The Ultimate Guide for Anonymous and Secure Internet Usage

The Ultimate Guide for Anonymous and Secure Internet Usage 



 Table of Contents:
1. Obtaining Tor Browser
2. Using and Testing Tor Browser for the first time
3. Securing Your Hard Drive
4. Setting up TrueCrypt, Encrypted Hidden Volumes
5. Testing TrueCrypt Volumes
6. Securing your Hard Disk
7. Temporarily Securing Your Disk, Shredding Free Space
8. Installing VirtualBox
9. Installing a Firewall
10. Firewall Configuration
11. Installing Ubuntu
12. Ubuntu Initial Setup
13. Installing Guest Additions
14. Installing IRC (Optional)
15. Installing Torchat (Optional)
16. Creating TOR-Only Internet Environment
17. General Daily Usage

By the time you are finished reading and implementing this guide, you will be able to securely and anonymously browse any website and to do so anonymously. No one not even your ISP or a government agent will be able to see what you are doing online. If privacy and anonymity is important to you, then you owe it to yourself to follow the instructions that are presented here.

In order to prepare this guide for you, I have used a computer that is running Windows Vista. This guide will work equally well for other versions of Windows. If you use a different operating system, you may need to have someone fluent in that operating system guide you through this process. However, most parts of the process are easily duplicated in other operating systems.

I have written this guide to be as newbie friendly as possible. Every step is fully detailed and explained. I have tried to keep instructions explicit as possible. This way, so long as you patiently follow each step, you will be just fine. In this guide from time to time you will be instructed to go to certain URLs to download files. You do NOT need TOR to get these files, and using TOR (while possible) will make these downloads very slow. This guide may appear overwhelming. Every single step is explained thoroughly and it is just a matter of following along until you are done. Once you are finished, you will have a very secure setup and it will be well worth the effort. Even though the guide appears huge, this whole process should take at the most a few hours. You can finish it in phases over the course of several days.

It is highly recommended that you close *ALL* applications running on your computer before starting.

1: Obtaining Tor Browser

The first step to becoming secure and anonymous online is to setup and install something called "TOR". "TOR" is short for Onion Router". The concepts behind TOR were first implemented by the United States Military, and these principles have been used to create an extremely secure mechanism for being anonymous online. In fact, millions of people world-wide use TOR to browse the internet and communicate anonymously.

TOR works by heavily encrypting your communications so that no observer can see what website you are really going to, and what information is really being sent. It all appears as a bunch of random characters to any observer. You simply use the TOR web browser just as you use any other web browser. TOR takes care of the rest.

However, TOR by itself is not enough. Even when using TOR, a user can be compromised in a number of ways. First, some websites can be set up to attempt to reveal someone's true IP address (their true identity) by tricking their web browser or other software to transmitting that information. For this reason, anyone who uses TOR will recommend that no one have javascript or flash turned on while browsing TOR. In this guide however, I will show you a much better solution.

The second issue is that of human error. Even if you have TOR installed, you may accidentally forget which browser to put in a link. You may also accidentally click on a link from another program, such as a chat program. That program might then load the link you clicked on into a non-TOR browser. When you are using TOR, you must be careful *constantly* that every link goes into the right browser, and that you do not accidentally click the wrong link.

So then, let's begin. Obtaining the TOR Browser is easy. Simply go to the following website: http://www.torproject.org

Once here, you may feel free to read more about what TOR is and how it works, or you may proceed to immediately download TOR.

Here is how to do so:

1. Click on "Download TOR", or "Download".

2. You will see text that says, "The Tor Browser Bundle contains everything you ned ... Just extract it and run. Learn more >>

3. Click on this "Learn more" link. for the "Tor Browser Bundle"

4. Assuming you are an English speaker, you would choose the top-most link "English (en-US)". Otherwise, pick the language best suited to you.

5. The file being saved will be named: tor-browser-1.3.18_en-US.exe

It is ok if the number is not exactly 1.3.18, there are new versions of Tor from time to time. At the time that this guide was written, 1.3.18 was most current. By the time you are reading this, a more current version of TOR may exist.

6. Run this file.

7. You will be prompted to extract this to a directory. By default, it will be set to C:\Users\You\Downloads\ This is perfectly ok. You can also choose a different directory if you wish.

8. Click "Extract"

That's it. TOR Browser is NOW installed. Time to test it out!

2 : Using and Testing Tor Browser for the first time

Now you have successfully downloaded and installed the Tor Web Browser Bundle. You are no doubt anxious to begin using it. First, click on the "start" menu icon, the icon in the lower left of your screen with the windows logo. On the top right will be a listing that says "You", "Documents", "Pictures", "Music"... "You" of course will be replaced by your user name. Click on "You", the top most link. This will open up your main user folder.

Now, locate the folder called "Downloads" and double click on it.

Now, inside the "Downloads" folder, double click on the folder called "Tor Browser".

Lastly, double click on the application: "Start Tor Browser"

When you do, you will see the Vidalia Control Panel appear, and you will observe as you connect to the TOR network. When this is complete, your web browser will open up and will automatically connect to the web address: check.torproject.org

This is to confirm that you are in fact using TOR. If you have followed this guide correctly, then you will see the following green text, or something similar:

"Congratulations. Your browser is configured to use Tor."

Now you can use this web browser the same as any other. You can go to any website you wish, and neither your ISP or anyone else will be able to see where you are going, or what you are doing. However, there are still issues that need to be resolved, so
don't begin browsing just yet.

Important Safety Note

If you fill out a form containing your email address, your name, or any other sensitive information while using the TOR browser, be aware that sometimes it is possible for an observer to see that information. When using TOR, use it to access websites and
content that you are *not* connected to via your real identity or any username or nick name which links to your real identity. Let TOR be for anonymous browsing solely. Do your online banking, or any other activities involving your real identity using your normal web browser.

3 : Securing Your Hard Drive

Being able to browse anonymously is one thing. However, you may choose to download and save sensitive content or material to your computer which you wish to keep private. This may include reading sensitive documents, viewing pictures, or storing any kind of sensitive data.

If you save *anything* to your computer's harddrive, then it is possible for someone who has confiscated your computer to determine what it was you saved. This is often true even if you delete the content. For example, suppose I use the Tor Browser and I navigate to a website containing a sensitive document that I wish to read. If I saved that document somewhere on my harddrive, then it is possible for someone else to find it. If I *delete* that document, it may still be possible for someone to undelete it.

Further, even if I never save it to my harddrive but I simply look at it using my word processing software, it may still be saved ina number of ways including:

1. Often programs keep records of filenames. The filename alone is often enough to incriminate someone.

2. Often programs keep parts of the content viewed saved for various reasons, such as for searching. This can include random excerpts of text, thumbnails of images, and more. Often this "partial" data is more than enough to prove what the original data was. Often the "partial" data is itself incriminating.

3. Sometimes, especially if you are running low on system memory, your operating system may choose to use your hard-disk as a temporary RAM. This is known as "SWAP". Normally, whenever you turn off your computer, whatever was in RAM is deleted. However, the data that goes to your SWAP may persist and it may be possible for someone to see what content you had open in your programs if that information is saved in RAM.

Generally speaking, you *must* have a plan to secure any content that is saved to your hard disk. Therefore, this guide would be incomplete if we did not thoroughly address this. First, there are two kinds of such content:

1. Deliberately saved content.
2. Inadvertently saved content.

Deliberately saved content refers to content that you have chosen to save on your harddisk so that you can access this content later. We will address how to do this later in the guide.

Inadvertently saved content refers to content that is saved by programs you use, or your operating system. You have no way to even know what this content might be. Therefore, this is the most dangerous. You may browse and find a dozen sensitive documents, utterly delete them, and some program may have saved the file names and excerpts of the data. This will render your previous efforts futile.

Content that is inadvertently saved to your harddisk comes in two flavors:

1. Content that is saved to your SWAP space.
2. Content that is saved by applications running on your computer, including your operating system.

The surest way to prevent content from writing to your SWAP space is to disable your SWAP space altogether. This may result in your computer running a bit slower than normal, and may mean that you cannot use ram intensive games and applications during the time your SWAP is disabled.

Therefore, if you use this method, simply turn back on the SWAP when you want to use those ram intensive applications. Also, you may choose not to take this step.

Here is how to disable your swap space if you are using Windows 7:

*This step is recommended for advanced users only. If you are not comfortable doing this, you may safely skip this step.*

Instructions are less verbose than usual, as these steps are intended for advanced users only. If you do not fully understand these instructions, skip this step.

1. From Control Panel, go to "System and Security".
2. Click on "System", and then choose "Advanced system settings" in the left-most menu.
3. Under the "Advanced" tab, under "Performance", click "Settings".
4. Under this "Advanced" tab, under "Virtual Memory", click "Change"
5. Uncheck "Automatically manage paging file sizes for all drives"
6. Select "No paging file"
7. Save, reboot, and follow these same first 5 steps to confirm that "No paging file" is still selected. This means that you have successfully disabled your swap. This means that *nothing* from RAM will be inadvertently saved to your harddrive.

To resume using SWAP again, simply click "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives." You can switch between these two modes as you desire.

Generally speaking, your computer will run fine without a swap file, provided you have enough RAM.

END OF ADVANCED INSTRUCTIONS

---

The next issue we need to address is how to prevent applications and/or your operating system from saving content inadvertently that you do not want saved. For this, we are going to set up a "Virtual Machine".

A "Virtual Machine" is like a computer inside of your computer. Everything you do inside the Virtual Machine (vm for short) will be fully contained within itself and no one will be able to see what the vm has been doing. Ideally, you want *ALL* of your sensitive computer usage of any kind, TOR or NON TOR, to take place within a vm. In this way, you can keep everything private that you wish while still using your computer fully and getting the most out of it.

Don't be afraid of this sounds complicated. This guide will take you through every step slowly and methodically. Before we can set up a vm however, we need to take another step.

4 : Setting up TrueCrypt, Encrypted Hidden Volumes

If you save anything on your computer, it is likely that you do not want just anyone to be able to see what you have saved. You want a way to protect that information so that you can access it, and absolutely no one else except those you trust. Therefore, it makes sense to set up a system which protects your information and safeguards it against prying eyes.

The best such system for this is called "True Crypt". "True Crypt" is an encryption software program which allows you to store many files and directories inside of a single file on your harddrive. Further, this file is encrypted and no one can actually see what you have saved there unless they know your password.

This sounds extremely high tech, but it is actually very easy to set up. We are going to do so, right now:

1. Go to http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads (or go to http://www.truecrypt.org, and click on "Downloads")

2. Under "Latest Stable Version", under "Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000", click "Download"

3. The file will be called "True Crypt Setup 7.0a.exe" or something similar. Run this file.

4. If prompted that a program needs your permission to continue, click "Continue".

5. Check "I accept and agree to be bound by these license terms"

6. Click "Accept"

7. Ensure that "Install" is selected, and click "Next"

8. click "Install"

9. You will see a dialog stating "TrueCrypt has been successfully installed." Click "Ok"

10. Click "No" when asked if you wish to view the tutorial/user's guide.

11. Click "Finish"

At this point, TrueCrypt is now installed. Now we will set up truecrypt so that we can begin using it to store sensitive information.

1. Click the "Windows Logo"/"Start" button on the lower left corner of your screen.
2. Click "All Programs"
3. Click "TrueCrypt"
4. Click the "TrueCrypt" application

And now we can begin:

1. click the button "Create Volume"
2. Ensuring that "Create an encrypted file container" is selected, click "Next"
3. Select "Hidden TrueCrypt volume" and click "Next".
4. Ensuring that "Normal mode" is selected, click "Next"
5. Click on "Select File"

Note which directory you are in on your computer. Look at the top of the dialog that has opened and you will see the path you are in, most likely the home directory for your username. An input box is provided with a flashing cursor asking you to type in a file name. Here, you will type in the following filename:

random.txt

You may of course replace random.txt with anything you like. This file is going to be created and will be used to store many other files inside. Do NOT use a filename for a file that already exists. The idea here is that you are creating an entirely new file.

It is also recommended though not required that you "hide" this file somewhere less obvious. If it is in your home directory, then someone who has access to your computer may find it easier. You can also choose to put this file on any other media, it doesn't have to be your hard disk. You could for example save your truecrypt file to a usb flash drive, an sd card, or some other media. It is up to you.

6. Once you have typed in the file name, click "Save"
7. Make sure "Never save history" is checked.
8. Click "Next"
9. On the "Outer Volume" screen, click "Next" again.
10. The default Encryption Algorithm and Hash Algorithm are fine. Click "Next"
11. Choose a file size.

In order to benefit the most from this guide, you should have at least 10 gigabytes of free disk space. If not, then it is worth it for you to purchase some form of media (such as a removable harddrive, a large sd card, etc.) in order to proceed. TrueCrypt can be used on all forms of digital media not just your hard disk. If you choose to proceed without obtaining at least ten gigabytes of disk space, then select a size that you are comfortable with (such as 100 MB).

Ideally, you want to choose enough space to work with. I recommend 20 GB at least. Remember that if you do need more space later, you can always create additional TrueCrypt volumes using exactly these same steps.

12. Now you are prompted for a password.

Read This Section Carefully

The password you choose here is a decoy password. That means, this is the password you would give to someone under duress. Suppose that someone suspects that you were accessing sensitive information and they threaten to beat you or worse if you do not reveal the password. THIS is the password that you give to them. When you give someone this password, it will be nearly impossible for them to prove that it is not the RIGHT password. Further, they cannot even know that there is a second password.

Here are some tips for your password:

A. Choose a password you will NEVER forget. It may be ten years from now that you need it. Make it simple, like your birthday repeated three times.

B. Make sure it seems reasonable, that it appears to be a real password. If the password is something stupid like "123" then they may not believe you.

C. Remember that this is a password that you would give to someone if forced. It is *NOT* your actual password.

D. Do not make this password too similar to what you plan to really use. You do not want someone to guess your main password from this one.

And with all of this in mind, choose your password. When you have typed it in twice, click "Next".

13. "Large Files", here you are asked whether or not you plan to store files larger than 4 GIGABYTES. Choose "No" and click "Next"

14. "Outer Volume Format", here you will notice some random numbers and letters next to where it says "Random Pool". Go ahead and move your mouse around for a bit. This will increase the randomness and give you better encryption. After about ten seconds of this, click "Format".

15. Depending on the file size you selected, it will take some time to finish formatting.

"What is happening?"

TrueCrypt is creating the file you asked it to, such as "random.txt". It is building a file system contained entirely within that one file. This file system can be used to store files, directories, and more. Further, it is encrypting this file system in such a way that without the right password it will be impossible for anyone to access it. To *anyone* other than you, this file will appear to be just a mess of random characters. No one will even know that it is a truecrypt volume.

16. "Outer Volume Contents", click on the button called, "Open Outer Volume"

An empty folder has opened up. This is empty because you have yet to put any files into your truecrypt volume.

Do Not Put Any Sensitive Content Here

This is the "Decoy". This is what someone would see if you gave them the password you used in the previous step. This is NOT where you are going to store your sensitive data. If you have been forced into a situation where you had to reveal your password to some individual, then that individual will see whatever is in this folder. You need to have data in this folder that appears to be sensitive enough to be protected by truecrypt in order to fool them. Here are some important tips to keep in mind:

A. Do NOT use porn. Adult models can sometimes appear to be underaged, and this can cause you to incriminate yourself unintentionally.

B. Do NOT use drawings/renderings/writings of porn. In many jurisdictions, these are just as illegal as photographs.

C. Good choices for what to put here include: backups of documents, emails, financial documents, etc.

D. Once you have placed files into this folder, *NEVER* place any more files in the future. Doing so may damage your hidden content.

Generally, you want to store innocent data where some individual looking at it would find no cause against you, and yet at the same time they would understand why you used TrueCrypt to secure that data.

Now, go ahead and find files and store them in this folder. Be sure that you leave at least ten gigabytes free. The more the better.

When you are all done copying files into this folder, close the folder by clicking the "x" in the top right corner.

17. click "Next"

18. If prompted that "A program needs your permission to continue", click "Continue"

19. "Hidden Volume", click "Next"

20. The default encryption and hash algorithms are fine, click "Next"

21. "Hidden Volume Size", the maximum available space is indicated in bold below the text box. Round down to the nearest full unit. For example, if 19.97 GB is available, select 19 GB. If 12.0 GB are available, select 11 GB.

22. If a warning dialog comes up, asking "Are you sure you wish to continue", select "Yes"

23. "Hidden Volume Password"

Important Read This

Here you are going to select the REAL password. This is the password you will NEVER reveal to ANYONE else under any circumstances. Only you will know it. No one will be able to figure it out or even know that there is a second password. Be aware that an individual intent on obtaining your sensitive information may lie to you and claim to be able to figure this out. They cannot.

It is HIGHLY recommended that you choose a 64 character password here. If it is difficult to remember a 64 character password, choose an 8 character password and simply repeat it 8 times. A date naturally has exactly 8 numbers, and a significant date in your life repeated 8 times would do just fine.

24. Type in your password twice, and click "Next"

25. "Large Files", select "Yes" and click "Next".

26. "Hidden Volume Format", as before move your mouse around for about ten seconds randomly, and tehn click "Format".

27. If prompted "A program needs your permission to continue", select "Continue"

28. A dialog will come up telling you that the hidden TrueCrypt volume has been successfully created. Click "Ok"

29. Click "Exit"

Congratulations! You have just set up an encrypted file container on your hard drive. Anything you store here will be inaccessible to anyone except you. Further, you have protected this content with TWO passwords. One that you will give to someone under threat, and one that only you will know. Keep your real password well protected and never write it down or give it to anyone else for any reason.

Now, we should test BOTH passwords.

5. Testing TrueCrypt Volumes

Once you have completed the above section, you will be back at TrueCrypt. Go ahead and follow these steps to test the volumes you have made.

1. Click "Select File..."

2. Locate the file you created in the last section, most likely called "random.txt" or something similar. Remember that even though there is both an outer and a hidden volume, both volumes are contained in a single file. There are not two files, only one.

3. Click "Open"

4. Choose a drive letter that you are not using (anything past M is probably just fine). Click on that, For example click on "O:" to highlight it.

5. Click "Mount"

6. Now you are prompted for a password. Read the below carefully:

The password you provide here will determine WHICH volume is mounted to the drive letter you specified. If you type in your decoy password, then O:\ will show all the files and directories you copied that you would reveal if forced. If you type in your real password, then O:\ will show the files and directories that you never intend anyone to see.

7. After successfully typing in your password, you will see additional detail to the right of the drive letter, including the full path to the file you selected as well as the kind of volume it is (for example, hidden).

8. Right click on your "Windows Logo"/"Start Menu" icon, and scroll down to the bottom where you can see your different drive letters. You will see the drive letter you selected, for example: "Local Disk (O:)". Click on that.

9. If you selected your decoy password, you will see all the files and folders that you moved there during the installation phase. If you selected the real password, you will see whatever files and directories you have placed so far into the hidden volume, if any. If you selected your hidden volume password, you may now begin moving any sensitive information you wish. Be aware that simply moving it from your main hard disk is not enough. We will discuss how to ensure deleted data is actually deleted later in the guide.

"What is happening?"

When you select a file and mount it to a drive, you are telling your computer that you have a new drive with files and folders on it. It is the same thing as if you had plugged in a usb flash drive, a removable harddrive, or an sd card into your computer. TrueCrypt causes your computer to think that there is an entirely new disk drive on your computer. You can use this disk drive just as if it *was* actually a usb flash drive. You can copy files to it, directories, and use it just as you would use a usb flash drive.

When you are done, simply close all open windows/folders/applications that are using your truecrypt drive letter, and then click "Dismount" from within TrueCrypt while you have the drive letter highlighted. This will once again hide all of this data, accessible only by re-mounting it with the correct password.

Apple Watch Event Announced for March 9

Apple Watch Event Announced for March 9

(Getty)

Apple has announced an Apple Watch event for March 9. Consumers first got a sneak peek of the upcoming Apple smartwatch during the launch of the iPhone 6. The base model of the Apple Watch is expected to cost around $350, and the watches are expected to go on sale in April. The pricing of more premium versions of the Apple Watch is still unknown, but all should be revealed during Apple’s event on March 9. If you want one of the more premium watches from the Apple Watch line, ZDNet suggests you might have to pay up to $4,000 for the gold version. You can see photos of all the Apple Watch variants in our Apple Watch gallery.
Apple has sent out invites for the event, which are emblazoned with the words “Spring forward.” This is likely a reference to both the forward-thinking design of Apple’s watch, as well as the common “spring forward, fall back” adage used to remember Daylight Savings Time. This year, Daylight Savings Time begins March 8, just one day before Apple’s scheduled announcement.
The event will be held at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. It will kick off at 10 a.m. local time. If Apple’s most recent livestream for the iPhone 6 and new iPads is any indicator, we can expect that Apple will livestream the Apple Watch event will be streamed over the Apple TV and Apple’s own website. Here’s hoping the livestream doesn’t have the same issues that plagued the iPhone 6 livestream.
Top 5 Best Smart Watches

What time is it? Time to get a new watch.

Click here to read more While Apple seems to be optimistic about the public reception of their Apple Watch, some tech insiders wonder if Apple’s first watch will be a flop. Reuters reports that Apple has ordered at least five million Apple Watches. However, this new device does have some potential drawbacks. Cult of Mac notes that the device is water-resistant, but not fully waterproof. On top of that, the Motley Fool writes that the audience for the Apple Watch will be limited to people who own newer iPhones. Additionally, the battery life is rumored to be only about one day, so it will need to be recharged quite frequently.
In their report on the announcement, the Verge referred to Apple’s first smartwatch as “Apple’s first landmark product introduction since Steve Jobs unveiled the original iPad in 2010.” Wearables may not be a new category, but people have been waiting for years to see Apple’s take on the smartwatch.
Whether you plan to buy an Apple Watch or not, it should be interesting to see how things shake out after the March 9 event. Apple’s smartwatch could be the company’s next big thing, but it could also be a high-profile flop. We’ll have to wait until next month to know which way the wind is blowing.

This can’t be real: Leaked Galaxy S6 earbuds look like blatant Apple EarPod ripoffs

This can’t be real: Leaked Galaxy S6 earbuds look like blatant Apple EarPod ripoffs

View gallery

.

galaxy-s6-concept-smit

It’s still much too soon to pass any final judgements and call Samsung’s upcoming new Galaxy S6 handset an iPhone ripoff. Yes, some of the evidence thus far has been fairly damning — this leaked Galaxy S6 vs. iPhone 6 photo comparison lets you be the judge — but everything is just a rumor until Samsung makes it official during its press conference on Sunday.
After plenty of evidence has piled up to suggest that Samsung took some pretty obvious inspiration from Apple’s iPhone 5 and iPhone 6, a new leak suggests that Samsung’s tendency to borrow from Apple may have just crossed over from flattering to just plain sad.
DON’T MISS: Is the Galaxy S6 really an iPhone ripoff? Leaked comparison photo lets you be the judge
On Thursday, we showed you a supposed leaked photo of the bottom of a Galaxy S6 compared to a photo of the bottom of an iPhone 6. It would be hard to deny the resemblance from that angle.
The comparison photo can be seen in this post.
Now, new leaked photos posted on the Vietnamese forum Tinhte.vn supposedly show Samsung’s new earbuds that will ship with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, and they look very… familiar.
Where oh where have we seen something like this before?

View gallery

.

View gallery

.

View gallery

. Ah yes, now I remember… Apple’s EarPods:

View gallery

. Sheesh.
Samsung will unveil its new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge smartphones during a press conference this coming Sunday in Barcelona, Spain.
Related storiesGalaxy S6 already dominates MWC... and the show hasn't even startedHere's how you can watch Sunday's HTC One M9 and Galaxy S6 events liveMore signs of trouble emerge for SamsungMore from BGR: HTC One M9: Massive new leak offers videos, specs and so much more
This article was originally published on BGR.com

Technology & Electronics

Handheld & Connected Devices

Samsung

Apple

Apple iPhone 6 vs. Xiaomi Mi 4 Review

Xiaomi Mi 4 vs Apple iPhone 6 (image: Ewan Spence) For many, Xiaomi’s Mi 4 is the talismanic smartphone that is almost invisible in the West. Xiaomi, often referred to with the moniker ‘China’s Apple’ is seen as the leading ‘clone’ company of Apple’s iPhone. Now I’ve reviewed the Mi 4 here on Forbes, that labelling is out of place. Yes there are similarities, but put any two modern touchscreen smartphones next to each other and you will find areas of commonality. You’ll also see the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two handsets.
So let’s do that. Let’s take Xiaomi’s Mi 4 (released August 2014) and put it in a head-to-head next to Apple’s iPhone 6 (released September 2014).
Design, Duplication, And Differentiation
As noted, at first glance the Xiaomi Mi 4 does have an echo of the iPhone. It’s just that it echoes the more angular design of the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S family. With a metal band running around the edges at 90 degrees to the glass screen, with a slight chamfer at the join to prevent a hard edge being felt, and thin metallic buttons for power and volume, that first glance is the closest you will get to mistaking the handset for an iPhone.
You’ll note that the back of the Mi 4 has a convex bevel, which lifts the edge of the handset up from the surface of the table, and provides a touch more internal volume. The camera and LED flash is in the central axis, not left of centre like the iPhone, and the plastic back is slippy and does not match the tactile quality of the iPhone 6.
That said, the greater surface area on the edge of the Mi 4 and the curve on the back plate mean the Xiaomi handset sits far more comfortably in the hand than a naked iPhone 6.

Xiaomi Mi 4 vs Apple iPhone 6 (image: Ewan Spence)

The Mi 4 does not go for ‘thin and fashionable’, it is a square-jawed chiselled-chin powerhouse of 8.9 mm (compared to the iPhone 6′s 6.9mm), and is 20g heavier than the 6.
The iPhone feels like a little bit more care has been spent on it. The physical home button is far easier to locate by touch than the touch sensitive area of the bevel on the Mi 4 (and of course it has TouchID, useful for unlocking, security, contactless payments and more); the volume and power buttons on the iPhone have great haptic feedback, and the choice of materials in the iPhone make it feel like a ‘better’ phone.
The iPhone 6 wins the design category, not because it was ‘first’. It wins because it feels more modern, it feels like it has been designed with a huge amount of attention, and it looks unique.
(Read my long-term review of the Apple iPhone 6 here).
Two Evenly Matched Displays
With a five-inch display and 1080p resolution (1080 x 1920) the Xiaomi Mi 4 screen is both bigger in pixels and physical size than the iPhone 6′s 750 x 1334 4.7 inch screen. Apple’s handset sticks with the by now traditional 326 pixels per inch, while Xiaomi clocks in at 441 ppi.
Given the extra pixels, it is strange that the iPhone screen feels like it can show more information. Through smaller fonts and a tighter user interface, iOS 8 in the iPhone 6 offers more information on the screen at one time. Because of the increased density, it actually feels older than the Mi 4. Its use of MIUI pushes a palette with more pastel tones, featuring gentle gradients of color. The extra pixels are used for a better environment, rather than more information.
This is a tough one to judge. Both screens are IPS LCD based screens, with LED backlighting, both are comfortable to use and offer wide viewing angles and the ability to alter the color tone on display. But the cramped nature of the iPhone 6 is pushing me every so slightly towards the Mi 4, and I don’t want to chicken out and say a score draw.

Xiaomi Mi 4 vs Apple iPhone 6 (image: Ewan Spence)

Next page: the battle of the operating systems and the batteries…
Vanilla iOS or Themed Android?

Xiaomi Mi 4 vs Apple iPhone 6 (image: Ewan Spence)

Normally in these comparisons I reserve my ‘score draw’ for the OS battle. Both iOS and Android are perfectly capable of handling the modern smartphone world, and as the capability of the two platforms line up, the choice is less about differentiation and more about personal preference.
There will always be small areas that can make a huge difference to an individual (Apple Pay, iCloud, Google Now, Android Wear support), but tribal loyalty will always be a huge part of a comparison.
In the case of the Mi 4 I’m going to make an exception and not casually skip over a pit of flamewar. The Mi 4 is a Chinese smartphone. Unsurprisingly, the Mi 4 is tied in heavily with the Chinese market and the sensibilities around the cultural norms there. My Mi 4 is an imported handset, and while it is on sale outside of China, these sales are restricted to territories such as Singapore and Taiwan…not the United Kingdom, Sweden, or the US.
That means the look and feel of MIUI is one step removed from the normal Android experience. This is an Android look that does not have an app drawer (which curiously brings it closer to Apple) but it does allow widgets and apps to be mixed on the screen. The settings and dialog screens feel like a tweaked version of Android, while MIUI’s habit of putting a big picture at the top of the screen and the information on the bottom half gives a consistent but new way of presenting information. It will take some getting used to.
Neither is there Google Play Support for the Chinese variant of the Mi 4. A modified version can be downloaded from the Xiaomi App Store, or if you source a handset from Singapore then Google Play Services will be available out of the box, although you’ll need to load in all of the Google Apps.
One huge advantage that MIUI and the Mi 4 has is the ability to theme the OS. This is a huge but expected feature in China, and you’ll find skins online that replicate every OS under the sun (yes, even iOS), but also as advertising and marketing for feature films, TV shows, and cuddly toys, You’ll find radical reworkings of manga-inspired UIs , and as long as you are happy to navigate the Chinese app store to check out all the artwork options, it’s likely you won’t stay on the MIUI default theme for long.
(Read my standalone review of the Xiaomi Mi 4 here on Forbes).
This category is still a score draw, because the newness of MIUI that increases the learning curve also encourages you to tinker with the software to get it running correctly. That does add complexity, but it is balanced out in my mind by the strong theme support giving you far more control over the look of your device.
If you like Android and the open nature of that OS, then the themeing of MIUI is going to be very welcome. If you’d rather the simplicity and single design ethos of iOS, then stick with Apple.

Xiaomi Mi 4 vs Apple iPhone 6 (image: Ewan Spence)

Performance, Power, And Positivity
If you were to look at the numbers in the specification sheet, then the clear winner in terms of performance should be the Xiaomi Mi 4. With a 2.5 GHz quad-core CPU, Adreno 330, and 3 GB of RAM, the Mi 4 is squarely in the high-sepcs Android space, although this space is about to get some 64-bit competition at Mobile World Congress next week which will nudge the Mi 4 down a step on the ladder. Right now the Mi 4 tops the benchmarks of the currently available handsets in the AnTuTu benchmark website.
The numbers are still higher than the iPhone 6, with its 1 GB of RAM and 1.4 GHz dual-core CPU inside the A8 system on chip, but numbers, as we’ve said many times, are not the only judge of performance.
Both handsets are fast and smooth in operation. Apple has managed this through optimisation and making the best use of the integration of software and hardware development, while Xiaomi has went with building in reserves of grunt and power. Xiaomi’s win is more about the slickness of MIUI – Samsung could learn a thing or two about skinning Android and keeping things smooth.
Ultimately the Mi 4 has more potential because of the raw power available. Unlike other Android devices it has used that power wisely and smartly, so it just shades a victory in performance.
Next page: The battle of the Sony cameras, value for money, and the final score…

Xiaomi Mi 4 vs Apple iPhone 6 (image: Ewan Spence)

The Camera Battle Of Sony Vs Sony
One thing to note about the Xiaomi Mi 4′s camera is that it’s actually Sony’s technology. Xiaomi make no bones about this, so it’s a similar shoot-out here to the iPhone 6 vs Sony Xperia Z3 Compact from late last year (complicated by the fact that Apple also uses some Sony parts in its camera unit).
Apple is the clear winner here. The extra technology Cupertino has added to the camera, including the use of focus pixels to speed up the shot-to-shot time, is a huge benefit and imparts a confidence that you çan always get a good shot. With easy access to burst mode for rapid fire pictures, the slow-mo mode for video capture, the general level of simplicity in Apple’s app the software makes this an easy win for Apple.
The East vs West perceptions kick in here as well. While Apple has done its best to keep a natural tone to the images that it takes, Xiaomi has really pushed the color reproduction here, and as a result every picture is a bit more vibrant, a bit more pop, and to my eyes a bit more artificial. All of these can be corrected in post production, but the Mi 4 is a touch too aggressive for me under normal circumstances.
Battery Life And Endurance
With a paltry 1810 mAh battery in the iPhone 6, Apple’s leading smartphone struggles to make a full day of heavy use. It’s a weakness of the thin design, partially balanced out by the chips and screen of the iPhone 6 requiring less power. Even though Xiaomi’s 3080 mAh battery is far larger, the faster processor (with twice as many cores), extra memory, and larger screen, all require more power. While the Mi 4 can last a full day, it doesn’t go much beyond that.
One issue that I found was the larger battery of the Mi 4 meant that to reach 100% charge took longer on Xiaomi, even with its fast charge technology. Keeping both handsets topped up is key to continued usage, and that gives Apple an edge in terms of time required.
Both handsets are at the low-end of acceptability for battery life. Xiaomi shades it in terms of running time, and even though the iPhone 6 has a shorter charge time, I’m still awarding this to the Mi 4 for the longer endurance.

Xiaomi Mi 4 vs Apple iPhone 6 (image: Ewan Spence)

Availability
This is an easy win for the iPhone 6. It’s available worldwide, in vast numbers, and even if you aren’t close to an Apple Store any major electrical chain or carrier is going to have the handset in stock.
Obtaining an Xiaomi Mi 4 is a little harder. It’s sold online in China, so you have to be confident you want it, and while there is availability outside of China, any western fan of the brand is going to have to resort to the grey import market to obtain a device. Not only does that drive the price up, but it also creates issues around warranty and servicing. That reduces the impact of Xiaomi’s relatively low price for the powerful handset.
Naturally it’s a slightly different story in China, where I would put both handsets on a par in terms of availability, so do take that into consideration if you are living in Xiaomi’s home territory. For everyone else the shorter supply chain, warranty and repair route, and ease of access, hands this to the iPhone 6.
Final Thoughts
The ‘clone’ tag that hangs around the Xiaomi Mi 4 is tough to escape from, but the handset has earned the right to be seen as a standalone product. It performs well, it is tailored for its home market, and it does everything you would expect of a smartphone. Just like Apple, the Mi 4 is part of a wider play by Xiaomi to build up its user base and credentials as a strong consumer brand – if there’s any part of the Apple strategy that has been admired and absorbed, it is this part, not the external design of the smartphone.
Xiaomi has a strong Android handset, with a more than competent operating system and impressive cloud support for its users. The Mi 4 is a handset that will not leave you asking for more.
Neither does the iPhone 6 leave you wanting. Apple’s strategy plays out in this smartphone just as much as the iPad or the MacBook range of computers and laptops. It also delivers a solid smartphone experience, perhaps with a bit more of a restricted vision but that focus allows for more innovation in smaller and more delicate areas that gives the iPhone 6 a more rounded and professional feel.
In terms of scores in the category breakdown, there was one draw, Apple took three victories (design, camera, value for money) and Xiaomi took the other three (display, performance, and battery life). Personal preference is going to play a big part in any decision, as is your geographic location. Outside of China the winner is the iPhone 6, but inside China it is a much closer contest.
Given the view early last year that Apple was nowhere close to being competitive in China, that’s a massive turnaround for Tim Cook and Cupertino. Xiaomi are unlikely to spread much outside of the regional footprint it has, so the closest challenger to the iPhone is not going to cause too much mischief in the rest of the world.

What is the Difference Between IPS and AMOLED??

We have been getting many questions with
regards to mobile display technology the most
frequent one being what is the difference
between IPS and AMOLED, so we decided we
should write an article detailing the pros and
cons of both and try to make it as
understandable as possible.
comparison of amoled and ips screens shown
on different brand of smartphones.
First off IPS:

IPS (in-plane switching) the technology was
made primarily for LCD (liquid crystal display)
to overcome the limitations of the regular LCD
or TFT-LCD display, the problem with the
regular display TFT-LCD was a slow response
time, that means a degraded touch response
and bad news for gamers as games usually
require screens with good response times.
Another thing was a limited viewing angle, you
could make out the screen if you’re looking at
it straight ahead with a little variation, but
move to the side a bit and you wouldn’t be able
to see the screen…it was great for guys who’d
be texting one girl while sitting with another… J
But now is the age of sharing is caring where
you wanna show off what you’re watching…. so
something had to be done…
IPS was the answer allowing for better
response times meaning good touch response
and better gaming. Also it allowed for a better
viewing angle meaning you could watch the
screen while having others watch it too…
yippee!!
Here is a brief note down of the IPS
technology:
Pros:
1. Better response time as compared to
regular LCDs
2. Better Color reproduction
3. Better viewing angle
4. Sharper Images
Cons:
1. Requires a stronger backlight
2. More power hungry
3. Screens (cell phones) are usually much
more thicker (bulkier) due to backlight
source
Left: IPS LCD , Right: Regular LCD
Now AMOLED:
AMOLED or (Active Matrix Organic Light
Emitting Diode) is an upgrade to OLED, this
tech basically consists of organic compounds
which when are introduced to an electric
charge produce luminosity or light. AMOLED
was the tech that allowed for smart-phones to
become even sleeker, basically since it does not
require any backlight as compared to its IPS
counterpart it is less bulky. At the same time it
provided better viewing angles and better
contrast as compared to the simple LCD. The
main factor that really set apart the AMOLED
was its power consumption, it uses less battery
power as compared to the IPS tech or regular
LCDs.
Here is a Sum UP of AMOLED tech:
Pros:
1. No Backlight Required
2. Screen is slimmer, less bulky phone
3. No backlight, less battery usage, greater
battery life
4. Great Contrast
Cons:
1. Difficult to produce, more expensive tech
2. Images Not as sharp IPS
3. Less Bright as compared to IPS, so less
daylight visibility
4. Display Colors Degrade over time.
Remarks:
The funny thing about technology is that it’s
always advancing in one way or another and
sometimes its so fast that you’re always trying
to catch up, for example you probably just
bought the most advanced smartphone in the
world and a couple of months later some other
company or maybe even the same launches an
even more sophisticated device. The same way
display tech is also dependent on other tech,
and it has to continuously evolve to cope up
with the new processors and gpu which allow
for faster refresh rates and better color
processing. As we write this article there is
a Super IPS display tech already developed
to counter the cons of the IPS tech and a
Super AMOLED to counter the cons of the
AMOLED tech.
So when you reach that Super stage as in
most high end devices it gets really
difficult to point out visible differences as
both are trying to overcome their
drawbacks…..

Motorola Moto G detailed specifications

General
	Release date	November 2013
	Form factor	Touchscreen
	Dimensions (mm)	129.90 x 65.90 x 11.60
	Weight (g)	143.00
	Battery capacity (mAh)	2070
	Removable battery	No
	SAR value	NA
Display
	Screen size (inches)	4.50
	Touchscreen	Yes
	Touchscreen type	Capacitive
	Resolution	720x1280 pixels
	Pixels per inch (PPI)	329
	Colours	16M
Hardware
	Processor	1.2GHz  quad-core
	Processor make	Qualcomm Snapdragon 400
	RAM	1GB
	Internal storage	8GB
Camera
	Rear camera	5-megapixel
	Flash	Yes
	Front camera	1.3-megapixel
Software
	Operating System	Android 4.3
	Java support	Yes
	Browser supports Flash	No
Connectivity
	Wi-Fi	Yes
	Wi-Fi standards supported	802.11 b/ g/ n
	GPS	Yes
	Bluetooth	Yes, v 4.00
	NFC	No
	Infrared	No
	DLNA	No
	Wi-Fi Direct	Yes
	MHL Out	No
	HDMI	No
	Headphones	3.5mm
	FM	Yes
	USB	Micro-USB
	Charging via Micro-USB	Yes
	Proprietary charging connector	No
	Proprietary data connector	No
	Number of SIMs	2
	SIM 1
	SIM Type	Micro-SIM
	GSM/ CDMA	GSM
	3G	Yes
	SIM 2
	SIM Type	Micro-SIM
	GSM/ CDMA	GSM
	3G	Yes
Sensors
	Compass/ Magnetometer	Yes
	Proximity sensor	Yes
	Accelerometer	Yes
	Ambient light sensor	Yes
	Gyroscope	No
	Barometer	No
	Temperature sensor	No

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 series: First impressions

Samsung is back in the tablet market with its next generation Galaxy Tab range, Galaxy Tab 3. The South Korean giant unveiled the Galaxy Tab 3 series with three tablets the Galaxy Tab 3 211 7.0-inch tablet(3G+Wi-FI), the Galaxy Tab 3 310 8.0-inch tablet (Wi-Fi only) and the Galaxy Tab 3 311 8.0-inch(3G+Wi-FI).

We got a chance to play with the new Galaxy Tab 3 series at the launch and we try to sum up our first impressions in this post.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 series marks a comeback for the company in the tablet segment, after it unveiled the Note 510 in the Indian market, a few months back.

The Galaxy Tab 3 tablets still employ the use of plastic, but sport smooth, rounded corners and well-placed hardware keys that don't feel cheap at all. One thing that we noted here is that all products under the Galaxy range have started to look similar in design and the only difference is the form-factor and the sheer size of the display.

All the tablets in the Galaxy Tab 3 range share the same design. They all run Android Jelly Bean, and each tablet features a physical home button accompanied by two capacitive Menu and Back keys on either side.

The same layout is featured on Samsung's high-end and even low-end devices, and it looks like the Korean giant is adopting it as its universal design concept. However, we were not disappointed as we feel the physical Home key is very useful at times. The Galaxy Tab 3 211 with a 7.0-inch display can easily be used with one hand thanks to the slim design and less weight.

Though, all the tablets in the Galaxy Tab 3 range have similar specifications except a few changes here and there, a major difference in the 8.0-inch Tab 3 variant is that it runs the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean while the smallest member of the family, the 7.0-inch Tab 3, still sticks to Android 4.1. This was a bit of a surprise to us. In our limited time with the tablets, we found that the Galaxy Tab 3 range of tablets were smooth operators while opening apps, switching between apps and also while navigating the user-interface.

On the software front, we found the Galaxy Tab 3 series to be well stocked when it comes to preloaded apps and features including Smart Stay which puts the tablet to sleep mode if not used, using the front camera as it detects the eyes of the users, Multi Window that allows users to work on two apps by splitting the screen in two, Reading mode that optimizes the display for paper like readability and Group Play that lets users share files with other Samsung devices using the same Wi-Fi network. All the apps have already been seen on previous Samsung devices such as the Galaxy S4.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 311 comes equipped with a 1.5GHz dual core processor with 1.5GB of RAM. It runs the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The device features an 8.0-inch WXGA display with a pixel density of 189 PPI and boasts a screen resolution of 1280x800. The Galaxy Tab 3 311 sports a 5.0-megapixel rear camera and a 1.9-megapixel front camera. It comes with 15GB internal storage which can be expanded up to 64GB with microSD card. It also packs a 4,450mAh battery.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0-inch is available in two variants. The Galaxy Tab 3 311 which has 3G (voice and data) support while the Galaxy Tab 3 310 comes in a Wi-Fi version only.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 211 is the smallest of the Tab 3 series and comes with 7.0-inch WSVGA display with 168 PPI. It is powered by a 1.2GHz dual core processor with 1GB of RAM. It also packs an 8GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 32GB. Backing the device is a 4,000mAh battery. On camera front, the Galaxy Tab 3 211 comes loaded with 3.0-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera. The tablet runs on the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

We'll have more with our review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 series, very soon.

Nokia Lumia 625 with 4.7-inch display officially unveiled

Nokia has announced the launch of Lumia 625 that comes with a 4.7-inch LCD screen, the biggest seen on a Nokia phone yet, and includes 4G connectivity.

The rest of the specifications are in line with what was leaked earlier, including a 1.2GHz dual-core processor alongside 512MB RAM and 8GB internal storage, that can be expanded by another 64GB via microSD card. It comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front-facing shooter. The 4.7-inch screen sports a disappointing 480x800 pixel resolution.

Nokia Lumia 625 runs on Windows Phone 8 with Nokia Amber update and is powered by a 2,000mAh battery.

The Nokia Lumia 625 also provides some software features found in the recently announced flagshipNokia Lumia 1020. These include a range of integrated camera applications like Nokia Smart Camera, offering handy features like removing unwanted objects from pictures, and Nokia Cinemagraph, which turns photos into living memories with added movement.

"With our largest smartphone screen to date, the Nokia Lumia 625 is a perfect example of how Nokia is delivering leading smartphone innovation and experiences at every price point," said Jo Harlow, executive vice president, Nokia Smart Devices.

The Nokia Lumia 625 will be available in a range of colours including orange, yellow, bright green, white and black with an array of changeable shells. With an estimated retail price of 220 Euros before taxes and subsidies, the Nokia Lumia 625 is planned to begin selling in China, Europe, Asia Pacific, India, Middle East, Africa and Latin America in Q3 2013.

Mobiles launched in July 2013

Nokia Lumia 625 key specifications

• 4.7-inch 480x800 resolution
• 1.2GHz dual-core processor
• 512MB RAM
• 8GB internal storage, expandable by up to 64GB
• 5-megapixel rear camera
• VGA front camera
• 2,000mAh battery
• Windows Phone 8 with Amber update

iPhone sales grow 400 percent in India

iPhone sales grow 400 percent in India, iPad sees double-digit growth: Apple CEO

Announcing its financial results for the third quarter, Apple informed that it had sold 31.2 million iPhones in the quarter, compared to 26 million in the same quarter, last year, an year on year increase of 5.2 million, or 20 percent.

Peter Oppenheimer, Chief Financial Officer elaborated that the iPhone 5 remains the most popular iPhone but the company was happy with sales of the iPhone 4 and 4s.

However, iPad sales declined and Apple sold 14.6 million iPads during the quarter compared to 17 million iPads that it sold in the same quarter, last year. It's worth pointing out that Apple sold 19.5 million iPads in the second quarter of 2013. Apple did clarify that the year-over-year comparison should be seen in the light of significant channel inventory increase and that the third quarter of 2012 had seen demand as the third generation iPad went on sale.

Oppenheimer added that Apple had built 1.2 million units of iPad channels inventory in the June quarter, last year while it reduced channel inventory by 700,000 units in the same quarter this year.

Interestingly, both Oppenheimer and Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned that India was among the select markets where iPhone sales had increased by a huge margin.

In his opening comments, Oppenheimer also mentioned that Apple was particularly pleased with very strong year-over-year growth in iPhone sales in a number of developed and emerging markets including India, US, UK, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Thailand and Singapore.

Responding to a question about the markets driving iPhone ASPs(average sales price) during the Q&A session, Tim Cook mentioned that (sales in) India was up over 400 percent. This means that iPhone sales in Indian have grown 400 percent. Though, he did not get into specifics related to the iPhone models that contributed to this increase, it's likely that the aggressive marketing and exchange offers on the iPhone 4 run by the company's distributors during the last quarter could be the major reason for this increase.

Cook also mentioned that Apple witnessed double-digit unit growth for the iPad in markets such as India, China, Japan, Canada, Latin America, Russia, and the Middle East.

Micromax Canvas 4 review

Following the success of its Canvas 2 and Canvas HD smartphones, Micromax has been able to establish itself in the Indian smartphone space as a player that offers the best value for its customers' money. While the company's two best selling smartphones brought a large screen and a 720p screen, respectively, at a crowd pleasing price, it now wants to leverage its Canvas sub-brand further by offering niche products while continuing to expand its portfolio of flagship devices.

For its new flagship, the Micromax Canvas 4 (A210), the company created a lot of buzz, right from the promo teasers on TV during the high profile India vs. Pakistan clash in the ICC Champions Trophy to taking pre-orders for the phone without announcing its specifications. The Canvas 4 promises better build quality and new smart features but essentially builds on the Canvas HD, and includes almost the same hardware, under the hood. Does the phone live up to the hype around it? We try to answer this question in our review.

Build/ Design
The Canvas 4 follows the same design cues that we've seen in the Canvas HD and Canvas 2, and from a distance, the phone doesn't look very different.

On closer inspection you'll find that the phone looks a bit more polished than its predecessors, though it's still a little bit plasticky for our taste. The phone is available in White and Grey colour variants and we had a White Canvas 4 as our review unit.

The front of the phone is dominated by the 5-inch display, below which you'll find the three capacitive touch keys for Menu, Home and Back. A chrome grill that serves as the earpiece, the sensor array and the 5-megapixel front camera are placed above the display. The bezel is wide but it's not flat as it meets and the edges and there's some embossing, similar to the Galaxy SIII.

The phone is surrounded by an aluminium frame in the middle, which gives it a premium look and makes it feel sturdy. The company says that it also acts as the cellular antenna. You will also notice that the frame has small white bands at the left side, at the bottom and at the top.
The Power/ Screen-lock key is located at the right side of the phone, while the Volume rocker key is place at the left side. Both these keys are also made of metal but are a bit rickety as they are not firmly fixed. When you shake the phone, you'll also hear some sound coming from the same area due to their movement. The Micro-USB port is located at the bottom. The 3.5mm headset jack sits at the top of the phone.

The back features a removable plastic cover that sports a glossy finish but there's a mild texture effect as well, which you'll only see when you look closely. There's some Micromax branding at the lower part, and a silver sticker like m! logo as you go up. The 13-megapixel rear camera is located right at the top in a round chrome ring enclosure, along with an LED flash and a secondary microphone.

Opening the cover reveals the battery compartment. The microSD card slot and two SIM card slots are placed just above the battery compartment.

Display
While everyone was hoping that the Canvas 4 would come with a full-HD display, Micromax has decided to skip the upgrade and has included a 720p display, similar to that of the Canvas HD. The phone's 5-inch HD IPS screen sports a resolution of 720x1280 pixels and a colour depth of 16.7 million. Thanks to the higher resolution, text, icons and images look much sharper compared to qHD phones. There was no pixelation. However, we felt that the screen's colour temperature was skewed towards the colder side, with whites carrying a blue tinge.

Under sun visibility was good, though the screen is very reflective. Thanks to the IPS panel, we found that the viewing angles were very good, which essentially means that more than one person can view content playing on the screen properly, even from different angles. We also found the touch response of the screen to be better than most budget phones. Micromax has also included Corning Gorilla glass protection to guard the screen from scratches.

Software/ Interface
The Micromax Canvas 4 runs Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean, the latest iteration of the OS. Micromax has skinned some elements of the user interface, such as the app icons and the Settings menu.

The phone also offers four themes, namely Mint, Mocha, Raspberry and the default theme that bring minor changes in the phone's colour scheme.

The notification tray features a settings shortcut and a clear all notifications button, along with expandable notifications (expanded with the two-finger pull gesture). It features the same setting toggles shortcut that's found in stock Android and adds some of its own as well, for quick access to Airplane Mode, Battery status, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, Data connection, Data usage, User (audio) Profiles, Brightness, Screen backlight timeout and Auto rotation.

Similar to most other Android devices, there are five customisable home screens that can be filled with app shortcuts and widgets. The three capacitive buttons, Home, Menu and Back help in navigating through the phone, with the Home button also doubling up as an app switcher on long press.

You also get lock-screen widgets, an Android 4.2 feature. You can choose from the Clock, Camera, Gmail, Google Now and Messaging widgets in addition to widgets offered by third-party apps installed on your phone. These widgets offer glanceable information from the apps and allow users to perform certain app actions even when the phone is locked.

The phone also offers another Android 4.2 feature, Daydream, that displays photo albums or the clock while the phone's charging. The option to wirelessly mirror the phone's display with an HDMI enabled device through a wireless display adapter is also present.

Micromax has also added some software tricks to the phone, one of which is a new lock screen mechanism that allows the phone to be unlocked with a blow of air or if the phone is shaken. This can be activated through the M! Unlock app that has been developed in partnership with FoneClay. It works as promised but disables the lock screen widgets, so we just feel it's too gimmicky.

Micromax has also bundled a new Video Player app with the phone that offers features like 'Pause on look away' using the front camera to detect if you're looking at the screen of the phone, and automatically pausing and resuming videos. We've seen this feature in high-end phones like theSamsung Galaxy S4 and the LG Optimus G Pro. You can increase and decrease the volume or brightness while playing a video by just swiping up and down the screen at the left and right hand sides. It also allows you to preview one video while playing another one, and view videos on a floating player window while doing other tasks through its pop-out feature.

The Music player has also been revamped and now features fancier controls in the Now Playing screen and integrates the Micromax Online music store. The Music Store is still a website wrapped into the app and allows you to download music tracks and videos. It only lets you download tracks when you access the site through 3G/ Edge as billing is integrated with the telecom operator. The Music Player app also features Equalizer settings.

Micromax has also included some of its own apps including content stores, M! Live and Game Hub, and services store, M! Zone, in addition to a few 'try and buy' games (Fruit Devil, NFS Shift, The DarkMan). There's also security software powered by NQ Mobile that allows you to backup contacts, and track your mobile in case you lose it. However, even this utility is not free and you need to pay additional charges to get all the functionality.

The handset also offers FM Radio and FM radio recording.

Micromax has also modified the Messages app, adding a Smileys input option next to the text entry prompt, and a button for attaching multimedia, contacts and audio clips, among others, with it. Micromax has also added a file manager app, a NoteBook app, a ToDo app, in addition to a universal search app and a Popup Browser that can be used for browsing the web in a floating window while working on another app. It has also replaced the stock camera app with a different one.

For the first time Micromax has replaced its own instant messaging app, HookUp with a Micromax branded version of Hike, the mobile messaging app from Bharti Softbank. It has also pre-installed the movie streaming app Spuul, that allows users to watch movies for free.

It's also worth pointing out that the Canvas 4 is the first Micromax smartphone that supports over the air software updates via a System Software app. Previously one had to take the phone to the service centre to get the latest Android update installed.

The phone also offers gestures like flip to silent, ability to answer the phone by bringing it near to the ear, and dial the number on the screen when the user brings the phone near the face.

Camera
The Micromax Canvas 4 has a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front facing camera. Both the camera lenses are an upgrade from the Canvas HD's 8-megapixel rear shooter and VGA front facing camera.

As we mentioned earlier, Micromax has put its own camera app. The app includes Normal, HDR, Face Beauty, Smile detection, Exposure compensation, Panorama, Photosphere(multi angle view) modes. It also offers a burst mode, letting users click up to 99 shots at once. The photo mode allows users to modify settings like Exposure, colour effect, ISO and white balance, among others. There's a self timer of up to 10 seconds as well.

We experienced a minor lag when we tried to focus on an object and press the shutter. We also noticed that there is minor delay between two consecutive camera shots in the continuous shot mode. This makes it hard to capture images quickly. The quality of the pictures taken during daylight was decent. However, photos taken indoors under artificial light were a bit grainy and at times looked different than the actual setting. The camera tends to soften the tone to a cooler shade.

The Canvas 4's camera also struggled when trying to capture images in low-light.

The camera is capable of recording full-HD video and takes good quality videos depending on the ambient light. However, it saves video clips in .3GP file format, which is an older file format.

The 5-megapixel front camera takes above average pictures, and can be used for video conferencing. We wish the phone had a dedicated camera button to help click a quick picture.

Performance
The Micromax A210 Canvas 4 is powered by a 1.2GHz MediaTek MT6589 quad-core processor with 1GB RAM onboard, and PowerVR SGX544MP GPU. There is 16GB of internal storage, 10GB of which is available to the user.

With Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the overall experience of navigation through the interface was impressive, thanks to Project Butter and the phone's quad-core processor. We did not experience any lag while launching apps, playing games, scrolling web pages or switching between apps. It is safe to say that performance wise, the Canvas 4 scores well. We were able to play games like Jetpack Joyride, Chimpact, Asphalt 7 and Shadow Gun without encountering any lag.

We were also able to play full-HD clips, with the phone supporting formats like .AVI, natively, though we experienced some issues with audio while playing an MKV format video. This was easily fixed by downloading a third-party video player. The speaker on the phone delivers average quality sound at high volume levels, but there's some muffle when the phone lies on its back, as the speaker grill is located on that side. The headphones that come with the phone offer average quality sound output. Call quality was good, during our testing process.

The phone comes with a 2,000mAh battery, and based on our experience, it will just about last you a full day. We charged the phone in the morning (at around 10am), and with medium to heavy usage, including 1-1.5 hours of phone calls, two e-mail accounts with push notifications, screen at maximum brightness, playing some music and video clips (about an hour), casual web browsing, Twitter notifications and WhatsApp chats, the phone lasted 8-9 hours. We had put the phone on Wi-Fi for about an hour or two while the rest of the day it was connected to data via 3G. We had turned off auto-brightness, and the phone was on the highest level of brightness. Altering these settings might help in running the phone for a longer duration, depending on your usage pattern.

Verdict
The Canvas 4 is at best an incremental upgrade to the Canvas HD. Apart from the 'better camera' which we didn't find any better and slightly improved build quality, it doesn't bring anything extra ordinary to the table. The software features that it offers are gimmicky and can be added with the help of some third party apps available on the Google Play Store. You are unlikely to use them on a regular basis. The only thing we're happy about is the increased internal storage capacity, which will allow users to install more apps.

The asking price of around Rs. 18,000 is on the higher side when you compare it to the Canvas HD or to phones like the Zen Ultrafone 701HD and Gionee Elife E3. We'd recommend waiting for a price cut or buying the Canvas HD if you're in the market for a good value for money Android smartphone.

 
Micromax Canvas 4

Price: Rs. 17,990

Pros

• Good screen
• Decent performance

Cons

• Questionable value for money
• Underwhelming build quality
• Camera performance could be better

Ratings (Out of 5)
Design: 3.5
Display: 4
Performance: 4
Software: 4
Battery Life: 3.5
Value for Money: 3
Camera: 3
Overall: 3.5