Best waterpoof camera to buy 2014

Panasonic DMC-FT5

Waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof and dustproof, this rugged snapper boasts all the required features to make it a great pick for those adventuring types. It’ll let you dive down to depths of 13m and the anti-fog glass should ensure it isn’t fogged with steam. Often, taking photos underwater leaves you with uneven colours, the FT5 combats that with an advanced underwater mode that packs in extra colour control. Taking care of the snaps is a 16.1-megapixel MOS sensor, plus there’s support for full HD video. Want to get closer to the fishes? Well there’s also a 4.6x zoom.

Price: £269 | Panasonic

Sony Cyber-Shot TX30

Probably the most stylish snapper on our list, the TX30 doesn’t show many signs that it is actually a waterproof camera, which is definitely a good thing. Under that classically thin Sony exterior is an 18.2-meg Exmor CMOS sensor, paired with a 5x zoom lens and Optical Steady Shot tech to keep those snaps blur free. Wondering about this baby’s waterproof capabilities? Well, it’ll work fine up to 10m below, plus it’s dustproof, shockproof and coldproof. A good all-rounder that’s available in a load of bright colours.

Price: £299 | Sony

Ricoh WG-4 GPS

Ricoh has ditched the Pentax brand for its latest slew of rugged cameras, a range which is headlined by the WG-GPS. As the name suggests, this snapper comes toting GPS – making sure you’ll always remember where your favourite photos were taken, along with a 4x wide-angle optical zoom and a 16-megapixel backside illuminated sensor.

Price: £309 | Ricoh

Nokia's Android phone priced at £66

Nokia’s Android smartphone could cost as little as £66 when it launches later this month.

Nokia’s Android smartphone reportedly appeared on a Vietnamese retailer’s website priced roughly $110. It was taken down shortly afterwards. According to the posting, the phone’s official name is the Nokia X A110. Nokia’s Android handset has been rumoured to come with a five megapixel camera. However, according to information published to CamSpeed, its rear facing camera is only three megapixels. It also revealed the phone runs on software based around Android 4.1. Nokia has forked Android in a similar way to Amazon. Other information revealed by the CamSpeed filing includes that the handset will come with dual-SIM functionality. The dual SIM functionality suggests that the phone will be targeted at the Asian market where Nokia’s Asha range has been popular. Nokia has been rumoured to be working on an Android-based device to replace its Asha range of budget smartphones. Previous rumours have suggested that the phone will come with 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage and a microSD card slot. It is also said to come with a 1,500mAh battery. Nokia had been expected to launch the smartphone at Mobile World Congresslater this month. However, with Samsung all but confirmed to be showing off the Galaxy S5, Nokia – like others – may choose to hold off its unveiling to a later date.

HTC Desire 8 leaked

Details of a previously unknown smartphone from HTC have leaked on to the internet.

According to a source speaking to blog Engadget,HTC will soon unveil a 5.5-inch smartphone called the HTC Desire 8. The details that were published suggest a mid-range smartphone. In addition to the 5.5-inch screen, it is said to come with Android 4.4 KitKat, a 13 megapixel rear camera, five megapixel front facing camera, dual speakers and support for dual-SIM cards. The report also suggests that it will come with a plastic body and be available in a number of colours. It is currently unclear when the smartphone will be unveiled. Some reports have suggested that HTC may unveil a raft of mid-range smartphones atMobile World Congress. Could the HTC Desire 8 be one of those smartphones? Engadget pointed out that the screenshots of the device have a March 18th date on them. They also have a Beijing location on them, suggesting that HTC may choose to eschew launching at Mobile World Congress. According to some reports, many firms have chosen to cancel plans to launch smartphones at the event after it emerged that Samsung would likely be unveiling the Galaxy S5 there. Commentators have suggested that LG’s decision to launch its G Pro 2 earlier today is an example of that. As soon as the HTC Desire 8 is officially announced, we’ll bring you confirmation and a review soon after that.

Kindle Paperwhite 3G

The Kindle Paperwhite 3G is now available for Rs 13,999

I would like to do more reading than what I get to do these days. So when I got the opportunity to review the new Kindle Paperwhite (yes, there is another Kindle Paperwhite in the market) I was looking forward to the opportunity to review the sixth generation of the ebook reader and second in the Paperwhite series.

However, even a week after I got there devices, I was just carrying it everywhere in my backpack, not really getting to read anything long or even play around with the newer features.

Finally, the opportunity presented itself in the form of a three-day official trip to Chennai. Due to the nature of the trip, I was sure there would not be much time to read once I was there. But nothing could stop me from reading at the airport and while flying. So that means at least eight hours of reading. Here’s my experience with the Kindle Paperwhite, recorded over two new airports and two rather old aircraft in between.

The journey begins

I am in the taxi en route to the airport. So I decide to take the Paperwhite out and download some stuff to read during the flight. This version has 3G, so I am not tethered to a Wi-Fi network for updates. I decide to first sync a few books that are already there in my Kindle account, either partially read or unread — I do use the Kindle app on my iPad to read books once in a while. I then buy Ramachandra Guha’s India After Gandhi, a book I have been dying to read. I also find the cover of theColumbia Journalism Review (Evgeny vs the Internet) interesting and decide to subscribe to the magazine. It helps that the first month is free, after which I can take a call on whether I want to continue with the subscription. The entire process has taken me under five minutes, the 3G is quite fast on this one.

At the airport, I try and log in to the free Wi-Fi to see how the experience is. But I could experience a faster download, most probably because the airport Wi-Fi was being used by hundreds of passengers. It is not much of a difference in speeds and I am not really spending money as the 3G does not entail usage cost. Interestingly, the device automatically switches off the 3G when it is latched on to a wireless network.

As I try to log in to Goodreads, it is time to board the flight. The Kindle Paperwhite — like its earlier version — is not much larger than a thin paperback and can easily go inside my coat pocket.

SAMSUNG GALAXY GRAND 2 REVIEW

Late last month I posted about Samsung planning to launch Galaxy Grand 2 and here we are just today Samsung finally unveiled this much awaited device. Grand 2 will finally be up for grabs in first week on January next year. It’s predecessor Galaxy Grand was the first mid range budget smartphone to come up with multi-window feature and became one of the most successful device from Samsung. samsung galaxy Grand 2 definitely has lot of improvements over it’s predecessor like bigger 5.25 inch  1280×720 TFT HD screen  with 16:9 HD ratio. Similarly it has a 1.2 Ghz quad core processor as compared to 1.2 Ghz dual core processor in it’s earlier version. RAM too has been upgraded to 1.5 GB from 1 GB to make it function smoothly and battery has also been upgraded to 2,600 mAh from 2,100 mAh. Samsung claims that battery will provide around 10 hours of music or around 17 hours of calls.

Grand 2 has a 8 megapixel primary camera similar to it’s predecessor and runs on Android Jelly Bean OS. This phablet weighs 163 g just 1 gm heavier than it’s predecessor. It has 8 GB of on board storage which can be expanded to 64 GB using a microSD card.

This phablet also offers dual SIM(GSM+GSM) functionality. Galaxy Grand 2 will be available in 3 colors White, black and pink and also has proprietary Samsung softwares like Story Album, S Translator, S Travel, Sound & Shot.

Samsung has also introduced a single destination – Club Samsung – for its Indian infotainment content, company’s Director, Mobile, Manu Sharma said.

“The Club Samsung digital entertainment store features 4 lakh songs, 5,000 movies, 500 gigs and live TV with over 90 channels all optimised for high-quality display on Samsung devices,” he said.

“The device will be launched across the country through its dealership network of 1.2 lakh dealers,” Sharma added.

Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 Price:

Samsung has kept the price under wraps but analysts believe that the phone will be priced between the range of Rs. 22,000 to 25,000. I personally believe that this price point will not be competitive in the current scenario as domestic companies like Micromax, Xolo and Karbonn have released their flagship phones (Canvas Turbo, Q3000 and Titanium S9) with much better specs at a price point below Rs. 20,000. Let’s see how this phone performs sales wise.

Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 Key Specs:

• Android Jelly Bean 4.3 operating system
• 1.5 GB of RAM
• 8 GB of internal storage can be extended upto 64 GB.
• 8 MP rear camera and 1.9 MP front shooter
• 2600 mAh of Battery
• Quad-Core 1.2 Ghz processor
• 5.25 inch TFT HD display
• 1280 by 720 pixels resolution

moto g review

 You're not getting the best or the latest technology with Motorola's Rs 12,499 Moto G smartphone. What you do get is a great price for something close.

Motorola bills the Moto G as the phone for the rest of us - the ones who can't afford the high price tag for a high-end smartphone. That's a big deal.

I tested the Moto G, comparing the phone primarily with its more expensive cousin, Motorola's $500 Moto X (not yet available in India). I also put it up against another lower-cost phone, Google's $349 (Rs 28,999) Nexus 5, as well as the premium, $649 (Rs 53,500) iPhone 5S from Apple.

Where the Moto G fell short was in its camera, battery life and inability to access faster, 4G LTE cellular networks. For everything else I tested, the Moto G stood up well.

Motorola doesn't skimp in equipping the Moto G with a speedy processor. Apps launch almost as quickly as they do on the phone's pricier rivals. The Moto G runs a fairly recent version of Google's Android system, with a promised upgrade to the latest, KitKat.

The Moto G also has a decent screen. It's about as sharp as the Moto X's and the iPhone's, enough for 720p video, though the Nexus and various Samsung phones do better by offering full, 1080p high definition. The Moto G's screen measures 4.5 inches diagonally, which is larger than the iPhone's but small for Android. Colours aren't as rich as on the Moto X's display, but if I want a superb visual experience, I'd turn to a tablet, a TV or even a movie theater. For a phone, the Moto G's screen delivers video quite well.

The Moto G doesn't win points on size and weight. Although the screen is smaller than the Moto X's 4.7-inch display, the phone overall is a tad bulkier and 10 per cent heavier. The Moto G has a larger frame surrounding the screen - something phone makers have been trying to shrink.

As for the other shortcomings:

Cellular access. The Moto G delivers 3G performance at best. Many parts of the world are moving to 4G, but Motorola points out that many of its target markets are still upgrading to 3G. If I'm doing a lot of things requiring top-notch speeds, I'm better off finding a Wi-Fi network anyway.

Battery life. The Moto G has 6 per cent less battery capacity than the Moto X. I got about up to eight hours of streaming video on Hulu with the Moto G, compared with nine to 10 hours on the Moto X. Although the Moto G has a removable plastic back, the battery can't be exchanged with a spare. That said, eight hours for streaming video is a lot, and you can stretch it to a full day with more moderate use.

Camera. The main camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels, less than the 8 megapixels on the iPhone and the Nexus and the 10 megapixels on the Moto X. There's more to a good camera than the pixel count, but the pictures I took with the Moto G weren't particularly good, especially in low light. They are passable for selfies and Facebook posts, but you'll want a better camera for keepsakes. Perhaps the money you save on the phone can go to a point-and-shoot camera that takes better pictures.

The Moto G is also short on frills. Part of that stems from Motorola's philosophy not to tinker with the Android operating system too much. Many rival phone makers do just that and wind up creating more chaos and confusion.

Instead, Motorola tries to limit what it adds. In the case of the Moto X, you can twist the phone to automatically launch the camera. You can initiate voice commands by saying, "OK, Google Now." The Moto X also offers unprecedented customization when you order; you can choose everything from the colour of the power button to a personalized message on the back cover.
The Moto G has none of that. The frills are limited to an FM radio tuner, something rare in smartphones. Just plug in a pair of headphones, which serves as the antenna. You can swap the back with a new plastic cover, but the phone isn't assembled at the factory to your specifications.

Be aware that the $179 (Rs 12,499) price gets you 8 gigabytes of storage, half of what most phones offer. Given all the room your photos and video will need, pay the extra Rs 1,500 for a 16 gigabyte model. Unfortunately, there's no slot for memory cards, as some Android phones offer.

Phone makers have been trying to set themselves apart by loading phones with more and more features, only some of which are useful. Motorola doesn't try to do that with the Moto G, apart from including an FM tuner. Instead, it's distinguishing itself through price. No one can question whether that's useful.

Motorola Mobility, that had trimmed down its India operations in 2012, is making a return to the country with the budget Moto G. The Moto G, according to Motorola will be a Flipkart exclusive for now. Flipkart says the Moto G, will be priced at Rs 12,499 (8 GB) and Rs 13,999 (16 GB) in the Indian market. Flipkart begins taking orders for the Moto G on February 6.

Karbonn Titanium S5 Plus Review

Karbonn Titanium S5 Plus Review

MRP: 10250

A number of 5-inch devices have been launched in the market and it has become quite difficult to choose one from them all. The Titanium S5 Plus by Karbonn is also a member of the 5 inch family and is available under the Rs. 11,000 price bracket. So does it offer enough at the price?

Specifications

The specs of the Titanium S5 Plus include a 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM, 4GB of inbuilt storage and a microSD card slot to expand your memory. It has a 5 inch IPS display with qHD (960x540 pixels) resolution, an 8MP rear camera, a 0.3MP front camera, dual-SIM capability, Wi-Fi and an 1800mAh battery. The smartphone runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Design and build

When looking for a smartphone in the low to mid segment, one has to usually compromise on either some features or the build quality. The Titanium S5 Plus, quite frankly, has decent build quality; it has glossy plastic all around with some chrome accents which make it look good. The handset actually feels good in the hand as it isn’t that bulky, although it does tend to slip thanks to the glossy body.

With respect to the 5 inch IPS display, we really wished it was a 720p display. The display, even though crisp, lacks a certain punch to it. The glass on the front panel did annoy us a bit as it is prone to fingerprints and smudges. There are the usual sensors above the display along with a VGA front camera.

On the left we have the volume control keys finished off in chrome, the top has the microUSB port with the 3.5mm audio jack and on the right there is the power/lock key (also in chrome). The back houses the 8MP camera with an LED flash and the speaker is at the bottom. Under the back panel we have an 1800mAh battery, two SIM slots and a microSD care expansion slot. The hardware on the Titanium S5 Plus is pretty good which includes a 1.3GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory.

For a sub-11k smartphone, the Titanium S5 plus is very good looking device. Of course the brand does matter a lot to many buyers, but then again, a lot of Indian manufacturers have been producing some real quality hardware.