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

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.

Amazon to launch front-lit Kindle soon: Source

Amazon.com will launch new versions of its Kindle e-reader and tablet, including amonochrome e-reader with front lighting, a source who has seen the prototype told Reuters. 

The world's largest internet retailer is aiming to have the new e-reader in stores in July, said the source, who has direct knowledge of the matter but asked not to be named because Amazon has not yet made the decision public. 

Amazon has been ramping up production of the new Kindle, which will run on E Ink's display, the source said. 

Amazon's Kindle e-reader has been popular, but readers have had to buy an external light to attach to the device to read in the dark. The front light eliminates that problem. 

"I do see demand for a front-lit Kindle," said Jennifer Colegrove, Vice President of Emerging Display Technologies at DisplaySearch, an NPD Group company, which monitors trends in the display sector. 

There is a trade-off, she said: "Front-lit will consume battery power and (it'll) run out ... quicker." 

Amazon also plans to launch a new tablet closer to the holiday season later this year, the source said. The new Kindle Fire is expected to have a bigger diagonal display of 8.9 inches, bringing it closer in size to Apple's iPad. The company did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment. 

"We don't comment on our customers' launch plans," said Sri Peruvemba, Chief Marketing Officer for E Ink Holdings, the supplier of Kindle's ePaper technology. 

"E Ink is an innovator and for the past 10 years, we have consistently delivered new products, major enhancements to existing products, and unique designs, so it is not surprising that there is constant speculation about what we will do next," said Peruvemba. 

While Barnes & Noble was the first to market with a glowing e-reader, there has been speculation about Amazon being a close second. 

Amazon will launch the new Kindle e-reader in the touch 3G and touch Wi-Fi versions, the source said. 

"They can afford to add a front light because the component is not very expensive and their display otherwise uses very little energy," said Colegrove. 

An increase of about $10 above the current prices should be "quite reasonable," she said. 

The source said Amazon was likely to keep prices the same, or raise them by a very small margin, if at all. 

Some blogs had speculated on the possibility of a color-equipped e-reader, but the source said that there was very little chance of Amazon launching one this year. Though Amazon has held can talks with E Ink, the companies haven't reached any concrete decisions yet, he said. 

Vinita Jakhanwal, an analyst at IHS iSuppli, which tracks electronic component supply chains, said when she looked at the color e-paper product in a trade show in October, that it needed "a lot of technological improvements" to be used in a products in large volumes. 

"I doubt if the color Kindle is ready for a launch," she said.

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

Apple to unveil Intel-powered MacBooks

WELL PREPARED!

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple is preparing a new lineup of thinner MacBook laptops running on more powerful chips made by Intel, people with knowledge of the plans said.

The MacBook Pro machines, to be unveiled at Apple's annual developers conference starting June 11, also will feature high- definition screens like those on the iPhone and iPad, as well as flash memory to cut startup times and extend battery life, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans haven't been made public.

Apple's Mac sales are growing faster than the personal- computer market, benefiting from the popularity of its mobile devices. Since 2007, when the iPhone was introduced, Apple's Mac sales have more than doubled, reaching $21.8 billion last year. As Apple's share has grown, competitors such as Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Samsung Electronics have followed suit in making thinner, aluminum laptops that start up more quickly.

Apple's new laptops will run on Intel's new processors, code-named Ivy Bridge, and will have a slimmed-down body design from the current 0.95-inch thickness, the people said.

Bill Evans, a spokesman for Cupertino, California-based Apple, declined to comment, while Chuck Mulloy, a spokesman for Intel, referred questions to Apple.

Apple shares fell 1.5 per cent yesterday to $558.22 at the close in New York. The stock has risen 38 per cent this year.

Mountain Lion
At the developer conference, Apple also may announce the debut date of its latest Mac operating system, called Mountain Lion, one person said. The new software, which Apple previewed in February, more closely aligns Mac computers with its mobile devices -- the operating system includes many elements of the iOS mobile software that runs the iPhone and iPad. One feature lets users send a text message to an iPhone from a Mac.

Mountain Lion also expands Apple's iCloud digital-storage service to let Mac users access and share saved documents across the internet. It also allows users to create and access reminders and notes, and receive notifications, on all their Apple devices. Another new iCloud feature will make it easier to share photographs, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.

The emphasis on the Mac at next month's conference suggests that Apple will concentrate on the iPhone later in the year. Analysts, including Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray, have predicted Apple will release its next smartphone model by October. The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, accounting for 58 per cent of its revenue in the most recent quarter.

New Mobile Software Apple is expected to preview some of the new mobile software features that will be part of that release at the developer conference in San Francisco.

While Mac computers account for just 13 per cent of Apple's sales and are no longer the main sales engine for the company, the machines are steadily gaining market share. Apple controlled 11.6 per cent of the PC market in the US in the fourth quarter of last year, compared to 6.1 percent in the same period of 2007, according to Gartner Inc.

Apple last redesigned the body of the MacBook Pro in 2008. The devices have more memory and stronger graphical and computing capabilities than MacBook Air laptops. The MacBook Pro now costs $1,200 to $2,500, depending on the size and components.

The new models come as Apple looks beyond Intel for chips to power its iPhone and iPad. While Intel provides the semiconductors for Apple's new laptops, the chipmaker is facing questions from investors about why it hasn't made better inroads into the market for components that power phones and laptops. Instead of using the Santa Clara, California-based company for chips inside its mobile devices, Apple uses competing components based on the designs from ARM Holdings.

Intel's Goals At an investor meeting last week, Intel Chief Executive Officer Paul Otellini was asked whether the company was at risk of losing the Mac business altogether if Apple moves its computers to an ARM design. He said Intel's plan is to improve the performance of its designs to the point where Apple will use its products more widely.

Intel, the world's largest chipmaker, also is helping boost Apple's competitors in the PC market, who are seeking to respond to the popularity of Apple's iPads and laptops by introducing their own new products. Intel has been promoting a new type of thinner laptop, called an Ultrabook, that uses its components. Ultrabooks are less than an inch thick, have days of battery life, start up in seconds and sell for less than $1,000. The features are similar to those of Apple's MacBook Air.

Intel also has been working closely with Microsoft on the release of its Windows 8 operating system, which was designed to work on both PCs and mobile devices. The Ivy Bridge processordesign is made with an updated manufacturing process, resulting in more powerful chips that use less battery life. The technology website 9to5Mac.com reported earlier yesterday that Apple is working on a thinner version of the MacBook Pro with a sharper screen.


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

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

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

RIM launches BlackBerry Curve 9320; may come to India in June

BlackBerry Curve 9320: 

This is the first handset in the Curve series to feature WiFi hotspot functionality.

Close on the heels of launching the first BlackBerry 7.1 operating system based Curve 9220 smartphone in India last month, Research In Motion (RIM) has announced the launch of another phone with the same operating system.

BlackBerry Curve 9320

Along with identical features and specifications as the Curve 9220, the new BlackBerry Curve 9320 brings the WiFi hotspot functionality, making it the first Curve series phone to have the feature. The WiFi hotspot was announced by RIM for its high end devices earlier this year and has been incorporated in the BlackBerry Bold 9900 as well. Notably, the WiFi hotspot functionality would enable Curve 9320 users to share internet with up to five different devices.

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 features a 2.44-inch display with a VGA">QVGA 320 x 240 pixel resolution at 162 pixel density and comes with a full Qwerty keypad that has been one of the key differentiating factors for the BlackBerry range of smartphones.

FEATURE FEED

On multimedia front, the Curve 9320 features a 2 megapixel camera fixed focus camera, stereo FM radio and media player, WiFi connectivity, and expandable memory up to 32 GB through a micro SD card.

Another highlight of this smartphone is the dedicated BBM button for instant access to BlackBerry Messenger without having the need of getting in to the menu or having to setup shortcut icons on the home screen.

Although the device has been announced by the company, the pricing and availability details are yet to be announced. It is being expected that the BlackBerry Curve 9320 will again fall under the budget smartphone category with an expected price tag of Rs 12,000 for the Indian market where it could be launched next month (June) itself.

Courtesy: The Mobile Indian

Sony Mobile India rolls out Android 4.0 update

Sony Mobile India has started rolling out Android 4.0 update for select devices in the country. These devices include arc S, neo V and Ray from company's Xperia series. Consumers will have to use the PC Companion or Sony Bridge for MAC software on their computers to upgrade the device.

Sony is the second manufacturer to start the Ice Cream Sandwich update process for its smartphones in India; earlier Samsung released Android 4.0 for the Nexus S phone. Majority of Android consumers in the country are still waiting for the updates, including the owners for popular smartphones like Samsung Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note and Motorola RAZR.

The Ice Cream Sandwich update for Xperia phones brings new lock-screen, smart dialer, resizable widget, face unlock, new task switcher, and performance improvements.

Other smartphones in the Xperia series - Xperia arc, Xperia Play, Xperia neo, Xperia mini, Xperia mini pro, Xperia pro, Xperia active and Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman are scheduled to get the update at the end of May or early June.

Courtesy: NDTV GADGETS

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

Nokia Pureview 808 coming to India in may

The 41 Megapixel King: The Nokia Pureview 808

Nokia's 41-megapixel smartphone PureView 808 is expected to see its India launch in May. Russia will also be one of the first countries to receive the device. 

The Symbian S60-powered Nokia PureView 808 was one of the major highlights of this year's Mobile World Congress held at Barcelona. 

Nokia 808 PureView features a high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performanceCarl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology. At standard resolutions (2/3, 5 and 8 megapixels) this means the ability to zoom without loss of clarity and capture seven pixels of information, condensing into one pixel for the sharpest images imaginable. 

Nokia 808 PureView also includes full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom and the world's first use of Nokia Rich Recording. Rich Recording claims audio recording at CD-like levels of quality. PureView also features Dolby Headphone technology. 

According to reports, Nokia so far has no plans of launching the device in the US. The company has also not yet revealed the official pricing.

NMR brings out its contest fest!

Here we are! Happy to announce National Mobile Review's first online contest! Answer this question and 3 of you could win a Nokia C3! 


Q) Which of these Nokia handsets has astonished the telecom world by introducing a 41 mega pixel camera?


i) Nokia Lumia


ii) Nokia Pureview 808


Send your answers to +91.9342.100100 via SMS and the winner will be declared through lucky draw. No terms and conditions! Winners will be announced 1st of May' 2012. Competition open till 30th of April' 2012. Happy Hour!


Prizes sponsored by
Rishab Telecom (P) Ltd. India