Tag: ICS

Meizu MX Quad-core with Android 4.0 ICS coming in June (PR)

Meizu is one company that kept its hype going since the beginning. With the launch of their new Meizu MX Quad Core the company is yet again trying to prove that it is not behind when it comes to staying up to date. Called the MX Quad-core, this new device will be powered by a Cortex-A9-based, 32nm HKMG (High-K Metal Gate) quad-core Samsung Exynos chip, which supposedly clocks in at 1.5 GHz.

Meizu claims the battery life is 20% better compared to the dual core MX, also the upgraded 1700 mAh battery probably plays a major role in that aspect. Other specs include a 4-inch 960 x 640 ASV display, an 8 MP BSI camera. 32GB for ¥2,999 (US$480, INR 25,000) in China and HK$3,099 (US$400, INR 20,000) in Hong Kong; 64GB version priced at ¥3,999 (US$635, INR 32,000) and HK$4,099 (US$530, INR 26,500)), respectively.

The price of the Original Meizu MX has been reduced starting today.

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MEIZU officially announces the new MEIZU MX Quad-core

MEIZU announces the world’s first smartphone with the quad-core Exynos A9 CPU

HONG KONG – April 16, 2012 – MEIZU today announces the brand new MEIZU MX Quad-core smartphone to be available in June this year. Among many surprises, the MEIZU MX Quad-core is the first smartphone in the world to use the brand new and powerful Exynos A9 quad-core processor.

The MX Quad-core uses a power efficient quad-core Exynos A9 CPU with industry-leading 32 nm HKMG technology which has been optimized to reduce CPU power consumption by up to 20%. In addition, it will last even longer with a new 1700mAh battery.

With its state-of-the art hardware, the MEIZU MX Quad-core is better in every way than its predecessor. The MEIZU MX Quad-core CPU is 60% faster, and GPU 50% faster compared to the previous MX. Whether it is browsing through menus, playing the latest games, or watching 1080p video, the MX Quad-core easily beats dual-core devices.

MX Quad-core comes with a vivid 292 PPI high definition ASV display. With no visible pixels on the screen, it provides the user with the ideal smartphone viewing experience. On the back side, the MX Quad-core has an 8 megapixel BSI camera with an f/2.2 lens aperture, capable of taking great photos even in low light conditions. The MX Quad-core will come with MEIZU’s unique Flyme OS based on Android 4.0, providing users with beauty, simplicity and buttery smooth performance at every interaction.

The MEIZU MX Quad-core will be available in MEIZU’s 400 retail stores during June at ¥2999/3999 CNY and $3099/4099 HKD for capacities 32GB and 64GB in Mainland China and Hong Kong, respectively. With MX Quad-core, the company also releases MX back covers in five colors in addition to the original white, allowing users to experience the MX on their own terms. Coinciding with the announcement of MEIZU MX Quad-core, the MEIZU MX will have its price adjusted to ¥2399 CNY and $2599 HKD in Mainland China and Hong Kong respectively. The reduced price for the MEIZU MX is effective as of April 16, 2012.

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April 16, 2012
Lenovo’s 8.9mm-thick unibody IdeaTab S2109 shown off on Youtube (video)

Lenovo has launched a YouTube video for its 9.7-inch (1,024 x 768 IPS LCD) IdeaTab S2109’s. The device packs in Android 4.0 and a 8.9mm-thick, gunmetal-finish unibody build along with a 1.3-megapixel front camera.

The Tablet also has a microSD slot, micro-HDMI, micro-USB and a 10 hour capacity battery pack. There are no real details of the hardware internals, except the fact that its based on a TIOMAP chipset. Also, appears from the video that the UI is stock Android.

April 10, 2012
Motorola Atrix 2 Full Review + Video + Images

Often, in terms of technology, new products are launched worldwide. Some make it to our fair nation and some completely neglect its existence. The Motorola Brand is one of those companies that dares to beat the odds and infiltrate our market. Late more than ever, some of their products do reach us and the Motorola Atrix 2 did come to India, Although, much later than we wanted it to.

After using it for donkeys days we realized that it actually was stiff competition to the likes of Samsung and HTC in the Android sector and blew away by proportions the iOS of this range namely 3Gs.

Here is our low down, dirty and in-depth review of the Moto Atrix Deux (2)

Build Quality

The Atrix two has a slightly understated build, the company does not do a good job of marketing their product in India. The back of the Atrix 2 has rubber, the kind that does not attract dust a lot, but has a wonderful texture that allows it to be grippy. The back also kind of prevents your phone from going into a panic shock (only if dropped on the back). The Atrix 2 has a nice shiny bezel that has a chrome undertone – more dark chrome titanium esque – and a wonderful display with Corning Gorilla Glass, that gives it the protection it deserves in the front, making it scratch and impact resistant.

Specs

The Display, Camera and Multimedia

Most of these sections are related hence they are all in one sub, The display on the Atrix 2 is a brilliant 4.3 incher with a qHD resolution of 540×960 making it a rich 256 pixels per inch. The only back draw is the level of black is not as intense/deep as we’d like it to be, seemingly also the only thing that is bad with the display of the Atrix 2. The clors are bright and vibrant, brightness levels are excellent.

The Camera is a wonderful snapper, don’t go on comparing it to the super fps of the One X, it captures 264×2448 px images at its max. The camera is fast and has good light capture, it also does full hd video at 1080p. The front camera is a VGA, but should suffice for Skype and Facebook DP images, there is no 3G video calling unfortunately.

Multimedia involves, excellent video playback on the qHD display this is beautifully played thanks to the juice in the processor. The Audio quality is excellent aswell, plug in your headphones to get a great mix of software enhancements. Overall the 3 segments of the Atrix 2 are impressive leaving only did-bits to desire.

Phone, Network and Data

The phone calling capability is robust, with a great earpiece and a receptive mic, there is also noise cancellation to better the overall experience. The network remained solid in our tests with little or no dropped calls, quite good.

Data browsing is fast and 3G connectivity was quite stable in our unstable 3G nation. No flickering between networks meant that we also saved a whole lot of juice and time while trying to access the internet or using connected apps. The online experience on the Atrix 2 is what Android was built for, according to us anyway. Its a pity that we haven’t seen such performance on any other device, the tweaks by Motorola really set the online capability of the Atrix 2 apart.

Moto Mix

Motorola also added a ton of features, including 10 free games from EA and a lot of connected apps that have now started to work in India (most of them anyway). In our opinion with a few limitations, the Moto Blur experience only stands behind the likes of TouchWiz and TimeScape.

Battery

This is our most loved aspect of the Atrix 2, we don’t know what Motorola has done, But seriously, companies should replicate it, license it, steal it or whatever it takes to get the battery performance from their Android devices. The Atrix 2 went on and on, with no special settings changes, we did not turn off the data, or location services or any other connected app.

Standby times were phenomenal, with the device staying connected , receiving notifications for upto 5 days. Talk time over 3G was an outstanding 6-7 hours with an hour increase with 2G mode.

Similar was the experience with 3G web browsing, ranging from 6-10 hours. Battery on the Atrix 2 is Moto Wow!

Conclusion

The Atrix 2 is priced right, comes with Android 2.3 , but will definitely get ICS, performance and battery life is phenomenal. Multimedia and gaming is good, with it being an excellent phone with solid networks and a brilliant battery life. Moto also packs in multiple games for the buyer to entice him/her. You can’t go wrong with this, except it does have a slightly washed out black level, limited connectivity to Motorola blur add ons, and well it has less clout value in the market. Hopefully some of those can be fixed with a software update.

Best Price : Rs. 21,500/- USD : 409.

We Rate It: 4.25/5

Videos

Images

April 3, 2012
Android 4.0.4 for Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S pushed out

Users of the Samsung Nexus S and those who bought the Galaxy Nexus will start to see a new light at the end of the tunnel as the update for Android 4.0.4 ICS is being pushed to these devices. Also owners of the Motorola Xoom (Wifi – only) will also start to see a similar update for their tablets.

The Nexus S users who missed the 4.0 update before Google pulled it due to major concerns, will also be directly able o update to Android 4.0.4.

March 30, 2012
Edit : How The Micromax P300 Booklet will Change the Tablet game in India

Micromax was the first Indian Mobile phone manufacturer to make a global mark, a year and some months ago they introduced their first Android Phone the Andro A60, which changed the face of Android phones in India.

Today the company stands at a different crossroad in between their future as a brand, with a new identity, and what they possibly aim to achieve. They have a long way to go to achieve the brand snob value they wish to achieve. The consumer feedback speaks of the lack of unique products from the company and more importantly the lack of after sales support. Micromax is today considered a glorified china-manufactured product seller in India, infact Micromax is probably aware of their market image.

The story does not end here infact it changes completely from here, Micromax is now bent on changing their market appeal in a big way. Of-course their re-branding is the first step, but the biggest possible change is going to be their overall process revamp. Lets read about their latest marvel:

The Micromax P300 Booklet

Yes many already know about this tablet from the company, recently a popular online retailer outed the tablet in the inter webs sparking a cracker that refuses to go down.

Hardware

A sub Rs. 8000 tablet that includes a 7.0-inch TFT-LCD multitouch capacitive screen along with a 1 Ghz processor(rumors suggest a dual core processor) and Bluetooth, Wi-Fi,USB port and a 3.5mm AV. we have come to know that the tablet will also possibly support 3G data and voice calls/ video calls using a Micromax dongle, possibly supplied with the tablet bundle. The image appears to show a front camera and no rear camera, but the fact remains that a 0.3mp camera makes more sense on the front than it ever did on the back. Yes there is also HDMI out and HD video playback.

India Inc.

Yes the tablet will be manufactured in India (or so is the buzz), so expect better after sales support and spares for the device. This is also set to change the company’s image in the market giving the P300 Booklet a “Made in India” moniker, that might actually do owners proud to own the Tablet.

P300 will succeed where others have Failed

Lest we bring up the failure of the Indian Government in bringing a budget Tablet to the market. The Aakash Tablet, a well heard name, yes we felt excited when the product actually came to market, but all was lost. The performance matched expectations, but their deliveries couldn’t. With more than hand-able orders the company “data wind” seems to have imploded and is unable to deliver to the millions waiting for any sign of their tablet.

Others like the Beetel tab, Reliance tab, HCL Me Tab, etc have one big thing in common, they are imports built on a system type that is bound to fail. The performance levels and specs in those tablets don’t come anywhere close to the supposed specs of the P300 Booklet. Not to forget they all are priced way over 10,000 rupees, with the old Android 2.3 and some with Android 2.2, never to get updated to ICS. The Micromax P300 will come out of the box with Android 4.0.3, with possible customizations to make an impact on the user market.

The Future

The tablet is expected to launch in the coming weeks, and should do immensely well in our consumer market. The specs and features, if anywhere close to the ones discussed, will deliver a promising experience. The ID of the tablet will also be unique because the Company (Micromax) is making an extra effort to define themselves as unique manufacturers.

Made in India, tablets and phones could also mean that Micromax actually invests in a company to start manufacturing their own equipment, which could result in better service and unique new Research into the Mobile sector.

Hopefully the tab is more than we expect it to be and a total joy to review for you guys.

March 21, 2012
Hands on with Intel’s Medfield – Penwell Android 4.0 ICS Tablet codename Red Ridge

We went hands on with the Intel Medfield reference tablet for OEM manufacturers, at the Intel Retail and innovation tour 2012, developed by Intel to give manufacturers an idea of the performance of the Intel SOC.

Initial impressions of the Tablet were quite impressive, it was very lightweight and sleek, the tablet has a very responsive touchscreen and the usual Android lag was un-noticeable. The tab is8.5 mm thin (0.33-inch), weighs under 1.5 pounds (less than 680 grams) and packs a 28Whr battery for upto 9 hours on the go usage and a heavy 30 day battery standby claim. Further specs including processor speed and GPU were not disclosed.

The Tablet also has inbuilt NFC and HDMI Out.

March 13, 2012
HTC Starts rollout of HTC Sense 3.6 with ICS for Sensation and Sensation XE

HTC has already begun to roll out ICS updates for their Global and unlocked flagship devices the Sensation and Sensation XE. Now the update may not be available to all immediately, But HTC has assured the owners that the update will be broadly available within the coming days.

[XDA-Developers]

March 9, 2012
Samsung Galaxy S II to get ICS on March 10th

There it is guys, Samsung has made it known that global and Carrier independent versions of the Samsung Galaxy S2 are getting the much awaited ICS update on 10th March. The update should be available through KIES and will be customized with Samsung’s own TouchWiz UI. However Samsung’s site specifies that because of “ICS OS feature,” Flash and Bluetooth 3.0 HS won’t be supported.

[Samsung]

March 9, 2012
ZTE Era labelled as the thinnest Android ICS phone
The ZTE Era, an Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) smartphone, released at MWC 2012 is dubbed as “one of the thinnest quad-core smartphones on the market today”. The phone is equipped with an NVIDIA Icera 450 HSPA+ modem and also features a 4.3-inch QHD screen with a resolution of 960 x 540.

The specifications of the ZTE Era are:
- 1.3 GHz nVidia Tegra 3 Quad Core Processor
- 7.8 mm Thickness
- Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0
- 4.3? Capacitive Touchscreen Display with 16 Million Colours and qHD (960×540 Pixels) Resolution
- 8 Megapixel Camera with Autofocus, LED Flash
- 8GB Internal Memory, microSD Card Slot
- 1GB RAM
- Dolby Sound, HD Voice
The ZTE Era will be launched in Europe and China in the second half of 2012.
February 29, 2012
Micromax Tablet plans leak – 7inch capactiive
Micromax has started developing a nice and portable tablet that could be the envy of other tablet manufacturers in India. From the information available the tablet is a 7 inch monster with a nice resolution display and a set of specs to rival global manufacturers.

Specs include :
- 1 GHz Dual Core CPU
- 1 GB of Ram
- Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.1
- Wifi only
- Mini USB port
- HDMI Out
- 3D Vision capabilities
Apart from the above information there is news that the tablet will be launched before the 15th of March and will be manufactured in India. Sources close to iGyaan tell us that the tablet will come with add ons including optional docks and cases, smart pens and accessories that can be bought separately but will be available to the device exclusively.

Our source was able to tell us that the tablet will be priced at about Indian Rupees 14,000 and will come bundled with a a mini USB to USB cable and a 3G dongle capable of making calls and accessing the internet to make the device access data on the go. No information is known of the storage capacity but the device will also have an expansion slot of some sort.

More info when we get it.
February 29, 2012
Asus Rebrands Transformer line, Say Hello to ‘Infinity Series’

Asus has announced a major rebranding of its Transformer lineup of dock-able tablets, now to be called the Asus Infinity Pad. The first in this release lineup is the TF700T with a dual-core Qualcomm MSM 8960 Snapdragon S4 CPU and an optional LTE radio. For wifi only versions there is a Tegra 3 option, the 3G / 4G versions will have a S4 chip.

A lower end 16GB option will also be available, the specs are the same, including a quad-core Tegra 3 SoC, dual 8MP / 2MP cameras, 1GB of RAM, HDMI and a 10.1-inch, 1920 x 1200, Super IPS+ Gorilla Glass 2 display.

Infinity Pad will run Android 4.0 out of the box, 8GB of free lifetime ASUS WebStorage and 10 Hours of battery life along with a 6 hour boost from the Asus dock.

MORE MWC NEWS CLICK HERE

February 27, 2012
ViewSonic launches 3 dual sim phones with Ice Cream Sandwich

ViewSonic has just released three new smartphones into the market the 4s (not to be confused with iPhone 4s ), 4e and 5e.

The ViewPhone 4s features a 3.5-inch 960 x 640 Super Clear IPS LCD (identical to the real 4s) along with a five-megapixel camera, a VGA front-facing imager and a 1GHz chip, the second device the ViewPhone 4e has a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 LCD, a slower processor at 650MHz only, a three-megapixel camera and one extra touch button. The third one aka the 5e has a lower 800 × 480 resolution and a larger 5 inch screen.

February 25, 2012
ASUS TF 101 Transformer starts getting OTA ICS updates

All those with the Asus Eee Pad Transformer 101 will start to rejoice as the company begins rolling out the ICS update for the tablet. The update is supposed to bring not only the latest Android version but also a lot of fixes to issues being faced by users. The big advantage is that the tablet remains rootable even after the update. The Update has started rolling out in the US for Wi-Fi tablets and will soon come to 3G versions including international UK and Asian versions.

February 24, 2012
LG Optimus 4X HD revealed with Quad Core NVidia Tegra 3 and Ice Cream Sandwich (PR)

LG has shown off many phones in their lead up to the MWC 2012, this one by far is the most exciting. The Optimus 4X is a successor to their first Dual core phone the Optimus 2X. The device will feature a 1.5 GHz Quad core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor along with a 4.7-inch True HD IPS LCD (1280×720). The device will also run ICS out the box and looks like it has been skinned by LG. The device also has a 2,150mAh battery, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. On optics it has a 8MP rear camera and a 1.3 MP front shooter. Information on pricing and actual release is expected during MWC next week.

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LG’S QUAD-CORE SMARTPHONE MAKES
DEBUT AT 2012 MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS
LG Optimus 4X HD Takes Desktop Performance to the Mobile Space

SEOUL, Feb. 23, 2012 – LG today unveiled its first Quad-Core processor smartphone, LG Optimus 4X HD. Combining NVIDIA’s latest 1.5GHz Tegra 3 with True HD IPS display, the LG Optimus 4X HD delivers PC-like performance in the palm of one’s hand.

“LG introduced the world’s first Dual-Core smartphone exactly one year ago and today we’re announcing the next milestone,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. “But speed in itself isn’t what makes LG Optimus 4X HD unique, it’s the benefit we’re bringing to customers with the HD multimedia experience in a mobile form factor.”

The NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor is the world`s only 4-PLUS-1™ Quad-Core mobile processor designed for high-level multimedia performance but utilizes a fifth battery-saver core to handle less demanding tasks such as active standby and music playback. When running at full speed, the 12-core graphics processing unit (GPU) in Tegra 3 delivers a visually rich experience and console-quality game playability.

Equipped with the True HD IPS display, the Optimus 4X HD guarantees the finest viewing experience with high resolution, clarity and no color or shape distortion. The Optimus 4X HD includes 16 GB internal memory and runs on the latest version of Android OS, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Besides the smooth and fast performance, the Optimus 4X HD boasts a 8-megapixel BSI (Backside Illumination) Sensor camera with LED flash and advanced multimedia features to enrich the overall multimedia experience.

And LG designers made sure that looks didn’t take a back seat to performance. The 8.9mm slim and sleek smartphone features a “prism-edged” design with enhanced materials and finish.

Additional information on the revolutionary new Optimus 4X HD will be available at LG Stand (Hall 8) at MWC 2012 from February 27 to March 1.

Key Specifications:
o Chipset: 1.5GHz Quad-Core processor (NVIDIA Tegra 3)
o Display: 4.7-inch (1280 x 720) True HD IPS
o Memory: 16GB eMMC and 1GB LP DDR2
o Camera: 8.0MP BSI Sensor (Rear) and 1.3MP (Front)
o OS: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
o Battery: 2,150mAh

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February 23, 2012
LG Launches three new L Series Phone pre-MWC (PR)

LG has launched three new L series phones ahead of MWC 2012, the L3, L5 and L7. Identical to the LG Prada phone, the L series are essentially based on that particular device. The L3 is a budget device whereas the L5 and L7 feature 4-inch and 4.3-inch displays respectively. All three devices are supposedly very thin,or so claims LG. No real specs or pricing has been outed for the three.

Read the full Release below.

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LG’S NEW DESIGN STRATEGY FOR MOBILE DEVICES TO BE REVEALED AT 2012 MWC
LG Takes Design Philosophy to the Next Level
with Line-up of Stylish Smartphones

SEOUL, Feb. 21, 2012 – LG Electronics (LG) makes its boldest move yet in its strategy to attain smartphone leadership with the launch of its new design identity, L-Style, at the 2012 Mobile World Congress (MWC).

The core essence of L-Style involves a timeless design with finer details that further differentiate LG’s mobile devices from the competition. LG’s design leadership has been well established in the past with a successful track-record that includes the Black Label Series phones such as the Chocolate and Shine.

“Design is consistently the top or second most important factor for customers when choosing a mobile phone,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. “With smartphones, we sometimes took a more functional approach to design but with L-Style we’re going back to our roots as a company focused on how our products fit into the lifestyle of our customers.”

L-Style’s design philosophy is comprised of five aesthetic elements: Modern Square Style for a comfortable grip, Floating Mass Technology for a slimmer look, Seamless Layout for a more intuitive arrangement of keys, Harmonized Design Contrast utilizing metallic accents and Sensuous Slim Shape that naturally draws one’s attention.

Three new smartphones to be unveiled at MWC will initially feature the L-Style look. The Optimus L3, with a 3.2-inch display, will first launch in Europe this March. This smartphone will be followed by two other devices in the first half of the year running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich: Optimus L5 with a 4.0-inch display and Optimus L7 featuring a 4.3-inch screen.

Market availability and additional hardware specifications of all three models will be announced at a future date.

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[LG]

February 22, 2012