HTC One Max

HTC One Max phablet with fingerprint scanner launched at Rs. 61,490

 November 22, 2013

HTC has announced its latest phablet, the One Max (16GB variant) in India at an MRP of Rs. 61,490, and a best buy price of Rs. 56,490. 

The Taiwanese manufacturer unveiled the One Max phablet in October this year. It runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box with HTC's Sense 5.5 UI on top. The phablet comes with a 5.9-inch full-HD LCD display. 

The HTC One Max is powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, coupled with 2GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB inbuilt storage with support for up to 64GB of additional external storage via microSD card. The device features HTC's UltraPixel rear camera, while there is also a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera onboard. It also has HTC Zoe and HTC BoomSound features, first seen on the HTC One.

Connectivity features on the HTC One Max include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, DLNA and HTC Connect. The device also packs a 3300mAh battery which can give up to 25 hours of talktime and 585 hours of standby time for 3G networks. It measures 164.5x82.5x10.29mm and weighs 217 grams.

The HTC One Max follows the same design as that of company's flagship smartphone, the HTC One. Notably, the all new phablet from HTC features the long-rumoured fingerprint scanner at the back which lets users log in with a swipe of fingertip. The HTC One Max is now the second device launched this year to come with a fingerprint scanner feature, after the Apple iPhone 5s.

With the launch of the One Max, HTC has now launched all the three One series smartphones in India, including the One and One mini. Soon however, the Taiwanese handset maker is expected to slash smartphone costs and sell cheaper devices with aim to make the Q4 profitable, as suggested by areport suggested.

HTC also unveiled the Power Flip Case accessory, priced at Rs. 5,999, a 1,200mAh battery expansion to provide extra juice, apart from increased protection. 

The company also unveiled the HTC Mini+ accessory at Rs. 7,790, which as per the company is a multi-tasking solution for taking calls and also gives instant notifications. It features a 1.5-inch OLED display with a 128x128 pixel resolution.

Another accessory announced for the HTC One Max was the Fetch keychain, at Rs. 2399. Users can press the button on the keychain, and the device activates their phones' ringtone within 15 metres. Pairing it will give users a warning beep if they leave their smartphones behind, and a map location feature is also present.

HTC One Max users will also get 50GB free additional cloud storage space on Google Drive.

HTC One Max key specifications

• 5.9-inch full-HD LCD display
• 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
• 2GB of RAM
• Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Sense 5.5 UI
• Fingerprint scanner
• 16GB/ 32GB inbuilt storage variants, expandable up to 64GB via microSD card
• 164.5x82.5x10.29mm
• 217 grams

Karbonn Titanium S7

Karbonn Titanium S7 with 5-inch full-HD display up for pre-order at Rs. 14,999

Ketan Pratap, November 22, 2013

Karbonn is all set to enter the full-HD smartphone fray with the release of the Titanium S7 in India. TheKarbonn Titanium S7 is now listed at ecommerce website, Flipkart and can be pre-ordered at Rs. 14,999. However, the online retailer's listing clearly mentions that the estimated release is the fifth week of November.

The Karbonn Titanium S7 runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box. It is a dual-SIM device with support for GSM+GSM. The smartphone features 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920) display with OGS Technology. The Titanium S7 is powered by 1.5GHz quad-core processor (unspecified chipset). It sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and also houses a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The Titanium S7 comes with 16GB inbuilt storage, expandable up to 32GB with microSD card. There are no details about smartphone's RAM and battery. Karbonn Mobiles has not officially unveiled the Titanium S7 smartphone in India.

Earlier, Karbonn teased its upcoming Titanium X smartphone and posted a teaser banner for the smartphone, revealing some of the specifications.

Unfortunately, there was no word on the pricing and availability details of the Titanium X, but the smartphone is rumoured to be released soon in India.

As per the official listing, the Karbonn Titanium X comes with 5-inch HDIPS display (what seems to be the essential difference between the two phones) and is powered by quad-core 1.5GHz processor (unspecified chipset). Further, the Karbonn Titanium X was seen running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The smartphone sports a 13-megapixel rear autofocus camera with dual-LED flash and also houses a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

On the connectivity front, the smartphone will include NFC support, which will make the Titanium X the first 'affordable' smartphone from an Indian brand to sport this feature. The smartphone is backed by a 2300mAh battery; however, there is no word on talktime or standby time.

Karbonn Titanium S7 key specifications

• 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920) display with OGS Technology
• 1.5GHz quad-core processor (unspecified chipset)
• 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
• 2-megapixel front-facing camera
• Dual-SIM (GSM+GSM)
• 16GB inbuilt storage, expandable up to 32GB with microSD card
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

Nexus 4, 4.4 KitKat update in India

Nexus 4 reportedly starts receiving Android 4.4 KitKat update in India

Ketan Pratap, November 22, 2013

Google may not have announced the Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Nexus 4 but a Twitter user in India claims that his smartphone is now receiving the update via OTA (over-the-air).

Manan Chawla has posted an image that shows the 'Android 4.4 System Update' notification on his Nexus 4. Chawla's tweet reads, "This time it happened fast. Android 4.4 KitKat is on my #nexus4 #India."

The purported Android 4.4 system notification reveals that the update is about 239MB in size. The update notification also includes some new features namely Hangouts app, Caller ID by Google, new Print feature.

As of now, there is no official word from the search engine giant on the Android 4.4 rollout for the Nexus 4. But the latest tweet suggests that Google might be rolling out the update in phases.

The Android 4.4 KitKat iteration brings some new features such as a new translucent menu bar, which is located at the bottom of the screen; new dialler and caller ID; unified Hangouts messaging app; smarter Google Now integration; step counter and detector, support for two new composite sensors, and support for screen recording.

Earlier this month, Google officially announced the rollout of Android 4.4 KitKat for its Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets (Wi-Fi only models), available OTA. The search engine giant confirmed the news via Android's Twitter and Google Plus accounts.

However, Google did not specify an exact date for the update for mobile data model of Nexus 7 tablets. In addition, Google also left out of the update the Nexus 4 smartphone, saying it would be 'coming soon'.

Google Nexus 5 with Android 4.4 KitKat

Google Nexus 5 with Android 4.4 KitKat launched in India at Rs. 28,999

 November 20, 2013

Google has finally launched the Nexus 5 in India and is now taking orders for the smartphone through the Play Store. The Nexus 5 is available in two variants - the 16GB model at Rs. 28,999, and the 32GB variant at Rs. 32,999. Google globally announced the Nexus 5 on November 1, after months of speculation and anticipation.

Google Nexus 5 is the platform lead device for Android 4.4, which notably brings a new dialler that automatically suggests people the most likely call while Caller ID by Google matches an incoming phone number to a business even if that number isn't stored in the contact list. Users can send and receive all text messages directly via the unified Hangouts app, and Hangouts for Android now supports location sharing.

It comes with a 4.95-inch full-HD IPS display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels and boasts a pixel density of 445ppi. The Nexus 5 also sports Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The Nexus 5 is powered by a 2.26GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor alongside 2GB of RAM. It sports an 8.0-megapixel rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and a 1.3-megapixel front camera. It comes in 16GB and 32GB storage options, with Black and White colours to choose from. Unfortunately, much like Nexus 4, the Nexus 5 does not support expandable storage. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and 3G. The Nexus 5 also support wireless charging and comes with dual microphones.

It packs a 2300mAh battery which can deliver up to 17 hours of talktime and 300 hours of standby time. The Nexus 5 comes with dimensions 137.8x69.1x8.59 and weighs 130 grams. 

Google Nexus 5 technical specifications

• 4.95-inch full-ID IPS (1920 x 1080 pixels)
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 with 2.26GHz Quad-Core Krait CPU
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB, 32GB inbuilt storage
• Android 4.4, KitKat
• 8.0-megapixel rear camera with OIS
• 1.3-megapixel front camera
• 2,300mAh
• 137.84 x 69.17 x 8.59mm
• 130 grams

Empire State (2013)

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Note III

Samsung Galaxy Note III purported image spotted online

Gurman Bhatia, June 21, 2013

A leaked image that has surfaced on the Internet is being dubbed as a prototype of the Samsung Note III.

The image leaked by a Twitter handle PunkPanda, shows only a corner of the device. From what we can see, it seems like a shape similar to the Galaxy Note II. If we notice the status icons on the top bar, they do not seem to be similar to what Samsung usually has in its TouchWiz UI. Rather, these icons are closer to what we see in stock Android.

This is not the first time that an image of Note III has leaked. If we go back to the image leakedpreviously, it looks closer to the original Galaxy Note rather than the Galaxy Note II. Also, that device showed TouchWiz UI like status icons in the top bar. The positioning of the front facing camera is also closer to the speaker grill in the recent leak. So, make what you will of the two leaks.

Previous rumours state that the 6-inch phablet will be powered by a Snapdragon 800 chipset. The Snapdragon 800 chipset has a quad-core Krait 400 processor that supports clock speeds of up to 2.3GHz. If is also expected that the device will have a full HD AMOLED display. Samsung Galaxy Note III is rumoured to support Bluetooth 4.0, 02.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), GSM (GPRS, EDGE), W-CDMA/UMTS (HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+ cat.29), MBMS, LTE cat.4, CDMA2000 connectivity options.

Recently, a leaked EXIF file on Picasa Japan revealed that the device will come with a 13-megapixel camera.

With multiple rumours already circulating about the forthcoming phablet, it is difficult to settle on what the actual device could be like.

The successor to Samsung's Galaxy Note II is expected to be launched at IFA in September.

Canvas 4

Micromax Canvas 4 teased on Facebook, hints new way of unlocking

Surbhi Chawla, June 20, 2013

Micromax is all set to launch its new flagship smartphone Canvas 4 in the Indian market. The company had posted two teaser videos of this smartphone on its YouTube channel earlier in the week. The Indian smartphone maker has also been airing Television advertisements of this smartphone during the ICC Champions Trophy matches.

Now, the company has posted another teaser of this smartphone on its Facebook page. The image posted shows an Apple iPhone, an Android device and a BlackBerry smartphone along with the text "What next?" The caption reads, "Slide, Swipe, Press to unlock....What's next?"

From this picture it appears Micromax might be looking at introducing a new way to unlock the smartphone through its Canvas 4. The company has already said that pre-bookings of this smartphone will begin from June 28. So far there are no official details available in regards to the specification of this smartphone.

However, as per the grapevine, Micromax Canvas 4 smartphone will be a full-HD smartphone. Most users expect this smartphone to pack in quad-core processor but some users feel that this smartphone will come with an octa-core CPU to take on Samsung Galaxy S4. There are also speculations going around that this smartphone will offer a stylus support much like the smartphones in the Galaxy Note series.

There is no official word in regards to the price of the smartphone, however it is expected to be a sub-Rs. 20,000 offering. Canvas 4 will be a successor to Micromax A116 Canvas HD smartphone that waslaunched in February 2013. Micromax Canvas HD comes with 5-inch HD IPS screen that sports resolution of 720x1280 pixels and carries a price tag of Rs. 14,499. This smartphone, along withCanvas 2, have been the star products from the company in the last one year.

Sony "Honami" i1 phablet

Sony "Honami" i1 phablet to come with 20-megapixel camera, interchangeable lens: Report

Gurman Bhatia, June 18, 2013

The specifications for the Sony i1 codenamed "Honami" have been leaked online.

The leaked specifications of the device reveal a 5-inch 1080x1920 display with a 2000:1 contrast ratio. The phone is said to be powered by the quad-core Snapdragon MSM8974 processor clocked at 2.3GHz alongside 2GB of RAM. The phone will have 32GB internal storage with a microSD card slot for expansion. The highlight of the device however is the leaked information with regards to the camera.

According to the report, the phone will come with a 20-megapixel camera with Sony G lens, Cybershot Camera UI, a dedicated Camera Shutter key, Xenon flash and interchangeable lenses. If it is indeed true, how the bit about interchangeable lenses will work out is something that lies in a bit of ambiguity. The powerful rear camera will also be accompanied by a 2.2-megapixel Exmor R front camera capable of taking 1080p video.

All this hardware will be backed by a 3000mAh battery with an additional stamina mode, probably something similar to the power saving mode on current Sony devices. The device is expected to run Android 4.2.2. And will also have an IR Remote similar to current leading devices such as the Galaxy S4 and HTC One. Apart from this, according to the report, the device will come with NFC, One Touch Sharing, Wi-Fi Miracast and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity.

The leaked specifications of the device were also accompanied by an out of focus shot of the phablet. Nothing concrete can be observed from the extremely blurry shot though.

The phone is rumoured to be a part of Sony's "One Sony" strategy that CEO Kazuo Hirai had talked about last year. The philosophy works on focusing on the three segments Sony is known for, namely digital imaging, gaming and mobile and integrating their operations into one.

If the rumours are indeed true, this will be the second phablet the company would be working on. Its first phablet the Sony Xperia Z Ultra was recently teased in press invites and is expected to belaunched on June 20.

The Xperia Z Ultra, that is also dubbed as "Togari", is rumoured to have specifications a bit similar to what has been leaked for the Sony i1 Honami, apart from the camera. The device is rumoured to have a Snapdragon 800 processor with a clock speed of 2.3GHz alongside 2GB of RAM. This device is also expected to come with a 2700mAh or a 3000mAh battery. It is also known to come with the X-Reality Engine, which happens to be an upgrade to the Sony's mobile Bravia Engine 2. The phablet is said to feature an 8-megapixel camera and 2.2-megapixel front-facing camera.

Samsung launches multiple offers

Samsung launches multiple offers in a bid to boost Galaxy S4 sales

Surbhi Chawla, June 19, 2013

Samsung Galaxy S4 has been in the news for wrong reasons recently, with reports of sales slowing downs and various analysts revising shipping estimates in the downward direction.

On the back of these reports comes the news that Samsung has launched many schemes to push sales of its flagship smartphone in India.

According to one offer, the company is offering a free magnetic cover along with the purchase of theSamsung Galaxy S4. This cover is dubbed S-View Cover and is worth Rs. 2,499. The USP of this cover is that it customises the screen of Samsung Galaxy S4 as a display window.

This offer is valid for all Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphones purchased between June 10 to June 30, 2013. To avail this offer, users will have to login to the special offer page by Samsung and key in the IMEI number of their Samsung Galaxy S4, their mobile number and email address. The website also shares that to redeem this offers, users should keep a copy of their invoice in JPG or PDF form handy.

If the idea of a cover does not sound appealing, you can opt for a one-time screen replacement worth Rs. 7,000 at an additional cost of Rs.500. In addition to this, Samsung is offering 60+ live TV channels, 250 movies, 25 HD games, 2.5lakhs songs worth Rs.12,000. To activate this offer, the users will have to send a text to 56886 with the message 'MYOFFER'.

Samsung had launched its the Galaxy S4 in India in April for Rs. 41,500. However, the smartphone is currently available at the Samsung India online store for Rs. 40,300. The company is also running an EMI scheme for this smartphone, under which the users can purchase Samsung Galaxy S4 by paying zero down payment and 12 installments of Rs.3,358 each. The company claims that purchasing smartphone via this scheme will help users in saving Rs. 3,250.

Samsung has also tied up with Vodafone to offer special 'all-in-one' tariff plan that allows Galaxy S4 users to save up to Rs. 12,000 and enjoy 3G data. This offer is open for both post-paid and pre-paid subscribers.

The post-paid subscribers of Samsung Galaxy S4 will have to shell out Rs. 1,199 as the monthly rental and will be entitled to unlimited Internet (with 3GB data allowance under fair usage policy). In addition to this the subscriber will also get 3000 local and STD voice minutes and 750 local and national SMS. The subscribers will also get Missed Call Intimation for 12 months in this plan.

Pre-paid subscribers on the other hand have a choice of two recharges. The first recharge option is of Rs. 677 and offers unlimited Internet (1GB allowance), 1,000 local and STD voice minutes and 500 local and national SMS. This recharge is valid for 30 days. The other option is with recharge of Rs 345, which offers unlimited Internet (512MB allowance), 500 local and STD voice minutes and 250 local and national SMS and is valid 15 days.

Galaxy Mega launched in India

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Galaxy Mega 6.3 launched in India

Anupam Saxena, May 28, 2013

Samsung has launched its Galaxy Mega large screen smartphones in the Indian market. The Galaxy Mega 5.8 will be available across the country within a week from today for a price of Rs. 25,100 while the Galaxy Mega 6.3 will be available in mid-June for a MRP of Rs. 31,490. 

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 is a dual-SIM device that has a 5.8-inch screen with qHD(540x960 pixels) resolution. It is powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core processor alongside 1.5GB RAM and features an 8-megapixel rear camera, as well as a 2-megapixel front facing camera. The phone comes with 8GB expandable storage and has a 2,600mAh battery. It runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box. 

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 sports a 6.3-inch 720x1280 display and features the same camera as that of Galaxy Mega 5.8. It is powered by a dual-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz. The Galaxy Mega has 1.5GB of RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and A-GPS. The phone comes with a 3,200 mAh battery and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The phone comes with 16GB internal storage capacity and has a microSD card for expanding the storage up to 64GB. 

The GALAXY Mega smartphones will offer split screen capability for a variety of applications including email, messages, 'MyFiles,' 'S Memo,' 'S Planner', amongst others. The devices will also feature the much touted 'Air View' feature, that lets users preview information in emails, photos in Gallery, and speed dial contacts without opening them. 

The phones are being launched with special offers from RCOM and Vodafone. RCOM customers buying the phone will get 2GB data per month free for 3 months and unlimited access to Big Movies library, WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. Vodafone customers will get 2GB data download(2G+3G) per month for two months.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 key specifications 

• 6.3-inch HD display of 720x1280 resolution
• 1.7GHz dual-core processor
• 1.5GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage, can be expanded by up to 64B
• 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
• 2-megapixel front camera
• 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v 4.0, GPS
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 3200 mAh battery

Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 key specifications 

• 5.8-inch display with resolution of 540x960 pixels
• 1.4GHz dual-core processor
• 1.5GB RAM 8GB internal storage, can be expanded by up to 64B
• 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
• 2-megapixel front camera 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v 4.0, GPS
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 2600 mAh battery

Galaxy S III Android 4.2.2

Samsung Galaxy S III Android 4.2.2 firmware leaked, reveals some Galaxy S4 software features

Anupam Saxena, May 21, 2013

It looks like the Samsung Galaxy S III will soon receive a number of Galaxy S4 software features if a new leak is to be believed.

Samsung focused website SamMobile reports that the company is working on a new firmware I9300XXUFME3 - Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S III which will include a number of new software enhancements including a new Galaxy S4-like lockscreen with support for multiple widgets, an additional 'Light' unlock effect and an improved ripple effect compared to the current version, the ability to change clock size and set a personal message. It will also include the Adapt Display screen mode that optimises display settings depending on ambient light conditions automatically and offers more natural colours.The site informs that Samsung is likely to release the update in June.

The update will also bring the Daydream lock screen mode, a driving mode, actionable notifications, a new notification tray with additional toggles and a Galaxy S4-like tabbed interface for the phone settings menu. The update will also bring a new version of S-Voice, Samsung's voice assistant and add voice controls for operating the phone using voice commands. It will also include full-screen Samsung apps and a new smart switch widget.

It's still not known if the update will also bring the camera features of the Galaxy S4 which include the Cinemagram like Animated photo mode, an Eraser mode to delete moving objects from five consecutive photos, Drama shot that takes multiple photos of a moving object and merges them all to denote action, and Best face that allows selecting the best face shot in group photos. 

The site is also offering the test firmware for download but as with other pre-release software, especially those from unofficial sources, flashing it on your phone is at your own risk. 

In March, screenshots of a Settings screen that displayed toggles for Smart Stay, Smart Rotation, Smart Pause and Smart Scroll were also leaked and it was revealed that these were part of the leaked firmware for the Galaxy S III which will update the phone to Android 4.2.1 and bring some of Galaxy S4 features to the Galaxy S III. However, going by the screenshot accompanying the new report, the settings only include Smart Stay and Smart Rotation.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active pictures leak

Anupam Saxena, May 21, 2013

Purported images of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, the ruggedised version of Samsung's flagship phone Galaxy S4 have appeared online.

Mobile phone focused site GSMArena claims to have received pictures and some information about the phone from a tipster. The site mentions that the phone was recently showcased in Croatia. The Galaxy S4 Active is pegged to be a dust and water resistant version of the Galaxy S4. Hence, the phone is enclosed in what appears to be a red and black metal shell with four bolts at the back. However, the front is all black glass just like the Galaxy S4, though instead of one there are three hardware buttons.

The pictures also show the System Info screen of the popular benchmarking app, AnTuTu Benchmark that reveals a 1.9GHz quad-core processor, Adreno 320 Graphics chip, HD resolution screen(1080x1920 pixels) and a pixel density of 480ppi. The report also suggests that the phone will sport an 8-megapixel camera instead of the Galaxy S4's 13-megapixel shooter, will have a 5-inch screen and be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset.

Earlier this month, another report indicated that the Galaxy S4 Active (the report had mentioned the name as Activ), is expected to release in the week starting July 15 in Metallic Orange colour. While the colour is not exactly Orange, the release of the phone looks imminent. However, there's no official confirmation from the company, yet.
The existence of the phone was first reported in April when Young Soo Kim, who is the President of Samsung Mobility's Gulf division, shared the information.

Xperia UL launched

Sony Xperia UL launched with full-HD screen and quad-core processor

Anupam Saxena, May 20, 2013

Sony has launched a new smartphone, Xperia UL, in the Japanese market with carrier KDDI.

Just like the recently launched Xperia A and Xperia ZR, this phone is also water and dust resistant and can withstand 1.5 metres of still water for 30 minutes. The phone is inline with Sony's new design philosophy that we've seen in phones such as the Xperia Z, Xperia SP, Xperia A and Xperia ZR and has the same signature aluminium power button that resembles a watch crown. It also features a thin strip towards the bottom which is essentially an LED light that lights up in different colours just like the Xperia SP.

Coming to the hardware specifications, the Xperia UL sports a 5-inch Reality display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels packing in 443 pixels per inch incorporating Sony's mobile Bravia engine 2 for better looking images and videos. It's powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 APQ8064 quad-core processor and has 2GB of RAM. It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The smartphone features a 13.1-megapixel rear camera with Exmor RS for mobile and a VGA front facing camera. It offers 16GB of internal storage expandable up to 64GB via memory card (microSD / microSDHC / microSDXC ). The phone features NFC, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, Infrared and 4G LTE connectivity options. It has a 2300mAh battery. The phone will be available in White, Pink and Black colours and will be available starting May 25 in Japan. There's no word on the phone's international availability as of now.

The phone had leaked in pictures a few days back on a Chinese website, while rumours of its existence had emerged in March.

Last week, the Sony Xperia A was officially announced by Japanese carrier NTT Docomo as part of its Summer 2013 collection. The water and dust resistant phone has a 720p display and is also powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor. Other specifications are similar to the Xperia UL.

Sony Xperia UL key specifications

• 5-inch full-HD reality display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels
• 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage expandable up to 64GB via memory card
• 13-megapixel Exmor RS autofocus camera with LED flash
• VGA front camera
• 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, LTE, NFC, Infrared
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• 2300mAh battery

BBM coming to iOS, Android

BlackBerry unveils lower-cost Q5 QWERTY smartphone, says BBM coming to iOS, Android

Reuters, May 15, 2013

BlackBerry announced plans on Tuesday to offer its popular instant messaging system on rival devices and introduced a new mid-tier smartphone targeted at countries where its faded brand remains strong.

Tapping into its still robust popularity outside North America, BlackBerry said the new Q5 smartphone would be available starting in July in selected markets in Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The Q5 includes the tiny qwerty keyboard that still sets BlackBerry apart from most rivals.

It gave no prices, but as BlackBerry opens the latest chapter of its turnaround attempt, it will clearly target a younger, more price-sensitive crowd with the device, which will be available in colors including pink, red and white.

"BlackBerry is clearly aiming to replicate the success of the BlackBerry Curve in emerging markets," Ovum analyst Adam Leach said, referring to the company's Curve smartphone, which has been popular in India and other developing countries.

But other manufacturers are also seeking a foothold in those markets with low-cost devices, Leach noted.

BlackBerry, under its old name Research In Motion, virtually invented the concept of on-your-hip email with a series of blocky devices with tiny thumb-operated keyboards.

But in recent years it has bled market share to Apple Inc's iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co's popular line of Galaxy devices powered by Google's Android operating system, forcing it into big job cuts and a huge rethink of its products and priorities.

"You know it hasn't been that easy and you also know there is still a lot of work to do, but man, we have reached solid ground with this company," Heins told delegates at the BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando, Florida.

To those who ask if the company can survive the drastic changes he brought in, Heins said: "We are not only still here, we are firing on all cylinders as a company."

Shares in BlackBerry were about 4 percent lower early on Tuesday afternoon as analysts wondered what the Q5's price tag would be. They also questioned if the move to open up BBM, as the BlackBerry Messaging service is popularly known, was too little, too late.

Former co-CEO Jim Balsillie had sought to offer BBM on iPhones and other rivals in a broad strategy shift before he was overruled. He cut all ties to the company early last year.

Heins said BlackBerry Messaging will be offered free of charge to consumers using rival phones.

"This is such a great experience, it is just too good to keep it only to ourselves. It's time to bring BBM to a greater audience," he said, noting that BBM is used for 10 billion messages a day.

BlackBerry long relied on BBM to keep customers tied to its own devices, so the shift recognizes a new reality where many customers have already fled.

"The guy on the iPhone is gone already, he's lost," said Colin Gillis, a technology analyst at BGC Partners in New York. "The point is the guy on the BlackBerry can at least now talk to his friends."

Once a unique tool to send messages without running up SMS charges, BBM now competes with mobile instant messaging products from Facebook, Apple and others, and less directly with the micro-blogging service Twitter.

Heins said he is confident that BlackBerry can offer the service more broadly without losing its own customers.

BlackBerry has gambled its future on new devices using its new BlackBerry 10 operating system ), and Heins said the two new BB10 smartphones that BlackBerry has already started selling have given it its most successful launch year.

The touchscreen Z10 ) device is now available in many countries, including the United States, and Heins said the keyboard Q10 ) phone will be launched in the United States next month.

BlackBerry's volatile shares were down 3.7 percent at $15.29 in New York early on Tuesday afternoon.

Sony Xperia A

Sony Xperia A waterproof smartphone with quad-core processor announced

Anupam Saxena, May 15, 2013

The Sony Xperia A smartphone has been officially announced by Japanese carrier NTT Docomo as part of its Summer 2013 collection.

The phone is similar to the Xperia ZR which was announced a few days back and is water and dust resistant with an IP55/ IP58 rating. It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The phone has a 4.6-inches HD reality display sporting a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. Powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor, the Xperia A has 2GB of RAM and internal storage of 32GB expandable up to 64GB via microSD card. The Xperia ZR on the other hand offers internal storage of 8GB.

The Xperia A sports a 13-megapixel fast-capture camera with Exmor RS with auto-focus and a VGA front facing camera. It has a dedicated hardware button for the camera, and allows using it even when the screen is locked. The phone also sports an Infrared blaster and comes with NFC functionality. It has a 2300 mAh battery.

The phone will be available starting May 17 in Black, White, Pink and Mint colour variants in Japan.

The phone was first leaked after its pictures were published by the FCC. This was followed by anotherleak in which posters and brochures of the phone appeared online.

We're not sure if the phone would be available outside Japan as the Xperia ZR has more or less the same hardware, and will be launched globally Q2 2013 onwards.

Sony Xperia A key specifications

• 4.6-inch HD reality display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels
• 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB via microSD
• 13-megapixel Exmor RS autofocus camera with LED flash
• VGA front camera
• 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, LTE, NFC
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)

Canvas Doodle

Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle with stylus now available online for Rs. 12,999

Anupam Saxena, May 14, 2013

After making an appearance in some leaked pictures last month, the Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle smartphone is now available for purchase on ecommerce website, Snapdeal at a price of Rs. 12,999.

The Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm MSM8225Q processor and has 512MB of RAM. It has 4GB internal storage out of which 1.2GB is user-accessible. The memory can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. 

The dual-SIM dual-GSM (2G+3G) smartphone sports a 5.3-inch capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 540x960 pixels. The company is also bundling a stylus, as apparent from the Doodle moniker, but it's not clear if it will come with special apps for jotting down notes or for doodling. However, the online listing does mention that it will come preloaded with the Evernote app. The phone runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

The Canvas Doodle smartphone will sport an 8-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. The camera will offer features like multi-zoom, wide screen video and night mode recording. The phone comes with a 2100mAh battery.

Just two weeks back, Micromax had announced the launch of its first 3D phone, the Micromax A115 Canvas 3D, which offers a glasses-free option to view 3D content.

A few days back it was reported that the company is also working on the Canvas HD Pro smartphone which is expected to sport a 5.5-inch full-HD display. The Canvas HD pro is rumoured to come with a Cortex A7 quad-core processor along with 2GB of RAM. It is expected to offer 8GB of internal storage expandable up to 64GB via a microSD card. It's also expected to feature a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 3.2-megapixel front-facing camera. 

Micromax A111 Canvas Doodle technical specifications

• 5.3-inch display with 540x960 pixels resolution
• 1.2GHZ Qualcomm MSM8225Q quad-core processor
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal storage, 1.2GB user accessible, expandable by up to 32GB via microSD card
• 8-megapixel rear camera, VGA front camera
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G
• Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 2,100mAH battery

Nokia Lumia 925

Nokia Lumia 925 with a metallic touch introduced in London

 May 14, 2013

Nokia has announced the launch of Lumia 925, a new interpretation of its flagship Lumia 920. The Nokia Lumia 925 introduces a metal design alongside an improved PureView camera.

The Lumia 925 comes in a polycarbonate body that is associated with the Lumia range, but includes a metal frame on the outside, that adds to the phone's aesthetic appeal and also doubles up as an antenna. Lumia 925 weighs 139 grams, compared to the heavyweight 920, which is one of the bulkiest devices around at 185 grams.

The other big improvement being touted in the Lumia 925 is the camera, which Nokia claims is better than the one in Lumia 920 , which won a lot of rave reviews, especially for its low-light performance. The Lumia 925 also introduces the new Nokia Smart Camera mode that offers an easy way to capture ten images at once and edit the pictures with options like Best Shot, Action Shot, and Motion Focus.

Nokia Smart Camera will be coming as an update to all Lumia Windows Phone 8 smartphones.

As far as the specs on the Nokia Lumia 925 go, it comes with a 4.5-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display with 768x1280 resolution and Gorilla 2 Glass. It is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor alongside 1GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage. It has a 8.7-megapixel PureView rear camera and 1.2-megapixel wide-angle front camera.

Nokia Lumia 925 features a 2,000 mAh battery and runs Windows Phone 8.

"We keep innovating," said Jo Harlow, executive vice president of Nokia Smart Devices. "We're advancing experiences on the Nokia Lumia portfolio whether that means great new benefits for an existing Lumia owner, or bringing new showcase devices like the Nokia Lumia 925."

Nokia Lumia 925 doesn't ship with bundled wireless charging but a cover can be clipped onto the back of the phone to take advantage of Nokia's wireless charging accessories and ecosystem.

The Nokia Lumia 925 is being introduced in Europe with Vodafone, along with other operator and retail partners. In addition to Europe, the Nokia Lumia 925 will be introduced into the US by T-Mobile and into China by China Mobile and China Unicom. Sales are expected to start in the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and China in June, followed by the US and a number of other markets.

The Nokia Lumia 925 will be priced around 469 EUR before taxes and subsidies.

Nokia Lumia 925 key specifications

• 4.5-inch AMOLED ClearBlack display with 768x1280 resolution
• 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB of internal storage
• 8.7-megapixel PureView rear camera
• 1.2-megapixel wide-angle front camera
• Windows Phone 8
• 2,000 mAh battery

Galaxy Note III

Samsung Galaxy Note III to ship with 6.0-inch, non-flexible AMOLED display: Report

Anupam Saxena, May 14, 2013

Samsung might use a 6.0-inch display for the Galaxy Note III, its forthcoming phablet which is expected to launch in a few months, a new report indicates. Also, contrary to some rumours the display is not likely to be a flexible AMOLED panel.

According to a report by OLED-Display.net, a new document by Korea Investment & Securities cites company data to inform that Samsung is working on a new flagship phone that features a 6.0-inch display for a phone that is expected to release in the second quarter of 2013, most likely by end of July. A new line at the company's display production unit is involved with the production of the said display. The report is somewhat in inline with earlier rumours and a leaked picture of the phone that hinted at a 5.99-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display with diamond pixel structure, much like in the Samsung Galaxy S4 

The report also adds that while Samsung's Display unit plans to produce flexible AMOLED panels, the line's capacity is not enough to make displays for a flagship device like the Galaxy Note III.

Previously, it was reported that the Samsung Galaxy Note III will be the first device to deploy a plastic OLED display. The report had claimed that this new display will be thinner than the one on Galaxy Note II and come with an RGB stripe. Furthermore, the display is also expected to weigh a lot lesser than the displays of current crop of Galaxy Note phablets.

The Samsung Galaxy Note III is expected to be powered by an Exynos 5 Octa-core processor, Mali 450 GPU with 8 cores and 3 GB of RAM. It's also rumoured to feature a 13-megapixel rear camera.

Samsung Galaxy

Samsung Galaxy Mega, Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S4 Activ and Galaxy S4 Zoom rumoured launch dates revealed

Anupam Saxena, May 09, 2013

Samsung is expected to launch a number of smartphones under the umbrella of its Galaxy S4 smartphone, and even before the company officially announces them a new report reveals the release timeline of these phones.

Samsung focused blog SamMobile has got hold of an official list from insiders that has launch date targets of the unannounced phones from Samsung including the rumoured Galaxy S4 mini, Galaxy S4 Activ (the rugged version of the Galaxy S4) and the Galaxy S4 Zoom (the camera focused variant), in addition to the officially announced Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Galaxy Mega 6.3 for Europe.

According to the website, the White coloured variant of the Galaxy Mega 5.8 will release in week 20 of this year i.e. between May 13 and 19, while the Black variant will launch between June 17 to 23. The Galaxy Mega 6.3's Black variant is expected to launch in the week starting May 6, while its White version is expected to launch the week starting May 20.

The report pegs the launch of the Galaxy S4 mini in the week starting July 15 in both White and Black colours. This is in-line with an earlier report that suggested that the Galaxy S4 mini will release in July.

The Galaxy S4 Activ, which is reportedly a ruggedised phone based on the Galaxy S4 platform, is also expected to release in the same week in Metallic Orange colour.

Interestingly, the Galaxy S4 Zoom, a smartphone that has been rumoured to feature a 16-megapixel camera has a target launch date between June 3 and June 9 for the Black variant and June 17 to 23 for the White one. The phone's existence was revealed just a day back.

Canvas HD Pro

Micromax Canvas HD Pro specifications leak online

Surbhi Chawla, May 08, 2013

Micromax is all set to add another device in its Canvas portfolio in the form of Canvas HD Pro.

As per a news report by Gadgetronica.com, Canvas HD Pro will be unveiled on June 30, 2013. This smartphone is expected to sport a 5.5-inch full-HD display. Canvas HD pro will allegedly come with a Cortex A7 quad-core processor along with 2GB of RAM. It is expected to offer 8GB of internal storage and can be expanded by up to 64GB via a microSD card.

This smartphone will also pack in a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 3.2-megapixel front-facing camera. Micromax Canvas HD Pro will come with a 3,000mAh battery and run on Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean).

If the specifications of Micromax Canvas HD Pro are indeed true then it will become the new flagship smartphone from the company. There is no word on what Micromax Canvas HD Pro will cost.

Micromax had recently launched its first 3D phone, Micromax A115 Canvas 3D that offers a glasses-free option to view 3D content for Rs. 9,999.

Micromax A115 Canvas is the fourth member of the Canvas series and it comes with a 5.0-inch display with 480x800 resolution. The smartphone is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor alongside 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, which is expandable by another 32GB via microSD card. The smartphone runs on Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean).

Packed with a 2,000 mAh battery, the phone is rated at a talk time of up to 4.5 hours. The phone sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with auto focus and a VGA front camera for video chatting.

Connectivity options on Micromax A115 Canvas 3D include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G and USB. The phone comes with 'Micromax 3D Space' pre-installed that offers access to 3D videos, and pre-loaded 3D games.

Google Shopping in India

Google testing Google Shopping in India

Anupam Saxena, May 08, 2013

Google has started displaying shopping results with search listings in India for select users. 

What this essentially means is that when you search for a product, Google displays product listings from online retailers on the right side of the results page complete with product images, pricing and direct links under "Shop for 'Product name' on Google."

When we entered the search term 'Samsung Galaxy S4', Google displayed shopping listings from Flipkart, HomeShop18 and Yebhi. It's not just limited to mobile phones and tablets and we got shopping results for a wide range of products including apparel, LED TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators, among others. Online apparel store, Myntra is another partner as we also spotted results from the site.

On clicking the information icon accompanying the listing Google elaborates the reason why it displayed these products as: "Based on your search query, we think you are trying to find a product. Clicking in this box will show you results from providers who can fulfill your request. Google may be compensated by some of these providers." 

It's worth pointing out that we got the Shopping listings results when we used Google search in Safari on a Mac, while we did not get them while using another browser.

At the time of writing this post, Google offers Google Shopping in United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy, and Czech Republic. Perhaps Google is testing the feature with random users and would make an official announcement in the coming days. 

In June 2012, Google announced that it would rename its Product Search feature for users in the US to Google Shopping. It also said that it was changing the way these search results worked.
 
The transition to the new model was completed in October.

Search results are now influenced by how much retailers and advertisers paid to Google under its Google Shopping program. In the past, product search results were based mainly on relevance and the program was free. Google offers an API to participating companies through which they can manage listings.

BlackBerry R10

BlackBerry R10 pictures and specifications leak online

Surbhi Chawla, May 07, 2013

BlackBerry seems to be gearing up to add more devices in its BlackBerry 10 portfolio. Earlier we heard rumours regarding affordable BlackBerry 10 smartphones being in the works, and there's more buzz around the same.

A few purported pictures of this affordable BlackBerry 10 smartphone have been posted online courtesy Chinese website, DGtle. The past rumours suggest that this smartphone will be dubbed BlackBerry R10 and will be an affordable Curve smartphone.

MobileSyrup via DGtle is reporting that the BlackBerry R10 will come with a 3.1-inch display with a 720X720 pixel resolution. The smartphone is expected to pack in 2GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a 5-megapixel rear camera.

In the past, we have spotted the BlackBerry R10 in White and even Red colours but this is the first time that images of a Black R10 have surfaced online. From the pictures it seems that the BlackBerry R10 has borrowed its looks from the iPhone 3G/ 3GS. The smartphone seems to have a curved, glossy rear panel with the camera lens situated on the top left.

BlackBerry R10 will allegedly be the first BlackBerry smartphone to come with a non-removable battery. It is likely to have a 1800 mAh battery. The BlackBerry R10 will run on BlackBerry 10.1 OS.

The past speculations have hinted a Q3 release for this smartphone and also pegged that BlackBerry R10 is likely to be priced between $300 to $400 without any contract.

BlackBerry is already offering its flagship Z10 smartphone in the market. This smartphone was launched in January 2013 and has been followed by a touch-QWERTY smartphone Q10.

BlackBerry Q10  comes with the brand new BlackBerry 10 operating system. It sports a 3.1-inch super AMOLED touchscreen.

There is an 8-megapixel camera on-board. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G and NFC. BlackBerry Q10 also packs in 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a 2100mAh battery. The Canadian smartphone maker has already started selling Q10 in some parts of the world like Canada and UK but it is not available in India yet.