Mobile - Part 2

Nexus 6 and Android 5.0 Lollipop

After lot of speculation and rumors / specs and image leaks, Google finally announced Nexus 6 smartphone, Nexus 9 tablet and Nexus Player streaming media device, all running android 5.0 lollipop. Android L was already showcased previously in June 2014 and android 5.0 is the most stable release.

Order it here
Flipkart: Nexus 6
Amazon India: Nexus 6
Amazon: Nexus 6

Lollipop
Android 5.0 is also the first version of Android that’s been optimized for 64-bit architecture. This is important because chips with more bits can handle more memory, which means that a 32-bit chip is designed to handle memory addresses of up to 32 bits while a 64-bit chip is designed to handle memory addresses of up to 64 bits. Obviously, this will enable hardware manufacturers to go with more powerful 64 bit tablets and smartphones.

android 5.0 lollipop will be available on the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, and Google Play Edition devices in the coming weeks.

Nexus 6 Specs
Nexus 6 is an addition to large screened mobile devices – along with iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy Note 4.
Nexus 6 with 6-inch QHD Display has 2560×1440 pixels resolution.
2.7 GHz quad-core processor (Snapdragon 805) is supported by Adreno 420 GPU
storage variants: 32GB and 64GB (No external MicroSD card slot for storage expansion) for $569 and $649 respectively.
16 GB variant will not be available unlike Nexus 4 and Nexus 5.
3GB of RAM.
Dual front speakers – similar to that found in Moto G 2nd gen.
Capacitive touchscreen.
5.96″ AMOLED Display.
Dimensions: 82.98 mm x 159.26 mm x 10.06 mm
16:9 aspect ratio
Gorilla Glass 3
Weight: 184 g

Battery
3220 mAh Battery – with Motorola’s Turbo Charger support(6 hrs worth of charging in 15 min).
Standby time (Ambient Display on ) up to 250 hours
Standby time (Ambient Display off) up to 330 hours
Internet use time (Wi-Fi) up to 9.5 hours
Internet use time (LTE) up to 10 hours
You get over 24 hours of use from a full charge.
Video playback up to 10 hours

Ports
Micro USB 2.0
Nano SIM
3.5mm audio

Sensors
GPS
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Magnetometer
Ambient light sensor
Barometer

Camera

f2.0 lens and 13 megapixel primary camera with optical image stabilization, HDR+ support for better capturing using the Google Camera app(which comes pre-installed).
It also has 2 MP secondary camera. Nexus 6 comes with Dual LED ring flash and 4K video capture at 30fps.

Pre-order / Purchase Nexus 6

Available in 2 colors: Midnight Blue, Cloud White

Order it here
Flipkart: Nexus 6
Amazon India: Nexus 6
Amazon: Nexus 6

Google Nexus 6 is going to be available for pre-order from October 29th. The pre-order will be made available on AT&T, Sprint, Best Buy, U.S. Cellular, T-Mobile and the official Google Play Store.

Xiaomi Mi3 launched in India for Rs. 13,999

Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi has announced the launch of Mi3(company’s flagship device) in India at a very competitive price tag of Rs. 13999 and it’ll be available on FlipKart from 15th of July 2014.

Order Mi On FlipKart

Mi3 is 8.1mm thin, 145 grams light, and houses an aluminum-magnesium alloy frame, coated with 3 layers of thermal graphite.

Specifications:
5-inch full HD(16:9) IPS display with corning Gorilla Glass protection,
1920×1080 display resolution with 441ppi,
xiaomi-mi3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC with quad-core 2.3GHz CPU,
Adreno 330 GPU,
2GB RAM,
16GB internal storage (non-expandable),
xiaomi-mi3-camera
13 megapixel rear camera(with dual LED flash),
With its Sony Exmor sensor(BSI sensor, f/2.2 aperture) it can take 1080p videos,
2 megapixel front camera,
Connectivity: 3G, Wi-Fi(Dual-band Wi-Fi 2.4Ghz/5Ghz), Bluetooth, GPS, NFCT
3050mAh battery,
( 500 hours of standby time
50 hours of music playback
25 hours of talk time
21 hours of 3G Internet use )

MIUI 5 on Android 4.3

(Xiaomi Mi3’s competitive price and awesome spec’s are surely going to challenge existing budget phones like Moto G and Moto E. Looking at its spec’s, we can even say, it’s a tough competition to high end smartphones like Moto X, Nexus 5 etc..)

Note:
Xiaomi phones don’t come with the Play Store and Google apps in China, but they’re said to support them in India.

Order Mi On FlipKart

Xiaomi is also launching its Mi Power Bank of 10400mAh and 5200mAh capacities along with its Mi3 android flagship device.

Specs and Price: Moto E

Motorola has done it again. It will most certainly(hoped to) replace the basic handset/cellphone market in India with the entry of its low cost mobile phone Moto E. Few moths back Moto G performed well in terms of sales in India, and I hoping Moto E will leverage the good will acquired by its predecessor Moto G.

With this launch Motorola has wide range of phones at various budget levels:

Low cost phone: Moto E (around Rs. 6999)
Medium price phone: Moto G (around Rs. 13999)
High end phone: Moto X (around Rs. 23999)

It comes with 2 colors:
1. Moto E White
2. Moto E Black
(..more colors might come soon)

Here are the astounding specs of Moto E
Brand: Motorola
Model ID: XT1022
Form: Bar
SIM Size: Micro SIM
SIM Type: Dual SIM, GSM + GSM, (Dual Standby)
Touch Screen: Yes, Capacitive
Call Features: Loudspeaker

PLATFORM
Operating Freq: GSM – 850, 900, 1800, 1900; UMTS – 2100
OS: Android v4.4 (KitKat)
Processor: 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200, Dual Core
Graphics: Adreno 302, 400 MHz Single

DISPLAY
Size: 4.3 Inches
Resolution: qHD, 960 x 540 Pixels
Other Display Features: Corning Gorilla Glass 3

CAMERA
Primary Camera: Yes, 5 Megapixel
Secondary Camera: No
Flash: No (which is bit disappointing to me)
Video Recording: Yes, 30 fps

DIMENSIONS
Size: 64.8×124.8×12.3 mm
Weight: 142 g

BATTERY
Type: Li-Ion, 1980 mAh

MEMORY AND STORAGE

Internal: 4 GB
Expandable Memory: microSD, upto 32 GB
Memory: 1 GB RAM

INTERNET & CONNECTIVITY
3G: Yes, 21.1 Mbps HSDPA; 5.76 Mbps HSUPA; HSPA+
Wifi: Yes, 802.11 b/g/n
USB Connectivity: Yes, micro USB, v2
Navigation Technology: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, with Google Maps
Bluetooth: Yes, v4, Supported Profiles (LE)
Audio Jack: 3.5 mm

MULTIMEDIA
Music Player: Yes, Supports MP3
Video Player: Yes, Supports MP4, H.264, H.263, HD
FM: Yes
Sound Enhancement: Front Ported Loudspeaker Orientation, Audio Chip

OTHER FEATURES
Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor
Additional Features: P2i, Single White LED

In Box, you’ll get: Charger, QSG and Warranty Card, Handset with Built-in Battery, Headset, Back Door

You can order on FlipKart:
1. Moto E White
2. Moto E Black

We hope Moto E does well in the market.

Best Flip Cover / Case For Moto G

Moto G is one of the best quality budget phone I’ve used so far. No lags while playing games, and no slow down of the processing after installing so many applications. If you are planing to purchase a phone for around 14k, then go for Moto G without second thought.

Since I own Moto G, people keep asking me to recommend good quality cover for it. So finally felt like writing a post about the one I’m using and satisfied with.

I like flipcovers. I’m using one for my Nexus 5 too. Motorola Flip Cover for Moto G is an awesome product. It fits in perfectly. It has magnetic lock, with automatic sleep and wakeup of the screen. One of the best flip covers for Moto G, and I highly recommend it.

It has good grip on your hand. Protects the phone, especially the front side from scratch. If you’re looking for cheap covers, think again. You’ve invested so much on the phone, why compromise when it comes to protecting the phone.

Motorola Flip Cover for Moto G

If you want to look at other options available you can check out these links:
Moto G Covers on FlipKart

Moto G Covers on Amazon.in

Moto G Covers on Amazon.com

Best Budget Phone: Moto G

I was impressed with Moto X from Motorola, but went with Nexus 5 as I want to have pure android experience, as a developer. But I still loved Moto X for it’s camera/picture clarity.

Moto G on FlipKart

Motorola has now released Moto G, and it created a lot of buzz. I din’t want to be involved in creating the hype, but once I had the device and tested it, I was convinced that this is ‘the best’ midrange android phone we could get. Look at the specs:

KEY FEATURES OF MOTO G
5 MP Primary Camera and 1.3 MP Secondary Camera – with LED flash, HDR(auto), Slow motion video recording.
Digital Zoom – 4x
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Android v4.3 (Jelly Bean) OS – Moto G can be updated to android KitKat
1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Quad Core Processor and 1 GB RAM
Dual SIM (GSM + GSM)
HD Recording
4.5-inch HD Display: 720p HD resolution and 329 ppi – every pixel is sharp, vivid and crystal clear.
Wi-Fi Enabled
Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Processor is clocked at 1.2 GHz.
1 GB RAM to support multitasking and the Adreno Graphics 305 to let you play graphic-heavy games.
16 GB and 8 GB Internal Memory devices available.
2070 mAh Li-Ion battery – Up to 24 hours backup

It’s an awesome phone. If you were still thinking and waiting till your friend or coworker takes it, you need not wait – it’s good device for the price. You can go ahead and buy it.

For 8 GB Moto G it costs : Rs. 12,499/-
For 16 GB Moto G it costs: Rs. 13,999/-

I would recommend to go with 16 GB device, as it has a small difference of cost compared to 8 GB device, but comes with double the storage space. So go for 16 GB Moto G. You can also get original Cover / Case for your Moto G as an introductory offer on online sites like FlipKart, for a small extra cost.

Check out:
Moto G on FlipKart
Moto G on Amazon
Moto G on Amazon India

Best Flip Cover / Case For Nexus 5

I was one of the early adopters of Nexus 5 – I mean, I bought one early on. Ordered it from United States. So was looking for Nexus 5 Cover / Case before the device was officially available in India. To my disappointment, there were no better option. And the official cover / case for sale on Google Play was too costly and was not yet available on Indian play store.

Early Flip Cover
Previously I had linked to Capdase Flip Cover for LG / Google Nexus 5, as it was the only Flip Case which was available. But this flip-cover was reported to ruin your Nexus 5 screen / screen guard with its suction cups. Doesn’t have wake / sleep functionality. And catches dust and greasiness easily.

Why Flip Cover:
Even though Nexus 5 comes with scratch proof Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3, I always wanted a Flip Cover, like the one we see with Samsung Note 3. My mom and girlfriend wear ear rings and I don’t like that metal piece scratching my Nexus 5 😐

Recommended / Best Flip Cover:
After about a month of official release of Nexus 5 in India, some online stores started displaying flip covers for Nexus 5. I started reading some reviews. Most of the flip covers had bad review and most of them purchased it only because there were no better option yet.

After looking and comparing the existing flipcovers and the materials used in it, I ordered Nillkin Flip For LG Nexus 5.

Nillkin Flip Cover is a Premium Quality Flip Cover for Nexus 5:
It has 46g Gross Weight.
Dimension: (177 x 100 x 18) mm
Material: Leather & Soft Fabric (Inside), Leather (Outside)
It has automatic wake / sleep functionality – need not install any 3rd party applications!
Magnetic Closure so that the cover doesn’t open when tilted downwards.

You can order Nillkin Flip Cover for Nexus 5
It’s also available in different colors: Black, Light Blue, Yellow, Red

Amazon: Nillkin Flip for LG Google Nexus 5

Amazon India: Nillkin Flip for LG Google Nexus 5

FlipKart: Nillkin Flip for LG Google Nexus 5

Over to you ..
Let us know what other accessories you’re using for your Nexus 5, and how does it work..

KitKat 4.4.1 Improves Camera Performance

As reported earlier, Nexus 5 is a great phone but lacks in camera performance. Well atleast, it’s not something great compared to Nexus 4

————————————————————————————————
Update: We got KitKat 4.4.2 update and here is what the update improves upon the existing KitKat flavor.
Well, it’s 54.0 MB of update.

This update improves the Nexus 5 camera with faster shooting(less shutter lag, less motion blur); faster, more accurate focusing; better white balancing for truer colors; and more accurate exposures. The update also includes other bug fixes and performance improvements.

————————————————————————————————
Nexus 5 KitKat 4.4.2 Update

Nexus 7 First Generation Tab: KitKat 4.4.2 Update

Google soon recognized it’s users feedback and has released a patch for it, which fixed most of the camera issues.

1. Improving contrast.
2. Improves exposure.
3. Improves autofocus. Now you can get clear pictures even on the move.
4. The camera app in itself opens faster.
5. The time gap between the click and the capture has been reduced (in layman’s language!)

It is impressive that Google has come-up with a patch to the camera issue within weeks of release of Nexus 5

If you still haven’t got the update on your phone, it’s coming. Google is rolling the update and you’ll get it soon.

My Nexus 5

If you know me or just read this blog often, you already know I’m an android fan and I love Nexus devices. Before Nexus 5 I was using Sony Xperia Arc, and it is a great phone too.
Sadly ..
If you purchased the device from US/UK play store, you won’t be getting earphone and cover/case with it. So here are some links for good earphone and phone case(other than the one available on Google Play Store)

If you know me or just read this blog often, you already know I’m an android fan and I love Nexus devices.

Before Nexus 5 I was using Sony Xperia Arc, and it is a great phone too.

My Device: Nexus 5
I’ve got 32 GB, black colored, Nexus 5 from United States. It works well with my Vodafone network here in India, with no rooting and other tedious stuffs. Get the phone, insert the sim(micro sim), and it works.

My Review
I’m using Nexus 5 from 4 days now, this is what I felt so far:

1. It’s amazing to hold in hand! I’ve previously used HTC, Sony Xperia Arc, Nokia – above all this one feels lightweight and thoroughly gripped.
2. KitKat is absolutely sweet. Applications open and close faster than in previous versions. The credit also goes to Nexus 5’s 2 GB RAM and Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 800, 2.26GHz CPU, also the Adreno 330, 450MHz GPU.

My first computer(just few years back), had only 256 MB of RAM! My recent Computer( Dell Studio XPS 8100 ) has 8GB of RAM – compared to mobile phone, it looks very less now 🙂

3. The design of the phone is really impressive. Atleast the black variant of the device has a good built. I specially liked the positioning of the loud speakers. Sony Xpera Arc had speakers in the backside – if you’ve placed the phone on the table with phone facing up, loud speakers would get jammed behind the phone.

4. Usually Nexus devices doesn’t come with super power cameras. But Nexus 5 has a decent one – considering its retail price.

You can read about its full specifications here: Nexus 5 and KitKat Treat: Live!

Sadly ..
If you purchased the device from US/UK play store, you won’t be getting earphone and cover/case with it. So here are some links for good earphone and phone case(other than the one available on Google Play Store)

FlipKart: Nexus 5 (32 GB)

Covers / Case
Capdase Flip Cover for LG – Cream color
Capdase Flip Cover for LG – Black color

Capdase Back Cover for LG
Capdase Back Cover for LG

Amazon: Nillkin Flip for LG Google Nexus 5

Amazon India: Nillkin Flip for LG Google Nexus 5

FlipKart: Nillkin Flip for LG Google Nexus 5

Earphone
Sony Ericsson MH
Skullcandy S2IKDY
SoundMAGIC In

Amazon Link: Earphone
SoundMAGIC In

Video Shot With Nexus 5

Your Queries..our answers
If you want to know anything about Nexus 5, let us know in the comment section below and we’ll check it on our phone and get back to you the earliest.