Micromax is working on an upgrade to the A50 with AISHA, called the A52 , the new smartphone will feature a 1GHz processor with dual sim capabilities. The phone will be available in Yellow, White & Black and will have a 3.2 inch capacitive LCD. The price is expected to be around Rs. 6,000 which would make this an exclusive product in this price range with such features.
Sources reveal that the phone will be launched within days with a marketing campaign based around AISHA and 1 GHz chipset, just as we saw for the A50. The phone will come with Gingerbread , with a supposed update to ICS available soon. If the device truly launches for 6k it might just make our list of best phone to buy.
Wait for more information and see our unboxing of A50 below.
Nokia’s newest offering, the 808 PureView, which boasts of a massive, high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and has full HD 1080p video recording and playback, is all set to hit Indian stores tomorrow. The PureView was made available for pre-booking last month on Nokia’s website. The cost is expected to be around the Rs 30,000 mark.
Some features of this smartphone :
The OS is Symbian Belle
1.3GHz single-core chip
Display is 4-inches corner to corner, resolution of 360 x 640 (nHD).
512MB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage, expandable via microSD.
The company’s flagship smartphone model, Nokia Lumia 900and Nokia Lumia 610 will also hit the market this month expected to be around Rs 28,000 and Rs 11,000 respectively.
For the past 5 years, Microsoft has been the star at E3 gaming event. Hence, it was only natural to think that they wouldn’t disappoint this year either. Oh, we were mistaken. The lack of a big surprise and a relative dearth of brand new titles stopped this from being a great conference. Even Usher couldn’t bring the crowd off their seats.
The event started out with a loud and action-filled (obviously) trailer of Halo 4, which was followed by Don A. Mattrick, President of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft taking over the stage and announcing “We’re on a mission to make entertainment even more amazing”. How we wish.
Halo 5!
Cut to footage of Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Ubisoft Toronto’s first announced title, developed under the stewardship of Jade Raymond. Seems Splinter Cell has morphed into a cross between Ghost Recon and Black Ops. However, an interesting feature was the use of the Kinect Mic to attract the attention of your enemies.
Andrew Wilson, Head of EA SPORTS at Electronic Arts, took to the stage and announced that Kinect support will be coming to Madden 13 and FIFA 13. A Video showed players making subsititutions and adjustments to team formation by shouting at Kinect, just like a real manager probably. Though I’m not sure my neighbor wants to hear me yelling “get Mario off the pitch he’s a liability!”
Microsoft then turned their attention to their first party franchises. Fable The Journey had a brief trailer. Seems like last year’s lukewarm reception to the game made an impact, it looks much better. However, that was only in terms of visuals, with no gameplay showed, so quite how the game has developed in the past 12 months remains a mystery. In a quickfire volley of trailers, Gears of War Judgment got its first airing, apparently casting Baird in the lead role which came as a shock as nobody quite liked Baird. Again, no gameplay but it will be interesting to see how new developer People Can Fly (Bulletstorm) bring their unique attitude to shooters, and how they can make Baird less of a jerk. Forza Horizon and a whopping dollop of dubstep rounded out the trailer, taking the detailed visuals and handling of Forza and transplanting it into open road racing and motor festivals. Resident Evil 6 and Tomb Raider too made blink and you miss appearances.
What turned out to be the most interesting announcement of the event was the announcement of Xbox Music and SmartGlass. Microsoft revealed the details of the two concepts at their pre-E3 press conference. Xbox Music will go up against popular music streaming services like Spotify, Apple’s iTunes etc. to bring music to your Xbox console as well as Windows tablets and smartphones. There was no indication of the release date, but Microsoft insisted that while Xbox Music will replace their not-so-successful Zune, it will be more than a simple revamp of that application. The teaser video showed users being able to queue up music and share what they are listening to with friends, much in the same way Spotify does. However, Microsoft said that the unique features for the service will be detailed in the coming weeks.
Xbox Music is aimed at challenging Spotify and iTunes.
Xbox SmartGlass allows users to interact with their Xbox console and television screen using their tablet computers –including Apple’s iPad– and smartphones. The concepts on display included being able to watch a movie on your tablet computer and then transfer it directly to your Xbox and television to pick up where you left off. Interestingly, while you are watching a television show or playing a game on your television with Xbox SmartGlass enabled on your tablet device, the two screens will interact with each other in different ways. For games, there was a concept demo of a player of American football game Madden 13 choosing plays on their tablet while playing the main game on the television, and a concept for FPS Halo where the player could examine weaponry and interact with friends over the Xbox Live service on their tablet. This seems similar to Nintendo’s Wii U console, which comes with a tablet style controller. Microsoft also revealed that Internet Explorer would be making it’s way into Xbox and would be compatible with Kinect and SmartGlass.
The SmartGlass enables your tablets and smartphones to interact with your TV.
The show was rounded off by a Call of Duty Black Ops II trailer which nearly brought the whole center down by sheer volume. It showcased some interesting gadgets, with the player controlling a small drone to wipe out enemies and a sniper rifle that can see through walls. It was classic Call of Duty gameplay, though the near future twist and vehicles add flavour to this most ubiquitous of series.
Sony has launched their new smartphone the “Sola” in the Market, and we go unboxing and hands-on, iGyaan Style. The new smartphone has a different build as far as all Xperia net devices are concerned.
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Main
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3.7 inch scratch-resistant TFT touchscreen
16 million colours, 854 x 480 pixels
Google Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
(Upgrade to Android 4, Ice Cream Sandwich, planned in Quarter 2 2012)
The new series of tablets will be powered by Windows 8.
At Computex-world’s largest computer related exhibition, tech giants Acer showcased a number of devices, including Windows 8 based machines. The company said that this year it would launch two tablets (W700 and W510), Aspire 7600U and Aspire 5600U all-in-ones, and Aspire 7 series ultrabook powered by Windows 8.
[quote]The unique part of the W510 tablet is the tri-mode, allowing users to touch, type and view. Aside from the conventional tablet mode, it can be used in productivity mode. A detachable keyboard dock can be connected to the tablet for optimal typing as well as extending the battery life up to 18 hours. Rotating the tablet 295 degrees allows it to be used in presentation mode, which is excellent for watching a video, browsing a webpage or viewing a PowerPoint presentation, the company said.[/quote]
In addition, the W510 has Always On, Always Connect technology, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen, which delivers wider viewing angles and vibrant colours, while W700 has a full HD 11.6-inch screen.The smaller tablet will be priced at Rs $799 while W700 will cost at least $999.
For all those android users using a CyanogenMod 9 or AOKP ROM (Oh yes, we know), who want their phones to run HTC’s beautiful Sense 4.0 UI, here comes the app that you’d been waiting for! This theme from BlackDub imitates the new streamlined and functional interface to perfection. A must have for spicing up your phone.
The HTC Sense UI 4.0
JetAudio Basic (Free)
This is an app worthy of replacing the default music player on your Android Smartphones.
It comes with 32 equalizer presets that will provide a wide array of listening experience. For those who would like to customize their own sound experience, it also allows 10 bands graphic equalizer and other advanced playback functions including playback speed control, crossfading, AGC and much more. It’s available for free on the Play Store.
There are multiple Presets and equalizer options.
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[tab title=”iOS”]
SkyDrive (Free)
It comes as a shock, but Microsoft online storage service has been available for iOS users. The latest release adds a couple of new features such as support for Retina displays on the new share of apple devices. Features such as the option to upload multiple pictures and videos, sharing of these files via e-mail or web link help it to be the app of the week. The SkyDrive app also lets the user open files uploaded to SkyDrive using other iOS apps. So, if you fancy additional-based cloud storage, head to the iTunes store for the latest version.
Music Unlimited (Free Trial + subscription)
Yet another music streaming service, but this time, from Sony. It’s biggest advantage is that it is offered across a ton of Sony hardware-Android, PlayStation 3, PS Vita, and Sony TVs and Blu-ray players. It also boasts music from all the major labels, not just Sony’s own music division. If you’re interested, you can get a free 30-day trial.
The interface is smooth and flowing.
[/tab][tab title=”Windows Phone”]
WizTiles
This app makes it into the list because it brings the much needed option of customizing your home screen. You can choose from images and other themes to make your home screen more lively. It is available for download in the Windows Market Place.
Still own an iPhone 4 or a 3Gs, and need an unlock for your device? You are in luck! The dev-team has just released the latest version of Ultrasn0w i.e. 1.2.7 which will unlock all iPhone 4s on baseband 01.59.00, while the older 3G / 3GS units on 04.26.08, 05.11.07, 05.12.01, 05.13.04 or 06.15.00. Also a new version of RedSn0w (0.9.12b1) for both Windows and Mac, was released.
When Google completed a $151 million acquisition ofrestaurant rating firm Zagat in September it was seen as an attempt to compete with Yelp’s popular online rating service and it was only a matter of time before they integrated the service into their products. On Wednesday, Google Maps for Android was updated to prominently feature Zagat-based reviews on many restaurants around the world. The changes announced on Wednesday, a video on youtube by googlemaps, eliminates an annual $25 subscription fee that Zagat had been charging for online access to its surveys of diners. Those diners have rated about 35,000 restaurants in more than 100 cities around the world.
This integration is part of a larger rollout called Google+ Local, on which you can get personalized recommendations from people in your Google+ Circles. According to Google’s Lat-Long Blog,[quote] Each place you see in Google+ Local will now be scored using Zagat’s 30 point scale, which tells you all about the various aspects of a place so you can make the best decisions. For example, a restaurant that has great food but not great decor might be 4 stars, but with Zagat you’d see a 26 in Food and an 8 in Decor, and know that it might not be the best place for date night.[/quote]
Zagat uses a 30 point rating system which includes everything, from food to the ambiance.
Google’s check-in services have never really taken off, so Local’s renewed focus on personalized recommendations goes a long way to making Places relevant again.
The update for Google maps was made available in the play store on Wednesday.
Just days after Oppo announced its new phone, Finder, which took the crown of the world’s thinnest phone from Huawei’s Ascend P1 S by a mere 0.03mm, Chinese mobile company ZTE has announced that they will be coming out with a new handset, called ‘Athena’, which at just 6.2mm would become the thinnest android smartphone in the market. The device may not leave Chinese shores, but it’s an amazing feat considering all the technology inside of it. The phone will reportedly featurea 720p display, Cortex-A15 chip (most probably multi-core) and up to 64GB of internal storage, as well as a Miflavor UI, ZTE’s custom ROM that runs over Android 4.0 ICS.
The "Athena" next to an iPhone.
To throw In a few numbers, the iPhone is 9.30mm ‘thick’, the Galaxy S II is 8.45mm thick and the RAZR is 7.10mm thick. From the current generation of quad-core phones, the HTC One X is 8.9mm thick, while Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy S III measures in at 8.6mm.
The Athena is rumoured to be available in a black Kevlar coating, the same as that used on the Motorola RAZR. But the main question is – Would a phone this slim be prone to reduced battery life and heating problems? We’ll have to wait and see! More to come on this handset soon, we hope.
Opera on Friday releases the new version of their popular mobile browser, called Mini 7, aimed at capitalizing on the social networking wave. The biggest change that makes its way into the browser is a new feature called “Smart Page” which brings all the latest feeds from your Facebook and Twitter accounts, your favorite websites (via RSS feeds) on your homepage. The SmartPage also uses Opera’s page compression technology, which shifts a large part of user-end calculation, such as running javascript, to special servers which reduces the data charges involved in mobile browsing.
Other updates include
Better tab features
Unlimited speed dials for quick access to your favorite websites.
Direct URL’s (without “www.”)
The website made the new version available for download for free from their website, m.opera.com, for BlackBerry, Symbian S60 and Java phones. No news yet on when it’ll be made available for iOS and Android users.
Okay so the Samsung Galaxy S3 was just launched in India, with a lot of fanfare. The company had a list of high profile guests and key executives from Samsung Korea and top admin from their India office. Celebrity Nargis Fakri was also called to introduce the product in the Indian market.
The phone takes a major redesign approach, if compared to the Galaxy S2 or even the Note. The “Inspired by Nature” theme may not appeal to some, but definitely feels exceptionally good in the hand.
The phone features a Quad Core Exynos CPU with a clock speed of 1.4GHz , 16 GB of storage and a 8 MP camera at the back. There is also a 1.9MP HD front Camera and the 4.8 inch Super AMOLED display that is spec’d at 1280x720px with a 306 ppi.
The phone has been priced at Rs. 43180/-, which is a mammoth miscalculation by Samsung, if you ask us. Our sources tell us that the device will be effectively available for approximately 37k.
Check out the images below and stay tuned for a hands on video, coming shortly.
Sony is just about ready to launch their new unibody marvel into the market, and we go unboxing and hands-on, iGyaan Style. The new smart phone has an amazing unibody construction with the top part as a plastic shield to allow network connections.
The Galaxy S3 Event is now live, and the price of the S3 has been decided at a whopping Rs. 43,180/- in India. We will keep you updated as more develops.
HTC has confirmed the launch of the HTC one S in India, claiming that the “One X equivalent – smartphone” will launch in India on the 5th of June for a price of Rs. 32,198. The One S was supposed to be launched with the One X and One V on 2nd April but was delayed.
Everyone looking forward to the device should be aware that the block color suffers from the micro arc oxidation problem and therefore, may not be the best choice for color.
Specs Include:
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Android 4.0 with HTC Sense 4
4.3-inch with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels
1.5 GHz dual-core processor
8MP camera with AF, LED flash, BSI sensor and 1080p HD video recording
The new Jailbreak called Absinthe 2.0 for all iOS devices running 5.1.1 has been a huge hit. Its simple and easy to use jailbreak method has been the biggest possible reason behind nearly one million devices being jailbroken over the weekend.
The exact number as tweeted by the Jailbreaking team is 973,086 iOS devices in a single weekend, out of which 211,401 were the new third Gen iPads. (two were ours!)
If you want your device jailbroken, you can still do it before Apple closes the window with the next update.
