BSNL Penta Smart PS650

Josh Thunder

Maxx MSD7 3G AX50

There has been a deluge of smartphones and the big brands are often out of reach for most buyers, constrained by budgets. We review some offerings from the lesser-known brands and see whether they live up to their claims of a smart experience without burning a hole in your pocket.Maxx MSD7 3G AX50 No Dhoni magic MAXX's MSD7 AX50 fails to recreate Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni's magic, the company's brand ambassador. Named after him, the dual SIM model (both GSM) is part of its MSD series. The AX50 has decent looks but is too heavy at 182 gm. It boasts a mammoth five-inch screen but with a poor resolution of 400x800 pixels. The biggest disappointment is without a doubt the sloppy touchscreen. Be ready for your fingers to put up a strong fight with the screen trying to operate the phone.The processor is quite strong and despite the 512MB RAM, which might be considered ancient in today's smartphone market, rarely does the phone hang even when multitasking.The AX50 comes with a 5MP

Aam Aadmi smartphones: Options for the budget-conscious

Business Standard

Tablet

The way smartphones have captured the imagination of Indian consumers is for everyone to see. Wherever you go, you will find someone glued to the gadget. Hence, the answer to whether tablets would be able to make their presence felt remained under a cloud. But to our surprise, they managed to do well. 2013 witnessed the arrival of several interesting devices in the Indian market. Google's Nexus 7, Asus Fonepad 7 managed to attract many. And that seems to have boosted the confidence of tablet makers to come out with more for the technology-hungry Indian consumers. Harsh Vardhan takes a look at this year's gizmos and what 2014 has in store in this segmentAPPLESo the iPad mini with Retina Display turned out to be a pretty sweet tablet. Of course, the new iPad Air also arrived. It boasts incremental but still significant improvements over the excellent 3rd and 4th generation iPad displays. What comes next? It's Apple we're talking about here, so who knows. Will we see a larger iPad refresh

Tabs to make you fab

Robert Fisser

Interview with General manager, Sony Computer Entertainment (West Asia, Africa, Turkey and India)

India a market for future: Robert Fisser

From a distance, the device looks like most of the other five-inch smartphones available

First impression: Lenovo VibeX

Nokia Lumia 1520

The device comes for Rs 46,999 with a six-inch screen, a 20MP PureView camera and it runs on Windows Phone 8 operating system

First impression: Nokia Lumia 1520

Lenovo’s K900

The already crowded smartphone market has another entrant: Lenovo's K900. With this, the company has tried to bring to the customer a premium device with a 5.5-inch IPS full-HD screen. Before, we get into the details, let me tell you that the device looks stunning and will attract attention without fail. But is that all? Let's find out:DesignThe Lenovo K900 is one of the the best looking smartphones I have come across in recent times. The steel grey finish with the metal back plate renders it a sleek and snazzy appeal. For a phone as large as this, it's   slim, at 6.9mm, which makes it easy to hold. Other 5.5-inch phones I have used earlier are generally too bulky. Also, the K900 is surprisingly light, weighing just 162 g.PerformanceStatistically, the device has all one would ask for: ARM-based Qualcomm and Mediatek processors, a 2GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2580 CPU with PowerVR SGX544 graphics and 2GB of RAM.There's 16 GB of internal memory (no expandable micro SD slot) and a 2,500 mAh

K900: Hot on the outside, cold inside

Voice calling tablets seem to be the new rage in the growing smartphone/tablet market in India

Padded up for the tricky tablet wicket

Spice

The big screens attracts, but it can't hold your attention for long

A bland recipe Spice-d up

Lenovo P780

At Rs 18,799, the Lenovo P780 brings amazing battery backup, crucial for a smartphone

Big battery breathes life into this device

Small and light, LG's new wireless printer is being touted as the ideal companion for mobile lifestyles

A printer that fits in your pocket

Does a smartphone make you smart? Well, we do not have the answer to that. But what we do know is that smartphones have become a common sight. And, like many, you would also want to package your prized gadget with some accessories that add to the phone's smartness. The question now is where to get those accessories. Local markets are an option, but the items are generally of poor quality.Dailyobjects.com, a new player in the e-commerce sector, might be of some help if you are unable to figure out or find the right kind of accessory. The website offers a wide range of snazzy case covers, headphones, phone and tablet stands, etc. The unique selling point of the website is its user-friendly platform that helps the consumer understand which accessory would be best suited for his/her gadget. Most of us are confused about the right accessory for phones and end up spending a huge sum on things that might not be of any good to us.The clear distinction provided by the website in terms of which

Accessorising it right

LG G2

The new smartphone from LG is easy to hold and does not seem too big in hand despite the big screen

Life's good with G2, but not great

LG's latest phone runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 and is powered by a 3,000mAh battery

First Impression: LG's high-end smartphone G2

Grand Theft Auto 5 or GTA V made record sales of $800 mn on first day in US

GTA V: The biggest game ever?

Gameloft's Asphalt 8: Airborne has arrived to the gaming world as the successor to Asphalt 7: Heat, a game that was a runaway hit. As the name suggests, the latest offering by Gameloft rewards you for the tricks performed while you are airborne; 'Barrel Rolls' or 'Flat Spin' jumps, for instance. One can do Barrel Rolls by driving onto one of the many angled ramps present on the track, allowing the automated mix of gravity and momentum take care of the rest. More often than not, you land safely, unless you falter with the approach. Flat Spin jumps require you to go off a ramp while drifting and you need to bring your skills into action for gaining success in it.In terms of graphics, the game does not let you down. All the 47 licensed cars are crafted to ignite the racing passion in you. To add to that, the nine courses spread across the globe are designed to perfection. With the added punch of some licensed music such as "Be Electric" by The Qemists, "Etude" by Nero, "Rocksteady" by

Flip, roll or just race

High-end gaming-enabled phones have been on the radar for a while. Several brands have treaded this path; while some did well, some failed. Xolo Play T1000 has arrived to the party, to capture the imagination of a customer intending to carry a power-packed phone that also soothes his gaming senses. Here's how the Xolo Play fares:Design The handset boasts a 4.7-inch touch screen slab, with physical elements like the buttons built around the screen's frame. The screen has a resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. Due to the absence of a Gorilla Glass layer, the screen is prone to smudges but  the display is brilliant. On the right side, we have the power key and volume rocker. At the back, you will find the camera module encased in an aluminium & glass island, with an LED flash below it. The speaker rests at the back, while the microphone is  towards the bottom. The matte finish material renders a good grip. A 3.5 mm audio jack and the micro USB port are at the top. Under the removable bac

Harsh Vardhan