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Intex Aqua i4+ is a new Android smartphone with a 5-inch display

 

Intex has now launched a new affordable Android smartphone in the Indian market which it calls the Aqua i4+. It is priced at Rs 7,600 and will go up against the recently announced Micromax Canvas Juice A77 which costs Rs 7,999.

This smartphone from Intex has a 5-inch FWVGA (854×480 pixel) resolution display and it is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor which comes with 512MB of RAM. It does seem a little underpowered when compared to the 1.3GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM on the Micromax Canvas A77.

The Intex Aqua i4+ further includes an 8 megapixel rear camera with autofocus and flash along with a secondary front facing 1.3 megapixel camera. This is where the smartphone wins in its battle against the competitor from Micromax.

In terms of the connectivity the device is equipped with 3G (HSPA+), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. The company has also mentioned that it will support OTA updates.The Aqua i4+ is equipped with a 2,000mAh battery which the company claims will provide a talk time of up to 7 hours and standby time of up to 220 hours. It has 4GB of built-in storage capacity and supports expandable storage up to 32GB using a microSD card.

The smartphone includes a motion sensor, proximity sensor and light sensor. It will come pre-loaded with apps like WeChat, OLX, Matrabhasha, Intex Cloud, Intex Play and Hungama. The Aqua i4+ runs comes with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box.

Samsung Launches Wireless Charging S-View Flip Cover For Galaxy Note 3 at $70

Samsung is bringing the ease of 'Wireless Charging' to Galaxy Note 3 owners with its latest charging S-View flip cover. The cover charges Galaxy Note 3 phablet via a Qi-compatible charging pad.
The tech giant previously launched wireless charging flip covers for Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S4.

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The new Wireless Charging S-View flip cover is no different than the usual smartphone covers that protect the device screen from scratches. Samsung's flip cover offers a small window on the top of the screen that allows Note 3 users to accept/reject calls, access camera, browse music files and check notifications, without opening the flip cover. It also wakes up the phone when the cover is flipped open. The S-View cover is made of polyutherane leather and comes in two colors, black and white.
The Samsung Wireless Charging S-View flip cover for Galaxy Note 3 works with a Qi-compatible charging pad. This additional device does not come with the flip cover but has to be purchased separately.
By placing the Note 3 with the S-View flip cover on the charging dock station, power starts flowing into the device without any cables connecting to it. The wireless functionality is efficient for users who like gaming and suing other apps, which drain the phone's battery quickly. It is also extremely convenient.
The Samsung Wireless Charging S-View flip cover costs $69.99 and can be ordered via Samsung online store.  In case you do not have a Qi-compatible charging station, Note 3 owners could purchase it for $30 - $40, the total cost rounding off to $100.

Toshiba infuses Indian market with 18 new laptops from its Satellite series

Setting up a strong base for itself for the year to come, Toshiba has gone ahead and launched in India a total of 18 fresh laptops from its Satellite series. These include notebooks from P, C, L, S and U40 ranges which have all been equipped with Windows 8.1.
Toshiba Satellite P Series
The P series consists of premium notebooks, and the two new entries to it offer high quality performance with their harman/kardon speakers and HDMI 4K output support. They feature HD/full HD displays, and are highlighted by a brushed metallic smart silver finish with chrome accents on the lid. Both the Satellite P50-A X3111 and P50-A Y3110 come with 1TB worth of storage and a 2GB Nvidia GeForce GPU.

The P50-A X3111 grabs hold of 4GB DDR3 RAM and a 4th generation Intel Core i5-4200U 1.6GHz processor, whereas the P50-A Y3110 kicks in 8GB of DDR3 RAM (expandable up to 16GB) and runs on a 4th generation Intel Core i7-4500U 1.8 GHz processor with Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. The former is priced at Rs 63,375, while the latter will be sold at Rs 76,660.
Toshiba Satellite C Series
Coming to the C series, the new laptops from this range boast of high flexibility in terms of configurations, and they weigh in at just 2.3kgs. Bearing a Clear SuperView LED screen of 15.6 inches in size, they offer the benefits of an 8x DVD super multi drive, integrated Intel HD graphics and built-in speakers with Toshiba Audio Enhancement. Toshiba laptops from this range are priced between Rs 24,730 to Rs 45,160.
Toshiba Satellite L Series
The new models from the L Series are blessed with Onkyo speakers, and they proffer a 15.6-inch HD Clear SuperView LED backlit display, 4GB DDR3 RAM (expandable up to 16GB) and a slim 8X DVD optical drive. Priced at Rs 42,575 and Rs 42,295 respectively, the L50-A I0110 and the L50-A I0111 run on an Intel Core i3-3110M processor clocked at 2.4GHz and kick in a 500GB hard drive.
Furthermore, the L50-A I3111 gains steam from an Intel Core i3 3227U 1.9GHz processor, while offering a 1TB hard drive at a price of Rs 51,515. The L50-A X0110 and the L50-A X0111 on the other hand, run on the 4th generation Intel Core i5-4200U 1.6GHz processor granting Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and house 750GB worth of storage. They will both be sold at Rs 53,710.

Toshiba Satellite S Series
Now for the S series, the new models from which feature a 15.6-inch HD Clear SuperView LED backlit display, 4GB of DDR3 RAM (expandable up to 16GB), 1GB worth of Nvidia GeForce 710M dedicated graphics, Onkyo speakers, DTS Sound and an in-built slim 8X DVD optical drive. Measuring in at 25mm thin, the S50-A I2010 and the S50-A X2010 grab the Intel Core i3-3110M 2.4GHz processor and the 4th generation Intel Core i5-4200M 2.5GHz processor with Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, respectively.
Toshiba Satellite U Series
The U Series laptops all feature a 14-inch display, 4GB DDR3 RAM (expandable up to 16GB) and integrated Intel HD Graphics 4400. The Rs 45,835 U40-A I0110 offers a 4th generation Intel Core i3-4010U 1.7GHz processor, whereas the Rs 51,910 U40-A X0110 is powered by a 4th generation Intel Core i5-4200U 1.6GHz processor with Turbo Boost Technology 2.0.
All these Toshiba laptops come equipped with a one-year onsite warranty and a one-year carry-in International Limited Warranty. For the festive season, a free backpack and other incentives have also been announced by the company.

Alcatel One Touch Idol X+ with 5-inch 1080p display, 2GHz Octa-Core processor announced

TCL has launched the Alcatel One Touch Idol X+ (S960) in China. It has a 5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display at 440 PPI, powered by a 2 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6592 Octa-Core processor with Mali 400 GPU and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, f/2.0 aperture and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It comes with dual SIM support with dual standby and comes with a BOOMband Bluetooth wristband that tracks your activity and alerts you if you leave it behind by sounding an an alarm. The wrist band would be available in range of colors.

Alcatel One Touch Idol X+ specifications

• 5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display
• 2 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6592 Octa-Core processor with Mali 400 GPU
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• Dual SIM with dual standby
• 13MP auto focus camera with LED Flash, 1080p Full HD video recording
• 2MP front-facing camera
• Dimensions – 140.4×69.1×7.9mm; Weight: 130g
• 3G (TD-SCDMA), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi direct Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
• 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with micro SD
• 2500 mAh battery

The Alcatel One Touch Idol X+ comes in Pure White, Deep Blue and Lemon Yellow colors. It is priced at 1999 Chinese Yuan (~Rs. 20,430) along with the BOOMband. It would go on sale in China mid-January 2014. No world on global roll out yet.

Samsung reportedly starts mass production of 5.25-inch 2560 × 1440 AMOLED screens for Galaxy S5

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Samsung introduced the Galaxy S4 earlier this year with a 5-inch Super AMOLED 1080p Display. A recent report published by the Korean news portal, DDaily states that Samsung has already begun mass production of 5.25-inch 2560 × 1440 pixels AMOLED screens for the Galaxy S5. The display will use the ‘diamond’ pixel arrangement, similar to the Galaxy S4 and the Note 3, the report says.
Samsung already confirmed their plans to introduce 560ppi SuperAMOLED displays for next year and 4K smartphone displays in 2015. Samsung SM-G900S, a mysterious devices with a 2K (2560 x 1440 pixels) Quad HD display appeared on the GFXBench recently, which also revealed that the phone would use a Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.5 GHz with a Adreno 330 GPU (probably MSM8974AC chip) and run Android 4.4 (KitKat) out of the box. It is also rumored to come with a 64-bit Exynos processor for the non-LTE variant, and the mass production is rumored to begin in January 2014.
LG announced a 5.5-inch 2560×1440 pixels Quad HD smartphone display few months back. A recent report reveals that the LG G3 would feature this Quad HD display and the phone would be powered by Octa-Core processor. Both these phones are likely to be unveiled after the MWC 2014.

LG may release a G-Arch smart watch and a sports band soon

With Samsung making a big push to sell customers wearable devices to pair with their higher end devices, one would expect another certain South Korean manufacturer to jump in on bandwagon, too (cough, LG, cough cough).

Rumor has it that, in concurrence with the launch of the G3, LG will be releasing the G-Arch smart watch and the G-Arch fitness band. The names of the devices are self explanatory, so expect them to have features similar to the Galaxy Gear smart watch and Nike fuel band respectively. In fact, LG had a device akin to Nike's fitness recorder at CES 2013 called the Smart Activity Tracker, so they definitely do have their eyes on wearable tech.


LG hasn't confirmed any specific details on potential wearable devices, but they did confirm that they were planning to release a "wearable product" in the future. A debut at CES 2014 is a safe bet.
Would you be interested in wearable tech from LG? If so, what kind of features would you want? Sound off about it in the comments!

Pepsi teams up with Oppo for a special edition N1

The marriage of soft drink beverages and smartphone technology seems a bit far-fetched to us. That hasn't stopped Pepsi from teaming up with Oppo to release their very own version of the N1.
A Cyanogen Mod edition N1 makes total sense. The team of hackers have been modifying and improving Android software for a very long time now and hackers around the world laud their exploits all across the internet. But a Pepsi edition? Well, that's China for you.
The Chinese Pepsi N1 edition comes in a retail packaging sporting the Pepsi colors, and the phone itself is rocking a back cover with the iconic red, white, and blue logo. There's no word on any special software that will come with the phone, aside from a pre-installed Pepsi theme.


If you're a huge Pepsi fan or want this fizz-inspired cola handset, your only shot at getting one is participating in a dedicated contest, held by Pepsi in China. You know, the usual stuff, buy a Pepsi for your chance to win. If any of our lucky readers happens to win the Pepsi N1, let us know, we'd love to share some live images with our readers!

Gionee Elife E7 Mini with 4.7-inch HD display, Octa-Core CPU launched in India for Rs. 18999

Gionee has launched the Elife E7 mini in India along with the Elife E7. It has a 4.7-inch  (1280  x 720  pixels) IPS display, powered by a 1.7 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) with Amigo UI 2.0. It packs a 13-megapixel swivel camera, just like the Oppo N1. It packs 1GB RAM and comes with 2100 mAh battery. The phone was leaked last month, but it was not announced at the Elife E7 launch in China.

Gionee Elife E7 mini specifications

• 4.7-inch (1280  x 720  pixels) IPS display with IGZO
• 1.7 GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor with Mali 450-MP4 GPU
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) with Amigo UI 2.0
• 13MP auto focus swivel camera with LED flash, 1080p video recording
• 3.5mm audio jack
• 1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory
• 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, Dual SIM
• 2100 mAh built-in battery

The Gionee Elife E7 Mini comes in Blue and Pink colors and is priced at Rs. 18,999. It would go on sale in India by mid-January 2014. Check out our Elife E7 mini Hands-On.

Canonical releases Ubuntu and Android dual boot developer preview

Canonical has managed to give Ubuntu enthusiasts a nice Chrimasts present. Developers and advanced users can now download a special preview image of Ubuntu Touch which can dual boot Android.

Yes, you can now have both Ubuntu Touch and Android on a single smartphone with the option to easily switch between the two. Canonical says the image is suitable only for those who are comfortable with flashing custom firmwares on their devices.
Currently, the dual-boot Ubuntu image works well with AOSP or stock versions of Android as well as CyanogenMod ones. Booting backwards and forwards between OSes isn’t done by key combinations or tricky procedures, but rather with apps with a simple UI.
The Android app that Canonical has provided manages the installation of Ubuntu, as well as updates and rebooting into the Linux distribution.Vice-versa, there’s a corresponding app in Ubuntu Touch that handles rebooting in Android.
If you’re feeling adventurous follow these steps to install Ubuntu Touch dual boot on your Android smartphone. Make sure to read the instructions twice before attempting anything. Good luck!

Apple iOS 7.1 beta 3 now in developers' hands, out in March

According to a report by BGR Apple has commenced the distribution process of iOS 7.1 to developer partners. More specifically, the Cupertino company is currently seeding the Beta 3 version of iOS 7.1, which naturally brings bugfixes and new features.


Sadly, the source of the information hasn't specified what features and bugfixes come with the new release. Additionally, the new Beta 3 isn't yet available to developers, who have just gained access to Beta 2 of the operating system.
While Apple is usually releasing new iterations of iOS to the general public in January, it's said that in 2014 that won't be the case. Rather, the company is eying March as a possible time frame for the release of iOS 7.1. The delay is believed to be caused by the new iOS in the Car feature.

Nokia 'Moneypenny' leak hints at dual SIM Windows Phone

The acquisition by Microsoft doesn't seem to have hindered Nokia at all as it continues to work on new devices. According to the latest leak by evleaks, Nokia is also working on a dual SIM Windows Phone 8 device.
Codenamed 'Moneypenny', the phone is expected to be a budget device aimed primarily at Asian markets where dual SIM phones are popular. Judging by the time on the screen, the phone could likely be named Lumia 630. Also, we can see that 3G is available on both the SIMs, which is rare as most phones have 3G on one and 2G on the second.
Not much else is known about this phone at the moment other than it would be the first dual SIM Windows Phone device. We'll keep you updated on this device as we learn more

HP rumored to unveil large-screen Android handsets this month

According to a new report, HP has plans to reenter the smartphone market. The electronics giant allegedly has plans to release large-screen Android smartphones by the end of the year.

The six and seven inch devices are said to be headed to emerging markets such as India, China, the Philippines, etc. Their off contract pricing will reportedly range between $200 and $250.
The new rumor about the return of HP to the smartphone market matches with past reports. The company’s CEO Meg Whitman has also indicated to media that HP will ultimately release a smartphone.
The low-cost orientation of the rumored devices also falls right in line with the company’s budget-friendly Android tablet range. Earlier this month, HP launched a quartet of affordable Android slates.

Upcoming Geeksphone Revolution to feature an Intel CPU

Geeksphone Revolution, the upcoming smartphone from the Spanish manufacturer, is said to be powered by an Intel Atom Z2560 processor clocked at 1.6 GHz. The current range of Geeksphone smartphones utilizes Qualcomm chipsets, though it looks like the company will be making the shift.

Apart from the processor, Geeksphone Revolution is rumored to sport a 4.7-inch IPS display with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels. The upcoming smartphone will feature an 8 megapixel camera with LED flash, expandable storage and a 2,000mAh battery.
If the rumors are to be trusted, the Geeksphone Revolution will start shipping in the first quarter of 2014, but there is no official word just yet.

5" Oppo R1 goes official with 8MP F/2.0 rear camera

Oppo has been teasing its R1 smartphone for a quite a while, and we even saw live images of the device a couple of days ago. Now, the Chinese manufacturer has officially announced the R1, a new addition to its mid-range smartphone club.
Oppo R1 sports a 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels. It is powered by a MediaTek MT6582 chipset with a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor along with 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory.

Oppo's latest addition comes with an 8 megapixel rear camera with F/2.0 wide aperture, which according to the company, is capable of delivering excellent images in low light conditions.
Furthermore, there is a 5 megapixel front facing camera and the smartphone runs on the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean-based Color OS. Oppo R1 measures 142.7 x 70.4 x 7.1 and weighs about 140 grams with its 2,410 mAh battery.
Oppo R1 is already listed on the company's online store and the unlocked version of the smartphone costs CNY2,498, which is about $410. Unfortunately, there is no word on the global availability of the device at the moment.

Android 4.3 rolling out to Xperia Z, ZL, ZR and Xperia Tablet Z

Sony announced its Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update whitelist a while ago and the update is now officially rolling out to Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR and Xperia Tablet Z.

The Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update comes with a couple of new features and a few performance tweaks to enhance the overall user experience. You can check out the change log below.

• Google’s Android 4.3; Jelly Bean as standard – bringing Project Butter performance & UI optimisation and a smoother graphical experience
• Launched with Xperia Z1, we’re now bringing Sony’s Smart Social Camera to these devices – our signature camera experience, that lets you download, access and enjoy “Xperia camera apps” directly from within the viewfinder
• We’re also uplifting Sony’s entire native app portfolio to the latest versions – bringing tweaked / improved / current experiences for (to name but a few): Messaging, MyXperia, Smart Connect, Small apps, TrackID, Sony Select and…
• Sony’s Media apps: WALKMAN, Album and Movies, with Sony Entertainment Network cloud service integration* – a more converged and full Sony entertainment experience – Sony Entertainment Network & PlayMemories integration with a more intuitive UI, offering seamless access to both local and cloud content
• The launch of our unique custom interface experience: “Xperia Themes”, with downloadable UI packs from Sony Select – more on this soon…
• The latest Android security enhancements, matched with Sony’s mobile enterprise solution: Xperia in Business
• Battery STAMINA Mode – updated version of Sony’s power management app, now withrefreshed interface and more smart options for prolonging battery life
• Increased user control for Xperia Tablet Z, with “Restricted Profiles”; option to createisolated, secure spaces with individual local storage, home screens, widgets and settings

The Android 4.3 update should be at your door steps any moment now, so keep an eye on your notifications. Shortly, Sony will be keeping on its other promise and will be rolling the Jelly Bean updates for its Xperia T, Xperia TX, Xperia V and Xperia SP smartphones.

A Nokia Lumia 929 case put up for sale, complete with pictures

Cellphone case makers often jump the gun on product announcements these days - the Nokia Lumia 929 is the latest phone to be exposed by one. It’s the Armor Stand case listed on Wireless Ground that is specifically for the unannounced Lumia 929 and there are even images of the phone inside the case.


The Live Tiles on the home screen are arranged in three columns as opposed to mere two, which tells us it's a Windows Phone device with an extra large screen running the latest software.
Live photos of the Lumia 929 have leaked a number of times, along with even a video (now taken down). All the leaks so far point to a Verizon-bound device that is essentially a 5” smartphone version of the 6” Lumia 1520 phablet.
That means a 5” 1080p screen, Snapdragon 800 chipset and the trademark 20MP PureView camera. Unfortunately, there’s no indication of when the device might be announced. The US-centric CES is coming in a couple of weeks, but Microsoft-Nokia will probably hold a separate event for the Lumia 929 announcement because in the recent years both companies haven't participated in the trade show.