Samsung reportedly toning down TouchWiz tweaks and apps due to pressure from Google

Samsung, the world’s biggest Android manufacturer, is reportedly toning down its TouchWiz UI tweaks and own custom apps due to pressure from Google, reports re/code. Not long before, the Korean Chaebol unveiled a range of new Android devices at the Consumer Electronics Show, all featuring the company’s latest and heavily modified Touchwiz “Magazine” UX, that looked nothing like Android. And then we saw a couple more leaks of its adaptation for the mobile form factor, and even that was a drastic departure from the previous version of TouchWiz, let alone stock Android. This might have set Google off and reportedly, the two companies have come to a compromise(among many other things) in which Samsung will tone down its UI tweaks and replacement apps for Google’s services, going forward.

samsung-google-apps-deal

The image above, taken from a Ars Technica opinion piece paints a clear picture of how Samsung had its own ecosystem around Android, replacing almost every little Google service possible. It is all set to change soon.

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Lava Iris 404e with 4-inch display, Android 4.2 listed online for Rs. 4065

Lava Iris 404e

Lava Iris 404e, the latest smartphone from Lava in the Iris range has been listed on Flipkart. It has a 4-inch (480 x 800 pixels) display, powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS. It has 2G (EDGE) connectivity, Dual SIM support with dual standby, 2-megapixel rear with LED flash and VGA front-facing camera. Continue reading “Lava Iris 404e with 4-inch display, Android 4.2 listed online for Rs. 4065”

Gionee Gpad G4 with 5.7-inch HD display, Aluminium body now available for Rs. 18999


Gionee Gpad 4, that appeared online back in November is now available in India from online retailer Snapdeal as Gpad G4. It has a  5.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD one-glass solution (OGS) display, powered by a  1.5 GHz quad-core MediaTek 6589T processor with PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, BSI sensor, f/2.2 aperture and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with 28mm wide angle lens. Continue reading “Gionee Gpad G4 with 5.7-inch HD display, Aluminium body now available for Rs. 18999”

Lava Iris Pro 30 Camera Samples

Lava recently announced their latest flagship smartphone – Lava Iris Pro 30. As seen at the announcement event, specifications are not the strength of this device. However, it comes with its own strength in the form of a spectacular build quality; looking like the industry standard iPhone and with a very light 114g body. We recently brought you the unboxing of this device and today we will be checking out how the 8MP camera on the back of the Lava Iris Pro does.

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Celkon S1 with 5-inch 1080p display, 13MP camera launched for Rs. 14999

Celkon S1

Celkon has launched the Celkon S1, the company’s latest flagship smartphone. It has a 5.0-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display based on one-glass-solution technology, powered by 1.5 GHz Quad-core processor and runs on Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean). It has a 13-megapixel auto focus rear camera with dual LED Flash and a 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The phone is very sleek at just 6.5mm. Continue reading “Celkon S1 with 5-inch 1080p display, 13MP camera launched for Rs. 14999”

HTC One Android 4.4.2 KitKat update starts rolling out in Europe

HTC One Android 4.4.2 KitKat

Back in November HTC promised that it would roll out the Android 4.4 Kitkat update for the HTC One users in EMEA countries (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) starting from January-end. It has kept its promise and has started rolling out the KitKat update in parts of Europe, including Nordic region. The HTC One Google Play Edition got the KitKat update back in November last year. Continue reading “HTC One Android 4.4.2 KitKat update starts rolling out in Europe”

Lava Iris 401e Unboxing

Lava Iris 401e is among the very entry range Android smartphones and comes with a now extinct Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board. Compromising on a lot of things, it offers near antique Android experience within a very very affordable range. It is priced less than the Nokia Asha 501 which sets the benchmark for entry range feature phones. Today we are unboxing the Lava Iris 401e smartphone.

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Google Chrome Apps for iOS and Android are coming

Google Chrome Beta Channel for Andorid

Google Chrome apps for iOS and Android are coming, as the company has just quietly unveiled, in its Chromium blog, that it is finally ready to extend the reach of Chrome apps to mobile platforms. It was previously rumoured to happen, but Google remained quiet even after the news spread fast. But now that it’s official, it is seen as a landmark announcement, as this might be a strategic move for all things Google, going forward. With Chromebooks gaining ground in the notebook space, thanks to several OEMs backing it up with some really interesting products, Google is now taking the bustling platform to mobile. This is a move that the whole industry has been expecting, ever since Google replaced Andy Rubin with Sundar Pichai, the Chrome boss at the Mountain View company. Having developed a tool chain for packaging Chrome apps into native shells for both iOS and Android, this Google-blessed offering will be a dream come true for many developers.

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iBall Andi 4.5 Ripple launched, comes in 2G and 3G variants for Rs. 5499 and Rs. 6399

iBall Andi 4.5 Ripple

iBall has launched Andi 4.5 Ripple that comes in both 3G and 2G variants. These smartphones come with a  4.5-inch (854 ×480 pixels) FWVGA IPS display, powered by a 1.3 GHz dual-core Cortex A7 processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). These have a 5-megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA)  front-facing camera. As usual you ave dual SIM support with dual standby. Continue reading “iBall Andi 4.5 Ripple launched, comes in 2G and 3G variants for Rs. 5499 and Rs. 6399”

Lava Iris Pro 30 Benchmarks

Lava Iris Pro 30 Benchmarks

Lava launched the Iris Pro 30, the company’s first smartphone in the Iris Pro earlier this month for Rs. 15,999. We already brought you the hands-on and the photo gallery of the Iris Pro 30 from the launch event and brought you the unboxing earlier today, here we have the benchmarks of the smartphone. It has a 4.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD capacitive touch screen display, powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core MediaTek 6589 processor with PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU and runs on Android 4.2.1 (Jelly Bean).  We had already seen several smartphones with an HD screen and a similar quad-core processor. Let’s find out how this competes with other devices in range of synthetic benchmark tests. Continue reading “Lava Iris Pro 30 Benchmarks”

Karbonn A91 with 3.9-inch display, Android 4.2 listed online for Rs. 4490

Karbonn A91

Karbonn A91, the company’s new enty-level smartphones has been listed on Flipkart. It has a 3.9-inch (480 x 800 pixels) display, powered by a 1.3 GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 3.2 rear camera and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front-facing camera. It has dual SIM support and has 2G (EDGE) connectivity. Continue reading “Karbonn A91 with 3.9-inch display, Android 4.2 listed online for Rs. 4490”

Lava Iris Pro 30 Unboxing

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Lava launched its latest flagship device, the Iris Pro 30 in India at a launch event on January 17th. It was announced for a price of Rs. 15,999 and the company prided itself on having designed the product in-house, in India. Made of quality materials like magnesium alloy, the phone comes in at just 7.5mm thickness and 114g of weight, a far cry from hefty phones we have been seeing in this price range. So, how does the actual retail phone actually look and feel? and what are its box contents? We unbox the Lava Iris Pro 30 on video to find out –

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWk6pWfkfxk

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Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo confirmed through official website, a variant Galaxy Grand Lite available in Netherlands

Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo

The Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo (GT-I9060), that leaked in earlier this month has gone official in Samsung Levant, Samsung Bulgaria and other regions. It comes with a 5-inch (800 x 480 pixels) display, powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS. It has a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front-facing camera. It also comes with dual SIM support and has software features such as Multi Window and Pop up Play. Continue reading “Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo confirmed through official website, a variant Galaxy Grand Lite available in Netherlands”

Maxx Mobile launches 26 new phones including 7 Android Smartphones

Maxx AX 506, AX 504, AX 5i, AX44, MSD7 Smarty II, AX409, AX545

Maxx Mobile has launched 26 new handsets on the occasion of India’s 64th Republic Day, which includes 19 feature phones and 7 smartphones. These handsets are priced between Rs. 1,100 and Rs. 7,777. These are affordable and also offers value for money, says Maxx Mobile. Continue reading “Maxx Mobile launches 26 new phones including 7 Android Smartphones”

Nokia Normandy specifications leaked

Nokia Normandy is coming. Things are falling together for the fans who are eagerly awaiting an Android smartphone from the Finnish manufacturer Nokia. There have been numerous leaks about the Nokia Normandy right from the end of December 2013 and the leaks just won’t stop. Most of the leaks have been courtesy of @evleaks. Nokia Normandy has been codenamed Nokia X.

Nokia Normandy leak Continue reading “Nokia Normandy specifications leaked”