| Exclusive: Samsung Galaxy S4 Accessories #Published: 15/03/2013 |
- Game-Pad: Bluetooth pairing via NFC Tectile technology allows the user to fit the phone in a Game-Pad and make use of the Game-Pad controls for playing games.
- Wireless Charging: Per reports, this phone supports wireless charging and might need a wireless pad and a replaceable back cover to enable wireless charging.
- Body Scale: This device measures your weight and sends it to your S4 using Bluetooth technology.
- S-Band: Wearable band which allows the phone to track your steps walked, calories burned, check sleep efficiency, distance covered, etc.
- Heart-Rate Monitor: Checks your Heart-Beat rate using a wearable device.
- Other Accessories: Flip-Cover, S View-Cover, Protective Cover
|
Launched: The most powerful and hyped flagship from Samsung – Galaxy S4 #Published: 15/03/2013
|
The launch gap between Galaxy S3 and the new Galaxy S4 has been, 9.5 months. Now that makes us wonder the pace at which technology is advancing especially in the mobileworld. While, the specs and images for S4 have already been an open secret – let’s see what’s special that we didn’t know about:
- Display: 5inch 1920x1080 Full HD resolution Super AMOLED HD - 441ppi
- Processor: 1.6Ghz Samsung Exynos 5410 8-core/1.9 GHz Quad-Core (USA)
- 4G (LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps); 3G (HSPA＋ 42Mbps)
- Size: 136.6x69.8x 7.9mm 130grams
- Memory: 16GB/32GB/64GB + upto 64GB microSD support
- GPU: 533Mhz PowerVR SGX 544
- RAM: 2GB
- OS: Android 4.2.2 + TouchWiz Nature UX
- Camera: 13MP [rear] 2MP [Front]; Full HD recording @30fps
- Battery: 2600mAh (interchangeable)
- Connectivity:
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (HT80)
- GPS+GLONASS
- NFC
- Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE)
- IR LED (Remote Control)
- MHL 2.0
- Qi wireless charging capabilities with wireless charging pad
- Colors: Blue and White (more colors soon)
- Price: Rs ~ 44,000
- Release Date (INDIA) - April 2013 [Pre-Booking] May 2013 [Actual Deliveres]
Unique Features:
- Air Gesture: Enables users to browse web, view pics, take calls & more without even touching the phone
- Air View: An already existing feature in Note II but this time it doesn’t need the S-Pen to do its job. Just hover your finger above the display and control.
- Smart Pause: Auto-pauses the video content being watched, if the user is not looking at the device and resumes when you look back
- Smart Scroll: Auto-scrolls the content using the front-camera technology and user just needs to tilt the phone to scroll.
- S Health: Monitors you blood pressure, blood glucose levels, workouts, weight. Additional accessory being sold by Samsung called S-Band which connects to your phone via Bluetooth and provides health information
- Temperature/Humidity Check: Inbuilt sensors can check the temperature and humidity levels of your surroundings.
- Dual-Camera Function: Enables the user to shoot using both the front and the rear cameras. Means, the user can place self in a photo captured or while video calling you can highlight the surroundings too
- Sound and Shot: Allows capturing 9 seconds of Audio while taking a snap
- Drama Shot: Click 100 images in 4 seconds – which allows you to capture all stages of action. Ex: If someone is dancing, you can combine all the pics to highlight the art of dancing
- S-Voice Drive: Voice Assistance while driving with a new interface
- S-Translate: Auto translates spoken language via voice or text in 9 different languages. It is also integrated with the e-mail and messaging app.
- Group Play: Now users can share Audio, Video, Pictures and other contents instantly to other S4 users without using Bluetooth or WiFi. Multi-Player gaming also supported.
- Knox: BlackBerry kind of experience especially for the corporates – where the user can separate personal and professional content
Supported Codecs:
- Video Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, DivX, DivX3.11, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark, HEVC Recording & Playback: Full HD (1080p)
- Audio Codec: MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, OGG, FLAC, AC-3, apt-X
Pros:
- Best looking display technology
- Awesome software features
- Thin, Sleek and Lighter
- OS software features steal the show
- Accessories
Cons:
- Build Quality: Does not give you the premium look
Close Competitors for Galaxy S4:
- HTC One - to be released in April Rs ~40,000
- Sony Xperia Z - Rs 38,000
- BlackBerry Z10 - Rs 43,500
- Nokia Lumia 920 - Rs 37,500
- LG Optimus G Pro - to be released in April Rs ~42,000
Quick flashback of the prior Samsung flagship – Galaxy S3
- 03 May 2012: London (UK) was the official launch of Galaxy S3
- 18 May 2012: Pre-Booking starts in India
- 31 May 2012: Official launch in India
- 31 May 2012: Launch Price Rs 43,160
- 14 Mar 2013: Current Price Rs 30,950
Update: Galaxy S3 to receive all the software features available in S4 via software upgrade. [Coming Soon - Android 4.2.2 for Galaxy S3]
|
The Next Galaxy Launch – Samsung Galaxy S IV [pre-release leaks] #Published: 13/3/2013
|
Official launch on 14 Mar 2013 at New York 19:00 (ET) – this time it’s open for general public
Kudos to Samsung for keeping the device under cover until the last moment, hope Apple doesn't sue them for copying their style! Anyways, no matter how hard companies try to keep their gadgets covered, nothing can be secret in the gadget world for long. Here are the final legitimate pictures of the device with rumored specifications. Now, don’t quote us if the final device unveiled is quite different from what we said, as you never know what’s in the box until it’s opened!
- Processor:
- International version: Exynos Octa 5 8-core [quad-core 1.8 GHz Cortex-A15 & quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7]
- United States version: Snapdragon 600 [1.9 GHz Quad-core]
- GPU:
- International version: PowerVR SGX 544MP
- United States version: Adreno 320
- OS: Android 4.2.1 JellyBean
- RAM: 2GB
- Display: 4.99 inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen - 1080 x 1920 pixels – 441ppi
- Camera: 13 MP - 4128 x 3096 pixels - LED Flash; 1080p@30fps Video; Front 2.1MP 1080p@30fps
- Browser: HTML5 + Adobe Flash
- Battery: 2600 mAh
- Other Specs:
- Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- microSD card support upto 64GB
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n dual-band
- Bluetooth v4.0 A2DP and EDR
- NFC
- More color options
- 16/32 GB Internal Storage
- Plastic back with aluminum sides
- Auto Video pause based on your head-movements
Stay tuned and we'll keep you updated right from the time of launch to the final retail of the product.
|
|
Smartphone Heavyweights Spring 2013 Edition #Published: 01/03/2013
BlackBerry Z10 - Finally made it [Phew!] – INR 43,490 #Published: 27/02/2013
|
The company which literally created a monopoly in terms of corporate communication – now is on the verge to sustain itself against competition. That’s how rapidly technology is advancing and everyone including Apple needs to match its pace. Though, BlackBerry realized this late but looks like an interesting comeback. Let’s check out the bottom-line review:
- Display: 4.2 inch IPS Panel - 768 x 1280 pixels - 355 PPI
- Beats the iPhone retina display hands-down
- No buttons on screen (e.g. to go home, swipe up from the bottom of the screen)
- Thick bezel adds to the looks
- WXGA display and not 1080p due to size (4.2 inch) - but works well
- Performance looks similar to the iPhone with 1GB RAM
- iPhone 5 graphics are way ahead than Z10 in terms of gaming
- Built Quality: Glass inserts on rear panel with Aluminum Shell and rubberized removable back cover
- Premium feel built quality like the iPhone 5 only exception being the rubber back looks degrading
- Processor: 1.5GHz Dual-core Qualcomm Krait processor
- Dual-core in a quad-core age – yes but it’s powerful enough to compete with quad-core processors
- Camera: 8MP with LED Flash 1080p Full HD recording and 2MP front-camera
- Disclaimer: Do not compare Z10’s camera with iPhone 5 or Lumia 920 they beat this one hands down.
- Overall decent camera quality
- It’s all about the OS – BB10 is more about swiping rather than button presses. (Reminder they are no home screen buttons). Unlike Android or iOS, it doesn't require pressing a button to bring up all of the open applications or double tapping a home button—all it takes is a simple gesture.
- New OS – does work smooth but needs to be fine-tuned a lot more to achieve what Android’s Jelly bean is at now or iOS for that matter. In a gist – BB10 is like Android Froyo in the age of Jelly Bean
- Apps: Approx. 70,000 apps are currently available for BlackBerry 10 (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Foursquare)
- Do not even compare this to iOS or Android – they are the benchmark in apps.
- Long way to go for BB10 to achieve their numbers (might be a big turn off for potential customers)
- One of the biggest benefits of buying an iOS (iPhone) or Android is you can be sure that, if an app for any service exists, it will be available on iOS/Android
- Lasted 8 hours and 20 minutes on heavy usage – decent performance
- iPhone 5 lasted 8 hours and 42 min
- Storage: 16GB on-board + upto 64GB expandable via microSD
- Whopping 80GB of storage possible – no storage issues at all
- FYI - Apps don't get auto-installed straight to device ram, they're installed on the media memory by default
- Dimensions: 9mm thin - 137.5 g
- S3 weighs 133 grams and is 8.6mm thin
- iPhone 5 weighs 112 grams and is 7.6mm thin
- NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, 4G LTE, HSPA+, Bluetooth ver 4.0, MicroUSB, HTML5, Flash, A-GPS
- INR 43,490 (Official Price) - Pre-Booking Open - Retails from 1st Mar 2013
- INR 37,999 (Grey Market Price)
Bottom-line: BlackBerry10 is the new beginning for BlackBerry provided they continue with firmware upgrades, fixes and enhancements. Base has been built, they just have to sustain and innovate.
Z10 is a decent smartphone and will definitely pull the existing BlackBerry fanboys as well as people who are looking for a different smartphone than having the same another brick in the wall kind of look. Recently spotted ‘Siddharth Mallya’ with a Z10.
|
|
|
|
