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Asus ZenFone 4 is the cheapest of all the three smartphones from the Zenfone series. The entry-level phone was launched in India last month for Rs 5,999. Asus has launched the phone in two versions viz, the A400CG and A450CG. The former has a 4 inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera, whereas the latter, which is not available for sale in India yet, has a 4.5-inch screen and an 8-megapixel camera. Let's take a detailed look at the Asus Zenfone 4, A400CG black color model in our review. Unboxing Check out our unboxing of the Asus Zenfone 4 to know about the box contents. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBr3spFmxts Design and Hardware The ZenFone 4 is compact and can be easily operated with a single hand. It is a bit bulky and curved at the back, which gives a good grip to otherwise small handset. The phone comes in five colors - Charcoal Black, Pearl White, Cherry Red, Sky Blue, and Solar Yellow. It has a 0.3 VGA front facing camera along with LED notification on the front. It has proximity sensor, but lacks an ambient light sensor for automatic brightness control. It is 11.5 mm thick and weighs 115 grams. Like other Asus trademark devices, the phone has ...

Xiaomi drew a lot of flak for not meeting the demand that their first India launch, the Mi 3 saw. Along with the Mi 3, Xiaomi announced a couple of other devices including the cost-effective Redmi 1S and the octa-core monster, the Redmi Note. Considering the demand that the Mi 3 saw, it is but natural for one to feel that it's going to be quite a bit more for the cheaper Redmi phones. Xiaomi did say that the phones would be made available sometime in August, but didn't specify a date. However, Xiaomi's Hugo Barra took to BGR India's comments to delve details. According to Hugo's article, the Xiaomi Mi 4 and the Mi Pad will be available in India by the 'end of the year'. "Launch will be in a few weeks, am hoping to announce an official date at the end of next week (still finalizing some logistics details)", is what Barra said about the Redmi 1S, which I think is going to be the one to watch out for. About the Redmi Note, Barra added that it'll be launched before the Diwali season, which happens to be a favourite shopping time for Indians. Lastly, Barra also mentioned that Xiaomi is ...

OPPO had been teasing the N1 mini via their social feeds through the past week or so. The N1 mini, as the name suggests, is the mini version of the OPPO N1 that happens to be the Chinese phone maker's first phone in India, launched back in January. OPPO hasn't revealed the N1 mini specs set for India, but we assume it won't be very different from the version OPPO unveiled earlier. Here is what the N1 mini is believed to be having under the hood. Specifications 5-inch 1280 x 720p display 1.6GHz Snapdragon 400 SoC 2GB RAM 16GB on-board ROM 13 mega-pixel swivel camera 2140mAh battery Android v4.3 It's quite clear that the N1 mini will be a camera-centric device with the above mentioned specifications. It is worthy to note that the 1.6GHz Snapdragon 400 SoC that the N1 mini is expected to feature powers the (expectedly) much cheaper Xiaomi Redmi 1S as well.

Soon after WhatsApp released a beta version for Android to support Android Wear, Facebook has pushed an update to its Messenger app for Android that adds Android Wear support. This lets you view message notifications, so that you can reply to messages easily from your Android wear smartwatch, says Android Central that reported regarding the update first. Since the Android Wear uses swipes to switch between the features inside an app, you can just swipe to access voice reply, like with a big thumbs-up symbol and more. You can also mute conversations right from your Android device's notifications menu. Last month Google Play Store got a dedicated Android Wear section with about 24 apps. The app count has increased gradually with new apps like TrueCaller, Runtastic and more. The updated Facebook Messenger app is now available on the Google Play Store.

Binatone launched 3G Mifi Router with 5000 mAh Turbo Power Bank in India. It lets you create Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 10 users, has built-in SD card reader upto 32 GB for Wireless Files Sharing, plug and play support for auto configuration . It offers download speed of up to 21.6 Mbps and upload speed of up to 5.76Mbps for connectivity on the go. It promises 12 hours of battery life and also lets you charge your smartphone easily. Earlier this year iBall launched a similar 3G MiFi router with 4400mAh power bank. Features of Binatone 3G MiFi Router with Turbo Power Bank 3G Wi-Fi Router, supports Wi-Fi 802.11/g/n Download Up to 21.6Mbps, Upload Up to 5.76Mbps Support up to 10 users Inbuilt Wireless Repeater Fast download speed up to 21.6 Mbps Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot – up to 10 users Turbo Power Bank – 5000 mAh Charging Input Interface: Micro USB 5V/1A Micro SD Card up to 32GB – Wireless Files Sharing Work as a Wireless Router with WLAN/LAN port. Commenting on the launch, S.P. Singh, Country Head, Binatone said, We always try to design and create utility driven devices that fulfill multipurpose needs. 3G Mi-Fi Router has an inbuilt power bank that provides power supply to mobile devices while creating a hotspot for multiple users. With a download speed ...

Antec has launched its A.M.P (Antec Mobile Products) Line of speakers and headphones in India. These include, A.M.P SP1 and A.M.P SPzero portable Bluetooth speakers, A.M.P dBs in-ear earphones and A.M.P Pulse Bluetooth headphones. The SP1 portable Bluetooth speaker has built-in microphone and controls that lets you easily switch between your music and phone functions with the touch of a button. The A.M.P SPzero is a smaller version that also has microphone and Bluetooth 3.0 support. Features and specifications of Antec A.M.P SP1 Bluetooth speaker A 6W total output speaker (3W per channel) 2 Full range speakers drive with 1 passive radiator AUX In function (3.5mm Stereo Input) Built-in microphone Bluetooth Ver. 2.1EDR 1500mAh Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery Standby Time: 480 hours (Slide Switch at Off position) Playback Time: Up to 10hrs Frequency Response: 2.402~2.480 GHz CVC (Clear Voice Capture) Echo cancellation Colors/Designs: 7 colors Buttons/Controls:  Talk, Volume Down and Volume Up Price: Rs. 5,999 Features and specifications of Antec A.M.P SPzero Bluetooth speaker 3W total output speaker AUX In function (3.5mm Stereo Input) Built-in microphone Bluetooth Ver. 3.0 EDR 750mAh Li-Polymer Rechargeable Battery Playback Time: Up to 8hrs Frequency Response: 20Hz~20KHz Colors/Designs: 7 colors Buttons/Controls: Talk, Volume Down and Volume Up Price: Rs. 2,899 Features and specifications of Antec A.M.P dBs in-ear earphones High-efficiency drivers Speaker: 10mm Impedance: 3 Ohms Frequency response: 20Hz~20KHz Speaker power: Default 1mW, maximum 5mW Plug: 3.5mm Colors/Designs: 5 colors Braided, nylon-coated cables to minimize tangles and knots Earpieces (S/M/L) Price: Rs. 999 Features and specifications ...

Asus has launched the Fonepad 7 FE170CG in India. It was showcased at the Zenfone launch event in India last month and packs a 7-inch (1024 x 600 pixels) display, powered by 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor with PowerVR SGX544 GPU and runs on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) with ZenUI. It has a 2-megapixel rear camera and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front-facing camera. It comes with dual SIM support and has voice calling capabilities. It has 1GB RAM, 4GB of internal storage with expansion slot and packs a 3950 mAh battery. It has rounded edges and a streamlined chassis with a high-gloss finish, says the company. Asus launched the Fonepad 7 Dual SIM (ME175CG) with 7-inch HD display and a 5MP rear camera in India back in April. Asus Fonepad 7 (FE170CG) specifications 7-inch (1024 x 600 pixels) display 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor with PowerVR SGX544 GPU Dual SIM with dual standby Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) with ZenUI, upgradable to Android 4.4 KitKat 2MP rear camera, 720p video recording 0.3MP front-facing camera 10.7 mm thick and weighs 290 grams 1GB RAM, 4GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 64GB via microSD 3G HSPA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS 3950 mAh battery The Asus Fonepad 7 FE170CG comes in Black, White, Red and Blue colors and is priced at ...

YouTube is bringing some new tweaks to playlist management in the latest update. The version 5.9.0.10 now gets a contextual menu that provides quicker access to pre-existing features. An action overflow button will appear next to each result at the time of  searching for a playlist. By tapping this button users can easily share or save playlists to your sidebar for quick access later. Each playlists now shows the number of items in the list as well. Another small change can be seen in the "Liked Videos" where users will see a "+" option to add that video instead of a 'thumbs up' button to like a playlist. In addition there is now a"View All" button under the playlists in the slideout menu on the app and this enables users to access all their playlists. Other minor changes include video quality selector to choose between different resolutions, bug fixes and improvements for voice search and in general. The update is yet to be officially rolled out for Android but users can opt for the APK file from the source link below. via:Android Police

XOLO's much hyped HIVE UI today made its debut on a single piece of hardware ie the XOLO 8X-1000. Reasons abound why XOLO as a company decided to invest both time and a fair bit of money on developing a completely customized ROM but truth be told, we're not entirely convinced by the reasoning. We'll talk about that and more as we explore the new XOLO 8X-1000. Xolo 8X-1000 specifications 5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD IPS display with ASAHI Dragontrail glass protection 1.4 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592M processor with Mali 450-MP4 GPU Android 4.4 (KitKat) with HIVE UI Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) 8MP rear camera with LED Flash, EXMOR R Sensor, f/2.0 aperture 1080p video recording 2MP front-facing camera 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, expandable memory with microSD 3G HSDA+, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS 1920mAh battery Let's start off with the hardware itself. The XOLO 8X-1000 appears as yet another run of the mill device with nothing really that sets it apart. Sure, it brings with it the now standard octa core Mediatek processor and a large 720p screen but then competition is offering the same and perhaps more at a competitive price point. The front of the phone is dominated by its 5 inch ...

Google has updated Google Search with a bunch of new features. The version 3.6 adds the  ability for developers to deep link app information through Android's linking API. However, these features require developers to implement them first within their apps. Additionally, the Search app hints at Google working on a hands-free mode. It would introduce a new interface for when you are driving to offer you a simple and less cluttered interface. Moving on, Google Play Music has also received a noticeable update including some redesign. Firstly,the v5.6.1616 adds two new widgets and the old 4x1 Play Music widget now starts at 3 x 1, and is available in every size up to 4x4. It also gets a new 1x1 "I'm feeling lucky" radio station widget that gives you quick access to some tunes that Google thinks that you will like. Finally, the updated Play Music brings a "Manage downloads" section which shows songs you havve downloaded to your device and see how much space you have available. The update has started rolling out to Android devices. via:Android Police Android Central

Acer has launched Iconia A1-830, the company's new tablet in Iconia series in India in partnership with Flipkart. It was announced earlier this year and packs a 7.9-inch (1024 x 768 pixels) LED-backlit IPS display with 178 degree viewing angle and  4:3 aspect ratio, powered by a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Z2560 processor with Hyper-Threading technology and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a aluminum metal back cover and sturdy frame for enhanced durability. It is 8.15 mm thick and weighs 375 grams. It comes with 1GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage with expansion slot and has 4000 mAh battery.  The company launched the Acer Iconia A1-713 with voice calling in India few days back. Acer Iconia A1-830 specifications 7.9-inch (1024 x 768 pixels) LED-backlit IPS display 1.6 GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor with PowerVR SGX544 GPU Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS 8.15mm thick and weighs 380 grams 5MP rear camera with 1080p video recording 2MP front-facing camera with 720p video recording 1GB LPDDR2 RAM, 16GB of storage and expandable memory up to 32GB with micro SD WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS 4000 mAh battery The Acer Iconia A1-830 comes in white color and is priced at Rs. 11,299. It is available exclusively through Flipkart in India, which also offers several freebies including 68% off ...

Although the current Meizu flagship, the MX3, has only an 8 mega-pixel sensor at its disposal, the device is still capable of some breathtaking shots as the photos show. The current Meizu flagship, the MX3 According to reports by various outlets based in Meizu's home country of China, the next Meizu flagship, the MX4 could feature a much more powerful 20.7 mega-pixel rear camera. If the MX3 can give such good results with only an 8 sensor, one can only imagine how good the 20.7 mega-pixel on the MX4 would behave. Meizu are also known for their rather unorthodox screen ratios; the MX4 is expected to be no different with a 5.4-inch screen with a mammoth 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution as on the OPPO Find 7.The all-new MediaTek MT6595 octa-core big.LITTLE SoC is expected to be seen in the heart of the MX4, which would mean that it becomes the first Meizu phone to feature a MediaTek SoC. If we go by the usual Meizu cycle, the MX4 could release as early as next month, in September, which is when a host of devices including the iPhone 6 and its larger cousin are expected to release. Via

Media partner StarSports.com and advertiser Vodafone India are teaming up with Twitter to present Twitter Amplify in India for the Indian cricket team's tour of England. The Twitter Amplify program is developed to tap into the growing social conversations around TV programmes, especially live sports. Twitter Amplify allows broadcasters and rights holders to share live TV clips and video content into Twitter in real-time, giving users the opportunity to watch the videos without leaving Twitter. It also drives viral distribution and discovery of that content, as Twitter users retweet their favourite clips and push them out to their own followers, extending the reach of the videos more broadly. "2014 is a great year for Twitter becoming the social soundtrack for television as 95% of the public social conversation around TV is happening on Twitter today, especially for live sporting events. Broadcasters and brands know that Twitter is a natural TV companion that drives audience tune-in, engagement and affinity. We look forward to working with cutting-edge broadcasters and advertisers, like STAR Sports and Vodafone, who want to tap into a compelling second screen experience We are delighted that cricket fans can now enjoy TV highlights in real-time on Twitter." said Rishi Jaitly, India Market Director, Twitter in a company ...

After the iPad happened, Samsung was the first company to release a 7 inch tablet that could make calls. A new form factor was born, and a long time has passed since then. They are now the biggest tablet maker in the market, mainly thanks to the various mid range calling tablets that the company eventually released. However, Samsung's desire to completely 1-up the Apple iPads is still here, which has transpired into the Tab S series of tablets, squarely aimed at the iPad Air with the 10.5" version (our review) and the iPad mini retina, with the 8.4" version. Yes, the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is Samsung's latest "mini" tablet for the high end market. The "S" here is all about the screen, which is a WQXGA AMOLED panel that proves to be its USP and is central to the whole experience. Launched in India for a price of Rs. 37,800, the 3G data and voice enabled tablet aims to offer the best mini tablet experience for the premium buyer. So, is this the best mini tablet money can buy? Lets find out in our full review. Design, Build and Ergonomics The Tab S 8.4, by design, is just a smaller ...

Mugen Power Batteries, popular for its high-capacity batteries for devices has launched MOTO X Mugen Power 2800mAh Extended Protective Battery for Motorola Moto X that offers protection and also SD card storage. The Moto X already has 2200 mAh battery that would last a whole day with average use, but the 2800mAh battery in the case makes it 5000mAh totally that should offer you up to 2 days of battery life even with heavy usage. The Moto X has only 12GB of usable storage out of 16GB of internal storage, which is less. The SD Card slot in the case provides additional storage. You can access the card easily and has switches to shift between the card and power. Regarding the new case,  Nikolai Lebedovsky, CEO at Mugen Power, said Motorola Moto X owners are often reported to complain about short battery life of the device. We worked hard on this project and managed to fit exceptional battery life, additional protection and SD card slot which naturally works with Android into this case. Our solution gives customers added battery life to stay connected longer without recharges and make more with the smartphone than ever before. The Mugen Power 2800mAh Protective Extended Battery Case for Motorola Moto ...

Google's YouTube has acquired a mobile-video app maker Directr for an undisclosed sum. The app is used by small businesses to create marketing promotional videos. Directr team will integrate into YouTube's video ads division as a result of the acquisition. "For now, everything you love about Directr is staying the same and we'll continue to focus on helping businesses create great video quickly and easily. One immediate bonus: Directr will soon be all free, all the time. Thanks, YouTube!" wrote Directr in a company blog post. Directr offers a mobile app for Apple iOS platform that makes it easy for small businesses to shoot, edit and upload short videos. It assists users with things like frame selection and building a storyboard, adding background music, and subtitles. The Directr iOS apps came in two variants one for personal use and one for business. The app was priced at between US$25 and $400 a month, depending on the features and amount of usage. Directr says that the app will now be free. Meanwhile, Google also acquired mobile messaging and virtual assistant app Emu to boost Hangouts. via:The Wall Street Journal

Vertu has priced its most recent launch 'New Signature Touch' at whopping Rupees 7.5 lakhs. Many would question if there really is a market for such expensive mobile devices? The answer is - yes there is! Proof of which is Vertu's survival in the industry, for nearly 15 years. The target audience for such expensive phones is extremely niche and thus very selective. They want to be seen carrying devices that set them apart from the crowd. Vertu has successfully catered to this audience with its uniquely hand-crafted mobile devices. Yet, its beautifully packaged mobile phones failed to deliver the latest in technology. This remained a huge obstacle in Vertu's growth. In last two years, Vertu has seriously worked on its biggest hurdle. It has finally produced a luxury mobile phone that uses the best-in-class technology. It may not be better than an iPhone 5S or HTC M8. But, it's nearly there! (At least according to its specification sheet.) Vertu New Signature Touch is the first luxury mobile phone that is launched with the latest Android OS 4.4, Kitkat. It also uses the fastest processor from Qualcomm, Snapdragon 801. With the outdated specifications usually seen on a Vertu phone spec sheet, I normally ...

LG unveiled the LG G3, the company's latest flagship smartphone with 5.5-inch Quad HD display back in May. It had Snapdragon 801 SoC clocked at 2.5 GHz and support for LTE-A up to 150Mbps. The company even launched the LG G3 Cat.6 in Korea with similar display, Snapdragon 805 and support for LTE-A up to 225Mbps. Today the company has launched LG G3 A, a new LG G3 variant with 5.2 inch IPS Full HD display and Snapdragon 800 processor, exclusively for Korean operator SKT. It has the same design as G3 and has SKT-specific UX and software. It runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat), comes with 13-megapixel rear camera with dual tone LED flashes, Laser AF  and 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera, but this has 2GB RAM with 32GB of internal storage along with microSD slot and 2,610mAh battery instead of 3000 mAh battery on the G3. Since it has a smaller display compared to the G3, it is compact, but it is 9.8mm thick, slightly thicker than the G3. LG G3 A Specifications 5.2-inch (1920 ×1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display 2.26 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor Android 4.4 (KitKat) Dimensions – 141 x 71.6 x 9.8 mm; Weight: 146.8 grams 13MP rear camera with OIS, Dual LED Flash, Laser Auto Focu 2.1MP front-facing camera 2GB RAM, ...

Facebook had launched 'Mentions' app for celebrities on iPhone last month. Today, the social network is expanding the availability of the app to 40 more countries including India. Mentions app is exclusive only to verified public figures such as actors, athletes, musicians, and government officials. It makes  discovering and joining conversations on Facebook easier for these public figures. Another outcome of Facebook's Creative Lab, the app lets them see what fans are saying in a dedicated mentions feed and start mobile Q&As. In addition,it helps the public figures find out what's trending, get streamlined notifications, mentions from other influencers or media. The News Feed is split into Following and Trending, which Facebook says will make it easier for celebrities to "add voice to the story". At the moment, Mentions is available on iPhone to people with verified Pages.

Google has bought  messaging client Emu for an undisclosed sum. The messaging app that adds context to conversations will shut down on August 25th as a result of the acquisition. Emu which is a bit similar to popular virtual assistants like Siri and Google Now announced the acquisition on a company blog post. The app makes it easier to carry out various tasks right from within your conversations. Founded in 2012, it analyzes conversations to help you schedule appointments, make reservations, pull up movie info. It also shares your locations info whenever needed.  The app was first exclusive to iOS but was launched on Android in Beta. However, it was later taken down as the company wanted to put full focus on its iOS client. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJQUksUDpn8 It is not clear how will Google make use of the acquisition but it can be predicted that the company will likely start integrating these features into Google Hangouts, the default IM service on Android devices and Gmail. After August 25th,  users will not be able to use the app to send, receive, or download messages — nor will Emu be listed as a standalone app any longer. via:TechCrunch

The LG G3 Stylus was recently revealed in an official LG G3 Beat promo video. Now a fresh report from the Korean Times suggests that the phone will be a budget-friendly handset and not a flagship device like the LG G3. The report further states that LG will launch the phone in this quarter which means it might be pegged for IFA, Berlin event in September."Overall specifications will be slightly downgraded compared with the G3, with a different battery size and screen resolution," said the source. This means that the phone will have a smaller resolution screen even though the screen size is 5.5 inch. According to FCC Filling, The new LG device being test has two variants, namely LG D690N and LG D693N. The dimensions of the LG G3 Stylus D690N are 149.38mm x 75.98mm (height and width). LG has not yet officially announced the G3 Stylus. It is also unknown if the G3 Stylus will see a global release, or if the device's availability will be limited to specific markets. via:Korean Times MyLGPhones

Foursquare rebranded its new app and unveiled a new logo last month. Today, the completely redesigned app has been launched that chucks  out check-ins and puts more focus on personalized recommendations. "The new Foursquare frees you from having to read long, random reviews, wondering if those people share your tastes. With Foursquare, find things based on your tastes, the places you like, and the friends and experts you trust most" said Foursquare in a company blog post. The new version of Foursquare focuses on learning your interests and suggesting places that you should visit. It suggests you places, things, restaurants and more as per your location. It finds your location and gives you a sliding header bar with options for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, snacks, nightlife, shopping, etc. The new app encourages users to add "tastes" or tags saying what products they like coffee, pasta, burger and so on. It then uses these tags to suggest you appropriate places. Instead of earning badges, Foursquare users are now encouraged to leave tips about the places they frequent. They will also get push notifications of recommendations of restaurants and bars based on places they have visited. The app also categorizes places and hotels by filters such as distance, cost and more. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvMVFGOJ2Z0 Earlier ...


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