Showing posts with label android. Show all posts

Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 running ICS official video out


Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 01
The Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 has revealed its first look to potential users via an official video on YouTube. Though its specifications have been outlined in the video, the company has not clued in audiences on the availability of the slate.
The tablet in question sports a 9.7-inch screen fitted across a smooth, uniform design. Its exterior is graced by a gun metal finish in a profile trimmed down to 8.9mm. Its battery life is cited to go on for a span of 10 hours, as mentioned in the video. Moreover, the display on offer is of the IPS type in order to make for a wider viewing angle.
The offering also packs in quad speakers that are touted to deliver improved bass along with SRS Trumedia compatibility for a complete mobile entertainment encounter. For video conferencing purposes, there’s a 1.3MP snapper embedded on the front panel. Phandroidwhich stumbled upon the video via Notebook Italia, reports that the tablet was first seen in an FCC filing.
Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 02
Apart from the aforementioned attributes, the slate entails slots for microSD along with micro-USB and micro-HDMI too. With Google’s latest mobile OS on board, a faster and interactive web experience along with Voice Actions for Android are ready at hand. We need hardly mention that the slab will include Google Play as well as Lenovo App Shop access.
The Lenovo IdeaTab S2109 release date and price details have not been disclosed at present.
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Huawei launches Honor & Ideos X5 smartphones in India

NEW DELHI: Huawei has announced the launch of Honor and the improved version of Ideos X5 smartphones in the Indian market. 

Running on Google Android Gingerbread,Huawei Honor features a 1,900 mAh battery, promising upto 9 hours of talk time, 6 hours of gaming and 10 hours of video. 

Featuring a 4-inch scratch resistant Gorilla glass and FWVGA display with 245 pixels per inch (PPI), Huawei Honor has a textured scratch-proof back. 

With a 1.4 GHz processor and a gyroscope, Huawei Honor packs an 8 megapixel AF rear camera with HDR, allowing users to capture pictures in ultra-bright and low lights. There's also a front camera for video chatting and 720P video recording and playback features. 

The phone is also DLNA-certified, which means it can play content wirelessly on other DLNA-certified devices such as digital cameras, game consoles and TVs. 

The phone will also let users blacklist and whitelist calls or protect their SMS from unauthorized use. Honor comes with a lock screen that has a built-in quick launch to the camera, SMS and phone apps. 

The phone also bundles an app called 'Data Traffic Manager' which lets users to set their monthly data package budget and offers an overview of data consumption over 2G/3G, WiFi networks and the apps consuming traffic. The phone is priced at Rs 19,990 (approximately). 

The Chinese phone maker has also launched an upgraded and improved version of Ideos X5 with Cloud features, a 1Ghz faster processor, FM Radio and 14.4 Mpbs faster download speeds. 

Priced at Rs 13,800, the new Ideos X5 offers 16GB Cloud space to store images, music and books. With Phone Finder, users can remotely locate phone or lock, backup or delete data to prevent phone from unauthorized use. Huawei Ideos X5 comes with a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and ability to capture 720P high definition HD videos. 

Featuring a 3.8-inch WVGA capacitive touch display with multi touch support, Huawei Ideos X5 comes with 1500mAh battery which according to company promises a good standby and talk time.


There have been an almost overwhelming number of smartphone launches during this CES - which is definitely a good thing. The whole team has been running around getting hands on time whenever possible in between meetings, and I've been doing the same all day both days. Two phones that I've been meaning to write about are the Huawei IDEOS X5 and Sony Xperia Arc. 
 
Huawei IDEOS X5 (left), Xperia Arc (right)
Huawei IDEOS X5
On Thursday morning, Huawei introduced its latest handset, the IDEOS X5, which runs stock Android 2.2.1 and packs the same 800 MHz MSM7230 we've seen in the T-Mobile G2. Huawei's spec list is rather impressive actually: 

Huawei Ideos X5
SoC800 MHz MSM7230 (45 nm Snapdragon)
GPUAdreno 205
RAM512 MB
NAND4 GB internal microSD, 512 MB ROM Storage
Camera5 MP, LED Flash, 720P Video Recording
Screen3.8" 800x480 LCD-TFT, Capacitive Touch
Bands (UMTS)HSPA+ 14.4, HSUPA 5.76Mbps: 900, 2100, AWS
Bands (GSM/EDGE)GSM/EDGE: 800, 900, 1800, 1900
Weight117 grams (4.12 oz)
I/OmicroUSB, BT 2.1, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi (2.4 and 5 GHz), 3.5 mm audio

The industrial design of the IDEOS X5 is surprisingly tasteful, and reminds me a lot of a somewhat wider, simpler Nexus One. The back is a grey soft touch material, there's a Nexus One-ish camera ring, and overall the X5 just has a pleasant feeling in the hands.

It's also relatively thin at 8.7 mm, but not quite as thin as the other two "world's thinnest" devices that have debuted at CES (which seems to be a recurring theme lately). In all honesty, I was decently impressed with the X5's feel and build. 
Front is all one unbroken piece of glass with capacitive Android buttons at the bottom. There's a chrome lip which runs around the edge of the phone.
The back of the X5 slides off revealing (unsurprisingly) a T-Mobile SIM and the microSD card slot. It looks like there are antenna traces down on the bottom, like we're used to seeing for so many smartphones. The battery is 1500 mAh/5.6 Whr. There's also a noise cancellation microphone for voice calls just to the left of the 5.0 megapixel silk screening.
Gallery: Huawei IDEOS X5 Hands On
Huawei has demonstrated its ability to craft a quality, well put together handset with the X5, a huge improvement from previous devices which were criticized for feeling cheaper and flimsier than competing phones. They also pointed out that the X5 is just one of a number of IDEOS line devices coming in the future. I was decently impressed with everything I saw with the X5, including the fact that it packs a fast, modern SoC with HSPA+ support and has nearly everything else we'd expect from the likes of, say, HTC. It's clear we're going to see a lot more of Huawei in 2011, and we were told that there would be a later version sporting the 1 GHz MSM8255. Whether the X5 gets an update to gingerbread was a bit vague, however the 1 GHz version sporting the faster MSM8255 seems like a likely bet. If the X5 launches at a competitive enough price mid 2011, we could definitely see Huawei become as big of a player in the handset business as it is in the network equipment business. 
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HTC in pact with Airtel to launch new HTC One Series of Smartphones in India




 
HTC One series smartphones
Telecom Lead India: Smartphone maker HTC has introduced new HTC One series of smartphones for the Indian market. The company has tied up with mobile major Bharti Airtel to introduce limited period offers on every purchase of HTC One X and HTC One V. 

Airtel mobile customers purchasing these all new devices till June 30, 2012 will be able to enjoy free download of 100 full songs, 500 MB data for three months and 200 minutes of mobile TV.

"One of the key objectives for the HTC One series, was to enable the user to remember their best moments in life easily, whether it be capturing a photo or listening to a song, so it was crucial for us to improve these emotional experiences with an amazing camera and authentic sound experience," said Faisal Siddiqui, country manager of HTC India.

The HTC One series runs on Android 4.0 (ICS) with HTC Sense 4, a new suite of camera and imaging features. HTC Sense 4 also includes broad enhancements to audio quality and simplifies how people listen to music on their phone.

The HTC One X is powered with a new Nvidia Tegra 3 Mobile Processor for clear graphics, faster applications and longer battery life. It includes a 1.5 GHz Super 4-PLUS-1 quad-core with an integrated fifth Battery Saver Core and a high-performance 12-Core Nvidia GPU. The HTC One also has a 4.7-inch, 720p HD screen crafted from contoured Corning Gorilla Glass.

The HTC One X handset is available in Polar White and Glamour Grey, while the HTC One V comes in the color of Jupiter Rock. The HTC One X and HTC One V will be available at an MRP of Rs. 42,999/- and Rs. 19,999/-respectively, while the MOP (Best Buy) will be Rs. 37,899/- and Rs. 18,299/-.

Recently, HTC reported unaudited consolidated revenue of NT$67.79 billion ($2.3 billion) for the first quarter of 2012, a drop of 34.92 percent from a year earlier. 

From January to February, the company reported consolidated revenue of NT$36.91 billion, a year-on-year drop of 45 percent, while its revenue in March managed to post 52.19 percent growth from the previous month to meet its former forecast.
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Run Android apps on Windows


Most Android-based smartphone users would agree that they would prefer testing an app before downloading it to their phone. The reason behind this is usually to avoid unnecessary space hogging apps. Some users might also wish to play some of the cool mobile games available for the Android platform on their PC i.e. on a larger display. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how can your favorite Android apps on your Windows-based PC using a simple and free software called BlueStacks.
Installing
Installing


BlueStacks is an app player for Windows, which can play Android apps faster than it can run on a phone and that too, on a full-screen. The app includes 10 pre-loaded apps and one can add up to 26 more apps of their choice. Favorite apps can be pushed directly from the phone onto the PC using an Android app via internet route. Download and install the software for Windows from the URL ‘www.bluestacks.com’. The software is nothing, but a simple virtual Android operating system, which simulates an Android phone or UI. It uses the desktop PC’s resources such as the processor, the internet connection, mouse, keyboard and the audio card. The installed folder located on the PC contains the necessary files for its use, namely the kernel, data, system, boot and storage (the SD card). The BlueStacks Android (Gingerbread) virtual machine creates a hardware environment with a limited amount of storage (around 363 MB) for installing apps and 262 MB of SD card storage space.

  
Once BlueStacks is installed, the application will be running the Android operating system in the background and you will see an icon in the system tray area and a widget will be running on your screen. A single click on the widget will reveal the Android system apps installed in it. Click on the apps and enjoy them on a large screen. Additional apps can be installed from the BlueStacks website by signing in using your Facebook account details. To get to this page, all you need to do is click on the BlueStacks widget, scroll to and click on the app icon/shortcut ‘Get more apps’. A website will open up where you can login using your Facebook details. Once logged in, simply click on the ‘Subscribe’ button for the available apps (in the Featured Apps section) and they shall automatically get installed on your system via the internet. The ‘Could Connect’ link on the same page will highlight a special 9-pin numerical code which needs to be entered on your Android phone running the BlueStacks Cloud Connect app (download it from the Android Market for free). Once done, you can push apps from your phone to your PC by simply selecting multiple apps and syncing it. That’s it! You can now enjoy all your favorite apps from your phone on your Windows desktop PC.
Interface
Interface


Cloud connect
Cloud connect


Note: There are a few (or many) apps that will not function on BlueStacks, due to reasons such as incompatible hardware (for example there is no wireless network available here and apps that need the wireless network will not function). Also a few apps cannot be installed under the free license of BlueStacks. The BlueStacks Pro version will be out soon and you can do a lot more on it. The free version has a maximum limit of 26 installable apps, while the pro version will have the possibility of installing unlimited apps.
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Ice Cream Sandwich ported to HTC G1, the first Android phone!


In the interest of science, a bunch of folks from XDA Developers have managed to port Android 4.0, a.k.a Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) on the HTC G1, the world’s very first Android phone. The current ROM is in Alpha stage, so not everything’s up and running, just yet. What does work are the apps and the new features that come with ICS, but Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and screen orientation do not work. This was done purely as a technical exercise to see if it’s possible, as you’ll see from the video, the phone isn’t exactly usable.
A fresh new start
Back from the grave


Things could improve however with subsequent builds. This is quite an achievement, for the G1, especially that never saw Android beyond v1.6. ICS is obviously more resource hungry compared to the older version of Android, so whether it will ever run smoothly is yet to be seen. If you happen to have an old G1 gathering dust somewhere then you might want to give it a shot. Grab the download link from the forums right, here. For the rest of us, check out the video below. 
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Top 10 Android phones in India


t’s raining Android phones and while you are spoilt for choice, it is also about finally zeroing on the perfect handset that gives you your money’s worth. With a vast range from multiple vendors and each claiming to offer a better, smoother and nicer Android experience, getting to the cream of the crop is surely a task, and we enjoyed doing so. Our Digit Top 10 Android Phone listing provides information on the key specifications, has links to detailed reviews and our hands-on experiences with devices that have just been released in the Indian market. The pricing of the Top 10 Android phones have been taken from popular and dependable online stores. We shall keep updating the list as per changes in pricing and accordingly the rankings will also be altered to ensure that the Top 10 list is accurate.

1) Samsung Galaxy S II (I9100)

Price: Rs 32,890
Awarding the Samsung Galaxy S II as the best Android device was not an easy call, thanks to the competition in the market from the HTC Sensation to the LG Optimus 2X. Read our comprehensive review of the Galaxy S II here. The Samsung Galaxy S II certainly delivers and keeps up with all that hype, the Samsung Galaxy S II is the best Android phone for sure; it perhaps is the best overall smartphone today. What makes the Galaxy S II even more tempting in India is the price-point; the S2 is delightfully priced lower than the international pricing. With an MRP of Rs 32,890, the S II should soon settle around the 30K mark in the market. While 30K is a lot of money, but when you consider the fact that most of the other high-end android devices are priced around the 25K mark, 30K for a phone that is far, far ahead of the rest of the pack in every department is clearly justified in our books.

Read the Samsung Galaxy S II review here

Key Specifications and Features
Android v2.3.3 with TouchWiz 4.0
4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display
Super-slim body, weighs just 116g
1.2GHz Dual Core Processor
1GB of RAM
8MP Camera with autofocus
1080p video recording@30fps
HDMI port
USB 2.0 (MHL), USB on-the-go
NFC (Near Field Communication) ready

Read more about the Galaxy S II:

2) HTC Sensation

 

Price: Rs 30,499 (flipkart.com)
The Sensation is HTC's current top-end offering in India; it has a large, high-resolution screen and offers the trademark HTC build quality. Running on Android Gingerbread, the Sensation comes with an upgraded HTC Sense UI (version 3.0). Powered with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and 768MB RAM, it has enough firepower to ensure a fluid Android experience. The biggest advantage of the Sensation is the screen resolution, with 540x960 pixels rendered on the 4.3-inch S-LCD screen, the Sensation has the highest pixel density of all the Android phones (with 4-inch and above screen size)

Read HTC Sensation test lab review here

Key Specifications and Features
Android 2.3.3 with HTC Sense UI 3.0
4.3-inch SLCD display
Sturdy construction with excellent build
1.2 GHz Qualcomm MSM 8260 CPU
768MB RAM
8MP Camera with Autofocus
1080p video capture@30fps
Gorilla Glass Display
Read more about the Incredible S:

3) HTC Incredible S

Price: Rs 26,399 (flipkart.com)
The Incredible S is superbly built, has the HTC Sense UI and offers a very fluid Android 2.3 experience. With a 4-inch screen, the Incredible S is sized perfectly, striking a good balance between screen-size and handling. With 1 GHz Qualcomm processor and 768MB RAM, the Incredible S is well specced, offering a stutter free overall experience across the interface, apps and multitasking (especially after the Android 2.3 update).

Read HTC Incredible S Review

Key Specifications and Features
Android 2.3.3 with HTC Sense UI 2.0
4.0-inch SLCD display
Slim, ruggedized body with excellent build
1.0 GHz Qualcomm MSM 8255 CPU
768MB RAM
8MP Camera with Autofocus
720p video capture@30fps
Gorilla Glass Display
Read more about the Incredible S:

 


4) Google Nexus S


Price: Rs 19,900 (flipkart.com)
The Nexus S is a “Google” phone, which offers a massive advantage over other Android phones with respect to receiving Android updates. Any minor update or a newer version of the OS itself that the hardware qualifies for will be first seen on the Nexus S. The Nexus S ships pre-loaded with the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) version and it does not come with any customized UI, giving you the “RAW” android experience. If you are one of those purists wanting the core Android experience, the Nexus S is certainly your best bet today. The 4-inch SuperLCD display of the Indian version is sharp, bright and visibly vibrant, and while it doesn’t compare to the SuperAMOLED of the original, it is still one of the best displays out there.

Read our Google Nexus S review here

Key Specifications and Features:
Android 2.3.4
4-inch SAMOLED display
Well-built with contoured screen
1.0 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor
512MB RAM
5MP Camera with Autofocus
WVGA (800x480 pixels) video@30fps
Gorilla Glass Display
Read more about the Google Nexus S:

5) LG Optimus 2x (P990)

Price: Rs. 26,990 (flipkart.com)
The only other dual-core processor phone available in India, apart from the Galaxy S II, the LG Optimus 2x sports the popular 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor onboard, and in fact, holds the title of the world’s first dual-core smartphone. Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the Optimus 2x has a 4-inch IPS LCD screen, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of inbuilt storage, an 8MP rear camera and 1.3MP front-facing camera, as well as GPS/A-GPS connectivity. At its price, all this makes the phone a great value for money proposition. It's also one of the few phones in the market to offer 1080p HD video recording.

Read our LG Optimus 2X review here

Key Specifications and Features:
Android 2.3
4-inch IPS LCD display (800x480 pixels)
World’s first dual-core smartphone
1GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor with ULP GPU
512MB RAM
8MP Camera with Autofocus and LED flash
1080p HD video@24fps
Gorilla Glass Display
Read more about the LG Optimus 2x:

 

6) Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc


Price: Rs. 27,499 (flipkart.com)
Announced back at CES 2011, the Xperia Arc is Sony Ericsson’s current flagship phone, and is one of the thinnest phones in the world, measuring just 8.7mm at its thinnest with a beautiful contoured form factor. Bearing a 4.2-inch LED-backlit Reality Display powered by a Mobile Bravia Engine, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, and an 8.1MP camera powered by an Exmor R sensor capable of 720p HD recording. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box, with Sony Ericsson’s Timescape UI, and an Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread update has been released for it as well.

Read Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Review

Key Specifications and Features
Android 2.3 (2.3.3 update available)
4.2-inch Reality Display (854x480 pixels)
Super-slim and elegant, contoured design
1GHz Scorpion processor with Adreno 205 GPU
512MB RAM
8MP Camera with Autofocus and LED flash
720p HD video@30fps

7) Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

Price: Rs. 29,999 (flipkart.com)
The long-awaited PlayStation Phone arrived earlier this year with much fanfare and excitement. Officially called the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, the device is a one-of-a-kind product in the global and Indian market today, with its slide-out hardware gamepad that’s inspired by the PlayStation controller, with a D-Pad, two touch-based ‘analog’ sticks, and the PlayStation buttons. The phone is meant for both hardcore and casual gamers who are sick of touchscreen games, with their lack of accurate, responsive control and over-use of display real estate. The Xperia Play comes with exclusive PlayStation games, and a whole section dedicated to it in the app store.

Read Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Review.

Key Specifications and Features
Android 2.3.3
4.0-inch LED-backlit LCD display (854x480 pixels)
A bit bulky, the Xperia Play still fits comfortably in your pocket and hand
1GHz Scorpion processor with Adreno 205 GPU
512MB RAM
5MP Camera with Autofocus and LED flash
WVGA (800x480) video@30fps


8) HTC Desire S

Price: Rs. 26,999
The Desire S is a refresh of the popular 2010 Android device, the HTC Desire, and brings notable new features, including the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, while maintaining the old styling. It sports the same 3.7-inch SuperLCD display, the same 5MP camera capable of 720p HD video recording, and the same distinctive aluminium unibody. The HTC Desire S has some useful newer components, justifying the product refresh – more RAM, at 768MB, and the new 1GHz Scorpion processor and Adreno 205 GPU. It also sports better connectivity options, like Wi-Fi b/g/n with DLNA, and HSDPA 14.4Mbps/HSUPA 5.76Mbps.
Key Specifications and Features
Android 2.3 with HTC Sense UI 2.0
3.7-inch SuperLCD (800x480 pixels)
Sturdy well-built aluminium frame
1GHz Scorpion processor with Adreno 205 GPU
768MB RAM
5MP Camera with Autofocus and LED flash
720p HD video@30fps


9) Samsung Galaxy S I9000

Price: Rs. 22,900 (flipkart.com)
The Samsung Galaxy S might just be the most popular Android phone ever, having sold millions of units worldwide. With it, Samsung derived many variants, enough to inspire a Galaxy S family of devices. Bearing a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, the Samsung Galaxy S currently ships with Android 2.2 Froyo, but is easily updatable to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It comes in 8GB and 16GB variants. While it has a slightly aging chipset when compared to the competition, the 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor and PowerVR SGX540 GPU still hold their own against many modern speed demons. With excellent build quality, a great display, snappy performance, and a highly responsive touchscreen, the Galaxy S remains one of the best Android phones today.
Key Specifications and Features:
Android 2.2 (2.3 update available)
4-inch SuperAMOLED (800x480 pixels)
Solid yet lightweight build
1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor with PowerVR SGX540 GPU
512MB RAM, 4GB ROM
5MP Camera with Autofocus and LED flash
720p HD video@30fps
Gorilla Glass Display
Read more about the Samsung Galaxy S:


10) Samsung Galaxy S I9003 (Galaxy SL)

Price: Rs. 19,990 (flipkart.com)
The low-priced version of the Galaxy S, the Galaxy S I9003 is a great value for money proposition, with the exact same specifications as the Galaxy S, excepting a few minor cost savings – an impressive SuperLCD screen instead of a SuperAMOLED, and 4GB inbuilt storage for the base model. Neither of these things detract from the other qualities and overall performance of the phone, and Samsung has a winner on its hands in the segment, with consumers incredulous at the technology they are getting for less than Rs. 20,000
Key Specifications and Features
Android 2.2 (2.3 update available)
4-inch SuperLCD (800x480 pixels)
Solid yet lightweight build
1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor with PowerVR SGX540 GPU
512MB RAM, 2GB ROM
5MP Camera with Autofocus and LED flash
720p HD video@30fps
Gorilla Glass Display


The market for Android devices in India has been burgeoning ever since Samsung brought its Galaxy 3 and 5 phones to the country, and today, be it low-cost device or a top-end smartphone, the availability and demand for Android products is high. We're beginning to also see manufacturers treat India with importance, bringing in products quite shortly after their international launches.
All this bodes well for you, the end user, and if you ever get confused with the nearly endless variety of Android devices out there, check back to ThinkDigit's Top Productspage or our Reviews section, and get your dose of clarity.
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