Author: Aniruddh

Lenovo A328 With Quad Core SOc and Android Kitkat
Lenovo has launched its budget Android smartphone Lenovo A328 in India. The device runs on latest Android 4.4 Kitkat out of the box and will be available in Black and White colors. The price of Lenovo A328 in India is Rs.7,299. It will available starting wednesday across company stores and retail outlets.

The Lenovo A328 is powered by Quad Core Mediatek MT6582M processor clocked at 1.3GHz with 1GB of RAM. This A series Lenovo smartphone sports 4.5 inch FWVGA display with 217ppi. The built in storage capacity of the device is 4GB and support microSD card upto 32GB.

Lenovo A328 is a Dual sim Android Kitkat smartphone which comes with 5MP fixed focus primary camera with flash. There is also a 2MP front facing camera to take selfies and video calling. This new Lenovo smartphone packs 2000 mAh battery that is rated to provide upto 240 hours of standby time and 21 hours of talk time.

The Lenovo A328 comes with connectivity features such as GPRS/ EDGE, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio port, and Wi-Fi connectivity options. The dimensions of this budget Android Dual sim are 132×68.5x11mm and weighs 140 grams. Lenovo bundled few DOit apps, such as SECUREit which help user track, analyse and optimise their data usage. There is a one more app called SHAREit, this will enable fast phone to phone data transfer capability without the need for Wi-Fi or mobile network. SYNCit is another app which does permanent backup of all data and make it accessible on any device.

Looking at the specifications, Lenovo A328 doesn’t looks impressive. The other smartphones such as Xiaomi Redme 1s, Asus Zenfone and Motorola Moto E looks good in terms of price and specification. However, the exact performance will be known during the in depth review on Lenovo A328.

Lenovo A328 Specification
- 1.3GHz Quad core Mediatek MT6582M Processor with 1GB RAM.
- 4.5 inch FWVGA display with 217ppi.
- 4GB internal storage and support for microSD card.
- 5MP primary camera and 2MP front facing camera.
- GPRS/ EDGE, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio port, and Wi-Fi connectivity options.
- 2000 mAh battery that is rated to provide upto 240 hours of standby time and 21 hours of talk time.
October 9, 2014
Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy Alpha
Samsung has launched a new smartphone in the name of Galaxy Alpha. The key highlight of this new Galaxy device is its premium build quality with metal frames. Though Galaxy Alpha still has a plastic back but it feels smoother and nicer than that of Galaxy S5. The Samsung Galaxy Alpha price in India is Rs.39,990. We will the specification part before moving on to the pros and cons of Galaxy Alpha.

Samsung Galaxy Alpha is powered by Octa Core Chipset based on Exynos 5 Octa 5430 chipset with 2GB of RAM and Mali -T628 MP6 GPU. The internal storage capacity is 32GB and unfortunately there is no provision to add microSD card. Galaxy Alpha sports 4.7 inch AMOLED 720p display screen with 312ppi pixel density. The device has 12MP primary camera and 2.1MP front facing camera. The primary camera is capable of recording UHD 4K resolution at 30fps.

The connectivity features of Galaxy Alpha includes WiFi, Bluetooth, 2G, 3G and USB. The device houses 1860 mAh user removable battery. It runs on latest Android Kitkat 4.4.4 OS with Touchwiz UI.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Samsung Galaxy Alpha

Pros of Galaxy Alpha
- Premium build feel: The metal frame makes Galaxy Alpha most luxurious Galaxy smartphone. It is a good thing considering a premium look differentiates from the crowd.
- Good Performance: The Octa core processor with 2GB of RAM provides a good performance. The most of the high end games were able to play without much lag.
- Good Camera: Like any other Galaxy Smartphones, this too takes good photos and records 4K videos.
Cons of Galaxy Alpha
- Average Display: Considering the premium price, the display is not great. The 720p resolution and quality of the display is not at par compared to similar priced smartphones.
- No expandable storage: There n provision to add extra memory through microSD card. So you have stick to the internal storage.
- Average Battery Life: The battery performance is average.
- Over Priced: Looking the specification, pricing of the device just for the metal frame design is not justifiable.
Samsung Galaxy Alpha Tips and Tricks

Galaxy Alpha PC suite: The free download of Samsung PC suite for Alpha is available on the support page, You can refer my earlier on How to download Samsung Kies for more info.

Galaxy Alpha as Modem: Samsung Galaxy Alpha does provide USB tethering and WiFi hotspot features. Using these methods you can use Galaxy Alpha as modem to connect to internet from other devices. Read How to tether Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Taking screenshot on Galaxy Alpha: To take screenshot on Galaxy Alpha, hold volume down and Home button simultaneously. The screenshot will be saved in gallery. Read: How to take screenshot on Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy Alpha Specifications
- Octa Core Processor with 2GB of RAM
- 4.7 inch AMOLED 720 p Display screen
- 32GB internal storage capacity
- 12MP primary camera and 2.1MP front facing camera
- 1860 mAh battery
- WiFi, Bluetooth, 2G, 3G ,USB and NFC connectivity
September 28, 2014
Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498
Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498 as name suggests runs on new Android One platform. Big advantage of this new intiative from Google is, the devices will timely updates all software upgrades for next two years. There are there devices which runs on Android One OS. The other two smartphones are Karbonn Sparkle V and Micromax Canvas A1.

Spice Dream Uno Mi-498 is powered by 1.3GHz Quad Core Processor with 1GB of RAM and Mali-400 MP. The device sports 4.5inch IPS FWVGA screen. The connectivity features of the device includes 2G, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and USB. The internal storage of the device is 4GB and supports microSD card upto 32GB.

Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498 comes with 5MP primary rear camera with auto focus and LED flash. There is also a 2MP front facing camera for selfies and video calling. The device is powered by Li-Polymer 1700 mAh battery.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498

Pros Spice Dream Uno Mi-498
- Good Performance : The stock Android OS on this comes with very less bloatwares which interns provides faster performance and optimum use of internal usage.
- Timely Android updates : As the OS of the device is handled by Google, as promised, these devices will get all updated quickly like Nexus series smartphone.
- Decent Battery Life: The battery life is decent enough to stay for a day or slightly more based on your usage.
- Good Display: The display has good viewing angles and produces sharp text and images
- Attractive price tag.
Cons of Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498
- Low internal storage.
- There is no screen protection. Needs to rely on screen guards.
Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498 Tips and Tricks

Use Dream Uno as Modem: To use Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498 as modem you can utilize the USB tethering through which you can share the data connectivity to the PC via USB cable. Even you can use Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498 WiFi Hotspot features to share internet via WiFi to other WiFi enabled devices.

Take screenshot on Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498: To take screenshot on Dream Uno Mi-498, press and hold volume down key and Power button simultaneously. The screenshot will be saved in Gallery>Screenshot folder.

Spice Android One Dream Uno Mi-498 Specification
- Android v4.4.4 (KitKat) OS
- Dual Sim (GSM + GSM)
- 2G, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and USB
- 5 MP Primary Camera and 2 MP Secondary Camera
- 1.3 GHz Quad Core Processor with 1GB RAM
- 4GB internal storage and Expandable Storage upto 32 GB
- 4.5-inch LCD Capacitive Touchscreen with FWVGA screen
- Li-polymer 1700 mAh battery
September 25, 2014
Pros and Cons of Motorola Moto G 2014 (Gen 2)
The new 2nd Gen Moto G 2014 comes with few upgrades over its predecessor. Some of the cons which was there in original G were addressed in the newer version. It is welcome move from Motorola. Let us all the see the pros and cons of the Moto G 2014.

New 2nd Gen Moto G 2014 shares some of the specifications same as that of original such as Dual sim, 1.2GHz quad core Snapdragon 400 CPU with 1GB RAM and 2070 mAh battery. The additions include bigger screen size and support for microSD card. Now it has 5inch 720p display screen. It has 8MP primary camera compared to 5MP which was seen in the original Moto G.The connectivity features also remained same. i.e 2G, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and USB.

Read: Comparison between Motorola Moto G2 Vs Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime.

Advantages and Disadvantages of New 2nd Gen Motorola Moto G 2014

Pros of Moto G 2014
- Good display: Inspite of half inch increase in the screen size, screen produces share and clear texts and videos. It offers good viewing angles and vivid colours. The screen also has Corning Gorilla Glass protection
- Good Performance: Almost stock Android experience on this device gives almost lag free experience. We can play most of the popular Android games.
- microSD card support: Addition of microSD card support make this device more attractive. 16GB internal storage and support for the microSD card is a good deal.
- Value for Money: Promise of Android L update, good day to performance at a affordable price tag, make this device of the good value for money device.
Cons of Moto G 2014
- No increment on Battery: Despite increase in screen size, there is no improvement made on battery size. Though it is not a deal breaker, still the battery life got reduced a bit.
- Design and look: In terms of build quality it is good. But addition of speaker grid in the front does not look good.
- No 1080p video recording: The camera pixel is increased to 8MP but max video resolution at which we record is not upgraded. It is still 720p.
New Moto G 2014 Tips and Tricks

Moto G 2014 as modem: Using Moto G 2014 as modem is similar to its predecessor. You can refer my earlier post on how to use Moto G as modem.

Take screenshot: You can take screenshot on Moto G 2014 by holding Volume down and Power key simultaneously.

New 2nd Gen Moto G 2014 Specification
- Dual Sim (GSM + GSM)
- 1.2 Ghz Qualcomm Quad Core Processor with 1 GB RAM
- 5-inch HD Screen with 720P resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass Protection
- 16GB internal storage and Expandable Upto 32GB
- Android v4.4.4 (KitKat) OS
- 8 MP Primary Camera and 2 MP Secondary Camera
- 2070 mAh battery
September 24, 2014
SMS Backup Plus Android App Review
If you change your Android smartphone or giving it for service or if you reset your Android, then you will lose all the sms and call logs. You might have thought that, if there is free Android app which can backup all your sms and call logs automatically, then it would have been great. In millions of app in Google play store, there is an app called SMS Backup +. This app does this task. Lets have a quick overview on the review of SMS Backup Plus Android App.

SMS Backup Plus Android App will automatically back up your SMS, MMS and call log entries into gmail. It inserts a separate label in Gmail/google calendar. It is also equipped to restore the sms and Call log entries back into your device. I have used this service, as I need to reset my Moto G. The back up to gmail worked flawlessly. The restore function doesn’t worked. However, I can access all my messages and call log entries on my gmail which i feel sufficient for me.

Features of SMS Backup Plus Android App
- Automatically backup SMS, MMS and call log entries using a separate label in Gmail / Google Calendar.
- You can set to backup on interval base or when you receive a new message.
- Restore the SMS and call logs back into the device.
How to Install and Setup SMS Backup Plus Android App
- Go to Google playstore
- Search for SMS Backup Plus. You will get the download link
- Download it and install to your Android device such as Moto G, Moto E, Moto X, Zenfone, Redme 1s, Xiaomi Redme, Mi3 etc.
- Launch the app and add your email account to the app.
- It will start backup of your device based on your preference.
September 23, 2014