Microsoft Lumia 540 - THE BIG REVIEW

Microsoft has introduced the Lumia 540 in the Indian market. Microsoft Lumia 540 is the perfect budget Windows Phone device with an impressive camera, vivid HD display and decent battery backup. Android dominates the budget market, and for good reason. It is now possible to get tremendous value out of sub-Rs. 10,000 Android smartphone. That means Microsoft has a major challenge on its hands, and we're happy to see that it's taking things seriously.

PROCESSOR

Microsoft Lumia 540 is powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor and 1GB RAM. It comes with 8GB internal storage and supports micro SD card slots of up to 128GB for expansion.

DISPLAY & DESIGN

This Lumia does not look cheap at all. The display of the phone is one area where the Lumia 540 has an edge over its predecessor (Lumia 535). The phone sports a 5-inch HD (720x1280p) IPS LCD display with Clear Black technology. Viewing angles were wide and outdoor visibility under sunlight was decent. However, unlike the Lumia 535, the 540 doesn't come with Corning Gorilla Glass protection.

CAMERA

The rear camera has an 8-megapixel sensor and the one in front is a surprisingly decent 5-megapixel unit.

SOFTWARE

The smartphone runs Lumia Denim which is essentially Windows Phone 8.1 with Update 2 with some Nokia-exclusive features. Cortana voice assistant now works in India if you activate and select UK English in the speech settings.

MEMORY

Lumia 540 comes with 1GB RAM which is less than what Android budget phones. It has 8GB internal storage and supports micro SD card slots of up to 128GB for expansion.

BATTERY

It is powered by a big 2,200 mAh battery. The phone lasts a full day (about 14-15 hours) on a single charge even if you put the screen brightness at the highest level and use 3G data all the time. The dual-sim handset offers 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity options.

PRICE

Microsoft Lumia 540 is priced at Rs. 10,199/- and is available online as well as offline.

Though, Android smartphones in this budget gives you a lot of more features and applications, Microsoft has its own advantages. Microsoft will not disappoint you in terms of after sales service. Also, the call quality and network reception is also better. This is the best Windows smartphone in the market and Windows users should go for it.

Detailed Specifications

Display

5.00-inch

Processor

1.2GHz

Front Camera

 5-megapixel

Resolution

 720x1280 pixels

RAM

 1GB

OS

 Windows Phone 8.1

Storage

8GB

Rear Camera

8-megapixel

Battery capacity

2200mAh

COOLPAD DAZEN 1 - THE BIG REVIEW

Chinese smartphone maker Coolpad has entered the Indian market. Coolpad has made its entry into the largest growing smartphone market with 2 phones for different price segments, the dazen 1 and the dazen X7. After Xiaomi and Yu, it is now Coolpad’s turn to have its share of attention from consumers looking to buy a decent smartphone at Rs 5,999.

PROCESSOR

Coolpad Dazen 1 runs on a 64-bit 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 CPU with Adreno 306 GPU, 2GB RAM, 8GB ROM with support for up to 32GB micro SD cards. Overall, the device is quite smooth. The dual sim phone supports 3G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS connectivity options. It supports both Indian 4G bands.

DISPLAY & DESIGN

The smartphone features a 5-inch 720p HD display at 320 ppi pixel density. The display is clear and crisp. The phone's body is 141.00 mm high, 71.50 mm wide, and has a depth of 9.30 mm, 4.5% thicker than an average smartphone in the 4.6 - 5.0 inch screen range. With a weight of 155 grams, its weight is about average for a smartphone of its size. This device's battery is larger than typical for its size, which also gives it some extra weight. The Dazen 1 is a well-built device. It feels solid in the hand. Rather, it would be better if it had Corning Gorilla Glass protection.

CAMERA

The phone has an 8MP rear camera equipped with 5 pieces lens and f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP front camera with 22mm wide angle lens. It also has beauty features to enhance photos.

SOFTWARE

It runs Android 4.4 Kit Kat and features a customized skin called Cool UI. The UI is very similar to the one found on other Chinese phones and doesn't include a separate app drawer. Lag is not experienced with this phone at all.

MEMORY

The Dazen 1 comes with a 2GB RAM, the phone comes with 8GB storage expandable up to 32GB via micro SD card.

BATTERY

It is powered by a big 2,500 mAh battery. It easily lasts for over 24 hours with moderate usage

PRICE

Coolpad dazen 1 is priced at Rs. 5,999/- and will be available through Snapdeal only.

The company has launched its 1^st smartphone in the incredibly hot 7000 Rs. price segment. It has good features at its price. Better battery backup was needed. It will directly compete with the likes of Xiaomi Redmi 2 or Yu Yuphoria. The consumers will be happy looking at the battle of these smartphone giants as it shall only lead to lower prices.

Detailed Specifications

GENERAL

2G Network900/1800/1900MHz3G Network900/2100MHz4G NetworkTDD Band 40/ FDD Band 3Dimensions141x71.5x9.3 mm

DISPLAY

Size5-inch; 720x1280p resolution Type IPS; 16M colours

MEMORY

Card Slot Up to 32GB   Internal-8GB

DATA

Bluetoothv4.0

CAMERA

Primary- 8MP, with LED flash,   Secondary - 5MP

FEATURES

OS- Android 4.4 (KitKat) CPU1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410

Radio-Yes   GPS- Yes   Colors-Black

BATTERY

Battery Capacity2,500 mAh (Stand by200 hours)

YU Yuphoria - THE BIG REVIEW

The YU Yureka was a blockbuster hit, wasn’t it? The smartphone sold within seconds on Amazon.in since its release in December last year. Micromax’s subsidiary YU ventures are back with the next one, YU Yuphoria. The name for this smartphone was chosen by the crowd amongst 4 other names. The Yu Yuphoria has 5 inch display with a metal frame which is curved all over and has rounded corners. Yuphoria has the best specifications currently in the 7,000 Rs. category and looks premium in its look and feel.

Read the Micromax YU Yureka review

PROCESSOR

The Yu Yuphoria is powered by Qualcomm's 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 410 processor which includes Adreno 306 graphics. The smartphone has 2GB DDR3 of RAM and 16GB of in-built storage. The dual sim phone supports 3G, 4G (CAT 4, including TDD-LTE, Indian 4G bands), Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS. 

DISPLAY & DESIGN

YU Yuphoria is the best looking phone in its category. The mobile made from plastic and the metal is only a trim that runs along its edges. The corners are rounded off smoothly on the Yuphoria. The top and bottom edges of the Yuphoria have strips of plastic in between the metal where the 3.5mm audio jack and micro USB port are placed. There is Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection . The display is sharp thanks to the high pixel density.

CAMERA

It features a 8MP rear camera, f2.2 aperture, capable of 1080p video capture with LED flash and a 5MP front camera (f2.0) with 86 degree wide angle lens. Pictures taken by the camera look quite decent. 

SOFTWARE

Just like Yureka, Yuphoria runs Cyanogen OS. Yu has gone with the latest version, Cyanogen 12, on top of Android 5.0.2. Cyanogen 12 is highly customizable. They include a new feature-rich email client powered by Boxer, AudioFX for equalizer settings, Baton, which can be used to 'cloudify' select apps (currently in beta), and finally Universe - a browser based on Opera Mini.

MEMORY

The smartphone has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of in-built storage. The storage can be expanded by up to 32GB using a microSD card.

BATTERY

Yuphoria comes with a 2230mAh high-density quick charge battery which the company claims delivers 160 hours of standby time and can get a 60% charge in 45 minutes. This is the only aspect where Micromax could have worked a bit better.

PRICE

Yuphoria is priced at Rs. 6,999/- and will be available through amazon only. The first flash sale is on 28^th May 2015 at 2 pm. It is available in 2 colours – Buffed steel and Champagne gold.

As mentioned earlier, the YU Yuphoria has the best specifications in the 7000 rupees category. The smartphone easily beats the Xiaomi Redmi 2, Lenovo A6000 Plus and Moto E 2 in comparison. The battery life could have been better. It has good premium looks and doesn’t look cheap at all. Coupled with fast Snapdragon processor and Cyanogen 12 OS, Yuphoria is a truly exceptional smartphone at a budget price.

Detailed Specifications

SMART CITIES IN INDIA A REALITY ?

This is a century of digital technology. Innovations are made on a daily basis to prosper the growth of mankind in numerous ways. After the industrial revolution, it is the digital revolution that has brought radical changes to the way we live, speak, eat, think and communicate. From the advent of personal computers in 1970s to the mobile phones in 2000s, technology has travelled leaps and bounds. It was only imagination that we could to our phone one day as our personal assistant, but that too has changed with apps like Siri, Cortana and Google Now. Social networking is yet another area that has helped bring people all over the world together on many occasions. In short, electronic devices have become an integral part of our daily lives. All of this gives rise to the concept of – Smart City.

            All over the world, urbanization and globalization is increasing tremendously. The population of India is set to double in the next 70 years. We will need at least 300 more cities to accommodate the increasing population. With this view, the Government of India has launched the Smart Cities Programme this year. The government has declared the mission of creating 100 Smart Cities across the nation based on better technology, superior management and modern governance. In a simpler way, smart city is a city where smart things happen. The idea of Smart Cities ranges back in 2008 when IBM started the ‘Smart planet Initiative’. There will be advanced infrastructure, integrated townships, futuristic communication technology. Economic development will be sustainable and better educational and employment opportunities will be provided. Smart cities are created in such a way that it will benefit everybody including government, citizens and the environment. The cities selected for the initial project are Kochi, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Manesar, Khushkera, Krishnapatnam, Ponneri and Tumkur. 

           

The question that comes to our mind is regarding the feasibility of these projects. We all are aware of the problems India faces with respect to cleanliness, poverty, education and others. Our government has a lot to do before it starts rolling out a smart city. It has to influence entrepreneurs and investors to participate in this development. The reality sector too needs a boost in order to adjust to a futuristic society. Many new technologies have to be implemented and citizens need to be adaptive to the change. The planning needs to be fool-proof and couple with long term insights. The way we build a smart city will surely be a test of perseverance of India’s youth as well as the government. Detailed consultation with many companies is going on at an advanced stage. Public-Private partnerships will be key to the growth.

What was once a visionary is now the new normal - Technology is as essential as the three utilities – food, clothing and shelter. Technology infrastructure has to be built keeping in mind the approach to revitalize an existing city or designing a futuristic smart city. We have many examples to follow including Amsterdam, Cairo, Lyon and Vienna. Our nation undoubtedly has the potential to develop smart cities with an ecosystem of urban areas having world class facilities. On the whole, it can be said that everyone has the dream to live in a smart city and India can achieve it within 20-25 years provided we get active support from the authorities.

” The more successfully a city mingles everyday diversity of uses and users in its everyday streets, the more successfully, casually (and economically) its people thereby enliven and support well-located parks that can thus give back grace and delight to their neighbourhoods instead of vacuity” –Jane Jacobs