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Power Banks Reviewed : OnePlus vs Xiaomi vs Asus

We have smartphones that can achieve anything on the go. They’ve freed us from the need to carry around a map, dictionary, camera and basically a full-blown PC. But the thing that has continued to haunt these devices is their battery handicap.

As soon as the battery sign hits the dreaded red colour, its time to cut all operations. And sadly, for most of us this happens midway, through the day. The only upside to this miserable tale is that it has given birth to a whole new industry. Meet the power banks. Nearly all major companies have launched their own portable packs that help our smartphones survive a whole day and more.

Overview

To help you decide which one to pick up, we’re testing the three power banks in the market that are a mix of affordable pricing and consistent performance. The oldest one around, Xiaomi Mi Powerbank is priced at Rs. 999, weighs 250g and provides 10,400mAh of battery. Next in line is the Asus ZenPower which is available for Rs. 1,599, weighs 215g and provides 10,050mAh of power. The fairly recent arrival in India is the OnePlus powerbank which is priced at Rs. 1,399, weighs 222g and comes with 10,000mAh of power.

We pit them against each other in terms of design, size, durability and most importantly, power.

Xiaomi Mi Powerbank

Starting off with the oldest, we tested out the 10,400mAh version for you, though it is available in 5,000 mAh and 16,000 variants as well. When it comes to design, the Mi power bank has a textured anodized aluminum casing that covers the entire battery and has a smooth metallic finish. As with some of the other Xiaomi products, this one also looks like it has followed Apple’s strict visual guidelines.

The credit card-sized devise easily fits in your hand (and your pocket). It is claimed to be water and corrosion resistant. The surface is a bit slippery but that can be easily addressed by using the rubber case provided with it. The LED indicators for battery level especially stand out against the unadorned surface. Though it’s slightly on the heavy side, about 250 grams, but it’s the one which comes with maximum capacity. This factor alone will keep the user from complaining about the extra weight.

The Mi Powerbank turns on automatically when a device is plugged in for charging. To check how much battery is left on the device, all you need to do is press the power button once and the LED indicator displays how much battery remains.

According to our performance tests the battery pack took over 5.5 hrs to charge with 5V/2A plug and standard cable, meanwhile it took 12 hrs with 5V/1A plug and standard cable. Once it was fully charged, it was capable of charging the iPhone 6 Plus (2915mAh battery) three times.

OnePlus Power Bank

The OnePlus Power Bank is available in both Sandstone Black and Silk White with a capacity of 10,000mAh. The company claims that it easily slips into your pocket and can fully charge your OnePlus, thrice. The major advantage of this one over the others is the fact that it comes with two USB ports so that you can charge two devices at once. Unfortunately, the device cannot be charged and plugged into another device at the same time; the two actions need to be done separately.

Design-wise, we checked out the white model and it looks extremely stylish. It resembles a small notebook, and the matte white casing feels good to touch. The fact that it is slimmer than the rest on this list may be appreciated by some but it’s too large to comfortably carry around in your pocket. Since portability is the biggest criterion when picking up a power pack, this point is important to note. This powerbank is wide and tall, so if you’re used to lugging around a backpack or bag then this shouldn’t affect your decision to purchase the OnePlus powerbank. The simplistic design skips out on the power button, however the LED battery indicators can be lit up by shaking the power bank.

According to our performance tests, the device takes 6 hours to charge fully with a 5V/2A plug and a standard cable, meanwhile it took 13 hrs with a 5V/1A plug and a standard cable. After which, it is capable of charging the iPhone 6 Plus (2915mAh battery) thrice.

Asus ZenPower

Design-wise, read the Xiaomi section, because the two are nearly identical. The only exception being that the Asus ZenPower is smaller and lighter. It features the same aluminium finish, rounded corners and hosts only one device at a time. It comes with LED indicators and a power switch, which function in the same fashion as the Xiaomi power bank. It is accompanied by a rubberised cover, which helps protect the device against scratches. Asus gets another brownie point for launching the powerbank in multiple colours – the black colour variant looks especially attractive.

According to our performance tests, the Asus ZenPower takes 4.5 hours to charge fully with a 5V/2A plug and a standard cable, meanwhile it took 12 hrs with a 5V/1A plug and a standard cable. After which, it is capable of charging the iPhone 6 Plus (2915mAh battery) 3-4 times. The ZenPower demonstrates that it has the capacity to fuel devices slightly more than the OnePlus and the Xiaomi charger.

Conclusion

With the three devices, there were zero complaints in terms of functionality and the workings. They all feature LED indicators, are heavily protected and provide your devices battery when they need it the most.

However, having used the three power banks interchangeably over the past few months, we can easily say that we’d pick the Asus ZenPower over the other two. While it may be the most expensive of the three, it is also the lightest one. Since a battery pack is an extra device that you need to carry around – the portability of the device matters the most. The OnePlus one is too wide to carry around easily, and the Xiaomi powerbank feels heavy.

Arguably, if you don’t want to spend the extra Rs. 500 on a battery pack then go for the Xiaomi – it makes for a good second option. The only major advantage the OnePlus carries is the fact that you can charge two devices at once. If you’re used to carrying around multiple handsets, then this one is for you.

Power bank	OnePlus Power Bank	Xiaomi Mi Power Bank	Asus ZenPower
Colour variants	Sandstorm Black or Silk White	Silver or Gold	Black, Blue, Gold, Silver, Pink
Battery type	Lithium-polymer	Lithium-ion	Lithium-ion
Capacity	10,000 mAh	10,400 mAh	10,050 mAh
Charging Time	6 hrs with 5V/2A plug and standard cable, 10 hrs with 5V/1A plug and standard cable	5.5 hrs with 5V/2A plug and standard cable12 hrs with 5V/1A plug and standard cable	4.5 hrs with 5V/2A plug and standard cable, 10 hrs with 5V/1A plug and standard cable
Dimensions	142.8 × 72.6 × 16.2 mm	90.5 x 77 x 21.6mm	90.5 x 59 x 22 mm
Weight	220g	250g	215g
Price	Rs. 1,399	Rs. 999	Rs. 1,696

August 2, 2015

Lava Brings Out the New Iris X1 Selfie, Priced at Rs. 6,777

Yesterday, Lava announced the release of its new smartphone – Lava Iris X1 Selfie. The company has priced the smartphone at Rs. 6,777. The device will be available for purchase next week on online retail stores and other multi-brand outlets.

The Iris X1 come with selfie-focusing features such as a 5MP front camera with LED flash supported by the Beaty-Fi Software for further editing. It also has an 8MP f/2.0 aperture, LED flash, rear camera. The camera comes along with various camera modes such as Panorama, HRD Mode, Video Mode, Capture Mode (Smile, Gesture, Voice, Touch), and Burst Mode.

The OS is Android 5.0 Lollipop based and the device comes with a dual-SIM with a 4.5-inch FWVGA (854×480 pixels) resolution IPS display, powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6580 processor clocked at 1.3GHz,and 1GB of DDR3 RAM.

The device also has 8GB of inbuilt storage that can be expanded up to 32GB by a microSD card. Other features include, 3G, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, GPS, and Bluetooth. It weighs 140 grams and comes with a 2000mAh Li-Po battery which is said to have up to 13 hours of talk time in 2G and 8 hours 30 minutes of talk time in 3G.

The Iris X1 Selfie comes in various colours, such as, Icy White, Royal Black, and Purple colour variants.

Below are the specifications:

OS	Android 5.0 Lollipop
SIM	Dual SIM (Standby)
Display	4.5-inch FWVGA (854×480 pixels) resolution IPS
Processor	Quad-core MediaTek MT6580 processor, 1.3GHz
Rear Camera	8-MP, autofocus, f/2.0 aperture and LED flash
Front Camera	5MP LED Flash (Beauty-Fi Software)
RAM	1GB DDR3 RAM
Storage	8GB (Internal memory) microSD (32GB)
Miscellaneous	3G, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, GPS, and Bluetooth options
Battery	2000mAh Li-Po battery
Measurements	133.5×66.0×8.5mm
Colours	Icy White, Royal Black, and Purple
Price	Rs. 6,777

August 1, 2015

Samsung Ups its Game By Adding a Rotating Bezel to the Gear Smartwatch

Samsung has decided to up its game with its new Gear smartwatch installation. This tech wear is said to come with a rotating bezel which can be used for navigating menus, apps, widgets, notifications and can even be used to zoom information, as well as interact with games.

This is the first time Samsung is featuring a round bodied smartwatch. According to rumours, the watch will be unveiled along with the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. It is said to be running the latest version of Tizen 2.3.4 OS with a display of 360×360 pixel resolution. Other speculated features include, an Exynos 3472 dual-core processor, the Mali-400 MP4 GPU clocked at 450 MHz, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of on-board storage, and a 250 mAh battery.

It is also said to have an inbuilt Global Positioning System, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and heart rate sensors. These features look promising, although one can never tell until the product actually releases into the market.

August 1, 2015
Samsung Announces Price Cut Rates For the S6, S6 Edge in Europe

We had earlier reported that the Samsung S6 and S6 Edge would be announcing a huge price cut, due to the fall in their sales during the last quarter. Today, the exact amount of this price drop has been announced in Netherlands, Europe.

The Galaxy S6 (32GB) had originally been priced at 699 Euros (approx Rs.49,250), but will now be priced at 599 Euros (approx. Rs.42,199), which is 100 euros less. The Galaxy S6 Edge (32GB), on the other hand, has had a further drop of 150 euros, from 849 euros (approx. Rs.59,800) to 699 euros (approx. Rs.49,250).

The Galaxy S6 (64GB) will be for 699 euros (approx. Rs.49,250) and the S6 Edge will be 799 euros (approx. Rs.56,300). It is also rumoured that the Galaxy S6 edge + Phablet (32GB), will start at 799 euros, bringing it at par with the S6 Edge smartphone.

Despite the price cuts, the S6 and S6 Edge are still within the range of a high-end phone, however these discounts are expected to increase sales in the future.

It is to be noted that these price cuts are applicable only to the Netherlands, and might differ in other countries, including those, within the Euro zone.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.gsmarena.com/new_prices_surface_for_the_galaxy_s6_and_s6_edge_in_europe-news-13342.php”]gsmarena[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
Google Glass Makes a Comeback With Updated Features

As reports previously suggest, Google Glass is making a comeback with a new pair of spectacles. The latest news, is that Google Glass 2 is actually being tested quietly in various workplaces. Reports also say, that the new version is already being used in “industries such as health care, manufacturing and energy.”

Sources from the Wall Street Journal suggest that the device features “a button-and-hinge system to attach it to different glasses”, instead of it being a full pair of spectacles. Therefore, Google is re-imagining their design to eliminate the previous hang ups of its device, such as style. In the process, we should perhaps soon get a ‘tech wear’ gadget that isn’t ugly or odd looking.

However, the above mentioned design seems to be created as a work tool, although reports suggest, that Google is also looking to make a new consumer version, eventually.

The Google Glass 2 is also reported to come with a better Intel processor, and a longer battery life that will be supported by a magnetically-attached, external battery pack. These improvements have been made due to common complaints about the Google Glass and its technological progress.

The new version is also said to feature a “longer, thinner” display, which can be “moved vertically as well as horizontally,” and will be better proofed against any damage and water.

However, it is yet to be seen whether the Google Glass 2 will surpass the Google Glass in its functionality, practicality and design. Do you think the Google Glass will work this time around? Let us know.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.wsj.com/article_email/google-quietly-distributes-new-version-of-glass-aimed-at-workplaces-1438283319-lMyQjAxMTI1MDMzMDczNjA3Wj”]Wall Street Journal[/tw-button]

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://9to5google.com/2015/07/13/google-distribute-glass-enterprise-edition-exclusively-through-glass-for-work-partners/#more-112234″]9to5google.com[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
This Windows 10 Feature May Be Using Up Your Internet Bandwidth

As people are slowly learning and getting used to the Windows 10 updates, some of them stand out, here is one. A feature called the Windows Update Delivery Optimization gives Microsoft the permission to share parts of your Internet bandwidth, with others.

This feature saves and uploads parts of your updates files that have been downloaded via Windows Update & Windows Store service, then depending upon your settings, will share that with people on your local network, or people on the internet.

“Delivery Optimization downloads the same updates and apps that you get through Windows Update and the Windows Store. Delivery Optimization creates a local cache, and stores files that it has downloaded in that cache for a short period of time,” says the description.

This feature is enabled in all desktop editions of Windows 10 by default; however it only shares files on the local network. There is an option to turn off this feature, one needs to go to the Settings > Update & security > Windows Update > Advanced options. After that, select the ‘Choose how updates are delivered’ and turn off the ‘Dicovery Optimization’ feature.

Image Source: NDTV Gadgets

The feature, is one of the few that could annoy users, just like the Wi-Fi Sense did. The Wi-Fi sense is a feature that was previously available on Windows Phones, whereby it shares the user’s Wi-Fi credentials to all contacts on Facebook, Outlook & Skype.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2015/07/30/windows-10-steals-your-bandwidth-to-send-other-people-updates/”]TheNextWeb[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
Here’s How You Can Switch Back to Windows 8.1

After the launch of the Windows 10, it has been getting many positive reviews especially because it has been expected to replace all the features that Windows 8/8.1 lacked, such as the much loved, Start button.

However, some users might still want to revert to the Windows 8/8.1, due to technical reasons such as certain bugs not being patched yet into the Windows 10, etc. Windows 10 has a rather simple method of downgrading right back to Windows 8/8.1 until you are ready – one can just go to the Upgrade & Security option and choose Recovery.

Image Source: BGR

The downgrade might give you certain problems such as apps not opening or running, but one just needs to reinstall them. Although it is still suggested to stick to Windows 10, considering the free upgrade and good reviews.

Source:[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://reviews.gizmodo.com/psa-windows-10-isnt-a-risk-free-upgrade-1720936691″] Gizmodo[/tw-button]

August 1, 2015
Huawei Replaces Microsoft as the Third Largest Smartphone Vendor

Microsoft may be riding high on the Windows 10 rollout but it still feels the sting of the loss caused by the purchase of Nokia a few years back. Microsoft’s acquisition of the Finnish company was speculated to be a sure hit, only it didn’t. The Lumia devices never performed as expected and neither did Nokia’s Android devices. And just last week, Microsoft wrote off Nokia $7.5 billions on Nokia, considering the company brought the once-smartphone major for $9.5 billions. Thus, what was Microsoft’s loss became Huawei’s gain as the Chinese company became the third largest mobile phone vendor, displacing Microsoft without breaking a sweat.

According to Strategy Analytics, Huawei sold 30.6 million mobile phones and gained a record 7 percent market share worldwide. The report notes that Huawei is rising in all regions of the world and it gaining stronger foothold in China, thanks to the 4G handsets such as Mate7.

Microsoft sold 27.8 million units this year, with a 50% drop in sales compared to last year. Microsoft’s plan for cross platform OS never gained major traction, nor did the fact that Apple and Samsung scooped up most of the market share due to iOS and low-budget Android smartphones respectively, helped.

According to the report, Samsung is still the largest mobile phone vendor, with Apple coming in at second position. Here is the twist though: Samsung’s share dropped from last year while the opposite happened for Apple. Apple’s quarterly report shows its growth in China while Samsung’s downfall may have resulted from the increasing popularity of Xiaomi and OnePlus in the past year.

Source: [tw-button size=”small” background=”” color=”” target=”_blank” link=”https://www.strategyanalytics.com/strategy-analytics/news/strategy-analytics-press-releases/strategy-analytics-press-release/2015/07/30/huawei-becomes-world’s-3rd-largest-mobile-phone-vendor-in-q2-2015#.VbtcN26qqkp”]Strategy Analytics[/tw-button]

Via: [tw-button size=”small” background=”” color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/31/huawei-microsoft-smartphone-sales/”]Engadget[/tw-button]

July 31, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo with 2GB RAM and a 16MP Camera Unveiled

With the earlier announcement of the cheaper version of the Galaxy S5, that is, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo, leaks about the device have been pouring in. Just recently an online retailer, Belsimpel, a Dutch e-commerce website, has leaked the price of the Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo, quoted at EUR 429 (roughly Rs. 30,000). The device has been on pre-order on a lot of e-commerce websites and is rumoured to start shipping by the end of next month.

According to leaks, the Samsung Galaxy S5 Neo has a similar design as the Samsung Galaxy S5. However, it runs on the Samsung’s octa-core Exynos 7580 processor instead of the Galaxy S5’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 SoC. The modem is advertised to be supported by Cat.6 LTE speeds of up to 300Mbps and a front camera of 5MP.

Other specifications include a display of 5.1 inch Super Amoled full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) resolution, and 2GB of RAM, being quite similar to the Samsung Galaxy S5.

The smartphone is said to come with Android 5.1 Lollipop. Camera-wise it features a 16MP rear camera with Auto-focus, which has been paired with a 5MP front camera. Samsung wasn’t available for comments to confirm the rumour and are said to be working on the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy Note 5 due to release on August 13th 2015.

July 31, 2015
Microsoft Announces List Of Lumia Phones That Will Receive The Windows 10 Upgrade

The Windows 10 update for desktops, laptops and tablets is on a roll. Yesterday, Microsoft began rolling out the update yesterday and it managed to be downloaded by over 14 million people, worldwide. But serious questions were asked by consumers about the availability of the new operating system on their smartphones. The company said the OS will start rolling out smartphones from November. Today, the company has confirmed which Lumia devices will receive the updates first.

Microsoft announced that the devices which will receive the OS update are: Microsoft Lumia 430, Lumia 435, Lumia 532, Lumia 535, Lumia 540, Lumia 640, Lumia 640 XL, Lumia 735, Lumia 830, or Lumia 93. The firm announced the list which it said “will receive a free upgrade when available”, but vague wording made it unclear if these devices would be the first to be upgraded, or if they might be the only ones to get updated.

Nokia Lumia 640 XL will be receiving the Windows 10 upgrade.

Many notable devices like the Lumia 520 and the Lumia 630 and 635 are missing from the list. The company assured that the upgrade will eventually be brought to every device running on Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 or Update 2, with the most recent Lumia Denim firmware. But, Microsoft also said that not every Windows 10 feature will be available in the mobile version. One of them is the Windows Hello biometric security feature.

Windows 10 Mobile will be bringing in a lot of positive changes to the whole Lumia interface, introducing an updated Action Centre, new Microsoft Edge browser, and universal apps like Maps, Calendar and Photos, among others. Cortana would also be starred in the OS, now with cross-platform and cross-device integration stretching to Android and iOS, apart from desktops. Also new, are features like the One-Handed mode.

The Windows 10 Operating System is taking place on a global scale. Microsoft’s official online store has listed the Home version under Rs 7,999 and the Pro version for Rs 14,999. For those users who are using Windows XP and earlier versions, or are assembling new PCs or laptops need to purchase the software. And, for those who are operating original Windows 7 and Windows 8, you are eligible for the free upgrade.

July 31, 2015
ExtraVerso: The Phone Cover That Defies Gravity

Have you ever felt like wanting to watch a tv show or YouTube video on your phone, without having to hold it for an hour? Well, ExtraVerso is the answer to your problems. ExtraVerso is a phone cover that has been developed by Flavio and Benedetto, two young entrepreneurs from Italy, that helps us be lazier than we already are.

Here is what it does:

How it works is, the material on the cover has a suction effect on flat and glassy surfaces. The good thing about this material is that it doesn’t stick to your hands or pockets and doesn’t attract dust either!

The ExtraVerso sticks on glass, mirror, whiteboards, metal, marble, tiles and computer screens. The cover is made up of two parts- a 3M adhesive that has been developed for being repositionable without leaving any residue on your phone & a lateral bumper that protects the edges of your phone.

One of the best features of this cover is that it is not bulky. The cover + the lateral bumper only add 1.5mm of thickness to the phone, keeping it light and stylish. It also comes with various colours and designs and is even customizable.

A couple of things you might be able to do without having to hold your phone unsteadily are: shoot time-lapse videos, watch a cooking show while actually cooking, getting your make-up right, watching a tv show while eating, and of course take hands-free selfies with a timer.

The ExtraVerso covers and bumpers are available for all iPhone 5/5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S6 phones. It has also been supported and pledged by many established designers & design houses such as Uber, John Galliano, Superga, E. Marinella, K-Way and Ermenegildo Zegna.

The price of the cover ranges from $20 to $999. However, the ExtraVerso only caters to a certain niche as of now, due to lack of funding, but hope to make the product available everywhere both online and offline, soon.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/extraverso-the-phone-case-that-beats-gravity#/story”]IndiGogo[/tw-button]

July 31, 2015
Rumour: Apple is Set to Launch New Apple TV in September

As reports from Buzz feed suggest, Apple Inc will launch a new generation of Apple TV set-top boxes, in September. This new version is said to come with a new remote with touch-pad input, an increased on-board storage, and an operating system that will support Siri.

The Apple TV was last refreshed in 2013, and was expected to unveil a new version in June at its Annual Worldwide Developers Conference, but instead launched Apple Music. The company is rumoured to be announcing the unveiling of this new Apple TV along with the new iPhones.

The updated Apple TV will feature SIRI and an App Store.

The new version is said to launch with its own App Store and software development kit for app developers. However, Apple has declined to comment on any rumours or speculation.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.buzzfeed.com/johnpaczkowski/apple-will-debut-new-apple-tv-in-september#.htMnGxKB7″]Buzzfeed[/tw-button]

July 31, 2015
This is What the Galaxy Note 5 Looks Like

The new Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is due for release on the 13th of August 2015, but with these recently rendered 3D images of the device, leaked today, theres no room for imagination, anymore. According to reports, the images have been leaked by designer Ivo Maric who says that these renders have been based on earlier rumours as well as the Galaxy S6.

source: Bgr

According to the rendered images, it sports a metal frame, and glass on the rear and back with the S Pen at the bottom. And if rumours are to be believed then the Galaxy Note 5 will feature a 5.7 inch QHD display, Exynos 7422 procesor, 4GB of RAM, 16MP Rear camera, 5MP front camera and a 4,100 mAh battery. It is also expected to feature a microSD card slot, something that is not availbale in the S6.

July 31, 2015
Canon’s Latest Can Shoot Full HD Color Footage in Almost Complete Darkness

Never getting tired of delighting its fanbase, Canon has introduced a new camera which should put all the headaches experienced during shooting in low-light situations to rest. The MH20F-SH uses a CMOS sensor with 2.6 megapixels, each pixel being 5.5 times larger than the the pixels found in Canon’s 1Dx or Nikon D810. Thus, every pixel in the MH20F-SH will sense more light than any other camera, delivering a full HD color footage captured in extreme low light situations.

The camera doesn’t feature a monitor or a recording, so you have to connect the camera to an external recording unit and monitor through HDMI or SD-HDI. The audio can be recorded by connecting the microphone to a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The MH20F-SH can capture only full HD videos at 24, 30, or 60 fps, which is a bit of a disappointment because of the huge demand for footage shot in 4K resolution. Still, due to the compact size and being the first in its line, Canon will find ways to include 4K resolution in the next iteration of the camera.

The MH20F-SH can be fitted with Canon’s EF entire range of lenses, so there is no need to buy any new lenses if you are already using the EF range. The camera will still a burn a hole in your pocket. Canon has priced MH20F-SH at $30,000, thus making it strictly for professional purposes, such as surveillance and wildlife documentaries.

Here’s a test footage from 2013, when the MH20F-SH’s sensor was in development:

July 31, 2015
ASUS to Launch Three New Zen Phones Next Week

While it may not be as high profile as OnePlus or Motorola, Asus will launch three new phones next week at the ZenFestival, an event hosted by the company on August 6. The phones, named ZenFone 2 Deluxe, ZenFone Selfie, and the ZenFone 2 Laser are aimed to take on current hotshots in India – the likes of Xiaomi and Motorola.

The Asus ZenFone2 Deluxe features a 5.5-inch 1080p display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The phone is powered by an Intel Z3580 quad-core 64-bit processor with 4GB of RAM. The storage capacity provided by phone is 64GB, which can be expanded via microSD card. The phone uses a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. The dual-SIM phone supports 4G LTE and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI.

The Asus ZenFone Selfie is aimed at selfie lovers, and has a 13MP rear camera dual-LED flash, as well as a 13MP front camera with a similar dual-LED flash. The ZenFone Selfie features a 5.5-inch 1080p IPS LCD display. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 615 octa-core 64-bit processor with Adreno 405 GPU. It also features 16GB internal storage with 2GB of RAM, and 32GB with 3GB of RAM. Like ZenFone2, the dual-SIM phone supports 4G LTE and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI.

The ZenFone 2 Laser is aimed at photography enthusiasts, with a 13MP rear camera with laser autofocus and a 5MP front camera. The device has a 5-inch display with a 720p resolution and is powered by a Snapdragon 410 quad-core 64-bit processor paired with 2GB of RAM. The device is available in an 8GB/16GB variant and runs on 2,070mAh battery. The dual-SIM phone supports 4G LTE and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI.

July 31, 2015