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In a world of touchscreen phones, choices in form factors are few, but Spice, one of the many Indian smartphone manufacturers, is offering one, with a keyboard. Spice's Stellar 360, a budget Android touchscreen smartphone with a full sized qwerty keyboard, wants to appeal to a crowd that still likes its messages typed, on a real keyboard. Selling at a very low price of Rs. 4,799, can the phone be the bridging gap between lower end keypad based phones and a full touch screen device? Lets find out in our review.
Check out our Unboxing here
Design, Build and Hardware Walkthrough
The design of the Spice Stellar 360 is relatable to previous attempts at marrying a touchscreen device with a dull sized keyboard. However, the 3.5 inch screen on the phone makes it a bit different, because the ratio of the screen is not 4:3, like other "touch and type" phones. And in terms of build quality, it is completely plastic, of the less stronger variety, which is not surprising considering the price, and no complaints really, this is a known compromise.
The front face of phone has the touchscreen on top of the qwerty keypad, and between them lie the three capacitive Android ...
Google already lets you search for artists and albums, now it will allow users to play the music directly from search results. The latest update for Android makers it quicker and easier to search for and play music.
Say you’re curious about your favorite pop artist’s latest hits, or you’re with friends chatting about the newest indie rock group and want to play some of their music. Starting today, when you ask Google about a musician, you can simply tap a link to play their music right in one of your installed apps.
said Google in a company blog post.
If you search for a band or an artist on Android the results will now show quick links to the artist's page in your installed music apps.These apps include Play Music, YouTube, Spotify, iHeartRadio, TuneIn and Rdio. According to an example provided by Google, if a user searches for Katy Perry on his Android phone or tablet, he will now see a list of music apps at the top of the results page. Clicking on one of those links will start playing her songs in the app of your choice.
Currently, the service is only available for the users in the US but Google said that is ...
In a world of touchscreen phones, choices in form factors are few, but Spice, one of the many Indian smartphone manufacturers, is offering one, with a keyboard. Spice's Stellar 360, a budget Android touchscreen smartphone with a full sized qwerty keyboard, wants to appeal to a crowd that still likes its messages typed, on a real keyboard. Selling at a very low price of Rs. 4,799, can the phone be the bridging gap between lower end keypad based phones and a full touch screen device? Lets find out in our review.
Check out our Unboxing here
Design, Build and Hardware Walkthrough
The design of the Spice Stellar 360 is relatable to previous attempts at marrying a touchscreen device with a dull sized keyboard. However, the 3.5 inch screen on the phone makes it a bit different, because the ratio of the screen is not 4:3, like other "touch and type" phones. And in terms of build quality, it is completely plastic, of the less stronger variety, which is not surprising considering the price, and no complaints really, this is a known compromise.
The front face of phone has the touchscreen on top of the qwerty keypad, and between them lie the three capacitive Android ...
Last week Reuters reported that the iWatch will boast a 2.5 inch screen. Today, another report is suggesting that the iWatch will come in two different models. Pocketnow is stating that the iWatch will come in 'Sports' and 'Designer' style with former being rectangular with a rubber strap and later being round and stainless steel.
The Sports model is being tested by athletes like basketball player Kobe Bryant. According to PocketNow, both models of the iWatch will feature a water-resistant touch-screen, along with various sensors to track information like blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, barometric pressure, blood oxygen level and so on.
Moving on, the report states that the iWatch will have 8GB of storage which will make the device an iPod replacement during fitness activities. The iWatch is expected to be released later this year while earlier reports had suggested an October release. Apple rolled out Health app and Healthkit on iOS 8 earlier this month.
Source: :Pocketnow
Intex has launched Aqua N15 and Aqua i14, the company's first smartphones running Android 4.4 (KitKat). The Aqua N15 has a 4-inch FWVA screen and the Aqua i14 comes with a 5-inch FWVGA screen. Both these smartphones are powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processors, comes with a 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. These pack 1GB of RAM, comes with dual SIM support and 3G connectivity.
Commenting on the new launch, Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, Business Head- Mobiles, said
We at Intex are proud to incorporate Android KitKat OS in our Aqua portfolio which will enable our users to experience a seamless user interface and smooth functioning of apps. The devices are laden with all the latest features which a user expects from a smartphone including a IPS display screen to provide users an enjoyable experience while watching their favorite content, all this at a very affordable rate.
Intex Aqua N15 specifications
4-inch (854 ×480 pixels) touchscreen IPS display
1.3 GHz quad-core processor
Android 4.4 (KitKat) OS
Dual SIM with dual standby
8MP rear camera with LED Flash
2MP front-facing camera
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
1GB RAM, 4GB of internal memory (1.26 GB user memory), expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD
3G, WiFi, Bluetooth with A2DP, GPS / aGPS
Colors: Black, White ...
I was at the Microsoft Store in downtown San Francisco yesterday and store employees were readying a new sign at the entrance of the store. It read "Trade in your MacBook Air and get up to $650 toward a Surface Pro 3". Microsoft has been heavily comparing its latest Surface Pro 3 Tablet with the Apple Macbook Air and looks like Microsoft wants to send out a bold message. Microsoft has posted the terms for the offer and is valid only at the company owned retail stores.
The offer is valid from 6/20/2014 until 7/31/2014 and is applicable only in Microsoft retail stores in the US and Canada and not online. Macbook Airs must be in working condition and should not be water damaged and not have damaged screens. The maximum value of $650 is applicable for the latest generation of Macbook Airs and would be decided by the store reps at the time of the purchase of the Surface Pro 3.
The Surface Pro 3 is a great device from my experience so far with it. My only complaint is that when you are comparing your device with a Macbook Air which has a keyboard built-in , Microsoft should have ...
BlackBerry launched the Z3, the company's latest smartphone in the Z3 series in India few hours back at a price tag of Rs. 15,990. We got to check out the device at the launch event. Check out the photo gallery of the smartphone below.
The BlackBerry Z3 has a 5-inch (960 × 540 pixels) qHD touch screen display, larger than the BlackBerry Z10. It is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8230) processor with Adreno 305 GPU. It has a Blackberry logo on the front.
It has a 1.1-megapixel front-facing camera with HD video recording and also has a LED notification light.
It runs on the latest BlackBerry OS 10.2.1 that brings BlackBerry Priority Hub, Instant Previews, Reply Now, new BlackBerry with support for Hinglish and Hindi apart from English and more new features.
The Z3 has textured back for better grip. It weighs 164 grams. It has a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and is capable of recording videos at 1080p. Even though the phone has plastic build, the quality is pretty good.
It has a micro SIM slot and a microSD card slot on the right side, protected by a flap. It has 1.5GB of RAM and comes with all the connectivity ...
Oppo N1, the previous flagship device from the company and Oppo R1, the premium mid range handset, have both got themselves a price cut in the Indian retail market. Previously sold for Rs. 39,990, the Oppo N1 will now be sold for Rs. 32,990 whereas the Oppo R1, which started selling for Rs. 26,990 will now be sold for Rs. 24,990. Replacing the flagship N1 is the new Find 7 which was announced a while back in India, and it will instead sell for Rs. 37,990. This price cut comes after the portfolio refresh that happened recently, with the announcement of the new top end devices Find 7 and the Find 7a.
We had unboxed the Oppo R1 a while ago, and our initial impressions are that the price to performance ratio is skewed towards the former than the latter. On the other hand, the Oppo N1 now looks like a great option for people seeking a 6" device with no compromise in build quality or performance. While leaving way for the more potent Find 7, the N1 does occupy the position of a phablet in the company's portfolio.
This is an excerpt from our N1 review, in case you are planning ...
Google's Android and Chrome chief took to the stage to unveil "Android One", a new program for developing markets, using which OEMs can produce really simple low cost Android smartphones. Sundar Pichai detailed this effort to convert the masses of feature phone users to smartphones in developing markets, at the Google I/O developer event today. The program will include a set of hardware reference platforms, with stock Android being the default experience that will reach the consumers. This is certainly a bold move by Google to tackle OEM skinning and is actually taking over from the process that is currently been going on in the Mediatek space.
Software wise, Sundar Pichai also promised these things that possibly tackle major requests from OEMs running their business in the sub-continent -
Play Auto installs - Pre-installation of apps on the phone. You might have noticed several apps like Hike, WeChat etc on your phone, which is part of the OEM bundling, but now Google is providing an option in Android One.
Full Automatic Updates - Updates will be handled by Google, and these devices will get the latest update just like the Nexus devices. A major pain point for local OEMs here that want to ...
Google's senior Vice President for Android and Chrome, Sundar Pichai announced at the ongoing I/O developer that there are more than 1 billion 30-day active users. This is up from 538 million active monthly users during the same period last year.
Pichai further touted that Android users are sending out 20 billion text messages per day. He said that users are checking their phones 100 billion times per day. Giving insights about the ongoing selfie phenomenon he revealed that people are taking 93 million of them each day.
Moving on, he further stated that Android tablets are continuing to increase its market share in the world and they account for 62% of the market share which is up from 46% since last year. Finally, Pichai said that Google's video platform YouTube has increased viewership from 28 percent last year to 42 per cent this year.
After series of leaks and speculations, Google finally announced Android 'L' at the ongoing I/O developer conference. As of now the officials are calling it simply L and it is a developer preview and not a final product.
The preview reveals that Google is putting more focus on new design elements including sleek color effects and animations. Android L boasts of a revamped UI, with refreshed and colourful status bar, dialer that has a ripple touch effect when you touch each tab and much more. Google is also updating the Roboto font so that it works better across different device sizes.
Most important or the heart of the Android L is the brand new "Material Design" which is a cross platform design language that was introduced by Google's VP Design, Matias Duarte. The Android L is characterized by this Material Design which adds a virtual texture to it thereby making it more intuitive. The entire interface is based on what Google calls a "unifying theory of a rationalized space and a system of motion.
Android L will also boast of enhanced notifications and they are available at one go on the lock screen. They can be swiped to dismiss them or tapped to open the relevant ...
In addition to Android L and Android Wear, Google also unveiled its in-car connectivity OS. Dubbed as Android Auto, the voice enabled platform is especially designed for cars.
The platform which was anticipated to be announced at the I/O developer conference will enable users navigate, communicate and listen to music in their cars. Google says Android Auto is contextually aware and bringing you the information you want when you need it. This essentially means that users can access their Android phones from their car's dashboard by using touch screen or voice commands thereby ensuring safe driving.
It works similar to Google Now and display's information based on your moves and needs. So if you going to the office, Android Auto will offer the route home, including an estimated travel time, and your favorite music playlist. It is fully compatible with the dials, knobs, and buttons on your dashboard and steering wheel. The driver can also speak and reply to incoming text and email messages using Google's voice input and text-to-speech systems.
Major car companies including Google, Audi, Honda, GM, Hyundai, and chipmaker Nvidia have been collaborating to bring Android safely to the car in 2014 under the Open Automotive Alliance. The first cars compatible with the system ...
Along with announcing the the developer preview for Android L, Google showed off its much awaited Android Wear OS for wearables at the I/O conference.
Announced in March earlier this year, Android Wear was demonstrated by David Singleton, director of engineering for Google. He said that the wearable platform supports both round and square screens. Also, the Android Wear will be available in "wide variety of fashionable designs.
Android Wear is designed to work closely with Android smartphones, while responding to voice commands from users and showing "glanceable notifications" from apps. With an aim to ensure seamless transitions between smartphone and smartwatch, Google has incorporated many design elements from Android L into Android Wear.
Singleton said that people check their Android phones an average of 125 times a day, hence watches make it much easier to quickly access notifications and saves time. It pulls notification from your phone and you can tap each one to view more information. The watch can display phone calls being recieved on the user’s Android phone, then give the wearer an option to skip the call, or to send and SMS saying “I’ll call you back.”
Android Wear also supports voice commands and ask for almost anything using "Ok Google". Users can use music controls on the ...
Google announced that it was going to start selling the LG G Watch in the US starting from today during the Google I/O 2014 keynote where the company announced its big ambitions for Android Wear.The devices are currently up for order on the Google Play store in the US. The LG G Watch is not something which is totally new and was announced few weeks back when Google announced the Android Wear platform.The G Watch features a 1.65 inch 280x280 pixel display and is 9.95 mm thick.It has a 400 mAh battery is powered by a 1.2 GHz processor on the inside. It has 4GB of storage and 512 MB of RAM. It connects to your Android phone using Bluetooth 4 LE and is water and dust resistant.The main idea behind Android Wear is bringing notifications which you generally see on your Android phone over to your wrist. Since the device has a touchscreen, you can swipe through the various cards and is very similar to how Google Now works on your phone.
The G Watch will be available in 2 colors - Black Titan and White Gold and are aimed at men and women probably. The watch will start shipping ...
The Samsung Android Wear device which was leaked before Google I/O was officially announced today during the keynote as the Samsung Gear Live which is the company's first Android wear device. Unlike other Samsung smartwatches which work only with select Samsung Android phones, this watch will work on any Android phone running Android 4.3 and up which is interesting.It is also water and dust resistant.
The main highlights of this device are the SuperAMOLED display and the heart rate monitor. The Gear Live has a 1.63 inch display with a 320320 pixel display resolution. It weighs 59 grams and is 8.9mm thick. It has a 300mAh battery and a 1.2GHz processor along with a 4GB of storage and 512MB of RAM.
The Gear Live is currently on pre-order on the Google Play store in the US for $199 which is the same price as the Galaxy Fit and it will start shipping on July 8th.Strangely it is available only in a single color - Black at this time.The Gear Live is slightly less expensive than the LG G Watch is priced at $229.
We should be getting our hands on this device soon so stay tuned to FoneArena for the coverage.
Play Store Link
Looks like the Samsung Gear live which went on Pre-order in the US is coming soon to India too. The Play store listing in India indicates that the Android wear device is coming soon to Indian shores and the store even has a price listed for the Gear Live at Rs.15900. It is interesting that the the Samsung Gear Live is priced more than the LG G Watch in India whereas it is actually priced lesser than the same in the US market. It is worth mentioning Samsung already has some smartwatches in the market such as the Galaxy Gear which runs on Android and the newer Gear 2 , Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit which actually run on Tizen. The Gear Live marks the adoption of Android again by Samsung for a smartwatch product. What is more interesting is that the new Gear Live works across Android phones and not restricted to just Samsung devices which actually gives the device a better chance in the market
I did play around for a bit with the Gear Live at Google I/O 2014 at San Francisco earlier today and it is indeed an interesting device. But Samsung has some tough competition ...
If you are looking to get your hands on the LG G Watch in India, we have some good news to report. The Android Wear device from LG has gone up for Pre-order on the Play Store in India soon after it went live on the US store. The smartwatch is listed at a price of Rs.14999 for both the White and Black variants. The shipping date is July 8th. Google just confirmed availability of the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live today in the US at the Google I/O 2014 annual developer conference hosted by the company in San Francisco.
We are sincerely hoping this is not a store glitch and the device is actually coming to India real soon. Are you excited about Android Wear ?
Check out ours hands on with the LG G watch
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F72RUiBSlek
Also check out a video demo of the Android Wear interface
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqy25a6NabI
HTC Desire 516 dual sim, a mid-range Android smartphone has been launched in India. It has a 5-inch (960 x 540 pixels) display, powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) with Sense UI on top. It has a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED Flash and 2-megapixel front-facing camera with BSI sensor. It has BlinkFeed with offline reading mode and more new software features.
About the new launch, Faisal Siddiqui, Country Head, HTC India ,said
Everyone enjoys a large screen, good quality phone and the HTC Desire 516 dual sim is that very phone. The latest addition to our renowned HTC Desire range combines super-fast processing and premium features at a lower price, offering users the best possible experience in this category.
HTC Desire 516 dual sim specifications
5-inch (960 × 540 pixels) qHD capacitive touch screen display
Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS
1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 200 Processor
Dual SIM
5MP rear camera with LED flash, 720p video recording
2MP front-facing camera
9.7mm thick and weighs 160 grams
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
3GHSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
1GB RAM, 4 GB internal memory, Expandable memory up to 64GB with micro SD
1950 mAh battery
The HTC Desire 516 dual sim comes in Dark Gray and Pearl White colors, priced at ...
Flipkart just launched the Digiflip Pro XT 712, the company's first tablet under its Digiflip Pro brand. It has a 7-inch HD IPS display, powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor with Mali 400 GPU and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 5-megapixel auto focus rear camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It has Dual SIM support, 3G connectivity and voice calling capabilities.
It comes with Flipkart shopping and Flipkart eBook apps. It also comes with. Rs. 9000 worth launch offers that includes, free shopping worth Rs. 5,300 on Flipkart through mobile app on the device, 1-month subscription of Flipkart First and Free eBooks worth Rs.2300, Flat 50% off on Book Case worth Rs.799 for the tablet and a free Plantronics ML2 Bluetooth Headset worth Rs. 1,199 . It also offers try and buy program that enables you to try the tablet and return it within 30 days.
Commenting on the launch, Michael Adani, VP - Retail & Head - Brand Alliances, Flipkart, said,
We are the first e-commerce marketplace in India to launch our own device through Digiflip Pro. With this, we have taken another step in our goal towards building an entire e-commerce ecosystem in India. With one of the largest user ...
We are at Google I/O 2014 and got our hands on upcoming LG G Watch which is the first Android Wear based smart watch from the Korean company.While we had heard about the G watch before , it is the first time the company is actually showing it off publicly.Google even confirmed that it would be handing it out to attendees at Google I/O and also it is currently available for purchase on the Play Store.The main functionality of the watch is that it acts like an extension of Google Now on your phone but now on your wrist. You can see your messages , calls, calendar items, Google Now cards such travel, weather and you can also see the time. Check out the hands on video below :-
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F72RUiBSlek
The G Watch follows a square design philosophy for the smartwatch and has a 1.65 inch IPS LCD as the main interaction point.It is available in 2 colors - black titan and white gold and the straps are changeable.
Powering the watch is a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chip paired with 512MB of RAM. There is 4GB of inbuilt storage and the battery is rated at 400mAh.
The G Watch runs on Android Wear ...
Google officially announced its own health and fitness tracking platform that competes with Apple's recently launched Healthkit. Dubbed as Google Fit, the platform will aggregate and collect your fitness data at one place. It will help users monitor their fitness activities like heart rate, blood sugar, steps taken etc on this platform.
The basic idea is that Google is creating a single set of APIs which will allow fitness/health tracking apps and devices to share data with the aim of building a more "complete picture of the user's fitness". Users will be given full control over sharing their information with apps and will be able to delete data at any time.
Google Fit partners already include Nike, HTC, LG, Withings, Motorola, Noom, Runtastic, RunKeeper, Adidas, Mio, and Polar. Nike also announced that it will integrate its popular Fuel points system into Google Fit for other apps to use. Adidas is also developing a line of sensor-based health wearables that will integrate with the Google Fit platform.
The Google Fit Platform Preview SDK will be available in the next few weeks.
