Songs, an app probably used by a few million Indian Android users, was among the two apps recently caught covertly using smartphones for mining bitcoins and dogecoins.

Security researchers at Trend Micro, a company that makes antivirus and other security applications, recently wrote in a blog that 'Songs' and 'Prized - Real Rewards & Prizes' were using smartphones to covertly mine for virtual currency.

Mining virtual currency like bitcoin or dogecoin requires lots of computing power. If an app uses a smartphone to mine virtual currency, the process is likely to keep the processor running at 100%, resulting in poor battery life and heating of the device.

Trend Micro said the apps being used for bitcoin and dogecoin mining were injected with ANDROIDOS_KAGECOIN, a malware.

"(Some) coin mining apps were found outside of the Google Play Store, but we have found the same behaviour in apps (Songs and Prized) inside the Google Play Store. These apps have been downloaded by millions of users, which means that there may be many Android devices out there being used to mine cryptocurrency for cybercriminals," a Veo Zhang, a mobile threat analyst with Trend Micro wrote in the blog.

"Analyzing the code of these apps reveal the cryptocurrency mining code inside. Unlike the other malicious apps, in these cases the mining only occurs when the device is charging, as the increased energy usage won't be noticed as much."

After the Trend Micro blog post, Prized and Songs were removed from the Play Store by Google.

Of the two, Songs was more popular. It was downloaded five to 10 million times and had a rating of 4 stars. Songs claimed to give users free access to Bollywood and songs in regional languages like Punjabi and Tamil.

On the Play Store, clicking on the developer's website specified in the description page of Songs let to an error. While the developer was listed as "Da Xpert" for the app, the email address of the app hinted it was created by one Mukesh Verma. TOI wrote to the specified email address, seeking response on the Trend Micro report, but did not receive any reply.

Trend Micro said that it believed "with thousands of affected devices, cybercriminal accumulated a great deal of dogecoins."

"Reading the app description and terms and conditions on the websites of these apps, users may not know that their devices may potentially be used as mining devices due to the murky language and vague terminology," wrote Zhang.

"Users with phones and tablets that are suddenly charging slowly, running hot, or quickly running out of batteries may want to consider if they have been exposed to this or similar threats," Zhang advised Android users.

Lenovo, which had entered the Indian smartphone market in 2012, earlier this week launched its costliest smartphone in the Indian market - the Vibe Z. The smartphone is priced at Rs 35,999. During its launch event in New Delhi yesterday we used the phone for a brief time and here is our first hand experience of Lenovo Vibe Z.

Design and Display

The moment people hear about a 5.5 inch phablet, they get panicked about its size and weight. But the Lenovo Vibe Z is extremely light and weighs just 145 grams, despite having a metallic body.. It is also just 7.9 mm thickness. The handset is easily operable via one hand. Also, Lenovo Vibe Z has certain user interface elements that makes single handed operation easier which we will discuss in the user interface segment. The very thin bezel surrounding the display is also a prime factor in its thin and light weight profile.

The noticeable part of the Lenovo Vibe Z is its gorgeous 5.5 inch display which comes with full high definition resolution that translates to astounding 400 ppi pixel density. This IPS display also promises 180 degree viewing. The display has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 covering that protects it from scratches but it does not prevents finger prints. But the finger-print issue is not that acute though.

Coming back to the design aspect, the Lenovo Vibe Z does not have a unibody design, which used to be the fad of last year. It has infact several parts that are craftily joined together to create a beautiful device. Chief among them is its metallic rear panel but this laser-etched rear cover feels extremely good in hands and does provides a good grip. But since it is a metal panel, all those who have sweaty palms will definitely face some issues.

The laser-etched cover does not cover the whole back panel - there is a aluminium plate just below it which is extremely shiny and holds the speaker grill. A similar but much thinner aluminium plate is also below the display. The front and rear panel is separated by a faded metallic thread which holds all the ports - SIM slot, volume rocker, power button, micro USB port, and the 3.5 mm jack.

User interface

As I said earlier, Lenovo has taken time to develop a user interface that suits the Vibe Z which is just huge. Called as Smart UI, it makes one handed operation in Vibe Z quite easier. For instance, in Lenovo Vibe Z you can even use the volume rocker to switch on the phone which comes extremely handy as normally in such big phones reaching out to the power button is quite a tedious task.

Like in the Emotion UI of Huawei, in Lenovo Vibe Z too there is no app drawer; all the apps are on the home screen itself. You could create up to 18 home screens and even create folders. For instance, you could keep all the games in one folder in the home screen to keep the display clutter free.

Also, Lenovo has borrowed the multi window feature from Samsung; the multi-window appears on its right hand side and does not interfere in other tasks as the Samsung version does.

Like a majority of Android smartphones, it has got three capacitive touch buttons just below the display - Menu, Home, Return.

Camera

The Lenovo Vibe Z has a 13 megapixel auto focus rear camera. There are two LED flash lights in the back panel as well. In the front, it has a 5 megapixel fixed focus camera. The rear camera has the backing of a BSI sensor and it claims to be capable of capturing full HD videos.

The front camera though is a fixed focus one but it is said to have 84 degree wide lens which will certainly come handy while clicking selfies.

Hardware and Performance

The Lenovo Vibe Z has the 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core processor. It has also the powerful Adreno 330 graphics processing unit and huge 2 GB RAM. However, a bit of dampener is that the Vibe Z comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system and not Android KitKat.

The absence of an expandable storage slot too may pinch the buyers as the phone has only 16 GB internal storage. Also, though it is a 4G compatible smartphone, it is only compatible with FDD-LTE version of 4G on which only Videocon is launching its 4G network in India.

All other telecos in India have opted for the TD-LTE version. Also, it has only a single SIM slot; the importance of dual SIM phones are palpable from the fact that HTC had in the past stopped making single SIM variant of HTC One model and instead offered a dual SIM version of the same.

Conclusion

The Lenovo Vibe Z is definitely a refreshing new model in the Rs 30,000-40,000 price bracket. It has got good design and display. As far as our initial experience is concerned, it also seems to have a good camera and a powerful processor. However, lack of expandable storage slot and a second SIM slot may go against it.

We will explore its other features and shortcomings (if any) in the coming days. So keep checking The Mobile Indian for a thorough review of the Lenovo Vibe Z which we may publish in a couple of days.

The Nokia "Normandy," the long-rumored Nokia Android phone, looks squared away for an official reveal at MWC 2014..Normandy will also be released this month, the Wall Street Journal reports.
While it's good news for 'droid lovers, apparently Normandy will be specially tailored so that some Google features won't be promoted as heavily as they might be on a traditional Android phone - you know, one not made by a company now owned by Microsoft.
That means no Google Play Store, and the Normandy will instead feature a selection of apps created by Nokia and Microsoft, like Here maps and Mix Radio, plus a Nokia app store full of Android apps, the Journal's sources said..Let's be practical

Nokia has long been focused on Windows Phone, but its work on an Android handset has been rumored for months. The Normandy's debut at MWC has even been touched on before.
However, ever since Microsoft picked up the Finnish phone maker for $7.4 billion (about £4.4 billion, AU$7.9 billion) in 2013, the Nokia Android phone's fate has presumably been up in the air.
Considering it was never officially announced to begin with, it seemed Microsoft could put its foot down at any time and cancel it altogether.
But the WSJ report says Nokia's engineers were working on the Android phone long before Microsoft began conducting due diligence leading up to the purchase, and the Windows company will reportedly let Normandy continue all the way to retail.
The apparent reason for that? Pragmatism. If the phone is debuting in a matter of weeks, then the legwork was likely completed months ago, and Microsoft would likely rather make some money off of it - even if it does run Android - then scrap it entirely and throw away all of Nokia's hard work.

Nokia, despite its phone division being owned by Microsoft, is expected to show off an Android-running smartphone at Mobile World Congress.Nokia is preparing to introduce a smartphone running a version of Google’s Android operating system, the Wall Street Journal reported Feb. 10, citing people familiar with the matter.After years of loyalty to its own Symbian OS, Nokia entered a partnership with Microsoft in February 2011, and since then its high-end smartphones have run the Windows Phone OS. In September 2013, with Nokia’s financials faltering even as its smartphone sales line was beginning to find an audience, Microsoft purchased Nokia’s Devices & Services business for $7.4 billion. Before the Sept. 2 announcement of the sale, rumors of such a sale persisted for months, and it was widely expected that if the companies couldn’t reach an agreement—the selling price was the sticking point, according to multiple reports—Nokia would turn to the more popular and top-selling Android. However, even after the purchase it appears that Nokia is preparing to offer Android smartphones.
“Microsoft appears willing to outsource part of its phone lineup to Android to boost volumes and support its handset manufacturing operation,” the Journal reported. “Higher sales would help cover the high cost of competing in a smartphone industry dominated by Google, Apple and Samsung…”
According to the Journal, the Android phone was already in development when the pair completed their negotiations. The smartphone will reportedly will feature digital services created by Nokia and Microsoft, as well as Here (Nokia’s mapping suite), the streaming music service MixRadio and access to a Nokia app store. Like Amazon’s Android-based tablets, the Nokia Android phones won’t access the Google Play storefront or certain Google-developed features, said the report.
It’s expected that the phone will be introduced at the Mobile World Congress trade show, which is scheduled to convene Feb. 24 in Barcelona.
“The rumored Android phone strikes me as giving Microsoft and Nokia a way to reach new market segments while pushing Microsoft services and software,” Ken Hyers, a senior analyst with Strategy Analytics, told eWEEK.
Hyers was among those who thought that if a deal couldn’t be reached with Microsoft, it would be “rational” for Nokia to turn to Android. However, he’d noted that Nokia wouldn’t want to risk losing the $250 million “platform support” payments that Microsoft was making to Nokia each quarter.
“It’s potentially the best of both worlds for both companies,” Hyers said of the Android-under-Microsoft’s-roof rumors, “as they could expand their market share while still offering the same core services. I’ll be very interested to see how this plays out.”
Microsoft welcomed a new CEO, Satya Nadella, on Feb. 4. During a webcast during his first day on the job, Nadella, a 22-year Microsoft veteran, said Microsoft’s strategy, going forward, will be all about “devices and services,” and Microsoft will be defined by a  “mobile first, cloud first” world.
Suggesting he’s open to big changes—and acknowledging the mantle he not only picked up but needs to run with—Nadella said that the business Microsoft is in “doesn’t really respect tradition and what we’ve done in the past, it’s all about innovation going forward.”
Commenting on the Nadella appointment, analyst Jack Gold, with J. Gold Associates, suggested that Nadella is unlikely to win when it comes to mobile, and he doesn’t need to.
Thanks to its licensing deals, said Gold, “Microsoft today makes a lot more money on Android than Windows Phone.” 

Nokia X, the rumoured budget Android smartphone also known as Nokia Normandy, has been again spotted under a benchmark which tests the camera section of the handset.

Nokia X has been spotted under the CamSpeed test database, the benchmark test for Sophica with a nearly zero focusing time, hinting the rumoured Android device will come with a fixed focus camera. The device was identified with model name RM-980 once again.

The Nokia X handset, handset was previously said to sport a 5-megapixel rear camera, however the CamSpeed benchmark hints the handset will arrive with a lower 3-megapixel shooter.

Similarly, contradicting the previous rumours of running a highly customized version of Android 4.4 Kitkat OS, the Nokia X will be running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OS, according to Sofica's Twitter post.

Also last week, a new leak via Browsermark 2 benchmark's database purportedly revealed the alleged Nokia X phone to come with model number RM-980. Unfortunately, the listing did not reveal any details about the device, but includes an image that purportedly showed Nokia X wearing Nexus 5's wallpaper and home screen icons.

Some of the other rumoured features of the Nokia X smartphone include a dual-core Snapdragon processor clocking at 1GHz, a 4-inch TFT display with a resolution of 480x854 (FWVGA) pixels, 4GB storage with microSD card, 1500mAh battery, 512MB RAM, and dual-SIM support.

Besides the often appearing leaks online, one can almost confirm the existence of the handset through various other sources. Recently enough, Nokia X was reported to get certified in Indonesia and Malaysia. The handset is said to fall under Nokia's Asha line-up and will be unveiled officially in March, according to a report claiming to quote an unnamed senior Nokia India executive.

Explore the best Android smartphone in the Rs 10,000-20,000 budget range from this curated list.

Just earlier this week, Motorola re-entered the Indian handset market with its Moto G Android smartphone which comes with a 4.5 inch display. The phone went out of stock within hours of its launch. This has re-ignited the debate of best Android handsets in the Rs 10,000-20,000 segment.

So here we have listed five Android smartphones that are considered best as of now in the price bracket mentioned above.

Motorola Moto G

Motorola Moto G comes packed with ample features and that too at a fantastic price point. It comes in 8 GB and 16 GB storage option but there is no memory card slot. The 8 GB version costs Rs 12,499 while the latter is priced at Rs 13,999.

The Moto G flaunts a 4.5-inch IPS LCD display offering great viewing angles and supports 1280x720 pixel resolution. The display has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection also. It is powered by a 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor and 1 GB RAM. At the rear, it has a 5 megapixel camera, capable of recording HD videos. There is an LED flash in the back panel as well while in the front, the handset has a modest 1.3 megapixel camera.

Other important features of Moto G include dual SIM, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, FM Radio, and non-removable 2070 mAh battery. The Moto G is expected to get Android 4.4 KitKat update in the coming week.

Micromax Canvas Turbo A250

Micromax introduced the Canvas Turbo A250 smartphone with fanfare by roping a Hollywood star as a brand ambassador. The Canvas Turbo A250 is powered by a quad core 1.5 GHz MediaTek MT6589T mobile processor which is paired with 2 GB RAM. Micromax has used 5 inch IPS LCD display with full 1080p HD native resolution in the phone which is quite a feat for a mid-tier device.

The Micromax Canvas Turbo A250 features a 13 megapixel rear camera which is assisted by an LED flash at the back. The phone has a 5 megapixel wide-angle camera in the front for video calls too. Apart from its 16 GB on-board storage, the phone comes with 32 GB micro SD card slot as well.

Canvas Turbo runs Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean update. For music enthusiasts, there is a stereo FM radio in the phone which has WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS with APS support, accelerometer, compass, and a non-removable 2000 mAh battery as well.

LG G Pro Lite Dual

LG has introduced G Pro variant, dubbed as G Pro Lite Dual, in India which is now avaialble for around Rs 18,000. The G Pro Lite Dual offers a 5.5 inch IPS LCD touchscreen with 960 x 540 pixel resolution.

This dual SIM has a dual core 1 GHz MediaTek MT6577 mobile processor, PowerVR SGX531 graphics chip, and 1 GB RAM. This smartphone comes loaded with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update that runs nicely on the large screen. Apart from 8 GB on-board storage, it has a memory card slot for up to a 32 GB micro SD card. At the back, the phone has an 8 megapixel camera with autofocus and capability to record 720p HD videos. In low light, you can use its LED flash light for illumination. In the front lies a 1.3 megapixel camera for video calls.

Besides, the LG G Pro Lite Dual has dual band WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS support. This freshly launched smartphone comes packed with a 3140 mAh battery.

Karbonn Titanium X

The 9.9 mm thin Karbonn Titanium X features a 5-inch IPS LCD display with full HD (1080p) resolution. It has a 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, 1 GB RAM, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system. The Titanium X has 16 GB on-board storage apart from a 32 GB micro SD slot. Karbonn has promised to push Android 4.4 KitKat in February 2014 for this device. This happens to be one unique smartphone with Flash for front facing 5 megapixel camera.

At the back, the phone sports a 13 megapixel camera that claims to be capable of recording HD quality videos. It though only has a single SIM that supports 3G network. The Titanium X touts a 2300 mAh battery.

Intex Aqua Octa

This was Intex's first smartphone with an octa core processor. Its 6-inch IPS LCD touchscreen display comes with One Glass Solution and 720p solution. This smartphone is powered by the True Octa-core MediaTek MT6592 mobile chipset and 2 GB RAM. This powerful hardware enables the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean run smoothly on this phablet. Intex has provided 16 GB internal storage and a 32 GB MicroSD card int he Aqua Octa.

At the back, the phone has a 13 megapixel camera and an LED flash that can record full HD videos. In the front lies a 5 megapixel camera for video calls. The phone has several pre-integrated apps like Auto Call recorder, Matrabhasha, Intex Cloud, Intex Play and NQ Vault. Intex Aqua Octa comes with a modest 2300 mAh battery.

Cast your mind back to late 2008, when the first Android-powered handset saw the light of day. Obama won his first Presidential election, Apple launched its App Store (the iPhone had appeared the year before), Google announced its own Chrome browser and we got our first look at the company's new mobile OS on the T-Mobile G1.

The Android of 2013 is a world away from that 2008 version, where the Android Market was in its infancy, there were no native video playback capabilities and the G1 had no multi-touch support. But Google is going to have to keep innovating and improving its mobile OS to keep the lion's share of the smartphone market.

We've taken a peek into the future to consider what Android might look like in the year 2020. With new Android monikers now appearing about once a year, its codename should start with an "R" - Rhubarb Pie, Rocky Road or Rice Pudding, perhaps? Or maybe even Rolos, given the tie-up deals Google is putting in place these days?

Here are the four key features we think could play the biggest part in Android's ongoing evolution over the next seven years:

1. Maps in Android in 2020

Apple's Maps app may not have set the world alight when it launched, but it's here now (alongside Nokia's offering), and that means Google needs to up its game to stay ahead. The 2013 Google Maps refresh brought with it a greater level of customisation based on your personal searches, and this will only increase in the future.

With Google Now and Google Latitude tracking your every move, you'll see directions to your favourite pub appear on-screen every Friday lunchtime. If the pub in question has an Android-powered bar installed, you might even find your tipple of choice waiting for you when you arrive.

As for all of the services hanging off Maps, Google is already hiring out the Street View cameras and enabling you to peek inside buildings - you can expect Android 2020 to offer better imagery of most public buildings, as well as tappable info as you move around.

There might even be an option to enable Google to anonymously augment its Street View data with the snaps you take on your phone to provide an even more up-to-date view of the world.

2. Android messaging in 2020

Google has already made its intentions clear with the Hangouts upgrade we got at I/O this year. With Facebook, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Snapchat, Skype et al to battle against, there's no doubt we'll see Google push further into the universal messaging game, covering SMS, email, instant messaging and video calling with tools that are baked into Android.

You won't have to have separate apps for each of these, as the UI will be unified in a way that makes it easy to seamlessly slip between each method of calling.

We might even get Google Voice in the UK by the time 2020 rolls around, though don't hold your breath.

How far Google can go depends on the networks and its competitors in the field - it's already launched an ultra-fast internet service in the US, so telecoms could be next. And the company has been sniffing around unused wireless spectrum frequencies, too.

Don't be surprised to see free 5G video calling and texting between Android devices by 2020, with all of your conversations grouped by person rather than platform, and archived and searchable in Gmail.

Eric Schmidt has already predicted that every human will be online by 2020 (no doubt hoping that we'll all have a Google+ page too), and the more people his company can help get connected the better for Google's bottom line.

3. Android payments and security in 2020

Over the next few years our phones will become even more important for making payments, transferring money and verifying our identity (everything from getting through the door at work to logging into Facebook).

The Google Authenticator app of 2020 could work with your device's NFC chip to automatically log you into Gmail when you sit down at your laptop, for example, or pay for your flight when you step on a plane. Apple has Passbook, and Google will want an equivalent in place too.

We've seen tattoos and pills shown off as possible authentication triggers of the future, and Android 2020 will play a big part in proving you are who you say you are, whether it's at a coffee shop or Google I/O.

Basic face recognition is already available, but in the years to come it has the potential to get much more accurate. It might even be joined by fingerprint or retina scanning built into Android's camera app, or at least part of the phone, now that Apple has shown that fingerprint scanning is a viable option with its new Touch ID technology.

4. Android hardware in 2020

Hardware innovations are going to play a big part in Android's roadmap. Besides the obvious smaller, thinner, faster improvements for our phones,bendable screens should be in place in the near future - the likes of Samsung have the tech already in production, and Android will change to adapt itself through scrolling rivers of news, status updates and other notifications.

Ever-changing, ever-optimising displays will be the order of the day, and the batteries and mobile processors of 2020 should be able to keep up.

Google Glass has of course generated plenty of buzz this year, good and bad, as has the rumour of an Apple iWatch to compete with the Galaxy Gear. It looks like the wearable tech revolution is about to take off, and by the time 2020 rolls around this could mean miniature devices on our glasses, wrists and clothing, ready to capture every moment and record every movement.

You won't need to take photos any more, since Google will simply pick out the best pictures from the unedited stream of the day's events. Nor will you need to decide what to eat for dinner - Android 2020 will know what you've been doing today (and what you're probably doing tonight), and can pick out the most suitable foods for you.

Android: the 2020 edition

The only certainty about Android's future is that it has a fight on its hands to stay competitive. Apple's new-look iOS 7 has given Google plenty to think about, not least with its tie-ins with Facebook, Twitter, Bing, Flickr and Vimeo.

Android's continuing integration with Chrome and the desktop/laptop will make for an interesting story too - they're both run by the same man,Sundar Pichai, remember - and perhaps Google's biggest challenge will be to convince us that we can trust it with more and more information about where we are, who we communicate with and the way we live our lives.

Google wants you to have a break and have a Kitkat, for its newest partnership has resulted in the next version of Android being branded with the name of Nestle’s popular chocolate bar. In the past,Key Lime Pie was being speculated to be the name of the next version of Google’s mobile operating system, while there was even a campaign in India to convince the search giant to name it Kaju Katli. But the hearsay has been laid to rest, now that the official name has been announced.

That’s not all; a video which Google had uploaded earlier today might have given us our very first glimpse of the Nexus 5. The company was quick enough to take it down immediately after the device caught media attention, but thanks to a number of mirrored videos you can still catch a glimpse of the supposed phone in the hands of a Googler.

The image below is a screenshot of the moment when the device makes its brief entry into the clip. It doesn’t take a microscope to spot the Nexus branding, but some folks have managed to zoom their eye enough to make out that there’s an LG logo on its back surface. Additionally, the camera lens on the phone is larger than usual. Could we be seeing an extra powerful snapper on it, like the ones on the Honami and the Acer Liquid S2?

No matter when the Nexus 5 will officially be unveiled, we’re quite certain that it will be the first device to feature the Android Kitkat update which by the way, has taken the 4.4 numbering.

Yahoo has spruced up its official Mail app with fresh user interface and a full screen reading mode for the Apple iPad tablets and Android tablets.

Yahoo has launched a new mail application for the Apple iPad and Android based tablets. The new Yahoo! Mail app serves the same purpose - help read email in better format. However, this app brings a special full screen function for reading an email by making the best of the screen real estate. The all new Yahoo! Mail app is already available for the iOS based tablets from the Apple App store and Android tablets from Google Play store.

Yahoo! has already offered the mail app for the iOS and Android based smartphones. Now the company aims to gain attention from the rising number of tablet owners. The new Yahoo! Mail app brings the large twin column based email inbox experience on the Apple iPad tablets and Google Android based tablets.

The tablet interface offers a new email reading mode that basically allows the user to read any email in an interactive full screen mode. Quick accounts switching is now possible through the sidebar menu options. Starred Folder has been added to view important set of emails.

The new user interface and reading mode certainly are the nifty improvements that come along with several bug fixes for the tablet version of Yahoo! Mail app. However, the real question is whether Google and Microsoft will consider tweaking the respective email user interface just for tablets.

Gionee has announced the launch of its new smartphone - Gionee P1 - which features a 3.5-inch display. The P1 is powered by a 1GHz Cortex A9 processor and comes with a 2 megapixel camera. It also has a front VGA camera.

This dual SIM phone has a 1500 mAh battery. The P1 comes has an internal storage space of 512MB; its memory can be expanded up to 32GB. The Gionee P1 will be available in only black colour. It runs Android 2.3 OS and comes with 256MB RAM.

As part of the inaugural offer, the P1 will come packed with a 4 GB SD card, 2 phone cases and a screen protection film. The phone is priced at Rs 4,999.

IBNLive.com | Posted on Apr 17, 2013 at 11:33am IST

Posted by: Harish Published: Tuesday, March 26, 2013, 21:21 [IST]

When it comes to Dual SIM smartphone usage in India, it is considered to be perfect choice over other smartphone purchases, as the technology has the capability for keeping work separate from play.

Understanding the consumer demand and growing offerings in the category, Sony introduced two unique handsets in the past which have hit the shelves today in India. Yes ! You guessed it right! The talk is about Xperia E and its dual SIM variant Xperia E Dual, which have been recently released in India at a price of Rs 9,990 and Rs 10,990.

Well, out the duo Xperia E Dual has the capability to switch incoming calls between SIM cards anytime with a simple press to the dedicated hardware key.

Further, Xperia E Dual runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich (upgradeable to 4.1 Jelly Bean) and will sport a 3.5 inch scratch-resistant display with 480 x 320 pixels, single core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, MicroSD card support up to 32GB, 3.2MP rear camera and a VGA front facing camera, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and a 1,500 mAh battery.

The phone would come with Dual SIM capability, noise cancellation feature to filter out background sounds, to provide loud and clear HD voice 3D surround sound and DLNA connectivity amongst others.

Well, if you wish to buy the handset, below in the slideshow are listed some of the best deals available online. Flip through the slideshow and have a look.

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originally published @ GIZBOT

Summary: Indian government is threatening to bring a halt to the country's low-cost tablet initiative if the delivery target of 100,000 isn't met by the end of the month.

India's Aakash 2 project is facing a multitude of issues including manufacturing delays, a faulty processor, and low memory. These have prompted the country's new human resource and development minister, Pallam Raju, to announce the decision to shut down the initiative if it fails to meet the target of delivering 100,000 Aakash 2 tablets by March 31.

The Aakash project was envisioned to be a low-cost alternative to the Apple iPad and designed for the masses, specifically students, and change the way Indian students learned. However, when the Aakash tablet was launched by Kapil Sibal, it turned out to be a lemon. The 1,903 rupees (US$35) device has failed to meet expectations and the Indian government finally conceded a failure in production.

I had placed an order for the Aakash tablet last year but delivery was delayed twice, resulting in a 3-month delay. Once it finally arrived, I was excited and thrilled to finally have my own Aakash tablet. However, basic setup with a 3G SIM itself took longer than expected.

When it finally worked, the required registration with DataWind was when reality struck that I really got what I paid for. Not only was the touchscreen non-responsive more than half of the time, the speed of the Aakash tablet was extremely slow. Considering how I went out of the way to obtain and register a 3G SIM just for the Aakash tablet, I was left with the feeling that it simply wasn't worth the time, effort, and money I had put into this. Since I got it, I've only used my Aakash tablet a few times, and now, it's been packed away in its original box and packaging.

As it currently stands, only 17,000 Aakash 2 tablets have been delivered. The contracted vendor, Datawind, said 29,400 units were in transit, and another 23,500 units were pending delivery to IIT Bombay. This is considerably lower than the original target of 100,000 units to be delivered by March 31. The projected cost for the original Aakash tablet was 1,903 rupees (US$35), but the final launch price of the Aakash 2 tablet is almost double this figure. 

DataWind said it was making all efforts to deliver as many of its second-generation Aakash 2 tablets devices by March 31, according to a status report on delivery released by the Canadian manufacturer. The company said the delay was caused by the verifications process that customs needed to conduct on the exemption certificates for certain components issued by IIT Bombay. Of the remaining 30,000 units, a final assembly is expected within the next couple of weeks and all efforts are being made to deliver as many as possible by 31 March, the vendor said.

Clearly, DataWind won't be able to achieve the target of 100,000 units by March 31 if the remaining 30,000 Aakash 2 tablets are to be assembled only after the deadline. Could this really be the demise of the entire Aakash project, as stated by the Indian government?

In my opinion, realistically, it's the not demise but just the beginning. Here's why: in addition to orders from the general public, some of which have already been delivered, the Indian government has their own order of Aakash 2 tablets which have been paid for, and are pending delivery.

Furthermore, the government has plans to distribute the Aakash 2 tablets to students, and canceling the Aakash project ultimately would result in students suffering the most. In addition, this would be bad PR with India's federal elections just around the corner. 

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About Nitin Puri

Originally from Canada, Nitin has been residing and working in India since 2009. He has worked in different ICT industries in countries such as India, Canada, and Tanzania. He is an avid follower and application developer within the growing mobile phone sector in India. originally published @ ZD NET