Tag: igyaan

Welcome to the New iGyaan 2013

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Few years back when I started iGyaan, it was supposed to be a simple and efficient way for me to give advice to my friends and family who wanted the right information and tips on technology. Today, iGyaan is ranked as India’s leading technology destination and I have only you to thank. With the first few inspirational emails and positive comments, I was constantly fighting the battle to do better and better with something which was a mere hobby for me at that time.

[pullquote_left] As long as you remember us [/pullquote_left]I remember an anonymous reader stating on the blogspot blog, iGyaan should be a website it will do well. Low and behold months later iGyaan.in was formed. There are many reasons I chose this name, and many have tried to justify it, “India-Gyaan”, “IT- Gyaan”, “I (me) – Gyaan”, It honestly does not matter to me, As long as you remember us.

I have strived to hold standards on iGyaan, ensuring that I can deliver the best of quality and the right amounts of it. In the years, however, there have been many things which have been not accepted by you, what can I say, we learnt and we moved on.

The best thing about iGyaan is the team that holds it together, from Devs, to designers, to writers, editors, video editors among others who helped us reach this milestone.

[pullquote_right]Makes us do what we do better[/pullquote_right]The new iGyaan, has been created with careful tinkering and to deliver a fast and efficient reading experience for all those on the other side. The new design also makes it easy for us to deliver the information to you people, so it turns out to be a win-win. We hope you appreciate all the hard work and no-sleep nights that go into delivering a better end-user experience, and continue to give us all the love and appreciation for it. It is truly what makes us do what we do better.

March 13, 2013
LG Launches Optimus G E973 in India For Rs. 34,500

LG has launched the LG Optimus G in India for a price of Rupees 34,500/-. The Optimus G is the global variant of the Nexus 4 which is an Un-skinned Google subsidized smartphone. The Optimus G on the other hand is packed with many features that are designed and implemented by LG for the device.

Major hardware components of the LG Optimus G include, a Quad Core Snapdragon S4 Pro Chipset clocked at 1.5 GHz, a 4.7 inch 1280 x 720p display, 13 MP main camera with Full HD Video capability along with a 1.3MP front camera. The Optimus G also has 32Gb of inbuilt storage and a 2100 mAh battery along with NFC support.

We are going hands on with the device shortly, Please stay tuned.

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LG launches Next-Gen Genius-Optimus G

4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus Display

Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5 GHz Quad-core processor

Latest Android Jellybean (v4.1.2)

2,100mAh battery

New Delhi, 27^th February, 2012: Designed to set a new benchmark in the industry, LG Electronics, a worldwide technology and design leader in mobile communications, today announced the launch of its innovative Smartphone- LG
Optimus G. Optimus G blends LG’s Superior Design & Display technology with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor to take consumers’ mobile experience to an entirely new level. This 4.7 inch smartphone runs on the latest Android v4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) and packs a mammoth battery of 2, 100 mAh.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Soon Kwon, President South West Asia Region & MD, LG India,stated, “Drawing upon expertise from the LG Mobile Communications Company and gaining insights from the LG R&D team, we are proud to bring to our consumers LG Optimus G, a carefully styled super-phone. LG has kick-started 2013 by launching the first smartphone to run on Snapdragon S4 Pro. LG Optimus G meets the growing consumer demand by offering ample features like 13MP rear camera; 32 GB internal memory, Dual Screen / Dual Play, QSlide, Quick Translator, NFC

“Our aim at LG is to provide our customers with pioneering technology. We provide our users with enhanced experience by advanced and thoughtful engineering behind every feature. The smartphone encourages users to explore a world of boundless creativity and power and also, helps them balance between business and entertainment”, added Mr. Soon Kwon.

The best of technology

Optimus G boasts of ‘next generation quad-core’ processor and has enviable set of specifications. Its Snapdragon S4 processor enhances the smartphones performance making it faster and more powerful, this makes consumers day to day activities like web- browsing, reading e-books and playing high-end games easy and fun-filled experience! Optimus G users can seamlessly multitask between personal, business and entertainment needs and go beyond the limitations of a traditional smartphone.

The smartphone comes with a 13MP rear- end High Resolution camera and 1.3MP front facing camera. It has 32GB of internal memory and can support NFC. Running on Android v4.1.2 Jelly bean, LG has extended the OS with its own Optimus 3.0 UI for an optimum mobile experience.

Display and Design

LG’s true HD IPS Plus technology brings Optimus G’s 4.7 inch display to life. The Optimus G’s aspect ratio is 15:9 and boasts of a 320ppi high pixel density. The Optimus G is equipped with Zerogap Touch display technology. This technology brings visuals closer to the surface of the screen and gives a more immersive experience.

Standing by its design philosophy, Optimus G is stylishly designed into a slim, timeless form. Optimus G breaks away from tradition by flaunting a premium glass-made back graced with a crystal pattern. This patented Crystal Reflection has the ability to display different patterns depending on the angle and lighting.

Flood of applications

LG Optimus G has a lot of unique applications to boast about. Its QuickSlide feature allows consumers to simultaneously run two apps and multitask their way through work and play. It’s QuickTranslator easily translates any international language into English and vice-versa, while its QuickMemo app allows users to jot down important notes on any phone screenshot even while on active call. When videos are played in the player, the Zoom In function enables consumers to zoom in/ out of a live video. Dual Screen Dual Play, allows mirroring between the smartphone and a TV, and even activates different contents on each screen.

LG has introduced a number of apps to enhance the performance of its 13MP camera. Optimus G’s SmartShutter senses movement and automatically adjusts shutter speed to capture crisp, blur-free images. The CheeseShutter has voice recognition capabilities and automatically clicks a picture when one says ‘Cheese’. Other apps include LG’s SmartStay.

Keeping the current market trends in mind, and anticipating the future trends, LG smartphones would keep evolving consistently to offer that ultimate smartphone experience to its consumers. LG Optimus G truly embodies everything that a smartphone should have. LG’s Optimus G is priced at Rs 34,500 and will be available in various stores across India.

About LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd.

LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, South Korea was established in January 1997 in India. It is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics, home appliances, IT hardware and mobile communications space. In India for a decade, LG has earned a premium brand positioning and is the acknowledged trendsetter for the industry.

LGEIL’s manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon; Pune has the capacity to manufacture GSM Phones, Colour Televisions, Air Conditioners, LCD TVs, Washing Machines, Refrigerators, Monitors and Optical Disc Drives.

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February 27, 2013
Hands on with the new HTC One
HTC has recently launched the new HTC One, a flagship for the company with impressive specs and a wonderful new design. The HTC One comes with a unibody Aluminum design which is built into a seamless unit which is 4mm at the slimmest and 9mm at the thickest. Making it only roughly thicker than the iPhone 5.

What one really needs to appreciate is the new Blink feed on the gorgeous display. The new UI lays out social feeds, news updates, calendar info, friends data and more right on the home screen of the phone in this new super smooth flowing interface.

The HTC One has a Ultra pixel camera with a larger 4 MP sensor that will allow more light to be captured allowing for a beautiful print size of upto 8 x 12 inches directly from the camera of the phone. HTC has incorporated several camera enhancements in the HTC One , most interesting being ZOE that allows a user to capture few seconds of images and HD video at the same time allowing you to relive the experiences .

HTC also claims improved battery life with the HTC One lasting almost twice that on the iPhone 5, and 30% more compared to similar tests on a Galaxy S3 or a Note 2. The phone is 10% smaller compared to the HTC One X and slightly smaller in size when compared to the Butterfly.

(More Developing)

Quick Specs Check
- Android 4.1.2 with HTC Sense 5
- Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600, quad-core, 1.7GHz
- Total storage: 32GB/64GBi, available capacity varies
- RAM: 2GB DDR2
- Battery: 2300 mAh embedded rechargeable Li-polymer battery
CAMERA
- BSI sensor, Pixel size 2.0 ?m, Sensor size 1/3′
- Dedicated HTC ImageChip™ 2
- F2.0 aperture and 28 mm lens
- Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
- Smart Flash: Five levels of flash automatically set by distance to subject
- Front Camera: 88 wide angle lens with HDR capability
- 1080p Full HD video recording for both front and back cameras
- HDR Video
- Continuous shooting and VideoPic
- Slow motion video recording with variable speed playback
- HTC Zoe™ with highlights and HTC Zoe™ Share
- Retouch with Object Removal, Always Smile, and Sequence Shot
CONNECTIVITY
- 3.5 mm stereo audio jack
- NFC capable
- Compliant with Bluetooth 4.0
- Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX™ enabled
- Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n
- DLNA® for wirelessly streaming media from the phone to a compatible TV or computer
- Support consumer infrared remote control
- micro-USB 2.0 (5-pin) port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection (Special cable required for HDMI connection.)
HTC BOOMSOUND™
- Dual frontal stereo speakers with built-in amplifiers
- Studio-quality sound with Beats Audio™
- HDR Microphone
- Sense Voice
NETWORK
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
- WCDMA (1900/2100 (B2/B1) MHz)
- CDMA (800/1900 BC0/BC1/BC10, Sprint)
- LTE (1900 (B25, SPCS)
- Frequencies will vary by region/operator
SENSORS
- Gyro sensor
- Accelerometer
- Proximity sensor
- Ambient light sensor
LOCATION
- Internal GPS antenna + GLONASS
- Digital compass
AC ADAPTER
- Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz
- DC output: 5 V and 1 A
- SIZE: 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm/4mm (max/min)
- WEIGHT: 143 grams with battery
- DISPLAY: 4.7 inch, Full HD 1080p, 468 PPI
February 21, 2013
Here It Is! HTC Launches The HTC One!

After numerous leaks and rumors, the newest member of the HTC One family has been officially introduced.

These haven’t been kind times for HTC. The Taiwanese handset maker’s phones are operating in the shadow of Samsung’s Galaxy devices, not to mention Apple’s popular iPhone.

HTC hopes to change that reality with the brand new flagship HTC One that the company unveiled Tuesday at events staged at the same time in New York and London.

The HTC One is made of a uni-body aluminium that looks incredibly solid and suave. None of this should come as surprise, as HTC is known for its stunning hardware to begin with, and the HTC One takes it above and beyond.

Running the show inside the HTC One is the new Snapdragon 600 SoC, Qualcomm’s new generation of mobile chips, which integrates a quad-core CPU, an Adreno 320 GPU, and an LTE modem. The only other device so far that comes equipped with a Snapdragon 600 processor is the LG Optimus G Pro, due to hit the first markets later this month.

The optical bonded display of the HTC One is super dense. At 468ppi (4.7 inch 1080p display), it easily beats the previous leaders, devices like the Sony Xperia Z and the Droid DNA. From the videos of the HTC One we’ve seen, the display looks breathtakingly sharp.

HTC is betting big on the One’s camera capabilities, which revolve around a custom-developed imaging sensor with enlarged pixels that can absorb roughly three times more light than those inside a conventional 8-megapixel camera. These UltraPixels, as the company calls them, will make for a major leap in low-light performance, however they do limit the resolution of any photos you take with the HTC One to 4 megapixels.

There’s also 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage as standard (a 64GB variant is planned for the APAC region), a 2300mAh battery, GPS and GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, and even 802.11ac Wi-Fi. And if that’s not enough, the power / lock button atop the phone doubles up as an IR emitter, allowing you to use the HTC One as a TV remote control. That comes with an HTC Sense TV app that will provide interactive programs guides from many of the biggest broadcasters.

The HTC One also brings the new Sense UI along with Android Jelly Bean (4.1.2), which HTC calls a BlinkFeed. HTC has tied up with over 1,400 news organizations to enable an always-live, customized information for the user’s snacking needs. It introduces BoomSound by becoming the first smartphones with stereo speakers on the front.

HTC will be launching the HTC One in Black and White globally starting in March and will tie up with Reliance Communications in India for the sale of the device. Pricing is yet to be revealed.

We will go hands-on with the Indian version of the HTC One in a couple of days so stay tuned!

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INTRODUCING THE NEW HTC ONE®, A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON SMARTPHONES

HTC BlinkFeed™, HTC Zoe™ and HTC BoomSound™ Deliver HTC One’s Unprecedented New Smartphone Experience

London and New York City, February 19, 2013 –

HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced its new flagship smartphone, the new HTC One. Crafted with a distinct zero-gap aluminium unibody, the new HTC One introduces HTC BlinkFeed™, HTC Zoe™ and HTC BoomSound™, key new HTC Sense® innovations that reinvent the mobile experience and set a new standard for smartphones.

“People today immerse themselves in a constant stream of updates, news and information. Although smartphones are one of the main ways we stay in touch with the people and information we care about, conventional designs have failed to keep pace with how people are actually using them,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “A new, exciting approach to the smartphone is needed and with the new HTC One, we have re-imagined the mobile experience from the ground up to reflect this new reality.”

HTC BlinkFeed: A personal live stream right on the home screen At the centre of the new HTC One experience is HTC BlinkFeed. HTC BlinkFeed is a bold new experience that transforms the home screen into a single live stream of personally relevant information such as social updates, entertainment and lifestyle updates, news and photos with immersive images so that people no longer need to go to separate applications to find out what’s happening. HTC BlinkFeed aggregates the freshest content from the most relevant and interesting sources, giving it to people at a glance, all in one place, without the need to jump between multiple applications and web sites.

To enable this new dynamic approach to the smartphone, HTC will provide both local and global content from more than 1,400 media sources with more than 10,000 articles per day from some of the most innovative media companies, such as the AOL family of media properties, ESPN, MTV, Vice Media, CoolHunting, Reuters and many others. For more information on HTC BlinkFeed’s content partners, visit the HTC Blog.

HTC UltraPixel Camera with HTC Zoe
The breakthrough HTC UltraPixel Camera redefines how people capture, relive and share their most precious moments. HTC Zoe gives people the ability to shoot high-res photos that come to life in three-second snippets. These Zoes, photos and videos are then displayed in a unique way that brings the gallery to life and transforms the traditional photo gallery of still images into a motion gallery of memories. It also automatically creates integrated highlight films from each event comprised of Zoes, photos and videos set to music with professionally designed cuts, transitions and effects. These highlight videos can be remixed or set to different themes, and can be easily shared on social networks, email and other services.

To enable this innovative camera experience, HTC developed a custom camera that includes a best-in-class f/2.0 aperture lens and a breakthrough sensor with UltraPixels that gather 300 percent more light than traditional smartphone camera sensors. This new approach also delivers astounding low-light performance and a variety of other improvements to photos and videos. In addition, the perfect self-portrait or video is just a tap away with an ultra-wide angle front-facing camera which supports 1080p video capture. Multi-axis optical image stabilisation for both the front and rear cameras also helps ensure video footage smoother whether stationary or on the move. HTC UltraPixel camera adds many other features and effects such as enhanced 360′ panorama, time sequencing and object removal.

HTC BoomSound
The new HTC One offers the best audio experience of any mobile phone available today. HTC BoomSound introduces for the first time on a phone, front-facing stereo speakers with a dedicated amplifier and an amazing full HD display that immerses people in music, videos, games and the YouTube™ clips they love. Beats™ Audio integration is enabled across the entire experience for rich, authentic sound whether you’re listening to your favorite music, watching a YouTube video or playing a game.

HDR recording uses advanced dual microphones and audio processing to capture clean, rich sound that is worthy of high-definition video footage. Phone calls sound great on HTC One thanks to the addition of HTC Sense Voice™, which boosts the call volume and quality in noisy environments so that conversations come through loud and clear.

HTC Sense TV™
HTC Sense TV transforms the new HTC One into an interactive program guide and remote control for most TVs, set-top boxes and receivers. Tapping the power of the cloud, Sense TV makes it simple and intuitive to see what’s on and find that favourite show.

Metal Unibody Design
Wrapped in a zero-gap aluminium unibody and sporting a brilliant 4.7″, Full HD (1080p) screen, the new HTC One features the latest Android Jelly Bean operating system and LTE network technology to offer blazingly-fast browsing in a package that combines premium design with breakthrough build quality.

Available in stunning silver and beautiful black, the sleek and crafted aluminium unibody sits comfortably in the hand and showcases HTC’s unique antenna technology, which helps people achieve a crystal clear signal. The display also resists scratches and reduces glare, whilst offering incredible 468ppi resolution and rich, natural colours.

Global Availability

The new HTC One will be available globally through more than 185 mobile operators and major retailers in more than 80 regions and countries beginning in March. For more information and to pre-register for the new HTC One, visit www.htc.com.

Europe, Middle East and Africa: 1&1 Germany, A1 Telekom Austria, AB Poland, Allo Ukraine, AMC (Cosmote) Albania, Avea Turkey, Beeline Kazakhstan, Belcompany Netherlands, BH Telecom Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bite Latvia, Bite Lithuania, Bouygues Telecom France, Carphone Warehouse UK, Cell C RSA, Citrus Ukraine, Cosmote Greece, Cosmote Romania & Global Bulgaria, Cyta, DT Mobile(TS) Latvia, Du UAE, Dustin Sweden, Eagle Mobile Albania, EE UK, Elisa Estonia, Elisa Finland, El-Giganten Denmark, El-Giganten Sweden, Elkjöb Norway, EMT (TS) Estonia, E-Plus Germany, ERC Ukraine, Euroset Russia, Gigantii Finland, Go Malta, H3G Austria, H3G Denmark, H3G Italy, H3G Sweden, H3G UK, HT Eronet Bosnia & Herzegovina, K-Cell Kazakhstan, KPN Belgium, KPN Netherlands, Life Belarus, LuxGSM Luxembourg, Megafon Russia, Melita Malta, Meteor Ireland, Mobilezone Switzerland, Mobilochka Ukraine, Mobily KSA, MSH Belgium, MSH Germany, M-Tel Montenegro, M-Tel Bosnia & Herzegovina, MTI Ukraine, MTN Cyprus, MTS Belarus, MTS Russia, Netcom Norway,
(Telefónica) O2 Czech, (Telefónica) O2 Germany, (Telefónica) O2 Ireland, (Telefónica) O2 UK, Omnitel Lithuania, One Macedonia, Optimus Portugal, Orange France, Orange Maldova, Orange Poland, Orange Romania, Orange Slovakia, Orange Spain, Orange Switzerland, Partner Communications Israel, PhoneHouse France, PhoneHouse Germany, PhoneHouse Netherlands, PhoneHouse Sweden, Phones4U UK, Play Poland, Plus Communication Albania, Polkomtel Poland, Proximus Belgium, SFR France, SiMobil Slovenia, STC KSA, Sunrise Switzerland, Svyaznoy Russia, Swisscom Switzerland, TDC Denmark, Tele2 Croatia, Tele 2 Estonia, Tele2 Latvia, Tele2 Lithuania, Tele2 Russia, Telia Denmark, Telia Sweden, Telekom Slovenija, Telenet Belgium, Telenor Denmark, Telenor Norway, Telenor Sweden, Telenor Hungary, Telenor Serbia, Telkom Serbia, TIM Italy, TMN Portugal, T-Mobile Austria, T-Mobile Croatia, T-Mobile Czech Republic, T-Mobile Germany, T-Mobile Hungary, T-Mobile Macedonia, T-Mobile Montenegro, T-Mobile Netherlands, T-Mobile Poland, T-Mobile Slovakia, Turkcell Turkey, Tus Mobil Slovenia, Velcom (TAG) Belarus, VIP Operator Macedonia, VIP Mobile Serbia, Vipnet Croatia, Vivacom Bulgaria, Vodacom RSA, Vodafone Albania, Vodafone Czech Republic, Vodafone Egypt, Vodafone Germany, Vodafone Greece, Vodafone Hungary, Vodafone Ireland, Vodafone Italy, Vodafone Malta, Vodafone Netherlands, Vodafone Portugal, Vodafone Romania, Vodafone Spain, Vodafone Turkey, Vodafone UK, Wind Greece, Wind Italy, Yoigo Spain, Yug Contract Ukraine, Zain KSA.

Asia-Pacific: China Mobile Hong Kong Company Ltd., ChungHwa Telecom, 3HK, CSL, Fareastone, M1, Mobifone, Optus, PCCW mobile, Reliance Communications, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., SmarTone, StarHub, Taiwan Mobile, Telecom New Zealand, Telstra, Vodafone Australia, Vodafone New Zealand.

China: China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom

North America: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Cincinnati Bell and Best Buy in the United States and in Canada with Rogers Communications, Bell Mobility, TELUS and Virgin Mobile Canada.

Latin America: Claro Argentina (América Movil), Telecom Personal Argentina, Entel Chile, Iusacell México, Telcel México (América Movil), Claro Perú (América Movil), Claro Puerto Rico (América Movil), Movistar Venezuela (Telefonica)

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February 19, 2013
iOS 6.1 Jailbreak Evasi0n goes live

We earlier reported that the iOS 6.1 jailbreak was 95% complete, now its gone live. As mentioned in our previous post, Evasi0n supports all 20+ variants of iOS devices, including the iPhone 5, on iOS 6.0 through iOS 6.1.

The release of the new userland-based Evasi0n iOS 6.1 jailbreak tool means that users now have an extremely efficient way of making a complicated background process seem extremely simple.

So head on over to evasi0n.com and download the compatible version with your computer and get on going.

February 5, 2013
iOS 6.1 Jailbreak 95% ready for iPhone 5, 4s, 4, 3GS, iPad 4, 3, 2 and iPod Touch

Waiting on that jailbreak to unleash the creativity on the iPhone 5, or the new iPad for that matter? The Team Evad3rs have updated their website and are showing that 95% of the iOS 6.1 jailbreak is ready with only a few hours to go up until release.

So hold your breath because this is going to come sooner than you think.

What is the most used feature after Jailbreaking?, for us we prefer toggles in the notification panel, so SB settings is all we need from the jailbreak. Now with team Hackul0us and Install0us gone from Cydia, we feel that number of Jailbreaks on iOS 6.1 may be limited to those who do it for the heck of it.

According to team EVAD3RS the jailbreak had been readied on iOS 6.0 and 6.0.1 , but they wanted to release an iOS 6.1 Jailbreak so that Apple does not patch up the exploit in the iOS 6.1 update.

February 4, 2013
Exclusive : HTC Butterfly Hands On

HTC finally launched the new HTC Butterfly in India, while the phone will be available in a totally limited fashion, it is truly worth admiring. The HTC Butterfly is powered by a quad core 1.5 Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor and 2 GB of in built RAM.

While it follows along the previous design elements of HTC devices, the HTC Butterfly seems more refined any classy. The design has a curved back so feels a lot more slim and fits well in the hands. Including a 2020 mAh battery HTC feels that the device is powered well enough, that is if you probably dont consider the heavy consumption of the 5 inch 1080p LCD3 display which has a whopping 440 ppi.

HTC Butterfly also emphasizes on authentic sound and amazing camera, continuing along with their 8-megapixel f/2.0 28mm wide-angle lens, 5-level automatic flash, backside illuminated sensor (BSI) equipped main camera and upping the game by adding a 2.1-megapixel, f/2.0, 88-degree, ultra-wide angle, front-facing camera. Everything does sound fancy, we found that the main camera does instantly click images, even if the flash is on.

The HTC Butterfly runs Android 4.1 along with HTC Sense 4+ so it has improved features such as Google Now pre-loaded. HTC has also confirmed that a update for 4.2 is in works and will be out sooner than later.

We will be coming out with an unboxing and extended comparison of the butterfly shortly so stay tuned. Till then check out our hands on images and Video shortly.

January 29, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Grand I9080 Vs Micromax A116 Canvas HD, Specs, Features and Price

The market is a blaze with possibly the two best dual sim smartphones of this quarter, The Micromax A116 Canvas HD and the Samsung Galaxy Grand I9080. The question that everyones asking is what is really the difference between the two.

Brand Names

Apart from being manufactured totally differently, the two phones come from two different type of manufacturers. Micromax up until recently was known as a “Budget/cheap” phone maker for India, whereas Samsung has enjoyed the market name and snob value of a luxury phone brand.

Canvas HD A116

SOC

The Micromax A116 is built on a Mediatek SOC, a relevantly newer company formed in 1997, that also builds components for “Budget and Chinese” devices. The company has made some breakthroughs in technology in the past two years and shares a considerable chunk of the marketshare.

The Galaxy Grand is built on a 1.2 GHz processor which remains unknown as of now. Several indicators point to the use of a Broadcom BCM28155 SoC. It comprises a pair of ARM Cortex-A9 cores and Broadcom’s own VideoCore-IV graphics engine for 2D and 3D acceleration. Whether this performs any better than the Mediatek processor is currently unknown.

Sim Cards

Both the phones have Dual Sim, The Galaxy Grand has a slight advantage here, because it has smart autoforward, so it allows a busy Sim Card’s calls to be sent to the other phone, keeping both sims active at once. Although the chip inside the A116 is capable of similar features, the Canvas HD currently is only single sim active.

Displays

Displays are an interesting comparison for these devices, while the Canvas HD boasts a whopping 1280 x720 pixel laden 5 inch IPS display the Galaxy Grand only comes with a 480 x800 px LCD display. Numbers aside the display on the Grand was pretty impressive and does not feel pixellated as the numbers on the sheet would suggest. We also found that the colors were more vivid on the Galaxy Grand’s display as opposed to the Micromax Canvas HD.

Galaxy Grand i9080

Canvas HD A116

Cameras

Both Carry 8 MP camera’s which will only be tested while we are reviewing the devices, but if Samsung is using their own sensor in the camera, the Grand could have a slight advantage over the A116. The front camera on the Galaxy Grand is also superior to the 0.3 MP basic front camera on the Canvas HD A116.

Operating System

Samsung puts in a lot of effort into making a custom UI for their devices, along with several apps and tweaks. So Samsung definitely gets the upper hand here. With features like pop up play, direct call, multi window and most importantly an inbuilt task manager the Galaxy Grand gets the much needed upper hand here. Of course TouchWiz UI has several other features and good looking icons that most are aware of.

Micromax clearly looses here, the software is basic Android jelly bean, with a bit of customizations done by the Micromax Software Research team in conjunction with the manufacturers. The UI can become laggy and does not have the easy tweaks as seen in TouchWiz . However Micromax’s UI offers several customizations and file access that is restricted in Samsung devices. You can almost install any app and replace the UI, But you will not get the fit and finish of a manufacturer made custom UI. Maybe in the coming years with the success of the Canvas series Micromax can build their own UI (or buy one : MiUi would fit the name too)

Build Quality and Looks

More or less built with plastic, both devices have identical looks. The Micromax Canvas HD A116 seems a lot more refined to look at in comparison to the Canvas 2, and feels a lot more sturdier than the already sturdy past model. The Galaxy Grand is set to resemble the Note 2 when it arrives in the market, with a glossy bezel and identical looks and matching colors with flip cases. A user could easily pass off as using a company flagship for half the price. Build to that the identical user interface and similar features including perks like multi window puts the Galaxy Grand a step ahead in the Looks department.

Samsung India is banking on identical looks to be a key sales factor in India, especially because Grand owner can get the feel of a Note 2 for almost Half the price.

Price

In India its all about the price, and Samsung will loose here, miserably. The Galaxy Grand is priced at Rs. 21500 at street level selling price. Whereas the Micromax Canvas HD A116 has a MRP. of 14999 and is expected to sell under Rs. 13000. This puts a gap of 10000 Rupees or almost US$ 200 between the two. An amount which in some cases could comprise of a monthly salary of working individuals.

Conclusion

While we honestly cannot tell if one performs better than the other until we have our dirty claws in the dish and can review both these phones side by side. We do have one news that is set to make matters difficult for everyone, Karbonn and Lava are all set to announce quad core phones, so Stay Tuned.

January 24, 2013
Hands on : Samsung Galaxy Grand

Samsung saw the “Indian” version of the PHABLET and decided that it needed to penetrate the market which was dominated by lower class devices. The new Samsung Galaxy Grand aims to do that, with slight bit of problem the initial market price of Rs 21,500.

At first the Galaxy Grand looks like a fuse between the S3 and the Note 2, however it has features of neither (except the looks). The Samsung Galaxy Grand is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, it has 1 Gb of RAM and 8GB internal storage which honestly is the only current redeeming feature. The Grand also belongs to the DUOS series since it a dual sim phone.

The front of the device has a 5 inch 480×800 px display which surprisingly is very clear and vivid with good outdoor visibility. The phone also has multi window which we demonstrated in our hands on video (coming up.)

8 MP Camera

On the back, the Samsung Galaxy Grand features an 8 megapixel primary camera with LED flash, which if Samsung is to be believed has “enhanced optics”. At first it just seems like a bunch of gimmicks, only a final review will tell. The camera however zero shutter-lag and a backside illumination sensor.

The build quality of the phone is also standard Samsung style, so plastics all round, keeping manufacturing costs low for the device. Samsung Galaxy Grand comes with Jelly Bean and Touch Wiz designed for Jelly Bean. So Samsung though it fair enough to stuff the phone with features like “direct call” and “popup video” from the Galaxy S3 and Note 2.

Usual Button Layout

Flip Case

[pullquote_left]”too little too late”[/pullquote_left] Although the Galaxy Grand is a noble attempt from Samsung, is the device “too little too late” especially considering the “Indian” counterparts one up-ed Samsung just a day ago. While true usage capabilities will only come with the final review, as far as The Galaxy Grand is concerned, it should be a decent if not “GRAND” add-on to the lineup of devices from Samsung. However considering sheer market value and brand value, a stable user experience and a good user support coverage, the device will be a great eye candy and will attract a lot of buyers, especially those who will prefer a “brand” over specs.

The final device will drop the matte bezel and will adopt a shiny glossy bezel, similar to the one on the Note 2. The added flip cover and the striking resemblance to the mammoth flagship will enable the user to pass the Galaxy grand as a Note 2 to the unknown eye. That is essentially what will make this device really popular for the Indian psyche.

Hands on Video:

January 22, 2013
Watch the Launch of the Galaxy Grand Live on iGyaan

Samsung is ready to announce the Galaxy Grand for the Indian market at 12:30 on January 22nd 2013. Bookmark this page to watch it live. The Samsung Galaxy Grand is dual-SIM smartphone and features a massive 5-inch WVGA display , which as per the resolution (800 x 480 pixels) can be termed as average at best. The smartphone runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean out of the box. Under the hood, the Galaxy Grand is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor coupled with 1GB of RAM so we can easily expect a smooth operation on the device for the most part.

The device looks strikingly similar to Samsung’s current flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S3 and comes with 8GB of internal storage along with a micro-SD card slot using which, users can expand the storage on the device by up to 64GB. For connectivity, the Galaxy Grand features 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS Glonass and DLNA.

Apart from these features, Samsung Galaxy Grand comes with some unique features as well. Some of the features on the device include ‘Direct Call’, which enables users to automatically dial a call by raising the smartphone to the ear.

Popup video allows the users to watch a video in a pop-up window anywhere on the screen while running other tasks on the device. The AllShare Play feature allows the users of the device to share content across different Samsung devices using just a single account. Another interesting feature is the ‘Smart Alert’. which shows missed events such as missed calls and new messages when users pick up their phone.

The Phone will be launched tomorrow January 22nd for India, expect a full detailed hands on video along with more relevant details for the launch.

January 21, 2013
Exclusive Hands on : Micromax A116 Canvas HD

With really no reason as to why the company numbered this device A116 the Canvas HD was announced today at a press conference in New Delhi. The Device is a add on the the popular A series for Micromax and is also a lead on to the highly popular A110 Canvas 2. The Phone is priced at an MRP of 14,999., But we expect the device to be available for around the Rs. 12,000 price mark in India.

The Micromax A116 Canvas HD is powered by a Mediatek MT6589 chipset that has a quad core 1.2 GHz processor and PowerVR SGX5 GPU, the device is laden with 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of storage. The front has a nice and vivid 16.7 Million color 5 inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x720 hence the Canvas HD moniker.

The Micromax A116 Canvas HD is almost identical in design to the the A110 but seems a bit sleeker and more defined along the edges. The camera was non functional on the prototype unit that we handled, but the company says is better than the one on the A110. The Canvas HD also has an improved light perfonce in the front camera and an enhanced speaker if Micromax is to be believed. On the Benchmark front we found that the device was quite capable and was able to deliver a knocking performance (video soon).

Internet browsing was surprisingly smooth, and the web page was snappily laid out on the poor internet connection that we had. The phone is also backed by Mediatek’s promise of a highly efficient battery life and low heat generation. Which should ensure a good overall user experience for Micromax A116 Canvas HD owners.

Canvas HD A116

Watch our hands on Video below and stay tuned for Benchmarks. We will also come out with an unboxing and Review in the coming week.

January 21, 2013
Apple iPad Mini Giveaway – iGyaan

iPad Mini Giveaway

Incase you are not following our Facebook or Youtube channel you are missing out on what will be the most exciting giveaway this season.

iGyaan is giving away an iPad Mini along with a Micromax Funbook Tablet and a Karbonn Smart Tab as second and third prize. along with a bunch of Jabra Bluetooth headsets and Philips headphones. Plus lots and lots of iGyaan T-Shirts. Excited yet?

How to Play?

All you need to do is visit us on the contest page here : bit.ly/igyaanplay and you can take part in the Apple iPad Mini Giveaway. Hurry now because we will be shutting the contest soon, so take part now remember you can only take part in the contest at : bit.ly/igyaanplay.

Terms

You can also take out time and read the Contest Terms : Contest Terms

December 31, 2012
Report : 2013 may Unleash the Budget Quad Core in India

With several Indian companies running in haste to deliver smartphones, tablets and now phablets into the market. Most have left out essential ingredients to delivering a smart – experience. Some have shoddy screens others have dwindling hardware and most have little RAM.

[pullquote_right]Have companies like Micromax and Karbonn truly understood the Indian market?[/pullquote_right]Looks like that is about to change, really soon. Have companies like Micromax and Karbonn truly understood the Indian market? Where Micromax broke the barrier with their A100 and A110 Canvas phones along side their Super Amoled based A90 and A90s . Karbonn had several A Series phones to offer to this mashup of Smartphone goodness.

Agreed that these phone truly penetrated the market and gave the user the New Android experience and “somewhat of an upgrade” when it came to hardware capability. However, these devices truly lacked panache, and if the 2012 line of Nexus devices has shown us anything, that price will not equal quality in all cases.

[pullquote_left] Heavily invested in the overall quality and user experience[/pullquote_left]In our recent meeting with one of the Indian Manufacturers, we learnt that the Indian Companies have heavily invested in the overall quality and user experience that users will get from their 2013 lineup of smartphones. With Micromax working on quad core variants of their Canvas and Pixel series, Karbonn has heavily invested in quad core Phablets.

These devices promise, Quad Core Mediatek Processors, bumped up graphics and minimum 1 GB of RAM, Micromax Plans to make 8GB standard the In-Built storage with expandability via a 64GB capable slot. Where as Karbonn is talking about storage size options in their quad core Phablets. Some designers are also hinting at close ties with NVidia, so don’t be surprised if you soon see budget NVidia Tegra 3 based smartphones and Tablets running Google’s flagship OS and running against their own Nexus Series.

However this circle does not stop there, the gap between flagship technologies and cheaper alternatives is soon deteriorating, and we dont see that date far when A flagship Smartphone will see an identical low budget replacement less than weeks from its launch.

December 28, 2012
LG Optimus L9 Hands On

LG has recently upped their game in the Android Mobile Phone market, with the 4x HD, the Optimus VU and various other devices aimed at the commercial market. LG has also tried to tap into all segments of the market with the L Series of smartphones. The LG Optimus L9 is one such example.

The LG Optimus L9 follows along the design of the 4X HD with a patterned side and back. The phone also sports a 5 MP camera with full HD 1080p video capabilities at the back and a VGA camera out front.

The LG Optimus L9 is packed with a decent set of hardware, including a Dual Core 1 GHz TI OMAP 4430 (which seems more capable than the numbering), PowerVR SGX540 for GPU and 4Gb storage along with 1 GB of RAM. The LG Optimus L9 also houses a 2150 mAh battery pack.

The display is a qHD 540 x 960 px 4.7 inch IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen with a 234 pixels per inch density. And you have the standard set of connectivity options including HSDPA, 3G, EDGE, GPRS, WIFI, Bluetooth.

Left Side

Right Side

Bottom

Top

The phone does not really have a premium appeal, or maybe its just a personal opinion, the device seems a little overpowered by plastic. However the LG Optimus L9 overall feels pretty robust in construction, no squeaks or noises from the chassis either.

While we go 3rd degree on the phone, check out the initial hands on video along with a benchmarks video coming up and stay tuned for gaming and the full review.

December 20, 2012
Google Maps for iPhone released on Apple iTunes App store : Updated

As it was awaited and predicted the dedicated app for Google Maps for iPhone running iOS 6 and up, has been released on the iTunes Store and it also brings turn by turn voice guided navigation. Apple had decided to remove all Google related apps from its OS in iOS 6 and onward and specifically replace the maps app with their own iOS Maps application. The Apple Maps were not very detailed and caused a lot of problems for owners and Apple alike.

Here are the detailed options available in the Google Maps for iPhone app:

Search
* Find addresses, places and businesses around the world with Google local search.
* Discover places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and local reviews.
* Sign in to sync your searches, directions, and favorite places between your computer and your phone.

Directions
* Get voice guided, turn-by-turn driving directions.
* Find your way by train, bus, subway or walking directions.
* Access live traffic information in cities across the world.

Street View and imagery
* View 360-degree panoramas of places around the globe with Street View.
* See inside more than 100,000 businesses worldwide.
* View high resolution satellite imagery of locations around the world.

Simple and easy to use
* An entirely new Google Maps experience on your iPhone.
* Newly designed and streamlined interface for even easier navigation of your world.
* Use gestures to explore the map and browse results.

Update: Apparently the app works cross platform. : Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 5.1 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Download Link

December 13, 2012