While Android fragmentation continues with Jelly Bean being announced just 6 months away from the ICS update. Android owners have started to shift to ICs with most companies now offering ICS updates for the devices.
While Gingerbread still remains at the top with 64 % of the Android base. GFroyo follows by 17.3 %, and Google’s recently announced Jelly Bean update was not included in this stat.
Still rocking Froyo or Gingerbread devices that fail to stream in HD? Fret no more, the new app update from YouTube will bring HD res YouTube streams to all those devices. Although Honeycomb and ICS devices have been rocking this for some time now, the new app now allows streaming on all those devices that were left out.
Still not all devices will be able to enjoy this app as the update is dependent on screen size and resolution. Alternatively you can find the .apk online and install it! which may or may not work for you.
Just hours after we unboxed and took a look at the HTC Evo 3D The Optimus 3D arrived at our lab. LG has been daring enough to try pricing a relatively low spec’d phone with the same value as the competitor. So we unbox and take a look at the Optimus 3D iG Style.
| Product Type | Smartphone |
| Network Band | Quad Band |
| Number of Screens | 1 |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Effective Camera Resolution | 5 Megapixel |
| USB | Yes |
| Contract Type | SIM-free |
| Built-in Flash | Yes |
| Main Screen Resolution | 480 x 800 Stereoscopic Glasses Free 3D |
| Main Screen Size | 10.9 cm (4.3″) |
| Cellular Data Connectivity Technology | GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA |
| GPS Receiver | Yes |
| Dual SIM Supported | No |
| Secondary Camera | Yes |
| Integrated TV Tuner | No |
| Cellular Generation | 3.5G |
| Cellular Network Supported | GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900, WCDMA 900, WCDMA 1900, WCDMA 2100 |
| Memory Card Supported | microSD |
| Phone Style | Bar |
| Brand Name | LG |
| Battery Talk Time | 13 Hour |
| Product Model | P920 Optimus 3D |
| Weight (Approximate) | 168 g |
| Green Compliant | Yes |
| Green Compliance Certificate/Authority | WEEE |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Maximum Memory Card Size Supported | 32 GB |
| Built-in Memory | 8 GB |
| Main Screen Type | LCD |
| Realtone | Yes |
| Call Features | Call Log |
| Multi-touch Screen | Yes |
| Height | 128 mm |
| Width | 69 mm |
| Depth | 11.9 mm |
| Operating System | Android 2.2 |
| Manufacturer | LG Electronics |
| Product Name | P920 Optimus 3D Smartphone |
| Manufacturer Part Number | AESPML |
| Manufacturer Website Address | www.lge.com |
| Price |
35,999/- |
| Standard Warranty | 2 Year |
| Touchscreen Type | Capacitive |
iG Tech Labs
Some great news for those waiting in for the Galaxy Players / PMPs running Android and boasting a 5 inch/4 inch screens, the devices will be available along with the Galaxy 730 aka Galaxy Tab 8.9 inch in the last week of october. This information comes from the very depths of the Samsung HQ in NCRand packs a punch especially because there is a tad bit of information regarding the pricing on the PMPs.
We got our hands on with the PMP back at the Samsung Forums, check out the video below.
Now here is the awesome part the PMPs are speculated to have the following price : Galaxy Player 4 for 12,500 and Galaxy Player 5 for 15,000 Indian currency. We think that its excellent pricing.
Pricing of the Galaxy 730the MRP remains the same from initial PR : Tab 730 at INR 33,990 which seems a lot more since the 750 sells for much cheaper than that price.
The Micromax Andro A70 was one of the most anticipated phones of this quarter, especially in the sub Rs. 8000 bracket. To be honest, at first we thought of it as just a minor upgrade to the existing Andro A60. But as we reviewed this little marvel we began so see a major change in its operation. Lets see why the Andro A70 is our pick for the price range.
Reminiscent of the Nexus One’s design, the Micromax Andro A70 is built with sturdy plastics. Nice curvaceous ends make it an extremely attractive design, and very comfortable to hold in the hand. The screen on the front is tough and provides the extra protection required for a touch phone of this nature. The buttons are tactile and easy to use, the overall standard of construction is quite impressive.
The front of the display is also glass and not plastic unlike its predecessor, Which makes the overall build of the device impressive. The phone is sturdy and does not make rattling noises even when tossed around.
Video on the other hand is simply OK, you cannot expect much from the VGA video capability. A simple tweak, by changing the video quality settings to custom in the camera we were able to get VGA video. If you leave the video quality to high, it captures a much lower resolution video. A sample of the video can be seen in the videos below.
The Front facing camera, is a simple VGA camera and can be used for nothing but clicking self portraits and video. We tried several times to initiate a camera response from Skype /fring etc, but failed to do so.
The screen of the Andro A70 is great for watching videos and browsing the internet. It is also a capacitive 2 point multitouch screen, so pinch to zoom works great and with the 3.2 inch 320x480px screen text is crisp and easily read.
Speakers are loud and clear when it comes to watching videos or simply listening to music. Overall multimedia experience was satisfactory and a lot more than you can expect from a device which costs only 7500 Rs.
No complaints here, the phone call capability was excellent , little or no dropped calls, clear speaker and earpiece. the microphone also pics up sound aptly and delivers to the other side. One thing with mentioning is the number of connection errors faced in process of dialing a number were far more than any other device tested.
The Portable Hotspot also fails throughout the board, dropping WiFi and asking for reactivations several times.
The Micromax Andro A70 is a good package for someone who wants to enter the Android ecosystem, or even a good upgrade for an A60 user. This device is also an excellent secondary device for a expensive smartphone.
We say go for it!
Developing……
UPDATE:
We got news from Micromax for Gingerbread and Video Calls : Read Here
iG Test Labs
The LG Optimus Black was announced a while back, March 2011 to be precise, but the device appeared on our shores much later in July. People awaited the LG Optimus Black with much anticipation as it offered brilliance on a budget.
Does it really stand up to its name? Does it deliver brilliance? Lets Find Out!
The Optimus Black is possibly the most well built phone in LG’s stable, only after the 2X. With a slim profile and tapered glossy black accents, the device also has a tough front glass and a brilliant camera. The device is built to last and will not fail to deliver in that respect. The plastic is of superior quality and the device does not rattle or squeak from anywhere.
| Name | Type |
| Operating System | Android OS v2.2 |
| Dimensions | 122mm x 64mm x 9.2 mm |
| Weight | 109g |
| Display Screen | 4 inch WVGA IPS LCD |
| Processor | 1 GHz Cortex A8 Processor |
| RAM | 512 MB |
| Storage | 2GB Internal + 32GB Optional |
| Camera | 5 MP Rear : 2 MP Front (AF) |
| Video | 720P VIDEO @30 fps |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, 3G, GPRS, EDGE, A-GPS, Bluetooth v3.1 with EDR |
| Battery | 1500 mAh Li-Ion |
The device features a brilliant 5mp Autofocus camera on the back that does HD video at 720p (watch sample below). The picture quality from the 5mp snapper is absolutely stunning, the camera focuses with precision and the LED does a wonderful job of eliminating darkness. The camera is also snappy at taking pictures and responds quickly.
Video quality is pretty great and almost close to what the iPhone 4 has to offer in good light, but kind of waivers in low light.
The front facing camera is simply superb quality and works just fine with Skype and other video softwares.
Audio from videos is low, but in game audio and music sounds are loud. The preference file some where needs to be tweaked to output proper audio. the speaker is fairly loud when the audio is proper. But, not as great as we would have like it to be.
The display is absolutely brilliant with a 700NIT brightness. The brightest display on a mobile device ever, makes the quality of the display that much better, whether indoors or outdoors. The only drawback of a very bright display is low battery life.
The earpiece and microphone are great to pick up sound, but one unfortunate error in the design of the Optimus black prevents you from using the phone as a PHONE. every time you hold the phone in your hand, the network drops. So much so that we went able to get through a decent phone call to test audio quality. At first we thought the device was defective and got a replacement test unit, but alas!, still no proper network. So how good is a phone thats not a phone? its pathetic, is what it is, purely pathetic.
The touchscreen is a 4 point multitouch which allows for a simply great messaging experience, not to forget the iPhone style keyboard. The network issue prevails here as well, as you grip the phone to type, the device looses network.
The Optimus Black is almost Satan’s child when it comes to how hot it gets on a data connection, its almost impossible to handle. The device gets blazing hot and starts to loose battery at an alarming rate, flat dead in 25-40 minutes. With data off, you get about 4 hours of talk time along with about two days of standby.
Not having been able to test internet performance we can’t comment on the battery life beyond that.
Its a pity that LG let us down yet again, we really liked the device when we got it at first. The device has good specs, excellent build, brilliant cameras and a very – very bright display. A great touch screen and decent hardware, but the device basically fails at being a phone. The death grip network loss issue is beyond excuse and cannot be mended with any kind of fix. ( except a full silicon cover or gloves on the users hands) the phone also performed poorly in the benchmarks.
We had a lot of expectations from this device and feel totally let down. LG really needs to step up their game, they have possibly good hardware, but something somewhere went wrong with the Optimus Black.
[xrr rating=2.5/5 label=”We Rate The Optimus Black : ” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]
Bharat Electronics Ltd has developed a tablet PC that would cost $70-75 (around Rs 3,000) apiece for the Ministry of Rural Development’s poverty survey. The company supply six lakh pieces this year,expected to be delivered by end-November.
Normally, BEL generates 80 per cent of its revenue from military supplies such as radars, detection and communication devices; its turnover for the year ended March 2011 was Rs 5,500 crore; the 2011-12 guidance is for Rs 6,200 crore.
The device will boast Android 2.2 Froyo, a Solar powered battery pack, and a plug in keyboard. The device also appears to have a usb input port and a resistive touchscreen.
Since the order coming in early July, BEL has supplied an initial 2,000 tablets to the North-East. They were made at a small plant that was added to BEL’s Mass Manufacturing Facility in Bangalore at a cost of Rs 7 crore. Depending on further demand, it may put up an additional line for Rs 20 crore, apart from tapping capacities at Ghaziabad and Panchkula.
We are already poking around to get some action with the device.
Here it is, we got over a thousand requests for the Andro A70 Unboxing and Review, while the review process is on, check out the unboxing and hands on below.
Key Features Include
The LG Optimus Black Was announced just recently in India, and we are here today with a quick unboxing and hands on preview of the device.
Important specs include:
| Name | Type |
| Operating System | Android OS v2.2 |
| Dimensions | 122mm x 64mm x 9.2 mm |
| Weight | 109g |
| Display Screen | 4 inch WVGA IPS LCD |
| Processor | 1 GHz Cortex A8 Processor |
| RAM | 512 MB |
| Storage | 2GB Internal + 32GB Optional |
| Camera | 5 MP Rear : 2 MP Front (AF) |
| Video | 720P VIDEO @30 fps |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, 3G, GPRS, EDGE, A-GPS, Bluetooth v3.1 with EDR |
| Battery | 1500 mAh Li-Ion |
Over 15,000,000,000 apps have been downloaded by some 200,000,000 users from the Apple App Store. In total, the App Store has around 425,000 applications available for sale. Last Thursday, Google announced that over 6,000,000,000 app downloads had been made by some 135,000,000 users form the Google Marketplace, which has around 250,000 applications available for sale.
The growth of Android is spurred on by the release of new Android smart phones and tablets in the market. While the tablets might not be able to dislodge the iPad from the top spot, the smart phones are giving the iPhone a run for its money. Google CEO Larry Page said that new Android devices are activated at a rate of around 50,000 per day. Despite the number of activations, the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch still lead the pack.
At present, Apple’s iOS remains the number one mobile operating system but speculation is ripe that its just a matter of time before Android overtakes iOS to become the leading mobile operating system.
McAfee has issued a Press Release regarding its Mobile Security and WaveSecure security softwares for smartphones and tablets on the Android Platform. Read the full PR for more information.
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McAfee today announced the it is extending its mobile device portfolio for consumers with McAfee Mobile Security and McAfee WaveSecure Tablet Edition. These mobile device offerings change the mobile security landscape by offering security safeguards that help consumers secure their mobile devices for personal use, commerce and work.
According to a mobile security report released last week by McAfee and Carnegie Mellon University titled, “Mobility and Security: Dazzling Opportunities, Profound Challenges,” respondents named their top three security concerns to be the loss of personal or work data through the accidental loss of a device, physical theft of the device, or loss of their data due to their device “crashing.” In addition, close to half of all respondents said they were using their smartphones both for personal use and work, demonstrating that consumers want more than just personal device security.
McAfee Mobile Security software, available for both smartphones and tablets, provides a comprehensive mobile security solution by combining three leading McAfee mobile security products: WaveSecure, VirusScan Mobile and SiteAdvisor® for Android. It is ideal for users who want protection for their data and privacy in the event of loss or theft, protection against the growing threats of viruses and spyware targeting mobile devices as well as protection from Web based threats, such as phishing sites that probe for personal and sensitive information.
With McAfee Mobile Security, consumers can now access the following features and functionality in a single download:
The WaveSecure Tablet Edition offers Android users with WiFi the ability to find their missing device with alarm and location tracking, prevent misuse with remote lock and wipe and preserve important memories and personal data with remote backup, even from a lost or misplaced device. Users can also trigger an audible alarm to help them find the device or disrupt a thief, and send a brief SMS message with instructions for returning it.
“With device growth eclipsing PCs, consumers need tools to not only protect their personal information, but also to provide safeguards for business data should they decide to use that device for work,” said Todd Gebhart, senior vice president and general manager of consumer, small business and mobile, McAfee. “It’s far too easy to leave a mobile device in a cab or at the airport, which can mean lost photos, contacts and other important content. Also, the threats to mobile devices are in many ways the same as in the online world. Beyond device lost or theft, users can be hacked, infected or phished on a mobile device just as easily as they can online.”
Availability and Pricing:
McAfee Mobile Security and WaveSecure software are available in the following languages; Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Dutch, English, French (European and Canadian), German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (European and Brazilian), Swedish, Spanish (European and Mexican) and Russian. McAfee Mobile Security software is available as an annual subscription of $29.99 USD per year from McAfee and the Android Market. McAfee WaveSecure software is available as an annual subscription of $19.99 USD from McAfee and the Android Market.
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The Mi 410 is the first attempt from Spice to attack the 1 GHZ smartphone market in India. Possibly the only phone to offer these specs at a pretty decent price. Lets look into the Spice MI 410 carefully.
The Spice MI 410 is built to last, metal accents and a full metal back cover, a metal frame and solid construction make the Mi 410 an extremely robust device. The volume rocker and the power button are flush with the device and highly tactile. The screen is also scratch resistant, but its no gorilla glass.
The device or its internals don’t shake or rattle and the phone is like one solid piece of hardware. Talking about hardware, lets look at the specs.
| OS | ANDROID 2.2 |
| Processor | 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 |
| Flash ROM | 2GB eMMC |
| Ram | 512MB |
| Dimensions | 122X 66X 9.9 mm |
| Weight | 143 gm |
| Display | 4.1-inch Capacitive Touch Screen , 800 X 480 WVGA |
| Camera | 5 MP rear with HD Video, 0.3MP front |
| Battery | 1400 mAH |
| Talk Time | Upto 380 Mins GSM , Upto 300 Mins (3G) |
| Standby Time | Upto 300 Hours |
| Network | Quad band GSM , Tri-band 3G, HSDPA/HSUPA , up to 14.2 Mbps |
| Connect | Bluetooth v2.1 EDR |
| Other | Supports Flash 10.1 |
| Price | Rs. 14,000/- |
Design on the Mi410 is pretty good too with a flat slab/tablet type structure on the device. It one of those designs that may not appeal to all in the beginning, but grows on you as you begin to use the device. Honestly, it kind of reminds us of end 2010 HTC phones, with really prominent edges.
The rear camera on the Mi410 is a 5MP autofocus camera which does a good job of focusing, you can actually see the camera move when its trying to focus, making it an exceptionally great autofocus mechanism. It also utilized 4 point metering to gain a focus point allowing it to be accurate in most situations, indoor, outdoor or night mode.
Video quality is also decent with jitter free recording and smooth capture. While in video mode the zoom option while recording is missing, but was not quite missed.
The screen is nice and vivid and has a comparatively large ppi at 227.55 ppi. With a native resolution of 480×800 pixels making it a very good display. We have no complaints with the display and in-fact were quite happy with it. The screen is good for watching videos and browsing the internet. The ppi is rich enough for reading books, documents and articles without trouble. Let us remind you that its no retina display, but its possibly one of the best resolutions you can get for the price.
The inclusion of stereo speakers caught our attention at the get go. Its surprising the kind of sound you can get from these speakers. In a normally quiet environment the speakers are sufficient for watching videos and movies. The speakers are loud and clear with accurate channel mapping.
The touch screen on the Mi410 seems like a bother initially, after a bit of playing around we found out that the maximum issue is with the lock screen, where the screen response seems to be less, it also seems like a software glitch, as we upgraded to 2.3 the touch sensitivity issue reduced significantly, but is still there. Pinch to zoom and scrolling work fine and are not affected by the issue.
The included earphones are simply ordinary and don’t expect much from them. While they can be used for simple handsfree usage, if you want to enjoy music on this device, invest in a good pair of earphones.
The sound quality from the earphones and the outgoing sound from the mic is great, and more than expected. While network strength is constantly 1 bar less, it does not affect the usage of the device and in our signal measurement test we would get a consistent -60db value.
Messaging and typing on the keyboard is achieved with ease and effortlessness. The keyboard is well spaces with large keys and responsive, the touch sensitivity issue does not occur in the keyboard, that why we insist its a software issue and not hardware (we could be wrong too).
A lot of people asked us to test the battery and we did some extensive tests on the battery.
| VALUES | 2G | 3G | WiFI |
| Talk Time | 5 Hours | 3.5 Hours | -NA- |
| Standby Time | 72 Hours | 50 Hours | 5 days |
| Internet Browsing | 5-6 hours | 5 hours | 8 hours |
| Video Playback | 3 hours | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| Video Stream | 2.5 hours | 1 Hour | 3.5 hours |
| Music | 12 hours | 12 hours | 12 hours |
| Music Stream | 7 hours | 5 hours | 8.5 hours |
We noticed a well managed battery life even with the wifi hotspot on. Battery was inconsistent and scores above are average from out tests.
The Spice Mi410 is an extremely great option at its price. With features usually found in devices upwards of 20k. This device also looks, feels and performs like an expensive phone, so it should be a satisfying experience for the user. The fact that this handset is easily root-able will let people exploit the real benefits of the device. The screen issue may bother some , but it is not enough to not let us recommend this phone to some one who has this device in mind.
PRICE : 14,000/-
[xrr rating=4/5 label=”We Rate it : ” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]
iG Tech Labs
So we finally got the new Spice Mi 410 here in our studios. So here it is the Unboxing and quick review video for your pleasure. As always stay tuned for the complete Review.
IMAGES
| OS | ANDROID 2.2 |
| Processor | 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 |
| Flash ROM | 2GB eMMC |
| Ram | 512MB |
| Dimensions | 122X 66X 9.9 mm |
| Weight | 143 gm |
| Display | 4.1-inch Capacitive Touch Screen , 800 X 480 WVGA |
| Camera | 5 MP rear with HD Video, 0.3MP front |
| Battery | 1400 mAH |
| Talk Time | Upto 380 Mins GSM , Upto 300 Mins (3G) |
| Standby Time | Upto 300 Hours |
| Network | Quad band GSM , Tri-band 3G, HSDPA/HSUPA , up to 14.2 Mbps |
| Connect | Bluetooth v2.1 EDR |
| Other | Supports Flash 10.1 |
| Price | Rs. 14,000/- |
The First dual core smartphone in India, But does it have what it takes to stand up against the ever heating competition. Lets find out.
This is possibly the best phone from LG’s stable when it comes to build quality. The mix of materials is nice, so nice infact, that you wouldn’t make out that its an LG if we covered the branding. A very nice mix of soft touch back with steel and alloy bezel, a tapered gorilla glass that sumps down on the sides to give a fantastic feel of the device. Buttons are nice and tactile, only the top HDMI connector is kind of flimsy. But apart from that, top to bottom, front and back this device is constructed well.
The Optimus 2X has an interesting mix of specifications, A dual core 1Ghz Tegra 2 Processor. A 480×800 pixels LCD display, An 8 MP camera, 8GB internal space, the usual Wifi Bluetooth etc, 3G, HSDPA and a 1500 mah battery. These specs put it right in the top few of this year when it comes to performance knock-ers.
The device is designed to perform when it comes to still images, with one of the best possible cameras we have ever seen on a mobile device the 8MP camera took the liberty to deliver good quality images even when the situation didn’t demand it. The low light performance of the camera is phenomenal and we were able to achieve some good low light shots, indoors.
Video quality on the other hand is a baby on its own dimensions. The 1920 x 1080p video at 24fps is poor and choppy, 720p video is fairly better at 30fps but still turns out choppy and jittery. The camera also boasts video -digital zoom, which does not perform well either, see sample below.
[twocol_one]
Speaker on the Optimus 2X is not as loud as we would like it to be, sound is not loud enough we believe and sometimes can ruin the experience. The device otherwise is a multimedia powerhouse, like any other android device. It also has an inbuilt 8GB of storage from the get go and a 32GB expansion slot make it a paradise situation for data-media hungry users.
[/twocol_one] [twocol_one_last]
The display does its job in the multimedia section and the overall experience is almost disturbance free. Movies play like a charm and gaming is good if not excellent. There are no touch response or accelerometer issues so you wont find yourself complaining on those vital facts while interacting with the device or many of the thousands of apps.
[/twocol_one_last]
The phone aspect of the device is brilliant and there were no issues in that, the network was strong and sound from both the earpiece and mic was excellent coming in and going out. This fact is also unlikely of an LG phone, where people often complain of network issues. The bars were strong, even while in transit, and we can safely say the device delivered more than we expected.
Messaging is simple for those with a knack of touch screens, the touch keyboard is reminiscent of design hues from the Apple iPhone keyboard, so is fairly fast and efficient, the touchscreen is responsive so you wont find yourself struggling. Whats more you can always install the various keyboards from the marketplace : Read Swype.
We don’t know what LG did, we really don’t. Despite packing the best possible specs for a price thats realistic and affordable by those looking to buy serious smart-phones. The LG Optimus 2x fails to deliver. The UI is slow and buggy, and the overall interface reminds us of those cheap chinese made phones that are forced to run android on them. The NVIDIA Tegra processor was not exploited by LG it seems and in a hurry to reach the market before others they got stuck in poorly processed Hardware. The software integration to exploit the dual core systems is not seen properly in Android 2.2 froyo(os that ships with the device) you will see the device hang , crash, and bore you in many instances in the main UI, while working just fine within apps. LG really needs to roll out a software update fast if they expect to sell this handset in the market.
The LG Optimus 2x is there but not there, its awesome but a little boring. The device packs specs but does not integrate them. Hardware is not the key, Even a certain fruit company (read: Apple) has shown us time and again its not always about the hardware, its how usable you can make the product at the end of it. With the LG Optimus 2x you are just left hanging by a thread feeling incomplete. Despite holding a mammoth device you don’t feel confident.
iGyaan says : Give the Optimus 2X a nice wave goodbye, because you cant expect performance from a device that fails you from the get go.
[xrr rating=2.5/5 label=”We Rate The Optimus 2X : ” imageset=shiny_yellow_star display_as=fraction_stars]
Spice has taken the Android Market yet again by launching the new Spice Mi270. The device is the first budget Dual-Sim Android Device to be made available from a recognized manufacturer.
Tech Specs Include
Price – 5700-6500 INR
