HTC One Max phablet with fingerprint scanner launched at Rs. 61,490 NDTV Correspondent, November 22, 2013

HTC has announced its latest phablet, the One Max (16GB variant) in India at an MRP of Rs. 61,490, and a best buy price of Rs. 56,490. 

The Taiwanese manufacturer unveiled the One Max phablet in October this year. It runs Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box with HTC's Sense 5.5 UI on top. The phablet comes with a 5.9-inch full-HD LCD display. 

The HTC One Max is powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, coupled with 2GB of RAM. It comes with 16GB inbuilt storage with support for up to 64GB of additional external storage via microSD card. The device features HTC's UltraPixel rear camera, while there is also a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera onboard. It also has HTC Zoe and HTC BoomSound features, first seen on the HTC One.

Connectivity features on the HTC One Max include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, DLNA and HTC Connect. The device also packs a 3300mAh battery which can give up to 25 hours of talktime and 585 hours of standby time for 3G networks. It measures 164.5x82.5x10.29mm and weighs 217 grams.

The HTC One Max follows the same design as that of company's flagship smartphone, the HTC One. Notably, the all new phablet from HTC features the long-rumoured fingerprint scanner at the back which lets users log in with a swipe of fingertip. The HTC One Max is now the second device launched this year to come with a fingerprint scanner feature, after the Apple iPhone 5s.

With the launch of the One Max, HTC has now launched all the three One series smartphones in India, including the One and One mini. Soon however, the Taiwanese handset maker is expected to slash smartphone costs and sell cheaper devices with aim to make the Q4 profitable, as suggested by areport suggested.

HTC also unveiled the Power Flip Case accessory, priced at Rs. 5,999, a 1,200mAh battery expansion to provide extra juice, apart from increased protection. 

The company also unveiled the HTC Mini+ accessory at Rs. 7,790, which as per the company is a multi-tasking solution for taking calls and also gives instant notifications. It features a 1.5-inch OLED display with a 128x128 pixel resolution.

Another accessory announced for the HTC One Max was the Fetch keychain, at Rs. 2399. Users can press the button on the keychain, and the device activates their phones' ringtone within 15 metres. Pairing it will give users a warning beep if they leave their smartphones behind, and a map location feature is also present.

HTC One Max users will also get 50GB free additional cloud storage space on Google Drive.

Mobiles launched in November 2013

HTC One Max key specifications

• 5.9-inch full-HD LCD display
• 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
• 2GB of RAM
• Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with Sense 5.5 UI
• Fingerprint scanner
• 16GB/ 32GB inbuilt storage variants, expandable up to 64GB via microSD card
• 164.5x82.5x10.29mm
• 217 grams

HTC One Max

• KEY SPECS
• NEWS

Display

5.90-inch

Processor

1.7GHz

Front Camera

2.1-megapixel

Resolution

1080x1920 pixels

RAM

2GB

OS

Android 4.3

Storage

16GB

Rear Camera

4-Ultrapixel

Battery capacity

3300mAh

See full HTC One Max specifications

Nexus 4 reportedly starts receiving Android 4.4 KitKat update in India Ketan Pratap, November 22, 2013

Google may not have announced the Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Nexus 4 but a Twitter user in India claims that his smartphone is now receiving the update via OTA (over-the-air).

Manan Chawla has posted an image that shows the 'Android 4.4 System Update' notification on his Nexus 4. Chawla's tweet reads, "This time it happened fast. Android 4.4 KitKat is on my #nexus4 #India."

The purported Android 4.4 system notification reveals that the update is about 239MB in size. The update notification also includes some new features namely Hangouts app, Caller ID by Google, new Print feature.

As of now, there is no official word from the search engine giant on the Android 4.4 rollout for the Nexus 4. But the latest tweet suggests that Google might be rolling out the update in phases.

The Android 4.4 KitKat iteration brings some new features such as a new translucent menu bar, which is located at the bottom of the screen; new dialler and caller ID; unified Hangouts messaging app; smarter Google Now integration; step counter and detector, support for two new composite sensors, and support for screen recording.

Earlier this month, Google officially announced the rollout of Android 4.4 KitKat for its Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets (Wi-Fi only models), available OTA. The search engine giant confirmed the news via Android's Twitter and Google Plus accounts.

However, Google did not specify an exact date for the update for mobile data model of Nexus 7 tablets. In addition, Google also left out of the update the Nexus 4 smartphone, saying it would be 'coming soon'.

LG Nexus 4

• KEY SPECS
• NEWS

Display

4.70-inch

Processor

1.5GHz

Front Camera

1.3-megapixel

Resolution

768x1280 pixels

RAM

2GB

OS

Android 4.2.2

Storage

16GB

Rear Camera

8-megapixel

Battery capacity

2100mAh

See full LG Nexus 4 specifications

Karbonn Titanium S7 with 5-inch full-HD display up for pre-order at Rs. 14,999 Ketan Pratap, November 22, 2013

Karbonn is all set to enter the full-HD smartphone fray with the release of the Titanium S7 in India. TheKarbonn Titanium S7 is now listed at ecommerce website, Flipkart and can be pre-ordered at Rs. 14,999. However, the online retailer's listing clearly mentions that the estimated release is the fifth week of November.

The Karbonn Titanium S7 runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box. It is a dual-SIM device with support for GSM+GSM. The smartphone features 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920) display with OGS Technology. The Titanium S7 is powered by 1.5GHz quad-core processor (unspecified chipset). It sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and also houses a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. The Titanium S7 comes with 16GB inbuilt storage, expandable up to 32GB with microSD card. There are no details about smartphone's RAM and battery. Karbonn Mobiles has not officially unveiled the Titanium S7 smartphone in India.

Earlier, Karbonn teased its upcoming Titanium X smartphone and posted a teaser banner for the smartphone, revealing some of the specifications.

Unfortunately, there was no word on the pricing and availability details of the Titanium X, but the smartphone is rumoured to be released soon in India.

As per the official listing, the Karbonn Titanium X comes with 5-inch HDIPS display (what seems to be the essential difference between the two phones) and is powered by quad-core 1.5GHz processor (unspecified chipset). Further, the Karbonn Titanium X was seen running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The smartphone sports a 13-megapixel rear autofocus camera with dual-LED flash and also houses a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

On the connectivity front, the smartphone will include NFC support, which will make the Titanium X the first 'affordable' smartphone from an Indian brand to sport this feature. The smartphone is backed by a 2300mAh battery; however, there is no word on talktime or standby time.

Mobiles launched in November 2013

Karbonn Titanium S7 key specifications

• 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920) display with OGS Technology
• 1.5GHz quad-core processor (unspecified chipset)
• 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash
• 2-megapixel front-facing camera
• Dual-SIM (GSM+GSM)
• 16GB inbuilt storage, expandable up to 32GB with microSD card
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

Karbonn Titanium S7

• KEY SPECS

Display

5.00-inch

Processor

1.5GHz

Front Camera

2-megapixel

Resolution

1080x1920 pixels

RAM

OS

Android 4.2

Storage

16GB

Rear Camera

13-megapixel

Battery capacity

See full Karbonn Titanium S7 specifications

Sony SmartWatch 2 review Associated Press, November 15, 2013

ony SmartWatch 2 review

Associated Press, November 15, 2013

Sony's new SmartWatch 2 doesn't get as much attention - and doesn't do as much - as Samsung's Galaxy Gear computerized wristwatch. But for the things it does, Sony's version performs better.

The SmartWatch 2 is also 33 percent cheaper, at about $200, and works with a variety of Android phones, not just Sony's. Samsung's Galaxy Gear sells for $300 and is compatible only with a handful of high-end Samsung phones.

(Also see: Sony SmartWatch 2 launched in India for Rs. 14,990)

That said, neither company has made a compelling case of why people need a smartwatch this holiday season.

These wrist-bound gadgets are supposed to free you from constantly pulling out your phone to check for messages. But I found myself checking the watch more often than I would pull out a phone. That proved more distracting - and less private - over dinner, for instance.

The SmartWatch 2 is worth considering primarily if you want to be among the first with the latest technology.

What Sony's watch does
Think of the watch as a companion to your phone. The phone needs to be within Bluetooth wireless range, or about 30 feet (9 meters).

You install a free Smart Connect app on the phone to manage what gets sent to the watch, be it messages or call notifications. You give the watch functionality by adding watch apps to Smart Connect one by one. Smart Connect fetches the watch apps from Google's online Play store.

For example, I installed Sony's Messaging app to get texts on the watch. I get full texts and can reply with emoticons or pre-written responses such as "I'll get back to you." There's no keyboard on the watch to type individual replies, given that its screen measures just 1.6 inches (4 centimeters) diagonally.

The Facebook watch app lets me check the latest posts and endorse some with "likes" right from the watch. With Twitter, I can read the latest updates, retweet them or mark some as favorites. But I'm limited to text on the watch. I can't access photos and other links that are often embedded into tweets.

Getting too much? Through the phone, I can choose specific friends and accounts to get notifications for, though I can't simply add "family" and other groups I had already created on Facebook.

The watch can act as a remote control for your phone, but calls themselves are made through the phone. For the watch to be useful, you need a Bluetooth wireless headset linked to the phone.

When calls come in, you can reject the call, with or without a canned text reply. If you have a Sony phone, you can answer calls from the watch as well. With any phone running at least Android 4.0, you can initiate calls from the watch using its dialpad or your Android contacts list. But again, the calls go through your phone. You can control volume, but it took me a while to figure out how.

There are nearly 250 other apps you can add, many coming from outside app developers.

I particularly like a 99-cent app called Fake Call. Tap on the watch to make your phone ring with a phantom call. Use that to get you out of whatever sketchy situation you might find yourself in.

A free app called GPS Maps sends a map to your watch with surrounding blocks. The map moves as you move, though I don't get directions.

How it compares with Samsung's device
Samsung's Galaxy Gear wins on style: The watch has a metal frame and straps in six colors. It can work as a fashion accessory, at least for men. It's on the larger side, with a 1.6-inch screen matching Sony's. The SmartWatch 2 from Sony feels cheap, by comparison, though the straps are replaceable with other 24-millimeter watch straps if you're really buying this for fashion.

The Gear also wins on features: Sony's watch doesn't have a speaker or a microphone. It doesn't have a camera. The Gear has all that, which means you can make phone calls through the watch itself, without a Bluetooth headset. The camera produces low-resolution images, but it beats missing the shot because your phone is in the pocket.

But I don't believe these features are worth an extra $100. The speakerphone doesn't offer much privacy or work well in noisy environments. The speaker allows you to reply to text messages using voice dictation, but the transcriptions are slow and error-prone.

Where the SmartWatch 2 outperforms the Gear is in delivering messages.

The Gear gives you full texts, but that's about it. Get a Facebook or Gmail notification? You have to return to the phone to read the message. The watch is supposed to reduce the need to pull out your phone, but not if you keep getting notifications urging you to check.

And while I got about 2.5 days on the SmartWatch 2 on a single charge, the Gear dies in a day. You can charge Sony's watch with a standard micro-USB charger, while the Gear needs its own. The Gear's watch face also goes dark so it could last just a day. With Sony's watch, you can see the time even in a low-power mode.

Sony's SmartWatch 2 also has many more apps to choose from - more than three times as many.

Do you need it?
Maybe one day, smartwatches will truly be smart. They need to be better at filtering the important notifications from the noise, and they need to do more than tell you to go back to the phone to complete a task.

For now, we're in an era of experimentation. Sony's SmartWatch 2 advances the field with a just-the-basics smartwatch, but I'll wait at least a year or two for even more advances before buying one myself.

Google develops new algorithm to block 100,000 search queries for child porn Agence France-Presse, November 18, 2013

Google boss Eric Schmidt said Monday that the tech giant had developed new technology that makes it harder to find child sexual abuse images on the web.

Writing in British newspaper the Daily Mail, Google's executive chairman said more than 100,000 searches would no longer feature such material in their results.

The restrictions will initially apply to English-speaking countries but will be expanded to the rest of the world and 158 other languages within six months.

The announcement comes ahead of Monday's Internet Safety Summit at Prime Minister David Cameron's Downing Street office, where Google and Microsoft will be joined by other Internet firms.

In July, Cameron urged search engines to go further in blocking surfers from accessing illegal images.

Schmidt wrote: "While society will never wholly eliminate such depravity, we should do everything in our power to protect children from harm."

He said that in the last three months, Google had put more than 200 staff working on developing new technology to tackle the problem.

"We've fine tuned Google Search to prevent links to child sexual abuse material from appearing in our results," he wrote.

"While no algorithm is perfect and Google cannot prevent paedophiles adding new images to the web these changes have cleaned up the results for over 100,000 queries that might be related to the sexual abuse of kids.

"We will soon roll out these changes in more than 150 languages, so the impact will be truly global."

Schmidt said warnings from the California-based Internet giant were now showing at the top of results for more than 13,000 searches. The alerts also make clear that child sexual abuse is illegal and give advice on where to get help.

He also said Google had developed technology that allowed illegal videos to be 'tagged' so all duplicate copies can be removed across the web.

"We welcome the lead taken by the British government, and hope that the technologies developed (and shared) by our industry will make a real difference in the fight against this terrible crime," said Schmidt.

PlayStation 4 sales top 1 million units in first 24 hours: Sony Reuters, November 18, 2013

Sony Corp said on Sunday it had sold 1 million units of its new PlayStation 4 gaming console in the first 24 hours that it was available in the United States and Canada.

The console, which Sony is counting on to kick-start a revival of its consumer electronics business, went on sale on November 15.

Andrew House, the head of Sony Computer Entertainment, the unit of Sony that oversees PlayStation, said in a statement that "sales remain very strong in North America."

"We expect continued enthusiasm as we launch the PlayStation 4 in Europe and Latin America on November 29," House said.

Sony Corp had previously announced it had received more than 1 million advance orders for the console. Still, the initial sales figures are Sony's first salvo in a battle brewing with Microsoft Corp'sXbox One console, which goes on sale Nov 22. Sony is also hoping its console can help build a platform for recovery at the Japanese company's money-losing consumer electronics operations.

Sony is aiming to sell 5 million PS4 units by the end of its fiscal year that ends on March 31. Robert W. Baird & Co analyst Colin Sebastian has said he expects 2.5 million to 3 million PS4 shipments in the fourth quarter in North America.

Both the PS4, priced at $399 in the United States, and the Xbox One, with a price tag of $499, offer improved graphics for realistic effects, processors that allow faster game play and a slew of exclusive video games.

(Also see: PS4 priced $100 cheaper than Xbox One)

© Thomson Reuters 2013

PS4 vs. Xbox One: The next gen gaming wars

BlackBerry says Google Play not coming to BB 10 devices Ketan Pratap, November 13, 2013

BlackBerry has finally stepped in to stop the rumour mill that claimed BlackBerry 10 devices will soon be able to install Android apps directly from Google Play store.The Canadian manufacturer has said that 'no planned support' for Google Play store on its devices is in development. Further, BlackBerry confirmed that the BlackBerry World has been major source of apps for the platform.
BlackBerry responded to CrackBerry, saying the report was false and that, "There is no planned support for Google Play on BlackBerry. BlackBerry World remains the primary source for trusted and curated BlackBerry applications and we continue to support open standards and open source tools so BlackBerry developers can continue to create great apps on any of the development platforms we support."
Earlier, a report painted a scenario where BlackBerry was revealed to be in talks with Google to bring the Play Store to BlackBerry 10 devices. Few screenshots of the Play Store running on a BlackBerry Z10 also surfaced on the Internet, however later it was revealed that the images were fake.
With BlackBerry 10.2, BlackBerry updated the BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps and Plug-in to be able to run Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean apps, enabling almost all modern Android apps to work on BlackBerry 10.
Blackberry's new devices, the BlackBerry Z10, Q10, Q5 and Z30 based on the BlackBerry 10 OS have not been embraced by users at the level that it expected, resulting in the company suffering financial losses and taking an inventory write down due to unsold devices. However, access to the Play Store could have infused a new lease of life into the platform.
Earlier this week, a report suggested that Microsoft Corp, Apple Inc and Lenovo Group Ltd, were interested in acquiring parts of BlackBerry. However, the BlackBerry's board rejected proposals from these for various BlackBerry assets on grounds that a break-up did not serve the interest of all stakeholders.
BlackBerry has said that it's moving its focus from devices to services and software targeted at the government and enterprise segments. However, it will continue to operate its handset business.
BlackBerry's interim CEO, John Chen confirmed the news and said that the company has no plans to shut down the loss-making handset business.

Viber updates Android and iPhone apps with Push to Talk, Stickers and more Anupam Saxena, November 12, 2013

Instant messaging app, Viber, has launched the updated version (version 4.0) of its platform on Android and iPhone.

The Viber version 4.0 is a major update to the platform as it brings two, new core features including a new Push To Talk feature for instant voice messaging, and a new Sticker Market for downloading free and paid stickers to monetise the service.

The new version of Viber also offers support for Android tablets, with the new user interface taking advantage of the tablet form factor.

"This version of Viber is all about expressing yourself in more fun, exciting ways. Our new Sticker Market offers over 1000 unique, fun, expressive characters, many of which were designed specifically for our users in Asia," said Talmon Marco, CEO of Viber. "Also, we are the first of the major messaging services to add Live Push To Talk, streamed instantly between users. No sending, no waiting."

With the introduction of Push To Talk, Viber users will be able to send short voice messages to each other. Viber claims that its Push To Talk feature is significantly better than that of other messaging apps. It elaborates that typically, Push To Talk is a four-step process, with the user being required to record, send, download, and play. However, Viber says it manages to do all four at the same time reducing the average response time to a 15 second message to 4-6 seconds.  It's worth pointing out that popular messaging platform WhatsApp had also recently introduced Push to Talk, allowing users to send voice messages by pressing a single button.  It's also available on apps like WeChat and Voxer.

In line with the latest trends, Viber has also added multiple stickers that users of the app can exchange with other users. It has even released a dedicated sticker marketplace, the Viber Sticker Market, where users can access a larger selection of  stickers. The market will feature exclusive content related to events and holidays and will be regularly updated with new content, as per the company. Stickers are offered by other messaging apps including Line and WeChat.

The company also unveiled Mayo and Blu, two new featured characters, apart from other new characters.

The new tablet-optimised interface of Viber works in a way similar to the app's desktop version, bringing the user's mobile contacts to the tablet and offering full synchronisation with messages and calls on the other devices.

The Android version brings improved notifications for Android 4.0 and above, and offers the ability to use Viber messaging while on a Viber call.

In addition to the new major updates, the new version of Viber also brings some other enhancements including the ability to forward messages to any group or contact, choose new conversation backgrounds from a custom background gallery, and have group conversations with up to 100 participants.

Canon India launches five inkjet printers NDTV Correspondent, November 08, 2013

Canon on Wednesday launched three new cloud-enabled inkjet printers, the flagship Pixma MG7170, the Pixma MG6470, and the Pixma MG3570, as well as two affordable inkjet printers, the Pixma MG2570 and Pixma MG2470. All five printers are meant for the home user, and will be available in the market in November. Canon's announced prices are given in the table below.

According to Canon, these new printers are easy to install and use, and equipped with "superior print and scan" features. The three wireless printers mentioned above feature Wi-Fi and smart device connectivity, allowing users to "print-on-the-go" using multiple devices to fire prints off, "anytime, anywhere".  The company also envisages users of imaging apps and Web services like Flickr and Dropbox to be able to print directly from their respective interfaces.

The new Canon Pixma range introduced at the event comes in a variety of colours, which according to Canon keeps in mind the need of consumers to have a printer which can go with their home décor and still "cater to their day-to-day needs with the latest technology".

Speaking at the event, Canon India vice-president Alok Bharadwaj said the Indian arm is aiming to make Rs. 175 crore revenue this year from its printer business, due to the strong demand for inkjet printers, which has led to a 25 percent growth in sales in the segment. Inkjet printers comprise 9 percent of Canon India's total revenue, and the company expects this to grow to 12 percent within the next two years.

The imaging giant claims to 29 percent share of the inkjet market in India, and estimates the total size of the segment is roughly Rs. 1,400 crore or 12 lakh units in sales. According to Gartner, total sales of printers and copiers in India was roughly 6.81 lakh units in Q2 2013, which is a 4.7 percent decline year-on-year. Total end-user spending in the same period was $235.4 million, which is a 13 percent decline year-on-year.

According to Gartner, HP lead the Indian printer, copier and MFP market in Q2 2013 with a 52 percent share of the market, followed by Canon at 24 percent, Epson at 9 percent, and Samsung at 8 percent.

With inputs from PTI

GDC Next: Five big ideas for next-generation gaming Associated Press, November 11, 2013

The next generation of gaming is nearly here, but what about the generation after that one?Sony and Microsoft are launching their new super-powered consoles in the coming weeks. However, gamemakers at last week's Game Developers Conference Next in Los Angeles were already contemplating outside-the-box innovations - from wearable controllers to illuminated living rooms - that might follow the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Here's a glimpse at five big ideas pondered at GDC Next:
Seeing is believing
While the virtual reality headset seemed to go the way of the beeper in 1990s, updated takes on that technology have emerged that could make a big impact on the way players view virtual worlds in the future. Google Glass, Oculus Rift and CastAR are already giving early adopters a peek at images in 3D or projected in real life - all without a TV screen.
Time warp
Games have long explored what's physically impossible in the real world, like instantly teleporting across space in the first-person puzzler "Portal" or effortlessly bending time in the 2D platformer "Braid." With higher definition graphics, new controllers and increased fidelity, expect game designers to continue to push the limits of make-believe reality.
If you build it
The success of "Skylanders" and "Disney Infinity" has proven gamers want to merge physical and virtual worlds. The next evolution for players might be to create their very own toys or accessories utilizing at-home 3D printing technology. Imagine scanning an old-school "Star Wars" figure, printing a new version then sending it to a virtual galaxy far, far away.
Touchy subjects
Touchscreens have revolutionized the way users interact with devices, but their slick surfaces don't always make for the best game controllers. Advancements in technology that physically respond to touch - called "haptic touch" - combined with motion detection and augmented reality could bring interfaces imagined in "Iron Man" and "Minority Report" to life.
Realty check
As handheld devices become more pervasive and projection technology is more accessible, interactivity will likely continue to leap off TV screens, as illustrated earlier this year by Microsoft's IllumiRoom project, a conceptual system that combined a projector and Kinect sensor to augment areas surrounding a TV screen with dazzling projected visualizations.

Flipboard takes on Pinterest, starts curated shopping catalogues

Associated Press, November 12, 2013

Personal magazine creator Flipboard is expanding into shopping catalogs just in time for the holiday shopping season.A tool released Monday will allow Flipboard users to display their gift wish lists and highlight their favorite products in a catalog-like format. The digital catalogs include links so the products can be purchased by anyone browsing through the selections on Flipboard's application for Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPad, as well as mobile devices running on Google Inc.'s Android operating system.
Several merchants and websites, including Gap Inc.'s Banana Republic and eBay Inc., are distributing Flipboard catalogs.
Flipboard's expansion into electronic commerce comes seven months after the Palo Alto, Calif., startup began to allow people to put together digital magazines on their favorite topics. About 4.5 million different magazines have been created on Flipboard so far, focusing on everything from people's favorite sports teams to eclectic hobbies such as collecting Mason jars.
Many of those magazines include digital ads, providing Flipboard with its main source of revenue. The more than 8,000 publishers who have teamed up with Flipboard also get a cut of the ad revenue.
As a privately held company, Flipboard doesn't disclose its financial results. The company has raised $110 million from venture capitalists, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and other investors since Mike McCue and Evan Doll started Flipboard in 2010 to produce digital magazines consisting of material extracted from links shared on Facebook's social network and Twitter's online messaging service. .
Flipboard has accumulated about 90 million users so far, according to McCue. The app's popularity coupled with the pedigrees of its founders has turned Flipboard into of the Silicon Valley's most closely watched startups.
McCue sold his last company, voice-recognition software maker TellMe Networks, to Microsoft Corp. for $800 million in 2007. Doll is a former Apple engineer who helped design the iPhone.

Twitter for Android alpha testing program launched Anupam Saxena, November 11, 2013

Following the footsteps of Facebook, Twitter has now launched an alpha testing program for Twitter for Android, after launching a beta program, in August.

According to Twitter, users part of the program will be able to test alpha versions of the Twitter app that "will include earlier iterations of experiments." Twitter posted the information on the Android Alpha Program Google Group, and it was spotted by TechCrunch.

The Twitter for the Android Alpha Program will allow users to offer feedback directly and work closely with the company, it added. Users who're interested in being a part of the program can apply to join the Google group on a first come, first served basis, and it appears that Twitter will restrict the number of people that can be a part of the group.

After joining the group, users will get a link to join the program, following which, they'll get access to alpha releases through the Play Store.

The Twitter for Android beta program allowed volunteers to get near stable builds of the app and offer feedback but with alpha builds they'll get a chance to be involved at a much deeper level, not just getting early access but also getting access to experimental features that might not even make it to the beta builds.

Twitter had launched a beta app for users enrolled in the program with a brand new interface.

It's worth pointing out that alpha/test builds would most likely be unstable and contain bugs, so you should sign-up only if you're willing to live with unstable software and are open to tweaking your phone beyond just everyday use.

Social network, Facebook, had also announced a beta and then an alpha testing program for interested users.

For the latest technology news and reviews, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and get the NDTV Gadgets app for Android or iOS.

Review: Canon IXUS 1100HS Swapnil Mathur, March 02, 2012

Canon has recently been increasing its focus on consumer grade point-and-shoot cameras, with the aim to infuse higher end features into a slimmer form-factor. Their newest addition to this line-up is the Canon IXUS1100HS (known as the ELPH 510 in the US).

In the box
Canon IXUS 1100HS camera, SanDisk 4GB SD Card (Class 4), lanyard, user-manual, standard USB cable and a software CD.

Features
Measuring in at just .86 inches thick, the IXUS 1100HS houses a 12 megapixel back-illuminated sensor to give the best image quality possible. The 'HS' in the name stands for 'High Sensitivity' and represents a combination of a back-illuminated sensor along with Canon's Digic Image Processor that deliver great image quality even in low light.


The camera also packs a modest 12x optical zoom (28mm-336mm equivalent) in a rather slim package. The camera replaces the tradition stock of buttons at the back with a 3.2-inch LCD touch screen that can be used to access various functions and menus.

The IXUS 1100HS is SD, SDHC and SDXC compatible and offers output through a mini-HDMI port.


Performance
The IXUS 1100HS is a well-crafted point-and-shoot camera, with a solid metal body. We got our unit in a glossy black finish. The time between turning the camera on and taking our first shot was just about under 3 seconds, meaning that there is a good chance you won't be missing that decisive moment with the IXUS 1100HS.

The camera's menu system can be sorted into three categories; Settings, Functions and Menu. While in image capture mode, the camera displays a slew of settings pertaining to the shot such as flash settings, exposure compensation settings, a button to turn off the on-screen buttons, a button to access the functions menu and a button to start recording video.

The record button is a very handy feature for those who might want to switch from taking photos to shooting full HD video without wasting even a second. The 'Function' menu allows you to select various specific settings for focusing, white balancing, ISO, etc.

The IXUS 1100HS has a switch next to the power button that allows you to change to an automatic mode, where the camera automatically detects the environment and selects a photographic mode accordingly. This feature was rather effective in our testing, where we shot indoors, at a concert venue, in a playground and even in the mid-day sun. The camera was able to set the correct settings most of the times and deliver great images to us. This is a really helpful feature for those who might not be very familiar with photography related jargon and settings.

The IXUS 1100HS features two kinds of burst modes; regular and high speed that can be accessed through the shooting mode option. In regular burst mode, all one has to do is hold down the shutter and the camera will shoot up to 3 frames per second. In high-speed burst mode, the camera can shoot up to 7 frames per second, but drops the resolution down to just 3 megapixels.

The 12x optical zoom (with additional 2x digital zoom) functions exceptionally well, thanks to Canon's Image Stabilization (IS) system. The macro mode of the lens is something worth a mention here. When zoomed out all the way, the lens has a minimum focusing distance of about 0.4 inches  However, when we zoomed in all the way, our minimum focusing distance increased drastically and we were not able to capture any macro-like (extreme close-up) shots. Despite this shortcoming, the camera always managed to focus on the right part of the image, thereby delivering well-exposed and vibrant images.

The screen on the IXUS 1100HS is something to talk about. Besides being a control interface and a digital viewfinder, the screen can also act as a shutter-button by simply tapping on it to take a photograph. The screen is very legible even under direct sunlight and shows rich, colorful previews of the images shot. To jump from one image to the next, you simply have to tap on the left or right edge of the screen.

One thing that we feel must be pointed out is the responsiveness of the screen. While modern day tablets and cellphones have made us used to screens that respond at the slightest touch, the screen on the Canon IXUS 1100HS requires a firmer touch to register commands. Another concern for us regarding the touchscreen was the fact that it slowed us down a little when I came to switching between modes and settings as we had to browse through several menu pages to get the to relevant parts. This is where the dials and physical buttons come in handy.

The battery life of the camera was a big letdown. A few minutes worth of HD videos and about 70 photos later, we found the camera showing a 'low battery' symbol flashing. It just so happens that the IXUS 1100HS runs off a battery that's rated for just 170 shots, under ideal conditions. However, our real world usage yielded a lower number and thus, we'd recommend getting a spare battery or two, just to make sure you never run out of juice.

Image Quality
Everything said and done, at the end of the day, what matters is image quality. We tested the camera in several shooting conditions and found the results to be a little mixed. When shooting under the bright mid-day sun, the camera captured colors fairly accurately with good contrast and detail. Image quality further improved when shooting in shade (to simulate overcast sky) as colors became more vibrant and sharper. Normally when you zoom in to the maximum range of the camera, the image quality takes a hit, but that wasn't the case with the IXUS 1100HS.

The other aspect of image quality comes from using the flash. Flash can be used either for close-up shots, medium distance shots (5-10 feet from the camera) or for shots where the subject is far away (10 feet and beyond). Photos shot using the flash for subjects up to 10 feet away from the camera came out well balanced, without the ambient light being over powered by the flash. However, when the subject distance went beyond 13 feet, the flash wasn't powerful enough to light up the scene well and caused out images to look slightly under-exposed.

The back-illuminated sensor does its job rather well, keeping the noise levels rather low when shooting. However, there are some visible signs of the camera applying noise-reduction to the image, so they lose some sharpness, but nothing that any common image editing software can't fix. Overall, it felt nice to be able to take shots at night that would have otherwise been next to impossible by a regular point-and-shoot.

The camera also boasts the ability to shoot full HD video. We tested out the video for quality and found the footage to be smooth and crisp, but if you were a quality Nazi, you could notice compression artifacts in the footage. The mono mic lends well to the high quality video for filming subjects that are close by or loud venues, but fails to record audio acceptably when the speaker is standing more than 15 feet or so away.


Verdict
The Canon IXUS 1100HS is a definitely a full-bodied camera that lives up to the 'point-and-shoot' moniker rather well. With a price tag of Rs. 18,995, the IXUS 1100HS finds itself placed in the mid-level segment for buyers (See: Buyer's guide for point-and-shoot cameras). Higher price than its competitor can be attributed to a back-illuminated sensor that allows for shots to be taken in very low light conditions without degrading the image quality.

While there are cameras in the same price range with a higher zoom range and more megapixels, the IXUS 1100HS does claim to be the world's slimmest with 12x optical zoom. The IXUS 1100HS is aimed at the kind of consumer who prioritizes compactness over the price, without compromising on the feature set.

To see how the Canon IXUS 1100HS looks and performs, visit our photo gallery.


Pros
A slim profile, making it easy to carry around
Back-Illuminated sensor for better low light photography
Long 12x optical zoom with Image Stabilization
Touch-screen shutter
Records images in various aspect ratios

Cons
Sluggish touch-screen
Expensive for the feature-set
Back screen prone to smudges
Battery has a meager rating of just 170 shots, which would be further reduced if shooting with flash 
The high-speed burst mode shoots 7 frames per second, but reduces the resolution to just 3-megapixels 

Rating
Performance: 3.5
Features: 4
Ease of use: 4
Ergonomics: 5
Wow Factor: 4
Value for Money: 3
Overall: 4

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 and DSC-QX10 lens cameras announced, can be paired with Android and iOS devices Anupam Saxena, September 04, 2013

After a series of leaks and rumours, Sony has officially introduced two lens-style cameras, the Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 and the DSC-QX10, which can be attached to smartphones and tablets for an enhanced imaging experience or used independently.The lens cameras lack a viewfinder but can be attached to smart devices and paired with them through Wi-Fi or NFC, following which photos and videos can be shot with the help of Sony's PlayMemories app, which is available for both iOS and Android converting the device's screen into a real-time viewfinder. The same app lets users tinker with camera settings, coming with the ability to release the shutter, start or stop movie recordings, and adjust common photographic settings like shooting mode, zoom, Auto Focus area and others. Once pictures or videos are taken, they can be saved directly on both the phone and the camera or either, and can be shared instantly via social media or other common mobile applications. If the lens is not paired with the device, pictures and videos can be saved on a microSD card or a memory stick on the camera lens.
The new compact, ultra-portable cameras can be attached to a connected phone with a supplied mechanically adjustable adapter, or can be held separately in hand or even mounted to a tripod while still maintaining all functionality and connectivity with the smartphone.
They can also be operated as completely independent cameras if desired, as both the DSC-QX100 and DSC-QX10 cameras have a shutter release button, a memory card slot and both come with a rechargeable battery.
"With the new QX series cameras, we are making it easier for the ever-growing population of 'mobile photographers' to capture far superior, higher-quality content without sacrificing the convenience and accessibility of their existing mobile network or the familiar 'phone-style' shooting experience that they've grown accustomed to," said Patrick Huang, director of the Cyber-shot business at Sony. "We feel that these new products represent not only an evolution for the digital camera business, but a revolution in terms of redefining how cameras and smartphones can cooperatively flourish in today's market."The Cyber-shot QX100 camera features a 1.0-inch, 20.2-megapixel Exmor RCMOS sensor. Identical to the sensor found in the acclaimed Cyber-shot RX100 II camera, it allows for detailed, ultra-low noise images in all types of lighting conditions, including dimly lit indoor and night scenes, according to Sony.
The sensor is paired with a fast, wide-aperture Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T lens with 3.6x optical zoom and a BIONZ image processor, for detailed still images and HD videos. The DSC-QX100 sports a dedicated control ring for camera-like adjustment of manual focus and zoom. Several different shooting modes can be selected while using the camera including Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Intelligent Auto and Superior Auto, which automatically recognises 33 different shooting conditions and adjusts camera settings to suit.


The Cyber-shot DSC-QX10 camera boasts an 18.2 effective megapixel Exmor RCMOS sensor and 10x optical zoom Sony G Lens, allowing mobile photographers to bring distant subjects closer without sacrificing image quality or resolution, as per Sony. Additionally, the camera has built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation to combat camera shake, keeping handheld pictures and videos steady and blur-free. It has Program Auto, Intelligent Auto and Superior Auto modes to choose from, and will be available in two different colours - black and white.
The Cyber-shot DSC-QX100 and DSC-QX10 lens-style cameras will be available later this month for about $500 and $250, respectively. However, there is no information on the lens cameras' Indian availability and pricing.

 
IFA 2013 Berlin

Samsung develops 13-megapixel camera module for better low-light images, OIS Anupam Saxena, October 07, 2013

It looks like Samsung's next flagship phones will come with a much improved camera module, with the company officially revealing new camera technology for better low-light images and stabilization.

Samsung has announced (via TechOn) that it has developed a new camera module that features a 13-megapixel sensor, high-end optical image stabilisation and can shoot up to 8 times brighter images in the dark.

As per an official announcement, Samsung's new camera module's stabilisation feature corrects angular errors of up to 1.5-degrees, compared to correction of up to 0.7-degrees offered by most digital camera sensors available in the market.

In line with the latest trend of device makers boosting the low-light performance of smartphone cameras, Samsung says that the new camera has the capability to shoot images with eight times more brightness than Samsung's previous offerings.

Samsung also claims that the camera module consumes less power, so that the battery lasts much longer even with increased camera use.

The new camera module's dimensions are the same as existing modules, at 10.5x10.5x5.9mm. Samsung reportedly intends to begin volume production of the module in the first half of 2014 and is in negotiations with device makers.

It is highly likely we'll first see the camera module in Samsung's own 2014 flagship devices, the Galaxy S5 or the Note 4 (going by the current nomenclature).

OIS or optical image stabilisation corrects the shake that occurs while taking pictures because of wonky hands or if the user is moving leading to distortion in the images. Low-light image capture capability allows users to shoot accurate images in the dark as the camera sensor allows more light to enter resulting in brighter images. Current Samsung flagships take good quality pictures but they're not really known for low-light imaging and anti-shake capabilities

Review: Lytro Camera Sam Grobart, New York Times, March 01, 2012

When cameras went from analog to digital, it was one of those once-in-a-generation shifts, like going from black-and-white film to Kodachrome. But whether you're using a 35-millimeter or a point-and-shoot, the steps you take to shoot a picture have remained the same: you focus on something, then push a button to record the image.

But what if you could take a picture and refocus it after you had taken it? What if, just by clicking around a photo on your computer screen, you could choose which part of the image should be clear and which part should be blurry?

You can with a new camera called Lytro, and it's astonishing. With a Lytro, you take a picture as you would with any camera, but the digital file it creates can be refocused after the fact.

Inside the Lytro: An example of how the Lytro works can be found here.Inside the Lytro: An example of how the Lytro works can be found here.

This is fairly mind-blowing. Imagine a wedding photo with the bride in the foreground and the wedding party in the background. Click on the bride, and she's in focus while the bridesmaids are blurry. Click on the groomsmen and the focus shifts to them. Do this over and over all around the frame - the picture readjusts on the fly, smoothly moving from one focal point to another.

The effect makes photography almost like cinematography, revealing things vividly in the foreground and background. Refocusing a Lytro image, I felt like one of those C.I.A. agents in the movies who is looking at satellite images and asks some technician to 'enhance' the picture until Carlos the Jackal comes into focus.

The Lytro, which began shipping from lytro.com on Wednesday, can do this because its image sensor captures more data than your standard camera does. Not only does Lytro's sensor register the usual things - like how bright the incoming light was and what colors it contained - it also knows which direction the light came from. Armed with that information - known among scientists as light-field data - the Lytro's onboard software can create multiple focal points. A view of the Lytro's inner workings shows how this array of tiny lenses and microprocessors makes this happen.

This all happens in a camera the size and shape of a stick of butter. It's an unconventional design, with a lens at one end and a small, iPod-Nano-size touch screen at the other. On the top of the camera is a recessed button for the shutter release and a strip of bumps you slide your finger across to control the 8X optical zoom. On the bottom is a USB port and the power button. It's a simple and elegant package, but the shape and feel take a little getting used to; you kind of feel like an ship captain of yore with a spotting scope.

The Lytro weighs 7.6 ounces, a bit more than some point-and-shoots, but not so much that you would notice. There's no removable storage or battery: the camera comes with either eight gigabytes of memory (350 pictures, costing $399) or 16 gigabytes (750 pictures, costing $499). Since the Lytro captures light rays, not pixels, its sensor is rated at '11 megarays' (11 million rays) instead of pixels. Both models come with a lithium-ion battery that is good for up to 600 shots between charges, the camera's maker says.

Like a point-and-shoot, turning on the Lytro is nearly instantaneous; the touch screen comes to life in about a second. That touch screen is one of the Lytro's weaker points; it's a little like that Woody Allen joke about the restaurant ('The food at this place is really terrible. And such small portions!'). After years of viewing large, crisp displays on smartphones and even point-and-shoots, the Lytro's 1.5-inch LCD screen seems too grainy and small to really get a sense of what you're shooting.

The Lytro is a new kind of point-and-shoot camera that lets you refocus an image after you have taken it.The camera began shipping on Wednesday.

The touch screen's interface is more successful. When shooting, swiping up reveals an onscreen panel with battery life and memory-capacity information. Swiping to the right takes you to previously shot images. You can also switch between 'everyday mode,' where the refocus range is determined automatically, and 'creative mode,' which gives the photographer control over the refocus range. You do have to pick something to be in focus - there's no 'all in focus' feature, though Lytro says a software update will include it later this year.

After a picture has been taken, you can play around with focal points on the camera's display, but the Lytro's small LCD doesn't make that a very pleasurable experience - it's better to do it on a computer. (Right now, that computer has to be a Mac, because the Lytro is not yet compatible with Windows-run machines; the company says it will have Windows software later this year.)

Taking pictures with the Lytro reveals other benefits besides focusing after the fact. For starters, being able to refocus later means you don't have to focus now. Since the camera is pulling in multiple focal points all at once, the Lytro doesn't have the shutter lag point-and-shoots have. It's not SLR fast, but you can fire away with little delay. My own test measured the Lytro at one shot about every 1.3 seconds.

You can upload photos to your computer via the included USB cable. Bear in mind that Lytro photos don't leap onto your computer, but rather take more than one minute per shot to be uploaded and processed into clickable, refocusable images. If you're uploading dozens of photos, go downstairs and make a sandwich, or maybe a cassoulet, while the camera does its thing.

Lytro users also get a free online account to create galleries, share links with friends and post photos to Facebook, Twitter and Lytro's public page, which is like an in-house version of Flickr. If you've ever used any photo-sharing site before, you'll find that Lytro's version is simple and straightforward and you'll understand how it works in about two minutes.

Lytro images are stored as light-field picture files. Anyone with whom you share an lfp file can view it or click around and refocus it, just as you did. It's like a video you post from YouTube - the recipient doesn't need any special software; it's viewable in a Web browser (as you can see here).

Given that a Lytro picture is meant to be played around with, the format is not really intended for printed photos. You can generate a print, but it will be at a fairly low resolution, 1080 by 1080 pixels. That's good enough for a 3 by 5 or maybe a 5 by 7 print, but anything larger will look grainy.

So the Lytro is an astonishing new technology, presented in a attractive design, with easy-to-use software. But that doesn't mean you should buy it.

The Lytro has some drawbacks - and not inconsiderable ones. For starters, you can't share photos while on the go. If you were to tear a Lytro apart, you'd see a dormant Wi-Fi chip inside, so clearly there's going to be an evolution with some wireless capability. But for now, what happens on a Lytro stays on a Lytro, until you plug it into your computer.

And while refocusing is its own interesting tool, that's the only tool you have at this point - adding a filter or importing the image into Photoshop remains impossible. Then there's the price. Four or five hundred dollars is not chump change, even for nonchumps. It's too expensive for basic photo purposes (that's what your phone's camera is for), and professional users will want more control over settings and lenses.

The potential of light-field photography is great - that whole 'don't have to focus' thing is maybe even more impressive than focusing after the fact - but there's a difference between a great technology and a great product. Should Lytro's engineers refine light-field photography into something more versatile and cheaper (imagine this on a smartphone), it may turn out to be a game changer.

For now, I tip my hat to the innovators at Lytro, but I'm not opening my wallet.

Nikon Coolpix P330 review Gagandeep Singh Sapra, May 30, 2013

Nikon Coolpix P330 is a new point and shoot from Nikon that gives you a 5x optical zoom, a 24 to 120 mm wide-angle zoom lens, with a maximum aperture of f/1.8. It is targeted at a consumer who is looking at more control on the camera than a basic point-and-shoot, without the bulk associated with a DSLR. Does the Coolpix P330 deliver on this count? Let's find out.

In the box
Nikon Coolpix P330 camera
Nikon EN-EL-12 Lithium Ion Battery
Charger with unpolarised NEMA plug
Convertor to use with Indian sockets
USB cable
RCA to USB/AV out cable
Lanyard (Handstrap)
CD With reference manual
CD With Nikon View NX2 software
Warranty cards and manuals

Though the camera is capable of recording full-HD video, and also has an HDMI port, Nikon does not include an HDMI Cable, and gives a RCA Cable. This felt a bit odd.

Build/ Design
The moment you take it out of the box, the first thing that you notice about the Nikon Coolpix P300 is the boxy sharp feel. When you hold it in your hands, the grip is pretty solid - from the rubberised thumb rest to the metal body, it feels solid and very nicely built, yet remains light enough to be carried around.



The buttons are easily accessible for single-handed shooting, with your thumb being able to control both the mode dial as well as the shutter speed dial in case you are shooting on the manual. From an ergonomics standpoint, the front of the camera is flat, but a raised bump of rubber ensures that your grip is tight and the camera stays firm in your hand.

Features/ Performance
As mentioned earlier, the Nikon Coolpix P300 is designed for a user who wants more from a point-and-shoot camera, or for someone who is used to a DSLR but wants to travel light. The mode dial lets you select from a Full Auto mode, Portrait mode, Shutter Priority mode (S), Aperture Priority mode (A), a full Manual mode (M), a User Defined mode (U), a Scene mode and a Night Picture mode. The on-off button is in the middle of two large dials, the mode dial and the shutter speed control dial, and both the dials are easy to operate. With the Power button depressed in a groove, you don't accidentally hit it while shooting, which is nice.

The typical Wide to Tele zoom dial and a rather large shutter button are present as well.
The Nikon Coolpix P300 comes with more 'mode's than your typical point-and-shoot camera. In most compact cameras, you typically get a Portrait mode, a Auto mode, a Scenes mode and perhaps a Night Shot mode. The P330, however, comes with a Shutter priority mode, the Aperture priority mode, the Full Manual mode, as well as a User Defined mode, offering the kind of control and flexibility you usually see in a DSLR.

To get started with the camera, you pop it open at the bottom and insert the battery and the memory card (the camera takes SD, SDHC and SDXC Cards). With the memory slot at the bottom, if you mount the camera on a tripod, you'll have to take it off just to change the card.

Switching on the camera the first time around requires you to setup the time, date, the country you are in and the language. Quickly finishing this setup, you can go and setup the ISO Settings or leave them to the default Auto. There is a Function button on the front side of the camera, that you can allocate a function of your choice, such as to change the ISO, which is what I did. Setup your metering to either spot or centre weighted, and your focussing, and the camera is ready to go.

It is nice to see that Nikon offers RAW capabilities on the camera, and you can save the images in RAW and JPEG both. If you are shooting in JPEG mode (default) make sure you set the image quality to Fine Setting as by default it is set to Standard.



The screen is pretty sharp and bright, and worked well on an outdoor shoot across the day at the Golden Temple, Amritsar. I had the sun shining on me, and with the water from the sarovar reflecting the sun, there were very few times I missed the viewfinder.

I was expecting the front dial around the lens to be rotatable so that I could use that for settings but that is fixed, this means in a full Manual mode, the shutter speed settings are done by the dial on top, but for the Aperture settings you have to depend on the scroll wheel near the menu buttons at the back. I changed to Aperture mode to realise that the aperture settings can be controlled only by this dial, and was unable to find a way to switch the settings so that I could use the dial on top for aperture control.

Anyway, since the camera offered an f/1.8 aperture and I was shooting some scenes at the end of the day, it made more sense for me to use aperture mode, I setup the ISO to be around 400 and put the camera on a wide Shutter of f/1.8 and got some great pictures.

The fact that I could not switch between choosing which dial is for aperture setting and which for shutter was a bit of a bother at first, but once I got used to the placement, it wasn't much of an issue. But yes, I did manage to rotate the wrong dial on a couple of occasions.

What is nice to see with Nikon is that the flash is now only a manual popup. This means the camera will warn you that it needs the flash and you will have to pop it up manually from the side, so no mis-fires of the flash and getting bad pictures. If you don't really need flash, you can shut it by depressing it and it won't fire again until you raise it again manually.



The lens is optically stabilised and if you have visited the Golden temple, you would know that the queues can stretch up to an hour of waiting. I used the lens at full zoom to take a few shots, and the camera managed these pretty well and delivered sharp results in the daytime. However, at night one needs to be careful and preferably use a flat surface on which the camera is or use a tripod, to get the perfect shot. The wide-angle lens is a great companion for taking portrait as well as landscape shots, and the camera seems pretty stable while also feeling good in the hand.

The camera comes with a built-in GPS that records location of your photos. The GPS performs spot on, but you do have to update the A-GPS file when you start it, it is sharp and precise and finds a lock instantly, though indoors is usually an issue.

Nikon Coolpix P330 can be attached to a WU-1A mobile adapter accessory from Nikon that allows you to take pictures remotely over Wi-Fi from your mobile phone. You can see the live view sitting at a distance from the camera and even transfer images from the camera to your mobile phone to share over the Internet. The accessory costs an additional Rs. 3,510.

The Camera charges over a USB Port, this means there is no need to carry an additional adapter, but you do have to carry the USB cable supplied as it uses a different format of the USB connector on the Camera end. You can also buy a separate charger for the battery in case you need one.

The Nikon Coolpix P330 comes with a 3.0-inch screen with 912k dots that is nice and bright but at times on a very sunny day you may miss a viewfinder.

Focus system
The focus system on the Nikon Coolpix P330 is pretty efficient for a point-and-shoot. A half press of the shutter kicks in the auto focus and in about quarter of a second the image is focussed with no delay going forward. In tricky situations, like sunlight coming from the front of the camera, I did miss the manual focus, but the camera adapted pretty well, and the resultant image was quite good.

Image quality
One does not expect DSLR quality images from a point-and-shoot, but the P330 performed well over all. I shot most of the images in RAW and used Aperture on a Mac to process these images. Even while viewing and cropping at full-zoom,  the images retained their sharpness. While the image quality can't really be compared to those from a larger sensor, but the backlit sensor in the P330 helped in getting some great images in the evening and some very sharp images in the day.



To some the 12-megapixel sensor may seem small or undersized, but in my usage experience, I did not mind a slightly smaller sensor. Unless you are planning to blow up an image and put it up as a hoarding at a crossing, you wouldn't need any more megapixels either.



The camera performs very well indoors under artificial light. From shots taken at a restaurant, to a public park at night, I never felt the need of popping up the flash, and the pictures still came out quite good. This means that you can carry it to a birthday party and manage to get some interesting pictures without flashing people in their eyes, or worrying about red eyes. Only in rare cases where it was pitch dark did I feel the need to use the flash.



The flash is designed pretty well and does a decent fill in where required, though you may not find a reason to use the flash, because of a good low light performance on the camera. However, on the rare occasion that you do, the flash fills in the scene without becoming overbearing. Whenever you use a flash (with any camera), make sure there is enough distance between you and the subject, so that the flash bounces off properly and you don't end up with areas that are pure white.



For more shots clicked with the Nikon Coolpix P330, visit our gallery.

Video
I am not very fond of shooting videos with point-and-shoot cameras, but the video quality on the Nikon Coolpix P330 was surprisingly good. I shot a video of the family driving down to the holy city, and the camera picked up voices easily in the car, though it did have a bit of traffic noise, indicating that the camera has good reception. The video itself looked pretty sharp.

The camera can take 1080p full high-definition videos and in case you are running short of space on your card, you can always switch the video resolution down to 720p or even 480p. The camera also lets you click a snapshot while recording the movie if you press the shutter button all the way down, but remember the shutter sound will get recorded too.

The autofocus takes a little bit of time to readjust when you zoom in or out, or say, move outdoors from indoors, but overall it performed decently for a home video shoot. In case you wish to take some movies at a birthday party or your kids' school event, the camera is unlikely to let you down.

Battery life
The Nikon Coolpix P330 uses an EN-EL-12 lithium ion battery that is found on quite a few Nikon point-and-shoot cameras.  The battery delivers 200+ shots on a single charge.

The battery can be charged while inside the camera by simply connecting the camera to a USB port (USB charger is included). The battery can also be charged externally (without the camera) with a separate charger (not included), in case you are someone who likes to have multiple batteries around for backup.

Verdict
Overall, especially for its price, the Nikon Coolpix P330, seems like a wonderful camera. There are other point-and-shoots that perform this well, but all of them are in the Rs. 30,000 plus category. At the current price point of Rs. 16,950, the P330 is a great buy.

I did miss not having a Grid to help compose my shots, and the P330 doesn't seem to have a setting to enable this either. I also did not like the fact that I could not swap the aperture control and shutter control dials, though the ability to set function button to whatever you like is pretty handy. The User mode is great to get the camera out of the pocket and shoot immediately on custom settings.

The metal body though has a boxy look which makes the camera look rather dated, but when you hold it in your hand and actually give it a shot, the camera feels wonderful and solid, thanks to it's mix of metal and rubber.


Nikon Coolpix P330: Hands on and sample shots

Pros
High-speed autofocus
Good quality, sharp pictures
Good low light performance
Fits easily in pocket

Cons
No viewfinder
Can't switch Shutter and Aperture dials
No gridlines to help compose shots

Price: Rs. 16,950

Ratings (Out of 5)
Build/ Ergonomics: 3.5
Features/ Performance: 4
Image Quality: 4
Video: 3.5
Battery Life: 4
Value for Money: 5
Overall: 4

Gagandeep Singh Sapra is a technology entrepreneur, and is popularly known as The Big Geek (@thebiggeek).