As you can see in the images, Google has added navigation pane instead of the drop-down menu in the current Gmail app. Also the bottom action bar has been removed and some of its options have been moved to the top nav bar.

Apart from these changes, not much can be seen in this particular image but it is likely that we will see some changes in the single mail view and other parts of the app.

The Next Web had also posted some screenshots of the updated app as well as the web version, which show a major revamp and also some new things like categories – Main, Social, Offers, Notifications, and Forums.. These categories will automatically sort users’ inbox depending on from where the email is arriving.

While, we would like to believe The Next Web screenshots to be the real deal, these look more like clever mock-ups.  On the other hand, the slide spotted in Google I/O video seems more believable.

Google’s effort are not just limited to creating wireless networks, the company is take a more holistic approach. It is building an ecosystem of new microprocessors and low-cost Android phones that will act as the devices to connect to the internet in the emerging markets, reports Wall Street Journal.

The WSJ article is a little vague about Google’s plans with low-cost Android phones but it is very likely that the company is working with phone manufacturers to makes these phones and not doing that itself.

Given the increasing affordability, Android phones do seem like a decent option to bring more people to the internet. Even without Google’s efforts, low-cost Android phones are acting as the first access point to internet for many in the emerging countries, however the expensive or limited access to data or Wi-Fi networks mars the usage and this is what Google wants to sort out with its new wireless networks.

Check out more in the video below:

Image Credit: AP

According to Pocket Lint, the phone will packs the same features as HTC One, meaning we will just be seeing a stretched version of ‘One’ in the form of this rumoured giant phone. To remind you, HTC One packs 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, Ultrapixel camera, front camera and Jelly Bean.

The massive display strategy has worked pretty well for Samsung, but it would be interesting to see if the already struggling HTC can make it work. The popularity of HTC One, which drove it to alleged 5 million sales mark, can certainly help the company in the same.

The same source, which revealed the existence of the larger HTC One to Pocket Lint, has also told the site that the rumoured HTC One mini version aka M4 will indeed be packing a 4.3-inch display. We have been hearing about the same display size in the rumoured till now. We have already seen a press render of HTC M4, which showed a HTC One like design apart from odd changes.

An XDA user spotted the Google Nexus 4 with Android 4.3 at the on-going Thailand Mobile Expo and snapped a few images of this smartphone. While two out of three images just confirm the presence of Android 4.3, one of the images shows Nexus 4 with new camera software on-board, a change from the camera app on Android 4.2.

If you look at the image, you will see that Google has switched the camera controls from circular control panel, which appeared wherever you wanted it, to arc-like control panel on the screen.

Other changes in Android 4.3 are not clear at the moment, but these images once again confirm that Android 4.3 is indeed going to be called Jelly Bean.

As per a recent report, Google is going to announce Android 4.3 and White Nexus 4 smartphone on June 10, so we just have a fortnight more to go and everything will become clear. Check out more images of the phone below.

Update:Now a video of Nexus 4 with Android 4.3 has also appeared on YouTube.

via

Sony Mobile France team just tweeted to confirm the arrival of Jelly Bean update.

Xperia S: le déploiement de la 4.1.2 vient de débuter pour les 1ers builds FR.

— Sony Xperia FR (@SonyXperiaFR) May 24, 2013

As per a change-log available on Sony Norway website, the Jelly Bean update for Sony Xperia S brings updated versions of Sony Media apps like Walkman, Album and Movies. The update also adds a new app called Socialife, which integrates all your major social networks.

Other improvements in Xperia S Jelly Bean update include:

• New and improved Battery stamina mode
• Google Now support
• Better app search and organisation capabilities

As it is Android 4.1, you can also expect to see Project Butter improvements, better notifications and overall performance improvements.

The company is likely to release the broader roll-out schedule in the next few days. If you live in France and have got the Jelly Bean update on your phone, do let us know in comments.

via

With the launch of Galaxy Star, Samsung now offers around 15 smartphone models in the country priced in the range between Rs. 5240/- and Rs. 41,500/- including the like of Galaxy S4, Note II and Galaxy S III.

“In line with our commitment to providing Smartphones to a wider set of consumers, I am happy to announce the launch of Galaxy Star – a device that provides superior value to consumers based on its advanced features, intuitive performance and superior design features. We want more and more feature phone users to upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy Star,” said Vineet Taneja, Country Head, Samsung Mobile.

Samsung is also planning to launch some new smartphone models probably its Galaxy Mega series in the country on May 26. The company has already sent out invites for a press event and we will know more soon.

Running on Android 4.1, Samsung Galaxy Star is powered by 1GHz single-core Cortex A5 processor. The phone packs a 3-inch QVGA display and comes with 2MP rear camera, 512MB RAM and 4GB of internal storage.

Samsung Galaxy Star also support dual-SIM cards with Smart Dual-SIM feature, which allows users to receive calls on one SIM number while taking a call from the other.

The phone is available in black and white colours and Vodafone customers will get 250 MB of free data per month for 2 months.

Samsung Galaxy Star duos key specifications

• 3-inch 320x240p display
• 2MP rear camera
• FM radio, 2G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, 3.5mm audio jack, MicroUSB port
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• 1 GHz Application Processor
• 512 MB RAM
• Internal Memory: 4 GB, microSD card slot
• Dual-SIM support
• Battery: 1200 mAh
• 104.95 x 58.00 x 11.90mm, 100.5 grams

Running on Android 4.2, the phone also features similar specifications to that of A116 Canvas HD smartphone apart from the HD display.

In this report, we will be comparing Micromax A110Q, A116 and A110 smartphones to see which of the three is the best smartphone for consumers right now.

To remind you, Micromax A110 Canvas 2 is being sold at around INR 9,999, while the newly announced Canvas A110Q Canvas 2 Plus is available for INR 12,100 and A116 Canvas HD can be purchased at INR 14,499.

A110Q Canvas 2 Plus vs A116 Canvas HD and A110 Canvas 2

In favour of A116: Compared to the two other models, Canvas HD is certainly your best bet right now. It is now readily available and provides impressive set of features, however if you don’t want to spend INR 15K, look at the other two options.

In favour of A110Q: The quad-core processor on-board is a decent upgrade over the dual-core CPU in A110 and it is same as A116 Canvas HD. 1GB of RAM is another positive and so is the presence of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Design-wise, the phones look exactly the same as A110.

In favour of A110: Apart from the lower price than A110Q Canvas 2 Plus and A116, there are no reason to choose A110 here. If you really want a Canvas-series phone in sub-10K pricing, then you can opt for A110 Canvas 2.

Here is the quick specs comparison of the both the phones

Phone	Micromax A110Q Canvas 2 Plus	Micromax A110 Canvas 2	Micromax A116 Canvas HD
Price	INR 12,100	INR 9,999	INR 14,499
Display	5-inch FWVGA 854x480p capacitive IPS display	5-inch FWVGA 854x480p capacitive IPS display	5-inch 1280x720p IPS HD display
Android version	Android 4.2	Android 4.0.4 (Android 4.1 update available)	Android 4.1
Internal storage	2.4GB (1.4GB for apps, 1GB for media and other content)	2GB	1.77 GB
RAM	1GB	512MB	1GB
Processor	1.2GHz quad-core Mediatek MT6589 processor with PowerVR SGX 544 GPU	1GHz dual-core MediaTek MT6577 processor with PowerVR SGX531 GPU	1.2GHz quad-core Mediatek MT6589 processor with PowerVR SGX 544 GPU
Connectivity	3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, MicroUSB, dual-SIM	3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, MicroUSB, dual-SIM	3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, MicroUSB, dual-SIM
Battery	2000 mAh	2000 mAh	2000 mAh
Cameras	8.0MP rear camera with dual-led flash, 2MP front camera	8.0MP rear camera with dual-led flash, VGA front camera	8.0MP rear camera with led flash, VGA front camera
Expendable storage	Yes, upto 32GB	Yes, upto 32GB	Yes, upto 32GB

Also check out: Micromax A116 Canvas HD vs Micromax A110 Canvas 2

First announced at Mobile World Congress in February this year, LG Optimus F-series already include Optimus F5 and Optimus L7 phone, so, the presence of an Optimus F3 makes sense.

According to a report on Phonearena, LG Optimus F3 will be launched next month and come with features like 4.0-inch WVGA display, dual-core processor, Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 and 2,460mAh battery.

The report also adds that we might see the Optimus F3 releasing on Sprint in the United States. Details about release in other countries are not known right now.

To remind you, LG Optimus F5 comes with 4.3-inch display, dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, on the other hand, Optimus F7 sports 4.7-inch 720p display, dual-core CPU and 2GB of RAM.

Thanks Ishan

Chinese electronics maker Hisense has announced two tablets in its Sero line-up with Walmart in the US. Dubbed as Sero 7 LT and Sero 7 Pro, these tablets have got super affordable price tags and Sero 7 Pro can be a replacement for Nexus 7 if you want to save $50.

Talking about Hisense Sero 7 Pro first, the tablet has been priced at just $149 and comes with features that best Nexus 7 in almost every aspect.  Here is a look at the specification of the device.

• 7-inch IPS display with 1280x800p resolution
• 1.3 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
• 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, microSD card slot
• 5.0MP rear camera with auto-focus and flash
• 2MP front-facing camera
• Mini HDMI, micro USB port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
• 10 hour battery life

You see! It has got microSD card slot and rear camera, both of which are absent from Nexus 7 and also it runs on latest Android version, so you don’t have to worry about software version. Obviously, the build quality and design will be two important factors to consider, which we can’t obviously comment on without seeing the tablet, but if you are in the market looking for a budget Android tablet; it doesn’t take too much work to visit your nearest Walmart to check out this Hisense tablet.

Do you want an even cheaper option? Hisense Sero 7 LT is for you. Priced at $99, it comes with the following features.

• 7-inch display with 1024x600p resolution
• 1.6GHz dual-core CPU
• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage, microSD card slot
• Mini HDMI, micro USB, Wi-Fi

“Hisense is proud to introduce cutting-edge tablet technology that is accessible to the broadest demographic, with unmatched performance in the current market landscape,” said Jonathan Frank, Vice President of Marketing, Hisense USA. ”Our new Hisense Sero 7 tablets provide Walmart customers with an attractive, robust and highly powerful entertainment, communication and productivity tool.”

“In addition to being Google Play certified which provides users with an almost-endless array of apps, games and more, the Hisense Sero 7 tablets come preinstalled with VUDU, walmart.com, sams.com, Nook eReader, Pandora Internet Music, Facebook and NVIDA’s TegraZone applications,” Hisense noted in a press release.

These tablets are going on sale today in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com.

The latest leaked press render from evleaks matches with the previous sightings of the phone and confirms the 6.18mm thick chassis. As per a report on Engadget, Huawei Device Chairman Richard Yu has apparently revealed to his followers on Weibo that the leaked render is indeed of Ascend P6 and the phone will be officially announced on June 18 in London. The post was however deleted soon after.

As per previous reports, Huawei Ascend P6 will come with 2GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, Jelly Bean, Emotion UI, and 4.7-inch 720p HD display. We have also seen a variant of the phone, which will probably be China specific and pack 32GB of internal storage and dual-SIM connectivity.

Update: Another image:

Update 2 : evleaks has tweeted another promo render of Ascend P6 smartphone, showing that it will be available in multiple colour options like Pink, Black and White.

Source | via

According Geek’s sources, HTC will be announcing this stock Android variant within two weeks, although actual availability will begin sometime this summer.

The blog further adds that HTC One stock Android version will initially be released in US, similar to what Samsung and Google are doing with Galaxy S4 Nexus Edition. There is however no clarity whether this rumoured device will be sold via Google Play or not.

Being a report based on anonymous sources, we are taking this with the usual dose of scepticism, but wouldn’t it be great if it turns out to be real?

As the Explorer Edition of Project Glass is already being distributed to early-adopters, we believe that the Samsung display panels with be used in the retail version, which is expected to go on sale in early-2014.

Google CEO along with some key executives recently visited Samsung in South Korea and talked about further increasing collaboration between the two companies. There were some reports suggesting that Google might even invest in Samsung’s OLED business, which makes more sense now.

“Samsung Display secured a room to diversify its client base by reducing the so-called Apple risk thanks to Google’s agreement to adopt Samsung’s OLED technology in Google Glass,” a source told Korea Times.

There has been no official announcement in this regard and we might not even hear an official statement about it until the retail version launch.

#ifihadglass winners to starting getting Glass invites very soon

In related news, Google has revealed that it will soon start sending out invites to #ifihadglass winner to get their Google Glass units.

“Over the next few weeks, we’ll be slowly rolling out invitations to successful #ifihadglass applicants. If you were one of the successful applicants, please make sure you have +Project Glass in your Circles so we can send you a message. We’re thrilled to be moving into the next phase of our Explorer Program and we hope to expand in the future,” Google Glass team noted on Google+.

The price of the smartphone remains same as other colours – $199.99 with a two-year agreement.

“For our customers that love a splash of colour in their smartphone, we’re excited to bring you another exclusive that really makes a statement,” AT&T noted in a blog post.

To remind you, Samsung Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED Plus display, 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor and 2GB of RAM. The phone runs on Android 4.2 and packs 13MP rear camera, 2MP front camera and LTE support.

“The Galaxy S 4 also enhances your TV watching experience with the new Samsung WatchON™ service that simplifies searching and recommends TV, movies and sports according to personal tastes. With WatchOn and the built-in IR blaster, the Galaxy S 4 also functions as a remote control for home theater equipment,” AT&T added.

The official statement still suggests that Facebook is fixing issues with Facebook Home and chances are that an improved version of HTC First might be launched in UK on a later date, but it looks highly unlikely right now.

According to EE, which was supposed to carry First, Facebook is acting on the consumer feedback that the phone and Facebook Home received in the US and wants to add more features and customisations to this Android launcher.

Here is the full statement:

“Following customer feedback, Facebook has decided to focus on adding new customization features to Facebook Home over the coming months. While they are working to make a better Facebook Home experience, they have recommended holding off launching the HTC First in the UK, and so we will shortly be contacting those who registered their interest with us to let them know of this decision. Rest assured, we remain committed to bringing our customers the latest mobile experiences, and we will continue to build on our strong relationship with Facebook so as to offer customers new opportunities in the future.”

To remind you, as per reports HTC First US sales have been very bad and AT&T even reduced the price of the phone from $99 to 99 cents with contract to improve sales, but that did not help at all.

Talking about Celkon first, the company has introduced two new Android phones – Signature One A107 and A9+. The phones have been priced at INR 6,999 and INR 3,299 respectively.

• Celkon Signature One A107: 5-inch WVGA display, 1GHz dual-core processor, 8MP rear camera and 2100 mAh battery.
• Celkon A9+:  3.5-inch HVGA display, 1GHz processor, Android 4.0, 2MP camera, 256MB RAM and 1350 mAh battery

Coming to Maxx, the mobile phone maker has also released two new Android phone models – AX8 Race and AX9Z in the country. These phones have been priced at INR 8,875 and INR 12,375.

• Maxx AX8 Race: 5-inch WVGA capacitive display, Dual-SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby, Android 4.0.3 and 1GHz single-core MediaTek Processor
• Maxx AX9Z Race: 4.5-inch qHD display, 1.2 GHz dual-core Mediatek MT6577 processor, and Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) support.

Lastly, Advantage Computers (Adcom) has announced the launch of six new Android smartphones in the country. These phones are A-530 HD, A-500, A-450, A-430, A-400, and A-350. The phones will be sold starting INR 3,199 in the country. The company has not shared device specific details right now.

An unnamed HTC executive told Wall Street Journal that HTC One orders have been good so far but the company is struggling with the supplies.

“Orders are pretty good so far and are still more than what we can supply. This is partly due to the shortage of components. When the issue is resolved next month, we will have a better idea if it’s doing really well or not,” he told the publication.

This might be an impressive figure in its own right but it falls short of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 shipments, which have already crossed 10 million units.

As per the recent reports, HTC has seen a string of high-profile executive departures from the company. As many as seven top executives from the company head office as well as North America and Asia have department in the last few weeks.

The Xperia Tablet Z version on sale in the country comes with 16GB of internal storage and 3G connectivity. Other features of the tablet include 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z also packs a 10.1-inch 1920x1200p full HD display, Android 4.1 and 8.1MP rear camera.

The tablet might be the best possible Android tablet in the country right now, but we still believe the pricing is simply too much. The company is charging almost INR 17K incentive for 3G over the Wi-Fi version pricing of $499 in the US. Sony India has seriously lost it, we hope the company comes back to its senses and corrects the pricing in the next few days.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z key features

• 8.1 megapixels rear camera, 2.2MP front-facing camera
• Dimensions: 172 x 266 x 6.9 mm, weighs 495 grams
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8064+MDM9215M quad-core processor
• Adreno 320 GPU
• IPX5/7 (Water-resistant) & IP5X (Dust-proof)
• 10.1 inches TFT display with 1920×1200 pixels resolution
• NFC
• 16GB internal storage with microSD card slot
• 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth  4.0, Glonass, GPS, HDMI via MHL support

Within a day of Desire 600 getting spotted in a benchmark database, HTC has made the smartphone official. The phone is also the second device from the company to come with the updated Sense user-interface, which was introduced along with HTC One.

According to a press release issued by the Taiwanese manufacturer, HTC Desire 600 will be available in Russia, Ukraine and select countries in Middle-East and Asia early-next month.

Talking about the specifics, HTC Desire 600 packs dual-SIM GSM+GSM connectivity with dual-active support. The phone runs on Android 4.1 and is powered by 1.2GHz Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor. In addition, the phone comes with 1GB of RAM and 4.5-inch Super LCD 2 qHD display.

As the company has pre-loaded new Sense user-interface on the phone, it features BlinkFeed content stream. The phone also sports Boomsound dual front-facing speakers and Beats Audio integration.

“People rely on their smartphones every day to be their news channel, email inbox, social network and music player,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “The HTC Desire 600 dual sim combines speed and easy multitasking with the truly innovative HTC BlinkFeed home screen. The result is an affordable mid-range phone that sets the standard for its class, keeping the busiest user up-to-date at a glance and offering them the power and range of features to switch between work and play,” he added.

There is no word on the pricing or availability in Europe, North America or other Asian countries.

HTC Desire 600 key specifications

• Dual-SIM with Dual-Active
• 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor
• 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and microSD card slot
• 4.5-inch Super LCD2 display (960x540p resolution)
• 8-megapixel rear camera with 720p video capture support, LED flash
• HTC’s ImageChip for improved processing
• 1.6-megapixel front camera
• Dual-band HSPA, tri-band GSM/EDGE, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX
• NFC, GPS, and AGPS
• 1,860 mAh battery

According to a press-release issued by the company, the tablets are available to consumers in over 170 countries. Customers planning to grab Kindle Fire HD and Fire HD 8.9 tablets will have to visit this link and select their country from the drop-down to check whether they can get the tablet or not. We are looking for the full list of eligible countries and will update the post as soon as we find it.

“Kindle Fire HD is the #1 best-selling item in the world for Amazon since its launch, and we’re thrilled to make it available to even more customers around the globe today,” said Dave Limp, Vice President, Amazon Kindle.

“Not only does Kindle Fire feature advanced hardware, it’s also a service. When combined with our content ecosystem, great email and browsing and top-rated customer service, we hope people around the world will agree that Kindle Fire HD is the best tablet for an incredible price,” he added.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD key specifications

• 7-inch 1280x800p HD LCD with 2 point multi-touch
• Dolby Audio, dual-driver stereo speakers
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI out
• 16GB or 32GB on device, Plus free cloud storage for all Amazon content
• Dual-core, 1.2GHz OMAP4460 processor
• Front HD camera
• 1GB of RAM

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 key specifications

• 8.9-inch 1920x1200p full HD LCD
• Dolby Audio, dual-driver stereo speakers
• Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI out
• 16GB or 32GB on device, Plus free cloud storage for all Amazon content
• Dual-core, 1.5GHz OMAP4470 processor
• Front HD camera
• 1GB of RAM
• 6,000 mAh battery

Other features

• Apps for e-mail, calendar, and contacts, including Gmail, Hotmail, Exchange, and more.
• Amazon-exclusive features like, Whispersync for Voice and Whispersync for Games.
• “Buy Once, Read Everywhere” with the free Kindle app available on the largest number of platforms so customers can use their Kindle books on any of their devices.

Pricing

• Kindle Fire HD 8.9” is available for pre-order starting today for just $284
• Kindle Fire HD 7” is available for pre-order starting today for just $214

Note: Customers in Ireland and Gibraltar can buy the tablets from www.amazon.co.uk; for customers in Austria and Luxembourg from www.amazon.de; and for customers in Monaco from www.amazon.fr.

Expected to compete with Sony’s recently announced Xperia ZR, which is also waterproof, Optimus GJ can stay underwater for 30 minutes up to 1 meter of depth.

The specifications of the phone are almost same as Optimus G; the phone packs 4.7 inch IPS HD display, 13MP rear camera, 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, MicroSD card slot, and 2,280 mAh battery.

There is no word on whether the phone will be released in other markets or not.

LG clearly seems to be capitalizing on the Optimus G brand value, which has been the company’s most successful Android smartphone. It has already launched similar-branded variants of the phone including Optimus GK and Optimus G Pro.

It is also expected to release the successor to Optimus G in the form of Optimus G2 in August this year.

LG Optimus GJ key specifications

• Dimensions: 136.9 x 68.9 x 9.39mm, 141.2g
• 4.7-inch True IPS Plus HD display
• Android 4.1
• 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm APQ8064 processor
• 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, microSD card slot
• 13MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera
• Waterproof (IPX5 / IPX7)
• 2280mAh battery

Source

The phone took 27 days to reach this feat, making it the fastest selling Android as well as Samsung smartphone ever.

“The GALAXY S4 sets a new record for Samsung, generating sales quicker than any of its predecessors. Sales of the GALAXY S III reached the 10-million mark 50 days after its launch in 2012, while the GALAXY S II took five months and the GALAXY S seven months to reach the same milestone,” Samsung noted in a press release.

According to Samsung, they are estimating that Galaxy S4 is selling four units per second globally. The phone is currently available in more than 110 countries and the company plans to release it in a total of 155 countries.

“On behalf of Samsung, I would like to thank the millions of customers around the world who have chosen the Samsung GALAXY S4. At Samsung we’ll continue to pursue innovation inspired by and for people,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of the IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

More colours for Galaxy S4

Samsung has also confirmed that it will be releasing four more colour variants of Galaxy S4 smartphone. Out of these four, Blue Arctic has already been confirmed for Japan, other regions will be getting it too. Other three colours are Red Aurora, Purple Mirage and Brown Autumn.

To remind you, Samsung currently retails in White and Black colour options.

Talking about the specifics, Google Drive for Android v1.2 brings new cards style user interface, ability to preview documents without opening them and download a copy option.

“To help you find the content you care about, Drive files will now be displayed in a clean, simple card-style. You can swipe between files to see large previews that let you quickly review and discover the information you’re looking for,” Google noted in a blog post.

The updated Drive app also allows users to scan paper documents like receipts and bills etc. and save them as PDFs in their account. As Google Drive uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR technology, you can even search in Google Drive for these scanned documents.

You can check out the full change-log below:

• New grid view makes it easier to find your files
• New quick preview lets you view photos and other files from within the app
• Scan documents, receipts and letters for safe keeping in Drive; then search by contents once uploaded
• Download a copy of files to your local device (Honeycomb+)
• Spreadsheet editor now supports changing fonts, colors and cell alignment
• View properties of files from within the editors
• Bug fixes and visual improvements

Google Play

Amazon Appstore is particularly useful for Android users in countries, where Google does not officially provide paid applications (currently available in 137 countries). If you live in one of such countries, chances are Amazon Appstore will work for you and you can download paid applications.

Even if Google Play provides paid applications in your country, you can find discounted applications on Amazon Appstore. You can also grab one paid app for free every day under ‘Today’s free app of the day’ promo.

So, ready to install Amazon Appstore on your Android device. Here we go:

1. First, allow installation of applications from unknown sources.

How to do:

• On ICS/ JB running devices – Go to Settings >> Security >> Unknown Sources >> check it.
• On Gingerbread devices – Go to Settings >> Applications >> Unknown sources >> check it.

Tap OK, if your phone asks for confirmation. ‘Unknown sources’ is already checked, you can skip this step.

2. Download Amazon Appstore for Android APK from this link.
3. Tap on downloaded APK file in your notification shade or downloads
4. Tap Install
5. Click OK or just open J
6. Amazon Appstore might give some warning or notification the first time you try to install an app, click OK and it will refresh to open your country-specific version and then it will start working.

The smartphone features a 5-inch 720p display with 295 PPI, 8MP rear camera, 1.2MP front camera and 2100 mAh battery. Q1000 also packs 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and microSD card slot. In addition, the phone comes with Android 4.2 and dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) support.

This XOLO smartphone will be directly be competing with Micromax’s A116 Canvas HD and just announced A110Q Canvas 2 Plus phones. Other manufacturers too have similar offerings in under INR 15,000 budget, so XOLO isn’t getting an easy ride here.

XOLO Q1000 key specifications

• 5-inch 1280x720p IPS display
• 1.2 MP front camera, 8MP rear camera with BSI sensor
• Dual SIM (GSM + GSM)
• Android v4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, PowerVR SGX544 GPU
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
• 1GB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot
• Dimensions: 70.8×143.5×8.8 mm

So, how many of you are thinking of going for XOLO Q1000?

Thanks Abhinav | Source: Flipkart

Amazon Appstore, which was initially available only in United States, was later expanded to six more countries, but the latest expansion takes the tally to a total of 195 countries.

This expansion makes Amazon Appstore the biggest paid (as well as free) app store in the world in terms of the reach. Windows Phone store is at the 2^nd place with availability in 180 countries followed by Blackberry (171), Apple iTunes (155) and Google Play (134).

The new update to the Appstore client not only brings support for more countries but also performance improvements and bug-fixes.

Here is the full change-log for Amazon Appstore v5.0

• Support for nearly 200 countries, including Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa to shop on the US store, Support for additional EU countries, including Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, and Belgium to shop on existing EU stores
• Performance enhancements
• Other bug fixes and stability enhancements

A few facts about Amazon Appstore

• Amazon Appstore currently houses over 85,000 free and paid Android applications
• It offers a paid app for free daily as a part of its ‘Today’s free app of the day’ promotion
• You will need access to a valid credit card to get apps (including free ones) from Amazon Appstore for Android.

Full press release:

Amazon Appstore for Android Now Open in Nearly 200 Countries Worldwide

Millions of Amazon customers can now discover their favorite apps and games online, from their Android mobile devices and Kindle Fires with Amazon Appstore

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May. 23, 2013– (NASDAQ:AMZN) – Amazon.com announced today that the Amazon Appstore is now available to millions of customers in nearly 200 countries, giving them access to apps and games from top brands like Disney and Electronic Arts, new releases including “Angry Birds Friends” and “Iron Man 3,” all-time favorites like “Temple Run 2” and “Plants vs. Zombies,” and indie titles like “The Room” and “Beach Buggy Blitz.” Customers around the world can now buy apps and games directly from the Amazon Appstore on Macs, PCs or Android phones and tablets (including Kindle Fire). Amazon also announced that Kindle Fire will be available in over 170 new countries on June 13.

 

To celebrate the launch, the Amazon Appstore is bringing back one of its most popular Free Apps of the Day, “Fruit Ninja,” along with “Cut the Rope: Experiments.” These will be available, for free, on May 23 and May 24, respectively. With the Amazon Appstore, customers will have access to popular features like the “Free App of the Day,” which offers a paid app for free every day. In addition, the Amazon Appstore includes popular Amazon features like personalized recommendations, customer reviews and 1-Click payments. One of the important benefits of the Amazon Appstore is that Amazon tests apps and games to make sure they function and perform properly before they are made available to customers. In addition, Amazon backs its apps and games with its own world-class Customer Service. Apps and games purchased from Amazon can be used across any compatible Android device, enabling customers to buy an app or game once and enjoy it everywhere. For a limited time, consumers will also find great promotions and discounts on popular games from leading brands such as Ubisoft, Sega and Rovio, including Angry Birds Space for free through June 3. Customers can visit www.amazon.com/appstore to start browsing apps.

 

“We are thrilled to be expanding the reach of our global app distribution to nearly 200 countries. We think our customers will love the app selection we have to offer and also find features such as Free App of the Day and personalized recommendations very helpful as they discover and explore new apps and games,” said Mike George, Vice President of Apps and Games at Amazon. “By further expanding the distribution of apps to millions of customers around the world, we are continuing to make it easy for customers to enjoy their Amazon apps on Kindle Fire and any Android device.”