Samsung’s Galaxy Mega 6.3 phablet was launched last month and is now up for pre-order on online retailer site Clove UK. The device looks like a plus sized Galaxy Note and sports a 6.3-inch HD (1280 x 720 pixels) TFT display. It is powered by a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). On the rear is a 8 MP auto-focus camera with LED Flash and the front features a 1.9 MP camera. The phablet is juiced by a 3200 mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 technical specifications:

• 6.3-inch HD (1280 x 720 pixels)  TFT display
• 1.7 GHz dual-core processor
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS
• 8 MP auto-focus camera with LED Flash on rear
• 1.9 MP camera on front
• 7.9mm thick
• 199 grams heavy
• 1.5GB RAM
• 8 or 16GB internal memory which is expandable up to 64GB with microSD
• Connectivity: 4G, 3G, WiFi, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS＋GLONASS, NFC, MHL
• 3200 mAh battery

The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 will be available in Black and White colours and is priced at 383.33 GBP (~₹32,202). It is expected to ship somewhere around in July and from past behaviour we can say with confidence that Samsung will launch it around the same time in India.

Via: fonearena

Source: Clove UK

Just to brush things up Xolo A800 has a 4.5 inch qHD (960 x 540 pixels )  IPS display. It sports a 1 GHz dual core processor.

JellyBean should add spice to the otherwise ordinary phone. It should get all the JellyBean goodies including Project Butter and Google Now. Another attraction would be the elegant notification bar that Jellybean has to offer. Notifications may be cleared with a single swipe of the finger. JellyBean does prove to be faster on many occasions than it’s predecessor Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Updating is done through a simple USB transfer procedure . The zip file for performing this update is around 192 MB. An easy step by step guide is available on this website.

Lava Iris 458 specifications

• 4.5 inch FWVGA (854 x 480 pixels) display
• 1.2 GHz Mediatek Quadcore processor
• Android version 4.2 Jellybean
• 4 GB internal memory
• 512 MB RAM
• microSD, up to 32 GB
• 8 megapixel primary camera with Autofocus
• VGA secondary camera
• 3G,WiFi,A-GPS, Bluetooth version 3.0
• Proximity sensor, Light Sensor and the G sensor
• Contains pre-loaded apps like We Chat, PushMail, Ebook
• Dual SIM capability

Lava Iris 458 price

Lava Iris 458 is to be priced a around Rs 8,999

For more details visit this site

Xolo’s flagship smartphone Q1000 has been spotted online on the retail site Flipkart and will be released soon in the coming weeks. Launched earlier this year, the Q1000 is the flagship mobile phone from Xolo in their Q series.

The Q1000 will be powered by a quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz and 1GB of RAM. It will be the third quad-core smartphone launched by Xolo this year; right after Q800 and Q700, which were launched earlier. The handset will sport a 5-inch HD IPS display (1280×720 pixels), just like its sibling A1000, which was also launched earlier this year. The display is scratch resistant and is made up of Dragon Trail glass, a competitor to Gorilla Glass. On the graphics front, it is powered by a PowerVR SGX544 GPU and the smartphone will run on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS. The internal storage provided is 4GB and it can be expanded up to 32GB with a microSD card.

The Q1000 sports a 8 MP auto-focus camera on the rear with LED flash and BSI sensor (Back Side Illumination) for better imaging in low light conditions. On the front is a 1.2 MP camera for video-chat and other features. The phone is juiced by a 2100 mAh battery and comes in at 8.8mm thickness.

No price has been listed on the retail website, but users can enter their email address to be notified as soon as the device goes on sale. We expect the price to be in the same range as that of A1000, which was ₹13,999 on launch.

Via: fonearena

Microsoft has unveiled the next-generation Xbox today dubbed as Xbox One. The gaming-cum-entertainment console is a completely new design and also incorporates a new design for the well received Xbox controller. Every new Xbox One comes with the next-generation Kinect and also drives a Blu-ray player now, a feature it missed out on in the physical disk media wars during last-generation.

The console is powered by a 8-core processor with 8GB of RAM and features a 500GB internal hard drive. Apart from gaming, the device is also built for TV entertainment. Users can connect their cable or satellite box to their Xbox and prepare to be amazed through new features added in. Addition of Blu-ray player now brings it on par with Sony’s PlayStation when it comes to home media entertainment.

An important feature Microsoft is adding on to the new Xbox is that it runs three operating systems. Yes, you heard it right, three different operating systems. One of them will be a stripped complementary version to Windows 8 and RT and enable it to run apps and programs such as Skype and other non-gaming installs. The main Xbox OS will be run by virtualisation and remain fixed so as to ease the development for game developers. There will also be a third OS that connects these two operating systems and enables users to overlay their gaming and non-gaming activities on top of each other.

Xbox Live retains its credentials and works pretty much the same way with the 360 and the One. New additions include saving games in the cloud and resuming games instantly from where you left off. Your Xbox Live Gold membership will work both on your Xbox 360 as well as Xbox One, though Xbox One is not reverse compatible with the games made for 360 as it is built on a completely new architecture much like the PS4.

The new Kinect will also debut along with Xbox One, and it promises to be more precise, more responsive and more intuitive. Real Voice, Real Motion and Real Vision features will enable the users to seamlessy interact with their consoles while playing games or watching their favourite TV program or movie. The controller is also redesigned for the new Xbox, but it retains much of its earlier design, and why not? It was clearly one of the best controllers around and well received universally.

Another important addition is the ability to interact with your Xbox through your smartphones and tablets. The feature is dubbed as SmartGlass and it turns your smartphone or tablet into a second screen, enabling you to surf the web on your TV with the help of your portable device as input. Watching Game of Thrones on your TV and don’t know where King’s Landing is in relation to the Wall? No problem, just hit the interactive map on your smartphone or tablet and get an overview of it. Content creators can release interactive apps to go along with their movies or TV shows to make the viewing experience more immersive.

The price and release date are yet shrouded in mystery, but Microsoft promises to release worldwide by this year’s end, which would hopefully also include India. With Sony having already announced the PS4 and going to show it at the upcoming E3, the fight of the next-gen consoles is just heating up.

Smartphones from Micromax, both pertaining to the Canvas series or others, have performed extremely well in the Indian market and have gained the confidence of many. Micromax has built themselves a brand in Canvas just like Galaxy from Samsung or Lumia/Asha from Nokia. Now it wants to exploit the market presence to introduce low budget handsets.

The leaked shot of Canvas Lite A92 seems to be taken by Mr. Blurrycam. Apart from the generic design, the leak also confirms that the smartphone will be powered by a dual-core processor. Perhaps it will be the same MediaTek MT6577 dual-core processor clocked at 1.2 GHz and the handset will run on Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean). Little else is known about the smartphone apart from these few leaks, but it should be revealed soon considering Micromax releases almost 2 to 3 handsets a month.

The price and other specifications are not confirmed as of now, but we suspect it to stay around the same numbers as that of the Canvas Music A88.

Via: Gizbot

Source: MMNewscaster

But lately, there has been an overkill with smartphone launches in India. Both internationally well-known and local smartphone brands are killing it with more products launched than there are number of days in a year. After the entry of Android, designing, manufacturing and selling a smartphone has become much easier. There are a lot of Chinese OEMs who offer to build and assemble generic Android handsets at very low rates. Let us have a look at the type of phones that are selling a lot and some of the other trends which are responsible for this mayhem.

Demand For Dual SIM Android Phones Coming To an End?

There is a lot of demand for dual SIM phones in India. People use it either for cost effectiveness or for keeping their work and personal lives separate. A low cost smartphone is always better than any dumb (feature) phone in terms of value for money and features. Android is completely feature packed and an additional app store means it only gets better with time.

People who travel between various telecom circles use two separate SIM cards local to the respective telecom circle for cost saving on roaming charges. People also use dual SIM phones for economizing on calls and data usage. Some carriers provide less expensive data plans while others may have special low cost plans for calling. Dual SIM phone solves both problems in one elegant solution. But the Government’s plan to put an end to roaming charges may end the demand for dual SIM smartphones too.

Phablets Are Ruling The Country

Consumers residing in countries where carrier-subsidised smartphones and tablets are popular can buy devices for cheap with upfront payment. But this is not the case in Asian countries where carrier-subsidised handsets are not present. A Phablet would be a better choice for people in terms of ownership cost. Instead of buying a phone and a tablet, which would definitely cost more than $599 combined, a Phablet would be a much better choice for those who have shallow pockets. A Phablet starts from $199 and moves up to $599 depending upon the hardware specifications and brand value.

Micromax and Karbonn are launching a new Phablet every month. If you combine every other local smartphone brand, you can pretty much track at least one Phablet launch every day. They come in various configurations, starting from single-core to quad-core processors. There is a lot going on in the price range of INR 10K to INR 20K. Some of the famous Phablets in the country lie in the mid-price range and they are Micromax Canvas HD (Price: 14K), Karbonn Titanium S5 (Price: 13K) and Samsung Galaxy Grand (Samsung Galaxy Grand price in India: INR 20K). In the higher price range, Samsung Galaxy Note series is famous and it has no competition whatsoever.

In addition to this, LG will also show off it’s 5.7 inch HD Oxide TFT panels with bezels just 1mm thick. Users of other appliances need not feel let down as LG is not just eyeing the mobile sector, it is also set to introduce panels compatible for use with refrigerators. A 14 inch 2560 x 1440 pixels screen will also be introduced and this will be compatible with laptops. Speaking of laptops with high pixel density, LG better come up with it’s bag of surprises because we have already seen eyebleeding pixels in the MacBook Pro 13 (227 PPI) and Google’s Chromebook Pixel (239 PPI). We eagerly await the surprises to come.

Mercury mTab7G runs on Android 4.0.4 ICS OS and is powered by a 1.2 GHz processor and 512 MB RAM. It comes with a 7-inch display running on 800 x 480 pixel resolution, 4 GB in-built memory, 2 MP rear camera, VGA front camera and a 2,400 mAh battery.

The specs of the device don’t impress much, as it runs on Android ICS and includes just a single-core processor, but the 3G and voice-calling features of the device for it’s price range may come to the rescue of the device to compete with other budget tablets.

Quick specs:

• Android 4.0.4 ICS
  
• 1.2 GHz processor
• 7-inch display, 800 x 480 pixel resolution
• 2 MP back camera, VGA front camera
• 4 GB in-built memory, expandable memoru upto 32 GB via microSD, 512 MB RAM
• 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth
• 2,400 mAh battery

Kobian Mercury mTab7G will start hitting the store shelves after May 25

According to Nokia, by means of this update, multiple images from the gallery can be shared via Nokia Share, MMS and Bluetooth. A performance update for the camera has also been included. Noticeable improvements include better start-up times from the lock screen and better Auto White balance in photography with flash switched on.

This is not a firmware update and can be downloaded over the air.

Via: Fonearena

ZTE has partnered with Calyx for distribution, sales and marketing of the ZTE phones in India. ZTE who previously launched their devices in India in association with Idea and Reliance, say that their direct entry into India is aimed at selling over 1 million handsets in the smartphone-rich Indian market. ZTE will also be launching it’s 3G and 4G tablets in India.

CEO, ZTE India, said that ”With our foray into the open handset market in India, we want to become a dominant player here and be among the top 3 in the next three years….handsets already contribute [to] 10 per cent of our revenues here,”

We need to wait and see how this company’s entrance into the Indian market will help ZTE raise it’s sales, which lost it’s global 4th position after the decline in it’s Q1 2013 sales.

Via: TheEconomicTimes

Sony Xperia UL specifications

• 5 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) reality display with mobile Bravia Engine 2
• 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 pro processor
• Adreno 320 GPU
• 13.1 MP primary camera with Exmor RS sensor
• o.3 MP secondary (VGA) camera
• Water and dust resistant
• 2GB RAM
• 16 GB internal memory
• 4G, LTE, NFC, WiFi,Bluetooth
• 2300 mAh battery

Presently this phone is set to go on sale in Japan only. Pricing is yet to be known.

The update is rumoured to also bring in S4-exclusive features such as the new camera and S-Voice to S III. It is not set in stone whether Samsung will release this features next month or keep them closed until Android 4.3 is released. Whatever may the case be, an official update to Galaxy S III is confirmed for now.

The Android 4.2.2 update will include new enhancements from Galaxy S4 such as the new lockscreen, new screen modes, revamped Setting UI, voice controls, new S-Voice, and a host of other features such as Daydream, Driving mode, revamped Notification center, redesigned Gallery modes and a smart switch widget.

The unofficial ROM is available as of now, but it is still a pre-release candidate; meaning that Samsung can still make changes before releasing it. You can follow the source link for instructions on how to install the ROM, but be warned; given its unofficial nature we suggest users to stay away from it unless they’re sure what they’re doing.

Source: Sammobile

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 3 had a low key debut last month and featured a dual core processor, Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and a 7-inch display (1024x 600 resolution). Sammobile has now spotted benchmarks for an as of yet unannounced tablet called Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 on GLBenchmark. The leaked benchmarks reveal much about the product, including the fact that it will be powered by an Intel Atom processor.

According to the leak, the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 will be powered by a Intel Atom Z2560 dual-core processor with HT (Hyper Threading) clocked in at 1.6 GHz and a PowerVR SGX 544 MP2 GPU clocked at 400 MHz. The tablet will sport a 10.1-inch WXGA (1280×800) display and will run on Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean). No details regarding RAM, internal storage and battery were included in the benchmarks.

The specs look more than decent for this tablet except for the screen which betrays it. A low resolution display on a screen as big as 10.1-inch just doesn’t cut it when it is competing with the likes of iPad with Retina display. In addition to the above benchmarks, the tablet is also reported to feature a 3 MP rear camera and a 1.3 MP front camera. Connectivity options include Bluetooth, microUSB and WiFi, and there is also said to a 3G version of the tablet.

Samsung hasn’t confirmed nor denied the existence of this tablet as of now.

Via: BGR

Source: Sammobile, GLBenchmark

Xolo A500+ specifications:

Xolo A500+ will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS and houses an MT6572 chipset that includes a 1 GHz (or) 1.2 GHz  dual-core processor. It will come with a 4-inch display running on 800 x 480 pixels resolution, 5 MP back camera, VGA front camera and a 2000 mAh battery.

The device would include a 512MB RAM, 4GB in-built memory and a micro SD card slot.

Looking at specs, the smartphone would include few upgraded specs compared to it’s previous version Xolo A500. The OS will be upgraded to Jelly Bean from ICS, the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8225 chipset will be changed to MediaTek MT6572 chipset and also the battery capacity will be increased from 1500 mAh to 2000 mAh.

Quick specs:

• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS
  
• MT6572 chipset, 1 GHz (or) 1.2 GHz  dual-core processor
• 4-inch display, 800 x 480 pixels resolution
• 5 MP back camera, VGA front camera
• 4GB in-built memory, microSD slot, 512 MB RAM
• 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth
• 2000 mAh battery