Asus announces Zenfone 2 Deluxe Special Edition with Intel Z3590 chip for Global Market

Asus has put the official global page for Zenfone 2 Deluxe Special Edition, which was earlier announced in Brazil. This time around the processor used is Intel Atom Z3590 which a Quad-core CPU clocked at 2.5Ghz from Intel instead of an overclocked Z3580. The other big feature is the huge 256GB internal storage (internal 128GB eMMC and bundled 128GB MicroSD card) and 4GB of RAM. It also features two new new design patterns,Silver Polygon and Carbon Night.

Mi Pad 2 and Redmi Note 3 now officially launched

Xiaomi has officially taken the wraps off the tablet Mi Pad 2 and the smartphone Redmi Note 3, both with new build, materials and specs. The Mi Pad 2 is the most notable as it now has a version featuring Microsoft Windows 10. A variant with Android is also available. This proves Windows 10 has been successful product for Microsoft.

Asus announces Zenphone 2 Deluxe Special Edition with 256GB internal storage!

Asus has announced a Special Edition varient of Zenphone 2 Deluxe version in Brazil which comes with 256GB of internal storage. Which is the highest in any mobile so far. The Zenphone 2 was launched with 4GB RAM which was also the highest when it launched.

Asus to add 3 new phones to Zenfone 2 line-up on Aug 6

Tommorow Asus is adding three new phones to Zenfone series.These include the ZenFone 2 Deluxe, ZenFone Selfie, and the ZenFone 2 Laser.

Asus Zenfone 2 Deluxe : This is there top-of-line model which includes the 5.5-inch Full-HD display covered with Gorilla Glass 3.  The processor used is Intel Atom Z3580 (2.3 GHz Quad Core) and comes with 4GB LPDDR3 ram. The phone comes with 64GB internal memory but is expandable with micro-sd card slot.There is a new design element at the back to distinguish it from other varients.

The camera is a 13MP f/2.0 aperture on the rear with Duall-LED flash whereas the front camera is a 5MP one. Other features include 3000mAh battery,wifi n,bluetooth,4G LTE and runs Android 5.0 skinned with Zen UI.

Asus Zenfone Selfie : This is almost the same as the Deluxe but with 13MP front camera with Dual-LED flash.The processor is downgraded to Snapdragon 615. The 16GB version comes with 2GB ram whereas the 32GB version comes with 3GB RAM.Rest of the specs remain same.

Image Courtesy: BGR

Asus Zenfone 2 Laser  : This is more of a photography oriented version as it comes with a Laser autofocus system for faster focusing but the camera modules remain same as the Deluxe. Other changes include a 2070mAh battery and 8/16 GB storage options and a Snapdragon 410 processor

Asus ZenPad press renders leaked ahead of official unveiling

Asus is going to unveil the new ZenPad-series of tablets at the upcoming Computex trade fair. While we don’t know much about these tablets, the first official-looking render of the Asus ZenPad (8-inch model likely) has been leaked online.

Published by Ausdroid, this render shows that that Asus is going with 4:3 display aspect ratio, at least in the 8-inch model, similar to what Samsung did in the recently launched Galaxy Tab A tablets.

In addition, the company is using a unique looking design pattern on the back. Seems like there are two layers, but it could be something else, and Asus is going with soft-touch plastic on one layer and faux-leather on the second. The design pattern also appeared in an Asus teaser recently.

You can also spot the two speakers on the front, microSD card slot on one edge, power button, volume rocker, Intel logo (suggesting an Atom processor) and the front/ rear cameras.

The specifications of the 8-inch ZenPad are unknown at this point, but the 7-inch model is expected to sport a 1024x600p display, Intel Atom X3 quad-core processor, 2MP primary camera, VGA secondary shooter, 3950 mAh battery, 1GB of RAM, 8/16GB of internal storage, microSD card slot and Android 5.0.

LG Watch Urbane goes on sale in India via Amazon at INR 29,990

LG has quietly released the Watch Urbane in the Indian market. The smartwatch is now on sale via Amazon India at INR 29,990, making it the most expensive Android Wear smartwatch in the country.

YU Yuphoria Amazon page, teaser videos go live

An Amazon page [Update:page is now down] and a duo of video teasers for the upcoming YU Yuphoria smartphone went live. The Micromax subsidiary will unveil the smartphone in a couple of days, on May 12. The Amazon page allows interested users to sign up for updates on the availability of the smartphone. YU Yuphoria will be exclusively sold by the online retail giant Amazon when it becomes available.

Previously known as Project Caesar, YU Yuphoria will pack 64-bit SoC, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in memory. The handset will boot Android Lollipop customized by Cyanogen.

The video teasers on the other hand, suggest that the YU Yuphoria will feature solid build quality, as well as a powerful loudspeaker (stereo speakers will not be a surprise either). See them below:

Updates:Samsung and Dell push out software updates

Samsung has pushed out new update to Samsung Galaxy S6.The OTA has an Android version 5.0.2, which the device already received last month, but now comes with noticeable improvement to the phone's performance.

As some of you might remember, a lot of Galaxy S6 users have been reporting some severe memory issues and drops in performance. Samsung recognized the problem and promised to remedy it in future micro updates. Judging from the improved stability and speed of the unit, we can fairly safely state that the memory leak was handled after the update.

The package itself has a build number of G920FXXU1AODG and weighs precisely 138.32 MB. Its change log is quite vague, so we can't say for sure what improvements and fixes it brings, but, like we said, the Galaxy S6 is now a lot snappier.If you have any more info on the OTA in question and the alleged S6 memory leak, be sure to let us know in the comment section.

Dell pushes out Android 5.0.2 update for Venue 8:

Dell has started pushing out the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update for the Dell Venue 8 7840. You can check if the update is available for download from the Settings app.

Like the KitKat version before it, Lollipop on the Venue 8 seems to be unadulterated and close to stock Android. According to Android Police, it does enable encryption by default, which we have seen in the past causes some drop in performance, but it remains to be seen if that holds true for the Venue 8 as well.If you have the device, check if the update is available.

TAG Heuer Smartwatch will cost around $1400, launch by November

Bloomberg is reporting that TAG Heuer’s first smartwatch will be arriving in October-November this year and will cost around $1400. While none of these details are official, they are said to be coming from TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver.

Biver told Bloomberg that TAG Heuer’s smartwatch battery will last about 40 hours, which is slightly more than most smartwatches as they last less than 24 hours. He did not share any other details about the device, but we already know that the TAG Heuer smartwatch runs on Android Wear and will be powered by an Intel chip. The company is expected to officially detail the smartwatch in the coming months.

TAG Heuer had announced the smartwatch in March at the Baselworld 2015 as a part of its collaboration with Google and Intel. It will be the first luxury Android Wear smartwatch when it hits the stores later this year.

Nokia to make Android phones in 2016, R&D moves to China

Recently we heard rumors about alleged Nokia plans for re-entering the phone market in 2016. We are happy to report those plans are indeed true and Nokia will be marking its return next year with an Android smartphone.

Nokia sold its device business to Microsoft a year ago and it signed a non-compete clause preventing the company from producing smartphones under the Nokia brand until December 31, 2015 and feature phones under the Nokia brand for a decade.

Nokia used wisely these non-compete clauses and outed the powerful Nokia N1 tablet early this year. The N1 is designed by Nokia, including its Z Launcher for Android, but the rights for the branding, manufacturing, marketing and distributions were licensed to Foxconn.

The President of Nokia China confirmed Nokia is working on Android powered smartphones, which will be probably manufactured in factories in Sichuan, China (after further assessment) and will be launched in 2016. He also sheds some light on company's future - the Nokia's R&D center will permanently relocate to Sichuan, China.
Looking forward to Nokia's next phone chapter? We certainly are.

Lenovo unveils K80, a phone with 4GB RAM and 4,000 mAh battery

Not long after Asus announced the ZenFone 2 as the world's first smartphone to offer 4 GB of RAM, and Xiaomi introduced the Mi Note Pro with 4 GB of RAM, now Lenovo unveiled its own handset with 4 GB of random-access memory.

Called Lenovo K80, the new handset will directly compete with the Asus ZenFone 2 not just because it offers 4 GB of RAM, but also because its price and other features are relatively similar to those of Asus' smartphone (which is already available in select markers, including China). 

The K80 runs Android Lollipop, sports a 5.5-inch 1080p display, and is powered by a 64-bit Intel Atom processor clocked at 1.8 GHz. The handset also offers LTE, a 13 MP rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization, 64 GB of storage space, and a very generous 4000 mAh battery. The K80 is 8.5mm-thin, and comes in various color variants, including black, silver, and red. 

The handset carries a price tag of 1,799 CNY ($290), and will be available in China starting April 30. A variant with 2GB RAM and 32GB internal memory will also be released. It isn't yet known if and when the K80 will be available in other markets.

Acer Adds New Tablets, Features To Iconia 10 And Iconia 8 Series

There are seven different tablet series from Acer, each with its own number of models. Today the company announced two more devices; another model of the Iconia Tab 10 A3-A30, and the Iconia One 8 B1-820.

The new A3-A30, which uses Android 5.0 Lollipop, is considered to be the high-end 10-inch model for the series. However, Acer built it exclusively for educational purposes, so unless you're a student you won't be able to get your hands on it. It still has the same 1920 x 1200 resolution and IPS screen as the previous high-end model, the A3-A20FHD-K0CQ.

This new model also features a Gorilla Glass 4 screen, and it runs on an Intel Atom Z3735F quad-core processor (1.83 GHz). It has 2 GB of RAM, and there's a 2 MP camera on the front and a 5 MP camera on the rear. Storage starts at 16 GB of eMMC, but it can be upgraded to 32 or 64 GB. The tablet's battery is expected to last up to 7.5 hours.

On the other hand, the new 8-inch Iconia One 8 B1-820 is more of a mid-tier model within the Iconia One 8 series. Running Android 5.0 Lollipop, the tablet also has an IPS display.It uses an Intel Atom Z3735G quad-core processor (1.83 GHz) and has 1 GB of RAM. Like the A3-A30, it also has two cameras, but the front camera is only 0.3 MP, while the rear camera is 5 MP. Storage starts at 16 GB of eMMC with the option to upgrade to 32 GB. Battery life is slightly longer on the B1-820 at 8.5 hours.

Both tablets also includes what Acer calls Precision Plus technology, which supposedly provides a "highly accurate touch experience." This is because the touch panel for both tablets has a higher density of touch sensors. According to Acer, most styluses (stylii?) today detect tips as thin as 5.5 mm. Precision Plus technology goes even lower, allowing tips as thin as 2 mm.

I saw a quick demo of this with a stylus provided by Acer on two tablets – one with Precision Plus and one without it. The stylus worked on the former, while it wasn't even detected on the tablet without Precision Plus. An Acer rep told me that Precision Plus will eventually become the standard for its tablet lineup (although not for its low-end devices).

Acer also showed off another feature on both tablets, a special coating that prevent smudges. I was shown another demo comparing the new coating to the old version, where a red marker was used to draw on both screens. The older version had a clear smudge of the marker, but with the new coating, it only appeared a small dots. It might not exactly be smudge-free, but at least it'll be easier to clean.

Of the two new tablets, the A3-A30 will arrive first, in May, and will cost $299.99. The B1-820 will come in July for $149.99. With these new devices, Acer expands its lineup across different price points. The Iconia Tab 10 series now has tablets from $199.99 to $299.99, while the Iconia One 8 models range from $129.99 to $159.99.

The variety of tablets means that customers can easily find a tablet that matches performance to budget, and with Precision Plus and the new anti-smudge coating, these new tablets will not only work with more writing utensils, but will also be (more) free of those annoying finger smudges.

Source

Asustek Introduces Ultimate 6” Smartphone with Full-HD Display,Stylus

Asustek Computer has introduced its new hybrid “phablet” that can serve as a phone and as a tablet. The device combines high-definition display, powerful Intel system-on-chip and a number of other innovations. The product will likely become a strong rival for Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Note III and similar hybrid products.

Asus Fonepad Note FHD 6 is based on Intel Atom Z2560 (1.60GHz) dual-core processor and comes with 1920*1080 Super IPS+ 6” display. Just like phablets from Samsung, the Fonepad Note FHD 6 also includes a stylus for quick and accurate handwritten input. The device is powered by Google Android operating system and is compatible with over 700 thousand of apps. What is unclear is whether Asustek also altered Android operating system for its phablet to provide exclusive functionality, like Samsung does with its Galaxy Note-series products.

In addition to powerful capabilities for business users, FonePad Note also features advanced multimedia functionality. With a display brightness of 450 nits, Asus Fonepad Note FHD 6 can be used outdoors in bright sunshine, while front-facing stereo speakers with Asus SonicMaster technology ensure high-quality high-definition audio.

Since the phablet was only formally unveiled at Computex Taipei trade-show, information like pricing and availability dates was not touched upon.

Asus announces Intel powered Fonepad with SIM calling

The 7 inch Android tablet runs on Android 4.1 and offers 1 GB RAM, 8 GB ROM and 3G connectivity with voice calling support.

Asus has announced Fonepad, a 7 inch Android 4.1 Jelly Bean based tablet powered by Atom Z2420 processor. The tablet has all the features of a smartphone including voice call and 3Gsupport.

The tablet 7 inch display is an IPS panel with HD 1280 x 800 resolution. Fonepad has 1 GB of RAM and comes in 8 GB and 16GB inbuilt storage variants. It also has a micro SD card slot for up to 32 GB of additional storage.

The Asus Fonepad also comes with a front 1.2 megapixel camera and a 3 megapixel autofocus rear camera with 720p HD video recording capability. The tablet can also be used for voice calls using the built-in noise-cancelling digital microphone or a Bluetooth headset.

The tablet will be available in Europe and USA by March at retail price close to $249 (Rs 13500), given that Intel is focused on markets like India and China and Asus Fonepad is an affordable offering we believe the tablet will be launched in India soon. Asus is launching its Memo pad tablet in India tomorrow.