Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Suggestions based on your inputs

Redmi Max
  • Great display. Awesome camera. Easily the best camera in this price range -Chitra



Other phones you might consider

Oppo F1S
  • Have this for the last 3 months. Great phone. Battery gets heated up occassionally.


Moto X Force
  • "Unbreakble glass. Even if it saves you one trip to the service center, this model is absolutely worthit -Charul"

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Tuesday, August 02, 2016

Quick guide to picking the type of juicer

So, you getting serious about juicing?


This quick summary should help you to make a choice.

Broadly there are two types of juicers that you will have to choose between. They are the Centrifugal juicer and the Masticating Juicer. Here are the pros and cons of these at a glance. This has been generated after analyzing the inputs from reviews and 1st hand experiences.


Centrifugal Juicer
  • Pros
    • Cheaper
    • Quicker to get the juice
    • Less effort since you don't have to cut the vegetables to feed
  • Cons
    • Loud and noisy
    • Produces a foamy juice. Some juice aficionados mention that the juice likely gets more oxidized (due to more contact with the air while getting juiced)
    • Doesn't extract all the juice from the veggies (especially in greens and hard vegetables)
Masticating Juicer
  • NOTE: These are also called slow juicers or coldpress juicers
  • Pros
    • Much much quieter
    • Very good at juicing greens and hard vegetables. Extracts a lot more juice for the same veggie input.
    • Produces a denser juice (since cold pressed) and preserves the enzymes, lesser oxidation and more shelf life
    • With some of the models (E.g. Omega) You can do more than juicing (Grinding, Making pasta, Making nut butter etc.)
  • Cons
    • More expensive
    • Needs more pre-work. Vegetables should be chopped a bit before being fed into the juicer
So, what's right for me?
  • If you are a beginner and beginning to explore if this is right for you, then a centrifugal juicer will be a good start. This is also much cheaper when compared to masticating juicers. Here's a review of various centrifugal juicers from NDTV (which recommends the Philips Viva series juicer). 
  • If you have already been juicing and looking to take it up a notch or if you are quite serious about juicing and willing to invest in it, then a Masticating juicer may be a good choice. 

Sources
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Water purifier - 1/2

One of the first things any of the brands that you reach out to will do is to test the water and then suggest a model. So it will be useful to understand the background of these technologies and how they work together. Else you will be a sitting duck for a sales guy to push the top end model - whether you need it or not :-).


Here's another article that explains the various methods of filteration in a concise manner. bestwaterpurifiers.in/ro-vs-uv-vs-uf . 

In general - the various models of water purifier offer a combination of these filteration methods (RO, RO+UV, RO+UF+UV). We have a RO+UV at home. 

Depending on the TDS levels in your water, a simple UF filter might work too (but considering the typical levels in Bangalore and to be on the safer side, will rule a UF alone filter).

Apart from the technology (filteration methods), there are a few other aspects that you should consider before narrowing down on the model. The big one is water wastage. 

  • Water wastage : RO systems waste 3-4 times the water it finally produces for drinking (E.g. From a 10L input, you will get 2-3 litres of drinking water. The rest will be wasted - typically poured down the drain - as it is not recommended to use this water for other purposes such as watering your plants in the garden).
  • Storage container: Typically these are made of food grade plastic. However, these days you get containers made of stainless steel. If you prefer that, then it narrows down your options easily.

Will share a few more aspects you should consider in a bit. A follow up question - Is the borewell water mixed in the main tank / supply or are they 2 separate inlets? You can take a couple of different approaches based on that. 
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Summary of discussions on Bicycle

Here are summary from various discussions on Bewgle that might be helpful in taking an informed choice.


Thoughts on Montra by Aniket
"At 18-20k , you are looking at Indian brands with good components. Good components also help making you interested in the bike. Ex: Montra rock 1.1(I bought this), Schenll cyclone/coupe 3.0/Attitude. 
After a lot of research, I have found that 15k is a very tight budget. You will only get Indian brands at this price range and that too with average to mediocre components.  
Montra Rock 1.1 - got a good deal at 18k. Good components,durable frame, light weight, comfortable. montra.in/bikes/mountain-bike/montra-rock-1-1-2015 . If you are quite serious about it, then recommend bumping the budget to 20K.
At 13-15k I would recommend going with a second hand bike or Montra Rock 1.0 , Schnell Coupe 0.8 , Firefox cycles".

Thoughts on bicycles from Decathlon by Ganjees
At the given budget range (10-20k), you can also consider the Rockrider range from Decathlon. 
I have the hybrid range from Decathlon (for the last 3+ years) and have been happy with it. It is a good first (serious) bicycle to have. I know if others who have the Rockriders who have been happy with it too. 
I also like the convenience of decathlon, where you can try different cycles and ride around within the store to find the right fit.


Source: https://www.bewgle.com/request/-KCk-LoPiK0NOR5ZDGcG
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Android phone for a senior citizen (80+)

This is custom generated based on the needs of A*I. Your needs may be different. Please create a request


Based on your needs, the approaches are 
  1. To buy a phone that was custom designed for Senior citizen. Yes there are a few phones in this category, but none of the mainstream brands do this.
  2. Get a regular (mainstream) Android phone and install "launchers" that will make the phone easy to use for senior citizens. Launcher is an app that you can download and it will load up as soon as you boot the phone. You can disable this later if you choose to (which will revert the interface to the standard Android look and feel)
Option 1 : A senior friendly phone 
  • Most of the available phones are the traditional candy bar phones with larger keypads. Few of them are iball, Philips, Swingtel. Only Mitashi supports a touch screen phone. You can get a more complete list here. Most don't have cameras too.
  • Mitashi stands out in this category for your needs. They support a touch scree, a camera and a software that is senior citizen friend too. 
Option 2 : A regular Android phone with relevant accessories. If need be install a senior friendly launcher
  • You have plenty of choices if you get into the regular Android phone category. Lots of great phones with good camera and touch screen capability
  • The primary accessories that are needed are a good screen protector (to protect the screen from cracking) and a good case (to soften the impact if it falls and to provide better grip)
  • If viewing the smaller fonts is a problem, then consider installing a "Launcher" which simplifies the user experience significantly.
  • There are various apps that are available that will help you with this. Wiser, Necta and Big Launcher are the popular ones in this cateogry. (Here is a good summary of these).
  • Big Launcher costs Rs. 100, but may be the best fit given your needs

Recommendation  
  • One factor that you need to consider is the service centers available to repair the phones if you run into any trouble. From this perspective, we would recommend buying a regular Android phone and to install one of the launchers available (since there are enough service centers for the popular regular Android phones)
  • Buying a regular Android phone instead of a custom phone, gives you a breath of choice

In summary : Phones to consider
  • Moto X force comes with shatter proof glass and may be a good phone to consider for that reason. However, given that the phone is not really going to be "used" that extensively, it may be too much to pay for just for the shatter proof glass. It also costs around Rs. 25K.
  • Also, considering the user and the use cases, an Android phone around the Rs. 10K mark should do the job. For your needs, Moto G (3rd gen), Xiaomi (Redmi 2 Prime,Mi4i), Lenovo A6000 are good options to consider. 
  • You can't go wrong with any of the above models. Given that you have to get a strong case (which adds to the weight and bulk), you can look for the lightest of the pack and wrap it up. That is likely to be a Xiaomi.

If you still need further help, please add the needs in your notes so that we can refine it further. If you like the recommendations, we can help you with ordering the phone (and the software).

Sources
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Second hand selling - a quick summary

There are a few choices such as OLX, Qikr, Facebook groups such as Second to none.

_____
Here are a few summarized perspectives obtained from fellow Bewgle users that might help you narrow down the channel that you can use. 
"Have tried both OLX and Quikr. Have had a poor experience with both" -@a
"I sold my sons toy car(big) through olx....it works but ppl bargain even if u have quoted very less. Thinking that...if u quote more....ppl dont even make an effort to call....thats my experience" - @D
"There is a page by name second to none in FB where you can buy and sell second hand stuffs" -@K
"Came through an app called Elanic today and was able to sell one of our toy cars within 3 hours. In case, you still have stuff to sell, try them out" - @C
"If hassle free is the criteria, then i will definitely recommend Gozefo " - @G
"I'm scared to put my number on olx or quickr for the number of spam calls I would get" - @A
_____
Do share your experiences to help others in the community.
Sources: 
  • Which sources you would recommend for getting reliable responses to sell used furniture? 
  • Second hand selling
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Buying a refrigerator. Helpful hints personalized for D*a

This post is customized based on the needs specified by Deepa. Your needs may be different.

Here are a few factors to keep in mind when you look for a refrigerator :
  • Effective space (not just advertised space)
  • Freezer vs Refrigeration space
  • Re-configurability (of the shelf space) to allow for flexible configuration inside the refrigerator
  • Quality of the separator material (and the ease of sliding in and out)
  • Technical specifications (Primarily around effective cooling all around - and special provisions for keeping items such as Milk cooled)
  • Energy star rating
Choices
For the capacity that you are looking for, the typical choice is between a side-by-side and the classic double door.
In a typical side-by-side refrigerator, a part of it is completely taken up for the freezer and the effective space for the non-freezer side is quite less. So, if you need a lot of freezer space - a side by side is a good option. However, if freezer space is not your thing, a classic double door fridge is the way to go.
The brands that provide a few options for the capacity you are looking for are LG and Samsung
Samsung has an additional interesting feature of converting the freezer into a refrigerator whenever needed. They also allow for an option where you can just leave the freezer compartment on (instead of the entire fridge) when you step out of home for an extended period of time. Add to this, the energy start ratings of the Samsung products are 3 or 4 stars (versus a 2 start for the LG)
A couple of options that can be considered but are not really primary candiates are:
  • Siemens refrigerators are assembled outside India (Turkey). For some of the models there is typically a few weeks waiting period before they can be installed.
  • Whirlpool: Which typically offers really good value for money. But the quality of the refrigerators and service experience have been rather spotty.
Based on your needs and the fact that you are a happy Samsung customer, one of the Samsung models listed above may be a good choice. Recommend to visit a neighborhood store and experience both these fridges in-person to ensure that it is well aligned with your needs.
Do come back and share your expeirence and the factors that you considered while making your choice.
Sources: 
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Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Choosing a gaming console - Part 2/2

This post is specifically generated for Dr. A***l based on the inputs provided by hime. Your needs may be different. To explore, initiate a request on Bewgle.


You can read Part-1, which was an overview to the different gaming consoles. In this part, we will try to provide specific points that will help you with your choice.




Let's first get one out of the way. The Nintedo Wii/Wii-U. Here are the reasons why you may pick / not pick the Wii.
  • Reasons to pick
    • You want to play Mario games (Yes - they are available only on the Nintendo platforms)
    • The platform has got a lot of fun, family oriented games. Over the last many years, Nintendo has been targeting the "whole family gaming" market, which is wonderful.
    • The original Wii is priced at Rs. 20K (NOTE: This model has been officially retired now. I.e. Only the units that are in the market will be sold. Nintendo has stopped manufacturing this now).
  • Reasons not to pick (Oh by.. there are lots)
    • Nintendo isn't even there in India officially
    • The original Wii was a terrific console and changed the game. This version is officially being ramped down now. The successor Wii-U was launched in 2012 and has not been successful. Word on the street is that they are focusing on the next version of the console NX and the launch date is yet to be announced
    • The extinct Wii will set you back by Rs. 20K (+ additional for games) and the Wii-U by about Rs. 35-40K (sold through other people who import it from other markets). 
    • Support / Service centers - don't exist. 
  •  In summary (for Nintendo Wii)
    • If you want a casual gaming console for a couple of years that will play family oriented games (and young children friendly games) and if you truly want to play Mario games - then you should consider the classic Wii (You can get it for Rs. 20K in India). If you have friends in the US, you can get it even cheaper from there.
    • This will basically be your stop gap console. In a couple of years, you will defnitely have to upgrage to an Xbox or a PS4 (or may be the next generation of Nintendo console if that turns out to be good)

Between Xbox and Sony PS4
You can't go wrong by picking either of these consoles (Microsoft Xbox or Sony PS4). Both are great consoles with a great set of games. In fact, the hard core gamers have one of each.

We took into account your preferences (of the user, interests, type of games etc.) and here are our suggestions. 

 Price : The price point is pretty comparable (for the 500GB version and without Kinect), so we are not including that in the consideration. Both have their share of child friendly games. Xbox (because of Kinect) has different / more.
Reasons to pick PS4 
  • Console Performance & Graphics : PS4 still seem to have a slight edge with core gamers and game developers (likely due to the slightly superior specifications which translates to better performance) 
  • If "core gaming" is going to be a priority in the house hold the PS4 is a choice. It is generally agreed that the graphics on PS4 is better and overall it is quicker. (for the discerning gamer)
Reasons to pick Xbox
  • Physical activities / games : Given the possibilities of "physical activities" that Kinect enables, we believe you child and family will enjoy various games that allow for you to move and play. It is primarily due to this factor that we believe Xbox+Kinect will be the right gaming console for you. Interesting projects : Apart from these games, given that your child is getting into an age where they will learn programming - the possibilities of doing various "Kinect projects" (with the motion sensor) opens up interesting possibilities. (Check here for some : https://channel9.msdn.com/coding4fun/kinect) Choice of console in Xbox
    • The options are : Xbox 360 and Xbox One. However, Xbox 360 is about to be retired (Microsoft will stop supporting it actively by end of 2016), we would suggest to invest in Xbox One.
  • Microsoft is rolling out a software update practically every month. So, the console will likely get better with subsequent iterations
  • The other factor that we considered was the "Parental Control" (Specifically Timing control - that the Xbox 360 used to support. Unfortunately, Xbox One does not support it currently. But, this is very sought after feature from the community, and we believe Microsoft will  support this in the future.
In summary, after considering your specific needs - which includes having some fun games & elements for the children with adults playing too, Xbox + Kinect will be the best option for your needs. The Kinect enables you to play various fun games and overall the Xbox is a good console to invest in.

Choose Xbox 360 + Kinect if you want to keep the budget around 20K
  • XBox 360 250 GB + Kinect bundle (Around 31K)
  • Xbox 360 4GB + Kinect (Around 21K) - but the memory is too low to recommend this
Choose Xbox One + Kinect if you can stretch the budget (double it actuall)
  
Hope that helps! Do let us know if you have further questions.

 A few sources Analyzed : 
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Saturday, March 12, 2016

Choosing a gaming console - Part 1 of 2

This short digest was compiled specifically for Dr. A*l based on the needs specified

 This is the first of a 2 part post on helping you choose the right gaming console. This post gives you an overview of the systems. In the next post, we will provide you specific points that will help you make the choice.

The three popular gaming console with a great collection of games are the ones to look at. They are - Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox (with or without Kinect), Sony PS4. Each is stellar in its own regard.

These consoles can be connected to your TV and of them provide the added ability to stream Netflix etc. too. When connected to the internet, they also provide the ability for people located in remote places to play together.

Microsoft Xbox and Sony PS4 are great consoles and have a huge collection of games on the platform. The graphics and the power of these consoles make it ideal for serious gamers. There are those who have both these consoles (given that there are certain popular games that are made available on only of these platforms).

Nintendo is focused on the casual gamer and is suited better for children and whole family in general. Nintendo Wii is a massively successful console

Read more »
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Sunday, March 06, 2016

Wireless outdoor speakers


This is custom generated for based on the inputs provided by R*i

As you mentioned, there are lots of options out there and one can get lost in figuring out the right product.

A good place to start will be to get a fair idea of what you should be looking for in an outdoor speaker. We found this guide to be quite useful from that perspective : http://www.bassheadspeakers.com/outdoor-speaker-system-guide/

Wireless Outdoor Speakers

Bassheadspeakers also a good review of various wireless outdoor speakers.
Loudest speakers (that might double up)

They also have an good compilation of the "Loudest" speakers. While these are not primarily designed for outdoor use, this might suffice for a small enough gather and double up as an outdoor speaker too.
If you are looking for something different, something with a retro feel and good performance, you should check the JBL Authentics series.
And if you truly want to take it up a nothc
 
If the above don't work for you and if you are fairly serious about throwing a party and want to solid system for that, then we can help you with the next step, by connecting you with one of our audio consultants. We can schedule a visit for them to come to your space to get your needs do the necessary analysis, scheduling an audition and offer recommendations.

Chime back and let us know your next step.


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