Fone Arena - The Mobile Blog

Exclusive : Only Marble White Samsung Galaxy S3 coming to India at launch , Pebble Blue in June 2nd week

Varun Krish — Fri, 25 May 2012 17:08:34 +0000

One of our readers who had pre-booked the Samsung Galaxy S3 in India through the Samsung eStore has received an order confirmation along with a coupon for Rs.2000 which lets one redeem the free Bluetooth headset along with the phone purchase. Here is another small piece of news you can spot in the email. The Marble White version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 will launch on May 31st. The Pebble Blue version won't be available at launch and will be available for purchase only in the 2nd week of June. It is not clear if this applies to only pre-booking orders or in retail as well. But consider how white gadgets have done well in the recent past in India , it could actually be a smart move by Samsung. But then if you are looking to buy the Blue version of the Samsung Galaxy S3 , you might have to wait for a couple of weeks. Here is a quick comparison of device in both the colours I have used both the White and Blue version of the Galaxy S3 and I preferred the White one over the Blue one.Will try to include a couple of photos of both the versions in ...

Reliance launches new 3G Netconnect data plans

Srivatsan — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:39:04 +0000

Reliance Communications (RCOM) has launched new Netconnect 3G data plan called My Best Plan, that is said to offer over 90% saving per month compared to other plans available in the market. The My Best Plan would offer 1 GB 3G data for Rs. 250 per month and 2 GB of 3G data for Rs. 450 per month and 6 GB of 3G data at speeds upto 21Mbps for Rs. 1250 and unlimited usage (speed throttled to 64 Kbps) beyond 6 GB at no extra cost. New Reliance 3G data plans 3G Data Usage Billed amounts (Rs) Up to 1000 MB 250 Greater than 1000 MB, up to 6000 MB 250 + 20p/MB for usage above 1000 MB Greater than 6000 MB (Speed throttled to 64 Kbps) 1250 With the new plan, if customers uses 2.5GB, the customer gets billed for Rs 250 as rental and Rs 300 extra usage (at Rs 0.2/MB for 1.5 GB)—a total bill of Rs 550. The new Netconnect postpaid 3G data plans are available across all 13 Reliance 3G circles, including Metros (Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata).

BlackBerry Curve 9320 launched in India for Rs. 15,990

Srivatsan — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:02:30 +0000

Research In Motion (RIM) has launched the BlackBerry Curve 9320 in India. The Curve 9320 was announced earlier this month and is the 3G version of the Curve 9220 that was launched in India last month. It has 2.44-inch (320×240 pixels) TFT display with a QWERTY keyboard and is powered by on 806 MHz processor. It has 3.2MP camera with Flash and runs on BlackBerry OS 7.1 and features Mobile Hotspot support. It includes a new, dedicated BBM key and has built-in FM radio, allowing customers to tune into their favorite local stations. It has 512 MB RAM, 512 MB eMMC that is expandable up to 32GB with MicroSD. The connectivity features include, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n , Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP, GPS with A-GPS. It has 1450 mAh battery that would offer up to 7 hours of talk time or up to 30 hours of FM radio listening or music playback with headphones. The BlackBerry Curve 9320 is available in India for Rs. 15,990.

Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan App now avilable for Windows Phone

Srivatsan — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:12:06 +0000

Green Gold Animation and Microsoft India has launched Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan App for Windows Phone. This app offers exclusive images from the movie that released on May 18th 2012, one complete song as well as two exclusive games based on Chhota Bheem. The app is already available for Android and iPhone. Other than images, music and games, the app also offers cast details, Synopsis, Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan movie trailers along with exclusive footage. Green Gold Animation and Microsoft plans to launch new and exclusive Windows Phone apps and games with immersive graphics and engaging experiences in coming months. Download Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan app for Windows Phone from the Windows Phone Marketplace for free.

Nokia Lumia 610 first impressions

jonchoo — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:31:40 +0000

When Nokia announced their partnership with Microsoft last year, there were concerns that the adoption of Windows Phone as their primary smartphone platform would mean the death of cheap smartphones. After all, Nokia's then bread and butter were cheap Symbian smartphones. Fast forward 15 months later and here is Nokia's answer to getting prices of Windows Phone devices down - the Lumia 610. Read on for our first impression on the full retail version of the Lumia 610. On the surface, the Lumia 610 is yet another Windows Phone device. It retains the basic design of almost all Windows Phone - a touchscreen slate design, three soft keys, a dedicated two-stop camera button and 5MP camera. The glossy plastic body with tacky chrome band doesn't scream premium, but you wouldn't expect that in a device at this price range anyway. While the design is as generic as it gets, at least it is an improvement over the Lumia 710, which takes the award for ugliest Windows Phone. Still, despite being a cheap device, the Lumia 610 is solidly built. It will be available in four separate colours - cyan, magenta, white and black. The 3.7" 480x800 display is the same size as found on its ...

Google+ for Android updated, gets new interface, improved navigation and lots more

Srivatsan — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:21:01 +0000

Google+ for Android has been updated to version 2.6 that brings new UI and improved navigation. Google+ for iPhone got these features earlier this month. The Android app now has ability to start a hangout on the go, and to edit posts inline and more new features. New features in Google+ for Android v2.6 Visual refresh of the stream and improved navigation Initiate a Hangout from the main menu just by tapping Hangout in the (new) navigation ribbon Support for ringing hangout notification. If someone misses the hangout, they can ring you back with a single tap. Support for post editing, if you make any mistakes while on the go. Easy sharing with +1 button in full-screen media in the stream Messenger suggestions for people you may know Download photos from posts or Messenger conversations so that you can quickly set it as wallpaper Download Google+ for Android v2.6 from the Google Play Store for free. Read

Nokia Lumia 610 UK release date announced

jonchoo — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:35:59 +0000

Nokia has confirmed the release date and network pricing of their new budget Lumia 610 in the UK. At a press event in London Trafalgar Hotel yesterday, the beleaguered Finnish mobile company annonced that the Windows Phone-powered phone will go on sale in the first week of June. It will be available on contracts from £15 a month. No sim-free pricing has been announced yet. Emma Gilmartin, head of smart devices at Nokia, introduced the Lumia 610 as the most affordable device on the Lumia range, and is aimed at younger audiences and first time smartphone users upgrading from feature phones. As a Windows Phone Tango device the Lumia 610's spec doesn't quite match the Lumia 710 and Lumia 800, but despite the 256MB RAM limit, the device will still come preloaded with key Nokia apps such as Nokia Maps, Drive, Music and Public Transport. New features introduced with the Lumia 610 includes the much needed WiFi tethering and flip to silence. Expect these features to be made available on the Lumia 710 and 800 in future firmware updates.

Airtel launches more than full Talk Time packs in Gujarat

Srivatsan — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:33:03 +0000

Airtel has launched more than full Talk time packs for prepaid customers in Gujarat. These packs would offer more talk time than the recharge value. These packs start from Rs. 110 that would offer 115 minutes of talk time. Airtel more than full Talk Time packs for prepaid customers in Gujarat Recharge Value (Rs) Talk time (Mins) 110 115 210 230 310 340 510 560 1010 1110 This offer is valid only till 30th May 2012 for prepaid customers in Gujarat.

Facebook for Windows Phone gets updated to version 2.5

Dhruv Bhutani — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:36:41 +0000

The Facebook app for Windows Phone has been under scrutiny due to the lack of several features compared to the iOS and Android counterparts. With the latest version 2.5 update , the app aims to bring it up to feature parity with the other platforms. The update brings many long requested features like threaded messaging and group messaging. The ability to tag friends in status updates / posts is another feature which was sorely missed in the application. Users can also delete posts and comment by tapping and holding to pull up context menus. Several other minor features have been added to the application which should go a long way in making the experience enjoyable. Oh and its now possible to like comments as well. The update should show up soon enough on your phone if you have the app installed else you should go give it a spin right now !

Reliance Communications awarded for Innovation in 3G Video Delivery Platform

Srivatsan — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:45:05 +0000

Reliance Communications Limited (RCOM) has won Global Excellence in Business Innovation award for its 3G Video Delivery Platform by TM Forum at the Management World Conference held on May 21 – 24 in Dublin, IRELAND. TM Forum is a global Industry consortium with over 750 Companies. It provides a unique, fair and safe environment for the entire value-chain to collaborate and overcome the barriers to a vibrant, open digital economy, helping member companies of all sizes gain a competitive edge by enabling efficiency and agility in their IT and operations. The Global Excellence Award is an annual award program that recognizes the global leaders in communications and acknowledges contributions that take the industry in new and innovative directions. This award was assessed by a panel of experts from the global Technology & Telecom industry and there were a handful of companies who got nominated for the Global Excellence in Business Innovation Award. Reliance 3G Video Delivery Platform is the first of its kind streaming service offered by any telecom operator in India since December 2011. It offers 3G users with an interactive platform to view adaptively streamed video content such as live video channels across different platforms like PCs, Smartphones, Tablets, MIDs and ...

Micromax A85 price drops to Rs. 11,990

Srivatsan — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:49:41 +0000

Micromax A85 gets a price cut and is now available for just Rs. 11,990 from online retailer nCarry. It was launched in India last November for Rs.18,990 and got a price cut recently to 15,290. Micromax Superfone A85 and it is powered by a 1 GHz Dual Core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and runs on Android 2.2 (Froyo) that is upgradable to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). It has 5MP auto focus camera and 0.3MP front camera, 512MB RAM, 8GB internal memory that is expandable up to 32GB with MicroSD. The connectivity features include 3G (HSDPA 14.4 Mbps and HSUPA 5.76 Mbps), Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and USB 2.0 It has 1500mAh battery. Micromax A85 is now available for Rs. 11,990 from nCarry who also offers a free Sheaffer pen worth Rs. 700. You can also pay the amount by 3 EMIs. Check out our review of Micromax A85.

Airtel partners with Qualcomm to bring 4G to Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala

Srivatsan — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:48:45 +0000

Bharti Airtel has announced an agreement to acquire 49% interest in Qualcomm Asia Pacific’s (Qualcomm AP) India BWA entities. Under this Agreement, Bharti has made US$ 165 million approx investment to acquire Qualcomm AP's India BWA licenses in Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala. Qualcomm won BWA Spectrum in these circles in 2010 by paying about USD 1 billion approx to acquire it. Bharti would acquire 26% equity interest equally held by Global Holding Corporation Private Limited and Tulip Telecom Limited, and the balance by subscription of fresh equity in those entities. They expect to complete ownership and financial responsibility for the entities by the end of 2014. Airtel has already launched 4G LTE services in Kolkata and Bengaluru and plans to launch 4G services in Pune in Maharashtra and Chandigarh in Punjab in India soon. They also have 3G licences in 13 circles in India. Qualcomm expects to provide technical assistance to Bharti in connection with network architecture and optimization, infrastructure and device testing, as well as continuing to develop and support the underlying technology and the LTE TDD ecosystem.

Samsung Galaxy Ace DUOS Dual SIM GSM phone announced

Srivatsan — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:19:33 +0000

Samsung has announced GALAXY Ace DUOS, a new phone in the Galaxy series with Dual SIM support. Samsung announced a phone with a similar name in February and is already on sale in India that has Dual SIM CDMA + GSM support, but this one comes with GSM support on both the SIM cards. Other than the form factor and the display some features differ. It has 3.5-inch (320 x 480 Pixels) TFT display and is powered by 832 MHz processor. It has 5MP Auto Focus camera and runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). Samsung GALAXY Ace DUOS Specifications 3.5-inch (320 x 480 Pixels) TFT touch screen display 11.5 mm thick and weighs 122g Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS 832 MHz processor 5MP Auto Focus camera 3G HSDPA 7.2 Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 3GB internal memory, 512MB RAM, microSD slot (up to 32GB) 3.5 mm audio jack, FM Radio with RDS 1,300 mAh battery Samsung’s unique Dual SIM always on feature automatically forwards calls from the phone number on SIM 2, even if a user is on the phone with SIM 1’s number. It also comes with ChatON, Samsung's communication service. The Samsung GALAXY Ace DUOS would be available from June starting in Russia and gradually rolled out to Europe, CIS, Latin America, Southeast and Southwest Asia, Middle East, Africa, and China.

Memorial Day Sale: Up to 90% off on EA iPhone and iPad Games

Srivatsan — Thu, 24 May 2012 09:16:08 +0000

Electronic Arts has started their Memorial Day Sale that offers up to 85% on games for iPhone and iPad. This offers iPhone and iPad games at as low as $0.99. Their previous offers was for Thanksgiving last year. List of EA iPhone and iPad Games on Memorial Day Sale BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY 2 for iPhone and iPad BATTLESHIP for iPad Bop It! for iPad Burnout CRASH! for iPhone and iPad COMMAND & CONQUER RED ALERT for iPad Coconut Dodge for iPad Dead Space for iPhone and iPad Dragon’s Lair 2: Time Warp for iPhone Draw Jump HD for iPad FIFA 11 by EA SPORTS for iPhone FIFA SOCCER 12 by EA SPORTS for iPhone Fight Night Champion by EA Sports for iPhone MADDEN NFL 12 for iPhone and iPad MASS EFFECT INFILTRATOR for iPhone and iPad MONOPOLY HERE & NOW: The World Edition for iPad MONOPOLY for iPad Max and the Magic Marker for iPad Mirror’s Edge for iPad NBA JAM by EA SPORTS for iPad Need for Speed Hot Pursuit for iPhone and iPad Need For Speed Undercover for iPhone Pictureka! for iPad RISK for iPhone and iPad Reckless Racing HD for iPhone SHIFT 2 Unleashed for iPhone and iPad SNOOD for iPad SPY mouse HD for iPad SimCity Deluxe for iPad THE GAME OF LIFE for iPad TRIVIAL PURSUIT Master Edition for iPad Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12 for iPad Trenches ...

Yahoo launches Axis search browser for iPhone and iPad

Srivatsan — Thu, 24 May 2012 06:17:53 +0000

Yahoo has launched Axis, a new iOS app that combines the searching and browsing experience. It has instant search that shows results as you type while searching along with visual previews or can go directly to any website. You will never have to leave the page you are on to view your search results again. Your can get the bookmarks and recently visited pages by pulling down that are always available and you can seamlessly jump from one device to another and pick up from wherever site you left off. It has customizable Home Page that provides direct access to your favorite sites and content across all your devices. Here is the official demo video of the Yahoo! Axis httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDo0PiwgtoM Download Yahoo! Axis for iPhone and iPad from the Apple iTunes store (US only) for free. Read

Rumor : Office for iPad and Android to debut in November

Dhruv Bhutani — Thu, 24 May 2012 03:15:55 +0000

After the purported leak of an iPad version of Office in February , rumors have existed that the extremely popular software might be making an appearance on tablets soon. Speaking to a source , BGR reports that long awaited app might be making its debut on both the iPad and Android tablets sometime in November. BGR's source claims to have seen a version of the software running on an iPad and says that it looks identical to the previously leaked version. Microsoft refused to comment on the information stating "We have nothing to share at this time as we do not comment on rumors or speculation." Considering the increasing usage of tablets in educational and office situations , there is strong demand for Microsoft's popular suite of word processing , presentation making tools on these platforms. [Source - BGR]

Skype pulled for Nokia Lumia 610 : Poor performance cited as reason

Dhruv Bhutani — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:58:36 +0000

The Nokia 610 is one of the first phones in the market to run Windows Phone Tango. The latest version of the fledgling operating system is supposed to allow it to run on phones with lower hardware specifications than the current chassis spec. However it seems we might be facing the first signs of app fragmentation on the platform. Skype , the popular VOIP service , has an app available for Windows Phone devices including lower spec phones like the Lumia 610. Nokia has today pulled the app for the Lumia 610 from the marketplace. Poor performance was cited as the chief reason. Unless Skype does major rewrites to the app to enable it to perform better , we might never see the app on the 610 and similar devices. The official statement from Nokia is as follows Nokia values the user experience provided by its products and services. Therefore, although the Skype Windows Phone version is workable on Nokia Lumia 610, after in-depth testing, we found that the user experience is not up to par with Nokia and Skype’s expectation and decided not recommending users using Skype on Nokia Lumia 610. In the future, users of Nokia Lumia 610 would no longer ...

HTC : Tablet line up will not be updated to Android 4.0

Dhruv Bhutani — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:01:07 +0000

HTC has updated its upgrade path FAQ page to announce that none of the tablets in its line up will be getting the awaited Android 4.0 update. This includes the Flyer , HTC EVO View 4G for Sprint and the Jetstream on AT&T. Users looking for the update will have to root and flash a custom ROM enabling them to enjoy the latest version of the Android operating system on their tablets. The Android Ice Cream Sandwich update brings with it improved browser performance , enhanced gallery viewer among several other under the hood changes. HTC claims that it will still provide ongoing support including software improvements , security fixes and technical support. [Source - HTC]

All Sony tablets to get ICS update by end of May

Dhruv Bhutani — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:40:01 +0000

Sony has confirmed in an interview with CNET that all variants of its tablet line will be getting the Android 4.0 ie ICS update by the end of May. This includes the Tablet S and Tablet P devices. The Sony tablets have been well received for their good hardware. The Tablet P is a unique dual screen device which folds up for enhanced pocketability. Sony advices that the devices will be getting the update by the end of May and that this is independent of markets and regions. The ICS update brings with it several improvements like a panoramic camera mode , browser enhancements , a better gallery viewer and overall improved performance. [Source - CNET , AndroidGuys]

Google publishes updated search app for iPhone

Dhruv Bhutani — Wed, 23 May 2012 20:18:43 +0000

Google has today published an updated search application for the iPhone which provides a simpler way to access all Google apps from one place. The update boasts of faster autocompletion of search terms. Pages load faster and it is easer to access multiple pages due to a slide-in panel. Searching within the results has been made easier with the help of a dedicated magnifying-glass link in the app which lets you head straight to search terms. Image search has been given an overhaul as well with high resolution images loading up in a grid. Tapping an image opens it up in full screen along with further details. It is possible to tap and save the image to the camera roll. The application also provides one click access to the entire Google webapps portfolio. Click the source link to head to the download page. [Source]

How to update your Samsung Galaxy Note to ICS using Kies

Varun Krish — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:28:59 +0000

Samsung is now rolling out the Android 4.0 ICS update for the Galaxy Note in India and a few users have reported that a notification about an OTA update showed up on their phone. But many users have still not got the update and this short guide will tell you how to update your Samsung Galaxy Note to ICS using Kies software from Samsung First make sure you have installed all updates available via OTA on your Phone. Hit the menu key goto Settings->About phone->Software update->Update. You must be connected to a WiFi network for the update check to work. You might see a message indicating an update or a No update available message. The Galaxy Note unit we played with had not been updated recently and we saw an update for N7000DDLC1 for 36MB We are assuming you are one of those users who don't the ICS update the easy way , so you have to use Kies after the previous step. Download Kies 2.3.1 for Windows (87MB) [Samsung Support site] , we have not sure if the Mac version works but the Windows version works fine. The version of Kies is 2.3.1.12044_18 Once Kies is installed , connect your phone to you PC and launch Kies. Your ...

Nokia World 2012 advanced to September 5-6 , gets new format

Varun Krish — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:44:21 +0000

Nokia just announced on it's official blog that the it has advanced that dates for it's annual event from Sep 25-26 to Sep 5-6. The venue has also moved from London to Helsinki, Finland. Looks like a change in strategy at Nokia and according to the announcement , Nokia World 2012 will be smaller event compared to the previous years and will be only for operators and retail partners. Nokia World has always been a very big annual event for all things Nokia with folks from the company, partners, developers , analysts , journalists , bloggers and industry observers attending the show. I have attended the show in 2009 and last year when the company announced the first Windows Phones. While it's sad to see the show getting smaller, there is good news as well. Nokia is planning to host more smaller intimate events rather than one big annual event. In the source article , the author also hints at other press events in coming weeks and months and that Nokia World 2012 is an invite only event for operators and retail partners. When are we going to see new devices from Nokia including tablets ? Read

Samsung Galaxy Note Android 4.0 update starts rolling out in India

Srivatsan — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:29:00 +0000

Samsung has started rolling out Premium Suite upgrade for GALAXY Note users in India. They announced the update in March and the update started rolling out in other countries few weeks back. This brings Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and some extra multimedia features and a range of new S Pen optimized applications such as S Note and S Memo. The Premium Suite offers new features and applications exclusive to GALAXY Note and its innovative S Pen such as S Note app, which was introduced with GALAXY Note 10.1 at Mobile World Congress 2012. httpv://youtu.be/FvH6vbhOs6Y This update is about 319MB and is available OTA (Over the Air) and via Samsung Kies. You can also update the phone from select Samsung Service centers and Factory Service Centers (FSC) in India. If you are facing any trouble updating the phone OTA, check our step-by-step tutorial to update your Galaxy Note to ICS via Kies. Images via: @vaibhavkanwal and @jonasbashige. Thanks to @gauravh1 for the heads-up

Bollywood Apps for Samsung bada phones

Srivatsan — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:32:43 +0000

Indian cinema is 100 years old. Here are some Bollywood apps for your bada phones to celebrate the 100 years of accomplishment. These apps give you movie information, Trailers, Show-times in theaters, Bollywood news and much more. Bollywood Apps for Samsung bada phones Movie FinderLite - This application helps users to see latest movies as well as its show-times in the near-by area. Users can view movies running in different locations by entering that location along with detailed info for any movie. This also lets you locate movie theatre on the map. Movie Watch - This app helps you to watch Watch Trailers, Deleted Scenes, Making of movies, Soundtrack, Review online. You can watch the videos in high or low quality according to your connection speed. Bollywood News - This app offers you latest scoops and news for all your favourite Bollywood Actresses, Movies and Gossip! Never miss any important news again! BollywoodWallpapers - Who does not want to see wallpapers of the hottest actors and actresses in Bollywood? On Bollywood’s 100 years get the most exciting wall papers with Samsung bada app, you dont need to search the net anymore! DJ Party Mixer - It is a fun music mixing tool for your mobile phone. You can compile and edit playlists, mix mp3’s in real time, both fully automatic, and manually. Celebrate Bollywood’s 100 years ...

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 310 officially launched in India

Srivatsan — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:33:30 +0000

Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy Tab 2 310 in India, after the price was revealed earlier this week. Samsung announced the tab in February and it was unveiled in Asia in March. It comes with 3GB free data for Tata DOCOMO customers over a 3 month period. It is powered by 1GHz dual-core processor and runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). It has 7-inch (1024×600) PLS TFT LCD display and has 3MP fixed focus rear-facing camera and VGA camera on the front. It weighs just 345 grams and is fully equipped with mobile voice call feature. Samsung's Readers Hub gives users access to more than 2 million e-books, 3,500 magazines in 25 languages and more than 2,000 newspapers in 51 languages, the Game Hub instantly connects users to the latest game titles and My Movies gives consumers access movies and music videos . You can also access content from the cloud via AllShare Play, which allows content to be transferred between the tablet and other devices. It has ChatON cross-platform communication service. The connectivity features include, 3G HSPA+ support, Voice calling support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS. It has 16 GB internal memory and is expandable up to 32GB with micro ...

Sony Xperia P up for pre-order in India for Rs. 24499

Srivatsan — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:32:10 +0000

Sony Xperia P is available for pre-order in India from online retailer Flipkart. Sony announced the Xperia P at MWC 2012 as a part of NXT series and unveiled in India this April. It has 4-inch (960 x 540 pixels) Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine and uses WhiteMagic display technology, 8MP auto focus camera with Geo-tagging, secondary VGA camera. It is powered by 1 GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) (Upgradeble to Android 4.0). Other features include, 3G HSDPA 14.4 Mbps; HSUPA 5.76 Mbps,, Wi-Fi, DLNA, Bluetooth, NFC, aGPS. It has 16GB internal memory, 1 GB RAM and comes with 1305mAh battery. The Sony Xperia P is now available for pre-order from Flipkart for Rs. 24,499. It is expected to ship on 30th of May. Check out our hands-on images and quick look video from MWC 2012.

HTC announces Android 4.0 update schedule

Srivatsan — Wed, 23 May 2012 06:56:15 +0000

HTC has finally announced the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) update schedule. HTC confirmed the list of devices that would get the ICS update back in November and added more devices to the upgrade list later. They also announced that Sensation devices would be the first to get the ICS update in March and then started rolling out the update and for HTC Sensation and HTC Sensation XE in March. All these devices would also get HTC Sense 3.6 instead of HTC Sense 4.0 that is available on that latest HTC One Series devices due to hardware limitations. They announced the list of 16 devices that would get ICS in March. Now they have added HTC EVO 4G+ to the list which makes it 17. Device Schedule DROID Incredible 2 by HTC To be determined (by the end of August) HTC Amaze 4G May-June HTC Desire S June-July HTC Desire HD July-August HTC EVO 3D June-July HTC EVO 4G+ May-June HTC EVO Design 4G June-July HTC Incredible S June-July HTC Sensation March-June HTC Sensation 4G March-June HTC Sensation XE March-June HTC Sensation XL April-June HTC Rezound June-July HTC Rhyme June-July HTC Thunderbolt July-August HTC Velocity 4G March-June HTC Vivid March-June Most of the devices would receive the update by June. HTC expects to finish rolling out the updates for all the devices by August. It will take time for all carriers in each country and carrier to get the update. Read

Samsung Galaxy S3 gets priced at Online Retailer Saholic

Srivatsan — Wed, 23 May 2012 05:09:49 +0000

The price of Samsung Galaxy S3 has been revealed for India on Saholic. Samsung started pre-bookings for the Galaxy S3 last week on their eStore but they didn't reveal the price. It was also spotted on eBay earlier this week. The Galaxy S3 is listed on Saholic at Rs. 39,990. Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S3 earlier this month at an Event in London and there were reports that the global Pre-orders crossed 9 million units globally. The Galaxy S3 packs in 4.8 inch Super AMOLED display, 1.4GHz Quad-Core and runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). It has 8MP auto focus camera with LED flash, Zero Shutter and 1.9MP front camera with HD recording at 30fps. You can't pre-order the Galaxy S3 from Saholic yet, but it is expected to be available by 8th June. They also promise free accessories Worth Rs.500 for the first 25 customers. Check out our exclusive Photo Gallery of the Galaxy S3 and the Video Overview. Read

Google has finally acquired Motorola Mobility, Googler Dennis Woodside replaces Sanjay Jha as CEO

Varun Krish — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:50:16 +0000

After winning regulatory approval in China , Google has finally completed it's acquisition of Motorola Mobility for a record $12.5 billion. Google CEO Larry Page wrote a blog post today titled "We’ve acquired Motorola Mobility" and that the deal has finally closed after 9 months since the initial announcement. Google now has access to over 17000 patents owned by Motorola Mobility and will come in handy in it's patent wars against Microsoft and Apple. Sanjay Jha has stepped down as the CEO of Motorola Mobility and Googler Dennis Woodside replaces him as CEO. Dennis Woodside current serves as Senior Vice President in Google and is now poised to lead Motorola Mobility. Looks like Dennis Woodside has managed to hire some big names such as Mark Randall ex-Amazon ex-Nokia; Scott Sullivan ex-Visa ex-NVIDIA and Gary Briggs Google VP of consumer marketing. It would be interesting to see how Google operates Motorola Mobility as a separate company and see what new devices the company brings to the market.

Now Idea too reduces 3G Tariffs

Srivatsan — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:51:31 +0000

Idea Cellular has also reduced 3G tariffs followed by Aircel, Airtel and Vodafone. They launched 3G services in India last March and Double Data offer later that offered twice the data for select plans. Idea has reduced 3G rate up to 70% would offer on the go data rates at 3p/10 KB for pre-paid and post-paid users. Rs. 10 will now offer 30 minutes of internet surfing, HERO-25 sachet pack which will give 100 MB data with 3 days validity at just Rs. 25. Other monthly packs such as Rs. 100, Rs. 350 and Rs. 450 packs would offer 300MB, 1.5GB and 2GB respectively. Rs. 250 pack is new that would offer 1GB of 3G data. They have also increased the validity in some pre-paid 3G packs. Idea 3G pre-paid plans Idea 3G post-paid plans