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Android One is an initiative by Google to bring a standard Android experience across all Android devices. They want to decrease the burden of R&D on small smartphone companies by providing them with standard hardware options for their devices.
Google has been bringing its devices in partnership with various companies. For its Nexus lineup of devices Google had partnered with the likes of Samsung, LG, Asus and others. Now for its affordable line-up of devices the company will be partnering with some prominent Indian brands such as Micromax, Karbon and Spice. But how does this matter to the average smartphone buyer? Well, here is how.
1. Quality Control
Through this project Google can make sure the end customer is getting the same experience that it had intended. The phones will be marketed at a price of Rs.6000 but will not be light on features as it will have Google approved hardware.
2. Specifications
The phones are expected to feature the standard set of features such dual-core chip, 5MP camera, removable SD card, 4.5 inch display and Media Tek processor. Further specs will be cleared after the launch.
3. Full Android Experience
Services such as Google Play are absent from some low-cost devices which make it hard for users to get access to important services. With Android One, this problem goes out of the window. Google will ensure full functionality of these devices.
4. Updates
Android updates are a giant pain. The large variation of devices makes it difficult to provide updates for each specific phone. The Android One phones are expected to get regular updates. The updates will help fix various bugs that diminished the performance of the devices over time.
5. Free Data Services
Google says that it has partnered with networks to provide free access to updates. It means that the users wouldn’t have to wait for access to Wi-Fi hotspots to get system updates. How this works, would be made clear at the launch.
If the Android One devices are successful, Google will be able to easily maintain its lead in the mobile OS game. Android has already percolated to various devices. Google can concentrate on making Android more desirable on device apart from smartphones, thereby giving a standard, recognizable operating system that will bring an ease in dealing with multiple devices.
There is a lot hanging on the success of Android One. The initiative has already attracted a lot of attention from the competitors. The launch today will clear if Google’s latest experiment is appreciable or just a marketing gimmick. Keep checking this spot for more.
The Market has been recently flooded by Chinese smartphones, and everyone is confused. The question, however, has always been : are these phones really worth of all the hype they create?. The Xiaomi Mi3 showed us that a great phone package can come for a decent price, and the Redmi 1s is taking it hard to the competition.
One phone is still missing from the equation and with its arrival in India soon, does the OnePlus One threaten the existence of many brands here in the country? Lets find out.
Overview
The OnePlus One is a complete device when it comes to hardware and build quality. Thanks to the inclusion of CyanogenMod the software is mostly community dependent and is expected to get great support for a long period of time.
Hardware
The OnePlus One comes with top notch hardware for its time, apart from the 5.5 inch LTPS display with a 1920 x 1080p resolution, Gorilla Glass 3 :
The OnePlus One is superb, the fact is that anyone who has seen the phone in my hand, especially the sandstone variant, has been amazed with the way this phone looks and feels. The brilliance is in fact in the overall look of the phone, it’s just the right size, has just the right amount of chrome and metallic accents, subtle logos, simple buttons and the nicely printed Cyanogen at the back helps too.
The built of the phone is also pretty superior, although we wouldn’t say the phone can be dropped several times (especially because if you break it, you will go through hell to get another one). The display is protected with Gorilla Glass 3, but it’s not the ultimate form of protection, and thanks to the large damageable screen real estate, one should be extra careful. The back is a solid plastic, coated with the sandstone finish in the 64 GB variant and a polycarbonate white on the 16 GB variant, both of which feel great and look great too.
Display and Camera
The LCD is impressive, it’s quick and bright, has great viewing angles and the touch is very sensitive. We also found colours to be very accurate. You do have several display modes that will help you adjust between temperatures and also customise the display of the phone as per your colour tone preference. Video playback is great, and deep blacks and greys are separately identifiable resulting in a viewing experience that will leave you satisfied.
The camera on the OnePlus One is equipped with a 13 MP Sony BSI sensor, which by far is the best implementation of the equipment. Shutter Lag is close to none, the response times are amazing, shot composition accurate, focus fast and colours are deep and rightly defined. The camera is equipped with a dual led flash with one amber and one white light, giving the device the ability to correctly compose the shots, especially so, in low light conditions.
Aqua Filter
Without HDR
HDR
Indoor
The Camera also does 4K video, which in this day of flagships is only restricted to a few. You also get time-lapse and slow motion video at 120 fps on 720p which works really well. Video is really smooth and jitter free, and the end resultant is rather satisfying, included preview filters and pre shooting tweaks make it easy to compose and deliver the right kind of footage.
The sensor is bright with a f/2.0 aperture , giving it a great deal of low light visibility, although noise is still prevalent on low light images.
Multimedia and Performance
Thanks to the mix of the high end specs as well an a fantastic display, Multimedia capabilities are right up there with all other flagship devices. In certain cases even better so than the other. The low end on the spectrum for OS functions in the background, less busy Cyanogen OS and 3 GB of onboard RAM really improve things on the OnePlus One.
Performance wise, the OnePlus One aced all benchmarks and kicked it in gaming, with little of no lag on high end graphics and all games running on full juice. Impressive day to day usage and the fluidity of the performing tasks is really appreciable.
Considering the kind of awesome experience you get with the OnePlus One, we feel that the company should’ve just called it “Two”. because it offers double the experience of any regular manufacturer smartphone, with performance, gaming and built.
Benchmarks and Gaming Video
Cyanogen and Android
Today Android is really in a good place, and with Android L on the verge of launch, a lot is expected from the OS. Generally one should choose hardware that not only supports the update, but a manufacturer that is willing to do so. In most case scenarios you would have to wait months before the next big Android OS would be pushed out by manufacturers. The last version of Android aka Kitkat is now available throughout the segment, however it was announced a year back, and yet today some phones ship with Jelly Bean.
OnePlus One Runs on Cyanogen and it’s a great user experience.
With the Oneplus One and Cyanogen Mod OS, you will never have to worry about that, this group of developers managed to run Android on the HP Touchpad, and now it is updated to Android 4.4.4. So with the Oneplus One you can not only expect quick updates, you can also expect some nifty features and usage improvements.
The UI is very customizable and theme-able using their theme changer and by downloading themes from Play Store, and other resources. Cyanogen allows you to mix and match different elements of different themes to make the one perfect theme for you.
Conclusion
The OnePlus One is not here yet, the company is busy working out a strategy and will have the phone in India, as early as Sept-Oct 2014. However, for a price sensitive market like India, the cost of the phone will be a major factor. Another big deal is the fact that the company is doing away with its invite system, and hopefully by the time they arrive in India, they can ensure supplies to the huge and impatient market.
Where companies like Xiaomi have really gained respect and market share simply by cutting down admin, distribution and marketing costs, OnePlus may bring the One at a premium in India.
The Oneplus One is expected to be priced around Rs. 21500 for the 16GB variant and Rs,. 25000 for the 64 GB variant. Although the prices are more than the $ price, they are much less than the Indian price of major flagships. So for the price of one LG G3, HTC One M8 etc you could typically get , “One Plus One” = 2 phones.
If you can get your hands on an invite today, do not think twice and get the phone, in fact you should have owned it yesterday. As far as warranty issues are concerned, the company has great service support, but you will have to deal with shipping to their support centers overseas, or wait for the Indian one/s.
Apple has for long been the king of attack ads. The famous Mac ads starring Justin Long, which went viral before people knew what viral videos were. The company took jabs at Microsoft’s Vista operating system. But it seems Apple has met its match in Samsung, its top competitor in and out of court.
Samsung has recently started baiting Apple. The company had recently brought a campaign calling iPhone user’s “Wall huggers” targeting the phones low battery life. Apple released its new iPhone this week, and Samsung was ready with a barrage of new ads.
This time Samsung went on a serious offensive and brought out six ads taking on Apple. The Ads are titled, “It doesn’t take a genius” and are set in a replica of Apple’s genius bar. The satirical ads are meant for Samsung’s latest Flagship, the Galaxy Note 4. They target every aspect of the new iPhone, from the botched Livestream of the launch event to the lack of S-Pen for the iPhone.
The attack ads also take on the new Apple watch. The tagline in the end says ‘The next big thing is already here” a reference to their Samsung Note 4 and the new Gear S.
The ads are fun to watch and hopefully Apple will buck up and get back into the game of attack ads. If there’s one thing viewers love is a good old battle of wits. So the balls in your court Apple, show us what you got!
Months of heavy speculation about Apple revealing two new phones this year, was confirmed at the mega event held in Cupertino California on 9th September. They arrived with much fanfare and we finally got to meet the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Both the devices are larger and much thinner in size; the iPhone 6 comes with a 4.7-inch screen and its bigger sibling, the iPhone 6 Plus sports a 5.5-inch one. However, there is a hundred dollar difference between the two.
Now if you’re thinking about investing in one of these devices, you need to really think it through. Here are some differences that could help determine your decision.
Design
Both devices are made of aluminum and have a hard glass front. Also, there is a steel Apple logo at the back of the phone, that gives them both an elegant but still tough look. There are bare minimum changes in the design, the only difference is the size. As the name suggests, the iPhone 6 Plus is a lot larger than the smaller iPhone 6. Some of you may find it a bit too big for your hands. Also, at 7.1mm the iPhone 6 Plus is bit thicker, while the iPhone 6 is 6.8mm thick.
Screen and Display
As mentioned above, the iPhone 6 Plus comes with a 5.5-inch display while the iPhone 6 is at 4.7-inch. Previous iPhones, in the last few years, have come with much smaller screens in comparison to other high-end Android phones like Galaxy Note series and the Nexus series. However, there is no significant difference in display technology between the two. Both use IPS displays with ion-toughened fronts. As expected, iPhone 6 Plus gets a higher resolution and pixel density. Where the iPhone 6 has a display of 326ppi (same as iPhone 5S), the iPhone 6 Plus offers 1080p resolution.
Camera
One of the biggest disappointment at the event was that Apple decided to stick to an 8 megapixel cameras. The new camera in the iPhones is an 8-megapixels with f/2.2 and 1.5 micrometer pixels. Although, Apple claims that the new camera comes with a better low light performance and focus than the previous generation iPhones. The iPhone 6 offers digital image stabilisation, while the iPhone 6 Plus comes with higher optical image stabilisation (OIS), hence giving the bigger variant an edge in terms of camera. Both devices are also equipped with the 1.2-megapixel FaceTime HD camera, with f/2.2 aperture.
Battery life
The iPhone 6 have the same battery life as iPhone 5S that lasts about 10 hours. The iPhone 6 Plus gets a better battery life which can last upto 16 hours on a single charge, and that is pretty impressive considering the size of the device. The larger device claims 24 hours of 3G talk time, the smaller 14 hours, however, the company did not reveal the actual capacity yet.
Processor
Both phones are equipped with the same processor and a dual-core 1.4GHz 64-bit CPU. According to the company, the new Apple A8 processor offers 20 per cent better CPU performance than the Apple A7. All in all, compared to the original iPhone, the new processor in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is rated to be 84 times faster. Furthermore, Apple says the new A8 is up to 50 percent more power-efficient and will be able to sustain battery-sucking tasks for longer without heating up.
Storage
Not that we are surprised, Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus do not offer you expandable memory option. Anyhow, Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will provide users more storage than ever before, excelling out at an impressive 128 gigabytes of space on high-end models of its two new handsets. An iPhone 6 Plus with 128GB of internal storage will be a ‘Holy Grail’ for on-the-go multimedia experience, offering enough memory for a hundred SD-quality films or 25-plus HD ones.
Verdict
Big or Small? Apple made sure that there is no weak link between the two iPhones. Both the devices have same screen tech, the same processor and similar-grade cameras with only a considerable difference is the screen size and the battery life. However, we prefer that extra display space of the iPhone 6 Plus and its greater battery life makes it more of a power user device. Keeping this and pricing in mind it will be better to spend some extra money get that extra real estate on the screen and battery life.
The second generation of the blockbuster Moto G is out now. The device was much awaited and comes with considerable improvement over its trendsetting predecessor. We finally got our Moto G (2nd Gen) box and here’s what we found on the inside.
On the looks front, the box is small and minimalistic just like its predecessor. The box features a side view of the phone, and that’s about the only graphics there. The price mentioned on the box is Rs.13,099; the device is available on Flipkart for 12,999.
Inside the box, on the top is the new generation Moto G with a 5-inch display. Dig deeper, and you’ll find a non-detachable charging adapter with a micro-USB charging pin, which will disappoint folks who don’t already possess a USB to micro-USB data cable. Apart from the adapter you get Motorola’s handsfree and the documentation. Motorola has provided a copy of the guides in Hindi, which is appreciable and shows its seriousness of competing in the Indian market.
Coming back to the device, we already introduced the device earlier. We now got to spend some more time with it. The device is a looker with slimmer bezels. The dual speakers attract your attention immediately as you glance at it.
The stock Android interface is also impressive, and the absence of any bloatware makes the device fast and smooth to use. The only app addition to the device is Moto Migrate, which helps you get contacts from your old phone to the new Moto G, this even works with feature phones. The second add-on is Moto Assist that helps you lets you use the device hands-free while driving, and it lets only important calls through when you don’t want to be disturbed. The last app is Moto Alert that alerts your close ones of your location when you want it to.
Overall it’s an impressive device, but it was about time Motorola added 1080p recording capabilities. We love the dual speaker and increased screen size. The phone comes with Android KitKat 4.4.4 out of the box and will get updated to Android L when it comes out.
Keep checking iGyaan, the full review will be coming out soon.
Quick Specs:
Operating System
Android KitKat 4.4.4
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU
RAM
1 GB
Display
5 inch, 720p screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 294 ppi
Storage
16 GB
External Storage
Upto 32 GB
Battery
2070 mAh
Main Camera
8 MP
Front Camera
2 MP
Miscellaneous
Dual Speakers in the Front, Upgradeable to Android L
Apple’s latest flagship is out now, and the lovers and haters are excited for their own reasons. The company has posted on its website that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in India on the 17th of October. It appears that both variants of the phone will come together; it was previously reported that the bigger iPhone was to come later by the end of the year.
We have already told you about the expected pricing of the devices. For a premium device with innovative interconnectivity features, the price is justified. The phones are, in fact, cheaper than their predecessors when considering the amount of features they bring. Apple has kept with times and has increased the screen sizes for heavy multimedia consumption. And to address the elephant in the room; yes you are also paying for the Apple brand and it’s a great service. Premium services cost a lot of moolah.
The new phones also come with an NFC payment feature called Apple Pay. It seems fairly secure and will come handy to folks traveling to America coming next month when it gets implemented across multiple stores and online retailers.
These 64 bit, A8 chip-based phones are much faster, and their seamless interconnectivity feature like handoff, Wi-Fi-calling and others will make them worth buying. The improved camera features will also be appreciated by Apple enthusiasts. So mark your calendar, the Apple giants are a month away.
After the flood of leaks and rumors we finally get to see what Apple had in store for us. The devices are not just designed right, they are priced right too.
The 4.7 inch variant i.e. iPhone 6 is priced at about Rs. 39,500 in the US for an unlocked version so is expected to cost around Rs. 48000- 49000 for the 16 GB variant.
On the other hand, the 5.5 inch bigger sibling, the iPhone 6 Plus will be sold at the price tag of about Rs. 45,500 without contract in the US which would come to around Rs 55000 in India just like last years iPhone 5s.
For a premium flagship phone, this is good pricing. The phones are of course going to be trend setters in terms of their inter-connectivity features as well as the convenience of Apple pay. Coupled with the amazing Apple Watch, this will be a tech connoisseurs must have gadgetry. So being tech connoisseurs, our hands are itching for a feel of these beautiful devices. We can just hope for them to land on our stores as soon as possible.
The wait is over, everyone’s favourite smartphone ( non-Android Lovers’ anyway) has emerged from the mirage of leaks and speculations. The iPhone 6 is out for the worlds to see and this time it comes in two giants.
As expected Apple has launched two new iPhones today, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus (Previously spectulated to be known as the 6L.)
After the flood of leaks and rumors we finally get to see what Apple had in store for us. The 4.7 inch variant i.e. iPhone 6 is priced at about Rs. 39,500 so it would cost around Rs. 48000 to 49000 for 16 GB. The 5.5 inch bigger sibling, the iPhone 6 Plus will be sold at the price tag of about Rs. 45,500 which would come to around Rs 55000 just like last years iPhone 5s.
As, expected both the device have had a major design change with curved edges and reduced bezel space giving the device very sleek and beautiful look. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch display with 326 ppi pixel resolution while the iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5 inch 1080p HD screen with 401 ppi density. They are powered by Apple’s own A8 chip.
Both phones have 8 MP camera on the back with the iPhone 6 Plus getting a Optical image.The front camera is a 1.2 MP selfie shooter. The camera’s have some unique features like time lapse shooting and slow motion shooting at 240 fps. But lets check out how Apple’s latest holds up in comparison with its competitors.
Overall Apple’s new devices are innovative in their own rights and their long touted seamless connectivity is impressive. This was a good show by Apple and the increased size will be appreciated by the multimedia enthusiasts. The absence of expandable storage will sting some folks but the 64GB and 128GB versions will provide ample space for all your multimedia needs. The superior connectivity features will definitely be appreciated by folks who have other Apple
Apple introduced its long awaited and much-leaked iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus. Of course, you must have heard loads about the new smartphones from the Cupertino based tech giant. But there was one amazing innovation presented at the event that is going to make shopping easy, really easy. It’s called the Apple Pay.
With the new iPhones, Apple introduces the NFC radio on their phones. With Apple Pay all you need to do for paying at stores is bring your phone near the payment sensor, and that’s it, your payment is done. Apple pay is available on both, the iPhone 6 as well as the iPhone 6 Plus. It uses the Touch id for secure payment.
Apple Pay is a revolutionary way of payment.
Well, well you say, what about security, Apple hasn’t had the best of PR in that respect. Well, Apple is leaving no holes barred, the company has inducted a security chip called the Secure Elements on the phones. Not just that, with this new technology, even your name and purchase details remain hidden from the cashiers at the store. You simply pay by keeping your thumb on the touch ID sensor.
Apple has also take special care that your financial data such as Credit card and account details from falling into the wrong hands. All your credit cards are stored in the Passbook app that doesn’t store any physical data on the device like credit card number and the CVV number. Instead, what you get is a One Time Payment(OTP) number for every transaction that gets transferred to the bank, so neither Apple nor the merchant gets to know your details.
The most important bit is that if your Phone gets stolen or lost, you can simply use the Find my iPhone app and suspend all transaction from the phone. As the details credit cards are not physically present on the device, you don’t even need to cancel your cards.
The Passbook stores all the credit card details at one secure place.
Apple Pay also works on the internet. When you go for a transaction on a site that supports Apple Pay, you don’t need to go through the troubles typing in all the shipping details and card details. With just one touch you can pay for the items, and you’ll get a notification with all the details of the purchase.
Adding credit cards to the Passbook is also real easy. You can use the existing cards from iTunes. If you want to add a new card, all you need to do is take an image from your phone and get it confirmed from your bank, and you are ready to shop online.
Apple will begin the Apple pay service from the month of October in the USA. It will partner with some of the biggest chains and services like McDonalds, Subway, etc. It will also work with apps such as Uber, Groupon and of course the Apple online store. Apple pay will also work with Apple’s latest innovation, the Apple Watch.
With this Apple has brought the next generation payment technology in the mainstream that seems fast and secure. To actually judge the technology we have to wait for its implementation, but as of now, we are impressed. With the addition of NFC-enabled payment, Apple has matched up to its adversary, Androids Google Wallet and taken it a step further.
Apple at their iPhone launch event today has announced the new iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, packed with a 4.7 inch display and a 5.5 inch display respectively.
The phones despite being bigger are lighter and thinner with the new iPhone 6 being only 6.9 mm where and the new iPhone 6 Plus is only 7.1 mm thick. The front glass on the new iPhones is curved, with the iPhone 6 has a resolution of 1334 by 750 with 326 pixels per inch on the 4.7 inch display, and iPhone 6 Plus has a resolution of 1920 by 1080 with 401 pixels per inch on the 5.5 inch variant.
According to Apple, iPhone 6 is up to 50% more energy efficient, The new A8 chip has up to 25% faster processing power and up to 50% faster graphics. Which means that the graphics are an incredible 84 times faster than the original iPhone.
iPhone 6 has faster LTE than iPhone 5s. It also has more LTE bands than any other smartphone for better roaming. The new iPhone 6 can now tell if you’re going up molehills, mountains, and everything in between.
The iPhone 6 still is is equipped with an 8 MP iSight camera, with 1.5 micron pixel size, added with a phase detection AF system. the aperture is f2.2. The new iPhone 6 takes use of the new A8 image processor. The iPhone 6 Plus uses OIS “optical image stabilisation” to get better images even in low light conditions.
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus 1080p at 30 and 60 fps, new Slo-mo video upto 240 fps. Burst mode detects smiles and blinks, then recommends the best picture.
The new TouchID can be accessed by apps in the new iOS 8 and iPhone 6 and 6 plus, the big thing; Apple launches a new Apple Pay payment system that uses NFC and Touch ID. The credit cards can be stored in Passbook, without the actual number being stored, Apple creates a temp payment ID.
The advance of Android and iOS in the Smartphone market is unique. The speed of their conquering of the market can only be compared to Alexander, luckily it’s not fast enough to be compared with ISIS. But in the midst is a company which was seen as a precursor to the smartphone, but has now lost much of that sheen. The company is trying hard to stay relevant in the times when the app stores of two major giants is filling up, and more third party devices are being developed each day for those OS’s. Here Blackberry seems to believe that its classic appeal will be its saving grace.
Blackberry’s new Classic phone is about to hit the market, and that’s what the leaked images from Weibo by DT BlackBerry (via CrackBerry) seem to infer. The phone seems like a bigger version of the Q10, and it doesn’t seem light on the spec front either. The leaked images show the phone being compared to the BlackBerry Q10 and the BlackBerry 9900.
The specs are not clear as of yet, but the phone is said to be powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor with 2 GB of RAM. To provide the classic appeal, the phone has a 3.5 inch screen coupled with a QWERTY keyboard.
The leakster didn’t just stop there; they went ahead and showcased the image quality of the camera in the leak along with how the phones look. The camera does seem to be better that that of its predecessor and has more natural color reproduction.
The folks at Crackberry say that the phone might be launched by November. Meanwhile Blackberry’s other audacious release, the Blackberry Passport is expected to be launched this September 24 with simultaneous events in Dubai, London and Toronto.
It will be interesting to see how the markets respond to Blackberry’s revisit of its classic look. The passport does show some promise as it’s a one of kind device and has some impressive specs. Blackberry needs to make a unique market for itself if it wants to survive the brutal game which has already lost a titan called Nokia.
Apple’s products are always the most anticipated ones in the smartphone market and this year is not an exception to the rule. While people eagerly wait for the launch of thehighly anticipated iPhone 6, rumors and leaks fuel their excitement. It is been more than 5 months since we first heard that Apple will launch two iPhone variants this year. Let’s take a moment and look back at the numerous leaks and rumors of iPhone 6 and 6L.
The First Render Appears
Back in May, we saw what Apple was cooking up for the new-gen iPhone. Macitynet.it showed off photos of renders of the 4.7 inch iPhone 6 with upgrades such as a faster processor and NFC capabilities. Reports also mention a 5.5-inch Apple Phablet headed for launch somewhere in the latter part of the year.
Another leak from Inner Exile, a China-based case manufacturer, shows off how the phone will look from the front as well as the back. The reports illustrated the power button’s new location, next to the SIM card tray on the right of the iPhone 6. Some other leaks suggested that the new iPhone 6 will have dimensions of 137.5 x 67 x 7mm in comparison with the iPhone 5S 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm.
Acquisition of Beats
Next in line was the rumor that the company is going to include Beats earphones with the new iPhone, this came after the major 3.2 billion dollar acquisition of Beats by Apple. Also, other rumors and supply chain chatter revealed the iPhone 6 will contain several highly-anticipated features, including near field communication (NFC), wireless charging, a better 4G antenna, and a much bigger screen.
Another leak from an eBay user gave us high-resolution pictures, of a black and silver handset on which one of the first aptly designed dummy of the iPhone 6. Also, other leaks illustrated that the company could switch to sapphire crystal for future displays instead of Corning Gorilla Glass.
iPad Joins the Race
The blurred lines surrounding the release date of the iPhone 6 are finally sharpened up when an industry insider reported that Apple is planning to launch the device on 15th September. Additionally, the source said that mass shipments of the iPhone 6 from China to the United States will start during the last two weeks of August, and it is likely that Apple will announce the iPhone 6 during the first or second week of September.
More rumors suggested that the bigger 5.5 inch variant of the new iPhone will be called ‘iPhone Air.’ The company first used the “Air” appellation to tag its slim MacBook model, and has later used it for the full-size iPad’s. Both times the end result was a sleek and sexy looker with good performance.
Next in line came the production news that the company has decided to double up the number of iPhone 6 units for this fall. Taiwan’s Business Weekly reported that number of iPhone 6 orders placed is about twice the number that Apple placed for the iPhone 5. Also another leak suggested that 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will have a battery capacity of 1,800mAh to 1,900mAh, while the so-called 5.5-inch ‘iPhone Air’ will sport a 2,500mAh battery.
Also, graphic designer, Martin Hajek, popular for his various dummy mockups, created beautiful renders of the iPhone 6 along with iPad Mini. Also, some leaks suggested that Apple was in talks with major credit card company Visa to collaborate and create an iWallet technology that could revolutionize the way consumers pay for goods.
The Big Box
Finally on the first week of august we got to know about the September 9th event i.e. today where the company is expected to launch the iPhone.
Next up in mid August, a popular leakster posted some images of supposed iPhone 6 in box.
Another leak by Apple Daily, a premier Chinese language newspaper suggested that the 5.5 inch tablet will be called iPhone 6L. Then we heard that Apple is scrambling to get enough screens ready for the new iPhone 6 smartphone. The supply chains who are making displays for the phone said that display panel production suffered a setback after the backlight that helps illuminate the screen had to be revised.
Finally, How Much Will it Cost?
Details about the pricing of the re-vamped iPhones were quite scarce. But during the first week of this month, tech blog TK Tech News posted an image that shows the alleged prices of the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models.
If you convert these purported prices into Indian currency and add the standard import duties, iPhone 6’s 4.7 inch variant will come at the starting price at Rs. 61,900 approx and the 5.5 inch variant may come at starting price of Rs. 71,800. These prices are more than the introductory price of the iPhone 5S, which was launched last year for Rs. 53,500.
Also, yesterday we saw series of photos and videos of what the leaker claimed to be a fully functional iPhone 6. The leaker also uploaded a brief video demonstrating Touch ID on the device.
Well, that’s all we got from numerous leaks around the internet. Anyhow, there are some surprises that Apple has control over and that can’t be leaked, so there is still a lot to look forward to for tonight’s event. Apple is expected to launch two iPhones- a 4.7 inch variant and 5.5 inch variant and company’s first ever wearable, iWatch today at 10 AM PST (10:30 PM IST).
Fiction has influenced technology many a time. Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea inspired the invention of Submarines that opened a whole new world to us which was previously hidden in deep waters. Recently Captain Kirk’s handheld communicator from Star Trek inspired the Mobile Phones, which have completely changed the way we communicate.
Now Motorola has something in its kitty that promises to give you the feel of actually interacting with your phone without the need of any physical interface. This seems as if inspired by Spike Jones’ ‘Her’. The device in question is the Moto Hint. It even looks like a more practical version of the device that the protagonist wore to interact with Samantha (the AI assistant.)
The Moto Hint looks like a practical version of the device from the movie Her
The Moto Hint is a peanut-sized Bluetooth headset that lets you do a lot more than what a usual Bluetooth hands-free device does. Perhaps this is the reason folks at Motorola prefer to call it wireless earbud or an “earable,” which doesn’t really sound appealing to the ears. The Hint does, in fact, give a hint of what the future of wearable headsets is going to look like.
Using the Moto Hint you can literally control the most important features of a smartphone using just your voice. You can read and write messages, get navigation assistance, post on social media and much more. Motorola has the distinction of superior voice interaction on its devices starting with the previous generation Moto X. The new Moto X takes that ability further and brings in custom phrasing that lets you make your own custom phrase instead of the usual ‘OK Google’ phrase on Android.
Moto hint offers 3.3 hours of battery back-up that is good for a start. It is compatible with any Bluetooth enabled phone. A sensor on the device detects when it is in the ear and it automatically powers on. Now as it’s powered through Google, it will still just reply to the query. Hopefully, Motorola will bring an anthropomorphized voice assistant like the Cortana and Siri to make it feel like a two-way interaction.
This device will also rekindle the Bluetooth era that had just recently lost steam. If the Moto Hint works as it’s advertised, we will again have people all around us who seem like they’re talking to us but they’re actually posting a twitter update. Hopefully using hashtags vocally will make them realize how stupid they sound, and that will bring them back to the typing interface. The Moto Hint still deserves a chance for its innovation, and we’ll wait for it to come to our shores. The Moto Hint is priced at $149.99 (roughly Rs. 9,000), while its powerbank, the Power Pack Micro is available for $39.99 (roughly Rs. 2,400).
Micromax has been reworking strategies for quite some time, and after their launch of the Canvas Gold, the company has kept it low key. Meanwhile, Motorola with their Moto G and Moto E along with Xiaomi with their Mi3 and Redmi 1s have really made a dent in the market.
The Micromax Canvas Nitro A310 is the company’s answer to all that, but does it really fulfil that goal? Lets find out!
Overview
The Canvas Nitro A310 is well built phone with good specs, in the right price bracket. However with the competition looming it may not match up in terms of hardware capabilities. The strategy to launch it with online partner Snapdeal is also similar to what we have seen in the past, Motos and the MIs and their launch with Flipkart.
Hardware
The Micromax Canvas Nitro A310 comes with a Mediatek Mt6592 Octa Core Chipset clocked at 1.7 GHz on all eight cores. The phone also has 2 GB of RAM and a Mali 450 MP2 GPU. The Nitro runs on a 2500mAh battery and has 8 GB of inbuilt storage, out of which roughly 5.2 GB is available to the user.
The front is laden with a vivid 5 inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 px, for optics on the rear the phone gets a 13 MP camera with auto focus and 1080p video capture, the front remains a fixed focus with a 5 MP resolution. Cameras are capable of HDR and low light photography, video has electronic stabilisation, and you can initiate the camera with a gesture “V” sign to click pictures from a far.
Unboxing Video
Build Quality and Design
Unlike its predecessors, the Canvas Nitro A310 is built on a plastic chassis, giving it a much lighter and less sturdy feel compared to the likes of the Canvas Gold. However the phone is still well built and feels like it can take a fall or two (not that we’d recommend it). The front has a tiny lip that nicely protects the front LCD of the phone, but on from a flat table placement or a flat drop. There is no mention of Gorilla Glass, although some generic “strengthened” glass has been used.
The back panel has a leather look (read: exactly like the Note 3) however it has a much better defined design, overall appeal and touch. The back panel is also very sturdy and not flimsy at all, which one would expect. We are not too sure about this blue colour, as it may not appeal to every one, it’s how one would say “different”.
Camera
Micromax focused a lot with the camera on the new Micromax Canvas Nitro A310, they have added several new camera features as standard. Things mostly which can be had with an app, but its is always much better to have features integrated with the OS and UI. An inbuilt camera specific widget lets you take shots by focusing on what you want to do, selecting from 5 different modes.
Front Back ; lets you take one picture from the front facing camera and one from the rear facing camera and combine it as a single image.
Stable ; just like the name says, waits till your hands are stable before taking a picture.
Selfie ; A selfie mode lets you click better selfies, however this works best with “V shot gesture” mode.
Refocus; lets you add blur to all areas except the area you select, more like a software version of HTC’s dual camera setup.
Coming to the hardware, the camera is based on a BSI Sony sensor with an f2.2 aperture and has excellent focus capabilities. Images captured indoors, as well as outdoors are accurate in colour reproduction and contrast. HDR was particularly good, and can really reproduce required details in the images.
With HDR
Without HDR
You get a good deal of details with the camera, especially up close to your subject.
Performance and Gaming
The Micromax Canvas Nitro handles day to day usage without any problem, and for once this phone does not heat up at all, mostly pertaining to the fact that the device is made entirely out of plastic. At any pint of time the total amount of free RAM is approximately 600+ MB, leaving you to wonder where the phone is utilising in excess of 1.3 GB of RAM. The included clean up app does open up about 120-140 MB of RAM, but that is still less considering that the device is running on KitKat.
Benchmarks and Gaming Video
We did see some hiccups in Gaming while gunning for high end games, and we also noticed quite a lot of frame loss, we plan to revisit gaming separately post the launch of the handset. Audio quality is excellent, however you might end up with your hand on the speaker ever so often, muffling up the sound.
Phone, Networks and Battery
Signal quality is excellent indoors as well as outdoors, audio is good on a call whether incoming or out going. As far as networks are concerned the plastic body definitely improves any WiFi connectivity issues faced by the previous generation of Canvas phones.
Battery life if good for one day’s use with the included 2500 mAh battery, which is removable and replaceable by the user. You will get an average talk time of 5-6 hours with both SIM cards placed in the phone.
If you are a light user you can easily run into the second day, however a charge a day would be recommended to keep you in a healthy battery position.
Multimedia And Android
The display is really good on the Micromax Canvas Nitro A310, it has excellent levels of black which are deep and blend in with the accurate blacks of the bezel. Video playback was good after the initial hiccups we faced (old version of Youtube App) and viewing angles are fantastic. The phone’s display works well indoors and outdoors and you will totally appreciate media consumption on the display, despite the fact that it is a 720p screen.
The OS is mostly stock Android 4.4.2, with minor customisations and mostly preloaded applications by the company, the UI also looks clean and is responsive. The set of apps including Quick Look (aka Blinkfeed for non HTC devices) and the new lock screen are excellent and work really well in providing notifications and quick update of news. Both of these can easily be turned off or replaced using custom launchers and lock screen replacements from the Play Store.
Screenshots
Conclusion
While most will argue the hardware powers of the Xiaomi Mi3, the Micromax Canvas Nitro is aimed to be more for those who want a less hectic approach to buying a phone. With an octa-core chipset and 2 GB of RAM, bundled with a 13 MP camera and expandable storage, the Micromax Canvas Nitro does have it positives. The biggest being the fact that the phone will be available to those who want to buy it, easily and how.
The Micromax Canvas Nitro is a step in the right direction for Indian manufacturers, especially considering they are taking huge flack from companies like Xiaomi and Motorola who are basically now playing in their space.
[tw-column width=”one-half”]
GOOD THINGS
Good Build
Good Specs
Great Pricing
Excellent 720p Display
Good Battery Life
[/tw-column]
[tw-column width=”one-half” position=”last”]
BAD THINGS
It has been way too long since the internet has been abuzz with rumours about the much-awaited iWatch and the next iPhone 6. Love ’em or hate ’em, you have to admit that Apple has a history of making some fine products. And after reading plethora of leaks over the past few months, we’re excited to finally find out what Apple has in store for us this year.
With Apple’s September 9th event only a few hours away, we’re still witnessing the last round of leaks and rumours. Few hours ago, a leak has shown us the working iPhone 6 for the first time.
The company had sent press invites last week with the cryptic statement ‘wish we could say more’ in the typical Apple style. The event will be held at Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino, California which is the same venue where Apple debuted the Macintosh computer in 1984, 30 years ago. It is said that the venue is chosen to pay a homage to the company’s first big achievement with another groundbreaking device, the iWatch.
It is expected Apple will showcase two iPhones this year, same as last year (iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C). However, this year the second variant will not be a step down but will come with the bigger screen and better innards. Anyhow, there are numerous rumors and it is hard to keep track of it all but there are some important advancements and iterations which are expected to come with these three devices.
Lets take a moment and dissect what Apple has in store for us and what we want from the new-gen Apple devices.
The Bigger The Better
As we all know, Apple’s been working on not one, but two iPhones: a 4.7-inch version and 5.5-inch phablet for people who think iOS 8 needs more real estate to breathe. Debates have raged over whether Apple will cover those displays in ultra-durable sapphire crystal. However, recent rumors have suggested that the company won’t take the plunge, but instead they’ll offer 128GB versions of the new phones.
Exciting Upgrades
It is also been said that there will be more upgrades — a faster chip, increased resolution and improvements to the camera. Also, it is said that Apple will include NFC in the new iPhones. This will simplify the process of pairing an iWatch (if NFC is also included in the device) and an iPhone as well as both can be used to encourage mobile payment directly. A feature many companies are trying to achieve but have failed until now.
Affordable Prices
It’s highly unlikely, but we can dream. It is said that 5.5 inch iPhone 6L will be $50-100 more than the 4.7 inch variant. Recent leak suggested that Apple iPhone 6 with 4.7” display will purportedly cost 6,663 HKD, 7,671 HKD, and 8,679 HKD . The aforementioned prices are for devices with 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB of built-in memory respectively. According to the leak listing of prices, the iPhone 6 with 5.5-inch display is unsurprisingly more expensive (it is rumored to have more powerful hardware on board). It is reportedly priced at 7,923 HKD for the 16GB model, 8,931 HKD for a 32GB unit, and 9,687 HKD for a device with 64GB of onboard memory. If you convert these purported prices into Indian currency and add the standard import duties, iPhone 6’s 4.7 inch variant will come at the starting price at Rs. 61,900 approx and the 5.5 inch variant may come at starting price of Rs. 71,800.
The Super Cool New OS
Well, also iOS 8 will make its debut with these devices and anyone with an iPhone 4S or later will be able to download iOS 8 on Sept. 17. The company added tons of developer tools for home mechanization, heavy gaming performance and extensions in abundance. There’s a lot of polished new apps and add-ons that is expected to earn rave reviews.
Siri Becoming More Helpful
Siri can now be activated by saying “hey Siri,” rather than pressing the home button. She can now understand more languages and accents. The best part? Apple has gone ahead to integrate a music-recognition feature, so you can know which tune is being played instantly, without wasting time to open an app. You have the option to download the song instantly from iTunes, and if you’ve installed Shazam, you can save the song in your tabs.
The Wearable Trend : iWatch
It is quite amazing that Apple has managed to keep most of its iWatch details a secret. It is said iWatch won’t be available after it is launched with iPhone 6 which goes on sale on the Friday of the week following the event — in this case, Sept. 19. The smartwatch category is certainly experiencing a boom, although it’s still unclear if consumers really want them. The iWatch could be the product to take smartwatches mainstream, but to do that, it needs to do something that no other wearable does.
Extensive Sensors
Rumors say the iWatch will have a curved-screen design, come in two sizes and have multi-day battery life. But based on early leaks of the software, its highlight will be the extensive sensor data that it gathers about the wearer’s health. The unveiling of the new iWatch will connect the dots between the Health app, which was unveiled at WWDC 2014, iPhone 6 and wearables.
How Apple Plays the Beats
This event will also be the first event after Apple has acquired headphone-maker Beats. While it’s only been a month, it’s still a bit early for the first Beats project with Apple company, we may see the beginning of the collaboration or at least an appearance by Dr. Dre.
