MICROMAX SUPERFONE CANVAS 2 A110

MICROMAX SUPERFONE CANVAS 2 A110

The Canvas 2 A110 once again borrows many design cues from the Galaxy Nexus. The chrome trim along the side is shaped in such a way so as to create an illusion of a curved glass. You get a nice chunky volume rocker on one side along with a power/sleep button on the other side. The phone appears larger than it actually is due to thick bezels on either side. There is a row of sensors beside the chrome plated earpiece and the back cover is quite sturdy and doesn’t scratch easily. The matt finish helps keep fingerprints away. The 8MP shooter produces quite a bulge at the back so you need to be careful as the lens cover will scratch easily.

 The 5-inch LCD display has quite a low resolution of 854 x 480 which makes images, icons, etc. lose their sharpness. The screen doesn’t appear to be of a very good quality either as the viewing angles are pretty poor and there’s terrible banding throughout.  We now know where Micromax has cut corners in order to offer this phone at the same price point.

could have had a larger battery

Overall, the Canvas 2 is built well but is too bulky and quite heavy as well. We could have done without the chrome trim along the edges which quite frankly, gives the phone a cheap look. But then again, it is a cheap phone so there’s that. Unfortunately, the placement of the microSD card does not allow for hot-swap as the battery gets in the way.

The Canvas 2 A110 sticks to the stock interface of Android Ice Cream Sandwich for the most part, except for some changes to the notification bar, where we now have side-scrollable toggle switches. The UI is far from smooth though, which is a bit strange when you consider the fact that it’s powered by a dual-core CPU. It all makes sense when you take a closer look at the type of SoC used. Instead of a Qualcomm or TI OMAP, Micromax has used the MT6577 SoC from MediaTek. This comprises of a dual-core 1GHz Cortex-A9 CPU and PowerVR GPU. This SoC is specifically designed for the sub-$200 smartphone segment and has the potential to support up to 720p displays and record videos at 1080p. Unfortunately, Micromax has not exploited its full potential, which is why we have to live with lag in the UI. Another important feature that’s missing is an ambient light sensor.

Other than the stock UI and apps, Micromax has added a SIM management option to set the default card for call, messages, Internet, etc. Both SIMs can be active at the same time if needed. Another feature added is a scheduled power off option, which lets you switch the phone on or off at a designated time and day of the week. 

 

NOKIA LUMIA 900

NOKIA LUMIA 900 WINDOWS PHONE 7.8 UPDATE

A report by WPCentral states, “One of our eagle-eyed readers caught the Lumia 900 getting in on the action. The OS update is for RM-823, which is the international, non-AT&T version and has an OS version number of 8858 with the 12480 firmware. Windows Phone 7.8 is finalized at 8858 making this a bonafide official update.”

The website goes on to state that one of its readers had managed to download and flash his Lumia 900 with the new OS and states, “No Nokia features, just live tiles, Bing wallpaper, new colors, new boot screen, new wallpapers.”

These features are expected as part of the Windows Phone 7.8 package and the report adds that Nokia will most probably include the camera apps via the Nokia Collection when it officially rolls out the update to users.

Microsoft revealed some of the new features that come with the update, but the highlight comes in the last paragraph of the post on the Windows Phone Blog. Terry Myerson, Corporate Vice President, Windows Phone, stated, “We know you’re eager to get the Windows Phone 7.8 update, and we want you to know that we’re working closely with our hardware and carrier partners to get it tested, approved, and rolled out to as many devices as possible in early 2013. As we work to quickly get this in the hands of our loyal users, we’re also striving to deliver a high-quality release and ensure a smooth transition for our widely expanded services.”

Myerson stated that Windows Phone 7.8 not only features the new Start screen, which is used on Windows Phone 8, but also brings in a new range of features. He said that when he used the WP 7.8 update on his Nokia Lumia 900, it felt like using a completely new phone. Myerson stated, “Resizable Live Tiles totally change the way I do things, providing faster access to more of my favorite people, photos, and apps.”

Windows Phone 7.8 comes with more themes as well as an increased number of accent colours, which is now 20 in all. The new operating system also features new lock screen features such as the option to automatically display the Bing Picture of the Day and the ‘A1B2C3’ PIN/ password challenge to prevent accidental device wipes on phones connected to Exchange accounts.

He had also mentioned that there are a number of new apps that are coming to Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows 7.8 users. Apps such as Words with Friends and Draw Something are already available, while Angry Birds Space and Angry Birds Star Wars are on the way.

Myerson stated, “New models running Windows Phone 7.8 are beginning to launch in many countries around the world, strengthening the ecosystem by bringing more Windows Phones to more people. These devices will typically be sold at a range of lower price points, meaning there will now be Windows Phones for everyone’s budget and need. This is incredibly important for broadening the reach of Windows Phone across the globe and ensuring we have the right product for every market.”

The testing of the rollout of Windows Phone 7.8 is already underway and Microsoft has managed to increase its global service coverage by over 30 percent, extending it to 95 countries—a number that should continue to rise.

 

Dropbox for iOS updated

DROPBOX FOR IOS UPDATED

DropBox is the  popular file hosting service, has recently been updated to version 2.0 for iOS devices. Tthe highlighted feature of this new update is the redesigned user interface. Apart from this, another important addition to the update is that it now features a dedicated Photos tab with a timeline view of all automatically uploaded photos and videos.

Dropbox states in a blog post that it has updated the experience for iOS devices and this update is not limited to just the iPhone or iPod touch, but for the iPad as well.

Dropbox states that now all of one’s photos are right at their fingertips with the new Photos tab. Commenting on this feature, the developers state that with just a tap, one will be able to scroll through a timeline of all the photos they have automatically uploaded. They state, “And since Dropbox is a one stop shop for all your memories, you can also check out the photos you’ve uploaded from everywhere else!”

When one selects a photo, they will be able to view it in full-screen. Dropbox claims, “This means one can get maximum real estate when you’re flipping through puppy photos, or those pics of your bare feet.” There is also a new speedy scroller, which will help one navigate all the way back to one’s earliest photos in a short amount of time.

One can also upload directly to a folder. Speaking on this featre, Dropbox states that it has streamlined the way one can upload to their Dropbox. All one needs to do is navigate to the folder of their choice and tap on the ‘+’ icon to upload something or create a new folder.

Commenting on the new design, Dropbox states, “We’ve packed a ton of love and tiny details into our new iOS design, and we think you’ll dig its simplicity. For example, we got rid of the text labels on our tabs in favor of clean and streamlined iconography. Splashed across the app is the glorious Dropbox blue you’ve come to know and love, and we’ve reduced complexity to make everything feel so fresh and so clean, clean.”

Apart from this, Dropbox has also updated its app icon. To download Dropbox 2.0 for your iOS device, click here.

In other news, Dropbox has acquired Audiogalaxy, the music streaming service. This could lead to Dropbox allowing its users to store and stream music.

Audiogalaxy shares, “Over the last few years we’ve built a wonderful music experience on the web and mobile devices, attracting loyal users from all over the world. We are excited about the opportunity to join the amazing folks at Dropbox and bring great new experiences to 100M+ Dropbox users.”

While this may be good news for Dropbox fans, users of Audiogalaxy's service will face some problems. The company has stopped accepting new users, and playlists built by existing users will only be available until the end of the year. The service is set to shut down completely some time in 2013.