Tag: motorola defy

Motorola Ties up with JCB to add Extra rugged on UK Defy + (PR)

Motorola has tied up with power machine maker JCB to release the UK variant of the Defy +. The limited-edition handset comes pre-loaded with branded-applications for the construction site including a spirit-level, theodolite, decibel meter and a DIY store locator. The remaining specs are the same as we saw on the Indian version of the Defy + including 1GHz processor, 2GB internal storage and a 3.7-inch Gorilla Glass display along with a 5MP camera. In the UK its priced at a high £260, compared to the 18 K in India. You can check out our review here.

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Motorola Mobility and JCB Announce Limited Edition Motorola DEFY™+ – Life Proof just became Work Proof

Jan. 17, 2012

BASINGTOKE, UK – January 17, 2012 – Motorola Mobility today launches a limited edition Motorola DEFY™+ handset which transforms the UK’s favourite life proof handset into a ‘work proof’ model.

The exclusive Motorola DEFY+ JCB Edition features exceptional work-orientated protection for anyone operating the demanding construction and engineering sectors, or who work in the rugged outdoors and in extremely demanding conditions thanks to its patented visco-elastic protective sleeve from JCB with re-entrant geometry.

Taking ‘work proof’ functionality one step further, the Motorola DEFY+ JCB Edition handset also offers construction site users and outdoor enthusiasts who routinely work with core technical and measuring materials a range of built-in options. It comes pre-loaded with bespoke JCB applications including: a spirit level, theodolite, decibel meter and recorder, torch, unit converter, calculator and DIY store locator. This saves the user time and effort of lugging around a boot load of individual work components, and also serves to speed up their productivity and output at the touch of a button.

For those users who will also need to communicate remotely, between multiple venues, or even on-the-go with a range of associates the handset will feature Push To Talk functionality which will allow them to operate the device as a walkie-talkie (via the cellular network) with group call and messaging functionality.

Victoria McManus, UK marketing director, Motorola Mobility said: “We’re thrilled to be working with JCB on this bespoke Motorola DEFY+ device. The unique protective sleeve will pull on JCB’s years of expertise in the construction industry to help us reach a new audience who we know are in need of a life and work proof handset.”

Motorola Mobility launched the standard Motorola DEFY+ handset in September 2011. The limited edition JCB version will also feature existing Motorola DEFY+ handset functionality such as a 1GHz processor that runs 25 percent faster. Users can make the Motorola DEFY+ JCB edition meet their own personal needs by organising and personalising their Application trays for easy and quick access to their most used tools, games and content.

It also features the Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) which delivers a more intuitive user interface and improvements on the features users choose most – including enhanced calendar and email features, home screen options and better battery life.

Jason Kemp, Marketing Director at Data Select, said: “The Motorola DEFY+ JCB Edition is the perfect extension of an already robust handset. Smartphone use is on the rise amongst construction audiences and this handset perfectly addresses their workday needs.”

The Motorola DEFY+ JCB Edition also includes a car charger with an extra long curly cable. It is available to purchase in all good UK retail stockists from RRP £259.99.

Motorola DEFY+

Key features and specifications of Motorola DEFY+ include:

Powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and features more than 300,000 apps from Android Market™
1 GHz processor that runs 25 percent faster for efficient Web browsing and multitasking
Water resistant, scratch resistant and dust proof to withstand all that life throws users way
Features scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass
3.7-inch high-resolution touch screen display
MOTOBLUR™ lets users stay in touch with friends, providing quick access to social media accounts and live widgets directly from the homescreen
Motorola Media Link allows users to sync their media content from their desktops at home or work
Loaded with the ability to create group emails and communication
Adobe® Flash® Player 10 for uncompromised viewing of applications, content and videos
5MP camera with auto focus, flash and digital zoom
2GB internal; 2GB microSD card in box, expandable up to 32GB1
Access to Google Mobile™ Services (Google Maps™ with Navigation, Google Talk™, browsing)
1700 mAH battery for 7.1 hours of talk time and 16 days in standby2

About JCB

JCB is the world’s third largest manufacturer of construction equipment with 22 factories around the world including 11 in the UK, six in India and others in Brazil, the USA, China and Germany. The company employs more than 10,000 people worldwide and is privately owned by the Bamford family. In 2010 JCB’s earnings on an EBITDA basis were £235 million (2009 – £95 million) on sales of £2 billion.[/toggle]

January 18, 2012
iGyaan Holiday Guide : Best Smartphones for 20000 Rupees
Continuing on with our Tradition of Holiday Guides today we bring the best phones under the 20,000 Rupees mark (15,000 – 20,000), Of course you can check out our under 15,000 guide and Under 10,000 Guide if they better suits your purpose.

(In order of preference)

Android Phones

Samsung Galaxy R (Rs. 20,000) : Have 20k to spend? This is our pick for smartphone under the 20 thousand mark. The dual core smartphone is available at online retailers for prices well below 19k including deals, searching will get you a good deal. The phone performs great and a review done for the second time, by us, will fill you in on required info.

LG Optimus 2X (Rs 18,599) : Although the phone fared poorly in our review, The device has been rooted, modded and been patched to fix all software glitches of the stock ROM, This is a alternative dual core smartphone for the modder and cellphone tweaker. This phone will keep you busy for hours. If you plan to mess around with software on your device this is your poison. Although this may not help you Our Review is here

Motorola Defy Plus (Rs 17,000) : The best rugged phone in this class, with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 512MB ram a 3.7 inch WXGA screen and endless hours of outdoor fun. This is your device if you love the outdoors but want in on the latest smartphone action. The Defy Plus will most probably get the ICS update since it has all supporting hardware ( Considering that Motorola is almost a Google entity now) . Our complete review with the higher priced Xperia Active is here.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V ( Rs 17,499) : Five words : “Timescape plus Mobile Bravia Engine” define what Android on a smartphone should look like. There is nothing that looks and performs as good as the TimeScape UI (Considering only Android OS)on Sony Ericsson Phones ( according to us) The phone is powered with a 1GHZ scorpion processor and features a 3.7 inch Screen with MBE. It has 512 MB Ram and Android 2.3 with a confirmed upgrade for Ice Cream Sandwich. Our Review is Here

There are of-course others that didn’t make the list, Our Reviews can be seen for those:
Blackberry

Curve 9360 (Rs. 19,000) : The curve that runs OS 7, a fix for those who are not yet ready to shift to a full touch Blackberry, and those who are not ready to switch to Android or the likes of iOS. The device is the slimmest Blackberry yet at only 11mm. 800 MHz processor 512MB Ram and 512MB Rom. Check out our Video.

Curve 9380 ( Rs 20,000): The first full touch curve, it brings BB OS 7 and a range of nice changes to the blackberry users, 800 MHz cpu , 512 MB Ram and 512 MB Rom is carried on from its younger cousin above. The device also features a nice 3.2” HVGA+ touch screen with a 480 X 360 pixel resolution at 188ppi. Check out our full review.

iOS

iPhone 3Gs ( Rs 20,000) : Two years old but still selling strong, the iPhone 3Gs supports iOS 5, iCloud, iMessage, Airplay and everything except FaceTime. If you hurry you can cash in on the new iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak and even get Siri working on it. What else could you ask from a two year old phone. in terms of specs, it runs at 600MHz, has 16GB internal storage and 256MB Ram. The AppStore is the largest app market although most new apps may not perform great on the 3Gs. But hey you still get asked the question : “You have an iPhone”? Read our Editorial Here

Symbian

Nokia E6 (Rs. 17,000) : The business power seller from Nokia, If you don’t use a Blackberry, you use a Nokia E Series phone. A Qwerty marvel from Nokia, the device features 2.46-inch Touchscreen making it the first Touch Type – Nokia E Series. The device is loaded with Symbian Anna and comes with a 680 MHz processor, 8 MP camera and a very long battery life, bundled with a excellent build quality. Check out our Unboxing and Review Video

Nokia 701 (Rs. 17,800) : Although stocks are limited on this recently released phone, it seems like a promising option for the Symbian lover, Running the new ~~Symbian Belle~~ Nokia Belle, the device features a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 640 x 360 px. Inbuilt NFC, 1 GHz processor and 8MP Camera with 720p (30fps) Video. Our Review will be out shortly.

Windows Phone

Samsung Omnia W (Rs 18,990) : Launched upwards of 25k , Samsung has fiercely dropped the price of the Omnia taking into record the Nokia Lumia Marketing campaign. The device has a nice 3.7 Inches WVGA Super AMOLED display, 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, and 5MP AF Camera With LED Flash including a VGA front camera. Comes with Windows Phone Mango 7.5 and Samsung Apps. Our Review is Coming Soon

Nokia Lumia 710 (Rs 19,999) : Finally available the Nokia Lumia Series brings the first versions of Nokia Phones running WP7.5 to India. Powered by a 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion Processor the Lumia 710 is the smaller sibling of the highly advertised Lumia 800. This device has 3.7-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display screen with 480 x 800 pixel and a 5MP camera + LED flash. It also has a 512 MB RAM and has Adreno 205 GPU. iGyaan Review Out Shortly.

Other phones that were not designed for Windows 7.5, but still support it fully include the following,( and you can possibly find a good deal on them):

HTC HD 7 : 19,500

HTC Mozart : Rs 19,000

Dell Venue Pro : Rs 20,000

Stay tuned for more Holiday Guides.
December 28, 2011
iGyaan Holiday Guide : Best Phones for 15,000

So many questions, so little time. Its the time for holiday cheer and we are literally getting bombarded with hundreds of emails asking us what phones to buy. So here is our guide for the best options in the Rs. 15000 price.

(In order of preference)

Android Phones

1. Micromax A85 SuperFone : (Rs. 15290) The price drop has already been announced, and at this price it is the best spec’d phone. A dual core Nvidia Tegra 2, 3.8 inch touchscreen, 5 MP camera and gesture control make this the best bet at the price. But sadly it ships with Android 2.2.

2. Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro Sk17i: (Rs 15,000) One of the most recommended devices by iGyaan in 2011 our extensive review will tell you why this device is an excellent purchase.

3. Motorola Defy (Rs 14,000) : The original defy is still an awesome phone, with Android a brilliant rugged construction that resists water and dust. The design is also shock proof. Check out our Review.

4. HTC ChaCha (Rs. 14500): A brilliant form factor with excellent build, the only touch and type phone with this design from HTC. Also the first phone with a dedicated FB button on the Android platform, a Social king. Our Review Covers it.

5. Samsung Galaxy Ace (Rs 13000): One of the most loved phones of 2011 the ace has a nice display along with impressive looks, a good processor and Touchwiz on top of Android 2.3. The device is well supported in the developer community and will get ICS courtesy Root and Custom CM9 rom. Check out our Review

6. HTC Wildfire S (Rs 12,500): Not our last option but an alternative to the Galaxy Ace, the build is far superior also is the quality of materials used. The device features HTC Sense on top of Android 2.3 and is arguably the best built phone of this bracket. The camera in some aspects is better than the Ace and pulls out great images. The processor is only a 600MHz compared to the 800MHz on the Ace. We reviewed it Here

Blackberry

Blackberry Curve 3G 9300 (Rs. 14,450): The only berry in this range, you also get the CDMA version of the curve 8520 (called: 8530) which is not worth mentioning. What is to say this is an old outdated berry running on the older OS6 but features a great and responsive OS. It is a great upgrade for some one on a Blackberry high . We however say, spend more and get the Curve 9380 : we covered here.

Nokia Symbian

Nokia 700 (Rs 15299) : Younger version of the 701, this device is available in the market in select locations, features new Symbian Belle and a 3.2 inch Capacitive Amoled Clear Black display. A 5 Mp camera and 720p video capabilities make it a good competitor. Another add-on is the tough gorilla glass front. The price seems a bit high for this old-school Operating System. The phone also has a 2Gb internal storage and is a grab option for those who refuse to abandon the legendary OS in its dying days.

Nokia 500 (Rs 11,000): Then there is the 500, its the only other Nokia phone in this bracket apart from the discontinued C6-01. This features a 1GHz processor along with a 3.2-inch TFT nHD Capacitive Touchscreen. The phone features Symbian Anna and has great 5MP camera, which is fixed focus. Again price is a bit of a pinch especially because the device is unable to offer the freedom that say an Android device would offer, But on the upside it does have a 1GHz processor.

Windows Phone

Samsung Focus (Rs 14000) : The device was never announced in India, but New and unlocked US versions can be bought on Ebay. The device features a nice 4.0 Inch Super Amoled Display with a native 480 x 800 px resolution. Already updated to Mango this device offers all the new features of Windows Phone 7.5 at a bargain, everything of course except a front facing camera. The Focus also has 8GB of memory and 512MB Ram and 512MB Rom

December 27, 2011

Motorla Defy + vs Sony Ericsson Xperia Active Review

Two phones, multiple battle grounds and various areas of testing. The Motorola Defy Plus in one corner and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Active in the other, the two phones that appear superior in their fields. The true definition of a rugged phone is one that can withstand tortures of daily activities and more.

Build Quality & Design

Both the Xperia Active and the Defy + are made to withstand certain levels of torture, with rugged accents in both their constructions, both devices fared well in waterproof testing. The Motorola Defy + is more of a mans phone, with the industrial looks and design, the strength to withstand drops and scratches. The device is a step above the Active which is not designed to withstand drops as the backpanel scratches and withers easily . Both devices have a gorilla glass front, the Active however has a tuff display which comes preloaded with a impact sheet and a scratch protector. The Defy + has a true full feature gorilla display which does not even need a screen protector to prevent scratches or impacts.

We prefer the looks of the Defy + as a rugged phone, and the fact that it has a much larger display makes it a little bit more attractive. The Active has its own charm and can been seen as a pretty and small device, a possible option for the outgoing ladies.

Hardware and Specs


DEVICE		Sony Ericsson Xperia Active	Motorola Defy +
Availability	Announced on	June 2011	August 2011
	Available	September 2011	October 2011
Battery	Capacity	1200mAh	1700 mAh
	Standby Time	350 hours	384 hours
	Talk Time	6 hours	7 hours
	Type	Lithium Ion	Lithium Polymer
CPU	Speed	1GHz	1GHz
	Type	Qualcomm MSM8255	TI OMAP 3620
Camera	Main	5mp (2592×1944)	5mp (2592×1944)
	Video	720p	720p
Connectivity & Data	Bluetooth	2.1 + EDR	v2.1 A2DP EDR
	EDGE	Class 32, 236.8 kbits	Class 12
	GPRS	Class 32, 88 kbps	Class 12 (4+1/3+2/2+3/1+4 slots), 32 – 48 kbps
	GPS		yes
	HSCSD	HSDPA 7.2 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps	HSDPA 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 2 Mbps
	USB	2.0 microUSB	2.0 microUSB
	Wireless	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n; DLNA	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n; DLNA
Display	Colors	16.8 million	16.8 million
	Resolution	320×480 pixels	480×854 pixels
	Size	3 inches	3.7 inches
	Type	LCD capacitive touchscreen	TFT capacitive touchscreen
General	2G Network	GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900	GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900
	3G Network	HSDPA 900, 2100 OR HSDPA 850, 1900, 2100	HSDPA 900, 2100 OR HSDPA 850, 2100 OR HSDPA 850, 1900
	Alias	ST17i, ST17a	Defy+
	Form Factor	CandyBar	CandyBar
	Price Range
Memory	Call record	Unlimited
	Card Slot	microSD, up to 32 GB, 2 GB included	microSD, up to 32 GB, 2 GB included
	Internal	320MB, 1GB ROM	2 GB
	Phonebook	Unlimited entries
	Ram	512MB	512MB
Operating System	Type	Android	Android
	Version	2.3	2.3
Other Features	Misc Features	Wet finger tracking, ANT+, Water and dust resistant
Size and Weight	Width	55.0 mm (2.15 inches)	59.0 mm (2.30 inches)
	Height	92.0 mm (3.59 inches)	107.0 mm (4.17 inches)
	Depth	16.5 mm (0.64 inches)	13.4 mm (0.52 inches)
	Weight	110 grams (3.9 ounces)	118 grams (4.1 ounces)

Multimedia and Camera

Both devices have a 5 MP camera with LED flash, both have 720p video quality with fairly decent and frame loss capture. The cameras are autofocus and the camera on the Xperia Active performs well, especially outdoors. Both devices come with their own variants on the camera app and the one on the Xperia outshines the one on the Defy. The defy + also lacks a front facing camera for video calls over Voip.

The multimedia experience is somewhat of a dilemma, on one hand you have a larger display and a very loud speaker of the Defy+ and on the other hand you have a small display with a very vivid mobile Bravia engine and a good sounding speaker on the Xperia Active. The Defy+ also has a large resolution making the image and text quality on the device much better.

Both devices performed well in video streaming and playback and were able to sustain a good overall experience, Playing back almost all sorts of media files.

Phone and Networks

The Motorola Defy + and the Xperia Active both have solid phone capabilities, except we noticed that the Defy+ proved to be the strong one in this challenge, the network and call quality for the Defy +was excellent and there were no dropped calls whatsoever. The Defy + also showed off excellent WiFi strength compared to the weak WiFi on the Xperia Active.

The Xperia Active faced some dropped calls and intermittent connectivity issues, not enough to worry us. The WiFi was weak and the company claims that its due to the dual layer shielding on the Active.

Battery Life on the Devices :

	Defy +	Xperia Active
Phone calls 2G	6 Hours	4.5 Hours
Phone calls 3G	4.5 Hours	3 – 3.5 Hours
Internet Surf over Wifi	9.5 Hours	7 Hours
Internet Surf over data	4 Hours	3.55 Hours
Video Playback	upto 7 Hours	upto 5 Hours

UI and Accessories

The Motorola Defy Plus comes with a custom UI on top of Android 2.3, called the MOTOBLUR it socializes your friends, pics, emails, messages, and Facebook, and Twitter happenings. MOTOBLUR syncs them all, with continuous updates and back ups. For Sony Ericsson its called TimeScape, a similar experience plus the good looks of the UI. The overview feature shows off a nice jiggly animation to look at all home screens. The device powers off with the old CRT-TV animation for Gingerbread. Where as, the icons and widgets on the MOTOBLUR are old looking and jagged, remind us of the days of the CRT TV.

The included accessories in the Xperia Active at first seem like a positive, but later out turn out to be meh!. The included extra cover is possibly the only great bit of accessory in the Active, the LiveView watch /clip is an added notification panel with a touchscreen that lets you control music and look at notifications. But guess what its not water resistant or dust proof, so much for outdoor activities. It does come with a host of straps and clips , but since the LiveView does not hold charge or connect properly to the device, you will ignore it more than use it. The Active also comes with a pre installed Screen Protector.

Conclusion

Well both phones have their plus points and downsides, We feel unless you really have a need for a rugged phone, getting some other device would be a better idea simply because of the specs that you would get. If you do need a rugged phone you need to decide between a larger screen or a smoother UI, a industrial vs a playful design. Included add-ons and goodies may or may not mean anything to you, they didn’t to us, especially because they weren’t useful.

We found the Defy Plus a better device, with better looks, battery backup, larger display and overall appeal as a rugged device- it screams Tough Book – Tough Phone!

We rate both devices equally at 4.0

Unboxing Videos

Review Video

Image Gallery

November 21, 2011

Edit : The iPhone 5, What to Expect?
The Anticipation clock of most humans starts to ring with the sight of an Apple Product Launch. This time around people are expecting 3 new launches. The iPod refresh, the iPad with some minor changes and most importantly the iPhone 5 (or iPhone 4s).

The iPhone is the most successful smartphone ever made, with in excess of 18.5 million devices sold this year the iPhone has set records that are yet to be matched. Why everyone loves the iPhone? There could be several answers:
- The User Interface
- The OS
- The Hardware
- The Looks
- The Company Name / Brand Value
- Pricing
It could be any or all of the factors from above, we really don’t know. The iPhone has always been marketed as a magical device, with the right amount of hype. Keeping price at a point where it was just above the competition and just low enough to be an approachable target (for those looking for a smart phone) . This strategy has also led people into believing that Apple Devices are super premium and most people in India still hold them at gold value (sometimes more value that those useless super value phones).

Whatever the reason behind the iPhones popularity, we know a new one is coming and following rumors and yearly cycles , here is what we think the iPhone 5 is going to be like.

Name

The most obvious guess for a name of the upcoming iPhone would be the iPhone 5 , but unless Apple is planning some major changes the new iPhone may just as well be called the iPhone 4s. Whatever said and done the word “iPhone” will be there and a 5 would sound much better than an iPhone 4s. Some people suggest that the new device will be called iPhone 4 HD, but that seems like an unlikely name for a device from Cupertino.

Hardware

There is no guessing the obvious, Apple has already shown off their A5 chipset in the iPad 2 , and just like the iPhone 4 had the iPads chip, the next iPhone will have the new Apple dual core A5 chip. This will boost the speed and performance of the iPhone 5 (we are just going to stick to that name for now) upto four times. Also, in tow will be RAM upgrades and a bigger 8 megapixel camera sensor, which has been talked about.

Various rumors and speculation points to a larger Edge to Edge display on the front of the device. A possible 3.8 inch or even 4 inch capacitive display can do no harm to Apple’s Jesus phone, giving it a larger screen – real estate would require pumping in more pixels per inch to retain the “Retina Display” badge.

Design

Now this is where the controversy starts. The iPhone 4 had a impressively new design which was loved by everyone when it was launched. Mostly everyone appreciated the new stainless steel design, although there were some who said that it was not as nice looking as the original iPhone. The new design brought a lot of possibilities for Apple especially in the components department. A machined design meant that they could stuff their components into the phone and still have room for a large battery. The frame of the iPhone was the most impressively designed structure to be ever used in a SmartPhone, leaving only the glass front and back in question, which did end up weakening the whole device and making it prone to damage.

The Antenna design, dubbed Antennagate put Apple in the wrong kind of limelight and has ever since been know as the “break all or make all” theory for last years Jesus phone. Everyone thought the antenna problem would diminish the sales of the iPhone 4, but it actually gave them so much publicity that the device did better than expectations from the company HQ.

Using a similar antenna on the next iPhone would be a not-so-smart move from Apple, although there are those who would still buy the device, a large chunk of the audience would think that Apple ignores the consumer, and move onto alternatives.

The tear drop design has had many references in rumors of the upcoming iPhone 5, a device machined out of Aluminum (unibody is Apple’s forté) which is really slim for the most part but thicker in arears that will hold the antenna and battery. A device of such design will do fantastically well with the young consumer base of Apple’s baby.

Operating System

We all know the iPhone 5 will have the iOS 5, which will radically enhance the usability of the phone. With dedicated notifications, iMessage, iCloud, Newsstand, Twitter integration, Wireless Device syncing, new photo editing, and the use of volume button as a dedicated camera shutter release. The iOS 5 is ready to give stiff competition to its competitors, still remaining the most secure and bug free mobile OS below the stratosphere . There are still basic features missing from the iOS, bluetooth file transfer being one of them.

One More Thing!

Apple may introduce a new cheaper iPhone this year, to target the Android buying generation. A similar strategy already kind of exists with the iPhone 4 being the pedigree and the iPhone 3Gs being sold for Rs. 19,990 (USD 400).

But these rumors point to a completely new and cheaper device id, possibly a US $ 200 iPhone ( they could relaunch the 3GS at 200 $/ or drop in a sim card in the iPod touch). Nobody really knows till Steve walks up on stage ( hopefully) with the next “Magical” device and amazes the audience watching the event worldwide.

No matter how many expectations are met, the iPhone 5 is coming and its coming soon. So hold on to your monies and wait for its arrival, for you never know what technologies might make you drop loyalties and compel you to make the switch.

Here is a list-up of all the expectations we have
- A Completely new design
- An 8 Megapixel camera possibly on the opposite side of the back panel.
- Separate Camera Flash for better allumination
- Larger screen with the same Retina resolution
- The new A5 chip with 1 GB RAM
- 32/64 Gb capacities
- HD Facetime Camera
- Slimmer profile
- Back panel made out of tougher glass/ Aluminum / Steel
Expectations can run wild, leave a comment below if you have any other expectations!

[polldaddy poll=5223743]
July 11, 2011
Edit : Should You Buy The iPhone 3Gs?

The iPhone 3Gs was a hardware revision device for the iPhone 3G, bringing more CPU power and Ram to the equation. The iPhone 3GS also brought about a better 3.2mp camera with tap to focus.

We got information of the impending re-launch of the iPhone 3Gs on 24th June. Without fail the 3Gs reappeared at the new price point of 20k. Now the question remains does the iPhone 3Gs qualify as a good option? Does is present a value for money deal?

Here is what we think.

The iPhone 3GS was originally launched in 2009 in the US and 2010 in India. The Device features a 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, PowerVR SGX535 GPU, 256 MB RAM, and upto 32GB of storage. The device also currently features iOS 4 and works brilliantly with iOS 5 (we’ve tested it and can verify, that till beta 2 iOS 5 works great on 3GS).

Reading a whole bunch of articles written by Tech – Bloggers , I was shocked at how blatantly the iPhone 3GS was being shot down. Though in a personal opinion the 3GS is an old hardware based device and has specs which would disgruntle almost anyone looking for souped up smartphone. The iPhone 3Gs bring a lot more, than any device at the price point can.

Lets look at it point by point.

1. OS

iOS by far is the simplest of operating systems, designed to be used by a finger. The UI is fluid and begs you to interact with it. Currently multitasking between apps is great on iOS where most Android handsets in that price range don’t support true multitasking, the iPhone 3GS has it and it works great. Using the right setup you can do a lot of things on your device. Wireless sharing of emails, pictures and music, streaming internet radio and movies, home automation, wifi printing and even controlling a quadro-copter the hundreds of thousands of apps from the App Store let you make your imagination run wild, and then, there is an app for that. The Apps are designed to run perfects in harmony with the iOS infrastructure.

The best part (according to me) of iOS for someone who does not understand or have the time to understand the intricate details of technology, is that the system is safe and bug free. Because third party apps go through a strict verification process, seldom do you find an App which would slow your device down. So no matter what you install or how many you install, Apps will not slow down the OS. That makes perfect sense for someone who is not a techie.

On the other hand Android brings the ability to customize the OS, and play around with it, the more you edit and tweak the OS, the more your chances of a system restore appear. Now there is no need to throw a banter, you can be extremely safe with Android, you just have to know what you are installing and what all does it access. But in Android, third party apps can have a built in snooper sending all your information back to the designer of the app.

2. BUILD

While it isn’t an iPhone 4, the 3Gs is pretty solid when it comes to construction. One of the most beautiful phones available today the 3Gs is available in black and white and millions of customization options are available, from skins, decals to plain covers, flip covers, leather covers, plastic covers, branded covers and hard cases. The most number of accessories ever made for a phone? the iPhone stands at number one in that record.

3. Conclusion

When we first heard rumors of the iPhone 3Gs being relaunched, we heard a price point of about 16,500/-. But, when the actual price came to be 20,000/- we lost confidence that Apple would do well selling its last year legend. Sure there are those who would love to buy the 3GS for its “Brand” and its simplicity, there are also those who will buy it for the sheer number of apps and usability features that these apps will give.

There are better options in terms of hardware specs, the rugged motorola defy is much cheaper and its water proof, the Galaxy S, the Nexus S, The Galaxy Sl, Wave 2, Blackberry Bold 3, Nokia N8. Sure these devices have better hardware, But we can promise one thing No operating system in our opinion comes close to the smooth and lag free experience of the iOS running on the iPhone 3GS (Of-course we mean at that price point)

So if you don’t have time to mess with your device / Smartphone get the iPhone 3GS because it doesn’t get any better than this. But if you are more of a tech friendly person get an Android device you will be much happier with the open-ness of Android infrastructure.

[polldaddy poll=5183813]

June 27, 2011
DIY : Motorola Milestone 2.2 Froyo Update now Available, Defy also gets quick Update
According to a reader the 2.2 update for the Motorola Milestone is now available.

To get the update
- Update to the latest version of Motorola Phone Tools
- Go to the help menu and select Phone software update
- Select India in the country selection
- Then select the Milestone in device selection
You should now be able to see the update and start the process.

According to the same reader there is also a quick update for the defy, but its not a Froyo update.

Let us know your feedback below

Thanks : Ankit
April 10, 2011