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REVIEWS – All tech reviews by iGyaan.in

  • Xiaomi Redmi 1S Review : Can’t Beat This

    Xiaomi Redmi 1S Review : Can’t Beat This

    The Xiaomi Redmi 1S went on Sale for a price of Rs 5999, with a limited 40,000 phones for sale and the phone got the usual response. But is the phone worth the mega hype that it has created? Lets find out!

    Overview

    The Redmi 1S just like the Xiaomi phones in the past has built a burning desire in everyones hearts to own the phone, it comes with an impressive price tag and a good spec sheet. The performance on the phone is excellent and everything just seems to be too good to be true. The Redmi 1S will truly change the market perception for starting – lower end smartphones.

    Hardware

    [pullquote_left]Loaded with Hardware![/pullquote_left]

    Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chipset the Redmi 1S has a Quad Core 1.6 GHz CPU the Adreno 305 GPU, 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of inbuilt storage. The front of the Redmi 1S has a 4.7 inch 1280 x 720 p display a total of 312 ppi it’s protected by Asahi Dragontrail glass and is an IPS panel. Cameras comprise of an 8 MP snapper with a wide f2.2 aperture and a 1.6 MP front camera. The Main camera is capable of a 1920 x 1080p Full HD video capture.

    Xiaomi Redmi 1s Unboxing 16

    The phone runs on a 2050 mAh battery pack, which is replaceable, has dual SIM card slots, one of which is a 3G (GSM-WCDMA) and one is 2G (GSM). The Redmi 1S also has a memory card slot to add a memory card upto 64GB.

    Build quality and Design

    The Redmi 1S is a pretty good looking phone, it’s not Moto G, but then it’s almost half the price.  The replaceable back panels give you the ability to give the phone a personal look and feel. The phone is essentially made out of plastic, but in no way does it feel cheap or poorly built. The front has a Asahi Dragontrail glass, which many argue that it is equally good when compared to Gorilla Glass variants.

    [pullquote_right]Buttons are not Backlit![/pullquote_right]

    The buttons are nice and tactile, for volume and power. The touch buttons are responsive and easily reached, they however are not backlit, which is rather disappointing, and difficult in low light situations and at night.  The phone has a good fit and feel in the hand, the edges are soft and the outsides curve to match the shape of your hand really well.

    Performance and Gaming

    We were surprised to see the performance from this sub Rs. 6000 handset. The UI is fast and responsive and you really cannot complain about the performance of this handset. Usually budget phones end up being turnoffs, however the Moto E changed that in the past and the Xiaomi Redmi 1S tops that by almost double.

    With an average of 330 MB of Free RAM available at all times, the Redmi 1S also has a built in app kill switch that frees up the RAM for usage. Overall the phone is capable of delivering more than you can expect from a phone in this budget. Our Benchmark and Gaming video shows you exactly that below.

    The Gaming is pretty good too, even though really graphic intensive games will not work on full graphics, the phone is able to handle gaming pretty decently and without duress. You will get good viewing angles, good touch response, and great gaming feedback. Audio from the speakers is a bit low but acceptable.

    Camera

    As far as the Camera is concerned, you will be surprised to see what this phone can achieve. You get the exact same UI from the Mi3 for the Camera app and an excellent 8 MP sensor that does Full HD video, where most struggle to even do video in the first place at this price. Composition of the shot is quick and autofocus is snappy, colours are a bit dull – and contrast is pretty acceptable. We like additional options like filters, HDR and delayed shots all of which works well and intuitively. You also get quick face detection and a zero lag shutter; mighty impressive.

    Android and MIUI

    [pullquote_left]MIUI is fantastic![/pullquote_left]

    Even though you get an older version of Android, I don’t see people complaining anytime soon. The phone is really fast and responsive and thanks to the awesome MIUI overlay, there are additional functions and shortcuts that one can really learn to appreciate.

    The version of MIUI is also fairly old, however, there is an imminent update promised for the Redmi 1S to MIUI v6 by the end of the year. You get Google Now style weather updates and notifications, iOS style app layout and folders, and lots of skinning options. All of this with very little load on the RAM and the CPU department, ensuring smooth sailing throughout.

    Even though competition is currently offering Android KitKat and more soon, Redmi 1S has the capabilities of holding its own, mostly thanks to the enabled hardware. The future update is expected to free up some RAM on the phone making performance much better, giving you an average of 420 plus MB of free RAM vs the current average of 320-340.

    The Phone also has a lite-mode which was initially intended for senior citizens, but however in the indian edition is been designed to give an easier usage experience to the first time user.

    Phone and Battery

    Phone networks ar good, but not great. We feel that there is a low network reception indoors with the Redmi 1S when compared to other devices. Outdoors however is great and we have no complaints with audio quality on the incoming or outgoing while on a call.

    Battery life is not the best, on an average the phone will run out before end of day, and if you are a heavy user, expect to carry a charger/ powerbank at all times. Xiaomi is also planning to sell additional spare batteries and external battery chargers.

    With the existing battery expect 5-6 hours of real talk time, or a mix of internet usage and apps with 3-4 hours of talk time.

    Conclusion

    While the Redmi 1S is going to have the same issues like the Mi3, i.e. the lack of available units to sell, service centre issues, Flipkart selling woes, and what not. The Redmi 1S still makes for one hell of a device for one hell of a price, that you can’t beat right now. The hardware is equivalent to devices almost twice the price and performance even better.

    [pullquote_right]You simply can’t beat this Phone![/pullquote_right]

    The phone is good looking, well built and supported with respect to the OS and UI, with the added advantage of cheap accessories and quick updates one really can’t complain. For the price you will not find a better device, even if you add another 50$.

    REVIEW VIDEO

    [tw-column width=”one-half”]

    GOOD THINGS

    • Super Cheap
    • Excellent Hardware
    • Flexible Software
    • Great Optics/Camera
    • Fast and Intuitive
    • High Resolution Display
    • Large Display

    [/tw-column]

    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

    BAD THINGS

    • Lack of Units to Sell
    • Still on Android 4.3
    • Horrible Sale Method

    [/tw-column]

  • REVIEW: Sandisk Ultra Dual On-The-Go Pendrive

    REVIEW: Sandisk Ultra Dual On-The-Go Pendrive

    Ever since the inception of multimedia enabled phones, one question that has bothered the users is the storage space of these devices. Listening to the complaints, many companies have added the expandable storage feature, which is without a doubt, one of the most important feature of the phones. With the companies providing easy accessibility in terms of storing data as well as installing app data on the SD card, some of those issues are addressed. But what about devices which only have limited storage options like the blockbuster MOTO G which only comes in an 8 or 16 GB option. And what if you are a multimedia hoarder and even with expandable memory, you are not satisfied with the storage space. Here the SanDisk Ultra 16GB Micro USB 2.0 OTG Pen Drive
    will come for your rescue.

    The Sandisk Ultra is a boon for OTG devices with limited storage
    The Sandisk Ultra is a boon for OTG devices with limited storage

    The Sandisk On-The-Go Pendrive is a tiny dual sided flash drive that comes with a USB 2.0 jack on one end and a micro USB slot on the other end. It is available in 16,32 and 64 GB variants starting at Rs. 629. The drive attaches to your OTG enabled phones and is recognized easily on the phones we tested the drive on.

    On the design front, this drive has a protective casing for both USB ends. The casing clicks when it completely covers the USB to secure the ends. But while dropping it head on to the ground for testing we found that the micro USB side would slide back on impact, exposing the head, which is a bit of a worry. The micro USB end is also a bit tiny so you may have to take off the protective casing on your phone to connect the device. The middle portion with is sturdy and easy to hold.

    speed sandiskThe drive’s read and write performance though are not satisfactory. In our test we found the reading speed was 16.86 MB/s whereas the writing speed was 10.75 MB/s, which is almost a third of the USB 2.0 speeds. But with the convenience it offers, some may overlook the low transfer speeds.

    SanDisk provides a downloadable app, Memory Zone. This sleek looking app has a user friendly interface and allows you to password-protect your content. It also lets you sync your data with cloud storage options like Dropbox, Google Drive or Box.

    Overall the tiny, one of a kind device is functional with some  flaws. Considering its price and what it offers it can also be considered a value for money. Sandisk needs to work on the speeds of the device, immediately and make the casings better so they don’t expose the Micro-USB end.

     

    [tw-column width=”one-half”]

    GOOD THINGS

    • Convenience
    • Portability
    • One of a kind

    [/tw-column]

    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

    BAD THINGS

    • Poor speeds
    • Build quality of micro USB casing

    [/tw-column]

  • LG G3 Review

    LG G3 Review

    LG has remained an underdog in the Android smartphone race for quite a while. In 2012 when Google formed a liaison with the Korean manufacturer for the Nexus 4, LG was suddenly back on the map. LG simultaneously launched global versions of the Nexus devices known as the “G” phones. The first one aka Optimus G was very well received and appreciated for its performance and looks, and the G2 which was the Nexus 5 version of LG’s flagship lineup won several accolades.

    The LG G3 was not something most were looking forward to, in fact no one was really waiting for the G3. With Samsung launching one of the most disappointing flagship Galaxy S phones in many years, the HTC One M8 more or less stole the thunder in the top tier of the Android Market.

    Does LG’s late arrival of the G3 slow down its acceptance in the market, lets find out!

    LG G3 review 19

    Overview

    The LG G3 took the market by storm at launch, the G3 is the first commercially available phone from a big manufacturer to feature a brilliant 2K resolution display. But LG also improved a lot of other things with the phone, a removable back panel, laser autofocus and more, making it possibly the right kind of eye candy and by pricing it well a superior and rounded phone.

    Hardware and Innards

    The LG G3 is more or less up there with specs and internal hardware, a Snapdragon 801 chipset and Adreno 330 GPU. You also have two easy memory options, one with 16 GB storage and 2GB RAM and the other with 32 GB storage and 3 GB RAM. The removable battery and memory card slot are a major boon to everyone who is planning to buy this phone.

    LG G3 review 13

    The Pièce de résistance of the LG G3 is the marvellous 5.5 inch 2K resolution display, aka 1440 x 2560 pixels, which makes it a crazy 534 ppi on the display. LG has also bumped up the optics with a 13 MP camera and laser autofocus which will also capture 2160p video at 30 fps and 1080p video at the same 30 fps.

    All of this for a good under Rs. 50k price bracket for the higher GB variant.

    LG G3 review 5

    Build Quality and Design

    Even though the phone is completely made from plastic and has a removable back panel, it has a far superior build quality when compared to the Galaxy S5. It’s almost like a impressive plastic version of the HTC One M8, also very identical to the HTC One E8 in terms of the build.

    Design wise the LG G3 is beautiful to our eyes, the front of the handset is absolutely stunning with thin bezels and that gorgeous display. The brushed finish of the back panel replicates a metallic look quite a lot, and we are really happy that LG improved on the G Flex’s design to get this finish.

    Rear Buttons
    Rear Buttons

    Just like the G2 the buttons on the G3 are at the back and have been improved to become easier to use, they look much better too. The edges of the G3 are also more rounded and the phone feels fantastic in the hands. The front is laden with Gorilla Glass 3 for added strength and usability.

    Design wise LG has improved quite a lot and really built a better G2 which in itself was pretty good-looking.

  • Xiaomi Mi Power Banks Review

    Xiaomi Mi Power Banks Review

    They were promised and here they are, the latest offering from the ferocious Chinese brand Xiaomi. The company has brought out their two Mi power banks in India which will make other power bank manufacturers really restless. With massive capacity and modest pricing, the devices, might indeed sell like hot cakes in the world of juice thirsty smartphone batteries.

    The device comes with a rubber case and charging cable.
    The device comes with a rubber case and charging cable.

    Now these devices look sure look impressive. This is what you get when you take inspiration from Apple products. The soap bar sized Mi power banks are quite the convenience to have. We tested out the 10400mAh version for you, and it is available in a 5200 mAh variant. The Mi power bank has a textured anodized aluminum casing that covers the entire battery and has a smooth metallic finish and fits in your hand. It is claimed to be water and corrosion resistant. The surface is a bit slippery but that can be easily addressed by using the rubber case provided with it.

    Though it’s a slight bit heavy, about 250 grams, but with its massive capacity, the owners won’t mind lugging around some extra weight. The LED indicators for battery level especially stand out against the unadorned surface.

    The LED indicators stand out on the device.
    The LED battery level indicators stand out on the device.

    The company claims that the Mi power bank is capable of charging the MI3 for about 2.5 times, an iPhone for 4.5 times and an iPad 1.5 times to full capacity which is quite impressive. With these power banks, you can worry free throughout your weekend trip.

    The Mi power banks have been designed by the famous Texas instruments. Xiaomi claims that their technology was developed with safety and efficiency in mind. The power banks use chipsets to stabilizes the discharge voltage and make the device safer, durable and efficient. The devices are said to be 93% charging conversion rate for each device, which lets it charge different devices at their output levels.

    Its massive capacity can handle all your charging needs for the weekend
    Its massive capacity can handle all your charging needs for the weekend

    Xiaomi has done extensive testing before bringing the portable chargers to the consumers. The USB port on the Mi power banks have been tested for 1500 removal cycles, and the MicroUSB port have faced 5000 removal cycles. Apart from these tests, the Mi power banks were tested for extreme temperature conditions; 70 degrees, 96 hours for high temperatures, -40 degrees, 96 hours for lower temperatures. These might make them for comfortable use all around India. Though we will not advocate you testing these parameters without proper scientific guidance, this is to prevent you from blowing your face off.

    Coming to the issue of the moolah. How much does a chipset based Mi power banks cost? Here’s for your eyebrows to do some work- the 10400 mAh comes at a price of Rs. 999/- and the 5200 mAh comes at 799/-. Yes, that’s how it is, and No we did not miss an extra figure or a zero in the middle. At this price, the whole Xiaomi Mi3 disappearing act will be reenacted with these power banks.

    Get it, it sure has got some style points.
    Get it, it sure has got some style points.

    Overall we charged a couple of our devices to full charge, and we had two LED’s still asking for more devices to juice up. The only concern with these is the absence of a second USB port which would have let us use its massive capacity to charge two devices at once. We will keep a vigilant eye on the device for now and keep you updated if the power bank fails to perform as it is advised. For now, go ahead and get in line for the Xiaomi Mi power banks.

    Tech Specs:

    Model NDY-02-AD
    Battery Type Lithium-ion rechargeable cell
    Power Source DC 5V
    Input Voltage DC 5.1V
    Input Current 2.0A (TYP)
    Output Current 2.1A(TYP)
    Rated capacity 3.6V/10400mAh(TYP)
    Charging time 5.5 hrs with 5V/2A plug and standard cable12 hrs with 5V/1A plug and standard cable
    Size 90.5*77*21.6mm
    Load detection Auto-detect the plug-in and plug-out of devices
    Safety Input OVP, OCP, Output OCP OVP, short protectioncell protection including OVP OCP, thermal protection during charge and discharge stage
    Out of power protection Awake once plugged to the charger
    Charging temperature 0°C-45°C (TYP)
    Discharging temperature Initial – 10°C~+50°C(TYP)Continous -20°C~+60°C(TYP)
    Weight 250g
  • Gunnar Optiks Review : Do You Want Or Need It?

    Gunnar Optiks Review : Do You Want Or Need It?

    Today’s scenario do not let you escape the eye strain of screens, displays, LCD, AMOLED and what not. Result is, all that gaming, cellphone and television takes a toll on your eyes. Issues like dry and itchy eyes, headaches among others are becoming a common complain from tech related workforce. Gunnar Optiks hopes that you’re willing to drop some bank on making your eyes more comfortable. The company says their glasses can save the stress on your eyes caused by constantly looking at the screen and possibly save you some eye life. 

    gunnar3

    Gunnar offers you a variety of glasses, ranging from usual display glasses to 3D and gaming glasses too. The gaming and display glasses are almost identical. They come in various designs to suite your frame and taste. The downside is that you can’t really try them before you buy the glasses. But you do get to choose from a variety of styles and sizes they offer.

    gunnar
    Intercept Computer Eyewear

    The glasses range roughly from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 5000 in Indian market. The one we got for review are Regent and Intercept computer eyewear and Gliff 3d glasses. These are very comfy glasses and have a metal frame and the strain reduction glasses have yellow tint on them. The yellow tint do hinder with the your surroundings as well as the overall white balance of your view. 

    gunnar2

    So, if you’ve been viewing TV or playing your PlayStation a lot lately, wearing these glasses will, give a completely different hue that sort of tends to take away from original experience initially. After you have worn them for a while, you will go oblivious to its their existence on your head. Although again, the yellow tint may not be liked by some folks, but the glasses do reduce the strain on your eyes to quite an extent. If you are on screen for more hours than you sleep, these glasses will certainly help you reduce the effect on your eyes and help gi your eyes an extended shelf life.

    As far as the 3D glasses are concerned, they are very impressive. 3D glasses by Gunnar are much better than the ones you get at the movie theaters. They don’t darken up the whole view, they are light weight, and are really comfortable when compared to the usual 3D glasses. They give an actual 3D experience with better depth and clarity without compromising the picture quality.

    gunnar1
    Gunnar Intercept Gaming Eyewear

    Futhermore, there is not a big market for these product right now. In a normal day scenario, if you are not spending a lot of time on screen, you may not require these products. But, as we said earlier, if you spend more time on screen than you sleep, these might be worth a try. Honestly, the only downside here is that you will end up spending a couple or more thousand bucks for these glasses. But if you do get to save your eyes, it will be an automatic payback in long run.

    The end decision is obvious, need vs want. We can’t tell your accurate efficiency as there is no way we can measure it. But, it is surely a good bet if you are looking for a product that helps counter the heavy strain you subject our eyes to.

  • Xiaomi Mi3 Review : Get it Now!

    Xiaomi Mi3 Review : Get it Now!

    The era of saying, “that’s a Chinese phone” in a negative manner may have finally ended, and that will be purely thanks to the fact that a lot of Chinese manufacturers are ready to put that norm to rest.

    With Gionee taking the market horses by the reins last year, Xiaomi is the latest player and is ready to play in the heated battle zone with the right approach for India.

    Xiaomi mi3 Review 12

    OVERVIEW

    India is the most price sensitive market in the world, one of the largest markets for Mobile Phone users, even those who switch handsets frequently. The country is flooded with manufacturers and brands trying to reach a level of excitement in the mobile space. With the Xiaomi Mi3, the Chinese manufacturer hit the right note with Indian buyers, by simply launching the product. There was a huge demand for a good budget phone; However Xiaomi dissolved their overheads by launching the product at a marvellous price of Rs 13999/- for the 16 GB variant.

    The stocks are very limited, and only those who preregister can buy the phone. Every few days the phone will go on sale on shopping website Flipkart, making it excruciatingly difficult to own one right now. What makes it more painful is the long list of dealers who have multiple accounts on Flipkart, waiting to snatch this phone, just so that they can sell for a markup.

    Is the handset really worth all that worship? Let’s find out.

    BUILD QUALITY AND HARDWARE

    Let’s say this, finding a phone this well made, for this price, is practically impossible. The Xiaomi Mi3 is encased in a solid brushed aluminium shell and laden with Gorilla Glass 3 in the front. Possibly one of the only phones with a reinforced micro USB port, the Xiaomi Mi3 has held no bars in design and build quality.

    The rigid frame also gives it fantastic looks and the rounded sides and edges relate to the fit in the hand, and it all feels great. Each time you pickup the Mi3 the first words out of your mind would be “No way this costs only Rs. 13999?.

    Xiaomi mi3 Review 9

    Hardware wise, the Xiaomi Mi3 is pretty top notch, unlike its latest version; the Mi4, the Mi3 carries a Snapdragon 800 chipset with quad cores clocked at 2.3 GHz, a full HD 1920 x 1080p IPS LCD display made by Sharp or LG, 2 GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and a whopping 3050 mAh battery. Apart from that you get the Adreno 330 GPU and Bluetooth 4.0 LE along with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac.

    Just putting the parts together will cost you more than a phone. However someone at Xiaomi has the right contacts with suppliers.

    Xiaomi mi3 Review 10

    ANDROID AND MIUI

    The Xiaomi Mi3 in India comes preloaded with Android 4.4.2 out the box, which is skinned with MiUi, a very iOS like skin which does not contain an application drawer. The UI is fast and snappy and offers a lot of customisations including themes which can be downloaded from the Mi Store. The Mi3 will give full access to the Play Store and allow for launcher downloads as well as launcher replacement if so be the case.

    The UI is snappy and not laggy at all, the phone has good multitasking capabilities and will blaze through the live applications, despite few software glitches, that may often cause slowdowns and crashes.

    PERFORMANCE AND GAMING

    The phone is a beast for the price range. It does not break any records as per say, but is truly top notch in its price bracket, in fact pretty much compares to phones in double the price bracket. The phone runs through mostly all our tests and scores good results in our benchmark tests.

    Test

    Score
    Quadrant Benchmark 20376
    Antutu Benchmark 30537
    Nenamark 60.0 FPS

    As far as gaming is concerned, the Mi3 can handle anything that is thrown at it, basically, any game that exists on Android will run on the Mi3, which is mostly thanks to the heart of the handset being a Snapdragon 800 – one of the most stable chipsets when it comes to apps and software.

    We gamed on the Mi3 extensively and found it to be seamless and smooth, although the 16 GB runs out, and it runs out fast. You would be better waiting for the 64 GB variant if gaming is your bit because space is tight.

    The Xiaomi Mi3 is excellent in day to day use and offers excellent performance, whether its running apps or multitasking, you will not be disappointed.

    MULTIMEDIA AND CAMERA

    The Xiaomi Mi3 has a beautiful display with excellent viewing angles and a full HD resolution. Xiaomi has gone as far as calling it a “retina” display, because the panels are made either by LG or Sharp, both of which supply to Apple for the iPhone.

    The display is big and bright, and you will enjoy consuming media on this phone, the audio is excellent out of the 3.5mm jack, and you will be happy with the overall experience. The onboard speaker is not overly loud, but can be adequate, of course, which could be different for different folks, we would have liked a better speaker though.

    Xiaomi mi3 Review 6

    The camera is the best in class, with a 5 element lens and f2.2 aperture, the 13 MP shots are right on the money. The colours are accurate, and images are perfectly sharp. Low-light performance is excellent, and video is good. The front camera is good for 2
    MP shots which will more than suffice for the selfie nerd in you.

    Xiaomi mi3 Review 8

    PHONE AND BATTERY LIFE

    Phone networks are strong, and network performance is good where we tested (Delhi/NCR and Mumbai), the phone supports 3G networks mostly globally and without issues in India. There is no 4G/LTE and expecting it would be inappropriate.

    Battery life is impressive thanks to a well balanced chipset, which helped us get through almost two days without a recharge on the 3050 mAh battery pack.

    Talk Time 6-7 hours
    Music 19 hours
    Internet 10+ Hours

    CONCLUSION

    Just a few months ago, Motorola broke the bank in India by launching the Moto G in this price bracket using a similar sale strategy (the Flipkart way). Now Xiaomi seems to have this in their pocket for the Xiaomi Mi3 and possibly for the Mi4 in the near future. There are several complaints, already of handsets with faulty Sim card trays, heating issues and handsets that refuse to boot or get charged.

    Around 35-service centres will offer, support and Flipkart has a brilliant reverse pickup for faulty and dead on arrival products. So device and support “should not be” a problem. However, there is no clarity on who is behind the sales, an Indian partner or the company itself? How dedicated are they and how serious do the consider one of the larger mobile markets?

    Xiaomi mi3 Review 7

    With confirmed news of the new Mi4 coming soon, and OnePlus showing interest in India, the Mi3 may be a miss for some. However for those who need a phone now, it doesn’t get any better than this. If you were considering a last generation Nexus 5, this overthrows that with half the price. Get the drift? Now get the phone!

    Buy Now

    [tw-column width=”one-half”]

    GOOD THINGS

    • Excellent Build
    • Uber Hardware
    • Stunning Looks
    • Android 4.4 and MiUi
    • Excellent Performer
    • Great Battery

    [/tw-column]

    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

    BAD THINGS

    • No Official Company to find
    • Flipkart only Sales
    • Limited Units
    • Faulty on Arrival Units

    [/tw-column]

  • Micromax Canvas Gold A300 Review

    Micromax Canvas Gold A300 Review

    Micromax has recently transitioned into a newer dimension of phones, from bulky and dated phones running older versions of Android, the trend is now to get shapely, sleek devices with Android KitKat out of the box. The current flagship, aka the Micromax Canvas Gold A300, is a testament of that, and while the Canvas Knight was burning our desires (quite literally), the Golden boy here may have turned our mood around. Let’s see how it holds up.

    canvas gold a300 review 6

    Overview

    [pullquote_left]The oddly questionable gold colour is far from that of the iPhone 5s[/pullquote_left]

    The Canvas Gold A300 is yet another flagship Canvas phone from the company that promises a roundup of interesting elements. A good set of specifications, great build quality, design and good optics, giving it a big thumbs up on the premium look and feel. Even though most have called it a replica of the iPhone 5s in a bigger version, the oddly questionable gold colour is far from that of the iPhone 5s.

    Hardware and Build

    Running the Canvas Gold A300 is an Octa-Core Mediatek 6592T chipset clocked at 2.0 GHz tied up with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of Storage. 25GB of the 32 GB is available to dump your media, games and files. The rear camera is a 16MP shooter with a 5MP front camera which does an impressive job with selfies (see camera section)

    canvas gold a300 review 14

    The front has an impressive and vivid 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080p display this is surprisingly visible outdoors and has good viewing angles. The phone has dual SIM capabilities and can run data on 3g on both cards. The Sim slots comprise of a full size SIM slot and a micro SIM slot on either side of the device.

    The phone is manufactured out of a “single billet” of aluminium alloy with slots for antennas in plastic on the rear of the device. The phone is readily available in two variants, a Gold+White and the Gold+Black, the only difference being the plastic inserts and the colour of the bezel.

    canvas gold a300 review 20

    Apart from the exceptionally golden – gold colour the phone has a pretty good design, and the metal is nicely finished to give a great feel in the hand. The beveled edges of the phone quite replicate the iPhone look, seen specifically iPhone 4 and up. The flat lay-on-the table design will be appreciated by owners quite a lot, although a fatter lip for the front would have given a strong protection to the screen albeit taking away a bit of the slim profile of the smartphone.

    Phone and Networks

    The phone is unique in many ways, instead of selection your data network, you can have data on either SIM, which is great. The weird combination of Sim card sizes may work for some people, especially if they don’t want to cut/get micro SIM cards vs. regular sized ones.

    canvas gold a300 review 4

    The networks are strong and audio in and out of the phone is impressive. The network remains positively active even during tower switches, and we didn’t see a huge problem with dropped calls.

    The WiFi seemed a bit low to us, and in our initial tests seemed weak.

    Multimedia, Display and Camera

    For most media is playable on the Canvas Gold A300, and we found nothing to complain about, the audio could be a little bit louder in our opinion. The music output from the headphones is a lot more impressive when compared to any previous handset, the “flaming knight” included.

    As far as the video playback goes, the display does a fantastic job, jitter-free vibrant video playback. The phone is capable enough and will deliver a good experience to most users.

    canvas gold a300 review 3
    The camera system is a good hardware and software upgrade, and the 16 MP sensor is big enough to give a noise free low light performance. The day shots are noteworthy and brilliantly saturated to give a larger than life photography experience. The camera app is simplistic and new features like 99 shot continuous burst along with tap-hold to track subjects actively will come in handy for video.

    Video capture frame rates are slow to display on the screen, in fact when you are capturing video there seems to be a lag in the screen aka the viewfinder. But, we were testing a pre-production software and apparently this has been fixed in the final build. Video is captured at a resolution of 1920 x 1080p at 30fps just like many other handsets in this bracket.

    Performance and Gaming

    The Canvas Gold A300 is a star performer scoring great results on benchmarks and showing excellent performance in daily use overall. You will be happy multitasking on this handset as it can handle app switching very well and thanks to inbuilt RAM management the phone automatically drives resources to the active application. The apps in the background use the adaptive suspend from Android KitKat.

    Thanks to all this software and management goodness, the gaming experience is excellent, with heat at a minimum. The device does heat up from around the camera with extended periods of use, however the minute you are done you will be happy to put the phone in your pocket and move out. Games have a superfluid experience along with excellent touch screen feedback and responsiveness.

    Battery Life and Conclusion

    The battery on the Canvas Gold A300 lasts a good full day of use, and thanks to KitKat and power management you will not be searching for the charger in a hurry. The bloatware on the Canvas Gold A300 has been brought down to a minimum, and most of the preloaded apps useful, those which are not required can be gotten rid of.

    With a software update thanks to FOTA, the device may get Android L (hopefully) and with the company working to fix their service issues the Micromax Canvas Gold seems like a good overall product. With little or no complaints from the hardware and excellent UI including a new keyboard (Swiftkey) pre loaded for use, most will be happy with the device out of the box.

    With more options in this price bracket including Gionee Elife S5.5,  the Moto X and the Desire 816 it will mostly come down to user requirements.

    Review Video

    [tw-column width=”one-half”]

    GOOD THINGS

    • Build Quality is Impressive
    • Powerful Hardware
    • Great Battery
    • KitKat and FOTA Updates
    • Cameras are sharp

    [/tw-column]

    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

    BAD THINGS

    • Strange Gold Colour
    • No Lip around Display
    • No Included Case

    [/tw-column]

  • Moto E Contender, The Lava Iris X1: Full Review

    Moto E Contender, The Lava Iris X1: Full Review

    The Moto E is one tough nut to crack. Other Android phone brands despise it. Companies like Micromax and Lava and others were taken aback by the spectacular performance of the Moto E and the huge appreciation it has received in India.
    Lava X1 is Lava’s challenger to the Moto E, and we’ve already had a hands on with the device. Now we take a detailed look into the phone to see how it scores up against its competing low budget KitKat devices.

    Design, Hardware and Build:

    Design though "inspired", is good to the eyes
    Design though “inspired”, is good to the eyes. Especially the touch panel

    The phone is another Lava phone with iPhone-esqe design features, using a lot of plastic. The device is light to hold in comparison to the Moto E, which is heavy on weight and features. The back cover looks extremely flimsy, but Lava provides a flip cover in-box and that is one good point about the Iris X1.

    The screen goes to sleep when the flip cover is closed. The volume rocker buttons are marked on the cover and can be easily pressed, so they’re quick to access when traveling. The only issue with the flip cover is its affinity to attract dirt. Lava has provided three microphone openings for active noise cancellation.

    Unlike the Moto E, the X1 can be appreciated as it has the power button and the volume rockers on right and left side respectively, which is much simpler to use.

    Another attractive feature is the capacitive touch buttons at the bottom of the screen. These buttons are invisible in the bezel and light up when you need them.

    Display and Multimedia:

    The text is good to read on X1
    The text is good to read on X1 even at 281 pixel density.

    The 4.5 inch screen on the device is an IPS display. The resolution of the screen is 854 x 480 pixels. The display is capable of good color reproduction. The blacks are predominant on the display, and that gives a pretty saturated color. The viewing angles are a bit of a disappointment as the screen tends to dim down when viewed from the side.

    2 finger multi touch is disappointing.
    2 finger multi touch is disappointing.

    The display only supports two finger multi-touch. This flaw makes gaming on the device no fun. The display also has a matte feel which doesn’t feel all that smooth.

    The videos and images look good on the display. Though sometimes, the videos tend to get choppy. Even games like Candy Crush Saga and Subway Surfers had a jerky performance.

    Camera:

    The X1 holds a 8 mega pixel auto focus camera with LED Flash. The image is captured using a BSI sensor. The secondary camera is a 2 megapixel shooter. The camera is decent for the price point. It is definitely better than the five megapixel shooters that are dominant at this specifications range.

    The camera shoots videos at a maximum of 480p which maybe a downer for many.

    Phone and Battery:

    Screen Shot 2014-06-20 at 7.52.29 pm

    The X1 is powered by 1800 mAh battery. Lava claims it gives a standard talk time of about 9 hours 45 minutes. The phone would last you a whole day on regular use.

    The phone keypad is pleasing to the eyes and easy to use.

    Android and UI:

    Screen Shot 2014-06-20 at 7.22.22 pm
    Simplistic KitKat is the best thing LAVA did.

    The operating system running on the Iris X1 is a fairly unhampered Android KitKat OS with minimum bloat-ware. The only add-ons are an FM radio, a torch and the Office suite. This basic look gives full customizable options in the hands of the users.

    Performance and Gaming:

    The phone has a 1.2 GHz Broadcom quad core processor. It is supported by a 1 GB RAM and 4 GB ROM. Even with a quad core processor, the phone has several lags and might get annoying after a while. The phones normal functions are decent, but the multimedia performance needs a performance boost.

    Conclusion:

    The Phone is a decent try but Lava needs to buck up on the performance issue.

    Lava seems to have come out with the device in a haste, and they could have worked more on it. Of course, the company lacks the innovation capability and years of experience that Motorola Mobility has. The phone has a good look, and the untampered Android KitKat is its strength. Lava does have to learn some lessons from the X1 and hopefully the X2 (if it ever comes out,) will have fewer of X1’s flaws and more of its fortes.

    [tw-column width=”one-half”]

    GOOD THINGS

    • Capacitive Touch Buttons
    • Active Noise Cancellation
    • Good Design
    • No Bloatware Android KitKat
    • Flip Cover

    [/tw-column]

    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

    BAD THINGS

    • Two Finger Multi Touch
    • Low Processing Powers For Gaming
    • Plasticity Feel
    • Price High for Segment

    [/tw-column]

  • HTC Desire 816 Review

    HTC Desire 816 Review

    The HTC Desire 816 is the newest entrant from HTC in their so called Mid Range product lineup of Android based Smartphone devices. The Desire 816 has Dual Sim Capabilities and supports CDMA networks alongside the GSM networks.

    The HTC Desire is a good mix of looks, brain and brawn, but does it tackle a market well versed with hardware at a price point of a Nexus smartphone. Lets find out!

    Overview

    The HTC Desire 816 is the prettiest looking Desire we have seen yet, and it manages to do that in a an ironic rugged fashion. The phone musters up the strength to take on the likes of great phones like the Nexus 5, Moto X and Sony Xperia T2 in this price segment offering something extra.

    Design, Hardware and Build

    HTC has managed to hit the nail on the head when it comes to design in the past couple of years, with the One series of phones coming out stunning, one after the other. The Desire 816 is one phone that is completely inspired by the One M8 however keeping costs low, it brings a new material to the users. The design is very unique, blending a matte plastic edge with a glossy plastic back gives the phone two independent looks. The Front keeps the plastic chin and the head at a minimal, the front mostly has glass.

    Desire 8163

    As far as hardware goes the Desire 816 also has a great mix of that. Running the insides is a Qualcomm MSM8928 Snapdragon 400 at 1.6 GHz on Quad Cores along with an Adreno 305 GPU. For memory we have 8 GB of Storage, 1.5 GB RAM and expandability of upto 128 GB via microSD card. Optics shave enhanced quite a lot and you will see impressive results from the 13 MP main camera and 5 MP front camera both capable of impressive 1080p, impressive because its quite accurate with respect to color and white balance.

    Desire 8166

    Powering it all is a 2600 mAh battery pack, the front has a 5.5 inch Super LCD 2 display with a 1280 x 720 p resolution and 267 pip. However the display is actually better than it sounds on paper. All of this works in tandem with Android 4.4.2 kitkat OTB with HTC Sense 6.0, which has some new unique things to offer up. Finally the Desire 816 in India is a Dual Sim device with One 3G Sim card slot and one GSM aka no data slot.

    Make no mistake the phone is “unapologetically plastic”, however the build quality is superb and does not feel cheap or flimsy at all. In fact, the “slab-ish” feel that you get from the moment you pick up the phone is pleasantly reassuring. The phone is presently available in three colors – Grey , White and Orange.

    Display and Multimedia.

    The HTC Desire 816 has a brilliant display, that looks great from the moment you first hold the device in your hand. The 5.5 inch Super LCD 2 display offers excellent brightness and great wide viewing angles. Almost every time you turn on the display you get a slight smirk on your face as to how beautifully HTC manages color and how good this screen looks. For the geek squad the 720p screen may not be a let down, it’s actually better than almost every other 720p display we have seen.

    Desire 81612

    Movies and videos play perfectly on the Desire 816, with no lag whatsoever, even while high bitrate movies are difficult to view, they work exceptionally well on the 816. Multimedia playback is a good mix of visuals and audio experience, the Boomsound speakers contribute to the latter. The new speaks have large cavities and the sound almost competes with the likes of the new M8, which by itself says a lot. Their new audio engine also does an equally good job as the beats engine did, when the company still made phones with Beats audio.

    Desire 8161

    Camera

    The cameras on the HTC Desire 816 are not far from impressive, with excellent color reproduction, no banding in images, and excellent video capture. Both cameras capture video at Full HD 1080p resolution and the video is smooth and jitter free.

    Desire 8167

    The camera works well in all kinds of lighting, although in extreme dark environments the Desire 816’s flash may not hold up to the mark. The camera is fast at focusing, and delivers mostly sharp results.

    While taking a different approach from their One series of phones HTC has actually added a big sensor in this one , a 13 MP snapper will satiate the most needs.

    The new Camera features in Sense 6.0 including ZOE is available on the HTC Desire 816, however you won’t see the UFocus option from the HTC One M8 because its hardware dependent.  Although HTC could have gone the Sony and Samsung Route and used “Selective Focus” softwares.

    Desire 81611

     Phone and Battery

    While the Desire 816 uses 2 SIM cards, like most lower end phones it has only one slot for a 3G sim card. Both sim cards need to be Nano Sims to fit in this bad boy, which might have been a movement decision vs a design or need decision on such a large device.

    The Phone call network strength is very good, and data connectivity is strong funnily in places where phones usually end up in “E” (edge) mode, the Desire 816 hangs on to the one last bar of “H” (3G/HSDPA), which by all means to us is very impressive. The Desire 816 also supports CDMA which is a fantastic thing, and makes the Desire 816 the best dual sim CDMA phone in this price bracket.

    Desire 8168

    Battery life is phenomenal, you will easily bump one day of use and go into the next without worries. This is probably the only phone we have seen in the past that offers up this kind of battery life. However this is respective of usage, and may vary.

    Talk Time : 6-7 Hours

    Music and Multimedia : 9-10 hours

    Internet : 7-8 Hours

    Android and UI

    Android KitKat along-with Sense 6.0 is a fantastic combination, just as we saw on the HTC One M8. HTC is now also promising quick updates to their handsets and we have seen updates roll out and almost all of their handsets released in the past few years are running KitKat. This means that we can rest easy when hoping for updates to the latest version of Android.

    The Blinkfeed UI has become more and more acceptable and according to HTC over 79% of HTC owners are actively using Blinkfeed. The new Blinkfeed interface lets you add custom lists and sources as per your needs.

    The Interface is infact, very customizable and intuitive and HTC offers a lot of sounds and wallpapers etc, to keep you busy for a very long time (incase you choose to use them.)

    Performance and Gaming

    The Desire 816 is a crack performer, no lag whatsoever, even when storage runs out. RAM is managed exceptionally well and fluidity of the ecosystem is constant. Muti-tasking works just the way it was designed, and while you could be easily switching b/w apps, they are actually put in a hibernate mode allowing the continued smooth performance.

    All games are compatible and work well, the storage remains a limitation, and most games cannot be transferred to the SD card, which is slightly disappointing. You get approx 4+ GB free and although move to SD works in most cases, some games like GTA SA cannot be transferred and end up using 2.5 GB /4 available.

    Conclusion

    Honestly, HTC had us at the first look of the phone back then at MWC, but now with that gorgeous display, impressive build, fluid UI and impressive optics and multimedia, the Desire 816 is becoming more and more worthy of the “best title”, already winning the Best Dual Sim phone with CDMA in the under 30,000 category.

    Desire 8160

    The HTC Desire 816 may be a tad large for some but it fits comfortably, and is an excellent phone with solid network strength. What you get for the price is a well rounded phone, with many features that will satisfy mostly all demographics.

    If you are in the market for a phone that does CDMA as well, the 816 becomes the obvious choice, however despite there being many phones in this price bracket. The Desire 816 offers possibly the most satisfying experience.

    Best Price

    [tw-column width=”one-half”]

    GOOD THINGS

    • Well Built and Snappy
    • Well Responsive
    • Excellent Design and Looks
    • Great Cameras
    • Android KitKat and Updates
    • Sense 6.0
    • CDMA and 3G GSM Capable

    [/tw-column]

    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

    BAD THINGS

    • Internal Memory Low
    • Nano SIM Slot could have been Micro
    • None, really!

    [/tw-column]

  • Motorola Moto E Review : It’s Time to Switch

    Motorola Moto E Review : It’s Time to Switch

    Its not often you see a phone sell out hours from launch, especially in India. The Motorola Moto E saw sales skyrocket the minute the handset went on sale, and there is a good reason behind it. The Moto E is built on the philosophy of the Moto X and the Moto G, two phone essentially responsible for bringing Motorola back into the same game they had originally started back in the day. But is the Moto E good enough to live up to the hype? and is it the only thing Motorola needed to defy all logic and become prominent again? Lets find out!

    Overview

    Motorola is trying to change the need of the hour, by re organizing spends and delivering Android in the purest form. The Moto E is a perfect example of what a user needs from a budget device. It lives up to almost any needs in this spend, however there is no kitchen sink.

    Build Quality and Hardware

    The Moto E is exceptionally well built, in fact if you put the Moto E and the Moto G side by side, there is hardly any noticeable difference in the build quality of both devices. The Moto E has a brilliant mix of quality materials and reinforced design along with a gorilla glass 3 front that will ensure that no one is disappointed with the phone. The Moto E also boasts water resistance and has an unknown IP coating that we will be soon putting to test. However the company claims that the handset is splash proof, just like the G and the X.

    The Moto E also comes with customization options like replaceable back panels and special rubberized grip panels that will add color and strength to the already solid phone.

    Moto E 1Hardware wise we are not empty either, the Moto E runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 chipset on dual cores with 1 GB RAM and 4 GB storage, an Adreno 302 GPU completes the mix ( it is read as 305 in benchmark apps) . You have a 5 MP camera at the back, that does not live upto anything, and then there is the 1980 mAh battery which is simply wow. The display is a 4.3 inch 960 x 540px capacitive panel with great color reproduction and brightness.

    1980 mAh battery which is simply wow.

    The Moto E is a dual sim phone, which will create mobile hotspots using your 3G connection and can tether upto 5 devices for the use of 3G data. Battery life does not drain and the hotspot feature is very stable. The phone also has a nice white notification light on the right of the earpiece, that breathes once you get a new notification and goes away the minute you pull down the notification panel (you can disable this from the settings panel)

    UI and Android

    There is less to say here, it runs a sort of pure, yet tweaked version of Android 4.4.2 Kitkat out of the box. You do get two bloatware apps which can be uninstalled (oh thank god!) and some useful Moto apps like Moto Assist, Migrate and Alert. You might find yourself using these more than once. The great thing about Motorola’s intention behind a pure Android experience, unlike other manufacturers, is that the company plans to deliver updates almost as soon as Android gets updated in Mountain View (Google HQ). The Moto E also has a FM radio which will be appreciated by many, the FM reception is solid and the earpiece is needed as an antenna.

    [pullquote] lives up beyond expectations and still remains very responsive[/pullquote]

    The OS is buttery smooth and honestly you can’t ask for more from the handset, it lives up beyond expectations and still remains very responsive. This phone will be the benchmark for all phones going forward in this price bracket.

    Battery

    The Phone will beat all odds and defy all logic when it comes to battery performance. The Moto E can even run some heavy games, albeit one at a time, but games like Asphalt 8 runs on this US $ 120 phone and it is actually playable.

    Battery life is also excellent from this dual sim handset, once you get over the initial phase of playing with the phone, most users should expect a good 1.5 days of use on this phone, with talk times running into 6+ hours in most cases with both sims installed.

    Basically Motorola has a beautifully built rom of Android, that does not leak RAM and drain power, cellular antennas are strong so network searching is minimal and  hence battery is saved there as well.

    Phone and Networks

    The dual SIM capability is just like the Moto G, and there is no surprise there. Calls are smartly forwarded to the next number once a SIM is busy. The network strength, as mentioned in the previous segment is surprisingly powerful and we are happy with the overall quality of networks and the call drops or the lack thereof.

    moto e igyaan 6

    Microphone and earpiece speaker are great and both sides will be pleasantly happy with the loud volumes.

    Display, Camera and Multimedia

    For all the coverage you have already seen, you should be aware by now that, the Moto E has the best possible display in this price bracket. Stop looking at specs and look at the actual quality of the display. It is crisp and bright, even outdoors, its got great viewing angles, its got gorilla glass 3 and smudge proof coating (which is brilliant by the way) and it is insanely responsive for an under 10k or even under 8k phone (INR).

    Moto E 34

    The Camera is there, because its there. Honestly don’t plan on becoming a lifestyle fashion photographer with this phone (unless you already own a fancy camera). The fixed focus camera is there because they wanted people to have a camera, and it solves purely that purpose. That being said whatever pictures are clicked in good lighting and end up in focus, have good color reproduction and almost no noise. See samples: (coming up)

    The LED flash is missing which is quite a shame. More than the need of a flash for the camera, consumers in this price bracket would have appreciated the LED flash as a torch. We really love our phone torches Motorola, our streets are not very well lit!

    Multimedia wise, Motorola did a few good things; the speaker is now in the front, and not easily blocked by the hands, so it doesn’t muffle with ease. The audio is loud and clear, with a balanced output and an impressive sound from the 3.5 mm headphone jack. Lose the included handsfree for some real headphones to truly enjoy that audio bit. Display, like mentioned, is good so watching video or playing games is really enjoyable on this powerful budget device.

    Conclusion

    It takes a lot from a company to not make us so excited about a product, in fact India and many other nations in general appreciate the intent of the company. The Moto was sold out within hours of launch of sales in India, on the online shopping website Flipkart. This phone leaves little to complain about, it is well built, has great specs and features bundled with a unique and stock Android experience that will leave many happy. This is the best “first phone” for those wanting to jump the feature phone/Blackberry ship to a uber – budget Android device. It is also customizable with panels on the exterior and has a Gorilla Glass 3 and splash proof front making it a pseudo rugged, long lasting handset.

    moto e igyaan 0There are, however, major flaws in the current positioning of the phone. The handset is supposed to be an average mans everyday phone. It is supposed to be a emplacement for a feature phone and it’s supposed to be a phone for the masses and on a low end budget. This category of user is currently not happy or capable of shopping online. So by the time the phone gets sold from Flipkart and reaches the masses, the price escalates to Rs. 10000 and more, thanks to black market dealing and short supplies on this impressive product.

    Motorola has made a fantastic phone, a phone that is truly a reason to switch from an old gen phone to Android on a budget. Why should you have to spend tens of thousands, when all you want is a phone that works well and gives you some basic functionality. Well the Moto E is here and it has changed the perception of the budget phone in our eyes. If you want to take our word for it, then the Time to Switch is Now!

    (Note : the scoring below is entirely based on the Price vs ratio of each)

    [tw-column width=”one-half”]
    GOOD THINGS

    • Well Built
    • Responsive
    • Stock Android
    • Great Display
    • Great Audio
    • Solid Phone and Network
    • Excellent Battery

    [/tw-column]
    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]
    BAD THINGS

    • Camera is Torrid
    • Low Availability, Sold on Flipkart Only
    • No LED Flash

    [/tw-column]

    Buy Now

  • Moto X Review : The X to Rule Them All

    Moto X Review : The X to Rule Them All

    Motorola has finally made its way back into the Indian market and boy has it arrived. After the superbly successful launch of the Moto G in the Indian Market, the company has made available the new Moto X. Does the Moto X have the capability of surviving the Indian market, a market so powerfully taken over by brands in the lower tier and predominantly by companies like Samsung and now Sony. Lets find out!

    Moto X 7

    Overview

    The Moto X is the best return a company like Motorola can make. With an massive evolution on design strategies and understanding the importance of a form factor, Motorola showed that they are ready to give the people what they need. The Moto X is built on a Google experience, a pure Android Experience, almost Nexus like, but better. The custom addition and hands free operations only add to the usage capabilities and experience, and while this may be one of the best handsets in the market, has it come at the right time in India, is what one must really ask.

    Moto X 6

    Build, Design and Hardware

    Motorola is known for their build quality, with their US specific DROID line up or even with their Moto Defy series of phones, the company has made a mark for their robust hardware. The Moto X is no less, the handset is well built with a great mix of good material and protective design. The bezel raises slightly above the glass on the front to give the front glass protection from direct scratching.

    The Moto X is another one of those phones, that even though available in India, does not give us the custom experience it offers users in markets like the US. No you cannot choose between wood finishes and color options, and no you cannot sign your signature and give it a name. The motomaker tool is only for the US and its a pity that the experience could not be brought to India. The Moto X available in 6 color options along with a wood option but no customization.

    Moto X 5

    Hardware wise the Moto X is held up with a Qualcomm MSM8960Pro Snapdragon chipset with a dual core 1.7 GHz CPU, you will also get an Adreno 320 GPU. On the inside is 16 GB storage with a higher price 32 Gb variant and 2GB of RAM as standard. The battery is a 2200 mAh unit and the cameras are 10 MP rear and 2 MP front, both with 1080p video capture. 

    The front has a 4.7 inch 1280 x 720p AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass, the handset will only accept a single sim card and does not have a  removable back panel or micro SD expandability.

    Moto X 17

    Display, Multimedia and Performance

    The Moto X is laden with a 4.7 inch AMOLED display, it has great outdoor visibility and good levels of brightness. The display can proudly boast excellent viewing angles and contrast output. The display however does have the blueish tint that we have seen in the past on AMOLED displays.

    The X can handle all forms of media, taking into consideration a lower end of the specs spectrum. This will playback full 1080p videos without lag or stutter. The speakerphone is not the best but its pretty loud, and in most cases you will not need additional speakers. The audio output from the 3.5 mm jack is also refined and loud.

    Moto X 14

    The Moto X is designed to run Android, and you will get a device that does exactly that. Even though hardware wise the Moto X is limited to a dual core processor, an average user will not feel the grunt of this. However if you are looking for a peak performer the Moto X will not be the handset you may be looking for.

    Most games will work out of the box and almost all will run lag free, over a period of time if you have a lot of applications running you will see a slow down in performance while gaming, and the only way to fix this is to reboot.

    Thanks to Android 4.4.2 KitKat, the Moto X has a much lighter version of the Android OS, one that is not very resource hungry, therefore ensuring good stability and smooth usability of the handset.

    Camera

    The fact that the Moto X has a better than average camera is well known, but its also one of the most accurate to capture color and exposure value. The camera is very snappy, and comes with very little shutter lag. The 10 MP camera will live up to its name in most situations and deliver promising results. The LED flash is not very loud and does not disrupt the color of the image, and may only help in low light conditions and not complete utter darkness.

    Video is shot in Full HD at 30fps with stereo sound and HDR capabilities. Video capture is impressive with stable lag free video along with precise color monitoring and audio capture.

    HandsFree Operation

    moto x screens 6

    In India, the training phrase is “Ok Google Now” and it allows you to do almost all imaginable things that a phone should do, from executing searches to calling people and answering phones. Its a feature that allows you to wake up the phone without needing to press any button or physically touch the handset. See our Review video for a full demo.

    Essentially its a version of Google Now that’s listening for you to say “Okay Google Now!” so that you can avoid tapping the mic icon.

    It also is not the perfect companion, for e.g. you can’t ask for navigations to “a concert” but only to specific addresses. Although the feature can come in handy, we have found many keep it off, purely to save battery and accidental phone calls.

    Phone and Battery

    Phone networks are stable, and like most phones in this price range the Moto X lacks LTE, not that we need it yet. Audio quality in phone calls is impressive too with crisp sound coming in and going out, with little or no network loss while in conversation.

    Battery life is impressive with one day’s use easily available to the owner. Talk time can be rated around 6 hours thanks to the lower end chipset and relatively low power consuming dual core setup.

    Conclusion

    Moto X 13

    The Moto X is a beautiful product, delivering an Android experience the way it was designed to be delivered. However, with a recent launch in India, the Moto X is slightly underpowered, over priced and lacks customization, so its really not the same experience as it is for a US Moto X owner.

    The phone is however a stable handset and would work as a wonderful gift, to a person who is not a very high end user of a smartphone, or as a first phone to those looking for a “perfect Android experience.” The minute you try and exploit the Moto X for extreme use, you will start to see its incompetencies. It will handle almost anything and everything you can throw at it as long as it does not include the kitchen sink.

     [tw-column width=”one-half”]

    GOOD THINGS

    • Built well
    • Good updates
    • Super fast and responsive
    • Hands free works well
    • Great multimedia and camera
    • Long lasting battery

    [/tw-column]

    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

    BAD THINGS

    • Slightly pricey
    • Low on the spec sheet
    • Restricted availability
    • No customization

    [/tw-column]

  • Gionee Elife S5.5 Review : Slim Awesomesauce

    Gionee Elife S5.5 Review : Slim Awesomesauce

    Gionee announced the ELife S5.5 at MWC 2014 and launched it in India early April. For a price of Rs. 22900/- the handset also takes on the moniker of the “Slimmest Phone in the World”. But, does this handset compromise on performance and capability because its slim? Lets find out in our Review !

    Gionee Elife S 5.5 14

    Overview

    The Gionee ELife S5.5 comes only a year after the company started operations in India. With claims to become Top 5 vendor in less than 5 years the company seems to be headed in the right direction. The few handsets in the past have shown us that the company not only focuses on bringing handsets into the market but also ensures that the user experience is good. With previous handsets like the E6 and E7 winning us over the S5.5 shows a great mix of design and performance at a good price.

    Gionee S5.5 26

    Build, Design and Hardware

    The build quality on the new Elife S5.5 is superb, a perfect mix of Gorilla Glass laden exteriors mixed with a structure based on a hardened aluminum alloy. The buttons are also made from metal, and have a premium and tactile feel. At first it seems that the bezel is flush with the glass but is actually slightly, almost not noticeably, raised, giving the S5.5’s glass design some protection from flat drops.

    The frame itself has been designed to release shock and therefore drops should not easily shatter the glass. The phone can take quite some damage and almost show no signs of wear and tear, the frame is metal so expect it to scratch easy.

    Gionee S5.5 7

    Design wise the S5.5 is very very good looking, especially in the Gold and White variant. The company has ensured that everyone gets a version they like and the colors should help in that. The phone has a very premium design and the finish on the handset is very rich.

    Gionee S5.5 11
    Hardware wise the Gionee Elife S5.5 somehow seems to find a good balance. A Mediatek 6592 chipset with 8 cores clocked at 1.7 GHz a Mali450 MP4 variant GPU, 2 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB storage capacities. The main camera sensor is 13 MP and the front camera sensor is 5 MP both with 1080p capture.  Battery is on the low side with just 2300 mAh under the hood, however with the slimness of this device in consideration, its a pretty high value.

    UI, Performance and Gaming

    The Elife S5.5 comes with Android 4.2.2 out the box with no official word on updates to Android 4.4 aka KitKat. However the highlight of this is the new Amigo 2.0 UI which has been put right on top of Android. Now, unlike skins, it is a rebuild of Android, similar to the likes of Cyanogen and MIUI. The newer Amigo is much faster and more responsive than previous builds. The improvement also translates into installed applications, which include “power booster and performance booster” the two of the most significantly useful preloaded apps till date. The performance booster allows you to ban apps that forcefully startup on powering the handset, therefore considerably improving the free ram and performance of the phone.

    The handset is stable and powerful enough to handle daily tasks and also the extremities you might want to expose it to. Heat management is also much more controlled than the competition, possibly because of the lack of a turbo variant of the MT6592 chipset.

    Gaming is impressive and lag free in most cases, most games are compatible out of the box and run smooth. Audio could have been louder and we have expressed this in the past. The screen is beautiful and the dimples on top and bottom somehow not only make it look good but also provide adequate grip for holding the device in landscape.

    Dimple for grip?
    Dimple for grip?

    Camera

    The big disappointment is that there is no 4k video capture, especially when most companies are moving forward with the same trend. The chipset is very capable, the module of the camera is very capable, the hardware is very capable, the only problem seems to be extra large video files, and the lack of SD card slot may be the biggest reason to blame for the lack of 4K capture.

    For the camera, the colors and saturation is near perfect, with no problems with exposure or white balance. Images are crisp and autofocus works really well, even up close. Video is also good with no lag in video capture, it is also worth stressing that the onboard microphone for video is exceptionally good.

    The front camera is equally good with 5 MP on the badge, pictures are clear and it works well in low light conditions. If you are a selfie fiend, then this might just be right up your alley.

    Phone and Battery

    The Gionee Elife S5.5 comes with a globally unlocked 3G capability, so this single sim device will come in handy for the global traveller. However the lack of 4G is really worth a notice, especially considering we are not far away from launch of said services in India (Or so we are made to believe).

    Gionee S5.5 13

    The networks are solid and the phone holds its connections mostly throughout the range of the conversation. The inbuilt noise cancellation is good but not comparable to the likes of flagships from Apple and Samsung. Audio coming in and going out is crisp, loud and clear and honestly we really have nothing to complain about in the phone department and thats saying a lot.

    Gionee Elife S 5.5 20

    Battery life is the most we could expect from this handset, and honestly with the kind of hardware inside, and the lack of a bigger battery we were expecting much less. You will still get a days use of the phone even if you talk upto 5 hours on this and then use it some.

    Conclusion

    The Gionee Elife S5.5 shows that new players can have great phones, where many Indian counterparts have let us down. Gionee tries to deliver a complete package, a custom UI, a great built device, a good set of hardware along with impressive performance and battery life. All this at a fairly low price when compared to the market value of flagships. However it does let us imagine why things like a microSD card slot are left out, features like 4K video capture and 4G networks are ignored for markets like India. Even if as a higher price option, consumers deserve an option to choose a handset which is more capable. And what about those KitKat updates?, why can we not simply get a handset that runs Android 4.4. out of the box.

    Gionee Elife S 5.5 17

    The Elife S5.5 impressed us,  now if the company can roll out a KitKat update consider us sold. The color options, the impressive build quality, and great hardware are just the beginning, the UI is good and so is the overall experience. There are other options in the market, the Moto X delivers faster updates handsets from Samsung and Sony also now belong in this category. Honestly the Elife S5.5 deserves a chance because it sort of sits above the rest, sort of!

    Gionee S5.5 25

  • The HTC One M8 Review

    The HTC One M8 Review

    HTC’s latest One the M8 has caused a stir and then some in the smartphone market, but does it really have what it needs to make the cut for a flagship smartphone. Lets find out in our review!

    htc one m8

    Overview

    HTC has done some great things with a revision of their flagship phone, the original one, which was also voted and won “the phone of the year” award many a times last year and at MWC 2014 this year.  Holding up to that mark may have been difficult but it looks like HTC might have a real winner here.

    Build Quality

    Three words ; 90 percent metal, thats all it takes to describe the new HTC One M8. Versus the outgoing One, which had 70% metal and then some polycarbonate. The One M8 has a 90 percent metal single shell thats not only strong, but uses the most extreme machining processes to make it curve to front of the handset in the most beautiful manner. The build is much more solid than the previous version and actually holds up pretty well against drops.

    htc one m8 29

    The HTC One M8 is also splash proof, why no one talks about it is because they don’t want you splashing water on your phone. If you do accidentally spill coffee or milk (if thats your thing) the phone should survive. The front has a Gorilla Glass 3, which means that it has better visibility, strength and scratch resistance than the M7, which held up pretty well in all of the three aspects.

    htc one m8 15

    Hardware

    HTC has stuffed in the best of the hardware into the new HTC One M8 barring a few things, including a larger mega pixel camera and 4 k capture.

    OS
    Android 4.4.2 KitKat
    Display
    5.0 inch Super LCD3
    Resolution
    1920 x 1080px
    (441 ppi)
    Height
    Width
    Thickness
    146.4 mm
    70.6 mm
    9.4 mm
    Weight
    160 grams
    Processor
    Snapdragon 801 chipset
    Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400
    GPU
    Adreno 330
    RAM
    2GB
    Storage
    16GB/32GB
    microSD card slot
    Yes, up to 128GB
    Primary camera
    Dual 4 MP, 2688×1520 pixels
    Front camera
    5 MP
    1080p@30fps
    Battery
    Li-Po 2600 mAh
    Battery life
    Standby: 496 hours
    3G talk:20 hours
    Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
    Bluetooth
    Yes, v4.0 LE with A2DP
    Network
    Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
    Quad-band UMTS/HSPA
    LTE support,
    LTE-Advanced
    NFC
    Yes
    Speakers
    Stereo
    Distinctive features
    • Dual UltraPixel cameras
    • Aluminum body design
    • Front-facing BoomSound

     Display and Multimedia

    Are you ready for BoomSound? This phone is loud, louder than you can expect, much more than you can imagine those tiny speakers to be. Seldom would you ask for additional speakers if you alone use this phone. The sound quality is crisp and not tinny at all, mids are clearly balanced and highs are placed well, larger sound cavities (25% larger) ensure better bass.
    htc one m8 14
    The display is impressive too, most would ask for a 2k or a 4k display in a 2014 flagship, but honestly one can’t complain. The HTC One M8 has a gorgeous 5 inch 1920 x 1080p LCD 3 (441ppi = 100 more than the eye can see) display with excellent brightness, accurate and vivid color and impeccable viewing angles. The display is great indoors and out with a extra sensitive touch which will work through most gloves (even though HTC doesn’t say it will).
    htc one m8 25
    If you plan to watch movies on this device, you will thoroughly enjoy that activity. the perfect mix of great viewing angles and excellent sound make the HTC One M8 a brilliant consumption device.
    htc one m8 11

    Software and UI

    The HTC One comes with Sense 6.0 and Android 4.4.2 out of the box. The new version of Sense is a highly refined version of Sense 5.0, the interface is clean and more minimal. The icons are free looking and more defined and modern, while the Blinkfeed UI is bolder and more aligned with the vertical flow.

    The new Blinkfeed is highly customizable, with the ability to select your own feeds and inputs the new feed allows you to sort and stream from sources and topics of interest. The fact that you can search for “cat whiskers” and add it as a feed so that whenever anyone in the world talks about them you will see an update in your feed.
    It is one of the most mature UI updates we have seen in a while.
    HTC has mostly kept it simple with the software customizations to ensure the smoothness of the operational usage. It is one of the most mature UI updates we have seen in a while. Not that it is completely stripped, you still get a customizable notification panel, HTC keyboard, themes and color options and a whole flurry of wallpapers and sounds. You can still change the grid size of the app drawer and sort it as per your own needs. You also get features like the car mode, and this brilliant ultra power saving mode that will run the device for up to another 20 hours on very low battery power.

    Camera

    What HTC has here is possibly the future of smartphone camera technology. While smartphones are getting compacter and thinner by the day the need of a high end camera in a phone is going up. With almost everyone using their smartphones as their primary camera manufacturers are struggling to find the right balance.
    htc one m8 9
    The camera on the HTC One M8 could be an answer to a more deeper problem in the industry. The combination of the two sensors, a primary 4 “Ultrapixel” sensor and a secondary 4 “ultrapixel” depth sensor work together to make you believe that the image you clicked is actually higher end than it is.
    Hokum, thats what it is!
    Hokum, thats what it is! But at that very level of picture taking capability, it gives users that extra oomph in the image before they basically crush it and post it on Instagram. Yes it works and it looks decently good.
    HTC has however gone one step further and made the API of the camera available to debs who might be able to give you applications that HTC could not, what the capability lacks is truly good software to work with the hardware to enable great pictures, maybe even oversampling to get larger images ? who knows?

    Phone and Battery

    We would like to assume that HTC will stick to their word and launch a 4G/LTE enabled handsets in India. This would make this the first flagship to feature  LTE connectivity, also almost all bands will be unlocked making this a world LTE phone, a boon for travelers. HTC will also launch a dual sim version, in fact the company designed the phone to be a dual sim phone, as it clearly shows in the sim tray.
    Phone call quality is very impressive, especially considering its a 90% metal phone. Audio is crisp and clear with no problems even when  there is a tower switch : Impressive!
    Battery life is exceptional, and HTC has managed to ensure that the phone does not dissipate heat, in fact in weeks of usage we have not noticed the device get hot at all.
    • Talk Time 3G : 5 Hours
    • Talk Time 2G : 5.5 hours
    • Standby : 2 days
    • Recharge Required : Once daily
    • Ultra Power Saving Mode : adds 20 hours to 20 % battery life

    Accessories

    dot case 0

    A worth mention here is the new DOT case, which shows how involved HTC has become in developing good accessories for their handsets. The HTC One has a simple flip case, which matured into a battery flip for the HTC One Max, and now this beautiful Dot Case, that is not only meant for design , but is actually very functional.

    One Max power case
    One Max power case

    Conclusion

    HTC has done what nobody expected, while everyone was hoping for a major change in handset design , HTC has improved on their last years winning design. They have also managed to not only make the phone better but also resolve the supply issues they faced with the original One. The first phone in a long time to be launched and made available at the same time is also the phone which has impressed out from out of the box to the usage place.
    In the time we have used it, we honestly have nothing to complain about, except possibly the lack of a better simple camera. The dual focus mode is a lot of fun and easy to use, it becomes a daily driver. A better quality camera would have made this experience better and we might see it in the M9 ( not to be confused with a Leica M9, even though that has a marvelous picture taking capability).
    HTC has made a mature decision, and made a phone that not only handles everything you throw at it, it looks good doing it. The phone balances perfectly in form, design and performance and will satiate almost every who buys this. HTC has already pushed the handset out with 4.4.2 and promises almost instant UI updates. The new Blinkfeed interface is a great improvement and the overall handset seems very well refined.
    NOTE : The HTC One has been launched in India for Rs. 49,900 and will be a available for purchase 8th May.  This review was revised to reflect the new price.
    [product id=”83010″ sku=””]

     [tw-column width=”one-half”]

    GOOD THINGS

    • Excellent build
    • 90% metal
    • Camera has potential
    • Great UI
    • Fast and responsive
    • Good battery

    [/tw-column]

    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

    BAD THINGS

    • U-focus not refined
    • No 4k video capture
    • Same resolution display

    [/tw-column]

  • Flame On ! Micromax Canvas Knight A350 Review

    Flame On ! Micromax Canvas Knight A350 Review

    Micromax has changed the perception of the company yet again with the new Micromax Canvas Knight, But does this new smartphone keep up to the expectations of the people. Lets find out.

    Micromax Canvas Knight A350 8

    Overview

    The Canvas Knight is a brilliant attempt from the company at providing a premium experience. The phone uses good quality materials and has an impressive new chipset. The pricing seems right and the battery life is great* (read below), the phone is the company’s new flagship and holds that position well among its competition.

    Build Quality, Design and Hardware

    A metal shell with glass on both sides, we have seen this design repeat several times, but it is actually impressive coming from an Indian manufacturer at this price. The front and back are solid toughened glass and should withstand a fall or two, we would however recommend the use of a case (there is one included in the box).

    The side bezels and frame are of brushed aluminum with excellent finish and quality. The buttons of the Micromax Canvas Knight are also robust and tactile in feel.

    Micromax Canvas Knight A350 11

    The phone looks good to look at and has a heavy reassuring built, definitely a refined canvas, but its not there yet. The company’s major reluctance in designing their own handsets is still unclear. Micromax time and again choses to buy designs from OEMs and not to make their own handsets. A plastered bad logo at the back shows distasteful branding, even though its a far cry from the usual we have seen in the past.

    Micromax Canvas Knight A350 3

    Another thing to mention is the quality of in box accessories is definitely higher than in the past. the company has improved with their accessories and inclusions, we do however wish for better earphones in the future.

    In box Goodies
    In box Goodies

    Hardware wise Micromax has pulled out all the stops, well at least on paper. The Micromax Canvas Knight has a true Octacore Mediatek 6592T chipset, the “T” stands for turbo. The CPU runs on 8 cores at 2.0 GHz and is paired with a Mali 450MP4. RAM is kept at 2 GB and internal storage is a good 32 GB out of the box.

    Micromax Canvas Knight A350 12

    Cameras include a mix of 16 MP shooter at the back along with an 8 MP front facing selfie cam, both capable of 1920 x 1080p video capture. The phone accepts two micro sim cards and has a 2350 mAh battery.

    Micromax Canvas Knight A350 3

    Multimedia

    The display on the handset plays a major role, it is a good quality display with vivid colors and bright outdoor visibility. You also get acceptable levels of viewing angles without a lot of shadows at extreme corners. The levels of black are deep, however there is some aliasing noticed on the display from time to time.

    Micromax Canvas Knight A350 1

    Content consumption is better enjoyed with a set of good quality headphones, thanks to the lack of a good on board speaker. The sound from the speaker is tinny and not even comparable to the previous canvas flagship.

    Streaming is good, and the Canvas Knight A350 can handle unto 4k video playback, with the right codecs and software, however what really matters is the smooth playback of a full HD video and the phone does that with ease.

    Camera

    Both the cameras on the Canvas Knight are disappointing with washed out images and lack of detail. We have seen the company deliver great cameras in the past, however this time around the sensor and lens combination is simply torrid.

    Video is actually better than the pictures that this camera can click , video captured has better color and less washout. A camera stabilizer inbuilt would help the likes of me with shaky hands, however the software helps a little.

    Third party apps improve the camera experience a little bit, however it seems like poor choice of camera hardware is mainly the cause of this.

    Performance and Gaming

    While the phone can handle all tasks, it seems that the software has not been stabilized or tweaked to take the full advantage of the hardware. You see considerable crashes and lag throughout usage and heavy apps end up quitting on you, especially graphic intensive games.

    Daily performance is good if you don’t want this to be a power driver, personally we feel the software needs a lot of work. Games run on this without a problem, almost all games that are compatible with the chipset will work aside from the quitting mentioned above.

    The phone heats up considerably during usage, so much so that it might be the reason that apps quit. The phone becomes unmanageably hot and uncomfortable to handle. This causes severe effects to the battery, of the 3 handsets we tested two had this problem. Micromax claims problematic handsets will be replaced, and they should be.

    Phone and Battery

    The Micromax Canvas Knight accepts 2 micro Sim cards on either side of the bezel. The handset is 3G network capable globally with one sim card handling 3G data. On this phone both SIM cards can accept calls and run simultaneously.

    Micromax Canvas Knight A350 9

    Network performance was generally good, we did see some outage from time to time but a good cause for that could be the network. Overall good network performance and phone call capability. Audio on the incoming and outgoing side remains crisp with the noise canceling doing most of the magic for the outgoing voice.

    Micromax Canvas Knight A350 2

    Battery life, when not being affected by the over heating battery drain mentioned above, will last a whole day with a good amount of use. approximately 5-6 hours on 3G calling mixed with a few hours on Social Networks and some music playback. So the battery gets a good thumbs up, when not being burned out.

    UI and Conclusion

    Apart from the fact that we get Android 4.2.2 with a pseudo-false promise for an update soon, we feel the Ui needs real work. Micromax seems to be slacking in making a handset that they can call their own and this old approach does not seem to work for us anymore. The company needs to bounce back and fix it reputation by bringing phones that not only look good on paper but work too. A more refined user experience will go a long way.

    The fact that their flagship smartphone is a mini hell in the pocket is worrisome, the phone heats up often and to high temperatures. This causes the phone to lose battery power and how.

    The end resultant is not acceptable, not as a flagship!

    While the trend seems positive around the Micromax Canvas Knight A350, and we couldn’t agree more with the phone in terms of what it sets out to do. Design is a huge leap forward and so is the build and choice of materials, but the end resultant is not acceptable, not as a flagship.

    A lot of patches are required for the software and something that will fix this overheating issue and quick. The Micromax Canvas Knight A350 is a good move from the company, but seems like a hasty handset, one that lacks finesse and with more stable and choicer options in the market like the Moto X, the Moto G, Gionee S5.5 and the likes of Sony and market leader Samsung in this price bracket. We recommend you give this one a pass until all of the above can be fixed by the company.

    Final Review Video Soon .

     [tw-column width=”one-half”]

    GOOD THINGS

    • Good design
    • Brilliant build
    • Brushed aluminium shell
    • Premium looks
    • True octacore
    • Priced right

    [/tw-column]

    [tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]

    BAD THINGS

    • Heats up
    • Camera is poor
    • Battery drain issues

    [/tw-column]

  • LG G Flex Review

    LG G Flex Review

    LG has been an underdog in the mobile industry for quite some time. However, last year brought about a new beginning for the Korean manufacturer especially in the mobile space. LG broke the traditional association of “cheap products” when they successfully chased the market with a product like the LG G2.

    The new G Flex is the company’s latest marvel and a first of a kind phone at that. The first phone with a curved display, a curved body and a curved battery. The G Flex is also capable of handling reverse tension of upto 40 kilograms  and then returning to original state.

    LG G Flex 9

    Specifications

    [row cols_nr=”2″ bg_color=”e0fce0″]

    [col size=”6″]

    Display

    Chipset

    Battery

    Camera

    RAM

    Storage

    Price

    [/col]

    [col size=”6″]

    6 Inch

    Qualcomm Snapdragon 800

    3500 mAh

    13 MP main / 2.1 MP Secondary

    2 GB

    32 GB

    Rs. 63000 / USD 899

    [/col]

    [/row]

    LG G Flex 10

    Build Quality and Design

    The funny thing about the build quality of the LG G Flex is that on one hand, it has a brilliant build and design : it is the first curved phone, which flexes and returns to its original position. It also has great tensile materials that allow it to do that flex thing it does, including LG’s patented Plastic OLED (POLED) tech. However on the other hand, the phone is purely plastic, front to back, the Plastic Display adds to the plastic nature making the phone look : well not so premium.

    [quote text_size=”small”]Curved and Flexible makes it unique![/quote]

    The G Flex  however due to its design can be mishandled quite a lot. It has a very damage resistant design, including the  Gorilla Glass (er.. plastic) front, the self healing paint finish on the back that does a pretty decent job.  You can however scratch the back if that what you are trying to do, dropping the phone on concrete can have bad repercussions.

    LG G Flex 1

    Performance, Display & Multimedia

    The G Flex is a refreshing change for Android devices, just like the G2 the G Flex is responsive and fast and hold down on the lag quite a lot. Apart from daily chores, it does a brilliant job in handling heavy games and performance apps, especially a few architecture and calculation apps we tried.

    Even benchmarks are not a problem for the G Flex and you will find it hovering in the top range of the spectrum of devices. The graphics performance also takes a leap as it saves up on the lower 720p display. The limitation of the new “POLED” tech restricts the screen resolution to 720p and may be upped in the G Flex 2.

    LG G Flex 3

    For the time being the display is pretty fantastic, the vivid colors and exceptional brightness put it in the top their in our list. If you ignore the resolution which effective is pretty alright, considering the size of the display you are bound to hold it further away. You will not notice the lack of 1080p, and if you do its purely an irritation in the mind .

    Multimedia is a brand new experience, it fun even, simply because the curved display adds a strange magic to the viewing experience. The curve is pretty good and noticeable and anyone holding the device is impressed when viewing videos . The inbuilt sound may not be the top notch sound you would expect .

    The G Flex captures and plays back 4k video, which allows you to zoom into videos without loss of resolution. A new tech also allows you to zoom into the sound of the area you zoom into. LG calls it Audio Zoom and shockingly it works well.

    lg g flex review 3

    Camera

    The camera on this handset seems less polished than one would expect. Images are shabby, and mostly end up shaky. The lack of image stabilization also shows its dark side. Unlike the G2 the G Flex seems to have a slow and shabby shutter and mostly translates to less sharp images in the end.

    That all being said, its not a complete failure and one can really take pictures by being careful with the handset. On the plus side the sensor captures unaltered 4K video which is simply too good to talk about. Talk about portable Ultra High Def, the camera is highly capable and manages excellent video. There is some software stabilization which may not be very well appreciated but, applying stabilization in post works great and you can even select your areas from the 4k footage to make a nice 1080p video with the right kind of detail. Its like a lossless zoom in video. 4k Video is the future of mobile camera tech, we saw that at MWC, and the G Flex embraces it really well.

    [quote text_size=”small”]G Flex embraces 4k Video as it’s the future[/quote]

    lg g flex review 8

    Phone Networks and Battery Life

    The G Flex is a great phone too, with an excellent grasp on network towers the G Flex is able to get network where most phones failed. We used the G Flex primarily while traveling for MWC and while most people struggled with network problems, we were pretty happy.

    Battery life was also excellent, also possibly due to a great network antenna. The 3500 mAh battery is not only good on paper but also in real life usage. LG has managed processes and its display really well ensuring high battery life. Great apps like the power saver enhance the battery considerably and come out of the box. Oh and did we mention that he battery is curved!

    lg g flex review 9

    Conclusion

    The LG G Flex is a new age smartphone, it has all the matching pre requisites and it is a one of a kind device. It is not only curved, it flexes! The hardware is on the low side when compared to higher end of the spectrum, 720p display vs an 1080p and 2 GB of RAM vs 3 GB. However, those specs are arguably not needed.

    While the performance of the phone is really on the happy side, the camera especially for stills is the sad side. Video, especially 4k is good and the phone networks are solid and battery excellent. The G Flex is large and not easily handled with one hand, even with large ginormous hands.

    lg g flex review 15

    The G Flex brings in a new category, bendable phones, while its a step into the future we are not quite there yet and a long time from it. The design is unique and one of a kind, the build nice and resistance splendid. Honestly if LG made this phone slightly smaller we would have been happier, at 6 inches its more a mini tablet. So bring on the G Flex Mini and we we be happy soldiers.

    Even though its priced  high, its a new technology and may be worth the value for those who become first movers.

iGyaan Network
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