Samsung pins its hopes on Galaxy Alpha's metal frame

Samsung has launched its new Galaxy Alpha with a metal frame, in a bid to boost sales after the plastic design of its smartphones has been blamed for the company’s recent struggles.

The Wednesday launch of the latest Galaxy smartphone comes after a difficult second quarter for Samsung. While overall smartphones sales grew by almost 27 percent, Samsung’s shipments dropped. In May, the company also appointed a new head of its design team.

Samsung’s Galaxy Alpha smartphone

Samsung has pitched the Galaxy Alpha with its metal frame as a new start, and the design as something “entirely new” compared to the design of its existing products, which have been justifiably criticized for looking cheap irrespective of what they cost.

However, in reality the shape of the home button still makes it look very much like a Samsung smartphone, and the plastic back has inherited the dimpled design of the Galaxy S5. For some, the changes Samsung has made aren’t nearly big enough.

“Overall it’s a good phone but I was disappointed with the design, even with the metal frame it feels too plastic,” said Francisco Jeronimo, research director for European mobile devices at IDC.

Samsung has also decided to make the Galaxy Alpha thin and light: it weighs just 115 grams and is 6.7 millimeters thick.

Under the hood, the smartphone is based on Android 4.4.4 and powered by an Exynos processor with four ARM Cortex-A15 cores running at 1.8GHz and four Cortex-A7 cores running at 1.3GHz. The screen measures 4.7 inches and has a 1280 by 720 pixel resolution.

The smartphone also has a 12-megapixel camera on the back and a 2.1-megapixel front camera. It has 2GB of RAM and 32GB of integrated storage, but no microSD card slot. The LTE connection supports download speeds up to 300Mbps, as long as there is a network that can handle it as well.

The smaller screen and lower screen resolution is slightly surprising since the rest of the phone has high-end specifications. Despite that, Samsung will likely charge a premium for the device. U.K. retailer Clove has put up the phone for preorder at £500 (US$850) including tax, which gives a good indication of what it will cost. (Samsung has yet to announce the official price for the smartphone.)

That is too much, according to Jeronimo. Samsung needs to choose more premium materials if it wants to charge a premium price, he said.

Samsung said the Galaxy Alpha will start shipping in the beginning of September, but details on where the phone will go on sale first weren’t immediately available.

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom up for pre-order via Amazon India, priced at Rs 29999

Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy K Zoom have now commenced in India and the handset is being sold exclusively through Amazon India at a retail price of Rs 29999. This smartphone-cum-camera combines the looks and features of the company’s Galaxy S5flagship with a large image sensor which what you’d find on traditional point-and-shoots in the market.

Compared to the S4 Zoom, the Samsung Galaxy K Zoom looks a lot nicer. The device has a 16.6mm design which is rather thick for a smartphone, but considering that it has a large sensor with 10x optical zoom, it’s acceptable. Where the weight is concerned, it tips the scales back by 200 grams.

The rear panel flaunts the same dotted texture as the current flagship, while the front has a smaller Super AMOLED display of 4.8 inches. The resolution has also been dropped down to 720p HD. On the bright side, there’s a coating of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Android 4.4 KitKat is preloaded and an Exynos 5 Hexa processor delivers the steam.Key specs of the Samsung Galaxy K Zoom:

- OS: Android 4.4 KitKat
- Display: 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED panel
- Processor: Exynos 5 Hexa (quad core 1.3GHz + dual core 1.7GHz)
- Camera: 20.7MP rear camera w/ 10x optical zoom and Xenon flash, 2MP front snapper
- Memory: 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, 64GB expandable
- Battery: 2430mAh

Samsung is offering various freebies with the Galaxy K Zoom including 50GB of Dropbox storage for 2 years, 1TB of Bitcasa space for 3 months, $5 worth coupons on Blurb and a few applications, as part of the Galaxy Gifts program. Additionally, Amazon is providing gifts worth Rs 6000 and they comprise of a free pop cover case coupon, a 32GB SanDisk Ultra miroSD card, 6 movie tickets and two coupons worth Rs 1000 for watches and handbags.

You can pre-order the Samsung Galaxy K Zoom smartphone through this link. The handset is being offered in charcoal black, shimmery white and electric blue shades.

Xolo Launches Play 6X-1000 and Q500s IPS With Android 4.4 KitKat

Xolo has launched two new smartphones, the Q500s IPS and Play 6X-1000, which have been priced at Rs. 5,999 and Rs. 14,499 respectively. Both the smartphones run Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box, and have been listed as new arrivals on the company's site.The Xolo Q500s IPS is a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) device that comes with a 4-inch WVGA (480x800 pixels) IPS display offering a pixel density of 233ppi. The Q500s IPS is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582M processor coupled with a Mali 400-MP2 GPU, and 512MB of RAM.
It sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while there is a secondary 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera also onboard. The Xolo Q500s IPS has 4GB of inbuilt storage, which is further expandable via microSD (up to 32GB).
On the connectivity front, the Xolo Q500s IPS includes 3G, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB, GPS/ A-GPS and Bluetooth. It packs a 1500mAh battery, which is rated for up to 16.1 hours of talk time on 2G and up to 7.6 hours of talk time on 3G networks. The Xolo Q500s IPS measures 125x63.2x8.98mm and is available in Black, Blue, Green, Red and White colours.

The Xolo Play 6X-1000 is a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) device that comes with a 5-inch (720x1280 pixels) HD IPS display offering a pixel density of 294ppi. The Play 6X-1000 is powered by a 1.5GHz hexa-core MediaTek MT6591 processor with a Mali 450 GPU, comes with 2GB of RAM.
It sports a 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and BSI sensor, while there is a secondary 2-megapixel front-facing camera also onboard. The Xolo Play 6X-1000 has 8GB of inbuilt storage, which is further expandable via microSD (up to 32GB).
On the connectivity front, the Xolo Play 6X-1000 includes 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/ A-GPS and USB OTG. It packs a 2100mAh battery, which is rated for up to 24.68 hours of talk time on 2G, and up to 14.75 hours of talk time on 3G networks. It measures 139.9x70.2x8.5mm.

Samsung Launches Four Budget Android 4.4 KitKat Galaxy Smartphones

 



Samsung has launched four new affordable Galaxy smartphones - the Galaxy Core II, Galaxy Star 2, Galaxy Ace 4, and Galaxy Young 2. The newly launched Galaxy smartphones are touted to be targeted at the affordable segment. The South Korean consumer electronics giant, as of now, has not revealed any pricing or availability details of the four smartphones.
Notably, all the new Samsung smartphones - the Galaxy Core II, Galaxy Star 2, Galaxy Ace 4, and Galaxy Young 2 - run Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box with the company's TouchWiz Essence UI on top. Further, the Galaxy Core II, Galaxy Star 2, and Galaxy Young 2 are dual-SIM devices, while the Galaxy Ace 4 is a single SIM device and has been launched in 3G and LTE variants, according to Samsung Tomorrow.
The Samsung Galaxy Core II comes with a 4.5-inch WVGA (480x800 pixels) TFT display and is powered by a quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz. Other specifications include a 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera with LED flash; VGA front-facing camera; 768MB of RAM; 4GB of inbuilt storage; 64GB expandable storage support (via microSD card), and 2000mAh battery. Connectivity options on the smartphone include Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, Micro-USB and 3G. The Galaxy Core II will be available in Black and White colour variants. It comes with dimensions 130.3x68x9.8mm and weighs 138 grams. It is the successor to the Galaxy Core launched in June last year.
The Samsung Galaxy Ace 4, as mentioned earlier, comes in two variants - LTE and 3G. Both the variants of the Galaxy Ace 4 come with slightly different set of specifications.
The Galaxy Ace 4 LTE comes with dimensions 121.4x62.9x11mm and weighs 130.3 grams, while the Galaxy Ace 4 (3G) comes with 121.4x62.9x10.8mm dimensions and weighs 123.8 grams. The LTE variant packs 1GB of RAM, while the 3G variant comes with 512MB of RAM. The Galaxy Ace 4 LTE is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and packs an 1800mAh battery. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Ace 4 (3G) is backed by a 1GHz dual-core processor and packs 1500mAh battery. Common specifications of the Galaxy Ace 4 3G and LTE variants are 4-inch WVGA TFT display, 5-megapixel rear camera, and VGA front camera.
The smartphone comes with Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, A-GPS, GLONASS, and Micro-USB connectivity options. Both the variants of the Galaxy Ace 4 will be available in Iris Charcoal and Classic White colours.
The Samsung Galaxy Young 2 features a 3.5-inch HVGA (320x480 pixels) TFT display and is backed by a 1GHz single-core processor clubbed with 512MB of RAM. There is a 3-megapixel fixed-focus rear camera. It comes with 4GB inbuilt storage which is further expandable up to 32GB via microSD card.
Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, A-GPS, GLONASS, 3G and Micro-USB. It measures 109.8x59.9x11.8mm and weighs 108 grams. The Galaxy Young 2 packs a 1300mAh battery and comes in two colour variants - Iris Charcoal and White.
Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy Star 2 comes with a 3.5-inch HVGA (320x480 pixels). It is powered by a single-core Spreadtrum SC6815A clocked at 1GHz alongside 512MB of RAM.
The smartphone sports a 2-megapixel fixed focus rear camera and includes 4GB of inbuilt storage which is further expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. It includes Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, and Micro-USB connectivity options. The Galaxy Star 2 does not come with 3G network support and comes with identical dimensions as the Galaxy Young 2. It packs a 1300mAh battery
In addition, the Galaxy Star 2 and Galaxy Young 2 come with eight downloadable Gameloft games for users.

BlackBerry Z3 full review: Good buy for those looking for an upgrade

 


The BlackBerry Z3 has a lot going for it and a lot riding on it. It is the most affordable BlackBerry 10 device that could theoretically help the Canadian smartphone maker recreate the success of the Curve 8520 which literally made the once top management phone a household name. But does the phone have the oomph to take on the likes of the Moto G and Nokia 630 which offer good features at slightly cheaper price points?
Quick Tech Specs: 5-inch qHD 540 x 960p display | Dual Core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm MSM8230 processor | 1.5GB RAM | 8GB internal memory, microSD up to 32GB | 5MP rear camera with AF, 1.1MP front camera | micro-SIM (GSM) | 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4 | 2500 mAH battery | BlackBerry OS 10.2.1
Price: Rs 15,900
Design: The Z3 first reminds you of the Z10, the BlackBerry BB10 flagship from last year. Then the Z10 is larger and slightly thicker. But the design language is the same. The phone weighs 164g and it feels good in your hand. The all-black finish and the textured back make the phone look and feel very businesslike. There are four buttons on the left, while a slim flap on the right reveals the SIM and SD card slot.
Screen: The Z3 is a phablet thanks to its 5-inch qHD display. The qHD display is obviously not as good as HD or Full HD, but you would not be able to make out the difference in resolution with at least 720p. Given the price, BlackBerry could have pushed for HD, but the present screen is not going to affect your experience in anyway. And that is what matters. If you need better resolution there is Miracast to beam content to a larger screen.
Performance: Performance is not an issue with this phone at least the way it is meant to be used. Multi-tasking it easy and you have work on a maximum of four apps at the same time. Even with four apps frozen, performance does not lag even a bit. The phone also stays cool most of the time, which is a big help these days.
Memory: The Z3 comes with 8GB internal storage, which is pretty much standard these days in this price range. And you can add extra storage with the SD card. The phone also comes preloaded with BoX, DropBox and Evernote, which add a few gigs between them.
Connectivity: Never a problem with a BlackBerry phone. The Z3 uphold this legacy well.
Software: The Z3 runs the 10.2.1 version of the BB10 OS. There are lot of new features in the OS, most it should have had in the first place if you ask me. But now notifications appear and can be acted upon on top of the app you are on. There is a very Android-inspired pull down settings panel and quick sharing from anywhere.  But what really adds an edge to the OS is its ability to accept most Android apps. A few don’t work on the platform, but those that do plug the biggest gap that buyers have found in this operating system. With the next version of the OS, scheduled to come out in a few months, users will get full access to the Amazon app store too.
Camera: You don’t buy a BlackBerry for its camera, they have always been decent. It performs reasonably well in low light and is good in daylight. Plus, you can click by just touching the screen, which is always welcome in this selfie era.
Battery: The battery can last you a working day on a full charge. For those who don’t use data all the time, the phone could end up squeezing a few more hours of juice.
Verdict: The Z3 definitely has enough features and usability to prevent its loyal users from moving out to other platforms. However, I am not sure the platform offers enough incentives for those on other OS to jump ship. At a lower price point, maybe BlackBerry could have started wooing a lot of people who were looking to buy their first Android powered smartphones. That opportunity seems to have been lost for now.

Familiarize Yourself With Android Wear And Its “Quick Glancing” Benefits

 

We know it’s still a week or two before people will start receiving their Android Wear smartwatches, at least for those of you that have ordered yourselves an LG G Watch or a Samsung Gear Live. While you’re waiting you’ve probably already read plenty of reviews and checked out people’s hands on opinions and first impressions of both devices, and if you read any of that before placing your order it may have ended up leading you to your decision of which one to get. The way Android Wear works is pretty simple and using it won’t be a difficult thing to do, but it’s always good to have a little handle on things before hand so we’ll aim to give you a quick rundown of how things work.

First of all, Android Wear mirrors the notifications from the device it’s connected to. It’s as simple as that. Past those mirrored notifications it also has Google Now cards integrated, which you’ll get notifications for as well. This includes things like the weather cards or even navigation info, like routes that I use during cycling for example. Cards like that will pop up displaying the appropriate information and then with a quick swipe to the left you can reveal the route on a small image of the map. Swiping  right of course for any notifications will dismiss them on the watch, as well as on the phone it’s connected to. The way notifications work are easy and simplistic, but they may trip people up from time to time at first. From my brief experience with the Gear Live so far, not all notifications can be opened up on the watch, which is OK so long as you make a point to remember which ones you can and can’t readily interact with directly from the watch itself. Hangouts for example will allow you to tap on those mirrored notifications and read most of or all the text within a given message and even a small portion of the prior messages within that thread, and the ability to reply to it afterwards all through the voice typing on the watch. G+ notifications however will simply open up the app on the phone for you to interact with it if you want to leave a comment or a +1 on any posts.

Emails are fully capable of being interacted with through the watch whether it be an initiated email that you send or one that you’re replying to, SMS messages are another story as the notifications “reply” feature will only open up the app when you tap it. That is unless of course you use Hangouts as your default SMS app, then even replying to SMS messages can be done using the voice typing feature. We know that notifications can be a bit daunting especially if you have all of them coming to your watch consistently throughout the day. Dismissing them is easy enough, but the Android Wear application that is installed on your device will give you the ability to blacklist certain apps from mirroring notifications to the watch if you wish. This is called “muting” and will block those notifications from showing up on the watch entirely. Unfortunately this will be the only option for certain apps notifications, but it might be better than having your watch vibrate every few minutes. You can also mute the notification sound for your device if you don’t want it to sound off, which can be helpful if you’ll be interacting with it on the watch anyway. Have any questions about Android Wear? Feel free to leave them in the comments!

Nokia made Android phone coming this month?

The phone is to be launched by Vertu, which was just recently sold by Nokia to an investment firm.

 Vertu, luxury phone maker, is planning to launch its first Android phone this month itself. Purportedly named as Vertu Ti, the phone could also be the first Nokia made Android phone as the Finnish company was the owner of Vertu just recently before selling it to an investment firm.

Reportedly, the Vertu Ti will come with an 800 x 480 resolution based display, 1.5 GHz Snapdragon MSM8260A SoC, Android 4.0.4 and a rather minuscule 1,250 mAh battery. The phone additionally has NFC, WiFi, and Bluetooth 4.0. While the phone gets very average spec sheet, Vertu phones have never been known for high-end specs and are rather known for being handcrafted and made in the tradition of fine Swiss watches.
According to another website, it is going to be priced at 3000 Euros, making it the cheapest Vertu handset till date.

iPhone users pay highest phone bills

New data shows that 59 percent of iPhone users spend more than $100 per month on their carrier bill, while 56 percent of Windows phone users and 53 percent of Android users pay that much.

Phone users pay higher phone bills than other smartphone consumers. (Credit: CBS Interactive) Rumors of a cheaper iPhone on the horizon may come as welcome news for fans of the device -- especially because iPhone users reportedly pay the highest monthly phone bills, no matter the carrier, according to AllThingsD.
Android, Windows, and BlackBerry users spend less per month to use their smartphones, according to data by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners that was acquired by AllThingsD. It seems that the higher costs come from carriers charging more for iPhone data plans and additional wireless fees.
"We think it has to do with their data plans and carriers, rather than their usage habits," CIRP co-founder Michael Levin told AllThingsD. "They are all on expensive data plans, unlike Android users, some of which are on prepaid or unsubsidized plans with regional carriers."
The data collected is from October to December 2012 and shows that 59 percent of the iPhone users surveyed spent more than $100 per month on their plan with 10 percent of those users spending $200 or more. Only 6 percent spent $50 or less. Conversely, 13 percent of Android users spent $50 or less and 53 percent spent more than $100. Both Windows and BlackBerry users spent even less overall.

Although the monthly cost difference between the four types of devices is slight, the highest costs are still skewed toward iPhone users. This may be because iPhones are more expensive devices and carriers have to shoulder that burden.
"Given the subsidies on iPhones, the carriers are working hard to make their money back during the course of the contract," CIRP's Josh Levitz told AllThingsD. "With the exception of perhaps the hottest Android phones, we think the subsidies on Android phones are lower, so the carriers make more money even with slightly lower per-subscriber revenue."
If Apple does indeed release a cheaper iPhone, it'll be interesting to see if carriers will also lower monthly charges for the device.