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Samsung NX mini Unboxing

There is always some skepticism when a name of a camera is prefixed with ‘mini’. We have seen in the past that many manufacturers failed to deliver a great camera in a small package. The Samsung NX mini is targeted towards young amateur photographers who focus on style and selfies above all.

Well, this camera is not yet launched in India, but it is going to be coming soon with an exclusive partnership with Amazon.in priced at less than Rs. 30,000. NX mini is undoubtedly the slimmest interchangeable-lens camera available in the market. It does have a flip-up touchscreen and a cool selfie mode that lets you click a selfie by just blinking. You also get Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for free inside the box; which is a great software for aspiring photographers.

The biggest selling point here is its super-slim, lightweight body that you can slip into a handbag, or even a pocket. Without the lens attached, the NX mini is no larger than many compact point-and-shoots, but when you stick on the 9-27mm (24.3mm, 35mm equivalent) f/3.5 kit lens, it becomes little thick to carry around. There’s a 1-inch, 20.5-megapixel CMOS sensor that is identical in size to what you’ll get with very high-end compacts. However, quite smaller than the APS-C sensor manufacturers included with mirrorless cameras like the Alpha 6000 or the NX30.

The camera comes with a 16 GB micro-SD card and 2330mAh battery, which means that the camera will last for good 300 shots approximately. The camera is NFC-enabled and can be easily connected with NFC-enabled smartphones. The 20.5 MP BSI sensor, the company claims, is made by them. We’re uncertain about the authenticity of that statement, since these kind of sensors are made by Sony only. The lens included in the box is a 9mm (24.3mm, 35mm equivalent) f/3.5 kit lens and is fairly good for this price range.

On the top of the camera, you have a microphone pinhole, and hot-shoe sort of mount for Samsung external flash that comes with the package, Wi-Fi button, power on/off button and the shutter button. All of these buttons are seem to be made of metal and brushed aluminium, which makes it a high-quality premium looking device.

The camera supports a set of lenses that are called NX-mini lens and are completely different from regular NX lenses. You can use other lenses from Samsung if you have $150 adapter, which is a third party adapter. However, we heard that Samsung is also working on an in-house adapter.

Once you turn on the camera, you have to further twist the lens to unlock it. The shutter release is nearly full-size, and once you launch the menu, you can adjust many settings simply by tapping the 3-inch, 480 x 320 touchscreen, which also flips up 180 degrees for self-portraits, or at any angle in between for shots below eye-level, or overhead if you flip the camera upside-down.

As for the UI, there’s nothing out of the ordinary here. You can control just about everything using the touchscreen, though you can also use the four-way controller on the side to navigate. The menu interface includes all the general options and isnothing new. You get Auto share, ISO setting, image quality, etc. You also get a picture wizard which changes the setting according to the scene.

Its Wi-Fi mode lets you access a variety of wireless sharing options. MobileLink can be used to send photos from the camera to a smartphone or tablet, or Remote Viewfinder, which miraculously lets you access all of the NX mini’s shooting modes, including manual, from another device.

The Samsung NX mini gives access to Samsung Home Monitor, which requires its smartphone app and lets you use the camera to keep an eye on a child, for example, assuming your camera and phone are connected to the same WiFi network.

The camera fairly fast to focus and click the picture. The capacitative touchscreen allows you zoom in and out extremely easily. Apart from the fact that you don’t have a full manual control during video shooting mode, and its inability to use different lenses, the camera itself is very powerful. The look and the feel is also quite amazing.

The price is expected to be around Rs. 27,000 for 9-27mm lens package and Rs. 24,000 for 9mm lens package when launched exclusively on Amazon.in. This is not an official price but if the pricing remains the same, this device will a perfect starter camera for amateurs or a secondary camera for people who use DSLRs on the daily basis.

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August 20, 2014
Sony Unveiled Mid-Range Water-Resistant, The Xperia M2 Aqua

Sony, yesterday, introduced the Xperia M2 Aqua, its first mid-range waterproof smartphone. Expected to launch in the weeks ahead, the handset will be offered in select markets including Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific.

Sony has made water-resistance a sort of trademark for the Xperia line, but that’s a feature usually reserved for the upper class smartphones. However, this device is the only mid-range water resistant smartphone available.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Calum MacDougall” author_title=”Director of Xperia Marketing – Sony Mobile.”]

Xperia M2 Aqua is a significant milestone in our product portfolio as we bring yet another of our signature technologies to a new category of smartphones.The popularity of Xperia M2 showed us that there was a huge demand for premium Sony features at an affordable price-point. Following consumer feedback, we’ve now taken this a step further by bringing our waterproof expertise to a mid-range smartphone for the first time with Xperia M2 Aqua. It is a smartphone that lets customers take the best of Sony technology and entertainment with them wherever they go – come rain or shine – and we are excited to bring it to market.

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The main highlight of the M2 Aqua, of course, is its dust-proof and waterproof capabilities. A feature that is quite useful in a country like ours, with its adverse weather conditions. The smartphone can withstand being immersed in 1.5 meters of water for up to a half hour. And, there is a dedicated camera button too, which makes snapping underwater pictures quite possible.

The specifications on Sony Xperia M2 Aqua are same as on the Xperia M2 and Xperia M2 Dual (which was launched at Rs. 21,990 in India), except that Sony has put in its improved waterproof technology. Sony claims is the highest dust-proof and waterproof rating (IP65/68) in a smartphone.

It has a 4.8″ qHD screen and is powered by a Snapdragon 400 chipset (quad Cortex-A7 at 1.2GHz, Adreno 305, 1GB RAM). The battery life is also very promising with a 2,300 mAh battery.

In terms of connectivity, the Xperia M2 Aqua supports 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi Miracast, aGPS and NFC. The Xperia M2 Aqua has an 8MP / 1080p camera with an Exmor RS sensor, HDR and SteadyShot video stabilization. It supports live streaming to Facebook and downloadable in-app features like Vine and Motiongraph. The phone has 8GB of built-in storage and a microSD card slot.

Pricing details were not announced for the Xperia M2 Aqua however we should expect more details to surface in the coming weeks. It is available in two colour variants – black and white. It is expected that the Xperia M2 Aqua will start selling in the next two months or so.

August 20, 2014
LG Might Bring Out the G Watch 2 at IFA Berlin

The tech evolution is happening at break neck speed. Just a few months after introducing the G Watch and bringing it out for the consumers, LG might already be ready to bring out the G Watch 2 at the upcoming IFA fair in Berlin.

It is probably the first time that the second generation has been ready to roll out so quickly after the debut product. This is also more than a rumor as it was an LG official who told KoreaTimes about the release.

The Second Generation G Watch is expected to have an OLED display.

The new LG G Watch 2 is expected to have an OLED panel which has nearly become synonymous with LG. Firstly, the OLED panel would definitely help in creating a better display and secondly will help for innovations in fields of battery usage and graphics.

The watch is also expected to be powered by a Qualcomm chipset. It was earlier reported that LG would utilize Odin chipset that it has been developing internally. However, new reports say that they are not ready for the market just yet.

If LG gets this right, it may prove to be a major competition in the burgeoning Smartwatch business. The company will face some intense competition from the Moto 360 and Apple iWatch, both of which are expected to arrive in the market soon. Being the only company with two generations of Android Wear devices, LG has a good chance to carve its luck in the Smartwatch market.

August 20, 2014
OnePlus One Unboxing : Redefining The Market
China is stirring up a storm, but it’s right here in India. Company after company is parading the smartphone market scene and everybody wants a piece of the pie. Earlier this year, Gionee set a precedent in bringing great build quality and a higher spec set into India by launching phones like the Gionee Elife E7. Later Xiaomi broke the market pricing scheme by launching the Xiaomi Mi3 in India. But is everyone really happy?

The lack of availability in both cases made it really difficult to own these products, while the E7 was fantastic for its time, it arrived almost 3 months too late and with the Xiaomi and its #FailSale strategy, people are essentially looking for a better outcome.

That answer may as well be here, sooner than you imagined. OnePlus is looking to launch their marvelous One in India as early as next month, and the company may bring a simple strategy to the market. The OnePlus One has been sold on an invite system from the get go. In doing so, the company continued to receive the orders, yet restricted orders enough to ramp up production.

The same system applies for India, however, the company has already reached up to required production standards with its current orders and invites are being fulfilled as and when you get them, so when it finally arrives in India, all you’ll need is a friend with an invite to share with you.

Inside the packaging, which is exceptionally high quality, all you get are three things; the OnePlus One unit, the charger and cable and a sim removal tool.

The inbox accessories tell you a great deal of what the end product quality is going to be, and you will be might impressed. not only is it high quality, a great amount of detail has gone into designing each item inside the box and customising the feel of the product.

The phone itself is pretty impressive, for a price of US$ 299 (16Gb) or US $ 349 for the 64 GB seen here (roughly INR 21500) which basically compares with the current flagships of the world.

Specs wise you will get :
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
- Adreno 330 GPU
- 3GB of RAM
- 16/64 GB storage
- 5.5 Inch 1920 x 1080p Display
- 13 Mp primary camera with 4K video
- 5 MP front camera 1080p video
- 3100 mAh – Non Removable battery
- Gorilla Glass 3
The software and user interface is familiar and responsive, you will get Android 4.4.2 out of the box with a promised update to 4.4.4 and Cyanogen Mod 11s to get you happy. CyanogenMod will also ensure that you are getting the maximum output from your hardware and customization options are almost endless. Thanks to CyanogenMod you can also expect quick roll-outs of the latest relevant updates on Android, especially the upcoming Android L.

Watch our unboxing Video Below and stay tuned for a flurry of comparisons after the break. Also leave your review requests in the comments for us.
August 20, 2014
The Windows Phone Everyone Wanted : HTC One M8 for Windows Out

Talk about an unfortunate day for companies who wanted to keep their products a surprise till the release date. After Samsung had a major boo boo with the AnTuTu specs leaks, its HTC’s time to face some leak music. The worst part of the HTC leak is that it was done not through some leakster sitting in his bedroom but by telecom giant Verizon.

The HTC One M8 for Windows was officially supposed to release at a function later today in New York but its just too hard for some folks to wait that long. It seems like one of the posters for the One M8 which was supposed to be put up after the release, went up at one Verizon store, where the internet got hold of it.

The Poster that spoilt everything

The poster has a huge photo of the One M8 exteriors along with the Windows 8.1 tiles view on the UI. It uses the tagline “built to inspire envy” has one important line that blows up the entire surprise that HTC had in store for its fans. The bottom half of the poster says available in Android and Windows.

What was really a good move on the part of HTC is not bring the phone under the name HTC One W8 as was previously speculated. Keeping the name common keeps the focus on the features of the phone instead of the user interface used to access those features.

On the specifications front, there aren’t going to be a lot many changes in the two variants. The HTC One M8 for Windows Phone version will hold the dual camera setup with a 4-UltraPixel rear camera with a depth-sensing camera, apart from a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It’s processing might is expected to come from a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM. It is expected to retain the 2600mAh battery along with its a 5-inch full-HD display.

It seems like with this release HTC wants to compete on both the two prominent, non iOS operating systems. It is also beneficial for Windows to have the support of a recognized, premium product running their OS, thereby making their OS more visible. For the consumers, it gives a real alternative for folks who want a Windows device from a prominent brand. This release seems like a win-win for all.

August 19, 2014
Note 4 Specs Leaked Just Weeks Before Release

Misery strikes at the worst possible time. Samsung executives responsible for Note 4 release are going to have a terrible day. All the prominent specs for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 4 have been leaked online and boy, are they impressive!

The leak happened on benchmarks app AnTuTu. First of all, the biggest expectation from Samsung was the introduction of a 2K screen on the Note 4 and Samsung didn’t disappoint. The phablet will sport a massive 5.7 inch, 1440 x 2560 QHD Super AMOLED display.

The device is expected to run Android KitKat 4.4.4 right out of the box. The leaked Antutu device has an Exynos 5433 octa core processor which comes with an updated Mali GPU. If Samsung follows its usual plan of action, one can expect a Snapdragon 805 variant to come in select markets.

The Device is also expected to take a departure from the faux leather back panel.

The camera on the device is a 16 MP shooter with optical image stabilization. It also has features like dual shot and simultaneous HD video and image recording. The front camera on the device is 2 MP selfie camera capable of shooting 1080p at 30 FPS.

Considering the massive price point of the Note 4, the company can easily provide a 32 GB and 64 GB variants and the icing on the cake will be expandable storage upto 128 GB, as per the specifications from GSMArena, this seems to be true.

The Note 4, officially will be unveiled September 3rd at an event scheduled to take place simultaneously in Berlin, Beijing, and New York.

August 19, 2014
HTC to Launch Butterfly 2 in India Soon

HTC Butterfly 2, which was launched in Japan as J Butterfly, is going to launch in India and some other Asian countries soon. Taiwan-based smartphone maker has just announced that the high-end plastic phone will go on sale in Taiwan on September 2nd which will be followed by the launch in Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand soon after.

It is available in 3 colour variants – blue, white and red. Anyhow, the company haven’t commented on the pricing details of the device. The single-SIM HTC Butterfly 2 smartphone is the successor to the HTC Butterfly which was launched last year at Rs. 49,990 in India.

The Butterfly 2 sports a 5-inch, full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) display. It is powered by a powerful quad-core Snapdragon 801 SoC that clocks at 2.5GHz and coupled with 2GB of RAM. In storage front, Butterfly 2 comes with 16GB and 32GB of inbuilt storage options, with expandable storage via microSD card (up to 128GB).

Also, same as the HTC One (M8), it sports a duo-camera setup with 13 megapixel main sensor, f/2.0, 28mm lens and support for 1080p video recording and a 5-megapixel front shooter with BSI sensor, 1080p full HD video recording too.

HTC Butterfly 2 also comes with a IPX5 / IPX7 for dust and water resistance and Infrared LED for remote control. The device features a Dual front-facing stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers which HTC has been using in all its handsets. It is powered by a 2700 mAh battery. HTC has tied up with HARMAN for JBL LiveStage Signal Processing Technology for better audio output. It comes bundled with exclusively designed JBL in-ear headphones in Japan.

August 19, 2014
Apple May Drop Standard USB in Favor of a New Reversible Connector

It is said that when Apple will launch its new iPhone i.e. iPhone 6 in September, it will also introduce its new Lightning data-power cable—that is, if newly leaked images circulating online are to be believed.

Several leaked photos in recent days have suggested Apple may be looking to move to a reversible USB connector for its next-generation Lightning cables, making it easier for users to plug the cables into their computers, chargers, and other equipment with standard USB ports.

MacRumors reported a leaked picture from iOS leaker, Sonny Dickson, showing the Lightning cable with a reversible USB connector. While the USB connector on the current Lightning cable is attached to the bottom of its metal housing, the connector of the supposedly newer cable is attached to the center.

Reversible USB port on the new Lightning cables! pic.twitter.com/bhVKjK3xKl

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) August 17, 2014

“It is also therefore possible that the new Lightning cable could utilize USB 3.0 technology, as current Lightning cables support only USB 2.0. However, no other evidence suggests that the cable could be of the USB 3.0 variety.” the report from MacRumor noted.

However, Apple is not the only one with this technology. A California company by the name of UltraTek already holds a patent for the reversible connector and is selling cables through major online retailers. MacRumors suggested the possibility of the new cables being shipped along with the new iPhone 6 and subsequent iOS devices. Aside from the possible USB 3.0 support, the new Lightning cable could also support high-definition audio playback on “Made for iPhone” accessories.

Apple is rumored to be introducing a brand new proprietary version of the traditional USB connector

That being said, this move may harm the company as all those new Macs would be incompatible with current USB Type A cords — and presumably incompatible with any other newer standards that could be released in the near future, including the expected USB Type C plug. Apple would also charge third-party accessory makers licensing fees to use its patented USB reversible connector.

Also, the new connector would also help Apple effectively ‘own’ both ends of the charging cord, so if an iPhone/iPad user wanted to employ a micro USB cable from another manufacturer, or a future USB Type C cord, they’d have to purchase two adaptors — one for each end of the cord. The word is that Apple has already issued Lightning Cable MFi specifications for headphones last June, letting accessory makers build products that connect to the Lightning port instead of a 3.5-mm jack.

August 19, 2014
According to IDC, Samsung is Still No.1 in India

India being a fast growing smartphone market has become the centre of smartphone wars. Apple and Samsung have been trying hard to keep up with players such as Micromax, Lava, Karbon and the new entrant Xiaomi.

The Indian handset market is currently led by Samsung with Micromax at No. 2, according to an International Data Corporation (IDC) report for India’s mobile market in Q2. The market could experience a shuffle in the rankings amongst the top five vendors in coming quarters, as Chinese and local device makers aggressively tap the entry level segment of smartphones.

The digits in the IDC report showed that in the overall mobile market, Samsung had a 17 per cent share, while Micromax had a 14 per cent share, ahead of Nokia which was the previous number two and which now has a mere 10 percent share. Karbon and Lava are at number four and five respectively and rest is acquired by other phone makers.

In smartphones, Samsung ha held a 29% share, which however was a sharp fall from the 35% it held in the January-March period, as aggressive competitors such as Micromax, Lava and Motorola ate into its share. Micromax remained in second place with 18% share, up from 15% in the previous quarter.

“While Samsung has held on to its leadership position in the market, it is noteworthy that Micromax is growing faster. Samsung needs to continue to address the low-end of the market aggressively, and also needs a blockbuster product at the high end to regain momentum,” said Jaideep Mehta, vice president and general manager, South Asia, IDC.

At the start of the month, another research by Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Technology Market Research showed that, in the April-June period, Micromax’s share of the overall handset market stood at 16.6 per cent, while Samsung’s was 14.4 per cent. The mismatch in numbers may be the result of use different methodology. IDC said it collects data from various sources, including vendors and channels.

The report also pointed out that with the entrance of Chinese vendors and Mozilla in the smartphone category at $50 level, the low-end segment of the smartphone market will become crucial in the coming quarters. It will be really interesting to see what news Q3 and Q4 will bring out in the Indian mobile and smartphone market with the entry of players like Xiaomi, Oppo. Xiaomi in particular has created a stir in market with the launch of a sole device, the samsung Xiaomi Mi3 .

August 19, 2014
Asus Stocks Up 20,000 ZenFone Units on Flipkart

Asus has become a darling of the Indian market since its release in India. It along with Xiaomi made it the summer for Chinese smartphone makers. Their high-spec-low-price business model is tailor-made for the Indian market.

The Asus Zenphone series have seen shortage of supply and they are either out of stock or available in limited numbers. Asus wants to correct that and they are bringing in a 20,000 phone inventory to Flipkart. Though the number of individual phone models haven’t been specified, it is a good big number of devices.

Most importantly today will become a Taiwan on China battle here as Xiaomi too is bringing 20,000 devices for a flash sale today the 19th of August. It will be fun to see if Asus is capable of stealing Xiaomi’s customers. The folks who are disappointed by the Xiaomi sale can see the Asus line-up as a good alternative.

The Customization and Color features of the ZenUI are unique and tasteful

The Asus Zenphones are powered by Intel Atom processors and come in 4, 5 and 6-inch display variants. The phones also come in multiple color variants and have a youth friendly design. The Zenphone 6 has a classy look which will be appreciated by corporate users too.

The Zenphones are dual SIM capable and can be used easily with gloved hands. These phones also run on Asus’s own UI called the ZenUI which has been appreciated for its unique design and customizability features.

Asus’s business model is more appreciable than that of Xiaomi. The company seems like it is interested in staying in the market for a long time. They have also said that it wants to sell its phone in the offline market thereby making there long term plan in India apparent. By bringing in products in accordance with the demand in the market, the company gets to retain as well bring in new customers. The Zenphone 4, 5 and 6 are priced at Rs. 5,999, Rs. 9,999 and Rs. 16,999 respectively.

August 19, 2014
Sony A5100: A Tiny Mirrorless Camera with Super-Fast Autofocus

Adding to its line of mirrorless cameras, Sony is back again with the new A5100. Six months after introducing the A6000, Sony replaces the NEX-5T and dropping the NEX line, unifying all its mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras with Sony Alpha A5100.

It’s also a very minor upgrade over the existing A5000. It has a similar body design, but adds more advanced image sensors. The Sony A5000 is a small size camera with the smallest APS-C interchangeable-lens camera out there. However, before this upgrade, it didn’t have the hybrid autofocus system. The camera is extremely small-sized (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.4 inch) to be packed with so many feature.

The camera does not have an electronic viewfinder, but it does have a NEX-5T-like touchscreen. The ability to tap and focus is quite convenient. It pairs 179 phase-detection AF points with 25 contrast-detection AF points. Sony says it can lock on in as little as 0.07 seconds. Continuous shooting mode supports up to 6fps.

The Sony A5100’s 921k-dot display flips forward 180 degrees for self-portraits. There’s also built-in WiFi, XAVC S video capture and a top sensitivity of ISO 25,600.

If you are a video shooter, then Sony A5100 also stores cool innards for you. There is an option of recording in XAVC S, which allows users to capture footage in 1080p at a bit rate of 50Mbps. Sony says the camera can optionally make two versions of clips: one in AVCHD for easier sharing, and the other in XAVC S with a greater focus on quality. Although, they haven’t provided a mic jack which is disappointing.

But overall, the Sony A5100 seems like a great value. It’ll start shipping in early September, but you can pre-order now. It is available in two color options – white and black.

August 18, 2014
Xiaomi Brings Out MIUI 6 For Developers

Xiaomi is growing and how, the young Chinese company has earned tremendous brand recognition in a short period. Its Android based UI, the MIUI has been a recognized and well-appreciated interface. Lot many folks are impressed by the regular updates and superior customizability of the UI. The company announced that it will be bringing the next version of the UI, the MIUI 6 for developers, and it will be out for the users very soon.

The company released a teaser video of what the new MIUI would look like and true to Xiaomi’s design approach; the new UI looks rather close to iOS 7. Xiaomi doesn’t make it a secret that they derive some of their “inspiration” from Apple products, and this one seems to fall just in line.

MIUI 6 will follow a minimalistic design pattern with lots of colors. It will also have enhanced security and new features such as immersive parallax effect on apps like clock.

Minimalistic Look with subtle graphics.

The new update according to Xiaomi will be less distracting, and if the visuals are to be believed, the clean interface has some sweet graphics backing it. The new phonebook allows you to identify unknown callers; mark service numbers (as banks, scams, sales) and see a visible menu of the carrier’s hotline numbers so you can easily choose your option without trying to decipher the IVRS.

MIUI 6 will have new gestures for the home-screen and a redesigned notification shade with toggles for various settings. The notification center shows notifications on the lock-screen and the UI has support for more than 5,000 theme options.

The Flat design is almost reminiscent of sticky pads.

The flat design sure makes some of the apps seems as if they are sticky notes. The translucent features of the UI stand out and give dimension to the content that is also visually appealing.

The Color options are visually appealing.

The Color options are visually appealing.

The Color options are visually appealing.

The Color options are visually appealing.

Overall, the design is clean and easy on the eyes and will definitely impress the seasoned MIUI users as well as new adopters. But it’s time the company took a departure from blatantly copying Apple; even their website follows the Apple design. Now that the company is out of the Chinese borders and made its mark in countries across the globe, it needs an identity for itself. The company is still ahead in terms of product design, both interiors and exterior, than many of its competitors, but “Apple copycats” is not the tag they want when attracting a wide audience.

August 18, 2014
Leaked Screen Protector Hints ‘Moto S’ May Arrive Soon

A leaked screen protector for an unreleased ‘Moto S’ has started speculations that Motorola is building Google’s next Nexus smartphone. The proposed Nexus 6 has the working name Motorola “Shamu,” and is supposedly slated for a November 2014 release.

The screen protector sheet has Motorola’s logo printed on it, alongside the handset’s ‘Moto S’ name — and there are also some identification numbers that were covered to protect the source. This is the first hard evidence we’ve seen so far for the long-rumored ‘Shamu’.

As for now, Google’s Nexus have been manufactured by top smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung and LG. However, different online news reports and leaks stated that Google won’t be naming the Nexus series as they did before (Nexus 1 to Nexus 5). Leaks stated that Google is thinking of renaming the Nexus series as Android Silver.

TK claimed in a video that the device will have a Quad HD or 2K display that’s 5+ inches in size, a 13-megapixel camera, and a “ridiculous amount of RAM.” The screen protector also suggests that like other Motorola handsets, the Moto S will have dual front-facing speakers.

It’s unclear at this point when the Moto S will make its debut. We’re not expecting to see it at the Motorola event on September 4 — the Moto X+1, the Moto G2 and much awaited Moto 360 smartwatch are likely to be the stars of that show — but we could see an announcement from Google or Verizon in October.

August 18, 2014
Unboxed: The Sony Xperia T3

Sony has been a background player in the smartphone game. They have lost some market in the past and haven’t brought anything out of the ordinary in a while. The Japanese company has now come with the next in their T series of smartphones. The Xperia T3 looks impressive on the outside but the innards leave a lot to be desired.

The box offers the usual. The headset could have been better.

The box comes with the usual inhabitants; the handset, pair of generic looking headsets, charger, micro-USB to USB cable and the documentation. The headsets provided in the box that is available is very average and doesn’t at all say Sony. Design-wise the phone is good to look at. The back panel is made of a gradient or distressed material that makes the phone appealing to hold with its enhanced grip. The exteriors of T3 appear premium, and the 7.7mm ‘thinness’ does make the phone look sexy.

The back panel makes the phone look premium and is good to hold

Specs wise, the Xperia T3 runs Android 4.4.2 out of the box. It is powered by a quad-core 1.4 GHz, Snapdragon 400 processor with an Adreno 305 GPU. The RAM stands at 1GB and 8GB of internal storage. The phone gives expandable storage options up to 32GB. The device is NFC capable. Compared to its competition and its price, the specs don’t feel satisfactory. The battery on the device is 2500 mAh that can take good care of the phone for about a day.

Display wise, the T3 sports a 5.3 inch IPS LCD screen. The resolution of the screen is 1280×720 with a pixel density of 277 ppi. The annoying part of this device is that even with its massive display it only accepts four finger touch.

The main camera on the device is 8 MP shooter whereas on the front is rather disappointing 1.1MP camera, which is capable of shooting 720p videos. The dedicated camera button is a welcome feature. The User Interface (UI) is similar to previous generation Sony Timescape UI. There are some decent customization features but overall it is pretty much the usual Xperia experience.

Multimedia experience in the T3 is appreciable. The playback and viewing angles on the display are great. The sound from the speakers is decent and gets the job done, but Sony should have brought in better speakers.

Overall, the device looks like a lazy attempt by Sony and has too little for too much. The phone is priced at Rs. 25,990. The competitors have lot better specs at this price point, and Sony really needs to buck up its game if it wants to be perceived as a worthy smartphone company.

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August 18, 2014
Microsoft Might Release Windows ‘Threshold’ Preview Next Month

Microsoft’s new update of the Windows operating system codenamed as Windows Threshold should be available as soon as September. The software maker has been gradually working on the release over the past several months, adding and tweaking features ready for a “technology preview” release to the public.

According to a ZDnet report, Windows Threshold would likely have the official ‘Windows 9’ name, when the ‘technology preview of the OS starts seeding late next month. People who would like to install the Windows 9 ‘Technology Preview’ will have to sign up to receive automatic regular monthly updates that Microsoft is expected to seed, once the preview build gets an official rollout.

Windows 9 leaks present a refreshing new look while keeping the classic Windows look.

The Windows 9 preview will be similar to how Microsoft first let developers test Windows 8, with features not fully complete or missing. It is said that the updates will be pushed to users who install the preview on an automatic basis, meaning the release will change rapidly over the coming months before it’s finally ready.

Existing internal versions of Threshold include a new mini Start Menu, “Metro-style” apps that float in separate windows on the desktop, a virtual desktops feature, the removal of the Charms bar feature, and an early version of Cortana. Microsoft is also making several UI changes to Windows 9, including some tweaks on the desktop to improve upon Windows 8.

On desktops, Windows 9 ‘Threshold’ interface is expected to boot as default rather than letting users choose between the traditional Windows and metro-style user interfaces.Windows 9, once official, is expected to dynamically fit in the device, which it runs.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has said Windows 9 will be an all-around OS that will be compatible with personal computers, tablets, smartphones and video-game consoles. In particular, differences between Windows Phone software and standard PC software should be removed. As of now, Windows 9 stable version is expected to start rolling out by spring 2015, though this is yet to be confirmed by Microsoft. The pricing details of this OS are yet to surface.

August 18, 2014