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HTC, as a company, was going the wrong way for a while. For example, in May 2013, the company released a Snapdragon 200-powered Desire 600 with a 4.5 inch qHD display that cost people 27k rupees. The company had vowed to fix these things and bring its products back in line with consumer expectations, after which the Desire 816 happened. It was a mid range phablet with an affordable price tag and solid specifications. The Desire 820 (Rs. 24,999) is its spiritual successor, carrying forward all the positives of the 816, trying to add more value and keep up with the times. Does it succeed? Lets find out.
Hardware
[gallery ids="124404,124405,124407,124414,124416,124409"]
HTC's design language is mostly based on its flagship devices these days and the 820 is no exception. It follows the legacy set by 816, with a similar design with many tweaks. Tweaks include a two-tone design, which looks way more appealing than solid colours, switching the places of buttons and slots on the sides, making it easier for right handed people and more colour choices, with matte finishes. Curiously, most of the on-lookers didn't ask which device I had, but directly asked whether it was a HTC One variant. Looks like ...
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HTC One M7 and One M8 Google Play Edition devices are ready to receive the Android 5.0 Lollipop update. The devices are in the final stage of getting the technical approval for Android 5.0 update.
HTC is expecting technical approval from Google by December 1st, according to HTC Product vice-president, Mo Versi. Technical approval is one of the last steps before the update rolls out over the air. The update was actually expected to be released early last week but it was delayed. Meanwhile, HTC One M8 and M7 are expected to receive the Android 5.0 Lollipop update anytime between January and March.
There is no specific date but since it is on the verge of seeking approval, the HTC devices will soon receive the Android 5.0 update.
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HTC, as a company, was going the wrong way for a while. For example, in May 2013, the company released a Snapdragon 200-powered Desire 600 with a 4.5 inch qHD display that cost people 27k rupees. The company had vowed to fix these things and bring its products back in line with consumer expectations, after which the Desire 816 happened. It was a mid range phablet with an affordable price tag and solid specifications. The Desire 820 (Rs. 24,999) is its spiritual successor, carrying forward all the positives of the 816, trying to add more value and keep up with the times. Does it succeed? Lets find out.
Hardware
[gallery ids="124404,124405,124407,124414,124416,124409"]
HTC's design language is mostly based on its flagship devices these days and the 820 is no exception. It follows the legacy set by 816, with a similar design with many tweaks. Tweaks include a two-tone design, which looks way more appealing than solid colours, switching the places of buttons and slots on the sides, making it easier for right handed people and more colour choices, with matte finishes. Curiously, most of the on-lookers didn't ask which device I had, but directly asked whether it was a HTC One variant. Looks like ...
As part of our big weekend trip to Edinburgh with the folks at Acer UK, we spent a weekend using some of Acer's new technology and one of these devices returned back to HQ with us. Dubbed the Iconia Tab 8, this device is Acer's latest tablet and comes with a Full HD display, quad-core processor and vibrant 8 inch IPS display. Let's take a closer look at Acer's portable tablet.
The Iconia Tab 8 runs on the Android 4.4.2 KitKat OS and comes with 16/32GB internal storage and 2GB RAM. It's powered by a quad-core 1.86GHz Intel Atom Z3745 processor and the most surprising thing about this tablet is Acer's interface; unlike some of its rivals, the Iconia Tab 8 has a minimalistic skin and is quite close to stock Android in appearance.
Like many manufacturers, Acer has realised that despite most geeks cringing at the very thought, consumers love to take photos and videos using their tablet; with the display being larger, customers often feel that the camera is better and to take advantage of this trend, Acer have equipped the Iconia Tab 8 with a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front-facing camera. Naturally these images won't beat those produced by most ...
LG announced the G Watch R, the company’s second Android Wear smartwatch and the successor of the G Watch recently. It went on sale in the U.S. on Google Play recently for $299. We also brought you the unboxing of the G Watch R recently. Now let's compare the G Watch R to Samsung Gear S that was announcedin August and went on sale in India last month.
The G Watch R has a circular 1.3-inch (320 x 320 pixels) P-OLED Display and is powered by 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 SoC. The Gear S sports a 2 inch (360 x 480 pixels) curved Super AMOLED display and is powered by a 1GHz Dual-Core processor. The former runs on Android Wear while the latter runs on Samsung'a Tizen OS. Both these have 512MB RAM and 4GB internal storage.
The G Watch R has pedometer, heart rate monitor and several set of sensors along with the Barometer. The Gear S also has sensors like Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Ambient Light, UV, Barometer. Both the devices are IP67 Certified for dust and water resistance. Both the devices have the heart rate sensor and charging pins below the device. The Gear S comes with a built-in SIM ...
Worldwide smartphone shipment will reach 1.3 billion in 2014 reporting an increase of 26.3 over last year’s total shipments, according to a latest report from IDC.
The research firm predicts that 1.4 billion smartphones will ship in 2015, which is most definitely growth, but only represents an increase if 12.2 percent over 2014. Slower annual growth continues throughout the forecast with unit shipments approaching 1.9 billion units in 2018, resulting in a 9.8 percent compound annual growth rate for the 2014-2018 forecast period.
"The impact of upstart Chinese players in the global market will be reflected in a race to the bottom when it comes to price. While premium phones aren't going anywhere, we are seeing increasingly better specs in more affordable smartphones. Consumers no longer have to go with a top-of-the-line handset to guarantee decent hardware quality or experience. The biggest question now is how much lower can prices go?"
said Melissa Chau, Senior Research Manager with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
IDC expects the emerging markets will account for a good deal of growth, and prices will drop accordingly. The average smartphone selling price in 2014 is about $241 worldwide, but in emerging markets like India prices are averaging $135, said the report. Android will continue its ...
Microsoft has bought Acompli, a mobile startup that makes email apps for iOS and Android. The financial details were not officially disclosed by either firms but Re/Code is stating that the amount of deal is more than $200 million.
"In a world where more than half of email messages are first read on a mobile device, it’s essential to give people fantastic email experiences wherever they go. The Acompli team is passionate about this quest. Their app provides innovative ways to focus on what’s important in your inbox, to schedule meetings, and work with attachments and files. Users love how it connects to all email services and provides a single place to manage email with a focus on getting things done."
said Rajesh Jha, Corporate Vice President, Outlook and Office 365 in a company blog post.
Founded by former execs from Zimbra and VMware in 2013, Acompli offers one-tap integration with calendars along with easy methods to access recently emailed files and contacts. It also works a lot like the desktop version of Outlook, combining contacts, calendar, and mail into a single interface that works together to organize meetings and communications. Other supported services include Google Apps, Gmail, iCloud and Yahoo. As part of the acquisition, ...
Samsung will call its next flagship phone as Galaxy S6, according to a new report from SamMobile. The company is also expected to announce Edge variant for Galaxy S6, said the report.
Last month it was reported that Samsung is working on Galaxy S5 succcessor which is codenamed as ‘Project Zero’. The phone will sport a QHD 2560×1440 display, however the screen size is still unknown. Galaxy S6 will feature new 64-bit Exynos 7420 and a Snapdragon 810 processor. There will either be a 16MP or 20MP camera on the back and the report believes that it will be the former and a 5MP shooter will be present at the front. Camera sensor on the S6 will be the IMX240, which is already present on the Galaxy Note 4.
In addition to the Galaxy S6, the report said that Samsung will launch the Galaxy S6 Edge that will feature a curved-edge display, which is a direct application of Samsung’s Youm technology. We have already seen the curved display There is no other information about the phone spec except that it will be launched sometime in 2015.
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OnePlus has launched the One Plus One smartphone in India as it promised last week. It was announced earlier this year, packs a 5.5-inch (1920 ×1080 pixels) Full HD LTPS display from JDI with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, is powered by a 2.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) processor and runs on CyanogenMod 11S based on Android 4.4 (KitKat).
It has a 13-megapixel camera with Sony IMX214 stacked sensor, 6-element lens, f/2.0 aperture, dual LED flash, 4K video recording and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture.
OnePlus One specifications
5.5-inch (1920 ×1080 pixels) Full HD display with Corning Gorilla glass 3 protection
2.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) processor
CyanogenMod 11S on top of Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Dimensions – 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm, weight: 162 grams
13MP rear camera with Dual LED Flash, Sony Exmor BSI sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 4K video recording
5MP front-facing camera
3GB RAM, 64GB internal memory
4G LTE / 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4/5 GHz), WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, NFC
3100 mAh battery
The OnePlus One comes in Sandstone Black color and is priced at Rs. 21,999. It is available for purchase in India exclusively from Amazon.in starting today if you have invites. OnePlus One plans to introduce pre-order system in India soon. We reviewed ...
LG launched the G Flex almost a year back and it looks like the launch of its successor is drawing closer. The company is planning to announce the G Flex 2 at CES 2015 in January, according to a latest report from Android Authority.
Initially it was believed that LG is going to reveal this device before the end of this year but that certainly did not happen. Similar to the original G Flex the successor is also expected to have a curved and flexible, sporting a P-OLED display. In addition, the G Flex 2 will also have self healing coating that was even present on the original G Flex.
The LG G Flex sported a 6-inch screen with 720 x 1280 pixels however the G Flex 2 will have a superior Full HD display. At present details about the G Flex 2 are rare. CES 2015 is starting in January 6th 2015.
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Samsung is all set to launch the Tizen based smartphone in India this month. The company has scheduled the phone launch on December 10th, as per a report from South Korea's Maeil Business Newspaper.
Samsung will be launching the Tizen phone in India on December 10 and hold a press conference for the same. Dubbed as Z1 the device is expected to be priced below $100 (INR 6000). Z1 will be a budget phone and sport 4-inch 480x800 display and will be powered by a 1.2 GHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB internal memory ,expandable by up to 32 GB via microSD card support. It will have and 3.2 MP rear camera and support dual SIM functionality and integrated FM Radio.
The Tizen phone launch has been delayed by the company as in September it was reported that it will launch in November. Samsung's Tizen smartphone will compete with Google's Android One smartphones.
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Lava has launched Lava Win1, the company's first Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone under Lava brand. The company has partnered with Flipkart to sell the smartphone exclusively. It has a 4-inch WVGA display, is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, has a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front-facing camera. It has 3G connectivity and Dual SIM support.
Celkon Win 400 that was launched yesterday has a similar display and processor, but this has 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage and comes with a 1950mAh battery, compared to 512MB RAM, 4GB of internal storage and 1500mAh battery on the Celkon smartphone.
Commenting on the launch, Navin Chawla, Vice President and Head-Product, LAVA International Limited said:
At LAVA we always endeavor to provide our consumers with best possible choices in terms of design, features, apps, services and now platforms as well. We are pleased to add Iris Win1 - Windows powered device in our smartphone portfolio for consumers who are looking for Windows platform.
Michael Adnani, VP – Retail & Head of Brand Alliances, Flipkart said,
We are excited to introduce the first LAVA smartphone powered by Windows on our platform. We are confident that this exclusive partnership will help us expand our ...
Dropbox has updated iOS app with the ability to rename files and folders. The version 3.6 of the app will allow iPhone and iPad users to change the names of files and folder in Dropbox directly from the app.
A new ‘more actions’ button signified by three dots now appears next to the sharing button when you are previewing a file. From that drop-down you can rename or move a file. Users can also rename folders with the new version by swiping right from the list view, then tapping the rename icon.
The Dropbox update also includes a new toolbar in the bottom left corner that disappears and reappears as users need it. Tap anywhere within a photo or file to toggle between the toolbar and full screen.This toolbar cludes an edit button for Microsoft Office files as part of the company’s recent integration with Office apps.
Official Changelog for Dropbox v 3.
• You can now rename your files and folders!
• Swipe right on a folder to see more actions, including rename.
• We've moved a few things around - there's a new more actions button (⋯) when viewing files
• On iPhones, the more actions button (⋯) also includes the full file name, size and ...
EE has today announced the launch of its groundbreaking new micro network which is designed to connect more than 1,500 rural communities currently without 4G services by the end of 2017.
EE will use new micro network technology to achieve this and bring several otherwise-hard-to-reach areas up to scratch with the latest network coverage. The micro network technology wirelessly connects small mobile antennae to a suitable macro site without the need for expensive cabling and the technology makes it more viable for EE to roll out coverage to extremely rural areas.
Starting early next year, EE will use micro network technology to offer voice services and 3G/4G data connections available in communities currently struggling without reliable mobile or high speed broadband. Currently networks have to deploy expensive mobile masts in strategic locations to deliver network coverage in rural areas but EE's micro network technology removes this requirement and improves the economics of providing service to rural communities.
The micro network can connect around 150 homes and businesses across a 0.5 square mile area with just three or four small antennae. An antenna can be installed on any building in mere hours and doesn't require planning approval from local councils which speeds up the rollout ...
Intex has launched Intex Aqua Power, the company's latest smartphone in the Aqua series. It packs a 5-inch FWVGA screen, is powered by a 1.4 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6592M processor and runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat). It has a 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, 2-megapixel front-facing camera, dual SIM support and 3G connectivity.
Intex launched the Aqua Star Power smartphone with a 3000mAh battery back in September. This has a 4000mAh battery that promises 10 to 11 hours of talk time and 500 hours standby.
Commenting on the launch, Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, Mobile Business Head, Intex Technologies, said:
At Intex, it is our effort to constantly understand and deliver on customer expectations and we fell that the Aqua Power with its extensive batter life and powerful octa-core processor will cater to our consumers’ needs in a far more effective manner.
Intex Aqua Power specifications
5-inch (854 x 480 pixels) IPS display
1.4 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6592M processor
1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with MicroSD
Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Dual SIM
8MP rear camera with LED Flash
2MP front-facing camera
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
Dimensions: 141x71.9x9.3 mm
3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
4000 mAh battery
The Intex Aqua Power comes in White, Black, Blue and Grey colors and is priced at Rs. 8,444 (MRP). ...
Evernote has taken the Work chat, context and presentation features out of beta. These updates were first shown off at the EC4 company conference in October.
The company then gradually rolled out the features to beta testers over the past two months. Evernote today has announced that the work chat feature is live for all users on all platforms and the updated presentation mode is live for premium subscribers on Mac and iOS. The work chat allows users to share and discuss about the things you are working on Evernote. Users will simply have to tap on the Work Chat icon to launch a new chat and start a conversation.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYUG9xW6wdQ
Evernote’s built-in presentation mode now includes a visual layout editor that allows you to insert/move page breaks, variable font sizes for display, automatic titling and captioning of images. Finally, a new Context feature which Evernote says "uses augmented intelligence technology to find and surface relevant info to you as you’re working." Being a premium feature it is only available for Mac and iOS.
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Vodafone could be set to increase the convergence of communications providers in the EU with a blockbuster takeover of Virgin Media owner Liberty Global in a deal worth a reported £80 billion. Following BT's pursuit of O2 and EE in the UK, Vodafone have been eyeing a major ISP in response and the acquisition of/merger with Liberty Global would represent a real challenge to BT's supposed dominance (once their deal completes).
BT is already the UK's largest broadband provider and controls large amounts of the country's broadband infrastructure. A deal to acquire Telefonica SA's O2 or EE - jointly owned by Deutsche Telekom AG and France's Orange SA - would allow BT to achieve the state it used to hold as the UK's dominant telecommunications provider. Prior to selling its Cellnet network to Telefonica back in 2005, BT was one of the largest mobile networks and will companies focusing on quad-play and convergence, a potential acquisition would allow it to return to this state.
Vodafone are already looking ahead to their quad-play offering with UK broadband and TV services set to launch next Spring. We've already heard that they are set to acquire Tesco's video-on-demand Blinkbox service and is reportedly in talks ...
Photos of Android 5.0 update for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition have surfaced. Although the update has not been released for this particular device yet,the leaked screenshots provide us with a preview of Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition running Android 5.0 Lollipop.
As expected, it features stock Android UI with Material design and all the features which were introduced with Android 5.0. The update is said to be in beta form and not ready for a complete public roll out. The Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition was initially released with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean last year and was recently updated to Android 4.4 KitKat.
It is not known when will the Galaxy S4 GPE receive the OTA Android 5.0 Lollipop update but it will be the first Samsung device to receive the latest Android update.
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Xolo recently sent invites for the launch of their upcoming Omega series smartphone. The company will unveil the smartphone on Twitter (@MyXOLO) on December 5th at 12PM.
The company would reveal the details about the Omega series smartphone between 12PM and 1PM and also Q&A session. Users can use #TouchOmega hashtag to interact with Xolo on Twitter on the launch day.
Xolo launched the 8X-1000 smartphone with HIVE UI back in August and it recently launched the Xolo One budget smartphone, which directly competes with the Android One series. The company keeps on adding new smartphone every week.
We will get to know the complete specifications, how the smartphone will look like and the price on the launch day. What are your expectations?
Karbonn Titanium S25 Klick, the company's latest smartphone in the Titanium S series is now available from Indiatimes Shopping. It has a 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display based on one-glass-solution, powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor and runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat). It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
It has dual SIM support, comes with 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage with expansion slot and a 2000 mAh battery. Specifications of the smartphone are similar to the Karbonn Titanium S19 that was launched few months back, but the design of the smartphone is different.
Karbonn Titanium S25 Klick specifications
5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display
1.3 GHz quad-core processor
Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Dual SIM
13MP rear camera with LED Flash
5MP front-facing camera
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
1GB RAM, 8GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with MicroSD
3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
2000 mAh battery
The Karbonn Titanium S25 Klick comes in White color and is priced at Rs. 7,650.
Celkon launched the Win 400, the company's first Windows Phone smartphone yesterday at a price tag of Rs. 4,979. We already brought you the hands-on impressions and the photo gallery of the budget Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone from the launch event. Here we have the unboxing of the Win 400.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SddFS12u4P0
Box Contents
Celkon Win 400 smartphone in White
micro USB cable
AC charger (5V-1A)
in-ear headset
User manual and warranty manual
The Win 400 has a 4-inch WVGA display, is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 (MSM 8212) processor with Adreno 302 GPU, has a a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and comes with Dual SIM support.
It has a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, packs 512MB RAM, 4GB internal memory, expandable memory with microSD and a 1500mAh battery. The Celkon Win 400 comes in Black and White colors and is already available across India.
