waterproof and dustproof Xperia ZR

ony has announced a new smartphone in its Xperia line-up. Dubbed the Xperia ZR, it is set to be a waterproof handset and is equipped with a powerful camera, which seems to make the phone useful to those who might want to capture underwater video.

Visually, the Xperia ZR has quite a bit in common with the current Xperia Z and ZL, with the circular lock button on the middle of the side of the device, the volume rocker below that and a dedicated camera button near the bottom.

It sports a 4.6-inch HD reality display and is powered by Sony's own Mobile Bravia engine 2, which the company claims uses the same contrast enhancement technology that is present in Sony's range of Bravia TVs. The display panel is an OptiContrast panel, which is said to reduce reflections.

Sony's latest smartphone, the Xperia ZR

The Xperia ZR is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor by Qualcomm. It also has 4G LTE capabilities. The performance on the handset should be good thanks to the the powerful processor along with 2GB of RAM.

Other than being another typical high-end smartphone, the main selling point of the Xperia ZR is the IP55 and IP58 certification. This means that the handset is waterproof and dustproof; it can be kept submerged in up to 1.5 metres in fresh water for up to 30 minutes.

On the camera front, it is equipped with a 13 megapixel camera with Sony's Exmos RS for mobile sensor. This allows the phone to capture both videos and photos using high dynamic range (HDR). The burst mode on the camera can capture an unlimited number of images at 15 frames per second.

On the software side of things, one can expect the same things that is found in Sony's other high-end offerings, such as the Xperia Z and the ZL. It has Sony's own Walkman music player that gives access to all your downloaded music. There is also the Music Unlimited app, which gives access to a library of around 20 million songs. Similarly, the Videos Unlimited app gives access to a library of more than 150,000 movies and TV shows.

The Xperia ZR is expected to hit store shelves in Q2 of 2013 and will be available in black, white, pink and mint colour options.

LG Optimus L9 P765

While it might seem like LG is losing a little traction on the mobile front, it hasn’t stopped the company from launching new devices. The latest to hit India is the Optimus L9 smartphone and this is the P765 variant. It’s a neat looking device, but that’s never a good reason to make a purchase. So we put the L9 to the test and here are our findings.

Form Factor
As stated, the P765 looks good, but unfortunately, is not built the same. It’s light weight (125 g) and 9.1 mm in depth, making it easy on the hand and in the pocket, but the build quality could have been so much better. The rear panel feels a little on the cheap-ish side and, unfortunately, transcends throughout the handset. The entire chassis of the device feels a little low-end and will make you seriously wonder about the price tag. The Home button placed just below the display is very Samsung-esque but nowhere near as well designed. It’s embedded a little too much into the body, and being so narrow makes it a little difficult to access. On either side of the button are Android soft touch keys.

9 mm in depth

On the right hand side of the handset is a small power/sleep mode button that’s placed in a spot that’s easy to access. The volume rocker is on the left, parallel to the power button. The microUSB port is placed at the centre at the bottom of the handset and the handsfree socket at the top on the left. A 5MP camera with an LED flash is on the rear, with a VGA camera up front near the company logo. It was disappointing to see that LG opted to have the SIM (standard size) available via Hot Swap, but the memory card without the same advantage. The L765 comes with 4GB of onboard memory with the capability of expansion up to 32GB via microSD cards.

Home button could have been better designed

The 4.7-inch IPS touchscreen features a QHD (540 x 960) resolution, which is quite vibrant and quite legible in bright sunlit locations. We were impressed with the design, but not the build.

Features and Performance
Interface 
LG’s shipping the P765 with ICS (Android 4.0.4) running off of a dual-core 1GHz processor and 1GB RAM. There was a slight delay in some aspects of functionality, but overall, it handled functions very well. The UI was reasonably fluid, but with Jelly Bean, we’re sure there would have been a visible difference. The way things are currently, an ICS device launched in this price bracket sticks out like a sore thumb.

The Optimus UI has some very handy features

The Optimus UI has a few borrowed tweaks from the edition on the Optimus G handset. These include the QuickMemo function that lets you write details, phone numbers etc. on any screen with your fingers. It can be quite handy if you’re on a call and need to take down a telephone number or such. The memo can be left on screen while you go about your regular features, or it can be saved or shared via any medium available. In the Running Apps menu, you have an option to "Kill All" or access the Task Manager feature.

The App drawer allows for folder creation by simply dragging and dropping apps on top of each other. You can then name folders as you see fit. The Lock Screen also has a few widgets of its own, including a variety of clock interfaces with a calendar and a set of four frequently-used or quick access apps. You can choose which apps you would like to have on the lock screen.

In terms of Benchmarks, the handset performed adequately but didn’t quite stand out. Linkpak scores put it at 36 MFLOPS on Single Thread and 50 on Multi Thread, which is really nothing to write home about. Here are the NenaMark 2, Quadrant and AnTuTu scores:

HTC One Review

The next gen HTC One model is called just that, no ‘X’, no ‘+’ or 'S', just a simple number denomination. So far, the Taiwanese company hasn’t been faring all too well with devices like the HTC Butterfly proving to be way too pricey and the Windows Phone 8X and 8S models still remaining under the radar. This could be HTC’s big break back into the majorly relevant league, but the price of Rs. 42,900 (MOP) might still be a deterrent for some. So we’re here to tell you if the HTC One is indeed a handset worthy of consideration, price tag be damned, or if it’s just another fly by night, high spec'd smartphone that’ll be here today and gone tomorrow.

Form Factor
HTC’s sticking to its unibody design form even with the HTC One. The One is encased inside a zero-gap aluminium shell that, while definitely giving it a tres chic and elegant look and feel, also has a downside. For one, the metal body tends to make the handset a little slippery when it’s cold. Secondly, it also becomes rather hard to hold on to when the processor starts to heat up after excessive use. The curved rear of the handset also rests a little unstable on a flat surface and naturally feels wobbly if you’re trying to type with it resting on your desk. In your hand, however, it does feel quite comfortable.

Quite a looker this one

The perfectly-sized 4.7-inch Super LCD3 display with a full HD (1080 x 1920, 469 ppi) resolution makes for excellent viewing and was quite legible even in broad daylight. Thanks to Corning Gorilla Glass 2, you can be assured the screen will remain scar free to quite an extent, though fingerprints and smudges were still very much evident.

The power button also serves as an IR sensor

The speaker grilles located at the top and bottom of the display also adds a better tone to the overall design form. The light and proximity sensors are located on the left of the earpiece, with a little notification LED placed subtly under the grille. A 2.1MP HD ready camera (1080p @30 fps) with HDR is located on the right side. The volume rocker located on the right hand side of the handset and the power button on the top near the 3.5mm handsfree are quite flushed into the design, which can make them a little hard to use at times. A slightly more prominent protrusion might have been better here. On the left is the micro SIM card slot that can be extracted by using the HTC pin. A microUSB/MHL port is placed at the bottom. While the volume keys might be well-placed, the Power/Sleep key will work great for lefties but will require a bit of a stretch for others to access. Incidentally, the power button also doubles up as an Infrared transmitter so the handset can be used as a remote control.

Available in black, silver and red, the HTC One is truly an inspired design and sexy as hell!

Features and Performance 
Interface
Setup can work directly on the handset or via HTC’s set up website that lets you customise how you have the phone ready for use. It allows users to select apps to be downloaded, choose or create wallpapers etc. and transfer the whole setup to the handset OTA. Of course, you could just do it all via the handset like any Android device as well.

An all-new setup process via the web

HTC’s Sense UI has undergone a drastic change in version 5. It’s no longer as we remember it, but a few functions have managed to slip through so you won’t feel too much in the dark. We have to admit that it took a little while to grow on us, but once we familiarised ourselves with the layout, it was a pleasure to use. The new home screen called BlinkFeed works a little like FlipBoard and acts as a feed reader for all of the sites or topics you choose (for which there is a wide array). It’s neatly laid out for you as soon as you switch the handset on from sleep mode and will keep you constantly updated on all your favourite stuff including your Facebook and Twitter feeds. A little tab at the top allows you to customise this section and also select a specific feed to view if you wish. Our only suggestion to HTC would be to have this option constantly available while scrolling. But to keep it, simply double tap the Home option and you’ll instantly be transported back to the top. Each story is also easily shared via all available mediums.

Sense UI v5 definitely brings some great functionality to the HTC One

Version 5 of Sense UI also lets you create folders in the app drawer, making it much easier to access and sort apps. The weird thing was the Weather and Time widget that’s glued to the top of the BlinkFeed and App Drawer sections. We couldn’t seem to get rid of it and having two clocks displayed, at all times, on the same side of the display seemed fruitless. The dropdown notification menu could have also used a few docked toggle switches to make it easier to switch radios on or off instead of leading us back to the main settings menu.

As usual, Sense UI tries to seamlessly integrate your accounts in the Contacts menu and offers you the options of linking contacts on its own. This can save quite a bit of time.

There’s plenty to like here and with the rich colours of the full HD LCD3 display, the UI really comes alive.

Speed
Saddled with a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 chipset, 2GB of RAM and available with 32GB or 64GB of on board memory (no expansion option), the HTC One proved to be one blazing fast smartphone. It’ll ship with Jelly Bean (v4.1.2) with an update to v4.2 to make it out later on. We’re hoping this will change and HTC will ship the handset with 4.2 when it launches at the end of the month. From accessing apps to quickly loading high quality games and overall super slick functionality, the One easily stands out from the rest.

We ran our usual benchmarks and the scores were through the roof. Linpak scores gave us a whopping 272.5 MFLOPs on a single thread run and hit the 600s with multi thread (averages). Antutu showcased the Galaxy S4 as the only handset to best the One, so we’re eager to see if that’s true. But we compared them to some of the devices we have tested recently, so do take a look at the Nenmark2 and Quadrant scores as well in comparison to the competition:

Sony Xperia ZL

The Xperia ZL is the non-amphibious cousin of the Xperia Z and is currently sitting comfortably without much worry from the competition. We say that because the only other phones close to it are the Lumia 920 and the Galaxy Note II. The Lumia 920 is not much of a competition, unless all you’re looking for is a good low-light capable camera, and the Note II’s size isn’t for everyone. This leaves the ZL sitting pretty at around Rs 36,000. One may argue that it’s best to put a little more and get the Z, which is more feature rich and comes with the tempting IP55/57 certification. But is it really worth it? How much has Sony really compromised with the ZL in order to make it more affordable? Let’s find out.

Design and build
Upfront, the ZL looks quite a bit like the Z, except for the wider ear piece grille and a front camera that finds a new home at the bottom of the handset – a first we’ve come across. The handset also features the same scratch-resistant and shatterproof glass along with the screen guard that comes pre-installed. The phone is heavier than the Z, at 151 g, and that’s because it’s a bit thicker as well, with a depth of 9.8 mm as compared to 7.9 mm of the Z.

Looks good and is built well too

The sides have mirror-finish plastic strips along with a similar button placement. The overall size of the ZL is much smaller than the Z, but Sony has kept the screen size the same. This gives the illusion of a larger screen since the bezel is shaved down quite a bit from all sides. The ZL also enjoys the addition of a cool-looking notification light at the bottom, which pulsates in different colours based on the type of notification.

The rubberised texture at the back offers very good grip

The rear panel has a very nice, grippy finish, which feels and looks a lot better than the Z. The textured back leaves your phone free from scratches and requires less upkeep. The camera, LED flash and speaker grille are placed in a similar fashion as the Z. The microSIM and microSD card slots are now placed at the bottom of the phone under a flap. Overall, we were impressed with the design and finish of the ZL and feel it’s a lot better than the Xperia Z in terms of ease of use and ergonomics.

Features
The display is exactly the same as the one on the Xperia Z, only a little brighter and with more vivid colours. The viewing angles are still pretty average and sunlight legibility is not the best. Sony still gives you the full HD resolution on the 5-inch panel, bringing the overall pixel count to 441 ppi.

The same slick user interface as before

The handset also uses the same Qualcomm APQ8064 quad-core SoC along with a generous 2GB of RAM. The chipset consists of four Krait CPUs running at 1.5GHz each along with Adreno 320 for graphics. Sony gives you 16GB of onboard storage, out of which 11.7GB is usable. You also have the option to expand it via the hot-swap card slot. As far as sensors go, the Xperia ZL packs in a gyroscope, compass and barometer along with the other usual suspects.

Extremely powerful hardware under the hood

The interface is slick and fluid just like the Z. Along with the usual selection of Xperia apps, you even get Sony Music, which lets you stream or download thousands of songs across genres, both international and national. The biggest problem with this app is the lack of search function; you have to manually sort through albums or artistes, which is a real pain. The other app is Sony LIV, which streams local TV serials. The ZL also features an IR port that lets you use it as a remote through the bundled app.

Media
Audio quality is good thanks to the MH-EX300AP stock in-ear headphones. The headphones have a snug fit and produce deep bass while providing good noise isolation. Sound enhancements are present in the form of ClearAudio+, which automatically amplifies the sound, or you could fine tune the settings through a 5-band graphic equaliser along with features such as Clear Stereo, Clear phase, xLOUD and Dynamic normaliser – all of which are designed to boost frequencies and make your audio experience more pleasurable.

Media playback is good

The video player won’t read WMV, FLV and some AVI files, but everything else, including MKV files, work just fine. Video playback does not cause the phone to heat up as much as the Z did; it gets a little warm, but that’s about it. The speaker is quite a bit louder, although we noticed a bit of tearing even for alerts at high volumes.

Samsung preparing to rollout 5G by 2020

While 3G isn’t yet a rage and 4G is still at a nascent stage in India, the next generation of mobile technology is already said to be in the works. Samsung claims that it has developed the core technology of the fifth generation, or 5G network, and plans to make it available for consumers by 2020, reports Korea's Yonhap News Agency. Needless to say, we can expect 5G to allow much faster data access (streaming) compared to the current 4G networks. Reportedly, Samsung claims that 5G would allow customers to download an entire movie in less than a second.

5G in the works

The download and upload data speeds are likely to be up to tens of gigabits per second (Gbps). This is way higher than 75 megabits per second (Mbps) data transfer rate offered by 3G services. The company has currently tested the platform with 28GHz waveband to transmit data at a speed of 1Gbps. This was considered to be a Herculean task earlier. Samsung reportedly used 64 antenna elements to overcome the issue, which enabled the device to exchange real-time signals under the platform. 

3G and 4G wireless data transfers no more seem to be lightening fast. Samsung isn't the only one working on 5G technology. The industry (developed nations) has been vying for the next generation of technology. China and the European Union have been putting in efforts and, obviously, lots of cash into the development of the next generation mobile technology. Earlier in February, NTT DoCoMo had confirmed to have successfully conducted a 10Gbps wireless test in Ishigaki with the help of the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Though it relied on frequencies and bandwidth outside the usual cellular service (11GHz band with 400MHz of spectrum), it showed the possibility of higher speeds than LTE and LTE-Advanced. NTT Docomo’s test used 24 antennas to maintain the link and hopes for similar speed in frequencies over 5GHz in mobile communication too.

It is still unclear whether the 5G technology will be reaching us in the next few years, but it is nice to know that 4G won't be the end to faster mobile data transfers.

XOLO launches Q700 quad-core smartphone

XOLO has launched its Q700 smartphone, its second quad-core offering, in the Indian market for Rs 9,999. The XOLO Q700 smartphone is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and runs on the Android Jelly Bean (v4.2).

The smartphone sports a 4.5-inch display with One Glass Solution (OGS) Technology, which, according to the company, makes the display extremely vibrant while making the touch experience of the device more responsive. It can play 720p videos too. The smartphone comes with 1GB of RAM. The XOLO Q700 is fuelled by a 2400 mAh battery. The XOLO Q700 sports a 5MP rear camera and a VGA front camera. The rear camera comes with BSI sensor technology, which delivers advanced imaging capabilities.

Company's second quad-core handset

Here's a quick look at the specs of the XOLO Q700:

• 4.5-inch qHD IPS display with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels with 245 ppi
• Dual SIM (GSM+GSM)
• 5 MP rear camera with BSI sensor technology
• USB OTG v2.0 HS (Enabled)
• 4GB internal memory + expandable up to 32GB

XOLO is offering its Q700 smartphone in two colours – stylish Coffee Brown and Trendy Blue. The company plans to launch a full range of smartphones with quad–core processors under its new QCORE series.

XOLO has introduced XOLO Unlimited, which gives its users an access to three special apps – XOLO Switch, XOLO Secure and XOLO Power. XOLO Q700 will come pre-loaded with XOLO Unlimited and currently, it is exclusively available on Q700 only.

XOLO Switch:
Multitask with Multiprofile – XOLO Switch allows users to create up to four profiles with distinctive identity with different Lock screen, applications and wallpapers. They can change profiles with a flick. It offers ability to use same application with different identities; for instance, you can have different facebook or Gmail login in different profiles without the need of logging out from one account.

It also offers a Kids Mode, which is also a first for any android smartphone. The Kids Mode comes with parental controls and Kids tube, which filters user generated content for safer access.

XOLO Secure:
XOLO Secure offers enterprise level security to its users. It comes with following features:

• Complete control by single SMS
• Remotely lock and wipe phone data
• Cloud backup for SMS and call log
• Alerts on SIM change
• Remote lock
• Track device location

XOLO Power:
XOLO Power offers features that will allow its user to get more out of its battery by optimising the power consumption. It offers longer usage of battery by synchronising the data consumption. It comes with a Night mode to reduce power consumption. It also allows to "Detect and kill background apps by a single click" and "Real time CPU load analysis".

Nokia Lumia 625

Nokia seems to be rushing to expand its Lumia line-up. Reports are popping up of a new smartphone in the making, dubbed the Lumia 625. According to GSMInsider, it is set to sport a 4.7-inch screen, thus making it one of the largest phones in the Windows Phone 8 line-up. It will run on a dual-core MSM8690 Snapdragon S4 processor by Qualcomm.

The resolution on the display will be 800 x 480 pixels, which is disappointing considering the rather large size of the screen. The low resolution is especially puzzling considering the fact that unlike Windows Phone 7, Windows Phone 8 does have support for higher resolutions, including WXGA resolution (1280 x 768).

The Lumia 625 will be one of the biggest Windows Phone devices yet

Information about Nokia's other upcoming handsets – the Lumia 925 and 928 – have been revealed earlier. According to earlier reports, Lumia 925 will come with a slimmer, lighter aluminium body. Interestingly, the Lumia 928 and Lumia 925 are both said to have similar internals: a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, a 4.5-inch screen with resolution of 768 x 1280 pixels, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.

Both the Lumia 925 and 928 reportedly also have a camera with an 8.7-megapixel sensor and an f/2.0 aperture for good shots even in poorly lit conditions. Both the Lumia 928 and the Lumia 925 will be fuelled by a 2000 mAh non-removable battery.

We've also been hearing rumours about another Nokia phone called the Lumia EOS. This smartphone supposedly has a 41 megapixel camera, which makes it the Windows Phone version of the Nokia PureView 808. If this phone does exist, we expect it to have a better camera app and interface than the Symbian PureView 808, which left a lot to be desired. It'll be interesting to see what Nokia comes up with if it indeed has a phone that combines Windows Phone 8 with a 41 megapixel camera.

Sony Xperia SP

Sony’s taking its successful Z and ZL designs down a notch to mid-range phones and the Xperia SP is the first in line to get that treatment. This mid-range droid is designed to offer consumers high-performance on a budget and from the specification list, it seems to have that in spades. Retailing for a little under Rs 25,000, the Xperia SP locks horns with past favourites like the HTC One S, the HTC One X and, taking the price up a notch, even the Samsung Galaxy S3. Before our full review of the handset, here’s a quick first impression of the SP after playing with it for a few hours.

Aluminium chassis is a great design choice
The SP is available in both black and white and between the two, we’d take the white any day of the week. Unlike the plastic-laden Z and ZL, the SP uses an aluminium frame that adds some weight but feels really sturdy and well-built when you hold it. The single piece of aluminium bezel gives it a very elegant and premium look and feel. The antenna is placed at the bottom and there’s a small transparent strip that lights up in different colours depending on the notification or music being played. The buttons are crafted out of aluminium too and completes the look of the handset nicely.

he display is a bit of a letdown, once again. It has the right pixel density (around 319 ppi), but lacks any punch or vibrancy – compared to the displays of the above mentioned phones, it seems a bit dull.

Connecting the Playstation Controller
One of the attractions of the SP is its ability to pair with a Playstation 3 controller, turning the phone into a full-blown gaming machine. The trouble with this is that you need a microUSB to miniUSB cable for a wired connection before you can connect them via Bluetooth, and the cable isn’t provided in the box. This is a similar procedure we follow to sync the controller to the PS3 the very first time. However, this only seems to work with games that are Playstation Certified, so the popular ones won’t work out-of-the-box.

Light show on the move
The other neat (or annoying ) feature is the “illuminating belt”, as Sony likes to call it. This transparent strip flashes in different colours depending on the type of notifications. You can either turn this off entirely or choose which notifications light up. This also works in the music player and changes according to the rhythm. The colour of the light changes depending on the album art displayed. It’s rather gimmicky for the most part but does come in handy to identify various alerts instantly.

A powerful and well-crafted handset
The Sony Xperia SP is easily the best-designed handset in Sony's new line-up. It has a rock solid build and is packed to the gills with features. It is also incredibly powerful for a dual-core phone, so much so that it comes very close to the Galaxy S3. Add to that expandable memory, NFC, GLONASS, a good 8MP camera and a big battery, and the SP emerges as a really good value for money smartphone. We’ve yet to put it through the grind, but from what we’ve seen, the SP has a bright future. 

Nokia Asha 501

Nokia has just refreshed its Asha series by announcing the brand new Asha 501. The phone is slated to hit markets sometime in June for under Rs 6,000 and is an attempt to spark new interest in the S40 platform. The revamped UI gives this ageing platform a breath of fresh air and also gives first time smartphone buyers a better experience compared to lower-end Androids. Let’s break down the specifications to see what’s what.

OS – New Asha platform
The new Asha platform borrows a lot of design elements from MeeGo in order to give users a fresh new look. This also means that developers will have to code apps separately for this new platform or port existing apps over. Luckily, the Asha 501 comes with all the bare essential apps like Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, LinkedIn, eBuddy, WeChat, Nimbuzz etc. with lots more to follow. Nokia’s HERE Maps will also be making its way to the platform soon.

Cellular connectivity – Dual-SIM support but no 3G
The Asha 501 will come in both single and dual-SIM variants, but we’re not entirely sure if we’ll get both variants. In order to keep the costs down, 3G support has been removed. This is not a big deal since most phones in this price range don’t support 3G and it’s not a high priority for the target audience either.

Display – 3-inch TFT LCD
A 3-inch display is what you get with the Nokia 501, which seems about right given the price point. We’ve seen similar-sized screens on Android devices costing a lot more just a year back, so this is still acceptable. The resolution is just 240 x 320, but the OS is designed in such a way that pixels aren’t very apparent despite the low pixel density of the screen.

Form factor – One of the best we have seen in this price range
The most appealing part of the 501 is its design, which looks like its made of Play-doh. It actually reminds us of a Chiclet from the back. The 501 also sports removable covers and bold colours just like the Lumia range. In fact, it’s not by accident that the 501 looks similar to the Lumia 520, both in design and numbering.

Connectivity – Wi-Fi b/g and Bluetooth
The Asha 501 gives you basic connectivity options like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There’s also a microUSB port for charging and data transfers. Sadly, we don’t have Wi-Fi ‘n’ onboard. There’s no mention of the type of SoC used or even the speed of the processor yet. The handset will come with 64MB of RAM, which seems a little less, so we’ll wait and see how this copes up during real world usage.  

Storage – 4GB microSD card in the box
Once again, Nokia hasn’t specified the internal storage, so we doubt there’s any usable storage. You do get support for up to 32GB external memory via microSD cards – and there's a 4GB card in the box.

Cameras – 3.2MP shooter
There’s only the rear 3.2MP camera sans flash and auto-focus. This should be just about okay for that occasional capture. Video recording maxes out at QVGA, so it’s not exactly ideal but gets the job done.

Sensors – Only proximity and accelerometer
Given that it’s a budget phone, Nokia has bundled just the basic sensors in the Asha 501.

Battery – 1200 mAh Li-ion battery
The Asha 501 is fitted with a massive 1200 mAh battery and according to Nokia, the phone can deliver up to 17 hours of talk time. This is going to be the biggest hook for the Asha 501 and could sway many potential buyers towards this instead of an Android.

The bottom line
The Asha 501 looks like a very promising handset for Nokia, especially since there aren’t many good options down in this price segment. We have Android smartphones in this price range, but the experience is not a very pleasant one – not something we’d recommend. Nokia’s Asha 501 may not have the multi-tasking capabilities of, say, Jelly Bean or ICS, but for its target audience, that’s quite irrelevant. A person who buys an Asha 501 is not looking to play the latest game or expecting a thrilling multimedia experience. He or she just wants a few basic apps for social networking, instant messaging, little web browsing and good battery life, and the 501 manages to check all those boxes.

Samsung Galaxy Grand

The Galaxy Grand is Samsung’s attempt to woo those who can’t afford a top-end device like the Galaxy Note II. It costs Rs 21,500, which is almost twice as expensive as its low-cost rivals, but it’s the most-affordable option if you’re looking for a device from a tier 1 brand. Currently, the Galaxy Grand doesn’t face any competition from other tier 1 brands, but you may want to know how much better it is than the low-cost devices that offer similar specifications. Here’s a breakdown of the specifications to give you an idea how it compares with the closest competition.  

OS – Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

Very few current-generation low-cost Android phablets come preloaded with Android Jelly Bean; most of them come with Android ICS—however, you get the OS in the stock form. The Galaxy Grand runs Jelly Bean out of the box and not to mention, it boasts features found in the higher-end Galaxy handsets, such as Smart Stay, Pop up Play and Direct Call.

Cellular network – Dual SIM GSM and 3G 

The Galaxy Grand is the first phablet from a tier 1 brand to offer dual-SIM capability in the sub-Rs 20,000 price band. Quad-band 2G is supported by both the SIM card slots, whereas 3G connectivity is supported only in the SIM1 slot.

Display – 5-inch WVGA

An HD display would have made the Galaxy Grand a killer deal, but unfortunately, it sports a 5-inch WVGA display that has a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. On the other hand, you have the Micromax Canvas HD with a 720p IPS LCD. The pixel density of Galaxy Grand’s display is 187 ppi as against 294 ppi in the Canvas HD—that’s a difference of a good 107 ppi or 57 percent in density! That doesn’t mean it’s bad; there’s ample real estate for viewing web pages and documents comfortably and videos are enjoyable on the large 5-inch display.

Form factor and weight – a tad lighter than the Note II

Weighing in at 162 grams, Galaxy Grand is 20 grams lighter than Note II. It’s also a few millimetres less in height and width, but the Note II is slimmer than the Grand by a fraction of a millimetre.

Wi-Fi – Dual-band, 802.11 ‘n’

Like the Nokia Lumia 620, the Galaxy Grand is one of the few handsets in its segment to feature dual-band Wi-Fi ‘n’. So, if your router supports 5GHz wireless band, you can harness much faster connectivity.

SoC

This is grey area and we shall be able to give a clear picture only when we get our hands on the device. We got in touch with Samsung for exact details of the SoC this device uses, but we didn’t get any answer. For now, we can only say it’s powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. According to one source who captured a glimpse of the Galaxy Grand at the Broadcom booth at the CES 2013, it’s quite evident that it’s powered by the Broadcom BCM28155 SoC. It comprises a pair of ARM Cortex-A9 cores and Broadcom’s own VideoCore-IV graphics engine for 2D and 3D acceleration.

Storage – 8GB with the option to expand by up to 64GB

Here, Galaxy Grand has an upper hand over Micromax Canvas HD. Firstly, Galaxy Grand packs 8GB of built-in storage, which is twice as much as in Canvas HD. And secondly, in contrast to microSD expansion of up to 32GB in Canvas HD, Galaxy Grand can take up to a 64GB microSD card.

Primary camera – 8MP with LED flash

The 8MP primary camera featured in the Galaxy Grand has the same resolution as the one featured in Note II. There’s LED flash and digital image stabilisation to help you take clear shots in low light. Videos can be recorded at 1080p at 30fps. The Canvas HD too features an 8MP camera with LED flash, but only our hands-on tests will reveal which of the two takes better photos. Also, the secondary front camera in the Galaxy Grand is a 2MP one as against the VGA camera in the Canvas HD.

Sensors – Gyro, compass and more

The Galaxy Grand comes armed with sensors that will be of most use to the end user—accelerometer, gyro, proximity and compass. The list excludes barometer, but it’s fair for an entry-level phablet.

Battery – Li-ion 2100mAh

Both, the Galaxy Grand and Canvas HD feature a hefty 2100 Li-ion mAh battery to provide decent amount of talk time in addition to fuelling other tasks such as media playback, web browsing, gaming and so on. The Note II packs a 3100 mAh battery and it lasted for over two days without the need for a charge. Our test (click here for full review of Note II) revealed it played a 720p video in loop for over 12 hours without any hiccup.

The bottom line

Off late, we’ve seen many low-cost Android phablets (such as Micromax Canvas 2 and Lava Iris 501) featuring a dual-core processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB of internal storage and at least a 5 megapixel camera—you can buy one for around Rs 11,000. Cough up another few thousand rupees and you can buy a more feature rich device like the Canvas HD. However, if you’re reluctant to consider a lower-tier brand and don’t want to look beyond top-tier brands, the Galaxy Grand is for you. The specifications look good on paper, and the price point is sweet!

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 tips and Tricks

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 can be mastered with these tips, tricks and hacks

The Galaxy Note 2 is one of our favorite phones around, as we absolutely loved it in our review.
Best apps for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

How to take a screen shot on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

The Galaxy Note 2 lets you take screen shots with a simple command. By holding down the power button and the home button for about two seconds, you'll take a screen shot. That screen shot will then be found in your Gallery and a neat feature of the Galaxy Note 2 is that immediately after you take the screen shot, you can pull down the notification bar and quickly share it with your contacts.
This isnt the only way to take a screen shot but we'll cover that in the S Pen section.

How to install apps from a computer on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

A really cool feature of Android is that you can browse the Web and push apps directly to your phone. Simply register your Galaxy Note 2 with your Google account and when you click Install, you'll have the option to send to your device. Click on the Galaxy Note 2 from the drop-down box and the app will install over the air. It really does feel like magic some times.
While you're looking for apps, be sure to check out the Best apps for Galaxy Note 2.

How to install apps from a non-Play store on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

While the Google Play Store is great, Android allows you to go to a variety of third-party app stores for new programs. Amazon and GetJar are two great app stores that you can't download programs from with the default settings. Go into Settings, tap "Security" and then check the box that lets you install from "Unknown sources."
Be warned that this can open you up to some potential vulnerabilities, so be careful where you download from. For the most part, any well-known app store should be fine but you do potentially risk opening yourself up to malware.

How to add an app on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2's home screen

While we're on apps, once you've downloaded an app, you can easily throw it on your home screen. From the app tray, just long press on the app for about two seconds and you can then drag it to your home screen.

How to delete an app on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2strong>

Not all apps work out, so if you want to delete one just open up your app tray. Long press the app like you're going to put it on your home screen but then drag it to the "app info" section and then click on Uninstall

How to set a data limit on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

With AT&T and Verizon implementing shared data plans, users may want to set a strict data limit on their Galaxy Note 2. This is quite easy to do: Go into Settings, tap "Data usage" and then click on the box that says "Set mobile data limit." You can slide the bar up and down to set your limit.

How to set up and use Smart Stay on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2strong>

A truly cool feature of the Galaxy Note 2 is the Smart Stay feature: This uses the front-facing camera to track your eyes to make sure the screen doesn't turn off if you're reading. To activate this, go into Settings, scroll down to "Display" and then tap it. Go to the menu called "Features" and then click on the Smart Stay check box.

How to put your Samsung Galaxy Note 2 in easy mode

Android offers a ton of flexibility to customize your home screens, but if you don't want to bother with the fuss, Samsung has included an "Easy mode" that will set up your screens with widgets, frequently used apps and more. You can set this up when you first turn on the phone or find it through the Settings.

How to use Smart rotation on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Another nifty bit of software on the Galaxy Note 2 is a way to make sure the screen display direction adjusts to your angle of sight. This is called Smart rotation, and you activate this by going into "Settings," tap on "Display," tap on "Features" and then hit the "Smart rotation check box.

How to use S Voice

on the

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Despite its robot-like voice, S Voice on the Galaxy Note is an awesome little intelligent assistant. You speak to it and it helps you. It's sort of like Siri, but not as good.
For instance, speaking words such as “Call Dad,” will prompt S Voice to call your Dad. You can also ask for the weather, amongst other things.
Unfortunately, setting up S Voice can be a bit a bit tricky, especially for a novice Galaxy owner. That being said, we've pared it down for you into some very easy steps.
To set up Samsung S Voice on your Note 2, follow the steps below:

1. From the Galaxy Note home screen, select Applications.
2. From the Applications screen, select S Voice.
3. After selecting S Voice, a brief tutorial will begin.
4. After the tutorial, you will be asked, "What would you like to do?"
5. Next, command the device however you want or ask to set the alarm.
6. That's it. To access S Voice at any time say "Hello, Galaxy" or double-tap the home button

How to use pop-up note on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

If you plan to use the S Pen a lot to take hand-written notes, then you can set up the phone to automatically use the Pop-up Note app whenever you take the S Pen out. You can enable this by going to Settings, then going to "S Pen Settings."

How to take a screen shot with S Pen on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

You can take a screen shot with the above method but the S Pen can also help you take a screen grab. To take a screen shot with the S Pen, you can hold it against the screen for about two seconds. You can also trace sections of the screen if you only want to take a partial screen shot.

How to use Quick Command on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

A great little feature of the S Pen is the ability to use the Quick Command function to use the stylus to open up new apps. Once this is turned on in the "S Pen Settings," holding the S Pen button and swiping upward will open up a command dialogue box. There are pre-set gestures to do things like turn on Wi-Fi or you can even create your own.

How to prevent losing the S Pen on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

If you're worried about losing your S Pen, you'll be happy to know that Samsung has put in some nice software to try and minimize the chances of that happening. In the Settings menu, you can set up the phone to vibrate every time you're more than 10 feet away from the stylus. It doesn't guarantee that you won't lose it but it's some nice insurance against that.

How to use Air View on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

One of the best things about Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 is the two digitizers it has. With it you can use the S Pen and a whole lot of other features that simply wouldn't be possible. One of the coolest of these features is without a doubt Samsung Air View.
Just what is Samsung Air View you ask? It's a feature that lets your Note 2 recognize when you're hovering your S Pen over the screen. With no press necessary, a little indicator appears to let you know you're in hovering distance. This hovering shows information in a small pop up window that can be moved. It's great.
Anyways, if Air View sounds like something you interested in learning about, just follow our guide. We show where, when and how to use it.

• Go to the Settings app.
• In the app, scroll down and tap S-Pen.
• Inside you will see an entire section titled Air View. Toggle Air View to the right.
• To control specific Air View features, tap the actual words themselves. Pointer, Information preview, Icon labels  and List scrolling are all options.
• Overall, you will need to do some investigating. You will see Air View is compatible with almost all Samsung Apps and some third-party apps.
• To begin using Air View, simply hover the S Pen over the Note 2's screen. It's that easy! Enjoy exploring!

How to scribble personalized email signature on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Want to make your email stand out with a hand-written signature? Well, the S Pen will let you do that within the native Android email app. When you're done composing your email, click on the S Pen bun and then draw within the body of that message.

How to write on your photos with the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Your S Pen can let you annotate pictures and this is done by opening pictures, holding the button on the stylus and writing away. You can even write notes on the "back" of photos by opening a photo, hitting Menu and then choosing the "Draw on Image" option. These notes will be saved in your Gallery and you'll be able to see which pictures have a note, thanks to an icon on the corners.

How to boost battery life on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Even though the Galaxy Note 2 has a massive battery, you can always get more out of it with a few tips. Turn your screen brightness down if you can stand it and having the Smart Stay option on will mean you won't have to worry about your phone turning off when you're reading stuff.
If you're willing to fiddle with your Galaxy Note 2 often, then you can really extend your battery life by switching off your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS when you're not using them. Additionally, if you set your email to sync manually, that can give you a bit more juice.
The last tip I'll give on battery life on the Galaxy Note 2 is that it comes with a removeable battery, so take advantage of it if you're going to be in a situation where charging options will be few and far between. An extra battery can cost as little as $30 and it could pay for itself if it helps you stay connected in a tight situation.

How to use one-handed keyboard on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

The Galaxy Note 2 is quite a large phone and that big keyboard can be nice for typing but it's still tough to handle with one hand. Thankfully, Samsung has installed a mode for one-handed operation and this will push the keyboard to the right or left side of the screen, depending on your preferences. You can turn this on by going to Settings, tap on Language input and then on keyboard.

How to set up a passcode lock screen on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

The Galaxy Note 2 can be more secure with a passcode set on the lock screen and it's simple to set up. Go into Settings, scroll down to Lockscreen, select "Screen lock," then PIN and then enter in your four-digit passcode or alphanumeric password. Retype your password for confirmation and then you're all set.

How to customize the lock screen on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Once your lock screen has a passcode, don't forget that you can customize it with things like information tickers, clocks, widgets and shortcuts. To do this, go into Settings, tap on "Security," click on "Lock screen options" and then you can set up your lock screen however you desire.

How to use Motion controls on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has multiple ways you can interact with it and one of these is called Motion controls. This can let you do things like zooming in by holding two points on the phone and then tilting back and forth. These Motion control options will pop up when applicable and hitting "Enable motion" will let you use them. If you don't want them be sure to check the "Do not show again" box.

 

iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 Release Date

iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 Release Date Soon Based on Parts Supply

iPhone 6 or iPhone 5S release date could be soon, depending on supply chain

We are keeping a close eye on iPhone 5S or iPhone 6 release dates as we anticipate a summer release. That would put it ahead of its now usual fall schedule, but based on rumors coming from parts supply chains, the iPhone 5S/iPhone 6 could end up back with a fall launch since reports say production would begin around July. Chinese partners and manufacturers are just waiting for parts in the supply chain, and there may be a very small chance that there will be two iPhones launching at once.
One of the two could be a cheaper iPhone, which is the recurring theme every single year. Could the iPhone 5S be the cheaper model while the iPhone 6 is the new flagship? Generally, the cheaper iPhone tends to be an 8GB or 16GB model of the previous year's iPhone. So if there were to be an iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 launch, it would change that normal course. I'd anticipate an iPhone 5S with the iPhone 5 at 16GB selling for around $99 if we're to go with Apple's history.
Earlier today the rumor said that the cheaper iPhone would have plastic parts, which is a little hard to believe, but not beyond the realm of reality. It's not like Apple hasn't used plastic before with its 3G and 3GS models.
Then there is the whole business about an iPhone 6 launching. We've heard plenty of rumors and speculation talking about its camera, retina display and other parts, but historically, Apple has launched an "S" version of the iPhone following a new iteration of the device. This would mean that an iPhone 5S is far more likely than an iPhone 6 launch this year. We've even mentioned it in an article before: it's not likely to happen any time before summer 2014.
But if you insist on keeping an eye on the latest and greatest and unreleased model, we have a page where we constantly update any news and tidbits we get for the iPhone 6, so check it out and keep it bookmarked.

 

Samsung Galaxy S4 Problems

Samsung Galaxy S4 problems with battery, display and memory 

Having issues with your Galaxy S4? Here's what you need to know

Well, that didn't take long. Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone has only been available since April and it's already being slammed with complaints. New owners of the Galaxy S4 have reportedly experienced issues with the very features that helped the device rise to Android fame including battery life, display and internal memory.
The IBTimes writes:
"Many of the features that made the Samsung Galaxy S4 one of the most anticipated phones in recent history -- such as its 5-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD Super AMOLED display, its powerful processors (Samsung Exynos 5 Octa in the international version and Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 in the U.S. version) and 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage options -- are now bringing grief to those who rushed to purchase the fourth-generation Galaxy S series smartphone upon its late April release."
According to the report, Samsung's Galaxy S4 battery -- the 2,600 mAh Li-Ion -- can't handle much at all. S4 owners have purportedly complained that the phone's battery life is "quickly exhausted overnight," dropping to less than a 50 percent charge by the time morning rolls around. Power-hungry apps like Google Play Music and Media Server aren't helping, either.
It has been noted that this battery drain problem might not actually be the phone itself, but rather a glitch with Google's Android 4.2 OS. If the battery issue ends up being a big one, it could be a simple matter of releasing a bug-fix update. If you own a Galaxy S4, you can also look into an extended battery or an external power source.
As for the display, it's purportedly having some kind of color identity crisis. In the XDA-Developers forum, some Galaxy S4 owners have complained about smearing and ghosting when scrolling on the device. According to the complaints, some darker colors appear purple.
And then there's the Galaxy S4 memory issue. The report notes that some owners of the 16GB version have complained that roughly half of the internal memory on their S4 is being consumed by built-in apps. Some of Samsung's new software features are purportedly eating up a painfully noticeable amount of storage. But Samsung has already acknowledged this in a way, when it told CNET that 6.85GB of internal memory is used up by innovative apps and the phone's hi-res display. Samsung has responded to these complaints by suggesting that Galaxy S4 owners opt for a microSD card.
Overall, complaints with Samsung's Galaxy S4 aren't totally shocking and are likely not enough to be a deal breaker for Android fans. Let us know what you think. Have you experienced problems with your Galaxy S4? Are any of the aforementioned issues enough to make you consider a different smartphone altogether?