Author: The Metrognome

Categories
Tech

Review: Samsung Galaxy Note5

This phone mostly performs well but stutters on a few basic parameters. It’s highly recommended for its display and camera.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

The Note series is perhaps the most popular line-up of smartphones that Samsung has produced in terms of dominance, incorporating a larger screen, a stylus, and various design parameters. Now, as almost all phone manufacturers have a large phone in their hand, what does Samsung have in store for us that others don’t?

The looks. Samsung changed its design philosophy for its high-end smartphones late last year, and this year it decided to continue on that path with the Galaxy S6, S6 edge and S6 Edge+, and now with the Note5. If you remember the Note 4, it had a plastic textured back that was removable, but the Note5 sports a shiny metallic and glass back that tapers on both sides, giving the phone a pretty premium feel, but also making it a lot slippery than its predecessor. The back is also reflective and catches fingerprints and smudges quickly.

The protruding camera at the back is joined by LED flash, heart rate monitor and the Samsung logo. The phone’s front resembles a typical Samsung Android phone with its familiar oval-shaped Home button (doubles up as the fingerprint scanner) surrounded by Recent Apps List and Back keys that light up just the right amount you would want; front-facing camera, visible sensors, ear-grille, LED notification right above the 5.7-inch Super AMOLED panel.

Things become even more interesting at the bottom: 3.5mm headset jack, microUSB port, loudspeaker, primary mic, and the S Pen placed neatly into its place. The top gets nano SIM slot and secondary mic.

Screen. The Note5, just like the Note 4, sports a 5.7-inch quad HD (2560×1440) Super AMOLED, but it’s slightly better this time, in my opinion. Samsung has been doing great work when it comes to phone screens and it shows with the Note5. This screen has deep Black colours you normally associate with AMOLEDs, as well as rich and vivid colours fairly more accurate than the Note 4’s screen. High resolution videos and images look great and the screen is much usable under sunlight. The Note5’s screen is undoubtedly among the best smartphone screens we have seen and that isn’t just because of its resolution, but also about sharpness, visibility, dimness for using in dark conditions.

Battery. The phone is equipped with a 3,000 mAh battery unit, which is a little smaller than the Note 4’s, but I found its battery life to be satisfactory. More often than not, with moderate usage and screen brightness at 20% level, the phone lasted me almost a full day (four hours of screen on time). But with a lot of HD videos and games, prepare to put it on charge within 15 hours. What makes things better is the quick charging feature that means getting 0 to full charge in a little about 70 minutes. The device also supports wireless charging for those that have a Qi standard wireless charging pad.

Sound. The loudspeaker at the bottom is quite loud and clear, but due to its placement you may often put your hand over it while watching videos or games in landscape mode. Otherwise, it does a really good job of handling sound and not distorting most of the times. Connectivity-wise, I didn’t find much of a problem with WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G, though I did find network reception to be a little on the downside when used underground compared to other phones (apparently improved with the last firmware update).

Camera. The Galaxy Note5 features a 16 MP (f/1.9) camera (OIS) with an LED flash. Here are a few sample images.

This camera can take really nice and detailed shots in almost any situation. Images look sharp even in low-light. Its camera app has a lot of modes including manual mode to give you a host of controls while taking a shot. It even has a Live YouTube broadcast feature where you can directly broadcast something to YouTube using your Note5 (similar to what we saw on the Xperia Z3). You can also choose to get RAW (DNG) images for extensive editing. I found Double-tapping the Home button for opening the camera app useful and mostly lag-free. The front-facing 5 MP (f/1.9) camera is more than capable to handle your selfies and video calls.

Software and performance. Under the hood, the Note5 boasts Samsung’s own Exynos 7420 SoC (2.1 GHz octa-core processor, Mali-T760 GPU) along with 4 GB of RAM. There is 24 GB of internal storage available (32 Gb model) and you cannot expand it as there is no microSD card slot for the first time on a Note device. Every buyer gets free 100 GB of storage on OneDrive, though. Like the Galaxy S6, there is UFS 2.0 for internal flash storage, meaning faster read and write speeds as well as improved OS performance. The phone runs on Android 5.1.1 with TouchWiz UI on top.

For every day performance, I had no issues with playing games or watching high resolution videos. A slight issue is with animations and switching between apps not being very smooth. Mind you, this is a top-end device, so your expectations are just that little more than those priced significantly below. While multiple tabs and pre-loaded apps work mostly as you like, there’s often stuttering in general UI that seems to be TouchWiz’s fault. It’s quite disappointing that a device this powerful inside has this minor issue that, while not everybody may notice, some who care about their phone’s regular performance, especially when paying this much, will feel their overall experience being a little low on the scale.

The S Pen is a lot more natural to use now and the added feature where you can pull out S Pen and straight away write something on the screen without having to unlock the screen is a useful addition.

The Note5 has two sides to it: hardware – top of the line hardware inside, fine, premium design and build, and better S Pen, fantastic camera and top-notch screen; software – can handle games and video apps fine, but stutters when switching between apps or less-than fluid animation in a few apps. For those looking to get a phablet, and don’t care much about the aesthetic and build may look at the Note 4, but those who are okay with no storage expansion and want a no-compromise display and camera, should consider this Note5 provided you have Rs. 52,000 to spend.

(Pictures courtesy Manik Kakra)

Categories
Enough said

Of intolerance and going against the grain

The question of what ‘others will think’ had surfaced during the Gujarat pogrom days of 2002. It appears again today.
Humra Quraishiby Humra Quraishi

‘What will foreigners think?’ is a recurring motif in our country whenever a political upheaval takes place.

I was attending a governing council meet in a Delhi college when the Gujarat pogrom in 2002 was peaking. Seated next to me was a woman lawyer who later became one of the spokespersons for the BJP. Towards the end of that meet, she asked me what I thought of the news reports on the killings in Gujarat.

I told her exactly what I thought. I said that all the facts should come out, the entire truth should be reported, the murderers must be identified and punished. I spoke against the BJP top brass in Gujarat. She was furious and hissed, “You journalists are writing all this…do you realise what foreigners will think of us?”

To which I hit back, “There is planned butchery on in Gujarat and you expect nobody to write the details? You kill and nobody will voice their anger and anguish about these murders? You are more concerned about what foreigners will think?”

In the autumn of 2015, things have moved far beyond mere outrage. It is good to see that anger is mounting against the Government of the day, that people are no longer content to sit back and let the rulers of the land get away with anything and everything. A silent revolt is on, and it is taking the form of awards being returned. It is heartening to see that the country’s intellectual powers – its writers, poets, authors, scientist, artists, film makers and entrepreneurs – are taking a stand against hooliganism and fascism. This is the class that can exert direct pressure on the Government to mend its ways.

The passing of Shamshad Hussain

Shamshad HussainMF Hussain’s artist son, Shamshad, passed away recently. I have always suspected that he never got his due owing to his illustrious father’s aura. A shy man who spoke less but did not mince his words, he was always to be spotted at demonstrations and gatherings to voice his dissent against divisive forces in the country.

He once told me about his childhood years: “I was admitted to a Gujarati medium school in Mumbai, but I did not fare well at all. I hated school so much that I ran away from home. On one of my run-away trips, I landed in New Delhi. I stayed in Jangpura.

“I had taken Art as a teenager but I never had the financial means to put up an exhibition. I never had enough money even for basic train fare when I was invited to hold my first exhibition in Hyderabad. My Jangpura landlady was a great woman: when she realised I had cancelled my travel plans because I had no money, she paid for my ticket and I could hold my first show!”

That first exhibition helped him establish himself in the art world, but through endless struggle. “Even during those struggling days, I never asked my father for money or favours of any sort. I wanted to struggle and reach my goal by myself…” He was more than pained when his father was bullied and forced to leave the country. I wonder what he would have to say about the situation in the country right now.

Humra Quraishi is a senior political journalist based in Gurgaon. She is the author of several books, including Kashmir: The Untold Story and Dagars and Dhrupad, among others.

(Pictures courtesy indianexpress.com. Image is a recent file picture. Shamshad Hussain picture courtesy www.snipview.com)

Categories
Film

Review: Hotel Transylvania 2

This week’s release is a sequel to ‘Hotel Transylvania’, an animated monster comedy that children will surely love to watch.
by Ravi Shet

Rating: 3 out of 5

This one is an ideal Diwali entertainer for the little ones: it combines animation, a story about ‘fitting in’ and vampires in the age of the Internet.

With the approval of her father Count Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler), vampire Mavis (Selena Gomez) gets married to the human Johnny (Andy Samberg). Mavis gives birth to a son named Dennis, but Dracula worries that his grandson might not gain vampire powers, since he is approaching his fifth birthday and still has not sprouted fangs. Mavis wants to raise her son in the land where Johnny grew up, but her father wishes to transform his grandson into a blood thirsty vampire.

Dracula devises a plan to ‘babysit’ Dennis – he wants to train him into vampirehood with the help of his friends – Wayne the Werewolf (Steve Buscemi), Frankenstein (Kevin James), Murray the Mummy (Keegan Michael Key), Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade) and Blobby the Blob (Jonny Solomon).

 

Dracula takes little Dennis to the summer camp where he perfected his own vampire abilities, only to get disappointed on learning that the camp is no longer as dangerous as it was in the past. In desperation, Dracula flings Dennis from a tall tower to force his transformation into a bat, but rescues him at the last moment. This incident is captured by campers and is uploaded on the Internet. The clip reaches Mavis and Johnny who immediately rush to Transylvania – Mavis makes the journey as a bat carrying Johnny because there are no flights to Transylvania available.

A stellar cast is ably supported by fast paced action, excellent animation and witty dialogue. Adam Sandler is the most impressive as Dracula. The film has many LOL moments and will do well with children.

(Picture courtesy www.forbes.com)

Categories
Deal with it

City police chief unveils security gadget for women journos

Zicom has created an alert that the user can press, generating real time location info and photos that will be immediately analysed.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Women journalists face many threats in the line of duty. Added to the list of late nights, rounds of courts and police stations, going to unsafe places to report a news item is the threat of predators. In the recent past, there have been incidents of women journalists in Mumbai being targeted and attacked while on duty.

The electronics security company Zicom has now launched a security alert system, Ziman, that acts like a ‘personal bodyguard’. The device was launched at the hands of Mumbai Police chief Javed Ahmed in the city yesterday.

Explaining the need for the device, Zicom’s Managing Director Pramoud Rao said, “The job of a journalist is really commendable. They accept great risk to unravel the truth and get the story for people. But they need to travel at odd hours and go to unsafe places to cover a story, which puts their life at risk. There have been several unfortunate incidents of attacks on in the recent past. The device gets to work when there is a risk. All the journalist needs to do is trigger the alert installed in her mobile phone and our response team gets in action.”

When the trigger is activated, the mobile phone starts sending pictures and videos to the Zicom Command Centre which is immediately analysed. “We alert the family at once and even contact the authorities and the emergency services if needed,” Rao adds.

Javed Ahmed added, “On several occasions, even if we catch the culprits, there is no proof against them. With this device, the pictures and videos of the attack taking place are immediately captured. Not only can the attack be prevented but immediate action can also be taken.

Categories
Event

Two women exhibit in solo shows in Mumbai

Mumbai artistes Harshada Tondwalkar and Mithu Biswas present solo painting shows in the city. Do not miss either of them.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The exhibition and painting scene is hotting up in Mumbai, and there are many shows to attend this season. Two Mumbai-based women, both of them painters, have set up solo shows in the city.

Artist Harshada Tondwalkar’s much awaited solo show ‘Krishnamay Radha’ opens today at The Leela, showcasing 12 of her artworks. An alumnus of the JJ School of Art, Harshada has been building a steady repertoire of acclaimed work over the years. She has participated in several group exhibitions with contemporary artistes, but this is her second solo showing. “The artworks are based on the mythological theme of Krishna’s escapades with his beloved Radha,” she explains.

“All of them are oil paint on canvas. The love between Radha and Krishna fascinated me and spoke to me. They were not married, they were lovers, sharing a kind of love that cannot be seen anywhere else,” she adds. Harshada has used a colourful palette, with meticulous detailing and a different story in each painting.

Meanwhile, artiste Mithu Biswas’ solo showing ‘Chasing the time’ stems from her parents admonishing her in her mithu01childhood. “They would keep saying, ‘Don’t waste time!’ but I never understood the idea of time then. I later realised how important time is in our lives. Time doesn’t wait for you, it is the most valuable resource in our lives. Through my series, I wanted to show this concept through a horse, drawing imagery of speed that cannot be reined in.”

Mithu is an alumnus of Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata and set up a permanent studio in Mumbai in 2009. Her solo show is up at Kamalnayan Bajaj Gallery, Bajaj Bhavan, Nariman Point.

Categories
Trends

41% children in Mumbai slums are underweight

Study reveals shocking levels of malnutrition, lack of optimum weight and low access to nutrition among city’s slum dwelling children.
by Child Relief and You (CRY)

As many as 41 per cent of children below the age of six years in the slums of Mumbai are underweight, according to a study conducted by volunteers of CRY- Child Rights and You (CRY) for children below the age of 6 years. The children do not fare any better with respect to the other indicators of malnutrition. The percentage of children found to be suffering from stunting stands at 71 per cent and is significantly higher than what has been found in the NFHS figure of 47 per cent in 2005-06.

Nutrition and immunisation are most critical for a child’s survival in the first six years of his or her life. Shockingly, even the immunization coverage in the slums in Mumbai is much worse than expected. Only half of the children, 49 per cent under the age of three years, have received any vaccination at all (at least one vaccine).

These children dwelling in the most underprivileged sections of the city, most of them belonging to migrant families bear the maximum impact of urban poverty; especially in the absence of caregivers, who are mostly engaged in informal economic roles.

This household survey on early childhood was conducted in slums across five major metropolitans in India namely Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata. The slums in the five metros do not show a positive trend with respect to child nutrition. Chennai has the most number of children battling malnutrition in its slums, with 62.2 per cent being underweight; Kolkata and Delhi slums have 49 and 50 per cent underweight children, according to this study. Bangalore fares slightly better, with 33 per cent children found to be underweight.

Even as Aanganwadi Centres (AWCs) remain one of the most important institutions for ensuring nutrition, health and early education of children below 6 years, only 46 per cent children dwelling in slums are enrolled. In Mumbai, the enrollment in AWCs in slum children stood at a despondent figure of 62 per cent.

Only 36 per cent of parents whose children were enrolled in AWCs reported that the growth monitoring was happening on a monthly basis.

The ICDS scheme also provides for health services including de-worming, IFA (Iron tablets) and Vitamin A dosage. More than a third of the children in the 5 cities surveyed had not been de-wormed. In Mumbai, 19% children did not receive the Vitamin A, 40% do not receive IFA supplement and about 27 % had not been de-wormed.

A significant proportion of parents whose children are going to private pre-schools and other institutions do not believe that their children are receiving essential services for their health and survival. So far you can infer that, while the Aanganwadi worker is providing the services within the institution, provisioning services through community outreach continues to remain a challenge. An indicator that substantiates the gap between the service and the community is the fact that though growth monitoring was done for 70 per cent of children, only 48 per cent of parents were informed. In Mumbai, for instance, 62 per cent of parents were not informed that their child is malnourished.

While there is an evident need for improvement, the study shows significant positive perception of parents towards Aanganwadi centres. 89 percent of parents feel safe in sending their child to AWCs and 98 percent perceive the Aanganwadi to be child friendly.

(Picture courtesy www.wsj.com. Image is used for representational purpose only)

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