December 9, 2013, 10:24 pm
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Google has always been in favor of on-screen buttons and it is pretty evident in all their Nexus devices. Sometime back, Google introduced the action menu(the vertical dots) as a method of opening the settings for an app or screen depending on the context. Despite Google's attempts to unify the Android experience(atleast in terms of these vertical dots), manufacturers(especially Samsung) have continued to use hardware buttons for home and other navigation options.
In the latest Android software code, Google seems to have made it a necessity for an app to show the action menu always. The new code will be effective in devices running Android 4.4 KitKat+ and this may be the way to go in the future. Certain manufacturers like LG, Motorola, Sony already have moved to on-screen buttons, but Samsung is still preferring hardware buttons for navigation. Throw in the numerous Indian and Chinese manufacturers, you get a lot of companies that still go with hardware navigation buttons and this leads to an inconsistent experience for users.
Majority of the users often use just a single device and hence it shouldn't be a major problem unless they upgrade their smartphones. The existence of on-screen buttons as well as hardware buttons ...
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December 9, 2013, 10:32 pm
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HTC has launched the Desire 501 dual sim, a mid-range smartphone with dual SIM support in the Desire series along with the Desire 700 dual SIM and Desire 601 dual SIM today in India. The Single SIM variant was announced in Taiwan last month. It packs a 4.3-inch (480 × 800 pixels) display, powered by a 1.15 GHz dual-core NovaThor U8520 processor and runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with Sense UI. It has a 8-megapixel auto focus rear camera with LED Flash and BSI sensor and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera with 88-degree ultra-wide-angle lens. It comes with Dual SIM support with dual active capabilities.
HTC Desire 501 dual sim specifications
4.3-inch (480 × 800 pixels) capacitive touch screen display
Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) OS
Dual SIM with dual active
1.15 GHz dual-core NovaThor U8520 processor
8MP Auto Focus rear Camera with LED flash, F 2.0 aprture, BSI Sensor
2.1MP front-facing camera with 88-degree ultra-wide-angle lens
3.5mm audio jack
3G (HSDPA up to 14.4 Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, GPS
1GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory, Expandable memory up to 32GB with micro SD
2100 mAh battery
The HTC Desire 501 dual sim comes in Blue, Pink and White colors and is priced at Rs. 16,890.
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December 9, 2013, 10:59 pm
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Celkon has launched C76, the company's first multilingual feature phone in the C Series. It comes with 7 regional languages including Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada. It has a 2.8-inch display, packs a 1.3-megapixel rear camera, comes with dual SIM support and even has wireless FM Radio. The company also plans to launch smartphones with similar regional language support.
Commenting at the launch, Y Guru, Chairman and Managing director, Celkon Mobiles said,
The launch of C76 is another milestone for the company. We at Celkon have always catered to the increasing needs of mobile phone users. Introducing a multi-lingual phone will reach out to the majority people spread across the regional boundaries. This will enable users to send Text messages in their respective Mother tongue and perform other linguistic activity.
Features of Celkon C76
2.8 inch display
Dual Sim support
1.3MP Camera
Support for 8 languages including English
Audio and Video Player
WAP/GPRS, Bluetooth
In-built wireless FM Radio
Expandable Memory up to 16GB
1400mAh Battery
The Celkon C76 comes in Chocolate with Silver and Black with Silver color variants and is priced at Rs. 1,899. It is available at all leading retail outlets across India.
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December 9, 2013, 11:19 pm
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Xolo Q1000 Opus, the latest smartphone in the QCORE series is now available for pre-order in India from online retailers Flipkart and Infibeam. It was announced last month and packs a 5-inch (854 ×480 pixels) FWVGA capacitive touch screen display, powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Broadcom (BCM23550) processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 5-megapixel rear camera with BSI sensor, LED flash and 720p HD video recording and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front-facing camera. It comes with dual SIM support with dual standby, similar to other Xolo smartphones.
Xolo Q1000 Opus specifications
5-inch (854 ×480 pixels) FWVGA capacitive touch screen display at 196 ppi
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby
Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS
1.2 GHz quad-core Broadcom BCM23550 processor with 312 MHz VideoCore IV GPU
5MP Auto Focus Camera with BSI sensor, LED Flash, 720p HD video recording
0.3MP front-facing camera
Dimensions - 72.9x143.3x8.95 mm
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
3G HSPA+ up to 21 Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and USB OTG
1GB RAM, 4GB of internal memory, Expandable memory up to 32GB with micro SD
2000 mAh battery
The Xolo Q1000 Opus comes in White color and is priced at Rs. 9,999. It is expected to go on sale on December 16th.
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December 10, 2013, 1:47 am
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Samsung has announced that the sales (to supply channel) of the Galaxy Note 3 has crossed 10 million units globally since it went on sale September 25th, till November 25th. The first Galaxy Note that was launched back in October 2011 took 9 months to cross the 10 million mark and the Galaxy Note 2 took 4 months to achieve this feat, but the Note 3 has crossed the 10 million mark in just 2 months after the launch.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 was launched in 58 countries including China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia. LTE variants of the Note 3 launched in North America and Europe contributed to strong sales, says the company. Samsung unveiled 3 new color variants for the Note 3 recently that includes, Rose Gold White, Rose Gold Black and Merlot Red apart from the Jet Black, Classic White and Blush Pink colors.
Earlier this year the Samsung Galaxy S4 crossed the 10 million mark in less than one month, so the Note 3 sales are slow compared to Galaxy S4. Even last year's Galaxy S3 that took just 50 days to reach 10 million mark. This makes it clear that people are more interested in S series devices instead ...
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December 10, 2013, 3:03 am
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Samsung Galaxy S4 is one hot phone. No! Seriously! Literally! Earlier this year, there were reports from Hong Kong that a Samsung Galaxy S4 had exploded and as a result a house caught fire. Now we have this - Samsung Galaxy S4 catches fire while charging. A YouTube user, Ghostlyrich, has uploaded a video of his Samsung Galaxy S4 that catches fire while charging via a Samsung provided charger. The video would have been silent had it not been for Samsung.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc4duKuPrQ0
The phone was under warranty when the device caught fire and so the user wanted a replacement. Samsung agreed to send a replacement unit, but "only after the video has been taken down". In reply to Samsung's offer, the user has uploaded another video explaining Samsung's ordeal which has harnessed twice the number of views as the original(600,000 views). In the video, the phone does not explode, but the charging port that caught fire is shown and that had made the device unusable. In addition to this, Samsung's reply has been published on the Internet.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QHd-_qncEU
We have been hearing a few incidents with smartphones these days - recently a woman was electrocuted when charging her iPhone (later, it was found that ...
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December 10, 2013, 4:00 am
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BlackBerry unveiled the 9720, a budget touch screen smartphone running on BlackBerry OS 7.1 earlier this year, even though the company has moved to the BlackBerry 10. The phone was launched in India back in September at a price tag of Rs. 15,990. It is also the cheapest BlackBerry phone with a touch screen display and a QWERTY keyboard. Is the phone worth the price? Should you go for it? Let us find out in the complete review.
BlackBerry 9720 specifications
2.8-inch (480 x 360 pixels) with 246 ppi and 24-bit color TFT LCD display
BlackBerry OS 7.1
806 MHz Marvel Tavor MG1 CPU
12mm thick and weighs 120g
5 MP EDOF camera with LED Flash
Multi format audio and video player
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio with RDS
512 MB RAM, 512MB internal memory that is expandable up to 32GB with MicroSD.
3G HSDPA 7.2Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n , Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR, GPS with A-GPS
1450 mAh battery that offers up to 7 hours talk time and up to 18 days standby
Display, Hardware and Design
The phone has a 2.8-inch (480 x 360 pixels) capacitive touch screen display at a pixel density of 246 ppi. It is a 24-bit color TFT LCD display that is commonly seen on most ...
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December 10, 2013, 6:46 am
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When Apple announced their iPhone 5s in a Gold color, other companies followed(others read Samsung and HTC) and announced their flagship devices in Gold variants. Samsung announced just a gold colored variant while HTC went the extra mile to make their flagship entirely out of 24karat gold. Now Samsung is following its own trend by announcing a Crystal edition of Samsung Galaxy S4. I say Samsung's own trend because in the past, Samsung had unveiled Crystal editions of Samsung Galaxy S2 and Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Crystal edition will be based on the International variant (I9500) and will come with the Exynos 5 Octa Core processor. The front of the crystal edition is the same as the regular edition while the back will have a Galaxy Note 3 like faux feather on which you have patterns and embedded Swarovski crystals. In terms of pricing the Samsung Galaxy S4 Crystal Edition will cost you 20,300 baht(Rs. 38,650 approx) in Thailand while the regular Galaxy S4 costs around 17,300 baht(Rs. 32,950 approx) in Thailand.
The device is currently available only in Thailand and can be purchased only from a Samsung store. There are only 3500 units that are available, so if you ...
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December 10, 2013, 11:20 am
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Care for a super sized phone running the cleanest build of Android around? Then the Sony Z Ultra Google Play Edition will be right up your alley. The phone was just spotted on the Google Play Store in the US and is available now at a price point of $649 before taxes . Interesting this is one of the first Sony devices running stock Android.
The phone brings with it some compelling specifications including a 2.2Ghz Snapdragon 800 processor paired with 2GB of RAM. The highlight of course is the gigantic 6.4" Full HD display with Sony's Triluminous technology built in. The phone and tablet crossover device is also IP55 & IP58 compliant making it dust proof and water resistant.
If you are planning to use it internationally the phone is sold unlocked and works on the following network bands. Won't work in India over LTE but will work over HSPA+
2G GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz)
4G LTE (700, 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100, 2600 MHz)
Being a Google Play Edition device means that it will ship with the latest build of Android ie KitKat (4.4) onboard. It will also be amongst the first wave of devices ...
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December 10, 2013, 11:31 am
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The LG G Pad 8.3, announced a couple of months back as the company's first small Android tablet, has now gotten itself a Google Play Edition in the US. This tablet is the first OEM device to get the Play Edition treatment, which will let consumers get the latest versions of Android faster than the original, which might or might not get the updates as fast as this one. That's the main purpose and selling point of the LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition. It will be free from any sort of OEM customizations, and is going on sale starting today, at a price of 350 USD. The tablet sports a great looking 1920x1200 8.3 inch screen and a metallic body to complement its huge phone-like looks. We had taken a hands on look of the original tablet at IFA in Berlin this year, take a look at the video -
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AosOVdjrIZA
Here are the complete specifications of the LG G Pad 8.3 -
Key Specifications:
• Processor: 1.7GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 600 Processor
• Operating System: Android™ 4.4, KitKat
• Display: 8.3-inch Full HD IPS WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels / 273 ppi)
• Memory: 16GB eMMC
• RAM: 2GB LPDDR2
• Camera: Rear 5.0MP / Front ...
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December 10, 2013, 12:56 pm
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Alongside a suite of Google Play Edition devices, Google has today also revealed a brand new variant of the Nexus 7 tablet. The white version of the popular Android tablet will only be sold in the 32GB version. The white color extends only to the back of the tablet with the front remaining black. This leads to a dual tone color finish.
Being a 32GB tablet, it is priced at $269. You are also restricted to a WiFi only device as Google is not offering a cellular option here. We found the Nexus 7 tablet to be quite an interesting product that brings a gorgeous high resolution 7 inch Full HD display to the mix. The silicon under the hood is a 1.5 Ghz quad core Snapdragon APQ8064 processor with an Adreno 320 GPU. The built in RAM is 2GB.
Manufactured by Asus, the tablet runs the latest version of Android ie KitKat (4.4) and is guaranteed to get super fast updates. You also get a 5MP camera at the back which isn't worth writing home about. Do check out our Nexus 7 tablet review to get the full low down on the tablet and head over to the source link to ...
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December 10, 2013, 1:52 pm
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Twitter just pushed a major update to its iOS and Android application. The update brings with it a brand new and refreshed look. Activity and Discover tabs can now be accessed by swiping and there is a fresh focus on getting access to DMs.
New design.
• Refreshed look and feel. Home, Activity and Discover now available by swiping in Timelines. Easier access to DMs.
Share photos in Direct Messages.
• Send and receive photos via DMs.
Notifications from your network.
• Choose to view replies, retweets, and favorites from only the people that you follow.
Search got even easier.
• Access tweets from people you follow and near you, directly from search results.
Safari Reading List support
• Save web articles to read later with Safari Reading List.
The Direct Messaging functionality has been beefed up a bit and now it is possible to send images through your DM panel. More interestingly, the application will let you save web articles to the Safari Reading List which means that for a lot of people, news aggregation apps will become redundant. There are new in-app notifications to show you when people send you a DM or interact with your tweet. The update is now available on iTunes and we'll definitely recommend that ...
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December 10, 2013, 9:51 pm
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Despite having become the third most popular smartphone operating system, Windows Phone platform is not getting the treatment its higher ranked competitors are getting from the developers. Despicable Me: Minion Rush - another running game based on a movie has been available in Apple App Store and Google Play Store for a while now and it has made its way to the Windows Phone Store just in time for the holidays.
Like on both the other platforms, the game is free to download and play, but there are options for in-app purchases. The game is tangentially based on the story of Despicable Me 2 movie in which the little yellow dudes might have caught your attention. In game, you play as one of the Minions and your job is to impress the huge Gru who is your boss.
ALL THE HEART AND HUMOR OF DESPICABLE ME
• Enjoy unpredictably hilarious Minion moments
• Perform despicable acts through hundreds of missions
• Run through iconic locations, which are full of surprises, secrets and tricky obstacles: Gru’s Lab, Gru’s Residential Area, and El Macho’s Lair!
• Customize your Minion with unique costumes, weapons, and power-ups
• Battle Vector and an all-new villain exclusively created for the game
AN INNOVATIVE AND ...
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December 10, 2013, 10:22 pm
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LG has showcased the G Flex, the company’s first smartphone with a curved OLED display in India at an event in Delhi. It would go on sale sometime in February 2014. The company did not reveal the price yet. It was announced back in October and packs a 6-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD Curved Plastic OLED display that vertically concave from top to bottom to a radius of 700mm. It is powered by a 2.26 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and runs on Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. It packs a 3500 mAh curved battery.
Software features include, Dual Window for multi-tasking, Swing Lockscreen, Quick Theater, Answer Me, LG Knock-On Guest Mode, Slide Aside and more. The back cover has self-healing technology since it is coated with a special material so that scratches can be removed within minutes.
LG G Flex specifications
6-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD Curved Plastic OLED display
2.26 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) processor with 450 MHz Adreno 330 GPU
Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Dimensions – 160.5 x 81.6 x 7.9 - 8.7, weight: 177g
13MP rear camera with LED Flash, 1080p video recording at 30 fps
2.1 ...
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December 10, 2013, 10:40 pm
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Nokia is all set to acquired by Microsoft and that led many people to cremate their final hopes of an Android smartphone from the Finnish handset maker. As a twist in the tale, Nokia has indeed been on working an Android smartphone and it may be released in 2014.
When we say Nokia is working on a Android device, don't get your hopes too high and hope for a PureView Nexus device. On the contrary, Nokia is working on a entry range device that will be just a step above the Asha series. Back in November, popular leakster Evleaks tweeted a photo of Nokia Normandy and the rumor mill hoped that this was just a bigger Asha device. However, according to sources close to The Verge, this device is the low-end Android smartphone that Nokia is working on.
Again, don't get your hopes of a Play Store enabled Nokia device. Nokia's Asha series has been reasonably successful because of its low pricing, but it hasn't had the punch to make it large as it lack even basic smartphone apps. To confront this particular issue, Nokia seems to have taken a leaf out of Amazon's strategy by forking Android and using it for their ...
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December 10, 2013, 11:20 pm
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Google started selling the Nexus 7 (2013) on the Play Store in India last month, and the tablet was officially launched last week. The Nexus 5 Bumper Case went on sale on the Play Store in India last month, but the Nexus 7 Sleeve and the Nexus 5 QuickCover are still listed as coming soon. Google has released another accessory, Nexus 7 Folio bumper case, that went on sale in the U.S. yesterday, priced at US$49.99. It is priced in India at Rs. 3,299 on the Play Store.
The Nexus 7 Folio is a open back bumper-style case with a trifold cover. It is made of durable polycarbonate and has two comfortable angles for upright viewing and ergonomic typing. It has convenient wake-up feature that makes the Nexus 7 go to sleep when you close the cover and wakes up automatically when you open it. It also works seamlessly with wireless chargers.
The Nexus 7 Folio case comes in Black and Bright Red colors and is designed to fit the Nexus 7 (2013) perfectly. It is listed as coming soon on the Play Store in India, so it is not clear it would go on sale.
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December 11, 2013, 12:21 am
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Asus has launched Transformer Book Trio that can run dual operating systems - Windows 8 Pro and Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 11.6-inch (1920x1080 pixels) 16:9 detachable display and lets you switch between a Windows 8 notebook, Android tablet and Windows 8 desktop PC. The PC Station dock is powered by a 4th generation Intel Core i7 processor, has a keyboard and packs 500GB hard drive. The PC Station also offers extended battery. In the tablet mode, it is powered by an Intel Atom Z2560 processor that runs on Android Jelly Bean and can be also connected to an external display. The tablet features a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Z2560 processor and packs 16GB of storage.
Asus Transformer Book Trio specifications
11.6-inch 16:9 Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display
Windows 8 Pro and Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
268mm frameless backlit chiclet keyboard
up to 3 GHz Intel Core i7 4500U with Intel HD Graphics 4400 and 1.6 GHz Intel Z2560 (Tablet)
Tablet - 5MP auto-focus rear camera with 1080p video recording; Tablet and PC - 720p HD front-facing camera
Tablet - G-Sensor, Gyroscope, E-compass, Ambient Light Sensor
PC: 4GB DDR3 RAM and 500 GB HDD; Tablet: 2GB DDR2 RAM, 16GB eMMC and microSD card slot
ASUS SonicMaster ...
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December 11, 2013, 12:57 am
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Asus has just announced the new Padfone mini 4.3 at an event in Taipei as they promised last week. The Padfone mini 4.3 lets you dock the phone in a smaller Padfone station to convert it into a tablet. It packs a 4.3-inch qHD (960×540 pixels) Super IPS display, powered by 1.4 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226) processor with Adreno 305 GPU, just like the Moto G and runs on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean). The docking station has a 7-inch (1,280 x 800 pixels) Super IPS display and packs a 2200 mAh battery. The Padfone mini 4.3 is 8.68mm thick and weighs 105 grams. The docking station weighs 310 grams.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEHxq4Hs-pM
Asus Padfone mini 4.3 specifications
4.3-inch (960×540 pixels) Super IPS display at 256 PPI
7-inch (1280×800 pixels) Super IPS display (Padfone station)
1.4 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226) processor with Adreno 305 GPU
8 MP camera with LED flash, f/2.2 aperture
2MP front-facing camera
3G HSPA+ , WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, aGPS and GLONASS
1GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, micro SD card slot (supports up to 64GB)0
1500 mAh battery (in phone)
2200 mAh battery (in Padfone station)
The Asus Padfone mini 4.3 comes in Black, White and Cherry Pink colors is priced at NT$ 11,990 (~Rs. 24870) in Taiwan. It would also go on sale ...
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December 11, 2013, 3:39 am
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HTC showed off its new range of mid range handsets at an event in Delhi and we got a chance to spend some time with the new phones. The cheapest of the bunch, we found the Desire 501 to be quite an interesting product. Read on for our hands on report of this affordable new handset.
Video Hands on:
httpv://youtu.be/5h0dN9XoNIQ
The front of the phone has a 4.3 inch display with a resolution of 800x480. While it might seem low on paper, it is perfectly adequate given the size and positioning of the phone. The display is of the TFT variety which means that viewing angles aren't the best. From the front, the Desire 501 looks like a cross between the HTC One and One X. At the top you get a HTC One-esque speaker grille but the phone does not have BoomSound speakers. You also get a front facing camera.
At the bottom are the three buttons that correspond to back, menu and to bring up multitasking. The buttons are of the capacitive variety and we found them to be sensitive enough.Over on the right side you get access to the volume toggle. We felt that it was placed a bit too flush to ...
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December 11, 2013, 4:35 am
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Maxx Mobile launched 15 new devices including 4 Android smartphones and a tablet earlier this year. Now two new Android smartphones, the Maxx AX51 and the AX505 DUO are available for sale from the official site. Both these phones have a 5-inch (480 x 854 Pixels) capacitive touch screen display, powered by a dual-core Mediatek MT6572W processor clocked at 1.2 GHz and runs on Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean). These have a 3-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front-facing camera.
Both these smartphones have dual SIM support. The Maxx AX51 comes with 3G support and the AX505 DUO have 2G (EDGE) support. The AX51 is also called MSD7 3G - AX51 and has a signature of Indian skipper M.S. Dhoni on the back of the phone, similar to other MSD7 phones from Maxx Mobile.
Maxx AX51 specifications
5-inch (480 x 854 Pixels) capacitive touch screen display
1.2 GHz dual-core Mediatek MT6572W processor
Dual SIM (WCDMA + GSM) with Dual Standby
Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) OS
3MP rear camera with LED flash
0.3 MP (VGA) front-facing camera
3G,WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth and GPS
512MB RAM, 4GB internal memory, 32GB expandable memory with microSD
1700 mAh battery
Maxx AX505 DUO specifications
5-inch (480 x 854 Pixels) capacitive touch screen display
1.2 GHz dual-core Mediatek MT6572W processor
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual ...
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Google has always been in favor of on-screen buttons and it is pretty evident in all their Nexus devices. Sometime back, Google introduced the action menu(the vertical dots) as a method of opening the settings for an app or screen depending on the context. Despite Google's attempts to unify the Android experience(atleast in terms of these vertical dots), manufacturers(especially Samsung) have continued to use hardware buttons for home and other navigation options.
In the latest Android software code, Google seems to have made it a necessity for an app to show the action menu always. The new code will be effective in devices running Android 4.4 KitKat+ and this may be the way to go in the future. Certain manufacturers like LG, Motorola, Sony already have moved to on-screen buttons, but Samsung is still preferring hardware buttons for navigation. Throw in the numerous Indian and Chinese manufacturers, you get a lot of companies that still go with hardware navigation buttons and this leads to an inconsistent experience for users.
Majority of the users often use just a single device and hence it shouldn't be a major problem unless they upgrade their smartphones. The existence of on-screen buttons as well as hardware buttons ...
HTC has launched the Desire 501 dual sim, a mid-range smartphone with dual SIM support in the Desire series along with the Desire 700 dual SIM and Desire 601 dual SIM today in India. The Single SIM variant was announced in Taiwan last month. It packs a 4.3-inch (480 × 800 pixels) display, powered by a 1.15 GHz dual-core NovaThor U8520 processor and runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) with Sense UI. It has a 8-megapixel auto focus rear camera with LED Flash and BSI sensor and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera with 88-degree ultra-wide-angle lens. It comes with Dual SIM support with dual active capabilities.
HTC Desire 501 dual sim specifications
4.3-inch (480 × 800 pixels) capacitive touch screen display
Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) OS
Dual SIM with dual active
1.15 GHz dual-core NovaThor U8520 processor
8MP Auto Focus rear Camera with LED flash, F 2.0 aprture, BSI Sensor
2.1MP front-facing camera with 88-degree ultra-wide-angle lens
3.5mm audio jack
3G (HSDPA up to 14.4 Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, GPS
1GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory, Expandable memory up to 32GB with micro SD
2100 mAh battery
The HTC Desire 501 dual sim comes in Blue, Pink and White colors and is priced at Rs. 16,890.
Celkon has launched C76, the company's first multilingual feature phone in the C Series. It comes with 7 regional languages including Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada. It has a 2.8-inch display, packs a 1.3-megapixel rear camera, comes with dual SIM support and even has wireless FM Radio. The company also plans to launch smartphones with similar regional language support.
Commenting at the launch, Y Guru, Chairman and Managing director, Celkon Mobiles said,
The launch of C76 is another milestone for the company. We at Celkon have always catered to the increasing needs of mobile phone users. Introducing a multi-lingual phone will reach out to the majority people spread across the regional boundaries. This will enable users to send Text messages in their respective Mother tongue and perform other linguistic activity.
Features of Celkon C76
2.8 inch display
Dual Sim support
1.3MP Camera
Support for 8 languages including English
Audio and Video Player
WAP/GPRS, Bluetooth
In-built wireless FM Radio
Expandable Memory up to 16GB
1400mAh Battery
The Celkon C76 comes in Chocolate with Silver and Black with Silver color variants and is priced at Rs. 1,899. It is available at all leading retail outlets across India.
Xolo Q1000 Opus, the latest smartphone in the QCORE series is now available for pre-order in India from online retailers Flipkart and Infibeam. It was announced last month and packs a 5-inch (854 ×480 pixels) FWVGA capacitive touch screen display, powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Broadcom (BCM23550) processor and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 5-megapixel rear camera with BSI sensor, LED flash and 720p HD video recording and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front-facing camera. It comes with dual SIM support with dual standby, similar to other Xolo smartphones.
Xolo Q1000 Opus specifications
5-inch (854 ×480 pixels) FWVGA capacitive touch screen display at 196 ppi
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby
Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) OS
1.2 GHz quad-core Broadcom BCM23550 processor with 312 MHz VideoCore IV GPU
5MP Auto Focus Camera with BSI sensor, LED Flash, 720p HD video recording
0.3MP front-facing camera
Dimensions - 72.9x143.3x8.95 mm
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
3G HSPA+ up to 21 Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and USB OTG
1GB RAM, 4GB of internal memory, Expandable memory up to 32GB with micro SD
2000 mAh battery
The Xolo Q1000 Opus comes in White color and is priced at Rs. 9,999. It is expected to go on sale on December 16th.
Samsung has announced that the sales (to supply channel) of the Galaxy Note 3 has crossed 10 million units globally since it went on sale September 25th, till November 25th. The first Galaxy Note that was launched back in October 2011 took 9 months to cross the 10 million mark and the Galaxy Note 2 took 4 months to achieve this feat, but the Note 3 has crossed the 10 million mark in just 2 months after the launch.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 was launched in 58 countries including China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia. LTE variants of the Note 3 launched in North America and Europe contributed to strong sales, says the company. Samsung unveiled 3 new color variants for the Note 3 recently that includes, Rose Gold White, Rose Gold Black and Merlot Red apart from the Jet Black, Classic White and Blush Pink colors.
Earlier this year the Samsung Galaxy S4 crossed the 10 million mark in less than one month, so the Note 3 sales are slow compared to Galaxy S4. Even last year's Galaxy S3 that took just 50 days to reach 10 million mark. This makes it clear that people are more interested in S series devices instead ...
Samsung Galaxy S4 is one hot phone. No! Seriously! Literally! Earlier this year, there were reports from Hong Kong that a Samsung Galaxy S4 had exploded and as a result a house caught fire. Now we have this - Samsung Galaxy S4 catches fire while charging. A YouTube user, Ghostlyrich, has uploaded a video of his Samsung Galaxy S4 that catches fire while charging via a Samsung provided charger. The video would have been silent had it not been for Samsung.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc4duKuPrQ0
The phone was under warranty when the device caught fire and so the user wanted a replacement. Samsung agreed to send a replacement unit, but "only after the video has been taken down". In reply to Samsung's offer, the user has uploaded another video explaining Samsung's ordeal which has harnessed twice the number of views as the original(600,000 views). In the video, the phone does not explode, but the charging port that caught fire is shown and that had made the device unusable. In addition to this, Samsung's reply has been published on the Internet.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QHd-_qncEU
We have been hearing a few incidents with smartphones these days - recently a woman was electrocuted when charging her iPhone (later, it was found that ...
BlackBerry unveiled the 9720, a budget touch screen smartphone running on BlackBerry OS 7.1 earlier this year, even though the company has moved to the BlackBerry 10. The phone was launched in India back in September at a price tag of Rs. 15,990. It is also the cheapest BlackBerry phone with a touch screen display and a QWERTY keyboard. Is the phone worth the price? Should you go for it? Let us find out in the complete review.
BlackBerry 9720 specifications
2.8-inch (480 x 360 pixels) with 246 ppi and 24-bit color TFT LCD display
BlackBerry OS 7.1
806 MHz Marvel Tavor MG1 CPU
12mm thick and weighs 120g
5 MP EDOF camera with LED Flash
Multi format audio and video player
3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio with RDS
512 MB RAM, 512MB internal memory that is expandable up to 32GB with MicroSD.
3G HSDPA 7.2Mbps, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n , Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR, GPS with A-GPS
1450 mAh battery that offers up to 7 hours talk time and up to 18 days standby
Display, Hardware and Design
The phone has a 2.8-inch (480 x 360 pixels) capacitive touch screen display at a pixel density of 246 ppi. It is a 24-bit color TFT LCD display that is commonly seen on most ...
When Apple announced their iPhone 5s in a Gold color, other companies followed(others read Samsung and HTC) and announced their flagship devices in Gold variants. Samsung announced just a gold colored variant while HTC went the extra mile to make their flagship entirely out of 24karat gold. Now Samsung is following its own trend by announcing a Crystal edition of Samsung Galaxy S4. I say Samsung's own trend because in the past, Samsung had unveiled Crystal editions of Samsung Galaxy S2 and Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Crystal edition will be based on the International variant (I9500) and will come with the Exynos 5 Octa Core processor. The front of the crystal edition is the same as the regular edition while the back will have a Galaxy Note 3 like faux feather on which you have patterns and embedded Swarovski crystals. In terms of pricing the Samsung Galaxy S4 Crystal Edition will cost you 20,300 baht(Rs. 38,650 approx) in Thailand while the regular Galaxy S4 costs around 17,300 baht(Rs. 32,950 approx) in Thailand.
The device is currently available only in Thailand and can be purchased only from a Samsung store. There are only 3500 units that are available, so if you ...
Care for a super sized phone running the cleanest build of Android around? Then the Sony Z Ultra Google Play Edition will be right up your alley. The phone was just spotted on the Google Play Store in the US and is available now at a price point of $649 before taxes . Interesting this is one of the first Sony devices running stock Android.
The phone brings with it some compelling specifications including a 2.2Ghz Snapdragon 800 processor paired with 2GB of RAM. The highlight of course is the gigantic 6.4" Full HD display with Sony's Triluminous technology built in. The phone and tablet crossover device is also IP55 & IP58 compliant making it dust proof and water resistant.
If you are planning to use it internationally the phone is sold unlocked and works on the following network bands. Won't work in India over LTE but will work over HSPA+
2G GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz)
4G LTE (700, 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100, 2600 MHz)
Being a Google Play Edition device means that it will ship with the latest build of Android ie KitKat (4.4) onboard. It will also be amongst the first wave of devices ...
The LG G Pad 8.3, announced a couple of months back as the company's first small Android tablet, has now gotten itself a Google Play Edition in the US. This tablet is the first OEM device to get the Play Edition treatment, which will let consumers get the latest versions of Android faster than the original, which might or might not get the updates as fast as this one. That's the main purpose and selling point of the LG G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition. It will be free from any sort of OEM customizations, and is going on sale starting today, at a price of 350 USD. The tablet sports a great looking 1920x1200 8.3 inch screen and a metallic body to complement its huge phone-like looks. We had taken a hands on look of the original tablet at IFA in Berlin this year, take a look at the video -
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AosOVdjrIZA
Here are the complete specifications of the LG G Pad 8.3 -
Key Specifications:
• Processor: 1.7GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 600 Processor
• Operating System: Android™ 4.4, KitKat
• Display: 8.3-inch Full HD IPS WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels / 273 ppi)
• Memory: 16GB eMMC
• RAM: 2GB LPDDR2
• Camera: Rear 5.0MP / Front ...
Alongside a suite of Google Play Edition devices, Google has today also revealed a brand new variant of the Nexus 7 tablet. The white version of the popular Android tablet will only be sold in the 32GB version. The white color extends only to the back of the tablet with the front remaining black. This leads to a dual tone color finish.
Being a 32GB tablet, it is priced at $269. You are also restricted to a WiFi only device as Google is not offering a cellular option here. We found the Nexus 7 tablet to be quite an interesting product that brings a gorgeous high resolution 7 inch Full HD display to the mix. The silicon under the hood is a 1.5 Ghz quad core Snapdragon APQ8064 processor with an Adreno 320 GPU. The built in RAM is 2GB.
Manufactured by Asus, the tablet runs the latest version of Android ie KitKat (4.4) and is guaranteed to get super fast updates. You also get a 5MP camera at the back which isn't worth writing home about. Do check out our Nexus 7 tablet review to get the full low down on the tablet and head over to the source link to ...
Twitter just pushed a major update to its iOS and Android application. The update brings with it a brand new and refreshed look. Activity and Discover tabs can now be accessed by swiping and there is a fresh focus on getting access to DMs.
New design.
• Refreshed look and feel. Home, Activity and Discover now available by swiping in Timelines. Easier access to DMs.
Share photos in Direct Messages.
• Send and receive photos via DMs.
Notifications from your network.
• Choose to view replies, retweets, and favorites from only the people that you follow.
Search got even easier.
• Access tweets from people you follow and near you, directly from search results.
Safari Reading List support
• Save web articles to read later with Safari Reading List.
The Direct Messaging functionality has been beefed up a bit and now it is possible to send images through your DM panel. More interestingly, the application will let you save web articles to the Safari Reading List which means that for a lot of people, news aggregation apps will become redundant. There are new in-app notifications to show you when people send you a DM or interact with your tweet. The update is now available on iTunes and we'll definitely recommend that ...
Despite having become the third most popular smartphone operating system, Windows Phone platform is not getting the treatment its higher ranked competitors are getting from the developers. Despicable Me: Minion Rush - another running game based on a movie has been available in Apple App Store and Google Play Store for a while now and it has made its way to the Windows Phone Store just in time for the holidays.
Like on both the other platforms, the game is free to download and play, but there are options for in-app purchases. The game is tangentially based on the story of Despicable Me 2 movie in which the little yellow dudes might have caught your attention. In game, you play as one of the Minions and your job is to impress the huge Gru who is your boss.
ALL THE HEART AND HUMOR OF DESPICABLE ME
• Enjoy unpredictably hilarious Minion moments
• Perform despicable acts through hundreds of missions
• Run through iconic locations, which are full of surprises, secrets and tricky obstacles: Gru’s Lab, Gru’s Residential Area, and El Macho’s Lair!
• Customize your Minion with unique costumes, weapons, and power-ups
• Battle Vector and an all-new villain exclusively created for the game
AN INNOVATIVE AND ...
LG has showcased the G Flex, the company’s first smartphone with a curved OLED display in India at an event in Delhi. It would go on sale sometime in February 2014. The company did not reveal the price yet. It was announced back in October and packs a 6-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD Curved Plastic OLED display that vertically concave from top to bottom to a radius of 700mm. It is powered by a 2.26 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and runs on Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera. It packs a 3500 mAh curved battery.
Software features include, Dual Window for multi-tasking, Swing Lockscreen, Quick Theater, Answer Me, LG Knock-On Guest Mode, Slide Aside and more. The back cover has self-healing technology since it is coated with a special material so that scratches can be removed within minutes.
LG G Flex specifications
6-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD Curved Plastic OLED display
2.26 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) processor with 450 MHz Adreno 330 GPU
Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Dimensions – 160.5 x 81.6 x 7.9 - 8.7, weight: 177g
13MP rear camera with LED Flash, 1080p video recording at 30 fps
2.1 ...
Nokia is all set to acquired by Microsoft and that led many people to cremate their final hopes of an Android smartphone from the Finnish handset maker. As a twist in the tale, Nokia has indeed been on working an Android smartphone and it may be released in 2014.
When we say Nokia is working on a Android device, don't get your hopes too high and hope for a PureView Nexus device. On the contrary, Nokia is working on a entry range device that will be just a step above the Asha series. Back in November, popular leakster Evleaks tweeted a photo of Nokia Normandy and the rumor mill hoped that this was just a bigger Asha device. However, according to sources close to The Verge, this device is the low-end Android smartphone that Nokia is working on.
Again, don't get your hopes of a Play Store enabled Nokia device. Nokia's Asha series has been reasonably successful because of its low pricing, but it hasn't had the punch to make it large as it lack even basic smartphone apps. To confront this particular issue, Nokia seems to have taken a leaf out of Amazon's strategy by forking Android and using it for their ...
Google started selling the Nexus 7 (2013) on the Play Store in India last month, and the tablet was officially launched last week. The Nexus 5 Bumper Case went on sale on the Play Store in India last month, but the Nexus 7 Sleeve and the Nexus 5 QuickCover are still listed as coming soon. Google has released another accessory, Nexus 7 Folio bumper case, that went on sale in the U.S. yesterday, priced at US$49.99. It is priced in India at Rs. 3,299 on the Play Store.
The Nexus 7 Folio is a open back bumper-style case with a trifold cover. It is made of durable polycarbonate and has two comfortable angles for upright viewing and ergonomic typing. It has convenient wake-up feature that makes the Nexus 7 go to sleep when you close the cover and wakes up automatically when you open it. It also works seamlessly with wireless chargers.
The Nexus 7 Folio case comes in Black and Bright Red colors and is designed to fit the Nexus 7 (2013) perfectly. It is listed as coming soon on the Play Store in India, so it is not clear it would go on sale.
Asus has launched Transformer Book Trio that can run dual operating systems - Windows 8 Pro and Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). It has a 11.6-inch (1920x1080 pixels) 16:9 detachable display and lets you switch between a Windows 8 notebook, Android tablet and Windows 8 desktop PC. The PC Station dock is powered by a 4th generation Intel Core i7 processor, has a keyboard and packs 500GB hard drive. The PC Station also offers extended battery. In the tablet mode, it is powered by an Intel Atom Z2560 processor that runs on Android Jelly Bean and can be also connected to an external display. The tablet features a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Z2560 processor and packs 16GB of storage.
Asus Transformer Book Trio specifications
11.6-inch 16:9 Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display
Windows 8 Pro and Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
268mm frameless backlit chiclet keyboard
up to 3 GHz Intel Core i7 4500U with Intel HD Graphics 4400 and 1.6 GHz Intel Z2560 (Tablet)
Tablet - 5MP auto-focus rear camera with 1080p video recording; Tablet and PC - 720p HD front-facing camera
Tablet - G-Sensor, Gyroscope, E-compass, Ambient Light Sensor
PC: 4GB DDR3 RAM and 500 GB HDD; Tablet: 2GB DDR2 RAM, 16GB eMMC and microSD card slot
ASUS SonicMaster ...
Asus has just announced the new Padfone mini 4.3 at an event in Taipei as they promised last week. The Padfone mini 4.3 lets you dock the phone in a smaller Padfone station to convert it into a tablet. It packs a 4.3-inch qHD (960×540 pixels) Super IPS display, powered by 1.4 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226) processor with Adreno 305 GPU, just like the Moto G and runs on Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean). The docking station has a 7-inch (1,280 x 800 pixels) Super IPS display and packs a 2200 mAh battery. The Padfone mini 4.3 is 8.68mm thick and weighs 105 grams. The docking station weighs 310 grams.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEHxq4Hs-pM
Asus Padfone mini 4.3 specifications
4.3-inch (960×540 pixels) Super IPS display at 256 PPI
7-inch (1280×800 pixels) Super IPS display (Padfone station)
1.4 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226) processor with Adreno 305 GPU
8 MP camera with LED flash, f/2.2 aperture
2MP front-facing camera
3G HSPA+ , WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, aGPS and GLONASS
1GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, micro SD card slot (supports up to 64GB)0
1500 mAh battery (in phone)
2200 mAh battery (in Padfone station)
The Asus Padfone mini 4.3 comes in Black, White and Cherry Pink colors is priced at NT$ 11,990 (~Rs. 24870) in Taiwan. It would also go on sale ...
HTC showed off its new range of mid range handsets at an event in Delhi and we got a chance to spend some time with the new phones. The cheapest of the bunch, we found the Desire 501 to be quite an interesting product. Read on for our hands on report of this affordable new handset.
Video Hands on:
httpv://youtu.be/5h0dN9XoNIQ
The front of the phone has a 4.3 inch display with a resolution of 800x480. While it might seem low on paper, it is perfectly adequate given the size and positioning of the phone. The display is of the TFT variety which means that viewing angles aren't the best. From the front, the Desire 501 looks like a cross between the HTC One and One X. At the top you get a HTC One-esque speaker grille but the phone does not have BoomSound speakers. You also get a front facing camera.
At the bottom are the three buttons that correspond to back, menu and to bring up multitasking. The buttons are of the capacitive variety and we found them to be sensitive enough.Over on the right side you get access to the volume toggle. We felt that it was placed a bit too flush to ...
Maxx Mobile launched 15 new devices including 4 Android smartphones and a tablet earlier this year. Now two new Android smartphones, the Maxx AX51 and the AX505 DUO are available for sale from the official site. Both these phones have a 5-inch (480 x 854 Pixels) capacitive touch screen display, powered by a dual-core Mediatek MT6572W processor clocked at 1.2 GHz and runs on Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean). These have a 3-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 0.3-megapixel (VGA) front-facing camera.
Both these smartphones have dual SIM support. The Maxx AX51 comes with 3G support and the AX505 DUO have 2G (EDGE) support. The AX51 is also called MSD7 3G - AX51 and has a signature of Indian skipper M.S. Dhoni on the back of the phone, similar to other MSD7 phones from Maxx Mobile.
Maxx AX51 specifications
5-inch (480 x 854 Pixels) capacitive touch screen display
1.2 GHz dual-core Mediatek MT6572W processor
Dual SIM (WCDMA + GSM) with Dual Standby
Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) OS
3MP rear camera with LED flash
0.3 MP (VGA) front-facing camera
3G,WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth and GPS
512MB RAM, 4GB internal memory, 32GB expandable memory with microSD
1700 mAh battery
Maxx AX505 DUO specifications
5-inch (480 x 854 Pixels) capacitive touch screen display
1.2 GHz dual-core Mediatek MT6572W processor
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual ...
