Tag: launched

Nokia 2.2 Is Now Available For Pre-Order In India

HMD Global, the parent company of Nokia, has been fighting for its market share in various price segments. Its smartphones of different prices have, through Nokia’s brand name, become increasingly more relevant in the smartphone industry. The newly launched Nokia 2.2 will find its spot in the lower-end price bracket in the market. Nokia 2.2 will be the cheapest Android One smartphone made by the company, and by that extension, the cheapest smartphone to ever will receive the Android Q update. The handset has launched globally with the first pre-orders being available in India as of right now.

Price and Specification

The smartphone will be available in India for Rs 6,999 and Rs 7,999 depending on the configuration of the variants. Despite the relatively low price tag, Nokia 2.2 sports a large 5.71-inch display with a waterdrop notch design on the top. The display is an HD+ IPS LCD panel that is claimed to reach 400 nits of brightness with a 5MP selfie camera at the front. Rear shooter of the device is a 13MP sensor with an LED flash.

A fingerprint reader is skipped hence, users will have to rely on the face unlock for the biometric security. Nokia 2.2 is equipped with the Helio A22 chipset, which is a quad-core CPU, and either 2GB or 3GB of RAM. The internal storage option includes 16GB or 32GB with microSD card support for expandable external storage. Battery capacity sits at a modest 3,000mAh (removable battery) that charges via the bottom mounted microUSB port. The entire configuration is encased in a reflective polycarbonate design.

Since Nokia 2.2 is an Android One device, it is guaranteed to receive latest Android updates for at least 2 years. This makes the smartphone stand out the most in comparison to other entry-level options in the market, a huge selling point. Notably, a dedicated Google Assistant button is also available on the left of the device.

Also Read: iPhones Valued At $19 Million Stolen By ‘Fraud Ring’

Only two colour variants are available for the Nokia 2.2, namely Black and Steel. Official sales start on 11th June 2019 with the 2/16GB version priced at INR 6,999 while the 3/32GB version at a reasonable INR 7,999. Nokia with its smartphones hopes to capture its former glory and dominance in the phone making business, and smartphones like these are a small step in the right direction.

June 7, 2019
Honor 7C Officially Launched

The company has launched the Honor 7C in China. One feature that disguises this device from other Honor smartphones is the chipset. The Honor 7C is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset, like the Redmi 5. In fact, the specifications are almost identical to its Xiaomi counterpart.

This seems like an unusual launch for Honor which is known for using its in-house Kirin chipset. The design of the device resembles the Honor 7X with a metallic unibody and thin bezels. Just like the 7X, the bottom bezel houses the Honor branding while the fingerprint sensor is placed on the back. The primary camera setup, however, resembled the Honor 9 Lite.

Honor 7X

Pricing and Availability

The Honor 7C is priced at CNY 899 (Rs 9238) for 3GB RAM and 32GB storage and CNY 1,299 (Rs 13348) for 4GB RAM and 64GB Storage. The smartphone will be available from the 13th of March in Black, Red, Gold and Blue colours. However, as of now, there is no information about the launch of this model in India.

Specifications of Honor 7C

The device has a 5.99 inch HD+ 1440 x 720 px IPS LCD display with a 2.5D curved glass finish. Under the hood, the smartphone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 Octa-core chipset with 3/4GB RAM and 32/64GB storage. Similarly, the storage is expandable using a micro SD card up to 256GB.

The phone has a dual primary camera setup with a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. There is an 8MP front-facing camera which. In fact, both the cameras support portrait mode with 1080p video recording capability.

The Honor 7C runs on Android 8 Oreo with custom EMUI 8 on the top. The smartphone has a fingerprint scanner. Similarly, the device also supports Face Unlock.

Conclusion

The Honor 7C checks all the boxes. In fact, the device outperforms in some aspects like Face Unlock and Dual camera. However, the Redmi 5 is priced at CNY 7,99, which is 100 CNY less than the Honor 7C’s pricing.

March 12, 2018
Huawei Y9 2018 Officially Launched
Huawei officially launched the Huawei Y9 2018 in Thailand. The Huawei Y9 2018 is a slightly redesigned version of the Honor 7x with a dual front-facing camera. However, the company is yet brief the pricing and availability of the Huawei Y9 2018.

Specifications

The smartphone has a 5.93 inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080px IPS LCD display with 18:9 aspect ratio. The device will be powered by Kirin 659 Octa-core chipset with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage.

The phone has a rear dual camera setup with a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary depth sensor. Similarly, the phone has a dual front-facing camera with a 16MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor, which helps to capture depth effect. In fact, the primary camera setup is similar to the Honor 7x and the front-facing camera setup is similar to the Honor 9 Lite.

The device will run on Android 8 Oreo with custom EMUI on the top with face unlock. The device still has a micro USB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The volume rockers and power button are on left side and the SIM tray is on the right side. The smartphone packs in a 4000 mAh battery, which is the largest that we have seen in the recent Huawei/Honor smartphones.

Summary:
- 5.93 inch FHD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio
- Kirin 659 Octa-core Chipset
- Dual primary camera setup
- Dual front-facing camera
- Android 8 Oreo with custom EMUI skin
March 12, 2018
LG X4 With HD DMB TV Officially Launched

LG launched the LG X4 mid-tier Android smartphone in South Korea. The LG X4 is an affordable version of the LG X4+, with similar specifications. The unique selling point of the smartphone is the Digital multimedia broadcasting support. However, unlike LG X4+, this doesn’t have a rugged design.

Pricing and availability

The LG X4 is already available in South Korea in Black and Gold colour variants. The smartphone is priced at 297,000 won or Rs 17,780.

Specifications

The LG X4 has a 5.3 inch 1280 x 720px 16:9 aspect ratio display. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 Quad-core chipset with 2GB RAM and 16GB onboard storage. Similarly, the storage is expandable using micro SD card slot.

The smartphone has an 8 MP primary camera with an LED flash and a 5 MP front-facing camera.Similarly, the video recording on the front-facing camera is limited to 720, and the primary camera can record up to 1080p@30fps. In fact, the fingerprint scanner can be used as the camera shutter button.

The device does support wireless HD DMB TV (Digital multimedia broadcasting), which allows to stream free TV channels on the smartphone. In fact, it doesn’t use any kind of internet connection. Interestingly, this smartphone also supports LG Pay, which can be used to make cardless/cashless payments using the built-in NFC chip.

The smartphone runs on Android 7.1 Nougat with custom LG UI skin. The phone does support Wifi, Bluetooth, and NFC with support for LTE networks. Finally, the smartphone has a 3000 mAh non-user replaceable Li-ion battery with a micro USB port.

Conclusion

The LG X4 has a right choice of specifications for an entry-level or a mid-tier Android smartphone. The pricing, however, seems a bit off for the price tag of the smartphone. However, this phone also offers DMB TV which is missing in most of the modern smartphones.

March 5, 2018
Asus ZenFone 5Z Running On Snapdragon 845 Launched At MWC 2018

Asus launched three new ZenFone 5 smartphones at MWC 2018. The Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, ZenFone 5, ZenFone 5Z are the latest offerings from Asus, which boasts the modern design philosophy with an 18:9 aspect ratio. In fact, some of the models deliver up to 90% screen to body ratio.

Like Apple and Samsung, Asus introduced its own version of iPhone X’s Animojis called Zenimoji. However, the ZenFone 5z with flagship specifications costs half the amount of the iPhone X. With these three flagship series, the company launched the Asus ZenFone Max (M1) which is a smaller variant of the Asus ZenFone Max Plus (M1).

Price and availability:

The Asus ZenFone Max (M1) will be available in DeepSea Black, Sunlight Gold, and Ruby Red. Similarly, the Asus ZenFone 5 Lite will be available in Midnight Black, Rouge Red, and Moonlight White. The Asus ZenFone 5 and the Asus ZenFone 5z will be available in Midnight Blue and Meteor Silver from June. The Asus ZenFone 5z’s prices will start at 479 Euros.

Jerry Shen Asus CEO said:

We embarked on the ZenFone project four years ago with the idea to create empowering luxury for everyone to enjoy. Today, the ZenFone 5 Series is the most intelligent ZenFone series ever, utilizing advanced AI algorithms and big-data analytics to provide users with a unique slate of intelligent camera, communication and convenience features.

Asus ZenFone Max (M1):

The Asus ZenFone Max (M1) is the most affordable model from the company with the modern design. The smartphone has a 5.5 inch IPS LCD 1440 x 720p 18:9 aspect ratio display. Under the hood, the phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 Quad-core or Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Octa-core chipset with 2/3GB RAM and 16/32GB storage. Similarly, the storage is expandable up to 256GB using a micro SD card.

The smartphone has a dual primary camera setup with a 13 MP primary sensor and an 8 MP wide angle lens with the electronic image stabilisation. For the front-facing camera, the smartphone offers an 8 MP sensor. The video recording is limited to 1080p due to chipset limitations.

The smartphone is fitted with a 4000 mAH sealed battery with a micro USB port. Additionally, the smartphone also supports NFC and Bluetooth. Finally, the smartphone runs on Zen UI 5.0 based on Android 7.1 Nougat.

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite:

The Asus ZenFone 5 Lite offers a 6 inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080px IPS LCD display with 80.3% screen to body ratio. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Octa-core chipset with 3/4GB RAM and 32/64GB storage. Similarly, the storage is expandable using micro SD card up to 2TB.

The smartphone has a dual camera setup at the back. The primary 16 MP sensor is a normal lens and the secondary 8 MP sensor is a wide angle lens with 120-degree field of view. The primary camera setup offers features like PDAF and EIS. In fact, the smartphone also has a dual front-facing camera setup with a 20 MP + 8 MP sensor setup.

The smartphone runs on Android 8 Oreo with custom Zen UI 5 skin on the top. Finally, the smartphone packs in a 3300 mAH battery with a micro USB port.

Asus ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z

The Asus ZenFone 5 is probably the most affordable smartphone with a notch. On the front, the smartphone has a 6.2-inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080px IPS LCD display with a notch on the top. The device offers a staggering 90% screen to body ratio with 19:9 aspect ratio. In fact, unlike the ZenFone 5 Lite, these devices offer a premium glass shimmery design.

The only difference between the Asus ZenFone 5 and the Asus ZenFone 5Z is the chipset and amount of RAM. The Asus ZenFone 5 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Octa-core chipset with 4/6GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage. Similarly, the Asus ZenFone 5Z is powered by the top of the tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset with 4GB and 64GB or 6GB and 128GB or 8GB and 256GB RAM and storage models.

The smartphone has a dual primary camera stacked up vertically like the Apple iPhone X. The primary lens in the primary camera is a 12 MP sensor from Sony with f/1.8 aperture and 83-degree field of view and the second lens is an 8 MP sensor with a 120-degree field of view. The primary camera setup is something similar to the LG V30+’s camera setup.

For the front-facing camera, the phone uses an 8 MP sensor with an 84-degree field of view. The primary and the front-facing cameras are optically stabilised using 3-axial optical image stabilisation method. In fact, the camera setup is similar to the Asus ZenFone 5 Lite.

The Asus ZenFone 5 and the Asus ZenFone 5z also features dual 5-magnets speaker setup with dual NXP smart amplifiers. There is a PMIC internal dual amplifier, triple internal microphones with noise reduction, Hi-Res Audio with DTS Headphone X support. In fact, both the models support 3.5 mm headphone jack.

February 28, 2018
Lenovo Yoga 730 And Flex 14 Launched At MWC 2018

Lenovo launched two new notebooks at MWC 2018. The Lenovo Yoga 730 is a premium offering, which comes with built-in far-field-mics with Alexa AI. The Flex 14 is more of an affordable offering from the company. Both the notebooks are powered by Windows 10 OS.

Pricing and availability:

The Lenovo Yoga 730 comes in Iron Grey and Platinum Silver, which will be available from April, starting at US$ 879.99. The Flex 14 will be available in onyx black colour, which will be available from April, starts at US$ 600.

Design and features:

Both the notebooks from Lenovo offers flip to tablet mode with support for touch input. The display edges have been curved to offer a smoother tablet-using experience on the Lenovo Yoga 730. The Yoga 730 also offers a built-in fingerprint scanner. However, it misses out on the Windows Hello camera feature.

The laptop acts as Alexa hub, which can be used to control other Alexa accessories. However, the notebooks need to be up and running to access Alexa AI.

Specifications of Lenovo Yoga 730:

The Lenovo Yoga 730 comes in 13 inch and 15 inch display with 1980 x 1080p resolution. Under the hood, the notebook is based on 8th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor with 8/16GB RAM and 512/1TB SSD. The 13 inch variant is equipped with Intel UHD 620 GPU and the 15 inch variant has a powerful GTX 1050 GPU.

The notebook comes with plenty of port options, including dual Thunderbolt 3 port, one full-sized USB 3.0, USB type C port, and a mini HDMI port. The notebook also supports Active Pen 2, which has to be bought separately. In fact, the Thunderbolt can be used to connect external GPU for additional power.

Specifications of Lenovo Flex 14:

The Lenovo Flex 14 will also be called as Lenovo Yoga 530 in the European markets. As the name suggests, the Lenovo Flex 14 has a 14 inch full HD 1980 x 1080px resolution display with touch input. Similarly, one can choose between the 8th gen Intel Core i5 or i7 processor with up to 16GB RAM. However, the storage is limited to a maximum of 512 GB SSD.

The choice of ports on the Flex 14 includes 2x USB-A 3.0 ports, one USB C 3.1 port, 3.5 mm headphone jack and a mini HDMI port. However, like the Yoga 730, there is no Alexa AI integration.

February 26, 2018
Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ Available To Pre-Book In India
Samsung officially launched the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ at MWC 2018. In the US, the Galaxy S9 is priced at US$ 719.99 and the Galaxy S9+ retails for US$ 839.99. In fact, the direct conversion to Indian rupees comes to around Rs 46,600 and Rs 54,400. However, the price will be higher than that in the Indian market.

Samsung is yet to make an announcement about the retail prices of these phone in India. However, these phones are already up for pre-booking on the Samsung India official website. The 64GB variant will be available in Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple and the 256GB variant is limited to Midnight Black as of now. However, there is no information about the inclusion of complimentary wireless charging dock for the pre-orders like the Galaxy S7 and S8 pre-booking.

How to Pre-book?
- Head to Samsung India official website
- Select your model, colour, and storage option
- Make an advance payment of Rs 2000
- You will receive a pre-booking coupon
- Once the phone goes official, you will receive a text message with the complete pricing details
- Apply the pre-book coupon, which adjusts Rs 2000 from the final amount
Specifications of Galaxy S9:

The Samsung Galaxy S9 has a 5.8 inch Super AMOLED display with a 2960 x 1440 px resolution. This translates to an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, which means it is slightly taller than the usual bezel-less smartphones.

The smartphone is powered by the new Exynos 9810 chipset. Coupled with the chipset is 4GB of RAM and 64GB or 256GB of onboard storage. Similar to a lot of Samsung smartphones, the storage will be expandable up to 256GB via a MicroSD card.

The Galaxy S9 has a single Dual Pixel 12 MP sensor with dual /1.5 and f/2.4 apertures. In bright lighting conditions, the camera will use the f/2.4 aperture, while the wider f/1.5 aperture is used in dark lighting conditions. It also captures 720P videos at 960fps and 4K videos at 60fps, similar to the Apple iPhone X. On the front of the smartphone is an 8MP camera with an f/1.6 aperture and records 4K videos.

Specifications of Galaxy S9+:

As is with its smaller sibling, the Galaxy S9+ has the same screen size as the Galaxy S8+. It sports a 6.2 inch Super AMOLED display with a 2960 x 1440 px resolution.

Under the hood, it is powered by the Exynos 9810 chipset. Unlike the Galaxy S9, the S9+ will be available in 6GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/256GB models in major markets across the world. Similarly, the phone does support external micro SD cards up to 256GB.

The main difference between the two S9 models this year is in the camera department. Unlike its predecessor, the Galaxy S9+ has a dual-camera setup on the back. The Galaxy S9+ has one wide-angle 12MP camera with an f/1.5 aperture and the other is a 12MP telephoto lens with an f/2.4 aperture. The telephoto lens is the same one found on the Galaxy Note8, which means it has OIS. On the front of the smartphone is an 8MP camera with an f/1.6 aperture and records 4K videos.
February 26, 2018
Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact Launched At MWC 2018

Sony has officially launched the Sony Xperia XZ2 and the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact at MWC 2018. Both the smartphones have been significantly redesigned inside out, with a new design philosophy.

These are the first batch of smartphones from Sony to boast an 18:9 display with a curvier back. Sony is the second smartphone maker to announce the smartphone based on this new Snapdragon 845 chipset. With this new flagship series, Sony no longer offers 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Pricing and availability:

The Sony Xperia XZ2 and the XZ2 compact will be available from March 2018 in Black, White Silver, Moss Green and Coral Pink colours. However, there is no information on the pricing yet.

Specifications of Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact:

The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact has a 5 inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080px IPS LCD display with 18:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Octa-core chipset based on Kryo 385 architecture, with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The storage is also expandable using micro SD card up to 400GB.

The smartphone has an “anti-twist” aluminium frame with a “frosted-glass” like polycarbonate shell. Sony claims that the polycarbonate shell is scratch resistance. However, Sony is still missing out on the dual camera setup, which has been widely adopted in the industry.

The phone has a 19 MP primary camera with support for 4K video recording and super slow motion video up to 960 fps. For the front-facing camera, the company is using a 5MP wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture that records 1080p videos. In fact, the front camera also comes with EIS. The smartphone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with the Xperia UI on the top. In fact, even the Xperia XZ had similar slow-motion video recording capability.

The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact has a 2870 mAh sealed battery with fast charging support. However, the device does not support wireless charging.

Specifications of Sony Xperia XZ2:

Like the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact, the Sony Xperia XZ2 offers flagship class specifications. The Sony Xperia XZ2 has a bigger 5.7 inch screen with the same 2160 x 1080px resolution. The smartphone is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The smartphone also offers support for external SD card. However, the Xperia XZ2 uses a similar aluminium frame with the back panel is made using 3D Gorilla Glass shielding, which enables the wireless charging capability.

However, the cameras found on the Xperia XZ2 are the same as the XZ2 Compact. The smartphone offers a 19 MP primary camera with an f/2.0 aperture and a 5 MP front-facing camera with an f/2.2 aperture.

The phone has a slightly bigger 3180 mAh battery with fast charging and wireless charging capability. Like the compact variant, the Xperia XZ2 is also IP68 certified for the water and dust resistance.

Conclusion:

The Sony Xperia XZ2 and the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact represents a design change necessary for Sony devices and do not look anything like the Xperia flagships of the yesteryears. However, Sony’s pricing strategy will determine the two smartphone’s fate in markets like India.

February 26, 2018
Nokia 8110 4G Officially Launched At MWC 2018

Nokia launches a refreshed version of the infamous version of the Nokia 8810 with 4G capability. The company calls the Nokia 8810 4G as the vacation or weekend phone. However, for the phone of this calibre, it packs powerful internals and an impressive design.

Design:

The Nokia 8110 4G comes with unique curved design, with a swappable keypad cover, which comes in black and banana yellow colour. However, the device will be available from April 2018 for an average price of 79 Euros.

The Nokia 8810 4G takes the design hints from the original Nokia 8810, which was launched in 1998. The phone comes with a T4 keypad with a replaceable back panel. The design does bring back the nostalgia feelings back into 2018.

Specifications:

The Nokia 8810 4G comes with a 2.4-inch display with 240x 320 px resolution. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 205 1.1 Ghz dual core chipset with 512 MB RAM and 4GB onboard storage. However, the smartphone does memory expansion using an external SD card.

The phone comes with 2 MP primary camera with an LED flash, with VGA quality video recording capability. The phone packs in a user replaceable 1500 mAh battery with micro USB port for charging and data syncing. However, there is no front-facing camera on the phone, which is little disappointing.

The device supports dual SIM cards with support for 2G, 3G and 4G LTE networks. In fact, the 4G data can be wirelessly shared using the built-in WiFi hotspot feature. Unlike the Nokia 8 Sirocco, the Nokia 8810 does retain the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

The smartphone runs on custom Smart Feature OS, which comes with Google Maps, Google Assistance and Google Now. In fact, it also features apps like Facebook and Twitter. Additional apps can also be downloaded via the app store.

February 25, 2018
Nokia 8 Sirocco Launched For EUR 749 At MWC 2018

Nokia has officially launched the Nokia 8 Sirocco edition at MWC 2018, which will be available from April 2018 for 749 Euros. In fact, this is the most premium smartphone that supports Android One Programme.

The smartphone is constructed from a single block of stainless steel like the Apple iPhone X. This makes the Nokia 8 Sirocco a strong smartphone, as stainless steel is 4 times harder than the Aluminium, with IP67 water and dust resistance certification. In fact, it measures 7.5 mm at its thickest point and 2 mm at it thinnest. This is the first Nokia Android smartphone to support wireless charging.

Specifications:

The Nokia 8 Sirocco has a 5.5 inch pOLED QHD+ 2560 x 1440 px display with 18:9 aspect ratio. The display offers a dual curved design with the vacuum moulding technology with Gorilla Glass 5. The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage.

The Nokia 8 Sirocco comes with dual primary camera setup, powered by Zeiss. The primary 12 MP sensor has an f/1.75 aperture with 1.4-micron pixel size and the secondary 13 MP telephoto lens has an f/2.6 aperture. The device has a 5 MP front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture and 1.micron pixel size. In fact, the primary camera setup found on the smartphone is exactly similar to the Nokia 7 Plus’s camera specifications.

The device does offer additional features like NFC, 4G VoLte, Bluetooth 5.0, and a rear-facing fingerprint scanner. However, this is the first Nokia smartphone to remove the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

February 25, 2018

LG Introduces G3’s Mid-Tier Variant LG G3 Beat in India

LG has launched the new LG G3 Beat in India for the price of Rs. 25,000. The smartphone which was announced earlier this year is essentially a mid-tier variant of the flagship G3. The new LG G3 Beat will be available across the country retail outlets as well as on e-commerce websites.

LG Electronics India MD, Mr. Swoon Koon in a statement said,”Mobile communications needs to serve the requirements of a growing segment of consumers who are looking for a balance between style, design, features, and great performance, combined together at a favorable price. The LG G3 Beat represents our commitment to the mid-tier smartphone market that demands mature technology, proven performance, great innovation and an attractive price, all in a single device.”

On the hardware side, the G3 Beat fashions a 5-inch HD 720p display and is powered by a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Also included is 8GB of internal storage that can be further expanded using a microSD card. It is powered by 2540mAh battery and runs on Android 4.4.

The LG G3 Beat features the same ‘Floating Arc Design’ as seen on the LG G3, featuring smooth curved sides and gradually tapered edges. The highlight of the G3 Beat is its 8-megapixel rear camera which comes with the Laser Autofocus feature, same as the G3. However, it has a 1.3-megapixel front camera. Connectivity options on the LG G3 Beat include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPRS/ EDGE, A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, Micro-USB, 3G and 4G LTE support

The device weighs 134 grams and will be available in black, white and gold. At this price point, the LG G3 Beat will be up against the likes of the Sony Xperia T3, Samsung Galaxy S5 mini, and the Oppo N1 mini.

Specs	LG G3 Beat
Display	5-inch 720p
Processor	1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 quad-core
RAM	1GB
Cameras	8-megapixel rear/1.3-megapixel front
Storage	8GB expandable
Battery	2,540mAh
Android OS	4.4.2 KitKat
Price	Rs 25,000

September 17, 2014

Moto X Makes its Comeback With Better Specs and an Aluminium Frame

Along with the Moto G (Gen 2) and Moto 360, Motorola has just introduced the much-awaited 2nd gen Moto X. The new Moto X is bigger, bulkier and it boasts a number of new features and designs that should definitely increase X’s demand.

The new Moto X is not much bigger than the previous one, with a 5.2 inch AMOLED display and it is still protected by Gorilla Glass. Moto X 2nd gen is about 0.5 inch wider than last year’s X. However, the refreshed model sports a 1080p full HD display instead of a 720p one.

The screen takes almost all the space on the front, leaving the bare minimum for bezels. It measures 72.4mm wide by 140.8mm tall and weighs 144 grams. To give the device a premium feel, the company has added a smooth piece of aluminium wrapping the entire edge of the phone.

Motorola has kept the Moto Maker customization option alive with a new leather option for new Moto X. Additionally, Moto Maker also now lets you add metal accents to power and volume buttons, speaker grills and the Motorola logo on the back.

At the back, it has an updated 13-megapixel camera lens with 4x zoom and a ring flash. The camera has the ability to capture 4K video instead of just 1080p and it’s also got a new feature called Best Shot.

It essentially maintains a rolling photo cache in the background, constantly capturing additional shots before and after a photo is taken. An algorithm then analyzes those photos to find what it thinks is the “best shot,” filtering out blurry shots or pics of people blinking. You can choose the picture selected by the feature or the original one. Another new camera feature is the “Highlight Reel,” which essentially compiles all of your day’s photos and videos into a single video collage much like Google+ photo highlights.

As far as the hardware is concerned you won’t be disappointed. The device runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with a 2.5GHz quad-core CPU, an Adreno 330 578MHz GPU and 2GB of RAM. It is powered by 2,300 mAh battery which Motorola claims will last a full day. The new Moto X has four microphones to help reduce background noise, and comes in a “splash guard” water repellent coating and will be available in both 16GB and 32GB variants.

One the software side, new Moto X comes with hand full of softwares same as older Moto X including Migration tool and some of the tools like Touchless Control, Active Display and Motorola Assist have been renamed in the new Moto X as Moto Actions, Moto Display and Moto Assist respectively. Another great iteration in the new Moto X is that instead of ‘OK Google’ as a voice prompt, you can customize the voice command prompt to anything you like.

The company said that they have more than 1.6 million devices stocked for Indian market which only means they will have enough stocks this time. Pricing details are not yet revealed by the company. The new Moto X will go on sale in late september along with Moto 360.

September 5, 2014
Moto G (2nd Gen) Goes on Sale Today For Rs. 12,999

Motorola has just announced two of its most anticipated smartphones : Moto X and Moto G. The company decided to stick to the previous names, keeping things simple by calling them 2nd Gen devices. The new Moto G has been launched at the price of Rs. 12,999 for 16 GB and is going on sale later today with special offers on Flipkart. The company said that last time around they sold 1.6 million devices through Flipkart for Indian customers, and this time they’ve made sure they have sufficient stock for prospective buyers.

The 2nd Gen Moto G has a 5.0-inch 720p HD IPS display made out of Corning Gorilla Glass. Other improvements to the G include two front stereo speakers and an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing one.

The new G will also now finally come with a microSD card slot, which is located underneath the back cover. It’ll still come with 16GB built-in storage, but an expandable memory slot is always nice to have. However, underneath is the same 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor and 2,070 mAh battery. The new Moto G still shoots in 720p. However, they considered going for 1080p video capability, to compete with the Xiaomi Mi3.

It’ll ship with Android 4.4 KitKat and is upgradeable to Android L as soon as it is released. It does come with a few Motorola apps like Migrate, which helps you transfer old phone contacts to the new one, and Assist, which provides a voice-activated Drive Mode when you’re on the road.

September 5, 2014
The All New Honda Accord 2014

Honda is all set to launch its new car in the market next year, the new Honda Accord would be launched in the Hybrid variant and the company claims this new Accord is packed with significant new technologies that separate it from the rest.

So the question is what kind of powertrain delivers such phenomenal numbers? The Honda is powered by a 2.0-liter, ultra-efficient Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. One electric motor is fixed to the back of the engine and serves as a generator to charge the battery pack on engine overrun. A second electric motor that powers the vehicle is fixed to the differential that transfers power to the front wheels, and can also recharge the pack under regenerative braking.

The new Accord’s engine is mated to a six-speed CVT fitted to a totally new Sport Hybrid intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) generating 141 hp and 122 lb-ft of torque. Meanwhile, the newly developed two-electric-motor setup produces 166 hp (more powerful than any other hybrid) and 226 lb-ft, giving the combined system a total output of 196 hp. And with the latest lithium-ion battery technology powering those front wheels, the Accord Hybrid jumps from 0-60-mph in about 7.5 seconds.

2014 Honda Accord all new Engine

Cockpit :D

The new Battery

Hybrid logo

2014 Honda Accord Front Interior

2014 Honda Accord Interior

2014 Honda Accord new tail lights

2014 Honda Accord Interior

2014 Honda Accord Front look

The new Hybrid Engine cover

When the Accord Plug-In is first released, it will only be available in New York and California. “Two motors, Three ways to drive” is what Honda says for this car and is unique continuously variable transmission allows the Accord Plug-In’s powertrain to shift seamlessly among three driving modes, utilizing power from the i-VTEC^® 4-cylinder engine and the electric motor.

EV Drive- An all-electric drive. EV Drive is active when you start from a stop, when you’re doing light cruising and acceleration, and when you’re braking. Starting from a stop stops the fuel supply, so Honda has kept the starts 100% electric.

Hybrid Drive- Electric and gas working together. Hybrid Drive is generally active when you’re accelerating and changing speeds regularly. The electric motor gets you going, and the gas engine gives you the burst you need on the road.

Engine Drive- Gas-powered cruising. A cruising vehicle’s gas engine consumes a lot less fuel than it does when starting or accelerating. That’s why highway mpg is generally higher than city mpg. So when you cruise, your gas engine cruises efficiently.

The suggested price for the new Honda Accord is said to be 39,780 USD, we’ll have to wait and see if and when this car comes to India.

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August 8, 2013
Micromax Canvas Lite A92 launched at Rs. 8499

While many are awaiting the new Micromax Canvas 4 A210, the company is not shy of releasing more handsets. Micromax has today launched the new A92 Canvas Lite for a price of Rs. 8499. The specifications of the Micromax Canvas Lite A92 match those of the original Canvas A100 with a 5 inch 480 x 800 px display, A Mediatek 6577 Dual Core 1 Ghz Chipset. The Micromax Canvas Lite A92 will also have 4GB of inbuilt storage, expandable via microSD and 512 MB of RAM.

The Canvas Lite A92 also has the same set of cameras as seen on the Canvas A100, a 5 MP main shooter along with a front facing camera (0.3 MP). While the company has phased out the A100, this is a great way for the company to relaunch older hardware with a new name. For the price the specifications are quite okay, but considering that with a couple thousand more nowadays you can get a Quad Core chipset and a 720p display. Would you be interested in buying a Micromax Canvas Lite A92?

June 29, 2013