all-eng-jan-2015 by My Mobile

january 2015 ď Ź Rs 100

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for a connected lifestyle

selfie special apps, phones, tips & tricks and more P 18

What does 2015 have in store?

The best and brightest in the industry tell us P 38

Tested

Samsung Galaxy Note 4, HTC One (M8 Eye), Microsoft Lumia 535, HP Omni 10, Lenovo Yoga 2 Tablet, LG G3 Stylus, YotaPhone and more Phone of the month Lenovo Vibe X2 P 48

P 44

first call “A very happy 2015 to you all.

hat a roller coaster 2014 was and judging by what we have seen so far, 2015 will prove to be a worthy successor. So if 2014 saw phones getting slimmer, faster and bigger, 2015 could well see them facing a challenge from wearables such as the Moto 360 and Apple’s much hyped forthcoming watch. And of course, phones themselves will continue to get better than ever before. But that is our take. What of the leading lights of the mobile industry? Well, we tried to find out by asking them what they expected in the coming year. And it made for some very interesting reading indeed as you will see in our feature story around 2015 and the mobile world’s expectations from it, which range from the gadgets to networks. 2014 was also the year of the selfie - the art of taking pictures of oneself. We had been using the front cameras of our devices for snapping pictures of ourselves for a few years now, but 2014 was the year in which clicking oneself graduated from a casual pastime to a full-time craze. Even as this is being written, Twitter has declared 2014 to be the year of the selfie. Indeed, this was the year when the front facing camera went from being a video call enabler to a vanity snapper. Whether it was HTC or Nokia or Sony, a powerful front-facing camera was suddenly a killer feature. And is likely to continue to be one for a while.

Which is why our first lead story of the year is dedicated to selfies. The pages that follow will tell you about the best ways to shoot a selfie, the best apps that can ensure that your selfie looks absolutely spot on and well, if you are not too pleased with how your phone does in the selfie department, then do check our list of the best selfie phones in tech town - there are a few that will give even proper cameras a run for their money. Of course, this is apart from our regular features. Once again, phone reviews make up a significant part of the magazine. Even as new players like OnePlus try to carve a niche for themselves in the Indian market, so too do older players like Nokia (now Microsoft) reinvent themselves to retain the loyalty of their followers. In the pages that follow you will not just see reviews of the OnePlus One but also the first Lumia phone to come without the Nokia brandname, the 535. And those are just two of a formidable array of devices which also include the powerful Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the amazingly designed Lenovo Vibe X2. And there are also the usual accessory reviews, interviews with notable people in industry, our attempts to address your queries and app and game reviews. All of which should give you plenty to read and hopefully think about in the new year. Which incidentally, is our resolution for the year - to educate, inform and entertain. Right through thick and thin. Happy reading and a very happy new year from the team.”

04 MYMOBILE january 2015

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EDITORIAL Pankaj Mohindroo |

Editor-in-Chief

DESIGN Ajit Kumar Parashar | Sr. Graphic Designer Pooja Papnai | Assistant Graphic Designer

MARKETING Puja Mohindroo | Manager - Business Apoorv Bhatnagar | Sr. Manager – Marketing Sandeep Kumar | Manager – Marketing

OPERATIONS K. Rajagopalan | Advisor-Legal, Accounts & Admin Deepak Kohli | Manager – Accounts Sneha Sahu | Web Co-ordinator Pooja Sachdeva | Manager – HR

CIRCULATION Lalit Sharma | Sr. Manager – Circulation

ADVISORY BOARD Prithipal Singh S.C. Khanna S.D. Saxena Rajan Mathews T.R. Dua T.V. Ramachandran Shiv K. Bakhshi Sonu Halan Bhasin Bejon Misra Edited, published, printed and owned by Pankaj Mohindroo, Published from Flat No. 25, First Floor, Shankar Market, Connaught Place, New Delhi – 110001. Printed at HT Media Ltd. B-2, Sector 63, Noida. Distributed by My Mobile Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. Copyright 2005. My Mobile is a registered trademark of My Mobile Infomedia Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form– electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without prior permission.

The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for errors and omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and the views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged.

Volume X, Issue XII, january 2015

content

Lead Story Our tribute to the era of the selfie. Apps, selfie phones, tips and tricks and more.

18 chief speak

rumour mill

More than fifty million users in India. What's next for browser company Opera? We caught up with Opera CEO Lars Boilesen to find out.

face to face

bazaar bargain The Nokia Lumia 1020 and Sony Xperia Z Ultra just got a whole lot more affordable. And remain just as awesome as ever.

06 MYMOBILE january 2015

Letters

News

Mobile Doctor

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Gear Guide

Anuj Sharma, Director of Toreto shares the company's strategy to carve a niche for itself in the Indian market.

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content

spot light

What does 2015 have in store for us? We bring you the predictions by some of the biggest names in the industry.

my guide

75 just in The super slim Gionee Elife S5.1 arrives in the market while Acer reenters the Indian market with the Acer Liquid Jade.

sneak peek Oppo is set to unleash the wafer-thin R5, and the world waits for the Apple Watch with bated breath.

Smart Apps

BURN TESTS gionee marathon m3

xolo one

microsoft lumia 535

lenovo vibe x2

samsung galaxy note 4

hp omni 10

htc one (m8 eye)

lenovo yoga 2 tablet

alcatel onetouch flash

lg g3 stylus

oneplus one

yotaphone

Total number of pages = 100 (96 + 4 cover) 08 MYMOBILE January 2015

42 43

Get more out of your phone's camera with Camera Awesome, ask anyone anything on Jelly, the new app from Twitter's founder, and more...

Boredom Busters Kick and punch like Bruce Lee, work out cricket strategy and well, there's a new Candy Crush Saga available, and there's more..

etcetera

Get up and close with the HTC RE camera, the Sony QX-30 Lens Style Camera, Portronics Backbeat Pro for high quality music, the Logitech K480 keyboard which can connect to multiple devices, and more.

letters I

I am an avid reader for your magazine and rarely miss buying it. I love THE BEST OF 2014 the section Tested Boredom Buster and have downloaded Angry Bird Transformers in my phone. It’s a real fun game. Keep updating me always. Love your magazine. -Charunima Upadhyay Meeruth DECEMBER 2014  Rs 100

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FOR A CONNECTED LIFESTYLE

Productivity Phone Wars

iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4 vs BB Passport

FOURTEEN DEVICES, FOURTEEN SEGMENTS

P 62

P 18

Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy Alpha, HTC Desire 816G, Nokia Lumia 730, Huawei Honor 6, Micromax Canvas 4 Plus, and many more. P 41

4S, 5S, 5C, 6 OR 6 PLUS WHICH IS YOUR IPHONE?

Phone of the month Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro P 46

helps me win arguments with my friends who love to flaunt their handsets all the time. I feel that you people focus a lot on research and I respect your work. Keep it up! -Abhiraman Sarkar Kolkata

P 36

@mymobilemag

My Mobile is the only magazine which is available in my town which writes upon mobiles and gadgets. I would like to give a token of thanks to the Editor who initiated such a brilliant theme for a magazine. I adore your magazine and the Burn Test section gives me a lot of knowledge about the market’s current status. -Karan Baggha Bulandshahr You do a fabulous job of writing so many good articles in your magazine on important topics related to gadgets and I never miss checking your Webpage. It’s so informative and fun to read! My favorite section is Versus, where you have compared BlackBerry Passport, iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 4. -Rameshwar Rajagopalan Chennai I am a photographer by profession, and have to be very active on my phone all the time. Recently I bought the Nokia Lumia 1020 after reading your reviews and your rating months back. After buying the phone I am happy with the result it gives with the fabulous images, whenever I am without my camera. Thanks for being so informative guys. Rise high! -Rahul Mishra Mumbai I am a new earner and a gadget freak. I just enjoy visiting your web portal and reading your magazine. It’s the best companion I have while travelling and even

10 MYMOBILE january 2015

I am a working woman and a big Apple fan. In the month of October I finally bought the iPhone 6 and I love it. With your information for its various apps I keep discovering new sides to it. Thanks to your hard work, without which it wouldn’t have been possible. Deep regards for your whole family. -Mallica Motwani Ahmedabad I am a new professional and have gifted a Zenfone 6 to my dad, after reading your coverage on your website. I believe your articles are so easy to understand that I have fun reading them. Keep up the good work and I am looking forward to buy one more handset based on your magazine’s information. Thanks for being so much educative. -Aradhya Nair Siliguri My husband and I work in an MNC and are fond of various gadgets. We both love reading My Mobile Magazine and appreciate your excellent work. I prefer social networking and clicking pictures so I bought a Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro which was the Phone of the Month in December. Thanks for being so descriptive and clearing all doubts about the handset. -Mariyam Yasmin Aligarh

and I usually share it with my friends when they wish to have it. My friends who are not good in English have started buying its Hindi edition and they appreciate the magazine as well. We often sit together and discuss about the various topics which are covered in the magazine and we have bought some of the mobiles and accessories based on the information in your magazine. -Siddharth Tiwari Kannauj It has been more than four years since I have been reading your magazine regularly. I started my retail shop for mobile phones and accessories in 2011 which was when I came across this magazine and now, I have become so active a reader and your follower that I recommend your magazine to my customers. Your work is fantastic and very knowledgable and informative for me. -Manish Kumar Dhanbad I have been buying your magazine since I was an engineering student and now I am working with a mobile manufacturing company. I still love reading the articles in it and the section that makes me buy the magazine is the Burn Test section, which shows the positive and negative aspects of different mobile phones that have been just released in the Indian market. Keep going My Mobile. Cheers! --Harry Arora Chandigarh

I am a regular reader of your magazine

e the nd hav a s e m n a drea ellpho n c i t y u e o k so st y ab es? can al u craz e it he late ew lin Are yo l to pen a f or news and hands on t ink you hav f th ur tia poten have a nose ve to lay yo em? If you h a dia’s to t u r Do yo ? Do you c orld about sh your CV y Mobile, In w u ne headli and tell the g for you. R r name in M n s ou i gizmo e are look .in to see y w o , in you mymobile.c e. n i @ z team bile maga o m best

news bits Corning announces Gorilla Glass 4 in India

India. Ericcson, which holds thousands of mobile patents, claims the Chinese smartphone maker violated eight patents related to AMR, EDGE and 3G technology. Ericsson claims it had approached Xiaomi to purchase the license for using the patents. Reacting to the ban, Xiaomi Vice president Hugo Barra apologized to Indian customers, and assured they are doing all to bring matters back to normal.

Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme Devices Launched

Corning’s latest Gorilla Glass 4 has been unveiled in India. Corning claims it is two times tougher and more rugged than any cover glass design in the market. Manufactured using Corning’s proprietary fusion draw process, the new glass, as per Corning, makes smartphone displays less shatter prone, hence less dangerous to users. It also maintains the fineness, toughness, and optical clarity of displays which uses Gorilla glass coating. Gorilla Glass 4 may possibly show up first in Samsung’s devices.

Toshiba unveils Windows tablet at Rs. 15,499 Toshiba has launched an 8-inch Wi-Fi tablet called WT8-B with Windows 8.1 operating system and Intel Atom quad core processor at Rs. 15,499. Toshiba is offering 1 year subscription of Office 365 Personal with the latest version of MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote) with the tablet. The tablet also boasts of 1 GB RAM and 32 GB of internal storage, a 5.0 megapixel rear camera, 1.2 megapixel front camera and a 3,778mAh battery.

Delhi High Court bans Xiaomi from selling phones in India

Dell’s new line of rugged convertible notebooks was launched in India. Made to withstand extreme temperature, rugged usage and with protection from sand, dust and water, the convertibles come in two screen sizes. The 14-inch Latitude 14 Rugged Extreme notebook is available at Rs. 2,29,999, while the 12-inch Latitude 12 Rugged Extreme is selling at Rs. 2,39,999. Dell claims that the displays used in the convertibles are designed to reduce reflection and improve outdoor readability. Also, its touch works with the lightest of touches making it usable with or without gloves. Latitude 12 is the more stylish one as it comes with a flip-hinge convertible display and an intelligent RGB illumination keyboard.

DataWind rolls out two budget tablets Low cost smartphone and tablet manufacturer DataWind has launched two more tablets UbiSlate 10Ci and UbiSlate 3G10 at Rs. 5,999 and Rs. 9,799 respectively. The tablets have a lot in common, like the 10.1 inch screen with screen resolution of 1024x600p, Android 4.4.2.KitKat, 1 GB RAM and 6,000 mAh battery. UbiSlate 10Ci is a Wi-Fi only tablet with a 2.0 megapixel rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. UbiSlate 3G10 is a WIFi+ 3G tablet with a 5.0 megapixel rear camera and a VGA front facing camera.

Yoga Tablet 2 Pro unveiled by Lenovo Lenovo’s new Yoga tablet, the Yoga Tablet 2 Pro, which has an inbuilt Pico projector, was launched in India at Rs. 49,490. Powered by an Intel Atom processor, the tablet comes with a 13.0-inch quad HD display, 2 GB RAM, 32 GB internal memory, 64 GB expandable memory, 8.0 megapixel rear camera and a 1.6 megapixel front camera. It runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and its speakers are equipped with JBL Subwoofer and Wolfson Codec.

Lenovo S8 Tablet released in India at Rs. 16,990 The Delhi High Court, in response to a patent infringement case filed by Ericcson India, has banned Xiaomi from advertising, importing, manufacturing or selling its smartphones in

12 MYMOBILE january 2015

Lenovo’s new S8 Tablet was launched in India at Rs. 16,990 exclusively on Flipkart.com. It is powered by Intel’s Atom processor and runs on Android 4.4 operating system. It is called the S8 tablet because it comes with an 8-inch

display with full HD screen resolution. It also features 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory, 8.0 megapixel rear camera, 1.6 megapixel front facing camera and a 4,290mAh Li-ion battery.

Yahoo India announces 2014 Year in Review Yahoo has released a Year In Review (YIR) report, which shows the top trends, events and happenings of the year 2014, calculated on the basis of searches made by Yahoo’s India users. According to the report, the Political Top 10 is topped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while the Cricketer of the year was former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. The most-searched celebrity for the third year in a row was Sunny Leone. The Biggest Financial Event of the Year was the Union government’s Make in India initiative. The Apple iPhone 6 was the most searched gadget of the year.

Micromax serves up the Canvas Selfie with Sania Mirza Micromax has announced the launch of Canvas Selfie in India. Endowed with a 13.0 megapixel rear and a 13.0 megapixel front camera, the handset was launched by Micromax CEO Vineet Taneja at the IPTL tournament in New Delhi with tennis stars Sania Mirza,

Kristina Mladenovic, Ana Ivanovic and Daniela Hantuchova. The cameras use Sony’s sensors and support auto focus.

Former Apple supply manager sentenced to 1 year in prison and fined $4.5 million Paul S. Devine, former Apple executive, who was arrested in 2010 for leaking some of the secrets to suppliers has been sentenced to one year in prison and fined $4.5 million. As per the indictment served upon his arrest, Devine, who began working as Apple’s global supply manager in 2005, came across some confidential information about Apple’s iPhone and iPod products and relayed it to the manufacturers.

Acer launches smartphones starting at Rs 11,999 exclusively on Snapdeal Acer has re-entered the Indian market with two new smartphones, the Acer Liquid Jade and Acer Liquid E700 at Rs. 16,999 and Rs. 11,999 respectively. The handsets are available

news bits exclusively on Snapdeal.com. Their screen size (5-inches) and screen resolution (1280x720p) are similar and both run on Android 4.4 KitKat. The Acer Liquid Jade is powered by 1.3 GHz processor and has a 13.0-megapixel rear camera with 2.0 megapixel front facing camera. The Acer Liquid E700 is powered by 1.2 GHz processor and comes with a 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2.0 megapixel front facing camera.

Lenovo Sisley S90 to arrive soon The Lenovo Sisley S90, the handset that looks a lot like the Apple iPhone 6, is reportedly going to be launched soon. The price is not yet revealed but is estimated to be in between Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 20,000. The Sisley S90 features a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with 1280x720p screen resolution, 6.9 mm thickness and weighs 129 grams. It runs on Android 4.4.4 KitKat and is powered by 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor and Adreno 306 GPU. It is a dual SIM device with 1GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and an 8-megapixel front facing camera.

Micromax Canvas Xpress arrives at Rs. 6,999 Micromax has released the low cost Canvas Xpress in the Indian market at Rs. 6,999. The handset is available only through Flipkart. com. It runs on Andorid Kitkat, is powered by 1.3GHz quad-core processor and boasts of a 4.5-inch display with 800x480p screen resolution and a 1,950 mAh battery. A dual SIM phone, the Xpress has 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory, 5.0 megapixel rear camera and 3G connectivity.

Xolo launches Omega smartphones on Twitter starting Rs. 8,999 Xolo unveiled two new smartphones Omega 5 and Omega 5.5 on Twitter. Priced at Rs. 8,999 (5-inch Omega) and Rs. 9,999 (5.5-inch Omega) the smartphones were launched in the leading 10 cities of India. The Omega 5.5 features 8 GB internal memory, 1 GB RAM, 2,600 mAh battery, 13.0 megapixel front camera with Sony Exmor sensor and a 2.0 megapixel rear camera. Omega 5.0 features the same memory backup but the battery is 2,100 mAh.

Intex Aqua i5 Octa arrives in the Indian market at Rs. 7,499 Intex Aqua i5 Octa, an octa-core processor powered handset, has been released on Amazon.in at Rs.7,499. The handset comes in

14 MYMOBILE

january 2015

three different colour variants - Blue, White and Black. It supports 21 regional languages, has a 5-inch display with 960x540p screen resolution and runs on Android 4.4. It has 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory which can be expanded upto 32 GB via microSD card, 13.0 megapixel rear camera, 5.0 megapixel front facing camera and a 2,000 mAh battery.

New Delhi Railway station goes WiFi Commuters at the New Delhi Railway station can access free WiiFi connectivity for 30 minutes beginning today. After the first 30 minutes users will have to purchase scratch coupons of Rs. 25 and Rs. 35, valid for 30 minutes and 60 minutes respectively. The service will be available on all 16 platforms. Passengers can buy these coupons from 24×7 Wi-Fi help desks, which they can find in the entrance way of the Paharganj and Ajmeri Gate stations.

Samsung launches Gear Circle at Rs. 5,990 Samsung has launched its new Gear Circle Bluetooth headset at Rs. 5,990. The Gear Circle is a combination of Bluetooth earpiece and a set of sports earbuds that can be used to take calls, listen to music and give voice commands through S Voice on compatible devices. The Gear Circle connects over Bluetooth 3.0 and also features a micro USB slot to charge the device.

Toreto auto-power car charger released at Rs. 2,799 Toreto has launched an auto-power car charger, which can be used as power bank and a flashlight. Priced at Rs. 2,799, the device comes with a 3,000 mAh battery that can charge tablets, mobiles, PSP, MP3 players, GPS devices and cameras. The power button also serves as a flash light.

Salora Arya A1 Plus arrives at Rs. 5,499 Salora has unveiled its latest budget smartphone, the Arya A1 Plus in India through

mAh battery. For connectivity, the smartphone has Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth and GPS.

Lava launches Iris Win1 at Rs. 4,999 Lava has announced a low cost Windows Phone smartphone Iris Win1 at Rs. 4,999. The handset comes with a 4-inch WVGA display, is powered by 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Quad Core processor, has 1 GB RAM, 1,950 mAh battery and 8 GB internal memory which can be expanded upto 32 GB via microSD card. It also features a 5.0 megapixel rear camera with auto focus and flash support, along with a 0.3 megapixel front facing camera. For connectivity, it has 3G, Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi.

Huawei Ascend P7 available at Rs. 24,799 Huawei’s flagship smartphone Huawei Ascend P7 was released in India at Rs. 24,799. Successor to the ultra-slim Ascend P6, the new smartphone comes with a Gorilla Glass 3 ready 5-inch full HD display. A mere 6.5 mm thin, Ascend P7 comes with dual SIM, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory, upto 64 GB expandable memory, a 13.0 megapixel shooter on the back and an 8.0 megapixel camera on the front. It is powered by Huawei’s homegrown Hisilicon Kirin 910T 1.8 GHz quad-core processor and runs on Android 4.4 operating system.

Oppo’s ultra-slim R5 comes to India Oppo’s slimmest smartphone, the Oppo R5 is expected in India sometime in January next year at an estimated price range of Rs. 25,000 – Rs. 30,000. The Oppo R5 is 4.85mm thin, and features a 5.2-inches AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on it. It runs on Android 4.4.4. KitKat operating system and is powered by a 1.5 GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, has 2 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory, 13.0 megapixel rear camera with LED flash, 5.0 megapixel front facing camera and a 2,000 mAh battery. For connectivity, the device has 3G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS.

Creative Launches Woof 2: Portable Micro Wireless Speakers Amazon.in at Rs.5,499. A dual SIM device, Arya A1 Plus has a 4.5 inch IPS OGS display with 960 x 540p resolution. The smartphone runs on Android 4.4 operating system and is powered by 1.3 GHz quad-core MediaTek processor, has 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory which can be expanded via a microSD card, 5.0 megapixel rear camera with LED Flash, a 2.0 megapixel front facing camera and a 2,000

Creative has launched a portable wireless speaker Creative Woof 2 in India at Rs. 3,999. The speaker comes in Gun Metal colour and will be available from February 2015. Highly compact, Woof 2 weights 279 grams, supports bluetooth, inbuilt microphones and is compatible with all PCs running on Windows XP and above and Apple’s Mac OS. n

, - . - !"#$%& ' ( )%*+

mobile doctor good smartphone which should have a 5 to 8.0-megapixel rear camera, a 2.0-megapixel front camera, HD display, Android 4.4.2, 3G, Wi-Fi, 5-inch touch display and a battery which lasts for 6-7 hours. My budget is between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 10,000. -Bewan Singh Raghuwanshi

I want to buy an Android smartphone and my budget is Rs. 15,000. The phone should have a good camera and a good battery backup. It should also have dual SIM and at least 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB internal memory. Please suggest me the best option. - Daai Pamei

Dear Bewan, The Asus ZenFone 5 comes closest to meeting your expectations. It has a very good 8.0-megapixel camera, is powered by a 64-bit Intel processor, has a great 5.0-inch display and very good battery life. It runs on Android Jellybean (4.3) but is due to get an update to KitKat (4.4) in the coming days. It is priced at Rs 9,999 so it comes right within your budget

tery life. If you are looking for a more mail and documents centric performance then the Z3 is the better choice. However, if you are looking for something that has good multimedia, the Lumia 630 holds the edge. At that price point I would also suggest you consider the new Moto G and the Micromax Canvas Nitro, both of which come with very good hardware and better cameras and fall within your budget. I read your October issue and I liked the description of the Micromax Canvas Nitro. Between the Karbon Titanium Octane Plus and Micromax Canvas Nitro, which handset is good in camera quality and hardware. Please suggest.

Dear Daai, You can consider the Asus ZenFone 5, the new Moto G and the Micromax Canvas Nitro, all three of whom meet your requirements. Of the three, we found the ZenFone 5 to have the best display, while the Canvas Nitro had the best camera, and the Moto G handled apps brilliantly. It all really boils down to what you need. I want a smartphone with 5 inch screen, 4 GB internal memory, 32 GB expandable memory, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 8 MP rear camera with flash, music player, FM Radio, dual SIM, GPRS, EDGE, 3G the latest Android operating system. My budget is Rs. 10,000. Please suggest a mobile phone in my budget. - Ganesh D Rane Dear Ganesh, We suggest that you go for the Asus ZenFone 5, which meets your requirements. It has dual SIM connectivity, a good 8.0megapixel camera and a superb 5.0-inch display, as well as all the connectivity options that you are looking for. It was originally released on Android 4.3, but has been recently updated to the latest version of the OS, so it meets that requirement of yours as well. Dear Sir, I would like to buy a

1 6 MYMOBILE january 2015

I would like to buy an Android phone within the range of Rs. 7,000. I have shortlisted a few such as the Moto E, Micromax Unite 2, Nokia X and Micromax Fire. But I am confused. Please help me out and suggest if you have any other handset under this range. Performance is the most needed thing. -Ranjit Kumar Dear Ranjit, Well, we do think you should be trying out the Android One range of devices which are all superb performers. That apart, the Moto E and the Xiaomi Redmi 1S are excellent devices that meet your needs. The Xiaomi Redmi 1S is perhaps the best device available in your budget, thanks to its excellent 720p display and 8.0-megapixel camera, but it is difficult to get. You can also go for Moto E because of its display quality and access to Android updates. I am from Jammu and Kashmir and have been following your magazine for the past few years. I want to buy a phone with an excellent display, camera and battery life. Please suggest. - Sajeed Hussain Jafari Dear Sajeed, Thanks for reading My Mobile. We would suggest you try out the newly released Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro, which has a very good quad HD display, a 16.0-megapixel camera and also comes with a massive 4,000 mAh battery. It is also priced very well at Rs 32,999.

as well.

-Dashrath Nag

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m planning to get a new phone under the budget of Rs. 13,000. I am look for a durable quality phone with a good battery backup, good performance and decent camera. Which one would you recommend - the New Lumia 630 or the BlackBerry Z3? -Zoilien Hrangkh

Dear Dashrath, The two phones are very good performers at their price points. In terms of camera performance, however, we felt that the Canvas Nitro has the edge over the Octane Plus. That said, the Karbonn Octane Plus has a full HD display while the Canvas Nitro has a 720p one. Both devices are powered by octa core processors. At the end of the day, it really depends on what your needs are.

Dear Zoilien, Of the two devices that you have mentioned, the Lumia 630 has the better camera while the BlackBerry Z3 has the better bat-

Is your mobile phone acting strange? Email your queries at team@mymobile.co.in and our mobile doctor Arshdeep Singh will suggest remedies for your ailing device. Disclaimer: The views expressed by Arshdeep Singh are his own and do not necessarily coincide with those of My Mobile.

lead story

The Selfie ERA COMETH! 18 MYMOBILE january 2015

www.mymobile.co.in

When Ellen De Generes raised her device to take a picture of herself with a number of Hollywood stars at the Oscar Awards in 2014, she heralded the arrival of the era of the selfie. Her photograph went viral and today, rare is the phone that does not devote as much time to its front camera as to its main one. Which is why we start 2015 with a selfie special - the phones, the best apps, the best tips and tricks, and the future of the selfie. It’s all here. Say ‘cheese’ and read on. Nimish Dubey & Abhijit Ahaskar january 2015 MYMOBILE 19

lead story

Speaking Of Selfies What do you think are the reasons for the sudden rise in popularity of selfies? Sudhin Mathur: Selfies have been around for a long time, it’s only now that there is a term to describe it. Right from the time of digital cameras, people have been taking their own photographs. Even with smartphones people have been taking selfies with the rear camera. Now with the rise of buzz around selfies through advertising and social media, smartphone manufacturers have started incorporating the front camera dedicated only for selfies. Now with better front cameras on smartphones, there is a strong reason to advertise around the selfie phenomena, in turn leading to its increasing popularity. Sachin Rai: Selfies became a global phenomenon with the introduction of frontfacing camera smartphones. With the advent of the ‘individual’ and the availability to share pictures instantly on social media using tools like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc., a selfportrait or ‘selfie’ has established itself as the new form of self-expression, and recognition from friends and peers. Capitalizing on the selfie craze, Sony has launched several smartphones with innovative features that enable users to click the best selfies, add special effects and post them online. Faisal Siddiqui: Selfies have turned out to be a revolution in imaging technology. We recently launched selfie-centric devices which showcase our commitment towards being up to the mark with growing trends. Our recent announcements send out a strong message that HTC is not only leading the way when it comes to imaging, but that we are seriously investing in the future direction of the company by tapping into new revenue opportunities beyond the borders of mobile and into more exciting territories like consumer imaging. Do you think this is a passing phase or will it last for a while? Sudhin Mathur: The selfie phenomena will sustain. Way back in the 70s and 80s, there were these cameras with a self-timer. A mechanical 10 second timer on the camera would allow the photographer also to be a part of the picture. The whole idea of a selfie is also to ensure that nobody gets missed out of the photograph. With smartphones always improving the quality of their cameras, both front and rear, the craze of taking a selfie will

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be a lasting phase. Technology wise, smartphone companies will be looking at improving the selfie camera to make it more fun for the users. Faisal Siddiqui: Whether or not you are a fan, selfies are here to stay and people are constantly looking for ways to make their own selfies stand out. The Selfie trend will evolve even further people want to take even more creative selfies and capture group shots in a quality similar to that of the main camera. Going with the momentum of this popularity in the Selfie trend we launched an array of products with our EYE Experience feature, the HTC One M8, HTC One M7, HTC ONE Mini, HTC One E8, HTC Desire EYE are all a part of our selfie specific offerings. What innovations has your company brought to selfie photography? Sudhin Mathur: Lenovo is one of the first few companies to include a 5MP front camera in our Vibe X phone. All of Lenovo’s premium phones have great selfie cameras. We have made it easier for people to take selfies by adding different triggers like holding up a V-sign to the camera, using a voice command, smiling, blinking which triggers a selfie. We have also added beautification filters to make the photograph look good. Sachin Rai: Sony’s Xperia C3 is ‘the world’s best Selfie smartphone’ as it enables

capturing the best selfies with its 5 MP wideangle front camera that allows users to capture better quality pictures and fit more in the frame. Xperia C3 also offers a front soft LED flash, that enables taking selfies in the dark, adding a new dimension to the selfie pictures, which was not possible without this technology. To add in some more excitement to the selfie pictures, Sony’s Xperia C3 comes loaded with selfie camera apps like ‘AR effect’, which incorporates themes that let you easily add fun graphics and animations - like pirate hats, horror faces and laser eyes - to selfies and selfie videos. Portrait Retouch allows you to have a real-time makeover of up to two people from a combination

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Sony, HTC and Lenovo are the three companies that have been on the front foot when it comes to innovations on the selfie front. All three companies have recently come out with devices with powerful front facing cameras that encourage users to snap away at themselves. So when we had to find out more about the selfie phenomenon and where it was headed, who better to talk to than Sudhin Mathur, director-smartphones, Lenovo India; Sachin Rai, business head, Xperia, Sony India; and Faisal Siddiqui, vice president and country head, HTC India?

of choices from 10 different beauty styles, 10 DECO frame options and magic beam for 6 eye reflection pattern changes. Faisal Siddiqui: Considering the growing trend in the advent of selfies, we have also come up with products which cater to the needs of selfie-lovers. The new HTC Desire Eye is our latest addition to the selfie centric devices making it the Perfect Selfie Phone. At its core we have, the 13MP camera which makes this device the ultimate choice for anyone who wants the perfect selfie. Additionally, there is a full suite of imaging features that fall under the HTC EYE Experience ranging from instant, real-time beautification with Live

Makeup, fun features like Face Fusion and creative enhancements like Split Capture which place your selfies into a broader context and help make the memories more vivid with a mixture of videos and photos What do you expect next in selfie photography? Sudhin Mathur: The front cameras on smartphones will become as good as the rear camera. The design for both the front and rear camera will be taken seriously by manufacturers. There are certain things that need to be fixed in selfies like low light imaging and to avoid the photo getting spoilt by shaking the

phone. These are certain improvements that will need to be worked upon next. Faisal Siddiqui: The selfie trend has evolved to a large extent and continues to be on top of the mind of consumers, when making a choice for buying a device. The next step in this trend could be, apps which are designed with selfie centric features. The choice of phones that you buy today is influenced by the better selfie it clicks. Besides, at the end of the day the more important part of the selfie isn’t the lens – it’s the filter. Hence, giving further opportunities to build enhancements (like the Eye Experience) which could help you achieve the perfect selfie.

january 2015 MYMOBILE 21

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Appy Selfies! Want to click great selfies? Well, there are apps for that. And these five, in our opinion, will ensure that your selfies always look awesome. Without costing a penny either. Since when did clicking yourself have to cost money! FrontBack (Android, iOS) This app has been designed with a simple premise: to take a picture of an object and also your reaction to it. So it in essence takes two images, using both cameras of the device. You take the first shot by the rear camera and then it is time to switch to selfie mode with the front facing camera taking your picture - a good idea would be to show your reaction to what the rear camera clicked to give the first picture some context. The app will place both pictures one below the other to create one single shot, which shows what you saw and how you reacted to it. The best thing about FrontBack is the fact that it is also a social network. So not only do you shoot selfies, but you also share them and get likes and comments.

Lumia Selfie (Windows Phone) As the name indicates, this is an app from Nokia designed for Lumia phones. And it manages to combine simplicity of operation with some very cool effects too. The app launches the selfie camera, but the fun starts after you have clicked a picture of yourself. For, then you can not only add more than a dozen filter effects to it but even get into serious selfie- editing mode, doing things like enlarging eyes (well, just a bit), enhancing eyes, playing around with skin tone, softening your look, whitening your teeth, and well, if you think you are looking chubby, even taking a few pounds off your face using the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;thinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; option. Our favourite effect remains the one that places your selfie bang on the cover of a Lumia magazine. Pretty much a must-have app for all Lumia owners, we think.

CamMe (iOS) One of the biggest challenges while taking selfies is holding the camera and ensuring that your arm does not become too visible. Well, what if there was an app that simply did away with the need to hold the camera? CamMe for the iPhone and iPad is designed for just that - it lets you take pictures with just gestures of your hand (you raise your hand to start the shot, and clench your fist to take it). So you can actually place the phone somewhere and take a picture using a gesture. Great for those moments when you want a full-length picture of yourself (no one has an arm long enough for that) and for when you want a picture with a lot of your friends. There are also some handy editing options, but for us, what rocks is the gesture control.

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Perfect 365 (Android, iOS, Windows Phone) No matter how much you like taking selfies, rare indeed is the person who thinks that they have the perfect face. Yes, thanks to a bevy of image editing apps these days, one can tweak one’s appearance a bit but that does tend to take a lot of time, which not too many have the patience to spend. Which is why apps like Perfect 365 have been designed. Called the “one-tap makeover” app, the app’s purpose is simple - to let you add effects with minimum of fuss with just a tap of your finger. So once you have taken your selfie, you can go right ahead and remove blemishes, soften skin, whiten teeth, and if you are a person who is familiar with cosmetics, even opt for different make up styles. The app also has a handy option which lets you check how you look before and after the effects. It takes a bit of getting used to but is much easier than messing around with a complex photo editor.

Line Selfie Sticker (Android, iOS) Yes, there are dozens of apps that claim to let you take the perfect selfie. But what about changing that selfie into a sticker? Well, that’s where the Line Selfie Sticker app comes in. Not surprisingly, it comes from the folks who have developed the famous Line Messenger app, an app which sees a lot of stickers being used. And the app is brilliantly designed. You simply pick a sticker or a group of stickers in which you want your selfie placed. The app then does not simply take a selfie but provides a frame within which you can place your photograph and makes you take a snap accordingly. That done, it converts your selfie into a sticker by placing your face in the appropriate location of a sticker, blending it right in. Of course, you are then free to share your selfie sticker not just on Line but on different social networks like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as well.

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The Selfie Snapperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rough Guide Want to take good selfies and/or wondering why are those that you take not coming out great? Well, it could be because you are not following some very basic rules of selfie photography. Yes, they do exist and following them can ensure that you end up with stunning selfies. Here, then is our very rough guide to the selfie snapper. Set up your shot

Try to keep yourself slightly off the centre As in general photography, so too in selfie photography. Keeping yourself bang in the centre of a picture often results in shots that look awkward and unbalanced and even make you sometimes appear like something of a potato head. So when you are going to click a selfie, just keep yourself a bit to the side. Yes, we know a selfie is mainly about you, but take our word for it, you will look a whole lot better towards one of the sides than bang in the centre of the shot. It is all about composition really.

Yes, we know that people say that cellphone photography is impulsive in nature, but we still think that the best pictures are those that involve a certain amount of preparation and setting up. And this is particularly so in the case of selfies because thanks to the relatively narrow nature of most front facing cameras and the length of your own arm, you have much lesser to work with in terms of background and foreground. So think out what you want to capture and how you can best capture it. And oh yes, we are going to commit sacrilege and advise you to ask someone else to take the shot if you think a selfie simply will not work!

Extreme close ups? Er...no! We do know that selfie cameras have improved a lot over the past few months (we cover the phones with the best selfie cameras in this issue too), but we would advise getting too close to your camera for shooting selfies. The reason is simple: the closer you get, the more odd-shaped your head will look (and the more will any pimples or cuts or dry skin spots get highlighted - yes, there are apps that can fix that but you do not want to be using them ALL the time, do you?). If you DO need to take a close-up, just jam something on your head, to take the attention away. Or go for a profile shot - they look very good indeed in selfie mode.

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Keep your hand out of the way It might be terrific in muscle tone and hey, it (in most cases) is holding the camera taking the picture, but you know something? Your arm extended in front of your face does not really look very pretty. So whenever possible, try to keep it out of the picture or minimise it. Remember: people want to see your picture, not that of the arm holding the camera. You could also use a gesture control app to get the arm totally out of the picture but that involves keeping the phone at a distance.

Whenever possible, look away!

Do not crowd the shot

Yes, yes, we know selfies are vanity shots and are about showcasing your beauty to your world and social networks. But you know: it always appears better if it appears that someone else took a picture of you, rather than you yourself did the task. So whenever possible, try to look in some other direction, when clicking the selfie. No, it won’t fool every one but at least some people won’t accuse you of being insanely in love with yourself. And take our word for it, you are going to end up looking a whole lot better as well.

Selfies are generally taken at an arm’s length. And no matter how much companies boast about wide angle lenses, there’s only so much a camera can capture at that range, so do resist the option to pile everyone and everything into your selfie, especially if the front facing camera happens to be a relatively low resolution affair, which it generally is. You are more likely than not to end up with a shot in which everything and everyone seems jammed in. Remember: they are called selfies for a reason - stick to just snapping yourself and don’t crowd people into it. Unless of course, you happen to be with a bunch of celebrities. Or if you happen to be one and just want to show off how many fans you have.

Use the front facing camera whenever possible Yes, we know that most phones come with rear cameras that are much more powerful than the front facing ones, but we still think that using the front facing camera results in better selfies simply because you can see what you are shooting. Shooting from the rear camera might result in a higher quality and higher resolution image but in most cases, you will be shooting blind and just trying your luck. Yes, practice will help, but our advice would be to stick to the front facing camera. Anyway, they are getting better too - at the time of writing, both HTC and Micromax had come out with phones that had 13.0megapixel front facing cameras!

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The Selfie stalwarts HTC Desire 820 The HTC Desire 820 dons many roles, but the most notable of them is that of a camera phone. It comes with a 13.0 megapixel rear camera and an 8.0 megapixel front-facing camera. It comes with an octa-core processor, and a large display which acts as a great viewfinder for selfie lovers. It is going to make its way to the shopping list of selfie lovers.

Oppo N1 Ever wished that the front facing camera on your device was as good as the one on the rear? Well, the Oppo N1 granted your wish. Instead of putting in another camera, it makes the most of the rear camera by applying simple physics - it revolves 206 degrees, which means one just has to rotate the 13.0 megapixel camera and most of rear camera goodies like auto focus, LED flash, face detection would be available for taking selfies. It is a huge device with a 5.9-inch display, but that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way as it allows taking shots by just tapping on the back of the phone.

Lenovo Vibe X2

It has been grabbing eyeballs for its multi-layered design and its benchmark busting octa core processor, but in our book, the Vibe X2 also boasts one of the best selfie cameras we have seen. It is a 5.0megapixel affair but is excellent in terms of clarity, has a beautification mode to keep smudges out and best of all comes with a host of controls including gesture, voice and even blink. It has a 5.0-inch display but is relatively light and compact and easy to handle, making it great for the selfie crowd!

Lava Iris X5 No, you do not need to spend a bomb for a good selfie camera phone. Lava Iris X5 delivers a 5.0 megapixel wide angle front-facing camera with flash support, and at a price that is below Rs. 10,000. The flagbearer for Lava in the selfie league, Lava X5 is a compact device for those looking for a fine selfie phone at an affordable price, with a flash to boot!

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Nokia Lumia 730 Nokia joined the selfie bandwagon with the mid-segment Lumia 730, which is a highly compact and good looking device, available in multiple colours and clearly targeted at the younger (read â&#x20AC;&#x153;selfie loving and takingâ&#x20AC;?) generation. The handset boasts of an AMOLED display- a rarity in its price point, and a 5.0 megapixel wide angle front facing camera. It supports full HD videos and comes with a dedicated selfie app. However, rather surprisingly, Nokia did away with the dedicated camera button, which makes taking selfies just a bit more difficult than usual.

Gionee Elife E7 The Elife E7 was hailed as the best Gionee smartphone for a number of reasons and one of them was its 8.0-megapixel front facing camera, which was rare in smartphones at that time (early 2014). It was never labeled as a selfie phone, as selfies had not yet become the rage they would be later and the Elfie E7 was a spec monster anyway. Besides the 8.0 megapixel shooter it also came with auto-focus capability, which was a rarity in a front facing camera.

Alcatel One Touch Flash The Alcatel One Touch Flash is a good looking handset as most Alcatel phones are and comes with a 5.5-inch display, making it another big screen selfie smartphone. It has a 5.0 megapixel front facing camera backed by filters and camera modes that can actually capture numerous expressions and enhance the quality of shots by applying a beauty pack on images. The fact that it does not cost a bomb does not harm its case one bit.

Sony Xperia C3 The Sony Xperia C3 made its debut in the middle of the selfie rage. Even though it was a big phone, its slim and light form factor made it easy to handle. And it came with a wide angle 5.0 megapixel camera with soft LED flash - a combination that remains rare. Not too many smartphone brands have got a flash with the front-facing camera even today. The phone also came with apps like AR effect and portrait retouch, which let you add add costumes to selfies and even customisations to live shots. ninishdubey@mymobile.co.in abhijit@mymobile.co.in

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consumer forum Complaint-1 I bought Karbonn Titanium S1 handset on 26 June 2014. I took my handset for repair at Aryan Communications, Patna. The representative at the repair center took my handset for repair. Later on, when I went to collect it back they told me that the handset was still with the company. Will I ever receive my handset or not? Or should I file a case in the Consumer Court? -Prabhat Kumar

chase. When I took it to the service center, the representative informed me that there is a software problem, which will be rectified in the same day. I waited in the service

Karbonn’s Response: Karbonn team has spoken to the consumer and his handset was delivered to him on 17 October.

than 10 times. After a month, now the service centre representative says that my mobile has a motherboard issue and it has to be sent to the company, and will be back after 2 months. Why was the representative so casual that he told me about the problem after such a long delay. I am a student and I worked hard to save money and buy this handset, moreover, the service centre people have been lying to me and making me run to and fro to their centre. I want to lodge a complaint with the consumer forum and expect a wise revert. -Atul Nishad Micromax’s response: Awaited

Complaint-2

Complaint-5

I have been following up the HTC Repair Order Status – 14INA330016495 – for the last two months and visited the HTC Centre at Ameerpet in Hyderabad many times but I did not get any positive revert from their customer support team. Every time I went to the service centre, they informed me that the device is not available and will be available by the next week. I am sick of visiting the centre and calling them again and again. This is an unprofessional attitude which was never expected from HTC. The warranty of the above device will be over by October 22 and till now I do not have any clue regarding its replacement. Please give me some relevant feedback when the motherboard replacement of the unit is possible. -Karishma Jain

I purchased a Nokia Lumia 730 from Bhubaneswar. Within 3 days the phone started having troubles. It would restart on its own again and again. I visited the Nokia Store and was told it was a software error and corrected it. After a few days, the problem started again and I took it to the Nokia centre. This time I was given a complaint ID number and was asked to come back in 15 days. After several visits, they returned my phone but the problem was still not resolved. When I visited the store again they gave the same reply. Please tell me why should I visit the store when they are not capable of solving my problem? I request you to help me in this matter or else I will take legal action against the company. I made a mistake by purchasing a Nokia handset.

HTC’s Response: Awaited

-Sriman Nanda Microsoft’s Response: Awaited

Complaint-3 I bought the Micromax Canvas Gold A300 handset on 23-0614. On the 8-09-2014 the device started having the software problem. On the very next day (9th Sep) I took my device to the service centre. They sent the handset to the company on 16th September. Since then, whenever I use to go to the service center, the attend delays and suggest me to come in the next week. My Job Sheet No. is W031722091412047200. I bought Micromax device because I thought that it is an Indian manufacturing company and is working good. I think I was wrong. -Rajkumar Katariya Micromax’s Response: Awaited

Complaint-4 I bought a Micromax Unite 2 (8 GB), which stopped working after 8 days from the pur-

MYMOBILE january 2015

center for around 2 hours and then asked for the status. The attendant reverted that due to the electricity cut, there is no access to the internet, so I should come tomorrow. When I went there the next day, I was told the same thing again and was asked to come on the next day. Then they started delaying my problem for 2-3 days. From last 1 month, I have been running to the service centre for more

Are you being harassed by a Telco that doesn’t hear your plea? Email your issues to consumer-forum@my mobile.co.in and we will take up your cause with the concerned company. Kindly mention your contact number at the end of the Email so that we can get in touch with you. Whenever possible, also provide us complete details of the correspondence with the Telco.

fa c e t o fa c e

“Design with Intelligence’ is at the heart of each Toreto product” You are a relatively new brand. Do tell us more about yourself. Toreto was founded in 2013 in Hong Kong /India by a small team of audiophiles and gadgetaholics, and we have developed and manufactured the most award-worthy designs and products, speakers that are rugged and premium offerings for today’s mobile consumer. “Design with intelligence” is at the heart of each Toreto product. Continually pushing the limits of innovation in portable Bluetooth audio, Toreto products combine cutting-edge technology with exceptional style. At Toreto we have also been focusing on development and manufacture of battery packs which are a must have for smartphones digital cameras, and tablets. Our mission is to create products dedicated to power up today’s digital living. Toreto brings to consumers complete power solutions. We’re real power experts! Our product team comprises engineers and professionals. We’re proud that each of our products is a masterpiece of art and technology in perfect harmony.

One of the latest entrants to the Indian mobile accessory market, Toreto is looking to make its presence felt through high quality products at relatively affordable prices. We met Anuj Sharma, director, Toreto to find out how his company intends to attract the very demanding Indian consumer in the days to come. Mukesh Kumar Singh

You are launching a range of products in the Indian market. Which one in particular do you think will catch the fancy of the Indian consumer? Our current product portfolio includes portable Bluetooth speakers, power banks, multi USB chargers, car accessories, Bluetooth stereo headsets and cables. All our products are rated very high by our users and technology bloggers. The Sound Star/ Sound around and Twins with airstereo pairing have caught the fancy of the Indian consumers. Our digital display power banks and Auto power – a complete car charger with power bank, Quad – a four USB port wall charger with 4.2 Amp output along with the stereo Bluetooth headset have their own craze amd uniqueness. Why should an Indian consumer go for a Toreto device? Indian consumers are very demanding. We aim to fulfil their needs through our high quality accessories at affordable price points, which is a big plus from the brand to our consumers. Moreover our innovative designs make the products more user friendly. What marketing strategies do you plan to follow to reach your target audience? We want the consumers to touch and feel the products and thus a lot of emphasis in our marketing programme is on the retail front. We plan to have live demos for consumers to compare and adopt. Our pricing strategy is to penetrate the market with the categories and introduction of more user friendly accessories to simplify the smarter life of smart phones. In this huge grey market, how do you plan to make your presence felt? We have entered the Indian market with all humbleness and our love towards technology. We hope to bring about a transition for the consumers to look beyond the use of grey market products and move towards a more hassle free warranty product that delivers the required performance. Moreover, smartphone users are more quality driven by nature and we are confident to live up to the required expectation. We simplify the smarter lifestyle of the smart phone users. n mukesh@mymobile.co.in

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chief speak

s o m e h t e b o t t n “We wa ” r e s w o r b t n e d n e p e ind is that all these features you like in Coast, will also be available on the other browsers.

It was one of the first companies to unlock the potential of mobile phones for browsing the Web when it released Opera Mini in 2005, allowing people to browse the Web smoothly even on feature phones. It remains one of the most innovative companies around when it comes to Web browsers, releasing the Coast browser for iOS and constantly coming out with new versions of its browser for different platforms. We caught up with Opera CEO, Lars Boilesen, to find out what was next on the agenda of the browser company, even as it celebrated crossing 50 million users in India. Nimish Dubey 32 MYMOBILE january 2015

You have passed 50 million users in India. So let’s start with that. What’s Opera’s user base like in India and overseas, if we talk in terms of stats? We just passed the 50 million Opera Mini user milestone so we have more than 50 million users using our mobile browsers in a month. Globally we have about 270 Million users. India is our home market, our biggest market, so we are excited about India. What role does India play in Opera’s plans? I think it plays a very important role. It’s our biggest market, so we need to make sure we come up with features which fits the Indian users, so we spend more time to study what’s popular here, studying the consumer behaviour around browsing and mobile, etc. It’s a happening market and Opera is very popular, but at the end of the day what really drives us is that people use our browser. This is what really gives us what we want. How big are Opera’s India operations? We have more than twenty people in sales and marketing, and we have a 120-strong team in Pune, but they do ad operations global support. We have the third biggest advertising platform after Google and Facebook. So if you’re watching Wall Street Journal, then you might come across an ad unit to it. It’s very open from Opera, so we have a huge business next to the browser business where we have an end to end complete mobile advertising solution. Every month from our platform we send out 70 billion ad impressions, we are the biggest independent mobile advertising firm in the world. We do all our developments and particularly operation in Pune. What inspired the new Opera Mini? The layout is more icon driven. Have you heard about Opera Coast? That is a wholly new approach to browsing, a simplified approach, breaking away from the old browser, the traditional browser, and giving you a more visual experience. It gives you a more touch driven experience. So our attempt is to improve the iconography and making it more icon based. You’ll love the swipe gesture on our browsers. What we are working towards

We have seen mobile phone hardware improve by leaps and bounds, and yet Opera keeps coming out with browsers that it claims uses very little resources. Why is this? The reality is that a majority of people are using more restricted devices. So if I look into the market of India, the most popular devices use 320X240 inch screen which is the reality. So we are very careful about taking care of these users and guide them on a journey. So when they get to iPhone we have other browsers for them. But it doesn’t matter what kind of a device you have. We make sure we run everywhere and have app for every category. With Opera Mini, we especially take care of the low end devices. Opera actually started out as a desktop browser. Don’t you think you have been overshadowed by likes of Chrome and Firefox in that department? We’re growing again, that’s the interesting part, we have actually in the last six months, our biggest growth of the last five years. So we are investing more than ever. We have been growing from 40 million to 53 million. So yes we are having good growth, we are investing heavily. We have more engineers than ever on the desktop. And we launched Opera 25 with a complete new UI. Today’s world competes a lot on user interface, that’s where you differentiate and of course we have compression/ Turbo. Any plans to go beyond browsers for Opera? Maybe other apps… No not really, we still think there are so many things you can do which are Web-based. Of course, a lot of people are using apps but we still believe that, you know, using HTML 5 we feel there are lot of things happening that will attract developers to come back and start making Web apps and not just native apps. So we believe in that trend, and we are working closely with Google. I think it’s important to team up with, a strong company like Google who actually have an interest in making Web applications. We focus on making browsers and we even monetize our browsers. We’re big in

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st innovative mobile advertising, and we don’t plan to go further than that. Because we want to stay ahead, we want to be the most innovative independent browser. If you look at Google, Apple, and the others, they are not focused on new feature. They’re quite happy with how the situation is, they use their browser to lock-in users, search on Google, use Gmail or iTunes, and so on. We are more open. We want people to have a great experience when they log in to a browser, and hopefully stay a little longer in our browser. Any plans to tie-up with manufacturers to have your browser pre-installed on their devices? We work very hard on that. That’s a great thing about India: we work with a lot of local manufacturers. That is one of the main reasons for big growth we have here in India. And this definitely is the plan: that anyone who makes phones pre-install Opera worldwide. We would focus on manufacturers in markets where we have a lot of users, and India is a good example. All the local manufacturers preinstall us. If you’re relevant, you’ll be pre-installed. Relevant means we make product the users want. It all starts with the product, and if we have a popular product the manufacturer will be interested in pre-installing it. n

“We have the third biggest advertising platform after Google and Facebook. So if you’re watching Wall Street Journal, then you might come across an ad unit to it”

nimishdubey@mymobile.co.in

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rumour mill

Talk

in Tech Corners

Apple coming out with a larger iPad?

is expected to come in red too. Good news for the ladies and those who simply want a smaller Passport!

The new iPads have barely made their way to Indian shores, but talk is already underway in the market that Apple will actually be working on a third iPad which it will introduce in March in the international market. The iPad, which many say will be called the iPad Pro, is rumoured to have a 12.3-inch display and might even run Mac OS rather than iOS, the operating system that is found on the iPhone and the iPad as of now. Our sources say that Apple is introducing the device to replace the MacBook Air and will also pair it with a magnetic keyboard, aiming it squarely at the enterprise segment.

Lenovo working on flip ‘Razr Droid’ with Motorola

BB looking to shrink the Passport The BlackBerry Passport was one of the most innovative devices that we used last year, but it suffered from one drawback – it was really wide and did not fit most hands. Yes, BlackBerry referred to it as a two-handed device at the launch, but judging by what we are hearing the company is considering coming up with a smaller version of the phone targeted at the ladies. No, this is not a Curve or a Bold, but a device with a similar three row key layout and a keyboard that can double up as a touchpad on the Passport. What will be different is the display size which we are told, will be a 3.5 inch affair and will have a 720p resolution. The price is also expected to be lower and yes, it

34 MYMOBILE january 2015

All right, this is a very long shot, but we have had at least two people say that a team at Motorola is working overtime to come out with a flip phone under the iconic brandname. The Razr was one of the bestselling phones of its time but did not do as well when Motorola ditched its flip version and made the Android Razr a candy bar one. However, if our sources are to be believed, the idea of a flip smartphone has its takers, which is why both Lenovo and Motorola are believed to be working on a flip phone with a touchscreen on the outer display and with a QWERTY keyboard inside, with Android as the OS. We have no idea whether this is a serious effort or just an attempt at a prototype but this is one rumour that we so want to be true.

Is the successor to the Lumia 1020 coming We have been told that Microsoft is working on a device that will be the successor of the Lumia 1020, the 41.0-megapixel sensor toting phone that many still consider to be one of the best camera phones that was ever made. From

what we have heard, the new phone, which could be called either the Lumia 1030 or the 2040, depending on whom you believe, will come with a full HD 5.0-inch AMOLED display, and will be powered by a quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and will also have 2GB RAM and 64 GB of non-expandable memory. The big question, however, is about the camera, and as per what we have heard, it will remain a 41.0-megapixel sensor but will work much faster and will also be accompanied by a 12.0megapixel front facing camera, making this the first phone to have more than fifty megapixels of shooting power up its sleeve.

Amazon working on an e-ink phablet Some companies like Yota Devices have tried to add elements of e-ink displays to regular handsets, but if one of our sources is to be believed, Amazon, the company whose Kindle e-book reader made e-ink displays popular, is actually working on an e-ink phablet. The device which some are labelling the Kindle phone will have a 5.0-inch e-ink display and a keypad for dialing numbers and typing. It is supposed to blend the functionality of an e-book reader with a basic phone and provide up to two weeks battery life on a single charge. From what we hear, Amazon plans to target it at those who love reading books and want relatively simple phones. No, we do not expect the world from it, if it exists, but that battery life sounds awesome! n team@mymobile.co.in

mobile sensex

bazaar bargain Nokia Lumia 1020 Those who loved it called it the greatest camera phone ever. Those who did not find it too bulky to use in an era of uber sleek devices. But not one person could deny that when it came to camera phones, the Lumia 1020 tore up the rule book and wrote a totally new one, thanks to its amazing 41.0-megapixel sensor, backed up by a Xenon flash. Yes, when it was launched it cost more than a DSLR did, but at its current price tag, it offers arguably the best camera around on a smartphone combined with a smooth running Windows Phone OS powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and 32 GB storage. Its AMOLED display looks wonderful even now, and it is expected to get a performance boost with the Denim update coming its way. Want a camera that is a phone or vice versa? This remains your best bet. And at that price, it is money for jam! n

Launched at: Rs. 46,990 Current Price: Rs. 19,990 Price fall: 57. 45 per cent

Sony Xperia Z Ultra When it was launched, it was criticized for being too big with its massive 6.4 inch display. However, today, it fits right in with the trend of large screen devices. The insanely thin build remains one of the most attractive we have seen with its blend of metal and glass, and the specs (full HD display, quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 2 GB RAM, 16 GB storage expandable to 64 GB, 8.0-megapixel camera) are still as good as any at this price point. It is also one of the few devices out there on which you can write even with a pencil or any pointed object. And oh yes, it remains water and dust resistant. It might run an older version of Android, but in terms of sheer productivity, it still packs a punch! n

36 MYMOBILE january 2015

Launched at: Rs. 49,999 Current Price: Rs. 28,500 Price fall: 42.99 per cent

Mobiles

Smartness style mein, Easiness lifestyle mein ise mobile family Introducing our newest members of Ar mmbi battery life. mm mm La & r so es oc pr t fas n, sig de h with stylis AB SMART LIFE KE KHUL KE MAJE LO...

BRAVO AR32

QUANTA AR42

t Dual core 1.2GHz, processor t Dual SIM (GSM+GSM) t 10.2cm (4 Inch) WVGA Display t 8.9cm (3.5 inch) display t Camera: Front camera and t Dual Core 1.2 GHz, Processor 2.0MP rear with flash t Capacative touch t 4GB + 512MB memory t Camera: 2.0MP with flash t Android KIT KAT t 256MB + 512MB memory t 3.5mm audio jack t Android Jelly 4.2 t Camera 3.2 rear & front t A-GPS/GPS, G-Sensor t 1500mAh Li-ion battery t 1500mAh battery t 32GB MMC card support t 16 GB expendable MMC card support

ZEUS AR62

t 1.3GHz, Quad core processor t 11.4cm (4.5 inch) HVGA display t Camera: 5.0MP rear and 2.0MP front camera with flash t 8GB+1GB memory t Android KIT KAT t GPS/AGPS enable t 3.5mm Jack t 2000mAh Li-ion battery t 32GB MMC card support

Corp. office: 309, 3rd Floor, Narain Manzil, 23, Barakhamba Road, Connaught Place, New Delhi-110045 TOLL FREE: 1800 419 3322, Email: corporate@ariseindialtd.com, Website: www.ariseindialtd.com, www.arisemobile.in, www.arisestore.com

Spot light

What The Tech Stars Foretell

38 MYMOBILE january 2015

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

We witnessed a lot of action in the mobile and tech industry in 2014. New brands arrived, and there were innovations galore, on the services, products and app fronts. And 2015 promises to be no different. We could go on and on, but instead of speculating on our own, we decided to pick the minds of some of the leading lights in technology about what 2015 would have in store for consumers and companies alike. And this is what they told us. Abhijit Ahaskar

he focus in 2015 for smart phones is going to be around LTE 4G networks. With this we are looking at high speed affordable connectivity which will eventually make smartphones as the primary internet device for people. There will be an increase in professionals also using smartphones as their primary device for work with 4G networks coming into play. An increased focus on developing handsets to support LTE 4G is definitely on the cards for the coming year.

-Sudhin Mathur, Director- Smartphones, Lenovo India

www.mymobile.co.in

“

e continue to be excited by the rapid adoption of smartphones in the Indian market. This is a trend we saw in 2014, as India became the third largest smartphone market in the world and one we expect to see continue into 2015. In addition, our view is that while we expect high volumes of 3G smartphones in India, we do expect 2015 to usher in more broad deployment of 4G/LTE services. As such, we expect there will be significant momentum in 4G/LTE device launches in 2015 covering all segments from mainstream to premium devices. For a lot of the Indian handset manufacturers, mainstream quad-core or higher end octa-core platforms might be the volume drivers for their LTE portfolio next year.

-Dr. Finbarr Moynihan, General Manager – Corporate Sales International, MediaTek

martphone industry is seeing new innovations taking shape every day. And 2015 will only excite us more. With the possibility of 4G LTE technology becoming commercial by early 2015 and available in many more states and cities, the Web and multimedia consumption on smartphones would further change the consumer consumption patterns. This will also boost usage of large screen sized phones and innovative designs that make visuals look better. The form factor of the devices shall continuously see improvisations as ‘Style in Hands’ is still one of the key buying factors. Mobile camera is another aspect where innovations shall continue to happen and personalization of device via improved security solutions shall continually be at the forefront. 2015 shall also see a surge in wearable devices, which would define the future of mobility in the times to come.

-Amit Gujral, Marketing Head, LG Mobile India

“

nywhere and everywhere computing is one of the key trend that has gained popularity in 2014 but 2015 will see the mobile technology taking a leap to meet user demands. Multiarchitecture or multiplatform application development as well as Advanced Mobile User Experience Design to enrich the user experience are few examples of advancement in mobile technology that will be witnessed in 2015. On the enterprise front, tools such as mobile device management, mobile application management, application wrapping and containerization, enterprise file synchronization will grow and address a wide range of mobile management needs across all popular operating systems. 2015 will also see mobile users getting improved bandwidth, and superior performance combined with new features such as LTE Broadcast.

-Yuan Kang, CEO, Mobile Business, ZTE India

he telecom industry will continue to see rapid growth of the mobile data services segment in 2015. India is the fastest growing smartphone market in the Asia Pacific region and the trend is largely driven by the connectivity needs of the country’s young populace. With millennials spending an average of 7.2 hours per day consuming media content and more of that time spent on mobile devices than any other platform, an uninterrupted mobile Internet experience has become a necessary component of their daily lives. With businesses going global, there is also the need to remain connected 24x7 and work/access emails while on the go. Tata Docomo has been quick to respond to these needs with innovative, affordable and customisable data plans. We have made aggressive investments to improve our data network as well as created products based on usage insights. As we head into the new year, our focus remains squarely on offering best in class personalised services coupled with affordability.

-Pushkar Jain, Head - Brand Marketing, Tata Teleservices

january 2015 MYMOBILE 39

“

Spot light dvancement of network technologies, restructuring of revenuesharing pattern, lowering of mobile data usage cost, growing adoption of smartphones, and increase in app usability have contributed to the growth of mobile application adoption in India. As mobile devices continue to proliferate, data predicts an increased emphasis on serving the needs of the mobile user in diverse contexts and environments, as opposed to focusing on devices alone. The increasing mobile video consumption, cloud applications are expected to be some of the most important drivers behind 4G LTEtechnology. It is expected to be deployed in the developed cities and the number of subscribers is expected to increase at a much faster rate than 3G subscribers in the next two years.

“

-Timir Baran Acharyya, Deputy General Manager – Gionee Smartphones

“

-Manish Sharma, Managing Director, Panasonic India

“

ompanies are refining strategies as consumer expectations are continuing to rise today. Brands need to prepare now to meet these greater expectations to compete through shopping innovations made possible by convergence of major technology trends. Knowing what consumers want today, and what they are likely to want tomorrow, are both critical for a company’s success. In terms of the growth expected in the field of mobile technology, consumers are opting for smartphones with screen size between 4.5-inch and 5.5-inch and are relying on low-cost Android phones. Keeping this factor in mind where the consumer demands superior quality mobiles at an affordable price, companies are positioning for this next wave of cost pressure. Also, as per a recent report by IDC, the 4G rollout which is expected in the year 2015, growth in the phablet segment is expected to pick up again.

he year 2014 has seen a rapid growth in the mobile market. Not only in volumes but also in technology. The mobile market space is changing very rapidly with new entrants coming in with competitive pricing and features. The phone once used for calls has become a multi-tasking device. This year one more addition as a health monitoring device to record the daily physical activities and give a feedback. Today’s users particularly the youth segment between 16 years and 28 years expect a lot of features as mobiles has become their companion to communicate and socialize. Surprisingly the social networking has become an easy platform to connect across the world. The Year 2015 is going to become more futuristic in technology as the consumers are expecting something “Different” on looks and on use.

-Steven Zhao, Country Manager, Alcatel

he coming year will be significant for the industry with the launch of 4G and LTE networks across India, thus enhancing mobile internet penetration in the country. This year witnessed the entry of new Indian and international players in the mobile handset sector, thus significantly expanding the product offerings available to Indian consumers across several price and technology points. There was notable growth in the affordable smartphone segment, which will gain further momentum in the coming year. Another segment to look out for in the coming year will be the wearable technology space, which offers brands an opportunity to establish themselves. The ‘Make in India’ campaign from the Indian government will empower the sector by attracting investment bids and the industry will benefit significantly from a local manufacturing policy. The initiative will enhance the reach of healthcare and education to millions of Indians remotely through technology, thus significantly improving their quality of life.

“

-Dilip Modi, Chairman, Spice Mobility

40 MYMOBILE january 2015

www.mymobile.co.in

“

nnovation and efficiency have been in our DNA, ever since we changed the face of the mobile industry back in 1996. While our vision is to make Intex a globally respected name, our approach is to work towards improving the quality of life of our customers by providing them superior quality handsets at unique price points. The coming years seem to be very bright for the consumer, as technology is changing very fast. We are looking at fast adoption of smartphone by each customer segment and hence the Internet reaching the masses. Smartphones with LTE/ 4G are our primary focus and are in the pipeline as well as how they will transform a common person’s life is to be observed. Additionally, Intex aims to be among top five players in the smartphone handset category and aims to capture 7- 8 per cent market share.

-Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, Mobile Business Head, Intex

-Y Guru, Chairman and Managing Director, Celkon Mobiles

“

he telecom industry witnessed tremendous growth in 2014. Specifically talking about India, the market saw a transition in the user community shifting from feature phones to low cost smartphones. We expect that this transition will continue and there will be a significant growth in the low cost smartphone segment. In addition, the high end device offering from Indian and low cost international brands are expected to grow multifold. The overall volumes on smartphones in 201314 were at 44 million devices and the estimates are pegged over 80-85 million devices in 2014-15. This will create a large opportunity for us in the high end device segment.

“ I

“

n 2015, the 3G spectrum bid is awaited. The industry is eagerly waiting for its outcome. The industry is hoping that the taxation issues are going to be settled. The industry is also hopeful of a new telecom policy; the market is witnessing quite a lot of consolidation. In my opinion the sector has a promising future in the coming months. The single most significant trend that has caught the attention of the industry is growth in data users in value and volume. As per the industry estimate by the end of 2014 we will have about 300 million data users. Majorly this is happening due to the reduction in prices of smart phones and data pack availability at a lower price point.

ugmented Reality (AR) will evolve as the big bridge between the physical and the digital world. It will create new form of content experience on the move which would be sharable and measurable. It will also herald the creation of the next big screen through interactive products.

-Arnav Ghosh, Regional Director, Blippar India

-Debasis Chatterji, CEO, Netxcell

abhijit@mymobile.co.in

january 2015 MYMOBILE 41

just in Gionee Elife S5.1 Slim redefined

martphones keep getting slimmer and one company that has been redefining the thickness of these devices is Chinese manufacturer Gionee. The company had stunned the world with a phone that was a mere 5.5 mm thin earlier this year and now it has come out with the Elife S5.1, which is even thinner at 5.1 mm. It comes with a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, runs on Android 4.4.2. KitKat operating system and is powered by 1.7 GHz MediaTek octa-core processor. Also on board are 1 GB RAM, 16 GB non-expandable internal memory, and 8.0 megapixel rear camera and a 5.0 megapixel front facing camera, as well as a 2,100 mAh battery to ensure that all this works for a while. For connectivity, the device comes with Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, micro USB, Wi-Fi, and OTG. And just like the Elife S5.5, it is competitively priced at Rs. 18,999. n

Acer Liquid Jade Acer

comes calling...again

he incredible growth in the Indian smartphone market has spurred a number of new players to arrive in the market. As well as a few old ones to return. And one of the latter is noted PC manufacturer, Acer. The company is back in the market with a couple of phones, the most notable of which is the Liquid Jade. Endowed with sleek looks and targeted at the style conscious, it comes with a 5.0-inch 720p display, 16 GB internal memory, 2 GB RAM, 1.3 GHz MediaTek processor, and a 2,100 mAh battery. The presence of a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 2.0-megapixel front facing camera give a lot of shooting muscles to the device. It runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat) and boasts of 2G, 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity. It is available exclusively on Snapdeal.com at Rs. 16,993. n

team@mymobile.co.in

42 MYMOBILE january 2015

sneak peek Oppo R5 Amazingly thin

hinese manufacturer Oppo had surprised the mobile world a few weeks ago when it released what it claimed was the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slimmest phone, the Oppo R5. The phone was an incredible 4.85 mm thin, making it thinner than the 5.1 mm ELife S5.5 from Gionee. It features a 5.2 inch AMOLED display, runs on Android 4.4.4. (KitKat) and is powered by a 1.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor. The device also comes with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal memory. Oppo has been known for its cameras and the R5 does not disappoint in this department - it comes with a 13.0 megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and a 5.0 megapixel front facing camera for selfie lovers. For connectivity, the device has a 3G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a GPS. What, however, it does not have is a 3.5 mm audio jack - the sacrifice made for that slim figure. The Oppo R5 is expected to be priced in the range of Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000, and is expected in the Indian market in late December 2014 or early January 2015.n

Apple Watch The smart-

watchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time has come?

pple had wowed the world when it unveiled the Apple Watch a few months ago. However, unlike the new iPhones and iPads, it was not released in the market in 2014, and is expected to hit the stores this year. Like all Apple products, this one too is expected to not just redefine the market, but actually make the smartwatch segment a credible one. And it certainly has the looks to do so. It comes with a flexible retina display and is coated with single sapphire crystal which protects the screen from scratches. It will come in Stainless Steel, 18 carat Gold and Aluminum body variants for the dial with large variety of straps, which will attach magnetically to it. The watch will be available in two different height sizes- 38 mm and 42 mm. Of course, what will make it special are the large number of apps, ranging from calendars to simple games to health monitors that are expected to be released with it. It will only be compatible with iOS devices and will not come cheap - we expect it to hit the market in early 2015 with a price tag in the vicinity of Rs. 22,000. n team@mymobile.co.in

january 2015 MYMOBILE 43

burn test Marathon Mobile The battery of Pros Great battery life Good design

Gionee’s Marathon M3 goes on and on

hinese manufacturer Gionee has been steadily making its presence first in the Indian market, thanks to innovative handsets like the Elife E7 and the Elife 5.5. And now comes the Marathon M3, which focuses not on style and slimness but on battery life, a welcome sight in this day and age when battery lives are measured in hours rather than days.

Looks good The Marathon M3 continues Gionee’s tradition of making good looking phones. The review unit we got was in white colour and made of good quality plastic. The back panel has a matte finish which makes the phone easier to grip – you can open the back panel but you cannot remove the battery, which is placed under a metal plate. The phone has a 5.0 inch display of 720p resolution and is powered by a quad core MediaTek processor with 1 GB RAM. Storage stands at 8 GB and can be expanded to 128 GB using a microSD card. Connectivity options include 3G, GPS, WI-Fi and Bluetooth. The phone runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat), but while it does come with applications like Amigo Paper that are found in other Gionee devices, it seems to be running a very scaled down version of the Amigo UI that we have seen in higher end devices. That said the touch

Gionee Marathon M3 tech specs Size | 144.5 x 71.5 x 10.4 mm Weight | 180.3 grams Memory | 8 GB, microSD

experience of the device was very good and while we would not say that the phone performed at a rate of knots, it worked at a decent enough speed for most routine tasks.

Phenomenal battery life, not so awesome camera The Gionee Marathon M3 gets its name because of its battery life. The phone comes with a massive 5,000mAH battery, which is well above that which is found in most smartphones. Impressively, the battery also gets charged very quickly, and once the handset is fully charged, user can enjoy messaging, calling, mails and social networks quite comfortably for 2-3 days which is staggering in this era. The Gionee Marathon M3 has an 8.0-megapixel rear camera and a 2.0 megapixel front facing camera. The camera delivers decent results in good light conditions, but is not really a low-light performer, which is not too surprising given its price point. Honestly, we were also expecting a bit more from the front facing ‘selfie’ camera, given the excellent performance in this department from other Gionee devices, but this one is decent enough without being exceptional.

Conclusion The Gionee Marathon M3 is priced at Rs. 13,999, and although it is undoubtedly on the heavier side, thanks to that large battery, some might consider purchasing it for its stylish looks, steady performance and exceptional battery life. That said, it does face serious competition from the likes of Moto G (2nd generation), which comes with a 5.0-inch 720p display, an 8.0-megapixel camera and a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Another competitor is the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2. n team@mymobile.co.in

OS | Android OS v4.4 Screen Size | 5.0-inch, Capacitive

verdict

Battery | Li-Ion 5,000 mAh

Cons Heavy (due to the battery) Not the greatest camera

Talktime/Standby | Up to 51 hours/ Up to 792 hours GPRS/3G/BT/WiFi | Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes Camera | 8.0-megapixel Others | FM Radio, Voice recorder, 128 GB expandable memory

Price: Rs. 13,999 44 MYMOBILE january 2015

perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

82%

www.mymobile.co.in Pros Good design

One love Xolo One attempts to blend

Android L update guaranteed

style with a budget price

ot on the heels of the first wave of Android One devices, Xolo has come out with the affordable Xolo One. Not only does it have have specifications and features similar to those seen in the Android One range, but in some areas, it is better than them. No, it is not part of the Android One initiative. But comparisons with it are inevitable thanks to its name and specs.

Class apart The faux pas leather finish on the back panel is an impressive feature of the Xolo One as it not only improves the quality of the grip but also enhances the handsetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearance. We have seen similar finish on a number of good-looking handsets. The front panel boasts of a 4.5-inch display with screen resolution of 800 x 480. It looks decent and quite similar to the screens in Android One handsets, which is good enough, although not in the class of the Moto E. The back panel carries a 5.0-megapixel camera on the outside and a 1,700 mAh battery, dual SIM slots and a card slot inside. The phone is available in four different colours, which is a huge bonus in this price range.

Price: Rs. 6,599

Android L assured The Xolo One comes with a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory, dual SIM support, 5.0-megapixel rear camera, 4.5-inch display and runs on Android KitKat. Almost all these attributes are those of the Android One phones except the internal memory which is higher than the 4 GB offered by Android One phones. That makes a lot of difference in this price point as very few handsets offer that much storage. Also, it comes with the assurance of Android L update in the future. Although this assurance comes from Xolo, not Google, unlike the Android One range.

Cool customer When it comes to handling tasks, the Xolo One is as good as any of the top names doing the rounds in this price segment. It handled most apps and games easily and with the 8 GB internal memory we could actually add big games on it too. The camera is average so do not expect much from it. We feel that the Redmi 1s has a much better camera in this price point but that apart, cameras at this price point tend to be mediocre rather than great. The phone is powered by a 1,700 mAh battery, which does necessitate a recharge a day at the least if you are a power user.

Cons Average camera Low screen resolution

verdict

Conclusion Xolo One has almost all the ingredients that any Android One handset is offering including the guaranteed update to Android L. With more internal memory and a good design, it seems a viable, alternative to any of them. You can also check out the Xiaomi Redmi 1s, which has a 720p HD display, a much better camera and a lower price tag of Rs. 5,999, as well as the Asus ZenFone 4 with a 4.5-inch display, which is available for Rs. 6,999. n team@mymobile.co.in

perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

82%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 45

burn test Pros Good looks Scratch resistant display Latest Windows Phone OS

Microsoft’s Lumia

The Lumia 535: is the first without the Nokia name

ver since the acquisition of Nokia devices, last year, rumors have been flying around that Microsoft was going to drop the Nokia branding from the Lumia series. And now it has happened. The Lumia 535 is the first Lumia smartphone that does not bear the Nokia branding. But does it represent a significant change in the Lumia range itself or just a matter of nomenclature?

Good looking Lumia again When it comes to look and feel, the Lumia series has been very consistent, with eye catching design and solid build. The Lumia 535 is no different. It comes in six eye-catching colours – black, grey, white, green, orange and blue with a glossy finish over them. It does make it smudge prone but one cannot deny that it is very funky. In spite of being a 5.0-inch display device, the Lumia 535 felt quite compact and easy to handle, courtesy thin bezels, light form factor, flat back panel and arched corners. The back panel is a little glossy, but very easy to pry open. The Microsoft logo and name can be seen on the back and the front panel. The SIM and the microSD card slots are placed inside the back panel along with a 1,905 mAh battery. On the outside, it has got the usual micro USB and 3.5 mm ports, besides the power and volume key.

Big display

Cons Back panel is too glossy Lags at times Washed out display

46 MYMOBILE january 2015

The Lumia series in the range of Rs. 10,000 or even Rs. 15,000 had never seen a display of this size. Before Lumia 535, the Lumia 625’s 4.7-inch was the biggest display in this range. Also, the Lumia 525’s screen resolution (960 x 540) is the highest in a Lumia phone at this price point. That said, we were not very impressed with the display as it looked a little washed out and dull. Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3, which seems to have become a regular with Lumia handsets, lends it protection against scratches. The phone also comes with a 5.0-megapixel front facing camera with a dedicated selfie app to cater to the growing selfie craze. The rear camera is again a 5.0-megapixel affair but with more features and flash support. Both the cameras can take decent shots, but we have seen better cameras at this price point. Also, the camera takes some time to process the shot and there is no external camera key, which is surprising considering the emphasis laid on the cameras of the device and the fact that most Lumia devices in the past have come with dedicated camera buttons. A dual SIM device, the Lumia 535 is powered by a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor, and features 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory, upto 128 GB of expandable memory, and runs on the latest Windows phone 8.1 operating system. The presence of 1 GB RAM, means apps that require minimum of 1 GB RAM would be available on it.

www.mymobile.co.in

Price: Rs. 9,100

A mixed bag The Lumia 535 can handle Internet browsing, social networking and movies well, even though it takes time to open some of the apps. But, what totally disrupts its composure is games like FIFA 15 and GT Racing 2. Not only does it lag but hangs at times. This was surprising since its specs are quite competitive, and our experience of Windows Phone even on relatively low cost devices has been a very good one. The new OS offers Windows’ voice assistant Cortana, which is fun and accurate but mostly with English commands (give it Indian names and the stutters start to creep in) and then there is the notification bar, which in concept is similar to android, but not as refined as it. It is powered by a 1,905 mAh battery, which can supply a day’s back-up with ease. And yes, though the phone does not have Nokia’s branding, it comes with a number of apps that you found in the Nokia Lumia range including Here Maps and Mix Radio.

Conclusion Microsoft has stocked the Lumia 535 with all the features that make devices in the affordable segment click: a big display, a fine set of cameras (on paper) and good looks. However, at Rs. 9,199, the Lumia 535 will face competition from

the likes of the Asus Zenfone 5, which is also a 5-inch screen affair but with HD resolution, superior camera, and is powered by Intel’s powerful mobile processor and is priced at Rs. 9,999. Even in handsets running on Windows Phone OS, the Lumia 535 faces competition from the likes of Xolo Win Q900s, which has a HD display, is lighter and is available at the same price point. Not the best foot forward by Microsoft, we think. n team@mymobile.co.in

verdict perfoRmance Features

Looks

ease of use

/10

value for money

overall

80%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 47

burn test Betting on Layers Lenovo’s Vibe X2 comes with a

unique design

he last year and a half has seen Lenovo forge a powerful identity for itself in the Indian market, thanks to some very formidable handsets. These include the K900, the P780, and most recently the Vibe series, which has been making waves with its design. The first Vibe X impressed us with its design and slimness. Which is why perhaps Lenovo has repeated the formula with the Vibe X2. But does it succeed to the same extent?

The layered look works There is no doubting it – the Vibe X2 looks very different from the routine phones we get to see in the market. And this is not because of any change of shape – the Vibe X2 has a standard candy bar shape although it is less curvy than the original Vibe X, and has a slightly more box-ish look to it. No, the change stems from the fact it seems to be made up of different coloured layers which become visible when you view the phone from the side. We got the gold model of the device and while the back was golden with a camera and flash on it and the front jet black, dominated by the 5.0-inch display with three touch buttons beneath it (home, back and home screen settings, long pressing which also shows recently used apps), what grabbed our attention straight away – and this is the first time it has happened with a handset – were the sides of the phone. For, they came in different colours, as if one layer had been placed on another. Lenovo calls this the layered look and insists that even many accessories to the device will also fit into the layered

design philosophy and fit like layers on to the device. It might not be every one’s cup of tea but what cannot be doubted is that the Vibe X2 turns heads. Lenovo has also done a very good job in keeping the design compact – in spite of sporting a 5.0-inch display, the Vibe X2 looks remarkably compact, it is much smaller in volume than even the sleek Xiaomi Mi 3. It is a mere 7.3 mm thin, and at 120 grammes, is light for its size. And this does not come at the cost of quality – the phone feels solid enough, and the magnesium alloy on the back gives it a smooth feel. All said and done, the Vibe X2 is an eye catcher.

…and so does the octa core power But unlike its predecessor, which scored heavily on design but did not exactly set the world on fire with its performance, the Vibe X2 adds a lot of substance to its stylish looks. The display is a full HD one and powering the device is MediaTek’s much-hyped TruOcta Core MT 6595m processor, backed up by 2 GB RAM. The phone also comes with 32 GB storage, which is not expandable. The two cameras on it are of 13.0-megapixels and 5.0megapixels and in terms of connectivity, the phone has 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS out of the box. It runs on Android KitKat with Lenovo’s Vibe UI layer over it, which comes with some very neat touches, one of which is the option to take pictures even when the display is off – just hit the home button twice to take a snap. And the Vibe X2 is no paper tiger. The phone actually performs brilliantly.

Price: Rs. 19,999 There was the odd crash from time to time, but for the most part, the Vibe X2 handled whatever we threw at it with elan. The 13.0megapixel camera was a bit inconsistent but generally came up with great photographs in good light conditions, and the 5.0-megapixel front facing camera was the real surprise, taking some brilliant photographs, The phone

Pros Innovative layered design Powerful processor Great price

Cons Battery life could have been better Camera is inconsistent Speaker should have been louder

48 MYMOBILE january 2015

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also handed high-end games and multiple tasks with ease. We would have liked louder speakers but call quality was superb.. Battery life was middling â&#x20AC;&#x201C; careful use saw us through a day.

verdict

Conclusion It has the looks. And the performance as well. And at Rs. 19,999, it also has the price. Yes, it does have a few rough edges, but all said and done, the Lenovo Vibe X2 is one of the best smartphones we have seen in the sub-Rs. 20,000 category and one of the most attractive we have seen at any price point. Those looking for alternatives can also check out the OnePlus One, which has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and a 5.5 inch full HD display and costs Rs. 21,999 and the Huawei Honor 6, which also comes with a full HD display and a powerful processor and costs Rs. 19,999. n team@mymobile.co.in

perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

88%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 49

burn test Note-worthy Again! Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 retains its phablet crown

hen first introduced a few years ago, many had written off the Samsung Galaxy Note as being too big to be of any practical use. Fast forward to today, and the Note has spawned an era where large display phones are the rule rather than the exception. But it also means that the Note itself faces more competition than ever before, with even the iPhone joining the phablet brigade with the iPhone 6 Plus. So can the Note 4 retain its crown of phablet supreme?

Shedding the plasticky look The Galaxy Note 4 takes a step away from its predecessors who were accused of being too plasticky by critics. It seems to borrow a page from the recently released Galaxy Alpha, which is definitely a change for the good. Like that device, it too has chamfered metallic sides, giving the phone a distinctly classy look. The back remains faux leather, which spoils the overall effect a bit, but all said and done, we must confess that this is the most striking member of the Note series in visual terms. The front has a 5.7-inch display, with the typical oval home hardware key, flanked by the recent apps and

back buttons. The left side has the volume rocker, the right side the display/power button, the top houses the 3.5 mm audio jack, the base has the micro USB port and also the slot for the S-Pen stylus. The back, which is removable, also houses a 16.0-megapixel camera with flash and a heartbeat sensor next to it. Yes, it still remains very much a large phone – it is more than half a foot long, and although Samsung has managed to keep its thickness down to 8.5 mm, at 78.6 mm of width and weight of 176 grammes, this remains a phone that has been made for large hands rather than dainty ones.

Retaining the hardware and performance edge But the Note has always been about performance and hardware and not about appearance, and the Note 4 carries this tradition forward. The 5.7-inch display is a magnificent quad HD one and is Super AMOLED as well, making it arguably one of the most colourful and bright displays we have seen on a phablet. Powering it is one of the most powerful processors around, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, backed up by 3 GB RAM, and 32 GB onboard storage, which can

be expanded using a memory card. Connectivity options include 4G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and Infra red. And there is also the little matter of the S-Pen, Android’s stylus supreme. Running on top of all this is Android KitKat, topped off with Samsung’s TouchWiz interface. And these are not idle stats on a spec sheet. In terms of performance the Note 4 remains a barnstormer. The addition of air gestures to the stylus lets you choose different options even while the S-Pen hovers above the display and even the general sensitivity of the stylus has increased, making it still easily the best we have used on a phablet. Multiple window views mean that you can view two open apps side by side and even transfer information between them. The 16.0-megapixel camera turns in a very good performance, and the resolution and size of the display meant that we could actually edit pictures and videos in detail with ease. Which is not to say that the Note 4 is perfect. We still think that Samsung needs to simplify TouchWiz, which can get very complicated, especially in the settings area for new users, and notwithstanding all the hardware muscle, there were some odd lags that crept in while using

Price: Rs. 57,000 50 MYMOBILE january 2015

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Pros Excellent hardware S-Pen remains unique Great display and camera

Cons Priced on the high side Can lag at odd times Battery life inferior to previous Notes

the device (most often in the picture gallery). But still, all said and done, the Note 4 turns in a brilliant performance and remains one of the devices that comes closest to matching a computer in handheld form.

Conclusion So is the Note 4 still the phablet to buy? Well, the answer is not as resounding a yes as it once was thanks to the emergence of the likes of the iPhone 6 Plus, the LG G3 and the Vibe Z2 Pro, but what cannot be denied is that of all the large display phone players, it is the only one that can boast of an effective stylus. And it is this S-Pen that is likely to be the defining point for any of

those who think of purchasing the Note 4. As a phablet, it might not be as peerless as it once was, but throw the S-Pen into the mix and it gets into a zone of its own. Yes, at Rs 58,900, it costs a pretty penny, but if you want a phone with a large display and a stylus, none can match the Note 4. If it is just a phablet you seek, you could also consider the iPhone 6 Plus which starts at Rs 62,500, and boasts a formidable array of apps and a superb camera, or the LG G3 which brings a quad HD display to the table. What needs to be remembered, however, is that none of these worthies have anything remotely as versatile as the S-Pen. In that department, the Note 4 rules. n team@mymobile.co.in

verdict perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

80%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 51

burn test Pros Solid build quality Great performance Windows 8.1 OS

Desktop muscle, Tablet size Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the HP

Omni 10 for you

or all the talk of their imminent demise, recent reports have shown that tablets are still popular. And that perhaps is because of tablets like the HP Omni 10, which offer a PC-like experience to users without costing a bomb. So anyone looking for a tablet instead of a PC might find a lot in this new Windows tablet. In spite of the fact that Samsung with its Android based Galaxy Tabs and Apple with the iPad series have dominated the market, brands like HP and Dell have been carrying the flag for Windows tablets of late, making Windows an emerging force in the tablet market.

Classy looks The new Omni 10 with its rugged build, refined looks and graphite finish would go well anywhere, be it an official meeting or for watching movies and games at home. The build quality is solid, and feels a tad heavy but for a tablet with 10-inch screen, that is quite common. Its corners are slightly rounded and the edges on the side panel are slightly tapered towards he back, giving it a slimmer feel than it actually is. It makes it comfortable to hold and looks good too. It has a front facing camera of 2.0-megapixels and a superior rear 8.0-megapixel camera without flash. The cameras are not the greatest in terms of performance, but then we do not think that anyone is likely to buy this tablet for photography. The Omni 10 comes in black and bears a big HP logo in the middle. The volume buttons are placed on

52 MYMOBILE january 2015

the edge of back panel, the power and screen lock/ unlock button is on the top while the slots like mini HDMI, micro USB, SD card slot and a pair of speakers are on the lower side panel. There are no buttons on the front except the trademark touch home button that most Windows tablets have.

Runs on Windows, just like a PC HP Omni 10 runs on 32-bit Windows 8.1 Home edition, which happens to be a full-blown operating system and not a mobile OS like the Android and Windows RT. The tablet comes with the goodness of a desktop PC and a tablet with shortcut tiles. It has a number of pre-loaded apps like the MS Office 13, which you have to activate with your license key, HP support assistant, Sky drive, and HP ePrint. You can get more from the Windows App Store as well. It comes with multiple keyboard options like swipe and split keyboard for typing mails and taking notes. For more serious work, you can add in a Bluetooth keyboard and make this as good as a notebook. It comes with a bright looking full HD display which makes reading, gaming or watching movies a pleasure. It supports all the popular gaming titles that are out there on the Microsoft app store with ease. The bezels are wide enough for holding on for long sessions of gaming.

Fast and resourceful The HP Omni 10 is capable of handling most tasks well. At its heart is the Intel Z3770 Atom processor and

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2 GB RAM. Storage stands at 32 GB, which is quite impressive, and since it supports upto 64 GB micro SD cards one can expand it further. HP is offering an 8 GB memory card with the tablet and 25 GB of free memory on the cloud. It has dual speakers and they are loud enough. Putting it down on a surface will not stifle their sound as they are placed on the side panel and not on the back â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a neat touch, in our opinion. The tablet comes with most of the essential ports like micro USB, micro HDMI, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It does not support calling, and Wi-Fi remains the sole mode for accessing the Internet wirlessly (unless one pairs it with a Bluetooth device). It supports side by side multi-tasking allowing access to multiple screens on the same screen, with multiple apps running in the background. To let you carry on with all that, it has a long lasting battery offering upto 8-10 hours of non-stop backup in one go. Impressive again.

Conclusion

GPRS/3G/BT/WiFi | No/No/Yes/Yes

At Rs. 27,990, the HP Omni 10 is an impressive tablet fulfilling both the purpose of entertainment and work, and it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even cost as much as most big screen tablets do. Yes, it is far from light, but with a good design and build quality, it feels comfortable to use. It does feel a little heavy at 658 grams which is a lot more than the iPad Air, which weighs a mere 469 grams, and at Rs. 28,800 for the 16 GB Wi-Fi model is the closest to it in terms of price. You can also check out the Notion Ink Cain, which also runs on Windows operating system but comes with a light keyboard with special cloth cover which doubles up as a stand, doing away with the need to pay for an additional Bluetooth keyboard, and comes at a price of Rs. 19,990. n

Camera | 8.0-megapixel Others | 25 GB cloud storage, HDMI supports

Price: Rs. 27,990 verdict perfoRmance

team@mymobile.co.in

Cons Slightly heavy Ordinary cameras

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

80%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 53

burn test Pros Great design Good camera performance Lower price than the M8

Cons Battery life not the greatest Can heat up a bit

54 MYMOBILE january 2015

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An Eyeful of HTC One! HTC adds

camera muscle to the M8

he year 2014 will perhaps go down as the year in which HTC released three variations of its iconic One flagship series. In the beginning of the year came the immaculately designed M8, which was followed by the plastic variation E8, and now comes the HTC One (M8 Eye), which claims to put more photography muscle into an already formidable camera phone.

Looks as good as ever HTC has been forging a reputation of being the manufacturer of some of the best designed smartphones out there and the M8 Eye lives up to it. The phone has a metal build a la the original M8, but unlike that device is not glossy. Barring that one little detail, the phone seems an almost carbon copy of the M8, which is not really a bad thing, considering how good looking the M8 was. The front has a 5.0-inch display flanked by speakers above and below it, and also features three touch keys on its lower part (for back, home and recent apps). Right on the top right corner is a 5.0-megapixel camera for selfies. The phone might seem a bit long by modern standards, but that can be attributed to the speakers. The right side houses the volume rocker and the micro SD card slot, while on the left is the slot for the SIM card (the phone takes nano SIM cards, incidentally). Flip the phone over and you get a smooth brushed metal finish that is much more subtle and classy (and praise be, less slippery) than the one on the M8. And whereas HTC had made the camera on the One E8 a relatively routine 13.0-megapixel one, the M8 Eye gets the duo camera made famous by the original M8, which comprises two cameras for better capturing depth of field shots. At 160 grammes and 9.4 mm thickness, the M8 Eye is an exact replica of the original M8. And like its elder brother, it will turn heads, although more subtly, because of its more understated finish.

Has the hardware and performs too The similarity between the M8 and the M8 Eye is not just limited to design. The two devices share largely similar hardware too. Both sport 5.0-inch full HD displays that deliver a very good viewing experience with a pixel density of 441 ppi. Both are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.3 GHz and backed up by 2 GB RAM and have 16 GB storage, which can be

expanded using memory cards. Both also have 2,600 mAh batteries and run Android KitKat with HTC’s Sense interface, complete with the magazine like Blinkfeed and the image-video blending Zoe. And performance remains top notch – the displays are great for viewing videos and websites, and the processor and RAM deliver a very good gaming and multitasking experience. Sound has always been a trump card for the HTC One series and the Boomsound front facing speakers once again put it in a league of its own in this regard. Yes, the phone can heat up a bit (like all metal phones) and we wish it had better battery life (heavy usage will necessitate a charge a day), but all in all, the M8 Eye delivers an excellent high-end device performance.

The camera effect The main star of the show, however, is supposed to be the camera – HTC has retained the duo camera set up of the original M8 but the Ultrapixel camera seen in that device is replaced by a 13.0-megapixel one. The results are impressive – we would say that the camera on the M8 Eye delivers some of the best images we have seen from a HTC device.

HTC One (m8 Eye) tech specs Size | 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4 mm Weight | 160 grams

The slight dip in camera quality that we had seen in the E8 is nowhere to be seen here. The front camera takes very good selfies and we in particular love the way in which you can switch from the main camera to the front facing one with a mere swipe. HTC’s image editing touches also let you conjure up some photographic magic, adding effects like snowflakes, stickers, falling leaves and even the odd sticker on photographs taken with the duo cameras. That said, we must confess that we expected a bit more in terms of detail and image quality, especially given the high benchmarks set in this area by the likes of the Xperia Z3 and the Note 4. There is no doubt that the cameras on the HTC One (M8 Eye) are very good, but they have a lot of co mpetition.

Conclusion At Rs 37,500, the HTC One (M8 Eye) is perhaps the most alluring device of the HTC One range this year. It manages to combine the best of both its predecessors – the metal build and terrific design of the M8 and the relatively low price of the E8 and throws in some serious photographic ability into the mix as well. Yes, we had expected a bit more from the camera, but given the quality of the display, the camera and the sound in one device, we reckon this is one of the best high-end Android devices out there. Giving it some very stiff competition, however, will be the likes of the LG G3 and the Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro, which boast quad HD displays and competitive cameras. n team@mymobile.co.in

Memory | 16 GB, microSD OS | Android OS 4.4 Screen Size | 4.5-inch, Capacitive

verdict

Price: Rs 37,500

perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

82%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 55

burn test

Challenging the iPad Mini Lenovo’s Yoga 2 Tablet

does just that

enovo’s first Yoga tablet had made waves last year and was our Gadget of the Month when it was released in India. Does its successor live up to that proud heritage? We used the 8-inch version of the Yoga 2 Tablet and this is what we discovered.

Looks the same, looks different You have to give credit to Lenovo for daring to be different in terms of tablet design. At a time when most other tablet players seem to be more concerned about display sizes and ratios, the Chinese company had pulled a rabbit of sorts out of its hat with the original Yoga tablet, endowing it with a rounded spine that protruded from the side, but made it appear markedly different from the tablet crowd. The spine also came with a stand, letting you prop up the tablet for easier viewing and typing, giving the tablet its ‘multi-mode’ slogan. It was not a design that everyone liked but it grew on you. And Lenovo has stuck to it with the Yoga 2 Tablet range. The tablet is still designed to be held by the thick rounded ‘spine’ side, which we think is a very good idea, giving it a very book-like feel. The front is dominated by the 8.0-inch display. There are no physical buttons beneath the display - all the navigation

56 MYMOBILE january 2015

buttons appear on the display itself when it is switched on. The appearance remains very minimalistic - you have no buttons on three of the four sides, with the volume rocker on top of the device along with a micro USB port. The round spine houses a lot - twin speakers on the top and below, a camera on the back the stand (which also has a hanging option now - a hole from which you can hang the tab on the wall), a 3.5 mm audio jack at the base, and taking out the stand (which can be a bit of task), unveils the microSD card and SIM card slots below it. The back is largely plain and has a matte finish, making the tablet easy to hold. In many ways, whether you like the Yoga 2 tablet or not will depend on the spine. The tablet is very solidly built and at around 420 grammes, is light enough to carry. And yes, holding it or propping it up on its stand does make it more convenient to use as compared to other tablets.

Pumped up hardware But if the Yoga 2 Tablet looks a lot like its predecessors, its innards have undergone a sea change. The display is now a full HD one. And under the hood lies an Intel Atom processor, backed up by 2 GB RAM. Connectivity options now include 4G and storage stands at 16 GB, expandable using a memory card. The camera

on the back is an 8.0-megapixel one, while the one in front above the display is a 1.6-megapixel affair. Also on board are Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. Running on top of it is Android KitKat, but with Lenovo’s interface on it, which as in the case of the original Yoga Tablet, is very reminiscent of the iPad, with no app drawer, and fixed icons at the base of the display, and others that are arranged in a grid that you can scroll across. At the very bottom of the display are also the navigation options for back, recent apps, home, and the option to tweak settings. It is one of the cleanest and most simple interfaces we have seen on an Android tablet. Yes, it does seem a bit like the iPad, but that is not a bad thing, in our opinion.

Great performance At the end of the day, however, all the hardware, software and design in the world is of little use if the device does not perform. The Yoga 2 Tablet, however, delivers staggeringly good performance. The occasional lags that we had seen on the original Yoga are gone and the tablet handled high-end games and multitasking with ease. Yes, we would have preferred a brighter screen, but the spine makes the device very easy to hold and it is the easiest tablet to type on, thanks to that stand. The sound qual-

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Pros Good design Improved hardware Great battery life

ity was decent rather than exceptional from the twin speakers (have we been spoilt by HTC?), but more than compensating for that is the staggering battery life - we easily got over a dozen hours from a single charge, making this perhaps the only high performance tablet that beats the iPad in that department. No, we are not great fans of the ‘hang’ mode and the cameras remain mediocre, but that apart the Yoga 2 Tablet is a great tablet and perhaps the best we have seen from the Android brigade.

Yoga Tab 2 8.0 tech specs Size | 210 x 149 x 7 mm Weight | 419 grams Memory | 16 GB, microSD OS | Android OS 4.4

Conclusion

Screen Size | 8.0-inch, Capacitive

Factor in the fact that the Yoga 2 Tablet delivers all this at a price of Rs. 20,990 (at the time of writing, it was a Flipkart exclusive), and it emerges as a very viable contender to the crown of the iPad mini in the smaller tablet category. It might not have Apple’s app treasury, but in terms of general performance, it certainly is one of the best devices you can buy out there for its price. If you do not mind Windows on your device and want a keyboard and a snazzy cover in the bargain, you can also consider the Notion Ink Cain, which is available for Rs. 19,999. n

Battery | Li-Ion 6,400 mAh

team@mymobile.co.in

Cons Cameras are not the greatest “Hang” mode is of limited use

Talktime/Standby | Up to 18 hours/ Up to 324 hours GPRS/3G/BT/WiFi | Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes

verdict

Camera | 8.0-megapixel Others | Built-in 3-stage kickstand, Wolfson Master Hi-Fi noise reduction

Price: Rs. 20,990

perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

86%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 57

burn test

Say Cheese to Yourself!

Alcatel Onetouch Flash is a massive selfie phone

fairly new brand in a crowded market, Alcatel Onetouch owns a bevy of classy looking phones, each trying to outsmart the other. Their handsets have looked good, sleek and smart even though they are in the affordable segment. Alcatel Onetouch Flash fits the bill that most budget buyers are seeking - a good selfie camera, a big display and a good design. We find out more about this new selfie phone in town.

Good looks guaranteed The first striking thing about the handset is its

58 MYMOBILE january 2015

design. It is sleek, and the outer shell is made of some sort of magnesium alloy that not just lends it solidity and good looks, but also keeps the weight down. It weighs 150 grams, which is impressive for a device with such a big display. On top of the metallic exterior is a rugged matte finish which makes the phone easy to grip. On the front panel you will find the 5.5-inch display, a front facing camera and three soft keys with no backlighting, right under the display. The back features a wide speaker and a camera with flash. This camera, as in most Alcatel Onetouch handsets, juts out and can

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be scratched if the phone is placed on a hard surface. Since it is a unibody handset, the ports are lined up outside on the side panel, covered by thin plastic flaps, dangling on a fragile hook. The volume and screen lock/unlock button are placed on the middle of the side panel, where they can be reached easily with one hand.

Android KitKat with Alcatel touch The phone comes with Android 4.4 out of the box with Alcatel Onetouch’s preloaded user interface. Most apps have got square shaped big icons and the app drawer is placed on one end of the favorite apps on the home screen. You will be surprised to see the number of apps that come pre-installed with it. Flipboard, Facebook, Linkedin, Office suite, Shazam, Skype, Viber, Twitter, Whatsapp, Dropbox, Evernote and Boomband Life (which works with the Boomband fitness band) are some such apps. A good thing is that you can uninstall some of the apps if you do not want them, in order to free some internal memory. You won’t have to worry about that as it comes with 8 GB of internal memory out which over 5 GB is available for use. Now, that isn’t bad in this price point.

it is fine with impressive viewing angles. The response to touch is remarkable and smooth and that is still a rarity in this segment, in spite of all the hoopla about HD displays, and multi-core processors. The only thing it lacks is some sort of protection against smudges, as it gets dirty and smudged in no time. Alcatel Onetouch Flash is a dual SIM device with 3G support, along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The battery lasted us a day quite comfortably.

Pros Impressively fast Good battery Fine selfie camera

Conclusion If you want a good selfie smartphone in this range, there is no shortage of options but if you want a selfie phone with a display that is 5-inches and above, the number are somewhat limited, which is what makes the Alcatel Onetouch Flash an interesting proposition. You can try out the Asus Zenfone 5, which runs on Intel’s 64-bit processor, has a great set of cameras, a good display and is priced at Rs. 9,999. Then there is the Microsoft Lumia 535, which is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor, has a 5.0-inch display, 8GB internal memory and 5.0 megapixel front and rear cameras. It is available at Rs. 9,199. n team@mymobile.co.in

A fine pair of cameras The selfie rage has not only led brands to beef up the front facing cameras on their devices but also come with smartphones styled as selfie phones. Onetouch Flash is also a selfie camera phone equipped with a 5.0 megapixel front facing camera and multiple filters and modes that can actually capture multiple expressions and enhance the quality of shots. For a frontfacing camera, it is surprisingly good. The 13.0 megapixel primary camera may not be the best in this price point, but it is certainly better that most of the camera phones in this range. It can turn in good looking shots with real like colours and can record decent HD videos too.

Power of eight cores The Alcatel Onetouch Flash is powered by a 1.4 GHz octa-core processor, Mali 450 GPU and comes with a 3,200mAh battery. That not only makes it capable of handling games, heavy apps and HD movies but also makes regular browsing a quick affair. For a display of this size, the screen resolution of 1280 x 720 may seem on the lower side, but at this price point, it is not a bad deal. It does appear a little washed out at times but otherwise

Alcatel onetouch Flash tech specs Size | 152.1 x 76.2 x 8.1 mm Weight | 150 grams

Cons Glossy display Protruding camera Slot covers of poor quality

Memory | 8 GB, microSD OS | Android OS 4.4 Screen Size | 5.5-inch, Capacitive

verdict

Price: Rs. 9,999

perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

84%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 59

burn test LG turns on the Styl(e)us Adding a

stylus to the G3

G had grabbed headlines a few years ago when it had bundled the stylus with its Vu phablet device. However, although the period that has followed has seen display sizes increase signficantly in the handset market, LG has steered clear of styluses, allowing Samsung to grab the share at the high-end with its Note series. However, the company seems to have

60 MYMOBILE january 2015

returned to the stylus with the launch of the G3 Stylus, although unlike the Vu, this time it attempts to target a lower-priced segment and not take the Note head on.

Going back to the stylus One of the criticisms of the Optimus Vu had been the fact that users had to carry the stylus

that came with it separately â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it could not be slotted into the device itself. LG has addressed that in the G3 Stylus where the stylus can be carried in the phone itself. However, that apart, there is no radical overhaul in terms of features and functionality associated with the stylus in the device. The stylus has been better designed and is more comfortable to use than

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it was in the Vu, but the fact that handwriting recognition is missing is a big surprise as it limits the use of the stylus. The handset comes with the Memo+ app where users can scribble notes in their own handwriting and one can also sketch with it. The Vu had come with a button that launched the Memo app irrespective of what one was using on the phone, but that feature is missing here, although users can pull down the notifications bar, slide down the notifications to access Memo+. Oddly enough, even though LG has brought back the stylus, there are not too many apps that support it, which again limits its utility.

The G3 touch Seen from the front, the G3 Stylus looks a bit like LG’s flagship device G3. However, it seems a bit thicker and at 10.2 mm seems bulky compared to today’s uber sleek smartphones, although given its lower price tag, we do not think consumers will mind much. It comes with a 5.5 inch display, which is quite a big display but will fit most male palms easily. It also comes with LG’s back button feature which places hardware buttons on the back of the device rather than on the sides, making it a bit more compact. The G3 Stylus is not exactly compact but we like the fact that LG is trying to make the button on the back a staple feature of its range as it does provide users with an alternative way of using their devices. The volume rocker is on the back too and pressing the volume up can bring up the Memo option, while long pressing the lower volume option gives you access to the camera, even when the display is locked. All in all, the phone looks good if a bit thick. We expected a higher resolution display, though – even the similarly priced LG G3 Beat comes with a better display. That said, LG has packed in some decent hardware into the phone. It runs on Android KitKat and comes with LG’s interface laid over it. It comes with dual SIM connectivity and has a SIM manager button present on the home panel, making switches between SIMs easier. Even though the handset has a dual SIM slot but only one SIM supports 3G connectivity (the other is a 2G one). It too comes with a multiple windows feature allowing you to see two apps at the same time on the display. Some of the features can also be minimized and kept in a small circle, which will be present on all apps and will give users access to these features irrespective of where they are working. The device comes with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB internal memory, and is powered by a Mediatek

Pros Improved stylus Big screen 13.0-megapixel camera

MT6582 chipset and a 1.3 GHz cortex A7 Quad core processor – a good processor but not the best in this budget, we think. The phone comes with a 13.0-megapixel rear camera and a front camera of 1.3 megapixels, which will disappoint selfie fans who are accustomed to seeing more powerful front facing cameras at this price point. The performance of the camera itself is middling – the shots clicked in daylight were good, but the camera did not deliver the goods in low light conditions. The flash was of token use only. Sound quality, however, was very good and battery life excellent as well – we were able to see out a day and a half of hefty use on a single charge.

Conclusion Take the stylus out of the equation and the LG G3 Stylus might come across as a relatively average device. It is the stylus that makes it special, as does the battery back up. A better camera and more apps for the stylus could have made the device a much better proposition. At its current price tag of Rs. 19,100, it comes across as an expensive proposition, especially when you consider that you can get the much more powerful Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo at Rs. 23,500 and the Sony Xperia Z Ultra (which can work with any stylus) at Rs. 19,990. n team@mymobile.co.in

LG G3 Stylus tech specs Size | 149.3 x 75.9 x 10.2 mm Weight | 163 grams

Cons Average design Low resolution display A bit bulky

Memory | 8GB, microSD OS | Android OS 4.4 Screen Size | 5.5-inch, Capacitive

verdict

Price: Rs. 19,100

perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

78%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 61

burn test Flagship Killer? The OnePlus One

tries to be that

he OnePlus One was one of the most talked about devices of 2014. At a time when most ‘traditional’ brands were delivering high performance and good hardware at relatively high prices, OnePlus came out with the One, which had high-end specs but was available at a surprisingly low price. The phone has been hailed as a ‘flagship killer’ because of what it offers at its price, but does it live up to the hype?

Looks normal, feels different The first thing that strikes you when you take the OnePlus One in your hands is how different it feels. Yes, in terms of appearance, it does not deviate too far from the candybar shape of most handsets). Seen from the front, looks like a bigger version of the Nexus 5 with the top and base curving out gently. The front is all about the 5.5 inch display, and there are no hardware buttons on the face of the phone, although there are three soft touch, backlit ones (for Home, Back, and Homescreen Settings, which also doubles up for recent apps on a long press) below it, and a speaker grille and front facing camera above. There is a metal band around the display area, giving it a look of solidity. The sides are relatively bare with the buttons on them almost merging into them - the display/ power button is on the right, the volume rocker and SIM card slot on the left. There is a 3.5 mm audio jack right on top, and on the base is the micro USB port flanked by two speaker grilles. But wait, had we not said that the OnePlus One ‘feels’ different? Well, that is because of its uniquely textured back. The company has released the Sandstone Black model in India and its back feels gently grainy and makes it not only easier to grip but also looks markedly different from anything the competition offers. And on the top centre part of the device lies a camera with a dual LED flash just below it. At 152.9 mm in length, the OnePlus One is a large phone, and at 162 grammes, it is not featherlight either, but it is a mere 8.9 mm in thickness and feels wonderfully balanced. You may or may not like the textured back, but what you cannot deny

62 MYMOBILE january 2015

is the fact that this phone has a very different feel to it.

Terrific hardware, performance and price What makes the OnePlus One really special however is what it offers in terms of hardware and performance at a surprisingly low price. For as little as Rs. 21,990, the device comes with a full HD display, a quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 3 GB RAM, a 13.0-megapixel camera at the rear and a 5.0-megapixel one in front, 4G connectivity and a staggering 64 GB of storage. Running on top of this is Android 4.4.4, with the extremely innovative and customisable CyanogenMod interface on top of it. Customisations are not limited to themes and wallpapers, but also to app icons and arrangements if need be. Newcomers might get a bit intimidated by all, but we can see geeks falling in love with it, even though there is some dispute about its getting CyanogenMod updates in the coming days. In terms of sheer value for money, only the Xiaomi

Price: Rs. 21,999

www.mymobile.co.in

Pros Great hardware Fantastic price Good camera

Mi 3 comes close to matching this. And in terms of performance, the OnePlus One delivers a very premium experience. The display is great for viewing websites and videos, and the processor and RAM combination was able to take on whatever we threw at it. The camera took some terrific shots in daylight and was decent enough in low light conditions, although not in the PureView category (but then, not many are). Yes, we would have liked slightly better sound quality on speakers but that is not to say it is bad â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it just is not on the same level of excellence as other parts.

A problem of purchase Just as in the case of the Xiaomi Mi 3, we honestly cannot think of a single good reason for why you should not grab the OnePlus One. It is a very good device. But like the Mi 3, it also suffers from the issue of availability. The device can be purchased only online (an Amazon India exclusive at the time of writing) and that too only if you have

Cons A bit large in size Availability is limited Speaker volume seems low

an invite â&#x20AC;&#x201C; getting the invite involves participation in contests and events from Amazon India and OnePlus. And that can be tough. So tough that many are actually selling their OnePlus One invites online.

Conclusion So does the OnePlus One justify the hype of being a flagship killer? To be honest, we are not too sure. The likes of the iPhone, Galaxy Note and Co. have a few aces up their sleeves even now, but what cannot be denied is that the device offers staggering value for a relatively low price. Those who find it too large or too difficult to get, can consider the Huawei Honor 6 and the Lenovo Vibe X2 both of which come with decent design, good hardware and prices that are slightly below the Rs. 21,999 of the OnePlus One, even though neither can match it in terms of camera quality and onboard storage. Our advice: if you can get One, buy One. Pun intended. n team@mymobile.co.in

verdict perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

86%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 63

burn test Innovation to the fore The YotaPhone brings e-ink to phones

e have heard of phones with twin displays before, but Yota Devices have come up with a totally new concept - a phone with a conventional LCD display on one side and an e-paper one on the other. But does this actually deliver any value to the consumer?

Looks compact On first glance, the YotaPhone looks like a phone from a slightly older generation. Do not get us wrong - it does not look bad at all. We got the jet black model and it looked very smart on our desks and in our hands. It is just that the proportions and display seem from another day and age. The main display, for instance, is 4.3 inches and the phone itself seems to taper in thickness from the low to the high on the sides, being a bit thicker towards the base of the device. There are no buttons at all on the front - no, not even touch shortcut buttons, although the presence of relatively large bezels means that the phone does seem a bit on the longer side. There is a volume rocker on the left, the 3.5 mm audio jack and the SIM card slot on the top and the micro USB port at the base. The real innovation comes to the fore when you flip the phone on to its back. For, instead of the regular back cover and camera, what you get to see is another display, but this is an e-ink one, similar to the one you get to see on e-book readers like the Kindle. Again, there are no buttons here, and just below the display is a 13.0-megapixel camera with a flash. It might look a bit too small and the change in thickness on the sides might strike some as unusual, but when switched off, the phone looks like a slab of ebony. And it is compact enough to fit most hands with a degree of comfort, although at 146 grammes, it is certainly a bit on the heavy side. All in all, not bad at all on the looks side.

Decent hardware, old Android In terms of hardware too, the YotaPhone seems to be adequate rather than spectacular. The 4.3 inch display on the front has a resolution of 1280 x 720, while the one at the back has a resolution of 640 x 360. It is powered by a dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor and has 2 GB RAM and 32 GB internal memory. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t support external memory cards. The device has twin cameras - a 13.0-megapixel one with a flash on the back and a 1.0-megapixel one at the front. Connectivity options include 4G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. Rather surprisingly, the device runs on Android 4.2.2, which is a bit old by todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standards. But then again, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think anyone will be considering this device for the hardware or the software.

A different experience What the YotaPhone claims to deliver is a very different mobile phone experience, thanks to that e-ink back display. And in this, it succeeds to a large extent, although one does have to get used to the interface. As there are no buttons on the front and the back of the device, basic navigation happens through swipes on the touch panel below the display - on the

64 MYMOBILE january 2015

Pros Innovative e-ink display on back Good camera and sound Interesting UI

www.mymobile.co.in

front screen, a swipe to the left takes you a page back, a swipe to the right takes you to the home screen and a double tap reveals recent apps. On the back e-ink display, a swipe to either side unlocks the screen, while a swipe to the left dismisses a notification. In principle, these gestures should work fine, but we found them to be a erratic, especially on back e-ink panel, which seemed to respond just a trifle slowly to our swipes. But to move on to the phone experience itself, the concept of the YotaPhone is simple - you can use the main side of the device as your

main phone, and the back as a large notification and reading area. The back, e-ink display is actually never switched off, but it consumes very little battery as any user of the Amazon Kindle will tell you. So in essence, you can keep your phone face down on a desk and keep seeing notifications about new mails and social network updates on the back itself, without the phone guzzling too much battery. A point that needs to be stressed here is that not ALL apps will run on the e-ink display. So do not go about having delusions of playing games on it. It is basically a notification and reading area, and it does that task reasonably well. However, for most routine tasks, you will have to keep returning to the main display. For instance, you cannot compose any messages or mails on the e-ink display, so every time you wish to text or message, you will have to flip the phone around. Also, we did not see a massive difference in battery life - a day with push mail and social networks buzzing. Call and sound quality are good, and the camera takes some very good images if the light is right you can also transfer them to the e-ink display with a two fingered swipe. The phone itself is a decent rather than spectacular performer - we did experience the odd lag while playing high-

end games and in multi-tasking.

Conclusion The YotaPhone is one of the most innovative devices we have seen for a while but at Rs. 23,499, it is an expensive proposition. The e-ink display is a wonderful touch but the gesture interface and the absence of apps reduce its utility. Give it a try if you want something that is militantly different from the run of the mill phone. But if what you are looking for is a high-performance device, then you would be better served by the Lenovo Vibe X2 or the OnePlus One, which offer better specs at lower prices. n team@mymobile.co.in

Price: Rs. 23,499 verdict Cons Gesture controls not smooth Not enough apps for e-ink display Old Android

perfoRmance

ease of use

Features

Looks

/10

value for money

overall

76%

january 2015 MYMOBILE 65

boredom busters Name: Bruce Lee Enter the Game Price: Free Tested on: Moto E

RATING



Bruce Lee Enter the Game The Dragon comes

to the Phone!

ruce Lee Enter the Game is a side scrolling action game dedicated to the master of martial arts. Bruce Lee. It not only catches his characteristic style, movement and garb, but even his famous grunts vividly (it has been endorsed by Bruce Lee’s family). It is quick and full of intense action with missions spread across numerous scenes. The game starts with Bruce taking on gangs of thugs bullying poor villagers, fighting smugglers and saving his friends from captivity. Tapping and swiping is at the heart of the game and as you progress the game enables you to use a wide combination of gestures, each deadlier than before. The going gets tougher with every scene, so upgrading power and fury is critically important. You can trade coins for a power booster if needed, but remember to use it wisely as it is limited. The game is very detailed for a 2D game, has an engrossing yet simple gameplay and is free to download. Fight game lovers could not ask for more. n

Candy Crush Soda Saga An iconic title gets a sequel

ne of the most popular games of recent times, Candy Crush Saga, now has a sequel too. Fans will have a lot to rejoice, as the new game is much more challenging, has more game modes, new candies and new elements like Soda. It is easy to play and works on the same principle as the original, where you had to match three or more candies of the same type. There are more game modes with missions marked on a map that looks as lively as the missions. The game mostly involves matching bottles to raise the purple fluid, popping the stipulated number of bottles and getting the right combination. It is tougher and more fascinating than before, and above all, it is free. Candy Crush Soda Saga is a fitting sequel to one of the most downloaded mobile games of recent times. n

Name: Candy Crush Soda Saga RATING

66 MYMOBILE january 2015



Price: Free Tested on: Moto E

www.mymobile.co.in Name: Darkness Reborn Price: Free Tested on: Moto E

RATING



Darkness Reborn Waging War

on Dark Powers

arkness Reborn is an action filled multi-player game where a bunch of warriors equipped with swords, spears and crossbows are entrusted with the task of freeing a cursed land from demons and supernatural creatures. Players can be controlled through a floating joystick while attacks and special powers are available on the right side of the screen, while in-game hints make it easier to play as more options of defense and offence keep showing up as the game progresses. Upgrading is important as the game goes on as enemies get progressively powerful - you may have control over your warrior’s temper and movement but without the right gear he is done. There is also a versus mode which lets you test your warrior against your friends, and a spin wheel that gives you chance to win random prizes. Impressive presentation and intense gameplay make it quite addictive, even though it needs an always-on connection to the Internet. n

Name: Cricket Captain Price: Rs. 577 Tested on: Moto E

RATING



Cricket Captain Cricket strategy on mobile

obile gaming is no longer about small-sized poorly designed games for the sake of casual entertainment. It now boasts popular gaming franchises with rich gameplay. Unfortunately, cricket has not seen any of its popular titles come to the mobile platform in recent times. Cricket Captain fills that void with its inventory of ICC tournaments, domestic leagues, classic matches, custom series and a huge pool of players. It is more of tactical game where your involvement goes down to each and every ball of the match. It can be difficult for first timers and action lovers but those who have played it on the PC would be right at home with it. The graphics are not as good as the FIFA games but a lot better than any existing cricket game on the mobile. It looks good and plays smoothly. If only it were not such an expensive proposition. n abhijit@mymobile.co.in

january 2015 MYMOBILE 67

Smart apps Camera Awesome The

camera app your phone should have

Name: Jelly Price: Free Tested on: Apple iPhone 5S

here are no end of camera applications for devices these days, some good, some ordinary and a few exceptional. In the last category comes Camera Awesome, which pretty much lives up to its name. Instead of the relatively plain camera apps that come on devices, Camera Awesome comes packed with a stack of features that will yank most mid-segment phones into camera phone territory. You get options like burst modes, shots at intervals, panorama and even a bigger shutter button for those who struggle with the smaller ones on their camera apps. You also get a whole lot of camera setting tweaks which you do not get in most default camera apps, including the option to determine image size and quality. The best thing is that these are delivered without too many complications, letting you get more out of your camera. Yes, we wish it came free, but if you love taking pictures with your phone, this is one app worth investing in. n

RATING



Name: Camera Awesome Price: Rs. 189 (Android), Free (iOS) Tested on: Google Nexus 5

RATING



Jelly The Q&A app

elly comes from Biz Stone, one of the founders of Twitter, and just like that app, this one too is marked by its simplicity. Only on Jelly, instead of expressing an opinion, what you do is ask or answer a question. That’s right: the app is all about letting users get answers to different questions. All one has to do is download the app, and register using either one’s Twitter or Facebook account. And after that it is down to posing questions and answering them. Questions appear in the form of cards, which you can flip through, and can pertain to a map location, a photograph or can be text. The answers are given by the community. You can rate questions and answers, mark them as inappropriate there, and share them on social networks. It might not sound like a big deal but if you have a strong social network, you will surprised at the speed and number of responses you get. n

68 MYMOBILE january 2015

Telecom Equipment Manufacturersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association of India

WTA

Smart apps Levitagram Put anything in

the air

hile most photography apps focus on settings, editing options and filters, Levitagram brings something totally new and innovative to the table – the ability to place virtually anything in the air. Yes, with this app, you can make almost anything float. The concept of the app is simple: you place the object that you wish to appear floating on something (a chair, a table, a stand) and take a picture of it. Then you remove both objects – the subject as well as what it was resting on – and take a picture again. The important thing is not to move the camera in between these two pictures, so that the perspective remains exactly the same. That done, the app does its magic, blending the two shots together and letting you remove the resting object, leaving your subject seemingly floating in air. It is easy to use and once you get the hang of not moving the camera (we still think it works best with two people, actually) and can result in some stunning images. Definitely worth a try for those jaw-dropping snaps! n

Name: Levitagram RATING

Price: Free



Tested on: Nokia Lumia 830 Name: Next Lock Screen Price: Free RATING



Tested on: Google Nexus 5

Next Lock Screen

Microsoft’s lock screen on Android

icrosoft making apps for Android? The notion might surprise many people given the fact that the big M has a rival OS of its own, but the Redmond company has been churning out a number of apps for the world’s most popular mobile platform for a while now. And the latest of them is the Next Lock Screen. As its name indicates, it is basically a lock screen app for Android devices, and is going to definitely strike a chord for those who like going in for a clean, minimalistic look on their device’s lock screens. The app basically shows the time, the weather, lets you choose a wallpaper of your choice, and best of all, actually lets you access upto fifteen apps directly from the lockscreen itself. You can have different settings for home, work and ‘on the go’ situations - for instance, you may want maps to be prominently displayed when you are on the move, and can also turn off the notifications bar if you find that intrusive. It is clean, simple and works very well indeed. Those who prefer elaborate apps might not prefer it, but we definitely think its worth a try. n nimishdubey@mymobile.co.in

70 MYMOBILE january 2015

Gear guide Disclaimer: The prices have been obtained from companies respective showrooms

Nokia Fast Micro-USB Charger | AC-10E

Save energy and save the environment. Based on a common energy-rating system for chargers, it has a 5-star rating for energy saving. Rs 900

Wireless Charging Plate

Keep your Nokia Lumia on this sleek plate and watch your battery charge up. It comes with minimalistic design and vibrant colours to match your device. Rs 3,999

Nokia Bluetooth Headset | BH-111

Choose the colour that suits you in a design that’s as comfortable as it is stylish - up to five colours available. It is lightweight and offers long time usage. Rs 2,100

Nokia Monster Earphone | WH920 The in-ear design of the set isolates external noise to ensure enriched music experience. The earphones have volume controller built in its cord. Rs 5,000

Nokia Bluetooth Headset | BH-218

It puts you in control of your hands free calls and keeps you connected all day long. Rs 1,999

Nokia Universal Portable USB Charger | DC-16

You can charge your smartphone anytime, anywhere with this power bank. It is compatible with most of the devices and has a battery capacity of 2,200 mAh. Rs 1,600

Nokia Play | 360°

Enjoy clear 360-degree audio for your music with Nokia Play 360° (MD-50W). The curved design case brings a modern look and feel. Rs 9,000

Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset | BH-505

Nokia Mono Bluetooth Headset | BH-109

With Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-109, you can handle calls hands-free, even when you are using two mobile devices at the same time. Rs 1,600

Bluetooth Headset BH-505 keeps you active and entertained. The headset features a lightweight neckband for all day comfort. Rs 3,500

72 MYMOBILE january 2015

www.mymobile.co.in in Delhi but may vary on account of dealer discretion/company schemes.

Wireless Charging Shell for Lumia 820 With wireless charging shell make your Nokia Lumia 820 compatible across any Qi wireless charger. Rs 1,999

Nokia Bluetooth Headset | BH-112

Keep it simple - pick up and end calls at the touch of a button. It works with multiple handsets at the same time ideal if you have phones for work and play. Rs 1,450

Wireless Charging Pillow by Fatboy

Now simply place your Lumia on the Fatboy pillow to start charging without even plugging in your Lumia. Rs 5,499

Nokia Monster Headset | WH 930

This Nokia headset boasts of some high end features that are not to be seen in any other headsets available in the market. Rs 10,500

Nokia Stereo Headset | WH-701

It helps to control your calls and music in a world of sound. It features three sets of comfortable ear pads and an integrated remote for controlling volume, calls, and music. Rs 1,100

Nokia Mini Speaker | MD-11

Play your music and listen to the radio out loud with this compact, yet powerful mini speaker. You can also connect them for quality stereo surround sound. Rs 1,100

Nokia Extra Power | DC-11K

Charge two devices at the same time. It is extra compact and lightweight and offers a quick boost of power. Rs 2,400

Nokia Bluetooth Headset | BH-104

With Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-104 you can stay on top of your calls and enable convenient wireless communication throughout the day. Rs 1,000

Nokia Car Charger | DC-4

Simple and compact, this mobile phone charger offers rapid phone charging from a car cigarette lighter socket. Rs 220

january 2015 MYMOBILE 73

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MY GUIDE While My Mobile tries to ensure accuracy in the pricing and features any discrepancies that may emerge are beyond our control. Please check with the retailer about features of the phone before buying. The ratings that have been included are from the burn tests of the phones that we have reviewed. Feel free to update us.

(Last updated on Dec 12, 2014) Devices featured in the My Guide have been segregated into four categories baswed on price and colour-coded as: Disclaimer : The prices quoted in My Guide are the Best Buy prices quoted by the respective companies, ex-Delhi. The prices may vary on account of promotional schemes or dealer discretion. M.O.P. mentiond in My Guide are not applicable in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

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JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 75

myguide MICROSOFT

MICROSOFT

MODELS

MICROSOFT

PARAMETERS Nokia 105

Nokia 107

Nokia 130

Nokia 108

Nokia 220 Dual SIM

Nokia 225

Nokia Asha 230

Dimension (mm)

107 x 44.8 x 14.3

112.9 x 47.5 x 14.9

106 x 45.5 x 13.9

110.4 x 47 x 13.5

116.4 x 50.3 x 13.2

124 x 55.5 x 10.4

99.5 x 58.6 x 13.2

Weight (grams)

75.8

67.9

69.9

83.4

100.6

89.3

Model

12/840

12.7/576

13/624

13.8/600

24/576

21/648

12/504

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

65,536/1.45

65,536/1.8

262,144/2.4

262,144/2.8

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8MB/No

4MB/16GB

NA/32GB

4MB/32GB

-/32GB

NA/32GB

64MB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

No/No

Yes/No

Camera/Flash/Video

No/No/No

VGA/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/No

1.3MP/No/No

Phonebook Capacity

500

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual Band/No

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual SIM/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

No/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Operating System

Series 30

Nokia OS

Asha software 1.1

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

No/Yes

Yes/Yes

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

1,150

1,550

1,500

1,800

2,500

3,299

3,400

MICROSOFT

MODELS

MICROSOFT

PARAMETERS Model

Nokia Asha 501

Nokia 206

Nokia Asha 210

Nokia 502

Nokia X

Nokia Lumia 520

Nokia Lumia 530

Dimension (mm)

99.2 x 58 x 12.1

116 x 49 x 12.4

111.5 x 60 x 11.8

99.6 x 59.5 x 11.1

115.5 x 63 x 10.4

119.9 x 64 x 9.9

119.7 x 62.3 x 11.7

Weight (grams)

97.3

100

128.7

124

129

17/624

20/680

12/1104

13.7/576

13.3/408

14/360

13.4/528

Talktime/Standby (hours) Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,144/3.0

65,536/2.4

262,144/3.0

16million/4.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

64MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/64GB

4GB/128GB

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.15MP/No/Yes

1.3MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.15MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1,000

Shared

Quad Band/No

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Frequency/Dual SIM GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Dual SIM/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Asha software 1.3

Series 40

Asha software 1.5

Nokia X software platform

Windows Phone 8

Windows Phone 8.1

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

3,500

3,700

4,500

4,900

5,200

6,000

6,500

76 MYMOBILE JANUARY 2015

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

myguide MICROSOFT

MICROSOFT

MODELS

MICROSOFT

PARAMETERS Model

Nokia Lumia 630

Nokia X+

Nokia X2

Nokia XL

Nokia Lumia 525

Nokia 515 Dual SIM

Dimension (mm)

129.5 x 66.7 x 9.2

115.5 x 63 x 10.4

121.7 x 68.3 x 11.1

141.4 x 77.7 x 10.9

119.9 x 64 x 9.9

114 x 48 x 11

140.2 x 72.4 x 8.8

Weight (grams)

134

128.7

150

190

124

102

146

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Lumia 535

NEW

16.4/648

13.3/408

10/552

16/720

17/336

10.4/432

11/336

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.5

16million/4.0

16million/4.3

16million/5.0

16million/4.0

262,144/2.4

16illiom/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/128GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/64GB

256MB/32GB

8GB/128GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/No/Yes

3.15MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1,000

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes/HSPA+ Windows Phone 8.1

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Nokia X software platform Nokia X software platform Nokia X software platform

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Windows Phone 8

Series 40

Windows Phone 8.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,190

MICROSOFT

MODELS

MICROSOFT

PARAMETERS Model

Nokia Lumia 630

Nokia Lumia 625

Nokia Lumia 730

Nokia Lumia 1320

Nokia Lumia 925

Nokia Lumia 830

Nokia Lumia 1020

Dimension (mm)

129.5 x 66.7 x 9.2

133.2 x 72.2 x 9.2

134.7 x 68.5 x 8.7

164.2 x 85.9 x 9.8

129 x 70.6 x 8.5

139.4x70.7x8.5

130.4 x 71.4 x 10.4

Weight (grams)

134

159

130

220

139

150

158

16.4/648

23.9/768

22/600

25/672

18.3/432

12.9/528

19.1/384

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.5

16.7million/4.7

16million/6.0

16.7million/4.5

16million/5.0

16.7million/4.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/128GB

8GB/64GB

8GB/128GB

8GB/64GB

16GB/No

16GB/128GB

Yes/Yes

32GB/No

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

6.7MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.7MP/Yes/Yes

10.0MP/Yes/Yes

41.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Windows Phone 8.1

Windows Phone 8

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

9,200

12,500

14,700

17,900

22,000

26,000

28,500

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Windows Phone 8.1 Windows Phone 8.1 Windows Phone 8.1 Windows Phone 8.1

Windows Phone 8

JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 77

myguide SUB-ENTRY LEVEL (UP TO Rs 2,499)

MODELS

MICROSOFT

PARAMETERS Model

MICROSOFT

ADCOM

HITECH

SAMSUNG

Nokia Lumia 1520

X14

X28

MX153

MX555

Guru Music 2

162.8 x 85.4 8.7

126 x 55 x 15

127 x 56x 12

133 x 56 x 9.5

112.5 x 45.5 x 14

122.8 x 51 x 9.8

Weight (grams)

209

96.5

74.98

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Pride 369

MAXX

Dimension (mm)

NEW

27.4/768

30/120

3/230

-/350

NA/350

11/800

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/6.0

262,144/2.4

256K/2.8

262,144/2.8

65,536/1.8

NA/2.6

65,536/2.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/64GB

32MB/8GB

-/32GB

NA/NA

NA/16GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

No/No

Camera/Flash/Video

20.0MP/Yes/Yes

1.3MP/No/Yes

1.3MP/NO/Yes

VGA/No/No

VGA/No/Yes

1.3 MP/No/Yes

No/No/No

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

150

200

300

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/No/N0

Yes/No/No

No/No/No

Yes/No/Yes

No/No/No

Windows Phone 8

Nucleus

Proprietary

Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/Dual SIM Dual Band /GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual BandGSM+GSM

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/Yes

Bar/No/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/No/No

36,600

1,249

1,299

1,499

1,030

2,376

1,850

ENTRY LEVEL

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

MODELS

(UP TO R s 2,499)

PARAMETERS Model

SAMSUNG

ADCOM

ALCATEL

CELKON

Metro 312

400

440Plus

A50

OT 2005D

OT 4007D PIXI

A 9 Dual

Dimension (mm)

112.7 x 46.4 x 13.1

126 x 66 x 13

136.36 X 66.36 x 8.8

145 x 70 x 9

120 x 50 x 9.95

115 x 62.3 x 12.2

120.5 x 63.9 x 10.6

Weight (grams)

73.7

152

135

162

118

116

Talktime/Standby (hours)

12/NA

11/72

14/425

13/500

3/200

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

65,536/2.0

16million/4.0

16million/4 inch

16million/5.0

262,155/2.4

262,144/3.5

16million/3.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

NA/16GB

512MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

512MB/32GB

128 MB/8GB

512MB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

VGA/No/Yes

3.2MP/Yes/Yes

3MP/Yes/Yes

3.2MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

3.2MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

1000

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual BandGSM+GSM Qual BandGSM+GSM Qual BandGSM+GSM Qual BandGSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Dual Band/Yes

GPRS/EDGE/3G

No/No/No

Yes/Yes/NO

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes /NO

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/No

Operating System

Proprietary

Android OS v4.0

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v2.3

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

2,800

2,599

3,499

3,999

2,750

4,933

3,399

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

78 MYMOBILE JANUARY 2015

myguide (Rs 2,500-5,999)

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

MODELS

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

CELKON

PARAMETERS Model

HITECH

A 15

A64

A 20

A 40

Dimension (mm)

119 x 63 x 9.9

124 x 65 x 10.5

125.5 x 64.5 x 11.4

126.2 x 64 x 10.8

116.8 x 60.9 x 10.7

122 x 63 x 9.5

131 x 66 x 9.7

Weight (grams)

125.6

122

126.5

102

127

Talktime/Standby (hours)

AMAZE S305

NEW

Amaze S411

AIR A1

NEW

6/150

5/150

4/200

3/180

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/3.5

16million/4.0

16million/3.5

16million/4

16million/4.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

512MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

512MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.2MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.2 MP/Yes/Yes

5MP/No/Yes

2MP/Yes/Yes

3.2MP/Yes /Yes

5.0MP/Yes /Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1000

Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual Band/Yes

Dual band/Yes

Dual Band/GSM+CDMA Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Rx only/HSPA+

Yes/ No /Yes

Yes/Yes/Yes

Android OS v4.2

Android 4.4

Android 4.2

Android 4.4

GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

3,499

3,500

4,599

5,999

2,999

3,299

4,799

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

MODELS

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

KARBONN

PARAMETERS Model

NEW

S99 Titanium

356 3G

Iris 406Q

T585

Optimus L3 II Single

133 x 66 x 9.7

116.9 x 62.5 x 12.6

124 x 64.5 x 10.3

103.09 x 59.9 x 10.8

102.6 x 61.1 x 11.9

Weight (grams)

130

112

103

125

NEW

A35

Dimension (mm)

Talktime/Standby (hours)

A26

LAVA

5/200

5/168

5/200

9/560

8/480

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.8

16million/4.0

16million/3.5

16illion/4.0

262,144/3.2

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

-/32GB

4GB/32GB

512MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

50MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

1.3MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

3.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Qual Band/GSM+GSM Dual SIM/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.0

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

4,900

5,100

5,990

3,900

5,500

4,200

5,700

JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 79

myguide (Rs 2,500-5,999)

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

MODELS

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

PARAMETERS

MAXX

Model

Optimus L3II Dual

MT401

MSD7

AXD21

AX409 DUO

AX356

AXD 11

Dimension (mm)

102.9 x 61.3 x 11.9

125.5 X 67 X 12.5

115 x 61 x 11.5

125.3 x 63.83 x 10.1

123.5 x 63.5 x 11

116.3 x 61.1 x 10.4

122.3 x 62.3 x 10.4

Weight (grams)

110

140

114

109.3

115.6

107.6

71.10

Talktime/Standby (hours)

16/730

NA/300

2.5/300

4/150

5/200

3.5/100

4/150

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,144/3.2

NA/4.0

262,144/3.5

256,144/4.0

262,144/4.0

262,144/3.5

262,144/4.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

512MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.15MP/No/Yes

3.0MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.2MP/Yes/Yes

2.0 MP/Yes/Yes

3.2MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1,000

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Dual BandGSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM

Dual Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2.2

Android OS v4.4.2

Android OS v4.2.2

Android OS v4.2

Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

5,900

2,838

4,000

3,999

4,300

4,392

5,184

MID LEVEL

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

MODELS

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

SAMSUNG

PARAMETERS Model

SPICE

ALCATEL

Champ Neo Duos C3262

Galaxy Star Pro

Mi 356

Mi 426

Steller 445

Steller 436

OT 8000D

Dimension (mm)

96.9 x 54.3 x 13.5

121.2 x 62.7 x 10.6

119.9 x 63 x 11.5

119.9 x 58 x 10.8

125 x 56 x 10.5

125 x 65.8 x 11.5

143 x 78.4 X 9.8

Weight (grams)

121

112

122

100

163

Talktime/Standby (hours)

14/550

15/370

7.5/120

6/250

4.5/170

16/15

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,144/2.4

16million/4.0

16million/3.5

16million/4.0

262,144/4.0

16million/4.0

262,144/NA

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

20MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

NA/32GB

4GB/32GB

-/32GB

4GB/32 GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

VGA/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

3.2MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Operating System

Proprietary

Android OS v4.1

Android OS, v4.2

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.3

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

3,000

5,000

3,300

4,000

4,200

5,300

9,999

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

80 MYMOBILE JANUARY 2015

myguide (Rs 6000-11,999)

(Rs 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(Rs 6000-11,999)

PARAMETERS Model

ALCATEL

BLACKBERRY

HITECH

IDEA

KARBONN

OT 6012D IDOL MINI

Curve 9320

Desire 310 Plus

Aurus III

Aurus IV

Sparkle V

127.1 x 62 x 7.9

109 x 60 x 12.7

147.8 x 72.8 x 7.9

132.4 x 68 x 11.3

113x66x10.4

Weight (grams)

103

150

140

138

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Air A6

HTC

Dimension (mm)

NEW

9/540

7/432

4/300

11/852

7/350

7.5/400

8/160

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.3

65,536/2.44

16million/5.0

16million/4.5

16million/4.0

16million/4.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/None

512MB/32GB

8GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.15MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Dual Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Operating System

Android OS v4.1

BlackBerry OS 7.1

Android 4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

7,999

8,400

6,999

10,600

7,790

8,999

5,900

(Rs 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(R s 6000-11,999)

KARBONN

PARAMETERS Model

Iris 455

Iris X1

Irish 506Q

Irish X5

Dimension (mm)

145.7 x 71.2 x 7.9

147.3 x 72.6 x 7.6

137.1x68.5x9.92

134 x 66 x 8.9

143 x 73 x 8.9

143.5 x 71.5 x 7.7

Weight (grams)

120

138

134

Talktime/Standby (hours)

S5+ Titanium

LAVA

Titanium Octen NEW Titanium Octen Plus NEW

NA/NA

8/-

9.7/-

5.3/230

6/200

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.0

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

1.4GB/32GB

16GB/32GB

4Gb/32GB

8GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13MP/Yes/Yes

16MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Shred

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSDPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

7,397

9,990

11,900

6,800

7,100

8,800

8,650

JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 81

myguide (R s 6000-11,999)

(Rs 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(R s 6000-11,999)

PARAMETERS

MICROMAX

SAMSUNG

Optimus L5 II E450

Optimus L5 II Dual

Unite 2

Dimension (mm)

117.5 x 62.2 x 9.2

132x67x9.15

138.9 x 71.9 x 9.4

132.4 x 64.5 x 8.65

121.4 x 62.9 x 10.7

Weight (grams)

103

136

158

143

123

Model

Canvas Xpress A99 NEW

Canvas Doodle 3

Galaxy Ace NXT

10/642

6/160

8/190

7/240

9/260

-/-

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.0

16million/4.5

16million/4.7

16million/4.5

16million/6.0

16million/4.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.5MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Operating System

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Android v4.2

Android v4.4

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/Yes/Bar

8,800

9,000

6,499

6,999

8,200

6,000

(R s 6000-11,999)

(Rs 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(R s 6000-11,999)

SAMSUNG

PARAMETERS

SONY

Model

Galaxy Star 2Plus

Galaxy S duos 3

Galaxy Win

Galaxy Core 2

E1 Dual

Dimension (mm)

129.7 x 65.9 x 9.4

121.4 x 62.9 x 10.8

133.3 x 70.7 x 9.7

130.3 x 68 x 9.8

130.8 x 67.9 x 8.8

118 x 62.4 x 12

Weight (grams)

124

143.9

138

130

120

-/-

7/-

11/210

-/-

8.2/498

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

65,536/4.3

16million/4.0

16million/4.7

262,144/4.5

16million/4.5

16million/4.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/64GB

4GB/32GB

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.5MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.15MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

SharedQuad

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Android v4.4

Android OS v4.4

Android v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.3

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/Bar

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/Yes/Bar

Bar/Yes/No

6,790

7,300

7,800

7,990

9,599

6,000

7,500

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

82 MYMOBILE JANUARY 2015

Galaxy Core Prime

NEW

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

myguide (Rs 6000-11,999)

(Rs 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(Rs 6000-11,999)

SONY

PARAMETERS

SPICE Dream UNO Mi

Coolpad MI-515

Stellar Virtuoso Mi 495

Xperia M

Xperia E3

Steller 509

Stellar Virtuoso Pro Mi 496

Dimension (mm)

124 x 62 x 9.3

137.1 x 69.4 x 8.5

145x79 x9.5

132x67x9.15

140 x 73 x 9.9

Weight (grams)

115

143

120

138

161

Model

Talktime/Standby (hours)

10.16/498

12.2/70

4/192

17/160

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.0

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

16million/4.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

NA/32GB

4GB/32GB

NA/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Quad Band/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Tri Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android v4.0

Android OS v4.4

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.0

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

9,400

10,700

6,200

6,000

6,299

7,500

10,000

(Rs 6000-11,999)

HIGH LEVEL

MODELS

(R s 6000-11,999)

PARAMETERS Model

SPICE Stellar Virtuoso Mi 530

XOLO Q1000 Opus

Q900

Dimension (mm)

152 x 79 x 10.3

135 x 67 x 8.5

143.3 x 72.9 x 9

137 x 70 x 9.9

143 x 71.3 x 8.8

144 x 72 x 10.5

133 x 67.5 x 7.9

Weight (grams)

196.3

138

110

4.1/696

22/640

18/700

13/384

26/550

22/675

7.2/415

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.3

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

16million/4.7

16million/5.0

16million/NA

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/Yes/Yes

8GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

8MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

8MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Q710S

ALCATEL

NEW

Opus 3

NEW

Omega 5

NEW

OT 6030

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes/HSDP+

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v4.0

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

13,999

6,999

7,500

8,370

8,499

8,999

13,500

JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 83

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

ALCATEL

PARAMETERS

APPLE

ATOM

Idol X+

OT 6033X

Iphone 5C

Iphone 5S

Iphone 6

Iphone 6 Plus

Supremus

Dimension (mm)

140.4 x 69.1 x 7.9

134.4 x 68.5 x 6.4

124.4 x 59.2 8.97

123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6

138.1 x 67 x 6.9

158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1

157 X 78 X 9.2

Weight (grams)

130

110

132

112

129

172

125

Model

12/240

16/700

10/250

14/250

24/384

18/460

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.0

16million/NA

16million/4.0

16million/4.7

16million/5.5

16.7million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/No

16,32/No

16,32,64/No

16,64,128/No

16GB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

13.1/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band

Yes/Yes/HPSA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

iOS8

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Bar/Yes/No

14,999

17,900

41,900/53,500

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

10,999

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

53,500/62,500/73,500 53,500/62,500/71,500 62,500/71,500/80,500

Model

BLACKBERRY

ATOM

PARAMETERS Ultimus

Maximus

9720

Curve 9360

Q10

Dimension (mm)

157 X 78 X 9.2

167 X 88 X 9.2

114 x 66 x 12

120 x 66 x 10.8

140 x 72.8 x 9.3

112 x 62 x 14.2

119.6 x 66.8 x 10.4

Weight (grams)

125

225

120

164

130

139

18/460

7/432

12/336

15.5/384

5/336

10/NA

Talktime/Standby (hours) Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16.7million/5.0

16.7/6.5

262,144/2.8

16million/3.1

16million/5.0

262,144/2.44

16million/3.1

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/32GB

512MB/32GB

8GB/32GB

256MB/32GB

16GB/64GB

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Quad Band/No

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Android v4.2

BlackBerry OS 7.1

BlackBerry OS 10

BlackBerry OS 10.2

BlackBerry OS 7.0

BlackBerry OS 10

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/Yes

12,999

18,400

12,000

12,800

13,200

16,990

23,500

84 MYMOBILE JANUARY 2015

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

BLACKBERRY

PARAMETERS Model

GIONEE

CELKON

Z10

Z30

Passport

CTRL V5

Elife E3

Elife E5

Dimension (mm)

130 x 65.6 x 9

140.7 x 72 x 9.4

128 x 90.3 x 9.3

17.8 x 9.8 x 6.5

134.5 x 67.7 x 8.1

137 X 68 X 7.9

137 X 69 X 6.85

Weight (grams)

136

170

196

135

103.5

133.9

Talktime/Standby (hours)

10/312

25/384

18/432

8/200

14.5/324

14/312

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.2

16million/5.0

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

16million/4.7

16Millon/4.7

16millon/4.8

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/64GB

32GB/128GB

16GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

16GB/32GB

16GB/NA

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Quad band/No

Quad Band/No

Dual Band/Yes

Frequency/Dual SIM GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

BlackBerry OS 10

BlackBerry OS 10.2 BlackBerry OS 10.3

Yes/Yes/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android 4.2

Android OS, v4.2

Quad Band/NA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.2

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

18,000

28,500

48,700

14,499

10,999

11,990

15,700

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

GIONEE

PARAMETERS Model

HTC

Elife E7 Mini

Elife S5.5

Elife E6

Elife E7

Desire 516

Desire 616

Desire 816G

Dimension (mm)

139.8 x 66.2 x 8.6

145.1 x 70.2 x 5.6

142.5 x 69.4 x 7.9

150.6 x 75 x 9.5

140 x 72 x 9.7

142 x 71.9 x 9.2

156.6 x78.74 x 7.99

Weight (grams)

142.9

120

150

160

150

158

18/200

NA/NA

9/220

14/700

10/460

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.7

16million/5.0

16.7million/5.0

16million/5.5

16million/5.0

16million/5.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16BG/No

16GB/No

32GB/No

16GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

4GB/64GB

8GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

13MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

16MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Tri Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

17,000

20,500

19,700

21,999

12,000

13,000

16,800

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 85

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

HTC

PARAMETERS Model

Desire 601

Desire 820q

NEW

Desire 820

NEW

Desire 816

One (E8)

One (M8 Eye)

NEW

One M8

Dimension (mm)

134.5 x 66.7 x 9.88

157.7 x 78.7 x 7.7

156.6 x 78.7 x 8

146.4 x 70.7 x 9.9

146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4

Weight (grams)

130

155

165

145

160

12.8/440

22/424

21/737

26.7/504

14/271

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.5

16million/5.5

16milliom/5.0

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/64GB

16GB/128GB

8GB/128GB

16GB/128GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

13MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

4.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Quad Band/No

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Android OS v4.4

Frequency/Dual SIM

Tri Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

17,990

21,500

23,500

24,500

30,000

37,500

39,500

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

PARAMETERS

HTC

LAVA

IDEA

LENOVO

One Max

Whiz

Ultra

Irish Pro 30

A850

S660

Vibe X S960

Dimension (mm)

164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29

138 x 66.7 x 7.5

79.3 x 9.45 x 153.5

137 x 68.8 x 10

144 x 74 x 6.9 mm

Weight (grams)

217

114

184

151

121

25/585

8.5/NA

16/700

4.5/400

28.6/490

36/840

16/288

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.9

262,144/4.0

16million/5.0

16.7million/4.7

16million/5.5

16million/4.7

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/64GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

16GB/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

4.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/No/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Tri Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Tri Band/Dual SIM

Dual Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA+

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Operating System

Android OS v4.3

Android v4.0

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

42,000

7,800

12,000

12,500

10,500

12,700

20,999

Model

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

86 MYMOBILE JANUARY 2015

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

LENOVO

PARAMETERS

Vibe z

Vibe z2 Pro

Optimus L7II Dual

L70 D310

L90 D410

G Pro Lite Dual D686

G3 Beat

Dimension (mm)

149 x 77 x 7.9

156 x 81.3 x 7.7

122.2 x 66.6 x 9.7

127.2 x 66.8 x 9.5

131.6 x 66 x 9.7

150.2 x 76.9 x 9.48

137.7 x 69.6 x 10.3

Weight (grams)

147

179

115.5

126.6

161

134

Model

33/648

45/948

12/800

4.6/490

14.5/845

-/-

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.5

16million/6.0

16 million/4.3

16million/4.5

16million/4.7

16million/5.5

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/No

32GB/No

4GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

8GB/64GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

16.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Android OS v4.3

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Quad Band/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

23, 000

32,999

11,995

14,000

16,000

15,680

17,300

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

PARAMETERS Model

G3 Stylus

NEW

Nexus 5 16GB/32GB

G2 16GB/32GB

G Pro 2

G3 16GB

G3 32GB

G Flex

Dimension (mm)

149.3 x 75.9 x 10.2

137.9 x 69.2 x 8.6

138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9

157.9 x 81.9 x 8.3

146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9

160.5 x 81.6 x 7.9

Weight (grams)

163

130

143

172

149

177

25/780

17/300

NA/NA

8/270

19/565

15/720

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16illion/5.5

16million/4.95

16million/5.2

16million/5.9

16million/5.5

16million/6.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/32GB

16GB/No

16GB/64GB

16GB/128GB

32GB/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

13MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

13MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Sahred

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual Band/GSM+GSM

Qual Band/No

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

27,000/34,000

31,000/32,000

35,500

37,100

39,990

49,800

Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

19,100

JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 87

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MICROMAX

PARAMETERS

SAMSUNG

Model

Canvas Nitro

Canvas XL A119

Canvas 4Plus

Canvas Knight

Canvas Gold

Galaxy Grand Neo

Galaxy Grand Prime

Dimension (mm)

141 x 72 x 9

165 x 84.2 x 10.4

142 x 71 x 7

144 x 70 x 7.3

143.7 x 77.1 x 9.6

144.8 x 72.1 x 8.6

Weight (grams)

152

180

116

163

156

10/320

9.4/209

7/205

7.5/175

8/210

11/430

17/-

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.0

16million/6.0

16million/5.0

16million/5.5

16million/5.01

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

16GB/32GB

32GB/No

8GB/64GB

Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

16MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Shared

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Camera/Flash/Video Phonebook Capacity Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

12,000

14,600

15,800

17,300

17,000

12,500

15,000

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

PARAMETERS Model Dimension (mm) Weight (grams) Talktime/Standby (hours)

SAMSUNG Galaxy Grand 2

Galaxy S4 mini

146.80 x 75.30 x 8.95 124.60 x 61.30 x 8.94 163

108

Galaxy S5 mini

Galaxy S4

136.6 x 70.75 x 8.6

Galaxy SIII Neo

Galaxy Note II N7100 Galaxy Note 3 Neo 151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4

148.4 x 77.4 x 8.6

131.1 x 64.8 x 9.1

136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9

132

183

162.5

120

130

17/370

12/NA

14/NA

35/980

18/540

10/NA

17/370

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.25

16million/4.3

16million/4.8

16million/5.5

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/64GB

NA/64GB

16GB/64GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Operating System

Android OS v4.3

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.3

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.3

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

16,000

17,500

22,500

23,000

23,500

25,000

26,000

88 MYMOBILE JANUARY 2015

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

SAMSUNG

PARAMETERS Model Dimension (mm) Weight (grams)

SONY

Galaxy S5

Galaxy Alpha

Galaxy Note 3

Galaxy Note 4

Xperia M Dual

Xperia E3 Dual

Xperia C

142 x 72.5 x 8.1

132.4 x 65.5 x 6.7

151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3

153.5 X 78.6 X 8.5

124 x 62 x 9.3

137.1 x 69.4 x 8.5

141.5 x 74.15 x 8.88

145

115

168

176

115

143

153

21/390

NA/NA

20/490

20/-

10.16/498

12.2/70

14.1/588

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.1

16million/4.7

16million/5.7

16million/4.0

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/128GB

32GB/No

32GB/64GB

32GB/128GB

4GB/32GB

Yes/Yes

16MP/Yes/Yes

12MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

16MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Shared

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Camera/Flash/Video Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Tri Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Operating System

Android OS, v4.4

Android OS v4.3

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

12,400

11,500

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

35,000

37,000

36,000

57,000

11,700

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

SONY

PARAMETERS Model

Xperia M2

M2 Dual

Xpiria C3

Xperia T2 Ultra

Xperia Z

Xperia Z 1 Compact

Dimension (mm)

139.7 x 71.1 x 8.6

156.2 x 78.7 x 7.6

165.2 x 83.8 x 7.7

150.7 x 77 x 7

139 x 71 x 7.9

127 x 64.9 x 9.5

Weight (grams)

148

149.7

171.8

148

146

137

Talktime/Standby (hours)

13.5/588

11.2/580

11/1040

16/1120

12.7/639

11/550

10/670

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.8

16milion/5.5

16million/6.0

16million/5.3

16million/5.0

16million/4.3

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/32GB

16GB/32GB

16GB/64GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.1MP/Yes/Yes

20.7MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Operating System

Android OS, v4.3

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Android OS v4.3

Android OS v4.4

Yes/Yes/HSPA+ Android OS, v4.3

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.1

Quad Band/No Yes/Yes/HSPA+ Android OS v4.3

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

14,999

19,800

21,500

24,300

28,300

32,000

JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 89

myguide CDMA PHONE

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

SONY

PARAMETERS Model Dimension (mm) Weight (grams)

XOLO

CDMMA

Xperia Z 1

Xperia Z 2

Xperia Z3 Copact

Xperia Z3

Hive 8X

X1000

Samsung B229

144.4 x 73.9 x 8.5

146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2

127.3x64.9x8.6

146 x 72 x 7.3

140 x 70 x 7.9

108 x 44.38 x 14.20

169

163

129

152

14/880

15/690

12/880

14/890

11/352

9.5/336

6.5/720

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.0

16million/5.2

16million/4.3

16million/5.2

16million/5.0

16million/4.7

65,536/1.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/64GB

16BG/128GB

16GB/128GB

16GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

450KB/No

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

No/No

Camera/Flash/Video

20.7MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

No/No/No

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1,000

Frequency/Dual SIM GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Quad Band/No

CDMA/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

No/No/No

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.0

BREW

Yes/Yes

No/No

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

30,500

39,800

41,500

47,000

12,999

13,800

1,100

CDMA PHONE

MODELS

CDMA PHONE

CDMA

PARAMETERS Model

MTS Striker C121

MTS Striker C131

MTS Striker C132

Micromax GC222

Lava ARC8c

MTS Mtag 281

MTS Duet

Dimension (mm)

106.8×44.7×13.15

108.5 × 46.7 × 12.15

115.5 × 47 × 13.5

110 x 45 x 10

104 x 57 x 13.3

Weight (grams)

65.5

68.2

Talktime/Standby (hours)

33/360

16/240

17.9/360

4.5/170

May-90

10/220

NA/NA

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

65,536/1.44

65,536/1.77

262,144/1.8

65,536/2.2

262,144/2.8

242,144/3.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

450KB/No

1.29MB/No

59KB/4GB

NA/8GB

170MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

No/No

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

No/No/No

VGS/No/Yes

VGA/No/Yes

3.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

500

300

100

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

CDMA/No

Dual Band/GSM+CDMA

GPRS/EDGE/3G

No/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/No/No

Yes/Yes/EVDO Rev.0

Yes/Yes/No

Operating System

BREW

Brew 3.1.5

Brew 3.1

BREW

Android OS v2.3

Music Player/FM Radio

No/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

1,500

1,550

1,650

2,289

2,699

3,199

5,199

Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

90 MYMOBILE JANUARY 2015

myguide CDMA PHONE

CDMA PHONE

MODELS

CDMA PHONE

CDMA

PARAMETERS Model Dimension (mm) Weight (grams)

MTS Duet II

Blackberry 8530

Moto G

116.36 x 61.7 x 12.7

109 x 60 x 13.9

129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6

HTC Desire 516 C

NEW

140 x 72 x 9.7

BlackBerry Curve CDMA 9350

HTC Desire XC

HTC Desire 700 C

109 x 60 x 11

119.5x 62.3 x 9.4

145.5 x 72 x 10.3

105

143

160

107

150

10/NA

4.5/252

24/NA

9/220

NA/NA

8/338

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,14/4.0

65,536/NA

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

NA/2.44

16million/4.0

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

120MB/32GB

256MB/32GB

8GB/No

4GB/32GB

512MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/64GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.2MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/NA/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Sahred

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual Band/GSM+CDMA

CDMA/No

CDMA/N0

Quad Band/GSM+CDMA

CDMA/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/1xEV-DO

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Android OS v2.3

BlackBerry OS

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

BlackBerry OS7

Android OS v4.1

GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Dual Band/GSM+CDMA Dual Band/GSM+CDMA

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

5,648

12,500

13,490

12,000

17,250

18,190

18,300

CDMA PHONE

TABLET

MODELS

TABLET

CDMA

PARAMETERS

APPLE

Desire 816

HTC Desire 600 C

HTC One Dual SIM HTC One (E8)

iPad Mini Wi-Fi

iPad Mini Wi-Fi with retina display

Dimension (mm)

156.6 x 78.7 x 7.9

134.8 x 67 x 9.26

137.4 x 68.2 x 10.4

146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4

200 x 134.7 x 7.2

200 x 134.7 x 7.5

200 x 134.7 x 7.2

Weight (grams)

165

130

143

160

308

331

312

Model

NEW

iPad Mini W-Fii+3G

21/737

11.4/539

27/500

14/271

NA/NA

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.5

16million/4.5

16.7million/4.7

16million/5.0

16 million/7.9

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/128GB

8GB/64GB

32GB/No

16GB/128GB

16,32,64GB/No

16,32,64/128GB/No

16,32,64GB/No

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

4.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0 MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Frequency/Dual SIM GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

NA/No

Quad Band/No

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

No/No/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.4

iOS 7

Dual Band/GSM+CDMA Dual Band/GSM+CDMA Quad Band/CDMA+GSM Quad Band/CDMA

Yes/Yes/HSPA Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

No/No

Bar/Yes/No

24,000

36,000

39,500

21,900/27,900/33,900

28,900/35,900/42,900/49,900

29,900/35,900/41,900

JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 91

myguide TABLET

TABLET

MODELS

TABLET

APPLE

PARAMETERS

KARBONN

LAVA

MICROMAX

iPad Mini Wi-Fi+3G with retina display

iPad Air Wi-Fi

iPad Air W-Fii+3G

A34 TA-FONE HD

A37 TA-FONE HD

Ivory Tab 702

Dimension (mm)

200 x 134.7 x 7.5

241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4

197 x 124 x 12.3

194 X 120.5 X 10.8

Weight (grams)

331

652

662

335

360

311

Model

Talktime/Standby (hours) Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

Canvas P666

NEW

NA/NA

8/240

NA/NA

16 million/7.9

16 million/9.7

16million/7.0

262,144/7.0

16milliom/7.0

16milliom/8.0

16,32,64GB/No

4GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

Inbuilt/Expandable memory 16,32,64/128GB/No Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0 MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Frequency/Dual SIM GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY

NA/No

Quad Band/No

No/No/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSPA

iOS 7

Android OS v4.0

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Quad Band/No

No/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Bar/Yes/No

7,200

8,900

8,700

10,999

Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Tri Band/GSM+GSM Tri Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM

37,900/44,900/51,900/58,900

31,900/37,900/43,900 39,900/45,900/51,900

TABLET

MODELS

TABLET

LENOVO

PARAMETERS Model

Yoga 8

SAMSUNG

Yoga Tab 2 8.0

NEW

Galaxy Tab 3 Neo

Galaxy Tab 4 231

Galaxy Tab 4 331

Galaxy Tab 4 531

Galaxy Tab S 705

Dimension (mm)

213.3 x 114.78 x 7.62

210 x 149 x 7

193.4 x 116.4 x 9.7

186.9 x 107.9 x 9

210 x 124 x 7.9

243.4 x 176.4 x 7.9

212.8 x 125.6 x 6.6

Weight (grams)

401

419

322

276

320

487

345.7

18/NA

18/324

20/NA

10/-

-/-

-/432

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/8.0

16million/7.0

16milliom/8.0

16million/10.1

16million/8.4

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/32GB

16GB/64GB

NA/32GB

8GB/32GB

16GB/64GB

8GB/128GB

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

VGA/No/Yes

3.15/MP/No/Yes

3.15MP/No/Yes

8.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+/LTE

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.4

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

11,300

17,900

23,500

30,498

37,800

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

88 19,500

92 MYMOBILE JANUARY 2015

20,990

LIFESTYLE

MODELS

TABLET

SAMSUNG

PARAMETERS Model

SONY

TAG HEUER Meridiist GMT Stainless Racer Sport Classic Steel/Black PVD

Galaxy Tab S 805

Galaxy Note Pro

Xperia Tablet Z

Racing Carbon

Link

Dimension (mm)

247.3 x 177.3 x 6.6

204 x 295.6 x 7.95

266 x 172 x 6.9

118 x 64.35 x 15.9

112 x 46 x 15.5

118 x 64.35 x 15.9

118 x 67 x 16.6

Weight (grams)

753

495

160

155

160

200

Talktime/Standby (hours)

-/432

54/NA

10/890

3/220

7/392

3/220

6.5/336

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/10.0

16million/12.2

16million/10.1

16 million/3.5

262,144/1.9

16million/3.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/64GB

32GB/64GB

16GB/64GB

8GB/32GB

NA/NA

8GB/32GB

256MB/8GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.15MP/No/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.1/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/No/Yes

No/No/No

5.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1,000

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

NA/No

Quad Band/No

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

No/No/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSUPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v2.3

Android v2.3

Android OS v2.2

GPRS/EDGE/3G Operating System Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

44,500

57,600

40,000

Starting 2,06,000+

Starting 2,85,000+

3,15,000

Starting 3,40,000+

LIFESTYLE

MODELS

LIFESTYLE

TAG HEUER

PARAMETERS Model

VERTU

Racer Prestige Gold Meridiist Steel & Gold

Ascent

Constellation Ayxta

Ascent Ti

Constellation Quest

Signature

Dimension (mm)

118 x 64.35 x 15.9

112 x 46 x 15.5

117 x 46 x 19

100 x 48 x 18

115.5 x 49 x 13.1

116 x 60.8 x 12.7

130 x 42 x 13

Weight (grams)

160

155

148

174

160

165 to 185

166

3/220

7/392

4.8/300

6/300

5/300

7.5/349

3.5/300

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/3.5

262,144/1.9

16million/2.0

16million/2.4

16million/2.0

16million/2.46

16million/2.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/32GB

NA/NA

8GB/32GB

100MB/8GB

4GB/No

8GB/32GB

4GB/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/No/Yes

No/No/No

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.15MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

No/No/No

Phonebook Capacity

1,000

2,000

1,500

Shared

2,000

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSUPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/R99

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/R99

Operating System

Android OS v2.3

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Clamshell/No/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/No/No

4,55,000

Starting 5,45,000+

Starting 2,89,000+

Starting 3,47,000+

Starting 3,75,000+

Starting 3,90,000+

Starting 7,28,000+

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Music Player/FM Radio Form Factor/T.Screen/QWERTY Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

JANUARY 2015 MYMOBILE 93

etcetera Toreto Bluetooth BoomBox Adding decibels to your smartphone

Price: Rs. 6,499

ortable bluetooth speaker has become a popular accessory these days as more people carry their music around on their phones. Small wonder that a number of big players, like Sony and Logitech have come out with Bluetooth speakers to grab the attention of music lovers. And the latest to join the Bluetooth speaker wave is Toreto, which has come out with the BoomBox Music Player, which can be connected with a mobile, USB drive and with 3.5 mm line connecting cord, and also comes with FM radio. It is a stylish looking player with a handle on the top to let you carry it around and is very reminiscent of the stereo cassette players of the nineties. The Boombox scores when it comes to music quality - sound was clear and there was no distortion even at high volumes. Connecting it over Bluetooth was easy as well. The device has a Lithium Ion battery but has no memory card slot, which is a bit surprisng. All said and done, a decent option for those who want good audio on the move. n

Amkette Trubeats Tango Portability redefined

Price: Rs. 1,499

94 MYMOBILE january 2015

ver the ear headsets are no longer restricted to the confines of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, and more and more users are seen using them in public places. And that is because of headsets like Amketteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trubeats Tango, which are extremely easy to carry around. The Trubeats Tango, which comes high on portability and even higher in affordability, rests on highly flexible metal frame with leather band on the top, square shaped ear cups with soft cushions on the two ends and a long cable made of a fine rubber like material. The metal hinges can be adjusted while the frame can be curled with the fine material cable wrapped around it. Yes, you can even carry it in your pocket. It can connect with any 3.5mm headsets and share music with others. The best part is the sound quality, which is simply brilliant, at this price point. n

www.mymobile.co.in

Zebronics Bliss

Tower power sound on the move

ith the knack for delivering speakers on a budget, Zebronics brings a highly compact tower speaker this time, the Bliss. It isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meant to be confined in a drawing or bed room but is designed to be taken out with a firmly secured handle on the top, firm rubber stands at the bottom and a light wooden form factor. Many may find its material and finish a bit on the cheaper side, but Zebronics makes up for its lack of design elegance by delivering a power packed performance and features like SD card support, AUX support, direct playback through a USB drive and FM radio with an antenna on the back. It runs on three rechargeable AA cells and can be handled with a compact remote or the LED control panel on the front of the speaker. The handle on top makes it easy to carry while the wooden exterior, the retro finish and the light effects on the control panel make this low-cost speaker decent value for money for those who want their sound out loud, but without spending too much. n

Price: Rs. 1,549

Seagate Backup Plus Fast Big storage, small form factor

e are generating more data every day, be it in the form of images, social network posts, e-mails or documents. And even as our data output goes up, so do our requirements for saving and backing up this data. Small wonder then that back up hard drive solutions that used to be measured in gigabytes have now moved into terabyte territory. On the flip side, these devices are also getting smaller than ever before, allowing you to carry data from more than one computer on a single compact device that will fit into your pocket. A prime example of this is the Seagate Backup Plus Fast with 4 TB capacity. Equipped with USB 3.0, the drive claims to have 220 mbps data transfer speed, but the real transfer speed that we experienced seemed a bit slower. That said, there is no doubt that it is significantly faster than many of its competitors. It has a metallic exterior which gives it a solid look. It is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and also with devices running the Mac OS. n

Price: Rs. 22,500

january 2015 MYMOBILE 95

etcetera Plantronics Backbeat Pro High

quality music guaranteed

lantronics Backbeat Pro is a fine looking wireless headset designed for comfort not only when you are using it but also when you are not using it (The metallic hinge which connects the two over the ears cups comes covered with a soft cushion over it so you can rest it in your neck comfortably). You can control the amount of noise you want to let in as it comes with an active noise cancellation button on one of the ear-cups. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a voice control knob and the mute button on the other ear cup. The headphones deliver wholesome music with every detail coming out brilliantly. They connect via NFC or Bluetooth and if you want to go traditional have a 3.5 mm audio out too. The wireless range is good and when not connected the headset goes into hibernation automatically, preserving battery life. Charging does seem to take a bit of time, but you can keep track of it using the blue LED indicator, which display battery levels. Some might find its price tag a bit high, but it does deliver excellent sound quality. n

Price: Rs. 14,990

Logitech K480 One

keyboard to rule them all

Price: Rs. 5,490

96 MYMOBILE january 2015

eyboards that can be connected wirelessly to tablets and phones are nothing new. But what makes the Logitech K480 special is its ability to connect to three devices across different platforms and let you switch from one to another depending on your needs. The K480 is a standard desktop style keyboard with large keys. The portability crowd might find it too bulky and heavy to carry but we think those who do a lot of writing will be just fine with it. The keyboard pairs smoothly with Android, iOS and Windows devices, and provides an excellent typing experience, but what makes it special is the dial that lies on its top left corner. The dial moves to three locations and you can assign each location to a device and thus keep switching the keyboard between them. So if you are working on your iPad, and suddenly get a text message on your phone, you can swap the pairing of the keyboard to the phone by simply moving the dial. It is simple, it is brilliant and very effective for those who write a lot on multiple platforms. Although it has not been released officially in India, it can be ordered from Amazon for USD 49.99. n

www.mymobile.co.in

Price: Rs. 18,999

Sony DSC QX30 Lens Style Camera Make any phone a great camera

magine being able to add 30X optical zoom and a 20.2 megapixel sensor to any Android or iOS device? Well, that is what you can do with the superb Sony DSC QX30 Lens Style camera. Sony had pioneered the concept of cameras with powerful lenses that can be attached wirelessly to any phone using Wi-Fi and an app. The QX-10 had brought a 10X zoom to phones, and the QX-30 increases that to 30X optical zoom, and also increases the megapixel count to 20.2-megapixels from the 18.0-megapixels of its predecessor. The result is just as brilliant as it was in the QX10, although as in that device, one does have to get used to the photography process getting lengthened: you have to switch on the lens, pair it with the phone over Wi-Fi, attach it physically if need be, launch the app (it works only with a specific Sony app), take the picture and then switch off the lens and store it away. All of which detracts from the ‘spontaneity’ that is the trademark of phone photography. Also, unlike the QX10, the QX30 tends to be a bit bulky so keeping it stable with the zoom fully extended can be a bit of a challenge. On the flip side, one ends up getting very good photographs and if one uses the option of saving the pictures on one’s phone, can even share them within seconds of taking them, whether it is over mail or on social networks. For Rs. 18,999, the DSC QX30 is a great option for those who want point and shoot and near-DSLR level quality from any handset they use. Provided they are ready to put up with shooting app restriction and the delay in taking a shot. n

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etcetera HTC Re The camera for

adventure lovers

n first glance, the HTC Re seems to be a very odd sort of device. It is shaped a bit like a submarine periscope or a breath inhaler. It is however, actually a camera and a very powerful one at that – it comes with a 16.0-megapixel CMOS Sony sensor, with a 146 degree super wide angle with a f2.8 aperture. It is capable of recording full HD video, slow motion video and taking time lapse recording. And it comes in an incredibly small form factor that fits your hand easily and can even be mounted on a tripod. It comes with a shutter button that is on its back for easy still and video photography – just click it to take a snap – and also has a microSD card slot and its own battery. As it does not have a viewfinder, so you will need to pair it with an Android or iOS device to be able to see the results of your photography – you can also use the phone to take pictures from the Re if you wish. Connecting it can be a bit of a task as our phones did not always detect it straightaway, but results in terms of video were top notch, although we would not recommend using it for stills. It is built on solid lines and we think can be a great alternative for those who love making videos and want to keep their hands relatively free (incidentally, you can use it underwater as well) – the Re is far easier to manage than a phone or a digital camera. Yes, it is pricey at Rs. 9,990, but then this level of quality often comes with a stiff price tag attached. Competition for the GoPro, we say. n

Price: Rs. 9,999 team@mymobile.co.in

98 MYMOBILE january 2015

RNI REG NO./DELENG/2005/15033 DL (ND) - 11/6100/2015-16-17 (Posting Date 19-20 of every month)