Hell yeah! That’s what we said when we finally saw what was inside that black box that Nokia teased us with this morning. Having paid a tribute to the company last week we couldn’t have been happier with the launch of a new digital device with the name Nokia branded on it.
The Nokia N1 is the first device from the company in its new era. The 7.9 inch device immediately reminds you of the iPad mini. With a thickness of 6.9 mm, the device is as thin as a tablet can get. It will also be the first device to come with the new reversible c-type USB.
First device to come with the new reversible USB
The N1 also comes strong on the spec sheet. The device is powered by 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor along with 2GB of RAM. It has 32GB of storage. It gets its juice from 5300 mAh battery. All these will lead to some amazing performance on the 2048 x 1536 resolution display on the device.
On the camera front, the Nokia N1 flaunts an 8-megapixel camera at the rear, and a 5-megapixel version at the front. The overall design of the device is unapologetically iPad-ish. Looks like Nokia isn’t taking a lot of chances with its first attempt back in consumer electronic business and is taking it safe.
The Z-launcher on the N1 has some unique features.
A feature of the N1 that is unique to it is the Z-launcher that is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. The Z-launcher lets you write text on the screen, and it can then perform tasks or search the device or the internet. It gives you a list of apps and contacts that change based on where you are and what you’re doing. The launcher is available on Google Play store starting today.
The branding on the device could have been better in terms of placement and design.
From the looks of it, the only thing that we found disappointing was branding on the device. A more prominent engraved or embossed logo would have been more appreciable. The bit that is really appreciable is the fact that this is the first device to hold the c-type USB. It was high time we got over the constant twisting of USB’s to find the ideal moment under the stars when it fits in the port. Who better than Nokia to lead an innovation. The device will be priced at $249 and will be first launched in China by early 2015.
Microsoft acquired Nokia’s devices and services business for a heavy sum of $7.2 billion last year. The Finnish company can no longer use the Nokia brand name on smartphones till Q4 2016, and on feature phones for ten years. Once the biggest smartphone maker in the world failed to catch up with the fast-growing market trends set by Apple and Google. But, as most of us considered, it was not the demise of the titan.
Nokia is planning to bounce back to the smartphone business sometime next year. Reports by online publishing daily Recode suggest that Nokia is gearing to make a comeback in the mobile business, and is working on several new ambitious projects including virtual reality. The company has so far released only two products – an Android app called Z Launcher and the Nokia N1, also dubbed as the first Nokia-branded Android tablet.
The 6600 was one of the most popular devices by Nokia and was almost the star of the movie, Cellular.
It is expected that Nokia will employ the same strategy for the new device as it used for the N1 tablet. The device was launched last year along with a brand licensing agreement with Foxconn. The Finnish company hopes to find a similar brand licensing agreement partner for its next release.
There has been reports that Nokia has “a lot of great stuff in development’, but there is no certainty about the upcoming Nokia product or if the company is making a comeback by 2016. Therefore, the news should be taken with a pinch of salt.
With its latest acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent for $16.5 billion, together as Nokia Corporation, the company has set its sights on Virtual Reality, Internet of Things and Cloud Computing, and is ready to greet the world with brand new treats.
Nokia has been missing in the manufacturing game lately because it has been in Microsoft’s shackles for some time. Nokia’s Devices and Services business were sold to Microsoft which was deemed as Noika’s end. But that wasn’t the case.
Nokia N1
Nokia surprised us with the announcement of its tablet last year, the Nokia N1. As per the Microsoft contract, the Finnish company is not allowed to manufacture smart devices until 2016. However, the company found a loop hole in the contract and hired Foxconn to manufacture. The Nokia N1 tablet was launched in China which has been successful till now with two batches of the devices already sold out.
The company sold out everything they had, twice in China; the third batch is set to arrive soon. The company is taking baby steps to get grip of their market, with China as their main market. Till now, we have seen only one device from the revived company but it is said that Nokia is working on other smart devices as well.
Nokia C1 had been major news in past with handful of leaks suggesting it to be real. Recently, another Nokia-branded product has been leaked via images. Even though there are no specifications and other hardware details leaked, the leak suggested this laptop will launch along side Nokia C1, sometime this year.
The leaked image shows the alleged Nokia Laptop along with Nokia C1 smartphone and N1 tablet. The Nokia N1 also saw some similar leaks before it was officially launched.
Nokia may be down but in no way out. After announcing its upcoming N1 tablet, the Finnish giant has now declared its Z launcher on the Google Play Store. Originally announced earlier this summer with a limited beta program, Z launcher is a third-party Android home screen and launcher for Android. The app has received an overwhelming response from its users. It has been downloaded over half a million times within few hours of its announcement.
The Z launcher has an entirely different take on the home screen. It removes the hassle of multiple home screens and provides users with one single page. The new launcher can analyse users’ habits and displays apps that they need most depending on the time of the day. It also allows users to search apps quickly on the surface of the screen; for instance, an F shape will pop up Facebook and other apps that start with the letter F.
Nokia has done some fine-tuning with the Z launcher with improvements to speed and performance, scribble recognition and better prediction algorithm. The app is available for devices running on Android 4.1 to Android 4.4. As of now, the Lollipop version has not been rolled out, but we can expect Nokia to release a compatible version very soon.
The iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 was announced recently and promised a lot of fanfare, the device brings a lot more to the table than is expected from devices this value, but does it stand a chance? Lets Find Out in our Review of the iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1.
Build Quality and Hardware
The iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 resembles the HTC Butterfly, a mix of the first butterfly in looks and a paint job that resembles the newer HTC Butterfly. The device itself has been assembled out of plastic but feels quite robust. The front sports gorilla glass which claims a 20% increase in toughness and breakage/scratch resistance.
The right mix of hardware has made this device a lot more appreciable, thanks to a full HD display, a quad core chipset, 1 GB RAM, a set of 13 and 8 MP Cameras, 4 GB storage and 64 GB Expandability vis MicroSD cards (although our 64 GB class 10 Sandisk card refused to work).The battery on paper is also fairly sufficient with the 2800mAh badge.
The front of the iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 has a OGS display which is pitched at 1080p, the full HD resolution is gorgeous and is a pleasure to have on any device. What is also fascinating is the fact that the display nicely moulds out into the bezel that looks good and gives the device the upper edge in terms of looks. The display is only faintly visible outdoors and lacks the excessive brightness you would expect from a display with a 1080p resolution, but so do most of the higher end flagships. Viewing angles are great and you get a nice overall perspective when watching movies, browsing through pictures and other consumption models.
Multimedia consumption on the device is great as well thanks to the overall mix of the hardware and software. The Display mixed up with a variety of Apps available from the Google Play store make this a jumble of multimedia. Internet is well experienced on the handset and display plays a major role in multimedia which seems to be fulfilled thanks to the high resolution.
Gaming
The RAM optimization on the iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 is a major drawback on this handset, which really comes to create issues in Gaming. Any game around the like of Dead Trigger and Virtual Tennis will perform great on the handset, but playing games like Asphalt 7 and NOVA 3 will require constant reboots and RAM Optimizing software. Watch our experience below.
The Cameras on the iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 are nothing but hype, the 13 MP snapper is average when it comes to image production, the BSI sensor helps but images are not composed correctly, with a lot of color fringing and imbalance in the light input, the sensor only seems mediocre in front of Samsung S4’s 13 MP. The front 8 MP shooter is just for numbers and does not even justify the moniker, watch some samples in the video review.
Phone, Messaging and Overall Performance
The iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1, did fairly well in phone call tests, we did face a few dropped calls while traveling, but it is safe to say they could be cell switch drops and not necessarily hardware related. The touch screen is very responsive and the multitouch input ensures that your messaging will not be hindered while using the device, especially for typing weather you go for it in portrait or landscape.
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean as an OS is a good thing to have, especially since it is fairly recent, but the lack of optimization of Software and Hardware is the biggest flaw of this handset, in day to day use you may not feel the impact, but the minute your RAM usage gets exceeded the phone becomes a big drama queen, and throws tantrums until you pull down the covers and give the battery a quick swap. Constant reboot is the only solution to optimizing this otherwise great handset. The company claims to be working on a fix, but the fact that the phone has reached the market with such a major flaw speaks a lot about the lack of testing, especially since the company needed this handset to break into the market. Not that the phone is a complete failure, its a great handset , but truly lacks in performance, and no one but the engineers and testers at the outfit are to blame.
Despite the frequent outbursts of RAM mismanagement and the dire need to reboot the handset you will be quite happy to know that the phone will manage 5 – 6 hours of talk time on an average day and the battery life should be good enough to take the beating from an average consumer for 24 hours. The software if updated with a fix for the battery issues will bring about a positive change in the battery life, which will only add to the already impressive value.
Conclusion
Smartphones have become increasingly confusing nowadays, with endless choices and price brackets to choose from, one really needs to understand what he is getting into. While its always great to have a well built phone ( as the iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 is ) with a mix of high end hardware ( just like the iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 has) for a relatively low price ( which the iBerry Auxus Nuclea N1 is available at), it is also essential to ensure that the phone works, and works the way its supposed to. A future fix will fix anything, but at the present stage when the phone is available, with no real software fix in sight, the performance the heating up and RAM mismanagement, make us ask you to avoid this handset, till the time the company fixes the issue anyway.
If that takes too long we have a whole array of handsets coming in from Samsung, Gionee, SOny and even Nokia that offer up a wonderful bundle of usage.
Chinese mobile phone maker Oppo recently confirmed plans to bring to the market a new series of highly capable camera smartphones, namely the N-Lens lineup, and the first device in the family appears to have leaked online.
Called the N-Lens N1, it is believed to have a 12 megapixel camera on the back. Now, 12 megapixels doesn’t sound too impressive stacked up against camera phones like the Nokia Lumia 1020, which boasts a whopping 41-megapixel sensor. But the N-Lens N1 is reportedly using an “Owl” image chip, which promises strong low-light performance.
Details about the Oppo N-Lens fisrt appeared a couple of days ago and now we get to see the Oppo N-Lens N1 coming with Xenon flash.
No one knows anything about its specifications and features at this point in time. Though the device itself looks more of a smartphone than a camera, as opposed to the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, which definitely resembles a camera more than it resembles a smartphone.
According to online gossip, Oppo’s N-Lens N1 cameraphone will carry a $480 off-contract price tag. There’s no saying when it might launch, though.
Unfortunately, no other details on the upcoming device have been provided as of now, but more should emerge soon, so stay tuned.
This week was loaded with new product releases and announcements from the most-awaited annual gaming show, E3. We have compiled a list of news that made the rounds.
Here are the top 10 highlights of the week:
LG Launches the G4 Flagship in India
Finally, LG brought its latest flagship, the G4, to India. The premium leather-clad handset is priced at Rs. 51,000. Sporting a 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS LCD display, the phone comes with a 1.8GHz Hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with Adreno 418 GPU, 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage space. The phone runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop. A 16MP shooter is fitted at it back, while the front is an 8MP camera. A 3,000mAh powers the smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy J5 and J7
The Korean firm launched two mid-range phones – Galaxy J7 and Galaxy J5. The smartphones are priced at CNY 1,798 (Rs. 18,400 approx.) and CNY 1,398 (Rs. 14,300 approx.) respectively. The Galaxy J5 features a 5-inch HD TFT display (1280x720p resolution). It is backed by 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 SoC coupled with 1.5GB of RAM, 16GB of built-in storage, which is expandable. With a battery capacity of 2600mAh battery, it sports a camera of 13MP at the back and a 5MP camera at the front.
The Galaxy J7, on the other hand, boasts the same 5.5-inch TFT HD display with an octa-core Snapdragon 615 processor with four cores clocked at 1.4GHz and the four cores running at 1GHz. The Galaxy J7 fits a 3000mAh battery.
Nokia Confirmed to Re-Enter Smartphone Market by 2016
Finnish electronics firm Nokia, once a leader in smartphone manufacturing, has made an official declaration saying that it will again start designing and licensing smartphones. Once again, users will come across Nokia-branded smartphones in retail shops as well as online. The firm will restart with the same old strategy of just designing the handsets, and not manufacturing them. Nokia is looking for suitable partners to fulfil the task.
Apple Watch 2 is Already Under Development
Apple is planning on developing the next-generation watch, Apple Watch 2. Sources close to Apple disclosed its plans of launching an improved iWatch version, which is said to reduce the dependence of the wearable on the iPhone. The next Apple Watch will sport a camera on top of the watch bezel, to provide users with the facility of video calling. Watch owners can make or receive FaceTime calls while on the go, and there is no need to slip an extra gadget in your pocket.
Replacing the currently embedded Wi-Fi, a chip with the potential to locate a user’s location will be installed. Things like ordinary conversation can take place with the integration of a dynamic wireless chipset, but substantial actions such as software updates, media files synchronization, and few more will indeed require iPhone support.
iPhone 6s will be Stronger, Wider and Larger
The inclusion of Force Touch technology was reported to find space on the next iPhone. It is speculated to increase the dimensions of the phone by 0.15 millimetres crosswise as well as in length, and 0.2mm in thickness. Apple will also employ Series 7000 Aluminium, introduced with Apple Watch, on the next-generation iPhones. The custom metal is 60 percent stronger than the regular aluminium and has just one-third the density of stainless steel.
OnePlus Two Will Come with Snapdragon 810
OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau, revealed a crucial detail about the next OnePlus flagship. As stated by Lau, Snapdragon 810 v2.1 will administer the processing demands of the phone. The processor is capable of streaming 4K Ultra HD videos, high-resolution 3D games and has an enhanced battery life. The forum also read that the overheating issue of the processor has also been resolved with the new version of the SoC. This will increase the price of the smartphone by around Rs. 3,000. Pete Lau stated since Snapdragon 810 v2.1 costs 60% more than the Snapdragon used in the OnePlus One, the handset may cost roughly around Rs. 25,000.
Epic E3 Titles Released at E3
Sony, Microsoft, Disney, Activision, and more stepped onto the podium of E3 to showcase what they have to offer this year. The Last Guardian, Holographic version of Minecraft, Call of Duty: Back Ops 3, Hitman and a few more wooed the game fanatics, compelling them to give developers a standing ovation. The titles will release either later this year or in 2016.
This year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) saw the release of a new Xbox controller, and it is definitely a beast in its own terms. Described as the ‘Elite Controller for Elite gamers’, the new Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller has been added with many new features. The analog sticks and directional pad can be swapped out with different grips — concave, convex, textured, or whichever accessory creators come up with. Every button can be remapped and reset using a companion smartphone app that will be released for Xbox One and Windows 10. You can even control the sensitivity level of the triggers on the back and analog sticks. The Elite Wireless Controller comes out in October and is priced at $150 (Rs 9,623 approx.)
Micromax Canvas Sliver 5
A couple of days back, Micromax unveiled a slim smartphone, Canvas Sliver 5, holding a thickness of 5.1mm. Weighing a mere 97 grams, the handset accommodates Aircraft grade aluminium and integrated touch sensitivity. The 4G/LTE enabled phone is powered by a 64-bit quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with 2GB DDR3 RAM. The display size stands at 4.8-inch HD AMOLED with 720p resolution. The device, running on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, comes with 16GB internal storage space with no expandability option. Priced at Rs. 17,999, the phone boasts an 8MP shooter at the back and a 5MP camera in the front.
When Apple presented to the world its cutting-edge Macbook with a universal USB Type-C port, some of the tech critics were suspicion about its usability on present computers and renounced it as technology of the future. However, the tech biggies set their eyes on it and discovering its wide approach, installed the same on its forthcoming products. Now, we see Google Chromebooks, and many other manufacturers like Asus getting on board the revolutionary connector USB-C on its laptops. So, how valuable is USB-C really?
As many of us know, the USB-C connector is one reversible port that takes care of power, data transfers, and display output. It is slim and compatible with almost every device with standard USB ports. This rids customers of four or six connecting ports that demand your system’s side space and gives manufacturers freedom to trim down the size of machines and, hence, weight. There were speculations that USB-C could outdo Lightning and Thunderbolt connectors, but Thunderbolt has shown its confidence in USB-C connector and unveiled Thunderbolt 3.
Thunderbolt 3 is a computer port that uses USB-C. The port delivers two 4K displays, fast data transfer, quick charging, and up to 40 Gbps speed over Thunderbolt, which is double the speed of the previous generation, USB 3.1 10Gbps, and DisplayPort 1. With faster connection, users can transfer a 4K movie in just a few seconds. Two 4K displays can be connected that will give astonishing picture quality than an HDTV, nearly 16 million more pixels. As it offers superior viewing experience, gamers can “connect plug ‘n’ play external graphics to a notebook.” But there is a limitation; only the devices with lightning-bolt logo on the USB port will be able to access its blazing speed. Products with Thunderbolt 3 are expected to begin shipping before the end of this year.
According to Intel, the new 12-inch MacBook, Asus Transformer Book, and Chromebook PixelProducts will not work with upcoming Thunderbolt 3 products. Devices with Thunderbolt 3 are expected to begin shipping before the end of this year.
A USB-C connector is the one standard solution to asymmetrical USB jacks, except for audio. It’s convenient to use and has the potential to replace all jacks. The cross-platform connector of the next-generation will omit all kinds of jacks from future devices and would be a fundamental addition that every producer has to embrace. Nokia has caught up with the trend and its tablet Nokia N1 boasts the reversible USB-C connector. More tablets and even smartphones are expected to hold this tool. The future seems compact and fast, and soon people would prefer to buy devices with a USB-C port already embedded.
Jolla, the Sailfish OS-powered company formed by ex-Nokia employees, is ready to launch its first tablet. The company’s phone has been appreciated for its innovative new OS and features and is said to be a good challenger to the predominant market powers of Android and iOS.
The company had launched a crowd funding campaign on indiegogo to fund its latest tablet. The popularity of the company can be assessed by the fact that it has achieved its funding target of $380,000 in just a day. As of now, they have achieved in access of 228% of their original goal and are fast approaching a million dollars.
The tablet in itself looks sexy as hell with its dual tone color scheme. It has a 7.85-inch 2048×1536 pixels display at a density of 330ppi, which would be capable of capturing some stunning visuals. The tablet will run on the upcoming Sailfish 2.0 operating system.
Jolla tablet will be powered by a 1.8GHz quad-core 64 bit processor along with 2 GB RAM. The 32 GB of internal storage comes with an expandable option which will let you use the full potential of the amazing display. It gets its juice from a 4300 mAh battery, which is smaller than most of its competition, so we have to wait till the tablet comes out to judge the battery performance of the device.
The camera on the device is equivalent to the iPad Mini 3. It has a 5MP main camera and a 2MP front camera. Where the device wins, is its price; the company promised a $189 price tag and is $60 cheaper than the upcoming Nokia N1 and almost half of the iPad Mini.
From its first look, the tablet looks great but the fact still remains that the tablet market is in a state of slowdown. In a time when large screen phones have dissuaded people from going tablet, it would be interesting to see if Jolla’s fresh new approach to tablet would be appreciated by the market. We just have to wait till May 2015 when the tablet starts shipping.
Amazon has announced the Freedom sale in India which started on the 8th of August and will continue till 11th of August. Several products including smartphones and electronics are being offered at heavy discounts.
Scouring the bunch, we have compiled a list of top devices that are worth your attention which are as follows:
The Flipkart Sale is currently live and numerous smartphones from companies including Samsung, Asus, Xiaomi, Realme among others are being offered on huge discounts. Therefore if you re planning on buying a new smartphone, you can do that right now while saving some cash.
The Flipkart Sale which is currently ongoing will last until the 30th of June 2019. Out of all the products listed, we have shortlisted the devices that offer the best value for money. Mentioned below is the list compiled by us:
Poco F1
The Poco F1 was launched last year by Xiaomi as a ‘flagship killer’ which it did live up to an extent. The smartphone boasts of the Snapdragon 845 SoC with an Octa Core CPU. It has a robust build and sports a 6.18 inch display with FHD+ resolution.
Pixel 3a is the first mid-range offering from Google’s line up of smartphones. The device design strikes a resemblance to its beefier siblings. The Pixel 3a sports the Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 octa-core processor on a 6.0 inch FHD+ OLED display.
The Realme 3 Pro is the latest entry in the company’s flagship lineup with the Snapdragon 710 SoC. The smartphone offers competitive specifications at a lucrative price tag. On the latest sale, it is now more affordable and offers a better value for money proposition.
Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 7S is the latest smartphone that features minor upgrades over the Note 7. It is also the most affordable device in the country with a 48MP primary camera. The handset features an attractive design, which is complemented by powerful hardware inside it.
The Xiaomi Black Shark 2 is a smartphone built specifically for gaming with aesthetics and software and enhancements alongside top-notch specs. It is one of the first devices in India to feature the latest 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC.
Asus launched the mid-range budget smartphone in April 2018 with the stock Android interface and a massive 5,000mAh battery. While the second generation of the device is already out, the handset is still a very popular budget offering that promises great value for money.
Motorola One Power was an Indian exclusive mid-range device with a notched display and a large 5,000mAh battery. It is an Android One certified device, which means that it runs on stock, bloatware free software with guaranteed updates for two years and security patches for up to three years.
The LG flagship from 2018 that after receiving numerous price slashes became a premium top-notch smartphone on a budget. The device features a modern design with an ultra-bright display, boomsound speakers and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
The Nokia 6.1 Plus was a mid-range smartphone that sported a dual camera setup with an aluminium frame body. It offers a clean and stock build of Android which is topped by the Android One certification. This means that it will receive major software updates for two years and security patches for at least three years.
The Nokia 5.1 Plus was unveiled in 2018 as a budget smartphone under 11k that sported a dual camera set up. It offers a clean and stock build of Android which is topped by the Android One certification. This means that it will receive major software updates for two years and security patches for at least three years.
One of the best things about Google’s Android OS is how diverse and customisable it is. With every new smartphone manufacturer, there is a different flavour of Android available. It often differs on features, looks and sometimes by overall performance too. But with so many different Android skins present, it can get confusing to differentiate between them. To make you understand better, we have compiled a list of all major Android skins that are currently available in the market.
Stock Android / Pixel UI
Stock Android is the OS in its purest form, without any customisation or bloatware. After the arrival of the Google Pixel, the definition of Stock Android has changed, as it offers a little customisation on its own. But the closest a skin is to the Pixel devices, the more stock it is considered. The advantage of having a stock Android skin is that the device will be work smoothly for a longer period as it is without any bloat or unnecessary software. Devices with stock skin are also believed to get faster system updates, but that is completely dependent on the smartphone OEMs.
Android One
Android One was earlier launched to cater to devices with humble specifications to run Android OS better and to increase the life span of the devices. The certification has since expanded to mid-range devices like the Xiaomi Mi A2 and flagship smartphones like the Nokia 9 PureView. Devices running Android One software have a clean, bloatware free UI with the promise of software updates for two years. It is considered to be the next best thing after Pixel UI.
OxygenOS By OnePlus
Argued by many as better skin than Stock Android, OxygenOS found on OnePlus devices is known for its fast animations and a UI that is close to stock. Although it has a few customisations up its sleeve, most of them are useful, nifty additions to the vanilla Android experience. Devices with OxygenOS has been also known to get faster updates and longer software support. This makes it one of the most sought after skins in the Android world.
OneUI By Samsung
Taking charge from Samsung’s infamous ExperienceUI, OneUI is a refreshing take on the company’s vision for an Android skin. The Android skin was announced last year and has lately made its way into current Samsung devices like the Galaxy S10. It focusses on better one-handed usage and easy accessibility. The company has been notoriously late in providing a software update to its devices. But with no history to OneUI and updates, it will be interesting to see how Samsung takes it forward.
EMUI By Huawei
Largely inspired by Apple’s iOS software for iPhones and iPads, EMUI is an Android skin developed by the Chinese electronics giant Huawei. There are a lot of customisations available in the skin and it offers a substantial amount of bloatware. But, the aggressive RAM and Battery management of EMUI is considered one of the best in the industry; and improves the usability of its devices by a fair margin. However, Huawei is not very quick with updates and a heavy skin like EMUI only bogs it down from proving them faster.
MIUI By Xiaomi
One of the more easily recognisable Android skins, Xiaomi’s MIUI is another lookalike of iOS. The skin lacks any app drawer support and has a tonne of bloatware. It is though, heavily customisable and has a lot of features for everyone. The battery management is also considered excellent on MIUI. However, it is infamous for advertisements inside the UI and has been continuously criticised for the same.
ZenUI By Asus
One of the lesser known Android Skins, ZenUI is seen in most Asus smartphones. It offers a lot of customisations and not a lot of bloatware. The UI is also very clean and doesn’t differ much from Stock Android. It is one of the better skins in the market although the software updates on Asus devices are not as frequent.
LG UX
LG devices have had great hardware and specifications but have been constantly criticised for their software. The LG UX is the main culprit behind it. It draws close inspiration to iOS and while it does offer an app launcher, the UI itself is cluttered and confusing. The software updates on LG devices have also been increasingly sparse in recent times.
Sony Xperia UI
The Xperia UI was known as Sony Timescape when it was launched. It has been since made closer to stock Android, and provides a clean and smooth experience with minimal bloatware. The battery management on the Xperia UI is one of the best in the market and the software update on Sony flagships has also been consistent. While the Android skin is one of the best out there, it is bogged down by the company’s underwhelming devices.
ColorOS by OPPO is another Android skin trying to imitate Apple’s iOS. It is a substantially heavy skin and is seen on OPPO and Realme devices. While it offers a lot of features and customisations, the UI is cluttered and can get confusing at times. The Android skin is also not the one to get fast software updates. With the advent of the latest ColorOS 6.0, the company has finally added an application drawer that was highly requested by the consumers.
The Amazon Great Indian Festival is now live and a lot of smartphones are being offered at great discounts. Here is a list of all smartphones that are available at discount for today.
(Note: Some deals are valid only for today, that is 0:00 to 23:59, 10 October 2018)
Resplendent in metal and glass, it’s thoughtfully designed to fit comfortably in your hands. A work of art, you won’t want to put down. Lose yourself to an expansive view on the Galaxy A8+ with the Infinity Display. Its 15.36 cm (6.0”) large display makes any view, simply captivating. And the 18.5: 9 screen ratio provides a stunning cinematic experience that’s truly immersive. It’s time to turn pro with the Galaxy A8+. Its rear 16 MP camera takes stunning pictures that are bright and clear. The dual front camera 16 MP FF (F1.9) + 8 MP (F1.9) with Live Focus mode takes selfies & wefies to another level. Blur the background, add bokeh effect to make you and your friend stand out and if that’s not enough, readjust the effect later on.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 41,900/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 43 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 23,990/-.
Infinity Display. The phone with an uninterrupted display. See photos and videos as you want to see them: showcased on a beautiful edge-to-edge screen. Surround sound stereo speakers. The phone that surrounds you in Dolby Atmos sound on stereo speakers tuned by AKG. Hear the action with clarity thanks to the pure sound of the stereo speakers tuned by AKG. The addition of Dolby Atmos delivers rich and vibrant sound, giving you a theater-like audio experience. Capture stunning pictures in bright daylight and super low light. Our category-defining Dual Aperture lens adapts like the human eye. It’s able to automatically switch between various lighting conditions with ease—making your photos look great whether it’s bright or dark, day or night. The camera that’s brilliant in the dark. The F1.5 aperture mode finds light even in the dark. So the low light camera delivers vibrant photos late into the night.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 66,000/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 32 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 44,990/-.
More screen means more space to do great things. Go big with the Galaxy Note 8’s 16.05cm (6.3 inches) screen. It’s the largest ever screen on a Note device and it still fits easily in your hand.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 76,690/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 41 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 43,990/-.
Samsung On7 Pro (Gold, 2GB RAM, 16GB Storage)
With LTE Cat 4 support, you can download HD movies, enjoy web browsing and music streaming, all at lightning-quick speeds. Experience seamless network connectivity via speedy Wi-Fi connection. Bluetooth-enabled to allow you to pair it with a headset, tablet or other devices.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 9,990/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 28 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 6,790/-.
RealMe 1
The Realme 1 comes with stunning unique designs – Diamond Black and Solar Red – packing a beautiful 6-inches FHD+ 18:9 screen and a powerful AI enabled Helio P60 processor.
The OnePlus 6 comes with a 19:9 Full Optic AMOLED display, 20+16 MP dual primary camera, 6/8 GB of RAM; up to 256 GB memory, Snapdragon 845 processor and much more.
13+13MP dual back camera (f/2.0, dual LED flash) and 8MP front-facing camera with flash 4GB RAM and 64GB internal memory expandable up to 128GB 13.97cms (5.5-inch) Full HD (1080 x 1920) capacitive touchscreen with Gorilla Glass 3 protection Dual nano SIM with dual-standby (4G+4G); Metal body with fingerprint reader Android 7.1, Nougat operating system with 2.0GHz Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor 3000mAH Lithium-ion battery with 15W Turbo Charging 1 year manufacturer warranty for device and 6 months manufacturer warranty for in-box accessories including battery from the date of purchase.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 16,999/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 41 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 9,999/-.
Huawei P20 Pro (Blue, 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage)
Huawei’s P20 Pro, the ‘flagship camera killer’ is the first smartphone with three cameras on the back. It sports a powerful camera hardware, never seen on a smartphone before. They have achieved this by partnering with German Lens company Leica. Huawei has put in its latest Kirin 970 SoC, an octa-core processor with four cores clocked at 2.36GHz and the other four clocked at 1.8GHz. Huawei has matched this with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 69,999/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 21 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 54,999/-.
Huawei P20 Lite (Blue, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage)
The P20 Lite comes with a 19:9 Notch Display and 2.5D curved glass back with glittery textures that make it look classy and sleek. It runs on Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, with Huawei’s EMUI 8.0 skin on top. The storage capacity is 4GB RAM and 64 GB ROM. The 24-megapixel camera up front features 3D facial recognition with 96 recognition points; a new beauty algorithm that modifies shadows, color temperature, and skin tone; and augmented reality effects in the form of selfie stickers. The P20 Lite can also take selfies with a bokeh effect using software algorithms.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 9,990/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 28 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 6,790/-.
Huawei Nova 3 (Iris Purple, 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage)
Capture your moments now with the new Huawei Nova 3 four AI camera phone. With 6GB RAM + 128GB memory, powerful Kirin 970 processor, GPU Turbo, 6.3-inch full view display, Infrared Face Unlock and other exciting features like Qmoji and AI shopping, this is a phone to look out for.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 39,999/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 25 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 25,999/-.
Huawei Nova 3i (Black, 4GB RAM, 128GB Storage)
Capture your moments now with the new Huawei Nova 3i four AI camera phone. With 128GB memory, GPU Turbo, 6.3″ full-view display, and other exciting features like Qmoji and AI shopping, this is a phone to look out for.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 23,999/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 25 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 17,990/-.
Mi A2 (Black & Rose Gold)
The Xiaomi Mi A2 has a 5.99-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio and 1080 x 2160 full HD+ resolution. The phone has a pixel density of 403 pixels per inch. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core processor. It has an Adreno 512 GPU. The Mi A2 128 GB (Mi 6X) has 6GB of RAM expandable via a microSD card slot. The phone has dual 12 MP + 20 MP rear cameras with autofocus, LED flash, HDR, geo-tagging, 2x optical zoom, touch focus, face detection, and panorama for clear pictures. The smartphone offers a host of connectivity options including GPS, USB 2.0 Type C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and Infrared port. The smartphone has a 20 MP front camera for clicking selfies. The phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, compass sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope and proximity sensor.
The Redmi Y2 has 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The handset has a 5.99-inch HD display with a resolution and 1440 x 720 pixels. The device’s display has an 18:9 aspect ratio and a rear fingerprint scanner for securely unlocking the phone. The phone has 12MP+5MP dual-rear cameras and a 16MP selfie camera which is powered by ‘Artificial Intelligence’. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor. It has a 3080 mAh Li-Ion battery.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 13,499/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 19 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 10,990/-.
Redmi 6 Pro (Black, 3GB RAM, 32GB Storage)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, a 2.0GHz processor with 14NM architecture. 4000mAH battery capacity. 14.83 cm (5.84 inch) FHD+ (1080 x 2280) display, 3GB+32GB flash memory. Stock Android Oreo 8.1. 12MP + 5MP dual rear camera with portrait mode PDAF, HDR, LED flash. 5MP front camera with portrait mode. Proximity sensor, e compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, IR blaster.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 11,999/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 8 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 10,999/-.
Nokia 6.1 (Blue-Gold, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage)
Nokia 6.1 comes with 64GB internal memory and 4GB RAM powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 630. Capture the moments that matter on Nokia 6.1 with ZEISS optics 16MP main camera with 4k video recording.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 23,095/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 30 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 13,999/-.
Moto E5 Plus (Indigo Black, 3GB RAM, 32GB Storage)
The all new Moto E5 Plus blends power with style, packing a massive 5000 mAh battery with rapid charging in a beautiful glossy finish body. Enjoy all your videos on an immersive Max Vision screen with superb sound quality. Coming from Motorola, a pioneer of mobile phones, you can be sure of its high quality.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 12,999/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 23 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 9,999/-.
Moto G6 (Indigo Black, 4GB RAM, 64GB Storage)
Say hello to moto g6. With a 14.5 cm (5.7) Full HD+ Max Vision display, dual rear cameras with the creative camera system, an all-day battery with TurboPowerTM charging, and a gorgeous 3D glass back, it’s designed with you in mind.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 26,999/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 48 %. After discount, the effective price will be Rs. 13,999/-.
Honor Play
Honor Play – the fastest phone in the market is powered with Huawei’s Flagship Kirin 970, AI processor and GPU Turbo enabling crazy speed and efficiency. It boasts of dual primary cameras of 16MP + 2MP with AI scene recognition and 16MP AI selfie. Up to 6GB of RAM will ensure phone runs smoothly, even the most memory intensive applications show no signs of lag. 64GB of internal storage will be open for expansion up to 256GB via a microSD card. The phone comes with large 3750 mAh battery to support it’s 6.3-inch FHD+ screen with IPS LCD display having a resolution of 1080 x 2340 at 409 PPI.
Honor 7X comes with 18:9 Honor Full View HD+ display and a dual camera primary set up of 16+2 MP, available in 4GB RAM and 32/64 GB ROM options.
The smartphone has an MRP of Rs. 13,999/- but during the Amazon Great Indian Festival it will be available at a discount of 29 %. After the discount, the effective price will be Rs. 9,999/-.
It is impossible to overlook the fact that mobile cameras have changed a lot in the last few years. Far before the now memorialized words of “Let me take a Selfie,” having a camera in your back pocket or purse was something most of us took for granted. But just how far have mobile cameras actually come, and where are they headed in the future?
The first instant camera was made back in 1923. But, it wasn’t until 1948 that these devices gained popularity when the Polaroid camera came out, enabling the user to print instantly a photo in less than a minute.
But that was just it. Enter Willard Boyle and George Smith, who invented the CCD Chip (Charge-Coupled Device Chip), which paved the way for digital cameras in 1969.
CCD Chip
However, it wasn’t until 1981 that a commercially available version would hit the market in the form of the Sony Mavica. This monster of a camera let users save up to 50 images on a video floppy disk and view them on a television screen. It paved the way for digital cameras to go mainstream, and it changed how photography would be perceived both literally and metaphorically.
The First Camera Phone
Just as digital cameras began to rise in popularity, cell phone manufacturers could not help but notice the rising trend. In 2000, Sharp produced the J-SH04, the very first phone with an inbuilt camera. It was a 0.1MP camera and was priced at $500.
Sharp J-SH04
This device became so popular that within two years, Sharp’s device served 40% of J-Phone users around the world. American phone businesses took note of the phone’s success and brought the technology to the U.S. in 2002, in the form Sanyo 5300 flip phones. The camera phone wars had officially begun.
The Second Camera Phone
It was November 2002 before the U.S. embraced the crazy Japanese trend with the Sanyo SCP-5300 handset. It costed $400, and it highlighted a chunky clamshell design.
Sanyo SCP-5300
With a 0.3MP capability, it could capture shots at 640 x 480 pixels.The Sanyo SCP-5300 also had a basic flash, white balance control, self-timer, digital zoom, and several filter effects like sepia, black and white, and negative colors.
By the end of 2004 the camera phone was riding high. Over half of the phones sold worldwide had cameras in them in the first nine months of 2004, and two-thirds of all the phones shipped in the third quarter were camera phones. Leading the way was the Finnish manufacturer, Nokia.
Nokia Battles Its Way To The Top
Nokia released the N90 in 2005, thus landing the camera phones to new heights. It featured a 2MP camera, along with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, and an LED flash. It instantly became famous because the rotating screen gave a feel of a camcorder.
But, Nokia was not the only one who was reaching new heights of mobile cameras. Sony Ericsson’s K800i that was released in 2006 had a 3.2MP camera with auto-focus, image stabilization, and a Xenon flash. Naturally, Nokia countered with models like the 3.2MP N73, but in 2007 the feature phone reached its zenith.
Sony Ericsson’s K800i that was released in 2006 had a 3.2MP camera. Later, Nokia countered with models like the 3.2MP N73.
Nokia 95 was the first phone to feature a 5MP camera with the Carl Zeiss lens. It took excellent photos, and it could record video at 30 frames-per-second. In fact, 5MP remained as a high-end standard for several years. Sadly for Nokia, the smartphone debacle was just around the corner, and a good camera would not be adequate to keep Nokia on the rise.
Next In Line, Samsung and LG
In 2008, the Samsung i8510, also known as the INNOV8, held the first 8MP camera to hit the market, but in design terms, it looked like part of Nokia’s N range, which were getting steadily less popular.
Sample Photo using a Samsung i8510
Nokia followed suit with the N86, but it was LG that released the first touchscreen camera phone with an 8MP camera. It was called the LG Renoir.
The competition for megapixels proceeded, and Samsung hit 12MP first with the M8910 Pixon12 in 2009. It was soon surpassed by Nokia’s N8 in 2010 and the 16MP Sony Ericsson S006 at the end of the year.
The Rise Of Software Features For Cameras
Google gave Photosphere; Apple came out with Panorama mode, even BlackBerry came out with TimeShift. We have seen a lot of filters and effects mixed into various mobile platforms and are proving great for people who click photos in a not-so-normal perspective.
Shot by David K. in Dubai, United Arab Emirates as a part of Shot on iPhone 6 campaign
Camera Phones are not just developing the sensors and resolutions. They are also improving on the lenses, flashes, focussing capabilities and zooming capabilities too.
Apple’s Autofocus feature
We are observing today the acceptance of xenon flash, Dual-LED flash, Carl-Zeiss lens on camera phones. Camera phone hardware is bettering the hardware specs of stand-alone digital cameras. With the improved availability of raw processing power, location-awareness and the brilliant touchscreen displays, today’s camera phone’s are equipped to manipulate blink-detection, face-detection, smile-detection, touch-focus (sheer ability to focus on a particular spot on the frame by just tapping the touch-screen), Geo-tagging (thanks to GPS capabilities), Image stabilizer, Video Stabilizer, HD image resolutions, 4K Video Recording and much more.
We should talk about the full-HD Video recording capabilities that are made possible now. Optical Zoom and stand-alone camera capability (using a camera while the phone is switched off) are getting upgraded as well. In a new experiment, we mounted the Moto Turbo on a drone and got phenomenal results.
As smartphones become universal, they are quickly replacing traditional point-and-shoot cameras as the go-to devices for capturing quick photos. But not all smartphone cameras are designed equally. The iPhone 6 Plus, for example, has extremely fast autofocus and a dual-LED flash, and the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active can withstand dunks underwater and drops to the ground. In a high-tech world driven by steady consumer demand for bigger and better, it will be exciting to see where our tech will take us next!
Let us look at some of the brilliant iPhone photography that may give professional photographers a run for their money.
Shot by Brendan Ó. in Copenhagen, Denmark
Shot by Renee M. in Union City, California
Shot by Satoshi H. in Tokyo, Japan
Shot by Dudley W. in Glen Etive, Scotland
Shot by Robyn W. in Corvallis, Oregon
You can check out more of these amazing photographs here.
4G LTE is considered to be roughly 10-20 times faster than 3G standards. With the popular carriers embracing 4G LTE and offering attractive tariff plans, smartphone makers have come out with handful of budget devices with LTE support.
Want a future-proof smartphone but don’t have the budget to shell out for a high-end device? We are listing the top 4 LTE capable Smartphones under 10K:
1. Yu Yureka – Rs. 8,999
In terms of hardware the Yureka is pretty great, in fact the closest devices in terms of hardware cost double. Cameras are a high 13 MP and 5 MP combination. At the front it has a 1280 x 720p 5.5-inch display. On the inside is the intriguing Snapdragon 615 CPU + Adreno 405 GPU combination, which is decent considering the price. For our full review of the device, click here.
2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G – Rs. 9,999
Xiaomi’s blockbuster Redmi series has been flying out of Flipkart’s shelves rapidly since its launch. Redmi Note is available in two variants, one is 3G, while the other one is the 4G LTE compatible variant. The 4G variant, made for India, has dual-band support for both TDD-LTE 2300 MHz (Band 40) and FDD-LTE 1800 MHz (Band 3).
3. Lenovo A6000 – Rs. 6,999
Lenovo A6000 is India’s cheapest 4G enabled handset. The smartphone was first showcased earlier this month at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and India is the first market in which it has been released. Up front, the Lenovo A6000 features a 5-inch HD (720×1280-pixel) IPS screen, which is smaller than the 5.5-inch screen on both Micromax’s Yu Yureka and Xiaomi’s Redmi Note.
4. Nokia Lumia 638 – Rs 8,299
Microsoft also jumped into the 4G game back in December with Lumia 638. Specs on the smartphone include a 4.5 inch FWVGA (480×854 pixels) ClearBlack LCD display with Gorilla Glass 3, a 1.2 Ghz quad-core Snapdragon 400 SOC chipset along with 1 GB of RAM. Optics will just include a 5 MP rear auto focus camera. On the memory front, there’s an 8GB of internal storage with microSD card compatibility (up to 128GB). Powering the smartphone would be a 1830 mAh battery while the OS on board would be Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim update.
