The white iPhone 4 is thicker, won't fit in some cases

It turns out we were wrong yesterday and the white iPhone launch was not all sunshine and roses after all. As disappointed users point out, the Great White is a fraction thicker than the black one.

What's the big deal, you ask? After all the difference is really small as seen on these comparison pics. Well, the issues come when you try and slip some protective casing on the whitey. In other words, some tight iPhone 4 cases won't fit on a white unit.

Phil Schiller from Apple is quoted saying this about the manufacturing of the white iPhone 4: "It's not as simple as making something white. There's a lot more that goes into both the material science of it - how it holds up over time…but also in how it all works with the sensors".

This might explain the added thickness to the white iPhone 4 - they've may put some extra stuff behind the white glass.

It would have been better if Apple mentioned the new thickness on its specs page, no matter how small. Surely the "actual size and weight vary by configuration and manufacturing process" disclaimer is enough to keep the complaints out, but the users will definitely appreciate any heads-up about the potential incompatibilities.

Official: the white iPhone 4 launches tomorrow in 28 countries

Apple has finally confirmed the launch date of the white iPhone 4 – tomorrow, 28 April. The white iPhone 4 (GSM and CDMA) will hit the shelves in 28 countries on the same price as its black sibling.

The wait is over. It seems Apple has finally managed to push the white thing into manufacturing and it will become available tomorrow – 28 April – in 28 countries - Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK and the US. More countries will follow later this year.

There is no change in the pricing – the white iPhone 4 will cost the same as the black one – both on contract and SIM-free (where available).

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play review: Bring your 'A' game

Introduction

With video gaming a sport in its own right, smartphones have no other choice but raise their game too. The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play has strong ties to Sony’s gaming rigs, both portable and not, and Sony’s a big name in gaming.

So, what does all this pedigree bring? Games from the original PlayStation for one, with PlayStation 2 titles coming in the near future. The PlayStation Pocket game store comes with 50 games at launch optimized for the Play. You’ll certainly also appreciate the familiar feeling and design of the gaming buttons. .

So, let’s have a look at the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play. They stitched thumbs to the robot: meaning a DualShock controller stitched to a 4” touchscreen in a side-slider form factor. A smartphone version of the PSP Go but with more processing power isn’t far off the truth either. Especially now that the PSP Go is officially discontinued.

Here’s a quick summary of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Play:
 
Key features
Side-slider with dedicated gaming controls
Quad-band GSM /GPRS/EDGE support
3G with HSDPA and HSUPA
4.0" 16M-color capacitive LED-backlit LCD touchscreen of FWVGA resolution (480 x 854 pixels)
Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread
1 GHz Scorpion CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 chipset
512 MB RAM
5MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging; WVGA video recording @ 30fps
Secondary front-facing camera
Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS
microSD slot up to 32GB (8GB card included)
Accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensors
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Stereo FM radio with RDS
microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
Voice dialing
Adobe Flash 10.2 support
Dedicated game store 

Main disadvantages
CPU and GPU not the best there is
Display has relatively poor viewing angles
Phone is a bit big for one-handed use
Unimpressive camera
No smart dialing
No shutter key
No video-calling over 3G

That’s the smartphone half of the XPERIA Play equation. It measures up pretty good as a droid and even though it can’t compete with the latest flagships, it’s got more than enough on its spec sheet for day to day use.

Mobile gaming is at an all time high. Everyone carries a phone around and everyone has gaps in their day to fill, making mobile games the time-killer of choice for millions of people.

Those are usually simple games optimized for touchscreen input, usually with just one or two controls. But some want more compelling games and those require more elaborate controls. The XPERIA Play is the first phone in recent years that has the proper hardware controls. The added tactile feedback is a major plus. Android also seems as a nice software platform of choice for its potential.

Is this what the Apple iPhone 5 will look like?

When it comes to Apple’s next iPhone, the rumor mill never seems to stop producing noise on how the iPhone 5 is going to look like and what hardware it’ll pack. Well, Engadget’s former editor Joshua Topolsky says he has some new information regarding how the next smartphone from Cupertino might look like.

What you see on the left is a mockup designed with the help of all the information and rumors from various sources that Topolsky claims are "not to ignore". While many people expect Apple to pull a “3GS” on the iPhone 5, this mockup screams exactly the opposite. According to those sources, the iPhone 5 will look more like the iPod Touch and the still hard-to-find iPad 2.

Not only that, but the home button is going to double as a gesture area and gestures are almost certainly going to be unleashed in a future version of iOS. The rumors of a bigger screen are confirmed here as well. The iPhone 5 is expected to feature an expanded 3.7-inch screen, covering the device almost edge to edge.

Hardware-wise, the next iPhone is expected to sport the faster A5 processor and an updated 8 megapixel camera, but that’s not something we haven’t heard before. According to Topolsky, Apple has been experimenting a lot with the iPhone 5 and will make the jaws of the people expecting just an iPhone 4S drop.

Whatever the case, we’ll undoubtedly witness how Apple is going to play its cards at the WWDC in July this year.

The LG Optimus Big gets an official release

The LG Optimus Big, made its first unofficial appearance back in March but now it looks like it's about to be unleashed for real.

In LG's homeland of South Korea, the Optimus Big has been officially announced under the guise of the LG LU6800. For the meantime it's only available in South Korea but if conditions are right, there's no reason why it couldn't be pushed westward, although LG haven't got plans at this point in time.

The LU6800 runs Android Froyo 2.2 out of the box, but it wouldn't surprise us if it got a Gingerbread update in the near future. It also features a 4.3" WVGA display, a 5MP autofocus camera on the back and a 1GHz processor. The Optimus Big is exclusively available on South Korea's 3rd largest carrier LG U+ from April the 28th.

Apple v Samsung: can anyone win this battle royale?

Tech giants suing each other has become as common as Coldplay headlining Glastonbury or Manchester United winning the Premier League title. It happens all the time.

But the latest legal wrangle promises to crank things up a notch, with Apple going after Samsung, claiming it’s “copied” the iPhone and iPad with its Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab, not to mention a string of other US-only phones and the Google Nexus S. The wording of Apple’s filing couldn’t be more straightforward:

"Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smart phone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple's technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products."

Except, there’s a snag. A £3.5 billion one. That’s how much Apple handed over to Samsung for components for all of its products, not just iPhones and iPads, last year. That’s a vast sum by anyone’s standards and is exactly why Samsung says it’s going to, “…respond strongly”.

There’s no denying that the Galaxy S and iPhone 3G (the iPhone that Apple says has been copied), do look alike to the untrained eye. Even the icons look the same. And it’s the software that’s really the issue here.

Apple is already going after Motorola over infringement of OS patent breaches. But this isn’t really about Motorola or Samsung. It’s about Google. But the very idea of Cupertino squaring up to Mountain View and flat-out claiming that Android is copied from iOS is unlikely and may be a bridge too far even for the litigious Steve Jobs.

So what exactly is Apple hoping to achieve? Surely this isn’t about money, seeing as we’re talking about the world’s second-largest company here. No, this is all down to mindshare and proof that it’s OS was the first and best touchscreen system.

That’s up for debate, but these legal battles only serve to develop the idea that Apple is always angry and always ready to sue. Largely that’s part of its success. But it also means that those not keen on the company will always stay away.

So, who will win this face-off? Let’s be honest, neither company is going to. An out-of-court settlement is most likely, but not for many years. In the meantime, the costly wrangling will help keep tech writers in headlines and give both companies something to mouth-off about during conference calls and special events.

Partly it shows that each side cares deeply about its products. But partly you just want to give each of them a good shake and tell them to get on with working on and releasing new kit. Fascinating as this is, no one will actually triumph and sales of both companies gear will continue to surge.

Sony Ericsson announces its first Android Walkman phone, the W8

Sony Ericsson has just announced its first phone from the Walkman series to run Android (or the other way around). By the looks of it, the W8 is an XPERIA X8, but with a bit of fancy colors and a WALKMAN logo.

Just like its brother, the X8, the Sony Ericsson W8 sports a 3-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a 3.2MP camera. Under the hood there's a 600MHz single-core processor ticking, with 168MB of RAM.

The W8 will run Android 2.1, which is a bit unfortunate, as most Droids on the market are now running Froyo or even Gingerbread. Nevertheless, this is the first Walkman phone to run the Google mobile OS, which will be covered by the Timescape UI.

Being a Walkman, the phone will come with Sony Ericsson's stereo headset, the MH410.

The Sony Ericsson W8 will be available in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam starting from Q2 2011 in a choice of colors - Azure Blue, Metallic Red, and Iconic Orange. Pricing is yet unknown, though.

White iPhone clip leaks, showcases multi-tasking UI

A video of what appears to be the fabled white iPhone has surfaced online, seemingly running an all-new version of Apple’s iOS platform.

See the clip for yourself below

Originally sourced by Vietnamese site Tinhte.yn, the clip showcases a version of the operating system with a new approach to multi-tasking, the hub of which is a new screen showing nine – that’s one more than Android – recently running apps as thumbnails.

For long-time iFans that marks a significant departure from the multi-tasking M.O on iPhones, whereby applications you’ve got open appear at the bottom of the homescreen.

Whether the video is our first look at iOS 5 is up for debate. While multi-tasking on iKit does need a re-think, it’s stretching credulity somewhat that Apple would go with an approach that takes it cues from jailbroken iPhones.

However, you’d be foolish to discount the clip entirely. Especially given that Vietnamese sites have a habit of turning up some bona-fide exclusives, perhaps most memorably when Taoviet sourced snaps of what was later confirmed to be an iPhone 4 prototype.

Samsung sued by Apple for slavishly copying the iPhone

Apple has filed a lawsuit against Samsung for allegedly copying its products for the Korean giant’s range of Galaxy branded devices.

Cupertino claims that Samsung is in gross violation of its patents by “slavishly” imitating the technology and design of its iPhone and iPad in a variety of Galaxy branded products including the ten million-selling Galaxy S smartphone and the Galaxy Tab tablet.

The suit states: "Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smart phone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple's technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products.

“Samsung’s Galaxy Tab computer tablet slavishly copies a combination of several elements of the Apple Product Configuration Trade Dress,” Apple says in its suit.”

Apple further alleges that Samsung is infringing upon its intellectual property by imitating the shape of its iOS icons.

"Even the icons in earlier versions of the Samsung smart phones looked different because they had a variety of shapes – and did not appear as a field of square icons with rounded corners"

"This kind of blatant copying is wrong," Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said.

Apple is seeking an injunction against Big Sam with compensation in actual and punitive damages.

Samsung had denied the allegations and has vowed to “actively” respond to the lawsuit.

Kim Titus, a Samsung representative, said in an email: "Samsung's development of core technologies and strengthening our intellectual property portfolio are keys to our continued success."

Samsung is one of Apple’s biggest suppliers of chips. It is currently the manufacturer of the A5 processor that runs Apple’s iPad 2 tablet and is expected to power the fifth-generation iPhone. It is therefore in both companies' best interest to have the situation resolved amicably.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Sammy is clearly more than a little inspired by Cupertino’s creations. Whether or not Apple is right to claim ownership over a grid of square-shaped icons is debatable, but Samsung will need to tread carefully to avoid marring a potentially long and fruitful relationship.

Do you think Samsung is guilty? Let us know in the comments section below.

HP Veer coming to Europe in June

HP Veer, the newest addition to the growing webOS family, will land in Europe, or at least Germany, in June, it has been confirmed.

Unveiled in February, the Veer looks set to become the first HP-branded webOS smartphone to arrive to market since the computer’s giant’s acquisition of Palm last summer, after O2 Germany revealed in an official tweet that it would be stocking the handset in June.

Customers living in Germany can visit O2’s website to register their interest for the handset to be notified as soon as it’s available.

The Veer was announced alongside the Pre 3 and the TouchPad, the first-ever webOS powered tablet, in HP’s Think Beyond event in the run-up to the Mobile World Congress.

It is by some margin the smallest of the devices. In fact, it is the smallest webOS phone yet, measuring just 54.5mm in width, 84.9mm in height and 15.1mm in thickness. Somehow it still manages to pack in a 4-row slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

It’s also home to a 2.6-inch touchscreen, five-megapixel snapper and 8GB of internal storage, plus the usual array of extras such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and A-GPS.

It’s obvious the Veer is being targeted at the teen demographic rather than being billed as a challenger to the iPhone. That responsibility will fall on the shoulders of the Pre 3, which so far has no release date but is widely expected to land before autumn.

Samsung 2GHz dual core smartphone to land next year

Samsung has revealed it plans to release its first smartphone powered by a two-gigahertz dual core processor some time next year.

With the novelty of custom skins slowly starting to wear off and smartphones becoming increasingly analogous in capabilities, intense competition between manufacturers has resulted in heavy-hitter like Sammy dramatically shifting focus on to higher and faster specs to stay ahead of the pack.

An unnamed high-ranking exec with the Korean giant has reportedly told search provider Daum: “We are planning to release a 2GHz dual-core CPU-equipped smartphone by next year.

“This product will have the data processing capacities of a regular PC.”

According to Daum, although it is cheaper and easier to develop a single core 4GHz chipset, Samsung has opted for dual core as it is better optimised for multitasking.

Another potential benefit would be the ability to use the smartphone as a portable PC with any HDTV or monitor, or even a custom-built accessory like Motorola’s ‘Lapdock’, which teams with the recently launched Atrix handset to become a fully functional laptop. It’s a prospect that’s sure to make any tech aficionado dizzy with excitement.

Keep em’ peeled for more news and announcement regarding the handset in the near future.

O2 launches YouTube-based mobile broadband tech support

Internet service provider (ISP) O2 has launched a new online tech support solution for its mobile and home-based broadband bundle customers.

The YouTube service gives O2 customers free support and advice on how to get the most out of their internet connection - be it mobile or landline-based.

O2 Guru TV is open to anyone - including people who are not currently subscribed to a broadband internet deal through the ISP.

Sally Cowdry, Marketing Director at O2, said: "O2 Gurus are our most passionate and knowledge experts.

"We know how much customers value our in-store Gurus and with the launch of O2 Guru TV we're making it even easier for anyone to get technical help and advice from O2."

Recently, ISP Be Broadband claimed that many of its customers are excited about the latest mobile internet-capable gadgets - including the iPad 2.

Motorola Atrix landing in UK on Orange early May

Orange has confirmed it will be the first UK network to stock Motorola’s upcoming all-kicking, all-screaming Atrix dual core smartie when it lands in our shores imminently.

Customers can now register their interest for the hotly awaited kit via the Atrix product page on the Orange Shop website, which, although dated as ‘coming soon’ for now, is widely rumoured to hit store shelves in the beginning of May.

According to Engadget, the handset will be free with a two-year contract starting at £35 per month, which would also entitle takers a £50 reduction for the Work and Play kit that comes with the Atrix’s Multimedia Dock, or free if they are an existing Orange customer looking to upgrade.

Meanwhile, the Atrix’s other half, the ‘Lapdock’ docking accessory, which transforms the handset into a fully-functional laptop, will also be available day and date with its release. This will set you back by up to £350 if purchased separately, making it a rather hefty proposition for the average punter.

Fortunately for those most likely to want to use it, that is workaholic types, will be able to snap it for completely free with a range of business-focussed tariffs.

Although the UK version will not boast the 4G capabilities of its cousin stateside due to LTE/WiMax infrastructure in the UK still not reaching wide-scale availability, that’s a small compromise when considering the specs on offer elsewhere.

Standout features include a none-too-shabby four-inch qHD touchscreen display, a 1GHz dual core processor, five-megapixel snapper with LED flash and autofocus, plus front-facing webcam for video calling, and a generous 16GB of onboard memory which can be expanded by a further 32GB via the microSD slot.

Alas, there is a slight snag, and that is the Atrix will launch with Android 2.2, aka Froyo, onboard rather than the newer, tastier Gingerbread. Rest assured, though, an update is promised to land shortly after launch.

Vodafone Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.3 now available

Vodafone has confirmed that the latest smartphone-optimised iteration of Android, version 2.3 aka Gingerbread, is now being rolled out to its Samsung Galaxy S customers.

With merely hours passed since news of Gingerbread was being rolled out to Galaxy S handsets across mainland Europe hit the web, the Big V announced via its official customer support forum: “A new maintenance release for the Samsung Galaxy S is now available for Vodafone customers.

“This is an Android platform update to 2.3 Gingerbread which introduces a number of fixes and improvements.”

Said improvements include a number of UI enhancements that give Android interface a cleaner, ‘greener’ appearance, and reduces power consumption. There's also a revamped on-screen keyboard with cut and paste functionality, multiple camera support and a range of performance tweaks for an all-round smoother experience.

Users ready to taste the Gingerbread man can upgrade by connecting their handset to their computers via USB and firing up the Samsung KIES application, which will automatically detect if an update is needed. From there, just follow the instructions.

In the spirit of caution, it is advisable that you back-up your data first just in case the upgrade doesn’t go quite as planned.

Via:

Vodafone

HTC prepping 16MP-toting WP7 smartphone

A Windows Phone 7 (WP7) powered, 16-megapixel camera phone is on the way from HTC, rumours suggest, as phone-makers look to stir-up fresh interest in Microsoft’s flagging platform.

Leaked in a video sourced by PocketNow, the phone’s snapper would be the highest grade yet seen on a smartphone and will be augmented with dual LED flash, which suggests it’ll be pretty damn capable in low-light conditions.

Check out the clip below

Other than its imaging capabilities, specs are under wraps right now, except for the fact that it's running the latest version of WP7.

News of HTC’s plans comes amid reports that despite a good reception from the tech press the initial slew of WP7 mobiles’ sales were disappointing, as consumers opted for Android and iPhones instead in the pre-Christmas rush.

Recent figures are unavailable, but a month after release it was claimed that just 117,000 handsets had been sold.

Nokia Indoor Positioning promoted on video, looks cool

Back in 2010 at Nokia World in London, the Nokia Research Centre demonstrated a neat concept of navigating indoors. Now, there's a new version of the system and Nokia has put up a video promoting it.

 

The system relies on a positioning beacon, which acts as a "satellite", but just indoors. It is placed on the ceiling and can track how far you are from your desired destination in real-time and is accurate up to 30cm.

A special tracking device, which can be attached to various objects and clothes is available, too. With its help, Nokia's Indoor Positioning can track valuables or even people for that matter. Useful if you have a bad habit of misplacing your belongings.

And here's the promo clip in question.

 

 

The novelty looks pretty damn promising, but unfortunately, there's no official word from Nokia when we can see the Indoor Positioning functioning in the wild and available to users.

Tablet broadband: iPad 2 rival Dell Streak 7 launches in the UK

Apple's recent dominance of the tablet broadband market could come under threat after one of its main rivals launched a second-generation device.

The multi-touchscreen Dell Streak 7 - which runs Google's Android 2.2 operating system - has gone on sale in the UK, with prices starting from £229.

Dell will hope the launch of the Streak 7 enables it to compete with Apple's iPad 2, which has been racking up millions of orders worldwide since launching last month.

The manufacturer has struggled to cope with the amount of orders placed, with initial demand for the iPad 2 exceeding supply in many regions.

As an alternative, consumers can now get their hands on a Wi-Fi-enabled Dell Streak 7, allowing them to access the internet at wireless broadband hotspots across the UK.

However, the Wi-Fi + 3G model remains in development, meaning customers will have to wait if they wish to purchase a tablet with mobile broadband capability.

Android app downloads hit 3bn

The total number of apps downloaded from the Android Market has passed three billion, as Google’s OS continues its challenge for the number one spot in the smartphone market.

The platform reached the landmark some 20 months after opening its doors, amid a 50 per cent year on year rise in downloads during the fourth quarter of 2010.

Google, which revealed the figure in its quarterly earnings call, also disclosed that 350,000 Android phones are being activated daily.

That’s pretty impressive given that this time last year just 60,000 handsets powered by the OS were being activated.

However, before you go assuming the smartphone war is as good as won, think on this: Apple’s App Store passed ten billion downloads some time ago.

What’s more, given the burgeoning market for iPad apps and the relative lack of titles optimised for Android tablets, you’d fancy Apple’s platform to stay at the top of the tree for a while yet.

Nokia X7-00: Specification

Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2011, Q2
Size Dimensions 119.7 x 62.8 x 11.9 mm, 85 cc
Weight 146 g
Display Type AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 360 x 640 pixels, 4.0 inches
- Gorilla glass display
- Proximity sensor for auto turn-off
- Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate
Memory Internal 256 MB RAM, 1 GB ROM
Card slot microSD, up to 32GB, 8GB included
Data GPRS Class 33
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth Yes, v3.0 with A2DP
Infrared port No
USB Yes, microUSB v2.0, USB On-the-go support
Camera Primary 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, fixed focus, dual-LED flash
Features Geo-tagging, face detection
Video Yes, 720p@25fps
Secondary No
Features OS Symbian Anna OS
CPU 680 MHz ARM 11 processor, Broadcom BCM2727 GPU
Messaging SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
Browser WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS feeds
Radio Stereo FM radio with RDS
Games Yes + downloadable
Colors Dark steel, Silver steel
GPS Yes, with A-GPS support
Java Yes, MIDP 2.1
- Digital compass
- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
- MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+ player
- DivX/XviD/MP4/H.264/H.263/WMV player
- Quickoffice document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
- Adobe Reader
- Flash Lite 4.0
- Voice memo/dial/command
- Predictive text input
Battery Standard battery, Li-Ion 1300 mAh (BL-5K)
Stand-by Up to 450 h (2G) / Up to 450 h (3G)
Talk time Up to 6 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 4 h 30 min (3G)
Music play Up to 50 h

Nokia E6 hands-on: First look

Introduction

The E6 is Nokia’s latest business offer and it has just landed in our office. It’s the company’s first smartphone running the new Symbian Anna OS out of the box. The E6 is a touch phone with a QWERTY keyboard and it even has a higher pixel density than the iPhone’s Retina display.

It was a while since we’ve seen a high-end Nokia messenger. We are not trying to dismiss the previous E-series achievements, they’ve just became too conventional. Lucky for us the E6 brings a few interesting innovations to freshen up the lineup. It was about time!

The E6 is Nokia’s first handset with VGA resolution and also Nokia’s first QWERTY bar with a touchscreen. Its pixel density is even higher than the Apple’s Retina display. The E6 doesn’t stop here though – it packs the same camera module as most of its Symabian^3 siblings – an 8 megapixel fixed-focus sensor capable of HD video recording. Add the new Symbian^3 update – Anna – and we might have a potent business or messaging phone if not else.

Nokia E6 at a glance:
 General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz, HSDPA 10.2 Mbps, HSUPA 2 Mbps
Form factor: Touchscreen bar
Dimensions: 115.5 x 59 x 10.5 mm, 87 cc; 133 g
Display: 2.46-inch 16M-color VGA TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen
Memory: 8GB storage memory, 1GB ROM, hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 32GB)
OS: Symbian Anna OS
CPU: ARM 1176 680 MHz processor, Broadcom BCM2727 GPU; 256 MB RAM
Camera: 8 megapixel fixed-focus camera with dual-LED flash, geo-tagging; 720p video recording@25fps
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP, microUSB port with USB on-the-go, 3.5mm audio jack, GPS receiver with A-GPS, HDMI port
Misc: Accelerometer, Stereo FM radio with RDS, Flash support in the web browser, proximity sensor, Battery: 1500 mAh Li-Ion battery

 As you can see the E6’s hardware is not top of the line, but we can assure you it’s perfectly fine for what it’s meant – replacing the Nokia E71 and E72 business messengers. The new Symbian Anna has lots of optimizations and seems to work seamless inside the E6. Surely, the E6 won’t attract everyone, but it has enough features to prove worthy.

 

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play priced on 3

3 has finally confirmed contract prices for the Sony Ericsson (SE) Xperia Play, after the handset’s official launch was delayed by supply problems.

Would-be owners can grab themselves some Android Gingerbread gaming goodness from £35 per month over a two-year contract on 3’s One Plan. That deal features a £99 upfront charge to cover the cost of the handset, though.

Alternatively, there’s a £40 per month option, also over 24-months. Choose this and the initial outlay fee you’ll have to find for your Play drops to £49.

The Play had originally been due to go on sale on April 1st. However, like a lot of gadgets set to land this year, its arrival has been delayed by component problems stemming from the Japanese earthquake disaster.

This has led to the arrival of the Xperia Neo being postponed until July at the earliest. Meanwhile, back in March, SE forewarned customers that the Xperia Arc is likely to be in short supply for the foreseeable future.

Nokia and HTC: two companies heading in different directions

April 12th 2011 was not the first time HTC and Nokia have held events on the same day. During last September’s Nokia World, HTC gazumped the Finnish mobile-maker by holding a London bash to showcase its Desire HD and Desire Z smartphones.

Nokia was left touting the ace E7, but was then in the midst of still claiming that Symbian could do the business. And yet eight months on, and after Nokia CEO Stephen Elop’s decision to switch Nokia’s smartphone focus to Windows Phone 7, the same thing has happened again. HTC has made Nokia look outdated and outmoded with a new handset and some seriously smart new software.

This week’s Nokia event in London was centred on Symbian - an OS that has been completely undermined, but still needs to do the numbers as Nokia pushes back the release of its first Windows Phone 7 (WP7) handset into 2012. The phones shown off are no doubt slick. The X7 and E6 are both great-looking smartphones, the latter a business-focused blower to die for, the former a touchscreen cell that would have had plenty of people cooing back in 2009.

The main focus, though, was the announcement of Symbian Anna. An over-the-air update that brings a portrait touchscreen QWERTY keyboard, updated Ovi Maps, new icons and much-needed browser performance improvements. This is heading to the E7, N8, C7 and C6-01. Great news, but as ever with Nokia, the release date is nicely vague. “Over the coming months,” hardly sounds promising, especially from a company that’s become renowned for its lengthy delays. Symbian Anna is already loaded up on the X7 and E6, but there’s no official word on just when they’ll hit retailers. Three is said to be unleashing the X7 in June.

Meanwhile HTC held its own London gathering to showcase the much-leaked Sensation its new dual-core smartie with gorgeous 4.3-inch qHD screen, 4GB of memory and the latest version of HTC’s Sense skin on top of Android 2.3. There’s an 8MP camera too, as well as HTC’s new Watch TV streaming service.

And what’s more, the Taiwanese tech titan has said the phone will be on shelves by mid-May, even giving Vodafone a short exclusive. It also took time to confirm that its tablet, the HTC Flyer, will be available on May 9th.

The contrast is pretty obvious. Nokia is still having to push on with Symbian. Its update is welcome for loyal customers, but it’s hard to get excited by phones using an OS that will soon be relegated by WP7. Nokia might insist it’s still relevant, but Symbian still can’t hold a candle to Android and iOS. Meanwhile, HTC goes from strength to strength. It delivers devices to market swiftly, its kit always looks and feels amazing and its customisation of Android is undoubtedly the best going.

Nokia needs to get on with its WP7 project swiftly now, ensuring that its new handsets and the Symbian Anna update don’t take month after month to get out into the wild. Fail to do so and it’ll lose even more initiative to rivals such as HTC.

Sense 3.0 ruled out for HTC Desire range - updated!

The new version of HTC’s Sense custom skin for Android gadgets will not be coming to the handset maker’s current-gen devices, it has been confirmed.

Unveiled this week at the launch of the Sensation, the revamped UI adds a new home screen with a natty 3D view, the rather smart Watch movies and TV download app and the option to enable key functions on the lock screen.

A pretty package all round? Very much so. So it’s especially vexing for owners of the Desire range that they won’t get to sample it, after HTC apparently confirmed via its Twitter feed that Sense 3.0 is reserved for the Sensation, Evo 3D and the Flyer tablet.

In response to an entreaty from a Desire HD owner as to the company’s plans, HTC Tweeted: “Due to hardware requirements, only our newest devices (Flyer, Evo 3D, Sensation) will be able to support [Sense 3.0]”.

So that seems unequivocal, does it not? Hmm, yes and no. Just because HTC is ruling out Sense 3.0 landing wholesale on Desire phones, that doesn't mean that some elements of skin won't make the trip. Keep your fingers crossed...

**Update: The finger-crossing seems to have worked. HTC has since confirmed that it is "working to incorporate...some aspects [of Sense 3.0] on its existing range of phones. Here's the Tweet in full.

Nokia W7 & W8: Espoo's first Windows Phone 7 smarties?

Prototypes of the first Windows Phone 7 (WP7) powered handsets from the House of Espoo have apparently surfaced online, as the first fruits of the Nokia & Microsoft collabo draw nearer.

Eldar Mrtazin, a man who’s turned up more than his first share of exclusives in the past, claims to have got up close and personal with the smartphones – albeit briefly.

According to Mzartin, the phones are dubbed the W7 and W8 and take their cues from the X7 and Nokia’s top of the range N8 powerhouse respectively.

Touted as the flagship Nokia WP7 number, the W7 will pack an eight megapixel snapper and – as seems to be de-riguer nowadays - a dual core processor to keep everything ticking over super smoothly.

The W8 is a lower-end bit of kit all-round. However, in keeping with Microsoft’s handset partner requirements, it’ll still boast a Qualcomm processor and is currently running a version of the WP7 UI that’s little changed from the stock version.

Release dates for the smartphones have yet to be confirmed. The fact that they appear to be at very early stages of development, though, suggests we’ve got a long, long wait on our hands before they come to market.

With that in mind it seems suggestions that Nokia could wait until next year to break cover with its WP7 efforts could be pretty on the money, after all.

Samsung unveils Galaxy S Plus, ticks at 1.4GHz

Samsung has been treating the Russian market with an unusually warm heart lately. The other day they announced the Star II Duos and today it has pulled the veil on the special Galaxy S Plus, with both targeted to launch in Russia.

The phone will be marketed as the Galaxy S 2011 edition on the Russian market but it should also be available to other markets as the Galaxy S Plus as the previous leak of the device suggests.

The new Galaxy S phone boasts a 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor by Qualcomm - yep, at least that's what unofficial sources claimed a while back. The Qualcomm MSM8255T used in the Samsung Galaxy S Plus is not only the first mobile single-core solution to reach 1.4GHz but according to Qualcomm, it also consumes the same power as little power as current 1GHz CPUs. The chipset however makes use of the older-gen Adreno 205 GPU.

The Galaxy S Plus runs the latest iteration of Android - 2.3 Gingerbread. The screen remains the same 4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen as the other Galaxy S variants.

Connectivity is trivial for Android with Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS. The handset will cost 21 990 rubles ($781 / €539) and will hit Russian stores in May.

A nice upgrade over the original Galaxy S is the metallic back. In case you wonder about what other differences to the original Galaxy S, you are welcome to our compare tool.

Android phone activations hit 350,000 per day

Some 350,000 Android devices are activated every day, it has been claimed, as the irresistible rise of Google’s OS continues apace.

The estimated figure, which comes to us courtesy of a Wall Street Journal Q&A with UBS analyst Brian J Pitz, marks a 16 per cent rise from February when Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt confirmed that 300,000 Android powered gadgets were being activated daily.

The projection looks even more impressive when you consider that last year the daily activation figure was 60,000.

Of the 350,000, it’s likely that upwards of 90 per cent are smartphones rather than Android tablets, which reports suggest have so far failed to match early sales expectations.

However, more encouraging for the search giant is that revenue from in-app ads is soaring and has reportedly helped Google post over “$1 billion in revenue from mobile alone,” Pitz said.

He added: “We are seeing Google also serve over two billion ad impressions a day through AdMob, which serves display advertising into applications on mobile devices.”

Super light carbon-fibre iPad incoming?

Apple could be clearing the decks for a featherweight iPad that makes the current-gen slate look positively leaden, speculation suggests.

According to 9 to Mac, the appointment of Kevin Kenny as Senior Composites Engineer, whose particular expertise is in carbon fibre, hints that the gadget maker is ramping up experiments with new, composite materials.

A move away from the aluminium, glass and stainless steel that has characterised iKit so far would mean much, much lighter and way more portable devices.

Kenny has long-standing form with Apple, having worked on a free-ranging consultant role for them in the past. In 2009, Apple went so far as to register a patent in his name.

News of his move comes after Apple also announced it has prised PR types Rob Saunders and Nick Grange away from Nintendo and Activision respectively. Saunders and Grange’s remit will focus on promoting apps and future iterations of the iPad.

Nokia X7 surfaces in video, due April 12th?

Smartfans have been given their closest look yet at the Nokia X7 in a comprehensive video walkthrough courtesy of 3, raising expectations the handset will make its debut at tomorrow’s Nokia press call.


As well as confirming the X7's spec sheet (think: eight megapixel snapper, four-inch display and HD video recording), the clip focuses principally on the new iteration of Symbian powering the phone.

According to 3’s gadget guru, the new take on Nokia’s proprietary OS makes accessing your home screen and apps a lot faster. It’s also reportedly home to a new browser that’s “three times faster than the old Symbian browser”.

Nokia’s April 12th event has been billed a glimpse at the future of Symbian, as the beleaguered phone-maker looks to reignite interest in the platform amid mass migration of smartphone buyers to Apple’s iOS and Android.

Perceived problems with Symbian as it stands are that’s it’s unduly fiddly, awkward and insufficiently user-friendly. And frankly, it's hard not to concur.

VIDEO IN BELOW LINK:-
http://www.viddler.com/explore/engadget/videos/2675/

Dont mess with Windows Phone 7, pleads Microsoft

Microsoft has issued a cordial request to disgruntled Windows Phone 7 (WP7) users to not resort to ‘homebrew solutions’ amid delays in getting latest software update out to many handsets.

In a post on its official Windows blog, Microsoft’s Eric Hautala admitted that it is “not going to be happy until everyone gets their update”, which promises to bring new social networking features and the elusive ‘copy and paste’ functionality to handsets.

The rollout was mired by issues in the installation process on as much as ten per cent of smartphones running the tile based OS, even rendering some handsets inoperable.

Eric Hautala of the WP7 team, said: “We’re working hard to get this job done as quickly as possible. But I’ve noticed that some of you are turning to homebrew solutions to update your phone immediately.

“If you attempt one of these workarounds, we can’t say for sure what might happen to your phone because we haven’t fully tested these homebrew techniques.”

"Homebrew solutions", as Microsoft likes to call them, rather than ‘jailbreaking’, which is a term that has become almost synonymous with the iPhone, involves users overriding the base code of the operating system to apply various patches and additional functionality.

However, according to Microsoft, installing homebrew may be exacerbating the problem by preventing official updates from reaching certain devices.

“You might not be getting the important device-specific software we would typically deliver in the official update. Or your phone might get misconfigured and not receive future updates”, Hautala cautioned.

Microsoft has launched a new tool designed to troubleshoot the error codes 800705B4 and 80180080. Further information can be found by visiting the step-by-step guide here.

Have you encountered any problems in installing the Windows Phone 7 update on your handset? Let us know in the comments section below.

Tech Hub Application now available on all mobile Devices

Tech Hub Application now available for all mobile devices. 

To download  Click Here

Google Nexus S with AT&T bands available in black or white

AT&T users can grab a Google Nexus S with the proper 3G bands – sure, not from AT&T itself but there are other retailers that offer it. Even better, you have a choice between a black and a white color version – it was just black before.

Google’s second droid, the Google Nexus S, first launched with T-Mobile, which meant that users on other networks couldn’t get in on the fun. Now the Samsung I9020A, which is the model name of the AT&T’s Nexus S, is officially on sale.

As a consolation for the wait, users can get the phone in white (well, just the back anyway) – and T-Mobile users can’t (for now anyway). Negri Electronics carries both the black and white Google Nexus S for AT&T – both at the same price of $598.5 (for comparison, that’s €416). AT&T don't offer it (for now), so there's no option to get it on a contract.

Some lucky guy already bought the white Nexus S (just a day after the launch) and did what anyone else would have done – he took some unboxing photos. Here they come:

Sprint’s Google Nexus S 4G (with CDMA and WiMAX connectivity) is coming soon too. The Canadian launch of the Nexus S is nearing as well – several operators will reportedly carry the phone there, with Fido pricing the phone at $500 (Canadian) for pre-paid or $100 (again, Canadian) with a 3-year contract.

Samsung Galaxy S2 landing in April after all?

The much-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S2 will hit stores this month after all, it seems, flying in the face of reports that it had been delayed until June.

Earlier today, Samsung’s Estonian division and Samsung India appeared to confirm that the release of the company’s flagship smartie had been pushed back for reasons left unexplained. It was also claimed that the phone’s dual core processor had been upgraded from 1GHz to 1.2GHz.

However, since then things have become somewhat muddied. Samsung Tomorrow, the Twitter presence of the company’s Korean nerve centre, has now indicated it will be pushing ahead with the April release as originally intended. In select markets, anyway.

Sammy tweeted: Samsung GALAXY S II will be first released in April, as planned.

“It will be gradually rolled out in each market according to the local launch timetable.”

It’s not abundantly clear from the latter statement when we can reasonably expect the phone on these shores. However, the fact that Blighty is a priority market suggests that we’ll almost certainly be among the first in line to get it.

Even so, as with a lot of tech products set for release this year, but hit by component supply problems stemming from the Japanese earthquake disaster, supply shortages are likely.

Nokia's Symbian events: continuity or confusion?

It seems that so-called “burning platform” hasn’t been razed to the ground just yet. Nokia has confirmed that it’s holding a Symbian event on April 12th in London, with Symbian phones taking centre stage. Invites say attendees will discover "what’s new with Symbian smartphones.” But considering the OS has been pretty much completely undermined, what exactly will be revealed?

We already know that Nokia is plotting a major over-the-air update to the OS, with its Indian chief even saying that the mobile-maker would release 12 smartphones in 2011. And if the online rumour mill is to believed, we can take it as read that the much-touted new-look operating system is much more finger-friendly and sports a breezier and less awkward interface.

It’s understandable that Nokia wants and needs to keep up its presence in the smartphone space. If it doesn’t, then it’ll be completely trounced by the growing number of Android rivals, HP’s forthcoming webOS phones, Windows Phone 7’s second wave and, of course, the iPhone 5.

In that respect, continuity makes sense. But it also begs the question why Stephen Elop was so swift to jump in with Microsoft and Windows Phone 7, when a Nokia phone packing the Big M’s operating system isn’t going to be released until 2012. Surely, if Nokia wants to compete, it needs to roll out its big guns now? A WP7 phone, for example.

As it is, we’re likely to see hardware that will doubtless be impressive, but running software that, no matter what Nokia does, is completely tainted in the eyes of the smartphone world. Symbian’s finished on smartphones, no matter what Nokia might say to the contrary.

 

Updating it and giving old phones a new lease of life is great, but it’s hard to see what Nokia plans to achieve by releasing new phones using it. Surely Espoo was working towards a deal with Microsoft months before it was actually announced. So why aren’t we getting the Windows Phone 7 phone we all want to see now? It’s all starting to smack of Nokia’s delaying tactics, which saw the N97 undermined and the N8 practically dead on arrival.

Then there’s the question of who exactly will buy a new Symbian phone now? Smartphone savvy consumers will know how good Android is, why iOS is so popular, and will choose them instead once they try devices in store.

Nokia can, of course, continue to succeed in the feature phone market, but with Android battling it out there too it’ll be hard for Espoo to show why its phones are any better.
 

Facebook for iPhone gets unfriendly with new update

The official Facebook application for iPhone has been updated to version 3.4, bringing with it a number of cool new features and upgrades.

At long last iFans are able to un-friend people they no longer like, or in most cases, people they never knew in the first place, from anywhere on the go, at the tap of a button.

Places has been revamped too. A Map View has been added which allows you to see exactly where you’re checking into, which is useful if there are two nearby places with the same name.

You can now also check in at events you’re attending. Find me in Shoreditch next week (after you’ve added me of course, you beautiful stranger).

Other additions include an improved news feed and a better looking notifications interface.

The update is available to download right now from the App Store and requires your iDevice to be running iOS 3.0 or later.

Windows phone 7 NoDo hits HTC HD7 on O2

HTC HD7 owners on O2 are now receiving a long-awaited OS bump to the latest version of Windows Phone 7, the carrier has confirmed.

O2 announced the update is being pushed out now via its Twitter feed in response to a query from a HD7 user.

The so-called NoDo update brings a host of new features to the handsets running Microsoft’s operating system. Chief among them being copy and paste functionality and improved searching on the Windows Marketplace app store.

Also incoming is the option to store more wireless network profiles and access them quicker, plus bug fixes and faster loading for apps.

NoDo was originally scheduled to launch back in January. However, Microsoft reportedlY delayed the upgrade to ensure the best possible customer experience.

Microsoft began pushing out the new iteration last month, but network-specific tests, coupled with a piecemeal approach that means that resulted in some phones getting it earlier than others, means that many WP7 users are still waiting for NoDo.

In other WP7 news, Nokia, which recently inked an historic deal to produce handsets running WP7, this week announced a press call expected to showcase 12 new Symbian powered phones.

The move adds credence to speculation that Nokia is now likely to hold off on releasing a WP7 phone until next year.

HTC Desire S Android phone hits 3

The HTC Desire S is available now on 3 on monthly contracts, as the release schedule for the year’s crop of Android phones begins to gather pace.

After some five years of waiting, last week, saw the launch of the fabled PlayStation phone, AKA the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. On some networks, anyway.

Joining it on shoppers’ wishlists from today is the latest in the Desire range from HTC, which retains the HTC Desire HD’s 3.7-inch panel but adds some other specs that place it firmly in the class of 2011.

Not least of these is a front-facing VGA camera for video calling, the latest, greatest 2.4 version of Android out of the box – with a new take on HTC’s Sense social networking focussed custom skin slathered over the top.

It’s also home to a rear-mounted five-megapixel snapper with face detection, geo tagging and LED flash and expandable storage of up to 32GB via microSD card support.

3 is offering the Desire on a selection of 24-month contract options, including the rather winning all-you-can-eat One Plan that gives you unlimited data to allow you to make the most of your smartie.

Apple iPad 2 review: Love and hate 2.0 Pros and Cons

Introduction

The unfortunate naming aside (seriously, didn’t anyone say it out loud before they announced it?), the Incredible S is a pretty great smartphone. You’ve got spotless connectivity, an exciting new screen, those cool rotating buttons and the proven power of Snapdragon under the hood.

Apple is taking it easy with the upgrades as usual – everything is carefully planned to ensure smooth traffic of new and repeat customers. It’s weirdly inconsistent with the hype about every new release. Anyway, faster-thinner-lighter is a fair deal to offer new users without making the original iPad adopters feel duped.

 

It’s a sequel from the creators of a blockbuster. The iPad 2 is in no mood to start a revolution. But evolution should be good enough considering the original iPad is yet to be beaten.

Key features
9.7” capacitive IPS touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels; oleophobic coating
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity
Optional 3G connectivity (data only)
Optional GPS with A-GPS support
Apple A5 SoC - 1 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor, PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics
512MB RAM
iOS 4.3
16/32/64GB of onboard storage
Weight of 601 grams (607 grams for the 3G version)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
10 hours battery life
Accelerometer, compass and three-axis gyro-sensor
Compatible with every iPhone app without any modifications
The cheapest version costs less than an unlocked iPhone
0.7MP auto-focus camera, 720p video recording at 30fps
VGA secondary camera capable of Facetime calls
Impressively slim 8.8mm waistline
Four and five-finger gestures (locked by default, but easy to enable with a Mac and a $5 app)
1080p TV-output with the Apple Digital AV Adapter (purchased separately for $39), 720p video streaming
Magnetic Smart cover ($39 or $69)

Main disadvantages

iTunes required for uploading content
No Flash support in the web browser
Poor still cameras – though, really, this thing isn’t meant for taking candids
No standard USB port
No kickstand – it cannot stand on a table without the help of a dock stand or a Smart cover
Non replaceable battery
No stereo loudspeakers
No GPS receiver for the Wi-Fi only version
No memory card slot
3G model uses micro-SIM, instead of a regular size SIM
iPhone apps designed for HVGA resolution squander screen real estate or look pretty bad uspcaled

  

Nokia to release 12 smartphones in 2011, 40 handsets in total

Nokia has sounded a statement to intent to retain its status as the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer, as it readies at least 40 new handsets for release this year, including a dozen smartphones, a senior Nokia exec has revealed.

With the growing threat of Android - which according to latest market research figures has now overtaken both the iPhone and BlackBerry in market share in both sides of the pond - Espoo is not about to let up in its efforts to remain the global market leader and is reportedly ramping up its production efforts, as it looks to tighten its stranglehold on the still-massive feature phones market and claw back into contention in the smartphone race.

Nokia India vice president and marketing director D Shivakumar, cited by GSMArena, has revealed the Finns’ plan to maintain a steady stream of feature phones to land on store shelves around the globe, plus 12 new smartphones, and has hinted at a possible major announcement incoming after mid April.

That said, Nokia’s recent alliance with Microsoft may be still be some way away from bearing fruit, with reports already emerging that the first WP7 powered Nokia phone may not happen until next year at least.

However, some tech observers are still holding out hope that at least one handset running the Redmond giant’s reinvented OS may yet arrive to market before the end of the year.

Sony may supply 8MP Image sensors for iPhone 5

Apple's Image Sensor supplier's factory hit by Tsunami in Japan

 
All eyes are set on Worldwide Developers Conference starting on June 5 where Apple is expected to announce the next generation iPhone 5. Sir Howard Stringer, president and CEO of Sony Corp, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, is said to have slipped Sony s plans about 8 megapixel image sensors to be supplied to Apple for next generation iPhone 5. Seth Weintraub, owner of 9to5Mac blog noted that Stringer stated that the factory making image sensors for Apple was affected by the Tsunami in Japan.

Apple usually sources the image sensors for its iOS devices from OmniVision that offered backside-illuminated 5 megapixel CMOS Image sensor in the iPhone 4. OmniVision Factory located in Japan is reported to be affected by Tsunami and hence there has been a delay in supply of image sensors for Apple products.

According to report by WSJ, Stringer casually stated -
Early on, he raised the irony of Sony supplying camera components for Apple devices. It always puzzles me, he said. Why would I make Apple the best camera? It is unclear what devices he was talking about as Sony isn t known to supply key camera components, known as image sensors, to Apple.

As opposed to that, Weintraub had paraphrased Stringer s mention as:
Our best sensor technology is built in one of the (tsunami) affected factories. Those go to Apple for their iPhones or iPads. Isn t that something? They buy our best sensors from us?

Sony also manufactures backside-illuminated Exmor R image sensors which were recently used in the current Xperia Arc model. Hence it might have been an indirect offer from Sony to Apple for buying image sensors from them instead of getting the iPhone 5 shipment delayed. As of now there s no second reported to confirm what Weintraub heard at the interview but it looks ambiguous why Sony would supply parts to one of its rivals.

From the mixed reports available so far, I believe iPhone 5 indeed will have 8 megapixel Image Sensor. However, there s no clarity whether those Image Sensors would be from OmniVision or Sony.

Best Mobile Phones Under Rs. 10,000

Nokia C5 - Rs. 7,599
The Nokia C5 belongs to a breed of phones that is slowly disappearing. It is hard to come across phones without touchscreens these days and amongst them, phones with no QWERTY phones are even fewer. But there are still a lot of people out there who would like a simple candybar phone with a traditional keypad and the Nokia C5 is would be perfect for them.

The C5 has a slim and compact design. It is also very light yet well built with a strong metal back. It has a 2.2-inch QVGA display, large comfortable keypad, 3 megapixel camera with VGA video recording. It also has 3G HSPA connectivity so you can take advantage of the faster Internet connection speeds that Indian carriers have finally began offering. Best of all, the Nokia C5 is a Symbian S60 smartphone, so you can multitask between applications and install additional 3rd party software from the Ovi Store and other sources.

Samsung Wave 533 - Rs. 8,899

Looking for a QWERTY phone in this price range? Look no further than the Wave 533. It has by far the biggest QWERTY keypad you can find under 10k. It also 3.2-inch, 320 x 400 resolution touchscreen and the phone runs on Samsung's bada OS. It also packs in 3 megapixel camera Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0 and A- GPS.

Spice MI-310 - Rs. 7,399

 

Thanks to Indian companies like Spice, prices of Android smartphones have come down a lot and now we finally have some good Android phones under Rs. 10,000. One such phone is the Spice MI-310. It runs on Android 2.2 Froyo and comes with all the bells and whistles that one would expect in a much more expensive smartphone. It has a 3.2-inch HVGA display, 3G HSPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A-GPS, 2 megapixel camera and an optical trackpad. All this for just Rs. 7,399.

LG Optimus One - Rs. 10,299

We keep recommending this phone and that's only because we think it's awesome. It offers a super combination of price and performance which makes it great value for money. It has a 3.2-inch QVGA HVGA display, 3G HSPA, Bluetooth, W-Fi, A-GPS, 3 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash, VGA video recording, DivX/Xvid playback and runs on Android 2.2 Froyo with Gingerbread update arriving later. It's slightly above Rs. 10,000 but we think it is well worth the stretch.