LG G4 vs LG G3: first look

Introduction

When it launched in May last year, the LG G3 was certainly an impressive fiend. It was the first smartphone to ship with a quad-HD resolution display, in addition to a terrific spec sheet, spearheaded by the aforementioned screen and an innovative laser auto-focus system. Thanks to moving a good six months ahead of the industry, LG made the LG G3 stay relevant to this day, even as lower-priced and better performing devices eventually matched its superiority. Among these is the new LG G4, poised to continue carrying the torch after its predecessor ascends to the Valhalla of smartphones. The LG G4 contains all the necessary improvements to keep LG in the crazy smartphone-making game for another year. Here's how it compares to the LG G3, which, following its inevitable discount, could quickly become the bargain QHD smartphone for customers outside China.

Design

The LG G4 doesn't run from its bloodlines. In fact, it straight up borrows the main design characteristics of the LG G3, but adds a premium touch. The LG G4 has an edgier, more rectangular look with its tightened-up lines, while the LG G3's corners are decidedly more rounded in comparison. That's about all the new business on the front, so how's the party on the back? Well, it's kept the buttoned-up dress code - and by that, of course, we mean that LG once again placed the volume and power keys under the camera lens. But the LG G4's back flaunts a new diamond-like pattern, complete with a ceramic finish over the plastic material. And if you have more cash to spend, you can splurge on a vegetable-tanned genuine leather back, complete with sophisticated stitching. In addition, the LG G4 has a very slightly curved body, making it a little more natural to hold. Otherwise, the two are quite alike, complete with their removable back panels and microSD card slots.

Dimensions-wise, the LG G4 sizes up to148.9 x 76.1 x 6.3mm (in the thinnest spot) - 9.8 mm (in the thickest spot). In inches, this racks up to 5.86 x 2.99 x 024 - 0.38 inches. The weight is 5.46oz (155g). In comparison, the LG G3 measures 5.76 x 2.94 x 0.35 inches (146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm) at 5.26 oz (149 g).

The LG G4's design improvements are nice and all, but it's tough to distinguish them as more attractive than what the LG G3 already had to offer, or especially the competition's metal and glass precision design. The LG G4 isn't water and dust-proof either, which would have made for meaningful improvements.

Display

Some you may have feared (or gleefully anticipated) that LG will make a tradition out of releasing smartphones with higher-than-thou resolution screens each year. For better or worse, the LG G4 doesn't come with a 3K or 4K panel, although this is only the first half of 2015, and who knows what LG or its competitors may be priming for the next couple of quarters! Anyway, the LG G4 packs a 5.5-inch display with a resolution that we're now accustomed to - 1440 x 2560px with a 538 pixels per inch pixel density. Once again, an IPS LCD display. So far, this sounds just like the LG G3 did in 2014, but there's more to the LG G4's screen than meets the eye. It has been pimped out with quantum display technology that LG hypes as capable of richer colors and a stronger brightness output of over 500 nits. In addition, it ought to be a less power-hungry panel, too. Hopefully, the wider color gamut won't result in artificially overblown colors. You don't want to order an orange t-shirt online and end up with a red one in the mailbox, do you? Additionally, LG claims a 25 percent improvement in brightness and 50% improvement in contrast over the LG G3!

Interface

The LG UX 4.0 interface that the LG G4 comes with doesn’t seem to be a dramatic change from what we had on the LG G3. It's still mostly about bright colors and unencumbered straightforwardness, which means it appears more cartoony compared to the latest Samsung TouchWiz or HTC Sense 7 interfaces, but it's a breeze to use. Still, bright colors don't mask the interface's usefulness. Users can still run two apps simultaneously or in windows, and take notes while they are at it. 

Perhaps most importantly, the camera app has received a major overhaul. In the LG G3, it was far too limited, taking all control away from the user in favor of an (admittedly, well calibrated) automatic mode. In the LG G4, the camera is back with a vengeance. LG is looking to capitalize on that 16MP 1.8 lens unit with simple, basic, and manual control modes that offer complete creative control and storing of images in RAW format, among other advanced photography features.

Processor and Memory

The LG G4's processing department sees a substantial improvement over the LG G3, as the new flagship is powered by a 64-bit hexa-core Snapdragon 808 CPU with faster RAM and a more advanced Adreno 418 graphics unit. The LG G3 makes do with a quad-core Snapdragon 801 chipset which, despite LG's respectable optimization efforts, did a mediocre job at servicing the QHD display. The Snapdragon 808 strikes us as an unexpected SoC choice, as it has less power on tap than Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 810 chipset. However, it doesn't look like we'll be seeing the 810 perform to its fullest potential any time soon, due to the aggressive speed throttling needed to keep its thermals in line. This means the LG G4 has a realistic chance at keeping up with its contemporaries in the performance aspect, and it will certainly work faster than the LG G3 does.

The LG G4's base model will offer 32GB of internal storage, which can be supplemented thanks to its microSD card slot. This is another flagship that deals away with the measly 16GB of storage. Oh, to think of the times we were content with 8GB storage! The LG G3 ships in 16 and 32GB flavors, which can be expanded with microSD cards as well.

The house is ran by a 3000mAh battery, same as in the LG G3. LG promises that the LG G4 has no trouble going through a full day of normal use, but there's no universal definition of "normal use" in circulation, so we reserve the right to put the smartphone through our battery life test.

Camera

In place of the LG G3's 13MP cam, the LG G4 sports a brand new 16-megapixel 1/2.6” sensor of LG's own making. The camera boasts a sizeable bag of tricks- wide f/1.8 six-element aperture lens, laser auto-focus assist, optical image stabilization, and a dual-LED flash. This camera sounds better equipped for troublesome low-light situations than the one on the LG G3, but the latter is still an impressive performer that too flaunts laser auto-focus, OIS, and snaps sweet-looking photos. 

One of the LG G4's most important new additions is the improved camera app, which welcomes back the Manual mode. A questionable omission from the LG G3, Manual mode gives experienced photographers a shot at landing that perfect scene. The LG G4 also offers support for RAW file format and it has an option to adjust the camera shutter speed.

Additionally, with the LG G4, you get an "ultra-thin IR filter" which prevents infrared light from sneaking into the camera lens, the new 8 MP front cam should give those selfies more natural and accurate colors. Meanwhile, the OIS module seeds the addition of a third axis, while the range of image stabilization has been expanded from one to two degrees on the X and Y axis. There's also the addition of Color Spectrum Sensors - LG claims it's the first of its kind in a smartphone. CSS improves color accuracy by precisely reading the RGB values of the ambient light in a scene, as well as the infrared light reflected from objects. CSS uses this information to adjust the camera’s white balance and flash color to create images that are as close to what one would see with the naked eye.

Expectations

From a specs point of view, the LG G4’s arsenal is impressive, yet predictable. QHD and laser auto-focus' novelty has worn off in the span of a year, which doesn't devalue their technological significance, but makes them less exciting for customers. At the same time, the LG G4's design doesn’t appear to be drastically improved, which could see buyers having a hard time choosing it over the LG G3 if the two were to be displayed in a store right next to each other. Still, the considerable display, performance and camera gains make the LG G4 a good choice over the LG G3, much in the same way the LG G3 stood for itself against the affordable LG G2. Still, the LG G3 could lure in many a buyers if the price for a new unit drops further, making it an excellent value proposition. Those who want the absolute best, though, should be prepared to plunk down the cash in exchange for the new flagship

Game review: Mortal Kombat X

 Before jumping into the review, we need to warn you that Mortal Kombat is one of the bloodiest in a long series of bloody games dating back to the early days of gaming. So viewer and buyer discretion is advised. There's a lot of dismemberment, beheading and other gory things rendered in exquisite lifelike detail. So, don't show this to your kids folks and for god sakes, don't buy this for your kids. There's a reason a big scary ninja is on the cover. 

 

You cannot imagine the word "Arcade" without thinking about Mortal Kombat. The game captured imagination with lifelike motion captured characters in the days of pixels. With amazing depth in the one on one combat, Mortal Kombat was propelled to fame by it's graphic violence in the form of fatalities, and gruesome ways to end your opponent, which became an instant hit. Now, 22 years after the first game comes the Mortal Kombat X, taking not only the violence to the next level, but also the gameplay. 

Story and setting
The Earth and Outworld realms are rebuilt after the events of the last game. As we are introduced to the next generation of kombatants in the form of Kotal Khan, Cassie Cage, Jackie Briggs, Takeda Takahashi and Kung Jin, as well as the return of several faces from the entire Mortal Kombat canon. All of whom have to deal with the aftermath in the form of civil wars, with a greater evil looming over the horizon threatening to return. 

As expected from a Mortal Kombat game, the story is fantastic, with a good level of camp to keep things action movie-like. Weaving through multiple perspectives, the game lets you play as several characters as the story progresses, letting you learn the new mechanics as well as experience the new progressed universe. Despite all the blood spillage, Mortal Kombat is a family drama, with an ending that will make you go 'aww', then quietly look around you to see if anyone's noticed you going aww.

 

The one annoying part of the story mode though is that fights with characters like Ermac, the computer keeps spamming those annoying teleport and levitation moves, which will drive you crazy. 



Gameplay
If you strip away the flesh right down the the raw beating heart of Mortal Kombat X. The game is very deep. It's a one on one fighter, with two characters on screen beating each other senseless. Except it's so much more. Each character has a specific moveset, actually up to three movesets each character. Which you can choose and master. The attack animations are fantastic, and so believable. Once you learn the basics, each fight scene looks like well choreographed kung fu sequence in an action movie. As each move blends seamlessly into each other.

 

The kombos are easy to pull off and quite intuitive as to the movement of the player. Takes a bit of learning, but there's a helpful move list. There is a three stage meter at the bottom of your screen, that lets you perform a parry or one of the brutal X-Ray moves. Which shows you internal damage done to a character in extra gory detail, as spleens rupture, ribs get shattered and skulls get broken. While it may seem a bit excessive, however when playing with friends, it provides that "ouch" moment of one upmanship. You can also use the environment to your advantage, like in the movies, where in a market scene you can slap a hot boiling plateful of embers on to your opponent, or swing from an overhead branch for a kick. Essentially, Mortal Kombat gives you the opportunity to fight dirty, rather lots of opportunities. 

 

Even after completing the story missions, there's tonnes to do. You can either take part in the online activities, or fight your way through several of the living towers, which nets you koins, so you can unlock new outfits and other goodies in the Krypt. There's a large roster of characters you can master, plus if you have bought the DLC, you get to play as the legendary Predator, from the movies. 

Much like the story mode, computer opponents tend to spam teleport moves and execute combos to combos at unrealistic speeds. This dampens things a bit. 

The fatalities are back. Though this time around there are quick fatalities. No more memorising a bunch of button presses to execute an opponent. Except, you have to buy them in several micro transactions. Truth be told, there's a certain excitement in working for your fatality. Which are spectacularly gruesome. Rather than the old over-the-top geysers of blood fatalities of the old games, Mortal Kombat X opts for a realistic approach. So you can, boil, broil, poison, slice, dice, disembowel, burn, freeze, break and various other icky things that cannot be categorised anywhere. So hence the viewer discretion. Don't show this to your kids folks and for God sakes, don't buy this for your kids. There's a reason there's a big scary ninja on the cover. 

Online
Bored of playing with the computer, you can take your skills online. Where, unfortunately, almost everyone plays as Scorpion. One of Mortal Kombat's most iconic characters, and with an arsenal of cheap moves. Thankfully IGN has a helpful guide on how to counter the yellow ninja. 

 

In the one on one battles you can take part in the Faction Wars, which lets you pick one of five factions, and each time you perform a Faction Kill, your faction gets points. What's interesting also, is the Quitality, which executes a player who quits a multiplayer match. The living towers has an online element, with conditions that change hourly. All in all, fighting online is fun and frustrating if you come across another Scorpion after Scorpion. Tonnes of fun if you're playing with your friends. 

Graphics and Sound The graphics are so good that they will make you cringe. Characters are detailed both externally and internally, including the non human anatomies. The fighting frame-rate is smooth, and the animations seem to blend into each other. Little things like the little parries as moves connect, the whooshing of fists as they connect, the way one move flows into another without any jerks, gives a whole sense of believability. The violence is dialled up all the way, with muscle tissue giving way to flesh, then to actual bone, as rib cages cave revealing internal organs that pop and get cut. You get used to it, as the gameplay soon outweighs all the gory flash, but when you first see the moves, it's hard not to look away but yet it will make you exclaim loudly. 

That cringe is also due to the fantastic sound effects, of the bones popping. Very well done, as punches hit hard. Fist to flesh has a certain sound, and in the case of the metal armed Jax, hard hitting metal to bone, in the case of D'vorrah chitin, all inclusive of the swishes and whooshes of power moves in progress. 

Characters look fantastic, though, in cutscenes, the faces look a bit off as compared to the detail in the rest of the bodies. 

Conclusion Mortal Kombat X is one game you cannot ignore. Fantastic in every way, built to deliver maximum flurry of fun, with immense replayability. Best recommended on the PS4 or Xbox One right now as the PC one is pretty broken. Pick it up on the PC only if you're willing to wait a bit until its fully fixed. That said, Mortal Kombat X is highly recommended.

iBall launches Andi Uddaan Quadcore and Andi5 Stallion+ smartphones

iBall has expanded its Andi series with two new smartphones — Andi Uddaan Quadcore and Andi5 Stallion+. However, no details about the pricing and the availability of the two smartphones have been made official so far.

Both iBall Andi Uddaan Quadcore and Andi5 Stallion+ run Android 4.4 KitKat and are powered by 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 1GB RAM. The phones offer 8GB of internal storage and can hold microSD cards of up to 32GB.

The two dual-sim smartphones also sport 8MP primary cameras with LED flash and have connectivity options like 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and micro-USB port.

iBall Uddaan Quadcore has a 5MP selfie camera and 2,000mAh battery. On the other hand, Andi5 Stallion+ has a 2MP front camera and 1,700mAh battery. The former has a 5-inch screen with 540x960p resolution, whereas the latter has a 5-inch screen with 480x854p resolution.

iBall Andi Uddaan Quadcore also has a built in SOS button for safety, which, on being pressed, alerts people around with a siren, sends a pre-defined message and calls five emergency contacts, and also updates user's Facebook with geo-codes (if the phone is connected to internet).

Lava Iris Alfa L smartphone launched at Rs 8,000

NEW DELHI: Indian handset brand Lava has launched a new smartphone, Iris Alfa L, expanding its Iris series. The smartphone is available across retail stores, multi-brand outlets and online stores at Rs 8,000.

Its chief competitors in the Indian market will be Moto E (2nd Gen), Xiaomi Redmi 2 and Lenovo A7000.

The dual-sim smartphone Lava Iris Alfa L features a 5.5-inch qHD (960x540p) IPS display and, measures 9.35mm in thickness and weighs 165gram.

Powered by a 1.3GHz MediaTek quad-core processor, Lava Iris Alfa L has a 1GB RAM, and comes with 8GB internal storage, which is expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card.

It sports a 8MP autofocus PureCel rear camera with LED flash and a 2MP front-facing camera.

The phone runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop, the latest version of Google's mobile operating system, and packs a 3,000mAh battery. The battery delivers up to 12 days of standby time (with single sim) and up to 13 hours 15 mins of talk time (3G), the company claims.

Available in white and metallic grey colours, the phone supports 3G networks, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and microUSB 2.0.

Meet 'Hello', Facebook's rival to TrueCaller

ello? Anyone there? Facebook has unveiled a new voice-calling app for Android phones, the same day that its WhatsApp messaging service introduced voice-calling for iOS devices.

Phone calls, it seems, are not dead yet.

Called 'Hello,' the stand-alone app is the seventh child of Facebook Creative Labs, the company's arm tasked with creating new applications outside of Facebook. Others, such as the news-reading app Paper or the video sharing app Riff, have met with limited success.

Hello's aim is to give people more information about who is calling them. Because it's connected to Facebook, Hello users can see information about their callers' identity even if they don't count them as a contact.

Hello is currently available in the US, Brazil and Nigeria.

Facebook, which is based in Menlo Park, California, has been coming out with its own stand-alone mobile apps to capture more of the time people spend on phones. Besides its Messenger app, though, Facebook's home-grown efforts have had limited success.

In essence, Hello is meant to replace the voice dialer on your phone. But based on Facebook's inability to persuade users to install its Home app, which lets Facebook take over the home screen on Android, users may not be too keen on replacing existing smartphone tools with Facebook-branded versions

Xiaomi launches India-first smartphone Mi 4i at Rs 12,999

Xiaomi has unveiled its new smartphone, Mi 4i, at an event in India. It's the first time the company has hosted a global launch event outside its home market, China.

Priced at Rs 12,999, the smartphone will be available starting April 30 on Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal, The Mobile Store, Airtel Store and the official Xiaomi India website. Registrations will commence at 8pm on April 23.

Xiaomi Mi 4i sports a 5-inch Full HD (1920x1080p) IPS display. Powered by a 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 64-bit octa-core processor, Adreno 405 GPU and 2GB of DDR3 RAM, the phone comes with 16GB storage.

The phone has a 13MP rear camera with dual-tone flash and a 5MP front camera. It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop with MIUI 6 software skin running on top. MIUI 6 is now available in 6 Indian languages and supports Visual IVR.

Mi 4i has a 3,120mAh battery. In terms of connectivity, the dual-sim (micro) phone supports 3G, 4G (both Indian bands), Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi (including 802.11ac and MU-MIMO) and GPS. Both sim slots support 4G, 3G and 2G.

Xiaomi also announced that its MiBand fitness tracker will be available in India at Rs 999. Available only via the official Xiaomi India website, the fitness band will be given for Re 1 to those who register on April 23.

Game review: Bloodborne

Bloodborne is quite difficult, very playable, but does not dumb down the action. You will die a lot, however, that is one of the best parts of the game. Read on to find out more... 

His footsteps clatter across the cobblestones, his bloody scythe in one hand, empty gun in another as he rounds the corner panting. Behind him, a horde of crazy townsfolk with all too long hands, carrying pitchforks, torches and whatever they can get their hands on. He, your character, scrambles up the steps, hopeful that he's finally gotten away, when he comes to a dead end. No other way, he turns around to stand and fight, his scythe snaps and extends. The battle is close, as he hacks and slashes his way, dodging makeshift blades and wooden shields. When all that's left is one lumbering beast of a man. Your character uses the last of his own life force to create blood bullets, and at the very last second staggers the beast and in one move eviscerates it. The battle is over. Up until you hear soft padding behind you and turn around to face two very large werewolves. There's nothing left to do but die. 

Video games are all about experiences. Immersing you in worlds of fantasy or horror, where you either be the hero in a war or the only survivor or a zombie outbreak. However, none of these games really capture the true despair of being outnumbered, outgunned as the Souls series. Directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, these games are unforgiving in their difficulty and yet incredibly fun to play with solid fighting mechanics and a wonderful risk reward gameplay. Now, the Souls series moves into next generation with Bloodborne. 

Story and setting
The gothic city of Yharnam has drawn millions of people to it for it's mysterious miracle cure. You are one such outsider, arrived newly into the city that you discover has been twisted by a plague. An illness that's driven all the townsfolk mad, and into monsters. Now you're trapped in the city, on the night of the hunt. Where you roam the streets as a hunter, or the hunted. 

 

Unlike every other game, the story of Bloodborne does not unfold in many cut-scenes, played out by dummy actors. The player can play through the game oblivious of the story, however the lore is there, and very deep, for those who search. What befell Yharnam and what happened to it's tragic denezins can be found through clues hidden, as well as knocking of doors of cowering townsfolk. Hiding from the night of the hunt. 

Blood borne will send creeps down your spine. As you pass by some doors with moaning and crying. Some have laughter tinged with madness. While in the distance you can hear screams and roars of beasts. In many ways Bloodborne is a horror through and through. One that puts you in a front row seat. Though, it's a story that makes you want to be on top of the hunt. The biggest and baddest of them all. 

Gameplay
The first paragraph sums up the game. You are alone against all odds. Even if you are fully levelled up, the smallest minion can kill you, if you aren't smart, quick and know the battle system. Expect to die a lot at first while you learn. Death is a big part of the game. Sure it is frustrating, because your mind is wired from games past, dying is bad. However in Bloodborne, dying and being reborn at the Hunters Dream, let's you know how to avoid, know what to do and try and overcome. 

The battle system is fantastic, fluid and fast. You have a right and a left hand weapon that are controlled by the trigger. So your sword and gun play works with these. The good part is your weapons transform for reach or damage. Fighting is all about slashing, watching your endurance, rolling and dodging incoming attacks, and timing your gunshots at the precise moment when the enemy is about to attack for a visceral high damage blow. Once you get a hang of this, the battle system is addictive. So good, you just want to really get perfect at it. 

 

This is thanks to the risk reward nature of the game. Killing beasties earns you blood echos, that lets you buy stuff or level up your character. Now when you die, you lose all your echos. When you're reborn, you have to go to the spot you got killed, or in some cases, have to kill the enemy that killed you to retrieve your lost echos. This system makes venturing into any alley is like taking a gamble at a casino. What lurks beyond in the darkness can most definitely kill you. It's a chance you have to take, either you get their blood echos, or they get yours. This aspect of the game is the best part. The euphoria you get when you survive, and dominate your foes, or when you finally kill one of the gigantic bosses, is unparalleled in a game. 

Sure the game does throw a few bones your way. You can upgrade your weapons for more damage. Plus if you get hit by an enemy, you can recoup the health you lost if you're quick enough to strike back within a second. However, the game is tough. It will get frustrating. However, there's nothing close in the video gaming world to the addiction of this game. 

Multiplayer 

Another thing this game does unconventional is the multiplayer. Rather than have usual deathmatches, the multiplayer here is passive. Thousands of players around the world are playing this game. Are dying with you. You get to find this out by reading warning notes left by players or seeing their spectres at the time of their death. Occasionally you can see the white ghost of another player fighting around you. Making the lonely city a lot more friendly, knowing there's someone out there who is sharing your experience. 

Using certain items, you can call forth a player to help you out in a tough battle. Which is where the multiplayer becomes more active as your buddy helps you take down the boss or clear off an area. Making playing Bloodborne a lot more fun, knowing there's someone coming to your aid. 

Graphics and sound
Blood borne is best played at night, in the dark, with your home theatre set to a good ambient volume. The sound engineering is fantastic. As you hear howls, and shuffling feet. Raspy breathing of a bad guy in wait or a monster lurking in the dark to get to you. Padding of feet. I just sets you on edge, into hunter mode. The predator in you on the surface. 

Graphics wise, Bloodborne looks amazing. Bringing the Gothic world to life. A twisted London of perpetual night. With immense attention to detail in the architecture and design of the city. Twisted level design that leads you up to rooftop balconies and walkways to underground sewers. Bleak but beautiful. What also stands out is the animations, of your character and the numerous bad guys. Which will keep popping up in your friendly neighbourhood nightmares. If you live in Mumbai, after playing this game, you will probably never ever walk alone at night in the old Fort district. 

Conclusion
Blood borne is not recommended for those who don't like tough games. If you feel all the games out today do not pose any challenge, you will love this game. A fresh, unforgiving and yet addictive experience. That keeps you coming back for more. 

Sony launches Xperia Z4; 5.2-inch full HD phone with Snapdragon 810 SoC

Sony has announced its latest flagship phone, the Xperia Z4 on Monday. The phone featuring a 5.2-inch full HD display will be the upgrade to last year’s flagship, the Sony Xperia Z3.

Sony Xperia Z4 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC which has a 64-bit octa-core processor which is paired with 3GB of RAM. There is 32GB of internal storage which can be expanded to 128GB using the microSD card slot. The other features include a 2,390mAh battery and an aluminum frame. It will come with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box. The phone weights 144 grams and is just 6.9mm thin.

Xperia flagship devices are known for their camera and the Xperia Z4 comes with impressive specs on that front. There is a 20.7MP camera on the rear side, which sounds similar to the one that was seen on the Xperia Z3. On the front, you have a wide-angle 5.1MP camera for selfie enthusiasts.

The phone will come in White, Black, Copper and Aqua colours. Also like its predecessors, the Xperia Z4 comes with the water and dust proof chops. It is IP6 certified for dust and IP5 and IP8 certified for water. The Xperia Z4 can be submerged in up to 4.92 feet of water for around 30 minutes.

Sony has also announced some accessories for the Xperia Z4 including a waterproof Cover Window which will be selling for $59 (approx Rs 3700).

The Sony Xperia Z4 is expected to launch in Japan in late summer. Pricing details aren’t out yet.

The launch of the new flagship model comes amid a painful restructuring at the Japanese consumer electronics giant which has thrown the future of its smartphone division into doubt, with top executives saying an exit cannot be ruled out.

But as the company focuses on cutting costs rather than growing its mobile market, the division still needs investment in new products and marketing to maintain Sony’s brand and hold off a more rapid deterioration.

Hiroki Totoki, who was appointed last year to turn around the mobile unit, said Sony was targeting the upper end of the market where rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple Inc dominate.

“There’s a broad variety in the prices of smartphones, from around $100 to $1,400 at the upper end,” he told a news conference. “We want to focus in the upper half of that.”

Sony’s mobile division has fallen far behind high-end rivals such as Samsung and Apple, while at the low end it is battling pricing pressure from Asian manufacturers such as China’s Xiaomi Inc.

Sony announced in February that it would scale down its weaker operations such as TVs and mobile phones to focus instead on more successful products such as video games and camera sensors.

Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai has not ruled out an exit from weak operations, amid a restructuring that has so far seen the company sell off its personal computer division and spin off the TV business.

In February, he said the Japanese consumer electronics firm would no longer pursue sales growth in smartphones.

First look: Apple's thinnest MacBook ever

Apple launched a new all-metal, unibody ultra-portable laptop, named simply MacBook during its 'Spring Forward' event in March, where it also announced availability of its first smartwatch.

The new MacBook has a 12-inch retina display(with a resolution of 2304x1440p), weighs just 910grams and is 13.1 mm thin at its thickest point, making it 24% thinner than the 11-inch MacBook Air. We got, a chance to spend some time with the new MacBook at an Apple Store. Here are our first impressions of Apple's brand new MacBook...



The first thing that you notice when you get your hands on the new MacBook is its super-slim frame and feather-weight body. You really marvel at how Apple managed to squeeze in a portable computer to such a compact form factor. The razor thin edges, neatly laid out keyboard and vibrant Retina display all make it a stunner, when it comes to form although it stays true to the design language seen in the MacBook Air with some nuances from the iPad. We got our hands on the Gold and Space Gray versions and found that the former has a very subtle shade of gold, almost looking like light bronze. The Apple logo behind the display does not glow anymore. It also reminded us of the first iPad.

The display panel has black bezels similar to the MacBook Pro and are much narrower compared to the metal casing that surrounds the Air's display. The display looks super vibrant, sharp and has wide viewing angles.



The base panel has a narrow hinge, a speaker grill and a new keyboard that features relatively larger keys compared to the Air's keyboard. However, the keys are much thinner, shallower and are less tactile. During our brief time with the MacBook, we found the keyboard to be less comfortable and typing to be a little cumbersome. However, you may get used to it after spending a few days with the device. The new keyboard is individually backlit with its own single LED to deliver better calibrated, uniform brightness behind each keycap.



The Force Touch trackpad looks bigger as it's almost the same size as that of the Air, and offers two levels of clicking. The first level is the regular click (you can also turn on tap instead of click via the Settings) while the second deeper click, similar to the Apple Watch's force touch, lets you perform additional tasks such as viewing a file in preview mode. While the new trackpad doesn't have two different physical layers and uses sensors it doesn't feel very different while actual use.

The biggest and the most controversial change is the removal of all secondary ports except the 3.5mm headphone jack and the addition of a USB type C port that supports higher wattage charging, USB 3.1 Gen-1 (5Gbps) data transfer and DisplayPort 1.2. The port is one-third the size of a traditional USB port and can support all these functions but you'll need an additional adapter to perform more than one function at one time.



The new MacBook also features a terraced battery design that is layered in individual sheets that are contoured to fit the MacBook's sleek enclosure. Apple claims the new MacBook has 35% more battery capacity and all-day battery life.

It has a built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless connectivity. It comes bundled with OS X Yosemite, new apps and Continuity features and premium software iMovie, GarageBand, iPhoto, Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

The new 12-inch fan-less MacBook is powered by a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.4GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 and comes at a starting price of Rs 99,900, including VAT.

We'll need to spend a few days with the device to comment on the performance. Interestingly, the OS X 'About' screen calls the new MacBook 'MacBook Pro.'



The model with a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 and is priced at Rs 1,19,900.

Asus Zenfone 2 review

Asus last year surprised the mobile industry with its first-ever smartphone, Zenfone 5. The smartphone was positioned as a rival to the (then newly-launched) first-generation Moto G and had more RAM and a better camera. However, the battery life was its Achilles' heel, and the long-promised Android 4.4 (KitKat) update remains a distant dream even now. Nevertheless, it is a pretty good smartphone, especially at its current price of Rs 7,999.

Now, Asus is back with the follow-up of Zenfone 5, and it comes in not one but three variants. The top model in this series is Zenfone 2 (ZE551ML) with 4GB RAM, the first smartphone in the world to offer so much of memory. As you can expect, the dual-channel RAM will make multitasking and gaming a breeze, and you will never have to worry about lag or stuttering while using the smartphone.

Though the smartphone has been unveiled in India, its price has not been revealed yet. In foreign markets, it has been priced at $395, suggesting a price tag of approximately Rs 25,000 (and definitely under Rs 30,000 even with all the taxes). We review the all-new Zenfone 2 to see what it has to offer and whether it has what it takes to compete against stalwarts like OnePlus One and Huawei Honor 6 Plus, along with Moto X (second-generation) and Oppo Find 7.

Design



Asus has stuck to the design it used in last year's Zenfone 5 with its follow-up devices. So you see the same curved back, plastic body and metal chin, but there are a few tweaks here and there.

First of all, the plastic back panel sports brushed metallic finish; the volume rocker is also on the back this time, the same way it is in LG's top-end G series. We are not fans of the volume key on the back, and stick to the same view in Zenfone 2's case as well.



The smartphone edges are thinner, so your fingers may sometimes creep up on the bezels around the screen (the even the touchscreen itself if you have big hands). Though the rear casing is removable, you cannot replace the battery. Under the flap are the dual micro-sim slots and single microSD card slot.

The metallic Power button is located on the top this time around, flanked by the 3.5mm jack and mic. We found the Power button to be rather stiff, and many a times we had to press the key 2-3 times to turn the screen off.



The front panel has the selfie camera, 5.5-inch screen covered by Gorilla Glass 3, and soft-touch keys. The soft-touch keys are still not backlit, so you will have to rely on the haptic feedback to locate them at night; this is not too big a problem, but we would still prefer to have backlit keys. The metallic chin below the screen has the concentric semi-circles like the ones you have previously seen on Zenfone 5, but this time they are fainter in appearance and you will notice them only when you rub your finger along the metallic surface.

Asus has not changed the overall appearance of Zenfone 2, keeping the basic elements and refining the look to evoke a more premium feel from a tried-and-tested design language.

Display



The new Zenfone 2 has a 5.5-inch Full HD screen, bigger and more pixel-rich than the 5-inch HD panel of the Zenfone 5. The display is rather dim for our liking, but still is usage under direct sunlight if you crank up the brightness to the maximum.

The display panel shows warm and slightly oversaturated colours by default, but you can adjust the colour temperature to suit your eyes in settings. You get Balance, Reading, Vivid and Custom modes (you can set your own saturation level using the last option). Viewing angles that the Zenfone 2's screen offers are pretty good, even at acute angles. So, two people will be able to enjoy watching videos on the smartphone without loss of colours.

Hardware
Asus Zenfone 2 is powered by Intel's quad-core 2.3GHz Atom Z3580 processor, with PowerVR G6430 graphics chip, backed by (of course) 4GB RAM. The review unit we received came with 32GB internal storage and supported microSD cards with capacities up to 64GB. You also get 13MP rear camera with two-tone dual-LED flash and a 5MP selfie snapper.

This dual-sim smartphone supports 2G, 3G and 4G on the first sim, while only 2G networks are supported on the second sim. It also has other standard connectivity features, like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 and NFC. The Zenfone range has seen a major jump in the battery capacity, from the 2,110mAh juice-pack of Zenfone 5 to the 3,000mAh powerhouse in Zenfone 2.

Software



We were pleasantly surprised by Zen UI, Asus's first attempt at creating a custom Android-based user interface. Zenfone 2 has an updated version of the same Zen UI, based on Android 5.0 (Lollipop).

You will be hard-pressed to find the Material Design influence on the custom skin, as it is visible only in the notifications, toggles and animations on the surface. However, if you head to settings and dig a little deeper, you will notice standard Android Lollipop features like multiple user profiles etc.



While we have discussed the features of Zen UI at length in the review of Zenfone 5, let's discuss some of the new features of the custom UI. The IPS screen also shows time and date in low-power mode when the display is turned off, similar to the Nokia Glance Screen; however, it does not show notification icons. Double tapping on the screen also wakes up the phone.




In multitasking menu, you will notice a Pin button; this button allows you to pin a particular app on the screen. You can navigate within the particular app but not open any other app until you un-pin the app.


You can open apps directly from lockscreen using the gestures above

Apart from the multiple user profile support that Android Lollipop offers, the Zen UI provides options like Kids Mode (through a standalone app) and basic mode that shows only basic apps like calls and text messaging.

Zenfone 2 comes preloaded with as many as 27 Asus and third-party apps, along with the usual set of Google apps. The pre-installed apps cannot be deleted from the smartphone, but you can disable them. Asus also lets you select which apps will be blocked from running automatically when you restart the smartphone.

Performance
The Intel-powered Asus Zenfone 2 isn't trailblazing fast, nor does it have slicker UI animations than the ones we have seen on other models. Nevertheless, it is a pretty good smartphone out and out, and offers consistently good performance, free of any lag or stutter. In fact, we never encountered any instances where the phone exhibited slowness while performing tasks, courtesy the 4 gigs of RAM.

Gaming is where the ample RAM really shines. We played Real Racing 3 for almost an hour on the Zenfone 2 and did not notice any dip in performance throughout.

Zenfone 2, as is the case with most smartphones, heated up quite noticeably during the hour-long gameplay. This happened each time we were testing the gaming performance.

Asus has still not been able to fix the battery life problem of Zenfone series. We have lamented upon the poor battery of Zenfone 5 in the past, and have the same complaint with Zenfone 2. The 3,000mAh battery of the smartphone lasts only a day before draining out, due to the Intel chipset inside.

The saving grace is that you can at least use the phone almost the whole day without heading to the charging station. But that's with moderate usage. If you are a heavy user and start the day with Zenfone 2's battery fully charged at 8am, you will need to charge the handset by 4pm. Gaming, of course, takes the biggest toll on the battery; each hour-long gaming session reduced the battery level by around 20%.

Asus offers an power saving mode to help conserve the Zenfone 2 battery, which helps to an extent but not much if you are a power user. There is another ultra low power mode that you can use to eke out a few extra hours of battery life when the charge is less than 15%.

As a multimedia device, Zenfone 2 is good, though we would like to have louder audio. The rear-facing speaker offers decent sound quality, but falters when it comes to loud music. The smartphone can play all video formats using a good third-party app like MX Player Pro.

Camera



The Asus camera app is one of good ones we have seen so far, user friendly and full of shooting modes. Below is a screenshot of all the shooting modes you can use on this smartphone.



Most of the photos we took using the 13MP rear camera of the smartphone under direct sunlight came out pretty nice, but some were a little overexposed. The subjects in the images we took turned out great, but the surrounding areas were a little underexposed sometimes; we also noticed that colours bleed a little. You can, however, use HDR mode to take better shots.



The field of depth mode of Asus Zenfone 2 is almost as good as the one we have seen on Huawei's Honor 6 Plus, despite the lack of a second camera on the back. Lowlight images have low noise due to the PixelMaster technology, but have a slightly glazed look due to the processing.

The selfie camera comes with a wide-angle lens so you can capture a lot of area in your self-portraits. Like other smartphones, Zenfone 2 has a beauty mode that will reduce the marks and blemishes on your face for better selfies.

Verdict
Asus Zenfone 2 is a pretty fantastic smartphone to own, even though the battery life is just a day at max. If priced around Rs 25,000, it would easily be among the top choices for any buyer, right up there with Huawei Honor 6 Plus; you can also considering purchasing Zenfone 2 over the slightly more expensive Moto X (Gen 2) and Oppo Find 7. It is a mid-range smartphone but offers the performance almost the equivalent of a flagship