GOOGLE Nexus 5 by LG

Google unveiled its Nexus 5 Android smartphone, built by LG, which Google will sell unlocked starting at $349 for the 16 GB model. Google said the LTE-capable phone will be sold by Sprint , T-Mobile US and AT&T Mobility, according to reports, but that the phone will not work on Verizon Wireless network.

According to The Verge, Google's Sundar Pichai, vice president of Android and Chrome, confirmed that "the Nexus 5 will not be on Verizon." As The Verge points out, this is the second major Google device that appears to have been snubbed by Verizon; the carrier initially refused to support Google's recently announced Nexus 7 tablet, though Verizon subsequently promised to reverse that position at some point in the future.

"LG is proud to partner with Google again to develop the fastest, most powerful Nexus phone ever," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "Nexus 5 offers the ultimate functionality in a modern design and is a testament to the level of innovation that can be generated when two great companies come together for a second act."

                                                                                                                                                              

Google Nexus 5 is the first to run Android 4.4, which brings a new dialer that automatically suggests people 
the most likely call while Caller ID by Google matches an incoming phone number to a business even if that number isn't stored in the contact list. Users can send and receive text messages directly from Hangouts, and Hangouts for Android now supports location sharing. 

The Nexus 5 comes with a 4.95-inch full-HD IPS display and is powered by a 2.26GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor alongside 2GB of RAM. It comes with an 8.0-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera. It comes in 16GB and 32GB storage options, with Black and White colours to choose from.

As a welcome change, developers (Google and LG) have incorporated tough polycarbonate material for the Nexus 5 back cover as seen on the recently released Nexus 7. It is certain to help users have a better grip over the device.

Currently, Google Nexus 5 is the only device in the market to feature Android v4.4 KitKat and comes with a slew of enhanced features such as smarter caller ID, more organised message grouping, low-power audio play playback (about 60 hours), quick access to settings, Quickoffice word document app, Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile) and many more applications.

Nexus 4 currently runs on the updated v4.3 Jelly Bean. Nexus 4 owners need not wait long for the new v4.4 KitKat as Google has confirmed that the new OS update will be rolled in few weeks time.

2013 Nexus phone flaunts a 4.95 inch full HD IPS display with 445 ppi and features Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen guard. Despite boasting a bigger display, Nexus 5 weighs less than its predecessor. It weighs 130 g, whereas Nexus 4 measures 139 g. That's not all; LG has managed to reduce bezel size of Nexus 5 to 8.9 mm. Its predecessor had 9.1 mm thickness.

Micromax Canvas Tab P650

Design, Display and OS

The Micromax Canvas Tab P650 tablet weight is 448 grams without snap cover, the weight with snap cover is over 500 grams (585 grams). Tab is 9.55mm thick. The P650 has got curved edges and available in blue and white (sliver) colors. The one that I used for the review is shiny silver color with matte finish and the snap cover is white color.

The snap cover is something that you might have seen with the Apple iPad. You can fold it and use it as a stand, check the review video. The cover comes with a plastic case – the tablet is clipped in. Volume rockers are placed on the right side along with micro USB port and a single SIM slot that houses a normal SIM. This tablet supports 3G with phone functionality. The power button, 3.5mm audio jack and micro USB port is placed on the top.

The back of the Canvas Tab has a brushed aluminium finish which gives it classy looks, with a section at the top which looks removable (The back panel cannot be detached as it has been screwed on), though is not. Micromax has got rid of the cheap plastic body and equips an aluminium body at the back, which does feel better to hold than the Funbook tablets. Lodged in the back is a 5-megapixel auto focus camera at the top left corner and the speaker grill. 

The tablet's rear also houses Micromax logo branding embossed in the centre with the model name - 'Canvas Tab' along with inbuilt storage capacity printed at the bottom, something we have seen on Apple's iPad models.

Hardware and Specifications

The Micromax Canvas Tab P650 is the first tablet to be launched in the Canvas series. The tablet features a SIM card slot, and can be used for voice calling and 3G browsing. Under the hood, the Canvas Tab features the MediaTek MT8389 chip, which includes a 1.2 GHz quad-core Cortex A7 CPU. The Canvas Tab comes with 1 GB DDR3 RAM, 16 GB internal memory, of which 11.07 GB is available to the user, and a micro-SD card slot that boosts overall storage to 32 GB.

Connectivity and Battery

The tablet features a SIM card slot, so you can connect to 3G networks on the go. Also included is Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth 3.0 and micro-USB 3.0. The Micromax Canvas Tab comes with a 4,800 mAh battery that is claimed to give 10 hours of voice calling, and 5 hours of full-HD video along with 400 hours on standby.

Micromax Canvas Tab P650 review (verdict)

The MMX Canvas Tab competes with Samsung Galaxy tab. If you compare it with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (T211) (with 8GB and 3G), there is much more that the P650 is offering, the price is near about the same. It will be interesting to see what Xolo Tegra Note will be priced at.

Of course Canvas Tab P650 is a better option specs wise but brand wise Samsung still rules. Nevertheless Canvas Tab is a good option with snap cover.

HTC Desire 500 with Android 4.2

The ecommerce site also notes that the device will be released in the first week of October. The HTC Desire 500 has also been listed on Flipkart with a coming soon tag.

It's worth pointing out that the Taiwanese handset maker has not listed the device on its official India website, yet. The company unveiled the HTC Desire 500 in Taiwan back in July.

The HTC Desire 500 is powered by a quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor coupled with 1GB of RAM. The phone measures 131.8x66.9x9.9mm and weighs 123 grams. It features a 4.3-inch WVGA (480x800 pixels) display. There is 4GB inbuilt storage that can be further expandable up to 64GB with the help of microSD card. An 8-megapixel rear camera can be found at the back accompanied by an LED flash and a 1.6-megapixel front camera. The device can record videos at 720p and also features Beats Audio.

HTC Desire 500 features Beats Audio and can record videos at 720p. Its 1,800mAh battery can deliver 17.8 hours of talk time and 401 hours of standby time, as claimed by the company.

It was only last week when the company had launched HTC One mini which was well received by the market. The smartphone is expected to be available in India only after September, although it will make its foray into selected market from August itself.
It was only last week when the company had launched HTC One mini which was well received by the market. The smartphone is expected to be available in India only after September, although it will make its foray into selected market from August itself.

The dimension of the HTC One is 131.8x66.9x9.9mm and it weighs 123g. Both the parameters meet the standard requirements of its fee-good handling. Its 4GB internal storage can be further expanded up to 64GB with a microSD card.

The biggest strength of HTC Desire 500 is its Sense 5 and what it has missed out from the earlier One is BoomSound. For the company, the logic is clear. It wants to add more visual treat than the audio pleasure.

Nokia Lumia 1020

Nokia Lumia 1020

The Nokia Lumia 1020 is one of Nokia's path breaking products. The company has been focusing on innovation in imaging technology, and the first smartphone to showcase it was the Nokia PureView 808, which was based on the ageing Symbian platform. Nokia decided to abandon Symbian and switch to Windows Phone but it took the company some time to bring the PureView technology to the new platform, despite using the PureView branding with some of the early Lumia Windows Phone-powered devices to highlight their special camera features which included low-light imaging and optical image stabilization.

Featuring the second generation 41 megapixel imaging sensor, the device is designed to remove the complexity of photography while enhancing the creativity of imaging enthusiasts in the way they shoot, edit and share pictures.

The Nokia Lumia 1020 looks strikingly similar to the Lumia 920 at first glance. The Lumia 1020 features the similar unibody design and a polycarbonate shell as the Lumia 920.The two sport very similar dimensions, with the Lumia 1020 slightly thinner (at 10.4mm, compared to 10.7mm), and quite a bit lighter (158 grams, compared to 185 grams).

The front of the Lumia 1020 is dominated by a 4.5-inch AMOLED display which features Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection and Nokia's ClearBack and PureMotion HD+ technology. The display looks crisp and bright with colours appearing to be really vivid. It's worth pointing out that the screen sports a resolution of 768x1280 pixels and pixel density of 334ppi. 

"Nokia has a rich and colorful history of helping people capture and share their memories. The Nokia Lumia 1020 delivers a wealth of imaging innovation not seen on any other smartphone. Nothing gets as close with the 41 megapixel sensor, as the device allows users to see things they never thought possible," said Vithesh Reddy, General Manager, Nokia Lower Gulf.

The Nokia Lumia 1020 will be available in yellow, white and black at the Nokia stand and all major electronic retail stores participating at Gitex Shopper.