Author: Preetish Gumber

Lava Introduces entry level 3G Android Smartphones – Lava 3G 356 And Lava 3G 402

Lava is prepared to introduce its new phone in the Iris series which is the Iris pro, but that does not stops them from introducing two more entry level products in the market. Lava has introduced two new phones in the smartphone range the Lava 3G 356 and the Lava 3G 402 which are available in the market for Rs. 4499 and Rs. 5499 respectively.

Lava 3G 356 is powered by a dual core processor and the latest Android 4.2 (jelly bean) operating system with OTA upgrade, the company claims that 3G 356 provides the user with exceptional performance for enhanced multi-tasking and connectivity. With 3.5-inch capacitive touch screen which is HVGA Display (480*320), Lava 3G 356 smartphone comes loaded with 1.3MP camera, a Li-Ion battery with 1500 mAh capacity and proximity sensor for longer battery life which gives upto 5 hours of talktime and 200 hours of stand-by time.

Specification for Lava 3G 356:

Specifications	LAVA 3G 356
Display	Large 8.9 cm (3.5) High-res HVGA Display (480*320)
Processor	Dual Core 1 GHz Cortex A7
Chipset	Mediatek 6572
Memory	512 MB ROM + 256 MB RAM, External Memory Card expandable upto 32 GB
Camera	1.3 Mega Pixel Fixed Focus with Flash/Front- VGA Camera
Connectivity	Bluetooth with A2DP Support
	Wi-Fi 802.11 g/b/n
	USB
	WAP/GPRS/EDGE/3G
Navigation	GPS/A-GPS
Dimensions & Weight	116.962.512.6mm
Battery	Li-Ion Battery with 1500 mAh
OS	Android v4.2 Jelly Bean with OTA Upgrade
Audio	MP3/MIDI/AAC/AAC+/WAV Player
Video	3GP/MP4/AVI Player
Recording & Playback	MPEG4, H263,H.264 Video Recording at 30 fps
Browser	Android Browser, Opera Browser

Whereas, the Lava 3G 402 is a 4 inch capacitive touch screen smartphone with comes with WVGA Display (480*800) with 16 Million Colors. The 3G 402 runs on latest version of android (jelly bean) 4.2. The smartphone comes equipped with a a 5MP camera. Powered by a dual core 1.2 GHz processor and a 1500mAh battery.

Specification for Lava 3G 402:

Specifications	LAVA 3G 402
Display	Large 10.16 cm (4.0) High-res WVGA Display (480*800) with 16 Million Colors
Chipset	Mediatek 6572
Processor	Dual Core 1.2 GHz Cortex A7
Memory	512 MB ROM + 256 MB RAM, External Memory Card expandable upto 32 GB
Camera	3.0 Mega Pixel Fixed Focus with Flash/Front- 1.3 MP Camera
Connectivity	Bluetooth with A2DP Support
	Wi-Fi 802.11 g/b/n
	USB
	WAP/GPRS/EDGE/3G
Navigation	GPS/A-GPS
Dimensions & Weight	125.564.511.4mm
Battery	Li-Ion Battery with 1500 mAh
OS	Android v4.2 Jelly Bean with OTA Upgrade
Audio	MP3/MIDI/AAC/AAC+/WAV Player
Video	3GP/MP4 Player
Recording & Playback	MPEG4, H263,H.264 Video Recording at 30 fps
Browser	Android Browser, Opera Browser

Lava claims that both 356 and 402 give users enough battery hours to browse internet on 3G, download videos & songs and check emails on the go. Both devices comes up with 512 MB ROM + 256 MB RAM, which can be expanded upto 32GB through external memory card.

At Lava, we are committed to constantly strive to innovate and develop great value for our consumers. In line with this commitment, Lava has introduced affordable, yet fully loaded entry level 3G android smartphones which will now fuel the aspirations of the evolving mobile user in India. The Lava 3G 356 and 3G 402 are uniquely designed smartphones which lets a consumer enjoy the power of 3G by consuming online content” said Mr. Hari Om Rai, Co-Founder & Director, Lava International Ltd.

“Internet usage is increasing rapidly in non-metro cities, with more people using internet through mobile devices. As 3G enabled handsets become affordable, mobile internet would be the next big thing in the country which would take penetration to the remote corners of the country.Lava is aiming to drive huge volumes with both models combined”, he further added.

[toggle title=”Press Release “]LAVA storms the entry-level 3G handset market with Android powered 3G 356 and 3G 402 smartphones

New Delhi, INDIA, August 14, 2013: LAVA International Limited, a fast growing company in the mobile handset industry, today introduced its entry level 3G android smartphones- Lava 3G 356 and Lava 3G 402, value for money phones designed with a purpose to give the best possible 3G mobile experience at an affordable price to the consumers who like staying connected to social media and accessing the Internet. Through its feature rich 3G smartphones Lava aims to help the existing 2G users to upgrade to 3G technology, essentially bring the fastest internet access to the masses.

Powered by a fast dual core processor and the latest Android 4.2 (jelly bean) operating system with OTA upgrade, the 3G 356 provides the user with exceptional performance for enhanced multi-tasking and connectivity. With 3.5-inch capacitive touch screen featuring high-res HVGA Display (480*320), Lava 3G 356 smartphone comes loaded with 1.3MP camera, a large Li-Ion battery with 1500 mAh capacity and proximity sensor for longer battery life which gives upto 5 hours of talktime and 200 hours of stand-by time.

The Lava 3G 402 is a 4 inch capacitive touch screen smartphone with high-res WVGA Display (480*800) with 16 Million Colors. The 3G 402 runs on latest version of android (jelly bean) 4.2. The smartphone sports a 5MP camera. Powered by a dual core 1.2 GHz processor and a powerful 1500mAh battery, both 356 and 402 give users enough battery hours to browse internet on 3G, download videos & songs and check emails on the go.

The 3G series comes with 512 MB ROM + 256 MB RAM, which can be expanded upto 32GB through external memory card.

Mr. Hari Om Rai, Co-Founder & Director, Lava International Ltd., said, “At Lava, we are committed to constantly strive to innovate and develop great value for our consumers. In line with this commitment, Lava has introduced affordable, yet fully loaded entry level 3G android smartphones which will now fuel the aspirations of the evolving mobile user in India. The Lava 3G 356 and 3G 402 are uniquely designed smartphones which lets a consumer enjoy the power of 3G by consuming online content”

“Internet usage is increasing rapidly in non-metro cities, with more people using internet through mobile devices. As 3G enabled handsets become affordable, mobile internet would be the next big thing in the country which would take penetration to the remote corners of the country.Lava is aiming to drive huge volumes with both models combined”, he further added.

Priced at Rs. 4499 and Rs. 5499respectively, Lava 3G 356 comes in white, black & greyand 3G 402 comes in – white, grey and red. The accessories that comes bundled with the 3G 356 and 402 includes a screen guard and silicon soft pouch

The handsets are available for sale across all national retail stores, multi-brand outlets across India and leading online stores.

For more information, please visit www.lavamobiles.com. For more updates on these exciting products, follow Lava Mobiles on Facebookand Twitter.

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August 14, 2013

Samsung W789 Dual Screen Android Flip-phone Launched

After all the rumors, Samsung has finally launched its new flip-phone called the Samsung W789.

The Samsung W789 supports a 3.3″ 320 x 480 (HVGA) TFT screen and is powered by a Quad-Core 1.2GHz chipset. The phone also includes a 1500 mAh battery and runs on android 4.1Jelly Bean. The phone runs two Sim Cards simultaneously one GSM and one CDMA.

Samsung claims that this device is designed to make daily tasks convenient, as one can reply to messages or browse the web without even flipping open the phone thanks to the 3.3″ dual touch screens.

The Samsung W789 has a variety of camera modes for you to choose from, rapid continuous shooting, beauty shot, buddy photo share are a few that can be named as of now. For now the handset will be available only in China and there is no word about it being launched in Indian market. But we will keep you updated with the latest news.

August 14, 2013
2013 Nexus 7 Users Report Buggy Multitouch, Google Is Investigating

Google launched the new Nexus 7 in the market recently and previously we covered that users are facing problems with the GPS in the tablet, it seems that the Nexus 7 is into the the trouble picture again, as per the new reports the Nexus 7 has some issue with its 1920 x 1200 display.

The video clip below demonstrates the bug , where touch targets are sporadically jumping around the screen, occasionally reversed and sometimes registered as a storm of semi-random taps.

[youtube id=”MYGd7GFVqB0″ width=”100%” height=”300px”]

Over the past few weeks, chatter on the XDA Developers and Google Product forums suggests it’s fairly common, with a response from Google on the latter stating: “The Android team is aware of this issue and investigating.”

While Google is still investigating this is the second problem that came up for the Nexus 7.

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August 13, 2013
Logitech TK820 Wireless Keyboard With Touchpad $99.99

Logitech is a well known name when it comes to keyboards and other computer accessories, and now it’s ready to show off its latest offering: the TK820 which is a compact keyboard with an attached touch surface.

Its slightly concave keycaps feature Perfect Stroke technique, which promises consistent resistance from edge to edge. It might not be useful to everyone, but for those who want to replace a mouse with a touchpad this can be considerable prize. Specially for the new Window 8 based hardware, as they mainly have been designed for touch gestures.

Logitech TK820

While the company says :

Everything you need to control and navigate your computer is integrated in one device. The keyboard has a built in touchpad so you can type, touch and swipe in one. It’s a new and innovative way to navigate.

The touch area is larger than a laptop touchpad so you have more room to point, zoom and swipe. In fact, you can perform up to 13 unique Windows 8 gestures comfortably and smoothly

The wireless, ultra-slim design keeps your desk cable- and clutter-free. The integrated touchpad also means you won’t need a separate mouse.

[youtube id=”oegk8qlF7Jg” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

August 13, 2013
HTC One Max Yet Another Leaked Image Before Launch

We notified you about the HTC One Max a few days back with some not so clear images. Now here is a new press render image for the HTC One Max, this gives us an idea of what the phone actually looks like.

Famous tipster evleaks posted what’s reportedly a “non-final” press image of the giant smartphone. The only major changes are the camera flash position and the limited edges all thanks to the big screen. .

Although the image cannot not show what is inside the phone, like the rumored snapdragon 800 processor and the big battery. However, this can be another device that might launch at IFA next month.

Htc One Max Leaked Image

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August 13, 2013
Google Glass Updated With Video Player, Improved Voice Commands and Additional Now Cards

Google has added some new features to the Google Glass in the latest software update for its experiment. There’s a new video player with simple tap to start/pause, swipe to fast forward and rewind commands, and new voice commands for posting an update.

Path and Evernote users can update those apps by saying “okay glass, post an update” for Path or “okay glass, take a note” for Evernote. Speaking of which, voice controls are improved across the board, so you can now chat with Glass more naturally. Which can be a great if it recognizes the voice in neutral accent.

Google also added a new Volume control card in settings, and made it possible to check your timeline and use other features of Google Glass Glass while on an active video call.

The new update also has new cards which includes appointments drawn from your Gmail, nearby movie showtimes with posters, public alerts and the ability to send birthday messages for birthday reminder cards. The new update is named as XE8. Google is constantly trying to improvise the Glass, we will have to wait and see what the final device would look like.

August 13, 2013
Sony Qx10 and Qx100 Lens Cameras Pair With Any Smartphone/Tablet

Sony is rumored to launch a set of new camera lenses, called the QX10 and QX100. According to SonyAlphaRumors they have built-in sensors, Bionz processors, Wifi/NFC wireless connection and a SD card slots. These lenses have no LCD screen and no usual camera controls. According to the website one will be able to control them through any smart phone or tablet (via WiFi or NFC). The lenses can be magnetically attached on your smartphone and they work on both Android and iOS devices.

QX10 and QX100

The price and launch dates are still not out, but the lenses could be shown off on the 4th of September during IFA. Also as per Sonyalpharumors the phone showed in the images is the much rumored i1. So expect both the devices to be announced if not launched at IFA which is around the corner.

Another leaked image showing how the lens look like with a phone.

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August 13, 2013
Hyundai launches Celebration Edition Santro Xing

Hyundai has now been in India for 15 years. The company is celebrating its success with the first car they had launched in India. The first generation Santro, with a 1 liter petrol engine, gave India its first tall boy hatchback.

Soon in 2003, Hyundai launched the updated version of the Santro, known as Santro Xing with a 1.1 liter petrol engine. Now, its a decade this car is stil running successfully, as per the sources Hyundai sells 4,000 units a month on average.

Hyundai Santro Xing Celebration Edition

The car’s “Celebration Edition Santro Xing” is the latest revision in the series of updates the car has received. The Celebration Edition adds some interesting new features like – Graphics on the flanks, Rear Chrome garnish, Reverse parking sensors with LED display, Manual sun blind for rear windscreen, new floor mats and Blaupunkt audio system.

If we talk about the mechanics of the car it remains the same, the 1,061cc-4 cylinder petrol engine that outputs 62 Bhp of peak power and 96 Nm of peak torque with a 5 speed of manual gearbox. But, the new Celebration Edition would be available both in petrol and LPG variant. Pricing is still not out but is estimated to be starting from 3.81 lakhs(ex-showroom). The company is planning to offer up the Celebration Edition Santro Xing with special finance options as well.

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August 13, 2013
Bharti Airtel To Launch 4G In Delhi Soon

Bharti Airtel is likely to launch 4G telecommunication services in the Delhi service area either in September or by end of this year.

The company claims that the 4G technology allows users to watch videos and download content on mobile devices much faster than third-generation(3G) networks. Airtel is already offering 4G in Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune and Chandigarh and now Delhi will be the 5th city.

As per TOI the company has collaborated with the Chinese equipment maker Huawei to build and operate the 4G network in Delhi.

We are planning to launch 4G services in Delhi by September and has selected Huawei for the network,” a company source said.

The company in 2010 won broadband wireless licences in the four service areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kolkata and Punjab. Additionally in May 2012, Bharti Airtel bought 49% later increased to 51% stakes in four entities of Qualcomm’s wireless broadband business in India. As a result, the entities that hold wireless broadband or broadband wireless access (BWA) licences in four circles of Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala, have become subsidiaries of Bharti Airtel.

After Delhi, Airtel will launch 4G services in Mumbai and the company is in talks with players such as Huawei and ZTE for network. 4G mobile Internet technology provides download speeds of around 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) on the move and it can go up to 1 Gigabits per second (Gbps) at a fixed location.

Here is an image that shows the price of Airtel 4G in Chandigarh, we can now assume the price for the 4G services in Delhi:

Airtel 4G tariffs in Chandigarh

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August 13, 2013
Google Launches Rs 12 Crore Hunt For India’s Most Innovative Social Entrepreneur. ‘Google Impact Challenge’
On the eve of India’s independence day, Google is celebrating the spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship of the world’s largest democracy by spotlighting the best local nonprofits that are using technology to make the world better.

As per Google:

Today they are launching the Google Impact Challenge in India, inviting Indian nonprofits to tell us how they’d use technology to improve people’s lives. At the end of the challenge, four nonprofits will each receive a Rs 3 crore (around $500,000) Global Impact Award and technical assistance from Google to bring their projects to life.
- 5th September 2013 – Final day to apply to the Google Impact Challenge.
- 21st October 2013 – Google announces the finalists, and the public votes online for their favourites.
- 31st October 2013 – Each finalist team will pitch its idea to an esteemed panel of judges at an event in Delhi. Four finalists, including the non-profit chosen by the public vote, will be announced as Global Impact Award recipients.
The Blog further said that registered Indian nonprofits can apply online until September 5 at g.co/indiachallenge. Googlers from India, and around the world, will review applications and announce the 10 best projects on October 21. You can learn more about the top 10 finalists then, and cast a vote for who you think should receive the Fan Favorite award.

On October 31, I’ll join Ram Shriram, Jacquelline Fuller, Anu Aga and Jayant Sinha in Delhi to hear the 10 finalists pitch live. As judges, we’ll select three awardees based on their potential impact, scalability and ingenuity. We’ll also announce the winner of the Fan Favorite, according to your vote.”
Growing up in India, I’ve seen firsthand the vibrancy and innovativeness of India’s social entrepreneurs. I’m excited to see their projects and support their ideas for how to use technology and Rs 3 crores to change the world.

Said – Nikesh Arora, Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer Google
August 12, 2013

Intex Launches Tablet IBUDDY Connect II

Intex launched the IBUDDY Connect in the market earlier this year and now is ready with the new tablet which is IBUDDY Connect II. The new tablet is available online to shop in some websites.

The new Intex tablet IBUDDY Connect II supports 3G, and has a 7 inch HD Display with a 1024 x 600 resolution. It is powered by a A5 dual core, 1.2GHz processor with 512MB RAM. Surprisingly this tablet runs on Android 4.0 when we have Android 4.3 in the market. This device is available on few online websites for 7500 INR.

It comes with 4GB inbuilt storage that can be expanded up to 32GB. The tablet features SIM slot with voice calling support. It comes pre-loaded with apps such as Skype, Facebook, Moto Racing and Office Suit PRO to handle documents on the go. There is a 3000 mAh battery that can deliver up to 4 hours usage on WiFi.

Excluding this new tablet Intex has 9 more tablets which are Aura, Tablet Pulse II, Tablet Avatar 3, Tablet Avatar 2, Tablet IBUDDY 3, Tablet IBUDDY Connect, Tablet Titan 3G, Tablet IT-M016AL DEZIRE and Tablet IT M809RC AVATAR. If you are planning to buy a new tablet which one would you consider to buy ?

Product specifications :

Make	Intex
Device Type	Tablet
OS	Android 4.0
Proccessor	A5 Dual Core 1.2 Ghz
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8625A
GPU	Adreno 205
Primary Camera	2 MP
Secondry Camera	0.3 MP
Battery	3000 mAh
Video	Support recording 720p video

August 12, 2013

HTC One Dual Sim Now Available For Purchase

The dual-SIM version of the HTC One is still listed as “Coming Soon” on the HTC India website, But the phone has made its way to an online store. The dual-SIM HTC One is available on Flipkart.com for Rs 46,495. Flipkart says, the dual-SIM HTC One, which is available in silver colour, will be delivered in 9-10 business days.

The HTC One dual sim:

SIM1:- Up to HSPA (900/2100 MHz) and up to EVDO REV. B (800 MHz)

SIM2:- Up to EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz)

As per the website It supports both GSM and CDMA, has a 32 GB of inbuilt memory and is expandable till 64 GB. The phone has a 4.7-inch full HD display. The phone is powered by a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor coupled with 2GB RAM. It is packed with a 2300 mAh battery.

Possible leaked image for the HTC One dual sim

The other major difference between HTC One and HTC One dual sim is the expandable memory the new phone has a memory card slot that can take upto 64 GB of extra memory which seems like a great input from HTC. The HTC One is a great phone(check our review) and the company launching the dual sim variant can be helpful for few. What is your thought ?

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August 12, 2013
Yatra.com Site Down As Company Forgets To Renew Domain Name

In an interesting online story of brand mismanagement, travel website Yatra.com seems to have forgotten to renew its domain name. The name had apparently been registered on August 9, 2000, and expired on August 9, 2013.

This was first spotted when surfers trying to access Yatra.com found themselves being redirected to a domain handler page. (like GoDaddy.com). Online reports indicated that the domain registration was later updated, but only for a year till August 11, 2014. Although the site still remained unavailable which might have lost considerable business for Yatra.com.

Yatra.com message to public

A Yatra.com statement on social networking sites said, “We are facing some technical difficulties with our DNS servers on account of which some of you are unable to access our site. We are working on this and hope to have it resolved in the next couple of hours. For any urgent cancellations or rescheduling, call us at 1860-5000-500”.

However, the website is up and running now. This could be a typical case of the company gone too big to handle ownership of such small areas. But, before blaming them for laziness,we should know that even Google forgot to renew its domain name in 2007.

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August 12, 2013
Nokia Launches The Biggest Lumia Yet : Lumia 625

Nokia, which is lagging behind rivals like Apple and Samsung in the global smartphone market, has launched its biggest-ever Lumia phone in India dubbed the “Lumia 625”. Nokia is planning to make available the Lumia 625, the handset with largest touchscreen in its portfolio, by the end of August.

Lumia 625

The Nokia Lumia 625 will feature a 4.7-inch IPS LCD display, the biggest for a Lumia handset, but the phone will be a mid-range device. The screen will also feature the Super Sensitive Touch technology which allows you to use the handset with gloves on (lucky since winters are around the corner, not!). Under the hood is a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 512 MB RAM and Windows Phone 8 operating system with Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 processor. The company has included 8 GB internal storage in the phone, along with microSD support up to 64 GB.

Colorful accessories

Nokia claims that the Lumia 625 will have the Smart Camera features that will allow users to create action shots, remove objects, blur backgrounds and capture the best smiles. “Editing your photos is a snap on the big screen”- says Nokia’s website for the Lumia 625.

Nokia Lumia 925 and 625 are expected to be available together in Indian market, while the 925 is already up for prebooking, we suppose that the Lumia 625 would also be available soon. Can this phone be the game changer that Nokia needs in India? only time and pricing will offer the answers for this device.

[youtube id=”bicgWtDPJz0″ width=”100%” height=”300px”]

August 12, 2013
Samsung To Buy OLED Maker Novaled For $347 Million

Samsung is spending a few hundred million on a new acquisition to help it meet the growing need for OLED displays.

According to Cnet, Samsung Electronics and its affiliate Cheil Industries will together buy Novaled for $347 million. Chiel, which makes electronic materials for OLED screens, will purchase a 50 percent chunk of Novaled, while Samsung will acquire 40 percent. The remaining 10 percent is already owned by Samsung’s venture capital unit.

Germany-based Novaled develops OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) that are used in the displays of smartphones and increasingly those of TV sets. OLED screens are thinner, lighter, and brighter than conventional LED screens, but are more difficult to manufacture.

Samsung has faced technical challenges trying to ramp up production of OLED display panels, especially ones large enough to handle large-screen TVs. Samsung’s success rate at producing a reliable 55-inch OLED screen has been only around 50 percent, according to analysts cited by The Wall Street Journal. That’s one reason why the cost of the the company’s new 55-inch OLED TV is still exorbitantly high, starting at $13,000.

Through the acquisition of Novaled, Cheil Industries strengthens its leading position in the field of electronic materials, and we are able to achieve significant synergies in research and development of OLED material of the next generation,” Cheil Industries CEO Jong-Woo Park said in a statement.

This step by Samsung can be of great help to them and possibly to the buyers as now the screens can be manufactured according to the demand and may be Samsung keeps a reasonable amount for its buyers.

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August 12, 2013