Micromax starts Canvas 4 pre-booking

Finally the Micromax Canvas 4 pre-booking link is now active on the MMX website. Interestingly Micromax has not yet disclosed any details about the new handset, instead the Pre-booking page is accepting an amount of Rs. 5000 and the rest to be paid later.

The pre-booking link was unveiled early morning on 28^th with Rs. 1 as the pre-booking amount, many users used that opportunity to book the handset but they got another mail from Micromax, apologizing, the Rs. 1 was refunded, probably Micromax was testing the system.

As of now the handset can be pre-booked by paying Rs. 5000. The page clearly mentions that the Canvas 4 details will be revealed on 8^th July and those who pre-booked now can pay the rest of the amount later (The handset price tag has also not been disclosed). The product will be available from 10^th July and will be shipped within 7 days.

There is an option of refund in case you are not happy with the product specifications and / or the price. I have pre-booked the Canvas 4 handset now and let’s see if it’s worth paying the rest of the amount or there is always the refund option.

Nokia Asha 210 up for pre-order at Rs. 4499

The Nokia Asha 210 will hit the stores within weeks probably by 2^nd week of July. The handset can be pre-booked for Rs. 4,499. TheAsha 210 first showed up on Saholic with a price tag of Rs. 3,999. It seems the launch was delayed. And now the price tag has gone a bit high probably cause of a stronger dollar. The 210 runs on Series 40 OS with dual SIM capabilities (Mini SIM) with 2G support only.

The 2.4 inch LCD Transmissive screen is with 320×240 pixels. The Transmissive LCD’s are backlight LCD which looks good when you are indoor but the screen may look completely black when you are under direct sunlight.

Handset is 11.8mm thick and weight is less than 100 grams. Asha 210 comes with 64MB RAM and micro SD support. It’s a basic phone with 2MP camera, QWERTY keypad with Whatsapp support.

Battery is of a modest 1200 mAh capacity that give talktime of up to 12 hours. Other features included are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, micro USB and 3.5mm audio jack.

Micromax A92 Canvas Lite with dual core processor coming soon for Rs. 8499

Micromax has silently launched the Micromax A92 the lite’r version of canvas. The Micromax Canvas Lite A92 comes with a 5 inch screen and is powered by a dual core processor. It is priced at Rs. 8,499.

The A92 looks similar to theMicromax A110. This dual SIM handset sails on a 1GHz dual core processor with Android 4.1.2. The 5 inch screen is with WVGA resolution. The Micromax A92 is 10.8mm thick. RAM is 512MB and ROM is 4GB.

The camera on the rear is of 5MP resolution, it is fixed focus camera with flash support. There is no mention of secondary camera (front facing) but looking at the product image it does seem to have one. The Micromax A92 supports 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. Battery is of 2000 mAh capcity.

The price does look a bit on the higher side especially with a 5MP fixed focus camera. We are not sure yet if this handset is using MediaTek or Qualcomm processor.

Micromax A92 Canvas Lite key features and specifications

• Dual SIM (GSM+GSM).
• Dual core clocked at 1GHz (Chipset unknown).
• Android 4.1.2.
• 5 inch capacitive screen with 800×480 pixels resolution – 16M colours.
• 5MP rear with flash, fixed focus + front fixed focus VGA camera.
• 512MB RAM, 4GB and micro SD support.
• 3G (7.2Mbps), EDGE/GPRS (class 12), Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, micro USB and 3.5mm universal audio jack.
• Sensors: G-Sensor, proximity and light sensors.
• Li-ion 2000 mAh battery with up to 6 hours of talktime.
• Price Rs. 8,499 (via Flipkart).

Videocon A55HD with 5 inch OGS HD screen launched for Rs. 13400

Videocon mobiles though late have now launched Videocon A55HD handset that comes with the MediaTek quad core processor with a 5 inch OGS screen (HD resolution) for Rs. 13,499. It’s the same old Wine in a new bottle.

MediaTek processors are slowly catching up not only with brands that cater to budget conscious consumers but are now accepted by bigger brands like Sony (Sony Xperia C). The Videocon A55HD is powered by MT6589 chipset with PowerVR SGX 544 MP GPU. The screen is of OSG technology that helps make the handset slimmer.

The A55HD runs on Android 4.2 with 1GB RAM and 4GB storage. There is external SD support too. The screen resolution is 1280×720 pixels. Like on every other MT6589 powered handset this one too comes with 8MP auto focus camera with LED flash and a 3.2 MP front camera with native video call support.

Other common features included are 3G support (HSDPA), Wi-Fi (b/g/n), GPS and Bluetooth. There is micro USB port and a 3.5mm audio jack. Battery is 2000 mAh.

Videocon A55HD key features and specifications

• Dual SIM / Dual Standby.
• 5 inch OGS screen with HD resolution.
• 1.2GHz quad core MT6589 + PowerVR SGX 544 MP GPU.
• Android 4.2.1.
• 1GB RAM, 4GB storage and micro SD support (32GB).
• 8MP AF camera with flash + 3.2MP front camera.
• 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4, GPS, micro USB and 3.5mm audio jack.
• Sensors : G-Sensor, Proximity and light. (Not sure yet if it has magnetic sensors).
• Battery : 2000 mAh.
• Price Rs. 13,400.

LG OPTIMUS L4II Dual (E445) now available for Rs. 9850

The dual SIM dual standby LG OPTIMUS L4II Dual (E445) is now available for Rs. 9850 via the LG India website. The handset comes loaded with Android 4.1 OS with Optimus 3 user interface. It is powered by single-core MediaTek MT6575 chipset.

The price and the brand name may have grabbed your attention but once you go through the specifications it is just like any other Mediatek single core handset. For the price you can actually buy a quad core XOLO Q700, with much better specs.

LG Optimus L4II dual supports 3G and runs on the android 4.1 OS. The RAM is 512MB and internal storage is 4GB plus micro SD support.  So far so good, and now the processor which is disappointing for the price, its single core MT6575. Add to it there is a 3.8 inch capacitive IPS screen with 480×320 pixels resolution.

There is a primary camera of 3MP resolution with LED flash and no front camera. The L4II comes with Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS, micro USB and 3.5mm audio jack. There are magnetic, accelerometer and proximity sensors. There are other interesting features like hot SIM switch key, smart forward, quite time, battery saver etc.

Konka Expose 976 HD shows up on Snapdeal for Rs. 11999

The Konka Expose 976 HD smartphone can be pre-ordered from the Snapdeal website. The handset sports a 4.7 inch screen with 720p resolution and is powered by MT6589 chipset. It is priced at Rs. 11,999.

There is nothing new when it comes to the specifications. It is with the same MediaTek quad core processor clocked at 1.2GHz (MT6589) with 544 MP GPU (PowerVR). The Expose 976 HD as the name suggest is with a 4.7 inch IPS screen with resolution 1280×720 pixels.

This dual SIM handset is loaded with Android 4.2 OS, that runs comfortably on 1GB RAM and 4GB storage. Just like the other quad core handsets this one too comes with 8MP rear auto focus camera with BSI sensor and flash, plus a front 2MP fixed focus camera. Konka Expose 976 HD is 10.5mm thick with a weight of 160 grams.

Other features included are 3G support, Wi-Fi, 2G, GPS, USB, Bluetooth and 3.5mm audio jack. The SAR value is 0.787 W/Kg and the removable battery is of 2000 mAh capacity. On a full battery charge the handset gives a talktime of up to 8 hours.

Celkon CT910+ tablet with built in 3G SIM slot for Rs. 7999

Celkon has upgraded its existing CT910 model and named it as the Celkon CT910+. The 7 inch tablet comes with built in SIM slot with 3G support including phone functionality. The CT910+ is priced at Rs. 7,999.

The tab is powered by dual core processor and comes with usual stuffs like Wi-Fi, micro USB and 3.5mm audio jack. Apart from this there is a built in single SIM lot that supports 3G network, you can use this tablet as a phone. Other features are Bluetooth and GPS.

The 7 inch screen is with an HD display (720p). There are dual cameras a front 2MP and a rear 0.3MP.  Celkon Ct910+ sails on Jelly Bean 4.1 with 512MB RAM and 4 GB internal storage.

The battery is of 3500 mAh capacity. This tablet will hit the stores within few days for Rs. 7,999.  It competes with Karbonn A34 HD, HCL Me Connect 2G, Micromax talk and iBall Slide 3G-7334.

Gionee Elife E6 unveiled comes with MT6589T processor with a 5 inch screen

After the success of Gionee Elife E3, Gionee India will soon launch the Gionee Elife E6 with the MediaTek turbo processor clocked at 1.5GHz. The pricing details are not yet disclosed but will be well under Rs. 20,000.

Gionee has already posted an image of Elife E6 on Facebook that clearly mentioned the quad core @ 1.5GHz, 13 megapixel camera and a 5 inch screen with retina display probably with a full HD resolution. Other features are not that hard to guess.

They have mentioned 1.5GHz and it does point to the MediaTek MT6589T processor that we have been talking about for quite some time. And of course it will be with SGX 544 MP GPU clocked at a higher frequency.

As for the RAM it probably could come with 2GB with 4GB or 8GB internal storage. The 13MP camera will be with BSI sensors and should easily record videos in Full HD resolution at 30 FPS. The front camera could be anywhere from 2 to 5MP resolution.

The battery could be 2000 mAh or over. The dual SIM Gionee Elife E6 will sail on the Android 4.2 OS with OTA updates. The release date and the price in India are not known. Things are getting more exciting we have the Micromax Canvas 4 that probably may come with the same configuration or better (otherwise it will be a disaster) and then the Karbonn Titanium S6 with the Samsung note type pen.

It’s a wait and watch, let’s see who is the better of them all.

Karbonn S2 titanium review – with MediaTek powered quad core chipset

The Karbonn titanium S2 comes powered by MT6589M MediaTek processor running on Jelly Bean 4.2 OS. The handset sports a 5 inch screen with FWVGA resolution. It is priced at Rs. 10,299.

Titanium S2 box pack
Inside you will find the Karbonn S2 handset along with a free flip cover, battery of 2100 mAh capacity, travel charger with data cable, earphone, warranty booklet and user guide.

Design and Display
The S2 handset is 9.9mm thick and is quite bulky with 186 grams weight. On the first look the handset does look attractive, however a closer look will disappoint you. The built quality and finishing are not that good. There are small gaps on the top side near the micro USB port and the 3.5mm audio jack, there is another at the bottom side (check the video review). The power button is on the right side and the volume rockers on the left. There is light, accelerometer and proximity sensors. The rear side is with a glossy finish.

The TFT screen is 5 inches with resolution 854×480 pixels (FWVGA). The viewing angle is okay, not that good. Every phone has a thin black border around the screen.  If you look closely the right border on the Karbonn S2 is thicker than the other 3 sides, it kind of looks odd.

Inside the Hood
Interestingly Micromax A111 (canvas Doodle) comes powered by QUALCOMM processor and the Titanium S2 with MediaTek processor. It’s MT6589M with PowerVR SGX 544 MP. As you all know this chipset cannot record full HD videos. You can watch full HD 1080p using S/W mode.

The RAM is 512MB and internal storage is 4GB. Of the 512MB RAM the available RAM is 206MB. Of the 4GB internal storage 1GB is assigned for apps and 1.79GB as phone storage. You can install / move apps to external storage.

Benchmark Performance

• Quadrant Benchmark : 3986.
• Anututu Benchmark : 13575.
• Nenamark2 : 41.5 fps.
• Vellamo : HTML5 = 1386, Metal = 430.
• Multi Touch : 5 point.

Camera and Entertainment
The 8MP Auto focus camera still images are good and so is the 720p video. You can check the sample images and videos at the end of this article. The camera is without BSI sensors. There is a 2MP front camera with native video call support.

Gaming
MT6589M can play many high end games. I tried the Nova 3 and it worked well. Many other common games available on Google play will work with ease.

Others
OTG is not supported. I did not find any issues with 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. The speaker sound is load and clear.

Battery
The 2100 mAh battery will last for over a day with moderate usage. The battery performance was satisfactory.

Karbonn Titanium S2 review
The dual SIM / Dual Standby Karbonn S2 is priced at Rs. 10,299 with 5 inch FWVGA screen and powered by MT5689W processor. The built quality is not that good and the handset is heavy.  Instead the Xolo Q700 seems a better option, same hardware with a smaller screen (4.5 inches) but with qHD resolution, better built quality and priced around the same.

Image Gallery

Sample Images

Micromax Canvas 4 A117 now gets listed on Saholic

Micromax Canvas 4 or theMicromax A117 is now listed on the Saholic website with a coming soon status. They have not mentioned the price and the specifications are incomplete.

Maniacstore had listed the Canvas 4 on their site and have also started the pre-bookings, even when there is no official word from Micromax. It would be wise to wait for MMX to announce the full specs and probably you will also find the order link from the Micromax website itself.  There could be delivery issues like what happened with the Canvas HD.

The Canvas 4 is also listed on the Naaptol website. But none of these sites have the official specifications or images and the specs that you see on their sites are unverified. Manicastore has clocked the quad core on A117 to 2GHz while on Saholic its 1.7GHz.

Better wait for Micromax official announcement of the same and would be wise on your part not to pre-book the handset for now.

Gionee CTRL V4 quad core supersmart phone launched for Rs. 9999

Gionee has launched the Gionee CTRL V4 handset that is powered by quad core processor with a 4.5 inch screen.  The handset is priced at Rs. 9,999.

The specifications clearly state that the rear camera of 5MP resolution can record HD videos. This means that the quad core is with the MT6589M chipset. It is a low budget quad core handset running Android 4.2 with 512MB RAM and 4Gigs of internal storage.

The Gionee CTRL V4 is 9.7 mm thick. The specs are not really high end. The 4.5 inch screen is with 854×480 pixels resolution, probably good enough for the low powered quad core chipset. The rear camera is 5MP resolution with AF and LED flash. There is a front camera of VGA resolution.

It is a dual SIM handset with dual standby support. Other features are 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, micro USB and 3.5mm audio jack. The battery is of 1800 mAh capacity.

CTRL V4 is priced at Rs. 9,999 which will compete with the Xolo Q700 that comes with nearly the same specs but with better screen resolution (qHD). Gionee recently unveiled the premium Elife E6 with MediaTek turbo processor.

Gionee CTRL V4 key features and specifications

• Dual SIM Dual Standby (GSM+GSM).
• 1.2GHz MediaTek quad core MT6589M processor with PowerVR SGX 544 GPU.
• 4.5 inch screen with FWVGA resolution (854x480p).
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.
• 512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage and external SD card support (32GB).
• 5MP AF rear camera with flash / 0.3MP front camera.  HD recording (720p) supported.
• 3G, Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, FM radio, GPS with A-GPS, Yamaha PA 168, micro USB port and 3.5mm universal audio jack.
• Sensors: G-Sensor, magnetic, light and proximity sensor.
• 1800 mAh battery.
• Available in White and Black colors.
• Price Rs. 9,999.

Jiayu G2, G2S, G3 and G4 coming soon

We were expecting the Jiayu handsets in India by Feb end, but that never happened. And now as per the latest info the Jiayu G2, Jiayu G2S, Jiayu G3 and Jiayu G4will be available in India, soon, though the exact dates are not yet confirmed.

These Chinese Jiayu handsets will be powered by dual core and quad core processors starting from Rs. 8900 plus shipping extra.  These handsets will be sold via AndroidGuruz in India. The latest pricing are as follows.

Jiayu G2 with dual core processor and 512MB RAM will come for Rs. 8,900 (Shipping extra). The Jiayu G2 with 1GB RAM will cost Rs. 9,999 + shipping. The G2S with 1GB RAM and 4GB internal storage will be priced at Rs. 11,500 + shipping.

Jiayu G3 quad core MediaTek MT6589 with 1GB RAM and 4GB internal storage will cost you Rs. 12,500 + shipping. The G4 MT6589 1GB + 4GB storage will be for Rs. 14,500 + shipping. The price details of the G4 with MediaTek turbo processor (MT6589T clocked at 1.5GHz with 32GB internal storage) has not yet been disclosed.

Sony Xperia C 5 inch qHD handset with MediaTek quad core chipset

Sony mobiles have announced the Sony Xperia C handset with the MediaTek chipset.  This dual SIM handset will sport a 5 inch screen with qHD resolution and an 8MP camera with EXMOR R Sensors.

When it comes to affordabilityMediaTek chipset are on the top list. They not only perform exceptionally well but also help reduce the cost making it more affordable for end users. The Xperia C also called CN3 may house the MT6589 chipset.

There is an 8MP camera can record full HD videos. Initially we though that Sony Xperia C could come with MTK6589M chipset that we have seen on the Xolo Q700 handset.  The MTK6589M does support qHD resolution with HD recording (as onXolo Q800). However it is now confirmed that its MT6589 with full HD recording support.

The full specifications are out but more than the specs it will be the price tag that will be much of an interest to many. Use of the MediaTek chipset itself is an indication that it probably could be the cheapest quad core in the Sony family.

Sony Xperia C key features and specifications

• Dual SIM.
• 1.2GHz quad core Mediatek.
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
• 5 inch TFT screen with 960×540 pixels resolution.
• 1GB RAM, 4GB internal storage and micro SD card slot.
•  8.8mm thick and weight is 153 grams.
• 8MP rear AF camera with EXMOR R sensor. Front VGA camera. Full HD recording supported.
• 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 40, micro USB, GPS, Screen mirroring, Gesture input, 3D surround sound, Walkman app  and 3.5mm audio jack.
• Battery mAh unknown, Stamina mode, talktime up to 14 hours and standby time up to 588 hours.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra 2.2GHz slimmest FHD smartphone with 6.4 inch screen

Sony has announced the Sony Xperia Z Ultra handset powered by Snapdragon 800 quad core processor clocked at 2.2GHz with 4G support and with a big screen of 6.4 inches. The pricing details are not yet disclosed by the handset will hit the stores globally from Q3, 2013.

Though the screen is of 6.4 inches, Sony claims that that is the world’s slimmest handset with Full HD resolution. The handset also supports any pen / pencil or stylus (tip diameter over 1mm) just like the one we have seen on the Samsung Galaxy Note.

Sony Xperia Z ultra (different from Xperia Z and Xperia ZR handsets) supports 4G and comes with 16GB of internal storage. The battery is of 3000 mAh capacity with talktime of up to 11 hours.  This handset sails on Jelly Bean 4.2 with 2GB RAM.  Z Ultra comes packed with NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

The AF camera (Exmor RS) on the rear is with 8 megapixel resolution and surprisingly does not come with LED flash. There is a front facing camera with 2MP resolution.  The handset weighs about 212 grams.

Sony Xperia Z ultra Key features and Specifications

• Quad core 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with Adreno 330 GPU.
• 6.4 inch Full HD TRILUMINOS™ display with 1920×1080 pixel resolution (344.2 ppi). Touch panel is covered with Super Hard Coat ASF.
• Android 4.2 OS.
• Ultra slim with 6.5mm uniform thickness and dust resistant / water proof (IP55/IP58).
• Works with any Stylus pen / pencil with diameter over 1 mm.
• 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage (11 GB for users) and micro SD card slot (64GB) for adding extra storage.
• 8MP rear AF camera (Exmor RS) without flash. Front 2MP camera.  You can shoot full HD video (underwater too). HDR mode for both videos and photos.
• 4G, 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS (A-GPS), micro USB and 3.5mm audio jack.
• 3000 mAh battery (Battery Stamina mode) with over 5 hours of continuous usage and up to 11 hours of talktime / 510 hours of standby time. Music playback up to 120 hours.
• Price : Unknown | Will be available in Black Purple and White colors by Q3, 2013.

UMI S1 review and Unboxing – 5 inch HD screen with quad core processor

The UMI S1 comes powered by quad core processor clocked at 1.2GHz and runs on the Android 4.2 OS with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage. This handset is priced at Rs. 12,000.

BOX Pack
All of the UMI handsets come in a unique book style box packing. Inside the box there is the S1 handset, power adapter, data cable and a screen guard. There is no earphone included.

Design, Display and OS
The handset looks different. The Red and Black color combination gives an elegant look. The built quality is good, the handset feels tough and comfortable to hold. The display screen is 5 inches with 1280×720 pixel resolution and the touch is smooth.  The display however supports only 3 point multi touch. The UMI S1 runs on the Android 4.2 OS. This handset comes with Accelerometer, light and proximity sensors.

Memory and Storage
S1 handset comes with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage. Of the 1GB RAM you get around 624MB free. And of the 8GB storage you get around 1GB for apps and 5.6 GB as phone storage. There is micro SD card slot, however you cannot move apps to external storage.

Performance and Benchmark
It houses the MT6589 MediaTek quad core chipset clocked at 1.2GHz coupled with PowerVR SGX 544 MP GPU.  I did not find any lags.

Benchmark scores

• Quadrant Benchmark : 4061.
• Anututu Benchmark : 13533.
• Nenamark2 : 47.1fps.
• Vellamo : HTML5 = 1475, Metal = 411.
• Multi Touch : 3 point.

Camera and Entertainment
It is 12 MP camera but is mentioned as 8MP on the box pack. However it is just the size (8MP / 12MP) quality is the same.  The front camera is of 5MP resolution, on box its mentioned as 2MP. The camera still / video quality is good but in still mode the long shot focusing is not at good (Blurred). It does not focus distant objects properly; you can clearly see that in the sample images. Probably an issue with the review handset I got. You can play full HD videos in H/W and S/W mode using MX player.

Others
3G, Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi worked without any issue. Sound is loud and clear.

Battery
The battery of 2000 mAh seems good enough to last for up to 24 hours with moderate usage.

UMI S1 review
The dual SIM handset is priced at Rs. 12,000 plus Rs. 500 as shipping charges. Nice handset for the price but already there are few brands like the Zen 701 HD, Celkon A119 that are priced around the same or a little cheaper.  The S1 is with 8GB ROM that is an advantage. Delivery and after sales as usual has not improved. The UMI X2 were delivered to few consumers. I do have a confirmation from some.  There are still customers waiting for the UMI X2, considering the current situation it will be better to avoid this handset for now and look for other options that are readily available.

Image Gallery

Sample Images