the world's smallest Windows 8-powered tablet

Acer Iconia W3 holds the distinction of being the world's smallest Windows 8-powered tablet. It is the first true rival of the popular Apple iPad mini and the plethora of Android tablets like Google Nexus 7 and Samsung Galaxy Note 510. At the launch event, we played a bit with the device for a hands-on review.

 It is obviously meant for a certain audience that desires the full functionality of the desktop in a portable form factor. Of course, you can enjoy music, videos and internet connectivity on the go with this tablet too.

The 1.8GHz dual-core Intel CloverTrailprocessor and 2GB RAM seems sufficient for most Windows 8 tasks and even during the hands-on, we did not encounter any lag. Acer has placed 2MP cameras on the front as well as back, but due to the very poor lighting conditions in the launch area, we were unable to evaluate them properly.

Using the Windows 8 tablet with just one hand was a new experience and something we did not find to be too disconcerting. In fact, those who have used Windows 8 laptops will find the transition to be natural, even if they have used the famously user-friendly Apple devices previously.

While Acer IconiaW3 has its merits, it has its demerits too. The tablet is targeted at all buyers, but focuses on those who not only consume content, but create it too. It has all the features for content creation, but forgets that the modern user does much more than just video playback and internet browsing. The wide number of utility and fun apps that make Android and Apple tablets so popular are not as widely available in Windows 8 platform. It is a well known fact and our harping about it won't change anything, but the point remains that this is the chief thorn in this Acer tablet's path.

Another issue is the lack of mobile data connectivity, which is something you would not expect in a tablet priced at Rs 28,000. Windows 8 platform offers mobile data support, so we are left wondering why Acer chose to leave it out. Of course, those who are ready to sacrifice a few (may be even many) apps and mobile data for full desktop functionality will find AcerIconiaW3 to be more than a capable device.

To protect against iPhone thefts, Apple REVEALS 'activation lock' feature

Apple has introduced a new feature called 'activation lock' which is expected to provide potent protection against iPhone thefts.
Increase in smartphone thefts, and the increased pressure from law enforcement authorities grappling with an epidemic of street crimes, prompted Apple to take this step, reports Huffington Post.Apple's existing feature 'Find My iPhone' allowed the owners to merely trace their phones whenever the thieves switch it on and delete their important data.
However, the new feature makes the phone inoperable by prompting the thieves to supply iCloud username and password even if they want to turn off the 'Find My iPhone' program.
According to the report, although some customers consider it as a welcome step owing to the number of thefts in the past year and subsequent killings by thieves over smartphones, there are also some people who find it is not a technologically advanced concept.

price cut in India for Samsung Galaxy S4

The phone, which launched in India on the day of its global launch at a price tag of Rs 41,500, is now selling at Rs 40,300 on Samsung India e-store. This translates to a discount of Rs 1,200. The company is also offering a 12-month EMI option for the device.

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However, while the official price cut is recent, some of the major e-commerce websites in the country like Flipkart and Snapdeal have been selling Galaxy S4 at this price since many weeks now. In fact, some of the smaller online retailers are selling the device for under Rs 40,000.
 The device is now priced at Rs 16,900, a reduction of Rs 1,360. This phone, a rival of Micromax Canvas HD, can be purchased for approximately Rs 16,570 on e-commerce websites.

Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch SuperAMOLEDtouchscreen with 1920x1080p resolution and 441ppi pixel density. The Indian variant of the phone has a 1.6GHz eight-core processor and comes in 16, 32 and 64GB versions, with microSD card support up to 64GB, and 2GB RAM. Connectivity features of this phone include 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0. Powered by a 2,600mAh battery, this phone also had a 1.9MP front-facing camera and a 13MP rear unit with LED flash.

The all-new Galaxy Grand Quattro features a 4.7-inch TFT touchscreen with 800x480p resolution and 200ppi pixel density. The device is powered by Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and comes with 1GB RAM and supports 32GBmicroSD card. Connectivity features
in Samsung Galaxy Grand Quattro include 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and microUSB 2.0. A 5MP camera with LED flash is strapped to the back of this smartphone, while a VGA unit is placed in the front. It is powered by a 2,000mAh battery, supports dual-sim functionality and is available in black and white colours.

Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Mega 5.8 for Rs 31,490 and Rs 25,100 only in India

Samsung today has launched the first two models of its Mega series of phablets namely the Galaxy Mega 5.8 and the Galaxy Mega 6.3 .The Galaxy Mega 5.8 is priced at Rs 25,100 and will be available within a week, while the Galaxy Mega 6.3 is priced at Rs 31,490 and will be available around June 10.
The Galaxy Mega 5.8 comes with a 5.8-inch qHD display while the Galaxy Mega 6.3 comes with a 6.3-inch 720p display. The phablets run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and are powered by a dual-core Broadcomm Cortex A9 processor clocked at 1.4GHz in the Galaxy Mega 5.8 and a dual-core Qualcomm processor clocked at 1.7GHz in the Galaxy Mega 6.3. In terms of memory space, both feature 1.5GB RAM, and 16GB of internal memory which can be expanded up to 64GB using a microSD.

Other common features

 Include an 8-megapixel rear, a 1.9-megapixel front cameras, the Galaxy Mega 5.8 gets dual-SIM support, while the Galaxy Mega 6.3 stays with a siugle-SIM and on the connectivity front, both support Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS and more. Additionally, the Galaxy Mega 6.3 also comes with support for NFC.

The Galaxy Mega 5.8 is slightly thicker at 9mm than the Galaxy Mega 6.3 which is 8mm thick, and weighs 182 grams while the 6.8 weighs 199 grams. In terms of battery, the Galaxy Mega 5.8 comes with a 2,600mAh battery, while the 6.3 houses a 3,200mAh battery.

Samsung India has also tied up with RCOM and Vodafone to offer unique data plans for its customers, with RCOM customers getting free 2GB of data per month for a period of 3 months as well as unlimited access to Big flicks, WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook. Vodafone users, on the other hand, are being offered free 2GB of data per month for a period of 2 months.

At these prices, one can easily get the Galaxy S III or even a Galaxy Note II by investing a little more. But then it is for users who live by the “bigger is better” maxim.

Nokia Lumia 920 for Rs 31,999 with wireless charging plate

Nokia today available for Rs 32,369 from Nokia’s own online store in India. What’s more, Nokia is also bundling the DT900 wireless charging plate with the phone .Nokia today slashed the price of the Lumia 920 from approximately Rs 36,000 and is now available for Rs 31,999 . Nokia’s executives maintain that both the Lumia 920 and Lumia 925 will coexist in the market as both target different user segments. Nevertheless, with this price cut, it is clear that the Lumia 925 will be the de facto flagship product.