Oppo Neo 3 handset out for Rs 10990, is competing with Asus ZenFone

For some weird reason, the Oppo Neo 3 thinks you’ll be willing to pay Rs 10990 for it when there are competitors with better specs costing much less. Take the new ZenFone 4 which has superior specifications on a few counts, but still asks you to cough up only Rs 6999 for it.

And then let’s not forget the Xiaomi Redmi 1S handset which is priced even more competitively at Rs 5999 in spite of featuring impressive components for a device of its ilk. So let’s tell you what you’ll be getting for Rs 10990 with the Oppo Neo 3 smartphone.

If you ask us what’s the difference between the Oppo Neo and the newer device, the addition of flash is the only major change we can spot. The latter handset works on Android v4.2 Jelly Bean mated with Oppo’s proprietary ColorOS user interface.

The dual SIM device sticks to a 4.5-inch FWVGA resolution touchscreen and works on a dual core 1.3GHz processor of unnamed origin, though MediaTek is the sensible bet. It limps along on 1GB of RAM and has 4GB of memory which can be expanded by up to 32GB via its microSD card slot.

Oppo Neo 3 specs at a glance:

- Android Jelly Bean with ColorOS
- 4.5-inch FWVGA 480 x 854p display
- 1GB RAM, 4GB internal memory
- 32GB microSD card support
- Dual core 1.3GHz processor
- 5MP rear camera w/ flash
- 2MP front lens
- 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS/AGPS
- 1900mAh battery
- 65.8 x 132 x 9.2 millimeters
- 130 grams

Google to add Celkon and Intex to its India Android One partner list

Google’s Android One project could be getting new partners in India as Celkon Mobiles and Intex are said to be in talks with the search giant. So far, Karbonn, Spice and Micromax are scheduled to launch handsets under the program in the coming months and we could see the roster increase as other OEMs are looking to join the bandwagon.

Google announced the Android One initiative during its I/O conference last month with an aim to offer highly affordable smartphones in emerging markets. The search giant is basically aiming at $99 devices and it has partnered with MediaTek to develop reference designs which will be used for these handsets.

ET notes that Celkon Mobiles is a done deal as the fourth partner in the program. However, Intex is yet to secure its position as the fifth member and it’ll disclose the final outcome in the next 15 to 20 days. The former has confirmed that its first smartphones in the series will be out sometime during Diwali which will take place in the month of October.

There are no details about the handset, but we expect it to be similar to the Micromax one which was showcased at the I/O conference. In the Android One project, Google will basically provide OEMs with hardware and software support to reduce the overall production cost of devices. These handsets will offer a pure Android experience like Nexus phones and software updates will be issued directly from the search giant.

The Android One project will materialize in India and will be made available in other locations around the globe in the near future. With Intex and Celkon onboard, the total number of OEMs will increase to 5.