LG G2 review

With the G2, it seems like LG took a lot of cues from its Korean counterpart and built what many called a Galaxy S4 clone. It's large, made of lots of plastic, shaped similarly and is jam-packed with more features than a single person can handle.

Super fast processor
Ultra long lasting battery
Mega bright, sharp display
Thin,light,compact design
Super-slim Bezels
Rear key innovation which I wonder why no one thought of sooner...
Truckload of USEFUL software features
OIS Camera

Display:
A beautiful 5.2" 424 PPI full HD IPS display with the standard RGD matrix which sports 2 million more sub pixels than the galaxy S4's display, it can't get any sharper and as an added bonus, the display is super bright at 450 nits so you can be sure that when ourdoors the displays beauty will not fade. It has great viewing angles so you can watch a video with a buddy and the display has some galaxy-esque features like samsungs smart stay which do exactly what the galaxies do.

This display does an excellent job of balancing the colours to make them look more true to life and the contrast rivals even that of the super amoled screens.

Whats more is that the screen occupies as much of the front of the device as possible, reducing the dimensions of the device to just a little bit bigger than the HTC one which has a display 0.5 inches smaller than it.

Battery Life:

Packing a non removable 3000mAH battery which doesent seem like much when you think that the large display and super fast processor will gobble up in an hour. But do not underestimate this phone as the snapdragon 800 processor has dynamic power sensing which maximises battery life and it really works as I managed 14 hours of heavy use and an entire night on standby and by heavy use I mean benchmarking, gaming, watching videos, more benchmarking and basically way more than the average user does.

The next day, I used it like how an average user would use it- Texting, quite some youtubing, phone calls and some light gaming and I was just blown away. I still had 53% battery left after 8 hours!

The Processor:
Featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core 2.26GHz processor, the LG G2 is the fastest phone you can find and in all my usage I felt not one second of lag, not one stutter at all. I downloaded an app and as it was installing opened and closed every other app I had but to no avail. This phone just cannot be slowed down.

Not just is it a heavy lifter, its fuel efficient too, just like i said above.

I reckon, there a'int no app that can slow down this here phone!

Design

Diving right into what powers the LG G2 and makes it purr, you'll first notice a 5.2-inch 1920 x 1080 display, which gives us a 424 PPI density. The chipset inside is a Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800, with a 2.26GHz quad-core Krait 400. In terms of processing power, it seems that the G2 is in no short supply.

It comes in 16GB and 32GB variants, with 2GB RAM. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, Infrared port and 4G LTE.

Software Features:
Qslide - A small resizeable, transparency adjustable, overlaid application which runs on top of whatever you are doing to multitask. Can be used to open a web browser and calculator at the same time for example, so you can type in numbers as you see them pop up.

Slide aside - A more efficient multitasker than androids stock multitasker which is used by using three fingers to swipe to the left, storing the application in the state you left it, and up to three apps can be slid away at a time. To access them just swipe with three fingers to the right and tap on the app you want to open.

Knock knock - LG lets renders the power button useles in turning off and on the screen because now, with a double tap to the display, the screen pops to life!

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The Best Smartphones In The World

1. LG G2

LG has trumped the competition with the G2. The phone offers a combination of value for money with high-end features which we haven't seen from rival flagship devices. A great specification combined with impressive design and handy software features mean there's very little to dislike about this handset - only really the lack of a microSD card slot.

2. Google Nexus 5
Google and LG have done a fantastic job with the Nexus 5, producing a very desirable phone at an outrageously low price. It's the best value-for-money smartphone out there right now.

3. Sony Xperia Z1
Sony has upgraded its fantastic Xperia Z. The Xperia Z1 feels nicer but is unfortunately bigger and heavier. It's a powerhouse with an all-round impressive specification. Easily one of the best Android handsets around but the high price tag taints this slightly.

4. iPhone 5S
If you already own an iPhone 5, it’s hard to justify upgrading to the 5S. Yes, it’s considerably faster and takes better photos and videos in low light, but the 5 is still a great smartphone and has at least another year in it before apps (and possibly iOS 8) start to find the A6 processor’s limits. Those with a 4S (or 4) are in for a treat, though. As well as serious performance gains, the bigger screen and lighter weight make a huge difference, and the fingerprint scanner is a bonus. Ultimately, if you want an iPhone, the 5S won’t disappoint and is one of the most future-proof of the current smartphone crop.

5. Motorola Moto G
Motorola's Moto G is the best budget smartphone around. At £135 it's got great build quality, an excellent screen, decent cameras and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean soon to be upgrade to 4.4 KitKat. It's only limited in the storage department and a lack of 4G support.

6. HTC One
The HTC One is up there with the very best smartphones on the market today. It has superb performance, and excellent build quality spoiled only slightly by running hot in use. You can't fault the feature set, and it matches the other high-end products in terms of price. In terms of audio and visual output it is unsurpassed. The interface might be an acquired taste for some, and we weren't overly impressed with the camera. It's not perfect, but alongside the Xperia Z and iPhone 5 this is about as good a phone as you can buy.


7. Samsung Galaxy Note 3
We're not sure you need all the extra features that Samsung packs in, and we could live without the S Pen. And not everyone needs or wants a smartphone with a 6in display. Neither is the camera all that great. But be in no doubt about it, the Galaxy Note 3 is a high-quality portable device, offering the best performance we've ever seen, a stunning screen and nice build quality.

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How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5

Google has started rolling out Android 4.4.1 to Nexus devices. The update is supposed to not only alleviate some bugs brought along by 4.4, but is also said to noticeably improve the camera on the Nexus 5. This is enough of a reason to go ahead and install the update right away without waiting for it to arrive automatically over the air. If you are just as impatient as we are, here is how to get 4.4.1 on your Nexus 5 today.

Here's how to get Android 4.4.1 on your Nexus 5 in a pinch. © AndroidPIT

What you’ll need

There are two things that you will need before you get started:

• ADB Tools
• the update to Android 4.4.1 for the Nexus 5

With the update, your Nexus 5 will acquire a build number of KOT49E. In order for the update to install, your device should already be running on build number KRT16M - this is the default OS build the Nexus 5 shipped with, so you should be fine. To find out if this is indeed installed on your Nexus 5, bring up your Android settings, tap on ‘About device’ and check out your build number there.

Installation process

On your Computer

Unzip ADB Tools, go to the adb-tools folder and press the shift button on your keyboard. Then, right click on your mouse in a free space in Windows Explorer and choose ‘open command prompt here’ from the context menu by left-clicking the mouse on this selection.

Now copy the Android 4.4.1 update file into the adb-tools folder and change its name to something shorter which you’ll have to type in later on. A good example would be ‘nexus5-441-ota.zip’.

On the Nexus 5

• Turn off the device
• Hold down the volume down and power buttons in order to enter the fastboot menu.
• By using the volume rocker, choose the option ‘Recovery Mode’ and confirm with the power button.
• As soon as you see the Android robot with its open tummy, press and hold Power, then tap (press) Volume up
• Again, by using the volume rocker, now choose the option ‘apply update from ADB’ in the open recovery menu and confirm with the power button.

Back on the computer

Connect your Nexus 5 to your computer via USB and go to the command prompt. Type in the following command in order to install the update.

adb sideload nexus5-441-ota.zip

Please note: if you renamed the update file something other than what we suggested above, please substitute whatever you renamed the file in the ADB command.

The installation process will now commence. The update will be copied onto your Nexus 5 and then be installed. After about 5 minutes, the entire procedure will be complete and you can restart your Nexus 5 via the option ‘reboot system’.

Done! You have now successfully installed Android 4.4.1 on your Nexus 5.

Tip: Should your Nexus 5 not be recognized by your computer, disconnect it from your PC, install the ADB tool into the adb-tools folder and connect the device to your PC again.

Let us know how the process went for you!

(translated by Loie Favre)

How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5 How to install Android 4.4.1 on the Nexus 5

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Samsung focusing on smartphone accessories, peripherals in 2014

A new report out of Korea says that Samsung has lowered their smartphone sales projections for 2014 from 360 to 330 million units. In doing so, Samsung hopes to focus on smartphone accessories and peripherals next year. The reason for shifting its focus and lowering sales projections is because the smartphone market is becoming increasingly crowded. But by no means is Samsung worried. Selling 330 million units is certainly a great goal to have. This new focus will likely start with the release of the Galaxy Gear‘s successor when it is rumored to launch beside the Galaxy S 5. This could also mean that the S Pen’s functionality will be expanded with the release of the next Note device. Only time will tell to see how Samsung innovates in 2014.




Source: ET News

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Nokia's cheap smartphones drive Windows in Europe

During the three months to August, the Windows Phone platform reached a market share of over 10 percent for the first time in France and Britain, with 10.8 percent and 12 percent respectively, the researcher said.

Nokia, which earlier this month agreed to sell its mobile phone handset business to Microsoft, is the main user of the Windows platform and the driver behind the increase.

"Windows Phone's latest wave of growth is being driven by Nokia's expansion into the low and mid-range market with the Lumia 520 and 620 handsets," said Kantar analyst Dominic Sunnebo.

"These models are hitting the sweet spot with 16 to 24 year-olds and 35 to 49 year-olds, two key groups that look for a balance of price and functionality in their smartphone."

Google's Android, which runs on Samsung and Sony smartphones among others, remained the leading platform in key European markets, which include Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

Android's market share increased to 70.1 percent from 68.8 percent in the same period last year. Apple's iOS was the second-biggest platform with a 16.1-percent market share, 2 percentage points more than last year.

BlackBerry, which earlier this month agreed to go private, saw its market share more than halved to 2.4 percent from 5.8 percent.

(Reporting by Harro ten Wolde; editing by David Evans)

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Apple has released an iPhone 5c

Upwards from $99
iPhone 5C launch on September 20th

ios7

Cleaner, simpler icons. An interface that feels fluid and alive. And new features that make the most of the technology inside. The world’s most advanced mobile OS is the perfect companion to the most colorful iPhone yet.

Phone 5c has up to 13 LTE bands. That’s more than any other single model of smartphone. Which means even more iPhone users can experience fast download and upload speeds in more places around the world. Meanwhile, the number of LTE carriers supported by iPhone worldwide continues to grow. So when you’re traveling, you can take advantage of ultra-fast LTE networks in more places

HD video.

Now when you record video in 1080p HD, the new 3x zoom feature lets you get in tighter on your subject. Video image stabilization helps smooth out shaky footage from your high‑adrenaline moments. (Running of the Bulls, anyone?) Face detection for up to 10 faces makes sure nobody gets lost in the crowd. And the ability to take still photos while recording video comes in handy when you want to tell that story within a story.

New Camera app.

iPhone 5c also comes with a new Camera app that raises your photography game. Now you can shoot images in a square format. And choose from eight live filters than can be applied before or after you take your photo. Use the Instant filter to give a group shot at the beach a vintage color look. Make a sunset even more vivid with the Chrome filter. Or choose Noir to capture a self-portrait in dramatic black and white.

Long battery life.

The A6 chip is designed to be extremely energy efficient, so you can spend your day taking advantage of all the features and apps on your iPhone. Without worrying about battery life.

Height: 4.90 inches (124.4 mm)
Width: 2.33 inches (59.2 mm)
Depth: 0.35 inch (8.97 mm)
Weight: 4.65 ounces (132 grams)

GSM model: GSM/EDGE
UMTS/HSPA+
DC-HSDPA
CDMA model: CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B
LTE3
Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n; 802.11n on 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS and GLONASS


4-inch (diagonal) Retina display
1136-by-640 resolution
326 ppi

• 8 megapixels
• ƒ/2.4 aperture
• Sapphire crystal lens cover
• LED flash
• Backside illumination sensor
• Five-element lens
• Hybrid IR filter
• Autofocus
• Tap to focus
• Face detection
• Panorama
• Photo geotagging

1080p HD video recording
30 fps
LED flash
-
Video stabilization
Take still photo while recording
video
Face detection
3x zoom
Video geotagging
Tap to focus

• Face Time
• iPhone 5c to any Face Time-enabled device over Wi-Fi or cellular
• Initiate video calls over LTE, DC-HSDPA, HSPA+, 3G, and 2G
• HVGA-resolution (480 by 368) calls over Wi-Fi

Three-axis gyro

Accelerometer

Proximity sensor

Ambient light sensor

-

White Pink Yellow Blue Green

Upwards from $99

iPhone 5C launch on September 20th

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iPhone 5S hands-on: September 20 release date, in 3 colors

Fingerprint scanner

The optional fingerprint scanner rescues Apple's reputation as a smartphone maker with cutting-edge features that actually influence how people use their phones. The new scanner, called the Touch ID sensor, is integrated into the home button and adds some classy materials with its sapphire crystal topper and "stainless-steel detection ring." Now you tap to activate your phone, instead of pressing the button (but the button still depresses for normal navigation actions.

Touch ID scans sub-epidermal skin layers, Apple says, and has "360-degree readability," meaning it should be able to recognize your fingerprint regardless of orientation.

In addition to the Touch ID sensor doubling as your security key instead of a four-key password, you can also purchase apps and other iTunes content with a tap of your finger. Fingerprint information is never available to other apps, Apple says, nor will it be stored in the cloud.

As for guest profiles, yes, you can store details for multiple fingers -- yours and someone else's.

In classic Apple style, Touch ID is easy to set up as you tap and circle your finger to capture multiple fingerprint angles. In fact, setup is a bit like a video game that collects more prints the more you tap. After that, you scan your fingerprint and voila, you're in. The entire setup process takes a minute or less. Log-in is as quick as clicking.

How did it feel during a brief hands-on session after Apple's event? Surprisingly easy and fast. We were able to have Touch ID scan our fingerprint after about a dozen or so tap-clicks. After the process is done, the scan happens instantaneously: it feels just like clicking a home button. The scan becomes unnoticeable. There is a little adjustment, though, to getting used to how the button now works capacitively and as a click button.

If you don't want to use the fingerprint scanner, you don't have to. There's still the option to use the four-digit PIN password or no password at all. The benefit? No longer having to enter your iTunes ID in order to make purchases.

Specs-a-palooza

Hardware design stays the course with identical dimensions and the same chamfered edges as the iPhone (that means the 45-degree angles on the corners). The "space gray" design with the silver and black colors has a look that feels like a cross between the iPhone 5 and the 4/4S' silver-and-black banded design, which is to say that it looks very cool and familiar. It actually looks more distinctive than the all-black iPhone 5, and should be more scratch-resistant (we knew more than a few people who had the all-black previously and collected scuffs).

The gold is pale and shimmery, just like champagne. It isn't an offensive shade by any means. The white and silver version looks just like last year's model.

Apple's $39 leather iPhone cases make the 5S look almost 5C-like from a distance, but there are plenty of other cases the 5S should be compatible with: after all, it's the same exact shape as the 5.

The iPhone 5S has the same 4-inch screen as the iPhone 5, and Apple's Retina Display, which has a 1,136x640-pixel resolution and a pixel density of 326 ppi. (This isn't the highest around, but Apple maintains that beyond this so-called sweet-spot saturation level, higher pixel density ceases to matter.)

Here's something new: the iPhone 5S will have the first 64-bit chip in a mobile phone, but will be backward-compatible with 32-bit apps. Under the hood, Apple's A7 processor promises to power the iPhone 5S with 56 times the graphics performance of the very first iPhone, and about 40 times its CPU muscle.
On the gaming front, the iPhone 5S features OpenGL ES 3.0, which has the potential to make this phone the technically best-performing in the smartphone world. (CNET mobile gamer Eric Franklin will love sizing this one up.)

New to the iPhone 5S is the M7 motion coprocessor, which joins the A7 chip in processing. Specifically, the M7 chip keeps tabs on the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass data. At the end of the day, that makes it possible for wearables like fitness bands and other accessories to tap into that data faster and more efficiently. It's a fascinating idea, but was only mentioned briefly during Apple's event. Keep an eye on this M7 processor: if any chip ever makes it into a future iWatch, it could be this one.

Battery life is a big issue in the smartphone world, and Apple remains coy with actual milliamp hour capacity. Apple takes the iPhone 5S to 10 hours of talk time over 3G (but what about LTE, Apple?!), 10 hours of LTE browsing, and 10 hours of video. You also get 10.4 days (250 hours) in standby mode, a full day longer than on the iPhone 5 (225 hours).

Once again, the iPhone is without NFC, which makes it the only major platform to exclude the short-range protocol. Apple has stubbornly used workaround features like the wallet and perhaps this new Touch ID scanner to circumvent NFC's specific brand of device-to-device communication.

Camera and video

When it comes to camera territory, Apple has traditionally been a gold standard, highly consistent in all scenarios without fussing with controls. This has been slipping with competitors' improved cameras in rival phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4, Nokia Lumia 925, and especially the Nokia Lumia 1020 (and its 41-megapixel camera).

Here, Apple once again challenges the field with a lot of built-in logic that makes for automatic adjustments of everything from white balance to the color temperature of the new, dual-tone LED flash.

In addition, Apple gives its iPhone 5S a five-element lens that Apple designed in-house. Its sensor size is 15 percent larger than before, and it packs in a f/2.2 aperture. The result? More light for theoretically better pictures.

You won't find more megapixels in this version of the iSight camera, which means images top out at 8 megapixels. However, you'll find an all-new burst mode that snares snaps at a rate of 10 frames per second when you hold your finger down on the shutter. Burst mode is very fast, and the iPhone 5S automatically picks the best of the bunch, nesting the rest in a sort of digital subfolder. A subtle gray dot designates the best one, but you can easily scan these and pick your own to save.

You can also take shots that span a 28-megapixel panorama. Apple will now automatically adjust exposure as you move, which is a nice touch. There's auto image stabilization as well.

The iPhone 5S once again ups the ante with 1080p HD recording for the front-facing camera. The rear captures video at the usual 30fps as well as 120fps for slow-motion video (as do the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4.) In the app, slow-mo can be selected for various parts of the clip you shot by sliding little markers, much like editing a video clip in iMovie.

It's hard to tell camera quality in a brief hands-on, but the 5S burst mode is speedy, much more so than the iPhone 5's, and the autopicking of "best shots" in bundled photo collections within the app should avoid a sensation of filling your Camera Roll with identical retakes.

In many ways, Apple's camera functions are still in catch-up mode, with Apple just now getting around to features like burst capture. However, Apple's strength is in bringing consistently great photos to the mass market, and the new baked-in camera features seem to integrate quite nicely with iOS 7's new software.

Operating system

Calling it "the most forward-thinking phone anyone's ever made," Apple ships this new iPhone with iOS 7 software inside, which Apple previewed earlier this summer. A brighter, more colorful interface is one major cosmetic enhancement. A Control Center you can call up from any screen for one-touch settings, and new camera apps are more substantial features.

Outlook

The iPhone 5S is a little same old, same old when it comes to the design and features, which isn't going to give flagging-but-hopeful supporters much to get excited about when it comes to the phone's looks -- that is, unless they've been clamoring for a champagne-gold phone all along. (That being said, actually, "space gray" might be our favorite new color and name in an Apple product.)

In other ways, Apple's fingerprint scanner does add a shot of technical intrigue that we'll need to take a closer look at to see if it's more gimmick than game-changer. If Touch ID ends up being a standard that app developers can tap into to make purchases easier and log-ins more self-contained, it could be a wonderful time-saver...and something that could find its way into the rest of Apple's product line.

How good the camera and A7 processor are, really, remains to be seen. The real question in our minds is this: will more people pick the 5S or the 5C, or another phone entirely? It looks like Apple is using this year to refine peripheral technology around the iPhone rather than heading in a bold new direction. That said, if Touch ID makes the iPhone 5S more secure, it'll be no small feature. We'll also be keeping an eye on the M7 chip: Apple might be making a play for iOS health-tracking apps and gear to beat competitors to market, or, failing that, to just plain beat them.

How large a leap the iPhone 5S is over last year's 5 remains to be seen. Will it be a bigger leap forward than the iPhone 4S was over the 4? We don't know yet, but that new home button's pretty nice.

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Samsung's Galaxy Gear Is Almost Definitely Coming on September 4th

What’s weird about reporting on the potential introduction of smartphone watches is that they actually aren’t anything new – every few years it seems some OEM comes up with a wrist-mounted phone that makes for an interesting demo but doesn’t go anywhere, like the LG GD910, for instance, the talk of CES 2009. Samsung readying a smartphone watch for a September 4 unveiling, as Bloomberg reports, then seems a bit like

The so-called Galaxy Gear from Samsung would be an Android-powered smartwatch that sounds like it can operate independently of a connected smartphone device to make calls, browse the web, send and receive emails and more. The Gear won’t use Samsung’s fledgling flexible display technology, however, as that’s not quite ready for prime time, and is still in the crowd sourced contest phase of development.

Samsung will introduce Gear on September 4, a couple of days ahead of the IFA consumer gadgets show, alongside the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung’s next giant tablet/phone mashup monstrosity. Bloomberg doesn’t say much more about the Galaxy Gear or what it will look like, but we’ve already seen some hints in previous trademark and patent filings from Samsung.

So besides the fact that Samsung and LG are very different companies, what’s changed between 2009 and now that makes the Galaxy Gear a more potentially interesting product than the LG GD910? Well, Android for one. LG’s phone was essentially a dumb phone that you wore on your wrist. Samsung’s Gear should have some tricks up its sleeve thanks to Google’s smartphone OS.

Of course, working with Android on a non-standard screen size brings its own issues. The open-source OS is highly customizable, as Nvidia’s SHIELD project proves, but that device is much more similar to a phone than what a smart watch would presumably resemble. Will Gear have access to Play Store apps? How will those apps behave? Will Samsung be applying a heavily customized skin on top and supplying its own limited stock of apps? The last seems most likely, as even with a super high resolution display, Android apps operating on a smaller screen would have tiny visual elements and touch hit points.

Note also that this specifically isn’t a device that requires a smartphone to operate if Bloomberg’s sources are correct, but a “wristwatch-like smartphone,” so it’ll be interesting to see what kind of integration between smartphone and smartwatch Samsung builds in. I’m betting there has to be some kind of connection, since that’s another advantage that modern devices have that weren’t necessarily available to the GD910 and other similar devices.
Earlier this week, SamMobile reported that it had "confirmed" there would be a smartwatch at the IFA Unpacked event. During the Samsung Galaxy S4 rumor parade earlier this year, SamMobile's sources nailed a couple of key details about the Samsung flagship ahead of its announcement, so we're comfortable taking their word for it here.

For months and months, rumor blogs and reputable business publications alike have been reporting that everyone from Apple to Microsoft to Samsung are developing smartwatch technology. And it's been almost certain the Samsung watch would be amongst the first of to launch, but until now we haven't known the date. We've been skeptical all along because there are plenty of reasons to think that any smartwatch product released today would be, uh, less than awesome. Everything that has been made so far seriously misses the mark.
If this really is a full-fledged smartphone, however, it will likely be priced with one, especially if it boasts decent specs. That could make its initial appeal limited, but maybe for Samsung being first to market (especially ahead of Apple, which is said to be developing its own smartwatch) in this space that everyone’s watching was the top priority.

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Sony Xperia ZR

Introduction

It looks like Sony is going for a Samsung-like approach when it comes to its portfolio of Android handsets, as the company is continuing to release multiple models that tend to be dangerously similar to one another. The latest example is the Sony Xperia ZR, which can safely be considered a somewhat toned-down Xperia Z.

Still, with a 4.5” 720p screen, a 13-megapixel Exmor RS camera and the Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset in tow, the Xperia ZR is certainly not your average mid-range model. What's more, the phone has kept the Xperia Z's signature ability to be water-resistant, which will undoubtedly boost its appeal even further.

With the Xperia ZR, Sony is looking to offer a solid contender in the upper-mid-range space that will go up against devices like the popular HTC One mini, the Nexus 4, or the Galaxy S III, which can still be found at most retailers. It's more than an uphill battle, going against such tough opponents, but hey, if the product is as good as it seems to be on paper, it could easily give those competing devices a run for their money
Design

While the Sony Xperia ZR has kept most of the Z's design DNA, it definitely shows that it's not exactly a premium model due to its significantly thicker profile of 10.4 mm, versus the Xperia Z's remarkable 7.9 mm. Despite that, the phone feels comfortable in the hand and not bulky.

The choice of materials for the Sony Xperia ZR is another thing that reminds us of its mid-range nature. Pushing its front glass panel down, we notice that it's not made of the most firm type of glass, while the back side of the device is made of a very ordinary plastic that is sure to leave you indifferent at best. Unfortunately, it attracts a lot of fingerprint smudges, but at least it's likely to repulse bad guys that might be willing to get a hold of your smartphone.

Handsets equipped with 4.5” displays used to be considered pretty big, but now that 5” smartphones are commonplace, we actually see them as relatively compact offerings. Not that the Xperia ZR is small or anything, but it's definitely easier to handle compared to those 5” beasts. For example, the ZR's dimensions are 5.16 x 2.65 x 0.41 inches (131 x 67.4 x 10.4 mm), while the GS4 measures 5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 inches (136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm). In terms of weight, though, the Xperia ZR isn't the lightest handset with its 140 g, (the 5” GS4, for example, weighs 130 g). Still, that doesn't make the Xperia ZR feel heavy.
Due to the smartphone's water-resistant nature, its microUSB and 3.5mm ports are protected by tight plastic covers, with the one of the 3.5mm connector being somewhat difficult to remove. Watch out not to break your nail while struggling to open it!

We aren't really fascinated by the execution of the physical keys, all of which are situated on the handset's right hand side. Basically, all of them — which includes the power/lock key, volume rocker and camera shutter — work fine, but aren't particularly “clicky” and comfortable to use. What's more, the volume rocker has an unusual position near the lower end of the Xperia ZR's right hand side, which makes it not as easy to reach as it would have been if it was in its traditional position towards the upper end. Meanwhile, the camera button is so tiny that you can almost fail to notice it's there.

Display

The Sony Xperia ZR isn't ready to make many compromises in the display area. The sizable 4.5” screen sports a more than decent resolution of 720x1280 pixels, which works out to a satisfying pixel density of 323 pixels per inch. In comparison, the HTC One mini packs a slightly smaller display at 4.3 inches, but having the same 720p resolution, its pixel density comes in at 341 ppi.

Back to the Xperia ZR, its LCD TFT display can get reasonably bright at about 470 nits max, which isn't a staggering number, but manages to keep the screen visible under daylight.

Overall, we're pleased with the image quality of the screen, as its colors appear well-saturated and lively. Meanwhile, contrast is pretty decent in your normal, straight-on viewing position, though viewing angles are once again pretty poor (same as on most other Sony Android phones), so as soon as you start tilting the phone to one side, things get very washed out.

Thankfully, the Sony Xperia ZR hasn't missed out on the Mobile Bravia engine, which makes media content viewed on the phone's screen appear more appealing. It does nothing more than to apply some software enhancements to the image, but we enjoy it.

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HTC 8X:Full Reviews

HTC, a well-known mobile manufacturer company which provides best smartphone to its customers. Android is trending these days but windows operating system for mobile is not far behind. Windows 8 smartphones are also gaining Smartphone users attraction. Recently HTC had launched two smart phones based on windows 8 operating system named as HTC 8X and HTC 8S. in this post I am going to tell the reviews of HTC 8X. 

Design:-

The very first thing is that how the phone look like means design of the phone. If we talk about the design then it is the thing that you can always expect from HTC. Its products always look different and much more attractive than all other smartphones. This phone is very well built it flawlessly weds beautiful glass that curves at the edges with a matte unibody plastic shell. The back of the phone is also designed in such a way that is very easy to hold in hand and its light weight adds to it.

The phone is available in all color option while in India only blue and black is available. This phone is very slim and there is no cover to open as it has a unibody design. The micro-SIM slot is provided on the side, there is no SD card slot and battery is also undetectable.

If we talk of the physical buttons present on the phone than it has SIM slot, power button and camera key on the right, USB port on the bottom and headphone jack on top.

Inspite of having good design, the Physical buttons are lacking somewhere. As its traditional style. HTC provided power button closer to the front end rather than the back, which makes it harder to access the button when you are holding Phone in hand. It is harder to know whether the button you are trying to press is pressed or not and its same for all the physical buttons present on it. The position of USB port is also annoying as it is again upside down.

Overall design of this phone is very good and eye-catching.

Display:-

After design everyone look for the screen or display of the smart phone ant this HTC 8X has a 4.3 inch super LCD screen with resolution of 1280 x 720. In the recent phone of HTC the display is amazing as in HTC one X and this one also has the same. This 8X has a good display with awesome color, brightness, contrast and sunlight legibility.

If we compare this one with Nokia’s Lumia 920, these two phones are very close. Nokia Lumia 920 is ahead of this one in size and response time but the display of HTC is longer than that of Lumia 920. The aspect ratio is also much better 16:9 for HTC as compared to lumia’s 15:9.

Battery life:-

• This phone has a 1,800mAh battery. Under normal usage this phone can get you through full day.
• This phone play 1080p (full HD video) for about 5 hour and 40 minutes which is impressive.

Hardware and software:-

This HTC 8X runs on a Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 SoC, with a dual-core 1.5GHz Krait CPU and Adreno 225 GPU. This phone comes with 1GB RAM and 16 GB internal space which is non-expandable as no SD-card slot is available on the phone, even though windows 8 support expandable memory. This is the point of concern as 16 GB memory is very less it should be atleast 32 GB or even 64 GB.

If we talk about the software this phone then this phone comes with windows 8 and some pre-installed HTC apps. Windows had improved much in last few years and this new version windows 8 is very good as compared to windows 7but still there are few things which should be highlighted like in this OS has no notification center where you can get all your notifications , no option of sending file via Bluetooth until enabled from settings ,there are only three Brightness settings instead of Auto feature there is no way of having different volume levels for ringtones, music player, alarm, headphones, or anything else as we have in Android OS, these is no VPN support and this list continuous as I had mentioned only few points. Although other Operating systems also have many such or other issues but still Windows OS is most irritating among all.

Nokia had tried to reduce such problems with its many useful apps but if we talk about HTC, they had not tried to do anything and don’t provided any useful apps. At end if we talk aout the software then this phone disappoints us but still there are many features to like such as its smooth performance wonderful user interface of windows 8 and many other features.

Pros:-

•  Excellent reception quality
•  Tough scratch-resistant glass
• Good audio quality
• Great performance

Cons:-

• Average camera Quality
• Unexpandable memory (only 16 GB)
• Expensive

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LG G2 could launch same day & Specs:

Tomorrow LG is going to finally make the G2 official. Before that though, we get to peek at the phone once again as ETradeSupply has leaked some of the phone's parts. More specifically, the display and front glass panel of the G2 are displayed below.

LG hasn’t left much to the imagination where its new flagship LG G2 is concerned. While most smartphone makers go to great lengths to keep unannounced devices a secret, LG has already named its new hero phone and shared a number of details.  The phone will be unveiled during a press conference on Wednesday, August 7th, and now a new report suggests it may launch the very same day. Korean-language MK News reports that the G2 will become available for purchase in South Korea immediately following its debut at LG’s press conference in New York City. Because of the time zone difference, the phone’s actual release date will be August 8th in South Korea, if the report pans out. Unfortunately, MK News makes no mention of wider availability so it is unclear when the G2 might roll out in the United States. The G2 is expected to feature a 5.2-inch full HD 1080p display, a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 13-megapixel rear camera

Fingerprint recognition technology would certainly be an exciting feature for the G2 but it's lack thereof is not worth crying about. After all, as Engadget continues, the G2 will still carry "a nano-SIM slot... the G2 will offer microSD storage expansion, not to mention a removable 2,610mAh battery."

As for the specs we can look forward to, LG users and G2 hopefuls should keep an eye out for a burly 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, a crystal clear 5.2-inch LCD display, an unparalleled 3GB of memory, a sharp 13MP camera, and a probable Android 4.2.2 mobile OS. Google did recently unveil its updated Android 4.3 so the G2 may come with an available upgrade.

LG has a press event coming up this week, August 7, so there are sure to be plenty more leaked specs and photos in mere days leading up to the event. The G2 looks to be a viable device on paper and could easily compete with other high-end smartphones in dominating the market like those by Apple and Samsung. LG is known to make crystal clear LCD displays so including one on its smartphone will be a big draw and hopefully bolster the household brand recognition needed to truly compete with Apple and Samsung

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Leaked Image Of New HP Smartphone

We have already many tweaks that HP is working on Android Power Smartphone after its failure in its Own Web OS . Image confirms the HP logo on back of Smartphone and it also can be clearly seen that Device runs Pure Android . No details regarding possible specs were available.

Via: Talkandroid

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Huawei Ascend W1

Latest Windows Phone OS.Up and running.

Live Tiles gives you an up close and personal view to the happenings in the world. Work seamlessly on your phone with the latest Microsoft Office. Read latest posts and connect with friends and family through our user-friendly People Hub.

Power from within

Breath-taking speed from Qualcomm’s Krait structured MSM823 dual core CPU with 1.2GHz achievable frequency; Jaw-dropping graphics with built-in Adreno 305 graphics processor, with 400MHz achievable frequency; download speed up to HSPA+ 21Mbps. Thanks to the 28nm processor, you’ll enjoy videos and gaming at their best. All the fun and convenience of Windows Phone 8 comes together here, at an outstanding price too.

Slimmer, yet brighter

Huawei Ascend W1 equipped with a high quality IPS screen combined with OGS Touch Panel will reduce the light consumption and make the screen brighter, more vivid and more nature even under the sun, providing great view experience for its users.

Point-and-shoot. 

Photo-taking made simple
Photo-taking is never simpler. All you need to is press the camera button and finger-point to the focus on screen to take a picture. No screen-unlock; no extra steps.

Work when and where 

as you like
With pre-loaded with a Microsoft Office and Outlook, you can work on Word, Excel and Powerpoint anywhere and anytime, as if you are in office. Thanks to Skydrive, your files can be sync seamlessly. And Outlook will keep you updated of every email coming in.

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Apple iPhone 6 Rumors

The iPhone 6 represents the hope for a all-new iPhone. While we expect a small update this year, the iPhone 6 is when we could see a larger screen, a brand new design and new iPhone features Apple can’t squeeze into the same old design.

With this in mind, and chatter about iPhone 6 prototypes with big, high-resolution displays and no home button, designers are working at a fevered pace to deliver iPhone 6 concepts.

iPhone 6 Concept From Apple

While most of the iPhone 6 concepts on this list come straight from talented designers, this iPhone 6 concept is based directly off an iPhone patent filed by Apple. An iPhone patent shows off an iPhone with a curved display that wraps-around the iPhone offering a cool way to interact with the iPhone from the front or back.

iPhone 6 Concept Based on iOS 7 Features

iPhone 6 With 5.7-Inch HD Display

iPhone 6 with a 3D Camera
iPhone 6 with Edge-to-Edge Display
Waterproof iPhone 6 with Notification LEDs

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Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini

he Samsung Galaxy S3 mini is a combination of portability and superb functionality, with features which include a 4 inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen that presents a rich blend of colors for your viewing delight and is very responsive to touch.

The device runs on the Google Android Operating System 4.1 (jelly bean) that can be upgraded to newer versions as they arrive thus providing an option of numerous downloads from the Google play store.

This smartphone comes with an internal memory of 18GB providing enough room for the downloads of all your favorite games, music and applications. There is also an option of expanding its memory using a micro SD card.

It comes with a 1GHz dual core processor. Though not as large as the Samsung Galaxy S3, it provides the optimal speed necessary for your multitasking needs without much delays and lags when switching between applications and games. It also has 1GB of RAM.

The battery that comes with this device is a 1500mAh Li-ion battery that presents a large life span of up to 7 hours of talk time and multiple days on-standby time, keeping your device up and running all through the day. There is also the power saving option which when activated provides a much larger battery life span for your device.

On the surface; The device has a power button on its right side and on the left side is the volume control, on the top is the 3.5mm headphone jack while at the back is found a 5 mega pixels auto focus camera capable of High Definition 720p video recording, an LED flash and the loudspeakers.

The micro SD slot and micro Sim card slot are accessible when the plastic back cover is removed to reveal the batteries.

The front surface of the Samsung Galaxy S3 mini has the earlier mentioned 4 inch AMOLED touchscreen with 800 by 480 resolution and at the lower end of the screen is the 'home' button and two capacitive buttons, 'back' and 'menu', which are back-lit and hence visible in dim-lit environments.

The device also includes all the Samsung developed software's that can be found in the Samsung Galaxy S3 and presents just as much functions as the same..

If you find the Samsung galaxy S3 very attractive but don't fancy its large body size and want a device that performs just as much yet providing a lot of portability then the Galaxy mini is one you should consider

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Nokia Lumia 925 review

The Lumia 800 was a great phone without an ecosystem. The Lumia 900 made that phone bigger, without significantly improving on the software or specifications. The Lumia 920 came with a massively improved camera, and the updated Windows Phone 8, but it was too bulky for many consumers.

With the 925, Nokia thinks it's perfected the Lumia formula: It’s essentially the same phone as the 920 in a vastly thinner and lighter aluminum shell. Nokia's also made some improvements to the Lumia 920's camera, both in hardware and software. Is this finally the Lumia that can go head-to-head with the HTC Ones, iPhone 5s, and Galaxy S4s of the world? Read on to find out.

Low-light photos never looked this good.

Award-winning PureView technology, Carl Zeiss optics and six physical lenses. The Nokia Lumia 925 lets you capture the great moments, day or night. And the beautifully crafted design will turn heads wherever you go.

As good as it gets (for now)

Unlike thLike the Lumia 920, the 4.5-inch display runs at a resolution of 1280 x 768 and the result is a really pixel-dense display. It's no match for the 1920 x 1080 resolution on the Galaxy S4's 5-inch display, but until Windows Phone supports 1080p displays it's one of the best you're going to get for now.

I found readability in sunlight to be very good, and Nokia has included its usual high-sensitivity options to enable glove use for the less sunny days. A new Glance option is also enabled for the first time with Lumia 925 display. Like Symbian before it, Glance enables a clock on the standby screen. While this might seem like a cause for battery concern, the AMOLED display only lights up and uses the pixels for the white parts of the clock, which are very minimal. It will time out after 15 minutes, but it provides quickly glanceable information including battery charge state and silent mode. There’s also a night mode that you can set to trigger at a certain time that turns the text red so it doesn’t light up your bedroom.

Design

Rumors have been circling for months now that Nokia has been toying with the idea of using metal in its phones. Those rumors, it seems, were bang on the money as the 925 is built with metal at its core. The chassis on which all the crucial components are mounted is metal, with thick metal banding present around the edges of the handset.

Rather than opt for an all-metal design though, the 925 has a polycarbonate back plate. It's a shame not to see a single-piece metal construction. We've already seen this on the HTC One and iPhone 5, both of which are unquestionably stunning phones.

Some of Nokia's previous Lumias -- particularly the Lumia 920 -- boast single-piece bodies, albeit made from plastic, which do have a certain luxurious feel to them. If Nokia could have mimicked the slick, rounded body of the 920 in metal rather than plastic, I'd be extremely happy.

That's not to say the 925 doesn't look good though. Far from it. The metal edging feels firm and curves nicely to join the rounded edge of the screen. The back panel doesn't give much flex when you press on it, making it feel much more solid and secure than the plastic body of the Samsung Galaxy S4. In my brief hands on with the handsets, I found the 925 felt a lot nicer than the all plastic 928. Neither, however, offer the same luxury feel of the HTC One.

Camera

Nokia has given the 925's camera a couple of small tweaks, too. It uses the same 8.7-megapixel sensor as its predecessor, but Nokia explained that it's improved the optics in front of the sensor. As well as the lightweight plastic lenses -- low weight is needed for the optical image stabilization -- the 925 uses a sixth glass lens which Nokia reckons gives better clarity, especially in daylight.

Nokia has also apparently improved its camera firmware to give better noise reduction in low-light situations. Until I can give the camera a thorough test, I can't comment on whether these tweaks are worthwhile. The Lumia 920 was already an excellent low-light performer, so let's hope Nokia hasn't messed around with that too much.

You will find some new camera software on board, chief among which is called SmartCam. This app (also integrated as a camera lens) takes a burst of 10 images that you can then edit into an action sequence, change the faces, or choose the best image from the bunch to save. We've seen these functions already on the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4. Unlike the Galaxy S4 though, you choose how to edit the images after you've taken them, rather than choose a setting to shoot in beforehand.

I've played around with the action sequence modes on other phones and found them to be a lot of fun -- so long as you have a particularly exciting scene to capture. Nokia's effort seems to work in much the same way, but with what seems to be a more stripped down, easier to use interface.

You can set the camera to automatically load in SmartCam mode, or you can pin the icon to your home screen to get access to it quickly.

Specifications

Display

Display size: 4.5 PureMotion HD+ ''
Display technology: AMOLED 
Touch screen technology: Super-sensitive touch 
Photography

Main camera sensor: 8.7 MP PureView 
Power management

Maximum 2G talk time: 18.3 h
Maximum 3G talk time: 12.8 h
Maximum 3G standby time: 440 h
Music playback time: 55 h
Wireless charging: Yes, with accessory cover 
Processor

Processor name: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 

Processor type: Dual-core 1.5 GHz 

All the action in a single photo.

Capture more of the action than your eyes can see. The Action Shot feature in Nokia Smart Camera lets you snap once to get a sequence of movements in a single high-quality image.

Specifications

Display

Display size: 4.5 PureMotion HD+ ''

Display technology: AMOLED 

Touch screen technology: Super-sensitive touch 

Photography

Main camera sensor: 8.7 MP PureView 

Power management

Maximum 2G talk time: 18.3 h

Maximum 3G talk time: 12.8 h

Maximum 3G standby time: 440 h

Music playback time: 55 h

Wireless charging: Yes, with accessory cover 

Processor

Processor name: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 

Processor type: Dual-core 1.5 GHz 

Specifications

Display

Display size: 4.5 PureMotion HD+ ''

Display technology: AMOLED 

Touch screen technology: Super-sensitive touch 

Photography

Main camera sensor: 8.7 MP PureView 

Power management

Maximum 2G talk time: 18.3 h

Maximum 3G talk time: 12.8 h

Maximum 3G standby time: 440 h

Music playback time: 55 h

Wireless charging: Yes, with accessory cover 

Processor

Processor name: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 

Processor type: Dual-core 1.5 GHz 

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