Category: Android

Micromax Press Release Confirms BBM for Android

Micromax today confirmed availability of BBM for Android on its Canvas range of smartphones. The Blackberry Messenger service application is said to come pre-loaded on new Micromax smartphones from the first week of October.

Existing Canvas users will also be able to download the BBM app from the Play Store. Deepak Mehrotra, CEO, Micromax said:

We have built a strong mobile ecosystem for our users, which not only drives them to buy our products, but also builds a connection with the brand by massifying and democratizing technology in India. Bringing one of the most popular mobile messaging services with BBM on our smartphones is yet another effort to expand our bouquet of messaging services for our consumers to connect and communicate seamlessly with their loved ones.”

With the arrival of BBM on android, users will now have access to the BBM mobile social network around the world, including features like BBM chats and multi-person chats with BBM Groups, the press release also mentioned that the customers can connect with up to 30 BBM contacts at a time, along with the ability to share voice notes and photographs.

Sunil Lalvani, Managing Director for India at BlackBerry said:

BBM offers customers a highly engaging mobile messaging experience, with the assurance that your message has been delivered and read, and privacy controls that let you easily connect with people without forcing you to give out your phone number or email address. We are delighted to work with Micromax to bring BBM to their customers directly on Canvas smartphones across India”

As per the press release, BBM for Android will be available for download from the Google Play Store, free of cost.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]
New Delhi, September 19, 2013 – Micromax, India’s leading handset manufacturer, today announced availability of the popular BBM™ application on its Canvas range of smartphones. The popular mobile messaging service application will come pre-loaded on new Micromax smartphones from the first week of October. Existing Canvas users CAN download the BBM for Android™ app from the Google Play Store, adding to the current slew of third party messaging services available on the Micromax smartphones.

Mr. Deepak Mehrotra, CEO, Micromax said, “We have built a strong mobile ecosystem for our users, which not only drives them to buy our products, but also builds a connection with the brand by massifying and democratizing technology in India. Bringing one of the most popular mobile messaging services with BBM on our smartphones is yet another effort to expand our bouquet of messaging services for our consumers to connect and communicate seamlessly with their loved ones.”

“We will continue to drive innovation ensuring that our customers have preferential access to the latest and most exciting applications such as the BBM in the future as well,” concluded Mehrotra.
With the arrival of BBM on the Canvas smartphones, Micromax customers will now have access to the BBM mobile social network around the world, including features such as BBM chats and multi-person chats with BBM Groups, which allow customers to connect with up to 30 BBM contacts at a time, as well as the ability to share voice notes and photographs.

“BBM offers customers a highly engaging mobile messaging experience, with the assurance that your message has been delivered and read, and privacy controls that let you easily connect with people without forcing you to give out your phone number or email address. We are delighted to work with Micromax to bring BBM to their customers directly on Canvas smartphones across India,” said Sunil Lalvani, Managing Director for India at BlackBerry.
BBM for Android will be available for download from the Google Play Store, free of cost.

For more information, please visit www.micromaxinfo.com or www.bbm.com
You can also connect with us at – f – Micromax or @Micromax_Mobile

About Micromax:
Micromax started as an IT software company in the year 2000 working on embedded platforms. In 2008, it entered mobile handset business and by 2010 it became one of the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company by offering unique affordable innovations. Micromax currently holds 22 percent market share in the Indian smartphone market according to IDC Q2 report. The brand’s product portfolio embraces more than 60 models today, ranging from feature rich, dual – SIM phones, 3G Android smartphones, tablets, LED televisions and data cards. The company has many firsts to its credit when it comes to the mobile handset market including the 30-day battery backup, dual SIM phones, QWERTY keypads, universal remote control mobile phones etc. Micromax has presence in more than 560 districts through 125,000 retail outlets in India. The company has sales presence spread across Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

BlackBerry and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of BlackBerry Limited. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.
[/toggle]

September 19, 2013
Micromax Launched ‘Canvas Tab’ a 8 inch Tablet priced at 16,500 INR

Micromax has unveiled its first tablet in the Canvas series, the Canvas Tab P650. The new Canvas Tab is priced at Rs. 16,500.

The Micromax Canvas Tab P650 has a 8 inch IPS display and sports 1 GB of RAM. The device comes with 16 GB of inbuilt storage which can be expanded up to 32 GB via micro SD card. The Canvas Tab is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad core processor and runs on Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean. The tablet is equipped with a 5 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front facing camera. The device includes a 4800 mAh battery.

Commenting on the launch, Rahul Sharma, Micromax Co-Founder said

With Canvas Tab, we are offering Indian consumers a unique combination of superior technology complemented with unmatched style. It reinforces our commitment to massify and democratize technology by empowering the consumers with the best and most unique innovations that offer great value for them.” He further added, “With today’s launch, we aim to extend the Canvas experience to our users on the tablet PC’s, supported by an entire eco-system of applications. The Canvas Tab promises a seamless experience to the consumers. The Canvas Tab will strengthen our leadership in the tablet PC market complemented with a 360 degree go to market strategy to reach out to the consumers.”

The Canvas Tab P650 also supports voice calling, its not clear if the device supports dual SIM or not but as per the Micromax tradition this device might have Dual SIM support. The Canvas Tab comes with features like Look away to pause video, Video Pinning, Pop-up Browser and comes preloaded with Opera, Spuul, Kingsoft Office, M!Live, M!Security. Canvas Tab is available in two colors White and Blue and is available in the stores now, the device includes a free flip case in the box.

[toggle title=”Press Release “]New Delhi, September 18th, 2013: Micromax, India’s leading handset manufacturer, today announced the launch of its first flagship tablet in the Canvas series with The Canvas Tab P650. Exemplifying great style combined with superior technology, the device aims to be the perfect companion for people who want to stay connected on the move. The Canvas Tab comes with a slew of latest software and hardware features that offer seamless and enhanced user experience. After pioneering the edutainment category in the tablet market and truly democratizing the Indian smartphone eco-system with the Canvas series of smartphones, the company now promises to extend the Canvas experience to the tablet PC category.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Rahul Sharma, Micromax Co- Founder said, “With Canvas Tab, we are offering Indian consumers a unique combination of superior technology complemented with unmatched style. It reinforces our commitment to massify and democratize technology by empowering the consumers with the best and most unique innovations that offer great value for them.”

He further added, “With today’s launch, we aim to extend the Canvas experience to our users on the tablet PC’s, supported by an entire eco-system of applications. The Canvas Tab promises a seamless experience to the consumers. The Canvas Tab will strengthen our leadership in the tablet PC market complemented with a 360 degree go to market strategy to reach out to the consumers.”

Adding oomph and style quotient, the Canvas Tab shows off a light and sleek design with full aluminum body. Sporting an 8” IPS full touch display, this new device promises excellent graphic quality its user.

Designed for work and fun on the go, the Canvas Tab is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad core processor and packed with a 4800 mAh battery promising users a seamless experience. With access to a huge number of apps which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, this is the first tab in the Canvas series runs on Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean) upgradable via FOTA.

After the unprecedented success of Canvas 4, Micromax has taken key insights from consumer feedback and integrated some of its most popular applications and smart features on Canvas Tab like the video player where one can watch a video and at the same time preview another video with ease (multiple video view), pause the video when you are not looking at the screen (look away pause), or use the option of video pinning to continue surfing on the tab while the video continues to run, the tablet promises superior application performance. Promising a browsing time of up to 5 hours, this 3G tablet is the ideal gadget for the young generation who is always on the lookout for better, faster and savvier gadgets on the go!

The tab comes equipped with a lot of fun features and apps for the users like, Spuul to watch free movies online, Music Hub to get access to songs online, Opera Mini for superior browsing experience and M! Live, to allow users to download HD/premium games. For the security of Canvas Tab buyers, Micromax will also offer a unique M! Security feature that offer security solutions including Back-Up, Anti-Theft Tracker, Anti-Virus. The users can store their favorite pictures, audios and videos in the tab’s 16GB internal memory which is expandable up to 32GB.

Priced at Rs. 16,500/-, Canvas Tab will be available in 2 colors White & Blue and would be available across all leading retail outlets in India from 18th September, 2013.

For more information, please visit www.micromaxinfo.com
You can also connect with us at – f – Micromax or @Micromax_Mobile

About Micromax:
Micromax started as an IT software company in the year 2000 working on embedded platforms. In 2008, it entered mobile handset business and by 2010 it became one of the largest Indian domestic mobile handsets company by offering unique affordable innovations. Micromax currently holds 22 percent market share in the Indian smartphone market according to IDC Q2 report. The brand’s product portfolio embraces more than 60 models today, ranging from feature rich, dual – SIM phones, 3G Android smartphones, tablets, LED televisions and data cards. The company has many firsts to its credit when it comes to the mobile handset market including the 30-day battery backup, dual SIM phones, QWERTY keypads, universal remote control mobile phones etc. Micromax has presence in more than 560 districts through 125,000 retail outlets in India. The company has sales presence spread across Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.[/toggle]

September 19, 2013
Sony Launches Xperia Z1 in India for Rs. 44990

Sony has launched the its Xperia Z1 smartphone today in India, for a price of Rs 44990. The new Sony Xperia Z1 has a IP58 certification making it seriously dust and water resistant.

The Sony Xperia Z1 is the latest flagship smartphone for the company, it includes a 5-inch full HD 1080p display (441ppi) sporting Sony’s TRILUMINOS screen tech and X-Reality for mobile. The device is powered by a 2.2 Ghz Snapdragon 800 chipset, along with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage (expandable via Micro SD).

The device sports a 20.7 MP Exmor RS sensor with a size of 1/2.3?, along with a G Lens from its higher-end cameras. Its F2.0 aperture and 27 mm wide-angle lens can be the biggest competitor for the Nokia’s flagship device Lumia 1020.

The camera on Xperia Z1 will include set of Xperia Camera Applications like Social Live, Info-Eye, Time Shift Burst and Ar Effect. You can expect are hands on this device really soon.

Sony has launched the phone with an 8GB data bundle for 3 months with Vodafone. Sony has also launched the Smarrt Watch 2 for a price of Rs 14990 .

[toggle title=”Press Release”]Sony introduces Xperia™ Z1 – a stunning waterproof smartphone

with a groundbreaking camera experience

• Combines the very best of Sony’s technology in a slim, waterproof and

beautifully designed Android smartphone

• True compact camera performance through combination of Sony’s awardwinning “G Lens”, large 1/2.3-type 20.7MP “Exmor RS for mobile” CMOS image

sensor and “BIONZ for mobile” image processing engine

• Innovative suite of Xperia Camera Applications that deliver unique experiences

including live social broadcasting

• Immersive viewing experience via Sony’s TRILUMINOS® Display for mobile and

X-Reality™ for mobile

• Unrivalled ecosystem of applications, accessories and companion products

Sony India today introduced Xperia Z1, a premium waterproof smartphone that combines the

very best of Sony’s technology, entertainment and wide range of companion products with a

unique and groundbreaking camera experience.

The world’s leading camera in a smartphone

The elegant, 5” Xperia Z1 is the latest addition to Sony’s premium Z series of products and

brings Sony’s proven world-class technologies to the smartphone like never before – including

the very best of Sony’s camera expertise. Xperia Z1 features Sony’s award-winning “G Lens”

with a 27mm wide angle and bright F2.0 aperture, custom made large 1/2.3-type CMOS image

sensor Exmor RS for mobile with 20.7MP and a BIONZ for mobile image processing engine.

The combination of these technologies delivers the same level of quality and performance as

a conventional compact digital camera in a slim, waterproof smartphone. Indeed, independent

testing has confirmed that Xperia Z1 provides the best overall image quality of all leading

smartphones

in lowlight conditions. High shutter speeds and 3x clear image zoom also prevents shots from

being blurred while enabling them to be captured at distance.

Innovative suite of Xperia Camera Applications

Xperia Z1 takes the conventional camera experience to a whole new level by including an

innovative set of Xperia Camera Applications that deliver new experiences. Applications at

launch include:

• Social live: Broadcast precious moments live from Xperia Z1 to Facebook and get

your friends’ comments right on your screen.

1

. This means that Xperia Z1 captures beautiful, sharp and bright images even

1Based on consumer research conducted by Strategy Analytics conducted on 23rd

August 2013.

• Info-eye™: Innovative visual search function that provides related information on

landmarks and on items such as books or wine simply by capturing them with the

camera.

• Timeshift burst: Capture the perfect shot every time – Xperia Z1 takes 61 images in

2 seconds – a second before and after pressing the shutter – so you can scroll back and

forth to find the perfect image.

• AR effect: Overlay a selection of fun, customizable animations to create pictures using

Sony’s SmartAR™ augmented reality technology.

This experience is supported by a robust ecosystem of established and up-and-coming

developer partnerships who are working to create Xperia Camera Applications. Many more

apps will be available through the Sony Select recommendation store after launch.

Beautiful design with high power and performance

Xperia Z1 also includes all of the features consumers have come to expect of a Sony

smartphone. Its stunning looks combine Sony’s acclaimed OmniBalance design with premium

materials and precision engineering in a slim waterproof and dust resistant smartphone (IP55

& IP58). A solid one-piece aluminium frame with tempered glass on the front and back ensures

beauty and durability as well as a consistent viewing experience from any angle.

Xperia Z1 features the fully integrated Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 800 processor with 2.2 GHz

quad-core CPU. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor features the latest GPU and dual

ISP for incredible graphics, 3D games and videos. The Xperia Z1 also includes a 3000 mAh

battery for a high battery performance. Sony’s Battery STAMINA Mode automatically turns off

functions to save power when you don’t need them and restarts them when you do.

Incredible out of the box entertainment with Sony’s media applications

and technologies

• Sony Music: Sony is all set to give its consumers an unparalleled & faster entertainment

experience by offering 6 months free Unlimited streaming & music download of over 15 lakh

songs such as International, Bollywood & Regional songs from Sony Music library

• Sony LIV: Sony will also have a unique video streaming app called Sony Liv. With this

app, consumers can enjoy catch-up TV of SAB, Sony Entertainment and Max. Not only this,

Xperia users will have exclusive access to special moments of KBC & Indian Idol. They can

even watch over 77 programs and over 4500 hours of videos of their favorite programs.

Majestic display

Thanks to the inclusion of Sony’s BRAVIA TV technology, Xperia Z1 features Sony’s unique

TRILUMINOS Display for mobile, creating a wider palette of rich natural colours for an

immersive viewing experience. It also includes X-Reality for mobile – Sony’s intelligent super

resolution technology which analyzes each image and optimizes the quality to deliver super

sharp videos. Xperia Z1 also brings Sony’s audio expertise to play with Sony’s ClearAudio+

which automatically optimizes the audio experience without the need to adjust individual

settings.

Unrivalled ecosystem of companion products and smart accessories

Xperia Z1 is supported by an ecosystem of innovative companion products and accessories.

All are underpinned by Sony’s one-touch functions with NFC technology which will number

approximately 100 compatible products by the end of the year including TVs, headphones,

audio speakers, tablets, and more. Key products include:

Companion products to enhance the camera experience

• QX10/QX100: High-performance ‘lens-style’ cameras designed for mounting on

smartphones and operated through the smartphone screen – a perfect partner for the

Z1.

A host of other companion products and smart accessories that enrich your

smartphone experience.

• SmartWatch 2 – Use as a second screen for Xperia Z1. Read messages, handle calls,

easily access notifications – all from your wrist. Trigger the Xperia Z1 camera shutter.

Download other camera apps to enhance the Xperia Z1 experience. Sony is working

closely with developers for even more optimised apps

• SBH52 Smart Bluetooth Handset – Splash proof wireless audio accessory that enables

you to listen and talk without taking out your smartphone.

• MDR-10BT NFC headphones and SRS-BTS50 wireless speaker – New, high quality

NFC enabled headphones and wireless speaker.

Xperia Z1 key specifications

• Sony’s “G Lens”: A lens with F2.0 and wide angle 27mm as well as 3x clear image

zoom.

• BIONZ for mobile: Image processing engine with the algorithm from Sony’s leading

digital compact cameras. It ensures pictures have less noise, fast auto-focus as well as

high stable images for video shooting, preventing shots from being blurred.

• 1/2.3-type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor with 20.7MP: high sensitivity

sensor capturing huge amounts of detail for sharp, crisp images, even in low-light

conditions.

• Dust resistant and waterproof (IP55 & IP58), with acclaimed OmniBalance design

featuring durable tempered glass and solid one-piece aluminium frame

• Qualcomm Snapdragon™800 quad-core 2.2 Ghz processor, 3000 mAh battery

• Xperia Camera Applications such as Social live which broadcast to Facebook. More

applications will be available to download from Sony Select.

• Memory: RAM 2 GB, Flash memory up to 16 GB, Expansion slot microSD™ card, up to

64 GB.

The newly launched Xperia Z1 will be available across all Sony Center and major electronic

stores across India.[/toggle]

September 18, 2013
Micromax Funbook P255 Available Online For 4,499 INR

Micromax has launched another budget tablet adding to its Funbook series, the Funbook P255, which is priced at INR. 4,499.

According to the information at hand, the Micromax Funbook P255 has a 7-inch capacitive display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. It sports a 2 megapixel rear camera and a 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera. The device is powered by a 1.2 GHz Cortex-A8 processor with Mali-400 GPU and comes with a 512 MB of RAM.

The device has an inbuilt 1.15 GB of available storage that is expandable up to 32 GB via micro SD card. The Funbook P255 surprisingly, runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Funbook P255 includes a 2600 mAh battery. The connectivity options on the tablet are Wi-Fi and 3G (via dongle support).

September 18, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear Launched in India (PR)

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone in India, a device that promises to be faster than its predecessor while keeping the tradition of being thinner, lighter and more compact than the Note II.

The 5.7-inch device has a full HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels, is 8.3 mm thick and weighs 168 grams, it is actually thinner and lighter than the Note II. The device is also powered by a 3200 mAh battery and comes with a soft-touch, textured backing in three colors, black, white and pink.

Note 3 White

The back of the Galaxy Note 3 features a 13 megapixel camera which does Full HD Recording @60fps and is not capable of 4k video recording, as the Note 3 comes with 1.9 Ghz Octa-Core(Exynos) processor in India unlike the snapdragon 800 in the other countries. The device comes with 32 GB of inbuilt storage and is priced at 49,990 INR.

The back of the Note 3 seems hand crafted which gives a premium feel, he added – We are proud of the way it looks and performs” – Vineet Taneja (Country head, Samsung India)

The new S-pen comes with alot of new features like: Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write, S Finder and the Pen Window.

New S -Pen

The Note 3 has a new Multi Window, in which users can toggle between apps without closing the window or opening a new window. It also has drag and drop mode in which users can easily drag and drop content like text or image from one window to another. The Multi Vision featires allows users to put together upto five Galaxy note 3, and create a big screen experience. The device will include the Samsung KNOX and Find My Mobile apps.

The Galaxy Note 3 will also include a 12 month of premium membership for the Evernote app, and will give 2 GB of internet data to the Vodafone customers for two months. The device will come preloaded with support of 11 regional languages including Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya and Assamese.

Galaxy Gear

Along with the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung also launched the Galaxy Gear in India. The device, Samsung claims, is a true companion to the Note 3. The Galaxy Gear gives notification for messages, emails and calls alerts to the users. If an user wants to view the message on the phone instead of the Gear, as soon as one would look at the screen the smart relay feature would pop up the same message on the bigger screen of the phone.

At the launch Vineet Taneja (Country head for Samsung India) said that the Galaxy Gear will be compatible with Galaxy Note 3 for now, and soon we will get updates for it to work with Galaxy S4 and the Note II, he also said that the Gear should work with any device that supports Bluetooth 4.0 for its basic features. The Galaxy Gear is water resistant and is price at 22,990 INR.

For More information, you can see our Hands On with the Galaxy Note 3 and Gear Here.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]
Design the Story of your Life with Samsung GALAXY Note 3

– Enhanced S Pen features and larger screen optimized for multitasking provide a delightful mobile experience that brings passions to life

– Samsung Galaxy Gear launched in India

New Delhi, India – September 17, 2013 – Samsung Electronics, India’s number one smartphone provider, today introduced GALAXY Note 3, the latest update to the Note product line. The new Samsung GALAXY Note 3 adds delight to daily tasks and infuses innovative features that help consumers tell the story of their lives. Samsung GALAXY Note 3 delivers a larger and better screen for the best viewing experience and more powerful multitasking, and introduces significant S Pen improvements that make everyday life easier and faster.

GALAXY Note 3 makes your everyday life amazing

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vineet Taneja, Country Head, Samsung Mobile & IT, stated, “The GALAXY Note 3 represents the next evolution of the GALAXY Note experience. It meets the needs of consumers for a smarter larger screen, makes everyday life easier with the S pen and is much slimmer, lighter, more powerful, and comes with a beautiful design. At Samsung, our goal is not just to make great devices, but to empower consumers to truly experience…enjoy…and fulfill their busy life with our devices, like the Note 3 and the Gear.”

Samsung GALAXY Note 3 comes with a larger (5.7inch) full HD Super AMOLED display, yet slimmer (8.3mm) and lighter (168g) hardware design, and more powerful and longer lasting (3,200mAh) battery. Also, equipped with a 13 megapixel rear camera with Smart Stabilization and high CRI LED flash, Samsung GALAXY Note 3 enables users to crisply capture every visual story in their lives, even in low light and active situations. Incorporating the industry’s largest 3GB RAM, the GALAXY Note 3 also provides faster and more powerful performance.

Balancing GALAXY Note 3’s strength with artistic design

In addition to meaningful technological advancements, Samsung GALAXY Note 3 delivers a new premium look and feel. Expanding on the modern Samsung GALAXY design approach, Samsung GALAXY Note 3 adds a soft and textured-touch back cover and delicate stitching. It also features a serration pattern on the side of the device that evokes a connection to the timeless and enduring strengths of classic notebooks and planners. Samsung GALAXY Note 3 will be available in Jet Black, Classic White and Blush Pink. In order to encourage its customers to express their personality and taste, Samsung will also offer exchangeable back covers in dozens of additional colors at launch.

Click S Pen to make life easier, faster and more exciting

The new S Pen reinvents and modernizes the classic note-taking experience by providing the ability to accomplish everyday tasks with just one click. The advanced S Pen is designed to be fully functional as a communication driver between the phone and the user by creating essential input and control features. It plays an integral role in how users interface with the device, making all daily routines easier.

A simple click of the S Pen button while hovering over the screen introduces users to Air Command, a palette of five powerful features that truly make tasks easier and faster. With the Air Command feature, there is no need to toggle between screens, memorize commands or look up different menus. The Air Command feature provides access to the following key functions:

• Action Memo allows users to handwrite a note, and automatically execute a function or convert that handwritten information into formatted content. Action Memo can instantly initiate a call, add to contacts, look up an address on a map, search the web, save a task to a to-do list, and more.
• Scrapbook enables users to organize or track down content and information from various sources including the web, YouTube and Gallery in one place so that users can easily look back at collected content all at once. When consumers save content for future use, Scrapbook also collects source material or URLs allowing them to easily refer back to the original source.
• The Screen Write feature captures the full screen image of the current page on the device and allows users to write comments or additional information onto the captured image.
• S Finder allows users to expansively search for content on their device regardless of the type. By putting in keywords or filters such as date, location, and content type, users can search related documents, events, communication threads, and even the Help page – all in one place. In addition, users can also search for hand-written content in their Notes and memo applications, as well as symbols and formulas.
• Pen Window allows users to use the S Pen not only for drawing sketches or writing notes, but now also for opening a small application window for a true multitasking experience. Simply by drawing a window of any size, anywhere on the screen, users can easily and quickly open another application window such as YouTube, calculator or Browser without pausing current activity on the screen.

For more advanced note-taking, the new S Note presents a comprehensive solution that enables consumers to easily write, organize, edit and browse notes with a user-friendly interface and the Easy Chart feature. The new S Note can also be synced with Evernote or a Samsung account and be enabled for accessing and viewing from different devices. Furthermore, when a user wants only a certain part of an image to be taken from the web or Note 3 content, the advanced new Easy Clip feature allows them to roughly draw around the desired image and then it converts that content into a more precisely cropped image.

Larger Note screen delivers enriched viewing experience and enables you to do more

The Samsung GALAXY Note 3 delivers a larger screen and the increased size is matched with powerful improvements that allow users to fully utilize the additional screen space. The 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED screen provides a stunning and defined video viewing experience for watching Full HD content, distinct clarity for reading and an elegant canvas for content creation.

My Magazine provides a personalized news, social media, entertainment and in-the-moment content experience. Developed through a partnership with Flipboard, it offers an integrated content consuming experience in a modern and dynamic magazine-style layout.

The GALAXY Note 3 enables enhanced multitasking capabilities that allow users to fully utilize the larger screen.

• With the new Multi Window, users can toggle seamlessly between applications without closing the window or opening a new page, allowing for enhanced productivity and collaboration across programs. Consumers can also run one application in two windows at the same time. For instance, users can read the news in one browser while conducting a web search in another, or send an instant message through ChatON to a friend while reading a message from another friend.
• In addition, using Drag and Drop mode within the new Multi Window, users can easily drag and drop content such as a text or image from one window to the other in an instant.
• Pen Window from Air Command further enhances multitasking experience by allowing consumers to draw a window on the screen and launching popular applications while continuing current tasks on the GALAXY Note 3.

An improvement to Group Play, video sharing, is now available. Originally introduced along with the GALAXY S4, Group Play allows users to play the same music, to play games together, and to share documents. It now enables consumers to share videos and play content together with their friends simultaneously. Users can also connect up to five devices alongside each other to create a “big screen” viewing experience using the Multi Vision feature of the Samsung Note 3.

Samsung KNOX & Find My Mobile

The new GALAXY Note 3 comes with enhanced privacy and security protection provided by Samsung KNOX. Users can activate Samsung KNOX with ease which allows them to run and store security-sensitive applications and data inside a protected execution environment called “container.” The security inside the container is strengthened by system-level protection of Samsung KNOX against malware and phishing attacks as well as hacking attempts on physical devices when devices are stolen or lost. For instance, important personal pictures or video can be stored in the container with no worries for data leakage due to hacking. In addition, users may choose to store enterprise applications and data such as corporate email, contacts and calendar and allow the IT department to manage the container through EAS (Exchange ActiveSync Server). These features make the GALAXY Note 3 an ideal device for BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device to work)

Furthermore, the GALAXY Note 3 is equipped with an improved Find My Mobile feature that allows users to disable the phone when it is stolen or lost. With the enhanced user authentication, the technology prevents stolen mobile phones from being reset to factory settings, and allows users to remotely track or erase the data from their lost or stolen mobile phones.

GALAXY Gear, the smart companion for GALAXY Note 3

Simultaneously announced with Samsung GALAXY Note 3, GALAXY Gear is a new concept device that allows users to live life in the moment while staying connected. GALAXY Gear will notify users and give them quick previews of incoming texts, emails and more coming from GALAXY Note 3. It will provide a range of other valuable features and commands that extend the GALAXY Note 3 experience. When an incoming message requires more than a quick glance, users can simply pick up their Samsung GALAXY devices and the Smart Relay feature will instantly reveal the full content on the screen. Together, GALAXY Note 3 and GALAXY Gear extend Samsung’s efforts to provide users with the opportunity to design their lives, to express their passions and to make everyday life more easy and enjoyable.

Available with 32GB internal storage along with an additional microSD card slot for an additional storage of upto 64GB, the Samsung GALAXY Note 3 and GALAXY Gear will be available in India commencing September 25, 2013. Consumers can also pre-book the device on the Samsung mobile e -store starting today.

Vernacular Language Support

The GALAXY Note 3 will come pre-loaded with support for 11 regional Indian languages including Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya and Assamese.

Users get Offers worth INR 15000 absolutely free. Users can enjoy preloaded applications like Evernote, Dropbox and sketchbook pro. Through a Special zone called Content Gifts within Samsung apps starting 1st of October users can also enjoy offers on wide range of services like NY Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Bitcasa, Oxford Dictionary and Angry Birds Star Wars 2.

Price and Offers

The Samsung GALAXY Note 3 is priced at Rs 49,900/- while the Gear is priced at Rs. 22,990/-. As part of its introductory offer, all Samsung Note 3 customers who are using Vodafone 2G services will get 2GB Internet per month free for two months on Vodafone 3G/EDGE/2G Networks.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 270,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US$187.8 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.
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September 17, 2013
Report: Nexus 5 And Android KitKat Will Launch On October 14th

With the Nexus 4 being sold out at Google Play and it receiving its carrier ‘end of life’ status, rumours are that the leaked ‘Nexus 5 will be officially unveiled in October. The first sign of a potential release date comes with Android-focussed site AusDriod stating that Google and LG will unveil the Nexus 5 on Monday, October 14th – which is 1-month away.

Documents on the FCC reveal that the phone will have a 4.96-inch diagonal display and will be just 131.9 mm x 68.2 mm.

In addition to this date, it’s also expected that the Nexus 5 will bring the availability of Android OS 4.4 KitKat to the masses. Little is known about the specific features Google will rollout, but the upgrade is rumoured to bring the following:

– New notification widgets
– Firmware availability to older phones
– Fragmentation changes (screen resizing)
– Miracast updates
– New Gallery Visualisation
– New APIs regarding animations
– Change android default blue to other preset palette colours

Of course as we do with all rumours, we suggest you take this one with a healthy grain of salt. At any rate, an October release is sounding more than likely.

[Via]

September 16, 2013
BBM For Android Leaks As APK

BBM for Android and iOS are coming soon, but the former suffered a leak this weekend that lets users sideload the APK file and open the app. Unfortunately for most, likely because BlackBerry saw this day coming from a mile away, the actual functionality — logging in with a BlackBerry ID and using the app — is restricted to a small number of whitelisted accounts.

We saw the application leaked on video a couple of weeks back, with one lucky user giving us a nice run through of everything we can expect. It’s full-on Blackberry, with the company’s design time ditching Holo for an experience that matches what you can find on their own devices.

BlackBerry said the service would go live before the end of the summer, following its announcement at BlackBerry World Live 2013 in May.

More recent reports have claimed BBM will launch before the end of September although BlackBerry is remaining very tight-lipped about concrete release dates. Adding fuel to the speculative bonfire that is when-will-BBM-come-to-Android is the news that Samsung Galaxy handsets may get the service first via the company’s Samsung Apps portal.

Statement from BlackBerry:

The excitement around the upcoming launch of BBM for Android and iPhone users is amazing. We want to thank everyone for their enthusiasm, but wanted to let people know that the program is structured so that only those in the beta will be able to use the app. The version we’ve seen on the Web in the last couple of days can be downloaded, but will not work on devices that are not approved in the beta program.

[Via. Via]

September 16, 2013
Google Maps Updated For Android, Better Navigation

Google Maps has got a new update (7.2) on Android. Now when you search for directions to a place and there are multiple routes, you will get Google Now card-like options with a new “Start Navigation” button, which saves a tap and a time overall.

The Android app’s latest update tweaks hotel search results by adding sponsored rate and booking links, which places a tiny “ad” icon next to services that paid for exposure.

The information for places such as restaurants, retail stores, etc. also has a minor update. The hours a business is open is now displayed right below the category of store it is in bold.

Navigation has been also been improved, with better traffic and route information, and the side menu now has a “tips and tricks” option that opens a maps help page in the web browser.

September 15, 2013
Report : Nokia Was Testing Android On Lumia

Back in February of 2011 Microsoft and Nokia entered into a partnership that made Windows Phone “its primary smartphone strategy.” While Nokia reportedly represents over 80% of all the Windows Phone handsets sold, their market share has slowly declined.

Before Microsoft decided to spend a whopping $7.2 billion to purchase Nokia’s Devices & Services, Nokia was considering options – a ‘plan B’ of sorts. According to a report in the New York Times, Nokia was actively testing Android on Lumia devices.

“A team within Nokia had Android up and running on the company’s Lumia handsets well before Microsoft and Nokia began negotiating Microsoft’s $7.2 billion acquisition of Nokia’s mobile phone and services business, according to two people briefed on the effort who declined to be identified because the project was confidential. Microsoft executives were aware of the existence of the project, these people said.”

This isn’t entirely surprising. Many people thought that Android would’ve been a smart route for the Finnish company to take. These same people noted that Microsoft executives were certainly aware that Nokia was testing Android on Lumia devices before and during the negotiations. They also made clear that Android was not a part of discussions between the two companies, even though it was “widely recognized” that it was possible Nokia would be using Android on smartphones in the future.

Notably, Nokia had an option to exit its partnership with Microsoft at the end of 2014 and may have used the threat of switching to Android as tool in its dealings with the company.

[Via]

September 14, 2013
Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick Revealed

The Sony NSZ-GU1 Google TV device has been revealed, and it is called the Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick. The is an MHL dongle that runs both Google TV and Sony’s own BRAVIA apps. The features are just like Google TV boxes Sony has released before, with a remote that has QWERTY and voice search support.

Additionally, its “picture-and-picture” feature lets users see a browser in one window and TV in another. Since it’s a true Google TV device it can install and run Android apps from the Play Store, but any other details will have to wait until it’s officially announced on Sunday.

Users can launch applications or easily search contents, such as weather or movies of your favorite actor, simply by saying your query.

When it comes to specs and features, the NSZ-GU1 will offer a low-power Marvell De3108 SoC, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of memory, 720p video support Wi-Fi b/g/n, USB support, IR support and Bluetooth 3.0.

This smart stick will only work on 2013 and later Sony BRAVIA models, you can view the manual here. Pricing and availability is not revealed yet.

September 14, 2013
HTC One Makes an Appearance in Gold

We recently witnessed Apple unveil the new iPhone 5s in a new Gold color variant, earlier this week. It now appears that another flagship smartphone is all set to join the Gold league that was kicked off by Apple.

HTC’s flagship, the Full HD screen phone has been spotted in a Gold colour. The leaked images have been posted by the Chinese forum Weibo. The leaked images show the front and rear chassis of the HTC One Gold model. However, the parts from the rear panel are missing in the images. The site does not reveal any additional details related to the alleged HTC One Gold variant.

Originally the HTC One was launched in two colour variants, Black and Silver. Soon, the company showcased a ‘Glamour Red’ version of the device. The Glamour Red variant of HTC One was offered initially in the UK.

Recently, HTC announced a new colour option for the HTC One, dubbed as Vivid Blue which joined the three existing colour options – Black, Silver and Red. Recently, it was announced that the HTC One will get Android 4.3 by the end of September.

[via]

September 13, 2013
DOMO launches Slate X14 Android tablet at Rs. 4,990

DOMO has launched the Slate X14 tablet for Rs. 4,990, targeting students. The DOMO Slate X14 comes with 7-inch LCD display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. It is powered by a 1GHz Cortex A8 processor, and has a Mali 400 GPU with 512 MB of RAM. The dimensions of the Slate X14 121 x 182 x 10 (mm) and weighs in at 270 grams. It features 4GB of built-in storage which can be expanded up to 32GB with the help of a micro SD card. The tablet runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Flash support.

Commenting on the launch, Mazher Shaikh, Business Development Manager at DOMO said, “DOMO Slate X14 has been designed especially for student offering value for money features. With support for most 3G dongles, users can stay connected to internet on the go.”

The Slate X14 include a 2-megapixel front camera and the connectivity options as Wi-Fi, Micro-USB and 3G via external USB dongle. The tablet does not come with SIM support. The DOMO Slate X14 can playback 1080p videos, and runs on a 3000 mAh battery.

The tablet comes up with a warranty of 3 months for the box accessories which includes Device Charger, USB Cable and OTG Cable and the device itself comes up with a limited warranty of 6 months, which can be a problem for some. The repairs are done through onsite pick up and deliveries, that mean if you buy this tablet you don’t have to run around to find a service center.

September 13, 2013
Sony Xperia Z1 Showcased Along With The Alleged Xperia Z1 Mini

After the launch of the Sony Xperia Z1 at IFA 2013, its time to get back to the rumors. The mini version of the water resistant smartphone by Sony showed up along with the Z1 itself.

With the leaked images we get to look at some of the specs as well. The Xperia Z1 mini is rumored to come up with a 720p 4.3 inch screen, boast 2 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal memory, powered by quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, Android Jelly Bean 4.3 and sport the same 20.7 MP camera as on the Xperia Z1. The Z1 mini is rumored to make its official appearance at CES 2014 in Las Vegas this January.

A previous leaked image had shown the front of the phone.

These are leaked configurations, as there is no word from Sony about this device. The above configurations seem a bit too much as it shows that the Z1 mini will be powered with the snapdragon 800 processor and will sport a 20.7 MP camera, but if this rumor comes up true just like the rumors of a plastic iphone 5c which came up to be true, the Z1 mini seems to be a nightmare for its competitors.

However, the Japanese major has not yet revealed its plan for the smaller-sized version of its flagship smartphone. If we look at the previously launched mini versions of the phones like HTC One and the Galaxy S4 it shows that all smartphone minis have opted for lower grade processors than their bigger ones, we believe something like a Snapdragon 600 processor might be the choice of Sony for the Z1 mini.

Will Sony follow what is been the trend for mini phones, or will it completely change the segment of “mini” phones with its rumored Xperia Z1 mini, we will have to wait and see what Sony brings to the table.

September 11, 2013
Exclusive : Samsung to Launch Galaxy Note 3 and Gear on 17th September

We’ve got exclusive news about the launch of the next generation Galaxy Note, the Galaxy Note 3. The Note 3 was announced on 4th of September during IFA 2013 in Berlin, and was expected to hit markets by September 25th.

Exclusive sources at Samsung close to iGyaan have told us, that the company will launch the handset on September 17th and the 16GB variant will be priced under Rs. 50,000. This week a rumor pointed out that the Galaxy Note 3 will be launched for a price of Rs. 47990, and if we tie it up with the information we received from our source, it sounds about right.

India is one of the biggest markets for Samsung, and has been constantly the first tier to receive our products in the mobile division, this time it will be no different.

S View Case for Note 3

Samsung will launch the new Galaxy Note 3 at an event in New Delhi on the 17th of September and will have the phone available in the market by September 25th. Samsung is also expected to launch all the new accessories including the new S-View cases for the Note 3, the Leather back case options and the glam cases, alongside the Note 3.

The biggest disappointment to buyers in India will be the chipset option for the Galaxy Note 3. With LTE a far away dream for Indians, the company will presently launch the Galaxy Note 3 with the Exynos 5 Octa chipset, also limiting Video Capture to 1080p and not the 4k offered in the Snapdragon 800. Samsung will however launch all three colors the black, white and pink , where the company expects a lot of female buyers for the Pink option, opening a new market of consumers.

Samsung will also launch the Galaxy Gear watch alongside the Galaxy Note 3, with an expected price of Rs. 18000. also to be available by the 25th of September.

It is also expected that Samsung will initiate a pre-order option with some bundles to offer for early buyers. If Samsung launches the Galaxy Note 3 at Rs. 47,990 with a bundled flip case, would you buy it, and in what color ? Let us know below.

Update : Although the 32GB variant was the smallest version announced at IFA, we have heard that Samsung may launch a 16 GB variant to keep the price low in markets like India.

September 8, 2013
BBM For iPhone Confirmed By BlackBerry Executive

“The BBM app will be launched for Android and iOS”, we have been hearing this news from a long time. About a month ago BlackBerry was rumored to test the messenger on both Android and iOS platforms. Now, as per a tweet from Alex Kinsella(Senior Strategic Account Manager for BlackBerry), it shows that BBM will launch first on iOS. As the tweet said:

“BBM for iPhone was submitted for review 2 wks ago #waiting”

Earlier in May BlackBerry officialy announced that BBM will be available on Android and iOS, ever since then we have heard rumors of it launching soon. Here is what Mr. Bocking said when he officially announced messengers availability on Android and iOS.

“For BlackBerry, messaging and collaboration are inseparable from the mobile experience, and the time is definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service. BBM has always been one of the most engaging services for BlackBerry customers, enabling them to easily connect while maintaining a valued level of personal privacy. We’re excited to offer iOS and Android users the possibility to join the BBM community,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President, Software Product Management and Ecosystem, at BlackBerry.

The tweet above shows that BBM might be available for iOS anytime, so when you wake up tomorrow do not forget to check your app store. Few years back, BBM was one of the most popular communication means, but today we have others like Whatsapp, hike, we chat and ALOT more. Will the availability of BBM on Android and iOS bring the change back ? We will have to wait and see.

September 7, 2013