Nokia unveils 2 dual-SIM handsets - C1 and C2 in India

Nokia makes its debut in the dual-SIM segment with the launch of 2 new mobile phones in the Indian market.

Nokia, which announced Nokia C1 and Nokia C2 handsets earlier, has now divulged its plans to enter the dual-SIM market in India with the launch of these new handsets - C1 and C2. The move aims at bolstering the company's market share in its niche segment.

All domestic brands such as Zen, Karbonn, Spice and Micromax are giving immense competition to global giants such as LG, Samsung and Nokia with their pocket-friendly and feature-rich dual-SIM phones.

Also, rivals like Samsung are already offering affordable dual-SIM phones in the market Nokia Executive Vice-President (Mobile Phones) Mary McDowell told reporters "Entry-level consumers need dual SIMs for various reasons, including economising time and costs, improving efficiency and for increased convenience.

To address these consumer requirements, Nokia has launched these two devices that offer multiple SIM capabilities with a balanced feature set and relevant innovations at affordable price points".The Nokia C1 (C1-00), priced at about Rs. 1,999, sports a FM radio and flashlight as well as a call divert feature, ensuring that the user does not misses a call from either of the SIMs.

It could be used only for SMS and voice. The Nokia C2 (C2-00)would allow users to access services such as Ovi Mail and Ovi Life Tools, and would be available by the end of this year. It will support micro- SD cards of up to 32 GB and a music player.

Nokia's Ovi Life Tools facilitates users in gaining a wide range of information covering various disciplines such as entertainment, education, agriculture and healthcare.

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Top 10 dual SIM mobile phones in India :

Check out the list of top 10 dual SIM mobile phones recently launched in India.

Micromax X1i+ Anniversary edition is now available for Rs. 2,053 in India

The dual SIM mobile phone market is growing exponentially with each passing day in India. We hear the announcements of new dual SIM phones almost every day launched by different mobile phone makers.  There was a time when the dual SIM market was mostly dominated by the 'desi' handset makers. Taking the cue from the success of dual SIM handsets in this part of the world, now the global mobile giants have joined the big league too as we recently heard that Nokia, Samsung and Motorola have entered the dual SIM bandwagon in India.

In fact, the dual SIM phones are becoming more popular and there is big demand proportionate to the market. As people want different operators for their different needs, dual SIM phones become more relevant in light of the fluctuating tariff plans offered by the leading Indian mobile operators. The suceess of dual SIM phones have gone a step ahead as there are few Triple SIM handsets launched recently to lure the avid mobile phone users in India.  

Although, it's too difficult to sort out the best dual SIM phones in India, as the volume of devices being too big to handle, We have tried to list the new released handsets with some unique features other than the dual SIM capabilities. Feel free to suggest other devices which could have found their way within this listing.

Samsung Star Duos

Samsung Star Duos (GT-B7722), the first dual SIM device offering 3G and 2G dual-active standby support, is now available in India. The new Samusng Star Duos dual SIM (GSM + CDMA) is a 3G-ready bar phone. The device comes with the options of two SIM cards, running 3G on one and GPRS/EDGE network on the other.

The key features of this new Star Duos device include a 3.2 inch TFT touchscreen display, 5 megapixel camera with 4X digital zoom and LED flash support, QVGA video recording @ 30 fps and secondary camera for video calling. The handset introduces a 3 page extended menu with TouchWiz 2.0 UI. The Samsung Star Duos (GT-B7722) is priced at Rs. 12,300 in the Indian market.

Motorola EX115 

The dual SIM market in India is getting more competitive with the launch of new handsets by the global mobile phone makers. By far, the local handset makers were dominating the dual SIM market in India. Now the mobile phone giants have joint this league too to offer a stiff competition to the "desi dual SIM devices".

Now Motorola has recently introduced a new dual SIM (GSM+GSM) phone Motorola EX115 in India. The Motorola EX115 is a stylish messaging phone equipped with QWERTY keypad. It sports a 3 megapixel camera and a 2.3 inch QVGA screen. The Motorola EX115 
mobile phone is priced at Rs. 5,990 in the Indian market.

Micromax X600

Micromax X600 is another dual SIM GSM mobile phone that allows users to change the SIM just by rotating the phone upside down. This feature is enabled with Gravity Sensor technology incorporated on the handset. Micromax X600 is a 3.2 inch full touchscreen phone with 2 sets of hangup and call keys - one at top and the other at the bottom.

It features a 2 megapixel camera and comes preloaded with the Opera mini browser, Nimbuzz and Facebook. Micromax X600 mobile phone is approximately priced at about Rs. 4,900 in India.

Intex IN 6633
Intex Technologies has recently launched Intex IN 6633 dual SIM (GSM+GSM), QWERTY mobile phone in India. The feature-rich Intex device scores well on its appearance, tech specs and push mail features. Intex IN 6633 mobile phone features a 2.3 inch TFT screen display, 2 megapixel VGA camera and video player with video recorder. The device is equipped with FM radio with scheduler, audio player with equalizer and games.

Preloaded with 1300 mAh battery, Intex IN 6633 provides up to 4 hours of talk time and up to 260 hours of standby time. The Java-enabled Intex IN 6633 device comes with answer machine and push mail support up to 10 accounts. The device is currently priced at Rs. 4,500 in India.

Karbonn K25
Karbonn Mobile has launched Karbonn K25, an attractively priced dual SIM QWERTY phone featuring an optical trackpad. The new Karbonn K25 mobile phone comes with eye-catching features coupled with a stylish design. The Karbonn K25 phone is a dual SIM (GSM), multimedia phone and comes preloaded with social networking apps like Facebook, Twitter, Opera Mini, Yahoo Messenger and MSN.

The phone is equipped with rich multimedia features, with hi-fidelity sound and different equaliser effects. It offers FM Radio, video recording, torch, expandable memory upto 8 GB, 2 megapixel camera and A2DP  Bluetooth. The Karbonn K25 mobile phone is available at a price of Rs. 4,400 in the Indian market.

Lava B5 is another innovative dual SIM device that deserves attention. It's the first dual SIM device with Alpha keypad with rupee symbol incorporated. This innovative key pad is neither traditional Multi-tap nor QWERTY; instead the keys are arranged in ABCD order to provide convenience for the users.

Lava B5 mobile is a dual SIM phone. The tech specs of Lava B5 include A B C  Keypads with QWERTY looks,  a 2.2 inch QVGA TFT screen display and a 2 megapixel camera. The device comes with E-mail support, multi format video and audio player, FM, MP3 and MP4 features. Lava B5 mobile phone is available at a price tag of 4,399 in the Indian market.

Samsung Guru E2152 

Samsung has been offering affordable range of Guru series mobile phones to the Indian market lately. The latest addition to its Guru series portfolio is another dual-SIM Samsung Guru E2152 handset. With, the new Samsung Guru mobile phone, users can use both the SIMs on call receiving stand by mode when in use. 

The new Samsung Guru E2152 mobile phone comes with a 2 inch QQVGA (128×160) with Paragon Lite user interface through which users can set themes for each SIM. The device is further equipped with VGA camera, FM Radio, MP3 player, microSD card slot. The Samsung Guru E2152 mobile phone is priced at Rs. 3,550 in the Indian market.

Zen M25

Zen M25 mobile phones is a dual SIM device with standby time of 72 days or 1,728 hours. Zen M25 is the first dual SIM device with 72-day standby time, which is the maximum backup time for any device available in India to date.

Targeted at rural areas where people face frequent electricity problems, Zen M25 comes powered with a 2500 mAh battery that allows users up to 16 hours of talk time and 72 days or 1,728 hours of battery back up time on the standby mode. Zen M25 handset supports two GSM connections. It comes with a 2.4 inch QVGA screen display, 1.3 megapixel camera and FM radio. Offering English and Hindi language support, Zen M25 mobile phone is available at a price of Rs 3,400 in India.

Nokia C1

Nokia has also made its debut in the dual SIM market with the launch of Nokia C1 mobile phone in the Indian market. All domestic brands such as Zen, Karbonn, Spice and Micromax are giving immense competition to global giants such as LG, Samsung and Nokia with their pocket-friendly and feature-rich dual-SIM phones.

Nokia has launched C1 handset that offers multiple SIM capabilities with a balanced feature set and relevant innovations at affordable price points. It sports FM radio and flashlight as well as a call divert feature, ensuring that the user does not misses a call from either of the SIMs. The Nokia C1 (C1-00), priced at about Rs. 1,999 in India.

Micromax X1i+

Micromax has been a pioneer in introducing low cost dual SIM devices in India. The company has produced a slew of handsets with dual SIM capabilities with superb features in the recent times. One of the most successful devices that adorns the proud portfolio of Micromax is Micromax X1i+.

It comes with dual GSM-dual standby, durable battery, stereo FM radio and music player. It offers 15 hours of talk time and standby time of about 30 days. The device presents dust resistant keypads and theft tracker features. Micromax X1i plus is priced at about Rs. 1,800 in the Indian market.

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iPhone 5 Challengers: Top 5 smartphones that stand a chance to beat it

In the race to the numero uno position in the smartphone world, the iPhone 5 isn’t the only player. Take a look at the 5 handsets that are giving it some serious competition.

Apple might have won a number of hearts with its sleek new smartphone, but its competitors are not going to let it win easily. KYMI lists out the top 5 devices sure to give the iPhone 5 a run for its money.

1. Samsung Galaxy S3: One of the fastest selling and most popular handsets in the market, the Galaxy S3 is powered by a quad-core 1.4 GHz Exynos 4212 chipset on ARM’s Cortex-A9 architecture and a Mali-400MP GPU. Though currently running on ICS, it is scheduled for a Jelly Bean update next month.

With variants of 16, 32 and 64 GB of internal storage, each available with a microSD card slot for further memory expansion, the S3 is an ideal device for entertainment and media buffs. Its massive 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and a pixel density of 306ppi and its 8-megapixel camera with multi shot and best shot add to its appeal.

2. Nokia Lumia 920: For those who like to both work and play on the go, this is the ideal device. Loaded with the new and improved Windows Phone 8 OS, the Lumia 920 offers functionality and ease of use. PureView technology and Smart Shoot make its camera one of a kind. Its 4.5-inch ClearBlack IPS LCD display is loaded with super sensitive touch, high brightness mode and sunlight readability.

Its power efficient dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 processor makes gaming and media a breeze on Nokia’s new flagship. In addition to its 32 GB of on board memory, 7 GB of free SkyDrive storage is a definite plus.

3. Samsung Galaxy Note 2: Samsung’s second generation phablet bridges the gap between tablets and smartphones perfectly. Powered by a 1.6 GHz quad-core Exynos 4 Quad processor and a 3100 mAh battery, it carries Jelly Bean out-of-the-box. Its large 5.5-inch screen Super AMOLED screen sports a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.

It is equipped with an 8-megapixel primary shooter and a 1.9-megapixel secondary one. The 4G LTE device ships in variants of 16, 32 and 64 GB of internal storage, each with 2 GB of RAM and support for memory expansion with a microSD card. Its S Pen makes it fun and easy to use the Note 2 on the go – whether for work or for play. 

4. HTC One X: An Android ICS handset, the One X is in line for a Jelly Bean update in the near future. It runs on a powerful 1.5 GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor and offers 32 GB of internal storage. It sports a gorgeous 4.7-inch Super IPS LCD 2 display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and a pixel density of 312ppi and is protected by Gorilla Glass and an oleophobic coating.

Its 8-megapixel shooter comes with a number of features like best shot, multiple snapshots, image stabilization, autofocus, touch focus, geo-tagging, LED flash, HD video recording, face and smile detection etc. 

5. Sony Xperia Ion: The phone that has made Sony a strong contender in the smartphone arena boasts of a Mobile Bravia engine based 4.6-inch scratch resistant Reality Display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a 1900 mAh battery, it runs on Android’s ICS operating system.  

Its internal storage of 16 GB can be expanded with a microSD card. The NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI compatible handset ships with a powerful 12.1-megapixel camera.

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