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HTC One A9 Review

HTC is ready for its comeback and to help the Taiwanese company back on the tech map is their brand new One series phone the HTC One A9. This year has seen some major handsets from the company, but with all the backlash in their choice of chipsets in the HTC One M9 plus and pricing of their portfolio along with the sheer delay in launching phones, has left prospective HTC owners with a sour taste. We purposefully waited for HTC to reveal the price before concluding our Review. So that we could include it as a major factor for this review.

Overview

The HTC One A9 does what HTC has been trying to do for a while, make a fantastic all metal phone for a considerably affordable price without letting go of important specifications.

The HTC One A9 is a Snapdeal exclusive in India and has been launched for Rs. 29,999 . You can buy one here : SnapDeal

Build Quality and Hardware

The all metal back and the overall design of the phone is familiar. The HTC One A9 resembles the iPhone 6/6s or vice versa. Whatever be the case the handset looks good and is available in a wide gamut of colours and options for the market however in India it has only been launched in the Gray and silver colours.

The phone is built extremely well and feels excellent in the hand, The rounded edges of the phone mould into your palms and make the hard metal feel smooth and soft to hold. The design is striking and the HTC One A9 is made so most of its pressure areas stay protected.

The bezel is beautifully matched with a curved edge front glass curves, which in itself is a Gorilla Glass 3. It should be noted that, Hardware wise HTC does lose out to the competition. The biggest let down for a consumer is specs on paper, when compared to the high price of Rs. 29,990 the specs do not match up. A Snapdragon 615 chipset is today found in phones that cost under 10K, so is 2 GB of RAM and a 5 inch display.

No one is giving points to HTC for the 2150 mAh battery or a Full HD display. The AMOLED nature of it is well appreciated and so is the brilliant fingerprint scanner that HTC has basically done a fantastic job with. All of this hardware doesn’t matter when it comes to the experience of the HTC One A9 which we will detail below. For those who are specification NERDs your review stops here. Move Along!

Specifications	HTC One A9
Display	5.0 inch AMOLED
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8952 Snapdragon 617
CPU	Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU	Adreno 405
RAM	2GB/3GB
Storage	16GB/32GB expandable up to 200 GB
Rear Camera	13MP 1080p@30fps
Front Camera	4 Ultrapixel Camera 1080p@30fps
Battery	Non-removable Li-Ion 2,150 mAh battery
Operating System	Android Marshmallow
Connectivity	4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot, Bluetooth v 4.1, GPS, NFC
SIM	Nano-SIM
USB	microUSB v2.0
Price	Rs. 29,999

Performance

In all entirety what HTC is trying to do is simple. HTC phones are designed beautifully and work really well. I recently met someone who was still using an HTC One {M7} and was very happy with the handset, still happy with it!, Its almost 2016 for christ’s sake!

The phone comes with Android 6.0 out of the box, one of the not so many in this range that have the ability to say that. HTC has worked really hard into giving an experience that does not leave you disappointed. The company is trying to pull a cheap “Apple”, they want to give you the best experience, they do not want you to worry about “specs” and they want to do it relatively cheaper than Apple.

The problem with that logic is, that most who are non Apple Sheep, prefer to know what horse power is under the hood of their Android powered sedan. In that context, problems and bugs are often blamed on the hardware.

However, this is where HTC scores an epic WIN! From picking up your phone in the morning to keeping it away at night, you literally have no issues, slow downs, or crashes. This is what you are paying for, more than you should, but that is it.

Games work really well, so do day to day tasks. Multitasking is liquid smooth, and so is the intense processing in some of the many camera features bundled with the handset. The HTC One A9 is what you need to be looking at, for basically not worrying about using a smartphone. The temperature is controlled beautifully and the phone does not heat up or become uncomfortable to use.

Camera, Multimedia and Display

The camera combination on the HTC One A9 is a 13 MP main camera and an UltraPixel front camera which is roughly 4 MP with their large 2µm pixel size. The front camera miss autofocus, which honestly is not expected in this price bracket.

The rear camera shines when clicking images, the colours pop the dynamic range is excellent and focus quick. The camera is exceptionally fast and has zero shutter lag, something that HTC has done well in the past. The contrast and colour on the HTC One A9 is their best yet and the images really speak for it. You will find yourself clicking a lot of pictures, and video too, although many in this price segment offer 4k video. With the HTC One A9, you are still stuck at 1920 x 1080p video although with OIS, which offers good stability and sharpness.

The display is a AMOLED display which is appreciated by a lot of people for great colours and deep blacks. The viewing angles may not be as much as an IPS display, but AMOLED displays make for great media consumption.

The HTC One A9 is missing Boomsound speakers and the quality of sound that we are used to from HTC devices. The audio experience from the headphones is excellent and will the throughly enjoyed. Even though HTC no longer embraces Beats audio , some of the tweaks are present in the device and improve the audio experience.

Software and UX

HTC has managed to pull a bunny out of the hat, the Android 6.0 out of the box means many owners will cherish being on the latest OS, which is traditionally not the case with HTC. Apart from the Nexus 9 , most HTC devices are late to the latest Android party, in this case however HTC made an exception.

The UI is HTC Sense and works extremely well between the grid style icons and new blinkfeed. The Camera application is highly improved and quick to open and click pictures with. Nifty UI improvements make navigation quick and easy getting used to. You will still get all HTC personalisation features and easy migrate which will move you from any other phone to the new HTC One A9.

Quick and intuitive the software has been beautifully synced to work with the hardware on the HTC One A9 and it shows in the usage of the handset.

Networks and Battery

The HTC One A9 supports all major LTE Bands in India and works flawlessly on Airtel throughout its covered regions. Network dropped wherever other devices would drop it too. It does do a better job of holding on to the call while in transit.

Battery life is the one major question, while in most cases battery realistically drain out by 8 hours of use, sometimes it was much longer as much as 12 hours of use. The phone tends to last longer when it is not hunting for networks, and whereas this is the case with most phones, the HTC One A9 manages to last considerably longer if you are on Wi-Fi.

Function	Time
Talk Time	4.5 Hours
Music	10 Hours
Internet on LTE	5 Hours
Internet on WiFi	8 Hours

Conclusion

HTC made on hell of a phone with the HTC One A9, to add to possibly the strongest lineup of handsets for any company. But, just like many devices in the past the price does not seem to do it justice. While HTC phones are built to last, and look and feel great, have impressive UIs and software experiences along with hardware that is top notch and engineered to work well with their software. All of which you see on the HTC One A9, but since there is no calculation for experience of using a handset, the price will be truly the biggest letdown of the handset, and the only issue worth considering.

The HTC One A9 offers a user experience which is easy to forget about, because it does not bother you. HTC has finally understood what people want, but do they want it from HTC ? That may be real question. The HTC One A9 paces through the day of a modern consumer who is on the go , a slim and lightweight package, built well and around a smooth user experience, from software to customer service. One of the best phones in this price bracket and truly one worth your hard earned money.

The HTC One A9 is a Snapdeal exclusive in India and has been launched for Rs. 29,999 . You can buy one here : SnapDeal

December 27, 2015

Facebook’s “Free Internet” TRAI Email Scam Explained

Internet.org was announced globally in August, 2013 and it arrived in India in February 2015. The initiative aims to provide free internet services on the Reliance network in the states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala and Telangana. The users would have free data access to more than three dozen services.

The idea of thousands and millions being included within the ambit of the virtual world sounds brilliant and one everyone is up for. But before that, those endorsing this initiative need to understand all that it entails.

Internet.org:

Internet.org refers to a collaboration between Facebook and six other companies, namely, Samsung, Qualcomm, Nokia, Ericsson, MediaTek and Opera Software. The aim of this collaboration is to bring easily accessible internet to developing countries, especially in remote rural areas. However since it includes only selected services and online operators, it is seen not only as a direct threat to net neutrality but also as rampant publicizing of Facebook. It would be a single company, or a small group of them, which would decide what services are made available and which ones are excluded, a right earlier extended only to the user of the internet, not the service providers.

The Digital India Display Picture Controversy:

This controversy surfaced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Silicon Valley to promote Digital India. When Mark Zuckerberg changed his display picture on Facebook to one with an overlay of the Indian flag, the Prime Minister followed suit and did the same with his display picture. Facebook also introduced a feature which allowed users everywhere to make the tri-colour part of their display pictures. Post this, people, as we know them to be, switched their profile pictures left and right and centre. All of a sudden, we woke up to find unanimous, enthusiastic support for Digital India. Utopia, could it be?
A lot of netizens took to social media platforms to express their dismay at the new feature, which was allegedly directly connected with Facebook’s Internet.org. It was assumed that these pictures had a source code which would automatically link them to Internet.org, inadvertently making them support the initiative. However, the confusion was soon cleared up -the tri-coloured display pictures had nothing to do with Internet.org and that was the end of this controversy.

Free Basics:Free Basics is part of Internet.org and lets users access the services of the initiative by downloading an app. It became available in India last month and allowed users access to Facebook and Facebook messenger, Wikipedia, BBC News and health services, among others. The app was initially made available on Reliance Communications Network, Facebook’s partner in Internet.org.

The app and the initiative has received flak from the word go for its alleged preferential treatment, and thereby being in direct contradiction with net neutrality. Mark Zuckerberg defended this, however, and said Free Basics provides not only internet services for free but plans to include more services and developers within its reach.

Current Scenario:

A little after its release in the country, Free Basics ran into turbulent waters. Reliance Communications had to withhold the service after it received a request from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to do so.

“As directed by TRAI, the commercial launch of Freebasics has been kept in abeyance, till they consider all details and convey a specific approval,” said a Reliance representative.

This was soon followed by a Facebook campaign -users were flooded with notifications of their Facebook contacts having ‘voiced their opinion’ on Free Basics. Clicking on the notification directs the user to a page which automates reply to TRAI in appeal in favour of the same. Users were also presented with this pre-filled form as they logged in which would be sent to TRAI in support of Free Basics. Though this feature was meant only for Indian users, it was sent to many American users as well. Facebook claims it was a mistake which has been corrected. The fate of Free Basics is uncertain until a verdict is passed post TRAI’s hearing on net neutrality next month.

India is one of the 36 countries where Free Basics has been launched and is the second largest user of Facebook in the world.

Free Basics and Internet.org are the Same but Not Many Remember it: Free Basics is an extension of Internet.org but quite a lot of seem to have forgotten that. There had been a lot of hue and cry only a couple of weeks ago over Internet.org and its ‘altruistic’ intentions behind the initiative. However, the clamour died down quiet magically as large number of people have stepped forward declaring their support for Free Basics on Facebook, without even realising it in many cases.
Facebook notification windows have their hands full all over the country with updates about users voicing their opinions about Free Basics (read: declaring support for Internet.org, which they had opposed only a little while ago).

Times of India aptly commented on the whole topic recently and said, “Facebook is just trying to play on the fact that most of us click the like button on its platform without reading or understanding the complete picture.”

Nothing would be better on the tech front than to have a country where internet is available in every household. But any policy that endangers net neutrality, and therefore, the freedom of expression, needs to be reconsidered.

Equal internet is important for the virtual space, for future Facebooks and platforms like iGyaan itself. It enforces net neutrality and makes sure consumers don’t end up paying with every click online. However, concepts like ‘free internet’, what the Facebook-based app aims to provide under its Internet.org campaign, tends to complicate things, and endangers net neutrality.

Have you signed your TRAI-email petition yet on Facebook, if not would be willing to or would you rather steer clear from it? Let us know in the comments below.

December 24, 2015
US Aviation Association: Over 45,000 Drones Registered in Two Days

America clearly loves its drones. The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) has revealed that over 45,000 drones have been registered just two days after the Federal Drone Registration website went live.

The deluge of registrations has led the FAA to take the website down for a few hours starting Wednesday, 9 PM ET. This move is to prepare the website better for the unexpected response. It will be available again on Thursday morning at 6 AM ET.

Close to 400,000 drones are expected to be sold this holiday season. Strict penalties will be imposed on those who fail to register their drones in time. Drones which are bought post 21st of December must be registered before their first flight. Those purchased before that have till February 19th, 2016 for registration.

The registration is expected to help the FAA trace the owners in case of accidents or injuries caused by drones. The administration has further announced formidable penalties that include fines up to $27,500 and fines which can go as high as $250,000 and/or imprisonment up to 3 years. Drones clearly have taken the tech world by storm. It would be interesting to see how this new piece of technology is incorporated in the contemporary lifestyle.

December 24, 2015
Samsung to Focus on Mid-Range Phones, Cut Down Total Shipment in 2016

According to reports, Samsung is going to lower the shipment of its smartphones in 2016 by 12%. This means the company would be shipping about 420-430 million units next year. Samsung is going to focus less on its high-end S series, and more on its budget and mid-range phones. The J series and the A series ensured that Samsung performed well in 2015. However, the year also saw a fall in the over-all demand of smartphones globally.

While Samsung still continued to be a leading smartphone manufacturer despite the falling demands, the company is altering its course a little next year. There will be some new additions to the Samsung Galaxy A and J series. There are also big plans for the company’s flagship phones. Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, expected to arrive in 2016. Watch this space for all latest developments.

December 24, 2015
Samsung Galaxy A9 with 6-Inch Display is Now Official

Just yesterday we told you that Samsung’s new Galaxy A9 device passed China’s TENAA certification. This meant that a launch was soon expected. But it turns out that ‘soon’ meant ‘today’. Yes, China has finally unveiled the 6-inch Galaxy A9 smartphone today.

The announcement confirms the rumoured specs that we have come to know about the device. The Galaxy A9 sports a big 6-inch Full HD AMOLED display and a metal frame. Powering the device is a Snapdragon 652 (earlier named 620) chipset with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage.

The new handset also features a fingerprint scanner embedded in its home button, and will run on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. The device features a 13 MP primary camera with a wide f/1.9 aperture and optical image stabilisation, and an 8 MP front. The Galaxy A9 also packs a massive 4,000mAh battery with QuickCharge support.

Connectivity support includes Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, bluetooth v4.1, GPS/Beidou and NFC. The only thing remains is the price, which is yet to announced.

December 24, 2015
LG G5 Could Sport a Dual Rear Camera Setup

it looks like some rumours about LG’s upcoming flagship device, G5, are indeed true. One of the rumours that had been making the rounds was that the LG G5 will sport a dual camera set-up at the back – 16 MP and 8 MP. A new leaked image shared by a Reddit user confirms this rumour. The image reveals the devices back, showing two cameras fitted under a black panel.

The Redditor also revealed some specs as well. The device will sport a 5.3-inch Quad HD display, powered by the new Snapdragon 820 SoC with 3 GB of RAM and an 8 MP front. Other specs include a full metal body, SIM and MicroSD slot, heart rate sensor that’s under the camera module, a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, a USB Type-C port, bottom firing speaker and an IR blaster on top.

No word yet on when LG plans to launch the device. However, as Samsung has claimed exclusivity to the Snapdragon 820 chipset for the first three months, which likely means that any other device sporting the same will be launched only after March.

Source

December 24, 2015
Letv Launches 65-inch Super TV With Curved Screen

Letv has launched a 65-inch split TV with curved screen, called the Super 4 Max65 Curved, and claims it to be the first of its kind electronic. This was launched along with Super 4 Max70, the first smart TV in the world with a glass light guide plate (LGP). Both televisions sets were unveiled at a launch event in Beijing on December 22nd.

Letv has already brought 8-core 1.8 GHz 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor (APQ9084) to its TV sets, along with incorporating Samsung’s ultra-thin curve panel. Now Le 4 Max65 comes equipped with Adreno 430 GPU with 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB/ 64 GB Flash, Novatek72324 motion processing chip. The TV also includes independent sub-woofer and an audio system by Harmon Kardon which seems to hold potential for a smooth audio experience as a home theatre.

On the other hand, Super 4 Max70 includes 10^th generation 70-inch 4K panel by Sharp in its specs. The TV also marks the first time Corning’s Iris LGP glass has been adopted by a major Chinese TV brand.

In terms of sales, Letv reveals having sold 3 million smart TVs this year, and aims to double these sales to 6 million in 2016. The Super 4 Max70 will be available for sale starting 29th December on Lemall.com, While January 19th, 2016 is the date when sales of Super4 Max65 Curved Engineering Commemorative Edition begin.

The pricing is as follows – Super4 Max65 Curved Engineering Commemorative Edition is priced $1000 (about Rs. 66,000), while the Super4 Max70 costs $2000 (about Rs.1,33,200) and $2300 (about Rs.1,50,000) respectively for its 2D and 3D versions. The company aims to offer competitive prices for these smart-TVs by generating profits through advertisements and its content ecosystem, thereby bringing down the price.

Le has revealed it plans to hold an official event in New Delhi early in 2016, followed by other major cities in India. This could all be a follow-up to tentative plans of bringing its Le Superphones followed by Super TVs to the country. Let’s see what 2016 has in store for Le’s tryst with the Indian tech scenario.

December 24, 2015

Micromax Canvas 5 Review

A Budget Device that Looks Great and Performs Well

Micromax’s flagship Canvas 5 is a marked improvement from its predecessors, bumping up specs where it needed to most. The newest flagship tries to step out of Canvas 4’s shadow which saw some negativity regarding build quality and camera performance. With impressive design, performance, specs and a smooth UI for a budget device, the Canvas 5 is a solid device in the sub-Rs. 15,000 price range and gives a stiff competition to the Moto G (3rd Gen) and the OnePlus X. The Canvas 5, however, still has issues that will be familiar to long time Micromax users.

Overview

The Canvas 5 is available for Rs. 11,999 with 3 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage, which is expandable up to 32 GB via MicroSD card slot. This year, Micromax has decided to forget about its past Canvas devices for something users will truly appreciate. Many OEMs like Micromax, Motorola and OnePlus want to prove that it is possible for a budget device to look and feel premium. The Canvas 5 seems to have found the right balance of hardware, design and build that is likely to attract consumers.

Build Quality and Design

The Canvas 5 has an impressive build and sleek design. The front sports a Gorilla Glass 3 with a 2.5D Curve Touch panel that melts along the edges, which is pleasing to the eyes and also makes the display look bigger than it actually is when switched off. The glass leaves no smudges and keeps the screen clean. All this along with a metal side and rounded edge gives the device a premium look.

In the back you have a removable plastic panel that has a faux leather texture to it. Because it’s extremely flexible, it’s not likely to break any time soon. The leather-like texture feels great in your hand and provides for a firm grip.

Hardware

Micromax has bumped up the hardware with an improved RAM and chipset. The Canvas 5 comes with 3 GB of RAM, which is handy for games, and a 1.3GHz octa core MediaTek MT6753 ARM Cortex-A53 chipset. Check out the full spec table below.

Specification	Micromax Canvas 5
Display	5.2-inch full HD screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with 2.5D Curve Touch Panel
Resolution	1920×1080 pixels with 480ppi
Chipset	Media Tek MT6753, ARM Cortex-A53
CPU	1.3 GHz octa-core processor
GPU	Mali-T720 MP2
RAM	3 GB
Front Camera	5 MP with flash (2560×1920)
Rear Camera	13 MP AF (4160×3120)
Storage	11 GB (7.5GB available)
Expandability	Up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot
Battery	2,900 mAh battery
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/AGPS, 4G LTE (LTE FDD 850MHz/1800MHz and TDD 2300MHz)
Operating System	Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
Price	Rs. 11,999

Performance

The device, with an octa-core 1.3 GHz processor and 3GB RAM, gives one of the smoothest performance that we have seen from any Micromax phone. The hardware allows you to multi-task with greater ease and also improves gaming performance, though the device starts to heat up when the cores start kicking in.

Swiping through the phone is snappy and fluid and you will love the ease of it all within 5 minutes of usage. The phone will respond quickly to all your basic day-to-day needs and with no app drawer, you can access your apps a lot faster, though . Talking about the apps, the Canvas 5 has a lot of bloatware like SwiftKey, Quikr and Snapdeal, all of which can be uninstalled this time around.

Games like Marvel’s Contest of Champions and Asphalt 8 work smoothly without and lags. However, playing for long periods at a stretch will heat up the smartphone.

Benchmark

The phone scored over 32000 on AnTuTu Benchmark and has been found to be 95% better than devices in the range, while it scores a 4931 on AndEBench Benchmark. We compared the Canvas 5’s results with that of the slightly higher OnePlus X, Yu Yureka and Moto G (3rd Gen) and this is what we found.

Benchmark	Micromax Canvas 5	OnePlus X	Yu Yureka	Moto G (3rd Gen)
AnTuTu	32801	41899	24258	23383
Vellamo (single core)	1061	1583	1038	1248
Vellamo (multicore)	1524	1445	1530	1243
AndEBench	4931	7623	4807	4160

As you can see, the Micromax Canvas 5 scores better than the Yu Yureka and the Moto G (3rd Gen), and also performs better than the OnePlus X in the multicore test.

Camera and Multimedia

The Canvas 5 actually has a great camera app with loads of modes and pro features like those found on flagship Samsung Galaxy phones. You also get an app that lets you retouch images and give the desired makeup that it needs.

The device features a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front with flash. The images taken by the primary camera are fairly decent and is quick at capturing images. The added professional modes like ISO, exposure compensations and white balance help you take that perfect shot. So, for a mid-range device, the Canvas 5 gives you a lot to play around with.

The primary camera holds well under low light conditions and comes with standard Face Beauty and Smile Shutter features as well as Picture-in-Picture. The display of the device is a 1920x1080p panel with 480ppi which gives bright and vivid colours. So much so that it makes you want to switch on the phone even if you have nothing in particular to do. Outdoor visibility is decent, however, reflections on the screen can make it hard to see at certain angles.

Phone Network and Battery

The Canvas 5 joins the list of 4G network-ready Android phones this year along with the Moto G (Gen 3) and the OnePlus X.

A 2,900mAh battery lets you use the device for a whole day. Heavy usage will let the Canvas 5 serve you till the evening before requiring another round of charging. Charging the Canvas 5 takes a while, and if you happen to use a different cable for charging, you’ll get a notification telling you the charging is slow asking you to use an original charger.

Some neat features like ‘Smart Awake’ lets you access some apps like music player and camera without having to switch on your device. Simply make a pattern of C on the screen when on standby mode and the camera app will open. Similarly, drawing M will open up the music player. This is a neat way to save some juice.

The Canvas 5 gives up to 9 hours of talktime (3G) and around 6-7 hours of internet surfing on a single charge.

Talk Time : 9 hours
Standby : 275 hours
Internet : 7 hours
Music : 9 hours
Gaming : 2.5 hours

Conclusion

The Canvas 5 has a lot going for it and a lot that needs improvements still. A superb design and build quality along with great display and good performance makes this device worth every penny. Few things that could hold the device back, though, are the bloatware, the occasional heating issues, and most importantly, the poor after-sales service. The Canvas 5 is a pretty solid smartphone in its range and should definitely be an option if you’re in the market for budget devices.

December 23, 2015

Meizu Sold 20 Million Phones in 2015, Increased its Sales by 350%

Meizu has revealed that it sold 20 million smartphones this year, all across Asia and parts of Europe (its devices are yet not officially available in the US). The current number of 20 million is a massive leap from last year’s 4.4 million. Meizu has increased its sales by an astonishing 350% according to these numbers.

The budget pricing, along with the design of the devices, seems to have worked wonders for Meizu. The smooth functioning of the phones, which are equipped with Flyme custom skin on top of Android, has won the company many fans.

One of the most recent launches in India by Meizu include the Meizu M2. It was launched exclusively on Snapdeal a couple of weeks ago priced at Rs. 6,999.The M2 comes with a unibody design and runs on the Flyme OS 4.5 based on Android 5.1. It has a 5 inch display and 720 pixels resolution. Other features include, TD-LTE FDD-LTE 4G, supports two Nano-SIM cards, and microSD card with a storage capacity of 144 GB.

December 23, 2015
Lenovo K4 Note to Launch in India in January

Lenovo has officially announced that the K4 Note will arrive in India on the 5th of January. Just last week the company had posted a teaser image on its Twitter handle, hinting at a K3 successor. The launch has now been confirmed. However we are still just as unsure of the specs as before.

The device seems to have metal on the sides, very reminiscent of the Samsung Galaxy S6. Even the back of the phone suggests a design inspired by Samsung, but we are not judging, not yet. Other than the metal frame, the teaser image further confirms the presence of a USB Type-C port.

Not much is known at this time about the specs other than rumours of a MediaTek Helio X10 chipset and a fingerprint sensor. None of it has been confirmed by the company so far. We’ll update you as soon as we have more dope on the Lenovo K4 Note.

December 23, 2015
Best Above Rs. 40,000 Smartphones Of 2015

They came, they saw and they conquered 2015 -we take a look at smartphones above the price range of 40K in this list which took the tech circuit by storm this year.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Edge Plus:
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge sports a 5.1 inch Super Amoled screen and QuadHD resolution with a total of 577 ppi. Powered by a 2,600 mAh battery, the handset is available only with fixed storage of either 32GB, 64GB or 128GB, which are all based on UFS 2.0 (Universal Flash Storage). With 16 MP primary camera, it is capable of shooting 4K video as well. Click here to check out the hands on of the gold variant of Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.

 
When it comes to S6 Edge+ -everything from display and resolution to chipset and cameras are identical to the Galaxy S6 Edge. However thanks to the new large display of the S6 Edge+ the pixel density drops to 515 ppi vs the mammoth 577 ppi on the S6 Edge. The Edge+ variant also sports a larger 3,000 mAh battery to combat the drain from the larger QHD Super AMOLED display. An additional 1 GB of LPDD4 RAM, takes it upto 4 GB on the Edge+ however the phone is missing the 128GB storage option as only the 32 and 64 GB variants will go on sale. Find the complete review of Galaxy S6 Edge+ here.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5:

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

The Note 5 is a beautiful device thanks to its extensive use of glass and metal -Gorilla Glass 4 on the back and the front, and rear glass tapers in to the edges, putting the Edge display design on the back of the Note 5. It runs on what is possibly the best version of Samsung’s skin called “TouchWiz”. Other features include the Slick UI elements, use of power buttons to increase or decrease screen font size, the S-Pen, which is capable of giving previews, like before, and the super smooth pop ups. The 5.7 inch size of the screen is larger than before and hence reduces the PPI to 518. For more details of the Galaxy Note 5, click here.

 
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus:The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus add an improved Apple A9 chip and an M9 co-processor, along with enhanced cameras. There is a 12 MP rear camera that shoots 4K videos. On the front, there is a 5 MP snapper, which however is still restricted to 720p. Compared to the iPhone 6s’ 1330 x 720p display, the Apple iPhone 6s Plus gets a larger display with a 1920 x 1080p resolution. It also gets a bigger battery and Optical Image Stabilisation in the rear camera. Everything else on both devices is identical in terms of specifications.

 
The introduction of the 3D Touch functionality is the highlight of iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and the Peek and Pop UI of iOS 9 makes this feature infinitely fun. If you are in India and have been planning to buy iPhone 6s, now is the best time to do it. The smartphone has undergone a big price-cut of 11K -after being launched for Rs. 62,000 in India, it’s now available for 50K. There is a fall in the price of the iPhone 6s Plus as well but it’s not as drastic as the 6s. If you’re still unsure about the new iPhones, read our full review here.

 

Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium:

The Z5 Premium has a 5.5-inch 4K display. It is world’s first 4K display smartphone and comes with a 3,430 mAh battery, bigger than the Xperia Z5. The rest of the specs of the two phones are pretty much the same. The Sony Xpreria Z5 features a 5.2-inch full HD screen and 2900mAh battery. Both devices run on Android Lollipop 5.1, powered by a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 chipset with Adreno 430 GPU, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage (expandable to 200 GB).

The devices also come with a 23MP primary camera and a 5 MP camera in front. There is also a fingerprint scanner in the power button on the side of the device.

 
The Xperia Z5 has a matt finish that looks great. The Z5 Premium, on the other hand, has a glossy finish and will be available in Gold or Chrome. The front of the devices has BoomSound-styled dual speakers that are loud and give a crisp, well balanced sound. Click here for the complete hands on of Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium.

Lumia 950 and 950 XL:

Microsoft Lumia 950 XL

The Lumia 950 sports a 5.2-inch AMOLED display with 2560×1440 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 564 ppi for clear, sharp images. The 950 XL, on the other hand, comes with a larger 5.7-inch IPS display with 2560×1440 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 518 ppi. This is the first time Microsoft has used QHD display in its Lumia lineup.

The Lumia 950 is powered by a hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor with 3GB of RAM while the 950 XL packs in a 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with 3GB of RAM. Both phones feature a liquid cooling technology, similar to the one found in the Surface tablet computer.
 
Lumia 950 and 950 XL have 32 GB of internal storage along with a MicroSD slot that allows up to 200 GB of expandable storage. The devices sport a 20MP primary camera with triple LED flash and fifth generation OIS, all of which promises detailed low light pictures.

The selfie snapper is marked at 5 MP and has a physical camera button. One of the biggest USPs of these Windows devices is the Continuum feature -you can read about it as well as all other specs of Lumia 950 and 950 XL on iGyaan.

The Turing Phone:

The Turing phone is an Android phone that is designed around the idea of being unhackable. It does not come with a USB port or headphone jack or any other extension that could be used to manipulate its data, leaving BlackBerry far behind in terms of security measures.

The specs of this phone include a 5.5-inch 1080p LCD, a Snapdragon 801, 3GB of RAM, a 13MP rear and an 8MP front camera, 3,000 mAh battery and a fingerprint scanner on the left side of the phone.The phone runs on a hardened version of Android 5.1 with built-in end-to-end encryption with Turing Aemaeth UI. The phone can be charged via a magnetically attached power connector, like Apple’s MagSafe.

When registrations had begun back in August this year, the 16 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB variants were priced at $610 (approximately Rs 39,000), $740 (approximately Rs 47,300) and $870 (approximately Rs 55,700) respectively. Additionally, the dark Wyvern special edition Turing phone was available for $999 (approx. Rs.66,023), and the Dark Wyvern “Glaedr” special edition was available for $1299 (approx. Rs. 85,850). The pre-order period for the Turing phone has ended for now but you can sign up for the next round here.

BlackBerry Priv:
Though the phone is yet to arrive in the country, a list of smartphones from 2015 priced over 40K won’t be complete without the BlackBerry Priv. It’s Android-powered, but is very much a BlackBerry phone. Privacy and security is of major importance here and that’s what Priv stands for. The handset is a hybrid with both a full touchscreen as well as a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. This means the phone caters to both touchscreen fans as well as keyboard loyalists. And given that very few devices today offer a keyboard, this may just work in BlackBerry’s favour.
The Priv comes with a Snapdragon 808 processor and 3 GB of RAM with 32 GB extendable storage. It features a 5.5 -inch curved display with a 1440×2560 pixel resolution and 537ppi. Finally, the phone has an 18 MP primary camera and a 5 MP front camera. The Indian pricing of the device is expected to be close to Rs. 50,000.

Moto Droid Turbo 2/Moto X Force:The phone, famous because of its ‘crack-proof’ screen, has not hit the Indian markets yet but is expected to arrive soon. Launched as Droid Turbo 2 in the US, the smartphone is expected to be released with its current price tag of $624 (Rs. 40,000 approximately) and $720 (Rs. 47,000 approximately) for the 32 GB and 64 GB variants respectively.

On the specs front, Moto X Force packs a 5.4 inch Quad HD display with a resolution of 2560×1440 pixels. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset along with 3 GB of RAM. The two internal storage options of 32 GB and 64 GB are expandable up to 2 TB with the help of a microSD card.The highlight of the device is its super-hardy screen.

Needless to say, Motorola cannot stop talking about its first ever shatter-proof phone in the world. Let’s see if Moto X Force manages to live up to all the expectations. It seems like a pretty neat device which is why it’s included in this list.

December 23, 2015
WhatsApp to Support Video Calling and Multiple Chat Tabs

According to a report published in Germany, WhatsApp users would soon be able to make video calls. A small window would appear on the top of the video feed which would allow the user to see their video image. The user would be able to move this window around while at the same time having the option of switching between front and rear cameras.

The video calling feature would come to iOS first followed by Android, and would be supported both by WiFi and cellular connections. Muting the microphone would be another option available to users.

Version 2.12.16.2 of WhatsApp is expected to have video calling. Keeping in mind that version 2.12.12 is already available in the App Store, the next WhatsApp update for iOS users may support this feature.

Along with video calling, new WhatsApp updates are also expected to include a makeover centered around WhatsApp’s trademark green colour. There will also be support for multiple chat windows at one time, allowing the user to move back and forth. We’ll keep you updated as and when new changes develop.

December 23, 2015
New Photos of Samsung Galaxy A9 Reveal Design

Expected to be unveiled at the CES in January, Samsung’s new Galaxy A9 smartphone is set to become one of the largest smartphones by the company with a 6-inch 1080p Super AMOLED screen. The handset recently passed the FCC and today, the device has been approved by China’s Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center, which means it’s ready to be sold in China soon.

The certification body also reconfirmed what we’ve come to know about the rumoured specs and has also revealed some new images of the device. The Samsung Galaxy A9 is going to sport a 6-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display and a metal frame. It will also have a battery marked at 4000 mAh to match the huge screen.

The device will be powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 620 (or 652, according to the new name change) processor clocked at 1.8 GHz. The new handset also features a fingerprint scanner embedded in its home button, and will run on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. The Galaxy A9 is also expected to include a 13 MP main camera, 8 MP front camera, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage.

No word yet on the pricing of the device, but rumours suggest the A9 will be priced around $450 or close to Rs. 30,000.

Source

December 23, 2015
Best Smartphones Between Rs. 30,000 to 40,000 in 2015

If you’re looking for a phone priced between 30-40K, here are our recommendations. Let us know about your favourite smartphones in this price bracket in the comments below.

HTC One M9 Plus

The HTC One M9 Plus packs a 20 MP primary camera with sapphire cover lens, auto focus, BSI sensor and ultrapixel front facing camera. It has a 5.2-inch (13.2 centimeters) display with 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution. The phone is powered by 2.2GHz octa-core processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB internal memory expandable up to 2 TB, and it supports only a single SIM. The battery is marked at 2840 mAh.

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Galaxy Note 4 comes with a 5.7 inch QHD display and a 3,220 mAh battery with fast charging technology. It is powered by Snapdragon 805 chipset which is clocked at 2.7 gHz quadcore, coupled with 3GB RAM. It offers 32GB internal memory with support for expandable memory of upto 64 GB. Note 4 packs a 16 MP rear camera with OIS, along with a 3.7 MP front snapper allowing users to take wide-angle selfies. Samsung also added a fingerprint scanner feature along with a heart rate monitor on the back of the device. You can find our hands on of the Galaxy Note 4 here.

 

Huawei Nexus 6PThe 6P features a 5.7-inch QHD touchscreen, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset, with 3 GB RAM, a 3450 mAh battery and a USB Type-C port. The camera sports a 12.3 MP sensor with laser autofocus, dual-LED flash at the rear and a rather impressive 8MP on the front. This pure Android phone runs on the latest Marshmallow operating system. One of the main highlights of the Nexus 6P is the Nexus Imprint. The fingerprint sensor on the back is fast and fluid in accessibility, which according to Google only “gets better over time” as it learns more about your unique fingerprint. Click here for a detailed hands on of the device.

Nokia Lumia 1520

Even though Nokia Lumia 1520 was launched as early as 2013, this list wouldn’t be complete without it.The device features a 6-inch Full HD with 1080p display resolution. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor, sports a 20 MP PureView camera and has an inbuilt storage of 32 GB expandable upto 64 GB. Nokia has included a big 3400 mAh battery, the device is packed with a 2 GB of RAM. The polycarbonate build supports wireless charging. The price of the phone has now dropped to 39K after the initial price tag of about 47K during the time of its release.

LG G4:
The LG G4 is an iconic design from LG, while many companies have attempted to make leather looking handsets (Note 3 and Galaxy S5), LG actually made a smartphone with a genuine leather back panel. The phone packs a 5.5-inch Quad HD LCD with 2560 x 1440 PX resolution. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 with 1.8 GHz hexa-core processor. The LG G4 also has dual sim (certain regions) and a removable and replaceable battery marked at 3,000 mAh, along with micro-SD expansion all of which is lacking in the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Find the complete review of the smartphone here.

 

Samsung Galaxy S6

The S6 is equipped with 64-bit Exynos octa-core, a premium metal and glass based design. Additionally, the S6 has the most pixel intensive Quad HD display with 577 ppi for a unique, eye-popping multimedia experience, along with wireless charging and ultra power saving mode for improved convenience. For the complete specs and a hands on of the device, click here.

 

iPhone 6The iPhone 6 is available at an all time low of Rs. 41,000, falling pretty much in the 30-40K price bracket. The phone is a good buy at this price -it offers almost all features of the iPhone 6s (except for Force Touch) minus the hefty price tag. If there was ever a right time to buy an iPhone in India, it is now. iPhone 6 has a 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 1334 by 750 with 326 ppi, and is equipped with an 8 MP iSight camera. Find here the complete review of the iPhone 6.

 

December 22, 2015
BlackBerry Could Launch a Second Android Smartphone in 2016

It has been only a couple of months since BlackBerry launched it’s first Android-powered device, called the Priv. The company is showing no signs to take a breather, according to CEO John Chen who has hinted that the company could launch its next Android phone next year. He also suggested that the second device will fall under the high-end bracket.

The price range of the second device will depend upon how the Priv does in the market. It’s still early to know Priv’s fate as the vice is yet to enter a number of markets, including India. “Depends on the Priv. If the Priv is well received in the market and looks like it is. There’s a good chance […], we will still focus on the high-end probably closer to mid-range coming out in 2016,” Chen said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Chen has not specified a launch date as of yet. The Priv will be available in 31 more markets in the next three months, which means that the next device is likely to launch after March. It is also likely that BlackBerry will unveil the device at the MWC in late February.

Some early renders of the second device – codenamed Vienna – have been doing the rounds. The images show a more typical BlackBerry design than the recent Priv with no slide-out keyboard here. However, as is the case with all rumours and renders, you should take this with a dash of salt.

December 22, 2015