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Go Big With Microsoft Lumia 640 XL

In the past two years, the demand for large screen phones, also called phablets, has gone through the roof. People love big screen devices. Apple was the last phone that acknowledged the big screen trend and last year the iPhone6 was lapped up in the record numbers.

Earlier, Microsoft devices infiltrated the world of larger phones with the Lumia 1320 and 1520. While the 1520 was a superlatively classic device, the 1320 was relatively average. This time, Microsoft is making a comeback with Lumia 640XL.

Display and Design

The 640 XL is pretty big with a screen size of 5.7 inches. Though the display has no issues in terms of viewing angles, the pixel density leaves a lot to be worked upon. While reading, text pixilation issues come to the fore. The body of the phone is made up of polycarbonate giving it a solid feel and this massive phone may not fit into your pocket. This time around, Microsoft has designed a pleasing phone, but it is too big to handle with one hand. Yet another drawback includes the sharp edges that may dig into your palm, making it uncomfortable to hold even though it is slimmer than the other smartphones.

Software

Microsoft XL runs Windows Phone 8.1 update2 that includes all the Lumia Denim update features with a few other enhancements. The setting app has been improvised to use the in-app search. You may also access the preloaded Lumia features such as Lumia Camera, Lumia Creative Studio, Calendar Data, Lumia Moments, Lumia Selfie and Lumia Storyteller. Facebook, Fitbit, Foodpanda, NDTV, Ola cabs, WeChat, BBM, etc. are a few of the preinstalled third-party apps on the device. Fortunately, you may uninstall the undesired apps from the lot.

Camera

One area where Microsoft smartphones have always held an edge over Android phones is the camera quality. The Lumia 640XL features a 13MP camera with 1/3-inch sensor, f/20 aperture, and Carl Zeiss lens. Is all this worth it? Yes, it is. Lumia has an incredible rear camera. It captures nice pictures during the day as well as at night. The camera also excels in shooting videos. You can shoot up to 1080 videos at 30 frames per second. The effortless capturing of shake free videos is simply amazing. In the front, the phone is equipped with a 5 MP sensor that clicks wide angle selfies.

Battery Life and Performance

Lumia battery has always impressed its customers. The 3000mAh battery with a frugal Qualcomm 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 CPU converts to an awesome battery life. With 8GB of inbuilt storage, it supports up to 128GB of expandable memory. The call quality is quite good and the loudspeaker is also decent. Even in this Lumia phone, you may double tap the display to wake it up so there isn’t any need to reach for the power button.

Is it worth a look?

In a nutshell, the Microsoft Lumia 640XL is a solid budget phablet if you consider features such as camera, battery, and basic functionalities. As it is a Windows phone, it doesn’t match the rich experience of the similarly priced Lollipop Android phones.

Moto G 2nd Gen Review – A Budget Smartphone

Whenever someone talks about the budget smartphones, Moto G is still at the top. This phone, when launched, sparked everyone’s expectation from a low price phone. With the launch of the Moto G 2nd Gen, the latest version of Motorola’s smartphone, you can start using Google’s latest update, Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The phone is available both in 8GB and 16GB models, however, you can expand the storage up to 32GB via microSD card slot. There is a dual-sim feature available if you have more than one sim card.

Display:

The phone is very comfortable to hold with its curved back of 6mm at its thinnest point and 11mm at its thickest. This version of Moto G is just 6g heavier than the previous one. For films and music, it delivers very nice sound quality with its ported dual speakers at the front.

With the resolution of 293 PPI (pixels-per-inch) the screen looks perfectly crisp and sharp. Small text can be easily read because of 1,280×720 resolution with a responsive touchscreen. The color accuracy for Moto g 2nd Gen is not any better than the older version but it is still legible both in and outdoors. The high contrast level, at 960:1, develops plenty of detail in our high-contrast images, and the screen’s viewing angles are equally brilliant.

Camera:

The Moto G 2nd Gen has improved its camera with an 8-megapixel rear sensor using an f2.0 aperture. You can also change the aspect ratio of the pictures taken from 16:9 to 4:3. The new Moto has all the same photo modes available, including HDR and Panorama modes. The HDR mode effect is a little strong and that helps in bringing a lot more definition to the shots and brightens a gloomy afternoon. Whether the HDR mode is turned on or off, the images still look great.

Performance:

This new generation phone use a quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, which keeps the performance at a peak.

Battery Life:

The battery life is awesome. The new Moto G’s 2,070mAh battery lasts 9 hours and 39 minutes which beats the Moto G by about 30 minutes. After updating the phone to Android 5.0, there is hardly any measurable difference in the battery test.

Conclusion:

With 4G & Android 5.0, this pocket-friendly smartphone phone is worth buying both in terms of overall value and money. This phones has proved itself as the one of the well-featured phones in this segment.

G4 Stylus and G4c by LG- Flagship Smartphones

LG has introduced flagship smartphones, the G4 Stylus and G4c with high-end user experience features for the mid-range market. Both the phones are powered by a 1.2GHz Quad-Core processor and support LTE. However, there are some differences such as the display of the G4 Stylus is 5.7 inch compared to the G4c which is 5 inches. Additionally, the stylus has a 3,000mAH battery and G4c has 2,540mAH. Both the phones have Android 5.0 Lollipop with 1 GB of Ram though the 8 GB storage is expandable.

These mid-range phones have features like gesture shot, knock code, and glance view which make them fun-to-use devices. The super-quick autofocus camera can get crisp shots even in dim surroundings.

These premium phones with a low-price tag will grow the LG market in terms of price and performance as claimed by the president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. He also stated that this time around, it will exceed customer’s expectations of what an LG phone should be.

Both the G4 Stylus and G4c are available in LTE and 3G configurations, offering metallic silver and floral white color options. Following are the technical key specifications for the tech geeks.

G4 Stylus Key Specifications:

Chipset: 1.2GHz Quad-Core (LTE) / 1.4GHz Octa-Core (3G)
Display: 5.7-inch HD IPS (258ppi)
Memory: 1GB RAM / 8GB ROM / microSD
Camera: Rear 13MP (LTE) or 8MP (3G) / Front 5MP
Battery: 3,000mAh (removable)
Operating System: Android 5.0 Lollipop
Size: 154.3 x 79.2 x 9.6mm
Weight: 163g
Network: LTE / 3G
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a, b, g, n / Bluetooth 4.1 / NFC / A-GPS / Glonass / USB 2.0
Colors: Metallic Silver / Floral White
Other: Stylus Pen / Laser Auto Focus / Gesture Shot / Glance View / Knock Code™

G4c Key Specifications:

Chipset: 1.2GHz Quad-Core
Display: 5.0-inch HD IPS (294ppi)
Memory: 1GB RAM / 8GM ROM / microSD
Camera: Rear 8MP / Front 5MP
Battery: 2,540mAh (removable)
Operating System: Android 5.0 Lollipop
Size: 139.7 x 69.8 x 10.2mm
Weight: 136g
Network: LTE
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n / Bluetooth 4.1 / NFC / A-GPS / Glonass / USB 2.0
Colors: Metallic Gray / Ceramic White / Shiny Gold
Other: Gesture Shot / Glance View / Knock Code™

Both phones by LG seem to carry features that would appeal to gizmo freaks as well as regular mobile users alike. But how these phones would actually perform in the competitive market is for time to tell.

The Next Big Thing! Samsung Galaxy S6 Coming Soon

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” ~ A C Clarke

As we can see a rapid decline in the share of non-smartphones, the demand for smartphones is growing rapidly. With the pace of Smartphone evolution moving so fast, there is always something new waiting in the wings. 2015 – Time to get excited about this year’s new smartphones! According to recent reports, Samsung is planning to facelift its new smartphone dubbed, ‘Galaxy S6’. This upcoming smartphone will come in two models: one with a metal body and one with a curved edge, much like the Samsung’s Grand Note. In addition, Samsung will reportedly introduce a new smartwatch with a round screen. This watch will likely be powered by Samsung’s Tizen platform rather than Google’s Android platform. Both handheld devices and the smartwatch are expected to be unveiled at the upcoming MWC (Mobile World Congress) in the month of March, though pricing details remain unclear.

Expected Specifications

Display – Super AMOLED Capacitive touch screen

Memory – microSD, Extended up to 128 GB, 4 GB RAM

Camera – 20MP, 4992×3744 pixels, phase detection autofocus, LED flash

Want more?

A Samsung executive has said, “The Company hopes introducing curved screens could help it sell more expensive smartphones in the future, making all Galaxy S devices possible showcases for the technology. The company is working hard to bring a promising flagship phone, ‘Samsung S6’, to market. It is developing and designing the device from scratch, so you shouldn’t be surprise if you find a totally new face on the S6. The device likely will have a 5.5 inch screen with 4GB of RAM. According to reports, the S6 would have a flash on the secondary camera, so now you will have a perfect selfie phone.”

For more information, http://www.businessinsider.in/Heres-One-Way-Samsungs-Galaxy-S6-May-Be-Much-Different-Than-The-Galaxy-S5/articleshow/45874945.cms

Motorola Moto G: Making Mobile Experience Better

Motorola has kicked off its global smartphone revival with its surprise package Moto G handset that has been so attractively priced. The phone is a mid-range handset with great features and a delightfully low-end price tag.

When a low-priced handset appears with such good features, the first that takes hold of buyers’ minds is skepticism as they wonder whether the phone will do well or not in practice. But Moto G is different. On paper, it looks like an amazing handset for the price, but it also lives up to the invoice in reality. It’s turning the budget end phone market on it’s top because the Moto G contains features available in other handsets that are priced at double its cost.

So what is it about the Moto G? Well, it exceeds its competitors in several major areas, from the big 4.5-inch display to the 1.2GHz quad-core processor as well as the Android 4.4 KitKat update, all packed into a case that is similar to the Nexus 4. Given the price tag, one could not have asked for more in that phone.

The latest model is the Moto G with a 4G variant, and it also comes with a microSD slot. Although it might not have the power or precision of its smartphone competitors, the Moto G still hails from a great brand name and is positioned among good smart phones in the market.

So all in all, Motorola is a great gadget to own with nice features and a nice price too. Its camera is one area which has gone through compromise, but that can be taken with a grain of salt. Motorola may not have had the return we would have predicted –because there’s no flagship phone stuffed full of the latest technology and specs but what the now Google-owned company has done is even better. The Moto G is a top notch, low cost smartphone and we wholeheartedly recommend this as the best budget smart phone offered so far.

Redefining Design: HTC Butterfly 2

With its smooth feel and elegant looks, the HTC Butterfly 2 has given a new definition to smartphone designs. The stacked components inside the phone’s body render it a clean, curved back. Also, the phone’s edges narrow down at the corners allowing the phone to sit flawlessly on your palm. Although the Butterfly series may not be known as HTC’s defining series of handsets, it has come out to be one of the most capable cellphones that the company can flaunt. Boasting of a strong foundation, the HTC Butterfly 2 stands tall with a solid HD 5 inch screen, HTC’s trademark stereo speakers and HTC Sense 6.

With two spectacular handsets released prior, the HTC One (M8) as the fresh Windows Phone version and the more affordable HTC One (E8) with its polycarbonate body and mostly the same specifications, the HTC Butterfly 2 is the last one in the lineup. This also could explain why the phone is expected to be at par with the HTC One handsets. The HTC Butterfly 2 phone has a rich audio set up featuring Android 4.4.2 KitKat as its operating system. The display of the phone introduces new image technology that reduces color washout and enhances picture brightness.

The duo camera setup with portrait editing features and a 13 mega pixel primary sensor definitely boasts fresh technological advancements. For people with a higher dependency on their phones as storage devices, the device offers 16GB of built-in memory and provides for expanding that as well with a microSD card slot. The HTC Butterfly 2 is dust-protected and can go under water up to 1m deep for about 30 minutes, which it manages to do without any protective flaps over the 3.5mm headphone jack and the micro USB 2.0 port.

Inspired by simplicity and developed for high-end performance, the HTC Butterfly 2 combines peoples’ needs with their desires in order to bring out a phone that functions well and is fashionable too. For many, this might be enough to label the phone as HTC’s most viable option against the fast paced competition from Samsung and Sony mobiles.

Motorola’s Moto X: The Next Big in the Android Phone Market

As we slowly become used to carrying huge handsets for all our needs, be it calling, net surfing or even video calls, it only adds a pinch of ease to our lives to hold something like the slim and light-weight second-generation Moto X. This 5.2-inch android phone with 1080p OLED screen sporting gorilla glass is definitely a step ahead in the space when compared with the latest android phones available in the market today.

The steel device comes with a small dimple at its back to help position your finger while clasping the phone. The company, which is still on thin ice, at least in terms of its market share, has thrown everything it can into materials to get this smart phone the features it has.

The phone has only two buttons – a rocker for the volume and a single multi-functional button on the right. A large 13-megapixel camera sits nicely at the back of the handset and a smaller 2-megapixel camera adorns the front. Among the many unusual ways this phone makes use of the camera, one of them allows you to wake the phone up by moving your hand in front of it to see notifications. Conversely, you can also bring back the phone from its sleep position and talk to it by setting a unique “wake up call,” “Hey, Moto, what’s up?” or a similar voice recognition pattern. These two features appear to be a bit uncomfortable initially because the phone consistently perks up while it’s at rest. However, the features do not reduce the phone’s battery life, which lasts about a day on one charge.

For folks looking to upgrade their original Moto X, another excellent flagship phone by Motorola, this model is a good bet. It is also slightly bigger than the older Moto X and is a better product. The materials used are excellent and the phone fits well in the hand. Last but not the least, this Moto X also boasts of an excellent Geekbench score. Clocking in at 979, a few points higher than the M8 and considerably higher than the original flagship phone of Motorola, the 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chip certainly brightens up this second-generation Motorola device.

To know more, click http://tcrn.ch/1u0pk8J

Samsung Unveils Plans to Launch 3-Sided Smartphone

Despite the growing dominance of the Xiaomi, Samsung continues to maintain a healthy lead in the Smartphone world. Xiaomi fever may be upon us, but their chief rival Samsung is not standing idle. According to a report on CNET, Samsung is preparing to release its three-sided smartphone in the second half of next year.

If the LG’s decision to put volume control buttons on the back of its Smartphone was a little baffling to you, then Samsung’s 3-sided Smartphone may just blow your mind. This upcoming 3-sided Smartphone screen will utilize a plastic substrate that is limited in quantity. And if released by the end of this year, it will most likely be finite to Korean audiences. Unlike other smartphones with curved screens such as LG G Flex, the patented prototype has a convex shaped display screen.

A three-sided display phone just might be what Kim Hyeon Jun, executive manager at Samsung’s Wireless Business Division, had been foreshadowing during Samsung’s second-quarter earnings conference call. “While I cannot mention specifics, we are planning on unveiling an innovative large-screen flagship model, an attractive phone that takes advantage of cutting-edge materials,” he said.

Its extra display screen space will be used to display the charging meter, bookmarks, and other important information. Most importantly, the extra space on the edges will be touch sensitive, letting users access multi-touch quick actions and resizing/reimagining the slide-to-unlock gesture as side-mounted. So far Apple, the technology giant, is the only Smartphone maker that’s using 64-bit chips, but Samsung is set on joining the party.

‘Kyushik Hong, vp of marketing for Samsung’s LSI business told CNET that Samsung is “very actively working” on 64-bit right now.’ The European version of the Note 4 will feature Samsung’s new Exynos 5433 chip, while the North American, Korean, Chinese and Japanese market will get a Snapdragon 805 processor.

Rumors say the new three-sided Smartphone will show its multiple faces either by the end of this year or in the second half of the next year.

Sony Promotes Selfie Trend With the Launch of Xperia C3

sony xperia c3

With the growing popularity of selfie trend, Sony has made a move to capitalize on it by announcing its Xperia C3 dual smartphone, which has been specifically designed for selfie lovers. This new Android Smartphone is fully-optimized for selfies and includes a powerful PROselfie camera. In simple words, the camera has been bumped up to 5 mega pixels so that a user can see himself/herself on the screen without sacrificing the quality of the image.

sony xperia c3 specifications

The price details have not yet been finalized for the Sony Xperia C3. The Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation says it will launch ‘the Xperia C3’ worldwide in August 2014, starting with China as the first launch market. The Xperia C3 features a 5.5 inch HD Triluminous display supported by a Bravia Engine 2 and is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor coupled with Adreno 305 GPU and 1GB of RAM.

sony hd display phone

Additional features of the Xperia C3 Camera are:

Superior Auto
Portrait Retouch v.2
Timeshift-burst
Picture effects
Movie Creator
Social live
Sweep Panorama

The Sony Xperia C3 features storage expansion via MicroSD card with 8Gb of inbuilt storage. This selfie Smartphone packs a 2500mAh battery, which is rated for up to 24 hours of talk time and 1,071 hours of standby time. In addition to this, it features an easy-toggle keyboard for one-handed input. Its simple home mode feature offers a user-friendly home screen with larger fonts and is loaded with the most used apps.

Cell Phone Plan – Better Idea for Life

Our connectivity to the world completely depends on a cell phone. No one can deny the fact that a mobile phone is very important for each one of us. A cell phone helps us stay in touch with our friends and family anytime anywhere. More importantly, a mobile phone is used as an essential business tool today. With the augmenting costs of everything, for many people cell phone is nothing but an extra bill to be paid at the end the month.

The free cellular phone service provided by the Lifeline program is now available for the residents of Louisiana, Arkansas, Illinois, Oklahoma, Maryland, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Kentucky, Washington, Rhode Island, Nevada, Iowa, Texas, West Virginia as well as the other states of the country. Under this Lifeline program, applicants receive free government cell phone service in the form of free minutes. Along with this cell phone service, they receive the vital facilities like sending and receiving text messages, making local and long distance calls, accessing 911 and voicemail.

To be able to apply for this government cell phone service, the applicant must be eligible for the subsidy. The eligibility criteria vary from state to state. Usually, the applicants must be taking part in any of the government programs like Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Medicaid, National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).

Under this free government cell phone plan, people who qualify are permitted to receive a government subsidy, which pays every month for your free minutes. The number of free minutes are fixed and may range anywhere between 60 and 250 per month, depending on the state of residence of the applicant.