Jul 11
This Is (Almost Certainly) What Nokia’s Lumia 1020 Will Look Like (Update: Video too!)
Posted in: Today's Chili
We’ve already seen a leaked set of specs
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Jul 11
A supposed spec sheet for the forthcoming Nokia Lumia 1020 has popped up online, confirming, if it’s to be believed, that the 1020 will indeed be a photography-themed device, powered by a 1.5Ghz dual-core Snapdragon chipset on a modest 4.5-inch 1280 x 768 display.
As we’ve seen in apparent photos taken with the device, the Lumia 1020 features the bonkers 41-Megapixel PureView sensor previously seen in the Nokia 808, alongside optical image stabilisation for blur-free snaps. Extra camera performance will be provided by a snap-on camera grip accessory, which also comes with its own internal battery for additional uptime. Without this, the Lumia 1020 packs a 2,000mAh capacity battery.
If the leak’s to be believed it’ll be a recognisably chunky model, too, with the Lumia 1020 coming in at a thickness of 10.4mm and weighing some 158g. Nokia’s expected to announce this phone at a press event scheduled for today. [Unleash the Phones via Slashgear]
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Jul 11
Nokia’s Lumia 1020 leaks again with substantial camera grip for battery boost (update: new camera UI spotted)
Posted in: Today's Chili
Three colors, 41 megapixels. What else is there to say about the incoming Lumia 1020? Well, The Verge has laid its hands on a picture of the previously FCC-listed detachable camera grip, which would put it closer to the side profile of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Zoom than preceding Lumias. With a micro-USB connection and a four-dot LED display like that seen on Nokia’s own charging peripherals, it’s very likely that there’ll be some extra battery power housed inside it too. Rumored specs from UnleashThePhones say it could arrive with a 2,000mAh battery built-in, dual-core Snapdragon processor and a 4.5-inch AMOLED display identical to Nokia’s last new phone, the Lumia 925. At least it’s now just a matter of hours, not weeks, till we can cement all the details.
Update: More leaks! But we’re keeping them housed here for now. Below you can see what’s purported to be new camera interface for the Lumia 1020’s Pro Cam app lens, from serial EOS leaker, @vizileaks. We’re hoping it’ll be intuitive as it looks, with quick-access to ISO settings, white balance, metering and shutter speed all arranged in concentric circles. It also appears the new Lumia will be able to “dual capture” both at a higher and more typical resolution at the same time.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia
Source: The Verge, @vizileaks (1), (2)
Jul 10
Earlier today we saw a gallery of the Lumia 1020 camera’s grip leak, which hints at some features of the device, such as an extra battery for a charge time boost. Slipping in right before Nokia launches the device has been another leak, this one purporting to be the complete specification sheet for the device, giving us a nice look at what users can expect. UPDATE: See our full Nokia Lumia 1020 hands-on now!
The device will, according to the specifications sheet, will feature a 4.5-inch AMOLED HD+ display with a resolution of 1280 x 768 with Gorilla Glass 3. To make it easier to use, there’s also a high-brightness mode, as well as a Sunlight Readability feature that ensures users can see what they’re doing outdoors. The display is designed to be “super sensitive” so that it can be used with a glove or by a fingernail touch.
Inside, users will find a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon (version unknown) at 1.5GHz, along with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage space. There’s no mention of a microSD slot for expansion, but there is an included 7GB of SkyDrive storage in the cloud. The camera is listed as the expected 41-megapixel PureView with optical image stabilization, as well as a backside-illuminated sensor and an Xenon flash. The device is capable of recording in 1080p at 30fps, and is accompanied by Nokia Pro Camera and Nokia Smart Camera modes.
As far as connectivity goes, the spec sheet shows GSM 850/900/1800/1900, WCDMA 2100/1900/900/850, LTE bands 1/3/7/20/8, HSPA+ DL Cat 24, dual-carrier 42.1mbps/UL Cat 5.76mbps. There’s also said to be “free global HERE Maps and HERE Drive+, free HERE transit available in the store.” Likewise, there’s the typical NFC, Bluetooth 3.0, 802.11 a/b/g/n, GPS, and USB 2.0.
There’s a 2000 mAh battery, support for wireless charging, dual microphones, a standard 3.5mm AV connector, and IHF speakers. The dual microphones are accompanied by Nokia Rich Recording, which records stereo audio that is said to be distortion-free and capable of recording in loud environments. It will be available black, yellow, and white.
SOURCE: My Nokia Blog
Nokia Lumia 1020 camera full spec sheet leaked ahead of launch is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jul 10
Nokia’s new Lumia 925 was made official for T-Mobile back in May, but today, the carrier is finally revealing pricing and availability for the new handset. It’s also T-Mobile’s latest 4G LTE device, which the company ended up also launching more markets for, reaching 157 million people in the US.
The Lumia 925 will be available starting on July 17, with pre-orders beginning the day before on July 16. The phone will cost only $49.99 down, with 24 monthly payments of $20. This totals $530 for the device off-contract. The phone sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor running at 1.5GHz, with 1GB of RAM and up to 32GB of internal storage.
Like the Lumia 920, the 925 doesn’t have a microSD slot, but Nokia and Microsoft partnered up to offer SkyDrive storage for these users with 7GB of free storage for Lumia 925 owners. Since the phone runs Windows Phone 8, SkyDrive is seamlessly integrated into the phone’s software.
The 925 also has an 8.7-megapixel PureView camera, which Nokia has been big on touting lately. The device is covered in a 4.5-inch OLED display with an HD resolution of 1280×768. This is essentially’s T-Mobile’s flagship Windows Phone device, and it’s their first 4G LTE device that’s equipped with Microsoft’s mobile OS, and it can be yours later this month.
T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 925 arriving this month is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jul 10
We knew the Nokia Lumia 925 was coming to T-Mobile, but we didn’t know when, and we didn’t know how much it would cost. No longer. Turns out, Lumia fans can have the handset starting July 17th for the low, low price of $49.99 down with 24 monthly payments of $20 thereafter. Of course, should a new, more photographically-capable handset become available down the road, you can always Jump to the new model — provided you pay the additional ten bucks a month and happen to live in the right part of the world.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia, T-Mobile
Jul 10
It doesn’t come close to the suite of air gestures Samsung’s included in the Galaxy S 4, but Nokia’s pushing out an update to give Lumia owners a limited taste of that hands-free functionality. Bundled into a new version 1.6 bump for display + touch settings released today is a new Peek feature, which gives Lumia owners the ability to wake their phones and glance at notifications with a mere hand wave. Sadly, it’s only compatible with Lumia devices running the latest Amber update — currently set for a vague “summer” rollout — which makes this hover-to-wake function a 925-only affair for the time being.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia
Source: Windows Phone Store
Jul 10
It’s no secret that the Nokia EOS (or Nokia 1020 as it’ll be called later this week, more than likely), will be rolling out with some serious photography power. Here as we saw very, very briefly earlier this week, we’ve gotten another look at a key accessory for this machine – a camera grip that makes the machine much more like the big-handling machines its amalgamation of lenses and processing abilities suggests.
This case works – or would very much appear to work – with an extra bit of battery as well, adding on 1020mAh (likely an added 40% life-span or so) to the Nokia smartphone as well. Plugging in through the smartphone’s microUSB port at its bottom (if you’re holding the machine vertically, that is), this accessory also makes way for the device’s massive lens and flash cover.
You’ll find this machine delivered in white, but as it has been with the large cross-section of Nokia devices revealed over the past several years, you can expect a set of alternate colors as well. Wouldn’t want to be left out in the cold without options!
Up top is a physical shutter button that’ll depress to hit the Nokia smartphone’s own physical shutter button. On the side is a battery button that’ll light up 1-4 bulbs depending on how much power the machine has in it, and you’ll find a grippier bit up front for your left hand’s remaining tendrils. The bottom, then, also reveals a socket with screw rings for mounting this machine on a tripod.
Have a peek at the rest of the tips and leaks revealed in recent days and weeks on the Nokia 1020 and get ready for the full event on the 11th of July – that’s tomorrow!
VIA: The Nokia Blog
Nokia Lumia 1020 camera grip leaks at all angles is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Jul 08
More Nokia Lumia 1020 Hardware And Camera Details Surface Ahead Of Official Launch
Posted in: Today's Chili
In case you’re somehow immune to all of Nokia’s incessant teasing, the company’s going to unveil a shiny new smartphone on Thursday in hopes that a tremendous camera will endear the thing to the masses.
The folks at WPCentral got their collective hands on a new render of the forthcoming flagship — which is apparently going to be called the Lumia 1020 after all — along with some juicy tidbits about what else Nokia’s camera-crazy device has going for it.
To briefly run through the laundry list, Nokia’s new Windows Phone will reportedly pack 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage (alas, there’s no microSD slot here) and NFC. Of course, the real moneymaker is the device’s camera, or so Nokia hopes. It’s no secret that the 1020 will sport a whopping 41-megapixel rear camera sensor, but WPCentral’s Daniel Rubino has shed a bit more light on how the device will handle those images. Should his intel hold true (and I’m willing to bet it does), the 1080 “takes the image in a 32MP and 5MP at the same time in 16:9.”
Also onboard is an f/2.2 lens, which just so happens to match EXIF data from an image apparently posted from the device by Windows Phone chief Joe Belfiore. And for you strident mobile camera nerds, the 1020 is said to sport optical image stabilization, a feature that didn’t even make it into the phone’s ambitious (and chubby) ancestor.
Smartphone manufacturers are constantly latching onto anything they think will afford them an advantage against the other guys, and considering the absolutely stupid popularity of mobile photo sharing, engineering a top-flight camera for a phone is perhaps par for the course. What’s interesting is to look at just how these companies go about their business in this regard. I’ve already ranted a bit about this smartphone camera war and the issue of diminishing returns that could stymie it, but Nokia’s approach stands in stark contrast to, say, Samsung’s. Samsung was content to cobble together a cameraphone that was more camera than phone, a move that has the potential to seriously limit the S4 Zoom’s mass-market appeal. I mean really, who (save for the most ardent mobile photogs) would walk into a store and purchase a phone with a tumor-like camera pod protruding from its back?
But a staggeringly good camera in a package that doesn’t look like a misguided point-and-shoot? At first blush, that certainly seems like the smarter way to go. Then again, Nokia simply has to play it smart — they don’t really have the sort of resources to throw lots of things at walls in the hope that something sticks the way Samsung often does. And, as crappy as it is, thought engineering and envelope pushing aren’t always enough to make a device a financial success. As always, Nokia is gambling here — it hopes the promise of a game-changing camera is enough to load the die, and we’ll soon see if the company is right.
Jul 06
Nokia Lumia 521 Review
Posted in: Today's ChiliIf you thought the Nokia Lumia 520 was good, boy are you going to have a great time with the Nokia Lumia 521. Essentially the same device as you’ll be getting internationally, this T-Mobile iteration of the entry-level Windows Phone 8 device brings the same package (with slightly different radio connections and a few extra apps) to the USA, here with the same bright white back cover as we saw across the sea (one of three, as it were).
Hardware
With the Nokia Lumia 521 you’re rolling with a 4-inch display (running at WVGA) which, if you’re using anything sharper at the moment, will be just a bit more pixely than you’ll want to live with. This machine is, instead, made for those users upgrading from feature phones – and it’ll do a fine job of it.
The handset measures in at 4.9 x 2.5 x 0.4 inches and weighs just 4.4 ounces – it’s lighter than it looks. You’ll connect to this machine with a microUSB cord (included in the box) and a microSIM for data, and both the back cover and the battery within are removable. There’s also a microSD card slot under the hood for an additional 32GB of space if you do so desire – you may want to pick up a microSD card when you purchase the smartphone since the 521 works with just 8GB of internal storage.
Inside you’ve got a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor at 1GHz paired with 512MB of RAM. Again, this is meant to be an upgrade for the feature phone crowd and not a battle-ready beast for the top-tier entrants in the Windows Phone 8 world. That said, this machine is swift as much of the Windows Phone 8 crowd simply because the processor paired with this screen – small and low-res as it is – makes for hot-tapping and access to the basic collection of apps available to the whole Windows Phone 8 smartphone collection.*
You won’t be set up for future implementation of T-Mobile’s LTE network, instead kicking it up to today’s fastest data speeds from the network at HSPA+ 21. We’ll be bringing you “top speed” results as soon as we can kick out speeds above the general average – for now you’ll take comfort in knowing we’ve not have a dropped signal anywhere inside the metro area in Minneapolis / Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The back of this machine is replaceable – compatible with the international edition of the handset as well, so finding even 3rd-party offerings in the wild-and-wacky case-making environment will work. Or SHOULD work – always be cautions if you’re buying 3rd party gear. Nokia brings the heat with this machine in white (seen here) as well as yellow, blue, and red.
Software
It should be made clear that this device brings Nokia’s unique collection of Windows Phone apps to the show – the same as each other Lumia both here in the USA and overseas. While you’ll get a limited number of these on the device right out of the box, you’ll have Nokia’s app portals to keep you busy.
*At this point in history it’s difficult to find a smartphone running Windows Phone (Windows Phone 8 and forward, that is), that isn’t able to work with every app in Microsoft’s official app store. Nokia also provides such unique offerings (available to Lumia devices only) as Nokia Music, HERE Maps, HERE Drive, and HERE Transit. It’s all HERE, you could say.
All except – notably – app abilities such as the augmented reality bits of City Lens (as seen with the Nokia Lumia 920 demo we got all the way back in September of 2012, courtesy of Nokia) inside HERE Maps. This doesn’t exist on this machine due to the lack of a digital compass in the 521. With A-GPS and Glonass you’ve still got turn-by-turn navigation throughout the USA
Camera
While there’s no front-facing camera on this machine, the back-facing 5-megapixel shooter is more than enough for the standard social networking sharing and general photo-taking activities you’ll be inevitably taking part in. While Nokia’s real industry-leading efforts in the camera world rest with devices like the Lumia 925 (internationally) and the Lumia 928 (here in the USA with Verizon), the Lumia 521 brings a decent “that’ll do” sort of setup – which you’ll see in example photos and video here.
Battery
While Nokia rates this device at 7.5 hours talk time with standby at 12.5 days, we’ve found the 1430mAh battery to be standing up to a full days’ standard use without issue. If you’re a heavy user, on the other hand, expect to knock this battery out in a matter of hours – especially if you’re streaming video from something like T-Mobile TV (also built in to the device, courtesy of the carrier.)
Wrap-Up
The Nokia Lumia 521 isn’t the nicest Windows Phone 8 device on the market – and it’s certainly not the hottest Nokia machine out today – but it’s not meant to be. Working to be the cost-cutting entry level to the Windows Phone 8 universe with the good ship Nokia – that’s the aim. That’s what this machine will do, too – expect quite a few upgrades to higher-powered Lumia devices once the 521 is paid for in full by users on T-Mobile.
Nokia Lumia 521 Review is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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