Punch.ev amps up with faster charging and bold new colors

Tata Motors has upgraded the Punch.ev with faster charging capabilities and two new color choices. The electric compact now supports 1.2C charging, allowing it to go from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 40 minutes. A quick 15-minute stop can add 90 kilometers of driving range, making it more practical for urban and semi-urban commutes.

The update also introduces two fresh shades to the palette: Pure Grey and Supernova Copper. These additions aim to keep the model visually distinctive while enhancing its appeal in a growing field of electric compact vehicles.

With this move, Tata Motors is signaling continued intent to refine its EV lineup for the Indian market. As competition intensifies, especially in the sub-15 lakh category, performance upgrades like faster charging could help the Punch.ev hold its ground as a compelling everyday electric option.

OPPO K13 Turbo Pro 5G launches in India with built-in cooling fan and 7,000 mAh battery

OPPO is set to launch the K13 Turbo Pro 5G in India on August 15, targeting mobile gamers and power users with what it claims is the country’s only smartphone featuring an in-built cooling fan. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset and pairs a 7,000 mAh battery with 80W SuperVOOC fast charging for extended, lag-free sessions.

At the heart of the phone’s thermal performance is OPPO’s proprietary Storm Engine cooling system, designed to manage heat under intense workloads. The K13 Turbo Pro also features a 1.5K AMOLED display, tuned for sharp visuals and high refresh rates, adding to its gaming appeal.

While OPPO has not yet revealed pricing, the launch marks an aggressive step into India’s upper midrange performance segment. With thermal management becoming a differentiator in mobile gaming, the K13 Turbo Pro is betting that cooler is better.

S8UL dominates South Asia to clinch Legends Ascend title and Wild Card berth

In a decisive show of skill and strategy, S8UL Esports has claimed the Legends Ascend South Asia 2025 championship, securing a ticket to the League of Legends Champions Pacific (LCP) Wild Card Playoffs. The team rose above 94 rivals in the region’s first official Riot Games-sanctioned tournament, which unfolded over a grueling four-month calendar.

Backed by Riot Games and Aftermath Ventures, Legends Ascend aimed to ignite South Asia’s competitive League of Legends scene. From open qualifiers in April to the final best-of-five clash in August, the tournament delivered an escalating spectacle that engaged over 700,000 fans across digital and community platforms. Broadcasts ran for 29 days, collecting more than 130,000 YouTube views and sparking 12 fan-led watch parties.

S8UL’s journey was marked by precise drafting and fearless execution, culminating in a finals win over Kakao Gaming. Arun Rajappa, Riot’s Country Manager for India and South Asia, described the event as “a structured pathway” to global competition. That path now leads S8UL to the LCP Wild Card Playoffs later this August, where regional champions will battle for 2026 promotion—and South Asia’s rising stars will test their mettle on a global stage.

Aug 14, 2025 20:19 IST
Optiemus debuts RhinoTech screen protectors made with Corning glass
Optiemus has introduced RhinoTech, a new line of premium tempered glass screen protectors made with glass engineered by Corning. Manufactured in Noida, RhinoTech enters a market of 400 million screen protectors, where over 90 percent of supply is currently driven by low-cost imports.

“Our goal is to make India a global hub for high-value mobile accessories,” said Ashok Kumar Gupta, Chairman of Optiemus. “With RhinoTech, every Indian smartphone user can access world-class protection made right here at home.”
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The protectors offer antimicrobial coating, BIS certification, and a first-of-its-kind unlimited one-year replacement. They will be available starting late September for premium smartphones.
“We are excited to support Indian consumers with screen protectors marked as engineered by Corning,” said Sudhir Pillai, Managing Director, Corning India. “This is a key step toward raising the quality bar in India’s mobile accessories market.”
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With new BIS standards introduced for chemically tempered glass, RhinoTech positions itself as a made-in-India alternative built for scale, reliability, and trust.



Aug 14, 2025 17:00 IST
India’s EV moment charges ahead but pain points remain
India’s electric mobility landscape is undergoing a radical transformation, with EVs now registered in 65 percent of all pin codes and a fourfold increase in public charging stations since 2023. According to the newly released India Charging Report 2025 by TATA.ev, electric vehicles have moved beyond city limits and are now traversing over 95 percent of the country’s motorable road network.

The report captures a turning point. EVs have become the primary vehicle for 84 percent of their owners, who now drive 40 percent more on average than those using internal combustion engines. With 24,000 public chargers in place and fast charging available every 50 kilometers across 91 percent of national highways, long-distance EV travel is no longer a novelty.
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Still, challenges persist. Nearly half of public chargers are reported to be non-functional, while fragmented discovery tools and payment hurdles frustrate users. TATA.ev’s countermeasures include a verified charger network with 90 percent uptime, a unified RFID and UPI-based payment system, and its iRA.ev app that shows live charger availability across partner networks.