Samsung held their second Analyst Day yesterday and the outcome of the event is that we now have an idea regarding what Samsung is planning for the smartphone market in the next couple of years. Among the various important revelations in event, certain highlights were that Samsung will be producing their custom ARM core CPUs and are planning to introduce 560ppi display smartphones in 2014 and 4K phones in the year after.
Google Nexus 5 Benchmarks
Google launched the Nexus 5, the company’s latest flagship smartphone last month. We brought you the unboxing of the device earlier this week, here we have the benchmarks of the device. It is manufactured by LG and is powered by a 2.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) 28nm HPm quad-core Krait 400 CPU with Adreno 330 GPU. We brought you the benchmarks of the Snapdragon 800 on a reference smartphone few months back. Here we have also compared it in these benchmarks to show you the difference. Since Google has optimized the processor to use the minimal use of CPU cores when the phone is idle, some benchmarks such as Quadrant, AnTuTu and Linpack shows low scores. GPU-based benchmarks doesn’t get affected.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD-aSSHuRcE Continue reading “Google Nexus 5 Benchmarks”
Sony CP-V3 portable USB charger launched in India for Rs. 1590
Sony has launched CP-V3, the company’s new portable USB charger in India. It has a capacity of 2,800 mAh and high output of 1.5A that ensures for a fast recharge of smartphones on-the-go. The charger comes in 5 vibrant colors and weighs just 84 grams. It is small, compact and easy-to-carry. It is based on Sony’s Lithium-ion polymer technology that lets the charger retain more than 90 per cent of its capacity at 1,000 charges. The CP-V3 USB Portable Charger can be charged via USB port on PC or using an AC adapter. Continue reading “Sony CP-V3 portable USB charger launched in India for Rs. 1590”
Pebble SDK 2.0 announced, brings deeper iOS integration and new APIs
Pebble has just made a couple of announcements that will make both users and developers very happy. After shipping over 190,000 Pebble watches and getting 10,000+ developers onboard, the company is today announcing a brand new SDK. The new Software Development Kit (SDK) will include support for new APIs including Javascript, Accelerometer, Data Logging and Persistent Storage. The benefits of these APIs are multifold. Developers will be able to make apps that interface directly with the web to deliver rich apps that can provide information like transit data or location based check-in. It’ll be possible to make fitness monitoring apps that will then be able to log data directly on the smartwatch even you are disconnected from the phone. Making use of the new API, Pebble is bringing onboard new watch faces from the likes of iControl, Foursquare and Go Pro. The next big addition in terms of software is the new app for iOS that’ll offer seamless integration with iOS 7. Pebble is now completely integrated with Notification Center on iOS and you’ll be able to pick and choose which updates you want to see on your wrist. This should finally help calm iOS users who have been frustrated by the limited functionality offered by Pebble on iOS. Pebble is one of the most successful smart watches out there though we feel that this market is just getting heated up and we’ll see a lot of competition in the near future from the likes of Google and Apple.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z1
Sony and Samsung announced their flagship devices at IFA 2013. Samsung was the first company to step into the 5inch + category with their original Galaxy Note and it was a very successful experiment. Samsung continued to reap even bigger rewards with the second interation of the Note series – Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Samsung is all set to make it three in a row with their Samsung Galaxy Note 3.
Sony, on the other hand don’t have a colorful Android history to share as they are just coming back from a land where they were always late to the party. Sony introduced the their first camera centric flagship – Sony Xperia Z1 at the IFA 2013 in Berlin. Sony Xperia Z1 had leaked numerous times prior to launch and when Sony announced it, nothing came as a surprise – even the 20.7MP camera. Sony Xperia Z1 has the biggest camera sensor on an Android smartphone, even bigger than the one on the camera-phone – Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, but without the optical zoom.
Today, we will be bringing you the best of Samsung against the best of Sony. Both the phones pack some pretty serious processing power and do they have what it takes to dwarf out each other. You can check out the camera comparison video right below.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxROC_79UMs Continue reading “Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z1”
Lenovo P780 Benchmarks
Lenovo launched the P780, successor of the P770 back in June. We brought you the unboxing of the device earlier this week, here we have the benchmarks of the device. It is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core MediaTek 6589 processor with PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU, better than its predecessor which had a 1.2 GHz dual-core MediaTek MT6577 CPU with PowerVR SGX 531 GPU. It has a 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) touch screen IPS display and runs on Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean) with Lenovo’s custom UI on top. Let’s find out how this compete with other devices in range of synthetic benchmark tests when compared to other smartphones.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TUlQwQHScQ Continue reading “Lenovo P780 Benchmarks”
Google Nexus 5 Unboxing
It’s been exactly 6 days since the Google Nexus 5 officially launched, but it had leaked out in full glory earlier, with complete details of specifications and even the information about its build quality. So, we surely knew what to expect when the Nexus 5 landed in our labs today. The latest “Pure Google” experience phone has launched with absolutely tons of retail stock this time, so acquiring it was certainly an easier job than it was with the Nexus 4 last year. Costing roughly around 29K for the 16 GB unit from the UK, the Nexus 5 is ready for the FoneArena treatment, so, lets start with the unboxing. We have shot a video of the retail package contents, a quick rundown of specifications and the hardware overview of the White Nexus 5, watch it below.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMzyLzQmX0c
Did you check out our Google Nexus 5 Photo Gallery?
SwiftKey 4.3 for Android with Multiple layouts released
SwiftKey 4.3 – Layouts for Living is now available for Android phones and tablets from the Google Play Store. The SwiftKey 4.3 Beta was launched last month and it was updated recently with fixes and improvements. This update brings multiple layouts such as compact, Thumb and Full that helps you type quickly and comfortably, irrespective of the devices or what context you’re typing in. SwiftKey 4.3 would be available as a free update to all the existing users. Continue reading “SwiftKey 4.3 for Android with Multiple layouts released”
Micromax Canvas Turbo Camera Samples
Micromax has already launched its fifth flagship(Canvas A100, Canvas A110, Canvas HD A116, Canvas 4 A210 before this) – Canvas Turbo in just about twelve months and they had recently roped in Hugh Jackman for marketing their products. The Indian manufacturer looks to be on a role ever since their Android smartphones kicked off. The latest iteration of the Canvas flagship comes with a Full HD display in a solid Aluminum unibody and a 13MP camera at the back. The 13MP camera is capable of recording 1080p videos at 30fps and we will be putting its imaging capabilities to test in our review and in the meantime you can check out what the Canvas Turbo is capable of in terms of capturing photos and videos.
ARCHOS 101 XS 2 Android tablet with Keyboard dock coming to UK in December for 250 GBP
ARCHOS showed off the 10.1 XS 2 with a Keyboard dock at the IFA 2013 in Berlin back in September, now the company has announced the launch date and the price of the tablet for the UK market. It has a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800 pixels) IPS display, powered by a 1.6 GHz quad-core Cortex A9 processor with Mali 400 MP4 GPU and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS. It has a 2-megapixel rear and front-facing cameras. It also comes with a keyboard dock that also doubles up as a protective cover and also acts a stand for the tablet, as you can see in the image below. It also has front facing stereo speakers. Continue reading “ARCHOS 101 XS 2 Android tablet with Keyboard dock coming to UK in December for 250 GBP”
Google Search for iPhone and iPad updated with Notifications, Reminders and New Google Now Cards
Google has released a major update (v3.1.0) to the Search app for iOS that brings notifications, Reminders, new Google Now Cards and “OK Google” Handsfree voice to search. The Search app has a redesigned and simplified homepage, gestures to zoom or throw away images, One touch sign in if you use other Google apps and Improved voiceover accessibility. Only select cards are available globally and the “Ok Google” requires iPhone 4s or later.
Cygnett launches new iPhone 5S and 5C cases in India starting from Rs. 1099
Cygnett, popular international digital accessories brand has launched Alternate, WorkMate Utility Case for the iPhone 5 and the 5S and the Form Hard Plastic case for the iPhone 5C in India. The company launched the Two-tone case for iPhone 5 and 5S in India back in September. The Cygnett WorkMate Utility Case offers complete protection for the iPhone. It has Vibration absorbing soft TPU that wraps around a tough PC shell, with an inner chassis of high-density TPU and integrated PET screen guard. The Form Hard Plastic case from the Form series has gloss finish and a hard PC shell with inner motif inlay. it features an aluminium badge accent and offers generous access to all functions including an anti-flashback camera cut out and lay on the table design. Continue reading “Cygnett launches new iPhone 5S and 5C cases in India starting from Rs. 1099”
Xolo Q800 X-Edition with 4.5-inch qHD display, quad-core processor now available for Rs. 11999
Xolo launched the Q800 as the company’s first quad-core smartphone back in March, now the Xolo Q800 X-Edition is available from online retailer Flipkart. It has similar specifications as the Q800 including a 4.5-inch (960 x 540 pixels) capacitive touch screen IPS display. This one is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor with PowerVR SGX544 GPU, unlike the Q800 that was powered by a MediaTek MT6589M chip. Xolo had be launching phones different variant of the same models in the recent period including the Q700i, A500L and A500S IPS.
Continue reading “Xolo Q800 X-Edition with 4.5-inch qHD display, quad-core processor now available for Rs. 11999”
HTC One Android 4.3 update starts rolling out in UK
HTC One is still the Taiwanese company’s flagship and hence is receiving a lot of love in terms of software updates. HTC One was launched with Android 4.1.2 out of the box and got the Android 4.2.2 update in July. More than a month back, HTC One was updated to Android 4.3 in Taiwan and the update rolled out to international HTC One during the last week of October. Android 4.3 update for HTC One has finally reached UK and we were able to update our device to Android 4.3 Jellybean. The update is available as an OTA update and is 675MB to download.
Continue reading “HTC One Android 4.3 update starts rolling out in UK”
Call of Duty: Ghosts companion app released for Android, iPhone, iPad and Windows Phone 8 devices
Activision released the Call of Duty: Ghosts game for Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii U and Xbox 360 yesterday, along with the game the company has also released a companion app for Android, iPhone, iPad and Windows Phone 8 devices. The app provides provides several personalized features during and beyond your play sessions including, Call of Duty Clan Wars, Better Multiplayer with Second Screen Functionality, up to date Call of Duty news, events, options check your career stats and more. Continue reading “Call of Duty: Ghosts companion app released for Android, iPhone, iPad and Windows Phone 8 devices”