hi

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Samsung Galaxy Note Edge With Side Display Launched at Rs. 56,011..!!

The Samsung Galaxy Note Edge has been launched in India, three months after its global introduction. The handset will be available in the first week of January next year with select retailers at a recommended price tag of Rs. 56,011, and come in Charcoal Black and Frost White colours in India.

The announcement by Samsung comes almost a month after the firm said it will release the limited edition Galaxy Note Edge to 22 countries - Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Nepal, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the UK.

Samsung had launched the Galaxy Note Edge during IFA in September and had announced that it will sell the device in select markets only. Later in the month, the South Korean consumer electronics giant had confirmed the smartphone was a 'limited edition concept', and that it would be selling 1 million units of the Galaxy Note Edge across the globe in 2014.

The Galaxy Note Edge uses Samsung's flexible-display technology. While the main screen remains flat like previous phones, the right edge extends and curves until it reaches the back. That creates a side display so information such as weather and time can be seen from the side when the phone is laid on a table - such as a nightstand next to the bed.

With the side display, the Galaxy Note Edge's camera functions more like a stand-alone, point-and-shoot camera, as the shutter button and other functions appear on top when the phone is held horizontally.

As far as specifications are concerned, the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge features a 5.6-inch Quad-HD+ (1440+160x2560 pixel) Super AMOLED display, and is powered by a quad-core 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 processor coupled with Adreno 420 GPU and 3GB of RAM.

The rest of the specifications of the Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge are identical, except that the latter will also come in a 64GB built-in storage variant, and has a slightly smaller 3000mAh battery.

It ships with Android 4.4 KitKat onboard, and has dimensions 151.3x82.4x8.3mm, weighing in at 174 grams. It features a 16-megapixel autofocus rear camera with Smart OIS, and a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera with an f/1.9 lens. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS/ Glonass, NFC, Bluetooth v4.0, IR LED, USB 2.0, and MHL 3.0.

The Galaxy Note Edge features an accelerometer, geo-magnetic sensor, gyroscope, RGB, IR-LED, proximity, barometer, hall sensor, finger scanner, UV, heart rate monitor.

"Samsung continues with its legacy of pioneering extraordinary innovations and setting new benchmarks in the mobile industry. The Galaxy Note Edge is a stunningly beautiful device equipped with a unique curved screen which not only makes the smartphone distinctive but also delivers a unique way to access information and optimizes functionality," stated Asim Warsi, VP, Mobile & IT, Samsung India of the launch.

"At Samsung, we relentlessly pursue customer-centric innovation and develop devices that enable consumers to express their unique style. The Galaxy Note Edge's curved design will make the screen more meaningful to users in their everyday lives," he added.

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iPhone 6 Leaked by China Telecom in Promotional Weibo Post..!!!

Major carrier China Telecom has gone ahead and announced the iPhone 6 ahead of Apple, confirming the device's imminent launch with a post on its via its Weibo account last week. Revealed days ahead of the anticipated September 9 event, the firm posted a promotional image of the smartphone, showing its Gold, Silver and Black colour variants.

China Telecom's Weibo post, which now has been pulled down, was spotted by Sina news (via Forbes), which stated that the Apple iPhone 6 handset will be available as an unlocked device for LTE, WCDMA, CDMA2000, GSM, and CDMA1X networks. Notably, China Telecom did not sell unlocked versions of the iPhone until now. Nothing more was mentioned in the post.

While the information is not so thrilling, the Weibo does however confirm the existence of the iPhone 6 device, similar to how Verizon leaked the HTC One (M8) on multiple occasions.

The iPhone 6 is expected to arrive in two display size variants, with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models (said to be called the iPhone 6L or iPhone Air) anticipated. A report from last week mentioned that the Cupertino firm is facing production issues for the iPhone 6 devices' screen panels. Two supply chain sources were reported saying the display panel production had suffered a setback after the backlight that helps illuminate the screen had to be revised, putting screen assembly on hold for parts of June and July.

Additionally, last week's leaked schematics tipped the upcoming iPhone 6 to feature a new 128GB inbuilt storage variant. Reports indicated that Hynix and Toshiba would supply the 16GB storage, while Hynix, Toshiba, and SanDisk will offer the 64GB. Lastly, the schematics show that Toshiba will supply the new 128GB storage only.

We remind readers the above mentioned features are a part of the leaks and rumours, and must be taken with a pinch of salt till confirmation by Apple.

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Intex Cloud FX Firefox OS Smartphone Launched at Rs. 1,999...!!!

Intex on Monday has launched the first Firefox OS smartphone in India, the Cloud FX, priced at Rs. 1,999. The company had in June announced it would launch the smartphone in August under Rs. 2,000. The smartphone is now available via exclusive retail partner Snapdeal.

 

The cheapest Android smartphone available right on Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon India is a little over Rs. 2,000, so the company's claims that the Intex Cloud FX is India's cheapest smartphone has some merit.

 

Notably, Spice had also announced a Firefox OS smartphone in June, and earlier this week said it will be launching the Spice Fire One Mi-FX 1 at Rs. 2,299 on August 29.

 

The dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) Intex Cloud FX features a 3.5-inch HVGA (320x480 pixel) display, and runs on a 1GHz processor (unspecified chipset) coupled with 128MB of RAM. It features a 2-megapixel rear camera, and according to the Snapdeal listing, no front-facing camera.

 

Other specifications of the Intex Cloud FX include 46MB of built-in storage, with support for microSD cards (up to 4GB). Connectivity options include GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB, Bluetooth, FM radio, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

 

The Intex Cloud FX weighs in at 104 grams, and has dimensions of 115.9x62.11.8mm. It sports a 1250mAh battery, rated to deliver up to 4 hours of talk time and a standby time of 200 hours.

 

Spice ahead of the Fire One Mi-FX 1's launch has also detailed its specifications, saying it comes with a 3.5-inch HVGA (320x480 pixel) display; is powered by a 1GHz processor; sports a 1.3-megapixel rear camera, and there is a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera also onboard. The smartphone supports dual-SIM (GSM+GSM); however, only 2G connectivity is available.

 

Speaking on the launch of Cloud FX, Keshav Bansal, Director, Marketing, Intex Technologies, said, "The launch of Intex Cloud FX marks the beginning of a new era of the Indian smartphone market and Intex is proud to be the first Indian company to understand and deliver on market needs. With the launch of Intex Cloud FX, we aim to enable the masses to get smartphone experience at the cost of a feature phone. We are delighted to partner with Snapdeal.com, the partnership allows us to offer the smartphone pan-India at a revolutionary cost."

 

Dr. Li Gong, President of Mozilla, added, "We are excited that Intex Cloud FX is now selling in the market, being the first Firefox OS device available in India and Asia. The positive consumer feedback from other markets tells that people like the unique user experience and openness we're building with Firefox OS. With the support from Intex, Firefox OS smartphones in ultra-low-cost category will redefine the entry-level smartphones segment, which attract people to transfer from featured phones to smartphones. Having a stronghold as Intex, we believe Firefox OS devices are going to create another momentum in Asia."

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Micromax Bolt A065 With Android 4.4.2 KitKat Available Online at Rs. 3,799...!!!

What appears to be Micromax's most affordable Android 4.4.2 KitKat-based smartphone, the Bolt A065, is now available online, priced at Rs. 3,799. However, the smartphone is yet to be officially announced by the company.

The Micromax Bolt A065 will be up against some other budget KitKat smartphones recently launched in India, such as the Karbonn A5 Turbo, Celkon Campus A35K, Lava Iris 310, Karbonn A1+ Super, Spice Smart Flo Mi-359, Celkon Campus Mini A350, and Sunstrike Rage Swift - all priced below Rs. 4,000.

The Bolt A065 is a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) device with dual standby. It sports a 4-inch qHD (480x800 pixels) TFT LCD display. It is powered by a 1.3GHz dual-core MediaTek MT6571 processor coupled with 512MB of RAM.

It sports a 2-megapixel fixed focus rear camera with LED flash, and also houses a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The Bolt A065 includes 4GB of inbuilt storage which is further expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB).

The smartphone is available in White colour only at eBay and Saholic. Notably, eBay is selling the Micromax Bolt A065 at Rs. 4,699, while Saholic has a discounted price tag of Rs. 3,799.

It packs a 2000mAh battery which is rated to deliver up to 7 hours of talk time and up to 900 hours of standby time. The smartphone comes with GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS and Micro-USB connectivity options. Unfortunately, the Bolt A065 does not support 3G, according to online retailers.

Micromax on Wednesday listed the Android 4.4.2 KitKat-based Micromax Canvas XL2 on the company's site without revealing pricing or availability details.

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Moto X+1 Front Panel, Specifications Spotted Ahead of September 4 Launch...!!!

While Motorola has sent out invitations for September 4 event in Chicago, where the company is expected to launch four new products including the successors of the Moto G and Moto X, images of the front panel of rumoured Moto X+1 have been leaked by a Facebook user on Friday, and its specifications are said to have been listed by alleged benchmark results.

The leaked images by HelloMotoHK show the alleged front panel of the much-anticipated successor to the Moto X (Review | Pictures), thought to be called the Moto X+1, in comparison with the original Moto X. As seen in images, the alleged Moto X+1 front panel seems bigger (rumoured to be 5.2-inch) than the Moto X's 4.7-inch display. The post says the Moto X+1 will sport a 5-inch display. Also visible in the images are the dual front speakers, slightly bigger than the Moto E's speakers.

The specifications of the anticipated smartphone were spotted on a GFXBench test result allegedly of the Motorola Moto X+1 (XT1097).

According to the specifications listed on the alleged Moto X+1 (XT1097) GFXBench listing, the smartphone will run Android 4.4.4 KitKat, and sport a 5.2-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display. The smartphone is also said to feature a 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor alongside the Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM.

The alleged Moto X+1 (XT1097) GFXBench results also indicate the smartphone will sport 16GB of built-in storage; a 12-megapixel back camera, and a 2-megapixel front facing camera.

Previously, a device claimed to be of a "near-final prototype" of the anticipated Moto X+1 was leaked by Android Police. It had featured wood-finished back panel, with a camera in the centre above a Motorola logo. The front also had a speaker grill at the bottom of the display, like the Moto E (Review | Pictures).

The alleged Moto X+1 images had also showed metallic side panels on the smartphone, claimed to be made of aluminium by the tipster. The device in the images features a 3.5mm audio jack on top, along with the power and volume controls on the right panel, consistent with Motorola's current series of smartphones, although the SIM card slot was shown shifted to the top, alongside the audio jack.

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Motorola to Launch 8 New Smartphones Ahead of Christmas: Report...!!!

A new report cites insider sources to detail Motorola's smartphone roadmap for the rest of 2014, and claims that the company is likely to debut 8 new devices before Christmas.

Quoting sources at Motorola, TK Technews in a report claims that the company is planning to launch the Droid, the Droid Maxx, the recently leaked Droid Turbo, the long-rumoured Moto X+1, the Moto G (likely referring to the successor of the Moto G), the Moto X Play, the Moto S and the much-anticipated next Nexus smartphone codenamed 'Shamu' before the end of the year.

According to the report, the rumoured Droid and Droid Turbo will likely debut on AT&T with new branding; the alleged Droid device is said to be tied with an upcoming Star Wars movie, and lastly, the alleged Moto X Play might be launched as a mini-variant of the Moto S.

The report further details that how some of the rumoured Motorola devices are related to others. Reportedly, if the Moto X+1 does not perform well in terms of sales then the alleged Moto S sporting a 5.9-inch display could be scrapped and the alleged 5.2-inch Moto X Play would be launched as the Moto S. This does not too much sense if as rumoured the Moto X+1 comes with a 5.2-inch display - instead, Motorola will probably scrap Moto X Play, and stick with the larger Moto S.

Earlier this week, a Motorola handset dubbed Motorola XT1254 running on Verizon and tipped to be called Droid Turbo was leaked in some screenshots that listed the specifications of the device.

The former Google-owned company has been rumoured to be working on a 'Shamu' codenamed handset for months now, believed to be the next Nexus smartphone that's expected to be called the Nexus 6.

Notably, out of the rumoured eight devices said to debut before Christmas, successors to the popular Moto X and Moto G - rumoured to be called the Moto X+1 and Moto G2 respectively - are likely to launch at a pre-IFA event on September 4.

On Wednesday, Motorola India also confirmed an event on September 5 in the country, where the company is expected to launch the successors of the Moto X and Moto G alongside its much-awaited Moto 360 smartwatch.

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Feature Phone That Doubles-Up as a Power Bank Launched at Rs. 1,848...!!!

Maxx Mobile has launched a new feature phone at Rs. 1,848, the MX200, in the company's Power House phone category.

The highlight of the new Maxx MX200 is the large 5200mAh battery that can be also used as a power bank to charge other mobiles. In addition to the large battery that can deliver up to 10-11 hours of talk time, the MX200 also offers a rugged body.

 

The Maxx MX200 comes with 2.4-inch screen, expandable storage support up to 8GB; dual-SIM support, and support for multiple languages (English, Hindi and Gujarati). Other features in the phone include Bluetooth, GPRS, FM radio and multimedia support (audio player, video recording and player). The phone will be available in two colours - Black, and Orange with Black.

 

For those unaware, the Maxx MX200 is successor to the MX100 launched in December last year. The Maxx MX100 came with a large 4400mAh battery, which could also be used as a power bank to charge other phones.

 

Commenting on the launch, Ajjay Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director, Maxx Mobile said, "Our consumers in the semi-urban segment and in rural areas need phones with good battery life and rugged to sustain rough conditions. We reached out to these audiences with MX100 last year, with a powerful long lasting 4400mAh battery and which could also be used as a power bank to charge other mobiles. Encouraged by the huge response, this year we have enhanced the battery capacity to 5200mAh for Max100 and have also launched MX200 with similar specifications, but with a bigger 2.4-inch screen. We continue to remain committed to offer consumers products with best quality at attractive prices."

 

Maxx Mobile, not being limited to the feature phone segment, launched its first Android 4.4 KitKat-based smartphone last month, the AXD21 MSD7 Smarty, priced at Rs. 4,020.

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Panasonic P81 Octa-Core Phone Price Reportedly Slashed to Rs. 15,999...!!!

The Panasonic P81 smartphone that was launched in May at a best buy price of Rs. 18,990, has reportedly got a price cut of Rs. 2,991. The MRP price of the handset was Rs. 19,990 at launch.

 

According to an established Mumbai-based retailer Mahesh Telecom, the Panasonic P81 now comes with a price tag of Rs. 15,999. The retailer made the announcement via its Facebook page, and Twitter account, which read "#Panasonic P81 #pricedrop New price Rs. 15999/- only."

 

It is worth noting that the P81 smartphone is still priced at Rs. 18,990 on the company's website, and there has been no official communication about a price change from the company. Major sellers at e-commerce sites are also still listing the Rs. 18,990 MOP.

 

To recall, the Panasonic P81 runs on a 1.7GHz 'True Octa-Core processor' clubbed with 1GB of RAM. The handset features 8GB of inbuilt storage with a microSD support for up to 32GB.

 

The 7.9mm-thick P81 is a dual-SIM (Micro-SIM, dual-standby) smartphone and boasts of a 5.5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display. It sports a 13-megapixel rear camera, as well as a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. A 2500mAh battery powers the smartphone.

 

On a related note, earlier this month Samsung officially slashed prices of two Galaxy smartphones in India - the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 3 Neo. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (Review | Pictures) is priced at Rs. 40,698, down from the previous price tag of Rs. 47,990. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo (Review | Pictures), on the other hand, is priced at Rs. 29,570, down from its earlier price of Rs. 33,990.

 

HP last month also slashed the price of its Slate6 VoiceTab to Rs. 15,990, down from its Rs. 22,990 launch price.

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Micromax Canvas XL2 With 5.5-Inch Display Available Online at Rs. 10,999...!!!

Listed on the company website on Thursday, the Micromax Canvas XL2 is now available to purchase from an e-commerce website at Rs. 10,999. The firm is yet to officially announce the smartphone's price and availability details.

 

The dual-SIM Micromax Canvas XL2 (A109) according to its company listing runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box, and features a 5.5-inch qHD (540x960 pixels) IPS display.

 

While the official website listing of the phablet shows a quad-core 1.2GHz MediaTek MT6589M processor, coupled with 1GB of RAM, the e-commerce listing however lists a 1.4GHz quad-core processor. The Micromax Canvas XL2 A109 sports a 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front-facing camera.

 

There is 4GB of built-in storage on the Canvas XL2, which can be expanded via microSD card (up to 32GB). Connectivity options on the smartphone include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, Micro-USB, FM radio and GPS/ A-GPS. It packs a 2500mAh battery, which is rated to deliver up to 255 hours of standby time, and 8.5 hours of talk time.

 

The Canvas XL2 is available to purchase from Infibeam, where its MRP is as listed Rs. 11,500. The smartphone is currently only available in a White colour variant.

 

Micromax is yet to launch another smartphone that was recently listed on its website, the octa-core Canvas Knight Cameo A290, despite it being available online at a third-party retailer.

 

The dual-SIM Micromax Canvas Knight Cameo A290 runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box, and features a 4.7-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) display. The smartphone is powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592M processor alongside 1GB RAM. It sports an 8-megapixel auto-focus rear camera with LED flash and full-HD (1080p) video recording support, while there is a 5-megapixel fixed-focus front-facing camera also onboard. The 8GB of inbuilt storage on the Canvas Knight Cameo A290 is expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB).

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HTC Butterfly 2 With 5-Inch FHD Display and Snapdragon 801 SoC Launched..!!!

HTC has launched the Butterfly 2 for South Asian markets, a smartphone that was previously launched in Japan as the J Butterfly for KDDI. The smartphone will be made available from September 2 in Taiwan, and will be gradually rolled-out to Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand thereafter. For now, pricing details have not been provided.

The single-SIM HTC Butterfly 2 smartphone is the successor to the HTC Butterfly launched last year at Rs. 49,990 in India. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box and features a 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display. It packs a 2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor coupled with 2GB RAM.

The Butterfly 2 comes with 16GB and 32GB of inbuilt storage options, with expandable storage via microSD card (up to 128GB). It sports a duo-camera setup as seen on HTC One (M8) (Pictures | Review) with main sensor at 13-megapixel with dual-LED flash, while a 5-megapixel front-facing camera is also onboard.

Connectivity options on the Butterfly 2 smartphone include Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with DLNA, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB with MHL, GPRS/ EDGE, 3G and 4G LTE connectivity options.

The Butterfly 2 comes with a 2700mAh battery that's rated to deliver a talk time of up to 23.9 hours on 3G, and standby time of up to 643 hours. It will be available in Blue, Red, and White colour options, measures 145.4x70.2x9.99mm, and weighs 151 grams.

The HTC Butterfly 2 is also water-resistant with IPX5 and IPX7 ratings, while HTC says the Butterfly is dust-proof as well, with a IP5X rating. Sensors onboard include an accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, gyro sensor, and barometer.

"HTC Butterfly 2 follows HTC's iconic design and globally acclaimed user experience," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC. "Its elegant appearance and fantastic performance will certainly provide consumers with the best experience ever."

The Butterfly 2 also comes with dual front stereo speakers and HTC's BoomSound technology that is claimed to deliver 25 percent louder output than the HTC One (M8). The company has also collaborated with Harman, to feature LiveStage Signal Processing Technology (Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong only) and Digital Signal Processing (DSP). It ships with exclusively designed JBL in-ear-headphones in Japan.

HTC Butterfly 2

KEY SPECS:-

Display:            5.00-inch

Processor:        2.5GHz

Front Camera   5-megapixel

Resolution:        920x1080 pixels

RAM:               2GB

OS:                  Android 4.4

Storage:            16GB

Rear Camera:    13-megapixel

Battery capacity: 2700mAh

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Nokia XL Clocks 574,000 Sales in China in 5 Days..!!

China's second-largest e-commerce company JD.com sold 574,000 smartphones in a five-day promotion offered exclusively on Tencent Holdings Ltd's Mobile QQ, the two companies said on Monday, to show their partnership has paid off.

Investors have scrutinized JD and Tencent, China's biggest mobile gaming and social media company, for signs of benefits from a $215 million partnership deal, in which Tencent took a 15 percent stake in JD.

JD aimed to gain a potent ally in its battle against Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

So far the deal has proved costly for JD. The company said last week that its quarterly losses widened due to costs related to its Tencent partnership, sending shares lower.

But the two companies have touted the potential for selling JD's inventory, including big-ticket electronic devices, via Tencent's popular mobile apps such as QQ and WeChat.

During the Aug. 8 to 12 promotion, the Nokia XL 4G smartphone was sold only through a link within the Mobile QQ app. More than 210,000 people ordered the smartphone on the first day, JD said.

The smartphone, offered by the Finnish handset maker following its acquisition by Microsoft Corp, is now widely available in China including on Alibaba's Taobao market.

KEY SPECS:

Display:               5.00-inch

Processor:           1.2GHz

Front Camera:     2-megapixel

Resolution:           480x800 pixels

RAM:                 1GB

OS:                     Nokia X platform 1.1

Storage:              4GB

Rear Camera:      5-megapixel

Battery capacity:  2000mAh

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Xolo Q510s With 4-Inch Display and Android 4.4.2 KitKat Launched at Rs. 6,499..!!!

Xolo has launched a new budget smartphone, the Q510s , listing it on its site at Rs. 6,499. The company has yet to announce official availability however.

The Xolo Q510s is a dual-SIM smartphone that runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box. It comes with a 4-inch (480x800 pixels) WVGA IPS display and offers a pixel density of 233ppi.

As per its listing on the company website , the Xolo Q510s is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582M processor coupled with 1GB of RAM, and Mali 400 GPU clocked at 416MHz. It comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage, which is further expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB). It sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while there is a secondary 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera also onboard. The rear camera features scene detection, face recognition, Panorama, geo-tagging, Best shot, Smile shot, and HDR options.

On the connectivity front, the Xolo Q510s offers 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB and Bluetooth 4.0 options. The smartphone packs a 1500mAh battery that is rated to deliver up to 15 hours of talk time and up to 390 hours of standby time on 2G network. The Xolo Q510s measures 128x63x8.9mm and is only available in a White colour variant.

Xolo in August introduced three handsets running Android 4.4 KitKat, including the Q510s. The other two KitKat-based handsets are Xolo A1000s and Play 8X-1200. It is worth noting that out of the two aforementioned handsets, the Play 8X-1200 was announced officially last week at Rs. 19,999.

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20,000 Asus ZenFone Units to Go on Sale via Flipkart From Monday..!!!

Asus has announced that 20,000 units of its recently launched ZenFone smartphones will be up for sale from Monday, August 18, as an extended Independence Day sale on Flipkart. The company has not revealed how many units each of the ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5 and Zenfone 6 smartphones will be available.

Flipkart is Asus's exclusive online retail partner for the ZenFone series of smartphones. Buyers are also eligible for Flipkart's current 10 percent cash back scheme, if using a SBI debit or credit card to purchase the ZenFone.

Earlier this month, the company had made available 10,000 units of its ZenFone 5 smartphone on Flipkart.

The ZenFone 5 features a 5-inch 720x1280 pixel IPS display; a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor with Hyper-Threading technology (implying 4 threads); 2GB of RAM; an 8-megapixel rear camera; a 2-megapixel front facing camera; 8GB/ 16GB inbuilt storage; expandable storage via microSD card (up to 64GB), and a 2110mAh battery.

The Asus ZenFone 6 (Review | Pictures) sports an IPS display of 720x1280 pixel resolution on a 6-inch screen. While the processor and RAM are the same as that of the ZenFone 5, the camera sensor size has been revamped to 13-megapixel (rear) and 2-megapixel (front). With similar expandable storage features as ZenFone 5, Asus ZenFone 6 includes a 3230mAh battery capacity and measures 166.9 x 84.3 x 9.9-5.5mm, while weighing 196 grams.

The dual-SIM (Micro-SIM card) Asus ZenFone 4 (Review | Pictures) sports a 4-inch WVGA (480x800 pixel) resolution display (translating to a 233ppi pixel density) supported by a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor with Hyper-Threading Technology (implying 4 threads) and 1GB of RAM. The smartphone also features a 5-megapixel rear and 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera optics. The phone features 8GB of built-in storage that can be expanded via microSD card (up to 64GB).

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Xiaomi Unveils MIUI 6 Android UI That Looks a Lot Like iOS 7..!!!

Xiaomi, as promised at the Mi 4 smartphone's launch, unveiled the next version of its MIUI user interface, MIUI 6, on Saturday at an event in Beijing, China.

MIUI 6, the new smartphone UI for Android-based Xiaomi devices, comes with major design refresh and also brings a slew of new features. Notably, the Mi 4 runs MIUI 6 out-of-the-box.

The company, also referred to as 'China's Apple', defined the new Android skin as "the best MIUI ever." However, as numerous industry pundits have pointed out, the new MIUI version noticeably takes a lot of design inspiration from Apple's iOS 7 and the newly announced iOS 8 smartphone and tablet operating systems.

The Chinese handset maker announced that the MIUI 6 is currently in beta testing with over 1,000 beta testers; though the number is likely to grow up to 10,000 people by Friday.

The company announced that the MIUI 6 developer version will be open to the public by September and will be rolled out to as 'final upgrade' to select Xiaomi handsets by October.

The Xiaomi will begin testing MIUI 6 on the Mi 2, Mi 2S, Mi 2A, Redmi 1S, and Redmi Note by the end of this year, and updates for these devices can be expected to be rolled-out by next year.

Some of highlight features that the MIUI 6 brings is a brand new design (in what the company calls 'Content is essence' philosophy) with flat app icons. The company said at the launch, "MIUI believes that content is the essence, and has put that belief in the design of MIUI 6."

"MIUI 6 supports moving apps by holding on the app and switch screens. It has the most convenient icons organizing method, supports batch organize and delete icons," added the company.

MIUI 6 also brings a revamped camera app that will allow swipe down to switch between front and back camera, swipe left to launch menu panel, and swipe right to launch filters. The company has also re-worked the lockscreen notifications on MIUI 6, which will now appear as folded by default.

The new Android OS customisation adds a global search function feature that will allow users to place the search box anywhere on home screen, and even locate apps via it. Some other additions on the MIUI 6 include new Linux kernel and RAM optimisation techniques; new power-saving features to adjust the standby time of the device; 10GB free Mi Cloud storage space for storing images, contacts, messages, call logs and more, and the redesigned Mail app.

In addition to the iOS-styled flat icons and lockscreen notification on the MIUI 6, some of the app icons on the new MIUI appear to come straight from iOS 7 or iOS 8, like the calendar, compass, timer, and calculator.

What do you think of the new Xiaomi MIUI 6? Does it look like iOS 7? Let us know via the comments.

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Sony Launches New Affordable Earphones and Headphones in India....!!!

Sony on Wednesday launched two new pairs of headphones - the MDR-XB250, MDR-XB450 - and one new pair of earphones - the MDR-AS200. They are priced at Rs. 2,190, Rs. 1,490 and Rs. 790 respectively. Sony says the MDR-XB250 and MDR-XB450 are targeted at bass lovers, and the MDR-AS200 at sports enthusiasts. The MDR-XB range of headphones will be available from September, and the MDR-AS200 should hit retail shelves in August.

The Sony MDR-XB450 has a 30mm driver with a frequency response of 5Hz-22000Hz. While its predecessor the MDR-XB400 was available in two color options, the new MDR-XB450 will be available in five colors - black, white, red, blue and yellow. The MDR-XB450, made of metal, features a swivel folding style and a flat serrated cord.

The Sony MDR-XB250 also has a 30mm driver, a swivel folding design and a flat serrated cord like its elder sibling, and appears to be nearly identical to the XB450 expect for the metal body.

On the other hand, the Sony MDR-AS200 earphones, built for extreme sporting activities, have an adjustable ear loops and the same flat cord. They have 13.5mm drivers and a water-resistant design.

At the recently concluded press conference at Gamescom, Sony announced that sales of its PlayStation 4 video game console, launched in November, have surpassed 10 million units. In late July, Sony also stated that it saw a $261 million first-quarter net profit thanks to brisk sales of its PlayStation 4 console and a weak Japan Yen, but said it still expects a full-year loss

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Micromax Canvas Knight Cameo Now Available Online at Rs. 12,777....!!!

Micromax seems all set to launch the octa-core Canvas Knight Cameo A290 smartphone in India soon, if claims by an established retailer from Mumbai, and a listing by an online retailer, are any indication.

Claiming current availability along with a price of Rs. 12,499, mobile retailer Mahesh Telecom has further listed the specifications of the unannounced Micromax Canvas Knight Cameo A290 along with an image on its Facebook page. The retailer has also tweeted saying, "#Micromax Canvas Knight Camera A290, now available for Rs. 12,499 only."

It's worth noting that we are yet to hear an official announcement from Micromax about the device.

According to the specifications listed by Mahesh Telecom, the dual-SIM Micromax Canvas Knight Cameo A290 will run Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box, and feature a 4.7-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) display.

While the Mumbai retailer notes the Canvas Knight Cameo A290 smartphone packs a true octa-core processor coupled with 1GB of RAM, the clock-speed speed was not revealed. The smartphone is said to sport an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED flash, while there is a 5-megapixel front-facing camera also onboard. The 8GB of inbuilt storage on the Canvas Knight Cameo A290 is said to be expandable up to 32GB (via microSD card).

As mentioned earlier, the Micromax Canvas Knight Cameo A290 smartphone has already been listed by an online retailer at Rs. 12,777.

The Canvas Knight Cameo A290 specifications listed by the Mumbai retailer match those listed by Snapdeal, which however additionally adds a 1.4GHz clock-speed for the octa-core processor, and a 2010mAh battery capacity, both details that were missed by the Mumbai-based retailer. Connectivity options on the Micromax Canvas Knight Cameo A290 smartphone include 3G, GPRS/ EDGE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS.

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Sony Offers Free SmartBand, Premium Case With Xperia T3 Smartphone...!!!

Sony India has introduced a limited period offer for the Xperia T3 in India, after launching it in the country late last month at Rs. 27,990. The company has announced the Xperia T3 will be sold bundled with the Sony SmartBand SWR10 fitness tracker and a premium case.

The Japanese electronics giant says the Sony SmartBand SWR10 (Review | Pictures) fitness tracker is priced at Rs. 5,990, while the premium case is worth Rs. 2,490, making the Xperia T3 bundled accessories worth Rs. 8,480. Sony details that the offer is valid till stocks last, and has not given an indication as to the number of units available.

The Sony Xperia T3 runs Android 4.4 KitKat OS out-of-the-box, and has been launched in a single SIM variant, with no word on if a dual-SIM variant is due. It features a 5.3-inch (720x1280 pixel) HD Triluminos display with BRAVIA Engine 2 and a pixel density of 277ppi. A quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8228) processor powers the device, clocked at 1.4GHz, with 1GB of RAM.

The Xperia T3 sports an 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED flash and a Sony Exmor RS sensor. It also houses a 1.1-megapixel front-facing camera. The Sony Xperia T3 comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage, and can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card.

It supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS/ A-GPS, GPRS/ EDGE, DLNA, NFC, Micro-USB and 3G connectivity options. It is backed by a 2500mAh battery, which is rated to deliver up to 13 hours of talk time and 688 hours of standby time.

The smartphone recently went on sale in Europe. The Xperia T3 is priced in the UK at GBP 299 (approximately Rs. 30,000), in France and Italy at EUR 399 (approximately Rs. 32,700), in the Netherlands at EUR 349 (approximately Rs. 28,600), in Poland at PLN 1,599 (approximately Rs. 31,300), in Spain at EUR 369 (approximately Rs. 30,200), and in Sweden at SEK 2,995 (approximately Rs. 26,600).

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Microsoft Lumia 730 Design, Pricing, and Specs Tipped in New Leak....!!!

Microsoft's rumoured selfie-focused smartphone, believed to be dubbed Lumia 730, which was also reportedly shown off at an internal company meeting by Stephen Elop, has been leaked by a Vietnamese retailer.

WMpoweruser, citing a Vietnamese publication, claims that the anticipated Lumia 730 will be available by the end of this month in that country and will be priced at VND 5,000,000 (Rs. 14,500 roughly).

 

According to the leaked specifications, the unannounced Lumia 730 will feature a 4.7-inch HD display and will come with dual-SIM support. Under the hood, the anticipated selfie-focused handset will likely be powered by a Snapdragon 400 processor alongside Adreno 305 GPU and 1GB of RAM.

 

Further, the Vietnamese retailer claims that the rumoured Lumia 730 will sport a 6.7-megapixel rear camera and as previously reported, will feature a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The smartphone is also likely to boast of a Carl Zeiss lens, though the report has not specified for which of the two cameras. Other features include 8GB of inbuilt storage and no physical button for the camera.

 

The retailer has also leaked an image that appears to be promotional material for the rumoured Lumia 730. The leaked image shows a handset in orange colour; however, only the rear camera is visible - with no Carl Zeiss branding.

 

Last week, the alleged Lumia 730 was leaked in a Green colour variant. One of the leaked images showed the handset running an unannounced 'Lumia Debian Red' version of Windows Phone, which is speculated to be the company's version of the Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 that is expected to be available to the general public later this year.

 

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced it had begun rolling-out the Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 in its preview form for developers, and brought Cortana in 'alpha' form to India.

 

Notably, Sony, cashing-in on the growing 'selfie' trend, launched the Xperia C3 last month alongside its dual-SIM variant, the Xperia C3 Dual, with a global roll-out due in August.

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Asus Fonepad 7 (FE170CG) With Dual-SIM Support Launched at Rs. 8,999..!!!

Asus on Thursday launched the Fonepad 7 (FE170CG) tablet in India for Rs. 8,999. The device was introduced in April and was first released in Thailand at THB 4190 (roughly Rs. 7,670) in May.

The Fonepad 7 (FE170CG) comes with a 7-inch WSVGA (1024x600 pixel) resolution display, translating to a pixel density of 169ppi. The voice-calling tablet runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box paired with its ZenUI skin. It is powered by a dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 'Clover Trail+' processor clocked at 1.2GHz with Hyper-Threading technology (implying 4 threads), alongside 1GB of RAM.

The new Asus tablet comes in two storage variants - 8GB and 4GB - and expandable storage via microSD card (up to 64GB). Asus is also offering 5GB on Asus Webstorage cloud space for lifetime and an additional 11GB for the first year. The Fonepad 7 (FE170CG) tablet sports a 2-megapixel rear camera and houses a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera. Connectivity options of the tablet include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, Miracast, GPS/ A-GPS, and 3G HSPA+.

The battery on the Fonepad 7 (FE170CG) is rated to deliver up to 10 hours of battery life. The tablet will be available in Black, White, Red, and Blue. The tablet measures 192x110.8x10.7mm and weighs 290 grams.

Asus in April launched a refreshed version of its Fonepad 7 voice-calling tablet, dubbed Fonepad 7 Dual SIM (ME175CG), at Rs. 12,999 in April.

Some of the key features of the previously-launched Asus Fonepad 7 Dual SIM (ME175CG) are 7-inch LED IPS display with a 1280x800 pixels resolution; Android 4.3 Jelly Bean; dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor; 5-megapixel rear camera; 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera; 3910mAh battery

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