Play Your Way Own Through the 2015 Cricket World Cup With These Great Games

by Rohan Naik 24 February 2015

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The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 is underway and for a lot of people in India and around the world, this is the biggest sporting event of the calendar. Sure, T20 matches might have taken away some of the sheen of the 50-over format but the World Cup remains the most prestigious event on the cricketing circuit.
If you're a gamer who loves cricket, then there are plenty of games you can play to recreate the action and get your fix between World Cup matches. Here are our top picks:
1. ICC Pro Cricket 2015 (iOS, Android, PC)
The "official" ICC Cricket World Cup video game, ICC Pro Cricket 2015 was released by Indiagames, a local studio with a lot of experience in making cricket games. The game features a unique bowling mechanic that has you tracing the ball's trajectory on the screen, which makes for a more immersive experience. Batting has the default camera from behind the stumps much like Don Bradman Cricket and requires you to tap the for a ground or lofted shot as well as choosing the direction.It can take a little getting used to, but this free mobile game looks amazing and is a lot of fun, as does the PC variant which costs Rs. 609. Motion capture makes an appearance as do realistic graphics along with management and simulation gameplay.
This time around its efforts are coupled with the ICC Cricket World Cup license ensuring that you have over 150 official players from 14 teams. What this means is you won't be playing as "MS Dhobi" but as the real MSD.
Download ICC Pro Cricket 2015 for iOS, Android, PC
2. Don Bradman Cricket (PS4, Xbox One)
The Don Bradman series is possibly the best cricket game available, and the fine folk at Australian studio Big Ant have decided that it was a tragedy to restrict the games to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC alone. Newer consoles also get to share in the fun now, and our review confirms that the addictive gameplay mechanics and modes that made last year's game a triumph have all been retained from the dual stick control scheme for batting and bowling to the exhaustive career mode. If you are a cricket fanatic, it's well worth the Rs. 4,099 asking price.3. Real Cricket 14 (iOS, Android)
Another mobile game, Real Cricket 14 is Nautilus Mobile's debut attempt at the genre. Sporting a unique 2D art style and slick animations, this is a compelling game that's tough to put down. And though the title is a year old, the Android version has been updated for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, with the iOS version expected to get the same treatment soon. The controls are what you'd expect with the use of virtual buttons that are surprisingly tactile, and result in batting and bowling being a cinch.What does the Real Cricket World Cup update bring to the table? Well, there's a free World Cup game mode and all of the game's premium features (except for equipment) such as game modes will be unlocked for India. Furthermore, the Real Cricket Premier League mode which was earlier exclusive to Intel devices will be available for purchase at around Rs. 60.
Download Real Cricket for iOS, Android
(Also see: How to Watch 2015 Cricket World Cup Live on Your PC, Smartphone, or Tablet)
4. 10 Ten Cricket Card Battle (iOS)
Another game from the Indiagames' stable, 10 Ten Cricket Card Battle harks back to the days when trump cards were popular. It's a cricket-based card-collection game that has you managing a team, upgrading your players' stats and of course a roster that has every player taking part in the World Cup. Aside from sporting a unique aesthetic, the economy of 10 Ten links with ICC Pro Cricket 2015, which means purchases in either game sync across both games, making for a rather interesting experience, think about it as the cricket equivalent to FIFA's Ultimate Team, allowing you to buy premium players to create an unbeatable squad.We'll have to see how well this works out, but for now there's enough content to keep you piqued if you like your cricket games to have a more strategic, tactical feel to them.
Download 10 Ten Cricket Card Battle for iOS
(Also see: Have Fun Following Cricket World Cup 2015 With Online Fantasy Leagues )
5. Stick Cricket World Cup Edition (Browser)
Stick Cricket has long been the escape for many an office going drone looking to kill time between senseless meetings. As usual, this is a browser-based affair that has you batting in a chase of seemingly insurmountable scores or setting a winning total. Running between wickets is automatic. This time around it's World Cup themed wherein you've to play group matches. Win enough of those and you'll find yourself in the knock out phase followed by the semi-final and then the final itself.
Inspite of its rudimentary gameplay, the bowler descriptions at the start of an over give it some character, making it a humorous affair. The high score chase can get highly addictive, and keep you playing this incredibly basic game for a lot longer than more sophisticated alternatives.
You can fire up Stick Cricket on your desktop browser right now.
Did you try any of your 2015 Cricket World Cup game picks already? What is your favourite cricket game of all time? Tell us via the comments.

Tags:10 Ten Cricket Card Battle,Big Ant Studios,Cricket Games,Don Bradman Cricket,ICC Cricket World Cup 2015,ICC Pro Cricket 2015,Indiagames,Nautilus Mobile,Real Cricket 14,Stick Cricket,Stick Sports

Asus Fonepad 7 (FE375CL) With 4G Support, Android 5.0 Lollipop Launched

  February18, 2015

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Asus has introduced a new Fonepad voice-calling tablet, dubbed the Fonepad 7 (FE375CL), running Android 5.0 Lollipop out-of-the-box.The Asus Fonepad 7 (FE375CL), listed on company's official website, will reportedly (via PhoneArena) be released in Taiwan first, for prices starting at around $250 (approximately Rs. 15,500). Global pricing and availability dates have not yet been disclosed.
According to the company listing, the single-SIM (Micro-SIM) Asus Fonepad 7 (FE375CL) features a 7-inch WXGA (1280x800 pixels) IPS LED-backlit display with up to 10-point multi-touch support.
It is powered by a quad-core Intel Atom Z3530 processor clocked at 1.3GHz alongside 2GB of RAM. There are 8GB or 16GB of inbuilt storage variants of the Asus Fonepad 7 (FE375CL), which also includes expandable storage via microSD card (up to 64GB).
The Fonepad 7 (FE375CL) tablet sports a 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
Connectivity options of the tablet include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/ A-GPS, GLONASS, and Micro-USB. The Fonepad 7 (FE375CL) packs a 15Whr battery that is rated to deliver up to 12 hours of battery life - Asus claims to have measured this by looping an HD video with display brightness at 100nits, while keeping the external microphone, Wi-Fi and 3G turned on, and Gmail logged in for email and updates. The tablet has dimensions of 108.9x194.3x9.8mm and weighs 299 grams.
Last month, Asus had introduced the Fonepad 7 (FE171CG), which is a refreshed version of the 2014's  Asus Fonepad 7 (FE170CG).
The dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) voice-calling tablet listed on the company website is yet to see the official price and availability. The Asus Fonepad 7 (FE171CG) tablet that runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box and includes a 7-inch WSVGA (1024x600 pixels) IPS display; Intel's Atom Z2520 processor (1MB Cache, 2 cores, 4 threads, base frequency of 1.2GHz) coupled with 1GB or 2GB RAM options (depending on the region); . a 2-megapixel front-facing camera; rear cameras options (8-megapixel or 5-megapixel), and 8GB or 16GB inbuilt storage variants.

Micromax Yu Yureka's First Bug Fix OTA Update Starts Rolling Out

  February 07, 2015

Micromax's Yu Yureka has started receiving its first OTA (over-the-air) update that brings incremental bug fixes. In other news, 15,000 units of Micromax's Yu Yureka smartphone will be made available on Thursday via the fourth flash sale that kicks off at 2pm IST on Amazon India for registered users.

We have started rolling out the Bug-fix OTA update. Watch out for the notification on your YUREKA! pic.twitter.com/Z8KuyyS0vL
-- YU (@YUplaygod) February 4, 2015

The company announced the update in a tweet and referred to it as a "bug-fix OTA update." Notably, the update is an incremental update and brings security fixes, improvements for proximity sensor and dual-SIM functionality. The update comes with build number XNPH05Q and is about 73MB in size.
Yu on Wednesday announced the number of units going on sale in the fourth flash sale in a tweet.

15000 units available for the Yureka sale on 5th February. The sale begins at 2 PM on @amazonINpic.twitter.com/roTyXeV9uw
-- YU (@YUplaygod) February 4, 2015

The third flash sale of Micromax's Yu Yureka (Review | Images) last week saw 10,000 smartphones going out of stock in 3 seconds on Amazon India while the second flash sale saw 15,000 units being grabbed in just 4 seconds. The first flash sale that had seen 10,000 units go out of stock in 3 seconds also saw a lot of controversy with site glitches including incorrect price listings and allegations the company actually made only 3,000 units available for sale.
Last week, the company announced a special Yu Yureka sale for contest winners and "impacted customers" who were unable to avail the smartphone in the previous two sales to due to incorrect price listings or payment issues, as well as for those customers that received defective or damaged units.
Priced at Rs. 8,999, Micromax's Yu Yureka offers some rather impressive specifications at the price. The dual-SIM smartphone features Cat. 4 4G LTE connectivity, and runs Cyanogen OS 11 based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. It bears a 5.5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) IPS display with Gorilla Glass 3; a 64-bit 1.5GHz octa-core Snapdragon 615 SoC (MSM8939); an Adreno 405 GPU; 2GB of RAM; a 13-megapixel Sony Exmor CMOS sensor rear camera with an f/2.2 aperture and flash; a front-facing 5-megapixel fixed-focus camera; 16GB of inbuilt storage expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB), and a 2500mAh Li-Po battery.

Yu Yureka

Rs. 8999

• Review
• Key Specs
• News

• Design
• Display
• Software
• Performance
• Battery life
• Camera
• Value for money

• Good
• Good performance
• Great camera
• Highly customisable Cyanogen OS
• LTE support

• Bad
• Average battery life

Android 5.0 Lollipop-Based CM12S Build for OnePlus One in Final Testing

February 07, 2015

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Things might not be working very well between OnePlus and Cyanogen, the makers of the CyanogenMod custom ROM. While the future between the two companies is still uncertain, the next Android 5.0 Lollipop build of Cyanogen OS for the OnePlus One - CM12S - is on track as promised by founder Steve Kondik earlier this month. Cyanogen in a tweet on Sunday confirmed that the latest Cyanogen OS build for the OnePlus One smartphone has entered final testing.

Lollipop build for @oneplus one has entered QA/QE stage for release! Testing & cert to begin alongside 3rd party partners to meet GMS reqs.
-- Cyanogen Inc. (@CyanogenInc) February 1, 2015

The company also revealed that the testing and certification of the CM12S build will begin alongside third-party partners to meet standards required by Google Play Services.
Android Police reports that the update to CyanogenMod 11S (CM11S) will be dubbed CyanogenMod 12S (CM12S) and is based on the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. Unfortunately, the Cyanogen has not revealed any specific date for the release of the final build based on Android Lollipop for One smartphones. Considering that the build is yet to pass certification, we can expect it to take some more time for the update to be released for consumers.
Cyanogen's tweet affirms the company's commitment to the OnePlus One users, or at least global device users. Cyanogen last month in a blog post had confirmed that the "global OnePlus One devices" will get OTA updates. The company in another blog post had revealed that OnePlus One (Review | Images) buyers in India won't receive OTA updates from the company.
OnePlus late last month announced the name of its custom Android 5.0 Lollipop build, OxygenOS.
The '2014 flagship killer' handset maker alongside also announced that it was developing a separate custom ROM for the Chinese market, called H2OS. It is being speculated that both the ROMs are likely similar with some region-specific changes. The company revealed that more details about the new custom ROM will be announced on February 12.
The introduction of OxygenOS by OnePlus, and the scheduling of the February 12 announcement, is in-line with the company's previously announced timeline of replacing the Cyanogen OS it currently offers buyers. OnePlus' decision to build a custom ROM in November was made after the Micromax-Cyanogen deal came to light, and is a move attempting to reduce the company's reliance on Cyanogen for custom ROM builds.

OnePlus One

Rs. 21,999

• Review
• Key Specs
• News

• Design
• Display
• Software
• Performance
• Battery life
• Camera
• Value for money

• Good
• Blazing fast performance
• Good screen
• Phenomenal value for money
• Flexible CyanogenMod OS

• Bad
• Average camera
• Disappointing battery life
• Restricted availability

HP 110-400IL and 120-110in Affordable Desktops Launched in India

  February 07, 2015

HP on Tuesday launched its new HP 110-400IL and HP 120-110in Desktop PC systems in India starting with a price tag of Rs. 23,990 for HP 110-400IL Desktop PC. The exact price for HP 120-110in Desktop PC is not yet known, however, HP says it will start at roughly the same price as the HP 110-400IL. The desktop PCs by HP are said to be for everyday use by both small business and home users.
The HP 120-110in desktop PC runs Microsoft Windows 8.1 and is powered by a fourth generation 64-bit Intel Core i3 4160 Processor (3MB cache, 2 cores, 4 threads, 3.6GHz base frequency). Users can also customise and expand the capabilities of the system with additional memory and graphic card.
Besides 2GB of SDRAM (12800Mbps), which is upgradable to 4GB, the HP 120-110in Desktop PC features a 500GB 7200rpm HDD and comes bundled with a keyboard and a mouse. The desktop cabinet measures 337.8x100.3x378.4 mm and weighs 8.9kgs.
The HP 110-400IL desktop PC, unlike the HP 120-110in, runs DOS 2.0 OS and is powered by a 64-bit Intel Pentium J2900 processor (2MB cache, 4 cores, 4 threads, 2.41GHz base frequency, 2.66GHz burst frequency) alongside 2GB of DDRL3 RAM (1600MHz) Intel HD graphics for handling graphics and animations on the system.
As for the storage, the HP 110-400IL desktop PC features a 500GB 7200rpm HDD. Like the HP 120-110in, HP 110-400IL also comes bundled with a mouse and a keyboard. The PC cabinet measures 165x384.5x363.8 mm and weighs 5.4kgs. The system is available to buy from the HP online store.
"As home and office computers become more widespread, increased performance and value are often a key consideration for the country's first-time home users and Small Office/Home Office users," said Ketan Patel, director, Computing Category, Printing and Personal Systems, HP India. "The HP 110 and 120 Desktop PCs not only deliver the performance and value that customers are looking for, for the first time, but are also equipped with a genuine operating system as well as the quality and support they expect from the HP brand."

Acer Aspire E5-571 Refreshed 2015 Model Launched at Rs. 44,999

February 07, 2015

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Acer, after launching its laptop-tablet hybrid in India earlier this week, on Thursday introduced a refreshed version of its Aspire E5-571 laptop in the country. Acer says the launch marks as the region's first and the company's "latest fifth generation Intel Core processor based device". The 2015 Acer Aspire E5-571 is priced starting Rs. 44,999, and will go on sale soon. It is worth mentioning that the same Aspire E5-571 models with fourth generation Intel Core processors are available to buy online at around half the price.
The new Acer Aspire E5-571 notebook runs on Windows 8.1. The laptop, besides featuring an upgraded processor, shares the same specifications as its the fourth generation Intel Core processor models. The notebook is powered by a fifth generation Intel Core i7 'Broadwell U' processor, which is made using the 14nm process. The processor includes two cores and four threads, featuring Hyper-Threading Technology.
Other specifications of the new Aspire E5-571 include 15.6-inch HD display, up to 1TB of inbuilt storage, and up to 12GB of RAM. Besides Intel's 2.02 Turbo Boost, the notebook sports Nvidia GeForce 800M for handling the graphic intensive applications. It also boasts of features like facial recognition, and an improved touchpad with Precision Touchpad (PTP) technology and support for six core Windows 8.1 gestures. Acer says the laptop provides up to 7 hours of battery backup.
The Skype-Certified laptop comes in five colour variants namely Titanium Silver, Midnight Black, Tiger's Eye Brown, Sapphire Blue and Garnet Red. More specification details for the Acer Aspire E5-571 will be known once the laptop hits the shelves.
"Acer continues leading the industry in computing innovation by enhancing the user experience. Consumers will now be delighted working on the E5-571 which now comes with the latest fifth generation Intel Core i7 processor. Intel's 14nm process delivers premium performance, stunning visuals, and battery life which take the device's performance to the next level of computing," stated S Rajendran, Chief Marketing Officer, Acer India during the launch.
"We'd like to congratulate Acer on bringing in the first set of devices based on the fifth generation Intel Core processors. This new processor family is Intel's latest wave of 14nm processors, delivering improved system and graphics performance, more natural and immersive user experiences, and enabling longer battery life compared to previous generations. The 5th Generation Intel Core processor is purpose-built for the next generation of computing devices offering a thinner, lighter and more efficient experience across diverse form factors as well as powerful performance while being power efficient and offering longer battery life. Devices based on this processor family are certainly the right choice for consumers who're looking to buy a new device or refresh their old device" added Anand Ramamoorthy, Director Consumption Sales, Intel South Asia.

Panasonic Launches 3 High-Speed A4 Duplex Multi-Functional Printers in India

Correspondent, February 06, 2015

Panasonic on Wednesday launched three new A4 multi-functional duplex printers in India in its KX-MB2100 series, starting Rs. 16,900. The printers named KX-MB2170, KX-MB2130, and KX-MB2120 are priced at Rs. 20,700, Rs. 18,500 and Rs. 16,900 respectively.
The new printers by Panasonic, besides performing regular print jobs, additionally come with enhanced document security, as well as mobile printing functionality. The printers are aimed at market segments like hospitality, BFSI, real estate and helpdesk. The company says it aims to capture 20 percent market share in the country by 2016.
The new KX-MB2170, KX-MB2130 and KX-MB2120 printers feature 64MB of memory and deliver a pages per minute speed of 24ppm with double sided printing. Panasonic also says with 2-in-1 duplex printing, users can reduce paper consumption by as much as 75 percent, and toner consumption by as much as 50 percent. The laser printers are additionally compatible with Google, Cloud print and Mobile print applications.
Panasonic is also touting its Secure Print technology, which protects print data with with passwords, and stores data on the user's computer hard drive until the password is entered on the printer. Up to 30 jobs at a time can be printed from data on the hard drive. Any additional jobs can be printed once the first 30 have completed. The KX-MB2100 printers measure 410x400x320mm and weigh almost 12 kgs. More details on the printers can be found on their dedicated website section.
"The range of multi-functional duplex printers is a step further to strengthen our presence in the enterprise segment. Panasonic has successfully made inroads into the Indian business market and this segment holds immense growth opportunities for us to expand in. With the launch of these products, we are looking at capturing 20 percent market share by 2016. We will continue to expand our market presence through economic and innovative product range and services," said Manish Sharma, Managing Director, Panasonic India during the launch.
"Through this product we aim to aid business operations in an effective and economic manner. These printers entail high benefits for SOHOS and SMES for its dual economic feasibility i.e. affordable pricing and steady cut in cost of production along with a consistent performance. We will continue to serve the audience with innovative products which would cater to their needs with the changing dynamics of society," added Ajay Madan-Category Head, GM, Panasonic India.

Disney India Announces ICC Pro Cricket 2015 Game for iOS, Android, PC, DTH

  February 07, 2015

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The ICC Cricket World Cup is a mere seven days away and we fully expect mobile, PC, and even consoles to see their fair share of cricket games over the next few days. While Australian studio Big Ant's Don Bradman Cricket is scheduled to launch next week, a day before the World Cup kicks off, Disney India announced ICC Pro Cricket 2015 on Friday for iOS, Android, Mobile, DTH, and PC.
The game is developed by Indiagames, a company that Disney acquired in 2013, and one that has a track record of successful cricket games in the past, such as Cricket Fever Challenge, World Cup Cricket Fever, and Cricket T20 Fever.
"We are set out to build cricket as a franchise in the world of gaming. Our latest offering -- ICC Pro Cricket 2015, a real cricket simulation game with high quality gameplay and superior visual experience to our global audiences is just the beginning of our journey. This will be the best in cricket games, bringing our consumers as close to a real on-ground cricket experience as possible, thus elevating the overall gameplay. We hope cricket lovers enjoy playing this game as much as they enjoy the ICC Cricket World Cup," said Sameer Ganapathy, Vice President and Head, Interactive - Disney India.
Disney has said that ICC Pro Cricket 2015 will be available closer to the World Cup on PCs and mobile phones (on iOS and Android) across India, Australia and other select international markets and on the DTH platforms. When it is available, however, PC users can download the game from the official website for a flat cost of $9.99 (around Rs. 619), while DTH players can access this game via Dish TV and Airtel. For smartphones, Disney has opted for the freemium model for the iOS and Android versions of the app.

The Best Bluetooth Headset For Any Budget

  February 07, 2015

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There's a stigma around Bluetooth headsets - it's still hard to shake the feeling that the person using them is a jerk. And of course, if you are talking on your headset, no one around you realises at first and thinks you're a crazy person. Today though, improvements in battery life and design make them comfortable and convenient to use, and there are a lot of options, starting from entry level options all the way to high-end products.
With our phones getting bigger and bigger, you don't want to have to pull them out of your pocket for every single call, and but when we decided to take the plunge and buy a headset, the number of different options available were overwhelming. To figure out what to buy, we started reading what other reviews were saying and looking at customer reviews of the different products on sites like Flipkart and Amazon. This was followed up by more than two weeks of listening to as many different headsets as possible, to figure out what the best bet was, for different budgets.
We've rounded up some mid-range devices starting from Rs. 1,000 upwards; midrange headsets that are priced around Rs. 5,000; and some high-end sets that are around Rs. 10,000. As a bonus, we've also listed a luxury model that costs around Rs. 20,000, so you'll find something that suits your budget below.
If you're looking to spend less than Rs. 1,000, you might as well go for the basic Bluetooth headsets from Nokia or Samsung, or specialist brands like Jabra or Plantronics. We tried quite a few headsets in the Rs. 500 to Rs. 700 price range, but found battery life, audio quality and comfort to be around the same level, with small ups and downs. Across the board, just stick to a brand you are familiar with (so that you know where to go if there are any problems) and pick any headset. If your budget goes above this though, then we've got some good suggestions below.
Entry Level
If you're just looking for a basic headset to use for calls, then you can spend around Rs. 500 and get a mono-headset. If you've got a little more to spend, then you can look at options that are more comfortable, have better battery life, and give you stereo.
LG Tone+ HBS 730
Approximately Rs. 1,500
The Tone+ is not the most discreet headset you're going to find, but it is comfortable, has great battery life, and its design lets you keep stow the earbuds conveniently without having to keep it in your ears all the time, making it a good all-day option.
The neckband looks bulky but is very light, and we quickly forgot that we were wearing it. The earbuds are attached to the ends of the neckband, and held in place with magnets, which is a pretty convenient design. The battery life is pretty good too - LG claims 17 hours of talktime - we charged it every three days or so.
While we liked the comfort of using the headset, it looks pretty bad, and the audio quality isn't great either. It is clear enough for calls, but people on the other end say the voice is a little faint, and on our end, there's a slight metallic note to the audio. It's fine for calls, but it's not ideal for listening to music or movies.
The headset has an MRP of Rs. 4,999 but we've seen the price drop several times to Rs. 1,299; it is currently available online for Rs. 1,499, which is a pretty good price for this headset.
Nokia BH 505
Approximately Rs. 2,900
The Nokia BH 505 is also a neckband, but unlike the LG Tone+, it has a rigid body design, and the earpiece doesn't detach from the main body. The design means that the fit is firmer than that of the LG Tone+, and if you're looking for something you can wear while you jog, this might be a better option - the Tone+ can bounce around even when running down the stairs. Its battery life is pretty reasonable - Nokia claims a 10 hour battery life - and the audio quality for calls and other media was good.
The audio quality is good but not great - it's sounds clear, if a little limited in terms of range, and performed well when watching a movie, and on calls. On the other hand, the rigid body design can be just a little uncomfortable, and you're always aware of the neckband. For the price (currently available at Rs. 2,899) this headset is a good option, and both this and the LG Tone+ are more comfortable than mono-headsets in the same price band.
Midrange
There are some really good options close to the Rs. 5,000 mark - the audio quality is noticeably higher than the cheaper headsets, and some of the options here are also incredibly comfortable to wear.
Plantronics Backbeat Go 2
Approximately Rs. 4,000
If you're looking for superb comfort and great audio quality, then the Backbeat Go is a safe bet. The headset is essentially just two earbuds, connected with a flat, tanglefree strap. It's extremely lightweight, the audio quality is good, and you can easily store it in your pocket when it's not in use. Battery life is pretty low though - we got at most four hours of playback with this particular set, and you'll end up charging it at least every morning, if not more often.
The MRP is Rs. 4,790, but it's currently available online at Rs. 3,900, which is a pretty good deal.
JBL 46BT
Approximately Rs. 4,000
The JBL 46BT is very similar to the Backbeat Go 2, in terms of both design and function. It's a little bit more expensive, but has much clearer bass. It's good for listening to music and movies, but the mic on the headset is a little awkwardly placed and people say that the voice seems to be coming from far away. Another issue with both these headsets is that the fit isn't as tight as it could be - we've seen many reviews from joggers who confirm that the headset does not stay in when running.
Sony DR-BTN 200
Approximately Rs. 5,000
A slightly more expensive option, the Sony DR-BTN 200 is a small over the ear headset that is really comfortable to wear. The headset sounds great, and if you want to use the headphones for something like TV watching, then this is a good option. It's very comfortable and for indoor use, the battery life of four and a half hours is not bad either.
While its MRP is Rs. 8,000, the Sony DR-BTN 200 is available for Rs. 5,093 online at present (though some sellers are more expensive, so look around for the best rate). That's a pretty good price because this is a comfortable set that is great for watching TV, and the voice quality for calls is also good. The battery life and large size means that you can't really use it for around-the-clock calls, but if you'll primarily be using it for music in office, it's a great buy.
Jabra Motion
Approximately Rs. 5,300
The Jabra Motion is the only mono headset in our entire list, but while it is a little uncomfortable at first, once you get used to it, this set is probably the best for long phone calls. It features noise cancellation for calls that is incredibly effective, and simple and easy to use controls along a very sleek design.
The battery life was also excellent, needing to be charged only every third day. Audio quality for calls is great, and calls were crystal clear. On the other hand, it's not something you can easily stow. You'll have to keep it in your ear, and the feeling can get a little uncomfortable after a while. It's also not ideal for music and particularly movies, since it's a mono headset, though the audio quality of the playback is still good. If you're looking at this just for calls though, then the Motion is a solid pick.
High End
LG Tone Infinim HBS 900
Approximately Rs. 10,000
The big brother to the LG Tone+, the Tone Infinim is a very similar looking, but markedly superior product. With the heavy discount on the Tone+, the price difference also becomes huge, and that takes away some of the value of the Tone Infinim, which is currently available online at Rs.10,100. If you can afford it though, then we'd definitely recommend this one, for a number of reasons.
Despite the rigid design, the Tone Infinim remains extremely light. We've worn it to bed by mistake and not noticed. The wire management is also excellent; the Tone+ wire stays by the side while the earplug is held in place with magnets, but the Infinim uses a retractable cable, so just yank on the ear buds to use them. Buttons on the body pull the cable back in when it's not in use.
LG has worked with Harman Kardon for the audio on the headset, and the quality is pretty good. We've used this headset for calls, listening to music and watching movies, and it works well in every role. Battery life remains good, and the 17 hour talk time that LG claims is pretty close to what we experienced as well.
Jabra Evolve 65
Approximately Rs. 12,000
We didn't find Jabra's Evolve 65 online but the company says the headset is available in stores for Rs. 12,386. We got to try out the headset and while it is undoubtedly the most boring looking entry on the entire list, the call quality on this set was the best of all the different units we used.
If you're willing to look like you're working at a call centre asking people to subscribe for credit cards, then this headset is really the nicest one we tried. It has NFC for quick pairing with the phone, and despite the over the ears design, it is small and sleek, and you can comfortably wear it around your neck when it is not in use. The audio profile of the headset is very flat though - it's clearly balanced for calls, and music in particular has a small soundstage, and flat tones.
There's a boom mic, and the audio quality was supremely clear. If you're watching a movie or listening to music, you can slot the mic into a groove on the headband, so it doesn't get in the way. If the high price and boring design aren't dealbreakers, this is a great pick.
Luxury
Bose Soundlink OE
Approximately Rs. 21,000
While some audiophiles sneer at Bose, the company's different headsets are amongst the most comfortable, lightweight and good looking headsets on the market. The Soundlink OE is no exception, and it was the most comfortable one-the-ear headset we tried. The cups are also well cushioned, and we were able to use it for several hours at a stretch without discomfort.
The headset has a detachable 3.5mm jack as well, so you can pair it to your phone and tablet and stream audio from both sources, and then wire the headphone to your laptop to listen to music in office.
Playback quality was also the best on this list, although the Bluetooth playback has a little bit of lag. It's very slight, but noticeable if you're paying attention. Of course, in terms of wired playback for music or movies, you can easily find a number of better alternatives, but most of those lack a built in microphone. The Soundlink OE can be used for calls as well, and call quality was good, with no complaints from the people we spoke with.
While the experience with this headset was pretty positive, it is definitely a luxury item and not a very practical buy. If you're looking for something to listen to music, watch movies or play games, then you're probably better off with dedicated headphones. But if you have the money to spare, then you will certainly enjoy using this set.
These are our picks for the Bluetooth headsets to go with across different budgets. Which one are you using, and are you happy with it? Tell us via the comments.

Swatch's Android-Compatible Smartwatch Won't Require Charging: CEO

  February 7, 2015

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Swatch, one of the world's biggest watchmakers, is planning to take on the upcoming Apple Watch launching its own smartwatch in roughly the same time-frame - within the next 90 days. The Apple Watch will begin shipping in April.
Speaking with Bloomberg, Swatch CEO Nick Hayek said the smartwatch would rely on NFC to connect with smartphones, and that it would be compatible with Android and Windows software. For now, there is no indication of whether the smartwatch would be compatible with iPhones.
While the specifications of the Swatch's smartwatch are still a mystery, its Chief Executive Officer Nick Hayek stated that the Internet-connected wearable would not have to be charged. This might be a huge plus point for the company, as all smartwatches from major manufacturers till date, including the upcoming Apple Watch, need to be charged separately. Some, like the Apple Watch, need to be charged daily.
Bloomberg says Swatch has much experience with smartwatch-related technology, which includes long-lasting batteries. Swatch's sub-brand Tissot has been making touchscreen watches since 1999.
Swatch is also said to be competing with Apple on the grounds of mobile payment system, Apple Pay. As per the report, Swatch is in talks with Switzerland's two largest retailers, named Migros and Coop, for its mobile payment system. However, the Cupertino firm seems to be strides ahead of its Swiss competitor, with Apple Pay having seen much adoption across retailers and banks already since its launch in September.

Xiaomi Mi 4 Review: Applying the Same Formula in New Places

February 04, 2015

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After cementing itself in the sub-Rs. 10,000 segment with a number of phone launches, Xiaomi seems ready to take a leap. Its latest phone, the Mi 4, will be its most expensive yet - by quite a margin. Buyers have been lining up faithfully every week in hopes of snagging one of a very limited supply of phones, often without ever having seen or felt one, but that fervour has been based on the fact that prices were shockingly low. The big question now is whether Xiaomi's brand value will carry over to a device that costs over twice as much as the Redmi Note and thrice as much as the Redmi 1S.
The highly regarded Xiaomi Mi 3 (Review | Photos) is not available anymore, but the Mi 4 is more of an upgrade than a replacement. It comes to India many months after its launch back home in China, though we can't really call it dated given its top-tier specifications. Let's see how the Xiaomi Mi 4 stacks up against its competition, and whether getting one will be worth all the trouble flash sales involve.
Look and feel
The Xiaomi Mi 4 doesn't look anything like the Mi 3 did. It has a far more traditional shape, and borrows heavily from both Apple and Samsung's design languages. The screen dominates the front, with very little space wasted around it. The area above the screen is rather crowded, with a shiny silver Mi logo and sensor window on one side of the earpiece, with the front-facing camera on the other. The capacitive navigation buttons on the bottom have white backlighting, and a tiny status LED is hidden beneath them - so much so that you'd miss it if you weren't specifically looking for it.
The sides of the Mi 4 are flat, and a shiny stainless steel rim runs around the entire phone. It looks a lot like Apple's iPhone 5 design, but also incorporates Samsung's current antenna cutout style. The rim protrudes a little and you can feel it scratching your ear when you hold up this phone to talk.
The rear is not removable and so the battery isn't accessible. There's a slot on the left for a Micro-SIM card, but the microSD slot has been sacrificed for the sake of design. The power button on the right is below the volume rocker, making it a bit too low to be reached comfortably. The 3.5mm headset socket is on top, with an Infrared LED next to it. On the bottom, there's a speaker grille and the Micro-USB port, which, like on all other Xiaomi phones, is confusingly rectangular in shape.
The camera and flash on the rear are shaped and placed much like Samsung does on its current models. The white plastic has a subtle pattern, which is again a familiar Samsung touch. There's another shiny Mi logo lower down.
The combination of milky white plastic and shiny metal isn't especially appealing, and this is Xiaomi's first phone in India that doesn't look a lot more expensive than it is. Notably, the specifications do not mention Gorilla Glass or any other structural reinforcement. That said, build quality seems solid.
Specifications and software
Xiaomi's entire identity is based around stuffing high-end specifications into phones with low-end prices, and the Mi 4 is no exception. There's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 with four CPU cores running at 2.5GHz and an Adreno 330 GPU. There is also a very generous 3GB of RAM. The model currently available in India has 16GB of storage space and no microSD slot - a 64GB model might come in later, though the price difference is unknown.
The screen is a 5-inch full-HD 1080x1920-pixel IPS panel - thankfully not too large. The battery comes in at 3,080mAh, and the front and rear cameras have 13-megapixel and 8-megapixel Sony sensors respectively. You can capture 4K videos at up to 30fps with the rear camera. Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.0 are complemented by Infrared and A-GPS.
Our review unit came running Xiaomi's MIUI 6 interface on top of Android 4.4.4. It looks great on the high-resolution screen but definitely has its quirks. Most importantly, it doesn't have a separate homescreen and app drawer - while some prefer the simplicity, others would much rather be able to organise their widgets and app icons. The icons are all custom, and text is crisp, but on the smaller side.
Several things have been customised, which are not necessarily improvements. Options in the Settings app have been somewhat reorganised, and it takes an extra step to get to common things such as the display and battery sections. The battery indicator doesn't clearly show when the phone is or isn't charging. The camera shortcut on the lockscreen disappears off the right edge but to launch it you need to swipe left. The quick shortcuts panel in the notifications shade isn't too well designed or easy to get to. There are also iOS-inspired flourishes all around, such as red notification badges on icons, the appearance of folders, and the task switcher.
Xiaomi offers a huge selection of themes including ones with Indian imagery. You can change the system font, and there are quite a few practical modern typefaces to choose from. You can also change the behaviour of the notification LED. Xiaomi has integrated audio EQ settings customised for different types of earphones including its own Piston headset.
Fleksy and Swiftkey come preinstalled. There's also the Facebook app, WPS office, and a Security app that offers an overview of data usage, battery performance and app permissions, and lets you block contacts too. Hidden away at the bottom of a "Tools" folder is the Mi Remote app that lets you control appliances using the Infrared LED. Only TVs and set-top boxes are supported at the moment, and an Internet connection is required for setup. It worked with a Samsung TV, but Indian set-top box brands weren't even listed as options. The app has a very iOS 7-inspired look, down to the animations which look like the iOS task switcher.
Performance
While there's a lot of powerful hardware under the hood, one thing that frustrated us was MIUI's slow animations. It felt as though simple things such as opening a folder or switching apps took way too long. Apps themselves ran very snappily and we had no problems there. Interestingly, the task switcher showed only 1.8GB of RAM available out of the device's 3GB, even when no apps were running in the background.
Benchmark test results were predictably high. Xiaomi has incorporated a "Performance mode" which can be found in the settings, but a dialog popped up each time we launched a benchmark app asking if we wanted to switch out of "Balanced mode". For the purposes of testing, we stuck to the default Balanced mode.
AnTuTu and Quadrant reported scores of 32,264 and 15,344 respectively, which are both pretty good but not as good as those of the marginally more expensive OnePlus One (Review | Photos), or for that matter, the equivalently priced Lenovo Vibe X2 (Review | Photos) with its octa-core MediaTek MT6595M SoC. Graphics scores were also pretty good, with 28fps in GFXBench and 14,585 points in 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited.
Video samples played without any problem. Thankfully, the screen isn't too reflective and looks great even in sunlight. Sound through the bottom-firing speaker is loud, but thin and scratchy. We found that the rear and the right edge got a bit warm when we ran tests or played games for a while. The battery lasted a respectable 10 hours, 4 minutes in our video loop test.
The Mi 3's camera was one of its less appealing features, but things are definitely looking better with the Mi 4. Most of the photos we managed to take in daylight came out very well, with accurate colouring and subtle details intact. Low light performance was weak, though, and sharpness definitely suffered as a result of longer exposure time. It took two or three attempts to get a great shot at night. Videos are taken at 720p by default.
(Click to see full size)
The camera app has several neat features including optional manual controls for ISO, exposure time, white balance and ISO. You can change the metering mode, image and video quality, and frame aspect ratio. There's also a neat Refocus mode that takes multiple shots (if you hold the phone really steady) and lets you tap to choose which areas should be in focus long after the shots have been taken.
(Click to see full size)

Verdict
The Xiaomi Mi 4 is a great phone for its price, but it isn't as decisively ahead of the curve as its predecessors have been. It's certainly not perfect, but it will suit most people's needs just fine. Still, the market has somewhat adapted to the Chinese upstart's disruptions, and there are alternatives that offer similar value for money if you feel as though the UI, storage space or looks aren't enough for you. We'd most likely hold off till the 64GB model is launched - it will be interesting to see how that compares to the OnePlus One in terms of pricing.
The price tag of Rs. 19,999 is ambitious for Xiaomi but we're sure people will still line up for hours to buy how many ever units are put up for sale now that the company has established its name in India. As has been the case with previous models, there's no telling how many units will be sold and for how long. Hopefully, plans to sell the device through channels other than Flipkart's flash sales will help alleviate the mass frustration that arises from each weekly event.
With even more premium devices such as the Mi Note coming in later this year, the Mi 4 will help Xiaomi break away from its ultra-low-price image. Competition is always good for buyers and so we welcome responses from the world's big Android manufacturers.

Xiaomi Mi 4 in pictures

Xiaomi Mi 4

Rs. 19,999

• Review
• Key Specs
• News

• Design
• Display
• Software
• Performance
• Battery life
• Camera
• Value for money

• Good
• Good performance at a great price
• Good camera
• Good battery life

• Bad
• No storage expansion
• Slightly heavy and uncomfortable

How to Remove WhatsApp Blue Ticks aka Read Receipts

  February 4, 2015

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Much to the chagrin of its users, WhatsApp quietly introduced read receipts (letting people see exactly when a message is read, not just delivered) earlier this month. The app always showed one tick mark when you sent a message, which changed to two grey ticks when it was delivered. Now, the app shows two blue ticks when the recipient has read your message
(Also see: How to Use WhatsApp on PC)
This feature was rolled out without an update to the app itself. This means that there was no privacy setting to disable read receipts when the feature was rolled out. The lack of this basic feature in WhatsApp really ticked us off, and we had promised that we'd be back with a tutorial on how to disable WhatsApp blue ticks as soon as it was possible. True to our word, here we are now that WhatsApp has unveiled this feature for Android.
Here's how to get rid of those annoying blue ticks in WhatsApp - but if you do this, then you won't be able to see the receipts either. If you want to check when other people see your messages, then you need to allow them to see read receipts from you. For now, this is only possible for Android users, and only if you manually update the app via the WhatsApp website. WhatsApp typically releases updates first via its website, and then rolls out the update for Android's Google Play store, followed by updates for other platforms, so the update will be available for all devices soon.
The first step is to get the latest APK file from WhatsApp:

1. Download the latest (version 2.11.444) WhatsApp apk from the official website.
2. On your Android phone, go to Settings > Security > Check Unknown sources, to enable installing apps from outside Google Play. Note that the exact path to the setting can vary depending on your device manufacturer and Android version - the important thing to note is that you enable installing apps from unknown sources.
3. Open the apk on your Android phone. This will install the latest version of the app on your device.

(Also see: How to Backup WhatsApp Messages)
Once the app is installed, here's how to disable read receipts:

1. Open WhatsApp and tap three vertical dots icon on the top right.
2. Now go to Settings > Account > Privacy.
3. Uncheck Read receipts.

(Also see: How to Hide Last Seen on WhatsApp)
That will disable the blue ticks on WhatsApp. As we noted above, feature isn't available on other platforms or on Google Play as yet, but now that this feature has appeared on the official WhatsApp apk, we can hope that an update will bring it to all platforms. We will update this article when that happens. Until then, you can head to our How To section for more tutorials.

Indian Roadmaster Touring Motorcycle Launched in India at Rs. 37 lakh

Indian Motorcycle, the US based motorcycle maker, has silently launched a new touring bike - the Roadmaster - in India at Rs. 37 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The deliveries, however, are likely to begin in the second half of 2015. With the introduction of new motorcycle, the company now has four motorcycles in the Indian market - Scout, Chief (Classic & Vintage), Chieftain and Roadmaster.
Though there is no official word on the launch, but the official website of the company has listed the product and has revealed everything about it including the prices.


 The company claims the 2015 Indian Roadmaster to be a pure American luxury. "Building upon the iconic Roadmaster name used by Indian in the 1940s, the new Roadmaster reimagines Indian Motorcycle comfort, styling and performance out on the open road, for the long haul.", says the company's official website.

Talking about features, the Roadmaster comes equipped with push-button start/stop, heated seat, heated grips, all LED lights, remote locking saddlebags, power windshield and adjustable floorboards.

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Since the Roadmaster is a touring purpose bike, it offers a good 64.4-litre of trunk space. Powering the motorcycle is a 1.8-litre Thunder Stroke engine that churns out a peak torque of 138.9Nm