Hasta La Gadget!

It’s official. Nokia’s just taken the wraps off its worst-kept Windows Phone 8 secret: the Lumia 920. The device, announced at the manufacturer’s event in New York City today, is a spiritual successor to the 900 that first broke onto American shores and can largely be seen as a response to critics of that former device. With a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU (the same one that drives the current US supremos, the HTC One X and Galaxy S III), a “better than HD” 1,280 x 768 LCD display, PureView imaging (albeit with only eight megapixels), NFC capabilities, 2,000mAh battery with wireless charging and a next-gen Redmond-baked OS, this handset’s a big-break proposition for the flailing Finnish company; an attempt to up the ante and compete on even ground. From the outside, it may appear as though not much has changed in this generational hardware leap, but rest assured that what Espoo’s packed inside should take the mobile outfit to the next level. So, follow on after the break as we dive into our first impressions of this curiously hued smartphone splash.

Continue reading Nokia Lumia 920 hands-on: the dual-core, HD Windows Phone 8 flagship to take on the beasts

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Nokia Lumia 920 hands-on: the dual-core, HD Windows Phone 8 flagship to take on the beasts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

The first new Windows Phone 8 feature to appear alongside Nokia’s Lumia 920 launch is the camera-augmenting Lens apps. Offering both in-house and third-party programs, (and no more zoom bar — pinch-to-zoom!), these will all launch immediately from the camera button. On stage, Joe Belfiore detailed a handful of the apps, encompassing Bing Vision (camera-based search), Photosynth, Blink, FXSuite, PhotoStrip and CNN iReport. FXSuite offers up a preview of your viewfinder in all your favorite token visual effects, which can capture an image, and then send you back to the single Lens app, or back to the Lens menu. As to be expected, all your photographic skills can be instantly transferred across to your SkyDrive-powered cloud camera roll — something that could be especially useful with the Blink app, which captures a burst of photos in one touch.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Software, Mobile

Windows Phone 8 introduces new Lens apps: Bing Vision, Photosynth and CNN iReport launching from the camera button originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 10:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

It was only this past spring that Nokia crashed onto the US smartphone scene to stake its claim and make inroads into consumers’ minds and hearts. Now, just five months later, the Finnish company’s poised to overtake the buzz of its fledgling, former Windows Phone flagship, with what many consider to be a true high-end contender: the Lumia 920.

As one of the first Windows Phone 8 devices to be officially announced, this device augments Espoo’s line with a larger, curved 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ display, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU, 2,000mAh battery, NFC, integrated wireless charging and an 8-megapixel rear PureView camera capable of 1080p video. The display packs WXGA (1,280 x 768) resolution, is 25 percent brighter than the next best panel on the market and it’s the fastest LCD that Nokia has ever shipped on a smartphone. What’s more, the screen also boasts what Nokia calls “Super Sensitive Touch,” which promises to let you use it even when wearing gloves or mitts.

As you can tell from its humpless back, this PureView is not that of the 41-megapixel variety — it’s merely all about the branding, as the moniker will now ring synonymous with “high-end cameras.” Despite that fall from 808 grace, Nokia’s Head of Imaging Damian Dinning has assured detractors the magic is in what’s done with the optics and pixels and not sheer gargantuan sampling size. To wit, the 920 employs a “floating lens,” which, in layman’s terms, translates into hardware image stabilization and also packs impressive low-light capabilities — an area the company’s seems squarely focused upon.

In a true return to form, the 920 also hearkens back to the Lumia that started it all, opting for the “sinuous tapering” that debuted on the 800 with glass edges that blend gently into the polycarbonate hull. Unfortunately, not all of that design language has made the transition, given its chassis now appears glossier and more polished, distancing itself from that premium matte finish. Still, as looks go, the handset’s keeping to its 900 origins, appearing nigh indistinct from its predecessor save for that attention-grabbing mellow yellow hue.And as a bonus, Nokia’s imbued the device with integrated wireless charging, based on the Qi standard, which corroborates those leaks we saw just last week. The Lumia 920 will arrive in pentaband LTE and HSPA+ variants and both are expected to ship “in selected markets” later this year.

Continue reading Nokia Lumia 920 official: Dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU, 8MP PureView camera, Windows Phone 8

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Nokia Lumia 920 official: Dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU, 8MP PureView camera, Windows Phone 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 10:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Imagine a world where everyone’s evil and wears a goatee, while our avian allies from Angry Birds are actually the villains of the piece. That’s the premise behind Bad Piggies, Rovio’s newest productivity killer, which promises entirely new game mechanics (and no slingshots!). It’ll arrive on iOS, Android and OS X on September 27th, with Windows and Windows Phone 8 versions following shortly afterward.

Continue reading Bad Piggies, the alternate-universe’s answer to Angry Birds, lands September 27th

Filed under: Gaming

Bad Piggies, the alternate-universe’s answer to Angry Birds, lands September 27th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Not wanting Nokia, Motorola, Amazon or Apple to hog all of the attention this month, HTC just sent out invites to the press for an event on September 19th. The invite doesn’t offer up too many clues as to what will be revealed at this particular time, but we have a feeling the company may offer its competition to whatever products Nokia will unveil tomorrow (hint: not Android). Regardless of what it may be, we’ll be there to give you the full scoop. We’ll post more details as they flow in.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

HTC announces upcoming press event on September 19th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments