Alcatel with brand new Featured phone - IDOL X+

Octa-core processor and 1080p display the highlight features on Alcatel's latest handset

Alcatel brought with them to CES a phone they hope will change people’s perceptions about their line of smartphone products. The Alcatel OneTouch 

Idol X+ is the name of that phone, and they’ve really outdone themselves

compared to previous attempts at high-end telephony. 

The specs sheet reads as follows:

• 5-inch 1080p HD display
• 2GHz octa-core MediaTek processor
• 2GB of RAM
• 16GB of storage
• 13.1 megapixel rear camera
• 2 megapixel front camera
• 2,500mAh battery
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

Unfortunately this phone doesn’t seem headed far out of the Asian market, though we wouldn’t be mad to see it launch in Europe or even the Americas. It’s designed pretty well, with Alcatel hitting a nice point on aesthetics.

That the phone will launch with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean is a bit disappointing, though considering this will be treated as a flagship model it probably won’t take long to get higher than that. On top of Jelly Bean is a slightly customized user interface.

Alcatel didn’t try to do too much here, and the device is probably better off for it. Moving around the user interface proved quite snappy, a concern we had considering MediaTek’s processors don’t usually perform quite as well as the likes of NVIDIA’s, Samsung’s or Qualcomm’s.

The Idol X+ isn't the most spec'd out Android smartphone you'll find, but it's plenty solid enough. Out front we're looking at a 5-inch, 1080p display, and a wholly plastic construction with an exterior trim that bares a pretty accurate resemblance to brushed metal. Down bottom it looks like there's a pair of speakers, but it is in fact only one, with a 13MP camera round the back, and a 2MP 1080p shooter on the front.

At 7.9mm, the Idol X+ is pretty slim, and for a large phone it's plenty light enough to hold. Underneath, the Idol X+ is carrying a new Mediatek MTK6592 octa-core processor, clocked to 2GHz, with 2GB of RAM backing it up, and 16GB of internal storage.

The speaker holes on the bottom of the phone as we've mentioned cover just one speaker, there's no stereo sound. But, with a combination of hardware and a specific audio codec, Alcatel claims 'HiFi sound' from the Idol X+. We gave it a little trial run, and at half volume the sound was pretty loud in both music and gaming, and delivered a generally good quality sound. 

On the software side we're looking at Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, with some light customizations on the user interface front. It isn't particularly over the top, but it's pretty bright. One of the nicest software touches is Alcatel's new camera app, with a bunch of options that includes live filters, overlaying the viewfinder as you shoot your images.

More of our CES coverage :

Vizio 4K TV Lauched at CES 2014 .... Read More

Best of CES 2014 .... Read More

Micromax launches new dual boot tablet PC called “ Canvas Laptab” .... Read More 

Sony Introduces Two Smartphones! .... Read More

Zenfone Smartphone series released at the CES .... Read More

Published on: 6:50 AM 0

Best of CES 2014

SAMSUNG

Samsung had a number of gadgets for us at its press conference, but the ones that truly grabbed the attention were the new PRO tablets. 

Available in screen sizes from 8.4 to 12.2 inches, the new slates are versatile and powerful enough to be used for serious work and entertainment purposes alike. Learn more about them below!

“We created the Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO series to kick-off a year in which Samsung truly establishes its leadership in the tablet market,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics. “This new line offers the best-in-class content consumption and productivity, combining a stunning viewing experience with Samsung’s design legacy. The Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO truly demonstrate our commitment to providing our customers with extraordinarily versatile product offerings, tailored to tablet users of every description.”

That's quite a statement, yet even we can't offer much in the way of disagreement – these new slates pack some pretty awesome specs and are truly diverse in their appeal, as they offer just about every form factor. As you've probably guessed, these come in three sizes: 8.4-inches, 10.1-inches and the downright giant 12.2-inches, and yet here's the best part: practically everything about the internals is identical, with the exception of the amount of memory on board, the battery's capacity, weight and dimensions. That's great, seeing as all 4G LTE variations of the trio are packing Qualcomm's 2.3GHz bin of its mighty quad-core Snapdragon 800, while the Wi-Fi+3G models pack Samsung's promising Exynos 5420 chipset. That latter one runs ARM's big.LITTLE configuration.

Meaning that four powerful 1.9GHz Cortex-A15 cores are working alongside a cluster of four, more frugal 1.3GHz Cortex-A7 ones that take care of the mundane, background tasks, all the while conserving power. Best of all, Samsung has long promised that a future software update will make it possible for the octa-core chipset to utilize all of its cores at once, should those ever be required. Moreover, a healthy 2GB of RAM is being made available for the smaller, TabPRO 8.4 and TabPRO 10.1 slates, while the TabPRO 12.2 packs the still rare 3GB of RAM.

Asus

Asus had a lot to grab our attention with at its media event. Three new smartphones were made official along with a new Padfone mini model and the Padfone X for AT&T. An awesome Windows/Android convertible was also announced and you can learn more about it in the description

1) ASUS Transformer Book (4 in ONE) - detachable combo with Windows 8.1 and Android

ASUS just blew the serious computing doors open at CES with the announcement of the Transformer Book Duet TD300. Dubbed as the "world’s first quad-mode, dual-OS laptop and tablet convertible," it lets you alternate between Windows 8.1 and Android 4.2 with a push of the dedicated Instant Switch button.

The detachable tablet part sports a 13.3-inch Full HD display, and up to an Intel Core i7 processor, as well as 4GB DDR3L 1600 RAM, and up to 128 GB SSD. The dock can add up to 1TB of storage more via a HDD, and it features most of the ports - 1 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 10/100Mbit/s LAN, HDMI 1.4, audio combo jack, and a DC jack, while the tablet part sports a Micro SD card, headphone jack and a DC jack only. The 38WHr battery, estimated battery life around 5 hours in Windows 8.1 and 6 hours in Android 4.2.2. In addition, we get 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 + EDR connectivity.

The Transformer Book Duet is a pretty cool concept, which, however, comes a tad thick and heavy, with the tablet half measuring 342.7 x 216.3 x 12.9 mm, while the dock adds 340.9 x 217.6 x 16 mm, and the whole contraption together weighs around 1.9 kg, which is not the best achievement out there. Availability for the intriguing dual-OS convertible of ASUS will be announced at a later date, but the price is known, and it starts off at the very reasonable $599 level.

2) Padphone Mini 

Asus is giving a serious boost to its PadFone family of products this year, with not one but two new successors to the original concept. Dubbed the PadFone mini, the smartphone-that-becomes-a-tablet is hopping onto the mini craze bandwagon with a miniature, 4-inch smartphone and an equally compact 7-inch tablet dock.

Unlike the equally new Padfone X, we have quite some information on what the the PadFone mini has going for it in terms of hardware. The aforementioned 4-inch TFT panel sports a WVGA resolution of 480x800 pixels, or about 233ppi, while the tablet dock touts a slightly less-crisp 800x1280 pixel TFT display (~215ppi). In charge of all the brain-work are a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 chipset and 1GB of LPDDR2 RAM, both of which should provide a mostly smooth experience, considering the manageable pixel count.

On the photography front, things are looking even better, for an 8-megapixel Sony-made BSI unit with f/2.0 aperture and five-element lens is what we're dealing with. We're actually told to expect some pretty awesome low-light shots and an easy-to-use interface, thanks to Asus' proprietary PixelMaster software, though do keep in mind that this is likely more of a marketing talk than anything else. 

Published on: 2:26 AM 0

Sony Introduces Two Smartphones!

Sony finally introduced the long-rumored Xperia Z1S at its CES 2014 press conference. Basically, it is like an Xperia Z1 but made for T-Mobile. Accompanying them was a smaller handset - the Xperia Z1 Compact. Think of it’s as a shrunken down variant of the Sony Xperia Z1. 

The Xperia Series is everything you expect in a premium smartphone, beautifully crafted to fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. Capture stunningly beautiful photos and videos using the same technology as featured in our compact digital cameras. Easily move all your valuable content from your smartphone to your new Xperia Z1 Compact with Xperia Transfer. Best of all, the Xperia Z1 Compact and Xperia Z1s are waterproof* and comes in a range of colours.

Design :

Distinctively an Xperia device of some kind, more so when it boasts the usual design elements we’re accustomed to seeing with Sony’s lineup of Xperia smartphones, the Z1S is undoubtedly premium in almost every facet. It’s a solid effort no doubt, made more profound by its glass finish and sturdy metallic bezel. Everything meshes well together to give it that high-class feel to warrant it as a premier flagship smartphone.

Improving upon last year’s Sony Xperia Z, the Z1S has an IP58 rating, which means that it can completely submerged in freshwater up to 4.9 feet for 30 minutes – giving it a waterproof nature, as opposed being water resistant. And rightfully so, it’s able to show us right away that it’s not afraid to take a dip in water, as long as all of its side ports are appropriately covered. Interestingly, the 3.5mm headset jack is left exposed, but the folks from Sony assured to us that it’s treated to withstand water exposure – so there’s no concern about it being damaged.

Display :

The display of Z1s is almost perfect. At full 1080p resolution with Sony’s Bravia mobile engine, it’s as sharp and crystal clear as I’ve ever seen on a smartphone. It’s super bright too, even at 75 or 50% brightness. Its viewing angles are terrible, though, which is a common problem that plagues Sony’s devices. There's also a noticeably large bezel here that adds a sense of style to the Z1s, though some will undoubtedly (and rightfully) find it obtrusive.

The Xperia Z1 Compact is just as nice as the Z1S and has all its features – it’s just smaller. It’s the size that a former iPhone owner would love – a little wider than the iPhone and more comfy, but not a total screen monster. It is slightly thicker than the Z1S, but not by much.The Z1 compact sports a 4.3 inch diplay which has an average pixel density of about 340 and its sadly droped to the last generation 720p panels

Hardware and Performance :

The Xperia Z1s is fast. Super fast, even, thanks to a 2.2 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor and 2 GB of RAM.  It’s also long-lasting thanks to a whopping 3,000 mAh battery. This thing should have no problem getting you through your day.

The Z1 Compact breaks a song and dance with a powerful 2.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, which, at that screen resolution, should run circles around all the benchmarks and 3D games you throw at it, and enables LTE connectivity, too, should your carrier support the tech. Aided by 2 GB of RAM, multitasking with the phone should be top-notch, and in addition to the 16 GB of internal storage (12 GB user-available) we get a microSD slot. The battery gets downsized to 2300 mAh from the 3000 mAh unit of the Z1, which, thanks to the power-hungry TN display, doesn't sport a good battery life anyway, which will hopefully not be an issue with the Z1 Compact, for which Sony quotes up to 12 hours of video playback on a charge.

Software :

The Xperia Z1s is still running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, but updating it to 4.4. KitKat is already on Sony’s to-do list. It’s also running Sony’s custom UI that takes some getting used to but is most certainly worth the learning curve. It’s got some super cool features for both productivity and play – things like the hovering quick apps.

The Z1 compact surely runs on android 4.2 Jelly Bean, and we are expecting further android updates as it has enough RAM to run the latest android-KitKat. Overall the performance provided is snappy and does not has any kind of lag in the system.

Camera :

Surely the Z1s is a photo-centric thing, it’s packing number crunching 20.7-megapixel auto-focus camera. Thanks to the large sensor size, the pixels are of decent size, despite their greater number. The Exmor RS sensor is accompanied by f2.0 lens, Sony’s BIONZ for mobile engine and an LED flash. It’s not something we’d classify as class leading, but the 1080p video recording quality of the Xperia Z1S is still pleasant enough for us to accept. Sure, it might not produce the sharpest details, but its gradual exposure, clear audio recording, smooth recording, and instantaneous focus is something we gladly take with open arms.

The Xperia Z1 Compact also sports the same type of Camera As we have seen in the Z1s, the 20.7 megapixel camera takes excellent shorts not like the Nexus 5. It has the ability to record videos at full HD 1080p resolution.

Pricing and Final Thoughts :

Yes, these are the few flagship phones we can take into the shower with us. In addition, it’s a premium feeling and made smartphone that puts those other plastic ones to shame. However, knowing that we’re getting into that fun part of the year when NEWER flagship announcements are right around the corner, it begs the question whether or not the Sony Xperia Z1S and Z1Compact will be future proof. Since the phones are not yet released in India the overall price expected for this device is more than 25,000 INR. The phone is available for preorders for about 600$. 

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Published on: 6:14 AM 0

Zenfone Smartphone series released at the CES

ASUS announced ZenFone at 6th January, a brand-new high-value smartphone series that offers a choice of screen sizes from 4 to 6 inches and is available in an array of striking colors — meaning there’s a ZenFone for everyone.

ZenFone also introduces ZenUI, a sublime new user interface that’s exclusive to ASUS smart devices. With simplified icons and menus, a selection of themes beautifully designed to match the device colors and a clever What’s Next feature that helps users keep track of their lives, ZenUI is the irresistible front end of these irresistible new devices — and proof that fantastic functionality can have a friendly face.

Design : 

The ZenFone 6, as its name suggests, has a 6-inch HD, IPS display with a 1,280x720-pixel resolution. As the biggest handset of the trio, I found this 'phablet' to be too wide and unwieldy; operating it with just my thumb was out of the question. However, it's understandable that someone with bigger hands than mine will find the 6 more comfortable.

Meanwhile, the ZenFone 5 has the same resolution on a 5-inch display. Due to its much more manageable size, this is the ZenFone I would get. Weighing in at a bit over 5 ounces, however, the device is notably heavier than most phones its size. Though, I didn't find its weight to be too much of detriment during my brief time with it.

Lastly, there's the 4-inch variant. With its 800x480-pixel resolution, the smartphone has the "grainiest" display of the three. I couldn't like it after handling the other two sharper handsets, but if you're on a budget, the ZenFone 4 would be the way to go.

Software :

All three ZenFone products use "ZenUI," a new interface overlay along the lines of TouchWiz or Sense, on top of Android 4.3. This includes the usual customized apps for the dialer, email, web browser, and gallery, but there are a few notable additions. The Omlet Chat app is your basic free chat app that competes with Hangouts and WhatsApp, and the Smart Reader Mode will adjust the tone of the screen to (hopefully) reduce eye strain.

Core components and features :

All three handsets launch with Asus' Zen user interface and Android 4.3, but the company reports that users can upgrade to 4.4 KitKat later on. They also are HSPA+ enabled and have 1GB of RAM. MicroSD card slots that are expandable up to 64GB, and dual micro-SIM ports are included as well.

Other than that, however, the devices do differ in terms of specs, in certain ways. The ZenFone 6, for instance, is the most high-end. Powering its innards is a 2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 processor and a 3,230mAh battery. It comes with the 720p resolution and it’s a plastic build body and is one of the lightest 6 inch phone which is weighting about 200 grams

For photo capturing and video recording, users can operate its 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, as well as its 2-megapixel front-facing shooter. The handset also comes with Asus' SonicMaster audio technology, which reportedly enhances sound quality. It will be available in black, white, red, and gold.

Though it has the same CPU and glove-touch capabilities, the ZenFone 5 has a less powerful 2,050mAh battery.

The ZenFone 5's camera equipment has also been scaled back. Namely, the rear-facing camera has been decreased to 8 megapixels, while the front-facing camera has a 2-megapixel lens. The ZenFone 5 will have also have an additional blue model.

Lastly, the PadFone 4 is powered by a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 processor and a 1,170mAh battery. On the back you'll find a 5-megapixel camera and the front features a 0.3-megapixel camera. It will be available in black, white, red, blue, and yellow. Quick look at the specifications

SPECIFICATIONS

ZenFone 4

·  4” WVGA 800 x 480-pixel TFT display ·  1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 CPU with Quad-Thread     Hyper-Threading Technology ·  Android 4.3 (will update to Android 4.4 KitKat) ·  GSM/GPRS/EDGE; WCDMA/HSPA+ ·  DC-HSPA+ (DL/UL): 42/5.76 Mbps ·  Integrated 802.11b/g/n; Wi-Fi Direct ·  5-megapixel rear camera ·  0.3-megapixel front camera ·  1GB RAM ·  1170mAh battery ·  Up to 64GB micro SD card ·  124.4 x 61.4 x 11.2-6.3mm ·  115g ZenFone 5 ·  5” HD 1280 x 720-pixel IPS display ·  2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 CPU with Quad-Thread     Hyper-Threading Technology ·  Android 4.3 (will update to Android 4.4 KitKat) ·  GSM/GPRS/EDGE; WCDMA/HSPA+ ·  DC-HSPA+ (DL/UL): 42/5.76 Mbps ·  Integrated 802.11b/g/n; Wi-Fi Direct ·  8-megapixel rear camera ·  2-megapixel front camera ·  1GB RAM ·  2050mAh battery ·  Up to 64GB micro SD card ·  148.2 x 72.8 x 10.3-5.5mm ·  144g

ZenFone 6

·  6inh HD 1280 x 720-pixel IPS display ·  2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 CPU with Quad-Thread     Hyper-Threading  Technology ·  Android 4.3 (will update to Android 4.4 KitKat) ·  GSM/GPRS/EDGE; WCDMA/HSPA+ ·  DC-HSPA+ (DL/UL): 42/5.76 Mbps ·  Integrated 802.11b/g/n; Wi-Fi Direct ·  13-megapixel rear camera ·  2-megapixel front camera ·  1GB RAM ·  3230mAh battery ·  Up to 64GB micro SD card ·  166.9 x 84.3 x 9.9-5.5mm ·  200g

Pricing and final thoughts :

As of now, Asus has not mentioned any information about US pricing or availability. The ZenFone 4, 5, and 6 will launch in Asia in the next few months, with unsubsidized prices equivalent to about $99, $149, and $199, respectively.

That range is pretty inexpensive, considering that big handsets in the US, like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, MOTO G and the LG Optimus G Pro run about $99.99 to $299.99 with a carrier contract. If the ZenFone does ever make it to the US and keeps these price points, it will definitely be an edge for Asus. This devices are supposed to be released in the mid of year probably April.

Published on: 2:41 PM 0

4K: EXPLAINED!

4K resolution is a generic term for display devices or content having horizontal resolution on the order of 4,000 pixels. Several 4K resolutions exist in the fields of digital television and digital cinematography. In the movie projection industry, Digital Cinema Initiatives is the dominant 4K standard. And this is it 4K, there is not to technically explain it but this is what is necessary to understand. 4K Is a resolution and it is measured in PPI (Pixels Per Inch ) just like every other resolution. 4K displays are somewhat around 4000*2000 but we already have 1920*1080 resolution then why is it called 4K? it must be somewhere around 4

But the closest thing around this is UHD and 

that is 3840*2160. The higher the pixel 

density, the better the display looks, sharper and cleaner it looks.

What is Ultra HDTV?

Ultra HD also known as “Ultra High Definition”

On October 17, 2012, The Consumer Electronics 

Association (CEA) announced that the official term “Ultra HD” would be used for any display

with a 16 x 9 ratio with at least 1 digital input cable carrying a minimum resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 square pixels.

Ultra HDTV Resolution

Currently there are 2 forms of Ultra HD, 4K 

and 8K, both have an aspect ratio of 16:9:

4K Ultra HD (2160p) has a resolution of 3840  

*2160 (8.3 megapixels), which is roughly 

equivalent to 4K cinema or 4 times the number 

of pixels in Full HD format (1080p).

8K Ultra HD (4320p) produces an astonishing 

7,680 × 4,320 pixel resolution (33.2 megapixels), which is roughly the equivalent of an IMAX film or 16 times the pixel resolution of Full HD (1080p). Some believe that Ultra HD technology raises Ultra HDTV health concerns.

Well everything depends upon the distance from which we are viewing the panel, if we are using a Smartphone we require a lot of pixels so it becomes comfortable while browsing through the web. Nowadays 1080p resolutions are common. Smartphone pretend to have a average Pixel density of 300PPIand for a Laptop the average PPI is 160. But while viewing a huge TV screen at your home we sit around 5-10 foot to watch which require less pixel density but as we already told as the distance increases the pixel density decreases. Its like a physics equation where one thing is inversely proportional to the other . the average pixel density we see through our TV is about 40 PPI. Though the TV has less pixel density we will not able to view the pixels unless we go near to the TV to view as we all might have done while we were children.

But in a 4k TV you are not going to see any of the pixels while there is a much higer pixel density than the normal 1080p resolution. 4k TV has is expected to have a average of pixel density of about 125ppi. Watching through a 4K TV will be a incredible experience but for that you must have one. In 2013 the price of 4K TV was much costly than what a common man can think of buying but now this year the international CES we witness some of the affordable TV, smartTV’s.

Anyways this is a revoulutionary step towards the future and if they continue to progress we might see 4K, 8K smartphone and TV’s very soon.

We are leaving you a link below in case you need to watch how a 4K video feels like have a look its incredible.

Anyways stay tuned for more updates because it’s the international CES week we will be posting the latest tech news everyday!

PEACE! 

4K Video on Vimeo:http://vimeo.com/33110953

Published on: 11:33 AM 0