Wednesday, August 21, 2013

An Advice to all who are worrying about fall of Indian Rupee


Throughout the country please stop using cars except for emergency for only seven days (Just 7 days)
Definitely Dollar rate will come down. This is true. The value to dollar is given by petrol only. This is called Derivative Trading. America has stopped valuing its Dollar with Gold 70 years ago.

Real story of American Dollar v/s Indian Rupee
Americans understood that Petrol is equally valuable as Gold so they made Agreement with all the Middle East countries to sell petrol in Dollars only. That is why Americans print their Dollar as legal tender for debts. This mean if you don't like their American Dollar and go to their Governor and ask for repayment in form of Gold, as in India they won't give you Gold.

You observe Indian Rupee, " I promise to pay the bearer..." is clearly printed along with the signature of Reserve Bank Governor. This mean, if you don't like Indian Rupee and ask for repayment, Reserve Bank of India will pay you back an equal value of gold.(Actually there may be minor differences in the Transaction dealing rules, but for easy comprehension I am explaining this)

Let us see an example. Indian petroleum minister goes to Middle East country to purchase petrol, the Middle East petrol bunk people will say that liter petrol is one Dollar.
But Indians won't have dollars. They have Indian Rupees. So what to do now? So That Indian Minister will ask America to give Dollars. American Federal Reserve will take a white paper , print Dollars on it and give it to the Indian Minister. Like this we get dollars , pay it to petrol bunks and buy petrol.

But there is a fraud here. If you change your mind and want to give back the Dollars to America we can't demand them to pay Gold in return for the Dollars. They will say " Have we promised to return something back to you? Haven't you checked the Dollar ? We clearly printed on the Dollar that it is Debt"
So, Americans don't need any Gold with them to print Dollars. They will print Dollars on white papers as they like.

But what will Americans give to the Middle East countries for selling petrol in Dollars only?
Middle East kings pay rent to America for protecting their kings and heirs. Similarly they are still paying back the Debt to America for constructing Roads and Buildings in their countries. This is the value of American Dollar. That is why Many say some day the Dollar will be destroyed.

At present the problem of India is the result of buying those American Dollars. American white papers are equal to Indian Gold. So if we reduce the consumption of petrol and cars, Dollar will come down

The Above Details are translated originally from Telugu Language to English by Radhika Gr.
Kindly share this and make everyone aware of the facts of American Dollar V/s Indian Rupee.

And here is a small thing other than petrol , what we can do to our Indian Rupee

YOU CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THE INDIAN ECONOMY BY FOLLOWING FEW SIMPLE STEPS:-
Please spare a couple of minutes here for the sake of India.
Here's a small example:-

Before 12 months 1 US $ = INR Rs 39
After 12 months, now 1 $ = INR Rs 62

Do you think US Economy is booming? No, but Indian Economy is Going Down.

Our economy is in your hands. INDIAN economy is in a crisis. Our country like many other ASIAN countries, is undergoing a severe economic crunch. Many INDIAN industries are closing down. The INDIAN economy is in a crisis and if we do not take proper steps to control those, we will be in a critical situation. More than 30,000 crore rupees of foreign exchange are being siphoned out of our country on products such as cosmetics, snacks, tea, beverages, etc. which are grown, produced and consumed here.

A cold drink that costs only 70 / 80 paisa to produce is sold for Rs.9 and a major chunk of profits from these are sent abroad. This is a serious drain on INDIAN economy. We have nothing against Multinational companies, but to protect our own interest we request everybody to use INDIAN products only at least for the next two years. With the rise in petrol prices, if we do not do this, the Rupee will devalue further and we will end up paying much more for the same products in the near future.

What you can do about it?
Buy only products manufactured by WHOLLY INDIAN COMPANIES. Each individual should become a leader for this awareness. This is the only way to save our country from severe economic crisis. You don't need to give-up your lifestyle. You just need to choose an alternate product.

Daily products which are COLD DRINKS,BATHING SOAP ,TOOTH PASTE,TOOTH BRUSH ,SHAVING CREAM,BLADE, TALCUM POWDER ,MILK POWDER ,SHAMPOO , Food Items etc. all you need to do is buy Indian Goods and Make sure Indian rupee is not crossing outside India.

Every INDIAN product you buy makes a big difference. It saves INDIA. Let us take a firm decision today.

we are not anti-multinational. We are trying to save our nation. Every day is a struggle for a real freedom. We achieved our independence after losing many lives.
They died painfully to ensure that we live peacefully. The current trend is very threatening.

Multinationals call it globalization of Indian economy. for Indians like you and me, it is re-colonization of India. The colonist's left india then. but this time, they will make sure they don't make any mistakes.

russia, s.korea, mexico - the list is very long!! let us learn from their experience and from our history. let us do the duty of every true indian. finally, it's obvious that you can't give up all of the items mentioned above. so give up at least one item for the sake of our country!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

When and how can you withdraw from your EPF?!

Almost all salaried people contribute a certain percentage of their salary towards their Employee Provident Fund (EPF) account every month. While most of us know that EPF is an effective tool that helps generate a corpus for life post retirement, many of us are unaware that you can make a withdrawal from your EPF account for urgent cash requirements.
However, an EPF account cannot be treated like any other saving bank account implying that there are certain specified criteria under which withdrawal is permitted from an EPF account. An individual needs to furnish all relevant documents and satisfy the necessary requirements in order to be eligible for premature withdrawal of EPF.
Here are the categories and other details with respect to premature withdrawal from EPF.

Education or marriage:
Requirement:
1. The employee should have completed at least 7 years of employment or service.
2. Withdrawal allowed for self, sibling(s) or children’s marriage.
3. Withdrawal permitted for self or children’s education only.
4. Proof of the education or wedding required to be submitted, such as a valid copy or a
certificate of the payable fees or the wedding invitation
5. In case of education, the individual needs to apply in Form 31 through his/her employer.

Amount allowed to be withdrawn: 50% of the total corpus amount till date
No. of times permitted: Permitted thrice only during a person’s total service tenure

Medical treatment:
Requirement:
1. Withdrawal permitted for medical treatment of self, spouse, parents and children.
2. There is no restriction regarding the number of years of service.
3. The proof of hospitalization for a month or more along with an approved leave certificate from the employer for the corresponding period needs to be produced.
4. The member needs to obtain and deposit a certificate from the employer or ESI stating that ESI facility is not accessible or available to him/her.
5. A certified proof or document of the disease should be submitted in Form 31 while applying for withdrawal.

Amount allowed to be withdrawn: 6 times the monthly salary of an individual or the total corpus amount, whichever is lesser
No. of times permitted: Anytime

Purchase of a plot:
Requirement:
1. Should have completed at least 5 years of service.
2. The plot or property should be registered in the person’s or his/her spouse’s name or should be owned jointly.
3. The plot should not be entangled in any legal issues and the agreement registered under the Indian Registration Act with the Flat Promoter needs to be submitted along with the application form.

Amount allowed to be withdrawn: Up to 24 times the salary of the individual
No. of times permitted: Once during entire service tenure

Construction or purchase of a flat, house or plot:
Requirement:
1. Should have completed at least 5 years of service.
2. The house should be registered in the person’s or his/her spouse’s name or should be owned jointly.

Amount allowed to be withdrawn: 36 times the monthly salary of the individual
No. of times permitted: Once during entire service tenure

Repayment of Home Loan:
Requirement:
1. Should have completed at least 10 years of employment.
2. The house should be registered in the person’s or his/her spouse’s name or should be owned jointly.

Amount allowed to be withdrawn: 36 times the monthly salary of the individual
No. of times permitted: Once during entire service tenure

Alteration or Renovation of house:
Requirement:
1. Should have completed at least 5 years of service.
2. The house should be registered in the person’s or his/her spouse’s name or should be owned jointly.

Amount allowed to be withdrawn: Up to 12 times the individual’s monthly salary
No. of times permitted: Once during entire service tenure

Pre-retirement
Requirement: The individual must be at least 54 years old.
Amount allowed to be withdrawn: 90% of the total corpus amount
No. of times permitted: Once during entire service tenure

Withdrawal from EPF after leaving an Organization
On switching jobs, an employee can apply for transfer of money from the EPF account through a form which is filled by the employee and attested by the designated authority at the employer.
Withdrawal of money from the account in between two jobs is illegal and is permissible only under the following two circumstances:
• When a member is in between two jobs
• If the member has been unable to find another job for over two months

Grievance related to withdrawal from EPF
There is a mechanism to address grievances of EPF members which comes under the Consumer Protection Act. To report a grievance, a member needs to:
• Log on to the website www.epfigms.gov.in
• Click Register Grievance
• Enter the details and information in the specified field.

All grievances related to the following subjects can be addressed to the grievance cell:
• Withdrawal or final settlement of EPF
• Scheme certificate
• Transfer of accumulated PF amount
• Issuance of PF balance or slip
• Return or misplacement of cheque
• Payment of insurance benefit

EPF is the corpus that helps build financial stability post retirement. It is, therefore, advisable to leave the amount undisturbed during employment tenure unless the circumstances are unavoidable.

Micromax Canvas 4 vs Nokia Lumia 720



Who would have thought that one day a company such as Micromax will be going up against the global leader, Nokia on the Indian turf. Micromax has already launched the Canvas 4 for Rs 17,999 while the Nokia Lumia 720 retails for a similar price as well. So if you had Rs 18,000 to spend on a smartphone, the confusion between these two is bound to arise. So here we are, to solve that problem of yours.

Micromax Canvas 4

Screen: Micromax Canvas 4 has a 5 inch IPS display unit of 720p resolution whereas the Lumia 720 has a WVGA display unit that works with gloves and long nails. The Micromax offering has a far better screen and it emerges out as a clear winner in this regard.

Operating System: Micromax Canvas 4 runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean whereas the Lumia 720 runs on Windows Phone 8 which are poles apart as operating systems. Android has a wider application base whereas Windows Phone 8 has a better user interface. The applications play a vital role in deciding the smartphone these days so the Micromax offering surges ahead in this department.

Processor: The Lumia 720 has a 1GHz dual core Krait processor doing duty inside it whease the Micromax offering has a 1.2 GHz quad core processor ticking inside it. Both of them work without a hiccup on respective devices so it is a tie in this case.

RAM and Storage Options: The Micromax Canvas 4 comes with a 1GB RAM whereas the Lumia 720 has 512MB of RAM which restricts the app compatibility whereas the Micromax offering has a wider application compatibility. The Lumia 720 comes with an 8GB internal storage which can be expanded by another 64GB whereas the Canvas 4 comes with 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded by another 32GB. So we’ll call it a tie in this case seeing the fact that one offers more expandable storage and other one more internal storage.


Nokia Lumina 720

Camera and Connectivity: The Nokia Lumia 720 comes with a 6.7MP rear camera with Carl Zeiss Optics and a 1.3MP front camera unit. The Canvas 4 comes with a 13MP camera the back while the front camera unit is a 5MP one. The Canvas 4 may look impressive on paper but loses out to Lumia 720 in low light photography. Both of them feature 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but the Lumia 720 comes with NFC so it gets some extra brownie points for that. It also gets wireless charging which the Canvas 4 misses out on.

Battery and Other features: Both of them come with a 2,000 mAh battery but the Lumia definitely scores over the Micromax Canvas 4 as its battery lasts way more than it. Lumia 720 is a single SIM device whereas the Canvas 4 is a dual SIM device. So that is subject to the choice of a person.

Verdict: If you want a no non-sense intuitive smartphone and you are not much of an application hungry user, the Lumia 720 is the one you should be looking at. If you are into gaming and stuff like that, the Canvas 4 is your thing but it is not a VFM device and the Canvas HD makes a bit more sense. My personal choice will be the Lumia 720. Do let us know yours.


Monday, August 12, 2013

Nokia Lumia 720 Review


Nokia Lumia 720 Review By Prasad Naik

Ever since the Finnish company decided to join forces with Microsoft, Nokia has been steadily releasing a slew of Windows Phones into the market covering various price points. We have seen devices like the Lumia 920 and the Lumia 820 in the past, which took care of the high-end of the market and
phones such as the Lumia 520 and the Lumia 620, which are covering the low-end.

Today we have the Lumia 720 with us, which sits bang in the middle of Nokia’s Lumia range and is a mid-range device with enough features to attract those who don’t want to spend too much but want something more than a budget device. Let’s see how well it performs.

Design
Nokia has history of making great looking and the Lumia 720 is no different. The phone takes on the appearance of the more expensive Lumia 920 and looks really good, particularly the red version pictured here. Unlike some of the other Lumia models, the 720 has a unibody construction and the polycarbonate on the back fuses effortlessly with the glass on the front.

The front has the Gorilla Glass 2 stretching from top to bottom and housing the display roughly in the middle. As with the previous Lumia phones, there is a sizable bezel around the screen, particularly below with the three keys, and it does tend to make the display look smaller than it is. Above the display are the earpiece and the front facing camera.

On the right, the phone has the volume control keys, power keys and two-step camera shutter key. Having the power key on the side instead of the top is convenient but having it on same side as the volume keys means you often end up pressing one when you want the other. Having it on the other side would have reduced the confusion.

On top is the 3.5mm headphone jack. Since the phone has a unibody design, the card slots are on the outside, with the micro SIM slot on top and microSD slot on the left, both operated using the provided tool. On the bottom is the micro USB port.

On the back is the 5 megapixel camera with an LED flash. A secondary microphone can be seen just above the flash. Near the bottom are the connectors for the snap-on wireless charging cover and loudspeaker. The snap-on cover is a separately sold accessory and not part of the standard equipment. It adds extra size and bulk to the phone, not to mention makes it look worse, for the convenience of wireless charging.

The hardware has a nice feel and fits well in your hand. The matte red unit we received looked nice but was a tad slippery, which was exacerbated by the curvy body. The phone, however, feels rock solid despite the plastic construction and should be able to take a few drops without any issues.

Overall the design and build of the Lumia 720 are very impressive and although it is only a mid-range device it has a premium feel to it that surpasses that of many expensive phones.

Display
The Lumia 720 has a 4.3-inch, 800 x 480 resolution ClearBlack LCD. The ClearBlack technology improves outdoor visibility by employing a polarizing filter that makes the display easier to see even under direct sunlight.

The 720 also uses a couple of software tweaks to improve the visibility under bright light by changing the color and brightness of the panel. The image no longer looks natural but if you’re just trying to look at text or a map under sunlight then it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Lastly, the Lumia 720 also employs the super-sensitive touch that we first saw on the Lumia 920. Once enabled, this lets you use the touchscreen even through gloves or pretty much anything, for that matter.

Speaking of image quality, the display on the Lumia 720 is actually quite good. The colors, brightness, contrast, viewing angles and sunlight legibility are all impressive. Only issue is the WVGA resolution, which makes some of the fonts look rough, especially while scrolling. Still, for most parts the display on the Lumia 720 is quite satisfactory.

Hardware, Software and Performance
The Lumia 720 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8227 SoC with a 1GHz dual-core Krait CPU and Adreno 305 GPU. In terms if memory, it has 512MB of RAM and 8GB of storage space, out of which only about 3GB is available to the user. You’ll be glad to know then that the phone also has a microSD card slot. In terms of connectivity, the phone has 3G/HSPA, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ab/g/n, NFC, A-GPS and GLONASS.

The software is the same old Windows Phone 8. Released over a year ago now, the OS is already starting to feel long in the tooth and Microsoft’s glacial pace at updating it isn’t helping matters. In its current version, Windows Phone would have been great four years ago but feels severely out of touch with what’s going on in the rest of the smartphone world. Whatever is the next version it couldn’t come soon enough.

Beyond the core operating system, Nokia has usual has installed its own range of apps and service. There is the excellent Nokia Here maps application, along with turn-by-turn voice navigation with Nokia Drive. Then there is the Nokia Music service for free streaming of Indian and international music, Cinemagraph for taking pictures with moving elements, Panorama for, well, panorama shots, Smart Shoot that takes multiple shots and lets you choose the best one, and a couple of others. Nokia has also installed a few third party apps, such as BIGFLIX, BookMyShow, Cosmopolitan, Hike, TripAdvisor and Zomato. As usual, you can choose to uninstall all of these, if you wish.

Nokia’s applications are what set their Windows Phone devices apart from everyone else’s (that and the fact that every else seems to have pretty much given up at this point). Nokia does a good job of making up for Microsoft’s inadequacies to quite an extent.

Unfortunately, Nokia can’t make up for everything and as before, Windows Phone still lags behind when it comes to third party apps. It’s disappointing that even after three years this is still an issue but that’s just how it is. If you’re not a big app or games person and only need the basic apps to get through your day, you should be fine. More demanding users would still be advised to look at iOS or Android.

In terms of performance, the Lumia 720 is in line with other Windows Phone devices. The UI is as smooth as ever, although occasionally it would hiccup in odd places. The menu in the camera app, for example, always lagged every time it was brought up.

As with other Lumia phones, the 720 comes with additional options in the Settings menu, such as for the display and network settings. These are not part of the core OS and added separately by Nokia through. Due to this, there is a distinct lag when you open them, complete with a loading screen. On surface, they look like any other settings item so the lag is likely to confuse an average user who doesn’t know what Nokia has been up to. It would be better if Nokia works on making the integration more seamless by getting rid of the loading screens.

The Lumia 720 comes with 512MB of RAM, which other than making a handful of apps incompatible with the device also makes it easy to run out of memory during multitasking. It’s not difficult to choke the phone by running a few apps in the background while web browsing. This usually results in the phone either closing the apps or closing browser tabs.

Performance in gaming is a mixed bag. In certain games such as Temple Run there was noticeable lag whereas Asphalt 7: Heat worked fine. It really depends upon the developers and how they optimize their apps. Unfortunately, most of them don’t really bother, which negatively affects the overall gaming performance.

Multimedia
The Lumia 720 has a 6.7 megapixel camera, which is a rather odd resolution to have. The main attraction is the camera aperture, which at f/1.9 is the widest on a mobile phone camera till date. What this should result in is some good low-light photography and shallow depth of field.

In terms of image quality, the Lumia 720 acquits itself quite well. Nokia is one of the best around when it comes to camera quality but it’s good to see the expertise trickle down to mid-range offerings as well. The images from the 720 are fairly detailed and noise-free with natural colors and sharpness. The large aperture doesn’t really result in a particularly shallow depth of field compared to phones with smaller apertures but then that is expected from such a small lens.

In lowlight, the camera once again delivers impressive results, with genuinely usable images, helped no doubt by the wide aperture allowing more light in than on most camera phones. Of course, the aperture alone can’t do much, so it’s good that Nokia has paired the optics with a good sensor as well. Low light images look pretty decent and have a surprisingly low-amount of noise.

Videos were once again quite good. The phone records 720p videos, which, other than the usual wobble associated with a lack of stabilization of any kind, were sharp and smooth.

The audio video performance is on par with other Windows Phone devices. The music player still won’t let you play FLAC files and the video player cannot play anything other than MP3, that too without subtitle support. This barebones experience may have made sense back in 2007 when the iPhone was announced but not anymore. The fact that you don’t even have decent apps to make up for this functionality makes things worse.

The audio quality of the 720 is pretty good, both through the headphones as well as the loudspeaker. The single loudspeaker, despite its position is pretty loud even if you keep it on a surface. The headphone output can be altered as Nokia bundles an equalizer app within the main settings although it’s best to leave them disabled. Nokia also bundles a pair of earphones with the phone but they have to be perhaps the worse I’ve ever heard and don’t ever deserve to be taken out of the box.

Battery Life
The Lumia 720 has a non-removable 2,000mAh battery. The battery size is the same as the one in the Lumia 920 and even bigger than what HTC provides with the 8X. Considering the slower processor, this has a profound effect on battery life. With regular usage, the Lumia 720 could get about two days of battery life, which has become incredibly rare these days. Even with heavy usage you’d still get over a day of usage, which is still pretty awesome.

Verdict
There is a lot to like in the Lumia 720. The design is absolutely gorgeous and good enough to make you want to buy the phone on that merit alone. The display is also pretty good, despite the lower resolution. The camera is impressive, both indoors and outdoors and the battery life is outstanding.

It’s not without its flaws, however. The first is Windows Phone 8, which is no longer a competitive operating system. It lags behind iOS and Android in both features as well as third party applications. Unless Microsoft gets its game together and releases some significant updates it is bound to fade into obscurity.

Secondly, at Rs. 17,999, the Lumia 720 is quite expensive. You are paying nearly twice over the Lumia 520 and not getting a lot in return. Priced below Rs. 15,000, the Lumia 720 would have been easier to recommend but not so much at the current price.

All things considered, if you’re someone who doesn’t use a lot of apps and manage to find a good deal, the Lumia 720 is a fine device and one of the best mid-range smartphones on the market today. Others are advised to look elsewhere

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Top 10 cheapest Android phones below Rs 10,000.


Android phones continue to rule the roost. We saw some very interesting power packed Android smartphones launched this month boasting of quad-core processors and a slew of exciting features for under Rs 10,000. We net the latest and the best Android 4.1 Jelly Bean smartphones below Rs 10,000 for July 2013.

1. Micromax Canvas 3D A115
The indigenous manufacturer continues to surprise its fans with attractively priced unique smartphones. The latest introduction to the popular Canvas series is Micromax’s first 3D phone dubbed - Canvas 3D A115. Priced at Rs 9,999, the device brings onboard a stereoscopic 3D technology, but without the need to wear glasses to view 3D-content.

To top it, the device also boast of dual-SIM functionality and features a 5-inch display with a 1GHz dual-core processor and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean packed under the hood. There is also a 5-megapixel rear camera, a VGA front camera, 32GB card support via Micro SD card and a 2,000mAH battery.

The device also comes pre-loaded with 3D games and Micromax 3D Space which is used to access 3D videos. You can also convert your regular pictures into the 3D images, which is quite amazing bearing the fact that the device comes with a Rs 9,999 price tag.

Price: Rs 9,999

2. Spice Stellar Virtuoso Pro with Spice Cloud
Spice's latest Android phone Stellar Virtuoso Pro also makes to our list of the top 10 great Android buys for this month. And not without a reason. The device features Spice’s cloud based service called Spice Cloud which brings free data storage and uninterrupted access to photos, documents, media files among others. In addition it also boasts of a mobile synchronization service which assists users in not only securing their data but also locating the device in case of theft or loss.

On the spec front, the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean powered device flaunts a 4.5-inch FWVGA display with 854×480 pixels resolution and a 5-megapixel rear camera along with a VGA front camera. Packed under the hood of the dual-SIM device is a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1700mAh battery and 3G support.

Price: Rs 7,999

3. Xolo Q600
The fourth member of Xolo's Q series of Android phones, Xolo Q600 was launched recently. One of the notable feature of the device is its pre-installed anti-theft software which protects the phone against theft or data misuse.

On the spec front, the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean powered device comes equipped with a 1.2GHz quad-core MTK ARM Cortex-A7 processor with Power VR SGX544 GPU and 512MB of RAM.

Sporting dual SIM capabilities, the Android device also houses a massive 4.5-inch display, 4GB of internal memory with 32GB support via a microSD card slot, 5-megapixel rear camera and a VGA camera for initiating video chatting and calling. It is backed by a 2000mAh battery with upto 13.4 hours of talktime on 2G and up to 10 hours of talktime on 3G.

On connectivity front, it provides several options including 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS.

Price: Rs 8,999

4. Karbonn Smart A27+
The indigenous manufacturer Karbonn has expanded its next Smart A-series with the addition of its newest member - Smart A27+. Featuring a 5-inch qHD display with a resolution of 540x960 pixels, the device harbors a 8-megapixel rear camera along with a secondary front facing camera in addition to 4GB onboard storage, expandable upto 32GB via microSD card.

The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean powered device runs on 1GHz dual-core processor with 512MB RAM. The dual SIM device is backed up by a 2,000mAh battery that promises 7 hours of talk time and 400 hours of standby time.

Other goodies on board include GPRS, EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), FM Radio and Wi-Fi hotspot/tethering.

Price: Rs 8,999

5. Intex Aqua Wonder Quadcore
An interesting offering from Intex that deserves mention is the Aqua Wonder Quadcore. The smartphone packs in both style and solid specs making it an exciting choice for buyers within the sub 10K range.

The device boasts of dual-SIM capabilities and comes fitted with a gorgeous 4.5-inch qHD display with 960x540 pixels resolution. Fueling the internals is the quad-core MediaTek MT6589 SoC with 512MB of RAM and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS. While the device packs in limited built-in storage at 1.93GB, the presence of the Micro-SD card support up to 32GB provides some relief.

The device comes strapped to a 8-megapixel rear-facing camera along with a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling and chatting. Also on board is a 800mAh battery and slew of connectivity options like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS.

Price: Rs 9,990

6. Micromax Canvas Lite A92

This mid-range Android 4.1 Jelly Bean smartphone from the Micromax family boasts of a 5-inch WVGA display with a 480×854 pixels resolution. Powering up the internals is a 1GHz dual-core processor paired with 512MB RAM. The camera front is taken care of by a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash.

The dual-SIM device also brings onboard a 2,000mAH battery which assures 6 hours of talktime on 2G and 240 hours of standby time along with a 4GB of expandable internal memory 3G support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

Rs 8,499

7. Xolo Q700
The Indian smartphone vendor, Lava brings the power of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean (out of the box) and quad-core with Xolo Q700. Featuring a 4.5-inch qHD display with 540×960 pixels resolution, the device boasts of ARM Cortex A7 processor and a PowerVR SGX544 GPU. Coupled with a 1GB of RAM, Lava ensures that Xolo Q700 makes for a seamless user experience. The device also supports dual-SIM functionality, a strong 2,400mAH battery life and a 5-megapixel rear camera along with a VGA front camera for video calling. On the storage front, you get a 4GB of internal memory with a 32GB support via microSD card slot.

Price: Rs 9,999

8. Samsung Galaxy Pocket Neo
We had first heard of Galaxy Pocket Neo way back in April. This entry-level phone brings on board a 3-inch QVGA TFT LCD display, 2-megapixel rear camera and 4GB of internal storage that can be further expanded using a microSD card slot. The dual-SIM device is powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS laced with Samsung’s Touchwiz UI, 850MHz processor coupled with 512MB RAM.

Other goodies on board include a descent 1,200mAh battery, 3G support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. To lure in consumers Samsung is offering Galaxy Pocket Neo owners 3,000 coins that can be used to download music, games, apps and more on the Samsung app store. That's not all. In partnership with Vodafone, consumers will also be getting 500MB of free 3G data for two months.

Price: Rs 7,340

9. Fly F53s
Another recent offering in the budget Android phablet comes from Fly Mobiles. The latest device known as Fly F53s sports a 5.3-inch qHD display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor along with a 1GB of RAM for smooth navigation and multitasking.

The device also incorporates an impressive 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front shooter for video calls and chatting. This device also houses dual-SIM connectivity (3G+2G) and comes with 4GB on-board storage which can be as usual expanded using a microSD card slot.

Price: Rs 9,999

10. Panasonic T11
One of Panasonic's recent entry in the sub Rs 10,000 range comprises of the dual-SIM Panasonic T11 Android smartphone. Catering to the consumers on budget, the device arrives with a 4-inch WVGA display with 480×800 pixels resolution, 5-megapixel rear camera and a VGA secondary camera, 4GB internal memory with 32GB support via a microSD card.

The device is powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and 1.2GHz quad-core processor complemented by a 1GB of RAM. Connectivity options are also plenty and include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, and GPS.

Price: Rs 7,500

Friday, August 9, 2013

USB OTG adapter - Can access Data from Pen Drive with Your Andriod Smart Phone


With the iPad Camera Connection Kit allowing users to connect a variety of unexpected USB devices (like a MIDI keyboard) to their iPads, the next logical question was, "Is there something similar for Android?"

Although it's not advertised or sold by any of the big Android phone manufacturers, the solution is a cheap cable called a USB On-The-Go adapter.

USB On-The-Go (Amazon link), or USB OTG, is essentially a female USB port that plugs into the Micro-USB port of a phone or tablet, allowing you to connect devices that use a standard USB 2.0 or 3.0 connection. In a nutshell, the adapter allows the Android device to be a "USB host," powering and communicating with the connected device.

Compatibility
So far, it's been difficult to figure out which Android devices are compatible with the USB OTG cable. It's clear, however, that the Samsung family of Android phones and tablets are the most USB-friendly of them all, allowing users to connect the greatest variety of USB devices.

Even though USB host mode is technically available in devices running Android 3.1 and above, the hardware manufacturers (OEMs) must enable the feature. And, even then, the OEM might limit the types of USB devices the Android phone or tablet supports.

With the help of this crowdsourced chart, and some of our own testing, we found that the following devices are compatible with USB OTG:

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

•Micromax Canvas HD
•Micromax Canvas 4
•Samsung Galaxy S 4 (S2)
•Samsung Galaxy S II (S2)
•Samsung Galaxy S III (S3)
•Galaxy Nexus*
•Nexus 7*
•Droid RAZR
•Samsung Galaxy Tab
•Acer Iconia Tab A200
•Acer Iconia Tab A500
•Archos G9
•Notion Ink Adam
•Motorola Xoom
•Toshiba Excite 10
•Sony Tablet S

So, it's clear that many Android phones lack support for USB host mode. It's possible that OEMs will include the feature in future software updates, but until then, those who want to hook up USB accessories to their unsupported Android devices will have to root.

*Although the Galaxy Nexus family supports many USB accessories, it does not support mass storage devices, like USB thumbdrives.

Using the USB OTG adapter
There's no set of instructions on how to use the USB OTG adapter, or what USB accessories are compatible with it. So, I unloaded my drawer of USB stuffs and got to work.

Use USB devices with Android

When you plug the OTG adapter into your Android device, a quick notification will appear, letting you know that the phone or tablet has recognized the adapter and is ready to be a USB host.

From there, you can start plugging in a number of USB devices. Here are the ones I tested using the Samsung Galaxy S III (S3):

•USB thumbdrive: When you plug in a USB thumbdrive, you Android device will quickly display its contents. You can play movies, play music, and view photos or documents. The interface also allows you to move or copy files from your thumbdrive to your phone's SD card. This is the most practical use of the USB OTG adapter, and an excellent way to quickly transfer files or expand your device's storage.
If, by chance, your device does not recognize the USB thumbdrive, try accessing it with an app like ES File Explorer.
•Desktop keyboard: If you need to do long-form writing, you can use a standard computer keyboard (wired or wireless) to type on your Android phone or tablet. Even shortcuts like Ctrl-A and Ctrl-X will work.
•Mouse: This was pretty surprising -- when you connect a mouse (wired or wireless), a pointer will appear on your Android's screen. With that, you can use the mouse just as you would your finger.
•USB hub: What if you want to connect a keyboard and mouse at the same time? With a USB hub plugged into the OTG adapter, you can do just that. Of course, your battery will drain a bit faster, but the setup might be worthwhile for power users.
•Powered hard drive: Because your Android powers whatever device it's connected to, a portable (not powered) hard drive won't work. However, a powered hard drive will, since it relies on energy from an external source. With the hard drive connected, you can read, write, and transfer any stored files.
•PS3 controller: Now, this is pretty crazy. The Samsung Galaxy S III is stock-compatible with the PS3 controller. As soon as you connect it, you can navigate the interface using the analog (thumb) stick. Most importantly, the controller is compatible with some Android games. So far, the inventory of PS3 controller-ready games has been hit or miss, but Sega games (like Sonic) definitely work.
•Card reader: Photographers will appreciate the USB OTG's compatibility with card readers. In theory, you could shoot photos on your high-quality camera and upload them on the go using your Android phone or tablet. This could also be useful for pro photographers who can show their clients previews or share sneak-peeks of photo shoots through apps like Instagram.
•DSLR camera (Canon T3i): The OTG adapter coupled with your dSLR's USB cable allows you to tether your camera to your phone or tablet. Using an app like Remote Release or DSLR Controller, you can even use your Android device as a remote shutter release, as well as control camera settings and mirror them live.
•USB-to-Ethernet adapter: If Wi-Fi isn't available, or you want a supersteady Internet connection, you can connect a USB-to-Ethernet adapter (like this one) to your USB OTG and connect the phone or tablet to a wired Ethernet connection.

With time, more Android devices will likely support USB hosting. If you discover any additional devices that support the USB OTG adapter, or other USB accessories that work with it, let me know in the comments

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Android and Windows grow as iOS slows…


Android and Windows grow as iOS slows…

Apple vs. Android. Nothing new here you may think. But throw Microsoft and Windows Phone into the mix and we now have the basis for a competitive operating system market.

Despite beating Wall Street expectations in terms of shipment volumes, Apple’s share in the worldwide smartphone operating system market has posted a year-over-year decline during the second quarter of 2013.

Notably however, Android and Windows Phone both managed slight increases during the same period.

“The iOS decline in the second quarter aligns with the cyclicality of iPhone,” says Ramon Llamas, Mobile Phone team Research manager, IDC.

“Without a new product launch since the debut of the iPhone 5 nearly a year ago, Apple’s market share was vulnerable to product launches from the competition.

“But with a new iPhone and revamped iOS coming out later this year, Apple is well-positioned to re-capture market share.”

According new IDC research, vendors shipped a total of 236.4 million smartphones in Q2, up 51.3% from the 156.2 million units shipped in Q2. Second quarter shipments grew 9.3% when compared to the 216.3 million units shipped in Q1.

“Last quarter we witnessed Windows Phone shipments surpassing BlackBerry and the trend has continued into the second quarter,” says Ryan Reith, Mobility Tracker Programs manager, IDC.

“Nokia has clearly been the driving force behind the Windows Phone platform and we expect that to continue.

“However, as more and more vendors enter the smartphone market using the Android platform, we expect Windows Phone to become a more attractive differentiator in this very competitive market segment.”

Smartphone OS highlights

IDC claims Android maintained its leadership position, with strong contributions from Samsung and its Galaxy S4.

Not to be overlooked however were LG and Chinese vendors Huawei, Lenovo, and ZTE, which each recorded double-digit shipment volumes in the millions.

Combined, these vendors accounted for 62.5% of all Android-powered smartphone shipments during the quarter.

Still, the remaining vendors within the Android ecosystem should not be overlooked, as many have developed a strong local presence within key developing markets.

iOS finished the quarter as the clear number two operating system, showing that, even without new product launches, demand remains strong.

Moreover, Apple added new mobile operators to its camp, boosting short-term volumes and cementing long-term end-user relationships.

What remains to be seen according to IDC is how the new iOS 7 will be received once it reaches the market later this year, as much of the look and feel of the user interface has been revamped.

Windows Phone posted the largest year-over-year increase among the top five smartphone platforms, and in the process reinforced its position as the number three smartphone operating system.

Driving this result was Nokia, which released two new smartphones and grew its presence at multiple mobile operators.

But beyond Nokia, Windows Phone remained a secondary option for other vendors, many of which have concentrated on Android. By comparison, Nokia accounted for 81.6% of all Windows Phone smartphone shipments during Q2..

BlackBerry saw its market share decline during the quarter, reaching levels not seen in the history of IDC’s Mobile Phone Tracker.

However, BlackBerry has shown steady progress since the launch of its BB10 platform, which has grown to three models, additional mobile operators, and a greater presence within its total volumes. It is still early days for the platform, however, and BlackBerry will need time and resources to evangelise more end users according to IDC.

Linux, with few vendors supporting the open source platform and virtually no global presence, barely scraped together a single percentage point of market share during the quarter.

Most vendors have transitioned to Android and those that remain have limited presence within specific markets.

It should be noted that IDC includes Linux-branded shipments in these numbers, and excludes Android-branded shipments. Several other branded variations of Linux, including Firefox, Tizen, and SailFish, are expected to launch later this year, providing a potential boost to volumes and market share.

Top smartphone OS (market share Q2):

• Android: 79.3%
• iOS: 13.2%
• Windows: 3.7%
• BlackBerry: 2.9%
• Linux: 0.8%
• Symbian: 0.2%
• Others: 0.0%

Top 10 Cheap Android Phones under Rs 5000 in India

Android Smartphones are doing great in the mobile market, even the fact that Android has made it possible to offer you a Smartphone under 5000 Rupees. There are multiple reasons though for drop rate such as increase in number of sales in mobile phones and users or competition between manufacture companies etc etc…

Here we are listing top 10 Android Phones under Rs 5000 in India, I bet you can’t get cheaper than this!

1. Dual-SIM Huawei Ascend Y210D

Dual-SIM Huawei Ascend Y210D From stunning high-end stalwarts like Huawei Ascend D1/ D2 to mid-range smartphones like Ideos X5 Pro, the Chinese mobile maker has impressed its fans with its design and engineering prowess. However at the same time the company also continues to cater to its budget fans. The company recently released a entry-level, dual-SIM Android smartphone dubbed Ascend Y210D. The device comes fitted with a 3.5-inch HVGA (480×320 pixels) display and packs in a Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS along with a 1GHz MSM7225A Cortex A5 processor and 256 MB RAM. A basic 2-megapixel camera is also present along with 512MB internal storage, 1,700mAH battery and 32GB memory support. Price: Available for Rs 4,899

2. Micromax Smarty A65 Micromax Smarty A65

Micromax’s first Android smartphone to feature Spreadtrum’s chipset, Smarty A65 flaunts a impressive 4.3-inch WVGA display, which is not seen too often specially in this low-priced market segment and a Android Gingerbread 2.3.5 OS. Add to that a 1GHz single-core Cortex A5 processor, 2-megapixel camera with flash, Wi-Fi support, 512MB RAM and dual SIM capability and we truly have a winner. Measuring 69.7x130x10.95 mm in dimensions, the device is backed by a 1,350mAh battery which promises 5 hours of talk time along with 200 hours of standby time. Price: Available for Rs 4,999


3. Dual-SIM Lava IRIS 351

Dual-SIM Lava IRIS 351 The latest entry-level dual-SIM offering by Lava, IRIS 351 sports a 3.5-inch display with a 480×320 pixel resolution. Powering up the internals is the Android 2.3 Gingerbread goodness and a 1GHz processor along with 256MB RAM. The device features a 2-megapixel camera on the go and a descent battery backup of 1300mAH. The internal storage stands at 512MB which can be further expanded using a Micro SD card. To sweeten the deal lava is also offering a 4GB data card free with IRIS 351. Price: Available for Rs 3,899

4. Micromax A27 Ninja

Micromax A27 Ninja Another great entry level offering from Micromax in its kick-ass Ninja collection is the A27. Keeping up with its tradition of introducing devices with exciting features, Micromax A27 Ninja sees the introduction of Swipe ‘n’ Share. This feature enables the users to share content by simply swiping it across the screen. The device runs on the Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is powered by a 1 GHz processor. Micromax Ninja A 27 sports a 3.5 inch HVGA display along with a 0.3-megapixel camera. Other goodies on board include the 256MB RAM, 1400 mAh battery and 32 GB Micro SD card support. While the device gives 3G and a front facing camera a miss, with a price tag of Rs 3,399, we won’t find many complaining. Price: Available for Rs 3,399

5. Dual-SIM Spice Smart Flo Mi-351

Dual-SIM Spice Smart Flo Mi-351 The indigenous manufacturer continues to bring a slew of attractive devices for budget conscious consumers. The latest budget Android offering is known as Spice Smart Flo Mi-351 and boasts of 3.5-inch HVGA display, Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, 1GHz processor and 256MB RAM. It also brings on board dual cameras – a 3.2-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera for video chatting and calling. The device also houses great connectivity options like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS along with a 1,600mAH battery life. Price: Available for Rs 3,699

6. Micromax Bolt A35

Micromax Bolt A35 Another sub Rs 5,000 offering from Micromax. Bolt A35 brings on board a bigger 4-inch WVGA capacitive display along with a resolution of 480×800 pixels. The device comes pre-loaded with a app called Flash Transfer which deserves a special mention. This app allows the users to share multimedia content across other Android phones over Wi-Fi connection. It also tends to work when there is no data connectivity. On the spec front, the device includes a powerful 1GHz processor, 2-megapixel rear camera along with a VGA front camera and 1,500mAH battery life. Price: Available for Rs 4,250

7. IBall Andi 3.5

IBall Andi 3.5 iBall expands its Andi series of smartphones with Andi 3.5. Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS and a 1GHz Cortex A9 processor, the device sports a 3.5-inch HVGA capacitive touch screen bringing vibrant and clear display. The device packs in a 2-megapixel rear camera and a LED flash, which comes very handy while taking pictures at night or in low light conditions. There is also a front facing camera, 1500mAH battery and standard 32GB MicroSD card support. It also hosts EDGE, GPRS Dual Band and Wi-Fi – giving you plenty of options to stay connected with your friends and family. Price: Available for Rs 4,499

8. Karbonn A1+

Karbonn A1+ caries on the legacy of its predecessor with better and improved features. The Android device sports a 3.5 inch capacitive touch screen and great connectivity options via Wi-Fi, GPRS and Edge. Like its rivals in the category, the device does not feature 3G capability. The device houses a 1 GHz processor, Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS and a 3-megapixel primary camera to snap quick pictures. Price: Available for Rs 3599

9. Intex Aqua 4.0

Intex-Aqua-5.01 Another interesting choice for the budget conscious Android consumer is the Intex Aqua 4.0. The device features a 3.5-inch display and is powered by a 800 GHz processor. It brings a 3-megapixel rear camera along with a VGA front camera for video calling and chatting. The dual SIM Intex Aqua 4.0 also flaunts a 2 point touch input and a resolution of 480×320 pixels. The device also supports a 131 MB built-in storage, which is further expandable up to 32 GB via a micro SD card along with a rear-facing 3-megapixel camera and a front-facing 0.3-megapixel camera. It also offers dual language support like English and Hindi and a strong 1400 mAh battery life along with a slew of features like FM radio, music player, sound recorder, push mail among others. Price: Available for 4,999

10. Spice Stellar Xtacy Mi-352

Spice Stellar Xtacy Mi-352 This dual-SIM smartphone runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS as well and features a 3.5-inch display with a HVGA resolution. Powered by a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon processor, 256MB of RAM the devices also houses 3G connectivity and 1,300 mAh battery life for uninterrupted multimedia time. Price: Available for 4500

Best tablets under Rs. 10,000

Best tablets under Rs. 10,000 (up to July 2013)

We take a look at five budget tablets that you can consider purchasing if you have a budget up to Rs. 10,000. If you are looking for a tablet in the sub-Rs. 10,000 budget, then this is undoubtedly your first tablet and you are testing the waters of what a tablet can do for you. The consumer is spoiled for choice here as every manufacturer has a tablet launched in this price range in India. To maintain the sub-Rs. 10,000 price point, manufacturers usually compromise on features, and include lower-end elements like the touchscreen, camera, case and more.

Keeping the basic essentials like the hardware, build and touchscreen in mind, here are our recommendations of five tablets you can consider if you have a budget of Rs. 10,000.

1) Lava E-Tab Xtron+

The successor to the, the Xtron+ offers some minor updates to its successful predecessor. For Rs. 6,990, the E-Tab Xtron+ is an impressive tablet. The display is great for reading books and consuming multimedia content. Its battery life is an improvement from its predecessor. Since the hardware is the same, you can expect the same stunning performance from the tablet. The OS too has been updated from Android 4.1 to Android 4.2. In terms of its specifications, the Lava E-Tab Xtron+ has a 7-inch IPS display with 1024x600 pixel resolution. A 1.5GHz dual-core processor along with 1GB of RAM powers it. The tablet has 8GB built-in storage expandable up to 32GB via a micro SD card. It also houses a 2MP primary camera along with a 0.3MP secondary camera. It shows off Wi-Fi connectivity, but lacks the ability to house a SIM-card slot for making calls or access mobile data on the go. A 3700mAh battery powers the entire package.

2)Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 311

The’s venture into the budget tablet category. Priced at Rs. 9,499, the Tab 2 gives users a complete Android 4.1 Jelly Bean experience. The interface is skinned with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI and also gives you access to Samsung apps apart from those available on the Google Play store. If you have used any Samsung smartphone such as the S II or the Galaxy Grand, or the Galaxy S III, you will feel right at home with the UI. Put simply, it’s a Samsung smartphone interface on a 7-inch display. The tablet can be connected to your Mac or PC via Samsung’s Kies desktop application for data transfer. The P311 is the Wi-Fi only version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 310, while the latter boasts of Wi-Fi along with 3G and the ability to make calls. The rear-facing camera is one of the better cameras available on a tablet in its price range. Playing games, watching videos and browsing the Internet were all a treat on the tablet. Also, if you have used an Android-powered Samsung smartphone you will feel right at home with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 P311.

3)Karbonn Smart Tab 10

Priced at Rs. 9,499, the Karbonn Smart Tab 10 is powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz Cortex A9 processor, dual Mali-400 GPU along with 1GB of RAM. It runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean straight out-of-the-box. The built-in storage is low at 1.5GB but it is expandable up to 32GB via a microSD card. The 9.7-inch display has a resolution of 1024x768 pixels. The tablet has a massive 6000mAh battery and is quite slim measuring 10.8mm in thickness. If you are looking for a 10-inch tablet with the ability to play most of the games from the Play store, then this is the tablet for you. But playing a resource-intensive game like Dead Trigger on the tablet did make it lag a bit. The audio from the tablet too is good, especially while running apps. The display of the tablet too is good.

4)Spice Stellar Pad Mi-1010

Available for Rs. 8,499, the Spice Stellar Pad Mi-1010 has good power under the hood, has an impressive display and touch response and the audio from the device is really good too. Sure, it is plagued with some lag but that is found on all budget tablets. The video playback capabilities of the tablet too are good and the battery lasted us for 6.5 hours in our continuous playback test. The Spice Stellar pad shows off a 10.1-inch IPS display with 1280x800 pixel resolution. It is powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz processor coupled with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage that is expandable up to 32GB via a micro SD card. The rear of the device has a 3MP camera, while the front has a VGA camera for video calling. The tablet runs on Android 4.1 and a 7600mAh battery powers the entire package.

5) Asus Memo Pad 7 and the Acer Iconia B1

The fifth place in this list is held by two tablets – the Asus Memo Pad 7 and the Acer Iconia B1. Asus MeMO Pad ME172V has a single-core processor where the peers have not only upgraded to dual-core but higher clock speeds as well. The tablet sports 1GB of RAM, which is at par with the competition and better than the Acer Iconia B1. The MeMO Pad display has the same resolution as the Acer Iconia B1 but for displays with better resolution, you will have to cross the 10k price point. There may be some issues with the HD video playback on the two tablets but if you want a tablet to browse the internet, play some games and consumer multimedia, you can consider one of the two. The Asus Memo Pad 7 has a single-core 1GHz processor along with 1GB of RAM. The 7-inch display has a1024x600 pixel resolution and it sports 8GB built-in storage expandable via a microSD card. A 4270mAh battery powers the entire package. The Memo Pad 7 is priced at Rs. 9,799. On the other hand, the Acer Iconia B1 has a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU coupled with 512MB of RAM. It has a 7-inch display with a 1024x600 pixel resolution. The tablet has 8GB of built-in storage expandable via a microSD card. It has a 2710mAh battery and is priced at Rs. 8,999.

Best Smart Phones War: Samsung S4 Vs Canvas 4

Micromax Canvas 4

NEW DELHI: Micromax on Monday July 8th announced Canvas 4, Canvas 4 smartphone that would replace Canvas HD as the company’s flagship Android phone.

Canvas 4 is not much different from its predecessor. It is powered by MT6589, the quad-core processor made by MediaTek that also powers Canvas HD. Just like its predecessor, Canvas 4 also has a 5-inch screen with 720p resolution.

The Canvas 4 device has 16GB internal storage and 1GB RAM; the storage is expandable with microSD card. It is powered by Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and has battery capacity of 2,000mAh. The phone has been priced at Rs 17,999.

While hardware specifications are similar, Canvas 4 is different compared earlier Micromax phones in terms of design and software features.

This device using plastic and an aluminum frame. It also has a few unique features like ‘blow to unlock’ the phone. The phone packs smart gestures that allow a user to answer a call by just picking the phone up, put it in silent mode by turning it upside down and dial a number with help of proximity sensor.

It also features several unique video playback features, including one similar to ‘smart pause’ found in Samsung phones.

The phone has a 13MP primary camera and a 5MP front camera this is great features.

Samsung Galaxy S4

Samsung has unveiled another iteration of the handset, this time with an upgraded camera. The new device, named Galaxy S4 zoom, features a16MP rear camera with 10X optical zoom with xenon flash on the back. This new phone’s camera boasts of optical image stabilization as well as 24mm wide lens and can record 1080pvideos at 30fps.

The all-new Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom has a 4.3-inch SuperAMOLED screen with 960x540presolution with 256ppi pixel density. The device is powered by Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) with TouchWiz UI on top, and runs on a dual-core 1.5GHz processor. It has 8GB internal storage, 1.5GB RAM and supports microSD cards with capacities up to 32GB.

Galaxy S4 zoom will be available in two variants, one that is compatible with 4G and the other that works on 3G networks. Other features of the connectivity suites of this smartphone are 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, infrared port and microUSB 2.0. This handset has a 2,330mAh battery and features a 1.9MP front camera. At 208gram, it is heavier that the likes of Samsung Galaxy Note II and Nokia Lumia 920.

HERE IS THE COMPARISON OF SMARTPHONE

Model name Upcoming Micromax Canvas 4

Display screen 5 inch

HD display (expected)

Screen resolution 720 x 1280 pixels

Corning Gorilla Glass 2

Pixel density 312 ppi

Operating system Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2

OS update Expected to be upgraded to 4.2.2 Jelly Bean soon

Processor Mediatek quad-core MT6589Cortex-A7 SoC

Processor speed 1.2 GHz

Graphics processor PowerVR Series 5XT

RAM 1 GB

Internal memory 16 GB

Expandable memory up to 64 GB

Cloud storage Not known yet

Primary Camera 13 megapixel autofocus with LED flash

Primary camera features Geo-tagging, touch to focus, Image stabilization, face and smile detection, Photosphere, full HD recording and all other Android 4.1 camera features

Secondary camera 5 megapixel

Sensor AccelerometerGyro

Proximity

Compass

Network connectivity 3G, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth

Upload download speed 42 Mbps21 Mbps

Thinness 8.9 mm

Weight 145 grams

Colours availability Black and White

Battery 2100 mAH





Micromax A116 Canvas HD

5 inch

HD IPS touchscreen

720 x 1280 pixels

None

294 ppi

Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2

Recently upgraded to 4.2.2 Jelly Bean

Quad-core MediaTek MT6589Cortex-A7 SoC

1.2 GHz

PowerVR SGX544

1 GB

4 GB

up to 32 GB

None

8 megapixel autofocus with LED

Autofocus, LED flash and multiple camera settings such as night mode, 4X zoom

2 megapixel

AccelerometerProximity

compass

3G, GPRS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

21 Mbps11 Mbps

10.7 mm

156 grams

Black and White

2000 mAh



Galaxy S4

4.99 inches

Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen

1080 x 1920 pixels

Corning Gorilla Glass 3

441 ppi

Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system

upgradeable to 5.0 (Key Lime Pie)

Exynos 5 Octa 5410 Cortex A15

1.6 GHz

PowerVR SGX 544MP3

2GB

16, 32, 64 GB

up to 64 GB

50 GB with Dropbox

13 megapixel autofocus with LED flash

Face and Smile Detection, Dual Shot / Dual Recording/ Dual Video Call and Beauty Face, Best Photo, Best Face, Drama, Rich Tone (High Dynamic Range),Sound & Shot, Sports, Continuous shot

2 megapixel

AccelerometerGyro

Proximity

Compass

Barometer

Temperature

Humidity

gesture

2G, 3G, 4G, GPRS, EDGE, Wi-Fi, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, NFC, Infra red

42.2 Mbps5.76 Mbps

7.9 mm

130 grams

White Frost, Black Mist

2600 mAh Li-Ion





Conclusion: If price matters to you then please go for Canvas 4. But, if you spend some more bucks for brand name and for few additional features then please go for Samsung 4.