Samsung Has Two New Galaxy Smartphones Coming Soon

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

Consistent with previous rumors, The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that Samsung will release two new smartphones in the near future: one with a larger screen and another that will be built with "new materials."

Kim Hyun-joon, Samsung's senior vice president of mobile communications, shared this information during an earnings call but did not reveal any further details.

Samsung typically unveils its new Galaxy Note phones during Berlin's IFA electronics showcase in September.

This bigger smartphone Hyun-joon referred to is most likely the Galaxy Note 4, which is expected to come with a large 5.7-inch screen and a faster processor. 

At the same time, rumors and reports have suggested Samsung will release a new phone, the Galaxy Alpha, with a metal casing.

Based on recently leaked photos, it seems as if the Galaxy Alpha will be a little smaller than the Galaxy S5 but with a metal rim framing its body. It's expected to be marketed as a mid-range device rather than a flagship, but we haven't heard anything about how much it will cost.

The latest rumors suggest Samsung could take the wraps off the Galaxy Alpha as early as next week.

Samsung shared this information just as it reported a weak profit for Q2 2014. The company's net profit fell for the first time in nearly three years for the second quarter, declining from 9.53 trillion won ($9.25 billion) a year ago to  7.9 trillion won ($7 billion) in Q2 2014.

Samsung pegged this drop on increased competition from other smartphone makers in China and Europe.

Xiaomi launches Mi 3 in India at Rs 13,999

Chinese handset maker Xiaomi on Tuesday announced its foray into the Indian market with the launch of its flagship Mi 3 smartphone in an exclusive partnership with e-commerce marketplace Flipkart. Mi3 has been priced at Rs 13,999 and will go on sale on July 22.
The pre-registration for the smartphone is now open at Flipkart and only those customers who register till July 21 midnight will be eligible to purchase the device on the sale day.
Xiaomi has sold 10 million units of Mi3 – its highest performing smartphone – so far. Its Android-based platform – MIUI – is a live operating system constantly improving with frequent software updates.
Powered by its customised Google Android user interface, MIUI V5, Mi 3 smartphone has a 5-inch Full HD 1080p LCD touch display and sports Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz processor, Adreno 330 450 MHz GPU, 2 GB RAM, and eMMC 4.5 flash memory of 16 GB. The smartphone has a 13 megapixels rear camera and a 2 MP front camera with both supporting HD video recording and has a 3050mAh lithium-ion battery.

In addition, Xiaomi, which is touted as the Apple of China, also announced that it will launch the affordable Redmi 1S smartphone and Redmi Note over the next few weeks. The 4.7-inch Redmi 1S, which will retail at Rs 6,999, is likely to be launched in the first part of August and the 5.5-inch Redmi Note, set to be available in the later part of next month, will be available for Rs 9,999.
Talking about their India foray, Bin Lin, co-founder and President, Xiaomi, said, “We see India as a huge opportunity for us and are excited about bringing Mi products to this market. Just like in our other markets, we will strive to provide users with incredible value, and the best customer experience possible.”

Speaking to reporters on bringing their flagship device to India, Hugo Barra, Vice President, Xiaomi Global, added: “Mi 3 is the fastest Mi phone ever. We are very excited to offer one of the world’s most powerful smartphones in India at an incredibly affordable price point. We hope Indian users will love MIUI, our super intuitive Android-based operating system.”
Talking about the company’s India operations head, Manu Jain, said “We are starting with 36 service centres across top 20 cities, two exclusive centres in Bangalore and Delhi, a hotline that operates 7 days a week and our partner Flipkart, with its world-class technology and customer service, will be key to providing good experience of our products.”
Commenting on the partnership, Flipkart co-founder & CEO Sachin Bansal, said, “We are a technology-focused company with innovation as our DNA – and this complements what Xiaomi stands for globally. Mi3 has the potential to make a difference in the smartphone market… We look forward to launch of the device next week and other products soon.” Xiaomi was founded in 2010 by entrepreneur Lei Jun. The Beijing-headquartered company, which brought together several top executives from Microsoft, Google, Kingsoft, Motorola, Yahoo and other IT companies, has become one of China’s biggest electronics companies that designs, develops and sells smartphones, mobile apps and other such consumer items.
In the first six months of 2014, Xiaomi sold 26.11 mn handsets with 271% growth. The company sold 18.7 million handsets last year.

10 hot smartphones under Rs 10,000

Asus ZenFone 5

 

The 8GB variant of Asus ZenFone 5 has been priced at Rs 9,999. The smartphone has a 5-inch screen with 720p resolution, runs on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) and powered by a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor with HyperThreading technology.

ZenFone 5 has 2GB of RAM, microSD card support up to 64GB and comes with a 2,100mAh battery. It features an 8MP camera with LED flash, and also has a 2MP secondary camera. It offers standard connectivity options: 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0.

 

Moto E

With a 4.3-inch (960x540p) display, Motorola’s cheapest smartphone Moto E is exclusively available at Rs 6,999 via Flipkart. The smartphone is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 1GB RAM and comes with 4GB internal storage; it also supports microSD cards up to 32GB. The phone has the latest version of Android Kitkat.

On the back of Moto E is a 5MP camera, sans LED flash; the secondary, front camera is also missing. Connectivity features of the smartphone include 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, and microUSB 2.0. The phone runs on a 1,980 mAh battery and is available in two colours – black and white.

 

Micromax Unite 2

Available online at Rs 7,000, Micromax Unite 2 has a 4.7-inch screen (800x480p resolution) and is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core Mediatek processor with 1GB RAM. It features 4GB on-board storage, expandable up to 32 GB via microSD cards.

Micromax Unite 2 has a 5MP main camera with LED flash and 2MP front camera. On the connectivity front, the Android 4.4 (KitKat) powered smartphone has 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and microUSB 2.0. It has a 2,000 mAh battery and is available in grey, green, red, and white colours.

The distinguishing feature of the smartphone is support for 21 Indian languages, such as Maithili, Bodo, Dogri, Sanskrit and Sindhi.

 

 

Nokia Lumia 630

The single sim variant of Nokia Lumia 630 can be purchased online for approximately Rs 9,500. The smartphone sports a 4.5-inch (480x854p) display and is powered with quad-core 1.2 GHz processor with 512MB of RAM and runs Windows Phone 8.1. It has 8GB internal storage and can support microSD cards of up to 128GB.

The phone has a 5MP camera without LED flash, and does not have secondary camera. You can connect to internet via 2G, 3G, and Wi-Fi, and can transfer data through Bluetooth 4.0, and microUSB 2.0. It is powered by a 1,830mAh battery and is available in 5 colours — bright orange, bright green, bright yellow, white and black.

 

HTC Desire 210

HTC Desire 210 has a 4-inch (480x800p) display, is powered with 1GHz dual-core processor and has 512MB of RAM. Available in black, white and red colours, the phone is powered by Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) operating system, internal storage of 4GB and can support microSD cards of up to 32 GB.

Desire 210 features a 5MP main camera and a VGA secondary camera. Speaking of connectivity, the phone can connect to internet via 2G, 3G, and Wi-Fi, and can transfer data through Bluetooth 4.0, and microUSB 2.0. The phone has a 1,300mAh battery and can be bought via e-commerce sites for approximately Rs 7,500.

 

Nokia Lumia 525

Available online at approximately Rs 8,500, Nokia Lumia 525 has a 4-inch (480 x 800p) display and runs on Windows Phone 8 OS. This smartphone is powered by dual-core 1GHz processor with 1GB RAM and is available in four colours, namely black, white, yellow and red. It has internal storage of 8GB and can support microSD cards of up to 64GB.

Nokia Lumia 525 also features a 5MP rear camera, but does not have rear LED flash and front camera. On the connectivity front, the phone has features like 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and microUSB 2.0. The phone comes with a 1,430mAh battery.

 

Xolo Q1011

An Android 4.4 (KitKat)-powered smartphone, Xolo Q1011 is available online at a price of Rs 9,999. The dual-sim phone has a 5-inch One Glass Solution (OGS) IPS display with 720p resolution and is available in 2 colours — black and white.

Powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor, Xolo Q1011 has 1GB of RAM, 4GB built-in storage, a microSD card slot and a 2,250 mAh battery. It also features an 8MP primary camera with dual LED flash and a 2MP secondary camera. The connectivity options of the phone include 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB.

 

Samsung Galaxy S Duos

Featuring a 4-inch (480x800p) display, Samsung Galaxy Duos 2 is available on e-commerce websites for approximately Rs 8,000. The smartphone is powered by Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). Powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, it has 768MB RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and can support microSD cards of up to 32GB.

Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2 features a 5MP main camera with LED flash and a VGA secondary camera. It can access internet via 2G, 3G and Wi-Fi, and transfer data via Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0. The phone is available in black, white and la fleur colour options and runs on 1,500 mAh, Li-Ion battery.

 

Lava Iris X1

Lava Iris X1 has a 4.5-inch (480x854p) display, is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1GB RAM. Available only in black and white colours, the phone has 4GB internal storage and can support a microSD card of up to 32GB.

The phone has a 5MP main camera with LED flash and a 2MP secondary camera. On the connectivity front, it offers support for 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and microUSB 2.0. The phone is priced at Rs 7,849. It has a 1,800mAh battery and runs the latest version of Android, KitKat.

 

Intex Aqua Curve Mini

An Android 4.4 (KitKat) smartphone, Aqua Curve Mini is available online for approximately Rs 7,300. This smartphone has a 4.5-inch (480x854p) display and packs a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and 1GB RAM under the hood. It comes with 4GB internal storage and can support microSD cards up to 32GB.

Intex Aqua Curve Mini sports an 8MP rear camera with LED flash, and a 2MP secondary camera. Powered by a 1,500mAh battery, the phone offers 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and microUSB connectivity options.

 

 

Panasonic launches GD31 and GD21 feature phones in India

Panasonic India has expanded its feature phones range with the launch of the new GD31 and GD21 phones. The GD31 and GD21 phones will be available in India at Rs 2190 and Rs 1790, respectively.

Panasonic GD31 comes with a full-touch 2.8-inch display and features such as pre-installed Facebook app. In addition to this, it also offers Hindi support on touch keypad and pre-installed games. It has a microSD card slot with support for cards of up to 32GB.

The company claims that the phone offers great battery life and comes with security features like mobile tracker, security Inbox and application privacy, FM recording, FM Alarm, a 2MP rear camera with flash, EDGE support, and A2DP Bluetooth support. It will be available in silver, grey and black colour options.

Panasonic GD21 sports a 2.4-inch TFT display. It comes with a built in audio and video player. Other features such as Dual SIM support, LED torch light, expandable storage via microSD card (up to 16GB), Bluetooth headset with A2DP and a 1.3MP rear camera with video recorder. The phone will be available in silver, dark grey and light grey colours.

Commenting on the launch, Manish Sharma, managing director, Panasonic India said, "The launch of these two models underscores Panasonic's efforts in providing a remarkable mobile experience to the Indian consumers across cities. These models are priced perfectly matching with our consumers' need for affordable solutions and thereby empowering the customers with a wide variety of products to choose from."

Micromax Canvas Fire A039 with Android KitKat listed online

Indian handset firm Micromax has listed a new smartphone, Canvas Fire A039 on its official website. The pricing of the phone has not been revealed but it is being sold by an e-commerce retailer at Rs 6,999.

The dual-sim phone sports a 4-inch WVGA(480x800p) display. Canvas Fire A039 is powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek MT6582M quad-core processor and 512MB RAM.

The phone sports a 5MP rear camera with LED flash, and a VGA front-facing camera. It comes with 4GB internal storage and runs Android 4.4 KitKat. The phone also features a microSD card slot that supports storage cards of up to 32GB.

Micromax Canvas Fire A039 comes with a 1750mAh battery. In terms of connectivity, the phone supports Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi and 3G. It comes with several pre-loaded apps including Mlive, Opera Mini, Giga Jump, MAD, Marble, M!Insurance, Game Club, M!Games and Kingsoft office.

Oppo Find 7 review: Finding a new horizon

Oppo has been making small inroads into the Indian market with phones that offer users a sense of confidence along with good features. The Oppo N1, with its rotatable camera, was among the most innovative smartphones in recent times. The company has now launched its Find 7, a top-end phone with a handful of new features. We take the phone for a spin.

Quick Tech Specs: 5.5-inch Quad HD 2560 x 1440p (538ppi) display | 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 Quad Core (MSM8974AC) processor | 3GB RAM | 32GB internal memory, microSD up to 128GB | 13-megapixel Sony Exmor IMX214 BSI sensor, 5-MP front-facing 80 degree wide angle sensor | micro-SIM (GSM) | 4G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4 | 3000 mAH battery | ColorOS, based on Android 4.3

Price: Rs 37,990

Design: This is the third Oppo phone that I have reviewed and I have to say this is one company that believes in robust build quality backed by durable designs. The Find 7 too oozes the kind of self assurance the Oppo N1 could give its use. Everything on the phone is built like a tank and will withstand the rough and  tumble of daily life. The rear flap comes with a matte finish which makes it hard to accumulate scratches or dirt. There is a chrome double line around the edges that sort of holds the entire piece in place. There is also a curved blue light at the bottom that fades on and off to alert you of a message or a missed call that needs your attention.

Screen: The Quad HD screen is one of the USPs of this phone. This is just a step below 4K and double the resolution of Full HD. So load a 4K wallpaper on the phone and you will feel as if you are on that sun kissed Male beach. You can also shoot an Ultra HD picture and see the full resolution of that image of this screen. But that is about it, there is hardly any other place where you will be able to put the Quad HD screen to use. But yes the screen quality is superb.

Performance: The phone is packed with the best processor and highest RAM possible at this price point. And that shows when you are multi-tasking or playing a top-end game like Asphalt 8. There is absolutely no lag on this phone. But I was surprised that despite these specs the phone takes time to process HDR images. But I guess phones will take their time with some processes. For the record, the phone as above all others on our benchmark tests. Yes, we know that does not mean much, but it sure feels good to have a champion in your pocket.

Memory: The Find 7 has 32GB of internal storage and that is goodenough for you not to buy an additional SD card, at least for a few months. But you get to use only about 24GB out of the 32 as the rest is used by OS and apps.

Connectivity: There were no issues with connectivity.

Software: The phone comes with Color OS. But thankfully the Oppo version is easier to use than the Gionee one. It is simple and convenient, though there could have been some tweaks like an easy screenshot feature. There is also a drop down screen that lets you use gestures to open apps or get things done. It is a good feature, but you sort of have to remember that this feature is there. Getting gestures to work right on the homescreen might be the solution.

Camera: The Oppo N1 had a stunning camera, despite its over saturated colors. The Find 7 is no different. Yes, the camera is stunning. Yes, the results are over-saturated. We also noticed that the camera cannot focus on objects that are really close to it. So to click a photo a flower you have to keep the camera away and focus, then crop out of the image. However, the phone comes with the best 4K video recording we have seen so far. Yes, the Sony Xperia Z2 does the same, but that phone heats up considerably in the process. The Find 7 too heats up, but not enough to shut it down. Add a 128GB card and you can shoot your cousin’s engagement in 4K and do a better job than the professional cameraman.

Battery: The Find 7 comes with the new VOOC flash charge technology which allows you to charge the phone considerably in five minutes. We reached 20 per cent in five minutes and 60 per cent in 35 minutes. A full charge takes under an hour. This is a great feature to have, even though the battery can last you a whole day on full charge.

Verdict: The Find 7 is a good smartphone to buy, if you can find one. Oppo is not available with many retailers at the moment and its online availability is also limited. However, if you manage to find one, buy this for its stunning screen, great build and top of the line specs. This is a phone that won’t disappoint you much, especially since it costs way less than other phones with similar features.

Now, sand-based batteries to power your phone

NEW YORK: Believe it or not, using sand as the key material, researchers have created a lithium ion battery that can outperform the current industry standard by three times. 

"This is the holy grail — a low cost, non-toxic, environmentally friendly way to produce high performance lithium ion battery anodes," said Zachary Favors from University of California, Riverside in the US. 

Currently graphite is used in battery anodes, and further improvements on graphite are not viable. 

To make better batteries, researchers are focussed on nano silicon, the size of a billionth of a metre, as a replacement for graphite. Nanoscale silicon, however, degrades quickly and is difficult to produce in a large quantity. 

To get large quantities, Zachary used the most common source of silica, beach sand from a beach at Cedar Creek. 

This pure silicate sand was purified, powdered and then ground with salt and magnesium. This mixture was heated to remove oxygen from the quartz, resulting in pure silicon. 

The team was fortunate that the pure nano-silicon formed had a porous three-dimensional silicon sponge like consistency. That porosity has proved to be the key to improving the performance of the batteries built with the nano-silicon. 

The improved performance could mean expanding the expected lifespan of silicon-based batteries up to three times or more. This better battery could power electric vehicles, cellphones or tablets. 
The findings appeared in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.