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This just in: Celkon Millennia Epic Q550

The new Android smartphone comes only in a black variant for now and will have a Windows version in two weeks.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

Celkon has launched its new Android 4.4.2 KitKat smartphone in India called the Millenia Epic Q550. The phone sports a 5.5-inch (1280 x 720) screen, is 8 mm thick and weighs about 143 grams.

Q550 Under the hood, there is MediaTek’s MTK 6582 (1.3 GHz quad-core processor) along with 1 GB of RAM. For connectivity options, there’s Bluetooth, microUSB (supports USB On=The-Go), WiFi, GPS, FM Radio and 3G.

On the back, there’s an 8 MP (AF) camera that can record HD videos; while the front has a 2 MP camera. This dual-SIM phone comes loaded with 16 GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 64 GB via a microSD card. The Q550 is powered by a 3,500 mAh battery unit.

Commenting on the launch, Y Guru, Chairman and Managing Director – Celkon Mobiles, said, “At Celkon, we have always believed in upping the ante, each time we launch an offering. With the new Millennia Epic Q550, we have raised the bar one more time. At just 143 gm weight and 8 mm thick, we have been able to pack  a powerful battery for longer life in a uni-body design at an astounding price tag. We aim to become one of the largest in the country and with many such exciting offerings lined up, we are sure to achieve significant growth this fiscal.”

The company is also planning to launch a Windows Phone device in a couple of weeks, and an Android One device early next year. The phone comes in only black colour, and will be available from retail stores as well as online channels for Rs 10,499.

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Review: Sony Xperia Z3

We check out the new smartphone from the feted Sony Xperia series, the Xperia Z3, and come away very much impressed.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

Sony’s Xperia Z series of smartphones is known for its good design and decent performance. The company made several improvements going from the original Z to the Z2, and it is expected to do the same with the Z3. Its financial health is far from being in good shape as of the last 18 months or so, and a lot rides on this device (along with a range of other phones) to improve that state of affairs. So, does the Z3 live up to expectations?

Sony’s Xperia Z3 (D6553) is the company’s latest and best offering. The smartphone follows a similar angular design as its two predecessors, but you will be wrong to say there aren’t any changes made. With rubberised angular edges, slightly rounded (yet flatter than the Z2) sides and overall slim profile, the phone is comfortable for those who are already used to carrying large smartphones. The Z3 also has slimmer bezels than the Z2, meaning more body estate for the screen and less in overall length.

The looks. The front, dominated by the 5.2-inch full HD LCD, has two speaker grills on the screen’s top and bottom, with the Sony logo, sensors and the 2.2 MP front-facing camera and LED light. Coming to the right, you have the microSD card slot and nano SIM card slot housed under a single flap, which still feels flimsy but is slightly better to operate than the Z2’s, and the Power/ Lock key nearer the middle part, Volume keys, which are smooth to touch and protruding just enough to give you good feedback when pressed gently. The dedicated camera key is located just where your right hand (index finger) would be if holding the phone in landscape orientation, with the on-screen navigation keys on your right.

The left side panel locates the microUSB port (under a similar protective flap), magnetic pogo ports for charging the phone using a Sony magnetic dock or for attaching your PS4’s DUALSHOCK Controller to play games. Further down, there is an eyelet for those who still like to carry a thread, a locket, a small cord etc. around their phones these days.

Coming to the back, there’s the 20.7 MP camera on the top left with the LED flash right next to it, NFC and Sony logo toward the middle and the Xperia logo towards the bottom. The whole back panel has got glass on top, meaning fewer scratches, but it’s prone to smudges and fingerprints just like the front. The phone is by no means a compact device, and it probably isn’t meant to be, but there’re a few neat little changes that make it just a bit more comfortable to grip and carry around without losing the Z3’s premium feel and design, and our copper-brown variant stood out just a little more.

Display and screen. The phone boasts of a 5.2-inch TRILUMINOUS LCD. Sony’s Z3 comes with two additional display options – X-Display and Super Vivid mode. With the default mode (third one), the screen is bright, has decent viewing angles and gives nice rich colours for most part. The other two modes aren’t really worth it, especially for watching videos where they just over-sharpen characters and the picture loses out a lot. It has a little better visibility than the Z2, but you will have to really crank up the brightness level to read comfortably. The Z3 has a good screen, but it is still not in the league of the One (M8) and the S5, which, in my opinion, are the best 1080p panels for Android phones today.

Having said, it’s certainly not a deal-breaker and most users should be fine with it for images, Web browsing and even watching videos.

Camera. The Z3 comes with the same 20.7 MP (BSI sensor) camera (f/2.3) we saw on the Z2. Here are a few sample images

The Z3 supports ISO level of up to 12,800, which is higher than that of any other phone today. Users who are comfortable with trying various settings should find it helpful for low-light conditions. The camera app has a lot of editing modes like Background Defocus, AR Effects, HDR, as well as settings like Exposure, ISO, and resolution. Unfortunately, the camera story is similar to the Z2’s which wasn’t very impressive. Images come out quite detailed in good light conditions, but noise seems to be a downside when shooting with the Z3. It performs just okay in low-light conditions. You may find taking photos in 8 MP mode better than any other, and most users will find the overall quality to be just fine. For those interested, the phone can also take full HD videos at 60 FPS and 4K videos.

Connectivity. The Z3’s GPS, 3G, FM radio work fine, though its WiFi does take 1-2 seconds more to get switched on and connect to a known access point than other phones I’ve tried recently. Call quality on the phone is top-notch with no network reception issues or call drops in between during my usage. I still haven’t tried 4G LTE on a device as there’s no network operator offering such a service in Delhi as of now.

Audio quality. In-ear call is loud and clear and so is your voice for the person on the other side. When it comes to audio quality, the Z3 performs well. The front-facing stereo speakers are no match for the One M8’s, they are still not bad and usable for videos and games. The phone supports native FLAC files support, but I couldn’t check how the bundled headsets perform with it as Sony didn’t send us a pair of those.

Battery. It will be safe to say, the Xperia Z3’s most compelling offering is its battery life. More often than not, the phone lasted me more than day with battery level still around the 15 per cent mark. During my usage, I didn’t have to charge it from zero to full more than once a day except for once when the phone was used intensely for watching videos throughout the day. If on moderate usage, the Z3’s 3,100 mAh battery unit may even give you close to one and a half day of usage. And of course, you can stretch it if you use the built-in STAMINA and Ultra STAMINA modes by sacrificing on the phone’s features.

Software and performance. The Xperia Z3 runs on Android 4.4.4 with Sony’s own Xperia UI on top. The Xperia UI is a known entity on Android space and Sony hasn’t much to what it was on the Z2. Sony could have toned down the number of pre-loaded apps and could have made its own services like What’s New clear of the Google Now swipe-up gesture, but they haven’t.

Under the hood, there is a Snapdragon 801 SoC (2.46 GHz quad-core Krait 400 processor, Adreno 330 GPU) coupled with 3 GB of RAM. There’s about 11 GB of available storage space and you can increase it with a microSD card.

It won’t be wrong to say that this is Sony’s best performing Android phone. The Z3 is smooth to operate, doesn’t stutter when switching from one app to another, can handle full HD videos (may miss on audio sync depending on the codec used) and can handle intensive games without dropping many frames. If you have used any of the last two Xperia Z devices, you will feel at home with the Z3’s software. With similar Home screen setup, icons, Menu launcher behaviour and settings, Notification bar and quick toggles, Lockscreen, Sony’s usual set of widgets and Settings, the Z3 has a familiar monochromatic OS that one often associates with Sony’s Android flagships.

The only downside that Sony really needs to cater here is that this phone requires to be attached to a PC to download and install an OS update. It’s not acceptable that a technology company like Sony can’t provide Over-The-Air updates in this day and age. Having said that, the software and performance part is more than satisfactory, and the whole Xperia package on the Z3 remains one of the best when it comes to Android.

Wrapping our review, the Z3 is one of Sony’s best ever devices. With great battery life, good screen, improved design, decent camera and IP68 rating meaning a water-resistant and dust-proof phone, the Z3 is indeed a compelling offering, and if you’re looking for a high-end smartphone, you should definitely check the Z3 out.

 

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Review: Touchtalent app

This is an app that allows you to showcase your art and connect with, hire other users for professional purposes.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

There are quite a few smartphone apps that allow you to share photos, rate them and comment over them, but there are hardly any apps that allow you to actually showcase your creative side and earn from it. Touchtalent is one such app. To put it in a nutshell, Touchtalent is a Web community where people showcase their art. As a user, you can follow many other people that you feel have some worthy content, if or you want to connect with for working alongside.

Touchtalent appTo start with, you can either use your Facebook or Google+ Account, or choose to sign up with your Email ID. From here, you can then upload your photos, graphical art, design, follow others and even message them right there. Plus, there’s an option to hire a person, but I couldn’t really check that, but it probably is there if you want to partner with another person regarding some project that you feel they are good at (looking at their collection).

The app (I tried it on Samsung’s Galaxy Alpha, running on Android 4.4) is available for Android and iOS. It works smoothly and looks just as an app that revolves around art should. The App’s UI is simple and user-friendly. The first time you try it, you won’t be confused. As soon as you join in, you’re provided with a link to see other Touchtalent users from your country.  The left pane gives you options like Discover (to see popular users), Exhibition (for special occasions), Settings, your Profile, and the option to add your Social Profile. You can upload a photo from your phone’s Gallery or take a photo from the camera right from the app. Your feeds show you collections of people you will follow, and from there you can visit a user’s Touchtalent Profile, use a picture as your wallpaper, Star it, or share it to another app. Every time a person view your Profile, or follows you or likes it, you get a notification, which you can opt out from the app’s settings if you like.

To wrap it up, Touchtalent is a worthy place to check and explore if you want to showcase your art. The community seems active and something that most users will feel like interacting with.

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Lenovo launches Vibe X2

Launched at a price of Rs 19,999, the new ‘three layered’ Android smartphone goes on sale on Flipkart today onward.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

Lenovo recently launched its brand new mid-range Android smartphone called the Vibe X2. The X2, part of the Vibe series, boasts a 5-inch full HD touchscreen.

Vibe X2_The USP of the phone is its ‘three-layered’ body that consists of three distinct colours to form the phone’s body, which is about 7.3mm thick and weighs 120 grams. Under the hood, there’s a MediaTek MT 6595 SoC (1.7 GHz quad-core + 2 GHz quad-core, Series6 PowerVRGPU) along with 2 GB of RAM. The new Vibe X2 is powered by a 2,300 mAh battery unit, and the company also unveiled a battery accessory, priced at Rs 1,999, (termed it as the X2’s fourth layer) to attach with the device that makes the total capacity 4,600 mAh.

On the back, the phone features a 13 MP (AF) camera; while the front has a 5 MP camera.  There’s 32 GB of on-board storage. The device runs on Android 4.4.2 with Lenovo’s own UI on top. The company says it will update the X2 and Z2 straight to Android 5.0 next year without giving them Android 4.4.4 update in between. Connectivity-wise, there’s 4G (LTE), 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0, FM Radio, NFC, WiFi b/g/n/ac, and GPS.

The phone will go on sale exclusively on Flipkart starting today, November 10, at a price of Rs 19,999.

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Review: Samsung Galaxy Alpha

Samsung has upgraded its design and done away with some irritating features, but little else has changed for their newest phone.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

If there’s anything in the Android space that’s withstood lots of tests, it has been Samsung’s Galaxy S and Note series. The two series have done exceptionally well in various markets, but now Samsung is thinking differently, and working to improve their phone design and looks. In the last three years or so, the company has been lauded for great phone features and offerings, but it has also been criticised for not thinking over its design and material choices. This is where the Samsung Galaxy Alpha comes in.

The looks. Samsung’s Galaxy Alpha (SM-G850Y) has a dual chamfered aluminium frame with slightly narrowed edges –a big change in a Samsung smartphone. Samsung has gone with chrome edges quite a few times, but these looked like fake metal and didn’t last long. But as soon as you pick this phone, you will notice how nice the phone feels and how comfortable it is to grip. With its 4.7-inch 720p screen with decent-sized bezels, lightweight profile (115 g), the phone feels compact and is surely not a bulky handset by today’s standard.

The front, other than the screen, sports the speaker grill, Samsung logo, front-facing camera and sensors at the top; and three navigation keys – Menu, Home (physical), Back – at the bottom. The left side panel locates volume rockers (single body that sort of flats towards the middle part); while the right side panel carries the Power/Lock key. Again, if you look at these physical keys, you realise the company has chosen materials thoughtfully. Though it would have been better had these buttons been required to press a little less firmly, they look nice and give just right feedback on pressing.

Coming to the back, you see the main camera with the LED flash and heart rate monitor embedded inside, and the Samsung logo and loudspeakers towards the bottom. The back panel is made of a thin plastic sheet, which is probably the only design flaw that could have been handled better. The back sports a patterned design, a bit different from the Note 3 and definitely better to look at on first glance. The 3.5mm headset jack and secondary mic are placed right at the top (where you can also see two plastic cut-outs for antenna purpose); and the microUSB 2.0 has been neatly placed at the bottom

Screen. The 4.7-inch (1280 x 720) Super AMOLED screen is far from being one of the best out there. The S5 has a full HD Super AMOLED, but the Alpha has an HD screen that does a good job for viewing videos, playing games and when used under direct sunlight. The black levels are deep, colours look vibrant and quite saturated (red and green), which you expect from a Samsung AMOLED. But it doesn’t quite show accurate colours. The screen has good viewing angles, and its flaws are not deal breakers.

Audio. The loudspeaker at the bottom is actually fairly loud and mostly clear. If you are okay with its placement and don’t find yourself putting your hand on it unknowingly and muffling sound, it performs well for videos as well as games. In-ear audio quality with the bundled headsets is also decent. It does its job well, giving clear audio for most basic use and handling beats and treble quite well as a default smartphone headset would.

Camera. The phone sports a 12 MP camera (f/2.2) at the back with an LED flash. The native camera app is exactly what we have on the S5 that is simple and smooth to use. Here are a few sample images

As you can see, the phone can take sharp and quite detailed photos. It performs pretty well in good light conditions, but struggles in low light. The camera takes a little with noticeable contrast while to focus in low light (with stabilisation) and clearly isn’t that good in that department. With default settings, though, you can take pretty good shots. There are plenty of modes to choose from, like HDR, Panorama, Selective Focus, which works as well as the S5.The camera can also take ultra HD videos, which can also be edited later.

Battery. The phone houses a 1,860 mAh battery unit. It is not too large by any modern smartphone standard, and it shows in the battery life. I found the phone struggling to go beyond 20 hours of usage. Having said that, with moderate usage, it can give you nearly a day’s use. With a little high brightness level and playing a couple of games, checking Twitter, and Emails, you will find yourself having to charge the phone more than once every 24 hours. With that thin profile, seems like battery life took quite a toll on itself. Connectivity-wise, the phone doesn’t give any troubles. Bluetooth, GPS lock-in, NFC, WiFi perform just as you would expect from a smartphone.

Software and performance. The Indian Galaxy Alpha variant has Samsung’s Exynos 5430 (1.8 GHz quad-core processor + 1.3 GHz quad-core processor and Mali-T628 GPU) coupled with 2 GB of RAM. The phone runs on Android 4.4.4 with TouchWiz UI on top. This is a 32 GB model with around 25.8 GB of usable storage space. Talking about the phone’s software and performance, it is similar to what we saw on the Galaxy S5. The phone can handle heavy webpages, games, closing and resuming apps just fine. But you will find the UI stuttering a little every now and then. One out of five times on pressing the Power/ Lock key to unlock the device, you will see the screen doesn’t light up for three to four seconds while two navigation keys illuminate immediately – a bug. Also, on pressing the Recent apps key, there’s some delay when the recent apps line-up and you can press the app of your choice. It would have been nicer had Samsung done a few subtle changes with its TouchWiz, maybe marking the start of better iconography, fonts and toning down on how heavy TouchWiz feels at times.

The Galaxy Alpha is more about Samsung’s change in design for its upcoming devices and less about this device itself. The phone clearly performs better in the design department compared to other Samsung phones during the last two to three years. With a decent screen, good camera, average battery life, it’s a bit hard to suggest this phone over the S5, but for those looking for a Samsung phone that doesn’t feel tacky and is comfortable to hold, this might be a good option.

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Review: Oppo N1 Mini

Android phones are getting smaller and smaller with each passing day. Oppo’s N1 Mini joins the bandwagon, but not very convincingly.
by Manik Kakra | @Manik_K on Twitter

Coming up with small-sized devices seems to be the trend in the Android space for quite a few months. We have seen HTC, Samsung and now Oppo launching small variants of their previous flagships, but so far only Sony has been able to nail the concept. Many companies are unable to match the experience in their small package, citing price as the factor. Oppo’s N1 mini is the company’s latest smartphone that is touted, as per the name, the N1’s variant for those who want a smaller device. Let’s see how good this phone is.

Oppo’s N1 mini (N5111) looks and feels a lot similar to the original N1. With dual silver linings running across the frame, thick bezels around the screen, rounded edges, and smooth plastic back, the phone feels decent to hold, even for large hands. With a swivelling camera module on the top and a curved bottom, there’s enough to say it’s the N1’s less-than-behemoth variant.

The swivelling module also houses the two sensors, but there’s no LED notification on the phone, something that became standard on Android phones long time back. The three navigation buttons – Menu (Options), Home and Back – get illuminated when pressed, but are not too bright.

Coming to the bottom, you have the loudspeakers, microUSB port and 3.5 mm headset connector all neatly placed. The right side panel has the volume rockers; while the Power/ Lock button is located on the other side. Even though this is a ‘mini’ phone, it is hard to see it being a relatively compact phone and that has lot to do with the phone’s thick bezels. Oh, and our unit is a unique mint colour, which looks nice.

The phone boasts a 5-inch (1280 x 720) LCD that is the USP of being smaller from the 5.9-inch one the N1 has. The screen is actually really bright with good colour contrast and viewing angles. You will mostly struggle to use it under sunlight, unless switched to the highest brightness, but on the other hand, it’s capable to be used for watching HD videos, playing games.

Talking about the phone’s battery life, the 2.140 mAh battery unit the phone comes with is, if used moderately, can last about 20 hours, but when used heavily, struggles to power the screen. You can stretch it to a day if not used for watching videos, playing music, or by using the in-built Power-saving mode, but battery life was short of being impressive.

Regarding the audio quality, the loudspeakers at the bottom are quite loud and punchy for videos and even games, provided you are okay with the placement while holding the phone in landscape orientation. Similarly, the N1 mini’s in-ear quality with the bundled headsets is also satisfactory. People used to bundled headsets should find the quality to be pretty good.

The phone’s 13 MP (f/2.0) camera is another of its USPs. Its swivelling mechanism is smooth to use and doesn’t feel like it will break anytime soon. Here are a few sample images

As you can see, the phone can take good photos. Though it struggles in low-light and close up photos, you can take decent shots in daylight. The native camera app is also similar as before and is simple to use and work around. You can try HDR, which works well, but the camera at times struggles to focus properly. For those taking lots of selfies, this camera should be more than capable.

Call quality and network reception on the phone are top-notch. There’s no trouble with these basics throughout my usage, with no network issues, strange call drops or call’s sound.

Connectivity options – WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS – all work without a glitch.

The phone is powered by a Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 400 SoC along with 2 GB RAM. It runs on Android 4.3 with Oppo’s own Color OS 1.4 on top. It is a bit disappointing that the phone is yet to get upgraded to Android 4.4 despite it being out for months, plus, there’s no official word of when the phone is expected to be updated.

The overall look and feel of the OS is very similar to what we had on the N1 and Find 7. With the O-Click accessory and a few gestures we have already seen on the company’s previous phones, the company tries to stand apart, but doesn’t really succeed in doing so. At times, your gestures come in the way of usual navigation and get annoying when not required. The phone is no slouch, however. It can handle games and high quality videos well, with almost no lags or stuttering while going in between apps or switching between them. The OS feels polished, smooth to use and is definitely a strong point for Oppo. The company has surely done a great job with its Color OS, and it continues to show with the N1 mini. With two Home screens by default and separate panes for images and for when you have your headsets plugged in, you can edit and customize them just like any other Android phone.

In conclusion, the N1 mini has two shortcomings – its high price (over Rs 26,000) relative to other phones today and its outdated software. On the other hand, its camera, screen and performance are on course. If only Oppo gives the phone its deserving software update and maybe a needed price cut, this could then only be a very competitive smartphone in the Indian market.

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