Xolo Play 8X-1100 featuring 1.7GHz octa core SoC revealed in India at Rs. 14999

The all new Xolo Play 8X-1100 octa core Android gaming smartphone has been rolled out for a tempting price of Rs 14999 so soon after the company launched its Q700s Plus and Q1000s Plus handsets. The Xolo Play 8X-1100 is just one among a few other devices released by the brand with mobile gaming enthusiasts in mind.

We’ve also seen similar offerings like the octa core Xolo Play 8X-1200 and the hexa core Play 6X-1000 previously. As for the Play 8X-1100, it has yet to show up officially on the company’s website. It sports a 1080 x 1920p full HD display measuring 5 inches and ships with Android KitKat.

As you’re going to need powerful components to properly enjoy gaming on the Play 8X-1200, Xolo has stuffed it with an octa core processor accompanied by a 700MHz Mali 450 GPU and 2GB of RAM. There’s 16GB of ROM for hoarding all your entertainment as well as a microSD card slot for adding up to 32GB of extra space.

The Xolo Play 8X-1100 smartphone isn’t only built to please gamers, in case you’re asking. The company has also equipped the handset with a 13MP main camera enhanced by a Sony Exmor RS sensor and an LED flash unit. The webcam appears to be an impressive addition too, with its BSI sensor and 88-degree wide viewing angle.

Yet another highlighted feature of the 3G-capable Play 8X-1100 is its Hotknot file sharing that’s apparently speedier than regular Bluetooth. The system lets users transfer data files between compatible devices by simply touching their screens to each other.

Xolo Play 8X-1100 handset: Quick look at the specs

- 5-inch 1080 x 1920p touchscreen
- Android v4.4 KitKat OS
- 1.7GHz octa core processor
- 700MHz Mali 450 GPU
- 2GB of RAM, 16GB internal space
- 32GB memory expandability
- 13MP main camera w/ flash
- 5MP front lens
- Dual SIM card slots
- 2100mAh battery

The Xolo Play 8X-1100 is currently being sold through retail outlets across the country in white, though we have no doubt that it will hit online stores soon enough.

BlackBerry banks on QWERTY smartphones, lines up Passport and Classic for India

BlackBerry is back to its QWERTY formula that made the brand a success, and plans to launch its new Passport and Classic smartphones in India within the next few months. Apart from revealing this, the company has also announced its intention to keep its physical stores open instead of moving sales purely to the online medium.

Starting with the Passport handset, its interface does not stick to the whole BlackBerry format of a QWERTY keyboard paired with a trackpad. It adopts a 4.5-inch square touchscreen and a plain old physical QWERTY layout instead. The last mentioned is also built to support personalized commands by users.

The name of the odd-looking phone is inspired from, you guessed it right, the traveler’s passport which the company describes as a ‘universal symbol of mobility.’ It will be rolled out in two color options of black and white. Not much about the BlackBery Q20 has been unveiled so far, but we do know that it will be made out of premium materials.

BlackBerry Passport key specs list:

- 4.5-inch 1440 x 1440p IPS screen
- Quad core 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor
- Adreno 330 graphics
- BlackBerry 10.3 OS
- 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM, 64GB expandability
- 13MP camera with flash
- 2MP front-facing lens
- 4G, 3G, 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
- 3450mAh non-removable Li-ion battery

As for the BlackBerry Classic, you get a 3.2-inch 1440 x 1440p capacitive display, 2GB RAM, 64GB microSD card support and a 1.5GHz dual core Qualcomm chip. This smartphone runs on the same OS as its awkwardly shaped companion and was previously revealed as the Q20. The company maintains that users feel the hard buttons and trackpad are typical of the QWERTY experience provided by the brand, which explains the renaming.

There’s no word on pricing or exact release dates with regards to the roll-out of the BlackBerry Passport and Classic in India, but we’ll keep you updated as soon as we hear anything.