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App Review: Mobile Stock Trader

Sandeep Budki
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Kotak Securities, a brokerage house in India, has a Mobile Stock Trader (MST) application which work across Android, BlackBerry and Java platforms and it is soon going to be available on platform as well.

This free to download application will help the registered users to trade on the go, check their portfolio and account details, get live streaming data of market updates, indices updates, stock quotes and much more. Non customers too can get streaming data, make virtual portfolio and watchlists.

Non-Kotak Securities’ customers can register and use the to gather real-time information on markets. However, to make a trade or place an order, one has to open an account with Kotak Securities.

How to Download

To download Kotak Securities MST app, a user need to open the on his phone and type m.kotaksecurities.com. When the page opens, select the operating system of your phone like Android, Java or BlackBerry and click ‘Download’. After which the Mobile Stock Trader will be installed on your phone.

How to use

If the user is a Kotak Securities customer, they need to just enter his Kotak Securities User ID, and the security key in the login screen and click ‘login’. After which they can they explore different option like ‘Trade’ to buy or sell stocks/derivatives/currencies or view wish list or check the current stock prices.

But if the user don’t have the Kotak securities account, he or she first need to click on the ‘register’ link in the login page and open guest registration page and enter User ID, password, name, mobile number, email ID, city and date of birth.

After entering the details, press submit button. After registeration, users can go back to the login page and choose ‘Guest’ and enter the user ID and password that they have created. They will get instant access to the market indices, watch-lists, and quotes but guests can’t trade using the Mobile Stock Trader app, for that one need to open an account with Kotak Securities.

Usability

The app provides real time streaming quotes, hence users need not to press refresh button to view the latest prices. Trades placed through the mobile app can be viewed, modified or cancelled through other trading platforms offered by Kotak Securities (KEATPro X, Website, Xtralite, Call-and-Trade) and vice-versa.

Mobile Stock Trader has a very easy and smooth navigation and users will not get confused after using it. Apart from simple trading users can view quotes, track portfolio, track market movements, analyse market trends and view personalised watch lists which they might have created earlier instantly.

Overall, Mobile Stock Trader from Kotak is a nice app which one can explore if interested in stock market. It can be quite handy to keep track of one portfolio on the go.

Game Review: Pool Master Pro

rahul-gupta
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When it comes to real life, there are few things more exciting and challenging than a game of pool, but in our busy lives it is becoming increasingly difficult to take time out and play pool with friends. So what is the alternative? Well, it’s in your pocket, in the form of the free game Pool Master Pro.

Pool Master Pro features both 8 and 9 ball based games in different challenging environments and player modes. Users can choose to play against the auto intelligence or computer based player or can also play with another person on the same device.

For beginners, the game offers ample opportunity to practice and play as well so no sweat if you know nothing about the game. You will stumble upon all the rules and tricks of the game in a very short while.

The best thing about the game is its simple yet fluid graphics. It gives good performance on slower devices as well. We tested this game on 600 and 1 GHz devices, but apart from a few obvious changes and improvements there was no major difference in game play.

The game is optimised for minute movements and tweaks as well, so even the slightest change in the angle of the ball or the striker will result in a completely different shot. The physics engine that takes care of the balls’ movement is very refined and is one of the main reasons for the game’s popularity.

There are mainly two different game modes:

1. Single Player Mode (no rules)

The object of the game is to pocket your set of assigned balls. The more balls you sink, the higher your scores get. The initial time limit of Challenge Mode is 2 minutes but once you sink a ball you get additional time. As all the balls have been cleared, the pool will create a new group of balls to keep the game going. Also, you can play the Practice Mode which has no time limit but no high score record either.

2. Player Vs Computer/ other Player Mode

This involves playing against the computer or other players with standard eight or nine balls as per the standard rules.

All in all, the game offers hours of fun and never ending games and that too for free. However, the advertisements might be a little annoying sometimes and there is no escaping them.

The Pool Master Pro application requires an Android 2.1+ device and you can download it manually or from the Android Market. Alternatively, you could also follow this link.

First look: Sony Ericsson Txt

rahul-gupta
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First look: Sony Ericsson Txt

In the past few months we have not seen many feature phones from Sony Ericsson, be it in India or around the globe. It seems Sony Ericsson has recently been focusing more on making or improving its image as a smartphone player rather than just as a feature phone manufacturer. Well, with the Xperia range of products Sony Ericsson was able to create what it wished for and no doubt all the products launched under this range except a rare few were liked by users around the globe. Now Sony Ericsson is again showing signs of interest in the feature phone segment and has revealed two of its feature phones under the Txt series.

The Sony Ericsson Txt Pro which was launched a couple of months back was not liked much but the latest Txt range comes as a step down from the Txt Pro, keeping things simple. It has the potential to be liked by users as well.

First things first, Sony Ericsson Txt, as we mentioned earlier, is a basic feature device with nothing fancy to offer. What makes it a people pleaser is its simple yet practical set of features and design at a good price.

Txt has a simple bar shaped design which, according to many users, is a longer lasting design as compared to its bigger slider based brother the Txt Pro. The design becomes lasting because of the obvious fact that there are no moving parts and the device itself has a good built quality to withstand daily usage.

The Txt, unlike its bolder cousin, comes in an array of funky looking colours expected to be liked by youngsters a lot. The colour options include blue, white, pink and the all time favourite black as well.

Coming to the display the Txt features a 2.55 inch 320 x 240 pixel screen. In terms of performance it is decent though there is a slight lack of brightness, or maybe our eyes are getting used to brighter displays on smartphones like Arc and Play. But overall the display scores well. It comes sans touch sensitivity, which is better than having single point touch like the Txt Pro has.

Txt has a full size and very comfortable keypad with perfect key spacing and feedback. Users will not get tired even after hours of texting.

The device also gets a 3.15 main camera and no front facing camera &#151 for a feature phone this is a good configuration. The camera performs decently although it misses out on flash and automatic focus as well.

Overall Txt from Sony Ericsson comes as a little bundle of joy at a relatively lower price than the Txt Pro. It is aimed at the masses and not just at enthusiasts. But how well the phone turns out to be in real life will be discovered in a detailed review. Stay tuned.

Recharge your phone using your phone

nilabh-jha
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Recharge your phone using your phone

Most of us use a prepaid mobile connection (95 per cent of mobile users in India), and there are times when we run out of balance. To recharge, we usually prefer the neighbourhood shop.

Ever wondered why we can’t do it ourselves? For those who are not aware, here are the ways in which it is possible to recharge your phone simply by keying in a few details:

Bank’s mobile apps

Most banks offer prepaid recharge through their mobile banking application. You can download the mobile banking application on your mobile and there will be an option to recharge your prepaid mobile. Two of the largest banks in India, SBI and ICICI, offer this service, and so do banks like HDFC, Citi Bank, Axis bank, Standard Chartered, Kotak Mahindra and many more. These banks offer this facility through their netbanking service as well as through their mobile banking application and portals.

All you have to do is follow the instructions on the website and application of your bank. However, do remember you need to register yourself for mobile banking with your bank and also need to generate a number for it. In case you do not understand something, you can get in touch with your bank’s branch.

You will also need to get or to use these applications. Another very important factor is that not all mobile phones support applications. However, now even handsets priced under Rs 2,500 do have the capability to download applications. But if your phone doesn’t support applications, there are workarounds.

Independent applications and WAPSite

While mobile banking applications are good for mobile banking and for prepaid recharge, in case your bank doesn’t have an application that offers prepaid recharge or you need more than just prepaid recharge, you can go for applications like Oxicash, NGPay, and Mobikwik that enable you not only to pay for your mobile recharge but also to pay bills, buy tickets and in many cases make other payments as well. These services work in two ways – you can deposit cash into the account (Oxicash or Ngpay) or use your credit/debit card to make the payment.

In case your phone does not support application download, you can go to your mobile browser, type paytm.com and follow the instructions.

We suggest you go for the latter if you have either a debit card or a credit card. You just need to key in your card details when asked for them by the application during the recharge process and the amount will be debited from you account.

Operators own site and application

Almost all operators enable mobile recharge through WAP sites, applications and through or calls to customer care. The process is slightly different from operator to operator recharge. It is easier to find out the procedure by calling your operator’s customer care number. Since there are many operators it’s not possible to explain the procedure for each of them here.

Mobile banking account

Many banks and operators like SBI, ICICI, Airtel and Vodafone have started their mobile banking initiative where you can deposit money into a mobile account, through your operator’s retail stores and then use that money to transfer money, pay bills, and also to recharge your account.

This is an initiative aimed at the rural masses who still do not have access to formal banking systems. However, they are useful even in urban areas as the retail presence of these operators is really wide, and they offer very good discounts for purchases made through these accounts.

Things to keep in mind

In case of most transactions you will need to have a debit or credit card. You should know the PIN number of your card and also online banking transaction in case you are asked for it by the application or by the site. However, do remember never to disclose this password or PIN to anybody, not even to a bank employee. These passwords are meant for machines only, like ATMs, online/mobile banking sites and applications.

Most public sector banks have strict guidelines for online debit and credit card use, so do confirm whether you need to register for mobile banking and online banking separately or together. If yes, get yourself registered and obtain or generate necessary passwords/PINs before you try to use mobile banking, or else you will get confused while trying to make the transaction.

The other benefits

Apart from the fact that you save time and can recharge at any time of the day from anywhere in the world, you also get discounts on these recharges. For instance, freecharge, which is an online recharge site, offers a discount voucher of the same amount that you recharge your card for. Similarly, many banks offer up to 5 per cent extra value on recharge through their application.

Mozilla Firefox now with Bing search

rahul-gupta
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After a long wait, Mozilla, the developer of Firefox, has announced the launch of Mozilla Firefox powered by Bing Search, the brand owned by Microsoft Corporation. Now Bing will come as the preset search provider in Firefox for those who like Bing search in place of the original default Google.

But this does not mean Google and Firefox’s partnership is now over. Bing powered Firefox is available separately while the regular Google powered Firefox is still available.

The inclusion of Bing is not just for the PC version of the but will be replicated across all variants of the browser. Taking into special consideration the launch of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango update, Microsoft wants to do something bigger with Firefox and this launch hints at the possibility of an imminent launch of Firefox for Windows Phone.

Though users have both options to choose from, Microsoft and Mozilla have chosen to keep things separate and have made a special web address available for Mozilla Firefox with Bing search. Users who want to give it a try can log onto firefoxwithbing.com and download the browser.

Android Gingerbread now available for Sony Ericsson Xperia

rahul-gupta
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Back in September Sony Ericsson started the roll out of the Google Gingerbread 2.3.4 update for its Xperia Play and Xperia Arc devices, but back then it was only for the Nordic countries comprising countries like Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. And now Sony Ericsson has started the roll out of the same Gingerbread 2.3.4 upgrade for more countries that include India as well.

With this all the new range of Xperia smartphones that include Xperia Arc, Xperia Play, Xperia Neo, Xperia Mini, Xperia Mini Pro, Xperia Pro, Xperia Ray, Xperia Active, Xperia Neo V, Xperia Arc S and the Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman will be upgraded to Android version 2.3.4 via the Sony Ericsson PC companion software.

The Gingerbread version 2.3.4 update brings quite a few much wanted and needed inclusion to the phones along with a few additional features that definitely add more utility to the users. The two of the biggest inclusions to the smartphones through this update is the inclusion of the Google talk with video calling feature for phones with a front facing camera. Along with that all the smartphones will now get the Facebook inside Xperia feature.

On the multimedia front, users will now be able to connect powered peripherals to the Xperia smartphones and all the Xperia (phones mentioned above) will get DLNA (Digital Living network Alliance) capabilities as well.

With the new update, all the above mentioned smartphones will get the new 3D panorama sweep feature in the camera menu as well. And last but not the least, all the Xperia smartphones now with his update will be able to grab or capture screens on the device as a native capability and no additional software’s will be required to do so.

The updates have just been rolled out so it may take time before all users here in India get the update notification. Sony Ericsson as usual will be rolling out the release to generic kits or non operator locked phones first.

Users need to connect their devices to the Sony Ericsson PC companion software and check for the updates as there has been no single date announced as to when the update will be available as per a particular region.

New Skifta app turns Android phone to remote control

nilabh-jha
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Qualcomm Atheros, the networking and connectivity subsidiary of Qualcomm which is famous for its Snapdragon mobile chipsets, has announced an for smartphones and tablets.

The new Skifta 1.0 is a free application which allows users to access content like music, videos and pictures stored on any of their connected device through their Android smartphone.

The application works on Android smartphones and tablets (2.2 or higher). The Skifta desktop application for remote access to media stored at home (PC, Mac and Linux) is available at www.skifta.com.

Skifta transforms any Android device into a global media remote control that lets consumers access and enjoy their music, videos and photos at home over WiFi and on the move with from wherever their media resides, at home, in the cloud or anywhere in between.

Now, with 3G and WiFi support and a new desktop media server plug-in for Mac, Windows and Linux, Skifta users have an easy way to use their Android devices to access media collections stored on their home computers without requiring a third-party media server application.

Skifta is the first DLNA certified application capable of streaming personal content to millions of Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) devices worldwide, including TVs, IP-connected stereos like Sonos systems, PlayStation 3 game consoles, Windows 7 PCs and thousands of other connected consumer electronics models.

After selecting a photo, song or video stored on the Android smartphone or tablet, users can share this content to any compliant device using Skifta without the need to connect though wires, or downloading or sideloading. The app allows users to just tap on their content, select a connected device and press to play.

A unique feature of the Skifta platform is its Channel library, which eliminates the need for consumers to manage multiple applications to access their favorite media from the cloud. Skifta Channels also give immediate access to Facebook photos, Picasa, Flickr, Photobucket, Soma.fm, Napster, ShoutCast, Revision 3, TED Talks and more.

“Extensive discussions with our beta group boiled down to this: Skifta should eliminate the barriers between consumers and their media,” said Dan Rabinovitsj, senior vice president and general manager, networking business unit, Qualcomm Atheros. “The new version of Skifta addresses this issue with 3G support and media server software, and it goes a step further to deliver a powerful solution that puts the smartphone or tablet at the center of the connected home.”

RIM announces new BBM version

rahul-gupta
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Research In Motion has announced the launch of their latest version of the BlackBerry Messenger. The new BBM 6.0.1 version brings along a whole lot of new features specifically targeted at application users and usage. With the latest update, BlackBerry Messenger users will be able to utilise and access the BBM connected applications and much more.

With the BBM connected applications, users will be able to share instant information with fellow BBM users without even leaving or getting out of the BBM interface. The new BBM focuses on giving additional sharing capabilities to the BBM users as well.

As opposed to picture and file sharing, users now will be able to share application related data and even the application itself right from within the BBM application.

To share an application, a BBM 6.0.1 user will just have to share the link or application related information with a contact on the BBM and the other user will be immediately intimated about the same thorough BBM. If the other user does not have that application, he will then be prompted to download the new BBM 6.0.1 version. The other person can then, using the new BBM version, share other applications.

Newer BBM 6.0.1 users thus can invite users of older version of BBM to download and try the new one. Users who want to upgrade their BlackBerry messenger or BBM to version 6.0.1 can update it via the BlackBerry store application on their device or can simply follow this link to update the application via both the PC and smartphone.

Top 5 phones under Rs 5,000 for Oct, Nov

rahul-gupta
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Top 5 phones under Rs 5,000 for Oct, Nov

As technology progresses the cost of devices, especially phones, comes down drastically and this is what the Top 5 list for the month of Oct-Nov shows. The Micromax Andro A60, which is one of the best low cost phones, has slipped into this category and has secured the first place in the Top 5 list. Along with that, the list of Top 5 phones below Rs 6,000 in July-August has changed to the list of Top 5 phones under Rs 5,000.

In contrast with the older list there have been many new additions in the form of Micromax Van Gogh, the headset embedded phone, and Sony Ericsson Cedar, which happens to be a budget device.

Samsung Chat C322 still remains in our top list merely because of its features versus performance, and it’s surely here to stay.

So here we have the Top 5 phones under Rs 5,000 for the months of October and November:

Micromax Andro A60 (Price Rs 4,300)

Micromax Andro has a 2.8 inch touchscreen display which is capable of displaying 52,000 colours in a standard resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. However, Andro’s resistive touchscreen is a heart-breaker. Although the screen is quite responsive, in this age of capacitive touchscreens, a resistive touchscreen feels like Stone Age technology and we dearly miss the ‘pinch to zoom’ function while playing Angry Birds.

On the performance front, the snappy 600 processor does most tasks quickly but the moment you start multitasking it starts slowing down and needs longer breathing time. Occasionally, closing the unwanted applications gives it much needed space and power. The 150 MB doubles up as the and makes sure you keep enough space free, otherwise the Andro will surely choke.

Andro A60 features a 3.2 fixed focus camera, although the box mentions it as an auto focus one. The camera is just for beginners and not for enthusiasts. It does not have a flash either. In bright light, the images are good and colourful but lack detail and sharpness.

Samsung chat C322 (Price Rs 3,500)

Chat 322 offers dual SIM functionality with a very smart design, which gives it both usability and great looks. The phone comes with a keypad and a 2.2 inch display. The C3222 is the first dual active SIM device from Samsung to sport a Qwerty keypad.

The phone features a 1.3 megapixel camera capable of recording video in QCIF resolution at 15 fps. It has regular social networking apps, which work well in conjunction with the keypad. The Multi Instant Messenger aggregates MSN, Yahoo and Gtalk chat clients.

A 1,000 battery powers the Samsung Chat C3222 and gives 12.8 hours of talktime. The 60 MB of internal memory on the phone can be expanded to 8 via a card. The C3222 features a music player with DNSe 3D sound technology, FM Radio with recording, and comes with a 3.5 mm audio port.

Nokia X2 05 (Price Rs 4,500)

Nokia X2 is a relatively new mobile phone that uses the Symbian Series 40 software platform. The handset is designed for music lovers and comes with dedicated music keys, a jack and FM radio with built-in antenna. The device also has a 5 megapixel camera with fixed focus and flash, and at this price point Nokia X2-05 is the only phone to offer a 5 megapixel camera.

It features a 2.2 inch display with 320 x 240 pixel resolution and a regular keypad. The X2 also comes with dedicated keys for camera and music.

X2 is powered by a standard 860 mAh battery that gives it a of 13 hours and of 540 hours. The mobile phone comes with 48 MB of internal memory while its memory can be expanded using a MicroSD card to 16 GB.

Sony Ericsson Cedar (Price Rs 4,400)

The Sony Ericsson Cedar is a very neat looking 3G enabled feature phone that falls in this price bracket. Even though while considering the Cedar there were quite a few contenders for this spot, finally Cedar emerged the winner both in terms of features and user experience. It comes with an alphanumeric keypad and a 2.2 inch TFT LCD display with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels.

Cedar has a 2 megapixel camera without flash but promises Sony Ericsson quality. It has an inbuilt memory of 280 MB which can be expanded to 16 GB using a MicroSD card.

Sony Ericsson Cedar is powered by a 1000 mAh battery that gives talk time of 12 hours on 2G and up to 4 hours on 3G. One of the best features of the device is that it is 3G enabled and falls in the Rs 5,000 bracket.

Micromax Van Gogh (Price Rs 3,500)

Micromax Van Gogh is truly a marvel of technology and comes with a decent Bluetooth hands free kit. It features an integrated Bluetooth hands free kit, which not only sits at the back of the phone, it also charges using the phone’s battery, eliminating the need for a second charger for the Bluetooth handsfree. It also eliminates the possibility of losing this kit as it is part of the phone without being one more thing to carry.

The phone has a regular bar design. It has a multitap keypad with well placed keys that give decent feedback, and a 2.6 inch screen with a (320 x 240 pixel) resolution. The phone is a dual SIM device with 8 GB memory expandable through MicroSD card, a 2 megapixel camera, a 3.5 mm and a pre-installed Opera Mini browser. It supports and application downloads.

The 2 mega pixel camera unit is nothing much to talk about; it’s only good for occasional snaps when you do not have any other option. The battery backup of 1000 mAh is good for two days of low to medium use.

Reasons for buying a smartphone

nilabh-jha
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If asked to differentiate between a smartphone and a feature phone, I am sure, even a techie will take a long pause before expressing his opinion as in terms of hardware, many feature phones have all that a low end smartphone offers such as 3G, WiFi, and Push mail service.

So what is the real difference and why should one go for smartphone and not look at a feature phone that probably offers better build quality at a more affordable price point? In the current scenario there is no single feature that differentiates the two, it in fact the combination of features that make a smartphone.

Operating system

The biggest difference between the two categories is that of the operating system, with smartphones being based on operating systems which are independent of the device, typically made by third party software companies like Google, Microsoft etc. You will find the same on multiple devices. For example, operating systems like Android, iOS, Blackberry OS, Symbian, Bada and Windows Phone 7 are being used on handsets manufactured by many companies.

On the other hand, each feature phone is based on a operating environment (generally based on a language or a base operating system) but offer device specific design. However, Nokia feature phones are an exception as they use S40 across a device range.

What this means is that smartphones leads to an ecosystem of developers who create application for the entire ecosystem and irrespective of the device you are using if you are using the same version of the operating system which is not the case with feature phones.

Applications

As discussed earlier, smartphone OSes have eco-systems around them and that helps in having multitude of applications that perform different tasks – entertainment, utility, news apps etc. In fact, in all the major OS environments there are so many apps that each phone can be so different from the same model in others hand.

While feature phones can also run applications their ability to do so is very limited due to lack of apps and also lack of processing power.

So what can apps do for you, well it can help you monitor your health, keep you updates with news, perform specific calculation for example run your companies customer relations management software on the phone. The possibilities are endless. Even the most basic users will find some application that can add value to their lives.

Multitasking

While both the feature phones and smartphones have multiple features for example it can be a personal navigation device, a radio, internet access device, music player, TV, gaming device, alarm, camera and the list is too long to mention.

But the difference lies in the fact that while smartphones are increasingly capable of multi-tasking, feature phones have very limited ability (can play radio or music player in the back ground and that is probably it).

This limitation means that despite you carrying many gadgets in your phone, you will be able to use only one at a time with a feature phone.

Features

With a smartphone, what you get is multitude of gadgets in a single chassis – a phone, a navigation device, a music device, a camera, a calculator and a computer, an eBook reader etc. You get these in a feature phones as well, but those are basic versions.
For example, Nokia N8 upgraded its camera with a software update and that has added ability to capture videos at 30 frames per second compared to earlier 25 frames per second.

Updates

This is one of the major differences between the two. While feature phones rarely get software update, smartphones are regularly updated by the manufacturers as well as OS makers.
This keeps the phone up-to-date and adds more functionality even after you have purchased the phone. Hence, if there is a feature missing or you don’t like something with the user interface, chances are that the problem will be fixed by the company after sometime, or if there is a problem with the device that you bought you can get a fix.
For instance, when there was a problem with the Toshiba Thrive tablet (which is a bigger smartphone in most sense), it was fixed using a software patch. Now imagine the same problem with a feature phone, and you will realise you have made a dead investment, or you might simply learn to live with it.

Price

While feature phones are generally cheaper, smartphone prices have come down drastically and at times you will get smartphones at lower cost compared to a high end feature phone. And this is where the confusion comes from.
Generally the lower end smartphones are coming from the smaller handset manufactures and lack on quality front, while the higher end feature phones are coming from the more established and bigger handset vendors with much better quality but lower feature set.

Example: Samsung Monte, Nokia X3-o2, and Sony Ericsson Txt Pro are all feature phones and cost around Rs 7,500. On the other hand, Karbonn A1, Spice Mi310 (both smartphones) come at less than Rs 7,000.

So, why should you go for a smartphone?

Smartphones certainly offer more features, more processing power and customisation options besides the prospect of getting better with time with the help of updates. So if you are one who wants an all in one device that is really smart and is future ready (to some extent) go for a smartphone.
However, do remember to look at the specifications before choosing your smartphone, some of the lower end smartphones are hardly smart and comes with hardware which barely enough to run the operating system and won’t run most apps properly. You can refer to our smartphone buying guide to make a good choice.

If you want a simple phone for making calls and sending messages with decent music and social networking feature, feature phones are okay. Also if you are not really into technology, than feature phones are ideal for you. You will get very good hardware and features for the price of an entry level smartphone and will be much better in terms of quality.
One feature which is not directly associated but is common problem with smartphones is its battery life. If you want your phone’s battery to last for days, you should (I would say must) go for a feature phone that promises good battery life.

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