Samsung has launched its Galaxy Mega large screen smartphones in the Indian market. The Galaxy Mega 5.8 will be available across the country within a week from today for a price of Rs. 25,100 while the Galaxy Mega 6.3 will be available in mid-June for a MRP of Rs. 31,490.
Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 is a dual-SIM device that has a 5.8-inch screen with qHD(540x960 pixels) resolution. It is powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core processor alongside 1.5GB RAM and features an 8-megapixel rear camera, as well as a 2-megapixel front facing camera. The phone comes with 8GB expandable storage and has a 2,600mAh battery. It runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box.
The Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 sports a 6.3-inch 720x1280 display and features the same camera as that of Galaxy Mega 5.8. It is powered by a dual-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz. The Galaxy Mega has 1.5GB of RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n and A-GPS. The phone comes with a 3,200 mAh battery and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The phone comes with 16GB internal storage capacity and has a microSD card for expanding the storage up to 64GB.
The GALAXY Mega smartphones will offer split screen capability for a variety of applications including email, messages, 'MyFiles,' 'S Memo,' 'S Planner', amongst others. The devices will also feature the much touted 'Air View' feature, that lets users preview information in emails, photos in Gallery, and speed dial contacts without opening them.
Do you think Mega will able to leave mark as Galaxy S's and Note series? Leave your comments below
The Sony Xperia L was launched back in March, and the handset is now available in some European countries through Sony’s official Sony Mobile Store, the device is now available in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.
The Sony Xperia L is powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and processing comes in the form of a dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with a clock speed of 1GHz, there is also 1GB of RAM.
Other specifications on the Sony Xperia L include 8GB of built in storage, plus a microSD card slot that can take up to 32GB cards, the device also comes with a 4.3 inch FWVGA display with a resolution of 854 x 480 pixel.
The Sony Xperia L features an 8 megapixel camera with Sony’s Exmor RS sensor, and it also comes with 8GB of built in storage, plus NFC and it will be available in a choice of black, white or red.
The Sony Xperia L will also be available in the UK from tomorrow from a number of online retailers, the SIM free version of the Xperia L will retail for around £228 including taxes, you can find out more details over at Clove.
With a cutting-edge camera, a super-slim design and the ability to withstand life's knocks and bumps (and Android Jelly Bean to boot) the Xperia Z is a phone that's got us fired up about Sony Mobile again.
Earlier handsets such as the Sony Xperia S and Sony Xperia T were extremely promising from a brand striking out on its own - but it's with the Xperia Z that Sony is really banking on making a cataclysmic dent in the makeup of the smartphone market.
If you don't believe us, just look at its marketing hype - Valentine's Day saw ads on several, consecutive pages of major newspapers in the UK and you can't pass a billboard without seeing it in glorious Technicolor, accompanied by a strong statement that Sony has "reinvented the phone."
And the early signs it will do so are promising: a quad-core 1.5GHz Snaprdragon Krait processor, 13MP camera, 16GB storage (expandable, woohoo!), 2GB RAM, water and dust-resistant, 1080p HD screen with Bravia Engine, LTE, to name a few. You couldn't make this stuff up - this is the company that had a part in theSatio, after all.The Android Jelly Bean-toting (albeit only 4.1) Sony Xperia Z comes with some of the best specs on the market - and it's one of the most eagerly awaited handsets of recent months. Launching before the HTC One orSamsung Galaxy S4, Sony is clearly hoping to steal an early march on its competitors.
As soon as we took our review unit out of the box, we were mesmerised. This feels and looks like a premium, high quality product. Sony is one of the few manufacturers that can take what is, effectively, a plain black square and make it into something beautiful. Manufactured from piano black, high gloss glass both front and black, it could have come from the same stable as theGoogle Nexus 4.
Though maybe we are overestimating it, viewing the Sony Xperia Z through geek-tinted goggles - because while we were blown away, others came out with the line that Sony will be hoping doesn't cross too many punters' lips: "looks like every other smartphone out there though, doesn't it?"
One thing the Sony Xperia Z certainly does have in common with every other smartphone out there is the fact that it is a pure magnet for fingerprints. You'll struggle to keep it clean all day long without either surgical gloves or a can of Mr Sheen in your bag.
As is fast becoming the norm, you can expect to pick the Sony Xperia Z up in white too. On top of that, O2 in the UK is exclusively offering a purple variant.
If you're coming from something like a Samsung Galaxy S3, it'll feel similar, if a little larger, in terms of size: the Sony Xperia Z rocks in at 139 x 71 x 7.9mm/5.47 x 2.79 x 0.31 inches, so there's little room for anything else in your hands.
Coming from something smaller like, say, an iPhone 5, you'll certainly notice the difference. But it's amazing how quickly you'll adapt.
At 146g/5.15oz, it's by no means the lightest handset out there - but the Sony Xperia Z exudes a heftiness that belies a quality device. It's on a par with Apple's offering when it comes to the thickness.
The front of theSony Xperia Zis minimalist - showing off only a Sony logo and front-facing camera. The rear is a little busier, with various tech info printed on it, plus the Sony Xperia logo, an NFC badge, camera light and the all-important lens. That back is stuck fast - as is becoming the custom, you'll have no luck if you want to remove the battery.The ports are spread out with the headphone jack up top, the SIM slot and volume rocker on the right - either side of a silver standby button - while both the microSD and charging ports are on the left, alongside contacts for accessories. A watertight port covers each.
Turn it on, and you're not disappointed. Coming from the blackness, the 5-inch screen springs into life. Whether or not you'll like it is down to personal choice.
Some who've used the Sony Xperia Z describe the screen as a disappointment because Sony has gone for TFT - albeit with 1080 x 1920 pixels, giving a pixel density of 441ppi, which would explain why it looks a bit washed out. If you've come from a Super AMOLED screen you'll definitely feel the difference.
We're still fans - this is a razor sharp display from one of the world's premier screen manufacturers, although it doesn't have the wow factor of the HTC One's Super LCD 3 screen.
The only thing that lets it down is viewing angles - if you look at the Sony Xperia Z's screen, dead on, it's sharp enough. If you look at it from the side, it has a strange ability to look incredibly washed out. It's no huge problem - but it does mean the impressiveness of the screen is diminished compared to the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC One.
Clearly, you'll need to make sure the ports are covered using those watertight protectors, that much goes without saying.One of the selling points of the Sony Xperia Z is that it is also water resistant. There's something slightly unnerving about taking a £529 phone and dropping it in the sink - but that's exactly what we did. And it worked absolutely fine.
And here's some more good news: the price of the Sony Xperia Z is dropping quite quickly, already making it cheaper than the likes of the HTC One and could soon sneak under the £30 contract mark for a half-decent whack of minutes.
While it's actually the same price as the comparable SIM-free 16GB iPhone 5, the cost is now closing in on the iPhone 4S on PAYG, so we can't help but feel the Xperia Z is finding its natural pricing level.
Verdict
Sony's come out here with a very strong message: we are back and we mean business. There's no hint of this being a niche Android phone, or by any means a cheap one. Sony wants the Xperia Z to be viewed as the handset of choice, the one that will knock Apple off its pedestal and be classed as the Android device.
It's done this through a design which is, frankly, beautiful. And specs which are, in some ways, unmatched.
But it's also making a powerful statement by charging so much. And while we can see why, we don't know if it's a strategy that will necessarily work.
We liked
It has built on the strong heritage of the Walkman and given power users one of the things they often desperately crave - a good battery performance and top speeds.The Sony Xperia Z has incredible specs - from that beautiful screen, to its breathtaking design and powerful innards, there is so much that Sony has got right here.
The design is robust and fits very well in the hand - and despite the fact the 5-inch screen is whopping, the way its integrated into the chassis mitigates that issue well. And when you turn on the Full HD screen, well, the clarity is almost mind-melting.
We disliked
But there's always got to be a minus, and there are a few with the Sony Xperia Z. For example, the dust resistance is pretty much nothing more than words in our experience, and it does feel like a large slab in the hand.
And while the camera is OK, it's hardly mind-blowing. The price will still be a little high for some - although we think it's probably about par for a phone of this power - and we're annoyed about the trickiness of Mac support. Will it affect a large group of users? No - but that doesn't mean it should be neglected at all, given the increasing number of people using MacBooks for media purposes.
Final verdict
The Sony Xperia Z has a beautiful design and finally represents an Android smartphone that can be used to show iPhone owners that they're not necessarily at the top of the heap anymore.There is so much to love about theSony Xperia Z- and while there are some annoyances, they pale in comparison. Yes, we think it's a bit shoddy that we encountered software bugs, but we suppose they can be fixed easily enough, and they weren't bad enough that we had crashes or lost data.
The price is just a little too high in our opinion - but rush out a software update to improve the camera and you have a strong contender for smartphone of the year.
The only problem is, by the time that's happened, the competition from fellow Android manufacturers will have grown even fiercer. For now, for those who can afford it, we recommend it heartily.
The Sony Xperia L is the latest smartphone to slide in at the bottom end of the Japanese firm's range, launching alongside the mid-range Xperia SP to complete a trio of handsets headlined by the Sony Xperia Z.
It's the natural replacement for the Xperia J, which launched at IFA 2012 alongside 007's Sony Xperia T - handsets which bear a strong resemblance to the Xperia L in terms of design.
There's no exact Sony Xperia L release date for now, all we've been told is that it will arrive during the second quarter of the year. The price has also been confirmed: £229 SIM free, but we're waiting for the contract prices to turn up.
When we said it borrows design cues from the J and T we weren't kidding, as it's difficult to tell the trio apart.
Sony has stuck with the same curved rear made famous by the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc on the Xperia L, instead of cladding it in the straight-edged, glass finish found on the Xperia Z.
A noticeably plastic finish greets you when you pick up the handset, but it feels sturdy and there was little flex in the body - meaning the Xperia L doesn't feel too cheap.
The curved, soft touch plastic rear does mean the Xperia L sits comfortably in the hand and offers a good level of grip.
It's a well balanced device and although it may look chunky at the ends, it's positively slender in the middle measuring in at 130.6 x 67.1 x 9.98mm.
Something which the Sony Xperia L has borrowed from its high powered brother is the distinctive power/lock key located half way down the right hand side of the handset.
Also on the right side is a volume rocker switch and a dedicated camera key, all of which are easy to hit one-handed.
Up top there's a 3.5mm headphone jack while on the left is a microUSB port.
The front of the Xperia L is dominated by its 4.3-inch FWVGA display with the standard Android keys appearing onscreen instead of below it.
With this is mind we were disappointed about just how much bezel was left under the screen, with the chunky plastic adding what appears to be unnecessary bulk to the phone.
The screen itself is a pretty decent offering, especially if the Xperia L does come in sporting a sub-£200 price tag, with colours appearing vibrant while text and images look pretty sharp.
Of course on closer inspection you'll be able to define pixels, but with a decent viewing angle and a bright, 854 x 480 resolution it's difficult to fault it at this price point.
On screen the action is provided by Android Jelly Bean, version 4.1.2, with a 1GHz dual-core processor running the show under the hood.
General navigation is snappy and we were able to move swiftly through homescreens, of which you can have up to seven, and dive in and out of the app list without too much hassle.
The responsive touchscreen means the Xperia L doesn't have trouble registering your various pokes and prods, which also helps to enhance the user experience.
Sony has applied its own layer of gloss to Jelly Bean, with its a homescreen editor function allowing you to quickly and easily manage your widgets, apps and shortcuts as well as changing the phone's theme and wallpaper - making it that bit more personal. Lovely.
The custom user interface also sees the addition of the handy quick settings toggles in the pull down notification bar, allowing you to control things such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC without having to dive into the full blown menus.
Applications aren't quite as speedy though, with most taking a second or two to load up with more demanding apps such as the camera sometimes taking even longer to sort themselves out.
We never encountered a drastic delay, but it is a contrast to the relatively fluid app list and homescreens.
The keyboard is relatively basic but this isn't a bad thing at is allows for well spaced keys and acceptable next word prediction resulting in us typing pretty quickly.
In terms of photographic ability Sony has equipped the Xperia L with an impressive 8MP rear facing camera which also boasts a single LED flash, 720p video recording and HDR and panorama modes.
You also get a front facing VGA quality snapper on the front of the Xperia L, but it's the offering round the back which helps the handset stand out from the competition.
As we've mentioned the camera app isn't the quickest which can be a little frustrating, espeically if you're trying to nab a quick pic - with a tardy auto-focus not helping either.
The inclusion of a dedicated camera key on the right of the handset means it easier to access the application and snap photos, as you don't have to mess about with the on screen shutter.
Pictures were acceptable but we weren't blown away with the quality, although to be fair the Sony Xperia L we were in an oddly lit location which probably didn't help things.
You can whip the rear cover of the Xperia L off, but do this carefully as the case is hooked over the top and bottom of the device and a sudden application of brute force could spell the end of the plastic case.
The rear cover is available in three colours; black, white and red, with the white version of the handset also sporting the same coloured finish on the front.
Under the cover you'll find a microSD slot and a removable 1,750mAh battery. Pop the battery out and there's access to the SIM card slot too.
Sony has squeezed 8GB of internal storage into the Xperia L, although only 5.5GB is free, so you may be grateful for the microSD option.
As this is a Sony handset it also comes with the firm's various bells and whistle in terms of pre-installed apps (or bloatware, depending on your views).
There are dedicated Walkman, Album and Movies applications plus Sony's Music and Video unlimited streaming services are also plonked onto the Xperia L.
If you're a fan of gaming then you'll be pleased to learn the Xperia L also supports PlayStation games via the PlayStation Mobile app.
Sadly there was no content pre-loaded onto the handsets we go hands on with, so we were unable to test out its media capabilities.
We also lacked a web connection which meant we couldn't surf the internet, but we did note the Xperia L only has the Chrome browser - no stock Android offering in sight.
Early verdict
The early signs are positive for the Sony Xperia L which brings a decent set of features to the bottom end of the market and although it won't be as cheap as the likes of the ZTE Blade 3, Huawei Ascend G330 and Nokia Lumia 520, it will still register as affordable for a lot of people.
Generally it copes with everything pretty well and while there is a hint of slow down every now and then that's expected from cheaper handsets.
We look forward to getting the Sony Xperia L in for a full review to see how well it handles media and the world wide web - we're keeping our fingers crossed.
