Category: Mobile

Smartphone News and Reviews, Latest Cellphones, Accessories, New Launches, Specifications, Details with Image and Video from Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, Moto, HTC, Xiaomi, Oneplus, Meizu, Sony, Lava, Micromax Yu Mobile and More.

OnePlus One Price Hiked In Europe, Update For India To Follow Soon

On Wednesday, OnePlus announced a hike in the price for the One in the European market. The company cited the decline in value of the Euro as the reason for increase in the price of the handset. OnePlus also mentioned in its press statement there would soon be an announcement about the pricing strategy of the One in the Indian market.

At present, the pricing of the 16GB OnePlus One in Europe will be €299 (Rs 20,000), which currently is at €269 (Rs 18,000). The 64GB variant will be up for €349 (Rs 23,500) from the present €299 (Rs 21,999). The change in price will come in effect from 25th March onwards. Until that date, the handsets will be available at their current prices. The company stated that the instability of Euro is the biggest reason for the price hike. The company has been selling the products at a loss in Europe following the fall in the price of the Euro. In the light of the rate changes, OnePlus has hiked up the price in markets that use Euro as currency.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”OnePlus Blog”]

As you may know, the Euro is quite unstable at the moment. Last year, many other companies insured themselves against this volatility by launching devices with higher prices in Europe than in other markets. This is something that we opted not to do, as we are committed to maintaining razor-thin margins in order to give the most value back to our fans. Unfortunately, as the value of the Euro continued to drop, our razor-thin margins began to turn into 0 margins. Due to the current value of the Euro, we are now selling devices at a loss in the EU. In the light of these exchange rate shifts and trends, we will be making some changes to our pricing structure for the One in markets that use the Euro as currency

[/quote]

The OnePlus accessories won’t be affected by the hike and will be priced as before. The details on future pricing of the OnePlus handsets in India has not yet been released but the company asked to expect an announcement soon. To bring back to mind, the 16GB Silk White OnePlus One is presently selling in India at Rs. 18,999 while the 64GB variant is priced at Rs. 21,999.

March 19, 2015
Get Your New OnePlus One Without An Invite Between 1-2 PM Today

If you were looking forward to buying the OnePlus One but were finding it hard to score an invite, well today is your lucky day. Between 1.00 – 2.00 PM today you will get a chance to own the original flagship killer without an invite.

This is a part of Amazon India’s Happy Hour Deal today. Amazon India has recommended the interested buyers to be signed in before the start of the sale. The e-commerce site also asked the users to update their delivery address and payment details ready as the stocks are expected to fly off the shelves really fast.

The next Happy Hour Deal will take place on the 24th of March where you will be able to to buy the OnePlus One without an invite. So if you end up missing your chance today, there is still chance for you in the next sale. The 16 GB variant of the One is available for 18,999 while the 64GB variant comes at a price of Rs 21,999.

OnePlus has said that the smartphone will be getting an Android Lollipop update and the new Oxygen OS by the end of March. So if you were waiting for the right moment to buy the kickass device, well now is the best time to go for it.

March 19, 2015
Microsoft Developing a Windows 10 ROM For Android Devices

Microsoft has announced today that it will be bringing its premier operating system, Windows 10 to 190 countries around the world this summer. The company also hinted at plans to expand its market share in the portable devices market. Microsoft’s collaboration with Xiaomi also led to many speculations in the market as to how the Chinese smartphone powerhouse would play in Microsoft’s plan to expand its mobile market share. The details aren’t out yet, but it seems Microsoft is offering a ROM that will replace Android to make Windows 10 the primary OS of a smartphone.

Microsoft has announced that under its deal with Xiaomi, a select group of Mi 4 ‘Power users’ will get a chance to test the new Windows 10. Xiaomi made clear that it is not a partnership between the two companies, and Xiaomi is just “assisting” Microsoft in its efforts.

The new ROM doesn’t offer dual-boot solution, and Windows 10 becomes the default OS of the smartphone. It is comparable to the CyanogenMod or any other custom ROM. The ROM is basically designed to get Android users to try Windows 10 native user interface and the Windows-centric apps. This, Microsoft hopes will encourage the users the to switch from Android to Windows OS.

At present, Microsoft is testing the ROM in China but it is definitely planning on expanding its reach to other countries. It has started with Xiaomi as the company has a proactive user base that constantly sends back feedback through the companies portal. Microsoft will find it easier to gather suggestions and feedbacks through Xiaomi’s already available infrastructure.

Microsoft is trying hard to find takers for its smartphone devices. According to the last IDC listing Android is a behemoth in the smartphone market which controls 82.3 percent of the global smartphone market followed by Apple’s iOS which holds 13.8 percent while Microsoft Windows Phone OS accounts for just 2.7 percent at present.

Microsoft has also talked about introducing advanced features which let users connect and work on their desktop and mobile devices seamlessly. If these features work in Microsoft’s favour, you can anticipate a rise in Microsoft’s smartphone market share because in the desktop OS space, Microsoft still rules with a comfortable majority. In fact, at present, the various Windows OS’s (Windows 7,8, 8.1) are running on over 69% of the computers while Windows XP accounts for about 19% of the global market. By offering unique interconnectivity features, Windows can attract its massive desktop user base to give its smartphone ecosystem a try.

March 18, 2015
Xiaomi Beats OnePlus, Brings Out a Bamboo Version of the Mi Note

One of the most awaited features of the OnePlus One were the multiple textured back panels which were called the StyleSwap Covers by the company. But citing technical issues during production, the company said last year that they were stopping production of the covers as they didn’t meet the standards. That news disheartened a lot of users who wanted to customize their devices with those innovative covers. OnePlus’s compatriot, Xiaomi though has raced ahead of OnePlus in this regard and has brought out a new Bamboo edition of the recently launched Mi Note.

The Mi Note Natural Bamboo edition is priced at $370 (approx Rs. 23000). It is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor along with 3 GB RAM. It flaunts a 5.7-inch Full HD display (1080×1920) with 386 pixel density. It offers support for 4G networks on both of its SIM slots. The device runs MIUI v6, which is based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. It offers 13MP rear camera with dual-tone dual-LED flash and a 4 MP front camera for clicking selfies. The handset gets its juice from a 3,000 mAh battery.

The kickass back panels promised by OnePlus that never came to the market.

Not to be outdone by Xiaomi, OnePlus also came out with a DIY (Do It Yourself) post which shows how you can easily create customized back panel graphics for your One. The instructions are simple, and it’s really easy to create the back panels which broadcasts your personality to onlookers. All you need is a OnePlus clear case, a printer, photo-editing software, the downloadable OnePlus One blueprint file and a pair of scissors. The blog post by OnePlus also shows some amazing designs that you choose for your One.

The DIY backpanels for the OnePlus One.

The Bamboo edition of the Mi Note will go on Sale in China from March 24th. The textured or back panels are necessary as they transform the monotonous bar shaped devices into personalised art pieces. We hope that more companies start bringing out customizable back panels for the Indian consumers as there is a demand for it especially from the youth market.

March 18, 2015
Motorola’s New Moto Turbo is Now Available on Flipkart

A while back, Motorola announced the arrival of the powerful Moto Turbo in India. The company has established itself in the Indian market at as a reliable budget smartphone provider, and the Turbo is its most expensive offering in the market. The device was up for pre-order since the time of its launch with the price tag of Rs. 41,999. The phone is up for grabs in India from today onwards.

The cash on delivery option is applicable on this device, and one can also buy the same on EMIs. The product can be delivered at the buyer’s doorstep in 2-3 business days.

The new Moto Turbo sports a 5.2-inch Quad HD display with 565 ppi pixel density. Powered by quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor, the device holds Adreno 420 GPU along with 3GB of RAM. A water-repellent coating is incorporated on the screen that protects the device. The battery support of Moto Turbo is 3,900mAh, and it comes with Motorola’s Turbo Charge feature that powers the device for up to seven hours of usage in just 15 minutes of charging.

The optics of the phone is also top-notch. A 21MP autofocus snapper with dual-LED flash sits at the back along with other features like slow motion video, burst mode, auto HDR, Panorama, and a few more. Though, the front camera is a conventional 2MP. The device runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop, and the connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE with LTE Cat 4 and Micro-USB.

Click here to buy now:

March 17, 2015
Details of Xiaomi Mi Note Plus Revealed

It’s safe to say, Xiaomi has been on a roll. It has unveiled several new smartphones in the market, which are undoubtedly remarkable and are gaining fame for being reasonable priced. The Chinese smartphone brand showcased a new smartphone line back in January called Mi Note, which comprises of Xiaomi Mi Note and Mi Note Pro. It appears like the firm has one more device in the Mi Note series to offer which is being worked on secretly.

A new premium device showed up on GeekBench that speaks of the high specifications of the forthcoming device. It also illustrated the benchmark scores of Mi Note Plus, along with Samsung Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9. According to the cross-platform processor benchmark, Xiaomi Mi Note Plus sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and 4GB of RAM, just like the Mi Note Pro. The device will run on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.

From the revelations, it is observed that the fundamental specifications of the Plus version of Mi Note are identical to Mi Note Pro. Also the GeekBench scores, the Mi Note Plus stood close to HTC One M9 with single-core score at 1282 and multi-core score at 3928. The Mi Note Plus, on the other hand, scored 1235 and 4039 in single-core and multi-core score respectively.

We doubt Xiaomi’s new offering will give th Galaxy S6 tough competition, but given the price range of the Galaxy S6, the Mi Note Plus is expected to attract more customers. Recently, Lin Bin, Co-Founder and President of Xiaomi also hinted that a special edition of Mi Note would be coming out soon. The fresh device is expected to release today. It is uncertain if Xiaomi is pointing to the Plus version as the special edition, but once the firm makes the announcement, things will come to light.

March 17, 2015
Alibaba’s New Innovation Lets You Make Payments Through Selfies

Mobile payments have now been around for a while. A large number of users have by now grown accustomed to paying for their shopping through their phones. Apple and Samsung have also introduced new technologies that lets you use your phone as a credit/debit card. But the Chinese e-commerce company, Alibaba, has given a whole new look to mobile payment and has made spending your hard earned cash more fun.

RT @Alizila: Jack Ma demonstrates the future of payment technology @cebit pic.twitter.com/2jObS8YwtU #CeBITopening

— CeBIT (@cebit) March 15, 2015

Alibaba founder Jack Ma showcased their new facial recognition technology which lets users pay through their mobile devices. This new payment method is expected to be called “Smile to Pay”. This feature will let users pay for their purchases by just scanning their faces. It is something like the Apple Pay and Samsung Pay where users have to authenticate a payment by using their fingerprint instead here you get to do it with a selfie.

Mr. Jack Ma presented his innovation at the CeBit conference being held at Hanover, Germany. He gave a live demo in which he went to Alibaba’s website and clicked buy after which the facial recognition screen turned up. As soon as the software recognized Ma, the purchase was done. He said that this technology would replace passwords and this is the manner in which people will engage in online shopping in the future. Mr. Ma though did not give any more details about the technology. Smile To Pay is expected to be first released in China. We’ll learn more about it later, but you have to admit that it is a cool way to pay for your purchases.

March 17, 2015
Datawind to Bring Super Affordable Android Phones with Free Internet

The Canadian electronics producer, Datawind, has reaped a reputation of providing the most affordable tablets in India. The Aakash tablet, Ubislate 7, and PocketSurfer are among the budget devices that have gained acceptance nationwide. The firm now intends to launch a line of budget-friendly Android smartphones in the country. The handsets will start from just Rs. 2,000 and will provide free internet services for one whole year.

The price of the 2G handset will start from Rs. 2,000, while the 3G version will cost Rs. 1,000 higher than the 2G model at Rs. 3,000. According to Datawind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli, the company is in talks with mobile operators to team up with them. The first target of Datawind is a mobile network carrier with vast customer base like Vodafone, Airtel, or Idea. The Canadian firm will later crack a deal with other operators to cover larger geographical boundaries. He also made clear that they are planning to tie-up with network carriers, the devices will be free to switch to other operators.

The company is eyeing on selling maximum number of devices in the price-conscious market. As per Mr. Tuli, as much as 50 lakh units of Android smartphones will be sold. He further added a statement clarifying the rate at which production of the low-end phone is going:

In line with the Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, we plan to shift production of 90 per cent of total smartphones within 90 days.

Datawind is dedicated to bringing together the unconnected parts of India and said that the company will be paying for the internet services to the data partners.

We haven’t heard anything about when is the company coming up with its new line of handsets, but whenever it arrives in the market, it will play a major role in pushing the country towards wide scale digitization.

March 17, 2015
Microsoft’s Voice Assistant Cortana Coming To Android and iOS Devices Soon

Smartphone voice assistants can be described in plain simple words as ‘freaking cool’. They have come a long way and at present they can almost be seen as the baby versions of Tony Stark’s Jarvis. While Google Now is a great search and convenience tool, Microsoft’s Cortana and Apple’s Siri have anthropomorphic qualities that let them have human live conversations with the users. Microsoft has decided to take Cortana to a wider audience and will be bringing its voice assistant to iOS and Android devices.

Microsoft has said that it will be introducing Cortana on other operating systems as a standalone app. The company will also be integrating its artificial intelligence(AI) based technology called ‘Einstein’ with the voice assistant. With Einstein’s support, Cortana would be able to read and understand emails that will help it provide more convenient features to the users. It would let it offer suggestions to the user, even before they ask for it, something Google Now has been doing for a while.

Cortana is based on the artificially intelligent character of the same name from the famed video game, Halo. The personality of the voice assistant is also derived from the AI character from the game. Microsoft has been banking on Cortana’s ability to chit chat with the users. Cortana also offers usual voice assistant features like setting reminders and calendar, weather and traffic information, writing notes and messages.

Microsoft will also be bringing Cortana on Windows 10 operating system for desktops. It might actually beat Apple in this field as the Cupertino-based company didn’t bring Siri to the latest Yosemite operating system. Microsoft is contemplating the fall timeframe for the launch of the app. So if you liked Google Now but wanted a more human-like interaction, Microsoft’s Cortana is coming soon to give you company.

Speaking of voice assistants, remember that one time we got Siri to speak in Punjabi?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCB5I4Kqthk

March 14, 2015
Is OnePlus 2 Arriving Next Month?

Rumours of the OnePlus One successor have been in the news for quite some time. One retailer even had such a phone listed on a website, even though the design and the look of the phone were not unveiled. The same Chinese retailer, Geek Buying, has recently claimed the handset could be launched on 17th of April this year. Though, much like before, there are no such confirmations from the company as of yet.

As specified by geekbuying.com, the phone will sport a 5.5-inch 1080p display with Snapdragon 805 soC, much like the previous model. There is also a mention of a 16MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera, and is based on Android 4.4 with a 3GB RAM support.

In January this year, Carl Pei announced that it may take OnePlus close to six months to launch the OnePlus Two.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Carl Pei” author_title=”Co-founder of OnePlus”]

The OnePlus One has been selling pretty well across the world. In addition to the launch countries, it was launched in India late last year, and despite of initial hiccups involving Cyanogen and Micromax, OnePlus One has managed to do pretty well. Just a couple of days back, it was launched in 16 more countries in Europe.

[/quote]

Since OnePlus One was launched in April last year, this story may have some truth in it. However, we’d rather wait for an official confirmation from the company before jumping to conclusions. Another reason we would doubt the leak are the images accompanying the story show the Cyanogen logo at the back of the device. The company has made it clear that they are now developing their own OS aka OxygenOS. Although we have to admit, it would be exciting to see what OnePlus might have in store for us with the Two.

Till we see the next iteration, go ahead and watch our review of the OnePlus One.

March 14, 2015
WhatsApp Speeds Up Roll Out of Voice Calling On all Android Devices

WhatsApp’s voice calling features has been a long awaited feature. The messaging app has virtually replaced SMS and now it is set to take its aim at the core business of mobile operators. The company had already begun offering the feature for some users through an invite system. It is being reported that WhatsApp has broadened the roll out process for voice calling, and it is available for all Android device.

This would be an exciting news for the users of the app. To get the update, users will have to receive a call from someone with the feature activated on their device. Once the user receives the call, the user interface will change, and three tabs will be introduced which represent calls, chats and contacts. The call section will feature call records like incoming, outgoing and missed calls.

WhatsApp has been offering the calling feature unofficially. It was reported a few days back that WhasApp had started offering invites for the feature. Those invites were time limited to a few hours. That time limit has been extended now.

Recently a malware was doing rounds that claimed to offer voice calling feature but simply directed the users to a malicious website. The website asks people to take part in a survey but ends up installing malware on the victim’s smartphone. So it’s advisable to not click on any random link and wait for the invite call to come to your device.

March 14, 2015

Karbonn Announces the Titanium Mach Two, Priced at Rs. 10,490

Aiming to expand the Titanium series, Karbonn has launched its latest handset, the Titanium Mach Two. The phone weighs a mere 112 gms and is sleek at 6.3 mm.

The device is encased with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which makes it resistant to scratches. The device holds a 5-inch HD IPS display and is powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core processor with 1GB of RAM. It consists of 8 GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card. An 8MP camera with BSI sensor is equipped at its front and back.

Running on Android OS 4.4 KitKat, the Mach Two offers some interesting features like the Smart Eye function, Swipe and Shake for music player, Face Beauty Mode, and few more.

The device is currently available only in deep blue colour and can be purchased at a price of Rs. 10,490. It comes with a free protective silicon case.

With so many reliable, affordable smartphones in the market, Karbonn’s present offering doesn’t seem to stand out. We have a strong feeling it will get lost in the crowd. Xiaomi recently came out with its new Redmi 2, and Motorola too has released its next-gen Moto E. Both these devices hold a similar set of specs and are priced significantly lesser. Other gadgets that can be pitted against the Mach Two are Lava X5 and Yu Yureka.

Check out the specifications of the Titanium Mach Two below:

Specs	Titanium Mach Two
Display	5-inch HD IPS display
Processor	1.4GHz Octa-Core processor
RAM	1GB
Inbuilt Memory	8GB
Expandable Up to	32GB
Rear Camera	8MP
Front Camera	8MP
Operating Stystem	Android 4.4 KitKat
Price	Rs 10,490

March 13, 2015

Mitashi Launches New Smartphone, Says it is For Young Girls With “Vibrant Moods”

Mitashi today unveiled a new smartphone for the Indian market which is targeted at young women. It is an affordable device with some decent features but Mitashi’s marketing pitch for the phone can only be described as mildly offensive.

The company begins its press release by saying that its new phone, the “WattaGirl” is designed especially for young girls and their vibrant moods. It goes on to say that WattaGirl can hold 2 sim cards, so that all of a girl’s world can come neatly packed in one awesome phone. The press release ends by saying that a girl’s phone is an extension of a girl’s “colourful personality” referring to the brightly colored back flaps, that come along with the device. The WattaGirl offers 1.2GHz Dual Core processor along with 512 MB RAM and comes with a 5-inch display. The device is priced at Rs.4,999.

Now dear Mitashi, we understand you have to dial up the sales pitch in your press release but you don’t have to sound so condesending. How about using a language in the future that doesn’t undermine your potential consumers? It’s not that hard, let us show you how it’s done.

How we would’ve written it:

“Mitashi launches ‘WattaGirl’, the coolest new phone in town, designed for young girls as well as ladies young at heart.

WattaGirl comes with 5 MP Dual Camera is always ready to capture the best moments of a girl’s life. A sturdy 512 MB RAM and a 1.2GHz Dual Core processor that let’s her take on the challenges of a fast paced world. The large 5-inch screen makes viewing photos, videos and all other forms of media, a pleasure. It comes with a powerful battery so that you can talk for hours, listen to songs, watch videos and browse your social networking pages without worrying about your phone battery running out. ‘WattaGirl’ can hold 2 SIM cards so that the lady is always connected with the world.

What’s more, every phone comes with 3 flaps in bright colours. Just pop in the back flap of your choice and get ready to take on the world with the new WattaGirl. “

See? so easy.

March 13, 2015

VAIO Unveils its First Smartphone With a 13MP Rear Camera

No longer a part of Sony, VAIO Corporation is aiming at the smartphone market. The Japanese manufacturer of personal computer is geared to launch its series of smartphone and has unveiled its first handset called the VAIO Phone. The new device is Android-based and falls in the mid-range smartphone category.

The device sports a 5-inch IPS display of 720p resolution. It is equipped with a 1.2 GHz quad-core (unknown) processor bundled with 2GB RAM for multi-tasking. The onboard storage space is adequate at 16GB, which can be expanded up to 64 GB via microSD slot. The device gets pepped up through the 2500 mAh battery at the back of the phone.

The camera specifications of VAIO Phone are pretty impressive. A 13MP rear camera along with 5MP front snapper sits on the phone. The device runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop.

SPECS	VAIO Phone
Display	5-inch IPS display, 720p resolution
Processor	1.2 GHz Quad-core processor
RAM	2 GB
Storage	16 GB
Expandable Upto	64 GB
Main Camera	13 MP
Front Camera	5 MP
Battery	2500 mAh
Operating System	Android 5.0 Lollipop

The VAIO Phone was announced through Japanese MVNO B-mobile today. It will land in Japan on Friday i.e. on March 13 for $420. The company hasn’t stated if the phone will launch in other countries or not.

March 12, 2015

Xiaomi Redmi 2 Vs Moto E (Gen 2) : Newly Arrived Budget Smartphones Battle it Out

Xiaomi has launched the Redmi 2 (4G) in India, and it is a mere upgrade over its predecessor, the Redmi 1S. But even with the slight bump in the specs, the device is still unconquerable in its segment. The device that comes closest in competing with the Redmi 2 is the Moto E (Gen 2). So let’s take a look at how the two budget badasses fare against each other.

Specs	Xiaomi Redmi 2 4G	Motorola Moto E (Gen 2)
Display	4.7 inch 720 x 1280 pixels	4.5 inch 540 x 960 pixels
CPU	1.2 GHz, Quad-core, Snapdragon 410	1.2 GHz, Quad-core, Snapdragon 200
RAM	1 GB	1 GB
Main Camera	8 MP	5 MP
Front Camera	2 MP	0.3 MP
Internal Storage	8 GB	8 GB
External Storage	32 GB	32 GB
Battery	2200 mAh	2390 mAh
Operating System	MIUI 6.0, based on Android 4.4.4 Kitkat	Android 5.0 Lollipop
Price	Rs. 6999	Rs. 6999

The Redmi 2 definitely holds a lead in the specs sheet with its HD display and superior camera offering. The 4G ready Redmi 2 is priced the same as the 3G variant of the Moto E which would help it to attract the potential customers towards itself. The Moto E, on the other hand, can use its updated operating system and the bigger display in comparison to its predessesor to attract the buyers to itself.

The Redmi 2 also requires the troublesome effort of waiting for the flash sale whereas, the Moto E (Gen 2) is available right now for purchase which might work in Motorola’s favour.

March 12, 2015

Category: Mobile

SPECS

VAIO Phone

Specs

Xiaomi Redmi 2 4G

Motorola Moto E (Gen 2)