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Top 10 smartphones with 4GB RAM

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 10:31:00 +0000

A new month has begun and we guess a list of excellent 4GB RAM smartphones will be a good idea. You can check them out to see which one is the most awesome to purchase!

1. Vivo X6 and Vivo X6 Plus Design

Firstly, we would like to talk about Vivo X6 specs. A MediaTek MT6752 processor, a 5.2-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display, a 2,400mAh battery, 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, and 32GB ROM are in charge to run the phone. Besides, you have a 13MP rear and an 8MP front-facing camera to take photos. Interestingly, it is said that the camera app can open in just 0.6 second and focus on object in only 0.1 second. As for Vivo X6 Plus specs, there are not many differences. You just need to remember it sports a bigger 5.7-inch Full HD screen, 64GB ROM and two options over the battery: 3,000mAh and 4,000mAh.

2. OnePlus 2

The 64GB variant of OnePlus 2, available in India at Rs 24,999, comes with 4GB of RAM. The smartphone has other unique features for a mid-range smartphone as well, like a fingerprint sensor and USB Type C.

OnePlus 2 has a 5.5-inch IPS In-Cell display with Full HD (1080x1920p) resolution with Gorilla Glass 4 and runs on the company’s OxygenOS, based on Android 5.1 (Lollipop). The smartphone is powered by the octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor; it does not support microSD cards for storage expansion.

A 13MP camera with dual-LED flash is strapped to the back of OnePlus 2, whereas a 5MP camera is placed in front. The 4G smartphone comes with a 3,300mAh battery; OnePlus sells StyleSwap covers in bamboo, black apricot, rosewood and kevlar finish.

3. ZTE Nubia Z11:

ZTE Nubia Z11 specs are said to own a crystal clear 5.2-inch Quad HD display, a Snapdragon 820 processor (which was launched not long ago) paired with an Adreno 530 graphics chip. It is even powerful once being supported by 4GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, a fingerprint scanner and Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS out of the box. As for the camera, there are a 13MP FRONT cam coming along with a 20.7MP MAIN one. We have to admit the Z11 can become a flagship killer in the future.

4. ASUS ZenFone Zoom

ASUS ZenFone Zoom specs sport a super cool camera combo containing a 5MP secondary snapper with an 88-degree F2.0 lens, and a 13MP primary one with OIS, laser autofocus, 10-element lens, super slim 3x optical zoom, and dual-color Real Tone Xenon flash. Other features are also great, including a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS LCD display, an Atom 64-bit chip, a 3,000mAh cell, and of course 4GB RAM.

5. Comet smartphone

Besides 4GB RAM, Comet is a special handset thanks to its an ability of plunging to surface and float on water. Other Comet specs also are impressive: a handy 4.7″ HD AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 810 chip, and a 16MP dual camera coming with super trendy modes and functions. The whole device is powered by a 2,800mAH battery that can last through a full day of work.

6. Huawei P9 Max

According to some leaks on the internet, Huawei P9 Max specs pack a 6.2-inch QHD display, an octa-core Kirin 950 chip paired with GPU Mali-T880 MP4, 4GB RAM, and 64GB ROM. Overall, we can see that is a truly Android phablet running on Marshmallow OS out of the box. Furthermore, lately, Huawei P9 Max Antutu score has also been spotted: 73,759 points generally and 16,822 points for the 3D graphics. Kind of good numbers, right?!

7. Huawei Mate 8

This is a new member of Huawei Mate series or a successor to Huawei Mate 7 launched last year. Huawei Mate 8 specs include EMUI 4.0 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, a big 6-inch FHD display, a Kirin 950 chip, 3/4GB of RAM and 32/64/128GB of ROM. As for the camera, a 16MP rear and an 8MP front snapper are on board to take care of beautiful pictures of you. And the Mate 8’s 4,000mAh battery will make sure you can use the machine in quite a long time.

8. ASUS ZenFone 2 Deluxe Special Edition

The Special Edition features 128GB ROM expandable to 64GB, which can help store up to an extra 45,000 pictures. About the operating system, ZenUI has been changed in a more impressive way. A notification menu is added, including icons outlined in red against a 3D-looking black disk. In terms of specs, actually there are not many differences if compared with the original ASUS ZenFone 2.

9. LG V10

LG V10 looks pretty big due to its 5.7-inch 2K main and 2.1-inch secondary displays on the front surface. Moreover, there is a dual front cam capable of 5 megapixels each, a 16MP back shooter, a Snapdragon 808 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB (expandable up to 2TB) and a 3,000mAh removable battery. Those are such a fantastic combination in a beautiful handset.

10. ZTE Nubia X8

At first, ZTE Nubia X8 looks like Sony Xperia Z5 since some of its live photos were seen, showing a machine with gold color and premium metal frame. About the hardware, basically, ZTE Nubia X8 specs include a 5.5-inch display with Quad HD resolution, powerful 4GB RAM and a huge 5,120mAh battery.

Well, those are the 10 best 4GB RAM smartphones

Now run android apps on your PC using Google ARC

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 11:42:00 +0000

Now you can run and enjoy most of the Android apps without buying a new android phone.

Google has launched new ARC Welder software that allows users to run Android mobile apps through the Chrome browser on any operating system: Windows, Mac OS, Linux, or of course Chrome OS.

To bring your favorite Android apps to a PC or Mac, simply install the Chrome browser and a chrome app program called ARC Welder. Once opened, the latter program requests access to an APK file that corresponds to the app you wish to run.

Initially accessible only to developers, ARC Welder is now available to the general public through the Chrome Web Store. Still in the beta phase, the program is not entirely stable yet and can only run one app at a time. So far, Google has only made a few Android apps compatible with the program.

In the long run, however, Google’s goal is to make all of its Android apps available across multiple platforms (smartphones, tablets and desktop/laptop computers), a little like Microsoft’s idea with its forthcoming OS, Windows 10, and its dedicated multi-platform app store.

Learn about ARC Welder.

1. Try out ARC Welder to run Android apps on a PC or Mac.

2. Launch the program.
Its location will vary, depending on your operating system. Windows users can find it in the Start Menu.

3. Choose a directory.
ARC Welder needs a place to store files, so choose an empty folder somewhere.

4. Open your APK.
It will be in whichever directory you saved it.

5. Launch your app.
Select your settings and see if the app will launch. If it does, you can use it as though it were on an Android mobile device.

Samsung Galaxy S4 may have unbreakable screen

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 16:55:00 +0000

Samsung Electronics, the world's leading technology company by revenue, is likely accelerating the launch of its next-generation flagship Galaxy smartphone -- which may come with a breakthrough unbreakable screen.

Codenamed "Project J" after mobile division chief JK Shin, development of the new Galaxy S IV could be aimed for release by as early as April, according to analysts and tech blogs.

And, as smartphones increasingly look alike - the converging form factor - an unbreakable screen could be a big selling point for the Galaxy, which is battling Apple Inc's iPhone to lead the $200 billion plus smartphone market.

The Galaxy S IV is also expected to have bigger and better display, powerful quad-core processing power and a 13-megapixel camera, with picture density improving to 441 pixels per inch (ppi), a big improvement from the Galaxy S III's 306 ppi and better than the iPhone 5's 326 ppi.

"Looking to the first half of 2013, we see evidence of Samsung likely accelerating the release of the Galaxy S IV - compared with May (this year) for the Galaxy S III," said UBS analyst Nicolas Gaudois. "We believe preparations for volume manufacturing of unbreakable plastic substrate displays continue. All in all, we could see a strong products push in the high-end in the first half, followed by other releases."

Samsung declined to comment.

Samsung, a major backer of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, is a frontrunner in developing unbreakable screens, as OLED panels can replace glass substrate with plastic material. Down the road, mobile gadgets could be flexible as well as unbreakable.

"Eventually, they'll have unbreakable and flexible displays. Either the Galaxy S IV or S V will have unbreakable and even possibly flexible and foldable displays by 2014. That's going to be a game-changer," said Mark Newman, an analyst at Stanford Bernstein in Hong Kong.

Both Newman and Gaudois are ranked as 5-star analysts, the top ranking, by Thomson Reuters StarMine for their recommendations on Samsung.

Courtroom revisited
It would also be a game-changer for Samsung, which has built its reputation as a 'fast follower' of others' technologies and designs.

The South Korean consumer electronics giant faces off against Apple again on Thursday in a US courtroom for a follow-up ruling on whether it copied some of its US rival's patents and should pay the $1 billion awarded to Apple by jurors in an August verdict.

Samsung wants the verdict overturned, while Apple wants the damages to be increased and Samsung phones banned in the United States.

Since that landmark verdict, however, Samsung shares have gained 14 percent to record highs, while Apple shares - dented by a maps app fiasco, tight supply of its iPhone 5 and ever tougher competition in the mobile market - have slipped by nearly a fifth, wiping more than $120 billion off its market value.

Barring any extra costs related to the US ruling, Samsung should report a fifth straight record profit this quarter, as profits from its component business recover and more than offset thinning margins on mobile phones - squeezed by higher year-end holiday marketing campaigns.

"Samsung's strength extends beyond cool products, they're also a leader in the technology behind these devices. We see further upside to Samsung's stock as success in smartphones continues and chips and display profits also rebound," said Newman. "In smartphones, the opportunity is for Samsung to take more share from Apple in the premium segment, where Apple is still dominant."

UBS estimates Samsung will ship around 22.5 million of its Galaxy S III and Note II devices in the quarter to end-December, up from 20 million in July-September. Shin said in November that Galaxy S III sales would hit 40 million by the end of this month.

In a worst-case scenario for Samsung, US judge Lucy Koh could treble the damages payable to Apple, given the jury in August found Samsung "willfully" infringed some Apple patents.

"That would be a major blow to Samsung's fundamentals and overall investor sentiment, but it's not the most likely scenario," said Young Park, a 4-star StarMine analyst at Woori Investment & Securities.

Best E-Reader for Under $100

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 16:54:00 +0000

E-readers are some of this year's hottest gifts. And good news: they have dropped way down in price. But in the battle for Best E-reader for Under $100, which one comes out the winner?

Top Contenders
The basic model Kindle, the Nook Simple Touch, and the Kobo Touch all share a few traits other than a reasonable price. They all feature 6-inch screens, 2 GB of storage, Wi-Fi for downloading books, and good readability. But a few differentiating factors may tip the balance.

Kindle ($89)
The Kindle line offers a range of devices priced from $89 (or $69 if you don't mind the ad-supported version) to the $499, 8.9-inch, 4G Kindle Fire HD, which is an Android-based tablet computer rather than a straight e-reader. But for the under-$100 e-reader market, Amazon really only offers one option, simply called "Kindle." It's physical dimensions are sleek, it's thin and fits nicely in your hand; it's the smallest of the three top contenders. Another defining factor: it has a very high contrast screen; text stands out more clearly on the Kindle than on any other of the competitors.

But this reader has some serious drawbacks: All Amazon Kindles have limited access to open e-book formats. You can still borrow books from the library if they support Kindle lending, but both Nook and Kobo support EPUB formats, which are more widely available for free.
Another important issue: this Kindle model does NOT have a touch screen. That's not a big deal if you download all your books over one secure Wi-Fi network, but if you consistently need to enter passwords or search terms, toggling the cursor around to select letters instead of typing is a P-A-I-N.

Kobo Touch ($99)
You may not have heard much about the Kobo Touch, but it's been around for a few years and is actually the most popular e-reader in Canada. Their bookstore is well stocked; like the Amazon and Barnes & Noble online stores, they offer millions of titles. Kobo is also compatible with the open ebook formats like EPUB, so you can borrow a wide range of titles from your library.
Kobo isn't the zippiest of the e-readers, but I like this device. It's thin and light, just like the others, and its textured back feels quilted, like you're holding an expensive purse. Also, as the name implies, the Kobo Touch has a touch screen, which makes me rank this device ahead of the Kindle.

Nook Simple Touch ($99)
As you might have guessed, it too has a touch screen. It's the biggest of all the devices, with physical buttons along the edges to turn the pages, yet I like the feel of this device best. And while you can get it for $99, an extra $20 upgrades you to the Glow Touch, which adds backlighting to the screen for night reading. Sure, this pushes it out of the "under $100" category, but for me, it's an extra worth having. The Nook is responsive and zippy as you move between menus, it has lots of extra features, and the screen looks good (not as good as the Kindle, but very readable). I liked the Nook a lot.

Also-Rans
There are some other sub-$100 options. The Aluratek Libre has a smaller, darker screen, and it's painfully slow. But it's discounted to about $79 dollars and comes preloaded with 100 of the classics. There's also rumor of a new ereader, the TXTR Beagle, which the company claims will be introduced to the US soon for just $13. Wow. I'll believe it when I see it.
And remember, you may already have an e-reader — your smartphone. The Kindle, Nook, and Kobo apps are free. And while the screen isn't as big as a true e-reader, the price is right, and it's always with you.

Final Verdict
You can't really go wrong with any of the top contenders, but since touchscreen is such a handy feature, I have to rule out the low-end Kindle. Kobo is easy to use, but it's not the most polished or zippiest. So that makes the Nook Simple Touch my pick for Best E-reader for Under $100.

Google Nexus 7 in India

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 16:51:00 +0000

Google's Nexus 7 tablet has finally arrived in India. With an official announcement by its co-manufacturer Asus, the long wait of the Indians has come to an end; but not without a bit of sadness.

The 16GB version Nexus has come with a price tag of Rs. 19,999, which is a bit too high when compared to its original price in the US ($199). While there is a 32GB model, and a 3G version tablet, presently only the 16GB, Wi-Fi-only version will be available in India. This tablet would be sold at ASUS showrooms and Chroma from November 20, 2012.

Nexus 7 runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and has 7-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. It weighs about 340 grams, has 1GB RAM and Tegra 3 processor. It also has a micro-USB port, a 1.2MP front camera. The battery backup is of 9.5 hours.

There are about 675,000 apps and games, a large collection of eBooks, songs, thousands of movies and TV shows, and the latest magazines available on Google Play.

Google says, the tablet has been designed with gaming in mind.

With this tablet, one can make the best use of Google Apps like Gmail, Chrome, Google+ and Maps.

COMPETES WITH: Samsung Tab 2, Apple iPad Mini, Amazon KindleFire

Samsung Tab 2 is the immediate competitor in the Indian market, with the similar features and price range. Many people who waited for Nexus 7 since months have tweeted that they might go for Tab 2, because it has 3G.

However, with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and Tegra 3 processor, Nexus 7 gives faster performance and better touch response than the Tab 2. The Samsung device has both front a facing camera and a rear camera, while Nexus 7 has only a front facing camera of 1.3-mega pixel.

The iPad mini is a bigger one with 7.9-inch display and has a resolution of 1024X768. It also has a 5-mp rear iSight camera.

Apple iPad Mini is yet to come to India, and the price of iPad mini Wi-Fi version would be far higher than the price of Nexus 7. The 16GB Wi-Fi version of the iPad mini is sold online for the price of about 26,990.

Amazon's Kindle Fire is not available in India, and will not be in the direct competition with Nexus 7. However, one can purchase it online.

There are many other budget tablets in the Indian market like Micromax Funbook, HCL ME, Akash and others, but we cannot compare them with the above said tablets. Nevertheless, it depends on the personal preference and usage.

Five of the best cell phones you can buy right now

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:48:00 +0000

Have you heard the Louis C.K. bit about people who hate their phones? The comedian can't believe people aren't simply amazed by everything their phone can do. They're so impatient. They want everything to happen immediately. Seconds feel like minutes. Minutes feel like days.

"Can you give it a second?" he asks.
"It's going to space. That's amazing! Can you just give it a second?"
Some people probably can. Some people don't need the newest and the fastest. For the rest of you, the folks who like — and, sometimes, need — the newest and the best, this list is for you.
We've compiled five of the best phones you can buy right now. It's impossible to say these are the best phones in the world. People are passionate about their phones and will argue the smallest detail to prove their choice is the best. But these are, to quote Mr. C.K., five of the most "amazing" phones you can buy right now.

1. HTC Droid DNA
Price: $199
HTC is calling this the Most Advanced Smartphone in the world. To be sure, it's a fantastic phone. The design is beautiful, and the quality and innovation packed inside makes it perhaps the greatest Droid ever made. It has a quad-core processor, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, 4G LTE and a beautiful 5-inch screen. Apple is right to boast about their Retina Display, but this Verizon phone is no slouch with a 1080p HD display.
The DNA has a light and slim polycarbonate plastic body that feels good in your hand, evidence of its solid construction. It's not a cheap phone, and it doesn't feel like one.
Furthermore, the camera is excellent and the battery life is long. It may not be cheap, but you certainly get a hell of a phone for $199.

iPhone 5
$199
By all accounts this is the best iPhone ever made. Whatever you may have missed in the iPhone 4S is probably built into this one. It has 4G LTE, a screen that is larger and longer, and a faster processor.
This is not just an upgrade. Apple's newest phone was rebuilt from the ground up and you can feel it. The iPhone 5 is lighter than its predecessor and slimmer. That may sound good on paper, but you have to hold it to believe it since it looks quite similar to its predecessor in pictures. Apple has always been known for their innovative and tasteful design. As such, some critics have called the iPhone 5 the most beautiful thing they've ever made.
Tech nerds may point out superior specs on other phones, but it's hard to imagine the average smartphone consumer missing anything if they go with Apple. It's incredibly fast and the camera is excellent. If there's an app you're looking for it will almost certainly be available for this phone and the Retina Display lives up to the hype.
Apple disciples, your phone has arrived.

Samsung Galaxy S3
$199.99Samsung is a well-known and reliable electronics brand with an eye for form as well as function, and this phone follows that trend. The S3 brings excellent performance and tons of innovation on an Android platform in a well-designed, tight package. The HD display is big and beautiful and the internal memory and 2GB RAM is more than enough.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 comes with the works: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, 4G LTE/HSPA+ support, a fast dual-core processor and a fine 8-megapixel camera. The phone also has some cool sharing options that make it a good choice for social network freaks.

Nokia Lumia 920
$99.99If you want a Windows Phone this is one of your best bets.
The Nokia Lumia 920 is among the most powerful Windows Phones you can buy and the features are seemingly endless. The camera, which uses Pure View technology, is fantastic — with a WXGA (1,280 x 768-pixel) resolution.
The buttons are in just the right places, with camera keys, power and volume controls on the right side — easy to use with one hand.
The phone features a 4.5-inch display that performs beautifully. It's bright, crisp and you can even keep your gloves on while using it.
There have been complaints about the phone's battery life and chunky build. These are minor criticisms for a powerful phone at this price point.

Samsung Gravity TXT
($19.99)Not everyone needs — or can afford — a high-end smartphone. For those folks, the Samsung Gravity TXT is here and is available at T-Mobile. It has an excellent, slide-out QWERTY keyboard that comes with dedicated buttons for messaging, web browsing and emoticons. It also has a Social Buzz button for access to social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.
This rugged, inexpensive phone continues to impress with a decent 1.9 megapixel camera that features smile detection and can record video. The battery life is plenty long and the phone is easy to use.
The Gravity TXT offers GPS navigation and also supports memory cards up to 32GB.

Which tablet to buy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:43:00 +0000

But this is the first holiday season in which the iPad faces competitors that have built up a solid footing in the market. Amazon and Google introduced tablets just in time for the shopping rush. As a result, many consumers and analysts say, the new market of keyboardless computers is quickly becoming as confusing as that of the old-school PC.
Holiday shoppers with a tablet computer on their gift list this year might be forgiven for feeling a little panicked.

Look at the tablets available online or at a consumer electronics store and it can be dizzying to choose from among the dozens of slim rectangles with touch screens — each with various sizes, features, prices and applications.

Tablets were supposed to be a simple alternative to the bloated personal computer market. And when “tablet” was synonymous with “iPad,” that was true.

“What’s different about this holiday season is that consumers have not just more choice, but really good choices,” said Sarah Rotman Epps, who studies consumer computing trends at Forrester. “There have been many iPad wannabes but no real quality alternatives, and now there are several.”

While choice is a good thing for consumers, she said, it also makes shopping “confusing and complicated.”

For the companies that make tablets, the choice means everything. The stakes are much higher than the sale of individual devices. Each company is trying to snag lifelong customers for their other products — like music, apps, e-books, movies, Web search or word-processing software.

While Apple has dominated the market until now, selling more tablets than any other company, its perch is being threatened by the newcomers.

“Apple left a lot of room for rivals to grow,” said Tero Kuittinen, an independent mobile analyst.

By keeping its tablet prices so high, he said, Apple could lose its place as the biggest tablet seller, just as it did with smartphones when it lost the first-place position to Samsung, which makes less expensive phones using Google’s Android software. The iPad still dominates the market with a 50 percent share, according to third-quarter figures from the research firm IDC, but that is down from 60 percent a year ago. Samsung is in second place with an 18 percent share, Amazon is third with 9 percent, and Asus, which makes Google’s Nexus 7 tablet, is in fourth with 8.6 percent of the market.

But Google, which makes the vast majority of its revenue on Web ads, still lags in the tablet market, even though sales of its Nexus 7 tablet are approaching one million a month, according to Asus. About 98 percent of Web traffic from tablets comes from iPads, according to Onswipe, a digital publishing company. Google would like more of that traffic, as well as more buyers for apps and media from its Google Play store, as would Amazon and Microsoft.

“The first decision you make is what ecosystem am I in, do I want the Android Play store and content or some other?” said Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google’s vice president for engineering for Android. “So the importance of the ecosystem can’t be overstated.”

But the decisions after that are still complex.

Say, for example, that you want a tablet that runs Google’s Android operating system. There is the Nexus 7, a seven-inch tablet made by Asus, and the Nexus 10, a 10-inch tablet made by Samsung. Then there are the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (not to be confused with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, a 5.5-inch smartphone). And that’s not to mention the dozens of Android tablets made by Lenovo, Toshiba and others.

This year, Microsoft also has a tablet, called Surface. Amazon has the Kindle Fire and Fire HD, and Barnes & Noble has the Nook HD and HD+. Once shoppers choose one, they have more choices to make, like whether they want to pay $15 more for the privilege of not seeing ads on the Kindle Fire.

Even Apple, which has always prided itself on having simple product lines, now offers the new iPad, the older iPad 2 and the iPad Mini. If you factor in the various amounts of storage and the choice of cellular data or just Wi-Fi, there are essentially 14 iPad models to choose from.

Complicating the decision on hardware, different tablets connect to different online stores for apps, music and video. If you have built your music and app collection on Apple devices, an Android tablet may mean starting from scratch, and vice versa.

The proliferation of products is nothing new for a mature market, as anyone who has stood in front of a wall of televisions at Best Buy or in a parking lot of Priuses at a Toyota dealership knows.

But some consumer electronics companies that have given their customers too many options have run into trouble, said Shaw Wu, an analyst at Sterne Agee. They include Motorola Mobility, which is trying to rescue its cellphone business by paring its lineup of 27 devices, and Research in Motion, which offers a perplexing matrix of BlackBerrys with confusing names, like the BlackBerry Torch 9810, 9850 and 9860.

Google in particular runs this risk, said Michael Gartenberg, a technology analyst at Gartner, because it gives away its Android operating system to any device manufacturer that wants to use it, resulting in an uncontrolled array of Android devices running different versions of the software. Some apps will work only with particular versions, making it difficult to know exactly what you are getting.

Google has tried to address this problem in recent months. It gave its line of Nexus products names corresponding to their screen size and began selling them in its Play store. (Google teams up with manufacturers to build the Nexus devices.) It began running ads for the tablets online, on billboards, in print and on television, which had been rare for the company, and assigned a public relations employee to focus on selling hardware to consumers.

“I don’t think the added choice is adding complexity,” said Mr. Lockheimer of Google. “If you want to do the research, you can do it, but if you don’t want to, you can just ignore all that and get the thing your friend or family member recommended.”

For shoppers inclined to do the research, many Web sites and apps, including those from CNet, Retrevo, Decide.com and Consumer Reports, can help.

“Even those of us who eat and breathe tech, we’re still confused,” said Lawrence Fong, co-founder of BuyVia, a shopping app that compares products, including tablets. “That’s why we’re explaining each product in plain English.”

The default choice for shoppers, Ms. Rotman Epps said, is often an iPad. “It is a road-tested product, it comes with the Apple quality halo around Apple’s brand, and it’s leagues ahead in terms of the apps available for it,” she said.

But iPads are more expensive than other tablets. They range from $330 for the least expensive iPad Mini to $830 for a 64-gigabyte iPad with cellular data and Wi-Fi.

Google and Amazon advertise their tablets as offering the best value. The Nexus 7 starts at $200 and the Kindle Fire starts around $160.

Microsoft says the Surface, which starts at $500, is better for getting work done, because you can hook up a mouse, type more easily with an add-on keyboard and cover, and use some Office applications.

But the bold design of Microsoft’s new tablet software and hardware could be too confusing for Windows users, who tend to be less tech-savvy, Ms. Rotman Epps said. “Given the profile of who wants to buy a Windows tablet, complexity is not a good thing,” she said.

For many people, the biggest factor to consider when choosing a tablet is where it takes them once they turn it on — that is, which services, apps and stores selling books and music they can use.

“We’ve been in love with the glass,” said Mark Curtis, chief client officer at Fjord, a mobile design firm. “Now we’re going to fall in love with what’s behind the glass. It’s about the services they can offer.”

And, as often happens when a market matures and becomes saturated, companies are beginning to look beyond tablets to the next generation of devices, which might be worn on people’s bodies or installed in their homes, Mr. Curtis said.

If you think this year’s holiday shopping list is complicated, wait until next year, when it might include Internet-connected watches, eyeglasses or coffee pots.

Google Nexus 10 : Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 09:52:00 +0000

When I first turned on Google's new tablet computer, I immediately thought of it as a mere conduit to Google services.

Besides giving you quick access to Gmail and YouTube, the Nexus 10 steers you to digital movies, books and other content available for sale through Google's online Play store.

Because of that, I wasn't thinking of the Nexus 10 as an alternative to Apple's general-purposeiPad - even with a price tag that's $100 cheaper, starting at $399. It took more thought and time with the Nexus to change that perception. After all, apps available for Android smartphones work on the tablet as well.

Still, the Nexus really shines when it comes to media - especially content bought through Google.

For the past year, Google has been trying to challenge Apple and Amazon by selling digital content.

The Play store is Google's version of iTunes for Apple devices. There, you can get a variety of apps, some free and some for a small fee. You can buy or rent movies and obtain books, magazines and music. Google isn't satisfied with building search engines and selling ads. It wants a bigger role in the digital economy.

Over the summer, Google came out with a 7-inch (17.5-centimeter) tablet called the Nexus 7. Just as Apple made an iPad Mini that's about the size of the Nexus 7, Google is now selling a larger version of the Nexus, about the size of Apple's regular iPad. It starts shipping this week.

On the Nexus 10, icons at the bottom of the screen emphasise Google's media products available through Play. Click on a picture of film to watch movies, headphones to listen to music and a book to, well, read books. Another icon gets you to the Play store to obtain more content and apps.

The Nexus has a rubberised back and fits more snuggly on my lap than the metal-backed iPad. In my hands, I don't feel as if the Nexus would slip out and crash on to the hard floor, as I continually do with the iPad.

There are front-facing speakers going up and down both sides of the Nexus, compared with just one tucked in a corner on the back of an iPad. You feel more immersed watching video with sound coming right at you from the entire device. I hadn't considered that a problem on the iPad, but I began to notice it once I played video on the tablets side by side.

The screen measures 10.1 inches (25.6 centimeters) diagonally, which is more than the iPad's 9.7 inches (24.6 centimeters). But the screen isn't any larger because while it's about an inch wider in horizontal mode, it's also about a half-inch less in height. This works well for widescreen content, which completely fills the screen. On the iPad, the latest movies and TV shows often have black bars, no matter how you hold the tablet. In some cases, you might see the sides of video cut off to fit the space, as I did watching this week's episode of "Revenge" on Hulu. Again, I hadn't considered that a problem on the iPad, until I began to notice it.

What makes the tablet's shape good for movies makes it less-than-ideal for magazines, though. There's wasted space on the top and the bottom for magazines on the Nexus. But I watch TV shows and movies online more often than I read magazines digitally, so I'll let it slide.

As for books, text on the Nexus' screen comes out sharp. News sites and apps also look nice. The Nexus has a screen resolution of 300 pixels per inches, slightly better than the 264 ppi for the latest full-size iPad (which itself is far better than the 132 ppi on the older iPad 2 model still available).

True, there are other tablets designed as media players, too. Amazon.com Kindle Fire and Barnes and Barnes & Noble Nook HD come to mind, and both have larger versions out this month. But neither has the diversity of apps available for the Nexus and other full-fledge Android devices (The Kindle and the Nook run on modified versions of Android and restrict apps to what's available through their own online stores).

So what does that mean?

Apps on my Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone automatically appear on the Nexus 10 after signing in with the same Google account. I'll note that the Nexus 10 is also made by Samsung Electronics, even though it's branded Google.

Three of my apps, for AccuWeather, Citibank and Dunkin' Donuts, aren't compatible for unknown reasons. But those I use most often - Facebook, Instagram, Foursquare and a slew of other weather apps - all work on the Nexus. The companion app for the TV show " Dexter" also works, allowing me to play trivia games and watch video clips.

Not all apps have been specifically adapted for the tablet's larger screen, but they take advantage of the entire screen, nonetheless, thanks to the way Android lets software programmers build their apps in modules. All the content gets blown up and still looks decent.

Apple's store has a far wider selection of apps, though, including a half-dozen apps for exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. A search on Play comes up with only one.

The Nexus comes with the latest version of the Android operating system, version 4.2. It introduces a new feature for sharing tablets, the way family members can share Windows and Mac computers while keeping personalized settings. You no longer have to fight with a kid who constantly changes the volume or moves apps around. Now, just sign in as separate users.

The Nexus is a tad lighter, while the iPad promises longer battery life and has an option for cellular broadband for $130 more, plus the cost of data plans. Neither has a slot to expand memory with SD cards. Both have two cameras - 5 megapixels on the back for taking photos and video, and a lower-resolution one on the front for videoconferencing.

The iPad remains king among tablets, with its ease of use, variety of apps and dominance in the market. But challengers such as Google offer choice. The Nexus 10 is a good choice if you already have an Android phone and use a lot of Google services. That's especially true if you also watch a lot of movies and TV shows, but don't want to be limited to that.

Google Nexus 10: Build

Let’s get something out in the open: The Nexus 10 – switched off at any rate - will not make you weak at the knees.

Call it understated if you like, but it doesn’t have that cutting edge ‘wow’ you’ll find on the iPad or Galaxy 2 10.1. In fact the front edge curves act a bit like a fish-eye lens making the tablet feel larger than it really is.

That said the build quality is first rate and the statistics make for excellent reading. Weighing in at 603g and with a thickness of just 8.9mm the Nexus 10 is 49g lighter than the latest iPad. And it feels it too.

Flip it over and the grippy plastic and lack of right angles give you superb grip, and while it doesn’t feel as premium as we hoped the tactile surface makes manhandling a treat. The surface greatly improves one-handed holding, which is especially important on a bigger tablet.

On the back you also get a landscape orientated 5mp camera with LED flash. Ports include MicroUSB, Micro HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack and Pogo pins (we assume for docking).

There’s also a plastic strip that looks and feels like a battery cover. Remove it and you’ll find the usual serial numbers plus two magnets which we assume will be for covers. We hope they are, because the awful snap-on screen protector we were supplied with is embarrassing. It works fine, but lacks any of the design detail of the iPad’s Smart Cover.

Google Nexus 10: Screen

All our design dissapointments were instantly forgotten once the screen sparked into life. The Nexus 10's display is nothing short of sensational. The 10-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 2 panel boasts a record 2560 x 1600 pixels and a screen resolution of 300ppi. That’s more than your HDTV and leagues ahead – statistically at any rate – than the iPad’s much admired 264ppi Retina display.

To be fair, at these resolutions it is almost impossible to tell the difference between the iPad and Google Nexus 10. Both are stunning. What Google have though is a 16:9 aspect ratio which make movies a joy to watch and just about everything else a huge amount of widescreen loveliness.

As with the iPad’s Retina display, some website images do look a bit blurry. No fault of the screen resolution, just a case of the display being too good for the web.

Google Nexus 10: Camera

Equipped with a meagre 5MP in the back and 1.9MP front facing camera the Google Nexus 10 is never going to be a photographic power house.

The main camera isn’t awful, but it certainly isn’t as good as the iPad, or most new smartphones. What saves it however is Photo Sphere — allowing you to capture 360-degree panoramas very similar to Photosynth on Windows Phone. It isn’t perfect and takes a bit of practice but it’s addictive and the results can be fantastic.

Google Nexus 10: Sound

Like the Samsung Galaxy 2 10.1 the Google Nexus 10 has two tiny slivers of front-facing speaker. They don’t look much – combined with the black, on black on black colour scheme blend in nicely - but they sound great.

Obviously a decent Bluetooth speaker sounds better, but for everyday viewing they have plenty of volume and enough warmth to prevent you reaching for the headphones.

Gripping the edge will cover one speaker up, but thanks to the rubberised back you can rest the tablet in the palm of your hand without fear of falling.

Google Nexus 10: Jelly Bean updates

Screen quality aside it is Google’s unadulterated Jelly Bean 4.2 OS that excites us the most. With no manufacturer skins this is the purest way to experience the stunning interface.

Jelly Bean was good before, but some incoming updates [should roll out on 13th November] make it even better – especially for tablets. Multiple user support – different individuals are able to log into their own apps, settings and preferences – is a huge bonus for any families who share the tablet and should put an end to arguments over hijacked Facebook accounts.

The upgrade will also feature Miracast wireless display support, allowing the Nexus 10 to interact directly with a compatible HD TV. We expect huge things from this industry wide Wi-Fi sharing tool – think Airplay for everyone – and can’t wait to get hands on.

Google Nexus 10: Apps

As much as we adore the display, the OS and the tactile rubbery-ness we’d quite like some dedicated apps for the Google Nexus 10.

We appreciate developers need time – and encouragement – to reformat their products for the 10-inch screen, but until then most options are just over stretched phone apps.

With acres of unused white space and tiny – albeit pixel sharp text – many everyday apps just feel awkward. Engorged phone apps work wonderfully on the Nexus 7, but don’t impress on the 10-inch screen with Twitter almost painful to read with anything but 20:20 vision.

With such a fantastic display we’re sure it is only a matter of time before 10-inch specific Android apps come flooding in, but for now, if you need proof of how lovely they can/will/better be, take a look at Google’s own selection; YouTube, Google Earth and Google + all look incredible.

Google Nexus 10: Performance

The Nexus 10 is powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core Exynos 5250 processor with Mail T604 graphics and comes with a cool 2GB RAM. Combined with the effortlessly impressive Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system and you’ve got one impressive performer.

Everything is faultlessly fast and fluid, with apps loading almost instantly, games – even racing titles such as Need for Speed Most Wanted cruised along effortlessly – and HD movies never faltered.

Choose form 16GB or 32GB internal memory – fine, but a memory card slot would have been nice. There’s also no 3G or 4G support (yet) so it is Wi-Fi all the way. That said, thanks to multiple-in, multiple-out (MIMO) technology and a promise of up to 4x faster download speeds, it’s no slouch.

We’re not convinced it is 4x faster than the Galaxy 2 10.1 or iPad but it’s no couch potato.

Google Nexus 10: Battery

With 9000mAh at its disposal the Google Nexus 10 claims 9 hours of video playback and 500hrs standby. Impressive?

You bet impressive. During our mixed use test – emailing, surfing, movie downloading and a bit of gaming – the Nexus 10 managed 10hrs between charges.

Google Nexus 10: Verdict

There’s no doubt about it, the Google Nexus 10 is a fantastic tablet that challenges – and in the case of the 300ppi display beats - the iPad in almost every department. Google has produced a genuine contender that’s slim, light and tactile; fast, effortlessly easy to use and a joy to play with.

The screen is a sensation and deserves the plaudits, but the Nexus 10 isn’t perfect…yet. It gets pretty close – especially when you fully embrace Jelly Bean 4.2 – but until Google Play is furnished with more than a handful of 10-inch specific apps the iPad and its choice of 275,000 wins the battle.

But the war is far from over, and as more apps appear this stylishly slim, effortlessly intuitive and ridiculously good value tablet may well conquer all. It’s the best 10-inch Android tablet available right now and that’s high praise indeed.

Facebook launches ‘LinkedIn-type‘ app

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 09:50:00 +0000

Facebook has launched a new application that connects candidates with job vacancies and recruiters on the world's largest social networking site.
The new service claims more than 1.7 million jobs from partners including Monster Worldwide and BranchOut, the company said on its website.
"Facebook is all about connecting people and we're thrilled to see developers leveraging our platform to connect job seekers and prospective employers," Marne Levine, Facebook's vice president for global public policy, said in a statement.
"By allowing job seekers to view and share job openings based on personalised criteria, like location and industry, the Social Jobs Application builds on our broader effort to help people use social media to find jobs in the US," Levine added.

The online app follows Facebook's introduction of the Social Jobs Partnership last year with the US Department of Labor and other agencies, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
According to the paper, the new app by Facebook is a direct challenge to LinkedIn, the popular business social network.

Consumer Reports names top 10 electronics of 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:39:00 +0000

The magazine that is synonymous with objectivity and excellence has put this year's electronic product offerings through their rigorous tests. Now, Consumer Reports has named its top 10 electronics products of 2012 based on performance and innovation.

The magazine tested more than 600 smart phones, tablets, TVs and more for its December Annual Electronics Issue. The issue features 30 pages of buying advice and ratings and reviews of more than 600 of the hottest electronics products including tablets, laptops, smart phones, e-book readers, printers, digital cameras and camcorders, headphones, Blu-ray players, and home-theater systems.
Some familiar names are on the top 10 list, including Nikon and Samsung. The lesser-known Sonos joins American tech company Vizio on the list as well.

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
16GB, Starting at $470 on Yahoo! Shopping
The 10-inch Galaxy Note adds capabilities that no other tablet, not even the Apple iPad, currently offers. The magazine called the tablet an excellent performer overall.
The Galaxy Note 10.1 nearly matches the superb battery life of the iPad and has a memory-card slot not found on Apple's tablet.
Nikon Coolpix S800

2. Nikon Coolpix S800c

Starting at $327 on Yahoo! Shopping

Consumer Reports calls the S800c the world's smartest camera. This 16-megapixel, Wi-Fi-enabled point-and-shoot camera is the first that they've seen that runs Google's Android operating system and the apps that go with it.
The apps enable users to edit an image, quickly and easily post it to Facebook and create a slideshow with music. The magazine notes that their tests weren't fully completed by press time, but said the S800c looks promising overall.

3. Vizio CinemaWIDE XVT3D
Starting at $1530 at Walmart.com
This ultrawide TV is aimed at movie buffs who want to see films on a 21:9 display that mimics the shape of a movie-theater screen. This means most wide-format movies will fit on the screen without the black bars you see on other TVs.
It comes with a great HD picture, good (but not the best) 3D performance and extras such as 3D glasses and a Bluetooth remote with a keyboard. At 58 inches, it's plenty big, too.

4. Apple iPhone 5

16GB, $200 at att.com
The magazine called Apple's latest phone the best one yet because it builds on its predecessors' strengths and adds new features, putting it head and shoulders above previous iPhones.
The phone has a bigger, sharper screen, a thinner profile, 4G access, and an expanded role for Siri, the super voice assistant. Also, it's the best phone camera Consumer Reports' testers have seen yet.

5. Samsung Galaxy S III
16GB, Starting at $280 at t-mobile.com
Not to be outdone by Apple, this Android phone has a bigger screen than the iPhone 5 and features you can't get on Apple's darling. You can watch a video while doing other tasks on the desktop, and the screen won't time out when you're looking at it.
Consumer Reports said ingenious gesture- and sensor-based tools are great for social networking.

6. Panasonic Viera TC-P55VT50
Starting at $1895 at Yahoo! Shopping
The magazine admits this 55-inch Plasma TV is pricey, but it's one of the best TVs they've ever tested. Deep, rich blacks and spot-on colors contribute to the superb picture quality, and it has an unlimited viewing angle, plus very good 3D performance and sound.
This Panasonic is loaded with state-of-the-art features, including a full Web browser, built-in Wi-Fi, and an extra touchpad remote, which make it easier to surf the Web and stream online video.

7. Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7-inch
16GB, starting at $199 from Amazon.com
Consumer Reports said Amazon's top-of-the-line 7-inch tablet is one of the best for the price. They did, however, mention that the Barnes & Noble Nook tablets promise stiff competition, as well as the iPad mini. Testers believe videos look great on the HD display, and the screen is readable even in bright light.
The magazine concludes the Fire is a great choice for Amazon fans—especially for subscribers to Amazon Prime ($80 a year), which offers access to free Kindle Book loans and streaming movies and TV shows.

8. Sony Cyber-shot RX100
Starting at $648 at Yahoo! Shopping
This camera is lightweight and loaded with features. It's a 20-megapixel point-and-shoot that weighs about 9 ounces. Consumer Reports said the camera has a large sensor and high-quality lens, it took exceptional photos in their initial tests and packs features normally found only on bulkier, pricier rivals.
It deftly combines a nice selection of buttons and dials with a sophisticated menu system that won't overwhelm you.
9. Samsung HT-E6730W
Starting at $647 on Yahoo! Shopping
A bit of old and new works well with this 7.1-channel system. It features old-school vacuum tubes with digital amps to produce excellent sound, which is rare in the magazine's tests of home- theater-in-a-box systems.
It comes with a 3D-capable Blu-ray player, wireless amplifiers for the rear surround speakers, Wi-Fi, an iPod dock, and Samsung's Smart TV platform. That includes a full Web browser, apps market, and Blockbuster, Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Pandora apps.

10. Sonos Play:3
Starting at $300 (plus $50 for wireless adapter) on Yahoo! Shopping
Compact stereo systems are a dime a dozen, but Consumer Reports said this one is a great, easy way to enjoy music throughout the house. If you pair it with the Sonos Bridge adapter you can wirelessly access streaming Internet radio stations and music from a computer that's on your Wi-Fi network.
With one speaker, you'll get very good sound quality. If you set up two in one room as a two-speaker pair you'll get excellent sound that rivals what testers have heard from any home-theater system.

President launches low cost Aakash-2 tablet at Rs 1.13k

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:07:00 +0000

The advanced version of low cost tablet Aakash was launched here today by President Pranab Mukherjee.

Coming at a price tag of Rs 1,130 for students, the new version 'Aakash 2', which will be made available to students of engineering colleges and universities to begin with, is now powered by a processor running at 1 GHz, has a 512 MB, a 7 inch capacitative touch screen and a battery working for three hours of normal operations.

It has been developed under the aegis of IIT Bombay with the active support of C-DAC. Datawind is rolling out the device.

"The price is Rs 2,263 at which the government purchases the device from us. The government subsidises it by 50 per cent and it will be distributed to students at Rs 1,130," said Datawind CEO Suneet Tuli.

He said the government is also trying to encourage the state governments to chip in by subsidising it further so that the device can eventually be available to students free of cost.

The first one lakh devices will be provided to students of engineering colleges and universities and subsequently these will be distributed to others.

About 22 crore students will get the device across the country in the next five to six years. By coming Monday alone, 20,000 devices are expected to reach out to the students.

The device, which can also run on Linux operating system, do Aadhar authentication and control a robot from a distant place, said HRD Ministry officials.

HTC, Apple reach global settlement

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:06:00 +0000

Taiwan's leading smartphone maker HTC said Sunday it has reached a global settlement with technology giant Apple, bringing an end to all outstanding litigation between the two companies.
The deal includes a 10-year licensing agreement over patents, HTC said in a statement, without providing further details.
"HTC is pleased to have resolved its dispute with Apple, so HTC can focus on innovation instead of litigation," HTC CEO Peter Chou said in the statement.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said: "We are glad to have reached a settlement with HTC."
"We will continue to stay laser focused on product innovation."
HTC and Apple were locked in more than 20 cases in the world including some pending the ruling of the International Trade Commission of the United States, according to an HTC official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Technology giants have taken to routinely pounding one another with patent lawsuits. Apple has accused HTC and other smartphone makers using Google's Android mobile operating system of infringing on Apple-held patents.
"This is definitely a positive element to HTC, especially when it is being knocked by poor sales," Mars Hsu of Grand Cathay Securities told AFP.
"Unlike the lawsuits between Apple and Samsung focusing on the alleged infringement of iPhone outlook, the suits with HTC are more related to alleged technology infringements," he said.
Apple won an order last December from the US International Trade Commission, which issued a "limited exclusion order" directing that HTC stop bringing offending smartphones into the United States effective on April 19.
In May, US mobile carrier Sprint said it had to delay the introduction of an Android smartphone from HTC after the devices were blocked by US customs in the first enforcement of a win in a trade complaint by Apple.
HTC's net profit in the three months to September tumbled 79.1 percent from a year ago to Tw$3.9 billion ($133.1 million), down sharply from Tw$18.64 billion.
Revenues totalled Tw$70.2 billion, meeting the lower side of the Tw$70 billion-Tw$80 billion range it had previously forecast. The revenues marked a sharp decline of 48 percent from a year ago when they were Tw$135.82 billion.
In the latest of the series of lawsuits between the two companies, HTC in July said it was suing Apple in a district court in Florida but declined to elaborate as the case had entered formal litigation proceedings.
According to the Taipei-based Apple Daily newspaper, HTC claimed in the suit that Apple's MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iPhone have infringed on two patents it acquired from Hewlett-Packard last year related to computer networks.
But HTC hailed a victory in July as a British court ruled that it did not infringe on Apple's photo management patent while deeming three other Apple patents -- for slide-to-unlock, multi-touch and multilingual keyboard capability -- invalid.
HTC sells its own smartphones and also makes handsets for a number of leading US companies, including Google's Nexus One.
The company has recently unveiled a new series of smartphones to compete with US technology giant Apple and South Korea's Samsung, which separately launched the iPhone 5 last month and the Galaxy Note II in late September.

Review: Sony Xperia ion

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:04:00 +0000

Recently, Sony launched its new flagship phone in India, the Xperia ion at Rs 36,999. Though a good handset by all means, it was behind the times even at the time of its launch - both in India, as well as globally. Sony Xperia ion competes with the likes of AppleiPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X. Check out how it performs as a flagship smartphone in an increasingly competitive market.

Look and feelSony Xperia ion is a decent looking phone that is easy to hold and seems sturdy enough to survive a fall without much damage. The Japanese manufacturer has used a combination of plastic and red ( YES!) metal back cover to construct the body of the new phone. Notably, it has done away with the silly fluorescent coloured stripe to mark the three buttons that it used in earlier devices like Xperia S.

Xperia ion measures 133x68x10.8mm and weighs 144 gram, not much considering it has a 4.6-inch screen. It feels good in the hand and holding it is never an issue, despite its dimensions and all hardware keys are easy to access and press.

Located on the right side of the phone are three hardware keys - power on/off, volume rocker and camera. On the left are HDMI and microUSB ports, which are covered by a common flap which is quite troublesome to close once oipened. The headphone jack is located in top-centre which again is a very inconvenient location. The bottom plays home to the mic and nothing else. The front panel has a video calling camera, ambient light sensor, indicator light and proximity sensor. Now, we were flummoxed why the company put an ambient light sensor in the phone since it does not support automatic brightness feature.

Overall the build quality feels good, but the red metal back is prone to fingerprints, which is simply weird, considering that the much cheaper devices like Samsung Wave III never get any fingerprints.

The four keys below the capacitive touchscreen of the Xperia ion gave us a lot of trouble, just like the Xperia S. When we tried to press any of the keys, the touch did not register and we had to often press more than once in order to execute a command or see options. None of the keys light up when the screen is on; rather, each key has a bar underneath it that lights up. You would think of either tapping on the bar or the key itself in order to go back or see options. But you would be wrong, since you actually need to tap on the space between the keys and the touchscreen. It means Sony has repeated the same design idiocy that it had in Xperia S. So be prepared to make accidental presses on the screen, as we learnt the hard way.

Such an issue - and a continuing one - on the hardware front is major gaffe on Sony's part and needs to be rectified with immediate effect if it wants to be a serious player in the smartphone reckoning.

While buying the Xperia ion, bear in mind that the device only accepts a micro-sim card. Though obtaining a micro-sim card is a simple process, it can still be an inconvenience for some.

When you insert the micro-sim and microSD card in the Xperia ion, remember to keep the manual with you. Otherwise you will be hard-pressed to find the two slots. You need to take off the plastic cover from the top - and not bottom - to insert the two cards in the phone. It took us a while to figure this out and we never really felt a manual could be needed.

HardwareSony Xperia ion runs on a dual-core 1.5GHz processor that is snappy and executes all applications and graphics fluidly. However, it lags behind quad-core touting devices like Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X in benchmark tests, pushing it just a step back. 1GB of RAM in the Xperia ion helps the phone handle all the apps seamlessly, never giving any lag. Yet, upon using for a few days, we discovered the phone would suddenly reboot once or twice a week, all on its own.

The 4.6-inch touchscreen with Mobile Bravia Engine is a pleasure to look at and colours seem only slightly washed out when you step out in full daylight. This device could have been able to render better colours in daylight if automatic brightness function worked, but sadly that is not the case.

With 13GB of internal memory and support for up to 32GB memory card, you would never feel short of storage which is quite pleasing.

Ice Cream Sandwich with Timescape UIXperia ion now runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) layered with Sony's Timescape UI, which focusses heavily on social integration with everyday usage. The new menu/app drawer interface of ICS (where widgets are accessed from the menu) can be seen here as well. But Sony does not refrain from giving access to widgets from the home screen itself, as you simply need to tap the home screen itself to get options for themes, wallpapers and widgets. Those not in favour can remove the widgets.

Navigating the Sony Xperia ion with ICS and Timescape is simple and easy, with the standard five panel home screen. Those who have used Sony smartphones previously will be familiar with most of the aspects of the Timescape UI, including Facebook Friends, Facebook Feeds etc. A new feature is Recommender, which will recommend games, apps and music used by friends to you, featured as well as popular.

Some of the helpful widgets in the phone are Contact, Google Photos, Top Contacts and (power control) Tools, which make everyday tasks like turning on Wi-Fi and calling your best friend easier.

Facebook remains a key ingredient of Xperia ion's social experience as the device integrates your Facebook account with its Calendar, Contacts, Photos and Music apps. Thus, you can link all your Facebook friends' birthdays and anniversaries in your calendar and can link their accounts with phone numbers in your device's address book. Friends' Music is an app that shows all the music and videos your friends have posted on Facebook.

Telephony and messagingThe phonebook is simple and neat, with four tabs - Contacts, Dialer, Starred and Groups. You simply need to star those whom you frequently contact in order to cut the time you take to call, or club them together to send group messages etc. The phonebook of Xperia ion also features Smart Dialling after the ICS update.

Sending a SMS is easy, with three keyboard options. The keys are easy to tap and you can insert images, notes and add attachments and location to an SMS in order to convert it into a MMS. You can take a photo even if you are in the middle of typing a message as the device has a dedicated key for that on the keyboard.

Making life easier for heavy texters is the Swype-like intuitive typing feature, where you just slide your finger over the requisite keywords in order to type it. Another cool feature is starring your SMS, incoming as well as outgoing, which will be highlighted when you are searching for a SMS.

The Messaging and Calls apps show the number of unread SMSs and missed calls on the home screen and even the menu.

Poor call qualityFor a top-end phone, Sony Xperia ion gave a surprisingly poor performance in our call test. If you wish to buy this phone, then keep in mind that you will be able to attend calls only when you are inside.We found the calling experience outdoors surprisingly poor. We sincerely hope that this was a defect in the piece we had, but if not, Sony needs to pull its socks up and correct the issue.

A good feature of Sony Xperia ion is that you can end an incoming call by sending a SMS even as the phone is ringing. Connectivity

Sony Xperia ion is the Japanese manufacturer's first 4G LTE enabled smartphone and can transfer data at up to 100Mbps. However, the best you will get in India right now is 3G speeds or Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n). The phone is also compatible with 2G networks and can transfer data over Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) and EDR (Enhanced Data Rate).

Another nifty connectivity option is Near Fields Communication (NFC), which will enable you to transfer data with just one bump. Other connectivity features include Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot and microUSB 2.0.

You can also make SIP-based calls over the internet using this phone.

Music and videosSony has long been known for its prowess in the field of audio technology and this can be seen in Xperia ion as well. The phone comes pre-installed with Walkman-branded music player, which is simple to use and allows users to access all common functions like repeat, play and en queue. But that's not all, since you can also find the video of the currently playing song on YouTube, search the artists' information on Wikipedia, check out lyrics via Google Search, find karaoke versions of the song on YouTube and find more extensions, all without leaving the Walkman. The FM radio is quick to start and find the stations, while TrackID will easily give you the lyrics of the songs you play.

Video player of the Sony Xperia ion is good and can handle heavy movies in various formats quite easily. The 4.6-inch touchscreen with Mobile Bravia engine technology plays its role quite well in making the movie viewing experience enjoyable.

The sound quality of the Sony Xperia is also good, but considering Sony's legacy in terms of music and audio, there is still room for improvement.

CameraXperia ion boasts of a 12MP camera with LED flash, while competitors like iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X are content with 8MP snappers. However, this does not translate into better performance as the phone's camera produces images expected of a lower resolutioncamera, rather than the beautiful rendition that a 12MP sensor should give.

The phone's 12MP camera comes with five capture modes, namely scene recognition, normal, 3D sweep panorama, 3D sweep multi-angle and sweep panorama, along with front camera capturing. Panorama, scene recognition, sweep panorama are commonly used camera features, but 3D sweep panorama and 3D sweep multi-angle modes may find a niche audience for themselves.

Sony Xperia ion's camera comes with the regular options that most other Android phones have, so it's business as usual in that regard. However, the presence of a hardware camera key on the right helps a lot.

Videos taken from the Xperia ion are recorded at full HD (1080p@30fps) are smooth, but there is nothing exceptional in them to give them the look and feel of a 12MP camera.

The 1.3MP front camera is decent and can take videos at 720p@30fps. Nothing much to talk about there.

GamingSony Xperia ion comes pre-installed with an EA Sports app that offers free games, such as Need For Speed Shift and Plants Vs Zombies. The phone handles these games, as well as other heavy games from Google Play quite well and the 1.5GHz dual core processor ensures there is never any lag.

Battery
Sony Xperia ion is powered by a 1,900mAh Li-ion battery that performed well in our test. The phone did not turn off for approximately one day on a single charge after medium usage. This included 1-2 hours of internet browsing, 2-3 hours of calling, around one hour of calls and 6-7 hours of music playback. Pretty decent.

The last wordsSony Xperia ion is a great smartphone and would have squashed all the competition had it been launched a year ago. But despite all the advancements, it does not measure up to market leader Samsung Galaxy S III and the other contender HTC One X.

With a price tag of Rs 36,999, it is simply too expensive and you would be better off buying a rival phone. Moreover, its overall performance is marred by the unresponsive haptic keys on the screen and the poor call quality. Neither does it come with innovations like S Voice, S Beam Smart Stay that come with Samsung Galaxy S III, nor does it offer free DropBox storage that HTC One X offers. It's best not to compare it with Apple iPhone 5, the new kid on the block that has the potential to blow the competition away.

In the end, all we can say is that the phone itself is good if taken from the hardware and software perspective, but is beaten by the competition on various other grounds

Latest Mobile Phones in India above Rs. 15K

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 03:15:00 +0000

Have a look at the latest Indian launches of high-end smart phones from the leading mobile brands. Price range above Rs. 15,000.

The price and features mentioned here are indicative only. These have been sourced from various online dealers and manufacturers as a support to our reader community. Take your own responsibility to make informed decisions with extra research before making any buying decisions.

Brand	Model	Price	OS	Features
Sony	Xperia J	15700	Android ICS upgradable to JellyBean	Single SIM GSM Display: 4-inch Battery: 1750 mAh Processor: 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon RAM: 512 MB Storage: 4 GB expandable to 32 GB Camera: 5 MP + front-facing VGA cam Entertainment: xLoud with manual equalizer
HTC	Desire X	19800	Android 4.0.4 ICS	Single SIM GSM, 3G Display: 4-inch LCD touchscreen, multitouch Processor: 1 GHz dual core Qualcomm Battery: 1650 mAh RAM: 768 MB Storage: Camera: 5 MP with video recording
LG	Optimus vu	30399	Android ICS upgradable to JellyBean	Single SIM GSM, 3G Display: 5-inch Processor: 1.5 GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 Battery: 2080 mAh RAM: 1 GB Storage: 32 GB Camera: 8 MP + 1.3 MP front facing cam Specialties: 4:3 display ratio with 1024 x 786 resolution, In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology, HDMI port to connect with other screens
Apple	iPhone 5	45500-55000	iOS	See detailed review .
Samsung	Galaxy S III	34900-39900	Android 4.0.4 ICS upgradable to 4.1 JellyBean	See detailed review .

Latest Mobile Phones in India between Rs.5K to 15K

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 03:13:00 +0000

Have a look at the latest Indian launches from the leading mobile brands. Here are the Android and Symbian models priced between Rs. 5000 and Rs. 15,000.

Mobiles collage 2

Brand	Model		Price	OS	Features
Nokia	Asha 308		5800	Symbian	Dual SIM GSM, TouchScreen Display: 3-inch, proximity sensor RAM: 64 MB Storage: 128 MB expandable to 32 GB Camera: 2 MP, video capture @ 15 fps Entertainment: 40 games for free download See full review
Nokia	Asha 309		6400	Symbian	Single SIM GSM, TouchScreen Display: 3-inch capacitive LCD, proximity sensor RAM: 64 MB Storage: 128 MB expandable to 32 GB Camera: 2 MP, video capture @ 10 fps Entertainment: FM, music player, video player See full review
MTS	M Tag 353		6000	Android 2.3	Single SIM CDMA, Display: 3.5 inch Processor: 800 MHz Qualcomm Battery: 1500 mAh Storage: upgradable to 32 GB (2 GB card free) Camera: 3 MP Freebies: free calls, browsing, mobile TV (limited), 2 extra back covers of different colours ---
Karbonn	A 7+		7000	Android 2.3	Single SIM GSM, 3G, WiFi Display: 3.5 inch, proximity sensor Processor: 1 GHz Battery: 1420 mAh Storage: upgradable to 32 GB (2 GB card free) Camera: 5 MP with 2 LED flash + front facing VGA cam ....
Karbonn	A 11		8500	Android 4.0 ICS	Single SIM GSM, 3G, WiFi Display: 4 inch Processor: 1 GHz Battery: 1500 mAh Storage: upgradable to 32 GB (2 GB card free) Camera: 5 MP face detection + 1.3 MP front facing cam ....
Karbonn	A 9+		9300		Dual SIM with specs almost Similar to A 11. 1.2 GHz dual core processor
Karbonn	A 21		10,500		Dual SIM with specs Similar to A 11. Notable differences: Display is 4.5 inch, battery 1800 mAh, 1.2 GHz dual core processor .....
iBall		Andi 4.3j	9500	Android 2.3.6	Dual SIM, 3G, WiFi, GPRS, EDGE, Bluetooth, A-GPS Processor: 1 GHz Cortex A9 Battery: 2 batteries of 1630 mAh and 900 mAh Camera: 5 MP Storage: 2 GB expandable to 32 GB ....
Micromax		A 101	10000	Android 4.0 ICS	Dual SIM GSM, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth Display: 5.2 inch Processor: 1 GHz Battery: 2000 mAh Storage: upgradable to 32 GB (2 GB card free) Camera: 5 MP ......
Micromax		Superfone Canvas A 110 improves on Canvas 100)	10000	Android 4.0.4 ICS	Dual SIM GSM, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth Display: 5 inch In-Plane Switching Processor: 1 GHz dual core Battery: 2000 mAh Storage: upgradable to 32 GB (2 GB card free) Camera: 8 MP with dual flash ......
SPICE		Stellar Horizon Mi 500	12500	Android ICS 4.0	Dual SIM, GPS, WiFi Display: 5-inch Processor: 1 GHz dual core Battery: 2400 mAh RAM: 512 MB Storage: 4 GB expandable to 32 GB Camera: 5 MP + 0.3 MP front-facing Proximity sensor, Accelerometer .....

8 unusual gadget gifts for Diwali

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 03:10:00 +0000

As the festival of Diwali is around the corner, many of us are likely to go on a shopping spree to give the perfect gift to our near and dear ones. When it comes to gadgets as gifts, most of us tend to look towards tablets, smartphones and laptops. Well, that's cliched. This festive season why not go for something different and offbeat that does not burn a hole in your pocket and pleases your loved ones. Here is our pick of 8 offbeat gadget gifts for this Diwali.

USB paper shredderThe USB Paper Shredder and Letter Opener combo is simple plug-and-play device compatible with all operating systems. Not only is it perfect for use when plugged into a computer, but can be operated by AA batteries as well, making it suitable for emergencies. Available in the market for Rs 995, it has a 1.6L plastic container to collect all shredded paper, along with a forward/reverse button.

Sony CP-ELSB powerbank for smartphonesCharging your smartphone anytime, anywhere becomes easy with the Sony CP-ELSB powerbank. Compatible with most smartphones, this device has a 2,000mAh battery that will charge your phone when it runs out of juice. The device measures (28x125x26.5mm) and weighs just 87grams and can be recharged via USB cable, with charging time of approximately 6 hours. The Sony CP-ELSB powerbank is available in the Indian market at a price of Rs 1,350.

Docking speakersPhilips AS111 Android Docking station plays and charges Android phones and auto-synchronises its clock with your device. It comes bundled with Songbird music manager so you can sync music between your phone and PC, and a free app for more functions. This device is priced at Rs 5,999 in India.

If your happen to use Apple devices, then you can go for Philips AJ3270D, priced at Rs 3,999. This device lets you play your favorite music from and iPod, iPhone and also charges them and comes with a digital alarm clock, so you can wake up to your favourite radio station or the regular buzzer.

Parrot A R Drone 2.0Parrot A R Drone 2.0 is a quadracopter gaming device equipped to fly at a height of 162 feet and is fitted with a 720p 30fps HD camera to view and record the flight. It can be operated and controlled with any smartphone and tablet, including iPhones, iPads and gadgets powered by Android. Other features of the quadracopter include 360-degree in-flight rotation, HD video recording, indoor and outdoor flying option and Wi-Fi. It also supports video recording via USB device. Parrot A R Drone 2.0 is available at Rs 31,990 in India, with a year-long warranty.

Nokia Play 360° wireless speakerLooking for wireless speakers? Here it is. Nokia Play 360 wireless speakers are available for Rs 9,350 in the market. As the name says, the speakers have 360-degree omni-directional sound and plays music through Bluetooth 2.1. Other options for connectivity include NFC, microUSB charger connector and 3.5 mm standard audio jack. With a price tag of Rs 9,350, these wireless speakers measure 110x124x110mm, weigh 514 gram and offer operating time of 21 hours.

Torus Solar BackpackIt can be quite frustrating if your gadget's battery dies while you are travelling and even worse when the back-up battery is missing. The Torus Solar Backpack, priced at Rs 9,700, is there to help you. The backpack has a detachable solar panel zip pouch, so you can simply connect your smartphone to the cable attached to this solar-powered external battery.

USB warm glovesWinters will set in soon and to protect your hands from harsh cold here is a pair of USB-powered gloves. Weighing just 900 grams, the highly efficient thermal gloves are powered by USB cable and use voltage as low as 5V. Completely safe and reliable, these gloves look stylish and quickly raise the temperature to a comfortable level. You can take home this pair of USB-powered gloves at a price of Rs 621 in India.

John Barrel portable waistband amplifierJohn Barrel JBPA786 portable waistband amplifier is the perfect Diwali gift for those who frequently conduct guided tours and seminars. This device can amplify your voice to a level that a group of 40 to 50 people can hear you easily. When you want to tell a few points to your audience, you can use its head-mic, which is covered by good quality synthetic cloth rather than cheap foam. This waistband amplifier boasts of zero distortion for jarring-free sound quality. The device can also double up as a music player and can play mp3 audio seamlessly via USB. Priced at Rs 1,300 in India, John Barrel JBPA786 portable waistband amplifier has a Li-Po battery that is charged via the 12V DC charger which comes with the device.

Latest Mobile Phones in India, below INR 5k

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 03:04:00 +0000

Have a look at the latest Indian launches from the leading mobile brands. Here are the basic models priced below Rs. 5000: some basic Android models included.

Brand		Model	Price	OS/ Extras	Features
Samsung		Guru Music	1700		Dual SIM GSM Battery: 1000 mAh Entertainment: Dedicated music button, some music and games for free download
Samsung		Guru 1207	1250		Dual SIM GSM Battery: 800 mAh Entertainment: FM radio, torch
Videocon		V 1542	2100		Dual SIM GSM, Display: 2.6 inch Battery: 1800 mAh Camera: 1.3 MP Entertainment: FM radio, Facebook, Twitter
Videocon		V 1528	1800		Dual SIM GSM, Display: 2.4 inch Battery: 1500 mAh Camera: 1.3 MP Entertainment: FM radio, Facebook, Twitter
Videocon		V 1531+	1800		Dual SIM GSM, Display: 2.4 inch Battery: 1500 mAh Camera: 1.3 MP Entertainment: FM radio, Facebook, Twitter
Videocon		V 1544	2400		Dual SIM GSM, Display: 2.6 inch Battery: 3000 mAh Camera: 1.3 MP Entertainment: FM radio, Facebook, Twitter
Karbonn-MTS CDMA	MTS Turbo B121		2000	The extra mile: 'My MTS Planet' for downloading ringtones, wallpapers, games etc. 'MTS Movie Planet' for downloading movies and videos	Single SIM CDMA with Torch Display: 1.7 inch TFT Battery: 1800 mAh Entertainment: FM, Facebook
Karbonn-MTS CDMA	MTS Buzz X121		2800		Single SIM CDMA Display: 2 inch TFT, QWERTY keypad Battery: 1500 mAh RAM: Storage: ** expandable up to 4 GB Camera: 1.3 MP with video recording Entertainment: Bluetooth, Dedicated Facebook key
Karbonn-MTS CDMA	MTS RockStar v121		2800		Single SIM CDMA Display: 2.4 inch TFT Battery: 1800 mAh RAM: Storage: Camera: 1.3 MP with video recording Entertainment: Music-Video player,Bluetooth, Facebook,
INTEX	Aqua 3.2		3800	Android 2.3.5	GPRS, WiFi, Bluetooth Display: 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen Battery: 1200 mAh Processor: 1 GHz Camera: 2 MP Storage: expandable to 32 GB Extras: many preloaded games and applications, and GooglePlay to download other things that you want
Karbonn	A 1+		4300	Android 2.3	Single SIM GSM, 3G, WiFi Display: 3.5 inch, proximity sensor Processor: 1 GHz Battery: 1500 mAh Storage: upgradable to 32 GB (2 GB card free) Camera:3 MP
LAVA	Iris n350		4500	Android 2.3.6	Dual SIM GSM, WiFi, GPRS, Bluetooth (no 3G) Battery: 1300 mAh Camera: 2 MP + 0.3 MP front facing Proximity sensor, gravity sensor

Google‘s Siri Rival Now Available for iOS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 14:22:00 +0000

Google has made good on its promise of improved voice search on Apple’s iOS operating system. On Tuesday, the company released a new Google Search app that brings natural language voice search to the iPhone and iPad.

A rival to Apple’s own Siri intelligent agent, Google’s app provides contextual answers to voice queries, along with pertinent Web search results. Those answers aren’t manually curated; they’re simply the Internet’s best guess. But thanks to Google’s Knowledge Graph — a sort of storehouse of semantic-search information — they seem to be generally pretty accurate. During a Monday demo, Google product manager Hugo Barr showed the Android version of voice search correctly and quickly providing information about local movie times and answering questions like, “What is a baby kangaroo called?”

While the app doesn’t have the same system-level integration as Siri, it appears to be well integrated with Google services like YouTube and Maps, ably offering directions to the locations I asked of it and pulling up query-relevant YouTube videos. It’s also very fast. Overall, an impressive effort and one that will certainly keep Apple on its toes.

Nexus: The best of Google, now in three sizes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:03:00 +0000

People increasingly have more than one device, and they switch between them many times a day. Nexus—Google’s hardware line for Android devices—gets rid of the hassle. Just sign in with your Google Account and everything is there ready to go, whatever device you’re using: photos, emails, contacts, bookmarks, even your entertainment on Google Play.

Today, we’re excited to announce three great new Nexus devices … in small, medium and large. And they all run Android 4.2, a new flavor of Jelly Bean—which includes the latest version of Google Now and other great new features.

Nexus 4 with Google Now and Photo Sphere
Nexus 4 is our latest smartphone, developed together with LG. It has a quad-core processor which means it's super fast, a crisp 4.7" (320 ppi) display that's perfect for looking at photos and watching YouTube, and with wireless charging you just set the phone down on a charging surface to power it up, no wires needed. While Nexus 4 is incredibly powerful under the hood, it also features the latest version of Jelly Bean, Android 4.2—the simplest and smartest version of Android yet. Starting with the camera, we've reinvented the photo experience with Photo Sphere, which lets you capture images that are literally larger than life. Snap shots up, down and in every direction to create stunning 360-degree immersive experiences that you can share on Google+ with friends and family—or you can add your Photo Sphere to Google Maps for the world to see.

Android 4.2 brings other great goodies like Gesture Typing, which lets you glide your finger over the letters you want to type on the keyboard—it makes typing fast, fun and a whole lot simpler. Android 4.2 also adds support for wireless display so you can wirelessly watch movies, YouTube videos and play games right on your Miracast-compatible HDTV.

Google Now—even more useful
We designed Google Now to make life simpler by giving you the right information at just the right time in easy to read cards, before you even ask. And the feedback has been awesome. So today we’re adding more cards that we hope you’ll find useful. Flight information, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations and shipping details—how often have you found yourself wading through your email to get this information at the last moment? So next time you book a table for dinner, you’ll get a reminder with all the details without ever having to lift a finger. You’ll also get cards for nearby attractions, interesting photo spots, movies times at nearby theaters or concerts by your favorite artists.

Nexus 7: Thin, light and now even more portable
Nexus 7 brings you the best of Google–YouTube, Chrome, Gmail, Maps–and all the great content from Google Play in a slim, portable package that fits perfectly in your hand. To give you more room for all that great content you can now get Nexus 7 with 16GB ($199) or 32GB ($249) of storage. But we also wanted to make this highly portable tablet even more mobile. So we added HSPA+ mobile data. Nexus 7 is now also available with 32GB and HSPA+ mobile ($299), which can operate on more than 200 GSM providers worldwide, including AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S.

Nexus 10: Powerful and shareable
Nexus 10 is the ultimate tablet for watching movies or reading magazines. We wanted to build a premium entertainment device, so we partnered with Samsung to do just that. Nexus 10 is the highest resolution tablet on the planet with a 10.055" display at 2560-by-1600 (300ppi), that's over 4 million pixels right in your hands. It comes with a powerful battery that will get you up to nine hours of video playback and more than 500 hours of standby time. With a set of front-facing stereo speakers, you can watch movies right from your Nexus 10 and they simply sound awesome. But what makes Nexus 10 unique is that it's the first truly shareable tablet. With Android 4.2, you can add multiple users and switch between them instantly right from the lockscreen. We believe that everyone should have quick and easy access to their own stuff -- email, apps, bookmarks, and more. That way, everyone can have their own home screens, their own music, and even their own high scores.

Google Play: More entertainment, more countries
We’ve recently added a ton of great new entertainment to Google Play, such as movies and TV shows from Twentieth Century Fox. Earlier this year we expanded our service beyond movie rentals and now you can purchase movies and build a library of your favorites in Google Play. Today we’re bringing movie purchasing to more countries - Canada, the U.K., France, Spain and Australia.
We’re also excited to announce two new partnerships. We’re now working with Time, Inc. to bring you even more magazines like InStyle, PEOPLE, TIME and others. And we’ve partnered with Warner Music Group who will be adding their full music catalog with new songs coming each day. We’re now working with all of the major record labels globally, and all the major U.S. magazine publishers, as well as many independent labels, artists and publishers.

On November 13, we're bringing music on Google Play to Europe. Those of you in the U.K, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will be able to purchase music from the Google Play store and add up to 20,000 songs—for free—from your existing collection to the cloud for streaming to your Android devices or web browser. We’re also launching our new matching feature to streamline the process of uploading your personal music to Google Play. We’ll scan your music collection and any song we match against the Google Play catalog will be automatically added to your online library without needing to upload it, saving you time. This will be available in Europe at launch on November 13 and is coming to the U.S. soon after. This will all be for free—free storage of your music, free matching, free syncing across your devices and free listening.

Great value
We’ve always focused on building great devices at great value. And we think today’s devices offer the very best that money can buy. Here are more details on when and where you can pick up your next Nexus device:

Nexus 4: 8GB for $299; 16GB for $349; available unlocked and without a contract on 11/13 on the Google Play store in the U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada. The 16GB version will also be available through T-Mobile for $199, with a 2-year contract (check here for more details).
Nexus 7: 16GB for $199 and 32GB for $249; available in the U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan, and also through our retail partners Gamestop, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples and Walmart.

Nexus 7 with 32GB and mobile data: $299 and unlocked, on sale 11/13 in the Google Play store in the U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada.

Nexus 10: 16GB for $399; 32GB for $499; available on 11/13 in the Google Play Store in the U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan. You'll also be able to purchase the 32GB version in more than 2,000 Walmart stores in the U.S.

A Nexus device is much more than simply a phone or tablet. It’s your connection to the best of Google—all of your stuff and entertainment, everywhere you go with no hassle. Now you have three new Nexus devices, a new improved version of Jelly Bean and more entertainment than ever before—all available on Google Play. The playground is open.

Google Nexus 4 specs with Android 4.2 leaked online

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Details of Google's new flagship Nexus 4 smartphone have apparently been leaked by the UK's largest independent mobile phone retailer.
Carphone Warehouse's website briefly displayed a listing offering the LG Nexus 4 on contract from 31pounds per month on O2 or Vodafone from 30 October.
The device is expected to be the centrepiece of a Google event in New York on Monday, 29 October, when the firm is also expected to update its Nexus 7 Android tablet, The Telegraph reports.
Carphone Warehouse's page, which has now been removed, said the Nexus 4 will have a 4.7-inch screen with density of 320 pixels per inch.
The handset was listed as measuring 68.7 by 133.9 by 9.1 millimetres, apparently thicker than its Apple rival's 7.6 millimetres.

According to the paper, the 'leaked' listing offers a version of the Nexus 4 with only 8GB of storage, though earlier leaks have suggested there will be a version with at least 16GB too.
The Nexus 4 is expected to run an updated version of the current version of Android 4.1, Jelly Bean, rather than the next full-blown release, 4.2, codenamed Key Lime Pie, the report added.

Is the iPad Mini Worth Buying?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 05:11:00 +0000

Apple has unveiled a new member of the family: the iPad Mini. This device is a clear response to the market pressure the cheaper Amazon Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7 have placed on the existing iPad. So how does this scaled down version of the iPad compare with its newly refreshed big brother and the Android tablets that still come in at a lower price?

Comparing Specs with the Competition
Screen Size: iPad Mini's screen comes in at 7.9 inches, compared to the 9.7 inch screen of the iPad and the 7 inch screens of the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7. With a narrower bezel, iPad Mini fits a bit more screen into the same real estate.

Resolution: 1024x768 — this is not the Retina display that Apple touts as its high end screens on the iPhone 5 and the bigger iPad. Rather, it's the same resolution as the iPad 2, but with more pixels per inch. Also, the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD have higher resolution 1280x800 screens.
Thickness: 7.2mm thick — that's roughly 1/3 of an inch, or a little thinner than a pencil, and significantly thinner than either of the leading competitors.

Weight: .68 pounds, 53% lighter than the fourth-generation iPad. Competing Android tablets weigh slightly more: Nexus 7 tips the scales at .75 lbs, and the Kindle Fire HD at .88 lbs.
Processor: The dual core A5 chip is same as the iPad 2 that came out in 2011, and even Apple says the A6 chip in the iPad 4 and the iPhone 5 is twice as fast for some tasks as the A5. The Nexus 7 has a newer quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and the Kindle Fire HD has a 1.2 GHz Dual Core processor, but you can only compare the performance of these processors against the iPad once you benchmark them in the real world; the numbers and specs don't tell you everything. But I'd give the edge to the Nexus 7 purely on hardware.
Cameras: iPad Mini: front and rear-facing cameras. The camera on the back is a 5 megapixel, same as the iPad 4 but lower res than the iPhone 5's 8 MP camera. The Nexus and Amazon tablets have only front facing cameras that are lower resolution than the Mini.

Other Specs
The Mini will come in a Wifi-only model and an LTE version with access to cellular networks on the go. It will use the new smaller lightning connector so you'll need all new charging cords and adapters if you have lots of accessories with the previous 30-pin connector.
Apple says it gets 10 hours of battery life, is made primarily of aluminum & glass, and it comes in both black and white. It will be available for preorder on Friday, October 26 and is set to ship November 2.

Price
iPad Mini 16GB WiFi only — $329 ($459 for the 16GB with LTE cellular connectivity)
iPad 4 16GB WiFi only — $499
Kindle Fire HD 16GB — $199
Nexus 7 16GB: $249 — But rumors are flying of an even cheaper Nexus tablet releasing next week and/or a big price cut on the Google tablet in time for the holidays.

So What Should You Buy?
Nothing about the technical specs of the tablets makes any one of them a clear winner. Apple has an advantage in that the user-experience on the iPad and IOS is preferred by many, myself included. After living with both flavors, it's just easier, cleaner, and less hassle for me to use an iPad over a Nexus 7. In my opinion, the iPad Mini will benefit from that advantage as well.
But if I were a committed Android phone user, if my digital media was all purchased from Amazon or the Google Play store, or if price was my only consideration, I would NOT get the iPad Mini.
The final decision these days is about ecosystem- where are you going to buy and live? In Google/Amazon world or in Apple world?
If Apple had priced the mini in the $249 range, I'd say they would have nailed the coffin shut on competing tablets. But at $329 that's still a steep price tag, and many will find Android and Amazon tablets under the Christmas tree this year and enjoy them almost as much as those who unwrap the iPad Mini that costs $130 more.

Fresh Windows, but Where’s the Start Button?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:11:00 +0000

Over the years, Keith McCarthy has become used to a certain way of doing things on his personal computers, which, like most others on the planet, have long run on Microsoft’s (MSFT) Windows software.
But last week, when he got his hands on a laptop running the newest version of Windows for the first time, Mr. McCarthy was flummoxed.
Many of the familiar signposts from PCs of yore are gone in Microsoft’s new software, Windows 8, like the Start button for getting to programs and the drop-down menus that list their functions.
It took Mr. McCarthy several minutes just to figure out how to compose an e-mail message in Windows 8, which has a stripped-down look and on-screen buttons that at times resemble the runic assembly instructions for Ikea furniture.
“It made me feel like the biggest amateur computer user ever,” said Mr. McCarthy, 59, a copywriter in New York.

Windows, which has more than a billion users around the world, is getting a radical makeover, a rare move for a product with such vast reach. The new design is likely to cause some head-scratching for those who buy the latest machines when Windows 8 goes on sale this Friday.
To Microsoft and early fans of Windows 8, the software is a fresh, bold reinvention of the operating system for an era of touch-screen devices like the iPad, which are reshaping computing. Microsoft needs the software to succeed so it can restore some of its fading relevance after years of watching the likes of Apple and Google outflank it in the mobile market.
To its detractors, though, Windows 8 is a renovation gone wrong, one that will needlessly force people to relearn how they use a device every bit as common as a microwave oven.
“I don’t think any user was asking for that,” said John Ludwig, a former Microsoft executive who worked on Windows and is now a venture capitalist in the Seattle area. “They just want the current user interface, but better.”
Mr. Ludwig said Microsoft’s strategy was risky, but it had to do something to improve its chances in the mobile business: “Doing nothing was a strategy that was sure to fail.”
Little about the new Windows will look familiar to those who have used older versions. The Start screen, a kind of main menu, is dominated by a colorful grid of rectangles and squares that users can tap with a finger or click with a mouse to start applications. Many of these so-called live tiles constantly flicker with new information piped in from the Internet, like news headlines and Facebook photos.
What is harder to find are many of the conventions that have been a part of PCs since most people began using them, like the strip of icons at the bottom of the screen for jumping between applications. The mail and calendar programs are starkly minimalist. It is as if an automaker hid the speedometer, turn signals and gear shift in its cars, and told drivers to tap their dashboards to reveal those functions. There is a more conventional “desktop” mode for running Microsoft Office and older programs, though there is no way to permanently switch to it.
Microsoft knew in the summer of 2009 that it wanted to shake up Windows. It held focus groups and showed people prototypes of the tile interface and its live updates.
“We would get this delightful reaction of people who would say, ‘This is so great, and it has Office too,’ ” said Jensen Harris, Microsoft’s director of program management for the Windows user experience.
Sixteen million people have been using early versions of the software. The boldness of the changes has delighted some users, who say they believe that for the first time, the company is taking greater creative risks than its more celebrated rival, Apple.
“I think it’s functional, clean,” said Andries van Dam, a pioneer in computer graphics and a Brown University computer science professor, who receives research money from Microsoft. “I welcome it.”
Younger users may be more likely to embrace the new approach. Joanna Lin, 23, who works in sales and marketing for a hotel chain in New York, said she was impressed with the software. “The feeling was very fluid,” said Ms. Lin, who was the most enthusiastic of five people that The New York Times asked to briefly try Windows 8 last week. “Definitely a step up from Windows 7.”
But the product is a major gamble for Microsoft, a company whose clout in the technology industry has been waning. The PC business, which generates much of Microsoft’s revenue, is in a severe slump as newer products like smartphones and tablets take more dollars from peoples’ wallets.
To help it gain traction in the mobile market, Microsoft made Windows 8 a one-size-fits-all operating system for touch-screen tablets, conventional computers with keyboards and mice, and newer devices that combine elements of both. (Confusingly, Microsoft is also introducing a separate but similar operating system, Windows RT, that cannot run older programs.)
Apple took the opposite approach with the Mac and mobile devices like the iPad, which have distinct interfaces, albeit with some shared technologies. Timothy D. Cook, Apple’s chief executive, has said of Microsoft’s strategy: “You can converge a toaster and refrigerator, but these things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user.”
Jakob Nielsen, a user interface expert at the Nielsen Norman Group, conducted tests with four people who used a traditional computer running Windows 8 and found that they had “a lot of struggles” with the new design. Mr. Nielsen said they appeared to become especially confused when shifting back and forth between the modern Windows 8 mode and the desktop mode.
Mr. Nielsen said Windows 8 was more suitable for tablet computers with their smaller displays, but it was not helpful for workers who needed to have lots of applications visible at once.
“I just think when it comes to the traditional customer base, the office computer user, they’re essentially being thrown under the bus,” Mr. Nielsen said.
Microsoft disputes this idea. Mr. Harris said most test users did not have trouble juggling the two modes — and regardless, workers were more likely to operate in desktop mode if they wanted to see many applications simultaneously.
Microsoft is convinced that most people will quickly become accustomed to Windows 8. But to help ease the transition, the software offers tutorials when it is first started up. And Microsoft is spending more than $500 million on a marketing campaign that is partly intended to familiarize people with the new design.
Mr. Harris said the company needed to modernize Windows for the way people use computers today: “We’re not surprised people have a strong reaction to it.”

Google Holding Event on Oct 29, Is Next Nexus Coming?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:07:00 +0000

Google is sending out invite for their next event happening on October 29, 2012 at 10am in New York. The invite states “The playground is open” and there are no further information aside from the fats that the event mainly focuses on Android.

Google has already announced Android v4.1 (Jelly Bean) platform and their first tablet, the Nexus 7 is already out in the market. So now the gadget world is eager to know what more does Google have to please them? There were rumors spirally the web about the upcoming Android v4.2 (Key Lime Pie) operating system and a new Nexus smartphone running on this new platform.

A report on Wall Street Journal in the month of May stated that Google might be parenting with more than one manufacturer to launch a bunch of new Nexus smartphones by the year end. And this news seems to be true with all those rumors about LG, Sony, Samsung and HTC making next Nexus devices.

If rumors are to be believed, then the strongest contender to come up with Nexus 4 smartphone might be LG with its Optimus G. The images and specs of this upcoming device were leaked a week back. The leaked information states that LG Optimus G will be a 1.5Ghz Qualcomm quad-core processor powered handset backed with 2GB RAM. It will also sport a 4.7-inch screen with 1280×768 resolution, True HD and IPS (In Panel Switching) and a 13-megapixel autofocus camera.

Apart from LG there are also news and leaked information about HTC coming with a 5-inch Nexus 5 tablet and Sony making an Xperia range Google branded device. Though very few details are out and for now everything is based in speculation, but we expect to see a whole new line of Nexus phones very soon.

With all those upcoming events from major tech giants like Apple’s event on October 23, 2012 to revel the most rumored iPad Mini, Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 event on the same sate of Google’s event i.e. October 29, 2012 it seems like this Christmas season will bring lots of surprises for gadget lovers.

5 Useful Widgets Every Androider Must Have

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:58:00 +0000

Widgets helps you to do certain useful stuffs with your smart-devices. These special applications are pretty useful; they boost the performance of your device, serve unique functionality and make your daily tasks easy. Android users will find numerous widgets in Google Play; here we have listed the most useful ones which are available for free.

1. Netquin: Android Booster

The Netquin Android booster is a system optimization tool. As the name suggests this widget boosts the performance of your android device by maintain the optimum performance. It comes with features like battery saving and task management.

The users of this widget can optimize their devices in just one tap by closing all unwanted application, connectivity options and freezing the memory for better processing. The application is also internally linked with other free utilities of Netquin.

The most interesting and useful feature in this widget is the presence of 'bandwidth manager’; this feature supervises the data usage of the device and therefore keep a check on your data consumption.

2. Evernote Widget
The Evernote Widget application lets you jot down all the important stuffs on your smartphone. So, with Evernote at your service you don’t have to worry much about your forgetting habit. With Evernote you can take notes in simple text or pictures, and you can even make it an audio or video file.

The Evernote Android app is as efficient as its web version for PCs and it provides all the similar functionalities for Android devices. The note created in Evernote gets automatically saved on the Cloud servers of Evernote. This means users can access their notes anytime later with any device having an internet connection.

With this widget sitting at your home screen, you just have to select the type of note you want to create and the rest is done by the widget. This application also lets you to tag the location from which you created the note with the usage of GPS technology.

3. Audio Manager

We all know that Android platform is quite open when compared to iOS and Windows Phone, but still androiders crave for more customization especially in terms of audio and this need is somewhat fulfilled by the Audio Manager widget.

This simple widget lets the user control the volume and sound levels of the device for different functions like ringing, alarms, media and even for notifications. Even though there are some options in Android to the do the same tasks, but the Android Manager does it in a more simplified and elaborated way.

With Android Manager you can set different profiles to make you device behave differently at different places and situations. All this happens in just one touch.

4. Battery Solo Widget

If you want to see the full glory of your device battery, then have this widget. This application lets you know how much juice is left and also gives you a detailed numerical clarification if you need any.

The widget lets you know the battery health and temperature so that you can maintain the device is a better way to have the best possible performance. It also reveals the weekly usage chart and will make you understand which usage patter is the best.

5. Tiny Flashlight
Tiny Flashlight is an incredibly simple and useful widget which converts your device's camera LED or flash or screen into a torch. As most of the smartphones now days comes with LED flashlights this application is a very much useful at times of need.

This Tiny Flashlight supports features like SOS signaling, strobe light and hazard lights as well. There are Warning Lights, Police Lights, Color Flashlight, Strobe Flashlight, Morse Code, Text to Morse, Manual Morse Code, Camera Light - Different light sources, which may be useful in various situations. The users can even change the brightness and the colors, and the application also offers different widgets to choose from.

To make your camera flash work as a torch the application asks permission to access a small part of the camera hardware. But don’t worry about this; the app is not going to take any pictures or videos without your knowledge.

10 Best Entry-Level Smartphones in India

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 03:35:00 +0000

Very recently the India smartphone manufactures; Karbonn mobile launched as many as 5 entry level smartphones into the market at one go. With the number of smartphones increasing in the market day by day a guide to what to buy is very helpful. So here are top 10 entry level smartphones that might help you decide which handset to invest in.

1. HTC Desire C

Price: 14,990

This HTC Desire C, entry level smartphone from HTC was unveiled in the month of May 2012. The smartphone comes with a 3.5 inch HVGA Capacitive touch screen. The screen supports a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels. The phone is powered by a 600 MHz S1 series Qualcomm processor. The phone functions on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

Desire C comes with a 5 mega pixel rear camera with an LED flash. But the phone is missing the front facing camera that would allow the user to make video calls and even the face recognition app in the ICS operating system would not be applicable in this handset.

The handset comes with internal memory of 4GB and a slot for a microSD card with expandable memory up to 32 GB and an additional memory of 25 GB in Dropbox. The Desire C has a 1230 mAh battery compared.

2. Sony Xperia Tipo

Price: 9,499

The new android smartphone from Sony is available for purchase on the online retail portal, flipkart.com for 9,499. Xperia Tipo comes with 3.2 inch TFT touch screen. The screen supports a resolution of 320 X 240 pixels. Tipo functions on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. The device functions on an 800 MHz single core Qualcomm Scorpion processor backed by 512 MB of RAM. The phone has a 3.2 mega pixel rear camera which clicks pictures with a resolution of 2048 X 1536 pixels.

The smartphone from Sony comes with 2.5 GB on inbuilt memory and a slot for the microSD card which allows the user to expand the memory up to 32 GB. Along with this Sony has offered the users with up to 50 GB free storage space. The phone is powered with a 1,500 mAh battery.

3. Samsung Galaxy Y Duos Lite

Price: 9,500

Galaxy Y Duos Lite is the successor of the budget Y Duos. Y Duos Lite comes with the same features as its predecessors but with a lesser price tag. This dual SIM smartphone sports a 2.8 inch TFT capacitive touch screen display with a resolution of 230 X 320 pixels. The only drawback with this smartphone is that, its operating system is slightly outdated. With all other entry level smartphones coming with ICS operating systems, Y Duos Lite functions on Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system.

The smartphone is powered by an 832 MHz single core processor. With this processor the user will never complain about the speed of the handset. The device comes with a 2 mega pixel camera, an internal memory of 4 GB and there is a provision for a microSD card which allows the user to expand its memory up to 32 GB.

4. Sony Xperia Tipo Dual
Price: 10,299 as seen on Flipkart.com

The second entry level smartphone from Sony to feature on the list is Xperia Tipo Dual. This smartphone comes with Dual SIM functionality. The smartphone has a 3.2 inch TFT capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 320 X 480 pixels. Along with this the screen is made of a scratch resistant glass. The smartphone is powered by an 800 MHz Cortex A5 Qualcomm processor backed by 512 MB of RAM and it functions on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

The Xperia Tipo Dual comes with 2.9 GB of internal memory along with a slot of the microSD card which allows the user to expand the memory up to 32 GB. The phone has a 3.15 mega pixel rear camera which comes with geo tagging feature. It clicks pictures with the resolution of 2048 Z 1536 pixels. The phone is missing a secondary camera though.

5. Samsung Galaxy Chat

Price: 8,499

This entry level smartphone from Samsung was unveiled in July 2012 is now available on online shopping portals like Saholic.com for a reasonable price of 8,499. This smartphone comes with a 3 inch TFT capacitive touch screen which supports a resolution of 240 X 320 pixels. Along with being a touch screen, this Android smartphone also has a QWERTY keypad.

Galaxy Chat is powered by an 850 MHz processor backed by 512 MB of RAM and functions on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. The device comes with a 2 mega pixel rear camera which clicks pictures with a resolution of 1600 X 1200 pixels. The phone comes with an internal memory of 4 GB along with a slot for the microSD card which allows the user to expand the memory up to 32 GB. The handset is powered by a 1,200 mAh battery.

6. Spice Mi 425

Price: 9,500

The smartphone from the Indian gadget manufactures; Spice, is a pretty good option for entry level smartphone. The phone comes with a 4.1 inch LCD capacitive touch screen which supports a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and it functions on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. Spice Mi 425 is powered by a 1 GHz Scorpion Qualcomm processor. The handset comes with a 5 mega pixel rear camera which is equipped with features like autofocus, LED flash, Geo-tagging and image stabilization.

Spice Mi 425 has only 149 MB on internal memory, but that is nothing to worry about as the smartphone also comes with a slot for a microSD card which allows the user to expand the memory up to 32 GB. This handset supports dual SIM functionality and comes with pre installed apps like Facebook, Twitter and many more. This handset from Spice is available in two colour options; black and white.

7. iBall Andi 2

Price: 9,900

The second Indian company to feature on this list is iBall. They recently launched an entry level smartphone Andi 2. This smartphone is pitched as the successor to the smartphone Andi. Andi 2 comes with a 3.5 inch TFT Capacitive-touch screen with a resolution of 480 X 320 pixels. The smartphone is powered by an 800 MHz processor. The operating system is a disappointment as it functions on Android 2.2 FroYo operating system. When compared to other entry level phones the OS is on the older side.

Andi 2 comes with a 3 megapixel rear camera along with a VGA front facing camera. The smartphone also comes with a slot for a microSD card which allows the user to expand the memory up to 32 GB. The device is powered by a 1450 mAh battery.

8. Micromax Superfone Ninja 2 A56

Price: 5,999

Superfone Ninja 2 A56 is the successor to Micromax’s Superfone Ninja A50. This smartphone comes with a 3.5 inch TFT capacitive touch screen which supports a resolution of 360 x 480 pixels. The phone is powered by an 800 MHz processor backed by 256 MB of RAM.

The Superfone Ninja 2 A56 has 50 MB of internal memory along with a slot for the microSD card which allows the user to expand the memory up to 32 GB. The phone functions on Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. There are rumors that the phone might get an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, though the company hasn’t confirmed anything regarding the upgrade. The device has a 3.15 mega pixel rear camera which clicks pictures with a resolution of 2048 X 1536 pixels. But the phone does not have either video facility or secondary camera. The handset is powered by a 1,400 mAh battery.

9. Karbonn A21

Price: 10,490

Karbonn has recently flooded the Indian Gadget market with no less than five entry level smartphones. Karbonn A21 comes with a 4.5 inch IPS touch screen display. The screen supports a resolution of 480 X 800 pixels. The smartphone features Dual SIM connectivity feature and is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor.

Karbonn A21 smartphone functions on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. It also has a 5 mega pixel rear camera which features like auto focus and LED flash. The device also sports a 1.3 mega pixel front facing camera that would enable the user to make video calls.

The smartphone comes with an internal memory of 4 GB along with a slot for the microSD card with expandable memory up to 32 GB. It is powered by an 1800 mAh battery.

10. Huawei Ideos X5 Pro

Price: 11,999

The smartphone, Ideos X5 Pro from Huawei is an improved version of the previous smartphone Ideos X5. The smartphone comes with a 3.8 inch capacitive touch screen display with a resolution of 480 X 800 pixels. The smartphone is powered by a 1 GHz Scorpion processor and backed by 512 MB of RAM and it functions on Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system.

The smart phone Ideos X5 Pro sports a 5 mega pixel rear camera with features like auto focus, geo-tagging and LED flash. The smartphone doesn’t come with secondary camera. The phone has 1.5 GB of internal memory and a slot for a microSD card which allows the user to expand the memory up to 32 GB.