In a bid to consolidate its presence in the Indian market, Amazon.in has now added Computers and Computer Accessories categories to its online store.
Following this announcement, there are now seven categories of products on Amazon.in including Books, Movies and TV shows, the Kindle family of ebook readers, ebooks and Kindle Fire tablets, Mobiles and Accessories, Cameras and Photography, and Portable Media Players.
Amazon.in was launched in India in June selling books, movies and TV shows, with the Kindle Paperwhite ebook reader and Kindle Fire HD range of tablets following soon after. The company later added mobiles, cameras and portable media players.
According to Amazon, consumers will be able to shop across 7,000 plus products in its inventory from over 180 computer and computer accessories brands, with the product range covering laptops, printers, routers, external hard drives, pen drives, keyboards, mouse and other accessories from brands such as HP, Dell, Sony ,Lenovo, Acer, Sony, Samsung, Logitech, Microsoft and Belkin among others.
Amazon will offer these products from 180 popular retailers including Croma, Vijay Sales, Compuindia.com and Gadgetsguru using Fulfillment by Amazon, offering customers Cash on Delivery, delivery tracking to the doorstep, and free returns pickup.
Since its launch, the website has been running a limited period promotion under which it will offer free delivery with no minimum order value on all orders Fulfilled by Amazon, to customers.
Commenting on the launch, Amit Agarwal, Vice President and Country Manager, Amazon India, said "We are excited to launch a dedicated store for computers and accessories, and expand selection on Amazon.in. We look forward to delighting customers across India shopping for products in these categories with broad selection, low prices, great convenience, and reliable delivery."
Just like other product sections, Amazon.in provides detailed product descriptions, options to shortlist products by features, customer reviews from Amazon.com, and personalised recommendations for products listed in the computers and computer accessories section.
SonyAlphaRumors has posted a few pictures that reveal the attachable smartphone lens cameras manufactured by Sony paired alongside the yet to be announced Sony Xperia i1 or Honami. The site claims that the alleged images are of external lens cameras dubbed as DSC-QX10 and DSC-QX100. The site notes that both the lenses come with built-in sensors, Bionz processor, Wi-Fi or NFC wireless connection and SD card slot support.
The lens camera duo doesn't feature any screen and camera controls, but can be controlled through the smartphone or tablet's Wi-Fi or NFC, suggests the site. The external lenses can be magnetically attached with a smartphone or tablet and can work on both Android and iOS devices.
The site further notes that the lenses will feature two different sensors. The top end model will pack the 20.2-megapixel Exmor R sensor and f/1.8 Carl Zeiss lens from the Sony RX100 II while another model will feature a 10x zoom lens with 1/2,3-inch 18-megapixel CMOS sensor. However, there is no word on exact release date and pricing of the external lenses.
Last week, a Sony teaser purported to be related to company's upcoming flagship smartphone, the Sony Xperia i1 or Honami was leaked.
The Sony Xperia Honami is rumoured to sport a 5.0-inch full-HD display. It's likely to be powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB of RAM. The device is said to feature a 20-megapixel Exmor RS camera that is expected to sport a Sony G-lens and BIONZ image processor. The phone is also expected to feature a 2.0-megapixel front facing camera. It's may include a 16GB internal storage and a 3000mAh battery. The device is said to run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The device is also said to come with IP57 certification which means it would be dust-and water-resistant.
The device is expected to be launched at an event on September 4 in Berlin.
Samsung Galaxy Note III Octa-core
We already know the launch date for Samsung's next Note entrant, the Galaxy Note III, and the leaks related to the device don't seem to stop rolling. A latest report has revealed the various variants of the device and the list of countries that'll be getting each variant.
Sam Mobile has posted the complete list of countries where the two variants of the device, the SM-N900 (3G version) powered by Samsung Exynos 5420 (Octa-Core) processor and the SM-N9005 (LTE version) powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974), will allegedly head.
Much like the company's flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S4, every country will get a variant of the Galaxy Note III, based apparently on the fact that the market needs LTE capabilities or not. However, the site also notes that, "If your country gets both processor variants, it is a decision based on the marketing plan of Samsung. Which means if there are LTE networks in your country, Samsung will start with the LTE variant (Snapdragon 800) first."
The leaked country list also includes India with the country said to get the Octa-core SM-N900 (3G version) of the Samsung Galaxy Note II successor as expected.
The site also claims that there will be a third version, SM-N9002 which will be powered by Samsung Exynos 5420 (Octa-Core) processor and that will be a dual-SIM device. This device will apparently be only for the China market.
Earlier, specifications of the Galaxy Note III were revealed. The leaked specifications of the device include a 5.68-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. It is said to come with 3GB of RAM. The Galaxy Note III will reportedly have identical dimensions as its predecessor even though its sports a slightly larger display.
The one thing that was missing from the earlier leaked specifications was the GPU, and now we know that as well.
According to Sam Mobile, the SM-N900 will be backed by an ARM Mali-T628 MP6 GPU, the SM-N9005 will be backed by an Adreno 330 GPU while the dual-SIM variant will be powered by ARM Mali-T628 MP6 GPU.
We already know the launch date for Samsung's next Note entrant, the Galaxy Note III, and the leaks related to the device don't seem to stop rolling. A latest report has revealed the various variants of the device and the list of countries that'll be getting each variant.
Sam Mobile has posted the complete list of countries where the two variants of the device, the SM-N900 (3G version) powered by Samsung Exynos 5420 (Octa-Core) processor and the SM-N9005 (LTE version) powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974), will allegedly head.
Much like the company's flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S4, every country will get a variant of the Galaxy Note III, based apparently on the fact that the market needs LTE capabilities or not. However, the site also notes that, "If your country gets both processor variants, it is a decision based on the marketing plan of Samsung. Which means if there are LTE networks in your country, Samsung will start with the LTE variant (Snapdragon 800) first."
The leaked country list also includes India with the country said to get the Octa-core SM-N900 (3G version) of the Samsung Galaxy Note II successor as expected.
The site also claims that there will be a third version, SM-N9002 which will be powered by Samsung Exynos 5420 (Octa-Core) processor and that will be a dual-SIM device. This device will apparently be only for the China market.
Earlier, specifications of the Galaxy Note III were revealed. The leaked specifications of the device include a 5.68-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. It is said to come with 3GB of RAM. The Galaxy Note III will reportedly have identical dimensions as its predecessor even though its sports a slightly larger display.
The one thing that was missing from the earlier leaked specifications was the GPU, and now we know that as well.
According to Sam Mobile, the SM-N900 will be backed by an ARM Mali-T628 MP6 GPU, the SM-N9005 will be backed by an Adreno 330 GPU while the dual-SIM variant will be powered by ARM Mali-T628 MP6 GPU.
Nokia seems to be getting aggressive with its Lumia line-up as the company has unveiled three smartphones in a short span of time. Not content with launching the Lumia 925, Lumia 1020 and Lumia 625, the company is apparently working on the Lumia 825 featuring 5.2-inch display.
A report in the Chinese Media first picked up by Unwired View notes that Nokia is working on its first phablet, the Lumia 825 which will be based on Windows Phone 8 GDR3 update.
According to the report, Microsoft is expected to release the GDR3 update for Windows Phone 8 soon which will enable support for quad-core processors and full-HD displays on the Windows Phone platform.
The rumoured Nokia Lumia 825 is believed to be a successor to the Lumia 820 which was launched alongside the former flagship, the Lumia 920. The site claims that the alleged Lumia 825 will be a mid-range device as it will still boast a 720p HD screen and not a full-HD display.
The site further suggests that the Lumia 825 will likely be powered by quad-core processor and the chipset may be Qualcomm's Snapdragon 400 possibly clocked at 1.2GHz. Nokia is expected to release the Lumia 825 in October, the report claims.
Nokia has no doubt taken the whole Windows Phone ecosystem on its shoulders and thanks to its growing Lumia line-up, Windows Phone smartphones seem to be finally gathering some momentum. The launch of quad-core phones is the next step, something that Android and other platforms have been sporting for a while now.
Nokia has currently eight smartphones powered by Windows Phone 8 that include the Lumia 1020, Lumia 625, Lumia 925, Lumia 920, Lumia 820, Lumia720, Lumia 620 and the Lumia 520.
Canon EOS 700D review
Canon EOS 700D is the 'flagship' device in company's entry-level consumer DSLR range. Canon has included some creative features as well as a very responsive capacitive touchscreen to make sure this camera appeals to first time users as well as those looking for an upgrade. Bundled with the camera is the 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 stock lens. So how does it work, let's find out.
In the box
- Canon EOS 700D body
- LP-E8 rechargeable battery
- AC adapter kit ACK-E8
- Manual
- Warranty card
- USB cable
- Hand strap
- 512MB SD Card
- Software CD
- Canon EF 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 lenses
Image Quality
I have been using a very high-end DSLR as my primary camera for about a year now, so I didn't have high expectations from the entry-level Canon EOS 700D, but the image quality on the camera was surprisingly good.
Most of the low-light photos taken with the kit lens were shot anywhere between ISO 800 and ISO 1600, and I was worried about the images being slightly noisy. However, the camera handled these very well and the noise was barely noticeable, though images over ISO 3200 did show a bit of noise. If you want, you can take up ISO Settings up to 12,800 in the snapshot mode and 6400 in video mode, but I would really not recommend that. Canon also let us use their prime 28mm f/1.8 lens for some shots, and I was very happy with the way this worked.
The Canon EOS 700D performed well in most situations, indoors as well as outdoors, and the lens also kept up with it. A few shots in the gallery were taken with the prime lens, specifically for getting the lights to look like stars, but with the bundled 18-55 lens too I managed to get some interesting shots.
Video
One of the things that stood out for me when I had read the Canon EOS 700D press release of the new kit lens was the silent motor, and I really wanted to give it a shot. In scenes where you depend on the autofocus, you usually get the motor's hum, and then have to come back and edit that out in the movie.
Battery Life
The battery on the Canon EOS 700D is rated at 400 shots and my testing gave similar results. On a four day trip across Hong Kong and Taipei, I did not need to charge the battery once, even though I was shot videos and a number of delayed-shutter shots, which can be battery intensive. The LP-E8 is the same battery that shipped in the previous generations, hence getting a spare battery is not an expensive affair in case you propose to shoot a lot of pictures.
Price
- Rs. 53,995 for body only
- Rs. 59,995 for body and 18-55 lens
- Rs. 39,995 for the prime 28 mm f/1.8 Lens
- Good noise control
- Quality video and sound capture
- Lightweight body
- Responsive touchscreen
- Not a big upgrade from the previous generation
- Viewfinder not bright enough
- Build/ Ergonomics: 3.5
- Features / Performance: 4
- Image Quality: 4
- Video: 4
- Battery Life: 4
- Value for Money: 4
- Overall: 4
While
Google is expected to release the next version of its mobile operating
system, Android 4.3, next week, a leaked copy of the OS for Nexus 4
devices has already appeared online.
Although it's known that Android 4.3, which would continue to be referred as Jelly Bean, will be a minor update and won't bring major user-facing changes, it still offers some incremental updates.
According to a hands-on video uploaded by Android Central, the update will increase the touch responsiveness of the Nexus 4.
The new update will bring an additional feature to the phone's dialler suggesting phone numbers from your contacts as you dial by matching digits or looking up names. It also adds an option to add pauses while calling a number.
Android 4.3 also seems to brings a new Wi-Fi setting, 'Scanning always available' which will allow apps to get location data through Wi-Fi even when Wi-Fi is set to off and not being used for data access.
As revealed in previous leaks, Android 4.3 also offers a new updated Camera app that features a new arch based menu that makes it easier to control and switch camera settings.
In addition to these, the update brings the OpenGL 3.0 graphics standard for better 3D rendering for visual effects in apps and games, and Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) support, through which devices running the OS will be able to sync with low power wearable devices like health monitors and smart watches.
The update also offers a new Notifications history menu which keeps a log of all notifications and the app responsible for them.
Alleged screenshots of an early version of Android 4.3 running on Samsung Galaxy S4's Google edition variant had also appeared online, in June. The screenshots had suggested changes to the Camera app. We had earlier seen the same camera app when a Nexus 4 running Android 4.3 was spotted at the Thailand Mobile Expo last month.
Although it's known that Android 4.3, which would continue to be referred as Jelly Bean, will be a minor update and won't bring major user-facing changes, it still offers some incremental updates.
According to a hands-on video uploaded by Android Central, the update will increase the touch responsiveness of the Nexus 4.
The new update will bring an additional feature to the phone's dialler suggesting phone numbers from your contacts as you dial by matching digits or looking up names. It also adds an option to add pauses while calling a number.
Android 4.3 also seems to brings a new Wi-Fi setting, 'Scanning always available' which will allow apps to get location data through Wi-Fi even when Wi-Fi is set to off and not being used for data access.
As revealed in previous leaks, Android 4.3 also offers a new updated Camera app that features a new arch based menu that makes it easier to control and switch camera settings.
In addition to these, the update brings the OpenGL 3.0 graphics standard for better 3D rendering for visual effects in apps and games, and Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) support, through which devices running the OS will be able to sync with low power wearable devices like health monitors and smart watches.
The update also offers a new Notifications history menu which keeps a log of all notifications and the app responsible for them.
Alleged screenshots of an early version of Android 4.3 running on Samsung Galaxy S4's Google edition variant had also appeared online, in June. The screenshots had suggested changes to the Camera app. We had earlier seen the same camera app when a Nexus 4 running Android 4.3 was spotted at the Thailand Mobile Expo last month.
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Tab 3 range of the tablets, namely the Galaxy Tab 3 211, Galaxy Tab 3 310, and Galaxy Tab 3 311.
The 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 211 was announced in April. Under the hood, Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 211 is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor alongside 1GB of RAM. The 7-inch screen has a rather disappointing 1024x600 resolution at a paltry 169ppi. The tablet will be available in 8GB/ 16GB storage options, expandable by another 64GB via microSD card. Connectivity options on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB and A-GPS/ GLONASS. The tablet runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and is priced at Rs. 17,745.The 8-inch Galaxy Tab 3 310 and Galaxy Tab 3 311 are powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor alongside 1.5GB of RAM. They come loaded with a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera. The tablets have a 8-inch WXGA TFT display with a resolution of 1280X800 pixels. Available in 32GB and 64GB variants, the tablets also offer expandable storage up to 64GB via a microSD card. The tablets come with a 4,450mAh battery. The device runs Android Jelly Bean 4.2 and come pre-loaded with Samsung applications and services such as Samsung Hub, ChatOn, S Translator, S Travel, Pop up Video and WatchON.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 310 is the Wi-Fi version of the tablet priced at Rs. 21,495 and Galaxy Tab 3 311 is a Wi-Fi + 3G tablet that will be available for Rs. 25.725.Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 311 and 310 key specifications
The 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 211 was announced in April. Under the hood, Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 211 is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor alongside 1GB of RAM. The 7-inch screen has a rather disappointing 1024x600 resolution at a paltry 169ppi. The tablet will be available in 8GB/ 16GB storage options, expandable by another 64GB via microSD card. Connectivity options on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB and A-GPS/ GLONASS. The tablet runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and is priced at Rs. 17,745.The 8-inch Galaxy Tab 3 310 and Galaxy Tab 3 311 are powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor alongside 1.5GB of RAM. They come loaded with a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera. The tablets have a 8-inch WXGA TFT display with a resolution of 1280X800 pixels. Available in 32GB and 64GB variants, the tablets also offer expandable storage up to 64GB via a microSD card. The tablets come with a 4,450mAh battery. The device runs Android Jelly Bean 4.2 and come pre-loaded with Samsung applications and services such as Samsung Hub, ChatOn, S Translator, S Travel, Pop up Video and WatchON.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 310 is the Wi-Fi version of the tablet priced at Rs. 21,495 and Galaxy Tab 3 311 is a Wi-Fi + 3G tablet that will be available for Rs. 25.725.Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 311 and 310 key specifications
- 8-inch WXGA TFT display with 1280X800 pixels (189ppi)
- 1.5GHz dual-core processor
- 1.5GB RAM
- 32GB, 64GB internal storage, expandable by up to 64GB
- 5-megapixel rear camera
- 1.9-megapixel front facing camera
- 4,450 mAh battery
- Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
- Weight: 314 grams (Galaxy Tab 3 310)
- 3G (Galaxy Tab 3 311 only): HSPA 21Mbps DL, 5.76Mbps UP, Quad 850/900/1900/2100
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz)
- Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0
- 7-inch WSVGA TFT display with 1024X600 pixels (169ppi)
- 1.2GHz dual-core processor
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB, 16GB internal storage, expandable by up to 64GB
- 3-megapixel rear camera
- 1.3-megapixel front facing camera
- 4,00 mAh battery
- Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
- Weight: 302 grams (Wi-Fi variant)
- 3G: HSPA 21Mbps DL, 5.76Mbps UP, Quad 850/900/1900/2100
- Wi-Fi a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz)
- Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0