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Google I/O 2021 Recap: All the Major Announcements

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Google I/O 2021 Recap: All the Major Announcements


Google I/O 2021 keynote took place on Tuesday where CEO Sundar Pichai and his team of executives announced a list of new developments, including the release of Android 12 and new Wear OS. In addition to the two major product-focussed announcements, Google announced its progress in bringing natural language understanding with a new language model called LaMDA. The I/O keynote this year also included announcements on a smart canvas experience in Google Workspace, safer routing in Google Maps, and an enhanced video conferencing initiative called Project Starline.

In this article, we break down the key announcements that went live at Google I/O 2021 keynote in Mountain View, California, US, to give you a brief recap of the virtual event.

Android 12

Just like the past I/O keynotes, one of the most anticipated announcements of this year’s I/O conference was for Android 12. The new operating system that Google initially brought to developers in February and is currently live through a public beta release comes with an all-new interface. Google has also offered new privacy controls — some of them are similar to what Apple provided to its iPhone users through iOS 14 last year. Additionally, Android 12 carries elements based on design language Material You, which will also be used for designing the interfaces of Google’s wearables, smart displays, and other hardware in the future.

New Wear OS

After Android 12, the next major announcement that Google announced at the I/O 2021 keynote was the next Wear OS update. The company calls it the “biggest update to Wear ever”, with a fresh consumer experience. Google has partnered with Samsung to bring the best of Wear OS and Tizen into a single platform. The new Wear OS also includes features such as support for third-party Tiles and the ability to switch between apps by double tapping on the screen. Further, there are updates to Google Maps and Google Assistant for Wear OS with new interface and improvements. Google’s latest operating system for wearables also includes health and fitness tracking updates that are coming from the house of Fitbit.

Better multi-device experience

At this year’s I/O keynote, Google revealed that there are over three billion active Android devices around the globe. These devices are not just limited to smartphones but also include smartwatches, smart TVs, and others based on Android. Google is now on a move to make communication among multiple Android devices easier by offering new multi-device experiences. One such addition is wider rollout of Fast Pair to devices such as Beats headphones as well as cars from BMW and Ford. Android phones will also get an inbuilt remote control for smart TVs based on Android TV and Google TV. Chromebook users will also get a control centre to adjust a connected Android phone. Features such as to receive notification on Chromebooks and unlock cars using an Android phone will also be available in the coming days.

Smart canvas in Google Workspace

Google showcased the smart canvas in Google Workspace to ease collaboration of teams on Google Docs, Sheets, and other productivity tools. It will allow users to have a video call with their colleagues while working on their next assignment using Google Workspace. Users on Google Docs and Sheets will also be able to communicate with their teams using built-in Google Chat rooms. Google also announced some other productivity-focussed developments, including smarter meeting notes template and pageless Docs, as well as Google Meet integration within Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

Google Maps safer routing

At the I/O 2021 conference, Google announced the arrival of safer routing on Google Maps that will suggest routes to help you avoid hitting brakes. It will combine artificial intelligence (AI) with navigation information to identify hard-braking events on your route. Google is also expanding its detailed street maps to 50 new cities by the end of this year. Detailed street maps were introduced in August and are designed to provide details about sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian islands. Google Maps will also start highlighting busy areas to help people avoid crowds.

Google Chrome with better password management

Google Chrome is getting an updated password manager that will let you change your passwords with a single tap, Google announced at I/O 2021. Google Assistant on Chrome will show a ‘Change password’ button when the browser finds a potentially compromised password on a particular website. Users just need to tap that button to change their password. Google also announced that by using the password manager of Chrome, users will now be notified about creating a strong password for certain sites and apps.

Google Photos with Memories, Cinematic moments, Locked Folders

Alongside Google Maps and Chrome, Google Photos has received a handful of new features that were all announced at the I/O 2021 keynote. One of them is the new types of Memories that will be around the moments a user has celebrated — whether it’s Diwali, Lunar New Year, and Hanukkah. Additionally, there will be controls to rename a Trip highlight or remove it completely, or able to remove a single photo from Memories. Google Photos will also create moving images from their still versions by filling the gaps in nearly identical photos. This is called Cinematic moments. The last major change that Google Photos will get is Locked Folders that will work as a passcode-protected space and will require users to either use their fingerprint or a PIN to unlock the folder each time they want to look at some of their memories.

LaMDA and MUM

Google at its I/O keynote announced LaMDA as its new language model for dialogue applications. It is claimed to be designed to converse on any topic and is available as an open domain, which means it can be customised for any conversations. Google demonstrated the scope of LaMDA by showcasing a communication about Pluto. The language model is limited to be trained on text. However, Google also talked about multimodal models (MUM) that will allow people to offer natural responses by sharing images, text, audio, and video. Both LaMDA and MUM could help Google enhance its search engine and uplift Google Assistant over time.

Project Starline

Pichai at the I/O 2021 keynote showed off Project Starline as Google’s next ambitious development to enhance video conferring. It uses high-resolution cameras and custom-built depth sensors to capture shape and appearance of users from multiple perspectives, and then fuses them together to create an extremely detailed, real-time 3D model. This brings a hyper-real form of video conversations that could be quite useful especially at the current times when people are avoiding physical meetings due to the coronavirus spread.

Google also unveiled its AI-powered dermatology tool that is designed to help people find answers to as many as 288 skin conditions — directly using the camera of their smartphones. It will launch as a pilot later this year, starting with Europe. Similar to the AI-powered dermatology tool, Google showcased a deep learning system that could help detect active pulmonary tuberculosis. It is claimed to help save up to 80 percent of the cost per positive TB case detected. Google is planning to work with Apollo Hospitals in India and the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) to bring its research work into reality.


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Dreame Products Set to Hit Retail Shelves in India Soon

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Dreame Products Set to Hit Retail Shelves in India Soon


Dreame Technology, a smart home appliance brand, has appointed Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon as its first Indian brand ambassador. This collaboration will help the company to expand its presence in India. Dreame offers a range of products in the country, including intelligent robotic vacuums for hands-free home maintenance, high-performance cordless stick vacuums for seamless cleaning, versatile wet and dry vacuums, and grooming products such as the Airstyle and high-speed hair dryers.

Gadgets360 spoke with Manu Sharma, Managing Director of Dreame Technology India, about the company’s plans for the Indian market. Speaking about the partnership, Manu Sharma said, “We are extremely happy to welcome Kriti Sanon to the Dreame family. Her strong interest in technology and progressive outlook resonate with our mission to revolutionize Indian homes with intelligent, cutting-edge solutions.” Some responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Smart cleaning is still a new concept for many Indian households. How is Dreame educating the market and building trust among first-time users?

Smart cleaning may be a relatively new concept in India, but there are immense possibilities in this field. There are many nuclear families in India. Additionally, a large number of people are working in various sectors. Many couples find it difficult to manage household cleanliness along with their jobs. In such a situation, we aim to make their lives easier through our automated vacuum cleaners and other AI-powered products, allowing them to focus more on their careers and families.

We are witnessing a significant surge in demand for these products in India. While awareness about these products is currently limited, we believe the future holds great potential, and this will soon become a booming industry. 

We are actively working to educate people about smart cleaning solutions. Appointing Kriti Sanon as the brand ambassador for Dreame Technology is part of this strategy. Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon has a strong youth following in India, and we are targeting that demographic.

Our goal is to cater to every segment of society, which is why our robotic vacuum range starts from Rs. 15,000 and goes up to Rs. 1 lakh. Additionally, we are expanding into offline markets soon, where customers will be able to experience our products firsthand. We are planning to expand in India in a phased manner to provide people with the best automated AI technology products we are developing.

Dreame’s product range in India

 

How do you see the smart home/robotic vacuum cleaner market evolving in India over the next five years, and what role will Dreame play in this growth?  

Last year, the smart home vacuum cleaning market in India was around 1.5 lakh units. This year, it is expected to double to approximately 3 lakh units. Our market share has grown significantly—from 5 percent last year to over 25 percent now—positioning us to clearly become the market leader in India by year-end. Currently, the penetration of smart vacuum cleaners in India remains low, which makes it challenging to project the market over the next five years. However, we are optimistic that the market size will continue to double annually over the next five to six years, and we are aligning our strategy accordingly. 

What are the company’s plans for this financial year? Can the company open its exclusive offline experience store in India?

We plan to launch eight new products in India this year. We have already launched the first batch of products in this lineup. Before the festival season, you will get to see many of our new products in the Indian market. Our company has many exclusive offline experience stores in multiple locations across the world. In such a situation, if we see good growth in India, then we will soon open our exclusive offline experience store here.

India is a price-sensitive yet aspirational market for many companies. How does Dreame plan to balance affordability with premium innovation here?

Yes, you are right.  That’s why we are full range of player. we have as a mention products from Rs. 15,000 to almost Rs. 1 lakh. We have products for all different income group people. We are definitely seeing growing demand in this segment in India. As volumes increase, it will naturally impact pricing, allowing us to offer our products at more affordable prices. For example, many of our premium products that were priced around Rs. 1 lakh a few years ago are now available for approximately Rs. 50,000. Since we manufacture our products in-house, we have full control over the supply chain. As demand continues to grow, we are committed to passing those benefits on to our customers.

Is Dreame planning to launch India-specific models or variants in coming months — because on environment wise we are different from other country?

Currently, most of the products we have launched in the Indian market are global products. But we already started tuning our products according to the Indian environment. For example, deep cleaning, high suction power and mopping are very important aspects for India. One such product of ours is L10 Prime, which comes with full stack mopping with entry level price. In the coming time, we will definitely launch our products according to Indian conditions. Apart from this, if the demand increases in India, we will also consider setting up our manufacturing units here under Make in India initiative.

How are you handling after-sales service and customer support, which are critical for tech products in India?

Our products are still new to the Indian market. In such a situation, our engineers are going to people’s homes and giving them demo of the products. We are continuously expanding our reach. Earlier, we initially delivered to 165 cities, that number has now grown to 200. We offer pick-up and drop-off services for our customers, and if any issues arise with the product, our engineers visit the customer’s home to resolve them. We’ve also partnered with third-party service providers to enhance our after-sales support. People can also connect through toll free numbers.



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Xiaomi X Pro QLED (2025) First Impressions

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Xiaomi X Pro QLED (2025) First Impressions


In the smart TV market, it’s difficult to beat Xiaomi when it comes to value. Like its smartphones, Xiaomi has also been aggressive with pricing for its smart TVs. This has helped the brand climb the smart TV ladder since its launch in India. Xiaomi has now introduced some iterative updates to its X Pro QLED series, which was launched last year. With its 2025 models, the brand now aims to democratise yet another feature. I got a chance to try out the new TVs for a short while, and here are my first impressions.

During the briefing, I got a chance to check out the 65-inch variant of the X Pro QLED TV. Its design remains the same as before. It still features the same skinny metal bezel that surrounds the massive display. Apart from the 43-inch and 55-inch options, I was told that the TV will also be launched in a smaller 32-inch variant. The smaller display means that it will be offered at an even lower price point, which will make the QLED TV more accessible than it already is.

The design of the 2025 models are similar to the previous one
Photo Credit: Xiaomi

 

There’s a new remote. It has rounded sides, which makes it more comfortable to hold. It is also a lot taller than the previous one. Xiaomi has added a number pad to it and gets new RGYB buttons at the bottom.

The TV’s slim design is now accompanied by better-sounding, built-in box speakers. Xiaomi has considered feedback on the previous series and enhanced the TV’s audio delivery. The brand claims that these deliver better sound compared to the previous models, but in terms of wattage, the 43-inch model remains the same as before, which is 30W on paper. The 55-inch and 65-inch models get a slight boost at 34W.

The audio quality was sufficiently loud, clear, and immersive during my short experiential session. Indeed, it seemed as if it did not need an optional sound bar. But again, I was listening to and viewing a movie in a very controlled, studio-like environment.

The panels have changed… well, kind of. The displays that generally operate at 60Hz can now, thanks to DLG technology (Dual line gate), double their refresh rate when required. Xiaomi claims it is useful when watching sports (with enhanced motion) or when connected to a console to play games that support high refresh rates. Xiaomi offers 4K 120Hz panels on all three models. However, do keep in mind that DLG does reduce the resolution of the panel when aiming to deliver a faster frame-rate.

xiaomi x pro qled 2025 new remote gagdets 360 XiaomiXProQLED2025  Xiaomi

The new remote gets a number pad among other add-ons
Photo Credit: Xiaomi

 

The main attraction of Xiaomi’s X Pro QLED series this year is the Filmmaker Mode or FMM. Xiaomi claims that it is supposed to show any content (except for gaming content) from any source (Blu-ray discs, streaming, or broadcast) the way it was intended by the filmmaker. FMM also corrects the aspect ratios and frame rates, preventing any artificial enhancements from ruining the movie.

While it sounds fancy, it is basically a picture mode which turns off all the unnecessary alterations like frame insertion (motion-enhancing MEMC), sharpening or colour boosting that happens in the standard or other picture modes provided by the TV. The result is content that appears natural and untouched, as it was intended to appear whether you are watching standard definition content or HDR content. The mode can be activated either manually (in picture settings) or is automatically triggered by the metadata in the content being viewed.

During my short demo, the Dolby Vision Filmmaker mode in the new X Pro series did make the colours appear natural in this mode, with lesser sharpening and the motion enhancing (or motion interpolation) turned off.

In terms of software, Xiaomi’s PatchWall continues to exist. PatchWall and the underlying Android TV worked as intended during the demo. However, smart TVs (especially the affordable ones) are known to lag once they begin to age. With no hardware upgrades compared to the previous models, I am a bit sceptical about how well the new X Pro will age.

xiaomi x pro qled 2025 port selection gagdets 360 XiaomiXProQLED2025  Xiaomi

The port selection too remains the same as on previous models
Photo Credit: Xiaomi

 

The Smart TV experience is powered by a quad-core Cortex A55 CPU and a Mali G52 GPU. There’s 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, all of which is identical to what you get on the previous model. The port selection also remains the same as before. There are two USB 2.0 ports, one ethernet port, an AV port, three HDMI ports (one with eARC), an earphone jack and a port for the antenna.

We will be testing out the Xiaomi X Pro QLED series thoroughly in our review. With price tags starting from as low as Rs. 31,999 these TVs, given their QLED panels, do seem feature-packed but do check out our detailed review before you take the leap.



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Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro Smart TV Series With 4K Resolution Launched in India

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Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro Smart TV Series With 4K Resolution Launched in India


Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro smart TV series was launched in India on Thursday. The new smart TV lineup comes with QLED displays with a 4K resolution. It is offered in 43-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch display sizes. The Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro smart TV series runs on a Quad Core A5 chip coupled with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage. The new smart TVs also feature a MagiQ technology that is claimed to enhance colours. They are equipped with Xiaomi’s Vivid Picture Engine and support HDR10+ as well as Dolby Vision. The new QLED TV X Pro series will go on sale through Flipkart.

Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro Series Price in India, Availability

Price of the Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro smart TV series starts at Rs. 31,999 for the base model with a 43-inch screen. The 55-inch variant is priced at Rs. 44,999, while the 65-inch version is priced at Rs. 64,999. The new series will go on sale starting April 16 through Flipkart, Mi.com, and Xiaomi retail stores. 

During the launch event, the brand also confirmed that a new Xiaomi QLED TV A Pro 32-inch variant will be available in May. Pricing details for the 32-inch TV will be revealed at a later date. 

Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro Specifications

The Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro series is offered in 43-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch displays with 4K (2,160×3,840 pixels) resolution and a 178-degree viewing angle. The display supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and offer up to 120Hz refresh rate. They use Xiaomi’s propriety Vivid Picture Engine 2 technology and DLG (Dual Line Gate) technology. 

The 43-inch model has a 30W speaker unit, whereas the 55-inch and 65-inch variants have a speaker unit with 34W audio output. They support Xiaomi Sound, Dolby Audio, DTS:X and DTS Virtual: X technology. The Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro models run on Quad Core A55 chip alongside Mali-G52 MC1 GPU. They pack 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. They come with a MagiQ feature that is claimed to deliver vibrant, true-to-life colours. Xiaomi has also included a Filmmaker mode.

Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro series runs on Google TV with Xiaomi’s own Patchwall UI. The series has Bluetooth and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity. All three models feature Xiaomi TV+, a platform that provides free access to live channels. They support Apple AirPlay 2, and there is inbuilt Google Chromecast and Miracast. They have an inbuilt Google Voice Assistant that lets users navigate the TV with voice commands. They offer a Kids Mode feature with a parental lock.

The new Xiaomi QLED TV X Pro series ships with a remote with a numerical keypad. It has features such as Quick Wake and Quick Settings. The TVs include three HDMI ports with support for eARC, two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, an AV connector, Antenna input, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The 65-inch variant measures 1445 x75 x833, while the 55-inch and 45-inch models measure 1226 x76 x711mm and 57x72x563mm (without stand), respectively.

 



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