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Huawei has revealed the Huawei Ascend W2 another windows powered handset. The W2 will be loaded with a snapdragon dual core processor and will run the windows phone 8 OS with 512MB RAM.

The handset is expected to be released in November 2013, no words as to when it will be available in India and its price tag. Ascend W2 weighs 160 grams with a 9.9mm thickness. It is powered by Dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8230) chipset clocked at 1.4GHz coupled with Adreno 305 GPU.

Front camera is missing and on the rear you will find a 5MP touch focus camera that can record 720p videos at 30fps. There is no LED flash. This single SIM handset supports 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS with A-GPS support. There is 512MB RAM and 8GB internal storage. SD card slot is missing (no external memory supported).

Ascend W2 will be available in Yellow, Black, Red and Blue colors. A 1700 mAh Li-ion battery will get the handset going for up to 390 hours in standby mode. The estimated talk time is around 9 hours. W2 an upgraded version of Huawei Ascend W1 should be available in November or December this year.

The Google Nexus 7 is available in India via Google play store. The Google nexus 5 is also available. The Nexus 7 with 16GB Wi-Fi model is available for Rs. 20,999 where as the 32GB Wi-Fi model will come for a price tag of Rs. 23,999.

A 32GB Wi-Fi and LTE (4G) unlocked variant is also available for Rs. 27,999. The 4G option is only available with 32GB storage. The nexus 7 runs on Android 4.3 with 2GB RAM and 16/32 GB storage options.

The 7.02 inch screen supports 1920×1200 pixels resolution with scratch resistant corning glass. Tab weight is 290 grams with an 8.65mm thickness. Other features are 4G (with 32GB), Wi-Fi (dual band) (a/b/g/n), NFC, dual speakers and Bluetooth 4.0.

The Google Nexus 7 is powered by 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor clocked at 1.5GHz. There is 5MP auto focus camera on the rear and 1.2MP on the front. Battery is of 3,950 mAh capacity with up to 9 hours of continuous usage time. Wireless charging (Qi) is supported.

Interested in the Nexus 7, just head on to Google play store.

With MediaTek Octa Core making its way into 2014, Qualcomm has now announced the quad core Snapdragon 805 ultra HD processor coupled with Adreno 420 GPU. The Snapdragon 805 will be the fastest and the latest high performing processor as for now.

Key features of Snapdragon 805 ultra HD processor from Qualcomm

The Qualcomm Krait 450 CPU can be clocked at speed of up to 2.5GHz per core will superior memory bandwidth management that enhanced the browsing as well as media experience.

This chipset can play Ultra HD 4K videos thanks to the Adreno 420 GPU. It can also be connected to HDTV and content can be simultaneously viewed.

LTE 4G supported with superior data rates of up to 150Mbps via the integrated Gobi MDM9x25 chipset.

Low power consumption even when decoding high quality videos (4K HEVC (H.265) decode).

Camera enhancements – Clams to be the first with Gpixel/s camera support. This results in better image quality in low light conditions, better stability, improved camera speed and crisp / sharper image output.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 is a mini home theater (that can run 4K (Ultra HD) videos) in your pocket.

A few days back Intex had revealed that they will soon launch an octa core device. In fact yesterday they did launch the Intex i17 model with a 6 inch HD screen and powered by MediaTek octa core chipset.

The Intex i17 will be priced at under Rs. 20,000 – looks quite tempting. This Phablet comes loaded with 1.7GHz Octa core MT6592 chispet with Mali 450 MP4 GPU clocked at 700MHz. The IPS touchscreen is 6 inches supporting resolution of 1280×720 pixels.

There is 13MP rear auto focus camera with full HD recording and LED flash support. A front camera of 5MP can be used for self shot or video chats. The handset is pretty slim with a 7mm thickness. Android 4.2 runs the show with 2GB RAM and 16GB / 32GB optional storage. Other features are 3G, Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth, dual Yamaha speakers and GPS.

A 2300 mAh battery should get the handset going for a full day with moderate usage. The Intex i17 will hit the stores next year in Jan 2014. Price will be under Rs. 20,000 for the 16GB version.

has launched two new handsets the ZTE Nubia Z5S and the Nubia Z5S Mini. Both these handsets are powered by 2.3GHz qualcomm snapdragon quad core processor. The handset has been launched in China for under Yuan 2000. We might soon see these handsets in the Indian market.

ZTE Nubia Z5S

This handset is available in White and Black colors and is powered by Snapdragon 800 quad core processor clocked at 2.3GHz with Adreno 330 GPU. The CGS (Continuous Grain Silicon) screen comes with Corning Gorilla glass 2 protection supporting resolution of 1920×1080 pixels.

Android 4.2 is used with MiFavour 2.0 user interface. ZTE Nubia Z5S weight is 126 grams with 7.6mm thickness. On board RAM is 2GB and optional storage space of 16/32GB. Key features are 13MP AF camera with flash, FHD video recording, 5MP front camera, 3G (HSPA+), GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Battery is 2300 mAh capacity. The Nubia Z5S is priced at 1999 Yuan.

ZTE Nubia Z5S Mini

It’s a Mini version of the Z5S. Same features except for the weight of 120 grams, the IGZO (Indium gallium zinc oxide) screen of 4.7 inches with 1280×720 pixels and 2000 mAh battery. The ZTE Nubia Z5S Mini comes in 4 different colors and is priced at 1499 Yuan.

The Nokia Asha 501 is a budget friendly phone that was launched a few months back, though it came loaded with good feature the lack of Whatsapp support kept users away. To patch up, Nokia has now rolled out OTA (Over the Air) update for 501 and the good news is that they have added WhatsApp on Asha 501.

If you own the Nokia Asha 501 you can update the OS that also includes the WhatsApp application specially optimized for the 501 handset. The experience is the same as on any smartphone. The extensive OS update will improve the overall experience and capabilities of the handset.

WhatsApp is no doubt the main highlight but there is more to it, you can easily click images and share it. This update also gives more customization options to users for example they can set notifications that they want to see on the lock screen. Users can now use Nimbuzz app and some other apps for making data calls over the net (Voice Over IP).

To update just go to settings and tap the phone update option. It would be better if you use the Wi-Fi network for the update. Just follow the steps and it will be done within few minutes.

Karbonn has launched a 1.5GHz quad core handset, the Titanium S7 that comes with a 5 inch screen with full HD resolution. This handset with MT6589T chipset is already listed on Flipkart with a price tag of Rs. 14,999.

This is another MT6589T MediaTek chipset clocked at 1.5GHz with PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU. This dual SIM handset runs on Android 4.2 with 1GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. Micro SD card of up to 32GB is supported.

The handset is 9.3mm thick and houses 13MP rear auto focus camera with flash and a front camera of 2MP resolution. The capacitive OGS Multi touchscreen is with 1920×1080 pixels resolution. Other features are 3G, Wi-Fi, 2G, Bluetooth and GPS.

As per the specs on Flipkart this handset comes with Gyro, G-Sensor, magnetic, proximity and light sensors. The Battery mAh capacity is not known. The handset could compete with the Micromax A117 that also comes powered by 1.5GHz MediaTek chipset, but with a 720 pixel screen resolution.

Karbonn Titanium S7 can be pre-ordered from Flipkart for Rs. 14,999.

The HTC One Max with 5.9 inch screen and powered by 1.7GHz quad core processor is listed on Saholic and themobilestore.in websites. Themobilestiore is selling it for Rs. 53,909.

The HTC One Max is powered by quad core qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8064T 600 chipset clocked at 1.7GHz with Adreno 320 GPU. The TFT LCD display size is 5.9 inches with 1920×1080 pixels resolution. Sensors included are accelerometer, light, gyro, proximity, magnetic and fingerprint ID.

The handset comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB/32GB storage options. Micro SD card of up to 32GB is supported. A 4MP rear HTC UltraPixel camera is included with LED smart flash and a 2.1MP camera on the front. Full HD video recording is supported.

HTC One Max runs on Android 4.3 and supports 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi (a/ac/b/g/n), GPS with A-GPS and Bluetooth 4.0. The 3300 mAh battery gives a pretty good talk time of up to 25 hours on 3G networks. The handset is bulky – weight of 217 grams, thickness is 10.29mm.

The One Max from HTC now available via the Mobile Store for Rs. 53,909.

The XOLO Q2000 made headlines a few weeks back, it comes powered by the MT6589 processor clocked at 1.2GHz. The key attraction is a bigger body of 5.5 inch screen with HD resolution. The Q2000 is priced at Rs. 14,999.

Box Pack

Inside the box you will find the handset, screen guard, data cable, OTG cable, a free flip cover, 2600 mAh battery, earphone, warranty booklet and user guide. On the box it’s clearly mentioned that OTG is supported.

XOLO Q2000 review

Design: The phone is bulky – weight is 186 grams, thickness is 9.65mm, breadth is 77.80mm and length is over 154mm. Look wise it is pretty impressive. Though it might feel a little bigger in the palm, cause of the design and 5.5 inch screen, the Q2000 is an attention seeker. Build quality and finishing is very good. The rear back cover is very thin and seems delicate.

The greyish – black glossy side along with the rear black color blends well. Rear side is with matte finish (feels like rubber).

Volume rockers are placed on the left, power button on the right, mic at the bottom and 3.5mm audio jack and micro USB port on the top. On the rear the camera portion is a bit outward.

Display: XOLO Q2000 comes with a 5.5 inch IPS screen with 1280×720 pixels resolution. It supports 4 point multi touch, touch is smooth and responsive plus viewing angles are also good. There are accelerometer, proximity and light sensors.

Memory and Storage: This dual SIM handset comes with 8GB onboard storage and 1GB RAM. There is micro SD card slot that supports external 32GB cards. You can install apps on external storage.

0.98GB is assigned for apps, 5.44GB as internal storage and 598MB is the free RAM available after the first boot. OTG is supported. This handset runs on Android 4.2 OS.

Performance: On the box the chipset mentioned is MT6589W, however it is MT6589 – the same that we have seen on Lava Iris 504q, Zen Ultrafone 701 and the Micromax A116. Q2000 is powered by 1.2GHz quad core MT6589 chipset with PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU.

Benchmark scores

Quadrant Standard – 3965

AnTuTu – 13477

Vellamo – HTML5 1496, Metal 437

Nenamark 2 – 46.0 fps

Multi touch : 4 points.

Camera: There is 13MP rear auto focus camera with LED flash and front camera of 3MP resolution. The still image quality is good. On the box it is mentioned that the handset can record and play full HD videos, unfortunately when I tested, it could record only in VGA (640x480p) resolution. I tried all of the video quality options but it always recorded in VGA resolution. It seems like an issue with the camera app as the hardware is capable of recording FHD videos. Probably XOLO will come out with an update to fix this issue.

Entertainment and Gaming: The XOLO Q2000 can play full HD videos in both H/W and S/W mode using MX player. I played Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt8. The Asphalt8 was not that smooth. I then installed the Asphalt8 on internal storage and it got better. And then I changed the graphics details from high to medium and it got even better – check the gaming video.

Others: Sound is loud and clear. The handset heats up a bit which is normal. The screen is visible under direct sunlight. 3G, Wi-FI, Bluetooth and GPS worked well.

Battery: Battery is of 2600 mAh capacity. During the review I used the handset running benchmark apps for around 23 minutes the battery level dropped by 10% and while playing games for around 17 minutes the battery dropped by 8%. You can play games continuously for around 4 hours. For moderate usage the handset should last for a day on a full charge.

Verdict: I am sure all of you know the MT6589 quite well by now. Q2000 is priced at Rs. 14,999. The XOLO Q2000 has got the looks and the size, if that is what you are looking for; otherwise you can get MT6589T (1.5GHz) with a 5 inch screen for around the same price.

The INQ SO.HO (SOHO Social Home screen) launcher app is out of the beta phase and now supports Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This apps integrates the feeds from your social networking account and takes the conversation directly on your home screen.

There are many social networking sites but quite a few of them are immensely popular like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Almost all of users have an account on these social networking platforms.

At times it gets difficult to check each and every social network and keep updated. Here is where third party apps like the SO.HO come handy. With SO.HO installed users can get the latest updates, links, pictures and videos from across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook directly on their home screen all in one place without having to login to each and every social account.

The SO.HO app does not work when the handset is in sleep mode, but as soon as you unlock the handset and if the data connection is enabled, the app will scan through your social account and grab the updates (if any) and show them on the home screen. What’s more you can tweet, update the status, like, check-in and do more directly from the home screen.

The SO.HO [SOHO Social Homescreen] launcher app is available on Google play for free. The app size is around 18MB and works on Android ICS 4.0 and above.