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These Ultra Cheap Feature Phones Are Still Worth Every Penny
With all the news of smartphones getting bigger, costlier, and more tech-savy, we tend to forget about the good old feature phones that remind us of a simpler time. Though companies like Samsung are working on the next flagship smartphones, they still make time out to focus on ultra low budget phones so that everyone’s happy.

Here’s a list of some popular feature phones under Rs. 4000 for those in the market looking for something cheap and good. We’ve steered clear of Chinese companies offering substandard products and brought you a list of the best:

Nokia 105

We start the list with a brand we know and (used) to love before it went extinct. The Microsoft-owned Nokia 105 was launched in 2013 and got an upgrade in 2015, with a little more internal storage, a rounder shape, and better audio. You also get 15 hours of talk-time, which is an improvement over its 2013 model that gave 12.5 hours. The phone is priced at Rs. 1495 on Snapdeal and Rs. 1249 on Amazon. It is available in Red and Cyan colours. The Nokia 105 is one of the best feature phones in this range and is a favorite amongst many.

Specs
- 1.45-inch LCD screen, 16-bit, 64k colors
- Dimensions: 108.5 x 45.5 x 14.1mm
- 800mAh removable battery
- Micro-USB charger
- Dual SIM card
Karbonn K22 Plus

When it comes to low budget phones, both feature and smartphones, Karbonn leads the pack. The Karbonn K22 Plus is an ultra low budget feature phone that looks sleek and stylish, and packs in a lot for less. It comes with FM Radio, USB connectivity and up to 8 GB expandable memory slot. It features a 1.3-megapixel camera. With a 1050mAh lithium-ion battery, the phone provides only 5 hours of talk time on a full charge.

With a 2.4-inch scree, the phone provides great colours and and a clean display. It is available in Black, Grey and White and you can find it on Amazon (Rs. 1290), Snapdeal (Rs. 1099) and Flipkart (Rs. 1190).

Specs
- 2.4-inch TFT display
- Dimensions: 15.5 x 8.1 x 4.8 cm
- 1050mAh lithium-ion battery
- 1.3 MP Camera
- 8GB Expandable Memory
Samsung Guru Music 2

The Samsung Guru Music 2 emphases music for a reason. The phone gives a loud and clear sound quality and comes with an FM and MP3 player. Other features also include dual-sim, 800mAh lithium-ion battery providing talk-time of 11 hours, and an expandable memory up to 16 GB. Go for this if you want a phone that can store all your favorite music and still gives you enough space for everything else.

The Samsung Music 2 is available in Amazon and Flipkart for Rs. 1698 and Rs. 1599, respectively.

Specs
- 2 inch TFT Display
- FM radio
- 800mAH lithium-ion battery
- Up to 16 GB expandability
Samsung Metro Duos 360

This phone falls in the 3k range and with that you get some neat features that include a 2.4-inch screen with 3.1-megapixel camera. The 312 MHz Single Core processor lets your phone run smoothly without lags. and a 1000mAH lithium-ion battery providing a talk-time of about 12 hours.

The handset is available in Amazon and Snapdeal.

Specs
- 3.1MP primary camera
- 2.4-inch (6.12 centimeters) TFT display with 240 x 320 pixels resolution
- 1000 mAh battery
- 312 MHz Single Core processor
- USB version 2.0 and Bluetooth version 3.0
Panasonic GD22

The Panasonic GD22 falls just below the 2k mark and perhaps the best feature about this phone is a 1800mAh lithium-ion battery that gives a talk-time of 15 hour. Other features are standard for a phone in this range. The 2.4-inch TFT display offers a comfortable viewing with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels and a pixel density of 167 ppi,

The phone is available in Amazon and Snapdeal and is offered in Black, Grey, Red and White.

Specs
- 1.3MP primary camera
- 2.4-inch (6.0 centimeters) QVGA TFT display
- Memory expandable up to 16GB
- 1800mAh lithium-ion battery
Nokia 225

Another great Nokia device under the 4k range is the Nokia 225. The handset boasts of great features that make it worth buying if you have a budget between Rs. 3000 – Rs. 4000. The phone’s main attraction is its sharp 2.8-inch LCD display that brightens everything up. It also comes with a powerful 1200 mAh battery that will give you a whopping 21 hours of talk-time which is the highest in this list.

Nokia 225 can be found on Amazon and Snapdeal for Rs. 3055 and is available in Black, White, Yellow, and Red.

Specs
- 2MP primary camera
- 2.8-inch QVGA LCD display with 320 x 240 pixels resolution
- 1200mAh battery
- 32 GB Expandable Memory
- Dual SIM
 
September 26, 2015
YU to Release Another Mystery Flagship Smartphone Soon

YU had very recently launched the Yunique on the 8th of September 2014. This was it’s first affordable LTE-capable smartphone. Just today, founder Rahul Sharma tweeted hinting that another smartphone may already be on its way.

Micromax spinoff YU Televentures was formed with the aim to bring exciting products through innovating and reinventing technology. Their motto #YUPlayGod suggested that we, the consumers were in charge of developing the kind of products we wanted. YU Yureka was the first smartphone from the Indian-bred smartphone manufacturing firm to gain recognition in the international market; it offered good specs at an affordable price. It was the first Indian-origin smartphone that could stand in the marketplace flooded with Chinese and Taiwanese electronics.

Today, Rahul Sharma tweeted:

After the minion monster #YUNIQUE can't wait to present the #Real Beast. Let the countdown begin

— Rahul Sharma (@rahulsharma) September 25, 2015

Well, the only thing we are able to decipher from this tweet is that the next smartphone could possibly be a flagship. As of now their latest smartphone Yunique is priced at Rs. 4,999 but since the upcoming smartphone is expected to be a flagship, the price could also possibly be higher than the Yu Yunique.

Currently, however, the Yureka Plus comes at Rs. 8,999 which is the most expensive smartphone in the Yu line. So, if they’re planning to stick to their own style of producing affordable mobiles with high specs then the upcoming handset also should not be priced too far from what they already have. Till then let’s keep our fingers crossed for a blockbuster.

September 25, 2015
Virtual Reality is Now Affordable Thanks to Samsung’s $99 Gear VR

The Netflix experience is about to get a whole lot better. Samsung announced the newest edition to Gear VR in collaboration with Oculus , along with a slew of new features and apps. The headset will have a redesigned trackpad, a new Xbox-style Gamepad with dual analogue design, and a new, lower price that’ll be available this November in the United States.

The Gear VR is also getting a major media boost with Netflix, Hulu and Twitch among the few new services that will be available for the headset. The Netflix app, for example, creates a virtual living room for the viewer to watch in. The virtual television in front of you will have the Netflix UI on the screen. You simply look to move the cursor and tap the touchpad on the side of the Gear VR to make your selection. Currently the app allows almost no choice for the user in terms of the environmental changes or the distance of the screen.

The Oculus -made Samsung Gear VR will work with the whole 2015 line of Samsung Smartphones including the Note 5, S6, S6 Edge, and S6 Edge+, and will be priced at $99, a $100 less than the previous Gear VR.

“Virtual reality that’s accessible to consumers is still very young and so it was all about developing the ecosystem,” said Jim Willson, director of immersive products and VR at Samsung. “We had to make sure there was enough content, both in terms of video content … and on the gaming side.”

Wilson hinted at a captive audience that an app like Netflix can provide with more number of hours being spent with these media apps. Apart from Netflix, Oculus also announced 20th Century Fox and Lionsgate, as well as Hulu, Twitch, TiVo and Vimeo for VR apps.

Samsung is looking to expand its consumer base and is looking to make the Gear VR not just a device for niche audience. It may take a while before people take to the virtual reality experience, but with PlayStation also working on its VR gaming technology, the future of media technology looks pretty clear. So, for those who want to experience the next season of Daredevil in virtual reality can get their hands on the Gear VR from November.

September 25, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S7 Could Be Announced As Early As January

According to emerging reports, Samsung could announce the release of the Galaxy S7 as early as January 2016. The reason behind this unprecedented announcement is not known but presumably the company wants to jump ahead of its competition, especially Apple, that will allow customers to purchase the S7 right away.

Generally, Samsung has followed an April release for its flagship smartphones. The upcoming flagship is being developed either under the codename Project Lucky (it’s the number 7 after all) or Hero and Hero2. It will come in two models with one to feature Qualcomm’s new quad-core Snapdragon 820 processor and the other having the octa-core Exynos. While one is said to have a flat display, the other will sport a dual-edge curved display.

Further reports also suggest that Samsung might have found a way to make microSD card slots work in conjunction with UFS 2.0 storage but this is mere speculation at the moment.

Only time will tell whether or not these rumors are true but for now it looks like Samsung is working on a clock.

September 25, 2015
Xiaomi is Officially Working on its First Laptop

Xiaomi is moving onto bigger things. The Chinese company is now working on its first laptop, according to reports. Since the company’s inception in 2010, Xiaomi has grown rapidly to become the fourth biggest smartphone maker in the world. The company is looking to create the same magic in the laptop game. The notebook is being manufactured by Inventec.

Xiaomi has made an impact in the smartphone market by selling near-premium phones at budget prices. But whether the company will use the same formula for its first laptop is a different story. “I am not sure if the smartphone approach will be applicable to notebooks, but I expect Xiaomi’s entry into the notebook industry to bring something new to the market,” said Inventec chairman, Richard Lee.

Leaked images of Xiaomi’s laptop were moving around as far back as December 2014, and it showed a very Macbook Air-ish design.

The leaked pictures of this laptop uncannily resemble the Macbook Air.

Lee also stated that Xiaomi’s first laptops will start shipping in the first two quarters of 2016. “I am upbeat about the business outlook for Xiaomi’s notebook computers, as the firm has more than 200 million registered smartphone users,” Lee said.

The company recently launched the China-only Mi 4c smartphone and introduced the Mi Mobile service in China with which the company is looking to compete against other Chinese-based carriers.

Though the news of Xiaomi’s new notebook was made official on Wednesday, rumors of it have been circulating much before. Bloomberg reported earlier this month that Xiaomi’s first laptop is likely to be in the range of Apple’s Macbook Air, thereby stating who the Chinese company is planning to compete with. We will have to wait till next year to confirm the authenticity of those images.

September 25, 2015
LG Releases Teaser For an Upcoming Phone With an Asymmetrical Screen

Yesterday, LG released its first teaser for a new smartphone. The first thing we notice about this phone is its unusual screen. Basically it has added an additional smaller screen on top of the regular one.

Take a look at the teaser:

This feature had however, been leaked earlier in September, but this teaser confirms its existence. The leak showed the additional ticker next to the front dual cameras, and above the regular screen. This feature however, give the phone an asymmetrical look when turned off.

Nothing more has been revealed in the teaser about the new LG smartphone’s specs. However, @evleaks had previously leaked that the handset could possible arrive with a 5.7 inch QHD screen, powered by the Snapdragon 808, with an internal storage of 64GB with a micro SD card and a 3GB of RAM. It’s primary camera is expected to be a 16MP one along with a 5MP front camera.

This unnamed LG device is scheduled to be unveiled on the 1st of October, 2015.

September 25, 2015
In Australia, a Robot Waited in Line to Buy the New iPhone 6s

The possession of an iPhone right after its release is not an easy task, you’ll have to wait in long lines outside stores for days until you receive it. Seems like a horribly inconvenient thing to do, especially when your life really doesn’t come to a standstill just because the new iPhone has come to town. But a lady is Australia has found the perfect solution to get her iPhone while standing in the long line and at the same time go to work.

The idea is something like Sheldon Cooper’s TV Robot, in the episode where he was ill and hence created a virtual robot with a TV Screen attached to a Segway-type device, which could go to work while he was lying in bed sick at home.

Lucy Kelly a resident of Sydney, Australia has used a telepresence robot to stand in line instead of her. It is basically an iPad attached to a sleek segway looking device. This robot reportedly arrived at the Apple store at 5:00am and is fourth in line to receive the new iPhone 6s. Further reports also suggest that Kelly’s company often uses this device to attend meetings half way around the world.

“We use them for everything, just to show new technology. It is a cool demonstration of what the future of technology will be,” said Kelly

This device works through an app that allows people to connect from anywhere and communicate via an iPad. The device is in line forthe iPhone 6s and 6s Plus which is arriving first in Australia. The question now arises about an overnight stay. Where is the robot going to find shelter? Well Kelly has taken care of it. The robot, who is named Lucy will stay in a special tent that comes with a charger and keeps it dry in case it begins to rain. Once the momentous time arrives, the robot will be able to buy the iPhone 6s without human interaction.

Good luck to Lucy. Maybe gen-next is getting smarter because as long as you are get inspired by Sheldon Cooper, you should be just fine.

Source : [tw-button size=”small” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”In Australia, a Robot Named Lucy Waited in Line to Buy the New iPhone 6s http://1gn.in/1NQ3iir”]Mashable[/tw-button]

September 25, 2015

New Vertu Signature Touch Comes at a Starting Price of Rs. 6,50,000

The cat is finally out of the bag as Vertu announces its official upgrade to Signature Touch. The smartphone will now sport a Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset and a RAM of 4 GB.

Touch will also feature 5.2″ display covered with sapphire crystal and a 1080p resolution. The main camera would be of 21 MP along with 4K video capture, while the selfie camera is a puny 2.1 MP. The internal storage of the phone is 64 GB, expandable up to 2 TB. Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC are the connectivity options packed in this beauty, along with 4G LTE support . The operating system is Android 5.1 Lollipop, and Vertu’s own concierge goodies.

With its release date on the 18th of October, the phone will be available for pre-order in some countries from 28th September to 8th October. Price would be located within the bracket £6,500 (Rs. 6,56,000 approx) – £13,700 (Rs. 13,84,000 approx) depending on the buyer’s choice of the combination of metal and exotic leather. And no, these figures are not typos – just when you thought Apple was stealing the show for the most ridiculously expensive gadgets.

Here’s a spec sheet of all features of Signature Touch:

Specification	Signature Touch
Display	5.2″ display covered by a 5th Generation solid sapphire crystal screen
Resolution	1080p
Chipset	Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810
Processor	64bit Octo-core
RAM	4 GB
Storage	64 GB of internal memory
Expandability	2 TB
Rear Camera	2.1 MP
Front Camera	21 MP
Battery	3160 mAh (min 3010 mAh) Li-ion
Operating System	Android 5.1 Lollipop
Connectivity	Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
Price	£6,500 (Rs. 6,56,000) – £13,700 (Rs. 13,84,000)

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.gsmarena.com/updated_vertu_signature_touch_goes_official_with_snapdragon_810_and_4gb_of_ram-news-14147.php”]GSM Arena[/tw-button]

September 24, 2015

Design Details About LG’s Nexus 5X Revealed

Leaks ruin the element of surprise. With leaks you get to know mostly everything about a device that is yet to be launched. We have been bringing you rumours of the upcoming Nexus smartphones for a while now with the last one being the design of Huawei’s Nexus 6P. So, continuing with the trend, we now have images released by Android Police that reveal the design of LG’s Nexus 5X.

LG’s smartphone looks a lot more appealing than Huawei’s. While the Nexus 6P appears to have a big black bar casing for the camera, the smaller 5X has gone with a simpler look for the back with a fingerprint scanner just below the rounded camera bump. The camera and fingerprint scanner appear to be of the same size which provides a nice balance. The front of the Nexus 5X looks similar to the 6P phablet with two grilles on the front for speakers.

The 5X is expected to have a 5.2-inch 1080p screen with 423 ppi pixel density and a 1.8GHz Quallcomm Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor, with 2 GB of RAM. According to the Amazon listing the smartphone will also come with a 12.3MP primary camera and a 5MP front-facing camera and is expected to be priced at Rs. 23,940. Amazon also revealed that the smartphone will be available in three colour variants – Charcoal Black, Quartz White and Ice Blue.

With the Google event less than a week away, we pretty much have everything we need to know about both the Nexus smartphones. Now we just have to wait for the official release of the devices on the 29th of September in San Francisco.

September 24, 2015
Motorola India to Offer 2nd Gen Moto E 4G LTE Off the Shelf

In the midst of Chinese vendors threatening to take over Indian markets with their smartphones, Motorola India seems to be upping their game plan. This time they are creating a wider range of offline and online retailers through their distribution partner, Brightstar India for easier and wider access to their handsets.

Some of us, still prefer going to a store and examining a product before availing of it. For this lot, Motorola will for the first time make the 2nd Gen Moto E 4G LTE available off the shelf at select Airtel stores across the country. Along with this, they are also looking towards their e-shoppers and will start offering the Moto E 3G/4G LTE, September 25 onwards, on Amazon India and Snapdeal.

“Consumers are at the heart of whatever we do and we will leave no stone unturned to enhance their buying experiences.” said Mr. Amit Boni, General Manager, Motorola Mobility India.

Oh well, Motorola does seem to be on their toes this season and hopefully they continue to do so.

September 24, 2015
This is the Best Look We’ve Got So Far at Huawei’s Nexus 6P

Just yesterday, we brought you news of leaked images confirming the names of the new Nexus devices as shown on the retail boxes. As we approach the big Google launch on the 29^th of September, the leaks are pouring out profusely. We had also mentioned that the only leak perhaps remaining is the actual look of the phones, and well, that’s exactly what the latest leak by Android Police has revealed.

Two leaked press renders of the Huawei Nexus 6P show what the phone will look like. While the first image shows the white version’s front and back, the second shows four colours the phone is expected to be available in – silver, black, white, and gold. The rendered images pretty much confirm what we’ve seen in the past leaks.

The design shows the front-facing stereo speakers with the fingerprint scanner on the back. Not much can be said on the thickness of the phone, though there is a pretty clear hump housing the camera on the top. Google and Huawei have decided to keep a whole bar rather than just having the camera module sticking out. The black bar is a bit odd-looking, but the image seems to suggest that the bar is on the same level as the rest of the casing. However, without a 3D image we cannot be certain.

Huawei Nexus 6P is expected to feature a 5.7-inch QHD touchscreen, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset, with 3 GB RAM, and will be available in 32 GB/ 64 GB /128 GB internal storage, and a USB Type-C port. The phone will run on the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

We are only a few days away from the Google event and the only thing left now are leaked images of the LG Nexus 5X, which can also be expected very soon.

Image Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/09/22/exclusive-here-is-the-nexus-6p-in-all-its-glory-front-and-back/”]Android Police[/tw-button]

September 24, 2015
Upcoming HTC One A9 Expected To Arrive in Six Colours

There’s a new leak about the HTC One A9 today on Twitter from the (in)famous @evleaks account. The new leak confirms two things – the handset will arrive in six colour variants and is definitely inspired from the iPhone’s design.

The six colours will reportedly include – Acid Gold, Opal Silver, Deep Garnet, Carbon Gray, Rose Gold, and Cast Iron.

Other previous rumours about the specifications for the HTC One A9 suggest that it could come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 chipset, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable memory, 13MP main camera with OIS, 4MP front-facing snapper, and Android Marshmallow. All of that along with a 5 inch 1080p AMOLED display and 2,150mAh battery.

The smartphone is expected to be revealed on the 29th of September, 2015. Till then sit tight for this iPhone look-a-like, while we bring you more information about it soon.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”https://twitter.com/evleaks?ref_src=twsrc^tfw”]Twitter[/tw-button]

September 24, 2015
Samsung Will Unveil the Galaxy S7 in Two Variants

While these is still a few months before Samsung officially unveils the Galaxy S7, the rumour mill is working hard and fast to deliver news about the device. The yet to be revealed Samsung S7 will come in two variants, according to reports. The SM-G930 and the SM-G935 would follow the league of their predecessors and come equipped with their own specific features.

The Galaxy S7 is codenamed Project Lucky, while the company refers to the two phones as Hero and Hero2. One of the two phones would have Exynos 8890 as its processor, while the other would have Snapdragon 820 SoC. Like the Galaxy S6, both of these phones would have UFS 2.0 storage. The South Korean tech giant may also have developed microSD card slots to work in unison with UFS 2.0, but this piece of information is yet to be confirmed.

The camera of the smartphone is expected to feature either dual-sensor setup, or a 20MP ISOCELL sensor. The display would be flat for one phone, and with a dual-edge curve for other.

After having launched the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Note 5 last month, hopes are high from the next Samsung gadgets. Let’s see how the company fares this time.

Source

September 24, 2015
Meet Spot, The US Marines’ New Robo-Dog for War

The military is always coming up with new things to help their combat strategy. Recently we heard of various countries such as China, Japan and the USA creating robot dogs to help in combat. Meanwhile, Boston Dynamics has created Spot. Who is Spot? Spot is a robo-dog who is very different from his contemporaries. He’s said to be ‘tinier’, and a more ‘agile iteration’ of his predecessors.

Spot weighs 160 pounds, is hydraulically actuated with a sensor on its nose to help in navigation and is controlled by a laptop-connected game controller, which can be used by a hidden operator up to 1,600 feet away. This robo-canine is not too new, as he was unveiled in February 2015, however, reports suggest that last week it was put through a series of simulated combat scenes ranging from forests to urban fighting situations.

These tests have been conducted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. Spot is now being experimented with, by putting him in situations which would otherwise use real dogs or people. If successful, robo-dogs like Spot could make a difference in the infantry with their abilities of being able to ‘clear rooms and scout for threats.’

Watch the video below and let us know what you think of this new development:

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/09/marines-give-googles-latest-robot-a-tryout-as-working-dog/”]arstechnica[/tw-button]

September 24, 2015
This Badass Drone Can Carry a Man

Essentially, a drone is an aircraft without a pilot which is also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs.) A drone can be remotely controlled or can fly autonomously by onboard computers. Drones were seen to have a wide range of purpose. From delivering goods and products to your doorstep to aiding during a natural disaster.

Drones were used in search missions in inaccessible locations and were equipped with thermal cameras to locate people trapped under rubble or snow. However, the Nepal government later banned the use of drones as they were concerned over illegally leaking images of national heritage sites.

Last year in October, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) prohibited the use of unmanned drones citing safety reasons. Drones had made headlines when a pizza outlet used the device for one of its deliveries. Soon after that many commercial organizations started showing interest in using drones.

The DGCA, however, stated in a circular that “the UAS (unmanned aerial system) has potential for a large number of civil applications. However, its use, besides being a safety issue, also poses a security threat. The airspace over cities in India has high density of manned aircraft traffic. Due to lack of regulation, operating procedures/ standards and uncertainty of the technology, UAS poses threat for air collisions and accidents,”

But the DGCA never mentioned anything about manned drones. In a recent video posted on YouTube, a man is found standing on top of a drone, which seems to be the first ever manned drone to take flight, and it is indeed a spectacle.

The video shows a man hovering well above water and controlling the drone with ease. Though this drone seems to be only a one-off at the moment, chances are this could be approved for the masses. The quad copter shows it is powerful enough to carry a man.

Unless the DGCA announces new rules and regulations for drone flying (which it had planned to do since October last year), even if a manned drone such as the one in the above video were to be mass produced, it would not be seen hovering over India any time soon.

September 24, 2015