Apple iPad (4th Generation, Wi-Fi)

Now in its fourth iteration in two years, the Apple iPad continues its reign as king. The best large tablet you can buy today, the Apple iPad (4th Generation) has it all: top performance, a stellar screen, a surprisingly good camera, speedy Wi-Fi, and a breathtaking library of spectacular apps. Unlike other 10-inch tablets on the market, it's the full package, which makes it a very rare five-star product, and a slam dunk for our Editors' Choice.

Pricing and Physical FeaturesThe fourth-generation iPad looks almost exactly like the previous model, and it's priced the same, too. There are 16, 32, and 64GB sizes in Wi-Fi-only ($499, $599, and $699) and same-size 4G LTE variants ($629, $729, and $829). If you want to be able to keep apps, movies, and music on your tablet, I advise getting at least 32GB. For this review, I tested the $699 64GB Wi-Fi-only model.

Just like the second- and third-generation iPads, this tablet has a 9.7-inch screen surrounded by a black (or white) bezel, with a curved metal back, and a single Home button. Apple's magnetic Smart Cover, which was released with the iPad 2, clips on just fine. The tablet still has a sealed-in battery, and no ports other than a standard headphone jack. There's a 1.2-megapixel camera right above the display on the middle of the top bezel, and a 5-megapixel camera in its traditional location on the back upper left corner.

On the bottom is Apple's new, compact Lightning connector, which isn't compatible with earlier accessories, but Lightning accessories are starting to appear, and I'm confident the ecosystem will develop quickly with more than 8 million Lightning-compatible phones, PMPs, and tablets already in people's hands.

At 7.3 by 9.5 by 0.37 inches (HWD) and 23 ounces, the new iPad is the same size and weight as the third-generation model. It's a little heavier than the 21-ounce Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, and the Google Nexus 10 (21.2 ounces), but I didn't really notice during testing.

The 2,048-by-1,536-pixel Retina Display is sharp, clear, and bright. At 263 pixels per inch, it beats every other tablet on the market right now except Google's Nexus 10, which offers a 300ppi, 2,560-by-1,600 10-inch screen. But both Web browsing and gaming look better on the iPad's screen because of superior software choices. In the browser, Apple picked better-looking, better-kerned fonts, and cross-platform games showed generally superior graphics and coding on the iPad.

The Retina display takes its toll on battery life just as it did on the third-gen iPad. I got 5 hours, 36 minutes of video playback at full brightness, almost the same figure as the previous model. (That's still longer than the Nexus 10, which clocked in at just over 5 hours on the same test.) I'll retest at half brightness as well; with the third-gen iPad, halving the brightness bumped video playback time up to 11 hours. And the big battery still takes a long time to charge: Six hours on our first try, even with the new, more powerful 12-watt charger.

Apps and PerformanceThe new iPad, like the old iPad, runs Apple's iOS 6. See our full review for a look at the ins and outs of the iPad's operating system. We've also reviewed and profiled hundreds of iPad apps if you want to get an idea of the richness of the software for this device.

In the eight months since the third-generation iPad was released, most of the apps I have been using for testing have been upgraded to Retina versions. The OS smoothes and improves standard elements within many non-Retina-enhanced apps, too, including text and embedded maps.

Speaking of those maps, Apple's troubles with mapping don't affect this iPad as much as other iOS devices because the Wi-Fi-only model lacks GPS. Still, though, if it can find Wi-Fi the tablet can find its location, and you can download a third-party mapping app if you like; here are 10 solid Apple Maps alternatives.

The latest iPad packs an Apple A6X processor which Geekbench reports to be running at 1.4GHz (Apple won't confirm or deny). The custom-designed A6, as seen in the iPhone 5, was already one of the fastest CPUs available; the A6X enhances the A6 with even better graphics.

The results are stunning. The fourth-gen iPad outmatched all other Apple products on the Geekbench and GLBenchmark benchmarks, scoring 1,768 on Geekbench to the iPad 3's 749. Similarly, the heavy game "Need for Speed: Most Wanted" launched in 18 seconds on the new iPad as compared to 37 seconds on the iPad 3. Yes, it's more than twice as fast. With the iPad 3, I found apps that stressed the older A5 processor. That just isn't the case any more.

Apple's efficient software comes into play when comparing against the Google Nexus 10 too. While the Nexus 10 notched a faster Geekbench score at 2,480, the iPad creamed it on all of our actual Web-browsing tests, Sunspider, Browsermark, and GUIMark, as well as in the speed of loading pages. I saw delays and stutters in the Nexus 10's interface that I never saw on the iPad. Updating a large number of apps went more slowly on the Nexus than on the iPad. And under heavy strain, the iPad got a bit warm, but the Nexus 10 became even hotter.

Part of this is thanks to the iPad's excellent Wi-Fi performance; on PCMag's 5GHz 802.11n network, I got 37Mbps down on the iPad and 23Mbps down on the Nexus 10. Both speeds are fast, but it's the iPad's processor and software that seem to be making the difference here.

Gaming performance is significantly better on the new iPad, too. Intense games like Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Asphalt 7 run at a smooth 60 frames per second on the new iPad and render landscapes in advance of viewing; the Nexus 10 had frame-rate trouble in both games and would render buildings as I came up to them, which was distracting. Scores on the GLBenchmark graphics benchmark tell the tale. On GLBenchmark's "Egypt HD On-Screen," which renders a complex game-like scene, the iPad 3 scored 22 frames per second, the Nexus 10 hit 27, and the iPad 4 marked 42. That's a noticeable difference.

The new iPad upgrades both cameras. The 1.2-megapixel front camera records 720p video; the rear camera takes 5-megapixel stills and 1080p video. The cameras offer the same excellent performance as on the Apple iPad mini. The front camera takes sharp 1.2-megapixel shots, even in low light. In very low light, images get quite noisy, but that's preferable to blurry. Its 720p HD videos record at a noisy 24fps in very low light, and 30fps outdoors. The main camera captures sharp, clear, and well-balanced 5-megapixel images and 1080p video at 30 fps indoors and out. I think people look ridiculous taking photos with the main camera of a 10-inch tablet, but many people do it.

The single speaker on the bottom of the iPad is tinny and of medium volume like most tablet speakers, but the headphone amp is impressive; I got rich, powerful sound through a pair of Monster earphones. The iPad also works just fine with Bluetooth headphones and speakers.

The iPad has always been an excellent media player, and there's no change here. The hi-resolution screen lets you watch 1080p HD videos without downscaling, and they look spectacular. You can also output HD video to a TV either through Apple's $49 HDMI adapter, or via Wi-Fi using Apple TV's AirPlay feature.

The combination of the new processor and faster Wi-Fi fix the AirPlay problems I saw on the previous iPad, too. Using a 5GHz network, I streamed a 1080p version of "The Hunger Games" purchased from iTunes on an Apple TV, and watched a high-quality stream of "Arrested Development" on Netflix with no skipping. High-quality racing games showed good frame rates over AirPlay, but there was a bit of lag in the controls because of Wi-Fi latency.

Comparisons and Conclusions
Yes, I'm rating the iPad as the best 10-inch tablet, while its little brother, the iPad mini, isn't the top seven-incher. The big iPad's performance stands head and shoulders above the competition, and it provides premium screen and processor specs to match its premium price. The iPad's library of tablet-focused apps matters a lot more, and look better, at 9.7 inches rather than 7.9. And while a 4:3 aspect ratio tablet looks a bit too squarish in the smaller size, it's an ideal form factor for a larger device.

Most 10-inch Android tablets, including the laudable, but flawed, Google Nexus 10, still lack the level of polish and the range of third-party apps designed for Apple tablets. Yes, the Google Play store offers a small selection of featured tablet apps, but for the vast majority of Android apps, it's hard to tell before downloading (and paying for) them whether you'll get a true tablet app or a blown-up phone app. Once again, those scaled phone apps look okay on a medium-resolution, seven-inch tablet and generally awful at a super-high-res 10 inches, so this is more of a concern with larger tablets.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 leaped into our esteem by offering up uses that aren't covered by the standard Android apps: multi-windowed Web browsing and a pressure-sensitive stylus. While the Note maintains its windowing advantage and is still an excellent tablet, the new iPad has caught up with third-party pressure-sensitive styli, including the Editors' Choice Adonit Jot Touch.

And how about the Microsoft Surface RT? It's definitely a competitor, but it isn't quite there yet. The A6X processor's performance beats the Nvidia Tegra 3's, and the Retina screen beats the Surface's 1,366-by-768 panel. More importantly, though, Apple's massive library of excellent apps and accessories dwarfs the still-tiny ecosystem around Windows RT. (Remember, RT can't run true desktop Windows apps.) Want to dance around clicking a keyboard onto your tablet? The iPad offers plenty of options like the Editors' Choice Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover .

The previous iPad received 4.5 stars; I dinged it for its A5 processor. At the time, I told iPad 2 owners to wait for the next model. And this is it. The fourth-generation Apple iPad is the only product I have ever personally rated five full stars because it represents the tablet state of the art.

About 63 percent of home PC users keen to upgrade to Windows 8: poll suggests

With the recent launch of Windows 8, which was followed up by the launch of Surface for Windows RT, and Windows Phone 8, the desktop, laptop, mobile, and tablet worlds have been shaken up dramatically.

A lot has been said about Microsoft’s latest version of Windows, and its attempt to embrace both the desktop and tablet spaces in the market. Many have called the touch-optimized ‘Metro UI’ a useless gimmick for the desktop, while others scoff at the massive weight of full-fledged Windows 8 Protablet.

You can read our full review of Windows 8 here, to get a better idea of just what is new, what works, and what doesn’t work. In the meanwhile, in the days accompanying the launch of Windows 8, we’d asked our readers whether they planned to upgrade to the new OS.

We’ve received 2,475 responses since then, across our website, Facebook page, and newsletters. We thank our fans, readers and subscribers for taking the time out to share their views, and hope to see the same level of enthusiasm in the future.

A total of 48 percent, or 1183 readers said they planned on upgrading to Windows 8. 15 percent, or 371 readers, said they already have. These figures would make Microsoft quite happy, as they imply a combined 63 percent of our fans and readers planned on upgrading, or had already upgraded to Windows 8.

Of the remainder, 30 percent, or 755 users, chose the option “No, I'd rather stick to Windows 7.” This indicates a relatively large number is probably waiting to see just how good Windows 8 is, or waiting for launch bugs to be ironed out, or, just not sure of the value proposition of a new OS, when Windows 7 is serving them so well.

Lastly, 7 percent, or 166 readers, said they don’t use Windows at all, indicating the percentage of sole Linux or Mac OS X users.

Check out the results in graphical form below, and see previous ThinkDigit Weekly Poll results,here. Do also answer our new poll, where we ask you “Which is the best new phone launch of the season?”

New BlackBerry Messenger 7 brings free voice chat feature

Research In Motion (RIM) has released a BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) v7 beta, adding a new voice chat feature to the application. The BBM 7 beta works on BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry OS version 6 or higher. According to reports, RIM will be soon rolling out the voice chat feature to BB smartphones running version 5.

The new feature, known as BBM Voice, allows users to make voice calls to other BBM users via wireless Internet connection. The split-screen feature allows users to talk and text at the same time, so for example, they can send a picture to their contact while talking with them. They can also check other BBM text chats, check email, or navigate to other apps while engaged on a BBM Voice call. Moreover, users can initiate the voice chat without needing to text first.

The BBM Voice features a “visual indicator” that notifies users when a contact is available to take a voice chat. The new feature is compatible with standard BlackBerry voice accessories. Users can chat via BBM Voice using speakerphone, similar to the normal phone calls.

Apart from voice chat, BBM version 7 also integrates with a BlackBerry ID for backing up groups, contacts and profile information, which can restored when switching to a new BlackBerry device. This will definitely please current BB owners who are looking to upgrade to a BB 10 device next year. 

While announcing the new BBM, Vice President of BBM and Social Communities at RIM T.A. McCann said in a statement: “The new BBM Voice feature is for when you’re travelling and you want to call home without worrying about phone charges. It’s for when you have news you can’t wait to share, for quickly explaining complicated details, and collaborating with colleagues. Whenever your ideas are too big for text, there’s BBM Voice.”

For more information about BBM, click here.

Mobile review: HTC Windows Phone 8X

When it comes to making good looking unibody smartphones, HTC in particular has a knack for doing things the right way. The latest example of this is the new HTC Windows Phone 8X, which is based on Microsoft's latest Windows Phone 8 operating system that announced its global debut last month. Even before that HTC was one of the first few companies to announce a device based on Windows Phone 8, and it was also among the first to make its devices available in markets around the world.

While the device is now available for retail in India at approximately Rs 35, 000 HTC Windows Phone 8X is a high end device that has some serious hardware specifications to flaunt as well.

Look and feel

HTC has always been involved in making some really good looking devices and that has not changed with the HTC Windows Phone 8X. The flagship Windows Phone 8 device simply impresses with its unique design and great looks. The device itself is lightweight and sleek, while its thickness is 10.1 mm at its thickest. But its tapered edges make it look even slimmer.

The device is available in a variety of colours just to lure in the youth as well as other colour loving smartphone users. The display size of Windows Phone devices has gone up from 3.7 inches to 4.3 inches on this one and it certainly feels big and bold while using, but with a narrow shape that makes usage comfortable all day long.

Although there are various colour options available for devices the black colour looks best. The device features a matte-r finish that runs from the edges, making it smudge resistant while the unibody design adds to its slimness and makes the device sturdy too.

The placement of the power/standby key on top really makes the device easy to use for upgraders as smaller smartphones use this key placement too. The right side has the volume rocker, which is great and very easy to use. As per Windows' minimum requirement the device now gets a dedicated camera key and the one on the HTC Windows Phone 8X is certainly one of the most sensitive we have used till today. The device has a total of four hardware keys including power on top, volume rocker on the right side followed by a mandatory hardware camera key, but the flush front of the device certainly is appealing.

The overall build quality of the device is good. It is sturdy and can handle accidental falls quite well. The Gorilla Glass really makes a lot of difference and protects the display from scratches as well as damage from drops. we are quite happy with the way the device has been designed and with its build quality as well.

Display and touch

Built around a 4.3 inch Super LCD 2 screen, with true 720p resolution, the HTC Windows Phone 8X is great for most tasks and is certainly great for multimedia and gaming. Brightness levels are adequate, making it a perfect device to be used even in bright sunlight. The native resolution supported by the device is 1280 x 720 pixels at 4.3 inches, making it a delight for the eyes.

The brightness level of the device can be tweaked by the powerful battery monitoring capabilities of WP 8 and the ambient sensor really does a good job by providing the right degree of brightness at all times.

The colour reproduction and black levels are good and the picture quality offered by the display is sharp and vibrant. In comparison to Samsung Galaxy SIII it is definitely better and much more vibrant, but its smaller size might ruin the party for a few.

The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 2, which is tougher to crack and lighter as compared to its predecessor's.

Hardware

The HTC Windows Phone 8X is powered by a 1.5 GHz dual core Krait processor combined with an Adreno 225 GPU. The processor is capable of powering the device and handling most of the action with ease. The phone features 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, which works great for all applications, but the lack of external storage is surely a big sting for high end device fans. The hardware specifications are well suited to the device and offer a speedy experience all around.

On the gaming front too the phone is capable of doing justice to most games that are available at the Windows Phone store and users will certainly like playing Xbox titles on the devices.

The HTC Windows Phone 8X just blazes through application and entertainment related tasks with ease. Even in terms of multitasking there is ample headroom for applications with 1 GB RAM and a dual core processor, so do not even worry about what this device can do.

Operating System

The first thing you notice about the device is its new and refreshed user interface. The home screen now features newer colours for better customization and the live tiles also get selectable sizes for a great level of customization. Microsoft has added a host of live applications for the home screen as well, which will show a live feed directly on the home screen of the device as and when any of them gets an update

The transitions between screen changes have been made really smooth and there is a considerable difference in the device's performance on Windows Phone 7.5. The HTC Windows Phone 8X is really smooth when it comes to apps and transitions and that is one very good thing about this device.

Windows 8 comes with the all new Internet Explorer 10 that carries the same web browsing engine meant to be used in Windows 8 for PCs, for faster and much quicker web browsing. The web page rendering time has reduced and a fast network like 3G or WiFi would certainly help utilize its full potential.

And then there is the kids section, which is a welcome offering for users because with the Windows Phone 8 parents can now activate a specialized zone on the phone for kids to play, and compete with their own customizable start screens within the device while protecting other important stuff. Kids will only be able to access apps, games, music and videos that parents pick for them.

Camera and multimedia

At the back of the HTC Windows Phone 8X there's an 8 megapixel camera with a back side illumination sensor, a bright F/2.0 aperture and wide 28 mm field of view, which is a delight for snappers. The 8 megapixel camera is good and offers great variance in colours and full HD 1080p video recording as well at 30 frames per second.

The image quality of the camera is good in both outdoor and indoor modes provided the lighting is sufficient. The LED flash comes into play wherever needed but is only effective for close objects, and it tends to give the subjects a washout too. The colours are captured nicely with details and the 8 megapixel resolution gives unlimited possibilities for how to use the pictures.

Another great inclusion is yet another 1080p capable F/2.0 camera on the front. All this has been made possible with the HTC's dedicated imaging chip that does wonders. Along with that the front camera can also take 2.1 megapixel still shots.

On the multimedia front this device features a more than capable audio and video player along with support for online streaming for both videos and audio. The loudspeaker, however, is a big plus for the device and with the integrated Beats Audio technology and hardware everything is a bit sweeter too. The headphones supplied are not Beats Audio certified, but work great with the device.

Overall

The HTC Windows Phone 8X comes with 16 GB of built in storage, which is not abundant especially considering that it is all that users will get since there's no micro SD card slot. Although cloud storage can be an option, considering the present high speed data charges it is surely a big disappointment for users.

Despite all this the HTC Windows Phone 8X is well worth Rs 35,000. The device is certainly good for multitasking as well as Microsoft's Xbox apps, Microsoft Office and the live tile interface is a class apart. Bing Maps, however, is a great disappointment and is equivalent to not having Google Maps on the iPhone. But with the web interface and faster data connectivity one can surely be ready for navigation in no time.

All in all with 120,000 apps of which most are paid the WP8 is nothing compared to Android or iOSbut it has its own advantages, and comparing all this to the past we can certainly say that we are witnessing the birth of a champion.

Mobile review: HTC Windows Phone 8X Specifications
Network	3G with video calling
Operating System	Windows Phone 8
Dimensions	132.4 x 66.2 x 10.1 mm, Weight 130 g
Display	4.3 inch
Input Method	Touch (capacitive)
Processor	1.5 GHz, Qualcomm Snapdragon S4
Memory	1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal
Connectivity	WiFi, Bluetooth
Multimedia	Multi format audio-video player
Camera	8 megapixel rear, 2.1 megapixel front
GPS	Yes
Additional features	Beats Audio
Battery	1800 mAh
Warranty	1 year
Price	Rs 35,000

Sony becomes third largest smartphone vendor in the world

Samsung continues to be number one followed by Apple with combined market share of more than 50%.

Sony's aggressive product launches and marketing campaign seems to have paid off as its sales jumped 44 per cent compared to last year making it the third largest smartphone vendor in the world. Sony Shipped 8.8 million handsets in the last three months.

However RIM (makers of BlackBerry) and Nokia continued to struggle. While RIM is placed at number five with 4.2 per cent share in the smartphone market, Nokia is positioned even with LG, ZTE, Lenovo and Huawei. HTC despite its falling numbers is at fourth position with shipments of 8.4 million units.

According to a Canalys report, the global smartphone market shipped 173.7 million units in the third quarter, growing 44 per cent year-on-year. Asia-Pacific accounted for more than 53 per cent of the market with smartphone volumes, driven by China, broke through the 50 million-unit barrier.

Samsung topped the charts for the third consecutive quarter with 55.5 million handsets shipped, followed by Apple with 26.9 million. Both vendors accounted for almost 50 percent of the global smartphone market.

However, most top vendors failed to make inroads into China, which is the fastest growing smartphone market. While Samsung remained the top smartphone vendor in China with 14 per cent market share, Lenovo was at the second spot with 13 per cent market share. Local Chinese vendors ZTE and Huawei are in the fourth and fifth place with about 10 per cent share each.

Sony jumped to third place in the world ranking with 8.8 million units, marking its first appearance in the top 5 since end-2006. The Japanese vendor which re-launched the Xperia brand after it acquired all the stakes from Ericsson in their JV, has launched several new phones in a very wide price range which helped boost its sales. It's Xperia P, Xperia S, Xperia U and Xperia Tipo boosted shipments, especially in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia-Pacific.

Sony also topped the table in Japan with its new LTE products, the Xperia GX and Xperia SX accounted for over 14 per cent of overall smartphone shipments in the country.

Sony however failed to make inroads into the USA market which is still the largest smartphone market and held less than 0.5 per cent market share in the third quarter.

HTC remained in fourth place, accounting for just 4.8 per cent of the global smartphone market. While it has declined in many markets, HTC saw strong growth in major developing markets such as China and Indonesia.

LG which recently announced Nexus 4 with Google has been receiving a lot of praise for Nexus 4 and its Optimus G is expected to make good inroads in the market in this quarter. Korean manufacturer has lined up impressive lineup of products to be launched in months to come.

Top 5 Best online mobile and tablet deals of the week

Looking for the perfect deal this week, then be sure to check these offers online on popular mobiles and tablets.

Festive season is always the best time to buy new stuff, especially gadgets like mobiles and tablets. That's why, like every week, we spent our time scouting for the best deals available online. And here we present our top 5 online deals of the week on mobiles and tablets.

Sony Xperia U (Price Rs 12,999)

The Sony Xperia U features a 1 GHz processor has a 3.5 inch screen powered by Sony's Bravia Engine technology for better display. The Xperia U device features 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC connectivity options and is DLNA certified. Sharing the same design philosophy as the Xperia S, this new smartphone also gets a transparent bar just under the screen that enhances the visuals significantly. The Xperia U comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread but is upgradable to Android ICS.

The retail price of this smartphone is around Rs 17,999 while the Sony Xperia S is available on Tradus.in for a special price of Rs 12,999 which is by far the lowest price to be offered online. Although you will have to pay Rs 150 towards shipping charges, it still is the cheapest price in the market right now.

Nokia Asha 311 (Rs 6,034)

The Nokia Asha 311 is a compact touch screen device that comes with a bright and colourful 3 inch scratch resistant capacitive display with polarisation filters for a better visual experience. With WiFi and 3.5G connectivity, users can experience blazing fast internet and downloads on this device.

The Nokia Asha 311 is powered with a powerful 1 GHz processor for smooth performance all round. And along with that it also features a 3.2 megapixel camera and pre-installed Nokia Maps for better and flawless navigation too. The phone comes with 15 levels of Angry Birds bundled and also comes with pre-loaded social client for accessing Facebook, Twitter and many other social networks.

The Asha 311 comes with the new S40 Asha user interface that offers a new, fully re-designed touch user interface for the users. Also the device makes use of the Nokia Browser 2.0, which uses Nokia's cloud technology to reduce data consumption by up to 90 per cent, meaning that consumers can enjoy faster and cheaper internet access at all times without the need of having a third party browser.

The retail price of this smartphone is around Rs 7,499 while the Nokia Asha 311 is available on Sulekha.com for a special price of Rs 6,034.

Samsung Galaxy Tab-2 310 (Rs 17,699)

The Samsung Galaxy Tab-2 310 is a 3G connectivity based tablet that offers some good performance and for the price it comes as an absolute delight.

The Galaxy Tab-2 310 has 7-inch touchscreen display (1024x600) and has almost same features as the other Galaxy Tabs available right now in the market. The device comes in 16 GB onboard memory capable of being expanded up to 32 GB more with SDHC cards. Housing a dual-core 1 GHz ARM Cortex based mobile processor, this tablet runs Android 4.0 ICS Operating system. Samsung has added custom TouchWiz user interface to enhance the user's experience.

Powerful internal hardware bearing Galaxy Tab weighs about 385 grams. At the rear lies a humble 3 megapixel camera that is capable of recording 720p HD videos while in the front there's a VGA resolution camera for video chatting as well.

This tablet features USB 2.0 connectivity and offers wireless connectivity through WiFi, Bluetooth, and DLNA.

This offer is available exclusively on Zoomin.com, and users will have to make use of the coupon code SAMP3100 as well for buying this product at this price.

HTC One V (Rs 16,499)

Sporting a 3.7 inch LCD touchscreen display with WVGA 480 x 800 pixel resolution, the HTC One V is a small and pocket friendly Android smartphone to have. A large portion of HTC One V has brushed aluminum body and a small rubberised panel at its sides to cover the micro SD and SIMcard slots.

Under the 9.24 mm slim chassis, this smartphone houses a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 mobile processor with Adreno 205 graphics and 512 MB memory. By default the One V offers 4 GB onboard storage which is great.

The smartphone comes with Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich build running the HTC Sense 4.0 user interface. At the back lies a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash and a BSI sensor, promising great images even in low-light conditions. The camera app has been tweaked and can now quickly click several photos in a short span of time with the least possible lag. By default the camera app comes with a number filters as well as effects built-in for the user to enjoy capturing memorable photos.

The HTC One V features Beats Audio integration that loads whenever the headphones are plugged in. Like the HTC One X, even this device comes with a non-removable 1500 mAh battery, which might not be much of an issue provided one uses relevant applications at a time.

The retail price of this smartphone is around Rs 18,999 while the HTC One V is available on Indiatimes Shopping for a special price of Rs 16,499 which is by far the lowest price to be offered online.

Micromax Funbook P300 4GB (Rs 5,900)

The Micromax Funbook will comes with a 7 inch capacitive touchscreen with 800x480 pixel resolution and the capacitive touch of the display is capable of multi touch inputs and thus supports pinch-to-zoom functionality.

It has a Cortex A8 architecture based 1.2 GHz processor and dedicated dual core MALI graphics processor for visual superiority. It features 512 MB of RAM which is just the right amount of memory for apps to work on ICS and 4 GB of internal memory which can be expanded by up to 32 GB through an external SDHC cards.

For data connectivity, the Funbook has option for WiFi and 3G connection through a USB dongle. The tablet also has an HDMI port which will allow users to connect the Funbook to a TV. The Android tablet also supports a number of music and video file formats for entertainment superiority while being mobile too.

There is a VGA (0.3 megapixel) front facing camera for video chats as well but it has no rear camera. Also there a 2800 mAh battery that according to the company provides five hours of browsing. The tablet is available at Sulekha.com for the price of Rs 5,900 including free shipping as well.

iPad Mini up for pre-order

iPad Mini which comes with a 7.9 inch display and latest dual core A5 chip is can be ordered for Rs 28,990 on ebay.in

Apple iPad Mini which was announced a few days ago by Apple is available for pre-order on ebay.in for Rs 28,999 for 16GB WiFi model.

The iPad Mini comes with a smaller 7.9 inch display compared to the 9.7 on a regular iPad. Apart from the display, the iPad Mini has similar set of hardware configuration as that of iPad 2.

The iPad Mini comes with a 7.9 inch display with 1024 x 768 resolution that provides a 163 pixels per inch (ppi) pixel density. Along with that the tablet has a dual core A5 processor, running Apple's brand new iOS 6 operating system.

The device comes in two models - 3G + WiFi and only WiFi version. The storage options are similar to that of the iPad 3 with 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB options.

The iPad Mini features a 5 megapixel rear camera with a back side illumination sensor. Along with that the camera also has 1080p video recording capability as well. A front camera with 1.2 megapixel resolution in also there.

In the smaller iPad, Apple has incorporated the all new lightning connector as well, so all the older accessories will not be compatible with the new device. There is a 16.3 watt hour battery pack that promises up to 10 hours of backup time.

Samsung Galaxy SIII gets Jellybean update in India

After a few days of being made available in the UK, Samsung has made the update available for Indian users too.

Samsung has started sending out Android 4.1 Jellybean update to Galaxy SIII users in India too. The update was made available towards the end of October in European markets.

This update is available for download over-the-air (OTA) and through Samsung's Kies software. To check for the update, you can go to settings and the go to 'About Phone' to check for the update. The size of the update is 291 MB.

The Jelly Bean update is to bring an improved and more responsive user interface along with Android's very own integrated voice recognition engine. Along with that there will be a brand new notifications bar, two home screen modes, and a reorganised settings menu for easily working the complex settings.

In addition, there is a gesture mode which allows navigation through the OS with touch and swipe gestures and speech there is also a TalkBack, which is a screen reader for Android and works on gestures.

Android Browser will also offer improved performance, along with enhanced CPU and memory efficiency post the update. With better HTML5 support, the Jelly Bean will also bring a better camera app which allows reviewing images without leaving camera app.

The biggest cheer for Indian users come from better Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam, with new keypad for more than 20 languages.

The Android 4.1 update will also bring changes in Notifications with clubbing of notifications from same app along with options like pinch and expand or collapse actions.

After Nexus 7, Nexus 4 heading to Indian stores

Popular online retailer, eBay has now started taking the pre-orders of the LG made Google Nexus 4.

After the Asus made Nexus 7 available in India, it is the turn of LG made Nexus 4 which is all set to hit the Indian shores.

Popular online retailer, eBay has now started taking the pre-orders of the LG made Google Nexus 4. Both the 8 GB and 16 GB versions of the LG Nexus 4 are up for pre-order from eBay for Rs 23,490 and Rs 27,490 respectively. Note that, the Asus Nexus 7 is set to be launched in India today for a price tag of Rs 19,990.

However, the Nexus 4 models offered by eBay are imported from the USA and thus very likely would not have a warranty. Also, if ordered, then the device would be delivered by December 10.

The new LG Google Nexus 4 flaunts a 4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus panel display and houses a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro mobile processor. Google has added new Android 4.2 update as the new flavour of Jelly Bean update on the Nexus 4 smartphone.

Nexus 4 has a True HD IPS Plus panel display that supports 1280 x 768 pixel resolution and thereby offering pixel density of 317.6 pixels per inch. Compared to that, the iPhone 5 has a 4-inch Retina display with 1136 x 640 pixel resolution and pixel density of 326 pixels per inch. The Nexus 4 display has been constructed using the Corning Gorilla Glass 2 technology for strength and resistance from scratches. The display panel has been constructed using Zerogap Touch technology and is slightly curved.

The Nexus 4 houses a quad-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro mobile processor which has been made using 28nm silicon fabrication technology. This S4 Pro processor is paired with the Adreno 320 graphics chip that is capable of playback and recording 1080p HD video. LG has added 2 GB RAM to make the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean run smoothly like butter.

The Nexus 4 also embraces the 8 megapixel camera that is capable of recording panorama images and also shoot full 1080p HD video. The camera also has continuous focus, real-time zoom and time lapse mode for shooting great videos. In the front lies a 1.3 megapixel camera capable of 720p HD video calls. The phone also features 3G network support and Bluetooth 4.0 sensor for faster file sharing.

The Near Field Communication feature dubbed as Android Beam has been updated to share images, videos, contacts, apps and other content with a gentle tap over another NFC device. This phone also brings better location based services with Google Maps software through Assisted GPS, QuickGPS and Simultaneous GPS features.

Google has added a 2200 mAh Li-ion battery to make the phone last longer than usual. LG and Google will offer the Nexus 4 in two storage options at this moment - 8 GB for $299 (Rs. 15,900 approximately) and 16 GB for $349 (Rs. 18,550 approximately). We won't be surprised if LG-Google announce a new 32 GB Nexus 4 model after couple of months, may be in first half of next year.

MapmyIndia launches new 3D maps

MapmyIndia 7.1 version is currently available on all its devices including Carpad Android tablet, however it has not been released for other Android and iOS devices.

India based navigational solution provider, MapmyIndia has announced the release of a newer version of its maps application that comes with full 3D models of cities of India.

The MapmyIndia 7.1 version comes with 7.1 million places of interest, 1.9 million road kilometers, 600,000 towns and villages, 4,751 cities with street-level details, 39 cities with house-level details and 36 cities with full 3D city models.

The new update includes localized navigation and driver assistance features such as extended lane guidance, junction views, sign-posts, live traffic, city guides and rich points of interest, regional voice guidance (in nine Indian languages as well) and regional maps in four Indian languages apart from English.

Extended lane guidance tells the user which lane to get into prior to a turn or exit. Another feature in the new MapmyIndia application is the 'Junction Views' that provides how the upcoming intersection looks in real-life, while 'Sign-posts' show which major landmarks, localities and cities lie in the direction of upcoming turns.

The new maps also show day-time based turn restrictions (based on time and day, whether the particular road is two-way or one-way in a particular directions), and also its 'Live Traffic' feature tells which roads in the city is congested at that time.

Customers can buy MapmyIndia's GPS navigation systems and update the maps to version 7.1 in their existing navigation systems by visiting MapmyIndia's online store: www.mapmyindia.com/store. While the updated version is available for all MapmyIndia personal navigation devices including the Android based Carpad, it is not available right now in the Google Play store, or iOS iTunes store. However, the company says that will update these applications as well 

Tumblr app revamped for iOS

Publishing platform Tumblr has revamped its official app for the iOS and gave it more native appearing tweaks and gestures.

Blog publishing app, Tumblr has been completely revamped with a new user interface and has become totally native with the new iOS app update. The new Tumblr 3.2 app arrives with a fresh and native dashboard as well. Now the users can post images quickly and update posts as well. The new update is live at the Apple app store and has been optimised for devices running iOS 5.0 or higher.

The Tumblr is a quick publishing blog platform where users can post text, images, videos and other multimedia without much hassle. Now Tumblr has redesigned the dashboard with bigger images and faster post loading. Users will now get to see in the notifications whether their post was liked, replied or reblogged.

Tumblr app will now play the .gif images automatically and users can view each frame by sliding the finger on the image from left to right. The menu items now also support gesture and it is easy to flip through them.

Get the new Tumblr app for the iOS 5.0 or higher running iPhone, iPod touch or iPad from the Apple app store. This app has been optimised for the new iPhone 5 too.