17:31
With this being the third Intel-based handset from Xolo, we have to but hope that it has got it just right this time. Xolo's last flagship model loaded with the Intel Chip, the X900, didn't fare too well in the battery department; I'm hoping that's been fixed. So here's a quick first look of the new Xolo X1000 Intel-based smartphone.
Design
Like a cross between an HTC and the Galaxy Nexus, Xolo's X1000 smartphone is quite a looker. It's lightweight at 140 g and with a depth of just 9.1 mm, it's easy to grip or slip into and out of your pocket. There's a certain feel good factor about it.
The 4.7-inch TFT LCD has a 2.5 D Edge-to-Edge curved glass panel that is crisp and viewing angles looked real good. The 720 x 1280 pixel resolution also helps keep things clear and vibrant. The Xolo X1000 has a unibody design where the thin chromed bottom sliver (where the micro USB port is located) can be pushed out to reveal the SIM (standard size) and microSD card slots. There seemed to be a little bit of play with this panel when it was reinserted; hopefully, this will not be the case on the retail pieces.
The little silver strip beneath the 8MP camera at the rear adds a little flare to the otherwise simple panel. A small speaker grille is placed just above the clasp that enables you to slip out the bottom panel. A front facing 1.3MP camera is located just above the display on the left of the earpiece.So on the whole, the X1000 is a well-crafted device that's both stylish and rather professional in looks.
Features
Keeping in mind that there seems to be some issue where Intel, the X86 Architecture and the Android OS can't seem to function optimally with each other, the X1000 will launch with ICS initially and an update will follow a while later. This is perhaps the only real aspect one would find off putting about the device. With a 2GHz Intel processor powering this handset coupled with 1GB RAM, the handset proved to be quite fluid in terms of operation.
As of now, there's no mention of specific apps that would be available with the device. The demo units featured no more than a stock ICS UI with no extras.The X1000 has an 8 megapixel camera along with a handy lot of settings, including burst mode @15 fps (up to 10 pictures). It’s also capable of recording videos in full HD, i.e. 1080p @30fps. A secondary video calling/chat camera is up front as I mentioned and at 1.3 megapixels, should be good enough to have rather clear video streaming.
Xolo has fashioned a 1900 mAH battery for the X1000 and has claimed that the handset will provide up to 5 hours of browsing time on 3G and dish out about 9.5 hours of talktime on 3G as well as 2G. The estimated standby time was said to be 13-14 days. That’s quite impressive, but again, an aspect that will need to be tested in the labs.
17:25
The Xolo B700 which seems to be an upgraded version of the Xolo A700 is available for Rs. 8,999. The specs are almost the same as compared with A700 with some minor and some major difference. The key attraction is the massive battery of 3450 mAh capacity.If battery life is your major concern then the Xolo B700 is what you should be looking for. You not only can experience the power of a dual core android based smartphone but also expect a longer, a much longer battery life.
The Xolo B700 is powered by MediaTek dual core processor clocked at 1GHz with PowerVR SGX 531 GPU. The IPS touchscreen is of a smaller size at 4.3 inches with 960×540 pixel resolution (16M colours).Lava International's sub-brand Xolo has been launching a variety of budget and mid-range smartphones in India. Basically, the company has been concentrating on affordable range of Android smartphones in the dual-core and quad-core line-up.
This is a dual SIM handset running ICS OS with 512MB RAM and 4GB internal storage. There is 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, micro USB and 3.5mm jack. The camera is the same as on A700, i.e. 5MP AF on the rear with LED flash and a 0.3MP on the front. The handset can record videos in 720p resolution.
Definitely Xolo B700 is a stylishly designed affordable Android ICS smartphone launched by the tech firm. It is a consecutively third launch in the Xolo series by Lava in a two weeks' time period. Hence, if you are getting some interest in the Lava range of handsets, here Gizbot has come up with the comparison of Xolo B700 and its predecessor Xolo A700 to analyse the difference between the duo smartphones.
The battery as mentioned is an amazing 3450 mAh with standby time of over 300 hours and talktime is up to 20 to 23 hours depending on the network. The handset is priced right at under Rs. 9,000.
Xolo B700 Key features and specifications
Dual SIM with Dual Standby.
Dual Core 1GHz + PowerVR SGX 531 GPU.
4.3 inch qHD IPS screen with 16M colours.
512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage and micro SD up to 32GB support.
Android 4.0 (ICS).
5MP auto focus rear camera with LED flash and 0.3MP front camera. HD video recording mode supported.
3G, 2G, WI-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.5 mm jack and micro USB.
Sensors : Accelerometer, proximity, light and magnetometer (needs confirmation).
3450 mAh battery with over 20 hours talktime.
17:19
One of the latest entrants into the pocket-friendly quad-core phones segment is the Xolo Q700. NDTVGadgets has now spotted the quad-core smartphone discreetly listed on e-commerce websites with no price and a ‘coming soon’ badge.
According to the specifications listed, the Dual-SIM Q700 seems to be sporting a 4.5-inch qHD (540×960 pixels) display and powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, PowerVR SGX544 GPU and 1GB of RAM. Other features on the phone are a 5-megapixel rear camera, VGA camera at the front, 4GB of internal memory and a 2,400mAH battery. The listing also reveals that the Q700 will run on Android 4.2 out of the box and will be available in brown and blue color variants.Though there is no official word on the price, the report says that the Xolo Q700 is likely to be priced around Rs 9,999, which will pit it against other recently launched quad-core phones like the Intex Aqua Wonder Quadcore, and Karbonn’s S1 Titanium and S5 Titanium among others.
It is only getting better and better for consumers as the quad-core battle enters the sub-Rs 10K category. Lava International has announced the launch of its Xolo Q700 smartphone that carries a Rs 9,999 price tag.The Xolo Q700 is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.2. The phone has a 4.5-inch qHD (540x960 pixels) IPS display and packs in a 2400 mAh battery.
At the rear is a 5 megapixel camera that can record 720p video while the front camera is VGA. The Q700 has 4GB of internal memory and 1GB RAM. In its price bracket the Xolo Q700 will compete with the Karbonn S1 Titanium, that has similar specifications but a lower-rated battery.Moreover, Xolo Q700 is also the first smartphone from Xolo to offer Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) out of the box. Internally the Xolo Q700 will pack in 1.2GHz quad-core processor with PowerVR SGX544 GPU. The smartphone also offers 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, which can be expanded by up to 32GB.
Xolo Q700 comes with a 4.5-inch qHD IPS display. Much like the other smartphones in the Q series, Q700 also deploys the One Glass Solution (OGS) technology. It comes with 2400 mAh battery, which as per company claims gives 17 hours of talk time and 380 hours of standby time on 2G and 16 hours of talk time and 350 hours of standby time on 3G.
For camera, there is a 5-megapixel rear camera and a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera. It is a dual-SIM smartphone that also supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity options. This smartphone will not come in traditional colours such as Black, White or Silver but will be available only in Brown and Blue colour.This smartphone is already listed on Flipkart.com but the price isn't shown. We are not sure when this smartphone will be officially launched, but it should be available in this week itself.
Xolo is already offering its Q800 smartphone, which comes with 4.5-inch qHD IPS display. Priced at Rs. 12,499, this smartphone is powered by 1.2GHz quad-core processor along with PowerVR SGX544 GPU. Internally, the device packs in 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, which can be expanded by up to 32GB via microSD card. It runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). There is an 8-megapixel autofocus rear snapper with LED flash, a 1.2-megapixel front camera.
Xolo Q800 is one the star products for the company and with Q700 the company is trying to make quad-core smartphones more affordable. Recently Intex too had launched Intex Aqua Wonder Quadcore for Rs. 9,990. In addition to Intex, Karbonn too is offering Karbonn S1 Titanium and Karbonn S5 Titanium smartphones at a similar price point.
17:12
The Xolo Q800 was launched by Lava mobiles as its flagship quad core mobile. There were great expectations from the Xolo Q800, and it has performed up to its expectations. Micromax Canvas HD still remains unavailable and out of stock, and Xolo Q800 is its competitor and will take advantage of no stock of the Micromax Canvas HD. During our testing we found that the Xolo Q800 performs well and is at par with the Micromax Canvas HD. Our Xolo Q800 review covers up everything that is there in the mobile.
The Xolo comes with normal accessories including 2100 mAh battery, handset, earphones, manual, user guide, micro USB and adapter. Other than these accessories the Xolo Q800 box also includes screen protector that fits perfectly on the screen.
Design
The design of the Xolo Q800 is very good, and in look and feel its truly great. The Xolo Q800 feels like a very expensive mobile. The Xolo Q800 has 3 soft buttons on the front side. It also has volume buttons on the sides, as well as a sleep button.On the rear side of the Xolo Q800 there is the logo and 8 Mega pixels camera. The front side also includes a small 1 Mega pixels front camera.
Memory and Storage
The Xolo Q800 has 1GB RAM, in which we found around 700MB free for user. Other than the RAM, it also has 4GB internal storage in which 1.7GB is user accessible. Micro SD card was also supported in the mobile.
Processor and performance
The Xolo Q800 is powered by Quad Core MT6589 Processor along with PowerVR SGX 544 GPU. The performance of the Xolo Q800 was very good and there were no lags whats so ever. The Xolo Q800 was capable of playing Modern Combat 4. As it can play Modern Combat 4, we also expect that it will also play other high end games.
Benchmarking
AnTuTu - 12560
Quadrant - 4051
Nenamark2 - 58fps
Multi touch - 5 point
Cameras
The Xolo Q800 has 8MP back camera along with 1MP front camera. We found that the back camera was capable of capturing videos in 1080p too. The front camera also performs well. The Xolo Q800 also was able to capture images in low light.
Entertainment
The Xolo Q800 easily played 1080p videos, so in movie watching it performs well. We tried YouTube streaming and found that it performed well, and was capable of streaming 720p videos too. In gaming the Xolo Q800 is capable of playing high end games like the Modern Combat 4 and Need For Speed Most Wanted smoothly.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of the Xolo Q800 was at par with other handsets similar to it. The headphones provided with it are also very good, and you can hear the sounds very clearly. The speakers of the Xolo Q800 are also loud enough for normal usage.
Battery Life
The Xolo Q800 has 2100 mAh battery, which lasts easily for 1 and half days. The battery lasts easily for 1 and half day in normal usage. But heavy gaming consumes too much battery and during heavy gaming we found that the battery lasted for just about 4 hours.
17:07
The Apple iPhone 6 may yet be some time away but there is plenty of interest in this smartphone as you might expect. We’ve been bringing you news, leaks and rumors as we hear it and have already heard some details of expected specs and features. Now we have heard that the iPhone 6 could well be powered by Intel processors rather than Samsung’s. Also we take a look at a designer’s imagination of three iPhone 6 models.
We’ll start with the news of reports saying that Intel processors may be used for the iPhone 6 and also a next-generation iPad. We’ve spoken recently about Apple attempting to reduce its dependence on Samsung components for its devices and an existing contract between Apple and Samsung for processors is set to expire next year. Apple is said to be considering Intel as an alternative processor supplier as Intel tries to make headway into the mobile market.
A partnership between Apple and Intel would be hugely beneficial to both parties, giving Intel a major inroad into the mobile market and offering Apple the reassurance that Intel could manage the vast production that would be necessary as it has extensive manufacturing capacity. According to Business Insider a source from either Apple or Intel says that this possibility has been discussed but that nothing has been finalized yet. As you might expect, Apple declined to comment.
Further to this news we have heard that some industry experts are expecting three iPhone 6 models for 2014 although as far as we are concerned it’s way too early to know anything about this as we still haven’t got to the expected iPhone 5S release this summer. However this hasn’t stopped one independent designer coming up with some imaginings for three different iPhone 6 models.
Peter Zigich predicts three models of the iPhone 6 for 2014, the regular iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 mini and the iPhone 6 XL. His concept designs move the home button from the front of the standard iPhone 6 and instead has a home button on either side giving more space for a bigger display. Zigich also forecasts the iPhone 6 mini, which would be a mid-range model, while the iPhone 6 XL would be a larger-screened premium model.
To give us an even clearer idea Zigich has come up with some pricing of around $650 for the regular iPhone 6, $350 to $450 for the iPad mini with the iPhone 6XL coming in at a between $750 to $900. We’ve shown an image above of all three versions of Zigich’s iPhone 6 and you can see more at iPack3d.
Of course we should remind you that these are one designer’s ideas of future iPhone 6 handsets but we have no way of knowing what Apple will eventually come up with. We’d like to hear your thoughts on the iPhone 6. Can you envisage Intel processors in the iPhone 6.
17:04
The Android platform is becoming awash with numerous different handsets being released from an ever increasing selection of manufacturers, and recently there seems to be more handsets that feature dual SIM compatibility and one such phone we have for you today is the Lava Xolo X500 Intel smartphone that does look rather boring though.
The company is now launching its second smartphone in India that features an Intel Atom processor and will be priced at Rs. 8,999. The handset will come powered by the Intel Atom Lexington Z2420 that was recently shown off at CES 2013, and is expected to hit the shelves shortly.
It features only a 3.5-inch display with a resolution of 480 x 320 with the processor clocked at 1.2GHz that uses Intel Hyper Threading Technology. There is 512MB of RAM coupled with 4GB of on board storage that can be expanded further via microSD card by up to 32GB.
There is a five megapixel rear facing camera and the handset uses a 1,500 mAh battery unit, and the Lava Xolo X500 will come running the Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. At CES Intel revealed the Lexington Z2420 with its technology that has one core and two threads, and is capable of supporting 1080p HD hardware, accelerated encoding/decoding, and also supports up to two cameras that can deliver advance imaging.
This includes a burst mode that can capture seven pictures in under a second in five megapixel quality. The company’s first Intel based phone released in April last year was the Xolo 900 that used the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system running on the Intel Saltwell 1.6GHz single core processor.
Powered by Intel, X500 runs on the most powerful processor available in its segment, its Intel® Hyper Threading technology offers great speed and enables virtually effortless multitasking.
HTML 5 browser optimized for Intel Atom processor to provide a fast internet browsing experience. Now, browse in a blink with X500 at a breakneck speed of up to 21 Mbps.Get the benefit of excellent image rendering and highly realistic graphics for a superb gaming experience.
XOLO X500 lets you play full HD 1080P videos, now enjoy a great movie watching experience right on your smartphone.This is the first smartphone with Dual SIM on Intel Platform. Enjoy the benefits of two numbers in one handset.
17:00
We’ve been trying to keep readers informed about the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update and when it will come to various devices and today we have heard that Android Jelly Bean has now been ported to Intel Medfield chips. These Intel chips are currently used in some devices running Android 2.3 and Android 4.0 so those with the relevant devices may be a step closer to receiving the 4.1 Jelly Bean update.
Medfield is the title of Intel’s low-power Atom chips and one person who seems pretty excited that Jelly Bean has now been ported to these chips is Intel’s vice president and general manager Mike Bell. At the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco he was keen for everyone to know and said, “I’m running it.” He’s not the only one either as Bell went on to add that other Intel employees with Medfield chip devices are also running Jelly Bean.
However he also stressed that although Intel has managed to port Jelly Bean, it isn’t up to the company as to when customers with the relevant devices will begin receiving the 4.1 update. Bell pointed out that this is down carriers and device makers saying, “We can’t put it on the phones. We have to give it to the carriers to put on the phones and they go through acceptance testing,” according to PCWorld.
Although Intel’s entry into the smartphone market is relatively new, with the first devices using an Intel Chip released in April, the company seems pleased enough with its progress so far and there are plans for a dual-core Medfield chip later this year. Smartphones using the new dual-core Medfield chip should then be available from the early part of next year.so far the company has concentrated on tablets using Windows 8 and smartphones using the Android OS, Intel is also considering moves to use the Tizen OS for further devices. It’s all looking very positive at the moment then for Intel’s endeavors within the mobile market.
It’s finally here: an Android-powered smartphone running on an Intel chip. That’s big news, right. Sure it is, but the devil is in the details. The phone in question is the RAZR i – the ”i”, if you couldn’t guess, is for “Intel”, and it’s running one of Intel’s Medfield-based Atom processors.
semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue1, but they’ve been somewhat slow getting into the mobile market (and by that I mean smartphones and tablets). The primary reason for that is due to their architecture. When most people think “Intel” they think x86 and x64 processors. Androids run on ARM chips. What’s the difference? Quite a bit.
To begin with, we can compare the Medfield processor to the ARM Cortex A-9 which runs many of today’s Androids. They’re both 32nm chips, depending on the implementation of the ARM. Generally speaking, smaller chips draw less power, run cooler, and are less expensive to make (because they require less raw materials to make). Some of the ARM processors in today’s smartphones and tablets are built at 45nm or larger, but the new ones like the Samsung Galaxy S III are 32nm.
Processors run code, but in this case they use different instruction sets. The Medfield, like other ATOM chips, is an x86 processor. This means it runs 32bit, CISC-style instructions. ARM processors run 32bit, RISC-style instructions. Normally this would be a problem when it comes to running apps, but Android addresses that very well. Every app that you’ll find in the Play Store runs in a virtual machine (we’ll talk more about that in our next episode of Android Power User), so all another chip vendor has to do is translate the operating system to run on its architecture, and all the existing apps run just fine.
Looking at comments on other news articles covering this topic, that’s a major point of confusion, so let me be perfectly clear: app developers will NOT have to re-write or even re-compile their apps to work on Intel chips. Current apps will “just work”. I can’t make it any more simple than that.
Medfield is spec’d to max out at 2GHz. Like most other processors, it doesn’t run with the throttle full-open, instead it adjusts to the demands of the system. This uses less power and puts off less heat, but also means there is a momentary “hesitation” while the chip ramps up — just like in your car when you hit the gas and it takes a few seconds to get up to speed.
The press release for the RAZR i is a bit ambiguous, saying it’s ”the first smartphone that can achieve speeds of 2.0 GHz”. “Can achieve” and “does achieve” aren’t necessarily the same thing, so I’m a little curious about why Motorola worded their press release using the less clear terminology. Nonetheless, if the phone truly runs at 2GHz, it’ll be a first, and significantly “faster” than other Androids, right.
The ARM Cortex-A9 is capable of up to four cores and 2GHz, though we haven’t seen any devices take full advantage of this yet.The Medfield, unlike the ARM we’re comparing it against, is a single-core processor, but it does employ Intel’s “hyper-threading” technology to give the impression of two cores. Though this isn’t as speedy, it does have advantages over single-core chips. How does it fare with dual- and quad-core ARMs clocked “significantly slower” than 2GHz? Not that great according to early benchmarks.
