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Xolo launches another gaming Android phone called Play 8X-1100

Xolo has introduced its Play 8X-1100 gaming Android phone after launching the  Play 8X-1200  earlier this month. Optimised for mobile gamers, this handset comes with 1.7 GHz octa-core processor along with 700 MHz Mali 450 GPU and 2 GB RAM. It also houses a gyroscope for 6-axis motion sensing HD gaming experience. Xolo Play 8X-1100 runs on Andorid 4.4 KitKat OS and sports a 5-inch full HD IPS display, protected with CORNING Gorilla Glass 3.

Play 8X-1100 allows access to Xolo’s exclusive gaming zone- Xolo Play Zone where user can choose, download and play from a collection of HD games. Apart from free games, user has access to paid HD games as well. All these paid games are available at discounted rate as compared to Google Play, exclusively on XOLO Play Zone.

The device features a 13 MP rear camera with high sensitivity Sony Exmor RS Sensor and faster auto focus with closed loop function. The 5-megapixel front-facing camera, with 88 degree wide-angle lens and BSI Sensor let users capture selfies. Play 8X-1100 offers 1080p Full HD recording (rear) and playback and sports dual speakers with DTS surround sound for a rich multimedia experience.

XOLO Play 8X-1100 is packed with the latest file sharing technology- Hotknot which can transmit data wirelessly placing two devices near each other, with speed 5 times faster than normal Bluetooth. To transfer data, user needs to bring two devices (both should support Hotknot feature) closer, simply by touching screen to screen.

The device sports 16 GB internal memory which is expandable upto 32 GB. The phone is powered by a 2100 mAh Li-ion battery and has OTG support allowing users to connect USB pen drives.

samsung smartphones 2014

iPhone 6 Release Date Nears: Sept. 9, 2014 Launch Event Rumors Continue, iPad Mini, iPad Air Following in October

Apple has been generating a lot of hype for their upcoming release of the iPhone 6. Expectations are high for the iPhone 6 with a probable Sept. 9 release.

With Samsung, HTC, and LG bringing out premium large-screen phones, Apple will need to make the iPhone 6 bigger as well if they ever want to stand a chance against the likes of the Galaxy S5, the One M8, and the G3.

In addition to the iPhone 6, Apple is also looking to announce its new iPad Air and iPad Mini as well.

The Cupertino company has always had the habit of releasing their new products during a special event on September. If anything, the iPhone 6 could be seeing a release alongside the new iOS 8 and then the iPad Air the following month. What's more, it looks like the company is also going to release both size variants – the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch – at the same time.

Nothing is still final though as the release of the two size variants could still be split if the production of the 5.5-inch version falls short of the deadline.

As with all Apple products, the iPhone 6 won't be cheap. The company has had a long history of releasing devices that come with a premium price, and the new iPhone won't be an exception.

With the iPhone 6's larger screen, a new glass covering, and improved hardware specifications, prices could reach as much as $850.

Truly, the pressure heaping up on the iPhone 6 is tremendous and the release could either make or break the new generation Apple smartphone.

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Samsung could launch new 'A' series of smartphones

Get ready for more talk of premium Samsung smartphones.

According to a SamMobile tipster, the handset maker is slated to introduce no less than three devices in the third quarter. What's more, this new "A" line will feature the same design principles found in theGalaxy Alpha.

Reportedly, Samsung will launch a trio of phones that runAndroid 4.4 KitKat and feature metal components in their cases. Bearing the model numbers of SM-A300, SM-A500, and SM-A700, the threesome should hit multiple price ranges.

In terms of specifications, we know very little about the A series of smartphones. The A300 is purported to offer a qHD (960x540) display while the others could pack HD displays. It's not clear if these are 720p or 1080p screens however we might not be surprised to get one of each. Other than this, the only detail shared by the blog is that of "better" front-facing cameras.

Given that Samsung's Unpacked event next week figures to be all about the Galaxy Note 4, we may look for the device maker to introduce the A family at a later date. A last-minute rumor making the rounds suggests the forthcoming phablet could feature some of that metal goodness that's so popular as of late.

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Android L and Windows Phone 8.1: Top Features Why Users Must Upgrade As Soon As Possible

The Android L and Windows Phone 8.1 updates are very essential to eligible devices and users should know the new features. Here are the reasons why upgrade to the software or buy a new device running the latest OS version.

Google improved various aspects of Android OS on the upcoming "L" version based on the unveiled developer preview. Android L features a new user interface, a new runtime for apps and new efficiency tools.

1.      Android L user interface boasts the new Material Theme which design native apps. Material Theme design supports both smartphones and tablets with new shadows and animations. Users can also change the colour schemes of Material Theme between white and black.

2.      New widgets are now supported on Android L which can carry complex views unlike with previous versions. Google Cards version of widgets displays images and other important contents while the list view features a more user-friendly appearance.

3.      More animations are added to Android L including touch feedback, reveal effect, activity transition, curved motion, view state change and state list drawables. In addition, developers can also create customised animations on Android L.

4.      New runtime called ART or Android Runtime has been carried over from Android 4.4 KitKat. On Android L, ART becomes the default runtime that switches Dalvik as optional.

5.      OpenGL ES 3.1 for graphics is now supported which improves graphical shaders, textures and rendering.

6.      New camera API for advanced camera capabilities such as fine-grain photo capture and image processing.

7.      Bluetooth Low Energy support for peripheral devices with Bluetooth LE compatibility.

8.      Improved power management with Project Volta and scheduling jobs.

9.      New version of the default Android keyboard with Material Design. It also features several improvements on user experience, suggestions and input method editors.

10.  More manageable lock screen and notifications giving users the ability to allow or disallow sensitive contents to be displayed.

Windows Phone 8.1

Similar with Android, Windows Phone devices are also receiving a major revamped on the user interface and functionality from Windows Phone 8.1 update. Based on Microsoft, Windows Phone 8.1 enhances usability, camera function and management tools on any devices running the update.

1.      New virtual assistance called Cortana for search queries, suggestions and useful recommendations.

2.      Customisations and personalisation options across the Live Tiles, Start Screen, wallpaper and themes.

3.      Upgraded camera app with Burst Mode, Photo Apps and Collections.

4.      Integration across different screen sizes and Microsoft services including Office, Skype and OneDrive.

5.      Xbox is now a native app with connection to achievements, friends and multiplayer action. Support for Xbox Music and Xbox Video on this app has been provided as well.

6.      Word Flow keyboard feature for easier writing using fingers on the screen.

7.      Action Centre more centralised notifications of email, texts and social media updates. Toggles such as Wi-Fi, Airplane Mode and others are also added on the Action Centre.

8.      Improve battery life using Battery Saver app.

9.      Manage storage better using Storage Sense app.

10.  Management on data usage for mobile Internet and Wi-Fi using Data Sense and Wi-Fi Sense apps.

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Android users have an average of 95 apps installed on their phones, according to Yahoo Aviate data

Yahoo acquired intelligent Android launcher Aviateback in January this year, before launching the service out of beta in June.

In a nutshell, Aviate automatically organizes your apps and aggregates your personal and local data. This may include weather forecasts, transit information and calendar events. It adjusts according to time of day and your other activities to bring contextually-relevant information to your homescreen.

A by-product of this is that Yahoo/Aviate gathers a lot of data about key activities on Android, including what apps users interact with most, average apps installed and so on. Indeed, Yahoo Aviate and Yahoo Labs have pulled together an infographic (see below) that reveals users have an average of 95 apps installed on their phones, 35 of which are used (on average) each day.

Digging a little deeper, it’s clear that certain apps appeal to users at specific times of day, which probably doesn’t come as that much of a surprise. Google Maps usage peaks later in the day when people are trying to get places, while the clock app peaks at night-time and in the morning.

Netflix, on the other hand, rises steadily throughout the day to a high at around 10pm, while the phone and SMS apps are most often used during working hours.

Though Yahoo won’t reveal actual download figures for Aviate, Google Play’s rather broad range reveals it has been installed between 1 million and 5 million times, so the data is based on a significant number of users. That said, it is restricted to those who are inclined to install a launcher such as this, so it’s perhaps not entirely representative of the broader Android app install-base.

Anyway, check out some more of its numbers from the infographic below.

Turn your iPhone into a virtual reality device with cardboard

When it was announced earlier this year, Google Cardboard gave the public an interesting and informative take on virtual reality: you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars to get hooked up to an immersive headset experience.  

Cardboard is a literal piece of cardboard that comes DIY-style with lenses, a magnet, a hook-and-loop fastener and a rubber band. When assembled, the headset is held against the face with the included rubber band and includes a mount for a smartphone. When a stereoscopic app is fired up, the lenses allow a user to perceive both images as one three-dimensional 'immersive' experience.

While Stereoscopic 3D is making waves these days as the public becomes more interested in VR experiences, the concept itself is actually very old. The idea of three-dimensional photographs, or stereoscope, was invented in 1838 by a Victorian-era scientist and inventor named Sir Charles Wheatstone. He used drawings because using photographs was not yet an available option.

With head-mounted virtual or augmented reality devices such as Google Glass, Oculus Rift and Sony's Project Morpheus selling for hundreds or thousands of dollars, it's refreshing to see that this technology can be done with something as simple as a cardboard and an app.

While the announcement was surely great news for everybody, it left legions of Apple iPhone users feeling like they weren't invited to the party...except that you actually can use Cardboard with your beloved iPhone by using a simple tweak.

The biggest hardware difference (in the case of Cardboard anyways) is the thickness of the devices themselves. Google's devices are traditionally thicker than the slim and minimal iPhones so the goal is to thicken the iPhone with a chunky case. Once this is done, the difference between using an iPhone or an Android device is near-indistinguishable.  

Where VR on mobile devices will really shine though is almost entirely dependent on the apps that will provide the immersive experience.  Sadly, the current options are limited due to a relatively low demand. However, just like photo apps took off with the addition of better cameras on iPhones, it's safe to say that the app store will have plenty of options in the near future. If you're a developer, Google has even supplied you with a VR Toolkit to get your app concepts out there quickly and easily.

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Windows Phone Will Pass BlackBerry Ltd In The UK This Year

BlackBerry’s sequential increase in units shipped doesn’t change the overall story

In the continuing decline of BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)’s handset business, the Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Phone is projected to supplant it as third most popular mobile OS in the UK (behind Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android) by the end of this year according to market research firm eMarketer. BlackBerry has already fallen out of the top three on a global basis, but it has been able to hold on in the UK market for longer, possibly because regulated businesses in the financial sector, which plays a major role in the UK economy, are still more likely to opt for BlackBerry’s secure platform.

BlackBerry is treading water: eMarketer

“The demise of BlackBerry has long been documented but these numbers highlight just how far it has fallen from grace,” said eMarketer analyst Bill Fisher, reports Sophie Curtis for The Telegraph. “While Microsoft is making significant effort to grow its presence – buying Nokia’s mobile phone unit and recently partnering with HTC to offer a Windows-based version of the flagship HTC One M8 – BlackBerry appears to have been treading water.”

This falls in line with what other market research companies such as Kantar have found, though the forecast of when the two platforms will swap places may be a little sooner than had been expected. The problem is that BlackBerry Ltd’s (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) proposition, the most secure platform with a dearth of app developer interest, is well known and not very popular with most consumers. Improvements that don’t break the mold are likely to keep ceding ground to BlackBerry’s competitors.

BlackBerry saw sequential increase in units shipped

Even as its market share continues to slip, BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) had a sequential increase in units shipped last quarter, from 1.3 million to 1.5 million, as the smartphone market keeps growing. Unfortunately, that’s still a 78% drop from last year when analysts were speculating that the company would be put up for sale and nowhere near the numbers it was putting up a few years ago.

BlackBerry CEO John Chen has said that he intends to make the company profitable by fiscal year 2016, but it’s a good thing that he is focusing on software and enterprise services to make it happen. The handset business may not be dead, but it will take a real breakout product to get it to rebound.

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Asus ZenFone budget smartphones come to the UK: Release date, price and specs

After launching elsewhere, Asus has decided to have a push on the smartphone side of things in the UK. The budget ZenFone series, consisting of three different handsets, is on their way so here's what you need to know about release dates, prices and specs. See also: Best budget smartphones 2014.

The ZonFone range of smartphones was announced at CES 2014 back in January and has since launched in various countries including India and Sweden. We haven't given them much attention but now it's the turn of Blighty.

With the affordable prices (see below), the ZenFone devices will take on a new legion of decent budget smartphones like the Motorola Moto G, EE Kestrel and Nokia Lumia 630.

Asus ZenFone 4,5,6: UK release date and price

All three ZenFone models are available to pre-order now from Asus and will also be available from retailers including Currys PC World, Argos, John Lewis, eBuyer and Very. They will then start shipping and go on sale on 1 September.

The bigger the model, the more expensive it is so the ZenFone 4 costs £99 and the ZenFone 6 will set you back £249. See below for the full pricing.

ZenFone 4: £99
ZenFone 5 8GB: £149
ZenFone 5 16GB: £179
ZenFone 5 4G LTE: £199
ZenFone 6: £249

Asus ZenFone 4,5,6: Specs

The model number, as is typical for tech products, corresponds to the screen size. They are all different in this respect but the trio of smartphones share a few things in terms of design and specs.

Each come in various colours (the ZenFone 4 has more options) and the plasic rear cover has a 'ceramic' treatment applied to it. They also use Asus' own ZenUI interface on top of Android. They also all use Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and feature a microSD card slot for adding storage.

Most run on Intel Atom processors apart from the LTE-enabled ZenFone 5 which uses a Qualcomm chip for that 4G goodness.

ZenFone 4 specs

Processor: Intel Atom Z2520, 1.2GHz Dual-Core
Display: 4in (800 x 480), 233ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Storage: 8GB eMMC, microSD card (up to 64GB)
Memory: 1GB LPDDR2 RAM
Colours: Black / White / Red / Yellow / Blue

ZenFone 5 specs

Processor: Intel Atom Z2560, 1.6GHz Dual-Core
Display: 5in (1280 x 720), 294ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Storage: 8/16GBGB eMMC, micro SD card (up to 64GB)
Memory: 1/2GB LPDDR2 RAM
Colours: Black / White / Red / Gold

ZenFone 5 4G LTE specs

Processor: Qualcomm MSM8926, 1.2GHz Quad-Core
Display: 5in (1280 x 720), 294ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Storage: 16GB eMMC, microSD card (up to 64GB)
Memory: 2GB LPDDR2 RAM
Colours: Black / White / Red / Gold

ZenFone 6 specs

Processor: Intel Atom Z2580, 2.0GHz Dual-Core
Display: 6in (1280 x 720), 245ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Storage: 16GB eMMC, microSD card (up to 64GB)
Memory: 2GB LPDDR2 RAM
Colours: Black / White / Red / Gold

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Blu Studio ushers in colorful line of cheap Android smartphones

Cheap Android smartphones are ready for purchase from Blu Studio, which is launching new affordable and unlocked smartphones for the North American market.

While the company has promised to launch Windows Phones in the near future, right now it is focusing on its Android models, which come in a number of colors and functionality for users.

The Blu Studio C Series is able to connect onto any GSM Network in the United States, which means users will be able to take the phone to any cell phone carrier and have it activated and working instantly.

"Blu is dedicated to continue bringing consumers choice in the way of unlocked smartphones, driven by the demand for affordable quality devices and the freedom of selecting their airtime provider, thus by eliminating the dependency of locked devices which the network carrier has to offer," said Samuel Ohev-Zion, CEO of BLU Products, in a media release.

"We will continue to fundamentally change the mobile industry by making great looking smartphones that can do amazing things, priced for everyone," he adds.

Blu says the goal is to show the general population that there is no need to spend hundreds of dollars for a phone.

The Studio C Series phones have large displays, a solid camera and speedy processing, giving it a leg up on other lower-end smartphones currently available. Add to that six different color options and Blu believes it has a winning product lineup.

The 4.7-inch display features HD viewing with 294 ppi pixel density, and with an 8.0-megapixel camera, including an LED Flash and full HD recording options, it allows users to take crisp photos or video while on the go.

At only $149 via Amazon.com, the phones are likely to be popular for those seeking to grab a smartphone but who don't want the more expensive Samsung or Apple options.

The smartphone sector has seen a rise in competition this summer, as Amazon launched its first smartphone model, Fire, with much praise for its ease of use and functionality. Tech Times has also reported on the LG G3 smartphone with high-end video and photo capabilities that is currently doing very well on the market ahead of the fall's Apple iPhone 6 launch.

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Cut price Android on steroids: OnePlus One – should we look gift horse in the gob?

Review The idea behind the OnePlus One is very simple: source the best components you need for a top-spec Android phone, one that’s just as good as a branded Tier One Android flagship, and sell it direct at the fraction of the price.

OnePlus One Android smartphone

Chuck out the overhead of a multi-billion dollar marketing budget, which means no £25 spiff to the spotty kid at PhonesNotArf, and no cruft own-brand software, and just integrate top quality parts in a decent design.

The price – an eye-catching £269 – may be too good to last; the phone is apparently being sold at cost.

Looks the part and plays nice too

It’s a great way for an unknown brand to make a splash in the marketplace. The phone itself is fine – I’ve been using a One for three weeks and I can’t really find a major fault with it. The problem is that the sketchy OnePlus operation doesn’t seem to be geared up for production or support.

OnePlus presents itself as a startup, however, according to this report, alleged company documentation suggests OPPO Electronics Corp is the sole shareholder. Also, the device bears an uncanny resemblance to OPPO phones. More of that in a moment.

Freedom, one of the themes, and home screen customisation

OnePlus “Founder” and CEO Peter Lau is an ex-OPPO staffer. OPPO itself is owned by BBK Electronics, which is unknown outside China and Russia.

Whatever the true story, the cost-cutting over support has already caused some disquiet.

So what’s it like?

It’s a sizeable phone made manageable by a clever design, giving you a very good battery life. The price is obviously the showstopper here. £269 buys you a phone with a full 5.5-inch HD screen, 64GB of storage and 3GB of RAM, and a 3100mAh non-removable battery. There’s no sign of compromise anywhere: 13Mp Sony camera module, Snapdragon 801 quad core CPU, and dual speakers. You can quibble about the absence of a microSD card slot, or FM radio, but at this price, 64GB is a steal.

The grippy back panel is evident on the black model

The One’s thoughtful design makes it immediately likeable. Like the HTC and LG flagships, the back is tapered to lessen the clunkiness of the large, full HD (1080 x 1920) display. As with this year’s best designs, it minimises the bezels, so the 5.5-inch display goes almost right to the horizontal edges.

I particularly appreciated the grippy, sandpaper-effect back panel. This is the most comfortable "flagship" I can remember for a while. (Samsung’s faux leather Galaxy S5 feels grippy enough, but looks clunky and amateurish in comparison).

The camera features a 13Mp Sony Exmor sensor

The One’s back panel can be swapped for another using different colours or even different materials – a wooden back plate will be available. Swapping covers isn’t something you’d want to do very often, though, as it’s hard to get off, and somewhat nerve-racking. It’s lighter than the 162g weight suggests, and blind tests against Nokia’s clunky new Lumia 630 weren’t kind to the Lumia.

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Android, China make strong showing in smartphones

Android-based devices made a strong showing in the worldwide shipment of smartphones during the second quarter of 2014, capturing 85 per cent of nearly 300 million units shipped. Three brands from China made it among the top six smartphone players.

"Global smartphone shipments grew 27 per cent annually from 233 million units in Q2 2013 to 295.2 million in Q2 2014," said Linda Sui, director at consulting firm Strategy Analytics. "Global smartphone growth in the current quarter is at its lowest level for five years, and there are wide variations by region. For example, Africa and Asia are booming, while North America and Europe are maturing."

Following this trend, Huawei, Lenovo, and Xiaomi showed improved shipments with Huawei reaching 6.8 per cent of the smartphone market and Xiaomi taking 5.4 per cent. Strategy Analytics director Woody Oh called Xiaomi "the star performer" for rising to fifth place among smartphone leaders for the first time.

popular in the Chinese market and it [sells] millions of them every quarter through its extensive online and operator channels," he said. "Xiaomi's next step is to target the international market in Asia and Europe, where it will have to invest big money to familiarise western consumers with its unfamiliar brand name."

Huawei, meanwhile, shipped 34.27 million smartphones for a 62 per cent year-over-year growth rate. Officials attribute the company's third place among handset vendors to its Ascend smartphone series with LTE, which have led to "success in the mid-to high-end market."

While Samsung dominated the smartphone market with 74.5 million units this quarter, Strategy Analytics analysts noted a slight drop in shipments from 2013. The company faces tough competition from Apple in higher-tier phones and from Huawei at the lower end. Should Chinese companies and other Android-based devices continue to sell well, the OS paradigm could change completely.

Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston said:

Like the PC market, Android is on the verge of turning smartphone platforms into a one-horse race. Its low-cost services and user-friendly software remain wildly attractive to hardware makers, operators and consumers worldwide. Rival OS vendors are going to have to do something revolutionary to overturn Android's huge lead in smartphone shipments. Apple's push into the big-screen phablet market and Firefox's expansion into the ultra-low-cost smartphone market later this year are the only major threats to Android's continued growth at this stage.

Android's gain comes at the expense of every major rival platform, with BlackBerry holding on to just one per cent of the global smartphone market and Apple's iOS losing one point of share due to a lack of presence in low-tier phones. Likewise, Microsoft's Windows Phone share fell two per cent globally.