Nokia 6 - Specs

Nokia 6

United we have more fun

An outstanding phone with latest Android™ and immersive entertainment

• 5.5” bright full-HD display
• Immersive sound with Dolby Atmos®
• 16 MP camera

The design

Designed for perfection, built to last

Nokia 6 continues in the footsteps of our design heritage: it has a striking clean look, a smooth metal exterior and precise details – and five colors to choose from, including a limited edition glossy Arte Black.

Made to be life-proof

The body of Nokia 6 is crafted with integrity from seamless precision-milled aluminium, taking 55 minutes to machine from a solid block of metal. Together with the sculpted Corning® Gorilla® Glass, it’s made with materials that can take on life as you know it.

Smartphones for life

For decades, Nokia phones have stood for beautiful, crafted design and excellent quality. This phone is no different: it’s built to take on life as you know it – with durable and beautiful materials, great feel, and an ideal balance of performance and battery life. What’s best, your Nokia phone will stay secure and up to date with regular software updates.

Screen and sound

Watch and read on the big, bright display

The 5.5” full-HD display and wide color reproduction make it easy to enjoy your entertainment, even while out and about in bright daylight. And the wide viewing angle makes it easy to watch videos with friends.

Immersive entertainment

With Nokia 6’s dual speakers and dedicated amplifier, you get loud sound, deep bass and great clarity. Comes with certified Dolby Atmos® sound.

Camera

Document your life with the 16 MP camera

Snapping photos of your favorite moments is easy with the camera app on Nokia 6. There’s a 16 MP phase detection autofocus camera on the back, and an 8 MP camera on the front. Plus the dual-tone flash on the main camera helps you take natural-looking photos, even in low light.

Latest Android

Pure, secure and up to date

Nokia 6 comes with Android Nougat, the full spread of Google Services and no unnecessary extras. You get an experience that’s focused and clutter-free, and we’ll make sure you keep getting regular updates, so you’ll always stay on top of features and security.

The details

Nokia 6

Outside

• Convenient fingerprint sensor
• Bright full-HD display with sculpted Corning® Gorilla® Glass with wide color reproduction
• 16 MP camera on the back, 8 MP on the front
• Immersive sound with Dolby Atmos® and dual speakers
• Available as both single SIM and dual SIM variants

Inside

• Clean and clutter-free Android Nougat with regular updates
• The latest generation Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 430 processor designed for excellent battery life and improved graphics performance
• 3 GB of RAM
• The full set of Google services, including Google Photos and Google Play
• Loads of space with 32 GB mass storage2 and MicroSD card support up to 128 GB3

Full specifications

In the box

Your Nokia 6

Charger

Charging/data cable

Headset

Quick guide

SIM door key

Design

Colors Arte Black (limited edition), Matte Black, Tempered Blue, Silver, Copper

Size 154 x 75.8 x 7.85 mm (8.4 with camera bump)

Network and connectivity

Network speed LTE Cat. 4, 150Mbps DL/50Mbps UL

Networks GSM: 850/900/1800/1900; WCDMA: Band 1, 2, 5, 8; LTE: Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40

Performance

Operating system Android™ 7.1.1 Nougat

RAM Arte Black, 4 GB; all other colors, 3 GB

CPU Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 430 mobile platform

Storage

Internal memory Arte Black, 64 GB2; all other colors, 32 GB2

MicroSD card slot Support for up to 128 GB

Services Google Drive

Audio

Connector 3.5 mm headphone jack

Speakers Dual speakers

Amplifier Smart amplifier (TFA9891) with Dolby Atmos®

Display

Size and type 5.5” IPS LCD

Resolution Full-HD (1920 x 1080, 16:9)

Material Sculpted Corning® Gorilla® Glass

Pixel density 403 ppi

Brightness 450 nits, laminated

Features Sunlight readability

Camera

Primary camera 16MP PDAF, 1.0um, f/2, dual tone flash

Front-facing camera 8MP AF, 1.12um, f/2, FOV 84 degrees

Connectivity and sensors

Connectivity Micro USB (USB 2.0), USB OTG, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1

Sensors Accelerometer (G-sensor), ambient light sensor, e-compass, Hall sensor, fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor, NFC (sharing)

Battery life

Battery type Integrated 3000 mAh battery4

Moto E, Moto G and Moto X Start Receiving Android 4.4.3 KitKat Update

Moto E, Moto G and Moto X Start Receiving Android 4.4.3 KitKat Update

Motorola, soon after Google released the Android 4.4.3 KitKat factory images for Nexus devices, on Tuesday announced the same update for its Moto E, Moto G and Moto X.
In a blog post, Steve Horowitz, SVP, Software Engineering, Motorola said, "We are excited to announce some icing on top of the, well, KitKat. Starting today [Tuesday], we are rolling out Android 4.4.3, KitKat, which was just released by Google."

The company notes that the latest Android 4.4.3 KitKat update for Motorola handsets will start rolling out this week, with the first recipients listed by Motorola. Moto X T-Mobile users will receive the update first, while Moto G users in the US, who bought the smartphone online (also includes Moto G 4G LTE), and the Moto G users in Brazil, will receive the first updates for the handset.

For the Moto E, US users who bought the handset online will receive the update first. The company also notes that the Moto E will be receiving the next major Android update (as yet unspecified) as well, and added, "Consider this the cherry on top."

The company has announced that the Android 4.4.3 KitKat update for Moto E, Moto G and Moto X can be expected to be rolled-out globally in the coming weeks.

According to Motorola, the new Android 4.4.3 KitKat update for Moto E, Moto G and Moto X brings an improved dialler with updated interface; stability, framework and security fixes, as well as enhancements to the power profile capabilities.

Motorola has also listed the changelog for the Android 4.4.3 KitKat update for all three Moto smartphones. The Moto E will be receiving an updated phone dialler with a new graphical layout and colours to get better consistency and usability.

The Moto G, on the other hand, will be receiving a new pause video recording feature on the viewfinder; an updated phone dialler, much like the Moto E, and access to Motorola Alert, which is an app that sends periodic alerts with the user's location to selected contacts.

Lastly, the Moto X receives camera enhancements such as improved image quality with consistent exposure and flash colouring, as well as better photos in low light conditions using front camera.

The update for Moto X also brings ability to pause video recording with a pause/resume button on the viewfinder, much like the Moto G update. The Moto X also receives the updated phone dialler and can now download the Motorola Alert app.

In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition also started receiving Android 4.4.3 KitKat update. The new update for Galaxy S4 GPE brings usual fixes for bugs and improvements to security, and stability

10 Excellent Features Introduced in the latest iOS 8

10 Excellent Features Introduced in the latest iOS 8

Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2014 has kicked off in style, with the Cupertino-giant unveiling it’s upcoming mobile operating system dubbed as iOS 8. While the design is almost the same as iOS 7 except a few new animations, Apple has introduced many new features and enhancements to make the OS better than its predecessor. If you missed the Apple keynote yesterday, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming iOS 8:

1. Compatibility
Apple has a history of providing support for old devices. When iOS 7 came it out last year, it came with support for the good old iPhone 4 as well. And, this year, the latest iOS 8 will be compatible with iPhone 4S as above — sorry iPhone 4 owners, but you’ll not get iOS 8. The complete list of devices include, iPhone 4S/5/5S/5C, iPad Mini, iPad Mini with Retina, iPad Air, iPad 2, iPad with Retina and iPod 5th generation. This is a handsome list of devices, meaning that all popular iOS devices will get the update.

2. Health and Fitness Dashboard
As rumored before, the new iOS 8 comes with a Health dashboard which give users the ability to measure fitness-related metrics, such as calories burnt, heart rate, cholesterol level, sleeping patterns, and more. What’s even more interesting is the way the data is collected. Some of it comes from wearables such as Nike bands, while others come from apps and third-party sources such as Mayo Clinic. It also let users create an emergency card, which is displayed on the lockscreen for emergency purposes.

3. Improved Notification Center and Multitasking
The new iOS 8 brought some much needed improvements. One of the most notable ones is the interactive notifications, a new feature which give users the ability to respond to notifications from the Notification Center. This means you can reply to your emails, messages or texts without leaving the app you’re using. You can even comment or like Facebook posts from the notification center.

In addition, the new operating system adds more content to the multitasking screen. Along with the opened applications, the multitasking screen on the device now shows your favorite contacts so you can contact them from the multitasking window.

4. Messages
There are some new features for the messaging app as well. Now, you can send voice notes, images, and even create groups where you can multiple contacts and get in touch with them — send images, voice notes, video clips and make calls. You can even share your location with the group of friends, to let them know where you are, or if you’re waiting to meet them.

5. QuickType Keyboard
The new OS also comes with an improved version of the keyboard, which they call it QuickType. Personally, I feel like the existing iOS keyboard is already very good, but the new one makes it even better. The new keyboard suggests words periodically to complete the sentences —  the prediction capabilities demoed during WWDC keynote looked pretty good. It even recognizes whether you’re writing in the Mail or Messages app. At the moment, the predictive text is optimized for 14 countries, including US, UK, Canada,

6. Family Sharing
This is another interesting feature which give family members the ability to share their iTunes content, such as app purchases and iBooks with other members of the family. Once enabled, you can even access content from other family members. You can even set up a family photo stream where images taken by your family members on all devices. It’s not just sharing content, you can even find out where you family members are on a map, which is similar to the Find My iPhone app.

7. iCloud Drive
iCloud Drive is a cloud storage service which lets users save their files, documents and other media files online, and access them on any iOS device you own. It’s not just iOS devices, you can even view and work with the files on your Mac or PC.

8. Handoff
The new Handoff feature is another notable one introduced in the iOS 8. The new feature connects iOS devices together so you can work in conjunction. This means you can start writing an email on your iPhone, and continue where you left off on your iOS device and vice versa. It even lets you check and reply to messages from your Mac, and you can even answer calls on your Mac or iPad, provided its running the latest OS X Yosemite and iOS 8, respectively. No need to find out where your smartphone is when you are working.

9. Spotlight
Spotlight is the new iOS search feature, which let users search for anything, such as their installed apps, iTunes content, and much more. It will show you everything, even from third-party sources such as Wikipedia or any news related to the searched query.

10. Touch ID And New APIs
This is another interesting access Apple is giving to third-party developers. Previously, Touch ID was only accessible for security purposes to unlock your device or to make iTunes purchases. But, with iOS 8, developers can create apps which can make use of the sensor. It’s not just the Touch ID access, the new SDK comes with 4,000 new APIs for developers to explore the capabilities of the OS.

11. Release Date
The developer preview of iOS 8 is already available for registered developers so they can test their apps, and explore the new APIs for their apps, to make full use of the operating system. For consumers, the operating system will launch this fall, and possibly with the new iPhone. Apple is rumored to be working on two new iPhones which are expected to see the light of the day this fall, possibly with a bigger screen.

There you go folks. I think Apple has done a commendable job with the latest iOS 8 operating system, adding new features and enhancements, and much more. What do you think about iOS 8? Let us know using the comments below

Sony Xperia T3 super-slim Android smartphone launched

Sony Xperia T3 super-slim Android smartphone with 5.3-inch display and quad-core processor launched

Earlier today Sony put up a teaser poster of a new device claiming it’s the ‘next big thing’ and now it has announced the super-slim Xperia T3. While it may not be as thin as the Gionee Elife S5.5 (5.5mm), it still boasts a thickness of only 7mm. Sony has revealed that the device will be available ‘from the end of July’ in select markets.
As far as specifications are concerned, the Xperia T3 flaunts a 5.3-inch HD 720p display with a pixel density of 277ppi and is powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Also included is, 8GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 32GB using a microSD card.

The smartphone also features an 8-megapixel rear camera, 1.1-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 2,500mAh battery that the company claims is good enough for more than 12 hours of talktime and up to 688 hours on standby mode.

Connectivity options include LTE support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and on the software front, it runs on Android 4.4 KitKat. Sony hasn’t mentioned if the device boasts water and dust resistant capabilities, but chances are it does. Design-wise, it follows Sony’s Omnibalance design language, but in place of the glass back the Xperia T3 might get a matte finish.

As mentioned above, there is currently no word on the pricing or when Sony plans on launching the device in India.

Another killer for MOTO E by XOLO

Budget KitKat invasion continues as XOLO Q600s arrives for Rs 8,499

We had earlier featured the Q1000 Opus, which was launched late last year now we have another addition to the Q-series by XOLO called the Q600s, which runs on the Android KitKat 4.4.
 
The device will sport a 4.5-inch qHD IPS display with a screen resolution of 960 x 540. To enhance the smartphone’s touch response experience, it comes with OGS (One Glass Solution) and full lamination. The smartphone is powered by a 1.2GHz Broadcom quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM. The phone comes with a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and a VGA one in front. It also has 4GB in-built storage which is expandable using a microSD card. The 2000mAh battery provides a standby time 400 hours and a talk time up to 11 hours.
 
The smartphone features a dual-SIM card slot and houses 3G, Bluetooth and GPS as part of the connectivity options. The smartphone is priced at Rs. 8499 and will be available in two colours, black and white. The popular e-commerce website Snapdeal has an introductory price-tag of Rs 7499, but it is likely to increase.
 
XOLO smartphones are known to be present across urban India with product being available in almost of major retail stores.

Here’s the list of iPads and iPhones compatible with iOS

Here’s the list of iPads and iPhones compatible with iOS

Moments ago Apple unveiled iOS 8 with a number of new features. Our favorites include Continuity that lets you take calls and messages on iPad and Mac apart from being able to seamlessly continue working from one device to another, the ability of third-party apps to finally be able to talk to each other and that users will now finally be able to download third-party keyboards. Apple has announced that iOS 8 will be available this Fall, which is also when we should see new iPhones and iPads. Along with the new kit, Apple also released a list of iOS devices that will be able to upgrade to iOS 8 when it is available.

The list is pretty comprehensive and a bit surprising at the same time. It includes the iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPod touch 5th generation, iPad 2, iPad with Retina display, iPad Air, iPad mini and iPad mini with Retina display. We were not expecting Apple to support iPhone 4s and the iPad 2, which are barely able to run iOS 7 but there we have it

Apple iPhone 6 spotted on leaked WWDC slides

Apple iPhone 6 spotted on leaked WWDC slides, could be unveiled at the developer’s conference

Rumors have been rife that Apple is planning on unveiling iOS 8 and the latest OS X 10.10 at its WWDC conference. But now it seems the company is also planning on announcing its much anticipated iPhone 6 at the same event. A video has surfaced online showing off the stage at the Moscone Center in San Francisco as well as some slides featuring iPhone 6 running through a screen behind the stage.
The slides show off the front, back and sides of what appears to be the iPhone 6. The images are consistent with the leaked iPhone 6 dummies we have seen before. The phone in the slides has a silver-white colored chassis and comes with rounded edges, which seem to be based on the design language of the latest generation iPads.

Just to recap, iPhone 6 is expected to feature a bigger screen and will come in two variants, one with a 4.7-inch display and the other with a 5.5-inch display. It is also expected that the iPhone 6 will boast 1704×960 pixels Retina display, which will be 3X the current iPhone’s 568×320 pixels display. The iPhone 6 is likely to come in a slimmer design with curved edges, and might feature a power button on the side instead of the top panel. The phone is also rumored to be powered by a new A8 SoC.

If Apple does take the wraps off the iPhone 6 next week, it will surprise many as earlier reports had pegged a launch for September. This would also be the first time after the iPhone 4 that Apple is unveiling a new hardware at the WWDC

Motorola shipped Moto G units with unregistered IMEI numbers in India

Motorola shipped Moto G units with unregistered IMEI numbers in India, offers refund and replacement for the faulty units

For those who are facing issues related to network with their Moto G smartphone, Motorola has issued an advisory regarding an activation problem found in some units of the Moto G smartphones in India. The company has posted on Facebook that they are working on this problem caused due to a programming errors in some units of Moto G smartphones, and have apologized for the trouble caused to its users. The company has also mentioned that all the Moto G smartphones with IMEI number beginning with 3533 are the affected by the bug.

Motorola has posted on their Facebook account page that:

“Dear #MotoG customers, we’ve uncovered an activation problem with some #MotoG devices sold in India as they have been shipped with IMEI numbers that are not yet registered with carriers. If you have recently purchased a Moto G and have network connectivity problems this may apply to you. This is due to a programming error from our end and we owe you a big apology! We are working around the clock to resolve this. If you are impacted, we’ve sent you an email via Flipkart to explain everything and what we’re doing to make it right.”

The company has also started sending out email to its consumers to inform them about the bug. Moreover, in order to compensate to the problem caused, Motorola is also offering its users some options like it is giving free credit of Rs 1,200 to users in their Flipkart Wallets, which can be used to buy Motorola’s Shells and other Motorola’s products from the site. It is also running a replacement offer to give a new unit of the phone in lieu of the faulty unit, as well as a refund offer to return the whole amount of the phone to those users who wish to return the faulty units of the phone via Flipkart.

[Update: Here is Motorola's statement to BGR India

A batch of Moto G devices have been shipped with IMEI numbers that are not yet registered with carriers, which prevents the devices from accessing the carrier network. We are working tirelessly with our partner Flipkart to fix this issue. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to customers and we are taking measures to ensure this does not happen again.

“We are offering affected customers a goodwill gesture of credit on their Flipkart account with which they can buy something of their choice. If customers don't want to wait a couple of days for the phone to be activated, they can exchange it for an operational unit or return it to Flipkart for a full refund, no questions asked.”

Top 13 Image Editing Apps for Android

Top 13 Image Editing Apps for Android

We use our Android phone for calling, texting, emailing, photography etc. Among all these, photography is the next most important purpose of Android phones.
We click pictures everywhere, in every mood, celebrations, holidays, etc. We keep our photos on our Android, share it with our friends on social media, frame them or even make collages. For all these things we should do some basic (or Advanced) editing to our photos to make it look perfect.
We are presenting a list of 13 Best Image Editing Apps for Android that you will love. The most interesting thing is that they all are free.
1. Pixlr Express – Photo Editing

Pixlr Express is one of the most popular and highly rated photo editing app for Android. You can do professional editing to your picture even if you are not a professional editor or even if you have never edited a photo before.
You can very easily crop, rotate or adjust images while saving or sharing it with someone. Pixlr is full is special effects with more than 600 creative special effects. There is a ‘Auto Fix’ option that automatically balances color, brightness and adjusts for poor lighting conditions.

There are various Overlays to adjust mood of the photo. Different types of lighting effects also added. You can add borders, different fonts, overlays, remove red-eye, draw sketch, layout, background etc.
Pixlr Express has social media integration. Share you photos directly with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or Google+
2. Cymera – Camera & Photo Editor

Cymera is a very good camera app for portraits. There are huge variety of lenses and shooting modes available to add beauty to your photo. More than 800 decoration options are offered with amazing collage effects to make your picture perfect.
Cymera has more than 20 hand-picked and carefully selected filters, 70 different makeup and hair items to help you complement your looks. You can create beautiful collage with Cymera. It has different collage layouts. There are many online collage making tools are also available.

3. PicsArt – Photo Editing

Everyone can become an artist using PicsArt. It is available for free at Google Play Store and has got several million downloads. Its drawing tool has got abundant features like various artistic brushes, layers to create mobile images look like real paintings. With DrawCam mode you can combine real-time photos with editing, drawing, layering etc.
With its social network, you can share your images and participate in photography, drawing, graphic design contests.

4. Photo Editor by Aviary

Aviary is a great brand in Photography. Photo Editor by Aviary is a free photo editing app for Android devices. You will get all your photo editing needs fulfilled with this. It provides an easy way to beautiful photos.
There are various features like one tap auto enhance, sharpen, blur, color splash, focus, drawing, adding text, etc. You can adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, colors etc. in your picture.

5. Photo Editor Pro

Photo Editor Pro is a powerful image editing software from Zentertain. It offers various image editing features. You can adjust light, brightness, contrast, color etc. It offers all the basic image editing features provided by other apps in the list.

6. Adobe Photoshop Express

Adobe Photoshop is already very famous for editing images on computer. For basic editing you can straighten you photo, crop, resize and remove red eye. It has one touch auto image enhancement feature.
Photoshop Express has more than 20 eye-catching effects and filters. Share your photos with friends on Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler and Google+.

7. QuickPic

QuickPic is a bit different. It not only allow you to edit your picture but also manages them well. You can view slide show with best quality. Include or exclude specific folders for more efficient scanning.
You can crop, rotate, resize, shrink your photos. The app is optimized for Android HD tablets. The best thing is that it is free and has no ads. You can also play animated GIFs and standard videos.

8. Photography editor

Make funny and amusing photos of your friends with Photography Editor. You can change the original photo and fool your friend. There are a number of effects like snow effect, falling leaves effect, rain effect etc.
Choose and apply frame to your picture. Write over your image or drawing. Photography Editor is available for free.

9. Photo Effects Pro

Photo Effects Pro provides you an easy and fun way to enhance your photos. Its powerful editing tools add beauty to your image. There are over 40 amazing filters and effects to enhance looks.
Use your fingers to add funny stickers and badges to your picture. There are lovely frames you can rotate, move and zoom by fingers. This app enables to you to make beautiful collage of photos.

10.Snapseed

Snapseed makes photo editing a fun and enhances your picture beauty. It also offers one tap auto correct feature like many others in the list. Experiment with a variety of filters like Drama, Vintage, Tilt-Shift etc.
Share your creations with friends on social media network.

11. Photo Studio

It is an image editing app full of features. More than 150 unique filters in different categories, 100+ special effects, 500 stickers in different categories etc. Magic tools like auto levels, area-auto-levels, lens boost, add text to image, adjust brightness & contrast and many such things.

12. Photo Grid – Collage Maker

With Photo Grid, you can make instant and beautiful collages very easily. There are variety of layouts for photo grids, wallpapers, photo walls, albums and collages. Its editors allows you to move, swap, rotate, zoom, sketch, etc in the photo lab.

13. Photo Editor For Android

It is a free and simple image editor for Android. You can do all the basic image editing easily. Fill effects, blur, sharpen, straighten, control brightness and a lot such things with Photo Editor for Android app.

Eight Android 4.4 KitKat smartphones you can buy under Rs. 20,000

Eight Android 4.4 KitKat smartphones you can buy under Rs. 20,000

Google announced Android 4.4 KitKat in November last year, but smartphones running the latest version of Android have been few and far between. Even the ones available often come with a stiff price tag, especially in India.

The sub-Rs. 20,000 segment might not grab headlines, but for most people it represents the segment to which their first smartphone belongs. We pick eight smartphones in this segment running the latest Android version, but before that, let's take a look at the improvements in KitKat itself.

Android 4.4 KitKat: What's New?
Android 4.4 KitKat has a number of changes compared to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean including more immersive graphics, as well as deeper integration with Google's intelligent assistant, Google Now.

Android 4.4 allows users' to just say "OK Google" from the home screen to launch the Google Now assistant and do a voice search, send a text, get directions and even play a song. Google has been enhancing Google Now with new card types that bring information about contextual topics that interest users such as updates from favourite websites.

Android KitKat also comes with visual changes including a translucent menu bar located at the bottom of the screen, and new transition effects when you open the app launcher. You can preview wallpapers in full-screen before applying and also the wallpapers now extends through the notification tray as well.

The Quick Settings notifications in the Android KitKat menu toggles also add a 'location settings' toggle. A new Emoji keyboard for emoticons is now included in the native Google Keyboard.

There is a new Phone (dialer) app, which automatically prioritises the users' contacts based on the people they talk to the most

Google introduced a new unified messaging app in Android KitKat with Hangouts getting SMS and MMS integration, in addition to offering instant messaging through Google accounts (erstwhile Google Talk), a change that is not entirely desirable.

In addition, Android 4.4 KitKat has brought platform support for two new composite sensors - step detector and step counter. These sensors allows users to track steps when they're walking, running, or climbing stairs, via apps and hardware that support the feature.

Some other additions in the Android KitKat include better support for cloud printing, enhanced connectivity options, and better accessibility.

Google says that Android 4.4 KitKat has been designed to run fast, smooth, and responsively not only on high-end devices but also on entry-level ones that have as low as 512MB of RAM.

We now take a look at these best Android 4.4 KitKat-based smartphone options available in the Indian market under Rs. 20,000 - and let you work out which one's best for you.

1. Moto E (Rs. 6,999)
Motorola announced its most affordable smartphone in Moto range, the Moto E running Android 4.4 KitKat at Rs. 6,999. The Moto E has created a buzz in the Indian market with its affordable pricing.

Moto E comes with 4.3-inch display with a qHD (540x960 pixel) resolution and 256ppi pixel density. Motorola is also touting the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen of the phone, along with its 'water-nano coating' which provides a measure of water resistance. The Moto E is a dual-SIM phone that supports Micro-SIM cards and an 'intelligent calling feature.'

Moto E is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor along with Adreno 302 GPU alongside 1GB of RAM. Motorola's latest budget offering comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera and packs a 1980mAh battery.

2. Xolo Q1000 Opus (Rs. 8,180)
The Xolo Q1000 Opus runs Android 4.2 out-of-the-box but received the Android 4.4 KitKat update recently, making it the first sub-Rs. 10,000 handset to run the latest Android version.

With the rollout of KitKat for the Q1000 Opus, Xolo also became one of the first domestic handset makers which announced Android 4.4 KitKat update for its smartphones. However, we are yet to see updates coming for other Xolo smartphones.

Xolo launched the Q1000 Opus back in December last year at Rs. 9,999. The Xolo Q1000 Opus is a dual-SIM phablet with support for GSM+GSM and features a 5-inch FWVGA IPS display with 480x854 pixels resolution. It continues the Q range tradition and sports a 1.2GHz quad-core Broadcom BCM23550 processor with Videocore IV GPU and 1GB of RAM. It sports a 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera accompanied by an LED flash and also includes a VGA front-facing camera.

3. Moto G (Rs. 12,499 (8GB) / (16GB) Rs. 13,499)
This year saw one of the popular global handset manufacturers enter the Indian smartphone arena, after a brief sabbatical. Yes, we are talking about Motorola that grabbed a lot of eye balls thanks to its Moto G.

Motorola's Moto G was an attempt to grab buyers' attention by offering a number of features at an extremely reasonable price. The Moto G ships with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean but the Android 4.4.2 KitKat is available OTA.

One of the biggest highlights of the Moto G is its 4.5-inch 720x1280-pixel IPS LCD, which works out to a density of 329 pixels per inch. It is powered by 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with Adreno 305 graphics and 1GB of RAM onboard.

4. LG L70 Dual (Rs. 13,560)
LG seems to be throwing everything it has behind its range of 'L' series smartphones by introducing its third-generation devices in the new L Series III range. All of which are based on Android 4.4 KitKat.

The LG L70 Dual made its way to the Indian market recently and features company's proprietary Optimus 3.0 UI customisation on top of Android.

The L70 Dual features a 4.5-inch IPS LCD display, packing a WVGA (400x800 pixels) resolution and a pixel density of 207ppi. The smartphone comes with 1GB of RAM, and is paired with a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon 200 processor alongside an Adreno 302 GPU. It sports a 5-megapixel rear autofocus CMOS camera and also houses a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera.

5. Karbonn Titanium Octane (Rs. 14,490)
Large displays seem to be the craze among handset manufacturers these days. Karbonn has played a prominent part in the large phone display race and released three new Android smartphones in India.

The Karbonn Titanium Octane, as the name suggests runs on a 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor with 1GB of RAM. It features a 5-inch HD IPS display and sports a 13-megapixel rear camera, accompanied by a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

6. LG L90 Dual (Rs. 16,745)
The LG L90 Dual is part of company's third-generation L Series device and runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box, which is the highlight of LG's new mid-range smartphone.

The LG L90 Dual offers Knock Code, which is company's evolution of the KnockON feature that first debuted last year in the LG G2 (Review | Pictures).

It sports a 4.7-inch IPS display with qHD (540x960 pixels) resolutio and is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor with 1GB of RAM. The LG L90 Dual sports an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera.

7. Karbonn Titanium Hexa (Rs. 16,990)
The Karbonn Titanium Hexa features a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) LTPS display, and is powered by a 1.5GHz hexa-core MediaTek MT6591 processor that is coupled with 2GB of RAM.

The Titanium Hexa bears a 13-megapixel rear autofocus camera with flash, and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

8. Karbonn Titanium Octane Plus (Rs. 17,990)
The Karbonn Titanium Octane Plus features a 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixel) IPS display, and runs on the 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor, however, with 2GB of RAM. It features a 16-megapixel autofocus rear camera with an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.

All three Karbonn phones mentioned here will be available in the market soon, with the Titanium Hex slated to be available from Amazon from May 20.

Bonus
Lava has just announced the first smartphone in its new Iris X range - the Iris X1, which will be running Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box and will be priced under Rs. 8,000. Lava also revealed that the Iris X1 features a 4.5-inch IPS display and an 8-megapixel rear camera

LG announces new G Pad 7.0, G Pad 8.0, G Pad 10.1 tablets

LG announces new G Pad 7.0, G Pad 8.0, G Pad 10.1 tablets

New Delhi: Extending its G Pad tablet series, LG has announced the launch of three new tablets. The new G Pad devices - G Pad 7.0, G Pad 8.0 and G Pad 10.1 - will be unveiled at the MedPI 2014, one of the biggest tech trade shows in Europe, from May 13-16.
"Unlike smartphones, tablets are not one size fits all. So we designed the G Pad Series for a diverse target audience, some who prioritise portability while others want the best multimedia experience possible," said said Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of the LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.
The LG G Pad 7.0 will be LG's smallest tablet that the company claims will deliver both portability and power. The 8-inch G Pad 8.0 will be a mid-sized tablet, while the LG G Pad 10.1 will have a 10.1-inch display.
The new G Pad tablets will also include LG's proprietary UX features such as QPair 2.0 and Knock Code. With an updated version of QPair, which was first introduced on G Pad 8.3, users can connect to their Android-powered smartphones via Bluetooth to receive notifications of calls and messages and now be able to respond directly from the G Pad.
Knock Code enables users to power on and unlock their LG smartphones in one easy step by entering a personalised pattern on the smartphone's display. The knock pattern can be entered anywhere on the screen in any size - with the display on or off.
Additional details of LG's new tablets, including specifications and availability, will be announced locally in the weeks ahead, says the company

Nokia expected to launch its first dual-SIM Lumia smartphone in India on Monday

Nokia expected to launch its first dual-SIM Lumia smartphone in India on Monday; likely to be priced around Rs 10,000

New Delhi: Upping its ante in the fiercely competitive Indian smartphone market, Nokia India, a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobiles Oy, is all set to launch its dual-SIM smartphone - Lumia 630 - in India on Monday. The phone will will take head-on likes of Moto G, HTC Desire and Samsung's Duos. The phone is likely to be priced around Rs 10,000.
Two weeks into acquiring Nokia's handset division, software giant Microsoft is aggressively targeting the dual SIM market in India, which it believes is "critically important".
According to press invites sent by Nokia, the new device to be unveiled is "Fast", "Precise" and "Powerful". It further reads "The Power Of Two", hinting that the device could be the Lumia 630, which was announced last month at Microsoft's Build Conference in San Francisco.
Announcing the latest range of Lumia devices, Microsoft Devices Group EVP Stephen Elop had said dual-SIM capability is "critically important" in emerging markets like India and China.
Quoting analysts, Elop noted that in the year 2016 people will buy more than 100 million dual-SIM smartphones.
"The Lumia 630 dual-SIM capability opens up that market to all of us, so I'm really, really excited about that," he had said.
The Lumia 630 was slated for roll out in May, beginning with Asia, India/Middle East, South America and Europe, at $159 (about Rs 9,500) for the single-SIM variant and $169 (around Rs 10,100) for the dual-SIM variant before taxes and subsidies.
Powered by Windows Phone 8.1, the Lumia 630 features a 4.5-inch display, 5-megapixel auto focus camera and 8GB of expandable internal storage.
This would put the device in direct competition with devices like Moto G, HTC Desire and Samsung Galaxy Duos, which have done well in the affordable smartphone market in India.
As per IDC, the affordable smartphone segment is driving smartphone adoption in the country, where homegrown firms like Micromax and Karbonn have a strong presence. Last year alone, the market grew three-fold to 44 million devices from 16.2 million units in 2012

Moto E coming to India on Tuesday

Moto E coming to India on Tuesday: 6 things you should know about the 'priced for all' Motorola phone

New Delhi: Having launched its budget Moto G and mid-range Moto X smartphones in India, Motorola seems to be all set to surpise smartphone lovers with its new phone. While there is no official word on the yet-to-be-announced Motorola phone, except that it will be a "priced for all" device, the Internet is abuzz with information about what will be the first smartphone from Motorola after being sold to Lenovo by Google early this year. Here are six things that we think you should know about the upcoming low-cost Motorola phone:
1. Motorola will be unveiling its new smartphone on May 13. While the comapny has not revealed its name, rumours are that the phone will be called the Moto E.
2. The rumoured Motorola smartphone, Moto E, last week was found listed on Zauba, an Indian website that keeps a track of goods imported to India. Accoridng to the listing, the Moto E has been imported to India at Rs 6,300 per unit. Having considered the prices at which the Moto G and Moto X were brought to the domestic market and the actual prices at which they went on sale, it can be reasoned out that the "priced for all" - as the company has mentioned in its media invites - smartphone, Moto E, will go on sale at or under Rs 8,500 (including local taxes).
3. With Bangalore mentioned as the import city in the data available on Zauba, it is speculated that the Moto E will also be a Flipkart exclusive. Motorola has earlier made its two smartphones - Moto G and Moto X - available in India exclusively via Bangalore-based online retailer Flipkart.
4. A Brazilian retailer last week published a few images of the phone along with its specs. Reportedly, the Moto E will have a 4.3-inch display, 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon along with 1GB RAM, and a 1,980mAh battery. It will sport a 5 megapixel camera and will support a memory card of up to 32GB for additional storage. The phone will run Android 4.4 KitKat.
5. The phone is expected to be announced globally in both single SIM and dual-SIM variants; it is unknown whether both the models will make their way to India, or only one of them will be announced for the Indian market. The phone is expected to be available in India immediately after the launch.
6. Like the Moto G, the upcoming Moto E will support swappable back covers (Motorola Shells), which will be available in various colours.
Moto E in leaked images

Samsung Galaxy S5 vs iPhone 5S vs HTC One M8: Battle of the flagships (comparison)

Samsung Galaxy S5 vs iPhone 5S vs HTC One M8: Battle of the flagships (comparison)

In the past, we’ve done quite a few comparisons, comparing iPhone 5S against the HTC One M8, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. It’s a competitive market out there, and you must consider all available options before you decide to spend your hard earned cash on a high-end device.

It’s not just the Android handsets, Apple’s flagship device has come up against all odds in many situations, so we’re going to put it up against the two best flagship Android devices and see where it stands. Let’s just see what’s so different between these three flagship devices.

Display

This is one of the most differentiating factor between the iPhone 5S and other Android flagships available in the market. With time, the devices are getting bigger and bigger, but Apple decided to use the same 4-inch retina display 1136 x 640 pixels with a 326 ppi density for its iPhone 5S when it debuted in September last year. As for the Samsung and HTC, they slightly increased the screen size of their flagship device. HTC One M8 was bumped to 5-inch boasting a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels with 441 ppi pixel density, compared to 4.7-inch screen in its predecessor. As far as the Samsung Galaxy S5 is concerned, it was a minor increase and boasted a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED 1080p display.

iPhone definitely lags behind compared to both devices as it comes with a lower resolution. The high 1080p display on the Samsung Galaxy S5 is fantastic, so is HTC One M8. The high resolutions makes it better if you are watching videos on the device, or even for general day-to-day usage.

Processing Power

This might be a challenging one. Apple uses its own A7 64-bit processor in the iPhone 5S, while Samsung and HTC decided to go with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 SoC. On paper, iPhone 5S looks less powerful since it comes with a dual-core processor, compared to the quad-core Snapdragon 801 SoC on both the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. Both devices also feature 2GB of RAM compared to 1GB in the iPhone 5S.

However don’t let this thing fool you. iPhone 5S provides comparable processing power as the other two Android devices. It’s not just because of iOS as its operating system, but because it comes with a 64-bit architecture. On the other hand, Android isn’t compatible with 64-bit processors and the Snapdragon 801 is a 32-bit processor. Things might change with the next big Android update, but for now, it’s 32-bit.

Design

This is where Apple and HTC have surpassed Samsung. HTC One M8 comes with a beautiful aluminium design, so is the iPhone 5S. Both devices gives a premium look when held in hand, while Samsung decided to go with plastic again. It’s not the same one as found in the Samsung Galaxy S4, but it still is plastic.

Samsung Galaxy S5 measures 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm while the HTC One M8 is 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4 mm dimensions. As for the iPhone 5S, it is thinner than the two and measures 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm. It’s successor, the iPhone 6, is expected to be thinner than the iPhone 5S, and is reportedly coming with a larger display.

Samsung Galaxy S5 is IP67 certified, making the handset dust and water-resistant up to a certain extent, while the feature is not present in iPhone 5S or the HTC One M8. I’m not sure how useful it can be to make a person go for the Samsung Galaxy S5 just because it’s water resistant.

Storage Options

This is where iPhone 5S is behind the two flagship Android devices. Apple iPhone 5S comes with three 16/32/64GB storage options without any expandable storage. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 features 16GB of storage which can be expanded via a microSD card. Additionally, you also get free cloud storage with the latter two — Galaxy S5 comes with 50GB of Dropbox storage for two years while the HTC One M8 comes with 50GB Google Drive storage for the same amount of time.

Camera

Apple iPhone 5S comes with an 8MP rear camera with 1.5µ pixels and an f/2.2 aperture, as a tru tone flash. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a 16MP ISOCELL camera with 1.12 µm pixel size and 1/2.6” sensor size. As for the HTC One M8, it comes with Duo cameras on the back consisting of 4MP UltraPixel as well as a depth sensor with UFocus to let you focus on a single element in the picture while blurring the remaining image.

The camera on the Samsung Galaxy is also capable of recording 4K videos, while the remaining two devices are stuck with 1080p. I don’t think it’s a big factor at the moment, since there aren’t too many 4K displays in households, but it’s good if you want to get a future proof device.

Fingerprint Sensor

Apple introduced a Touch ID sensor in its iPhone 5S back in September, which made other OEMs think about the technology. HTC was pretty quick, and introduced a sensor on the back of their gigantic HTC One Max, but it was no where to be found in the latest flagship device, the HTC One M8. As for Samsung, it also features a fingerprint scanner, but it doesn’t work in a similar fashion as the iPhone 5S.

Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a swipe sensor, meaning you have to swipe your finger on the device for it to work. On the other hand, the Touch ID sensor appears to be smarter, all you have to do is place your finger on the home button and let it handle the rest, no swiping or anything.

Battery Life

This is an important factor for a majority of smartphones owners, the battery life. It’s not possible at times to carry the charging cable or even a portable charger all the time. Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a 2,800 mAh batter, while the HTC One M8 and iPhone 5S comes with 2,600 mAh and 1,560 mAh, respectively.

The battery of the iPhone 5S is smaller then the flagship Android devices, but as they say, a bigger phone needs a bigger battery. HTC One M8 and  Samsung Galaxy S5 components are more demanding, the large 1080p display, etc. But, most of the normal users will be able to get all three of them throughout the day without battery saving measures.

Samsung and HTC also introduced extreme battery saving technologies in their flagship devices, which can extend the battery life of both devices tremendously. Additionally, the battery conservation features added by Qualcomm in the latest Snapdragon 800 and 801 also play an important role in providing a decent battery time.

Software

This is another important aspect which plays an important role in the performance of the device. Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with Android 4.4.2 with Samsung’s bloated TouchWiz UI. On the other hand, HTC One M8 also features the same Android version, but it comes with its own Sense 6.0 UI. Both devices offers a different user interface, and comes with custom OEM apps, which may cause a dent on the performance of the devices — stock Android is faster since it’s free from customizations. Among the two, HTC’s Sense 6.0 UI is still better in many areas when compared to TouchWiz in my opinion.

On the other hand, iPhone 5S comes with Apple’s very own iOS UI, which is also a differentiating factor among the devices. Many casual users will find iOS easier to user because it’s not as customizable as the Android 4.4.2 found in Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. I find the HTC One M8 UI to be as user-friendly as iOS, but it also comes down to personal preferences.

As for the number of apps, both operating systems comes with almost the same number in the app stores. However, apps in the iOS App store are of better quality compared to the ones found in the Google Play Store as well.

Wrap up

There you go folks. I hope it’s enough to help you make up your mind about the devices. If you ask me, I’d go for the HTC One M8, and I’ve shared my reasons why I prefer it over the iPhone 5S. I’m not saying iPhone 5S isn’t good, it’s a great device, iPhone is one of those devices which I used for the longest period — 3 years to be exact — before I switched to a Samsung Galaxy S4. It’s a good device too, but I’m not a big fan of the extensive customizations and bloated TouchWiz UI.

I’m also waiting for Apple to launch the successor of the iPhone 5S as rumors hint at a possibly larger 4.7-inch display. There’s no confirmation from Apple, but it’s expected to see the light of the day this fall.

HTC One M7 vs HTC One M8: Which to Buy, What’s the Difference (comparison)

HTC One M7 vs HTC One M8: Which to Buy, What’s the Difference (comparison)

Back in March, HTC unveiled a better version of the last year’s flagship device, the HTC One M8. Since its launch, we’ve done a few comparisons to help users find out about the big differences between the HTC One M8 and flagship devices from other OEMs.

However, if you’re still hooked up with the last year’s HTC One M7, and want to know if its really worth upgrading to the latest and greatest offering from the Taiwanese OEM, read on.

Amazing Build Quality and Design

Before I proceed, let me tell you one thing: both devices are amazing — in terms of hardware, software, build quality etc. Coming over to the build and design, HTC One M8 looks strikingly similar to its predecessor, and features an all aluminum body, but it’s a bit more polished and better. They both look great in hand, and HTC revealed the latest HTC One M8 in a few new color options, including gray, gold and the traditional silver color.

HTC One M7 received a lot of recognition across the globe because of its beautiful design, and was also named as the best smartphone of 2013 at the Mobile World Congress 2014 in February.

HTC One M7 measures 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm and weighs 143g, while its successor is 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4 mm and weighs 160g. The latest flagship device is a little heavier, but thinner, and the difference is minute when it comes to weight.

Bigger Display, But With The Same Resolution

HTC One M8 comes with a slightly bigger 5-inch display with a 441ppi pixel density compared to 4.7-inch in its predecessor with 468ppi pixel density, but it still boasts the same resolution.

The different in the screen size shouldn’t bother users, but they should get a some what similar screen area due to the inclusion of on-screen navigation buttons.

Comparatively Faster
This is one of those areas which received the biggest bump when it comes to technical specifications and performance of the device. HTC One M8 is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 801 chipset clocked at 2.3GHz with 2GB of RAM, compared to the Snapdragon 600 on its predecessor with the same amount of RAM.

The new processor makes it a lot faster compared to HTC One M7, and offers a good user experience, no matter which app you to try to run or task you perform.

Storage
The all new HTC One M8 comes with 16GB of storage on board, compared to 32GB on its predecessor. But, there’s a major change here: the new HTC One M8 comes with microSD card support of up to 128GB, a feature which was missing in the One M7.

It’s not just the microSD card support, HTC One M8 comes with 65GB of free Google Drive storage as well which helps users save their data in the cloud so its accessible no matter which device they are on.

Duo Cameras

Image via HTC

This is another major change in the latest flagship device. HTC One M8 comes with an improved Duo Camera — although it’s still UltraPixel. The camera is accompanied by a depth sensor with UFocus which lets users focus on an element in a photo, while the remaining part is blurred out. It’s not just uFocus, the new camera comes with an array of editing features to improve the picture quality.

The new HTC One M7 also features a 5MP front-facing camera compared to a 2.1MP one found in the last year flagship.

Other Changes, Software, Nano-SIM and more

HTC One M8 comes with the latest Android 4.4.2 KitKat with Sense 6.0. The HTC One M7 is also running the latest KitKat update, but it features Sense 5.5 UI, but worry no more as HTC has promised to deliver the latest Sense 6.0 to the device in the coming months.

The new flagship comes with support for a nano-SIM card, while the HTC One M7 came with micro-SIM support. But, that’s not a pretty big issue as it can be handled easily, or you could just get a nanoSIM from your carrier.

Additionally, the HTC One M8 comes with other software improvements which are not present in its predecessor, with the most interesting one being Motion Launch. It lets you turn on the screen and perform a few tasks without pressing any button, unlock device, and more. The HTC One M7 will not get the Motion launch due to hardware limitations.

As far as the battery is concerned, the HTC One M8 rocks a 2,600 mAh battery which is 40 percent more efficient than the 2,300 mAh found inside the HTC One M7. In addition, it comes with an Extreme Battery Saving mode that can extend the battery life of the smartphone to 14 days on a full charge — impressive isn’t it?

The new HTC One M8 is available for $199 with a two-year contract in the US, while T-Mobile is selling it for $0 down with 24 monthly payments of $26.50.

Wrap Up
There you go. The new HTC One M8 comes with several improvements and new features when compared with its predecessor. But, if you’re thinking whether it’s worth upgrading, well, if you ask me, I’d say, Yes. The device looks beautiful, and the internal upgrades will make you notice the difference in first use. Rest is up to you. The handset is available from various retailers and carriers in different regions.