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2015-07-14T08:53:00.001-07:00

NEW Lenovo K3 Note Launch

2015-07-14T08:43:00.005-07:00

Lenovo K3 Note

If you love watching movies or gaming on your smartphone, this sleek and powerful Lenovo K3 Note features a mesmerizing 13.97 cm Full HD display and is backed by powerful Octa Core performance.

Display

13.97 cm (5.5)
IPS Technology

Enjoy watching videos, viewing high-resolution photos and gaming on the big 13.97 cm (5.5) Full HD IPS display of the K3 Note. With the 1920 x 1080 resolution, visuals come to life on this bright and vivid screen.

Performance

Lollipop 5.0

Thanks to the 64-bit Octa Core processor, you can multitask effortlessly on this device. Apps, games and videos run smoothly and lag-free. This Lenovo device is powered by the faster and smoother Android Lollipop 5.0.

Dual SIM Dual Standby

Dual SIM

Whether you travel abroad often or you want to separate business from pleasure, the Lenovo K3 Note offers you two SIM slots. GSM, WCDMA and LTE SIM cards are compatible with this device. With Dual Standby, both your SIM cards are active and you'll never miss important calls ever again.

Battery

3000 mAh (Typical)

Run an extra mile before you plug your Lenovo device into the power outlet. The powerful 3000 mAh (typical capacity) battery packs enough punch for you to enjoy non-stop entertainment for longer. This battery has a minimum capacity of 2900 mAh.

Storage

16 GB ROM

With 16 GB internal storage, you can store more of your favourite photos, music and games worry-free in this Lenovo smartphone.

Camera

13 MP Rear

The K3 Note packs a 13 MP primary shooter which lets you capture amazing photos and videos.

Sensors

This Lenovo smartphone features a proximity sensor, gravity sensor, light sensor, anti gyroscope and an electronic compass. The gravity sensor and anti gyroscope let you enjoy flawless motion-based gaming.

Review: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G - it is worth a buy

2015-07-02T09:27:00.004-07:00

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G

BUY THIS

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G: Xiaomi is playing sumo in India. It has garnered the reputation of launching solid performers and the Redmi Note 4G is no exception. The device comes after the Chinese handset maker launched the Redmi Note in India last year, which set a new bar for the sort of features and performance one can expect in its market category. Xiaomi had spoken of the 4G version of the Redmi Note alongside the original launch. Finally, the phone is here and this is what it has under the hood:

Design: The Redmi Note 4G has been launched and it is same like the earlier Redmi Note when it comes to design. It is simply not possible to physically tell the two apart just by looking at them. It has a black front face and a shiny plastic rear shell along with very noticeable red icons for the three capacitive buttons below the screen. There’s only a small silver Mi logo on the lower back and no branding on the front. The buttons are lined up on the right edge, while the left is blank. The headset socket is on top and the micro-USB port is on the bottom.

The rear panel is a bit difficult to pry off, but the first major difference between the Xiaomi Note twins is visible beneath it. The 4G version of this phone has only a single regular-sized SIM card slot. You still need to take out the battery in order to swap SIM and micro SD cards. It is available only in white and has a dimension of 154.00 x 78.70 x 9.45 mm and weighs roughly around 199 grams.

Display, camera and storage: With a touchscreen size of 5.50 inches that is a capacitive touch-type, the Note 4G comes with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. As far as phones with 5.5-inch screens go, the device isn’t all that difficult to handle. It’s reasonably wide and tall, but users will feel its weight and will need to balance it carefully in order to reach all parts of the screen with one hand. Coming to the camera, the 4G brother of Note comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera with flash and a front 5-megapixel camera. Quality of the rear camera was excellent given different light conditions while the front camera produced good images for video chats and selfies. Although, Xiaomi has boosted the microSD storage to 64 GB, the internal storage continues to be 8 GB which could have been boosted to 16 GB or a model variant could be created.

Hardware, operating system and performance: The Note 4G ships with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 1.6 GHz quad-core processor which is more than capable of handling multitasking on a daily basis. To power the heart of the dragon, Xiaomi has placed a 2 GB RAM module to make things easier. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G gave no trouble running common apps and light games. There was a lag when the internal memory was filled up. The battery life test showed an average of 11 hours, 9 minutes compared to the older model’s time of 11 hours, 56 minutes. This could be attributed to the bigger screen size.

The operating system is the Android 4.4 which comes with a Mi user interface which changes the look and feel of the phone. Customisable themes are also available with Java support. Major among them is the Flesky keyboard app that could come in handy as many users may not like the stock keyboard. On the connectivity front, the phone has a Wi-Fi and a Bluetooth module but no NFC or infrared. Several sensors like the compass or the magnetometer, proximity sensor, accelerometer, ambient light sensor and a gyroscope is present.

Verdict

The phone is good if you like the bigger and the 4G version of the earlier Redmi Note. The main strategy seems to be two fold, firstly, not losing out on the 4G front which is making huge progress and secondly, capture the consumers who like big phones. Simply put, worth a buy if you are a Xiaomi fan.

* Estimated street price of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G: Rs 9,999

Micromax YU Yuphoria Exclusive Launch In India: The next big thing with Cyanogen OS

2015-05-11T03:47:00.002-07:00

Micromax YU Yuphoria Mobile New Launching At Amazon on 12th May 2015

The next big thing with Cyanogen OS

Display, Processor and Platform

The Yu Yuphoria sports a big 5.5-inch IPS LCD multi touch display with a resolution of 720 x 1,280 pixels (HD) leading to a pixel density of 267ppi.

Acting as the brains of the Yu Yuphoria is a 64-bit 1.7GHz octa-core processor from Qualcomm Snapdragon. It is assisted by a 2GB DDR3 RAM thereby exhibiting powerful and silky smooth performance. One of the key highlights of the device is its Cyanogen 12 OS which is based on Google's latest Android v5.0 Lollipop OS.

Camera and Storage

At the back of the Yu Yuphoria, we have a 13MP autofocus camera and LED flash which has the ability to shoot full HD videos at 30fps. It is accompanied by a 5MP snapper at the front which can be used for capturing selfies and enjoying video calls. For storage purposes, it is packed with an internal memory of 16GB which is further expandable up to 32GB via microSD slot.

Battery and Connectivity

The Yu Yuphoria keeps the show running for a fair period of time without any disturbance thanks to a non removable Li-Po battery of 2,540mAh. Moving to the connectivity and networking section, we have options like 4G (specific regions), 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.0, GPS/A-GPS and USB port.

Verdict

The Yu Yuphoria is the second member to be launched from Micromax's sub-brand Yu with the name being decided by an online voting. The device, just like its sibling, will sport Cyanogen OS based on Google's latest platform, Lollipop. It renders top notch performance thanks to the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and supports 4G networks as well.

Google Nexus 5 Starts Receiving Android 5.1 Lollipop Update in India

2015-04-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Google Nexus 5 Starts Receiving Android 5.1 Lollipop Update in India

Google released the Android 5.1 Lollipop factory images for the Nexus 5 and other Nexus devices in early March, and then said the rollout of the update over-the-air (OTA) has begun. After another report last month about the OTA rollout having begun for the LG Nexus 5, the Android 5.1 Lollipop OTA update has now started rolling out in India.

The Android 5.1 Lollipop OTA update with build number LMY47I for LG-made Google Nexus 5 weighs 220.7MB, and is recommended to download through a Wi-Fi connection. The update comes with several bug fixes and some much-needed features, which were earlier missing from in the Android 5.0 Lollipop OS version.

As mentioned before, the update brings improved overall stability and an enhanced ART (Android Run Time) making apps open faster than before. Issues with "Okay Google" have also been fixed. Nexus 5 users can now also search for different Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections directly from the 'Quick Settings' option in the notification panel without opening the 'Settings' page.

Also, the system volume can be changed while playing audio. Alarm volume can be changed from within clock app. Some of the other changes include new 'No interruptions until next alarm' option in Priority mode; improved heads-up notifications that let users swipe up to collapse; improved battery life, and lock screen remains locked when swiping within notification settings.

The update will be reaching all Nexus 5 smartphones gradually. However, those who are impatient for the OTA rollout in their regions can install the factory image - refer to our guide on how to download and manually install the Android 5.1 Lollipop factory image.

Notably, soon after announcing the new OS version last month, Google on its AOSP issue tracker page acknowledged a memory leak bug for some users that causes apps to crash and fills up the device's memory. The company said the issue had been fixed internally, but did not provide a timeline for the rollout of the fix for end users. Unfortunately, the memory leak issue has existed for some users since Android 5.0 Lollipop, and Google had back in December announced a fix had been arrived at and had marked it for future release.

Google Nexus 6 Price and Availability

2014-10-16T10:10:00.002-07:00

Google Nexus 6 Price and Availability Details Confirmed

The next-generation Nexus smartphone with Android 5.0 Lollipop was unveiled on Wednesday, and while there's no word yet on the Google Nexus 6 price in India, we have heard from Motorola, which is manufacturing the Nexus 6, on availability details in the country. We also have confirmed price and availability information for the Google Nexus 6 in the US.
In a departure from tradition, the Google Nexus 6 is not being sold at a discount compared to other flagship smartphones. A factory unlocked Google Nexus 6 with 32GB storage will cost $649 (approximately Rs. 40,000), the same that an iPhone 6 costs in the US. The 64GB Google Nexus 6 has been priced at $699 (approximately Rs. 43,000) without a contract.

Interestingly, not only will the new Nexus 6 will be available from Google and Motorola, but for the first time a Nexus device will also be sold via carriers in the US like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. T-Mobile said it will be offering the Google Nexus 6 at zero down-payment on a two-year contract.
In terms of availability, Google and Motorola said in their statements that the Nexus 6 will be available for pre-order through the Google Play Store in "late October" and will start shipping in November. T-Mobile was more specific, indicating a November 12 release date, so one can expect availability via Google Play and/ or Motorola to be the same, if not earlier.
Motorola said in its statement that the "Nexus 6 will come to 28 countries (including India) across Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America starting later this year and as we head into Q1."
In case you missed reading about its specifications, the Google Nexus 6, which is being manufactured by Motorola, comes with a 5.96-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) display at 493PPI. The smartphone is powered by a 2.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor alongside 3GB RAM. It comes with 32GB and 64GB internal storage options. The Google Nexus 6 comes with 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel rear and front cameras respectively.

The Google Nexus 6 runs the newly announced Android 5.0 Lollipop, which comes with a fresh look thanks to Material Design and a host of new features. The Nexus 6 sports a massive 3220mAh battery, which adds to its bulk, since the smartphone weighs 184 grams and measures 82.98 x 159.26 x 10.06mm.

Android L build for Samsung Galaxy S5 gets previewed

2014-10-03T02:21:00.003-07:00

Android L

By all accounts, Android L's release is coming soon, perhaps even this month (or in November). We've known for months what Google wants its next mobile OS version to look like, since the company's already presented its new Material Design. But what about the different phone makers? They've so far gotten used to modifying the looks of stock Android quite a lot, so it's interesting to see how they'll approach this version.

And now we can get a look at what Samsung's interpretation of Android L will look like, as someone got their hands on a pre-release build of the new OS for the Galaxy S5. This build is said to be very slow and buggy, so there's clearly a lot of work that Samsung still has to do (and this is the reason why it hasn't been made available for download).

Android L for Samsung Galaxy S5 screenshots

If you were hoping that Samsung would give up on its TouchWiz UI overlay entirely, well, you were wrong. Samsung's Android L doesn't look like Google's Android L - not entirely. There are many similarities, though, and it's nice to see Samsung finally change some design bits that have been left pretty much unaltered for years.

Take for example the Settings menu. This is now white, and not blue. On the other hand, the quick settings in the notification shade look very similar to those in Samsung's KitKat release for the Galaxy S5.

More screenshots showing Android L on the Galaxy S5

The good thing is that Samsung's built-in apps (such as Dialer, Memo, Clock, and so on) have been redesigned according to Material Design guidelines (though they aren't finished yet, as they have no animations at this point).

The new lock screen from Google's Android L makes an appearance in Samsung's vision, but sadly the amount of notifications it can show is only two (compared to four in the stock OS).

To get a better idea about what you can expect from Samsung's Android L update for the Galaxy S5, watch the video below.

It's great to see Samsung already working on bringing the next version of Android to its flagship device. This should hopefully mean that there won't be a huge waiting period from when Google releases Android L to when the S5 will receive this update. In fact we have previously heard that it would roll out by early December.

Source

Android L will have built-in encryption, just like iOS

2014-10-03T02:19:00.000-07:00

The next major version of Android is going to come with one feature that will please the security-conscious: built-in encryption. It means anyone who grabs hold of your mobile device—from petty thief to law enforcement officer—will find it much more difficult to extract data from it. The same level of advanced encryption is also available in iOS 8.

Android users have had the option to encrypt their phones and tablets since 2011, but the setup process for Android L will switch it on by default. iOS has always encrypted data on devices automatically — there’s no option to enable it as there is on current versions of Android — but the protection has been reworked and improved in iOS 8.

Related: Android L — the future of Android is (almost) here

“For over three years Android has offered encryption, and keys are not stored off of the device, so they cannot be shared with law enforcement,” Google spokeswoman Niki Christoff told the Washington Post. “As part of our next Android release, encryption will be enabled by default out of the box, so you won’t even have to think about turning it on.”

It’s a feature that is particularly noteworthy in a post-Snowden climate. The NSA-engineer-turned-whistleblower has been calling for improved encryption methods to prevent governments and other agencies from spying on user data, and the extra security layer arriving with Android L are another step in this direction.

“Most people aren’t going to go out of their way to do these things,” said Joseph Lorenzo Hall, chief technologist of a Washington non-profit, when speaking to the Post. “It’s so awesome, as someone who has worked on these issues for a long time, to see these two companies switch their defaults to where these things will be strongly encrypted, and rightly so.”

As for Android L, we still don’t know exactly when it will appear or even what it’s going to be called when it’s released. With flagship devices such as the Nexus 9 rumored to be launching in October, we shouldn’t have too much longer to wait to find out.

Nexus 5 Deal Cuts Price Amidst Nexus 6 Rumors

2014-08-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

A new Nexus 5 deal cuts a little bit off the device’s stagnant price tag and offers consumers an attractive option amidst recent Nexus 6 rumors that point to a Nexus 6 release from Motorola later this year.

As we push towards the fall, Google’s Nexus 5 remains the company’s top Nexus smartphone. Thanks to an attractive set of specifications, updated software that now includes Android 4.4.4 KitKat, and a cheap unlocked price tag, the Nexus 5 is still one of the top Android smartphones that money can buy. Because it’s so cheap, Google’s asking price on the Google Play Store hasn’t budged and Nexus 5 deals are few and far between.

That’s what makes today’s Nexus 5 deal so exciting. It’s not a fire sale or anything close to it, but it does offer a discount on the U.S.-compatible LG-D820 Nexus 5 variant.

eBay is currently offering up a new Nexus 5 in black or red for $330. That’s $20 off of its retail price. Again, the discount isn’t huge but it does off some significant savings when you consider the fact that it comes with free shipping. Those buying through the Google Play Store are going to encounter fairly steep shipping fees so when you factor that in, eBay’s deal is far more attractive.

It’s not clear how long this Nexus 5 deal will last and it’s also not clear how long the Nexus 5 will last on shelves. Last year, we saw Google pull the plug on the Nexus 4 in September ahead of the Nexus 5 launch and with the fall fast approaching and Nexus 6 rumors starting to swirl, we could see something similar happen to the Nexus 5 as Google works to finalize its plans.

A Nexus 6 looked dead in the water several weeks ago after the well-sourced evleaks suggested that the LG Nexus 6 was dead. However, rumors have sparked back up in recent weeks, just days after the head of the Nexus program went on record to dispel rumors of the program’s death.

The Information and Android Police both suggest that Google is working on a new smartphone called “shamu.” As we’ve pointed out many times in the past, Google likes to name its Nexus products after creatures that live in the sea which means that “shamu” could definitely be a new addition to Google’s Nexus stable of devices.

Nexus 6 rumors are scarce, at least at the moment, though they point to several potential specs. Nexus 6 specs are thought to include a large QHD display, either 5.2-inches or 5.9-inches, a fingerprint sensor, a 2.6 GHz Snapdragon 805 Quad-core Processor with 3GB of RAM, 12-13MP rear-facing camera, 32GB ROM, 2.1MP front-facing camera, and NFC. The Nexus 6 is also expecting to run Android L, Google’s brand new Android update that’s rumored for release later this year.

For now, rumors point to a release late on in the year. Nexus 6 release date rumors specifically put the device’s arrival inside of November. This fits in perfectly with Google’s usual Nexus smartphone release window and it mirrors what we’ve heard about the Android L release date. Android L release rumors have put it inside Q4 alongside a Nexus 8 tablet from HTC.

We’ve seen rumors attempt to pinpoint Nexus 8 features ahead of launch. Nexus 8 rumors point to a high-end device with a zero-gap aluminum unibody design similar to the HTC One, an 8.9-inch 2048 x 1440 full HD display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, 4G LTE, 64-bit NVIDIA Logan 64-bit processor (Tegra K1), 8MP rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization, and a 3MP front-facing camera for video chatting.

So while the Nexus 7 and Nexus 5 remain the top dogs at Google, and cheap dogs at that, we could see replacements arrive in just a few short weeks as Google looks to keep pace with Apple.

Samsung Galaxy S5 review – hands on, release date

2014-04-01T05:21:00.001-07:00

Samsung launched the Galaxy S5 smartphone amid much razmatazz at MWCBarcelona, and we've had some time with the hotly-anticipated new handset to bring you first impressions ahead of its UK launch.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 DESIGN

There are a couple of headline new features. The S5 now has a fingerprint reader, which you can use to unlock the phone or to make payments; currently only PayPal is supported. The fingerprint reader can also be used to secure and unlock private storage on the phone, so you can lock down images you wish to keep especially private, for example.

Look out for the heart rate monitor below the camera

There's also a heart rate monitor, which you activate by pressing your thumb to the sensor below the camera and pressing the corresponding button within the SHealth app. We're not convinced of its accuracy, though; the measurement oscillated between 50bpm and 103bpm, while the Gear 2 Neo smartwatch measured around 80bpm consistently.

The S5 is slightly bigger than its predecessor due to a larger screen

The phone looks similar to the S4, but has a couple of differences. It's slightly larger, due to the bigger 5.25in compared to 4.99in screen, and the back is now soft-touch textured rather than smooth as on the S4. We were fans of the soft back, which is pleasing in the hand, but wish Samsung would improve the hard ridged plastic around the edge of the phone.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 SCREEN

Once we started to use the S5, though, we started to be seriously impressed. The first thing that strikes you is the sheer quality of the screen. It has the same 1,920x1,080 resolution as the Galaxy S4's display, but gives a significantly better picture. The screen is brighter than the S4's, and has significantly less grain. It also has much purer whites, without the S4's slight yellow tinge. Text is astonishingly sharp, too. It's one of the best screens we've ever seen – it's amazing how much Samsung has managed to improve on the S4's display in a year.

Oh my, but what a screen

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 PERFORMANCE

The S5 is astonishingly fast. The processor model is as yet unconfirmed (it's pretty certain it's a Snapdragon 801) and its four cores run at a huge 2.5GHz. The S5 completed the Sunspider JavaScript benchmark in just 408ms, which makes the S5 not only by far the fastest Android phone we've seen, but the fastest phone of any type; the only handset that comes close is the iPhone 5S, with 416ms.

As you'd expect with a score like this, the S5 has absolutely no problem with complicated web pages, which render quickly and scroll around with not a trace of hesitation. We also ran the 3DMark benchmark on the handset in Unlimited Mode, as the normal and Extreme modes were too light for the device. Unlimited returned a score of 18,438, which is far quicker than the iPhone 5S's 14,506, which was our previous high score. This is an astoundingly fast phone, whichever way you look at it.

The phone's software takes up over a third of the standard storage

Be aware that out of the phone's 16GB capacity, around 6GB is already taken up by system files and various apps, so only around 10GB is available to the user. You'll most likely need to take advantage of the microSD card slot.

ULTRA POWER SAVING

The Galaxy S5 has an innovative mode to help prolong your phone's battery life, called Ultra Power Saving. This goes further than any power saving mode we've seen. When you switch the mode on, which seems to take around 10 seconds, it turns the display to monochrome and restricts you to a single screen with a few vital apps.

You can select which apps you want when the phone is in the mode, to make sure you still have the functions you absolutely need until you can find a power socket. Samsung claims the phone will give you around 24 hours of battery life from just 10% charge in when in Ultra Power Saving mode, hopefully giving you enough juice for a vital call or text.

MY MAGAZINE

New to the Galaxy S5 is My Magazine, as seen previously on the Note 3 and Note Pro. This is a news and social feed aggregation app, in the style of HTC'sBlinkFeed, which we first saw on the HTC One. Swipe left from the homescreen and you're presented with a picture-rich feed of things that interest you. The service is apparently based on Flipboard, and lets you choose to receive updates from social networks such as Flickr, Twitter and Google+, and information categories such as News, Style and Technology. Unfortunately, we couldn't see any way to customise the news sources within each category.

My Magazine is a BlinkFeed-style news aggregator

CONCLUSION

The S5 may not look much different from the S4, but we were surprised by how much Samsung has managed to improve in a year. The fingerprint reader is useful, we're not sure about the heart rate monitor, but the phone is incredibly fast and the screen blew us away. The S5 will be a premium-priced smartphone, and we can't see it being anywhere else but at the front of this year's Android pack.

Android Headliner: Why the HTC One (M8)’s Camera Misses the Mark

2014-03-28T22:37:00.001-07:00

If you’re a fan of great-looking hardware, good sound quality and meaningful software features, then this was a good week for you. The new HTC One (M8) hit the scene and then immediately became available in stores. However, if you’re a fan of genuinely good mobile photography, then this week wasn’t so good for you. The new HTC One features some pretty impressive camera features, and definitely has some bragging rights, there’s no denying that. However, when all’s said and done, we’re left with low-resolution, soft images that most of us with even a passing interest in photography would have issues with sharing. The Duo Camera at the heart of the HTC One misses the mark, and instead of focusing on genuinely good images, HTC chased gimmicks.

Being able to edit photos after the fact to the degree that HTC allows in the new One is brilliant, and being able to refocus parts of a shot is downright cool. However, that novelty will soon wear thin when you realize that you’re just shooting 4-megapixel images a lot of the time. There’s nothing “ultra” about a 4-megapixel file in 2014, no matter how big those pixels are, HTC. Last year when reviewing the HTC One, I was very impressed with the camera and as I prefer to shoot with honest camera hardware, as oppose to smartphones, it takes a lot to impress me in a phone. I love photography, and it’s a very personal interest of mine. The photos I take are the ones that I want to keep as memories, pieces of art and that I want to share with my friends and family. Instagram is a fad as far as I’m concerned and while everyone thinks they can take a good-looking photo thanks to “Vintage Look filter #3456819391″, they can’t. Unfortunately for us that genuinely care about our images though, it’s the Instagram generation HTC has targeted here.

Being able to shoot slow-motion video in HD, easily control the ISO and White Balance while shooting, refocus after the fact are all awesome; but they’re just another fad. The uncomfortable truth when talking about the UltraPixel camera on the HTC One (M8) is that HTC grew lazy. Sure, it takes in a lot of light, which is key, but that’s all it can do. With Optical Image Stabilisation available in even the Nexus 5, it’s just sad to not see it being used here on the One. Add that to the fact that 2560 x 1600 screens are on most high-end tablets, and sharing images and footage to our TVs is getting easier and easier with Chromecast and other similar services, and that 4-megapixel shooter will start to show its age.

Last year, the HTC One produced bright, colorful images that looked more like genuine photos than other smartphone shooters. However, even then there were cracks showing and while everyone else pulled their socks up and Sony and Samsung both introduced better imaging experiences, HTC added another camera and a cool, fashionable feature. What they should have done, is spent time thinking how they could improve the UltraPixel camera in ways that would help it stay relevant, and continue to take the great shots that HTC promised it would.

I can’t say for certain just how good, or how bad, the images from this new HTC One are until I take some shots with it myself. However, things aren’t looking good for HTC and their Duo Camera. When I do get my hands on the new HTC One, I’ll be excited to try out the new camera, and I hope to be proven wrong, but so far it seems that HTC have left the one feature that needed work the most untouched.

Android OTA: Device Updates & Firmware Report – March 28th Edition

2014-03-28T13:48:00.001-07:00

Android 4.4.2 Update Continues for the One in the UK, While the One Max Gets Android 4.4.2 Across Europe

Last month, the update to Android 4.4.2 KitKat was halted in the UK for the HTC One due to users reporting problems. Now however, things are back on those on all the major networks across the pond should be getting the update now. The update is more of an under-the-hood sort of thing, bringing with it few cosmetic changes, but it’s nice to have. The same can be said for the HTC One Max across Europe, as it’s been reported that the same update is rolling out to users of the 5.9-inch giant throughout the region.

The Nokia X Receives its First Update…Allow Color Changing of Tiles

Nokia’s weird Android phone has received its first update this past week and brings with it the ability to change the color of third-party app tiles on the main display. While nothing groundbreaking or anything, it’s a nice feature we suppose. The OTA was only small at 16MB in size, and changing colors for app tiles is as simple as long pressing on them and choosing the color wheel option.

HTC One Mini on AT&T Gets Android 4.4.2 and Sense 5.5

HTC have been pretty busy this week, announced a new smartphone and all, but they still managed to find time for some of their users of the HTC One Mini. On AT&T, the device has been bought up to Android 4.4.2 KitKat and is now running Sense 5.5 to boot. You’ve probably already gotten the update by now, but if you’re still waiting on it, the version number you’re looking for is 3.10.502.3 and it comes in at a sizable 658MB. Definitely one to download over WiFi, the Sense 5.5 side of things will bring extra features to BlinkFeed and more.

Sony Xperia Z1, Z1 Compact and Xperia Z Ultra Are Now Running Android 4.4.2 KitKat

Over the last couple of weeks, Sony has been rolling out Android 4.4.2 to their flagship devices of 2013, including the Xperia Z1, the Z1 Compact and the Xperia Z Ultra. All three devices should now be running software version 14.3.A.0.681, with mostly cosmetic changes. Essentially, this update brings a little of the KitKat look to Sony’s skin and brings things in line with the Xperia Z2. The emoji in the keyboard are now that of the Google Keyboard, the status bar icons are now all white and overall, things just look a little more like Google’s vision of KitKat, and there is a little bit of a speed boost as well. A nice update to have for sure, it should have hit most devices by now.

HTC One Max on Sprint Receives KitKat Update

Keeping their updates on the right track, HTC and Sprint rolled out Android 4.4.2 to the One Max earlier this week and while it’s too soon for a Sense 6 update, there’s still a lot to love about some tasty KitKat action on the One Max. The build number for this one is 2.09.651.1 and it comes in at 340MB, so download over WiFi when ready.

Sony’s Xperia M Receives Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Update

The extremely budget-minded Xperia M just got a little better this week thanks to the update to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The build number is 15.4.A.0.23 and this is something that only really applies to our European readers, as it’s rolled out in a number of European countries. While nothing special, it’s a nice update and does bring with it some of the more updated Sony features to the Xperia M.

Sony Announces the CP-W5 Qi Wireless Charger with 5000mAh Battery Pack

2014-03-28T13:41:00.001-07:00

Today, Sony announced a new Qi-compatible wireless charger – which should mean that all their upcoming devices will be available with Qi Wireless charging, as of right now, none of them do. However this wireless charger is unlike others out there, it’s also Sony’s first wireless charger. It has a built-in battery, so you can essentially charge your device wirelessly. There’s a 5000mAh battery inside to charge your device, of course you can always just plug in the charger and set your phone down on top. Sony is claiming that you can charge this over 1,000 times and it’ll still retain 90% of its battery capacity. Which is pretty darn good. If you charge it once a day, that should last almost 3 years. Sony is only going to be offering the CP-W5 Qi-Wireless Charger in white, at least at launch.

It’s great to see more and more wireless chargers popping up on the market these days. We’ve already reviewed quite a few of them, like the the Tylt Vu, and the RAVPower Wireless charger, both work great. I’m really thinking that wireless charging is the future, especially with wearables. You don’t want to have to put your smart watch in a cradle and then plug it in, like you do with the Galaxy Gear, it’s just to time consuming, and what if you lose that cradle? Yeah not the best implementation of charging a wearable.

Hopefully Sony announcing this means that we’ll see future smartphones from Sony with Qi wireless charging capability. As far as I know, none of their phones have it at this point. I’ll be crossing my fingers and hoping that changes pretty soon. Sony says that the CP-W5 will be available in April, so we’ll let everyone know when it’s available so we can all run out and get one. There’s also no word on pricing, but I’d expect at least $50, since that’s the normal asking price for wireless chargers right now.

Microsoft Office Suite For Android Is Now Free To Use

2014-03-28T13:32:00.001-07:00

Those of you who have perhaps considered using Microsoft’s Office suite for your Android devices, will be happy to know that the app for Android is now completely free to use on your smartphone. Microsoft Office is definitely a formidable office suite app except for one tiny little factor, to use the app you had to be a subscriber of the Office 365 service that allowed you to use the programs on your Desktop. That is no longer the case, and the app is completely free and allows access to all the programs and use of files. You can view, edit, and create Office documents on your Android devices without having to pay for the Office 365 sub fee, which makes a world of difference especially for the people that may have been on the fence about picking up the service for their computers.

The app actually looks to have a decent interface and should be able to provide anything you would need this type of app for, and it provides tons of features like cloud access to files in OneDrive and OneDrive for business. Word, Excel, and Powerpoint have all been optimized for use on smaller displays like phones, so the experience should pan out to be pretty decent. This could help Microsoft gain some users for the app since there are plenty of other useful apps out that don’t need sub fees, but another downside is that it is only compatible with smartphones and not tablets. Having such access on the go is still somewhat useful, but office apps like this just feel more at home on a tablet. It’s much easier to edit and create documents of all kinds with a larger screen, and if you really have to do some in depth creation with lots of typing you can hook up a bluetooth keyboard to take full advantage of the bigger display.

As of this very moment, you can download and install Office for Mobile on your device, but a sign-in is still required to access any of the apps features. We have included the Play Store linkto get to the app for those who want to set it up while they wait for update to take place.

BlinkFeed Will Soon be Available for Non-HTC Devices

2014-03-27T04:29:00.001-07:00

The All New HTC One has finally been made official, and now that it is officially in our lives, we can settle down and wait for the next thing. In the mean time, some of you may be digging HTC’s BlinkFeed, but you don’t have an HTC One device. You’ll be glad to know that BlinkFeed will be making its way into the Pay Store for non-HTC devices to use. Some of you might laugh at the notion, but it actually isn’t a bad little app. We all love news feeds, and there are countless apps for feeds out there, only BlinkFeed really tries to bring all you need together in one smooth running feed.

I guess HTC felt that BlinkFeed was popular enough to release in the Play Store, and they plan on pushing more of their apps into the Play Store as well. Seems to be working for Moto X apps, and it makes them easier to update the app rather than having to push a complete update through an OTA. Let us know what you think about this idea, and if you would download it onto your non-HTC device.

LG G2 vs. Nexus 5: Specs Of Best Android Phones 2013 Pitted; Google And LG Phone Battle It Out In Features; Smartphone Camera Comparison Shows Which Is Better

2014-03-14T09:09:00.001-07:00

LG G2 vs. Nexus 5: Both of these Android flagships are 5-inches in size and though the Nexus 5 is a Google brand, it’s also made by LG and has the same operating system. But specs and in some cases performance of the LG and Google flagships can be very different. Of course, likle in many smartphones, a smartphone camera comparison is a must (which you can read at the last section).

Source: Google Play

DESIGN

According to a review by Stuff.TV, the LG G2 and Nexus 5 are narrow-bezelled phones with screen around the 5-inch mark and from the front there’s little to tell the difference between them, except the LG logo on the G2 and the Nexus 5’s unadorned face.

But when you flip the units, you spot a difference pretty clearly. The Google Nexus 5 has a rubbery, matte-finished backside with a stamped “Nexus” logo. On the other hand, the LG G2 has a glossy plastic rear with centre-mounted camera and below it, a power/volume control button.

Stuff. TV notes that the button is a bold design decision from LG. A downside of having the button placed on that end is that you can find yourself accidentally increasing the volume when trying to turn off the unit, and vice versa.

The design of the Nexus 5 makes it look a little lighter than the LG G2. Nexus 5 weighs at 130 grams, while the LG G2 is at 143. Both devices are under 9 mm in depth. The Nexus 5 seems more pocket-friendly and both phones have useful notification LED on the front.

DISPLAY

Source: LG

The LG G2 has a 5.2-inch Full HD display with a pixel density of 423 ppi, while the Nexus 5 has a 4.9-inch Full HD screen with 445 ppi. Stuff.TV notes that there’s barely anything between these two devices, the LG G2 is slightly larger, while the Nexus 5 is a bit sharper.

Some subtle differences worth noting here though is that the Nexus 5’s screen is a little cooler than the G2. Some may even consider it “washed out” at times. But the G2 sports the richest, brightest and most vivid screens there is. It also gives great viewing angles. Both the Nexus 5 and LG g2 though sports very excellent displays.

UNIT SPECS

The LG G2 and Nexus 5 both feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU under the hood, and running almost similarly at 2.3GHz. Both have 2GB of RAM and a variant of 16GB and 32GB. In terms of connectivity, the two units have NFC and Bluetooth 4.0, though the LG G2 has an IR blaster that, in tandem with an app, allows it to act as a remote control for pretty much any device.

Stuff.TV says that looking at the specs, both the LG G2 and Nexus 5 are very capable units. Neither of them really will struggle running apps.

Battery life is where the LG G2 edges out the Nexus 5 in some respects. It has 3,000 mAh and in a test by Stuff.TV delivered up to 19 hours of normal use before it dropped. The Nexus 5 is packed with a 2,000 mAh battery and in terms of life doesn’t come close to the LG G2 or Samsung Galaxy S4.

On the area of music playback, the Nexus 5 is as good as pretty much any other phone out there. The LG G2 supports 24-bit/192 KHz Hi-Res Audio files. Use a pair of decent headphones with the Google flagship and you can listen to studio master quality tunes.

CONSUMER BATTLEGROUND SPECS - The Camera

It could well be the biggest and greatest feature where a lot of units battle, the camera. One of the much-loved features of a handset and a key indicator of a smartphone, the LG G2 and Nexus 5 has very different specs. The LG flagship has a 13MP rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization. Without a doubt, Stuff.TV noted, it’s one of the best smartphone snappers in the market today.

Optical image stabilization helps with immensely dim, murky conditions. This new camera enhancement allows the user to capture sharper shots at night and indoors, even when the flash is turned off. Colour reproduction is also impressive.

The Google Nexus 5, on the other hand, has an 8MP main camera that comes with optical image stabilization as well. The device’s camera has a speedy new autofocus and boosted the vibrancy and contrast of photos. The LG G2 seems better at accurately representing real-life colors.

On the video side, the LG G2 captures 1080P at a smooth 60 fps, while the Nexus 5 is limited at 30 fps. Both the LG G2 and Nexus 5 does a respectable job in shooting video. In terms of front-facing camera, the G2 has a 2.1MP spec, while the Nexus 5 has 1.3MP.

PRICE

In terms of price, the Nexus 5 is at $349 for its 16GB version, while the 32GB variant is at $399. The unit is unlocked, not requiring you to be committed to any carrier. A quick search online shows that the LG G2 unlocked is available for $499.20 (T-Mobile) but can be had for $0 up-front.

Sony Xperia E1 Dual Now Available

2014-03-12T03:20:00.001-07:00

Sony unveiled its latest affordable dual-SIM Android-powered smartphone, the Xperia E1, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas back in January and now, with no official announcement, the handset is available to buy from Infibeam, an independent electronics retailer in India, for 9,899 INR — which equates to approximately $162, with a free pair of Sony MDR-ZX110A headphones thrown in.

In terms of specification the low-to-mid range smartphone packs a 4-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, a Qualcomm MSM8210 Snapdragon 200 chipset powered by two 1.2GHz Cortex-A7 central processing units, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage (expandable up to 32GB via microSD), an Adreno 302 GPU, a 3.15-megapixel rear-facing camera equipped with optical image stabilization and a 1,750 mAh non-removable Li-Ion battery.

Straight out of the box the E1 runs the latest build of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Sony’s X-Reality custom user interface plastered over the top, but its rumored to be receiving the much-anticipated 4.4.2 KitKat upgrade in the not-too-distant future.

At present, the handset is only available to purchase in black, purple and white, but the pink, lime and yellow colorways are expected to touchdown in India within the next couple of weeks.

If you like the sound of the Sony Xperia E1 Dual and want to order an unlocked model from Indian retailer Infibeam — click the source link below.

Source: Infibeam

All-New HTC One Specs Leak Out

2014-03-12T02:31:00.001-07:00

It’s unclear whether the all-new HTC One will score phone of the year like the last one did, but we do know it’s about to win the award for “worst kept secret in history”. The specs of the new device have reportedly leaked, and it looks like we’re going to be enjoying a super-fast, 5-inch beast.

According to GSMArena, the all-new HTC One (please don’t really be called that), will be packing a 5-inch, 1080p screen, a 2.3GHz clock speed thanks to the new Snapdragon 801 processor, a 2600mAh battery and a four-megapixel camera with Ultrapixel technology.

HTC BoomSound is back thanks to the two front-facing speakers but the front-facing camera will reportedly be 5-megapixels (likely sans-Ultrapixel), which might be hard for people to understand, especially those who haven’t had Ultrapixel explained to them. Basically, HTC wants to rely on larger pixels on the image sensor to capture more light and detail rather than just focus on the size of the sensor itself. Larger pixels on the sensor, better low-light performance. That means that the rear-facing camera — the important one — is only four-megapixels rather than the 10+ offered by competitors like the Galaxy S4, S5 and LG G2.

It’s also going to reportedly pack a new software feature called Motion Launch which will let you answer a call by just holding the phone straight to your ear when it rings. Weird.

We’ll figure out what’s real and what’s fake at the launch in a few weeks. [GSMArena]

Whatsapp Update 2.11.186

2014-03-11T06:20:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we spoke of an update to the WhatsApp for Android application which would allow users to hide profile pictures, statuses or even the last seen info from fellow users. This update has just gone live in some regions and comes with a few other changes as well. The latest of the features is the ability to ‘sponsor’ a friend or a family member by paying for their subscription.

The update will further let the users view unread conversations with a dedicated homescreen widget (Android 3.0+) and translate conversations in Hindi (Android 4.1+). The new WhatsApp is also packing a nifty camera shortcut to make it easier to access images from your gallery. You can expect the update notification to pop up if you haven’t set auto download for the app.

After WhatsApp was acquired by social media giant Facebook recently, talks began on whether the app would see drastic changes. But it is clear that Facebook doesn’t want to interfere with WhatsApp and let it operate as usual.

iOS 7.1 Makes the iPhone 4 Snappier

2014-03-11T02:44:00.001-07:00

Last September, when Apple released iOS 7 to the public, the iPhone 4 was the oldest model supported by the operating system. However, many iPhone 4 users found their devices to be slow and unresponsive, something Apple was likely aware of because there were a number of iOS 7 features that didn't work at all on the iPhone 4, including Siri, AirDrop, AirPlay Mirroring, and a number of special effects across the user interface including parallax, some translucency effects, and live wallpapers. Today, with the release of iOS 7.1, Apple has much improved the experience of iPhone 4 users on iOS 7, though not entirely back to what users saw in iOS 6.1.3. According to Ars Technica, there is a measurable improvement in iOS 7.1 across a number of native iOS apps, including the speed at which the apps open from the home screen: There's a measurable improvement over iOS 7.0 across all of these apps, some more noticeable than others. In a few instances, iOS 7.1 very nearly catches up with iOS 6.1.3, which is impressive given the gap between the two operating systems in some of these apps. It's not a complete recovery from the original iOS 7.0 release, but it's about as good as Apple can do with hardware this old. The small speed improvements are present throughout the operating system, and this makes the iPhone 4 feel more responsive than it did, if not always as responsive as it once was. iOS 7.1 also helps with the UI jerkiness that was all over the place in 7.0. It's easiest to capture the difference in video—actions like launching apps or pulling up the Control Center shade are always visibly jerky in iOS 7.0, but they're smooth (or at least smoother) in the new update. As Ars notes, iOS 7.1 may well be the final major iOS release for the iPhone 4, as Apple generally removes support for the last generation of iPhones when it releases a new operating system each year. Ars says iOS 7.1 makes the experience good enough that using the iPhone 4 is no longer "unbearable", but that there are "unmistakable" benefits to moving to a faster phone.

LG G Pro 2 review

2014-03-10T23:55:00.001-07:00

LG G Pro 2 review: the evolutionary process

LG refines its phablet formula

By Dan Seifert 17 Hours Ago

Iterate and update. That's the mantra of the smartphone world these days. Where radical design changes between generations of phones might have been commonplace just a year or so ago, most manufacturers are sticking with designs that work and iterating on them with each generation. You can see that in Apple’s iPhone 5S, which looks exactly like its predecessor. Or Samsung’s recently announced Galaxy S5, which, lo and behold, looks almost exactly like last year’s Galaxy S4.

LG’s new G Pro 2, a follow-up to last year’s Optimus G Pro phablet, doesn’t break any new ground either. It’s faster, feels nicer, has an improved camera and a bigger display, and runs a newer version of Android. But it’s still the same idea as last year: a really big device that straddles the line between smartphone and tablet.

There was a lot to like about last year’s G Pro — the display was great for watching video, the battery lasted all day, and it had great performance. But a number of nagging issues kept it from being the phablet to buy, and it was easily overshadowed by Samsung’s more popular Galaxy Note devices. A year on, LG has moved buttons around and increased the size of the screen, but it didn’t add any major new features — there’s no stylus to be found here and the software will feel very familiar to anyone who has used an LG phone in the past year.

Going big(ger)

The G Pro was LG’s first phablet-style device that made sense — its 5.5-inch display was right in line with Samsung’s offerings at the time and it included a number of software tweaks to take advantage of the larger screen. The G Pro 2's 1080p display expands to an even larger 5.9 inches, and it’s just as nice to look at as before, with great viewing angles and color accuracy. It's just bigger now. Nearly half an inch sounds like a lot on paper, but in practical use it doesn't demonstrably change the experience. It just keeps LG up with the Joneses, surpassing the 5.7-inch display on Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 and matching monstrous smartphones from HTC and others.

THE G PRO 2 GETS A BIGGER SCREEN WITHOUT A BIGGER FOOTPRINT

Despite the larger screen, the G Pro 2 isn't significantly larger than its predecessor. That's quite the feat: it's still a very big device that's impossible to use with one hand, but it's barely bigger than before, even with its larger screen. It's also noticeably smaller and easier to manage than HTC's One Max or Oppo's N1, both of which also have 5.9-inch displays. Part of this is thanks to LG's decision to use only on-screen buttons, and part of it is because the bezels are just smaller than before.

As with the G2, LG moved the G Pro 2's power button and volume rocker to the back of the device, just below the camera. And as with the G2, I just can't get used to their placement. It doesn't feel natural, despite what LG claims, and I was always second-guessing which button I was pressing. (The notification light built into the power button itself is a nice touch, however, and I did use the volume-down key to launch the camera on a handful of occasions.) I wish it would move them back to where they belong for the next generation of the G Pro, but I don't think that's likely.

The most significant update to the G Pro 2's design is the new textured finish on the back. Gone is the loathed glossy plastic finish, replaced by a fine pattern that's easy to grip on to when I grab the device. It's still plastic, but this minor change dramatically improves both the look and feel of the G Pro 2.

The G Pro 2 also benefits from a slightly larger battery and an updated Snapdragon 800 processor. It's fast and responsive and lasts all day, and then some. I've always said that the biggest advantage to these giant phones is the fact that they can have giant batteries and the G Pro 2’s 3,200mAh cell is one of the biggest. On our rundown test, it mustered 9 hours and 52 minutes and in real life I was easily able to use it for a day or more before having to charge it back up.

The new camera offers the same 13 megapixels as before, but LG says it has significantly improved the optical image stabilization system in the lens. The G Pro 2 can take good, detailed photos, but many of them lack the punch and wow factor of photos from an iPhone or a Samsung. It also suffers from holding the shutter open too long — a common problem with phones with optical stabilization — which made it difficult for me to get a sharp picture of my fast-moving toddler or a restless pet.

Fresh clothes, same phone

The G Pro featured a number of software tweaks that tried to take advantage of its big screen, and the G2 that came later added even more. The G Pro 2 has all of those software features and then some, though this time around LG gives you more control over what interface elements you want to put up with. It's possible to customize almost everything about the look of the software, including getting rid of the LG's space-hogging shortcuts and sliders.

Most of LG's software enhancements try to make multitasking easier on the phone, but the majority fail. The Slide Aside feature, which uses a three-finger right-to-left swipe to "dock" apps for later use, never feels natural to use and frequently interferes with the native gesture controls in many apps.

MUCH OF LG'S MULTITASKING ENHANCEMENTS FALL FLAT

There's a split-screen mode that lets you run two apps at the same time, and it actually does work, though I found it difficult to work into my everyday use of the phone. It's nice to be able to view a webpage and a YouTube video at the same time, but unless I was actively thinking about using the feature, I often forgot it existed.

And then there’s Mini View, LG's most dramatic software change for the G Pro 2. Designed to make it easier to use the phone in one hand, it’s a tacit admission that the device is just too large for human-sized hands. A left-to-right or right-to-left swipe along the virtual keys at the bottom of the screen will shrink the displayed information to the lower-right or lower-left corner of the screen. It's a fully interactive smartphone experience within the much larger experience of the G Pro 2, and it lets you navigate the software with just your thumb. (The shrunken-down area is, interestingly enough, almost exactly the size of the iPhone's 4-inch display.) But it doesn't feel natural to launch the Mini View and it's still pretty awkward to use the G Pro 2 in one hand even with it. There’s no way to shrink the actual hardware, which is the real problem.

The G2 debuted LG’s Knock On, a double-tap-to-wake system that let you completely forget that the power button was actually on the back of the phone. The G Pro 2 takes the idea a step further with Knock Code, which lets you secure your phone with a series of taps on the display. Tap the areas of the screen in the right sequence and the phone springs to life, get it wrong and it stays out of prying hands. It's a new play on the age-old PIN-code or pattern lock system, and it's fun to use and reliable. The G Pro 2 still takes longer to wake up than other phones with similar features, but most of the time it wasn't an issue for me.

KNOCK CODE IS A FUN TWIST ON THE AGE-OLD SCREEN LOCK

There are other tweaks here and there: the G Pro 2 now runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat and the camera software has been updated with a few new features (including a "flash" mode for the front-facing camera, which is really just a white screen that's supposed to illuminate your face). But overall it's the same LG experience, and if you didn't like the software on the G Pro or the G2, chances are you're not going to like it here. I'm not really a fan of LG's software — I find it gets in the way of what I'm trying to do more often than not, and the enhancements on top of Android don't really make for a better smartphone experience. I don’t understand why LG has made no effort to add proper stylus functionality to the G Pro 2 — it’s one of the most compelling features about the Galaxy Note and it’s one of the few things that can actually make use of the massive displays on these devices. Otherwise, you’re just using a bigger smartphone with little real benefit in user experience.

Wrap-Up

DESPITE LG'S IMPROVEMENTS, SAMSUNG STILL MAKES THE BETTER PHABLET

When iteration is the name of the game, it's easy to overlook the improvements that smartphone makers do introduce every year. The G Pro 2 is certainly an improvement over its predecessor — the design is much nicer, the battery lasts longer, and the display is even bigger without adding much to the phone's footprint. But it's still the same idea that doesn't really work for me: it tries to take the place of both a smartphone and a tablet, but compromises on both in ways that don't make a great experience for either purpose.

Perhaps that speaks to where we’re at with smartphones today. The days of complaining about awful performance, useless cameras, and gritty screens are generally behind us, and most every smartphone on the market is “pretty good.” The only real complaint many people have these days is battery life, and devices like the G Pro 2 address that with brute force — a bigger phone can utilize a bigger battery without requiring major leaps in battery technology. There’s little need to redesign the wheel when it rolls along just fine.

But that doesn’t mean that smartphone makers should stop trying. Samsung has been able to carve out a tangible space for its phablets thanks to the differentiator of the pen input on its Galaxy Note line, but LG hasn't really been able to copy that. The G Pro 2 is really just a bigger G2 that's even more difficult to use in one hand and fits in fewer jacket or pants pockets.

If you’re in the US or other Western markets, you have some time to stew over the G Pro 2 to decide if it’s for you — it’s only available for purchase in Korea right now and no American carriers have committed to offering it yet. But generally speaking, if you're convinced that a phablet is the right device for you, you're still better off with last year's Galaxy Note 3, despite the baby steps and iterative improvements LG has made with the G Pro 2.

GOOD STUFF

Great displayGreat battery lifeImproved design

BAD STUFF

Rear buttons are awkwardSoftware is overbearingCamera is unimpressive

ANDROID 4.4 KitKat

2013-11-05T23:36:00.000-08:00

ANDROID 4.4

In true Google fashion, the latest Nexus device predictably comes preloaded with brand new Android firmware: version 4.4, or KitKat if you prefer calling it by its dessert-themed codename. Make no mistake, this is the most significant update we've seen to Google's mobile OS since Project Butter was released a year and a half ago. Like most huge refreshes, there's a rather lengthy laundry list of enhancements, new features and APIs. Even though we'd love to discuss every single one at length, we're going to stick with the features that we think will be the most impactful.

PROJECT SVELTE

Google refers to KitKat internally as Project Svelte, and for good reason: Performance optimization is the name of the game, and indeed, the operating system and preloaded apps have been trimmed down substantially in size. Android is leaner and meaner, and performance is quicker, making Android 4.4 more efficient for lower-end devices that don't have the same powerful internals as flagship devices. In particular, KitKat is meant for devices with at least 512MB of RAM onboard.

Developers can tweak their apps with a few lines of code to detect when a low-powered device is being used; when this happens, the app can be programmed to use fewer graphics and cut down on animations, transitions and other aspects that tend to drag down the app's performance. This is all part of Google's mission to bring Android to the "next billion devices" -- i.e., users in emerging markets.

Curiously, this newfound focus on the low-end part of the market only seems to serve manufacturers who are working on new phones that have yet to be released; most existing devices with 512MB of RAM aren't getting listed as candidates for receiving Android 4.4. We'd love to see how some older (and now irrelevant) devices would fare on the new OS, but we'll simply have to wait for someone to find a way to make it happen.

USER INTERFACE

After booting up KitKat for the first time, you'll find the home screen still feels like the same old Android we know and love. But it isn't completely identical. The icons have been made a little larger to accommodate the additional screen real estate on bigger smartphones (although we noticed that many third-party app icons are a little fuzzy as a result). Google has also chosen to use a condensed version of Roboto for the home screen and app menu fonts. It fits in quite well here, but we doubt it would look as good integrated into other parts of the user experience.

You start off with only one home panel, but it can be expanded to include as many panels as you want -- we made it to 22 before giving up. Go into the app menu and you'll notice a couple drastic differences: There's wallpaper underneath the grid of icons now, rather than a pure black background, and the widget section is completely MIA. You'll find the latter by doing a long-press of the home screen, which now takes you to a screen where you can rearrange panels and change wallpaper in addition to satisfying your need for widgets.

It may be so subtle that you don't even realize it at first, but the status bar and navigation bar are no longer solid black on the home screen and app menu -- they're translucent, clearly showing off the wallpaper underneath. This is part of Google's new firmware design strategy: KitKat enables developers to completely hide these two bars, so that users can take full advantage of the extra screen space. We believe this will be incredibly useful in games and e-book apps, but this is only a small number of possible use cases.

The lock screen is largely the same as Android 4.3, but there are a few enhancements to the lock screen widgets. Most notable, however, is the new camera button on the lower-right corner of the screen; drag this up and to the left, and you're immediately into your camera app. We can't say that this is an improvement over the last version, since all we have to do on 4.3 is swipe to the left of the lock screen to access the viewfinder. Strangely, the button is placed in the same location as it is on iOS. Coincidence? You be the judge.

GOOGLE NOW

Google Now was introduced with the first Jelly Bean update as part of Project Butter, and it's grown considerably ever since. There's a lot of momentum pushing it forward, and Android 4.4 only serves to increase its usefulness exponentially. One of those areas in which it's become more helpful is its integration into the Google Experience Launcher. Turn the Google Now feature on and you'll be whisked into the standard Google Now panel as soon as you swipe to the right from the main home panel.

Even though Google insists that Motorola still acts as its own company, it clearly didn't have any qualms about using the flagship Moto X for inspiration. In particular, the Nexus 5 has been bestowed with touchless controls: From the home screen or Google Now launcher, say "OK Google" and you're prompted to speak voice commands, ranging from making phone calls to sending messages to setting your alarm, among other options. (We highly recommend that you tell Google to make you a sandwich.) This won't be showing up on every Android 4.4 device, so it's only available on the Nexus 5 for now. There's also one other significant problem with it -- you can't activate it when the screen is locked or turned off. Or when you're in the middle of another app. For what it's worth, Google has claimed a huge improvement to its voice-recognition software. Indeed, we had very few problems with the system transcribing our commands.

HANGOUTS, PHONE AND EMAIL

A few apps received much-needed overhauls with KitKat. The biggest one is arguably Hangouts, which finally integrates SMS and MMS messages into the app. It's great to be able to have all of your conversations finally showing up in one place, but it's still not possible to merge text messages and Hangout conversations together into one thread, so it was too commonplace for us to accidentally send what was intended to be a text message to a Hangout associated with the same person's email address. This is a crucial feature that will likely show up in a future version of Android, but at least Google seems to have full convergence as an end goal. Fortunately, if this isn't quite your thing, or if you're waiting for Hangouts to mature a bit, Google's added the option to change your default messaging app to a third-party service.

Google also revamped the phone app. The dialer is essentially the same, but the main screen also features a list of those people you talk to the most (regardless of who is making the calls and who is receiving them). The phone app also offers new search capabilities that let you look up businesses, contacts and other people within your Google Apps domains. It even includes Caller ID, which shows the name of businesses when they call you.

The standard Email client has also received a facelift -- so much so that if you're not looking closely you might mistake it for the Gmail app. The two now look strikingly similar, right down to the avatar boxes and slide-to-delete gestures. And that's not all: You can now delete or archive an email directly from the notification menu, rather than being forced to go into the app. Overall, this is a huge improvement -- we couldn't stand the user experience in this app prior to KitKat.

NFC

Slip an AT&T SIM in the Nexus 5 and fire up the preloaded Google Wallet app when you get the chance. Surprise -- Wallet actually works. With Android 4.4, Google's ready to go over the heads of carriers that insist on only supporting specific mobile payment partners (AT&T, for instance, is tied to Isis), by simply adding software features that eliminate the need for any carrier involvement.

How is this possible? Google has added something called Host Card Emulation, which allows any app on any device to emulate an NFC smart card, with no carrier-provisioned secure element required (though you can still use them if you prefer). In other words, all of your tap-to-pay transactions can go through whichever service you choose, regardless of which mobile operator you're using. The only thing your phone needs to make this happen is an NFC controller.

MISCELLANEOUS FEATURES

Google is also heavily emphasizing document sharing and expanded connectivity options. KitKat marks the debut of QuickOffice as a pre-loaded app (we've seen it show up on other Android devices before, but just not on phones running the stock version of Android). In addition, KitKat ushers in new connectivity features like built-in wireless printing capabilities. The downloads app is also redesigned. We do have to wonder, though, what purpose QuickOffice serves on a platform that already comes with Google Drive, which offers a similar feature set. Perhaps we'll eventually see a convergence between the two apps, but for now this is at least a welcome addition to the list of standard apps.

Screen recording is another new feature made possible through KitKat, but it's not for the everyday user; the phone (in our case, the Nexus 5) needs to be connected to your computer. We won't outline the specific steps here, but we'll link to a post that talks you through the process. What's more, the full clip (which is limited to three minute segments, at least for now) is stored on your phone as an MP4 file until you're ready to share it or transfer it back to your computer. The ability to make videos based on what is being displayed on the screen is a huge win for YouTubers and developers interested in doing a walkthrough of their app or game.

KitKat also includes a technique called sensor batching, which is similar to a few of the features offered by Apple's M7 motion-tracking coprocessor. The idea behind sensor batching is to reduce the amount of power taken up by activities that are constantly using sensor data, such as location tracking, fitness and other apps. One particular use case is step detection and step counting; yes, your Android smartphone can now become a glorified pedometer. This appears to be exclusive to the Nexus 5 for now, since it's conditional upon having the necessary hardware, but Google promises that it's working with chip makers to ensure the feature is offered in more phones going forward.

Finally, Android 4.4 brings other incredibly specific features to your phone, such as Closed Captioning, IR blaster support, two new Bluetooth profiles (HOGP and MAP), a new Location Settings tile in the Quick Settings pull-down menu and a built-in Device Manager.

Micromax Canvas Turbo

2013-10-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

GENERAL	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
	3G Network	HSDPA 2100
	SIM	Dual SIM
	Announced	2013, October
	Status	Coming soon. Exp. release 2013, Q4

BODY	Dimensions	-
BODY	Weight	-

DISPLAY	Type	IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Size	1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.0 inches (~441 ppi pixel density)
	Multitouch	Yes

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration, MP3, WAV ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes

MEMORY	Card slot	No
MEMORY	Internal	16 GB (12.5 user available), 2 GB RAM

DATA	GPRS	Yes
	EDGE	Yes
	Speed	HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 11 Mbps
	WLAN	Yes, Wi-Fi hotspot
	Bluetooth	Yes, v4.0
	USB	Yes, microUSB v2.0

CAMERA	Primary	13 MP, 4128 x 3096 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
	Features	Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection
	Video	Yes, 1080p@30fps
	Secondary	Yes, 5 MP

FEATURES	OS	Android OS, v4.2.1 (Jelly Bean)
	Chipset	MTK MT6589T
	CPU	Quad-core 1.5 GHz
	Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	Messaging	SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
	Browser	HTML5
	Radio	FM radio
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support
	Java	Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
	Colors	Black, White
		- SNS integration - MP3/AAC/WMA/WAV player - MP4/WMV/H.264/H.263 player - Organizer - Document viewer - Photo viewer/editor - Google Search, Maps, Gmail, Youtube, Calendar, Google Talk - Voice memo/dial - Predictive text input

BATTERY		Li-Ion 2000 mAh battery
	Stand-by	Up to 105 h
	Talk time	Up to 7 h

Search Engine MarketingSubmit Express

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3

2013-06-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Introduction

Many - including this website - have complained that only big phones have high-end specs. But there's a flip side to this argument - it's hard to find a big phone with mid-range specs. That's where Samsung's new Galaxy Mega 6.3 comes in. It's big as its name suggests, but aims for the midrange instead of entering the overcrowded high-end arena.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 official images

A big screen caters to our flawed human senses - often our eyes value size over resolution and so do our thumbs. So, while the pixel density of the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 screen is no match for the bleeding edge screens on current flagships, many will find it more comfortable to read off the big screen - a nearly 60% more screen real estate is nothing to sneeze at.

The Galaxy Grand is another device that favored display size over specs, but that's in the lower end of the Android spectrum. The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 on the other hand has respectable specs, not too far off what passed as "flagship" last year.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE; quad-band 3G with HSPA; LTE
6.3" 16M-color 720p TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen; 233ppi
Android OS v4.2.2 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI
Dual-core 1.7GHz Krait CPU, Adreno 305 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset
1.5GB of RAM
8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash, 1080p video recording @ 30fps, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
1.9 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
Drama shot, Shot and sound
Dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
8/16GB of built-in storage
microSD card slot
microUSB port with USB host and MHL
Bluetooth v4.0
NFC
IR port for remote control functionality
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Ample 3,200mAh battery with great endurance; user replaceable
8mm thickness; 199g of weight

Main disadvantages

Big, even for a phablet
Resolution on the low side for the screen size
Midrange performance
Design is a bit played out by now
No FM radio
Shared camera interface makes framing tricky

So, it's not just last year's flagships, the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 borrows from this year's model too - the latest Android version with latest TouchWiz enhancements, IR blaster, Air View, Multi-window and a bunch of other exclusive software goodies.

And while there's no denying it's a big device, it's only slightly bigger than its 6.3" screen. The other measurements - 8mm thickness and 199g of weight are actually pretty slender. It's barely thicker than the Galaxy S4 and weighs only 16g more than the Note II (which is 9.4mm thick).

The 720p resolution is perhaps lower than some people would have liked, but the 233ppi pixel density is better than that of the Galaxy S II though not quite as good as the one on the Note II (no surprise given the different market segments). And the Snapdragon 400 chipset should be able to hold its own against the top quad-core chipsets of the previous generation like the popular Tegra 3 or Samsung's Exynos 4.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 is a half-step between phones and a 7" tablet. Some say it's too big to use as a phone and too small to be a tablet. Others respond with "you can't slip a tablet in your pants pocket, but the Mega 6.3 just fits." There's certainly evidence in favor of both claims - jump over to the next page to find out which argument prevails as far as hardware is concerned.

Disclaimer: Review from GSM Arena

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Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8

2013-06-22T13:27:00.001-07:00

Introduction

Screen size. Just like last year was the year of the multi-core processor, 2013 is surely the year of the big screen. There was a time when 5 inches of diagonal were considered overkill, but with just about every major brand now flaunting a fullHD five-incher, it seems the only way to go is up.

And Samsung has done just that. With the release of the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 the Galaxy Mega 5.8, the Koreans are looking to blur the lines between phone and phablet even further, and add even more inches to its repertoire of display sizes.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 official image

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 is the lesser half of the new Mega duo, and if a 6.3" screen is just too big for you, then 5.8" may be just your size. Plus, there may even be a few people out there that might still consider it a phone.

So, what does the Mega 5.8 offer that other large-screen devices do not? Is the optional dual-SIM support and the more attractive pricing the only redeeming quality it has over the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note II? We'll tackle all those questions and more, but first let's take a look at the key features at a glance.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE; quad-band 3G with HSPA; LTE; Dual-SIM version available
5.8" 16M-color qHD (540 x 960) TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen
Android OS v4.2.2 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI
Dual-core 1.4 GHz Broadcom CPU, VideoCore IV GPU
1.5GB of RAM
8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash,1080p video recording @ 30fps, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
1.9 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
Dual shot and dual video recording, Drama shot, Shot and sound
Dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
8GB of built-in storage
microSD card slot
microUSB port with USB host and MHL
Bluetooth v4.0
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
2,600mAh battery
9mm thickness; 180g of weight

Main disadvantages

Big, even for a phablet
Resolution on the low side for the screen size
Midrange performance
Design is a bit played out by now
Shared camera interface makes framing tricky

One thing to keep in mind regarding the 5.8-inch display is that it goes with a reduction in screen resolution as well, so you get even less pixels per inch than the Mega 6.3. We won't go as far as to say that at 190ppi the screen is "bad", but it cannot obviously measure up to the ultra-crisp 400+ppi displays of the most recent 1080p flagships.

When compared to the Mega 6.3, it seems that some additional sacrifices come with having a smaller display. As far as connectivity goes, gone are NFC capabilities, the IR-port, as well as the support for the new 802.11ac WiFi standard. But let's keep in mind that the Mega 6.3 doesn't come with a dual-SIM version, so it's not one-way traffic.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 is powered by a Broadcom SoC, featuring a dual-core CPU - something we we haven't yet seen clocked at 1.4 GHz, so we're curious to see how it fares against the dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait CPU of the Mega 6.3. The latter is expected to trash its rival in benchmark tests, but is the difference obvious in real-life scenarios?

But all that in due course - up next, join us as we take a look at the exterior of the Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8

Disclaimer: Review from GSM Arena