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.

ZTE Brings Out the 5.5-inch Full-HD Grand S II in India

Chinese Telecommunication giant ZTE has officially announced the Grand S II in India which will be available for purchase exclusively via Amazon for Rs. 13,999. The smartphone was initially unveiled at CES 2014 and unlike Xiaomi, the Grand S II will be available without the flash sale system.

Apart from the slightly dated Android version, the Grand S II is crammed with some impressive features given the price. The smartphone sports a 5.5 inch Full-HD display and packs in a solid 2500mAh battery. Under the hood, the ZTE Grand S II is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset clocked at 2.2Ghz bundled with 2GB of RAM. The camera unit includes a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash capability along with a 5MP selfie cam. On the memory front it comes with a hefty 16GB inbuilt storage expandable upto 32 GB via SD card. Check out the key specs below.

Specifications	ZTE Grand S II
Display	5.5 inch Full-HD 1080×1920 pixels
Processor	2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
Storage	16 GB + microSD upto 32 GB
RAM	2 GB
Camera	13 MP with LED flash 5 MP front camera
Battery	2500mAh
Operating System	Android OS, v4.2 (Jelly Bean)

In addition, ZTE has introduced Hub and Spoke models for customer service which are open across metros and is further planning to expand its operations in India. The smartphone does pack an impressive set of specs given the price range, though how good the device is, we’ll have to wait till we get hands on the device.

December 1, 2014

Celkon Brings Out an Ultra Cheap Windows Smartphone

Following the footsteps of XOLO and Micromax, Celkon has also jumped onto the Windows bandwagon. Celkon Mobiles, in partnership with Qualcomm and Microsoft today launched its first ever Windows OS phone called the Win 400. The device will be up for grabs for Rs.4979 and does pack some good specs given the price range.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Y Guru Chairman and MD – Celkon Mobiles, said “We are happy to announce our association with Microsoft and Qualcomm, a new milestone for Celkon. We have many more exciting offerings lined up in the coming year as well which will stand true to our proposition of being innovative and yet, affordable.”

The Celkon Win 400 has dual-SIM capability and runs Windows 8.1 OS. It has a 4-inch WVGA display and is powered by a Qualcomm snapdragon quad-core chipset clocked at 1.2Ghz bundled with 512MB RAM. In terms of memory, the phone offers 4GB in-built memory expandable upto 32GB via sdCard Slot. Optics on the device feature a 5 MP Rear Camera AF coupled with a Flash along, while on the front we have a 1.3MP selfie cam. Connectivity options on the Win 400 include support for 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi along with GPS support. The device packs a pretty decent 1500mAh battery. Check out the key specs in the table below.

Specifications	Celkon Win 400
Display	4” (10.16cm) Screen with WVGA Display
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor with 1.2 GHz Quad core CPU
Storage	4 GB + microSD upto 32 GB
RAM	512 MB
Camera	5 Mp Rear Camera AF with Flash Light 1.3 Mp Front Camera
Battery	1500mAh
Operating System	Windows Phone 8.1

The phone will be available in White and Black color variants across all retail stores and e-commerce websites in India. The Win 400 from Celkon is apparently the cheapest Windows phone ever produced.

December 1, 2014

Xiaomi Redmi Note: Unboxing and Hands On

In the house, we have the new Redmi Note from Xiaomi. The device was launched just a few days back and will be available in two variants, one is a 3G variant, while the other one is the 4G LTE compatible variant. The one with us is a 3G variant. The phone comes in the recycled MI style brown box. The first thing that you see once you unbox is the Redmi Note, which has a nice and glossy back. Delving deeper in the box, we see the microUSB to USB charging cable along with a fairly nice quality wall charger. Also included in the box is a 3.8 volt, 3100mAH battery along with a manual, service booklet and a bunch of other documentation.

Getting back to the phone, on the front we have a 5.5-inch IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 720p. A 5MP wide angle camera capable of 1080p video recording sits on the top of the device. Right below the display, we have three red coloured touch capacitive buttons. The right side houses the power button along with the volume rockers. On the top lies the 3.5 mm headphone jack along with a secondary microphone for voice cancellation. There’s nothing on the left, while at the bottom lies the USB port along with the main microphone.

Coming on to the back, we have a 13MP camera bundled with a LED flash. The back has a nice glossy finish with a MI logo at the bottom along with the speaker grill right below the logo. Removing the back panel reveals the two SIM slots and an SD card slot.

Talking about the specs of the Redmi Note, the chipset on the device is a MediaTek octa-core MTK 6592 processor clocked at 1.7GHz bundled with 2 GB RAM. It offers 8 GB in-built storage expandable up to 32 GB. The device is powered by a pretty solid 3200 mAh battery. On the camera front, you get a 13MP primary camera along with a wide angle 5 MP front-facing selfie shooter.

Key Specs

Specifications	Xiaomi Redmi Note (3G)
Display	720×1280 pixels, 5.5 inches IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen
Processor	1.7 GHz Octa-core
Storage	8 GB + microSD upto 32 GB
RAM	2 GB
Camera	13 MP, 4128×3096 pixels, autofocus, LED flash 5 MP front camera
Battery	Li-Po 3100mAh
Operating System	Android OS, v4.2 (Jelly Bean)

Powering on the device, the first thing you see for setting up the device is a keyboard input method. Once through with the setup process, you get to see the same MIUI we saw in the MI3. The exact version is the MIUI 29.0, while the Android version is 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. It will be updated soon to the KitKat. Coming back to the UI, the interface seems quite snappy and swift. Scrolling is really fast and responsive, there are a lot of quick toggle notifications. Multitasking should be fairly good as we always have a little over 1 GB RAM free.

The screen has a nice feel to it, so you would want to avoid putting a screen protector to retain that feel. We also tried playing a few videos and it runs videos pretty well, though the audio output is not as good we’ve seen with devices in the same price range.

Talking about aesthetics, the device feels really good in the hand, though slightly on the heavier side. The device has a nice glossy finish all round, so it does attract a lot of fingerprints.

Overall, the device seems fairly decent and comes at a very economical price point and will definitely make the holiday list of the phones. The build quality, look and feel seem quite good given the price of the device. You will able to get your hands on the device very soon as the first flash sale is scheduled for 2nd of December. So that’s about it for now, keep checking back for an in-depth review of the new Xiaomi Redmi Note.

November 28, 2014

OnePlus One Goes Invite-Free This Black Friday

Much has been said and heard about the ‘flagship killer’. Earlier it was said that OnePlus One will be accessible to only a selected few through invite system and later, the news of its availability on Amazon through the same system surfaced. Now, forget about all what you have heard as the OnPlus One is open for all on Black Friday in selected countries (United States, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, Belgium, Austria, Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Portugal).

The official site of OnePlus One showcases a banner which says that the handset will be available on order to all the willing customers till stocks last. The official forum alarms you that the offer is valid till Black Friday only and the ordered phones will reach the buyers by 25th December.

The 16 GB variant of Silver White colour is available at $299 and will reach your doorstep in 10 business days, while the 64 GB Sandstone Black model costing $349 will be delivered as soon as in 5 business days.

Not only One, the company is also offering smartphone accessories like JBL E1+ Earphones, OnePlus Silver Bullet Earphones, OnePlus Tempered Glass Screen Protector, OnePlus HD Screen Protector, OnePlus Screen Protector, OnePlus One Flip Cover, OnePlus One Clear Case, and OnePlus One Data Cable at discounted rates.

Other Offerings by OnePlus

However, India will not be able to avail this offer now, but they will surely receive this device post its launch in India on 2^nd December, exclusively on Amazon. The smartphone (64 GB) is expected to cost Rs. 25,000. For more updates, keep checking iGyaan.in.

November 28, 2014
Micromax Fast Capturing Samsung’s Rapidly Losing Ground

A few months back, Samsung got its first jolt in rating when Xiaomi kicked it from the top of the podium to second spot in China. A few days later, Samsung was overtaken in the Indian market by the homeboy Micromax in Q2 2014. Samsung denied the news and said that it was still at the top. Well, seems like Samsung’s woes have not finished yet.

Market research firm IDC is reporting a drastic fall in Samsung’s market share. At the same time, Micromax is showing positive gains. While Samsung slipped from 29% market share to 24%, Micromax gained a healthy lead of 2 percent and went from 18% to 20%.

Samsung’s sales have been falling over the last couple of years. The culprit can easily be found. The electronic giant has not brought any exceptional device in a while, and even the innovative Note 4 is out of the reach of the average consumers. Samsung is also facing stiff competition from Chinese and Indian brands who are fast adopting high specs, low price formula.

Though Micromax too doesn’t have any exceptional device in its portfolio, its Indian brand appeal comes to its rescue. The company has been berated for its unsavory after sales service. Recently, the company has hinted at making products based on CyanogenMod that would take care of most of its headaches. The custom ROM is known globally for its stock android experience with amazing customisability features and regular updates. The CyanogenMod-based devices will be released under the brand name ‘Yu’ and are expected to be launched next month. If Micromax plays its cards right, it can literally go places with the Yu. The advice for Samsung has been around for a while, it is to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch, and finally the company is paying heed to it. We just have to wait another quarter to know the further fate of these companies.

November 28, 2014

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 830LC Review

In today’s highly competitive tablet market, manufacturers are bound to offer an interesting set of specs just to have that slight edge over their rivals. Lenovo recently launched its Yoga Tablet 2 in an attempt to make a mark in this overcrowded tablet market. Does it have what it takes to compete against the big boys including the likes of iPad Retina, the Galaxy Tab 4 or for that matter, the wildly popular Nexus 7. Based on an entirely different form factor, a decent set of specs and a Full HD display, the Yoga Tablet 2 was dying to come to our test lab for a review, and we did not disappoint it.

SUMMARY

Strategically priced at Rs. 20,990, the 8-inch Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 packs a rather interesting set of specs along with a very innovative design. But does it packs enough punch to become a tablet worth shelling out your hard-earned cash? Let’s find out:

HARDWARE

The Yoga Tablet 2 830LC is powered by an Intel Atom Z3745 quad-core processor clocked at 1.86 GHz. It has a massive 6,400mAh battery that should provide enough juice, while optics includes an 8MP f/2.2 rear camera along with a relatively docile 1.6 MP front snapper.

On the memory front, the Yoga Tablet 2 offers 16 GB of inbuilt storage expandable up to 64 GB via MicroSD bundled with 2 GB of RAM.

KEY SPECS

Specifications	Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2
Display	8-inch Full HD IPS display 1920X1200 pixels
Processor	Intel Atom Z3745 quad-core processor clocked at 1.86 GHz.
Storage	16 GB + microSD
RAM	2 GB RAM
Camera	Front 1.6 MP HD, Rear 8 MP
Battery	2 Cell 6400mAH Li-Cylindrical
Operating System	Android 4.4 KitKat

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN

The 8-inch form factor of tablets is always considered rather comfortable, so the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 comes across more of a paperback. It allows easy one-handed usage and comfortably slips into your briefcase making it ultra portable.

To kick things off, the first thing that will grab your attention is the tablet’s all metal-magnesium alloy body. Perfect balance of right build and design is what you can expect from this tablet. There’s something intriguing about holding the Yoga Tablet 2; the alloy body gives it a very niche look, being lightweight at the same time.

The real kicker is the nifty stand that flips out in three positions, offering great comfort and viewing angles, no matter which way you want to use it. Whether you’re lazing around or sitting upright at your desk or for that matter even while working out, it truly emanates that hands-free experience. In addition, there’s also a hinge hand that makes it very comfortable to hold on to.

Certainly, it is one of the most innovative designs at the moment from the usual rectangular slab we’re used to. Be it catching updates from IGN or watching Homeland, you’ll simply love the hassle-free usage.

However, there’s only one USB port in the entire device with no HDMI slot, which is kind of lame and can certainly put off prospective buyers.

DISPLAY AND MULTIMEDIA

Given the price of the tablet, it is quite remarkable to have a Full HD display at this price point. The 8-inch screen renders vivid colours and excellent viewing angles. It’s a great device with a gorgeous display whether you’re watching movies, browsing and even gaming. We were quite impressed with the tablet’s 8-inch display.

Playing games or watching your favourite TV sitcoms on the Yoga Tablet 2 is no doubt fun. In addition, the front-facing Dolby stereo speaker packs enough punch that further enhances the whole multimedia experience. Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 is an entertainment powerhouse.

CAMERA

The camera on the Yoga Tablet 2 is apparently its only weaker link. Optics includes an 8MP primary camera. Meanwhile, the 1.6 MP front camera is only decent enough for video chats. There seems to be some issue with our review unit’s battery, so we were not able to take camera samples as the camera unit was detecting low battery backup. Going by the specs, it’s safe to assume that the camera is one of the weaker links of the tablet.

Eventually, we had to give the camera a very low rating which has affected the tablet’s aggregate score.

OS and UI

The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 runs on a forked version of Android 4.4 KitKat with a highly customised UI on top. The UI is very reminiscent of the iOS with the same dropdown menu including the home screen.

Hence, there’s no app tray which some of us would not be comfortable with, but overall, the UI is quite user friendly with nicely laid icons. It will depend on users whether they find Lenovo’s tweaked UI useful. The new layout and icons would need getting used to, though there are some nifty pre-loaded apps that will certainly come in handy for users. Have a look at the screenshots below:

PERFORMANCE

The 8-inch tablet has a relatively powerful Intel Atom Z3745 quad-core processor clocked at 1.86 GHz. The chipset is perfectly capable of handling multiple apps and runs graphically intensive titles like Asphalt 8 without any hassles. The chipset combined with a hefty 2 GB RAM further bolsters the tablet’s performance, leaving enough room to run multiple apps at the same time.

The tablet’s benchmark scores are quite impressive and translate into real time performance. Yoga Tablet 2 can handle everything thrown at it from 1080p flicks to graphic intensive games like Asphalt and Real Racing. Have a look at the benchmark scores below:

TABLET NETWORKS AND BATTERY

In terms of connectivity, the Yoga Tablet 2 offers great mobility with 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities including support for 4G LTE. There’s also a SIM slot just in case you’re not in a mood to switch devices. As there’s no internal speaker, one needs to find a suitable place to have a conversation apparently. And of course, you have other options like Bluetooth, earphones etc.

The 8-inch tablet powered by a Li-ion 6400mAh battery looks quite superb on paper. The battery unit is much larger as compared to the iPad mini and Nexus 7 2013 which come with 4490 and 3950 mAh units respectively. Once fully recharged, Lenovo claims that the battery can last for 18 hours. Though, we would not be able to give you an accurate measure of the tab’s battery performance as our review unit always shows the battery level at zero percent. Still, we could use the tablet for two days in a row after charging it once. The screenshot below might give you a general idea of the tablet’s battery performance.

So eventually, this has affected the tablet’s overall rating as we had to give a 5 on 10, which otherwise would have been at least 7.5.

VERDICT

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 hits the right spot in terms of performance, a Full HD display, innovative design and ease of use. The tablet features one of the best designs in the tablet market, compliments to the nifty little kickstand that significantly increases its usability.

Apart from the relatively docile camera unit and lack of HDMI connectivity that is rather surprising, the Yoga Tablet 2 has all the attributes you would look for in a mid-range modern day tablet. If you are planning to invest in a mid-range tablet with a great display and top-notch performance, the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 should suffice all your needs. It has the attributes to give serious competition to the iPad mini 16 GB and Nexus 7 2013.

[tw-column width=”one-half”

GOOD THINGS

Innovative Design
Ease of Usage
Sharp FullHD Display
Impressive Performance
Great Build Quality

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

BAD THINGS

Weak Camera Unit
No HDMI Connectivity
No Bundled Headset

[/tw-column]

November 27, 2014

Selfie-Friendly Microsoft Lumia 535 Comes to India at Rs. 9,199

Microsoft has today launched the Lumia 535 in India. The first ever non-Nokia Lumia smartphone will be available from 28th November onwards at a price of Rs. 9,199.

The global release of the smartphone held earlier this month. Lumia 535 is an affordable smartphone which will stand against Android blockbusters like Moto E, Zenfone 5 among other. Apart from the affordable price, Microsoft has targeted the selfie market with the 5 MP wide-angle selfie camera at the front. There is also a 5MP camera at the back, which is accompanied by flash.

As for specifications, the Lumia 535 flaunts a 5-inch QHD (960×540 pixels) display and is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor paired with 1 GB of RAM. Also included is 8 GB internal storage that can be further expanded up to 128 GB using a microSD card.

The company is offering 15 GB free OneDrive storage with the phone. The device packs a 1905mAh battery, which the company claims is good enough for 11 hours of talk time and up to 23 days on standby mode. Connectivity options include dual-SIM card slots, 3G support, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, and on the software front, it runs on Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim update.

In the launch, Microsoft announced a handful of offers with the Lumia 535. These include 500 MB of free data for Vodafone users for a period of two months, Jabong gift vouchers worth Rs. 6,000 applicable for three months, Flipkart eBooks worth Rs. 1,500 and two months of BoxTv subscription worth Rs. 720.

November 26, 2014
Sony Working Towards Reviving its Ailing Smartphone Business

Sony was once a name that people trusted when they went for electronics shopping. The company had its roots firm in every sphere of consumer electronics. But now, the Japanese giant is in trouble. The slow adoption of technology has pushed it back in several fields in which it earlier led the game, the most prominent example being its TV business. Sony’s other major electronic products, the smartphone family is in serious trouble.

Once Sony had aspired to become the third biggest smartphone company behind Samsung and Apple. This aim, they now realise, was overambitious. Instead, they are now trying to restore their ailing smartphone business.

The company recently posted a loss of $1.2 billion. The continued losses have forced the company to scale back their sales target from 50 million down to 41 million. Presently, Sony’s electronics fort is held up by the successful sales of the Playstation family.

Sony will be putting its focus on three areas: image sensors, video games, and entertainment studio. Sony is also hoping to make gains from its entertainment studio. But currently, the studio is facing a global hack and the stand-off is still in progress. The hackers are threatening to release sensitive documents if their demands aren’t met. This can be a cause of concern for the company as a whole as Sony Pictures is one of the major names of the industry and one of the Sony’s biggest cash cows.

Flagships smartphones from the company such as the Z3 have been appreciated for their features, but they have also been berated for their high prices. It is expected that the company will reduce the number of flagships it releases in a year and also cut back on the affordable smartphone portfolio.

Presently, the main goal of the company is to bring its business to profitability even if that means losing 25-30% of market share in the smartphone business. The company is facing issues in the markets of US and China, which are important for the industry. Sony commands 3% market share in both those countries and will be scaling back its investment in China soon. Plans for the US market are not clear yet.

Sony devices have been appreciated in the past for their quality and device cameras. The company can make a name for itself in the low-end selfie device market while the fad is still on. It can also take the Motorola path and release limited devices in a year but make sure that the devices are universally appreciated.

November 26, 2014

Gionee Elife S5.1 Unboxing and Hands On

Gionee’s latest addition to the smartphone lineup Elife S5.1 has arrived in our hands. The second slimmest smartphone just came out of test lab and from the initial impressions, it does look more refined and well built than its previous iteration.

Gionee has filled the box to the brim with free goodies.

Out of the box, the first thing you see is the flip case, within which rests the white and gold coloured Elife S5.1. The edges are rounded that make it looks much better and feel excellent in the hand. Along with the standard accessories which include the charger, USB cable and earphones, you get two sets of front and rear protectors. You also get a plastic cover in case you don’t want the flip cover. In addition, there’s an OTG cable, a detailed service list, a warranty card and a SIM removal tool.

At 5.15 mm this device brings a whole new meaning to slim and sexy. — At 5.15 mm, this device brings a whole new meaning to slim and sexy.

Despite being so slim, it houses a 2050mAh battery which is quite impressive. It has a nice metallic strip running along the sides, which does not come across as sharp as the one we saw with its predecessors and provides an efficient grip. Measuring at just a mere 5.15-inch, it’s slimmer than the latest iPhone and guess what – it doesn’t bend! Not yet anyway.

The Gionee Elife S5.1 features a 4.8-inch Super Amoled HD display with a 1280x720p resolution and has a pixel density of 306ppi. Under the hood, it has a 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek chipset bundled with 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of non-expandable built-in storage capacity.

The phone runs on Gionee's own Amigo UI. — The S5.1 runs on Gionee’s own Amigo 2.0 UI.

The camera unit on the phone features an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front camera with 88 degrees wide angle lens (for those wide selfies). Connectivity features include Bluetooth 4.0, MicroUSB 2.0, Wi-Fi, GPS and OTG connectivity. In addition, it has support for LTE connectivity. We get Android 4.4.2 KitKat out of the box with Amigo 2.0 UI onboard, and a hopeful update to Lollipop Android 5.0.

The moment you turn on the device, you see the latest version of the Amigo UI. Multitasking with Amigo 2.0 is now different as compared to the previous version of the UI. Now instead of the home button, you have to hold down the Menu button, which brings up the same card style interface.

The device seems really nice; it’s exceptionally slim, making one wonder whether it bends or not. It comes loaded with a bunch of handy accessories and will be announced soon and hopefully, at the right price. We are expecting the Gionee Elife S5.1 to be priced under Rs. 18,000, which seems promising for the handset. It is expected to be available in a variety of colours including white/gold, black, blue and pink.

Tune in for the unboxing and hands-on video that will be up shortly.

Key Specs:

Processor	Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A7
Display	720×1280 pixels, 4.8-inch (~306ppi pixel density) AMOLED Capacitive Screen
RAM	1 GB
Battery capacity (mAh)	2050, non-removable
Storage	16 GB in-built non expandable
Camera	8 MP, 3264×2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
Operating System	Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat)

November 26, 2014

The Chronicles of The One : OnePlus One’s Journey To India

OnePlus One, or as it is called the ‘Flagship Killer’, has made numerous followers with its impressive design and built quality at a low-end price. Now that the legendary handset is on its way to India, we are rewinding a year to look at how the company was formed and how they are able to reach where they are now.

December 2013

OnePlus was founded on 17th December 2013, in China by Pete Lau, previous Vice President at OPPO, with its headquarter in Shenzhen. The company’s motto is to ‘bringing the best possible technology to users around the world.’ Created around the mantra Never Settle, OnePlus aims to create beautifully designed devices with premium build quality.

January 2014

On 13th January, 2014, Pete introduced OnePlus in a launch event in Beijing as well as its partnership with CyanogenMod. The company said that it would be responsible for the development and design of the hardware, while CyanogenMod would be responsible for the operating system.

April 2014

On 23th April, 2014, Pete announced that the first OnePlus smartphone, the OnePlus One, which will have Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 801 MSM8974AC processor, 3 GB of RAM, a 3100mAh battery, 5.5-inch, 1080p (401ppi) display, and a 13MP Sony Exmor IMX 214 sensor camera. The phone retails for $299 for 16 GB version and $349 for 64 GB version in the US.

On 25th April 2014, OnePlus began its ‘Smash the Past’ campaign. The promotion asked selected participants to make a video while destroying their phones if they wish to purchase the OnePlus One for $1 (US). However, the promotion was misinterpreted and many unselected users destroyed their phones before the promotion start date.

The campaign was highly criticised for environmental waste and safety concerns as the batteries and phone components could have posed a potential threat to those destroying their phones. The company asked the winners to donate their old phones. There were 140,000 entrants in the contest, while just 100 got the most desired phone.

July 2014

On 22nd July, OnePlus announced the release of Bamboo Back Cover edition of the OnePlus One and attracted the attention of Chinese and global users alike.

August 2014

In a contest at the end of August 2014, 10,000 invites were given out, and furthermore it was announced that the invitation system itself would end in October. The company took up #hashtags to choose the lucky winners by launching the contest called #summershot. The interested people had to post a picture that they took in summer and share it on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtags #summershots and #oneplus.

On 13th August, 2014, OnePlus asked its female fans to post a photo of themselves along with OnePlus logo to the company’s forums and the fan with the most votes would receive an invite to purchase a OnePlus One. Hours after the announcement, the campaign was stopped stating that a few ‘rogue’ employees created it.

September 2014

On 18th September, the company announced that it is going to kill off the invite system and stop limiting who gets its unique smartphone. The pre-order page should have been up in September, but unforeseen problems delayed its launch. OnePlus officially announced that starting in late October for a limited time, anyone who wants a OnePlus One can order the phone online. If OnePlus has your phone in stock, it will ship immediately, but if the company’s sold out, you’ll be added to the pre-order list. However, that means if a lot of people order the phone, pre-orders may get pushed back for a long time.

October 2014

The company announced that OnePlus One will soon be launched in India. There was no solid date announced, however, reports hinted the September release. After sometimes, the company confirmed that it will release India-specific invites to prospective ‘One’ consumers online.

November 2014

On 4th November, Co-Founder Carl Pei told Forbes that OnePlus has now sold 500,000 smartphones and is aiming for one million by 2015. In an interaction with The Indian Express, the company claimed that the invite system will prevent shortage of devices for potential customers in India. The invite process is also fair and transparent then the flash sale model. The 64 GB variant is expected to come for less than Rs. 25,000 ($407 approx), which was a bit above the expected price range. However, it still is a great offering if its specs are taken into account.

The company’s newly appointed General Manager for OnePlus India, Vikas Agarwal, posted in a forum on 22nd November, “Firstly, we are thrilled to confirm that the One will be available for our Indian users in December. We can’t wait to bring your favourite phone to your hands. As all the details have now been perfected and last-mile hurdles have been cleared, the exact launch date will soon be announced in the coming days on our forums.”

On 26th November, i.e. today, the company rolled out the invites for the event where it is expected to launch OnePlus One in India. In a teaser image posted on amazon.in, the e-commerce giant said that the smartphone, popularly known as a ‘Flagship Killer’, is expected to be available in the coming days. Amazon India, who has got the exclusive rights to sell the OnePlus One, said on an official teaser, “The Smartphone you have been waiting for, is coming soon,” accompanied by an image of the One and hashtag ‘#TheOneThing’.

Well, we don’t have to wait for long to find out how we can get our hands on the ‘Flagship Killer’.

Our Review of the OnePlus One!

November 26, 2014
The ‘Flagship Killer’ is Finally Here! OnePlus One To Launch On 2nd December

That moment which all the Android enthusiasts have been waiting for is finally here. OnePlus is going to grace the Indian smartphone market with its presence at last. The company has sent out invites for the much-awaited event going to be held on 2nd December, where it will launch the company’s blockbuster OnePlus One.

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer has been tight-lipped about the plans for the launch of the CyanogenMod-powered smartphone. However, the recent report has suggested that the OnePlus will be sold exclusively via Amazon. The company had also previously announced that their smartphone, the One, would be available in India through an exclusive invitation system.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Vikas Agarwal” author_title=” General Manager for OnePlus India”]

As announced earlier, the product will be exclusively available through our e-commerce partner for users who have a valid India-specific invite

[/quote]

In a teaser image posted on amazon.in, the online retailer says that the smartphone, popularly known as a ‘flagship killer’, is expected to be available in the coming days. Amazon India, who has got exclusive rights to sell OnePlus One, says in a teaser, “The Smartphone you have been waiting for, is coming soon,” accompanied by a image of OnePlus One and a hashtag ‘#TheOneThing’.

Pricing, which is one of the most important parts of OnePlus One’s success, has also been a mystery for the Indian market. However, as we reported earlier, the 64 GB variant is expected to cost around Rs. 24,990 while the 16 GB variant is likely to come at a price of Rs. 19,990. The company’s newly appointed General Manager for OnePlus India, Vikas Agarwal, posted a forum on Saturday which said,

Firstly, we are thrilled to confirm that the One will be available for our Indian users in December. We can’t wait to bring your favourite phone to your hands. As all the details have now been perfected and last-mile hurdles have been cleared, the exact launch date will soon be announced in the coming days on our forums.

The OnePlus One is one complete device when it comes to hardware and build quality. Thanks to the inclusion of CyanogenMod, the ROM gives Android an adrenaline boost with regular updates and bug fixes. For a price sensitive market like India, the cost of the phone will be a major factor. In an interaction with The Indian Express, the company claimed that the invite system will prevent shortage of devices for potential customers in India. The invite process is also fair and transparent than the flash sale model.

Where companies like Xiaomi have gained respect and market share simply by cutting down on administration, distribution and marketing costs, OnePlus may bring the One at a premium in India. The company will continue the invite system for the Indian market and those interested in an invite will be able to get one from oneplus.net/in starting right now.

If you are successful in getting an invite a spanking new OnePlus One will await you at : www.amazon.in/oneplusone on the 2nd of December 2014. Excited yet? Catch our Review below.

November 26, 2014
Qualcomm Develops Two Mammoth Devices to Test its Snapdragon 810 Processor

Chipset manufacturer Qualcomm is testing the prowess of its next-gen Snapdragon 810 processor. This involves production and release of a new set of devices which the company has been busy with off late. First in the list is the Snapdragon 810 MDP smartphone that sports a 6.2-inch QHD display, 64-bit octa-core Snapdargon 810 Ultra HD processor, Adreno 430 GPU, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB storage, 13 MP rear camera, 4 MP front snapper, a hefty 3020mAh battery with Quick Charge 2.0 technology. In addition to this, the device is packed with ultrsound emitter, microSD card slot, microUSB 3.0, fingerprint scanner and Android’s latest 5.0 Lollipop. This beast of a smartphone costs $799, which is still way below the 64 GB iPhone in the US market that costs $849.

The second one is the Snapdragon 810 MDP tablet that comes with a 10.1-inch 4K display, 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 Ultra HD processor, Adreno 430 GPU, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB storage. Optics include a 13MP rear camera along with a 4MP front snapper. The device packs in a mammoth 7050mAh battery with Quick Charge technology. The tablet also features dual ultrasound emitters, a microSD slot, microUSB 3.0 and Android Lollipop 5.0. The device costs $999.

The mammoth set of specs that both the devices have is quite a notch higher than what we are used to. Sorry guys, but you don’t get to play around with these devices as it will be only available with registered purchasers.

November 25, 2014
ASUS Brings its Hybrid Device PadFone Mini for Rs. 15,999

ASUS has won a lot of hearts in India with its Zenphone series. The low cost – high specs approach has helped the company to make grounds for itself in the saturated market of India. The Taiwan-based company has now brought its innovative PadFone mini to India.

The PadFone mini is a hybrid device which runs on ASUS’s ZenUI, which is based on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. It comes with two modules, a 4-inch smartphone, which is fully functional in itself and the time you dock the smartphone in the 7-inch display and voila, you have a tablet!

The processing bits of the 4-inch PadFone are handled by a dual-core 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Z2560 processor along with 1 GB of RAM. The internal storage on the device stands at 8 GB and can be expanded up to 64 GB. ASUS also offers 5 GB free lifetime cloud storage on ASUS WebStorage.

PadFone mini comes in multiple color options.

The 4-inch smartphone has a resolution of 800x480p. The 7-inch tablet, on the other hand, has a resolution of 1280x800p, which would make it a good multimedia device. The PadFone mini gets its juice from a 2100mAh battery, which seems rather ill-equipped for a tablet. The phone has a battery of 1200 mAh that might give a satisfactory performance on the 4-inch display.

The company claims that it will be updating to Android KitKat 4.4 soon. This might be an alternative to people who go for phablets instead of tablets. The pocket-sized phone coupled with a 7-inch display makes this a multi-functional device. There is no alternative to this device so it won’t face a lot of competition. At an affordable price of Rs. 15,999, the device will find a good number of takers whether it’s some tech connoisseur or ordinary folks looking to try something new.

November 25, 2014
Google Rethinking its Sales Strategy for Android One in India

Google’s Android One initiative has been struggling to get hold of the Indian market since its release. However, the budget segment is so crowded with some amazing smartphones like Moto E, Zenfone 5, Redmi 1S and more that there is simply no space for any other device with same specs.

Android One’s first and foremost advantage was the Google’s direct involvement, which meant speedy software updates. However, that also seems to go down the drain as Android One devices still haven’t got the Lollipop update. The company launched the Android One in September, but it has faced some challenges in the market.

Offline retailers have been complaining about low margins for the device. Another big issue was related to its constrained supply. But despite these challenges, around 5 lakh Android One devices have been sold by Micromax, Karbonn and Spice by October-end, according to reports.

Sandeep Menon, Director of Marketing at Google India, commented on the issue, “We continue to get strong consumer demand. We track things like average number of people walking into stores and asking for Android One devices. From that perspective we are extremely happy. Pricing and margins for retailers are in the hands of the OEM partners but we are constantly engaged with them. Our engineers are working with new suppliers in China to benefit OEM partners in terms of choice and availability.”

Even though Menon seemed confident about the sales, the recent reports have shown that Android One devices have been struggling to break into the market and haven’t been able to reach sales goal that the company expected. In order to hook more offline consumers, Google is working on creating awareness about Android One’s features through 30,000 brand ambassadors deployed at various retail outlets.

According to concerned officials, the demand for Android One has increased further after making the product available in the offline channel. Google is trying to make the device a successful initiative as the global rollout of Android One depends on how the device has performed in India.

But that’s not a situation Google has to confront for now. “Our global rollout of Android One is as per the original schedule. There’s no change in that,” said Menon, promising that there would be new announcements on Android One over the next few months.

November 25, 2014
Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Users Complain of Scratches on the Screen

Apple had touted that the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus had strengthened Ion-X glass. There were talks of inclusion of sapphire glass on the new generation iPhones, but that plan was shelved. The reason cited for it was the inability of the supplier to fulfill Apple’s demand even after a $1 billion deal. Well, the sapphire glass never came about but now it’s being reported that the Apple’s alternative choice is showing signs of scratches.

A conversation was commenced at Apple’s Support page by a user named jake.underwood26, who posted that he took extremely good care of his device, but still he ended up with scratches on the corners of the display. Presently, there are 654 replies on the forum, and there are multiple complaints of scratches on the display.

Users are claiming that the scratches are showing up at the corners of the display.

One user by the username Jshea74 says, “After 2 years of heavy use and no screen cover, my iPhone 5 never had a scratch. Less than a week into owning an iPhone 6, I have a good sized scratch on my screen. So disappointed. I only ever had a bumper on my old phone and would totally throw it in my purse with my other stuff with no issues. Now I guess I’ll have to get a cover for the screen. Definitely seemed easier to scratch.”

AppleInsider did an investigation on the issue and found out that one of the culprits can be the use a curved display glass with no bezel ‘lip’ to protect against scrapes. In the predecessors of the device, a flat glass was used, and it was surrounded by a thermoplastic peripheral material housed in a harder polymer wrap. This kept the glass secure and prevented shock induced scratches. In the latest device, though the company uses the thermoplastic material but it is now in the middle of display assembly and phone body. Even the hard plastic wall was removed to cover the curves toward the rounded aluminum chassis. Apple is yet to respond on the issue.

Apple hasn’t had an easy path with the launch of the new iPhone. Previously, Bendgate became a major cause of embarrassment for the company when multiple users began complaining about the bending of the device. Seems like Apple didn’t finish its homework before releasing the phones and hopefully, it will fix the issues as soon as possible. The device cost a king’s ransom and it’s a shame that such issues are showing up in a premium device such as this.

November 25, 2014