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Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) Review: Slim and Powerful

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Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) Review: Slim and Powerful


With AI becoming the talk of the town, chipset and laptop makers are leaving no stone unturned to join this bandwagon. We have Intel with its Core Ultra series, Qualcomm with its Snapdragon X series, and AMD with its new Ryzen AI 300 series. The new AMD Ryzen AI 300 series is a capable chipset that brings a plethora of features and powers the latest Asus Zenbook S 16. The latest offering from Asus is special as it is one of the slimmest, lightest, and fastest 16-inch laptops in the market. The laptop comes with a price tag of Rs 1,49,999 and brings a premium design, a vibrant 3K OLED display, a decent battery life, efficient performance, and more. However, does it have enough arsenal to become a reliable machine? Let’s find out in this in-depth review.

Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) Laptop Design: Beautiful and Sleek

  • Dimension – 353.6 x 243 x 11.9 mm
  • Weight – 1.50kg
  • Colours – Zumaia Gray

Asus puts a lot of effort into the design, and this dedication is also shown in the ZenBook S 16. The laptop comes with a new Ceraluminum, a mix of ceramic and aluminium. This makes the lid look stunning, incredibly up close. You also get glossy silver lines running across the lid that really make it stand out. I got the Zumaia Gray colour option, and I liked the design of the laptop, which stands out from the rest of the laptops out there in the market with a stone-like texture.

10 Asus Zenbook S16

The Asus Zenbook S 16 comes with a special finish that uses ceramic and aluminum.

 

The laptop is also among the slimmest and lightest laptops in the segment. The laptop weighs roughly 1.5 kg and measures 11.9mm, which makes it exceptionally portable. It fits perfectly in the laptop bag, and you don’t feel much weight, which is good.

However, it is important to note that the screen does not go flat 180 degrees like other 2-in-1 laptops; it only leans to 150 degrees. This is due to the placement of the cooling vents. The vents are, in fact, extremely detailed, with a grid of rounded squares, each featuring two holes for airflow. The speakers are placed through the cuts on the sides of the chassis, similar to the Macbooks.

5 Asus Zenbook S 16

The Asus Zenbook S 16 comes with a plethora of ports.

 

As for the ports, you get two USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C ports with support for display/power delivery, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a HDMI 2.1 port on the left side. You get one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port on the right and an SD 4.0 card reader. That said, the laptop is well-designed and offers a sleek profile and lightweight design, staying true to the essence of the Zenbook series.

Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) Laptop Display: Vibrant and Colourful

Display – 16-inch OLED touchscreen
Resolution – 3K (2880 x 1800 pixels)
Refresh Rate – 120Hz

Coming to the display, the Asus Zenbook S 16 features a large 16-inch display with thin bezels around the edges. The review unit has a touchscreen display with a digitiser layer and a protective glass layer on top of the panel. The addition of a digitiser layer does bring some graininess, especially in solid colours like white; it is not that visible as compared to older OLED panels with touch screens.

1 Asus Zenbook S 16

The laptop comes loaded with a 16-inch 3K OLED display that offers vibrant colours.

 

The OLED panel does bring sharp contrasts and vivid colours to the table. The panel is well-calibrated and out of the box to deliver uniform colours, while the OLED panel keeps light bleeding to a minimum. You can also tune the display as needed using the MyAsus application, which is a good addition. Moving on, if you consider the flickering on OLED panels, Asus has also added an OLED Flicker-Free Dimming mode to counter this.

That said, on the downside, the laptop’s screen is reflective due to the glossy coating. Plus, the brightness is not very bright for outdoor conditions. So, if you might face a bit of trouble looking at the screen in a bright office environment or outdoor cafe. Moreover, the screen is prone to smudges, so it is better to keep a microfibre cloth with you to clean it up.

Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) Laptop Keyboard, Touchpad, Speakers, and Webcam: Works Fine

  • Keyboard – Backlit keyboard
  • Webcam – 1080p Hi-res camera
  • Speakers – Six Speakers

The Asus Zenbook S16 comes with a compact backlit keyboard. The LEDs on this are bright enough to highlight the key in dark conditions. Moreover, you also get an ambient sensor that automatically adjusts keyboard brightness levels based on ambient lighting conditions.

8 Asus Zenbook S 16

Coming to the performance, the keyboard on this device offers a shorter stroke and provides a suitable 1.1mm key travel. Once you get through the learning curve, the keyboard will be quite easy to operate, and the typing experience will feel effortless. The laptop was a daily driver during the entire review period, and I never experienced any sort of tiredness or fatigue during those long typing sessions.

The laptop also comes with a large touchpad slab, which works well during the review period. The touchpad handles all the gestures, like swipes and taps, effortlessly. And you don’t feel any rattling with the physical clicks. Moreover, the company has also added some edge gestures to this machine.

7 Asus Zenbook S 16

The laptop comes loaded with a large touchpad that offers smooth experience.

 

One can adjust the screen brightness on the right edge, adjust audio levels by sliding the left edge, and move forward/backwards by sliding the top edge. The implementation is good, though it does not come with palm rejection, making it prone to accidental touching. I was annoyed at some point and turned it off completely.

In terms of security, the laptop does not come with a physical fingerprint sensor, but you do get an IR-based camera for Windows Hello support. Frankly, the whole experience was buggy for me as, most of the time, the Windows Hello authentication failed, so I went the old-fashioned way. That said, it also comes with a 1080p camera that offers sharp colours and is usable for video calls.

3 Asus Zenbook S 16

The audio output is good on this one. The speakers come with smart AMP technology and are tuned with Harman/Kardon. The speakers offer punchy sound output, loud enough to fill a small room. Even at higher levels, sound distortion is minimal, and you get a balanced bass and treble output.

Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) Laptop Software: Useful

  • Operating System – Windows 11 Home
  • Other Features – Copilot Plus

The Asus Zenbook S 16 runs the Windows 11 Home operating system. The device also comes with a Copilot AI tool with multiple use cases. I used Copilot to summarise the articles for easy reading. You also get a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard to access the AI assistant quickly. That said, it is not marketed as the Copilot+ PC, which is odd as it packs AMD’s NPU that offers 50 TOPS performance, which qualifies it for this title.

2 Asus Zenbook S 16

The laptop comes loaded with Windows 11 Home edition.

 

That said, you still get a hang of the AI features on this machine by using Amuse, a real-time image generation application that supports AMD’s NPU. So, if you are planning to buy this laptop solely for future AI features, then you might as well consider other options available in the market.

Apart from this, the MyAsus application is the one-stop solution for taking care of most of the features on this laptop. With this app, you get to diagnose the problems, update drivers, and even customise different settings, which is a good thing.

Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) Performance: Top-Notch Performance

  • Chipset – AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
  • RAM – 32GB LPDDR5X
  • ROM – 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
  • GPU – AMD Radeon 890M Graphics

The Asus Zenbook S 16 is indeed a powerful laptop in this price segment. The device is one of the few laptops loaded with all-new AMD Ryzen AI 300 series chipset. The review unit came with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX370, based on the new CPU architecture and features four performance Zen5 cores and eight efficiency Zen5c cores, all with hyper-threading. The chipset comes with AMD Radeon 890 integrated graphics and also features AMD XDNA 2.0 NPU, which boasts up to 50 TOPS of performance, the highest in the segment.

Benchmark Asus Zenbook S 16 (2024) Dell Latitude 7450 2-in-1 Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 360
Cinebench R23 Single Core 1917 1,683 11752
Cinebench R23 Multi Core 15,776 9024 10,961
Geekbench 6 Single Core 2,712 2,339 2,380
Geekbench 6 Multi Core 12732 9630 12571
PC Mark 10 4451 6127 6640
3DMark Night Raid 27,358 19,557 25,726
3DMark CPU Profile 7,446 5,031 7,234
3DMark Steel Nomad Light 3,287 1,696 1,721
CrystalDiskMark 5066.63 MB/s (Read)/ 3609.52 MB/s (Write) 4946.10 MB/s (Read)/ 916.91 MB/s (Write) 3754.35 MB/s (Read)/ 2641.51 MB/s (Write)

Coming to the performance, the Asus Zenbook S 16 lives up to the expectations. The laptop can handle most of the tasks you throw at it. Whether it be normal day-to-day usage or some heavy multitasking, you will not face much trouble. In terms of gaming performance, the laptop can handle most casual games with ease, provided you play them in low to medium settings.

4 Asus Zenbook S 16

The Asus Zenbook S 16 packs a punch in performance.

 

There are different modes that help you get the most out of the laptop’s performance: Speed, Performance, Standard, and Whisper. With the Full Speed mode, the processor runs at 33W of sustained power, while in Performance Mode, you get stable 28W output. That said, the AMD chipset supports up to 55W of sustained power. However, the company has gone with the 33W to provide a quieter performance and sustained battery life.

Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) Laptop Battery: Long-lasting and Reliable

  • Battery Capacity – 4 Cell, 78 Wh (Typical)
  • Fast Charging – 65W USB Type-C Adapter

The battery life of Dell Latitude 7450 2-in-1 is decent as well. The laptop comes loaded with a 4-cell, 78W battery that supports 65W fast charging. The laptop has been a daily driver for a while now, and I comfortably got close to 11 hours of battery life with Standard profile. With Performance or Full Speed mode, you can still get a decent battery life of around 8 and 6 hours. As far as the charging speeds are concerned, it takes almost 2 hours to get fully charged.

Asus Zenbook S 16 (UM5606) Verdict

9 Asus Zenbook S 16

The laptop offers a good mix of premium design and flagship performance.

 

The Asus Zenbook S 16 does make a good impression with its premium design language and stable performance. The laptop is surely one of the slimmest and lightest laptops available in the segment with the OLED display panel. It also packs a vibrant display and punchy speaker setup that delights multimedia consumption. The performance is top-notch and competitive in this segment. So, if you are looking for a reliable 16-inch laptop that delivers good portability, design, and performance, then you can indeed consider this one.


Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Dummy Units Surface, Showcasing Design Tweaks With Rounded Corners

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Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Dummy Units Surface, Showcasing Design Tweaks With Rounded Corners


Samsung Galaxy S25 series is expected to launch in January, this time comprising four models rather than the usual three: the base Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra, and a new Galaxy S25 Slim variant that may debut later. The top-of-the-line Galaxy S25 Ultra model may feature certain tweaks to its iconic boxy design, and recently surfaced dummy units of the purported handset corroborate this change. The Galaxy S25 Ultra is likely to get a more rounded appearance this time around. The leak suggests a design strategy shift compared to the existing Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Dummy Units Leak

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), tipster @Jukanlosreve shared a couple of images of the dummy units of the purported Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The leak suggests that the South Korean technology conglomerate’s flagship non-foldable smartphone will undergo design changes, favouring rounded edges over flat ones. Two of the four colourways of the smartphone, including a black shade, are also showcased with the dummy units.

s25 ultra dummy Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Dummy Units of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Photo Credit: X/Jukanlosreve

This marks the second time that dummy units of the Galaxy S25 Ultra have surfaced, showcasing its tweaked design. With its purported smartphone, the company is speculated to move away from the boxy design that has become synonymous with Samsung’s Ultra models in recent years.

However, it may still have similar design elements carried over from the current models, including the placement of power and volume buttons on the right spine and an identical rear camera layout.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Specifications (Expected)

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to be equipped with a 6.86-inch AMOLED screen with thinner bezels than its predecessor, as per reports. The purported handset may sport a 200-megapixel primary camera, a 10-megapixel 3x telephoto camera, a 50-megapixel 5x telephoto camera, and an upgraded 50-megapixel ultrawide camera.

It is expected to be powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, with support for up to 16GB of RAM. The phone could pack a 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W charging. A recent report indicates that the handset’s bill of materials (BoM) is at least $110 roughly Rs. 9,300) higher than its predecessor, hinting towards a price hike in select markets.


Aishwarya shares unseen photos of daughter Aaradhya in late birthday post

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Aishwarya shares unseen photos of daughter Aaradhya in late birthday post



Aishwarya shares unseen photos of daughter Aaradhya in late birthday post

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan took to Instagram and shared a series of pictures in a combined post for her father Krishna Rai’s birth anniversary, and a late photo dump celebrating daughter Aaradhya’s 13th birthday party. The post shows Ash and her baby girl in front of Krishna Rai’s portrait as they seek his blessings. The carousal further shows some unseen pictures from Aaradhya’s childhood. 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s late birthday post for Aaradhya 

Aishwarya took to Instagram and shared pictures from Aaradhya’s birthday bash. She also featured a balloon that read, “You’re officially a teenager.” 

She wrote in the caption, “Happy Birthday to the eternal love of my life… dearest daddy-ajja and my darling Aaradhya. My heart, my soul, forever and beyond.”

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by AishwaryaRaiBachchan (@aishwaryaraibachchan_arb)

Aishwarya and her husband Abhishek Bachchan acted together in `Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke` in 2000 and later in `Umrao Jaan` in 2006, where they became good friends. However, Abhishek revealed on the Oprah Winfrey Show that while filming in New York, he used to stand on his hotel balcony, wishing he could marry Aishwarya. Years later, during the premiere of their 2007 film ‘Guru’ at the same hotel, he saw it as a sign and proposed to her. They got married that year and welcomed Aaradhya in 2011.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s work front 

Aishwarya, who has ruled hearts since winning the Miss World title in 1994, has had a remarkable journey in the film industry. With hits like `Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam`, `Devdas`, and `Jodhaa Akbar`, the actress has become one of Bollywood`s most admired actresses. Her beauty, both on and off-screen, has earned her a global fanbase.

Meanwhile, Aishwarya won the Best Actress in a Leading Role (Critics) award at the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) 2024 in Dubai which took place in September.
The actress received the award for her outstanding performance in Mani Ratnam`s film, ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’.

Aishwarya got candid about her bond with Mani Ratnam. “I can`t even speak about his evolution as a maker because I have always respected him. So from the beginning, I just say I am very grateful that I got to work with him for my first movie. I was so honoured that he asked me to be his Nandini in `Ponniyin Selvan`,” she said. 

‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’ is the sequel to the 2022 film. Actor Kamal Haasan lent his voice to the film`s narration. Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman has composed the music for the film. 




Dell XPS 13 9350 With Intel Lunar Lake Processors Launched: Price, Specifications

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Dell XPS 13 9350 With Intel Lunar Lake Processors Launched: Price, Specifications


Dell XPS 13 (9350) was launched by the company on Tuesday as one of the first laptops to be equipped with the newly unveiled Intel Core Ultra 200V ‘Lunar Lake’ processors. It will be sold alongside the XPS 13 (9345) and XPS (9340) models that are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Intel’s older Meteor Lake chipsets. The latest XPS model from Dell runs on Windows 11 Home and features up to 32GB of RAM along with up to 2TB of storage.

Dell XPS 13 (9350) Price, Availability

Dell XPS 13 (9350) price is set at $1,400 for the base 16GB+512GB RAM and storage model with an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor. It is also available in other variants with Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, Core Ultra 7 258V, Core Ultra 7 268V, or Core Ultra 9 288V processors and can be configured with up to 32GB of memory and 2TB of storage.

Dell XPS 13 (9350) Specifications

The newly announced Dell XPS 13 (9350) is nearly identical to the Snapdragon variant that was launched by the company earlier this year, except for the new Intel Lunar Lake processors powering the laptop. It is equipped with up to Intel Core Ultra 9 288V Lunar Lake processors, paired with up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM.

dell xps 13 9350 keyboard Dell XPS 13 9350

Dell XPS 13 (9350) has a dedicated Copilot key
Photo Credit: Dell

 

Dell has equipped the laptop with a 13.4-inch full-HD+ (1,920×1,200 pixels) IPS LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 500nits peak brightness level. It is also available in Quad-HD+ (2,560×1,600 pixels) IPS LCD and OLED variant — the latter is equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass protection but has a lower 60Hz refresh rate. 

You get up to 2TB of NVMe SSD storage on the Dell XPS 13 (9350). The laptop is equipped with a four 2W speakers, a full-HD RGB camera, and dual array microphones. It also offers Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity and has two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports.

The Dell XPS 13 (9350) is powered by a 3-cell 55Wh battery with support for 60W charging over a USB Type-C port. The laptop offers up to 26 hours of video streaming at full-HD+ resolution, according to the company.

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Vivo X200 Design Leaked, Vivo X200 Pro Tipped to Get 200-Megapixel Telephoto Camera, 6,000mAh Battery




‘I wanted every Kannada to feel proud of King Cobra’

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‘I wanted every Kannada to feel proud of King Cobra’


It all started with a snake bite in 2005. Dr. P. Gauri Shankar was saving a king cobra, when suddenly a ten feet long snake attacked him.

Founder-Director of Kalinga Foundation (Kalinga Serpent is Kannada for king cobra) is located in the Agumbe rainforest in the Malnad region of the Central Western Ghats. Shankar was lucky. “The snake didn’t inject enough venom because I reacted quickly… not giving it a chance to get a hold of me and inject the venom,” he says. But even a small amount of venom caused severe swelling and pain. . “Before vaccination, snake bites were treated symptomatically, as we had before vaccination,” he says.

While a polyvalent antivenom is available in India, which is often used to treat bites from the “big four” snakes in the country – Russell’s viper, saw-scaled viper, common krait and Indian cobra – it does not work against Is. King cobra bite. But since, until recently, it was believed that the king cobra was a single species widely distributed in many parts of Asia, they resorted to some vials of antivenom from Thailand that they had, hoping that it would Will work on cutting. ,

“But my body did not accept it. I couldn’t breathe and had blisters everywhere,” recalls Shankar, who ultimately did not opt ​​for the treatment. “Although we had some idea that Thai king cobra antivenom did not work on Indian king cobras, this incident proved it,” he says.

Gauri Shankar has been saving king cobras for decades.

Gauri Shankar has been saving king cobras for decades. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

four species

Shankar’s near-death experience left him wondering why the antivenom did not work, as India’s king cobra species was thought to be similar to that of Thailand (in addition to the Indian subcontinent, king cobras are found in Southeast Asia and southern China). go).

“That’s when I started thinking they might be two different species. So I decided to do my PhD in it,” says Shankar, who registered for his PhD in 2013, and spent the next decade closely investigating the morphology and genetics of these snakes. This research confirmed their guess: there was more than one species of king cobra. In fact, he and his colleagues found that king cobras are a group of at least four distinct species, overturning a 186-year-old belief that they were a single species.

Since 1836, when Danish naturalist Theodore Edward Cantor first described the animal, the king cobra has been considered a single species. However, there was one scientist who had doubts – Sri Lankan paleontologist Paulus Edward Pieris Deraniyagala. According to Shankar, Deraniyagala suggested in the early 1960s that the animal had several subspecies, but “the scientific community did not accept it because there was no proper evidence,” he says.

look for evidence

Shankar spent the next ten years traveling around the country and the world, visiting museums, to gather material to support his hypothesis. Ultimately, he and his colleagues published a groundbreaking study in 2021 that proved there are four distinct, independent lineages of king cobras (Ophiophagus hannah). “In that paper, we delineated their populations and discovered that there was 1-4% genetic difference between them… mostly focused on the genetic and distribution part,” he says.

More recently, in 2024, Shankar and his team showed that there are four species of king cobras. These include the Northern king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), the Sunda king cobra (Ophiophagus bangarus), the Western Ghats king cobra (Ophiophagus kalinga) and the Luzon king cobra (Ophiophagus salvaton), all of which show clear morphological differences, including their banding patterns. “I went into more detail in the second paper, where the morphological characters were studied and given names,” says Shankar. “We didn’t give names in the first one because we weren’t sure about the morphology.”

Why does it matter?

Resolving species confusion is important for several reasons. Firstly, the strategy to treat king cobra bites will have to be reconsidered, given that there is only one antivenom available in the country to treat king cobra bites – the one they were given from Thailand, with very little available here at present. people have. , “We import a small amount of anti-venom for our (professional snake catchers’) safety, but I have proven that it does not work after I have been bitten,” says Shankar. ​​That more work needs to be done on this in India. King cobra antidote. “We are currently not prepared… in fact, are still struggling with anti-venom for the big four species. But now that everyone knows there are different species, we will focus on that.

And two, the recent discovery has important implications for our conservation efforts. For example, until now, because the king cobra was seen as a single species whose range extended from India to the Philippines, it was considered a widely distributed species and was listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN. Was classified as. However, this may change. Each of the four species, including the one found in the Western Ghats, is probably in a more uncertain situation due to its spatial distribution. “Species in the Western Ghats are already under threat on a large scale due to habitat destruction,” he says. “We are now asking the IUCN to change the status of the Western Ghats king cobra to ‘endangered’. ,

Gauri Shankar believes that training and outreach are essential for conservation.

Gauri Shankar believes that training and outreach are essential for conservation. , Photo Credit: Suzanne Bernard

fascinating insight

The king cobra belongs to the Elapidae family, which also includes many other venomous snakes, including cobras, coral snakes, kraits, mambas, sea snakes and sea kraits. They (king cobras) have a long evolutionary history, dating back at least three to five million years, says Shankar, adding that he suspects the Luzon king cobra, which is endemic to the island of Luzon in the northern Philippines, is the world’s oldest cobra. One of the oldest species. ,

“They then began to flow into the rest of Southeast Asia… into India and the Western Ghats,” he says, adding that because they became geographically isolated, king cobras have evolved into at least four distinct subspecies. -Evolved into separate species. Time. “As populations become isolated, reproduction and gene flow stops because they are not interacting with each other,” he says. “Then they become an independently evolving species.”

The genus name, Ophiophagus, comes from the Greek words ophi (snake) and phagos (food), an allusion to the snake’s diet. “King cobras can eat at least 30 species of other snakes,” explains Shankar, adding that these animals also exhibit cannibalistic behavior, preying on smaller members of their own species.

Shankar shares some other interesting tidbits about these animals: they can grow up to 15 feet, make growling sounds, males engage in physical combat to impress females, and they are the only species of snakes Those who make nests. Calling the king cobra one of nature’s best engineers, he revealed, “I have monitored about 50 nests, and they are beautiful.” “We often get 6000-8000 mm of rainfall, but not a single drop reaches the nest chamber.”

love the king

Shankar has been fascinated by snakes for as long as he can remember, having caught one for the first time at the age of 13. “We shifted to a house in KR Puram area,” he recalls, remembering that part of Bengaluru was surrounded by paddy fields. “The fields were quite isolated at that time. During the monsoon season, the premises of that house would get flooded, bringing with it snakes like the buff-striped and checkered keelback. “My first snake was a buff-striped keelback,” he recalls.

He had his first encounter with a king cobra at the zoo in Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta National Park, where he often ran during college hours, and was immediately trapped. By then he was already saving snakes, mostly rat snakes and cobras, and by the late 1990s, he decided to do it professionally, and founded the Bangalore Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSA). Joined what is now called Karuna Animal Welfare Association). Karnataka) and later the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Center for Herpetology. “At Croc Bank, we had 18 king cobras as captive-bred specimens, so I started managing them,” says Shankar.

In 2005, he helped Crocodile Bank founder Romulus Whittaker establish the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS), working there for the next seven years, until he left to establish the Kalinga Center for Rainforest Ecology and the Kalinga Foundation. Gave. Kalinga Center for Rainforest Ecology. “For my PhD, I had to stay in my own field. My wife and I liked Agumbe and wanted to settle there,” says Gauri Shankar, who was awarded a doctorate from Maharaja Shriram Chandra Bhanja Dev University in 2023.

umbrella species

Talking about their work in Kalinga, Shankar says that as an organization, they have rescued around 500 animals from distressful situations and trained around a thousand snake rescuers. And while research doesn’t hold back – he has written about 11 scientific papers on king cobras – he is equally passionate about outreach and education, relying on myriad media.

Shankar strongly believes that conserving the Western Ghats King Cobra, an apex predator in the rainforest ecosystem, can help save the rainforests where they are found. “Rainforests are really important because 68% of the carbon sink happens there; Without them, we would be in big trouble,” he says. Fortunately, because of the important role of the snake in religion and culture, many Indians not only tolerate it, but also worship it.

There is a concept of Nagaban or sacred grove for snakes in Karnataka, where the forest is completely untouched, says Shankar, who chose to name the Western Ghats species as Ophiophagus Kalinga as a tribute to the state that is so home to it. Provides respect and security. Iconic animals. “I wanted to tell the world that if these people can live so peacefully with one of the longest venomous snakes, why can’t you,” he says. “And I wanted every Kannadiga to feel this way.” But feel proud.”

(The official announcement ceremony will be held on November 22 at 4 pm at JN Tata Auditorium, Malleshwaram)


R Balki says few Bollywood blockbusters in last 4-5 years are ‘damn boring’: The fun has completely gone

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R Balki says few Bollywood blockbusters in last 4-5 years are ‘damn boring’: The fun has completely gone


If you think the state of Hindi films today isn’t up to the mark, you’re not the only one. R Balki, acclaimed filmmaker behind hits like Paa and Pad Man, said in a recent chat with MIT World Peace University, that a few Bollywood blockbusters in the last four to five years have been “damn boring.” (Also Read – R Balki says Ghoomer was ‘smashed’ at box office by Gadar 2 craze: This kind of tsunami was not expected)

R Balki says Bollywood blockbusters of last 4-5 years are 'damn boring'
R Balki says Bollywood blockbusters of last 4-5 years are ‘damn boring’

What Balki said

“A few blockbusters that have happened in the last four or five years, or whatever, have actually been the worst films,” he said. “Not only from an intellectual or artistic point of view but also from the old entertainment, ‘masala, paisa vasool’ kind of a feel. Also, they’re damn boring. The fun has completely gone from our blockbusters,” said Balki.

He compared today’s blockbusters with those of the 1970s by Manmohan Desai. He recalled watching the late filmmaker’s Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) and Naseeb (1981) during an Amitabh Bachchan retrospective film festival around the actor’s 80th birthday in 2022, and having lots of fun.

“It’s become like a project. There’s an economics associated with that stuff. They want to recover this, they’re putting this money, they’re pumping the marketing out. It’s marketing, basically. It’s just driving people towards believing something is good. By the time people believe it’s bad, the film has made its money,” Balki added.

About Balki’s filmography

Balki made his Bollywood debut with the 2007 romantic comedy Cheeni Kum, starring Amitabh and Tabu. He followed it up with Paa (2009) with Amitabh, Abhishek Bachchan and Vidya Balan; Shamitabh (2015) with Amitabh and Dhanush; Ki & Ka (2016) with Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor, Pad Man (2018) with Akshay Kumar, Chup: Revenge of the Artist (2022) with Dulquer Salmaan; and most recently, Ghoomer with Saiyami Kher and Abhishek Bachchan.

When Ghoomer didn’t work at the box office, Balki blamed it on the mammoth competition from Anil Sharma’s action drama Gadar 2, starring Balki’s Chup collaborator Sunny Deol. “It didn’t get sandwiched, it got smashed! We had no other date, had we come along with Gadar 2, we may have been better off. Because Gadar 2 did better in the second week. Nobody expected this kind of a thing. We thought everyone will do well and we can have the second week. This kind of tsunami was not expected,” Balki had told The Indian Express.


Oppo Reno 13 Series Launch Date Set for November 25; Tipped to Feature MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Chipset

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Oppo Reno 13 Series Launch Date Set for November 25; Tipped to Feature MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Chipset


Oppo Reno 13 series will launch in China soon. The company has announced the launch date of the lineup in the country. It has also revealed the smartphones’ design, RAM and storage configurations, and a single colourway. The series is expected to comprise a base model and a Pro variant, which will succeed the Oppo Reno 12 and Reno 12 Pro, respectively. Meanwhile, one of the upcoming handsets has been spotted on a benchmarking website, giving us a look at its chipset. The global launch timeline of the lineup has also been leaked by a tipster.

Oppo Reno 13 Series Launch Date

The Oppo Reno 13 series will launch in China on November 25 at 7pm (4:30pm IST), according to a Weibo post by the company. The phones will be available in a Butterfly Purple colourway, while other colour options will likely be confirmed in the days leading up to the launch. Notably, the Oppo Pad 3 and Oppo Enco R3 Pro TWS earphones will be unveiled alongside the smartphones.

The Oppo China e-store listing for the base Oppo Reno 13 suggests that the phone will be available in five RAM and storage configurations — 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB, 16GB + 256GB, 16GB + 512GB and 16GB + 1TB.

According to a post by X user @chunvn8888, the Oppo Reno 13 series will launch globally in January 2025. Previously, a leak also claimed that the Reno 13 handsets may arrive in India around that time.

Oppo Reno 13 Series SoC (Expected)

Both the vanilla and Pro variants of the Oppo Reno 13 are expected to be equipped with MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chipsets. Earlier leaks suggested that the Oppo Reno 13 Pro could feature a yet-to-be-released MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset.

Meanwhile, an Oppo handset with the model number PKK110, expected to be the Chinese version of the Oppo Reno 13 Pro, was spotted on Geekbench. The CPU and GPU configurations suggest that it could have the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 SoC. The phone is said to support 16GB of RAM and run on Android 15.

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I'm A Celebrity star Tulisa reveals she is demisexual, says the thought of dating 'makes me feel physically sick'

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I'm A Celebrity star Tulisa reveals she is demisexual, says the thought of dating 'makes me feel physically sick'


Nov 21, 2024 09:47 AM IST

London-based rapper Tulisa recently revealed that she is demisexual and has been celibate for three years, reigniting debate about the sexual orientation.

Rapper and songwriter Tula Paulinea Contostavlos aka Tulisa broke the internet on Thursday when she revealed that she is demisexual. The musician is currently a contestant on the reality show, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! It was on the show that she got candid about her unusual sexual orientation. (Also read: Kumkum Bhagya’s Sriti Jha talks about being asexual in her viral poem. Watch)

Tulisa is currently a contestant on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
Tulisa is currently a contestant on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

Tulisa says she is demisexual

In the latest episode of the celeb reality show, Tulisa spoke to a fellow contestant, saying that she did not feel like a very sexual person. “I feel like I’m demisexual; I need to have a really close emotional bond with someone … I need actual depth. I’m a slow, slow burner. I’ve been celibate for over three years,” Tulisa said.

The singer-rapper then described how she approaches romantic relationships. “I’m not an overly sexualised person… For me, it’s all about the connection and the emotions that I feel with someone and then wanting to express them in that way,” she said. This is the textbook definition of demisexuality.

The 36-year-old musician from London also revealed that she had a profile on Raya, the dating app for celebs, but the thought of dating “genuinely makes me feel physically sick”. Tulisa first shot to fame as part of the hip-hop group N-Dubz in the 2000s before going solo with tracks like Young and Sight of You. She was a judge on the British talent show The X Factor UK from 2011-12.

What is demisexuality?

Demisexuality is defined as a sexual orientation in which a person feels sexually attracted to someone only after they’ve developed a close emotional bond with them. This type of attraction is not based on the usual characteristics like appearance or smell and does not happen on first sight. It is is generally categorized on the asexuality spectrum.

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Primebook Gen 2 to Reportedly Launch in India Next Year With Android 14 and 4 Variant

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Primebook Gen 2 to Reportedly Launch in India Next Year With Android 14 and 4 Variant


Primebook Gen 2 launch in India may take place soon, according to a report. The Android-based laptop is expected to arrive as the successor to the Primebook, which made its debut in the country in March 2023. It is rumoured to run on a version of Android 14 and come in four variants: two yoga-style and two clamshell-style devices, offered in different sizes.

Notably, this development comes after Chitranshu Mahant, CEO of Primebook told the Hindu that the company’s next-generation laptop will come with a cloud-as-a-service model.

Primebook Gen 2 Launch Date, Price in India

According to a 91Mobiles report, the Primebook Gen 2 laptop series will launch in India in January 2025. It will be priced under Rs. 20,000 — a slightly higher price tag than the current Primebook lineup.

Primebook Gen 2 Specifications

Primebook Gen 2 will reportedly be offered in four variants and two sizes. Buyers will be able to choose from 11.6-inch and 14-inch display size options, while both models will be available in yoga and clamshell form factors too.

The report suggests that Primebook Gen 2 will have narrower bezels compared to its predecessor. It is speculated to feature a metallic chassis for a more premium feel. Primebook is powered by PrimeOS and the purported laptop may run on the company’s own version of Android 14.

Primebook Gen 2 is also reported to bring support for 4G SIMs with LTE connectivity.

Prime Cloud Computing

As per the report, the Indian original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is also looking to launch its cloud computing solution in the country which will allow users to store their files on the cloud instead of utilising the local storage. This service is said to demand a minimum internet speed of 15mbps, while gaming could require speeds above 100mbps.

The cloud computing solution is reported to launch in India in November 2024 and could be available to users as an app. However, it will not be free. The report suggests that the company could offer it with a 15-day free trial period, after which a fee might apply.

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Best Racold Geysers in India: Explore Top 8 Efficient and Reliable Options for Better Heating and Energy Savings

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Best Racold Geysers in India: Explore Top 8 Efficient and Reliable Options for Better Heating and Energy Savings


Racold stands as a trusted name in the geyser industry, offering a diverse range of water heating solutions to suit different needs. Whether you are looking for an instant geyser for quick heating, a storage geyser for larger homes, or an energy-efficient option to reduce power consumption, Racold has the perfect product for you.

Racold Geyser: The stylish, energy-efficient and sustainable solution for instant hot water every day.
Racold Geyser: The stylish, energy-efficient and sustainable solution for instant hot water every day.

With a reputation for quality, innovation and durability, Racold has consistently delivered products that combine functionality with style. In this article, we will learn about the 8 best Racold Geysers available in India. From their features and specifications to their suitability for various household needs, this comprehensive guide provides you with all the essential information you need to make an informed choice.

Explore these top-rated Racold geysers to find the ideal match for your home, ensuring reliable hot water solutions while saving energy. Trust Racold to bring convenience and efficiency to your home.

Racold Pronto 3 Liter Vertical Instant Geyser is a compact and efficient option for small homes. With quick heating and attractive design, this geyser is a popular choice among consumers.

Specifications of Racold Pronto 3 L Vertical Instant Geyser

  • 3 liter capacity
  • vertical installation
  • quick heating
  • energy efficient
  • Auto cut-off feature
reason to buy reasons to avoid
quick heating small capacity
energy efficient
design brief

The Racold Eterno Pro Vertical Metallic Geyser is a stylish and durable option for larger homes. With its metallic finish and advanced features, this geyser offers both style and performance.

Specifications of Racold Eterno Pro Vertical Metallic Geyser

  • metallic finish
  • vertical installation
  • sustainable construction
  • advanced heating technology
  • high capacity
reason to buy reasons to avoid
stylish design higher price point
sustainable construction
high capacity

Racold Buono Pro NXG Storage Geyser is a reliable and efficient option for homes with high hot water demands. With its large storage capacity and advanced features, this geyser ensures continuous hot water supply.

Specifications of Racold Buono Pro NXG Storage Geyser

  • storage capacity
  • vertical installation
  • advanced heating technology
  • auto temperature control
  • high pressure compatibility
reason to buy reasons to avoid
large storage capacity Requires more space for installation
advanced features
high pressure compatibility

Also read:Best 3 liter geyser for instant heating in India; 2024: Our top picks for you

Racold Vertical Diagnosis Standard Installation Geyser is a reliable and easy-to-install option for homes with limited space. With its compact design and reliable performance, this geyser is a popular choice for small families.

Specifications of Recold Vertical Diagnosis Standard Installation Geyser

  • vertical installation
  • compact design
  • reliable performance
  • easy installation
  • Suitable for small families
reason to buy reasons to avoid
compact design limited capacity
reliable performance
easy installation

Racold Pronto 1 liter geyser is a compact and energy-efficient option for small bathrooms. With its quick heating and space-saving design, this geyser is a popular choice for compact spaces.

Specifications of Racold Pronto 1 Liter Geyser

  • 1 liter capacity
  • quick heating
  • energy efficient
  • sleek design
  • Suitable for small bathrooms
reason to buy reasons to avoid
design brief limited capacity
energy efficient
quick heating

Also read:Economical Gas Geyser for Water Heating Solution 5000, 10 pix

The Racold Aureus 5.5KW Instantaneous Heater is a powerful and efficient choice for homes with high hot water demands. With its advanced heating technology and instantaneous hot water supply, this geyser ensures a continuous flow of hot water.

Specifications of Recold Ores 5.5KW Instant Heater

  • instantaneous heating
  • strong performance
  • energy efficient
  • advanced heating technology
  • Suitable for high hot water demand
reason to buy reasons to avoid
instantaneous heating Requires professional installation
strong performance
energy efficient

Racold Omnis Lux Storage Vertical Geyser is a high-capacity and energy-efficient option for large families. With its advanced features and durable construction, this geyser provides reliable hot water supply for all your needs.

Specifications of Racold Omnis Lux Storage Vertical Geyser

  • storage capacity
  • vertical installation
  • energy efficient
  • advanced heating technology
  • high pressure compatibility
reason to buy reasons to avoid
large storage capacity Requires more space for installation
energy efficient
sustainable construction

The Racold 10Lt Horizontal Mounted White Gray Geyser is a versatile and durable option for homes with specific installation requirements. With its horizontal mounting and advanced features, this geyser provides reliable hot water supply for a variety of settings.

Specifications of Racold 10Lt Horizontal Mounted White Gray Geyser

  • horizontal installation
  • sustainable construction
  • advanced heating technology
  • high capacity
  • Suitable for specific installation requirements
reason to buy reasons to avoid
versatile installation specific installation requirements
sustainable construction
high capacity

Also read:Best Havells Geysers: Experience hot water effortlessly at home this winter with top 10 choices for comfort and convenience.

Top 3 Features of Best Racold Geysers:

Best Rockold Geysers Capacity heating technology energy efficiency
Recold Pronto 3 Ltr Vertical Instant Geyser 3 liters quick heating energy efficient
Racold Eterno Pro Vertical Metallic Geyser high capacity advanced heating technology energy efficient
Racold Buono Pro NXG Storage Geyser large storage capacity advanced heating technology high pressure compatibility
Recold Vertical Diagnosis Standard Installation Geyser compact design reliable performance easy installation
Racold Pronto 1 Liter Geyser 1 liter quick heating energy efficient
Recold Ores 5.5kW Instantaneous Heater instantaneous heating strong performance energy efficient
Recold Omnis Lux Storage Vertical Geyser large storage capacity advanced heating technology energy efficient
Recold 10Lt Horizontal Mounted White Gray Geyser high capacity advanced heating technology energy efficient

Best Value for Money Racold Geysers:

Racold Pronto 3 Liter Vertical Instant Geyser offers the best value for money with its compact design, quick heating and energy-efficient performance. It is an ideal choice for small families looking for an affordable and reliable geyser.

Also read:Best Instant Geysers: Top 9 Options for a Relaxing and Invigorating Bath Experience

Best Overall Racold Geysers:

Offering stylish design, high capacity, advanced heating technology and energy-efficient performance, Racold Eterno Pro Vertical Metallic Geyser stands as the best overall product in its category. It is the top choice for larger homes with specific needs.

Things to keep in mind while choosing the best Racold Geyser:

type of geyser: Determine whether you need an instant, storage, or gas geyser based on household size and usage. Instant geysers are compact, while storage geysers are ideal for larger families.

Capacity: Choose the correct tank capacity. For small families or limited usage, 6-10 liters is sufficient, while larger families may require 15-25 litres.

energy efficiency: See BEE Star Rating. Energy-efficient geysers reduce electricity consumption and save on bills in the long run.

Durability and Warranty: Make sure the geyser has corrosion-resistant materials and a strong warranty for long-term reliability.

additional features: Consider features like temperature control, safety valves, and smart technology for better usability.

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FAQs on Racold Geyser

  • What is the price range of Racold Geyser?

    Recold geysers are available in a wide price range, starting from around Rs. Starts from. 5000 and going up to Rs. 20000 depending on capacity, facilities and technology.

  • Are Recooled Geysers Energy-Efficient?

    Yes, Racold geysers are known for their energy-efficient performance, offering quick heating and optimal energy usage to reduce electricity bills.

  • Do Racold geysers come with installation services?

    Some Racold geysers come with standard installation services, while others may require professional installation for optimal performance. It is recommended to check the product description for installation requirements.

  • What is the warranty period of Racold geysers?

    Racold geysers come with a standard warranty period of 2-5 years depending on the model and type of geyser. It is advisable to check the warranty details before making a purchase.

Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay updated with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a share of the revenue when you make a purchase. We will not be liable for any claims under applicable laws including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 in relation to the Products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.