Lenovo K3 Note: Reasons Why It Should Beat Smartphones Under ₹10,000 Like Lenovo A7000, Redmi Note 4G and Moto G

Lenovo K3 Note First Flash Sale On 8 July: Should You Buy The New ₹9,999 Mid-Ranger Next Week; Purchase Tips and TricksLenovo

Lenovo K3 Note has been announced and is set for release on 8 July but one thing that might cross many people's mind is – will it survive stiff competition from dozens of mid-range smartphones ₹10,000 like Lenovo A7000, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G, Moto G 2nd generation, Micromax Yu Yureka, Microsoft Lumia 540 and others?

It is to be seen if the Lenovo K3 Note beats its competitors in the price-conscious Indian market but if specification is anything to go by, the device has more reasons than one to do well in terms of sales.

Here is specifications comparison of Lenovo K3 Note with other devices under ₹10,000 - Lenovo A7000 (₹9,000), Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G (₹9,999), Moto G 2nd Generation (₹9,999), Micromax Yu Yureka (₹8,999) and Microsoft Lumia 540 (₹9,199):

Display: Lenovo K3 Note sports a 5.5-inch display with FHD 1920x1080p (401 ppi pixel density) screen resolution. Lenovo A7000, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G and Yu Yureka also sport same screen size but come with only 267 ppi pixel density when it comes to display density. On the other hand, Moto G 2nd Gen and Microsoft Lumia 540 have 5-inch screen with 294 ppi pixel density.

Processor: Both Lenovo K3 Note and Lenovo A7000 are powered by Mediatek [MT6752] Octa-core processor, Moto G 2nd Gen has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, Yu Yureka, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615, Redmi Note 4G, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, and Lumia 540, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200. K3 Note, Lenovo A7000 and Yu Yureka have 64-bit chips but processor seen in the first two is a little better when tested in benchmark.

Operating System: Yu Yureka runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat (upgradable to Android 5.0.2 Lollipop), Lenovo K3 Note runs on Android 5.0.2 Lollipop (with Vibe v2.5 UI), Redmi Note 4G has Android 4.2 Jelly Bean (upgradable to Android 4.4.2 KitKat), Lenovo A7000 has Android 5.0 Lollipop, Lumia 540 has Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim, and Moto G 2nd Gen has Android 4.4.4 KitKat (upgradable to Android 5.0 Lollipop). There is no big difference in terms of operating system seen in all the devices.

Memory: Lenovo K3 Note and Yu Yureka score over other devices in terms of memory with a 16GB internal storage expandable up to 32 GB and 2 GB RAM. Moto G 2nd Gen has 8 GB internal memory expandable up to 32 GB via microSD card and 1 GB RAM, Redmi Note 4G has 8 GB internal memory expandable up to 64 GB and 2 GB RAM, Lenovo A7000 has 8 GB internal storage with microSD up to 32 GB and 2 GB RAM, and Lumia 540 comes with 8 GB internal memory expandable up to 128 GB and 1 GB RAM.

Camera: Lenovo K3 Note, Yu Yureka, and Redmi Note 4G have 13 MP main camera and 5 MP front snapper, while Lenovo A7000 and Lumia 540 house an 8 MP main camera and 5 MP front snapper, and Moto G 2nd Gen has an 8 MP main camera and 2 MP front camera.

Battery: Redmi Note 4G has most powerful battery - 3100 mAh – followed by Lenovo K3 Note (3000 mA), Lenovo A7000 (2900 mAh), Yu Yureka (2500 mAh), Lumia 540 (2200 mAh), and Moto G 2nd Gen (2070 mAh).

Conclusion: Packed with good display, big screen, powerful processor, reasonable memory, decent camera and battery, the recently launched Lenovo K3 Note surely scores over its competitors in the market in terms of specifications.

Source: Lenovo K3 Note: Reasons Why It Should Beat Smartphones Under ₹10,000 Like Lenovo A7000, Redmi Note 4G and Moto G

Buy a Windows Phone from Microsoft, get Nokia headphones for free

If you are in the market for a new Windows Phone now is the time to pull the trigger. Microsoft is running an attractive promotion, giving customers a free pair of Nokia headphones with the purchase of any Windows Phone from its online store.

And I mean any Windows Phone. This promotion applies to all Acer, BLU, Microsoft and Nokia-branded Windows Phone devices that Microsoft sells, so you are not limited to a certain brand or, most importantly, a certain price bracket.

The free pair of Nokia headphones included in the package are called Coloud Boom. They normally go for $34.99 on Microsoft's online store, but the current -- after a $15 discount -- price is $19.99.

So we are not talking about high-end headphones, but there is still some clear value here. The color, because some might be picky even if we are talking about free stuff, of the free pair of Coloud Boom is yellow (it cannot be changed).

The free pair of headphones is automatically added to your cart when you purchase any of the 16 Windows Phones from Microsoft now. The deal is only valid for a limited period of time, so you better hurry!

If you want to buy more than one Windows Phone, Microsoft will automatically match the number of free headphones (so you do not need to place multiple orders). There is a limit, however, on the number of units of a certain Windows Phone that get a matching number of free headphones -- five, to be exact.

Source: Buy a Windows Phone from Microsoft, get Nokia headphones for free

Android phone vendors should improve update policies, consumer organization says

Google's Nexus 6

Too many Android phones are running old software with security flaws, according to Dutch consumer association Consumentenbond, which wants manufacturers to update their phones' software more often, and for longer.

The association tested 171 Android smartphones that it had acquired over the last two years, applying the latest software update provided by the manufacturer.

Only one in six of the updated phones were running Android 5.0, released last November, or a newer version. Half of the phones, even after updating, still ran a version two years old (Android 4.3), or older. Those versions have known security flaws.

"We believe that consumers are entitled to a reliable and safe device. Manufacturers should be able to provide updates for their devices at least two years after their release," said Bart Combée, president of Consumentenbond.

With the hardware changes between successive generations of smartphones increasingly small, manufacturers are perhaps reluctant to discourage upgrading by providing new software features on older devices for free -- but fixing security bugs is perhaps more akin to the safety recalls that are becoming all too common in the automobile industry.

There are big differences in how manufacturers keep the Android software in their phones up to date.

For example, more than half of the Huawei Technologies phones tested were running Android 4.3 or lower, while the rest ran 4.4. On the other hand, five of eight Motorola Mobility smartphones tested by the association ran Android 5.0 or 5.1.

The association didn't say how the final software version related to the age of the phones. However, even within a single manufacturer's product range, there can be little correlation: Consumentenbond's two-year-old HTC One updated to Android 5.0, but HTC has said the much younger HTC One Mini 2, released in May 2014, will not receive the update.

Samsung Electronics, the biggest Android phone manufacturer, also has many phones for which up-to-date software is unavailable, Consumentenbond said.

Support for competing operating systems including iOS and Windows Phone is much better, the organization said. It said iOS devices are supported for about four years while Microsoft has promised to upgrade all Lumia phones running Windows Phone 8 (released in October 2012) to Windows 10.

A recent report by Computerworld slammed phone manufacturers for providing poor information about the updates they do provide, and taking a long time to deliver them.

As of June 1, around 12.4 percent of devices accessing the Google Play Store were running Android Lollipop (versions 5.0 or 5.1), some six months after its release, with the highest proportion, 39.2 percent, running Android 4.4 (KitKat), released in October 2014.

In tests performed by Computerworld in May, major manufacturers took up to 147 days to get the Lollipop upgrade to their then-current flagship phone. Google shipped the Nexus 6, manufactured for it by Motorola Mobility, with Android 5.0 already loaded, and Motorola's own flagship, the 2014 Moto X got the update in nine days. Sony was the slowest with its Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact.

Google was also the quickest to upgrade its previous flag ship phone: The Nexus 5, manufactured for it by LG Electronics, had the upgrade after 14 days, but by May the previous Moto X version was still waiting. Motorola finally rolled out the 5.1 Android Lollipop upgrade for the 2013 Moto X on June 20.

Market leader Samsung kept its fans waiting: It took 91 days to update the Galaxy S5 and 122 days for the Galaxy Note 4. Computerworld said Samsung was the worst when it came to communicating about updates, keeping customers in the dark about which devices it plans to update. It used to provide detailed info, but has stopped doing so after it repeatedly failed to keep its promises, which caused a fair amount of negative publicity.

Loek is Amsterdam Correspondent and covers online privacy, intellectual property, online payment issues as well as EU technology policy and regulation for the IDG News Service. Follow him on Twitter at @loekessers or email tips and comments to loek_essers@idg.com

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Tags Huawei TechnologiesAndroid OSGoogleLG ElectronicsConsumentenbondSamsung ElectronicsMotorola Mobility

Source: Android phone vendors should improve update policies, consumer organization says

PayPal for Windows Phone updated with support for more retail locations

PayPal is one of the most popular online payment solution. The service dedicated apps for all major mobile platforms, including Windows Phone. The app give users the ability to manage their PayPal account, send and request payments on the go, check your account balance and much more on-the-go.

If you happen to a regular user of the app, head over to the Windows Phone store as the app has picked up a minor update, bumping it to version 4.0.2.1. It's not a big update, but the app now comes with an updated payment code functionality which supports more retail locations if you use it to pay for your purchases.

Head over to the Windows Phone Store and grab the updated PayPal app. 

Source: PayPal for Windows Phone updated with support for more retail locations

HP Pro Slate 12 vs Microsoft Lumia 1030 : Comparison of Features and Specification

New Delhi, Thu, 02 Jul 2015 NI Wire

HP Pro Slate 12 is the smartphone from HP with 12.3 inches screen and the resolution of the screen is 1200 x 1600 pixels pixels. Phone was announced in 2015, January. Screen of the phone comes with Corning Concore Glass protection.

Microsoft Lumia 1030 is the smartphone from Microsoft with 5.0 inches screen and the resolution of the screen is 1080 x 1920 pixels pixels. Phone was announced in Exp. announcement 2015, Q1. Screen of the phone comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection.

Here we are taking about comparison of the features and specification of the devices HP Pro Slate 12 and Microsoft Lumia 1030. HP Pro Slate 12 device comes with Non-removable Li-Po (21 Wh) battery. This phone is powered with Quad-core 2.3 GHz processor which gives maximum performance. While Microsoft Lumia 1030 device comes with Non-removable Li-Ion battery. This device is powered with Quad-core processor which gives maximum performance.

HP Pro Slate 12 phone comes with 32 GB, 2 GB RAM and it provide support for microSD, up to 32 GB.

Microsoft Lumia 1030 phone comes with 32 GB, 2 GB RAM and it provide support for microSD, up to 128 GB.

The primary camera of HP Pro Slate 12 is 8 MP and the specification of the primary camera is Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR.

HP Pro Slate 12 phone comes with a front camera and its specification is: 2 MP, 1080p.

The primary camera of Microsoft Lumia 1030 is 50 MP and the specification of the primary camera is 1/1.2'' sensor size, PureView technology, geo-tagging, face detection, dual capture, panorama, HDR.

Microsoft Lumia 1030 phone comes with a front camera and its specification is: 2 MP, 1080p@30fps.

Main Features comparison of the devices HP Pro Slate 12 and Microsoft Lumia 1030.

Touch

HP Pro Slate 12 provide the support for multi-touch and the screen comes with 1200 x 1600 pixels (Approximately 163 ppi pixel density) resolution.

Microsoft Lumia 1030 provide the support for multi-touch and the screen comes with 1080 x 1920 pixels (Approximately 441 ppi pixel density) resolution.

BatteryBattery of the HP Pro Slate 12 is Non-removable Li-Po (21 Wh).Battery of the Microsoft Lumia 1030 is Non-removable Li-Ion.

DisplayDisplay size of the HP Pro Slate 12 is 12.3 inches and display resolution is 1200 x 1600 pixels pixels.Display size of the Microsoft Lumia 1030 is 5.0 inches and display resolution is 1080 x 1920 pixels pixels.

OSThe mobile device HP Pro Slate 12 runs on Android OS, v4.4.4 (KitKat). Whereas Microsoft Lumia 1030 runs on Microsoft Windows 10.

ProcessorHP Pro Slate 12 is powered with Quad-core 2.3 GHz processor. Whereas Microsoft Lumia 1030 comes with Quad-core processor.

Storage

HP Pro Slate 12 device comes with the 32 GB storage supported model(s).

Microsoft Lumia 1030 device comes with the 32 GB storage supported model(s).

Camera

HP Pro Slate 12 comes with Primary camera is of 8 MP and the second camera is of 2 MP.

Primary camera is of 50 MP and the second camera is of 2 MP in the device Microsoft Lumia 1030.

Check the full specification of HP Pro Slate 12.

Check the full specification of Microsoft Lumia 1030.

Check HP Pro Slate 12 vs Microsoft Lumia 1030 : Comparison of Features and Specification in detail..

Source: HP Pro Slate 12 vs Microsoft Lumia 1030 : Comparison of Features and Specification

Samsung Is Back As Top US Vendor, Thanks To Galaxy S6: Kantar Report

Thanks to a radical design change and cutting-edge configurations in the Galaxy S6 series of handsets, Samsung has regained market share it had lost in the U.S., making it once again the No. 1 phone vendor in the U.S.

According to Kantar World Panel, Samsung has reportedly regained its position in the U.S. predominantly because of the impressive sales of the newly released Galaxy S6. The Samsung Galaxy S6 is the third-best-selling smartphone currently in the U.S., behind the Apple iPhone 6 and the 2014 flagship Samsung Galaxy S5, notes GSM Arena.

Furthermore, the Apple iOS market share has declined marginally during the three-month period that ended in May, to 30.9 percent.  Market share is down about 2.4 percentage points when compared to the same period in 2014. The rest of the market share is reportedly divided between Google's Android (64.9 percent), Microsoft's Windows Phone (3.5 percent) and BlackBerry OS (0.7 percent).

Japan apparently has the highest market share for Apple's OS. But Android is not far behind. However, BlackBerry and Windows Phones are almost non-existent in Japan. In comparison, Spain has relatively less iOS users -- less than 8 percent of Spaniards reportedly use Apple iPhones, whereas Android-based phones have a 90 percent market share.

Meanwhile, Apple iOS is reportedly seeing good response in Europe, and Android has strong market presence in the top 5 European countries, Spain, Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy. And as for the Windows Phone, in the U.S., Microsoft's OS market share stands at only 3.5 percent, but Windows Phones are still preferred in Europe with an impressive market share of approximately 10 percent.

In the meantime, GSM Arena says, China seems to be on a different course, with Apple, Huawei and Xiaomi taking the top spots. As it turns out, affluent buyers opt for either an Apple device or a Xiaomi one. However, the relatively less fortunate ones reportedly prefer Huawei handsets.

Check out the interactive market share list (divided by countries) from Kantar's official website.

Source: Samsung Is Back As Top US Vendor, Thanks To Galaxy S6: Kantar Report

Elusive Microsoft Lumia 1030 could still be in the pipeline, including for Verizon

The evidence is flimsy at best, but don't give up all hope for a beastly Windows 10 cameraphone until the fat lady sings.

Before Nokia even considered selling its handset business to Microsoft, rumors were rampant in regards to a Lumia 1020 sequel. They never materialized, obviously, chiefly because Redmond decided to focus on low to mid-end mobile gear in the year leading up to Windows Phone 8.1's follow-up release.

Now that the Lumia 940 and 940 XL are reportedly this close to going for Samsung Galaxy S6's jugular, it's time for the "McLaren" to also rise from the ashes and hint at a cancellation annulment. Yes, the consensus around the water cooler was that MS dropped the mind-blowing 50 MP 5 incher, but it's possible the axe was subsequently overturned.

No words on whether or not futuristic 3D Touch gesture control is back on the table too, or if the recent avalanche of wildly popular phablets may convince the new Lumia brand administrators to crank up 1030's footprint.

All we have is a supposed exposé of the gadget's front panel, vouched for by French tech journalist Steve Hemmerstoffer, who also goes by the nickname @OnLeaks on Twitter. The European blogger and leakster's track record is pretty decent, but this time, he's really gambling on a piece of gossip he can't definitively ratify.

What if we're looking at an old prototype component from back when MS still tested the flagship waters? Not to mention it could be a fake, or simply an element of a different Lumia headed for Verizon.

Did we forget to underline a hazy Big Red logo is (barely) noticeable on the slim display frame, alongside a Microsoft, not Nokia stamp? Sorry about that, but it still doesn't prove a thing. We may or may not see a formerly shelved Windows 10 Mobile spearhead debut this fall, and it may or may not find carrier support at America's largest wireless service provider.

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Source: Elusive Microsoft Lumia 1030 could still be in the pipeline, including for Verizon