Smartbuy issue dated October 20, 2010

SmartbuyWednesday, October 20, 2010

G A D G E T S | A U T O | L U X U R Y www.blsmartbuy.com

Business Line

Making a splash!Tata Aria on a test runPage 7

Long-term reviews:Samsung Galaxy SApple Magic TrackpadPlantronics Discovery 975+

Team SmartbuyEditorial

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Mahananda [email protected]

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Design

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2 October 20, 2010Smartbuy

WHAT’S HOT this week

Cover Photo: S. Muralidhar

This new range of USB 2.0external hard drives fromBuffalo is designed to beplaced either horizontally orvertically, making it flexiblefor desktop use. The harddrives function on a plug-and-play basis and do notrequire any pre-installedsoftware. The drives arecompatible with both Macand PCs, making themsuitable for any computingneed. In addition, the drivesship with Buffalo tools,which enhance PCperformance by up to 180 percent using Turbo PC andenable you to back up all yourdata. The fanless designresults in a quiet operation,and the Eco managerregulates power usage.1TB: Rs 5,000; 1.5TB: Rs 7,000;2TB: Rs 9,000

Data centreBuffalo DriveStation

The first smartphone to run on the brand new Symbian̂3 platform is the Nokia N8. The monobar-style handsetfeatures a 3.5 inch AMOLED screen with capacitive touch, that also supports multi-touch gestures. It comes withthe usual Carl Zeiss optics with a 12-meg camera at the rear of the unit. The handset is also equipped to deliver a‘home theater’ experience with HD quality videos and Dolby Digital Plus surround sound when you connect thedevice to your home theatre system with an HDMI cable. You can also access Web TV services from channels likeCNN, National Geographic, Headlines Today and the like. Rs 26,259

Ain’t she sweet! Nokia N8

Microsoft has launchedtwo webcams that comewith TrueColourtechnology, which adjustscolour and brightness evenin low-light conditions.The webcams feature720p HD sensors and AutoFocus technology. TheHD-5000 features aflexible base whichenables easy attachment tomost laptops and monitorscreens. The HD-6000 canbe rotated 360 degrees sothat you get a full viewwhen you’re Skyping. HD-5000: Rs 2,205HD-6000: Rs 2,375

True to lifeMicrosoft LifeCam


The new 3D laptop from Toshiba comeswith NVIDIA 3D Vision technology,making your photos and videos come tolife. Toshiba is also aiming to releasenew software to download in the nexttwo weeks, which will enable users toconvert their 2D DVDs to 3D, as well asview content on 3D HDTVs. The laptopis equipped with 4GB DDR3 RAM,500GB hard drive and features a 15.6-inch widescreen LCD display. It comeswith built-in Harman Kardon speakers,which are further enhanced by DolbyAdvanced Audio. You can opt for anLED backlit keyboard for low lightconditions, and the touchpad providesmulti-touch control to make it easy tonavigate.Rs 80,837

Graphic computingToshiba A660

The MP780 ST is BenQ’s latest short-throw WXGA DLP projector. The projectorfeatures a unique PointDraw system that lets you sync your notebooks or PC topoint and draw on any plain surface without a whiteboard or a screen. The MP780ST and PointDraw system are compatible with any OS that supports a standardUSB mouse. The projector lets you doodle even when you are 8 metres away fromthe projected surface.Rs 1.1 lakh

Point ‘n’ Draw BenQ MP780 ST

This latest phone fromBlackBerry features thenew and improvedBlackBerry 6 OS, andcombines a full touchscreen with a BlackBerrykeyboard. The Torch is 3Genabled, and featuresBluetooth, WiFi and GPS,for increased connectivity.The camera is a 5-meggerwhich supports videorecording. The phoneships with 8GB of memoryand includes storage viamicroSD, expandable up to36GB. The Torchintegrates a WebKit-basedbrowser that features tabsand pinch to zoom options.Rs 35,000

Blazing throughBlackBerry Torch 9800


SMARTPHONE review

Mahananda Bohidar

The Apple iPhone has managed to stay at the top ofthe heap in the smartphones market, despitemany contenders snapping at its heels. Un-matched touch-sensitivity of its screen, intui-

tiveness of its interface and of course, the spectacularsuccess of the app-store have all contributed to theiPhone’s popularity.

The Samsung Galaxy S, which was selected as the ‘Eu-ropean Smartphone of the Year’, was launched in thecountry a couple of months ago. Has the iPhone finally metits match in this handset from Samsung?

Here’s how the Galaxy S fared in our long-term review.

DesignThe handset is barely 9.9 mm thick, thanks to the SuperAMOLED display. This technology allows for the touchsensitivity panel in the body to be integrated into theAMOLED panel resulting in a slimmer handset.

The 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, an improved varia-nt of the same display tech’s ‘Plain Jane’ version, enablesthe screen to be 20 per cent brighter and reduces reflec-tions by almost 80 per cent compared to other displays inthe market.

The Galaxy S could pass off as an iPhone from a dis-tance, but it has a couple of hardware buttons that woulddistinguish it from the former.It has two touch buttons onthe fascia and one at the middle to access the Main Menu.

A power button on the right bezel, volume controls onthe left and a 3.5mm headphone jack and microUSB slotbeyond the chrome rim at the top are the only otherhardware interfaces in the body.

The screen is made of Gorilla Glass, a scratch- anddust-resistant surface that’s catching on with a lot ofOEMs like Motorola (with the DEFY) and Nokia (with theN8). The rest of the body, however, doesn’t look like it cankeep off a crack if you accidentally drop it.

User interfaceThe smartphone runs on the Samsung TouchWiz 3.0 userinterface, which is a delight to work on.

The interface gives you no less than seven home screensto customise. The home screens look big and bright andhave four default icons lined up at the bottom: Phone,Contacts, Messaging and Applications.

Keeping a finger pressed to the home screen gives youoptions to customise it.You can add Samsung as well asAndroid widgets to a certain page apart from other short-cuts. The user interface also lets you create folders andswap wallpapers.

In the contacts section, you have the alphabets dis-played to the right of the contacts listed so you can jump toa certain name in your list. It integrates contacts fromvarious accounts that you have and displays it in one view.

Apart from mug shots that you click and add to your

contacts’ profiles, the ones on youremail or chat clients are automaticallydetected and displayed in the contactslist.Tap on a mug shot and four iconspop up for you to be able to make a voicecall, make a video call, edit the profile ortake you to the threaded messages fromthe contact.

The capacitive touch on the handset is amazingly re-sponsive. While browsing the internet on the Androidbrowser or choosing options displayed as tiny icons on thescreen, the touch response is surprisingly accurate most ofthe time.

SWYPE in styleThe Galaxy S smartphone is one of the very first Android-

based handhelds to feature the super-effi-cient SWYPE technology. And if morephones were to integrate this, typing as weknow it would soon become a thing of thepast.

SWYPE lets you type on your handsetwithout you having to even lift a finger,quite literally. Run through the tutorial if

you don’t want to try it head-on, and you’re good to go. To write a certain word, just trace the letters with your

finger and SWYPE predicts the word for you. You can thenjust continue with the next word as SWYPE detects andinserts a space without you having to do it yourself.

Amazingly intuitive and with an easy learning curve,‘SWYPE’ing really gets addictive after a few trials, even forthose who do not take to typing too easily. In fact, SWYPE

Rising star insmartphone

universe

follow.Productivity tools in-

clude ThinkFree, whichlets you sync your .doc andPDF files among others,and work on them on yourhandheld.

Last but not the least, theGalaxy S includes an AR(Augmented Reality) app,which sadly still isn’t sup-ported at many locationsaround the world. This appallows you to browse loca-tions for real-time local in-formation and lets you shareit with your friends.

ProcessorThe Samsung Galaxy S runs onthe 1GHz Hummingbird proc-essor, the first Samsung phoneto do so and according to thecompany, the fastest one fromSamsung’s stable.

The efficient CPU lets you runmultiple apps without ever let-

ting you feel as if the handset isslowing down, although there were

times when there was a barely detec-table lag in opening a certain function or activating someoption.The handset comes with a 1,500mAh battery andafter one full charge gives you just a little more than aworking day with the GPRS on. With neither the GPRS northe WiFi connected and moderate usage for voice calls, thebattery lasted for over an impressive two days.

Our verdictOne of the most appealing and efficient smartphoneslaunched this year, the Galaxy S does not disappoint. Withan impressive display and intuitive interface it sure is agood option for those who are looking to invest in ahigh-end smartphone.Rs 31,500

will possibly help edge out SMSshorthand, now that completewords are so much easier to type.

Shoot modeWe played around with a couple ofoptions that come with the 5-meg-ger in the Galaxy S and found thecamera to be pretty good. Pano-rama, Vintage (where the edgesof the image are blurred), AddMe (Split screen), Action shot (tocapture movement) and Cartoonare some of the optionsincluded.

The picture quality was quitegood, though noise levels didbecome a bit annoying in lowlight conditions. But, withclose to 15 options for differ-ent lighting conditions, youwon’t have a tough time cap-turing the perfect moment toyour satisfaction.

AppsBundled apps in the SamsungGalaxy S are quite an interest-ing bunch. You have the AldikoeBook app to read your favourite books on thehandset and it gets displayed on a virtual wooden book-shelf. You can pinch-and-zoom to adjust the font size andswipe to get to the next page on the app.

For jetsetters, the handset gives you the Daily Briefingapp, which keeps you updated on news from around theworld (AP Mobile). It also keeps you updated on figuresfrom the stock market (Yahoo! Finance), and offers aschedule planner along with a Weather forecast app.

The Maps on the Galaxy S, once activated, locates yourposition quite effortlessly. Thanks to Google Maps, theexperience was as smooth as it would be on the desktop. Itpredicts what destination you might want to go to in adrop-down list as you start entering letters for a destina-tion. Even the directions are laid out well and are simple to

Photos: S.S. Kumar

Love: Brilliant display, smooth UIHate: No flash in camera, browserdoesn’t support Flash

RatingsAesthetics – 5/5User Interface – 4/5Features – 4/5Value For Money – 4/5

SpecificationsNetworkHSUPA 900/1900/2100 EDGE/GPRS 850/ 900/1800/1900 Dimensions64.2 X 122.4 X 9.9 mm (119g) Display4.0” WVGA(480x800) 16M SUPER AMOLEDmDNIe(Mobile Digital Natural Image engine)OSSamsung Android 2.1 (Eclair)Social Hub Integrates SNS, email, and calendar accountsProcessor1GHz CPU Speed Battery(Standard) Li-pol, 1,500mAhTalk time : 2G/ 769 minutes, 3G/ 391 minutesStandby : 2G/ 750 hours, 3G/ 625 hours Camera5.0 Megapixel AF cameraSelf Shot, Action Shot, Add me, Cartoon Shot, Smile Shot VideoHD Video Player & Recorder (1280 x 720) @ 30fpscodec: DivX, XviD, MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV, VC-1format: 3gp(mp4), AVI(divx), MKV, FLV, H.263Sorenson MusicMusic Player with SoundAlive3.5mm Ear JackMP3/AAC/AAC+/eAAC+/OGG/WMA/AMR-NB/AMR-WB/WAV/MID/AC3/IMY/FLAC/XMF Memory16GB/8GB+ MicroSD(Up to 32GB) Android BrowserFlash Lite3.1, RSS reader Multi-touch zoomLight sensor Accelerometer sensor, Proximity Sensor, Digital Compass Additional FeaturesLayar Reality Browser powered by Tele AtlasSwype, Write & GoThinkFreeAldiko e-book



GADGET reviews

Ketaki Bhojnagarwala

Plantronics recently launched the Discovery 975, astylish Bluetooth headset. We spent a few weekswith it to see if it lives up to the likes of theaccolade-winning Voyager Pro from the same

company.

LooksThe top of the headset is square shaped, with a fauxleather finish. The boom mic is a long protruding pin, thetop of which also functions as a Call Control Button. Thereis a white strip on the button which is an indicator light,and glows red or white to indicate different functions.There is a tiny volume button on one side and a mini-USBport on the other.

The headset comes with patented gel ear tips whichhave a tiny protrusion that’s meant to fit inside the earcanal. It takes a while to get used to wearing them, and wecould only use the smallest size. They are also not the mostcomfortable to wear for long periods of time.

The headset comes with a charging case, which has anLCD that displays battery and earpiece levels. It alsoprovides two full charges to the headset before battery inthe case requires charging. To get to a full charge, thePlantronics 975 takes about 1.5 hours. The case also comeswith a case strap in case you want to attach it to your bag.

FunctionsThe Call Control Button functions as an answer/end/reject control, power on/off switch and pairing button.

In order to connect the Bluetooth headset, you need tolong press the Call Control button until it begins flashing

red and white, at which point you can pair it with yourphone.

To power on, you have to press the button for twoseconds until the indicator flashes white, and to power off,you have to press for four seconds until it turns red.

If you press the button for two seconds while it is turnedon, the voice command option pops up. This functionworked really well, and the headset was able to display theright contact when we gave a voice command.

The headset also provides voice prompts, useful whenyou go out of range or the battery runs too low.

The volume button lets you switch between three vol-ume levels – mute, medium and high. However, we felt thebutton was too tiny and would have preferred a volumerocker switch instead.

Call qualityCall quality on the Plantronics 975 was excellent. Peoplewe called said our voices sounded crisp and clear when wespoke to them indoors. We tried the headset in a variety ofenvironments, including a moving train and in traffic. Onthe train we had complaints about the quality, but thatcould also possibly be due to bad reception.

The headset is meant to offer three layers of WindSmartprotection, but in a moving vehicle, callers on the otherend said that they could hear wind disturbance and trafficnoise. However, they did mention that our voices wereclearly audible despite the disturbance.

On our side, we felt that the headset could do with alouder volume, and in noisy areas we found ourselveshaving to press the headset closer to the ear in order tohear clearly.

Our verdictWith up to five hours of talktime and a week of standby,along with the handy charging case, the Plantronics 975 isperfect for on the go use. We would recommend it forcorporate use.Love: Stylish design, good call qualityHate: Eartips a tad uncomfortable, priceyRs 5,499

Discover connectivity

Ketaki Bhojnagarwala

Most MacBook Pro users will tell you that oneof the features they love the most about theirlaptops is the responsive touchpad. iMacand Mac mini users however, missed this

feature and had to make do with what the Magic Mouseoffered them. In an attempt to bring the touchpad todesktops, Apple launched the Magic Trackpad, with near-ly 80 per cent more area than a regular Mac touchpad.

LooksThe Magic Trackpad works through Bluetooth, so youdon’t have to worry about adding another cable to yourdesktop clutter. It is large enough for anyone to use, and ismade of the same aluminium and glass combination thatyou see in Apple’s touchpads. It comes in a square design,but is placed angularly, because the top has a cylindricalslot for the batteries. One edge of the cylinder on top is thebattery cover, and the other end is a button which activa-tes the trackpad.

While the trackpad looks like a deceptively uniformsurface, you can press down on it anywhere to click. Youneed to place the trackpad on a smooth, steady surface inorder to use the click feature though.

UsageTo connect your trackpad, you need a Mac OS X Snow

Leopard v10.6.4 or later. Once you pair the device withyour Mac, you need to download the latest software up-date for the trackpad, which pops up automatically. With-out the update, you can only use the trackpad to do singlefinger scrolling and use the click buttons.

You can customise the trackpad to recognise a tap as aclick, if you find the click feature too difficult to use; enable‘Tap to Click’ in System Preferences, and tap or double tapthe surface instead.

What we liked most about the trackpad was its surface

area, which made using its multi-touch features a delight.The trackpad is very sensitive, which takes a while to getused to. To use multi-touch, you have to use a very lightgesture, otherwise you end up clicking the track pad.

It supports features like pinch to zoom, drag and dropand double tap (for right click). What we were reallyimpressed with, however, was the trackpads’ ability torecognise the difference between two, three and fourfinger swiping. Using two fingers, you can scroll in anydirection – horizontally, vertically or diagonally. A threefinger swipe takes you forward and backward betweenpages or photos. Four fingers brings up a dock of applica-tions that you can switch between, or brings up the desk-top, depending on which way you swipe.

Our verdictThe trackpad replicates all features of a MacBook touch-pad, with the addition of a larger surface area. There wasplenty of room for us to use the multi-touch features, and itwas responsive as well. It is useful especially for someonewho likes to organise photos, however the features are stillquite basic. If you’re used to a mouse, getting used to thetrackpad might take a while, but if you love using a touch-pad, we’d recommend this as a good buy.Love: Large surface areaHate::Multi-touch takes a while to get used toRs 4,000

Smooth scrolling

Photos: S.S. Kumar


AUTO focus

S. Muralidhar

Tata Motors’ global game-changer last year wasthe Nano – the lowest priced and most affordablecar in the world. This year, the game-changer forTata Motors is quite the opposite. It comes in the

form of the Aria, a passenger vehicle that is positioned inthe opposite end of the spectrum, at least for Tata Motors.

Making in-roads deep into the Rs 10 lakh-plus segment,this is the most expensive, most luxurious Tata vehicle tohit the roads in India and abroad. For Tata, the Aria will bea game-changer too. And just like the Nano put the compa-ny in the spotlight for its manufacturing prowess, the Ariaalso has the potential to be under the arc-lights for thesame basic reason, though in a very different way.

Carving a luxe spaceThe Aria is a luxury crossover style seven-seater. Original-ly called the Indicruz, this luxury crossover’s platform isbuilt on the X2 platform as it is referred to by Tata engi-neers. The final go-ahead for the Aria is said to have beengiven by Ratan Tata after the design was frozen withinputs from IDEA of Italy.

Carrying forward the cab-forward design that is com-mon amongst other Tata cars, the Aria features a body-on-frame construction, instead of a monocoque chassis, be-cause of the flexibility that the former offers in developingother models on the same platform and because Tataengineers felt that monocoque construction may not besuitable for vehicles in this class in India. The same plat-form is capable of being used for utility vehicles and SUVsin the future.

The Aria’s primary objectives seem to be two-fold. One

is to fill a need gap – there are currently almost no optionsfor buyers looking for a premium MPV or SUV in the Rs 12lakh to Rs 16 lakh category. There are vehicles that arepeople movers below the Rs 10 lakh segment or there aresports utility vehicles in the Rs 18 lakh plus segment. So,there is ample opportunity for the Aria to try and tap.

The second objective or statement which the Aria seemsto make is frankly just a reflection of its market posi-tioning. The Aria is targeted at individual buyers lookingfor a luxury crossover. Institutional buyers are nowhere inits radar. Simultaneously, the Aria will also venture out tomake a technological statement.

Crossover looksGet up close to the Aria and these statements get definedbetter. In terms of overall design, the Aria is decidedlyMPV or family van, but the cab-forward design, the raisedshoulder line, and the neat, sedan-like swooping arch ofthe roofline that culminates at the rear by cutting into therear glass (very CR-V-like), contribute to giving it a cross-

over’s looks.From the front, the Aria looks squat and even more

sedan-like. Large double-barrelled, wraparound head-lamps, the trademark Tata chrome grille and the over-sized airdam stand out and abet its sedan looks. The heavybonnet lid is equipped with hydraulic balancers whichautomatically lift the lid once the lock is released. Thebonnet lid was also the only panel in the Aria whichseemed to have a mild relaxation in the tightness of theshut lines. All around the Aria, the other panels’ shut lineswere really tight and on a par with other luxury vehicles inthat price segment.

The new Aria’s stalked door mirrors with integratedLED turn-indicators are electrically adjustable and folda-ble. From the side the amount of glass area is striking andis also the reason for the airy, well-lit interiors of the Aria.Muscular wheel arches and 17-inch alloy wheels also con-tribute to its strong side profile. At the rear, the Ariafeatures the trademark vertical tail-lamp design that Tatavehicles are known for and a large hatch door. Twinchrome exhausts peak out from beneath the rear bumperalluding to the Aria’s exclusivity and power.

The Aria has the longest wheelbase compared to thevehicles in the class such as the Chevrolet Captiva and theToyota Fortuner. Only the Ford Endeavour is a tad bitmore. In terms of overall width too, the Tata Aria beats theothers. All of this translates into considerable space insidethe cabin.

Luxury cabinThe cabin itself is pleasing and opulent overall. Simplestraight lines, similar to the exterior design, lend sophisti-

Can the Aria be a gamechanger for Tata?

Photo: S. Muralidhar

Smartbuy


cation to the interior design of the Aria. The verticalelements, rectangular aircon vents and two-tone dash-board finish might have been the reasons for some ru-mours if Land Rover engineers were involved in thedesign. But the fact is that the Aria’s interior design wasfrozen even before the JLR acquisition.

For boosting the luxury quotient in the Aria’s interiors,there is soft leather upholstery wrapped around all theseven seats, there are pillar mounted aircon vents for therear passengers, there is height adjustable seats for thedriver and armrests all around.

Auto headlamps, auto rain-sensing wipers, automaticclimate control, reverse parking guide, cruise control andother steering mounted controls, a music system and anin-dash navigation system and flexible seating configura-tion for the three rows are all also part of standard equip-ment. There are more features in the cabin, but I’ll let youdiscover it.

EngineIn my view the bigger discoveries to be made are all underthe body of the Aria. Tata engineers have chosen to offerthe Aria with all-wheel drive as standard. The all-wheelsystem developed with Borg Warner is a torque on de-mand transfer case technology unit.

This is an automatic intervention system that detectsslippage based on inputs from sensors that monitor frontspeed, rear speed, throttle position, ABS signals and thedrive mode switch.

Tata engineers have named the system 4X4 Adapterra.Though the possibility exists, Tata officials have ruled outthe possibility of a 4X2 only variant of the Aria for now.

To compliment and supplement the all-wheel driveprowess, the Aria also gets an electronic stability pro-gramme, traction control, ABS with EBD and all four discbrakes.

The Aria’s engine is almost entirely new, though it isbased on the same basic configuration of the 2.2-litre Dicorfound in the Safari. The 2,179cc engine has seen a numberof improvements that have made it more robust, refinedand fuel-efficient. Power and torque characteristics tooget a boost. Peak power is now at 140PS at 4,000 rpm andmaximum torque is 320 Nm starting from as low as 1,700rpm.

The engine gets a self-adjusting timing drive mecha-nism, a cast aluminium ladder frame and oil sump, both ofwhich improve rigidity and efficiency.

A turbo-charger and a compact Nocolock brazed in-tercooler enhance the performance. To reduce the engine

vibration and improve refinement levels, the Dicor unitalso gets a dual mass flywheel, which isolates torsionalvibrations at the source itself, helping eliminating bodyboom at low engine rpms and also driveline rattles.

The Aria’s engine is like the typical Dicor diesel engineduring the initial idling cycle, fairly audible and clearlydiesel when you listen to it outside the vehicle.

The typical diesel clatter and noise levels taper-off dur-ing cruising. But, step inside the Aria and the noise levelsin the passenger cabin have been contained remarkablywell.

The NVH packaging really does its job. Considerableeffort has also gone into vibration isolation and it showseven at the steering wheel.

Paired with this engine is a new Mark II gearbox thatfeatures steel synchrocones with carbon lining to enhanceshift feel and quality and reduce effort.

With a slightly over-sized gear knob, but short-throwshift stick, moving up the gears in the Aria is clearly a bigimprovement over the previous Tata cars that I havedriven. The shift quality is still a bit notchy, though there isnothing else to complain about.

With 140 horses on tap there is considerable poweravailable under all driving conditions. The Aria easilydrives past the 150 kmph mark with still some juice left inthe engine.

During the test drive, I took the Aria off-road and testedit on a few ‘kutcha’ roads too and the ESP kicked in at acouple of loose gravel spots on the track. Tata engineershave also tested the Aria extensively in countries likeGermany and UK.

Our takeThe Aria’s fit and finish quality is by far the best that a Tataproduction vehicle has ever had. Quality of materials usedalso feels good.

But there are a few minor niggling finish quality issuesthat caught my eye. It is possible that these will get ad-dressed and rectified in the final model that will be avail-able at Tata dealerships. The ones that I found in thepre-production vehicle that I drove were:

- The visible wiring sticking out of the housing for thesensors that activate the rain-sensing wipers. The smallblack housing is located just above the dashboard and atthe bottom of the windscreen.

- The compact steering wheel design feels good to holdand is adequate to keep the large vehicle that the Aria is incomplete control. But the steering mounted controls wereset too close to the wheel and also the convex shape of thepanel next to the controls meant that the 9-3 hold positionof the steering was a bit compromised. Unintentionalactivation of music system controls while making quickturns were another side-effect of the steering wheeldesign.

In my view there has also been overkill with the roof-mounted storage slots. As many as six slots for sunglassses,CDs and cassettes line the entire length of the Aria’s roof.Quality of plastic used here could have been a bit bettertoo. Also for a vehicle in this price range, a sunroof optionwould have been a good addition.

The biggest improvement in the Aria compared to theprevious Tata cars is in the ride and handling qualitydepartment.

The rear 5-links with coil springs suspension has beentuned for typical Indian road conditions and focuses moreon offering the Aria user a pliant, comfortable ride morethan being sporty and rigid. The suspension really soaksup bad patches on the road and managed to keep theoccupants pretty comfortable. There were no jarring noteseven when the Aria was taken off-road.

There is a bit of body roll, but it is only barely dis-cernable during really tight turns. Overall, though thesuspension is very plaint, the Aria doesn’t seem to wallow.

The Aria is being offered with three variants – thetop-end has six airbags and the two lower-end variantswill have two-airbags. The ARAI rated emission and per-formance figures - 190 gms of CO2 and 13.5 kmpl ofmileage are also very encouraging.

Priced in the Rs 13 lakh to Rs 15.5 lakh range, the Ariawill be taking on the biggies in the luxury car business. Ithas a lot going for it, and surely will also help boost theimage for other Tata vehicles. If you are in one of the 25cities where it will initially be available in, go and check itout at the showroom. It will open your eyes to new possi-bilities, just like the Nano did.


MELANGE luxury redefined

Stylish leather handbags, business andportfolio bags, wallets, card holders,belts…Adamis latest range hassomething in store for everybody.Available at select boutiques.

Rs 1,690 onwards (bags)

Bag’em!

The Body Shop’s new ecoRainforest hair range is atreat for the tresses whatwith special shampoos,conditioners, hair butter anda neat range of hair brushes.Head to its outlets for yourown hair kit.

Rs 295 to Rs 1,095

Mane mania

51.3N is the latest fragrance for men from Dunhillto get the women tingling. Top notes oozingsteely freshness, pink and black pepper heartnotes and sandalwood and vanilla base notes,makes this one a must spray. Available at selectlifestyle stores.

Rs 3,750 (100ml)

Metallic scents

… for super style! Levi’s iconic 501limited edition jeans are padded withdenim patches with frayed edges andsports irregular stitches, folds, fades

and wrinkles. Denim fans who lovethe ‘live in’ look can head to Levi’s

stores for more.

Rs 9,501

Somebody call 501…

Floral takes over L’Occitane’s nasal senses and our heartsthis month with the launch of their Rose range ofperfumes, body lotions, soaps, shower gels and candles.Head to its stores in New Delhi for an ideal ‘woo’ gift!

Rs 1,295 to Rs 2,795

A Rose for you

PREMIUM interiors

Pretty with paisleysCalled ‘aam’, ‘maanga’ or simply the mango, the paisley is amotif that has international appeal. It’s easy to spot thismotif in many interior products especially upholstery. Butthere is nothing like a paisley work tastefully done. If youare looking for the motif on fabrics then you can look atlinen cushions from Bunglow 8, or Atmosphere’s Kalkawork silk upholstery fabric or colourful organza cushionsfrom Mulberry and going the whole hog, La Sorogeeka’sblingy velvet upholstered sofa full of paisleys. The bestthing about paisley is its ability to transform betweenmoods, from sober to bright, just with its size and colours.So if kitschy is the theme of your children’s room, thenApartment 9 has a brightly-hued paisley quilt and sham insilk and cotton voile. One can also opt for bed spreads withthe charming motif, either printed or in aesthetic zardosiwork. The dining table too gets a paisley touch this seasonwith Bianca coming out with table runners and Bunglow 8with porcelain jugs. When it comes to carving, the paisleyis a simple motif to emulate. Check out Note’s ‘Ambi’ lampcrafted out of resin with a teak frame-work and for a

‘hatke’ touch, Viya Homes’ brass washbasin.

Floral queenThe national flower of India truly lives up to its status as itseamlessly blends into traditional Indian art and craft aswell as modern pieces of decor. If one wants to take the‘desi’ route, there are many designers and boutiques whoexperiment with the conventional motif with a twang oftheir own. Some interesting pieces are Fluke’s brass pat-tra-work in hand-painted wooden box with a cheery pinklotus in a fresh lime background and The Great EasternHome’s reproduction of Burmese-styled ceiling, wherethe lotus is clad in gold leaf and carved out of solid teak.For a contemporary take on the motif, one can look at thesubtle inclusion of the motif in everyday objects. Forexample, a handcarved lotus gives a wooden tray from AALiving an elegant look, Pallate’s brass dinner side plates,etched with the motif is a classic set to own and Tattva.Ut-sav’s lotus curtain finial adds a wonderful touch to theflowy drapes. Upholstery options are aplenty too.

Eternal motifs,trendy designs

The charming paisley, divine lotus and gorgeous peacock are perhaps the most common yet the most alluring motifs of all times. Whether as an intricate carving on wood,

a woven pattern on fabric or an interesting painting, these motifs have won hearts in their traditional avatar as well as their modern interpretations.

Here are some striking pieces to give your home a motley motif look

Wall panel: Viya Homes

Peacock bench: Note

Better Interiors and Team Smartbuy

Mayuresh Ganesha:Episode

Wooden tray: AA Living

Ambi lamp: Note


It’s time to flash all those super bright colours and loudprints for an almost kitschy look. Maspar’s new rangedabbles in truffle, red, gold, taupe and green colours tochurn out bed covers and sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, cushion covers and curtains. Available at Masparstores and other select furnishing outlets.Rs 195 to Rs 4,995

Going Retro

Crystal major Swarovski and high-end chandelier brandSchonbek joins hands to ‘light up the world of interiorsand architecture’ in India. The range of precious sparklenow includes chandeliers, luminaries, wall mounts andother lighting forms to transform your homes.Price on request

Maya Romanoff, that is. House of Raro has brought in thelatest range of surfacing materials from the advancedwall coverings and interior furnishings brand. From rawsilk hand-painted vinyl to mother-of-pearl chevronarchitectural installation, the collection oozes luxury andfestivity. Available at House of Raro boutiques, NewDelhi and Mumbai.Rs 400 to Rs 4,000 per sq ft

It’s all Maya!

Crystal illumination

In full prideWhether as the whole, bright bird, or just its beautiful longblue-green neck with its crest or simply a delicate feather,the peacock is the most popular bird in the world of design.Apart from fabrics with motifs, one can adorn homes withcushions embellished with colourful beads in a traditionalpeacock pattern. But what really takes the cake is the latestrange of furniture pieces inspired by the royal bird. Note’s

peacock bench sports individual plumes of the peacockusing the resin-on-resin technique, Viya Home has a largepeacock feather in mother-of-pearl inlay that embellishesan unpolished Kadappa marble tabletop and Bruzae hascrafted a peacock chair made of solid teak with high-glossebony finish. One can also look at unique pieces likeFluke’s book shelf which uses the bird as a stand.


TASTER’S choice

John Mariani

The reputation and glamour of Napa Valley is toooften about razzle-dazzle rather than good wine,with well-financed estates producing fleshy,high-alcohol fruit bombs to win medals. Yet

there are still wineries quietly making austere, traditionalwines that deserve wider recognition.

Two cases in point are veterans in the valley, Concan-non and Clos du Val, which turn out some of the mostimpressive, well-balanced red wines in California. Theirquality is based on long knowledge of the soil and terroirand sense enough to know that fads in wine come and go,while hard work and experience endure.

Concannon is one of California’s oldest, planted by Irishimmigrant James Concannon in Livermore Valley in 1883.In 1961, third-generation Jim Concannon made the state’sfirst ‘varietally’ labelled Petite Sirah (released in 1964).The family also developed some of the most widely adopt-ed Cabernet Sauvignon clones, numbers 7, 8 and 9, nowstandard in many of Napa’s finest ‘cabs’.

Fourth-generation vintner John Concannon, whosebirth in 1961 was commemorated with the planting of thatfirst Petite Sirah, now runs the company after 22 years as asales manager for medical-device manufacturers. I recent-ly had lunch with him at Capri, an Italian restaurant inMcLean, Virginia, where he poured some of his Conser-vancy line of wines. The name comes from the conser-vancy of California winegrowers who placed their land ina legal trust to protect against development forever.

Brawny redI thoroughly enjoyed his 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, abrawny but balanced big red that, at just 13.5 per centalcohol, had hints of oak and plenty of dark fruit withoutthe cloying sweetness and blast of more potent examples.At $15 a bottle, it’s a stellar buy.

Concannon’s 2007 Petite Sirah ($15) and Captain Joe’sPetite Sirah ($30) reminded me of the creamy richnessthis varietal delivers when made with care. The former issilky, with a good range of plum and cherry flavours withina light oaky framework; it was delicious with gnocchipasta with tomato and mozzarella.

The latter, named after second-generation Joe, whoserved in the First Cavalry, is culled from Concannon’sbest lots, then given a small amount of Syrah (a differentgrape from Petite Sirah) for structure. At 14.5 per centalcohol, it’s a muscular wine that went well with ourentree of veal scaloppine with a brandy cream sauce, andwould be ideal for Thanksgiving dinner.

Memory laneClos du Val, founded in 1972 by John Goelet and Bordeauxwinemaker Bernard Portet (now retired), was the firstNapa vineyard I ever visited, back in 1977. I recall Portet’spassionate prediction that there was great potential in thevalley’s vineyards.

A year before, Clos du Val was one of the Cabernetsselected for the now legendary 1976 blind tasting in Parisagainst First Growth Bordeaux. It came eighth out of 10

wines. In a rematch 10 years later, Clos du Val took firstplace.

Portet and successive Clos du Val winemakers (KristyMelton, formerly of Saintsbury winery, took over in Au-gust) have always hewed to a classic Bordeaux style, deter-mined primarily by the terroir and not by the winery.

I’ve always found Clos du Val’s wines among the mostelegantly structured in the valley, never oaky, never hot,never sweet, never cloying, with sensible alcohol levels.Back when many Napa vintners scoffed at adding Merlotto their cabs, Portet knew from the start how it softenedthe tannins, a traditional tactic in Bordeaux.

Stags LeapI opened a bottle of the new release of the flagship wine,Stags Leap District 2005, the other night with a sirloinsteak and was reminded all over again what a gloriousmatch great American beef and fine Cabernet Sauvignonis.

Rounded out with 14 per cent Merlot, velvety, re-strained at first, then blossoming slowly with the fat of thebeef on the palate, the wine is a paragon of how Frenchtradition and California terroir can so honourably merge.

The function of all good wine is to please the drinker. Inthe case of Concannon and Clos du Val, they make me veryhappy.

(The author writes on wine for Muse, the arts and leisure sectionof Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

It’s classic reds from Napa’s veterans

Photo: Bloomberg

Heading for a ‘taash’ party? Maybe you can grab one of these toup the festive spirits. Beam Global Spirits & Wine has launchedJim Beam limited edition festive pack for those who like to nursea peg of bourbon whiskey. While the aromas and notes aredelectable, the smart new packaging makes it an ideal gift.Available from November at Rs 2,875 for Jim Beam Black (8 yearold) and Rs 1,310 for Jim Beam White (4 year old) in New Delhi.

Beaming this season

It’s a white and redassortment of French LucaVins Exotiques for winelovers this week fromNirvana Biosys. The drymedium-bodied CabernetSauvignon boasts adistinctive aroma of berriesand oak and well-integrated tannins. It canbe paired with spicy Indianfood, lamb, red meats,barbeques and cheese. Thedry light-bodied whitewine, Sauvignon Blanc, isan aromatic light yellowcolour balanced wine withrefreshing acidity and goeswell with white meat,seafood and lightly-spicy Asian dishes.Available at Rs 500each.

Red o’white

A range of convenience packs isTeacher’s latest way to let you

indulge in the festive celebrations.The Teacher’s Highland Cream

and the 12 year old Teacher’s 50,now gets some small pack

additions. Pick up the new festivepacks at Rs 415

(Teacher’s 50 – Nip), Rs790 (Teacher’s 50 –

Pint), Highland Cream –Rs 260 (Nip) and Rs 505

(Pint).

The CarlsbergGroup has comeout with a treat tobeer drinkers – astronger version ofits Tuborg beer,the Tuborg Strong.The Strong is apremium qualitybeer preparedusing the bestquality malt,adjuncts and hopsand comes with aunique pull off capfeature. Availablein packaging sizesof 330ml, 500mland 650ml.

Tuborg getsstronger

One more to uncork this season isKorbel California Champagne that

is made with organically growngrapes in the traditional ‘methode

champenoise’ technique. TheChardonnay champagne capturesthe apple and pear fruit qualities

of the grapes and has hints ofbutter and light oak characters of

partial barrel fermentation. Onecan pick from Korbel Natural or

Korbel Brut at Rs 5,000 andRs 3,000 respectively.

Pop thechampagne

New additions to Teacher’s

BEVERAGE launch

Documents

Smartbuy issue dated October 20, 2010