Reliance to offer iPhone 5 in India from June 28

Joining the bandwagon bit late, Reliance will offer iPhone 5 models starting Rs. 45,500 and four different billing plans including 3G data.

Reliance Communications has announced to sell the Apple iPhone 5 from its Reliance World outlets starting today. The Apple iPhone 5 is the latest model sporting 4-inch Retina display and dual-core Apple mobile processor. Reliance World outlets will sell the iPhone 5 starting Rs 45,500 along with four different billing plans.

Apple's iPhone 5 flaunts a 4-inch Retina IPS LCD display with great viewing angles and natively sporting 1136x640 pixel resolution. The display has been constructed using Corning Gorilla Glass technology and has oleophobic coating to resist oily stains. It houses a 1.2 GHz Apple A6 mobile processor with 1 GB RAM.

Apple will soon release the iOS 7 update with changed user interface and will be easily compatible with the iPhone 5. With dual-band WiFi, the iPhone 5 sports high speed data promising 3Gnetwork support. It packs a 1440 mAh battery.

Reliance World will offer 16 GB iPhone 5 for Rs 45,500, 32 GB iPhone 5 for Rs 52,500 and 64 GB iPhone 5 for Rs 59,500. Along with these models, there are four different mobile plans available.

The Plan 1 includes Rs 304 monthly rental that offers 100 local voice minutes and 2 GB data. The Plan 2 costing Rs 504 monthly includes 200 voice minutes and 3 GB data. Meanwhile the Plan 3 costing Rs 804 monthly offers 400 voice minutes and 6 GB data. Finally, the Plan 4 costing Rs 1004 offers 500 voice minutes and 10 GB voice data.

Gurdeep Singh, president & CEO, wireless business, Reliance Communications stated, "We are happy to offer iPhone customers superior 3G speeds and a reliable data experience at attractive offers. By bringing iPhone to our customers, we are validating our position as a leading data company."

All Reliance World outlets across the country will be offering the iPhone 5 and the new plans from today onwards.

Nokia Asha 210 available for pre-order at Rs 4,499

Nokia's freshly announced device Asha 210 is now listed for Rs 4499 at Flipkart's website.

Nokia had announced the Asha 210 smartphone back in April and till now there is no sight of that device. The Mobile Indian did report about Nokia Asha 210 getting listed for Rs 3,999 last month but the device is still unavailable. Now a popular online retailer - Flipkart has listed the Nokia Asha 210 smartphone for Rs 4,499.

The Nokia Asha 210 arrives with a 2.4-inch LCD display with native 320x240 pixel resolution. It features a Qwerty keyboard with a dedicated button for WhatsApp. The app has also been integrated with the Phonebook inside the phone to launch WhatsApp directly from there. However, the image of the device listed at Flipkart shows dedicated Facebook button. There is a large spacebar key which also acts as the button to turn the WiFi - on or off.

Nokia Asha 210 has 32 MB RAM and has a memory card slot to accommodate up to 32 GB micro SD card. At the rear is a 2 megapixel camera but without a flash. There is a dedicated camera button at the side. Appearing 11.8 mm thick, the Nokia Asha 210 runs the Asha OS and the dual-SIM model of the same will feature EasySwap technology - it enables swapping SIMs without turning off the device.

The new price did surprise us as during launch it was quoted as Rs 3,900. But now since the value of Indian Rupee has fallen against the Dollar, the Indian price of the same device is expected to be around Rs 4,499.

The price is still good for the Asha 210 packs 1200 mAh battery that promises 46 days standby time for single SIM model and 24 days talk time for dual-SIM model.

5 inch Micromax Canvas Lite A92 coming soon for Rs 8,499

The phone is an improvement over Canvas Viva with better 512MB RAM and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system.

Micromax is soon going to launch a new budget 5 inch Android phone. The phone is similar to Micromax Canvas Viva, but comes with better 512MB RAM (compared to 256MB RAM) and Android 4.1 Jelly bean operating system compared to Android 2.3 Gingerbread on Canvas Viva and also supports 3G connectivity.

Rest of the specifications of the phone include 5 inch display with (WVGA) 480 x 800 pixels resolution, 1GHz dual core processor, 5 megapixel rear camera and 2000 mAH battery.

The phone supports 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth connectivity. It gets 4GB inbuilt memory and supports 32GB additional through micro SD card. The phone is currently listed as coming soon flipkart.com.

When launched it will compete with the like of Celkon Signature HD A119 which incidentally gets much better display and camera. It will also compete with Lava Iris 502 which is much cheaper now but gets similar specification.

Report : Micromax Canvas 4 A210 to launch for Rs. 16,900

Although many websites are reporting that the Micromax Canvas 4 A210 will launch for upwards of 24 thousand Rupees, the truth is far from the rumors. Micromax is all set to officially announce and launch the Canvas 4 at an event being held on 8th of July. The event will showcase the product and will also announce official pricing. According to sources close, the Micromax Canvas 4 A210 will launch at a price under Rs. 20,000/-. While the market price will be Rs. 16,999/- at the beginning.

Micromax has also initiated this phone, with its key feature being a blow to unlock software, and a 5 MP camera in the front ensuring that the users have nothing to complain about lack of basic features. The main camera is a 13 MP autofocus camera and the back panel is glazed just like on Samsung Galaxy phones. 

Micromax is also planning to launch the Canvas 4 A210 in White and Black colors, with a graphic texture back panel. The Micromax Canvas 4 A210 is expected to be under 9 mm in thickness, where the 8.9mm standard may come into play. The 5 inch Full HD display indicates that the phone will be at-least 144 mm high (5.67 inches ) and 76 mm wide (2.87 inches).

BlackBerry CEO : BlackBerry Messenger Coming to iOS and Android 'Before the End of Summer'

For those millions of eager iOS and Android users who are dreaming of a day that you’ll be using BBM on your device you’ll have to a bit longer. During the quarterly call, CEO Thorsten Heins stated that BBM for iOS and Android will be released “before the end of the summer.”

It was originally rumored that BlackBerry Messenger would make its way to iOS and Android on June 27, but obviously that didn’t happen. 

T-Mobile UK confused the entire Internet as they released a teaser image of BlackBerry Messenger running on a Samsung Galaxy S3 announcing BlackBerry’s popular messenger would be making its way to both iOS and Android on June 27. 

Competing with top messaging services like WhatsApp, Viber, Google’s Hangouts and Apple’s iMessage, BlackBerry is betting on its messaging platform to stay relevant, and hopefully, to keep consumers engaged on its product and services. Blackberry Messenger allows users to communicate by text through data connection instead of traditional SMS text charges. It is also faster than traditional texting.

The app will be free and will work with devices running iOS 6 or later and Android OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher. At first, Blackberry Messenger for iOS and Android will be limited to messaging and groups, but, later, an update will bring other popular BlackBerry features, including BBM Voice, screen share, and BBM Channels. 

Also, Blackberry had promised a BlackBerry 10 update for its aging PlayBook tablet, which was released over two years ago, but has reneged on the offer. According to CEO Thorsten Heins, the device just never felt right with the test versions of BlackBerry 10. The experience was not up to the company’s high standards. This is likely due to the older dual-core Cortex-A9 architecture of the 1Ghz Snapdragon chipset, along with the monumental task of having to re-engineer core aspects of the BlackBerry 10 experience.

Best budget laptops under Rs. 30,000 (up to June 2013)

If you are considering buying a laptop on a budget, you do not need to struggle for getting acceptable hardware and specifications. Gone are the days when buying a machine around the Rs. 30,000 price band meant buying something with the basic specs – an underpowered processor, a meagre amount of storage space and a bad display. It is good to note that laptop manufacturers are not giving the cold shoulder to the affordable machines in their lineup anymore.

Additionally, there is also the variety aspect that has improved considerably of late. You get various machines shuttling between the 14-inch and 15-inch display sizes, allowing users to take their pick depending on usage scenarios and comfort aspects.

But, searching for a laptop in the affordable price bands does have its own set of headaches and red flags.you will need to be aware of the fact that in this price band, you need to keep a lookout for what seem like good deals, but aren’t. At the same price points, there are machines with preloaded Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating system, and equally, there are ones that don’t have any preloaded OS. Buying such a machine would mean an extra expense later for getting Windows installed.

Alternatively, you will find a range of processors powering the laptops. There is the Core i3 as you close in on the Rs. 30,000 price mark, but at the lower end of the scale, you get the dual-core AMD APUs and even the good old Celeron running on dual-core steroids! We would recommend avoiding the Celeron versions, simply because a very old generation processor getting dual-core does not make it worthy of your money.

The listing of the best budget laptops currently available in India is done in accordance with price in ascending order, and not representative of any performance ratings or personal preferences.

1. HP Pavilion Sleekbook 14-b014au(C7D88PA)
Key Specs: AMD Dual-Core E1-1200 @ 1.4GHz, A68M chipset, 2GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, 14-inch display, Windows 8 (64-bit) preloaded
Market Price: Rs. 22,500

The Pavilion Sleekbook is again a brilliant machine worth considering. While it is affordable, you don’t feel as though you are sacrificing on build quality. There is a 14-inch display with the 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, and a 500GB hard drive. Incidentally, this is more than the 320GB hard drive the closest rival offers - the Samsung 300 series notebook. The build quality is very good, explained by the fact that this also carried forward to its more expensive versions. The Sleekbook 14 at 1.8kg weighs less than the Samsung 300 series, which tips the scales at 2.3kg. We would recommend the Sleekbook for the excellent keyboard, which would be a critical element for you in case churning out documents is your thing.

2. Samsung NP355E5C-A01IN 
Key Specs: AMD Dual-Core E2-1800@ 1.7GHz processor, A68M chipset, 2GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, 15.6-inch display, Windows 8 (64-bit) preloaded
Market Price: Rs. 22,500

While the Sleekbook does have its certain advantages in terms of specs, but the Samsung NP355E5C is still a very good option if you are considering a laptop for basic daily usage. This machine has a slightly more powerful processor than the HP Sleekbook, but the performance difference will be incremental, because that boost is offset by just 2GB of RAM. Where the AMD APU machines have a huge advantage is with the battery life, and offer that extra backup time on a single charge, more than a typical Core i3 powered machine can. We had tested this in detail, and the lower power AMD chips are better for when on the move. The Samsung NP355E5C is built well.

3. Dell Inspiron 15
Key Specs: Intel Pentium Dual-Core 2117U @ 1.8GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, 15.6-inch display, Windows 8 (64-bit) preloaded
Market Price: Rs. 25,000

This is specifically, and specifically with a double dose, for the Dell fans. Whenever we review any laptop, the Dell fanboys always come back slightly peeved that a Dell machine was not mentioned! Damned if you do, damned if you don't! The Inspiron 15 is your only option under Rs. 30,000, and while it does lag in terms of specs to even the lesser priced HP Sleekbook and the Samsung 300 notebook, surely you will have some justification for preferring this. We don’t really want to know, but would say that you should buy this if you only want to buy Dell laptop. Otherwise, better options are available for a little more or lesser cash.

4. Lenovo Ideapad S300 (59-355929)
Key Specs: Intel Pentium Dual-Core B987 @ 1.5GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 500GB hard drive, 13.3-inch display, Windows 8 (64-bit) preloaded
Market Price: Rs. 26,000

Along with the HP Sleekbook, this is one of the slimmest laptops in this price category. The display is very good, and the build quality is more than acceptable. The design inspiration from the more expensive Y series ultrabooks is always a good thing! You will take a little time getting used to the keyboard, because of the angular design towards the bottom of each key, but once you do, it should be fun to use. Buy this if you want to carry around a laptop that looks a lot more expensive than it actually is, and if you somehow pander to the perception that Intel processors are the only ones that work!

5. HP Pavilion G6-2301ax
Key Specs: AMD Quad-Core A8-4500M @ 1.9GHz, 4GB RAM, AMD Radeon HD 7640G/7670M Dual GPU (2 GB DDR3 dedicated), 500GB hard drive, 15.6-inch, Windows 8 (64-bit) preloaded
Market Price: Rs. 29,500

When we had tested this, the benchmark test scores were matching up to the Core i3-powered G6-2227tu that costs around Rs. 4,000 more. The graphics performance is the best by far under Rs. 30,000. It is not as thin as the Lenovo Ideapad, but if you need a bit of extra power for that little bit of heavy workload at times, this is the one to invest in. An excellent keyboard is an added bonus, and the mostly non-reflective display is a huge boon. Built well, but admittedly, it is not the lightest machine around. It has Good keyboard, but the touchpad will make you want to reach for an external mouse whenever possible. 
 

HTC One Google Edition ROM Now Available For Rooted Devices

If you’re an HTC One owner and are not entirely enthused by the Sense 5.0 experience, especially since it runs atop older Jelly Bean software, you’re in luck.

A flashable version of the HTC One Google Edition is now available to download, and it appears to mimic the experience that U.S. buyers will have when their phones begin arriving on July 9th. The ROM was built from a system dump uploaded by Android Central’s Jerry Hildenbrand and has been altered slightly to be compatible with all HTC One models, but is otherwise unchanged.

The new HTC One Google Edition ROM will work with the GSM version of the HTC One, and it will give your handset the same experience you would get on the Google Play edition of the HTC One.

Notable improvements include lockscreen widgets and Photosphere, along with an improved stock camera app. You’ll have to already have an unlocked bootloader and/or S-OFF, and a custom recovery, along with the know-how to install it.

If you’re interested, head to XDA-Developers and get downloading.

Meanwhile, the team at Sammobile claim to have an early 4.3 build for the Samsung Galaxy S4. They claim that this is from a Google Play Edition variant of the S4, and the build is completely functional when tested on other Galaxy S4?s, but there’s no way to verify the validity of the claim. Since Google has not yet announced Android 4.3, and it doesn’t seem that there are any significant changes to the OS, this could well be a very clever fake with an edited build.prop to say 

Rumor: Android 4.3 Jelly Bean coming in July to Galaxy S4 Google Play edition [Update: screenshots]

A fresh rumor says that Samsung will soon update its Galaxy S4 Google Play edition to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, which is the next expected Android OS update version.

Sam Mobile has it from its insiders that Samsung is currently testing build version JWR66N on the Galaxy S4 Google Play edition (model number GT-I9505G).

Now, if that particular Android 4.3 build number is familiar, that’s because a recent Myce report talked about two particular Android 4.3 versions – JWR66D and JWR53F – spotted in server logs running on the Nexus 7 and Nexus 4, but also “in the issue tracker of the Google Chromium project:”

In this case both build numbers (JWR66D and JWR53F) mean that they are Jellybean (‘J’) builds from the second quarter of this year (‘R’) and the final number is x-th day in the quarter, in this case 66 and 53. The final character remarks the build of the day, the D is the fourth build, the F is the sixth build of that day. What the ‘W’ means is so far unclear. This means both versions are from the end of May, beginning of June.
myce

That explanation seems to indicate that JWR66N is a newer Android 4.3 build, although we’re only speculating at this point.

Getting back to Sam Mobile’s report; while an actual release date for the update is not provided, the publication says the handset will get Android 4.3 in July. If that’s accurate, that means the official Android 4.3 update is days away – and we can’t but wonder whether that’s when new hardware will also be released.

Considering that Google will not update the Google Play edition handsets to new Android versions, as OEMs will have to do it themselves, it’ll certainly be interesting to see how fast the Galaxy S4 and HTC One with Nexus powers will get their Android 4.3 updates once the new OS version is official.

Speaking of the HTC One Google Play edition – boy, these product names are annoying – we would assume that HTC is also working on the respective Android 4.3 update for the device, assuming, again, that Sam Mobile’s info is accurate.

Update: Sam Mobile has returned with more information, including screenshots of Android 4.3 running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 version of the Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505), not the Google Play edition model (see gallery above).

Updated Stock Android Camera App Ripped, Ready for Download

The two Google Edition phones – Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One – went on sale yesterday via the US Play Store and they run Android 4.2.2. However, both have a new camera app, boot animation and wallpaper that do not match what's in current stock Android. Those have been ripped out of those phones, so you can install and enjoy them too.

The new camera features new on-screen settings - the circular menu has given way to an arc. Also, you can use the volume rocker as a shutter key. The rest seems to be the same, including the Photo Sphere function.

   
Screenshots of the new camera on HTC One and Galaxy S4 Google Edition

You can grab the new Camera app from here – note that on Nexus devices it replaces the Camera and Gallery apps, while on non-Nexus devices it installs them alongside your current apps. Note that some users report the Photo Sphere functionality is missing.

The Google Editions of Galaxy S4 and HTC One also came with a brand new boot animation and live wallpaper. You can grab those from here (the boot animation is available in 720p and 1080p).

India ousts Japan as third largest smartphone market in the world

India's smartphone market grows a massive 163 percent in Q1 2013, with domestic brands like Micromax, Spice and Karbonn emerging as key players along with Samsung and Apple.

According to a new report by Strategy Analytics, India has pushed past Japan to become the world's third largest smartphone market in Q1. China and the U.S.A. remain the top two global markets and the report noted that this is the first time India has moved up to the third place.

The SA report documented a 163 percent increase in sales of smartphones in India in the first quarter of 2013, compared to the average 40 percent growth globally in the same period. The report confirmed that this increase is due to improved distribution system of Samsung, Apple and Micromax.

Although Samsung and Apple remain the most sold brands, the report revealed that it is Indian brands like Micromax, Spice and Karbonn that have led to India's increase in the global smartphone share. These Indian brands have grown at a rate of 200-500 percent annually. India also has a large number of smartphone micro vendors like Lemon Mobile which has reportedly seen a tremendous 1,000 percent growth, year on year.

The study revealed: "Key brands driving the upswing include foreign firms such as Samsung and Apple… But it is domestic players who are seeing the fastest growth."

Android mobiles are gaining popularity and an analyst added, “They are almost all using Android software, which captured 89% share of the entire market in the quarter.” The report stated that India's growth is not unexpected due to its developing status, wealthier middle class, and increased interest in consumer electronics paired with smartphone saturation in Europe and Japan.

Relevantly, a recent study by CyberMedia Research also revealed that smartphone sales specifically are behind India's mobile market growth, with a 35.7 percent annual growth in 2012. The study observes smartphone sales registered a huge 75.2 percent half year growth in 2012.

Sony unveils Mediatek chipset powered Xperia C

Sony has unveiled its first Mediatek chipset powered phone which is likely to compete with home grown brands in India and China and other countries.

Sony has launched its first Mediatek chipset powered smartphone, called as Xperia C. The phone is based on Mediatek MT6589 chipset which is the most common chipset used in quad core phones by Indian brands like Micromax, Spice etc and is apparent from the specifications of the phone.

Sony Xperia C has a 5 inch display with qHD (940x560) resolution, 1.2 GHz quad core processor, 1 GB RAM, 4 GB internal memory, 8 megapixel rear camera and a VGA front camera.

The dual SIM phone runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. If you see the specification of this phone and a competing product from Indian brand you will find that this phone in fact lacks in terms of display resolution. However Sony has used its trump cards like Exmor R sensor for camera, ClearAudio+, Clear bass, Clear Phase, Clear stereo, "WALKMAN” application for music lovers.

The 8.8mm thick Xperia C's design is clearly inspired from Sony's own Xperia Z. The phone is likely to open new market opportunities for Sony when it launches in India.

Battery specification of the phone is not yet known.

Sony has not announced date of launch or price of the phone, however initially it will be exclusive for China Unicom, but is certainly meant to be launched in India as well. We do not see it priced below Rs 15,000 mark but will be within Rs 2000 price bracket and will be pitched against Samsung Galaxy Quattro and not the Micromax Canvas HD A116 or even Xolo Q1000.

Intel Launches 4th Generation Intel Core processors in India (PR)

Intel today introduced the 4^th Generation Intel Core™ processor family in India. Based on Intel’s leading 22nm microarchitecture, the 4th generation Intel Core processors deliver up to 50 percent increase in battery life in active workloads over the previous generation^1. This is the largest generation-over-generation gain in the company’s history, equating to 9 hours of battery life in active workloadsfor some Ultrabooks based on the new processors.

The 4th generation Intel Core processors will also serve as the foundation for a new era of 2-in-1 computing. A 2-in-1 device works as a PC when you need it and a tablet when you want it. 

“Today we deliver on the vision set forth 2 years ago to reinvent personal computing with the introduction of our 4^th Generation Intel Core processors,” said Leighton Phillips, Director, Product Management & Pricing, Intel Asia-Pacific. “Today’s announcement accelerates a new category of 2-in-1 computing devices delivering the best of a notebook and a tablet in amazing new form factors.”    

Delivering Intel’s largest generation-over-generation gain in battery life enablement in company history, the 4th gen Intel Core processors deliver up to a 50 percent improvement in battery life over the previous generation in active workloads such as watching movies or surfing the Internet, and two to three times improvement in standby battery life. For some systems coming to market this year, over 9 hours of active use battery life or 10 to 13 days of standby with fresh data on a single charge is expected. 

Intel exceeded its expectations on power reduction at the CPU level to as low as 6 watts and also worked across the system for power optimization.

The 4th generation Intel Core processors also bring the great performance currently available in mainstream computing with the additional benefit of superior graphics support. People will be able to experience every day computing approximately two times faster; systems can wake up approximately eight times faster and users will have the ability to edit and share HD video about 20 times faster; than a similar 4-year-old computer.

Sony announces Xperia SP M35t and Xperia C S39h for China

Just announced in Shanghai alongside the Xperia Z Ultra is the Xperia SP M35t, a TD-LTE-enabled variant of the Xperia SP for the Chinese market, and the Xperia C S39h, a dual-SIM qHD 5-incher, which is also Sony's first mobile powered by a quad-core MediaTek SoC.

The Somy Xperia SP M35t will be the same as the original, save for the TD-LTE antenna which lets it work with China Mobile's 4G network. It'll have the same 4.6-inch 720p display and customizable transparent LED strip which stretches at the bottom of the device, alongside a dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait on a Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset and an 8 MP camera.

The Sony Xperia C S39h will be a China Unicom exclusive and features a 5-inch display of qHD resolution (960 x 540 pixels), a quad-core 1.2 GHz MediaTek processor, and an 8 MP camera with Exmor R sensor. It'll come with dual-SIM support, and will be available in White, Black and Purple on release.

Google Editions HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 go on sale

As originally promised, the Google Play editions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One have gone on sale today. Both top-shelf smartphones, running stock Android can be ordered from the Google Play Store in the United States.

The Pure Google Samsung Galaxy S4 is priced at $649. HTC One on the other hand, is slightly cheaper at $599. Both devices are offered with free delivery. The scheduled shipping date for either of the two devices is on or before July 9.

The stock Android editions of the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4 are bound to attract their fair share of Google purists, who aren't keen on living with some of the limitations the Nexus 4 has. Considering the difference in the pricing however, it is fair to think that the sales of the Nexus 4 are not likely to take a hit.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra Announced Officially, Snapdragon 800, 6.4" 1080p Display (PR)

After numerous leaks over the past few weeks, Sony today officially announced the Sony Xperia Z Ultra,  a new smartphone with a 6.4-inch full high-definition screen and a Snapdragon 800 chipset.

The 6.4-inch, 1,920 by 1,080 pixel display is what Sony calls a TRILUMINOUS Display, incorporating technology from the Bravia television line, including the X-Reality video-enhancing software.

The Sony Xperia Z Ultra works with a stylus (or any pencil, Sony says) and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. There’s a powerful Adreno 330 GPU to push all the pixels to the screen too, a part of the new Snapdragon 800 chipset, which also packs a quad-core Krait 400 processor clocked at 2.2GHz.

At 6.5 mmm Sony is heralding the phone as the “world’s slimmest and largest full HD smartphone.”

Other specs of note include an 8-megapixel camera, a 3,000 mAh battery and 16 gigabytes of internal storage, with about 11 GB available to the user, and a microSD card slot for extra space. (Props to Sony for being up-front about the usable storage space).

The battery, on the other hand, is a quite respectable 3000mAh, though that screen will definitely eat it up faster than more conventional phones.

The Xperia Z Ultra is set for a third quarter 2013 global release, with precise dates varying by market. There is no price set for the phone at the moment.

Nokia 301 Dual Sim Up For Sale At Rs 5,149

Nokia 301 Dual sim is up for sale on different e-commerce websites at a price of Rs. 5,149. The Nokia 301 Dual sim is the dual sim variation of the Nokia 301 single sim phone and there is no change between these two models except for the sim support. Both Nokia 301 Dual sim model runs on the Symbian Series 40 OS platform. This feature phone comes with a bar shaped design and the 2.4-inch display screen of this device has a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. The Nokia 301 Dual SIM also packs a 1200 mAh battery with 20 hours and 6 hours of 2G & 3G talktime respectively.

The Nokia Asha 301 Dual SIM has a 3.2 MP camera without flash. This phone can store up to 3000 contact numbers in its internal storage of 64MB. The external memory is expandable up to 32 GB with a microSD card and the device includes GPRS, EDGE, 3G and Bluetooth 3.0 etc.

The phone is available in 5 colours  like black, white, cyan, yellow and fuchsia. For more on Nokia 301 Dual sim, watch this video below.

LG silently announces Optimus L4II Dual for Rs 9,850

LG has silently launched a phone with 3.8 inch IPS display. The phone comes with 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB inbuilt memory and 1700 mAh battery.

LG has silently announced a new phone in its L series, called LG Optimus L4II Dual E445. The phone is listed on the LG India site and is priced at Rs 9,850.

LG Optimus L4II Dual is a 3G phone with two SIM slots and runs on a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM and 4 GB inbuilt memory. The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean based phone has a 3.8 inch IPS panel display with low 320 x 480 resolution.

There is only one 3 megapixel fixed focus camera at the back with VGA resolution video capability. The phone runs on a 1700 mAh battery with 10 hours claimed talktime.

In terms of additional features LG has put in a smart SIM switch key to switch between two SIM cards and there is also a smart forward feature which allows incoming calls on one SIM to be diverted to other in case the phone other SIM is being used.

The phone is priced in the range where Indian manufacturers have pitted their quad core phones with larger 4.5 inch display or even a 5 inch display. And given the improved quality that these handsets come with, LG will have a tough time in selling this phone.

However LG Optimus L4II Dual competes well with phones like Sony Xperia E, HTC Desire C, and recently launched Samsung Galaxy Fame - all priced in almost the same range.

Microsoft Giving Away $100,000 Rewards For Finding Windows 8.1 Security Flaws

If you’re good enough with code, perhaps you can make some good money digging up bugs for Microsoft.

Microsoft is offering what it calls a ‘Bounty Program’ to finding exploits and vulnerabilities for Windows 8.1.  Google has had a similar program for its Chrome web browser for quite some time now, though not offering as much money.

The new exploitation method must not be one that Microsoft already knows or that has been described in prior works and the submission must also include a white paper explaining the method.

The biggest one is the Mitigation Bypass Bounty, which will pay up to $100,000 to developers who find “truly novel exploitation techniques” in Windows 8.1.

Any successful hacker can earn an additional $50,000 “BlueHat Bonus” if they can tell Redmond how to fix a major flaw in the operating system. In addition, there’s an $11,000 bounty on Internet Explorer 11 Preview Edition vulnerabilities – but with a 30 day time limit – presumably so that any new problems can be fixed in time for the final release.

“Microsoft will pay up to $100,000 for truly novel exploitation techniques against protections built into the latest version of our operating system (Windows 8.1 Preview). Learning about new exploitation techniques earlier helps Microsoft improve security by leaps, instead of capturing one vulnerability at a time as a traditional bug bounty alone would,” the company explained.

That program begins on June 26 but will end 30 days later on July 26th. 

The company is set to introduce the new Windows 8.1 Preview at the BUILD developer conference in San Francisco on June 26th as well.

India To Get Their First Android Nation Store Later This Year

India will be the second country after Indonesia to get Android Nation Stores. The first Android Nation Store was opened in Jakarta last year. Google partnered with Erafone to operate two such stores in Jakarta. This move of Google opening Android Nation Store in India shows the importance of Indian market for Google. So now they will partner with BK Modi’s Spice Global to set up Android Nation Stores in various cities of India. We can see the first store in New Delhi, later this year. Google partnered with Spice Global will set up this store in Select City Walk in Saket.

 Android Nation Store will sell all sorts of Android devices available in the market under one roof with an Android experience center, where customers can find out about their latest apps, updates, devices etc. from the experts. This is certainly a good news for Android lovers in India, considering the fact that Apple lovers had such stores from a long time.

Since Google is coming up with Spice Global, which currently operates around 900 Spice Hotspots. They plan to convert about 50 of their Spice Hotspots into Android Nation stores after the opening of the first store.