Phones for all phobias!

In a buyer's market of plentiful product choice, smart phone makers are hard pressed to differentiate themselves. So here comes the moviewallah phone, the gaana phone, the selfie phone, the phone that updates itself...

Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus and Lenovo PHAB: Pixel-friendly, pocket worthy!

The Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus flaunts advanced cinematic features.

You don’t need to throw big bucks to buy a functional 4G smart phone these days. The recently launched Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus, is a good example.

Video and audio output stands out in this device. The 5-inch full HD phone has dual stereo speakers boosted with Dolby Atmos, in itself a combo of multiple audio technologies like dialogue enhancer, volume leveller, sound virtualized... . Lenovo's proprietary TheatreMax technology ensures a very good video experience --if you use the phone with a matching Virtual Reality headset, or throw the image on a TV screen. It runs on Android 5.1 and is powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon octa core processor with 2GB RAM. It comes with a 16GB internal storage, expandable to 32GB.

While many high-end phones come with a non-removable battery, The Vibe K5 Plus thankfully features a removable, 2750mAh cell. This lets us change the battery instead of the entire device, in case of battery issues. The smart phone comes with a standard 13 megapixels rear camera and 5 megapixels front camera. Surprisingly, the front camera picture looked almost as good as the rear camera image. This is a dual SIM device that can easily be operated with one hand, unlike some monsters, I won't mention. Priced at Rs 8,499, the Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus is good value -- that will seem like great value if you appreciate superior sound and into constant movie watching . Available at Flipkart.

To have and to hold -- tight!

The Lenovo PHAB believes: Size does matter!

Lenovo is jumping into the phablet space on April 21, with its largest device ever: The PHAB has a 6.98-inch full HD screen and Dolby's ATMOS 3D sound box. That is as close as one can get to a theatrical audio experience. With 2GB RAM, 64GB storage, dual 4G SIMS, a 5MP front (with panorama mode) and 13MP rear camera, it is in many ways very similar, spec-wise to the Vibe K5 Plus except that it comes with a jumbo-sized screen.

Priced Rs 11,999, the PHAB is an interesting tweak of the PHAB Plus that Lenovo launched six months ago -- with a slightly smaller, but better full HD screen. Clearly the phablet is still a work under progress and makers are not quite sure which combo of price and size the buyer will bite!

OPPO F1 Plus: Wag the dog!

This 'Selfie Expert' sports more megapixels in its front camera than the rear

Talk of the tail wagging the dog! OPPO has gone all out to woo selfie lovers by making the front or selfie camera more powerful than the primary (rear camera). The OPPO F1 Plus has a massive 14 Megapixels fuelling its selfie camera, with a panorama mode to squeeze in as many people into the frame as possible. Flash plus a special light sensor brightens dark scenes and proprietary 'Beauty 4.0' software knocks a few wrinkles, pimples (and years) off the beauty-conscious. The main camera is no slouch either with 13MP and the added benefits of autofocus.

With 4GB RAM and 64GB of primary storage expandable to 128GB, the F1Plus is capable of some heavy iron app work -- something belied by its 145g - 1.66mm thin frame. Sensibly, the dual SIM 4G VoLTE phone can take a combo of micro and nano SIMS and at 5.5 inches, the AMOLED screen is a good compromise between good viewing and pocketability.

OPPO's Color 3.0 OS is something that the company has strapped on top of Android 5.1 and you can like or lump it. At Rs 26,990, OPPO is clearly going for premium customers for whom satisfactory selfies are worth a stiffer asking price.

Creo Mark 1: Making a first Impression!

Creo Mark 1 combines a great camera with some cool software tools.

Bangalore based startup, CREO has just unveiled its first indigenously designed and developed smartphone -- the Mark 1 -- with a unique value proposition: It will be updated every month with new software and operating system improvements.

It features a curved metal body with Gorilla Glass 3 protection for front and back. Weighing 190 grams, the device doesn’t feel light, but it also can’t be termed bulky as we felt it was quite comfortable and sturdy to hold. The 5.5-inch screen comes with Quad HD display with 534 ppi.

The 21 megapixels primary camera -- a rarity -- comes with Sony Exmor IMX230 sensor and Phase Detection Auto Focus. The secondary camera is 8 megapixels. Both the cameras come with features like 3D Photo and GIF that converts your clicks into moving images. We took a few shots using these features the image quality of both the camera is sharp and vibrant during outdoor shots, but the selfies taken indoors, under low light didn’t impress us.

The Mark 1 scores big in terms of its software. CREO has introduced its proprietary Fuel OS, based on Android Lollipop. The OS comes with features like Retriever – an anti-theft app that tracks and sends email alerts about the stolen device location whenever a new SIM is inserted. There’s also a system called Echo that works like an answering machine. The device also comes with a phone search engine, Sense, which claims to simplify the search process. Another interesting feature is ‘Make Your Mark’, which will enable the users to engrave personalized messages on the device.

The Mark 1 is powered by a 1.95GHz Octa Core Helio X10 Processor with 3GB RAM. The device functions smoothly, without any operational lags. There’s a 3100mAh, non removable battery. The internal storage of 32GB is expandable up to 128GB. It has dual SIM slots with 4G connectivity.

Priced at Rs 19,999, the CREO Mark 1 might seem good value if you are looking for a very good primary camera and want to see your phone update itself regularly without bothering you. The device would be soon available at Flipkart and CREO’S official website.