Category: Android

Android 5.0 is Lollipop

After monte of initial release the Android 5.0 version has been made official and its called Lollipop (sorry not ladoo). The OS was mostly known as Android L since its announcement and now it has finally been named along with the launch of the three flagship products, the Nexus 6, the Nexus 9 and a $99 Nexus player.

Google has been kind to confirm that Android 5.0 Lollipop is coming to the Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 along with Google Play edition devices, in the coming weeks.

Motorola gets dibs on first lineup, as Motorola’s most new launches will get Lollipop almost as soon as Nexus devices.these include both generations of the Moto X and Moto G (including the US LTE model), Moto E, and US based Droid Maxx, Droid Mini and Droid Ultra.

Expect to hear from other companies in a while, although HTC’s new launches including the HTC Desire 820, new Desire Eye will ship with Android L out of the box later this month, hence the delay in launch.

October 15, 2014
Nexus 9 to Launch Today, Will be the First Device to Run Android L

As we reported earlier, the Nexus 9, codenamed the HTC Volantis, will launch today and it will be the first device to run Android L. Apple in an another big event is expected to launch new gen iPad and iMac, however, taking the lead Google is expected to launch the new Nexus device quietly, via a blog post.

Unlike Apple, Google will apparently eschew a big press event and will instead announce the new platform and the new devices via an official blog post. The company is apparently still fine tuning Android L and it doesn’t want to have a major event for a platform that still needs some refining before its release.

According to several reports that surfaced last week, the Nexus 9 will be available for pre-order on 17th October and available to purchase on the 3rd November. Although there’s no information on when Android L will be available for other Android devices, and the pre-order and purchasing dates are subject to last minute changes. The 16GB version will cost $399 and the 32GB LTE version will retail for $499. Both devices will have expandable memory.

Various reports have also hinted that the new Nexus 9 tablet will have an 8.9-inch 2048×1440 display, weigh 480 grams, have a 64-bit dual-core processor, an Nvidia Kepler GPU and a 8MP rear-facing camera and 3MP front-facing camera. HTC and Google have also opted for a “brushed aluminum” frame, instead of an all metal design, to keep costs down.

It is also said that some popular HTC features will come with the new tablet including HTC’s boomsound and the dual front facing speakers, both of which featured on the One M8 and Desire EYE.

However, there is no word on when the Nexus 6 is going to release. According to the previous leaks, the device will feature a QHD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels (498 pixels per inch), a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, a 3,200mAh battery and Android L.

Today’s launch will put Google in direct competition with Apple as the iPhone 6 maker is widely expected to reveal its updated iPad on October 16th. Rumours have been circulating around that Apple’s event on Thursday will see the launch of a 9.7-inch ‘iPad Pro’ and possibly a refreshed version of the iPad Air. The larger tablet is likely to see the introduction of Touch ID and both will have the same A8 processor that powers the iPhone 6.

October 15, 2014
According to IDC, India Will be a Tough Market for Android One

Google launched Android One handsets with great promises by not just the company, but also the home grown players that collaborated with the search giant and came out with inexpensive handsets. Though the Android One smartphones, which are priced Rs 6,399 onwards, have been advertised more than any other handset launched by the three companies, they have failed to get the sort of response they expected.

“Despite significant marketing spend already in evidence on Android One, IDC believes India will be a tough crucible for Google. Blocked out of China, Google has no choice but to make a large downstream investment in the Next Billion consumer segment in India,” the research firm said.

The Android One initiative was expected to be an instant success and their manufacturers were expected to make huge profits on the ‘exceptional’ handsets that the company launched last month. They also got good reviews and Micromax’s Android One handset was called the best handset that the company had ever launched.

India is the first country where the California-based firm’s Android One devices have been launched. Roll out across other markets like Indonesia, Philippines, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka will follow in coming months. The reports added that the Android One will go further and effectively create a bipolar environment where the high-end will be dominated by the likes of Apple and Samsung with their iPhone and Galaxy flagship devices and the low-end will increasingly close around Rs. 6,000 average selling price.

October 13, 2014
SwiftKey to Now Support 11 Indian Languages

SwiftKey has announced the launch of an updated version for Android which supports 11 regional languages, namely Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu, as well as Nepali and Sinhala. And to celebrate the upcoming Diwali festival, Swiftkey has released a special Diwali theme.

The company revealed that the updated Swiftkey app will be available later, however the language update will be available in beta on Google Play’s official beta channel. Meanwhile, the Diwali theme will be available today onwards.

Swiftkey had earlier also added support for Hindi to Hinglish in its language support options back in 2012. The company also mentioned that it has changed the SSL certificates for better and secure connections used for SwiftKey Cloud’s Backup and Sync services.

The availability of regional languages would certainly be appreciated by Indian customers. The app is currently taking user feedback for smoother adaption.

October 10, 2014
Clarion Brings Out an Android-Based Infotainment System in India

Last night at an event held in New Delhi, Clarion, a Japanese manufacturer of car infotainment and communication system, launched Clarion AX1. Clarion AX1 is a first of its kind Android based car stereo in India.

According to the company, Clarion AX1 is a complete infotainment device and promises a new and exciting experience for all gadgets and tech enthusiasts. The Android based infotainment system is compatible with any smartphones and allows you to browse the internet through Wi-Fi connectivity. However, there’s no Google Play, so you’ll be downloading apps through Clarion’s own app store in which maps are handled by iGO.

Running of Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread with automotive customization, the Clarion AX1 Car Stereo is equipped with 6.5-inch LCD capacitive display together with an ARM Cortex-A8 processor and 1GB of RAM. In addition to more traditional IVI features such as AM/FM radio, GPS navigation and Bluetooth streaming, Clarion AX1 includes leading-edge features such as Wi-Fi connectivity and portable hotspot/tethering, app store access to buy and download music, compatibility with Android smartphones/tablets, audio/video playback via USB and SD input, full HD to enjoy videos in 1080p, 6.5-inch capacitive multi-touch display and rear camera input capability.

Clarion has also tied with T-series which will give the users access to wide range of music albums and songs. The Clarion AX1 is priced at Rs. 55,990 and will be sold exclusively through Supreme Audiotronics in India.

October 10, 2014
HTC Updates Zoe launches new M8 Eye and Adds EYE to its Software Arsenal

HTC has updated its Zoe offering and added the new EYE camera features to its new lineup of devices and a software update will enable this on previous gen “Compatible” devices. With the new Eye software, HTC plans to improve front camera experience, it enables face tracing even on video calls to get crisp focus on your face.

HTC has launched a new HTC M8 Eye, which is essentially the same hardware as the HTC One M8 with the new Eye update. Which will be shipped out to existing M8 devices within 15 days according to HTC.

Combining simultaneous photos and videos taken on the front and back cameras into one split-screen image or video, something similar to the FrontBack App/ Crop-Me-In lets you be the creep in your own pictures by cropping yourself into your images or basically making “photoshop” like quick edits on the go.

Voice Selfie removes the need for awkward hand contortions by enabling you to trigger the shutter release with a simple command. Simply “say cheese” as soon as you’ve struck the perfect pose or trigger the video recording with “action” or “rolling” commands. HTC says they will allow customizations on this soon.

New HTC EYE adds earlier experiences such as face fusion, and Live Makeup, where you can set the desired level of skin smoothing and preview the effect in real-time before the image is captured.

The new Zoe comes with a live video editing App, which will allow you to fuse in your pictures and video along with music to create fun films on the go. HTC called these highlight reels.

Zoe 1.0 brings flexibility to the community, enabling short, medium and long Zoes that can be made up of just a couple of still images. HTC has enabled the streams from RE to be featured in Zoe video highlights are automatically generated and ready to share. Stay tuned for updates.

October 9, 2014
Micromax Plans to Bring a CyanogenMod-Powered Smartphone in India

According to CounterPoint Research, Micromax has raced fast to become the biggest mobile phone company in India by replacing Samsung. But the company still has a reputation of dismal after sales service. The company has also been slow in delivering software updates that are really important. Now it seems like the company has the found a partner who can take care of some of its woes.

Micromax will be partnering with CyanogenMod to bring a phone running on a custom OS in India. CyanogenMod is extremely popular, especially amongst advanced users. It is an open source operating system for smartphones and tablet computers, based on the Android mobile platform. It is also the default operating system on the flagship killer, OnePlus One.

OnePlus One Runs on Cyanogen and it’s a great user experience.

A feature that will be appreciated by most users is the regular updates on the system. Phones running CyanogenMod get regular updates, and they give amazing themes and customizability features. Also, it gives an almost stock experience and hence lets you get better performance out of your phones. It also provides cool button options like long-pressing the volume buttons to switch music tracks.

Micromax will not just get a good OS here, it will be an updated OS. The company seems to be adressing one of the major complaints it has been facing. It won’t really be wrong if it moves its entire line-up to Cyanogen. But that might not happen considering Micromax is in a serious business with Google through the Android One devices. Google had previously tried to buy CyanogenMod to improve the Android development team, but they turned Google’s option down.

This move by Micromax might be advantageous for the company. They plan to bring the device out by the end of the year. That’s when we’ll know if Micromax got this right.

October 3, 2014
Limited Stock Moto 360 Goes on Sale Today

You have waited for this device for a long while, and now it’s finally here. Comeback Superstar Motorola’s 1st generation Smartwatch, the Moto 360 will be listed for sale by mid-day today. The device will be priced at Rs. 17,999.

It is one of the few Android Wear devices with a round display. Though this display does tend to cut the corners of the content but it is nothing to lose sleep over. Just like an update cleared the battery woes of existing users, a future update can get the round screen friendly UI.

The Moto 360 responds to your voice with voice control which makes it easy to get things done, even when your hands are full. Just say, “Ok Google” and you can send texts, set a reminder, check the weather, and even ask for directions.

The device will go on sale at MId-day.

The device can also be used as a health monitor; it comes with Pedometer and Optical heart rate monitor (PPG). It has a 1.56-inch LCD display with 320 x 290 resolution (205ppi) with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It has IP67 rated water resistance. The device is powered by 320 mAh battery which now lasts a lot longer since the update.

At present, the company only has a limited stock so you can expect the device to run out of stock soon as there is a huge demand for it. So if you were on the lookout for one, now would be a good time to log onto your Flipkart account.

Watch us go hands on with the Moto 360 here:

October 3, 2014
Dual Screen YotaPhone May Come to India Soon

Russian Smartphone manufacturer Yota is now ready to step onto the Indian soil. The company is probably going for a tie-up with Flipkart. The Indian E-tail giant accidently listed the phone on their site before taking it off moments later.

The phone listed on the website is the Yota C9660, which was showcased at CES 2013. It is a one of a kind device. The USP is its back-to-back dual screens. On one side is the usual LCD screen, while the other side is an eye-friendly E-ink display which is great for reading e-books.

Both screens have 4.3 inch displays. The LCD is a 720p HD screen(342 ppi) whereas the opposite side has a 640Ã—360 pixels E-Ink display (170 ppi).

The phone is powered by a 1.7 GHz Dual core, Snapdragon 400 processor. It comes with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. The phone is currently running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean but might be upgraded to Android KitKat through OTA updates. It gets its juice from an 1800 mAh battery.

On the camera front the Yotaphone provides a 13 MP camera on the back but has a paltry 1 MP front camera for selfies.

There haven’t been any official announcements as of yet, but this is one interesting device that comes with some decent specs. It is a great device for those who like to read on their mobile devices but don’t want to carry e-readers like Kindle. It is a true amalgamation of the best of mobile devices, and we’d definitely like to take it for a spin.

October 1, 2014
OnePlus Expected to Continue the Invite System and Launch OnePlus Two in 2015

OnePlus had taken the smartphone market by storm with their flagship killer, the One, which sure sounds like a Matrix reference. The phones unique features and high-end specs at a convenient low price have won hearts globally. The biggest hitch with this excellent phone is its lack of availability. In a Reddit AMA(Ask Me Anything), OnePlus’s Carl Pei and David S answered many important queries about the future of the company.

The company said that they misjudged the demand for their phones. According to them, they underestimated the demand for their phone and now they are “scrambling to catch up.” The team they established wasn’t big enough to handle the gargantuan demand, and so they are hiring like crazy. They are hopeful that the situation will normalize in a few months.

OnePlus said they underestimated the demand and are now scrambling to catch up.

The disappointing bit of the AMA was the revelation that the invite system is not going anywhere at least in this year. It was previously reported that the company will be doing away with the invite system for a pre-order system. Carl Pie said, “We understand that our current method may be slowing our growth down, but we’d rather grow slower and in a healthy way than take too much risks and go out of business. Risk management is extra important in our scenario where we don’t have hardware margins.”

The most prominent announcement was about the successor to the mighty OnePlus One. The new phone, OnePlus Two will be launched by the second or third quarter of 2015. It is a good enough time span considering the future-proof OnePlus One will continue its formidable stand in the market for the considerable future. OnePlus Two will also come with Android L pre-installed. This phone too will begin sale with an invite system but will gradually be rolled out through pre-orders.

They also said they are considering the requests for reducing screen size for their next device.

The company said they were considering the screen size issue as that is one request they have been getting bombarded with. The 5.5 inch screen is just too big for everyone. The company has made it clear they will not be bringing it down to iPhone 6’s size of 4.7. We think a 5.0 or 5.2 inch is a great size that everyone can get used to. They said they would continue using the IPS screens instead of OLED’s as they cost more, and their benefits are not really worth the extra bucks.

OnePlus also said that they are testing products in various other categories, but are not sure of what they’ll release into the market. They said “The Nexus tablets are pretty good. We don’t think we can make anything significantly better in the near future.”

Overall this was a great discussion. We appreciate the honesty of the folks at OnePlus, who didn’t leave their potential customers in the dark. Now we just hope that the next OnePlus device is as epic as its current sibling.

October 1, 2014
Samsung Launches Groupfie Friendly Galaxy Grand Prime in India

Samsung today released the Galaxy Grand Prime in India. The phone is being touted by Samsung as a Groupfie friendly phone which means that it will let you take wider selfies with more folks in the picture.

The phone comes with a 5 MP qHD (960×540) PLS TFT display. The phone has a width of 8.6mm, which brings it in the slim line-up of phones. It is powered by 1.2 GHz Quad Core processor. The RAM on the device stands at 1 GB and has 8 GB internal storage that is expandable up to 64 GB. The device is powered by a 2600 mAh.

The star of the phone is the 5 MP front camera. The camera has a wide 85-degree view for taking wide selfies or groupies. The back camera on the device is an 8 MP shooter.

The qHD display is a disappointment considering many phones in this price range offer 720p or full HD display. There could have been more power under the hood too. Samsung had a good plan in hand for a group friendly phone for the festive season where people actually want to take lots of photos, but they cheapened out on the display and processor which can turn against them. Considering the unfavorable opinions received in the market by Samsung it should have made a better effort with this phone.

September 30, 2014
Gionee Brings the Affordable CTRL V4S to India

Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Gionee, known for making the slimmest smartphone has brought a new phone to India. The device is called CTRL V4S and is released for the ongoing festive season.

CTRL V4s is a dual-SIM device. It has a 4.5 inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 480×854. It is powered by quad-core 1.3 GHz, a minor improvement over its predecessor, the V4 that came with 1.2 GHz under the hood. The device comes with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage which can be expanded to 32 GB.

The main camera on the device is an 8 MP shooter. On the front sits a 2 MP selfie shooter. The battery on the device is 1800 mAh piece which might provide a decent power backup. The phone runs Android KitKat 4.4. out of the box.

The phone is 7.8 MM thin.

A feature that will be loved by most users is the HotKnot. Using this, users can exchange files instantly between two phones by holding the screens together. It can be an alternative to Bluetooth transfers that requires a bit of operating knowledge and patience to finish the transfer.

The device is priced at Rs. 9,999, which might be slightly steep for the specifications. A 720p display would have been appreciated at this price and would have been in favor of Gionee. This still sounds like a good enough design and the HotKnot feature can come in handy. We now have to see how the market responds to this device.

September 30, 2014
New Update for Moto 360 Fixes its Battery Backup Issue

The Moto 360 was the single most awaited wearable this year. On its launch, the device found a lot of customers willing to get their hands on it. But one of the major issues with the much sought after device was its battery backup. Some users even claimed that the device didn’t even work for an entire day. An iFixit teardown also found that the battery was less than what was claimed by Motorola. Motorola released an update recently to address the issue, and it seems to be working.

The Moto 360 comes with 1.56 inch LCD display along with 4GB of internal storage and 512 MB of RAM. Its power source is a 320 mAh battery and has been the cause of worry for the device owners.

Several owners of the Moto 360 on Reddit have claimed that the battery performance has dramatically increased following the new update. Some have even claimed that the dreaded ambient light which drained most of the juice is also performing well.

The usual complaint was that the battery wouldn’t last a day, but users are now reporting that the issue has also been solved to an extent. But it is still a software based tweak and can be affected by future updates. But as of now it is a necessary update that will give a full day’s worth of functionality of the device.

The Moto 360 will be arriving on Flipkart around the first week of October, and this seems like a good news for potential customers. The folks who were reconsidering their Moto 360 purchase can now stop. But the update is still software based. Motorola needs to find a way to extend the battery life further, otherwise it will add to the menace of chargeable devices one needs to take care of at the end of a work day.

September 29, 2014

Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Galaxy Alpha: Which Smartphone is Better?

Samsung today launched the Galaxy Alpha in India. The design of the Alpha incorporates a metal frame that encases the phone. This design feature was carried on to the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The phone comes with almost the same features as the Galaxy S5. So we test the specs of both devices to check out which one would be the better device to buy.

Specs	Galaxy S5	Galaxy Alpha
Display	5.1 inch Full HD (432 ppi)	4.7 inch 720p HD (312 ppi)
Processor	Exynos 5 Octa 5422 (Quad-core 1.9 GHz Cortex-A15 & quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7)	Exynos 5 Octa 5430 (1.8GHz quad-core Cortex A15 + 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex A7)
RAM	2 GB	2 GB
Storage	16/32 GB	32 GB
Expandable up to	128 GB	–
Main Camera	16 MP	12 MP
Back Camera	2 MP	2.1 MP
Battery	2800 mAh	1860 mAh
Operating System	Android Kitkat 4.4.2	Android Kitkat v4.4.4
Price	Rs. 35,489	Rs. 39.990

So overall the only major difference between the Galaxy S5 and the Alpha is the LTE capabilities of the Alpha. The Galaxy S5 starts at Rs. 35,489 on Flipkart and comes cheaper than the Alpha. If you are looking for good value for your money, we suggest you get the S5 itself considering the severe shortage of 4G connectivity in India.

Also the S5 gives you upto 128 GB of expandable storage whereas the Alpha lacks the feature. So if you were looking for a premier device, the S5 is still a valid purchase. The Galaxy Alpha sure gets style points, but that’s never good enough.

September 27, 2014

Xiaomi Mi3 Coming Back to Market Close to Diwali

Xiaomi never fails to create a buzz. The company which recently postponed the sales of the Mi3, to put focus on the Redmi 1S, has said the blockbuster handset is about to make a comeback.

The Xiaomi Mi3 didn’t just sell like hot cakes, it overshadowed all other smartphone manufacturers. The entry of the Chinese brand was a giant seismic shake for the populated mobile phone market.

Xiaomi plans to have a comeback flash sale for the MI3 around Diwali

The company has said that it plans to bring back its bestseller to the market close to the festival of Diwali. This was announced at the Global Mobile Internet Conference in Bangalore by Xiaomi India head of operations Manu Kumar.

Reportedly, Xiaomi is also working on a “priority pass” system which will directly send the device to the carts of folks who have tried ordering and failed previously. Flipkart is currently working on the execution of the priority pass. This plan can be used by e-tail giant for future sales too.

Xiaomi will also be bringing its latest flagship and the successor to the Mi3, the Mi4 somewhere around the end of the year. The sale of Xiaomi’s Mi3 saw immense number of registrations. Although most of them had to return disheartened as the limited handsets weren’t enough for all who waited with baited breath to buy the device.

Currently, Xiaomi has been holding flash sales for Redmi 1S on Flipkart. It has held five flash sales, and the maximum amount of time the phone was on offer was 5.2 seconds. Considering the previous cases, one can easily anticipate a massive stampede to get the device. Also, the news of the launch of Mi4 might dissuade some folks from getting the Mi3. But as the Mi4 is expected to be launched starting at Rs. 22,000, the Mi3 might still be a viable option for people looking for the most bang for their buck.

September 26, 2014