Category: Videos

Live : Launch of the Gionee E7 on iGyaan

Gionee will launch their next Flagship Phone in a couple of hours, the ELIFE E7. Get the live video feed below, and stay tuned for our Hands on video.

Event should begin at 4:30 PM IST.

November 26, 2013
Micromax Canvas Turbo A250 Unboxing and Hands On
Micromax has launched its latest flagship dubbed the Micromax Canvas Turbo A250 and we go Hands on with the device. Priced at Rs. 19999 the Micromax Canvas Turbo A250 features a Media Tek 6589T 1.5 Ghz quad-core CPU and a Power VR SGXT GPU, 16 Gigs of inbuilt storage along with a 2 GB of RAM. The Hugh Jackman promoted smartphone has a unidbody metal construction along with a Full HD display, the device runs on Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean.

In The Canvas Turbo BOX.
The Canvas Turbo A250 is the first Canvas phone with a 5 inch Full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The Canvas Turbo A250 also appears to be made with a full lightweight aluminum construction which at first appears to be plasticky. The device also sports a 13 MP primary camera along with a 5 MP secondary camera, the device is capable of Full HD 1080p video recording and 30 fps from both cameras.

The In Box contents of the Micromax devices have improved lately, as the quality of the earphones and the USB cable seems to be improved than what we saw earlier as standard. The Canvas Turbo A250 builds on the design from Canvas doodle 2 and the Canvas 4, the screen is Full HD but the UI is still the same which might not be appreciated by all.

Check out our unboxing video above. Benchmarks, Gaming and alot more to come soon, stay Tuned!
October 31, 2013
Beyond : Two Souls Review

October 9, 2013
Nexus 5 full details emerge in Leaked LG Service Manual

In a twist of events Google has not been able to keep the upcoming device under wraps. The first images of the Nexus 5 came thanks to Google’s own Android Kit Kat unveil video, post which a barrage of images started to pop over on to the inter webs.

Now a leaked LG service manual with the model number LG D821 has emerged which gives of the complete low down on the new Nexus 5 and its design. According to the leaked resource the handset will have 4.95-inch display, a 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, inductive charging and NFC. This particular model’s LTE bands (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 20) are optimized for Asia and Europe.

On the optics front there’s an eight-megapixel camera with OIS on back and a 1.3-megapixel front camera for selfies. Storage is a steady 32GB and is powered by a 2300 mAh juice pack. The LCD IPS display has a 1080p resolution and screen tethering is supported via a Slimport (just like the Nexus 4).

The Hardware will have the usual array of sensors, but one unique one which measures pressure, there is also a notification light and a microSim Slot.

LG D821

[VIA]

October 6, 2013
Gionee Elife E6 Unboxing Black and White

Gionee yesterday launched the new Elife E6 in India for a price of Rs. 22990. The new handset is available in two colors white and black, while the white is slightly glossy the black color is matte and both have been thought thoroughly it seems.

The unibody shell of the Elife E6 is very identical to the iPhone in overall appeal, however most people seem more intrigued by this infront of an iPhone. The polycarbonate shell is beautiful and fits in the hands really well, which makes the form factor of this device a great overall selling point.

White Color Box Contents

On the hardware front Gionee Elife E6 is packed with a Quad Core 1.5 Ghz Mediatek chipset ARM Cortex A7 CPU and a PowerVR SGX544MP GPU. The device has a 5 inch AMOLED display with full HD screen 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution. The screen is vivid and bright, it has a 441 pixels per inch pixel density along with OGS technology.

Black Color Box Contents

The Gionee Elife E6 comes with a 13 MP rear camera with a second generation BSI sensor and a 5 MP front-facing camera with a 28 mm lens, both cameras support full HD video recording. The device is powered by a 2020 mAh battery and runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, it also sports 2 GB of RAM along with 32 GB of inbuilt storage.

While we unboxed both units, each different color unit has matching accessories in the box. The White Elife E6 has white wall charger, USB cable, headsets and flip cover and the Black colored Elife E6 has the same accessories but in black color. Watch our making and Hands on video below and our Unboxing video above.

[youtube id=”wEiyxYVT9hM” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

Gionee Elife E6 White Color:

Gionee Elife E6 Black Color:

October 4, 2013
LG G2 Giveaway : iGyaan

The LG G2 is LG’s latest heavy weight entrant into the Smartphone marketplace and iGyaan is giving away one to one lucky winner. Just like our contests in the past you need to follow basic set of rules to be a part of the giveaway.

LG’s G2 has a 1080 P 5.2 inch IPS display,a 13 MP camera with OIS at the back to help you capture those special moments alongside a 2.1 MP front facing camera. There is 3000 mAh non removable battery to keep the device charged. Unfortunately there is no Micro SD slot for memory expansion but the device does come in a 32 GB variant.

So if you have your eye on this smartphone then simply take part below, and spread the word using Facebook, twitter and Google Plus.

Terms and Conditions

The Result is now Out!

Name: Subecha Pradhan

Q: LG G2 is a device made after learning from you. If there is one quality in you, that you would like the LG G2 to learn, what would it be?

Answer: I would like the LG G2 to learn everything about me, my irregular wake up time included. I would fall in love with the Lg G2 if it could learn and tell me everytime I get lost on my way and then guide me back on track. If it could sense that I am in a restaurant and tell me to click the dessert and instagram it before I gulp it all in. If the G2 could learn when I’am sitting idle and update me with the latest news as well as the whereabouts of my dear ones. Basically, if the LG G2 could learn and adapt to my irregular and sporadic self, the LG G2 would be my closest friend.

[youtube id=”_8ZKlrBKsgw” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

[youtube id=”8M6qO-yyA74″ width=”100%” height=”300px”]

October 2, 2013
LG Launches the new G2 in India Starting Rs. 40499 for 16GB

LG today launched the new LG G2 in India for a Price of Rs. 40497 for the 16 GB variant and Rs. 43490 for 32 GB. The new G2 is a follow up of the Optimus G which has been a very popular device for LG globally. The New LG G2 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset with a Quad Core Krait 400 CPU clocked at 2.2 GHz and the new Adreno 330 GPU.

The LG G2 has a 13 MP camera with OIS and 1080p video at 60fps, the front facing 2.1 MP also captures full HD 1080p at 30fps, LG is highlighting new features of the camera including time lapse shot, burst shot, dual camera and dynamic tone. LG has also retained older features like the cheese shot which allows you to click a picture using a series of words like : LG, Whiskey , Kimchi etc.

The new G2 has a 5.2 inch 1920 x 1080 p True HD-IPS + LCD capacitive display with a fantastic 424 ppi pixel density, the front has Corning Gorilla gGlass 2 and LG’s OGS technology. The LG G2 is expected to do well in the country considering the righ kind of pricing from LG and the previous overall satisfied experience of the users. The 2GB RAm based LG G2 also has a 3000 mAh battery which has been designed by LG to charge quickly and last longer than usual.

The LG G2 goes on sale today , stay tuned for our unboxing and hands on.

BUY NOW

[toggle title=”Press Release”]
New Delhi, 30 September, 2013: Breaking the rule to offer an impeccable experience to its customers, LG Electronics today launched its flagship smartphone LG G2 in India. G2, the latest kid on the block, introduced under LG’s new ‘G’ series of premium devices is designed on insights derived from LG’s study of consumer lifestyle and behavior. A pioneer in design, elegance and technology, this 5.2 inch smartphone is equipped with the industry’s most advanced mobile chipset, the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 800 Processor, and runs Android Jelly Bean.

LG G2 has breakthroughs in almost every aspect of the phone. It changes the norm in smartphone design by placing all the buttons on the rear of the device, thereby making it the first mobile phone completely devoid of the side buttons. Its other remarkable features include studio-like sound quality, rich graphics and outstanding battery efficiency. The phone has a unique privacy feature that sets two pattern locks thereby, allowing limited interface for guest users. Not only this, unlocking the phone has never been this easy, knock on the display twice. This everyday and most used features too has been given a twist to make it convenient for customers.

At the launch, Mr. Soon Kwon, M.D., LG India, explains, “The smartphone market in India is reaching newer heights, with a total of 9.3 million smartphones being shipped in the second quarter this year, as per a recent report. Our focus with G2 is to give our customers a phone that is smart and convenient, in every way- a unique design, a large display, high quality camera with Image Stabilizer, true studio like sound and compelling user experience. LG G2 is a perfect phone that epitomizes our DNA, innovation.”

“At LG, we innovate by learning and delivering to the needs of our customers. With the launch of G2 our aim is of capturing 10% market share of the Smartphone category by the end of 2014. We are targeting 150 Cr turnover from G2,” added Mr. Kwon.

LG Mobiles has earmarked Rs. 100 cr for marketing and strengthening the retail and channel expansion.

A New Dimension in Smartphone Design
The G2’s unique placement of all the buttons on the device’s rear end came from the insights drawn from an LG study – Learning from you. The study showed that placing their index finger on the back of the phone is how most people naturally hold the smartphone as it is most comfortable and stable way to hold it. So we have placed the keys on the back of the phone so that users are able to control both the power and volume buttons with the index finger. This makes the handheld experience of a phablet much easier and convenient. Researchers found that moving the buttons resulted in fewer dropped phones when adjusting the volume while talking. The rear volume keys are also multi-functional and long pressing them would launch QuickMemo app and the camera.

Edge to Edge Display
The G2 sports a gorgeous 5.2 inch Full HD IPS display. The IPS display ensures superior graphics, accurate colors and clear images without any distortion. For more efficient energy usage, the LG G2 employs Graphic RAM (GRAM) technology which reduces the display’s energy use by up to 26 percent on a still frame and increases overall usage time on the device by approximately 10 percent. To offer an expansive viewing experience, LG’s innovative Dual Routing technology reduces the phone’s bezel to a mere 2.65mm on the side edge which makes the maximum viewability of the large 5.2inch in compact and slim design.

Dual- Recording and Hi-Fi Sound
The LG G2’s high-resolution 13MP camera comes equipped with Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) technology to prevent blurring. This also allows to take pictures of objects in motion as clear as they were still. G2 allows dual-recording with its 13MP back and 2.1MP front camera. While most smartphone cameras with OIS tend to offer a resolution in the 4MP to 8MP range but G2 is unique in that as it offers 13MP and OIS technology in a slim design without a protruding lens. To add to the steadiness and the beauty of a camera, it is packed in Sapphire crystal glass. It is also the first smartphone on the market today to feature 24 bit/192kHz Hi-Fi playback that reproduces studio-like quality sound. Consumers can now experience a level of audio realism that was not possible before in a smartphone.

Intuitive UX for a better engagement
LG G2 comes with a number of compelling user experience (UX) features that provide the most practical value by focusing on a smartphones most popular task. If the G2 is lying on a surface face-up, its KnockOn feature helps the smartphone to be powered on by simply tapping twice on the display. The Guest Mode feature protects privacy as it sets two pattern locks. It allows the owner to set up a sort of guest interface for people who want to experience the phone. Using Guest Mode, the owner can secure important files and deny access to certain applications. The Text Link feature allows information embedded in text messages to be selected and easily saved in a memo or calendar and searched on a map or the internet. QuickRemote app transforms G2 into a universal remote to control popular home entertainment devices and operate multiple devices. Slide Aside enables easier multitasking by simply “sliding” open apps off to the side using a three-finger swipe.

The LG G2 brings everything together in a device with comfortable, functional, convenient and beautiful design. LG G2 is priced at MRP Rs. 41,500 and will be available in various stores across India.

About LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd.
LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, South Korea was established in January 1997 in India. It is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics, home appliances, IT hardware and mobile communications space. In India for a decade, LG has earned a premium brand positioning and is the acknowledged trendsetter for the industry.
LGEIL’s manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon; Pune has the capacity to manufacture LED TV’s, Air Conditioners, Washing Machines, Refrigerators, and Monitors .[/toggle]

September 30, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Unboxing and Hands-On
Samsung’s latest flagship the Galaxy Note 3 goes on Sale starting today across major cities in India. Priced at Rs. 49,900 the Indian edition of the Galaxy Note 3 comes with an Exynos 5 chipset (1.9GHz Quad core + 1.3 GHz Quad core) along with 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM. The new Galaxy Note 3 adds a whole new set of features and software enhancements to their existing lineup of Galaxy devices. To start off the Galaxy Note 3 comes with Android 4.3 out of the box, a completely new layer of Touchwiz and a whole new set of actions for the S PEN.

In The Galaxy Note 3 BOX.
Initial Hands on Impressions

[pullquote_left]A new Feel of Galaxy[/pullquote_left]

The Galaxy Note 3 feels much better than the Note 2 did – out of the box, however this is mainly because of the aesthetic appeal added by the new design and back panel. The back cover not only looks good, it adds a comfortable holding place providing grip and a warm to touch feel to the usually cold plastic back of Galaxy devices. The Interface is fast and responsive , in fact its almost lag free. Setup for the device is easy and overall without problems, you get 50 GB of free dropbox storage for two years and a few other accounts that you can setup up in the initial process.

Samsung’s included earphones have been slightly improved adding flat cables, and volume controls along with a new USB 3 cable that should help sync up and charge the device faster. The included tips for the SPEN are great too, they let you change to a new smooth tip when the old one dies out, but in our experience the pen has been usually long lasting.

Buy Now

Check out our images below.
September 25, 2013
Hands on with the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear

Samsung today launched two new devices for the Indian market, the Note 3 and the Galaxy Gear smart watch. Both devices intended for higher end segment of the consumer market, keeping the word “premium” prevalent throughout the launch event.

The Galaxy Note 3 is the third iteration smart phone in the Note series of devices in the Samsung Galaxy stable, and keeps up with the yearly enhancements. In India the Note 3 is priced at a hefty Rs. 49900. for the 32GB variant. Major changes include a 5.7 inch Super AMOLED with a 1920x1080p resolution, a 13 MP rear camera and new enhanced SPen functions : including Air Command, an on-screen portal to four specific features Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write, S Finder and Pen Window. There’s also a new and improved Multi Window feature, which now allows for data sharing and interaction between apps.

The over build quality appears to have been improved thanks to a warmer-feel back panel, which unfortunately on the inside remains completely plastic. The new S Pen is also sleeker and appears to have been redesigned. The phone is practically as big as the Galaxy Note 2, so really no difference in size, but you do see a difference in screen size and overall usable display real estate.

India gets the restricted version of the Galaxy Note 3 with the Exynos chipset which restricts a lot of features like 4K video recording and LTE connectivity. The only version available in India will have a 32GB storage, while the company also claimed that no other variants will be officially available.

The Galaxy Gear has a definitive mind changing appeal, the series of images and digital renders by Samsung have failed to show the real feel of the Galaxy Gear. That being said the concept of an added wearable product is still young, and what the market is looking for is a real device not a tethered accessory. The Galaxy Gear is available for a strange price of Rs. 22990, which puts it above the most required space. Most people will be happier buying second devices rather than go in for a Bluetooth Accessory .

Check out the images below and stay tuned for our hands on video, along with unboxing and reviews coming shortly.

New S -Pen

Note 3 White

September 17, 2013
Watch the Galaxy Note 3 , Galaxy Gear Launch Live on iGyaan

Samsung will launch the Galaxy Note 3 in India today at 12:15 pm IST, get the live video and key moments from the event below. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is the third iteration in Samsung’s Note series of phones, which usually are considered flagship devices. The Note 3 was launched globally on 4th September at a press event held during IFA 2013 in Berlin, Germany.

Samsung will also launch the Galaxy Gear “smart watch” alongside the Note 3 with an expected prcie tag of Rs. 17999. India will be one of the first countries in the world to get these devices, showing how big a market India is, for Samsung.

We broke the news of the launch of the Note 3 and Gear in India early last week when the company was still finalizing pricing and specs for the final version intended for the Indian market. Today’s launch will remove all doubt from the mind of those in a quandary.

September 17, 2013
“KitKat” will be the next version of Google’s OS : Android 4.4
After the previous minor upgrade retained the “Ice Cream Sandwich” moniker, the next version of Android OS aka Android 4.4 will be called KitKat. Google’s SVP Sundar Pichai has just confirmed by posting the image of the statue across the social networks.

“It’s our goal with Android KitKat to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody. :- Google

The company is remaining mum on the project and on what new features the new name will bring. Google has also already worked out a no money agreement with Nestle for the name sans a space in the middle, hence, KitKat vs the original Kit Kat. Google SVP Pichai also announced that there are now over one billion Android device activations, surpassing the 900 million mark back in May this year.

The list of Android versions incase you have not kept up
1. Cupcake (1.5)
2. Donut (1.6)
3. Eclair (2.0)
4. Froyo (2.2)
5. Gingerbread (2.3)
6. Honeycomb (3.0)
7. Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0)
8. Jelly Bean (4.1-4.3).
9. KitKat (4.4)
The deal between Nestle and Google closed within 24 hours of the first phone call to the confectionary manufacturer.

John Lagerling, director of Android global partnerships, also confirmed that his team did originally consider “Key Lime Pie” as a potential name for Android after Jelly Bean, but the issue was “very few people actually know the taste of a key lime pie.” The BBC reports that there will be more than 50 million Kit Kats promoting the Android mascot in 19 markets (including Brazil, India, Japan and Russia).

Watch a fun video by Nestle below.

[youtube id=”OKOrkLxOBoY” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

[toggle title=”Press Release”]Google has ended months of online speculation about the name of the latest version of its Android mobile operating system by revealing it will be called ‘Android KitKat’, after Nestlé’s popular chocolate and wafer confectionery.

The creators of the world’s most popular mobile platform have teamed up with the world’s biggest food and beverage company to name the next release of the platform ‘Android KitKat’.

Sweet themes

Android has been developed by the company’s engineers under sweet-themed names ever since the release of Android Cupcake in 2009 and continuing in alphabetical order until the most recent version, Android Jelly Bean.

The news that the letter ‘K’ will be dedicated to Nestlé’s KitKat will surprise most technology commentators, who had widely thought the latest version would be ‘Android Key Lime Pie’.

“We couldn’t imagine a better name for our Android K release than the tasty chocolate that’s been a favourite among the team since the early days of Android,” said Marc Vanlerberghe, Director of Android Marketing.

Strong digital presence

“We’re excited to announce this partnership with Android, the world’s most popular mobile platform, which will help us to enable even more KitKat fans to enjoy their break,” said Patrice Bula, Nestlé’s Head of Marketing.

“KitKat is one of the world’s top ten fast-moving consumer goods brands in social media in terms of fan numbers and engagement,” he continued. “We continue to build on its strong digital presence with interactive, creative branding campaigns.”

To mark the release of Android KitKat, more than 50 million specially branded KitKat bars will be available in 19 countries including Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Dubai, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The packs will lead consumers to the website android.com/kitkat where they will have the opportunity to win prizes including a limited number of Google Nexus 7 tablets, and credits to spend in Google Play, Google’s online store for apps, games, music, movies, books and more.

A small number of Android robot-shaped KitKat bars will also be offered as prizes in selected markets.

Closer to consumers

Nestlé’s branding partnership with Google is the company’s latest move in its ambition to leverage digital technology and online content to get closer to its consumers to better understand and cater to their preferences.

Earlier this year, Nestlé acquired its first-ever piece of online content property, the Petfinder website in the United States. The online database, which links prospective adopters with adoptable pets, is visited by more than 100 million pet-lovers annually.[/toggle]
September 4, 2013
Google Nexus 7 2013 2nd Gen Review – Tablet of the Year

Last year the Google Nexus 7 became the best 7 inch tablet on Android, only because the best 10 inch tablet turned out to be the Nexus 10. This year the Nexus 7 is back in a sleeker and more refined format, only to tackle the title yet again. This is iGyaan’s review of the new Nexus 7.

Build Quality and Hardware

[pullquote_left]Slimmer, Taller, and Thinner[/pullquote_left]

Setting the standards yet again the new Nexus 7 from Google offers the perfect mix of the right build and design you would expect from a tablet today. The back of the Nexus 7 loses the ribbed texture, only to be replaced with a plain soft touch back panel which not only is more comfortable to hold but also adds to the aesthetic. The new Nexus 7 2013 is slimmer, taller, and thinner than the first edition of the market breaking Android tablet.

The front of the new Nexus 7 2013 is laden with a Gorilla Glass display that stretches out to 7.02 inches and features a high resolution of 1920 x 1200 px, simply dwarfing any and every tablet in the market today when it comes to the display resolution. The overall pixel density of the display rests at 323 ppi and the Touchscreen will accept a 10 point touch input.

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq6MCDLmKXI”]

The Innards are comprised of a Quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset with a 1.5 GHz Krait CPU and an impressive Adreno 320 GPU which is clocked at 400 MHz. The 3950 mAh battery provides the juice and the optics are defined by a 5 MP main shooter and a docile 1.2 MP forward facing peephole. All this is supported by fixed internal storage options of 16 GB and 32 GB along with 2 GB of RAM.

Display and Multimedia

Who says extra pixels are not good? On a larger screen the more pixels you can get the less they seem. The New Nexus 7 2013 finds this balance in the display size and pixel density nearing the retina stature for small handhelds. The display is gorgeous no matter what you do with it, movies, browsing and even gaming. The display delivers with vivid colors and excellent viewing angles.

The new Nexus 7 is a great content consumption device you will almost always enjoy picking up the tablet. The interface is instant in terms of response and the overall multimedia experience is just shy of what you could expect from a flagship tablet. The only real downside is the lack of enhanced audio, the inbuilt speakers, although stereo and well placed, simply are not enough.

Cameras

The new Nexus 7 2013 is US $ 20 more expensive than last years edition, most of which can be blamed on the additional 5 MP camera at the back of the tablet. The new camera may be an addition in price, but a lot of owners will accept is as a welcome addition and a valid additional expense.

The camera is no design and engineering marvel, with flat pictures and no real points of emphasis, it is just a camera on a tablet which may as well not have been there. Pictures from the main camera are prone to loss of focus and sometimes exposed inaccurately causing a severe problem in the overall feel when using the new Nexus 7.

Video capture is also average, with a lot of shake getting carried through to the 1080p footage.

Nexus Performance and Gaming

One of the biggest reasons the Nexus 7 came out on top last year was the fact that the tablet ran a completely vanilla Nexus rom with no customizations. Same is the case with newer edition Nexus 7 2013, the experience of pure Android makes performance of the device a notch better, the tablet a notch more responsive than any other custom Tablet UI including those from Samsung and Sony.

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFROkb4Qc7c”]

Gaming has been best defined in our video below. But, to elaborate a little more, the perfect size of the tablet, the light weigh and the hardware on the inside promises an unmatched gaming experience. You really will appreciate the Adreno 320 Graphics and the S4 chipset in action along with the ample 2 Gigs of RAM which make for an exciting gaming experience.

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FAzR1TjrxM”]

Nexus 7 as a Tablet

The new Nexus 7 2013 is more a tablet than its predecessor. Since a modern day tablet has to be portable, powerful, thin and light yet capable of long hours of use, the new Nexus 7 fits those criterion like a glove. The new Nexus 7 is a perfect balance, where on one hand it give you the portability you will need, on the other it offers up the performance you will demand. The tablet choses to look good while doing it as well.

Charging port and Speaker

Buttons Layout

Analogue TV OUT

smooth UI

still pocketable

Conclusion

Since the lower strata of the market is crowded by tablets of the third edition, the slightly expensive Nexus 7 provides the ultimate satisfaction. But since no one is ever fully satisfied, the Nexus 7, just like the iPad, will never be a phone. Honestly, we don’t want it to be a phone, the 4G variant will offer up data on the go for those who need it. The new Nexus 7 has the highest resolution display, the best gaming performance, good looks and portable yet solid construction. Need we say more?

The new Nexus 7 gets tablet of the year 2013 (till September) from iGyaan.We expect the new Nexus 7 to launch in India soon, for pricing and more details click here.

August 13, 2013
Nokia Asha 501 Review

Nokia has long lost the major chunk of the market it used to own, and it is not easy to come down from the 80% market share to a lowly 15%. Despite the continued efforts of the the Finnish manufacturer, the market seems to not want to adapt to their ecosystem anymore. Fortunately for Nokia, countries like India still exist and devices like the Nokia Asha 501 are the only Asha (ray of hope) the company may have at surviving their toughest time yet. Does the Nokia Asha 501 cut its place out in the market which is now dominated by cheap Chinese replicas.

Build Quality and Hardware

Impressive. That is the only word that comes to mind the minute you pick up the Nokia Asha 501, its almost nostalgic. Suddenly Nokia has been able to remind us why we have so many MEMEs about the Nokia 3310. Nokia has once again focused on making a sturdy and strong device, that will promise to last long through the battles of life. The Nokia Asha 501 also targets the youth with a array of beautiful color options including Cyan, Green, White, Black and the “Pinkenta” that we got (seriously !)

With its Unibody-esque ( the shell is openable) design and polycarbonate feel, which is actually plastic make this phone really robust. The quality of materials used has actually shown off in the end result and will be appreciated for a long time to come.

On the hardware front all is sketch, in an age where people want to know everything about the workings of their phone, the 3 pieces of relevant information here are : 3 inch screen, 1200 mAh battery and 3 MP camera. All of which are in the 3 negatives; below par, below standard and below competition.

Software and UI

Nokia has done something fascinating with the new “ASHA” UI, which makes is a lot more appealing. The number of interactions required by a user before execution have been considerably reduced with the new Nokia Asha 501.

The new ASHA interface truly is a rebuild of S40 which is a rebuild of Symbian which means you have JAVA on this phone. Which means that you should not expect an experience close to any Smartphone that you have ever seen, in fact despite Nokia’s huge software attempt, the UI is slow, boring and sort of dated.

Coming down from an Android, best of luck transferring contacts! Despite the series of softwares available, its still not done automatically via Gmail.

Sure you get Nokia Music and Express Browser that do work well and the music service is truly worth the value. You also get FM radio, but you still need a headset ( incidentally the one in the box is color coded to the color of the handset).

Phone and Battery Life

The Dual Sim Nokia Asha 501, is one hell of a phone, and that is what it is. The modern marvel of Nokia build engineering and possible Meme star (part deux) has immaculate network reception along with impressive voice handling and transmission. No network lag during travel and little or no disturbance through usage. In todays low/no network enviorment, the phone works as great indoors as it does outdoors.

The battery life is another gem in the treasure chest, over 12 hours of talk time on our test, with endless standby. The company claimed 17 hours of talk time and over 600 hours of standby actually seem possible with time.

Camera and Multimedia

Dont think this phone is limited in terms of features, you get a pretty impressive browser that actually impressed us with the promptness with which is handled many websites including iGyaan. The video playback from Youtube over Wifi is smooth and lag free and the speaker is pretty loud.

The 3 MP camera is a feature that you get but may never use, the images are poor and composed without a pop of color, are flat and underexposed. Low light conditions will remind you of the days of 3310 indeed, where a no camera is better than any camera at all.

Conclusion

The Nokia Asha 501 is not supposed to be a Smart Phone, even though the company may be leading the world to believe so. The Asha 501 is a fantastic phone, built with an impressive quality and attention to detail, and a battery life that puts the big dogs to shame the market over. Unfortunately Nokia fails to communicate this to potential buyers, when its trying to show off features like music playback and Facebook access, which truly are not the highlights of this phone.

The Nokia Asha 501 is a fantastic second phone, I’d buy one just because its that good a phone, which that good battery life, but that is all there is to it. Several options in the Rs. 5000 price bracket offer Smartphone-features especially if the phone is loaded with Android. We have listed a few options below.

Buying Options

August 13, 2013
iBerry AUXUS Nuclea N1 Gaming and Benchmarks – iGyaan

[youtube id=”4J2C8JaHFrY” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

August 3, 2013
Micromax Canvas 4 A210 Review – The Best Canvas till date!
Micromax has forever been associated with cheap and budget phones, earlier with feature phones now with budget Android phones. With the Micromax Canvas 4 A210 the company tries to find a balance between the desires of the market and a stable ecosystem. The Micromax Canvas 4 A210 has been perceived a big negative mark on the company’s ever tarnished reputation, So is the Micromax Canvas 4 A210 the marvel of innovation Micromax claims it to be? or is it just another attempt at making more money, lets find out.

Build Quality and Hardware

The Micromax Canvas 4 A210 is exceptionally well built, it uses the two elements found in the worlds most popular handsets, the steel bezel and frame of the iPhone and the plastic back panel of the Samsung Galaxy series. The end result is a beautiful looking device that fits well in the hand and feels great to use. The plastics on the Micromax Canvas 4 A210 are cleverly used and remain at a minimal, whereas no serious strengthening has been utilized to the glass.

On the inside of this phone is a Mediatek 6589 chipset that offers up 1.2 GHz on Quad cores and a sufficient Power VR SGX GPU. On the inside is 16 GB of Storage and 1 GB of RAM, whereas the cameras are fitted with a 13 MP BSI Sony Sensor with full HD capabilities and a front facing 5 MP shooter also with 1080p capabilities. The display is a 1280 x 720p 5 inch display and the overall device offers quite a balanced mix of hardware and build quality. Although many companies are offering higher specs with similar handsets, the build quality on the Micromax Canvas 4 comes out on top.

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Display

[pullquote_left]Unethical Journalism Aside[/pullquote_left]

The Micromax Canvas 4 A210 uses a new type of display, unseen on any of the company’s earlier devices, the display has a serious blue hue imbalance, but is exceptionally visible outdoors compared to the previous Gen display. The 1280 x 720p resolution was a major let down for many a buyers because of many rumors that pitted the phone equipped with a 1080p display. All “unethical journalism” aside the display is great for almost all requirements including gaming and multimedia, however it never hurts to get more resolution even if you don’t need it.

The touchscreen is very responsive and the display is perfectly fused into the body of the device, a lower resolution display also ensures better battery life considering that this device only has a 2000 mAh battery which you can read more about in the battery section below.

Multimedia, Gaming and OS

The Micromax Canvas 4 A210 is based on Android 4.2 and is mostly a vanilla interface, some basic customizations have been added to give additional UI features. “Blow to Unlock” for one is and example of a feature that has been added which may actually be liked by some, we personally feel that it is a waste of battery and a serious red flag to safe mobile phone usage.

Micromax has also added some features like smart pause on Samsung devices, a software feature which uses the sensors and front camera to detect when a user looks away, while watching a video , and pauses the video. Some fun UI elements like bouncing notifications and alerts in the lock screen add to the user experience.

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We feel that Micromax now needs to work on a proprietary UI for Android on their devices, much like TouchWiz or Sense, they need to develop a UI which will truly make their devices unique. For now the Micromax Canvas 4 is based on vanilla android and mostly third party modifications which may or may not be activated.

If you aim to do some gaming on the Canvas 4, you will be happy to know that most games work out of the box and work well. On the occasion some heavy spec’d games will hang or crash, which can only be expected.

Watching videos and movies is great especially thanks to the great display and loud speaker, but you do start to miss a full HD experience if you have had one.

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Camera

One thing which really changes the perception of the Micromax Canvas 4 A210 is the camera with its f2.2 lens equipped Sony BSI 13 MP sensor. The camera is the same unit used in the Xperia Z and performs exceptionally well. The camera also works great in low light conditions and captures great videos. The front facing camera is a bit of overkill, unless you do a lot of self portraits. The front camera is great but only if you have ample lighting, and honestly we don’t deny that sometime soon in the future front cameras may also start to get a dedicated flash diode.

The camera module is far too advanced for the software that has been included in the Canvas 4, and if you manage to root your device using our method, you can easily install the camera app ported from other devices. Any camera app that will give you additional manual controls is the app you are looking for.

A word to the wise, if you plan on doing macro photography with this camera, Autofocus will not be your friend. An add on lens might also be helpful.

The camera has great image composition ensuring great color reproduction and great crisp focus. If you intend to use auto mode the included app works fairly well and will not disappoint. Wait for our detailed camera review.

Performance

if you are looking for extreme performance on this smartphone you are actually looking in the wrong place, you are better off buying a Nexus or HTC One if that is your objective. The Micromax Canvas 4 A210 aims to achieve a few things and extreme performance is not one of them. The phone is pretty good for what its worth, gaming is decent, day to day usage is excellent, multitasking works great and for once the OS is quite stable.

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The Micromax Canvas 4 A210 will get you through most of the tasks you can put it through and then some, but it will not satisfy the tweak hungry junkies. The chipset has its limitations and they can’t be witnessed in the day to day usage of an average user.

Micromax as a Company

We take off from the regular review process to point out a couple of things to our readers, The Micromax Canvas 4 is very identical to the Blu Life One, in fact it may as well be the same phone. Both companies Micromax and Blu have many things in common, they are both young companies and they both have the same vendors. But, Blu handsets will never come to India, because the company is presently focused in the Americas, just like Micromax’s main focus is in India. Even though we got many requests to compare the two handsets we feel it is unnecessary at the least.

Micromax has taken a bold step and tried to take care of the biggest concern of users with the improved build of their handset, in doing so the cost of their handset has gone up considerably . That tied with the inflated cost of the US $ made it a pricing fail for the company, and we feel Micromax is a bit premature to be entering the sub 20k market with handsets based on Mediatek chipsets in fact the same chipset that goes in sub 10k handsets. But, what most people are neglecting is the use of quality materials and components is bound to raise costs, the Sony 13 MP sensor itself justifies such a bump in pricing.

Micromax is no Samsung when it comes to customer satisfaction, hell even Samsung are not that great. The company aims to become a big mobile brand, but it is presently far from that goal simply because of their dependence on readily available products and components.

Battery Life

The Canvas 4 has slightly low battery life and the constant use of included apps does not help. On average you will get 3-4 hours of continuos talk time. Features like smart pause and blow to unlock will really mould your battery life usage and are best avoided. Real Life Tests:
The Good

Micromax has for once tried to focus on the user experience more than the specs, the Micromax Canvas 4 A210 is extremely well built when compared to competition and even their own previous phones. The warranty for the Canvas 4 ensures that if your phone is damaged or defective (within warranty guidelines) you instantly get a replacement phone. Software elements like smart stay and smart pause that usually require expensive devices to begin with.

The cameras are also an advantage on the Canvas 4 and those with a taste for mobile photography will truly come to appreciate the device for that. The phone achieves what most phones by sector 2 manufacturers dont, premium feel.

The Bad

The price for one is a little off the mark, a 15k price point would appear to be a more worthy option for the Canvas 4. The OS is still mostly stock and with the added bloatware and software gimmicks, we are not impressed.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the Micromax Canvas 4 A210 is the best Canvas / Micromax phone till date, but with the impending release of iBerry Nuclea N1 and a series of devices already in the market. The decision is truly in the hands of the buyer, the company is attempting to change its ranks in the smartphone market and the Micromax Canvas 4 A210 may be that very device. Once Micromax realizes the market status and drops the price by 1500- 2000 this very well may be the best smartphone in the market in the Rs. 15000 price bracket, but until then this seems like an investment which may not yield a return worth of value.

With Root already achieved by iGyaan those looking to get more bang for their buck will also be satiated.

Video Upcoming

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July 24, 2013