If wearables is what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to find out about the best pieces of wearable tech in 2015.
Apple Watch:
Apple released its Watch in April this year, and 7 months later it made it to the Indian market starting at Rs. 30,900. It’s available with Apple retailers across the country. The Watch comes in a variety of colours including gold, Rose Gold, Space Gray, silver anodized aluminium, polished silver or Space Black stainless steel, and 18-Carat Rose Gold or Yellow Gold, but not all of these variants made it to India. Click here for specs and all other details of the smartwatch.
Moto 360 Gen 2:
Launched at IFA Berlin this year, the Moto 360 Gen 2 arrived in India in early December. With a starting price of Rs. 19,999, the Moto 360 comes in two different sizes – a 42 mm male and female version, and a male-only 46 mm model. The bands of the watch can be chosen from metal and leather. Though there is also a silicon option available for the band, it won’t be arriving in India any time soon. Click here for the specs and a hands on of Moto 360 Gen 2.
HTC Re Action Camera:
The new HTC RE camera is a take on Go Pro style action cameras but HTC calls it the first camera that is designed to be held, and fits naturally and comfortably in the palm of your hand. It comes in various colors and sizes with various mounting options and accessories. Specs wise the RE is pretty impressive. It is equipped with a 16MP 1/2.3” CMOS sensor with an Ultra wide angle: 146° lens (f/2.8) captures 1080p, 30fps FHD video and 720p, 4x slow motion video and it also has a Time-lapse video recording mode. Click here for more details.
FitBit Fitness Wearables:
Fitbit, the world’s largest tech wearable brand, entered the Indian market in 2015 through a partnership with Amazon India. The company is popularly known for selling wearable technology, which helps monitor fitness. It offers its range of wearables on Amazon which include Zip, Flex, Charge HR and Surge. The prices range from Rs. 4,000 – Rs. 19,990. You can find more details and specs of FitBit wearables here.
Jawbone:
Jawbone products give a better understanding of sleeping patterns, diet and physical movements. The company introduced its UP product range in India in September, 2015. This technology allows you to monitor your diet, sleep patterns and physical movement. The app in the gadget is equipped with Smart Coach – Jawbone’s coaching system which turns data into personalised guidance, giving you insights and challenges to help you improve your sleep, activity and diet. The UP activity trackers are of three kinds – UP Move, UP2 and UP3.
They came, they saw and they conquered 2015 -we take a look at smartphones above the price range of 40K in this list which took the tech circuit by storm this year.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Edge Plus: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge sports a 5.1 inch Super Amoled screen and QuadHD resolution with a total of 577 ppi. Powered by a 2,600 mAh battery, the handset is available only with fixed storage of either 32GB, 64GB or 128GB, which are all based on UFS 2.0 (Universal Flash Storage). With 16 MP primary camera, it is capable of shooting 4K video as well. Click here to check out the hands on of the gold variant of Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
When it comes to S6 Edge+ -everything from display and resolution to chipset and cameras are identical to the Galaxy S6 Edge. However thanks to the new large display of the S6 Edge+ the pixel density drops to 515 ppi vs the mammoth 577 ppi on the S6 Edge. The Edge+ variant also sports a larger 3,000 mAh battery to combat the drain from the larger QHD Super AMOLED display. An additional 1 GB of LPDD4 RAM, takes it upto 4 GB on the Edge+ however the phone is missing the 128GB storage option as only the 32 and 64 GB variants will go on sale. Find the complete review of Galaxy S6 Edge+ here.
Samsung Galaxy Note 5:
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
The Note 5 is a beautiful device thanks to its extensive use of glass and metal -Gorilla Glass 4 on the back and the front, and rear glass tapers in to the edges, putting the Edge display design on the back of the Note 5. It runs on what is possibly the best version of Samsung’s skin called “TouchWiz”. Other features include the Slick UI elements, use of power buttons to increase or decrease screen font size, the S-Pen, which is capable of giving previews, like before, and the super smooth pop ups. The 5.7 inch size of the screen is larger than before and hence reduces the PPI to 518. For more details of the Galaxy Note 5, click here.
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus:The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus add an improved Apple A9 chip and an M9 co-processor, along with enhanced cameras. There is a 12 MP rear camera that shoots 4K videos. On the front, there is a 5 MP snapper, which however is still restricted to 720p. Compared to the iPhone 6s’ 1330 x 720p display, the Apple iPhone 6s Plus gets a larger display with a 1920 x 1080p resolution. It also gets a bigger battery and Optical Image Stabilisation in the rear camera. Everything else on both devices is identical in terms of specifications.
The introduction of the 3D Touch functionality is the highlight of iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and the Peek and Pop UI of iOS 9 makes this feature infinitely fun. If you are in India and have been planning to buy iPhone 6s, now is the best time to do it. The smartphone has undergone a big price-cut of 11K -after being launched for Rs. 62,000 in India, it’s now available for 50K. There is a fall in the price of the iPhone 6s Plus as well but it’s not as drastic as the 6s. If you’re still unsure about the new iPhones, read our full review here.
Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium:
The Z5 Premium has a 5.5-inch 4K display. It is world’s first 4K display smartphone and comes with a 3,430 mAh battery, bigger than the Xperia Z5. The rest of the specs of the two phones are pretty much the same. The Sony Xpreria Z5 features a 5.2-inch full HD screen and 2900mAh battery. Both devices run on Android Lollipop 5.1, powered by a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 chipset with Adreno 430 GPU, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage (expandable to 200 GB).
The devices also come with a 23MP primary camera and a 5 MP camera in front. There is also a fingerprint scanner in the power button on the side of the device.
The Xperia Z5 has a matt finish that looks great. The Z5 Premium, on the other hand, has a glossy finish and will be available in Gold or Chrome. The front of the devices has BoomSound-styled dual speakers that are loud and give a crisp, well balanced sound. Click here for the complete hands on of Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium.
Lumia 950 and 950 XL:
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
The Lumia 950 sports a 5.2-inch AMOLED display with 2560×1440 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 564 ppi for clear, sharp images. The 950 XL, on the other hand, comes with a larger 5.7-inch IPS display with 2560×1440 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 518 ppi. This is the first time Microsoft has used QHD display in its Lumia lineup.
The Lumia 950 is powered by a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with 3GB of RAM while the 950 XL packs in a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB of RAM. Both phones feature a liquid cooling technology, similar to the one found in the Surface tablet computer.
Lumia 950 and 950 XL have 32 GB of internal storage along with a MicroSD slot that allows up to 200 GB of expandable storage. The devices sport a 20MP primary camera with triple LED flash and fifth generation OIS, all of which promises detailed low light pictures.
The selfie snapper is marked at 5 MP and has a physical camera button. One of the biggest USPs of these Windows devices is the Continuum feature -you can read about it as well as all other specs of Lumia 950 and 950 XL on iGyaan.
The Turing Phone:
The Turing phone is an Android phone that is designed around the idea of being unhackable. It does not come with a USB port or headphone jack or any other extension that could be used to manipulate its data, leaving BlackBerry far behind in terms of security measures.
The specs of this phone include a 5.5-inch 1080p LCD, a Snapdragon 801, 3GB of RAM, a 13MP rear and an 8MP front camera, 3,000 mAh battery and a fingerprint scanner on the left side of the phone.The phone runs on a hardened version of Android 5.1 with built-in end-to-end encryption with Turing Aemaeth UI. The phone can be charged via a magnetically attached power connector, like Apple’s MagSafe.
When registrations had begun back in August this year, the 16 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB variants were priced at $610 (approximately Rs 39,000), $740 (approximately Rs 47,300) and $870 (approximately Rs 55,700) respectively. Additionally, the dark Wyvern special edition Turing phone was available for $999 (approx. Rs.66,023), and the Dark Wyvern “Glaedr” special edition was available for $1299 (approx. Rs. 85,850). The pre-order period for the Turing phone has ended for now but you can sign up for the next round here.
BlackBerry Priv: Though the phone is yet to arrive in the country, a list of smartphones from 2015 priced over 40K won’t be complete without the BlackBerry Priv. It’s Android-powered, but is very much a BlackBerry phone. Privacy and security is of major importance here and that’s what Priv stands for. The handset is a hybrid with both a full touchscreen as well as a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. This means the phone caters to both touchscreen fans as well as keyboard loyalists. And given that very few devices today offer a keyboard, this may just work in BlackBerry’s favour.
The Priv comes with a Snapdragon 808 processor and 3 GB of RAM with 32 GB extendable storage. It features a 5.5 -inch curved display with a 1440×2560 pixel resolution and 537ppi. Finally, the phone has an 18 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front camera. The Indian pricing of the device is expected to be close to Rs. 50,000.
Moto Droid Turbo 2/Moto X Force:The phone, famous because of its ‘crack-proof’ screen, has not hit the Indian markets yet but is expected to arrive soon. Launched as Droid Turbo 2 in the US, the smartphone is expected to be released with its current price tag of $624 (Rs. 40,000 approximately) and $720 (Rs. 47,000 approximately) for the 32 GB and 64 GB variants respectively.
On the specs front, Moto X Force packs a 5.4 inch Quad HD display with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset along with 3 GB of RAM. The two internal storage options of 32 GB and 64 GB are expandable up to 2 TB with the help of a microSD card.The highlight of the device is its super-hardy screen.
Needless to say, Motorola cannot stop talking about its first ever shatter-proof phone in the world. Let’s see if Moto X Force manages to live up to all the expectations. It seems like a pretty neat device which is why it’s included in this list.
In this list, we pick our favourite smartphones that fall between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000. Be sure to let us know your favourite in the comments below.
Lenovo Vibe P1
The Vibe P1 features a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by a Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz with Adreno 405 GPU; 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage with expandable storage via microSD card. The device features a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front; dual-SIM with dual 4G LTE support.
The Vibe P1 is available at a price of Rs. 15,999 exclusively on Flipkart.
OnePlus X
The OnePlus X sports a 5-inch AMOLED display (1920×1080), with a primary camera of 13 MP and a 8 MP front. The device runs on a 2.1 GHz Snapdragon 801 chipset. It features a 3 GB RAM with 16 GB internal storage and is expandable up to 128 via MicroSD card slot. The phone includes an alert slider, like the one found on OnePlus 2. The OnePlus X weighs around 138 gm for the onyx variant and a heavier 160 gm for the ceramic variant.
The Onyx variant of the OnePlus X is priced at Rs. 16,999 and as is available via invite system only. Check out our review of the OnePlus X here.
Moto X Play
The Moto X Play boasts of features that are sure to excite the masses. With a 21 MP camera, 3630 mAh battery, and expandable memory up to 128 GB, the Moto X Play is definitely worth its price. Other features include a 5.5 inch screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Snapdragon 615, and an Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU.
The Moto X Play starts at a price of Rs 18,499, and offers a variety of changeable colored back covers. You can check out our hands on with the Moto X Play to know more about the device.
Asus Zenfone 2
The 32 GB Zenfone 2 is priced at Rs. 17,999 and comes with a 5.5-inch 1920x1080p IPS Display, protected by Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by an Intel Atom 23580 Quadcore processor with 2.3 GHz CPU and 4GB of RAM. The juice is supplied by an adequate 3000mAh non-removable battery and the smartphone comes pre-loaded with Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Asus Zenfone 2 has a 13MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera. The dual LED flash paired with the rear camera, comes in two colours, to help you get the right white balance. Both the microphones consist of the noise cancellation feature, thus enabling you to talk with least hassle. Check out our exclusive unboxing and hands on of the Vibe P1 for more.
HTC Desire 828
The HTC Desire 828 arrived in India on the 14th of December. Priced at Rs. 19,990, the model comes with a 5.5 inch display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution and is powered by the Mediatek MT6753. It is run on the Android OS, v5.1 (Lollipop) and has a dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) connectivity.
It also comes with a storage of 16GB that is expandable up to 2 TB along with 2GB of RAM. On the camera front, the Desire 828 features a 13 MP rear camera and HTC UltraPixel front. The Desire 828 is the first model in the Desire lineup to. The device is packed with a Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery and supports a micro USB v2.0.
OnePlus One
Even though OnePlus’ debut handset came to India towards the end of 2014, the OnePlus One with 64 GB storage is still a great option today. The device sports a 5.5-inch LTPS display with a 1920 x 1080p resolution and Gorilla Glass 3. On the hardware front the device features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC with Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB of RAM and 64 GB storage.
The OnePlus One also features a 13 MP primary camera with 4K video, a 5 MP front-facing shooter, and 3,100mAh battery. All in all the once touted ‘flagship killer’ is still worth your money. The device is available for Rs. 19,999 on Amazon India. Check out our review of the OnePlus One for more.
Motorola has something exciting in store for you all this Christmas season. The company has announced offers and discounts on a range of handsets for those who have been waiting to get their hands on a Motorola device. The offer is exclusive on the Flipkart app as part of the ‘Big App Sale Days’ from the 21st to 23rd December, 2015.
The devices included in this offer are:
Moto G Turbo Edition: The device is powered by Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615, with Adreno 405 and a quick charge capability that Motorola calls TurboPower charge. Other features include 4G LTE and IP67 rated protection to keep your phone safe from water and dust. Customers will get an electronic gift voucher worth Rs. 1000 and exchange upto INR 6,000 on purchase of the Moto G Turbo Edition during these Big App Sale Days on Flipkart.
Moto X Style: The device sports a 5.7-inch TFT LCD display is powered by a 1.8GHz hex-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 SoC with Adreno 418, 21MP rear camera and 5MP front, and 3,000mAh battery. The device is currently priced at Rs. 29,999 and will be available for Rs. 26,999 during the sale.
Moto X Play: The device features 5.5 inch screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Snapdragon 615, and an Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU. The Moto X Play will have a 21-megapixel primary camera with dual-LED flash, and a 5-megapixel front camera. The handset will be available for Rs. 16,999 down from Rs. 18,499.
Moto G (3rd Gen): The device comes with the Android Lollipop 5.1.1, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) processor with 1.4 GHz quad-core CPU, Adreno 306 with 400 MHz GPU. It provides a 4G LTE network connection with a rear camera of up to13MP f/2.0, Field of view (FOV) 76 degree, and a front camera of 5 MP f/2.2, Field v (FOV) 72 degrees Display flash with fixed focus.
Moto E (2nd Gen): The device comes with 4G LTE speed, a 4.5-inch qHD display, Rear and front-facing cameras and a Quad core processor. Currently priced at Rs. 6,999 (4G) and Rs. 5,999 (3G) the Moto E (2nd Gen) will be available for Rs. 5,999 (4G) and Rs. 4,999 (3G), respectively.
Model
Current Price
BASD Price
Moto E (2 Gen) 3G
5,999
4,999
Moto E (2 Gen) 4G
6,999
5,999
Moto G (3rd Gen)
11,999
10,499
Moto X Play
18,499
16,999
Moto X Style
29,999
26,999
Motorola is also offering a 10% cashback on all Motorola devices on transactions made on CitiBank and Standard Chartered, and an exchange offer on the Moto X play, Moto X Style and Moto G 3rd gen.
As mentioned above, the offers begin starting today till the 23rd of December on the Flipkart app. If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on one of the above mentioned devices then the time is now.
Here’s another listicle that puts together phones that came out in 2015 priced between Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 30,000. Let us know your choice in the comments below.
OnePlus 2
OnePlus 2 packs a 5.5-inch display with Corning Gorilla Glass, and a 1080 x 1920 pixels, 401 PPI resolution. With an internal storage of 32 GB and 64 GB for its two variants, the phone runs on an octa-core processor with Qualcomm Snapdragon 810. On the camera front, OnePlus 2 packs a 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera. The phone has a 3,300 man battery. Click here for our video review of the OnePlus 2.
LG Nexus 5X The Nexus 5X comes with a 5.2-inch FHD display, USB Type-C which allows almost 4 hours of battery post a 10-minute charging routine, and is available in three colours – Carbon black, Quartz white and Ice blue. The phone packs 2 GB RAM, Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset and OS Android Marshmallow 6.0. On the camera front, the device comes equipped with a 12.3 MP rear camera and a 5 MP selfie camera. Read our review of the Nexus 5X.
Moto X Style
Moto X Style has a 5.7 inch, 2K display, 3 GB of RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 chipset. The cameras are marked at 21 MP for the main camera and 5 MP for the front camera. Both cameras are equipped with flash. The phone has a 3,000 mAh battery and runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop. The device is available on Flipkart for Rs. 29,999. Have a look at our unboxing and hands on of the Moto X Style for more details.
Huawei Honor 7 The Honor 7 comes with a 5.2 inch display with an aluminum body, thermal design and an aluminum frame. On the camera front, it comes with a 20MP rear camera with PDAF, fast focus (0.1s), and Sapphire lens cover. The front camera is 8MP along with 26mm wide angle lens, and front faced soft light feature. The camera on this handset has a couple of special features such as Time lapse option for the front camera, and the ‘Good food mode’ filter.
YU Yutopia Yutopia is YU’s first flagship and is manufactured entirely in India. The phone has a super-slim 7.2 mm body, comes with a 5.2 inch Quad HD display and runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 810. Yutopia is equipped with a whopping 21 MP camera with 4K video recording, boasts of a fingerprint sensor and a 3000 mAh battery with Quick Charge. Check out our unboxing and hands on of the Yutopia as well as our benchmark tests.
HTC One A9
The HTC One A9 sports a 5-inch full HD (1080p) display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection. Under the hood, the phone is powered by Snapdragon 617 64-bit octa-core SoC paired with 3GB of RAM, 32 GB built-in storage, and a microSD card slot.On the camera front, the One A9 features a 13-megapixel primary camera with OIS and a 4-Ultrapixel front camera. Other features include a 2,150 mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0. Click here for our hands on of the device.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
The Galaxy Note 3 comes with an Exynos 5 chipset (1.9GHz Quad core + 1.3 GHz Quad core) along with 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM. 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 has an impressive 3200 mAh battery and comes with a soft-touch, textured backing. The back of the Galaxy Note 3 features a 13 megapixel camera and SPen functions that include Air Command, an on-screen portal to four specific features Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write, S Finder and Pen Window. Find the complete hands on of Galaxy Note 3 here.
Sony Xperia Z3
The Sony Xperia Z3 comes equipped with a 5.2 inch Full HD display (424 ppi). It is powered by a 2.5 GHz Quad Core processor along with Snapdragon 801. The RAM is marked at 3 GB and it has internal storage capabilities of 16 GB and 32 GB depending on the variant, which is further expandable up to 128 GB for both variants. The main camera packs a 20.7 MP while the front camera is a little low on the MP with 2.2. It has a non-removable 3100 mAh battery. Click here for the unboxing of the device.
Continuing with our 2015 roundup, here’s our pick of some of the best smartphones launched this year priced between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000. Let us know your favourites in the comments below.
Samsung Galaxy On7
The Samsung Galaxy On7 sports a 5.5-inch (138.6mm) HD display. It runs on a 1.2GHz quad core Sanpdragon 410 processor and a 1.5GB RAM. The storage is the same as the On5 at 8GB and both are expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot. Bith the devices are dual SIM. The On7 houses a 13MP primary camera with auto-focus and a 5MP front.
The device is touted as youth friendly and comes an Ultra Data Saving mode that compresses data and saves up to 50% data charges for greater networking and browsing. The devices also come with RadioMix which is an Apple Music-like streaming service that lets you stream millions of songs and also offers curated music based on your preference. The Galaxy On7 is available at a price of Rs. 10,990. Check out our unboxing and hands on with the Galaxy On7 to know more about the handset.
Yu Yureka Plus
The Yureka Plus comes with a 1920x1080px display vs the 720px on the original Yureka. The Plus version also gets the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection layer added to the top of the display. All this is on the same size 5.5-inch display which bumps up the pixel density to 400 ppi.
The device is powered by a 1.5GHz octa-core processor with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB internal storage. The device was originally priced at Rs. 9,999 and was the phone that started it all in that price bracket, but is now available for Rs. 11, 278 on Flipkart.
Xiaomi Mi 4i
Xiaomi applied its powerful design and engineering capabilities to create the Mi 4i, which was launched globally at a premiere in New Delhi in April this year. The Xiaomi Mi 4i has a 5-inch Full HD OGS IPS display with 441ppi pixel density. The processor powering the phone is a 64-bit octa-core Cortex-A53; the four cores clocked at 1.7 GHz and the other four at 1.1 GHz. It features 2GB of RAM and 16GB of non-expandable storage space. The Mi 4i runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with the company’s MIUI 6 on top.
Other features include a 13MP rear and a 5MP shooter. The dual-SIM device is powered by a 3120mAh battery. Connectivity options include Micro-USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi. The device is available at a price of Rs. 11,999 for the 16 GB variant.
Micromax Canvas 5
Micromax’s latest flagship device, Canvas 5, is priced at Rs. 11,999 and sports a 5.2-inch FHD screen with 480ppi. It is powered by a 1.3GHz octa core MediaTek MT6753 ARM Cortex-A53 chipset. It also features 3 GB RAM and 11 GB internal storage expandable up to 128 GB via MicroSD card slot.
The device features a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front with flash. The images taken by the primary camera are fairly decent and is quick at capturing images. The added professional modes like ISO, exposure compensations and white balance help you take that perfect shot. Have a look at our full review of the Canvas 5 for a better look at the device and specs.
Moto G (3rd Gen)
The Moto G (3rd Gen) It comes with the Android Lollipop 5.1.1, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) processor with 1.4 GHz quad-core CPU, Adreno 306 with 400 MHz GPU.
The display boasts of a 5-inch, 720p HD (1280 x 720), 294 ppi with a battery of 2,470 mAh, mixed usage up to 24 hours. It provides a 4G LTE network connection with a rear camera of up to13MP f/2.0, Field of view (FOV) 76 degree, and a front camera of 5 MP f/2.2, Field v (FOV) 72 degrees Display flash with fixed focus.
The Moto G (Gen 3) Turbo went on sale in the country last week and is exclusively available on Flipkart for order, at a price of Rs. 14,499. The phone comes in two variants, namely, Black with Deep Sea Blue back and White with Slate.
On the specs front, the Moto G Turbo comes with a different chipset, Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615, with Adreno 405 and a quick charge capability that Motorola calls a turbo charge. Everything else remains identical to the 16GB storage variant of the Moto G 3rd Gen which comes with 2GB RAM.
Xiaomi Mi 4
A device from last year still continues to draw the attention of smartphone buyers today. Xiaomi’s Mi 4 comes with stainless steel styling elements which sets it apart from its predecessor, the Mi 3. The 5-inch 1080p smartphone gets its processing powers from the 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 SoC. The phone has 3GB of RAM and comes with 16/64 GB internal storage options.
The camera on the phone is a 13 megapixel rear with a wide f/1.8 aperture. The selfie camera is a massive 8 MP; a major upgrade in the MI series. The phone also gets an LTE radio and is juiced up by a 3080 mAh battery. Xiaomi fans may still prefer this over the rest, so if you’re in the market for the Mi 4, hit the link below and ready your wallet.
Samsung Galaxy J7
Samsung’s Galaxy J7 runs on 1.5 GHz Octa-Core Exynos processor. It has 16GB of storage which can be expanded upto 128 GB and sports a 5.5 inch HD AMOLED display.
It is a dual-SIM device that supports 4G LTE. It features a 13 MP rear camera with LED Flash and a 5 MP front camera with LED Flash. The phone are capable of full HD recording. It runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop and features 1.5 GB of RAM. The device is available at a price of Rs. 14,999.
Huawei Honor 6
Another 2014 device worth adding to the list is the Huawei Honor 6. The device may be average in terms of design but does have hardware to boast of. It’s the first smartphone with the HiSilicon Kirin 920 SoC, an octa core processor coupled with 3GB RAM and 3100 mAh battery. The handset features an octa-core processor made of four Cortex A 15 cores and similar number of Cortex A7 cores.
The Huawei Honor 6 offers a 13 MP rear shooter with a Sony BSI sensor along with a F2.0 28mm wide angle lens and a dual LED flash, and a 5 MP front. The handset is available at a price of Rs. 14,999 of Flipkart. Check out our review of the Honor 6 for more on the device.
The tech world had its hands full with enough going on in 2015. Here’s a list of our favourite budget phones under Rs. 10,000 that came out this year. Let us know about your favourites in the comments below.
Micromax Canvas A1: Micromax Canvas A1 has a 4.5 inch FWVGA (854 x 480 Pixels) display and is powered by a 1700 mAh battery. The processor is a MediaTek SoC with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and Mali 400 GPU paired with 1GB of RAM. On the back, there is a 5 MP camera with LED Flash. For selfie convenience, the phone provides a 2 MP camera.The Canvas A1 has a beautiful wooden-like platform for the main camera on the back of the device. The device is priced at Rs. 5,069 on Amazon.
Moto E (2nd Gen) / Moto G (Gen 2)
Moto E (Gen 2) has a 4.5-inch qHD (540×960p) screen and a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor. The handset features 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage capacity, expandable up to 32GB. A rear camera of 5MP is fitted onto Moto E, while the front has a 0.3MP shooter. Running on Android 5.0 Lollipop, the device comes with a 2,390 mAh battery. It comes with 8 GB of storage which is expandable up to 32 GB with a microSD card, and 1 GB of RAM.
Moto G (Gen 2) also requires a mention here. The device that came out late last year features a 5 inch, 720p screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 294 ppi, 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage. The device runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset and includes an 8 MP rear and 2 MP front. The device is currently unavailable on Flipkart, but it could come back. You can check out our unboxing and hands on of the Moto G (Gen 2) here.
Xiaomi Redmi Note Prime:
The Redmi Note Prime is an enhanced version of the Redmi Note 4G. The Note Prime features a 5.5-inch HD IPS display (1280 X 720 resolution, 267 PPI), a Snapdragon 410 Quad-core 64-bit processor, 16 GB internal storage and 2 GB of RAM.
On the camera front, the Note Prime sports a 13MP rear with f/2.4 aperture and a 5.5MP front. Finally, the device runs on a 3,100mAh battery pack. The device is being manufactured in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, in partnership with Foxconn Technology Group. The device is available on Amazon India for Rs. 8,499.
Coolpad Note 3
Priced at Rs. 8,999, the Coolpad Note 3 sports a 5.5-inch (13.97 centimeters) TFT IPS capacitive touchscreen with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution. Under the hood you have a 64-bit 1.3GHz Cortex-A53 MT6753 Mediatek octa-core processor with 3GB RAM and 16GB internal memory expandable up to 64GB and dual SIM.
On the camera front you have a 13MP primary camera and 5MP front facing camera. The device is fitted with 3000mAh battery and a fingerprint sensor at the back.
Yu Yuphoria
Yuphoria boasts an all-metal design with a matte finish at its back. It sports a 5-inch IPS HD display with 1280×720p resolution and 294ppi. The screen has a protective coating of Gorilla Glass 3. Inside is a 64-bit 1.2GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 along with Adreno A306 GPU. It packs 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage capacity, which is expandable up to 64GB.
The device features an 8MP rear shooter paired with a 5MP front. Battery capacity is sufficient at 2,230mAh. It offers 4G LTE connectivity, which allows faster internet browsing. All of this comes at a handsome price of Rs. 8,499.
The dual SIM Galaxy On5 sports a 5-inch (126.7mm) HD touchscreen display and is equipped with a 1.3GHz quad core processor under the hood. It features a 1.5GB RAM and an 8GB storage, a portion of which is occupied by the OS. On the camera front, the On5 has an 8MP primary camera with auto-focus and a 5MP front.
The device comes with an Ultra Data Saving mode that compresses data and saves up to 50% data charges for greater networking and browsing. The handset also comes with RadioMix which is an Apple Music-like streaming service that lets you stream millions of songs and also offers curated music based on your preference. The Galaxy On5 is priced at Rs. 8,990. Check out our unboxing and hands on with the Galaxy On5 to know more about the handset.
Meizu M2/ M2 Note
The Meizu M2 comes with a 64-bit MT6735 Quad-core processor, four advanced 1.3 GHz Cortex A53 cores and the Mali-T720 GPU. On the camera front, it is equipped with a Samsung 13 megapixel CMOS camera, and an upgarded 5MP front camera with the FotoNation beatifying system.
The device runs on the Flyme OS 4.5 based on Android 5.1 and also has the new 64-bit CPU. The M2 comes with a 5 inch display and 720 pixels resolution. Other features include, TD-LTE FDD-LTE 4G, supports two Nano-SIM cards, and microSD card with a storage capacity of 144 GB. The Meizu M2 is priced at Rs. 6,999 and is currently sold out on Snapdeal.
Meizu M2 Note
The M2 Note is another device launched by Meizu that falls under the 10K bracket. This device comes with a 5.5 inch full HD display with 1920 X 1080 pixels resolution, powered by the MediaTek MT6753 octa-core 64-bit processor and 2GB RAM. Other features include a 16GB internal storage with an extendable microSD card slot, a 13MP f/2.2 primary camera with a dual – tone flash and a 5MP wide-angle selfie camera and supported by a 3,100mAh battery.
The M2 Note is available for a price of Rs. 9,999 on Amazon India.
Yu Televentures launched its flagship smartphone, Yu Yutopia, today and the smartphone, called “the most powerful phone ever” according to the company packs a bunch of high-end specs for a device priced at Rs. 24,999.
The device sports a 5.2-inch quad HD IPS display, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chipset, with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB storage. There is a 3000mAh battery pack with Quick Charge 2.0 feature, which means that the phone will be equipped with charging capabilities up to 75% faster than conventional charging mechanisms. The device runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop with Cyanogen OS 12.1.
On the camera front, the Yutopia packs a massive 21MP AF rear with 4K video recording, Full HD video recording, with OIS and PDAF. There is an 8MP front-facing camera for selfie lovers. Other features include a fingerprint sensor that not only provides security but can also be used to take selfies. The device is launched at a very competitive price of Rs. 24,999 and is exclusively available for pre-booking on Amazon.in.
To find out just where the Yutopia device stands, we pit the smartphone against the OnePlus 2, Nexus 5X, Qiku Q Terra and the Moto X Play. Check out the specs of the devices and let us know what you think in the comments below.
The Moto G (Gen 3) Turbo goes on sale in the country and is exclusively available on Flipkart for order, at a price of Rs. 14,999. The phone comes in two variants, namely, Black with Deep Sea Blue back and White with Slate.
There are some interesting offers that customers can avail of, through December 13th. These include 100% cashback for 100 lucky customers, along with an offer that allows the exchange of your old smartphone for up to Rs. 6000. Additionally, some buyers will also get a chance to double their Airtel data for free.
On the specs front, the Moto G Turbo comes with a different chipset, Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615, with Adreno 405 and a quick charge capability that Motorola calls a turbo charge. Everything else remains identical to the 16GB storage variant of the Moto G 3rd Gen which comes with 2GB RAM.
Motorola will launch the turbo edition of the Moto G in India this week. looking at their social streams it seam that they are ready to push it out sooner than expected.
The Moto G Turbo comes with a different chipset, Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615, with Adreno 405 and a quick charge capability that motorola calls a turbo charge. Everything else remains identical to the 16GB storage variant of the Moto G 3rd Gen which comes with 2GB RAM.
The Moto G turbo edition, prior to this was only available in Mexico for 4699 Pesos (roughly Rs. 18500) but was only slightly higher than the Moto G 3rd gen with 16GB storage at 4299 Pesos (roughly Rs. 17000). Even if we keep the same price difference intact, an increase from the current price of Rs 12999 by Rs. 1500 means that the phone can be expected under the 15k price mark.
We can expect the phone with some launch offers like previous launches of Motorola and possibly will sell as a Flipkart exclusive, again something Motorola has done frequently in the past.
Technology never ceases to surprise us and 2015 just proved this right. The year saw some brilliant smartphones being introduced to the market. Devices with high end specs, snazzy designs and all kinds of technological breakthroughs previously unencountered entered the tech circuit. Some handsets, however, were prettier than others, and we cannot help but talk about them in this top 5 of the most stylish smartphones this year.
1. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 Edge+
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is the company’s first big S series phone, as an add-on to the Galaxy S line of devices. The Galaxy S6 edge+ was designed to one up the iPhone 6 Plus in terms of specifications and hardware. But it did not simply stop there -the device is not only high on specs but the Galaxy S6 Edge and Edge+ with their curved screen and glass back are both a beauty to behold.
2. iPhone 6s and 6s Plus (Rose Gold Variant):
With iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, Apple did not make major design changes. In fact the only design change was that the new iPhones were heavier and thicker than their predecessors. Looks like the entire Bendgate-controversy did make Apple sit up and listen. The one design change that Apple did introduce, however, was a new colour variant -the rose gold.
Though the Apple device is not the only device to offer a rose gold variant, another example being that of Huawei’s Mate S, it’s definitely one of the most popular. Before the Apple haters get started -it is not us but the market which affirms this -the rose gold variant was the most pre-ordered version of the new iPhones.
3. Moto X Style and Moto X Pure:
The versions of these two smartphones that launched in India did not fare too well on the looks front. But the Moto Maker available outside India allows you to customise you device in great detail. From the back to the front, to the colour and texture and feel -pretty much all of it can be altered and modified depending on the taste of the user. Moto Maker has not arrived in India yet, but if sources are to be believed, it should be here soon. Looks like the day when you get to lay your hands on a customised Moto X Pure or Style in India is not far.
4. OnePlus X
OnePlus X was the company’s second device launched this year, closely preceded by OnePlus 2. OnePlus X was a bit of a downer in terms of performance and user interface, but that did not keep it from becoming one of the best phones in the price bracket. It’s also a very pretty looking phone with its slim and light body, very reminiscent of iPhone 4s. Despite its glitches with SD card and camera software, OnePlus X manages to do well solely based on looks.
5. HTC One A9
This device received a lot of hate and became a topic of great discussion owing to its iPhone-‘inspired’ design. Having said that, One A9 is indeed a very impressive looking smartphone for the metal unibody frame is a winner no matter which brand sports it. The curved edges and glass screen gives the device a premium look. The team behind the design of the One A9 have stated that great amount of time and attention has gone into its design, which does feel true.
Back in 2013, Motorola and Google together came out with Spotlight Stories – a interactive medium to tell stories which puts users inside an animated featurette. The user would have to turn and tilt their phone in all directions and angles to let the story unfold, and follow the character on its journey.
The first Spotlight Story was Windy Day in October, 2013, followed by Buggy Night in 2014, for Moto X phones.
https://youtu.be/Fa0so7mjS_s
Google got on-board the most talented and brilliant team for the first two installments of Spotlight. The director for the films was Jan Pinkava, creator and co-director of Ratatouille, and veteran animator Mark Oftedal -the animator of films like Toy Story and A Bug’s Life.
The third Spotlight Story, Duet, which came out in 2014, completely outdid the previous Stories as French animator Glen Keane provided the most breathtaking film so far.
With these three films Google had revolutionised story-telling and art by fusing it with technology. Mobile graphics processors now not only rivaled the capabilities of video game consoles such as that of PS3 and Xbox 360, but also put the tech to a very interactive use for the average smartphone owner. Gone were the days of the primitive world of Candy Crush and Angry Birds.
Don’t believe us? Take a look at the Glen Keane film below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qnQqXr838E
“…with Duet we learned to coax rather than control. Because of the nature of this virtual world technology there were no individual shots cut together. It is all one continuous living moment. I think of it less as a traditional film and more as a visual poem,” explains Keane.
The Story can be viewed in its interactive form on the Moto X, Moto X (1st Gen.), Moto G (2nd Gen.) and Moto G 4G LTE. Take a quick look at what it’s like to follow a Spotlight Story.
https://youtu.be/VAJXkZ0WB_o
The interactive element of the Stories makes sure they last for as long as the user desires. The amount of time they want to spend exploring the world of Spotlight Stories directly determines how long the film will run for. The more the camera is moved, the longer the story will last. Thus, there is not only an element of physicality, but also direct involvement on the part of the viewer, who is now also the story-teller.
This mobile-specific story-telling experience however did not go down too well with all users. The internet saw its own set of frantic questions about disabling Spotlight Stories. But there will always be haters now, isn’t it?
We are aware that Motorola’s Moto X Pure Edition will soon be receiving the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. Further reports suggest that David Shuster, Motorola’s Senior Director of Software Product Management, announced that Motorola has started the soak test for the update.
Last month Motorola had sent out the update to a couple of devices on a simple test drive, but this time around the real soak test will begin. If everything goes according to plan, then Motorola will be ready to launch it eventually. So, the Moto X Pure Edition should begin receiving this update in a couple of weeks.
The update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow is expected to bring significant changes such as the new Google Now on Tap, a granular permission model, improved volume controls, as well as a smart battery saving feature called Doze.
https://youtu.be/Kq06uPwt188
The Moto X Pure Edition is priced at $399 and comes with a 5.7″ 1440p Quad HD display and front-facing stereo speakers, 21MP primary camera and a 5MP secondary camera, 4k video capture, has a 3000 mAh battery with TurboPower charging, is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, has a 3GB LPDDR3 RAM, and 16GB/32GB/64GB internal memory that is expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card slot.
Motorola Launched the new Moto 360 In India today. While the previous gen eventually dropped out of stock at a price of Rs. 13,999. The top of the line 46 mm Black with Steel Strap of the Gen 2 Variant has an MRP of 23,999 on the box.
The watch adds a bunch of features over the previous gen, also different case sizes and easily changeable straps.
Check out our unboxing Video Below.
Moto 360 Gen 2
Display?
Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Backlit LCD
Mens 42mm and Womens: 1.37” (35mm), 263ppi (360 X 325)
Mens 46mm: 1.56” (40mm), 233ppi (360 X 330)
Watch case dimensions
Mens:
46mm diameter by 11.4mm high
42mm diameter by 11.4mm high
Womens:
42mm diameter by 11.4mm high
Processor
Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 with 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU (APQ 8026)
Adreno 305 with 450MHz GPU
Mens 42mm and Womens: 300mAh – Up to 1.5 days of mixed use with Ambient off. Up to a full day of mixed use with Ambient on.
Mens 46mm: 400mAh – Up to 2 days of mixed use with Ambient off. Up to a full day of mixed use with Ambient on.
Wireless charging with charging dock included
Launched earlier this year at IFA Berlin ’15, the Moto 360 Gen 2 has arrived in India today. Find our unboxing video here:
The Moto 360 comes in two different sizes – a 42 mm male and female version, and a male-only 46 mm model. The difference between the male and female version is that the latter attaches itself to a thinner 16 mm strap while the former is compatible with a 20 mm strap only. The 46 mm variant is compatible with a strap that measures up to 22 mm. While the size of the straps differ, all models have a thickness of 11.4 mm.
The bands of the watch can be chosen from metal and leather. Though there is also a silicon option available for the band, it won’t be arriving in India any time soon. This year, Motorola has clearly been very influenced by the fashion world and all the latest trends within the design industry.
Thus it’s come up with two models, two sizes and up to 300 different ways to customize your Moto 360. However there will be only 5 of these variants that will be made available in India and they are: 42 mm with black leather, 42 mm with cognac leather, 42 mm blush rose gold, 42 mm silver metal, 46 mm black metal. Other than the size and range, there have been very subtle changes to the new design from the previous Moto 360, such as – a re-positioning of the button to the 2 o’clock position and one can even customize the finish of the small bezel that surrounds the display. With respect to the processor, Motorola has upgraded its device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor.
They have also further improved the battery life and say that the 46 mm watch will last up to two days between charges, while the 42 mm watch will be able to last about a day and a half.
The watch is compatible with iOS 8.2 and above and therefore can be coupled with Apple devices. Other important features of the Moto 360 Gen 2 includes customize-able watch ‘faces’. Other than a bunch of options provided by Motorola, users can also use their own pictures as the watch-face.
The Live Dials of Moto 360 Gen 2 give access to summarised information in one glance. Depending on what matters to the user most, the watch will give weather updates from among footsteps count, rate of heart activity and calorie count etc. The Moto Body is a feature that will keep an account of not just footsteps and heart rate, but also sleep patterns and nutrition of the user.
Additionally, the watch is rated at IP67 which means it can be soaked in 1 m (3.3 ft) of water for half an hour. The watch further boasts of voice controls.
With a starting price of Rs. 19,999 ,this device goes on sale at 7:30 PM today on Myntra and Flipkart. To find more details about the Moto 360 Gen 2, click here.