A lot can happen in a week, but this week is really special as we have had so many interesting announcements and launches from tech giants including Apple and Microsoft.

This week, we saw the launch of the much awaited and rumoured MacBook Pro by Apple and Apple TV, while Microsoft showcased its Surface Studio, Surface Dial, Beefed-Up Surface Book, and Windows 10 VR Headsets. Xiaomi too, didn't stand behind as the Chinese technology company showcased a Bezel-less smartphone dubbed as Mi Mix which is designed by Philippe Starck and the much rumoured Mi Note 2.

Along with this, the week was pretty speculative as we came across a number of rumours and tips about a lot of smartphones and laptops. We also listed out top bluetooth speaker under INR 10,000 while we did video reviews of two Brainwavz earphones - Blu-200 and M2.

While a top 10 listicle would definitely not be enough to sum up this week, here's our try as we put in 10 best stories we have covered this week in consumer technology.

1. Apple Refreshes Its MacBook Pro With A Fancy Touch Bar

At its special Mac event, Apple unveiled leaner and meaner MacBook Pro line-up. The Cupertino-based company's new laptop features a relatives better Retina display that supports wider colour gamut. At 500 nits, it is also the most bright screen on the MacBook yet. Apple also claims that the display consumes 30 percent less energy than before. The Macbook Pro also comes with Touch ID for security and convenience. Integrated into the power button, the Touch ID comes in handy for quickly unlocking the device, switch user accounts, and initiate secure purchases by simply reading your fingerprint.

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2. Microsoft Windows Event: Complete Coverage

At its Windows 10 event, Microsoft presented its vision for operating system that runs on variety of devices. The Redmond-based company added a new product category under its Surface line-up. After taking on the iPad with its Surface slate and Macbook with a powerful Surface Book, Microsoft decided to go after the iMac by unveiling its first all-in-one computer. The company also revealed its plans to roll out relatively more affordable VR (Virtual Reality) headsets that use some of the Hololens technologies. Its basic digital graphics tool Paint got a major makeover.

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3. Microsoft Beefs Up Its Surface Book With Latest i7 Processor

Microsoft's Surface Book convertible laptop has received a significant hardware upgrade. The software giant has beefed-up the device with the latest Intel Core i7 processor. Microsoft claims that it has reworked the GPU to double the machine's graphics performance. At the same time, the Surface Book i7's battery has been improved by 30 percent. You can now expect it to run 16 hours on a single charge. If you were hoping for a cosmetic change, you are in for disappointment, as the new model looks exactly like the original Surface Book. There are quite a few changes under the hood though. The convertible laptop now has two fans to dissipate heat generated by the GTX 965M graphics card. The machine also squeezes in a larger battery.

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4. Microsoft's Surface Studio Makes Desktops Cool Again

Microsoft's Surface brand is known for interesting PC hardware. The Redmond based company has already changed the perception towards tablets and laptops with its Surface slate and Surface Book. This time around, the software giant is changing the way we look at the desktop computers. The Surface Studio boasts of a 28-inch display. At 192 PPI, the pixels deliver the life scale. For instance, 12-point font on the display is identical to 12-point font on a printed page. The PC features an integrated 5-megapixel camera with low-light capabilities. In the audio department, you get 2.1 channel speakers powered by Dolby Audio. There's also an infrared camera to power Windows Hello retina scan feature.

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5. Brainwavz M2 Unboxing And Review [Video]

Brainwavz M2 seems to be the elder brother of the M1 that we reviewed earlier on our website. As we can see, everything right from the package to the earphone design and build quality slighlty reminds us of the Brainwavz M1. Yes, slight differences are there, but somehow M1 was the one that came to our mind as soon as we got our hands on to this. So, with this note in mind, let’s first dive into the box and see what’s inside it.

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6. Brainwavz Blu-200 Unboxing & Review [Video]

The retail packaging includes a pair of Blu-200 bluetooth earphones itself, a hard case that can protect the earphones, ear hooks, velcro cable tie, micro USB charging cable, 3 sets of Silicon ear tips, and a pair of comply foam tips. We also get an instruction manual and warranty card. We get a 24 month warranty with this earphone. The hard carrying case we get is pretty much similar to what we have seen earlier with other Brainwavz earphones. The build quality of the earphone looks pretty good, with flat cable and a premium scratch free rubberised material near the volume controls and microphone.

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7. Top Bluetooth Speakers Under Rs 10,000

With more and more people turning to their Smartphones for content consumption, music systems are fast becoming a rare sight. Manufacturers too are aware of it and rather than swimming against the current these audio equipment brands are rolling our products that complement a smartphone. So if you are planning to purchase a budget Bluetooth speaker this festive season, check out these options.

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8. Xiaomi's Mi Mix Smartphone Is Designed By Philippe Starck

Along with the Mi Note 2, Xiaomi has unveiled the Mi MIX smartphone. Mostly considered as a Chinese brand that apes Apple, this time around Xiaomi has developed a phone with the help of the renowned French industrial designer Philippe Starck. The genius has been known for designing the minimalistic Tic & Tac clock. To achieve a seamless outlook, Starck has removed the earpiece from the device. For the propagation of sound, the Mi MIX uses a piezoelectric ceramic driver that works through the glass. In other words, it does not require an opening. Xiaomi has also replaced the regular proximity sensor with ultrasonic technology. The front-facing camera has been moved to the bottom. This has enabled the Chinese-company to drastically reduce the bezel size. Thanks to its full ceramic body, the Mi Note 2 looks quite impressive.

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9. Microsoft's Surface Dial Comes Straight Out Of A Sci-Fi Movie

It is tough to forget Steven Spielberg's crime thriller Minority Report. Set in 2054, the movie envisions huge computers that work with elaborate hand gestures rather than conventional interaction or input methods. As you can see in the image below, the computer's screen reacts to Tom Cruise's hands to trigger more interface elements. Back in 2002, audience found that quite impressive. While we are a long way from creating the machines from Minority Report, I must say that we are inching toward it. Take for instance, Microsoft's Surface Studio. It features a big touch sensitive screen. Okay, not quite as huge or transparent as shown in the movie. However, it works with natural gesture with simultaneous support for up to 10 touch-points.

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10. Microsoft Announces Windows 10 VR Headsets

Windows 10 was built keeping mixed (augmented) reality in mind. Time and again, Microsoft showcased its vision of fusing virtual objects in real world using the Hololens. While that gadget remains out of grasp for mere mortals, the software giant has now announced cheaper consumer ready mixed reality headsets. Microsoft's hardware partners such as HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, and ASUS will ship the VR headsets come 2017. These gadgets will require the upcoming Windows 10 Creators update scheduled to roll out early next year. Microsoft claims that these VR accessories will work with affordable laptops and PCs.

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