#Windows 8.1 update 1: What's in #Microsoft's latest #Windows update

It would be fair to say, at this point, that Windows 8 has not been a success. Beyond the typically harsh technology community, even the everyday users of Windows 8 are not content. 

The fragmentation between the elements of Windows 7 that made it into Windows 8 and the more 'Modern UI'/Metro elements are confusing, with basic Microsoft products such as the Office suite awkwardly flipping between the two states. 

Things that people loved, such as the Start Menu, have been removed and replaced with a more Windows Phone-style Start screen, signaling a change of focus on Microsoft's part from desktop to tablet - a change that is not intrinsically good. 

Things that people loved, such as the Start Menu, have been removed and replaced with a more Windows Phone-style Start screen, signaling a change of focus on Microsoft's part from desktop to tablet - a change that is not intrinsically good. 

Thankfully, Microsoft has been listening and produced Windows 8.1, which made amends for some of the features that were omitted, or removed, from previous versions of Windows. Unfortunately, 8.1 didn't go all the way in fixing Windows as it currently is, which is why Microsoft is going to release Windows 8.1 Update 1 (a mouthful, to say the least). 

A copy of Update 1 was accidentally leaked by Microsoft itself on its software updates page but will be formally announced at Build 2014. Here we'll take a look at what's new. 

What's new in Update 1 With Update 1, Microsoft has aimed to create an operating system that will work better on low-range hardware, requiring only 1GB of RAM and 16GB of mass storage to run (Windows 8.1 required at least 2GB of RAM and 32GB of mass storage). 

The focus is obviously on spreading Windows across as many PCs as possible, especially in business where Microsoft is considered to be losing its edge against Android and Apple tablets and smartphones. 

Microsoft has also moved the software power button onto the home screen for easier access, as well as chafing the right-click behaviour when clicking on the Live Tiles or Modern UI elements of the OS. Right-clicking now brings up a regular Windows context menu, even in Modern UI apps, as opposed to the options pane as before. 

OS mismatch Unfortunately this introduces yet more fragmentation, as the new contextual options don't always match those within the app. While many users won't notice, it does further increase the sense that Microsoft has essentially bolted two OSes onto each other and called it a day. 

With Windows 8, Microsoft chose to rather turn their backs on keyboard and mouse users, choosing instead to hastily focus on the touchscreen aspect of the OS. Update 1 goes some way to retrace their steps and make features which were previously difficult to access with a mouse far easier to find. 

We've used a Microsoft Surface Pro 2 with both fingers and a mouse, so it's easy to see how neglected laptop and desktop users would feel. Some operations that were easily completed with your finger would take multiple mouse movements and clicks before being completed on a desktop. 

Desktop boot Another added bonus for desktop users is the ability to boot directly to the desktop, meaning you can use Windows 8.1 as you would have used Windows 7. Internet Explorer also shows the tabs and address bar by default, again cutting down the clicks. Clicking on photos and videos in the desktop mode opens them in the desktop, not Metro, apps, too. 

Not all of Windows 8.1 Update 1's changes are positive, however. Microsoft have decided to make the taskbar accessible throughout the OS, regardless of which environment — Modern UI or classic Windows — you're in. 

Summoning the taskbar in Modern UI apps forces the taskbar to overlay over the bottom of the content, obscuring some of it from view and click-ability. Not only is the implementation ugly, but it is also a usability nightmare and something Microsoft should address before releasing Update 1 to the public. 

OneDrive SkyDrive has been rebranded to OneDrive and is making its debut in Update 1, however, very little has changed from the SkyDrive app in Windows 8.1. 

While Windows 8.1 Update 1 doesn't address all of the issues that users have with the operating system, it certainly goes some way towards amending some of the more gaping holes. Desktop, and laptop, is now easier with the integration of the two modes — desktop and Metro — becoming a little closer. 

The fact that Microsoft is even considering an Update 1 is a sign of progress, having left previous OSes for years without major updates. Choosing to follow Apple's yearly update calendar will serve Microsoft well in the eyes of their users, and that's what matters.

#Micromax Knight A350 review: Best in its class

Micromax is India's second biggest smartphone company. But that is what market research firms say. Over 16% market share of Micromax is a fact. It is not a perception. 

In the minds of consumers, Micromax is a local company. Few consumers put it in the league of Sony or LG even though Micromax sells more smartphones than both in India. The perception is that Micromax makes smartphones that are affordable but not necessarily top class. 
For over a year now, Micromax is fighting, and fighting hard, to change this perception. 
In 2013, Micromax launched Canvas HD, Canvas 4 and Canvas Turbo with an aim to show that it can make and sell phones that match the quality and finish of global products. The company did not hit the home run in its attempt but largely it succeeded. All three Canvas devices were better than anything else it had sold earlier. 
Knight A350 is the next flagship Micromax phone. And it continues the company's quest to win the respect that it feels it deserves. This time, in our opinion, it hits the home run. 
Build and design
Knight A350 is a phone unlike any other Micromax made earlier. Though when compared to devices sold by companies like Sony and Apple, Knight A350 doesn't look all that different. 


The phone uses a glass and metal body. The back cover and the front of the screen is topped with tough - but not of Gorilla variety - glass. Except the protruded camera module on the back, it is all smooth glass. The phone looks similar to Sony's Xperia Z phones, which too use glass and metal body. But there are some differences. Unlike the Xperia Z1 and Xperia Z1 compact, which have rounded edges, Knight A350 has edges that follow the pattern set by iPhone 5. 
Knight A350 has chamfered edges, though they are not as shiny as what you get on iPhone 5 or iPhone 5S. 
Knight A350 has a slim - and a little tall - profile. The tall profile means it is not as wide as some other 5-inch phones out in the market. The slim and tall profile of Knight A350 makes holding and using the phone quite easy. It is possible to use it with one hand. 
Overall, we like the design and build quality of Knight A350. The glass feels tough and while it will inevitably collect scratches - it is glass, after all - it is nice to see Micromax not going for some cheap materials here. The finishing, especially the way glass bonds to the metal frame and how the buttons and edges feel, is also good. 
That said, we have two minor complaints. Knight A350 attracts smudges easily and because of shiny glass body, these smudges are very much visible. Also, glass, or for that matter metal back covers, tend to absorb the heat from the processor inside the phone and make the device feel hot to touch, especially if you are playing a game on it. It happens with iPhones and it happens with Knight A350. If you are playing a game or browsing a few websites on Chrome, the back cover on Knight A350, especially under the camera module, gets warm. 
Display
Knight A350 has a 5-inch screen with a FullHD resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. For a phone that costs less than Rs 20,000, A350 has a very good screen. It shows punchy colours and has good viewing angles, which means colours don't fade or lose contrast when you look at it from a different angle. The high-resolution means it shows sharp text and images. Even the level of brightness is good. Unless you are going to be directly under the sunlight, the screen on A350 remains legible during outdoor use. 
Software
A350 is powered by Android 4.2.2. That is an older version of Android - the latest one is Android 4.4 - but in terms of features there is not much difference. Micromax is using a customised version of Android in A350 but there are not many tweaks or user interface changes. The biggest change is the launcher, which uses different icons and theme. The default icons for apps like Phone Dialler and Camera in Knight A350 have square shape. It also has a translucent background in the app drawer, which is available in the stock Android 4.4, but not in stock Android 4.2.
By and large, the changes in the Android user interface in A350 are minimal, which is good. User interface on A350 will feel familiar to anyone who has used an Android phone before. 
A350 comes with some third-party apps installed by default. These include BBM, Hike, True Caller and Kingsoft etc. While some of these apps will be useful to some users, we prefer phones that don't have third-party apps installed by default. Users who require these apps can always get them from the Android app store. But when they are installed by default, users who don't need them can't uninstall them. 
Camera A350 has a primary camera that shoots 16MP images. We all know that number of mega pixels doesn't matter much when it comes to image quality. Thankfully, the camera in A350 is a decent performer. In good light, it clicks images that have lots of details and right amount of contrast.



In low light, the images tend to have some noise but unless you are shooting in really dim light, for example in a restaurant while having dinner, you will get images that are good enough to be shared on a social media site.



What about video? A350 can shoot videos in 1080P aka FullHD resolution. But the video format is 3GP, which is not as nice as MP4 that other smartphones use. The videos we shot with A350 showed that the camera can record footage that is clear and where subjects are in good focus. But it also over processes videos. It bumps up the colours and they look too rich to be real. It also tries to reduce the colour noise very aggressively and that makes objects look smoother than they actually are. That said, given the price of the device we will call video recording in A350 acceptable. 
The front camera can snap images in 8MP. But don't get excited about the big number here. The performance of the front camera is just average. It works for occasional selfies and video chats but don't expect it to click stellar 8MP images for you. 
Performance
A350 is powered by MediaTek's MT6592T processor. It is an 8-core processor capable of running at 2GHz. However, don't let the 8-core moniker fool you. The processor uses A7 architecture from ARM which is aimed at providing mainstream performance and not high-end performance. While 8 cores matter, they will not be properly utilised unless there is an application that can use all these cores simultaneously.

Currently, no popular app can utilise an 8-core processor properly. More important here is the 2GHz speed. MT6592T is a fast processor, capable of handling the everyday work load with ease. Combined with 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, MT6592T provides Knight A350 with good enough hardware to deal with web browsing, multimedia playback of videos in various formats and photo editing etc with ease. While there is some lag from time to time, especially if you are multi-tasking or scrolling through a list quickly, it is barely noticeable and rarely a factor that affects the experience. 
GPS in the phone works well and reliably. While making calls we found the call quality to be good and we never had to shout in the phone to make the person on the other hand hear what we were saying.
One area where, Knight A350 really excels is the speaker. While it is a mono speaker, it is very loud. This helps while playing games or watching movies on the device. 
The battery life is where Knight A350 stumbles. When used with a 3G connection, the device lasts around 9 to 10 hours. This is 2 hours less than what we typically see in an Android phone. 
Gaming
The MT6592T processor in A350 has four core of Mali 450 for graphics processing. While this is not a cutting-edge graphics, it is capable of handling most of the current Android games. During our test, we played casual games like Angry Birds and demanding games with high quality graphics like Asphalt 8 on A350. In both types of games, we had a good experience. In Asphalt 8, we played with graphics quality set to maximum and the game ran without any lag or dropped frame rates. 
Verdict
It is easy to like Knight A350. Its design is good, performance satisfactory and screen best in its class. Even camera is decent. We feel Knight A350 is worth Rs 19,999, the MRP Micromax has set for it. 
However, if you are looking to buy a smartphone with a budget of less than Rs 20,000, our first recommendation remains Motorola Moto G, which is available for Rs 13,999. Overall, Moto G is a better value for money. It is also slightly faster - though not in games - than A350 and has a much better battery life. 
But if you decide to give Moto G a pass, A350 is a very good choice. It has a bigger (and sharper) screen, a better camera, more graphics performance, 2X internal storage, extra 1GB RAM, and a much more attractive design.

Ref - TOI

#Micromax Canvas 2.2 listed online for Rs 12,799

Micromax has quietly introduced a new Android phablet, the Canvas 2.2 A114. The phone is listed on e-commerece retailer Flipkart, at a price point of Rs 12,799.

The Micromax Canvas 2.2 A114 sports a 5 inch IPS display with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, and 16.7m colours. The phone is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor (MT6582M) and 1GB RAM. It runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and measures 73 x 145 x 9.7 mm, weighing 147 gram.

It sports an 8MP rear camera with LED flash, capable of 1080p video capture and a 2MP front facing camera. The Canvas 2.2 comes with 4GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. The phone features a 2000mAh battery and is a dual-sim handset (GSM+GSM). It offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and 3G connectivity options and comes with a G-Sensor, Light Sensor, and Proximity Sensor.

In May, Micromax had launched Canvas 2 Plus A110Q that sports an inferior display and a different processor.

Key specifications:

5 inch IPS display with a resolution of 540 x 960pixels;
1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek processor (MT6582M);
1GB RAM;
4GB internal storage expandable up to 32GB via microSD card;
8MP rear camera with LED flash;
2MP front facing camera;
Dual-SIM (GSM+GSM);
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean;
2000mAh battery

#Micromax launches Canvas HD A116i for Rs 13,500

Micromax looks to be in a phone-launching frenzy these days. The company seems to have quietly released a new smartphone—the A116i—which can be picked up through various online retailers. The phone has quite a varying price tag, ranging between Rs 12,090 to Rs 13,500. It is a dual-SIM phone that runs on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out of the box and sports a 5-inch 720p display, giving it a pixel density of 294ppi.

Under the hood, it is powered by the ever-popular MediaTek MT6589 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz alongside a PowerVR SGX 544 GPU to handle the graphics side of things. It also has 1GB of RAM, which seems to be the standard for mid-range smartphones these days. Connectivity options include 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. All of this is kept alive by a 2,000mAh battery.

Photographers will be able to use the 8 megapixel camera on the back, which features an LED flash. There is also a 2 megapixel front-facing camera for video-calling and selfie-related purposes. It has 4GB of internal memory, out of which 1.77GB is available to users. If this seems to be too low for you, don’t worry; you can expand the memory up to 32GB by using a microSD card.

Here's a quick refresh of the specs:

• 5-inch display with 720p resolution
• 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
• 8 megapixel camera; 2 megapixel front-facing camera
• 4GB internal memory expandable up to 32GB via microSD

All in all, judging by the hardware, the A116i seems to be a revision model of the A116, which was launched in early 2013. The smartphone was Micromax’s flagship at the time, and boasted of impressive hardware.

#Micromax Canvas Turbo vs #Gionee Elife E6: Camera shootout

We put two 13-megapixel cameras to the test. Which one will reign?

We’ve seen a face-off between the Turbo and the Elife E6 in our specifications comparison and now it’s time to take a look at how well their cameras perform. Both phones have a 13MP BSI sensor around the back so it’s an even playing field. The real challenge will be in the post-processing. We’ve already reviewed the Gionee Elife E6 and liked how blazing fast the auto-focus was. The Turbo on the other hand lacks these lightning reflexes and takes its time focusing, which could limit the type of shots you can take. So without further ado, here’s our preliminary comparison between the two cameras under varied lighting conditions.  All comparison shots are 100 percent crops of the original image unless stated otherwise. Macro test 1 Full image 100 percent crop Both phones manage good macros here under bright sunlight. The Gionee tends to have a sharper focus and picks up slightly more detail as compared to the Turbo. That had a tough time focusing on the lock, but in the end, managed it pretty well.  Landscape Full image 100 percent crop Here, we test to see how well the cameras are able to handle detail in the horizon. Both phones do an average job here but the Gionee has more natural, warmer tones as compared to the Turbo.  Macro test 2 Full image 100 percent crop We once again had a tough time getting the camera to focus on the Turbo but in the end, the E6 inches ahead with slightly better colours and detail.

Micromax’s biggest, most expensive phone launched

 Indigenous smartphone manufacturer Micromax has launched its biggest-ever and most expensive smartphone in India. The new phone, named Canvas Doodle 2, has a 5.7-inch screen; the upcoming SamsungGalaxy Note III is also said to have a 5.7-inch display.

Available on online retailer Snapdeal, the new Micromax phone has been priced at Rs 19,990, making it the most expensive handset by the company. The listing says the phone will be dispatched in five days.

The new Canvas Doodle 2 has previously been teased by Micromax via its Facebook page with the tagline "Can your imagination get bigger?" The phone is not listed on the company's website as of now.

Micromax Canvas Doodle 2 has screen resolution of 1280x720p, same as that of Canvas HD and Canvas 4. It is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, backed by 1GB RAM and comes with 12GB internal storage. This dual-sim smartphone will run on Android4.2 (Jelly Bean) and come with Micromax's 'Blow to Unlock' feature.

The manufacturer has used a 12MP camera with dual-LED flash on the back and a 5MP shooter in front. The listing on Snapdeal mentions connectivity options like 2G, 3G and Wi-Fi. The 2,600mAh battery of the phone has been rated at 8 hours of talk time on 2G network.

Micromax has said it will launch a total of 30 smartphones this year and has tasted success with handsets likes Canvas HD and Canvas 4.

Micromax Canvas HD review: Worth the price

NEW DELHI: Micromax made waves with its Canvas 2, offering a very capable smartphone with a 5-inch screen. And now it is back with a more powerful phone touting a quad-core processor and HD-capable screen. On paper, the phone offers great value for money, but many wonder if it is a better proposition than Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos. Well, we had the same question (and some more) and put Micromax Canvas HD through a series of tests to find the answer. Want to know which of the two is better and see if Micromax's new flagship is worth the money? Read on to find out...

Hardware:

Canvas HD features an IPS display measuring 5-inch that boasts of 1280x720p (HD) resolution and 294ppi pixel density. The phone has a 1.2GHz quad-core Mediatek processor, coupled with 1GB RAM, and 4GB onboard memory with microSD compatibility up to 32GB. Connectivity suite of this phone is quite standard and comprises 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0. You get an 8MP camera with LED flash on the back and a 2MP snapper in the front with this dual-sim smartphone.

Design:

Micromax Canvas HD shares the design language with its predecessor, Canvas 2. It looks decent and fits quite easily in the hand. However, we were disappointed by the overall build quality because the plastic casing on back creaks a little when pushed little hard, but it is not something you are likely to notice during normal usage. Nevertheless, do not expect it to survive a hard fall without any damage.

The phone's front panel is black, while the plastic used in the rear is white; this is the only colour option currently. As usual, the standard sensors and secondary camera are above the display, whereas the three touch-sensitive keys are below it. On the left is the volume rocker and the Power/Lock key is on the right; both the keys are placed quite conveniently, so you have no issue reaching them while using the device with one hand. On top, you will find the microUSB port and earphone jack, while the mic is placed at the bottom. The back of the device sports the primary camera, LED flash, speakers and the manufacturer's logo.

Software:

Micromax Canvas HD runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) out-of-the-box without too many customisations. In fact, apart from pre-loaded apps like Notebook and To Do and games like Cricket Fever, Fruit Devil, you do not get any software customisations in the phone. You do get access to the company's proprietary services like M!Live, Hookup and M!Store. Apart from these, you get one-touch access to 14 commonly used features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, data connections and profiles from the Notification Bar.

On one hand, this does not slow down the phone due to heavy tweaking, but on the other, it does not add much to the user experience that other Jelly Bean phablets also offer. Micromax even missed out on Aisha, its homemade Siri rival, but we still get Google Now, which is a pleasure to use.

Camera and multimedia playback:

The 8MP rear camera of Canvas HD disappointed us during testing. The photos it clicks are quite grainy unless taken in daylight; as soon as you take photos under overcast or low-light conditions, you will find a lot of noise. The detailing was below par and the white balance was off. However, these issues mar the cameras of most other affordable phablets as well and we expect buyers will just have to live with this fact.

HD videos shot at 720p played without any intermittent lag and the screen quality complemented them, much to our pleasure. The default video player ran AVI, MP4 and MKV videos without any difficulties. Audio output delivered by the phone's speakers is quite good, but we found that non-Micromax earphones we tried on the device did not deliver clear sound quality. So you will have to invest in a pair of Micromax earphones in case yours ever stop working.

Performance:

We were curious about the kind of processing power that Micromax Canvas HD's quad-core CPU has to offer. We were pleasantly surprised that it secured a respectable score of 13194 on Antutu compound benchmark test, whereas its Vellamo Metal score was 459. Its Antutu socre is higher than that of Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos, which notched up less than 9000 during its tests.

Another thing we were skeptical about was its screen quality. The phone's IPS panel does a great job when seen under sunlight with its brightness turned up and offers decent viewing angles, though we would have appreciated better contrast. Nevertheless, we were happy that there was negligible pixilation and the content appeared crisp. The touch is responsive and there was never any lag during our review. The graphics while playing popular games like Temple Run 2 and Gun Bros were good.

The 2,000mAh battery of the Canvas HD runs roughly 12-15hours on a single charge with an hour of video playing, calling and Wi-Fi browsing each and two to three hours of music playback. Tone this down and you are likely to get a full day's battery life.

During the review, we found that when you push the Power/Lock key, the screen takes a bit of time before lighting up, rather than doing the same instantly as it is with other phones. If you are a discerning user, you are sure to notice it during everyday usage. However, to the regular user, it is unlikely to make much difference..

Rivals:

Most buyers are on the fence about picking Canvas HD over Galaxy Grand Duos. Well, we feel that the screen quality, battery and CPU performance of the Micromax phone are better than that of Samsung's most affordable phablet yet. However, it loses out when it comes to software tweaks, as the South Korean giant has added a number of utility features that add value to the overall user experience. It gains a considerable advantage over Micromax Canvas HD due to TouchWiz UI and features like multi-window apps, Direct Call, Smart Alert and Popup Video. Moreover, its camera delivers a lot better photographs, despite having the same number of megapixels. However, we feel that the difference of Rs 7,500 between the prices of these phones is more important than these customisations.

Other major rivals that Canvas HD contends against include Spice Stellar Pinnacle, Karbonn Smart Titanium 1 and Lava Xolo A1000. These phones offer similar hardware specifications and come at the same price, but do have as powerful a processor, at least as far as benchmark performance is concerned (though many people are unlikely to notice the difference during routine usage).

Our take:

Micromax Canvas HD is a good smartphone, especially when its price is taken into account. It boasts of good hardware - barring the camera - and can easily take on Galaxy Grand Duos in terms of specifications. You will feel easy on pocket to buy this phone at Rs 13,990, though availability is an issue that may take some weeks to resolve. Nevertheless, if you pick this phone, it might deliver value for your money.

What we like:

Screen quality
powerful processor
Smooth software
Battery life

What we don't like:

Camera not up to the mark
Susceptible build quality
No software customisations

Price: Rs 13,990

Key specs:

Display: 5-inch IPS touchscreen with 1280x720p resolution and 294ppi pixel density;
Operating system: Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), planned Android 4.2 upgrade;
Processor & RAM: 1.2GHz quad-core Mediatek processor, paired with 1GB RAM;
Storage: 4GB internal memory with microSD support up to 32GB;
Connectivity: 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and microUSB 2.0;
Camera: 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 2MP front snapper; and
Battery: 2,000mAh

Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos I9082 vs Micromax A116 Canvas HD

We’ve sliced and diced two of the hottest handsets of February and now that we’ve finally reviewed them both, it’s time to declare a winner once and for all. The battle in question is between the Micromax Canvas HD A116 and the Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos. After taking a poll, hearing what you have to say and even pitting both the handsets in an "on-paper" grudge match, the Micromax Canvas HD has always managed to come out as the crowd favourite. We all love rooting for the underdog and this time, it seems like the underdog has brought its A-game to the table—something that Samsung (or anyone for that matter)did not anticipate. Let’s walk through all the important aspects of a smartphone and see which handset ends up as the definitive winner.

Design and build
This is a completely subjective area and all things considered, we would give Samsung the upper hand. Both handsets make heavy use of plastic for the chassis, but we found the fit and finish of the Grand to be a bit better than the Canvas HD. We also liked the fact that it’s a bit thinner than the Canvas HD. Both handsets have a 5-inch display, but the Galaxy Grand is wider whereas the Canvas HD is longer, so it sits comfortably in most hands. Even though the Grand may score a point in this segment, we would just like to add that the Canvas HD is a huge improvement over the A110 and does not feel like a typical budget handset, so props to Micromax on that.

Has an edge in the design and build department

The Canvas HD does however score a big point for the display. At 5-inches, having a 720p display is the bare minimum and we feel this is one area that’s going to hit the Grand duos really hard. If Micromax can pack in a 1280 x 720 IPS display on a phone that costs almost Rs. 6,000 less, what’s Samsung’s excuse? We didn’t expect an AMOLED HD display at this price, but at least don’t skimp on the resolution. Miraculously, the Grand Duos does not have a terrible display despite the skimpy WVGA resolution. However, it’s nowhere near as crisp and sharp as the Canvas HD. 

Interface (UI)
Both the handsets have an extremely smooth UI thanks to Project Butter from Jelly Bean. The Canvas HD sticks closely to the stock look and feel of Android, whereas Samsung applies their own touch (wiz). In terms of functionality, we have to give it up to Samsung once again as childish as it may seem, TouchWiz does offer added feature and options like deeper social media integration and sharing options for many of the stock apps. This makes it much easier to share content without having to open individual apps directly. Plus, you get added features like split-screen view, various gestures support and much more.

In terms of raw horsepower, there’s simply no comparison as the Canvas HD simply blows everything in its price range, and slightly above, out the water. The four cores and powerful GPU easily pull through any heavy duty tasks with ease. That’s not to say the Galaxy Grand is a slouch. With 1GB of RAM on both handsets, it’s smooth sailing for most routine tasks. The Canvas HD does give some added assurance of extra power as and when you need it, which is always nice. 

No amount of TouchWiz can make up for lack of resolution

Media
Media capability is quite similar as well, as both handsets support popular codecs like FLAC and MKV and will decode 1080p video with ease. Audio quality is good out-of-the-box for the Galaxy Grand, whereas the Canvas HD will need some tweaking before it sounds good. With a decent pair of IEMs though, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference with players like Poweramp. The Galaxy Grand Duos offers double the onboard storage (8GB) as compared to the Canvas and also has support for up to 64GB microSD card instead of 32GB on the Canvas HD.

Connectivity
The Galaxy Grand Duos trumps the Canvas HD by offering quad-band GSM support and tri-band 3G support. Dual-band Wi-Fi and GLONASS are the other two features lacking in the Canvas HD. Both handsets lack NFC, which still has to be put to better use, so it’s not something you’ll miss dearly.  Both handsets have dual-SIM support along with dual-standby.

Camera
Both handsets have an 8MP snapper and have similar options for tweaking your photos as well. As far as image quality goes, both are once again very similar as we did not find many huge differences when it comes to level of detail. The Galaxy Grand is faster when it comes to focusing on an image and is able to capture candid shots better as it’s quicker in that respect. The Canvas HD makes up for that by offering burst mode. Harnessing the power of the SoC, this function works surprisingly well. Dare we say, better than Samsung’s implementation on the S III! The burst photos are mostly blur free and with good focus and colour. Both also feature 1080p video recording.

Battery life
With similar capacity batteries in both handsets, the Canvas HD is only slightly behind the Galaxy Grand, despite having a quad-core SoC versus a dual-core. This could be due to the smaller 28nm fabrication that makes the MediaTek SoC more efficient. Both handsets will easily get you through an entire day without having to run for a charger.

Verdict
Like all buying decisions, price is always the deciding factor and here, Micromax is ahead by a mile. With a price difference of nearly Rs.6,000, which is a lot, the Canvas HD A116 makes a much better purchase overall. It has a denser and better looking display, scores well in terms of build and finish, has the latest Android flavour, very good multimedia capabilities, good front and rear camera, powerful processor and, to top it all off, has very decent battery life. The only major things going against the Canvas HD are the lack of timely updates (if any) and the fact that you can’t use it anywhere in the world if you travel a lot. Samsung takes care of these shortcomings in the Grand Duos, but we feel the premium is not worth paying since the rest of the feature simply don’t match and are rather inferior to the Canvas HD. Also, once we start getting custom ROMs from the good folks at XDA, it’s not going to be so much of a problem.

If you are still scratching your head about which one to pick, we recommend the Canvas HD over the Galaxy Grand.