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

Gionee GPad G5 5.5-inch hexa core phablet laucned for Rs 14999

The Gionee GPad G5 phablet may have a hexa core processor, but it’s a downgrade in a manner of speaking when compared to its predecessor and this shows in the price of Rs 14999 attached to it. The GPad G4 is currently pegged at Rs 16999 officially even though it was launched for Rs 18999.

The only advantage the Gionee GPad G5 possesses at present is the fact that the Mi 3 has stepped away from the limelight temporarily. Otherwise, it’d be racking up a lot of criticism considering its price is Rs 1000 heavier than the Xiaomi phone’s tag.

And it’s not like the GPad G5 has anything spectacular to show in comparison. Apart from having a hexa core processor, its specs sheet isn’t too impressive. There’s 1GB of RAM onboard and 8GB of ROM, though it does come with expandability of up to 32GB unlike the Mi 3 and GPad G4.

The new GPad takes some design cues from the Mi 3 although it would have done better to borrow more tips on the internal components. The phone is sharp on all four corners and has an easy way about it on the back with its slightly curvy build which should offer a good grip.

This forthcoming Gionee device embeds dual SIM slots and 3G connectivity, but no 4G LTE. Its 5.5-inch IPS display which is protected with Dragontrail Glass would have been more interesting if it did full HD instead of sticking to 1280 x 720p resolution .

At least there’s Android KitKat inside and a decent capacity 2400mAh battery that will let you squeeze about 12 hours of 3G talk time out of it. You also get two SIM card slots and an 8MP camera with flash on the back. You’ll have to make do with a 2MP lens for video calls.

Gionee GPad G5 key specs at a glance:

- 5.5-inch 1280 x 720p IPS Dragontrail Glass screen
- Android v4.4 KitKat OS
- 8MP main camera w/ LED flash, 2MP front lens
- 1.5GHz hexa core Cortex A7 processor
- 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage
- 32GB memory expandability
- 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS
- Dual SIM card slots
- 2400mAh battery, 12 hours 3G talk time
- 157.3 x 77.6 x 7.9 millimeters
- Black and white color options

The Gionee GPad 5 is not up for sale yet, but it will be made available soon enough through the company’s very own store as well as via other retailers.

Sony Xperia C3 selfie focused handset launched in India at Rs 23990

The Sony Xperia C3 has been launched India with a 5MP wide-angle front camera that’s accompanied by flash and several other features aimed at tempting those bitten by the selfie bug. After having been unveiled back in July, this smartphone is expected to hit the Indian market in its dual SIM version on September 1 at Rs 23990.

Like we said, a powerful camera and a flash have been granted to its front lens to emphasize its positioning as a selfie phone. On its rear, it houses an 8MP camera which too has a flash sitting beside it. The Xperia C3 handset delivers its visuals on a 5.5-inch 720p HD display, and runs on a Snapdragon 400 chipset equipped with a 1.2GHz quad core CPU.

Android 4.4 KitKat is the OS that’s powering it from within, while keeping it going between recharges at the wall outlet is a 2500mAh battery. The device grabs 1GB worth of RAM and 8GB of storage which can be expanded further owing to the presence of a microSD card slot on the phone.

If you’re interested, here’s a quick glance at all the specs of the Sony Xperia C3 handset:

- Display: 5.5-inch, 720p HD
- Processor: 1.2GHz quad core Snapdragon 400
- Memory: 1GB RAM, 8GB storage (expandable)
- OS: Android 4.4 KitKat
- Camera: 5MP front with flash, 8MP rear with flash
- Battery: 2500mAh
- Weight: 150gm
- Dimensions: 156mm x 78.5mm x 7.6mm

September 1 is when the Sony Xperia C3 will be going on sale in India at the aforementioned price of Rs 23990.

Samsung claims it’s still on top in India in reaction to ‘Micromax is No. 1′ claims

Just a week back, a research firm announced that Samsung India had lost its spot as the leading mobile phone maker in Q2 2014 to Micromax. Well, the company hasn’t taken the information lying down and has responded stating the claims to be untrue and that it still holds the top position in the mobile market.

Samsung’s President and Chief Executive for South-West Asia, BD Park, has disclosed this information to The Economic Times and has also stated that the company still holds a market share of almost 50%. And in the smartphone category, it apparently has a market share that’s twice the amount of the next competitor’s, which is obviously Micromax.

This information shared by BD Park was based on the company’s internal research and data form an undisclosed firm. He also went on to suggest the possibility of there being ‘some business motive behind release of such kind of data.’ The report which was published by Counterpoint Technology last week disclosed that Micromax managed to earn the top spot in India for Q2.

Also see: Micromax ranks second in Indian smartphone segment, may soon dethrone Samsung

However, CMR (CyberMedia Research) disclosed that the South Korean conglomerate was still in the lead, but the gap between it and the second place holder was slowly closing. While this data is highly contradictory, both research companies are sticking to their findings. Then there’s the India-based GfK which disclosed that Samsung possessed a smartphone market share of 42.5% with the overall total being 40.5%.

Even if Samsung India continues to reign supreme in the Indian smartphone market, Micromax and other OEMs are still trying their best to overtake the giant. And who knows, we might even see that happen in the near future with the Korean company slowly losing its pace.