Monday 5 January 2015

Xiaomi announces RedMi 2, may price it around Rs.6,000



Xiaomi on Sunday announced a new entry-level smartphone. The device, called RedMi 2, is likely to replace the RedMi 1S in the list of Xiaomi's smartphones. It has the same 4.7-inch screen size but comes with updated internal hardware, which should help it take on the competition better.
The RedMi 2 is powered by the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor. This is a quad-core processor running at 1.2GHz. It uses Cortex ARM A53 cores and Adreno 306 graphics chip. Compared to the RedMi 1S, which is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 running at 1.6GHz, the new processor in the RedMi 2 should be slightly faster than the older phone, at least on paper.
The RedMi 2 has 8GB internal storage, support for dual SIM with 4G connectivity and 1GB RAM. The screen sports 720p resolution. The phone will come with MiUI 6, which is the next version of the Android-based MiUI ROM. It is likely to have a flatter and slicker looking user interface compared to what is available in MiUI 5.
The device has a 8-megapixel rear camera with support for 1080p video recording and 2-megapixel front camera.
The RedMi 2 will go on sale in China on January 9 at a price of around $110 (around Rs.6,500).
Currently, it is not clear when Xiaomi will launch the RedMi 2 in India. For now the company is focussed on selling the RedMi Note as it is having some legal issues due to a case filed by Ericsson, which alleges that Xiaomi products unfairly violate its patents.
Last month Delhi High Court asked Xiaomi to stop selling and importing its phones in India while it decides on the case filed by Ericsson. But a few days later, the Chinese company got interim relief for its devices powered by Qualcomm processors.
The RedMi 2 is powered by a Qualcomm processor so it is possible that the device may come to India soon. If it does, it will help Xiaomi take on the devices like the Moto E, which continues to be popular among budget shoppers, as well as the Micromax Yu Yureka, a new phone that has managed to undercut the RedMi Note 4G on price.


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/xiaomi-announces-redmi-2-may-price-it-around-rs-6000/1/411416.html

Friday 12 December 2014

Xiaomi confirms it is stopping sale of phones in India




Two days after the Delhi High Court asked Xiaomi to stop selling and importing phones in India, the company has confirmed that it would temporarily stop its business operations here. The court order came after Ericsson claimed that Xiaomi infringed on its patents.
In a note titled 'A Letter to Indian Mi Fans' Xiaomi global vice president Hugo Barra said that the company was looking at its options.
"We have been forced to suspend sales in India until further notice due to an order passed by the Delhi High Court. As a law abiding company, we are investigating the matter carefully and assessing our legal options," wrote Barra.
He added that Xiaomi was committed to the Indian market and would like to resume sale of its phones as early as possible. "Our sincere apologies to all Indian Mi fans! Please rest assured that we're doing all we can to revert the situation. We have greatly enjoyed our journey with you in India over the last 5 months and we firmly intend to continue it," wrote Barra.
Since entering India in July this year, Xiaomi is having a great run. Barra said that in the last two days the company has received over 1.5 lakh registrations from prospective buyers of the RedMi Note. Earlier on Tuesday, the company sold 75,000 units of the RedMi Note in 8 seconds.


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/xiaomi-confirms-it-is-stopping-sale-of-phones-in-india/1/406530.html

Thursday 4 December 2014

Download now: Best and free Android apps from November





Another month, and we have another list of some awesome Android apps. November was the month when Google rolled out Android Lollipop. While the new OS is available on just a handful of devices, app developers have started taking the design cues from it. They are now putting material design, which is flat, colourful and fun, into their apps.
So, whether your phone has the Lollipop or not, if you are in mood to get a taste of the material design, give the following 10 new and free apps a try.

Yes, the good old Messenger aka the SMS app is back on Android phones. It was removed after Google introduced Hangouts. But with Hangouts getting a raw deal from users, rightly due to its stupid user interface, Google is bringing the SMS app back and is calling it Messenger. The app is made of good parts taken from both Hangouts and the basic messaging app of an Android phone. 
With the Messenger app you can do all that you do using several apps. This means you can send or receive SMS, pictures, voice notes as well as create groups. The design is also good. It shows multi-coloured chat threads, offers easy access to various options and much more. Overall, we feel this is an app that you must try, especially if you are sick of Hangouts messing up with your SMS conversations. 

Angry Birds Transformers



Although the game was launched on the last day of October, we couldn't resist including it in our list. Yes, it is good enough to get featured here even though it had its birthday in October.There are many unique aspects in this latest game in the Angry Birds franchise. For one, all the angry birds and pigs have arms and legs. And guess what? They can transform into cars. Why else would they name it Angry Birds Transformers?
The game is set in a more active, action inducing environment than what we usually see in Angry Birds world. Rockets, cars, airplanes, explosions are all part of it. Oh and one more thing, the birds and the pigs have to join hands at one stage to fight the crazy EggBots. Now what are these EggBots? To find out we suggest you try the game. 

Sleep Better


Another app from Runtastic, but interestingly it doesn't want you to run in the morning. Instead, it wants you to 'sleep better'.This is an app that tracks your sleep. But wait, there is more to it. Other than keeping a track of your sleeping hours, the app also records your daily habits as well monitors the quality of sleep. The report prepared by the app is based on what you did the whole day before going to bed, what kind of dreams have you been seeing (at least it tries to guess), or if you consumed alcohol or tobacco. Not all features are available in the free version but basic sleep tracking is. Give it a try and if you require more detailed reports, may be you can pay a dollar or two and unlock more features. 

Yummly Recipes and Recipe Box
Yummly is the most refined, elaborate recipes app we have come across. Starting from your dietary preferences to your allergies to nutrition scale, it takes care of everything.
The app has a huge database of recipes which you can select according to the occasion, cuisine, diet, nutrition, and even cook time. With Yummly you can 'Like' recipes and add them to your separate collections. And if on some occasion the recipe you are following ruins your dinner, you can also 'dislike' it. The app also learns your preferences and tries to keep an eye on the kind of food items you like. After a while, it also starts recommending recipes based on your preferences.

Piktures
Don't like the default images app on your Android phone. Try Piktures. It is an app that is incredibly simple and yet is a joy to use. The whole app comprises of just three screens-- one with all the photos, one with all the albums, and one with filters. 
With minimalistic design the app doesn't hide any features. You can create albums, hide albums, edit photos, resize them before sharing and much more with Piktures.

Straw
Ever get confused about what you should gift your girlfriend but have no one to ask to? Obviously you can't ask your girlfriend. You can message 10 different friends separately and get 10 different but equally weird answers. Or... You can create a poll!
Yes, with Straw you can create polls about any topic whatsoever and share it with your friends on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter. In three simple steps your question, confusion will be out there and soon you will have solution based on the wisdom of crowd. Of course, you decide the options to choose from. So you won't get any weird answers. You also won't see who voted what, making it more or less quite a safe voting platform.
The app is simple, intuitive, impartial and, above all, fun. 

C Notice
How painful is it to open each application and select whether you want to receive notifications or not?Hint: Very painful!With C Notice you can control your notifications and opt to receive them only from a handful of approved apps. With this app, the notifications can also be moved to any part of the screen, if you are busy. With simple swipe moves you can open, remove or minimise the notifications. 
C Notice is a light, easy to use application with a simple user interface. 

The Hunt
For all type of questions and confusions we recommended Straw, but when it comes to resolving your questions around fashion,we find The Hunt a better option. Has it ever happened to you that you saw a dress but wondered where you could buy the same or something similar? On the Hunt you can post a picture of something you are looking for, say a sexy leather jacket, and the community will tell you where to find it, even cheaper if possible.
It is as simple as asking a friend from where did she buy those earrings. You can also return the favour by answering others' cry for help. 

TwoDots
Have you played Dots? Yes, the same game where you connect two or more dots, and something which is so addictive that you can spend hours playing it. Now the company behind Dots - called PlayDots - has come up with its next game and it is called, wait for it, TwoDots.
Unlike the previous one, TwoDots is a level-based strategy puzzle game. The basic concept is still the same-- you connect same coloured dots. It may sound easy but  when you are up 15 levels, the puzzles become so hard that they will challenge even the pro gamers. At some point you may feel this game is similar to Candy Crush Saga. Yes, it is but the good thing about the TwoDots is that you don't have to bother your friends for 'life' to progress. It is all up to you and your puzzle solving skills. 

Better Diary
Do you keep a journal? Not all of you, but we are sure some of you do. After all, writing down experiences, plans, feelings and thoughts is something that almost all of us do from time to time. Better Diary is an app for the writer inside you. 
Whether it is an epiphany you want to write about or just something you don't want to forget, like buying grocery, the app will do all. With Better Diary you can keep all your notes in the most organised way. Other than your private notes, you can also co-write with your family or friends. You can even include photos in your notes. Isn't that something you wish you could do in your paperback journal?
The app sports 13 themes and over 100 different fonts. It's a treat for all those who love to write and cherish. 


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/download-now-best-and-free-android-apps-from-november/1/405095.html

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Assassin's Creed Rogue Review: A rehashed Black Flag still has its own charm




Ubisoft's golden child, the Assassin's Creed franchise has been around for quite a while now. It's a series that invariably manages to surprise the best of us with each title. Although, frankly speaking, it has also lost much of its charm post Brotherhood and Ezio Auditore still remains to be the most charming protagonist of the lot, there's always a certain amount of curiosity and positive buzz around every new Assassin's Creed game. The developers have been churning out a new title every year since the series' inception, but none of the games under the banner seem to be forced down your throats just for tradition's sake. Just to give you an example, we can't say the same about the Call of Duty games! 
Speaking of Assassin's Creed Rogue, it's no rocket science to conclude that the title is Ubisoft's one last attempt to squeeze out some extra cash from last-generation consoles while the whole world goes gaga over its next-gen exclusive Unity. However, as is customary, Rogue manages to pack in a few surprises of its own: the most important being, turning one of the biggest fantasies of long-term fans into reality by giving them a chance to see what the world looks like when the tables are turned. Rogue gives you a chance to play as a Knights Templar and go about hunting down Assassins, for "what an Assassin truly wants isn't freedom but order", so says the protagonist in the story.
Although the prospects of playing a Knights Templar sound ways tempting, be that as it may, Rogue is a farewell of sorts for the old-gen platform. Is it a worthy farewell though? We find out in our review. 
Story and plot
Assassin's Creed Rogue follows the story of Shay Patrick Cormac, an Assassin turned Templar who is out to seek vengeance from his own former mentor, and the entire Broherhood, for that matter.
Why, you ask? Well, without giving out many spoilers here, let's just say that our hero (some might call him an anti-hero though) seems totally out of place and an odd man out every time he goes out and finishes a job for the Brotherhood. Each time he kills an odd Templar, he is filled with grief and remorse which makes him question whether or not he is on the right side of the table and if he has the right to kill someone in cold blood. Of course, Shay is young and raging with hormones, but that really doesn't explain the motives behind why he starts giving his profession a second thought so early in his career! He is seen as this moody and spoiled brat of a character initially, who is always trying to pick up fights and reasons to hate/question his fellow mates and their deeds.
It simply takes a couple of Templar assassinations (of the already sick and dying lot) and a failed attempt to retrieve a Piece of Eden from Lisbon (the heist goes awry and the Assassin lot ends up wiping out the entire city) that Shay realizes his true calling in life.
Shay joins the ranks of Templar of the Colonial and pledges to stop the Assassins from getting their hands on another Piece of Eden at any cost.  



















Sadly, character development goes for a toss amid all the fiasco as one event paces into another, with the main protagonist sifting through the story dogged by a not-so-convincing Irish accent. It's really hard to sympathise with Shay, particularly when more often than not he has no clue what he is doing with his life. As an Assassin turned Templar, he still feels guilty of killing his former men at arms, and we clearly have no picture of what is right and what is wrong throughout the story. But then again, both the sides have their share of shady moments, and the pace with which things are happening here, you won't have much time to sit back and brood over it.
Assassin's Creed Rogue is set in the mid-18th century (between 1752 and 1761) during the Seven Years' War and acts as a continuing link between Assassin's Creed 3 and Black Flag (and also forms the prologue to Unity).            
While the main story seems straight out of some Bollywood masala potpourri, the game's modern-day storyline is downright stupid (and that is has some of the most obnoxious characters to tag along is like adding salt to the wound). A virus has found its way through the Abstergo servers triggering a lock down, meaning you're stuck within the confines of the building and instead of hacking into computers; you're forced to repair them via mini-puzzle games.
With that said, the Abstergo Entertainment headquarters this time round prove to be a hidden Mecca of information spanning across the length and breadth of the Assassin's Creed universe. Datapads and notes scattered across the building give you deep insight into the universe and serve as a guiding light for those who, for some reason, have failed to understand the happenings in the AC universe. 
While this information details everything that is going on within Rogue itself, the fact that it touches the previous games as well (in the form of Assassin profiles and timelines) is a welcome move to helping understand this universe, which honestly speaking could be a huge one at that (if you've played them all, that is). Basically, if you've played Rogue, you won't need any additional tutorials to understand the AC universe. Ubisoft has managed to stack Abstergo with all the relevant information that one might need. Also, it has dropped in few Easter eggs here and there with references to other Ubisoft games as well, if you observe carefully.    
Gameplay and graphics
Assassin's Creed Rogue essentially mixes the wilderness of Assassin's Creed 3 with the sea faring nature of Black Flag. As a player you get to explore three major areas -- the frozen North Atlantic, the Appalachian River Valley and New York. Basically, the one large map setting of Black Flag (of the Caribbean) has been broken down into three smaller map segments in its direct sequel.  
Let's just say that the land aspect of the game could be easily forgotten in case you're familiar with the franchise, offering nothing spectacularly to what we haven't already seen in Black Flag. There's a saying, why fix something that isn't broken for starters and Ubisoft has taken the saying very seriously, so it seems. Most of the locales seem to be recycled straight out of Black Flag, but the end result is like a half-cooked meal. Somewhere down the line you do end up saying, "Hey, this looks familiar". 
All in all, while Black Flag appeared to be polished enough, Rogue seems to end up being pitched like a brother from another mother (of course, both the games have been developed by different studios, but that's not what we mean).


Rogue does try to maintain its individual identity here and there: the iced Arctic caves and mountain-lined valleys, the raging blizzards do seem like a sight to behold. Sadly, these instances are far too low and too far spaced to actually enjoy in the longer run.
Of course, New York seems fancy enough with its wooden houses and all and did we mention Sleepy Hollow: yes, the fabled village on the east bank of the Hudson River ripe with pumpkins and fireworks. Now as glorious as these might look and feel, sadly there's not much solid happening here in terms of gameplay, save a few of the core story missions and some forgettable side quests. So, at the end of the day you don't get to actually explore them to your heart's content.       
Speaking of exploration, Shay is quite easy to handle on the PS3, but then this is not a new game right? Developers have been working on refining the player mechanics for quite a while now and apart from a few hiccups here and there, handling is as refined as we saw in Black Flag, if not better. However, that's not the point here. Developers at Ubisoft have been known to pack in something extra in subsequent iterations of the series; however, Rogue seems to be an exception. Shay has all his mechanics taken straight out of Edward Kenway's bag of tricks.
As far as Shay's arsenal is concerned, you now have an air rifle (for silent takedowns) and a grenade launcher (available only one per mission) at your disposal in addition to the usual stack.   
For a game that lives and breathes assassination, there are not too many assassinations in Rogue to brag about. However, life gets a whole lot tensed when you're up against the Assassins who unlike your past enemies are faster, smarter and cheekier. You must keep your eyes open at all times in anticipation of someone from the Brotherhood sneaking out on you from a bush or way up top. With that said, boss fights in Rogue are rather pale and disappointing, they are all so easy to kill that there's no fun to it at all.
Familiar faces return from past games and the game drops in a few historical characters that the series is known for; however, most of these characters (especially the new ones) are badly constructed and/or poorly voiced.
Also, achieving full synchronisation in missions is not mandatory anymore; therefore players can try out new ways to go about their business, which is good. However, players cannot access certain areas of the map unless they have completed a mission associated with the same.    
Seafaring missions return with a vengeance in Rogue. Although much of these are still greatly inspired from Black Flag, it is the ships and battles on the high seas that keep Rogue from sinking. 


Of course, the frozen North Atlantic is no match for the lush beaches and crystal clear waters of the Caribbean we saw in Black Flag. But sailing across the Atlantic is no less fun and is as engaging if not better. Unlike Kenway's Jackdaw, Shay's Morrigan is sleeker, meaning it can easily sail through inland America. Also, the Morrigan is battle-ready from the word go, meaning you're ready for battle upfront. You can, of course, upgrade your ship as the game progresses.
Sailing on the open sea amid sounds of shanties is thrilling and satisfying. Naval battles are tight and require a certain amount of planning to go about particularly when you have too many enemies surrounding you. The Morrigan gives you a little more arsenal for added combat via puckle guns and the ability to release oil slicks, which can then be ignited. Also, unlike Black Flag, enemies can now board your ship and underwater diving is strictly prohibited (for the obvious reasons).    
But then again, the number of these engaging naval battles is so low, that by the end of it all you're left asking for more. More often than not you won't fancy the need to upgrade your ship (apart from adding an icebreaker that quite frankly speaking is a must on the open sea). 
The core story lasts for 8-10 hours at the max. Therefore both land as well as naval missions seem shrunken and far less satisfactory than what we expected. Also, there's no multiplayer round the corner this time round. 
The side missions do extend the game time depending on how and what grabs your interest. These range from collecting items to upgrading buildings that the franchise is already known for. In addition, you can liberate gang bases, kill narwhals and infiltrate forts as well.   
The PS3 version of Rogue looks alright as far as graphics are concerned. The graphics are at par to what we usually associate with last-gen consoles. However, as mentioned earlier, some of the characters are badly constructed with unpleasantly odd voicing.  
Should you buy it?
While some might call it a glorified DLC of Black Flag (quite rightfully so), others might refer to it as an extended teaser trailer for Unity (spoiler alert). Still others might call it a handy tutorial of sorts to understanding the AC universe. Whatever you might call it; it's certain that Rogue cannot be ignored. 
Long-term fans of the series would play it for the obvious reasons: a nearly engaging story and the ever-familiar naval combat (that still holds promise). Of course, it still is a half-baked attempt of a title, but you can't ignore the fact that it's very thick with information filling in many of the gaps between Assassin's Creed 3 and Black Flag, and quite unabashedly at that. Yes, a rehashed Black Flag has its own charm. 
Game reviewed on Sony PlayStation 3
Available on
PS4/Xbox One: Not available
PC: Rs. 1,799 (Out now)
PS3/ Xbox 360: Rs. 2,999 (Out now)


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/assassins-creed-rogue-review-a-rehashed-black-flag-still-has-its-own-charm/1/404779.html

Saturday 29 November 2014

5 best camera phones you can buy.




There is a saying that the best camera is the one that you have on you. You may have a top-end DSLR camera at your home but it is of no use if you are not carrying it. The moments will be missed. This makes smartphones as cameras such an appealing prospect. A smartphone is always with us and if it can actually click good photos, it will be a camera that you will be using all the time.
But not all smartphones are equal when it comes to camera performance. Some are better than others. If you are someone who likes to snap pictures using the phone, here are the five devices that we suggest. In their class, these are the smartphones with the best camera.

Under Rs.10,000
The Xiaomi Redmi 1s is the first phone that springs to mind when we talk about good sub-Rs.10,000 camera phones. In fact, it is a device that punches above -- or rather much above -- its weight when it comes to camera performance.
It has an 8-megapixel camera that takes fantastic photos in daylight. In low light, it clicks images that are usable and not a mishmash of grainy noise. Xiaomi has added a very usable HDR mode which helps take better photos in low-light. The camera interface is also pretty straight forward.  In fact, we feel that the phone's camera performance eclipses a few phones that cost above Rs.20,000.  In the sub-Rs10,000 market, no phone comes even close to the camera performance of the RedMi 1S.

Under Rs.20,000
The Asus ZenFone 5 has the best camera if one is looking for a phone for less thanRs.20,000. Again, we don't have a camera which has a crazy 13-megapixel resolution, but rather a plain-Jane 8-megapixel shooter.
It has a f/2.0 aperture, which is quite wide for a phone of its class and with some magic trickery of Intel's ISP, the phone is capable of taking some stunning shots. In particular, the low-light performance and performance for macro shots is fantastic.

Under Rs.30,000
For less than Rs.30,000, you can actually have the best smartphone camera in terms of image quality. Yes, we are talking about the Microsoft Lumia 1020.
Its 41-megapixel sensor with optical image stabilisation and a 6-element lens system reigns supreme in terms of image quality. Nokia's PureView technology comes into play, which uses the 41-megapixel sensor to produce noise-free 5-megapixel images using a technique called oversampling. If you want to shoot at 41-megapixels then you get the option to zoom into images (digitally) with little loss in image quality. The phone also is able to support RAW files, which is a rarity in a smartphone. Yes, there are phones that cost more than what Lumia 1020 costs, but when it comes to camera quality you don't have to spend more because it is the best.

Around Rs.40,000
What if you don't want Lumia 1020? What if you want a smartphone that doesn't run Windows Phone operating system? If you have a budget of around Rs.40,000, we will suggest the Apple iPhone 5S.
We know it is one year old. And we know it lacks fancy features like "Exmor-R" image sensor or "Ultrapixel" technology. But features don't matter. What matters is reliable and solid performance and that is exactly what the camera in the iPhone 5S provides. The phone has a 8-megapixel image sensor and a lens with F/2.4 aperture. But despite seemingly modest-hardware, it clicks beautiful photos. More importantly, the camera software in the iPhone 5S makes it a joy to use. The shutter lag -- duration between shots -- is almost non existing, which means you won't miss clickable moments. The HDR mode is well implemented and useful. The overall performance is reliable, irrespective of shooting conditions. The iPhone 5S is also helped by the way core software in the phone processes images. Noise is kept low and white balance is usually spot on. Overall, this one is a solid choice for anyone looking to get a smartphone that has excellent camera.

Willing to spend more...
If money is no criteria, then we suggest the Apple iPhone 6 Plus. As we said earlier, in terms of pure image quality, the Lumia 1020 reigns supreme. But the iPhone 6 Plus is the best combination in terms of usability, core software, smartphone functionality and camera prowess. With a price of Rs.62,500 it is a pricey preposition though. But it is worth it if you want absolutely top notch images coming out of your smartphone camera.
In many cases the iPhone 6 Plus is as good as the Lumia 1020 in terms of image quality. But even beyond the image quality, the user experience is great. It is simple to use and now that Apple has added exposure controls in iOS 8, power users can tweak the exposure for even better images.
Apple has added a phase detection autofocus system in the iPhone 6, which makes it a hyper fast shooter. The presence of the optical stabilisation results in crisp, noise-free images even in dimly-lit scenes. The performance is equally good when it comes to shooting videos. Don't believe us? Hey, even the folks at DxOMark have rated the iPhone 6 Plus as the best camera phones in the world, and these guys really push the camera hardware to its limits.


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/5-best-camera-phones-you-can-buy/1/399356.html

Friday 28 November 2014

First impressions: PadFone Mini is phone that turns into tablet




Earlier in the week, Asus launched its PadFone Mini. It is a device with multi form factor. Actually, it is a phone, which can be plugged inside a big screen to create a tablet. When in a tablet form factor, it has a 7-inch screen. When it is like normal phone, it has a screen size of 4.3 inches.
Essentially, the PadFone Mini is a hybrid of a 7-inch tablet screen which is called a PadFone Station and a 4.3-inch phone. The PadFone Station has a 7-inch 800x480 pixels screen, which is not the sharpest or the brightest in town. The 4.3-inch screen on the phone has a sharper qHD resolution but that too appears washed-out.
It has a quad-core Qualcomm processor clocked at 1.4GHz, which works in tandem with 1GB of RAM and 16 GB of memory. The memory can be expanded via a microSD card slot. The device supports dual-SIM feature.
During the time we spend with the device, we found the user interface on the phone to be smooth. But we did not stress test it.
The device has a 8-megapixel camera on the back and a 2-megapixel camera for selfies. We did not test the cameras. This is something we will test in the review.
Unfortunately, the phone runs on a rather ancient version of Android -- 4.3 Jelly Bean, to be precise -- that is pretty unacceptable.
As for the ergonomic and build quality, we felt the product is built well but at 8.7mm, the phone is definitely not the slimmest around. The Pad Station, meanwhile, feels massive with a thickness of 17.7mm.
Overall, The PadFone Mini seems to be targeted at people who want the best of both worlds in one  package -- a big screen and a small screen but in single device. We are not sure that there will be many takers for the product, but at Rs.15,999 it is certainly an unique offering. We will have more to say about it in our review.


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/first-impressions-padfone-mini-is-phone-that-turns-into-tablet/1/404234.html

Thursday 27 November 2014

Microsoft Lumia 830 review: End of anera





The emotional connect we Indians have for the Nokia brand is immense. It is not an exaggeration that Nokia was probably the first mobile experience for most Indians. But Nokia, as we know it, is over. At least, for a few years. Now that Microsoft has acquired the Finnish company's phone division, it has started phasing out the Nokia name from Lumia smartphones. 
In fact, the Lumia 830 and the Lumia 730 are the last two smartphones that will bear the name Nokia. Afterwards, it's all going to be Microsoft Mobile. 
The Lumia 830 packs everything recent Nokia phones have been known for - a PureView camera, a colourful chassis and even Windows Phone. Being the last Nokia smartphone for the time being, one expects reliable, unique and fun experience from it. Is Lumia 830 a phone that does the iconic Nokia name proud? Let's find out. 
Design

The design on the Lumia 830 feels like an evolution of the design language Nokia started with the Lumia 925. It certainly has the same industrial design feel. At the same time, it also feels like a thinner version of the Lumia 930, which many have deemed to be too thick. In fact, by Microsoft's own admission it is the thinnest Lumia in the market at 8.5mm, but that is not much of feat. In an age where phones have started crossing the 5mm barrier, 8.5mm just feels thick, especially for a phone that costs more than Rs.25,000.
Undoubtedly, it looks quite pretty especially when combined with colourful polycarbonate back and the 2D curved glass. However, its ergonomics like most of the newer Lumia phones, are somewhat flawed. The metallic frame, while adding rigidity, also makes it blocky, which converts to a poor in-hand feel. 
The back of the phone borrows elements from the legendary Lumia 1020 as it flaunts a camera disk, but thankfully this time it is without the bulge. All these elements combine to form a highly recognisable Lumia phone, which in typical Nokia fashion is well build, however it fails to impress in terms of ergonomics. 
Display
The Lumia 830 has a 5-inch 720P LCD display, which results in a pixel density just shy of the retina moniker Apple has popularised. the lack of 'retina' level sharpness, may not be a big deal as the Windows Phone UI largely helps offset the problems of the lack of sharpness thanks to blocky and large interface elements. That said, if you care about pixel-perfect screen, you will notice the lack of sharpness while reading text on a web page on the Lumia 830.
 
The bigger issue is that the colours themselves are not natural enough and nor do they pop like on an AMOLED screen. There's an odd yellow tinge to the screen. While the phone offers colour calibration options, the effect is quite minimal. The viewing angles of the screen are decent and for watching video too the screen is adequate. Under direct sunlight the legibility of the screen is serviceable.
But that's the thing. Serviceable does not cut it when Android smartphone vendors are shipping 'beautiful' 1080P screens on phones that cost a good deal less. One can easily make do with the resolution, but the fact that the screen is overall not as brilliant as other phones is very disappointing.
Camera
The highlight of the Lumia 830 is its 10-megapixel PureView camera which packs in optical image stabilisation. In fact, it is the cheapest Lumia phone with the PureView branding and Microsoft claims it can eclipse the iPhone 5S and the Samsung Galaxy S5 in terms of imaging. This claim is a little far-fetched in our opinion. 
While the camera seems slightly better than the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S5, it is certainly not as reliable as the iPhone 5S.
The Lumia 830 can shoot great photos in low light and normal lighting alike, but its biggest shortcoming is speed. It is slow, very slow, which means a lot of missed shots, or a lot of blurred photos if the subject has moved even slightly.  
Microsoft promised to address this issue with the new Lumia Camera app, but at the time of writing the review the phone is yet to receive the new app.
If you can ignore speed, the Lumia 830 offers a solid camera which takes detailed photos with low noise levels. The low-light performance is particularly good. The colours on the Lumia 830 camera are also better than the Samsung Galaxy S5, but not as good as the iPhone 5S.
The camera also allows for ample granular control thanks to the radial interface for every manual camera setting. There are options for exposure, shutter speed, ISO and white balance. The phone even has a tutorial for new users.
The quality of footage captured with the Lumia 830 is also very good. By default the phone shoots at 1080P as well as supports Dolby Surround Sound. It can filter out higher frequencies like engine sounds automatically.  
The front facing camera is also quite good on the Lumia 830. It is a 0.9-megapixel camera which works via a separate Lumia camera app. It takes decent selfies which can be compared to the iPhone 5S.
Software
The Lumia 830 runs on Windows Phone 8.1 with the Lumia Denim update. This is perhaps the biggest weakness of the phone. Windows Phone 8.1 adds a notification panel, a new assistant called Cortana (Which is not yet available in India) and swipe typing using the "wordflow keyboard". But constant irritants like the poor support for Google apps remain. Also, the quality of apps in general is not as good as what is available on Android and iOS.
Overall, the operating system remains the biggest stumbling block for the Lumia 830. That said, if you are looking for a simple user interface and don't mind using Microsoft's apps like Outlook.com instead of Gmail or use One Drive instead of Dropbox or Google Drive then the situation is not that bad. 
One of the biggest USPs of the OS does not apply anymore as Office apps are now free on iOS and Android. In fact, if anything those apps are better on iOS and Android. 
Performance
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz with 1GB of RAM, the Lumia 830 doesn't claim to be the fastest phone around. But like any other Windows Phones device, it delivers solid performance. It rarely lags or stutters. The phone has 16GB of internal memory with support for an up to 128GB microSD card.
That said, the phone is slow in switching apps, and also in opening them. It also starts to slow down a bit if multiple tabs are open in the web browser. This would not be an issue on a phone selling for less than Rs.20,000, but the fact that Lumia 830 costs more than Rs.25,000 makes all this disappointing. 
The phone has the Adreno 305 GPU which means that it can handle basic games like Angry Birds without trouble. But the GPU is obviously not in the same class as something like Adreno 330, found in many Android phones in the same price bracket.
Battery life and call quality
The Lumia 830, despite its slightly chunky size, has a battery capacity of just 2,200mAh battery. While this number is low, the phone manages to last around 18-20 hours on single charge. Our usage included two email accounts, two social networks, 2 hours of calling, 15-20 pictures, a bit of YouTube streaming via a third party app, 15-20 mins of web browsing and a bit of music streaming. 
The call quality was impeccable and the phone always maintained good signal strength and we only faced a single dropped call in two weeks using the phone.
Should you buy it?
At Rs.28,799, the Lumia 830 is overpriced by any metric. It may be the last Nokia-branded Windows Phone device, but its design is starting to feel dated and its internal hardware inhibits its performance. This is true especially when it is compared to similarly-priced Android phones. 
The only bright spot is its camera, but that too is not as good as many cameras on Android phones, costing the same or little more. The LG G2 is a great example as its imaging prowess and performance is superlative, while the Lumia 830 is riddled with compromises, the biggest being Windows Phone itself. 
We recommend Lumia 830 only to Nokia faithful who likes Windows Phone. Windows Phone is undoubtedly a pretty and simple OS, but its integration with Google apps is disastrous (for no fault of Microsoft's) and the quality of apps itself is not as good as on Android and iOS.


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/microsoft-lumia-830-review-end-of-an-era/1/403923.html