Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said that multicore processors are a waste of battery life for the consumer and nothing else, in a recent interview with a Chinese newspaper Yangcheng Evening News.
The so-called dual-core, quad-core mobile phones can only waste batteries, but not be useful for consumers all the time.
-Elop
He also claimed that no iPhone or Android smartphone has been able to beat Nokia 900’s performance despite their multicore innards.
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has confirmed that the company will bring its pride Windows Phone Devices AKA “Lumia” Series to the Chinese waters later this month. No specifics on the models available , but looks like China will get Lumia 900 Global, 800 and 710 at first followed by the 610 later this year. Both China Telecom and China Unicom are said to be partners with Nokia for the upcoming launch.
Skype has announced and released the Beta version of their App for Windows Phone devices running 7.5 and above. This early version will allow free audio and video calls over WiFi or 3G, alongside those any-number paid-for calls.
You can download the beta version of the Skype for Windows Phone app for free by clicking here directly from your Windows Phone, or simply scanning the QR code below. You will need to have a smartphone running Windows Phone 7.5. You can check what version of Windows Phone your phone is running at Settings > About.
Tested and working Windows Phones:
• Nokia Lumia 710
• Nokia Lumia 800
• HTC Titan
• HTC Radar
• Samsung Focus S
• Samsung Focus Flash
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Many of you have been waiting for this. And today we are excited to announce our new Skype for Windows Phone Beta app. This now makes Skype available on almost all of the leading mobile smartphone operating systems. The gold version of the app will be available in April.
Starting today, download the beta version directly from your Windows Phone or at theMarketplace from your computer to test drive Skype for Windows Phone and share your feedback with us.
Skype for Windows Phone Beta* supports the most important Skype features you’ve come to know and love. And you will be especially thrilled by the clean and simple Skype experience that the Metro user interface delivers on your Windows Phone. It has never before been so easy to connect with the people you care about most.
Check out this video to see how the app works.
With Skype for Windows Phone Beta you can make free audio and video calls** to your Skype contacts over 3G and 4G or WiFi***, make affordable calls to landlines and mobiles using Skype Credit, create and hold one-to-one and group chats, and update your profile and account information, among others features.
This is only the beginning for Skype for Windows Phone…it’s just going to get better and better. We see incredible potential to include Skype capabilities in Windows Phone in order to enable a great experience for you.
You can download the beta version of the Skype for Windows Phone app for free**** by clicking here directly from your Windows Phone, or simply scanning the QR code below. You will need to have a smartphone running Windows Phone 7.5. You can check what version of Windows Phone your phone is running at Settings > About.
We have already tested and certified the following devices for the best performance of Skype for Windows Phone:
• Nokia Lumia 710
• Nokia Lumia 800
• HTC Titan
• HTC Radar
• Samsung Focus S
• Samsung Focus Flash
We love hearing your thoughts and questions, so please feel free to visit our Skype Support Network or tweet your Skype for Windows Phone questions to @Skype. Also, you can join us on Twitter by following the #SkypeMWC hashtag where we will be sharing Windows Phone tips throughout the week.
*The beta version of the Skype for Windows Phone app will have English language support only.
**The device must be equipped with at least one camera to utilize video calling.
*** Users can place calls with their Windows Phone over a cellular data connection or WiFi network. Additional data charges may apply. To get the best quality video calling, Skype recommends a strong WiFi connection. Skype-to-Skype calling on Windows Phone is compatible with Skype for Windows 4.2 and above, Skype for Mac OS X 2.8 and above, Skype for Linux, Skype for iOS 3.0 and above, Skype for Android 2.0 and above, and Skype running on TVs.
**** The Skype for Windows Phone Beta app is free. If you use your mobile data connection to download the Skype app, operator charges may apply, so we recommend an unlimited data plan.
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Looks like information on the, due to be released today, Nokia Windows Phone Lumia 610 has been outed. The phones has a substantially lower end spec lineup but the price seems to be the attractive aspect of the device. Priced at a mere Rs. 11,000, the device is expected to change Nokia’s bad outlook in recent times and may also give a heavy boost to Windows Phone as an OS. The Lumia 610 will feature a 3.2-inch display and a 3 MP camera. It will also run Windows Phone Tango, running on just 256MB RAM.
The Phone is expected to be officially launched within the next 24 hours along with the global edition of Lumia 900 flagship smartphone from Nokia.
Nokia is ready to step up to the Windows Phone Plate and is now readying a series of devices to announce at MWC in the coming days. Nokia is expected to launch two new Lumia phones with impressive specs during the conference. The first of the lot is expected to be a global version of the Lumia 900, the other is expected to be a budget friendly Nokia 610. More details when we get them.
[Reuters]
A quick Video that demonstrates Gaming Capability of the Nokia Lumia 800 and similar Windows Phone Devices.
Oh dear, Nokia had earlier confessed that it knows of the major battery issues plaguing its new flagship Lumia phones. The latest update (1600.2483.8106.11500) was meant to “enhance standby time as well as to bring an improvement to the issue reported by some customers in December. And indeed the update did bring some relief to our devices, But know Nokia has been hearing complaints about the poor audio quality and Camera related problems being faced by Nokia Loyalists.
[box border=”full”]
NOKIA:
We’ve seen your comments on the latest update for the Lumia 800 and wanted to take the opportunity to quickly address some points.
First of all, the primary target of the latest Lumia 800 update (1600.2483.8106.11500) was to enhance standby time as well as to bring an improvement to the issue reported by some customers in December, that their phone wasn’t able to access the full battery charge capacity correctly. We can confirm that we have successfully tested that those improvements are working. Additionally, we’ve noted your concerns regarding audio and camera settings and are going to address those in a series of future updates, ie. these will not be included in this specific update. It is also important to understand that only the Nokia Update for Lumia 1600.2483.8106.11500 will introduce the mentioned improvements. If you want to see what update you have installed or what software version you currently have on your Lumia 800, please check Settings>System>About and then tap the box for “More information”. The “Firmware revision number” shows 1600.2483.8106.11500 if you have installed the latest Nokia update for Lumia successfully. To make sure that your Lumia 800 is up to date and always gets the latest features, go to Settings > Phone Update and select “Notify me when updates are found”. Then, as soon as a new update is available for your Lumia 800, your phone will automatically display a notification.
Also always use the original Nokia Fast USB Charger AC-16 or the Nokia Charging and Data Cable CA-185CD that came with your Lumia 800, as they are specifically designed to charge the Lumia 800 as efficiently as possible. Only a charger with an output of 1000mA will fully charge your Lumia 800 battery. If you have several Nokia chargers at home, just check the respective labels or plastic parts as the product name is mentioned there.
Last but not least, the Diagnostic App was designed for internal testing purposes. In general, your battery is fine as long as the full charge capacity is more than 1000mAh. For the future, if you are checking your battery life, more useful information on the Battery status can be found by focusing on Settings>System>Battery saver. It will tell you both your remaining battery life in percent as well as the estimated time remaining, plus the time since you last charged your phone (as soon as you have disconnected your phone from your charger). If you have concerns about your battery capacity, please contact Nokia Care (phone numbers and locations can be found via www.nokia.com/support).”[/box]
Samsung has actually reigned supreme in the year 2011, and looks like the year 2012 will be in their hands too. The Omnia W is a representation of what a company like Samsung is capable of. The device is considerably cheaper than its competition but has excellent specs and usability. Here is our review on the Samsung Omnia W ( Wonder).
The Omnia W is well built, not the best build you would find in this price range, but definitely well built. The construction is all plastic and appears flimsy, but is actually quite good. The back panel has some shell/metal elements that have a brushed and painted look , to try and give the device a little more elegance than it actually deserves, that part may not have been achieved. Buttons are well raised and fairly easy to use. The front bezel is a hair higher than the glass front, protecting the display from flat falls. Overall the device should do well in day to day usage.
The camera on the Omnia is a 5 mega pixel autofocus camera, with impressive light capture, the camera is one of the best cameras in its class of phone. The autofocus is fast, although you have the ability to tap to focus aswell, images can be clicked almost instantly. Video on the other hand is capped at a 720p HD quality, we often wonder why companies do not design the cameras to deliver 1080p, either way, video capture will require a lot of ambient light and indoor video is poor. The front camera is only good enough for low bit video calling , and should solve the purpose unless your friend on the other side is viewing your video on a big screen TV, if so is the case you will look like a character from Minecraft.
The display is a beautiful Super AMOLED display is a Samsung PenTile display which means that two red subpixels, two green subpixels, and one central blue subpixel is placed in each unit cell of the display. In layman words, its an old technology developed by Samsung back in 1990, and is still used in some of their devices. The display matrix arrangement has often received critique, and is not appreciated well. We however, found that the display was able to reproduce color well and had good deep black levels. The display is excellent for viewing video and and playing games. If you have a thing for the “world wide web”, or a bookworm within, then the display is capable of crisp fonts / texts on the screen for easy viewing. Outdoor visibility is low-poor, due to the inherent problems in AMOLED screens.
With limitations to the kind of files that can be played back on the device, it does not compete with an Android device. Bluetooth is locked and file transfer denied, for most of the things. However, whatever Windows can play natively will work on the phone, and you can always sync up using Zune, or Windows Phone Connector. The speaker is loud enough for music and watching movies. The included earphones are above average, but will not satisfy the bassphile.
A capable phone is what the Omnia W turned out to be. The earpiece and mic war loud and clear, and network connectivity was strong. In our standard 3 hour call test the Omnia dropped the call twice exactly at 1 hour 51 mins , both times. No network drop was faced in the overalll testing and we are quite happy with the result.
As we have already stressed enough, the WP7 keyboard is one of the best in the world, we don’t need to say that its really good on the Omnia W. It has predictive text and autocorrect, and it is a super fast keyboard, no complaints. The messaging and email capabilities are good, the OS is connected well to Facebook and Twitter and should serve you well.
The internet is a domain which is not properly tapped on the Omnia, with limitations of the browser in terms of javascript and flash. That being said it is one of the fastest internet browsers out there. The screen is great for website browsing and even better to read daily news stories from iGyaan. With a host of apps from the marketplace you can actually find your fix for the web.
Battery life is impressive on the Omnia W with upto 2 days of standby and 5 hours of talk time. The battery fares well while gaming and heavy graphic games can be played for a good 2-3 hours. Music playback should last 10 hours while video lasts about 4-5 hours.
The OS is a different playing field in the world of iOS and Android, as we mentioned in our previous Reviews. The interface is one of the cleanest and snappiest out of the lot, and there is no crashing or lagging from the interface even when multiple tasks are running ( Surprising since Windows is the name attached). The marketplace is also ever-growing with a host of applications and games, the future of Windows Phone looks bright. With no access to file sharing over bluetooth and native file compatibility, the closed system may be a let down for some. Samsung has added Video Calling to the OS to make it a little worthwhile. Samsung also offers multiple apps to make the experience a bit better. The included AllShare will allow for you to stream media to other Samsung Devices.
One of the best phones available at the price range, if you are not happy with the Android OS. or the way it looks. Also to consider the OS is as fast and responsive as iOS if not faster. A good smartphone with inbuilt office documentation capabilities and one that supports Microsoft SkyDrive. If you are a true windows junkie, the interconnectivity will impress, the lack of script execution may limit the experience. But overall the phone is a complete mix of Phone, Smartphone and PMP.
The phone that marks a beginning for a change for the Legendary Mobile phone company. Nokia recently Launched the Lumia 800 in India and it has led Windows Phone to another level, at least in India. Still priced way above expected the phone is available for just under Rs. 30,000.
[tabs style=”default”] [tab title=”Initial Impressions”] The device is superiorly well built and has a stunning gorilla glass display. Under the hood is a 1.4GHz processor and 16GB of Storage. It runs the latest version of mango yet there are some features missing. Also on the OS front are some applications that have been custom made by Nokia for the device, For Example Nokia Drive. Nothing is openable or removable in the injection moulded shell of the phone. The only two openings are on the top of the device for micro USB ports and a micro SIM slot. The Speaker is located at the bottom of the Phone, a rather inconvenient location if you ask us.[/tab] [tab title=”Pros”]
[/tab] [tab title=”Cons”]
[/tab] [tab title=”Specifications”]
Price: RS. 29,999.
Network: 3G
Display: 3.7-inch bright AMOLED ClearBlack display.
Screen Resolution: 800 x 480 pixels
Camera: 8 mega-pixel with auto-focus ,Carl Zeiss optics ,and dual LED flash.
HD Video Recording/Playback
Music: FM Radio, Music Player, 3.3mm Jack
Internal Memory: 16GB
Battery: standard 1450 mAh
Talk time: up to 13hrs.
Standby time: up to 335hrs.
OS: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
Processor: 1.4GHz Scorpion
Social Networking: Support to Social networking and Google Apps
WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML5, RSS feeds
Email & IM: Yes
Connectivity: Windows Zune PC Sync, USB, Wi-Fi
Games,
Weight: 142gm
[/tab] [/tabs]
The ChevronWP7 tool that could unlock the functionality of your device for a mere US$ 9 is being discontinued.WPCentral reports that ChevronWP7 made an agreement with Microsoft not to sell more than 10,000 unlock tokens.
Microsoft isn’t involved in our discussion yet. And they can’t provide us with more unlocks because we haven’t asked yet. If we do request more, we’re sure Microsoft will respond positively – as they have in the past.”
-Rafael Rivera ChevronWP7 spokesperson
The developers of the tool claim that they are not going to renegotiate this number. If you are still interested in unleashing the beast in your Windows Phone you must buy Microsoft’s own AppHub which costs eleven times a price of US$ 99.
Samsung Omnia W is the first official Windows Phone from Samsung in India. The smartphone has been aggressively priced seeing the massive launch from Nokia for their Lumia Series. The Samsung Omnia however beats the odds of the Nokia Lumia series trumping them in a certain aspects. The Omnia W weighs just 115 gms making it a fairly light phone. The 3.7 inch Super AMOLED screen is exceptionally vivid and has rich deep black levels. The form factor and over all size of the device is very comfortable in the hand.
The Omnia W features a 5 MP camera with autofocus and LED flash, 720p video recording and a front facing VGA camera for video calling. The Omnia W also has a 1.4 GHz Scorpion processor and Adreno 205 GPU. It has 8 GB storage, 512 MB RAM, along with GPS, AGPS for location and high speed HSPA connectivity. The omnia comes with Windows Phone 7.5 mango and is currently available in black color for Rs. 19,900/-. Check out our Video unboxing below and stay tuned for a Full Review out Shortly.
iG Tech Labs.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone Marketplace has hit another milestone of 50,000 in just less than a couple of weeks of the 40,000 Apps mark. Over 17,000 apps have been submitted to the Marketplace in the last 90-days from over 13,000 different publishers (265 per day). The iOS AppStore and the Android Market are still way ahead in the lead for the Redmond Mobile OS, but the gap seems to be diminishing soon.
Continuing on with our Tradition of Holiday Guides today we bring the best phones under the 20,000 Rupees mark (15,000 – 20,000), Of course you can check out our under 15,000 guide and Under 10,000 Guide if they better suits your purpose.
Samsung Galaxy R (Rs. 20,000) : Have 20k to spend? This is our pick for smartphone under the 20 thousand mark. The dual core smartphone is available at online retailers for prices well below 19k including deals, searching will get you a good deal. The phone performs great and a review done for the second time, by us, will fill you in on required info.
LG Optimus 2X (Rs 18,599) : Although the phone fared poorly in our review, The device has been rooted, modded and been patched to fix all software glitches of the stock ROM, This is a alternative dual core smartphone for the modder and cellphone tweaker. This phone will keep you busy for hours. If you plan to mess around with software on your device this is your poison. Although this may not help you Our Review is here
Motorola Defy Plus (Rs 17,000) : The best rugged phone in this class, with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 512MB ram a 3.7 inch WXGA screen and endless hours of outdoor fun. This is your device if you love the outdoors but want in on the latest smartphone action. The Defy Plus will most probably get the ICS update since it has all supporting hardware ( Considering that Motorola is almost a Google entity now) . Our complete review with the higher priced Xperia Active is here.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V ( Rs 17,499) : Five words : “Timescape plus Mobile Bravia Engine” define what Android on a smartphone should look like. There is nothing that looks and performs as good as the TimeScape UI (Considering only Android OS)on Sony Ericsson Phones ( according to us) The phone is powered with a 1GHZ scorpion processor and features a 3.7 inch Screen with MBE. It has 512 MB Ram and Android 2.3 with a confirmed upgrade for Ice Cream Sandwich. Our Review is Here
There are of-course others that didn’t make the list, Our Reviews can be seen for those:
Curve 9360 (Rs. 19,000) : The curve that runs OS 7, a fix for those who are not yet ready to shift to a full touch Blackberry, and those who are not ready to switch to Android or the likes of iOS. The device is the slimmest Blackberry yet at only 11mm. 800 MHz processor 512MB Ram and 512MB Rom. Check out our Video.
Curve 9380 ( Rs 20,000): The first full touch curve, it brings BB OS 7 and a range of nice changes to the blackberry users, 800 MHz cpu , 512 MB Ram and 512 MB Rom is carried on from its younger cousin above. The device also features a nice 3.2” HVGA+ touch screen with a 480 X 360 pixel resolution at 188ppi. Check out our full review.
iPhone 3Gs ( Rs 20,000) : Two years old but still selling strong, the iPhone 3Gs supports iOS 5, iCloud, iMessage, Airplay and everything except FaceTime. If you hurry you can cash in on the new iOS 5.0.1 Jailbreak and even get Siri working on it. What else could you ask from a two year old phone. in terms of specs, it runs at 600MHz, has 16GB internal storage and 256MB Ram. The AppStore is the largest app market although most new apps may not perform great on the 3Gs. But hey you still get asked the question : “You have an iPhone”? Read our Editorial Here
Nokia E6 (Rs. 17,000) : The business power seller from Nokia, If you don’t use a Blackberry, you use a Nokia E Series phone. A Qwerty marvel from Nokia, the device features 2.46-inch Touchscreen making it the first Touch Type – Nokia E Series. The device is loaded with Symbian Anna and comes with a 680 MHz processor, 8 MP camera and a very long battery life, bundled with a excellent build quality. Check out our Unboxing and Review Video
Nokia 701 (Rs. 17,800) : Although stocks are limited on this recently released phone, it seems like a promising option for the Symbian lover, Running the new Symbian Belle Nokia Belle, the device features a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 640 x 360 px. Inbuilt NFC, 1 GHz processor and 8MP Camera with 720p (30fps) Video. Our Review will be out shortly.
Samsung Omnia W (Rs 18,990) : Launched upwards of 25k , Samsung has fiercely dropped the price of the Omnia taking into record the Nokia Lumia Marketing campaign. The device has a nice 3.7 Inches WVGA Super AMOLED display, 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, and 5MP AF Camera With LED Flash including a VGA front camera. Comes with Windows Phone Mango 7.5 and Samsung Apps. Our Review is Coming Soon
Nokia Lumia 710 (Rs 19,999) : Finally available the Nokia Lumia Series brings the first versions of Nokia Phones running WP7.5 to India. Powered by a 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion Processor the Lumia 710 is the smaller sibling of the highly advertised Lumia 800. This device has 3.7-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display screen with 480 x 800 pixel and a 5MP camera + LED flash. It also has a 512 MB RAM and has Adreno 205 GPU. iGyaan Review Out Shortly.
Other phones that were not designed for Windows 7.5, but still support it fully include the following,( and you can possibly find a good deal on them):
Windows Phone developer Jaxbot is back, after a long time, to modding and developing for Windows Phone 7.5 Devices. His new Project WindowBreak seeks a universal unlock tool for all / any Windows Phone 7-7.5 devices. This just means a possibility of jailbreak, which can be unlocked using this tool. Jaxbot has already demonstrated this process on Samsung devices in his video below. He wants to get the app running for othe manufacturers including Nokia and HTC.
So many questions, so little time. Its the time for holiday cheer and we are literally getting bombarded with hundreds of emails asking us what phones to buy. So here is our guide for the best options in the Rs. 15000 price.
1. Micromax A85 SuperFone : (Rs. 15290) The price drop has already been announced, and at this price it is the best spec’d phone. A dual core Nvidia Tegra 2, 3.8 inch touchscreen, 5 MP camera and gesture control make this the best bet at the price. But sadly it ships with Android 2.2.
2. Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro Sk17i: (Rs 15,000) One of the most recommended devices by iGyaan in 2011 our extensive review will tell you why this device is an excellent purchase.
3. Motorola Defy (Rs 14,000) : The original defy is still an awesome phone, with Android a brilliant rugged construction that resists water and dust. The design is also shock proof. Check out our Review.
4. HTC ChaCha (Rs. 14500): A brilliant form factor with excellent build, the only touch and type phone with this design from HTC. Also the first phone with a dedicated FB button on the Android platform, a Social king. Our Review Covers it.
5. Samsung Galaxy Ace (Rs 13000): One of the most loved phones of 2011 the ace has a nice display along with impressive looks, a good processor and Touchwiz on top of Android 2.3. The device is well supported in the developer community and will get ICS courtesy Root and Custom CM9 rom. Check out our Review
6. HTC Wildfire S (Rs 12,500): Not our last option but an alternative to the Galaxy Ace, the build is far superior also is the quality of materials used. The device features HTC Sense on top of Android 2.3 and is arguably the best built phone of this bracket. The camera in some aspects is better than the Ace and pulls out great images. The processor is only a 600MHz compared to the 800MHz on the Ace. We reviewed it Here
Blackberry Curve 3G 9300 (Rs. 14,450): The only berry in this range, you also get the CDMA version of the curve 8520 (called: 8530) which is not worth mentioning. What is to say this is an old outdated berry running on the older OS6 but features a great and responsive OS. It is a great upgrade for some one on a Blackberry high . We however say, spend more and get the Curve 9380 : we covered here.
Nokia 700 (Rs 15299) : Younger version of the 701, this device is available in the market in select locations, features new Symbian Belle and a 3.2 inch Capacitive Amoled Clear Black display. A 5 Mp camera and 720p video capabilities make it a good competitor. Another add-on is the tough gorilla glass front. The price seems a bit high for this old-school Operating System. The phone also has a 2Gb internal storage and is a grab option for those who refuse to abandon the legendary OS in its dying days.
Nokia 500 (Rs 11,000): Then there is the 500, its the only other Nokia phone in this bracket apart from the discontinued C6-01. This features a 1GHz processor along with a 3.2-inch TFT nHD Capacitive Touchscreen. The phone features Symbian Anna and has great 5MP camera, which is fixed focus. Again price is a bit of a pinch especially because the device is unable to offer the freedom that say an Android device would offer, But on the upside it does have a 1GHz processor.
Samsung Focus (Rs 14000) : The device was never announced in India, but New and unlocked US versions can be bought on Ebay. The device features a nice 4.0 Inch Super Amoled Display with a native 480 x 800 px resolution. Already updated to Mango this device offers all the new features of Windows Phone 7.5 at a bargain, everything of course except a front facing camera. The Focus also has 8GB of memory and 512MB Ram and 512MB Rom
