ZTE Releases First Firefox OS-Running Phone at $90

After some solid amount of hardwork on a comparatively low budget, the first Firefox OS-running phone, the ZTE Open goes on sale today. The phone is a lower-end device and features a 3.5 inch touchscreen.

As for the specs, the phone consists of nothing earth-shattering materials. Its 3.5 inch display has 320 x 480 resolution. Under the hood you get 256 MB RAM, 1Ghz Cortex A5 processor and Adreno 200 GPU. The back boasts a 3.2 megapixel camera.

For connectivity you get Wifi, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1, microUSB 2.0 and 3G. These are all aging specifications coupled by a meager hardware by today’s standards but the Mozilla CTO Brendan Eich thinks it’s enough. “We are not aiming high and trying to crash into Fortress Apple, into Fortress Google”, he says.

Just enough though, the phone is still a bit clunky right now as The Verge noted. The OS still has its rough edges and if you’re coming from a touchscreen device, you’re most probably in for a disappointment. That might be a hardware issue as the phones do run on pretty 2009-stuff but lets hope everything will be sorted out soon.

The ZTE Open is available for $90 or around Rs. 11,000 when it hits any online store later this year. The dream of seeing a phone run smoothly and without stutters on a platform like this won’t be fulfilled right now though.

Microsoft Future Seems Do Over Company in Decision Making

At first look, it seems a very big thing when Windows 8.1 first update of Windows 8 revealed, people feel about crazy to what’s happening new, its question about Microsoft future.

Although there are some corrections and changes in the newer version of Window 8.1, it looks and creating bad impact about the course of decision making on key issues.

It is serious about the future prospects of the company vision and growth and stack of million customers also.
Windows 8.1 added new features and updates to bring back start button, boot to desktop, touch friendly screen and bring back into traditional window.

Of course the Microsoft Window development team still needs some time to add on new features including search heroes, multi window snap, but still to understand why not have these features be part of  Windows 8 like start button and boot to desktop.

So Microsoft top decision making management is now very clear about the feedback of their loyal customers and users what they are looking and demanding.

In every Microsoft do over approach we will see the thinking approach completely comply with the original user feedback weather it is small changes and full fledge digital strategies.

It is looking that Microsoft is learning the lesson from mistakes and taking correct decision to bring future company by adding the true voice of their value customers and market demand.

Complete Review of Play Edition of Samsung Galaxy S4

Good features:

The Google play edition of Samsung Galaxy S4 provides the mobile users the strongest hardware among all Android smartphones. This set is simply beautiful and slim.

Bad features:

Samsung Galaxy S4 is not provided with those software and photo features which are specialty of Samsung smartphones and also the price of this phone is kept pretty high.

So only if you are crazy about android phones then only Samsung Galaxy S4deserves that much high price.

Slightly different from Samsung Galaxy S4 the new edition has extremely strong hardware and fed with Google completely. This set can be obtained from Google Play. The arrival of set was officially announced in May and will be available in the first week of July for use. It is quite similar to its precedent model Samsung Galaxy S4. It is also provided with the similar quad core processor and screen of 5 inches. The storage capacity of 16GB is also provided along with other features. Jelly Bean Nexus technology is included in the set which improves the Android 4.2.2 (this is an interesting feature for those who used to criticize on Samsung touch phones). The software of this set will automatically be updated as they will come.

The price of the phone is kept quite high. Its price is more than 649 U.S dollars. Though various features are provided in the cell but still its price is very high. So if you are not Samsung fan the similar Google technology is provided in HTC Onebut in lower price of 599 dollars. So according to a review if you are not brand conscious than it is better to go for less expensive model of HTC with similar features.

This cell also has the same design as the original version had. The similar 5inches screen, metal corners and pinprick design on battery. Flip colors of different colors are also suitable with it.

But various features which were included in the previous version are not added in this model. The mode of screen cannot be changed and the display colors cannot be changed also. These are not major problems but sometimes you will get bore with blue and green

A very small physical difference that can only be observed if you look very carefully is the absence of words Samsung Galaxy S4 on the battery cover if the set. From this lacking you will quickly recognize that someone is having a” Google variant”. FCC label printed below the battery also bears the words “Distributed by Google”

There is an IR blaster at the top of the Samsung Galaxy S4 near headphone port. It will convert your cellphone into a remote.

Various application software are already installed in the set at the time of purchase. These softwares will help you to download android applications.

This time Samsung also has addressed the complaint that the user do not get that 16GB built in memory. In this set users will get 12.5GB memory as no hand phone will provide you the stated memory because some of it is occupied by the pre loaded apps.

The OUYA Android Game-Console Goes on Sale for $100

The OUYA console, backed mainly by the audience on Kickstarter.com has finally gone on sale in a few countries. The Android-powered console uses its own store for games.

The console’s tale started almost a year ago in July 2012 when the project was initially launched. It quickly gained attraction and became one of the biggest projects to date on the site, raising nearly 86 million dollars on the site.

The Console

Hardware-wise, there’s hardly any ground-breaking stuff. Under the small box (the console, i.e.), you get a Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB internal storage. The OS running is Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. That’s hardly extraordinary but then again, it simply can’t have Xbox Live or something but we feel that at least Play Store should’ve been on-board.

The Games

Games are obviously not “Crisis-like”. Currently the OUYA website says that there are 176 games available right now. The great thing is that all of them can be tried out before buying. The bad thing though is that they are of of quite low quality. Only a few of them really shine out.

Final Fantasy III and Gunslugs look great fun along with some others but otherwise nothing impressive. Several of the games are already on Android and other platforms but overall, they do feel underwhelming.

The developers will really have a great time with the OUYA. The console itself is really easy to open (as long as you have a screwdriver). They can then post it on OUYA’s store. Still, that number will most-probably pale in comparison to other gaming stores.

The Controller

The console will be shipping with one controller. It itself seems to be inspired by the Xbox 360 processor. Its four buttons on the right have the letters O, U, Y, and A written on them. Alongside them is the 3 inch touchpad. Additional controllers can be bought for $50.

For connectivity, a USB port, HDMI, Ethernet, Wifi, microUSB and Bluetooth 4.0 are there.

The Price

The most attractive aspect of OUYA is its price. At $99, the OUYA is definitely among the cheapest consoles available currently. Its already sold out at Amazon. Competition however is really tough. For $100 more you can get the new Xbox 360. Games will be much, much expensive though.

This means that it all comes down to the end user. If you’re a casual gamer or someone on a strict budget, then the OUYA will do, otherwise a second-hand console or even a mobile phone with an additional gamepad will work.

The Google Play Edition of Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One Go on Sale

A while back, Google announced that it would be selling the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One with Vanilla version of Android OS onboard. That day has finally arrived and both of the phones have finally gone on sale on Google Play.

The Google Edition of the phones are deprived of their exclusive software features and are exactly the same in this department. It is agreeable that HTC Sense and Touchwiz UI add a lot of features over Vanilla Android but with both of them gone, the phones will feel a bit snappier, that’s for sure.

Specifications-wise, the duo is exactly the same as there original counterparts. The Galaxy S4 version packs a SnapDragon 600 chipset underneath instead of the octa-core version but that won’t be hurting anyone much. Instead, it will yield better battery life. HTC One, on the other hand, will be packing the same quad-core SnapDragon 600 version as the original phone.

Here are the specs of the Google Edition of Galaxy S4:

• Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Stock Android
• 7.9mm thick
• 130g heavy
• 5 inch display with Full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Corning Gorilla Glass 3
• 1.9Ghz quad-core Krait 300 processor with SnapDragon 600 chipset
• Adreno 320 GPU
• 2 GB RAM with 16/32/64 GB expandable memory
• 13 megapixel camera with Full HD video recording, image stabilization and HDR
• 2 megapixel Full HD front-facing camera
• Wifi Hotspot, microUSB 2.0, USB-OTG, NFC, IR Blaster, Bluetooth 4.0
• 2600 mAh battery

Here are the specs of the Google Edition of HTC One:

• Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with Stock Android
• 9.3mm thin
• 143g heavy
• 4.7 inch display with Full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Corning Gorilla Glass 2
• 1.7Ghz quad-core Krait 300 processor with SnapDragon 600 chipset
• Adreno 320 GPU
• 2 GB RAM with 32/64 GB non-expandable memory
• 4 mp UltraPixel camera with Full HD video recording, image stabilization and HDR
• 2.1 megapixel Full HD front-facing camera
• Wifi Hotspot, microUSB 2.0., NFC, IR Blaster, Bluetooth 4.0
• 2300 mAh battery

The Galaxy S4 Google Edition will be costing $649 at launch. The HTC One will be cheaper at $599. Their original versions can be found at lower prices in the market currently but you know, the Vanilla Android lovers are always there so the deals won’t be too bad after all.

You should expect to find them in any of the popular online stores in Pakistan soon.