Idea Ultra+ and Fab 3G smartphones launched for Rs 8,300 and Rs 4,999

To further push the adoption of 3G Internet in the country, Idea has launched two affordable smartphones with special plans on its network. The Idea Ultra+ and Idea Fab have been launched for Rs 8,300 and Rs 4,999 respecitvely. Both are aimed at first-time smartphone buyers.

The Idea Fab a basic dual-SIM smartphone, featuring a 4-inch display with a decent resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. It packs a 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 512MB of RAM. There’s an outdated 3.2 MP main camera and no front camera, so picture quality might not be at par with the more expensive phones in this segment. Idea claims that the phone’s display is protected with Gorilla Glass, so it should be pretty resilient to scratches and minor drops. The Idea Fab runs on the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system. Even at a budget price, it includes all the necessary connectivity features such as 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS.

The Idea Ultra+ comes with more features compared with the Ultra Fab. It’s a dual-SIM smartphone with a faux-leather finish on the back. Powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor and 1GB RAM, it features a 5-inch display with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels. There’s a 8MP camera and it packs a larger 2000 mAh battery. Like the Idea Fab, the Ultra+ lacks a front-facing camera. Internal storage is limited to just 4GB, though you can expand it up to 32GB with an external memory card. The Idea Ultra + also runs on the older, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system.

Idea users get additional 3G data benefits such as 1.6 GB of free 3G data and free Idea TV for 3 months. Existing subscribers can sign up for the plan at Rs. 259 , while new subscribers can buy it for Rs 261.

Sony has sold 10 million PS4s since launch

SONY HAS ANNOUNCED that as of 10 August it has sold a cumulative 10 million Playstation 4 (PS4) games consoles.

This is a big number for Sony, and it is the most consoles that it has sold in such a short time. Predictably, the firm is rather thrilled.

"The responses we have received for the PS4 system's unique gameplay experiences powered by the network, along with its vast game portfolio has been phenomenal, and I am absolutely delighted that PS4 was able to reach this commemorative milestone in less than 9 months," said Andrew House, group CEO and president of Sony Computer Entertainment.

"We're so grateful for the enormous support from Playstation gamers worldwide, and we look forward to bringing even more exciting content and services in the months ahead."

It is not just gamers that have aided the Sony cause and the firm also blew kisses to its developer community and the sheer volume of games that have been release and sold for the PS4.

The firm said that this games developer support has created a software market that racked up some 30 million sales.

While Sony has released information on its PS4 sales, Microsoft has revealed only the number of Xbox One games consoles it has shipped. This means that not all of those might have all made their way into homes yet.

Microsoft's most recent numbers put Xbox One shipments at around the six million mark. In July Sony crowed over the news that the PS4 was the biggest selling games console for the sixth month in a row.