Google Glass Gets Fashionable, Offers Prescription Lenses

Google really wants their new Google Glass connected eyewear to be for everyone - even fashion conscious users and those who have to wear prescription eyewear. A prescription option was the most requested feature since it launched the device last year and now it's going to be available in new stylish frames when it's released to the public at the end of this year. Each of the prescription Google Glass lenses will cost $225 each, with the new Titanium line including four frame shapes called curve, split, thin and bold. The outside of the frames is gray but the four options will each have subtle accent colors inside the frames. Google also plans to add three sunglasses options that will be designed by Maui Jim for $150 each. The actual Google Glass hardware (that can shoot video and projects Internet content will remain the same) for now.

Google hopes that people will be so comfortable wearing their connected eyewear that they won't want to choose between their regular glasses and Google Glass. But this might pose a small problem since they're not welcomed everywhere (yet), leaving those with no other prescription glasses handy either blind or isolated from certain places. Also, driving while wearing them isn't exactly legal or allowed. But Google is still confidant that these issues will soon be fixed as they become more common with users.

And Google Glass lenses can't quickly pop off one frame and onto another because it required undoing a small screw, which is easy to do, but the system is still not meant for frequent frame changes. And because prescription glasses are pricy without insurance, Google has a deal with Vision Service Provider to add coverage to those who want the new specs, but insurance reimbursements will only be available for the frames and prescription and not the Glass device itself (it costs $1,500).

REVIEW: Logitech ConferenceCam CC3000e

Having the right conferencing system can significantly increase communication quality throughout and organisation, especially when your enterprise is split across continents or you have customers abroad.

Today Logitech has introduced a new conference system which offers an improved video and voice conferencing environment at a reasonable starting price of £699.

It's not abnormal to step into a conferencing room five minutes before a meeting is due to start and then have to call in an engineer to show you how to use the equipment. The CC3000e is so simple to use, however, that you'll never need to get helpdesk involved again.

The ConferenceCam allows you to control the call using your PC, meaning that you can use whatever communications software you would usually use. It has plug-and-play capabilities so should support calls made through any available software, and is Skype, Cisco Jabber, Vidyo and Microsoft Lync certified, so you can choose whatever software you're used to in order to make a call.

The video quality is extremely clear and doesn't suffer at all from lag or pixilation. The room I saw it demoed in had brightly painted patterns on the wall, which were displayed beautifully on the on-screen image, which would be great for sending visuals of graphs, slideshows or whiteboards if using the conferencing system for presentations. The device supports 1080p HD video and high-quality audio that is clear even if you are sitting quite a distance from the speakerphone, working up to 20-feet away.

It also has similar capabilities to the portable Logitech P710e speakerphone; it can pair smartphone devices using Bluetooth or NFC to allow hands free communication.

When making a call, the contact you are communicating with is displayed on the central console. The camera features a 90-degree field of view with remote controlled 260-degree panning and 10 times lossless zoom. A 'home' position for the camera can also be set so that when using the camera for conferencing you can return the camera to the correct position by pressing a single button.

Although this system is slightly less portable than previously, it is still movable and could be transported and easily set up in a different location if your usual conferencing space is not available. It comes in three parts; a camera, the speakerphone unit and a central hub that is used to connect all of the devices (including your PC) together.

This device is simple to use, very affordable, and perfect for any small to medium sized enterprises in need of reliable conferencing equipment.

Parrot Introduces New Drones, Sumo and MiniDrone

Parrot is known for their Bluetooth products, but they're transitioning into the drone market and revealed two new drones at CES earlier this month. Both are new smartphone-controlled bots: The Sumo and the MiniDrone. The Sumo is a rolling and jumping bot that features two wheels and moves around the ground. It features a camera and a foot built in that allows it to stop instantly (like the company's bigger AR Drone) and can leap up in the air to 80 cm. It's a pretty rugged drone that's ready to tackle your adventurous lifestyle.

The MiniDrone is a smaller version of the AR Drone and can fly and roll. It's only about a tenth of the size of the bigger version, which allows you to slide it in your pocket. Because it's small in size and portable, it doesn't have a camera but adds removable, large wheels that allows it to roll on the ground or run along the wall or ceiling. So far, no ship date has been announced, but the company did promise that they'll be available soon.

Microsoft Clearing Out Refurbished Surface RT 32GB at $170

Remember when Microsoft wrote-down a giant $900 million charge due to Surface RT inventory adjustment? (AKA they have too many inventory of unsold Surface RT left that they'll have to sell at reduced price). Apparently the same applies for the refurbished models because Microsoft's Outlet store on eBay is selling them at a massive discount - refurbished 32GB Microsoft Surface Tablet is now only $169 with free shipping.

Early spring cleaning? Why not, even if we're still in the Winter months. Microsoft had attempted to unload these during 2013′s Black Friday weekend at the $199 price point to minimal success (number of units sold didn't break the 10,000 mark on the eBay store count). Another 25% off for a flagship device from just about a year ago? We're not sure if that's a good thing for Microsoft, but you can now experience Windows 8 RT on the cheap.

The Windows 8 RT Surface originally debuted on October 26th 2012 for $499. Sales fell stunningly short as mentioned. Now with the successor Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 in place since Ocotober 2013 (and currently at harder-to-find stock level), it's probably time to clean house on the original under-performing unit.

At $169 it's a good price to bite at. Not only is it the lowest ever by $30, but it's significantly cheaper than buying for $279.99 at Best Buy in brand new condition. The units they're selling today have been restored into fully working condition from the manufacturer and one of the rare part is that it includes a 1 year warranty from Microsoft (most refurbished goods will have a 90 day warranty only).

Is $170 the price point to move the Surface RT off the shelves? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Korg Gadget packs 15 synthesizers and drum machines into an iPad app

Fancy feeding your music production hobby with a slate rather than a collection of pricey gadgets? If so, Korg has added to its iPad-based offerings with the Gadget app. The software for Apple tablets bakes in 15 different sythesizers and drum machines (called Gadgets) that can be combined any way you'd like to construct those beats. Ranging from the Kiev digital synth to the Chicago tube bass machine, the app's instrument arsenal (which can be previewed here) covers quite the sonic spectrum with drum and synth sounds a plenty. Keeping the orientation vertical, the UI is divided into two sections that allow for dual control at all times. This is aimed at making both track and instrument adjustments quick and easy. If you're concerned about your lack of musical skill, there's a scale function helps you avoid hitting a wrong note whilst getting your feet wet.

Already splurged for the latest iPad? Korg says you'll be able to run more than 20 of the instruments at the same time, thanks to its beefed up chipset. Once those audio files have been tinkered with enough, options for sharing to Facebook, SoundCloud and Twitter or beaming them to Dropbox for safe keeping are all built in. There's also access to GadgetCloud for showing off projects with fellow users of the software -- complete with its own ranking system. The app is a bit pricey at $38.99, but if you commit before February 23rd, you can snag a $10 discount at that second source link below.

The Best Five HDTV Deals for Super Bowl 2014

The cheapest nosebleed ticket sold to Superbowl 2014 ran about $1,300. Sure, you'll walk away with memories, but you're not going to get a great view and afterwards you'll have nothing material to show for it.

That same amount of money (or significantly less) could get you a the best view in the house on a new big screen TV that'll impress your friends and give you entertainment for years to come. How big you want the screen size depends on how big your budget is, but we've scoured for HDTVs through the most reputable retailers, and here's the top five best bang-for-your-buck HDTVs.

1) 60″ Sharp AQUOS LC-60LE450U 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV for $750.

You seriously don't need fluff comparing HDTVs. Ultimately, you want the biggest screen for the lowest price, and maybe you care about a refresh rate for better sports viewing.... do you really need to pay hundreds more for a built in internet connecting WiFi when you can buy a $35 Chromecast or any other modern video game system for the same experience? If that describes your feelings on the matter, this 60-inch Sharp TV is an excellent purchase.

Best Buy dropped the price from $999.99 to $749.99 and will give you the option for free shipping or buy online and pick it up for free at a local store. This is our top pick, because at this price Best Buy is actually charging $50 less than the lowest price online for this unit on Black Friday ($799.99).

Other notable specs on this model include a bumped up 120Hz refresh rate (beats 60Hz). It weighs in at 69 lbs... or without the stand only 60.6 lbs - so if you want to mount it, be sure to get a sturdy 400mm x 400mm mount that can hold it. Best Buy is also throwing in a 1 year limited warranty on parts and labor, which is pretty standard.

2) 70″ Vizio E701I-A3 1080p 120Hz Razor LED HDTV for $1,498

If you're not willing to mess around, and you want to impress the neighborhood, this 70-inch Vizio is only $1,500 at Walmart. Originally listed for $2,000, around Black Friday 2012 it dropped to $1,700. On Black Friday 2013 we saw it drop further to $1498. Later in December it rose back to $1,700, but in time for the big game Wally World has the Black Friday price tag back on this model.

Not only do you get the 120Hz refresh rate, but this model has built in Wi-Fi, putting it in the 'Smart' TV category. At $1,500 it's the cheapest 70-inch HDTV currently sold by main line retailers.

3) 55″ LG 55LN5200 1080p LED HDTV for $599

If you're budget's a little bit tighter, there's still some affordable options out there. This 55-inch LG model is only $599 at Walmart, where they also give you the option of free shipping to home or free pickup at a local store. The $599 price tag ties its all time Black Friday lowest ever price.

It's also a worthy pick since reviews are fairly high. At Walmart customers give it a 92% rating. While you can't get it on Amazon right now, they still have old product 134 reviews on this model which give it a decent 4.1 out of 5 star rating. It's also notable that Walmart has a near identical 50-inch LG unit for only $499.

Drawbacks? Not much really, but you're only getting a 60Hz refresh rate, which isn't bad but not 100% made for fast sports. Some might think the difference is trivial compared to the reduced price tag.

4) 46″ RCA LED46C45RQ 1080p LED HDTV for $379

For those on a tight budget, all is not lost. Kmart is running a 'Big Game' special on this 46-inch RCA model for only $379. At this price it's actually $21 cheaper than you could have bought on Black Friday, and currently is the lowest price online by $121. The next best price online is $500 at Best Buy.

5) 65″ Seiki SE65UY0 4K Ultra 1080p HDTV for $2,000

If the budget can handle it, would you be willing to bump up to the latest 4K technology? The 3840 x 2160 Resolution is going to blow away the standard 1920 x 1080 (1080p). The technology is so new though, not many devices can even support that high... yet. If you're buying for the future this isn't a bad option though.

Amazon offers free shipping, which is why it beats out the competition on this model.

Seiki is known to have some excellent prices for the screen size. We're trying to keep this list short and sweet, but if you don't need 4K there are two good Seiki options at Sears:

NAMM 2014: Korg unveils Gadget synth studio for iPad

NAMM 2014: Korg has announced the release of Gadget, an iOS 'production studio' featuring 15 virtual synths and drum machines.

The included virtual instruments - or Gadgets, as Korg calls them - appear to be inspired by a host of classic hardware instruments. The app can run multiple Gadgets at once, allowing users to build complex, layered sound, and also includes a built-in sequencer and mixer.

Gadget is Core MIDI, Audiobus and Audiocopy compatible, and can also share sounds directly to SoundCloud, Facebook or Twitter.

Based on the quality of Korg's existing iMS-20 and iPolysix apps, we've high hopes for Gadget. Check out the press release below for more info.

Korg Gadget press release

Korg Gadget offers a collection of 15 different synthesizers and drum machines called 'Gadgets', which you can freely combine to produce powerful electronic music.

Gadget is perfect for: Those who want to produce electronic music or try using synthesizers Those looking to take iPad-produced music to the next level Those looking for a diverse palate of synths in one app For every situation that creative minded people face, Korg's answer is 'KORG Gadget.'

KORG released the iELECTRIBE simultaneously with the appearance of the first-generation iPad in 2010, and ever since has maintained its position at the forefront of mobile music apps. And now we've brought you the ultimate all-in-one studio app for serious mobile music production.

A collection of fifteen Gadgets

Right from the beginning, KORG Gadget gives you 15 compact synthesizers and drum machines. Each Gadget possesses an irresistible presence and can function as the core of your electronic music productions. The parameters are carefully constructed to take you right to the sound that you want, and they're ideal for producing all forms of electronic music. Even if you don't play a musical instrument, no worries! Each synth offers a keyboard featuring a Scale function that makes it impossible to play wrong notes, combined with a sequencer that supports the function, Just download KORG Gadget to your iPad, and start exploring 15 Gadgets. Which will be your favorite?

Ideal track-making experience while on the go. Control two things at once.

For the most part, KORG Gadget uses the vertical orientation that makes the iPad easy to hold in one hand and is the most common style of interface on iOS devices. The screen of the iPad is divided vertically in two halves, allowing you to simultaneously control two types of content-'song creation' and 'sound creation'. by placing the current Gadget on the bottom of the screen while always showing the sequencing environment up top.-This ensures that your creative production flow is not interrupted. That's all you have to know. You'll enjoy the simple and intuitive sequencer, and experience track-making in an environment that's been perfectly optimized for mobile use, while retaining professional quality in everything from the effects to the mixer.

The number of Gadgets you can run is limited only by the power of your hardware. On the latest iPad (As of Jan. in 2014), more than 20 Gadgets can be run simultaneously-an astounding level of power that goes beyond what you expect from a mobile device. You can use even more gadgets simultaneously by taking advantage of the Freeze function to save CPU power.

Capture ideas for your songs wherever you like. An ideal choice as a second DAW

If you run out of ideas while producing a song, try taking KORG Gadget somewhere that you find inspirational, like a cafe or your living room. Then create sounds or phrases with your favorite gadget and stock up on ideas. The data you create can be exported as audio data or MIDI data for a variety of uses. Even if you typically use a computer or sophisticated music production equipment, KORG Gadget is an ideal partner that will inspire you from a different perspective. KORG Gadget is also an ideal choice as a second DAW that's easy to take with you along anywhere.

Share songs to the GadgetCloud and connect to users around the world.

Songs that you create using KORG Gadget can be shared on 'GadgetCloud,' a music sharing site for KORG Gadget users worldwide. By exchanging songs between mobile musicians around the world, you can communicate in ways that bypass language barriers, and also improve your skill as a creative artist. This is a music production space that's fun to use; you can submit your songs for selection as tracks recommended by KORG, enter various contents, and use the ranking system. You can also upload from KORG Gadget directly to any social networking service such as SoundCloud, Facebook, or Twitter, sending your tracks wherever you like.

*GadgetCloud is based on SoundCloud, the cloud service that's supported by creative artists world-wide. You will need a SoundCloud account.

A fusion of cutting-edge iOS technology; a mobile studio that continues to evolve

By connecting an external MIDI keyboard via the Camera Connection Kit, you can play the 15 synthesizers in Gadget from a real keyboard. A wide range of iOS music technology is also supported, including Audiobus, AudioCopy, and WIST. There's a roadmap for future updates that will add new gadgets and support audio tracks, further perfecting the system as a mobile music production studio. KORG Gadget will continue to evolve in support of serious mobile music-making.

Gadgets (Instruments) Amsterdam - PCM SFX Boombox

With the beefy looks of a gold body sporting chrome knobs, this is a four-part PCM sound module gadget containing more than one hundred sound effects that give impact to your song, including one-shot sounds, synth sounds, and scratches. It also contains numerous chord samples, allowing you to create chord progressions as if you were assembling a collage.

Berlin - Monophonic Synchronized Synthesizer

This is a synthesizer gadget with a classical design that's optimized for lead sounds. It provides a sync oscillator that can generate complex overtones, delivering diverse sounds with a sense of modulation.

Brussels - Monophonic Anthem Synthesizer

This synthesizer gadget has a simple and carefully considered parameter structure with an intuitive user interface. The thick unison tones that emanate from this futuristic design will give you the lead sounds that you need for any type of electronic music.

Chiang Mai - Variable Phase Modulation Synthesizer

This is a polyphonic synthesizer gadget that features VPM (Variable Phase Modulation) synthesis. With a subdued gold body, this gadget is particularly good at sparkling metallic bell sounds.

Chicago - Tube Bass Machine

This is a straightforward acid house bass gadget with a shiny silver metal body. It features a 'Bite' filter that covers the range from classic, 'sticky-sounding' synth bass to intensely distorted aggressive sounds. There's a built-in arpeggiator and multi-effect, so your creations will have plenty of variety.

Dublin - Monophonic Semi-Modular Synthesizer

This is a semi-modular synthesizer gadget with classic, vintage looks. It's especially good for deep bass sounds. In addition to being capable of straightforward yet deep subtractive synthesis with a plain waveform and filter, it also lets you enjoy a wide range of varying tones by changing the patching.

Helsinki - Polyphonic Ambient Synthesizer

This is a pad sound gadget that's easy to use for genres such as Ambient or Chillwave. The subtle yet deep sound played through lo-fi and reverb effects, conveyed through the floating interface, creates an atmosphere that is both nostalgic and futuristic.

Kiev - Advanced Spatial Digital Synthesizer

The yellow body of this synthesizer gadget projects the impression of a secret weapon hidden in an industrial zone. It features 'vector synthesis' using four oscillators that generate organic, spacey sounds. Use the touchpad to intuitively control the mysterious 'warp' sound that seems to contort space itself.

Kingston - Polyphonic Chip Synthesizer

This polyphonic synthesizer gadget is optimized for 8-bit game sounds. The timeless waveforms that still exemplify the sounds of a computer are provided in the oscillator section, and there are also 'JUMP' and 'RUN' functions that make those sounds even more bizarre. You can also use effects to additionally deform the sound.

London - Hypersonic PCM Drum Module

This is a drum sound module gadget designed specifically for dance music. True to its simple, straightforward looks, it instantly gives you a performance-ready drum kit. There are more than 400 samples that will cover your needs for a variety of dance music formats including Electro, Minimal, Dubstep and so on. It also provides three effects that you can use on each part, as well as a master effect.

Marseille - Polyphonic PCM Synthesizer

With its workstation-like looks, this polyphonic synthesizer gadget offers a broad selection of standard keyboard sounds, brass, strings, and synth sounds. When you need a piano or electric piano, this gadget will deliver. There's a 'Chord' function that lets you produce chords of the scale you specify, making it simple to create a chord progression with no wrong notes.

Miami - Monophonic Wobble Synthesizer

This gadget plays the bass sounds that are indispensable for today's electronic music. It features an 'X-MOD' oscillator that generates complex overtones and modulation, and a 'CRUSH' filter that adds distinctive noise. 'WOBBLE' modulation lets you shift the character to produce a wobble sound evocative of an evil monster, often heard in Brostep and Dubstep.

Phoenix - Polyphonic Analogue Synthesizer

This polyphonic synthesizer gadget offers classic, vintage design and sound. Its painstaking analog emulation provides analog sound with warmth and presence. This is an all-around synth that you can use for chordal backing, pad sounds, or anything else.

Tokyo - Analog Percussion Synthesizer

This is a drum gadget that collects four compact analog-type drum sound modules into a single package. Each module gives you parameters that are tuned respectively to kick, snare, tom and percussion sounds, allowing you to experience the distinctive enjoyment of creating sound with analog modules.

Wolfsburg - Hybrid Polyphonic Synthesizer

This gadget is a collection of distinctive analog synthesizer waveforms that have been resampled using digital technology. It provides two effect units and four modulation matrix systems, and is distinctive for a dynamic and powerful sound that matches its tasteful, black-themed panel layout.

Science Has A New, Cheaper And Spectacularly Creepy Method Of Making ...

I spent much of my teenage years in the state of Vermont, and as such, I have an appreciation for real maple syrup, and a deep contempt of the flavored sugar sludge that so often passes itself off as maple syrup. That said, the real stuff is expensive, thanks to how it's made. But leave it to science to come up with a new method that's not just more effective, but really pretty creepy!

Scientist? Or Vampire?

Here's how it works: Maple syrup is made by boiling off maple tree sap. The sweet stuff flows down from the crown of a mature tree into a bucket. This, plus the labor intensive boiling process, limits supply.

But in maple saplings, the sweet sap flows upwards, out of the roots. So, to get a lot more sap for syrup, all you have to do is... uh... cut the top off the sapling, stick a vacuum over that, and suck out all the syrup.

Look, didn't we say it was creepy? It's right there in the headline.

Syrupy Shenanigans

This is good for maple syrup producers because, well, it's a lot cheaper to plant a bunch of saplings and go vampire on them, and saplings aren't generally attacked by common maple pests. So basically, it would change the maple syrup industry as we know it, and make getting actual syrup a heck of a lot cheaper, if you can get past that whole 'beheading baby trees and sucking out their blood' thing.

I Am All That Is Man

You won't see 'Creepy Syrup' on the shelves right away: The industry is still arguing about how this should be labeled and mitigating the effects on smaller syrup producers. But either way, expect a lot more of the good stuff to be coming to shelves, and soon. Also expect hipsters to scorn it in favor of the old-fashioned way.

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Quick review on new gadgets by Adrian Weckler

Jasmina Lozevska

What are the gadgets that represent our future? - This is the question we ask as soon as we think of technology. Adrian Weckler gave his review on the latest gadgets.

iPad Mini Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard

There are tons of people who dislike using a keyboard when it comes to iPad Mini. It is mainly because keyboards are not that slick and don not look good while attached to your tiny Apple pad. However, if you take a look at the newest edition by Logitech you might change your opinion. The latest Logitech edition is the best you can get for your iPad Mini. Adrian Weckler said that this keyboard has a really nice design and the keys are almost perfect. It features shortcut keys which are built in the keyboard and does not double size your iPad like they usually would. It comes in various colors. It can be connected with your iPad Mini through Bluetooth.

You just can't get enough of your smartphone camera and want something that will make your photographs look better? - Meet the Panono 360 Camera. You can mount 36 different HR cameras and you can place them all facing different direction. The most interesting thing here is that you attach them to a ball and when you throw it up in the air, the ball will start snapping. The snapping will begin as soon as the ball reaches the highest point. All the images will be processed online. Trust me- Panono 360 Camera will give you the best 360 degree photo. If you are a fan of high-quality photography, you should consider purchasing this particular item.

Adrian Weckler mentioned the latest novelty from the popular brand Canon. Compact cameras might not be that popular these days when you can purchase a 20-mpix camera. However, companies that are making the best standalone cameras are always here to leave us breathless. This is probably one of the simplest cameras money can buy. It features a 16-mpix shooter and a 16x zoom. The zoom option is much better than the zoom option that smartphones have. This affordable camera beats every smartphone you will see when you want to seize that one perfect moment. It snaps clear pictures of 28mm to 448mm, making it easy to take a picture of a person standing 50 yards away from you.

Recommended Products About the author: Jasmina Lozevska View all posts by Jasmina Lozevska

Jasmina has recently moved from Macedonia to explore life in the Tundra of the United States in the great state of Michigan. She currently has a home in Flat Rock, Michigan and is aspiring to be a hard-core journalist. She is savvy with her words, but has a unique way of getting the point of across in a conversational tone which people are drawn to. She has written for several other popular technology sites on the Internet, but we are very proud to have her outstanding talents loyal to our needs for Online Gadget Store. She will be capturing the news in all of our various gadget categories, and will not hold back when it comes to bringing you the best reviews, news posts, and information.

iPhone 5c review - NDTV

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The release of iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in September last year marked a departure from Apple's usual strategy of releasing one new iPhone every a year. The launch of the new iPhone would be accompanied by the outgoing iPhone getting a price cut, and the one before that becoming free on a contract in certain markets. This approach served Apple well because the iPhone doesn't age as quickly as its Android counterparts, and even a generation-old iPhone competes favourably with most mid-range Android phones on performance, if not on price.

This strategy was not without its flaws as many people felt uncomfortable buying 'a one year old phone'. While most non-flagship phones from other manufacturers run on hardware that's anywhere between one and several years old, it seems that as long as the outer package is refreshed and given a new name, you can avoid the criticism that comes with trying to sell an 'old' phone.

By releasing the iPhone 5c, which sports a brand new look, but has near identical specs as the now discontinued iPhone 5, Apple seems to have take a leaf out of the book of its competitors. So is the iPhone 5c just old wine in a new bottle, or is it another winner from Apple - let's find out.

( Also see: iPhone 5c vs. iPhone 5)

Build/ Design

The iPhone 5c is of course 'unapologetically plastic', as Jony Ive called it in the introductory video showcased at Apple's developers conference. While this move surprised a few, it is worth remembering that iPhone 5c is not the first iPhone to come with a plastic body. The original iPhone-761) came with a body that used both plastic and glass, as did the iPhone 3G, and of course the iPhone 3GS. The metallic chassis seen in recent iPhone models didn't make an appearance until the iPhone 4.

We have to admit that having been spoilt by the great in-hand feel of successive iPhone models since the iPhone 4, we were initially sceptical about the plastic iPhone 5c. However, that changed when we held the new iPhone in our hand for the first time. iPhone 5c's plastic body comes with a steel reinforced frame inside that gives it a rigidity not usually associated with plastic bodies. The plastic itself is as good as what we've seen used on a phone, and in terms of overall fit and finish, the iPhone 5c compares favourably with flagship Lumia devices from Nokia.

One key difference between the iPhone 5c and Lumia devices of course is that while Apple has gone with a glossy finish for all its colours - Green, Blue, Yellow, Pink, and White - Lumia devices are available in both glossy and matte finishes. Apple is clearly trying to appeal to a younger crowd by going with a glossy finish on the iPhone 5c and though the result is better than the glossy-finished Lumia devices, we'd pick the matte-finished Lumia devices over either, but that's a personal choice.

The iPhone 5c (124.40 x 59.20 x 8.97 mm, 132 grams) is slightly bigger and noticeably heavier than the iPhone 5 (123.80 x 58.60 x 7.60 mm, 112 grams). While we don't like the idea of moving to a heavier phone, some people found the overall feel of the iPhone 5c better than the iPhone 5. It's safe to say, as solid as the iPhone 5c feels, we prefer the metallic chassis and the lightness of the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5s.

Display

The iPhone 5c sports the same 4.0-inch 640x1136 seen in the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5s. Yes, that display feels small in a world full of Android flagships around the 5.0-inch mark, and other even bigger devices that push the definition of the words phone and, indeed the bastardisation that is phablet. While the likes of Nokia and BlackBerry have realised the importance of having large screen offerings in the form of the Lumia 1520 and the BlackBerry Z30 respectively, Apple, rather obstinately some believe, continues to hold out. It is expected Apple will change that by finally releasing a bigger iPhone in 2014, though of course there's nothing even remotely official about that statement. Until then, if you want the iOS experience, you can choose between the 3.5-inch screen of the iPhone 4S or the 4.0-inch display that iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s offer.

As far as the performance is concerned, with the naked eye you'll struggle to notice any difference when compared to iPhone 5's display. You'll notice this theme throughout the review, as the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5 boast near identical internals. While the display may fall short on specs compared to full-HD smartphones in the wild, the colour reproduction is excellent, sunlight legibility is good and viewing angles are great.

iOS 7

iPhone 5c comes with iOS 7 out of the box. iOS 7 is a visual overhaul of Apple's mobile operating system that puts whitespace and typography in focus, while underplaying skeuomorphic design elements (ones that resemble real world objects). This means that buttons that have traditionally been used in UI design to indicate actionable objects, have been given way to free hanging text.

While we are glad to see some skeuomorphic elements like stitched leather in Calendar app giving away to a simpler design, we are not convinced that getting rid of buttons is a step in the right direction. Apple has acknowledged some of this criticism, with the final iOS 7.0 release scaling back some of the more radical changes, and re-introducing some skeuomorphic elements.

The new look also brings in new UI and icons for Apple's apps like Mail, Safari, App Store, Calendar and others. The colourful new icons complement the iPhone 5c rather well, and in that sense the new OS feels more at home on the 5c instead of the flagship iPhone 5s.

iOS 7, though, is not just about the visual changes, it brings in several new features as well. Perhaps the biggest addition is Control Center, that can be invoked by swiping up from any screen, including (optionally) the lock screen. Control Center lets you quickly toggle Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb , Orientation lock and Flashlight. You can also adjust the brightness and volume, or control the music. Also included are shortcuts to quickly set an alarm and to invoke the Calculator and Camera apps.

Sadly, there's no way to customise these shortcuts to include your favourite apps. We also wish there was a way to toggle 3G and/ or Cellular Data, as we find ourselves reaching for that control way more often than, say, Airplane Mode. Despite these shortcomings, it's good to see Control Center finally coming to iOS, especially since similar functionality has been available on Android forever.

Notification Center has been revamped to include a Today view that gives an overview of the day including upcoming appointments and a Tomorrow view that gives a quick summary of the next day. You can customise the view to show other elements like Stocks, Reminders and more. The Missed view lists notifications from the last 24 hours, while All shows all notifications you haven't interacted with (or cleared) yet. The overall look and feel of Notification Center has been changed to be more iOS 7-like, and though you can interact with some notifications (depending upon the application that generated the notification), the experience is still very limited compared to Android that has a more feature-rich notifications system.

As always, you can bring the Notification Center by swiping down from the top edge on any screen, including (optionally) the lock screen. However, you can no longer swipe left (or press home button) while on the first home screen to bring up universal search. Instead, swiping down from the middle of any home screen brings a search box that works just like the old universal search.

iOS 7 also brings support for Background App Refresh - enabled for all apps by default - that lets you control what apps can update their data while running in the background. Apple has put its twist by analysing your usage habits to optimise the process. So if you tend to open Facebook app first thing in the morning, you can expect to have the News Feed refreshed when you switch to the app. Similarly, if you don't use an app for a few weeks, you can expect iOS not to devote resources to the app in the background. While this sounds like a great idea on paper, it's a little difficult to ascertain how well (or otherwise) this technology is working, as most apps tend to refresh their data again once you switch to them.

iOS 7 finally bridges the gap on Android in another key aspect by bringing in support for automatic updates. You can choose to have the apps updated automatically over Wi-Fi only, over Wi-Fi and cellular data, or not at all. We recommend having it set to the first option, though we found ourselves missing Android's ability to control update behaviour of individual apps, which is especially handy if you want to keep certain apps at a specific version, while auto-updating the others, or save bandwidth by having only your favourite apps update automatically.

Double tapping the Home button no longer brings a grid of boring icons that you could tap and hold to reveal the 'kill button'. What you get instead is an interface that is reminiscent of the erstwhile webOS where all open apps are shown with card-like views of the app's last running state (or its closest approximation). You can slide left or right to reveal more apps, or swipe up a card to kill that app.

iOS 7 brings enhanced Privacy Controls, with the ability to control (and easily see an overview of) which apps have access to location data, contacts, calendars, reminders, photos, Bluetooth sharing and the microphone. You can also control what apps can access your system-wide Facebook and Twitter. Contrast this with Android's all-or-nothing approach, that tells you what data an app will access before you install it, but there's nothing you can do to control that, other than not installing the app at all.

As we mentioned before, all of Apple's apps have been redesigned for iOS 7, with some adding new features to go along with the refreshed look. Safari gets a new way of handling tabs that makes it easier to switch between tabs on your iPhone and other iCloud-enabled devices by simply swiping up and down. The browser is no longer limited to eight tabs and we've had multiple dozens of tabs open on our iPhone (it's a disease, we know) without hitting a limit (that's not to say there isn't one, we just didn't hit that number). The address bar and search box have been combined into a unified 'smart search' field. Safari also adds Shared Links that lets you see all the URLs in your Twitter timeline at one place, which sounds like a good idea on paper, but we didn't find ourselves using it at all.

Perhaps our favourite Safari-related feature is iCloud Keychains, which lets you sync usernames, passwords and credit card information across various Apple devices. Enter your username and password once for a website (on your Mac or iOS device) and iCloud will offer to remember it for you. The next time you visit the website on another iCloud-enabled device, the username and password fields will be automatically filled. iCloud even suggests strong passwords when you are signing up on a new website.

Apple now offers six of its apps - iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote - for free to all new iOS and Mac users. You'll get the option to download these apps while setting up the device, or you can choose to download them at a later stage. Together, the six apps give every iOS user a powerful suite for managing photos, editing movies, recording music, and creating documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

Other iOS 7 changes include system-wide integration of Flickr and Vimeo, enhancements to Siri and a revamped App Store.

Overall, the completely overhauled iOS, while not without its flaws, sets the framework for Apple's mobile OS for years to come. Developers have reacted enthusiastically to the new OS, and almost all major third-party apps have been updated as per the new design philosophy.

Camera

The iPhone 5c has practically the same camera that the iPhone 5 shipped with. While the iPhone 5 was perhaps the best overall smartphone camera when it came out, it has been surpassed by the likes of HTC One and Lumia 925, amongst other phones that have released since, especially when you compare performance under low-light conditions. Having said that, there no real flaws with the camera, and if you are looking for a smartphone that clicks great pictures on 'auto' mode without you having to muck around with settings, the only phone that trumps the iPhone 5c is its elder sibling, the 5s.

iOS 7 brings in a brand new UI for the Camera app that lets you swipe left and right to switch between Video, Photo, Square, and Panorama modes. The top of the screen features controls for Flash, HDR/ recording length counter and for switching between front and back cameras. Like most other iOS 7 changes, it takes some time getting used to the new UI, but overall it feels like an improvement, as jumping from one mode to the other can be done faster than before.

Photos app has been refreshed to now shows your content grouped by Years, Collections and Moments - automatic grouping of photos and videos based on time and place - that make it a little bit easier to discover stuff, especially as your library gets larger.

Performance/ Battery life

With almost identical hardware, it's no surprise that there is little to choose between the performance of iPhone 5 and iPhone 5c. However, if you are upgrading from an iPhone 4S or an earlier model, everything - from switching between apps, to how quickly the webpages load, and more - will seem significantly faster. Overall, though it runs 'only' a dual-core processor (as does the iPhone 5s for that matter), the iPhone 5c is more than a match for its quad- and octa-core rivals in terms of real world performance.

iPhone 5c comes with support for AirDrop, which is Apple's answer to Wi-Fi direct. Invoked via the Control Center, AirDrop lets you share photos, videos, contacts with other AirDrop users nearby over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (even if you are not connected to a Wi-Fi network). We wish able had included Wi-Fi 802.11ac in the 5c, and indeed, the iPhone 5s.

Though the iPhone 5c (1507mAh) has only a slightly larger battery than the iPhone 5 (1440mAh), in our tests we found the iPhone 5c lasting significantly longer, likely due to optimisations that Apple has been able to introduce while developing the 5c alongside iOS 7. With brightness set to auto and 3G data on throughout, the phone easily lasted a day of heavy usage with around 20 percent juice to spare.

Verdict

While the iPhone 5c is a solid phone in its own right, with Apple choosing to release the 5s at the same time, comparisons between the two are inevitable, and that's where it becomes difficult to recommend the colourful iPhone over the flagship. When you spend north of Rs. 40,000 rupees, you expect to buy the latest and greatest that a company has to offer, and the iPhone 5c clearly doesn't deliver on that count. If you are considering the 5c as an option, we recommend you spend a little bit more money and buy the iPhone 5s instead.

Of course some people may be on a fixed budget, in which case they can look at Android flagships at a similar price point like the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One and the LG G2. You get a bigger screen but phones that do not age as well as Apple's. Do remember that the flagships from Samsung and HTC are almost a year old at this point in time, and their successors are not too far away from being announced.

If you have an iPhone 5, you can safely skip the 5c because even though there are improvements, they are not enough to justify spending any more money. There's more than enough reason for users with older iPhone models to upgrade.