iBall launches Andi Avonte 5

 iBall has announced a new budget Smartphone Andi Avonte 5. Priced at Rs 5,999, Andi Avonte 5 offers 8MP rotating camera as its key feature. The 180-degree rotatable camera with LED flash can be used both as a primary and secondary camera.

iBall's new Smartphone is dual-SIM and runs on Android 4.4 KitKat. It has a 5-inch FWVGA (480x854p) IPS display.

Powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor and 1GB RAM, the Smartphone offers 8GB internal storage. Users can install microSD cards of up to 32GB for additional storage.

Andi Avonte 5 packs a 2150mAh battery and comes with read and write support for 21 regional languages including Assamese, Bangla, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Manipuri, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil and Telugu.

The phone supports 3G, GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS on connectivity front.

Sony launches Xperia Z3+ in India

Sony has launched its new flagship phone, Xperia Z3+, in India at Rs 55,990.

The Xperia Z3+ was announced late-May. The model had earlier been launched in Japan as Xperia Z4, but Sony renamed it as Xperia Z3+ for the international release.

Among the major improvements of Xperia Z3+ over its predecessor is the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor (four 1.5GHz cores + four 2GHz cores). The Smartphone also comes with Android 5.0 (Lollipop) out of the box and is thinner (6.9 mm Vs 7.3 mm) and lighter (144 grams Vs 152 grams) than the 2014 Sony flagship.

Sony Xperia Z3+ comes with a 25mm wide-angle 5.1MP front camera for better selfies, compared to the 2.2MP front camera of Xperia Z3. The front facing snapper now has superior auto mode for selfies, including soft snap, night portrait, backlight portrait and infant.

While the microUSB port is not covered by a flap in the new model, it still carries the IP68 rating for resistant against water and dust, likely due to a nano coating. Though Sony has reduced the battery capacity of Xperia Z3+ compared to Xperia Z3 (2,930mAh Vs 3,100mAh), it claims that the new Smartphone offers up to two days of battery life.

Unlike Xperia Z3, which came with 16 and 32GB storage options, the new Sony Smartphone comes in only 32GB capacity.

The new model is considered a minor update over Xperia Z3. Xperia Z3+ has a 5.2 inch Full HD (1080p) IPS screen and glass-and-metal body; the glass used in the Smartphone is shatterproof.

Both Smartphones have 3GB of RAM, support microSD cards of up to 128GB capacities and have 20.7 MP rear cameras. Both Smartphones also have the same connectivity features: 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and microUSB 2.0.

Sony Xperia Z3+ is available in four colours - black, white, copper and aqua green.

Intex launches Aqua Extreme II

Intex has expanded its Aqua series with the addition of a new budget Smartphone - Aqua Extreme II, which is priced at Rs 9,590.

Intex Aqua Extreme II is a dual-SIM Smartphone, which comes with 5-inch (720x1280p) HD IPS display and runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Powered by a 64 1.4GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592M processor, the Smartphone packs 2GB RAM and offers 16GB internal storage. Users looking for more storage can expand by installing microSD cards of up to 32GB.

Aqua Extreme II sports a 13MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front-facing camera, and has 2000mAh battery.

Intex Aqua Extreme II supports 3G, GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

The new Smartphone is available in four colour variants - White, Black, Champagne and Silver.

InFocus launches M350

US-based InFocus has launched a new budget Smartphone, InFocus M350 in the Indian market. Priced at Rs 7,999, InFocus M350 will be available exclusively on Snapdeal from June 26.

The dual-SIM Smartphone runs on Android KitKat 4.4 and features a 5-inch HD IPS touch-screen display. Powered by 1.5 GHz 64 bit Quadcore processor, the phone comes with 2GB RAM, and also offers 16GB of internal storage. Users who want more storage space can install microSD card.

InFocus M350 sports an 8MP primary camera with LED flash and an 8MP secondary camera and packs a 2500mAh battery.

The Smartphone offers 3G, 4G, GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.0 and a micro-USB slot for connectivity purpose.

M350 will compete against the likes of Lenovo A6000 Plus, Huawei Honor 4C, and Asus Zenfone 5.

Samsung launches Galaxy Tab A and Tab E

South Korean giant Samsung has launched two affordable tablets in the Indian market, in a bid to compete better with products offered by rivals like Apple, Xiaomi and Lenovo. 

The new Samsung Galaxy Tab A has an 8-inch TFT screen with 1024x768p resolution and is powered by Android 5.0 (Lollipop) operating system. It comes with 16GB of internal storage, supports microSD cards of up to 128GB capacities and runs on a 64-bit 1.2GHz quad-core processor. 

The new Galaxy Tab A packs a 4,200mAh battery, supports 4G-LTE (including Indian bands), weighs 320 grams and measures 7.5mm in thickness. This tablet has a 5MP autofocus camera in front and a 2MP camera on the back. 

Priced at Rs 20,500, its chief competitors are Apple iPad mini 2 (Wi-Fi-only), Asus MemoPad 8 and Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 (4G version). Samsung is going to offer Galaxy Gifts worth Rs 30,000 with this model across genres like entertainment, ebooks, lifestyle, and utility apps. Along with these, Airtel will offer 2GB of free data for 2 months on its 4G network to buyers.

Galaxy Tab E, which runs on the older Android 4.4 (KitKat) operating system, has a 9.6-inch display with 1280x800p resolution. It is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 1.5GB RAM and packs 8GB of internal storage; users can add microSD cards of storage capacities up to 128GB as well. 

Powered by a 5,000mAh battery, Samsung's Galaxy Tab E supports 2G and 3G data, but not 4G. It has a 5MP primary camera, 2MP secondary camera, 8.5mm thickness and 495 gram weight. 

With Samsung Galaxy Tab E, which costs Rs 16,900, Vodafone will offer free 2GB of 3G data per month for 2 months for post paid users and 1GB of 3G data free for 2 months on purchase of 1GB by prepaid consumers. 

Galaxy Tab A will be available in Smoky Titanium and White colours, whereas Galaxy Tab E will be available in Metallic Black and Pearl White colours. 

Sony unveils Xperia Z4v

Sony has launched the Verizon-exclusive variant of its latest flagship Smartphone Xperia Z4 in the US. Named Xperia Z4v, this Smartphone has been announced just a few weeks after Xperia Z4 was announced globally and comes with a few upgrades. 

The single-SIM Xperia Z4v Smatphone runs on Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and is powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset (four 1.5GHz cores + four 2GHz cores) and 3GB RAM. 

The Smartphone sports a 5.2-inch (1440x2560p) QHD resolution with Triluminos display technology and packs a 3,000mAh battery. It comes with a 32GB internal storage with optional installation of microSD card of up to 128GB for external storage. 

The phone is equipped with a 20.7MP rear snapper with LED flash and 5.1MP front-facing camera. 

Xperia Z4v comes with an upgraded screen resolution and a built in Qi and PMA wireless charging support. It has connectivity options of 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and A-GPS and is available in white and black colours. 

The price of the Smatphone is yet to be revealed.

Micromax launches Canvas Sliver 5, World's Slimmest Smartphone

With the launch of Canvas Sliver 5 Smartphone, indigenous brand Micromax has joined the "ultra-slim" bandwagon.

The company claims that the new Canvas Sliver 5 is the thinnest Smartphone "end-to-end" at 5.1mm thickness. Even though Smartphones by Vivo and Oppo are thinner, they have a protruding camera, thus not meeting Micromax's end-to-end criterion.

The new Canvas Sliver 5 has a 4.8-inch AMOLED screen with HD (720x1280p) resolution and runs on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop operating system. The Smartphone comes with just 16GB of internal storage with no provision for storage expansion and runs on Snapdragon 410 chipset, backed by 2GB RAM.

Canvas Sliver 5 has an 8MP rear camera with Sony sensor and a 5MP front snapper. The single-SIM Smartphone supports 4G-LTE, making it only Micromax's second 4G phone. The battery capacity is rated at 2,000mAh.

Priced at Rs 17,999, Micromax Canvas Sliver 5 will compete against Smartphones like Gionee Elife S5.1, Lenovo Vibe X2 and OnePlus One, among others.

Wickedleak launches Wammy Note 4

Wickedleak has launched a mid-range Smartphone - Wammy Note 4, which is priced at Rs 14,990. The phone is available for pre-booking on the company's official website.

Wickedleak Wammy Note 4 is a dual-SIM Smartphone with a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1980p) display and runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

Powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6752 processor and 3GB RAM, the Smartphone offers 16GB internal storage. Users can install microSD cards of up to 64GB for more storage.

Wammy Note 4 sports a 13MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front-facing camera, and packs a 3250mAh battery.

In terms of connectivity options, it supports 3G, 4G, GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS.

Wickedleak Wammy Note 4 will be available in two colour variants - black, and white.

Intex launches Aqua Q4

Domestic handset brand Intex has launched a new Smartphone- Aqua Q4. Priced at Rs 5,290 the Smartphone has been listed on the company website. However, the details of its availability are not given.

The Aqua Q4 Smartphone sports a 5-inch FWVGA (480x854p) display. It is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor coupled with 1GB RAM, and comes with 4GB built-in storage and microSD card support (up to 32GB) under the hood.

The dual-SIM Smartphone features a 5MP rear camera (with flash) and a 2MP front camera.

Intex Aqua Q4 is powered by a 1,800mAh battery and delivers a 4-5 hours of talk-time and 200 hours of standby time. It supports 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

The budget Smartphone runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat and comes with pre-loaded apps such as Opera mini, OLX, Ask Me, etc.

Oppo Neo 5 launched in India

Chinese mobile brand Oppo has launched Neo 5 budget Smartphone in the Indian market at Rs 9,990, which was announced globally in August 2014.

The dual-SIM Oppo Smartphone sports a 4.5-inch (480x854p) IPS LCD display and runs on Android 4.4 (KitKat). It is powered by 1.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor with 1GB RAM and comes with 8GB internal storage and optional external storage expandable up to 32GB via microSD card.

Oppo Neo 5 packs a 2,000mAh battery and comes with a power-saving mode to make the battery last longer. The Smartphone is equipped with a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and a 2MP front-facing camera. In terms of connectivity, Oppo Neo 5 has options of 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and A-GPS.

Oppo Neo 5 is targeted towards consumers who expect superior specifications at decent pricing.

At Rs 9,990, this Smartphone will compete against Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G, Lenovo A7000 and Samsung Galaxy Core Prime 4G.

Dell launches Venue 8 7000, Thinnest Tablet in India

Dell has launched a new high-end tablet, named Venue 8 7000, in the Indian market. At 6.1mm, it is the thinnest tablet in the world, along with iPad Air 2 and Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet.

The tablet, which comes without calling function, sports an 8.4-inch 2560x1600p OLED infinity edge-to-edge display and running 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3500 processor with 2GB RAM.

Venue 8 7000 is powered by Android 4.4 (KitKat) operating system which will soon be upgraded to Android 5.0 (Lollipop). It packs 16GB of internal storage and supports microSD cards of up to 512GB capacity.

The tablet has a 3-camera setup with Intel RealSense Snapshot Depth camera that is capable of capturing a depth map for every picture taken.

Connectivity suite of the tablet consists of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and microUSB 2.0. According to Dell, tablet lasts up to 9.8 hours on a single charge.

Priced at Rs 34,999, it is an expensive competitor to the 4G-enabled iPad mini 3 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 that are available in the Indian market.

Sony reveals Xperia C4 price

Sony has revealed the pricing of the Xperia C4, its new selfie-focused Smartphone. The phone will be available at Rs 29,490 in white, black and vibrant mint colours. 

Sony Xperia C4 sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920p) IPS display. Powered by a 1.7GHz octa-core (Cortex-A53) MediaTek MT6752 processor coupled with 2GB RAM, the phone comes with 16GB internal storage expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. It's powered by a 2,600mAh battery which delivers up to 12 hours 47 minutes of talk time and up to 682 hours of standby time. 

The phone runs Android 5.0 Lollipop, the latest version of Google's mobile operating system, and sports a 13MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash and 5MP front camera with front flash for selfies. 

It measures 150.3x77.4x7.9mm and weighs 147gm. In terms of connectivity, the phone supports Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Hotspot, 4G LTE, 3G, Bluetooth 4.1, and aGPS.

ZTE launches Blade Qlux 4G

Chinese handset maker ZTE has launched a new series of budget Smartphones with the release of Blade Qlux 4G. The Smartphone will be exclusively available through Amazon at Rs 4,999.

The dual-SIM Smartphone sports a 4.5-inch FWVGA (480x854p) IPS display. Powered by Mediatek MTK6732M 1.3GHz quad-core processor, the phone comes with 1GB RAM, and also offers 8GB internal storage. Users who want more storage space can install microSD cards of up to 32GB.

The budget Smartphone sports a 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 5MP front camera.

Blade Qlux 4G packs 2,200mAh battery and runs on Android KitKat 4.4.2. Connectivity options include 4G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

At this price, it is cheapest Smartphone to support 4G and competes with Motorola's Moto E (2nd Gen) 4G at Rs 7,499 and Xiaomi Redmi 2 at Rs 6,999.

Gionee launches Elife E8 and Marathon M5 Smartphones

Chinese mobile manufacturer Gionee has unveiled unique two Smartphones - one featuring a 24MP camera and the other a 6,000mAh battery - at an event in Beijing.

The new Elife E8's 24MP rear camera can produce images of up to 100MP resolution, Gionee claims. It is also the first Android Smartphone to offer lossless imagery at 3X zoom. The front camera of this Smartphone has an 8MP sensor.

The 6-inch Super AMOLED screen of Gionee Elife E8 has 1440x2540p resolution, while the operating system is Android 5.1 (Lollipop) featuring the company's Amigo 3.1 software. The Smartphone has a 2GHz octa-core Mediatek MT6785 chipset with 3GB RAM and comes with 64GB internal storage.

The dual-SIM Smartphone supports 4G and NFC, as well as standard connectivity options. Powered by a 3,500mAh battery, Gionee Elife E8 has a fingerprint scanner and dual speakers that support High Fidelity sound.

Gionee's Marathon M5, which has a 6,000mAh battery, can last up to 4 days on a single charge. The company claims that the Smartphone's extreme mode enables it to deliver standby time of 62 hours with only 5% of charge. The handset can also be used to charge up to 2 devices simultaneously.

Marathon M5 has a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen with 720x1280p resolution, Android Lollipop operating system, 16GB internal storage, 2GB RAM, quad-core Mediatek MT6735 chipset, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera and 4G support.

Micromax launches Canvas Fire 3

Domestic mobile maker Micromax has expanded its Canvas series with the launch of Fire 3 Smartphone. Priced at Rs 6,499, the Smartphone has been listed on the company's website. 

The dual-SIM Smartphone features a 4.5-inch (960x540p) qHD IPS display with dual front firing speakers. 

Canvas Fire 3 is powered by 1.3GHz quad-core processor and 1GB RAM. It operates on Android 4.4.2 (Kitkat) and comes with 8GB internal storage. Users who want more storage space can install microSD cards of up to 32GB. 

The budget Smartphone sports a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and 2MP front camera. 

Micromax Canvas Fire 3 packs 1,850mAh battery and comes preloaded with apps like Hike Messenger, Clean Master, Truecaller and others. Connectivity options include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. 

At this price, the latest Canvas Fire Smartphone competes with Motorola's Moto E (2nd Gen) 3G and Xiaomi Redmi 2 at Rs 6,999. 

The Smartphone offers 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS for connectivity. 

Micromax launches Canvas Knight 2

Micromax has launched its first 4G-enabled Smartphone, Canvas Knight 2, at Rs 16,299. The phone will come with a free Airtel 4G SIM card and will be available starting June 10.

Canvas Knight 2 sports a premium glass and metal build. It has a 5-inch HD (1280x720p) AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Powered by a 64-bit 1.5GHz Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor and 2GB RAM, the phone comes with a microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 32GB capacity. Micromax hasn’t yet specified the internal storage capacity of the phone.

It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop and comes with a number of preloaded apps including CleanMaster and Swiftkey.

The Canvas Knight 2 sports a 13MP rear camera with Sony IMX214 CMOS sensor and LED flash, and a 5MP front-facing camera.

The phone comes with a 2260mAh battery with the claimed talk time of 7 hours 45 minutes and standby time of 335 hours.

The phone comes with a dual nano-SIM card slot with both slots supporting 4G bands, Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth and GPS.

Phicomm launches Passion 660

Chinese smart-devices and networking equipment maker Phicomm is making a foray into the Indian market with the launch of its first Smartphone, Passion 660. The phone will be available starting 9 June at Rs 10,999, exclusively on Amazon.

The dual-SIM Smartphone runs Android KitKat 4.4 and features a 5-inch (1080x1920p) full HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Powered by 64-bit 1.5GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 (MSM8939) processor, the phone comes with 2GB RAM, and also offers 16GB of internal storage.

Users who want more storage space can install microSD cards of up to 64GB as the phone offers a hybrid microSD-nano-sim slot.

Passion 660 sports a 13MP primary camera with LED flash and a 5MP secondary camera (with IMX 214 sensor from Sony), and packs a 2300mAh battery. For connectivity, the dual-SIM Smartphone offers 4G, 3G, GPRS/EDGE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v 4.0 and a micro-USB slot. The phone also boasts of a barometer and a built-in step-counter sensor that does not require GPS & cellular network.

Phicomm Passion 660 will be available in black and white colour variants.

HTC launches Desire 820G+ 4G Smartphone

HTC has introduced budget 4G Smartphone Desire 820G+ in Taiwan, alongside Desire 626G+ that was launched in India last month.

Priced at TWD 5,990, the new Desire 820G+ that will be sold on contract with telecom carrier Chunghwa Telecom.

The all-new Desire 820G+ feature a 5.5-inch (720x1280p) IPS display and runs on Android v4.4.2 (Kitkat). This dual-SIM Smartphone is powered by 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor with 1GB RAM and Mali-450MP4 GPU.

It sports a 13MP rear snapper with LED flash and 8MP front-facing camera.

Packed with 2,600mAh Li-Po non-removable battery, the handset comes with 16GB internal storage and optional installation of microSD card up to 32GB.

On the connectivity front, HTC Desire 820G+ supports 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.0, and A-GPS.

Samsung launches Tizen-powered SUHD 4K TVs

Samsung Electronics has launched its new range of SUHD 4K televisions in India. Part of the JS9000 range, the 55-inch variant is priced at Rs 3,14,900 while the 65-inch variant is available at Rs 4,40,900.

The TVs were first unveiled at CES 2015, in Las Vegas. This model has a soft, textured 'Shirring' design at the back and runs Tizen operating system.

Samsung informed the TVs leverage the proprietary, nano-crystal technology and intelligent SUHD re-mastering picture quality engine, offering enhanced contrast, brightness, color reproduction, and detail.

The SUHD re-mastering engine automatically analyzes the brightness of images to minimize additional power consumption while expressing better contrast levels, producing images with darker blacks and an elevated brightness up to 2.5 times brighter than conventional TVs, and twice the colour adjustment points for accurate colour reproduction, as per Samsung.

The SUHD TV's nano-crystal semiconductor transmits different colours of light depending on their size to produce the highest colour purity and light efficiency available today,' as per the company.

The new user interface for Samsung's Smart Hub is more responsive and allows users easier access to the content they want. It features one screen that displays most recent content and tailored content recommendations. Consumers can share video content from their Samsung smart phone to their Smart TV with the press of a button and can watch TV through their mobile devices without any apps or pre-settings.

Samsung Smart TVs act as an alarm and sync up with Samsung mobile devices, to turn on and display important items such as the time, weather and your schedule for the day.

The TVs will be available at all Samsung Smart Plazas and leading consumer electronic stores.

Panasonic launces Eluga S Mini selfie phone

Panasonic has released the smaller version of its selfie Smartphone Eluga S in the Indian market. The new Smartphone named Eluga S Mini, is priced at Rs 8,990.

The new Eluga S Mini also comes with the Blink Play feature that enables the device to capture selfies with the blink of an eye.

Though its name carries the 'mini' tag, its screen size is 4.7-inch, making it only 0.3-inch smaller than that of its bigger sibling Eluga S.

On the hardware and software front, Panasonic Eluga S Mini shares all other features with the original model.

Eluga S Mini sports a 720X1080p display resolution and packs a 1.4GHz MediaTek octa-core processor and 1GB RAM under the hood. It comes with 8GB internal storage and supports microSD card slots of up to 32GB for expansion.

The phone has a 1,980mAh battery and runs Android 4.4 KitKat and has connectivity options like 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS.