HOT gadgets

India has seen the launch of several hot gadgets in the last couple of months, from first 2K smartphones and 4K laptop to first Android Wear smartwatches and smartphones that redefine the term ‘value for money’. Whether you have less than Rs 10,000 to spend or more than Rs 80,000, you have enough options to choose from. 

Here’s a look at hot gadgets launched in India recently.

1. Xiaomi Mi 3: Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has jolted the Indian smartphone market with its Mi 3, which offers the specs of Nexus 5 at just Rs 13,999. The device has a 5-inch Full HD display and runs on a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor with 2GB RAM. It is powered by Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) with Xiaomi's proprietary MIUI skin on top.

Mi 3 sports a 13MP camera with dual-LED flash on the back and a 2MP camera in front. It packs 16GB internal storage, but does not support storage expansion via microSD cards. Connectivity suite of the smartphone consists of 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 and NFC. It has a 3,050mAh battery, and Xiaomi claims that the smartphone can deliver talk time of up to 21 hours on 3G networks.

2. LG G3: LG G3 is among the only two smartphones in India that feature a 2K display (2560X1440p resolution). It sports a 5.5-inch screen and runs on a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor. The 16GB version is priced at Rs 47,990 and has 2GB RAM, while the 32GB model comes with 3GB RAM and costs Rs 50,990.

The all-new G3 smartphone sports a 13MP camera that boasts of Optical Image Stabilization+ (OIS+) and laser auto focus. It captures images by measuring the distance between the subject and the camera using a laser beam for better pictures. The smartphone packs a 3,050mAh battery and has connectivity options like 2G, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 and NFC.

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4, 10.5:Samsung has launched its top-end Galaxy Tab range of tablets in the Indian market. Galaxy Tab S 8.4 has an 8.4-inch screen and costs Rs 37,800, whereas Galaxy Tab S 10.5 sports a 10.5-inch screen and is priced at Rs 44,800. Galaxy Tab S 10.5 comes with a 7,900mAh battery while the 8.4-inch version has a 4,900mAh battery. The other hardware and software features are common between the two.

Both Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and 8.4 have display resolution of 2560x1600p and are powered by the eight-core Exynos 5 Octa processor (1.9GHz quad-core+1.3GHz quad-core) with 3GB RAM. The devices run Android 4.4 (KitKat) with Samsung's customized UI. The two Samsung tablets feature 16GB internal storage and microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 128GB. 

These Samsung tablets sport 8MP rear cameras with LED flash and 2.1MP front-facing cameras. In terms of connectivity, the tablets offer Wi-Fi (including 802.11ac), Bluetooth 4.0, IrLED, 3G and voice calling capabilities.