Whats up , Exclusive News fans? iGyaan is here with more relevant information to feed your brain cells. The Samsung made, Google Branded Nexus S is coming to India in the second week of April anywhere from 7th to 10th of April. This news comes from a reliable insider at Samsung, But, we are still trying to get an official word on exact release strategies and pricing.
The Google Nexus S is the first handset to have officially been shipped with Android 2.3 GingerBread. So stay tuned for more on this including pricing, a full featured Unboxing to follow once we can get hold of the device.
There is speculation that it will be priced between 27,000 and 30,000 INR. The funny thing is that the company may launch the Nexus S for India in Bangkok!
Go Figure! Either way it should be here in April.
Update : We just got news that the device is available for pre-order on various Indian websites.
Our Recommendation is to stay away till proper pricing is announced. We expect it to be lower than quoted on these websites
Spice was one of the first Indian companies to launch an Android OS based handset in the Indian Market, The Spice Mi 300. Now the successor of the very popular Mi 300 – the new Mi 310 is here it promises a lot more functionality at a lower price and a better build.
We will be reviewing this device in-depth and giving you a full run down soon.
Right now, we go hands on with the device, so check out the full specifications along with Hands on Pictures. The unboxing video will be up shortly.
We have had this device for quite some time, and we are now ready to tell you how this device fares in the market.
Lets start with the usual suspects
BUILD QUALITY and HARDWARE
The Galaxy Ace is possibly the best built Samsung Galaxy phone in India, till date. We feel, that the device is better built than the Galaxy S /Sl and all the lower end Galaxys put together (3,5, pop, etc). The back panel of the Galaxy Ace is the best texture we have seen on any device and the chrome metal side bezel squares off the phones looks with the likes of the iPhone 4. Solid and rigid, beautiful glass front and great styling.
In terms of Hardware the device features a whole bunch of interesting specs including a 320 x 480 pixels, 3.5 inches Capacitive touch screen which is very-very responsive. A snappy 800 MHz ARM 11 processor, Adreno 200 GPU, Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset which is quite capable of handling the phones processing and delivers good gaming and graphic performance. A 1350 mAh which despite its size fared out well.
The device is missing the standard Android search button like the FIT and the POP.
Quadrant Score : 595
DISPLAY and MULTIMEDIA
Although 320 x 480 is no Retina display and is nowhere near high resolution, the display is simply stunning and the less pixel count is actually no problem, the text is clear and vivid the 16m color resolution does the display justice and in this price bracket, delivers a whole lot more than one can expect. The touch screen is also super smooth and performs excellently. Kinetic scrolling and pinch to zoom in and out, all of which are displayed in the video review, work great.
The sound quality from the loudspeaker is not as great as the sound volume. You can really blast the audio from the speaker. The speakers are great if the volume is moderately controlled.
The bass is well matched along with mids, but, start to clip at high volumes and you are left with a squeaking sound. This will also only happen on audio files which are tweaked to sound louder, regular music plays fine. Video quality is excellent, with a tiny bit of shuttering when the video clip loads, everything after that is as smooth as butter.
Video looks good and there is no denying the fact that every Android user will watch atleast a video per week on his phone, and you will love it on the Samsung Galaxy Ace.
CAMERA
The Device is missing a dedicated camera shutter button! Why Samsung? why is it so difficult?
The camera is a performance star, the auto focus is good and the light density on the sensor is excellent. Low light compositions are pretty decent, not as great as they could have been if Samsung had placed the flash a little further away from the camera, a surge of white crosses the camera , and the pictures come out faded when the led is on. When its offa low light compositions look passable. So either way the pictures are average in low light, Impressive in daylight / Apt lighting.
Video however is poor and HD video is missing from the whole circuit. 320×240 (QVGA) (20 fps) video is just as bad as the numbers look, and we are sorry to say you will not be making any videos with the camera. We also tried several other Camera apps from the Android marketplace, but to no avail video quality was poor throughout. we will soon have a sample video up.
PHONE, MESSAGING and BATTERY
The Samsung Galaxy Ace handles Cellular networks beautifully and with 3G connectivity we got good download speeds up to 2.5Mbps (network constrained) in prime areas of Delhi. No relative call drops , actually one in about 3 weeks of testing. The call quality was superb, a whole lot more than we expected this device to deliver. Earpiece and mic are well balanced and perform brilliantly.
Messaging is fast with the built in Swype Keyboard, If you don’t like it well you can download literally a dozen other keyboards from the marketplace and test them. Choose the one you like and keep it. The key factor however here lies in the touch sensitivity of the screen. The accuracy with which the device handles touch inputs is far superior than the likes of HTC wildfire and Dell XCD 35. But, those are last gen phones anyway. Keyboard performance is excellent mainly because of the touchscreen.
Battery life on the Galaxy Ace was also shocking, with tweaked performance the device gives about
4 Hours Talk time 3G
5.5 Hours on 2G
Audio Playback (screen off) 12 hours
Video Streaming – 2 hours
Video Playback (offline) 4 Hours
Internet Wifi/3G 4-5 Hours
Conclusion
With the market flooded with Android devices we are yet to see a device in the 15k bracket that will live up to our expectations. But, then again our expectations are ever increasing and the market always fails to deliver. The Samsung Galaxy Ace however comes pretty close, and then falls back. The lack of a simple dedicated camera button, no HD video, a missing dedicated search button are simple things that could have been included.
Price : INR 15, 499/-
In an ideal scenario this device would have all the above and a bit more juice.
Here is the Unboxing Video of the HTC Incredible S, The video also contains a comparison of the device with the Desire HD. Check it out and stay tuned for the Full Review.
Acer on Tuesday announced that it will launch the 4G-enabled Acer Iconia Tab A501 Android tablet early this summer.
The A501 features
Google’s Android 3.0 (Honeycomb)
10-inch touchscreen display
Dual-core Tegra 2 processor
5-megapixel rear camera
front-facing camera for video chat
HDMI-port capable of piping 1080p HD video
“This tablet is packed with features that will enable HD gaming and exceptional video playback. It offers a first-class on-the-go entertainment experience.”
A specific launch date or pricing for the Iconia Tab A501 is not yet available.
Full press release.
Acer’s High Performance, Android-powered 4G Tablet
10.1-inch, HD Ready, Android 3.0 4G Device Launching in Q2 2011
DALLAS, March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — AT&T* today announced plans to support Acer’s first 4G tablet, the Acer Iconia Tab A501, on the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network beginning this summer.
The 10 inch Acer Iconia Tab A501 will feature the Android 3.0 operating system with Android Marketplace, and an NVIDIA Tegra 250 1GHz dual core processor with integrated graphics for the fastest HD gaming, web and multimedia experience.
Designed for both consumers and small business customers, the tablet will also sport a high-resolution display with a wide viewing angle to view super sharp video and other multimedia content. It will come equipped with a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera, a high definition front-facing camera for video chat, and an HDMI port for playing 1080p video on a high definition big screen TV.
“Consumers are seeking cutting-edge mobile computing devices and we look forward to giving them another great choice with the Acer Iconia Tab A501,” said David Haight, vice president of business development, AT&T Emerging Devices. “This tablet is packed with features that will enable HD gaming and exceptional video playback. It offers a first-class on-the-go entertainment experience.”
“We are pleased to collaborate with AT&T on mobile solutions that allow consumers to remain connected and entertained in any environment,” said Sumit Agnihotry, vice president of product marketing, Acer America. “The Acer Iconia Tab A501 combined with AT&T’s wireless service enables consumers to enjoy their favorite movies, games, blogs and social networking sites on the go.”
Distribution and pricing will be announced at launch, expected in the second quarter.
Here it is folks! the much awaited HTC incredible S, We have exclusive news that the Device is Launching in India this week. Whats more we already have a device for Review. Check out the hands on Images below and Stay Tuned for the Unboxing Video Coming up shortly.
Specs Include
8 MP with Dual LED Flash and Autofocus
1.3 MP Front Camera
480 x 800 pixels, 4 inch, Capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors
1450 mAh Battery
Android OS, v2.2 Froyo
1GHZ Snapdragon Processor
ROM 1.1 GB ; RAM 768 MB
Price is set at 28,900 /- INR
UPDATE : HTC JUST ISSUED AN OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
HTC INTRODUCES THE ICONIC HTC INCREDIBLE S IN INDIA
Stunning design combined with the HTC Sense experience for those looking to lead,
stand out and be different
New Delhi – March 22, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today launched the new HTC Incredible S in the Indian market. The HTC Incredible S is an alluring smartphone that combines cutting-edge design with a premium mobile experience for those who dare to be different.
Showing what can be achieved when engineers and designers work together to raise the bar for mobile phone design, the HTC Incredible S smartphone features a stunning, contoured body that highlights the internal hardware components of the device.
“In today’s mobile market, where one is bombarded with choices and features, users are looking forward to an offering which amalgamates the best of both. HTC has always endeavored to take the mobile phone experience to a higher level and with the launch of the Incredible S is set to create a new paradigm in mobile experience for the users,” said Mr. Ajay Sharma, Country Head, HTC India. “The HTC Incredible S is the answer for those looking for the perfect combination of performance and style and will help them stand out from the crowd as an icon.”
Personal entertainment experience second to none
Capturing and viewing video in crystal clear High-Definition has never been so easy and a bright 4-inch WVGA Super LCD display and stereo surround sound bring a vibrant cinematic experience to the palm of your hand. HTC Incredible S also takes high quality pictures with its 8-megapixel camera with dual flash, and it easily enables videos, photos and music to be shared from the handset direct to a TV using DLNA® technology.
The HTC Incredible S includes an industry first with automatic orientation shifting of the virtual home, menu, back and search function keys based on how it is held.
Add to this a premium Hi-Fi experience with dual mics, noise cancellation, surround sound and HTC Sense, and one gets a smartphone that sets new benchmarks in mobile entertainment.
HTC Sense
The new HTC Sense experience offers a variety of enhancements that improve how people capture, create, share and access multimedia content. With a newly created camera experience, people can record HD videos or capture and edit images with a variety of fun camera effects. With HTC Locations, a new differentiated online mapping experience, people have instant, on-demand mapping without download delays or incurring mobile roaming charges.
HTC Sense also includes a new integrated online e-reading experience utilizing a new e-book store powered by Koboä and a new, mobile-optimized e-reader that offers the ability to highlight, annotate and quickly search for definitions or translate unfamiliar terms.
Pricing & Availability
The HTC Incredible S will be available at a Market Operating Price of Rs. 28,900* at all authorized HTC resellers across the country.
* Price may vary according to the local applicable taxes
About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com
Wishing all Readers of iGyaan a very very Happy Holi. May this festival of Color bring about joy and cheer in the hearts and minds of all our readers, Smartphones in their pockets, tablets in their bags and Gadgets in their bedrooms!
Companies spent hundreds of thousands of Crores in acquiring the 3G spectrum from a govt. of corrupt officials. Its been more than a couple of years since our country has been abuzz with talk about 3G networks and 3G data speeds.
While in first world countries like the United States, where total revenue from sale of handheld phones is 1/10 of the total revenue in India, Americans are talking about 5th gen networks and the rollout of Nation-wide LTE services, essentially standing on 4.5 G Networks.
Private players slowly yet steadily roll out 3G Services for consumers in India. Docomo and Reliance were among the first few GSM players to launch their 3G services, followed by Airtel and now Vodafone.
Vodafone was slow in the rollout of their 3G services, they claimed that they were “prep-ing the infrastructure”. To think once the service did roll out the users would get seamless 3G services, WRONG!
If you were upset with your network before rollout of 3G, get ready to pull your Hair! The immediate difference between 3G and 2G data connections, is that the minute you switch on 3G, your network will dwindle from 5 bars straight down to 1 bar. The phone will stop ringing, as the person on the other side gets a response ” this number is not reachable”. While you try all apparent Steve Jobs style poses, you will get absolutely no network coverage.
If by some grace of your beloved deity, you do get a strong signal, you will be appalled with the poor quality of 3G data connections, download speed is shaky and always from 240-800kbps, about half of minimum promised speeds.
Here is how Vodafone Fared in 5 tests carried out in different locations in Delhi.
In all cases phone call quality was poor, a lot of call drops, and the phone was mostly unreachable. We had to turn off 3G in several cases to make phone calls. Turning the phone from 3G mode to 2G boosts the network straight to 5Bars, after which one faces no call drops nor is the phone unreachable. Download speeds on Edge are a constant 144kbps in all 5 areas of the city.
For comparison purposes we also took a device which was 3G powered with State owned MTNL 3G JADOO services. And here is how MTNL fared in all the areas
So in comparison MTNL fared quite good and was able to deliver quite close to promised speeds, we also continued to get phone calls and did not face any call drops.
But there is another interesting aspect to MTNL, they currently have a 4500 Rs scheme where you get unlimited data for 6 months at 3G speeds. Which basically kills all hopes for Vodafone or any other private player. There is a claimed 200GB/month limit, but even if you cross it you are not charged.
Conclusion
We have been waiting for 3G in India for too long, almost long enough to not care. If you can, then for 3G stay away from private players, especially in Delhi. Prices are exorbitant and service is poor. Network failure after network failure, not to forget 1/3 of the promised speeds. Companies will need to tighten up their quality if they want their consumers to stick else MNP will be quite handy for those who really want decent 3G quick.
Sony Ericsson has just announced the Yendo for the Indian market, we decided not to bother with the news and straight roll out the full review of the Device.
Lets start with BUILD QUALITY
The Yendo is essentially or completely made out of plastic, the back, front, top and bottom is made out of plastic, it squeaks rattles and bothers us with its cheapness. Throwing it around on the other hand dint affect the phone much and seems like a good option for somebody who drops their phone a lot. So we have mixed views about the build, but styling was poor and it actually just looks like a toy.
Multimedia and Camera
The camera on the device is a decent 2MP fixed focus camera, that may solve emergency needs. But cannot be considered for day to day usage. The picture quality was OK, but lack of focus and poor low light composition was a let down for us.
The audio on the other hand was solid and the sound quality was loud and impressive. The sound was crisp and bass and mid were quite accurate. Video on the other hand played slow and lag after lag during the playback made us nauseous.
Another thing worth mentioning are the included Earphones on the handsfree kit. One word “brilliant” , you possibly can’t find better bundled earphones.
Phone and Messaging
The performance of the device during phone calls was best in class, sound was super-crisp on either end with no network issues what-so-ever. Messaging is also fast and simple, We do miss a full qwerty keyboard as the device only has a standard num-pad style keyboard. Overall impressive.
Conclusion
The device is capable of offering a lot more than it does, and leaves you asking why wasn’t it done? The Ui is slow, unresponsive and has poor color integration. The phones crashes and lags, is poorly designed inside and out. Our recommendation is stay as far away as you can from this phone unless you really-really like how this device looks (i don’t know how you can).
Don’t fancy a new iPad 2, you don’t even have to wait for another year till it officially becomes available in India. The competition is bound to be here before Apple, and the Motorola Xoom goes up for Pre-Order at a whopping 35,000 INR/-.
Although, Infibeam is know to fake release dates and it does seem a bit early to take orders for something that ships in 2 months. But, we are trying to get an official word from our guys over at MOTO. So that we can get an exclusive details on Launch and pricing. So stay tuned.
Samsung has bombarded us with a bundle of Galaxy Phones this season, they are not stopping anytime soon. with several devices to come, we review the cheapest in the line up of Galaxy Phones the Galaxy POP.
Lets start with the Unboxing video.
Hardware
The device packs a semi decent set of Specifications
3.14” capacitive touch screen
1200 mAh Battery
3.15 MP fixed focus camera
Android 2.2
600 MHZ processor
Wifi, bluetooth
Proximity/ ambient sensors
Accelerometer
AGPS
Hardware navigation buttons on the bottom of the display
For an entry level Android phone thats quite a lot of specs, At the price bracket this device is in you can only expect dunb-phones. This device promises and delivers a lot more than you bargain for.
Display and Touchscreen
The Galaxy Pop features a 3.14 inch capacitive touchscreen LCD display, that has a native resolution of 240 x 320 px. While on the outset the device is fully capable and display is good while navigating through menus and using the phone in its basic functions.
The quality of the Display really shines( or blackens) when you actually put it to test while browsing the internet, or watching videos. The display has a poor case of pixel love. The website text is highly unreadable and you need to zoom in to high levels to get basic text to readable state. There is no auto reformatting of text , so you will constantly be panning and rotating your device to get one article or basic letter read in the browser.
Lets just say the Display on the Galaxy POP = FAIL
The touchscreen on the other hand is a marvel. Samsung has made an overall improvement in how the touch digitizer reads the input, thereby making the touchscreen technology used in their devices a brilliant aspect of their lineup. The new Galaxy POP is not left behind and utilizes the same new touch technology along with the optimized Android 2.2 makes using the phone a bit more cheerful.
Camera and Multimedia
The Camera on the Galaxy Pop stands at a semi decent 3.15 MP , the disappointing bit is that its fixed focus. The picutre quality is only decent and you will find yourself struggling to get the right focus even in the brightest of light conditions. The camera is a complete failure in low light situations due to lack of flash LED. You will also find that the video quality is as you would expect from a VGA video capable camera, half decent.
You do however get a huge array of selectable features in the Camera APP and thus letting you select b/ Several shooting modes, scene modes, it lets you add effects and choose resolution etc. Making the Camera app a “princess designed for a pauper”( camera hardware).
Multimedia features are let down by the overly poor (as mentioned earlier) low res display, video just does not cut it on this screen and is just a poor feeling once you get down to watching videos. Audio however is a story told differently , and throughout the new Galaxy series you will see that the audio quality goes from good to excellent as you progress up in the chain. The speakerphone on the Galaxy POP is very impressive and will not be a let down. The phone features an FM radio and thanks to android is capable of playing almost any file format under the sun thanks to its impressive array of Apps.
The included earphones also provide good isolated audio, with a little tweaking from a good equalizer,
Phone and Messaging
Every phone need to be good at one thing, “being a phone”. The Galaxy Pop does just that with the ability to impressively make phone calls the earpiece, microphone and loudspeaker do their job well and promise good conversation abilities. In our tests we found that the device had close to none calls dropped and almost full network bars throughout.
The swpe keyboard makes messaging and emailing on this a breeze, with a bit of learning curve you will find yourself texting away in a marathon. Although, if like us you prefer the normal keyboard, that option is available too.
Conclusion
The Galaxy POP is a semi decent low price entry level Android 2.2 device from samsung. But , we think you deserve better, the display quality is just not acceptable and lets you down on several levels. The phone is plasticy in build and looks like a toy at the end of it. It performs all the functions it intends to do, But makes you fell let down all the way. gaming performance is also average with several games blocked from the marketplace.
Battery Life
3.5 – 4 hours talktime (2g)
2 hours on 3G
4 hours of browsing the internet (3g)
5.5 hours of browsing the internet (Wifi)
9 hours of audio playback
2.5 hours of video
Quadrant benchmark score : 530-540
Price : downwards of INR 9,000/-
Overall we would recommend that you look at other options if display and gaming performance is your main criteria. Save your money for the time being or change your budget (if you can).
