This is news a lot of people have been waiting to hear. Nokia Smartphones will make a mega comeback in a brand licensing deal made by the Finnish company with HMD Global Ltd. to manufacture Android based Nokia branded handsets for the next 10 years.
HMD Global and its Taiwanese partner, FIH Mobile of FoxConn Technology Group, will take over Microsoft’s feature phone business for $350 million, which Microsoft had bought from Nokia in 2014.
When Microsoft bought over Nokia,in 2014, for US $7.2 Billion, the Redmond based computing giant dropped the name “Nokia” and continued to use the name Lumia. Microsoft had acquired rights to use the Nokia brand in smartphones for two years which the company let go of much earlier.
The new venture “Nokia” will now manufacture Android OS based handsets along with Tablets and will also continue to manufacture feature phones under the brand and expertise of Nokia.
Nokia has a big market to penetrate with veterans like Samsung and HTC, and many new Chinese companies ruling the eco-system.
The Nokia brand still has a strong legacy and is sure to get the attention it deserves at comeback.
This Video by iGyaan Talks about All things Nokia:
One would imagine that not a lot of strength is left in the once smartphone giant, Nokia. However, that clearly is not the case. The french health company Withings will become a part of Nokia technologies according to reports.
The acquisition will happen over the year for a total cost of US $191 million. The company looks at re-emrging as a consumer favorite brand after major demise and offloading of its smartphone division to Microsoft.
“Withings shares our vision for the future of digital health and their products are smart, well designed and already helping people live healthier lives,” said Ramzi Haidamus, president of Nokia Technologies. “Combining their award-winning products and talented people with the world-class expertise and innovation of Nokia Technologies uniquely positions us to lead the next wave of innovation in digital health.”
Phones, and then some more phones expectedly dominated the proceedings at the Mobile World Congress 2016, as big name players such as Samsung, LG along with first timers such as Xiaomi launched new flagship devices, but the MWC wasn’t only about smartphones this year.
This was the year when MWC went beyond just smartphones and explored deeper corners of the consumer tech industry. On show were products and technological innovations ranging from VR headsets, 360-degree cameras, home security robots, convertible tablet/laptop hybrids and much more during. So let’s rewind and take a look at the best technological innovations that MWC brought to us in 2016.
Super VOOC Quick Charging and SmartSensor Image Stabilization
Oppo’s much-hyped, “Wow the World,” event did not bring too much to the tech world in terms of hardware, but in terms of technological breakthroughs, it was second to no event and showcased technology that could seriously change the way phones perform in the future.
Oppo brought to the world the “SmartSensor Image Stabilization,” technology which is the first sensor-based image stabilization tech in the world, along with Super VOOC quick-charging technology which can charge a 2500mAh battery 45 percent in five minutes of charging, and 100 percent in about 15 minutes. Now that is quick.
OPPO’s take on fast charging is brilliant in the sense that it uses low-voltage to charge batteries. Most types of fast charge work by pushing out more amps, but VOOC keeps your standard amperage, reducing the risk of overheating or battery damage.
Xperia Ear
At the MWC 2016 Sony announced three big innovations in the form of peripherals: a projector, a life-blogging camera, and an in-ear personal assistant. The best amongst the three, the Xperia ear. It is a tiny Bluetooth-connected ear piece which acts like a voice-controlled personal assistant which can take calls, send messages, get traffic updates or check the weather and even help you finding your way around the city. Step ahead towards the future we say.
The earpiece is comfortable and discreet and is compatible with Sony’s own software while also being equipped with the power to use Google Now helping users take advantage of Android’s ever-expanding voice control functions.
Nokia OZO camera
The Mobile World Congress, 2016 saw a lot of interesting devices, and one very interesting device that the tech world came across was the Nokia Ozo VR camera which will in all probability be the first cinema grade virtual reality recorder. The device comes with the capability to record and store up to 45 minutes of audio and video
Nokia Ozo, is a camera like none other which combines live streaming, live monitoring, automatic stitching (a process used to blend the separate camera feeds) and 3D audio and video. With the Ozo Nokia could alleviate the headaches and obstacles faced by early VR filmmakers. With the Ozo, Nokia will look to establish itself as the go-to VR production solution and become the market leader in this growing segment.
Sync 3
One of the biggest car manufacturer in the world, Ford, is looking at bringing a revolution as big to the motorists experience as what smart capabilities brought along with them to phones a decade back. Ford unveiled the Sync 3 technology for car dashboards which will bring an infotainment system that will allow users to connect to the Sync 3 with their smartphones and access hundreds of applications and services.
Sync 3 is equally adaptable with android and iOS and allows them to enjoy apps and services through the cars dashboard. It comes with an 8 inches touch screen and voice recognition features with easy to navigate and user-friendly interface. Ford claims that the Sync 3 is not just another technology, butt rather it is a whole new level of life-like experience for the users. Looking at its potential we can’t disagree.
4-Axis Optical Image Stabilization
Xiaomi’s latest flagship, Mi 5 sports, a 16-megapixel rear sensor that uses Sony IMX29, but what truly sets the phone apart is the technological innovation on display with the 4-Axis Optical Image Stabilization system on board.
The rear camera on the Mi 5 promises to capture great images and videos with superior focus thanks to its new OIS technology that uses 4-axis rather than the traditional 2-axis that most other smartphones currently use. Xiaomi demonstrated the stability of its camera by comparing it to the iPhone 6s, which is considered to have the best OIS currently in the market.
The 4-axis OIS basically gives you more stability under shaky conditions. While traditional 2-axis OIS can work around rotational movements, the 4-axis can handle transversal as well, because shakiness comes in all directions.The 4-axis OIS technology corrects shake in close shots and can capture accurate movement in distant shots as well. All of this translates into smoother, sharper and blur-free images.
Last year saw some incredible smartphones that pushed the boundaries of design and specification, making it difficult to pick out just one favourite. This year promises to do the same. We take a look at some of the most anticipated smartphone launches expected in 2016 and what we know about them so far.
iPhone 7
Apple’s iPhone 7 and Samsung’ Galaxy S7 are perhaps the most talked about flagship devices today. There’s just a lot of anticipation attached to the upcoming handsets and along with it a lot of rumours as well. The first round of rumours a few months ago suggested that the iPhone 7 will lose the home button and will sport an OLED display thereby giving up on LCD display that it has relied on so far. Apple followers will know that the Apple Watch is the only Apple device to sport an OLED display currently. Furthermore, the OLED display will either be supplied by LG or Samsung, or both.
Next up, the iPhone 7 is rumoured to be waterproof and will feature 3 GB of RAM. More recently, there have been talks related to Apple’s decision to ditch the headphone jack. This is part of Apple’s plan to improve the quality of music streaming. Furthermore, the loss of a headphone jack means more space for Apple to add a larger battery to the iPhone 7, as well as make the device thinner. We’ll just have to wait and see how this strategy plays out.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
There have been a lot of rumours and a lot of questions regarding the launch and specs of Samsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S7 devices. What everyone is expecting is Samsung to pull out another stunning flagship that pushes the boundaries of design and power, like it did with the Galaxy S6 series.
It’s almost confirmed that the Galaxy S7 will arrive in two variants – one powered by the new Snapdragon 820 chipset and the other by Exynos 8890.
Among the many rumours that have been making the rounds, some that have caught our attention is that the S7 devices will feature Apple’s 3D Touch-like pressure sensitive display called ClearForce that’s being developed by Synaptics. Additionally, the Galaxy S7 will have a Type C USB Port which means the device will charge significantly faster.
The flat Galaxy S7 will likely sport a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display while the ‘Edge’ variant will come with a 5.5-inch display of the same kind. In terms of design, Samsung is sticking to the S6 design language only upgrading the specs, which we’re not complaining about. The flagship devices are slated to be unveiled on February 21 at the MWC ‘Unpacked’ event.
HTC One M10
Being a successor to the One M9, the HTC One M10 will look to improve on specs wherever it can. The new iteration is said to come with a 5.5-inch QHD display. You can expect some bright, crisp colours under a Gorilla Glass 4 protection.
On the design front, the device will have the all-metal, unibody form associated with HTC flagships, along with curved edges and bezels to give it an attractive look. The One M10 will look a lot more like the One A9 than the One M9. From what recent renders tell us, HTC is ditching the BoomSound front speakers as well as the much-hated logo on the front that was found on the One M10. The HTC One M10 will sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset under the hood along with a powerful graphics card.
Other features include a Touch ID fingerprint scanner housed inside the home button, 4 GB of RAM with 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage variants, and a battery capacity of 3,500 mAh. The device is expected to come out sometime in March.
Xiaomi Mi 5
Xiaomi fans have been eagerly awaiting the Mi 5 flagship smartphone, which has been delayed due to the launch of the Snapdragon 820 chipset. Since Samsung has claimed exclusivity of the new chipset for the first quarter, the Mi 5 along with any other device sporting the new, powerful processor will all likely see a post-March release.
Recent rumours about the specs of the Mi 5 are contradictory with some claiming the Mi 5 will sport a 5.5-inch screen with quad HD (2560×1440) display and the others pointing to a 5.7-inch with Full HD display. What’s almost confirmed is a Snapdragon 820 chipset, 20MP primary camera and an 8MP front cameras. The device will also come with 3,800mAh battery and 4G LTE support. RAM is set at 4GB and the phone will offer 16GB/64GB/128GB storage options.
OnePlus 3
OnePlus 3 Render
OnePlus has done so much in so little time. The company, still in its infancy, has already released 3 spectacular devices -OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X in the span of two years. This year, OnePlus will look to reclaim the title of the ‘flagship killer’ with the upcoming OnePlus 3 smartphone. Not much is known about the third flagship device, and only a couple of leaked renders have appeared giving rise to possible hardware specs.
The image above shows a brushed metal back instead of the usual sandstone panels. The new OnePlus might also feature a front speaker. The render shows that the handset could possibly come in two different colours.
From what we’ve heard so far, the new OnePlus device will sport a 5.5-inch UHD display with 5GB RAM. Sources also reveal a little about the hardware and display citing that the handset could arrive with the Snapdragon 820 chipset and a 1080p display resolution.
LG G5
LG G4
A Redditor recently leaked some specs and images of the LG G5. The device will sport a 5.3-inch Quad HD display, powered by the new Snapdragon 820 SoC with 3 GB of RAM and an 8 MP front camera. Other specs include a full metal body, SIM and MicroSD slot, heart rate sensor that’s under the camera module, a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, a USB Type-C port, bottom firing speaker and an IR blaster on top.
Some recent rumours have suggested a modular design for the LG G5 where the bottom is detachable so as to easily remove the battery pack. This, however, is still a long shot and nothing has been confirmed on that front.
A leaked image also suggests that the LG G5 will sport a dual camera set-up at the back – 16 MP and 8 MP. LG will launch the G5 flagship smartphone at the MWC next week.
Sony Xperia Z6
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
It looks like Sony is planning to launch a slew of devices under the Z6 line. It is rumoured that a total of six Z6 devices will be launched this year: a 4-inch Xperia Z6 Mini, a 4.6-inch Xperia Z6 Compact, a 5.2-inch Xperia Z6, a 5.8-inch Xperia Z6 Plus, a 6.4-inch Xperia Z6 Ultra, and a 5-inch Z6 Lite. Now, Sony is yet to confirm the rumours, but you can expect some, if not all, to be true.
What you can expect from the Xperia Z6 is a build that’ll reflect the Z5 with a squarer, flatter design rather than the traditional rounded edges that Sony had previously stuck to with the older models. The Z6 will also come with a fingerprint scanner added to the power side button.
The burning question is whether Sony will go for a 2K display with the 5.2-inch Xperia Z6 or will it continue with a Full HD display as it has with the Z5. Doing the former would mean having to sacrifice battery life, which Sony isn’t all too fond of doing at the moment.
Nokia C1
Nokia C1 Render
Nokia is all set to make a comeback with a new smartphone. This new device, allegedly called the C1, will be the first flagship device to bear the Nokia logo since the Finnish company was sold to Microsoft a few years ago.
There have been a number of leaked renders that claim the design of the C1, though each source has leaked different designs. One of the more recent renders show a very minimalist and sleek design, which actually looks pretty good, if confirmed as legit. The C1 is also depicted running both Android and well as Windows 10 OS.
Rumours suggest that the Nokia C1 will come in two variants. The first one will sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. The device will also come with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory expandable via microSD card slot.
The second variant will have a 5-inch Full HD display and will sport an 8 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of memory.
Feature phones still exist and they’re still going strong. This is established by Nokia, a brand known for making feature phones that the human race grew up on. Microsoft today announced the launch of a brand new feature phone, the Nokia 230 Dual SIM in India.
The Nokia 230 Dual SIM brings some flavour to the feature phone category with a premium look and feel to it thanks to its metallic construction. The phone is designed for those who want a high-end phone as far as feature phones are concerned, and are not too fond of making that leap to touchscreen devices.
Speaking at the launch, Ravi Kunwar, Director- North, Microsoft Mobile Devices, “Amidst the burgeoning market for touch-enabled smartphones, there was a latent need in the market for a premium quality, non-touch feature phone with enhanced features.”
On the specification front, the Nokia 230 Dua SIM sports a 2.8-inch QVGA display with up to 32GB of memory via MicroSD. The handset comes with 2MP front and back cameras with LED flash and an aluminium back for a sturdy hold.
Other features include Opera Mini Browser, Bing Search, MSN Weather, FM Radio, MP3 and video player, and Bluetooth audio support for headsets.
The handset’s 1200mAh battery promises up to 23 hours of talk time and 22 days of standby time. All of this comes at a price of Rs 3,949. The Nokia 230 Dual SIM is available in Silver and Dark Silver colour options.
Nokia seems to be everyone’s favourite under-dog these days. So obviously, when pictures of a potential Nokia prototype appear online, we cannot help but talk about them.
Images of an unknown handset has appeared online which seems to be Nokia-branded. It appears to be a prototype handset, and a closer look at the images does not reveal any doctoring. It sports a camera on the back with an LED flash along with suggestions of an antenna design on the body of the phone.
Additionally, the images do not show a smartphone, but a feature phone. It is complete with a keypad and a non-touch display. This could be either an old prototype which couldn’t be launched before Microsoft took over Nokia, and then got shoved under the carpet, or it could be a future device.
Even though Nokia is not allowed to use its brand on feature phones until 2024, as part of the deal with Microsoft, who knows what this device holds for the future? Watch this space for more scoop on Nokia and its upcoming plans.
Last year saw some incredible smartphones that pushed the boundaries of design and specification, making it difficult to pick out just one favourite. This year promises to do the same. We take a look at some of the most anticipated smartphone launches expected in 2016 and what we know about them so far.
iPhone 7
Apple’s iPhone 7 and Samsung’ Galaxy S7 are perhaps the most talked about flagship devices today. There’s just a lot of anticipation attached to the upcoming handsets and along with it comes a lot of rumours as well. The first round of rumours a few months ago suggested that the iPhone 7 will lose the home button and will sport an OLED display thereby giving up on LCD display that it has relied on so far. Apple followers will know that the Apple Watch is the only Apple device to sport an OLED display currently. Furthermore, the OLED display will either be supplied by LG or Samsung, or both.
Next up, the iPhone 7 is rumoured to be waterproof and will feature 3 GB of RAM. More recently, there have been talks related to Apple’s decision to ditch the headphone jack. This is part of Apple’s plan to improve the quality of music streaming. Furthermore, the loss of a headphone jack means more space for Apple to add a larger battery to the iPhone 7, as well as make the device thinner. We’ll just have to wait and see how this strategy plays out.
Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge
Samsung S7 Render
There have been a lot of rumours and a lot of questions regarding the launch and specs of Samsung’s upcoming flagship Galaxy S7 devices. What everyone is expecting is Samsung to pull out another stunning flagship that pushes the boundaries of design and power, like it did with the Galaxy S6 series.
It’s almost confirmed that the Galaxy S7 will arrive in two variants – one powered by the new Snapdragon 820 chipset and the other by Exynos 8890.
Among the many rumours that have been making the rounds, some that have caught our attention is that the S7 devices will feature Apple’s 3D Touch-like pressure sensitive display called ClearForce that’s being developed by Synaptics. Additionally, the Galaxy S7 will have a Type C USB Port which means the device will charge significantly faster.
The flat Galaxy S7 will likely sport a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display while the ‘Edge’ variant will come with a 5.5-inch display of the same kind. As for the S7 Edge, very little is known as to how the curved screen device is going to look. Whether Samsung is going for a different curved design or rather just tweak the previous S6 design is still a mystery. The flagship devices are slated for a February launch at the MWC.
HTC One M10
HTC One M10 Render
Being a successor to the One M9, the HTC One M10 will look to improve on specs wherever it can. The new iteration is said to come with a 5.5-inch QHD display. You can expect some bright, crisp colours under a Gorilla Glass 4 protection.
On the design front, the device will have the all-metal, unibody form associated with HTC flagships, along with curved edges and bezels to give it an attractive look. The HTC One M10 will sport a Snapdragon 820 chipset under the hood along with a powerful graphics card.
Other features include a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, 4 GB of RAM with 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage variants, and a battery capacity of 3,500 mAh. The device is expected to come out sometime in March.
Xiaomi Mi 5
Xiaomi Mi 4
Xiaomi fans have been eagerly awaiting the Mi 5 flagship smartphone, which has been delayed due to the launch of the Snapdragon 820 chipset. Since Samsung has claimed exclusivity of the new chipset for the first quarter, the Mi 5 along with any other device sporting the new, powerful processor will all likely see a post-March release.
On the specs front, the Mi 5 will sport a 5.5-inch screen with quad HD (2560×1440) display, Snapdragon 820 chipset, 20MP primary camera and an 8MP front camers. The device will also come with 3,800mAh battery and 4G LTE support. RAM is set at 4GB and the phone will offer 16GB/64GB/128GB storage options.
OnePlus 3
OnePlus 3 Render
OnePlus has done so much in so little time. The company, still in its infancy, has already released 3 spectacular devices -OnePlus One, OnePlus 2 and OnePlus X in the span of two years. This year, OnePlus will look to reclaim the title of the ‘flagship killer’ with the upcoming OnePlus 3 smartphone. Not much is known about the third flagship device, and only a couple of leaked renders have appeared giving rise to possible hardware specs.
The image above shows a brushed metal back instead of the usual sandstone panels. The new OnePlus might also feature a front speaker. The render shows that the handset could possibly come in two different colours.
From what we’ve heard so far, the new OnePlus device will sport a 5.5-inch UHD display with 5GB RAM. Sources also reveal a little about the hardware and display citing that the handset could arrive with the Snapdragon 820 chipset and a 1080p display resolution.
LG G5
LG G4
A Redditor recently leaked some specs and images of the LG G5. The device will sport a 5.3-inch Quad HD display, powered by the new Snapdragon 820 SoC with 3 GB of RAM and an 8 MP front camera. Other specs include a full metal body, SIM and MicroSD slot, heart rate sensor that’s under the camera module, a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, a USB Type-C port, bottom firing speaker and an IR blaster on top.
A leaked image also suggests that the LG G5 will sport a dual camera set-up at the back – 16 MP and 8 MP. No word yet on when LG plans to launch the device.
Sony Xperia Z6
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
It looks like Sony is planning to launch a slew of devices under the Z6 line. It is rumoured that a total of six Z6 devices will be launched this year: a 4-inch Xperia Z6 Mini, a 4.6-inch Xperia Z6 Compact, a 5.2-inch Xperia Z6, a 5.8-inch Xperia Z6 Plus, a 6.4-inch Xperia Z6 Ultra, and a 5-inch Z6 Lite. Now, Sony is yet to confirm the rumours, but you can expect some, if not all, to be true.
What you can expect from the Xperia Z6 is a build that’ll reflect the Z5 with a squarer, flatter design rather than the traditional rounded edges that Sony had previously stuck to with the older models. The Z6 will also come with a fingerprint scanner added to the power side button.
The burning question is whether Sony will go for a 2K display with the 5.2-inch Xperia Z6 or will it continue with a Full HD display as it has with the Z5. Doing the former would mean having to sacrifice battery life, which Sony isn’t all too fond of doing at the moment.
Nokia C1
Nokia C1
Nokia is all set to make a comeback with a new smartphone. This new device, allegedly called the C1, will be the first flagship device to bear the Nokia logo since the Finnish company was sold to Microsoft a few years ago.
There have been a number of leaked renders that claim the design of the C1, though each source has leaked different designs. One of the more recent renders show a very minimalist and sleek design, which actually looks pretty good, if confirmed as legit. The C1 is also depicted running both Android and well as Windows 10 OS.
Rumours suggest that the Nokia C1 will come in two variants. The first one will sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display and a 13 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. The device will also come with 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory expandable via microSD card slot.
The second variant will have a 5-inch Full HD display and will sport an 8 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of memory.
If you’re looking for a phone priced between 30-40K, here are our recommendations. Let us know about your favourite smartphones in this price bracket in the comments below.
HTC One M9 Plus
The HTC One M9 Plus packs a 20 MP primary camera with sapphire cover lens, auto focus, BSI sensor and ultrapixel front facing camera. It has a5.2-inch (13.2 centimeters) display with 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution. The phone is powered by 2.2GHz octa-core processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB internal memory expandable up to 2 TB, and it supports only a single SIM. The battery is marked at 2840 mAh.
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Galaxy Note 4 comes with a 5.7 inch QHD display and a 3,220 mAh battery with fast charging technology. It is powered by Snapdragon 805 chipset which is clocked at 2.7 gHz quadcore, coupled with 3GB RAM. It offers 32GB internal memory with support for expandable memory of upto 64 GB. Note 4 packs a 16 MP rear camera with OIS, along with a 3.7 MP front snapper allowing users to take wide-angle selfies. Samsung also added a fingerprint scanner feature along with a heart rate monitor on the back of the device. You can find our hands on of the Galaxy Note 4 here.
Huawei Nexus 6PThe 6P features a 5.7-inch QHD touchscreen, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset, with 3 GB RAM, a 3450 mAh battery and a USB Type-C port. The camera sports a 12.3 MP sensor with laser autofocus, dual-LED flash at the rear and a rather impressive 8MP on the front. This pure Android phone runs on the latest Marshmallow operating system. One of the main highlights of the Nexus 6P is the Nexus Imprint. The fingerprint sensor on the back is fast and fluid in accessibility, which according to Google only “gets better over time” as it learns more about your unique fingerprint. Click here for a detailed hands on of the device.
Nokia Lumia 1520
Even though Nokia Lumia 1520 was launched as early as 2013, this list wouldn’t be complete without it.The device features a 6-inch Full HD with 1080p display resolution. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor, sports a 20 MP PureView camera and has an inbuilt storage of 32 GB expandable upto 64 GB. Nokia has included a big 3400 mAh battery, the device is packed with a 2 GB of RAM. The polycarbonate build supports wireless charging. The price of the phone has now dropped to 39K after the initial price tag of about 47K during the time of its release.
LG G4: The LG G4 is an iconic design from LG, while many companies have attempted to make leather looking handsets (Note 3 and Galaxy S5), LG actually made a smartphone with a genuine leather back panel. The phone packs a 5.5-inch Quad HD LCD with 2560 x 1440 PX resolution. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 with 1.8 GHz hexa-core processor. The LG G4 also has dual sim (certain regions) and a removable and replaceable battery marked at 3,000 mAh, along with micro-SD expansion all of which is lacking in the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Find the complete review of the smartphone here.
Samsung Galaxy S6
The S6 is equipped with 64-bit Exynos octa-core, a premium metal and glass based design. Additionally, the S6 has the most pixel intensive Quad HD display with 577 ppi for a unique, eye-popping multimedia experience, along with wireless charging and ultra power saving mode for improved convenience. For the complete specs and a hands on of the device, click here.
iPhone 6The iPhone 6 is available at an all time low of Rs. 41,000, falling pretty much in the 30-40K price bracket. The phone is a good buy at this price -it offers almost all features of the iPhone 6s (except for Force Touch) minus the hefty price tag. If there was ever a right time to buy an iPhone in India, it is now. iPhone 6 has a 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 1334 by 750 with 326 ppi, and is equipped with an 8 MP iSight camera. Find here the complete review of the iPhone 6.
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again”, reads a famous proverb; and the mobile phone industry did take this one very seriously. It is only after a series of miscalculations and faux pas has the smartphone now become one of the savviest tech gadgets to carry around. So let’s take a look at our past and see what our ancestors might have thought to be uber cool.
Nokia 7600
Let’s just look at this phone for sometime. Among the various questions that confound us, one of them is just where is the keypad? And that is not even the most important question. What was Nokia thinking by revealing this mobile phone in 2007, just when Apple launched the iPhone? Anyway, to answer the question about the keypad, there’s a 2 inch display and if you look at it hard enough you’ll see that it is surrounded by alphanumeric buttons on the sides and other keys (Menu and navigation keys) below the screen. Oh, and this tear drop Nokia phone was created for ‘fashionistas’. Well, we didn’t see Anna Wintour carrying it. ‘Nuff said.
Nokia 7280
If you thought Nokia would learn from their previous mistakes, you thought wrong. At least previously we only asked about the keyboard; over here? Where is anything? Nokia thought that a lipstick shaped phone would be more fashionable than a tear drop. They were technically right, but this lipstick is making tears drop from our eyes. This phone has a 35 mm x 20 mm display and no keypad. That’s it. Just look at it until it disappears.
Sony Ericsson Jalou F100i
Do you know why this one has a visible keypad? Because it’s not Nokia! Regardless even Sony Ericsson Jalou F100i has its faults. First of all, it’s called ‘jalou’, which means jealousy in French, and unfortunately for them, it arouses none. The Sony Jalou was created especially for women and that is why the display could also double up as a compact mirror. Yes, Sony really understood women, they don’t really want to get any work done, they just want to look at themselves in the mirror. Hopefully, most people stayed away from this futile attempt at fashionable smartphone making.
HTC G1
The HTC G1 was ironically called the “Dream”. Now, compared to the last few phones we mentioned, it probably is a dream. But it still falls short in design with his rather chunky and bulky looking keypad and screen. However, this seems to be its only fault, so it does look like we were getting closer to the “dream” of owning a modern and sleek cellphone.
Vertu Boucheron Cobra
Just when you thought things were getting better, Vertu brought to us the Boucheron Cobra. Yes, a snake is one of the sleekest reptiles we have around, but putting them on a mobile phone will not make it look sleek, even if it is embedded with the costliest Swarovski diamonds. Yes, those are real diamonds on a rather ugly looking snake, which has been dumped on a rather small and expensive (Rs 1.75 crore approx) phone. This snake doesn’t look powerful or sleek and neither does the gadget. Luckily for us, Vertu has learnt from its mistakes and now creates better looking phones with a similar if not higher price tag.
Microsoft has made the Nokia 230 official. Like its predecessor, last year’s Nokia 130, this phone follows a simple interface minus the song and dance of modern day smartphones and is priced at an affordable $55 (Rs. 3600). The phone also has a dual-SIM model -Nokia 230 Dual SIM
Like the LG Ray X190, the phone concentrates on letting you click pretty selfies with its 2 MP front camera, same as the main camera. Both cameras also have LED flash.
https://youtu.be/GrZs6hJ-1b4
Rest of the specs include a 2.8-inch display with 240 x 320 pixel resolution, and 16 MB of RAM. But don’t let this make you think any less of the Nokia 230 which is capable of supporting Bing Search, Facebook, Twitter, Opera Mini, MSN weather.
The phone has no internal storage but supports a MicroSD card of up to 32 GB. Furthermore, Nokia 230 has Bluetooth 3.0, GSM support and dual-band 900MHz/1800MHz only as wireless connectivity options. It also has an FM Radio receiver (ain’t that cute?) with a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
With a sand-blasted aluminium back cover, the phone measures a 124.6 x 53.4 x 10.9 mm and comes equipped with a battery marked at 1,200 mAh.
If you ever feel like getting away from the world of blingy smartphones, Nokia 230 in all its simplicity is the way to go. It will be made available starting December.
A while ago, we had mentioned that Nokia will be back and that a new Nokia device is in the works. This new device, allegedly called the C1, will be the first device to bear the Nokia logo since the Finnish company was sold to Microsoft a few years ago.
The new device will come out in 2016, and there have been a number of leaked renders that claim the design of the C1, though each source has leaked different designs. Today, a new render has surfaced from a first time leakster, which one may question the authenticity of. However, the image shows a very minimalist and sleek design, which actually looks pretty good, if it is confirmed as legit.
The C1 is also depicted running both Android and well as Windows 10 OS. What the final outcome will be is anyone’s guess at the moment. We’ll have a clearer picture once we get word from a Nokia official. Till then, let us know what you think about the above design in the comments below.
We have some good news for all the Lumia users, Microsoft has finally started taking pre-orders for the Lumia 950 XL that will come with the new Windows 10 software installed. This version will not be available at all carriers, so if you are in the US you can purchase an unlocked variant of the smartphone. Just to give you a recap, here are the specifications of the phone:
Feature
Lumia 950 XL
Display
5.7 inches
Resolution
1440 x 2560 pixels
Processor
Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810
RAM
3 GB RAM
Internal Storage
32 GB, microSD, up to 200 GB
Rear Camera
20MP
Front Camera
5MP
Battery
Li-Ion 3340 mAh battery
Connections
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1, A2DP, GPS, NFC
USB
v3.1, Type-C reversible connector
Price
$649 (approx. Rs.42,844)
Reports also suggest that you will be eligible to receive a free Microsoft Display Dock through the Lumia Offers app, on purchase of the Lumia 950 XL. The phone is expected to ship by the 25th of November 2015.
Microsoft has priced this smartphone at $650 which rounds up to about Rs.42,844 and is available in two colour variants – black and white. Keep watching this space for more updates.
The whole world is moving towards wearables. So, it’s only right for Nokia to get into the game as well. The company recently amended its Articles of Association to include consumer wearables. This happens to come around the time when rumours are afloat that Nokia is planning on a smartwatch or bracelet that focuses on health and well being.
You may have heard that Nokia was planning to launch a smartwatch last year that was codenamed ‘Moonraker’ that had many of the aesthetics of the modern Windows phone. However, the project was scrapped after Microsoft took over presumably because Microsoft had its own Band in the work.
Nokia Moonraker
Two years ago, Nokia had filed a patent for a smart wearable that looked more like a bracelet than a watch, with multiple screen for different functions. We are not sure whether Nokia plans to begin working on its past projects again or if it’s looking to work on something entirely different. But the change in the corporation papers shows signs that Nokia is ready to bring out its smartwatch or bracelet soon.
Nokia has a tough challenge ahead if it really is working on consumer wearables. Today, smart wearable is what is getting the tech world pumped, and traditional watchmaking brands like Fossil are also getting into the game. The competition is stiff and Nokia will have to come out with something unique if they want to stand a chance.
Microsoft is all set to ship over a 1000 Lumia dummy devices in the country. The company will be holding a technology conference, ‘Future Unleashed’, for the same in Mumbai on the 5th of November, and it will be attended by CEO, Satya Nadella.The company is shipping 500 Lumia 950 and 500 Lumia 950 XL dummies to India, according to Zauba, a website that records imports to the country. These devices will be available at retail stores for potential buyers to take a look at. The current price tags they come with are $587 (about Rs. 38,000) USD for the Lumia 950, and $665 (about Rs. 43,000) for the Lumia 950 XL. We had expected the two devices to come out at IFA Berlin this year. Even though this was not to be so, around late September, leaked images with specs of the two Lumia phones appeared on the internet.
According to the slides, here are the specs for the Lumia 950 and the Lumia 950 XL. These specs also matched the earlier leaks that had been around for a while.
Lumia 950:
Display: 5.2 inches, QuadHD
Processor: Qualcomm 6-core Snapdragon 808
Camera: 20MP PureView rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and dual flash; 5MP HD front camera
Storage: 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage
Battery: 3,000 mAh, with rapid charging via USB-C
Lumia 950 XL:
Display: 5.7 inches, QuadHD
Processor: Qualcomm 8-core Snapdragon 810
Camera: 20MP PureViw rear camera with OIS and triple LED flash; 5 MP front camera
Storage: 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage
Battery: 3,300 mAh, with rapid charging via USB-C
These devices would perhaps be available just in time for Diwali for customers. For more information about the conference and other details, click here.
Source: Zauba via [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://wmpoweruser.com/microsoft-prepares-for-wide-distribution-of-the-lumia-950-range-in-india-imports-1000-display-dummies/”]WM Power User[/tw-button]
How surprised would you be if we told you that the world’s best selling phone is not the iPhone but something very old and not a smartphone at all? Remember the classic old Nokia 1100, the phone we all perhaps began with? While the iPhone 6 may have sold 71 million units in about three months, the numbers have nothing on the Nokia 1100.
The Nokia 1100 was an entry-level handset that came out in 2003. At the time it was perhaps the best thing to ever hit the mobile market. Lets consider this a 2003 post and talk of the specs that makes the phone a true badass. The handset does not come with two cameras, a curved screen or a snapdragon processor. What it does feature is a torch-light, a pair of no-slip grips, dust-proof case, monochrome graphic with, wait for it, 96 x 65 pixels, monophonic ringtones (36 pre-installed, 7 user-made), interchangeable covers, and an unbreakable will (we mean it).
This smooth handset can also store up to 50 contacts and 50 messages (25 sent, 25 received) and gives a whopping 400 hours standby time between charges. But the one thing that really tied this phone together was Snakes II and Space Impact – those 8-bit games that were played by 250 million people around the world.
We say 250 million because that’s how many units of the Nokia 1100 were sold by 2008, becoming not only the world’s best selling phone, but also the best selling consumer electronics device. There are many reasons behind why the 1100 was the craze at the time. For one thing, the phone was highly affordable at about $100 with all the features mentioned above, which were all that one needed at the time.
The phone was discontinued in 2008 because of the next wave of phones that were coming in, However, in 2009, the obsolete device became something of a collectors item as they were being sold for obscene amounts of money – say $32,000 a piece.
But if you thought you had seen the last of the Nokia 1100, think again. There are rumors that the classic handset might come back with a technological makeover. In March this year, the Nokia 1100 was seen in a GeekBench’s database and suggested that the 2016 Nokia 1100 will feature a quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek MT-6582 processor and will reportedly run on Android 5.0. However, this could all be an elaborate ruse by Nokia to use an old model since under the terms of its deal with Microsoft, Nokia cannot offer a new smartphone under the last quarter of 2016. It would be fun, though, to see what the 1100 would look like fitted with all the new toys today.
Would you like to see the classic Nokia 1100 back in the market? Let us know in the comments below.
The 6P features a 5.7-inch QHD touchscreen, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 chipset, with 3 GB RAM, a 3450 mAh battery and a USB Type-C port. The camera sports a 12.3 MP sensor with laser autofocus, dual-LED flash at the rear and a rather impressive 8MP on the front. This pure Android phone runs on the latest Marshmallow operating system. One of the main highlights of the Nexus 6P is the Nexus Imprint. The fingerprint sensor on the back is fast and fluid in accessibility, which according to Google only “gets better over time” as it learns more about your unique fingerprint. 
The LG G4 is an iconic design from LG, while many companies have attempted to make leather looking handsets (Note 3 and Galaxy S5), LG actually made a smartphone with a genuine leather back panel. The phone packs a 5.5-inch Quad HD LCD with 2560 x 1440 PX resolution. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 with 1.8 GHz hexa-core processor. The LG G4 also has dual sim (certain regions) and a removable and replaceable battery marked at 3,000 mAh, along with micro-SD expansion all of which is lacking in the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Find the complete review of the smartphone 
The iPhone 6 is available at an all time low of Rs. 41,000, falling pretty much in the 30-40K price bracket. The phone is a good buy at this price -it offers almost all features of the iPhone 6s (except for Force Touch) minus the hefty price tag. If there was ever a right time to buy an iPhone in India, it is now. iPhone 6 has a 4.7 inch display with a resolution of 1334 by 750 with 326 ppi, and is equipped with an 8 MP iSight camera. Find here the 
