Tag: india launch

Hands On with the New Tizen-Based Samsung Z1

Android has taken over the market share and is widely available across multiple brands. Companies like Samsung, LG, Motorola and a lot of other companies have greatly benefitted from the Google’s open source operating system. But several electronic giants are attempting to come out of Android’s shadow and set up their own operating systems.

Samsung is attempting to break free from Android’s dominance with its homegrown Tizen OS. Samsung had already inducted Tizen in its Gear family of smartwatches and now they have launched the first phone based on the OS.

We got our hands briefly on the new Samsung Z1 which is the first phone based on the new operating system.

The Samsung Z1 totally looks like something that came out of Samsung’s stable. It has recognizable features including the physical button at the center. The phone has a metal-like casing that along with the polished back panel gives it a premium feel.

The Z1 is being marketed as a multimedia device and offers multitude of content through its tie-up with hungama.com and live tv options like BoxTv. But it comes with a 4-inch WVGA display that doesn’t feel adequate for a complete multimedia delight. The bit that is appreciated is the expandable storage option which is up to 64 GB; an amount great for multimedia hoarders.

Tizen OS looks and feels like the TouchWiz UI

Tizen OS looks and feels like the TouchWiz UI on Samsung’s Android devices. The only thing missing is the app drawer. The drop down menu too looks exactly the same as TouchWiz UI with similar setting options. It will be familiar interface for anyone switching from an Android device or upgrading from a feature phone into a smartphone.

Samsung claims most of the major apps are available on Tizen OS

The company has attempted to bring features from its higher end devices on Z1 like the ultra power saving mode, which up until now has been available on premium handsets like the Galaxy S5 and Note 4. It also offers 500 MB of free data plan with Reliance and Aircel for six months.

Overall, in the brief amount of time we spent with the device, we were excited to see Samsung trying to bring something new to its consumers. The device still falls short of competing with products like the Redmi 1S and the Moto E but is still a good effort. The company said that they will be refreshing their line-up of devices over the future and we would like to see where the new path leads Samsung.

January 14, 2015

OnePlus Finally Launches the One in India for Rs. 21,999

Chinese Flagship decimator, OnePlus One is finally ready for purchase by the Indian consumers. It has been a long wait for the enthusiasts of the One. The phone’s high specs low price formula has impressed folk’s world over and has caused a virtual stampede of folks trying to buy this exceptional device.

The device has been much talked about, if you are one of the last few who don’t know about the device then let us take the opportunity to blow your mind. The device runs on a quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor clocking at 2.5GHz . It comes with 3 GB RAM. The device is available in a 64 GB variant. The device gets its juice from a 3100 mAh battery.

The 5.5 inch Full HD display will make it a multimedia enthusiast’s delight. The device offers a 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP Selfie shooter on the front. Coupled with CyanogenMod’s awesome camera features, the phone will deliver great image output.

Running on Cyanogenmod, the phone gives you amazing features in camera and for customization. Unfortunately, Indian consumers will be devoid of the biggest strength of Cynogenmod. The custom ROM is known for regular updates and bug fixes. But the company’s exclusive partnership with Micromax will prevent it from offering updates on the Oneplus device. Though CM11S OS is great in itself and the functionalities it offers will make you fall in love with the device. OnePlus also promises their own firmware in the coming future which will be based on Android Lollipop. This definitely makes the device a future proof purchase.

The device is priced at Rs. 21,999 for the 64 GB variant. The device is truly one of a kind device and we expect them to fly off shelves in moments of its launch. The One has arrived and looks like it will stay for a good while.

The company will continue the invite system for the Indian market and those interested in an invite will be able to get one from oneplus.net/in starting right now.

If you are successful in getting an invite a spanking new OnePlus One will await you at : www.amazon.in/oneplusone on the 2nd of December 2014. Excited yet?

OnePlus One Specifications

Color	Silk White/Sandstone Black
Dimensions	152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm
Weight	5.71 ounces (162g)
Operating System	CyanogenMod 11S based on Android 4.4
CPU	Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 processor with 2.5GHz Quad-core CPUs
GPU	Adreno 330, 578MHz
RAM	3 GB LP-DDR3 @1866MHz
Storage	16/64 GB eMMC 5.0, available capacity varies
Sensors	Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity and Ambient Light
Battery Capacity	Embedded rechargeable 3100 mAh LiPo battery

Display

Size	5.5 inch JDI
Resolution	1080p Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 401 PPI
Type	LTPS IPS with TOL
Protection	Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3

Cameras

Sensor	13 Megapixel – Sony Exmor IMX 214
Lenses	6 lenses to avoid distortion and color aberration
Flash	Dual-LED
Aperture	f/2.0
Front Camera	5 Megapixel – Distortion free
Video	4K resolution video with stereo recordingSlow Motion: 720p video at 120fps

December 2, 2014

The ‘Flagship Killer’ is Finally Here! OnePlus One To Launch On 2nd December

That moment which all the Android enthusiasts have been waiting for is finally here. OnePlus is going to grace the Indian smartphone market with its presence at last. The company has sent out invites for the much-awaited event going to be held on 2nd December, where it will launch the company’s blockbuster OnePlus One.

The Chinese smartphone manufacturer has been tight-lipped about the plans for the launch of the CyanogenMod-powered smartphone. However, the recent report has suggested that the OnePlus will be sold exclusively via Amazon. The company had also previously announced that their smartphone, the One, would be available in India through an exclusive invitation system.

[quote text_size=”small” author=”Vikas Agarwal” author_title=” General Manager for OnePlus India”]

As announced earlier, the product will be exclusively available through our e-commerce partner for users who have a valid India-specific invite

[/quote]

In a teaser image posted on amazon.in, the online retailer says that the smartphone, popularly known as a ‘flagship killer’, is expected to be available in the coming days. Amazon India, who has got exclusive rights to sell OnePlus One, says in a teaser, “The Smartphone you have been waiting for, is coming soon,” accompanied by a image of OnePlus One and a hashtag ‘#TheOneThing’.

Pricing, which is one of the most important parts of OnePlus One’s success, has also been a mystery for the Indian market. However, as we reported earlier, the 64 GB variant is expected to cost around Rs. 24,990 while the 16 GB variant is likely to come at a price of Rs. 19,990. The company’s newly appointed General Manager for OnePlus India, Vikas Agarwal, posted a forum on Saturday which said,

Firstly, we are thrilled to confirm that the One will be available for our Indian users in December. We can’t wait to bring your favourite phone to your hands. As all the details have now been perfected and last-mile hurdles have been cleared, the exact launch date will soon be announced in the coming days on our forums.

The OnePlus One is one complete device when it comes to hardware and build quality. Thanks to the inclusion of CyanogenMod, the ROM gives Android an adrenaline boost with regular updates and bug fixes. For a price sensitive market like India, the cost of the phone will be a major factor. In an interaction with The Indian Express, the company claimed that the invite system will prevent shortage of devices for potential customers in India. The invite process is also fair and transparent than the flash sale model.

Where companies like Xiaomi have gained respect and market share simply by cutting down on administration, distribution and marketing costs, OnePlus may bring the One at a premium in India. The company will continue the invite system for the Indian market and those interested in an invite will be able to get one from oneplus.net/in starting right now.

If you are successful in getting an invite a spanking new OnePlus One will await you at : www.amazon.in/oneplusone on the 2nd of December 2014. Excited yet? Catch our Review below.

November 26, 2014
Panasonic Launches Eluga I to Take on Zenfone 5 in India

Panasonic has just added another smartphone called Eluga I. The company has announced that the new Eluga smartphone will come bundled with a free screen guard and a flip cover. The Panasonic Eluga I has already gone on sale via an online retailer ahead of the company’s official announcement. The Panasonic Eluga I comes in silver and white colours and is priced at Rs. 10,990 online.

The phone is a direct competitor to the highly popular Asus Zenfone 5 and features almost similar specs. The sleek Eluga I sports a 5-inch IPS display of 720p resolution and its raised curve display panel facilitates better viewing angles and makes longer viewing ‘strain-free’ for eyes. Powered by quad-core (1.3 GHz) processor, the new phone runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system, proving an immersive Android experience along with Panasonic’s Fit Home User Interface (UI) designed for single hand operation.

It has 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory, which can be expanded up to 32 GB, this where it lag behind the Zenfone with sports 2Gb of RAM . The company has also introduced the ‘Smart Swipe’ functionality with Eluga I, wherein a combination of number of fingers and direction of swipe can help users perform various predefined functions, providing ease of access, however, there is nothing new about it and smart swipe seems to give more trouble than helping in getting things done.

In addition to this, the smartphone comes with an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 1080p video recording capabilities. The 2 MP front camera, which is quite usual in this price range. The device sports 2000mAh battery which almost same as the Zenfone 5. Earlier this month, Panasonic launched its selfie-focused Eluga smartphone, the Panasonic Eluga S priced at Rs. 11,190.

November 24, 2014
Xiaomi Redmi Note Launched in Two Variants, To Go on Sale on 2nd December

Xiaomi added the third device to its India portfolio today. The Chinese electronic powerhouse brought two variants of the Redmi Note to India. The devices will go on sale on the 2nd of December.

As reported earlier, the basic 3G variant will carry octa-core 1.7 GHz MediaTek chipset whereas the surprise offering of the 4G version will sport 1.6 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 chipset. The 4G variant is specially made for India, and it has dual-band support for both TDD-LTE 2300 MHz (Band 40) and FDD-LTE 1800 MHz (Band 3).

Being Xiaomi, there was a last-minute surprise in the pricing front. The 3G variant of the phone comes at a price of Rs. 8,999, while the 4G variant will be up for sale at Rs. 9,999. Considering the offering of a superior processor and 4G capability by shelling just a thousand rupees more, it would be advisable to go for the 4G variant.

One bit of spec sheet that will tilt the scales even further towards the 4G variant is the expansion of the memory. While the 3G variant gives an expandability option of 32 GB, the 4G variant lets you increase you memory capacity to 64 GB via external storage. So the 4G variant is definitely more bang for the buck.

The USP of the device is its 5.5-inch 720p IPS display. The massive screen coupled with a good processor will put out some great performance. We can safely assume that Xiaomi is going to repeat a vanishing act soon with its third offering for India.

November 24, 2014
Everything You Wanted to Know About the Upcoming Redmi Note

Xiaomi is about to add a third member to its Indian family. The new device will sit comfortably between the flagship challengers Mi3/Mi4 and the low-end market disrupter Redmi 1S. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note will not be just the third offering from the company; it is also a big screen multimedia lovers delight on a budget. We tell you all that makes the device so unique.

The Specs

Just like Xiaomi’s other offerings, the Redmi Note is good on specs front. It is powered by an octa-core 1.7 GHz processor from MediaTek along with 2 GB RAM. The device gets its juice from a healthy 3100 mAh battery. It has 8 GB of internal memory that is expandable up to 32 GB. The phone is a solid purchase even on the camera front. The main camera is a 13MP shooter, while the front sports a 5MP selfie shooter.

The Display

The huge screen will be appreciated by gamers, readers and multimedia lovers alike.

Redmi Note flaunts a 5.5-inch 720p HD IPS display. This will be a delight for multimedia enthusiasts, e-book readers and gamers alike. With 267ppi, the display of the device has lower pixel count in comparison to the Redmi 1S, so don’t expect the same level of quality. It also doesn’t have the Gorilla Glass protection as is available on the Redmi 1S. So you’d need to spend on a screen protection.

MIUI makes the device unique.

MIUI

The Note, of course, carries Xiaomi’s own MIUI, which is one of the best user interfaces out there. With a slew of regular updates, MIUI is always working towards being bug-free. Xiaomi has released MIUI 6, which is its latest UI buy it is not sure as of yet if the Redmi Note will be getting the update.

Battery Power

The huge battery that powers Redmi Note is one the winning features of the device. The company claims that the phablet can run 14 hours on 3G use, 38 hours on 2G use and offers up to 60 hours on music playback.

Note Cases

Considering the device’s Chinese upbringing, it comes in multiple colour options. These include classy navy blue to hot pink, whatever pleases you.

Overall, this is a great multimedia device on a budget. It has good specs, and the massive screen is its USP. This dual-SIM phablet is the bigger sibling of Xiaomi Redmi 1S and it sure will attract the same kind of attention. The device is expected to be priced at Rs. 9,999 but we will wait till the launch to confirm the same. So keep checking iGyaan for more.

November 24, 2014
Panasonic’s P55 To Take On The Moto G

The most brutal brand wars are fought at the lower end of the smartphone market. It’s not just the name brands who try their luck here, but it’s the home ground for Indian smartphone makers. Every once a while a device shows up that changes the dynamics of the market. First there was Motorola and then came Xiaomi, who disrupted the balances in this fragile market space. The devices offered by these two brands have led everyone else to play catch-up. Panasonic is trying its hands at dethroning the current king of the 10,000-15,000 market space, the Moto G.

Panasonic has launched the P55, a phone which will compete again the unanimously loved Moto G. The phone packs in a 5.5 inch IPS LCD screen, a rarity at this price point apart from the cheaper Chinese models. This will attract the multimedia loving crowd who want portable entertainment on a budget.

On the specs end, the P55 comes with a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor along with 1GB of RAM. The phone has 4GB of internal storage that is expandable up to 32GB. Not a lot in comparison to other phones in this price point. The SD card is a must with a device like this, if you want to make use of the big screen for multimedia purposes.

The device runs on Android Kitkat 4.4.2 while the Moto G will be getting the Android Lollipop update soon. This seriously tips scales towards the G. The main camera on the device is an 8 MP shooter capable of Full HD capture. To the phone employs a 2500 mAh battery to power its big screen.

There are some useful gesture features on the device. Using P55’s “Tap Play” you can double tap on the screen of your phone to wake it up from sleep mode. You can also put it back to sleep by double tapping on the display. The phone also features “Gesture Play” through which you can use gestures to launch apps directly from the home screen.

Using the “Pop-i Player” you can work while simultaneously watching a video, and end up with severe ADHD. The phones unique “Music café” player lets you access it using just one hand, almost paying tribute to Apple’s reachability feature.

The device will sell at a price of Rs. 10,290. It’s a fairly decent price for the spec sheet, but the low internal memory might dissuade customers to consider this device. It is though an affordable phablet and considering the price and the screen size, it looks like a good device. But it is nowhere near the Moto G, it still stands strong.

November 6, 2014
HTC Finally Brings Desire 820 and 820q to Indian Shores Along with the Budget-Friendly 516C

Having unveiled the new Desire 820 and 820q in India last month, Taiwanese tech giant HTC has now released them for the market. This is part of a mass release by HTC, who also brought the recently launched Eye series to India. The phones are competitively priced and will find a lot of takers in the market.

HTC Desire 820

The HTC Desire 820 comes with an Octa-Core processor (4 x 1.5 GHz + 4 x 1.0 GHz,) which will give it a good boost in performance. The RAM on the device is 2GB. It has 16 GB of internal storage that is expandable up to 128 GB. Add this with a 5.5 inch 720p HD display and HTC’s Boomsound, this device becomes a multimedia delight.

The main camera on the Desire 820 is a 13 MP shooter with a F/2.2 iris. The selfie camera on the front is a good 8 megapixels. The device is juiced up by a 2600 mAh battery.

The phones multicolor design option makes it look youthful and as it is priced at Rs. 24,990.

The dual tone color options will entice a lot of people to buy the 820’s.

HTC Desire 820q

HTC Desire 820q comes with pretty much the same features as the Desire 820, but with some miniscule tweaks. The device is powered by a `1.2 GHz, quad-core processor along with 1 GB RAM. That’s about the difference between the two models.

The Desire 820q is priced at Rs. 22,500. Both Desire variants run Android KitKat 4.4 out of the box and will get a Lollipop update soon.

HTC Desire 516C

The last offering by HTC is going to play in the category of the Moto G and Xiaomi Mi3. The HTC Desire 516C is a budget offering from the company.

It comes with a 5-inch qHD display. It processing capabilities are overseen by a 1.2 GHz, Quad-Core Snapdragon 200 processor. It has 1 GB RAM and has an internal storage of 4 GB that is expandable up to 32 GB.

The 516C has a 5 MP main camera and has a measly 0.3 MP selfie camera. It is powered by a 1950 mAh battery. It will be available exclusively on Snapdeal.com for Rs. 12,990. For what it offers, this price is extortion. HTC should reconsider the price of this device.

Overall, the Desire 820 and 820q seem like great devices to own, and their funky exteriors make them extremely ‘desire’-able.

Do check out our hands-on of the devices:

October 18, 2014
Exclusive: Google Nexus 9 to Launch in India by December for Rs. 24,999

After the release of all the big ticket devices from the big brands, Google has unveiled its home grown beasts. The company unveiled the long awaited and tremendously speced Nexus 6. With the launch of this phone, the Nexus brand has moved to the top of the food chain. Along with Nexus 6 came Google’s new tablet, the Nexus 9, which was developed by Google in collaboration with HTC. Now according to insider sources, the company will be bringing the Nexus 9 to India by the 2nd week of December.

Nexus 9 is a slim, sleek and sexy looking tablet. Its processing might is taken care by a 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 Dual Denver processor clocked at 2.3GHz. It comes with 2GB RAM and is available in 16GB and 32GB storage variants. The device has an 8.9 inch IPS LCD display with 4:3 aspect ratio. It has a resolution of 2048×1536 and is covered in Gorrila Glass 3.

The specs on the camera of the device are also great. It comes with an 8MP rear camera with an aperture of f/2.4. For the selfie enthusiasts, the device offers a 1.6MP front camera but with an iris of f/2.4 you can expect some good selfies even in low light scenarios.

Nexus 9 is also a great device for the multimedia enthusiasts. While its big portable screen will be great for watching video content, the front facing HTC Boomsound will enhance the multimedia experience.

The device is one of the first devices to run the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop OS along with the Nexus 6. According to insider sources, it will arrive in India for a price of Rs.24,999 for the 16 GB Wi-Fi only model. This is one tablet we’d love to take for a spin.

Update: Newer details and full information here.

October 16, 2014
Apple Might Screw Up the India Launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Again!

The new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are expected to do well in India, especially considering the launch date which falls just shy of major festivals of our country. Oct 17th (the official launch of both big iPhones in India) is also just 4 days prior to the mega festival of “Dhanteras” which celebrates gold and anything that represents gold. A few days post that is the biggest festival of India, Diwali/Deepavali, which again brings about the act of gifting, shopping and spending money like there is no tomorrow. And finally “Bhai Duj” which again ensures that people are buying gifts for their respective brothers and sisters.

In 2013, Apple launched the gold color iPhone 5s, which was sold out within hours and remained out of stock for many a days. It is assumed that there was a high demand of the gold color due to the excitement around the time of the above stated festivals. However, the way the iPhone was launched in India was the complete opposite of how Apple does things globally.

Apple in India, unfortunately does not have any of its own stores, no online store, no flagship stores and well nothing close to a “5th Ave” store. The company has its distribution tied up with Indian distributers “Ingram” and “Reddington”, who make a spectacle of the launch, by making available “limited” number of phone in limited cities. This redundant process has left people who actually want to buy an iPhone with a horrible taste.

Poorly Orchestrated iPhone 5s Launch

The launch is nothing close to what happens, for example, at a US store (or any other Apple store). There is this strange coupon system that lets you stand in line to buy an iPhone. Then there is a “special” coupon that lets you skip the line and jump ahead to a “special” area for VIP guests of big distributers i.e. Ingram, Reddington and networks like Airtel.

The standard line is essentially made up of store owners and employees of store owners, who want to essentially get stock that they can then sell from their respective stores to their respective “best clients”. There is a huge inflation of price of the iPhone as well. The same day as the launch of the gold iPhone 5s for (Rs. 54,500 for the 16GB variant), the phone was available at most dealers and brick mortar stores for as high as Rs. 70,000. An inflated price you had to pay for not standing in line.

There are a few who actually brave it and stand in line, but their numbers are limited and their wait times are catastrophically high. The event itself is loud and disorganized, usually outdoors and in the open (except a few), leading to long wait times and a chaotic atmosphere. The company also tries to build in live music and unnecessary shows with loud emcees making it look like a typical Indian fair (mela).

Despite claiming that the gold color had reached “out of stock” status, Apple India warehouses were full of them, and Apple chose not to sell anymore gold colored iPhone 5s, because it was affecting the sales of the other colors.

Why does it have to be so difficult, and complicated for a user to buy a phone that they want to pay money for. Apple needs to bring their user experience to India, considering India is an important market for them. Apple is planning to officially be in India by next year, that means that the company will finally set up shop which may end all these theatrics. However if there are limited number of handsets to sell, a simple pre-order system should suffice, or a registration system which lets actual buyers who want to own these phones buy them. Apple asks for identification and credit cards at the time of purchase in the US and also limits the sale to a maximum of two handsets.

However in India, most purchases are made by cash and why should the company care about identification as long as phones are getting sold? To make matters worse, the people who are supposedly selling you the phones have not been trained as you would expect at a “genius bar”, they have been debriefed a few hours prior to the launch and know basic things like “turning on the iPhone” and “inserting a sim card”. They usually freeze up if you ask them questions around “iCloud” or some new elements like “handoff”.

The one good thing out of all of this is the fact that Apple has made the phones available in India early, unlike the iPhone 4s which was launched a good 9-10 months later, the iPhone 6 will launch a month after the US launch. However, this year expect the problems to be big, or well “bigger than bigger”. #BigFailSale anyone?

[poll id=”21″]

September 17, 2014
Apple to Bring iPhone 6 to India on 17th October

Apple’s latest flagship is out now, and the lovers and haters are excited for their own reasons. The company has posted on its website that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in India on the 17th of October. It appears that both variants of the phone will come together; it was previously reported that the bigger iPhone was to come later by the end of the year.

We have already told you about the expected pricing of the devices. For a premium device with innovative interconnectivity features, the price is justified. The phones are, in fact, cheaper than their predecessors when considering the amount of features they bring. Apple has kept with times and has increased the screen sizes for heavy multimedia consumption. And to address the elephant in the room; yes you are also paying for the Apple brand and it’s a great service. Premium services cost a lot of moolah.

The new phones also come with an NFC payment feature called Apple Pay. It seems fairly secure and will come handy to folks traveling to America coming next month when it gets implemented across multiple stores and online retailers.

These 64 bit, A8 chip-based phones are much faster, and their seamless interconnectivity feature like handoff, Wi-Fi-calling and others will make them worth buying. The improved camera features will also be appreciated by Apple enthusiasts. So mark your calendar, the Apple giants are a month away.

September 10, 2014
Binatone Launches New 7 Inch Tablet For Kids

Binatone has launched a new tablet, App Star is a 7 inch tablet made for kids above the age of 4 years. The Binatone App Star is priced at 9999 INR.

Binatone App Star was launched in UK and other European countries earlier, the tablet has a 7 inch screen and is protected with a special case which will protect the tablet if fallen from table height. The tablet can be operated in two modes – ‘APP STAR’ mode for kids and ‘Parent’ mode which is the default Android screen mode. The two can easily be switched through the parental control.

This ‘APP STAR’ is packed full of software suitable for children of 4 years and above. It has preloaded fun games, educational apps, art studios, e-books, audio-books, music player and camera with video recorder,” Binatone Country Head S P Singh said in a statement. The App Star has secured password protected parental control built-in to the software to ensure time control and firewalled Internet browsing for kids.”

October 14, 2013
Sony Launches Shake 6D For Home Audio, Priced At 59990 INR

Sony India adds Shake 6D to its collection of home audio systems. The Shake 6D offers wireless music playback, a 2400W (SBR 2000W) and 35 cm woofer unit.

The device has around 20 LED effects on the speaker, and the device also features wireless music playback via Bluetooth and one-touch listening via NFC.

The key features of Sony Shake 6D include:

• 35cm Subwoofer, 20cm Woofer, 2.5cm Tweeter

• MRC (Mica Reinforced Cellular) woofer cone

• BASS BAZUCA/DJ EFFECT/Karaoke Mode/Child Lock

• Bluetooth, 2USB, 1DVD, FM/AM, 1 Composite video output, 2 Audio inputs (RCA), 2 Mic input

The newly launched Shake 6D will be available across all Sony Center and major electronic stores across India from 20^th September and the device is priced at 59990 INR.

October 9, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear Launched in India (PR)

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone in India, a device that promises to be faster than its predecessor while keeping the tradition of being thinner, lighter and more compact than the Note II.

The 5.7-inch device has a full HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels, is 8.3 mm thick and weighs 168 grams, it is actually thinner and lighter than the Note II. The device is also powered by a 3200 mAh battery and comes with a soft-touch, textured backing in three colors, black, white and pink.

Note 3 White

The back of the Galaxy Note 3 features a 13 megapixel camera which does Full HD Recording @60fps and is not capable of 4k video recording, as the Note 3 comes with 1.9 Ghz Octa-Core(Exynos) processor in India unlike the snapdragon 800 in the other countries. The device comes with 32 GB of inbuilt storage and is priced at 49,990 INR.

The back of the Note 3 seems hand crafted which gives a premium feel, he added – We are proud of the way it looks and performs” – Vineet Taneja (Country head, Samsung India)

The new S-pen comes with alot of new features like: Action Memo, Scrapbook, Screen Write, S Finder and the Pen Window.

New S -Pen

The Note 3 has a new Multi Window, in which users can toggle between apps without closing the window or opening a new window. It also has drag and drop mode in which users can easily drag and drop content like text or image from one window to another. The Multi Vision featires allows users to put together upto five Galaxy note 3, and create a big screen experience. The device will include the Samsung KNOX and Find My Mobile apps.

The Galaxy Note 3 will also include a 12 month of premium membership for the Evernote app, and will give 2 GB of internet data to the Vodafone customers for two months. The device will come preloaded with support of 11 regional languages including Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya and Assamese.

Galaxy Gear

Along with the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung also launched the Galaxy Gear in India. The device, Samsung claims, is a true companion to the Note 3. The Galaxy Gear gives notification for messages, emails and calls alerts to the users. If an user wants to view the message on the phone instead of the Gear, as soon as one would look at the screen the smart relay feature would pop up the same message on the bigger screen of the phone.

At the launch Vineet Taneja (Country head for Samsung India) said that the Galaxy Gear will be compatible with Galaxy Note 3 for now, and soon we will get updates for it to work with Galaxy S4 and the Note II, he also said that the Gear should work with any device that supports Bluetooth 4.0 for its basic features. The Galaxy Gear is water resistant and is price at 22,990 INR.

For More information, you can see our Hands On with the Galaxy Note 3 and Gear Here.

[toggle title=”Press Release”]
Design the Story of your Life with Samsung GALAXY Note 3

– Enhanced S Pen features and larger screen optimized for multitasking provide a delightful mobile experience that brings passions to life

– Samsung Galaxy Gear launched in India

New Delhi, India – September 17, 2013 – Samsung Electronics, India’s number one smartphone provider, today introduced GALAXY Note 3, the latest update to the Note product line. The new Samsung GALAXY Note 3 adds delight to daily tasks and infuses innovative features that help consumers tell the story of their lives. Samsung GALAXY Note 3 delivers a larger and better screen for the best viewing experience and more powerful multitasking, and introduces significant S Pen improvements that make everyday life easier and faster.

GALAXY Note 3 makes your everyday life amazing

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vineet Taneja, Country Head, Samsung Mobile & IT, stated, “The GALAXY Note 3 represents the next evolution of the GALAXY Note experience. It meets the needs of consumers for a smarter larger screen, makes everyday life easier with the S pen and is much slimmer, lighter, more powerful, and comes with a beautiful design. At Samsung, our goal is not just to make great devices, but to empower consumers to truly experience…enjoy…and fulfill their busy life with our devices, like the Note 3 and the Gear.”

Samsung GALAXY Note 3 comes with a larger (5.7inch) full HD Super AMOLED display, yet slimmer (8.3mm) and lighter (168g) hardware design, and more powerful and longer lasting (3,200mAh) battery. Also, equipped with a 13 megapixel rear camera with Smart Stabilization and high CRI LED flash, Samsung GALAXY Note 3 enables users to crisply capture every visual story in their lives, even in low light and active situations. Incorporating the industry’s largest 3GB RAM, the GALAXY Note 3 also provides faster and more powerful performance.

Balancing GALAXY Note 3’s strength with artistic design

In addition to meaningful technological advancements, Samsung GALAXY Note 3 delivers a new premium look and feel. Expanding on the modern Samsung GALAXY design approach, Samsung GALAXY Note 3 adds a soft and textured-touch back cover and delicate stitching. It also features a serration pattern on the side of the device that evokes a connection to the timeless and enduring strengths of classic notebooks and planners. Samsung GALAXY Note 3 will be available in Jet Black, Classic White and Blush Pink. In order to encourage its customers to express their personality and taste, Samsung will also offer exchangeable back covers in dozens of additional colors at launch.

Click S Pen to make life easier, faster and more exciting

The new S Pen reinvents and modernizes the classic note-taking experience by providing the ability to accomplish everyday tasks with just one click. The advanced S Pen is designed to be fully functional as a communication driver between the phone and the user by creating essential input and control features. It plays an integral role in how users interface with the device, making all daily routines easier.

A simple click of the S Pen button while hovering over the screen introduces users to Air Command, a palette of five powerful features that truly make tasks easier and faster. With the Air Command feature, there is no need to toggle between screens, memorize commands or look up different menus. The Air Command feature provides access to the following key functions:

• Action Memo allows users to handwrite a note, and automatically execute a function or convert that handwritten information into formatted content. Action Memo can instantly initiate a call, add to contacts, look up an address on a map, search the web, save a task to a to-do list, and more.
• Scrapbook enables users to organize or track down content and information from various sources including the web, YouTube and Gallery in one place so that users can easily look back at collected content all at once. When consumers save content for future use, Scrapbook also collects source material or URLs allowing them to easily refer back to the original source.
• The Screen Write feature captures the full screen image of the current page on the device and allows users to write comments or additional information onto the captured image.
• S Finder allows users to expansively search for content on their device regardless of the type. By putting in keywords or filters such as date, location, and content type, users can search related documents, events, communication threads, and even the Help page – all in one place. In addition, users can also search for hand-written content in their Notes and memo applications, as well as symbols and formulas.
• Pen Window allows users to use the S Pen not only for drawing sketches or writing notes, but now also for opening a small application window for a true multitasking experience. Simply by drawing a window of any size, anywhere on the screen, users can easily and quickly open another application window such as YouTube, calculator or Browser without pausing current activity on the screen.

For more advanced note-taking, the new S Note presents a comprehensive solution that enables consumers to easily write, organize, edit and browse notes with a user-friendly interface and the Easy Chart feature. The new S Note can also be synced with Evernote or a Samsung account and be enabled for accessing and viewing from different devices. Furthermore, when a user wants only a certain part of an image to be taken from the web or Note 3 content, the advanced new Easy Clip feature allows them to roughly draw around the desired image and then it converts that content into a more precisely cropped image.

Larger Note screen delivers enriched viewing experience and enables you to do more

The Samsung GALAXY Note 3 delivers a larger screen and the increased size is matched with powerful improvements that allow users to fully utilize the additional screen space. The 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED screen provides a stunning and defined video viewing experience for watching Full HD content, distinct clarity for reading and an elegant canvas for content creation.

My Magazine provides a personalized news, social media, entertainment and in-the-moment content experience. Developed through a partnership with Flipboard, it offers an integrated content consuming experience in a modern and dynamic magazine-style layout.

The GALAXY Note 3 enables enhanced multitasking capabilities that allow users to fully utilize the larger screen.

• With the new Multi Window, users can toggle seamlessly between applications without closing the window or opening a new page, allowing for enhanced productivity and collaboration across programs. Consumers can also run one application in two windows at the same time. For instance, users can read the news in one browser while conducting a web search in another, or send an instant message through ChatON to a friend while reading a message from another friend.
• In addition, using Drag and Drop mode within the new Multi Window, users can easily drag and drop content such as a text or image from one window to the other in an instant.
• Pen Window from Air Command further enhances multitasking experience by allowing consumers to draw a window on the screen and launching popular applications while continuing current tasks on the GALAXY Note 3.

An improvement to Group Play, video sharing, is now available. Originally introduced along with the GALAXY S4, Group Play allows users to play the same music, to play games together, and to share documents. It now enables consumers to share videos and play content together with their friends simultaneously. Users can also connect up to five devices alongside each other to create a “big screen” viewing experience using the Multi Vision feature of the Samsung Note 3.

Samsung KNOX & Find My Mobile

The new GALAXY Note 3 comes with enhanced privacy and security protection provided by Samsung KNOX. Users can activate Samsung KNOX with ease which allows them to run and store security-sensitive applications and data inside a protected execution environment called “container.” The security inside the container is strengthened by system-level protection of Samsung KNOX against malware and phishing attacks as well as hacking attempts on physical devices when devices are stolen or lost. For instance, important personal pictures or video can be stored in the container with no worries for data leakage due to hacking. In addition, users may choose to store enterprise applications and data such as corporate email, contacts and calendar and allow the IT department to manage the container through EAS (Exchange ActiveSync Server). These features make the GALAXY Note 3 an ideal device for BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device to work)

Furthermore, the GALAXY Note 3 is equipped with an improved Find My Mobile feature that allows users to disable the phone when it is stolen or lost. With the enhanced user authentication, the technology prevents stolen mobile phones from being reset to factory settings, and allows users to remotely track or erase the data from their lost or stolen mobile phones.

GALAXY Gear, the smart companion for GALAXY Note 3

Simultaneously announced with Samsung GALAXY Note 3, GALAXY Gear is a new concept device that allows users to live life in the moment while staying connected. GALAXY Gear will notify users and give them quick previews of incoming texts, emails and more coming from GALAXY Note 3. It will provide a range of other valuable features and commands that extend the GALAXY Note 3 experience. When an incoming message requires more than a quick glance, users can simply pick up their Samsung GALAXY devices and the Smart Relay feature will instantly reveal the full content on the screen. Together, GALAXY Note 3 and GALAXY Gear extend Samsung’s efforts to provide users with the opportunity to design their lives, to express their passions and to make everyday life more easy and enjoyable.

Available with 32GB internal storage along with an additional microSD card slot for an additional storage of upto 64GB, the Samsung GALAXY Note 3 and GALAXY Gear will be available in India commencing September 25, 2013. Consumers can also pre-book the device on the Samsung mobile e -store starting today.

Vernacular Language Support

The GALAXY Note 3 will come pre-loaded with support for 11 regional Indian languages including Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya and Assamese.

Users get Offers worth INR 15000 absolutely free. Users can enjoy preloaded applications like Evernote, Dropbox and sketchbook pro. Through a Special zone called Content Gifts within Samsung apps starting 1st of October users can also enjoy offers on wide range of services like NY Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Bitcasa, Oxford Dictionary and Angry Birds Star Wars 2.

Price and Offers

The Samsung GALAXY Note 3 is priced at Rs 49,900/- while the Gear is priced at Rs. 22,990/-. As part of its introductory offer, all Samsung Note 3 customers who are using Vodafone 2G services will get 2GB Internet per month free for two months on Vodafone 3G/EDGE/2G Networks.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 270,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US$187.8 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.
[/toggle]

September 17, 2013
Exclusive : Samsung to Launch Galaxy Note 3 and Gear on 17th September

We’ve got exclusive news about the launch of the next generation Galaxy Note, the Galaxy Note 3. The Note 3 was announced on 4th of September during IFA 2013 in Berlin, and was expected to hit markets by September 25th.

Exclusive sources at Samsung close to iGyaan have told us, that the company will launch the handset on September 17th and the 16GB variant will be priced under Rs. 50,000. This week a rumor pointed out that the Galaxy Note 3 will be launched for a price of Rs. 47990, and if we tie it up with the information we received from our source, it sounds about right.

India is one of the biggest markets for Samsung, and has been constantly the first tier to receive our products in the mobile division, this time it will be no different.

S View Case for Note 3

Samsung will launch the new Galaxy Note 3 at an event in New Delhi on the 17th of September and will have the phone available in the market by September 25th. Samsung is also expected to launch all the new accessories including the new S-View cases for the Note 3, the Leather back case options and the glam cases, alongside the Note 3.

The biggest disappointment to buyers in India will be the chipset option for the Galaxy Note 3. With LTE a far away dream for Indians, the company will presently launch the Galaxy Note 3 with the Exynos 5 Octa chipset, also limiting Video Capture to 1080p and not the 4k offered in the Snapdragon 800. Samsung will however launch all three colors the black, white and pink , where the company expects a lot of female buyers for the Pink option, opening a new market of consumers.

Samsung will also launch the Galaxy Gear watch alongside the Galaxy Note 3, with an expected price of Rs. 18000. also to be available by the 25th of September.

It is also expected that Samsung will initiate a pre-order option with some bundles to offer for early buyers. If Samsung launches the Galaxy Note 3 at Rs. 47,990 with a bundled flip case, would you buy it, and in what color ? Let us know below.

Update : Although the 32GB variant was the smallest version announced at IFA, we have heard that Samsung may launch a 16 GB variant to keep the price low in markets like India.

September 8, 2013