Category: iGyaan

Everything Exclusive to iGyaan

Top 5 Useful Apps Made For Android Wear Smartwatches

Android Wear is the darling of wearable technology these days. We can’t wait to put smartwatches around our wrists and find out all their capabilities. Android Wear smartwatches do a good job of delivering notifications and other alerts to your wrist, but the fun really starts when you start downloading apps that add additional functionality.

Although the selection of Android Wear apps is small for now, there are already some pretty useful options in the Google Play store.

We are listing 5 of the these amazing app that you will love to use on your Android smartwatch.

1. IFTTT

IFTTT, acronym for If This Then That, connects events into a simple statement that triggers an action. It performs a set action if an event happens, like firing off a text message to your phone if you receive an email or automatically uploading photos to Dropbox that you post to Instagram. On the wrist IFTTT gives users a big button that triggers some user configurable action. IFTTT is probably the most powerful app available yet on the smartwatch.

2. Binary Watch Face

The Binary Watch Face is a very clean and good looking binary clock for the smartwatch. One thing that does come up with regards to these custom watch faces is that whenever a notification pops up, they end up covering a part of the watch face design, which is something to look out for, especially if there is task with a persistent notification. The companion app installs on your smartphone with the Watch Face allowing you to configure the colors to your liking.

3. Evernote

With this you can dictate voice notes to your watch. The Android Wear extension of Evernote allows users to pull up recent notes on their smartwatch which is more useful than it sounds if you’re travelling and have to book references and other things on your wrist. Dictating new notes without having to pull out a smartphone does make life a lot simpler.

4. Bunting

Bunting is a simple Twitter client for Android Wear with a clean and sleek interface, that allows you to tweet messages directly from your Android Wear smartwatch. The set up is very easy. All you have to do is log into Bunting using your Twitter account, and once that’s done, you can start tweeting by dictating your message directly to the watch. If you tweet on a regular basis and own an Android Wear device, Bunting is a quick and easy way for microbloging on the go.

5. Flopsy Droid

Well you must be wondering how pathetic it would be to play games on your Android wear with its small screen. But Flopsy Droid will amaze you. Created by the makers of Blunting, the game is a clone of Flappy Bird with similar gameplay. The bird is gone and has been replaced with the green Bugdroid we all know and love. But the big difference is the fact that this game is now playable from your smart-watch. If you’re looking to while away some time, Flopsy Bird is great way to do so.

July 21, 2014
LG G3 Unboxing and Hands On

The LG G3 is finally here and we think it’s priced perfect for market that we are in. We haven’t been this excited for a product in a while and the G3 just makes the cut. The phone is a beautiful amalgamation of specs and design, hardware and looks, brains and brawn, basically however you put it, LG may have the perfect smartphone here.

Let us put everything in perspective, the G3 is packed with a beautiful 5.5 inch 2560 x 1440 px display, giving this bad boy a whopping 534 pixels per inch density on the IPS panel. You also get Gorilla Glass 3 and a highly optimised and fast Snapdragon 801 Qualcomm MSM8975AC chipset with Quad Cores and 2.5 Ghz on the clock.

The beauty of it all is that for a price difference of just a few thousand rupees/ less than 50$ , you can get a higher speced version with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage vs the usual 16GB storage and 2 GB RAM version.

The box is golden in colour and is representative of the LG G series of phones. Like many smartphones before this you will see the usual set of things in the box, a cable a charger, handsfree and documentation. LG has ignored the need of things like NFC tags and such, because frankly there is no need.

Camera and Laser Autofocus

Price wise the lower spec’d variant will be available for Rs. 46999 vs the 3GB + 32 GB variant which has been launched for Rs. 49999. Did we mention that the device is LTE enabled. Watch the Unboxing below.

July 21, 2014

Hands On With the HTC Desire 616

HTC recently launched a new phone into the Indian market, and despite the fact that many phones exist with similar specs, the price and HTC reassuring name give the new Desire 616 a definite edge.

The HTC desire 616 has a 5 inch display with 1280 x 720 p display an Octa Core MT6592 chipset that has been down-clocked to 1.4 GHz to ensure proper and efficient battery drain along with stability in the OS. Also, even though a lot of people pointed out in our hands on video that the Desire 616 does not have Sense UI, in reality HTC has added Sense 5.5 to the Desire 616, which is on top of Android Jellybean, with a hope of a KitKat upgrade soon.

The optics are fitted with a decent 8 MP camera with 1080p video capture + a 2 MP camera with 720p video capabilities. The main storage is 4GB which can be moved, in-fact is automatically moved to external storage the minute you add a card, seamless downloads for all. 1GB of RAM will suffice and the device promises a great overall functionality.

HTC has hit the right mark with its recent influx of devices in the Indian Market. With the phones like Desire 816 and 516 becoming hot category favourites, the 616 will be an exciting product for India. Stay tuned for the review and watch our hands on below. (please ignore the error in the initial title)

Read the Full Official Specs Below

Size	142 x 71.9 x 9.15 mm
Weight	150 g
Display	5 inch, HD 720p
CPU Speed	1.4 GHz octa-core CPUs
Platform Android	Android™ HTC BlinkFeed 5.5™
SIM Card Type	Dual SIM (Regular SIM + micro SIM)
Network	2G/ 2.5G – GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 (SIM1 & SIM2) 3G – UMTS/ HSPA: 900/2100 MHz with HSPA+ up to 21Mbps
Memory	Total storage: 4 GB, available capacity varies RAM: 1 GB Expansion microSD™ up to 32GB
GPS	Internal GPS antenna
Sensors	Accelerometer Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor
Connectivity	3.5 mm stereo audio jack Bluetooth® 4.0 Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
Camera	8 MP camera with auto focus 1080p Full HD video recording Front Camera: 2MP Front Camera: 720p video recording
Price	Rs – 16999 at launch
Battery	Capacity: 2000 mAh Removable rechargeable Li-polymer battery Talk Time: Up to 14 hours for 3G Standby time: Up to 700 hours for 3G
AC Adapter	Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz DC output: 5 V and 1 A

July 21, 2014

Top 5 Tech Blunders You Should Avoid

You have money? Spend it! But make sure ensure you invest wisely. We have complied a list of 5 tech blunders you should never make:

5. Buying Pirated Windows

One of the most common tech blunder that most people make is to Install the pirated version of Windows. But you have to ask yourself whether it’s worth losing and rebooting your system a year down the line, or paying a few extra thousand for the original windows now?

4. Leaving the house with less than 62% battery life

Smartphones today either run on Android or iOS which are known for their User Interface. One thing, however, these phones are not reputed for is their battery life. Make sure you leave home with a fully charged phone or suffer the wrath of the missed calls.

3. Buying a device with an old software

There are two kinds of old software buyers. One who don’t care about the latest version and the other who expect an upgrade to launch for their device. The latter are easy to spot since they are always seen complaining about their device.

2. Investing in a 3D Tv

Investing in a 3D TV is one of the biggest mistakes one could make. With only few movies and games available and scarcity of time; 3d TV’s are not the best bet yet.

1. Buying Samsung Galaxy S5 at full price

It was initially launched at a whooping Rs 53,500 after which the prices dropped drastically. For people who value their wealth and want their money’s worth, this is not the device for you.

two kin

July 20, 2014
Smartphones May Soon Have Anti-Glare Waterproof Screens

In a paper, published in the Applied Materials & Interfaces, Professor Valerio Pruneri from the Institute for Photonic Sciences in Barcelona, along with Corning Incorporated have introduced an invention which is going to make your life a lot easier. The glass can is an anti-glare, waterproof screen which can be incorporated as cellphone display.

Glare has been a major issue in appreciating smartphone content when outdoors. Especially in a country like India which has some intense sunlight, outdoor use is troublesome. This revolutionary new display is stated to obliterate that issue.

Glare has been one of the major issues with mobile screens for long

The technology is quite easy to comprehend. The glass is scratched at the Nano molecular level. This helps to deflect the light away from the user’s eyes. These tiny scratches are so efficient that they do not effect the transparency of the screen. The research team has also made 100nm teeth onto the surface of the screen to deflect water, thereby making it hydrophobic. The textured surface looks like a lotus.

In their paper the team has mentioned that they would need to put the display through some more experimentation to make sure it can be used as a touch screen interface. But here is the best part, they have mentioned that large scale manufacturing of these screens will be inexpensive. This display is totally an “about time” kind of invention. This technology will be a boon for the future of smartphones. With screens capable of playing 2K content on mobile phones, a glareless screen is just what the doctor prescribed.

With this glasses the need for expensive anti glare screen filters also comes to an end.

July 19, 2014
A New Round of Rumors Emerge About The iPhone 6

With the release drawing close, rumours about the iPhone 6 are on its peak these day. Recently, a report revealed iPhone 6 battery details, suggesting that Apple’s 2014 models may offer better battery performance than the last iPhone.

Image of the battery leaked by French publication Nowhereelse

The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 was expected to have a battery capacity of 1,800 mAh to 1,900 mAh, while the so-called 5.5-inch ‘iPhone Air’ was said to have a 2,500 mAh battery. Now, French publication Nowhereelse has disclosed an image of the purported 4.7-inch iPhone 6’s battery, which may confirm that the battery has a capacity in line with previous reports.

The image revealed by the publication shows a battery assembled in China by Huizhou Desay Battery, which has 1,810 mAh capacity. What’s interesting about the battery maker is that Desay was mentioned in a recent report as one of Apple’s iPhone 6 battery suppliers. The report mentioned the company that is able to meet the iPhone’s battery size requirements for this component.

The iPhone 6 which is said to be launched later this year is expected to be 7mm thin. It was also reported that Apple has placed orders to battery suppliers for 2mm-thick batteries, which are one-third thinner than the batteries found in the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. Another report illustrates that Apple suppliers encountered challenges mass-producing slimmed-down components for the iPhone 6, including batteries, which could affect their gross margins.

There were images which were previously leaked showing a batch of purported iPhone 6 batteries, although their capacities were not revealed in those leaks. This appears to be the first purported iPhone 6 battery picture that actually lists the capacity of the battery, an important hardware detail, especially considering this year’s models will have significantly bigger displays.

According to Taiwan’s Economic Daily News, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will enter mass production starting next week, while the 5.5-inch model will go into mass production almost a month later, during the second week of August. Which means the rumored September release of the device may come true. The publication has also reported that Foxconn will hire 100,000 workers to meet Apple’s iPhone demands this year, which is in line with the unconfirmed reports which said that Apple placed a heavy order. Pegatron, the other iPhone 6 maker, has also hired more than 10,000 additional workers to manufacture the new iPhone, as Apple is rumored to sell up to 70 million iPhone 6 units this year.

July 19, 2014
Google To Unleash Android One in India This October

Google’s plans that were announced this year at Google I/O are finally unfolding and creating a stir. Recently, Google came up with new Chromecast 1.7 update which now allows users to display their Android homescreens on a Chromecast-connected TV and lets you use any application on your television. And now, Google is set to launch the first Android One smartphone in October this year in India.

They’ve planned a strategic launch around the Diwali season, and it has also been said that the company is planning a 100 Crore investment on marketing and advertising.

Google is aiming big with these Android One devices, estimating a reach up to 5 billion people in emerging markets. They said that the handsets will be updated directly by Google. The all rounder technology giant will also provide hardware and software reference points, while manufacturers will be able to put in their own apps in the devices.

Back in June at the I/O 2014, Google announced Micromax will be the first one to release an Android One device which will be priced at $100. The reports are also saying that the much talked about Micromax Android One device will be available exclusively on Flipkart.

Google added that the device will have a 4.5 inch display screen, expandable memory, dual sim capabilities and integrated FM Radio. The Android One devices will come with Play Auto Installs, that tells users which apps are recommended for his smartphone.

The Economic Times reported that Google has also roped in Indian low-cost smartphone maker Celkon Mobiles and Intex Technologies is also in talks with Google for a similar partnership.

July 19, 2014
Finnish Smartphone Company Jolla Enters India With Snapdeal

Today began with a sad news. The last remnants of Nokia will be shredded in the coming months with Microsoft pulling the plug on Nokia X. This Finnish giant had ruled the mobile market during its formative years, and now it is a chapter for the history books. But if you thought that it was the end of Finland’s involvement in the Indian mobile market then you have to think twice. Another Finnish company, Jolla is all set to make an entry into India.

Jolla Phones run on Sailfish OS which wont take long to get used to.

Jolla markets phones running on the Sailfish OS. Jolla (Ok, it’s actually pronounced as Yolla), has signed an exclusive partnership with Snapdeal.com to market their products in India.

The Sailfish OS has evolved from Nokia backed OS, Meego. Guess some legacy of Nokia will still be around apart from, of course, the Nokia 3310 which is known to survive stellar supernovas. The Sailfish OS is unique in the sense of its gesture heavy interface. Multiple functions on the phone can be targeted through interactive gestures. The learning curve is minimal if you have some smartphone experience. The best part, Sailfish is compatible with Android applications which will definitely make it desirable for many enthusiasts.

The sharp design features looks good on the phones.

Jolla’s co-founder and CEO Sami Pienimäki said that there had been a lot of interest in India concerning Jolla phones, and that’s why they landed here. It is a good alternative for people looking for a different user experience in comparison to devices flooded in the market.

Meanwhile the co-founder and CEO of Snapdeal, Kunal Bahl commented on the deal saying “The market in India offers few choices in terms of mobile operating systems. Jolla with its innovative Sailfish OS introduces an entirely new user experience to consumers. Jolla offers a unique smartphone experience both in terms of hardware and software. We look forward to a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship.”

There are multiple back panel options too.

India’s mobile market is currently bustling with some youthful energy with multiple companies trying to impress Indians with their products. In the past few months some major international manufacturers like Asus, Xiaomi and some smaller ones like Obi have entered India.

With Jolla also coming into the fray, Indian consumers will have a good number of option to choose. In times of heavy price rises, a healthy competition in the mobile segment can be in favor of the consumers. The phones will be available for purchase within a month.

July 18, 2014
Say Hi to Jibo: World’s First Family Robot

If you remember watching Robin Williams’ forgettable Bicentennial Man, you must have felt the thrill of having a robotic companion in your family. The best part about Robin Williams’ character is that it was a robot capable of human emotions and learning new things just like a human being. Now a company called Jibo Inc, founded by an ex-MIT professor, Cynthia Breazel has brought an incredible new family pet in Jibo.

This Linux powered robot has a cylindrical base and a circular screen which makes it look like a smaller and rather enthusiastic version of Marvin the Paranoid Android from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Alan Rickman as a sad robot was the only humorous part of that movie.

Jibo is about a foot tall family friendly robot that is capable of doing everything your dog can’t do. It has six microphone inputs that help Jibo to take voice instructions and reply back. Jibo can take pictures; assist you in your daily chores, read out your messages. But here is the best part; it can be a cute little tutor to your kids, which is surely going to make a lot of private tutors angry, especially in India.

One of the feature that is really impressive is the boost tele-presence will get with Jibo. With Jibo the person on the other end can physically move about and interact with all who are present in the room. This is our favorite feature. Jibo also seems fun to interact with and even though some of its functions can be currently done by a smartphone but the fun interaction aspect is missing from them.

In future, the company wishes to integrate Jibo with your home automation system so it can take care of the security of your house and the power management. They also intend to add health features so that it can gather up information from devices like heart rate monitors, glucometers and scales and can maybe become your personal trainer.

Unfortunately you can’t buy Jibo just yet, but you can surely pre-order it and you can also contribute towards the project through their Indiegogo page. Jibo will arrive at the doorstep of folks who have preordered. Guess the robots are finally ready to invade our houses and if they are as cute as Jibo, they’ll be sure welcomed with an elation from everyone in the house.

July 17, 2014
Google Partners With Novartis To Create World’s First Smart Contact Lens

Google and Novartis join hands to set new boundaries of wearable technology. Google’s smart contact lens technology is one step closer to reality with the company announcing its partnership with Swiss pharmaceutical firm Novartis .

The press release stated that Novartis’s Alcon unit will work with Google’s secretive Google X division on lenses with non-invasive sensors, microchips and embedded miniaturized electronics to monitor insulin levels for people with diabetes, or to restore the eye’s natural focus in people who can no longer read without glasses. No terms of the deal are yet disclosed.

Google said it hoped the technology would help diabetics around the world by removing the need to perform regular, painful blood tests. Novartis has said that in addition to helping diabetics manage their disease, it is hoped that the technology can also be modified to help those suffering from vision loss that occurs with age.

Novartis’ CEO Joe Jimenez identified eye care as one of three key divisions, along with branded and generic drugs, in announcing a $28.5 billion restructure of the company in April that involved selling off the vaccines and animal-health units and buying GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s cancer business.

“The promise here is the Holy Grail of vision care, to be able to replicate the natural functioning of the eye,” Jimenez said. “Think about a contact lens that could help the eye autofocus on that newspaper and then when you look up it would autofocus in the distance.This is a key step for us to go beyond the confines of traditional disease management, starting with the eye.”

The smart contact lens technology were originally developed by Google X, the “audacious” research and development lab that is responsible for the company’s self-driving cars, internet weather-balloons and Google Glass.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin said: “Our dream is to use the latest technology in the miniaturization of electronics to help improve the quality of life for millions of people. We are very excited to work with Novartis to make this dream come true.”

July 17, 2014
After Airtel, Aircel Joins The 4G Race With its Launch In 4 Circles

Aircel India has recently launched its 4G services which will be offered across four circles, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Odisha. Aircel already provides 2G and 3G services and it is now become the second Indian telecom operator after Airtel to launch its 4G services in the country.

Aircel holds 20MHz of spectrum in the 4G LTE 2300 MHz band across eight circles – Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam and North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

Aircel’s enterprise customers will experience a 4G LTE high-speed network to receive dedicated internet and secure VPN (Virtual Private Network) services whereas its Home customers will experience various infotainment services on high-speed broadband that will help connect any Wi-Fi device to support services such as faster internet access, Smart TVs, Virtual Home Solutions, Home Security, online gaming and much more.

Aircel hopes that existing technological leadership position further lends to providing a promising and reliable 4G LTE service to our customers. They also promise that the wireless broadband services offered will help customers transform their workplaces and homes into ‘smarter’ entities.

The parameters that will differentiate Aircel’s 4G LTE services include customized offerings with a quick turnaround time for deployment of services to Enterprise and Home customer, beating existing industry standards; high speed and low latency, which are critical to any enterprise service experience, will be Aircel’s key focus deliverable building on Reliable MPLS (Multiple Protocol Label Switching) core network.

So far, Airtel has launched 4G services in a few circles, while a pan-India availability is still awaited. Though, there is no information as of now about their 4G data charges as of now. Aircel’s entry will finally bring some competition in the segment, perhaps encourage other players to launch their services. From customers’ point of view, competition gives possibility of lower tariffs and even more affordable devices.

July 16, 2014
Top 5 Gadgets Every Tech Geek Should Have

A man’s greatness can be measured by the number of cool gadgets in his home, or at least, the number of cool gadgets he’d like to have at home. We’re talking about the kind that are so cool that you’ve just gotta own them. So in the spirit of all things awesome, we bring you this list of gadgets every tech geek should have, or at the very least, want to have.

1. Star Trek Style Glasses

If you don’t mind looking like Star Trek’s Geordi La Forge, this pair of virtual television glasses are for you. With these glasses, you can watch movies and even play console games. There are several manufacturers including China-based Teleplus Electronics with an offer price of around $120. It also offers an 80-inch screen model which will set you back an additional $100. Brookstone’s iDesign Digital Video Glasses serve up a 50-inch screen for use with the iPhone or iPod and will cost you back about $150.

2. Print Your Toaster

Designed by Othmar Muehlebach, this toaster thinks that it’s a printer. The idea is to lay a stack of bread on the top and it runs through the toaster, and each slice comes out with a print. It could be modified to burn any kind of graphics on the bread and run ussing USB. While it’s still just a concept product, the big question is — would you like to spend all morning wrangling with jammed pieces of toast?

3. Roomba

Roomba is a series of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners sold by iRobot. Roomba can change direction on encountering obstacles, auto-detect dirty spots on the floor and detect steep drops to keep it from falling down stairs. It is the perfect solution for Post-Star Wars Marathon cleaning.

4. Nvidia Shield

This Android Console is portable enough to play on a bus. As well as having access to hundereds of games via Google Play, the shield can stream full PC titles from your PC. Pretty damn cool.

5. Trikke Tribred Pon-E

Possibly the most exciting three-wheeler we have ever seen, this electric scooter runs for a good 40 KM on a single charge and hits a top speed of 25 kmph. To top it all, you don’t even need a license to ride one of these on the road.

July 16, 2014
Microsoft Is Pulling Up Its Sleeves To Tackle The Chromebook Frenzy

Yesterday, at WPC 2014, Microsoft’s COO Kevin Turner revealed company’s plan to take over Google Chromebook. Turner said that HP is planning to release a $199 laptop running Windows this holiday season. He didn’t provide any specs for HP’s “Stream” device, but he did show detailed $249 laptop options from Acer and Toshiba.

Acer’s low-cost laptop will ship with a 15.6-inch screen and a 2.16GHz Intel Celeron processor, and Toshiba’s includes a 11.6-inch display. It appears that Intel’s Celeron chips will help Microsoft’s PC partners push out cheaper devices in the race to the bottom.

Microsoft explains why Windows is better!

It is also revealed that HP will release its 7- and 8-inch versions of new “Stream” PCs for $99 along with the main variant, and both running versions of Windows. Microsoft has been gradually cutting Windows license costs to help PC makers to reduce their device prices, and it’s clear the company is taking the Chromebook threat seriously now that its popularity is rising day by day.

As Microsoft points out, there are some things you can do on a Windows machine that you cannot on a Chromebook. You can run the full version of Microsoft Office, be sure that most printers and other peripherals will support your device, and run native Windows apps. You can also install the Chrome web browser and do nearly anything you would be able to do on a Chromebook.

Google sold 2.1 million Chromebooks in 2013

But some of Microsoft’s allegation on Chromebook are not entirely true. You can use some Chrome web apps even without an internet connection, use Google Cloud Print to send print jobs to supported devices, Google Drive (or Microsoft Office Web Apps) for some document editing, or even load Ubuntu, Debian, or another Linux distribution if you want desktop apps.

Furthermore, Chromebooks boot quickly, offer a secure platform since apps run in a sandboxed security mechanism, and the ease that comes with knowing that almost all of your data is backed up in the cloud so you can pick up where you left off just by logging into any other machine connected to internet.

Google has been praised for how clean and user-friendly its Chrome OS has been, while Microsoft’s Windows 8 has struggled to catch on since it launched in 2012. Google sold 2.1 million Chromebooks in 2013. Meanwhile, the ultraportable Windows 8 laptop-tablet hybrids declined by 7.4% last year. While Microsoft is now competing on price, only time will tell if the underpowered devices can match the smooth performance of a Chromebook.

July 15, 2014
Xiaomi Mi3 Launched in India for Rs 13,999

As a pleasant surprise, Xiaomi announced the Mi3 in India at a price tag of Rs. 13,999, which is less than the initial price revealed by the company earlier this month. Along with Mi 3, Redmi 1S and Redmi Note have also been launched at the price of Rs 6,999 and Rs 9,999, respectively. The Xiaomi Mi3 is up for pre-registration today and will be available via FlipKart on July 22.

At the offered price and with its set of features, the Mi 3 is here to trouble other Indian smartphone makers. It will compete with the Nexus 5 and the HTC One M7 with it’s mighty Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 SoC. Moreover, Xiaomi has also put in some thought when it comes to the pressure sensitivity of the display.

The touch feature on the Mi3 allows users to operate the phone even with wet and gloved hands. In addition to launching the phones, the company has released a new India theme in the MiUI themes store. It features refreshed iconography and UI elements, with a very India design aesthetic that features henna patterns, elephants and a wallpaper that shows the Taj Mahal.

As per the recent phablet trend, the Mi 3 comes with a large 5-inch display featuring a 1920 x 1080p resolution. The full HD display ensures that the pixel density goes all the way up to 441ppi. The company says that ‘Mi 3’s backlit display is fused directly to the touch screen’, ensuring deeper colors which pop up for a great visual experience.

The RedMi 1S is Xiaomi’s budget smartphone. It has a 4.7-inch 720p IPS display, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.5GHz with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory. The phone comes with a microSD card slot and a 2,000mAh battery. It also has an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.6-megapixel rear camera. It runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean underneath the MiUI user interface.

Xiaomi Redmi Note phablet sports a 5.5-inch 720p IPS display. It is powered by a 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor and 1.7GB RAM. It holds 8GB of internal storage and is expandable to 32GB through the microSD. The phone has a 3100mAh battery and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Xiaomi’s MiUi layer on top. It sports a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front facing camera.

For those who were skeptical about the customer service, Xiaomi has also set up a network of service centers in 20 big cites in India. There will be 2 exclusive Mi centers in New Delhi and Mumbai, which will have two hour turn around times. Additionally there will be 34 partner operated service centers that will have one day turn around times.

During its launch in Singapore, 5,000 units of Redmi Note, priced at S$199 (Rs 9,600 approximately), were sold out in just 42 seconds. Judging by the pricing of Mi 3 in India, we expect the company to unveil the other phones at an equally competitive prices.

July 15, 2014
5 Things You Should But Don’t Know About Xiaomi Smartphones

The entry of Xiaomi in the Indian market has already created a stir amongst the domestic smartphone players. It may be difficult to imagine that any smartphone firm other than Apple and Samsung can cause such a commotion, let alone a Chinese one. But what is Xiaomi? At first, we couldn’t even pronounce its name properly (it’s Shiao-Me). Well tell you what, we give you 5 reasons to consider Xiaomi as a strong contender in Smartphone market.

1. Lockscreen

The MiUi (Xiaomi operating system) lockscreen has multiple functions. To lock the screen, press the home button till you see a LED light being activated. Double tap the lock screen to control the music menu. Got an unread SMS? Just tap the center of the screen to directly answer the text.

2. Interface

All apps in MiUi are gathered at the main interface along with the widgets as MiUi does not have an app drawer. While Android can quit all applications that run in the background with a long press on the menu button, MiUi users can choose the applications they want in the background, while exiting the rest of them. Also, MiUi’s call interface looks similar to that of Android but it offers additional functions. When making a call, users can opt to write a note and record the conversation in an MP3 format.

3. Messaging

MiUi’s messaging application seems normal but it has an ability to ensure important messages are always on the top by using the pin. Most importantly, MiUi has a Private Messaging function, which allows users to hide sensitive messages with the use of password. You can even select your private messaging contacts and save them in a password protected format. The function can be accessed by dragging down the Messaging interface several times.

4. Intelligent Front Camera

The front camera of Mi 3 has special functions. It comes with an ability to detect gender and age, and subsequently chooses the right filter to enhance pictures. Good news for selfie lovers as no editing is needed before posting pictures in social network. The Mi3 which is going to enter Indian market soon, flaunts a 13 MP rear and 2 MP front camera.

5. Backup

MiUi has its own Backup application. Users can create a backup and save it somewhere else, such as a laptop. This backup can be used if the gadget faces problems in the future. Each function can be reinstalled with Backup. It comes with it’s own local backup system, inclusive of 3rd party applications and data. You can also activate automatic backup timing, which will execute data backup at your specific intervals.

[poll id=”14″]

July 15, 2014