Nokia Lumia 1020

Nokia Lumia 1020, the next chapter in Smartphone photography...that is a bold statement but not an understatement. Indeed, the Nokia Lumia 1020 just change the smartphone industry ball game a little bit. The camera function of the new Nokia Lumia 1020 is far ahead of the devices in Samsung and also the Apple iPhone.

 

The Nokia Lumia 1020 doesn't feel like a camera when you hold it, which is much better than Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom. But its' capability in phototaking is way better. From the lens-holding protrusion on the back and – to a lesser extent – the dedicated shutter button on the right side...all of these simply emphasize the focus on the power of its' camera ability. Nokia is back, it seems and this time in smartphone photography. The 1020 has been kept to be as thin as possible and it is significantly lighter than the 920 at 159g instead of 184g.

The screens are exactly the same at 4.5 inches, but the 1020 feels better in the hand. One of the downside is that Nokia did not incorporate the wireless charging into the phone although phone accessories made it possible.

When you talk about Nokia Lumia 1020, you talk about the camera...and it is so good that it comes with 2 camera apps...such is the emphasis on photography. We have the Pro Camera and also the Smart Camera app. Here is one of the comment from some of those who get a first hand on the 1020....Taking photos is pretty straightforward, and I appreciated the ability to press the shutter button halfway down to focus, just like a DSLR. You can select the focus point simply by tapping the screen, and the button remembers – it returns to the default centre position after a few seconds.

The phone also has 32GB onboard for storage.

The photos taken are amazing....how about sharing it on Facebook?? The high resolution photos will be impossible to upload onto your social network page but the Lumia 1020 thinks ahead for the users...1020 will simultaneously create a 5-megapixel version of your photo for sharing. How cool is that??

Video taking is also very impressive....in fact, I totally agree with how Nokia promoted the phone. Nothing else comes closer to this. Anyone who prioritize taking amazing photos using their smartphone, Nokia Lumia 1020 is the best buy for you....

 

Posted with Blogsy

Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro Schedule to be Available in January 2013

After the released of the ARM-based Microsoft Surface tablet since last month, Microsoft have finally come out with the x86-based Microsoft Surface tablet will be coming out in January 2013.

Officially called as the Surface with Windows 8 Pro, the 10.6-inch tablet shares the same physical VaporMg shell as the ARM-based counterpart. However, the Surface with Windows 8 Pro is powered by an Ivy Bridge-based Intel Core i5 (no mention of its clock speed though) processor together with the built-in Intel HD Graphics 4000 as its GPU and 4GB of RAM. This one will come with the full size USB3.0 port and Mini DisplayPort that supports external display with maximum resolution of up to 2560×1440. Each purchase of the tablet will come together with a pen as Surface with Windows 8 Pro supports pen input – another feature that differentiate it from Surface with Windows RT.

The pricing, though is slightly  steep comparing with the ARM-based Microsoft Surface, with the 64GB is already at USD899 and the 128GB at USD999. But then of course, the Surface with Windows 8 Pro can be a use to create rather than just consume compare to majority of the tablets that are currently available in the market now.

Microsoft tells the story for Windows Phone 8, with a little help from Jessica Alba

Microsoft tells the story for Windows Phone 8, with a little help from Jessica Alba.

Some of the Windows Phone 8 that will be on sale

That's what happened. Microsoft has revealed a new version of its mobile phone software in a bid to take on Apple and Android.

The firm hopes that by making its software more similar to the new Windows 8 software it launched last week, it can attract more users.

At an event in San Francisco last night, Jessica Alba joined Microsoft bosses on stage for the unveiling, where the firm pledged to bring more apps to the platform.

Jessica Alba talking about how the new feature in WP helps her as a mom and a business owner

The company had spent the last 2 years differentiating itself from Apple and Android...in fact, there were so many positive reviews on the live tiles concept that focus on People during the launching of the Windows Phone 7. It was not a success when it comes to sales, partly due to the hardware that is not as strong as the available phones in the market back then. There were also lack of popular third party applications, which are still an issue for the company at the moment. 

Microsoft said it will also catch up in offering third-party apps. 

There are 120,000 applications available for Windows Phone, but some apps that are popular on other systems are notably missing from Windows Phone because it can be hard to get developers interested in writing programs for a small number of smartphones. 

Apple and Google, by comparison, say their app stores both have 700,000 apps for phones.

However, the firm claimed it is patching some of those holes soon: Microsoft vice president Joe Belfiore said Internet radio service Pandora is coming to Windows Phone 8, along with games such as 'Where's My Water?' 

Soon, he said, 46 of the 50 most popular smartphone apps will be available. 

The company is also releasing an app for Skype, the Internet calling service it owns. 

The Skype app available for Windows Phone 7 was an unfinished, or 'beta' version, the firm claimed.

The new Skype app will run in the background, listening for incoming calls without placing any drain on the battery, Belfiore said.

Actress Jessica Alba lent star power to the event, endorsing Kid's Corner as a 'busy mom.' 

Jessica Alba switch to Windows Phone from iPhone 2 months ago...

Owners will also be able link apps to their lock screen, giving them at-a-glance information such as sports scores. 

Windows 8 for computers has borrowed its look from Windows Phone 7, presenting applications not as icons but as 'Live Tiles,' which can be animated with data from the application. For instance, the 'Pictures' tile shows a slideshow. The live tiles and the distinctive user interface remain Microsoft's biggest selling points for Windows Phone. In terms of third-party applications and the features of the phones, it's mostly playing catch-up to the iPhone and Android.

Of course, the launching of Windows Phone 8 is one of Microsoft's biggest bet given the emphasis on it even expand to the desktop version, the Windows 8. This will also be the year that Microsoft launch their very own tablet, Surface...with the amount of money spent on advertisement and marketing, it is difficult to see why Microsoft couldn't hurl themselves back into the mobile game.

Nokia Lumia 920 better than iPhone 5

We all know it is the same old story with iPhone 5, breaking records in sales again...topping two million pre-orders in the first 24 hours.
However, there is a growing belief that the Nokia Lumia 920, which runs the Windows Phone 8 is a much better smartphone.

Here are some of the features that the Nokia Lumia 920 wins in comparison to the iPhone 5.

1) Screen 

The screen size of the Nokia Lumia 920 is bigger and sharper than the iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 has a 4-inch Retina display with a resolution of 1136x640-pixels while the Lumia 920 has a 4.5-inch Huge PureMotion HD+ WXGA IPS LCD, ClearBlack display. It also has a resolution of 1280x768 pixels, which is higher than the iPhone 5.

2) Camera

The Nokia Lumia sports an 8.7 megapixel rear PureView camera with optical image stabilisation and Carl Zeiss optics. It is better than iPhone 5's 8-megapixel camera...which is one of Apple's strong point.

However, there is no mention of noise reduction, low-light performance and fast photo taking in the Nokia Lumia 920 like the Apple's iPhone 5. Also, the 920's front-facing camera offers 1.2 megapixel front camera compared with the iPhone 5's 720 pixels.

3) Map

Even though Apple introduce their own Apple Inc's home grown Maps feature, it was not as good as the Nokia Map. With Nokia City Lens Augment reality, users can discover all the city has to offer by looking at the camera's viewfinder. It lets you find local businesses simply by pointing your phone in the right direction, a feature not available on the new iPhone.

Apple Inc's home-grown Maps feature is already facing criticism from users globally for a number of geographical errors, missing information and because it lacks features that made Google Maps so popular, including public transit directions, comprehensive traffic data or street view pictures. The new program has no public transit directions, limited traffic information, and flat-out mistakes, such as putting one city in the middle of the ocean.

4) Design

Let's put it this way...we are bored of the iPhone 5...even though Apple might emphasize on the elegance of the design of the Apple's baby, it is still the same iPhone...it could be thinner with a smaller port but the design is nothing in comparison to the beautiful Nokia Lumia 920. The Nokia Lumia 920 offers unique Live Tiles customisation, unlike the iPhone 5 on which icons are displayed in a single way, which can not be changed according to personal interests. Besides that, the Lumia 920 comes in the black, white, grey, red and yellow colours. On the other hand, the iPhone comes in white and silver, and black and slate colours.

5) User Interface, UI

We all know that the Apple's touchscreen has always been very sensitive but apparently, the Lumia 920's super sensitive touchscreen can be used not only with your fingertips, but also with finger nails, gloves and even any kind of pens.

Well, apparently, there are still more things that Nokia is better than the iPhone 5....

The charging of the Nokia Lumia 920 is one of the amazing breakthrough in comparison to the iPhone 5. With built-in wireless charging, it can be charged without being plugged in...the users just place it on a wireless charging pod, while Apple's iPhone 5 features ordinary charging. 

Nokia Windows Phone 8 launched

Well, as expected, the Nokian Windows Phone 8 was launched. The refreshed Lumia "line up" has already been predicted to be launched. 

From the launch, we have come to know about a few things regarding the new Windows Phone beast...

Some of the highlights for the Lumia 920 specifications are:

- Qualcomm (QCOM) Dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU

- HD 1,280 x 768 LCD display

- 8 megapixel PureView sensor

- NFC (Near Field Communication)

- 2,000mAh battery

- Wireless charging

- Redmond-baked operating system

In an exclusive interview with Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop on Engadget, Elop mentioned that the current Windows Phone 7 will continue to be sold in other markets, its patent portfolio will continue to be monetized, and stressed on differentiation of its devices as an important part of its turnaround strategy. Elop highlighted the power of its camera and compared superior performance of low-light photography on the Lumia to the Samsung Galaxy III.

It’s too early to know if Nokia’s differentiation strategy will be effective in competing against Apple (AAPL) and Samsung. Still, that Lumia has a sensor that can capture “between five and ten times the light” of any other smartphone gives Nokia an opportunity to deliver a strong marketing message to consumers. Consumers, always open to newer things, may respond positively.

Lumia WP8 will be released in the fourth quarter of this year.

Well, upnext we will be hearing from Apple soon I believe...and it sure will cause a lot of excitement with the iPhone 5 announcement on September 12...are you excited already??

First Windows Phone 8 by Samsung

After the court ruling against Samsung in the dispute against Apple, Samsung was quick enough to show off the first Windows Phone 8....it must have been the realization that Google's Android might not be sufficient....

In making this announcement, Samsung is beating even Nokia, Microsoft’s official partner for making Windows phones, in unveiling the first Windows Phone 8 device.

The new phone, dubbed the Ativ S, has a 4.8-inch touch screen. It includes support for near-field communication, a technology for wirelessly exchanging information, which can be used for swapping files between phones. NFC capability is one of the key new features introduced by Windows Phone 8.

Samsung in the past has been quiet about its support for Windows Phone, but perhaps now it will be more enthusiastic about working with Microsoft in the aftermath of its patent battle with Apple, in which Samsung was found guilty of infringing a series of Apple patents. That could make it more difficult to sell phones using Google’s Android operating system.

Along with the Ativ S, Samsung also introduced two computers and a tablet with the Ativ branding, all running Microsoft’s Windows 8 software. Samsung said Ativ is “vita,” the Latin word for “life,” spelled backwards. These products are “a pledge by Samsung to make everyone’s life easier,” the company said in a press statement. Selling phones with Windows Phone 8 could make Samsung’s life easier as well.

Samsung did not disclose pricing or release dates for the Ativ products.

Windows Phone 8 nearly complete

If you look at the history of Microsoft, they normally fail in the first and second attempt but their third will normally be an amazing break into the market. 

Well, the mobile world has not been so kind to Microsoft but with Windows Phone 8 nearly complete, there are high hopes for the number eight.

After the recent excitement over the completion of the Windows 8 operating system, Microsoft should have the smartphone version done in the next few weeks, with Nokia expected to announce new devices for a coordinated launch later in the year. 

Nokia has just launched a new video hinting that an upcoming Windows Phone 8 release date could be announced very soon. A press event with Microsoft is scheduled for Sept. 5, coming right in between the dates that competitors Apple and Samsung are expected to make some major unveils as well.

The video begins with a girl riding a bike while smiling and looking into a camera. Although it is not explicitly stated, the footage gives the feel that the video was taken with a cell phone camera. This could possibly be a plug for some new video and camera features that will be available with Microsoft's Windows Phone 8.

Toward the end of the video, the tagline "Things are about to change," appears with the Sept. 5 date display across the screen. The clip was posted on Nokia's YouTube account on Wednesday morning, essentially adding more credibility to the rumor that a release date for Windows Phone 8 will be announced next week.

 

Well, here is the video..

Are you excited already?? 

Windows Phone 8 Lumia expected to launch in September

We have heard a lot about Windows 8 and now, we are hearing about Windows Phone 8....the new Windows Phone 8 Lumia is expected to be launched in September.

And apparently, we may get our first glimpse at a new Nokia Lumia smartphone powered by Windows Phone 8 software in just three weeks. The purported Lumia launch would be one week before Apple is expected to launch the next iPhone. Nokia chief Stephen Elop recently said that a new Windows 8 smartphone would debut in the “relatively near term,” but fell short of confirming or denying a new Lumia was coming in early September, according to Reuters.

The phone maker is scheduled to hold a Nokia World event Sept. 5 and 6 in Helsinki focused primarily on the company’s "operator and retail partners.” The event would be a perfect time to unveil a new Lumia lineup to get its business partners interested in upcoming devices and plan strategies for pushing the phones at the retail level. Bloomberg in early August first reported that Nokia planned to unveil new Windows Phone 8 handsets during Nokia World.

Windows Phone 7 sales gain improvement, a good indicator for Windows 8

If you think that Microsoft has done all the mistakes in their Windows Phone 7, think again. The company might just be in the right direction with the latest news from research firm Canalys. According to the report, there was a 277% of growth in sales during the second quarter although it is still far away from Android OS and the Apple iPhone.

This might just be a good start for Microsoft and Windows Phone 8 might just benefit from it.

Well, the release date is rumoured to be somewhere in November...are you going to get your hands on the new and refreshed effort by Microsoft....well, Windows Phone 7 has received all the positive reviews and that's what Microsoft needs....so far, it seems like they are heading the right direction...

I couldn't wait to get my hands on one of that devices...