Nokia X Android smartphone

Nokia X Android smartphone India launch on Monday

Nokia X, the much-awaited Android-based budget smartphone by the Finnish giant, is set to make its first appearance in India on Monday at simultaneous launch events in Mumbai and New Delhi. The invite says, "Nokia India cordially invites you to Xperience a new beginning!" where the 'X' letter has been highlighted, suggesting that the company might reveal the pricing and availability details of the Nokia X Android smartphone.
The invite further informs that Nokia India's VP and MD, P. Balaji will be attending the event in New Dehi. As of now, no other details related to the event have been revealed.
(Also see: Nokia X Android phones: Life in the Fastlane)
We expect that the company might also announce availability details of the Nokia X+ and Nokia XL, which was launched alongside Nokia X at the MWC 2014.
On Wednesday, Nokia's first Android smartphone, the Nokia X, was spotted at an online retailer in India, with a price of Rs. 8,500. The retailer claimed that the Nokia X smartphone would be available from 15 March 2014.
However, since the online retailer is a third-party store, one cannot be certain if this would be the official launch price when the phone is announced for India.
The Nokia X is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and is powered by Microsoft and Nokia services. The highlight of the Nokia X is the highly customised version of Android, with the Metro-inspired UI and access to Nokia's own app store. While there's no access to Google's Play Store, users can side-load Android apps from any third-party source. Nokia has used the AOSP version corresponding to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as the baseline for its operating system.
(Also see: More Nokia X Android smartphones on the way despite Microsoft deal)
The Nokia X offers dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) support with dual standby. The first Android phone from Nokia features a 4-inch IPS LCD display with a 480x800 pixel resolution, translating to a pixel density of 233ppi.
The smartphone is powered by 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, alongside 512MB of RAM. It sports a 3-megapixel rear camera. The Nokia X handset comes with 4GB of in-built storage, and can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card.
(Also see: Nokia X can run 75 percent Android apps 'without any modifications')
The Nokia X supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, AGPS, EDGE, GPRS and 3G connectivity options. It is backed by a 1500mAh battery, which can deliver up to 13 hours of talktime and up to 672 hours of standby time on 2G network.

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Nokia X Android smartphone

Nokia X Android smartphone India launch on Monday

Nokia X, the much-awaited Android-based budget smartphone by the Finnish giant, is set to make its first appearance in India on Monday at simultaneous launch events in Mumbai and New Delhi. The invite says, "Nokia India cordially invites you to Xperience a new beginning!" where the 'X' letter has been highlighted, suggesting that the company might reveal the pricing and availability details of the Nokia X Android smartphone.
The invite further informs that Nokia India's VP and MD, P. Balaji will be attending the event in New Dehi. As of now, no other details related to the event have been revealed.
(Also see: Nokia X Android phones: Life in the Fastlane)
We expect that the company might also announce availability details of the Nokia X+ and Nokia XL, which was launched alongside Nokia X at the MWC 2014.
On Wednesday, Nokia's first Android smartphone, the Nokia X, was spotted at an online retailer in India, with a price of Rs. 8,500. The retailer claimed that the Nokia X smartphone would be available from 15 March 2014.
However, since the online retailer is a third-party store, one cannot be certain if this would be the official launch price when the phone is announced for India.
The Nokia X is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), and is powered by Microsoft and Nokia services. The highlight of the Nokia X is the highly customised version of Android, with the Metro-inspired UI and access to Nokia's own app store. While there's no access to Google's Play Store, users can side-load Android apps from any third-party source. Nokia has used the AOSP version corresponding to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as the baseline for its operating system.
(Also see: More Nokia X Android smartphones on the way despite Microsoft deal)
The Nokia X offers dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) support with dual standby. The first Android phone from Nokia features a 4-inch IPS LCD display with a 480x800 pixel resolution, translating to a pixel density of 233ppi.
The smartphone is powered by 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, alongside 512MB of RAM. It sports a 3-megapixel rear camera. The Nokia X handset comes with 4GB of in-built storage, and can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card.
(Also see: Nokia X can run 75 percent Android apps 'without any modifications')
The Nokia X supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, AGPS, EDGE, GPRS and 3G connectivity options. It is backed by a 1500mAh battery, which can deliver up to 13 hours of talktime and up to 672 hours of standby time on 2G network.

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LG G Pro 2 hands-on

LG G Pro 2 hands-on

The LG G Pro 2 went official 10 days prior to the MWC. It's already selling in Korea, with US and Europe getting it in March and April.
The G Pro 2 is the successor of the Optimus G Pro phablet and upgrades all major specs. It comes with a larger 5.9" 1080p IPS display, runs on the Snapdragon 800 chipset with 3GB of RAM, and comes with a 13MP camera with enhanced optical image stabilization (OIS+).

LG G Pro 2 next to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3
The G Pro 2's display looks great, colors are punchy, the viewing angles are OK too, though the performance under direct sunlight is rather unimpressive. Still the display occupies 77.2% of the entire front, the bezels are impressively slim.
The other key features of the LG G Pro 2 are expandable 16 or 32GB of internal storage, 4K video recording @30 fps, 1080p videos @ 60fps and 720p@120fps. The phablet is powered by a 3,200mAh battery.

LG G Pro 2
LG G Pro 2 is running Android 4.4.2 KitKat skinned with LG's proprietary Emotional UX. The phablet also introduces the so-called Knock Code - allowing device unlock by a combination of taps on the screen. We tried this feature and liked it, though it takes some time to get used to.

LG G Pro 2: a closer look
Here's a quick video demo of LG's latest software:

The LG G Pro 2 is made entirely of plastic. Its back has barely visible pattern, and is glossy and very slippery. We expected to find fingerprints and smudges all over the G Pro 2 after handling the phablet for a while, but as it turns out it is not affected too badly, never mind the glossy finish.
The back of the G Pro 2 has the already familiar control deck just below the camera - a Power/Lock key squeezed between the volume keys. Those can be configured to launch different apps (such as the camera) upon a long press.

A peek under the battery cover
We've taken the LG G Pro 2 out for a quick spin. We were eager to test its OIS camera, so we snapped e few photos.

LG G Pro 2 10MP 16:9 camera samples
And here is a full 13MP 4:3 photo.

LG G Pro 2 13MP camera sample.
We've also shot two short 4K videos with the LG G Pro 2. The first we uploaded to YouTube for convenience, the second is available for download untouched. Enjoy!

4K video sample
We'll keep our comments on the quality for the retail review unit, but the G Pro 2 camera indeed looks promising.

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LG G Pro 2 hands-on

LG G Pro 2 hands-on

The LG G Pro 2 went official 10 days prior to the MWC. It's already selling in Korea, with US and Europe getting it in March and April.
The G Pro 2 is the successor of the Optimus G Pro phablet and upgrades all major specs. It comes with a larger 5.9" 1080p IPS display, runs on the Snapdragon 800 chipset with 3GB of RAM, and comes with a 13MP camera with enhanced optical image stabilization (OIS+).

LG G Pro 2 next to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3
The G Pro 2's display looks great, colors are punchy, the viewing angles are OK too, though the performance under direct sunlight is rather unimpressive. Still the display occupies 77.2% of the entire front, the bezels are impressively slim.
The other key features of the LG G Pro 2 are expandable 16 or 32GB of internal storage, 4K video recording @30 fps, 1080p videos @ 60fps and 720p@120fps. The phablet is powered by a 3,200mAh battery.

LG G Pro 2
LG G Pro 2 is running Android 4.4.2 KitKat skinned with LG's proprietary Emotional UX. The phablet also introduces the so-called Knock Code - allowing device unlock by a combination of taps on the screen. We tried this feature and liked it, though it takes some time to get used to.

LG G Pro 2: a closer look
Here's a quick video demo of LG's latest software:

The LG G Pro 2 is made entirely of plastic. Its back has barely visible pattern, and is glossy and very slippery. We expected to find fingerprints and smudges all over the G Pro 2 after handling the phablet for a while, but as it turns out it is not affected too badly, never mind the glossy finish.
The back of the G Pro 2 has the already familiar control deck just below the camera - a Power/Lock key squeezed between the volume keys. Those can be configured to launch different apps (such as the camera) upon a long press.

A peek under the battery cover
We've taken the LG G Pro 2 out for a quick spin. We were eager to test its OIS camera, so we snapped e few photos.

LG G Pro 2 10MP 16:9 camera samples
And here is a full 13MP 4:3 photo.

LG G Pro 2 13MP camera sample.
We've also shot two short 4K videos with the LG G Pro 2. The first we uploaded to YouTube for convenience, the second is available for download untouched. Enjoy!

4K video sample
We'll keep our comments on the quality for the retail review unit, but the G Pro 2 camera indeed looks promising.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 gets KitKat 4.4.2 update

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 3 gets KitKat 4.4.2 update

The international variant of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 already received its KitKat 4.4 update about a month and a half ago, but now it looks like T-Mobile USA will finally enjoy some update love.
There have been reports from T-Mobile customers that they've been receiving the update on their devices.
Since it's an over-the-air update, different customers in different regions of the country receive the updates at different times; there's no telling when your device is going to prompt you when to update your software.
If you want to manually check for the update, you can do so by going to settings > general > about device > software update. There's no guarantee that your phone will see the update, but it's worth a shot.
After the update, your phone should be on software version N900TUVUCNB4 . Anyone here with a T-Mobile Note 3 who's enjoying their KitKat update right now?

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 gets KitKat 4.4.2 update

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 3 gets KitKat 4.4.2 update

The international variant of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 already received its KitKat 4.4 update about a month and a half ago, but now it looks like T-Mobile USA will finally enjoy some update love.
There have been reports from T-Mobile customers that they've been receiving the update on their devices.
Since it's an over-the-air update, different customers in different regions of the country receive the updates at different times; there's no telling when your device is going to prompt you when to update your software.
If you want to manually check for the update, you can do so by going to settings > general > about device > software update. There's no guarantee that your phone will see the update, but it's worth a shot.
After the update, your phone should be on software version N900TUVUCNB4 . Anyone here with a T-Mobile Note 3 who's enjoying their KitKat update right now?

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Micromax's octa-core Canvas Knight first review

Micromax's octa-core Canvas Knight goes on sale

Power users rejoice, Micromax has announced that their first octa-core smartphone, the Canvas Knight A350, is now for sale.
The Knight is powered by MediaTek 2GHz Tru Octa-Core MT6592T CPU, which the company flaunts as as being a multi-tasking workhorse.

The three available colors (click to enlarge)
The Canvas Knight also comes with a 5” SHARP full HD screen, 2GB RAM, a 16MP primary camera and a 8MP front facing unit, a 2350 mAh battery, and 32GB of storage out of the box. On the software side, the Canvas Knight packs Android 4.2.2 and it comes in Black, White & Gold, and Black & Gold color variants.
Another feature that Micromax is touting with the Knight is the Yamaha Music Amplifier, which promises exceptional audio output.
The Canvas Knight retails for 20,000 rupees, which equates to roughly $323. Anyone excited for the Indian manufacturer's latest phone?
If you are, you can pick it up at www.micromaxinfo.com.

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Micromax's octa-core Canvas Knight first review

Micromax's octa-core Canvas Knight goes on sale

Power users rejoice, Micromax has announced that their first octa-core smartphone, the Canvas Knight A350, is now for sale.
The Knight is powered by MediaTek 2GHz Tru Octa-Core MT6592T CPU, which the company flaunts as as being a multi-tasking workhorse.

The three available colors (click to enlarge)
The Canvas Knight also comes with a 5” SHARP full HD screen, 2GB RAM, a 16MP primary camera and a 8MP front facing unit, a 2350 mAh battery, and 32GB of storage out of the box. On the software side, the Canvas Knight packs Android 4.2.2 and it comes in Black, White & Gold, and Black & Gold color variants.
Another feature that Micromax is touting with the Knight is the Yamaha Music Amplifier, which promises exceptional audio output.
The Canvas Knight retails for 20,000 rupees, which equates to roughly $323. Anyone excited for the Indian manufacturer's latest phone?
If you are, you can pick it up at www.micromaxinfo.com.

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LG G2 Hands on Review

LG G2 Hands on Review

Introduction

You needn't be particularly involved with the smartphone world to notice the considerable – and more importantly, constant – growth in devices' dimensions. This observation has been cemented time and time again, and it appears that LG is next in turn. Still hot off the conveyor belt, the high-end G Pro 2 is one big phone at 5.9 inches. That's a considerable jump from its 5.5-inch predecessor – the original G pro.

But while the phablet form factor may have been something pushed down our throats by manufacturers initially, there's no denying that the wider public response has been overwhelmingly positive. Demand for phablets is now large enough that every handset maker is scraping to get a phablet of their own out on the market. Packing a potent, 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 and 3GB of RAM, the G Pro 2 handles everything and anything you throw at it with finesse, and the same type of results are achieved by the optically-stabilized, 13-megapixel unit on the rear of the phone.

Before we get into this, however, do keep in mind that our review unit is the Korean version, which may differ in some aspects from the international model that we expect to reach the shores of Europe and the States in the coming months. We're still expecting LG to shed some more light on specifics, such as carrier availability and release date.

In the box:

• Wall charger
• microUSB to USB cable
• Earphones
• Secondary, 3300mAh battery (International availability unclear)
• Dock with a battery charging slot (International availability unclear)

Design

A lot can and should be said about the G Pro 2's exterior. For starters, this is one sweet-looking device, even though it's unlikely to win consumers' hearts on looks alone. LG hasn't used truly premium materials with the build of the device, but there's simply no way that one would confuse this for anything less than a top-of-the-line phablet.

Starting with the front, we have very narrow bezels all around, so this is a relatively conservative device in terms of its dimensions (6.22 x 3.22 x 0.33 inches). In comparison, the 5.9-inch HTC One Max commands dimensions of 6.48 x 3.25 x 0.41 inches, so it's considerably larger and thicker. We also simply have to point out how light and well-balanced the G Pro 2 is. At 6.07 oz (172 grams), this is possibly the lightest phablet in its class, and it isn't top- nor bottom-heavy like some devices we've come across. In other words, while this will never be seen as a one-handed device, it's still more comfortable to use than quite a few other phablets in this size class.

Anyways, those aforementioned bezels all tout a fancy texture which shimmers under light, much alike the rear of the Nexus 4. In comparison, the rear is less intriguing. The plasticky shell  has something of a mesh texture, which doesn't exactly scream premium, but it does feel practical. Moreover, the G Pro 2 borrows the rear-placed volume and power buttons from the G2, and these are worth a moment to discuss, because they have seen some noteworthy improvements. For starters, they're now far less flush with the surface, and you can make them out by touch alone, which definitely helps. What's more, they have a roughly doubled travel time upon impact and you don't have to push too hard to get feedback from them. We never quite warmed up to the rear combo, as outlined in our long-term LG G2 review, but the G Pro 2 definitely begs a rematch.

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