On holding the phone, you can feel the cheap plastic used in the construction. But as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. This phone is targeted towards budget conscious users who want to try out something new – Windows phone operating system. Agree that Windows phone OS is not that popular, but the new 7.5 Mango looks impressive.

The new 7.5 Mango OS looks breathtakingly fresh. It seems that Microsoft have added a pinch of something “new”. The new Metro look offered in this OS looks amazing.

The New Nokia Lumia 710 - Nokia's Affordable Windows Phone

Nokia Lumia 710 Specifications

Touchscreen: TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Resolution: 480 x 800 pixels
Screen size: 3.7 inches
Display technology: TFT, ClearBlack, Corning Gorilla Glass
Internal memory: 8GB
RAM: 512MB
WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth: Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP and EDR
USB Interface: microUSB v2.0
Camera: 5MP with 2592 х 1944 resolution, autofocus and LED flash
Video recording: 720p at 30fps
OS: Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
Maximum 3G talk time: 7.6 hours
Maximum 3G standby time: 400 hours
Weight: 126g
Connectivity: Micro USB, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR
CPU: Qualcomm MSM8255 (WCDMA)
GPU: Adreno 205
Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity, compass
Radio: Stereo FM radio with RDS
GPS: With A-GPS support
Battery: Li-Ion 1300mAh (Model: BP-3L)
Data synchronisation: ActiveSync and Microsoft Zune
Document format: PDF, Word, Excel, OneNote, Powerpoint

So what is it that Android and iPhone can offer which this phone doesn’t? This question can be answered in just a word – “Applications”. Android and iPhone have a vast variety of applications and game choices, compared to Windows platform. But lets hope that we get more apps choices in Windows platform soon.

The phone offers Twitter and Facebook integration. It can present all the information in a simple and clutter-free way. Browsing is fast, thanks to the new Internet Explorer 9 which also supports HTML5. The contacts app named as People Hub can present all your contacts information at one place. It can being contacts information from Facebook, Twitter, Outlook, Google, and LinkedIn and presents you all this information at one central place.

The back cover is interchangeable. This should appeal to a younger demographic audience. Nokia is not leaving a single space to market these new Windows phones. You may have observed advertisements on TVs and on the internet. It seems they want to create a hype and attract consumers. Those who are eager to try out this new Windows Phone 7.5 Mango and don’t want to spend a fortune, then they can try out this phone.

Nokia Lumia 710 Price in India: Rs 15,000 (approx $300 USD)

Nokia Lumia 710 Review (Video)

This post - Nokia Lumia 710: Price, Tech Specs and Features is originally published at: Technostarry

Samsung Galaxy R features NVIDIA Tegra 2 platform and now it has become the most affordable dual-core smartphone. Its worth noting that Galaxy S2 includes AMOLED screen, whereas Galaxy R has SC-LCD (super clear LCD).

The brushed metal back looks attractive, compared to the old glossy black color. S II has an overall plastic feel, while the brushed metal back adds to the overall looks of this device, it makes you feel like you’re holding a premium device. This model definitely stands out from others. Now lets take a look at what this phone offers.

Technical Specs of Samsung I9103 Galaxy R

Touchscreen: SC-LCD capacitive touchscreen
Display: 16 million colors, TouchWiz UI and Multitouch support
Size: 480 x 800 pixels, 4.2 inches
Memory: microSD card, expandable up to 32GB
Internal: 8 GB memory
RAM and ROM: 1 GB RAM, 2 GB ROM
OS: Android OS v2.3.3
Chipset: NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset
CPU: 1 GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 CPU
GPU: ULP GeForce
WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth: Yes, with v3.0 with A2DP, EDR
USB: microUSB v2.0
Camera: 5 MP autofocus camera with LED flash, face and smile detection
Camera capture resolution: 2560 х 1920 pixels
Secondary camera: Front facing camera with 1.3 MP
Video recording: 720p HD video recording at 30fps
Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Radio: Stereo FM radio with RDS
GPS: GPS with A-GPS connectivity
Audio jack: Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Browser: HTML, Adobe Flash
Other features: Image/video editor, Document editor, Swype and more
Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 1650 mAh

The Samsung Galaxy R comes with a 5MP camera, an LED flash and face and smile detection. It captures photos at a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1920 pixels. Video recording in 720p at 30fps is what many users would enjoy at. The front facing 1.3MP camera can help you with 3G video calls.

The TouchWiz user interface is Samsung’s popular UI. This can be rightly called as Android’s most flexible modification that provides a better and improved interface to the user.

Connectivity options are pretty standard in all Samsung phones. The phone supports quad-band 3G and GSM/GPRS/EDGE support, with HSPA+. Bluetooth 3.0 means faster file transfers. And lastly, the Wi-Fi b/g/n support with Wi-Fi direct. A handy microsUSB cable is also provided in the package, so that you can easily transfer files from your computer to your phone.

The Box-package Contains

• Phone
• microUSB cable
• Charger
• In-ear earphones
• Rubber tips for the earphones
• User guide
• Warranty card

It seems that Samsung is more interested in launching new models then to concentrate on improving them. No doubt Samsung has a plethora of options for Android lovers. The Galaxy Y being the cheapest Android smartphone ever. To sum it up, we can say that Galaxy R is an impressive smartphone. Its cheaper than S II, therefore those on strict budget can consider this phone as an option. But if you can increase your budget, then Galaxy S II is still a recommended buy as it features super AMOLED screen and faster and better processor.

Samsung Galaxy R Price in India: Approx Rs. 21,000 INR. The price is a good buy for those seeking a dual-core Android phone.

Samsung Galaxy R Review (Video)

This post - Samsung Galaxy R I9103 Review, Price, Specifications and Features is originally published at: Technostarry

With this app, you can turn your Android phone to look like iPhone (or call it as iOS). Many people like the looks of iOS and flexibility of Android. How about getting best of both worlds – iOS looks and Android functionality in one device.

Fake iPhone 4S – Apply iPhone Style to Android

Fake iPhone 4S is an app that creates a replica of iPhone home screen and status bar on Android phone.

The icons that you see on the screen will open the relevant Android app when clicked, but some icons like iPod, iTunes, etc open up advertisements, because as we know there are no such apps available on Android. According to the developer, these advertisements help support future development of the app.

With this app, you can convince your friend by just flipping through the home screen. If the person whom you’re going to show this is smart and knows how an iPhone looks like, then all your effort is going to be in vain. Because you’re tweaking the software, but the hardware (which is your phone) will still be your Android phone.

According to the developer, this app works best on the Samsung Galaxy S II, or any Android phone with a Super AMOLED+ display.

Espier Launcher

Espier Launcher is yet another app that emulates iOS Springboard on Android phone.

This app features desktop layout and icons of iPhone 4/iPhone 4S. The launcher replicates the look of the icons and folders to the App Switcher tray, Spotlight search and Jiggle Mode.

Espier Launcher Features

• Support dynamic icons, such as calendar, SMS, phone and other icons, dynamically display the date, the number of unread messages or missed calls
• Speedily create and edit folders
• Easy Desktop Editing: press and hold any icon into desktop editing mode
• Support a variety of icon sorting method
• Support for Desktop Searching
• And much more

Both the applications listed in this article are free. So go ahead, try out any of these and give your Android phone, a new and fresh iOS (iPhone) look.

This post - Give your Android Phone an iPhone Like Look is originally published at: Technostarry

In this post, you can find two apps available in both, free and paid versions. You can try out the free version first and if you’re satisfied and want more features, then you can get the paid ones. These apps can give a completely new and fresh look to Android notifications.

iPhone Notifications

You don’t need to be iPhone fan to try out this app. This app displays your Android device’s notifications with iOS 5 fashion, thereby giving your notifications a complete iOS looks.

This app is available in two versions – iPhone Notifications (paid) and iPhone Notifications Lite (free). The lite version offers less features and is free. The full (pro) version is paid and offers these features – displays the full notification text, choose the banners timeout, make the alerts appear only when the screen is off, custom vibration patterns, set quiet hours and much more. If you just want to try if this app suits you, and if you like the new looks, then try out the lite version first.

WP7 Notifications Plus

This app is for those who like Windows Phone 7′s notification style. WP7 displays all your Android notifications in the same way and style as displayed on Windows Phone 7.

WP7 is also available in two versions – WP7 Notifications Plus (paid app) and WP7 Notifications (free app). As you may have guessed, the paid version offers more features like animate the notifications, display a shadow under the notification, choose the color for the notification, wake up phone when receiving notification, custom vibration patterns, set quiet hours and reminders and much more.

Both these apps are developed by Productigeeky. After installing the app, don’t forget to follow the procedure to activate the service. Go, give your Android phone a Windows phone or iPhone like notification style.

This post - Get Windows Phone or iPhone Style Notifications on your Android Phone is originally published at: Technostarry

Ranjit Yadav, country head for mobile and IT, Samsung India says:

Consumers today, especially the younger generation is very expressive, socially active, wants to stay connected and do more while on the move. This device not only meets these needs of Gen Y but allows them to personalise the phone to match their personality and provides them with a richer, more intuitive smartphone experience. We are very confident that this device will catch the imagination of our young consumers.

Technical Specs of Samsung Wave Y (S5380)

Processor: 832 MHz
Operating system: Bada 2.0
Touchscreen: TFT capacitive touchscreen (TouchWiz UI)
Screen size: 3.2 inches
Resolution: 320 x 480 pixels
Memory: 2GB memory card included (expandable upto 32GB)
Sensors: Accelerometer, proximity
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and WiFi Direct
USB: microUSB v2.0
Camera: 1600×1200 pixels with LED flash
Video: HVGA@30fps
Radio: Stereo FM radio with RDS
GPS: Yes, with A-GPS support
Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 1200 mAh
Other features: 3.5 mm headset jack, Bluetooth 3.0

The new Samsung Wave Y is based on the bada 2.0 platform, it has 832 MHz processor which helps in smooth functioning of the device. It offers a big 3.2inch HGVA screen.

This smartphone also includes CHATON, a new kind of multi-platform messenger which helps in connecting to friends on any mobile platform like Android, iOS, Blackberry OS, etc. This app also helps in sharing content such as images, calendar, contacts, music, video or map.

Folder management helps in categorizing various icons in folders. Check weather, news, gallery, calendar and web surfing in a glance with Samsung Live Panel.

The Wi-Fi Direct feature available in this phone helps in sharing content like images, videos and more or play games with nearby Wi-Fi enabled devices without the need of internet connection.

Price of Samsung Wave Y in India is Rs.7,950 (approx $160 USD).

This post - Samsung Wave Y S5380, Specifications, Features and Price is originally published at: Technostarry

By default, auto-updates are enabled on Android devices. This is definitely good but those who are using mobile data for updating their apps, their mobile bills can rise because of this. A possible solution would be to disable Auto-updates and update apps over Wi-Fi only.

Disable Auto update for Android Market (apps)

Press your phone’s menu button and tap Market. This will open Android Market. Once the Market has loaded, press the Menu button again and tap settings. This should open “settings” section of Android Market. From here, you can tick on “Auto-update apps” to install the latest version of your apps automatically.

Vice versa, if you want to disable auto-update of apps, then untick this option. This should prevent auto update of apps.

Also note the “Update over Wi-Fi only”, if this option is selected then the phone won’t download updates unless you’re connected to a wireless (Wi-Fi) network. This option would come in handy for those who don’t want to use their mobile data plan to update apps. Updates will be performed only when you’re connected with Wi-Fi.

You can also limit a single app to manual updates only. From the Market, press Menu and tap “My Apps”. Scroll through a list of installed apps, tap your desired app and untick “Allow automatic updating”. This being done, your selected app won’t auto update. (Refer below screenshot)

In this screenshot, you can see that “Allow automatic updating” is unchecked. Now this Angry Birds Seasons game won’t auto-update.

This is how we can stop (turn-off) auto-update for Android apps.

This post - How to Enable/Disable Auto-update for Android Apps is originally published at: Technostarry