Smartphone

HTC Desire U, Desire XDS: Dual SIM Android ICS Smartphones Launched at Rs 13,499 and Rs 16,089

by Rohit Khurana • June 5, 2013

HTC seems to be in a rage to gain enough market share in Indian smartphone space as the vendor is coming up with dual SIM entry-level and mid-range smartphones.

In a recent development, HTC Desire U and Desire XDS – dual SIM Android ICS smartphones have been spotted on online retailers. The Desire U, which was launched in Taiwan, has now come to India at Rs 13,499 and later, the Desire XDS, the dual SIM variant of Desire X is available at Rs 16,089.

Both are flavored with Android ICS operating system and come with basic specifications alongside the Beats Audio integration.

HTC Desire U Specifications

4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen display with 800×480 pixels
1GHz processor
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense UI
5-megapixel auto focus camera with LED Flash
512MB RAM, 4GB internal, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD
3G, WiFi 820.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, GPS
1,650 mAh battery

HTC Desire XDS Specifications

4.0-inch capacitive touchscreen display with 800×480 pixels
1GHz dual-core processor
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense UI
5-megapixel auto focus camera with LED Flash
768MB RAM, 4GB internal, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD
3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / aGPS
1,650 mAh battery

Price & Availability

HTC Desire U is available on Flipkart at Rs 13,499 and the Desire XDS is priced at RS 16,089 and is listed on Saholic.

Smartphone

Sony Unleashes Xperia M, M dual with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS and Premium Sony Features

by Rohit Khurana • June 4, 2013

Sony has announced the launch of mid-range Android smartphone – Xperia M and its dual SIM variant – Xperia M dual. Running on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS, the Xperia M comes with exciting features and specifications and has a thin form factor while comparing it to its rivals.

At the launch, Calum MacDougall, Director of Xperia Marketing at Sony Mobile Communications said, “Consumers looking for their first steps into the world of Xperia smartphones, would be well-advised to look at Xperia M or Xperia M dual. Both models benefit from Sony’s proven innovation and engineering expertise, and are perfect for those who want the premium technology and experiences often only associated with high-end models.”

Xperia M Specifications

Measuring only 9.3mm and 115 grams in thickness and weight, the Xperia M houses a 4-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 800×480 pixels. Further, boasting a 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, the Xperia M runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS and packs a 5-megapixel rear shooter and a VGA front camera. Also, the Xperia M comes with 4GB internal memory, up to 32GB expandable storage and 1GB RAM and packs Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, 3G and a 1,750 mAh battery.

Xperia M Availability

The Xperia M and Xperia M dual would be available in Black, White and Purple and a Yellow color variation would also be available for the single SIM model. These phones would go on sale globally in Q3 2013.

Omni Balance Design

The iconic Omni Balance design, which debuted with Xperia Z smartphone enables the handset to be incredibly slim and lightweight.

Software Features

Of course, the Xperia M not only comes with improved hardware, but also packs some interesting and amazing software features.

Battery Stamina Mode

Xperia M has Battery Stamina Mode, which will offer enhanced standby time by up to four folds. This can be achieved by closing the apps that are running behind draining the power soon as the screen is off and again starting them when the screen is unlocked.

Walkman, Movies and Album

Sony has preloaded media applications such as Walkman, Album and Movies in the Xperia M. These features offer consistent entertainment experience across a wide range of Sony devices.

Smartphone

MTS Duet: Dual SIM Smartphone Outed at Rs 4,779 to Outshine Samsung Galaxy Star

by Rohit Khurana • June 4, 2013

While tech titans like Apple prefer to launch high-end smartphones for consumers, native handset vendors focus on ultra low cost Android handsets with dual SIM support. One such vendor – MTS, who is a telco known for its connected devices has announced the launch of MTS Duet, which is priced at Rs 4,779.

Talking of specs, the MTS Duet packs a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 320×480 pixels and runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. Further, the MTS Duet comes powered with a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 processor and packs a 3-megapixel rear camera. Also, the smartphone has 512MB RAM, expandable storage up to 32GB and a 1,200 mAh battery.

MTS Duet Specifications

3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display with 320×480 pixels
1GHz Snapdragon S1 processor
512MB RAM
Expandable storage up to 32GB via microSD card
3-megapixel rear camera
1200 mAh battery
Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS

MTS Duet Price & Availability

MTS Duet is priced at Rs 4,779 and will be available in metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai.

MTS Duet Freebies

As an introductory offer, MTS is offering the customers with unlimited local calls and data usage for 2 months with a recharge of Rs 599. Also, it has been announced by Leonid Musatov, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, MTS India that there will be more such dual SIM smartphone launches this year with bundled data packages powered by MBlaze Data Network.

Competition with Samsung Galaxy Star

Analyzing the specifications, it can be said that the MTS Duet can be a competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Star, which has been recently launched in India at Rs 5,240. The Galaxy Star packs a 3-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 320×240 pixels, 1GHz processor and 512MB RAM. Running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS, the smartphone comes with a 2-megapixel rear camera, 4GB internal storage and micro SD card up to 32GB. Further, Galaxy Star boasts connectivity aspects such as 2G, Bluetooth, micro USB and Wi-Fi and is loaded with a 1,200 mAh battery.

Galaxy Star also comes with Galaxy Star comes with a special plan from Vodafone, which offers 250MB free 2G data per month for 2 months and is valid up to July 31, 2013.

Hence, the Galaxy Star and MTS Duet could be great competitors that can woo the Indian price conscious consumer base.

Smartphone

iBall Cobalt Andi4 7G Launched with Quad-Core CPU at Rs 19,995: Top 5 Challengers Listed

by Rohit Khurana • June 3, 2013

With the success of quad-core phablets, especially the budget offerings in India, the manufacturers are in a rage to launch such devices. Now, iBall has come up with one such phablet with beefed up specs like a quad-core processor and other impressive aspects.

The latest one is none other than Cobalt Andi4 7G with a price tag of Rs 19,995. The new member in iBall’s Andi range of smartphones comes equipped with an HD display, is powered by a quad-core processor, and offers a 5-megapixel front camera which is a rarity even in phones falling in the high end segments.

The iBall Cobalt Andi4 7G comes with a 4.7-inch IPS HD display with 1280×720 pixel resolution and a pixel density of 312 PPI. It runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with a quad-core 1.2GHz Cortex A7 processor with 1GB RAM and 16 GB internal memory, which is expandable up to 32GB using a microSD. On connectivity front the dual-SIM phone supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi hotspot, and unlike many low tier brands it also supports OTA updates.

There is a USB connector support to connect keyboard and mouse through this USB Slot. Apart from this, there is a 12-megapixel auto-focus rear camera with a dual LED flash along with a 5-megapixel auto-focus front camera. Other features in the phone include a 2,200mAh battery, G-Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Light and Magnetic Sensors.

Specifications

4.7 inch IPS capacitive screen with 1280×720 pixels resolution.

1.2GHz Quad core MT6589 + PowerVR SGX 544MP.

1GB RAM, 16GB storage and micro SD card support.

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS.

12-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front camera

3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, dual MIC for noise cancellation, OTG function, micro USB, GPS

2,200 mAh battery

Price

iBall might have priced the Cobalt Andi4 7G at Rs 19,995, which might sound costly, but the smartphone is available on eBay at Rs 17,499.

Competition

The Cobalt Andi4 7G will be competing against other similar smartphones that also boast similar specs like quad-core processor and HD display. Have a look at the competitors of the iBall phablet below.

Zen Ultrafone 701 HD

Zen Ultrafone 701 HD is the first quad-core based handset with a 5-inch capacitive touchscreen with a screen resolution of 1280×720 pixels. The 8-megapixel autofocus rear camera with BSI sensor along with a LED flash and the stunning 3.2-megapixel front facing camera adds yet another plus point to the device. Ultrafone 701 HD comes with 1GB RAM and internal storage capacity of 4GB that can be extended via external storage up to 32GB. This phablet runs on a 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 processor and has 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS alongside a 2,000mAh battery.

At Rs 11,999, the Zen offering is relatively lesser than the iBall Cobalt Andi4 7G, but the latter comes with increased internal storage and better front camera.

Xolo Q1000

Lava International announced the launch of Xolo Q1000 boasting a 5-inch HD IPS capacitive touchscreen display with DragonTrail Glass and a resolution of 1280×720 pixels. The Xolo Q1000 comes with 1.2GHz quad-core processor and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The phablet houses an 8-megapixel rear camera with BSI sensor, 1.2-megapixel front camera for video calling, 1GB RAM and 4GB internal memory, which can be expanded to 32GB. Further, packed with connectivity features like 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, the Xolo Q1000 is loaded with a 2,100 mAh battery.

With a price tag of Rs 14,999, the Xolo Q1000 is also cheaper than the iBall smartphone, which is equipped with improved camera. However, the Xolo Q1000 comes with a scratch resistant protection on the display.

Spice Stellar Pinnacle Pro Mi-535

Spice Mobiles launched the Stellar Pinnacle Pro Mi-535 with a 5.3-inch IPS capacitive touchscreen with 960×540 pixel resolution. The Stellar Pinnacle Pro Mi-535 comes with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS and houses a 1.2GHz quad-core processor. Also, boasting an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and LED flash and an amazing 5-megapixel front camera for video calling, the Spice phablet comes with 1GB RAM and 16GB internal storage, which can be expanded to up to 32GB via micro SD card. Further, the phablet has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, GPS and a 2,550mAh battery.

Priced at Rs 14,990, the Spice offering also comes with similar specifications as the iBall Cobalt Andi4 7G with a slightly better display resolution.

Celkon A119Q Signature HD

Celkon has also entered the quad-core phablet segment with the launch of A119Q Signature HD, which comes with a 5-inch IPS touchscreen with 1280×720 pixel resolution. Running on Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean and housing a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, the A119Q Signature HD comes with 1GB RAM, 4GB internal storage and a microSD card slot to expand memory up to 32GB. Also, the Celkon phablet has a 12-megapixel auto-focus snapper at the rear and a 3-megapixel front camera which can be used for video calling. It provides connectivity through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G and features a 2,100mAh battery.

With Rs 12,499 price tag, the Celkon phablet may be priced lower, but the iBall offering has increased internal storage and better camera performance.

Micromax A110Q Canvas 2 Plus

Micromax has launched the successor of Canvas 2 A110 – A110Q Canvas 2 Plus. The phablet boasts a 5-inch HD IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 480×854 pixels. A110Q Canvas 2 Plus comes with 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589M processor and runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The phablet houses an 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front camera for video calling, 1GB RAM and 4GB internal memory, which can be expanded to 32GB. Further, packed with connectivity features like 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, the A110Q Canvas 2 Plus is loaded with a 2,000 mAh battery.

At a price of Rs 12,100, the A110Q Canvas 2 Plus comes with improved specifications and is priced lesser, but the iBall Cobalt Andi4 7G boasts better battery and improved camera features.

Smartphone

HTC One, One X+ Prices Slashed in India, Available at Rs 26,500 and Rs 29,900

by Rohit Khurana • June 3, 2013

HTC One has been announced in India and it is definitely an expensive smartphone for many as it is priced at Rs 42,900 hinting that the consumers will have to shell out more to buy the new shiny Ultrapixel phone.

However, if, all of your excitement for HTC One has droned looking at the heavy price and you feel like the Taiwanese giant has crushed you dreams for a superphone upgrade, well here is some good news for you. The company has also announced a price cut on two of its existing handsets in the Indian market – HTC One X and One X+.

Till now One X and One X+ smartphones were selling in India at a price of Rs 32,000 and Rs 38,550. However, according to the latest information, the flagship One series smartphones are available at attractive discount on various e-commerce sites.

The 16GB variant of One X, has received a price drop of around Rs 6,000 and is now available at Rs 26,500 on Flipkart, on the other hand, 64GB variant of One X+ sold has received a massive slash of Rs 9,000 and is now available at Rs 29,900 on the Flipkart.

On the exterior, the One X+ looks quite similar to the One X with a change in the color scheme and Beats insignia. However, it has many internal changes as it is a revamped version of the handset. Being an upgraded version, One X+ has four major improvements including faster processor, increased internal storage capacity, bigger battery and 4G support.

Specwise, One X+ packs a 4.7 inch Super LCD 2 capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, quad core 1.7GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 AP37 processor, 8MP rear camera, 1.6MP front camera, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS, 64GB internal storage, 1GB RAM, 25GB free Dropbox storage for two years, NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 2,100 mAh Li-Po battery delivering 6 hours of talk time.

On the other hand, HTC One – the Apple of the HTC fans’ eye has received the Jelly Bean upgrade and further sports a 4.7 inch Super LCD 2 capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, quad core 1.5GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset, 8MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera for video calling, 16GB/32GB internal storage, 1GB RAM, Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth, NFC and a 1,800 mAh Li-ion battery offering up to 8 hours backup.

Smartphone

Samsung Galaxy Fame with Dual SIM and Jelly Bean OS Launched in India at Rs 11,120: Specs, Video Review and More

by Rohit Khurana • May 31, 2013

South Korean tech giant Samsung has announced the launch of an Android Jelly Bean smartphone – Galaxy Fame in India at Rs 11,120. While the smartphone was already available in on several online retailer sites, it has been released officially only now.

When it comes to specifications, Galaxy Fame sports a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a HVGA resolution of 320×480 pixels, 1GHz processor and 512MB RAM. Further, with an internal storage capacity of 4GB, which can be expanded to 32GB, the Galaxy Fame runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS topped with Samsung TouchWiz Nature UX.

Moreover, the dual SIM Galaxy Fame packs a 5-megapixel rear camera, VGA front camera and connectivity aspects like 3G, Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi. Also, the Galaxy Fame is powered by a 1,300 mAh battery offering up to 6 hours talk time and 300 hours standby.

On the software side, the Galaxy Fame is preloaded with Samsung applications such as ChatON, S Cloud and Game Hub Lite.

Early this month, Samsung also took the wraps off Galaxy Young, which also a dual SIM smartphone priced at Rs 8,010. The Galaxy Young is fitted with a 3.27-inch display and is powered by a 1GHz processor, 728MB RAM, 4GB inbuilt storage and expandable storage up to 64GB. Also, running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS, the Galaxy Young is loaded with a 1,300 mAh battery.

Analyzing the price range of both Galaxy Fame and Galaxy Young, it is clear that the former is priced significantly higher at Rs 11,120. At the same price range, there are many worthy offerings with quad-core processor like Micromax A110Q Canvas 2 Plus, Karbonn S2 Titanium and more.

Specifications

3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display
1GHz processor
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS
512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage, expandable by up to 32GB
5-megapixel auto focus camera, VGA front camera
Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth
1,300mAh battery

Video Review

Here is the video review of Galaxy Fame done by Intellect Digest. Check out the details below.

Smartphone

Nokia Asha 311 vs Samsung Rex 90: Entry Level Mobile Phones Declare War

by Rohit Khurana • May 31, 2013

These days, Nokia is doing well in India with its lineup of handsets, gradually carving a niche in the market. While, the Finnish tech firm seems to be struggling hard to revive its smartphone business, it is clear that it is winning on one side by attracting more and more consumers for the Asha handsets selling at budget price points.

Moreover, the company seems to be adding new and innovative features to the Asha handsets in order to make them penetrate into the market deeper. Coming to the mobile phone market, Nokia has lost its reign to South Korean tech titan Samsung, which launched Rex lineup of handsets with Smart Dual SIM feature. Priced between Rs 3,770 to Rs 5,870, the Rex handsets were launched in order to take over Nokia Asha devices.

Analyzing the specifications and price of Asha 311, it can be said that the Rex 90 could be a stiff competitor to the Nokia offering. For those consumers who like to buy dual SIM handsets with basic specs and features, the Asha 311 and Rex 90 might be great offerings, hence, Intellect Digest has decided to do a spec comparison on both.

Display

When it comes to display, Asha 311 packs a 3-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 240×400 pixels and a pixel density of 155 ppi approximately. On the other hand, Rex 90 features a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 320×480 pixels and 165 ppi pixel density approximately.

Hardware

While Asha 311 is powered by a best in class 1GHz processor, the Rex 90 is equipped with a lean 312MHz processor only.

Camera

Both the handsets come with a 3.15-megapixel rear camera and lack a front camera for video calling.

Storage

Asha 311 has 140MB internal storage and a micro SD card slot supporting up to 32GB additional storage. At the same time, Rex 90 has 10MB internal storage and a micro SD card supporting 32GB expandable memory.

Connectivity

Both Asha 311 and Rex 90 come packed with connectivity features including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and micro USB 2.0. However, Asha 311 scores more with the presence of 3G, which is lacking in Rex 90. Nokia has incorporated the Xpress Browser with 90% datsa compression in Asha 311, whereas, Samsung has loaded the Rex 90 with Opera Mini beowser with 90% compression.

Battery

Asha 311 is loaded with a 1,110 mAh battery offering up to 6 hours standby and 768 hours talk time. On the other hand, Rex 90 is powered by a 1,000 mAh battery of unknown backup.

Price

Asha 311 is priced at Rs 5,819 approximately and Rex 90 is available for purchase at Rs 5,870.

Other Features

Asha 311 comes with 40 free EA games worth Rs 2,700, while the Rex 90 does not include any freebies. Also, the Nokia offering is preloaded with WhatsApp, Nokia Maps and push notifications for Facebook and Twitter. Further, the Asha 311 includes 2GB free micro SD card free, social client with 70% data compression and data counter. Also, Asha 311 supports multiple languages including Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi and Bengali.

Conclusion

Both Asha 311 and Rex 90 are entry-level handsets meant for users to be socially connected and bearing reasonable price tags. Moreover, both the handsets come with basic specifications and hence, the buying decision depends on the consumers. At the end, will be you buy Rex 90 or Asha 311?