Sony Xperia Z2 with Android 4.4.4 KitKat Update and Schedule

Sony has been working on delivering Android  updates as fast as it can. According to the latest information, the Android 4.4.4 KitKat update has been certified with users expected to see the download available soon. The release may follow a similar pattern as with other Android updates with the roll out done in stages. Some users can get access to the device sooner while others delayed. 

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Android mascots are lined up in the demonstration area at the Google I/O Developers Conference in the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California, May 10, 2011. REUTERS/Beck Diefenbach

SONY promised users that the Android 4.4.4 KitKat Over the Air or OTA release to Xperia Z2 will be coming soon. The company did not provide any particular dates but it should be soon as the company moves to the final stages according to Hallels. Reports also projected the release date to be around November. 

There have been concerns among Xperia Z2 users as some older Sony handsets have received the update with the unit seemingly "ignored." Other devices that got certification included Xperia Z2 Tablet SGP521, Xperia Z2 L50w, Xperia Z2 D6503, Sony Xperia Z2 D6502 and Xperia Z2 Tablet SGP541. 

According to Android Headlines, Sony Xperia Z2 will receive a revamp on its design similar to the Xperia Z3. Once users update to the software, they can expect a similar launcher to the Z3. Other improvements to expect include power menu giving people the option to begin a screen recording, reboot and screenshot. Likewise, people can expect the update to allow the Z2 to last longer with limited usability. More importantly, people will also see a pairing option with Dualshock 4 PlayStation controller. This should be great news for those who are fans of Sony.  

Android Headlines also noted that it strikes as odd to see the firmware build older compared to the the one certified just recently. There are Android 4.4.4 KitKat custom ROMs available for those who cannot wait for the official firmware. Users are advised to take caution when dealing with these ROMs as they can result to bricked phones and warranty loss.

Google Nexus 6 Confirmed to Go Up for Pre-Order on October 29

The Motorola-made Google Nexus 6, the 6-inch phablet introduced alongside the HTC-made Google Nexus 9 and Android 5.0 Lollipop OS last week, has now been confirmed to go up for pre-orders starting October 29, according to the company's own Google Play US listing.

Pre-orders begin on October 29 as per the Google Play US listing of the Nexus 6. The actual release date of the handset has not been revealed yet. Notably, the Nexus 6 is not yet listed on the Google Play India store.

In terms of availability, Google and Motorola last week said in their statements that the Nexus 6 will be available for pre-order through the Google Play Store in "late October" and will start shipping in November. The Verge reports that market availability is expected on November 12.

A factory unlocked Google Nexus 6 with 32GB storage will cost $649 (approximately Rs. 40,000), the same that a 16GB iPhone 6 costs in the US. The 64GB Google Nexus 6 has been priced at $699 (approximately Rs. 43,000) without a contract, cheaper than the iPhone 6 Plus, that starts at $749 unlocked.

Interestingly, not only will the new Nexus 6 will be available in US via the Google Play store, but will also be sold via carriers in the US like AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Verizon.

In case you missed reading about its specifications, the Google Nexus 6 comes with a 5.96-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) display with a 493ppi pixel density. It is powered by a 2.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor alongside 3GB RAM. It comes with 32GB and 64GB internal storage options. The Google Nexus 6 features a 13-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front-camera.

The Google Nexus 6 runs the newly announced Android 5.0 Lollipop, which comes with a fresh look thanks to Material Design and a host of new features. The Nexus 6 sports a massive 3220mAh battery, which adds to its bulk, since the smartphone weighs 184 grams and measures 82.98x159.26x10.06mm.

Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5-LTE Prices Slashed in India

Samsung has quietly slashed the price of its flagship smartphone in India, the Galaxy S5, alongside the LTE-variant of the handset.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is now officially available at Rs. 37,500 on the company's online India store, compared to the previous price tag of Rs. 43,250 - a price cut of Rs. 5,750. The Samsung Galaxy S5-LTE is now available at Rs. 40,300, down roughly Rs. 4,990 from its earlier price of Rs. 45,290. Notably, this is the second price cut for both the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5-LTE in the space of two months, with the first in early September.

Interestingly, both the handsets are listed as 'Not in Stock' with a 'Notify Me' option for consumers to register. As of now, it is not clear whether the price cuts of Rs. 5,750 for the Galaxy S5 and Rs. 4,990 for the Galaxy S5-LTE are part of a limited festive period offer, or are permanent.

The Samsung Galaxy S5  went on sale in India via Samsung's India online store and physical retail stores at Rs. 51,500 in April. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S5-LTE variant went on sale at Rs. 53,448 in July.

If the new prices of the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S5-LTE are compared to the launch prices of both the handsets, we can see a massive price slash of Rs. 14,000 since April launch of the Galaxy S5 and Rs. 13,148 since July launch of the Galaxy S5-LTE.

The Galaxy S5 is also available via several third-party online retailers at further discounts and is available at Rs. 36,580 (Flipkart) and Rs. 37,295 (Amazon.in).

Samsung earlier this month launched the Galaxy Note 4 in India priced at an MRP of Rs. 61,500, and a market operating price between Rs. 58,300 and Rs. 58,500. Notably, Samsung's new phablet went on sale in India the same day as the iPhone 6 Plus - Apple's first phablet.

Apart from launching the Galaxy Note 4 in India, the company also unveiled the Gear S 3G-enabled smartwatch at Rs. 29,500 (MRP), with an estimated market operating price of Rs. 28,900.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 2

Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 to Reportedly Launch Soon at Rs. 21,499

Samsung seems to be gearing up to launch the Galaxy Mega 2 in India, if information from an established retailer from Mumbai is to be believed. So far, no announcement has been made by Samsung.

Announcing the smartphone will be in stock in a few days at Rs. 21,499, and will sport an MRP of Rs. 24,300, retailer Mahesh Telecom posted the details in a Facebook poston Wednesday. The post also mentions the Galaxy Mega 2 model launching in India will be the SM-G750H variant.

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 2, after going on sale via a Malaysian retailer in August, was officially listed by the company in Thailand. Samsung's Thailand site listed the smartphone without any details of pricing and availability.

The successor to the Galaxy Mega 5.8 (Review | Pictures) was available to buy in Malaysia at MYR 1,299 (roughly Rs. 24,700). The Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 (SM-G750F) features a 6-inch TFT HD (720x1280 pixels) display. It is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core (unspecified chipset) processor coupled with 1.5GB of RAM.

The Galaxy Mega 2 runs the recent Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box, and comes with 16GB of inbuilt storage that is further expandable via microSD card (up to 64GB). It sports an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while there is a secondary 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera also onboard.

On the connectivity front, the smartphone offers LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB, GPS, Glonass, NFC, and Bluetooth options. Notably, the Galaxy Mega 2 is listed as a single SIM device in Malaysia; however, considering Samsung launched the Galaxy Mega 5.8 last year in India with dual-SIM support, we can expect a dual-SIM variant of the smartphone for the Indian market.

The smartphone packs a 2800mAh battery with no word on talk time and standby time. The Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 is listed in Cosmic Black and Blizzard White colours.

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Post by Pratik Prajapati.

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