Wednesday 18 December 2013

Notion Ink Adam 2 goes on sale, starts at INR 16,499

Notion Ink’s second Adam tablet is here barring the excitement that was present at the launch of the first one. Dubbed as Adam 2, the tablet hasn’t changed a bit since we last reported about it back in May this year.

Notion Ink Adam 2 can now be purchased from the company website, where it has been on sale for the last couple of days. It features a 10.1-inch IPS display with 1280x800p resolution, dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, a secondary display, 3.15MP rear and front cameras and 6000 mAh battery.  In addition, the tablet packs 8GB of storage, microSD card slot, Wi-Fi, optional 3G, Bluetooth and Android 4.2.2.

According to Notion Ink, you can buy the Wi-Fi version of the tablet for INR 16,499 and 3G version for INR 18,999. The company is also offering some discounts on the list prices right now.

As you can see, apart from that secondary display present on the spine of the tablet, there is hardly anything exciting about the tablet. The specifications are average and can be found in tablets, which are priced much cheaper. The disappointment of the first tablet hasn’t really helped the company and even the hardcore fans of Notion Ink (if there are any left) would think twice before going for this tablet.

iBall launches Android phone for women, priced at INR 8,999

iBall has taken the wraps off a new Android smartphone today. Targeted to the female consumers, the new phone is dubbed as Andi Uddaan and comes bundled with host of safety and emergency-related features.

According to iBall, Andi Uddaan comes with a dedicated SOS button on the back of the device, which once pressed will alert pre-defined set of contacts, blow a loud siren, and even post a Facebook status.

“Restrictions to night parties, late work hours, empty road worries are now things of past. iBall Andi Uddaan is every woman’s answer to self-defense. On pressing the SOS button, siren rings alerting people around and sends a pre-defined message to five emergency contacts. It also starts calling those five numbers and updates your location on Facebook with geo-codes. The process of SIREN > SMS > CALLS is repeated thrice,” iBall notes on the official product page.

The phone also features a ‘In case of Emergency’ (ICE) app, which allows users to add details like blood group, medical history, emergency contacts and more.  In addition, with iBall Andi Udaan, users can let up to 10 contacts track their real-time location.

Safety features aside, the phone comes with 5-inch qHD display, 1.3GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.2, dual-SIM support, 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera.  The phone also packs 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, microSD card slot, 2000 mAh battery and the usual set of connectivity options.

iBall Andi Uddaan will be available in White and Pink colour options and has been priced at INR 8,999 (MRP: 10,999).  The company is also bundling free accessories like flip cover, extra back cover, pink purse and scratch guard free with every purchase.

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Google releases Nexus 7 Folio case in Google Play

Google has added a new official accessory for Nexus 7 (2013) tablet in Google Play in the form of Folio Case. Priced at $49.99 (INR 3,299 in India), it joins the already available sleeve, wireless charger, and case accessories.

Google Play Description:

The premium folio features an open back bumper-style case with a trifold cover. It is made from a combination of durable polycarbonate and a soft elastomer to provide a perfect fit and a secure hold. The trifold cover gives two comfortable angles for upright viewing and ergonomic typing. With the convenient wake-up feature, Nexus 7 wakes and sleeps when you open and close the cover. For quick convenience, the Nexus 7 Folio works seamlessly with wireless chargers so you can charge and go.

Nexus 7 Folio is available in Black and Bright Red colour options and can now be purchased from Google Play in US. Other markets are expected to get it soon.

This is Nokia’s first Android Phone


You are looking at a smartphone codenamed “Normandy,” which is reportedly Nokia’s entry-level Android phone. According to a report in The Verge, this smartphone has been in works at Nokia for quite some time and uses a forked version (like Amazon) of Android.

There is no confirmation on whether Nokia will actually release the phone but considering that it has been in development despite the acquisition proceedings with Microsoft, it is very likely that we will see the smartphone.

In another report, BGR India adds that we could see the announcement of this smartphone around the time of Mobile World Congress 2014.

Not many details are available at this point about Nokia Normandy but it is said to be Nokia’s successor Asha-series of phones, which are targeted at budget conscious buyers, who want smartphone experience without spending too much money.

Normandy will include all of Nokia’s services like Maps, music and other applications and will also allow consumers to download more Android applications via an Android appstore tie-up but exact details are unclear.

While we could see the launch of Normandy, we are not too hopeful for the future of Android at Nokia. As Microsoft is buying Nokia’s handset division, it will want to put Windows Phone operating system on almost all of Nokia’s offerings.