Sony launches lightest LTE smartphone - Xperia SX

Sony has also launched the Xperia GX smartphone. Both devices will run Android 4.0 and will feature slightly different design.

IN SPOTLIGHT: SONY XPERIA SX

Sony Mobile has announced the new Xperia SX and Xperia GX smartphones for the Japan market. The all new Sony Xperia SX smartphone is so far the lightest LTE smartphone weighing about 95 grams. The Xperia GX is a repackaged Xperia Ion smartphone with slightly different design and Exmor R camera. Both handsets will be made available in the Japan market during the second quarter of this year and there is no word on whether same devices will be launched globally.

In terms of design, both smartphones will be slightly different from the 2012 Xperia series and will have rounded corners. Sony Mobile has launched the new Xperia SX smartphone that features a 3.7-inch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine. Under the hood, it runs dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile processor and offers 8 GB internal flash storage.

Interestingly, this smartphone will weigh mere 95 grams despite having LTE chipset inside it. To be made available in Black and White colours, the Xperia SX will have 8 megapixel Sony Exmore R image sensor at the back.

Meanwhile, the Sony Xperia GX will arrive with Xperia Ion features inside with totally new body design. The Xperia GX will feature a 4.6-inch Reality Display powered with Mobile BRAVIA Engine and supporting 1280x720 pixel resolution.

FASCINATING PHOTON

This smartphone runs a dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm processor and will have 16 GB On-board storage. Sony has also added the Walkman application for high quality audio experience and xLOUD audio engine. The Xperia GX has 13 megapixel camera with Exmor R image sensor for mobile, HD video recording and Sony technology to capture 3D Sweet Panorama images.

Lucky Japanese people will get to see the Xperia SX and Xperia GX smartphones with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update.

Courtesy: The Times Of India

HP Slate 8 tablet with Windows 8 up in the anvil

HP may be working on a Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro based tablet/slate with 10.1-inch display for the enterprise segment.

HP Slate 8

PC and laptop manufacturer, Hewlett-Packard (HP) though could not enjoy enough glory with its Windows 7 based tablet - Slate 500, the company is ready for second innings. Neowin.net, a technology related website, has reported about a leaked presentation slide of HP that points at a Windows 8 based tablet being planned by the company. Named as HP Slate 8, the tablet will feature 10.1-inch display and will mere 9.2mm thin.

HP did plan to go big with the Windows 7 operating system based tablets and started off with the HP Slate 500 across the globe. Apparently, consumers were more inclined towards the Apple iPad and Android OS based tablets. Meanwhile, HP purchased Palm back in mid-2010 and rumours of the Palm WebOS based tablets started making rounds.

Now a presentation slide carrying a Windows 8 based tablet mockup was leaked along with some basic information about the slate. To be branded as HP Slate 8, this tablet will feature 10.1-inch touchscreen display. Interesting part is that this HP Slate 8 will not feature ARM based processor. Its description mentions that the tablet will run Windows 8 Pro operating system - mostly targeted towards enterprises.

This HP Slate 8 might feature the Intel Atom 'Clover Trail-W' processors set to be unveiled in late third quarter of this year. Besides, the Slate 8 will offer multi-touch and stylus support. In total, the Slate 8 is expected to offer battery life of 8 to 10 hours according to the information listed on the slide.

Other distinct features of this tablet include virtualisation support, PC Management, domain connectivity and enterprise level docking. The HP Slate 8 may not exactly look like the one in the mock-up but certainly comes with interesting set of features.

We can expect HP to announce this tablet sometime later this year.

Courtesy: The Mobile Indian

The joy of drawing on glass

Much of the iPad's magic - and its success - comes from the directness of the touch screen. For decades, you dragged a mouse on one surface to make the cursor move on another. And now, suddenly, you can tap or draw right on the screen. 

But at places like Pixar and Marvel , they've been happily drawing on their screens since 1992. That's when Wacom released its first pen display - its first draw-on-the-screen tablet - for artists. 

The goal is to create the electronic equivalent of pen, pencil or brush on paper, so that artists, animators and architects can sketch or paint digitally. You use a cordless stylus; unlike the iPad or most touch-screen computers, these screens ignore skin contact, so that you can rest your hand on the glass as you draw. Also unlike the iPad, these pen displays are pressure-sensitive. You get a fatter or darker line when you press harder. 

Wacom dominates this market. Its Cintiq touch screens are precise, fluid, sturdy, professionally adored - and eye-poppingly expensive. 

They range from $1,000 for a 12-inch model to $2,500 for the 24-incher. That's right: if you're a digital artist, you might spend four times as much for the screen as you did for your computer. 

But change is coming. Cheap pen displays from no-name Chinese companies like Yiynova, P-Active and Bosto have begun appearing for sale on, for example, Amazon - and they cost as little as $300. 

"These probably aren't quite as good as the Wacom," a reader, Evan Schultz, told me by e-mail , "but did you see that difference in price? For that sort of price break, this may shape up like the battle between the wonderful $600 iPad and the goodenough $200 Kindle." Indeed it might. 

Mr. Schultz went on to note that if these cut-rate tablets were any good, they might be useful to more people than just digital artists. "Lawyers and journalists who need to edit documents, doctors who want to take notes in medical journals, anyone who wants to use a pen to write instead of a keyboard. It's been a small market up until now, but the competition might open up the technology to all sorts of people." 

Well, Mr. Schultz, this column's for you - and for all those interested lawyers, journalists, doctors and handwriting aficionados. To see just how little you get for your $300, I pitted two of the cheapies - the 10- and 19-inch tablets from Yiynova - against Wacom's 21-inch model, the $2,000 Cintiq 21UX. 

The Cintiq is a beast. At 22.4 pounds, it takes two hands, and preferably two people, to unbox it and seat it into its stand. Once installed there, the screen tips to whatever angle is comfortable for your drawing - nearly flat like a desk, if you like - and rotates 180 degrees in either direction, which is fantastic when you're shading or crosshatching. 

A fat black cable snakes out of the screen and splits into a Medusa's haircut of connectors: video, USB and power. The USB and video jacks connect to your Mac or PC, just as a regular external monitor might. In fact, you could use the Cintiq as your main monitor, although it's dimmer than dedicated monitors. 

Then you install the driver software . You calibrate the screen by tapping it in four prescribed spots with the stylus, which teaches the thing how you like to hold the pen. Finally , you open up a painting or 3D program like Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Painter, Manga Studio or Maya 3D, and put pen to screen. 

There's brief lag, especially with high-resolution artwork, between a pen stroke and the appearance of its "ink," and there's a tiny glass gap between the tip of your pen and the image itself. 

But after a few minutes, you'll be just as delighted and productive as the artists who proudly demo their Cintiqs on YouTube. It feels as if you're drawing on paper; the tip doesn't skate on the glass. The whole thing feels incredibly precise and smooth. 

As you work, you can slide your finger up or down the back edge to zoom in or out, which is very handy. With the tap of a button, you can change the function of this touch strip so that it enlarges or shrinks your painting brush, or moves through your Photoshop layers, or rotates the entire canvas. There are 16 other programmable buttons on the front. 

You can easily switch the pen's function from painting to mousing: to move the cursor without leaving a line, you lift the tip slightly off the glass. There are right-click and double-click buttons on the pen's shaft. The top of the pen acts like an eraser in most programs. The verdict: sweet - and costly. After driving the Mercedes of pen displays for a while, I test-drove the Toyota Yaris equivalent: the Yiynova DP10 ($300), sold in the United States by ThePandaCity.com. 

This screen is a thin, 1.5-pound white-plastic slab that you can easily hold with one hand as you draw, although it has a kickstand on the back too. Unlike the Cintiq, the DP10 requires no wall power and no connection to your computer's video jack. Instead, amazingly, you connect it to your PC with a single black USB cable. (Well, one cable with a forked tongue. It requires two USB jacks to get the power it needs.) 

I had a difficult time getting it running, and the Amazon user reviews indicate that I'm not alone. The manual's English will not, ahem, remind you of Hemingway. (The tablet's description on Amazon gives you a taste: "Provider an intuitive way to use the pen directly on screen to make holograph, handwritten signatures , and schetch.") 

The company cheerfully helped me over the phone and by e-mail , but here, too, language was occasionally a barrier. And the DP10 works best on a Windows PC. It can run on a Mac, but flakily. 

If you make it through the setup , though, you'll realize that the low price, light weight and surprising portability give the DP10 some fascinating possibilities. The screen is bright and clear. The stylus works in the usual graphics programs , complete with pressure sensitivity.


©2011 The New York Times News Service

iPhone 4S vs HTC One X vs Lumia 900 vs Xperia S

iPhone 4s,Sony Xperia S, Samsung Galaxy, HTC One X, Nokia Lumia 900

The battle for the smartphone marketshare is getting hotter. While Apple continues its dominance with iPhone, Samsung is slowly increasing its share. Nokia too aims to make an impact with flagship Lumia series. Smartphones form a key part of Sony's turnaround strategy too. HTC too has just launched a slew of new smartphones. 

As the marketshare battle goes on, here's comparing the hottest smartphones of these four companies against each other. So, here's how HTC One X, Nokia Lumia 900, Sony Xperia S and Apple iPhone 4S stack up against each other.


Display:

iPhone 4S vs HTC One X vs Lumia 900 vs Xperia S

iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S features a 3.5-inch LED-backlit TFT screen with 960x640 resolution. 

HTC One X: The phone sports a large 4.7-inch display with a Super IPS LCD2 capacitive touchscreen that offers 720 x 1280 pixels. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. 

Lumia 900: Nokia Lumia 900 sports a 4.3-inch screen with 480 x 800 AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 217 ppi. The phone also has Corning's Gorilla Glass protection. 

Xperia S: Xperia S has a 4.3-inch scratch resistant TFT touchscreen with resolution of 1280x720 pixels


Operating System:

iPhone 4S vs HTC One X vs Lumia 900 vs Xperia S

iPhone 4S: The phone uses Apple's iOS 5.1. with iOS 5, Apple has overhauled the notification system, thereby removing one of the biggest drawbacks its mobile OS had. 

HTC One X: The phone comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. 

Lumia 900: The phone features the latest version of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. 

Xperia S: The phone bundles Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but is upgradable to Android 4, Ice Cream Sandwich.


Processor:

THE NOKIA LUMIA 900

iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S is powered by dual-core A5 processor. The company claims that two cores in A5 chip deliver up to two times more power and render graphics of up to seven times faster than iPhone 4. The dual-core graphics offer faster and improved 3D experience. iPhone 4S has a 512 MB RAM and the device is available in three models 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. 

HTC One X: One X comes with a 1.5GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processo and packs 1GB RAM and 32GB of internal memory. The phone also packs 12 core GeForce GPU for games and applications. 

Lumia 900: The phone packs a 1.4GHz Scorpion single core processor with Qualcomm APQ8055 Snapdragon chipset. The phone features 512MB of RAM and Adreno 205 GPU. 

Xperia S: The phone has a dual core 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8260 Snapdragon with an Adreno 220 GPU. The phone comes with 32GB of internal storage and 1GB RAM.


Camera:

iPhone 4S vs HTC One X vs Lumia 900 vs Xperia S

iPhone 4S: The phone packs an 8 megapixel camera with f2.4 aperture. Apple has also included other camera improvements like backside illuminated sensor which Apple claims gets 73% more light than the iPhone 4 sensor. 

HTC One X: The smartphone includes a 8 megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, face and smile detection and 1080p@30fps video capture. There's also a front 1.3 megapixel 720p camera. 

Lumia 900: The phone sports a 8 megapixel 3264 x 2448 rear camera and can capture 720p video. Camera features include autofocus, dual-LED flash and geo-tagging. For video calling, Lumia 900 comes with 1.3 megapixel VGA camera. 

Xperia S: The smartphone comes with a 12.1 megapixel with 1080p camera on the rear. There's also a 720p front facing camera for video calling.


Connectivity:
iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S can run both on CDMA and GSM networks. With AirPlay feature, iPhone users can wirelessly stream the data phone to HDTV and speakers via Apple TV. In addition, with AirPlay Mirroring, whatever you do on your iPhone appears on the HDTV at the same time. 

HTC One X: The phone supports aGPS, stereo FM radio with RDS, Wi-Fi, DLNA, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP and microUSB. 

Lumia 900: Nokia's flagship Lumia 900 provides HSDPA, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP, NFC (Near Field Communication), and microUSB v2.0 support. 

Xperia S: The phone comes with HSDPA support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP, NFC (Near Field Communication) and microUSB v2.0.


Battery:
iPhone 4S: Apple claims iPhone 4S offers as much as 8 hours of 3G talk time, 6 hours of browsing (9 on Wi-Fi), 10 hours of video playback and 40 hours of music. 

HTC One X: The One X packs a Li-Po 1800 mAh battery. However, the company doesn't specify the battery life. 

Lumia 900: The phone includes a Li-Ion 1830 mAh (BP-6EW) battery which promises seven hours of talk time. 

Xperia S: The phone provides up to 7hrs 30 min (2G)/up to 8hrs 30 min (3G) talktime.


Price:
iPhone 4S: : Airtel sells iPhone 4S 16 GB model for Rs 44,500, 64GB model for Rs 57,500 and 32GB model for Rs 50,900 (approx). 

HTC One X: The phone is available at a market operating price of Rs 37,899. 

Lumia 900: Xperia S: Xperia S handset is priced at Rs 32,549.


Courtesy: The Times Of India

Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC OneX vs iPhone 4S

 Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC OneX vs iPhone 4S

The unveiling of Samsung Galaxy SIII recently has further fueled the ongoing smartphone war. One of the most-awaited phones of 2012, Samsung Galaxy SIII is designed to take the fight to the new crop of quadcore superphones. 

The smartphone takes on Apple's iPhone 4S and HTC's recently launched quadcore smartphone HTC OneX. Here's how the three compare in specs.


Processor:

Samsung Galaxy SIII: The phone has Samsung's new Arm-based processor Exynos 4 Quad. The 1.4 Ghz quadcore chip is based on ARM Cortex A9 and enables more tasks in a shorter period of time claims the company. 

Apple iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S is powered by dualcore A5 processor. The company claims that two cores in A5 chip deliver up to two times more power and render graphics up to seven times faster than iPhone 4. 

HTC OneX: HTC One X runs on a 1.5GHz Nvidia Tegra3 quadcore chip.

Operating System:

Samsung Galaxy SIII: Samsung Galaxy S-III runs on Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich OS. 

Apple iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S comes pre-loaded with iOS5. 

HTC OneX: HTC OneX also runs on the latest Android operating system Android 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich.

Camera:

THE IPHONE 4S CAMERA

Samsung Galaxy SIII: Samsung Galaxy S-III boasts of an 8MP rear camera and a 1.9 megapixel front camera. 

Apple iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S has an 8MP camera with back illuminated CMOS sensor, wider aperture and higher quality lens. It also records video in 1080p full HD resolution now. It has a VGA-quality front camera. 

HTC OneX: HTC OneX has an 8MP autofocus camera with LED flash. There's also a 1.3 MP front camera for video conferencing.


Display:

Samsung Galaxy SIII: Galaxy SIII boasts of a 4.8 HD Super AMOLED display, with ultrafast response time. 

Apple iPhone 4S: iPhone 4S retains the same 3.5-inch (diagonal) Retina display as found in iPhone 4. 

HTC OneX: HTC OneX has a 4.7 inch Super IPS LCD2 screen.


RAM & Storage:
Samsung Galaxy SIII: Samsung Galaxy has a 1GB RAM. It comes in three storage capabilities 16, 32 and 64GB. The smartphone weighs 133 gm. 

Apple iPhone 4S: Though Apple did not disclose iPhone 4S RAM, as per teardown tests of the device it is 1GB. 

HTC OneX: HTC OneX also has 1GB RAM. The smartphone has internal memory of 32GB. It weighs 130 gm.


Battery:
Samsung Galaxy SIII: Samsung Galaxy SIII has a removable 2100mAh battery. 

Apple iPhone 4S: Apple claims iPhone 4S offers battery life offers 8 hours of 3G talk time, 6 hours of browsing (9 on WiFi), 10 hours of video playback and 40 hours of music. 

HTC OneX: HTC OneX has a non-removable 1,800 mAh battery.


Courtesy: The Times Of India

Samsung Galaxy Y Pro Duos Review

Samsung Galaxy Y Pro Duos is the latest budget Android smartphone offering from Samsung's basket. It is very similar to the Galaxy Y Duos except that now there's room for a front camera as well. With dual-SIM Android phones buzzing around already, can this one hold its ground? We take a look.

Design & Build
The Galaxy Y Pro Duos in its candy bar form factor feels incredibly light at 112 grams. The phone fits comfortably in your palm. We received a metallic black unit which was well designed with curved edges on the top and bottom. The back panel is plastic-made and comes off easily. It is a touch-cum-QWERTY phone so it makes life easier. The screen dimensions seemed to have been reduced as a result. But this being a QWERTY smartphone, you can't really expect a big display.

The smartphone houses a 3.2MP rear camera and a front facing VGA camera for video calling as well. The power button is placed on the right while the volume rocker finds room on the left. The bottom houses the charging/USB port, while the 3.5mm audio jack is located on the top.

Once the back panel comes off, you see the battery, below which are the dual-SIM slots. The microSD slot is located on the top-right.

The QWERTY keypad is neatly laid out and feels very comfortable to use for typing. The standard Menu, Home, Back and Search buttons are distributed on either side of an Optical trackpad that also make navigation easier.

The Galaxy Y Pro Duos came with a charger, a USB cable, a pair of headphones, 3 pairs of earplugs, a warranty card and a quick start guide in the box.

Display
The Y Pro Duos sports a 2.6-inch capacitive TFT LCD display with a resolution of 320x240 pixels. The colours look decent enough even in broad daylight, although the text seemed a little blurry.

What's interesting is that the screen orientation is available in both portrait and landscape modes. The latter doesn't make sense at all with the screen size being so small and feels really weird.

Camera Quality
At 3.2MP, you can't expect wonders but even so, the camera is decent enough for a budget smartphone. There is no flash, so pictures taken in the dark won't impress you much, while images taken in day-light are just OK.

Samsung Galaxy Y Pro Duos camera supports video recording upto a resolution of 320x240 pixels and once you shoot a video, you also have the option to trim them. Basic settings include white balance adjustments, resolution selection, self-timer and scene modes.

OS & Interface
The Galaxy Y Pro Duos comes with Android Gingerbread (v2.3.6) which seems outdated nowadays with Ice cream Sandwich Android phones already available in the market. Samsung's traditional TouchWiz interface allows for a satisfactory operability experience. There are 3 customisable homescreens and the menu isn't cluttered with too many pre-loaded apps.

The 832 MHz single core processor performs well enough to allow multi-tasking without too much lag. The device also comes with 384MB of RAM that feels very less and the memory can be expanded upto 32GB via microSD card slot.

Pre-loaded software
As we mentioned earlier, there aren't many pre-installed apps apart from the standard Google ones like Gtalk, YouTube, Maps and Gmail. Even must haves like Facebook and Twitter were missing. We however downloaded them from the Play Store and they worked just fine. Polaris Office is useful for accessing and reading your documents.

You can also access Samsung's stock app store, Samsung Apps to download free or paid apps after you've signed-up.

Performance
The phone is an average performer and there's no wow moment involved. Dual SIM functionality is limited in the sense that while you can keep personal and official numbers separate, you can use only one SIM at a time for calls. You can also choose your SIM preference from the notifications menu.

The standard Li-ion 1350mAh battery lasts for a full day without you having to reach for the charger . Both the 3G and Wi-Fi experience were good and the battery didn't give up on us while surfing the web, watching videos, making calls or running multiple applications.


The audio quality of the phone again, isn't very great on both, the speaker phone and the headphones that came along with it. A disappointing fact with regard to the FM Radio is that you can set only four radio stations at a time and not more.

When playing YouTube videos, they seemed a bit pixelated, though they played fine without lags.

We fired up a game of Angry Birds Space and the multi-touch experience wasn't smooth enough. You can't really see the target and have to guess your aim in most scenarios.

The stock browser supports Adobe flash and the surfing experience was decent without too many hiccups while using both 3G and Wi-Fi.

Verdict
With many budget dual-SIM phones flooding the market, the Galaxy Y Pro Duos doesn't put something extraordinary on the table. It is a decent performer that just about gets the work done. All features are pretty basic that you'd get with any budget Android phone. The introduction of an optical trackpad, though makes navigation easier can be confusing since it takes a while to getting used to with the touch screen in place. We're sure you've heard the phrase, 'out of sight, out of mind'. This one is sure to be in that list.


Pros
Optical trackpad makes navigation easy
Touch and type at an affordable price

Cons
Poor camera
No Multi-touch

Price: Rs. 9,500

Ratings
Performance: 3
Features: 3.5
Ease of setup: 3.5
Ergonomics: 4
Wow factor: 3
Value for money: 3.5
Overall: 3.5


Courtesy: Gadgets @ NDTV

Sony Xperia S Review

THE SONY XPERIA S

Sony Xperia S is the first product from newly formed Sony Mobile division after the company bought out Ericsson's stake in Sony Ericsson. It sports a beautiful design and comes with some big upgrades from last-years' models like 12.1MP camera and 720p display. But, are these upgrades enough for us to forget the presence of dated software? Read on to find out.

Hardware
Sony's design prowess is clearly visible in Xperia S; it looks simple but is unique and distinctive. It might not be the lightest or the thinnest phone on the planet, but the Xperia S stands out nonetheless. Be it the transparent bar below the capacitive buttons, or the flat sides of the phone, the modern design sets it apart from the crowd.

They say devil is in the details, and the Sony Xperia S sure gets those right. It comes with the matte finish on the sides and back, while the front is covered in a single-sheet of glass. The front and rear of the phone are pretty much clean apart from the Xperia branding, ear-piece and secondary camera on the front, and speakers, primary camera and Sony branding on the back. On the right side, you will find the two-stage shutter button, volume rocker, and HDMI port, while the left houses the USB-cum-charging port.

But the Xperia S isn't perfect. We can't claim to be fans of the rectangular design, which makes it a little harder to hold compared to smartphones with curved edges like the HTC One X.
Another disappointment with Xperia S is the fixed battery. Although the back cover is removable, the battery is still not user-replaceable.

Display
Sony has included a 4.3-inch 1280x720p Reality display on Xperia S, which comes with company's own Mobile Bravia engine. The Xperia S has better PPI (pixels-per-inch) than all the smartphones available in the Indian market even iPhone 4S, thus giving you extremely sharp images. The colour reproduction is good and display is sufficiently bright, we even found it taming HTC One X in the brightness department. However, the viewing angles are sub-par on the smartphone.

DISPLAY: THE SONY XPERIA S

Camera
Sony Xperia S comes with a 12.1MP rear camera with f2.4 aperture, along with 1080p video recording support. As you can expect from Sony, the Xperia S camera performs brilliantly and takes some nice and detailed shots. Be the indoor clicks or outdoor shots, Xperia S does not disappoint.


Software-wise, the controls on Xperia S camera app are pretty straight forward, and you can also select manual settings for ISO, white balance, metering and focus mode. Company has also included a nifty feature which allows you directly open the camera with the dedicated camera key even when the phone is locked. This two-stage camera button allows users to set the auto-focus with a half-press, while a full press completes the image capture. The button is conveniently located and distinction between the two stages of the capture is clearly felt under the finger.
Despite running on Android 2.3, Sony has added the panorama, 3D panorama shot- taking capabilities in Xperia S, which were natively introduced first time in ICS.
The 1.3MP front camera on Xperia S is decent and capable of shooting 720p video. So, you don't have to worry about video-chatting on your phone.

Software/ Interface
One of the few disappointments, but not exactly a surprise given the spec sheet, is the presence of Gingerbread. With phones like HTC One X and One V that come pre-loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich for competition, launching Xperia S with Android 2.3 isn't really a positive for the company. Although Sony has promised to release an update sometime this quarter, consumers will be stuck with the old version for at least a few weeks.
We don't have any specific qualms with Gingerbread and Sony's skin atop it, but we miss a few things in particular from ICS, like the refreshed UI, Android Beam, and resizable widgets. While on the subejct of Android Beam, Sony Xperia S ships with Near Field Communication hardware, which can be used for quite a few things including changing the smartphone settings to a pre-set using the SmartTags in the box (as our review unit was missing them, so we weren't able to test the feature).
In terms of other software additions, Xperia S comes with Facebook inside Xperia, which includes features like single sign-on for Facebook, FB Images in phone gallery, contacts and calendar sync as well as the Media discovery widget.
In terms of pre-loaded apps, Sony has filled up Xperia S with apps like TrackID, World Clock, Neoreader, Wisepilot, Office Suit, Timer, Recommender, and PlayNow.
Overall, by Gingerbread standards, Sony's implemetnation runs nice and smooth and we did not face any issues.

MAGNIFICENT: THE SONY XPERIA S 

Performance/ Battery Life
Sony Xperia S comes with a dual-core Snapdragon processor clocked at 1.5GHz and 1GB RAM. With phones like HTC One S expected next month with next generation Qualcomm Krait processor and Android 4.0, the specs may seem a little underwhelming on paper, but what about the real world performance?
Leaving the competition aside, talking solely based on the Xperia S performance, which is pretty good and we would go on say that it is the best Sony (Ericsson era phones included) smartphone so-far in-terms of user-experience. There is no lag whatsoever, or any hiccups while playing high-def videos or playing graphic intensive games.
Coming to the battery life, the fixed 1750 mAh battery gave us surprisingly decent performance and it would easily last a-day for moderate users. Light-users might be able to able to squeeze out even more.

Verdict
Can Sony Xperia S be your next smartphone? Well, if you are ready to wait for ICS and don't have an issue with a generation-old processor, Xperia S has a lot to offer. It packs in quite a punch, has great display, excellent battery life and a beautiful design.

Pros

• Attractive, unique design
• Great HD display

Cons

• Gingerbread
• No microSD card slot or user-replaceable battery

Price: Rs. 32,549

Ratings
Design: 4
Display: 4
Camera: 4
Performance: 4
Software: 3
Battery Life: 3.5
Value for Money: 3.5
Overall: 3.5

Courtesy: Gadgets @ NDTV

The New Ipad : 5 Positives and 5 Negatives.

THE NEW IPAD

The new iPad made its debut in India on Friday. So far it has seen a modest response. No frenzied queues of buyers, but given the way iPad 2 built upon the success of iPad, there is hope for the new iPad. There is nothing earth-shattering about the new iPad that can be termed a path-breaking leap. 

Yet, it marks a step ahead in evolution. It is always difficult to better the best-selling gadget, but Apple has managed it in past as proven by the sales of both iPhone 4S and iPad 2. 

Let us see if iPad 3 (Oh, but they don't call it that!) can meet the same success, and more importantly, whether it is for you! We evaluate the top five advantages and disadvantages of the new iPad.


Positive: Camera

When the new iPad was launched, we were disappointed considering Apple could have easily taken a leap of faith and ported a 8 megapixel rear camera to it a la iPhone 4S, but didn't. 

But having played with the new iPad for a few days, we can say that despite having been upgraded to just 5 megapixels (still far better than iPad 2), the new iPad camera can take stunning pictures with fine detailing, once again disproving the theory that more megapixels mean better pictures. Thanks to its image stabilisation, face detection et al, the overall quality of pictures is quite decent. 

Apple launched its iPhoto ($4.99 on iTunes store) photo-editing software in time for the new iPad. It is a lot cooler to edit the photos you shoot with your new toy with iPhoto, and in my view, it is a 'must-have' to go with it.

Positive: Video

The new iPad's awesome camera is all that one requires to click a great video, edit and upload in a jiffy. Okay, the last bit is not possible in most parts of India, but then Apple can hardly be blamed for the mess our networks are in, and the pathetic, expensive bandwidth they provide. 

We loved the experience of shooting full HD videos on the move too, though holding a camera that is nearly 10 inches wide (9.7 to be precise) gets to you after a while, especially if you are a video aficionado! 

For video editing, iMovie ($ 4.99 on iTunes) remains the best option on iPad followed by Photoshop and other, more basic alternatives.

Positive: Display

Positive: Games, Books & News

We have hardly played games on the new iPad in the past four days, but a definite upside will be noticeable on most games once they incorporate retina display. The action games were remarkable on iPad 2 also, but they will be faster and in-your-face on the new iPad. 

But doing just about anything, including even reading news on Zite or reading the same books, seems so much better on the new iPad, not just because of the better display, but also a better and faster touch experience thanks to what is under its hood.

Positive: Good Battery Life

Good enough! Ain't it?

Despite the more power hogging display, processor and 4G radio, the new iPad offers same battery time as iPad 2 ie. 10 hours. For one, it would have meant more cells being added to its frame and the battery optimized. Yet, it is only marginally thicker by 1.4 mm and a tad heavier by 50 gram, still a lot lighter and slimmer than the first iPad. 

Since the difference in weight and thickness is marginal, many users will not feel it. What is better that they won't have to change almost all their accessories. For example, my Belkin cover and Logitech keypad fit the new iPad quite fine.

Negative: Looks the same

Ipad2 and the NEW IPAD

Many were disappointed to see iPhone 4S look exactly the same as 4. But then, the camera and Siri made all the difference and helped people quickly forget the lack of a new design faster. 

Barring the camera and the retina display, the new iPad has very few unique selling points. The fact that it looks almost exactly like its predecessor is a handicap. For those who want their newest gadget to flaunt their status, it will be a sorry buy. Apple has been less than obliging to them. Moreover, nowhere does the new iPad say it is the third generation, or new, for that matter! 

It looks and feels a lot like iPad2 in appearance. However, that disappointment disappears the moment you switch on the new iPad.

Negative: No 128 GB model

Why still 16, 32 and 64 GB? Hey Apple, most users of the new iPad have only just begun, but given any avid iPad lover's average usage and given the new iPad's delightful camera and display, it will be a matter of time before he hits the ceiling of 16, 32 or 64 GB. Considering the price sensitivity of average buyers, one is inclined to believe the first two will sell more. 

And that will be a big irritant: to keep the storage under check because not only the videos and stills, but even the HD movies and apps that you will store on new iPad will consume a lot more space than the iPad 2. Frequent syncronisation via iTunes to just add, delete or download stuff will be an irritant without doubt. 

Given its hardware capability, one is bound to shoot more and view more. Therefore, one may have to upload, download and delete/sync videos and movies more often than one likes. A 128 GB option - even if that made it pricier - would have been in order, followed by 32 and 64 GB. 

It was one of our biggest launch disappointments and Apple could have addressed it. It is particularly more distressing since Apple is loath to let the users load anything without the use of iTunes and use any external storage such as a USB or SD card.

Negative: Data hogger

Sometimes your best qualities can become an albatross around your neck if you are ahead of time. If we consumed a fair bit of data on iPad 2, the new iPad will take that up by a few notches. 

For most Indian telecom users, data usage is a huge concern given the choked and hugely expensive Indian broadband connections they get at home and on the move from providers like Airtel, Reliance, BSNL and Vodafone. The new iPad could mean a bigger drag than iPad 2 on our pockets and mental health. 

Please remember, the iPad 3 experience is so rich and immersive that you may want unlimited bandwidth and lightening fast LTE (or 4G) speeds above 40 MBPS at disposal to deal with your increased needs of videos, movies and apps. Considering that both home broadband and 3G are miserable in India, it may exasperate you at times. 

As of now, there are only two networks in the US and one in Canada that currently support the 4G for new iPad. There is a very remote chance of the new iPad's 4G capability utilisation in India in the near future. Consider yourself lucky if our telcom providers can give even a workable and affordable 3G connexion jo har ek iPad ke liye zaroori hota hai (essential for every ipad)!

Negative: No Siri

SIRI MISSING?

After the successful launch of its much-talked about voice assistant Siri (artificial intelligence if you will!) in iPhone 4S, it ought to have made its way to the new iPad, but didn't. Now that one is a sore miss by Apple. It disappointed a lot of Apple users not to see SIRI in iPad considering how well it was integrated in iPhone 4S. 

Though there is a basic audio assistant to help you around some basic tasks in the new iPad, but no artificial intelligence a.k.a. Siri.

Negative: Not many new apps

It has been a little over six weeks since launch and iOS developers are yet to launch the apps that fully utilise the HD and Retina Display capabilities of the new iPad. But it is a matter of time for they have had a plethora incorporating the same for iPhone 4S already. 

The real juice of the new iPad will be in the apps that optimise its main USP: the display. Until then, even having GarageBand ($4.99) and iTunesU on the new iPad can be uber cool.

Should you buy it?

THE NEW IPAD

The new iPad is not so remarkable an upgrade as iPad 2 was over iPad, or even iPhone 4S was over iPhone 4. And that's where our disappointment lies. 

So in our view, if you are an existing iPad owner, you can resist the urge to upgrade and wait until you have milked iPad 2 well enough. But if you are a new buyer, it makes good sense to buy the new iPad, unless price is a big constraint. 

But then, Apple has done quite well to keep the purchase threshold at Rs 30,500 for the most basic model. And that packs in a far better package than any other tablet currently on the marquee given the sheer pleasure of using the vast App Store eco-system for iPad combined with its user interface and build quality. 

It is high time Apple takes this experience a few notches up by opening up its App Store for Indians to buy films, videos and books to take full advantage of its repertoire and bang for the buck to the iPad buyers.

Courtesy: Neeraj Saxena @  Times Of India

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