Micromax Yu Yuphoria has an edge over Lava Iris Alfa L

The smartphone market is only getting competitive. Each smartphone maker is eyeing to grab a larger share of the ever-growing market by finding new ways of differentiation in its devices. Two recently launched devices Micromax Yu Yuphoria and Lava Iris Alfa L are similarly competing to get the attention of customers. Therefore, we have decided to compare the two devices to make it easier for the customers who may be considering either of the two devices.

Micromax Yu Yuphoria (142.38x72.96x8.2mm; weight 143g) is all new pocket friendly device that has a sleek buffed steel body and is available in back colour and champagne gold with white colour. It has a full HD 5 inch display screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection and screen resolution of 1280x720. The mobile device spec detail includes 64 bit 1.2 GHz Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 processor that is paired with 2GB RAM and Adreno 306 GPU. It comes with 16 GB in-built storage with the possibility to expand the memory using micro SD card (32GB).

Yu Yuphoria runs on Android Lollipop 5.0.2 based Cyanogen Mod 12 OS and comes with app themer that permit the user to customize the display of the device. It has a 2230mAh battery that offers a Talk Time up to 7 hours which might not sound sufficient for heavy mobile phone users. The Smartphone is 3 times scratch resistant and has a 67 percent screen to body ratio. In the Indian market the device is available at around Rs.7000 and offers a good package deal for any mobile user looking for a good smartphone.

On the other hand, Lava’s newly launched Iris Alfa L is an ‘app’ packed device. With a dual-SIM and FOTA (firmware over the air) support, this Android Lollipop 5.0 based smartphone comes with 1GB RAM, is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core mediatek processor and has IPS Capacitive Touchscreen. The user of Lava Iris will get 8GB of built-in storage that comes with expandable feature via microSD card (up to 32GB). The battery capacity of the phone is 3000 (mAh) that offers talk time on standard battery of up to 22hrs 6min (2G) and 13hrs 15 min (3G).

Lava Iris Alfa, priced at around Rs.8000 onwards, is for those looking for smartphone with a bigger screen (5.5 inch; resolution- 960x540) and in-built app features. It comes with an offer to download music from Hungama Music app free of worth Rs.2000. Along with this there is Truecaller premium app and the phone is loaded with Adaptxt keyboard app that is compatible with 11 Indian local languages. The smartphone is made for those looking for a phone with larger screen size and longer battery.

Micromax Yu Yuphoria has a 1080p video recording along with an 8MP primary camera with LED flash, Omni vision sensor with f2.2 aperture and 5MP front snapper with 4P lenses, 86 degree wide angle lens and f/2.0 aperture. Lava Iris, on the other hand, has 8MP primary camera LED flash and a 2MP front-facing camera.

Both the smartphones are android devices that support dual SIM and have Bluetooth features. They both have audio connector ranging 3.5 mm. When it comes to connectivity options those looking to buy Lava Iris Alfa L can get features such as 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro-USB, A-GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, and FM radio. On the other hand, Yu Yuphoria supports all the connectivity the user is expecting from a flagship device such as dual SIM with dual standby, 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and a lot more.

Lava Iris has built-in application like Google Talk, YouTube, Gmail, Google Search and Google Play. But this phone does not have a FM Radio, a feature that Yu offers to its user. Lava on the other hand supports music formats such as MP3, 3GP, AMR, WAV- Video formats: 3GP, MPEG4, AVI. Yu comes with limited support with music formats such as AAC, AMR, MID, MP3, OGG and WAV.

It can noted that Micromax Yu Yuphoria offers bigger RAM, larger storage, GG3 protection, higher resolution, and more powerful front camera. On the other hand, Lave Iris Alfa L comes with larger display screen, higher battery capacity, and a processor that offers slightly better clock speed. In addition, Lava also packs in many Apps. At the price front, both the devices are almost comparable, with Micromax having slight advantage. In overall terms, we think Micromax Yu Yuphoria has an edge over Lava Iris Alfa L.

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Micromax vs Intex: Will you prefer battery capacity or advanced OS?

Micromax has been a rather consistent player, operating in low-cost phone segment within the Indian Market. Intex, on the other hand, is a relatively new addition to the smartphone market, but has made its mark by being the first to release a Firefox OS smartphone. Therefore, we have chosen two handsets from these companies namely Micromax Canvas Nitro A311 and Intex Aqua Xtreme for this comparative review. 

BUILD: Micromax’s Canvas Nitro measures 141.3x71.9x8.9mm and weighs 154g, whereas Intex’s Xtreme is 144x69.7x7mm and weighs about 120g, indicating that Intex’s Xtreme is relatively sleeker looking and lighter weight device than Micromax’s Nitro. Furthermore, Canvas Nitro is available in two different colors, pristine white and mystic blue, whereas Xtreme offers three options i.e. gray, black and red. Both the models have rectangular bar shaped plastic body with rounded edges. 

DISPLAY: Micromax Canvas A311 has a screen size of 5.0’’ with an IPS LCD capacitive screen and oleophobic protection. Intex Aqua too has a display screen size of 5.0’’ with an IPS LCD capacitive display, but it comes with Dragonglass Trail protection, which is similar to Corning Inc’s Gorilla Glass. Both models have an HD resolution of 1280x720 pixels with a pixel density of 294 ppi. Therefore, on the display front, both the models run neck to neck.

PROCESSOR & OS: Both the devices are powered by Octa-Core, MediaTek MT6592 central processing unit clocking in 1.7GHz of processing power, have 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory that is expandable to 32GB through an external SD. They also run on Android OS, though while Micromax’s Nitro A311 runs on v4.4.2 (KitKat), Intex’s Xtreme runs on a more advanced version v5.0 (Lollipop). Since android updates usually take really long to come to android phones, it is better to opt for a device that comes with v5.0. Therefore, Intex Xtreme acquires a leg up over Micromax’s Nitro on the OS front. 

CAMERA & BATTERY: Both the devices have similar cameras, i.e. 13MP primary cameras and 5MP secondary cameras and provide auto-focus, geo-tagging, LED flash. However, Micromax’s Canvas Nitro does pack in a few additional features like CMOS image sensor, digital image stabilization that provide Micromax’s Nitro a slight leg up over Intex’s Xtreme. Battery-wise, Micromax has a 2500mAh Li-PO battery giving up to 10hrs of talk-time on 3G, where as Intex comes with battery capacity of 2000mAh with a talk time of 7hrs on 3G. The battery capacity often plays a crucial role in determining the customer choice. 

OTHER FEATURES & PRICE: In terms of connectivity, both the models have 2G/3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity, GPRS and USB, which are more of less standard. Both the devices are available on several India-specific e-commerce websites with slight price variations. Just to give an indication, we noted that Intex Aqua Xtreme costs around INR11,000 and Micromax Canvas Nitro A311 around INR10,000.

BOTTOM LINE: Both the devices are comparable on most indicators. However, Intex’s Nitro has an advantage on account of more advanced operating system (OS) and additional camera features, besides being a sleeker looking and lighter weight device. On the other hand, Micromax offers the advantage of higher battery capacity. Considering that design is a matter of personal preference, in this case, customers will have to make a choice between a more advanced OS and battery capacity.

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Coolpad vs Nubia: Two Chinese smartphones competing for space in India

Last month saw two new Chinese players entering the Indian smartphone market, Coolpad and Nubia. In a  country where there is a new launch every second month, it becomes really challenging to make a choice. At Brands Dialogue, we try to make it easier for the customers by undertaking comparative reviews. In this review, we are comparing two new Chinese kids on the block, Coolpad Dazen X7 and Nubia Z9 Mini. If you are planning to spend around INR15,000, you may consider these two options as well.

DESIGN & BUILD: Coolpad Dazen X7 comes in the dimensions of 146.6X73.6X6.5mm and weighs 131 gm where as Nubia Z9 Mini comes in the dimensions of 141.3X69.8X8.2mm and weighs 147gm. Both the devices are bar shaped, rounded at all ends that give them a steady look. Dazen stands out for being a lot more sleeker device than Nubia, particularly the way Dazen has managed to cut down thickness is attractive.

DISPLAY: Coolpad Dazen has 5.2 inch super AMOLED Cornea glass screen (CGS) that gives you 1080p FULL HD display where as Nubia Z9 has a bit shorter display screen of 5 inch with 1080p scratch resistant (CGS). 

OS &PROCESSOR: Coolpad X7 runs on Android 4.4 that makes it lag behind Nubia Z9 Mini that runs on Android 5.0. On the processor front, Dazen X7 is packed with 1.7GHz Octa Core, MediaTek MT6595 processor where as Nubia Z9 Mini is packed with Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor clocking speed at 1.5 GHz. Nubia has an edge over Coolpad on these counts.  

RAM & STORAGE:  On the memory front, both Coolpad Dazen and Nubia Mini carry 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, but it is the expandable memory where Nubia Z9 takes a solid lead by having a commendable memory slot of upto 128GB over Dazens’ regular 32GB.

CAMERA & BATTERY: Nubia Z9 maintains the lead over Coolpad here too. While CoolpadX7 has 13MP primary (rear) camera, NubiaZ9 provides a 16MP primary camera which is rare at this price. Both the phones sport a 8MP secondary to cater to video calls and selfie needs. On the battery front, Coolpad has a 2700mAh Li-on embedded battery where as Nubia has a notch higher battery capacity of 2900mAh which is also embedded. 

CONNECTIVITY: Both the smartphones, Coolpad Dazen X7 and Nubia Z9 Mini are 3G/4G enabled, dual sim phones with Bluetooth V4.0, WiFi and USB Support.

BOTTOM LINE:  Both the smartphones comes with superior specifications and rightly competing against each other. They offer similar on RAM, internal memory and secondary camera, and are pretty much comparable on display, processor and battery. However, Coolpad stands out for its sleeker look with a slightly larger display screen, where as Nubia acquires an edge for superior OS, primary camera and memory. We also note that Nubia Z9 Mini costs around INR17,000, where as Coolpad Dazen X7 is priced around INR18,000.

VERDICT: Unless one has a particular preference for a sleeker looking device, we think Nubia Z9 Mini brings out a better spec-price combo.

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Obi Fox S453 simply outshines Hisense U606 in UAE

The European smartphone brand Hisense, headquartered in Germany, is an established player in the UAE market. On the other hand, Obi Mobiles, co-founded by John Sculley, ex-CEO of Apple, is a new player in the UAE market. In this comparative review, we are comparing Hisense U606 and Obi Fox S453. The following spec-to-spec match will be useful for the potential customers.

Look & Feel : We start with the overall appearance. Hisense U606 has a dark front and white back, where as Obi Fox S453 is white on both sides, with a slightly greyish-white back. However, if colour is not the primary determinant of one's choice, there are other details that need attention. With overall measurements 127x64.3x9.9mm, Hisense is relatively smaller and thicker looking device than Obi’s Fox, a relatively sleeker looking device that measures 131.7x64x9mm. 

Display: The main difference lies in the display screen size, where Fox with 4.5 inch screen beats Hisense that has 4 inch screen. In terms of display technology, both the devices have a capacitive touch screen. A larger screen is always a plus from the point of view of viewing experience and a 4 inch screen is definitely small, considering that even 5 inch screen is common nowadays. Larger screen particularly acquires more significance for the youth as viewing videos on the smartphones is becoming part of their everyday life.

Processor & OS: Obi Fox S453 is powered by MediaTek MT6572 1 GHz dual core processor, as compared to Hisense U606 which has Qualcomm MSM8210 1.2 GHz dual core that offers a slightly better clock speed than Fox. However, Fox’s OS Android 4.4.2 KitKat is slightly improved version over Hisense U606 OS Android 4.3 KitKat. Both the devices have internal storage space of 4GB that can be expanded up to 32GB using a MicroSD card. However, the major difference between the two is RAM where Obi Fox’s 1GB RAM outshines Hisense U606 that comes with 512MB RAM. Extra RAM helps apps run smoother with reduced time lags, and when coupled with an excellent processor, it enhances overall quality of user interface and experience.

Battery & Cameras: Obi’s Fox S453 has a leg up on the battery front too. With 1600 mAh battery size, Fox gives 6 hours of talk time and 180 hours of standby time. On the other hand, Hisense U606 has 1500 mAh battery that gives 3 hours of talk time and 240 hours of standby time. Talking about the camera, Obi Fox has an impressive 5MP primary (rear) camera and 2MP secondary (front) camera for selfies. On the other hand, Hisense U606 has 3MP primary camera and 0.3MP secondary camera. Needless to say that Obi Fox outshines Hisense U606 on both the counts, i.e. Battery capacity and cameras.

Connectivity & Price: As far as connectivity is concerned both the devices have 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi with 802.11 b/g/n standards supported. Both the devices also have a dual sim card slots, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.5 mm audio jack and FM receiver. Furthermore, we also looked at the price tags of the two devices in the UAE market, where Obi Fox S453 is priced at around AED 280, where as Hisense U606 is at around AED 350. 

Bottom Line: Both the devices are marked for budget customers, where value for money is particularly important. Obi Fox S453 comes with some definite advantages including a lager display screen, superior operating system (OS), bigger RAM (double), better cameras, and higher battery capacity over Hisense U606. Moreover, Obi brings all this at a lesser price too. Therefore, making a choice between the two should not be difficult, unless of course you love brand Hisense. In that case, well, love has no parallels. 

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Lenovo A6000 Plus beats Xiaomi Redmi 2

Lenovo A6000 Plus is out in market with some definite improvements over its predecessor A6000 in terms of RAM and storage capacity while retaining its other strengths. On the other hand, Xiaomi, promising to accelerate your life at a surprisingly low price, has recently brought out its next best creation Xiaomi Redmi 2 that comes with significant design improvements over Redmi 1 which has already played its successful inning. Both Lenovo A6000 Plus and Xiaomi Redmi 2 reignited the market expectations and, therefore, competition too. Since both the devices are out on similar price points, they call out for a comparative review. 

LOOK & FEEL : 

We start with the look and feel of the two devices. The overall physical dimensions of Lenovo A6000 Plus are 141x70x8.2mm and it weighs 128g, where as Xiaomi Redmi 2 comes in dimensions 134x67.2x9.4mm and weighs 133g, which makes Lenovo’s device slightly bigger but lighter in weight than Redmi 2, which is although smaller in size but weighs more. Moreover, A6000Plus is pleasing to the eyes because of its built quality due to the usage of polycarbonate in its outer body. On the other hand, Redmi uses finely textured and matte-sprayed back cover that feels great, and it is also fingerprint and grease-resistant. Furthermore, while Lenovo Plus comes in black colour that promises to never get out of fashion, Redmi 2 is available in multiple colour variants including stylish black, white, yellow, pink and green. 

DISPLAY : 

On the display front, the first difference is in the screen size. Lenovo Plus comes with 5inch screen, slightly larger than 4.7inch screen of Xiaomi Redmi2. However, both the devices have capacitive touchscreen and produce 720x1280 pixels resolution and somewhat comparable pixel density that is 312 pixels per inch for Redmi 2 and 294 pixels for Lenovo. On the whole, while the quality of visuals in terms of crispness and sharpness may be almost the same in both the devices, a larger display screen size provides Lenovo a slight leg up over Redmi 2. 

PERFORMANCE : 

Both the devices are powered by 1.2 GHz Quad-Core processors, however Lenovo A6000Plus has a definite leg up over Xiaomi Redmi2 on three counts, i.e. operating system, RAM and storage. Firstly, A6000Plus runs on Android 4.4.4 OS where as Redmi 2 runs on a slightly older version Android 4.4 OS. Secondly, Lenovo comes with 2GB RAM, which is double of Redmi2 that has 1GB RAM. Thirdly, with its 16GB internal storage expandable to 32GB, Lenovo is clearly ahead of Xiaomi that comes with 8GB internal storage expandable to 16 GB. Furthermore, while Xiaomi Redmi2, with its skin MIUI6, allows you to discover new functions, shortcuts, customisations and animations, Lenovo offers similar possibilities with its VIBE 2.0. On the whole, Lenovo A6000 Plus is relatively better placed to make apps run smoother with reduced time hold-up and provide overall quality of user interface and experience. 

ADDITIONAL FEATURES : 

Besides Internet browsing, emailing, app downloading and gaming, increasingly the photography has become an integral part of smartphones. Both Lenovo and Xiaomi understand this aspect, particularly the growing trend of selfies. Both the devices are comparable on the camera front, as they come with 8 megapixel primary (Rear) cameras and 2 megapixel secondary (Front) cameras with flash. Furthermore, another important indicator is the battery capacity. On this count, Lenovo A6000 Plus, with its 2300mAh battery capacity, is slightly more dependable in comparison to Xiaomi Redmi 2 that comes with 2200 mAh battery capacity. Other facilities like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, FM etc. are all available in both the devices. In terms of connectivity, both devices are available in 3G and 4G depending on the market. 

CONCLUDING REMARKS : 

Going by specifications, we note that Lenovo A6000 Plus clearly steals the show from Xiaomi Redmi 2 with its larger display screen-size, more advanced OS, bigger RAM, larger internal as well as external storage and slightly higher battery capacity. There are distinctive design elements too, which include overall size, shape and colour variants that are a matter of individual preference. 

Last but not the least, we looked at the price tag on leading shopping portals like Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal with India in mind, where both the devices are priced at around INR7,000. Therefore, Lenovo A6000 Plus stands out as a more sensible choice over Xiaomi Redmi 2, unless one has specific preference of design and colours.

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With a bigger RAM and a powerful camera, Lenovo S60 could beat Microsoft Lumia 540

This review brings Microsoft Lumia and Lenovo face to face. After taking over Nokia’s ‘Lumia’ franchisee, Microsoft has introduced several changes in these models, particularly related to display technology, camera etc. Lenovo has been an established player for a while in the market and has products that compete for attention. Therefore, we have selected two models, Microsoft Lumia 540 and Lenovo S60, for this comparative review.

LOOK & FEEL

Looking at the over all size, Lenovo S60 measures 143.3x72x7.7mm and weighs 128g with an all-plastic body, whereas the Lumia 540 measures 144x73.7x8.6mm and weighs 152g, and is made of a polycarbonate base with matte or gloss backs in a variety of fruity colours, such as orange, white, black, gray and blue. The ergonomics of this model may make it difficult for users that opt for a gloss back to handle the phone as it has tendencies to slip. On the other hand, Lenovo S60 is available in pearly white, graphite grey and yellow. Both the smartphones offer multiple color choices.

DISPLAY

The display indicators in both the devices are the same, that is, 5.0’’ screen size with a 720x1280 pixel resolution. However, while Lenovo S60 has an IPS Capacitive screen, Lumia 540 has an IPS-LCD Capacitive display, which gives Lumia 540 a leg up as IPS-LCD display has several advantages over the IPS display type including the capacity to provide wider viewing angles and colour intensity. As such, on the display front, Microsoft Lumia takes a clear lead.

PROCESSOR & MEMORY

On the processing front, both models have a Qualcomm Snapdragon clocking in the same processor speed of 1.2 GHz. However, the key difference lies in RAM, where Lenovo S60 offers 2 GB of RAM, Lumia 540 comes with 1 GB RAM, which makes Lenovo capable of handling more tasks smoothly. Both the devices have 8GB internal memory. However, the provision for expanding the memory is a big differentiator, where Lenovo S60 can only expand to a maximum of 32GB, Lumia leaps ahead by offering the possibility of expanding the same up to 128 GB. Therefore, the choice is to be made between the higher capacity to multitask and smoother functioning and higher memory.

OPERATING SYSTEM (OS)

Given Microsoft’s association, all Lumia devices run on a custom Windows Phone (8.1) OS with a LUMIA DENIM UI on this particular model, while Lenovo has opted for the free Android OS v4.4. Therefore, it may be a matter of preference as to which platform a customer is more comfortable using.

CAMERA & BATTERY

While both the devices come with a 5MP secondary (front) camera, Lenovo S60, with its 13MP primary (rear) camera, takes a big lead over Lumia 540 that comes with 8MP front camera. Furthermore, on the battery front, Lenovo has a 2150 mAh battery capacity, which is almost comparable to Lumia’s 2200 mAh capacity.

CONCLUSION

We note that both the smartphones are lightweight devices that come in multiple color options, similar display screen size, resolution, processing speed, secondary camera and almost equal battery capacity. However, there are points on which they differ. Microsoft Lumia offers relatively superior display technology and capacity to expand the memory of the device significantly more than Lenovo. However, Lenovo offers double the RAM, which would enhance functional ease on the device, and a lot more powerful primary camera promising very high quality photos. Furthermore, we note that in the Indian market, Lenovo S60 costs around Rs.13,000, where as Lumia 540 is available in around Rs.11,000. The higher cost of Lenovo seems justified on account of RAM and superior camera.  

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Obi Fox is out for a kill in Kenya, Huawei needs to watch out

If you are looking for an entry-level Android handset, the choices are generally limited, and sometimes even the budget market seems pricey. In Africa, Huawei has received notable praise for its affordable but high-performing smartphones. Huawei has added another member to the Y-series of entry level budget smartphones which is Huawei Y330. On the other hand, Obi Mobiles, co-founded by John Sculley, ex-CEO of Pepsi Co and Apple, is already making its mark in Africa since it entered the African market couple of months ago. Therefore, we have picked up Huawei Y330 and ObiFox S453 for our comparative analysis. Let us see how do they fare against each other.

Look & Feel

We start with the design of the two smartphone models. First point of difference is Huawei Y330 comes in black, white, red, blue and yellow colours, Obi’s Fox is only available in white colour, so if you are keen on a colourful device, there are more options with Huawei. However, there are other design considerations too. With 131.7x64x9mm dimensions, Obi Fox gives a more sleeker look than Huawei that is 122.1x63.5x11.3mm and has slightly shorter and thicker appearnce.

Display

The main difference lies in the display screen size which is 4.5 inch in case of Obi Fox and 4 inch in case of Huawei Y330. Furthermore, both the devices have a capacitive touch screen where Obi Fox display screen produces 854x480 pixels resolution where as Huawei Y330 slightly lags behind with 800x480 pixels. A larger screen is always a plus from the point of viewing experience. It particularly acquires more significance for the youth where video viewing and gaming on the smartphone is part of their everyday life.

Processing Capacity

Obi’s Fox is powered by MediaTek MT6572 1 GHz dual core processor, as compared to Huawei Y330 which is powered by similar MediaTek MT6572 1.3 GHz dual core processor, offering a slightly better clock speed. However, Obi Fox’s OS Android 4.4.2 KitKat is an improved  version over Huawei’s  Android 4.2 Jellybean OS. Moreover, Huawei has tweaked with the OS and has their own skin Huawei Emotion UI 2.0 Lite which gives the display a distinctive look. Both the devices have internal storage space of 4GB that can be expanded up to 32GB using a MicroSD card. However, the major difference between the two is RAM where Obi Fox’s 1GB RAM completely outshines Huawei Y330 which comes with 512MB RAM. Extra RAM helps apps run smoother with reduced time lags, and when coupled with a powerful processor, it enhances overall quality of user interface and experience.

Battery & Cameras

Obi’s Fox has a leg up on the battery front too. With 1600 mAh battery size, Fox gives 6 hours of talk time and 180 hours of standby time while, on the other hand, Huawei Y330 has 1500 mAh battery that gives 3 hours of talk time and 240 hours of standby time. Also, Fox S453 has an impressive 5MP primary camera and 2MP Front camera, whereas Huawei Y330 comes with 3MP primary camera and no Front camera. Huawei’s decision to bring a device without a front camera seems to be a big blunder considering the selfie generation. Needless to say that Obi Fox has emerged as a clear winner in this feature.  

Additional Features
Lets sum it up
Concluding Remark

As far as connectivity is concerned, both the devices have 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi with 802.11 b/g/n standards supported. Both the devices also have a dual sim card slots, Bluetooth V4.0, GPS, 3.5 mm audio jack and FM receiver.

We note that Huwaei Y330 offers more colour options, slightly more powerful processor and an operating system with its own skin for a distinctive effect, but also has a major drawback in terms of not having a front camera. On the other hand, Obi Fox S453 takes a clear lead on every other key component which includes a larger display screen with a slightly better resolution, double RAM, more advanced OS, higher battery capacity and, most of all, it comes with a 2MP front camera to respond to the needs of selfie generation. We also explored the price in the Kenyan market, where Obi Fox is priced at around KSh9000 where as Huawei Y330 is at around KSh6500. The price difference is justified on account of front camera.

It is important to note that both the devices are made for people on a limited budget and therefore it is obvious that in order to maintain the low price the manufactures have made some sacrifices. However, we find that Obi has been able to work out the trade offs better and manages to put together a device that balances youthful aspirations, specifications and price better. If one can squeeze out a better price deal, even better.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 can beat Motorola Google Nexus 6

Samsung and Motorola are among the most dominant smartphone companies today. Over the years they have shown their creativity and superiority through their products. It would be interesting to see how their products compare with each other. Therefore, we have picked their two smartphone models  Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Motorola Google Nexus 6 for the direct spec-to-spec contest to help consumers make a smart decision while buying their smartphones.

Design & Colour

With a silver casing on all sides, small curved edges and a leather-based back panel, Note 4 has an elegant look which has a stylus along with the device. Nexus 6 with a metal casing on the sides, proper curves on the edges and a slightly bulging and dull-finish back panel has a youthful look. Also, both the devices come in different colors: Note 4 is available in Frost White, Charcoal Black, Bronze Gold and Blossom Pink while Nexus 6 is available in Midnight Blue and Cloud White. Since design and colour choice are a matter of personal preference, we leave the judgement to the customers.

Shape & Size

Generally speaking, both the devices are bigger looking. Specifically, Google Nexus 6 with dimensions such as 159.26x 82.98x10.06mm weighs 184g, while Galaxy Note 4 with dimensions of 153.5X78.6X8.5mm weighs 176g. While both have large display screens, there is minor difference in the screen size. Nexus 6 comes with 5.96 inch screen size with an AMOLED display where as Samsung’s Note 4 is 5.7inch, slightly smaller, but with a Super AMOLED display, which enables the user to view their smartphones without any difficulty from glaring lights and from wider angles. Both the devices have a resolution of 2560x1440. With comparable screen size and same resolution, the technology differentiator provides Note 4 a slight leg up.

Processor & OS

Both Google Nexus 6 and Galaxy Note 4 have a 3GB RAM and are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 2.7GHz Quad-Core processors. However, the difference shows up in the operating system (OS). While Samsung’s Note 4 runs on Android 4.4 Lollipop and can be upgraded to Android 5.0.1 Lollipop, Google Nexus 6 already running on Android 5.0 Lollipop is upgradable to Android 5.1.1. Also, Nexus 6 users would be enjoying an early Android M OS developer preview due to Google’s association with the smartphone. Moreover, Note 4 has an internal memory of 32GB that is expandable to 64GB through microSD, where as Nexus 6 has no expandable memory but is available in two variants with either 32 GB or 64GB internal space. Therefore, the only differentiator is relatively better operating system (OS), which provides Nexus 6 a leg up.

Battery & Cameras

Both the devices have a battery capacity of 3220 mAh. However, the main difference appears at the camera front that works in the favour of Galaxy Note 4, which has a 16MP primary (rear) camera and a 3.7MP secondary (front) camera for selfies. On the other hand, Google Nexus 6 has a 13MP primary camera and 2MP secondary camera. Both the smartphones have Smart Optical Image Stabilization that counter-balances camera shake and automatically extends exposure time in dark settings. Additionally, Note 4 also has the ability to perform split-screen multitasking that means the user can open and shift between applications with much ease.

Other Features

Both the devices have Wi-Fi capabilities (802.11 a/g/b/n/ac), Bluetooth v4.10 and single SIM slot, and support only Nano-SIM. In terms of connectivity, both devices are available in 2G, 3G and 4G, depending on the market.

Bottom Line

Both the devices are comparable in terms of RAM, processing power, battery capacity and several other features including connectivity. However, Nexus 6 comes with a slightly bigger screen size and the advantage of receiving OS updates earlier than the other brands. On the other hand, Galaxy Note 4 acquires a definite leg us in terms of Super AMOLED display technology and better cameras with split-screen multitasking feature.

For the price indication, we looked at the cost tag for the two devices in the Indian market, where Nexus 6 with 32GB costs around Rs.44,000 and with 64GB costs Rs.49,000. On the other hand, Galaxy Note 4 costs around Rs.42,000. Therefore, considering the specs and the price in the Indian market, we think Galaxy Note 4 has a sure leg up over Nexus 6, unless one has a specific preference for design and updates.  

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In Africa, it’s Obi’s Leopard aiming at Samsung’s Galaxy

Samsung has been a global force to reckon with. It has consistently grown with the evolving smartphone market and pioneered the advent of the AMOLED display. On the other hand, relatively speaking, Obi Mobiles is a less than a year old smartphone company, co-founded by John Sculley, ex-CEO of PepsiCo and Apple, which is already begun to make its mark in Africa and Middle East. So, for today’s review, we have chosen two smartphone models from these two brands that are in the similar price range, i.e. Samsung’s GalaxyGrand Neo and Obi’s Leopard S502.

Look and Feel

Starting with the dimensions and weight, Galaxy Grand weighs 163g with dimensions 143.7x77.1x9.6mm whereas the Leopard weighs around the same at 164g with dimensions of 142.4x72.6x8.6mm that makes Obi’s Leopard a relatively slightly smaller, even sleeker, looking device. Leopard comes in black color with a brown top and bottom strip at the back, and its back is made of a blend of hard anodized metal and vacuum electroplating that looks good and is also resistant to wear. On the other hand, Samsung Grand offers wider color choice that includes white, black, orange and lime green.

Display

From the aforementioned physical dimensions, one would assume that Obi Leopard would have a smaller screen, however, interestingly both the devices have 5.0’’ display. The physical dimensions and the display screen size imply that though the viewing experience is same on both the devices, it is the overall size of the device that could impact customers’ decision. Would one prefer a smaller and slimmer smartphone than a bigger one if both the devices had the same screen size? Furthermore, Samsung’s screen technology is the Thin Film Transistor (TFT) whereas Obi’s Leopard runs of the TFT-IPS screen technology, which is superior to the TFT technology in terms of color reproduction and viewing angles. The resolution packed by Samsung’s Galaxy Neo is 480x800 pixels with a pixel density of 186ppi, which is on the lower end of pixel density. On the other hand, Obi’s Leopard has a qHD display with a resolution of 900x540 pixels. Therefore, Leopard has a leg up in terms of display technology and resolution over Samsung’s Grand Neo.

Processing Capacity

In terms of processing speed, both are neck to neck with the Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo clocking in 1.2GHz and Leopard clocking in 1.3Ghz on quad-cores. Samsung’s Grand runs of a Broadcom Spreadtrum chipset whereas Obi’s Leopard runs on a MediaTek chipset. Furthermore, operating system is Android on both models, however Leopard has Kitkat v4.4.2, a newer version of the OS, where as Grand Neo runs on the older version v4.2.2 (JellyBean), which once again gives Obi an edge over Samsung. Memory-wise, Samsung’s Galaxy Grand Neo is available in two capacities, 8GB and 16GB that are expandable to 64 GB through an external SD card. Similarly Obi Leopard is available in 8GB expandable to 32GB. Both models have 1 GB of RAM that ensures smooth running of the two smartphones.

Key Components

Obi Leopard has a definite leg up over Samsung Grand Neo as it contains 8MP primary (rear) and 5MP secondary (front) cameras, whereas Samsung’s Neo provides us with a mere 5MP primary camera and a VGA secondary camera. Moreover, both the models have the same battery capacity of 2100mAh.

Lets Sum It Up

This spec-to-spec comparison tells that both the devices have same display screen size, RAM, battery capacity and almost comparable processor; however, there are differences on other fronts. Obi Mobiles Leopard has advantage in terms of superior display technology and resolution, operating system (OS) and a definite leg up in cameras. On the other hand, Samsung offers the color choice and slight advantage in expandable memory. We also looked at the price tag in the Kenya market and discovered that Samsung’s Galaxy Neo is priced at around KSh14,000 whereas Obi’s Leopard is at around KSh12,000, which is a sure advantage Leopard.

Concluding Remark

In the end, it would come down to which specifications suit your needs better. If you are a video blogger keen on better viewing experience, use your front camera a lot and love to take selfies, then Obi’s Leopard would definitely be a better option as it comes with better display and superior cameras. On the other hand, if you are looking for higher memory then Samsung’s Neo could be a better choice.

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