The best smartphone under Rs. 10,000
XOLO B700 – Rs. 8,877
FEATURES
* Android 4.0.4
(Ice Cream Sandwich)
* 4.3-inch qHD IPS capacitive touchscreen
* 5 MP primary rear camera with LED flash and HD video recording. Secondary front camera of 0.3 MP
* Internal memory of 4 GB
* 512 MB RAM
* Dual SIM (GSM + GSM)
* 24-hour talk time and 86-hour music playback battery life
* 1 GHz Dual Core Processor
SAMSUNG GALAXY S DUOS – Rs.9,800
FEATURES
* Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
* 4-inch TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen
* 5 MP primary rear camera with LED flash and VGA secondary front camera
* Internal storage of 4 GB
* 768 MB RAM
* Dual SIM (GSM + GSM)
* 1 GHz ARM Cortex
* A5 processor with Adreno 200 GPU
NOKIA LUMIA 520 -Rs. 8,599
FEATURES
* Windows Phone 8
* 4-inch IPS capacitive touchscreen
* Internal memory of 8 GB
* 512 MB RAM
* 5 MP primary rear camera with HD recording
* 1 GHz Qualcomm Kraut Dual Core Processor
SONY XPERIA E DUAL – Rs. 7,960
FEATURES
* Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
* 3.5-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen
* 3.2 MP primary rear camera
* 4GB in-built memory
* 512 MB RAM
* 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor
KARBONN S5 TITANIUM -Rs. 9,350
FEATURES
* Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
* 5-inch qHD IPS capacitive touchscreen
* 8 MP primary rear camera with LED flash and 2 MP secondary front camera
* 4 GB in-built memory
* 1 GB RAM
* Dual SIM (GSM+GSM)
* 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Quad Core Processor
FREE APPS of the MONTH
APPS TO HELP YOU STUDY FOR THE EXAMS
SPARKNOTES
Platform: Android, iOS
Description: The Sparknotes app is packed with brilliant study guides of various popular pieces of English literature including short stories, poetry, drama and Shakespeare (oh, the horror!). Sparknotes also gives you an option of downloading the study guides to read them offline later.
SIMPLEMIND
Platform: Android, iOS
Description: SimpleMind enables students to create mind maps and brainstorm in order to develop ideas or understand complex concepts. It feels like Sherlock’s mind palace, only that everything is right in front of your eyes.
STUDYBLUE
Platform: Android, iOS
Description: This app gives one the ability to create and share notes in the form of flash cards. While succoring you in brushing up skills on the go and setting study reminders, it also cuts you some slack by suggesting concentrations in areas you might be struggling.
MYSCRIPT CALCULATOR
Platform: Android, iOS
Description: For those who would rather scribble than type, MyScript Calculator is an incredibly fast way of converting your handwritten numbers and symbols to digital text with the result at hand in almost no time. Quirky and efficient, this app is certainly more fun than your normal calculator.
STRESSCHECK
Platform: Android, iOS
Description: Measuring your pulse with the help of your phone’s camera, StressCheck estimates your level of stress. No word of honour on the accuracy but this app is indeed capable of reading low and high stress responses. With exams in the offing, what could hurt in trying to calm down?
NEW GADGETS
PANASONIC LUMIX GX7 -Rs. 56,990
The latest mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera from Panasonic looks old-school, but boasts of a number of features.
FEATURES
* 16 megapixel mirrorless camera
* ISO sensitivity ranges from 125 to 25600
* 3-inch LCD display with 1040K resolution
* Sensor shift-based image stabiliser
* Video records at 1080/60p resolution at 28Mbps
* Battery lasts for 350 shots
* Weighs 402 grams
FINAL VERDICT: Entry-level DSLRs have higher specs than the GX7. But in the MILC category, this is one of the best for anyone looking for a camera that packs good image performance in a compact body. The price tag is a deterrent, though.
JBL PULSE – Rs. 14,990
Bluetooth speakers with an integrated lighting display attempts to pack everything in a capsule.
FEATURES
* Multi-LED display
* 2 x 6 watt-speaker
* In-built rechargeable battery that lasts 10 hours with sound only and 5 hours with light and sound
* Frequency response: 100Hz-20kHz
* Includes micro USB connectivity
FINAL VERDICT: The lighting display is certainly an attention grabber, but the price and the mediocre sound quality diminish the novelty of the flashy lights.
LG G FLEX – Rs. 69,999
LG’s first curved display phone is also India’s most expensive Android phone.
FEATURES
* Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2
* 6-inch 720p Plastic OLED (POLED) curved display
* Phone dimensions: 6.32 x 3.21 x 0.34 inches
* Quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor with a speed of 2.26 GHz
* 2 GB RAM
* 13 MP rear camera and 2.1 MP front camera
* 1280 x 720 p resolution display
* Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and USB 3.0.
* “Self-healing” rear finish
FINAL VERDICT: For a phone at this price, the size is ungainly, the camera is mediocre, the display is standard and the operating system is not up-to-date. The Samsung Galaxy Note phones are far superior and cheaper.
AMAZON KINDLE PAPERWHITE 3G – Rs. 13,999
Amazon’s second generation Paperwhite Kindle is an improved version of the first Paperwhite.
FEATURES
* 6-inch monochromatic screen
* 212 ppi resolution
* At 215 grams, it is lighter than the first gen Paperwhite
* 2 GB internal memory of which 1.25 GB is available to the user
* Integrated with Goodreads
* 3G and WiFi connectivity
FINAL VERDICT: The built-in light which makes reading so comfortable on a Kindle is the best yet so far with this Paperwhite. Battery life is decent too, as long as WiFi is switched off. A non-expandable memory is the biggest letdown for bibliophiles.
Volume 3 Issue 9
