Casio XW-PD1 Groove Center And XW-DJ1 DJ Controllers Unveiled

Ahead of the upcoming NAMM 2015 music showcase event starting later this month on January 22nd, Casio has this week unveiled two new additions to its range of DJ controllers in the form of the newCasioXW-PD1 Groove Center and XW-DJ1 controller.

The Casio XW-PD1 Groove Center is expected to start shipping in March 2015 and will be priced at £400 and offers users a 7 inch platter that’s designed to replicate the feel of an analog turntable.

The XW-PD1 is equipped with an outer ring containing 16 buttons, enabling users to check the current rhythm pattern at a glance, says Casio. Who have equipped the XW-PD1 with drum sounds for a variety of styles such as Hip Hop, Trap, and House.It also allows the creation of rhythms and phrases with the pads as well as the ability to apply DSP effects suchas roll, filter, bit crusher, break, and pitch shifter. Stephen Schmidt, vice president of Casio’s Electronic Musical Instrument division explains :“Electronic Dance Music is here to stay and with its ever increasing popularity, we wanted to offer fans a way tobecome part of this epic music movement,”-“Casio’s new Trackformer series offers a variety of easy-to-use features that are ideal for aspiring DJs and musicians who are ready to set the stage at a party, produce beats and perform.”The XW-DJ1 will be made available later this month for £299 and has been designed to integrate with the awesome Algoriddim’s djay2 iOS and Android application allowing users to control control of cue points, tempo sync, effects, looping and more.

For more information on the new Casio DJ controllers jump over to theCasio press release for details.

Groovemaker 2 For Android Launches For $9.99 or €8.99

IK Multimedia has today launched its new GrooveMaker 2 remixing and music creation software onAndroidand priced it at £6.99, $9.99 and €8.99.

GrooveMaker 2 has been designed to work with pre-arranged sets of over 6,200 loops that are grouped by bass drum, loop, bassline, pads and percussion and can be combined to always sound good together.

The new IK Multimedia Android app is equipped with patented “groove generator” technology that lets users to remix the loops to create unlimited tunes and tracks. Watch the video below to learn more about the Groovemaker 2 Android app and see it in action.

IK Multimedia explains :“Playing with GrooveMaker 2 is simple: Select a song to enter the Grid interface. Then push the Randomix button to start the music and make the building blocks of your groove appear. You can change grooves with the Randomix function or literally “draw” new grooves directly on the grid. You can lock, solo, mute, change volume, pan and freely associate loops with each of the 8 available tracks.GrooveMaker 2’s easy-to-use touchscreen interface lets you effortless take control of the music: alter groove length, browse available loops, tweak effects, trigger Randomixes and more.Enhance your grooves with the Effects interface.

You get 16 high quality effects that include favorites like Filter, Delay, and Flanger plus highly creative effects like Twist, Brake and Spin that are usually only found on sophisticated professional DJ steps. You also get a Master section where you can add a finishing touch to yourgroove with a Compressor, an EQ and a Filter.”

For more information on the new GrooveMaker 2 Android app and to download it jump over to the Google Play Store website for details.

New Acer Smartphones And Wearable Coming At MWC 2015

Mobile World Congress 2015 kicks off tommorow and now Acer has announced that they will be launching some new smartphones and wearable devices at MWC.The company posted the photo above on Facebookand also said that they will be launching their ‘new smartphones and wearable’ at the event.

Acer has not revealed any any information on their new devices, although it looks like the company will launch at least one smartwatch or wearable device and at least two new smartphones.

We will have more information on exactly what Acer will be unveiling at Mobile World Congress 2015 this week.

Salora Arya Z3 smartphone brings octa core performance for Rs 6999

Octa core smartphones are getting less expensive by the day and the Salora Arya Z3 is one of the most affordable options currently available in India. The handset is a new launch from the company and packs quite a nice roster of features for its Rs 6999 price.

The Salora Arya Z3 can easily go up against the Xiaomi Redmi 1S andLenovo’s A6000smartphone, both of which are popular options on the market. The handset comes with an octa core chipset that’s based on the Cortex A7 processor. It’s basically the MediaTek MT6592 SOC clocked at 1.4GHz with Mali 450 graphics. Also, the handset is the successor to last year’s Z2 model which also went official with the same retail tag.

Of course, there are various improvements onboard the newSalora smartphone. The device takes on a new, yet very common design. The front panel features a 5-inch 720p HD IPS OGS display and a 2MP camera, while the rear flaunts an 8MP shooter with LED flash and a textured finish.

Like its predecessor, the Arya Z3 also runs on Android 4.4 KitKat with the same 1GB of RAM. On the upside, the internal storage capacity has been doubled from 4GB to 8GB and you also get microSD expansions of up to 32GB. Even the battery capacity has been improved to 2200mAh from 1800mAh.
Salora Arya Z3 specs:
– OS: Android 4.4 KitKat
– Display: 5-inch 720p HD OGS touchscreen
– Processor: 1.4GHz octa core MediaTek chip
– Memory: 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, 32GB expandable
– Camera: 8MP rear, 2MP front
– Connectivity: Dual SIM, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, HSPA
– Battery: 2200mAh
The Salora Arya Z3 is available for purchase through Amazon India in black only.

Micromax Canvas Selfie arrives in India with two 13MP cameras

If you remember, the Micromax Canvas Selfie had been launched by the company back in December last year but for some reason it still hasn’t reached the market. The company has now released this Rs 15999 selfie-focused handset finally, while highlighting the fact that it offers a 13MP front camera sitting beside a soft LED flash.

The rear surface of theMicromax Canvas Selfieis also well equipped, for a 13MP snapper has been placed there, aside from a dual LED flash. This device features a faux leather finish on its back panel, while its front is adorned by a 4.7-inch 720p HD display.

Fueling its operations from within is a MediaTek-made 1.7GHz octa core processor that’s coupled with 2GB worth of RAM. There’s 16GB of storage present on the Canvas Selfie as well, aside from a microSD cardslot which supports further expansions of up to 32GB.

The Android 4.4 KitKat OS has been chosen by Micromax to be the base software here. The company moreover, has even equipped the device with its own software tools that complement its dual 13MP cameras. Lastly, there’s a 2300mAh battery pack onboard this phone as well.
A quick glance at the key specs of the Micromax Canvas Selfie:
– Display: 4.7-inch LCD, 720p HD
– OS Android 4.4 KitKat
– Processor: 1.7GHz octa core
– Memory: 2GB RAM, 16GB storage (expandable up to 32GB)
– Cameras: 13MP rear, 13MP front
– Battery: 2300mAh
There’s no word on the exact date on which the Micromax Canvas Selfiewill be going on sale in India, but you can expect that to happen sometime next week. It will of course be priced at Rs 15999.

Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus start receiving price cuts in India

Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus smartphones have been on themarket for only a few months now, but they’re already receiving price cuts in India. Various e-commerce websites have started dropping the retail tags by as much as Rs 6500 with the minimum reductions being around Rs 1500 to Rs 2000 which is still pretty good.

What’s more, the amount being cut on the Apple smartphones varies from online retailers. TheiPhone 6was originally launched at Rs 53500 with 16GB of storage, but can now be picked up for as low as Rs 48595. The same e-commerce website also has the 64GB model listed at Rs 57448, down from Rs 62500.

The Rs 71500 128GB model, on the other hand, has seen a small reduction in its retail amount as it’s now available at Rs 69999. Coming to the larger iPhone 6 Plus, you can grab the 16GB option for as low as Rs 55999. All afore mentioned listings are from Flipkart as they’re the cheapest options we’ve come across.

The best deals on the 64GB and 128GB iPhone 6 Plus models, however, can be found on Amazon India where the former is selling at Rs 65999 and the latter is tagged at Rs 73999. The original tags of these devices at launch were Rs 71500 and Rs 80500, respectively. You’ll probably even find similar deals on other ecommerce websites.Additionally, Amazon India is running a cash back promo on select credit cards if you purchase any of the new Apple smartphones on EMI. More details on the offer can be found throughthis link. In other news, the company has partnered with service providers likeRelianceandVodafoneto offer both smartphones with special tariff offers. It also plans to set up500 dedicated retail storesin the country

The afore mentioned amounts for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will most likely change in the coming days as new promos are introduced orcurrent ones are ended.

Xolo A1010 launched with 5-inch display and an affordable price tag

Out for purchase in exchange of just Rs 5499 is the Xolo A1010 smartphone which has been equipped with a 5-inch display and the Android 4.4 KitKat OS. This new device has been launched as an exclusive to e-retail website HomeShop18, where a gift voucher worth Rs 500 is also being bundled with it.The dual SIM Xolo A1010 can be purchased in the form of a white or black model. The 5-inch display which it flaunts on its front surface sports an FWVGA resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. Furthermore, this phone’s operations are powered by a 1GHz dual core processor that is backed by 512MB worth of RAM.

There’s 4GB of storage onboard thisXolo handset, apart from a microSD card slot which supports further expansions of up to 32GB. The rear surface of the smartphone has been fitted with a 5MP rear facing camera, while its front face bears on it a VGA snapper for selfies and video calling.

Sized at 156 x 78.6 x 9.0mm, the A1010 tips the scales at 96gms. It ships with a 2500mAh battery pack which is capable of keeping it going for up to 26 hours of talktime and 550 hours of standby time

A sharper look at the specs of the Xolo A1010:
– OS: Android 4.4.2 KitKat
– Display: 5-inch FWVGA IPS display
– Processor: 1GHz dual core MediaTek processor
– Memory: 512MB RAM, 4GB ROM (expandable up to 32GB)
– Battery: 2500mAh
;– Camears: VGA front, 5MP rear
– Weight: 96gms
– Size: 156 x 78.6 x 9.0mm
If you’re interested in purchasing it,go to the HomeShop18 listing of the Xolo A1010 smartphone which has its price set at Rs 5499.

LG L Bello and L Fino dual SIM phones are now cheaper in India

The LG L Bello and L Fino that were launched in 2014, have been given decent price cuts in India, making the highly attractive duo all the more alluring picks. Both phones were launched as premium options and were amongst the first outside the flagship series to carry the company’s G3 design.

TheLG L Belloand L Fino smartphones are entry-level releases based on the hardware employed, but fall in the mid-range owing to high retail tags. The former device made its debut in October for Rs 18500, while the latter was selling for Rs 14500. After the new reductions, the phoneswill be made available for 13250 and Rs. 10700 respectively.LG L Bello L FinoThat’s basically a drop of Rs 5250 for the former and Rs 3800 for the latter handset. However, the company’s official online store has even lower amounts listed where the L Bello is tagged at Rs 12990 and the L Fino is on sale for Rs 10490.

The cuts for the two LG phones come at a very interesting time. The company has already revelealed itsnext lineupof affordable smartphones, namely the Magna, Spirit, Leon and Joy, and they’re scheduled to make an appearance at the MWC 2015 expo next week. Also, LG has disclosed that these phones will begin shipping this week itself in select markets, so there’s a high possibility of them reaching India early next month.

LG L Bello/L Fino specs:
– Android 4.4 KitKat
– 5-inch FWVGA/4.5-inch WVGA IPS LCD panel
– 1.3GHz/1.2GHz quad core processor
– 1GB RAM, 8GB/4GB internal storage, 32GB expandable
– Dual SIM w/ HSPA+
– 8MP rear camera, 1MP/VGA front snapper
– 2540mAh/1900mAh battery

The LG L Bello and L Fino smartphones can be purchased with the reduced retail tags through the company’sbrand store. Other ecommerce websites also have them listed with the new amount.

JBL Go portable speaker released in India at Rs 1999

Out in the Indian market right now is the new JBL Go portable speaker which prides itself on its superior audio output and its Bluetooth connectivity facility. But what’s all the more interesting is that the product is retailing at a pretty attractive cost of just Rs 1999.Offering 1 x 3 Watts of audio output, the JBL Go portable speaker can be bought exclusively through Snapdeal right now. While the actual cost ofthe device has been revealed to be Rs 2999, the above mentioned value is its introductory price which may get inflated in the future.

The Go speaker was first unveiled to the world at this year’s CES where its retail value was disclosed to be $30. This amount roughly translates into Rs 1860 which is why the Rs 2999 tag seems too farfetched to us.

Coming to the speaker itself, it has been fitted inside a 82.50 x 29.95 x 67.91mm body which houses Bluetooth and Aux-in support. This means you can wirelessly hook this JBL device up to your smartphones and tablets to play music from them, or connect it to your MP3 players or other media players as well.A cool functionality that Go buyers will be able to take advantage of is its Echo and Noise Cancellation technology which works if a call is received when it’s connected to a phone. This ensures that there’s no sound distortion so you can peacefully talk to the caller.

If you’re interested in purchasing the JBL Go portable speaker, head over toSnapdealright now in order to grab one for yourself. Although it exists in a variety of color options, only the black model seems to have made it to India for now.

Lenovo launches Sisley S90 smartphone for selfie enthusiasts at Rs 19990

The previously leaked Lenovo Sisley S90 has finally been official released in India as a selfie phone that sports an 8MP front camera and sells at a price of Rs 19990. At this retail value, it’s competing against the likes of the OnePlus One and the Xiaomi Mi 4, but as far as looks go, the iPhone 6 is what its designers want to contend against.Yes, as you can see from the images, the Lenovo Sisley S90 borrows its design cues from Apple’s latest smartphone offerings. The slim shape, the camera placement, the antenna lines, the curved edges; all go on to remind us about the iPhone.

Lenovo has blessed the device with a 5-inch AMOLED display which garners a 720p HD resolution. While its front face houses an 8MP camera from high-resolution selfies, its rear surface features a 13MP main snapper accompanied by a PureCel sensor.

The LTE-capable Sisley S90 runs on a quad core 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor which is backed by 2GB worth of RAM. Android 4.4 KitKat is its preferred OS, while it relies upon a 2300mAh battery for its power consumption.

Here’s a good look at the main specs of the Lenovo Sisley S90 smartphone:–
Display: 5-inch 720p HD Super AMOLED touchscreen
– OS: Android 4.4.4 KitKat
– Processor: 1.4GHz quad core Snapdragon 410 SOC (64-bit)
– Memory: 1GB RAM, 32GB storage
– Battery: 2300mAh
– Camera: 13MP rear, 8MP front
Priced at Rs 19990, Lenovo Sisley S90 can be bought now via retail stores as well as through the company’s very own online store.

UK’s Fly Mobile launches Qik+, Qik and Snap smartphones on Snapdeal

Fly Mobile’s Qik+, Qik and Snap smartphones have been officially released in India carrying affordable prices of under Rs 7000. The new handsets range from entry-level to mid-end options and are up for grabs in the country exclusively through Snapdeal.The trio basically marks the re-entry of the UK-based company into the Indian smartphone market, which has been absent for quite a long time.Certainly, there’s a lot of competition the new handsets will have to face, but they do seem capable. The Fly Snap is the cheapest of the three and it offers a basic Android experience for Rs 2999.

Being amongst the most affordable options on the market, this release packs a 4-inch WVGA IPS display and is powered by a 1.3GHz quad coreprocessor. Features like Android 4.4 KitKat, dual SIM support with HSPA, a 5MP rear camera and a 2MP frot snapper are also onboard, making the device a great pick for what it’s selling at. Additionally, the Snap also comes with a 1500mAh battery, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of expandable storage.

The Qik smartphone is an octa core release carrying the usual Cortex A7based MediaTek chipset clocked at 1.7GHz. The device offers a 4.5-inchFWVGA IPS display, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, a 2000mAh battery, dual SIMsupport, a 5MP selfie camera and an 8MP rear shooter. And with a retail tag of Rs 5999, this phone is one of the cheapest octa core options on the market. The Qik+, on the other hand, is a beefier option and is available for Rs 6999.

Fly Mobile Qik+ specs:–
Android 4.4.2 KitKat– 5-inch 720p HD IPS display– 1.7GHz octa core processor– 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, 32GB expandable– Dual SIM w/ HSPA+– 2200mAh battery– 13MP rear camera, 5MP front shooter

The Fly Mobile Qik+, Qik and Snap smartphones are already available forpurchase through Snapdeal which is the exclusive retailer.

Sesame Enable is the world’s first hands-free phone for the disabled

Designed by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities, is how the Sesame Enable has been introduced by the folks who have crafted itand now brought it out into the open. This unique smartphone is basically a modified Nexus 5 which can be controlled by gestures and voice rather than touch.The makers of the Sesame Enable have revealed that they have crafted the new technology for those who can move their hands in a limited manner or can’t move them at all. They can then use their voice or head movements to control the functions of the handset.

This phone from Sesame has been revealed to be highly customizable, and it moreover, works with a very small head movement range. It can be used by people suffering from spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, Lou Gehrig’s disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and more.Over the years, this technology will grow and make the disabled even more independent by letting them control various household things via Smart Home and Internet-of-Things technologies. Right now, thermostats, lights, TVs, air conditioners, locks, shades and so more can be controlled using the phone.

And as for the device’s basic functions it can be used as normal smartphone as well. So apart from calls and messages, disabled peoplecan also use it for accessing thousands of apps and games from the Google Play store.

The makers of the Sesame Enable had gone for anIndiegogocampaign to acquire funding for it, and they reached their goal only this January. Itcan be bought at a price of $1000 which is not much if its functionality is to be considered.

iBall Slide Brace-X1 Tablet launchedat Rs. 17,999 , with 10.1 inch display

iBall on Monday launched another voice-calling tablet in its Slide series in India, called the iBall Slide Brace-X1, at Rs. 17,999. The device will be made available via all leading stores and retail outlets across India in next few weeks. Notably, the tablet was first spotted listed on company site earlier this month.

The iBall Slide Brace-X1 tablet comes with dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) and voice calling support, and runs Android 4.4 KitKat out-of-the-box. It features a 10.1-inch HD (1280x800 pixels) IPS display and a ARM Cortex-based octa-core 1.7GHz processor coupled with 2GB of RAM.

The Slide Brace-X1 tablet sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while there is also a 5-megapixel front-facing camera onboard. It includes 16GB of inbuilt storage, which is expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB).

Connectivity options on the iBall Slide Brace-X1 include 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Micro-USB, GPS/ A-GPS, and OTG support. The Slide Brace-X1 features a 7800mAh battery, which is claimed to last up to 24 hours without the recharge. It also includes dual chambered speakers, which according to company can deliver a "theatrical experience".

Commenting on the launch, Sandeep Parasrampuria, Director of iBall, says, "We are excited to present iBall Slide Brace-X1. Not only is it the first tablet in 10.1-inch [form factor] with octa-core processor, it is also loaded with unbeatable features and looks for its segment. Octa core, exclusive design, 2GB RAM, 16GB built-in storage, HD IPS Display, dual chambered speakers.... all make it a very exclusive and exiting product for any user."

OnePlus One 16GB Silk White Variant Launched at Rs. 18,999

The 16GB Silk White OnePlus One as teased last week will be available from Tuesday via the invite system on Amazon India at Rs. 18,999. The handset costs Rs. 1,000 less than its Xiaomi counterpart, the 16GB Xiaomi Mi 4, priced at Rs. 19,999. The OnePlus One 64GB Sandstone Black variant is currently priced at Rs. 21,999 in India.

To win invites for the 16GB Silk White OnePlus One smartphone, the company last week announced a contest where users have to answer a question correctly as a reply to the post on the forum or Facebook page, and fill out a short form with their name, address, and email details. Winners are to be chosen at random, and given their invites by Monday.

Vikas Agarwal, General Manager of OnePlus India, in his announcement post clarifiedthe invites received via the 16GB Silk White contest can be used to purchase either the 16GB or the 64GB OnePlus One variant. The contest pages appear to still be open. Agarwal added the firm "has seen an overwhelming response from the community" since its entry into the market, and the company is also working on bringing "wider range of products to the Indian market" in future.

OnePlus as promised earlier this month revealed more details about its upcoming OxygenOS custom ROM for the OnePlus One smartphone, and also introduced the team behind it. The company showcased the new logo for the OxygenOS while also announced March as the release month for the new OS for OnePlus devices during a Reddit AMAA session. A CM12S build is also due for the smartphone.

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