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

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

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

First impressions: With affordable Lumia 535 Microsoft takes on Android

From now onwards, the Lumia brand will not be associated with Nokia, but Microsoft. The first in the line of Microsoft-branded phones is the Lumia 535, which the company launched in Delhi for Rs.9,199. On paper it is a rather affable effort boasting decent specs and some Microsoft differentiators. We played with the phone at the launch event. Read on for our first impressions.

The Lumia 535 appears like an extension of the old Lumia 820, only it is lighter and has a bigger screen. It has a glossy polycarbonate finish, which looks a bit tacky and frail like some of the older Samsung phones. That said, the phone feels comfortable to hold in the hand. However single handed usage will be difficult.

The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad core processor with 1GB of RAM. In the short time we spent with the phone, performance was smooth just like it is on most Windows Phones. That said, 1GB RAM should help in better long term performance and apps that need a minimum of 1GB of RAM should work fine.

There's 8GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot supporting up to 128GB of storage. That said, we found there was less than 4GB of storage, which is not very optimum for users. This is due to a number of apps Microsoft has preloaded on the

There's a 5-megapixel camera on both the front and back. We did not test the cameras on the phone, but Microsoft demoed that the front camera could take wide-angle selfies. The rear camera supports autofocus, but the resolution of videos is limited to only 480P.

The 5-inch screen was a little washed out and was not particularly bright. Its qHD resolution was fine, but when we took the phone outside, its brightness was definitely lesser than what competition offers.

The phone along with the rest of the Lumia portfolio now offers discounted rates for OneDrive for business and Office 365, which Microsoft claimed was a result of full integration it brought to the table.

It also has a 1,905mAh battery, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and dual-SIM capabilities, which gives the device a wealth of functionality. The phone runs Windows phone 8.1 with the Lumia Denim update, which also adds a number of custom Lumia specific apps.

Overall, we feel, still Microsoft could have been a little more aggressive with the pricing considering Android phones from Motorola and Xiaomi still offer much more in terms of hardware and have an inherent software superiority on the basis of what is offered on the Google Play store.

Still, for Rs.9,199 the Lumia 535 represents Microsoft's most aggressive push in the low end of the market. Now all that remains is a full review of the phone, which we will post soon.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/first-impressions-with-affordable-lumia-535-microsoft-takes-on-android/1/403860.html

Viber announces public chats, HD voice calls and free messaging

Viber, the popular voice over internet protocol (VOIP) has announced a major update to its app, which now offers free messaging and HD quality calls. In addition, the company announced a new feature called Public Chats, a new feature which according to the company will allow users to discover, share and interact with conversations, communities and content on mobile devices. In India, initially the app will be launching in beta.

"In India we are launching with 56 chat partners. We want to ensure every Indian who comes here experiences the chat platform," said Anubhav Nayyar, Country Head for India. 

Viber calls the public chats feature live discussions between celebrities and personalities that its users can follow. The company touts it as a new type of social experience as anyone can follow anyone and conversations will include a combination of text, audio, video, stickers, and web linkstands. Public chats include celebrities like Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh,Arjun Kapoor, Sonu Nigam, Virat Kohli, Sachi Tendulkar, Saina Nehwal and many more.

The most popular chats will be featured on the home screen of the public chats section of Viber, claims the company.

The company thinks that public chats will be a big deal as it is different from other social networks like Twitter and Facebook, where celebrities go through a lot of trolling. Viber will offer full control over trolling and offer a human side of the celebrities claims the company. "This is not about hosting and sending commercial messages. It is about natural conversations," said Mark Hardy Chief Marketing Officer of Viber.

"We are all about free calls and free messages, and now we are much more. Public Chats is Viber's interpretation of a new social media platform," claimed Hardy.  

Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have a group which already has more than 5,000 followers.

There is a search button which helps users find their favorite personalities.

Viber has 460 million unique users as of 24th November across platforms including iOS, Android and Desktop. It grew to 460 million users from 375 million users in June 2014 in just 5 month.  "India is our no.1 market at 33 million users followed by America and Russia," claimed Hardy."Viber is a truly global platform with 29.9 per cent users in Asia Pacific," he added.

Hardy did not beat around the bush and admitted to WhatsApps dominance. "We all know WhatsApp is a big competitor."

Minus China Viber is used by 12 per cent of the users of the world and is number two after WhatsApp. China of course is dominated by We Chat so that number is bound to change if China is added. Viber ranks number 1 in terms of grossing revenue in 34 countries.

Viber reiterates that it is not getting into advertising like other social networks like Facebook. "We are never going to get into advertising. But public chats will help community managers to interact with their audience," claimed Hardy.

Viber is available across a multitude of platforms including iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry 10, Windows, Mac, Windows 8, Linux, Symbian, Nokia S40, Bada, BlackBerry 7 and is used in over 193 countries.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/viber-announces-public-chats-hd-voice-calls-and-free-messaging/1/403637.html

Scan and Print photos straight from your smartphone screen with SnapJet

The SnapJet is a scanner and printer not much bigger than a smartphone that scans images directly from your smartphone screen and prints them out on Polaroid 300 or Fujifilm Instax paper.

"Smartphone displays like iPhone's retina display have achieved amazing resolutions and they are all carefully color corrected. The light emitted from them could produce a beautiful print on instant film - if only there was a way to focus that light," writes the SnapJet team on its website.

"SnapJet combines vintage analog instant film and cutting-edge fibre optic technology to do just that. It is a modern reinvention of a beautiful, artistic and expressive medium," they added.

The makers claim a resolution of 1200 dots per inch (dpi) for the scanner.

The sleek machine uses optical fibres instead of a lens to scan photos and is compatible with all phone sizes.

Just place your phone face down on the SnapJet and it will finish the work.

The developers hope to make their next printer seven-mm thick and see to it that it does not require a charger.

It is available for $129 (Rs. 7,960) and shipping to India is only $18 (Rs. 1,110).

The makers hope to deliver it by December 2015 so it will take at least a year to get your hands on the product.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/scan-and-print-photos-straight-from-your-smartphone-screen-with-snapjet/1/403493.html

First impressions: Redmi Note is big, fast and heavy

Big and bulky -- these are the words that come to mind when one picks up the Xiaomi Redmi Note.On Monday, the Chinese phone company launched its phablet in India at an attractive starting price of Rs.8,999. We played with the device for a while. Read on for our first impressions. 

The RedMi Note is a blocky chunk of plastic, albeit sturdy plastic, measuring 9.5mm in thickness and 199 grams in weight. This means it is quite the gargantuan beast. That said, it has tapered sides, which help it fit in hands. Its back is made of glossy plastic, which reminds us of Samsung phones but then again at Rs.8,999, one can't complain. The build quality is actually quite good for the price. 

The RedMi Note comes in two versions. The 3G model is powered by octa-core Mediatek chip clocked at 1.7GHz while the 4G model uses quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chip clocked at 1.6GHz. Both models have 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory. On both models, microSD cards are supported but on the MediaTek version the limit for the card is 32GB while the Qualcomm can use up to 64GB cards.

We tried both models. While we did not stress test the devices or ran any benchmarks on them -- that will have to wait until we review the RedMi Note properly -- we found the performance satisfactory. The user interface was smooth and we did not find any noticeable lag. 

On the back, the phone has a 13-megapixel Samsung-made sensor and the front it has a 5-megapixel sensor. 

The 5.5-inch 720P screen shows great colors that look natural. It has good viewing angles. 

Perhaps the biggest deal about the phone is its 3,100mAh battery which is user removable. Xiaomi claims the battery will last for long time. This is something we will test in the review. 

The MediaTek model offers dual-SIM capabilities and works with both WCDMA and GSM networks. The Qualcomm model is 4G ready but only supports single SIM. That's something the user will need to consider before making the purchase. 

Additionally, the 3G only model is stuck on Android 4.2.2 Jelly bean, while the 4G model is on Android 4.4 KitKat. 

The 4G model will be available in the second half of December for Rs.9,999, while the 3G model will be available on December 2. Xiaomi expects to offer around 50,000 units in the initial flash sale. 

On the basis of hardware, the Redmi Note looks like a compelling option for someone who wants a decent phone with big screen for less than Rs.10,000. Nevertheless, we will have more to say about it in our review.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/xiaomis-redmi-note-is-big-fast-and-heavy/1/403517.html

If you use a Micromax or Lava phone, don't wait for Android Lollipop update

Android Lollipop is Google's latest and greatest Android. It is a huge change in terms of interface and design compared to the Android KitKat. It has a lot of unique features and lots of new functionality built right inside it.

But when can you, as an Android user, get the Lollipop update for your phone?

A while ago we listed the devices that will definitely get the Android Lollipop . Most of these are either from Google's Nexus line or belong to Motorola's Moto range. High-end devices from big phone companies will also get the Android Lollipop update, though there is not much clarity about when.

The question is what about the Android Lollipop update when it comes to phones sold by so many other companies in India. We asked phone companies when their existing consumers can get Android Lollipop update and for which devices. Here is the response we got from them:

Samsung: The Korean company -- which is also the biggest phone company in India -- officially refused to say when its customers here can get Android Lollipop update. But sources hinted that the Lollipop update would be available to the Galaxy S5, the Galaxy S4, recently launched Galaxy Note 4 and the last year's Galaxy S3 in the coming months. The updates are likely to be rolled out between December this year and January next year.

For other Samsung phones like the Galaxy Grand 2, the company hasn't said anything.  

Micromax:  The second largest smartphone brand in India doesn't seem excited with the latest OS from Android. The company did not respond to our queries asking it when Micromax users can get the Android Lollipop.

Lenovo: Lenovo officially confirmed that in India users of Vibe Z2 Pro and Vibe X2 -- both devices were launched recently -- will get the Android Lollipop update. But there is no definite date for the update. It is supposed to be some day in coming months. What about other Lenovo phones? well, the company refused to comment on Lollipop update for its other phones.

Spice: This homegrown brand confirmed that the Lollipop update would be available for its Dream Uno users in India. This update will be rolled out in January. Incidentally, the Dream Uno is part of Google's Android One range of phones. Hence, it is guaranteed to get updates for at least 18 month.

For non-Android One phones, Spice did not provide any information about Android Lollipop update.

Sony: Sony has already revealed its Android Lollipop update plans and it confirmed the same to us. The Japanese company plans to roll out the Lollipop update early next year starting with their models Xperia Z3 and Xperia z3 compact, followed by Xperia Z2, Xperia Z2 tablet, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1 compact,  Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z Ultra.

For other Sony phones selling in Indian market, the company has no information to share.   

HTC: Globally, HTC has talked about rolling out Lollipop update to it HTC M8 phone in 90 days. But looks like the word is yet to reach the company's India office. When we asked about Android Lollipop for HTC's Indian users, we were told that at the moment company has nothing to share.

Huawei: The Chinese company is aggressively marketing its phones in India. However, when asked about the Android Lollipop update for its consumers here, it did not respond.

Lava and Xolo: Basically, both Lava and Xolo are same companies. And as far as we know both has no plans for Android Lollipop update for their existing consumers. Lava officials did not respond to our queries.

Gionee: This is another Chinese company, marketing itself aggressively in India. It too did not respond to our queries regarding Lollipop update for its existing phones.

Karbonn: The company remained tight-lipped about their Android Lollipop to any of its existing phones.

LG: LG G3 users can breathe a sigh of relief as the company plans to churn the first wave of Android Lollipop on this smartphone by early December. The company, however, did not throw any light about the roll out plans for other phones in its portfolio.

Asus: Asus has confirmed they will roll out Android Lollipop for their Zenfone series along with Padfone S and Padfone Infinity (second gen). The company is still mulling over the dates for rolling out updates, confirming that it will happen next year.

Motorola: When asked about Android Lollipop update for Moto phones sold in India, Motorola directed us to their website that has list of device scheduled to get the update. We are happy to report that all Moto phones sold in India in the last one and half years will get the Android Lollipop update.

Oppo: Did not respond.

Xiaomi: Did not respond.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/if-you-use-a-micromax-or-lava-phone-dont-wait-for-android-lollipop-update/1/402820.html

List of phones that will get Android Lollipop. Check if yours is here

Last night Google started rolling out Android Lollipop aka Android 5. In the coming weeks and months, there are a number of phones and tablets that will get the Lollipop update. So far the following phones and tablets are in the list of devices that will be getting the Android Lollipop:

Google Nexus 6: This is the launch device for the Lollipop. This means it will come with the Android Lollipop installed on it. For now it is not available in India.

Google Nexus 9: This tablet is also a launch device for the Lollipop. It will be available in India in the coming weeks .

Google Nexus 5: The last year's flagship Google phone should receive the Android Lollipop in the coming weeks (or even days). The rollout is likely to follow the pattern seen during previous updates which means Nexus d5 in different countries will get updates at a different time.

Google Nexus 7 (2013): This tablet is also likely to get Android Lollipop in the coming weeks or within days.

Google Nexus 4: Google is not leaving behind the Nexus 4 buyers even though the phone came out two years ago. The Nexus 4 will soon get a lick of Lollipop.

Google Nexus 7 (2012): This is a surprise inclusion in the list. But it should make the Nexus 7 (2012) users happy.

Google Nexus 10: The big Nexus tablet will also get the Lollipop update. Incidentally, this tablet was never officially sold in India.

Micromax Canvas A1: The humble Rs.6,500 Android One phone from Micromax will receive the Android Lollipop update. Though for now we are not sure if the update will get Android One users full bite of the Lollipop or just a taste of it.

Karbonn Sparkle V: This one too is an Android One phone and hence would get the Lollipop.

Spice Mi-498 Dream Uno: Powered by Android One, this Spice phone will also get the Lollipop.

All Moto Phones: Motorola has confirmed that all Moto phones -- Moto X (2014), Moto X (2013), Moto G (2014), Moto G (2013) and Moto E -- will get Android Lollipop. In fact, the Moto devices may even get the Lollipop days before some Nexus devices get it because Motorola is very aggressive about updating its phones.

Select Xperia phones: Sony has confirmed that "the premium Z series" devices will get Android Lollipop . These are Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia Z1, Xperia Z1S, Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia Z1 Compact, Xperia Z2, Xperia Z2 Tablet, Xperia Z3, Xperia Z3v, Xperia Z3 Compact and Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact. Sony Z Ultra Google Play edition will be the first to get it. Other Xperia phones will get it in 2015.

Select HTC phones: When Google announced the Lollipop last night, "We have the Android Lollipop code. We'll be updating the HTC One (M8) & (M7) within 90 days from today. "

Unconfirmed but will get Android Lollipop

A lot of companies are not yet talking about when their phones and tablets will get the Android Lollipop update. But we are certain that following devices will also get the Lollipop update. Though we are not sure how long users of these devices will have to wait.

Samsung Galaxy S5: Leaked videos show the Lollipop (complete with Samsung's Touchwiz user interface) running on the flagship Samsung phones. It is certain that Galaxy S5 will get the Lollipop update.

Samsung Note 4: It will definitely get the Lollipop update.

Samsung Note 3 and Galaxy Alpha: Almost certain to get the update.

LG G3: Almost certain to get the update.

HTC One M8 (Eye): Almost certain to get the Lollipop update.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/list-of-phones-that-will-get-android-lollipop.-check-if-yours-is-here/1/399089.html

Nokia launches 8-inch Lollipop tablet, joins Android camp

Yesterday Nokia teased a mysterious product on its Twitter page. Now we know what this mysterious device is. On a product page, which was live on the Nokia website briefly before it was taken offline, the company revealed that it is launching an Android tablet with 8-inch screen. The tablet is called N1.

This Nokia is different from the part of the company that was sold to Microsoft. After the deal with Microsoft, Nokia -- without its smartphone division -- is looking to get back into the device game. However, with the terms & conditions that govern the deal with Microsoft forbidding Nokia from making a Nokia-branded smartphone until 2016, it seems the company sees tablet as its only viable option. 

The N1 was announced at Slush2014 conference in Helsinki. 

In terms of hardware, the N1 compares favourably to existing Android tablets. Its screen has a resolution of 2048 X 1536 pixels. The screen is also topped with Gorilla Glass 3. The device is powered by Intel Z3580 running at 2.3GHz and has 2GB RAM. The internal storage is 32GB. Nokia is using Android Lollipop on the N1, although the user interface is customised with Launcher Z, Nokia's Android launcher which was announced several months ago. It has 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. 

The Nokia N1 is undoubtedly a high-end tablet, designed to take on other high-end tablets as well as iPad Mini. And it makes this intent clear with its design. Unlike most Android tablets, the N1 uses a unibody shell made of aluminium alloy, similar to the one used by Apple in its iPad. For an 8-inch tablet it is also remarkably thin with thickness of 6.9mm. With weight of 318 grams, It is also lighter than iPad Mini (Retina Display).

For now Nokia hasn't revealed the price or details about availability of the tablet.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/nokia-launches-8-inch-lollipop-tablet-joins-android-camp/1/401361.html

Nokia Networks bags 3G contract from Bharti Airtel

Finnish telecom gear maker Nokia Networks has bagged a contract from Bharti Airtel as the operator expands its 3G network in three circles of Mumbai, West Bengal and Bihar.

"...it has bagged a 3G contract from Bharti Airtel that will help Airtel expand its 3G network in the Mumbai, West Bengal and Bihar telecom circles using Nokia's latest Single RAN (radio access network) advanced platform," Nokia Networks said in a statement today.

The company, however, did not share financial details of the deal.

Nokia said the deal includes an India-first dual band, dual carrier 3G network implementation, refarming 900MHz to complement Mumbai's existing 3G network on 2100MHz.

"The association with Nokia is in line with this and will enable residents in Mumbai, West Bengal and Bihar also to experience Airtel's superior 3G network," Bharti Airtel's director of network services group Abhay Savargaonkar said.

Under the contract, Nokia Networks will supply single RAN advanced platform, which will also support Bharti Airtel in its LTE or 4G rollout.

"This multi-standard radio platform is optimal because it will also support Bharti Airtel in its TD-LTE rollout and pave the way to FDD-LTE in the near future," Nokia said.

Bharti Airtel won 1,800MHz spectrum in 15 circles including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. The Sunil Bharti Mittal-promoted firm plans to launch pan-India 4G network using 1,800MHz.

The company already offers 4G services using TDD LTE technology on 2,300MHz band in Ludhiana, Mohali, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh and Panchkula.

Nokia's NetAct network management system will enable effective monitoring and management of Bharti Airtel's networks.

"While Nokia's Single RAN Advanced platform will ensure a reliable 3G mobile broadband connectivity cost efficiently, our comprehensive services will ensure smooth deployment," Nokia Networks vice president and head of India region Sandeep Girotra said.

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/nokia-networks-bags-3g-contract-from-bharti-airtel/1/400763.html

MOBILE BALANCE TRANSFER TRICKS FOR ALL NETWORK

Balance Transfer Tricks For All Network
Hello Friends....!
Here Are The Official Methods To Transfer Balance.........
I Am Posting Here Official Tricks To Transfer Balance From Your Mobile No To Others (Only For Some Operators)

1. Tata DOCOMO Balance Transfer...
Process of Transfer & Charges:

To transfer Balance Member need to type "BTTarget Mobile Number Amount" and send it to 54321
To reverse the Amount a Member needs to type "RBTTransaction ID" and send it to 54321
SMS to 54321 for Balance Transfer will be charged at Re.1 and for reversal will be Toll Free. 

Conditions:
The sender’s account balance for "Balance Transfer" has to be Transfer Amount + Rs.1 at the time of transfer. If balance is not sufficient the transfer will be declined. However, the SMS will be charged.
In case of Reversals the amount reversed will be dependent on the balance available with the recipient.

The system will recognize "BT" or "bt" or "Bt"
For Example to Transfer Rs.25 Talk-time from 9030012345 to 9030099999 . The sender types "BT 9030099999 25" and SMS to 54321


2. idea! Balance Transfer Method...
Process of Transfer & Charges:

Step 1:First Of All Send Message To The 55567 As 'ASK'Mobile No Amount.Which Will Ask The Person From Whom You Want to get Balance.
Step-2:Then The Person To Which You Have To get amount Have To Confirm Your Request By Sending SMS as'GIVE'Mobile No Amount
Then You Have Done...!

Conditions:
1. You Will Be Charged Rs/- 2 For This Method.
2. You Must Have Balance Transfer More Than Rs/-11


3. Airtel Balance c Transfer.....

Note:I Dont KNOW this Methods Are Working Or Not Only About Airtel....I Am Only Making Collection Of Possible Methods From Net For Airtel

Method 1: GIFT 100 9970XXXXX.
Method 2: 143*9818xxxxxx#
Method 3: According To Me There Is No Official Method To Transfer Balance In Airtel...But Just Try These At Your Own Risk* {Only About AIRTEL Other Are Guaranteed }


4. Vodafone Official Balance Transfer Method...
Procedure:
*131*Amount*Mobile No#

Conditions:
Only Users Who Are Using Vodafone From 3 Months Can Able To Do This.

Tricks by- http://hacktheass.blogspot.in/2012/08/mobile-balance-transfer-tricks-for-all.html#comment-form