a treat to use, with various multi-touch and gestures built in to enable various features. Like the customizable lock screen with multiple widgets and a 2 finger swipe down once unlocked, that brings up the extended control menu for settings. Talking of which, once you enter the main Settings menu, is where you see a rather disappointing change. Rather than have a single flowing menu, Samsung have adopted a tabbed settings layout which looks rather lame. Thankfully, all other changes are great.

The 13MP shooter on the back is another great piece of hardware, easily taking some of the best photos on a smartphone. It did feel a bit slow to cycle through, and has one of the best HDR modes in any smartphone cam, but it does struggle a bit in low light conditions. Again, the Lumia 920 and iPhone have better performances there.

In terms of sheer performance and the ability to handle as many apps as you want, there is perhaps none better. I installed at one point nearly 40 different apps which included 20 graphic-intensive games on the S4, yet is sailed along smoothly and confidently. No matter what benchmark you test the S4 on, it will perhaps be the one at the top – though we haven’t seen any octa-core variants come in the Indian market as of now.

Verdict

For all the nerds who have always wanted a smartphone that just allowed them to do more, the Galaxy S4 is the ONE. But, it’s not for everyone, especially those who get the feeling of being overwhelmed by technology once a manufacturer starts introducing more features in their favourite product line. The S4 is a solid phone overall, a beast of a performer, though not as sexy as the HTC One, nor with an attractive UI. But it really digs deep in functionality and begs you to do more and push it more. Without ever flinching.

DISPLAY

At 441 ppi, the S4 theoretically isn’t as sharp as the HTC One. Though it must be said that it still looks just as good, though the colour contrasts are better and deeper. That’s mostly down to the fact that Samsung has stuck to its Super AMOLED tech for displays, which makes full HD look that much richer. Though not as natural as the IPS LCD’s of the world.

 SPECS

5″ full HD Super AMOLED display

1.5 GHz quad-core Cortex-A15 processor

Android OS v4.2.2 Jelly Bean

PowerVR SGX 544MP3 GPU | 2GB RAM

13MP rear cam with LED flash, 2MP front cam

Full HD video on both cams

16 GB internal memory, microSD card slot to expand up to 64 GB

 Exhibit Rating: 5/5

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/review-blackberry-q10/

REVIEW: Blackberry Q10

First Impressions

It’s been 4 months since we saw the first BB OS 10 device, the Z10, and now we have the first device on OS 10.1 – the Q10.

With a physical keypad. Yes, BB is going back to its roots. The move is obviously targeted at BB Fan Boys and the Enterprise, with the OS 10.1 bringing in a whole lot bug fixes and improvements for it. The Q10 has been designed well, felt good in the hands the first time I held it and takes the goodness of OS 10 along with a neat touchscreen UI with the gesture interface intact. But can it take BB back to its glory days?

Review

The excellent build quality and well thought of design makes you wonder if BB has got things right this time. Plus, the display looks great on a Super AMOLED screen – a first for BB. But, it’s a 1:1 aspect ratio and the design (on peering) doesn’t feel that different from the exclusive BB Porsche. In any case, the physical keypad extends end-to-end and feels seamlessly part of the side panels. No touchpads needed here, as the touchscreen works pretty well in conjunction with the keypad, but the overall experience just doesn’t feel that great. Or maybe I’m used to touchscreen phones for far too long, either way – something doesn’t click while using this phone on an extended basis. The UI is pretty similar to the one we saw on the Z10, with notable upgrades like BlackBerry Balance, BlackBerry Remeber and BBM Video with Screen Share. BlackBerry Balance let’s you keep your work and personal accounts separate at all times, the Remember feature is pretty similar to Evernote and updates to BBM are nice, but a bit delayed in getting there. They’ve made the search function a lot better too and you can do basic things like “TXT Ashish I will be late” integrated into the SMS apps, but it’s nothing unique. Voice control also lets you most of these things but I tried hard to make it work, with only 50% success. Maybe it didn’t like my accent, whereas Siri and S-voice had no such issues. Multimedia and gaming isn’t fun on this phone, largely due to the strange 1:1 aspect ratio of the screen. Some games looked ‘compressed’ whereas HD videos are just strange to look at! BB does redeem itself by providing some good quality earphones with the Q10, but the audio quality is just about okay. There are no lags, no bumps, everything is smooth – but some of the functionalities of the OS are still counter-intuitive. I still don’t like the way the apps tend to open up in the ‘Recent Apps’ window, rather than just opening up instantly once I tap ‘em.

ENTERPRISE

Clearly the target segment for BB with the Q10, there are loads of great features and smaller improvements that should prove helpful for the Enterprise community. Like the Calendar app, which syncs well with your mail account and even shows the ‘People’ (in a separate tab) – for a Meeting invite. With added security features and an excellent ‘Documents to Go’ app, there is much to love- if that’s the only thing you want to do with the Q10.

Specification:

3.1 inch Super AMOLED (720×720) display

1.5 GHz dual-core processor | 2GB RAM

BB OS 10.1

8MP rear cam with flash, 2MP front cam

16 GB internal, microSD card slot

2,100mAh battery, 139 gms body weight

Verdict: 

With a lack of apps and a strange aspect ratio of the display, the Q10 will find it really hard to make the cut with the likes of HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5 in the same price bracket. If you are a BB fanboy, even then you’ll have a hard choice – this is after all one of the most expensive offerings from the Canadians. Sadly though, with all its improvements and excellent build quality, there isn’t much else going for the Q10. Which would mean only two things – either BB will release a cheaper model rather quickly, or slash down the price of this particular phone. In any case, it’s best to wait this one out.

Price: Rs.44 990/-

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/successfully-yours/

Successfully Yours!

Who doesn’t like gifting and being gifted? While gifting shows how much we love our dear ones and care for them, there are some gifts that ‘show-off’ your love.

Following is the success story of some luxury brands, which when teemed together may cost you a fortune. Or expectedly more than that. So if ever you want to stand out not just by blowing your own trumpet with the price tag that these products come with but also with your choice of exquisite designs, style and substance, you know what exactly you need!

The exquisite wine brand Dom Pérignon that derives its name from the pioneer of winemaking, Dom Pierre Pérignon, the brand happens to be the most iconic symbol of both power and playfulness. With his unique techniques in winemaking business, Dom Pérignon’ has done a huge favor for wine lovers. When he gave a new twist to Champagne, he said “Come quickly I am tasting the stars”. Anyone who swears by Dom Pérignon will agree with this assertion made by him. The brand is one of the oldest Luxury brands in the world.

                          DON PERIGNON

His resolute devotion towards the quest of making “the best wine in the world” is what makes him exemplary.

History:

Before the young monk Dom Pierre Pérignon became the cellarer at the Benedictine Hautvillers Abbey in the western hills of the Marne in 1668, there was only what was known as the “wine of Champagne”. With amazing intuition, and introduction of new wine-making techniques, he was the first to see the fabulous promise of luxury and thus gave it body, spirit and grace.

Inspired by the inventor, the brand of vintage Champagne, produced by the Champagne house Moët & Chandon, its first vintage was in the year 1921 that was released only in 1936 for sale.

Journey:

A vintage champagne that is only made in the best years, all the grapes used to make the wine are harvested in the same year.

Its first buyers were 150 customers of Simon Bros & Co, the company that imported Moët in the United Kingdom, which ordered the first 300 bottles. It received immediate recognition in the marketplace and almost 100 boxes were shipped to the US thereafter. According to the current cellar master Richard Geoffroy, who has been the Chef de Cave for the brand since 1990, the 1921 collection comprised sandalwood, vanilla and praline.

Until the 1943 vintage, Dom Pérignon was produced from regular vintage Moët & Chandon Champagne that was transferred to the special 18th century style bottles after extended cellaring. From 1947 vintage, Dom Pérignon has been produced separately from the start.

The first vintage of Dom Pérignon Rose was released in the year 1959.

Highlights:

·         The brand has been loved and appreciated by some leading figures of the world including James Buchanan Duke, the billionaire who had founded the American Tobacco Company and ordered 100 bottles for himself. His daughter, Doris Duke had kept 17 bottles in her cellar and sold the same at an auction in Christie’s in New York City in June 2004.

·         In 1971, the Shah of Iran ordered quite a few bottles of the first vintage of Dom Pérignon Rosé (the 1959 vintage) for the 2,500th year celebration of the Persian Empire. One of the champagne bottles from that lot was auctioned for €24,758 in 2008.

·         In 1981, Dom Pérignon was chosen for the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles.

·          The brand is often traded at wine auctions

·          On 17th April, 2010, a new record was set for the sale of wine in Britain where a buyer spent more than €35,000 for Methuselah, 1996 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rose.

What’s next?:

The current count of bottles produced in each vintage is close to 2 millions. The latest release of Dom Pérignon is from the 2003 vintage and the current release of Dom Pérignon Rosé is from the 2002 vintage. More than what’s next, we’re now curious to know, when’s next!

                      ULYSSE NARDIN

There has to be a reason as to why watches perform functions more than one – be it the date/month/year informer, the alarm clock, compass, thermometer, to watches having GPS technology, heart-rate monitoring techniques all rolled in various shapes, sizes and styles – watches have gradually become the reason behind people turning green with envy.

History:

Famous for its complicated, yet stylish mechanical watches, Ulysse Nardin, the man was born in the year 1823. The watch making traits in him ticked quite early, thanks to his father Leonard–Frederic Nardin under whom he studied horology. With expert watchmakers Frederic William Dubois; and Louis Jean Richard-dit-Bressel, the company was established in the year 1846. It started off being a famous manufacturer of marine chronometers that were made from a mountainous location in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. After his death in the year 1876, his 21 year old son Paul-David Nardin took over. While it set landmarks in the field of watch making for more than a century, in 1983, the company was taken over by Businessman Rolf Schnyder who re-launched the brand along with watch maker Ludwig Oechslin.

Journey:

Rolf Schnyder and Ludwig Oechslin – Parners-In-Time

Rolf Schnyder: While he was 22, Rolf was hired by a Swiss Trading Company and sent to Bangkok to distribute Swiss Timepieces in Thailand. In 1968, he founded the first Swiss Factory in Thailand to produce precision watch components for export in Switzerland. Later, he built a watch case factory in Manila and a dial factory in Kuala Lumpur that produced a variety of precision watch components for the Swiss Watch Industry. While there, he did things not many people could imagine, which included learning the language over there, building a raft at the Burmese border and floating down the famous River Kwai, camping on the beach at Phuket, visiting China during the Cultural Revolution and lots more. A multitasker, the young Rolf made sure that he worked hard and played harder. He’d play rugby for Royal Bangkok Sports Club, has been a veteran snow skier and even won the Hong Kong water ski marathon in 1967.

During one of his annual visits to St. Morritz in 1983, he learnt that Ulysse Nardin was up for sale; this was the time when Switzerland’s watch industry was in doldrums. And everything that followed is history. On his 75th birthday, Rolf launched a new limited edition called Freak Diavolo to commemorate his achievements.

Ludwig Oechslin: Born in the small Italian village, Gabicce Mare in 1952, he studied philosophy, archeology, ancient history, astronomy, theoretical physics and Greek at the Universities of Basel and Berne. Besides having a strong liking for the Classical World and Science, he also showed interest in micro-mechanics. His foray into watchmaking makes for an interesting anecdote. Ludwig visited a small shop where he spotted a minute repeater wristwatch. As he couldn’t afford purchasing it, he thought of learning to make one himself. Thus at the age of 24, Oechslin studied watchmaking and antique timepiece restoration under Jörg Spörling in Lucerne. After his apprenticeship, he continued his post-doctoral studies in Stuttgart, followed by further studies in Vienna and the Deutsches Museum in Munich.

At a reception of Spörling’s studio in Lucerne, Rolf had a chance meeting with Ludwig, when Rolf spotted an astrolabe (ancient device used during the Middle Ages to measure time by calculating the height of the celestial bodies above the horizon that helps one calculate the length of the days, solstices, length of the seasons, solar and lunar eclipses and so on) built by Oechslin along with Spörling. This impressed him to no limits and Schnyder’s vision and Oechslin’s genius, along with their respective philosophies, came together and re-launched the brand in 1983.

Thus, using modern materials and manufacturing techniques, Schnyder, Oechslin and the company’s staff designed and created complicated timepieces.

Highlights:

·         With the introduction of Astrolabium Galileo Galilei in the year 1985, the company showcased its new approach. The watch displays local and solar time, the orbits and eclipses of the sun, moon and positions of several major stars at any given hour as seen from the Earth as well as sunrise and sunset, dawn and dusk, moonphases, moonrise and moonset, eclipses of sun and moon.  This was followed by two other astronomical watches, the Planetarium Copernicus launched in 1988 and Tellurium Johannes Keppler launched in the year 1992. These three pieces constitute the ‘Trilogy of Time’ tag given by the brand.

·         Astrolabium Galileo Galilei entered the list of Guinness Book of World Records for being the world’s most functional watch having 21 distinct features.

·         In 1996, when the company celebrated 150 years, it released the 1846 Chronometer.

·         In various exhibitions held in Paris, London, Tokyo or Buenos Aires, the brand has received a total of 14 Grand Prix (First Prizes), including ‘The Prize Medal’, ‘The Progress                Medal”, 10 Gold Medals, 2 Prix d’Honneur and 2 Silver Medals

·         Schnyder was awarded the “Spirit of Enterprise” Gaia Award in 2003 by the Musee International d’Horlogerie for his achievements and commitments.

·         Rolf Schnyder was followed by the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve Asian Edition in Singapore for his continued contributions towards watch making technology and innovations.

·          ‘The Perpetual Ludwig’, named for its distinguished designer, is the first perpetual calendar watch in history which can be set forward and backward with a single winding crown.

The brand’s collection of ‘El Toro’ and ‘Stranger’ are worth a special dekko!

El Toro: In 1996, Ulysse Nardin launched the first perpetual Calendar which allowed forward and backward adjustment of all calendar functions over a single crown. This invention set a benchmark in the history of watchmaking and combined tech with comfort.  Inspired by the same, El Toro comes with a very contemporary design. The watch comes with an exclusive time zone quick-setting system. Moreover, the hour hand is adjusted instantly to a new local time with pushers (+/-). Available in a masculine 18 carat rose-gold case with a silver/blue dial, bezel and pushers made in ceramic, also emphasize the complementary rose-gold and blue.

The price range of the watch is between Rs. 30,28,080 to Rs. 38,13,744

Stranger:  Emulating the classical music box that plays the remarkable song of 1966 “Strangers in the Night” by Frank Sinatra, this exquisite watch bears Ulysse Nardin’s partner, musician Dieter Meier’s signature. With the latest development being the mechanical selfwinding musical watch, Ulysse Nardin has gone a step ahead by incorporating silicum technology for the escapement and anchor of its in-house manufactured UN-690 movement. An inimitable combo of music and time, aesthetics and function, the song can be heard hourly or on call by triggering a pusher.

With a price tag of Rs. 61,10,720, the watch is surely worth a catch!

What’s next?:

The brand has already launched 5 new watches, namely Classico Serpent (Limited Edition), Maxi Marine Diver, Executive Dual Time Lady, Carnival of Venice (Limited Edition) and Stranger (Limited Edition that also plays the melodious “Strangers in the Night” by Frank Sinatra).

How the cliché black and brown travel bags, with chains and locks embracing it, evolved and became a style statement can’t be really traced. But it is obvious that travelling was never so fashionable and keeping this in mind, Tumi is a welcome change with its range of travel, business, day bags and small accessories.

            TUMI

History:

Based in South Plainfield, New Jersey, Tumi was founded by Charlie Clifford in the year 1975 after a stint in the Peace Corps in Peru. Derived from the name of a Peruvian ceremonial knife used for sacrifices, the bags’ features are as unique as the knife itself.

The 69-year-old founder of the Company, Charlie Clifford, had an MBA degree in Marketing. But he said a no to a corporate job in Marketing to start a business where he sold rugged leather bags made in South America in the year 1974.

When the Executive Director of Travel Goods Association, a place where he worked, asked him to think of a name for the Company, Charlie thought of Tumi as it was the national symbol of Peru. But the name sounded Japanese, Italian or Finnish, too. To add on, even their Dog was named Tumi.

Journey:

38 years old now, Tumi’s range of bags are known for its business, lifestyle and luxury travel accessories. In the 1980s, when it introduced the soft, ultra-functional, black-on-black ballistic nylon travel bags it raised the level of travelling to altogether different heights. Its modern design and unparalleled performance in the wheeled luggage and business case categories increased its brand loyalty throughout the 1990s.

A London based private equity firm, Doughty Hanson & Co, took over Tumi for $276M in the year 2004. Jerome Griffith became the CEO of Tumi Inc. in 2009.

On 19th April, 2012, Doughty Hanson & Co, sought to spinoff Tumi in an IPO as Tumi Holdings Inc. After an initial opening day surge of 44%, Tumi Holdings Inc’s stock price has dropped over 30%.

Highlights:

Ø  It holds more than 25 patents for its design and engineering breakthroughs. To add to it, Tumi has been consistently recognized by leading consumer publications as the “best” product in the travel and business categories.

Ø  In 2006, the company teamed with designer Anish Kapoor to produce the PowerPack Backpack. This backpack integrated solar technology for charging phones and PDAs.

Ø  In 2006 itself, they had a licensing agreement with Ducati, the Italian motorcycle manufacturer. They launched eight co-branded pieces where they sold through both the brands’ retail outlets.

Ø  In 2011, Tumi collaborated with Graffiti artist John Matos and launched the “Tumi TAG” Charity auction to aid the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA).

Ø  With a metal plate having an exclusive 20-digit registration number on each of its bags, users can register for the Tumi Tracer program. With the help of this program, Tumi users can have their contact info entered into a central database and find their bags, in case they’re lost! What’s next?:

In addition to its broad range of products that includes luggage, business cases, handbags, small leather goods, executive accessories, electronics, gifts, pens and watches, the brand plans to introduce performance activewear for travelers and men’s accessories including cuff links, belts and more.

                                SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

“Women need food, water, and compliments. That’s right. And an occasional pair of shoes.”

These lines by Chris Rock, an American Comedian, Actor, Director, Screenwriter, TV and Film Producer phrases women’s love for shoes and its necessity quite well. Salvatore Ferragamo, the Italian Shoe Designer was quick in reckoning this soft spot amongst women. How this love furthered and expanded in different categories is commendable.

History:

The brand gets its name from the famous Italian shoe designer, Salvatore Ferragamo (1898-1960). The young Salvatore, at the age of nine made his first pair of shoes for his sisters and knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He studied shoemaking in Naples for a year and opened a small store in his parents’ home. He worked with many Hollywood stars in the 1920s, before returning to Italy, and founded Salvatore Ferragamo where he made unique handmade footwear. ­Situated in Florence, today the brand specializes in shoes, leather goods and ready-to-wear for men and women. The parent company to Ferragamo Group, it also licenses eyewear and watches. Salvatore’s shoes were not just good-looking but also scientifically correct.

With a network of over 550 mono-brand stores, the Ferragamo group runs operations in Italy thus making it one of the most widely known and chosen brand in Europe, America and Asia.

Journey:

When Salvatore opened the Hollywood Boot Shop in California in the year 1923, he was already a celebrity shoemaker making customized shoes for some renowned personalities like Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson, Marilyn Monroe, Eva Peron, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Princess Diana, Maharani of Cooch Behar and handbags for Margaret Thatcher. In 1927, he moved from California and set up a shoe shop in Florence, Italy. Bankrupt in 1933 due to the Great Depression, the company saw an upward move by 1938 when he was actually in a position to buy the Palazzo Spini Feroni, one of the greatest Palaces in Florence.

Post the Second World War, the company flourished and the workforce was expanded to 700 craftsmen producing 350 pairs of handmade shoes, daily. Post his death in 1960, his widow, Wanda, took care of running the business and expanding its operations to include eyewear, perfume, silk accessories, belts, scarves, bags, watches and ready-to-wear clothing line.

The Ferragamo family has a long list of descendants, but according to a rule only three members can work at the company. This also created a fierce competition amongst the family members. The family thus announced that 48% of the company will be on float at the stock market. Besides Wanda, her six children also assist her and hold important positions in the business. Since October, 2006, Michele Norsa, an outsider has served as the Managing and General Director.

Highlights:

·         Salvatore was the one who came up with the idea of wedge and cage heels that have made many feet proud done a lot of good to many feet. The shell-shaped sole, the invisible sandal, metal heels and soles, 18-carat gold sandal, the sock-shoe, sculpture heels, gloved arch shoe (made for the Maharani of Cooch Behar in 1938) are other landmark creations. The company is also famous for the ‘Gancini’ collection, the Salvatore bag and the use of patchwork.

·         Salvatore received the Neiman Marcus Award in 1947

·         His eldest daughter Fiamma, who died in 1998 had inherited her father’s peerless talent and came up with the ‘Vara Pumps’ in 1978. She too won various awards, including the Designer of the year in 1988, ‘Saks Fifth Avenue Awards’ in 1969, Neiman Marcus Italian Fortnight in 1975, and so on.

·         Wanda Ferragamo has won close to 15 awards, including International Woman of the Year in 1982, has been the ‘Knight of Industry of the Italian Republic’ since 1987, she was named the ‘Patron’ of the British Institute of Florence in 2002, been declared the ‘2002 Entrepreneurial Champion by the ‘Committee of 200’ in the Luminary Awards in New York. In 2011, she was awarded the Fashion Group International’s Legend Award at the 28th Annual Night of the Stars Gala.

·         The Palazzo Spini Feroni that houses the company’s flagship outlet also has a museum dedicated to Salvatore’s life and his works.

·         The company also launched “My Ferragamo”, a new addition to the brand that was targeted towards the younger generation.

                                HARRY WINSTON

While the credit for strengthening the bond between a girl and diamonds should go to American Jeweler Harry Winston, he should also be recognized for including diamonds as a part of men’s accessories, too. Winston, who changed the face of diamonds into art and revolutionized modern jewelry design, has inspired many designers and craftsmen to create infinitely beautiful jewels having the right mix of style and substance.

History:

Named after its founder Harry Winston, the company was launched in the year 1932 and has its headquarters in New York. 81 years old today, Harry Winston quickly picked up and gained the reputation of having fine diamonds and gemstones. Winston created jewels were favored by royals, maharajas and Hollywood’s elite. The brand deals with exquisite pieces of jewelry including earring, wedding bands, rings, pendants, brooches, necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks, timepieces and so on. Harry Winston, Inc.’s retail locations are called salons in almost 20 cities across the world, including New York, Tokyo, London, Paris, Shanghai and Singapore. Be it the Avenue and Premier Collections, the innovation of Ocean and elegance of Harry Winston Midnight, or the mind-blowing brilliance of High Jewelry Timepieces, Harry Winston has kept alive its horological heritage by adding up to its collections.

Journey:

The Harry Winston story dates back to the time when Harry’s father Jacob started a small jewelry business in the US after migrating from Ukraine along with his mother. When Harry was 12, he recognized a two-carat emerald in a pawn shop, purchased it for 25 cents and sold it two days later for $800. Arabella Huntington’s (wife of the famous railroad magnate Henry Huntington) most prestigious jewelry collection from Parisian jewelers like Cartier was acquired by Winston after Arabella’s death and that is exactly how Winston expanded his empire. Thought quite old-fashioned, he redesigned the jewelry into more contemporary styles and showcased his skills at jewelry crafting. From Marilyn Monroe to Madonna, Jennifer Jones to Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Taylor to Angelina Jolie, each one has adorned their beauty using Harry Winston jewels.

The 45.52 carat blue Hope Diamond, which was discovered in India’s Kollur mines in the 17th Century and had a long list of distinguished owners including Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette, was purchased by Winston in the year 1949 from the estate of American Socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean. As a part of its historic Court of Jewels exhibition, the Hope Diamond travelled to major American cities for four years (1949-1953) to educate people about precious gems and raised money for charitable causes. Finally in 1958, he donated the Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. as a gift to the world. In 1989, the brand introduced fine timepieces and opened a timepiece manufacture in Geneva in 2007. In 2009 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Winston’s donation of Hope to the Smithsonian, HW announced a project to re-design its setting. The setting was chosen by the American public in an online poll and revealed in 2010. In the April of 2012, the company opened its largest salon in Shanghai Xin TianDi.

According to reports, this year on the 14th of January Harry Winston entered into an agreement to sell its luxury brand diamond jewelry and timepiece division to the Swatch Group Ltd. for US $750 million plus their assumptions of up to US $250 million of pro forma net debt. The transaction was all inclusive and included activities related to jewelry and watches, its 535 employees all over the world and the production company in Geneva, Switzerland.

Highlights:

·         Harry Winston became the first jeweler to lend jewelry to an actress, Jennifer Jones, for the Academy Award in the year 1944.

·         In the 1953 musical film ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ the song ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’ includes lines that say, “Talk to me Harry Winston, tell me about it!”

·         To celebrate the fiftieth birthday of the classic 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’, Harry Winston made a pair of ruby slippers made up of actual rubies and diamonds.

·         The brands association with the Opus series has been a remarkable feat. Launched in 2001, Opus is the story of partnership between the brand and the independent watchmakers, which is driven with an aim to fulfill ultimate horological dreams and redefine time in a better way.

·         It won two awards at the Middle East Watches, Jewelry and Pen awards in the year 2006.

·         In 2011, Harry Winston was inducted in the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie as a partner-brand thereby making it one of the companies to join the circle of those wanting to defend the values of technical and precious fine watchmaking.

·         The brand was the winner of the Reader’s Choice Award for Best Jewelry Line.

·         It won three prizes, including the ‘Watch of the Year’  for Opus 12 at the Watch World Awards held in New Delhi, India in October last year, ‘Best Concept Watch of the Year’ for Opus 12 and ‘Fashion Watch of the Year’ for Harry Winston Midnight Moon Phase.

What’s next?:

New Post has been published on http://exhibitmag.com/wondered-whats-trending-car/

Ever wondered Whats' trending with your car?

The modification provides customization, besides the obvious joy of owning and driving a well-crafted piece of metal. Along with the exterior, Executive ModcarTrendz also pays notable attention to refurbishment of the interiors. They not only provide an ultra-cool update but also cater to the comfort of passengers who commute long distances.  Complete with the gadgets and technologies that make everyday life simpler, these mean-machines are sure to impress. Executive Modcar Trendz modifies an automobile to improve its looks, practicality and presentation while increasing the luxury of the car. Unlike the factory-generated automobile, set up for the average customer, luxury provides various possibilities to refine and fine-tune the car according to the owner’s preference. Another key facet of this industry includes improving the aerodynamics of the car by altering the exterior. This includes adding side skirts, front and rear bumpers, spoilers, splitters, air vents and lightweight wheels.

About EMT The Nensey family plunged into the Auto Field after being charmed by the glamour and sheen of the fast driven world. Mr. Nensey recalls the frequent travels abroad, visiting popular Auto exhibitions and interacting with fellow auto-connoisseurs that first generated an urge and passion to form EMT. Entrepreneurial skills running through several generations and an easy knack to read potential markets directed them to assemble a team of skilled artisans, technocrats, designers and engineers that helped mark their seal on this industry. The company pursued to fill the gaping void ofdriven innovations with contemporary and mature designing, impeccable finishing and an individualistic take on upholding quality standards.

Exterior Refurbishment EMT initially progressed their empire by updating cars via pro-kits, body kits, spoilers and other exterior enhancements, the trend being more of a style statement than of any performance significance. Mr. Nensey remarked that although the Auto business is full of luster and glamour it also comes with a set of it’s own drawbacks. The path that appears straight, smooth and bright, soon with time develops into bumps and roadblocks. Team EMT carefully strategized on keeping their business on track bydiverting their entire attention to cater to a niche market by offering a complete customized solution for four wheeled vehicles.

Morphing Sports Cars With having refurbished more than a hundred cars,(which include Fiat, Uno, Maruti Gypsy, Esteem, Honda City, Honda Accord, Lancer, Logan, Zen, Civic, Indigo,Innova, Swift, Matiz, Maruti 800 and Skoda) EMT gained the confidence and skill ofmorphing regular cars into exclusive Sports Cars. One of the great advantages of this process is to provide a regular or a used car and trick it out into looking like an item of luxury. Not everyone in today’s day can set aside their retirement fund or sell their homes to purchase a high-end sports car but EMT provides good options, which most certainly will not run a hole through your pocket! These morphed sports cars are almost like the real thing, with the look of the Italian Exotic and the roar of a lion, one can feel their stomach muscles tighten with every start. The car also comes with a refined suspension along with the comfort and versatility one only dreams of. EMT’s skillful designers play with the dimensions of the donor car to a precision where it’s hard to differ the original from the faux. You can go down to the Mumbai factory in Andheri M.I.D.C. and see for yourself!

Building Palatial Lounges As the market trend diverted from external modification to plush interior modifications, TeamEMT led itself to excel in creating rich cozy interiors almost as dignified and comfortable as interiors of a Royce or a Luxury Liner. Interiors and exteriors of various models of cars including a Beemer were modified or completely re-built in the Executive workshop. Lets look into the some of the specifications the featured modified cars have to offer:

EXECUTIVE MOD LOUNGE ON TOYOTA INNOVA The Executive Mod Lounge on Toyota Innova has been in the news for quite some time and is probably their most well recognized work of craft. This lounge has brought about a huge trend in the modifying industry and to the abundance of Innovas that one sees on the road today.The Executive Mod Lounge on the Toyota Innova is a compact Luxury Lounge, meticulously designed and equipped with trendyfurniture and fittings. Its grand rich interior is very comfortable and the use of color makes it very updated and modern. Two seats having the ability to recline fully are of great use when one needs to catch up on sleep time when on the go. You can also recline it just a little so you’re comfortable enough to sit back and watch your favorite television show via the Satellite TV. TheExecutive Lounge, in addition, has many other modern amenities and one can also pick and choose from other outsourced options to make their vehicle more customized. It comes with a Coffee-machine, fold-out table, Chiller, Television, DVD Player, an efficient lighting system, satellite TV, Roof Mirror, Intercom, Rear view camera and much more. The options for amenities are endless and are continually updated with time.The most intriguing part of the interiors is the manner in which all the facilities are neatly tucked inside when not in use, highlighting the abundance of space the car comes with. Also modifying an ordinary Innova keeps it apart from its “Touristy Roots” and makes your Innova different from the thousands on the road.

EXECUTIVE COZY LOUNGEON MAHINDRA SCORPIO Scorpio, a tough vehicle, designed to have the qualities of a Jeep, has been converted effortlessly into a compact, comfortable and sophisticated lounge. It’s interior has been creatively designed with selected equipment and also boasts of a convenient privacy partition and stretchable reclining chairs. One can also seamlessly add a table, TV, and DVD player ato relax and enjoy their long and short drives.

A BOOST FOR TATA WINGER When the Tata Winger was launched as a medium size passenger vehicle, nobody could have visualized it to be a comfortable lounge or a palace fit for a royal. But EMT worked their magic on the otherwise mundane mini-van to truly creating luxury on four wheels. They have managed toboost its entire image by carefully designing the complete interiors with the use of specific furniture and fixtures. The creative use of paneling helps create a chamberwith a privacy partition. The entire interior is furnished with state of the art technologies that are optional and customized for the customer. Two reclining well-cushioned chairs are installed that can be fully stretched for use as convenient double beds. Two additional cushioned chairs are added with multi purpose tables so that the chamber could also be used as a living or conference room. The driver’s cabin is upholstered and isolated that provides privacy to the main chamber. The entire lounge floor is carpeted and delicately lighted using concealed LED lights. Entertainment facilities like LCD TV, music system and a chiller for your beverages will help keep cool while your on the road in the scorching heat this summer. The lounge is equipped with intercom and rear camera for easy communication and navigation with the driver.

TEMPO TRAVELLER REFASHIONED AS A COMFY LOUNGE The task of designing a luxurious lounge on a Tempo initially posed several predicaments for the Tech-team. It was ultimately resolved by inducting lavish inputs that overcome the Touristy facade of the Tempo Traveller. The interior was exquisitely designed and lavishly furnished with two stretchable sofas convertible into beds, fully furnished floor, fiber glass panels, LCD TV, a surround sound music system, a cooler, LED lights, rear view cameras and mobile and laptop charging docks. Thedriver’s cabin is alsoupholstered and isolated from the main lounge and one can easily communicate via the intercom.

TATA SAFARI A COMPACT COMFORTABLE LOUNGE The Tata Safari is just another passenger vehicle that has been subjected to a revolutionary transformation at the EMT workshop. The task of designing a luxurious space on a TATA SAFARI sprung several problems due to the dimensions of the car. It was ultimately resolved by inducting many novel inputs that favored the car’s interiors. The furnishings used were unique to the work they had done before and the design elements used were regal in nature. Two stretchable sofas, convertible into beds, carpeted floors, fiber glass panels, LCD TV, music system, Cooler, LED lights, rear view camera, mobile and laptop charging docks are just few of the ready available features that EMT has to offer. This model also had a secluded driver’s cabin and an intercom for ease in communication.

A COMPACT LUXURIOUS MULTI PURPOSE CUSTOMISED HOME ON WHEELS

EXECUTIVE MOTOR HOME The EMT group next ventured to construct a complete, all inclusive, luxurious and affordable Motor Home.Its launch was unique to India where one finds scarce options for remodeling of a movable luxury home. This Motor Home is ideal for Business Magnates and opulent Film Stars and can be customized to suit their lifestyles. Executive Motor Home was meticulously designed and built by the team and earned them their distinction as auto-modifiers. It is their most proud and talked about vehicle yet whose grand tour leaves one tongue-tied. Executive Motor Home built on Tata LP1512 Chassis is a complete compact home, distinctive in appearance, attractive in shape, well equipped and luxurious by nature. Built on 26ft long body the entire home is meticulously designed to accommodate almost all facilities required in a livable home. The Motor Home can accommodate seven persons to sleep on spacious beds that can also be converted into a sofa for family fun or business conferences. It also comes with a separate dining table and sofa for four persons to relax and unwind. It has an inbuilt luxury bathroom equipped with a shower, heated water, washbasin and a toilet. The home on wheel provides arrangements for A/c cooling, TV, Chiller, refrigerator, DVD and other amenities according to your preferences. To ensure an undisturbed power supply the home is equipped with a power generator so one can be assured to continually exploit the technology inside. The concept of a motor home is best visualized in the context of its umpteen uses. It provides enjoyment and comfort, as well as productivity during business and leisure travels. It is even more relevant for India, which has innumerable enchanting cities, historic sites, religious places, beautiful rivers and hills which can only be accessed by road. Many of these locations do not have decent lodging and basic facilities but one need not worry if they are in their Motor Home. Travellers can be at liberty to explore and enjoy the wondrous sights and sounds of nature in the arms of luxury. It also provides easy and inexpensive solutions for weekend family getaways and provides a suitable home away from home. Even for business travels, the Executive Motor home provides an ideal solution. Visiting secluded factory sights and travelling long distances for company executives can be made more luxurious. The seven-seat sofa with a table and a captain’s seat form a make-shift conference room for eight people along with 32” TV screen for presentations and video conferencing. Executive Modcar Home has an impressive list of amenities that make living on four wheels comfortable and truly as homely. Below mentioned are the specifications of this four-wheeled wonder.

6 Cozy latex foam beds

1 captain seat + 7 persons sofa seats

4 persons dining table with seating ( totaling 12 seats at a time)

Fire extinguisher

Large overhead storage capacity

DAI KIN air-conditioning

165 lts refrigerator

15 lts chiller

Microwave in kitchenette

Sink, king size shower, wash basin, geyser, toilets

Shoe rack

Generator to supply electric power

32” Sony TV

Sony Playstation

DVD Player

Touch button main screen

Intercom connecting driver

336 lts. Fresh water tank

160 lts. Waste Water tank

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Sarah Jessica Parker to put her best foot (wear) forward!

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When Rannvijay threw his watch!

And no… this didn’t happen in a fit of rage. Brand Ambassador for one of the most innovative offerings,G-Shock, by one of the oldest brand Casio, famous reality show personality Rannvijay Singha launchedthe new offering by Casio. The new range of G-Shock that is equipped with Bluetooth v4.0, thesewatches can interface with an iPhone 4S (iOS 5.1.1 and iOS 6.1) and iPhone 5.

Unveiled by Mr. Masao Naka, MD, Casio India, Mr. Kulbhushan Seth Vice-President, Casio India andthe hot youth icon Rannvijay, the three of them were seen flaunting their respective G-Shock watches.Meant for the cool, tough and adventurous lot, the watches, model no. GB – 5600AB and GB-6900 AB,have features that solve daily problems with a Phone Finder function, Email and Social Networking Sitesalert function, World Time Function, all this with a two-year battery life and more.

Priced at Rs. 9,995/-, the watch keeps in mind the changing expectations of people; shock, water,vibration, current, low temperature and gravitational force resistant, Rannvijay threw his watch todisplay the watch’s toughness.

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IN CONVERSATION WITH MANdANA KARIMI

Your take on technology – a boon or a bane? Well technology makes everyone’s life very easy, comfortable and fast paced. But if I am stuck on some roads in Mumbai I make use of apps like Google Maps. Technology is more of a boon than a bane.

Are you active on social media pages? How do you best connect with your fans?

Yes I am. I’ve got a Facebook fan page and a Twitter account….But I haven’t got free time to chat with my fans. I love taking pictures and tweeting them.

What are the gadgets you cannot live without? I dislike wasting money on what I don’t need to buy! I can’t live without my iPhone. Could you share a moment in your life where technology saved your day? Once I visited a country, there were few people harassing me on the street. I had my manager’s number on my speed dial list and that came to save the day. My phone saved my life(kind of ). You belong to Turkish and Iranian roots. Are your interests in line with the culture you come from? I don’t belong to any kind culture. I have been travelling for so many years and I have been to so many places. For me, when I see something that I like and makes me feel good I will accept it as my own. So I belong to a mixed culture. Yes I do like the place where I was born, but the universe is my hometown. You’re in Vikram Bhatt’s next flick – Bhaag Jhonny. How has the experience been and can you describe your character in the film?

It’s too soon to talk about the movie, but I had the best time of my life! It is like a dream come true. I am very thankful to Allah and my team.

You come with a variety of varying interests and talents, given the different industries you have been a part of previously?

There is much more hard work in films, it is much more of challenging. There is so much to learn. I am very new to this industry, so I just want to do movies & enjoy it and live every single moment to the fullest.

When you’re not working, what activities do you occupy yourself  with and how do you like to unwind?

Getting more sleep, try to catch up on movies, reading poems, cooking, taking a massage at my favourite spa at Pali Village.

Growing up, what did you picture yourself doing in terms of your  career and how has that taken a turn from now?

I never knew what I would land up doing. One day I wanted to be a  doctor, one day a teacher, one day flight crew and so on. But I always  had goals in my life. There was much more than just living in Iran with  my mother, get married and have children. But I never knew one day I am going to do Hindi films. Well so far so good let’s see how many more surprises Allah has in store for me!

Did you make use of any technology to help your fluency in foreign languages?

I speak Pashto. Parsi, Hindi and can write and read in Arabic. Yes I did  take online classes to improve my diction, I saw one Hindi movie almost  every night. So yes technology has been very kind to me.

Which is your favourite holiday destination and why? What destinations are you looking to explore?

I’ve met so many amazing Brazilian people but have never been to Brazil, I am planning to visit Rio this summer

You have created quite a buzz in the industry. What are you most looking forward to in India and how do you want to establish your career in Bollywood?