As promised, Meizu brought its m3 note to India this week. The smartphone was first announced in China last month and is already available there. It will be available exclusively from Amazon.in through flash sale starting from May 31st at 2PM for Rs. 9,999.
The Meizu m3 note packs a 5.5-inch 1080p 2.5D curved glass display, is powered by an Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P10 processor, runs on Android 5.1 (Lollipop) with Flyme OS on top, has a 13-megapixel rear camera with phase-detection auto-focus (PDAF) for fast focus in just 0.2 seconds and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
It has a mTouch 2.1 fingerprint sensor embedded into the home button that can unlock the phone in just 0.2 seconds, available in 3GB RAM with 32GB storage in India and has a huge 4100mAh battery, which is 100mAh extra then the Redmi Note 3. The Meizu m3 note comes in Gold, Silver and Gray colors and is priced at Rs. 9,999 in India. Check out the the photo gallery and unboxing.
httpv://youtu.be/JDIoOmlfZ18
After Lenovo-FoneArena successful meetups in India, the company finally launched its sub-brand ZUK and its first Z series Cyanogen OS-based smartphone Zuk Z1 at Rs. 13,499. The smartphone was introduced back in August last year, packs a 5.5-inch 1080p display, is powered by Snapdragon 801 SoC, packs 3GB of RAM, runs on Cyanogen OS 12.1 based on Andriod 5.1 (Lollipop), has a 13-megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash and a 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
The Lenovo Zuk Z1 comes in dark grey color and is priced at Rs. 13,499 in India. It will be exclusively available from Amazon.in through flash sale starting from May 19th. Registration for the sale begins 1PM today. We had reviewed the Z1 running its own ZUI last year, check out the review here if you are planning to get one.
Vu Technologies, California-based luxury TV company launched four new Smart TVs varying between the screen sizes of 32-inch to 55-inch. All these have built-in Wi-Fi, 3 HDMI ports in 32 and 40-inch TVs, 2 HDMI ports in 50 and 55-inch TVs, 2 USB ports, MHL and DLNA support.
These are powered by the quad-core internet video processor and offer on-demand video channels like YuppTV, RedBull, Kidoz and Tedx, and also connects Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. VU has partnered with Flipkart to sell these new Smart TVs and it ranges from Rs. 18,990 to 51,990.
Samsung launched Galaxy J5 (2016) and J7 (2016), two new smartphones in the new J series, as it had promised. These were announced in March in China. The Galaxy J5 (2016) has a 5.2-inch HD Super AMOLED screen, while the J7 (2016) has a 5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED screen. Both these have a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, f/1.9 aperture and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera with LED flash for capturing better selfies. These have dual SIM support and 4G LTE connectivity.
The Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) and Galaxy J7 (2016) come in Gold, White and Black colors and are priced at Rs. 13,990 and Rs. 15,990, respectively. Both the smartphones are available through Flipkart.
iBall launched CompBook Excelance, it’s latest affordable Windows 10 laptop in partnership with Intel and Microsoft. It has a 11.6-inch (1366 x 768 pixels) display, is powered by a Quad Core Intel Z3735F processor, comes with a keyboard and a trackpad and weighs just 1.09kg. It has also launched a CompBook Exemplaire version with a 14-inch (1366 x 768 pixels) display with almost similar specifications, check it here.
The iBall CompBook Excelance comes in Blue color and is priced at Rs. 9,999 and the CompBook Exemplaire is priced at Rs. 13,999. The Pro version of these laptops with Windows 10 Pro are priced at Rs. 19,999 and Rs. 23,999, respectively. These will be available through major online retailers first and in 3 to 4 weeks from all the IT retail channels.
Intex launched it’s latest budget 4G smartphone in the Cloud series dubbed the Cloud Fame. It has a 4.5-inch FWVGA display, is powered by a 1GHz quad-core MediaTek processor and runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). It has a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
It has dual-SIM support, Matrabhasha service that enables communication in 21 regional languages, packs 1GB RAM, has 8GB of internal storage with expansion slot and a 1800mAh battery. The Intex Cloud Fame comes in chocolate brown and dark blue colors and will be exclusively available from Snapdeal for Rs. 3,999.
The company alongside launched two smartwatches in partnership with MediaTek dubbed the iRist Pro and iRist Junior. The Intex iRist Junior for kids is the first IOT-based wearable device from Indian brand that is powered by the MediaTek MT6261 SoC. It includes GPS solution for child tracking, has a 0.96-inch TFT screen and weighs 48.5 grams.
The iRist Pro, successor of the first iRist smartwatch is powered by the MT2502 SoC, has water resistant body, Bluetooth 4.0 and is compatible with Android 4.4 or later. It comes with a 2.5D curved glass display, can make or receive calls, but it doesn’t have a camera like the first iRist smartwatch. The Intex iRist Junior is priced at Rs. 3,999 (MRP). The iRist Pro will release soon and the pricing has not been announced yet.
Reliance Retail launched Lyf Fame 2 and Lyf Wind 4, two new 4G smartphone with VoLTE. The Lyf Fame 2 has a 4-inch WVGA screen and is powered by MediaTek 6735M SoC, while the Lyf Wind 4 comes with a 5-inch HD screen, is powered by Snapdragon 210 SoC and has a 4000mAh battery. Both these have dual SIM support, run Android 5.1 (Lollipop) and pack 1GB of RAM.
The Reliance Lyf Fame 2 comes in Black and White colors and is priced at Rs. 4,799 and the Lyf Wind 4 comes in Black, Blue and Brown colors and is priced at Rs. 6,799. Both these smartphones will be available through retail stores across India.
SanDisk launched a new iXpand Flash Drive this week. It was first announced last month, is a compact drive weighing only 5.3 grams and also has a USB 3.0 connector for faster transfer speeds to Mac or PCs. It also has a redesigned iOS app to easily manage photos, videos and music.
The new SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive is priced at Rs. 3990, Rs. 4990, Rs. 6990 and Rs. 9990 for 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities, respectively. It will be available from Amazon.in exclusively for 30 days and will roll out later through other channels.
Pebble finally launched its Pebble Classic, Pebble Time, Pebble Time Round and Pebble Time Steel smartwatches in India exclusively on Amazon.in. All these have e-ink displays, track steps, sleep and connect to Android or iPhone to offer notifications for calendar events, text and emails, incoming calls and more. Check full details here.
The Pebble Time Classic comes in White, Black, Pink and Red colors and is priced at Rs. 5,999. The Pebble Time comes in White, Black and Red for Rs. 9,999. The Pebble Time Round comes in Black and Silver/Stone for Rs. 13,599. The Pebble Time Steel comes in Black, Silver and Gold with leather band for Rs. 15,999.
Weekly Announcements
Xiaomi announced Mi Max, the company’s first phablet at an event in China this week. It has a 6.44-inch 1080p 2.5D curved glass display, is powered by an Hexa-Core Snapdragon 650 or Octa-Core Snapdragon 652 SoCs, runs on MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). It has a full metal unibody design and is just 7.5mm thick. It also has hybrid SIM slot that lets you use the second slot as a microSD expansion slot when required. It also packs a huge 4850mAh battery.
The Xiaomi Mi Max comes in gold, silver and light grey colors. It comes in 3 variants. 3GB RAM with 32GB storage and Snapdragon 650 SoC variant is priced at 1499 yuan (US$ 230 / Rs. 15335 approx.) , 3GB RAM with 64GB storage and Snapdragon 652 SoC variant is priced at 1699 yuan (US$ 260 / Rs. 17,375 approx.) and the 4GB RAM with 128GB storage and Snapdragon 652 SoC variant is priced at 1999 yuan (US$ 306 / Rs. 20,445 approx.). It will be available for order starting today in China and will go on sale from May 17th. No word on the global roll out yet.
The firm also introduced a new YI action camera with support for 4K video recording at 30 fps, including hyperlapse and has a 12MP Sony IMX377 sensor. It also has a 2.19-inch display to view the videos and photos and also has dual-band WiFi support to connect to Android smartphones. It has Ambarella A9SE SoC that supports H.264 codec. It also has a separate app for image and video editing and also lets you share them easily.
The Xiaomi YI 4K action camera comes in Black, White and Pink colors and is priced at 1199 yuan (US$ 183 / Rs. 12,270 approx.). It also comes with a Bluetooth remote and selfie stick for 1299 yuan (US$ 199 / Rs. 13,295 approx.).
LG too introduced its Action CAM which comes with built in 4G LTE connectivity. The camera allows users to stream directly to sites such as YouTube Live without a smartphone. The 12.3-megapixel camera has a 150-degree wide angle lens. LG Action CAM will offer remote access functionality via 3G and LTE. Along with LTE, the camera also supports WiFi and Bluetooth. It is dust and water resistant and can be immersed in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. LG will launch a fully waterproof case later this year.
The LG Action Cam will launch in Korea this June. There is no word on pricing of the camera yet.
Huawei announced Honor V8, the company’s latest flagship smartphone in the honor series. It packs a 5.7-inch Full HD or a Quad HD 2.5D curved glass display, is powered by an Octa-Core Kirin 950 / 955 SoC and runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with EMUI 4.1 on top. The main highlight of the smartphone are the dual 12-megapixel rear cameras with laser auto focus and 1.76-micron pixel size promising brilliant image quality in low-light conditions.
It has a fingerprint sensor on the back and a dedicated key on the right side for intelligent voice actions and quickly open apps. It has full metal body and packs a 3500mAh battery with support for fast charging. The box of the smarthone transforms into a VR headset easily. It is now available for order in China and will go on sale from May 17th.
Huawei, along with the honor V8 smartphone introduced its latest Honor Band A1 fitness tracker. In addition to accurate fitness tracking such as exercise time, distance walked or run, steps taken and calories burnt, it also has advanced sleep tracking that can track even small naps and calculate the quality of sleep such as deep sleep. It also has silent vibration alarm and alerts you for incoming calls when connected to Android or iOS devices.
It has a LED light for incoming call alerts and SMS alerts uses Bluetooth 4.2. It has UV sensor to measure the UV radiation and recommends you the suitable sunscreen to use. It has a metal body and is waterproof with IP57 ratings. The Huawei Honor Band A1 comes in a range of colors and is priced at 99 yuan (US$ 15 / Rs. 1,010 approx.) with silicone bands and 199 yuan (US$ 30 / Rs. 2,035 approx.) for the leather bands. It is available for order in China and goes on sale from May 25th. No details about the global roll out yet.
Qihoo 360 (QiKU) introduced N4, the company’s latest smartphone at an event in China. It has a 5.5-inch 1080p 2.5D curved glass display, is powered by a Octa-Core 64-bit MediaTek Helio X20 processor, runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with 360 OS. It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, PDAF for quick focus in 0.1 seconds and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
It comes with a hybrid dual-SIM slot that lets you use the secondary SIM as a microSD slot when required and has a 3080mAh battery with turbo charge.
Samsung announced Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2016), the company’s latest tablet in new Galaxy Tab A (2016) series, after introducing the Tab A 7.0 (2016). It has a 10.1-inch WUXGA, is powered by an Octa-Core Exynos 7870 processor, runs on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and also comes in 4G variant.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2016) comes in Black and White colors and is priced at 289 Euros (US$ 329 / Rs. 21,980 approx.) for the WiFi variant and the LTE version is priced at 349 Euros (US$ 397 / Rs. 26,545 approx.). It will be available in Germany and few other European countries from June 2016.
Lastly, HTC announced the Desire 628 dual sim, the company’s latest mid-range smartphone in the Desire series in Vietnam. It packs a 5.5-inch HD screen, is powered by an Octa-Core MediaTek MT6753 64-bit processor and runs on Android 5.1 (Lollipop) with HTC’s own Sense UI on top. It has a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It has dual front-facing BoomSound speakers.
The HTC Desire 628 dual sim comes in two colors, but no details about the pricing or roll out details yet.