hackersworld: 2013

Thursday, 31 October 2013

Nokia Lumia 1320 Phablet a cheaper alternative to Lumia 1520

Nokia today launched Lumia 1520and Lumia 1320 Phablet. The Nokia Lumia 1320 comes with trimmed down specs and is priced cheaper than the 1520 model. The 1320 dual core Phablet could be priced at around $340.

The Nokia Lumia 1320 also comes with a 6 inch IPS clear black screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection supporting HD resolution (1280×720 pixels). When you compare this handset with the Lumia 1520 you will find that the features are slightly downgraded. The 1320 is powered by dual core processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon S4) clocked at 1.7GHz coupled with Adreno 305 GPU.

Microsoft windows phone 8 runs the show with 1GB RAM, 8GB storage and micro SD card support (64GB). Lumia 1320 comes with a single micro SIM slot that supports 4G, 3G and 2G networks. Unlike the 1520 that came with 20MP PureView camera the Lumia 1320 houses a simple 5MP rear camera with LED flash that can record videos in full HD resolution at 30fps. There is a front camera too.

Other features are Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, micro USB and GPS with GLONASS. There is a non removable battery (Li-ion) of 3400 mAh capacity that gives a talk-time of up to 21 hours and standby time of over 600 hours.

The Nokia Lumia 1320 will definitely be much cheaper that the Nokia Lumia 1520 model. This handset will probably hit the stores in 2014.

Nokia launches 10.1 inch Lumia 2520 quad core tablet with 4G support

Nokia Mobiles have entered the Tablet bandwagon, they have launched the Nokia Lumia 2520 a quad core tablet with a 10.1 inch screen running on Microsoft Windows RT OS. Shipping will commence by end of 2013 and the expected price tag is $499 + $150 for the optional Nokia Power Keyboard. Nokia launched several devices like the Nokia Lumia 1520,Lumia 1320, Asha 502 and 503.

Let’s start with the display, the Nokia Lumia 2520 sports a 10.1 inch screen with full HD resolution (1920x1080p) i.e 218 ppi. The screen is with clear black display and with corning gorilla glass 2 protection. There is built in Micro SIM slot that supports 4G, 3G and 2G networks.

Windows RT OS comes pre-loaded that runs with 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. There is micro SD slot that can add external storage of up to 32GB. Lumia 2520 is powered by 2.2 GHz quad core processor (Qualcomm MSM8974) Snapdragon 800 Krait 400 coupled with Adreno 330 GPU.

The tab will be available in White, Cyan, Black and red colors and also includes a rear camera of 6.7MP with Carl Zeiss lens and front camera of 2MP resolution. Front camera can record videos in HD resolution and rear camera can in Full HD resolution.

10.1 inch quad core powered Nokia 2520 tablet

Other features included are Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, NFC and GPS with GLONASS / A-GPS support. There are accelerometer, proximity, gyro and magnetic sensors. Battery is of 8000 mAh capacity with talk-time of up to 10 hours and standby time of over 500 hours.

The Lumia 2520 is priced at $500 and $150 for optional Power Keyboard. In India it could be priced at under Rs. 40,000 and extra under 12K for the power keyboard.

Apple Inc launched iPad Air and iPad Mini tablets

Apple Inc has launched couple of new devices including the iPad Air and iPad Mini tablets. The iPad Mini with retina display is priced starting from $399 and the lightest and thinnest – iPad Air starts from $499.

Apple iPad Air

Its light, its thin, thickness is 7.5mm and weight is 458 grams. iPad Air is powered by 64 bit Apple A7 processor coupled with M7 motion co-processor. The Air is available for a price of $499 for the Wi-Fi version with 16GB storage.

The screen with retina display is 9.7 inches supporting resolution of 2148×1536 pixels. Key features are 5MP iSight camera that can record full HD videos, dual mics for noise cancellation and dual Wi-Fi antennas. This iPad will be available in Nov 2013.

Apple iPad Mini

if you may recall Apple had launched the iPad Mini, but this one is little different it comes with Retina display plus A7 processor upgrade. The iPad mini is priced starting from $399. It comes with 7.9 inch screen with retina display supporting 2048×1536 pixels resolution.

iPad Mini is powered by 64 bit A7 processor. This is much faster than its predecessor the iPad mini that came with A5 chipset. Other features are Wi-Fi, 4G support (on selected models), 5MP iSight camera with FHD video recording and 10 hours battery backup.

We do not know when the Apple iPad Air and the Apple iPad Mini will be released in India and its official price tag.

LG announces LG Fireweb smartphone with Firefox OS

LG Fireweb (LG D300) LG’s first smartphone running on the Firefox OS has be launched in Brazil. The 1GHz powered smartphone is priced at $207. No word as to when this handset will be available in other countries.

ZTE Open is another handset that recently went on sale in Spain, this smartphone also runs on the new Firefox OS. On the hardware front the LG Fireweb comes powered by 1GHz QUALCOMM processor. The handset comes with 2GB storage and probably with 256MB RAM.

The Fireweb sports a 4 inch screen with 480×320 pixels resolution (16M colors) and also houses a 5 megapixel camera on the rear with auto focus and LED flash support. Handset runs on Firefox 1.1 OS. The device weighs about 122 grams and could be around 9mm thick.

Other features are 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and integrated GPS. The handset also comes pre-loaded with social networking (Facebook / twitter) and office document apps. 1540 mAh battery that the LG Fireweb comes loaded with gives a talk time of 8 hours and standby time of up to 31 days.

Firefox based smartphones in India? well there is still time for it!

Dual SIM LG G Pro Lite shows up on Snapdeal for Rs. 18300

LG G Pro Lite a dual SIM android handset with 1GHz dual core processor is now available for Rs. 18,300. This handset sports a 5.5 inch IPS screen and comes with 8MP camera and a stylus.

LG G Pro Lite is 9.4mm thick and weighs about 161 grams. The IPS capacitive LCD touchscreen is 5.5 inches supporting resolution of 960×540 pixels. Handset runs on Android 4.1 OS and is powered byMT6577 dual core processorCortex-A9 clocked at 1GHz with PowerVR SGX 531 GPU.

This handset comes with 1GB RAM and 8GB on-board memory with 32GB external micro SD card support. There is an 8 megapixel rear auto focus camera with LED flash and front camera of 1.3 megapixel resolution. The rear camera can record full HD videos at 30fps.

Key features are 3G, 2G (class 12), Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS with GLONASS / A-GPS. There is built in FM radio, dedicated mic for noise cancellation and HTML5 support. Battery is of 3140 mAh capacity with up to 14 hours talk-time.

LG G Pro Lite dual core handet with stylus

This handset also comes with a stylus that might attract many users, however it is a capacitive stylus and not like the one that Samsung Galaxy Note houses.

LG G Pro Lite dual SIM handset is available in Black and White colors for Rs. 18,300.

Micromax Canvas Magnus A117 review – 1.5GHz quad core for under Rs. 15K

Review of: Micromax Canvas Magnus A117

Mobile Phone:: Gogi Rana

Price:

Rs. 14,800

Reviewed by: Gogi Rana

Rating:: 4.5

On October 26, 2013

Last modified:October 29, 2013

Summary:

Micromax A117 sports a 5 inch screen with HD resolution. It is powered by 1.5GHz quad core processor running Jelly Bean 4.2 with 1GB RAM and 4GB storage. There is 12MP AF camera plus 2MP front camera. Battery is 2000 mAh. For the price this is a very good buy.

Check Lowest Price

The Micromax A117 Canvas Magnus with 5 inch HD screen, running on Android 4.2 with 1GB RAM and 4GB storage is available for under Rs. 15,000. This dual SIM handset with aluminium casing is available in Blue and White colours.

A117 Unboxing
The box pack contains the handset, 2000 mAh battery, warranty statement, user manual, earphones (of average quality) and data cable. The SAR value is mentioned on the box : 0.44 W/kg @ 1g Head and 0.67 W/kg @ 1g Body.

Design and Display
Design wise the handset looks similar to the Micromax A110 and the Micromax A116, similar curves and slimmer towards the edges, however the Micromax A117 is made of Aluminium. Opening up the battery compartment itself is not an easy task. The back cover is Aluminium and is clearly mentioned.

Micromax Canvas Magnus A117 weighs about 141 grams with battery, thickness is 9.05mm, breadth is 74.06mm and length is 144.42mm. 3.5mm audio jack and micro USB port are placed on the top, power / lock button on the right and volume rockers on the left.

On the rear side there is 12MP AF camera with LED flash and speaker out. There are dual SIM slots (SIM 1/ SIM 2) and micro SD card slot with 32GB cards supported. This handset comes with a 5 inch capacitive touch IPS screen with 1280×720 pixels (HD) resolution with 16.7M colors. Touch is smooth and responsive and viewing angles are very good. There is LED indicator for notifications.

Does the screen come with some protection? Well we are not sure and it’s not mentioned, and hence to be on the safer side better use a screen guard. There are accelerometer, light and proximity sensors and like many other Micromax handsets the magnetic sensors are missing.

Memory, Storage and OS
The Micromax Canvas Magnus comes with 1GB RAM of which 640MB is available and of the 4GB storage 1.61 is assigned as internal storage and 0.98GB as storage for apps. There is micro SD card slot – you can install / move apps to external storage.

This handset runs on Android 4.2.1. OTG is supported; I could connect my pendrive using an OTG cable. OTA updates are supported.

Performance
The A117 is upgraded A116 same stuff but with high MP camera and 1.5GHz MT6589T processor with PowerVR SGX 544 MP GPU. The GPU is more powerful than what we have seen on the A116 handset. The overall performance is pretty good and benchmark results are impressive.

Benchmark Scores

Quadrant Standard – 4754
AnTuTu – 15925
Vellamo – HTML5 1612, Metal 494
Nenamark 2 – 52.8 fps
Multitouch : 10 points.

12MP Camera and Entertainment
There is front 2MP fixed focus camera and rear 12MP auto focus camera with LED flash. The still camera quality is very good. In fact even in low light conditions (check the street light sample image) the output is really good.

On the box it is mentioned that the handset can record in 720p resolution, however it can record in full HD resolution at 30fps. Do check the sample images and videos at the end of this review. You can play full HD videos with ease using MX player in S/W or H/W mode.

Gaming
The handset no doubt is powerful and apps / games can be installed on external storage. I could not test some heavy games like Modern combat 4 (MC4) and Nova 3. I got an error with MC4, probably it could be an issue with the update – I usually copy the huge data and a small portion of the installation is then downloaded. I got this error on other devices that I recently reviewed; probably I will need to download the full data around 2GB.

Nova 3 also got an update and did not get time to download this game of about 2GB. In the gaming review video you will find the Asphalt 7, Dead Trigger is high graphics mode and the latest Dead Trigger 2. Game play is smooth though you might experience a little bit of lag, this could be because of the micro SD card (depending on card class).

Others
The sound is loud, I could not test the incall sound and GPS. But that should be good enough. Wi-Fi signal seemed pretty strong and Bluetooth, 3G worked well. The handset does get heated up and especially when you are outdoor, under the sun, using the handset it will heat up much faster and temperature could reach up to 47 degrees.

Battery
The 2000 mAh battery should last for a day with moderate usage. I did test the battery while performing the benchmarks and while playing few games. I used the handset for 31 minutes running Benchmarks apps etc, battery dropped from 82% to 75% (7%). Played games for 19 minutes and battery dropped by 6%.

Verdict
Micromax seems to have got the pricing right and are back on track. The A117 is better alternative to A116 and will soon replace it. It is also a good option (1.5GHz quad core) for under Rs. 15,000. Magnus A117 has got premium looks, its aluminium body and might become a hot selling smartphone just like Micromax A110 and A116.

Interestingly the Micromax A117 was silently launched along with Micromax Canvas Turbo A250 that got too much attention. But I think in the long run A117 will do better than the A250.

Check the Micromax Canvas Magnus A117 best price.

Micromax A117 image gallery

Sample images shot using the A117 handset

Micromax canvas Magnus A117 unboxing and review video

1080p video recording using A117

Dead Trigger, Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 7 on Magnus

XOLO to launch LT900 smartphone with 4G support

October 26, 2013 By Gogi Rana 49 Comments

XOLO mobiles are gearing up to launch a 4G LTE supported handset – the first 4G handset in the XOLO family within few weeks. The handset will be powered by snapdragon S4 dual core processor and will run on the Jelly bean 4.2.2 OS.

The XOLO LT900 is not officially confirmed yet. The handset could come powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual core processor clocked at 1.5GHz with probably Adreno 225GPU. Android 4.2.2 will run on 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. There will be micro SD card slot.

The handset will sport a 4.3 inch OGS screen with 1280×720 pixels resolution. There will be 8MP rear auto focus camera with BSI sensors and a front camera too. There are very few networks providing 4G services in India, and for now there are not many users who have actually subscribed to 4G services.

We will have to wait and see if users will buy this phone especially for the 4G features. The price could play an important role and unfortunately we do not have that info as for now. Stay tuned for more.

ZTE Blade Q, Mini and Maxi MediaTek dual core handsets launched

ZTE Mobiles has rolled out 3 new handsets ZTE Blade Q, ZTE Blade Q Mini and ZTE Blade Q Maxi all of these handsets are running on the Android 4.2 OS and powered by 1.3GHz dual core processor from MediaTek. The pricing details have not yet been revealed.

Yes it is with the same 1.3GHz dual core hardware that we have seen on many other handsets likeXOLO A500S, Micromax A74,Micromax A63 and so on. However ZTE has gone a step further and have enhanced the RAM to 1GB. Almost all of the 1.3GHz dual core handsets available in the market are with 512MB RAM, so ZTE Blade does have an advantage.

ZTE Blade Q
This handset is with 4.5 inch IPS screen supporting 854×480 pixels resolution. It comes with 4GB ROM and 32GB micro SD card support. There is 5MP rear auto focus camera with LED flash and VGA front camera. Other common features included like 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. Battery is 1800 mAh capacity.

ZTE Blade Q Mini
This handset as the name suggest comes with a smaller IPS screen of 4 inches with resolution 800×480 pixels. This one too comes with 4GB ROM and 32GB micro SD support. Also included are a 5MP rear AF camera with LED flash and VGA front camera. Battery is of lower mAh at 1500. Other features are 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth.

ZTE Blade range - Blade Q, Blade Q Mini and Blade Q Maxi

ZTE Blade Q Maxi
This handset houses the same hardware stuffs except for the screen that is of 5 inches with resolution of 854×480 pixels. The battery is 2000 mAh.

We do not know when these handsets will be available in India and its price tag. The key highlight is the 1GB RAM but all depends on the pricing.

Micromax Canvas Turbo A250 review – 1.5GHz quad core with 2GB RAM and FHD screen

Review of: Micromax Canvas Turbo A250

Mobile Phone:: Gogi Rana

Price:

Rs. 19,500

Reviewed by: Gogi Rana

Rating:: 4

On October 29, 2013

Last modified:October 29, 2013

Summary:

The Micromax Turbo A250 sports 5 inch screen with FHD resolution. It runs on Jelly Bean 4.2 with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. This dual SIM handset comes with 13MP AF camera and 5MP front camera. Non removable battery is of 2000 mAh capacity. Good handset but lags when playing high end games.

Check Lowest Price

The Micromax Canvas Turbo A250is powered by MediaTek turbo processor and sports a 5 inch screen with FHD resolution. Key features are 2GB RAM, 16GB storage and 13MP camera. The Micromax A250 is priced at under Rs. 20,000.

Box Pack
The Box packing is similar to the Micromax Canvas 4. However the handset looks different and does not really resembles the Canvas 4. The SAR value is 0.39 W/kg@1g head and 0.75 W/kg @ 1g body. Inside the box you will find the handset, earphone, charger, data cable, user manual, warranty statement, download goodies, ifloat app manual and SIM ejector. Screen guard is not included and we do not know if the screen comes with some added protection – it’s not mentioned anywhere.

Design and Display
The handset looks pretty cool, it’s made of aluminum and is light weight. I got the blue colored handset. The battery compartment is sealed and there are no visible options to remove it – this means you can get it serviced only from the service centre.

Micromax Canvas Turbo A250 weighs about 137 grams a little lighter than theCanvas Magnus A117. Thickness is 8.74mm, breadth 71.31mm and the length is 142.85mm.

Rear side is with matte finish, on the top side you will find the micro USB port, on the bottom the 3.5mm audio jack with mic, on the right side there is power / lock button and volume rockers and on the left there are the two Micro SIM slots. You need to use the SIM ejector pin to eject the micro SIM slots.

On the rear there is speaker out and 13MP rear auto focus camera with LED flash. The handset does come with accelerometer, light, magnetic, gyro and proximity sensors. Build quality is excellent and handset gives a pretty impressive look.

IPS Screen is 5 inches supporting resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. It’s with CGS technology (Continuous Grain Silicon Screen). Indoors in auto brightness mode the display looked sharp with vivid colors. I could also view the screen comfortably under direct sunlight. The colors reproduction looked good and viewing angles were very good. Touch is smooth and responsive. There is LED notification.

Memory, Storage and OS
The Micromax A250 comes with 2GB onboard RAM of which 1.5GB is available and of the 16GB built in storage 0.98 is assigned for apps (883MB free) and 12GB as internal SD storage. There is no external micro SD card slot, so you are left with 12GB of usage space only. However OTG is supported, you can connect your pendrive and access its contents using the OTG cable. A250 runs on Android 4.2.1 with OTA (Over the Air updates).

Performance and Benchmark
The handset is powered by MT6589T MediaTek turbo (quad core) processor clocked at 1.5GHz with PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU. Performance is good, though the FPS is lower because of FHD screen.

Benchmark Scores

Quadrant Standard – 4648.
AnTuTu – 15473.
Vellamo – HTML5 1568, Metal 590.
Nenamark 2 – 32.7 fps
Multi touch : 10 points.

Gaming
I tried the Asphalt 7, the game play looked smooth but was not able to control the car properly probably cause of low FPS. The Dead Trigger 2 worked well but you can clearly feel the frame drop. The game play was smoother on the Micromax A117.

I f you are too much into gaming, Magnus A117 will be a better choice than Turbo A250.

Camera and Entertainment
There is 13MP rear AF camera with flash and front camera of 5MP resolution. The camera quality is as good as seen on the Micromax A117. Low light photography is also pretty decent. The handset can record full HD videos at 30fps and no doubt can play full HD videos with ease.

The camera comes with some enhanced features like GIF animation,3D panorama and remove objects. GIF Animation records a small video of few seconds and then allows user to animate particular area on the screen. The other area will show still image and the particular area selected will be running the video (animated effect), that’s how the GIF animation is created.

Remove Object also works on the same principle. It shoots several images and then allows users to merge the image to create a new image with most unwanted object removed. If you want to shoot a particular subject or an object but there is a lot of activity around –people moving, you can use the remove object feature. This will shoot several images and you can then remove unwanted people (by merging specific area of the images) and get a clear shot.

Others
I had no issues with3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Did not check the GPS but getting a lock within 30 seconds should not be an issue make sure you enabled EPO / EPO downloads and A-GPS. Speaker sound is loud (average) and clear.

Just like on the Micromax A117, the Micromax A250 also has the BBM link from where you can download the BlackBerry Messenger app. There are several gesture based control that you can setup (check video review).

iFloat Tray: This apps when launched shows a dedicated icon on the screen, you can place it anywhere, when you tap the icon you get quick access to certain apps.

The handset does get heated up and when I was outdoor shooting sample images (in sunlight) the temperature rose to 48 degree. This is normal with many handsets. Handset temperature is not only related to the hardware processing but also the environment.

Battery
There is built in non-removable battery of 2000 mAh capacity. As per Micromax the battery gives talktime of up to 7 hours. I used the handset for 23 minutes running benchmark apps and battery dropped by 13% and temp rose from 31 to 38 degree. I played some games for 10 minutes, battery dropped by 7% and temperature rose from 32 to 40 degree.

Verdict
The handset has got a premium look; it’s with an aluminum body and loaded with powerful hardware stuffs, unfortunately the FHD resolution lowers the FPS that affects the overall gaming experience. The Asphalt 7 game did not run as smoothly as expected.

Apart from this there are no issues. The screen looks great and viewable under direct sunlight. The camera quality is good. There is 2GB RAM and limited storage of 16GB. This handset is priced at Rs. 19,999 you can get it for under Rs. 19,500.

Another handset XOLO Q1000s is already available in the market for quite some time, it is with same hardware but HD screen, 1GB RAM and 2500 mAh battery it is currently priced at Rs. 16,999. A tough choice to make cause the Micromax Canvas Magnus A117 seems a better and cheaper option, if you exclude the RAM and FHD part.