41MP Nokia 808 PureView smartphone launching in India soon

NEW DELHI: Nokia's much-anticipated 41MP smartphone Nokia 808 PureView is set to launch in the country soon. A countdown timer on www.nokiapureview.in, a dedicated website for the upcoming smartphone, suggests that the phone should reach the country in next few hours.

PIXEL KING: THE NEW NOKIA 808 PUREVIEW

India is expected to be among the first few countries in which the phone will make its global debut. The first markets to begin selling Nokia 808 PureView reportedly include Russia and India.

Nokia PureView 808 has generated a lot of interest due to the gigantic 41-megapixel camera sensor on-board. The high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor camera comes with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology.

The PureView runs on the Symbian Belle OS. Other technical specifications include, 16 GB internal storage, 4.0-inch AMOLED display, 1.3 GHz ARM 11 processor and 512 MB RAM.

Nokia PureView 808 also includes NFC, Stereo FM Radio with FM transmitter, HDMI, 3G, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, DLNA and Dolby Digital Plus for 5.1 channel surround sound playback.

Though the price of the smartphone has not been disclosed, it is rumoured to be launching at a price tag of Rs 30,000 approximately.


You can also check our review of Nokia 808 Pureview here.

XOLO X900: Review

THE NEW LAVA XOLO X900

The first Intel smartphone is here. After years of work, California based Intel announced the first smartphones with its own Atom chips at the Mobile World Congress earlier this year. Not able to secure the support of popular smartphone manufacturers like HTC and Samsung, company went ahead with Chinese tech giant Lenovo and relatively unknown Indian manufacturer Lava to launch the initial smartphones.

The name Lava doesn't inspire much confidence in Indian consumers. While the company launched its first smartphone in India last year, it hasn't been able to generate much buzz. Intel needed hardware partners, and Lava needed a product that would help shed its image of a feature-phone manufacturer. In many ways, XOLO is a partnership of convience for both sides..

X900 is technically the first Intel powered smartphone to ship worldwide; it is based on Intel's Medfield reference design and has been priced at Rs. 21,999. In this review, we will be find out if the first Intel smartphone is capable making a place for Intel in the smartphone chip market.

Hardware
We have seen quite a few beautiful devices in the last few weeks. Coming from Sony's Xperia S, Lava XOLO X900 is a tad less aesthetically pleasing but that shouldn't be taken as a negative for the smartphone.

For a device that mirrors the reference design, XOLO X900 looks polished and feels nice in hand. The overall design isn't revolutionary but it is some fine work and consumers won't be disappointed.

Featuring a rectangular shape, XOLO X900 reminds of iPhone 4/4S , it is similar in looks with the chrome ring, button placement and even the micro-SIM card slot, which isn't really bad.
The front of the X900 houses a 4.03-inch display with 1024x600p resolution, along with capacitive Android buttons, 1.3MP front camera, earpiece, MIC and a bunch of sensors. The micro-SIM card slot is present on the right side with two-stage dedicated camera button, volume rocker and speaker.
The matching second speaker for stereo sound is present on the left with HDMI-out port. The company hasn't clubbed any HDMI cable in the box, which would certainly have been a nice addition.
Bottom is pretty much clean apart from the Micro-USB cum charging port, while top includes power button and the 3.5mm headphone jack. On the rubberised back, consumers will find the 8MP camera, LED Flash, regulatory symbols, Intel and XOLO branding.
It might not be the thinnest or lightest phone around, but when it comes with real life usage, XOLO X900 works out pretty well.

Display
In the world of HTC One X and Apple iPhone 4S, manufacturers truly need some great work to compete with some really awesome display panels. WVGA no longer cuts and HD is the standard - anything less is simply a dissapointment for a top of the line smartpone.
Intel and Lava have opted something that falls in the middle - 1024x600p resolution; it is not very common for smartphones, but we have seen it in quite a few tablets including Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy Tab 620. It might not be 720p HD, but it is not a disappointment either. At its price, X900 will be competing with Motorola Atrix 2, Samsung Galaxy S Plus, which come with qHD and WVGA resolutions - thus X900 surely wins that race.
XOLO X900 features a 4.03-inch display, which is pretty decent and offers nice colour output and viewing angles. Although in comparison with the recent smartphones like HTC One X and Galaxy Nexus, we found it a tad underwhelming. But then that's a battle no one was expecting the X900 to win.
As the display has 295 pixels-per-inch, consumers would hardly notice any individual pixels on the device. Even the touch experience is great and we never had any problems with touch accuracy.
XOLO X900's display is also sufficiently bright and consumers will not have issues while operating the phone directly under the sun.

Camera
Cameras have become an integral part of smartphone experience these days, manufacturers are spending considerable amount of time and effort in bringing something unique and useful to the table. - The ImageSense enhancements in HTC One series of smartphones or Pureview technology in Nokia 808 are testament to the fact.
Intel and Lava have also tried to include their own set of improvements to the camera in X900 - let's see how they worked out.

BACK QUEEN: THE NEW LAVA XOLO X900

X900 houses an 8-megapixel camera sensor in the smartphone, which has been clubbed with one of the most comprehensive camera apps we have seen in recent times. It also comes with something called Burst Shot, last seen in HTC One X, that allows consumers to click upto ten pictures in less than a second.
Lava and Intel even had a dancer at the X900 launch to clearly show how effective burst shots can be while taking shots of something that is in motion. It was the first feature that we tried on X900 and it work flawlessly. Overall, even in non-burst mode, the quality of still captures was a tad disappointing. We found it sub-par and looking at the cameras in other modern smartphones, it certainly lacked a bit.
Shots taken from the 5MP camera of Galaxy Nexus were better in colour output, vibrancy and details than shots the 8MP camera of XOLO X900.
The camera app on the smartphone also offers various colour filters like Sepia, BW, Negative, which can be applied directly in the app itself.
The video recording interface on the phone is similar to the still imaging UI and it allows you to shoot up to 1080p video, which is pretty much a standard in high-end smartphones. You can even apply the colour effects while recording a video or set white balance or zoom. The recording output is decent and looks good. Camera maintains auto-focus continuously, which helps in capturing long videos with a lot of movement.
The 1.3MP front camera is decent and you can even record 720p videos with it.

Software/ Interface
Give us some Ice Cream Sandwich - consumers with old Android phones have been shouting the same since November 2011, when ICS source code was publically released. Even if we forgive manufacturers for being super-late in providing updates for old smartphones, how can they launch a new smartphone with old operating system version on-board?
Intel and Lava have done the same with XOLO X900. When manufacturers like HTC could launch their One series of devices with ICS and a comprehensive UI on-board, there is no excuse for Intel or Lava to release X900 with Gingerbread.
Having said that, as a Gingerbread smartphone, XOLO X900 is quite decent as company has kept the interface as well the whole Android experience pretty much stock. There are no extra applications loaded on the smartphone apart from the XOLO Care app and the inclusion of Swype.
Talking about the app compatibility, being the new architecture for Android, there is a lot of confusion on which apps will be compatible with the phone's Intel x86 platforms. While apps like Facebook, Twitter, Barcode Scanner, Astro, Dropbox, and Instagram work flawlessly, several games ,Shadowgun, Deer Hunter, Backstab, Temple Run, and Asphalt 6 amongst them, aren't supported as of date.
We hope Intel is working proactively with developers to get such apps ready for the platform.


Performance /Battery Life
XOLO X900 recently became the first smartphone worldwide to ship with Intel's Atom Z2460 32nm SoC with processor clocked at up to 1.6 GHz. It also comes with a PowerVR SGX 540 GPU at 400 MHz, and a dual channel LPDDR2 memory.
Despite being powered a single-core processor, XOLO X900 performs at par with other smartphones in the same price-bracket and are powered by dual-core processor. There is
no-sluggishness or lag while going through menus or working with the applications.
Even before Intel entered the smartphone arena, a lot of questions were raised around the battery life of any future phones based on Intel processors. x86 has traditionally been seen as a power hungry platform, not suitable for use in smartphones and other devices where battery juice is at a premium.
The x86 power myth also seems busted as X900's battery backup is inline with any other competing high-end Android smartphone. Medium to heavy users will be able to pass the day with the smartphone's 1460 mAh battery.
The gaming performance in pretty good and most casual games worked flawlessly; although, we did miss many popular gaming titles because of incompatibility with the architecture.
Intel has clearly taken a big step with the first smartphone and it is certainly a worthy competitor, but there are few things that it needs work on - like app compatibility.

Verdict
While the Lava XOLO X900 performs pretty well for its price, the positioning as well as the branding might well end up hurting the phone. Although Lava has pitched it under the name XOLO, Indian consumers are very brand conscious and a 'Lava-made Rs. 22,000 phone' factor will surely play a lot of role in their buying decision. But, if you can look beyond the brand, XOLO X900 is worthy of consideration.


Pros

• Quality display
• Overall performance

Cons

• Camera
• Dated Gingerbread on board
• Lack of compatibility with select apps

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

Courtesy: NDTV

Acer, Toshiba to unveil Windows 8 tablets

THE NEW LAUNCH: Acer, Toshiba to unveil Windows 8 tablets

SAN FRANCISCO: Acer, Toshiba and Asustek Computer will unveil tablets running Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system next week, people with knowledge of the matter said, challenging the dominance of Apple's iPad. 

Acer will display a tablet based on Microsoft's new software at the Computex show in Taipei, while Toshiba will show a tablet and a notebook-type device, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans haven't been made public. Asustek will present tablets with detachable keyboards similar to its current Transformer model, the people said. 

The annual Computex show provides a forum for the computer industry to tout its wares before the typical increase in second-half demand. Computer makers allied with Microsoft will use this year's event to highlight a long-awaited response to the iPad and machines that run Google's Android operating system, which together have 91 per cent of the tablet market. 

Windows 8 also will be the first version of the software that will work on processors using ARM Holdings technology, a type of chip made by Qualcomm and Nvidia that dominates the phone industry. ARM-based chips, manufactured by Samsung Electronics, power the iPad. 

The use of ARM-based chips marks a snub for Intel, which along with Advanced Micro Devices has been the exclusive provider of chips for Windows machines. Intel, which has more than 80 per cent of the PC-chip market, hasn't been able to parlay that dominance into market share in phones or tablets. 

Asustek will demonstrate tablets based on an Nvidia ARM- based chip called Tegra and another powered by an Intel chip, the people said. The Tegra-based device, which is similar to the one that will go on sale, will be displayed publicly, setting up an opportunity for direct comparisons between a Windows computer running on ARM and one using Intel technology. 

Tablet sales The Acer tablet is built around an Intel chip, while Toshiba is using Texas Instruments for its processors. 

Microsoft plans to show off Asustek devices in a presentation by Vice President Steven Guggenheimer at the show on June 6, said one person familiar with the company's plans. 

The show provides the first airing of tablet hardware that Microsoft intends to use to narrow Apple's lead in the tablet market. Sales of Windows PCs to consumers have slumped as buyers opt for tablets, making it critical for Microsoft to offer a compelling option in that category. 

The tablet market is poised to grow 70 per cent a year on average through 2015, according to estimates from Evercore Group LLC. Traditional notebooks will have an average annual growth rate of 8 per cent. Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook predicted in January and reiterated this week that tablets will surpass PCs in terms of units sold. 

Windows 8

LAUNCHING NEW WINDOWS 8 TABLETS

The June 5-9 Taipei show will highlight a limited number of ARM-based devices as Microsoft seeks to ensure that when Windows 8 is released later this year, the products will stand up to comparisons with the iPad. The limited debut will be followed by a second wave of computer and phone makers lined up for next year, two of the people said. Qualcomm, the world's largest maker of mobile-phone chips, will demonstrate a test device running Windows 8 based on its Snapdragon processor, said a person familiar with its plans. The company is committed to having customer devices in the market when the new version of the software goes on sale, the person said. 
Spokesmen for Microsoft, Asustek, Acer, Nvidi, Intel and Texas Instruments declined to comment on their plans before announcements and demonstrations planned for next week. 

Courtesy: The Times Of India

Samsung Galaxy SIII: 9 things to know

South Korea's Samsung Electronics has unveiled its latest flagship smartphone -- unveiled Galaxy SIII in the country. One of the most-awaited phones of 2012, Samsung Galaxy SIII (SAMSUNG GALAXY S3)  succeeds company's Galaxy SII.

Here are nine things to know about the Samsung's all-new smartphone Samsung Galaxy SIII.
Runs on Android 4.0

Samsung Galaxy S III runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). However, the default user interface of the OS is TouchWiz Nature UX, a custom skin prepared by Samsung.

Screen is 22% bigger than SII

Samsung's latest Galaxy phone sports a 4.8-inch touchscreen with an HD Super Amoled display at 1280 x 720 pixels. Overall, the screen is reportedly 22% larger than Samsung Galaxy SII.

Has 8 Mega Pixel Camera

Samsung Galaxy SIII comes with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with a zero-lag shutter speed to provide instant image-capturing. There's also a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera.

Has Siri rival 'S'

A feature similar to Siri on iPhone, Galaxy SIII has 'S' Voice that will help users in doing several tasks through voice commands. A demo at the launch event showed how a user can use the voice command feature to play a song, for example. Samsung claims that 'S' voice goes beyond earlier voice recognition technology from Samsung.

Thickness & weight

The smartphone has 16GB of internal memory. This can be expanded with a microSD card. Samsung said the Galaxy SIII will have a 2,100 mAh battery. The phone weighs 133 gram and has a thickness of 8.6mm.

Runs on Samsung's latest Chip

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

Samsung claims that it is the first quad-core processor built on the High-k Metal Gate (HKMG) low-power process technology. Other features of the processor include a video hardware codec engine for 1080p/30fps video recording and playback and an HDMI 1.4 interface.

Comes with free DropBox storage

Every user of Galaxy SIII smartphone will get free 50GB cloud storage from Dropbox, according to the company. This means the storage for Galaxy SIII users will be double of what Dropbox is giving HTC One series owners. The storage will, however, be valid for two years only.

Price and availability in India

Samsung Galaxy SIII has launched at an MRP of Rs 42,180 in India. However market price is expected to be lower by a few thousands rupees.

Courtesy: The Times Of India

BlackBerry Curve 9320 launched in India for Rs 15,990

BLACK SHINE: THE NEW BlackBerry Curve 9320

Amid falling tariffs and increasing popularity of 3G services, Canadian handset maker Research in Motion today launched 3G-compatible BlackBerry Curve 9320 smartphone priced at Rs 15,990 in the country. 

The new smartphone features all the core BlackBerry messaging and social-centric features that keep people connected and offers global 3G connectivity, RIM said in a statement. 

"The BlackBerry Curve series is extremely popular and successful in India. This new model is designed to make it easy for customers to be socially-connected, and we expect it will be especially popular in the youth segment," RIM India Managing Director Sunil Dutt said. 
Based on the BlackBerry 7.1 operating system, the handset also comes with a built-in FM radio and a better battery life, which offers customers up to 7 hours of talk time. The integrated camera includes a flash and supports video recording. 

Recently, Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular have slashed 3G prices by up to 70 per cent, while Reliance Communications also joined the league today to cut prices by up to 61 per cent from their existing rates. 

The tariff plans are aimed at making internet usage within the reach of rural, mid-town customers at home and help first time users experience the benefits of 3G, the operators have said. 
The government had received over Rs 67,000 crore from the 3G auctions held in 2010. With operators taking huge loans to pay for the 3G licences, experts say operators are under pressure to recover the investment, which could see more operators slashing tariffs in the coming days.


Courtesy: The Times Of India

No problem with HTC One X multitasking: HTC

The HTC One X is not suffering from any multitasking related Issues comments HTC.

Smartphone manufacturer, HTC has dismissed reports that its flagship smartphone, One X has any multitasking problems.

NO PROBLEMO: The new HTC One X

Earlier some users claimed that the HTC One X's memory management system automatically kills any possible application running in the background if it is left unattended for more than 30 seconds. So if you are browsing and you get redirected to Google Play Store then after 30 seconds your browser will automatically shut down. Hence, you have to continue from the beginning and start the application again for re assuming the browsing.

But in a statement sent to The Verge, HTC stated that there is absolutely no problem with the One X or with its operating system. But it has all to do with the Sense User interface for which the memory control feature has been tweaked to provide a better user experience.

"HTC is aware of some questions in the enthusiast community about how the HTC One X handles multitasking and memory management for background apps. We value the community's input and are always looking for ways to enhance customers experience with our devices. That said, right now multitasking is operating normally according to our custom memory management specifications which balance core ICS features with a consistent HTC Sense experience," HTC said in its statement.

Courtesy: The Mobile Indian

Samsung launches smart TV at Rs 37,700 in India

MUMBAI: South Korean consumer electronics major Samsung is bullish on the flat panel TV business in India, and is eyeing a 35 per cent market share in the segment that is expected to touch 50 lakh units in the current year.

The company which is present in India through its wholly- owned subsidiary, Samsung India Electronics, has a market share of around 30 per cent of the 38 lakh units of flat panel televisions in the country.

"We have over 30 per cent share in the business, which is more than the industry growth, and this year it should increase by five percentage points to 35 per cent," Samsung India Audio Video Business Vice-President Raj Kumar Rishi told reporters here.

The firm is also betting big on the LED TVs and expects to garner a market share of close to 40 per cent this year from 34 per cent in 2011.

"Consumers are showing a strong adoption of LED TVs. It has better technology, lower energy consumption and the better picture performance. We will also launch new products in LED and drive the transition from LCD to LED," Rishi said.

"Samsung's contribution to LED TVs is expected to grow to 70 per cent this year compared to 25 per cent sale of flat TVs in 2011," he added.

The company today launched its interactive smart TV priced at Rs 37,700 to Rs 2,73,000.

With the new launch, the company is targeting a market share of 65 per cent in this category.

Samsung also plans to sell 1.5 lakh units of smart TV units as their market is projected to reach 2.5 lakh units in 2012 as compared to over 1.1 lakh units in 2011.

Karbonn launches dual-SIM phone KT-21 Express

THE NEW KARBONN KT-21 Express

NEW DELHI: Karbonn Mobiles on Friday launched its latest phone dual-SIM phone Karbonn KT-21 Express with touch and type feature. Karbonn KT-21 boasts of a 7.1cm TFT capacitive screen and a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash.

The device has 16GB memory and is powered by a 1000 mAh Li-ion battery. For connectivity the phone supports PC Sync, Bluetooth, GPRS, WAP, EDGE and also supports Push Mail service.

The other features include 3.5mm audio jack, Proximity and Motion Sensor, Mobile Tracker, dual torch. The phone also has Karbonn Instant Messenger ( KIM), a PIN based real time messaging application which offers its users easier chatting option and NexgTV which allows users to watch 50+ Live TV Channels on the phone.

The phone is priced at Rs 4,490.

Karbonn launches Android-based A9 smartphone

SMART BOY: THE NEW KARBONN A9

Karbonn has expanded its Android-based handsets portfolio in India with the launch of Karbonn A9. 

Karbonn A9 is powered by a 1GHz processor and runs on Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread. It also includes dual-SIM capability (GSM + GSM) making it another contender in low-cost, dual-SIM Android market. The smartphone has the functionality to allow users to use both the number simultaneously. 

Karbonn A9 sports a 3.8-inch display with a 800x480 pixels resolution, 3G and WiFi capabilities, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and a secondary front facing camera. It supports expandable memory up to 32GB via microSD card. 

The device is officially priced at Rs 10,990.


Courtesy: The Times Of India

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

Sony launches 13 MP smartphone, Xperia GX

THE XPERIA GX

Sony Mobile Communications has launched two new Android-based LTE smartphones in Japan, Xperia SX and Xperia GX. 

Sony branded Xperia GX has a 13-megapixel camera. Xperia GX has an 4.6-inch HD screen and 16GB of internal flash storage. 

Xperia SX comes with a 3.7-inch screen and weighs 95 gm, making it one of the world's lightest LTE smartphone according to the company. Xperia SX has 8GB of internal flash storage and an 8-megapixel camera. 

Both the smartphones are powered by 1.5GHz dual-core processors and will run on Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich. 

The company has not announced the pricing of the two smartphones. 


Courtesy: The Times Of India

Lenovo unveils 55-inch smart TV

BEIJING/HONG KONG: What a difference nearly 50 years makes. Although the exact origins are lost to time, it was around 1965 that the phrases "boob tube" and "idiot box" were coined to describe the small cathode-ray tube television and the content broadcast on it that many thought foolish.

Fast-forward to 2012 and it's the era of the "smart TV," a slim and stylish - and large - LED flatscreen model connected to the Internet that allows viewers to download movies, play video games and Skype their relatives around the world.

Lenovo K91 smart TV

Smart TVs are also the latest battleground for technology giants like Apple Inc, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Lenovo Group Ltd, each of which is trying to capture the eyeballs and wallets of consumers hungry for content displayed in the comfort of their home in 3D on a high-definition screen.

The latest entry in the market was unveiled in Beijing by Lenovo on Tuesday, where the world's second-largest PC maker showcased its 55-inch K91 smart TVs to attendees who were reading Sina microblogs, playing simulated tennis and watching the movie "Inception" on demo models.

While relatively established in other parts of the world, smart TVs have been slow to catch on in China because of restrictions on content and the concept itself is relatively new.

The K-series is Lenovo's first smart TV and the company decided to launch it on its home turf because it said it would be easier to negotiate content deals in China.

"We been very busy this spring sowing seeds for the future," Lenovo's CEO and chairman, Yang Yuanqing, said during the launch. "Lenovo not only wants to be a leading PC vendor, it also wants to be a global leader in providing Internet consumer devices."

Lenovo may have to play catch-up in the rest of the world as tech heavyweights Samsung and Apple power ahead with their own offerings. Another Korean firm, LG Electronics Inc, the world's No.2 TV maker, plans to launch Internet-enabled TV based on Google's platform in theUnited States in May.

"Whatever Apple does, it sets the trend for some other PC makers," said Vincent Chen, an analyst at Yuanta Securities in Taipei. "For Lenovo, the smart TV is a good strategy for it to consolidate its market share in China. However, content will be the biggest obstacle for Lenovo's smart TVs to be sold outside of China."

Diversification

Lenovo, which has been diversifying into making its Lephone smartphones and Lepad tablet PCs, derived more than 40 per cent of its total nine-month sales of $22 billion in 2011 from China.

Analysts said Lenovo had been dominant in the traditional PC sector, but its foray into smartphones, tablet PCs and now smart TVs, has not been as successful.

The launch of its smart TVs will unlikely have an immediate boost on Lenovo's earnings in coming quarters since it is only being sold in China. By 2015, smart TVs will make up about half of total TVs shipped globally, Lenovo executives said.

Lenovo's smart TV, which comes in four models with prices ranging from 6,499 yuan ($1,032) to 14,999 yuan, uses a Qualcomm Inc processor and runs Google Inc's Android 4.0 operating system.

Lenovo K91 smart TV

Lenovo plans to start selling its smart TV this month at electronics retailer Suning stores in nine cities: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

The company is already selling a console that could be paired with the new smart TV. The company's Eedoo unit in April launched the CT510 console that will compete with Microsoft Inc's XBox Kinect and Sony Corp's Playstation.

However, Lenovo said its CT510 device is primarily an exercise and entertainment device since sales of so-called gaming consoles are banned in China.

Lenovo's shares fell 4.2 percent on Tuesday, underperforming the main Hang Seng Index's 0.4 per cent loss.

Information Courtesy: The Times Of India

Sony Xperia U launching in India

THE SONY XPERIA U

Sony Xperia U, the company's second Android smartphone after Xperia S, is all set to launch in the Indian market. The smartphone is available for pre-order on some online retail websites like Flipkart and Letsbuy. 

Sony Mobile India had announced the smartphone in the country along with Xperia Sand Xperia P last month. It is powered by a 1GHz dual core processor, has a 3.5-inch display with 854x480p resolution and a 5MP camera. 

Sony Xperia comes with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) onboard, however, the company has promised Android 4.0 update for the smartphone. 

The smartphone is expected to be priced around Rs 17,000. As per web reports, Xperia U is expected to ship sometime this week. 

Key specs: * 1GHz dualcore processor * 5MP rear camera, with auto focus, 16x digital zoom, LED flash * Weight: 110 gram * 8 GB internal storage with 4GB accessible to the user * 512MB RAM * 1320 mAh battery * Available colours: White, black * Screen: 3.5 inch TFT touchscreen, 854 x 480 pixels


Information Courtesy: 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