TECH FLASH

Sony has open the prices of its latest televisions and the top-of-the-line model costs a gigantic $70,000 which translates to Indian Rupee (Rs 49 lakh) in India. you will get a 98-inch 8K TV powered by  Android OS . The  Sony MASTER Series Z9G 8K HDR TV  is one of the first  Android TV  offering  8K resolution .  There is a slightly affordable alternative Televisions too. There is another model of the new  Sony MASTER Series   “Z9G 8K HDR TV”, comes with a 85-inch panel size at a price of $13,000 or which translates to Indian Rupee approx. (Rs 9 lakh) in India. While both the TVs run Android, there will be support for HomeKit and AirPlay 2 through a software update provided later this year. Both the TVs are expected to arrive in June globally. Note that this is Sony’s first 8K TVs for consumers and both the models will be powered by the X1 Ultimate processor that is claimed to be optimised to tackle 8K content.

South Korean manufacturer LG is on a spree to challenge its cross town rival Samsung onfronts in the smartphone market. While its answer to Galaxy S III in the form of the acclaimed Optimus G was much ed, the company has taken a slight lead on Galaxy Note III (going by the rumoured specs of the upcoming Samsung phone). The company launched the Optimus G Pro in February this year, with specs that will help it match what the next-gen Note phablet is likely to offer. At the India launch event for the Optimus G Pro, the company compared the handset to the currently available Galaxy Note II several times. While the two phones are miles apart when it comes to features and spec sheets, it is a wise comparison since the latter has a huge fan following in India. We do a review of the LG Optimus G Pro to see exactly how good it is and whether it is a better buy than Samsung Galaxy Note II and indeed over the upcoming Note III, going by leaked specs.   Hardware and design: LG  Optimu

I n your budget, you can pick up a 16GB iPad Mini (Wi-Fi , 7.9-inch screen) for Rs 21,900, or you could get an iPad 2 (Wi-Fi , 9.5-inch screen) for 24,500. Both Apple devices run the proprietary iOS operating system; boast of a superb - almost crashproof - user experience; and have the best apps ecosystem. In fact, iOS is the only platform that has offerings created specifically for the tablet form factor. Additionally, you also get free cloud-based storage through iCloud, as well as the FaceTime feature that lets you conduct video chats with other Apple device users. On the flip side, with both 16GB tablets, you do not have the option to expand device memory; you are tied down to iTunes—not the most friendliest of software to use on a PC—and yes, you are limited to browsing the web via Wi-Fi only, with no support for 3G. Alternatively, you could opt for a slate that runs the Android OS. Here, you could consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 P3110 (Wi-Fi , 7-inch screen) for Rs

Canadian phone maker BlackBerry today launched the Q5 smartphone in India, bringing its latest handset in the country. This smartphone is aimed at emerging markets and has been priced at Rs 24,990. It is the third BB10-powered phone to be launched in India, after the exorbitantly priced Z10 and Q10 smartphones. BlackBerry Q5 has 3.1-inch touchscreen with 720x720p resolution, along with the Qwerty keyboard. It is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and packs 2GB RAM, 8GB internal storage. Storage can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card in this phone. Connectivity features of BlackBerry Q5 are 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 and NFC. The phone has a 5MP camera with LED flash on the back and 2MP camera in front. This mid-range smartphone runs on a 2,180mAh battery. BlackBerry has used plastic in making Q5, instead of premium material like cold-forged steel (which forms the body of Q10). It is available in the market in red, white and black colours and w

Lenovo has started taking orders for its IdeaTab A1000 tablet in India on its official website. The Chinese manufacturer has placed this device in the budget segment and has priced it at Rs 8,990. It will compete against the likes of Acer Iconia B1, Asus MemoPad and Micromax Funbook Talk in the market. Unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in February this year, Lenovo IdeaTabA1000 has a 7-inch TFT screen with 1024x600p resolution. It runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) operating system and is powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz Mediatek processor. It also has 4GB internal storage, 1GB RAM and microSD support of up to 32GB. For connectivity, Lenovo IdeaTabA1000 has features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, microUSB and can be used for voice calling. It has a VGA camera in front for video calling and a 3,500mAh battery. Lenovo also offers IdeaTabA2107 and IdeaTab 3000 in the Indian market. Other tablets in the country with voice calling functionality include Asus FonePad and Samsung G

US Internet giant Google is scrambling to deliver pay television online and has met with some content providers on licensing, The Wall Street Journal has reported. "If the Web giant goes ahead with the idea, it would join several other companies planning to offer services that deliver cable TV-style packages of channels over broadband connections," the Journal reported. "Intel Corp and Sony Corp are both working on similar offerings, while Apple Inc has pitched various TV licensing ideas to media companies in the past couple of years," the report said. Google's effort, if successful, has the potential to seriously undermine the current pay-cable television "ecosystem," it added.