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The Lava Iris 352e, a dual SIM, dual core handset is priced at under Rs. 3,800. This handset runs on Android 4.2, comes with 2MP rear camera and sports a 3.5 inch HVGA screen. Is it worth the price? Find out.

Box pack

Inside the box you will find the 352e handset, 1450 mAh battery, screen guard, a free silicon back cover for added protection, power adapter, data cable, earphone and user manual.

Design, display and OS

The handset weight is just 108 grams with battery, it is not at all slim (12.3mm thick), breadth is 62.63 and length is 118.05. The black and silver color combination gives an elegant look.

The front side and the rear are black color. The rear side is matte finish and feels like rubber. The sides have got a silver line (matte finish) that runs all the way around, surrounding the micro usb port. The top side looks bulky cause of the ports and the bottom side gets narrower following a curve.

The volume rockers are placed on the left side and power button / micro USB port and 3.5mm audio jack are placed on the top side. There is 2MP FF camera on the rear along with speaker out vent.

The TFT screen is 3.5 inches supporting 480×320 pixels resolution (262K colors). The viewing angles are not at all good (for the price you cannot expect something better), though the touch is smooth and responsive.

There is only one sensor the accelerometer and the screen supports 2 point multi touch. Lava Iris 352e sails on Android 4.2.2 OS.

Memory and storage

This is a low budget handset and hence comes with minimal RAM of 256MB. Of the 256MB RAM, on the first boot you will get around 129MB free. There is 512MB internal storage (ROM), of which 147MB is assigned for apps – the free space is 100MB and there is a Phone storage of 12.15MB of which 11.18MB is available. External SD card of up to 32GB is supported and you can move / install apps on external storage. OTG is not supported.

Performance

Though the Lava Iris 352e is powered by the known MT6572 chipset it is clocked at 1GHz with Mali 400 GPU does not performance like the 1.3GHz MT6572 dual core, probably because of low RAM (256MB). The performance is okay but at times it does lag.

Benchmark scores

Quadrant Standard – 2684.

AnTuTu – 9176.

Vellamo – did not run cause of Low free memory.

Nenamark 2 – 47.4 fps

Multi touch : 2 points.

Gaming, Camera and entertainment

The Gaming experience is not at all good. But cannot really complain because of the price tag. This handset is not for gaming users. I could install the Asphalt 8 on the external card, however when playing the game it got stuck on the menu screen (check video review).

The hardware is capable but the main issue is low RAM. I tried installing the Temple run 2 but it failed (it was trying to install on the app/ internal storage). I guess very few games will work or low end games that can directly install on external storage.

There is 2MP fixed focus camera on the rear without flash and VGA camera on the front. In video mode there is 720p option however the videos got recorded in 864×480 pixels resolution. The still camera /video recording quality are not at all good.

As far as entertainment is concerned you can watch 720p videos in MX player with ease using both H/W and S/W modes.

Others

Sound is loud and clear. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth worked well. This handset does not support 3G, but does support the 2G networks (GPRS / EDGE). There is no built in GPS receiver.

Battery

The 1450 mAh battery seems decent enough. When running the benchmark apps for approx 17 minutes the battery level dropped by 6 percent. You can expect a 3 to 5 hours of battery life with continuous usage (both cores used).

Verdict

It is a low cost handset for Rs. 3,692 and for the price it is a good handset, do note there is no 3G support. Do not buy it for gaming and for its camera. Apart from this if your usage is limited to phone calls, social networks, surfing etc and in case will not be using heavy apps, then this is a good, cheaper option.

The Motorola Moto G may probably hit the Indian markets in Jan 2014, but if you cannot wait you can buy the Moto G from ebay.in. The online store has the ‘G’ listed – 8GB version for Rs. 15,990 and the 16GB version for Rs. 17,990.

The Moto G handset will be shipped from United States, it supports Global GSM i.e. any GSM SIM card will work. Shipping is free but it could take few days to weeks to get the handset delivered in India. After sales support could be an issue in case the device has some problems. Shipping is free, so in all you pay Rs. 15,990 and Rs. 17,990 depending on storage options.

The Motorola G runs on Android 4.3 with 8GB /16GB storage options. There is 1GB on-board RAM. This handset is powered by 1.2GHz quad core processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400) with Adreno 305 GPU. Screen is 4.5 inches with HD resolution (1280x720p). Other features are 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4 and GPS. This is single SIM handset and also includes a 1.3MP front camera and 5MP rear camera with LED flash. Battery is 2070 mAh capacity.

The Moto G is yet to make its way into the Indian Markets but is available on ebay.in. For the price it surely will give tough competition to budget quad core handsets that are already quite popular.

Moto G 8GB Rs. 15,990.

Moto G 16GB Rs. 17,990.

MX100 is a low cost basic phone with an impressive battery capacity of 4400 mAh. This handset is priced at Rs. 1,932 only. The Maxx MX100 power house leader is targeted at users looking for a secondary backup phone with excellent battery life and those living in rural areas.

It is a compete value for money. This handset supports dual SIM (GSM+GSM) and comes with a 4400 mAh battery which is the key attraction. The phone also comes with built in LED torch and is of a good built quality.

According to Krishna Singh, the COO of Maxx Mobiles there is a good demand of affordable mobile handsets in rural areas. Maxx MX100 is a perfect device that meets the expectations and has been built with rural consumers in mind. It is a very basis phone but loaded with good features like dual SIM, MP3 / MP4 player, Bluetooth and a digital camera.

The Karbonn Titanium X that briefly showed up on the Karbonn website is priced at Rs. 18,500. The handset does come with full HD screen and the specification are now mentioned on the official website.

When the Titanium X was first mentioned there was confusion regarding the screen resolution, now it is confirmed that the 5 inch OGS IPS screen is with 1920x1080p (full HD) resolution. The specifications still does not clearly indicate the chipset or the processor, but the image on the X page does mention a 1.5GHz quad core that points to MediaTek MT6589T chipset with SGX 544MP GPU, however if you look at the Karbonn Titanium S7 specifications it is the same as X, this could mean that the X may come with some other chipset probably Snapdragon, better wait and watch..

The Karbonn Titanium X dual SIM handset is 9.9mm thick and weight is around 143 grams. It sails on android 4.2 with 1GB RAM and 16GB storage, plus 32GB external SD card support. There is 13MP rear auto focus camera with dual LED flash and front camera of 5MP resolution. Full HD video recording / playback is supported.

Other features are 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. Not sure if the handset supports NFC cause the graphics does show NFC support but the same is not mentioned in the specifications. The removable battery is 2300 mAh capacity with talk-time of up to 6 hours and can be fully charged in about 3 hours.

The Karbonn Titanium X will hit the stores within few days for a price of Rs. 18,490.

The YotaPhone that was unveiled at the MWC event a few months back has finally been launched. Yota, a Russian company specialized in Modem development has now entered into the Smartphone domain. The YotaPhone is their first smartphone with a unique touch!

The YotaPhone comes with dual touchscreen. There is a main 4.3 inch LCD screen with 1280×720 pixels resolution and another 4.3 inch on the rear with 640×360 pixels resolution. The rear side is with E-Ink display that consumes minimal power.

The rear e-ink display can be used to view information without waking up the phone. The YotaPhone also comes with gesture options and a put2Back app that can be used to assign apps to run on the e-ink display for example you can assign social networking apps like Twitter to show up on the rear display – you can view the tweets without having to wake up the phone, what’s more the E-ink or electronic paper display is always on.

The E-ink display is 50% thinner, lighter and easily blends with the back side without taking up much space and is always on. The YotaPhone rear screen supports black and white colors.

This handset runs on Android 4.2.2 with 2GB RAM and 32GB on board storage. YotaPhone is powered by 1.7GHz MSM8960 Qualcomm Snapdragon dual core processor. The weight is 146 grams and thickness is 9.9mm. There is 13MP rear camera (AF) with flash and full HD video recording support and front camera of 1MP resolution.

Other features are 4G, 3G, Bluetooth 4, GOS with GLONASS/A-GPS and Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n). The battery is 1800 mAh capacity. The handset is available in Russia for approx Rs. 45K. Not sure if this handset will make its way into the Indian markets.

Samsung Galaxy Win Pro G3812 is listed on the Samsung (cn) website. When you compare the Win Pro features with the Samsung Galaxy Win sold as Galaxy Grand Quattro in India you will find that some features are downgraded while some upgraded.

The key difference is the screen – Galaxy Win (Quattro) is with 4.7 inch TFT screen supporting 800×480 pixels resolution whereas the Galaxy Pro G3812 sports a smaller screen size of 4.5 inches (TFT) but with slightly higher resolution of qHD (960×540 pixels).

The battery capacity on the Win Pro model is +100mAh more i.e 2100 mAh. The older version (Quattro) ran on Android 4.1.2 and Galaxy Win Pro sails on Android 4.2. Rest of the features look the same. There is 5MP rear AF camera with flash and front VGA camera. Wino Pro can record 720p vid.

The Samsung Galaxy Win Pro G3812 is powered by 1.2GHZ quad core processor. Other features are 3G, 2G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS. There is no mention of the RAM and internal storage on the Samsung (cn) website.

When (and if) launched in India (probably by the name Samsung Galaxy Quattro Pro) we can expect the price to be around the same at what the Samsung Galaxy Win Duos I8552 (Grand Quattro) is priced at (Rs. 14K to 16K).

Benq has launched two new quad core handsets the BenQ F3 and BenQ A3 in Taiwan. The A3 is with Snapdragon processor whereas the F3 is powered by MediaTek processor. These handsets are currently available in Taiwan for approx Rs.12K for A3 model and approx Rs. 17K for F3 model. No word as to when the handsets will hit the Indian stores.

The BenQ A3 comes with 4.5 inch IPS screen supporting 960×540 pixels resolution. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon (MSM8225Q) quad core chipset clocked at 1.2GHz (Cortex-A5) with Adreno 203 GPU. Android 4.1 runs the show with 1GB of RAM and 4GB storage. There is micro SD card support of up to 32GB. Handset weighs about 135 grams and is 10mm thick.

In addition an 8MP camera with BSI sensor and LED flash is present on the rear side and a 2MP camera on the front. Battery is of a 2000 mAh capacity.

The BenQ F3 is with 4.5 inch IPS screen supporting qHD (960×540 pixels) resolution. This handset in fact runs on Android 4.2 with 1GB RAM and 4GB on-board storage. Micro SD card of up to 32GB is supported.

The F3 with 8.9mm thickness (119 grams weight) comes powered by MT6589 quad core processor @ 1.2GHz. There is 13MP camera on the rear with BSI sensor and flash plus a 2MP camera on the front. This handset comes loaded with 2100 mAh battery.

Both these handsets supports 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth.

The Gionee P3 or Pioneer P3 is listed on the ebay.in website for Rs. 6999 . This dual SIM handset is powered by 1.3GHz MT6582 quad core chipset running Android 4.2 on a 4.3 inch WVGA screen.

It seems the 1.3GHz dual core MT6572 chipset will soon be overtaken by this 1.3GHz MT6582 budget quad core chipset. The MT6582 (cortex A7 ~ 28nm) is clocked at 1.3GHz coupled with Mali 400 MP2 GPU clocked at 500Mhz.

Gionee Pionee P3 sports a 4.3 inch TFT screen with 800×480 pixels resolution. It runs on Android 4.2 with 512MB RAM, 4GB storage and 32GB external SD card support. This dual SIM handset comes with 5MP rear auto focus camera with flash and front camera of VGA (0.3MP) resolution. The rear 5MP camera can record videos in 720p (HD) resolution.

The Gionee P3 is 11.1mm thick and available in Black and White colors. Other features are 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. Battery is 1700 mAh capacity that gives talk-time of up to 12 hours.

The handset is listed on ebay.in for Rs. 6999 and it’s clearly mentioned that the P3 handset will be available from 6th December 2013 (dispatched on/after 6th) but can be pre-booked now. The box pack also includes a protective back cover and screen guard. The handset is not yet listed on the official Gionee website.

Karbonn Titanium S5 plus is another handset with MT6582 for Rs. 10,990. The MT6582 quad core wave has already started.

Spice Mobiles has launched the Smart Flo Mettle 5X (Mi-504) handset for a price tag of Rs. 6,499. This handset comes powered by dual core processor clocked at 1.3GHz, yes with the same chipset MT6572 that almost all dual core handsets are launched with.

The Spice Smart Flo Mettle 5X specifications are the same, it’s with 1.3GHz MT6572 dual core processor with mail 400 GPU. Android 4.2 is the OS playing around on a 5 inch screen with 854×480 pixels resolution.

RAM is of a modest 512MB and internal storage is 4GB. Micro SD card of up to 32GB is supported. An 8MP auto focus camera is placed on the rear with flash support and another 1.3MP on the front. Features included are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. There is no 3G support, you can use the 2G networks (EDGE). There is built in GPS receiver with A-GPS support.

The battery is 1800 mAh that is sufficient for this 1.3GHz dual core chipset. The Spice Smart Flo Mettle 5X box pack also includes a free flip cover (needs confirmation). Spice mobiles is also planning to launch the Mettle 4X (4 inch screen) and 3.5X (3.5 inch screen) with the same hardware and for a cheaper price.

The dual SIM Spice Smart Flo Mettle 5X is priced at Rs. 6,499 and doesn’t really look good because of the missing 3G support.

Another handset from Karbonn Mobiles, the Titanium S5 plus, an upgraded version of the Titanium S5 is now listed on Saholic for Rs. 10,990. This dual SIM handset is with a 5 inch IPS qHD screen and is powered by quad core processor.

Karbonn Titanium S5 plus is powered by 1.3GHz mt6582 chispet. MT6582 is cortex A7 (28nm) with Mali 400 GPU @500 MHz. The handset is available in Deep Blue and Perl white colors. Display screen is IPS LCD of 5 inches with 960×540 pixels resolution. There is proximity, accelerometer and light sensors.

Titanium S5 plus runs on Android 4.2 with 1GB RAM and 4GB storage. 1GB RAM definitely is an advantage. There is micro SD card slot that can house another 32GB cards.

The S5 Plus comes with 8MP rear AF camera with flash and front camera of VGA resolution. Key features are 3G, Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth with A2DP and GPS with A-GPS. This dual SIM handset gets power from 1800 mAh removable battery.

The difference between Titanium S5 and S5 plus is that the S5 model is with quad core processor (qualcomm), running Android 4.1 and battery is 2000 mAh. On the other hand the S5 plus is quad core mt6582 (MediaTek), running Android 4.2 with 1800 mAh battery. Rest of the features are the same.

The Karbonn Titanium S5 Plus is available for Rs. 10,990.

added a new member to its 3G smartphone family. The new Idea Aurus 4 is priced at Rs. 8,999 and comes powered by MediaTek 1.3GHz dual core processor.

The Idea Aurus 4 sports a 4.5 inch TFT screen with 854×480 pixels resolution (16M colors). The handset comes with light, G-Sensor and proximity sensors. Aurus 4 is with 1.3GHz MT6572 dual core processor with Mali 400 GPU.

Aurus 4 comes loaded with Android 4.2 that runs comfortably with 512MB RAM and 4GB storage. In addition there is external card support of up to 32GB. This dual SIM handset comes with 5MP camera with flash placed on the rear and a front camera of VGA resolution.

Other features are 3G (21Mbps), 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS. The removable Li-ion battery is of 1800 mAh capacity that gives talk-time of up to 4 hours on 3G and 7 hours on 2G networks.

The Idea Aurus 4 is listed on the Idea Cellular website for Rs. 8,999 and comes with special offers for prepaid and post paid Idea subscribers.

BSNL has launched a low cost phone and two smartphones. The PentaBharat is a java based phone priced at Rs. 1,799; the PentaSmart PS501 smartphone comes for Rs. 6,999; the PS650 for Rs. 7,999.

PentaBharat PF300

This is a dual SIM handset with minimal features – it’s java based phone with a 3 inch screen. A very basic phone with 64MB RAM, 1.3MP camera on the rear, Bluetooth and micro SD support. It comes with 1800 mAh battery with around 8 hours of talk-time. The PF300 handset can also be used to access the net. It is priced at Rs. 1,799 along with 1200 minutes of free BSNL talk-time.

PentaSmart PS501

This handset sports a 5 inch screen with 854×480 pixel resolution running android 4.2 and powered by 1.2GHz dual core processor. On board RAM is 512MB with 4Gigs of internal storage. Micro SD card is supported. Other features are 5MP rear camera, front VGA camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. The handset with 1800 mAh battery is priced at Rs. 6,999 and comes with free 3GB data and talk-time of 300 minutes.

PentaSmart PS650

This Phablet is powered by dual core processor with Mail 400 GPU running android 4.2 on 512MB RAM and 4GB storage. The PS650 comes with 6.5 inch screen with 800×480 pixels resolution. Other features are 2MP rear camera, VGA front camera, 3G, Wi-FI, GPS and Bluetooth. PS650 comes with 2500 mAh battery. The PentaSmart PS650 is priced at Rs. 7,999 and also comes with 300 minutes talk-time and 3GB free 3G data (BSNL Network).

The XOLO Q500 gets silently listed on the XOLO official website for a price tag of Rs. 7,999. This quad core handset comes loaded with X-Transpic app that translates Hindi posters, messages and billboard into English. The specifications are now confirmed.

The XOLO Q500 is powered by 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8225Q quad core processor with Adreno 203 GPU. It is a dual SIM handset sports a 4 inch OGS screen with 800×480 pixels resolution. Handset runs on Android 4.1 with 1GB RAM and 4Gigs of internal storage.

There is 5MP rear camera with LED flash and a front camera of VGA resolution. HD video recording is supported. Other features are 3G (7.2Mbps), 2G, Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS. There is micro SD cards slot. Accelerometer, light and proximity sensors are present.

Battery is 1450 mAh capacity with talk-time of up to 9 hours on 3G and up to 16 hours on 2G networks.

The XOLO Q500 is listed on the XOLO website for Rs. 7,999.

Micromax has added a new model called the Bolt A61 to its Bolt series. The Micromax Bolt A61 is powered by a 1GHz single core Spreadtrum SC7710 chipset packed into a sleek metallic robust body.

The Micromax Bolt A61 runs on the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS over a 10.1 cm (4 inch) TFT touchscreen with 800×480 pixels resolution (16m colors). As mentioned it sails on 1GHz single core processor (cortex A5) that supports 3G (HSPA+) and 2G and coupled with Mali 400 GPU.

On board RAM is 256MB, internal storage space will be around 135MB with micro SD support (up to 16GB). The Bolt A61 also includes a front camera of VGA resolution and a rear fixed focus camera of 2MP resolution with video recording support of up to 640×480 pixels.

Other features are 3G (5.7Mbps), 2G (EDGE/GPRS), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1. Unfortunately this handset does not come with built in GPS receiver. Removable battery is of 1500 mAh capacity with talk-time of up to 3.5 hours.

The dual SIM supported A61 pricing details are not yet disclosed. The Micromax Bolt A62 is priced at Rs. 3,699 and the A61 is expected to be priced under Rs. 4,500.

Philips has launched the W8555 quad core handset belonging to the Xenium series. The Philips Xenium W8555 comes loaded with impressive specs and is expected to be priced between Rs. 22,000 to Rs. 30,000.

The W8555 weighs around 200 grams and sports a 5 inch screen with 1920×1080 pixels resolution. This dual SIM Philips handset sails on Jelly Bean 4.2 with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage with 32GB external card support. This handset is powered by 1.5GHz quad core processor (chipset unknown).

W8555 handset also comes with 13MP rear camera with auto focus, Geo tagging, face detection features and with LED flash. There is a front camera too. The rear camera can record full HD (1080p) videos at 30 frames per second.

Other features included are 3G, 2G, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, micro USB 2.0, Wi-Fi (b/g/n) and GPS with A-GPS/GLONASS. Another impressive feature is the battery of 3300 mAh capacity with up to 18 hours of talk-time.

2GB RAM, NFC and a good battery capacity of 3300 mAh is the key highlight. The Philips W8555 is not yet listed on the official Philips (Indian) website. Expected price is under Rs. 30K.

HTC yesterday, announced the HTC Desire 300, Desire 501, Desire 601 and Desire 700 in Taiwan. The HTC Desire 700 is the costliest of the lot and Desire 300 is the cheapest NT$ 7,900 approx Rs. 17K.

HTC Desire 300

This smartphone comes powered by Snapdragon S4 dual core processor clocked at 1GHz (MSM8225 with Adreno 203 GPU). It runs on Android 4.2 with 512MB RAM and 4GB internal storage. Micro SD card up to 32GB is supported. The TFT multi touch screen is 4.3 inches with resolution of 800×480 pixels.

HTC Desire 300 supports 3G (7.2Mbps), Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS with A-GPS. A 1650 mAh battery gives talk-time of up to 11 hours. Desire 300 supports single Micro SIM and includes 5MP rear AF camera and front camera of VGA resolution. The Desire 300 is priced at NT$ 7,900 (approx 17K).

HTC Desire 501

This single SIM handset sports a 4.3 inch screen with 800×480 pixels resolution. It is loaded with 1GB RAM and 8GB storage along with 32GB micro SD card support. There is 8MP rear AF camera with LED flash. The rear camera can record HD videos and simultaneously shoot images too. Desire 501 also includes a front camera of 2.1MP resolution.

HTC Desire 501 comes powered by 1.2GHz dual core processor and runs on android 4.1OS with Sense UI. Other features are 3G (14.4Mbps), Wi-Fi (b/g/n), NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS with A-GPS /GLONASS. Battery is 2100 mAh capacity. Price is NT$ 9,900 approx Rs. 21K.

HTC Desire 601

The Desire comes powered by 1.4GHz dual core Snapdragon 400 CPU with Adreno 305 GPU. The 601 sports a 4.5 inch TFT screen with qHD resolution. The screen is with corning Gorilla glass 2 protection. RAM is 1GB and internal storage is 8GB. 64GB external micro SD card is supported.

The Desire 601 includes a 5MP rear AF camera with LED flash support and full HD video recording at 30fps. There is a front camera too of VGA resolution. Key features are 4G, 3G, 2G, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n) and GPS with A-GPS/GLONASS. Battery is 2100 mAh capacity with up to 12 hours talk-time. Desire 601 is priced at NT$ 10,900 – approx Rs. 23K.

HTC Desire 700

This is a dual SIM handset powered by 1.2GHz quad core processor. Desire 700 comes with 5 inch screen supporting 960×540 pixels resolution (qHD). It runs on android 4.1 with 1GB RAM, 8GB storage and 64GB external card support.

Key features are 3G, GPS with A-GPS/GLONASS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. There is 8MP rear AF camera with flash that can record full HD videos and a front camera of 2.1MP resolution. Battery is 2100 mAh with up to 11 hours talk-time. HTC Desire 700 is priced at NT$ 13,900 – approx Rs. 29k.

The Lumia 525 rumor turned out to be true, the Nokia Lumia 525 is now listed on the official Nokia website with dual core processor, 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. The pricing details are not yet known.

Lumia 525 is 9.9mm thick and weighs about 124 grams. This windows 8 powered handset sports a 4 inch IPS LCD screen with 800×480 pixels resolution. It comes with light, accelerometer and proximity sensors.

Nokia Lumia 525 is a single SIM handset that supports a micro SIM card. Key features are 3G (21.1Mbps), 2G, GPS with A-GLONASS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. There is a single camera without flash support of 5MP resolution placed on the rear side. Camera features – focal length 28mm, 4x digital zoom, Auto Focus with minimum range of 10cm. The ISO sensitivity is 100 to 800. Camera can record videos in 1280×720 pixels (HD) resolution at 30fps.

Inside the hood the Lumia 525 comes loaded with 1GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor. Unlike its predecessor the Lumia 525 comes with 1GB RAM. Storage space is 8GB with micro SD card support of up to 64GB, plus 7GB free cloud storage.

The BL-5J 1430 mAh battery gives a talk-time of 10 hours on 3G and up to 16 hours on 2G networks. The Nokia Lumia 520 is priced at Rs. 7,789 and taking clue from it you can expect the Nokia Lumia 525 to be priced under Rs. 13,000.

As expected the Gionee Elife E7 was announced today in Shanghai, China. The Elife E7 runs on Android 4.2 with Amigo 2.0 User Interface. The handset sails on 2.2 GHz S800 Qualcomm Quad core processor, the first smartphone using the Qualcomm 8974 chipset.

The handset sports a 5.5 inch LTPS screen with Ultra Bright display with resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. The display screen is with Gorilla Glass 3 protection that is more durable and 20x more scratch resistant when compared with Gorilla Glass 2. The touch is quite responsive and works with wet hands and gloves. The Gionee Elife E7 will be available in different versions WCDMA and TD-WCDMA. The Elife E7 with 4G support will use the 2.5GHz Qualcomm 8974AC chipset with 5 major modes with 15 bands.

When it comes to memory and storage there are again two options, users can choose 2G RAM with 16GB Storage or 3GB RAM with 32GB Storage. The handset is ultra slim with a 9.7mm thickness. Other key features are 4G (selected model), 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and NFC.

The primary camera placed on the rear is with 16MP resolution with various camera effects like Auto Makeup Effects, SR Auto screen recognition, foot print mode, meeting memo mode and more. The front camera is of 8MP resolution with Auto Focus feature. Users can wake up the screen using gesture (draw on off [blank] screen), double tap or via voice control.

The Gionee Elife E7 will hit the Indian stores in early 2014, for now it will be available in China from 5th December 2013. E7 will be available in orange, pink, white, black, yellow and blue colors. The Elife E7 price has not yet been disclosed.

Gionee is also planning to launch the octa core version (with MediaTek processor) that will be called the Gionee Elife E7 Mini.

The Lava Iris 456 with dual SIM support and powered by dual core processor running Android 4.2 is listed on Flipkart website for Rs. 7,018. The Iris 456 sports a 4.5 inch screen and comes with 512MB RAM.

I think it will be using the same MT6572 dual core processor with Mali 400 GPU. The MT6572 is clocked at 1.3GHz but on the Flipkart website it is mentioned as 1.2GHz. The IPS screen is 4.5 inches with 854×480 pixels resolution.

Android 4.2 runs on 512MB RAM and 4GB storage. Of the 4GB storage 1.27GB is assigned for apps and 1.27 as the phone internal storage. 32GB external micro SD cards can be used. The Lava Iris 456 dual SIM handset houses a 5MP auto focus camera with BSI sensor on the rear with flash and 1.3MP fixed focus placed on the front.

Handset weighs about 147 grams with 10.45mm thickness. Key features are 3G (21Mbps), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There is no mention of GPS in the specifications. The Battery is 1650 mAh.

Lava Iris 456 is priced at Rs. 7,018 and currently out of stock on Flipkart.

The Micromax A116i an upgraded version of Micromax A116 HD is available on ebay.in for Rs. 13,344. The handset is not yet listed on the Micromax official website, so we cannot really confirm if it’s for real.

Having gone through the specifications as mentioned the on ebay.in website, I did not find any differences between the Micromax A116i and the Micromax A116 model. Probably the magnetic sensors might have been added that was missing on the A116 model, though I am not sure. But anyways there has to be something new otherwise it will not make sense launching a new handset model with same specs.

As per the specs the handset sports a 5 inch screen with 1280×720 pixels resolution. It runs on Android 4.1 upgradable to 4.2 with 1GB RAM and 4GB storage. It is powered the quad core MediaTek MT6589 chipset clocked at 1.2GHz (Cortex A7).

There is 8MP rear AF camera with dual LED flash and front camera of VGA resolution. Other features are 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. Battery is 2000 mAh with up to 5 hours talk-time. The Micromax Canvas HD A116i is a dual SIM handset.

Micromax may or may not have launched this model, we are not sure yet. The image on the ebay.in website also looks like that of Micromax A116, there is no clear indication on the box to confirm if its A116i model.

Karbonn Mobiles has launched the Karbonn A15+ (A15 plus) an upgraded version of the Karbonn A15 handset. As compared with the A15 (priced at Rs. 5,380) the A15+ is priced at Rs. 5,890.

The Karbonn A15+ also comes with a new design, in fact looks much better than its predecessor. This is a dual SIM handset powered by MT6572 dual core processor clocked at 1.3GHz with Mali 400 GPU.

The display screen is TFT LCD of 4 inches with 800×480 pixels resolution. A15+ runs on Android 4.2 with 512MB RAM and 4Gigs of on-board storage plus 32GB micro SD card support. There seems to be only a single camera placed on the rear with 5MP resolution without flash.

The Karbonn A15 plus supports 3G, 2G (EDGE/GPRS), Wi-Fi (b/g/n), DTS (Digital Theater Systems) audio technology and Bluetooth with A2DP. A 1500 mAh removable battery should give a decent backup time. The market is flooded with many such handsets with 1.3GHz dual core. Micromax has just launched the Canvas Juice A77 with 3000 mAh battery.

The Karbonn A15+ handset is available in black and white colors, listed on Saholic for Rs. 5,890. The specs does not mention anything about the GPS, probably it is missing.

The Samsung Galaxy Grand was a huge success and taking a step further, Samsung has unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 that runs on 4.3 OS, supports dual SIM and sports a 5.2 inch screen with 1280×720 pixels resolution.

Before we go through the Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 specifications let’s list out the differences between this and the Galaxy Grand. The Grand is with 5 inch WVGA screen where as the Grand 2 comes with 5.2 inch HD screen. Grand 2 comes loaded with 1.5 GB RAM, 8GB storage and runs on Android 4.3.

The Galaxy Grand 2 also comes with improved performance thanks to the 1.2GHz quad core chipset. In general there are a lot of improvements when you compare these two handsets.

The Grand 2 also houses an 8MP rear AF camera with flash and 1.9MP front camera. Micro SD card of up to 64GB is supported. Other features are 3G, Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n), GPS with GLONASS and Bluetooth 4.0. The handset weight is 163 gram and battery if of 2600 mAh capacity.

Micromax A77 also called Canvas Juice is listed on HomeShop18 for Rs. 7,999. The Juice A77 sports a 5 inch screen and is powered by dual core (1.3GHz) processor. It is called the Canvas Juice because of the 3000 mAh battery that it houses.

The dual SIM Micromax A77 comes with MT6572 dual core processor clocked at 1.3GHz (Cortex A7) with Mali 400 MP GPU, the same that powers the Micromax A74, Micromax A76 and the XOLO A500S. But when it comes to the battery backup the A77 will beat most of its competitor, thanks to the 3000 mAh Li-ion battery with a talk time of up to 10 hours.

The 5 inch screen supports 854×480 pixels resolution. Handset thickness is 10.2mm. There is 5MP rear camera with flash support and front VGA camera. A77 runs on Android 4.2.2 with 1GB RAM and 4GB storage.

Other features are 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. There is external SD card support of up to 32GB.

Canvas Juice is listed on HomeShop18 for Rs. 7,999. It is with the same 1.3GHz dual core MediaTek chipset but the key attraction is the 5 inch screen, 1GB RAM and 3000 mAh battery.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

LG will soon launch the LG G Flex self healing smartphone. The G Flex houses with curved touchscreen but the key attraction is the back side that comes with a special coating that heals back to its original state.

In other words the back cover with that special coating is kind of scratch resistant (to certain extent). If you scratch the back with a hard object the scratch will be visible but within few minutes the scratch will start to disappear. The handset is also durable and will restore to its original form (curve) when pressed (check video).

The self healing is limited to light scratches / damages. The LG G Flex weighs 177 grams and is 8.7mm thick. The 6 inch capacitive curved P-OLED screen supports HD resolution with 16M colors. RAM is 2GB and internal storage is 32GB, there is no external card slot.

The LG G Flex handset is powered by MSM8974 Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core processor clocked at 2.2 GHz with Adreno 330 GPU. Android 4.2.2 OS runs the show. There is 13MP AF camera with LED flash placed on the rear and 2.1MP on the front. Both the rear and front cameras can record full HD videos.

This single (Micro SIM) handset supports 4G, 3G, 2G, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS and also comes with Dolby sound enhancement. The non removable battery is of 3500 mAh capacity. No words as to when this handset will be available in India or its price, but it could easily be priced over Rs. 50,000.

Huawei will soon launch Huawei Ascend P6S and upgraded version of Ascend P6. The Ascend P6S will come powered by Octa Core chipset and will run on the latest Android 4.4 OS.

Huawei president Xu Xin Quan did confirm the Ascend P6S via Weibo, however the exact specifications and the pricing details has not yet been disclosed. All that we know is that it will be with true Octa Core chipset.

Reference to True Octa Core (8 core) could probably point out at the MediaTek MT6592 chipset. In fact this is the latest hot stuff that many manufactures are looking forward to. We are not sure if and when the Huawei Ascend P6S will be available in India and its price tag.

For now Intex has already announced its plan to launch their Octa core handset in India. It is a matter of few weeks / month and if you are planning to buy a new smartphone and ready to spend over Rs. 18,000 it would be wise to wait for the 8 core smartphones.

Samsung upgraded it Galaxy Core handset and has named it the Samsung Galaxy Core Plus. This handset got listed on the Samsung’s Taiwan official website for 8K Taiwan Dollars. There is no word as to when the Core Plus will be available in India.

The Core Plus is an upgraded Samsung Galaxy Core I8262 that is currently available in India for under Rs. 13,000. When compared with its predecessor the Galaxy Core Plus specifications isn’t that exciting. In fact it’s almost the same with few minor changes. The older Core came with 8GB storage and sailed on the Android 4.1 OS.

Samsung Galaxy Core Plus is powered by 1.2GHz dual core processor running Android 4.2 with 1GB RAM (768MB available) and 4GB storage (1.93GB available). It supports micro SD cards of up to 64GB. The TFT capacitive touch screen is 4.3 inches supporting resolution of 800×480 pixels.

There is a front camera of VGA resolution and a rear AF camera of 5MP resolution with LED support. Other features are 3G(21Mbps), 2G, Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth and GPS with A-GPS/GLONASS. In addition the Core Plus also includes the NFC module that was missing on the older (Core) version.

There are accelerometer and proximity sensors and 1800 mAh battery gives talk-time of up to 9 hours. No word about its launch in India or the price tag. You can expect it to be priced between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000.

XOLO mobiles next handset the XOLO Q1000 Opus will be powered by Broadcom Processor. The Opus is a quad core handset with 5 inch HD screen. The pricing details are not known however the handset is expected to hit the stores by end of November 2013.

Intel, MediaTek and now Broadcom powered, XOLO mobiles have tied up with Broadcom and their latest handset will be available by end of November 2013. The XOLO Q1000 Opus is powered by 1.2GHz quad core cortex A7 BCM23550 (Java) chipset. This chipset supports HSPA+ as well as 5G Wi-Fi that is much faster and more power efficient.

The 5 inch screen with 720p resolution is with dual HD support i.e. you can connect to external HD devices (HDTV etc) using Wi-Fi Miracast capable display and watch content on both the screens. The VideoCore IV GPU will enhance the gaming experience. The GPS module will support GLONASS for better indoor as well as outdoor location. This is all that we know for now.

Some other features that you can expect is dual MIC, full HD video recording, probably NFC support and better battery life. We will have to wait for the official specifications once it gets listed on their website. It is just a matter of few days.

This 3 inch smartphone the LG Optimus L1 II was first unveiled in August this year. The handset is now available in India for Rs. 6,499. L1 II is low budget smartphone running Android 4.2 over a 3 inch with QVGA resolution.

This dual SIM Optimus L1 II may not excite many as there are better handsets with dual core power and around the same price. The L1 II however does come with SIM switching hot key. The IPS 3 inch screen is with 320×240 pixels resolution. Android 4.2 runs on this handset with 512MB RAM and 4Gigs of storage.

The handset comes loaded with qualcomm snapdragon single core processor (cortex A5) with Adreno 200 GPU. There is a single primary camera of 3MP resolution without LED flash placed on the rear. VGA video recording is supported.

The handset does support 3G (7.2Mbps), 2G (EDGE) and comes with Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP and GPS with A-GPS. There is an accelerometer and proximity sensor. The removable Li-ion battery of 1540 mAh capacity gives a talk-time of up to 4 hours on a full charge.

The LG Optimus L1 II (dual SIM) is available on HomeShop18 for Rs. 6,499.

The Motorola Moto G has been announced, it is an exceptional phone with an exceptional price tag of $179 (for 8GB storage option) in the US (without contract). The handset will hit Middle east, Asia, India and the US in Jan 2014.

The Moto G is an affordable smartphone that also comes with water resistant coating. The hardware as well as the outer body is coated with some waterproof chemical that makes it water resistant up to a certain depth.

The handset is powered by quad core processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 cortex A7 clocked at 1.2GHz with Adreno 305 GPU. The screen is 4.5 inches supporting 1280×720 pixels resolution with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

On board RAM is 1GB and internal storage space is 8GB or 16GB (optional). There is no external storage card support. A 1.3MP camera is placed on the front and 5MP AF on the rear with LED flash. This handset can record videos in 720p (HD) resolution at 30 fps.

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean OS comes pre-loaded and the good part is that the Moto G will get the Android 4.4 Kit Kat upgrade. Other common features are 3G, 2G (GPRS/EDGE), Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS. There is proximity, accelerometer and magnetic sensors.

Moto G weighs around 143 grams and is 11.6mm thick. The Li-ion battery of 2070 mAh capacity gives a usage time of up to 24 hours with moderate to heavy usage. The Motorola G handset with several customization option (shell color, flip shells etc) and dual SIM (in selected countries) / Single SIM variants is expected to hit the store in Jan 2014.

Even though Gionee India has started advertising the Gionee GPad G3, the Gionee GPad 4 or G4 is already listed on the Gionee.com website and part of it showcased (teaser) on Facebook. The GPad G4 is upgrade G3 in fact it is with a bigger screen and powerful quad core processor.

Gionee GPad G4 is a dual SIM handset supporting 3G. It is 7.95mm thick and comes with screen of 5.7 inches. The handset is powered by MT6589T (MediaTek Turbo processor), however the screen resolution is limited to 1280×720 pixels. The MT6589T is 1.5GHz with PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU.

This handset runs on Android 4.2 with 1GB RAM and 16GB storage. Probably because of the thickness the micro SD card slot might be missing.

Battery is of a very good 3200 mAh capacity. The handset looks cool and comes with DTS sound technology. There is 13MP rear AF camera with flash and 5MP front camera. Other common features included are 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. There is light, accelerometer, proximity, gyro and magnetic sensors.

The Gionee GPad G3 already got listed on the Snapdeal website for Rs. 9,699 a month back. I have now received the press release with the confirmed specifications. The handset is available in white and black colours for Rs. 9,999. On Snapdeal it is now available for Rs. 9,425.

The GPad G3 is loaded with MT6589 quad core processor clocked at 1.2GHz. Android 4.2 runs the show with 512MB RAM and 4GB storage. The capacitive touch screen is 5.5 inches with 854×480 pixels resolution.

Other features are 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. There is a 5MP auto focus camera on the rear with flash and 0.3MP on the front. The rear camera can record HD (720p) videos. This means that the hardware is definitely with MediaTek’s MT6589W quad core chipset with SGX 544MP GPU.

Removable battery is of 2250 mAh capacity. For the price of under Rs. 10,000 this looks good, especially for those looking out for a 5+ inch 9.8mm thick handset. It is a dual SIM handset with magnetic, G-sensor and proximity sensors.

The handset is available on Snapdeal.com for Rs. 9,425.

LG Fireweb (LG D300) LG’s first smartphone running on the Firefox OS has be launched in Brazil. The 1GHz powered smartphone is priced at $207. No word as to when this handset will be available in other countries.

ZTE Open is another handset that recently went on sale in Spain, this smartphone also runs on the new Firefox OS. On the hardware front the LG Fireweb comes powered by 1GHz QUALCOMM processor. The handset comes with 2GB storage and probably with 256MB RAM.

The Fireweb sports a 4 inch screen with 480×320 pixels resolution (16M colors) and also houses a 5 megapixel camera on the rear with auto focus and LED flash support. Handset runs on Firefox 1.1 OS. The device weighs about 122 grams and could be around 9mm thick.

HTC has launched 3 new Desire models HTC Desire 709d, HTC Desire 7060 and HTC Desire 7088 in China. These handsets are powered by quad core processor and the pricing details are not yet disclosed. We are not sure if these handsets will be rolled out in other countries.

As mentioned these handsets are powered by quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor clocked at 1.2GHz coupled with Adreno 203 GPU. All of these 3 handsets sports a 5 inch Super LCD 2 screen with qHD resolution, 8MP rear auto focus camera and 2.1MP front camera. These handsets come with dual SIM slot and HTC BOOM Sound speakers.

The HTC Desire 709d, HTC Desire 7060 and HTC Desire 7088 runs in Jelly Bean OS with Sense 5 user interface. Internal storage is 8GB and RAM could be 1GB (not confirmed). It seems that all these 3 desire handset come with the same hardware but in different design and layout.

Let’s wait and see if the new HTC Desire handsets are made available in India.