Various details about the Nokia Lumia 1020 have surfaced, that hint at the smartphone following the latest technical standards. A report published in Windows Phone Central states that users can expect the Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) technology in the Lumia 1020, unlike its predecessor Nokia's Pureview 808.

Along with the camera enhancements, 2GB RAM is also expected to feature in the Lumia 1020 which not only means faster instruction indexing, but also support for high-end games. Slapping on 2GB of RAM is the first for Nokia. The Nokia Lumia 1020 will also reportedly feature the NFC support, along with an optional enhancement for wireless charging. 

A know-how of the already known facts about the Nokia Lumia 1020:
"...Lumia 1020 will come with a 41MP camera sensor, and the device is from AT&T for the US market and interestingly has "Nokia Pro Cam" app inbuilt for its Pureview 808 like 41 MP snapper. Nokia Lumia 1020 is rumoured to have a Xenon flash, polycarbonate body with a 4.5" 720p AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and its internal storage wil be restricted to 32 GB which means that there will be no microSD card slot for further expansion", as previously stated.

The Nokia Lumia 1020 is said to initially hit retail stores in the United States, India launch yet to be confirmed. The smartphone is also slated to have the FM Radio functionality with the Amber update built-in. 

                                 
(image credit: Windows Phone Central)

TAGS: Nokia, Lumia, smartphones, Windows Phone

Nokia's Asha range of feature phones will soon offer user a better mobile internet experience, thanks to new software upgrades. The handsets eligible for the update include the Asha 308, Asha 311, and Asha 310. Out of the updates that Nokia has announced, the predominant news is WhatsApp compatibility for Asha 308 and Asha 310 dual-SIM variants along with a standalone YouTube launcher.

Along with these features, the latest upgrade is also said to bring improved Mail for Exchange support and the eBuddy chat app (for Asha 308). Users of  Asha 305 and Asha 306 will also get a standalone WhatsApp launcher.

The new update is available for free, and is now seeding as an Over-The-Air (OTA) update. For more details, check out the official Nokia support page. For those not in the know, the Finnish manufacturer latest addition to the Asha series, the Asha 501, is available in India, for Rs 5200.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Nokia, Asha, Multi-SIM

Up until now we've seen only the leaked images of the back panel (with camera) of Nokia EOS — the much awaited Windows Phone 8 handset with a 41 mp monster slapped onto it. evleaks on their Twitter account is showing off the front view of the phone, just a week (July 11 event) before its official launch in New York City.

The photo speaks for itself — the Nokia Lumia 1020 is from AT&T for the US market and interestingly has "Nokia Pro Cam" app inbuilt for its Pureview 808 like 41 MP snapper. It will indeed be exciting to see what the camera and snapper can do for photography enthusiasts.

Nokia Lumia 1020 is rumoured to have a Xenon flash, polycarbonate body with a 4.5" 720p AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1 GB RAM, and 32 GB of internal storage minus expandable microSD card support. Software-wise, the phone is reportedly running on Nokia's upcoming "Amber" Windows Phone update that is said to enable FM radio.

TAGS: Nokia, Mobile Phones, Mobile

In addition to its recently-launched, Nokia 301 (priced at Rs 5300), Nokia has added two more handsets to its feature phone portfolio. The latest entrants include the 3G-enabled Nokia 207 and 208. Both these handsets follow the retro candybar design, and come in variety of colours including Red, Yellow, Cyan, White, and Black. The screen size is 2.4", which is quite standard for feature phones. Other key features include Bluetooth 3.0, USB 2.0 connectivity, 64 MB RAM, 256 MB internal storage, and microSD card slot. Nokia claims that the 1020 mAh battery will offer 4.5 hours of talk-time on 3G and 12 hours on 2G.

On the software front, you get Series 40 platform. And it goes without saying, these phones come pre-installed with company's Xpress browser that compresses data to speed up the browsing and cuts down your GPRS usage. A lite version of Mail for Exchange allows you to check work email and sync calendars and contacts on-the-go. The phones also pack in the Nokia Slam feature, which had been first introduced in Nokia Asha 205 and 206. Using this, you can directly send files to the closest device over Bluetooth, without even pairing it. The 207 is a single-SIM phone, whereas 208 will have a single as well as dual-SIM variant. Going by the company's India website, it seems the Finns will only ship the dual-SIM version of 208 here.   

Obviously, these phones are meant for folks looking for a secondary handset. Save for the camera, both handset look the same. While there's no word on the exact pricing for the 207 and 208 in India, you can expect it to be priced between Rs 4000 and Rs 4500.

Tech-spec wise listing of individual Nokia phones:

Nokia 207:

• 2.4" display having 240x320 pixels.
• Nokia Series 40 OS.
• Micro-SIM supported.
• No camera functionality.
• Candybar design.
• Internet connectivity with Nokia Xpress Browser.
• 64 MB RAM.
• 256 MB internal storage.
• MicroSD card slot supporting up to 32 GB.
• Bluetooth 3.0, 3G, USB 2.0 connectivity.
• Weighs 92 grams.

Nokia 208:

• 2.4" display having 240x320 pixels.
• Nokia Series 40 OS.
• 1.3 MP rear camera.
• Micro-SIM supported.
• Candybar design.
• 64 MB RAM.
• 256 MB internal storage.
• MicroSD card slot supporting up to 32 GB.
• Bluetooth 3.0, 3G, MicroUSB connectivity.
• Weighs 90 grams.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Multi-SIM, Nokia

The IDEA (International Design Excellence awards) founded in 1980 by the Industrial Designers Society of America, honours the best designs in various categories ranging from medicine to entertainment. The winners find a permanent place in the Henry Ford museum at Michigan, USA. This year, it's HTC and Nokia who have hit Gold in the popular category of Communication Tools, which covers phones and accessories. HTC won this award for its budget Windows Phone 8S, while the Finnish giant received the honour for its first batch of Windows Phone 8 devices: The Nokia Lumia 920, Lumia 820, and Lumia 620. Another product that won in this category is an interesting basic phone called SpareOne. Marketed as a backup phone, this handset draws power from a single AA battery. Here's what the jury had to say about the winners:

HTC Windows Phone 8S
"The Windows Phone 8S is a smartphone that showcases the beauty of the Windows 8 operating system with a simple design and elegant user interface. With its iconic design and bold color [sic] options, the 8S caters to a diverse audience looking for a smartphone that expresses their individuality…"

 

Nokia Lumia Range
"The principles that led Nokia to design the Nokia Lumia 920, 820 and 620 include a commitment to purity and paying attention to every detail; making products that are simply built better, ensuring a deep collaboration between engineering and design; and making certain that the products are always human and feel natural. The challenge was to create a distinctive and iconic smartphone range that will help Nokia in its journey to create a differentiated phone ecosystem, bringing color [sic], new innovations and real choice to the hands of people around the world…"

SpareOne
"SpareOne uses a single standard AA battery, the only cellphone to do so. It took a total of two years to perfect the power-management design to enable it to function with one AA battery—any rechargeable, alkaline or lithium AA. In the case of SpareOne, when stored and unused, the battery will last for up to 15 years. That means that a SpareOne stored in a car, in a first-aid kit, in a backpack or at home will be fully charged and ready to use when an emergency or a disaster happens…"

 

Apparently, Samsung has also won a design award. Well, no need to get startled. The Korean company got a Bronze for its unique 85" Ultra High Definition TV, and not its similar looking range of cellphones!

TAGS: Mobile Phones, HTC, Nokia, Windows Phone

Continuing its next billion strategy, Nokia has launched the 301 feature phone in India. The new handset features the candybar design along with a good old alphanumeric keypad. Similar to the Nokia 206, this device mixes the retro design with a dash of bold colours such as cyan, yellow, and magenta. For those who prefer sober shades, it's also available in White and Black. The Finnish giant has also added a Lumia-esque metal stripe around the camera lens.

Moving on to features, the Nokia 301 packs a 2.4” screen with 320x240 pixels, dual-SIM functionality, 3G support, Bluetooth, micro-USB port, FM radio, 3.5 mm jack, microSD card slot, and 1200 mAh battery. The 3.2 megapixel camera gets a special mention as it’s the first feature phone snapper to offer Panorama mode. The phone also comes with an interesting feature called Slam. Using this, you can directly send files to the closest device over Bluetooth without even pairing it.

Based on Series 40 plarform, this phone has built-in apps for Facebook and Twitter. Apart from that, you get Nokia's Xpress browser that compresses data to speed up the browsing and cuts down your GPRS usage. A lite version of Mail for Exchange allows you to check work email and sync their calendars and contacts on-the-go. The handset is priced at Rs 5300, and is available through all major retail and online stores in India. There was a severe dearth of quality non-touch feature phones in India in recent times. The Nokia 301 will look to fill that void.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Multi-SIM, Series 40, Nokia

The Nokia Asha 210 is now available for pre-order online. An earlier report suggested that this handset will feature a WhatsApp button, but some online e-commerce site are seling it with a Facebook button instead. Interestingly, the official India product page shows the handset only with a FB button. It seems, the popularity of the social networking giant was probably too enticing for the Finnish manufacturer, and so it is offering two choices for the customer. Here are the handset's specifications:

• Series 40 OS.
• Mini SIM support (Dual-SIM variant supports Dual Standby mode).
• Quad-band GSM Support (1800 MHz, 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1900 MHz).
• 2.4" screen with pixel dimensions of 240x320 (169 ppi).
• QWERTY keypad, with Contacts key, Menu key, Camera key, Call key, 4-way Navi key with select, Power/End key, Full keyboard, Facebook/WhatsApp button.
• MicroSD card support for up to 32 GB.
• Micro-USB port, USB 2.0, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Wi-Fi, FM Radio.
• 2 MP fixed focus camera with 4x digital zoom, No Flash.
• Dimensions: 4.4" (L) x 2.4" (W) x 0.5" (11.8 mm) (D), Weight: 99.5 grams.
• 1200 mAh battery with talk time of up to 12 hours, music playback time of 40 hours, Wi-Fi browsing time of 14 hours.
• Package Contents: Phone, Charger, Battery, Nokia Stereo Headset WH-102.

The screen size of 2.4" with QVGA pixel dimensions is reminiscent of earlier generation feature phones. While it supports the slower 2G protocol instead of 3G, there is Wi-Fi for faster speeds. Users can download games such as FIFA 2013 and Bejewelled for free. The phone comes in several colours to suit your taste, including yellow, cyan, black, magenta, and white. The handset can be booked at Rs 4500 on pre-order, with the estimated release date set at the 2nd week of July. The Facebook button variant is available on Flipkart.com, while it ships with the WhatsApp button on Infibeam.com. Also, both the retailers are currently listing only the black and yellow versions. Shipping will be made within 3 days from the release date.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Series 40, Nokia, Asha, Facebook, WhatsApp

Announced last month, the Nokia Asha 501 is now up for pre-order on the company’s official online store nokia.indiatimes.com. As anticipated, the latest Asha phone is pegged at Rs 5200. Although the website doesn't shed any light on its release date, our retail sources suggest that the phone will hit stores by next week.

The 501 is the first phone to run Nokia's Asha Software Platform. The new OS is built on a technology by the Oslo (Norway) based software-maker Smarterphone, which Nokia acquired last year. The UI supports swipe gestures, which is reminiscent of Meego-powered N9.  The platform seems to offer multitasking to certain extent. According to the Finnish giant, users will be able to download many third-party apps including Twitter, WeChat, WhatsApp, CNN, eBuddy, ESPN, Facebook, Foursquare, Line, LinkedIn, Nimbuzz, Pictelligent, and The Weather Channel. Developers such as Electronic Arts, Gameloft, Indiagames, Namco-Bandai, and Reliance are soon expected to bring its titles to this new OS.

Coming to its tech specs, the phone sports a 3” LCD screen with 240x320 pixels. Nokia hasn’t disclosed its processor or RAM details. For photography, there's a 3.2 megapixel camera. The phone supports dual-SIM (GSM) functionality. Other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, microSD card slot, and 1200 mAh battery. The Asha 501 comes in in six colours: Red, Cyan, Green, White, Black, and Yellow. The green one though hasn't been listed in India yet.
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Nokia, Asha

The new Nokia Lumia 925 attempts to drive home the point that its camera is so good that it doesn't require a flash in low light conditions, whereas the iPhone cannot do without it. It shows a lone Nokia user who is wading through the dark streets past midnight (at 00:05 am). Suddenly, he comes across hordes of zombies, or rather iZombies, with pale faces, stiff lips, and shiny red eyes (possibly to show that the red-eye reduction in the iPhone camera doesn't work well?) walking aimlessly.

As he continues his walk, he finds the iZombies infecting others by lamely flashing their iPhone camera flash at unsuspecting people, turning them instantly into iZombies (read, Apple fanboys). The teaser ends with the terrified Nokia user confronted and cornered by a frightening iZombie who is about to flash him. While it ends there and reminds us that the Nokia Lumia 925 doesn't need flash for low light photography and can take the best pictures in any light, we have a feeling that this is just the first in a series of ad campaigns. While we anticipate the next part, you can take a look at the ad over here and tell us what you make of it:

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Nokia, Apple, Lumia, iPhone

Nokia sure has something big up its sleeve, as it gears up for its much-hyped 11th July event. Promising a webcast of the event on its conversations blog, the Finnish brand has dropped clear hints that it has yet another camera phone with a 41 megapixel sensor that will be unveiled on 11th July at New York. Rumours of a Windows Phone handset dubbed as Lumia EOS has been making round for some time already, and we expect more details to come out soon.

Nokia's PureView 808 handset, which brought the mammoth-sized sensor into the limelight, runs a dated OS (Symbian) that is now dead. Ever since, Nokia fans have been pleading for the technology to be brought to the brand's WP8-based Lumia handsets, which it seems to be complying to now. Since the date is just round the corner, we'll find out the truth soon enough.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

With Father's Day just around the corner, what is it that you'd gift your beloved father? Well, the best response would be to spend “quality time” with him — watch a cricket match, take him out to lunch/dinner, or just have a chat with him. But since we aren't that thoughtful, here are some 'not-so-less thoughtful' gadget gifts for your dad (and to show your support for the economy).

Did You Know?
Father's Day came about to complement Mother's day, which was spearheaded by American women in the early 1900's. The Americans resisted the holiday for many decades, perceiving it as an attempt by merchants to merely replicate the commercial success of Mother's Day. It was officially a part of the national holiday, when President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972. (Source Wikipedia)

Phoney Love

As much as we love avoiding talking to our parents, ironically it makes one of the best presents for your dad. Why? He's obviously older, using an even older phone for as long as you can remember, and don't pretend he's not noticed your fancy new smartphone.

HTC One
Price – Rs 41,500
Arguably the best smartphone available today, it has 4.7" 1080p screen, 2 GB RAM, 4 Ultra-pixel camera, and a sleek Aluminium body. It's downside - the price. It costs as much as a full-fledged tablet.


Nokia PureView 808
Price – Rs 16,500 (approx)
If you just don't care about the so-called latest and greatest, perhaps Nokia's PureView 808 with a 41 MP snapper will mightily impress him, with its DLSR-like quality. Plus its got 4" screen, can shoot video in 1080p, and is easily expandable 32 GB. The only downside — availability.
 

Not that Kind of Tablet

The only tablet that my Dad has ever cared about, is the one that comes out of our medicine cabinet. Yet he is quite Net savvy (at least where he wants to be) and loves checking out YouTube videos of long one gone Indian Classical Singers. If your dad isn't too far away from mine in his idiosyncrasies, a Tablet would be ideal for him. He'll have his own personal entertainment device which is light and convenient to use. Now to only teach him to use a touchscreen.

Apple iPad 4 16GB (Wi-Fi+3G)
Price – Rs 40,000
The best that Apple has to offer in their new "Retina Display" line-up. It's got a stunningly-sharp display, FaceTime HD camera, and the latest iOS. Downside — Not as data sharing friendly as other devices on the planet.



Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 P3110 (Wi-Fi, 16 GB)
Price – Rs 10,000
If you really don't fancy Apple, Android tablets should fit the bill quite well. It doesn't have call facility but comes with very capable specifications, a good 7" screen to boot, and has all the Android goodness built right into it.
 

Kindley Read

Do you have stacks of books flooding your house everywhere, which your Dad is unwilling to let go of? If your father is a sentimental bookworm, who loves hanging on to his books from the 15th century, then Amazon Kindle in India is what you need. True prying his hands off the books with a gollum like grip is going to be difficult, but it sure will save you a lot of space and clutter... or there's always the mala (loft).

Amazon Kindle
Price – Rs 6000
The fantastic e-book reader is like no other tablet-styled device, it has a screen that reads just like paper with no glare, even in bright sunlight, can hold thousands of books, and is lighter than a paperback book at 170 gms.
 

Watch This!

If your dad is the type who thinks a watch tan is a mark of manliness, it is time upgrade his hand tanner to something with a little more oomph! Enter the world of Smartwatches, they can not only show time, but also control your smartphone including showing social media updates. Unintentional side effect — Your father's going to end up looking perpetually bored and uninterested in the happenings around him, can't be too good for his sex life.

Casio G-Shock Bluetooth
Price - Rs 10,000 (approx)
After years in incubation, Casio finally releases a G-Shock, which can tune in with your Smartphone. It alerts you when a call is coming, mails, calendar notifications, and of course Social Media networking too. It is even geriatric friendly, if your father's perpetually forgetting his phone, it will instantly alert you that you've wandered off too far. Only drawback — it's only for iPhone and is not readily available yet.


Sony SmartWatch
Price - Rs 6200
For those looking for a more accessible alternative, Sony may just fit the bill. It's a full-fledged touchscreen watch made to do pretty much what an Android smartphone can do, while acting as a phone remote. It's only drawback — its battery life sucks as much as that of an Android phone.

 

Not so Healthy

With old age comes old age groans, and your Dad isn't an exception with rising BP (because of your harkate [behaviour]) and erratic Blood-Glucose levels. Redeem yourself by gifting your ailing father a health checker that ends up saving money, time, and the last strand of hair on your father's balding head.

Accu-Chek Combo Insulin Delivery System
Price - NA
The double-benefit system is the most advanced medical system you can have, it has a complete Diabetes Management tool and a state-of-the-art system blood glucose meter with an insulin pump. It uses bluetooth to talk to each of its removal devices, fully customisable bolus calculator, and a helpful reminder/warning system. Of course, no use gifting your father all this technology if all he has is a singular problem (other than you driving him the wall), check out other health devices available at Accu-Check.

 

Bonus Gift

I Have Needs
While your father may be a father to you, he is also a man and...err...a lover. While we don't want to paint any grotesque images in your mind (opps, too late now!), it is something you might want to present him. A gift card from a kinky clothing shop, in a weird sort of way.

Kaamastra
This is a first-of-its-kind naughty clothing site to tickle one's senses and much more. This e-commerce site has it all, sexy lingerie, roll play costumes, body jewellery (that barely cover the essentials), massage and bath items, and lubricants. While we cannot personally recommend anything from here (for obvious reasons of preference) and the fact that my editor is mostly likely to chop this section out. We just hope at the end of all this, you don't come home to a man dressed in kinky clothing in the living room!


Main Story Image Thumbnail Courtsey - Chimpwear

Tags : Mobile Phones, Tablets, E-Commerce, HTC, Amazon, Samsung, Sony, Nokia, Apple, Kindle, One, GALAXY, iPad

Nokia has sent press invites to media personnel in the US for a 11th July event scheduled to take place in New York City, according to Engadget. While no details have been provided, the name of the event "Zoom Reinvented" and the imagery of a magnifying glass have sparked speculations that this could be a camera-phone with zoom capabilities. There have been a lot of reports and leaked images of a mobile phone codenamed EOS from Nokia or perhaps Lumia PureView, which could be what this event is all about. The device in question is said to be a Lumia with the full imaging capabilities of the company's acclaimed 808 PureView camera phone launched last year with a 41 mp image sensor.

Samsung has just announced its latest camera-phone – the GALAXY S4 zoom – with 10x zoom, which is basically a GALAXY S4 mini with a zoom lens sticking out of its back that makes it look like an abomination of a mobile phone. Nokia could be unveiling an answer to this handset, but we sincerely hope that the Finnish manufacturer will stay true to refined taste of design and not go for an outrageous design (for want of a better word) like the Korean electronics giant. Whatever be the case, we still have a good one month to speculate and wait with our fingers crossed.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Nokia

Last month we recommended the best phones you can pick up without crossing the 20k mark. This time, we are back with some unbeatable deals for those ready to shell out up to Rs 25,000. Be it Android, Windows Phone, or even iOS, you get them all in this price-range. While these may not be the most desirable handsets in the market, they're only a notch below the flagship products. Some of them are in fact last year's top-end phones that offer excellent value after recent price cuts. Without further ado, here's the list of phones you should consider buying under Rs 25,000.

Samsung GALAXY S III
Street Price: Rs 25,000
Almost a year after its launch, the GALAXY S III is still one of the best Android phones around. The phone is powered by Exynos 4412 chipset that boasts of a quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A9 processor, and Mali-400MP GPU. The 4.7" HD AMOLED screen offers vibrant colours and great contrast. The rest of the features include an 8 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, A-GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage, microSD card slot, and 2100 mAh battery. It comes with Android Jelly Bean 4.1. Since the phone looks very similar to the latest GALAXY S4, you also get good flaunt value.

Nokia Lumia 820
Street Price: Rs 22,500
The Lumia 820 is a solid piece of hardware with colourful replaceable shells. The handset's AMOLED screen with ClearBlack tech does full justice to Windows Phone UI, which is a mixture of deep blacks and vibrant hues. The Windows Phone 8 OS is not only refreshingly different, but is also very well optimized. The phone is powered by a dual-core Snapdragon S4 chip clocked at 1.5 GHz. Apart from that you get an 8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal storage, microSD card slot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.1, 1650 mAh battery, and optional wireless (induction) charging accessory. To further sweeten the deal, the Finns offer Nokia Music, HERE Maps, and exclusive camera lenses (software, that is).

Apple iPhone 4 (16 GB)
Street Price: 24,500
This one's for the Apple aspirants. The iPhone 4 features a 3.5" IPS screen with 640x960 pixels. Its compact form-factor makes it perfect for single-handed use. The phone is powered by a 1 GHz Cortex-A8 CPU coupled with PowerVR SGX535 GPU. Now before you frown over its single core processor, let me tell you that the OS is so well optimised that this phone runs smoother than most quad or even octa-core Android devices in the market. The 5 megapixel camera is good enough to please casual shutterbugs. Other specs include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 (for device pairing), and 1420 mAh battery.

Panasonic P51
Street Price: 22,300
The Panasonic P51 is the only dual-SIM phone to make it to our list in this segment. The handset packs in a 5" HD IPS screen with impressive colour reproduction. The show is run by a MediaTek MT6589 SOC with a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU, and PowerVR 544 GPU. The onboard 1 GB of RAM is enough to handle Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) quite well. For photography there's a very good 8 megapixel auto-focus camera. It covers other essentials such as Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, and has a 2500 mAh battery. So if you're in for a high-end dual-SIM phone, the Panasonic P51 is the way to go. Oh, and it's way better than the Samsung GALAXY Grand.

LG Nexus 4
Street Price: 24,700
The holy grail of Android purists, the Nexus 4 is finally available in India, officially. Of course, the phone runs the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, and being a Nexus device, it will be the first one to receive future OS updates. The Nexus 4 features a 4.7" True IPS Plus screen with 1280x768 pixels. Inside is a powerful 1.5 GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, and 2 GB of RAM. In the camera department, it's equipped with an 8 megapixel auto-focus snapper. Other specs include Bluetooth 4.0, 3G, Wi-Fi, NFC, and 2100 mAh battery. If you do not like any customisations that most vendors offer, and are looking for a pure Android experience, this is the phone for you.

That's it for now. If you like our selection, or if you think we have missed out on some key handset in this price bracket, do let us know in the comments section below.

Tags : Mobile Phones, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Apple, Samsung, Nokia, LG, Panasonic, Buyers Guide

It's no secret that Nokia is working hard to bring its 41 megapixel camera tech on Windows Phone platform. When the company slashed the price of the current camera flagship 808 PureView, it was an indication that the company is inching towards achieving that feat. And if the guys behind the Twitter handle @vizileaks are to be believed, this is probably what the upcoming handset (codenamed EOS) will look like.

As you can see from the image, the handset features the same polycarbonate unibody as seen on the Lumia 920. It's the big camera sensor hump that makes all the difference though. As you'd expect from a Nokia camera phone, the optics are made by Carl Zeiss. On close inspection, you can see that the lens assembly sports a Xenon flash along with an LED module. Near the PureView branding you can see the text that reads XX megapixels. This could probably mean that the device in question a prototype, and the final product will be much more refined.

The Nokia 808 Pureview till date, boasts of arguably the best camera ever seen on a mobile phone. And Nokia is striving hard to repurpose that premium technology in their flagship Lumia smartphone series. If the images are to be believed, that might become a reality shortly.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

Good news for Nokia fans (and the 16% of our readers) who aspire to buy the Lumia 920. The Finnish company has significantly reduced the price of its flagship device to Rs 32,000. What's more, you'll also get a free wireless (induction) charging pad free on every purchase.

As many already know, Lumia 920 runs Microsoft's latest Windows Phone 8 platform. The phone is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 chipset, featuring a dual-core 1.5 GHz CPU and Adreno 225 GPU. It has an 8.7 mp PureView camera with dual-LED flash, Carl Zeiss optics, and Optical Image Stabilisation. Apart from that, you get a 4.5" IPS panel with pixel dimensions of 768x1280, 1 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of internal storage. For more details, don't forget to check out our Lumia 920 review. Those interested in photography can also figure out everything that the Lumia 920's snapper is capable of, in our nifty camera features.

Just a couple of days ago, Nokia had started teasing about the Lumia 925 on its India website. It seems that the Finnish company wants to clear out its 920 stocks, before bringing out its next flagship. Another reason for this price-cut could be the entry of the Samsung GALAXY S4 in the market.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

After screen sizes and operating platforms, brands play an important role in influencing people's buying decisions. While it isn't surprising that readers continue to have their heart set on certain devices, what strikes as odd is that the loyalty doesn't die down even when cooking up a wish list.

As far as pricing is concerned, most of these handsets — the Samsung GALAXY S4, HTC One, Sony XPERIA Z, Apple iPhone 5, and Nokia Lumia 920 — all fall in similar price bands; around Rs 40,000, give and take a couple of thousands.

While the Samsung GALAXY S4 seems to be doing a good job of building up the hype and wooing crowds, and the HTC One closing in as an able competitor, it is rather shocking that the iPhone 5 is limping at the end of the queue. Unlike the Windows Phone, its app repository is running ahead on full throttle, and the 4" phone itself boasts of a good user experience.

As far as the results are concerned, Samsung GALAXY S4 is the most desirable smartphone for our readers with 1/3rd of the total votes, followed by 26% votes for the HTC One. Clearly, a sturdy dust-proof and water-proof phone does not get too many of our readers excited (nor does a Katrina Kaif trying her best to sell it) with just 14% of the voters giving Sony's Xperia Z a thumbs up. One can safely say that the smart people on our site look at the product rather than the pretty celebrities trying to sell you the same.

While the WP8-based Lumia 920 was kind of expected to end up at the base of the list, given people's skepticism about the Windows phone platform, it did a reasonable job in the poll to grab the mid position with 16% of the votes. The camera must have definitely clicked for the 920. It is highly unlikely that its horrendous TV commercials would have assisted in any manner.

The fact that Apple finished last (11%) with its current flagship iPhone 5 is a bit hard to digest. The product might seem slightly dated given the kind of features competing Android devices boast of these days, and especially the high-res displays. Also, if you look at our last week's poll analysis, readers steered clear of phablets, but phones with screen-size up to 4" weren't too popular either. Or may be the Apple fans already have their eyes set on the next iPhone that's due shortly.

One way or the other, at least for now, people seem to be aiming for the stars, and ditching the fruit basket with goodies.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Samsung, HTC, Sony, Nokia, Apple

Nokia has launched its Nokia Xpress Now App for its Asha smartphones in India, through which users of Asha feature-phone can access curated web pages, filtered by the user's own behaviour and preferences. Nokia's Xpress Now is based on the company's Xpress Browser, already used by users of the Asha feature-phone range.

According to Nokia, there are around 80 million Nokia Xpress Browser users, and the new Xpress Now app works by collating the aggregate views of all the 80 million users along with the selected browsing preferences of individual users, to display the hottest trends/things from across the internet. Users of Express Now would also get an opportunity to equip themselves with the latest web happenings, as various popular websites/news are also filtered out by the web app and displayed on mobile phones.

Fundamentally, Xpress Now equips Asha feature phone users with three options to filter for content viz. What's Hot, Most Liked and You May Also Like. With What's Hot, all the popular web content that thousands of other users are accessing/viewing in a particular category, are filtered to be displayed. With Most Liked, users can view what has been explicitly "Liked" by other Xpress Now users. This aspect also acts as an effective tool to obtain new information, and spread it to other Xpress Now users.

The other aspect of Xpress Now, dubbed What You May Like filters out a list of sites based on the websites that users keep track of frequently. Currently, Xpress Now is in its beta stage in India, perhaps because low-priced Nokia feature phones still sell well here (though smartphones outsold feature phones for the first time in 2013), and some new customers have limited knowledge of the internet.

With its latest phone releases of Nokia Asha 501 and Nokia 105 being touted as "affordable", the company seems to be focusing on regaining its market share in the budget segment.

Nokia Asha 501

TAGS: Nokia, Asha, Mobile Phones

Alongside launching its new metal-clad Lumia 925, Nokia also announced the 'Amber' update for its Lumia 920, Lumia 820, Lumia 520 and the Lumia 720 for users of these smartphones to unlock FM Radio functionality. However, Amber is not applicable to Nokia's Lumia 620, as the device doesn't feature FM Radio hardware in the first place.

A Verge report states that Amber would seed via a GDR2 (General Distribution Release) update that is expected to arrive in July for Nokia's Windows Phone 8 devices. Apart from unlocking the FM Radio feature on Lumia devices, the update also brings with it camera enhancements, and the 'double tap to wake' functionality. The latest Nokia Lumia 925 is expected to come with this feature to wake it with a couple of taps in quick succession on the phone's screen, thus preventing accidental activation of phones when in your pocket. The Nokia Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 would be updated to include the 'double tap to wake' feature.

As of now, Nokia's recently launched Asha 501 already offers the double tap feature. Nokia's earlier N9 phone also provided users the option of unlocking its screen with a double tap. FM Radio unlocking is a big deal for Windows Phone 8 devices because the newer OS did not support FM Radio at launch, a seemingly simple feature which was present and functioned normally in Microsoft's earlier Windows Phone 7 platform.

TAGS: Nokia, Lumia, Windows Phone

Nokia's recently announced the Lumia 925 smartphone adding to the growing line-up of Windows Phone 8 devices. One of the key Apps on the Lumia 925 was the Smart Camera App, which had a demo on the launch trailer of the smartphone. The Smart Camera app brings new features like Best Shot, Action Shot and Motion Focus option to the PureView Camera of Lumia 925.

In an official blog post, Nokia has announced that the image enhancement app will be available for all its Windows Phone 8 devices, making it one of the growing list of Lumia-exclusive apps. While using the Best Shot, Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 will be able to capture 10 frames at 5 MP per photo as it is on the Lumia 925 but Lumia 520, Lumia 620 and Lumia 720 will be capturing 7 frames at 1 MP. This is only due to hardware limitations on the lower range of Lumia smartphones. The hardware limitations also poses the reason of the non-availability of the Smart Camera app on Windows Phone 7.5 or 7.8.

The other features of the app like Motion Focus keeps the subject in focus while blurring the background giving an impression of the subject moving at high speed and Action Shot lets you merge different frames into one single shot creating an effect like the below image.

After shouting themselves hoarse over "platform fragmentation", ex-Android users who switched to Windows Phone must be dismayed. First the WP7 to WP8 transition which left all the old devices behind, and now these brand-specific apps which won't work on, say, an HTC 8S or Samsung ATIV phone which also run the WP8 operating system. Expect anger at Nokia first, followed by denial of fragmentation on comments/forums that 'fanboys' frequent.

TAGS: Nokia, Lumia, Cameras

Man of Steel, an upcoming Warner Brothers movie in the famous Superman franchise, is yet to hit the theaters, but you can grab a first hand feel of how the movie will be, with the official Man Of Steel app, exclusively for Nokia Lumia smartphones (Windows Phone 8 platform).

Man Of Steel can be downloaded for free, and is claimed to bring stunning graphics that you can expect when the movie releases, along with:

• Wallpapers, ringtones, and digital comic books about the 'Man Of Steel' Superman franchise.
• Play five different challenges with varied difficulty levels, all enclosed in the form of 4 game chapters.
• Countdown to the movie release.
• Watch Man Of Steel trailers on Lumia phones.
• Find nearby theaters.
• See the 'World as Man Of Steel' photo contest wherein users can use the camera on their Lumia to superimpose Superman on any background.
• Win movie tickets and 'Man Of Steel' merchandise.
• Virtual reality view of all the challenges.
• Sharing of accomplishments in the challenges, over social networks.

If you are a Superman fan, want to know more about the iconic character, and if are eager to know how the movie would feel, head to the Windows Phone Store for downloading the 'Man Of Steel' App. Do keep in mind that the app works only with Windows Phone 8 Lumia smartphones, the older Lumia phones running Windows Phone 7.5/7.8 are not supported.

Publisher: Nokia Corporation
Platform: Windows Phone 8 (only Nokia Lumia hardware supported)
Price: Freeware
Size: 46 MB
Download URL: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/man-of-steel-tm/4ec5089e-5553-42e0-8f62-9aa492f8670c

TAGS: Apps, Nokia, Lumia, Windows Phone, Downloads

After countless speculations and leaks, Nokia has finally unwrapped its next flagship. Dubbed as the Lumia 925, it's the first Windows Phone device from Nokia to sport a metallic body. While the casing is made of aluminium, the rear is still made of polycarbonate.

The phone runs Microsoft's latest Windows Phone 8, and packs in Nokia exclusive apps such as HERE maps, Music, and digital camera lenses. Similar to the Lumia 920, this one's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 chipset, featuring a dual-core 1.5 GHz CPU, and Adreno 225 GPU. It has an 8.7 megapixel PureView camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and Optical Image Stabilisation. Those expecting a Xenon flash will be disappointed as there's a dual-LED flash for night photography. There are talks of enhanced lens assembly, about which we don't have much information as of now. Connectivity features include Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, NFC, and 2000 mAh battery. The phone is slimmer and weighs 139 grams, which is around 50 grams lighter than the 920.

Similar to the recently launched Verizon exclusive 928, you get a 4.5" screen with pixel dimensions of 768x1280. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 2, with ClearBlack tech for better sunlight legibility. Thanks to Nokia's super-sensitive screen tech, you can use the phone with gloves on.

Moving away from the bold colours, the Lumia 925 will only come in boring Black, White and Grey. For those who want to add a dash of colours can buy additional snap-on covers that are also available in Yellow and Red along with Black and White (I wonder why). A wireless charging cover can be clipped onto the back of the phone to take advantage of Nokia's wireless (induction) charging gear.

Sales are expected to start in UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and China in June, followed by the US and a number of other markets. The Nokia Lumia 925 will be priced around 469 EUR (approx. 33,500) before taxes and subsidies. It's India launch date is yet to be disclosed.
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

Twitter user @evleaks is well-known for bringing handset images out in the open, before their official launch. They have a great track record, especially when it comes to Nokia phones. Be it last year's Lumia 920, 820 or the most recent 720 and 520, the images they showed off have been spot on. This time around, @evleaks has managed to spill the beans on Nokia's latest Lumia, that too just a day prior to its official announcement.

The phone in question is being dubbed as Lumia 925. The handset's styling is pretty much on the lines of Nokia's official teaser advert that has been aired in the UK. If the images turn out to be legit, which I believe they are, then the next Lumia is going to be significantly slimmer than Nokia's current flagship, the 920. Moreover, it seems to sport an aluminium body, as opposed to polycarbonate being used in the current batch of Nokia phones. There's, however, no word on the phone's specifications. But with the announcement a few hours away, we don't have to wait too long for the complete details.

 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

With the Lumia 928 already out, everyone is now all the more curious to know what is up Nokia's sleeve for its London event. And to generate more hype, the Finns are airing cryptic ads on UK's Channel 4. The 20 second snippet shows parts of the upcoming handset, mostly focusing on its camera assembly. In the video, you can see a noticeable camera lump. The body seems to have a metallic sheen, making us believe it's made using Aluminium. The ad says, "More Than Your Eyes Can See", probably hinting at a PureView camera. However, I doubt that it will sport a 41 megapixel sensor, which was made famous by the 808 PureView.

While the next Lumia is scheduled to go official tomorrow, check out the teaser for yourself and let us know what you make of it in the comments.
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

After giving the world a glimpse of its latest Lumia 928 a few days ago, Nokia has finally shed light on its specs and availability. As expected, the handset is exclusive to American network operator Verizon, and will start retailing from 16th of this month. The phone runs Microsoft's latest Windows Phone 8, and packs in Nokia exclusive apps such as HERE maps, Music, and digital camera lenses. Similar to the Lumia 920, this one's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 chipset, featuring a dual-core 1.5 GHz CPU, and Adreno 225 GPU. It has an 8.7 megapixel PureView camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and Optical Image Stabilisation. Apart from that, you get a 4.5" screen with pixel dimensions of 768x1280, 1 GB of RAM, and 32 GB internal storage, wireless (induction) changing support, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. and 2000 mAh battery.

There are a few differences between the 920 and this one though. For instance, the 928 sports an AMOLED screen as compared to 920's IPS panel. In camera department, there's a Xenon flash to accompany an LED. And finally, as opposed to Lumia 920's six shades, the 928 will only comes in White and Black.

Most of us were expecting the Finns to showcase the Lumia 928 at their London event on 14th of May. Now that it's already out, we can expect something more exciting from the upcoming event.
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

Announced in 2011, Nokia's budget-friendly Asha series has received a positive response in India. This is simply because many in the country still prefer cost effective and easy-to-use basic phones, over a smartphone. Little wonder then, the company has added yet another member to the Asha family. The latest entrant sports a 3" touchscreen and is named Asha 501.

It is the first phone to feature Nokia's Asha Software Platform. The new OS is a result of Nokia's Smarterphone aqusition. The UI revolves around swipe gestures, which is reminiscent of Meego powered N9. For photography, there's a 3.2 megapixel camera. The phone has a microSD slot for memory supporting up to 32 GB. While it will not support 3G connectivity, other confirmed specs include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, and 1200 mAh battery. This will also be the first phone in the Asha series to sport a Micro SIM.

Going by the press shots, the phone seems to have a Lumia 620-esque sporty design. The Asha 501 will come dual and single SIM variants. It will be available in six colours: Red, Cyan, Green, White, Black, and Yellow. Starting from the next month, the Asha 501 will take on the low-end Android phones with its USD 100 (approx. Rs 5500) price tag.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Nokia, Asha

The Nokia Lumia 928 has been in the pipeline for a while now. Now, the Finnish phone maker has finally given the world a glimpse of the new handset, which is likely to be a US-exclusive model. While there is no official word on the phone's specifications yet, it does pack in a 8.7 megapixel snapper with the goodness of Nokia's PureView and OIS technology, and a Carl Zeiss lens to keep it company. To show the world how well it performs under low lighting conditions, the guys at Nokia USA took the Lumia 928, along with the Samsung GALAXY S3 and an iPhone 5 for a quick spin at a New York amusement park. Needless to say, it does manage to beat its closest rivals quite comprehensively. Check out the video to see for yourself:

The Lumia 928 is said to be exclusive to Verizon in the US, which possibly means it will be a CDMA-based phone and may not ever become available in India, whose telecom operators use the GSM standard instead. For those who walked in late, this phone is a spin-off of Nokia's flagship Lumia 920. The new variant will sport an aluminium chassis instead of a polycarbonate unibody and is also expected to be thinner and lighter than the 920. Rest of the spec is said to be untouched, so you can expect a 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, and 1 GB of RAM.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

Last month, we suggested some handsets under 10k that offer excellent value for money. However, if you're looking for a smartphone that won't become obsolete within a year, you need to loosen your purse strings a bit more. In this article, we're going to pick five handsets that offer a premium smartphone experience without breaking the bank. So here's the list of phones worth your consideration, if you're willing to spend up to Rs 20,000. The listing is not in any particular order or ranking.

LG Optimus L9
Street Price: Rs 17,400
LG's Optimus series is not as popular as its South Korean compatriot's GALAXY phones. However, some of the Optimus phones are really worth your money. One such device is the Optimus L9, which sports 4.7" IPS screen with 960x540 pixels. It draws power from a 1 GHz dual core processor (Cortex A9), coupled with PowerVR SGX540 GPU. There's 1 GB of RAM to aid the device's multitasking capabilities. The 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash is capable of recording HD videos. Other features include Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS. 3.5 mm jack, 4 GB of internal memory, microSD card slot, and 2150 mAh battery. The Optimus L9 offers ICS out of the box, and the Jelly Bean update is being rolled out in phases.

 

XOLO X1000
Street Price: RS 18,500
XOLO is one of the few domestic brands that build sturdy and good looking phones. The X1000 flaunts a sleek unibody design along with a 4.7" curved display with pixel dimensions of 1280x720. The X1000 is powered by a 2 GHz Intel Atom (Z2480) processor with Hyper Threading technology. There's a PowerVR SGX540 GPU to handle the gaming department. Apart from this, the features an 8 megapixel camera, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB internal storage, microSD card slot, 3G, Wi-Fi, A-GPS, Bluetooth, and 1900 mAh battery. It runs Android 4.0 out of the box. According to XOLO, it will eventually be upgraded to Jelly Bean.

Sony Xperia ion
Street Price: Rs 18,900
Thanks to the recent price cut, the Xperia ion is now available under Rs 20,000. The handset features a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, and 1 GB of RAM. It has a 4.6" LCD display with 720x1280 pixels. In photography department, it flaunts a 12.1 megapixel auto-focus camera equipped with Exmor R mobile sensor. Apart from that, the phone packs in Wi-Fi, 3G, HDMI-Out, A-GPS, Bluetooth 2.1, NFC, 1.3 mp front-facing camera, 3.5 mm jack, and 1900 mAh battery. Additionally, the build quality is fairly decent. It runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) out of the box, and is eligible for a Jelly Bean update.

 

Nokia Lumia 720
Street Price: Rs 17,900
The Lumia 720 is one of the best looking handset you can get without crossing the 20k mark. The handset features a 4.3" WVGA IPS screen with ClearBlack tech, which is known to offer deeper blacks. The 720 packs in a 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with Adreno 305 graphics, which offer a fluid Windows Phone 8 experience. The 6.7 megapixel autofocus camera offers incredible low-light photography. Other hardware features include 8 GB internal storage, microSD card slot, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, and 2000 mAh battery. To further sweeten the deal, the Finns have thrown in Nokia Music (free music download for a year) and Nokia Drive (maps).

 

Nokia 808 PureView
Street Price: Rs 16,500
If you're a photography enthusiasts, you simply cannot ignore the Nokia 808 PureView. This camera phone sports a 41 megapixel sensor coupled with a Xenon flash. It may not be powered by fancy quad-core processors, but its 1.3 GHz CPU is more than enough to handle the Nokia Belle OS (formerly known as Symbian Belle). The phone's other key features include 16 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, FM transmitter, HDMI port, and USB OTG. And yes, the phone also offers free offline voice-guided GPS navigation. The app support may not be as extensive as that for Android but you do get a lot of popular apps for this platform. But buy this phone purely for it's camera. For its new selling price of Rs 16,500 (half of what it was at launch), this handset offers more than what you would bargain for.

That's it for the sub 20K phones. If you are on a slightly tighter budget, you may check our sub 15K smarphones guide here.

Tags : Mobile Phones, Android, Windows Phone, Nokia, Sony, xolo, LG, Lumia, Xperia, Buyers Guide

This will come across as good news for shutterbugs, as Nokia is now offering heavy discounts on its 808 PureView handset. The one-of-its-kind camera phone is now available for Rs 16,500, a price which redefines the term value for money.

The 808 PureView sports a 41 megapixel camera sensor with Xenon flash to keep it company. It may not be powered by fancy quad-core processors, but its 1.3 GHz CPU is more than enough to handle the Nokia Belle OS (formerly known as Symbian Belle). The phone's other key features include 16 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, FM transmitter, HDMI port, and USB OTG. And yes, the phone also offers free offline voice-guided GPS navigation.

Last year, we had pit the 808 PureView against a Canon EOS 550D. To our surprise, the handset did match up to the DSLR's quality in good lighting conditions. Before placing an order though, don't forget to read our review.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Cameras, Symbian, Nokia

Nokia Lumia 720
Street Price: Rs 17,900

Not just apps, there had been a void in terms of handset options for those willing to switch to the WP8 platform. Therefore, Nokia wants to make sure that there’s a Lumia in most of the price segments. The Lumia 720 bridges the gap between their 820 and the budget-friendly Lumia 620. Announced in MWC 2013, the handset has been receiving a lot of attention. Let's find out if it is worth all that hype.

Design And Build Quality
The 720 is yet another good looking device that belongs to the Lumia family from Nokia. It sports the same Fabula design language that we've seen on the Lumia 800, 900, and the current flagship 920. The handset sports a polycarbonate unibody with curved edges. Even the screen is curved around the edges, which makes the transition between the display and body look seamless. However, Nokia has refined the design further and this one feels a lot slimmer.

 

Nokia's love for colours continues as this handset comes in Red, Yellow, White, Cyan, and Black. The last two come with a matte body, while the rest of the lot sports a glossy finish. I'm a sucker for minimalism, and that's exactly what this phone focuses on. While the looks are subjective, at least in my books, the Lumia 720 is one of the best looking handset in its class. It is compact and ideal for single handed usage. Attention to detail is very good and there's nothing to complain about when it comes to sturdiness.

The WP handset features the standard set of capacitive keys: Windows (Home), Back, and Search. The Volume rocker, Lock button, and camera key are on the right side. A 3.5 mm jack is at the top, along with a micro-SIM slot that can be pop-opened using a paperclip. On the left is a similar looking slot that houses a microSD card. The phone has three contact points for the snap-on wireless charging covers, which aren't available in India yet.

 

Display And Specs
The 720 features a 4.3" IPS screen protected by Gorilla Glass 2. Similar to the Lumia 820, this phone has pixel dimensions of 800x480. The screen is bright and has wide viewing angles. The colour reproduction is also good. Thanks to Nokia's ClearBlack tech you get great sunlight legibility. The blacks look far better than what you get to see on similarly priced handsets. Still, I would any day choose the 820's AMOLED screen over it.

This phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chipset with a 1 GHz dual-core CPU and Adreno 305 GPU. Other features include a 6.7 megapixel auto-focus camera with an LED flash, 512 MB of RAM, 8 GB internal storage, and microSD card slot (up to 64 GB). Full specifications are at the end of this review.

UI And Apps
In its latest iteration, the Windows Phone OS has caught up with the competition in terms of features such as Bluetooth file sharing and USB mass-storage mode. The cosmetic changes include more flexible Live Tiles, improved lock screen that can pull updates from your inbox, social networks, or any other apps. The user interface is fluid and feels more cohesive than Android. Unlike the dead icons found on the competing operating systems, the WP Live Tiles get updated in real time. This makes sure that you don't to miss any important notification, and also explains why Microsoft's platform doesn't require the Android like notification bar. Speaking of aesthetics, the WP platform can easily give the iOS a run for its money. As far as the stability is concerned it's as good if not better than Apple's mobile platform.

The OS is well optimized and therefore, runs smooth on a 1 GHz dual-core processor. Since the phone features 512 MB of RAM, the apps take slightly more time to load as compared to Lumia 820 and 920. Another annoyance is that due to the relatively low RAM, a few games such as Dark Knight Rises aren't compatible with the 720.

Rather than depending on third-party apps, the Windows Phone OS delivers most functionality out of the box. For instance, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are integrated right into the UI. Thanks to Microsoft's Office Suite, you don’t have to hunt for document or spreadsheet editor. Moreover, the deep SkyDrive integration makes sure you don't miss Dropbox. Another nifty feature is Kid's Corner, which lets you create a separate homescreen for your kids (or even wife). You can choose as to what content appears in this section. This way, you can let other people check out your phone without compromising the privacy.

In addition to that, you get Nokia's HERE+ Maps. The app offers free voice-guided navigation in offline mode. The tried and tested location service is packed with features, and there's even an option to get voice instructions in Hindi. The device's GPS performance is impressive; even in offline mode, it never took more than a minute to lock onto satellites. Other Nokia exclusive apps worth mentioning are PhotoBeamer and City Lens.

The Windows Phone store houses over 130,000 apps, and is growing at a good pace. Most of the popular apps are available in the store. If not, there are alternatives, which are sometimes even better than what you were looking for. Take for example, Dictionary app by Flow Simulation, which puts its Android and iOS counterparts to shame.

Coming to the subject of gaming, there are enough titles to keep the casual gamers happy. However, the catalogue has a long way to go before catching up with the iOS and Android repositories.

   

Multimedia
Apart from Microsoft's default music and video player, the Lumia 720 comes with Nokia Music. Not only does it bring equalizer settings and Dolby enhancement, but also offers unlimited free track downloads for a year. The device's sound quality is very good. Radio lovers will be disappointed though due to the lack of FM receiver.

Coming to the subject of video playback, the handset managed to handle 1080p MP4, WMV, and AVI without an issue. The guys at VLC are soon expected to bring their app on this platform, but till then there's no way to play MKV files on Windows Phone devices.

Camera
The Lumia 720 packs in a 6.7 megapixel auto-focus camera that boasts Carl Zeiss optics. The camera's daylight performance is slightly better than its younger sibling 620. The images shot with this phone deliver natural colours and plenty of detail. Click here, to download the untouched sample.

Similar to the Lumia 920, this mid-range handset offers excellent low-light shots. We compared its performance with the similarly priced (in fact pricier) Samsung GALAXY Grand. The results showed that there was no "comparison"! Then we decided to pit it against the iPhone 5, which costs 2.5 times the Lumia 720. To our surprise though, Nokia's handset managed to outperform the mighty iPhone 5.

 
Low light photo comparison (without flash).

Similar to the high-end Lumia 920, this one packs in Nokia-exclusive lenses such as Cinemagraph, Smart shoot, and Panorama. To find out the usage of these camera plugins, go through our detailed article about Nokia's nifty camera tricks.

Telephony and Messaging
People Hub is one of the selling points of WP handsets. It brings all your contacts from Facebook, Windows Live, Twitter, and LinkedIn in one place. For messaging, you get an extremely responsive on screen keyboard. Finally, there was no issue with Lumia 720's Wi-Fi, or network reception. The sound during the voice calls was loud and clear during our tests.

Battery
The phone packs in a 2000 mAh Li-Ion battery. In our 720p video loop test, it lasted around 6 hours and 40 minutes. With normal usage, it's good enough to keep the device powered for almost two days.

Verdict
The Lumia 720 is quite a looker and comes in variety of bold colours. Its multimedia performance and screen are very good. It has got enough firepower to offer fluid WP8 experience. However, it's the camera's outstanding low-light performance that sets it apart from the crowd. Both the Lumia 720 and its rival HTC 8S are available for Rs 17,900. However, be it camera, display, or exclusive apps, the 720 come across as a better deal.

Features: 4/5
Design And Build Quality: 4.5/5
Performance: 4/5
Value For Money: 4/5
Mojo: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

Specifications:

• Windows Phone 8 operating system.
• Quad band GSM 2G, 3G.
• 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4.
• 512 MB RAM.
• 8 GB internal storage, 7 GB cloud storage
• microSD card slot to expand up to 64 GB.
• 4.3" ClearBlack display, with pixel dimensions of 800x480.
• 6.7 MP rear camera with F/1.9 Carl Zeiss Tessar lens and LED flash.
• 1.3 MP F/2.4 wide angle front camera.
• Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, Tethering, NFC.
• 2000 mAh battery with wireless charging option.
   

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

If you are one of those who grew up playing Pinball, this game is for you. Da Vinci Pinball, named after the famous inventor, is the first Xbox-enabled Pinball game, made for Nokia Lumia smartphones. With it, you can pinball your way through the mind of a Renaissance man who invented the modern world. It brings themes centered around Da Vinci's inventions and paintings with stunning visuals, on a table. This table provides various gadgets, weapons and machinery for you to play Pinball with.

You get background music along with narration which take you through, as the game progresses. You can move the flipper with a tap on your Lumia's touchscreen. Each of Da Vinci's missions involve the activation of gadgets such as Da-Vinci helicopters to hit various targets.

The Da Vinci Pinball app is available for Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 8 users as of now. You might want to scroll down to check out the screenshots of the app, and gameplay video before downloading/buying.

Publisher: Nokia Corporation
Download Size: 60 MB
Platforms: Windows Phone 8, Windows Phone 7.5
Price: Rs 163 ($2.99); a free trial version is also available
Download URL: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/davinci-pinball/703b85b5-2e04-4e96-8f49-b9ddb42ad3e5?appid=703b85b5-2e04-4e96-8f49-b9ddb42ad3e5&

TAGS: Nokia, Lumia, Windows Phone, Apps