- 4-inch WVGA display
- 1.2 GHz quad-core processor
- 512MB RAM
- 4GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD
- Android 4.4.2 KitKat
- Dual SIM
- 3MP rear camera with LED Flash
- VGA front-facing camera
- Thickness: 10.1mm
- Weight: 126 grams
- 5mm audio jack
- 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS
- 1,500 mAh battery
Panasonic T33 smartphone with 21 Indian regional languages launched in India for Rs 4,490
Panasonic has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of Panasonic T33. The new smartphone T33 is the latest offering from the Panasonic “T” series, which comes with access to 21 Indian regional languages. The device comes with an exclusive layered design and leatherette back cover. The smartphone features a 4-inch WVGA display and dual SIM functionality.
Panasonic T33 runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system. Powering the smartphone is a 1.2GHz Quad-Core processor paired with 512MB RAM. The onboard storage of the mobile phone accounts to 4GB, which can be expanded by up to 32GB using a microSD card.
The smartphone comes equipped with a 3MP rear camera with LED flash and a VGA front-facing camera for video calling. The device packs a 1,500 mAh battery and includes 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS as connectivity options.
Talking about Panasonic T33, Mr. Manish Sharma, Managing Director, Panasonic India said “The T33 Smartphone has been developed and designed to overcome the fundamental problem of language barriers faced across India by giving them an option to choose from various languages to interact, engage, entertain and connect in their preferred language. We are sure that adding support for local language in the device will give an opportunity to our customers to communicate seamlessly.”
The company has priced the Panasonic T33 at Rs 4,490 and it will be available in pearl white & duke blue colour options from the third week of July.
Techs Specs of Panasonic T33
Micromax Q372 Unite 3 Review: A nice budget smartphone with menus in 10 Indian languages
Budget smartphones are usually aimed at the youngsters of the society. Micromax has got yet another budget smartphone in the Indian market that is in the budget segment. Called the Q372 Unite 3, we got to review it recently and this is what we could make of it.
Design
The Micromax Q372 Unite 3 is available in blue and white colours. We received a white unit for review and quite liked its built. The phones white back panel is grippy and one can hold the phone nicely. The white panel has a silver metal trim along the sides that gives this phone the edge.
The Micromax Q372 Unite 3 screen has Corning Gorilla Glass over a 4.7-inch display. This IPS LCD capacitive display comes with 16 million colours. The mobile phone is not that heavy and is very comfortable to use, even with just one hand.
Under the rear removable plastic panel, there is a battery that can be removed, two Micro SIM card slots and a Micro SD card slot. The power button is located on the right side of the phone along with the volume key. The USB port is located at the bottom of the phone and the 3.5mm headset jack is located at the top of the mobile phone. The primary camera is on the top right (rear) of the mobile phone, which comes with the LED flash. A neat pair of headphones also come in the box for music lovers.
Performance
The Micromax Q372 Unite 3 has a 1.3GHz Cortex-A7 Quad-Core processor that comes with 1GB of RAM that try to make the applications and services run as smoothly as possible. The users also get 8GB of internal memory to store files. And there is also the option to add up to a 32GB microSD card to store additonal files. All this runs on the Mediatek MT6582M chiptset.
For graphics a Mali-400MP2 is also on board. Other features include accelerometer sensor, proximity sensor and HTML5 for browsing. The primary camera of Micromax Q372 Unite 3 comes with auto focus and can capture 8-megapixel still images along with HD playback and recording. For selfies, there is a 2-megapixel secondary camera. The rear camera captures very decent pictures, but in low light and dark areas, the picture quality was not up to the mark. Macro shots on the other hand were quite good. The front camera could have been better. We were not particularly happy with the selfie shots it was able to produce.
We were able to play most apps and low-end games on the phone without any hassles. But, the mobile phone started to heat up and hung a little when we tried out some graphic hungry games. Also, the game loudspeaker volume could have been better. Talking about which, we faced no problems when it came to audio and call quality on the Micromax Q372 Unite 3. The supplied headphones are really nice. Screen, image and video quality is also above average and we quite liked what we saw.
Moving on to its battery life, the Micromax Q372 Unite 3 has 2,120 mAh interchangeable battery inside it. It worked for 20 hours staright after a full charge (under nominal use). We tested the phone with Quadrant and it managed to score 4,710, that puts it right in the middle of the pack.
Verdict
The Micromax Q372 Unite 3 is built for the masses. No matter which Indian language you speak there is menu available for you in your native tongue. It has the Android Lollipop 5.0 OS too. It comes preloaded with Unite Lens, CleanMaster, Apps Center, Snapdeal, SwiftKey, Newshunt, Quikr, and Hotstar apps. We would like to give a special mention to the Mad app that enables the users to earn money for watching videos. The experience was quite smooth throughout. Except for the minor heating issues and the front camera the phone is decent for the buck spent on it. The company has priced the Micromax Q372 Unite 3 for Rs 7,999. People can get the mobile phone for Rs 6,027 at any online retail store.
Pros
- Affordable
- Indian language keyboard works well
- Decent battery life
- Not built for heavy usage
- Average front camera
- Gets heated up while playing games
- Network supported: 2G and 3G
- Display size:7-inch IPS LCD capacitive display
- Operating system: Android Lollipop OS 5.0
- Chipset: Mediatek MT6582M
- CPU: Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7
- GPU:Mali-400MP2
- RAM: 1GB
- Camera: 8MP rear camera and 2MP secondary camera
- Battery:2,120 mAh (removable)
The Web Versions Of WhatsApp gets new updates
Yes, many do not know that the web version of the popular android messaging service called WhatsApp has a web interface as well. It has been in a sleeping stage till now and finally the group has woken this version up. The company has rolled out new updates for WhatsApp web. This update has introduced some new features in order to improve the chatting experience of the desktop users.
Now users can directly change their profile picture and their status message in a click. Along with that, it offers more control over user’s chats and groups. This web version also features a quick action menu that pops up in the top right corner of the chat window. This feature chiefly allows a user to perform quick actions on current chats. Over that, a user also gets the option to archive their group conversations, mute them or exit from the group.
Other minor tweaks include contact and group info option, which pops up on the right sidebar. The sidebar will show the information about the person with whom a user is chatting with or the group information and its participants. There is also a red button housed at the bottom of this right sidebar. With this red button, a user can instantly delete their chats or can even exit a group. A user can also right click on the current chats lists, which is located on the left sidebar, this will bring up similar controls for archiving and deleting chats.
Users can start using this WhatsApp Web, by just launching the website web.whatsapp.com on their laptop or desktop browser. Scan the QR code from their phone and then they can start using these features in no time at all.
Spice launches XLife 406 budget Android smartphone for Rs 3,799
The Indian smartphone manufacturer Spice Mobiles has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of XLife 406 at Rs 3,799. The smartphone is listed on the official website of the company, but there are no details about the availability of the smartphone.
Talking about the specifications, the Spice Xlife 406 features 4-inch WVGA display with 480×800 pixels resolution. The dual SIM smartphone runs in Android 4.4 KitKat operating system. The device is powered by a 1GHz single core processor coupled with 512MB RAM and Mali-400 GPU. The internal storage of the smartphone accounts to 4GB which can be expanded further up to 32GB.
The smartphone sports a 3.2MP rear camera with LED flash and a 1.3MP front-facing camera. The connectivity options of the device include 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth GPRS/ EDGE and Micro-USB and it packs in a 1,450 mAh battery.
XOLO launches Black, a smartphone with dual rear cameras for Rs 12,999
The brand XOLO has seen some ups and downs since its inception. However, now the LAVA owned company has gathered itself up and is starting to get some steam. 49% of its customer base comes from urban towns and cities, and XOLO would like to keep it that ways with its latest launch called Black. This is the new phone brand under the XOLO vertical that will fetch more smartphones in the category soon.
So what’s the USP of XOLO Black? Well there are quite a few, but the one that catches the eye first are the Dual cameras located at the rear of the phone. In total this phone has 3 cameras. A 13MP and 2MP rear camera, and 5 MP front one. So why two cameras at the back? These cameras don’t give you any 3D effect, but are there for superior clarity and users can focus on a particular part of the image after clicking. Yes, you read it right. The users can focus on a part of the image while blurring out the rest after they have clicked it.
Tech specs of the XOLO Black smartphone include a 5.5-inch full HD touchscreen, which hides a 1.5 GHz Quad-core plus 1.0 GHz Quad-core CPU’s, in total 8 cores is what the user gets. These kick in according to the app and phone requirements. These are combined with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB memory. XOLO Black also comes with a 3,200 mAh battery that charges up fully in 2.5 hours.
Android 5 Lolipop version of the Google OS comes with XOLO’s Hive Atlas skin on it. The phone is priced at 12,999 and will be exclusively available on Flipkart. Overall the package does seem quite good. Stay tuned as we bring you the review of the XOLO Black soon.
Tech Specs of XOLO Black
- 5-inch full HD touchscreen
- 5 GHz Quad-core plus 1.0 GHz Quad-core CPU’s
- 2 GB RAM
- 16 GB memory with expansion slot
- 4G and dual SIM support
- 3,200 mAh battery
- 13MP and 2MP rear camera
- 5 MP front camera
NETGEAR unveils R6220 smart Wi-Fi Router for Rs 9,500 in India
NETGEAR has brought its R6220 Wi-FI Router to India. This NETGEAR Smart WiFi Router comes with two external antennas that offer dual band gigabit Wi-Fi support. With its new and enhanced features, it can shore up new versions of PC, MAC, iPhone, iPad, Android devices etc. The company says that the NETGEAR R6220 is the only dual band gigabit router that uses the world’s fastest Wi-Fi standards, which is 3x faster than the older standards.
Subhodeep Bhattacharya, Regional Director, India & SAARC, said “NETGEAR R6220 is the ideal device for your homes. Now keeping your many WiFi devices streaming effortlessly with AC1200 WiFi technology that delivers, the highest speed, range, and reliability you need has become much easier with NETGEAR R6220.”
NETGEAR also provide the users with an app called the NETGEAR Genie App. This app helps the user to easily monitor, connect and control their home network from a PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone. With NETGEAR genie, a user can also share and stream music or videos, diagnose and repair network issues, set up parental controls and more. This WiFi router is DLNA compatible as well.
The NETGEAR R6220 WiFi router offers speeds of up to 300Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 867 Mbps at 5 GHz. Guest network option is also available on this Wi-Fi router. A separate and secure access for the guests can be set in a few clicks.
The company has priced the NETGEAR R6220 Wi-Fi Router at Rs 9,500.
Tech Specs of NETGEAR R6220, WiFi Router
- AC1200 WiFi offers speed up to 300Mbps at 2.4 GHz and 867 Mbps at 5 GHz
- External antennas for improved WiFi coverage
- Ideal for homes with 8 or more WiFi devices
- NETGEAR Genie App
- Easy print from iPad
- Guest network access
- NETGEAR EZ mobile connect
- Media Server-DLNA
- NETGEAR live parental controls
- Automatic WiFi security
- Easy installation
Karbonn Aura Android smartphone with 5-inch display launched at Rs 4,900
The Indian smartphone manufacturer Karbonn has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of its latest budget smartphone Aura. The company has priced the smartphone for Rs 4,900 and it will be available across all the online and offline channels.
Talking about the specifications, the Karbonn Aura flaunts a 5-inch IPS display with undisclosed screen resolution. The dual SIM smartphone runs on Android 4.4 KitKat operating system. The device is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor paired with 512MB of RAM.
The on board storage of the device accounts to 8GB which can be expanded up to 32GB using microSD card. The smartphone sports 5.0-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2.0-megapixel front facing camera for clicking selfies. On the connectivity front, the smartphone offers 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and packs in 2,000 mAh battery.
Vodafone M-Pesa tie-up with Walmart India for free cash management
Vodafone India is one of India’s leading telecom service providers, they have recently entered into a tie-up with Walmart India. This tie-up will enable six Walmart India business members to make payments using M-Pesa from their mobiles at anytime.
This unique partnership with Walmart India has given all its members, including small businesses such as Kiranas (household retailers), the benefit of sending money through their mobile phones instantly and securely. Through this, they can run their business more efficiently and in a hassle-free manner.
Vodafone M-Pesa has provides safe, secure and convenient transactions. Therefore, making it easier for all its members in cities like Lucknow, Amravati, Aurangabad, Hyderabad etc to make faster payments. This will also enable Walmart to deliver goods on time.
When a best price store member based in any of these cities, places an order with Walmart India, a Vodafone M-Pesa authorized agent will reach out to him or her. Then the agent will enable cash-in option for their M-Pesa account. This will allow the member to make payments from their phones for the goods ordered from Walmart’s Best Price Cash and Carry stores. Once a confirmation message is received, Walmart India will immediately dispatch goods to the member.
Suresh Sethi, Business Head – M-Pesa, Vodafone India said, “Vodafone has always been at the forefront in launching innovative products and services relevant to the needs of our customers. Vodafone M-Pesa is an innovative, safe and secure mobile wallet that enables complete suite of services like money transfer, bill payments, and recharge on the move from the mobile. We are delighted to extend M-Pesa offering to Walmart India across its six Best Price Modern Wholesale stores. We are confident that this association will go a long way in simplifying the payments process for Walmart India from the members, especially resellers based in secondary markets. Starting with pilots in Amravati and Lucknow, we have now extended it to members in Aurangabad, Hyderabad, Rajahmundry, Guntur and Vijayawada and we hope to extend it pan-India soon.”
With this Vodafone India has provided the customers with a new currency in the form of M-Pesa. The world renowned mobile wallet and money transfer service will be available in lot of Indian cities now. Vodafone M-Pesa seems to be an innovative, safe and secure mobile wallet with complete suite of services like money transfer, bill payments and recharge on the move from the mobile.
Zebronics unveils new Iron Head headphones for Rs 2,199 in India
With every launch, Zebronics is trying to better themselves. This time they have stepped-up in the field of headphones with their newest high-end launch of Iron Head headset. Iron Head headphones are a 7.1 simulated gaming headphone that delivers astounding resonance through a virtual 3D surround sound.
Mr. Pradeep Doshi, Director, Zebronics said, “We are thrilled to announce the best possible audio experience with Iron Head Headphones. The Surround sound 7.1 headsets is an excellent way to increase the immersion of your experience. The loud spatial sound effects for Games & simulated 3D surround sound for Movie Experience brings in larger than life experience with premium sound quality. Indeed it’s the legendary Zebronics Sound Monster.”
These headphones are very durable and provide extra comfort to the users. The headset features the uniquely padded headband and extra cushioning on the ear pieces. This makes them comfortable to wear. Its directional boom microphone filters out background noises, which delivers a clear voice signal for every user. Zebronics Iron Head headphone comes with USB interface and has an in built audio processor.
The control pod of the headset has a solid built. These headphones come with easy to use large buttons to increase and decrease the volume along with audio and MIC mute. We all know gamers require a long cable to attach headphones to the back of any CPU. This is probably the reason why Zebronics has given a 3 metre wire with the Iron Head headset.
The company has priced the Zebronics Iron Head headphones at Rs 2,199.
Techs Specs of Zebronics Iron Head Headphones
- 1 Simulated Sound Channel
- 40mm audio driver
- USB powered headphone
- 3 metre long sleeved cable
- 4 piece padded headband
- Comfortable cushion cover
- Nine level headband adjustment
- Integrated MIC support
- Control pod
Elephone G7 with 13MP camera launched in India via Snapdeal for Rs 8,888
Elephone Mobiles, the Chinese smartphone maker has launched its G7 smartphone in India. The company launched the smartphone in association with the leading online retailer Snapdeal. The Elephone G7 will be exclusively available on Snapdeal at a price of Rs 8,888 and the customers can choose from the White, Black and Gold colour options.
The Elephone G7 features a metal frame design and comes with 5.5mm thickness. The dual SIM devices consist of a 5.5-inch HD display with optimum viewing angles. The smartphone runs on Android 4.4 KitKat operating system and is powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core MediaTek processor.
The device comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage which can also be expanded using a microSD card. The smartphone sports a 13.0-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and an 8.0-megapixel front facing selfie camera. On the connectivity front the device offers 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS and packs in a 2,050 mAh battery.
We also reported earlier that, Elephone has unveiled the P8000 4G enabled smartphone last month. However, the company did not reveal the price and availability details of the device. Now, the smartphone is listed online on Flipkart.com with the tag of out of stock. The listing does not talk about the pricing of the device, but it is speculated to be around Rs 12,999.
One Plus will be launching its next big smartphone One Plus 2 soon, some specs revealed
Chinese manufacturers are flooding the Indian market with their inexpensive yet sturdy devices. With the likes of Gionee, Oppo, Xiaomi and One Plus the Indian consumers are getting some great deals from these manufacturers from up north. However, one Chinese manufacturer is going to bring its flagship product soon, which will not be that cheap. Yes, One Plus (the Chinese smartphone manufacturer) will soon be launching its new mobile phone called One Plus 2 around the world and in India.
The company claims that the One Plus 2 is better and more advanced as compared to One Plus One. On the specification front, the One Plus 2 will have a 5.5-inch HD display. This smartphone will also come with 4GB of RAM. It will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset. Over that, One Plus 2 will also feature a 20-megapixel camera at the rear and a 5-megapixel front camera. This mobile phone would house a 4,000 mAh battery.
One Plus 2 will be available soon in the Indian market. And the price for this one will be approximately Rs 32,000. That is high for a Chinese manufacturer, as these producers from the land of the dragon have been seeding the Indian shores with inexpensive handsets. It will be amusing to see how an expensive Chinese smartphone does in India. Let’s wait and watch. Stay tuned as we bring you more developments from the camp of One Plus.
Micromax expands Bolt series launches D303 Android smartphone at Rs 3,499
Miromax the domestic smartphone maker has yet again launched a new budget Android smartphone dubbed as ‘Bolt D303’. The company has priced the device for Rs 3,499 and it will be available in Blue colour option.
On the specifications front, the Micromax Bolt D303 features a 4inch display with 800×480 pixels resolution. The smartphone comes with dual SIM functionality and runs on Android 4.4 KitKat operating system. The device is powered by a 1.3GHz dual-core processor coupled with 512MB of RAM. The onboard storage of the smartphone accounts to 4GB which can be expanded further via microSD card. The smartphone flaunts a 3.2-megapixel rear camera with LED focus and fixed focus. On the connectivity front, the device offers 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and houses a 1,300 mAh battery.
The Micromax Bolt D303 also offers Swipe keyboard from Firstouch, which enables the users to to communicate in their selected language. Along with this, the smartphone also comes pre-loaded with 10 regional languages including, Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Oriya, Bengali and Marathi. Along with this, the phone also offers some pre-installed apps like Firsttouch launcher, Chatz, Clean Master, hotstar, Housing, NewHunt, Quikr, Scandid, Snapdeal.
ASUS has brought another great graphics card in the form of Strix-GTX980TI to India
ASUS is a well-known brand for computer products like graphic cards. They have launched the Strix GTX 980 Ti, graphics card, which is built for nothing but gaming performance. The GPU also has a strong fortification for extreme reliability and longevity.
The graphics card is powered by the latest GeForce GTX 980 Ti graphics-processing unit. The company claims that this graphic card delivers up to 24% faster gaming performance than reference cards in The Witcher 3 game. It is packed with the exclusive ASUS technologies, including DirectCU III with a patented triple wing-blade 0dB noise fan designed to deliver maximum airflow.
Strix GTX 980 Ti, graphic card also has ASUS Auto-Extreme technology with Super Alloy Power II components for premium quality and reliability. Over that, GPU Tweak II with XSplit Gamecaster for intuitive performance tweaking and instant game play streaming. Asus has also given this graphic card a GPU-fortifier and a strengthened back plate that provides superior GPU protection.
Another beautiful feature in these graphic card is that it has the Strix LED with pulsating light effects that every gamer would love to have in his gaming rig.
ASUS Strix GTX 980 Ti will be available from mid-July in two variants: STRIX-GTX980TI-DC3OC-6GD5-GAMING at Rs 64,000 (plus taxes) and STRIX-GTX980TI-DC3-6GD5-GAMING at Rs 60,000 (plus taxes). Both the graphics cards will come with a 3-year warranty.
Techs Specs of the ASUS STRIX-GTX980TI-DC3OC-6GD5-GAMING
- 1,216MHz base clock in gaming mode
- 1,317MHz boost clock in OC mode
- DirectCU III with Triple Wing-Blade 0dB Fan design
- Auto-Extreme technology with Super Alloy Power II
- GPU Tweak II with XSplit Gamecaster
- 6GB GDDR5 memory
- 1,000MHz base clock in gaming mode
- 1,075MHz boost clock in OC mode
- DirectCU III with Triple Wing-Blade 0dB Fan design
- Auto-Extreme technology with Super Alloy Power II
- GPU Tweak II with XSplit Gamecaster
- 6GB GDDR5 memory
Truecaller introduces SMS Replacement App Truemessenger to fight spam
Truecaller have recently unveiled Truemessenger, which is a new way of sending short messages on the Android phone. Truemessenger makes SMS safer and adds context to user’s conversations, by allowing a user to put a name to a number on their SMS messages and automatically filter out spam.
Truemessenger has becomes a necessity in today’s communication arena. With the increasing amount of SMS spam, and unknown messages sent to private mobile phone numbers, Truemessenger puts a user in control of who they want to communicate with and keeps their inbox clean and free from unwanted messages.
Alan Mamedi, CEO & co-founder of Truecaller, said “Today’s messaging apps are under constant attack from spammers and surrounded by uncertainty, but when we communicate via email for instance, our email app shows you the sender’s name and filters out spam messages for you, but SMS has lacked these essential components – until today. With Truemessenger we’ve reimagined the SMS app experience by making it more social and putting control back into the users’ hands so they always know who they are communicating with.” He also stated “We know that spam calls and SMS are a major source of frustration for our users globally, and our users in India have been especially vocal in asking for a solution to this problem. Today, we begin our launch in India and are really excited to be able to offer Truemessenger into the Indian market to protect our users from spam, and help to streamline their communications. We look forward to subsequent launches globally in the near future.”
With Truemessenger, the community of users will be able to communicate effortlessly with anyone who has a mobile phone while keeping their inbox free from unknown numbers and spam.
With Truemessenger, a user can have:
- The ability to put a name to a number, even for contacts outside their phonebook
- The resources to detect, block, and report spam alongside other Truecaller members to build a smarter community
- The option to avoid messages from unwanted numbers and contacts
- A clean Inbox where spam messages are magically sent to a separate folder
- The ability to add advanced filtering options by creating customized filters with known spam keywords or number series (area codes or country codes)
Zen Ultrafone Sonic 1 budget Android smartphone launched at Rs 5,999
Zen Mobile has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of Zen Ultrafone Sonic 1. It is the latest budget offering of the company and comes with a price tag of Rs 5,999. The smartphone will be available in Black colour option and has a 5-inch HD display with 1280×720 pixels resolution.
The Zen Ultrafone Sonic 1 is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor clubbed with 1GB of RAM. The inbuilt storage of the device stands at 8GB which can be expanded further using a microSD card. The smartphone offers dual SIM functionality and runs in Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system.
The smartphone also flaunts a 5.0-megapixel primary camera with LED flash and a 2.0-megapixel secondary camera for video calling. The device houses a 2,000 mAh battery and incorporates 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS as connectivity options.
The customers can purchase the Zen Ultrafone Sonic 1 exclusively from eBay.
Huawei brings four new smartphones: Huawei Y336, Y541, Y625 and G620S
Huawei is one of the well-known smartphone and IT peripherals manufacturers. They have recently announced its expansion in the Indian retail market with the launch of a new smartphones series and the mobile phones under the brand Honor. The company will be offering a wide range of its Huawei branded smartphones, which include the Huawei Y336, Y541, Y625 and G620S. These will be available under its G and Y series between the price range of Rs 5,499 to Rs 9,499.
The company claims that the latest Huawei smartphones come equipped with the best in class technology at not-so-expensive price. These devices will be marketed through the company’s offline distributors across 1,000 stores in the initial phase, thereby flooding the mid\-segment market with these affordable products.
Mr. Allen Wang, President of Consumer Business Group, Huawei Telecommunications India, stated “After the global success in the first half of 2015 with our smartphones sales crossing 50 million units, making us global number 3, we are excited to launch our “Huawei Brand” series in India. The good news is that the new series will be available through the retail route where our customers can experience the products first hand. Keeping in mind the value proposition and commitment we offer to our consumers, Huawei is rapidly strengthening its after sales network to serve them better.”
The company also claims that the G and Y series smartphones come power packed with multimedia features and strong hardware. With this new range, Huawei phones boast of improved camera features like dual LED flash, patented power saving technology for extended battery life and unmatched features at inexpensive price.
The Huawei smartphones will be available soon in the Indian market.
Microsoft revamps Bing Maps and adds hosts of new features
Microsoft has rolled out a complete makeover for its Bing Maps. Along with the revamp, the company has also added some of the new feature to it. The Bing Maps focuses more on travel planning and enables the users to search, view and share multiple places at a time.
The new feature of Bing Maps preview feature is live in United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Africa. It will help the users in organizing their search results into ‘cards’ which are displayed on the left side of the map. These cards will enable multiple destinations in a single view with all sort of relevant information about the routes and nearby places.
The travel directions have been upgraded with multiple routes and local traffic updates. The app also consists of split screen layout which provides a street side view about the destination. The users will also be able to take 360-degree tour and can also drag their mouse in order to view a new location.
The company states that the layout is user friendly which sharing the searchers easier and simpler.
Panasonic Eluga Z with 13MP camera, 2GB RAM launched in India for Rs 13,490
Panasonic has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of Eluga Z. The smartphone features a 5-inch HD AMOLED display with 720×1280 pixels resolution. The device comes with dual SIM functionality and runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system. Powering the smartphone is a 4GHz True Octa-Core processor paired with 2GB RAM.
The onboard storage of the smartphone accounts to 16GB which can be expanded further using a microSD card. The smartphone comes equipped with a 13.0-megapixel rear camera and a 5.0-megapixel front facing camera for video calling. The device packs in a 2,050 mAh battery and includes 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB OTG and GPS as connectivity options.
Talking about the Eluga Z, Manish Sharma, Managing Director, Panasonic India said “With an aim to meet the needs of our consumers and their changing needs, the new smartphone showcases the convergence of Panasonic’s pioneering technology and consumer insight. The device offers great functionality and design, accompanied by a comprehensive system of applications that reliably address the needs of our evolving customers.”
The company has priced the Panasonic Eluga Z for Rs 13,490 and it will be available in Champagne Gold, Ivory White & Midnight Blue color options from the second week of July.
Microsoft Lumia 640 Dual SIM is a great option for youngsters who are on a budget (Review)
Ever since Microsoft took over the Lumia smartphones brand from Nokia they have been a bit aggressive with the Windows smartphone category in the Indian market. They are continuously bringing good Windows mobiles one after the other to India. Another one in the Lumia series, which we just reviewed, is the Microsoft Lumia 640. Read on to know more about this mid segment offering from Microsoft.
Design
The Microsoft Lumia 640 is available in an array of colours, which include orange, white, matte black, blue etc. We got our hands on the orange one to review. The Lumia 640 design is distinctive and colourful. It has a bright coloured plastic body (which we quite liked). The Microsoft Lumia 640’s body has a soft rectangular shape display with high gloss finish. This mobile phone has rounded corners, which gives a good look to the phone.
The 5-inch display has vibrant colours and we loved every bit of it. This IPS LCD capacitive display comes with 16 million colours. The screen has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 over it for protection. The mobile phone is 8.8mm thick and weighs 145g. The minimalistic design of the mobile phone is very impressive.
At the back of the mobile phone, we have a removable plastic panel that fits well with the frame. Under this removable plastic panel, there is a removable battery, two Micro SIM card slots and a Micro SD card slot. Also at the back, Microsoft has installed a loud speaker at the bottom right of the mobile phone.
The power button is located on the right side of the phone along with the volume key. The USB port is located at the bottom of the phone and the 3.5mm headset jack is located at the top of the mobile. The primary camera is on the top left (rear) of the mobile phone, which comes with the LED flash. A neat pair of headphones also come in the box.
Performance
The Microsoft Lumia 640 has the 1.2GHz Cortex-A7 Quad-Core processor that comes along with 1GB of RAM for applications and services. The users also get 8GB of internal memory to store files. This we feel could have been slightly more. However, there is the option to add up to a 128GB microSD card to store additonal files. All this runs on the Qualcomm MSM8926 Snapdragon 400 chiptset.
For graphics an Adreno 305 is also on board. Other features includes Gyroscope sensor, Accelerometer sensor and Compass sensor. The mobile phone also features HTML5 for browsing. The primary camera of Microsoft Lumia 640 comes with auto focus and can capture 8-megapixel still images along with HD videos. For selfies, there is a 1-megapixel secondary camera. The camera captures very decent pictures, but in low light and dark areas, the picture quality was not up to the mark. Macro shots on the other hand were quite good.
The mobile phone runs most of the apps without any hassles. But, one can’t play high end games on this device. We faced no problems when it came to audio and call quality on the Microsoft Lumia 640. The supplied headphones are really nice. Screen, image and video quality is also above average.
Moving on to its battery life, the Microsoft Lumia 640 has 2,500 mAh interchangeable battery inside it. It worked for 19 hours after a full charge (under nominal use). We tested the phone with AnTuTu Benchmark and it managed to score 11,983 points, which is a nice score for this mobile phone in the mid segment of smartphones.
Verdict
The Microsoft Lumia 640 has some great features in it. It comes with Microsoft Windows 8.1 with Lumia Denim update. This mobile phone has an impressive display, which comes with many vibrant colours. The experience was pretty much smooth throughout. People can get the mobile phone for Rs 8,999 at any online retail store. We must conclude it’s a great deal at this price. Only if Microsoft had added 16 GB of memory instead of 8 GB it would have been a steal.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Distinctive Lumia design with bright colour options
- Call quality is pretty clear
- Underpowered rear speaker
- Average battery life
- Gets heated up while playing games
- Network supported: 3G and 4G LTE
- Display size:5-inch IPS LCD capacitive display
- Operating system:Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim
- Chipset:Qualcomm MSM8926 Snapdragon 400
- CPU:Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7
- GPU: Adreno 305
- RAM: 1GB
- Camera:8MP rear camera and 1MP secondary camera
- Weight: 145g
- Battery: 2,500 mAH (removable)
Max number of Indians browse the net from a sub 10K smartphone says UC Web (Infographic)
We at Gadget Bridge always love to read and share a good infographic. Another one was passed to us by UC Web that showcases some interesting facts about the Indian users who are using its browser.
The very first fact that caught the eye was that the 65% of Indian smartphone consumers who are browsing the internet are using a sub Rs 10,000 mobile phone. 45% of the population is planning to upgrade the phone and go beyond Rs 10,000 on the next purchase.
70% of the users don’t have more than 20 applications installed on their mobiles. Coming to think of it, the sub 10K phones are always struggling for memory, hence one can’t even think of installing lot of apps of games on them.
Some more interesting facts revealed in this infographic include that 92% of the users of UC Browser are males and rest are females. 80% of the user base consists of consumers less than 25 years of age. Also, over 85% of the users use the browser to download various things, out of which music is the most popular genre. Check out the rest of the infographic below.
Oppo unveils Mirror 5s smartphone with 4G enabled and quad-core SoC
Oppo the Chinese smartphone maker has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of its new 4G enabled smartphone Mirror 5s. The device will be available in white colour option, but the company is yet to divulge the pricing details of the same.
Talking about the specifications, the Oppo Mirror 5s features a 5-inch display with 1280×720 pixels resolution. The smartphone offers dual SIM functionality and runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop operating system. Powering the device is a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) processor coupled with 2GB RAM.
The on board storage of the smartphone accounts to 16GB which can be expanded up to 128GB using a microSD card. The device sports an 8.0-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 5.0-megapixel front facing camera to facilitate video calling. The smartphone packs in a 2,420 mAb battery and offers 4G, LTE, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS as connectivity options.
Fujifilm introduced the new Instax WIDE 300 instant camera for Rs 9,550 in India
Fujifilm is one of the leading companies in imaging technology. They have recently unveiled its latest edition to its instant cameras category called the Instax WIDE 300. The instax WIDE 300 is a perfect device for great photographic art work, business purposes, wedding photography, parties and other events.
It has a close-up lens for shots up to 40 cm from the subject. This instant camera has many nice functions that include an automatic flash for low light shooting, which optimizes the luminescence according to the distance. The Fujifilm Instax WIDE 300 camera also has fill-in flash by flash on button, which helps in enhancing the photo using the back lighting.
Mr. Yasunobu Nishiyama, Managing Director Fujifilm, said, “At Fujifilm, we are committed to bringing in constant innovation. The Instax series is a range of instant cameras with remarkable features that appeal to different age groups and usage patterns. Aided with better technology and features, the wide format photography enables capturing every facial expression and object feature with a lot of clarity and sharpness. In addition, these cameras are perfectly equipped for professional photography and specialised photography for weddings, parties, birthdays and other memorable events.”
Fujifilm Instax WIDE 300 has been incorporated with a Tripod socket. This becomes handy when one wants to take group pictures. The camera also has focal zoom dial (90 cm – 3 m) and a user friendly interface.
The camera also has an in built automatic electronic flash and liquid crystal display, It has 612g weight without the batteries strap and film with dimensions measuring 167.8 X 94.7 X 120.9 mm. This camera from Fujifilm’s does seem very portable and easy to use.
The company has priced the Fujifilm Instax WIDE 300 at Rs 9,550.
Tech Specs of Fujifilm Instax WIDE 300
- Uses Fujifilm INSTAX Instant Colour Film
- Dimensions: 167.8 X 94.7 X120.9mm
- Image Size: 2.4 x 3.9″
- Retractable 95mm f/14 Lens
- 37x optical viewfinder and target spot
- Two-Range Motor driven focusing
- Automatic exposure and programmed shutter
- In built flash and LCD screen
- Film Pack Window and Tripod Socket
- Close-Up Lens Adapter
- Battery type: 4 AA Batteries
- Item Weight: 612gm
Zebronics brings three new IP cameras – ZEB-C351-I2, ZEB-C341-I2 and ZEB-C342-I2
After computer peripherals Zebronics India is trying to make a mark in surveillance products. They have launched ZEB-C351-12, ZEB-C341-12 and ZEB-C342-12. These are the latest IP cameras by the company for Indian consumers. Zebronics IP cameras are suitable for homes and small/medium enterprises.
These three new models in bullet and dome cameras category come with real time encoding for videos. Zebronics IP Cameras are specially designed for security surveillance of both commercial and industrial settings. The cameras digital, network video surveillance IP system provides a host of benefits which includes superior image quality, remote accessibility, distributed intelligent video capabilities, better scalability, flexibility, easy installation and integration.
Mr. Sandeep Doshi – Director, Zebronics India Private Limited stated, “IP Cameras are most widely used camera category because of their ease of installation and also for the fact that they can be remotely monitored on a smartphone or tablet. The latest launch of IP Cameras at Zebronics is not just low cost but also high performance and quality products.”
Zebronics IP Cameras other features include true day/night surveillance with IR-cut filter and built-in IR led, the camera can automatically switch to black and white in pitch black conditions and also gives an IR beam distance of up to 20 meters, providing superior images in both day and night time. The cameras can take real time high resolution images as well.
Zebronics IP cameras also have another nice feature, which is the remote monitoring. It can manage the high quality video with any smartphone or tablet. The users can easily take control of all the camera’s systems from anywhere at any time, all one needs is internet connectivity.
Intel has launched Compute Stick mini PC for Rs 10,999 in India
Intel has unveiled a PC stick running on full Windows dubbed as Compute Stick in India. The device is powered to transform your TV or monitor with an HDMI port into a full-fledged PC.
The device is powered by a quad-core Intel Atom processor with Intel HD graphics. The device offers 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage which can be further expanded using a microSD card. The dongle runs on Windows 8.1 and offers HDMI, USB port, WiFi and Bluetooth as connectivity options.
Speaking about the Compute Stick, Rajiv Bhalla – Director, Sales and Marketing – Intel South Asia said, “Intel continues to look for great ways to deliver new product opportunities for our end users and channel partners. The Intel Compute Stick takes computing to the next level and helps deliver the best computing experience possible in an incredibly small device. It brings computing to new devices and environments, transforming the way, when and how we compute. We are extremely pleased to bring this revolutionary device to India.”
The company has priced the Intel Compute Stick for Rs 10, 999 and will be available on Flipkart at Rs 9,999 for limited period of time.
Talking about the same, Amitesh Jha, VP- Flipkart, Flipkart said, “Intel has always been synonymous with computing innovation. The Intel Compute Stick is an extremely relevant product in new generation computing as it is small enough to fit in your palm and big enough for the highly efficient Intel® Atom™ processor and any operating system. With this partnership, we will continue to empower our consumers with exciting choices at incredible prices.”
Get a room! in seconds anywhere in India. Tete-a-tete with Anurag Gaggar of OYO Rooms
Oyo Rooms is the hottest new hotel booking app in the country. It has taken the hotel booking industry by storm and the men behind it are enjoying the sunny days, even though it’s the monsoon season in India. We caught up with Anurag Gaggar, Vice President, Product management, Oyo Room to pick his brains. We threw some tough ones at him and he did fairly well. Here is what he had to tell us.
1) What was the thought behind creating the OYO Rooms app?
Many of our customers prefer using smartphones over a desktop/laptop; while for some, it is their only gateway to the internet. Hence, we thought of developing a smartphone app that could redefine guest experience by taking out the hassle of pre-bookings and enabling last-minute bookings. Smartphones are location-aware, always-on and offer a much more interactive and personalized experience. Imagine being able to book the nearest OYO in just 3 taps and in less than 5 seconds – with our app, we allow building such powerful and beautiful interactions.
2) Can you tell our readers what does this app actually do, any over-the-top features?
Our app allows you to search and book any OYO hotel in over 30 cities of India within seconds. The search and booking experience is super fast – aided by the fact that we have standardized, quality-checked offering on the ground that eliminates the need to do a lot of research before booking a hotel. We offer the first-of-its-kind room service experience where you can order for tea/coffee or call room service from within your mobile app. You can book a cab to the hotel, see nearby restaurants and get personalized offers – all of this blended into a beautiful and functional interface.
3) How well has the Indian audience responded to it and the hotel owners?
We have received a tremendous response to the app with over 2,50,000 downloads till date, with excellent feedback and a sizeable number of bookings now coming from the apps. We frequently show up as a featured app on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Many of our hotel owners have also downloaded our app and love how technology is driving more business for them. For the hotel owners, who are not present all the time at their hotels, gives them great satisfaction to see a sold out tag on their hotel in the app, as they realize how partnering with OYO has helped their business.
4) How much discount does one get while booking with your app?
We keep running different promotions from time to time and keep informing our customers through in-app notifications and other modes. For the readers of Gadget Bridge, we have a special promo code OYOGB50 that gives a 50% discount (max Rs. 1000) on your first booking through the OYO Rooms app. This offer is valid for bookings and check-ins done before August 31, 2015.
5) How many hotels and properties has OYO rooms been able to tap in India?
OYO Rooms is India’s largest branded network of hotels with more than 700 hotels and 10,000 rooms in more than 30 cities across the country.
6) Any plans to go overseas?
At the moment, our focus is to let every traveler in India have the OYO experience. We aim to have 4,000 hotels and 50,000 rooms across 50 cities by the end of this year. However, in future we would love to offer the OYO experience to travelers from all over the world.
7) Last words, thoughts that you would like to share with our readers.
I strongly believe that technology has the potential to bring a significant transformation in the hospitality sector. Leveraging technology can promote growth, bring innovation and serve both the consumer and the business better by controlling end-to-end experience of our guests from booking through check out. At OYO, technology is at the center of our relationship with the consumer – bringing in operational efficiencies in our everyday dealings with our hotel partners as well as redefining the way the customer interacts with the brand.