Vishal Mathur is Technology Editor for Hindustan Times. When not making sense of technology, he often searches for an elusive analog space in a digital world.
Articles by Vishal Mathur
Twitter breaking client apps by lying about API rules has not impressed anyone
Popular Twitter clients such as Twitterrific, Tweetbot, Fenix, Aviary, Birdie and Echofon have ceased to exist. A newly updated developer policy is being pointed to as the reason for the enforcement
Published on Jan 20, 2023 03:55 PM IST
Apple HomePod is back, with the promise of better sound and more intelligence
There is powerful audio hardware to play the tunes, but beyond that, widened smart home capabilities and smart sensors for sound recognition and temperature monitoring, add a new layer of experience
Published on Jan 18, 2023 08:30 PM IST
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X constructs a new balance of power for slim laptops
There are fewer performance compromises on the Yoga Slim 7i Pro X, compared with many other genuinely slim laptops. This isn’t flawless, yet there is value to the proposition
Published on Jan 18, 2023 10:59 AM IST
Apple closes the Intel chapter for Macs with new M2 Pro and M2 Max chips
The new MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16 will be the first to get the high-end M2 series chips. The new Mac Mini too could be really good for a desktop environment
Published on Jan 18, 2023 08:49 AM IST
Cameras, foldables, AI and satellite comms set new outline for smartphones
There is a definite shift in focus from raw specs to experience. It is no surprise that chipmakers and phone makers are relying on AI to define new use cases. Beyond that, form factors and cameras will continue to define evolution
Published on Jan 16, 2023 01:27 PM IST
Scandinavian design is a start, but Electrolux Well A7 purifier must plug gaps
The Electrolux Well A7 takes in air from all four sides of the front frame, with thick filter layers awaiting the impure air. The purifier deploys a five-stage filtration process, but you don’t have to deal with as many filter layers
Published on Jan 16, 2023 01:14 PM IST
How smart is your air-purifier? Find out with Vishal Mathur
As the country struggles with air pollution, competition is heating up in the air-purifiers segment. How should you pick? Take a look.
Updated on Aug 10, 2023 06:06 PM IST
Smart luminaires for your home? Philips connected lamps build on a slick Wiz app
Philips Smart LED Squire and the Philips Smart LED Hero luminaires can both be considered as lamps, but where you place them will define how best you utilize their illumination strengths
Updated on Jan 13, 2023 01:46 PM IST
5G map lights up in India as puzzle comes together
India’s 5G puzzle consists of three crucial pieces — availability of 5G across the country, software that smartphones need to latch on to 5G networks, and real-world performance.
Updated on Jan 12, 2023 12:46 PM IST
Vishal Mathur, New delhi
Apple insists services are critical business; new numbers illustrate the scale
Apple services, including music streaming and cloud storage, have clocked more than 900 million paid subscriptions globally. At the same time, the App Store generates revenue for app developers
Published on Jan 11, 2023 03:50 PM IST
Xiaomi’s pricing gamble may reap rewards, if Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is any evidence
There is the definite sense that with the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and indeed the larger Redmi Note 12 series, Xiaomi wants to play the ‘premium’ card
Published on Jan 09, 2023 01:20 PM IST
You win sim, you lose sim: How alternate-reality games changed for the better
They started out violent and fast-paced. Newer options let players step into the immersive worlds of a YouTube star, industrial farmer, chef.
Updated on Aug 18, 2023 02:09 PM IST
Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Alexa is uncomplicated yet perplexingly finite
For the very specific utility of a smart bedside clock that invokes smart virtual assistants, your choices are wider for the Amazon Alexa ecosystem, but Google’s powers of refining the Nest Hub will make you reconsider choices
Updated on Jan 06, 2023 11:43 AM IST
CES 2023: Less concepts on show, as focus shifts to immediacy across genres
We analyse the CES 2023 announcements, with the takeaways including how TVs bear incremental improvements, laptops are becoming bigger and fitness can be multi-tasked
Published on Jan 05, 2023 01:43 PM IST
The year ahead: Glimpses into 2023
India, the world’s largest democracy and one of the world’s largest consumer markets, will likely begin working to pass new laws too, with lasting implications for companies such as Meta, Google and Twitter.
Published on Dec 31, 2022 06:14 PM IST
By Binayak Dasgupta and Vishal Mathur
The year ahead: Richer virtual worlds, more AI, the end of Twitter?
Free-to-use AI (artificial intelligence) programs look set to boom in 2023, as platforms use the excitement around these experiments to test – and teach – their new products.
Published on Dec 31, 2022 06:04 PM IST
In 2022, technology experiments unravel with hits & misses
NEW DELHI: Football, as they say, is a game of two halves
Published on Dec 30, 2022 10:52 PM IST
Nokia T10 tries but fails to get budget Android tabs out of an unremarkable loop
The Nokia T10 is yet another Android tablet that’ll be fine for basic usage, but is limited by the specs. In a nutshell, this isn’t changing the direction of budget Android tablets
Published on Dec 29, 2022 01:32 PM IST
Twitter stomps out of the social media park; policy is then mysteriously lost
The bigger question is, will Elon Musk follow the “people have spoken” routine and adhere to the results of a Twitter poll that’s asking the users whether he should step down or not
Updated on Dec 19, 2022 12:51 PM IST
The versatile OnePlus Monitor X27 misses a ripe chance for a shock price tag
For a large computing display, this plays well with the wider ecosystem too, including phones and tablets
Published on Dec 13, 2022 09:45 AM IST
India is a key part of the R&D machine, says Qualcomm’s Chris Patrick
Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, will power the next line of expensive Android phones. It relies heavily on what the tech giant calls the ‘five key pillars’ with distinct AI foundations
Published on Dec 12, 2022 02:17 PM IST
Apple finally adopts security parity with iCloud encryption and Message keys
With cloud backups completely encrypted as well, Apple has tightened what was otherwise a weaker link in the chain of data security
Published on Dec 09, 2022 03:18 PM IST
ViewSonic X1000-4K projector is as close as it gets to a definite TV replacement
What would you prefer for a similar amount of money spent – larger viewing experience from a refined projector or the familiar conventionality of a TV?
Published on Dec 06, 2022 10:12 AM IST
For Apple iPad Pro 12.9, new chip is a step forward amidst calming familiarity
The big upgrade for the Apple iPad Pro 12.9 is the new M2 chip, alongside new features for the Pencil and at best is an incremental step forward
Updated on Dec 05, 2022 08:58 AM IST
Twitter migration: What’s the flight plan?
You may not want to linger on the site for much longer, but where else will you roost? Here’s a guide to new platforms, potential competitors, and ways to migrate with all your old tweets.
Updated on Dec 03, 2022 07:26 PM IST
Apple’s focus on iPhone accessibility features take a step forward with iOS 16
The new iPhone 14 series adds an accessibility feature that can play a chime when it is powered on or off. That is just one example of widening scope of iOS’ functionality for the differently abled
Published on Dec 02, 2022 03:10 PM IST
Can Belkin’s Boost Charge trinity be logical substitutes to Apple’s accessories?
There are choices aplenty at different price points, across product lines. We take stock of the genuine options, and ones you can avoid
Published on Dec 02, 2022 10:16 AM IST
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 may be why your phone survives falls on concrete
While the thickness and scratch resistance remain the same as the previous generation Gorilla Glass Victus, the company says the new composition will help protect the displays from falls on rough surfaces
Updated on Dec 01, 2022 10:06 PM IST
Sony XE300’s courage for experimentation returns a brew of intrigue and flaws
By reworking the audio driver design as well as how the sound emerges, Sony is attempting to sort the persistent limitation that compact wireless speakers have – a wide soundstage
Published on Dec 01, 2022 11:51 AM IST
Twitter’s dependence on Apple and Google is why Elon Musk makes the first move
With Twitter’s plan to morph into a subscription service, availability of the app and quick subscription options will gain even more importance
Published on Nov 29, 2022 11:22 AM IST