InFocus M680 review

InFocus, the US-based company which forayed into the Indian market in September, has been consistent in launching budget and mid-range smartphones like M330, M808 and M810. Adding another budget smartphone, the company has launched the M680, priced at Rs 10,999, which like its other phones will be exclusively available via Snapdeal.

We spent a few days with the InFocus M680 to find out if it's worth buying. Here is what we could make of it.

Design and Camera

The InFocus's new smartphone M680, which comes in white and rose gold colours, is a rectangular smartphone with rounded corners and will certainly remind you of the iPhone 6 Plus (as far as the looks go). While the front is dominated by the 5.5-inch display of the phone, which has the selfie camera, the InFocus logo is placed right above the haptic keys at the bottom. The display of the smartphone offers vibrant colours and has decent viewing angles. We didn't notice any pixilation and the display was very responsive. A point worth mentioning here is that unlike other phones the M680's screen is smudge resistant.

Coming back to the design of the phone, the volume rocker key is placed on the left edge of the smartphone while the power button is placed on the right.

Flip the phone around and you'll see the rose gold back panel, which is non-removable, and has InFocus logo placed in the centre and the primary camera along with the LED flash on the top-left of the InFocus M680. The phone is sleek to look at and we were impressed by its design.

Moving on the camera, M680 sports a 13MP primary and secondary camera. Speaking first about the primary camera of the phone, it takes good quality pictures in well-lit conditions and also does a decent job when used in low light. We didn't notice any pixilation in any of the pictures taken and the colours were pretty close to life.

The front snapper of the smartphone comes with a beauty camera mode, which makes the selfies appear much better. Even without this mode tuned on, the front camera takes decent pictures.

Performance and Hardware

InFocus M680 runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop and unlike most phones in this segment, the smartphone comes with a dedicated app drawer. And like any other Android phone, it came preinstalled with basic Google apps. The good thing was that it comes with almost no bloatware. Some third party apps like Dropbox and WPS Office were also present in the phone, but these can be uninstalled by the users.

An interesting app in the phone was Power Detective, which tells the user about their usage pattern of the phone and searches for abnormal cases in the past 6 hours. Users can check how much the battery level of their phone has fallen in the past few hours along with the battery temperature, network usage, etc. Overall, the software of the phone was very user friendly and easy to use.

Coming to the other specs, InFocus M680 is powered by a 1.5GHz MTK MT6753 Octa-core processor and 2GB RAM, and offers 16GB storage expandable up to 64GB via microSD card. The phone supports 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and also comes with an FM radio tuner.

While using this phone, we did not experience any lag when we opened or switched between various apps. This phone did not break sweat even when we opened multiple tabs of Chrome, all we got was smooth functioning. The phone performed all basic tasks very smoothly, but what hampered the experience was the unclear sound output of the phone. Another downside of the phone was the heating problem. Even playing a game like Angry Birds made the phone heat up. Otherwise, the gaming experience wasn't bad at all and the smartphone could even handle games like Asphalt Nitro without any trouble.

The call quality of the phone was decent. We did face a bit of a signal issue while in the basement, which comes across as strange as the InFocus M330 did not have this problem. On the brighter side the phone did not heat up when we were using Google Maps/Navigation app.

The phone is powered by a 2,600mAh battery, which lasts all day with normal phone usage that involves watching YouTube videos, voice calling, playing games, and social networking.

Verdict

At the price of Rs 10,999, InFocus M680 offers a great display, a decent camera, and also sports a sleek design. However, we have seen phones that have better call quality and gaming experience like the Lenovo K-3 Note, which also scored good on other factors mentioned above. But InFocus M680 does have an edge over most of its competitors as far as the battery life goes. To conclude, if one can ignore the heating problem of the smartphone, it is a good buy.

Snapdeal launches its seller experience enhancement platform, Sherpalo

Snapdeal, India's largest online marketplace in terms of sellers, unveiled its new platform, code-named Sherpalo, to enhance seller experience on its platform, the New Delhi-headquartered company announced on Thursday.

Sherpalo, according to a company-issued statement, provides a single window access to all seller services, a list that includes - on-boarding, training, product listing, inventory, order and returns management, advertising, third-party services, capital assistance and help centre - that will make it more convenient for them to manage and optimise their online operations. 

"With over 2,00,000 sellers now using our marketplace to grow their business, our endeavour is to use technology to help them in becoming more successful and to scale their business effectively. The guiding principle behind introducing this easy and intuitive panel is our promise of 'Online Business Made Easy'," said Vishal Chadha, senior vice-president - Market Development at Snapdeal. 

According to the statement issued by the company, the Sherpalo platform enables listing verification process through image classification, algorithmic score of image quality and allows sellers to click and add products via mobile, making cataloguing extremely easy for them. 

"We are excited to launch 'Sherpalo' for our sellers. Similar to the process we followed to refresh our customer interface earlier this year; we have mapped seller journeys on Snapdeal and tailored the interface to suit their needs effectively. We are confident that the new interface will make it extremely convenient for small and medium enterprises to grow their businesses on Snapdeal," said Anand Chandrasekaran, chief product officer at Snapdeal. 

The platform also allows sellers to access self-learning videos and generates performance reports, helping identify areas of improvement in operations, according to the press release. 

"The new seller platform provides world class experience with complete visibility and better planning tools to enable our sellers to manage their businesses even better, leading to higher business growth, liquidity and profitability," Chadha was quoted in the press release. 

The refreshed seller panel is available on both web and app platforms.

The launch of the Sherpalo platform is the latest in a slew of initiatives announced by Snapdeal over the course of the year. The company has a stated objective of bringing on board 1 million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on to its platform over the next three years. 

In July earlier this year, the online e-tailer announced that it would provide instant loan approval facility on its seller financing platform, Capital Assist, which was launched in August 2014, and which provides its sellers access to funding to meet working capital needs, among others, as they look to expand their businesses. 

Also in July, it relaunched a previous acquisition - Shopo - as a mobile app-focused, zero commission goods and services marketplace, targeted at the country's vast, yet under-penetrated MSME sector. 

Founded in 2010 by Wharton alum Kunal Bahl and IIT Delhi graduate Rohit Bansal, Snapdeal, which is valued at over $5 billion after its latest round of funding, counts marquee strategic investors, such as SoftBank, Foxconn Technology Group and Alibaba Group, amongst its backers. 

LeTV Le 1s is official with a MediaTek Helio X10 chipset

Chinese LeTV has officially launched the fourth smartphone in its Le lineup - the 1s. The LeTV Le 1s boasts an attractive price tag and is quite stylish with an all-metal unibody and a slim waistline.

The phone measures 7.5mm thick and houses a MediaTek Helio X10 chipset with a 2.2GHz octa-core CPU and 3GB of RAM. Internal storage is 32GB and isn't expandable. The phone should feel substantial in hand with a weight of 169 grams.

At the front, the Le 1s features a 5.5" IPS LCD display of 1080p resolution. Peak brightness is 500 nits, which isn't too shabby. As for the back, it is quite busy with a fingerprint sensor and a 13MP ISOCELL camera with a single LED flash. Users will take selfies with a 5MP camera at the front touting 85-degree wide angle.

    

LeTV Le 1s official photos

Android 5.1.1 is running the show and is garnished with the company's EUI skin on top.

Expect the LeTV Le 1s to initially launch in China and India for a price of CNY 1,100 ($173) on November 3. Strangely, the company says this price is below the Le 1s' bill-of-materials of $206, meaning LeTV is selling the phone on a loss.

The Elephone "Vowney" has a QHD display and 3GB of RAM for $299 and it runs Windows 10 Mobile

For a number of quite sound marketing reasons Windows-powered mobile phones rarely come near to the hardware in current Android powerhouses, but with the introduction of Windows 10 and sophisticated features like Continuum, this is set to quickly change. Higher-end offers, like the Acer Jade Primo are starting to appear and it naturally, it was a matter of time before China OEM's enter the market as well.

The latest such offer comes courtesy of Elephone. Its "Vowney" model was first spotted a few months ago and if rumors are true, it does promise to dual-boot Android and Windows 10 on quite a capable hardware platform. There are actually two versions of the "Volney" (which, by the way is still a working title). One includes an octa-core Mediatek MT6795 SoC and boots only Android, while the other runs on a quad-core Intel CPU and can dual-boot both platforms. The first also has a 20.7MP camera and a 3800 mAh battery. In the Intel model, the camera should be 21MP (probably an Exmor RS IMX230 sensor) and the battery is a lot bigger at 4200 mAh.

The rest of the specs are shared between both model and include - a 5.5-inch QHD display, 3GB of RAM, 64GB of onboard storage and also a fingerprint sensor on the back.

ShiftWear Fashionable sneakers futuristic smartshoes with animated displays

Fashion trends come and go, but a new shoe concept is intended to keep you up to date with the latest style, or let you coordinate your footwear with any outfit, without requiring an Imelda Marcos-sized shoe collection. The ShiftWear sneakers are designed with flexible E Ink color displays that can be customized with images or animations directly from a smartphone or tablet.

Many probably think of Marty McFly's self-lacing Mag high-top sneakers from Back to the Future II when they think of futuristic footwear, but recent developments in flexible electronics may just change all of that. While the ShiftWear sneakers may inconvenience you with lace-tying, their integrated, flexible panels are meant to offer an open canvas so that your feet can match attire, mood or season. To Just power the sneakers on and select a design from the app.

Each pair of ShiftWear sneakers features always-on E Ink displays, similar to those found in e-readers. The built-in batteries are designed to last up to 30 days, depending on the type of visuals set. Static images will consume little-to-no power, while animated graphics would be expected to drain batteries much faster, especially with increased complexity or frequency. But the team creating these kicks plans to incorporate wireless charging capabilities, as well as "Walk-N-Charge" technology that lets the shoes charge up with every step.

While there is no mention of the communication method (yet), the ShiftWear sneakers are designed to pair with a mobile device running the companion app (iOS, Android, Windows), which will let users browse, download, and program designs for the shoes. Art can be created for personal use or offered up to the marketplace for others to purchase. It's also worth noting that the displays aren't front-lit, so images and animations will have limited visibility in low-light conditions.

For those concerned about wear and tear, the ShiftWear sneakers will be waterproof and machine washable. Although there are no plans for the soles to be replaceable, they will be coated with Kevlar fiber in order to last longer.

The ShiftWear sneakers make for a highly ambitious project, but it isn't completely beyond the realms of possibility. We've seen similar concepts with the Tago Arc bracelet, Polyera Wove Band touchscreen wristband, and even E Ink-equipped heels of Volvorii's Timeless smart shoes, which are currently available for preorder despite the crowdfunding campaign falling short of its goal.

ShiftWear sneakers are currently funding on Indiegogo, having raised 389 percent of its US$25,000 goal in 10 days, with another 20 days left to go. The shoes will be available in low, medium, or high top styles in a choice of color, with minimum pledges starting at $150 (excluding shipping).

The funds being raised for ShiftWear are to finish off the prototype before a planned move into mass production. The minimum pledge for a pair of shoes is US$150, but in order to create the full-featured shoes, some pretty hefty stretch goals must be met first. And then, of course, all of the technology has to integrate and manufacture as intended. So if everything goes according to plan, backers may expect shipments of ShiftWear sneakers to start sometime around mid 2016.

The team paints an ambitious picture of the ShiftWear shoes in the video below.

Sources: ShiftWear, Indiegogo

5 reasons to choose Tempered Glass over Plastic Screen Protector for your Smartphone

Corning Gorilla Glass 3 is becoming a common site even in budget devices, but if you are serious about protecting your investment, it is always advisable to keep an extra layer on top. What you put on top matters. After spending a considerable amount on that butter smooth display you would want the experience to matter in day to day life. Let’s discuss a few reasons why you should use a tempered glass.

What is Tempered Glass?

Tempered glass is made by controlled chemical and thermal treatments to increase its strength. The glass is first first heated and then rapidly cooled with help of blowers. One surface gets cooled much faster thus putting it in compression and the other surface in tension. This difference makes the glass 5 to 10 times more stronger than it was in the first place. All the technical jargon apart, you can buy one for all popular smartphones from all leading online stores for a nominal charge.

More Durable

The biggest reason to choose tempered Glass is because it’s more durable. Most of these are 2.5D hardened and you won’t have to worry about your display meeting your keys or coins in your pocket. Tempered glass can also resist scratches from pointed sharp object and can even absorb shock when you occasionally drop your phone, thus protecting your display. With more severe falls, tempered glass will shatter in to small pieces but your display will remain intact.

Better Feel

The Tempered glass feels like a non-existent glass layer on top and while you touch it, it feels lot better than conventional plastic. Since its also more durable, the experience remains same in the long run. It is much easier to get rid of fingerprint grease as well. The conventional scratch guard on the other hand won’t feel like glass, but plastic.

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Easier to Clean and Resistant to Smudges

With time Scratch Guard accumulates more scratches and is much harder to clean. You can simply wipe it from the corner of your tee or handkerchief. The Tempered glass can be easily cleaned as most of these come with oleophobic coating which also makes them resistant to finger prints.

Outdoor Visibility

Be it glossy or matte finish scratch guard, it noticeably affects outdoor visibility of your device. Tempered glass on the other hand won’t augment glare of any sort if installed properly. Matte finish screen protectors work better outdoors as compared to glossy ones, but Tempered glass is still better in this regard.

Sharpness and Clarity

The tempered glass won’t affect colors, image quality and sharpness from your display. Plastic screen protector can obscure light transmitting from your display thus affecting color gamut on your device. Thus if you like watching images and videos or are passionate about smartphone photography, Tempered glass is the one you should choose.

Conclusion

Besides these advantages, Tempered glass is quite safe as it fractures when pressure is applied to it. You don’t have to worry about it breaking in to shards. Before buying one, make sure that it comes with Olephobic coating, 2.5D 9-10 H hardness and silicon adhesive at the back so that it doesn’t affect touch sensitivity. Once you use a good quality tempered glass, it will be hard to get back to conventional plastic screen protectors.

Xiaomi Mi3 Screen Scratch & Smudge Test : Tempered Glass VS Generic Screen Protector

What Is Tempered Glass Screen Protector And Do You Really Need One?

So you just bought a new phone. The phone is high tech, has all the gadgets and apps you need, and is sleek and cool. Once you get over just how awesome your new phone is, something else pops into your head: protection. You spent a lot of time, money, and effort picking out the perfect phone. It’s important to make sure it stays in the best possible condition. You may have heard of “tempered glass” screen protectors. For those of us who aren’t familiar with phone protection, let alone what “tempered glass” means, this can be an intimidating idea, especially with some tempered glass screen protectors upwards of $50. Here’s some basic info you need to know about what is tempered glass screen protector, what it does for your phone, and whether or not it’s worth the price.

1. TEMPERED GLASS Before buying my own personal tempered glass cover about a year ago, I had NO idea what this meant. After a little digging and researching, I found out it is made by heating the glass and then cooling it very quickly. This type of glass breaks differently than normal glass, creating more rounded edges of glass pieces instead of jagged shards that regular glass creates. A tempered glass protector is a multi-layered screen protector. It has a bottom layer of absorbent silicon, PET filmand an optically clear adhesive tempered glass and oleophobic coating in that order. Tempered glass is up to five times stronger than normal glass.

2. WHAT DOES IT DO FOR MY PHONE Tempered glass is more heat resistant than regular glass, meaning your phone is less likely to be damaged by heat. Plastic screen protectors are much more likely to be scratched than tempered glass protectors, which are up to five times as thick than standard plastic protectors. The smoothness and clarity of the tempered glass makes the screen protector feel more like your actual smart phone screen than a plastic screen cover would. Generally, tempered glass screen protectors are generally easier to put on your phone than plastic screen protectors.

3. IS IT WORTH IT In short: YES. This answer comes not only from research, but from my own personal experience. I dropped my phone down multiple brick stairs and when I picked it up, I was horrified to see what looked like a cracked screen. Low and behold, I took off my tempered glass screen cover – NOT A SCRATCH on my screen. I immediately went out and bought another one. I cannot say I’ve had the same positive experiences with standard plastic phone covers.

You will have to spend about $20 more on a tempered screen cover. However, that extra $20 is a far better deal than paying hundreds of dollars to get your cracked screen fixed.