all-low-res-eng-may-2014 by My Mobile

www.mymobile.co.in

may 2014 ď Ź Rs 100 tm

for a connected lifestyle

mobile is the Future

Read more inside P 41

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may 2014 ď Ź Rs 100

www.mymobile.co.in

for a connected lifestyle

get ready to play! the best games in cell town P 22 Tested

Moto X, Atom Supremus, Nokia X, Celkon Campus, Oppo N1, LG G Flex, Lenovo IdeaPad A10, Sony Xperia Z1 Compact and more P 44

Phone of the month Micromax Canvas Knight P 60

Appy Voting

Apps for elections

P 30

first call

t is that time of the year when the sun really comes into its element, and suddenly the indoors look a whole lot more inviting and going outside in the afternoon comes with an unwritten statutory warning in most parts of the country. The mercury soars, and one only turns one’s head to the skies in the hope of spotting a hint of cloud. Which is why our lead story this month is about keeping yourself entertained indoors. Yes, with the schools closed and the sun reigning supreme, what better time to indulge yourself in a spot of gaming on your handset or tablet? Head to our lead story to get a list of the latest and greatest games that can help you while away hour after hour and indeed even keep you engrossed for days. From old favourites like Angry Birds to new ones like Threes, they are all there and for all platforms, be they Android, BlackBerry, iOS or Windows Phone. This issue also sees the return of one of our popular features of the past Know Your Operator. We had introduced this a few years ago, providing you information about key national operators, theirstrategies and their plans. As anyone will tell you, a few years is a long time in technology, and a lot has changed since our last series. Which is why we have revived it. And we start our new series this time with one of the most innovative operators in the country - Aircel. Meanwhile, even as you read this, it is a fair chance that voting will be going on in the country. Which is why our issue also comes with a section on apps that reflect this exercise of our democratic rights - be it apps that contain basic information to small games that let you step into the shoes of Prime Ministerial candidates. And do also check out our guide on portable chargers - those handy gadgets that ensure your devices never run out of power. As always, new devices form the core of our issue and this time too we have reviews and features around some of the latest devices in tech town. Among those who have been put through our Burn Test are the likes of the Nokia X, the Oppo N1, the LG G Flex, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact and the Micromax Canvas Knight. And rounding off all these are our usual array of features, including interviews with key members of the industry and reviews of the latest apps in town (MS Office for the iPad? It is here!). And of course, no issue would be complete without our attempts to resolve your problems and answering your queries through sections like Consumer Forum and Mobile Doctor. Of course, there are your letters too - our constant source of encouragement and feedback.

EDITORIAL Pankaj Mohindroo |

Editor-in-Chief

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

CIRCULATION Lalit Sharma | Sr. Manager – Circulation

A D V I S O R Y B O AR D Prithipal Singh S.C. Khanna S.D. Saxena Rajan Mathews T.R. Dua T.V. Ramachandran

Happy reading and yes, do steer clear of the sun. Summer’s well and truly here.

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.

Pankaj Mohindroo editor-in-chief

06 MYMOBILE May 2014

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 III, MAY 2014

content

apptastic

Lead Story 22

Here is one for the summers - our Gaming special. We bring to you leading games on various platforms from different genres to spice up your holidays.

Be a ‘know it all’ of India Politics with these five election apps that inform, educate and entertain.

cell clues

chief speak P Balaji, Managing Director, Nokia India talks about the ‘X’ series of devices and where Andoid fits into Nokia's future plans.

36 spotlight

08 MYMOBILE may 2014

versus Microsoft has updated its Windows 8.1 as well as Windows Phone 8. We take a look at the changes to the two OSes.

Always wanted to know more about 4G but did not know whom to ask? Read our FAQ on 4G to get your answers.

Big screens are ruling cell town. What better time to compare three of the biggest: the HP Slate 6 Voice Tab, Nokia Lumia 1320 and Sony Xperia T2 Ultra.

Letters

News

Consumer Forum

Mobile Doctor

Gear Guide

content Face to Face

Rajiv Bapna, Director, Amkette talks about the company's journey so far and its plans for the future. Stephen Si, managing director, Nufront dicusses about the future prospects of the company in india.

41 BURN TESTS

44 Alcatel Onetouch Idol Mini 45 Celkon Campus A40 46 Huawei Y511 47 Atom Supremus 48 Asus Transformer Book trio 50 Nokia X 52 LG G Flex 54 Lenovo ideapad a10 56 Sony xperia Z1 Compact 58 Micromax Canvas Knight 60 Moto X 62 Oppo N1 64 Intex Aqua Octa 66 ZTE Grand X Quadlite

Total number of pages= 100 (96 + 4 cover)

10 MYMOBILE may 2014

Know your operator Yes, our regular feature informing you about India's leading operators is back. This time we look at Aircel.

just in

Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s One M8 are set to slug it out for flagships glory.

sneak peek

The first Lumia with dual SIM connectivity, the Nokia Lumia 630 and Sony's new flagship, the Xperia Z2 are coming

etc 64GB Kinston DataTraveler, Ferrari Logic 3 T150 headphones, Groovez Zip Earphones by STK, Seagate Central 4TB and much more

Smart Apps

Now experience the MS Office Suite on the iPad, keep track on daily news and events with Magnify Beta, and add weather to your snaps with InstaWeather.

vantage point 100

Sanjay Sinha, General Manager of Fortumo India shares his take on the vast potential of the Indian cellphone market. And how it can be tapped.

my guide

letters I am a regular reader of My Mobile magazine and I love the BEST OF BARCELONA! THE DEVICES THAT ROCKED MWC 2014 magazine for its Budget Smartphone exclusive and interAppy Sharing esting stories. I liked Tested the way you covered the Mobile World Congress, one of the most important tech events in the world. The gadgets included in the story were very good and the story contained useful information about all the products. It also highlighted that the companies are focusing hard on the wearable tech segment. I would also appreciate if My Mobile will keep us updated about the India launch of the devices launched at MWC. Along with the wonderful content the designing was also very nice and added high readability value to the story. – Pooja Joshi, Delhi www.mymobile.co.in

APRIL 2014  Rs 100

FORM IV (see rule 8) My Mobile

FOR A CONNECTED LIFESTYLE

P 20

Moto G vs Nokia Lumia 525 vs Micromax Canvas Turbo Mini P 66

Apps that let you share with minimum fuss P 32

Samsung Galaxy Grand 2, Moto G, HP Slate 6 Voice Tab, Gionee Elife E7, HTC Desire 601, Micromax Canvas Turbo Mini and many more P 44

Phone of the month Lenovo Vibe Z P 58

Place of publication

New Delhi

Periodicity of its publication :

Monthly

Printer's Name

Pankaj Mohindroo

Nationality

Indian

Address :

#25, First Floor Shankar Market Connaught Place, New Delhi – 110001.

Publisher's Name

Pankaj Mohindroo

Nationality

Indian

Address :

#25, First Floor Shankar Market Connaught Place, New Delhi – 110001.

Pankaj Mohindroo

Editor's Name

Nationality : Indian I have been reading My Mobile magazine since Address : #25, First Floor five years and I am very impressed by the way it Shankar Market Connaught Place, is progressing. I like all the sections of the maga New Delhi – 110001. zine but my favourite is the versus section. It was an amazing sight to see three interesting devices 6. Name and addresses of individuals who own the newspaper and partners or compete with each other. It was very well writshareholder' holding more than one per cent of the total capital: ten and covered all the aspects of the devices. OWNER It will also be very helpful for the consumers as Pankaj Mohindroo, they will be able to make a clear choice at the #25, First Floor Shankar Market Connaught Place, New Delhi – 110001. time of purchasing the device. Moreover, it also I, Pankaj Mohindroo, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the highlighted the devices offered by the Indian best of my knowledge and belief. manufactures are also powerful enough and are a good buy. I would like to see more interesting devices in the versus section. very interesting, as it covered some amazing devices like the - Sanjay Dutt Pandey, Shimla Moto G, Lenovo Vibe Z and many others. These reviews are very helpful and you write them in a very clear manner. I My Mobile is my favourite tech magazine. I like the way you cover appreciate the good work of the team. various aspects of the tech industry. I really liked the Facebook - Rahul, Chennai and WhatsApp deal and the Budget 2014 story you carried in the April issue of the magazine. The deal was very well explained and what impact it can have on the users was also covered very nicely. The Budget story also gave clear insight as to what the new interim budget may have in store for the consumers. Although a one pager, it was written very nicely and explained things very well. I would like you to cover more stories of e the nd hav a similar kind. a s e n dream llpho – Anirudh Kumar, Punjab ey in a out ce I am a great fan of My Mobile and every month I eagerly wait for the magazine. I enjoy reading the telecom stories and the Burn Tests which you publish in the magazine. I really liked the telecom story which you did on the 2G auctions. It cleared the picture of the 2G auctions and clearly explained the telecom situation in the country after the auctions. Apart from this I also found the Burn Test section

12 MYMOBILE may 2014

ab ok crazy a few lines? and can als n the latest have it u o y so ou Are ws pen for ne y your hand you think y tial to e n s e o t n o a f l p a I dia’s to them? u have rave to 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 Airtel to offer free data on Nokia X for three months Airtel is offering free Internet up to 500 MB per month on all Nokia X handsets for a period of three months. Once the 500 MB quota is exceeded, user will be charged 3 paisa per 10 KB in 3G circles and 10 paisa per 10 KB in 2G circles. The offer is valid on all newly purchased Nokia X phones until June 30. Launched recently at Rs 8,599, Nokia X is Nokia’s first Android phone. It will soon be joined by two more Android phones, Nokia X+ and XL.

Aircel contest to allow subscriber to travel with Chennai Super kings

announcement came at the Microsoft Build Conference where Microsoft was showcasing Windows Phone 8.1.

Cable TV rates to go up by 27.5% after TRAI approval TRAI has agreed with the cable operators’ demand to increase cable TV subscription rates in non digitized areas by 27.5 per cent on account of the rise in wholesale price index over the last five years and a number of other factors. The last inflationary rise took place in 2009, when subscription rates were increased by 7 per cent. However, the rates will not be hiked right away as it may displease consumers, and will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, which will commence from April 15, will see the cable TV subscription rates go up by15 per cent. The second instalment of the increase will be enforced after a subsequent notice.

Samsung launches Galaxy S5 at Rs 51,500 Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone Galaxy S5 has been launched in India at Rs 51,500. The phone belongs to one of the most sought after range of smartphones which sees a new version every year. The Galaxy S5 has a 5.1-inch 1080p AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, two quad-core processors of 1.9GHz and 1.3GHz, 2GB RAM, a 2,800mAh battery, 16.0-megapixel camera, and runs on the latest Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system.

Xolo launches Q1010i in India at Rs 13,499

Cashing on the IPL fever, telecom operator Aircel and brand Chennai Super Kings have launched a contest called High Flyer Contest for Aircel subscribers. The lucky winner of this contest will get to fly with the Chennai Super kings team, reside at the same hotel and attend their matches. Users can participate by dialing *121# through their pre-paid or post paid connections. The operator is also going to distribute 800 free tickets along with a range of other offers.

Microsoft to offer Windows on mobile and tablets for free Microsoft has decided to do away with the license fee for Windows on tablets and mobile phones of a specific size. From now onwards Windows is going to be free on all devices with screen sizes of 9.0-inches and lower. This is probably going to bring about a significant drop in prices of not just Windows-based smartphones but tablets as well. It is estimated that the licenses fee for Windows was approximately about 10 to 15 USD on very unit. The

16 MYMOBILE May 2014

Xolo has added another smartphone in the Q series family. The latest addition Q1010i, priced at Rs 13,499, is an upgrade of the Xolo Q1010 which was launched only two months ago at Rs 12,999. Q1010i runs on Android 4.2, which can be upgraded to Android 4.4 as per the company, has a 5.0-inch display with 720p resolution, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage (expandable upto 32 GB),dual SIM slots and a 2,250mAh battery.

Moto G CDMA launched by Reliance Communications at Rs 13,450 Motorola has launched the CDMA version of its best-selling device, the Moto G, in association with India’s number one CDMA service provider Reliance Communications. The

CDMA version of Moto G will only be available in the 8GB variant and doesn’t require SIM cards unlike the GSM version. The handset will be available on Reliance Stores at Rs 13, 490. Users can also buy it on 6 months and 12 months EMI with zero down-payment.

Nokia announces 3 Lumia phones on Windows 8.1 Nokia announced three Lumia smartphones at the Microsoft Build Conference in San Francisco. The handsets will be running the next edition of Windows Phone, called Windows phone 8.1. While the handsets will be available in the market this summer, the updated OS will be released on all Lumia phones as an update by next month. The three devices include Lumia 630, Nokia’s first dual SIM Lumia phone; Lumia 635, which supports 4G/LTE; and Lumia 930, which features a 20MP PureView camera.

Pay Rs 500 to restore numbers disconnected for pesky calls The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has softened its stance towards pesky callers. According to a notification issued by the regulator, phone numbers disconnected for sending pesky calls and text messages can be resumed on payment of Rs 500 per connection, if the request has been made within 30 days. The regulator came down heavily on such callers last year and recommended a fine of Rs 25,000 or disconnection of the number used for communication for a period of two years.

Google updates election portal with updates on general elections Google’s election portal launched during last year’s Assembly elections has been updated with details of the 2014 general elections. The portal provides information on the constituencies, candidates, their financial and academic background and a information on political parties. Content for the portal has been provided by the Association for Domestic Reforms, PRS Legislative Research and Liberty Institute India. Users can also visit official sites of political parties, watch their leaders speak on YouTube and Google Hangouts and follow the latest news coverage on elections.

Kindle and Paperwhite available on EMIs Amazon has introduced a 12-month EMI scheme on the new generation Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle devices. Customer can get

news bits a Kindle e-book reader for Rs 500 per month and a Paperwhite for Rs 900 per month. Amazon is also offering these devices at discounted prices as part of the EMI promotion scheme. Kindle Paper-white will cost Rs 10,080 instead of Rs 10,999, and the basic Kindle model will cost Rs 5,600 instead of Rs 5,999.

Gionee launches Elife S5.5 in India at Rs 22,999 The world’s slimmest smartphone, the Gionee Elife S5.5, which is a mere 5.5mm thin was launched in India at Rs 22,999. Powered by MediTek’s octacore processor, the device boasts of 2GB RAM, 5.0-inch 1080p AMOLED display, 16GB internal memory and a 2,300mAh battery. It runs on Android 4.2, carries Gionee’s Amigo user interface and sports a 13.0-megapixel back camera and 5.0-megapixel front camera. The handset will be available in the market from April 27 onwards.

Qualcomm announces two 64-bit LTE ready chipsets Qualcomm has announced two 64-bit LTE equipped mobile processors, Snapdragon 810 and 808. The company claims the two are its highest performing platforms till date and completes its line-up of 64-bit processors. The chipsets will be made available to mobile phone manufacturers by the second half of 2014 and the products based on theses chipsets can be expected in the market by early 2015. Qualcomm had announced a mid-range 64-bit chipset, Snapdragon 610, at this year’s Mobile World Congress.

Facebook passes the 100 million mark in India

users are active via mobile devices. This makes India the second most popular marketplace for Fcaebook after USA. With over 1.23 billion users across the globe, Facebook recently acquired mobile messenger app WhatsApp for $19 billion. Facebook hopes to connect 5 billion people through Internet.org, a joint initiative to make affordable Internet access available to all.

Flappy Bird to return but not soon

Lava launches Iris Pro 20 at Rs 13,999 Lava has launched a new smartphone called the Iris Pro 20 at Rs 13,999, making it the second addition to the Iris series after the Iris Pro 30 was launched a few months ago. The Iris Pro 20 is a dual SIM smartphone which runs on Android 4.2 and is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor. It has a 5.4-inch qHD display, 1GB RAM, 4GB internal memory, a 2,000mAh battery and supports micro SD cards of upto 32GB. The device will be available in navy blue colour.

Micromax partners with Aircel, MediaTek to meet data demand India’s second largest smartphone company Micromax has joined hands with telecom operator Aircel and chipset manufacturer MediaTek to achieve end to end integration by creating a one stop solution which could address user requirements more efficiently. Aircel will offer a number of cost effective plans like 2GB data per month for first three months and many more initiatives under this agreement. These offers will be initially available on Micromax A090 and X070 smartphones, Funbook Mini 410i tablet and MMX 377G dongle.

Very few games have attained worldwide popularity and then disappeared altogether like Flappy Bird. The game which is believed to have made children smash their phone displays in frustration is soon going to be back. Dong Nguyen, the creator of the game, in response to a query said that the game will be back but not soon. Once the app was closed down, a lot of replicas flooded the app store but none of them could become as popular as the original.

Microsoft announces Office for iPad Microsoft has announced its flagship software suite Office for Apple iPad. It is available on the iTunes App Store for free but the app only works on iOS 7 and needs an Office 365 subscription if users want to edit and cre-

Lenovo launches A526 in India at Rs 9,499 Lenovo has launched the A526 in India at Rs 9,499. The smartphone features a 4.5-inch multi-touch display with screen resolution of 800x480, and is powered by a 1.3GHz quadcore processor. It is a dual SIM device, has 1GB RAM, a 5.0-megapixel camera, a 2,000mAh battery and runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system. The handset will be available in blue colour at Lenovo’s official online store- thedostore.com and exclusive retail stores.

Flipkart to sell TV panels again

Social networking site Facebook has announced that its total count of active users who use it every month in India has surpassed 100 million, out of which around 84 million

18 MYMOBILE May 2014

A year after pulling out from the home appliances category, online store Flipkart has brought back TV panels to its inventory. The decision to return was based on the fact that home appliances have a huge market in india. The company is hoping to attract customers with a wide range of appliances, aggressive prices and improved post-order service experience. Flipkart stopped selling home appliances after customers complained about late delivery and the quality of products.

ate documents. The suite which comprises MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint has been optimized for a touch interface and features redesigned versions of Microsoft’s iconic wordprocessor, spreadsheet and presentation apps. The app also tries to recreate the desktop experience by using features like the Ribbon Interface. The files can be saved on Microsoft’s One Drive or on the iPad. n

fa c e t o fa c e

“We are not a routine manufacturing company” It started out in the business of storage and is now making a name for itself in mobile accessories and smart TV boxes. Whatever’s next for Amkette? We met Rajiv Bapna, director, Amkette to find out more about the company and where it is headed. Nimish Dubey & Mukesh Kumar Singh

How long has Amkette been around? We have been around for 28 years now. It has been a very interesting journey. Storage technology was our first product. We were the first company to focus on the personal storage products and floppy disks were just emerging at that time. First we began with the 8-inch magnetic media. Soon, we shifted to the 5-inch media. And then came the 3.25-inch magnetic media which served the longest as the storage media. Recently, Amkette has moved into mobile accessories. Why this change? This is the third reincarnation of Amkette. About ten years ago, we shifted to wireless technology from storage technologies. From there onwards we continued to multimedia, where our best products were Flash TV followed by Evo TV. Almost a year ago, we started something in the acoustic division. Our main focus is to provide good quality sound from your mobile devices. That is why we spent a lot of time in developing right sound chambers and codex. What has been the market response to your products? The market response has been very encouraging. We have created large number of experience zones and allowed people to use and experience our products.

Once they experienced the good sound quality along with affordable prices there was never a problem. Our Slix is probably the largest selling headphone in the market. What are the challenges you are facing in the Indian market? One of the big challenges is to tackle the grey market. What happens is that whenever a product gets popular it takes about six months for people to copy that design. But they are only able to copy the structure or the frame. So, we make sure that once a product has been launched, we make it available on as many outlets as possible. Apart from this we are also very famous for our after sales service, which is available in 110 cities. Do you have any plans to get into tablet manufacturing? For the tablet segment, a lot of work is going on. We cannot say till what time you will see them but they will have something different. We are working on something which will add more value to the product. What can we expect next from Amkette? We work with a twelve-month product development roadmap. We have around eighteen categories of products, which have been divided in three major product groups: multimedia, audio and essentials. We are a technology company and not a routine manufacturing company. It is not simply a model we will bring, but a next generation model. Finally, where does the name ‘Amkette’ come from? (Laughs) It is a compressed form of Allied Electronics and Magnetics Limited. And magnetics was our first business. n nimish@mymobile.co.in mukesh@mymobile.co.in

20 MYMOBILE may 2014

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lead story

Game on! Not in the mood to venture forth bravely into the scorching heat outside? But still want to be entertained? The solution is as far away as your handset or tablet. As the temperatures soar, we bring you the best selection of games that will keep you entertained no matter where you are â&#x20AC;&#x201C; indoors, outdoors, stuck in a lift, napping in a meeting, et al. If it can run on a handset or a tablet and can set your pulse racing, it is likely to be here. Warning: reading this article might lead to a very high number of downloads! Nimish Dubey

22 MYMOBILE may 2014

few years ago, if someone had mentioned the word ‘mobile gaming,’ the first thought that would have come to most people minds would have been of a game with basic graphics and very little replay value. Fast forward to the current day and age and mobile gaming is in fact every bit as serious business as gaming on consoles. In fact some might say that it is even bigger as the target audience of mobile games has got bigger than ever before and is getting access to better devices every day. Indeed mobile games seem to have taken the step from being casual, ‘time-wasting’ affairs to full-fledged serious digital battles where rivals flail away at each or compare scores of Angry Birds across networks. Which is why we think that this summer as the mercury soars in most parts of the country a lot of you will find yourselves staying indoors and reaching out for your trusty tablet or phone to play a game. Or two. Or maybe even three. The question of course, is: which game would it be? Would a puzzlework be best to stretch your grey cells? Or would you like to have a good digital slog given the fact that the IPL is looming large on the horizon? Are you a console fanatic who wants to have a cutting edge graphics experience on their device? Or simply an old fashioned type who wants maximum engagement and minimum fuss, Snake style? We scoured app stores and markets across different platforms to come up with a selection of games that will keep you riveted to your handset this summer. They come in different sizes. Have different aims and objectives. Some are easy. Some infuriatingly complex (relax, we have kept Flappy Bird out, though). What they share is a single quality. They entertain. Read on. Game on!

may 2014 MYMOBILE 23

lead story Shoot, Hack and Slash Batman: Arkham City Lockdown

Dead Trigger 2

he Caped Crusader of Gotham is back in one of the most bone-crushing titles you are likely to play on a phone or tablet. Those who like a bit of nuance in their games are unlikely to like Arkham City Lockdown, but if it is a pure adrenaline rush that you seek then the proposition of the Batman slugging it out with the likes of the Joker and Two-Face is hard to beat. The game, in keeping with recent action titles for mobile platforms, is a visual treat and this being a Batman title, you have plenty of gadgetry to fall back on as well. We would have liked a bit more stealth, but even so, this is an out and out entertainer for action fans. Works on: iOS, Android, Price: Rs 370, 373.22

hen it comes to zombie bashing, there are not too many games that can claim to do much better than Dead Trigger. Do not worry too much about the storyline – just figure out that there are zombies out trying to make life hell for the living. And your purpose in life is twinfold – to bump off the undead and stay alive. That is easier said than done in a world that is laid out in spectacular detail and with graphics that are very close to console territory. Weapons vary from basic clubs to sophisticated guns and explosives and yes, you do need to tread lightly at times. Spine chilling and yet thrilling. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Free

Infinity Blade 3

onsidered by many to be the most graphically spectacular game ever made for a mobile device, the popularity of the Infinity Blade series can be gauged from the fact that many consider it to be one of the best reasons to purchase an iPad (it is not available on other platforms). No, the story is not very clear but not too many care about that, given the sheer visual spectacle that the game provides. It is an out and out fighter with your character (a classic knight in armour) fighting against a number of powerful and often massive enemies. Gameplay is often just a matter of swiping your fingers on the screen although we wager you will spend as much ogling the dazzling locales. Works on: iOS, Price: Rs 420

Shadowgun

es, it might have been around for a while now but the fact that many people still consider it to be one of the benchmarks by which to test a device’s performance just shows the sheer quality of gameplay and graphics served up by Shadowgun. A cult game, it keeps getting updated to fit newer screen resolutions and make the most of hardware boosts. And well, it remains as insanely addictive and action packed as ever. You play a bounty hunter in the future sent to track down a maniacal doctor. Standing in your way is his mutant army. There is no shortage of guns, explosions and special effects. Be prepared to be shell-shocked with amazement. Works on: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Price: Rs 300, 278.96, 250

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

fter being a rage on PCs and consoles in the early part of the millennium, the iconic Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series has now arrived on phones and tablets and remains as insanely action-packed and addictive as ever. No game has perhaps blended racing, robbery, and good old gun play on such a massive scale on a handset. Yes, the openended mode that made the game famous, allowing you to literally roam around freely, is very much present, ensuring that you get dozens of hours of gameplay. Yes, it is not cheap and yes, it is a heavy download, but GTA: Vice City still remains one of the best games made on any platform and a must for action junkies. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Rs 300, 270

24 MYMOBILE may 2014

www.mymobile.co.in

Physics tangles Angry Birds Star Wars II

he Force has always been strong with the Angry Birds when it comes to games on handsets, and it has never been stronger than in this second part of the Star Wars themed series of titles featuring the iconic Angry Birds and the Pigs who stile their eggs. You can play as a number of iconic Star Wars characters including Anakin and Mace Wundu and yes, even Master Yoda. And in a first-ever for the series, you can even play on the Pork side, wielding weapons like Dark Maul’s deadly light saber. Yes, it still is mainly about throwing birds at pigs, but this is epic on a Hollywood scale. Works on: iOS, Android, WIndows Phone Price: Rs 60, free, 55

Cut the Rope 2

Sprinkle Islands

utting the right rope to get the candy through to the irresistibly cute Om Nom just got a whole lot more fun in the second part of this supremely addictive games. Graphics have been given a spectacular makeover and there are five new characters and new locations that add new spins to this physics puzzler. You will still have to spend most of your time wondering which set of ropes to cut and at what time, but the challenges are greater than

garbage hauling space ship goes off course and ends up dumping burning trash all over the lovely islands of Titan. Your job is to put out the fire using a firetruck and more importantly, controlling the flow of water, whose supply is limited. The result is one of the most challenging and yet charmingly simple physics puzzlers we have played on any mobile device. No, the graphics are not as cute as the ones on Where’s My Water or Cut The Rope, but the level of challenge posed by the game more than compensates. One for the little grey cells, this. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Rs 120, 122.16

ever. It does help that On Nom remains as cute as ever, though, making you work that much extra hard to get him his candy. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Rs 60, free

Contre Jour

onsidered by many to be simply the most beautiful physics puzzler ever made, Contre Jour is the simple story of a tiny creature called Petit whom you have to take to safety in a world that is a fascinating mix of light and dark. There are plants to which Petit can be attached, chords that need to be cut to ensure he heads in the right direction, and of course, dangers to be avoided. We have rarely seen a game that looks this beautiful and yet plays so brilliantly. And even when you have finished playing, it is a fair chance that David Ari Leon’s amazing soundtrack will keep playing in your head. Works on: iOS, Android, WP, BB Price: Rs 59.47, 110, 150, 160

Where’s my Water 2

hat is it about physics puzzlers that enables them to come up with characters you end up loving? Cut the Rope has Om Nom and hot on his heels is Where’s My Water’s adorable Swampy, the hygiene loving alligator who always needs water for his bathing sessions. Your task is to get the water to him by digging through a number of obstacles, opening the right levers, and of course, collecting rubber ducks along the way. No, it is not as easy as it sounds, and it is a truckload of fun, especially as Swampy is joined by other characters. There are dozens of levels to play out here and most of them will have you scratching your head as you try to ensure that Swampy gets his bath. Works on: iOS, Android, Windows Phone Price: Free

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lead story Running and racing Angry Birds Go!

o, Angry Birds is not ALWAYS about birds throwing themselves at pigs hiding behind fortifications. The Go! edition of the game gives birds a chance to teach the pigs a lesson (and vice versa, in case your alliances lie in that direction) on a downhill racetrack. The result is one of the most colourful and spectacular racing experiences you will see in a host of vehicles that you are unlikely to have come across (including a soapbox!). There are power-ups, stunts and on-track incidents galore in this game that is incredibly ease to pick up and play. Even if you do not like Angry Birds. Works on: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry Price: Free

Subway Surfers

Asphalt 8: Airborne

or many people, the Asphalt series represents the best of car racing on mobile devices and Asphalt 8: Airborne certainly lives up to the seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reputation. Yes, the download is on the heavier side, but what you get for your patience and bandwidth is arguably the most spectacular racing experience on your handset. There are more than fifty cars including some from the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini with high-fidelity and realistic motor sounds, some staggeringly beautiful venues (including Venice and Iceland), and most important of all, there is non-stop, on the track action which is almost console quality in terms of graphics, sound and immersion. Very much THE car racing game for mobile gamers. Works on: iOS, Android, Windows phone, BlackBerry Price: Free, Rs 50 (BB)

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ome will call this a Temple Run clone only with different terrain and characters. Well, that may be right to an extent, but that does not make this endless dasher any less fun. You have to keep running on subway tracks with the strong arm of the law not too far behind you. But the characters are brighter and more colorful than Temple Run and there are stunts galore, including using a paint powered netback and a spot of overboard surfing, as well as some acrobatics. The aim remains to get as far as possible and collect lots of coins along the way. Simple to play with easy controls and a whole lot of endless running fun. Works on: iOS, Android, Windows phone Price: Free

Sonic Dash

f you are a fan of the constant running genre but also want a game that looks remarkably different, then this is the game for you. Featuring perhaps the most famous hedgehog in the world, Sonic (made famous by a number of console titles), the game is about ensuring Sonic keeps running, spinning and dashing through some spectacular locations, inspired by other Sonic games, picking up rings and other goodies and dodging obstacles. Of course Sonic comes with his legendary dash mode that destroys pretty much everything in his path and a few other power ups. He will need them when he faces off against some deadly rivals - oh yes, this is a runner that has more to it than running. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Free

Temple Run: Oz

emple Run was the game that started the endless running craze. And while it has remained true to its roots - you still play the game as an explorer who is being chased by strange creatures - the graphics have been given a boost and new gameplay elements added with every update. The Oz update gives you the option to run through terrain inspired by the Hollywood Blockbuster Oz the Great and powerful. You also can float using balloons. Your aim remains the same - to survive for as long as possible, picking up coins and power ups along the way. Works on: iOS, Android, WP Price: Rs. 120, 128, 110

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Game for Sports FIFA 14

hen it comes to football on any platform, be it consoles, computers or mobiles, Electronic Arts’ legendary FIFA series literally comes in a league of its own. The reasons for this are simple - the presence of authentic teams (33 leagues), stadiums and kits (over 600 clubs) as well as proper players (more than 16,000). Yes, the gameplay will take some getting used to even if you use the new touch controls introduced in the latest edition, but the brilliant graphics more than compensate for this. If you are looking for the chance to play with your favorite real life players on your handheld device, there is no better option. In fact, some might even say that there is no other option. The Beautiful Game never looked this beautiful on a mobile. Works on: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry. Price: Free, Rs 199 (BB)

Stick Cricket

VirtuaL Tennis Challenge

ts sheer simplicity - hit the ball out of the ground at every opportunity - might make cricket purists wince, but it is the same simplicity that has made Stick Cricket attain almost cult status in the world of mobile gaming. The game is played only from the batsman’s part and all you have to do once you get the willow in your hand is to swing at every delivery that comes your way by hitting the on-screen direction keys and rack up a high score. There are authentic players and even some real tournaments, but what makes Stick Cricket really rock is the fact that it is all about timing - just like the real sport. It is also a batsman’s game. Again, just like the real sport. Works on: iOS, Android, BlackBerry Price: Free

or all its popularity across the world, tennis is a sport that has been poorly served (pun intended) by game developers on mobile devices. The one title that does, however, ooze sheer class is Sega’s Virtua Tennis. The game does come with some excellent graphics, but what makes it truly great in our opinion is the fact that it is one of the very few sports-oriented titles that allows you to play a sport on your handset without onscreen buttons. The swipe to serve and return controls work beautifully, delivering a stunning tennis experience. No, you do not have real players and tournaments but in our opinion, the graphics and the gameplay more than compensate. Easily the best mobile tennis game around. Works on: iOS, Android, Windows phone Price: Rs 300, 309.73, 160

Super Stickman Golf 2

here are dozens of golf games around on mobile platforms but few have succeeded to capture the essence of the game as simply as the Super Stickman series. Yes, some might hark for more controls and more realistic 3D graphics, but we think that in terms of sheer pick-up-and-play ease, Super Stickman Golf 2 stands pretty much in a class of its own. All you need to do most of the time is just select the direction of your short and work out the force with which you want to strike the ball and you are underway to play golf on some of the strangest courses you are likely to have seen. There are some nuances too, but for the most part, this is a game that charms with its simplicity. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Free

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12

f the FIFA series is the last word for those who want a great football experience on their handsets in terms of visual appeal and real players, then Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 is very much the same for all those who love golf. It comes with real PGA courses (the iconic St. Andrews is there) , eight real players (including Woods himself, of course) as well as the option to create your own player, and four game modes. Those who are relative newcomers to the game might find the controls, driven mostly by onscreen buttons, a bit tough to get to grips with, but once you have got the hang of matters, this is easily one of the best golf games around on mobile devices in terms of sheer realism. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Rs 59.47, 170

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lead story Mind-benders Plants vs Zombies 2

Candy Crush Saga

o who would have thought that this simple combine-threesimilar-candies in a row game that has its roots in the likes of bejewelled would become such a rage all over the world? Well, we surely did not. But what we do know is that we are hopelessly addicted to the simple and yet almost never ending challenges posed by the game as we go from one candy combining spree to another. Yes, it is simple, and yes, it is rather basic and lacks the graphical razmatazz of some other titles, but who cares as long as one is having stacks of fun playing? Works on: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Price: Free, Rs 160 (Windows Phone)

rotect a row of plants from wave after wave of the undead on a board? The notion might sound ridiculous to some people but after playing two editions of Plants vs Zombies, we must confess that we find it to be one of the most engrossing and challenging strategy games around. You have to keep putting weapons and fortifications in place to keep the advancing zombies at bay, and as always, resources are limited. It might seem childish at first, but an hour of it will leave you with a delighted but tired brain Works on: iOS, Android, Windows Phone Price: Free, Rs 161 (Windows Phone)

Threes

he concept of Threes is very simple: you get a board covered with tiles with the digits 1,2 and 3 on them and you have to keep sliding tiles together whose sum is equal to 3. That done, your next step is to put tiles with similar numbers (only factors of 3) together. And keep doing so until there is no more space left for you to move. No, it is not at all as complex as it sounds, nor is it as mathematically inclined as some might think. What it is, is very clever and easy to play. And amazingly addictive once you get the hang of it. Works on: iOS, Android, Windows phone, Price: Rs 119.55, 121.27, Free

2048

very few months, there comes a game that becomes immensely popular and inspires a stack of clones. The past few weeks have seen 2048 gain that status. At its core, it is incredibly simple - you have to keep swiping tiles across a board and when similar tiles get next to each other, they blend and become a single tile which is a sum of the two numbers. Your task is to keep making numbers until you get to the 2048 tile. That can take a lot of doing, but the entire game is so simple and so amazingly well presented that you will find yourself coming back for more and more. Works on: iOS Price: Free

The Room Two

hile there are a number of games that combine great graphics with good gameplay, few do it as well as The Room series. As its title indicates, the game places you in a room, with a box and some objects on a table. And you have to figure out what to do next. There might be clues in the book, on a letter lying in the room, in a secret compartment in the desk. Your task is to keep discovering new clues, mixing and matching objects (does that key unlock a door, can that magnifying glass show you some hidden objects), as you go along and try to figure out what happened in the room. Spooky? Yes. But we cannot tear ourselves away from it. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Rs 173.62, 170

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Its Only Words Scrabble

his is the old favourite in all its glory. You have the digital tiles, the different word and letter score slots and all the tricks that veteran Scrabbly players can fall back on - from swapping tiles to consulting an excellent inbuilt dictionary. For newcomers, there is also a special ‘Teacher’ mode that tells you what could have been the best word you could have made after your turn. You can play against the computer, online and against friends on Facebook. It looks brilliant, plays smoothly and notwithstanding a slightly stiff price, remains very much THE game to play for most word game fans. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Rs 480, free

Words with Friends

Letterpress

ant the fun of Scrabble without having to pay a penny? Well, then Words for Friends is perhaps your best option, especially if you are the type that likes to play against ‘real’ people as opposed to muscling it out against the computer. The concepts are familiar to Scrabble - you get a certain number of letter tiles and have to make words on a board, and get a score based on what you make. What makes the game special is its online multiplayer component, letting you take on rivals from

nother game that blends social networking and strategy, Letterpress is not for those wordsmiths who like to play along. A turn based game, it is all about making words (you can even make two letter ones) from those placed on a 5x 5 grid, but there are restrictions - you cannot make the same word twice, and cannot even make a word that can be found in the beginning of a previous word. Tiles can be stolen between players and anchored to locations, ensuring that a good dollop of social mayhem is added to the usual word creating madness. Utterly addictive. Works on: iOS Price: Free

Word Forward

ne of the newest word creation games in cell town, Word Forward is all about making words from letters on a grid. Only, here the letters you use keep disappearing, leaving you with even fewer letters to play around with, adding an element of strategy to what is already a very challenging game. You can swap tiles, move some of them around (some will not), and try and create words to reach the score that is your target at every level. There are dozens of challenges and endless hours of word play fun to be had in this simple and yet clever game. Works on: iOS Price: Free

different parts of the world and even your neighbourhood (it has a geolocation feature). Social Scrabble at its best! Works on: iOS, Android Price: Free

W.E.L.D.E.R.

or those interested in abbreviations, W.E.L.D.E.R. stands for “ Word Examination Laboratory for Dynamic Extraction and Reassessment.” For those who love word games, it is a rollicking affair, combining elements of Scrabble with Bejewelled. Faced with a grid of letters, you have to keep making words by moving letters and assigning letters to blank tiles. Of course your moves are limited and the tiles themselves have their own quirks - some refuse to move. All this topped off with a great interface, complete with gear grinding noises every time you move a letter - W.E.L.D.E.R. can be supremely addictive for those who love word games but have not time for the likes of Scrabble. Works on: iOS, Android Price: Rs 190, 188.70 n nimish@mymobile.co.in

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a p p ta s t i c

A ballot full of mobile apps

This time’s Lok Sabha elections are the ‘app’iest yet. Never before have we seen so many apps built around candidates, parties and indeed, the entire election process. We pick some of the best of these for you. Binni Rawat

he 2014 elections to the Lok Sabha are easily the most tech-savvy in Indian history. While in the past, most parties and their supporters had been content with online campaigns involving websites and e-mails, this time we have seen a number of them taking the app route to attract voter attention. Indeed, this election has seen parties, candidates and supporters try to get the most out of the app world in an attempt to garner support for those they follow. These apps can vary from the trivial and flippant to the utterly informative and addictive and range from games and puzzles to information-based apps. If you are confused by this barrage of ‘election apps’ as many people are, here is our choice of the ones that we think are the pick of the lot:

Election Quiz (Android) Price: Free This app gives you a chance to test your political knowledge. A very interesting and interactive app, it peppers the user with questions about current affairs, elections, parties and other national issues. The quiz is divided into various sections like Who am I?, General Election Quiz, Scam Quiz and you even get an option to vote for your favourite leader after which it shows you how people have been voting. A great app for those who not only want to find out more about their country’s elections and candidates but also want to check their knowledge levels in this regard. .

Election Commission of India (Android, Windows Phone) Price: Free Coming as the official app of the Election Commission of India, this one tops our list. If one needs to check their name in the Electoral list, find their polling booth, apply for voter ID card, apply for correction in the same or to register a complaint, all this can be achieved within a few taps using this easy to use app. It is just like a mini version of the official website of the Election Commission of India. One can download all the election card related forms like- Form No.6, Form No.6a, Form No.7, Form No.8, Form No.8a, etc., for enrolling themselves in the voter list, to mark corrections in their existing card and much more. All of this in a single app.

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Indian Elections 2014 (Android) Price: Free Want to know all about elections in India? This app is just for you. Find out about previous elections, our leaders, the Indian economy and the electoral process and its code of conduct with the use of this simple and informational election app. One can keep oneself updated with the previous Indian elections and the current Lok Sabha elections too. Find out the voting dates, constituencies, major parties and much more with a click here and a tap there. This app works online which means it’s important for you to have Internet connectivity to fully utilise this application. And that’s not all - one can follow or simply see what different leaders and party candidates are sharing on the social media platform by getting feeds of their posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and the YouTube.

Official Party Apps (Android, Windows

Phone)

Price: Free Not surprisingly, most political parties have come out with dedicated apps for the elections. The most notable of these are BJP (Mission 272+), Congress (With Congress) and Aam Aadmi Party (Aam Aadmi Party official app). All these apps build a path for the public to see what is happening in what party, to gain information about their respective candidates, and to get the latest news about that particular party. One can also get social media updates, link to official blogs, official websites, history, videos and much more. These apps not only provide information but also enable a user to donate money, become a volunteer, suggest and even ‘Join’ the party. Every app is different from the other, but the core purpose of each is the same – to keep the user informed about the party.

A run for the votes (Android) Price: Free There are also a number of games revolving around different candidates and constant runners seem to be the most popular format. There are apps like Modi Run, Rahul Run and Kejriwal Run which are quite funny and easy to play. All you need to do is save the candidate from falling and getting him through a number of levels by clearing a set of obstacles. All the levels are marked as the states where your candidate is supposed to contest and your task is to ensure that he gets a smooth run through them. An excellent option for those wanting to waste some time or for those who simply want to take a lighter look at the elections, away from all the serious analysis and introspection. n

binni@mymobile.co.in

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cell clues

Windows Gets A Refresh!

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Microsoft has unleashed perhaps the most dramatic series of changes in its Windows operating systems for both PCs and smartphones. But will

they help it capture market share against some very well entrenched competition? Nimish Dubey

hange seems to have become a constant in the life of Microsoft’s Windows operating system. Both Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 were launched in the latter half of 2012 and have since been gradually been carving a niche for themselves in the very competitive computer and phone market. However, that has not stopped Microsoft from updating them time and again, adding new features and removing irritants. And April saw the big M from Redmond unveil significant updates to both Windows 8 (called the Windows 8.1 Update 1) and Windows Phone 8 (called Windows Phone 8.1).

Windows gets back to its roots

Perhaps the most significant changes in Windows 8.1 Update 1 have been the attempts to make the OS more keyboard and mouse-friendly. One of the key reasons for the relatively sluggish acceptance of Windows 8 in many markets was the fact that it was an OS designed more for touchscreens than for the more conventional mouse and keyboard interfaces. Yes, the OS did have a desktop mode for these interfaces but the ‘modern’ tiled interface was designed for touch. Update 1 gets rid of the confusion between the desktop mode and the modern mode by automatically booting into desktop mode when it is being run on a non-touchscreen device. The start screen too has got more mouse-friendly – you can right click on a tile to get a contextual menu, and there is a power off and search button on the top right hand corner, saving the user from the need to open the Charms bar from the right side to access them. Full screen apps for the newer interface can also be pinned to the taskbar of the desktop mode. And of course, there is a significant improvement in performance as well, thanks to some good old-fashioned bug quashing. Make no mistake, this is the most user-friendly version of Windows 8 yet, and will be available to all existing Windows 8 users free of charge.

Windows Phone rings up new features

Windows Phone 8 too got its share of spotlight and new features. Perhaps the most noticeable of these was the introduction of an Action Centre, which is a combination of a notification area and a quick access space to basic settings. There are also improvements to search, Calendar (including

better support for Google Calendar), and a new burst mode for camera apps. Other significant changes include a massively improved version of Internet Explorer, the support of swipe to type in the keyboard, support for double tap to power the display on or off and last but not least, the ability to install apps on the SD card of a device. And in what could be a revolutionary touch, Microsoft also announced that in the coming days, users would have to pay for an app just once and download versions of it on the PC, phone and television –you would have to pay just once for an app that could be used on three platforms. Features like these could well help Windows Phone bridge the app gap between it and the likes of iOS and Android, especially as the Xbox gains more popularity. Developers would obviously love to come out with apps for a platform that gives them access to three different kinds of devices. The Windows Phone 8.1 update is going to be available to all existing Windows Phone devices and is expected to be rolled out later this year.

…and goes free!

But by far the most surprising announcement made at the event was that Windows and Windows Phone would be free for all devices with displays of sizes less than nine inches. In essence, this means that a manufacturer looking to make a Windows device – be it a smartphone or a tablet – will be able to get the OS without having to pay a licencing fee. This should logically pave the way for more OEMs to invest in both Windows Phone and Windows devices, and should also cause some brows to furrow in the iOS and Android camps. In fact one of the phones displayed at the Windows Update event was one by Micromax. And that perhaps was the key message to all those watching Microsoft – after a period in which the company had tried to make others follow the path it chose in the OS arena, it was back to what it did best: catering to consumer demand on a large scale. Yes, there will be those who will say that this is a classic case of “too little, too late” but the fact is that at the end of the day, Microsoft has been rapidly removing the perceived flaws in both its OSes and adding new features demanded by consumers. And now, it has even taken the price tag off the OSes for some manufacturers. We think a new dimension has been added to the smartphone and tablet wars. n nimish@mymobile.co.in

may 2014 MYMOBILE 33

SPOT LIGHT

in India: A FAQ

It is being hailed as the fourth generation in wireless communication that will

revolutionise the mobile Internet in the country. But what actually is 4G and what does it mean today for Indian users? We attempt to answer this and other queries in a simple FAQ format. Abhijit Ahaskar What is 4G?

4G stands for any advanced wireless telecommunication technology that meets the set of standards laid down by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an affiliate body of the United Nations. The standards, known as the International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced specifications, made peak speed of 100Mbps a prerequisite to be deemed as 4G. Initially LTE-Advanced and WirelessMan-Advanced, also known as WiMax 2, were recognized as 4G but later on the organization noted that the term, since undefined, may be applied to their precursors, LTE and WiMax, and some advanced versions of 3G.

Which is the most used 4G technology? Which one is likely to be used in India?

Of these technologies, LTE, is the most familiar and widely used 4G technology. Some even call it true 4G. LTE can be fragmented further into two standards, FDD LTE and TDD LTE. FFD or Frequency Division Duplex relies on paired spectrum as it uses two different frequencies for downloading and uploading data, whereas in TDD or Time Division Duplex, upload and download happens on the same frequency and so paired spectrum is not needed in it. This makes TDD LTE cheaper. FDD is widely used in European countries while in India and China operators prefer TDD. Although Indian operators can provide their LTE services on FDD but they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as its expensive.

Why should I go for 4G?

In simple words: for MUCH faster Internet speeds. 3G and its various versions can offer

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bandwidth speeds of up to 42Mbps which can handle tasks like video calls, online videos and internet browsing very well. 4G will take your Internet experience to newer heights with up to 100Mbps speed and unlock more options for users. With this new technology one can play online games, conduct video calls from anywhere, download multiple large sized files at once, stream and watch online HD movies with zero buffering time. You can also access the Internet on multiple devices by using your 4G enabled device as a Wi-Fi hotspot and still enjoy high-speed browsing on all of them. On the whole, 4G improves the overall Internet experience of users.

Who can offer 4G in India?

In the auctions held in 2010, 4G was offered in 2,300MHz band. Only four telecom operators Airtel, Aircel, Reliance Jio and Tikona bagged 4G licenses at that time. Reliance Jio was the only operator with a countrywide presence, holding licenses in all 22 circles. Airtel acquired licenses in eight circles. In the beginning, it had licenses in Maharashtra and Goa, Punjab, Karnataka, Kolkata circles but after they acquired a 49 per cent stake in Qualcommâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broadband wireless access (BWA) entities, they also acquired licenses to offer 4G services in Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala circles. Aircel got licenses in Andhra

Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, North East and Jammu and Kashmir. Tikona was the fourth Indian operator with a license to offer 4G in Himachal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (West), Uttar Pradesh (East), and Gujarat.

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Incidentally, some major service providers were left out of the 4G race. That has been set right in the recently concluded auctions when the Government decided to allow deployment of 4G services on the 1800MHz band, which until now was used for offering 2G services only. This was one of the reasons why telcos showed such enthu-

siasm and spent so much money at the auctions. 1,800MHz band is considered better than 2,300MHz for rolling out 4G services and is being widely used by operators. According to a Business Standard report, 108 operators are offering 4G services on the 1,800MHz band in 58 countries and this amounts to 44 per cent of global 4G networks. Since Airtel

bagged licenses in 14 circles, they now have 4G licenses in all 22 circles. Vodafone, the second biggest operator in the country had kept away from the 2,300 MHz auctions as it did not feel the band was right for 4G deployment, and can now offer 4G services in five circles-Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Kerala and Karnataka. Idea Cellular can offer 4G in eight circles- Maharashtra and Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Haryana and the North East.

What is the current status of 4G deployment in the country?

So far Airtel is the only operator to roll out 4G services in the country. Its first roll out was on data cards in Kolkata, Pune, Benagluru and Chandigarh cities. 4G on mobile came in Bengaluru in February 2014 with Apple iPhone 5c and 5s because only these two devcies support penta band. 3G users can migrate to 4G free of cost and can use 4G at the existing 3G plans. Reliance Jio has been reportedly testing its 4G services in Mumbai and Ahmadabad and has also signed agreements with operators like Reliance Communications and Bharti Infratel for infrastructure sharing. The company is planning to launch its services by the end of 2014. Several mobile brands like Karbonn and Micromax are reportedly working with Reliance Jio on 4G devices. LG G2 recently launched the 4G version of G2 while Xolo launched the LT900.

Is 4G likely to become popular very soon? It has been four years since the Government auctioned the 4G spectrum but the service is still not available to consumers. Operators blame manufacturers pointing out the lack of 4G devices while manufacturers are not launching devices because the service is not available yet. Although, there are devices that support 1,800MHz band in the country, they will not be able to run 4G without the 4G chipset which none of the current lot have. In a country where the majority of subscribers are still using Internet on 2G, 4G has a really long way to go before it can become a rage. Barring a radical change in technology, 4G at best will be an urban phenomenon with few takers as the cost of devices and services is likely to be on the higher side. n abhijit@mymobile.co.in

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chief speak

“Nokia X is a feeder system for Lumia” Steering a company through a period of change can be quite a challenge. And that is a feeling that P Balaji, Nokia, would be more than familiar with of late. The Managing Director of Nokia India has witnessed a sea change in the company over the past year – from the alliance with Microsoft to the arrival of Android - and has tackled it in his typically unflustered, understated manner. We caught up with him to talk about Nokia, Microsoft, Android, Asha and much more. Nimish Dubey We have to start with Nokia’s move to Android. After so many years, why did you now decide to go for an Android device? With the affordable smartphone market growing about 20 per cent each year, we believe now is the perfect time to introduce a truly differentiated device to the market. For people who use Android apps, we now have an opportunity to introduce them to our stand-out design, signature Nokia experiences and Microsoft services. We believe these will stand out from the ‘sea of sameness’ at this price. This flows from the first question: Nokia had carved a niche for its Windows Phone devices over the past two years. Why then this move to Android now? Won’t it dilute the equity of the Lumia range? Lumia is our primary smartphone strategy, where we introduce the greatest innovation. Lumia gives people the benefits of Microsoft services plus full integration with Microsoft experiences like Live tiles and Xbox games. The Nokia X family competes with low-end Android devices and serves the fast-growing affordable smartphone segment, particularly for people in growth markets. Nokia X is a feeder system for Lumia, an on-ramp to Lumia. They are complementary product families, and address different consumer needs and price points.

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There has been some controversy over your deciding to make your own version of Android and your own app store. Why did Nokia decide to take this route? The Nokia X is built using the standard Android Open Source Project (AOSP) software stack, with extensions that replace traditional Google services. We wanted to provide consumers with uniquely Nokia innovations like Fastlane, HERE Maps and Nokia Store – as well as Android apps – hence the introduction of this platform to the marketplace. We always believed that we have created the best experiences – access to Android apps, Nokia innovations and Microsoft services – using the current platform for these new devices. To ensure a smooth experience, we encourage people to access apps from our Nokia Store. They can also access Android apps via third party app stores and side loading. The X series has been positioned in the lower to mid-end of the smartphone segment. Are there any plans to bring out any devices in higher price segments? We are planning future upgrades for each member of the Nokia X family, with a view to giving people the best possible experiences. We will update you as soon as we have more information available. Given our commitment to connect the next billion, we also announced the Nokia X+ and Nokia XL priced at EUR 99 and EUR 109, respectively, at the MWC in February 2014. Nokia has three operating systems right now - Asha, Android and Windows Phone. What are the target segments for each OS and where does each fit into your strategy? Asha smartphones are for first time smartphone users who need smartphone capabilities at affordable price points. Today Nokia Asha provides access to Internet on the go, social networking and Nokia Music, with the Asha range starting at Rs. 3500/-. For the overall smartphone segment, we have a two-pronged approach for the smartphone market – Nokia X and Lumia. Nokia X introduces people to the familiarity of Lumia’s aspirational design, user tiles and experiences like HERE Maps and MixRadio. Nokia X and Lumia both leverage Microsoft’s services as a common, compatible denominator. Nokia X introduces people to Skype, Outlook.com and OneDrive for the first time making the migration to Lumia’s full Windows Phone experience seamless. We see Lumia as a natural upgrade path from Nokia X. Nokia is one of the few manufacturers that has devices across a variety of display sizes, varying from the relatively small

ones on the Asha series to the 6.0-inch ones on the Lumia 1520 and 1320. Where do you see screen sizes heading in the future? At Nokia, Which phone are you using we continue to push the right now? boundaries of useful, The Nokia Lumia 1520 usable consumer innovations creating the best Which was your first phone overall smartphone expeand first smartphone? rience. In 2013, continued Nokia focus on great design and features like sunlight What is your ringtone? legible screens made our The Nokia ringtone, of products across the board course! stand out. Consumers are buying devices across What is your favourite screen sizes based on app? their needs and usability. WhatsApp and Large screen smartphones MixRadio have grown in the past two years, to account for What is your 30 per cent of the market favourite game? (according to IDC). Users Hill Climb Racing spending a lot of time on gaming, videos and surfing prefer a large screen details at-a-glance through Live Tiles, one smartphone, while users who are more into easy swipe to important notifications with calls, instant messaging and social media Action Center, and faster ways to connect activity prefer smaller screens. and type with Word Flow. In addition, the Windows Phone 8.1 enterprise pack means At a time when most manufacturers are existing Lumia Windows Phone 8 devices will talking in terms of quad core and octa core become better business phones. processor-driven devices, Nokia’s portfolio still has just one major quad core device A question on everyone’s minds is Nokia’s (the Lumia 1520). Why is this and will this tie-up with Microsoft... Nokia expects the change in the coming days? While we cannot transaction of all of its devices and services comment on future launches, what I can say business and license its patents to Microsoft is that we continue to push the boundaries of to close in April 2014. Nokia and Microsoft useful, usable consumer innovations creating remain committed to the transaction and the best overall smartphone experience. continue to be confident that the transaction will close. What is the next big thing that we can expect in the Nokia Lumia range? We have How do you see this affecting the fortunes been hearing rumours of a significant of both companies, and what can the conupgrade to the OS. We have just introduced sumer expect? The tie-up combines the three new Lumia devices on April 3 on the complementary and familiar assets of the two new WP 8.1. These include the Lumia 930, organisations; as you have seen our successour flagship device that integrates the best of ful collaboration has helped offer consumers Microsoft and the best of Lumia; the Lumia more choice in smartphones with some really 630 and Lumia 635, which bring Microsoft and unique experiences. Lumia innovation to more affordable prices. The Lumia 630 is our very first Lumia with As the financial year 2013-14 comes to an 3G dual sim, in addition to a 3G single SIM end, what plans does Nokia have for 2014version, while the speedy Lumia 635 comes in 2015? Internationally as well as in India? 4G/LTE. Both the Lumia 630 and 635 deliver We will continue to focus on bringing our people an uncompromised Lumia experience, consumers the best of devices and smarter and come with quad core processing and supexperiences across our Lumia, X, Asha and port for an SD memory card. All three devices entry ranges. n are expected to hit the market this summer. Windows Phone 8.1 introduces more nimish@mymobile.co.in

Calling P Balaji

may 2014 MYMOBILE 37

versus

Six Inch Screen

Slugfest

38 MYMOBILE May 2014

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They are big. Packed with power. And do not cost the earth. We compare the three phones with six-inch displays - the HP Slate 6 Voice Tab, the Nokia Lumia 1320 and the Sony Xperia T2 Ultra. Nimish Dubey

couple of years ago, a device with a 5.0-inch display was considered large. Fast forward to the current day and age, when it is considered passe and manufacturers seem to be vying with each other to find the sweet spot that lies just between a tablet and a phone. What’s more, large screen devices are no longer as expensive as they were initially and today you can get a device with a relatively large display from a major brand for less than Rs 25,000. And three of the best options in this regard are the massive six-inch display devices from Nokia, HP and Sony - the Lumia 1320, the Slate 6 Voice Tab, and the Xperia T2 Ultra. All three sport decent specs. All three cost under Rs 25,000. Which is the one for you? Find out in our large display phone face off.

Appearance When it comes to looks, the three devices present distinct styles of their own. Yes, all three are unabashedly plastic but they have a very solid feel to them. While the Slate 6 and the Lumia 1320 have slightly rounded edges and curved backs, the Xperia T2 Ultra harks back to the Xperia Z look with a slightly boxy look. The T2 Ultra is also the slimmest of the three at a mere 7.65 mm, while the Slate 6 stands at 8.8 mm and the Lumia 1320 at a rather healthy 9.8 mm. In terms of weight, the Slate 6 is the lightest at 160 grammes, followed by the T2 Ultra at 172 grammes, while the Lumia 1320 brings up the rear, tipping the scales at 220 grammes. The real magic however lies on the back of these devices - the Slate 6 has an interestingly patterned back, the Lumia 1320 comes in some snazzy colours and the T2 Ultra has a glossy plastic back which shines when light falls on it. Choosing one from these three was quite a challenge, but in terms of overall look and feel, we felt the Slate 6 stood out, with the Lumia 1320 coming second because of its bright colours and the T2 Ultra coming third mainly because of the three, it is the only one that sticks to a predictable pattern. Ranking: 1. HP Slate 6 Voice Tab, 2. Nokia Lumia 1320, 3. Sony Xperia T2 Ultra

Hardware Although all three devices sport 6.0-inch displays of 1280 x 720 resolution, the moment one moves into the innards, the Xperia T2 Ultra fairly sprints away from the competition. It

comes with a quad-core Qualcomm processor, as against the dual-core Qualcomm one on the Lumia 1320 and the quad-core Marvell processor on the Slate 6. All three devices have 1GB RAM, but in terms of onboard storage, the Slate 6 has 16GB to the 8GB on its rivals. Connectivity wise, both the Slate 6 and T2 Ultra are dual SIM devices, while the Lumia 1320 is single SIM. The T2 Ultra, however, seals matters with its 13.0-megapixel camera which is well ahead of the 5.0-megapixel affairs offered by its rivals. Ranking: 1. Sony Xperia T2 Ultra 2. HP Slate 6 Voice Tab 3. Nokia Lumia 1320

Software This is a straight battle between two platforms - Android on the Slate 6 and the T2 Ultra, and Windows Phone on the Lumia 1320. And we have to concede that here the Lumia 1320 wins comfortably - it is the only one of the three to be running on the latest version of its OS (Windows Phone with Black Update) and is also well in line to receive the next Windows Phone 8.1 update. The Xperia T2 Ultra runs Android 4.3, while the Slate 6 comes with Android 4.2.2. And while all three devices come loaded with software from the manufacturers, the Lumia 1320 has Nokia’s unlimited music and video downloads and superb Here maps, which cannot be matched by the competition, although we were impressed with Sony’s brilliant camera apps and HP’s Connected Music and e-Print apps. Ranking: 1. Nokia Lumia 1320, 2. Sony Xperia T2 Ultra, 3. HP Slate 6 Voice Tab

Multimedia You would have thought that the Xperia T2 Ultra would have taken this round easily with its vastly superior camera and Bravia Engine 2 driven display, but it gets surprisingly stiff competition from the Slate 6, which comes with brilliant sound, courtesy the dual front firing speakers. The Lumia range is known in general for its multimedia but we were actually surprised to see it trail its two rivals here, which just shows how competitive things have got in this department. In the end, the superior display and camera just helped the T2 Ultra edge this round, but it was a close call. Ranking: 1. Sony Xperia T2 Ultra, 2. HP Slate 6 Voice Tab, 3. Nokia Lumia 1320

General performance When it came to general performance, how-

ever, we found the Lumia 1320 to be the most consistent when it came to call quality and reception and battery life. Its near-two-day battery life was far superior to anything the T2 Ultra and the Slate 6 could offer. The 1320 also was the most consistent in terms of touch experience, thanks to Windows Phone 8’s incredibly smooth interface - we did see the odd lag in the two Androids. Which is not to say that the T2 Ultra and the Slate 6 were poor performers - they did very well indeed, but were not really in the same class as the Lumia in the phone department. Of the three, the Slate 6 fit best in one’s hand, while the Lumia was a bit on the broad side. When it came to video and gaming, however, the T2 Ultra stood out, although the Lumia ran it close. Ranking: 1. Nokia Lumia 1320, 2. Sony Xperia T2 Ultra, 3. HP Slate 6 Voice Tab

Value for Money In terms of price, all three devices are placed close to each other - the Slate 6 is priced at Rs 22,990, the Xperia T2 Ultra at Rs 23,000 and the Lumia 1320 at Rs 24, 299. In terms of price to performance ratio, we see the Xperia T2 Ultra taking this round, thanks to its display, processor and camera. The Lumia 1320 comes second courtesy its performance and software, while the Slate 6 brings up the rear, in spite of being the least priced of the three. Ranking: 1. Sony Xperia T2 Ultra, 2. Nokia Lumia 1320, 3. HP Slate 6 Voice Tab

Conclusion Of the six parameters, the Sony Xperia T2 Ultra won three, the Nokia Lumia two, and the HP Slate 6 one. All three pick two second spots each, while when it comes to finishing third, the Xperia Ultra T2 takes that position once, while the Lumia 1320 does so twice and the Slate 6 thrice. In pure statistical terms, we would call this competition in favour of the Sony Xperia T2 Ultra. However, the competition was so close that to rely purely on statistics would be flawed. Our final opinion therefore is this: those looking for a good looking and decent performing large screen phone would like the HP Slate 6, those wanting good features, the latest software and good battery life would like Nokia Lumia 1320, while multimedia and gaming fans would love the Sony Xperia T2 Ultra. As we keep saying, it all depends on your needs. n nimish@mymobile.co.in

may 2014 MYMOBILE 39

consumer forum Complaint 1 I bought a Nokia Lumia 720 but it started having problems shortly after purchase. I gave it to Kamakhaya Communication in Guwahati for repair but had to follow up with them over 15 times to get it back. I was told that the handset was sent to Gurgaon Nokia Care. After I got it back, the problem returned too in 2-3 days. The last time it arrived, its condition was too pathetic to be used. So I left it at the Nokia Care centre for further repair. I have been a Nokia user for more than seven years, but I was never treated like this before. The phone is in such bad state that I can’t even sell it. I am fed up with Nokia’s service and want them to return my handset in working condition as it was during the the first time I submitted it with them. -Biswajeet Lahon Nokia’s Response: This has already been resolved by giving a replacement.

So I approached the nearest customer care and showed them my phone to which they said that the phone’s SIM pin was broken. Since it comes under physical damage, it won’t be covered under warranty. How could the pin be broken when there is no sign of physical damage on the phone? They also slapped a handling charge on me.

Complaint 2 I have been using the Tata Photon Max Wi-Fi for the last three months butfor the last few weeks, it has been giving a speed of 18kbps. I called the Tata help line more than then times and filed a complaint that my Photon was not working properly. I was told the problem will be resolved in 48 hours. They sent an executive who said I will get a new Photon in two days but he never came back. I called Tata again and was told to wait. This happened 3-4 times and now after a month they have sent a bill to me. I won’t pay the bill, please look into the matter. -Sumit bhatia Tata Teleservices’ response: Awaited.

Complaint 3 I have been using a Nokia Lumia 520 for the past four months. The phone’s battery backup is very poor and within two months its lock/ unlock button also stopped working. The handset’s network handling isn’t very good either and every time I get a call from someone it hangs and I am not able to pick the call again. Restarting is a time-consuming process.

40 MYMOBILE may 2014

in Nokia phones. Also, a Lumia 920 is available in the market for Rs.31000 and they are charging Rs 9,000 for repairing it. Are they over billing? -Sanjay Kumar Nokia’s Response: Awaited

Complaint 5 I bought a HTC Desire V in December 2012 from Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The handset restarts automatically on a daily basis and hangs when restarted. I contacted customer care and they told me to take the device to a service centre. When I went to the service centre I was told it was a minor problem. The problem started again in December 2013 and I gave the mobile phone to the HTC service centre again. They corrected it and returned it but within ten days the problem came back. I was told to deposit it again so that it could be sent to Mumbai for repair. I was given a repair quotation of around Rs 10,000 and was told that the phone’s motherboard and screen were dead. If the issue isn’t resolved soon, I will be forced to take some legal action. Please help me in this matter. -Ananya Jain HTC’s response: Unable to locate phone details, please provide Serial number, IMEI number and the scan copy of the invoice bill of your phone.

Complaint 6 I purchased Spice MI422 in Aug 2013 from Home Shop 18. It was getting discharged within an hour of full charge. I went to the service centre and they asked me to collect a new battery after 15 days. When I called them after 15 days they asked me to wait for two more days. When I scolded them they gave me some other phone’s battery for the time being and promised me a new battery soon. Now they are saying that no battery is coming for that model and asked me to take the matter to some other official but the official is not picking up the phone. -Ankit Kumar Raj Spice’s Response: Awaited. Please help or I will go to a court. -Gagan Kapoor Nokia’s Response: Awaited.

Complaint 4 I bought a Lumia 920 in January 2013. On March 25, for no clear reason, it’s charging point along with some plastic around it got melted. The Nokia Care in Solapur gave me an estimate of Rs.9000 for repair. I want to know how common is this problem of melting

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

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“The Indian market is full of opportunities”

It is not as much of a household name as Intel or Qualcomm, but Guangzhou-based chip manufacturer Nufront is bullish about its prospects in India, thanks to its cost-effective and technically advanced line of products. Stephen Si, managing director, Nufront tells us more. Nimish Dubey For many Indian readers, Nufront is a relatively unknown brand. Could you tell us a bit more about it? Nufront was founded in 2004. It’s headquartered in Beijing and has 3 subsidiaries in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The company currently employs more than 1,000 people. It has nearly 400 patents covering 2G, 3G, 4G mobile communications. We insist on technological innovation, achieving the objective of communication and computing convergence and are moving forward to operation and terminal convergence. We provide application processors, domestic GSM / WCDMA dual-mode chips, highly integrated low-power Wi-Fi baseband, RF and MCU 3in1 SoC, 3D gesture processing chips and the latest AP + BP single-chips. Nufront is one of the few fabless companies focusing on SoC in China. What are your expectations from the Indian market? The Indian market is full of opportunities for Nufront, we hope that we can bring our products to the Indian market and present them to the consumers.

What are your main products, and which one of them will be launched in India? We can provide various solutions, including Wi-Fi only and 3G tablets, smartphone, Wi-Fi Audio, and smart homes. We are planning to introduce them to the Indian market step by step. Your product portfolio also lists tablets and pocket PCs. Do you plan to bring them to India? Nufront plans to introduce all products to the Indian market and that includes the tablets and pocket PCs. Nufront can provide customised solutions for the requirements of Indian market. The mobile processor market is already very crowded. Brands like Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Broadcom and MediaTek are making their presence felt in the Indian market. How do you propose to make your products stand out in this crowd? We have noticed the intense competition in the Indian market. However, we have confidence that our products can satisfy different customer

requirements. We have a number of wireless communication technologies. We will help our customers to develop the Indian market by our advanced technology and the reasonable cost control. Are you looking to forge alliances to make your presence in the Indian market? Any agreements or deals you would like to share? We got support from D Shree Infratech Services and are looking forward to more strong alliances with D Shree. What can we expect from Nufront in the coming days - on a global level as well as the Indian one? Nufront will bring all products to the global market as well as the Indian market. But we plan to start from the Indian market because we can see great potential in it. Besides the existing products, we are now developing some more new products and we hope to bring them to both the Indian market and the global market as well in the foreseeable future. n nimish@mymobile.co.in

may 2014 MYMOBILE 41

just in HTC One M8 The New

One

he HTC One was one of the most critically acclaimed devices of 2013, so it was hardly surprising that the tech world awaited news of its successor with bated breath. And HTC has once again tried every bit to make this device stand out of the crowd. The HTC One M8 is packed with some very good hardware – it has a 5.0-inch Super LCD 3 1080p display with Gorilla Glass 3 coating, and is powered by the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset clocked at 2.5GHz. It has 2GB of RAM and will be offered in 16GB and 32GB variants. In India, initially only the 16GB model will be available. Unlike in the HTC One, users can expand the storage space on the M8 by upto 128GB using the microSD card slot. There’s also a 2,600mAh battery which HTC claims will deliver 40 per cent better battery life than the HTC One. It can also run for 24 hours on just 10 per cent of battery life, when the power saver mode is enabled. The phone runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat, with HTC’s powerful Sense 6 UI running on top of it. It will also come with the latest BlinkFeed, Motion unlock feature and a lot more. The device has been launched globally and will be available in India in the coming days at a price that could be in the vicinity of Rs 50,000-Rs 55,000. n

Samsung Galaxy S5 The Next Big Thing?

amsung has launched its much-awaited flagship, the Galaxy S5 in the Indian market. As we go to print, it has been revealed that the price of the device will be Rs 51,500. In best flaghsip traditions, the Galaxy S5 comes packed with some hefty hardware – it flaunts a 5.1-inch full HD Super AMOLED display with 1080p resolution, is powered by an octa-core processor (quad 1.9 GHz + quad 1.3 GHz) and runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat. The smartphone houses an improved 16.0-megapixel camera at the rear and a 2.0-megapixel front camera. It comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal memory, which is expandable to up to a whopping 128GB. It also comes with some new features like the heart rate sensor at the back, a finger print scanner for phone security and IP67 certification for being resistant to water splashes and dust. It also has a 2,800-mAh battery. The Korean giant has been offering freebies and offers on health applications along with the Galaxy S5 smartphone and has launched a wearable gadget, Gear Fit for health enthusiasts. Will this make the S5 rock? We will find out in the coming days. n

team@mymobile.co.in

42 MYMOBILE may 2014

sneak peek Nokia Lumia 630 Dual SIM

Lumia

t’s Android devices might have been the talk of tech town but Nokia is in no mood to step away from its Lumia range which continues to carve a niche for it in the smartphone market. And this can be seen from the Lumia 630, which is the first Windows Phone 8 device to come with dual SIM support. The Lumia 630 features a decent 4.5-inch FWVGA screen with Nokia’s ClearBlack filter. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor and comes with 512MB of RAM. On the rear it houses a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with a flash and comes with 8GB of internal storage and supports microSD card of up to 128GB. Making sure that all this works smoothly for a while is 1,830-mAh battery. The phone will also run the latest version of Windows Phone, Windows Phone 8.1, and will come packed with Nokia’s maps and music apps. The device is expected to make an appearance in the Indian market in May and if our sources are to be believed, it could be a staggeringly low price in the vicinity of Rs 11,000. n

Sony Xperia Z2 The latest in the Z saga

ony seems to be betting big on its Xperia Z range of devices, and the latest of these is the Xperia Z2, which it unveiled at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. In terms of appearance, the phone looks very similar to its predecessor with the omni-balance design. It features a 5.2-inch IPS display with Sony’s Triluminos technology and a resolution size of 1920×1080 pixels and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core CPU clocked at 2.3GHz. The device runs on Android 4.4 KitKat and comes with 3GB of RAM, a 3,200-mAh battery, and stereo speakers. Like many of the devices in the Xperia Z series, this one too is water and dust resistant. It also has a microSD card slot and 16GB of internal storage. Last but not least, the Xperia Z2 comes with a powerful 20.7-megapixel camera with a number of shooting options. The release date and price for this latest flagship device by Sony are still under wraps but we expect it to be priced in the vicinity of Rs 45,000. n

team@mymobile.co.in

may 2014 MYMOBILE 43

burn test Another Grand Arrival It is bulky, but the ZTE Grand X Quad Lite is also a performer

t may have a sizeable following among smartphone users in China but in India ZTE has a long way to go. But it certainly is heading in the right path, if the Grand X Quad Lite, a quad-core powered smartphone with a wholesome Android experience is anything to go by.

Good looking but bulky The Grand X is a good looking phone with a sizeable presence. It has a nice matte finish which gives it a refined and smudge free appearance. The phone curves nicely at the edges making it comfortable to hold. Though impressed with the sense of balance in the design, we were slightly disappointed with the overall weight. It weighs 176 grams, which is slightly on the bulky side. It is predominantly

white with a black band around the screen and a black pane around the 8.0-megapixel rear camera, which also juts out, making it prone to scratches and grazes every time you put it down. Overall, it is a good looking device but feels bulky.

Impressive display, stock Android The Grand X has a 5-inch IPS screen with multi-touch support. Its screen resolution is not as high as the Moto G or Canvas Turbo Mini but it is bright and handles colours very well. Viewing angles are good and so is the touch response. HD movies not only played well but also looked very good. It runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and ZTE has stuck by the stock Android interface. Powered by a 1.2GHz MediaTek quad-core processor and equipped with 1GB RAM, Grand X handled games, apps and HD movies smoothly. It supports dual SIM, Bluetooth, 3G, and Wi-Fi. Its speaker quality is impressive and so is the sound in headphones. The phone’s internal memory is not much, but one does have the option of using a memory card to expand storage.

141 mm

Smooth performance

70 mm

44 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

The phone runs well and could handle most of the tasks with ease. Games and HD movies played very well and so did most of the apps. The 8.0-megapixel camera comes with plenty of options, to play around with, and if the light is good, you can take some really respectable shots. And that massive 2,500mAh battery easily lasts a full day on regular use. Overall, the user experience, performance and feature set were more than satisfactory.

Pros 

Impressive display



Smooth performance

Cons 

Slightly bulky



Limited onboard storage

Price: Rs 12,999 verdict Looks

Conclusion

Features

At Rs 12,999, it seems a value for money device but with the availability of the likes of Moto G, it faces a stiff contest. At Rs 13,999, Moto G has some really good specs and it also runs on the latest Android 4.4 KitKat OS. If you wish to look beyond Moto G, there are some interesting options like Micromax Canvas Turbo Mini, priced at Rs 12,000, or the Samsung Grand Quattro, priced at Rs 14,800. n

ease of use

perfoRmance

value for money

team@mymobile.co.in

overall

78%

www.mymobile.co.in

A sleek touch Alcatel’s One Touch Idol

gets a Mini version

he Alcatel One Touch Idol Mini is a super sleek and trendy device, targeted at entry level smartpohone customers. And while it does have some decent features, we loved it the moment we laid our eyes on it – it is just 7.9mm thin and weighs a mere 96grammes. Alcatel has focused on making its Idol smartphone series look stylish with a lot of focus on design and the Onetouch Idol Mini is no exception. We give it a thumbs up in the looks department, thanks to its sleek finish and metallic design.

which also exposed the lens to damage. The metal power button is placed on top besides a 3.5mm audio jack while the volume rockercan be found at the left side, and a micro USB port is placed at the base of the device. There are three touch capacitive keys right below the screen, for option, home and back. On the rear of the device is the 5.0-megapixel camera with an LED flash to its side. Below the camera is the ‘onetouch’ logo with the speakers at the bottom right corner.

Light and compact

Performance wise we would say that the Alcatel One Touch Idol Mini performs creditably. It runs Android 4.2 and even handled relatively heavy games like ‘Asphalt 7’ with ease. It has dual-SIM capabilities (micro SIM) but no microSD slot, which means that you will have to live only with the 8GB of internal memory. The device handles heavy applications and games with its 1.3GHz dual-core processor and 512 MB RAM, which might seem lightweight to some users but is decent enough for most basic users. The device houses both front facing and rear cameras which are not very exceptional. The 5.0megapixel rear camera allows you to shoot decent pictures but the front camera could have been better. The audio of the phone is good and the phone also captures sounds well when shooting video. Speakers are loud and clear when listening to music. All of this is backed by a 1,700 mAh battery, which lasts a day of average use.

127.1 mm

The Alcatel One Touch Idol Mini comes with a decent set of specifications. The smartphone has a 4.3-inch FWVGA IPS display with 480x854 pixels and an oleophobic coating to keep scratches and smears at bay. The device is very light and fits in your palms easily. With smooth round edges and a metal brushed finish it looks quite classy. There are various bright colour options to choose from - we received the ‘slate’ coloured unit. The only eyesore was the jutting out rear camera

Decent performer

Conclusion The Alcatel One Touch Idol

Pros 

Sleek design



Display

Cons

62 mm



No expandable memory



Mediocre Camera

Mini offers a good display and decent specs in a sleek metal finished design. It is a good device for a person who is seeking a good looking smartphone with decent rather than exceptional hardware. It is likely to face some very stiff competition at this price point from the likes of the Nokia Lumia 525, Nokia X, Samsung S Duos 2, and Micromax Turbo Mini. team@mymobile.co.in

Price: Rs 10,900 verdict Looks

Features

ease of use

perfoRmance

value for money

overall

80%

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 45

burn test Great features, Good price The

Celkon Campus A40 delivers both

Pros 

Good features



Attractive colour

Cons 

Limited internal memory



No LED flash

Android with lots of apps The device comes with a 4.0-inch display and is comfortable to hold and use with one hand. The screen resolution of the device is decent enough for its price and the display is bright as well. The edges of the device are a bit pointed which creates a bit of discomfort while holding the device - we would have preferred slightly rounded edges. The power button is placed on top of the phone, while the volume button is on its side. Apart from these two buttons there is no other hardware button on the device. Below the screen are three soft keys for home, back and options. The device runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system, which may not be the latest Android OS in tech town but is more than adequate for most tasks. The smartphone has five homescreens which can be used to place app shortcuts and widgets. Also onboard are some preloaded apps like BBM, TrueCaller, OLX mobile app, and Opera Mini browser.

Good performer The Celkon Campus A40 is powered by a 1.3 GHz dual-core processor and it offers 512MB of RAM. This might strike some as being too little, but we found the phone to be capable of handling various applications and games without any problem. The smartphone boasts a 5.0-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front facing camera. However, the camera is fixed focus and the image quality is also mediocre. Despitet he dual-core processor and relatively less RAM, the phone was able to run graphic rich games without any problems. The connectivity options of the device include 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The phone also comes with dual SIM functionality (GSM+GSM), though one has to remove the battery in order to insert both the SIM cards. The music quality of the device is quite acceptable and Celkon has added its media player to the device to

46 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

play music and videos.

126.2 mm

e it feature phones or smartphones, Indian manufacturers are providing some tough competition to their foreign counterparts. Prominent among the Indian manufacturers is Celkon, which has been trying to score on good quality smartphones along with customer service. The company has introduced another budget smartphone, the Celkon Campus A40 in the Indian market. The smartphone comes with good build quality and is available in three colour options: White, Blue and Yellow. We got the Yellow unit and were quite impressed with its looks.

Conclusion The Celkon Campus A40 does justice to its price, by turning in a decent performance. Sound quality is good and we love the fact that the device comes with so much preloaded content. The phone has a 1,500 mAh battery which easily lasts more than a day. We were just a bit disappointed with the camera as it is a fixed focus affair and we would also have liked more

Celkon Campas A40 tech specs Size | 126.2 x 64 x 10.8 mm Weight | 126.5

64 mm internal memory to play around with. Still, it remains a very good proposition for its price of 5,999. Those looking for alternatives can go for the Lava 402+ which is priced at Rs 5,500.n team@mymobile.co.in

Memory | 4GB, MicroSD OS | Android OS v4.2 Jelly Bean Screen Size | 4.0-inch, Capacitive Battery | Li-Ion 1,500 mAh

verdict Looks

Features

Talktime/Standby | Up to 4 hours/Up to 200 hours

ease of use

GPRS/3G/BT/WiFi | Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes

perfoRmance

Camera | 5.0-Megapixel

value for money

Others | BBM, Truecaller, Notebook, OLX, Opera mini

Price: Rs 5,999

overall

82%

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Pros

Still Ascending The Huawei Ascend Y511 delivers good value for money

he Huawei Ascend Y511 is one of the most impressive entry level smartphones that we have seen recently, reflecting just how many options customers have even at relatively low price points.

Good looking and compact The Ascend Y511 is a good looking smartphone with a compact and well-built form factor. A wide metal rim running across the middle adds strength and style to it and the curved edges make it easy to hold and use. However, the finish including the display is a little too glossy. It easily gets smudged. The front includes an impressive 4.5-inch display of 854 x 480 resolution. The display is vivid and good looking even from wide angles. The front also includes a VGA camera for video chats. The back includes dual SIM slots, a micro SD slot, a 1,730 mAh battery, a powerful speaker and a 3.0-megapixel camera.

the user, while the huge pool of pre-loaded apps accounts for the rest. However, it supports memory expansion so you can add more storage through microSD cards. The 1730mAh Li-ion battery gives a day’s back up easily on regular use. The cameras are not good and could only muster average looking images even in outdoor lighting.

Conclusion If you are on a tight budget, the Huawei Ascend Y511 is a decent option for its impressive display, battery back-up, compact form factor, and generally smooth performance. What is not so great about it is its camera, internal memory and glossy finish. If you are looking for alternatives, you can check out the Lumia 520 for its higher internal memory, better camera, and impressive performance. You can also check out the Spice Mettle Flo, another impressive device priced at Rs. 6,499. n team@mymobile.co.in

Android 4.2 with a dash of Huawei

Impressive display



Smooth performance



Decent battery back-up

Cons 

Glossy finish



Limited storage



Average camera

Price: Rs 7,499

132.8 mm

The Ascend Y511 runs on Android 4.2 and for the most part, Huawei has maintained the look and feel of an Android interface, although some of the icons look bigger and different from those seen on stock Android. Barring one or two apps from Huawei like Huawei Care and Backup and others like Kingsoft office, FM radio, it carries Googlebased apps like Maps, Gmail, Hangouts, Play Music, YouTube etc. The apps can be clubbed under categories so they can be sorted and accessed instantly. In terms of connectivity this dual SIM device is well endowed and has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G.



verdict

Impressive performance

Looks

The touch of the device is not the smoothest and sometimes one experiences the jerks and lags reminiscent of phones in this category. But generally the device ran well, which was a pleasant surprise from a device at this price point. Powered by 1.3GHz dual core processor and 512MB RAM, the Ascend Y511 handled tasks quite well. Movies and videos also played smoothly. It comes with 4GB internal memory out of which 1.27GB is available to

Features

ease of use

perfoRmance

value for money

overall

67.4.5 mm

76%

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 47

burn test The Atom Supreme? That’s what the Atom Supremus is trying to be

ecent times have seen Indian mobile phone manufactures launching budget smartphones in order to grab the attention of the consumers. The latest to jump on the value for money smartphone bandwagon is Atom Mobile which has launched a 5.0-inch smartphone called Atom Supremus in the Indian market. The smartphone comes with some very powerful specifications. But will they

attract the customer?

Good looks with glossy finish The Atom Supremus looks decent and feels very comfortable to hold. The 5.0-inch device comes with a plastic body with glossy finish. The phone has rounded edges and is sturdy enough. However, the glossy rear panel easily attracts fingerprints. The sleek-looking device

Pros Quad-core processor  Good display  Good sound 

Cons Scratch prone display  Poor battery backup  Average front camera 

48 MYMOBILE may 2014

Price: Rs 16,999 flaunts a 5.0-inch display with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution. The viewing angles are also good and we faced no problem with the display while in sunlight. That said, the display is not scratchresistant so one has to put screen protectors on them. The display of the device is dominated by one hard button for home and two soft keys for back and options. The power button is located on the right side of the device and the volume control button is on the left. We often faced problems while using both buttons because at times one has to press them really hard to make them work. The charging port is located at the base and the 3.5mm audio jack is placed on the top. The back of the device houses a 13.0-megapixel camera with LED flash â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there is a 5.0-megapixel front facing camera above the display.

Quad-core power The Atom Supremus is powered by a 1.5GHz MediaTek Cortex A7 quad-core processor. Phone performed quite well during multitasking but tended to slow down while running high graphic rich games. The smartphone offers 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (with 13GB available for the user) which can be further expanded with the help of a microSD card. It comes with dual SIM functionality (GSM+GSM) and both SIM cards are of normal size. The connectivity options of the device include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The smartphone runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean which is adequate for most tasks, but we would have

preferred a newer version, especially given the fact that Android 4.4 KitKat has been around for a while and is being made available for a number of other devices. The UI of the device is pretty much stock Android although Atom has added a lot of applications to it. There are five homescreen panels which can be used for placing the shortcuts of your favourite apps and widgets. The device houses a 2,000 mAh battery which is a bit on the lower side as it does not last a day.

Decent Performer

157 mm

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The Atom Supremus houses a 13.0-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 5.0-megapixel front facing camera to facilitate video calling. The rear shooter works well and delivers some good quality images. The camera UI is very simple and one has to swipe towards the right to view the pictures one captured. The quality of images taken in low light was also decent, although the shots witnessed discoloration at the edges. On the other hand, the 5.0-megapixel camera worked fine during video calls and is also a good option for taking selfies. The device features 3D sound, which enhances the music quality of the device. The sound qua;ity was very good both over headphones and loudspeaker. Touch response of the device was also spot on, making the device easy to use. The quad-core processor also works fine but tends to lag a bit while running high quality graphic rich games. The battery backup could also have been better.

78 mm

verdict 8

Looks

Features

ease of use

Conclusion The Atom Supremus is a good option for those who are looking for a device with powerful hardware specifications at this price point. The company is also providing two screen protectors and a flip cover along with the sales pack to sweeten the deal. It is priced at Rs 16,999. Those looking for alternatives can opt for the Lenovo P780 which is priced at Rs16,500. n team@mymobile.co.in

perfoRmance value for money

7 8

overall

80%

may 2014 MYMOBILE 49

burn test The 3-in-1 Convertible The Asus

Transformer Book Trio wears many hats

Pros Great performance  Dual operating systems  Impressive display 

Cons No SIM support  No windows in tablet mode  Expensive 

50 MYMOBILE may 2014

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he new ultrabook convertible from Asus is practically three devices in one body. It includes an Android tablet, a Windows 8 laptop and an Android laptop - a unique combination. The Transformer Book Trio exemplifies the potential of the convertible segment. But will customers flock to it?

Well-built ultrabook The Trio boasts a robust metallic exterior which extends to both the keyboard and the display. The metallic finish gives it a fine look and the slim bezels of a compact device. The display is

only on a Wi-Fi network or via a dongle.

Android Tablet first The moment you detach the display from the keybaord, Android takes centre stage. The Android version on the device is the slightly older JellyBean 4.2 and is the only OS available in the tablet mode. We missed Windows, given how touch friendly its new avatar is. Asus has made very minor changes in the interface and has kept the original look and feel of Android. The device is powered by Intel Atom processor and 2GB RAM. The display is bigger than what you would get from standalone tablets. It is 11.6inch and has a screen resolution of 1920x1080p. It looks sharp, handled colours well and played movies and games very well. The tablet comes with its own set of cameras and they are quite good too. It supports micro SD card so you can add additional memory to the existing 16GB. More storage is available on cloud storage.

Two in one laptop Android is primarily a mobile OS and is hardly seen in mainstream laptops. It has come only in entry level laptops or convertibles like this one. A Windows user is not likely to be using Android in notebook mode when a full-fledged Windows 8 operating system is available. Android, however, has the advantage of dual batteries. When on Windows, the tablet’s battery won’t keep sleek, weighs 700 grams when separated from the base and can be used as an 11-inch tablet. As a tablet, it does feel a little heavy but you have to consider that it is an 11.6-inch tablet and not a 9.0-inch one. When joined with the base, it weighs 1.7 kg, which is good by convertible standards. It has a start button to turn on/off the Android OS or lock/ unlock the screen. When you are running Windows, none of the keys on the tablet would work - they are solely for the Android OS and work when Android is being used. You also have to be careful about turning off Windows OS before detaching the tablet or risk crashing Windows. We were a little disappointed at not being able to use Windows in the tablet mode. The device sits comfortably when used in the laptop mode. The keyboard base has its own battery and so has the tablet/display. The keyboard base features a pair of USB 3.0 slots and a micro HDMI slot, while the tablet has a micro SD card slot, a micro USB port, a 3.5mm jack and a pair of cameras. There are no SIM slots on the tablet, so you can run Internet

Asus Transformer Book Trio

the device running, but when you are running Android, you will get the back-up of both he keyboard and the tablet. This doubles the battery back-up when the Android OS is being used. The base gives about 6 hours of back-up on Windows while in Android you get a full day’s charge on regular use. The keyboard is a welcome addition in case you have to type. When docked and Windows is running the device switches on to the highly powerful 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor, backed up by 4GB RAM, 400GB HDD and Intel HD 4000 graphics. This makes working on it a breeze, making it an impressive Windows 8 ultrabook. The keyboard is good, big and wide but there is no backlighting in it. The trackpad is rather small and so is the palm rest. While Windows is on, you can switch to Android from the special button on the keyboard in a jiffy and vice versa - the other OS will remain open in the background. You don’t have to restart and switch off to move from one OS to another. This was a feature we really liked.

Conclusion The product can be used in many ways and in some of them it excels, but the overall concept of stuffing too many devices in one does not always work. The Transformer Book Trio is going to be popular among professionals who cannot do without a Windows laptop but like to use Android once in a while. But it is unlikely to be a hit with the regular convertible or even ultrabook crowd, first because of the price and because of the concept. You can get 10-inch Android tablet with calling feature and better features at half its price. You can also get an ultrabook at half the price even though it may not be as powerful as this. At Rs 98,099, the device is a little overpriced as at this amount one can have two devices. Yes, the trio does save you from the trouble of carrying an extra device, but it does so at a hefty price. n team@mymobile.co.in

verdict 8

Looks

Features

ease of use

Talktime/Standby | GPRS/3G/BT/WiFi | No/No/Yes/Yes Camera | 5.0-megapixel Others | Intel i7 processor, dual OS

Price: Rs 98,099

perfoRmance value for money

overall

80%

may 2014 MYMOBILE 51

burn test Nokia’s Android Cometh Nokia finally launches an Android phone

Pros Solid and colourful design  Innovative interface  Free software 

Cons Ordinary camera  No Google Play  Not great at gaming 

Price: Rs 8,599 52 MYMOBILE may 2014

fter months of speculation, the first Nokia phone to officially run Android is finally in the Indian market. But will the colourful Nokia X redefine the market with its design and interface or has it already come too late to the Android party?

Looks like the Asha In terms of appearance, the Nokia X borrows very firmly from its Asha cousin. The device makes no attempt to be ultra slim, and instead comes across as a very solid chunky block of colourful plastic. Fans of tech anorexia will be outraged at its 10.4 mm thickness at a time when most phones are trying to be ultra slim, but we actually loved the solid feel of the device. As in the Asha, the plastic used is of very good quality and the bright colours will turn heads. There are no hardware buttons on the front of the device where the 4.0-inch display holds centrestage with a single touch button below it, the right side houses the display/ power switch on/off buttons, the lower part the micro USB port and the top the 3.5 mm audio jack. The left side of the phone is totally blank and the back is a plain expanse of plastic interrupted only by the 3.0-megapixel camera. The back cover gives access to dual SIM trays and the memory card slot. In sum, if you liked the looks of the Asha 501 and 502, you will love the way the X looks. We did.

...works like a Lumia Android But the real star of the Nokia X is not the design. It is the OS that runs on the phone itself. Nokia has taken the Amazon path and has come out with its own take on Android. And it has - surprise, surprise - more than a passing resemblance to the interface found in Nokia’s own Lumia and Asha devices. The landing screen resembles the tiled interface of the Lumia with all the apps on the homescreen, with a single swipe to either side taking you to the most recently used apps (the Fastlane approach). There are no conventional home, back and menu buttons below the display. The solitary back on the front of the device either lets you go to the previous screen or to the homescreen if you give it a long press. No, there’s no multitasking button - you will just have to make your way from one app to another - and the notification area that can be pulled down from the upper portion of the display lets you access basic controls and does not tell you about new mails and social network updates. On the flip side, you can find out about new messages by swiping to the left or right from the homescreen and can even get notifications and previews from the lockscreen. Before you ask, yes, you can tap to wake up the device.

New Android, steady specs This is Nokia’s take on Android and while it

does not always work very smoothly, we found it more than adequate for most of our browsing and social networking needs. There is no Google Play on it but you can access Nokia Store and other app stores and even sideload Android apps on it, if you have the APK files. Nokia has also replaced Google services with its alternatives, so you have its own mail app instead of Gmail and Here Maps in place of Google Maps. There is also Mix Radio which gives you access to a vast library of free music. Honestly, we think Nokia’s maps and music work much better than Google’s services, especially in India. Navigation was a joy on the X. Nokia X, however, is not a gaming machine - its dual core Snapdragon processor and 512MB RAM tend to restrict you to very casual titles involving not too much hectic action. The 800 x 480 display is decent enough for most video and web page viewing but we were honestly surprised to see a very ordinary 3.0-megapixel fixed focus camera on the device, especially given Nokia’s muscle in the camera department. The camera at best gives steady shots in good lighting conditions.

Conclusion So does Nokia’s Android move pay off? While there is no doubting the build quality of the device, the X is not likely to be a steady Android user’s cup of tea. However, it is a very solid phone for first time smartphone users who want a phone for social networking, Web browsing and mail. It will face stiff competition ironically from Nokia’s own Lumia 520 which is retailing for Rs 7,500 and comes with a better 5.0-megapixel camera and runs the latest version of Windows Phone 8. n team@mymobile.co.in

1115.5 mm

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63 mm

verdict Looks

Features

8 9

ease of use perfoRmance

value for money

overall

84%

may 2014 MYMOBILE 53

burn test LG Throws a Curve The G Flex is a unique phone

phone that looks different? They don’t look more different from the G Flex, LG’s phone that literally has a curve in its build. But is the G Flex just a design marvel or is there some substance beneath the style?

It really curves

160.5 mm

The first thing that strikes you in the G Flex is its shape. The phone curves inwards from the display side, and is curved from top to bottom. You can actually straighten it a bit by holding down the two ends of the device, but the device snaps back into its original form. As per LG, the

81.6 mm

54 MYMOBILE may 2014

curve is based on the curvature of the human face, allowing the phone to fit more snugly against your face. The phone is definitely a bit on the bigger side, with a 6.0-inch display and a width of 86 mm, and at 177 grammes, it is not exactly featherlight either. But there’s no doubting the premium feel of the device. LG has kept it relatively slim at 8.7 mm, and the front, as in the case of the G2 is absolutely plain with not a button in sight. The back houses the single interface button with the volume buttons above and below it, just as in the case of the G2. And just above this button is the 13.0-megapixel camera accompanied by a flash. The sides are bare, with the SIM card slot on the left being barely visible, and a micro USB port at the bottom of the device. The back is smooth and glossy but thanks to a few tweaks (which LG refers to as a self-healing coating), does not attract smudges and scratches, and yes, even the front is very resistant to these, being made of Gorilla Glass 2. No, it does not scream ‘class’ the way an iPhone does, but there is no doubting the fact that the G Flex will turn heads because of its almost unique form factor.

even infrared, which means that you can use the phone as your remote control. But the cynosure of all eyes is likely to be the display. It is an AMOLED one and is one of the most brilliant we have seen in terms of colours and brightness, although we were surprised at its resolution being a relatively modest 1280 x 720p. Running on top of all this hardware and design goodness is Android 4.2.2, which is a bit of a let-down, although we hear that an update to Android 4.4 KitKat is rolling out even as we speak.

…and packs in a lot of hardware punch

Pricey performer

It stands out in the smartphone crowd but it would be grossly unfair to call the LG G Flex a one-trick pony. For, the device is no pushover in hardware terms. It is powered by a quad core 2.26 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, backed up by 2GB RAM and has 32GB of onboard memory, which however is not expandable. The camera comes loaded with shooting options and tweaks and connectivity choices include 3G, Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi and

It has the looks, the hardware and the software, but the G Flex offers them to you at a very hefty price tag. Launched at Rs 69,999, the G Flex is one of the most expensive smartphones in the country. And although we could not fault its performance in any department – it handled games and apps brilliantly, was awesome at surfing the Web and did very well in the multimedia department too, with the camera returning excellent results. Yes, it is a very good performer and up there with the best Android devices we have used in every department barring that of the display (whose brilliance does compensate for the relatively lower resolution), but this is a lifestyle device, not a geek’s. The large size and the curve also make it difficult to hold or put in one’s pocket. A special mention here needs to be made of the battery, which

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LG G Flex tech specs Pros

Size | 160.5 x 81.6 x 7.9 mm

Different design  Excellent display  Decent hardware 

Cons No discernible advantage from curved design  Expensive  Bulky to hold 

Price: Rs 60,000

verdict 9

Looks

Features comfortably saw us through a day and a half of hectic use – LG clearly seem to have discovered some secret sauce for increasing battery life (the G2 was very impressive in this department as well).

Conclusion: So should you be investing in the G Flex? Well, the answer is honestly, a mixed one. If you are looking for a phone that stands out from the crowd and budget is not an issue, then the LG G Flex is very much the phone

for you. However, if it is a high-performance device that you seek, then the G Flex is not for you. No, we are not saying that it is a poor performer – it does deliver very good performance – but one can get much better devices for much lesser. LG’s own G2 and Nexus 5 are significant examples and cost much lesser. And of course, those looking for a premium looking smartphone that is also a snappy performer will consider the iPhone 5s, which starts from Rs 53,500. n team@mymobile.co.in

ease of use

perfoRmance value for money

overall

76%

may 2014 MYMOBILE 55

burn test The Android Notebook Lenovo puts Android in laptop mode with the IdeaPad A10

ndroid on a notebook is not something new - we have seen Asus try to convince consumers of its utility on the Transformer series. But no major brand has probably come with an option that is as affordable and yet solidly designed as Lenovo’s IdeaPad A10. The big question is: does it do enough to sway the conven-

tional notebook wielding crowd?

Looks like a notebook When it comes to appearance, the IdeaPad A10 ticks off all the notebook design boxes. Seen in folded mode and even when switched on but with the display off, it looks like a routine well-built netbook. It

Pros Decent price  Good Keyboard and proper USB ports  Solidly built and very portable 

Cons Android not as keyboard friendly as Windows  Not all apps work well  Trackpad does not work well 

56 MYMOBILE may 2014

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is an all-plastic affair, and when opened, reveals a 10.1 inch multi-touch display, and a full-sized keyboard with a trackpad. At 17.3mm, the A10 is on the thinner side and while it feels solid enough, we were surprised at its weight when we picked it up – it is just a kilogram in weight. The innards are promising too – the notebook is powered by a 1.6 Ghz quad core Rockship A9 processor and comes with 1GB RAM and has 16GB storage which can be expanded using a memory card. There are two USB ports and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity out of the box, which is pretty standard for a netbook. There are two speakers and a Web cam and holding everything together on the software side is Android 4.2, which has been given a good going over by Lenovo to make it more notebook friendly. No, you cannot detach the display from the keyboard but it can revolve almost 300 degrees so you can flip the keyboard around and use it as a stand. Not really like the iconic Yoga but close enough to be convenient.

Works with Android With all this on board, the IdeaPad A10 manages to work quite decently as a notebook. Lenovo has been one of those manufacturers who has not been shy of tweaking software on its Android devices and its innovations here are very much on view. There is a dock at the bottom of the display that shows open apps a la the Windows taskbar, and the keyboard has the standard home, back and multi-tasking buttons, saving you from the need to reach out to the notebook screen time and again. There’s also a very handy search button and the interface is optimised to work in a landscape mode. Of course, you get all of Android’s Internet muscle and app delight out of the box. So you can download the likes of Temple Run and Angry Birds, and can also use the fantastic array of browsers that are available for Android ranging from Opera to UC Browser to of course, Chrome. And the keyboard comes in handy when you are writing out those long mails or composing and editing documents. The display’s ability to rotate on its hinge is handy as well - you can flip it around for those moments when you wish to make presentations or maybe just play some games without the keyboard getting in the way. The problem, of course, is that Android is not really built for use in a notebook. So we

8 at times, but Windows does tend to handle that better. The trackpad is the biggest weak point of the device – it was inconsistent and more often than not was rendered superfluous by the responsive touchscreen. All said and done, we must admit that while the notebook experience on the IdeaPad A10 was not really in the class of the Chromebooks that we have used, it was easily the best Android experience we have had on a notebook. Even the USB port worked just fine – our Tata Photon Plus data dongle connected to it without any problems.

Conclusion

often had occasions when apps did not really work the way they were supposed to - Temple Run for instance insisted on running in portrait mode, which was difficult in this device. For the most part, using the interface was a matter of getting oneself into the touch the screen and type on the keyboard - reminiscent of Windows

Lenovo IdeaPad A10 tech specs Size | 269 x 185 x 17.3 mm

While we love the whole idea behind the IdeaPad A10, we cannot help but feel that this is not exactly the first device we would choose if we were in the market for a basic notebook. And this is mainly because Android does not quite blend with keyboards the way Windows or even Google’s Chrome OS does. Lenovo could, however, be on to something if it further tweaks the OS heavily like Nokia or Amazon or makes the display detachable from the keyboard. At Rs 19,990 however it is a very good deal for those wanting an Android tablet with a keyboard and are more into social network, mail and document editing than gaming. An alternative of course is Acer’s Chromebook C720 which sports an 11.6 inch display but has no touchscreen and works on the Chrome OS. n team@mymobile.co.in

Weight | 1KG Memory | 16GB, microSD OS | Android OS v4.2

verdict Looks

Battery | 2 cell

Features

Talktime/Standby | Up to 9 hours/-

ease of use

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

perfoRmance

Camera | VGA

value for money

Screen Size | 10.1-inch, Capacitive

Others | Keyboard customized for Android, 300-Digri screen rotation

Price: Rs 19,990

7 8 9

overall

80%

may 2014 MYMOBILE 57

burn test A Compact Xperia Sony’s Z1

Compact exudes class

Very ‘hand’some indeed The first thing that will strike you about the Xperia Compact, quite appropriately, is its size. Yes, we know it is called ‘Compact’ but we were still surprised at just how small it seemed initially. Its length of 127mm and width of 64.9mm are a trifle more than that of the iPhone 5s, although it is a relatively thick proposition at 9.5 mm and is not a lightweight either - tipping the scales at a very healthy 137 grammes. What cannot be denied is that this is perhaps the most hand-friendly high-end device we have seen from an Android device manufacturer for quite a while. In terms of appearance, the Z1 Compact follows the path of the Xperia Z1 and the Xperia Z1 Ultra. Like those worthies, this device too is waterproof and dust-resistant. The front is dominated by the 4.3-inch display with no hardware buttons at all, and the back is an expanse of plastic disturbed only by the 20.7-megapixel camera. The sides are metallic and are a bit crowded - the left houses the flap-covered micro USB port, SIM card slot and micro SD card slot as well as the Xperia Z series connector, which frankly looks very out of place. We also found the flaps covering the

different card slots to be a bit on the flimsy side - handle with care or they might come off. The right side is relatively spartan but still houses a round power/display on/off button, the volume rocker and a surprisingly small camera button. All in all, the phone lives up to its name and looks and feels solid in one’s hands. Sony is offering the Xperia Z1 Compact in four colour and while the white and black ones might not turn many heads, the pink and yellow ones will have people noticing your hands when you use it. There’s no denying it: this is a handsome handset, although the back is prone to picking up scratches and smudges.

Powerfully specced, good performer Some brands - HTC most noticeably tend to take their feet off the hardware pedal when coming up with mini or shrunk versions of their flagships. That is definitely not the case with Sony. The Z1 Compact packs in some seriously good hardware: it is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core processor clocked at 2.2 GHz backed up by 2GB RAM and 16GB onboard storage (expandable using a microSD card). The camera on the back is a 20.7-megapixel one with Sony’s Exmor RS mobile sensor, and connectivity options include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC. If there is one feature of this device that is not truly high-end it is ironically the display, with 1280 x 720p resolution might seem relatively low to many. Yes, it is not full HD but in a 4.3 inch display, it is more than adequate and actually has a pixel density that is higher than that of the iPhone 5s. We just wish Sony had kept smaller bezels - there is a lot of blank space above and below that display. Of course, all these specs would be of little use if the phone did not perform well. And it is

127 mm

his might be the era of oversized phones with massive displays, but it is heartening to see that many cellphone manufacturers have not forgotten those of us who have relatively smaller hands or those who simply want a phone that can be used with a single hand. It is this segment of consumers that has spurred the release of a number of ‘mini’ versions of large handsets. And the latest to join the mini club is Sony’s Xperia Z1 Compact, which, as its name indicates, is inspired by the Xperia Z1 but comes in a much smaller frame.

Pros Good design  Good camera  Great specs 

Cons Expensive  Very small camera button  Body picks up scratches 

58 MYMOBILE may 2014

64.9 mm

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Sony Xperia z1 Compact

tech specs here that we see the Z1 compact at its best. Sony has updated the software to Android KitKat (4.4) and the result is a phone that zips along on most tasks and handles mutliple apps with ease. The processor lets it handle hefty games quite easily although we did notice battery draining rather rapidly during our Shadowgun sessions. The camera is outstanding - we think this is the best camera we have seen on an Xperia for a while. Which makes the decision to have such a small camera button very odd. Sound quality is very good, screen is terrific for viewing videos and websites and call quality is excellent as well. Battery life easily lasted a day of hefty use, which is very acceptable.

Size | 127 x 64.9 x 9.5mm Weight | 137 grams Memory | 16GB, microSD OS | Android OS v4.3

34,990, it is definitely on the expensive side, especially when you can get the likes of the full HD display sporting Nexus 5 and Lenovo Vibe Z for lesser. However, neither of those worthies is as palm-friendly as the Xperia Z1 Compact. In fact, the only real alternative to it in that department is the iPhone 5c which is currently retailing around Rs 40,000. n team@mymobile.co.in

verdict 9

Screen Size | 4.3-inch, Capacitive

Looks

Battery | Li-Ion 2,300 mAh

Features

Talktime/Standby | Up to 10 hours/ Up to 670 hours

ease of use

perfoRmance

GPRS/3G/BT/WiFi | Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes Camera | 20.7-megapixel

Conclusion

Others | NFC, Dust proof, Water resistant, Triluminos display,

If you are looking for a powerful Android device that will easily fit your hand the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is your best option. At Rs

Price: Rs 33,500

value for money

overall

84%

may 2014 MYMOBILE 59

burn test A Micromax Knight Rises

The Canvas Knight is Micromaxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best phone yet

icromax has been making waves in the Indian smartphone market, outperforming some of the biggest names in the business. And with the Canvas Knight, it has upped the ante, combining a very stylish design with some hefty hardware.

Micromax turns on the style If the Canvas Doodle and the Canvas Turbo indicated a shift in Micromaxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design strategy with a cleaner, more classy appearance coming to the fore, the Canvas Knight sees it sashay into the cellphone party with credentials to become the belle of the ball. In terms of appearance it seems to have taken a leaf out of the fashion book of another good looker, the Nexus 4. Like that worthy, the front and back of the Canvas Knight too are covered with glass. This does make the phone very prone to scratches and smudges, and Micromax has very thoughtfully added a case to the pack to keep the back stain free. The 16.0megapixel camera does jut out of the back but that apart, the front and back of the phone are like smooth slabs of glass, with a 5.0-inch full HD touchscreen dominating the front. The right side has the display/ power on/off button and two buttons for increasing and decreasing the volume. The buttons are well crafted but are so similar and so close together that we often ended up switching off the display when all we wanted to do was increase the volume and vice versa. But make no mistake about it, the Canvas Knight is one of the best looking devices we have seen for a while from any manufacturer. Classy, glassy.

It has decent specs too! While it does look very good, the Micromax Canvas Knight is no dumb blonde and comes with some very decent hardware innards. The display of course is full HD, and comes with a pixel density of 443 ppi which is up there with some of the best we have seen. Yes, it is not

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Pros

Cons There are occasional lags  Surface prone to smudges  Older version of Android

the brightest or most brilliant display around but it is still a very good display. Then there is the little matter of the 2 GHz octa-core MediaTek processor that lies at the heart of this device, aided by 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard, nonexpandable storage. Micromax has also thrown a good deal of its weight behind the camera on the device, which is a 16.0megapixel one and comes with a number of shooting options. There is also an 8.0megapixel fixed focus front facing camera. Connectivity options include 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but no NFC. The phone also comes with dual SIM connectivity. And running on it is Android 4.2.2, which is a tad disappointing when you see that this is an octa core device.

A solid performer We know that there are those who scoff at MediaTek’s processors, but we must confess that we have never really experienced any major problems with them. And the octa core chip on the Canvas Knight serves it very well indeed. There were the odd lags from time to time, but by and large the phone behaved with commendable smoothness. The display is one of the highlights of the device, making watching videos, browsing the Web and We found that we were able to run high definition games, edit videos and run multiple apps on the device without any problems whatsoever, although we did notice the phone getting rather warm near the area around the camera when our gaming sessions went beyond the half hour mark. The rear camera itself is one of the better shooters we have seen on a Micromax device, turning in a very good performance in good light conditions and managing a better performance than most of its competitors in low light as well. Battery life was not the greatest, but with a bit of caution and keeping notifications under control, we were able to see out a day. If the device does have an Achilles Heel, it is in the sound department,

where we felt it could have done much better in terms of both clarity and volume. But that apart, the Canvas Knight for the most part acts like a high-end Android device. Yes, we would have loved a newer version of Android on such a new device and our advice would be to change the launcher on it to give it a speed boost, but yes, this is perhaps the most powerful Android device out there in the sub-Rs 20,000 category right now.

144 mm



Eye catching design  Decent performance  Good camera 

Conclusion Does the Canvas Knight do enough to pose a threat to older, established brands in the market? We think it does. And at Rs 19,999, it does more than enough for us to forgive its occasional lags and slightly eccentric battery life. The closest that any device comes to it is the Intel Aqua Octa which also boasts a full HD display and an octa core processor and is priced at Rs 19,990 n team@mymobile.co.in

Micromax Canvas Knight

tech specs 70 mm

Size | 144 x 70 x 7.3mm Weight | Memory | 32GB OS | Android OS v4.2

verdict

Screen Size | 5.0-inch, Capacitive

Looks

Battery | Li-On 2,350 mAh

Features

Talktime/Standby | Up to 7.5 hours/ Up to 175 hours

ease of use

perfoRmance

GPRS/3G/BT/WiFi | Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes Camera | 16.0-megapixel Others | Octa-core Processor, Glass front and back

Price: Rs 19,999

value for money

overall

86%

may 2014 MYMOBILE 61

burn test Moto With the X Factor The Moto

X scores on innovation rather than specs

otorolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return to India continues. After the high-profile release of the Moto G, it is now the turn of the Moto X to hit the Indian market. But has the device been released too late to make an impact on Indian users?

Finally in India When the Motorola X was announced in August 2013, there were many who hailed it as a new era in Android. Considered to be the first phone made by Motorola with significant inputs from Google, the Moto X placed stress on experience rather than hardware, allowing users to totally customise the look and feel of the phone online from changing the backpanelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colour to choosing the buttons on the device. It also came with innovative software, hardware that was steady rather than spectacular and Google shocked many people when it provided the KitKat (Android 4.4) update to it before some of its own Nexus devices. Although a critical success (most reviewers loved it), the Moto X was at best a mixed performer on the commercial front. And there are many who believe it took too long to come to India, and even when it did, it came without offering users the option to customise the look and feel of the device.

Still good looking It might have taken its time getting to Indian shores but we still must confess to feeling a thrill when we held the Moto X. We got the black model of the device, and in this era of massive, oversized devices, we must confess that we loved its compact design. No, at 10.4 mm it is not the slimmest phone we have seen, but it is easily the most compact device with a 4.7-inch display that we have seen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is only slightly longer and wider than the 4.0-inch display toting iPhone 5s. The glass display tapers off on to the sides, giving the phone a distinctly classy touch and we liked the matte-like back which was not at all scratch or smudgefriendly. There are no hardware buttons on the front of the device and the bezels are much

62 MYMOBILE may 2014

smaller than the ones seen on the Moto G. The right side houses the display and power on/off button and the volume rocker while the lower part of the device has the micro-USB port and the top has the 3.5 mm audio jack. All in all, the Moto X is a smart and well-designed device. We don’t think it will stop traffic but it will certainly elicit a second glance from those who have seen it close up.

Steady hardware, spectacular software In terms of hardware, the Moto X is unlikely to send tech spec worshippers into ecstasies. The 4.7-inch display comes with a 1280 x 720 resolution, but is an AMOLED one, which means that colours spring to life on it (albeit in a slightly oversaturated manner) and blacks are rich and deep. The device is powered by a dual-core 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, with no option for expandability. Connectivity wise, the device comes with 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC support, while the back camera is a 10.0-megapixel affair with a LED flash and the front facing camera is a 2.0megapixel one. But where the Moto X stands out from the crowd is in its software innovation. Yes, it runs the latest version of Android, but added to it are touches like the lock screen which shows notifications in a delightfully unobtrusive and minimalised manner (just the icons of the apps

Price: Rs 23,999

which have received notifications) and lets you see previews of messages and mails by just pressing icons on the lock screen. Then there is voice control using the famous “Hello Google” line which lets you not only get information from Google but also enables you to find your phone when you have misplaced it. Two quick twists of the wrist launch the camera, which incidentally, takes some very good pictures. Then there are Motorola’s apps like Migrate which let you transfer data from other phones to your Moto X and Connect that lets handle text messages from within your Chrome browser. And all this at a decent rate of knots. We did see the odd lag, especially in high definition territory, but for the most part, the Moto X performed brilliantly.

Conclusion The Moto X is available from Flipkart.com for Rs 23,999 for the 16GB variant. Had it been released at this price in India last year, we would have asked you to grab it. However, six months is a long time in technology, and much as we like the Moto X, it is no longer the irresistible option that it was at the time of its launch. Some might consider Micromax Canvas Knight with its octa core processor, full HD display and price tag of Rs 19,990 a better option while the Windows Phone lobby will point out that you can get a Lumia 1320 with a bigger screen for as much as the Moto X. However, if what you want is a device that is easy to use, has an innovative interface, and works without too much fuss, Moto X is a very good option. n team@mymobile.co.in

129.3 mm

www.mymobile.co.in

65.3 mm

Pros Compact design  Decent camera  Latest Android with innovative UI 

Cons Not a full HD display  Some might expect a quadcore processor  Expensive for the specs 

verdict 9

Looks Features

8 9

ease of use perfoRmance

value for money

overall

84%

may 2014 MYMOBILE 63

burn test Innovative Android The Oppo N1 comes with a number of clever touches

t is not the slimmest, most powerful or the lightest smartphone around, but the Oppo N1 deserves credit for going boldly on the path of innovation. A high price tag, however, means that it will be competing against some very powerful and high-profile devices.

Heavy and yet elegant There is no getting around it – the first thing that strikes you about the Oppo N1 is its size. At a time when phones are trying to squeeze bigger displays into more compact form fac-

tors, the N1 unashamedly flaunts its size and weight – it is over half a foot long and at 213 grammes, weighs almost as much as two iPhone 5s devices. And yet, there is more than a hint of class about the device. Oppo has used plastic as the main component, but its matte finish means that the chances of its being scuffed or scratched are relatively remote. The chrome accents on the sides add a touch of class and the net result is a phone that in spite of its bulk, manages to leave a positive impression. The front is all about the 5.9-inch full HD

Pros Excellent display  Good build quality  Innovative camera 

Cons Expensive  Bulky  Not all innovations work 

display, with no hardware buttons, while the volume rocker and power and display on/off button are located on the right side – they are almost flush with the side, which can make finding them a bit of a problem at times. Grabbing all your attention, however, is likely to be the camera of the device, a 13.0-megapixel affair which seems to be placed in a kind of an enclosure. But more of that later. In the looks department, the Oppo N1 gets a decent score. Yes, you would need to use both hands most of the time to use it comfortably, but it has been a while since we saw a phone this big look this good.

The camera with a twist… and other touches 170.7 mm

The Oppo N1 comes with a number of innovations, but perhaps the most visible one is the camera that lies on top of the device. A 13.0megapixel affair with dual LED flash, it can actually be rotated from back to front and vice versa, courtesy a very solid hinge, allowing you to use it as a front as well as a back camera. A very neat trick and one that makes it the ultimate selfie camera in our book, not least because the camera itself takes very good pictures, with the dual LED flash giving it some added shooting muscle in low light conditions. In a neat touch, the camera launches automatically whenever you swivel it, although you can also define a gesture for launching it. There are other innovations too. The back of the phone has a track pad which means that you can actually navigate on the device without touching the display and even take pictures. No, it does not work perfectly every time but it is a very handy feature and certainly more versatile than the button on the back formula tried by LG in the G2. Oppo has

82.6 mm

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also thrown in an O-Click remote – a small spherical device that connects over Bluetooth

Size | 170.7 x 82.6 x 9mm

to the N1 and lets you know when you get a new message or miss a call. Best of all, it can be used to locate your phone if it is lost and can also be used to take photographs from a distance without touching the phone. Then there are gesture controls like a double tap to wake up the phone to activating the camera by pinching fingers on the screen to adjusting volume by sliding your fingers up and down the sides.

Weight | 213 grams

Impressive hardware

Oppo N1 tech specs

Price: Rs 39,990

It has the looks and the features and the Oppo N1 rounds off matters with some impressive innards. The display is a full HD one and while its quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor is not the latest in tech town, it more than suffices for most tasks, including HD gaming. 2GB RAM ensures that multi-tasking for the most part proceeds smoothly, but we do wish there was more storage space than 16GB or at least the option to expand it. There is no shortage of connectivity options – Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS…they are all there. Mind you all this comes at a price that might shock some people – at Rs 39,990, the Oppo N1 is one of the more expensive Chinese phones in the market.

Conclusion All of which leaves the Oppo N1 in a

slightly odd position. While there is no doubt that it is one of the more innovative Android devices we have seen, at Rs 39,990, it will find itself going up against some of the most powerful Android devices in tech town, most notably the likes of the LG G2 and the Lenovo Vibe Z both of which boast better specs, sleeker design and cost lesser as well. However, if what matters most for you is a phone that looks and behaves very differently from the run of the mill Android, then the Oppo N1 makes a very good case for itself. n team@mymobile.co.in

verdict 8

Looks

Features ease of use

7 9

perfoRmance value for money

overall

80% may 2014 MYMOBILE 65

burn test The Aqua with Octa

161.06 mm

Intex uses the power of 8 cores

80.86 mm

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amsung used the term octa-core too liberally when they showed off Galaxy S4 last year. This octa-core processor was actually a combination of two quad-core processor, with one dedicated to handling simple tasks and the other for more heavy duty tasks. A ‘true’ octa-core processor with all eight cores toiling at once has finally arrived in devices like Intex Aqua Octa and the Micromax Canvas Knight. These devices reflect how quickly Indian brands are reacting to the demand for multi-core processors in the Indian market and also tapping into the latest technological advancements of the mobile world. We find out more about India’s first truly octa-core phone, the Intex Aqua Octa.

Enormous screen, compact form factor The Intex Aqua Octa belongs to Intex’s Aqua series, which has some good looking smartphones, and now has a good-looking phablet powered by an octa-core processor. It does not just offer multiple cores and a big display, two of the most in-demand smartphone features today, but also keeps them within relatively compact dimensions. It weighs 180 grams, which is considerably light for a phablet and at 7 mm, is slim even by a smartphone standard. The display looks vibrant but the screen resolution is lower than devices like the Canvas Knight - the colour rendering and wide viewing angles are so good that you may not notice it but when you run high resolution videos you will see the difference. The phone’s build quality is good. It has a metallic back panel, smooth round edges, and is easy to carry and use. The back panel includes dual SIM slots, a micro SD card slot, a 2,300mAh battery and 13.0 megapixel camera with LED flash. The front panel includes a 5.0-megapixel front-facing camera and three touch keys for home, multi-tasking and back under the display. The display is a little glossy and prone to smudges.

Stock Android with gesture control The Intex Aqua Octa runs on Android 4.2, and sports a mostly regular Android user interface. The icons have been tweaked to add some style and a different feel to it. Besides Intex Zone, which offers interesting features like Intex Play, Intex Games, Intex Life Box, Charging Info and Auto Call record, the device boasts of apps like Bigflix Lite, Getit, Hungama, Opera Mini, OLX, Zapak, WeChat, NQ mobile security and the usual Google apps. The device also comes with a number of handy gesture controls, such as shaking the phone to take a screenshot, touch keys that

assist single-handed use and pausing videos by looking away.

True octa-core power The Aqua Octa is powered by MediaTek’s 1.7GHz octa-core processor, a true octa-core processor with all eight cores working at once, unlike Samsung’s dual quad-core processors. It also boasts of 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory (12GB is available to the user), and supports a micro SD card of up to 32GB. It supports 3G, Bluetooth, WiFi, FM radio, GPS and boasts of a solid pair of dual speakers. The cameras are good - the 13.0-megapixel camera can take nice outdoor shots, record decent 1080p videos and has numerous modes to play around with. Though some of the images looked a little washed out, the general quality was superior to a lot of the 13.0-megapixel cameras we have seen on other phones.

Performance

Pros Fast processing  Good price  Good camera 

Cons Low resolution display  Glossy front panel  Average battery backup 

Intex Aqua Octa tech specs Size | 161.06 x 80.86 x 7mm

Though smartphones are getting more and more powerful, it is widely held that there isn’t enough content to go with it. The question is whether a user should spend more money on an octa-core processor when he can get by with a quad-core based phone. You will see the difference when you have used the Intex Aqua Octa. It handles the same work as devices with less powerful processors but it does so more smoothly and much faster, using the additional power at its disposal. The phone works incredibly fast right from the boot-up and handles apps, videos and games effortlessly. The display is good but we would have preferred a full HD display on such a powerful device. It comes with a 2,300mAh battery, which gives six hours of talktime and 180 hours on standby, which is decent for a phablet. All in all, the Aqua Octa core phone is an excellent device. It is well designed, is easy to carry and has a decent enough display. This makes it handy not just for avid multimedia users and active users of social networking sites but also for professionals on the move. It can don the role of a tablet as well as it has a big screen and can run multiple files simultaneously very well indeed.

Conclusion Intex’s phablet stands out from the rest of the crowd on account of a superior processor, light form factor, sizeable amount of storage and a nice camera. At Rs 19,900, it is one of the best working phablets around. You can also check out the Sony Xperia T2, priced at Rs 23,999 or the Windows-based Nokia Lumia 1320, which is priced at Rs 22,499. n team@mymobile.co.in

Price: Rs 19,900 verdict Looks

Features

ease of use

perfoRmance

value for money

overall

78%

may 2014 MYMOBILE 67

know your operator

Hello,

Aircel! It is one of the most high-profile mobile operators in the country,

with the Indian cricket captain as one of its brand ambassadors. As we revive our Know Your Operator series, we get up and close with Aircel. Mukesh Kumar Singh & Abhijit Ahaskar

68 MYMOBILE may 2014

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cel *Vas on Air scription De

Services

Pocket Internet Pocket Finder Joys Facebook for All Happy Recharge Limitless Music Wikipedia Offer

wse the Web at afforrnet allows users to bro up to Rs 251, Pocket Inte g goin and 5 n 6GB data to users. Rs at eve g Startin k offers 25MB data and day to 90 days, the pac able costs. Valid for one their friend’s location , tion s by finding their loca which helps subscriber . A location-based service app or P , phone WA ants, ATMs through SMS ls and places like restaur offering a series of dea tion with Mydala.com ocia ass in ice pon serv l. are cou app and r and che ent vou inm ile A mob ne shopping, enterta ount on restaurant, onli rs 50MB per month with up to 90 percent disc languages. The plan offe nt ere rs Facebook in nine diff ones. ting exis to A data plan which offe s day 30 and for days to new customers data on Facebook for 60 rnet benefits on a talk, text and mobile Inte of e rs a complete packag . A bundled plan that offe 368 Rs to goes up ks start from Rs 45 and single recharge. The pac and listen to their d unlimited ringtones, nloa dow can rs use where tion solu sic mu stop A one . genres at Rs 2 per day favourite tracks across k available to its ia’s vast information ban dia, Aircel made Wikiped ime Wik with ture ven t A join n 17 Indian languages. data charges in more tha subscribers with zero

* Services and tariffs may vary from circle to circle. Contact customer care or visit http://www.aircel. com

t may not have numbers like Airtel or Vodafone, but as a brand, Aircel has come long way. What started as a regional service provider 15 years ago with operations in Tamil Nadu is one of the most popular operators in the country today, particularly among the younger generation, on account of its wide range of affordable data services. The operator also had its share of controversy when Aircel’s former owner C Sivsankaran alleged that Dayanidhi Maran, India’s Telecom Minister from 2004 to 2007, had deliberately denied licenses to Aircel and harassed him until he was compelled to sell his stakes in the company to Maxis at heavily discounted prices. Today, however, the operator has left controversies far behind and under Maxis, seems to be going from strength to strength.

The journey so far

Aircel became a national rank operator in 2010 after it launched its 2G services in all 22 circles in the country. It went on to acquire licenses to offer 3G and 4G services in 13 and 8 circles respectively. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kolkata, Kerala, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh (East), West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Orissa, Assam and North East were the 13 3G circles, while

Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, North East and Jammu and Kashmir were the 8 circles where they could offer 4G services. Currently, Aircel is the leading mobile operator in Tamil Nadu, Assam and the North-East. But its real strength lies on the mobile data front, where it has received the greatest traction. The operator’s wide repertoire of low cost data plans for youngsters established it as a data centric operator. With 7.26 percent of the market share, in terms of subscriber base, Aircel is the seventh largest telecom operator in the country today. After the FDI norms were relaxed in 2006, the stage was set for a wave of mergers and acquisitions. Maxis or Maxis Communication Berhard, a Malaysia-based operator, bought a 74 per cent stakes in the company and became the majority stakeholder. After all these years, Maxis has kept its share while Apollo Hospitals holds all the remaining stakes in the company. Aircel’s current CEO is Kaizad Heerjee. He was the company’s COO from August 2012 until his appointment as CEO this year. His team boasts of heavyweights such as CMO Anupam Vasudev, CFO Anup Vikal, Human Resource Head Sandeep Gandhi, CTO Sameer Dave, Head of Technology Solutions Robert Sewell and Regulatory Head Ashok Sharma.

Not all roses

The year 2012 was not a particularly good one for Aircel. The company registered a loss of Rs 11,476 crore, the biggest loss by any telecom operator in any calendar year. It lost 2 million subscribers according to TRAI’s subscription report published in Dec 2012. The majority of this subscriber exodus was reported from UP West, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh. However, the year 2013 brought better results for the company. In the first six months, ending on June 31, the operator lost Rs 342 crore, and made Rs 6,809 crore in the same period – not a bad performance, considering that its overall income in year 2012 was Rs 8,302 crore. In the first half of 2012, Aircel’s loss stood at Rs 724 crore and it grew worse by the end of the year. In terms of subscriber base also, it did well. Its 2G user base grew by 23 per cent while the 3G base grew by 74 per cent in 2013. With 66.91 million subscribers, Aircel is currently the fifth largest telecom operator with 9.63 percent of the GSM market share and seventh largest wireless service provider with 7.26 percent market share according to TRAI. The company’s biggest concern as of now is its overall debt which stands at Rs 20,000 crore. It includes domestic debt of Rs 14,000 crore, foreign debt of Rs 4,000 crore and unfunded debt based on bank guar-

may 2014 MYMOBILE 69

cell clues “Internet is a key focus area for us” -Anupam Vasudev, CMO Aircel What is data’s potential in India? What are you doing to tap it? Data is growing at the rate of 50 to 60 percent per annum. If last year industry’s revenue was Rs 100 crore it will be Rs 150 crore next year. Data is growing well but for that we need investment. Data is of two types - 2G and 3G. To give our 2G users a sample of 3G, we have started a Morning plan, which offers 3G to Aircel’s 2G users free of cost from 6 am to 9 am. So if one has used it and likes 3G he or she can move to 3G. In 2G our products are targeting new consumers. For example, Pocket Internet 24, which offers data for 30 days at Re 1 per day. This makes data affordable to users. Our other tie-up was with Wikipedia, in which we offered Wikipedia free of cost to Aircel customers.

antees worth Rs 2,000 crore. A major part of the borrowed money went for purchasing 3G and 4G spectrum.

The road ahead: handsets on the horizon

Aircel’s data plans have been a great success, so it is hardly surprising that the company’s focus will be more on data and online services. Non-voice services account for just 20 per cent of its overall revenue. A reason for this is the number of innovative data plans offered by the company such as the Fuccha Pack for college students, Pocket Internet 24, Extra Recharge and Aircel Recharge via Facebook. The company is also looking for tie-ups with more handset manufacturers, chip makers and

We have seen Aircel partnering with chip makers, handset manufacturers and ecommerce stores. How important are partnerships for Aircel? We have tied up with Snapdeal and MyDala. All phones sold through Snapdeal will come with Aircel plans. The reason we have made tie-ups with online stores is because Internet is a key focus area for us as all data customers are online. Partnership is important for industry and consumer growth. Our partnership was with Micromax, which has now extended to MediaTek and we are looking forward to more tie-ups as we are always open to them. Besides Micromax, we have tie-ups with Apple and some other brands on specific phones.

“We are trying to achieve endto-end integration” -Sunil Kuttam, Vice President, Data and Devices, Aircel You recently launched Facebook pack for users. What is the idea behind it? This offering is for our base customers and new customers. For base customers, it is going to be completely free of cost whereas for new customers it is going to be free for two months. 70 per cent of our current data users from base customers are Facebook users and of new customer who is coming on board around 30 per cent are data users. We are expecting them to become Facebook users. How has been the response to such initiatives? All these are small initiatives taken by us but they have not yet become a trend or a large initiative and it is not going to change anything soon given the ongoing consumer trend. But even now, if you take post-paid you will find that only 5 per cent of consumers are on post paid but 22 per cent of the total revenue comes from post paid. So it is not going to go away very soon. Companies prefer to have post paid as that is where the money lies. Tell us about your recent tie-up with MediaTek and Micromax? In this ecosystem you will find a chip manufacturing company MediaTek, a handset manufacturer Micromax and a telecom service provider Aircel. From a consumer point of view we are trying to achieve an end-to-end integration. For example, now the chip in a phone will be connected with our spectrum. Normally, when a phone provided by us is used with other service providers it will work but it won’t give complete voice clarity and full data speeds. So for these specific models you will get complete service because it is completely integrated and is meant for a specific network. Here it is not only the phone but it is also the chipset which has a role to play.

70 MYMOBILE may 2014

online stores. Device tie-ups are particularly important as the number of Internet users on mobile is likely to reach 350 million by 2015. Aircel is banking heavily on 4G and having spent crores for 4G licenses in 8 circles, it is looking to revamp its network in order to meet the increasing demand of mobile broadband in India. Under the first phase of deployment, 4G services will be rolled out in Tamil Nadu in the first half of 2014. Aircel is also working with handset manufacturer Micromax to offer low call rates and free Internet plans to woo more customers and is planning to partner with other mobile companies as well this year, as it believes that subscribers are now looking for integrated solutions. The company is also working on launching Aircel branded smartphones similar to Idea’s portfolio of smartphones. And is also planning to expand its services in rural areas. It might have had a bit of a rough ride, but this is one operator you write off at your peril. n mukesh@mymobile.co.in abhijit@mymobile.co.in

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

Smart apps Magnify Beta News tailored

for WP8

t might not have reached the levels attained by Android and iOS, but the app scenario for Windows Phone users has been constantly improving over the past year. Not only do users of the platform now have access to popular apps like Instagram and Kindle, they also have their own set of innovative apps that are not available on other platforms. And one of these is Magnify Beta. The app delivers news from a variety of sources to your device, but it does so in a style that is an exact copy of Microsoft’s own Windows Phone tiled interface, with a column of tiles on the left representing different subjects, with rows of smaller tiles in front of them representing stories from different sites. To read a story or access a section, all you need to do is tap on a tile. You can also share stories on social networks, pin sources to the homescreen, and choose which subjects you want to follow and from which sources (alas, you cannot specify your own). It is all simple and very elegant and fits right in with the Windows Phone look and feel. Pretty much a must download for all those who love to keep in touch with the news and have a Windows Phone device. n

Name: Magnify Beta Price: Free Tested on: Nokia Lumia 1520

InstaWeather Adding Weather to your Pictures

ant to give your friends an idea of the changing weather in your area? Well, we would suggest downloading InstaWeather on to your device. The app’s function is simple: it allows you to place a number of layers over a photograph, with those layers indicating the weather. The app comes in two versions – a free one, and well, if you cannot bear the ads, you can get rid of them by paying a sum. But unless you are really after a lot of variety, we think that the free app will more than suffice for your needs. You get to choose from a number of skins that can be placed over your picture with options that range from the very basic place and temperature to weather forecasts to slogans about a place. And before you ask, the app automatically picks up the weather and place data using your phone’s sensors and Internet connection. And of course, there are all the sharing on social network options that you would need. Very neat for those who like to post pictures about the weather. Our recommendation would be to download the full version – those ads can get very pesky. n

Name: InstaWeather Price: Free Tested on: LG Nexus 4

72 MYMOBILE may 2014

RATING



RATING



www.mymobile.co.in

MS Office THE Office suite finally comes to the iPad

he fact that MS Office was coming to the iPad was perhaps one of the worst kept secrets in the tech industry so when it did come to the world’s most popular tablet, it was greeted more with relief than with surprise. For many people, the release of Microsoft’s iconic office suite for the iPad represented the overcoming of the last hurdle that the iPad needed to overcome to be considered a ‘productive device’ in the real sense of the word. And well, in terms of the feature set, the three apps of MS Office – MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint (the suite has been released as three individual apps not as a collection) for the iPad certainly deliver a sackful. MS Word comes packed with formatting features, a spellchecker and a word count; MS Excel allows you to play around with charts and formulas and even has a special keyboard; and PowerPoint lets you add images and animations to your presentation. Round this off with seamless integration with Microsoft’s online storage service One Drive and buttery smooth performance even on our two year old iPad, and this seems to be a formidable office suite indeed. But what sours the deal is that while the apps are free to download, one needs to pay for an Office 365 subscription to use the edit and create documents/files mode in them, without which they are reduced to document viewers! In short, you have to keep making payments to be able to keep using the suite. A year ago, that might not have mattered much but now iPad users have the option of using Apple’s excellent suite of office apps free of cost or less comprehensive but more affordable office suites like Documents to Go. And it is this weird pricing scheme that makes up stop just short of recommending MS Office for the iPad as a must download. Yes, if your organization uses MS Office extensively and if you have an Office 365 plan, then you would be foolish to ignore this offering, but if all you want is an office suite for your iPad and are on a tight budget, we do think there are better options available. n

Name: MS Office Price: Free Tested on: iPad (3rd Generation)

RATING

 nimish@mymobile.co.in

may 2014 MYMOBILE 73

etcetera Ferrari Logic 3 T150 Sound to die for

hen it comes to cars, Ferrari has an almost iconic status. So, a pair of headphones bearing the Ferrari logo had better be special. And in the case of the Ferrari Logic 3, they are just that. The packaging of the headphones oozes class – they can be rolled and kept in a classy pouch. The build quality is also excellent: we love the way in which the Ferrari logo of the prancing horse has been etched on the buds. We got the tan leather ones and well, we would have noticed heads turning to watch us, if we had not been too busy listening to the music on them itself. A one button remote and a mic aid in using them for calls. While we would not go as far as to put them in the category of the offerings from Bose and Sennheiser at similar prices – we found some of the notes being a bit uncomfortably sharp and would not really recommend these for those who love unplugged sessions. And of course, there is the little matter of the price. No, these are not audiophile class, but are a good mix of style and sound substance nevertheless. n

Groovez Zip Earphones by STK Price: Rs 999 Pros | Tangle free, trendy looks Cons | Compatability issues with some local devices

RATING



Ferrari Logic 3 T150 Price: Rs 12, 935 Pros | Great design, Decent sound Cons | Expensive, Sound not quite in audiophile class

RATING



Groovez Zip Earphones by STK Great sound unzipped!

TK’s Zip Earphones are a unique pair of earphones with a zipper for the end cables protecting them and also adding a visual appeal to the headsets. These earphones are compatible with almost all devices from your PC to smartphone to tablets, in fact, anything with a 3.5mm jack. They come with an in-built hands-free microphone that enables you to take calls when listening to music. Coming to the audio quality, these earplugs are a delight to a music buff. The sound quality was decent enough with the noise cancellation feature working well across all genres. These earplugs consist of a flat tangle free cable that joins to the mic and an on/off button and the zipped earplugs. The button plays a key role in these earphones as it allows you to pick and drop an incoming call. You can also change tracks and pause them using the button. Overall, very well designed and stylish headphones that deliver decent sound. n

74 MYMOBILE may 2014

www.mymobile.co.in

Seagate Central 4TB

Share, store from anywhere at home

he new Seagate Central is a 4TB drive that does not have to be carried around every time you have to share a file with family and friends. You just need a wireless network and you can share your data from anywhere in the house through the drive. It is compact and boasts of 4TB capacity, which is going to come handy if you are used to storing and sharing heavy files on a regular basis. The hard drive rests inside a plastic chassis, which includes a finely carved heat vent on the top (a sensible addition, considering the drive is likely to be on for hours). It works with multiple devices on the same wireless network - laptops, tablets and smartphones. The drive also supports remote access of the data over the browser though the Seagate Global access account. It can be used as a regular storage drive for your day to files as well. At 17,999, a 4TB hard drive from Seagate with the freedom to share data from anywhere is an incredibly good deal in our book. n

Amkette Atom X12 Price: Rs 1,199 Pros | Good sound, tangle free cable, adaptor Cons | None that we could see, really

Seagate Central 4TB Price: Rs 17,700 Pros | 4TB capacity, Value for money Cons | None that we can think of

RATING



Amkette Atom X12 Great sound at a great price

mkette has been making its presence felt in the audio market with a number of products that score heavily in terms of sound quality and design, and are not priced extravagantly. And with the X12, the company again plays heavily on these three points. The headphones are very well designed with tangle-proof cables and soft silicon buds that actually fit your ears. There is also a mic, enabling you to take and make calls. Sound quality is very good indeed with deep bass and exceptional clarity. However, what really charmed us were two very neat touches – an adaptor has been bundled with the headphones allowing you to connect it even to older phones or those having audio ports other than the standard 3.5mm jack, and the angled connector that takes pressure off the jack in case of accidental tugs. And yes, the price ensures that it remains very good value for money. n

may 2014 MYMOBILE 75

etcetera 64 GB Kingston DataTraveler Workspace Windows on a pen drive? Yep!

asiapower Price: AP 5200 - Rs 2,299, AP 2600 – Rs 1,249 Pros | Affordable price Cons | Average build quality, No connectors for Apple devices

t might not have got as much attention as the new UI, but one of the key features on Windows 8 is the Windows to Go option. In simple English, it means you have the ability to carry your Windows computer around literally on a single USB drive and plug it into any computer and start working. Of course, not all USB drives support this function and one of the few that does is the 64GB Kingston DataTraveler Workspace. Built on sturdy and solid lines, the pen drive costs a pretty penny but more than compensates by the speed at which it operates, with read and write speeds of 250MB/s, allowing you to work on just about any computer as if it were your own. Yes, we know that there are some who would blanch at the price, but we also know that it certainly beats lugging a hefty laptop around is more likely to survive a fall. Pretty much a must-have for those who keep travelling and have access to computers. n

64 GB Kingston DataTraveler Workspace Price: Rs 9,900 Pros | Runs Windows 8, Works fast Cons | Expensive

RATING



AsiaPower Power for those

on the move

s battery lives of phones continue to dip, the market for portable chargers is growing. And among the new offerings in the market are the AP 5200 and the AP 2600 from Asia Power. The AP 5200 consists of a 5,200 mAh battery, whereas the AP 2600 has a 2,600 mAh battery. These chargers come with a universal cable which is used to charge mobile phones and tablets. The AP 2600 gets charged within two to three hours but the AP 5200 takes a bit longer. Both can be easily charged from a wall outlet as well as a notebook. The AP 2600 can charge a normal smartphone two times and a large screen smartphone once, while the AP 5200 can charge smartphones as well as tablets. We would have appreciated a connector for Apple devices in the pack, and well, better build quality. That apart, these power banks deliver what they promise. n team@mymobile.co.in

76 MYMOBILE may 2014

mobile doctor powerful hardware inside a well designed body. However if budget is not an issue, perhaps the best mix of design, performance and multimedia can be found in the iPhone 5s, which looks good, has a very good camera and processor and also has the best apps around. If you are keen on an Android, I would also suggest you check out the LG G2.

I want to buy a phone within the price range of Rs 15,000 to 20,000. The smartphone should have a good camera and build quality. Along with this it should also be able to perform all the tasks well and should not lag. I have shortlisted the Micromax Canvas Turbo. Please suggest if you have some better options. – Shreyansh Shahu Dear Shreyansh, The Micromax Canvas Turbo is a very decent device but I would suggest that you go for the Micromax Canvas Knight which has an even more powerful octa-core processor, a better camera and a very good design. It is retailing at Rs 19,990 and thus fits into your budget. I am presently using a Sony Xperia handset and am planning to buy a new Sony Xperia Z1. I have also shortlisted few other devices like HTC One Dual Sim, BlackBerry Z10, Apple iPhone 5S, Lenovo Vibe X and Nokia Lumia 925. Please suggest which is the best option amongst them. – Dev Lin Dear Dev It all depends on what your requirements are. All the devices that you have are excellent but each has its own strengths. The Xperia Z1 is a very good Android device with a superb build and camera, the HTC One comes with superb design, the BlackBerry Z10 scores on messaging and social networks, the Lumia 925 comes with great multimedia, and the Vibe Z has very

I want to purchase an Android smartphone and My budget is of Rs 15,000. The phone should have a good camera and music quality. It should also have a powerful processor and 1GB of RAM along with 8GB of internal storage. Moreover, it should also have a

have quad-core processors but the Moto G has a more powerful processor while the Turbo Mini has a superior camera. It really depends on what you consider more important. I am planning to buy a smartphone within the price range of Rs 10,000 to 18,000. I am confused between brands Sony, Nokia, Samsung, Lenovo and HTC. The device should have 1GB of RAM, a Snapdragon processor and a good camera. I want to use it for my office purpose and I also use apps like WhatsApp and Instragram. Please suggest me some good smartphones according to my budget.

the octa-core processor powered Micromacx Canvas Knight which has a very decent 16.0-megapixel camera and is available for Rs 19,990. I want to buy a smartphone and have a budget of Rs 30,000. I will mainly use the device for gaming and Internet browsing. The phone should have a 5-inch display and should also provide good battery backup. I also don’t want to buy a Samsung. So, please suggest something other than that. – Manas Kalita Dear Manas We would suggest you either try out the Gionee Elife E7 or the LG Nexus 5. Both devices have full HD displays and are powered by extremely powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors. The E7 has a very good camera too although with the Nexus 5 you will be assured of getting Android updates very quickly indeed. I want to purchase a smartphone with exceptional music quality. The device should be able to deliver good sound quality on both headphones and loudspeakers. I have a budget of up to Rs 20,000. – T S Reddy Dear Reddy, I would suggest you extend your budget a bit and go for the HTC Desire 700, which is currently retailing for Rs 22,000 but comes with excellent front facing speakers as well as headphones. n

good battery backup. Please recommend some good devices as per my requirements. – Sandeep Kumar Dear Sandeep, I believe the Moto G and the Micromax Canvas Turbo Mini are the two devices which meet your requirements the best. Both

– Shweta Tyagi Dear Shweta In the budget that you have specified, I would suggest that you consider either the Motorola G which has a very powerful processor and a good display, albeit a slightly underperforming camera, or spend a little extra and go for

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.

may 2014 MYMOBILE 77

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

78 MYMOBILE may 2014

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

may 2014 MYMOBILE 79

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.

Nokia Sub-entry level (up to Rs 2,499)

(Last updated on March 3, 2014)

Entry-level (Rs 2,500 - Rs 5,999) Devices featured in the My Guide have been segregated into four categories baswed on price and colour-coded as:

Mid-level

(Rs 6,000 - Rs 11,999)

High-level 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.

NR stands for not reviewed M.O.P. stands for Market Operating Price

(Rs 12,000 upwards)

CDMA Tablet Lifestyle

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 81

myguide NOKIA

NOKIA

MODELS

NOKIA

PARAMETERS 105

106

107

108

114

220 Dual SIM

112

Dimension (mm)

107 x 44.8 x 14.3

112.9 x 47.5 x 14.9

110.4 x 47 x 13.5

110 x 46 x 14.8

116.4 x 50.3 x 13.2

110.4 x 46.9 x 15.4

Weight (grams)

74.2

75.8

69.9

83.4

Model

12/840

9.9/840

12.7/576

13.8/600

10.5/637

24/576

14/840

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

65,536/1.45

65,536/1.8

262,144/2.4

56KB/1.8

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8MB/No

384KB/No

4MB/16GB

4MB/32GB

16MB/32GB

-/32GB

16MB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

No/No

Yes/No

Camera/Flash/Video

No/No/No

VGA/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

VGA/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

500

1000

500

1,000

Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual Band/No

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

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

GPRS/EDGE/3G

No/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Operating System

Series 30

Series 40

Nokia OS

Series 40

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

No/Yes

Yes/Yes

Bar/No/No

1,250

1,400

1,600

2,000

2,500

2,749

2,800

Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

NOKIA

MODELS

NOKIA

PARAMETERS Asha 230 Dual SIM

206

Asha 500 Dual SIM

Asha 210

Asha 501

208

301

Dimension (mm)

99.5 x 58.6 x 13.2

116 x 49 x 12.4

10.3 x 58.1 x 12.8

111.5 x 60 x 11.8

99.2 x 58 x 12.1

114.2 x 50.9 x 12.8

114 x 50 x 12.5

Weight (grams)

89.3

101.8

97.3

90.6

102

12/504

20/680

14/528

12/1104

17/624

12/480

20/504

Model

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

262,144/2.8

65,536/2.4

262,144/2.8

65,536/2.4

262,144/3.0

262,144/2.4

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

64MB/32GB

256MB/32GB

64MB/32GB

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Camera/Flash/Video

1.3MP/No/No

1.3MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

3.15MP/No/Yes

1.3MP/No/Yes

3.15MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1,000

Shared

1,000

2,000

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 Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Asha software 1.1

Series 40

Asha software 1.1

Series 40

Asha software 1.3

Series 40

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

3,449

3,800

4,100

4,800

4,700

5,000

5,650

82 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

myguide NOKIA

NOKIA

MODELS

NOKIA

PARAMETERS Model

502

Asha 503 Dual SIM

Lumia 520

515 Dual SIM

Lumia 525

Lumia 625

Dimension (mm)

99.6 x 59.5 x 11.1

102.6 x 60.6 x 12.7

115.5 x 63 x 10.4

119.9 x 64 x 9.9

114 x 48 x 11

119.9 x 64 x 9.9

133.2 x 72.2 x 9.2

Weight (grams)

100

111.4

128.7

124

102

124

159

Talktime/Standby (hours)

13.7/576

12/480

13.3/408

14/360

10.4/432

17/336

23.9/768

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,144/3.0

16million/4.0

262,144/2.4

16million/4.0

16.7million/4.7

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

64MB/32GB

NA/32GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/64GB

256MB/32GB

8GB/64GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.15MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1,000

Shared

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

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

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Windows Phone 8

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

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

Quad Band/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Asha software 1.5

Asha Software

Nokia X software platform

Windows Phone 8

Series 40

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

5,600

6,700

8,400

8,900

10,700

10,600

16,000

Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

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

MODELS

NOKIA

PARAMETERS Model

Lumia 1320

Lumia 925

BSNL-CHAMPION Lumia 1020

Lumia 1520

SQ 281

CUBIT S2

Dimension (mm)

164.2 x 85.9 x 9.8

129 x 70.6 x 8.5

130.4 x 71.4 x 10.4

162.8 x 85.4 8.7

130 x 55.5 x 11.5

112 x 45 x 16

120 X 50 X 10.5

Weight (grams)

220

139

158

209

25/672

18.3/432

19.1/384

27.4/768

7/400

6/300

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/6.0

16.7million/4.5

16million/6.0

262,144/2.8

65,536/1.8

65,536/2.4

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/64GB

16GB/No

Yes/Yes

16GB/64GB

32MB/8GB

NA/8GB

Yes/Yes

32GB/No

Yes/Yes

Yes/ No

Yes/No

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.7MP/Yes/Yes

41.0MP/Yes/Yes

20.0MP/Yes/Yes

1.3MP/No/Yes

Yes/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

500

1,000

1000

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.

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

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/No/No

No/No/No

Yes/No/No

Windows Phone 8

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/Yes/Yes

Bar/No/No

23,500

28,500

41,400

42,500

1,900

910

1,520

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 83

myguide EsNT (R 2,R5Y00L-E5V ,9E9L9)

UP TO Rs 2,499)

MODELS

UP TO R s 2,499)

PARAMETERS Model

JOSH

MAXX

SAMSUNG

ALCATEL

A2700

MX153

MX555

E1207T

E1282T

OT 2005D

OT 4007D PIXI

Dimension (mm)

120 x 51 x 10.8

112.5 x 45.5 x 14

122.8 x 51 x 9.8

108.0 x 45.5 x 13.5

109.2 x 45.5 x 14.5

120 x 50 x 9.95

115 x 62.3 x 12.2

Weight (grams)

96.5

65.1

74.5

118

Talktime/Standby (hours)

2.5/36

-/350

NA/350

8/430

12/660

14/425

13/500

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

NA/2.4

65,536/1.8

NA/2.6

65,536/1.52

65,536/1.8

262,155/2.4

262,144/3.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

NA/8GB

NA/NA

NA/No

NA/4GB

128 MB/8GB

512MB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/No

No/No

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

VGA/No/Yes

1.3 MP/No/Yes

No/No/No

2.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

100

300

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.

Dual SIM/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Dual BandGSM+GSM Dual BandGSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Yes/No/No

No/No/No

Yes/No/Yes

No/No/No

Yes/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Proprietary

Android OS v2.3

Yes/Yes

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

1,800

1,030

2,376

1,260

1,700

2,750

4,933

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

MODELS

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

PARAMETERS Model

BSNL CHAMPION

CUBIT

CELKON

SM 3512

SM 3513

4u Topaz

A 9 Dual

A 15

A64

A 20

Dimension (mm)

119.5 x 63 x 10.8

128 X 68 X 11

120.5 x 63.9 x 10.6

119 x 63 x 9.9

124 x 65 x 10.5

125.5 x 64.5 x 11.4

Weight (grams)

126

116

125.6

122

Talktime/Standby (hours)

6/350

10/72

3/200

6/150

5/150

4/200

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,144/3.5

262,144/4.0

16million/3.5

16million/4.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

256MB/32GB

512MB/32GB

512 MB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes /Yes

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.0MP/No/yes

3.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.2MP/No/Yes

3.2MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.2 MP/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.

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

Dual Band/Yes

Dual band/Yes

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Android OS v4.2

Android4.0

Android 4.2

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

4,300

5,300

4,500

3,399

3,499

3,999

4,599

84 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

myguide (Rs 2,500-5,999)

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

MODELS

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

PARAMETERS Model

CELKON

HPL

JOSH

A 40

A35

A44

AONE

A40

A999

JM2400

Dimension (mm)

126.2 x 64 x 10.8

122.3 X 65 X 11.2

135.2 X 67.5 X 9.9

125.5 x 64.5 x 10.7

113 x 58 x 13

116 x 50 x 60

Weight (grams)

126.5

117

108

Talktime/Standby (hours)

4/200

4/NA

3.5/NA

4.5/NA

25/350

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.0

NA/3.5

NA/4.0

NA/4.63

NA/4.0

NA/2.4

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

512MB/NA

512/NA

512MB/NA

4GB/NA

NA/8GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Camera/Flash/Video

5MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

VGA/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

500

Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual band/Yes

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/No/No

Android 4.2

Android OSv2.3

Anroid OS v2.3

Android OS v2.3

Android OS v4.0

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 Dual BandGSM+GSM Dual BandGSM+GSM

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/No/No

5,999

3,390

4,290

5,590

5,490

2,900

4,099

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

MODELS

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

JOSH

PARAMETERS Model

LAVA

Petal

Fortune

Discover 132

Dimension (mm)

118 x 62 x 10

118 x 62 x 13

Weight (grams)

170

220

Talktime/Standby (hours)

356 3G

LG 402+

116.9 x 62.5 x 12.6 125.50 x 64.50 x 11.40 112

124

T375

T585

103 x 59 x 10.7

103.09 x 59.9 x 10.8

103

Apr-48

5/200

4/200

12.8/601

9/560

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,144/3.5

262,144/3.2

16million/3.5

16million/4.0

262,144/3.2

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

140MB/32GB

170MB/32GB

258KB/4GB

512MB/32GB

48MB/16GB

50MB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

2.0MP/No/Yes

VGA/No/Yes

1.3MP/Yes/Yes

3.0MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

500

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.

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

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/No

Android OS v2.3

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Proprietary

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

4,100

4,999

3,299

3,900

5,500

4,100

4,200

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 85

myguide (Rs 2,500-5,999)

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

MODELS

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

PARAMETERS Model

MAXX

SAMSUNG

Optimus L3 II Single

Optimus L3II Dual

MT401

AX353

Metro 2252

Champ Neo Duos C3262

Galaxy Star Pro

Dimension (mm)

102.6 x 61.1 x 11.9

102.9 x 61.3 x 11.9

125.5 X 67 X 12.5

118.80 x 63 x 11.90

113.0 x 46.0 x 13.9

96.9 x 54.3 x 13.5

121.2 x 62.7 x 10.6

Weight (grams)

125

110

140

121

Talktime/Standby (hours)

8/480

16/730

NA/300

4/NA

11.9/760

14/550

15/370

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,144/3.2

NA/4.0

262,144/3.5

65,536/1.8

262,144/2.4

16million/4.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

512MB/32GB

NA/32GB

20MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

No/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.0MP/No/Yes

3.15MP/No/Yes

3.0MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/Yes/VGA

VGA/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1,000

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

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

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Operating System

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v2.3

Proprietary

Android OS v4.1

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

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

5,700

5,900

2,838

2,970

2,650

2,900

5,800

(Rs 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(Rs 2,500-5,999)

SPICE

PARAMETERS Model

ALCATEL

BLACKBERRY

CUBIT

Mi 353

Mi 435

OT 8000D

OT 6012D IDOL MINI

Curve 9220

Topaz 3G +

Glam-1

Dimension (mm)

124.1 x 63.7 x 13.6

143 x 78.4 X 9.8

127.1 x 62 x 7.9

109 x 60 x 12.7

126 X 64 X 11

144 X 73 X 10

Weight (grams)

135

163

102

144

164

Talktime/Standby (hours)

3.5/150

NA/NA

16/15

9/540

7/432

9/350

Aug-72

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,144/3.5

16million/4.4

262,144/NA

16million/4.3

65,536/2.44

16million / 4.0

16million / 5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

NA/16GB

4GB/32GB

4GB/32 GB

8GB/None

512MB/32GB

4GB / 32GB

4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.15MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

3.2MP/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.

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

Quad Band/No

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

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v2.3

Android OS v4.1

BlackBerry OS 7.1

Android 4.2

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

4,211

5,800

9,999

10,900

8,700

6,290

8,450

86 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

myguide (Rs 6000-11,999)

(Rs 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(Rs 6000-11,999)

PARAMETERS Model

CUBIT

GIONEE

HTC

HPL

Lush-1

Desire XDS

Desire 310

A1XP-QUAD CORE

A45-qHD

A50-qHD

Dimension (mm)

138 X 69 X 9

129.3 x 68 x 11.1

118.5 X 62.3 X 9.3

132.4 x 68 x 11.3

137 x 68.8 x 10.8

135.2 X 67.5 X 9.6

143 X 74.2 X 9.6

Weight (grams)

140

114

140

125

115

127

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Oct-72

NA/NA

11/852

4/NA

3.5/NA

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.7

16million/4.3

16million/4.0

16million/4.5

NA/4.63

NA/4.5

NA/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

4GB/NA

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

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

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/No

Android 4.2

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS, v4.2

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/Yes/Yes

9,700

7,499

11,000

7,990

8,590

9,590

(Rs 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(R s 6000-11,999)

IDEA

PARAMETERS Model

JOSH

KARBONN

Aurus III

Aurus IV

Fortune 9

A25

A30

A27 +

S5+ Titanium

Dimension (mm)

119 x 65 x 12

146 x 78.6 x 10.5

166 x 91 x 10.7

133.6x66x9.1

Weight (grams)

165

150

280

126.5

Talktime/Standby (hours)

7/350

7.5/400

Apr-48

6/300

10/600

4/180

NA/NA

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.0

16million/4.5

16million/4.0

16million/5.0

262,144/5.9

NA/4.2

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

170MB/32GB

114MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

1.4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/No/Yes

3.2MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Dual Band/GSM+GSM

Frequency/Dual SIM

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

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA+

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/Yes

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v2.3

Android OS v4.0

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

7,790

8,999

6,199

6,780

8,000

8,800

11,000

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

Price in Rs.

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 87

myguide (Rs 6000-11,999)

(R s 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(R s 6000-11,999)

LAVA

PARAMETERS

LENOVO

LG Optimus L4 II Dual E445 Optimus L5 II E450

MAXX Optimus L5 II Dual

AX8 Race

Iris 455

Irish 506Q

A516

Dimension (mm)

137.1 x 68.5 x 9.92

143 x 73 x 8.9

132 x 66.7 x 9.9

112.8 x 64.7 x 11.9

117.5 x 62.2 x 9.2

147 x 79.4 x 10.2

Weight (grams)

120

148

125

103

198

Model

8/NA

5.3/230

23/696

NA/NA

10/642

5/NA

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

16million/4.5

16million/3.8

16million/4.0

262,144/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

YesYes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.15MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/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.

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

Quad Band/No

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

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/Yes

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.0

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

7,200

8,800

9,500

7,100

8,800

9,000

6,250

(Rs 6000-11,999)

(R s 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(R s 6000-11,999)

PARAMETERS Model

MICROMAX

MAXX

SAMSUNG

AX505

AX 504

AX 506

A93

A96

Dimension (mm)

141.5 x 73.7 x 9.3

145 x 74 x 9.1

145.2 x 80 x 10.2

Weight (grams)

161

162

164

5/NA

7/256

5.5/450

8/-

8/280

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.0

16.7million/5.0

16million/4.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

512MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

NA/64GB

4GB/64GB

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.0MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.0MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/No

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Talktime/Standby (hours)

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.

Galaxy Trend

Galaxy S duos 2

121.50 x 63.10 x 10.85 121.5 x 63.1 x 10.6 118

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

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v2.3

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

6,500

7,777

8,500

9,500

7,500

9,500

88 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

myguide (Rs 6000-11,999)

(Rs 6000-11,999)

MODELS

(Rs 6000-11,999)

SONY

PARAMETERS

SPICE

WHAM

E1 Dual

Stellar Virtuoso Mi 496

Coolpad MI-515

Stellar Virtuoso Mi 495

WG50

WT72

Dimension (mm)

118 x 62.4 x 12

140 x 73 x 9.9

110 X 57 X 10.1

188.4 X 108 X 9

Weight (grams)

120

161

190

270

Model

Talktime/Standby (hours)

8.2/498

5/200

6/240

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.0

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

16million/4.5

16million/5

16million/7.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

NA/32GB

4GB/32GB

NA/32GB

512MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

3.15MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

2.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

Dual Band/NA

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes//Yes

Android OS v4.3

Android OS v2.3

Android OS v4.1

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

Android v4.0

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.0

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

8,900

9,800

6,500

7,800

10,499

6,147

10,567

(Rs 6000-11,999)

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

(R s 6000-11,999)

PARAMETERS Model

WHAM

XOLO

ALCATEL

WQ45

A600

Q1000 Opus

Q900

Q800

Q1000

OT 6030

Dimension (mm)

132 X 66 X 9.9

136 x 67 x 9

143.3 x 72.9 x 9

137 x 70 x 9.9

135.5 x 67 x 9.6

143.5 x 70.8 x 8.8

133 x 67.5 x 7.9

Weight (grams)

150

138

143.5

110

4/280

22/650

18/700

13/384

16/360

14/350

7.2/415

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16/milliom/4.5

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

16million/4.7

16million/4.5

16.7million/5.0

16million/NA

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual Band/NA

Quad Band/No

Dual Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

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.

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

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDP+

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

11,432

7,000

9,000

10,000

11,500

13,500

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

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 89

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

PARAMETERS

ALCATEL

APPLE

ATOM

BLACKBERRY

OT 6033X

Iphone 5C

Iphone 5S

Supremus

Ultimus

Maximus

Curve 9320

Dimension (mm)

134.4 x 68.5 x 6.4

124.4 x 59.2 8.97

123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6

157 X 78 X 9.2

167 X 88 X 9.2

109 x 60 x 12.7

Weight (grams)

110

132

112

125

225

103

Model

16/700

10/250

18/460

7/432

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/NA

16million/4.0

16.7million/5.0

16.7/6.5

65,536/2.44

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/No

16,32/No

16,32,64/No

16GB/32GB

512MB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.15MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Quad Band/No

Quad Band

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Operating System

Android OS v4.1

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

Price in Rs.

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

Dual Band/No

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

iOS7

Android OS v4.2

Android v4.2

BlackBerry OS 7.1

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

17,900

41,900/53,500

53,500/62,500/73,500

16,999

18,999

23,400

12,000

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

BLACKBERRY

PARAMETERS Model

BSNL-CHAMPION

9720

Curve 9360

Z10

Z30

Q10

SM 6513

Dimension (mm)

114 x 66 x 12

112 x 62 x 14.2

120 x 66 x 10.8

130 x 65.6 x 9

140.7 x 72 x 9.4

119.6 x 66.8 x 10.4

182.5 x 99 x 8.5

Weight (grams)

120

130

120

136

170

139

7/432

5/336

12/336

10/312

25/384

10/NA

Apr-62

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

262,144/2.8

262,144/2.44

16million/3.1

16million/4.2

16million/5-0

16million/3.1

16million/6.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

512MB/32GB

256MB/32GB

8GB/32GB

16GB/64GB

4GB/32GB

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

Quad band/No

Quad Band/No

Dual Band/GSM

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

GPRS/EDGE/3G

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

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/Yes

Operating System

BlackBerry OS 7.1

BlackBerry OS 7.0

BlackBerry OS 10

BlackBerry OS 10.2

BlackBerry OS 10

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/Yes

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

15,000

16,500

19,000

17,990

30,000

31,250

6,500

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

Price in Rs.

90 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

PARAMETERS Model

CELKON

BSNL-CHAMPION

GIONEE

Trendy 531

Gpad G2

Elife E3

Dream D1

Elife E5

Elife E6

Dimension (mm)

151.10 x 80.5 x 9.8

17.8 x 9.8 x 6.5

145 X 73 X 9.9

137 X 68 X 7.9

130 X 67 X 8.6

137 X 69 X 6.85

142.5 x 69.4 x 7.9

Weight (grams)

135

133.9

120

Talktime/Standby (hours)

6/200

8/200

24/450

14/312

NA/NA

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.3

16million/5.0

16Millon/5.3

16Millon/4.7

16Millon/4.65

16millon/4.8

16.7million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

16GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

16GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

16GB/NA

32GB/No

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes /Yes

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

13MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Dual Band/GSM+GSM

Dual Band/Yes

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

Quad Band/NA

Quad Band/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSPA

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

Android OS v4.2

Android 4.2

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

Price in Rs.

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes/HSPA Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

13,500

14,499

13,499

14,999

16,999

18,999

22,999

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

PARAMETERS Model

GIONEE

HTC

Elife E7

Desire 501

Desire 500

Desire 601

Desire 700

Desire 600

Dimension (mm)

150.6 x 75 x 9.5

128.5 × 66.9 × 9.8

131.8 x 66.9 x 9.9

134.5 x 66.7 x 9.88

145.5 x 72 x 10.3

132.35 x 66.2 x 10.12

134.8 x 67 x 9.26

Weight (grams)

150

130

123

130

150

130

Talktime/Standby (hours)

NA/NN

12.1/435

12.8/440

8/338

NA/NA

11.4/539

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.5

16million/4.3

16million/4.5

16million/5.0

16million/ 4.3

16million/4.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

4GB/64GB

8GB/64GB

16GB/No

8GB/64GB

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

16MP/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

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

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

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Operating System

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Windows Phone 8

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

26,490

15,500

18,500

22,000

23,000

26,000

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/HSPA

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

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 91

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

HTC

PARAMETERS

IDEA

One Mini

Butterfly

Butterfly S

One DS

One Max

Whiz

Ultra

Dimension (mm)

132 x 63.2 x 9.25

143 x 70.5 x 9.08

144.5 x 70.5 x 10.6

137.4 x 68.2 x 10.4

164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29

Weight (grams)

122

140

160

143

217

Model

13.27/692

NA/NA

25/659

27/500

25/585

8.5/NA

16/700

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.3

16million/5.0

16.7million/4.7

16million/5.9

262,144/4.0

16million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/No

16GB/32GB

32GB/No

16GB/64GB

4GB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

4.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

4.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/No/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

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

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

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA+

Android OS v4.3

Android v4.0

Android OS v4.1

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.

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

28,400

34,000

46,000

41,300

52,000

7,800

12,500

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

JOSH

PARAMETERS

KARBONN

LAVA

LENOVO

Fortune HD

Thunder

S7 Titanium

Irish Pro 30

A850

S890

S820

Dimension (mm)

151.1x80.5x9.9

160x82.5x9.7

143.5 x 72 x 9.3

138 x 66.7 x 7.5

79.3 x 9.45 x 153.5

143.6 x 74.2 x 9.3

139.5 x 69.7 x 8.95

Weight (grams)

200

188

114

184

176

143

May-48

4/200

4.5/400

28.6/490

17/312

22/140

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16,million/5.3

16million/5.7

16million/5.0

16.7million/4.7

16million/5.5

16million/5.0

16million/4.7

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

512MB/32GB

2GB/32GB

16GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/No

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

12.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Model

Talktime/Standby (hours)

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

Tri Band/Dual Band Tri Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.0

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

12,499

15,999

15,500

14,900

12,000

15,000

15,500

92 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

LENOVO

PARAMETERS Model

S920

Vibe X S960

Optimus L7 II

Optimus L7II Dual

L70 D310

L90 D410

G Pro Lite Dual D686

Dimension (mm)

154 x 77.7 x 7.9

144 x 74 x 6.9 mm

121.5 x 66.6 x 9.7

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

Weight (grams)

159

121

118

115.5

126.6

161

Talktime/Standby (hours)

25/480

16/288

12/800

4.6/490

14.5/845

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.3

16million/5.0

16million/4.3

16 million/4.3

16million/4.5

16million/4.7

16million/5.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/16GB

16GB/No

4GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Tri-Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Android OS v4.2

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

Price in Rs.

Quad Band/No

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

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

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

16,000

25,000

12,000

12,200

12,700

15,400

17,400

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

PARAMETERS Model

MICROMAX

Nexus 4

Optimus G

Optimus G Pro

Nexus 5 16GB/32GB

G2 16GB/32GB

G Flex

Canvas 2.2

Dimension (mm)

133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1

131.9 x 68.9 x 8.5

150.2 x 76.1 x 9.4

137.9 x 69.2 x 8.6

138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9

160.5 x 81.6 x 7.9

147 x 76.5 x 9.7

Weight (grams)

139

145

170

130

143

177

147

15/390

15/335

31/598

17/300

NA/NA

15/720

7/290

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.7

16million/5.5

16million/4.95

16million/5.2

16million/6.0

16 million/5.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/No

32GB/No

16GB/64GB

16GB/No

32GB/No

4GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Sahred

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

Qual Band/No

Quad Band/No

Dual Band/GSM+GSM

Talktime/Standby (hours)

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

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.4

Android OS v4.2

Yes/No

Yes / Yes

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

23,500

26,000

29,500

29,990/34,000

34,000/37,000

60,000

10,800

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

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 93

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MICROMAX

PARAMETERS Model Dimension (mm) Weight (grams)

SAMSUNG

Canvas HD

Turbo mini

A117

Canvas Doodle 2

Canvas 4

Turbo

Galaxy Core

144 x 74 x 10.7

144 x 74 x 9

147x77x9.9

128.3 x 71 x 8.6

129.30 x 67.60 x 8.95

156

124

5/174

6.5/180

7/180

6/220

7/105

9/500

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.0

16million/4.7

16million/5.0

16million/5.3

16million/5.0

16million/4.3

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

4GB/32GB

16GB/32GB

16GB/No

8GB/64GB

Yes/Yes

8.0/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

12MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/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 Quad Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM Dual Band/GSM+GSM Quad Band/GSM+GSM

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

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

Price in Rs.

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

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

11,800

12,100

13,000

14,000

14,900

16,400

12,700

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

PARAMETERS Model

SAMSUNG Galaxy Quattro

Galaxy Grand Neo

Galaxy Grand

Dimension (mm)

133.30 x 70.70 x 9.65

143.7 x 77.1 x 9.6

143.5 x 76.8 x 9.6

Weight (grams)

143.9

163

161

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Galaxy S4 mini

Galaxy Grand 2

124.60 x 61.30 x 8.94 146.80 x 75.30 x 8.95 108

163

Galaxy SIII

Galaxy Mega 5.8

136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6

162.6 x 82.4 x 8.9

133

184

11/210

11/430

10.1/440

12/NA

17/370

22.5/830

NA/NA

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.7

16million/5.01

16million/5.0

16million/4.3

16million/5.25

16million/4.8

16million/5.8

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/32GB

8GB/64GB

16GB/64GB

8GB/64GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Android OS v4.3

Android OS v4.0

Android OS v4.2

Frequency/Dual SIM

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 Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

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

Price in Rs.

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

14,800

16,000

16,500

19,500

21,500

23,000

24,500

94 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

SAMSUNG

PARAMETERS Model Dimension (mm) Weight (grams)

Galaxy SIII Neo

Galaxy Note II N7100

Galaxy Mega 6.3

Galaxy S4 Zoom

Galaxy Golden

Galaxy S4

Galaxy Note 3 Neo

136.6 x 70.75 x 8.6

151.1 x 80.5 x 9.4

167.6 x 88 x 8

125.5 x 63.5 x 15.4

118 x 59.5 x 15.8

136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9

148.4 x 77.4 x 8.6

132

183

199

208

179

130

162.5

14/NA

35/980

17/420

13/2330

NA/NA

17/370

18/540

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.8

16million/5.5

16million/6.3

16million/4.3

16million/3.7

16million/5.0

16million/5.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

NA/64GB

16GB/64GB

8GB/64GB

16GB/64GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

16.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Camera/Flash/Video Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Sahred

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/NA

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Operating System

Android OS v4.3

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.3

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Clamshell/Yes/No

Bar/Yes/No

31,000

36,500

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

26,200

29,500

27,000

28,000

29,999

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

PARAMETERS Model

SAMSUNG

SONY

Galaxy Note 3

Xperia M

Xperia M Dual

Xperia C

Xperia SP

Xperia ZR

Xperia T2 Ultra

Dimension (mm)

151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3

124 x 62 x 9.3

141.5 x 74.15 x 8.88

130.6 x 67.1 x 9.98

131.3 x 67.3 x 10.5

165.2 x 83.8 x 7.7

Weight (grams)

168

115

153

155

138

171.8

Talktime/Standby (hours)

20/490

10.16/498

14.1/588

18/734

11/470

16/1120

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.7

16million/4.0

16million/5.0

16million/4.6

16million/6.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

32GB/64GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.1MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Frequency/Dual SIM

Quad Band/No

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

Operating System

Android OS v4.3

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

Price in Rs.

Quad Band/No

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

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

Android OS v4.1

Yes/Yes/HSPA+ Android OS v4.2

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

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

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

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

44,000

12,000

12,600

18,300

20,600

25,000

25,790

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 95

myguide Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

SONY

PARAMETERS Model Dimension (mm) Weight (grams)

SPICE

WHAM

Xperia Z

Xperia Z 1 Compact

Xperia Z 1

Xperia Z Ultra

Stellar Virtuoso Mi 530

WS50

W1 WIRY

139 x 71 x 7.9

127 x 64.9 x 9.5

144.4 x 73.9 x 8.5

179 x 92 x 6.5

152 x 79 x 10.3

147 X 73.5 X 9.8

120 x 60 x 5.8

146

137

169

212

196.3

130

120

11/550

10/670

14/880

11/550

4.1/696

10/280

6/240

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/5.0

16million/4.3

16million/5.0

16million/5.4

16million/5.3

16million/5.0

16million/4.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16GB/32GB

16GB/64GB

16GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

13.1MP/Yes/Yes

20.7MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Quad Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/NA

Yes/Yes/Yes

Android OS v4.2

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+

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.3

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

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.0

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Bar/Yes/No

30,500

33,500

36,500

40,000

13,999

12,628

12,990

CDMA PHONE

MODELS

Rs 12,000 UPWARDS

XOLO

PARAMETERS Model

CDMA

X1000

Q1000s

Q3000

Samsung B229

MTS Striker C121

MTS Striker C131

MTS Striker C132

Dimension (mm)

147 x 72.1 x 7

164.8 x 81.6 x 8.9

108 x 44.38 x 14.20

106.8×44.7×13.15

108.5 × 46.7 × 12.15

115.5 × 47 × 13.5

Weight (grams)

158

65.5

68.2

Talktime/Standby (hours)

9.5/336

22/327

33/667

6.5/720

33/360

16/240

17.9/360

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.7

16million/5.0

16million/5.7

65,536/1.5

65,536/1.44

65,536/1.77

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/32GB

16GB/No

16GB/32GB

450KB/No

1.29MB/No

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

No/No

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

13.0MP/Yes/Yes

No/No/No

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

1,000

500

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

Dual Band/No

Quad Band/GSM+GSM

CDMA/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

No/No/No

Yes/Yes/No

Android OS v4.0

Android OS v4.2

BREW

Brew 3.1.5

Yes/Yes

No/No

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

13,800

14,000

1,100

1,500

1,550

1,650

96 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

myguide CDMA PHONE

CDMA PHONE

MODELS

CDMA PHONE

CDMA

PARAMETERS Model Dimension (mm) Weight (grams)

Micromax GC222

Lava ARC8c

MTS Mtag 281

MTS Duet

MTS Duet II

Samsung Galaxy Y CDMA

Blackberry 8530

110 x 45 x 10

104 x 57 x 13.3

116.36 x 61.7 x 12.7

104.0 x 58.0 x 11.5

109 x 60 x 13.9

97.5

105

4.5/170

May-90

10/220

NA/NA

10/NA

6/120

4.5/252

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

262,144/1.8

65,536/2.2

262,144/2.8

242,144/3.5

262,14/4.0

262,144/3.0

65,536/NA

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

59KB/4GB

NA/8GB

170MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

120MB/32GB

160MB/32GB

256MB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

VGS/No/Yes

VGA/No/Yes

3.0MP/No/Yes

3.2MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/NA/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

300

100

Shared

Sahred

Shared

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

Price in Rs.

CDMA/No

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/No/No

Yes/Yes/EVDO Rev.0

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/Rev.A

Yes/Yes/No

Brew 3.1

BREW

Android OS v2.3

BlackBerry OS

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

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

2,289

2,699

3,199

5,199

5,648

7,350

12,500

TABLET

CDMA PHONE

MODELS

CDMA PHONE

CDMA

PARAMETERS

APPLE

Moto G

BlackBerry Curve CDMA 9350

HTC Desire XC

HTC Desire 600 C

HTC One Dual SIM

iPad Mini Wi-Fi

iPad 2 Wi-Fi

Dimension (mm)

129.9 x 65.9 x 11.6

109 x 60 x 11

119.5x 62.3 x 9.4

134.8 x 67 x 9.26

137.4 x 68.2 x 10.4

200 x 134.7 x 7.2

241.2 x 185.7 x 8.8

Weight (grams)

143

107

130

143

308

607

Model

24/NA

NA/NA

11.4/539

27/500

NA/NA

10/720

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/4.5

NA/2.44

16million/4.0

16million/4.5

16.7million/4.7

16 million/7.9

262,144/9.7

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

8GB/No

512MB/32GB

4GB/32GB

8GB/64GB

32GB/No

16,32,64GB/No

16,32,64 GB/No

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

4.0MP/Yes/Yes

5.0 MP/No/Yes

VGA/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.

CDMA/N0

CDMA/No

Yes/Yes/1xEV-DO

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v4.4

BlackBerry OS7

Android OS v4.1

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

Android OS v4.1

NA/No

No/No/No

iOS 7

iOS 6

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

No/No

Yes/No

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

13,490

17,250

20,190

27,541

54,290

21,900/27,900/33,900 23,999/29,500/34,500

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 97

myguide TABLET

TABLET

MODELS

TABLET

APPLE

PARAMETERS

KARBONN

iPad Mini W-Fii+3G

i-Pad 2 Wi-Fi+3G

iPad Air Wi-Fi

iPad Air W-Fii+3G

A34 TA-FONE HD

A39 TA-FONE HD

A37 TA-FONE HD

Dimension (mm)

200 x 134.7 x 7.2

241.2 x 185.7 x 8.8

241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4

197 x 124 x 12.3

Weight (grams)

312

607

652

662

335

Model

NA/NA

10/720

NA/NA

8/240

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16 million/7.9

262,144/9.7

16 million/9.7

16million/7.0

262,144/7.0

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

16,32,64GB/No

16,32,64 GB/No

16,32,64GB/No

4GB/32GB

Talktime/Standby (hours)

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

5.0 MP/No/Yes

VGA/No/Yes

5.0 MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/No/Yes

2.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Quad Band/No

Tri Band/GSM+GSM

Tri Band/NA

Tri Band/GSM+GSM

No/No/No

Yes/Yes/HSDPA,HSUPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

iOS 7

Android OS v4.0

Android OS v4.1

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

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

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

iOS 7 No/No

Yes/No

No/No

Yes/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

7,200

8,500

8,900

Burn test Rating

Price in Rs.

iOS 6

29,900/35,900/41,900 32,000/38,000/44,000 31,900/37,900/43,900 39,900/45,900/51,900

TABLET

MODELS

TABLET

KARBONN

LAVA

LENOVO

SAMSUNG

Smart Cosmic

Ivory Tab 702

Yoga 8

Galaxy Tab 3 2110 Galaxy Tab 3 3100 8.0 Galaxy Tab 3 3110 8.0 Galaxy Note10.1N800

Dimension (mm)

194 X 120.5 X 10.8

209.8 x 123.8 x 7.4

243.1 x 171.4 x 7.9

Weight (grams)

360

401

304

316

540

NA/NA

18/NA

20/NA

24/NA

30-Oct

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16 million/9.7

16milliom/7.0

16million/8.0

16million/7.0

16million/8.0

16million/10.1

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

1.5GB/32GB

4GB/32GB

16GB/32GB

8GB/64GB

16GB/64GB

16,32,64/64GB

No/Yes

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

2.0MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/Yes/Yes

3.15MP/No/Yes

5.0MP/No/Yes

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

Phonebook Capacity

Shared

Frequency/Dual SIM

No/No/Yes

Dual Band/GSM+GSM

Quad Band/No

PARAMETERS Model

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.

213.3 x 114.78 x 7.62 188.0 x 111.1 x 9.9

No/No/Yes

Yes/Yes/Yes

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v4.2

Android OS v4.3

Yes/No

Bar/Yes/No

9,000

8,700

21,500

16,500

20,500

24,500

49,990

98 MYMOBILE MAY 2014

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

LIFESTYLE

MODELS

TABLET

PARAMETERS

SAMSUNG

SONY

SPICE

TAG HEUER

Meridiist GMT Stainless Stellar Pad Mi 1010 Racer Sport Classic Steel/Black PVD

Model

Galaxy Note Pro

Xperia Tablet Z

Racing Carbon

Link

Dimension (mm)

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)

54/NA

10/890

NA/384

3/220

7/392

3/220

6.5/336

Screen (colours)/Size (inch)

16million/12.2

16million/10.1

16million/10.0

16 million/3.5

262,144/1.9

16million/3.5

Inbuilt/Expandable memory

32GB/64GB

16GB/64GB

16GB/32GB

8GB/32GB

NA/NA

8GB/32GB

256MB/8GB

Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

Camera/Flash/Video

8.0MP/Yes/Yes

8.1/Yes/Yes

3.0MP/No/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

GPRS/EDGE/3G

Yes/Yes/HSPA+

No/No/HSPA+

No/No/Yes

Yes/Yes/HSUPA

Yes/Yes/No

Yes/Yes/HSUPA

Yes/Yes/HSDPA

Android OS v4.1

Android OS v2.3

Android v2.3

Android OS v2.2

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/Yes

Bar/Yes/No

Bar/No/No

Bar/Yes/No

65,575

43,000

12,999

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.

MAY 2014 MYMOBILE 99

va n ta g e p o i n t

India: Elephant in the Room

for Mobile Developers?

f you were to launch a mobile app or game today, what markets would you go after? Common sense would say US, Japan, China, UK, South Korea, Germany, Taiwan, Australia as these are the countries at the top of revenue charts for mobile developers. However, this list leaves out the elephant in the room - India. India will have more smartphone owners by the end of 2014 than there are people living in Australia, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan and UK combined. The latest estimates admittedly, perhaps too optimistic - say India will overtake the US in smartphone ownership this year as well. But if China is leading in revenue and smartphones, why not focus there instead? China has great limitations in entering the market - not just local regulations and publishing rules which are a grey area, but also barriers in language and culture. Our own experience has been that obtaining a publishing license in China may take up to 12 months to complete - even if you have a dedicated team working on it. India on the other hand is a relatively westernized country. A large part of the population speaks English and there arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any real restrictions on launching your

100 MYMOBILE may 2014

online services or games. Also, unlike China, all global app distribution channels are available and widely used in India. There is also no competition from giants like Tencent or Baidu for China India is therefore still a greenfield opportunity for many online and mobile content categories. According to estimates, 10-15 per cent of monthly mobile ARPU in India is spent on content or value added services. In terms of monetary value, this is approximately 20 INR (0.3 USD). Perhaps low by Western standards, but for an app with 1 million users, this would already translate into 300 000 USD monthly additional revenue for a relatively small effort.

ABC, feature phones and local OEMs So far, the growth in mobile consumption has been driven mainly by English content. However, most of the future growth will come from rural areas. Native English speakers tend to forget that less than a fifth of the world can understand them. Localisation means not just translation of your service into Hindi and other local languages (there are 30 languages spoken by more than a million native speakers in India). In some cases it also means local-

izing your content. Historically any content related to ABC astrology, Bollywood and cricket - has proven to have the most success with Indian audiences. Even 6 of the top 10 videos on YouTube in India are Bollywood or local cinema, TV or cricket. Translating your content and modifying it to fit around these culturally dominant themes gives a strong competitive advantage over other developers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just local Indians who like this content - there are an estimated 25 million people of Indian descent living outside India as well. Another key issue to understand about the Indian market is that even though smartphones are growing at a huge rate, feature phones still dominate. So for Web services, having feature phone friendly access to your content is key. 90 per cent of YouTube views for example come from feature phones in India. Adapting existing content to meet local needs is nothing new as it has been utilized in Africa as well by companies like Mxit and Eskimi. Adding 700 million feature phone owners to your potential customer base should be enough of an incentive. Thirdly, local smartphone manufacturers and app stores are relatively popular in India. While most consumers want to buy a phone from Samsung, Apple or Nokia, local customer tastes and low income have given space to Indian OEMs like Micromax, Karbonn and Lava to capture a third of the market. Beside Google Play, the alternative app stores like Mobango, SlideMe and GetJar are quite popular amongst smartphone owners as well. For those merchants not familiar with India, it makes sense to work together with these local players who have a strong understanding on the local mobile market. There are only so many countries in the world with a potential smartphone ownership of more than 1 billion. If India does become as huge in the next few years as China is today, would you be happy at having missed the opportunity to bet on it? n -Sanjay Sinha, General Manager of Fortumo India (Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the stance of the magazine)

RNI REG NO./DELENG/2005/15033 DL (ND) - 11/6100/2012-13-14 (Posting Date 19-20 of every month)