SmartbuyWednesday, July 13, 2011

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En-egg-matic!Fabergé’s new sparklersPage 12

Reviews

Nokia E6Samsung PL210

2 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

WHAT’S HOT this week

Answer and screen calls with simple voicecommands with the Jabra STONE2. All youhave to say is “Call Dad”, “Answer”, “Ignore”etc., to enjoy complete hands freecommunication. You can also hear the name ofthe caller through the headset - for example,Mom’s phone calling or Office calling etc. Withthe proprietary Noise Blackout Extremetechnology the headset is available in BlackLeather or White Gloss finish.Rs 7,999

Tring tring

Jabra STONE2

The distinctive combinations of fineskins, leathers, hues and finishesexpress through the subtle design theassociations of each city’s history,architecture, and the energy of thepeople who live there. Grey Alligatorand 316L Stainless Steel for London,red wine from the Burgundy regionfor France, red Lizard, against theblack PVD finish for Moscow, Camel-toned Alligator skin for the sanddunes of Dubai, Opulent emeraldgreen Teju and black PVD for themajestic palaces and precious jewelsof India, ocean blue Teju forShanghai and a glittery blackCalfskin and stainless steel for NewYork, constitute the MERIDIISTspecial edition. Price on request

Tale of seven cities

TAG HeuerMERIDIISTExclusive Editions

Team SmartbuyEditorial

Anushya Mamtoraanushya@thehindu.co.in

Ketaki Bhojnagarwalaketaki@thehindu.co.in

Mahananda Bohidarmahananda@thehindu.co.in

S.Muralidharmuraliswami@thehindu.co.in

Design

Bryan Gaughanaqua@thehindu.co.in

Balakrishnandesignkbala@thehindu.co.in

Advertising Contact

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This speakerphone from Plantronics combines multi-device hands-free connectivity withintuitive visual call management. Optimised for use with Microsoft Office Communicator,it’s perfect for homes or offices which depend on multiple communication devices tocollaborate. The Calisto 825 manages calls between a PC and mobile phone with a visualdisplay and wireless microphone. Rs 10,000

Communication manager

Plantronics Calisto 825

Cover photo: Faberge L’Oeuf Ruban

3 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

Equipped with an ultra slim double shelldesign this all-in-one desktop features a21.5-inch LED screen. The LenovoIdeaCentre A320 is powered by 2ndGeneration Intel Core i3/i5 processors,Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and a750 GB hard disk. It has USB 3.0, USB 2.0,7-in-1 card reader, Integrated Bluetooth,high-speed 802.11n Wi-fi, SRS PremiumSurround sound enabled integratedspeakers for unlimited fun andentertainment.Rs 50,990

Fun workstation

Lenovo IdeaCentre A320

The LG Optimus Blackfeatures a 4-inch 720p HDscreen, 5-meg camera withLED flash and front facing

2-meg camera for videocalls. The phone runs on a

1GHz TI OMAP3 processor.LG’s Optimus US 2.0

provides enhanced graphicsexperience, and allows youto directly access messages,

emails and missed calls fromthe locked screen.

Rs 20,990

The latest in Olympus’s PEN series of cameras, the EP-3 is based on the Micro FourThirds system, which packs a DSLR’s functions into a small body. The EP-3 features atouch sensitive OLED display, and a FAST (Frequency Acceleration SensorTechnology) autofocus system. A 12.3-meg sensor, Full HD video recording and widerange of interchangeable lenses make this a camera that will appeal to photoenthusiasts of all genres. Rs 39,999 (standard kit), Rs 44,999 (dual lens kit)

Small and snappy

Olympus PEN EP-3

Back in Black

LG OptimusBlack

4 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

SMARTPHONE review

Ketaki Bhojnagarwala

Most people still swear by BlackBerry when itcomes to business phones. While Androidand Apple cater to those who prefer life-style-oriented smartphones, Nokia has been

steadily releasing a stream of handsets which attempt towoo the busy jet-setter. The Nokia E7 was branded ‘TheCommunicator’, but failed to cause much of a stir. Withthe new E6, Nokia has gone back to the QWERTY keypaddesign. The only question is – will the Symbian Annainterface help this handset eat into BlackBerry sales?

OverviewThere are many, myself included, who still swear by Nokiahandsets, solely based on their sturdiness and excellentbattery life. An E63 user myself, I was down in the dumpswhen my phone drowned last week due to a mishapinvolving a leaking water bottle. All the more reason forme to be overjoyed when, just in time, the neatly packagedE6 arrived at my desk. Looks wise, the phone resembles allthe QWERTY models from Nokia’s E series. Even so, thereare some visible differences with the E6. It just looks somuch sleeker – a shiny black bezel, chrome-plated lipping,matte-finish back cover and lightweight look and feel.Unlike the other E models, this one doesn’t feel plasticky,and I have to admit, I liked the design more than aBlackBerry.

The keypad is spaced over four rows, and the keysprovide firm, tactile feedback. The keys are large andwell-spaced, with a generous spacebar key.

Unlike the previous QWERTY handsets, the E6 isequipped with a capacitive touch screen. The 2.4-inchTFT LCD has a high pixel density, which really shows ofSymbian’s colourful icon scheme. The phone has a niceselection of physical buttons. Apart from a Call and Endbutton, there are also four buttons for Home, Calendar,

Email and Contacts of which the last three are custom-isable. Nokia has done away with the optical trackpad ofthe E72 (popularised by BlackBerry), and the E6 features aphysical one instead with four directional buttons.

User interfaceThere’s been a lot of talk about Symbian Anna, mostlybecause the E6 is one of the last in the line of Symbianhandsets being launched by Nokia before they go theWindows way. Among the changes that users will see inSymbian Anna are a new version of Ovi Maps, fasterbrowser, improved text input and QWERTY typing inportrait mode (the last feature doesn’t apply to the E6because of its physical keypad, but we’ll tell you moreabout that in the X7 review).

Symbian Anna offers four customisable home screens.However, there are fixed slots for widgets and icons. Atleast these are colourful and neat, adding some youthfulappeal to the phone.

All applications and settings are accessible from themain menu, which I thought was easy and intuitive tonavigate. For social networking, you can access your Face-book and Twitter in a unified Ovi Social app. Push mail canbe configured to practically any account, and we set up ourGmail quite easily. The widget on the home screen onlyshows the two most recent mails, so even if you want toquickly glance at your inbox, you’ll have to open the Emailapp. The Calendar app really impressed me, with its neatand organised layout and multiple options.

The browser is an improvement from other Nokiaphones, and loaded pages quickly. It supports multiplewindows, bookmarks and lets you send links directly froma page via text, Bluetooth or email. Pinch to zoom anddouble tap are also supported.

The E6 comes with an 8-megger clicker, which gave ussome really decent shots, with and without the flash.

There are a bunch of scene modes, manual controls andphoto editing options as well. A front-facing VGA cameracan be used for video calls.

Connectivity wise, the phone is endowed with Blue-tooth 3.0, Wi-Fi and a Mini USB port.

PerformanceIn terms of call quality, the E6 was brilliant. I never hadproblems with dropped calls, even in the midst of heavytraffic, call quality was clear and loud. The E6 is poweredby a 680 MHz ARM 11 processor, a far cry from thedual-core players that are now flooding the smartphonesegment. I did have some issues with phone freezes – oftenthe touch screen would become totally unresponsive, andsometimes the screen would freeze while opening an app,taking up to 30 seconds to revive.

The proximity sensor also malfunctioned quite a lot –and I’ve had serious issues with this on the N8 as well – onalmost every call the touch screen would inadvertently getactivated, and either mute the call, activate loudspeaker orput the caller on hold.

Battery life was better than the average smartphone,giving us about a day and a half of heavy usage.

Our verdictThe Nokia E6 is the next best thing if you want a businesssmartphone that’s not a BlackBerry. Push email, a goodcalendar and sleek looks give it professional appeal. How-ever, its high price point could put off a lot of buyers, whomight opt for an entry level BlackBerry or mid-rangeAndroid handset instead.

Love: Excellent keyboard, good battery lifeHate: Occasional freezes, priceyRs 18,679

ketaki@thehindu.co.in

WWiillll AAnnnnaassaavvee tthhee ddaayy??

Photo: S.S. Kumar

5 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

CAMERA review

Mahananda Bohidar

Digicams arrived as a boon for those who mightnot have the moolah to invest in or want to dealwith the complicated controls of a professionalDSLR camera, like yours truly. A couple of

group hug shots from a party, a set of beautiful landscapestaken during the yearly vacation and some narcissisticself-portraits for the customary social network-profilepics are the basic needs that a pocket digicam these daysabsolutely has to fulfil for most people. Offering to do thisand more, the 14.2-megger Samsung PL210 was part of ourbackpack for a couple of days.

DesignIn a pocket-fit size, the Samsung PL210 looks like anyother digicam you’ll find in the market. On closer in-spection, the body seems sturdy and well-designed with amatte silver finish at the front and a matte plastic panelencasing the 3-inch TFT display at the rear. All controlsexcept the Power and the Zoom toggle button were nes-tled in the back panel with easy thumb access when Ioperated the digicam.

Playing aroundWith three buttons dedicated to Mode, Menu and Func-tions, you have more permutations and combinations todabble in than you’d expect in an entry-level digicam. Theusual options – photo resolution, white balance, displaysettings – are all easily accessible.

You can access the various Scene modes with a single

button, making it easy to quickly change modes in a hurry.The Smart Auto gave mixed results under varying ambientlight although it always got the exposure levels right andthe colours vivid. Shooting portraits was a lot of fun withthe ‘Beauty Shot’ option. The camera automatically tou-ched-up the skin tone and made the subjects look prettierthan they usually do. However, self-portraits might notgive you the best results as there were issues with ‘FaceRecognition’.

The ‘Object Highlight’ option looked promising butfailed to give decent results. Even after fixing objects at arecommended distance of about 30 cm, all objects in theframe turned out equally in focus. Not too impressive, asthe mode is supposed to blur the subject’s surrounding.

The ‘Backlight’ option reduced a brightly lit ambience inthe pictures but sometimes the flash turned out to be toostrong spoiling the results. Other modes that I tried outincluded Magic Frame, Night, Text, Sunset and the like.

Move in closerThe Samsung PL210 comes with a 10x optical zoom lenswhich gave sharp images even at full zoom, provided I hadthe Dual Image Stabilisation on. The dual image stabil-isation option includes an optical as well as a digital imagestabiliser. This not only seemed to work with minor shak-es, as might be the case with unsteady hands, but alsoeffectively reduced camera shake which usually occurswhen the camera is being used on full zoom.

After taking a shot, the PL210 takes considerable timeprocessing the image before you can have a quick look at

what you captured. The colour saturation on almost all thepictures shot was rich.

The camera seemed to work best with the ISO on Auto.In Manual mode, images started looking slightly grainy atISO 400 but the colours were still quite close to theoriginal. At ISO 800, images showed a lot of noise, andcolour reproduction was affected, with results gettingprogressively worse at ISO 1,600 and beyond.

Life in motionApart from the still camera, the PL210 also offers a com-pact HD video cam letting you shoot videos at 720p (30frames per second). The video cam gave great results bothindoors and outdoors. I used the 10x zoom in this mode aswell and was pretty impressed with the results. All videosare recorded in the H.264 format.

VerdictWith more than a handful of options to keep you enter-tained in a compact body, a powerful 14.2 megapixel sen-sor, 10x zoom and a pretty efficient image stabiliser, theSamsung PL210 is one of the best value-for-money dig-icams in the market right now. For those who are justbeginning to dabble in photography, this is an affordableand efficient pocket digicam to opt for. Love: Excellent colour reproduction, efficient image sta-biliser, good VFMHate: Slow processing, mixed results in Auto modeRs 11,990

mahananda@thehindu.co.in

Newbie’s delightSamsung

PL210

Test photos: Mahananda Bohidar

Photo: S.S. Kumar

A toy shot in the Object Highlight mode The Sketch mode shoots in black and white Vivid colour reproduction on the PL210

GAME review

Gaming is a strange beast for those of us whochoose to look beyond the visceral thrills of shoot-ing an overpowered weapon or comparing kill-death ratios. It can be so much more; transporting

you to brave new worlds and weaving interactive, involvednarratives that other media could never hope to match.They’d only need to look to games like Portal 2 to see where agood idea can take you.

GameplayPortal 2 is a simple game to summarise: it consists of a seriesof test chambers that you enter and then must exit using thetools provided to you. You play as Chell, a mute vesselprotagonist in the tradition of that other legendary Valvehero (a certain Mr Freeman), who awakens from an un-determined period in stasis at a giant underground researchfacility owing to a goof-up by Wheatley, the resident care-taker robot-on-a-rail. For the newbies among you, the firstgame had you defeat GlaDOS, the malevolent resident AIthat seemed so obviously pleased with having you run fromone deadly gauntlet to the next, all the while scuppering yourplans of escape to the surface.

The tackily furnished vestibule you were holed up in hasclearly been ravaged by time, and Wheatley takes it uponhimself to free you from your prison the hard way. Whatfollows is a short, but memorable, on-rails sequence (appar-ently every great Valve game has to begin this way) thatdrops you back into Aperature Labs, the devious militarycontractor-cum-conglomerate that designed and ran thetesting facility that held Chell prisoner. The place has obvi-ously seen better days, what with GlaDOS out of operationand the maintenance systems acting up. Right about here iswhere you’ll notice two things. Wheatley just won’t shut up!But rather than annoying the living hell out of you, you’llbegin to notice that the AI has been given an actual well-rounded character. Brilliantly voiced by The Office’s StephenMerchant, the lovable little runt is clearly British and has agreat sense of humour. In fact, you’re recommended to stayput at spots just so you’ll hear the extra lines he’ll spout. Thisnon-stop chatter is so well written, and delivered with suchterrific comic-timing, that you’ll soon miss him when he goesoff on random errands.

Keeping paceAside from Wheatley, you’ll also notice that the game isn’trushing you forward. The first set of puzzles are harmlessenough, seemingly there to introduce you more to the uni-verse and the mechanics of gameplay. The derelict andrelatively simple stages soon open up just as the first majorplot point hits you (hint: she’s back!). Without divulging anymore of the story, suffice to say that you’ll go places and learnmore about the Portal universe and its characters than youever expected to. There’s also a significant chunk of backstory to be enjoyed. You’ll want to look in every nook andcranny of the levels for obscure voice snippets, paintings andother Easter eggs abound.

Portal 2’s gameplay revolves around the concept of entryand exit portals that you shoot out of your ‘portal gun’. Onceshot onto strategic portal holding walls and walked into, theycan be used to traverse large spaces and otherwise impos-sible gaps. Don’t let Portal lure you into a false sense ofsecurity, however. After the first third of the game, you’ll be

faced with a steady introduction of new variables that you’llneed to utilise to solve each new puzzle room. These includeliquid gels that speed up movement, increase your jumpheight, and one that lets you shoot portals on previously inertsurfaces. There are also red lasers that can be redirected,energy walkways, tractor beams and spring-loaded platesthat launch you into the air. The game never burdens you bythrowing in more elements than you’re able to take in. It’sexpertly designed, paced and check-pointed, and barring afew puzzles towards the end, you’ll never feel like you’re inover your head.

GraphicsThe game is a visual marvel, and while it may not stand up tothe likes of Crysis 2, the attention to detail and massiveevolving environments more than make up for it. The in-gamemusic by Mike Morasky switches between serenely con-templative to tracks that subtly aid in your puzzle solving. It’swonderful to hear the score dynamically evolve as it addsnew layers each time you complete a part of a puzzle. Asidefrom Wheatley, there are also standout performances from

Ellen McLain, J.K. Simmons and Nolan North. It isn’t oftenthat you come across a game that has you laughing allthrough the boss fights.

Co-op modeThe game also comes with seamless Steam integration onthe PS3, allowing you to play the fleshed out co-op modeonline on the PS3 or cross-platform with a willing accompliceon the PC. The co-op mode has a separate set of puzzles andstory, and even lets partners point objects of interest out toeach other. Barring minor issues, such as frequent loadingtimes and a lack of traditional leaderboard support, Portal 2is as close to perfection as a video game can get. Clocking inat twice the length of the previous game (and that isn’t evencounting the co-op mode), there’s a tremendous amount ofreplay value to be had from redoing the chapters, just enjoy-ing the story and dialogue or listening to Valve’s commentarytrack. With an endearing, bittersweet story that delves intodepths you wouldn’t expect of it, Portal 2 is not only amust-have but also an example of what the medium iscapable of when in competent hands. Consider the bar welland truly raised.Love - Excellent presentation, hilarious script and voiceacting, involving gameplay, satisfying storyHate - Frequent loading

Ratings: 5/5Price: Rs 2,499(PS3)Rs 1,999 (Xbox 360)Rs 699 (PC)Publisher - EADeveloper - ValvePlatform - Xbox 360, PS3, PC

CHIP

7 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

UPCOMING games

The fictional island of Banoi, just off the coast of Papua NewGuinea, is on the brink of a mysterious epidemic. What wassupposed to be a blissful getaway in this tropical paradise turnsinto the most horrifying nightmare with you having to survive thezombie apocalypse at any cost. You can choose to don the role offour different characters in this first-person interactive gameplay.Platform - PS3, Xbox, PCDeveloper - TechlandPublisher - Deep Silver

Dead Island

Deus Ex: Human RevolutionIn this first-person RPG, you play Adam Jensen, an ex-SWATspecialist who’s been handpicked to oversee the defensive needs ofone of America’s most experimental biotechnology firms. Your jobis to safeguard company secrets, but when a black ops team breaksin and kills the very scientists you were hired to protect, everythingyou thought you knew about your job changes. You have no choicebut to become mechanically augmented and find yourself chasingdown leads all over the world, never knowing who you can trust.Platform - PS3, Xbox, PCDeveloper - Eidos Montreal, Nixxes SoftwarePublisher - Square Enix

Visit the unseen lands from the world of Middle-earth with The Lordof the Rings: War in the North. This visceral action-adventure RPG isset against the backdrop of the famous trilogy and features stunningvisuals, brutally realistic combat, a unique and compelling new story,and innovative cooperative gameplay that pits you and your friendsagainst the dark forces of Middle-earth. You’ll have the opportunity toexplore previously untold stories during the journey of the ring.Platform - PS3, Xbox, PCDeveloper - Snowblind StudiosPublisher - Warner Bros. Interactive

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North

Leaving the NYPD and the Big Apple far behind, Max has “drifted frombad to worse”. Double-crossed and a long way from home, Max is nowtrapped in a city full of violence and bloodshed, using his weapons andinstincts in a desperate search for the truth and a way out. The third inthe series of the third-person shooter game is based in Sao Paulo,Brazil, where Payne is working in the private security sector for awealthy local family. The timeline is set to about 8-12 years after theevents of the second game.Platform - PS3, Xbox 360, PCDeveloper - Rockstar StudiosPublisher - Rockstar Games

Max Payne 3

8 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

AUTO focus

Jason Harper

Iwant to like the Chevrolet Camaro. I really do.

A 426-horsepower avatar of Detroit’s glory days,this revived pony car should remind us of classicrock-and-roll and sweet, summer evenings at the

drive-in. Only I don’t much like the Camaro coupe. Re-released

in 2009 with an extremely low roof and burly body, theform ran rampant over function. It looks thuggishly cool,but doesn’t handle all that well and you can’t see out of it.Bombast triumphs over substance.

American buyers disagree. Last year the Camaro out-sold its traditional rival, the Ford Mustang, and the gap iswidening this year. The Camaro is a hit.

The recently released convertible version gives me achance to revise my opinion. After all, the latest GeneralMotors Corp. products have mostly impressed me.

I tested the V-8-powered SS model with a six-speedmanual, and an automatic-equipped V-6 LT version. TheSS starts at just under $37,000, not including the $850destination charge; the LT at just over $29,000.

The new Camaro was originally conceived as both acoupe and convertible, and even with the top down, it’sone menacing looking vehicle - bad to the bone. Theoversized hood has a massive bulge at its centre and athick, Cro-Magnon brow cresting over the narrow grill. Itmight as well be carrying a wooden club.

Roof DownThe solidity of that hood is emphasised when the canvasroof is down. There’s no delicate sense of proportionanyhow, so the lopsided dimensions actually work. Pointsscored for the convertible.

And when the sun is shining, the convertible also solvesone of the greatest faults of the coupe: the sensation thatyou’re trapped in a bomb shelter. With the roof removed,you can see the actual width and breadth of the cockpit.Plenty of room in there. There’s seating for two in the rearas well.

At 60 mph, the short, raked windshield gives precious

little protection, and the wind whips into one ear and outthe other. You’ll dodge bugs and won’t be able to hear yourpassenger’s prattle and stray papers will fly away andyou’ll exult in the sense of old-school convertible freedom.One with the elements. I like that.

Unfortunately, it rained the week I drove the SS model.Which means I drove hundreds of miles with an acre ofblack canvas fitted over my head, shutting out the sky, anysense of open-air wonder and - most importantly - myview of stoplights and much else of the road.

Knight VisionThose King Arthur movies where the knights pull downtheir visors just before they commence jousting, leavingthem nothing but a narrow slit to see through? Yeah, it’slike that.

Worse, when you’re relegated to a gulag gloom, youspend lots of time considering the workmanship of theinterior. The wash of dark, cost-cutting plastic is clearlyfrom the era of the old, troubled GM.

The leather-wrapped shifter knob and steering wheelonly serve to highlight how soulless the rest is. The 2012model will get updating. Perhaps some signs of the new,more innovative GM will seep in.

All which might have been forgivable if the SS’s 426horses gave me half as much joy as the Mustang GT’s 412did. Muscle cars are impractical by definition, so it’s reallyabout having a tire-shredding good time.

Shake, Rattle, RollI had a few moments of fun with the SS. But mostly not.The weight of that V-8 in the schnoz upsets any hope ofpoise. The steering wheel warbled alarmingly in my handsevery time I passed over a blemish in the asphalt. It almostseemed like something mechanical had gone wrong. I keptwaiting for a piece of the car to fall off.

Chevy has made revisions to the suspension and tiressince the coupe I drove in 2009. It certainly handles betterin corners, which is especially commendable for a con-vertible. Still, the latest Mustang is a better-tuned weapon.

The Camaro feels blunt in comparison. Then I took delivery of the less-powerful V-6. The

3.6-litre produces a still powerful 312 hp, and my test carhad an automatic transmission (an extra $1,185) and the$1,500 RS sports package.

This time the sun was out. That helped. So did theoverall handling and feel of the lighter, more nimble car.Less weight in the front means the entire car is betterbalanced. Narrow lanes still gave me pause - you can’tactually see the front edges of the car given the oversizedhood - but it blew through off-ramp curves. The brakeswere also fabulous, giving me great confidence.

Give Me SunshineI missed the manual, but the automatic worked just fine.The V-6 doesn’t sound as gruff as the V-8, but it makes anice buzz when you stand on the pedal. And the steeringwheel no longer felt like it was suffering from restless legsyndrome.

I had a decent time, especially on the highway with aflood of sunshine pooling into the cabin. I’m not sure it was$36,000 worth of fun - the price as tested - but it clarifiedmy opinion. The Camaro with a V-6, top down, in a statewhere the sun shines.

(The author writes about autos for Muse, the arts and leisuresection of Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

Ruffled cruising in a topless Camaro

Chevrolet’s 2011 Camaro 2LT and 2SS Convertibles at a GlanceEngines: 3.6-litre V-6 with 312 horsepower; 6.2-litre V-8 with 426 hp (400 hp with automatic)Transmissions: Six-speed manual or optional six-speed automaticSpeed: 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds; 4.9 secondsGas mileage per gallon: City 18, highway 29 (with automatic); 16, 24 (manual)Price as tested: $36,185; $41,700Best feature: Feeling of freedom with top downWorst feature: Feeling of imprisonment with top upTarget buyers: The pony-car fan who doesn’t care for the Mustang

Photos: Bloomberg

10 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

AUTO news

Triumph, the British motorcycle manufacturer, isall set to enter the Indian market with its iconicbikes.

First established in 1902 and now based inHinckley, Leicestershire, UK, Triumph Motorcycles hasin recent years been the fastest growing motorcycle brandin the world. For many years Triumph has produced awide range bikes which perfectly blend design, character,charisma and performance.

The innovation and engineering that gave birth to theiconic Bonneville of the 1960s has today created a broadrange of bikes suited to all motorcycle riders, including thestriking 2.3-litre Rocket III, the unmistakable Speed Tri-ple, the award-winning Daytona 675 supersport machineand the recently launched Tiger 800. Triumph combinesthe very latest design and manufacturing facilities with thecharacter and design flair that has always been associatedwith the famous swooping badge.

Triumph BonnevilleTriumph Bonneville takes the style and spirit of the 1970sand blends in modern engineering to create a classic Brit-ish twin for the 21st century rider. The air-cooled 865ccpower plant styled to look like an authentic parallel-twinof the 1960s, right down to the ‘carburettors’ that hide the

modern fuel injectors and dum-my pushrod tubes! A healthy

68PS and 68Nm of torque give the modernday Bonneville peppy performance that is at home both inthe city and on the open road. Lightweight 17-inch castalloy wheels make the Bonneville agile and easy to ride,while the low 740mm seat height makes it accessible tomotorcyclists of all ages and experience, while short mud-guards and stylish chrome megaphone silencers completethe 1970s look.

Triumph Daytona 675RThe ultimate road and trackday bike, the Daytona 675Rsports is factory-fitted with Öhlins suspension usuallyfound on the racetrack or ultra-exotic Italian machines.Further track-spec items included as standard on theDaytona 675R include a standard-fit quickshifter and ahost of carbon fibre bodywork, including hugger, silencerheat shield and front mudguard. The Daytona 675R alsoutilises the Daytona 675’s comprehensive instrumenta-tion, which includes a lap timer and programmable gearchange lights. Sporty new graphics include a unique Tri-umph tank script, while the special colour scheme furtherconfirms the Daytona 675R’s premium status. The spar-kling Crystal White bodywork is contrasted with a racestyle black belly pan and distinctive red subframe.

Triumph Rocket III RoadsterWith its 2,294cc three-cylinder engine, the Rocket IIIRoadster is home to the world’s largest production motor-cycle engine. Delivering a 221Nm wallop of torque at just2,750rpm, the Rocket III Roadster delivers a riding expe-rience unmatched by anything else on two wheels. Withits mid-mounted pegs and relatively upright riding posi-tion, the Roadster takes on a streetfighter stance anddelivers an attitude-laden ride that every motorcyclistshould experience at least once in their two-wheeledcareer. In addition to the popular metallic Phantom Black,it comes in two flamboyant colour schemes: Phantom RedHaze and Phantom Blue Haze.

Triumph Speed TripleMore than just brute metal, the Speed Triple sports an118bhp, DOHC, liquid-cooled, three-cylinder engine,which packs an impressive 100Nm of torque, with theemphasis on low and mid-range punch. Instant throttleresponse is assured in any of the 6-gears and is accompa-nied by the spine-tingling, unmistakable triple-cylinderhowl. Its uncompromising, brutal looks have becomesomething of an icon for those who prefer their motorcy-cling to have a raw, rebellious edge.

Triumph Tiger 800New for 2011, the Triumph Tiger 800 sees the Britishmanufacturer enter the middleweight adventure sectorfor the first time. The Tiger 800 features a tough steelframe capable of carrying large amounts of luggage andcoping with the rough and tumble of off-piste riding.Ten-spoke alloy wheels, 19-inch at the front and 17-inch atthe rear, allow for the fitment of a wide range of tyres, fromdirt-biased dual purpose items to pure road rubber forthose who wish to take advantage of the Tiger 800’squalities as an excellent bike to commute and tour on. Aclass-leading 19-litre fuel tank ensures infrequent stopsfor the Tiger 800 rider.

A ‘Triumph’antentry

11 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

MELANGE luxury redefined

Go slurp withThe Nature’sCo.’s latestPassion FruitExfoliatingBody Washthat has allthe goodnessof the calmingfruit andspecialantifungalpropertiestoo. A perfectshield for therains.Available atits stores.Rs 845 (250ml)

Fruitybath

Introducing a pretty collection of floralfootwear for women, Pavers England letsyou pick from ballerinas, ankle boots,clogs, penny loafers and strappy flats withflower embellishment of all kinds. Headto its stores and other lifestyle outlets.Rs 1,299 to Rs 3,999

Floral feet

Luscious lipsand stunningeyes is Inglot’starget this weekwith its GelLipstick andEye-liner Gel.While thelipstick has acreamy andsmooth texture,the latter is easyto use andcomes inyummy colours.Available at itsoutlets. Rs 680 each

Beautyadditions

Vintage prints,vibrant colours andcontemporarysilhouettes, Fossil’snew laptop bags andsleeves are ideal toslip your favouritegadget into andmakes for a classyfashion accessorytoo. Available atselect Lifestyle andShoppers Stopstores. Rs 2,750 (sleeves) andRs 3,995 (bags)

Up Fossil’s sleeves!

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12 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

CROWN jewels

tercolour panels inside featuring scenesfrom Tsarina Marie’s home country Den-mark, while the Memory of Azov opened toreveal a ship of that name on which theirson had embarked on a trip to Asia. Theexquisite Lilies of the Valley Egg presentedto Alexandra popped open to reveal minia-tures of her husband and two daughters.Sometimes they captured the wider senti-ment of the time – the Trans-Siberian Rail-way Egg, containing a miniature of thetrain and presented to Alexandra in 1900was the face of a booming economy and itsproudest recent achievement. The SteelMilitary Egg of 1916 stands on four modelartillery shells, symbolising the war thecountry was embroiled in.

So it’s perhaps unsurprising that of the1,55,000 pieces – ranging from cigaretteboxes to clocks and vodka bowls – createdby Peter Carl Fabergé up until his companywas nationalised in 1917, it’s the 50 Imperi-al Easter Eggs that have left us spellbound.There were other jewellery houses pro-ducing equally if not more opulent piecesbefore and after Fabergé, but it was theseeggs that came to symbolise something farmore – the true possibilities of craftsman-ship, ingenuity and thoughtfulness. Faber-

gé, who had worked at theHermitage in St. Petersburgas well as training in Ger-many and France, seemedto draw on the best of allcultures and traditions. Itwas certainly enough toprompt Russian billionaire Vik-tor Vekselberg to pay over $90 mil-lion pounds for the Forbes family’scollection of nine eggs back in 2004, in-cluding the most elaborate of them all, theCoronation Egg presented to Alexandra in1897.

Two years ago, when London-basedmining investment firm Pallinghurst Re-sources re-launched Fabergé with severallines of high-end jewellery, having boughtthe brand from Unilever back in 2007 for$38 million, like most journalists I askedthe question: would eggs soon follow? Atthe time the company was circumspectabout committing to anything. This was adeliberate strategy the company now says,as it launched two series of eggs at an eventin London’s Somerset House. They’re thefirst since 1917.

After all, the luxurious image of Fabergéhad been watered down over the years as

all sorts of products from per-fumes and ties to a film (the Brit-

ish 1973 comedy A Touch of Class)and even Barbie dolls were churned out

in its name, as ownership of the rights tothe brand passed from hand to hand. TheFabergé family gave up their rights to thename in 1951 for a paltry 25,000 U.S. dol-lars.

Pallinghurst Resources wanted to firstre-associate the name with exquisite, top

of the range jewellery before it took onFabergé’s most famous creations.

Now they’re starting with two se-ries of egg pendants. Twelve one-of-a-kind Les Fameux de Fabergéegg pendants have been created,inspired by 12 Russian proverbs.Several were on display at the

launch in London, includingL’Oeuf Ruban or the Ribbon Egg, an

exquisite egg handcrafted from white,pink, and yellow gold based on traditionalUzbek prints, with an elaborate gem-en-crusted, ribbon. Equally spectacular is theDiaghilev Egg, coated by diamonds and ru-bies. When a section of the exterior ispressed the egg opens to reveal a draw setwith diamonds at the heart of which is set adiamond and ruby pendant. “Everythinghas beauty, but not everyone sees it,” is thesaying that inspired it.

The Faberge creatives first came up with25 different proverbs they’d like to workwith but eventually honed them down to 12that seemed possible to visualise. They’rehoping to extend the range in the future.

For others in the series, it’s the tech-nology rather than visual impact that’sstartling. The Diamond Egg, the collec-tion’s most expensive piece, retailing at600,000 dollars, has 385 diamonds set intoplatinum – a technological process that re-

Re-inventingThe Egg

Imag-inethede-

light ofTsarinaMarie Fe-

odorovna in1885 when on

Easter Sunday,at the end of the Lent fast,she was presented with what appeared tobe a simple 2.5 inch-high hen’s egg butopened to reveal a golden yolk containing agolden hen sat atop a golden nest. Insidethe hen was a replica of the Russian impe-rial crown, with a small ruby pendant eggdangling from it.

The Hen Egg created by Peter Carl Fa-bergé at the behest of Romanov Tsar Alex-ander III, became an annual event. Eachyear at Easter the Tsar would present hisbeloved wife with an Imperial Egg. Thetradition was followed by his son Nicholasthe II for his German wife Tsarina Alex-andra, as well as for his mother Marie.Most eggs were far more elaborate thanthe first one, but they were always verypersonal. The Danish Palace Egg had wa-

quired thecompany towork with sev-eral aerospace firms.The diamonds weighmore than the materialthey’re set into.

At least one harks backto the original Imperials.The Cherry Egg – not ondisplay in London – doesnot look like the old Lilles ofthe Valley Egg, but Katha-rina Flohr, the company’sCreative and Managing Di-rector says she drew inspira-tion from it and its ‘wild unrulyfeel’.

Also launching is the lowerpriced Les Frissons de Fabergécollection, with around 60 differ-ent designs, of which a number ofcopies have been made, withprices ranging from $3,000 to$30,000. These too are inspired bysome of Faberge’s original work, in-cluding cigarette boxes.

However, in keeping with the Fabergétradition, the company will also offer a be-spoke service where customers can workwith the designers. (There are two in housedesigners and one external designer work-ing with Flohr). While there will of coursebe limits to the client’s input, they’ll be ableto create special pieces to mark specialevents and draw inspiration from culturesbeyond Russia. After all, Fabergé himself

drew inspiration from his travels and timespent honing his skills abroad, they say.The bespoke pieces don’t even have to bependants, giving clients the potential to putthem even closer to the original Imperialmasterpieces.

The company will be launching all of thison a revamped version of their interactivewebsite, and are also planning boutiques inParis and London, in addition to the onealready in place in Geneva. This too is remi-niscent of Fabergé, who had a shop onBond Street, which he was forced to closein 1915 when Russia forced citizens to re-patriate foreign assets for the War effort.

One surprising aspect is that the Fabergéartisans, from enamellers to carvers aren’tRussian, but overwhelmingly from France,with some from Switzerland, Germany andBritain. The company insists it is Francerather than Russia that is now the home ofthe finest jewellery artisanship. How wellthis view will go down in Russia, whereFabergé’s craftsmanship is still a matter ofgreat national pride, remains to be seen.

The company has also retained its con-tact with the family – two descendants,Sarah and Tatiana Fabergé sit on the Fa-bergé Heritage Council.

All the pieces on display in London werecertainly breathtaking, even to Indian eyes,accustomed to intricate and jewel-ladenworkmanship. The question remainswhether they have enough of that wow-factor to capture our imagination in theway those original fifty did.

Some of the mostcoveted jewels have

come from the house ofFabergé, The famous

intricately designed andcarved Fabergé eggshave a unique historyand aura surrounding

them. As part of itsattempted revamp,

Fabergé has justlaunched an ‘Egg-citing’new range of jewellery.

VIDYA RAM reportsfrom the launch in

London

Fabergé Lilies of theValley, 1898

Image courtesy of TheFORBES Collection, New

York All Rights Reserved

Photographer: LarryStein

14 July 13, 2011Smartbuy

TASTER’S choice

John Mariani

More often than not when ordering a whitewine I go for a Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume,made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape inFrance’s Loire Valley. I find it as versatile as

an aperitif as I do with a wide variety of foods to follow,and the price is usually right.

What I almost never do is order a Sauvignon Blanc fromAmerica, where it is sometimes called Fume Blanc. All thevirtues I find in French Sauvignon Blancs - their aromaticbouquet, herbaceous, slightly grassy flavour, and lightnessof structure - are often squandered in California and Pacif-ic Northwest wineries, which tend to overemphasiseherbal notes, making most taste like a newly mown lawnwith plenty of dandelions and a little fertilizer thrown in.

Many deliberately imitate the fruit-punch flavours ofthe enormously successful Cloudy Bay and other Sauvig-non Blancs from New Zealand. Wine Spectator’s Ma-ryAnn Worobiec writing about Cloudy Bay found“Tangerine, mango and citrus flavours are pure and fo-cused, smooth, round and wonderfully refreshing, withpeach, Key lime pie, mineral and floral elements that reallytake off on the finish.” As I said, fruit punch.

America’s Sauvignon Blancs tend not to be quite thataggressive, but their styles differ radically. Some are verylight, others hefty, with up to 14.5 per cent alcohol. The biggrassy ones are a mouthful, but their charms fade very fastafter a few sips.

The varietal’s prodigious growth and vigour can lead toan under ripeness that adds to those herby demerits. Thegrape had a surge in popularity after the late RobertMondavi re-named it Fume Blanc in 1968, to avoid confu-sion with Cabernet Sauvignon, giving it a sexy Frenchnuance.

Steel and OakMany California wineries don’t allow much if any skincontact with the grape juice; others do. Some age the wineonly in stainless steel; others use oak barrels. In someinstances, semillon or other grapes are added.

It’s difficult, then, to pin down the AmericanSauvignon Blanc style. But with summer and out-door grilling upon us, a reasonable case can bemade for the American varietal as a good choicefor big, smoky-flavoured meats or fish. With thatin mind, I collected a slew of western-stateSauvignon Blancs of different styles andvintages and tasted them with and with-out such foods.

Sineann 2007 ($30) This is a small Yamhill County, Ore-

gon, producer, best known for its PinotNoirs. Unfortunately, although the bot-tle I sampled had a very tight glassclosure, the smell was slightly chemicaland the wine itself, obvious from itscolour, starting to oxidise.

Carica Kick Ranch 2007 ($25) Sonoma Valley’s Carica has only

been making wine since 2005 but al-ready has a considerable following. Theowners insist their Sauvignon Blancsfollow “classic French style” with“crisp acidity.” They add 25 per centSauvignon Musque and age 10 per centof the first blend in new French oak.

It is indeed a very Sancerre-like Sau-vignon Blanc, with a lovely fresh bou-quet, excellent body and clean acids.This was clearly the best of my tasting,perfect with grilled fish.

Windsor Sonoma 2007 ($15) With vineyards in the warm Russian

River Valley, Windsor Sonoma takesadvantage of cool summer nights tokeep acidity levels high, achieving a ju-dicious 13.9 per cent alcohol. The col-our is very, very pale, the aromaherbaceous, but the overall taste flabby,without those promised acids evident.

It’s a one- dimensional wine. Groth 2007 ($26) Located in Napa’s Oakville appellation, Groth has

been highly regarded for its Sauvignon Blancs sincethe 1980s. The grapes are grown in microclimates

that Groth’s website says give the wine “a lush,full melon/citrus character in the aroma and

in the flavour.” Leaving the juice on theskins gives it more body, but you get ahigh alcohol level of 14.5 per cent.

It’s big, it’s floral, it’s pleasantly grassybut not overdone. This is a very fineexample of the bold, California style ofripe fruit and balance of acidity.

Turnbull 2008 ($23) Napa-based Turnbull makes a wide

range of wines, sourcing grapes fromfour Oakville and Calistoga vineyards,and the juice spends an unusually longtime on the lees. Very pale in colour,with a modest apple-like nose, it beginsbrightly on the palate but fades fastwithout any real finish. It would be finewith grilled chicken or even hot dogs.

Spottswoode Estate Vineyard &Winery 2009 ($35-$40)

Napa’s Spottswoode specialises intwo Cabernets and its Sauvignon Blanc,the latter fermented in small stainlesssteel barrels, then French oak to addtoast and spice.

This is another fine example in theLoire Valley style, a very creamy winebut with tantalising acid and freshnessthat would make an excellent aperitif ora wine to go with summer salads andtomatoes with goat’s cheese. (The author writes on wine for Muse, the arts

and leisure section of Bloomberg News. Theopinions expressed are his own.)

Picking thebest Sauvignon

Blanc

Photos: Bloomberg

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