Spice Stellar Glamour and Smart Flo Space with Android 4.2 launched

Spice has launched Spice Stellar Glamour and Smart Flo Space budget smartphones for Rs. 5,999 and Rs. 3,799, respectively.

The Spice Stellar Glamour features a 4-inch WVGA display with 480x800 pixels resolution. The device is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor paired with 512MB RAM. The Spice Stellar Glamour offers dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) connectivity with both the SIMs supporting 3G connectivity. It sports a 5-megapixel rear camera accompanied by an LED flash and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The handset runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It also includes 4GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. The device is backed by a 1400mAh battery. Connectivity features include GPRS, EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The Spice Stellar Glamour comes preloaded with NQ Antivirus that comes with a 6 months subscription.

The Spice Flo Space Mi-354 features a 3.5-inch display with a resolution of 320x480 pixels. It is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor coupled with 256MB RAM. It packs a 3-megapixel rear camera along with an LED flash and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. It also runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The device includes 512MB internal storage that can be expanded up to 32GB through a microSD card. It is backed by a 1450mAh battery. The Spice Flo Space is a dual SIM (GSM+GSM) device with 2G support for both the SIMs.

Commenting on the launch, T M Ramakrishnan, CEO - Devices, S Mobility Ltd, said, "We have witnessed massive growth with low-cost offerings and delivering the best android experience without sacrificing on performance or features. These products position themselves as premium budget phones with enhanced features and better than what competition is offering. This latest offering by Spice is a perfect amalgamation of functionality, style & entertainment. "

Both the devices come preloaded with Spice Cloud app that provides consumers free Cloud backup with 2GB data storage and access to user photos, documents, music, videos and contacts across the devices, along with security and anti-theft features.

Spice Stellar Glamour Mi-436 key specifications

• 4-inch WVGA display with 480x800 pixels resolution
• 1.2GHz dual-core processor
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB via microSD card
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
• 1.3-megapixel front facing camera
• 1,400mAh Battery
• Dual-SIM (3G+3G)

Spice Flo Space Mi-354 key specifications

• 3.5-inch display with a resolution of 320x480 pixels
• 1GHz dual-core processor
• 256MB RAM
• 512MB internal storage, expandable up to 32GB via microSD card
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 3-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
• 1.3-megapixel front facing camera
• 1,450mAh Battery
• Dual-SIM (2G+2G)

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3, HTC One Mini make their US debuts

Smartphones are getting bigger as people use them more to watch movies and play games. A new one from Samsung is beyond big.

With a screen measuring 6.3 inches diagonally, the Galaxy Mega 6.3 is almost as big as a 7-inch tablet computer. The difference: it makes phone calls. Samsung says the Mega is a hybrid that combines the portability of a smartphone with the immersive experience that a tablet offers for movies, books, music and games. Phones of this size are typically referred to as phablets.

Samsung Electronics Co. is known for big phones. Its flagship Galaxy S4 is 5 inches, while the Galaxy Note 2 is 5.5 inches. Apple's iPhone 5 is 4 inches.

Samsung is also known for offering a variety of devices, with different screen sizes and prices, to target a range of consumers. Because of that, it's now the leading maker of phones. Apple, by contrast, has been releasing one model a year that targets high-end consumers. A new iPhone is expected this fall.

The Mega includes many features available in other recent Galaxy phones. That includes Multi Window, which allows multitasking in a split screen, and Easy Mode, which reduces the number of features and choices for new smartphone users.

AT&T Inc. says it will start selling the Mega on Friday for $150 with a two-year service contract. The Mega is also coming to Sprint and U.S. Cellular. Dates and prices weren't announced for those carriers. The Mega made its debut in Europe and Russia in May, but hasn't been available in the U.S. until now.

As Samsung's phones get larger, at least one of HTC Corp.'s is getting smaller. AT&T announced Monday that it will start selling a smaller version of the HTC One. Called the HTC One Mini, it will have a 4.3-inch screen, compared with 4.7 inches on the standard model. It's also lighter, at 4.3 ounces. The One is 5 ounces. The HTC One Mini will be about $100 cheaper than its big brother. It will be available starting Friday for $100 with a two-year service agreement.

New tech enables wireless devices to communicate without battery

Internet-of-things! Researchers, led by an Indian-origin scientist, have developed a new technology that lets wireless devices communicate with each other without relying on batteries or wires for power.

The new communication technique, called "ambient backscatter," takes advantage of the TV and cellular transmissions that already surround us around the clock.

Two devices communicate with each other by reflecting the existing signals to exchange information. The researchers built small, battery-free devices with antennas that can detect, harness and reflect a TV signal, which then is pickedup by other similar devices.The technology could enable a network of devices and sensors to communicate with no power source or human attention needed.

"We can re-purpose wireless signals that are already around us into both a source of power and a communication medium," said lead researcher Shyam Gollakota, from the University of Washington.

"It's hopefully going to have applications in a number of areas including wearable computing, smart homes and self-sustaining sensor networks," said Gollakota.

"Our devices form a network out of thin air. You can reflect these signals slightly to create a Morse code of communication between battery-free devices," said co-author Joshua Smith.

The technology can also be used for communication - text messages and emails, for example - in wearable devices, without requiring battery consumption.

The researchers tested the ambient backscatter technique with credit card-sized prototype devices placed within several feet of each other.

For each device the researchers built antennas into ordinary circuit boards that flash an LED light when receiving a communication signal from another device.

Groups of the devices were tested in a variety of settings, including inside an apartment building, on a street corner and on the top level of a parking garage.

They found that the devices were able to communicate with each other, even the ones farthest from a TV tower. The receiving devices picked up a signal from their transmitting counterparts at a rate of 1 kilobit per second when up to 2.5 feet apart outdoors and 1.5 feet apart indoors.

This is enough to send information such as a sensor reading, text messages and contact information.

It is also feasible to build this technology into devices that do rely on batteries, such as smartphones. It could be configured so that when the battery dies, the phone could still send text messages by leveraging power from an ambient TV signal.

Nokia starts rollout of Windows Phone 8 Amber update for Lumia smartphones

Nokia's long-awaited Amber update for its Lumia Windows Phone 8-based smartphones has finally started rolling.

The Amber update is built upon the latest update for Windows Phone 8 from Microsoft with some exclusive features added by Nokia. The update will be applicable for current line of Lumia smartphones that includes the Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia Lumia 820, Nokia Lumia 720, Nokia Lumia 620 and Nokia Lumia 520.

The new Nokia Lumia Amber software update adds some new and improved features like Nokia Glance Screen with the standby clock and a better imaging experience, a new FM Radio player, improvements to Xbox Music and the default browser, Internet Explorer for Nokia Lumia users.

In a blog post, Nokia has noted the details of phones to get the Amber upgrade and what features will be included on each phone. The blog post also notes that the rollout starts now for the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 in selected countries as well as the Lumia 521, Lumia 810, and Lumia 928 in the US. Exact delivery timings will vary by region, phone and operator, but Nokia says the update will reach Lumia 520, Lumia 620, Lumia 720, Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 users by the end of September.

The biggest improvement with the update is to camera capabilities of the phones that will now feature the all-new Nokia Smart Camera mode that debuted on the Nokia Lumia 925. It allows users to create high quality images and offers the ability to take ten shots at a time and then edit with tools and effects like Best Shot, Action Shot and Motion Focus.

Another addition will be the Pro Camera app that was introduced with the Lumia 1020 and it will be rolled out to Lumia 920, Lumia 925 and Lumia 928.

Other features include flip to silence, double-tap to unlock, storage check and faster map updates. Another major new feature is Glance Screen, that brings a clock to your screen when the phone is inactive, along with indicators to show the battery level when running on a low battery or the phone is charging, and whether your phone is set to 'silent'. Nokia says that Glance Screen will be available for all Windows Phone 8 Lumia devices except the Nokia Lumia 520 and Lumia 625, which have a smaller display memory.

The Amber update is the biggest change to hit Lumia Windows Phone 8 smartphones since they were launched. The update was announced at the time of the launch of Nokia Lumia 925, that shipped with the update pre-installed.

Samsung Galaxy Note III Octa-core variant headed to India

We already know the launch date for Samsung's next Note entrant, the Galaxy Note III, and the leaks related to the device don't seem to stop rolling. A latest report has revealed the various variants of the device and the list of countries that'll be getting each variant.

Sam Mobile has posted the complete list of countries where the two variants of the device, the SM-N900 (3G version) powered by Samsung Exynos 5420 (Octa-Core) processor and the SM-N9005 (LTE version) powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974), will allegedly head.

Much like the company's flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S4, every country will get a variant of the Galaxy Note III, based apparently on the fact that the market needs LTE capabilities or not. However, the site also notes that, "If your country gets both processor variants, it is a decision based on the marketing plan of Samsung. Which means if there are LTE networks in your country, Samsung will start with the LTE variant (Snapdragon 800) first."

The leaked country list also includes India with the country said to get the Octa-core SM-N900 (3G version) of the Samsung Galaxy Note II successor as expected.

The site also claims that there will be a third version, SM-N9002 which will be powered by Samsung Exynos 5420 (Octa-Core) processor and that will be a dual-SIM device. This device will apparently be only for the China market.

Earlier, specifications of the Galaxy Note III were revealed. The leaked specifications of the device include a 5.68-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. It is said to come with 3GB of RAM. The Galaxy Note III will reportedly have identical dimensions as its predecessor even though its sports a slightly larger display.

The one thing that was missing from the earlier leaked specifications was the GPU, and now we know that as well.

According to Sam Mobile, the SM-N900 will be backed by an ARM Mali-T628 MP6 GPU, the SM-N9005 will be backed by an Adreno 330 GPU while the dual-SIM variant will be powered by ARM Mali-T628 MP6 GPU.

Lava Iris 356 and Iris 402 with Android 4.2 officially launched

Lava has launched two new smartphones for the Indian market, the Iris 356 and Iris 402 for Rs. 4,499 and Rs. 5,499 respectively.Earlier, Lava had quietly listed both these smartphones on its website. Now, the phone have been officially launched.

The Lava Iris 356 features a 3.5-inch HVGA display with a resolution of 320x480 pixels. It is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor coupled with 256MB RAM. The device runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. There is a 1.3-megapixel rear camera with flash and a VGA front-facing camera. It includes just 100MB of internal storage space(available to the user) but supports microSD cards to expand storage up to 32GB. It also includes a 1500mAh battery that the company claims, delivers up to 5 hours of talk time and 200 hours of standby time. It supports dual SIM (GSM+GSM). The Lava Iris 356 includes connectivity options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPRS, EDGE and 3G. It also includes preloaded apps like LAVA Zone, Twitter, Facebook, Gtalk, Google Maps, Local, MX Player and YouTube.

The Lava Iris 402 sports a 4.0-inch WVGA display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels. The device is powered by 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 256MB RAM and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It boasts of a 3-megapixel rear camera with flash accompanied by a VGA front-facing camera. It comes with 100MB user-available internal storage which is a disappointing. However, it comes with expandable storage of up to 32GB with the help of a microSD card. The device also includes a 1500mAh battery that can deliver up to 4 hours of talk time and 200 hours of standby time. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Edge, GPRS and 3G.

Lava claims that both the smartphones will be upgradable over-the-air (OTA).

Commenting on the launch, Hari Om Rai, Co-Founder & Director, Lava International Ltd. said, "Lava has introduced affordable, yet fully loaded entry level 3G android smartphones which will now fuel the aspirations of the evolving mobile user in India. The Lava Iris 356 and Iris 402 are uniquely designed smartphones which lets a consumer enjoy the power of 3G by consuming online content. As 3G-enabled handsets become affordable, mobile internet would be the next big thing in the country which would take penetration to the remote corners of the country. Lava is aiming to drive huge volumes with both models combined."

Both the smartphones come bundled with some accessories that include a screen guard and silicon soft pouch.

Lava Iris 356 key specifications

• 3.5-inch HVGA display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels
• 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
• 256 MB RAM
• Dual SIM with Dual Standby
• 1.3-megapixel rear camera with flash
• VGA front-facing camera
• 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS
• Expandable memory up to 32GB with micro SD
• 1500mAh battery
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

Lava Iris 402 key specifications

• 4-inch WVGA display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels
• 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
• 256 MB RAM
• Dual SIM with Dual Standby
• 3-megapixel rear camera with flash
• VGA front-facing camera
• 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS
• Expandable memory up to 32GB with micro SD
• 1500mAh battery
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)

Apple new iPhone launch date is revealed

Apple shares gained ground Monday after a report saying the California tech giant was set to announce its next iPhone at an event September 10. In late morning trade, Apple shares were up 2.04 percent at $463.88.

The Dow Jones news website AllThingsD reported Sunday that Apple scheduled an event next month where it will announce its newest iPhone in an effort to regain ground lost to Samsung and other smartphone makers.

Details were not clear, but speculation has centered around whether Apple would shift its strategy to include a lower-cost handset to appeal to more consumers, especially in emerging markets.

Trip Chowdhry, analyst at Global Equities Research, said Apple appeared to be preparing "to declare thermo-nuclear war on Android," referring to the Google mobile operating system which has become dominant in the smartphone market.

Chowdhry said the launch "may be massively successful and probably one of the most successful launches."

"If Apple launches a cheaper iPhone, Apple will immediately gain market share against Android, as in many parts of the world, consumers are not well informed and are buying Android phones thinking that they are buying a cheaper iPhone," he said in a note to clients.

A recent IDC survey showed Apple's share of the global smartphone market slipped to 13.2 percent in the second quarter, from 16.6 percent a year ago, while Android's share rose to 79.3 percent.