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Elevate your audio experience with these incredible gadgets
Mumbai: If music is your ultimate source of solace and joy, then you’re in for a treat. We’ve scoured the tech landscape to bring you a selection of cutting-edge gadgets that promise to take your audio experience to new heights. From crisp beats to immersive melodies, these devices are tailor-made for the discerning music enthusiast. Welcome to your very own “Music Lover’s Paradise.”
Nokia 130 Music: Start your audio journey with simplicity and nostalgia. The Nokia 130 Music is not just a phone, but a compact music player that lets you groove to your favorite tunes on the go. With its long battery life and dedicated music buttons, you can relive the charm of the past while enjoying your modern-day playlists. Featuring a big battery and a powerful speaker, the Nokia 130 lasts long and plays loud. Whether you want to go hands-free on calls or play the FM radio for the entire room, it delivers clear sound from dawn till dusk. Durable and user-friendly, the Nokia 130 will stand by your side day in and day out. Press and hold the music key to open the MP3 player and dive into your tracks stored on the MicroSD card. Alternatively, tune into local stations with the FM radio. Whichever option you choose, you can enjoy your music all day long, using headphones or the built-in improved loudspeaker. The choice is yours.
Learn more about Nokia 130 Music
Nokia 5710: With the Nokia 5710, music becomes a lifestyle. This feature-rich phone boasts an integrated music player that ensures your tunes sound their best. Plus, its sleek design and customisable features make it a statement piece for any music aficionado.
Your music, your rules. The Nokia 5710 XpressAudio features a unique and game-changing design, purpose-built for new realms of audio freedom. The phone houses a pair of wireless earbuds beneath a sleek and robust slider – pop them out when you want to listen and put them back to charge when you’re done. And if you want to listen to music with friends, just switch to the phone’s loudspeaker.
Discover the Nokia 5710 XpressAudio
Sony Party Speaker SRS-XV800: Turn any gathering into an unforgettable music experience with the Sony Party Speaker SRS-XV800. This powerhouse delivers powerful sound that fills the room, while its dynamic lighting effects create a club-like ambiance. Bring the party wherever you go!
Whether you’re hosting an epic party or enjoying your favorite movie or TV show, this speaker will provide the immersive experience you need. The XV800 offers powerful, room-filling sound no matter what you’re listening to or where you’re listening from. So, don’t compromise—play music loud and clear or enhance your movies and TV with the XV800.
Life should be lived at full volume. That means getting your friends together, turning up the music to full volume, and dancing all night to clear, rich sound. With our new X-series range of speakers, you can make the most of every single moment, power parties you’ll remember forever, and always live your life out loud.
Sony Earbuds WF-C700N: Immerse yourself in a world of musical bliss with the Sony Earbuds WF-C700N. These true wireless earbuds offer noise cancellation, allowing you to escape into your melodies without any distractions. Enjoy premium sound quality and convenience rolled into one.
The WF-C700N headphones with noise-cancelling, all-day comfort, and immersive sound quality allow you to enjoy music anywhere. Cancel out background noise with Noise Sensor Technology or use the Ambient Sound Mode to stay connected to your natural surroundings. Adjust ambient sound with the Sony | Headphones Connect app to control your listening experience.
Tecno Pova 5 Pro: Unleash your music’s potential with the Tecno Pova 5 Pro
This smartphone isn’t just about calls and texts—it’s a pocket-sized music studio. With powerful speakers and enhanced audio features, your tracks will resonate with depth and clarity. The RGB light at the back of the phone resonates with the emotions of digital natives. This LED light matches with the rhythm of the music with its Pure and Party mode vibing to your soulful party music.
When it comes to enhancing your audio experience, these gadgets are your keys to unlocking a world of sonic wonders. From the nostalgic charm of Nokia’s music phones to the contemporary brilliance of Sony’s speakers, earbuds, and headphones, your musical journey is about to get a serious upgrade. So, immerse yourself, groove on, and let the melodies transport you to your very own music lover’s paradise.
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Microsoft faces worst quarter since 2008 financial crisis
Cloud giant battles soaring AI costs and fierce competition from nimble startups.
MUMBAI: When the tech titan starts looking a little wobbly, even the Magnificent Seven can feel the tremors because Microsoft is currently starring in its own sequel, “Clouds and Doubts.” Microsoft is on track for its worst quarterly performance since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to Bloomberg, as investors grow increasingly uneasy about rising capital expenditure and intensifying competition from nimble AI firms. The company has been pouring money into AI infrastructure, yet markets are questioning when these hefty investments will finally deliver stronger revenue growth.
At the same time, investors are shifting away from traditional software stocks amid fears that AI startups such as Anthropic and OpenAI are developing autonomous agents capable of replacing established products, including those from Microsoft. Jonathan Cofsky, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, noted growing concern that customers may bypass Microsoft and deal directly with AI vendors, potentially disrupting its core business and putting pressure on pricing and margins.
Microsoft’s stock has tumbled 25 per cent in the first quarter, putting it on course for its largest drop since a 27 per cent fall in the fourth quarter of 2008. It has also emerged as the weakest performer among the so-called Magnificent Seven technology stocks, while a broader index tracking the group has fallen 14 per cent over the same period. The shares slipped a further 1.7 per cent after markets opened on Friday, marking a potential fourth consecutive session of declines.
Cofsky pointed out that Microsoft has become more capital intensive and that improved investor confidence will hinge on assurances that software growth will not slow materially. Despite the sell-off, the stock is now trading at less than 20 times projected earnings over the next 12 months, its lowest valuation level since June 2016. Its valuation remains slightly above that of the S&P 500 Index, although it has recently traded at a discount to the broader benchmark for the first time since 2015.
Bloomberg data shows Microsoft’s capital expenditure, including leases, is expected to surge to $146 billion in fiscal 2026, up around 66 per cent from $88 billion in fiscal 2025. Spending is projected to climb further to $170 billion in fiscal 2027 and $191 billion in fiscal 2028, based on average estimates. Investors are growing cautious about such levels of spending without clearer signs of stronger growth.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud division has reported a slight slowdown in growth compared with the previous quarter, while its Copilot AI product has seen limited user traction, prompting internal changes aimed at improving performance. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, warned in a March note that Microsoft’s upside in Azure could be constrained as the company works to address challenges related to its AI models and Copilot offering, adding that these issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
Of the 67 analysts covering Microsoft, 63 maintain buy ratings, three hold ratings and one a sell rating. The average 12-month price target of $592 implies a potential upside of more than 64 per cent, the highest on record based on data going back to 2009. The stock is also trading below its 200-day moving average by the widest margin since 2009.
Reitzes suggested the dominance of buy ratings may indicate complacency among analysts, while highlighting risks in Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment as well as its More Personal Computing division. In contrast, Tal Liani of Bank of America reinstated coverage with a buy rating, citing durable multi-year growth prospects across cloud and AI. Jake Seltz, portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, maintained that Microsoft retains strong long-term value and that its AI strategy is likely to be validated over time, viewing near-term concerns as a potential opportunity for longer-term investors.
The report highlights a growing divergence in market sentiment, with optimism around long-term AI potential weighed against immediate execution risks and investor uncertainty. In the world of big tech, even the mightiest clouds can have silver linings but right now, Microsoft’s investors are scanning the horizon for clearer skies.
