Sony Xperia Z Review- Disadvantages and Advantages

Sony Xperia Z is Android 4.1 Jelly Bean running smartphone with 5 inch Full HD display screen. The device is powered by quad core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with 2GB RAM and Adreno 320 GPU. The price of Xperia Z is

Sony Xperia Z

Sony Xperia Z sports 5 inch TFT capacitive touch screen with a screen resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels resulting in a pixel density of 441 ppi and has 16M color depth. The display is shatterproof and scratch resistant glass.  The internal storage of the device is 16GB and supports microSD card upto 64GB.
Sony Xperia Z has 13.1MP auto focus primary camera with LED flash and 2.2MP front facing camera. Both front and back cameras can record 1080p HD videos at 30fps.
For connectivity, Xperia Z supports Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0,NFC and microUSB 2.0. This Xperia smartphone can be used as modem to connect to internet from PC with its tethering capability. It supports both USB and WiFi tethering. The Xperia Z has Non-removable Li-Ion 2330 mAh battery which is promises to provide upto 11 hours of talk time and 550 hours of standby time.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Xperia Z

Pros of Xperia Z

• IP57 certified water and dust resistant build
• Appealing distinctive design 
• Great Camera performance
• Memory expansion option
• Powerful performance with quad core processor

Cons of Xperia Z

• Non removable battery
• The viewing angles of the display screen is not very great
• Low light camera performance is not very great
• Few Firmware Glitches
• No out of box Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS

Sony Xperia Z Specification

• Chipset:Qualcomm MDM9215M / APQ8064
• Processor:Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait
• GPU:Adreno 320
• RAM: 2GB
• Dimensions:139 x 71 x 7.9 mm
• Weight: 146grams
• Primary Camera:13.1MP auto focus with LED flash
• Camera Features:Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, image stabilization, HDR, sweep panorama
• Secondary Camera: 2.2 Megapixel,1080p@30fps 
• Display: 5-inch TFT capacitive touch screen
• Display Screen resolution:1080 x 1920 pixels(~441 ppi pixel density). 
• Display features:Shatter proof and scratch-resistant glass and Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2
• Internal Storage: 16GB
• Expandable memory: Yes. Supports microSD card upto 32GB
• Connectivity:Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0,NFC and microUSB 2.0
• Battery:Non-removable Li-Ion 2330 mAh battery
• Stand-by time:Up to 550 h (2G) / Up to 530 h (3G)
• Talk time:Up to 11 h (2G) / Up to 14 h (3G)

HTC Butterfly Review Advantages and Disadvantages

HTC Butterfly is the first 5 inch smartphone from HTC as well as first 1080p screen smartphone. The new HTC Butterfly also known as HTC Droid DNA. The device runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean along with HTC  Sense UI 4+. It has a dimension of 143*70.5*9.1mm and weighs 140 grams.

HTC Butterfly

HTC Butterfly sports 5 inch Super LCD 3 capacitive touch screen with a screen resolution of 1080*1920 pixels which produces a pixel density of 441 ppi. The display has Corning Gorilla glass 2 protection to save the screen from scratches. The device is powered by 1.5GHz quad core Krait processor with Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon SOC. It has got 2GB RAM and Adreno 320 Graphics.
HTC Butterfly comes with 8 MP autofocus primary camera with LED flash and BSI(Backside illuminated  sensor. The camera has F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens with dedicated HTC imagechip. The device also sports 2.1MP front facing camera which is also can shoot HD videos at 30fps. The internal memory of the device is 16GB and support microSD card upto 32GB. The device has Li-Po 2020 mAh battery.

Advantages and Disadvantages of HTC Butterfly:

Pros of HTC Butterfly:

• Brilliant full HD display screen with good viewing angles
• Excellent and premium build quality
• Powerful performance. Runs almost everything without any lag
• Decent battery life

Cons of HTC Butterfly:

• Non Replaceable battery. Like many other smartphones, this phone too compromised on this to give premium look and design
• Highly Priced: The price of the device is very high and it seems like overpriced comparing other devices with similar specs priced way less.
• Awkwardly placed and uncomfortable power key
• The camera performance is not to justify the price
• The screen is reflective

HTC Butterfly Price:

The latest HTC Butterfly price in India is ₹45,890.

HTC Butterfly Specification:

• Chipset:Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon
• Processor:Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait
• GPU:Adreno 320
• RAM: 2GB
• Battery:Non-removable Non-removable Li-Po 2020 mAh battery
• Primary Camera:8MP with LED flash
• Camera Features:Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, face and smile detection
• Secondary Camera: 2.1 Megapixel,1080p@30fps 
• Weight:140 grams
• Dimensions:143 x 70.5 x 9.1 mm
• Main Display: 5-inch Super LCD3 capacitive touch screen
• Screen resolution:1080 x 1920 pixels(~441 ppi pixel density). 
• Display features:Corning Gorilla Glass 2
• In-Built Storage: 16GB,11GB user available
• Expandable memory: Yes. Supports microSD card upto 32GB
• Connectivity:Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0,NFC and microUSB 2.0

Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update started rolling out

Samsung has started rolling out Android 4.1.2 JellyBean  update to the its mid range smartphone Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 (GT-I8160). The update will be rolled out in phases. Hence currently, in some regions, you may not get the update right away, but you will get it shortly.

The new Android JellyBean 4.1.2  build JZ054K will bring in new features such as  improved notifications, performance, battery life and a new TouchWiz along with project butter and Google Now features. You can update your Galaxy Ace 2 through Samsung Kies or OTA(Over the Air) update. There is no official communication from Samsung on what regions get this update on which date. So keep checking for the update. Here is the quick tips to update your Ace 2 firmware.

Updating Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 through Over the Air(OTA):

• Go to settings on your Ace 2 device
• Then chose About Device option
• Now select Software Update
• Tap on Update-Check for Update. 
• If any update available your device will show that. Upon your confirmation, it will downloaded and installed to your device.

Updating Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 through Samsung Kies:

• Download the latest Samsung Kies PC suite. For more instruction, read How to Download Samsung Kies PC suite.
• Connect your Galaxy Ace 2 to PC through the USB cable.
• Launch Samsung Kies Application
• In the home screen, Kies app show the your current firmware version and latest firmware option available if any.  Click on update and follow on screen instructions to complete the update.

Nokia Lumia 820 Review - Advantages and Disadvantages

Nokia Lumia 820 is a Windows Phone 8 OS based smartphone. It has 1.5GHz Dual core Qualmcomm Krait Processor with 1GB RAM and Adreno 225 GPU. The device measures 123.8 x 68.5 x 9.9 mm and weighs 160grams(5.64oz).  It also features interchangeable shells to to give a look depending on mood which is similar to Lumia 620.

Nokia Lumia 820

Nokia Lumia 820 sports 4.3 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen with a screen resolution of 480x800 pixels resulting in a pixel density of ~217 ppi. The display has got ClearBlack technology which improves readability especially under direct sunlight. Lumia 820 has 8GB built in storage and support microSD card upto 64GB.
Nokia Lumia 820 features 8 megapixel carl zeiss optics autofocus primary camera with dual LED flash. It can record Full HD 1080p videos at 30fps. There is also a VGA front facing camera for video calling. For connectivity, this Lumia phone supports GPRS, EDGE, Speed(HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps DL), WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC and USB.  Nokia Lumia 820 is powered by Li-ion 1650 mah battery which is rated to provide upto 14 hours of talk time and 330 hours of standby time.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Nokia Lumia 820: 

Pros of Lumia 820:

Good battery backup. Considering the current set of large touch screen smartphones, Lumia 820 battery performance is decent. With moderate, use battery easily lasts for one and half days  without using any power saving techniques.

Snappy Performance. With 1.5GHz dual core Krait processor with 1GB RAM, device runs every thing smoothly without any lag. Playing games, watching Full HD videos are flawless. 

Good storage Options: Lumia 820 comes with a decent 8GB internal storage capacity, in which 5.1GB is user available. Also device supports microSD card upto 64GB

Good Call quality and Loudspeaker Performance. The call quality of Lumia 820 through loud speaker as well as headset is good.  The music play back also great. The device comes with bundled in ear style earphones are soft and comfortable to wear for longer duration.

Great Camera. The snaps and videos taken using Lumia 820 comes good and pictures are crisp and sharp.

Cons of Lumia 820:

Low resolution Display screen. Lumia 820 comes with a WVGA resolution screen. It could have been good if it has come with higher resolution screen.

No Native MKV format support. Out of the box, device do not supports mkv media formats. However this can be tweaked by installing third party apps.

Nokia Lumia 820 Specification:

• Chipset:Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon
• Processor: Dual core 1.5 GHz Krait
• GPU:Adreno 225
• RAM: 1GB
• Battery:Li-Ion 1650 mAh battery (BP-5T)
• Stand-by time: Up to 330 h (2G) / Up to 330 h (3G)
• Talk time:Up to 14 h (2G) / Up to 8 h (3G)
• Primary Camera:8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, dual-LED flash
• Video Recording:1080p@30fps, video stabilization
• Secondary Camera:VGA 
• Weight:160 g (5.64 oz)
• Dimensions:123.8 x 68.5 x 9.9 mm, 83.5 cc (4.87 x 2.70 x 0.39 in)
• Main Display:4.3 inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
• Screen resolution: 480 x 800 pixels (~217 ppi pixel density). 
• Display features:Nokia ClearBlack display
• In-Built Storage:8 GB, 5.1GB user available
• Expandable memory: Yes. Supports microSD card upto 64GB
• Connectivity:GPRS, EDGE, Speed(HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps DL), WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC and USB
• Navigation:Yes. With life time free voice guided navigation from HERE Maps

Nokia Lumia 820 Price: 

Nokia Lumia 820 latest price in India is ₹23,499.

HTC 8S Advantages and Disadvantages

HTC 8S is the mid range Windows Phone 8 based smartphone. There are only few smartphones available with good specification in this price tag. The Nokia Lumia 620 is the only Windows 8 phone which will compete with this phone with the price tag of 14k. The HTC 8S price in India is ₹18,900.

HTC 8S

HTC 8S comes with a Dual core 1GHz Krait processor with 512MB RAM and Adreno 305 GPU. It has got 4GB internal storage and supports microSD card upto 32GB. For connectivity, device offers 2G,3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and USB.
HTC 8S sports 4 inch S-LCD capacitive touch screen with a screen resolution of 480*800 pixels. For protection display has cornering Gorilla Glass. The HTC Windows phone has 5MP primary camera with LED flash which can record 720p HD  videos at 30fps. Unlike Lumia 620, 8S do not features a front facing camera. You can also read the flagship Windows phone HTC 8X Review.
Let us have a quick advantages and Disadvantages of HTC 8S Windows Phone.
Advantages of HTC 8S:
Design and Build Quality:  The HTC 8S has got some very beautiful and eye catching design. The looks of the phone makes this phone unique in the segment
Powerful Processor: Like Lumia 620, this phone too powered by 1GHz Dual core Krait processor with 512MB RAM and Adreno 305 GPU. It does a good job by providing smooth performance.

Disadvantages of HTC 8S:

Non User Replaceable Battery: The battery in the phone cannot be replaceable by the user easily. Considering battery life of touch screen smartphones, having the option to have back up battery is restricted.

Very Few Apps and Games: Like all other Windows phone, HTC 8S also suffers from lack of apps and games. The Nokia Lumia phones comes loaded with its own proprietry apps like navigation apps, City Lens etc. 

No front facing camera: The HTC 8S do not comes with a front facing camera. So the option to make video calls and Video chat is limited. 

Nokia Lumia 620 Advantages and Disadvantages

Nokia Lumia 620 is the most affordable Windows 8 phone as of now. Though it got delayed to enter the Indian market, it is making news for its performance for the price it is offered.  The latest Lumia 620 price in India is ₹14400.  Before looking into the advantages and Disadvantages of Lumia 620, let us have a quick look into the features of Lumia 620.

Nokia Lumia 620 Front and Back View

To Start with Nokia Lumia 620 comes with 3.8 inch  ClearBlack display screen with a screen resolution of 800*480 pixels which makes 246 ppi pixel density. Interms of numbers it is not spectacular. But it offers very good sunlight legibility and wide viewing angles. Colors are vivid and images looks sharp.Considering the price of Lumia 620, there is no phone has such a decent display from any of the well established brands.
Nokia Lumua 620 comes with a 1GHz dual core Krait processor with 512MB of RAM and Adreno 305GPU.  For storage it offers 8GB on board storage, 7GB SkyDrive Space and support for micro SD card support upto 64GB. For connectivity, device has 2G, 3G, Dual band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC and microUSB 2.0. There is 1300 mAh battery which powers the phone is capable to hold the battery life a full day with normal use.

Nokia Lumia Back and Side View

Nokia Lumia 620 Camera is another plus point. It has got 5MP primary camera with LED flash which can record 720p HD videos at 30fps. You cannot compare the quality of the Lumia 620 camera with high end phones. The low light performance is just average. Having said that, it is capable of recording 720p HD videos unlike other similar priced phones which provides only 420p videos such as Samsung Galaxy S Duos which is slightly priced higher than this model. The Nokia Lumia 620 also features a front facing camera which can be used for Video calling, Video Chat and Self portraits. Now let us look into the some of the key disadvantages of Lumia 620.
Disadvantages of Nokia Lumia 620:
Lack of ample Apps: The Windows Phone 8 does not have as many apps as compared to iOS and Android. Also, it is observed that, some of the apps and games such as Angry bird is available only in paid version. The number of apps count is increased but there is no match compared to Android and iOS. It is not a big deal if you are a casual gamer.
Below average low light camera performance: As mentioned above, the snaps taken in the indoors with low light conditions, looks very soft. There is a lot grains.
Complicated SIM card slot: The sim card slot in Nokia Lumia 620 is not placed conveniently. It takes a bit of understanding before inserting the SIM. It could have better, if Nokia made it simple.
Advantages of Nokia Lumia 620:
Powerful processor: It has got the 1GHz dual core Krait processor which makes phone to run apps and games smoothly. Even the HD video play back is good.
Good Display Screen:  The Lumia 620 has got very decent display screen. With its ClearBlack technology, the outdoor readability is very good.
Pre installed Nokia Apps: Nokia Lumia 620 stands apart from other Windows phones because of its Nokia propriety apps. For example, the Nokia maps or HERE maps provides outstanding offline navigation system. The City lense app shows the nearest worth visiting places. There are many apps like this but mentioned few.
Ability to Play vast media formats: Nokia Lumia 620 plays full HD videos and all formats including MOV and AVI were natively supported by the phone. Even playing the audio and video from the SD card also very smooth.
Summary: There is no phone is perfect and each phone has its downsides. Nokia Lumia 620 also no exception to it.  It all depends on the budget of ours and the features we are looking for. Some of the features looks interesting but not useful on day to day life and we use very rarely like the Smart Stay feature in Galaxy S4. In my opinion, Nokia Lumia 620 is a great phone for the price it is offered if you are looking for a phone which is good for making and receiving calls, playing casual games and using it as navigation tool.  You can read more detailed  info on this in Nokia Lumia 620 Review.

Free Download of Samsung Kies PC suite for PC

Samsung Kies is a PC suite for Samsung mobiles useful for upgrading the firmware, back up contacts, transferring files between the Samsung Mobiles and the PC. The Samsung PC suite helps to download the Samsung drivers for the smartphone to access from the laptop or a desktop. The Samsung Driver is required for the USB tethering.  So here is a simple and easy way to download the latest Samsung Kies or the Samsung PC suite download instructions.

Instructions to Download Free Samsung Kies:

1. First step to download Samsung PC suite is to visit official Samsung support page by clicking here.
2. Select 'Mobile phone' in the first Type drop box

Selecting your device

3.  Select the sub type. This is nothing but the device for which you are looking for the Samsung PC suite. For example if you are looking for Samsung Kies for a Smartphone, then Smartphone. If you are looking tablets, then select Tablets.  Of course you can even chose features phone too.
4.  The Model number field shows list of available Samsung Mobiles which supports Samsung PC suite. Chose the right model of your phone.
5. Click on Manual and Downloads. This will take you to the page which shows available manuals and softwares for your device.
6. Click on Software which is available on the left side of the page. You will see the list of softwares available and its compatible operating system.
7. Click on download buttton to start the download of Samsung PC suite. The latest Samsung Kies has 65.72MB of size. depending on your internet speed, the download will take 5 mins to 20 mins.
8. Once downloaded, open the file and install it on your system. Connect your device and start enjoying the features of Samsung Kies.

If you unable to find your device compatible Samsung PC suite, then you have the option to download the genric version of Samsung Kies, You can also download the free Samsung Kies from Here.

Samsung Kies for Windows 7 and Windows 8: 

The currently available latest version of Samsung PC suites are compatible with Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Mac OS.

You can read all the features and compatibility of Samsung Kies in my earlier post, Samsung PC suite features.
Source:

Advantages and Disadvantages of HTC Windows Phone 8X

HTC Windows Phone 8X is the flagship windows phone from HTC. The device is powered by 1.5 GHz dual core Krait processor with 1GB of RAM. It has 8MP auto focus primary camera with LED flash and a 2.1MP front facing camera.  The HTC 8X sports 4.3 inch Super LCD 2 capacitive touch screen with a screen resolution of 1280*720 pixels resulting in 341 ppi pixel density. The built in storage is 16GB and there is no memory expansion options.  For connectivity, GPRS,EDGE, 3G, WiFi,USB, Bluetooth and GPS.  The 8X is powered by Li-ion polymer 1800 mAh battery. You can connect this to PC to sync the data. You can read more on this in Connecting HTC 8X to Windows 8 PC.

HTC 8X

Advantages and Disadvantages  of HTC 8X:

Pros of HTC 8X:

• Stylish and eye catching design
• Decent call quality
• Powerful performance
• Front facing camera support

Cons of HTC 8X:

• Average battery life
• There is no memory expansion option
• Non Replaceable battery
• Competition has quad core processor

Key Specifications of HTC 8X:

• Chipset : Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon
• Processor:Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait
• GPU:Adreno 225
• RAM: 1GB
• Battery: Li-Ion 1800 mAh
• Primary Camera: 8 Megapixel auto focus with LED flash
• Secondary Camera: 2.1 Megapixel
• Weight: 130 grams
• Dimensions:132.4 x 66.2 x 10.1 mm
• Main Display: 4.3 inch S-LCD 2 capacitive touch screen with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution(~342 ppi pixel density)
• In-Built Storage: 16GB
• Expandable memory:No
• Connectivity : GPRS,EDGE, 3G, WiFi,USB, Bluetooth and GPS

Samsung Galaxy S Duos Review Specification Price

Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562 is a mid range Dual sim Android smartphone. It is powered by 1GHz Cortex A5 processor with 768MB of RAM and Adreno 200 GPU. The device measures 63.1x121.5x10.5 mm and weighs 120 grams. The overall design of the phone is much inspired by the Samsung Flagship model Galaxy S3. Samsung Galaxy S Duos price in India is ₹16,900.

Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562

Samsung Galaxy S Duos comes with 5MP primary camera and VGA front facing camera. The camera has features such as auto focus, panorama and photo effects, 2X digital zoom along with LED flash. The dual sim Android smartphone capable of shooting 480p videos at 30fps.
Internal memory of the Galaxy S Duos 7562 is 4GB which can be further increased by adding microSD card upto 32GB. The device comes with 1500mAh battery which will provide talk time upto 12 hours and 570 hours of standby time.
Samsung Galaxy S Duos supports GPRS, EDGE, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth and USB connectivity. It also supports GPS with AGPS service. The S7562 is bundled with popular apps such as Chat ON, SNS Integration, Play Store, Samsung Apps, Google Search apps.
Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562 is going get Jelly Bean update soon. The updates can be installed through OTA or using the Latest Samsung Kies. With the help of Samsung Kies, the device can be used as modem through USB tethering. The devices with WiFi connectivity can be easily connected through the WiFi Tethering features.
Merits and Demerits of Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562:
Merits of Galaxy S Duos:

• Decent snappy processor with 768MB RAM
• Dual sim support with Smart Dual feature
• Front facing camera support
• Stylish and slim design
• Excellent battery life for Android Standards

Demerits of Galaxy S Duos:

• No HD video recording support. It supports on 480p videos
• The touch response is not that great
• Phone hangs some times
• No Dedicated shutter key
• No Ambient Light Sensor

Samsung Galaxy S Duos Specification Summary:

• Runs on Android 4.0 ICS OS. Upgradable to Jelly Bean
• 1GHz Cortex A5 processor with 768MB RAM and Adreno 200GPU
• 4 inch TFT capacitive touch screen with WVGA 480*800 pixel resolution
• 5MP auto focus camera with LED flash and VGA front facing camera
• Dimensions- 63.1x121.5x10.5 mm and weighs 120grams
• Accelerometer, Proximity Sensor, Compass sensors
• 4GB internal memory and expandable memory support upto 32GB
• 1500mAh battery with talk time upto 12 hours and standby time upto 570 hours.
• GPRS, EDGE, Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth and USB 

Samsung Galaxy S Duos Video Review:

Dual Sim Samsung Guru E1207T Review Price Specification

Samsung Guru E1207T is a basic budget feature phone with dual sim support. The device supports GSM+GSM dual sim with dual standby feature. Samsung Guru E1207T price in India is ₹1275.

Samsung Guru E1207T measures 45.5x108x13.5 mm and has 1.52 inch TFT display screen with 128*128 pixel resolution.  It is powered by 800 mAh battery which provides talk time upto 8 hours and standby time upto 430 hours. Other features of this Cheap Dual sim Samsung phone are FM Player, Torch, 5 Way Navigation Key, Anti-dust Keypad, Mobile Prayer, News and Weather.
Key Features of Samsung Guru E1207T dual sim:

• 1.52 inch TFT display screen
• GSM+GSM dual sim support with dual standby time
• 800mAh battery with talk time upto 8 hours and standby time upto 430 hours
• Alphanumeric anti dust keypad
• Built in FM Radio 

Samsung Guru E1207T Full Specifications:

• Operating Frequency:GSM - 900, 1800
• Size:45.5x108x13.5 mm
• SAR Value:0.920 W/Kg
• Display: 1.52inch TFT
• Screen Resolution: 128*128 pixels
• Battery: 800 mAh
• Talk Time:8 hrs
• Standby Time:430 hrs
• Call Memory:Yes
• SMS Memory:500
• Phone Book Memory:1000
• Additional Features:GSM, FM Player, Torch, 5 Way Navigation Key, Anti-dust Keypad, Mobile Prayer, News and Weather