Category: Sony

MWC 2016 : Five Best Tech Innovations On Display

Phones, and then some more phones expectedly dominated the proceedings at the Mobile World Congress 2016, as big name players such as Samsung, LG along with first timers such as Xiaomi launched new flagship devices, but the MWC wasn’t only about smartphones this year.

This was the year when MWC went beyond just smartphones and explored deeper corners of the consumer tech industry. On show were products and technological innovations ranging from VR headsets, 360-degree cameras, home security robots, convertible tablet/laptop hybrids and much more during. So let’s rewind and take a look at the best technological innovations that MWC brought to us in 2016.

Super VOOC Quick Charging and SmartSensor Image Stabilization

Oppo’s much-hyped, “Wow the World,” event did not bring too much to the tech world in terms of hardware, but in terms of technological breakthroughs, it was second to no event and showcased technology that could seriously change the way phones perform in the future.

Oppo brought to the world the “SmartSensor Image Stabilization,” technology which is the first sensor-based image stabilization tech in the world, along with Super VOOC quick-charging technology which can charge a 2500mAh battery 45 percent in five minutes of charging, and 100 percent in about 15 minutes. Now that is quick.

OPPO’s take on fast charging is brilliant in the sense that it uses low-voltage to charge batteries. Most types of fast charge work by pushing out more amps, but VOOC keeps your standard amperage, reducing the risk of overheating or battery damage.

Xperia Ear

At the MWC 2016 Sony announced three big innovations in the form of peripherals: a projector, a life-blogging camera, and an in-ear personal assistant. The best amongst the three, the Xperia ear. It is a tiny Bluetooth-connected ear piece which acts like a voice-controlled personal assistant which can take calls, send messages, get traffic updates or check the weather and even help you finding your way around the city. Step ahead towards the future we say.

The earpiece is comfortable and discreet and is compatible with Sony’s own software while also being equipped with the power to use Google Now helping users take advantage of Android’s ever-expanding voice control functions.

Nokia OZO camera

The Mobile World Congress, 2016 saw a lot of interesting devices, and one very interesting device that the tech world came across was the Nokia Ozo VR camera which will in all probability be the first cinema grade virtual reality recorder. The device comes with the capability to record and store up to 45 minutes of audio and video

Nokia Ozo, is a camera like none other which combines live streaming, live monitoring, automatic stitching (a process used to blend the separate camera feeds) and 3D audio and video. With the Ozo Nokia could alleviate the headaches and obstacles faced by early VR filmmakers. With the Ozo, Nokia will look to establish itself as the go-to VR production solution and become the market leader in this growing segment.

Sync 3

One of the biggest car manufacturer in the world, Ford, is looking at bringing a revolution as big to the motorists experience as what smart capabilities brought along with them to phones a decade back. Ford unveiled the Sync 3 technology for car dashboards which will bring an infotainment system that will allow users to connect to the Sync 3 with their smartphones and access hundreds of applications and services.

Sync 3 is equally adaptable with android and iOS and allows them to enjoy apps and services through the cars dashboard. It comes with an 8 inches touch screen and voice recognition features with easy to navigate and user-friendly interface. Ford claims that the Sync 3 is not just another technology, butt rather it is a whole new level of life-like experience for the users. Looking at its potential we can’t disagree.

4-Axis Optical Image Stabilization

Xiaomi’s latest flagship, Mi 5 sports, a 16-megapixel rear sensor that uses Sony IMX29, but what truly sets the phone apart is the technological innovation on display with the 4-Axis Optical Image Stabilization system on board.

The rear camera on the Mi 5 promises to capture great images and videos with superior focus thanks to its new OIS technology that uses 4-axis rather than the traditional 2-axis that most other smartphones currently use. Xiaomi demonstrated the stability of its camera by comparing it to the iPhone 6s, which is considered to have the best OIS currently in the market.

The 4-axis OIS basically gives you more stability under shaky conditions. While traditional 2-axis OIS can work around rotational movements, the 4-axis can handle transversal as well, because shakiness comes in all directions.The 4-axis OIS technology corrects shake in close shots and can capture accurate movement in distant shots as well. All of this translates into smoother, sharper and blur-free images.

February 25, 2016
Sony Says No to Z6, to be Replaced by X Series

The Japanese tech company has confirmed today that it will indeed be calling curtains on the much loved Xperia Z series replacing it with the new Xperia X range of devices.The company’s German arm disseminated this information to its loyal customer base on Facebook through comments in response to questions posted about the Z6 on its official page.

The German arm of Sony in the comments revealed to users that there won’t be a flagship Z6 device but that mantle would rather be taken up by the new X series devicesReplying to a question about the arrival of the Z6, the Sony team said, “A Z6 will not exist. The new X series is under a modified concept that meets the needs of our users even more accessible.”

The X Performance which will be the new flagship for Sony this year sports a 5-inch 1080p Full HD display and is powered by Snapdragon 820. The device, which is the bigger of the three has a premium metal finish with a rectangular chasis and rounded edges and a 2.5D curved glass on top. The X Performance comes with a 23MP rear camera with a Predictive Hybrid Autofocus, 5x Clear Image Zoom and ISO 12800 sensitivity, and a 13MP selfie shooter.

The Xperia X and XA also feature Predictive Hybrid Autofocus tech that offers motion tracking. The mid-range devices are powered by the Snapdragon 650 hexa-core processor, run on Android 5.0 Lollipop and come with a 2.5D curved glass on the front and a metallic rear for a premium feel.

February 24, 2016
Sony Unveils New Xperia X Phones at MWC 2016

Sony just held its press conference at the MWC 2016 in Barcelona. The company today unveiled its new Xperia X lineup of device that consists of the Xperia Performance. X and XA. Sony launched the devices stressing on a more connected world, with improved and smart technology. Along with this, Sony also launched the Xperia Ear, Eye, and Projector as smart accessories that allow for a more hands-free way to connect with your smartphone.

Sony didn’t reveal too much about the specs of the devices. The X Performance sports a 5-inch 1080p Full HD display and is powered by Snapdragon 820. The device, which is the bigger of the three has a premiu metal finish with a rectangular chasis and rounded edges and a 2.5D curved glass on top. The X Performance comes with a 23MP rear camera with a Predictive Hybrid Autofocus, 5x Clear Image Zoom and ISO 12800 sensitivity, and a 13MP selfie shooter.

The Xperia X and XA also feature Predictive Hybrid Autofocus tech that offers motion tracking. The mid-range devices are powered by the Snapdragon 650 hexa-core processor, run on Android 5.0 Lollipop and come with a 2.5D curved glass on the front and a metallic rear for a premium feel.

The device looks really slim and you can see the Xperia logo at the back with the camera on the top left and the LED flash just below. Along the right side, you have the power button, volume controls and a dedicated camera button as well. Up in front, you have a large display with exceptionally thin side bezels and a 2.5D curved glass.

Sony also showed off the Xperia Ear, a earpiece that informs you of your schedule, news and weather. It responds to voice commands, and can make calls, search the internet, read and respond to emails and messages or navigate to a location. Pricing has not been revealed as of yet. Sony confirmed that the devices will start shipping in Summer this year. We’ll know more about the devices and new connected products in the weeks to come.

February 22, 2016
New Sony Xperia Model Surfaces Ahead of Today’s Event

MWC 2016 kicked off in a grand way with LG and Samsung having unveiled their flagship smartphones. Now, it’s Sony’s turn to unveils some of its products. While it may not be a flagship device in the form of the Xperia Z6, Sony will still look to bring out something great. Popular leakster @evleaks, who is no doubt in Barcelona trying to get an exclusive look at new phones before everyone else does, has posted an image of a new unnamed Xperia phone that may just be unveiled later today.

*drops the other shoe* pic.twitter.com/v611vo0bAv

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) February 21, 2016

The image posted shows off a great looking phone. The device looks really slim and you can see the Xperia logo at the back with the camera on the top left and the LED flash just below. Along the side, you have the rounded power button, volume controls and a dedicated camera button as well. up in front, you have a large display with exceptionally thin side bezels and hints of a 2.5D curved glass. Sony’s event will take place later today starting

Sony is also expected to launch the Xperia PP10, so we’re possibly looking at least two phone launches from the company today along with some smart accessories. The event will take place later today starting 1pm IST. Follow this space for more on Sony’s launch event.

February 22, 2016
Upcoming Smartphones to Look Out For

Last year saw some incredible smartphones that pushed the boundaries of design and specification, making it difficult to pick out just one favourite. This year promises to do the same. We take a look at some of the most anticipated smartphone launches expected in 2016 and what we know about them so far.

iPhone 7

Apple’s iPhone 7 and Samsung’ Galaxy S7 are perhaps the most talked about flagship devices today. There’s just a lot of anticipation attached to the upcoming handsets and along with it a lot of rumours as well. The first round of rumours a few months ago suggested that the iPhone 7 will lose the home button and will sport an OLED display thereby giving up on LCD display that it has relied on so far. Apple followers will know that the Apple Watch is the only Apple device to sport an OLED display currently. Furthermore, the OLED display will either be supplied by LG or Samsung, or both.

Next up, the iPhone 7 is rumoured to be waterproof and will feature 3 GB of RAM. More recently, there have been talks related to Apple’s decision to ditch the headphone jack. This is part of Apple’s plan to improve the quality of music streaming. Furthermore, the loss of a headphone jack means more space for Apple to add a larger battery to the iPhone 7, as well as make the device thinner. We’ll just have to wait and see how this strategy plays out.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

There have been a lot of rumours and a lot of questions regarding the launch and specs of Samsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S7 devices. What everyone is expecting is Samsung to pull out another stunning flagship that pushes the boundaries of design and power, like it did with the Galaxy S6 series.

It’s almost confirmed that the Galaxy S7 will arrive in two variants – one powered by the new Snapdragon 820 chipset and the other by Exynos 8890.

Among the many rumours that have been making the rounds, some that have caught our attention is that the S7 devices will feature Apple’s 3D Touch-like pressure sensitive display called ClearForce that’s being developed by Synaptics. Additionally, the Galaxy S7 will have a Type C USB Port which means the device will charge significantly faster.

The flat Galaxy S7 will likely sport a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display while the ‘Edge’ variant will come with a 5.5-inch display of the same kind. In terms of design, Samsung is sticking to the S6 design language only upgrading the specs, which we’re not complaining about. The flagship devices are slated to be unveiled on February 21 at the MWC ‘Unpacked’ event.

HTC One M10

Being a successor to the One M9, the HTC One M10 will look to improve on specs wherever it can. The new iteration is said to come with a 5.5-inch QHD display. You can expect some bright, crisp colours under a Gorilla Glass 4 protection.

On the design front, the device will have the all-metal, unibody form associated with HTC flagships, along with curved edges and bezels to give it an attractive look. The One M10 will look a lot more like the One A9 than the One M9. From what recent renders tell us, HTC is ditching the BoomSound front speakers as well as the much-hated logo on the front that was found on the One M10. The HTC One M10 will sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset under the hood along with a powerful graphics card.

Other features include a Touch ID fingerprint scanner housed inside the home button, 4 GB of RAM with 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage variants, and a battery capacity of 3,500 mAh. The device is expected to come out sometime in March.

Xiaomi Mi 5

Xiaomi fans have been eagerly awaiting the Mi 5 flagship smartphone, which has been delayed due to the launch of the Snapdragon 820 chipset. Since Samsung has claimed exclusivity of the new chipset for the first quarter, the Mi 5 along with any other device sporting the new, powerful processor will all likely see a post-March release.

Recent rumours about the specs of the Mi 5 are contradictory with some claiming the Mi 5 will sport a 5.5-inch screen with quad HD (2560×1440) display and the others pointing to a 5.7-inch with Full HD display. What’s almost confirmed is a Snapdragon 820 chipset, 20MP primary camera and an 8MP front cameras. The device will also come with 3,800mAh battery and 4G LTE support. RAM is set at 4GB and the phone will offer 16GB/64GB/128GB storage options.

OnePlus 3

OnePlus 3 Render

OnePlus has done so much in so little time. The company, still in its infancy, has already released 3 spectacular devices -OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X in the span of two years. This year, OnePlus will look to reclaim the title of the ‘flagship killer’ with the upcoming OnePlus 3 smartphone. Not much is known about the third flagship device, and only a couple of leaked renders have appeared giving rise to possible hardware specs.

The image above shows a brushed metal back instead of the usual sandstone panels. The new OnePlus might also feature a front speaker. The render shows that the handset could possibly come in two different colours.

From what we’ve heard so far, the new OnePlus device will sport a 5.5-inch UHD display with 5GB RAM. Sources also reveal a little about the hardware and display citing that the handset could arrive with the Snapdragon 820 chipset and a 1080p display resolution.

LG G5

LG G4

A Redditor recently leaked some specs and images of the LG G5. The device will sport a 5.3-inch Quad HD display, powered by the new Snapdragon 820 SoC with 3 GB of RAM and an 8 MP front camera. Other specs include a full metal body, SIM and MicroSD slot, heart rate sensor that’s under the camera module, a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, a USB Type-C port, bottom firing speaker and an IR blaster on top.

Some recent rumours have suggested a modular design for the LG G5 where the bottom is detachable so as to easily remove the battery pack. This, however, is still a long shot and nothing has been confirmed on that front.

A leaked image also suggests that the LG G5 will sport a dual camera set-up at the back – 16 MP and 8 MP. LG will launch the G5 flagship smartphone at the MWC next week.

Sony Xperia Z6

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium

It looks like Sony is planning to launch a slew of devices under the Z6 line. It is rumoured that a total of six Z6 devices will be launched this year: a 4-inch Xperia Z6 Mini, a 4.6-inch Xperia Z6 Compact, a 5.2-inch Xperia Z6, a 5.8-inch Xperia Z6 Plus, a 6.4-inch Xperia Z6 Ultra, and a 5-inch Z6 Lite. Now, Sony is yet to confirm the rumours, but you can expect some, if not all, to be true.

What you can expect from the Xperia Z6 is a build that’ll reflect the Z5 with a squarer, flatter design rather than the traditional rounded edges that Sony had previously stuck to with the older models. The Z6 will also come with a fingerprint scanner added to the power side button.

The burning question is whether Sony will go for a 2K display with the 5.2-inch Xperia Z6 or will it continue with a Full HD display as it has with the Z5. Doing the former would mean having to sacrifice battery life, which Sony isn’t all too fond of doing at the moment.

Nokia C1

Nokia C1 Render

Nokia is all set to make a comeback with a new smartphone. This new device, allegedly called the C1, will be the first flagship device to bear the Nokia logo since the Finnish company was sold to Microsoft a few years ago.

There have been a number of leaked renders that claim the design of the C1, though each source has leaked different designs. One of the more recent renders show a very minimalist and sleek design, which actually looks pretty good, if confirmed as legit. The C1 is also depicted running both Android and well as Windows 10 OS.

Rumours suggest that the Nokia C1 will come in two variants. The first one will sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. The device will also come with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory expandable via microSD card slot.

The second variant will have a 5-inch Full HD display and will sport an 8 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of memory.

February 18, 2016
PlayStation VR Set to Launch Sept-Oct, 2016

In what is the most clear indication of a launch date for the Playstation VR, GameSpot’s CEO has all but spilled the beans on what will be a September-October launch for the eagerly awaited VR headset from PlayStation.

GameStop CEO Paul Raines was talking about the industry early Tuesday morning on Fox Business when he was asked about the coming year for VR technology. In response, Raines revealed that GameStop as a retailer is preparing for the launches of the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. The first two not being done deals as of now for GameStop, but for Sony revealed that “Gamespot will launch the Sony product this fall.”

This though does not go in line with what Sony had revealed last year when they announced that the PlayStation VR could hit the markets as early as first half of 2016. PlayStation has still to react on Paul Raines gaffe, and as such the confusion is expected to prevail just a bit longer.

This news about the PlayStation VR launch in fall if true would also mean that Sony’s VR offering will crucially give theOculus Rift and HTC Vive a headstart in the market as both these products are set for a public release this spring. But, having said that, this will also give Sony the benefit of fine tune its VR hardware for just a bit longer ensuring increased chances of it being approved by the end consumer.

February 17, 2016
Sony Unveils IMX318 22.5 Megapixel Exmor RS Mobile Camera

Sony today announced a new Exmor R sensor for mobile devices.The sensor will be called the IMX318 and it is the first stacked CMOS sensor with integrated hybrid autofocus and 3-axis electronic image stabilization. The IMX318 is a 1/2.6 type sensor with an effective resolution of 22.5 megapixels. It has a pixel pitch of 1.0 micrometre.

A statement from Sony talking about this launch read,

“The IMX318 boasts a stacked structure and the industry’s smallest unit pixels, which measure 1.0 micrometre in size. With this, the image sensor achieves a compact, type 1/2.6 size suitable for inclusion into smartphones, while still realizing a high resolution of 22.5 effective megapixels, among the top in the industry.”

The sensor is expected to be used in the upcoming Sony Z6, and what’s so exciting about this that it has built in hybrid AF. Sony IMX318 is the first to incorporate this within the sensor’s internal signal processor. The company claims this will result in a focusing time of 0.03 seconds for stills and as fast as 0.017 seconds during 60fps video.

The other major talking point about this sensor is the inclusion of the integrated 3-axis image stabilization. The sensor can correct for pitch, roll, and yaw by taking the input from an external gyro sensor and processing it within its own internal signal processor. This will be more energy efficient as compared to software processing.

February 16, 2016
We Can’t Wait For Sony’s Shiny New E-Ink Remote to Arrive in India

A couple of months ago, Sony launched a crowd-funding platform, a la Kickstarter, for its own new products. Called First Flight, the platform is one of company’s attempts to get itself back on its feet by increasing profitability. The platform includes crowd-funded projects, along with allowing customers to directly buy or pre-order products developed by Sony workers.

The latest updates from Sony’s First Flight comes in the form of an e-ink device called ‘Huis’, pronounced as ‘house’, which is also the first project of the platform. It is a remote for your smart-home allowing you to control lights and remote controlled devices. How is it different from the many other such devices out there, you ask? To begin with, it is fully customizeable, is very low on power-demands and has support for IR, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

The remote works with television sets, music systems, lights, air conditioners and pretty much anything that is capable of communicating with a remote (barring any pets of the feline origin). Watch technology make your life so much easier as remotes for so many different gadgets get condensed into one with Sony Huis.

Though there is no word yet on when Huis would be made available globally, Sony has already begun taking orders for it in Japan. Currently it costs ¥27,950 or about Rs. 30,000.

Source

February 15, 2016
Sony Planning to Bring Back Crash Bandicoot

We love being teased from time to time. And if it’s a tease about a game that we have grown up with then the hype is next level. We’ve already been jumping with joy with the trailer for Street Fighter V. Now, another childhood memory ready to jump and spin back into our lives is the much-beloved Crash Bandicoot.

It is possible that we may be jumping to conclusions as Sony has not confirmed a new Crash Bandicoot game. However, there have been some recent rumours and teasers that are just too exciting to be wrong now. NECA Toys’ toy director Randy Falk said Sony is bringing back Crash Bandicoot. Check out the video below to relive your favourite Crash Bandicoot games.

At a recent toy fair in New York, Falk said that Destructoid has “a lot of stuff going on with Sony.” The toy director continues to praise Sony and its titles, saying “I see they’re bringing Crash Bandicoot back, so there’s some great stuff there.”

If that wasn’t enough to tease a new Crash Bandicoot game then how about a tweet from Sony PlayStation’s Middle East account of an image of Crash Bandicoot with the line “Most wanted person….where are you Crash?” Now, a company as big as Sony wouldn’t tease fans like that if they weren’t planning on delivering something exciting in the near future, would they?

???? ??? ?????… ??? ??? ?? ????? pic.twitter.com/aj85Ap018v

— PlayStation Mid East (@PlayStation_ME) February 6, 2016

February 15, 2016
Sony Launches the NW-A25 Hi-Res Walkman in India

Sony today launched the NW-A25 high-resolution Walkman in India at a price of Rs 13, 990. The audio player is available through all Sony distributors and is available in Black, Blue, Pink, Red, and Yellow.

The Walkman comes with a 2.2-inch display with a 320×240 pixel resolution and has an internal storage capacity of 16GB that is expandable up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot. Sony promises up to 50 hours of MP3 playback and up to 30 hours of high resolution playback.

The audio player supports mp3, wav, aiff, wma, aac, he-aac, flac, and Apple Lossless formats. Other features include USB 2.0 support for fast charging and Bluetooth 3.0. One of the highlights of the Walkman is its digital noise cancelling system which means you won’t have trouble hearing music in buses, trains and anywhere else noisy.

Sony’s LDAC technology also allows for wireless Bluetooth audio streaming from compatible devices. The DSEE HX (Digital Sound Enhanced Engine HX) bumps up standard quality audio to Hi-Res quality.

February 10, 2016
VAIO Unveils Windows Powered Phone with 5.5-inch Display

The Japanese manufacturer of personal computers launched its first smartphone, the VAIO Phone (VA-10J) running on Android last year. This year VAIO has added yet another name to the smartphone industry. Called VAIO Phone Biz, for reasons unknown, the handset marks a switch from Android to Windows in VAIO smartphones. The move is a little surprising after the lack of popularity of Windows as an OS among smartphone users.

However, the device will support Continuum, a Windows feature that allows the phone to be used as a computer once it has been plugged into a television set or a monitor.

In terms of specifications, the Phone Biz has a 5.5-inch FHD display with a resolution of 1920X1810. It is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 octa-core SoC clocked at 1.2GHz, along with 3GB of RAM. Internal storage of 16 GB expandable up to 64 GB makes for the memory specifications of the smartphone. Phone Biz has a 13 MP main camera, 5 MP front camera, 4G LTE support and a 2,800 mAh battery.

The phone comes in a Silver coloured variant and will be priced close to $430 (approximately Rs. 29,000) when it enters the Japanese market in April.

After providing a consistent and reliable range of laptops, VAIO seems to be turning its attention to another aspect of the tech-world. While VAIO laptops have pretty much performed well, let’s see if the computer manufacturer manages to achieve the same results with its smartphones as well. Perhaps only time will tell. There is no word on when Phone Biz will arrive in markets outside Japan. Watch this space for all the latest developments.

February 4, 2016

Sony Announces Alpha A6300 -World’s Fastest AutoFocus Camera

Sony today announced a new, mirror-less camera that boasts of the world’s fastest autofocus speed and the world’s highest number of autofocus points. The Alpha a 6300, successor to the Sony A6000, one of the best-selling mirror-less cameras of the past few years, will soon come to markets with the promise of a more intelligent, faster autofocus system and support for 4K and high-frame-rate video.

The camera comes with a new 4D Focus system which locks on to an object in hardly 0.05 seconds. According to Sony, this sets a new record for a camera with interchangeable lens and APS-C sensors. It has also been claimed that this creation of Sony Labs also boasts the world’s highest 425 phase detection autofocus points.

Another key enhancement seen on the A6300 is the addition of a reworked 24.2MP APS-C Exmor sensor, featuring thinner copper wiring and enhanced processing with the BIONZ X processor that is slated to improve low-light performance up to ISO 51200 and allow for 4K recording with full pixel readout, and Full HD video at up to 120 fps.

The back of the Sony A6300 houses a XGA OLED Tru-Finder electronic viewfinder with 2.4 million dots and a 120fps framerate mode for smooth subject tracking. Below it is a tilting LCD display.The camera comes with 64 different functions which can be operated by 9 customizable buttons housed on the dust and moisture-resistant magnesium alloy body.

The A6300 camera includes silent shooting mode along with a microphone line input for convenience. Wi-Fi, and NFC connectivity options are also present on the camera.

Specification	Sony Alpha A6300 Mirrorless Digital Camera
Lens Mount	Sony E
Image Sensor	APS-C Exmor CMOS (23.5 x 15.6mm)
Effective Pixels	24.2MP
Total Pixels	25.0MP
Maximum Resolution	24MP: 6000 x 4000
Aspect Ratio	3:2, 16:9
Still Image File Format	RAW, JPEG
Storage Media	SD, SDHC, SDXC, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo
Card Slot	1 x SD (UHS-I) / Memory Stick Duo multi slot
Viewfinder Type	2.36m-dot 0.39″ / 1 cm XGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF
Frame Coverage	100%
Magnification	1.07x (35mm Equivalent: 0.70x)
Eyepoint	23mm at -1m^-1
Diopter Adjustment	-4 to +3m^-1
Shutter Type	Electronically controlled, vertical-traverse focal-plane type; Electronic
Shutter Speed	1/4000 to 30 sec., bulb
Flash Sync Speed	1/160 sec.
Drive Modes	Single, continuous (Hi+, Hi, Mid, Low selectable), self-timer, bracketing
Top Continuous Shooting Rate	11 fps
Self-Timer	10, 5, 2 sec.
Exposure Metering System	1200-zone evaluative metering with Exmor CMOS sensor
Metering Method	Multi-segment, Center-weighted, Spot
Metering Range	-2 to 20 EV with f/2 lens
Exposure Modes	Auto, Program, Aperture priority, Shutter speed priority, Manual
Exposure Compensation	±5 EV in 1/3 and 1/2 EV steps
Exposure Bracketing	3 or 5 frames in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1, 2, or 3 EV increments 9 frames in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1 EV inctrements
ISO Sensitivity	Stills: 100-51200 Movie: 100-25600
Autofocus System	Enhanced Fast Hybrid AF with 4D FOCUS
Number of Focus Points	Phase Detect: 425 Contrast Detect: 169
Focus Modes	Automatic, Single-shot, Continuous, Direct Manual Focus, Manual
Autofocus Sensitivity	-1 to 20 EV with f/2 lens
Built-In Flash	Yes, Guide Number: 19.7′ / 6 m; Coverage: 16mm
Flash Control	P-TTL
Flash Modes	Off, Auto, Fill-flash, Rear sync, Slow sync, Red-eye reduction, High-speed sync, Wireless with compatible external flash
Flash Compensation	±3 EV in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps
Flash Bracketing	3 or 5 frames in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1, 2, or 3 EV increments 9 frames in 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1 EV inctrements
External Flash Interface	Multi Interface Shoe
White Balance Modes	Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent (Warm White, Cool White, Day White, Daylight), Flash, Color Temperature (2500-9900K), Color Filter, Custom, Underwater
Movie Recording	XAVC S 4K: 3840 x 2160: 30p, 24p, 25p XAVC S HD: 1920 x 1080: 120p, 100p, 60p, 50p, 30p, 24p, 25p AVCHD: 1920 x 1080: 60p, 60i, 50p, 50i, 24p, 25p MP4: 1920 x 1080: 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p; 1280 x 720: 30p, 25p
File Format	XAVC S, AVCHD, MP4
Compression	XAVC S: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 AVCHD: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 MP4: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Audio Recording	Yes, built-in stereo microphne or 3.5mm audio input
Audio File Format	XAVC S: Linear PCM, 2ch AVCHD: Dolby Digital (AC-3), 2ch, Dolby Digital Stereo Creator MP4: MPEG-4 AAC-LC, 2ch
External Microphone Input	Yes, 3.5mm stereo input
Headphone Jack	None
Maximum Recording Time	29 minutes 59 seconds
Monitor	3.0″ / 7.5 cm 921k-dot tilting TFT LCD
Interface	1 x Micro-USB (Multi Terminal) 1 x Micro HDMI (Type D) 1 x 3.5mm stereo audio input
Wi-Fi	Yes, built-in with NFC & QR Code function
GPS	None
Power Source	1 x NP-FW50 Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery Pack
Battery Life	Viewfinder: 350 Shots LCD Screen: 400 Shots
Operating Environment	32 to 104°F / 0 to 40°C
Dimensions	4.7 x 2.6 x 1.9″ / 120 x 67 x 49mm
Weight	404 g with battery and Memory Stick

Source

February 4, 2016

Sony to Launch USB Type-C Flash Drives

Sony has launched a new portable flash drive that will be compatible for use with both USB-A connectors, along with USB-C ports.This might not come as the biggest news of the day, but for most struggling between older and new generation systems, these USB Type-C drives will be nothing short of godsend coming with a promise to make their lives a lot easier than before.

USM-CA1 according to Sony will feature dual connectors to allow for wider connectivity. These will be available in three sizes, 16GB/32GB/64GB, and will have write speeds of up to 130 Mb/s.

The USM-C1 will be available starting sometime next week. No information on pricing has been revealed. Sony also revealed that these drives will support Windows 7 and abov, OS X 10.8 and higher along with compatibility for Android 5 and above.

February 1, 2016
New Sony Xperia C6 Render Reveal Design Details

Just ahead of the Mobile World Congress, rumours and renders and leaks are doing the rounds like there is no tomorrow. The latest update to be added in this list is of a bezel-less design for the Xperia C6.

Sony will hold a press conference at the MWC where it would announce new devices, Xperia C6 will be one of them. @OnLeaks have come up with a new render of the device based on its factory schematics. Xperia C6, with its bezel-less display, seems inspired by an older mid-range Sony device, Sony Xperia C5 Ultra, another device which has a near-bezel-less display.

The device is expected to be powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor. Many believe that Sony is pretty much committing commercial hara-kiri by opting for MediaTek Helios P line. Sure they have low TDP, and Snapdragon 800 is a more expensive series but it’s definitely more reliable.

Coming back to the design of C6, the render also suggests three colour variants. This is all the dope we have on the new Sony device. Watch this space for more.

January 30, 2016
Best Above Rs. 40,000 Smartphones Of 2015

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.

December 23, 2015