Tag: launch

OnePlus Expected to Bring Out a Secret Device Today

OnePlus has been in the news a lot lately. Recent leaks talk about the existence of a purported OnePlus One Mini and secondly, its partnership with MaxxAudio for the One. However, it seems the company is not yet finished with the announcements.

OnePlus posted the image you can see below on its official Google+ account yesterday. It sure has something big coming in, but the company did not mention what. The caption reads, “Need a reason to be excited for tomorrow? We’ve got 10,000. #NeverSettle.” The image reads “Go further” and includes four LED lights.

Many think it might be the OnePlus One Mini, since it just leaked yesterday, however, there is no way to confirm the authenticity of the leaked reports. As for now, the company has been tight-lipped about it. So what is it? The four LED lights and the ‘Go Further’ caption point towards a new accessory, may be a battery pack.

The LEDs look quite similar that many external battery packs use to signal the amount of charge they’re currently holding. OnePlus has been trying its luck in the accessory segment with the recent release of new cases and headphones, and so a battery pack might be another addition.

December 17, 2014

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Arrives in India at Rs. 61,500

As expected, Samsung has unveiled its latest phablet Galaxy Note 4 in India at the price of Rs.61,500. The new addition to Note series, which was unveiled at this year’s IFA Berlin, will go on sale at midnight on October 17th. Along with that, the company announced the partnership with Vodafone to give 2GB Data free for the users for 2 months.

Galaxy Note 4 is now the company’s flagship phablet, which comes with a 5.7 inch QHD display. Samsung claims that despite the higher resolution, the Galaxy Note 4 will deliver 7.5% more battery life; it features a 3220 mAh battery with fast charging technology. Meanwhile, under the hood, the Galaxy Note 4 is powered by Snapdragon 805 chipset which is clocked at 2.7 gHz quadcore, coupled with 3GB RAM. It offers 32GB internal memory with support for expandable memory of upto 64GB.

It will have a 16MP rear camera with OIS, along with a 3.7MP front snapper allowing users to take wide-angle selfies. The company has added a fingerprint scanner feature along with a heart rate monitor on the back. The Korean manufacturer has also included a barometer and a hall sensor in the phablet.

The S-Pen also gets upgrades and added functionalities. The pressure sensitivity has been increased to give a more natural pen-like feel. The pen now also acts as a mouse with features like click and drag which lets you select multiple files at once. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 offers you the option of choosing between full-length, split or pop-up screens, thus enabling you to change the size and positioning of apps on the screen.? It also offers an improved ‘Fingerprint scanner’ with UV sensor for personal data security.

The Smart select feature lets you select text and images from multiple sources and lets you bring them all together. It also lets you easily share them on the internet. You can now access the multi-window feature through the recent apps menu. It has become a lot easier to resize, relocate or minimize the screens during multi-window usage.

Note 4 comes in four color options: White Black, Gold and Pink. It also provides customizability with 4 covers. There is the S-View, Flip wallet, S-view Flip wallet and LED cover similar to Dot case by HTC. Apart from the the Note 4 company also launched Gear S smartwatch for Rs. 29,500 and also announced that they roll out UltraPower saving mode for mid-segment devices soon.

SPECS	SAMSUNG NOTE 4
Display	5.7 inch QHD
Processor	Snapdragon 805 2.7 quadcore (not exynos)
RAM	3 GB
Storage	32 GB
Expandable Upto	64 GB
Main Camera	16 MP
Front Camera	3.7 MP
Battery	Removable 3220 mAh
Operating System	Android 4.4.4
Miscellaneous	S-Pen

October 14, 2014

Gionee Brings the Affordable CTRL V4S to India

Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Gionee, known for making the slimmest smartphone has brought a new phone to India. The device is called CTRL V4S and is released for the ongoing festive season.

CTRL V4s is a dual-SIM device. It has a 4.5 inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 480×854. It is powered by quad-core 1.3 GHz, a minor improvement over its predecessor, the V4 that came with 1.2 GHz under the hood. The device comes with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage which can be expanded to 32 GB.

The main camera on the device is an 8 MP shooter. On the front sits a 2 MP selfie shooter. The battery on the device is 1800 mAh piece which might provide a decent power backup. The phone runs Android KitKat 4.4. out of the box.

The phone is 7.8 MM thin.

A feature that will be loved by most users is the HotKnot. Using this, users can exchange files instantly between two phones by holding the screens together. It can be an alternative to Bluetooth transfers that requires a bit of operating knowledge and patience to finish the transfer.

The device is priced at Rs. 9,999, which might be slightly steep for the specifications. A 720p display would have been appreciated at this price and would have been in favor of Gionee. This still sounds like a good enough design and the HotKnot feature can come in handy. We now have to see how the market responds to this device.

September 30, 2014
Blackberry Releases the Passport in India for Rs. 49,990

The Blackberry Passport, which was launched just a few days back in the international market, has now been launched in India. The device has a one of kind square display and flaunts top of the line specs.

The smartphone will be available for pre-order from today at BlackBerry exclusive stores and Amazon.in. The folks who book the Passport between today and October 10 will get a gift voucher worth Rs 5,000 on Amazon as well as 5,000 frequent flyer miles on Jet Airways.

The 4.5 inch square display is the USP of the device

The most prominent feature of the device is the 4.5 inch square display. It has a display resolution of 1440x1440p and a pixel density of 453 ppi. It features a 10 point multi-touch and is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

The device also comes with three-row QWERTY keyboard that gives users more typing accuracy and is also touch-enabled. It’s responsive to touch so the user can scroll web pages, flick to type or slide along the keys to move the cursor.

It is powered by a 2.26 GHz Snapdragon 800, quad-core processor and has 3 GB RAM, equivalent of the Note 4. The internal memory stands at 32 GB and is expandable up to 128 GB. The device also has NFC for mobile payment and file transfer.

The Passport runs on BlackBerry’s new BlackBerry 10.3 operating system and also features a Siri-like voice assistant. The device is priced at Rs. 49,990 and is competitive and justified for the features it offers. The phone might easily find customers in the corporate or government sectors or even from folks looking for a different mobile experience.

September 29, 2014
Samsung Might Release Galaxy Alpha in India on 27th September

With the Xiaomi fever slowly subsiding and people looking back at major manufacturers, Samsung seems ready to give the Indian market some serious consideration. The company is expected to launch the recently unveiled Galaxy Alpha in India on the 27th of September.

Samsung sent out an invite claiming they would be launching “Next Generation Stylephone.” It is assumed that the phone is Galaxy Alpha that Samsung released in the international markets in August. The phone is a metal-bodied device, a rarity in Samsung’s line-up of products.

The Galaxy Alpha is powered by an Exynos 5 Octa 5430 processor (1.8GHz quad-core Cortex A51 + 1.3GHz quad-core Cortex A7.) It has 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. The device has a 4.7-inch 1280x 720 Super AMOLED display.

The main camera on the device is a 12 MP shooter while the front camera is a 2.1 MP selfie shooter. The Alpha gets its juice from an 1860 mAh battery. The phone runs Android Kitkat 4.4.4 out of the box.

The Alpha was the first to get the metal frame and was followed by the Note 4. The back cover on the devices are still plastic, but Samsung claims the metal frame provides enhanced safety to the phone. We’ll have to wait till the 27th to see what Samsung is really cooking.

September 22, 2014
Design of Blackberry’s Next Smartphone to Go Back to Basics

The advance of Android and iOS in the Smartphone market is unique. The speed of their conquering of the market can only be compared to Alexander, luckily it’s not fast enough to be compared with ISIS. But in the midst is a company which was seen as a precursor to the smartphone, but has now lost much of that sheen. The company is trying hard to stay relevant in the times when the app stores of two major giants is filling up, and more third party devices are being developed each day for those OS’s. Here Blackberry seems to believe that its classic appeal will be its saving grace.

Blackberry’s new Classic phone is about to hit the market, and that’s what the leaked images from Weibo by DT BlackBerry (via CrackBerry) seem to infer. The phone seems like a bigger version of the Q10, and it doesn’t seem light on the spec front either. The leaked images show the phone being compared to the BlackBerry Q10 and the BlackBerry 9900.

The specs are not clear as of yet, but the phone is said to be powered by a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor with 2 GB of RAM. To provide the classic appeal, the phone has a 3.5 inch screen coupled with a QWERTY keyboard.

The leakster didn’t just stop there; they went ahead and showcased the image quality of the camera in the leak along with how the phones look. The camera does seem to be better that that of its predecessor and has more natural color reproduction.

The folks at Crackberry say that the phone might be launched by November. Meanwhile Blackberry’s other audacious release, the Blackberry Passport is expected to be launched this September 24 with simultaneous events in Dubai, London and Toronto.

It will be interesting to see how the markets respond to Blackberry’s revisit of its classic look. The passport does show some promise as it’s a one of kind device and has some impressive specs. Blackberry needs to make a unique market for itself if it wants to survive the brutal game which has already lost a titan called Nokia.

September 9, 2014
HTC Brings Out The Colourful Desire 820

HTC has had a good year. With the success of HTC One M8 and the Desire line-up, things are looking good for the company. Now HTC is about to bring another phone is its Desire line-up called the Desire 820. The phone was announced at the ongoing IFA event.

The phone is a looker and comes with a bold two-tone color scheme that makes the device standout. Even the HTC logo on the back gets a different color treatment for each phone color option. The device is made in a unibody, polycarbonate casing that HTC defines as its “double shot color technology.” The color scheme surely has a youthful appeal and is pleasing to the eyes.

Like the Desire 816 before it, the Desire 820 comes with a 5.5 inch 720p HD screen. The new phone will be one of the first phones to come with a 64 bit Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 615 chipset. The processor runs on two quad-core chips of 1.5GHz and 1.0GHz. It comes with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage.

The Colors and powerful front camera makes the Desire 820 a youth friendly device.

The main camera on the device is a 13 MP shooter with f/2.2 aperture. Now the shining glory of this phone is the front camera, it packs an 8 MP camera on the front. This can be a selfie hogs’ favorite toy. Unless, of course, you got the money to enjoy the superior selfie and weefie capabilities that were showcased last night on the Note 4.

The device is powered through a 2600 mAh battery. HTC says that the phone will be updated with Android L when it comes out. HTC has been one of the first companies to promise the Android L upgrades for most of its devices. It will also hold HTC’s Dual Boomsound front facing speakers. It will also have its version of the dot view case.

The Desire 820 will come to the markets by the end of September and will be available in glossy and matte colors. This is one colorful treat, and if priced right, it can prove to be some serious competition for others.

September 4, 2014
ZTE Releases the V5 in India for Rs 10,999

In this season one more Chinese company brings in their smartphone to the Indian market. ZTE is a major Chinese brand with subsidiaries in multiple countries. It has been in this country for a while and now it has brought the V5 to India. The device will be exclusively sold on Snapdeal.com.

The ZTE V5 has a 5-inch 1280x720p HD screen. The display has Dragontail glass protection. The device has a 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with 1 GB RAM. It provides 4 GB of internal storage with an expandable option up to 32 GB. The dual SIM device is powered by 2400 mAh battery.

The user interface on the ZTE V5 is ZTE’s own Nubia 2.0 UI which is based on Android KitKat 4.4.

The camera on the device is its USP

V5 has a 13 MP camera on the back. This camera has a Sony Exmor RS CMOS sensor with a wide F2.2 aperture, so you can expect good night shots on this device. It also flaunts features like blue glass composite IR filter. On the front of the device, there is a 5MP camera which comes with 88-degree wide angle, BSI sensor and self-portrait special effects for enhanced selfies.

Though the device is low on internal specifications at the price it comes at, the camera surely is the winning feature on the device. Now we say this because it looks good on paper. We’ll wait till we get our hands on the device to say for sure. ZTE surely needs to match up with some of its comrades in terms of specs. This phone is still better than the Oppo Neo, which while priced in the same bracket had some spec deficiencies too.

September 2, 2014
These Are The Best Upcoming Smartphones of Q4 2014

The year 2014 has been action packed for the tech world, especially the smartphones market. We saw big-ticket brands like Samsung, LG and HTC bringing out their flagships. Then there were the showstoppers like the Xiaomi Mi3, OnePlus One who took on those flagships head-on and created a lot of waves amongst budget shoppers by giving them flagship smartphone performance in an affordable price.

Now there are only four months left in this year, and it still has a lot of action left in it, especially in the month of September. So we decided to give you a handy checklist that you can use to keep track of the arrival of most awaited phones. Bookmark this page and we’ll keep updating it as we get to know the dates of some of the devices.

Apple:

1. iPhone 6

Expected Date: September 9

The Big daddy of smartphones will see its 6th edition releasing this year, and Apple is going for something big. The iPhone 6 will come with a bigger 4.7 inch display which was the need of the hour as a 4 inch screen was just not cutting it anymore. The phone has a redesigned charger which will help to charge the device faster, and it also has a bigger battery, thanks to the size increase. It is also expected to get a faster processor from Apple and a faster 4g radio.

2. iPhone 6L

Expected Date: December

This is the first of its kind from Apple. The iPhone 6L will come with a huge 5.5 inch screen. This will be loved by multimedia enthusiasts and Apple fans who wanted pocket size device that gives an exception entertainment experience. Its release date is not known yet as Apple has been facing some production issues with the phone.

The iPhones are supposedly going to get a tough Sapphire glass; we just need to wait till September 9 to know which phones will feature the unbreakable screen. The entry level devices will have internal storage of 32 GB, which is welcome.

Samsung:

1. Galaxy Note 4

Expected Date: September 3rd

The Note 4 has been the Samsung phone that people have been waiting for this year. This phone will take a departure from plastic materials and will showcase new design features. This will be the first globally released phone with QHD display. Samsung had brought the QHD screen on the S5 LTE but with this, Samsung is ready to take on its compatriot LG. The phone will release in a pre-IFA event in Germany. Lots to look forward in this one.

Motorola:

1. Moto X+1

Expected date: September 4th

Motorola’s comeback has been exceptional. Not only did it reinvent itself it did it in style, and the Moto X was one of the most innovative devices from the brand. However, its now time for the next generation of the device to come into the world. According to the leaks, this new phone is expected to get a 5.2 inch screen with 1920 x 1080 resolutions. It will run on Android 4.4.3 and powered by a Snapdragon 800 CPU with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. The camera is expected to be 12MP shooter, and there might be a built-in pedometer.

2. Moto G2

Expected Date: September 4th

The Moto G was one remarkable phone when it released last year. The Moto G2 is expected to take that legacy forward. The G2 is expected to get a 5 inch IPS LCD display with the Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It will still come with 1 GB RAM and 8 and 16 GB variants. This time though, some leaks speculate the inclusion of an expandable memory slot, which will only help increase its fan base.

3. Nexus 6

Expected Date: October

Features: Google has chosen Motorola for this year’s Nexus Smartphone, and it seems like Motorola is in no mood to disappoint us. The Nexus 6 aka Nexus X is expected to get a stunning 5.2 inch QHD(2560x1440p) display. It will run on the Snapdragon 805 and will have 3 GB of RAM. The phone is expected to come in 32 and 64 GB variants.

Xiaomi:

1. Mi 4

Expected Date: Post October

Xiaomi’s Flagship Killer, the Mi 3 has seen an unconventional success in an overcrowded market. The feature-laden phones flew off the shelves as soon as they were launched. Now the next generation of the phone is out, and it will try to outdo the last one. The Mi 4 comes with a 2.5 GHz, Snapdragon 801 processor with 3GB RAM. This is one selfie friendly phone as it comes with an 8 MP front shooter.

LG:

1. LG G3 Stylus

Expected Date: October

LG tries to take on Samsung with this one. The LG G3 caused a lot of furor because of its superior build and a brilliant 2K display. Now its sibling, the G3 Stylus will try to keep the limelight brought on by the G3. The device, unfortunately, loses the USP of the product, the 2K display. The G3 stylus comes with a 5.5 inch display. It is powered by a 1.3 GHz processor and comes with 1GB RAM. This phone will of course have a cheaper price tag than the G3, but it will be interesting to see how folks react to it.

September 1, 2014
ZTE to Tie up with Snapdeal for New Launch on 2nd Sept

Chinese phone manufacturers ZTE are about to bring a new device to the Indian market next week. The launch will take place on 2^nd September, Tuesday. We have received word that the phone will be sold exclusively through Snapdeal and the invites of the event have been sent out.

The device details seem pretty vague. The phone has a 5 inch HD display with a 13 MP camera in the back and a 5 MP camera in the front. It is powered by a Snapdragon 400 processor. By the looks of it the device most probably is the ZTE Nubia 5 and we have had a look at the device during our trip to CES 2014.

The device looks good and has minimal curves. It has a circle capacitive button which looks like a tron light disk and is realy eye appealing. On the back you get dual speakers placed with a little space between them.

Here is one more Chinese phone manufacturer taking a dip in the overcrowded Indian market. ZTE has been in India for a while and this time with exclusive partnership with Snapdeal they hope to attract more attention to the devices. So now we’ll just wait till Tuesday to check out what ZTE has really got to offer.

The device on the invite looks similar to the ZTE device we saw at CES

August 30, 2014
iPhone 6 Release Date Officially Confirmed!

Finally we have a number, a date that will put an end to months’ worth of speculations and rumors. The next edition of Apple’s famed iPhone series will be unveiled on the 9th of September this year. The news was shared by John Paczkowski of re/code.

The new phone will see a major departure from Apple’s usual phone design philosophy that has remained constant ever since the first iPhone was released. The next generation iPhone 6 is expected to come in two variants, a 4.7 inch model and a 5.5 inch phablet.

Historically Apple has brought out its flagship phones in the month of September and the phones are released in the market 10 days after the launch. This year is expected to be in line with that, because Apple is all about continuity.

Apart from the iPhone 6 launch, Apple is also expected to bring out its own Smartwatch to enter into a growing market of wearables. Tech industry is impatiently waiting for what could be Apple’s take of a Smartwatch and it is getting a full Apple rumor mill treatment with regular leaks about specs and designs. But nothing is sure of as yet and there has been no official word from the Cupertino based tech giant as yet.

After a long wait, and getting entertained with leaks and rumors, it will be a big relief to finally have a date to set on their calendars. With the smartphone market having radically evolved since the first iPhone release back in 2007, Apple needs to have something phenomenal in store to impress the enthusiast and the market. What is interesting is the Apple’s arch rival Samsung will release its Flagship phablet, the Note 4 at IFA Berlin on September 3. The battle of giants will always be good for the consumers. So Apple, Samsung, Fight !

August 6, 2014
Panasonic Officially Launched its Flagship Device in India

Panasonic has recently introduced its new Eluga U flagship in India at an event in New Delhi. The smartphone has been priced at Rs. 18,990. Competing against the likes of the Xiaomi Mi 3 and the Micromax Canvas Knight, who also belong in this price range.

The phone sports a 5-inch OGS IPS display(720x1280p) with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. That immediately puts it a peg lower than competing handsets in the price range. It features a unibody design and a glass back panel that has a mirror printed texture. It weighs 141gram and is 7.95mm thick.

The Eluga U fashions a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM. With crowded market space of octa-core SoCs, and the launch of Xiaomi Mi3; a Snapdragon 800 smartphone for under Rs 15,000, Eluga U might struggle to catch the attention of a market spoiled with options

The Eluga U will come with a 13-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED flash, and a 2-megapixel front shooter, which is standard nowadays. It has 16GB of internal storage with a microSD card for expansion up to 32GB. In terms of battery life, the 2500 mAh Li-ion unit is decent enough if compared to the other specs. It doesn’t look especially distinct and the patterned back reminds us of the Google Nexus 4. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS/ A-GPS.

It also comes with Kwik Lock double tap on the home screen to lock the phone, Fit Home UI for single Hand operation, Pop i player, Music Cafe and Gesture Play.

So far Panasonic has been actively launching the P and T series of smartphones in India. The company had launched three dual-SIM smartphones Panasonic T41, Panasonic P41 and Panasonic P61 running Android 4.4.2 KitKat OS. The devices are priced at Rs. 7,990, Rs. 11,990 and Rs. 14,990 respectively.

July 31, 2014
A New Round of Rumors Emerge About The iPhone 6

With the release drawing close, rumours about the iPhone 6 are on its peak these day. Recently, a report revealed iPhone 6 battery details, suggesting that Apple’s 2014 models may offer better battery performance than the last iPhone.

Image of the battery leaked by French publication Nowhereelse

The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 was expected to have a battery capacity of 1,800 mAh to 1,900 mAh, while the so-called 5.5-inch ‘iPhone Air’ was said to have a 2,500 mAh battery. Now, French publication Nowhereelse has disclosed an image of the purported 4.7-inch iPhone 6’s battery, which may confirm that the battery has a capacity in line with previous reports.

The image revealed by the publication shows a battery assembled in China by Huizhou Desay Battery, which has 1,810 mAh capacity. What’s interesting about the battery maker is that Desay was mentioned in a recent report as one of Apple’s iPhone 6 battery suppliers. The report mentioned the company that is able to meet the iPhone’s battery size requirements for this component.

The iPhone 6 which is said to be launched later this year is expected to be 7mm thin. It was also reported that Apple has placed orders to battery suppliers for 2mm-thick batteries, which are one-third thinner than the batteries found in the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. Another report illustrates that Apple suppliers encountered challenges mass-producing slimmed-down components for the iPhone 6, including batteries, which could affect their gross margins.

There were images which were previously leaked showing a batch of purported iPhone 6 batteries, although their capacities were not revealed in those leaks. This appears to be the first purported iPhone 6 battery picture that actually lists the capacity of the battery, an important hardware detail, especially considering this year’s models will have significantly bigger displays.

According to Taiwan’s Economic Daily News, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 will enter mass production starting next week, while the 5.5-inch model will go into mass production almost a month later, during the second week of August. Which means the rumored September release of the device may come true. The publication has also reported that Foxconn will hire 100,000 workers to meet Apple’s iPhone demands this year, which is in line with the unconfirmed reports which said that Apple placed a heavy order. Pegatron, the other iPhone 6 maker, has also hired more than 10,000 additional workers to manufacture the new iPhone, as Apple is rumored to sell up to 70 million iPhone 6 units this year.

July 19, 2014
After Airtel, Aircel Joins The 4G Race With its Launch In 4 Circles

Aircel India has recently launched its 4G services which will be offered across four circles, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Odisha. Aircel already provides 2G and 3G services and it is now become the second Indian telecom operator after Airtel to launch its 4G services in the country.

Aircel holds 20MHz of spectrum in the 4G LTE 2300 MHz band across eight circles – Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam and North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

Aircel’s enterprise customers will experience a 4G LTE high-speed network to receive dedicated internet and secure VPN (Virtual Private Network) services whereas its Home customers will experience various infotainment services on high-speed broadband that will help connect any Wi-Fi device to support services such as faster internet access, Smart TVs, Virtual Home Solutions, Home Security, online gaming and much more.

Aircel hopes that existing technological leadership position further lends to providing a promising and reliable 4G LTE service to our customers. They also promise that the wireless broadband services offered will help customers transform their workplaces and homes into ‘smarter’ entities.

The parameters that will differentiate Aircel’s 4G LTE services include customized offerings with a quick turnaround time for deployment of services to Enterprise and Home customer, beating existing industry standards; high speed and low latency, which are critical to any enterprise service experience, will be Aircel’s key focus deliverable building on Reliable MPLS (Multiple Protocol Label Switching) core network.

So far, Airtel has launched 4G services in a few circles, while a pan-India availability is still awaited. Though, there is no information as of now about their 4G data charges as of now. Aircel’s entry will finally bring some competition in the segment, perhaps encourage other players to launch their services. From customers’ point of view, competition gives possibility of lower tariffs and even more affordable devices.

July 16, 2014
Xiaomi Mi3 Launched in India for Rs 13,999

As a pleasant surprise, Xiaomi announced the Mi3 in India at a price tag of Rs. 13,999, which is less than the initial price revealed by the company earlier this month. Along with Mi 3, Redmi 1S and Redmi Note have also been launched at the price of Rs 6,999 and Rs 9,999, respectively. The Xiaomi Mi3 is up for pre-registration today and will be available via FlipKart on July 22.

At the offered price and with its set of features, the Mi 3 is here to trouble other Indian smartphone makers. It will compete with the Nexus 5 and the HTC One M7 with it’s mighty Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 SoC. Moreover, Xiaomi has also put in some thought when it comes to the pressure sensitivity of the display.

The touch feature on the Mi3 allows users to operate the phone even with wet and gloved hands. In addition to launching the phones, the company has released a new India theme in the MiUI themes store. It features refreshed iconography and UI elements, with a very India design aesthetic that features henna patterns, elephants and a wallpaper that shows the Taj Mahal.

As per the recent phablet trend, the Mi 3 comes with a large 5-inch display featuring a 1920 x 1080p resolution. The full HD display ensures that the pixel density goes all the way up to 441ppi. The company says that ‘Mi 3’s backlit display is fused directly to the touch screen’, ensuring deeper colors which pop up for a great visual experience.

The RedMi 1S is Xiaomi’s budget smartphone. It has a 4.7-inch 720p IPS display, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor clocked at 1.5GHz with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory. The phone comes with a microSD card slot and a 2,000mAh battery. It also has an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.6-megapixel rear camera. It runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean underneath the MiUI user interface.

Xiaomi Redmi Note phablet sports a 5.5-inch 720p IPS display. It is powered by a 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor and 1.7GB RAM. It holds 8GB of internal storage and is expandable to 32GB through the microSD. The phone has a 3100mAh battery and runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Xiaomi’s MiUi layer on top. It sports a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front facing camera.

For those who were skeptical about the customer service, Xiaomi has also set up a network of service centers in 20 big cites in India. There will be 2 exclusive Mi centers in New Delhi and Mumbai, which will have two hour turn around times. Additionally there will be 34 partner operated service centers that will have one day turn around times.

During its launch in Singapore, 5,000 units of Redmi Note, priced at S$199 (Rs 9,600 approximately), were sold out in just 42 seconds. Judging by the pricing of Mi 3 in India, we expect the company to unveil the other phones at an equally competitive prices.

July 15, 2014