Forget about Net Neutrality – What India really needs is deeper data penetration

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Forget about Net Neutrality – What India really needs is deeper data penetration

In the past few weeks a lot has been spoken and written about Net Neutrality and everyone is defending “Internet Freedom” in India. The critical question yet unanswered is, are we approaching the subject with a clear understanding?

Net Neutrality as explained widely is the Internet’s guiding principle: It preserves our right to communicate freely online. This is the definition of an Open Internet. Net Neutrality is the principle that data on the internet is moved blindly and impartially without regard to content, destination or source.

It is difficult to argue against the definition above as it would mean that subscribers can be charged separately for using various applications even if they have paid for the Internet Data pack and also enable ISP to regulate the speed of the sites and create fast pay lanes. It surely does not sound wise and therefore it is safe to accept that Net Neutrality should be adopted.

Now let us extend the logic of the activists’ argument and assess the issue. Isn’t preferential treatment given to customers a part of well-accepted business practices, which have been used by businesses big and small from time immemorial? Then why are we propagating net neutrality to be unethical.

My whole argument against net neutrality and the debate around the subject is based on the premise that we first need to make internet available to the huge block of population in India and then address the issue of price discrimination.

While I fully subscribe to the fact the that this so called info “highway” is crucial for not only small time business owners, start-ups and entrepreneurs who rely upon it to launch and monetize their offerings, create a market and distribute their wares, soft or hard. The highway is also equally important for the large businesses that could have a separate business need (read speed, type of connectivity, quality of service etc.) for the customers and services that demand a separate handling because of nuances of the business.

While the concept of free and open internet may sound right- In practice, it is important to understand that the impact of some sites/apps that demand great bandwidth can have an adverse effect on the overall user experience. For example, it makes sense to allow ISP/ telecom companies to charge extra for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services, which clog up a lot of bandwidth. These services end up slowing down access to the basic services that less economically-privileged citizens need more. This isn’t simply a matter of profitability; the question is how to maximize the efficiency of limited bandwidth. Therefore ISP should take a more active role in managing bandwidth for the sake of optimal experiences for users’ and services. This is also where a democratic regulation comes in with all interests being protected.

Hence the real need is of a Service level agreement (SLA) based regulation that governs and dictates various levels of quality of internet connectivity and mostly importantly service providers adhere to it. With regulations in place, I think it is fair to have a legitimate differential pricing regime for either the quality or the consumption of service.

Rajesh-Razdan,-Founder-&-CEO,-mCarbon

Author: Rajesh Razdan, Founder & CEO, mCarbon

Panasonic brings two new 4K video cameras (WX970 and VX870) to India

Sulabh Puri
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Panasonic brings two new 4K video cameras (WX970 and VX870) to India

The video camera market has been in a bit of a slump since a little while, as most users end up using the handy smartphone to capture any and every type of videos. However, a smartphone can never give you the same kind of experience and picture quality a standalone video camera can.

Panasonic has recently launched two new 4K ready video cameras that can knock your socks off (and maybe in the process burn a hole in your pocket). Called the WX970 and VX870, the new camcorders are capable of capturing videos in Ultra-HD.

So the major difference between the two is that the WX970 has an additional 180 degree rotating camera on the side of the screen that can capture picture in picture and also take selfies. This feature is missing in the the VX870. The rest of the features are pretty much even.

Both can zoom 20 times optically and have a camera action ring on the side. 18.9 MP sensor is available on both of them to capture videos and pictures in ultra high-def. Features like wind zoom shield MIC, Wi-Fi and NFC are also available on these video cameras. The rechargeable battery gives backup of 60 minutes approximately.

The price of the flagship model Panasonic WX970 is 84,990. The VX870 can be picked up for Rs 74,990.

Toreto introduces Sound Around, a Bluetooth speaker system with FM

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Toreto introduces Sound Around, a Bluetooth speaker system with FM

After Sony and House of Marley, it is the turn of Tereto to bring its set of Bluetooth speakers to India. The look of the Toreto Sound Around Bluetooth speaker is pretty much similar to an old FM radio. It brings out that nostalgic feeling in us.

These clever little speakers can store up to 20 FM channels and can pair up with any smartphone that has Bluetooth in it. Sound Around can play music from any cell phone from as far as 30 feet. A LED display is also available on this BT stereo system for ease of use.

An 1,800 mAh battery come within the box that keeps Toreto Sound Around alive for 4 hours. Then one has to simply plug and recharge its juices, while the music still plays on.

Commenting on the new launch of Bluetooth speaker, Director, Toreto, Mr. Vikas Swarnakar says, “We are proud to add Sound Around to our range of Bluetooth speakers. The combination in design and premium sound quality makes it look quite distinguished”.

The Toreto Sound around is available for Rs 6,499 and come with a 1 year warranty.

Features at a glance:

  • Compact and Lightweight: Sound Around is a portable Bluetooth speaker with LED display. It pairs to your Smartphone or tablets with ease, enabling you to listen to all your audio with unmatched sound and quality.
  • Wireless Connectivity: can play music 30 feet away from your smartphone, or other Bluetooth devices. One can also use the 3.5mm stereo cable to listen to devices that aren’t Bluetooth enabled.
  • FM Radio: it also features FM with telescopic antenna. It can scan and store 20 FM channels.
  • Superior Sound Quality: thanks to superior engineering, including an active Sub-woofer and enhanced bass-reflex system, Sound Around delivers exceptional sound and optimal clarity.
  • Battery: can play up to 4 hours, there’s an 1800-mAh Li-ion battery within the system.

Reliance inks deal with Huawei to bundle services with 4G smartphones

Sulabh Puri
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Reliance inks deal with Huawei to bundle services with 4G smartphones

It is quite interesting to see the whole Reliance JIO and its 4G services scenario unfurl slowly. They do seem like the preferred choice (at least on papers) when it comes to 4G services. Reports have surfaced that Reliance JIO has signed a deal with the Chinese mobile phone manufacturer Huawei to bundle their services with Huawei’s 4G phones.

Reliance already has plans to launch its 4G services in over 5,000 Indian cities and towns along with over 200,000 villages, making them the largest supplier of 4G services and network in the country. They will cover more than 90% of the country with their new network.

The exact amount of the deal is still unknown as industry insiders are still silent on it. However, sources do say the deal is one of the biggest as far as 4G is concerned.

Reliance JIO seems to be pretty much set in the way they want to bring the services to India. We do reckon they will get some more phone vendors on board before they officially launch their 4G network in the coming months.

 

Image: Freeimages.com

Windows 10 for phones will come after Windows 10 for PC is rolled out. Out for preview right now.

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Windows 10 for phones will come after Windows 10 for PC is rolled out. Out for preview right now.

Good news Windows lovers, Microsoft has finally announced a new build for Windows 10 for phones. So, what this means is that you would get to play around with a lot of new features of Windows 10 provided you are a part of the company’s preview programme. The update is available on Lumia 930/Lumia Icon, Lumia 640 and 640XL. And if you don’t own a Lumia, then don’t get disheartened if you are a proud owner of HTC One M8 as the Windows update will be available for this device as well.

All said and done, what else a little birdie told us is that Microsoft would roll out Windows 10 for PCs first and then for phones.

Among all the feature that you can expect in the updated Windows, here is a glimpse at the primary ones:

1.       Windows Store Beta, which will be similar to Store Beta on the Windows 10 for PCs and has a new visual design.

2.       Universal Office apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote Preview and Xbox app, the Music Preview app and the Video Preview app.

3.       A new camera app having the following features: HDR, video stabilization for video and face-based autofocus.

For more information on Windows 10, stay tuned with us!

Reliance to role out 4G services soon?

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Reliance to role out 4G services soon?

We Indians haven’t started exploiting 3G yet, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping Indian telecom operators from bringing 4G to India soon. Few months ago, the 4G bandwidth auction had happened and now telecom operators are getting back to the basics—that is getting the infrastructure up and running for the technology. According to news sources, Reliance Industries Ltd’s telecom arm Reliance Jio Infocomm is already talking to some of the Chinese mobile device makers for bundling their products with its 4G services.

A top official of a Chinese mobile devices firm told PTI that they have signed a non-disclosure agreement with RJio, but didn’t divulge any further details.

When PTI contacted, an RJio spokesperson, they were being told: “Reliance Jio is actively working with all major handset device manufacturers to ensure and certify their phones for use on Jio network and shall ensure adequate availability of phones in entire
price range.”

Reliance Jio also has a programme in place to work with all major manufactures to ensure that future releases of phones are pre-certified and are fully compatible with Reliance Jio 4G, the spokesperson added.

RJio has announced its plan to launch 4G service across all states, around 5,000 towns and cities, accounting for over 90% of urban India and over 215,000 villages this year.

The PTI report further adds, “As per the rules, August 31 is deadline for all companies which won BWA spectrum in 2010, including RJio, to roll out the services in at least 90% of the service areas, failing which the Department of Telecom will have the right to withdraw the
radio waves.”

Inputs source: http://www.ptinews.com/

Google Fit the Android OS app undergoes surgery comes out very beautiful

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Google Fit the Android OS app undergoes surgery comes out very beautiful

Many smartphone users have fitness apps downloaded on their phones and pretty much use them religiously. Google did realise this fact a little while back and released its own fitness app called Google Fit. The application was specifically made for Android driven phones and seemed very interesting. However, couple of things were missing from the application like the calorie meter.

Google has updated the app now and new additions make Google Fit app even better. Besides calorie counter Google has added estimated distance travelled by the user in this version of the app too.

Google’s official blog did say ‘’To help you keep track of how far you’ve come, Google Fit now estimates distance and calories burned. Simply update your profile to include gender, height and weight and we’ll let you know how far you’ve gone and estimated calories you’ve burned off throughout the day and during your workouts.’’

The new app seems quite user friendly and people who use Android wear smartwatch can also use the new version on it. A new widget also comes with the new app that can be pinned up on the smartphone home screen for ease of use. Overall, the update does bring some much needed stats to the table making the Google Fit app, making it one of our top 5 must haves for fitness freaks.

Microsoft Lumia 540 First Look

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Microsoft Lumia 540 First Look

Here is the first look of the new Microsoft Lumia 540 smartphone that is available in a wide variety of colours. Lumia 540 can be picked up for Rs 10,199. Not bad for a phone this size, however the Snapdragon 200 chipset is a bit of a setback. Check out the rest of the features in the video. Also, stay tuned as we bring you the review very soon.

Asus launches the hot new Zenbook UX305 for Rs 49,999

Sulabh Puri
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Asus launches the hot new Zenbook UX305 for Rs 49,999

Asus is going a bit aggressive with the PC and laptop platforms. A good sign as the market is again looking a bit open for these devices. Asus has launched a hot new laptop called the Zenbook UX305 in India. This notebook has a 13.3-inch QHD+ display and is just 12.3 mm thick, making it one of the thinnest laptops available today in the market.

Zenbook UX305 has stunning exteriors and is available in white and black colours. When it comes to the firepower within the laptop, this stunner has the works. To start with, Asus has given the Zenbook UX305 512 GB SSD hard drive. This will surely keep the boot up time and app load times low. Next is the CPU, which is powered by Intel. This laptop has Intel Core M-5Y10 processor that comes along with 8 GB RAM.

Despite the slim bezel Asus has managed to give this notebook three USB 3.0 ports and a mini display port. Zenbook UX305 runs Microsoft Windows 8.1 and manages to capture the finger gestures like pinch zoom etc using the large track pad on the system.

“Today’s introduction of our latest ASUS ZENBOOK is our step ahead to make the incredible available for the Indian masses. Being the pioneers of bringing ultrabooks in the country, we comprehend the market for Ultrabooks here and have timely introduced various variants to cater to the demand.  Zenbook UX305 is one of our elite ranges of products and will further enhance our Ultrabook Series and quality offerings for our existing and prospective customers,” Mr. Peter Chang, Region Head – South Asia & Country Manager – System Business Group – ASUS India

This lappy also supports 3,200 x 1,800 pixels resolution that has 700:1 contrast ratio. As far as battery life is concerned this Zenbook can stay alive for 10 hours. Pretty decent for a laptop this size, if you ask us. Zenbook US305 weighs 1.2 Kg’s and can be picked up from Flipkart or exclusive Asus stores for Rs 49,999.

 

House of Marley launches second generation Get Up Stand Up Bluetooth speakers

Sulabh Puri
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House of Marley launches second generation Get Up Stand Up Bluetooth speakers

Seems like, it is suddenly raining Bluetooth speaker systems in India. Another company to launch a set of Bluetooth speakers is House Of Marley. They have partnered with Amazon India to sell these fabulous looking wooden speakers for a price of Rs 39,990.

These are the second generation of Get Up Stand Up Bluetooth speakers, which feature 60W RMS audio output (30W x 2). The machinery consists of two 4.5-inch speakers and two 1-inch tweeters along with a powerful amplifier. Apart from Bluetooth, users can connect auxiliary devices to the system with the help of the 3.5 mm auxiliary port on it.

Aman Gupta, Director, Imagine Marketing said on the recent launch of  Get Up Stand Up Premium Bluetooth Audio System at Amazon in India, “The House Of Marley Get Up Stand Up Bluetooth speaker has a modern, slick and stylish design and fits with almost any home’s interior design.  The system’s custom design birch wood bent and the Marley Signature audio output are its differentiators. The room-filling sound submerges those listening to an all-encompassing range of treble, bass and mid-tones.”

As always House of Marley has brought a fresh and unique design to the table. Price might be on the higher side, but we are sure the audiophiles would not mind spending the extra buck for this beauty.

Tete-a-tete with Tom Lu, CEO of OPPO Mobiles India [Gadget Bridge Exclusive]

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Tete-a-tete with Tom Lu, CEO of OPPO Mobiles India [Gadget Bridge Exclusive]

OPPO mobiles has tried to capture a chunk of mobile phone market in India and have somewhat succeeded in doing so. After a year of launch in India, We caught up with Tom Lu, CEO of OPPO mobiles India and threw some doozies at him. This is what he had to tell us about the company’s performance and future of the mobile brand in India.

 How has the journey of OPPO Mobiles been so far in India? How are the people of India warming up to the brand?

We have received an overwhelming response in India. There has been positive feedback from customers about the product quality in terms of the design & innovation and on the after sales service. OPPO entered India in January 2014 and this year we are celebrating the first year anniversary of our successful journey in India. Till date, we have launched 14 smartphones in the Indian market, out of which the total number of 4G phones is four (Find 7, Find 7a, R5, and N3). Our flagship models such as the N3, R5, Find 7 & N1 along with innovative technologies like VOOCave received rave reviews from the experts as well as the consumers across India.

Customers are the very source for OPPO’s passion in the industry and we have got an amazing response from our customers. OPPO has co-developed products with customers based on their feedback in both hardware and software user experience. In this price sensitive market there is a certain section of consumers who are extremely technology savvy and are looking for innovative and power-packed devices.

The way consumers choose and buy smartphones is continuously evolving and that means you need to have a diverse portfolio of products and price points to appeal to a wide range of consumers here.

eing a Chinese manufacturer, how are you taking up the ‘’Make in India’’ Policy by the Indian government?

We are really excited for “Make In India” initiative by the Indian Government. This initiative will boost demand; encourage development, which will be benefiting the investors as well.  We would wait to see the clear map of the Government policy and how the market is developing. We would be happy to be part of the ‘‘Make In India’’ project.

What new innovations can we see from OPPO mobiles in India?

As we always says that OPPO is very much concerned about Innovation and Technology. Our R&D team is diligently working to come up with the best and the latest and products that delight our customers.  India is a very interesting market with significant growth still to be found in the sector.  It is no doubt a price sensitive market but there is a certain section of consumers who are extremely technology savvy and looking for innovative and power-packed devices. The way consumers choose and buy smartphones is continuously evolving and you need to have a diverse portfolio of products and price points to appeal to a wide range of consumers there.

The current trend indicates that increasingly Smartphones are doubling up as cameras. OPPO N3 is the first Smartphone with a motorized camera which can get 64 MP Ultra-HD photography with 16 megapixel camera OPPO PI 2.0+, which was launched in Singapore in last October, is developed by OPPO to provide innovative philosophy experience and is available on both N3 and R5. PI is short for Pure Image and it includes more than 15 features, such as 8 Beauty Modes, GIF and Double Exposure. Mirror 3, the latest phone which has been launched in March is also equipped with Pure Image with the price of Rs.16990.

The other major feature that influences a buying decision is battery life and strength. With users spending hours and hours on their smartphones, battery life is one area that is seeing and is likely to see more innovation. OPPO is at the forefront of rapid smart phone charging with its VOOC Flash Charge technology. Designed specifically for the needs of the customer of today who is increasingly using the Smartphone for a number of functions like work, emails, entertainment, social media etc. The OPPO VOOC Flash Charge is capable of charging the phone’s battery from zero to 75% in only 30 minutes. Coupled with useful accessories such as VOOC car charger and VOOC power bank, makes the Smartphone ready and charged at all times of the day.

Anything else OPPO might be foraying into besides mobiles?

Right now our focus is on Smartphones. We plan to introduce new smartphones in different categories. We are focusing on getting innovative products in the Indian market. We will surely be introducing new products in the coming years.

Last Words and the road ahead for OPPO mobiles in India?

We see India as one of the most important markets for us as we go global.  We are committed to India for the long run, and are keen to ensure that we are seen and acting as an integral part of the community here.

India is a strategic market for us primarily because there is clearly a huge potential to grow in the Indian Smartphone market.  We are speeding up our sales and service network and expect a fair growth and a bigger share of the market in the times to come.  On the brand aspect, we expect our brand will become a well-known name for its innovation, quality and service over the next five years.

The company also has plans to expand more service centres in the next one year. Right now we are retailing in over 20 major cities and regions, mainly through multi-brand stores, and we have started to partner with nation-wide retail chains like Flipkart and Amazon.in for online sales. We are also planning to build our showrooms and exclusive stores in a short time. Last but not the least, our company philosophy and culture are two essential facilitators for our market success.

 

After Xiaomi, now Yu has launched a fitness band for just Rs 999

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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After Xiaomi, now Yu has launched a fitness band for just Rs 999

Companies are getting really aggressive when it comes to fitness bands and wearables. And India is luckily amongst those countries, which are getting affordable fitness bands for just Rs 999. The first one came from Xiaomi few days back, and now Yu Televentures, a subsidiary of Micromax, has launched a similar device name YuFit at the same price.

The only difference is: YuFit has got a display. The company announced this fitness band soon after launching their Yuphoria smartphone.

Along with YuFit, the company has also unveiled another health-centric accessory called HealthYu for just Rs 4,999. It seems that the brand has taken health and fitness category a tad bit seriously. Jokes apart, here is what else you should know about these devices.

One, both of these devices would go on sale in June—so hang on for a while if you really want to try them out.

Two, while YuFit is just a fitness tracking band that watches your steps, sleep and calories burnt; HealthYu is a cassette-shaped accessory that will help you track more than that. You can connect it
with your smartphones via Bluetooth, and measure your body vitals such as heart rate, ECG, respiration rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, and skin temperature.

For more details on these two products, please stay tuned with us!

Here comes Micromax Yu Yuphoria for Rs 6,999 with Cyanogen OS and Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 CPU

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Here comes Micromax Yu Yuphoria for Rs 6,999 with Cyanogen OS and Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 CPU

Micromax is going places. They certainly know how to woo the crowd and tap its pulse. Its subsidiary Yu has launched yet another phone for the masses called the Yu Yuphoria. The company came into existence last year in December. Today they have launched its second phone that certainly has some nice features.

To start with, Yu Yuphoria has a killer price, Rs 6,999 to be exact. The phone can be picked up from Amazon India from 28, May. However, consumers can register today onwards on amazon.in and be one of the first to get their hands on the smartphone.

Yu Yuphoria has a 5-inch HD IPS display that is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. Micromax claims that the design of phone has been crowd sourced and they have picked up user suggestions to build this phone. Yu Yuphoria has semi metal body and it is the first to be seen in a not-so-expensive phone.

The phone is powered by a 2,330 mAh battery. This is able to run the 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU combined with 2GB RAM and 16 GB on board memory. For graphics Micromax is giving Adreno 306 GPU on this phone. Yu Yuphoria supports 2 SIM slots and has an 8 MP rear camera along with a 5 MP front shooter.

All in all, the package does look promising with Cyanogen OS 12 and Android Lolipop available right out of the box on this phone. Pricing is very-very competitive, but will the masses warm up to this nifty little device? We shall know in a few weeks time when it goes on sale officially.

One Plus launches 10,000 mAh power bank for Rs 1,399

Sulabh Puri
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One Plus launches 10,000 mAh power bank for Rs 1,399

Most Chinese phone making companies have a wide range of accessories that can be bought along with their phones. A power bank is one of those accessories. Another mobile company to bring a power bank to India is One Plus. They have launched a 10,000 mAh power bank that has the battery juice to charge up the biggest of phones in no time.

It takes 5.5 hours to fully charge this baby up and once charged, it has the capacity to charge two phones simultaneously with the dual USB ports. Weighing at 220 grams this power pack seems portable and one can easily keep it handy in the backpack. It comes with a warranty of 1 year and battery level meter as well.

Safety has been kept in mind too. One Plus’s Indian blog says ‘’A multitude of safety features embedded within the OnePlus Power Bank prevents overcharging and overheating while removing the anxiety of travelling with your favourite gadgets.’’

One Plus Power Bank is available in two colours and can be picked up for Rs 1,399.

BlackBerry is taking a leap in India with its new smartphone

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BlackBerry is taking a leap in India with its new smartphone

When smartphones had just entered the Indian market and Indian yout was waking up to the mobile culture, two names that Indians used to swear by were: Nokia and BlackBerry. Unfortunately, today both these companies seem to have lost their ground. But, they are still hoping to bounce back, with their new device launches. For instance, BlackBerry, which off lately has lost a major chunk of its market share, is planning to take a leap with its mid-range BlackBerry Leap smartphone.

Yes, BlackBerry Leap is the same device which the company had announced at the Mobile World Congress in the beginning of this year, and the same would now be available for under Rs 20k. But don’t blame us if the company prices it a bit on the higher side, which is quiet possible going by their history.

Now coming to the specifications. This BlackBerry Leap mobile phones would have a 5-inch HD screen and will be powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor. It would come running on the latest BlackBerry 10 OS and will have a 2GB RAM and 16GB flash storage in it. The memory can be expanded further by up to 128GB.

Camera have had always been BlackBerry’s weak spot, but we hope the Leap’s 8MP rear camera with auto-focus and flash, and the 2MP fixed-focus front-facing camera would do a decent job. In terms of connectivity, you would get 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy and EDR, GPS, FM radio and 4G (FD-LTE 1800MHz only). We hope BlackBerry does make a decent comeback with this phone, as we were one of the proud BlackBerry boys once.

 

Update: The price of the BlackBerry Leap will be Rs 21,490

Second-gen Moto X receives another price cut, now available for just Rs 24,999 on Flipkart

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Second-gen Moto X receives another price cut, now available for just Rs 24,999 on Flipkart

Motorola has reduced the price of its second gen Moto X device further and is now selling it on Flipkart for just Rs 24,999 (16GB). Interestingly, the company had revised the Moto X gen 2 prices just a week ago, and brought down the retailing price of the 32GB variant to Rs 29,999 from Rs 32,999. And now, they have slashed the device’s price by another 2k. You will get the 32 GB version for just Rs 27,999 now.

We don’t really know the company’s strategy behind these successive price cuts. Maybe they are trying to increase their sales or they want to be known as the affordable, quality smartphone brand in India. Or they just want to get rid of the stock in India as a new version might be coming in. But, whatever their reason might, they surely have given consumers a reason to rejoice as now they can get their hands on Moto X 2nd generation.

So, if this price cut has made you reconsider your smartphone purchase and all that you want to know now is the features that Moto X 2nd gen boasts of, here is a quick snapshot. The 5.2-inch AMOLED driven Moto X comes with Android 4.4 KitKat, but will soon get an Android 5.1 Lollipop update. In terms of hardware, you get 2GB RAM, 2.5GHz quad core Snapdragon 801 processor and 2,300 mAh battery to keep this mobile on for long. For imaging enthusiasts, the Moto X sports a 13MP rear and 2MP front camera.

The wait is finally over! Xiaomi’s Mi Note Pro phablet is now retailing in China for CNY 3,299 (Rs 13,900 approx)

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The wait is finally over! Xiaomi’s Mi Note Pro phablet is now retailing in China for CNY 3,299 (Rs 13,900 approx)

Xiaomi is one brand that we love writing about. The brand not only made us change our perception that affordability and quality can’t go hand in hand, but it also gave us some amazing products in the last one year or so. And as we eagerly wait for the next device that they’d bring to India, a birdy told us that they will soon start retailing the Mi Note Pro phablet in China for CNY 3,299. The company had announced the phablet 5 months back at its global event in Beijing in January, but due to some unknown reasons the phablet wasn’t available in retail stores yet.

As per the company release, Xiaomi will start retailing the handset in China from May 12, but there is still no update on its availability outside China.

Tech specifications:

·        5.7-inch Sharp/JDI QHD display with a resolution of 1440×2560 pixels
·        Octa-core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with 4GB RAM,
·        Adreno 430 GPU and 64GB ROM
·        Android 5.0 Lollipop with MIUI6.
·        13MP rear camera
·        4MP front camera.
·        3,090 mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0 technology
·        4G connectivity.

Spice is spicing up the low-cost Android phone market with its Stellar 405; available for Rs 3,299

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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Spice is spicing up the low-cost Android phone market with its Stellar 405; available for Rs 3,299

How affordable could mobile phones running on Android KitKat OS get? Rs 3,299 is the new benchmark that the Indian maker Spice has set today. The company has launched Spice Stellar 405, which would compete with other affordable Android smartphones available in the Indian market.

The first look of this device is nothing extraordinary; images that we see doing rounds on the Web portray a plain-jane Spice handset sporting a black colour and plasticky finish. Saying that it looked
like a cheap Chinese phone we saw few years ago. The only difference however is: it boasts of better hardware, at least on paper.

It has a 4-inch 800×600 pixels display, which runs on a 1.2GHz quad core CPU and an Adreno 302 GPU, which we believe is the same as Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 unit that we had last seen on Moto E (3G variant).

Running on Android 4.4 KitKat, the Spice Stellar 405 is a bit low on RAM (512MB) and storage (4GB), but at this price we shouldn’t be complaining. For imaging you’d get a 3.2MP rear camera with flash and 1.3 MP camera on the front. This is again okay at the price Spice Steller 405 is offered at. But would this phone work its magic? Well, we doubt.

Google is set to reveal a new Android OS at I/O 2015, what can we expect?

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Google is set to reveal a new Android OS at I/O 2015, what can we expect?

Every year at the global Google I/O conference the search engine giant showcases a new version of the most widely used mobile phone operating system. This year a new version of the Android OS will be released, which can be picked up by developers and companies.

Last year the letter L was used in the form of Android Lollipop operating system. This year the letter ‘M’ will be joint to the version and rumours have already started flying connecting popular sweets starting with ‘M’ next to Android. Android Muffin and Android Macaroon are some of the popular ones.

So what can we expect from this year’s Google I/O conference?

Voice Apps: these have become bigger over the years and Android platform is popular for popularising such methods. Reports do suggest we would see new innovation in this area.

Android enabled wearables: smartwatches are becoming hot favourites fast and Android has started going places. TV’s, in car entertainment (ICE) systems and more might just see a faster, newer and (not to forget) more friendly version of the OS. We for one would not mind operating the ICE system with our phones, on-board touch screens or a special remote.

Google Cast: this is better known as Google Chromecast, which is responsible for streaming content from the phone on to TV’s. A new version seems to be on the cards and the Google execs will surely talk about this upgrade.

Android for Business: this is a huge market where the Android OS is slowly making its presence felt. A little birdy told us that Google has worked overtime to get business and enterprise level apps/widgets inside the new Android OS. This will help businesses and professionals safeguard important data and files, and also access E-mails in a much better way.

Google I/O is set to roll out on May 28, 2015. We will get to see these and many new features of the new OS. Last year’s conference was very exciting and this year should be no less. We are particularly looking forward to the voice enabled apps and business solutions from Google. Let’s see how Google woos us this year. Do check back as we will bring you more as it is revealed.

Sony brings two new portable Bluetooth speakers to India

Sulabh Puri
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Sony brings two new portable Bluetooth speakers to India

Music is something that everyone likes to hear. Whether it’s the usual rock or some good old classical melodies, this form of art in all its genres is desired by everyone. Mobile phones and audio/songs go hand in hand. The tech manufacturers know this fact and build devices that can enhance the experience.

To enable users to enjoy music from any Bluetooth device, Sony has launched two new portable Bluetooth speakers in India called the SRS-X11 and the SRS-X55. The design of the X11 is quite appealing and is available in a lot of colours, including blue, red and black. X11 has 10 Watt RMS single speaker system that should be good for closed group/range for sharing audio.

On the other hand the bigger brother X55 is built for larger rooms as it has 30W RMS audio output. X55 has 5W x 2 speakers along with 20W sub woofer. The loudness of this system goes down by couple of notches when the speaker is not on A/C power but on internal battery.

Both the speakers support Bluetooth versions 3 and 2.4 GHz band. X11 is very portable as it weighs just 215 grams, while the bigger sibling weighs 1.2 Kg. Price of the SRS-X11 is Rs 5,490 and one can get the SRS-X55 for Rs 16,990, which comes with a leather carry case.

Tech Specs

Model Name SRS-X55 SRS-X11
Section of Speaker Speakers Approx. 38mm diameter x 2/Subwoofer: Approx. 58mm diameter x 1

Dual passive radiators

 Approx. 45mm diameter x 1Dual passive radiators
Frequency Range 60-20,000Hz 150-20,000Hz
Section of Amplifier Maximum Output Power 30W:Full range: 5W x 2/ Subwoofer: 20W x 1 (AC Adaptor)

20W:

Full range: 3W x 2/ Subwoofer: 14W x 1 (Battery)

 10W:Full range: 10W x 1
Section of Bluetooth® Communication System Bluetooth® Specification Version 3.0 Bluetooth® Specification Version 3.0
Output Bluetooth® Specification Power Class 2 Bluetooth® Specification Power Class 2
Maximum Communication Range Line of sight Approx. 10m Line of sight Approx. 10m
Radio Frequency 2.4GHz band (2.4000GHz – 2.4835GHz) 2.4GHz band (2.4000GHz – 2.4835GHz)
Modulation FHSS FHSS
Compatible Bluetooth® Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
Supported Codec SBC, AAC, LDAC SBC
Transmission Bandwidth 20Hz – 20,000Hz (with 44.1kHz sampling) 20Hz – 20,000Hz (with 44.1kHz sampling)
Connection NFC Yes Yes
Inputs / Outputs Audio-in・DC IN (15V) / USB terminal (only for charging smartphone) Audio-in / Micro-USB terminal (for charging speaker itself)
Bluetooth® Speaker Add Function No Yes
Sound ClearAudio+ Yes No
DSEE™ Yes No
Microphone Type Electlet Condenser type Electlet Condenser type
Directionality Omni directional Omni directional
General Information Power AC / Built-in Lithium-ion Battery DC / Built-in Lithium-ion Battery
Battery Life Approx. 10H Approx. 12H
Dimension (WHD) Approx. 221mm x 118mm x 51mm Approx. 61mm x 61mm x 61mm
Weight Approx. 1.2kg Approx. 215g
Supplied Acc. AC adapter (1) Leather carrying case (1) Micro USB cable (1), Strap (1)

Intex brings to life two new phones: Aqua Life and Aqua Life II

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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Intex brings to life two new phones: Aqua Life and Aqua Life II

 

India’s smartphone market might have shrunk in the  first quarter of 2015, but this doesn’t deter manufacturers from launching new phones in the market. Every day, we hear of a new phone launch with most of them lying in the affordable product category. And today, it is Intex’s day. Intex has
unveiled two new budget devices: Intex Aqua Life and the Aqua Life II that are priced at Rs 5,777 and Rs 5,555.

Like the name, both these smartphones also share almost the same set of hardware except for the processor and camera sensors. This confused us why would a brand launch two very similar phones? Well, this is
something that only the brand can tell. What we can tell you after looking at the phone specifications is that Aqua Life comes with better imaging capabilities and Aqua Life II has more storage and RAM. Here check out complete specifications of both these handsets below:

Intex Aqua Life Specs

·      5-inch 480×800 display

·      9.9mm thickness

·      8MP rear camera

·      2MP front camera

·      Quad core 1.3 GHz MediaTek MT6582V/X processor

·      512MB RAM

·      4GB Internal storage (expandable up to 32GB)

·      Android 4.4.2 KitKat

·      2,000 mAh battery

·      3G connectivity

Intex Aqua Life II Specs:

·      5-inch 480×800 display

·      9.1mm thickness

·      5MP rear camera

·      1.3MP front camera

·      Quad core 1.2 GHz Spreadtrum SC7731

·      1GB RAM

·      8GB Internal storage (expandable up to 32GB)

·      Android 4.4.2 KitKat

·      2,000 mAh battery

·      3G connectivity

Mitashi launches 50-inch smart LED TV for Rs 51,990

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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Mitashi launches 50-inch smart LED TV for Rs 51,990

Another smart television has hit the TV racks this time by an Indian company called Mitashi. The famous Indian toy making company has forayed into different electronic verticals over the years. Today, they have launched a 50-inch smart television in India that runs an Android 4.4 operating system. This LED TV supports full HD resolution of 1080p and uses full functionality of Android OS to take the user experience to the next level.

The Mitashi TV supports 5,00,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio for deeper blacks and colour vibrancy. USB feature is also available on the TV. Users can play over 25 video formats via the plug-and-play functionality of the USB port. Apart from this the TV also supports Wi-Fi, has 3 HDMI ports and a dual core CPU with 512 MB RAM.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rakesh Dugar, Chairman & Managing Director – Mitashi said, “It’s a matter of immense pride for all of us at Mitashi to join hands with Rajasthan Royals for the 5th consecutive year. We feel honoured that our logo adorns the prestigious Rajasthan Royals jersey. Both of us have found resonance in our brand values, respect for quality and consistency in delivery. Our latest 50” Smart LED TV launched today reiterates our commitment to provide value to our customers through quality products, affordable pricing and great customer service.”

The famous IPL team Rajasthan Royals players were also present at the launch of the LED TV lead by Shane Watson and Ajinkya Rahane. The Mitashi 50-inch LED TV can be picked up for Rs 51,990.

TV Specifications include :

  • DLED Technology with Super SLIM Panel
  • Full HD 1080p
  • 1920 x 1080 Resolution
  • 500,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
  • USB Movie Plug and Play – Plays over 27 movie formats
  • HDMI Input x 3
  • PC Input
  • WiFi connectivity
  • Android 4.4 OS
  • Dual Core CPU, 512MB RAM
  • Ethernet Connectivity
  • 3 Year Warranty

Samsung launch the portable SSD T1 drive in India

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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Samsung launch the portable SSD T1 drive in India

We all love a good digital storage option, especially when it is super fast. Samsung launched a new portable SSD drive in India that is built for both security and speed. Called the Samsung Portable SSD T1, this portable Solid State Drive does look very nice.

The Samsung SSD T1 has 256 bit encryption that can keep your important files secure and safeguard them from any type of break-in. You can carry the drive easily with you as the drive is extremely portable at just 30 grams.

The SSD T1 is available in three variants – 250 GB, 500 GB and 1TB. Samsung claims that these drives can transfer data by up to 7 times faster than a normal external HDD. Samsung SSD T1 has read-write speeds of up to 450MB/second, which is driven by TurboWrite Technology. By hard drives standards that is very quick.

“We live in a digital age and with the proliferation of smart devices, the need for storage is on a rapid rise. We needed to think beyond the existing storage options and provide our consumers with mobility, capacity and security of performance. The Samsung SSD T1 helps users manage their data on the go, offering faster speeds and saving precious time of the users” said Mr Anuj Jain, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Business, Samsung India Electronics Ltd.

The Samsung SSD T1 is available on online stores such as Amazon and Snapdeal. Soon they will be available on offline retail stores too. The price of these hard drives starts from Rs 11,899. This is certainly very steep as one can get 3-4 spindle driven external hard drives in the same price. However, they will not give you the same type of speed and security like this SSD T1 will.

Motorola Turbo Video Review: Everything you need to know

Sulabh Puri
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Motorola Turbo Video Review: Everything you need to know

Motorola Turbo is one of the best phones out there in the market around the Rs 40K category. It has impressive features. Check out the video review of this neat little device.

State of mobile phones in 2015 [Infographic]

Sulabh Puri
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State of mobile phones in 2015 [Infographic]

As part of the Gadget Bridge Ace initiative we will bring you new infographics every now and then from the world of gadgets and technology. Here is the first one around the king of gadgets, the mobile phone.

We came across this infographic from Kona Company that reveals some pretty interesting facts about the cell phones. There are over 1.2 billion mobile users worldwide today and the number will jump almost 5 times by 2015. This roughly means over 70% of the world’s population will have a mobile phone in the next 3 years.

Another fact that caught the eye is that the mobile wallet market is growing at a staggering pace. It is seeing grow this as high as 147% yearly. No wonder we see so many Indian companies jumping on to the mobile wallet bandwagon. Advertising on the mobile phone is also growing rapidly thanks to the smartphone and internet penetration. The most lucrative vertical for mobile advertising is entertainment.

Check out the rest of the infographic and interesting facts below below:

state of mobile 2015

Source: http://konacompany.com/

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