Nokia unveils cheap touch screen models

HELSINKI: Struggling mobile phone firm Nokia unveiled its first three basic phone models with large touch screens, filling a gap in its suite of products.

THE NOKIA ASHA 306

Consumer demand for such devices has been rising fast especially in emerging markets. Last year 105 million low-end touch screen handsets were sold globally, according to Strategy Analytics.

Nokia said its Asha 305 model would go on sale this month for 63 euros ($78.52), excluding subsidies and taxes. The Asha 306 and Asha 311 models will go on sale next quarter for 68 euros and 92 euros, respectively.

Huawei to launch MediaPad tablet soon

THE NEW HUAWEI MEDIAPAD

Huawei Technologies Co, China's largest maker of phone equipment, said its MediaPad tabletcomputers are being tested by Tribune as news readers. 

The Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times are conducting trials of the tablets through the end of this month, and the devices may be rolled out nationwide once those tests are complete, said James Jiang, executive vice president of product solutions at Huawei's device business in the US. 

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei is diversifying the company into consumer mobile devices to expand business in the US, where lawmakers have opposed sales of its phone-network equipment because of his Chinese military background. Tribune Chief Executive Officer Eddy Hartenstein is seeking to add a new business to stem losses from declining newspaper circulation and increased printing costs. 

"We are always looking for opportunities to provide companies with products and solutions that will enhance the level of service that they provide to their customers," Jiang said in an e-mail. "In this case, it is about providing the Tribune's readers with a platform that allows them to access news and other content." 

The Chicago-based Tribune Co, which also owns radio and TV stations, filed for bankruptcy in 2008, one year after a leveraged buyout led by real-estate billionaire Sam Zell. Tribune, valued earlier this year by the company at more than $7 billion, owes creditors about $13 billion. The company said May 15 it will stop publishing LA, Los Angeles Times Magazine, on June 3. 

THE NEW HUAWEI MediaPad

Gary Weitman, a Tribune spokesman, declined to comment. 

Huawei unveiled the MediaPad tablet, which runs Google's Android operating system, last year as profit was cut by half. Huawei plans to boost total revenue as much as 20 per cent this year, aided by the push into the consumer market, Controller CT Johnson said last month.

Android-based ViewSonic 3 smartphone comes to India

THE NEW VIEWSONIC 3 SMARTPHONE

NEW DELHI: ViewSonic on Thursday launched first Android-based dual-Sim 3G smartphone, ViewPhone 3 in India. The device features a 3.5-inches touchscreen with 320 X 480 resolution and runs on the Android 2.3 operating system(OS). The phone has 512MB RAM and it is powered by Qualcomm 800 MHz processor. The phone sports a 5-megapixel rear autofocus camera.

For connectivity, the device offers HSDPA 7.2mbps for browsing, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, USB port and tethering options. The phone memory is expandable upto 32GB through a microSD card. The other features include ViewScene 3D technology, 3.5mm audio jack, G-sensor, E-compass and 1500 mAh battery.

ViewSonic 3 is available at price of Rs 9,990.


Price Courtesy: The Times Of India

Sony Xperia Sola phone coming to India soon

SALSA BOY: THE NEW SONY XPERIA SOLA

NEW DELHI: Sony Mobile is all set to launch another Android smartphone in the country. Called 'Xperia sola', the smartphone is powered by 1GHz dualcore processor. 

The smartphone comes with Sony's new floating touch technology, which allows users to browse the web by hovering their finger above the screen. This means a users' finger acts like a moving curser, without actually having to touch the display. 

Sola comes with a 3.7-inch Reality display and is powered by Android 2.3. The company has, however, promised an Android 4.0 upgrade for the smartphone. 

Though pricing of the smartphone is still not confirmed, online retailer Flipkart has listed the price at Rs 19,999. 

Xperia Sola is expected to come in black, white, and red colour options. 

Key specs: 
* 1 GHz STE U8500 dualcore processor
* Android 2.3 'Gingerbread'
* Weighs 107gm
* 5 MP camera with LED flash and auto focus * 3.7 inch Reality display
* 8GB internal storage
* 1320 mAh battery
* RAM is 512 MB
* xLOUD, 3D surround sound


Courtesy: The Times Of India

Nokia launches low-end cellphones

HELSINKI: Nokia launched two low-end cellphones on Tuesday, aiming to regain its footing in emerging markets.

The Nokia 110 model will be sold for 35 euros and will start shipping in the second quarter, while the 112 model will be sold for 38 euros from the third quarter, the Finnish phone maker said.

The company has been losing market share not just in high-end smartphones but also in cheaper, basic phones popular among customers in emerging markets.

Samsung unveils new Windows phone, Omnia M

SPARKLING WINDOWS: THE NEW SAMSUNG OMNIA M

NEW DELHI: Samsung mobile has unveiled its latest Windows Phone, Omnia M. Samsung Omnia M comes with a 4 inch Super AMOLED display, is powered by a 1 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor coupled with 384 MB RAM.

It has a 5 megapixel rear camera, and an additional front-facing VGA camera for video chat. The battery is 1500 mAH. On storage front, Samsung Omnia M offers 4 GB internal space.

Omnia M sports ChatOn messenger and Samsung AllShare which allows users to play films, games, or any other media directly on a TV. 

Additionally the device will get 25GB of free storage on Microsoft SkyDrive and will also include the mobile version of Microsoft Office. 

Samsung has not revealed the launch date for the phone, it has, however, said Omnia M will first ship to Europe and then to the rest of the world. 

According to reports, the phone is likely to be priced around Rs 11,000.


Information Courtesy: The Times Of India

HTC Desire C goes official

THE ULTIMATE DESIRE: HTC DESIRE C

HTC  has officially taken the wraps off its Desire C smartphone. The smartphone which runs on the latest version of Android operating system --Android 4.0 or ICS -- is expected to launch in India in mid-June. 

HTC Desire C is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 600MHz processor with 512MB of RAM. It features 3.5-inch HVGA screen with 320x480 resolution. There's a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and VGA front camera. 

The smartphone will reportedly be available in white and black colours. Though there is no word on the handset's India pricing, HTC Desire C is likely to be priced between Rs 13,500 to Rs 15,000. The smartphone has already been launched in some European markets. 

Key specs: * OS: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich * Display: 3.5 inch with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels * Processor: 600MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 * Storage: 4GB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB with MicroSD card * Camera: 5 MP * Connecitivity: 3G with 7.2Mbps HSDPA, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and USB 2.00 * Battery: 1230 mAh battery.


Courtesy: The Times Of India

RIM announces BlackBerry Curve 9320 with 3G

FASCINATING: THE BlackBerry Curve 9320

Research In Motion (RIM) has announced the launch of the 3G variant of BlackBerry Curve 9320. 

The upgrade comes close on the heels of the launch of BlackBerry 9220 in India. 

The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 smartphone runs on new BlackBerry 7.1 OS, which supports features such as Mobile Hotspot and Wi-Fi calling where available. Parental controls is another new feature. It provides parents with simple options to help protect children by restricting access to specific functions, features and applications. 

BlackBerry 9320 has a non-touch 2.44-inch LCD display with a 320x240 pixel resolution. Similar to BlackBerry 9220, the smartphone has a dedicated BBM key on the side. The smartphone's other specs include 512 MB RAM and ROM, microSD card slot, FM Radio and a 1450mAH battery. There's a 3.2MP camera with flash and supports video recording, and pictures can be tagged with their location thanks to the smartphone's built-in GPS. 

Though the company has not disclosed price of new Curve 9320 web reports suggest it is to be in the range of Rs 12000. 


Courtesy: Gadgets @ The Times Of India

LG launches Optimus 3D Max in Europe

NEW DELHI: LG has launched its second generation glasses-free 3D smartphone- theOptimus 3D Max -in the European market. As first seen at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012, the 3D smartphone boasts an enhanced chipset and 3D entertainment features in a slimmer and lighter body. 

"We are deliberately pushing the limits of mobile entertainment innovation with the Optimus 3D Max," said Jong-seok Park, president & CEO ofLG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, in a release. "This device has evolved significantly since we introduced the first Optimus 3D at MWC in 2011. Our second generation glasses-free 3D smartphone is as thin and light as any other high-end smartphone while delivering a spectacular picture in either 2D or 3D." 

The Optimus 3D Max includes a 3D converter which allows for a greater variety of 3D content as it converts 2D content from Google Earth, Google Maps and other mapping apps into 3D. Visitors at MWC 2012 also raved about the device's 3D video editor which allows editing of 3D video on the phone in real time. And the 3D hot key mounted on the side of the phone enables users to easily toggle between 2D and 3D. The Optimus 3D Max includes 3D-style cubicle icons in addition to its customizable icons which can be amended by applying the users' own photos through the icon customizer feature. 

Additional features, include a HD converter to offer high resolution content to be viewed on a TV connected through MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) and range finder, which calculates the distance between the camera and a subject as well as the dimensions of an object through triangulation. 

The Optimus 3D Max is 2mm slimmer and 20g lighter than its predecessor, measuring only 9.6 mm (in thickness) and weighing 148g. The 5MP rear camera captures both photos and video in 3D using its dual lenses. The recorded material can be viewed directly on the smartphone in glasses-free 3D or on a 3D capable computer monitor or TV.

Courtesy: Times Of India