Asus Zenbook 3, Transformer 3 Pro, Transformer Mini launched at Computex 2016: Price, Specs and Features

Asus Transformer 3 Pro

Asus at its Zenvolution event at Humble House Taipei on Monday unveiled new products in its laptop and tablet portfolio - namely, the ZenBook 3, Transformer 3 Pro, and Transformer 3. All three are Windows 10 devices. The event also saw the launch of the ZenFone 3 smartphone series. 

Asus claims that its ZenBook 3 is lighter and ‘two times faster’ than Apple’s MacBook. Prices for the new ZenBook 3 start from $999 or Rs 67,200 approximately. 

The ZenBook 3 is 11.9mm thick and weighs 907 grams, which is thinner and lighter than Apple’s MacBook (13.2mm and 920 grams). Asus says the secret behind the ZenBook’s design and build quality is the use of ‘aerospace-grade aluminum alloy’.  It features the world's thinnest fan at 3mm, and has an 82 percent screen to body ratio. It features a Corning Gorilla Glass 4 panel, and is claimed to have a 9-hour battery life that's coupled with quick charging - 60 percent charge can be achieved in 49 minutes. It will be available in Royal Blue, Quartz Grey, Rose Gold colours, and features a gold-backlit keyboard with twice the key travel of the MacBook.

The ZenBook 3 (UX390) with an 12.5-inch display, Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB PCIe x4 SSD is priced at $1,999. The Core i5 variant, with 4GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD is priced at $999. It weighs in at 910 grams, measures 11.9mm in thickness, and sports a fingerprint reader and Windows Hello biometric authentication support.

Coming to the Asus Transformer 3 Pro (T303) - the company says the laptop-tablet hybrid is thinner than Surface Pro 4, at 8.35mm. It features Harman Kardon audio with dual-front speakers that are supposedly four times as loud as the Surface Pro4.

Asus Transformer 3 Pro's top model specifications include 12.6-inch (2880x1920 pixels) display, up to Intel Core i7 processors, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB SSD, 13-megapixel rear camera, Thunderbolt 3, full size USB 3.0 port, USB 3.0 ports, and full size HDMI port. The hybrid will launch alongside a mobile hub accessory (Asus Universal Dock) for all other ports. A stylus with 1,024 pressure levels, a Bluetooth speaker accessory for quad speaker surround, and an external Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card are also available. The Transformer 3 Pro starts at $999 including keyboard and stylus pen.

Asus at its Zenvolution event also unveiled the Transformer Mini (T102), calling it the "world's lightest 2-in-1 PC." It bears a magnesium-aluminium alloy design, and weighs 790 grams with the keyboard attached and just 530 grams otherwise. The Transformer Mini is 8.2mm thick, and bears a 10.1-inch display. The company is promising up to 11 hours of battery life.

The Transformer Mini also bears an integrated kickstand with a patented stepless "Smart Hinge" design that opens up to 170 degrees. It also sports a fingerprint sensor and Windows Hello biometric authentication support.

Asus Zenfone 3, Zenfone 3 Deluxe and Zenfone 3 Ultra launched; Price, Specs and Features

At the ongoing Computex 2016 trade show in Taipei, Asus has launched the next-generation Zenfone 3-series smartphones. Called Zenfone 3, Zenfone 3 Deluxe and Zenfone 3 Ultra, these smartphones bring major upgrades in terms of design and features. One of the talking points of these smartphones is the unibody design with metal frame, fingerprint scanner and the new USB Type-C connectivity port. Asus Zenfone 3 Price start at $ 249 (Approximately Rs. 17,000), Zenfone 3 Deluxe Price start at $ 499 (Approximately Rs. 33,000) and Zenfone 3 Ultra $479 (Approximately Rs. 32,000).

Asus Zenfone 3 specifications and features: 

The Zenfone 3 I(ZE552KL) smartphone features a metal frame with diamond-cut edges and 2.5D glass, both front and back. The smartphone features a 5.5-inch TFT LED full HD (1080p) display and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 652 MSM8953 octa-core SoC running at 2GHz and paired with 4GB of RAM. The smarpthone also features 64GB of onboard storage.

In the photography department, it features a 16-megpaixel rear camera of aperture f/2.0, laser autofocus and OIS, and an 8-megpaixel front-facing camera of aperture f/2.0 and wide angle lens of 88-degrees. The smartphone is armed with a 3,000mAh battery and USB Type-C connector for charging and data transfer. Connectivity, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.2, 4G LTE Cat 6.

Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe specifications and features: 

One of the key highlights of the phablet is Pure Metal technology all metal unibody design with invisible antenna lines. With 79 percent screen to body ratio, it comes with 1.3mm ultra slim bezels on the sides. It also comes with a fingerprint scanner at the back, just below the camera module.

The phablet flaunts a 5.7-inch AMOLED full HD (1080p) display. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor paired with Adreno 530GPU, 6GB of RAM. It also features 128GB UFS onboard storage and expansion via MicroSD card up to 256GB . The smartphone features Quick Charge 3.0 feature to charge up to 60 percent battery in 39 minutes, Asus claims. For connectivity, there is USB Type-C 3.0 port for charging and data transfer, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 4.2, 4G LTE Cat 6.

For shutterbugs, the phablet sports a 23-megpaixel Sony IMX 318 Sensor at the back covered with Sapphire crystal glass. It also includes PDAF with a speed of 0.3 seconds, laser auto-focus, continuous auto-focus. The camera also supports 4K video recording. That’s not all; the camera also includes 4-axis OIS with six-axis sensing and EIS (electronic image stabilization). There is also super resolution mode that can capture 92-megapixel photos with incredible details, Asus claims. It will be offered sapphire black, blue, white, lux gold color variants.

Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra specifications and features: 

The phablet features a sleek and slim design with invisible antenna bands. It flaunts a 6.88-inch full HD (1080p) IPS display with 79 percent screen-to-body ratio. Under the hood runs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 652 octa-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM. The phablet also features 64GB of onboard storage, ehich acn expanded via MicroSD card up to 128GB.

In the photography department, the Zenfone 3 Ultra sports the same 23-megpaixel rear camera as on the Zenfone 3 Deluxe with PDAF and 4K video recording capabilities. Armed with a 4,600mAh battery and USB Type-C connector with DisplayPort support, Asus says the phablet comes with 4K TV-grade video processor.

Asus has also worked on the audio chops for the Zenfone 3 Ultra with the addition of SonicMaster 3.0 audio enhancement. The phablet features dual 5 magnet speakers, DTS Headphone X with virtual 7.1 channel surround sound audio and High-Res Audio support to offer 4X better clarity compared to CD quality audio. Asus also says that the speaker is 2.4 times louder and offers 42 percent less distortion compared to the ordinary speakers.

Samsung Galaxy J3(2017) certified in China by regulatory agency TENAA

Samsung launched the Galaxy J3 (2016) in India last month, priced at Rs 8,990. Samsung launched the Galaxy J5 (2016) and the Galaxy J7(2016) in India this month. While it’s just been a month since the launch of the Galaxy J3 (2016), Samsung has already ready with the next Galaxy J3 (2017). The smartphone is listed on the Chinese TENAA certifications website, which reveals the successor would come with some improved hardware features.

The image leaked with listing show the Galaxy J3 (2017) sports a metal body unlike the polycarbonate casing seen in the current generation Galaxy J3 (2016). However, there seem to be two variants of the Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) under the code names SM-J3110 and SM-J3119. Both variants feature a 5-inch AMOLED display. The difference is that the SM-J3110 comes with a HD display while the SM-J3119 comes with a higher resolution full HD display.

Samsung Galaxy J3 (2017) Specifications and Features: 

The Galaxy J3 (2017) is powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz CPU paired with 2GB of RAM. It sports an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera, which is a significant upgrade replacing the 5-megapixel and 2-megapixel camera arrangement on the Galaxy J3 (2016). It also features a 2,600mAh battery.

However, like the Galaxy J3 (2016), the 2017 variant also seems to be running on Android 5.1 Lollipop, which feels strange, considering by then we would certainly have the Android N variant, if not Android O.

Samsung Galaxy C5 with 4GB of RAM launched in China; Price, Specs and Features

Finally after so many leaksand rumors, Samsung has unveiled its latest smartphone under C series - the Galaxy C5, in China today and it's Model No. SM-C5000. The smartphone has been launched in China in 32GB and 64GB variants, priced at CNY 2,199 (approximately Rs 22,509) and CNY 2,399 (approximately Rs 24,556) respectively. It will be available in Gold, Pink gold, Gray and Silver colors.

Samsung Galaxy C5 Specification and Features:

Finished out of Metal, Galaxy C5 sports a 5.2-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixel) Super AMOLED display, and supports two SIM cards in a hybrid dual-SIM configuration. The smartphone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 SoC, with four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5GHz, and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.2GHz, coupled with 4GB of RAM.

The new Samsung smartphone bears a 16-megapixel rear autofocus camera with flash module and f/1.9 aperture, apart from a 8-megapixel front facing camera sporting the same aperture and a flash module. It comes in 32GB and 64GB inbuilt storage options that are expandable via microSD card (up to 128GB). The Galaxy C5 supports 4G LTE networks on only one SIM, and the China variant is also listed to support 4G LTE variants in India.

Other connectivity options on the Galaxy C5 include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, NFC, and Micro-USB.  It is powered by a 2600mAh battery that rated to deliver up to 237 hours of standby time on 4G.  It's run on Android Marshmallow 6.0.1. The Galaxy C5 bears a fingerprint sensor on the home button as well so it support Samsung Pay.

  

Motorola Moto Z Play and moto Z Style launch in 9th June event

Last week, we came across a rumor that Lenovo-owned Motorola may retire the Moto X line and replace it with the new Moto Z-series. Some days ago Motorola launched New Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus in India. Now, Motorola has filed for ‘Moto Z’ trademark in the US, which more or less, confirms the rumors about the change in branding for its upcoming smartphones. The note on trademark filing reveals that it will be used for mobile phones, smartphones and accessories, which could be adapters and battery chargers.

From what we’ve come across so far, the company has been working on two Moto Z models – the Moto Z Style and Moto Z Play, which is set to follow the same naming scheme as the existing Moto X series. In a leaked invite posted by HelloMotoHK and spotted by The Verge, the company is all set to announce these smartphones at Lenovo’s upcoming Tech World conference on June 9.

We have already come across leaked photos of the Moto Z smartphone, which shows off the metal unibody design, a circular camera module, laser auto-focus and LED flash setup at the back. The Moto Z Style is expected to be the higher-end version sporting a 5.5-inch QHD display and powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 SoC, whereas the Moto Z Play is likely to be a less powerful variant sporting a 5.5-inch full HD display and powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 620 chipset.

The leaked photos also pointed to a mysterious connector at the back, which hints that the smartphone may include some modular functionality. These rumored modular parts are likely to be called Moto Mods. The publication has also listed some of these mods that include – Pro camera Mod, Adventure Mod, Theater Mod, Power Mod, Style Mod and Stereo Mod.

Along with the Moto Z line up of smartphones, the company may also reintroduce the Moto Razr, which the company has already teased in a video last week. While there is currently no word on the pricing and availability, more details are expected to pour in as the launch draws closer.

HTC Desire 628 dual SIM, HTC One X9 launched in India; Price, Specs and Features

Today HTC launched Several Smartphones in India. HTC Desire 628 dual SIM starting at Rs 13,990, and HTC One X9 dual-SIM smartphone at Rs 25,990. HTC Desire 825 will cost Rs 18,990 and goes on sale in June. HTC 10 will go on sale from June 6, while HTC One X9 will go on sale from June 20.  

HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM Specs and Features:

The HTC Desire 628 Dual SIM comes in two colors- white with blue frame and black with red frame over the body.

The HTC Desire 628 has a 5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) display with a pixel density of 294ppi, 1.3 GHz octa-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM. Also on offer is a 32GB internal storage which can be further expandable to a whopping 2TB via a microSD card.

On the photography front, the smartphone has a 13-megapixel rear camera with an f/2.0 aperture and LED flash, and a 5-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.4 aperture and supports shooting full HD videos. On the connectivity front the smartphone comes with dual SIM, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The Desire 628 Dual SIM comes with 2,200mAh battery with fast charging support.

HTC One X9 Specs and Features:

HTC One X9 features a 5.5-inch full HD display, Mediatek X10 octa-core 64-bit processor with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. It has a 13-mp with 1.12 μm pixels with OIS support, and a 5-mp with 1.12 μm pixels. The battery is 3000 mAh.

HTC 10 launched in India, Priced at Rs. 52,990; Specs and Features

HTC has today launched the HTC 10 flagship smartphone in India. It will be available in India for Rs 52,990. HTC10 will be available from June 5 onwards. HTC 10 available in two colors choices – Carbon Grey or Topaz Gold.

HTC has not only dropped the ‘One’ moniker from the smartphone’s name, but the overall design too is quite evolved. The company says that the design is inspired by sunlight, with the chamfered edges and dual-textured finish inspired by the effect of light across a metal surface. The front is covered with glass that flows into the metal body at the edges. HTC also says that the smartphone has been put under numerous drop and scratch tests, and it has survived them.

HTC 10 specifications and features: 

The smartphone sports a 5.2-inch QHD Super LCD display covered with a resolution of 1,440x2,560 pixels and Corning Gorilla Glass protection. HTC says is up to 30 per cent more colorful and 50 per cent more responsive than its predecessor.

The HTC 10 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 652 variant was listed on the Indian website. But as promised by HTC the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 variant has been launched in India.  The processor paired with 4GB of RAM. With 32GB internal storage options, a microSD card slot with support for up to 2TB is also present.

In the photography department, the HTC 10 sports a 12-Ultrapixel 2 camera of aperture f/1.8, optical image stabilization (OIS) and laser autofocus. It also supports 4K video recording capabilities. Up front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie camera with OIS, 1.34MICROm pixels, auto HDR. and ultra wield angle lens. The HTC 10 also supports 24-bit Hi-Res audio recording capabilities, which HTC claims can capture up to 256 times more detail compared to standard recordings.

Armed with a 3,000mAh battery and Quick Charge 3.0 support, the smartphone also includes BoomSound Hi-Fi edition speaker and Dolby Audio support for immersive audio listening experience.

Connectivity options on the smartphone include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC and USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. On the software, It's run on Android Marshmallow 6.0 wrapped under HTC sense UI. HTC has also promised that the smartphone will be upgraded to Android N later this year.

  

HTC 10 to launch in India on May 26; Specs and Features

Now HTC is set to launch its latest flagship smartphone, HTC 10, in India tomorrow. HTC had unveiled the smartphone in Taiwan last month.

HTC 10 specifications and features: 

The smartphone sports a 5.2-inch QHD Super LCD display covered with a resolution of 1,440x2,560 pixels and Corning Gorilla Glass protection. The HTC 10 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM. With 32GB and 64GB internal storage options, a microSD card slot with support for up to 2TB is also present.

In the photography department, the HTC 10 sports a 12-Ultrapixel rear camera of aperture f/1.8, optical image stabilization (OIS) and laser autofocus. It also supports 4K video recording capabilities. Up front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie camera with OIS. The HTC 10 also supports 24-bit Hi-Res audio recording capabilities, which HTC claims can capture up to 256 times more detail compared to standard recordings.

Armed with a 3,000mAh battery and Quick Charge 3.0 support, the smartphone also includes BoomSound Hi-Fi edition speaker and Dolby Audio support for immersive audio listening experience. Connectivity options on the smartphone include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC and USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer.

Asus Zenfone 3 leaks again ahead of May 30 launch

Asus is gearing up for the launch of its new Zenfone 3-series on May 30. Ahead of the launch, Asus has already revealed a lot of details about its Zenfone 3 portfolio. One of the important things that we know before hand is that the new Asus smartphones will not run on Intel processors but will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon and MediaTek processors instead. The recent teaser revealed that Asus will be launching three new Zenfone 3 models. Now, photos of the new smartphones have been leaked, giving us a rough idea about the design and features of the new Asus portfolio.

New leaked images of the Asus Zenfone 3 smartphones aren’t clear like the press renders that leaked last week, but they offer a glimpse at how the smartphones could look like. According to a site called ASUSClub, the Asus Zenfone 3 Max will come with a 5.9-inch full HD display and will have slightly tweaked design compared to other smartphones in the Zenfone 3 series. The report also says that the rear camera on the Zenfone 3 will be mounted at the top left of the back panel whereas other accompanying Zenfone 3 smartphones will have the camera set up on the top center on the back panel.

Other rumored features include a 23-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel front-facing unit. All the smartphones will come with ZenUI 3 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. Also, rumors suggest that the top models of the Zenfone 3 will come with fingerprint scanner, a first for the Zenfone series. Last round of rumors have confirmed that there will be a Deluxe model as well. The Deluxe is the highest end variant in the current Zenfone 2 series.

Right now, it’s not very clear how Asus plans to go about with its Zenfone 3 series. But looking at the recent rumors, Asus will continue with the strategy of multiple variants of a single device with subtle changes, though it is very confusing for everyone.

Asus Zenfone Max with 5,000mAh battery launched in India; Price, Specs and Features

AsusZenfone Max with a new processor and two storage options has been launched, starting at Rs 9,999. Asus Zenfone Max is backed by a large 5,000 mAh battery. Zenfone Max with 2GB RAM costs Rs 9,999 and can be pre-ordered on Flipkart. The 3GB RAM variant is available for Rs 12,999 on Amazon, Snapdeal and Flipkart.

Asus Zenfone Max is available in black, orange and blue colour variants. It has a textured leather pattern at the back and metal-like edges.

Peter Chang, Region Head – South Asia & Country Manager for ASUS India said, “The enhanced version of the Zenfone Max with a brand new processor, increased memory and more personalization options helps us stay true to our ethos and offer an extremely cost-effective high-end luxury product.”

Asus Zenfone Max specifications and features: 

The smartphone comes with 5.5-inch HD (720p) display. Under the hood comes a major change – it is now equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz paired with 2GB or 3GB of RAM, 32GB onboard storage and a microSD card slot with support of up to 64GB.

In the camera department, the new Zenfone Max has a 13-megapixel rear camera of aperture f/2.0 with Laser autofocus and dual LED flash and a 5-megpaixel selfie camera of aperture f/2.0 and 85-degress wide angle. Armed with a 5,000mAh battery, Asus says that  Zenfone Max provides 914.4 hours of standby time or 37.5 hours of 3G talk time or 32.5 hours of Wi-Fi web browsing. 

Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11, GPS, 4G LTE and dual-SIM connectivity. On the software front, you get the latest Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS wrapped under ZEN UI. One of the highlights of the smartphone’s battery is that you can also use it as a power bank to charge other devices.

Apple CEO Tim Cook surprise visit to Dubai Apple Store

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook on Saturday paid a surprise visit to the UAE’s first official Apple retail store that opened in October in Dubai. The store is located in the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. At the store Cook met customers and employees and briefly discussed the latest trends around Apple’s flagship products iPhone, iPad and iMacs, Xinhua reported.

Tim Cook tweet "A quick visit with customers and our fantastic team at the Apple Store, Mall of the Emirates. Thanks Dubai!" 

Cook made the stop while returning from his India trip, which concluded with a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Cook’s visit also included the launch of a technology development center in Hyderabad that will focus on maps, and an iOS app design and development accelerator, which will come up in Bengaluru next year. Cook also met with other dignitaries like Bharti Airtel’s Sunil Mittal.

Lg G5 pre-registration start May 21 in India, get a free LG Cam Plus; Price, Specs and Features

LG announced that pre-registrations for the G5 are kicking off today on Flipkart. While the company didn’t announce a price tag, the flagship smartphone is listed on the e-commerce site with a price tag of Rs 52,990. The G5 will be available in gold, silver and titan colors, and those pre-registering for the smartphone are also entitled to a free LG Cam Plus companion device as well. The pre-registrations window is open till May 31, and Flipkart says that the LG G5 will be shipped on June 1. 

As far as high-end flagship smartphones are concerned, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and theGalaxy S7 edge are the only two real competitors for the LG G5 at this moment. While the HTC 10 has launched this year, it has yet to arrive in India. Samsung hit the bull’s eye with the pricing of its flagship devices, with both available online for Rs 48,900 and Rs 56,900 respectively. It remains to be seen how LG manages to compete with them.

One of the strategies used by LG is to differentiate its flagship device with its modular concept. Called the LG Friends, users will be able to swap certain modules of the smartphones with companion devices like the LG 360 VR, LG 360 CAM and LG Rolling Bot.

LG Cam Plus is a camera module that adds physical buttons for camera operations along with expanding the total battery capacity to 4000mAh.

The Hi-Fi Plus module, co-developed by Bang & Olufsen, is a portable Hi-Fi DAC which can be used as a standalone portable DAC or with the G5 to enable 32-bit audio playback.

LG G5 specifications and features: 

It features a 5.3-inch QHD IPS display, Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB built-in storage, and a microSD card slot. It also features a fingerprint scanner, 2,800mAh battery, and connectivity options like 4G LTE support, USB Type-C port, NFC and Bluetooth 4.2. On the software front, it runs on Android Marshmallow.

On the photography front, the flagship smartphone is equipped with a dual-camera setup that includes a 16-megapixel 78-degree lens and an 8-megapixel 135-degree wide angle lens. Up front, there is an 8-megapixel selfie camera.

Intex Aqua Secure with USB Type-C, VoLET support launched at Rs. 6,499

Intex has launched its new 4G-enabled smartphone Aqua Secure in India. Priced at Rs. 6,499, the smartphone will be available via retail stores, and e-commerce websites across the country.

The Intex Aqua Secure sports matte finish back cover and will be available in Golden and Grey colours. The company says that the Aqua Secure is the first smartphone in the company's lineup to sport a fingerprint scanner, which is housed on the back panel.

The Aqua Secure supports 4G LTE bands in India - FDD-LTE Band 3 (1800MHz) and TDD-LTE Band 40 (2300MHz). Both handsets also support VoLTE with HD voice call compatibility.

Intex Aqua Secure specification and feature: 

It features a 4.5-inch FWVGA display, which is ancient by current standards since smartphones cheaper than this come with a HD resolution display. Under the hood is a 1GHz quad-core MediaTek processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Also on offer is 8GB internal storage, which can be further expanded to 32GB via a microSD card.

On the camera front, the smartphone sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with autofocus and dual-flash, and a 2-megapixel selfie camera. The smartphone also features a 1,900mAh battery that the company claims is good enough to give up to six hours of talktime and a standby time of up to eight days.

Connectivity options like dual-SIM card slots, USB Type-C port, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. On the software front, it runs Android Lollipop 5.1. The smartphone is also preloaded with Matrabhasha, a service that enables users to communicate in 21 different regional languages.

HTC to roll out Android N update for HTC 10, One M9 and One A9 Smartphones

Contradicting all rumours, Google refrained from announcing the commercial version of Android N, giving us only a new developer preview. The full and final version will see the light of the day with the Nexus smartphones later this year, but that didn't stop HTC to announce which smartphones from its portfolio will be getting the Android N upgrade - whenever it arrives.

On its official Twitteraccount, HTC has posted a photo of three smartphones – the HTC 10, One A9 and the One M9 with a caption that reads, "Life is about to get a little sweeter. Android N will be coming to the HTC 10, HTC One A9 and the HTC One M9." HTC 10, One M9, One A9 will get Android N update later this year

The Android N update comes with bunch of new features and improvements – including the ability to quickly reply from notification panel, group notification for apps and circular icons for folders. The multi-window support also comes built in which allows you to run two apps side-by-side or top and bottom. Google has also done some background optimizations to doze mode to further improve the battery life. The apps will instantly hibernate when the screen is turned off.

Another feature is the improved data saver to block background data access to apps. An option to whitelist background apps is also present, letting you give background internet access to some apps that you need, such as Gmail, WhatsApp, Facebook and more.

Google has also added number blocking feature to block calls from unwanted numbers, and call screening feature to ensure that blocked and rejected calls don’t show up in notifications. Lastly, there is also always-on VPN for work related apps.

Motorola Moto G4 and the Moto G4 Plus launched in India Price Starting at Rs. 13,499; Specs and Features

As expected, Motorola today launched the fourth-generation Moto G today in India, and they are called Moto G4 and the Moto G4 Plus. The Moto G4 will be available with 16GB internal storage and will go on sale next month on Amazon India. The Moto G4 Plus, on the other hand, has been launched in two variants — 16GB variant for Rs 13,499, and 32GB variant for Rs 14,499. The Moto G4 Plus too will be available exclusively on Amazon India, and will go on sale at midnight.

Both the Moto G4 and the Moto G4 Plus look almost identical with a slim body, metal trim and a thickness of only 7.87mm. The back panel has been given a textured finish that offers good grip.

Motorola Moto G4 specifications and features:

The Moto G4 flaunts a 5.5-inch full HD (1080p) display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Protection. It could be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 617 octa-core processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB onboard storage. A microSD card slot for further expansion is also likely to be in tow.

On the photography, the Moto G4 features a 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.2 aperture and 5-megapixel front-facing unit with 84 degrees wide angle lens, It also features a 3,000mAh battery with TurboPower charging support, which the company says is good enough to offer up to six hours of usage with only 15 minutes of charging.

In a connectivity options such as dual SIM card slots, 4G LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and VoLTE support. it runs on Android Marshmallow wrapped under the Moto Pure software. 

Motorola Moto G4 Plus specifications and features: 

The specifications and features of the Moto G4 Plus are almost identical to the Moto G4. The Moto G4 Plus however has been launched in two variants — 16GB variant with 2GB of RAM, and 32GB variant with 3GB of RAM.

As for the differences, the Moto G4 Plus comes with the option to expand internal storage up to 128GB using a microSD card. It also comes with 16-megapixel rear camera with an OmniVision sensor, laser auto-focus, and Phase Detection Auto-focus support. The camera also has features like Professional mode with manual controls, Auto HDR, and Panorama among others.

Another differentiator is the presence of a fingerprint scanner up front. Placed below the display is a square shaped scanner that can accept up to five fingerprints, unlock in Moto G4 Plus less than 750 milliseconds.

Apple CEO Tim Cook to visit India this week to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Apple CEO Tim Cook will visit India this week and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the second leg of his Asian tour, two sources familiar with the matter said, as the company seeks to revive sluggish iPhone sales.

The visit is Cook's first to India as the head of the U.S. technology company, one of the sources said. It was not immediately clear whether he would discuss importing refurbished iPhones with officials in New Delhi.

A second source said India was keen to know if Apple had plans to set up production facilities for the local market, which would be a boost for Modi's "Make in India" manufacturing push.

In an interview earlier this month, Mr. Cook had said Apple sees a “huge market potential” for its products in India and that it is “really putting energy” in the country.

Apple has also sent in a proposal to the Indian government for selling refurbished phones in India. However, no official call has been made on the matter.

Addressing analysts in a conference call, Mr. Cook had said that India presents a “really great opportunity” but slow networks and the informal retail structure across the country is holding the company back from realising its full potential.

Cook could also announce its Make in India plans along with partner Foxconn. The Chinese electronic manufacturer is reportedly scouting locations in Maharashtra where it could set up a plant to manufacture Apple’s devices. 

While its sales in China, its second-largest market after the U.S., fell 11 per cent, in India iPhone sales were up 56 per cent from a year ago.

More than 100 million smartphones were sold in India last year and the market is expected to grow by 25 percent this year, making India one of the fastest growing smartphone markets in the world.

Samsung led the India smartphone tally with 29 per cent share. Other top players included Micromax (17 per cent share), Intex (10 per cent), Lenovo (8 per cent), Reliance Jio’s Lyf (7 per cent) and Karbonn (5 per cent).

According to the report, Apple in India recorded a stellar 62 per cent growth in the first quarter from the year-ago period, though on a lower base.

Apple’s Make in India plans, the setting up of Apple Stores and also inaugurate the company’s first technology development center in India. Ahead of his visit, information on the Apple Store plans have surfaced yet again, and reports also claim that Cook is likely to announce an accelerator program for Indian startups.

The report on ET states that Cook is keen on participating in PM Modi’s Startup India and Digital India initiatives. In line with this, he is likely to announce an ‘accelerator or incubator program for startups in India’. While details are scarce, the move is expected to encourage developers and entrepreneurs to come with unique ideas for apps and services built for the iOS platform.

As for the information on Apple Stores, it is but an extension of what is being reported for the past couple of months. The company is expected to set up three stores in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai within the next 18 months. Reports claim that one of the stores in India will look like the iconic Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York City. The stores are expected to cover a floor area of around 3,000 square feet, and some might even be so big as to cover around 10,000 square feet of space. These stores will have space for tech support and small workshops, and will require an investment of anywhere between $3 million to $5 million (Rs 20 crore to Rs 33 crore approximately).

Micromax Canvas Evok with 3GB RAM launched for Rs 8,499: Specifications, features

Micromax added a new handset in the Canvas series called the Micromax Canvas Evok E483. Handset is priced at Rs. 8,499.

Micromax Canvas Evok specifications and features: 

The smartphone features a 5.5-inch HD (720p) display with 2.5D arc front glass and covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Under the hood runs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 415 octa-core processor clocked at 1.4GHz. It is paired with 3GB of RAM and 16GB onboard storage.

In the photography, the Canvas Evok is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear camera with 5-element lens and LED flash, and a 5-megapixel front-facing selfie camera. Armed with a 3,000mAh battery, connectivity options include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. On the software front, it runs on Android Lollipop 5.1 OS.

Xiaomi Mi Max Racks up 10 million registrations for the first flash sale in China: Specs, features and Price

The Xiaomi Mi Max - which was unveiled earlier this week in China, and is all set to go on its first flash sale next week on May 17 and Xiaomi says that over 10 million people have registered for the phablet.

This was revealed by the Chinese company in a post on Weibo. To put the number in context, the company's Mi 5 smartphone received 17 million registrations for its first flash sale, although keep in mind that the handset falls in the flagship category, unlike the Mi Max.

Xiaomi Mi Max price: For 1,499 Yuan you get the 32GB Mi Max variant, which also boasts a Snapdragon 650 chipset and 3GB of RAM. The 64GB variant is priced at 1,699 Yuan (approximately Rs 17,500) and features a Snapdragon 652 chipset along with 3GB of RAM. The top-end 128GB storage variant will set you back by 1,999 Yuan (approximately Rs 20,500) and features a Snapdragon 652 SoC along with 4GB of RAM.

Xiaomi Mi Max specifications, features: 

The phablet features a 6.44-inch 1080p display, a microSD card slot to expand the built-in storage, a 16-megapixel rear camera along with dual-tone LED flash and PDAF, and a 5-megapixel 85-degrees wide-angle selfie camera. The Mi Max also features a 4,850mAh battery with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge support, and connectivity options like 4G LTE with VoLTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS and Bluetooth.

There is currently no word on when Xiaomi plans to bring the Mi Max phablet to India. But considering how soon the Mi 5 arrived in India, we may not have to wait long for Xiaomi’s 6.44-inch phablet.

Motorola Moto G (3rd gen), Moto G Turbo Edition, Moto 360 (2nd Gen) Price doped ahead of Moto G4 launch in India

Ahead of the expected Moto G4 launch in India tomorrow, Motorola has dropped the price of the last-gen Moto G and the Moto G Turbo Edition. The two smartphones have received Rs 1,000 price cut and the new price tag is reflected on both Flipkart and Amazon India. With the price cut, the Moto G (3^rd generation) is available for Rs 9,999, while the Moto G Turbo Edition is available for Rs 11,499.

Apart from the price cut, Flipkart is also offering an exchange offer on both the smartphones. Flipkart is offering up to Rs 8,000 exchange bonus on the Moto G (3^rd generation), which will let you pick up the device for as low as Rs 1,999. The e-commerce site is also offering up to Rs 10,000 exchange bonus on the Moto G Turbo Edition, which will let you pick up the device for as low as Rs 1,499.

These exchange offers are only available on Flipkart, and not on Amazon India. Flipkart is also offering buyers Rs 1,000 discount on the purchase of the Moto 360 smartwatch. This brings the price down to Rs 18,999.

Speaking of Moto 360 smartwatch, Flipkart is also offering Rs 1,500 discount on the purchase of the Moto 360 (2^nd Gen) smartwatch. The price goes down by another Rs 1,000 if you buy the smartwatch along with a Motorola smartphone.

The offers on the Motorola smartphones seem like a way to clear stock ahead of the launch of the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus in India tomorrow.

Motorola Moto G4 specifications and features:

Based on rumors, the smartphone is likely to house a 5.5-inch full HD (1080p) display with Corning Gorilla Glass Protection. It could be powered by Qualcomm’s 64-bit Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor with 2GB of RAM, Adreno 505 GPU and 16GB onboard storage. A microSD card slot for further expansion is also likely to be in tow.

With a 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front-facing unit, connectivity options such as dual SIM card slots, 4G LTE, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS could be present. The smartphone is likely to pack a 3,000mAh battery and run on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update.

Motorola Moto G4 Plus specifications and features: 

It is expected to be a slightly upgraded version with display size and processor same as that on the Moto G4. The Moto G4 Plus could pack 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, 16-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front-facing unit. With 3,000mAh battery, dual SIM card slots with 4G LTE connectivity, Bluetooth and NFC, the smartphone is expected to run Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box. That’s not all; the Moto G4 Plus could also include a fingerprint scanner, which may not be present on the Moto G4.

Samsung Galaxy J2(2016) with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow clears FCC certification: Specifications and features

After launching the GalaxyJ5 (2016) and Galaxy J7 (2016), Samsung seems to be working on refreshed version of last year’s Galaxy J2. The Galaxy J2 (2016) is the successor of the Galaxy J2 (2015), which was a mid-range offering from the company. 

The alleged Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) was recently certified at the FCC. The smartphone was also spotted on benchmarking sites — AnTuTu and Geekbench, and India’s import and export site Zauba, which revealed some of its key specifications and features.

The FCC certification doesn’t reveal any of its specifications, except for its model number SM-J210F and a 1,500mAh battery, SamMobile reports. However, there could be some error with the declaration as its predecessor was equipped with a 2,000mAh battery. 

The Samsung Galaxy J2 (2016) sports a 5-inch HD (720p) display and runs on Spreadtrum SC8830 quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz. It’s paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage which can be further expanded using microSD card. With an 8-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front-facing unit, the smartphone could run on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS wrapped under Samsung’s TouchWiz UI.

The next-gen Galaxy J2 (2016) is also likely to pack 4G LTE connectivity, dual SIM card slots, Wi-Fi and GPS. On the Zauba listing, the smartphone was spotted with a price tag of Rs 6,757, but it’s likely to cost more after taxes and import duties. While there’s no word on the launch date and availability, the FCC certification could mean the smartphone could be announced anytime soon.