Companies have often been targeted for locked boot-loaders of Android devices. HTC is one such case who then decided to unlock boot loaders in exchange for end of warranties. The modding community of Android which is quite large is now lashing out at ASUS for locking the bootloader of the Wifi Only Transformer Prime tablet. In most such cases companies will give in to demands of the consumer, but we are not sure if ASUS is going to go in that direction.
Read the full flames at xda-developers.
So much has happened in the year of 2011. We take a look back at some of the major launches and events that moved news in 2011, of course we do it month wise:
iPhone 4 CDMA : Verizon iPhone Confirmed : CDMA and Available 10th FEB 2011
Google Announces Honeycomb for Tablets : Google shows off Android 3.0 Honeycomb on Video
Samsung Shows off Series 9 Laptops : Samsung 9 Series laptop unveiled, Super Slim
Nokia and Windows Phone : Nokia and Microsoft enter strategic alliance on Windows Phone, Bing, Xbox Live and Office
HP Launches Touchpad : Breaking : HP Announces the Hp TouchPad 9.7-inch, Web OS3 Tablet with 1.2 GHZ of Power
Sony Ericsson Launches the PSP Phone : Sony Ericsson Announces the Xperia Play at Mobile World Congress
Samsung Confirms Galaxy S2 : Samsung Galaxy S II official: dual-core 1GHz CPU, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus
Apple Intros Thunderbolt : Apple and Intel reveal Thunderbolt I/O technology- Light Peak name is dead
Apple iPad 2 Launched : The Apple iPad 2 Released!
BMW’s Concept cars caught : BMW’s i3 and i8 caught testing on ice, with ski clothing?
Samsung Galaxy Tablets launched : Samsung Unveils GALAXY Tab 10.1 and GALAXY Tab 8.9, World’s Thinnest Mobile Tablets
Nexus S launched in India : Samsung Launches Nexus S in India
LG Optimus 2X Launched : LG Dual Core Optimus 2X launches in UK for £449.99, coming to India in April?
LG Optimus 2X launched in India : Lg Optimus 2X and the Optimus Black Launched in India
HTC Sensation Launched : HTC launches the New Sensation 4G, qHD Display, Dual Core, Sense 3.0 (PR)
Micromax Bling 2 : iG Exclusive : Micromax Bling 2 Leaked Images- Android 2.2
Hands on with The Galaxy S2 : Live from Samsung Forum 2011 : Samsung Galaxy S 2 Hands On (PR)
Hands on with the Galaxy Tab : Live from Samsung Forum 2011 : Samsung Galaxy Tab Launched: 10.1 Hands On
Galaxy S2 Launched in India : Samsung Galaxy S2 Launched in India at Samsung Forum 2011
Indian Govt. Bans Nokia Mail : Indian Government Bans Nokia’s Push Email Service
Apple vs Samsung : Apple Sues Samsung for the Galaxy S, Galaxy Tab and other Infringements
Apple iPad 2 Launched in India : Apple iPad 2 launched in India, Shipping April 29th 2011. Original iPad to get cheaper!
Blackberry Bold 9900 Launched : Blackberry Bold 9900 / 9930 Launched – Bold Touch now Official (PR)
Apple iMac Refresh : Apple Refreshes iMac with Quad Core Sandy Bridge Intel i Processors and Thunderbolt Ports (PR)
Google Announces ICS : Android Ice-Cream Sandwich Announced for Phones and Tablets coming later this Year
Indian Sat Launch : India’s Communication Satellite GSAT-8 Successfully Launched into Orbit with Ariane 5 ECA
Sony Under Attack : NOW : Sony BMG Greece hacked / Sony’s Security continues to fail, Subsidiary So-Net Entertainment attacked
Google Mobile Wallet +NFC : Google Launches Mobile Wallet Payment Service (PR)
Windows 8 Announced : Microsoft Windows 8 taken out of the Wraps !! – Video
Apple Launches new EcoSystem : Apple launches iMessage to target BBM, inter iPhone connectivity over wifi + 3g , pictures , voice and video + text instant messaging
iOS 5 Release : Apple Introduces iOS 5 with 200 New Features
iCloud Launched : The 9 Apps of iCloud – RIP MobileMe
Citibank attacked : 360,000 Credit Cards Leaked in Recent Hack-Attack to CitiGroup
iPhone 3GS launched for cheaper : iG Exclusive : Apple Re: Launching Iphone 3GS in India Tomorrow for 20k, Factory Unlocked
Google Plus Launched : Google+ is the Behemoth new Social Networking Attempt from Google
Facebook + Skype : Facebook Brings Group Chat and Video Calling – Targets Google +
AppStore Crosses 15 Billion Downloads : The Apple App Store Crosses the 15 Billion Downloads Milestone
HTC Unlocks Bootloaders :HTC will start Bootloader Unlock in August – HTC Sensation on the List
Micromax A70 : Micromax Launches the A70 Android Handset in India (PR)
Audi A6 Lightweight : Audi all Set to Launch the A6 Lightweight in India
EeePad Transformer in India : ASUS Launches Eee Pad Transformer Tablet in India
Apple Has more Cash than US Govt : Is Apple Richer than the US Govt.?
BMW Concept cars released : BMW showcases the new i3 and i8 Concepts, we drool! (PR)
BB Bold 9900 Goes on Sale : iG Exclusive : BlackBerry Bold 9900 Touch goes on Sale in India, limited pre Launch Stock
Samsung XCover Launched : Samsung Launches the Rugged Galaxy XCover, Water and Mud Resistant (PR)
Galaxy Tab : Samsung Launches the Galaxy 750 / 730 in India ( Tab 10.1 / 8.9 )
Google Decides Motorola Takeover : Breaking: Google will Acquire Motorola Mobility : SuperPower the Android Devices
HTC buys Beats by Dre : HTC puts profits to use, Buys into Beats by DRE, Strategic partnership (PR)
Motorola Launches Defy + : Motorola Launches the Defy + , The next level of water-resistance (PR)
Xiaomi Phone : Xiaomi Phone with MIUI Launched, 1.5 GHz Dual core beast at a mere US$ 310
Cyanogen with Samsung : Steve Kondik (Cyanogen) Joins Samsung Mobile as Software Engineer | Expect Fireworks
HP ends Palm and WebOS : Tech Fail : HP to abandon WebOS only 8 Months after US $ 1.2 Billion Palm takeover (PR)
Steve Jobs Resigns : Breaking : Steve Jobs resigns Apple as CEO
Galaxy Note Launched : Samsung launches the 5.3 inch Galaxy Note (PR)
Apple VS Samsung Heats up : German court permanently bans Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Apple vs Samsung, Indian courts approached
HTC Launches First phone with Beats by Dre : HTC Sensation XE is Official with 1.5 GHz and Beats Audio, Comes in September
HTC Launches Explorer : iGyaan Exclusive : HTC Launches the New HTC Explorer (PR) Updated
Amazon Launches new Kindle : Amazon Launches the Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G , Upgrades the Kindle (PR)
Amazon Launches Kindle Tablet: Amazon Kindle Fire 7inch Tablet Announced with Android for $199
Apple Launches the iPhone 4S : Breaking : Apple intros new iPhone 4s with A5 Chipset Retina display same design as the iPhone 4 (PR)
Apple Launches Siri : Breaking Apple Launches Voice Assistant called Siri with life like Q & A
Steve Jobs Passes : Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple Passes Away at 56
India’s Budget Tablet : India’s Sakshat Tablet is now the UBISLATE / AAKASH for 2999 Rs. or 1799 Rs. on subsidy.
Windows Phone 7 comes to India : Microsoft Launches Windows Phones In India, About a Year Later with 3 New Devices
iGyaan and iPhone 4s : iPhone 4S Unboxing and Hands on
Samsung & Google launch the Nexus : Samsung Galaxy Nexus is Official : 4.65 HD Amoled Display, First ICS
Samsung Galaxy S Plus in India : Samsung Galaxy S Plus Launched in India
Nokia Lumia : Nokia Finally Announces the Lumia 800 ‘first real Windows Phone’ (PR)
Galaxy note Launched in India : Samsung Galaxy Note GT-N7000 Launched in India at Rs. 34,990
Panasonic Tough Tablets : Panasonic dares your tablet, releases the Water, Fire, Dirt and Drop proof ToughPad A1 & B1
Transformer Prime : ASUS launches the new Transformer Prime with Tegra 3 and 12 Hour Battery (PR)
Range Rover Evoque in India : AutoGyaan: Range Rover Evoque Finally Arrives in India at whacky prices
iPhone 4S comes to India : Claims shutter down, India to get iPhone 4S Nov 25
Micromax A85 Launched : Micromax Launches the A85 SuperFone in India (PR)
HTC Sensation XL in India : HTC Launches the Sensation XL with Beats Audio in India (PR)
Pick: iG Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Gadgets Rs. 10,000
Pick : iG Holiday Gift Guide : Mobile Phones under 10,000
Micromax Launches A75 : Micromax Launches the A75 Superfone Lite with Dual Sim (PR)
HP OpenSources WebOS : HP is ready to make WebOS open source, we want to reverse engineer
Aakash Tablet on Sale : India’s Aakash Tablet now available, Ubislate 7 up for Pre Order
Nexus S Gets ICS : Google Begins Updating the Nexus S to Ice Cream Sandwich
Nokia ends Symbian : Nokia bids adieu to the Symbian name, embraces Nokia Belle
Samsung embraces Dual sim in Android : Samsung Launches Dual Sim Galaxy Y Duos and Galaxy Y Pro Duos (PR)
iGyaan Holiday Guide : Best Phones for 15,000
iGyaan Holiday Guide : Best Smartphones for 20000 Rupees
iGyaan Holiday Guide : Extreme Phones 21,000 and UP
The end of the year is upon us, and what better way than to look at the amazing phones of 2011, the top list, or the commercial giants. Here is a list of Smartphones which we think make sense in the Bracket from 21-40 thousand. Of course we only list our favorites.
Possibly the largest category in this guide we have literally more than 15 phones that can fit in this price range, so we take out what we think is the best of the lot.
Samsung Galaxy Note (Rs. 32000) : Phone? Tablet? Relax its a Galaxy Note! The best Android device money can buy today in India. The Note features a massive 5.3 inch screen with an awesome Super Amoled Display ( beautiful), it also has a S-Pen which is a capacitive pen with more features than a stylus ever had before : Detailed here. The Note also has a fast 1.4GHz processor, 16 GB storage, Android 2.3 with confirmed ICS. 8MP camera + front camera with Video calls. Check out our Unboxing and Hands On : Review is out Shortly!
Motorola Razr XT910 ( Rs. 33990) : The slimmest phone in the Android Series, Motorola has revived the Razr brand, with just a 7.1mm thickness for a smartphone. The device is powered with a 1.2 GHz dual core ARM Cortex A9 processor, the RAZR also packs in 1 GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. A 4.3 inch super AMOLED advanced display make for the best viewing with a qHD resolution. 8MP camera allows great pictures and Full HD video recording 1080p. Our Review Out Shortly!
HTC Sensation XE ( Rs. 32000) and XL ( Rs. 37000) : While we really recommend HTC phones simply because of brilliant build qualities, we feel that they are overpriced and thus they share the third spot in the Android Lineup. The XE packs Beats audio and iBeats , 1.4 GHz processor a great 4.3inch qHD screen and Sense UI on top of Android 2.3.4. Our Review covers it in-depth. The XL is just a bigger version of XE with a much bigger price tag. The specs are strange, a 480x800px resolution, a 1.5GHz processor and Android 2.3. Its a way to express that you love HTC phones and thats it. Need we say our review is out shortly!
HTC Evo 3D (Rs. 35000) : Want to jump on the 3D bandwagon? this is the device to choose. The LG Optimus 3D is a cheaper alternative, but we feel that the HTC is a better device. Specs include 1.2 GHz dual core processor, an Adreno 220 GPU based on a MSM 8660 chipset and 1 GB of RAM. An auto-stereo-scopic Display makes 3D viewing without 3D glasses possible. The 4.3inch display has a qHD resolution and the device has HTC Sense on Android 2.3 – to be upgraded to ICS and newer Sense in 2012. Our unboxing and Video Review cover the Evo 3D extensively.
Samsung Galaxy S2 (Rs. 28,000) : The best selling Android Premium smartphone in 2011, the Samsung Galaxy S2 is truly an amazing device. An upgrade to the Galaxy S, the S2 brought a lot of firsts for Samsung. An 8 MP camera with stunning pictures and full HD video, a beautiful Super AMOLED Plus display which hosts Android 2.3 with Touchwiz – flick and tap. A large in-built memory of 16 GB and is expandable up to 32 GB, good battery life and a gorilla display. This device truly answered all questions that buyers had in 2011. Check out our Full Review.
Sony Ericsson Arc S ( Rs. 28000) : No its not the best phone for the money thats why it falls under the S2, The SE ARC S is the only SONY entrant in our list, because of the beautiful Timescape UI and the stunning Bravia Engine on the display. Powered by a poor old 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor and Adreno 205 GPU, no this does not make this device incapable. The UI is stable and the performance is excellent from the device.
Samsung Galaxy S Plus ( Rs. 21000) : The Lowest range handset in our list, powered by the same processor as the ARC S , 1.4GHz Scorpion, The S Plus is exactly what the name says, a plus to the Galaxy S. 8GB memory and 512MB RAM, a Super Amoled Display. The funny thing is you get better specs on a cheaper device the Galaxy R ( Rs. 18800) .
The Galaxy Nexus didn’t make our list because its not officially available in India, Yes it should be at the top of the list, considering ICS is already on board and a 720 x 1280 px, 4.65 inch Super Amoled Capacitive touchscreen, a Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9, 16GB internal storage – Optional 32GB . The phone also has a 5MP camera with full HD video and a front camera for native 3G video calls. A lot more specs than we can list here. The phone enters India end January 2012, you can get it from ebay ranging 35-45k. Best of luck!
iPhone 4S (Rs. 44900) : The Apple of everyone’s eye, the Apple iPhone 4S is the flagship phone from Apple this year. With millions sold within weeks its also one of the most sold handset in 2011 (considering iPhone 4). The new iPhone 4S brings the A5 chipset with dual core capabilities, best in class 8MP camera with full HD video and Image stabilization ( 5 Lens system). The highest resolution Retina Display. But the most popular thing of 2011 is Siri, the voice activated Assistant that follows your every command. Check out our Unboxing : Review Shortly
iPhone 4 ( Rs. 32,000) : Yes two Apple devices made our list, the iPhone 4 is the taster for those unwilling to shell out big buck for the bigger brother. Still you get iOS5, iCloud and Siri after jailbreak of course. The iPhone 4 has a 5 MP rear illuminated camera, the same Retina display, Front facing camera for FaceTime calls and Millions of Apps from the iOS AppStore. The iPhone 4 is a perfect device for those with the budget and the urge to jump over to iOS while Apple unveils the next-gen iPhone sometime in 2012 for big buck. Of course we reviewed it back in the day.
Bold 9900 ( Rs. 31000) : The Bold 9900 is the flagship Bold from RIM. The same keyboard layout from the original bold 9000, with a new capacitive touchscreen, a super slim profile and BB OS 7 . The only disappointment is the poor fixed focus 5MP camera. The 9900 is a businessman’s powerhouse, especially if you are a previous BB user. The device has excellent mail capabilities and of course has BBM. The new OS 7 also supports a lot more new age apps and games. The phone features a 1.2 GHz processor , 768 MB of RAM, 2.8-inch capacitive LCD and 8GB storage. Our Video Here
Torch 3 / 9860 ( Rs. 28000) : Our Second BB recommendation, the beautiful screen and the full touch display make the device feel really nice in the hands. Liquid graphics on a 3.7-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen. 4GB internal storage and 768MB ram. BB OS 7 and new age emailing and messaging, excellent media capabilities and an excellent form factor. A great Blackberry for those looking for a BB – iPhone Hybrid (minus iOS) . Our Video Here
HTC Radar (Rs. 23000) : Our first recommendation simply because of Price vs Features. The Radar has a beautiful build quality with WP7.5 Mango running on top of a 1 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor. The 3.8-inch Super LCD screen has a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and look great. The device has a 5MP camera and a 0.3 MP front camera no 3G video calls though. Check out our full review. If you don’t really rely on Build quality, a better and cheaper alternative is the Omnia W for 18,990
NOKIA Lumia 800 ( Rs 28900) : The Amazing Everyday, no not yet ! Yes this is Nokia’s Answer to Android, but is it the right answer? The device runs WP7.5 Mango with proprietary Nokia Apps ( not really since we ported them to HTC) but the device has a 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor, 512 MB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. Lumia 800 has a 8MP camera with full HD recording, but wait! where is the second camera? Our Review and Comparison with Omnia W comes out shortly.
In an announcement made today, Samsung has clarified that the company has managed to ship 1 million units of the Galaxy Note in under two months. These numbers are just from countries in Europe and Asia. While Samsung expects these numbers to rise rapidly once the Note is launched in North America, possibly the largest market for such a device.
“1 million global shipping of Galaxy Note means it has well positioned itself as a market creator,Samsung will continuously strengthen its leadership in the global smartphone market as well as create new markets with innovative devices.”
-Samsung official
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Samsung Electronics Ships over 1 Million Units of Galaxy Note Globally
Samsung’s flagship smart device Galaxy Note has reached 1 million global shipping.
Samsung Electronics said on the 29th that it has shipped more than 1 million units of Galaxy Note globally. The worldwide sales of Galaxy Note are also on the rise in Europe and Asia including France, Germany, Hongkong and Taiwan. The rapid global sales of Galaxy Note are notable since it is creating a new market for something between smartphone and tablet pc. The speed of the global sales is expected to accelerate further next year when it will be available in the US.
Recently, Financial Times reviewed highly of Galaxy Note, commenting it as”a happy medium for consumers who want to carry just one device, rather than both a smartphone and a tablet and whatever other portable gadget they pick up on their way out”.
A Samsung official also said “1 million global shipping of Galaxy Note means it has well positioned itself as a market creator,” also adding “Samsung will continuously strengthen its leadership in the global smartphone market as well as create new markets with innovative devices.”
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HTC has updated their bootloader unlock utility to serve to the needs of the buyers of the latest HTC lineup. This includes all handsets released after September and follows the same principles as earlier bootloader unlock utilities. The complete list of supported devices will be available soon, hopefully the XL and XE join the pack of modders.
[HTC]
A command line based project released by lithid-cm has the ability to go any user the power to create their own CM Roms. Called the CyanogenMod Compiler (CMC) it currently is in the test phase and allows only basic tweaks to a CM ROM including the ability to eliminate languages, wallpapers and tweak themes. The general idea is to be able to develop your own custom ROM without the need for dependence on anyone.
The Galaxy Note Review is long pending, and coming soon. But before we really look at that, we take out the time to highlight the features of the S-PEN, the stylus type capacitive pen. The PEN is actually ( according to us) one of the major reasons the Note is such a wonderful device. Check out the full video below.
Continuing on with our Tradition of Holiday Guides today we bring the best phones under the 20,000 Rupees mark (15,000 – 20,000), Of course you can check out our under 15,000 guide and Under 10,000 Guide if they better suits your purpose.
Samsung Galaxy R (Rs. 20,000) : Have 20k to spend? This is our pick for smartphone under the 20 thousand mark. The dual core smartphone is available at online retailers for prices well below 19k including deals, searching will get you a good deal. The phone performs great and a review done for the second time, by us, will fill you in on required info.
LG Optimus 2X (Rs 18,599) : Although the phone fared poorly in our review, The device has been rooted, modded and been patched to fix all software glitches of the stock ROM, This is a alternative dual core smartphone for the modder and cellphone tweaker. This phone will keep you busy for hours. If you plan to mess around with software on your device this is your poison. Although this may not help you Our Review is here
Motorola Defy Plus (Rs 17,000) : The best rugged phone in this class, with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 512MB ram a 3.7 inch WXGA screen and endless hours of outdoor fun. This is your device if you love the outdoors but want in on the latest smartphone action. The Defy Plus will most probably get the ICS update since it has all supporting hardware ( Considering that Motorola is almost a Google entity now) . Our complete review with the higher priced Xperia Active is here.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V ( Rs 17,499) : Five words : “Timescape plus Mobile Bravia Engine” define what Android on a smartphone should look like. There is nothing that looks and performs as good as the TimeScape UI (Considering only Android OS)on Sony Ericsson Phones ( according to us) The phone is powered with a 1GHZ scorpion processor and features a 3.7 inch Screen with MBE. It has 512 MB Ram and Android 2.3 with a confirmed upgrade for Ice Cream Sandwich. Our Review is Here
There are of-course others that didn’t make the list, Our Reviews can be seen for those:
Curve 9360 (Rs. 19,000) : The curve that runs OS 7, a fix for those who are not yet ready to shift to a full touch Blackberry, and those who are not ready to switch to Android or the likes of iOS. The device is the slimmest Blackberry yet at only 11mm. 800 MHz processor 512MB Ram and 512MB Rom. Check out our Video.
Curve 9380 ( Rs 20,000): The first full touch curve, it brings BB OS 7 and a range of nice changes to the blackberry users, 800 MHz cpu , 512 MB Ram and 512 MB Rom is carried on from its younger cousin above. The device also features a nice 3.2” HVGA+ touch screen with a 480 X 360 pixel resolution at 188ppi. Check out our full review.
iPhone 3Gs ( Rs 20,000) : Two years old but still selling strong, the iPhone 3Gs supports iOS 5, iCloud, iMessage, Airplay and everything except FaceTime. If you hurry you can cash in on the new iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak and even get Siri working on it. What else could you ask from a two year old phone. in terms of specs, it runs at 600MHz, has 16GB internal storage and 256MB Ram. The AppStore is the largest app market although most new apps may not perform great on the 3Gs. But hey you still get asked the question : “You have an iPhone”? Read our Editorial Here
Nokia E6 (Rs. 17,000) : The business power seller from Nokia, If you don’t use a Blackberry, you use a Nokia E Series phone. A Qwerty marvel from Nokia, the device features 2.46-inch Touchscreen making it the first Touch Type – Nokia E Series. The device is loaded with Symbian Anna and comes with a 680 MHz processor, 8 MP camera and a very long battery life, bundled with a excellent build quality. Check out our Unboxing and Review Video
Nokia 701 (Rs. 17,800) : Although stocks are limited on this recently released phone, it seems like a promising option for the Symbian lover, Running the new Symbian Belle Nokia Belle, the device features a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 640 x 360 px. Inbuilt NFC, 1 GHz processor and 8MP Camera with 720p (30fps) Video. Our Review will be out shortly.
Samsung Omnia W (Rs 18,990) : Launched upwards of 25k , Samsung has fiercely dropped the price of the Omnia taking into record the Nokia Lumia Marketing campaign. The device has a nice 3.7 Inches WVGA Super AMOLED display, 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, and 5MP AF Camera With LED Flash including a VGA front camera. Comes with Windows Phone Mango 7.5 and Samsung Apps. Our Review is Coming Soon
Nokia Lumia 710 (Rs 19,999) : Finally available the Nokia Lumia Series brings the first versions of Nokia Phones running WP7.5 to India. Powered by a 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion Processor the Lumia 710 is the smaller sibling of the highly advertised Lumia 800. This device has 3.7-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display screen with 480 x 800 pixel and a 5MP camera + LED flash. It also has a 512 MB RAM and has Adreno 205 GPU. iGyaan Review Out Shortly.
Other phones that were not designed for Windows 7.5, but still support it fully include the following,( and you can possibly find a good deal on them):
We got over a thousand requests to review the Samsung Galaxy R especially after the price drop. The device originally launched at Rs. 27000, just a little shy of the price of the Galaxy S2, but now the phone is priced at a mere 20,800 , also available at online retailers for a discount of 1000 using a coupon. Making it the best under 20k handset, here is why.
Not the best build quality by Samsung, the Galaxy R lacks precious looks and precious materials. The back panel especially fades away after just light use, the scratch resistant front display is not so scratch resistant after all. We did face some issue with the power button and it turned out to be really fidgety. Apart from the downsides, we did like the look of the handset and it does feature some great elements, including a nice sized, tactile home button along with a nice chrome bezel.
The design is identical to the S2 but is much fatter than the powerful predecessor. The back of the device makes it look a bit ugly, and since it fades easily the look worsens day by day.
Now that the price is so different, we see that there is a slight difference b/w the specs of the S2 and the R.
| COMPARISON |
Samsung Galaxy R I9103
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Samsung Galaxy S 2 I9100
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 |
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| Platform | ||||
| Operating Freq | GSM – 900, 1800 | GSM – 850, 900, 1800, 1900; UMTS – 2100 | ||
| OS | Android v2.3 (Gingerbread) | Android v2.3 (Gingerbread) | ||
| User Interface | TouchWiz | TouchWiz 4.0 | ||
| Java | ||||
| Processor | 1 GHz ARM Cortex A9, Dual Core | 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex A9, Dual Core | ||
| Graphics | ULP GeForce | Mali-400 MP | ||
| Display | ||||
| Type | Super Clear LCD | Super AMOLED Plus | ||
| Size | 4.2 Inches | 4.27 Inches | ||
| Resolution | WVGA, 480 x 800 Pixels | 800 x 480 Pixels | ||
| Colors | 16 M | 16 M | ||
| Camera | ||||
| Primary Camera | 5 Megapixel | 8 Megapixel | ||
| Secondary Camera | VGA | 2 Megapixel | ||
| Flash | LED | LED | ||
| Video Recording | 1280 x 720 | 1920 x 1080, 30 fps | ||
| HD Recording | HD | HD, Full HD | ||
| Other Camera Features | Geo-tagging, Smile Detection, Auto Focus, Image Editor | Auto Focus, Shot Mode, Photo Effects, White Balance, Geo-tagging, Face and Smile Detection | ||
| Zoom | Digital Zoom | |||
| Dimensions | ||||
| Size | 66 x 125 x 9.5 mm | 66.1 x 125.3 x 8.4 mm | ||
| Weight | 135 g | 116 g | ||
| Battery | ||||
| Type | Li-lon, 1650 mAh | 1650 mAh | ||
| Talktime | 18 hrs (2G), 8 hrs (3G) | |||
| Standby Time | 710 hrs (2G), 610 hrs (3G) | |||
| Memory and Storage | ||||
| Internal | 8 GB | 16 GB | ||
| Expandable Memory Slot | Micro SD, upto 32 GB | Micro SD, upto 32 GB | ||
The camera on the device is a 5MP snapper and it gives out decent image quality and 720p video, the LED flash is also good enough to illuminate low lit subjects, but don’t expect it to fill a room. Images are as crisp as can be from a 5Mp sensor, the quality when compared to a 5MP snapper from the iPhone 4 is a bit lower. 720p video is smooth and without jitters and we will soon upload a video sample to demonstrate that.
The screen is not anything like the Super AMOLED Plus display on the S2 but the SLCD display is the same size and same pixel resolution, also the same color density and is a exceptionally bright display with great outdoor visibility. The display is try capable of playing good video and the device supports unto 1080p video playback without any issues.
Audio on the device is loud, a bit louder than the S2 we presume, the earpiece did give us some problems as we mentioned in the unboxing, but somehow the volume keeps going up and down in the earpiece and we suspect its a software thing. Mic works great without any problem.
The NVidia Tegra 2 chipset is well supported in the gaming developer community, so expect to find more games work on this device than were supported on the S2 initially. Let us mention that all sort of games play brilliantly.
The network is great and no breakages in sustained network, even while traveling. We did however face low signal in key areas like flyovers and tower changes. Audio is good, but like we mentioned the earpiece can get a bit bothersome.
The device also supports video calling over 3G networks which is a great add-on to those who want to use this feature, although we prefer services like Skype and Fring which work great too.
Messaging works great on the nice and large screen, with the ability to switch to Swype which is inbuilt into the system you can enhance the experience of typing. You can also switch to a flurry of available keyboard replacements in the Android Marketplace to best suit your needs of typing.
The battery life on this device is varied out of the box you will struggle to pass a few hours with the device, you will need to charge it at least twice a day if not more. But we found easy fixes, and we have discussed these with Samsung and we believe that a software update should rectify the problem soon. Turn off Wifi, background data sync and Mobile data, when not in use and here are the results
Talk time 2G : 5 hours
Talk Time 3G : 4-4.5 Hours
Standby Time : 2 Days- 3 Days
Internet usage : 8 Hours over Wifi
Video Playback : upto 6 hours constant video
The device is an exceptional device especially after this price drop, it does lack proper construction, but has a set of features that are difficult to match at this price. The only thing that comes close to this device is the LG Optimus 2X with almost the same price and the same chipset. The Galaxy R has a newer built of Android and will definitely get the ICS update. The Galaxy R also has TouchWiz UI which we prefer over the one on LG. We also believe that the device is well supported in the developer community and has a larger user base.
Samsung Galaxy R is a great purchase and a brilliant holiday gift.
Samsung is said to be hard at work on a tablet that will feature a retina like resolution of 2560 x 1600 px. The tablet is said to be either 11.6 inches or 10.1 inches, all running on a dual-core Exynos 5250 CPU clocked at 2GHz, pushing apps on a custom Touchwiz running on Ice Cream Sandwich. The tablet is also said to have an 8MP camera at back and a 3MP camera in the front capable of HD Video Calls.
The tablet will also feature Android Beam for easy syncing of media with a Galaxy Nexus, and a special wireless docking mode for gaming on HDTVs. The tablet is supposedly slated for release in February 2012 to beat rumors of an iPad 3 sale starting on Feb 24th ( Steve Jobs’ birthday). There is no official announcement from Samsung but it appears that CES 2012 would be a good time for Sammy to announce this thin, wide and high res Tablet of the future.
So many questions, so little time. Its the time for holiday cheer and we are literally getting bombarded with hundreds of emails asking us what phones to buy. So here is our guide for the best options in the Rs. 15000 price.
1. Micromax A85 SuperFone : (Rs. 15290) The price drop has already been announced, and at this price it is the best spec’d phone. A dual core Nvidia Tegra 2, 3.8 inch touchscreen, 5 MP camera and gesture control make this the best bet at the price. But sadly it ships with Android 2.2.
2. Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro Sk17i: (Rs 15,000) One of the most recommended devices by iGyaan in 2011 our extensive review will tell you why this device is an excellent purchase.
3. Motorola Defy (Rs 14,000) : The original defy is still an awesome phone, with Android a brilliant rugged construction that resists water and dust. The design is also shock proof. Check out our Review.
4. HTC ChaCha (Rs. 14500): A brilliant form factor with excellent build, the only touch and type phone with this design from HTC. Also the first phone with a dedicated FB button on the Android platform, a Social king. Our Review Covers it.
5. Samsung Galaxy Ace (Rs 13000): One of the most loved phones of 2011 the ace has a nice display along with impressive looks, a good processor and Touchwiz on top of Android 2.3. The device is well supported in the developer community and will get ICS courtesy Root and Custom CM9 rom. Check out our Review
6. HTC Wildfire S (Rs 12,500): Not our last option but an alternative to the Galaxy Ace, the build is far superior also is the quality of materials used. The device features HTC Sense on top of Android 2.3 and is arguably the best built phone of this bracket. The camera in some aspects is better than the Ace and pulls out great images. The processor is only a 600MHz compared to the 800MHz on the Ace. We reviewed it Here
Blackberry Curve 3G 9300 (Rs. 14,450): The only berry in this range, you also get the CDMA version of the curve 8520 (called: 8530) which is not worth mentioning. What is to say this is an old outdated berry running on the older OS6 but features a great and responsive OS. It is a great upgrade for some one on a Blackberry high . We however say, spend more and get the Curve 9380 : we covered here.
Nokia 700 (Rs 15299) : Younger version of the 701, this device is available in the market in select locations, features new Symbian Belle and a 3.2 inch Capacitive Amoled Clear Black display. A 5 Mp camera and 720p video capabilities make it a good competitor. Another add-on is the tough gorilla glass front. The price seems a bit high for this old-school Operating System. The phone also has a 2Gb internal storage and is a grab option for those who refuse to abandon the legendary OS in its dying days.
Nokia 500 (Rs 11,000): Then there is the 500, its the only other Nokia phone in this bracket apart from the discontinued C6-01. This features a 1GHz processor along with a 3.2-inch TFT nHD Capacitive Touchscreen. The phone features Symbian Anna and has great 5MP camera, which is fixed focus. Again price is a bit of a pinch especially because the device is unable to offer the freedom that say an Android device would offer, But on the upside it does have a 1GHz processor.
Samsung Focus (Rs 14000) : The device was never announced in India, but New and unlocked US versions can be bought on Ebay. The device features a nice 4.0 Inch Super Amoled Display with a native 480 x 800 px resolution. Already updated to Mango this device offers all the new features of Windows Phone 7.5 at a bargain, everything of course except a front facing camera. The Focus also has 8GB of memory and 512MB Ram and 512MB Rom
The Spice Mi350n is an answer to the Micromax A75 Superfone, with dual sim and Android 2.3, the device offers similar specs and a cheaper price of Rs 7700 check out our Video Unboxing and quick comparison b/w the two devices.
While big smartphones struggle to get their fix of Google’s new OS. Folks over at MadTeam, the ones that got us the original Cyanogen on the Galaxy 5, have managed to port over Android’s new baby Ice Cream Sandwich to the Galaxy 5. Although the port is not complete and is not recommended for daily use, infact basic functionality of the device is broken. Check out the list below.
Working:
Broken:
While the team is currently removing the bugs, It is recommended that you stay away from this build bless you want to loose all functionality. We expect the full release to come out soon, and will present a full upgrade guide once we have tested the build for ourselves.
[Madteam]
A group of Galaxy Tab 8.9 owners couldn’t wait anymore and decided to homebrew their own Ice Cream Sandwich build for the Tab 8.9. Using files from the upcoming final build of Cyanogen Mod 9, this home cooked build is anything but final. Bluetooth, GPS, hardware acceleration and the accelerometer are functioning, while Wifi still remains a problem. The group is refraining from releasing builds for download at the moment, but they are promising quick updates. Check out the video preview below, but if anything, like a user comment, it seems it was recorded on a potato.
The HTC Sensation XE has been a low baller in India, especially because it was launched soon after the Sensation, added only minor improvements that made major differences. Here is our review.
The Sensation XE, just like is predecessor, is built in a unibody fashion, with a sold structure and aluminum back panel with rubber edges. The front of the device has an outward curved gorilla glass which is shatter and scratch resistant. The HTC Sensation XE is superbly built and will last a lifetime by designers who took everything into perspective from the aesthetics to the functionality and the intelligent placement of the buttons – which by the way are extremely tactile and responsive.
There is no questioning the latest hardware in the Sensation XE, the latest dual core processors a very high resolution screen, functional 8 megapixel camera with full HD video at 1080p not to forget the added Beats by Dre audio.
The Sensation XE is still the Range Rover that the original sensation was, you can infact say this is a higher end model, especially because it does not add any changes to aesthetics except the obvious beats branding and the red accents.
Just like the original Sensation we got superior audio in and out during calls. The network performance was excellent and sustained throughout our test period. 3G and WCDMA performance excelled in the Sensation XE. The XE also continues the standard that the Sensation set as being the best in phone networks on our list of devices. Over all impressive.
The touchscreen on the device is same as the original Sensation, allowing 4 point interaction, what that means is that you can have 4 simultaneous inputs. What it also means is that you can use the onboard keyboard as fast as you can move your thumbs. This allows for really fast messaging and the keyboard has nice and large keys considering that the Sense keyboard is one of the most coveted Android keyboards yet.
The Sensation XE not only features a Beats audio processing engine but also has one of the best included earphones/headphones with a smartphone. The iBeats come with a uniquely distinctive carry pouch and also have online microphone and remote for audio control. While you can’t compare the quality of audio to high end standalone headphones, these uniquely stand out far above normally included ones. Offering good, deep bass and excellent vocals. The device also instantly detects the iBeats, once plugged in, and activates the beats audio profile.
The screen is a brilliant qHD Screen with a native resolution of 540 x 960 px, large enough to put any phone to shame, not considering of course the Galaxy Note and likes. The screen is also no Amoled or Super-Amoled display so don’t expect it to be as vivid. But watching movies, reading text and playing games is great on this device. The Beats audio improves the overall multimedia experience a lot, making movies, music and just plain old videos sound better.
The camera is an 8MP snapper the same from the Sensation, it captures stunning pictures and great full HD video. The camera app comes with a lot of features in the standard HTC style, which allows for a lot of tweaks to be made by the photographer at hand. On the front is a lowly VGA camera which offers decent VOIP capabilities and no video calling.
| Values | 2G | 3G | WiFi |
| Talk Time | unto 9.5 Hours | 5 hours | – |
| Standby time | 48 Hours | 30 hours | 7 Days |
| Web Browsing | 8-9 hours | 5 hours | 5 Hours |
| Video Streaming | 4.5 Hours | 3 Hours | 4 Hours |
| Music Streaming | 15 hours | 10 hours | 14 hours |
In certain cases we saw improvement in the battery management on the Sensation XE compared to that of the HTC Sensation.
Although not a major improvement over the Sensation, in terms of looks and performance, the little add-on definitely make a big difference. The processor bump to 1.5GHz improves overall device performance and does not affect battery life. The beats audio improves the overall experience of the device and the earphone make an excellent add on. The device is robust, well made and is built to impress, a definite up above the competition.
[xrr rating=4.5/5 label=”We Rate The Sensation : ” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]
Price Rs. 32,599/-
