Category: iG Pick

Pick of the Top

3 Ebook Reading Apps You Should Get Now!
Books are an essential element of our lives and a lot of us still like to read for pleasure. Eventhough it’s really hard to recreate the feel of a physical book many apps promise the next best thing. We find out which Ebook reading apps give book lovers might feel comfortable to switch to without emptying your pockets on tablets or ebook readers.

Lets understand the formats first. Epubs are a great way to read books as they have fluid movement which helps to optimize the content according to the screen on which it’s being used. PDF on the other hand is more widely known and used document more rigid as it’s designed to keep the document intact and hence requires zooming in on smaller screens. If you have a library of PDF ebooks that you would like to read on your mobile, there are many websites which offer free conversions to EPUB so that you can have a comfortable time reading them.
1. Aldiko Book reader: This is a great one stop solution for book lovers. The reader gives you some of the classics bundled with the app. Apart from that the best part of the app lets you import Epubs from your personal collection. The app is to reading books as VLC player is to listening to music and videos. There are multiple ways to sort your books and categorize them according to titles, authors, date last read, ratings, etc. Apart from these it also gives access to the feedbook store where you can buy the books or choose from the huge free library.
1. Amazon Kindle App: Unlike the Aldiko, you need to make an account with Amazon to access the Kindle app. But with that comes the access to Amazon’s Kindle store, the biggest library on the internet. The UI is empty after installation and you need to find the books which you want to read in the kindle store. The app is great for Kindle purchases for folks who don’t want to invest in a real Kindle fire.
1. Moon+ reader: This is a great Epub reader with amazing customization ability. There are options for horizontal and vertical reading, options for 3D page flip animations, options for highlighting, adding annotations and an option for installing a dictionary. The app also helps you take notes which will be helpful for academics on the move. Moon+ also supports EPUB3 through which it can play multimedia contents(video and audio). Also the app helps you chose themes to recreate your own personalized reading experience.
May 9, 2014
Top 5 Best Portable Speakers

Towels? Check. Food? Check. Alcohol? Check.

You’ve almost got everything ready for your pool party. Guests may start pouring in any second, but you along with your usually reliable electrician are still struggling to plug in speakers on the outside deck.

Between juggling wires and extension cords, heavy music systems are now considered an unnecessary headache. Nowadays, its all about the new-age range of portable speakers – they’re practical, Bluetooth-enabled, and deliver excellent sound-quality. So, be it a terrace party, beach holiday or a barbecue; you can easily play your favorite playlist from your phone/MP3 with uncompromising sound. Say hello to a whole new world of portable speakers:

1. Bose Sound-link Mini

Price: INR 17,000 (approx)
Bose known for its unrivaled sound quality consistently manages to stay on top of every list. These speakers hold no exception to that rule. They weigh close to 700gm and hence are an extremely practical buy. Considering its size and sound, these speakers are the unworldly best in its category. A must have for music lovers who love to jet set. The price may lighten your wallet, but then again, its quality and durability will not let you complain.

2. JBL Pulse

Price: INR 12,000 (approx)
JBL Pulse stands out in the category of portable speakers for one single reason: its super fancy Light Show Impressions. The fascinating LED lights wrap the speakers neatly and respond to the beats of the music being played. This attention-grabbing detail somehow manages to avoid looking cheap and promises to liven up your party. Its battery backup is really good and it also comes with a portable charger. The speakers are relatively heavier than the bose, so you might think twice before taking it outside with you.

3. Creative D-200

Price: INR 8000 (approx)
This one is the best option if you’re looking to invest in a low-budget set. Like the rest, it is light and portable, but the Creative D-200 also has surprisingly very good sound quality. That’s the upside, on the down low – the battery backup may not last for more than three hours. So, if you’re planning a camping trip, don’t bother being weighed down by these speakers.

4. Sony SRS-BT M8

Price: INR 5500 (approx)
Sony SRS-BT M8 comes with a handle on top, which makes it easy to carry around everywhere. Another feature Sony has included in these speakers is the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. For owners of NFC-enabled smartphones, it’ll help you avoid the hassle of connecting via Bluetooth. You simple need to tap your phone onto the NFC button located on the handle and you’ll be connected in the matter of seconds. The useful handbag shape and its relatively low price makes it a smart buy.

5. Skullcandy Ringer 2XL

Price: INR 1100 (approx)
The smallest and cheapest portable speaker available in market right now. Ringer is one of those products that looks good, but may not deliver the best quality. Considering its low price, buy them only for personal use – it’ll help you amplify music in your room. The sound quality is not up to the mark and its Bluetooth connection disconnects itself repeatedly.

April 29, 2014
Top 5 Tech This Week

Every week the Technology world shows us the reason why we love tech so much. In this ever changing tech world , its almost impossible to stay on top of things. However here is the tech thats worth notice this week.

1. Lytro Illum

When Lytro first introduced their light field camera, it looked and worked like a toy.This time around the company has taken a more serious approach to design and optics, also adding better materials and larger sensors. New software and a new way to click pictures lets users think of Lytro Illum as a more usable camera. Or so the company claims anyway. The Illum is currently on Pre-Order for US $ 1599.

2. The HTC One M8

The HTC One M8 has been launched in India, at a price of Rs. 49,900, an impressive price for an impressive handset. The Qualcom Snapdragon 801 powered HTC One M8is not only snappy on the inside its beautiful on the outside. The HTC One M8 brings Lytro’s tech seen in the camera above into a more usable day to day scenario. The HTC One M8 has a dual camera setup that lets users refocus images, after the fact. Read our review here.

3. The GL 63 AMG

As far as vehicles go the new GL 63 AMG takes the centre stage. Announced to be made available in India for a whopping Rs. 1.66 Crore as the starting price, the new GL 63 5.5-litre V8 BITURBO engine, which develops a peak output of 410 kW along with a torque of 760 Nm. Pure Power Anyone?

4. The LG Curved TV 55EA9800

Its a massive 55 inch TV with an OLED display that is not only curved but also bendable. Costs are upwards of 6 Lakh, but for those looking to set a trend this might just fit in beautifully in your manor. The 1920 x 1080p display is Fully 3D compliant and comes with a Motion eye camera, an Air Mouse capable Remote and 4 3D Glasses. Check out our hands on Unboxing here.

5. Budget : Micromax Canvas Doodle 3

The last spot in this series is taken by Micromax’s new budget entrant. A dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) “phablet” (for lack of a better call sign), the Canvas Doodle 3 is powered by a 1.3GHz dual-core MediaTek (MT6572) processor alongside 512MB of RAM. Runs on Android 4.2 and features a 5 Mp + VGA camera setup. What makes it really exciting is the 6 inch 480×854 pixel display and a price tag of Rs. 8200.

April 23, 2014
Top 4 Places To Buy T-Shirts Online

The end of every winter always makes us wonder where our summer wardrobe disappeared. Once the jackets and sweaters have been stored away, the empty closet space seems to require replenishment. But let’s face it, when it comes to picking out sartorial choices, life is hard. Depending on the occasion and after combing through our closets that one tough decision needs to be made Every. Single. Day. – what variation of t-shirt and blue jeans should you wear today?

After slogging all week at work, the last thing you want to do is waste your precious weekend braving through overcrowded markets. Luckily a large part of the internet is now a digital mall. Not only is online shopping convenient, but the stores we found sell t-shirts with original designs at amazing prices. We can’t be the only ones sick of mass-produced brands with replicated styles and overused logos. Here’s a list of stores where you can buy cool t-shirts online:

Redwolf
(Price Range: Rs 449 – Rs999)

We’d pick Redwolf as our favorite find. It is an indie clothing brand which we’d solely recommend for its vast collection of expressive t-shirts. Each design is original and the printed quotes are clever. Many of which have popular culture references from Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and Big Bang Theory. The t-shirts are 100% cotton fabric; perfect for the sultry season. Follow their Facebook page for discounts and coupons.

Bhane
(Price Range: Rs430- 2900)

The highlight of the Bhane shopping experience is the website itself. The images showcasing the clothes have used Indian faces and real people posing street style-esque, wearing original designs. With a easy and clean layout, their website is a refreshing change from the rest. Bhane promises clothes made with all-natural materials, classic cuts and low prices. One minor setback: when we visited the site, they had only six options to offer for men. We wish their collection wasn’t so limited, but on the other hand, less choices means quicker decisions.

Captain KYSO
(Price Range: Rs 449 – Rs999)

All their designs are “crowd sourced”, which only means that t-shirts on sale have original and exclusive designs licensed from artists and designers all over the world. The idea is to offer buyers t-shirts which reflect a variety of ideas, thoughts, cultures and styles. Each t-shirt description includes information about the artist, including links to their work. If you’re wondering about its strange name – the acronym K.Y.S.O stands for ‘Keep Your Shirt On’. The only complaint we have is that their website layout is messy. Disorganized clothes simply thrown on racks puts off even the biggest shopaholic; the same theory applies for online shoppers.

Koovs
(Price Range: Rs 1100 – 5099)

This online retail store has the largest collection of clothes for men in India. They are a collective store of various brands as well as their in-house Koovs label. Koovs is bang on trend and frequently updates its collections. Like any typical high street label, their stuff is young, hip and cheap. This is the store to visit if you dress to stand out. Koovs also gives you full thirty days to think over your purchase and an option to pay cash on delivery.

April 19, 2014
Top 4 Apps To Download This IPL Season

The Pepsi IPL 2014 flagged off in Abu Dhabi with a grand ceremony. It had everything worthy of a typical flashy IPL event – beautiful fireworks, Sunil Gavaskar delivering a passionate speech against corruption in cricket (ahem ahem), and of course, performances by Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone providing some Bollywood masala. Since most of the matches are being played abroad, this season the level of excitement in India has been comparatively low. But as the tournament progresses, slowly and steadily everyone is bound to catch a slight IPL fever.

There is no dearth of cricket applications online, infact the myriad of choices available are overwhelming. However, upon closer inspection we found most were copies of each other. Hence we decided to scour through the options and list out a few you must download:

Divided By Teams, United By Cricinfo

For every fan of the sport, the first one to download is The ESPNCricinfo Cricket App. This useful application gives you all the information you need to stay on top of the game. Some of the useful tabs include match schedules, results, points, latest news, graphs, player profiles, videos, team member descriptions and general team information. It’s a one-stop app for all sorts of cricket requirements. The most handy feature would be the option of live game coverage with ball by ball commentary. Its glossary section gives in-depth description about each of the players, which includes the matches they’ve won in the past, and their personal score of number of runs and wickets. If you want to keep up with the happenings of the IPL, this app is the simplest way to go to.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

From day one, IPL has been more about the drama and excitement than about enjoying a true game of cricket. So it isn’t surprising that every season we feel the keen pain of being deprived of the thrill of some harmless betting. Maybe it’s a fruitless attempt to keep the IPL clean, but recently there has been a surge in the number of legal betting websites and apps. They use points or virtual money to attract gamblers. The Big Toss: Cricket app is the one we’d place our bet on. Upon registering, you are awarded 1000 karma points, and a further 100 for every team you select as a favourite. What we liked best about it was that you can “virtually” bet on anything – from who the winner might be or the expected number of runs taken in the first over. You’re then on your own to maintain your karma points. Also, go ahead and have a look at the forum created for news. The Big Toss links you to articles written all over the world. Cricinfo, Pakistan Observer, Deccan Herald and many more are listed under the same forum.

East or West, IPL is the Best?

And the award for the strangest IPL app goes to ‘The Loudest Cheer’. Blogmint launched this app in an attempt to make the Indian audience feel closer to those matches taking place in foreign countries. Its basic function is to help the audience cheer every time their favourite team scores. Audio cheers are available under the following categories – Ace Catch, Great Shot, Great Run, Ace 4, Ultra 6 and Big Wicket. The app also allows users to create their audio or video cheer that will be showcased on digital channels such as YouTube. By numbering up on cheers, participants can win prizes.

Let’s Make it Official

Anticipating interest this season, most of the teams have launched their official apps just in time. If you’re an avid fan of a specific team or player then these apps are made for you. Using the Kolkatta Knight Riders one as an example: you can use it to set up alerts solely for KKR matches and track their team activity. Furthermore, you can even customize it to follow one single (knight) player. The feature we’d vouch for, is the tab that integrates their different social media feeds, combing twitter and facebook updates and bringing them to one single portal.

April 17, 2014
Samsung Galaxy Grand I9080 Vs Micromax A116 Canvas HD, Specs, Features and Price

The market is a blaze with possibly the two best dual sim smartphones of this quarter, The Micromax A116 Canvas HD and the Samsung Galaxy Grand I9080. The question that everyones asking is what is really the difference between the two.

Brand Names

Apart from being manufactured totally differently, the two phones come from two different type of manufacturers. Micromax up until recently was known as a “Budget/cheap” phone maker for India, whereas Samsung has enjoyed the market name and snob value of a luxury phone brand.

Canvas HD A116

SOC

The Micromax A116 is built on a Mediatek SOC, a relevantly newer company formed in 1997, that also builds components for “Budget and Chinese” devices. The company has made some breakthroughs in technology in the past two years and shares a considerable chunk of the marketshare.

The Galaxy Grand is built on a 1.2 GHz processor which remains unknown as of now. Several indicators point to the use of a Broadcom BCM28155 SoC. It comprises a pair of ARM Cortex-A9 cores and Broadcom’s own VideoCore-IV graphics engine for 2D and 3D acceleration. Whether this performs any better than the Mediatek processor is currently unknown.

Sim Cards

Both the phones have Dual Sim, The Galaxy Grand has a slight advantage here, because it has smart autoforward, so it allows a busy Sim Card’s calls to be sent to the other phone, keeping both sims active at once. Although the chip inside the A116 is capable of similar features, the Canvas HD currently is only single sim active.

Displays

Displays are an interesting comparison for these devices, while the Canvas HD boasts a whopping 1280 x720 pixel laden 5 inch IPS display the Galaxy Grand only comes with a 480 x800 px LCD display. Numbers aside the display on the Grand was pretty impressive and does not feel pixellated as the numbers on the sheet would suggest. We also found that the colors were more vivid on the Galaxy Grand’s display as opposed to the Micromax Canvas HD.

Galaxy Grand i9080

Canvas HD A116

Cameras

Both Carry 8 MP camera’s which will only be tested while we are reviewing the devices, but if Samsung is using their own sensor in the camera, the Grand could have a slight advantage over the A116. The front camera on the Galaxy Grand is also superior to the 0.3 MP basic front camera on the Canvas HD A116.

Operating System

Samsung puts in a lot of effort into making a custom UI for their devices, along with several apps and tweaks. So Samsung definitely gets the upper hand here. With features like pop up play, direct call, multi window and most importantly an inbuilt task manager the Galaxy Grand gets the much needed upper hand here. Of course TouchWiz UI has several other features and good looking icons that most are aware of.

Micromax clearly looses here, the software is basic Android jelly bean, with a bit of customizations done by the Micromax Software Research team in conjunction with the manufacturers. The UI can become laggy and does not have the easy tweaks as seen in TouchWiz . However Micromax’s UI offers several customizations and file access that is restricted in Samsung devices. You can almost install any app and replace the UI, But you will not get the fit and finish of a manufacturer made custom UI. Maybe in the coming years with the success of the Canvas series Micromax can build their own UI (or buy one : MiUi would fit the name too)

Build Quality and Looks

More or less built with plastic, both devices have identical looks. The Micromax Canvas HD A116 seems a lot more refined to look at in comparison to the Canvas 2, and feels a lot more sturdier than the already sturdy past model. The Galaxy Grand is set to resemble the Note 2 when it arrives in the market, with a glossy bezel and identical looks and matching colors with flip cases. A user could easily pass off as using a company flagship for half the price. Build to that the identical user interface and similar features including perks like multi window puts the Galaxy Grand a step ahead in the Looks department.

Samsung India is banking on identical looks to be a key sales factor in India, especially because Grand owner can get the feel of a Note 2 for almost Half the price.

Price

In India its all about the price, and Samsung will loose here, miserably. The Galaxy Grand is priced at Rs. 21500 at street level selling price. Whereas the Micromax Canvas HD A116 has a MRP. of 14999 and is expected to sell under Rs. 13000. This puts a gap of 10000 Rupees or almost US$ 200 between the two. An amount which in some cases could comprise of a monthly salary of working individuals.

Conclusion

While we honestly cannot tell if one performs better than the other until we have our dirty claws in the dish and can review both these phones side by side. We do have one news that is set to make matters difficult for everyone, Karbonn and Lava are all set to announce quad core phones, so Stay Tuned.

January 24, 2013
iGyaan Holiday Guide : Extreme Phones 21,000 and UP

The end of the year is upon us, and what better way than to look at the amazing phones of 2011, the top list, or the commercial giants. Here is a list of Smartphones which we think make sense in the Bracket from 21-40 thousand. Of course we only list our favorites.

Missed the Other Guides ? Check them Out:

Best Phones in Rs. 20,000/-

Best Phones in Rs. 15,000/-

Best Phones in Rs. 10,000/-

Android

Possibly the largest category in this guide we have literally more than 15 phones that can fit in this price range, so we take out what we think is the best of the lot.

Samsung Galaxy Note (Rs. 32000) : Phone? Tablet? Relax its a Galaxy Note! The best Android device money can buy today in India. The Note features a massive 5.3 inch screen with an awesome Super Amoled Display ( beautiful), it also has a S-Pen which is a capacitive pen with more features than a stylus ever had before : Detailed here. The Note also has a fast 1.4GHz processor, 16 GB storage, Android 2.3 with confirmed ICS. 8MP camera + front camera with Video calls. Check out our Unboxing and Hands On : Review is out Shortly!

Motorola Razr XT910 ( Rs. 33990) : The slimmest phone in the Android Series, Motorola has revived the Razr brand, with just a 7.1mm thickness for a smartphone. The device is powered with a 1.2 GHz dual core ARM Cortex A9 processor, the RAZR also packs in 1 GB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. A 4.3 inch super AMOLED advanced display make for the best viewing with a qHD resolution. 8MP camera allows great pictures and Full HD video recording 1080p. Our Review Out Shortly!

HTC Sensation XE ( Rs. 32000) and XL ( Rs. 37000) : While we really recommend HTC phones simply because of brilliant build qualities, we feel that they are overpriced and thus they share the third spot in the Android Lineup. The XE packs Beats audio and iBeats , 1.4 GHz processor a great 4.3inch qHD screen and Sense UI on top of Android 2.3.4. Our Review covers it in-depth. The XL is just a bigger version of XE with a much bigger price tag. The specs are strange, a 480x800px resolution, a 1.5GHz processor and Android 2.3. Its a way to express that you love HTC phones and thats it. Need we say our review is out shortly!

HTC Evo 3D (Rs. 35000) : Want to jump on the 3D bandwagon? this is the device to choose. The LG Optimus 3D is a cheaper alternative, but we feel that the HTC is a better device. Specs include 1.2 GHz dual core processor, an Adreno 220 GPU based on a MSM 8660 chipset and 1 GB of RAM. An auto-stereo-scopic Display makes 3D viewing without 3D glasses possible. The 4.3inch display has a qHD resolution and the device has HTC Sense on Android 2.3 – to be upgraded to ICS and newer Sense in 2012. Our unboxing and Video Review cover the Evo 3D extensively.

Samsung Galaxy S2 (Rs. 28,000) : The best selling Android Premium smartphone in 2011, the Samsung Galaxy S2 is truly an amazing device. An upgrade to the Galaxy S, the S2 brought a lot of firsts for Samsung. An 8 MP camera with stunning pictures and full HD video, a beautiful Super AMOLED Plus display which hosts Android 2.3 with Touchwiz – flick and tap. A large in-built memory of 16 GB and is expandable up to 32 GB, good battery life and a gorilla display. This device truly answered all questions that buyers had in 2011. Check out our Full Review.

Sony Ericsson Arc S ( Rs. 28000) : No its not the best phone for the money thats why it falls under the S2, The SE ARC S is the only SONY entrant in our list, because of the beautiful Timescape UI and the stunning Bravia Engine on the display. Powered by a ~~poor old~~ 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor and Adreno 205 GPU, no this does not make this device incapable. The UI is stable and the performance is excellent from the device.

Samsung Galaxy S Plus ( Rs. 21000) : The Lowest range handset in our list, powered by the same processor as the ARC S , 1.4GHz Scorpion, The S Plus is exactly what the name says, a plus to the Galaxy S. 8GB memory and 512MB RAM, a Super Amoled Display. The funny thing is you get better specs on a cheaper device the Galaxy R ( Rs. 18800) .

The Galaxy Nexus didn’t make our list because its not officially available in India, Yes it should be at the top of the list, considering ICS is already on board and a 720 x 1280 px, 4.65 inch Super Amoled Capacitive touchscreen, a Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9, 16GB internal storage – Optional 32GB . The phone also has a 5MP camera with full HD video and a front camera for native 3G video calls. A lot more specs than we can list here. The phone enters India end January 2012, you can get it from ebay ranging 35-45k. Best of luck!

Apple

iPhone 4S (Rs. 44900) : The Apple of everyone’s eye, the Apple iPhone 4S is the flagship phone from Apple this year. With millions sold within weeks its also one of the most sold handset in 2011 (considering iPhone 4). The new iPhone 4S brings the A5 chipset with dual core capabilities, best in class 8MP camera with full HD video and Image stabilization ( 5 Lens system). The highest resolution Retina Display. But the most popular thing of 2011 is Siri, the voice activated Assistant that follows your every command. Check out our Unboxing : Review Shortly

iPhone 4 ( Rs. 32,000) : Yes two Apple devices made our list, the iPhone 4 is the taster for those unwilling to shell out big buck for the bigger brother. Still you get iOS5, iCloud and Siri after jailbreak of course. The iPhone 4 has a 5 MP rear illuminated camera, the same Retina display, Front facing camera for FaceTime calls and Millions of Apps from the iOS AppStore. The iPhone 4 is a perfect device for those with the budget and the urge to jump over to iOS while Apple unveils the next-gen iPhone sometime in 2012 for big buck. Of course we reviewed it back in the day.

Blackberry

Bold 9900 ( Rs. 31000) : The Bold 9900 is the flagship Bold from RIM. The same keyboard layout from the original bold 9000, with a new capacitive touchscreen, a super slim profile and BB OS 7 . The only disappointment is the poor fixed focus 5MP camera. The 9900 is a businessman’s powerhouse, especially if you are a previous BB user. The device has excellent mail capabilities and of course has BBM. The new OS 7 also supports a lot more new age apps and games. The phone features a 1.2 GHz processor , 768 MB of RAM, 2.8-inch capacitive LCD and 8GB storage. Our Video Here

Torch 3 / 9860 ( Rs. 28000) : Our Second BB recommendation, the beautiful screen and the full touch display make the device feel really nice in the hands. Liquid graphics on a 3.7-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen. 4GB internal storage and 768MB ram. BB OS 7 and new age emailing and messaging, excellent media capabilities and an excellent form factor. A great Blackberry for those looking for a BB – iPhone Hybrid (minus iOS) . Our Video Here

Windows Phone

HTC Radar (Rs. 23000) : Our first recommendation simply because of Price vs Features. The Radar has a beautiful build quality with WP7.5 Mango running on top of a 1 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor. The 3.8-inch Super LCD screen has a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and look great. The device has a 5MP camera and a 0.3 MP front camera no 3G video calls though. Check out our full review. If you don’t really rely on Build quality, a better and cheaper alternative is the Omnia W for 18,990

NOKIA Lumia 800 ( Rs 28900) : The Amazing Everyday, no not yet ! Yes this is Nokia’s Answer to Android, but is it the right answer? The device runs WP7.5 Mango with proprietary Nokia Apps ( not really since we ported them to HTC) but the device has a 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor, 512 MB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. Lumia 800 has a 8MP camera with full HD recording, but wait! where is the second camera? Our Review and Comparison with Omnia W comes out shortly.

December 31, 2011
iGyaan Holiday Guide : Best Smartphones for 20000 Rupees
Continuing on with our Tradition of Holiday Guides today we bring the best phones under the 20,000 Rupees mark (15,000 – 20,000), Of course you can check out our under 15,000 guide and Under 10,000 Guide if they better suits your purpose.

(In order of preference)

Android Phones

Samsung Galaxy R (Rs. 20,000) : Have 20k to spend? This is our pick for smartphone under the 20 thousand mark. The dual core smartphone is available at online retailers for prices well below 19k including deals, searching will get you a good deal. The phone performs great and a review done for the second time, by us, will fill you in on required info.

LG Optimus 2X (Rs 18,599) : Although the phone fared poorly in our review, The device has been rooted, modded and been patched to fix all software glitches of the stock ROM, This is a alternative dual core smartphone for the modder and cellphone tweaker. This phone will keep you busy for hours. If you plan to mess around with software on your device this is your poison. Although this may not help you Our Review is here

Motorola Defy Plus (Rs 17,000) : The best rugged phone in this class, with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 512MB ram a 3.7 inch WXGA screen and endless hours of outdoor fun. This is your device if you love the outdoors but want in on the latest smartphone action. The Defy Plus will most probably get the ICS update since it has all supporting hardware ( Considering that Motorola is almost a Google entity now) . Our complete review with the higher priced Xperia Active is here.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V ( Rs 17,499) : Five words : “Timescape plus Mobile Bravia Engine” define what Android on a smartphone should look like. There is nothing that looks and performs as good as the TimeScape UI (Considering only Android OS)on Sony Ericsson Phones ( according to us) The phone is powered with a 1GHZ scorpion processor and features a 3.7 inch Screen with MBE. It has 512 MB Ram and Android 2.3 with a confirmed upgrade for Ice Cream Sandwich. Our Review is Here

There are of-course others that didn’t make the list, Our Reviews can be seen for those:
Blackberry

Curve 9360 (Rs. 19,000) : The curve that runs OS 7, a fix for those who are not yet ready to shift to a full touch Blackberry, and those who are not ready to switch to Android or the likes of iOS. The device is the slimmest Blackberry yet at only 11mm. 800 MHz processor 512MB Ram and 512MB Rom. Check out our Video.

Curve 9380 ( Rs 20,000): The first full touch curve, it brings BB OS 7 and a range of nice changes to the blackberry users, 800 MHz cpu , 512 MB Ram and 512 MB Rom is carried on from its younger cousin above. The device also features a nice 3.2” HVGA+ touch screen with a 480 X 360 pixel resolution at 188ppi. Check out our full review.

iOS

iPhone 3Gs ( Rs 20,000) : Two years old but still selling strong, the iPhone 3Gs supports iOS 5, iCloud, iMessage, Airplay and everything except FaceTime. If you hurry you can cash in on the new iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak and even get Siri working on it. What else could you ask from a two year old phone. in terms of specs, it runs at 600MHz, has 16GB internal storage and 256MB Ram. The AppStore is the largest app market although most new apps may not perform great on the 3Gs. But hey you still get asked the question : “You have an iPhone”? Read our Editorial Here

Symbian

Nokia E6 (Rs. 17,000) : The business power seller from Nokia, If you don’t use a Blackberry, you use a Nokia E Series phone. A Qwerty marvel from Nokia, the device features 2.46-inch Touchscreen making it the first Touch Type – Nokia E Series. The device is loaded with Symbian Anna and comes with a 680 MHz processor, 8 MP camera and a very long battery life, bundled with a excellent build quality. Check out our Unboxing and Review Video

Nokia 701 (Rs. 17,800) : Although stocks are limited on this recently released phone, it seems like a promising option for the Symbian lover, Running the new ~~Symbian Belle~~ Nokia Belle, the device features a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 640 x 360 px. Inbuilt NFC, 1 GHz processor and 8MP Camera with 720p (30fps) Video. Our Review will be out shortly.

Windows Phone

Samsung Omnia W (Rs 18,990) : Launched upwards of 25k , Samsung has fiercely dropped the price of the Omnia taking into record the Nokia Lumia Marketing campaign. The device has a nice 3.7 Inches WVGA Super AMOLED display, 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, and 5MP AF Camera With LED Flash including a VGA front camera. Comes with Windows Phone Mango 7.5 and Samsung Apps. Our Review is Coming Soon

Nokia Lumia 710 (Rs 19,999) : Finally available the Nokia Lumia Series brings the first versions of Nokia Phones running WP7.5 to India. Powered by a 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion Processor the Lumia 710 is the smaller sibling of the highly advertised Lumia 800. This device has 3.7-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display screen with 480 x 800 pixel and a 5MP camera + LED flash. It also has a 512 MB RAM and has Adreno 205 GPU. iGyaan Review Out Shortly.

Other phones that were not designed for Windows 7.5, but still support it fully include the following,( and you can possibly find a good deal on them):

HTC HD 7 : 19,500

HTC Mozart : Rs 19,000

Dell Venue Pro : Rs 20,000

Stay tuned for more Holiday Guides.
December 28, 2011
iGyaan Holiday Guide : Best Phones for 15,000

So many questions, so little time. Its the time for holiday cheer and we are literally getting bombarded with hundreds of emails asking us what phones to buy. So here is our guide for the best options in the Rs. 15000 price.

(In order of preference)

Android Phones

1. Micromax A85 SuperFone : (Rs. 15290) The price drop has already been announced, and at this price it is the best spec’d phone. A dual core Nvidia Tegra 2, 3.8 inch touchscreen, 5 MP camera and gesture control make this the best bet at the price. But sadly it ships with Android 2.2.

2. Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro Sk17i: (Rs 15,000) One of the most recommended devices by iGyaan in 2011 our extensive review will tell you why this device is an excellent purchase.

3. Motorola Defy (Rs 14,000) : The original defy is still an awesome phone, with Android a brilliant rugged construction that resists water and dust. The design is also shock proof. Check out our Review.

4. HTC ChaCha (Rs. 14500): A brilliant form factor with excellent build, the only touch and type phone with this design from HTC. Also the first phone with a dedicated FB button on the Android platform, a Social king. Our Review Covers it.

5. Samsung Galaxy Ace (Rs 13000): One of the most loved phones of 2011 the ace has a nice display along with impressive looks, a good processor and Touchwiz on top of Android 2.3. The device is well supported in the developer community and will get ICS courtesy Root and Custom CM9 rom. Check out our Review

6. HTC Wildfire S (Rs 12,500): Not our last option but an alternative to the Galaxy Ace, the build is far superior also is the quality of materials used. The device features HTC Sense on top of Android 2.3 and is arguably the best built phone of this bracket. The camera in some aspects is better than the Ace and pulls out great images. The processor is only a 600MHz compared to the 800MHz on the Ace. We reviewed it Here

Blackberry

Blackberry Curve 3G 9300 (Rs. 14,450): The only berry in this range, you also get the CDMA version of the curve 8520 (called: 8530) which is not worth mentioning. What is to say this is an old outdated berry running on the older OS6 but features a great and responsive OS. It is a great upgrade for some one on a Blackberry high . We however say, spend more and get the Curve 9380 : we covered here.

Nokia Symbian

Nokia 700 (Rs 15299) : Younger version of the 701, this device is available in the market in select locations, features new Symbian Belle and a 3.2 inch Capacitive Amoled Clear Black display. A 5 Mp camera and 720p video capabilities make it a good competitor. Another add-on is the tough gorilla glass front. The price seems a bit high for this old-school Operating System. The phone also has a 2Gb internal storage and is a grab option for those who refuse to abandon the legendary OS in its dying days.

Nokia 500 (Rs 11,000): Then there is the 500, its the only other Nokia phone in this bracket apart from the discontinued C6-01. This features a 1GHz processor along with a 3.2-inch TFT nHD Capacitive Touchscreen. The phone features Symbian Anna and has great 5MP camera, which is fixed focus. Again price is a bit of a pinch especially because the device is unable to offer the freedom that say an Android device would offer, But on the upside it does have a 1GHz processor.

Windows Phone

Samsung Focus (Rs 14000) : The device was never announced in India, but New and unlocked US versions can be bought on Ebay. The device features a nice 4.0 Inch Super Amoled Display with a native 480 x 800 px resolution. Already updated to Mango this device offers all the new features of Windows Phone 7.5 at a bargain, everything of course except a front facing camera. The Focus also has 8GB of memory and 512MB Ram and 512MB Rom

December 27, 2011
Pick : iG Holiday Gift Guide : Mobile Phones under 10,000
Tis’ still the season to be jolly and our next guide covers all sorts of phones we recommend under Ra. 10,000 check it out.

Android Phones

Samsung Galaxy Y (Rs. 7150/-) Android 2.3, a cheap price, 3 inch capacitive touch, 835 Mhz processor, a good 2MP camera and decent performance. We recommend it.

Alternatives
- LG Optimus Net (Rs. 9999)
- Dell XCD 35 (Rs. 8599)
- Micromax Andro A70 (Rs. 7500)
Android Qwerty

Not a lot of options in this category

LG Optimus Pro C666 (Rs 9599) Android 2.3, 800MHz processor, full QWERTY, 2.8 inch touchscreen, that the best you can get in this price. The only other option is the Motorola Fire, which we don’t recommend.

Blackberry

There are not many blackberry devices that can fit in this price bracket but you can get lucky.

Blackberry Curve 8520 (Rs. 9800) The blackberry messenger, push mail, and enterprise ready support, along with upgradability to BB OS5. not much you can ask for in the 10,000 price bracket. The device is a favorite with Blackberry addicted college going ladies, as says Deviana, So if you have a girlfriend a good holiday gift would be a pink/purple version of this.

Its not always fun and frolic, but if you are really lucky you can snag a brand new Blackberry 9000 (original bold) for about Rs. 9500 if someone still has stock.

Nokia / Symbian

Symbian is almost dead, but its popularity in India is nowhere near extinction. People still love Nokia phones, simply because they can’t seem to grow out of it to try something else. Nokia phones are built to last, and have a friendly and easy to remember OS. Although not our top recommendation, if you must buy a Nokia and your budget is 10k then here are our recommendations.

Nokia C5-03 (Rs. 9750) : Features include 3G connectivity, 3.2 inch resistive touchscreen, 5 MP Camera and LED flash, VGA video, Nokia apps world, Facebook and Twitter.

Nokia E5 (Rs. 9730) : Symbian v9.3 OS, 2.36-inch Display, QWERTY keypad, push mail, ARM 11 600 MHz processor, 5 megapixel camera with LED Flash and VGA video.

Stay Tuned for more gift guides.
December 12, 2011
Pick: iG Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Gadgets Rs. 10,000
Tis’ the season to be jolly and make others jolly. With that thought in mind we bring to you the iGyaan Holiday gifting guide of 2011. This edition will include gadgets and gift items that stay within and around the Rs 10,000 price bracket. So lets begin.

Since its iGyaan.in and we love Smartphones, lets begin with them

Smartphone

Till about two years ago fitting the word smartphone in this category was practically impossible. But today we have several options and only one should shine as a recommendation for the guide.
1. Samsung Galaxy Y
Price Rs. 7150/-

The only real smartphone for the price that features specs that would fit in the budget and leave a few Gandhis to spend about on your favorite christmas dinner. This phone features a powerful processor and Android Gingerbread, Its our Recommendation for the best phone under 10,000 Rs.

Personal Media Player

iPod Touch 8GB

8GB : Rs. 10500/-

A lot of media players come close but non so close, if you manage you can grab one for lower than 10000, the best touchscreen experience you can find at 10,000/- along with endless apps from the Apple App Store. Support for Nike +, bluetooth, FaceTime, iMessage, Safari web browser, email, Maps and a whole lot of music in the 8GB capacity. The fact that it bundles as a best gaming device eating into the personal gaming console market for years, makes it an even better device.

Alternative iPod Nano

8GB : Rs.6500/-

16GB: Rs.7500/-

If you can’t go over 10K, the best mp3 player is possibly the iPod Nano, maybe not the best to watch movies on, because you can’t. But you do get an enormously large capacity mp3 player, with a multitouch screen, audiobooks, podcasts, photos, FM radio, Fitness Walk + Run support built in, Nike+ support built in.

Digital Camera

Canon Ixus 130

Rs. 9650/-

Not a lot of pixels, 14.7 to be precise, 17.8mm stainless steel body finished in a choice of silver, black, orange or pink, a 4x optical zoom and a 28mm wide-angle lens is what make the our choice. The camera has HD video recording and SD HC capable memory slots, backed by Canon’s great support and exceptional mechanics in camera technology.

Personal Gaming

PSP 3004

Rs. 7000/-

Apart from the fact that the iPod Touch makes an excellent gaming device, adds a camera and a music player, a dedicated gaming console is a must if you are a hardcore on the go gamer. It allows multiplayer over WiFi and acts as a second remote to your PS3, it allows video out, and music storage. Music , movies, videos, games and everything in Rs. 7000 . Its our recommendation for the best gaming device under 10k, if you don’t want an iPod Touch.

Headphones

Soul by Ludacris Sl99

Rs. 6500/-

If you can find them at that price you are lucky, they retail for about 100 US $ but are very expensive in India. The earphones are the best you can get for the price and the feature an online remote that is compatible with iPhones, iPads and iPods. The remote also somewhat works with some android devices. the earphones have the best in class bass and tangle free flat cables. The build quality is superb and they look, feel and sound premium for a price that is usually considered average for good earphones. Don’t think two ways, these sound better than beats by Dre by a mile.

Stay tuned for more gift guides coming up.
December 11, 2011
Rage and Rage HD available to Download Free for iOS – iPhone , iPad and iPod

id Software is offering its iOS game “Rage” for free this week. This game showed up in November 2010 and has since gathered much appreciation. To go around and say thank you to the fans the game has been made free to download for a whole week.

The story revolves around a TV show contestant and how he has to meet the producer before the end of the game. Hit the link to download the game to your favorite device.

Rage HD for iDevice

August 19, 2011
EDIT : Why The iOS 5 going to be the Best Mobile OS to Date!

Apple has recently announced the new iOS 5, The biggest update to their mobile phone OS since the iPhone was launched back in 2007. So Big, infact, that Apple decided to bypass the iPhone 5 launch this year round.

What the iOS 5 bring that the iOS didn’t already have.

People loved the iOS for its fluidity and ease of use, its beautiful and clean interface and the simplicity of performing actions to utilize and exploit the abilities the device it was on. The huge list of useful and eye pleasing applications which were designed to work within the means of the OS and worked on the same basic principle, doing simple things easily and simplifying difficult things.

But not everyone feels like this. Especially those who take pride in their endeavors to defame the fruit companies products, with their basic set of questions in place. Why does the structure have to be so closed? Why are we not allowed to do things that prior devices allowed us to do? Bluetooth file transfer- File management, Adobe Flash based browsing, even setting a custom ringtone.

The fact of the matter is, Apple saw that these things were slowing down the Operating Systems usage which in turn deteriorated the whole device. For example, Bluetooth file transfer was the main reason due to which, in 2005, over 3 million Nokia phones got infected with a virus which would delete important files from the Symbian structure ending basic phone use.

Adobe flash is the heaviest video plugin ever made ( Adobe’s CEO confirms this) it is heavy on the processor , ram and extremely heavy on battery. Apple saw that by disabling Flash for video within Internet browsing, the overall battery life of device increased considerably. That being said, the user always should to have the choice to make the decision for himself. Adobe flash is allowed in the Application structure and a large number of apps are made with flash. Apple could have enabled Flash for a user to decide. But , in their defense it is easier to ignore a couple of 1000 people complaining about Flash – than a few million complaining about bad battery.

Apple knows and is sure of one thing and one thing only, if they say their device does something, it does it. They don’t care about anything else and especially those things that they don’t promise or talk about.

With the new iOS 5 , Apple brings about a large number of change in the Operating Systems use and the way you use your iDevice in a day to day basis. Apple has made these improvements not only due to a large number of demands, But also to take on the competition head first.

The iOS 5 adds a huge chunk of things that were missing from the iOS over 200 to be precise. It also adds a whole list of new and innovative aspects to the already popular OS. Here are some of the most notable things

Notifications

Possibly the most asked-for improvement, the new notification system takes cue from the Android notification panel and takes it one notch higher. Just swipe down from the top of any screen to enter Notification Center.

Choose which notifications you want to see. Even see a stock ticker and the current weather. Notifications appear briefly at the top of your screen, without interrupting what you’re doing.

The Lock screen displays notifications so you can act on them with just a swipe. Possibly the first OS to have this feature built right into it. Yes you can get it on Android too, but only with a third party plugin.

iMessage

What has Apple done here? This is a feature that i personally have been waiting for. Apple has single handedly taken down forces of the mobile world, ping chat, whatsapp etc have stability problems, they break functionality and messages most often don’t reach the intended recipient. Enter – iMessage , Apple has built instant messaging over networks for free into iPods, iPads and iPhones on iOS 5 . You can send text, audio, images and even video over your devices to other people using iOS5 devices. Not only will this take a single most lethal blow at Blackberry, but also eliminate the need for most third party chat plugins.

Almost 60% blackberry users complain that if the iPhone had something close to bbm they would switch, and they will once iMessage comes out. If that does really hold true, then Apple will truly and effectively have stabbed competition right in the chest. Taking out Blackberry would mean great news for Apple and iPhone users, with a large number of people on iPhones, popularity of iMessage is bound to go up. Ergo the iOS 5 Device owner is bound to reap the benefits.

Reminders

We fail to understand, why this functionality never existed in the first place. A good reminder system is something every phone should have. whether smart or dumb. Apple has done something really great with reminders. Not only are they simple to-do lists — complete with due dates and locations, they are also location based.

What does location based mean, you ask! Well lets put it in an example: A reminder app will play a sound or flash a note and remind you, that once you leave office you need to buy eggs on the way home, at a fixed time say 10 minutes before you leave office daily( lets say at 5:30pm daily). But in a scenario, where your daily departure time changes from 5:30 pm to say 4:30 pm you will be reminded to buy eggs when you are already possibly at home. In a alternate scenario you will be reminded to buy eggs at 5:20 pm, but by the time you leave office at 7:00pm ( say you got late) you will forget.

Reminders from Apple solves this problem easily. You set a location based reminder – on departure from Office a reminder from the phone will remind you of your duties. The Phone using the GPS detects that you have left office, irrespective of the time, and reminds you that you have to buy eggs on your way home. Far more efficient and far more convenient than any other reminder we have ever used.

Twitter Integration

What is so great about twitter anyway? Nothing but the fact that the whole world uses it to share their thoughts. Its not a social network and its not about ads or games, no invitations to unknown parties and no fan pages. Its simple mood sharing, and the new iOS5 has it and will bring it to iPhones , iPods and iPads . The twitter integration is built right into Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube, or Maps, you can tweet messages or reply to @usernames, you can even share your location. Its nothing great but the fact its built into the OS is really awesome and we like it a lot.

Camera and Photos

The iPhone 4 brought the best possible camera that any mobile device had ever had. Sure we have had cameras up-to 12 megapixel on cellphones, but its time that all of us accept the fact that more megapixels is not equal to better camera. The iPhone 4 features a backlit sensor that captures images like a dream, better than any other device to date. The new improvements in the Camera and photo apps take this functionality and extends it into the iOS 5.

The most noticeable improvement is the use of the volume button as the camera shutter release. People have always struggled tapping the onscreen button, often resulting in shaky and wobbly images. The use of a physical button on the strategic location such as the volume key, makes it almost identical to holding a point and shoot camera- Boom! instant awesome images.

You can also now open the Camera app right from the Lock screen, use grid lines, pinch-to-zoom gestures, and single-tap focus and exposure locks to compose a picture on the fly. Using iCloud all your pictures are instantly shared with all your devices, iPhone to iPad to your Mac.

The photos app allows better editing, crop, rotate, enhance, and remove red-eye without leaving the Photos app, a possible total replacement for Point and Shoot Cameras.

Wifi Syncing

Say What ? Did you read wireless sync? yes you did! Since the day the iPhone has been launched people have wanted a way to wirelessly sync their devices, and guess what, Apple allows you to do that in iOS 5. You do require to plug in your device into a charger for the obvious battery drain prevention that a WiFi sync may cause, But its better than getting to a Pc/Mac every time you want to sync. Now daily when you plug in your iPhone, iPad or iPod for charging it will also sync it to your computer. That is simply brilliant!

200 More Features

Apart from the above mentioned features the iOS 5 brings about over 200 changes, from improvements in the Mail and Calendar App to new Game center, multitasking gestures on the iPad, device to TV mirroring on the iPad, that fact that now when you buy an iDevice you wont be greeted with the annoying connect to iTunes logo as the devices will be ready to be used without connecting to a PC. iCloud is bringing a whole new list of possibilities to iDevices, and we will talk about it soon.

We see Apple progressing to new levels every time they announce something. No matter what anyone says , Apple was the first company to have perfected a touchscreen mobile phone, the first to popularize the concept of an App Store. They might be an expensive product company, a snobby company, with closed circuits and irritating policies. Their devices have a locked OS with limited potential. But it looks like the company is starting to open up to what the customer wants, and they prove it with the iOS 5.

According to us the iOS 5 is going to be the best Mobile OS to Date. Future enhancement will come and most will follow in Apple’s footsteps, even go further. Windows Phone 7 “Mango” is unlocking 500 features in WP7 and Android is constantly evolving. But till that happens looks like Apple has hit the ball out of the park. The iOS 5 is coming this fall to the iPhone 3Gs – the iPhone 4 the iPad and the iPad 2. It is also coming to iPod Touch 3rd and 4th gen.

Thats our opinion, whats yours ? Leave your feedback in the comments below.

[polldaddy poll=5241624]

July 18, 2011