| | | Good morning!  This may be an understatedly massive development for the computing devices ecosystem, particularly the ones that run on Microsoft’s Windows operating system, if Google follows through on the hints. Perhaps not hints as much, but it is nevertheless difficult to gauge exactly where Google may be with this development. Sameer Samat, president of Google’s Android ecosystem, in a conversation with journalists, reportedly said “we’re going to be combining Chrome OS and Android into a single platform.” This coming from Samat, holds gravitas, for he is responsible for Android across smartphones, wearables, the upcoming XR, TV, and Auto. He’d know. This could be a worry for Windows PCs, if Android is able to take the best of Chrome OS and evolve into a more useful laptop, convertible and tablet operating system. Timing of this conversation is interesting too, considering Apple is lining up to make iPadOS more like macOS with the version that releases later this year. Is it a realisation from the big tech companies that this in-between approach to an OS doesn’t really work either way? If that is the case, that is great for all of us. And I say this as someone who has tried, again and again, to get tablets to work as well as a laptop would for my workflows, but it just isn’t the same thing. We’ll see how this goes, alongside a realigned iPadOS. | | | | Analysing Android and ChromeOS, across form factors…  Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 review: By far, the most mature and refined foldable Samsung’s mammoth Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, and a spectacle for creator workflows HP Chromebook 15.6 proves that a world beyond Windows, exists successfully Vivo X200 FE review: Flagship-esque power, when size doesn’t matter Xiaomi Redmi Pad 2 review: A new blueprint as budget Android tabs keep improving | | TECH SPOTLIGHT: JBL Tour Pro 3 If you’re thinking of premium true wireless earbuds, you’re probably thinking of the Apple AirPods Pro (at ₹24,900 of course, if you have an iPhone), the Sony WF-1000XM5 (although these cost a significant premium at ₹29,990, or Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 (₹18,990). There’s a rather interesting choice though, from the house of JBL, called the Tour Pro 3 and priced at ₹19,999, which does something a little more than typical earbuds do. And that is before you factor in the Superman co-branding, if you’re a fan. Before our conversation about the plethora of features that create the foundations for the JBL Tour Pro 3, the charging case needs your attention. How many true wireless earbuds have you seen with a charging case that has a 1.57-inch touchscreen display? And it isn’t there just for the sake of it — can be customised with a photo of your choice as the wallpaper, quick controls such as pause or next track, battery status, answering or rejecting an incoming call when you’re wearing the buds, and also switching between different audio profiles. You just have to be a little more careful with this case and earbuds, so as to not scratch or damage the screen. If you like the JBL sound signature (I do, particularly the Authentics 500 ), then this sounds exactly as you’d expect it to. With a bunch of EQ and sound tweaking options, to get it just the way you’d prefer. First and foremost, for listeners who like the lower frequencies to sound powerful, the JBL Tour Pro 3 manages it rather well. The observation I had was the lower frequencies around 200Hz tend to sound a bit sculpted, and that can be observed on some tracks. I knew what awaited me with the higher frequencies and vocals, when it began to be clear that the sound signature is exactly as JBL tunes its speakers too. The suggestion is, at least for certain tracks and depending on the quality of the audio file, tweak the EQ so that vocals don’t sound too sharp — that observation was more noticeable in some tracks on YouTube Music, than on Apple Music (that is where the bitrate aspect becomes clear). Yet, at no point do they sound uncomfortably sharp. But a little tweak on the EQ via the JBL Headphones app (available for iPhone and Android) does wonders to the overall listening experience. This may well be the dark horse, a choice that isn’t exactly top of the mind recall considering its competition landscape, but the JBL Tour Pro 3 is perhaps the most versatile when all things are given their due weightage. That is, unless you’re specifically looking for Sony or Sennheiser sound signature, something the JBL isn’t tuned for. The smart features are led by a unique display which has been implemented rather well. The audio tuning is on point, and the earbuds sound lively without any sense of artificial boosting for sound. These would be a solid 9/10, if I had a rating parameter in place, and that isn’t easy to achieve. JBL Tour Pro 3 has done that though. | | REGEN I’ve driven a few EVs. I’ve also driven my trusty internal combustion engine vehicle behind EVs on city roads. Both things can be equally disconcerting. Before the EV enthusiasts leap in my direction with well oiled pitchforks, hear me out. Regenerative braking. Or single pedal braking. If you’re driving an EV, it is disorienting, at least initially, that the vehicle begins to perceptibly brake the moment you get off the throttle. Driving behind? Heart in the mouth, momentarily (that is till I figured out I’d rather be driving ahead of EVs that regen this aggressively, than behind even at a so-called safe distance). Apparently, the Chinese government thinks the same way, and believes this is dangerous on the roads. As would be a startled driver’s reaction of stomping on the throttle again. The new “Technical Requirements and Test Methods for Passenger Car Braking Systems” (updated version is listed as GB 21670-2025) that have been released this month and will be implemented from the beginning of 2026, state that “the vehicle cannot be slowed down to a stop by releasing the accelerator pedal, and the driver must use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.” In essence, regenerative braking or single pedal braking, is being banned in China. Over the years, the highest intensity for this setting has become default in EVs being sold, including in India. Secondly, regulators also want the brake lights to come on in case of any level of regenerative braking. At this time, it doesn’t happen. I have driven enough EVs (and driven behind enough to know this) to realise that regen braking assessment is purely left to your skills, and the car behind doesn’t get to see any visual cues in terms of brake lights (the only visual cue is the car ahead looming larger every millisecond). It is purely unsafe, irrespective of any urgent need to trickle some of that braking energy to charge the battery. The question is, will more countries take this up? | | | | | | Were you forwarded this email? Did you stumble upon it online? Sign up here. | | Written and edited by Vishal Shanker Mathur. Produced by Md Shad Hasnain. | | | | | | | Get the Hindustan Times app and read premium stories | | | | | | View in Browser | Privacy Policy | Contact us You received this email because you signed up for HT Newsletters or because it is included in your subscription. Copyright © HT Digital Streams. All Rights Reserved | | | | |
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