Nokia Lumia 900 Review

· · · Review

Let me start off this review by saying that the Nokia Lumia 900 is what the Nokia’s flagship Windows Phone 7.5 should have been. The Nokia Lumia 800 felt like a rush job and Nokia Lumia 900 felt just right. Unfortunately, Microsoft just killed all the current Windows Phones out in the market with the announcement of Windows Phone 8 by saying that all current Windows Phone will not be upgradable to Windows Phone 8 and that includes the Nokia Lumia series.

If you are still interested in getting a Nokia Lumia 900, it is currently retailing for SGD$849 (including taxes & without contract) at all 3 operators (SingTel, M1, StarHub) in Singapore. I do hope that Nokia have some sort of attractive trade-in offers for current Lumia owners to upgrade to a new Lumia with Windows Phone 8 that will be announced at Nokia World 2012 (wild guess).

Nokia Lumia 900 - Box
Nokia Lumia 900 – Box

Specifications

  • Operating: Windows Phone Release 7.5 – Mango Commercial Release 2 (Mango + LTE)
  • Processor: 1.4GHz Snapdragon APQ8055 + MDM9200
  • Networks: WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100, GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
  • Speed: HSDPA+ Dual Carrier cat 24 (42 Mbps), HSUPA cat 6: 5.8 Mbps
  • 4.3″ ClearBlack AMOLED display with WVGA 800×480 resolution
  • 512MB RAM
  • 16 GB internal memory (14.5GB user memory)
  • Primary (Rear-facing): 8MP with f2.2/28mm Carl Zeiss lens and dual LED flash, Auto Focus, 720p, 30fps video capture
  • Secondary (Front-facing): 1MP with f2.4, 30fps video capture (VGA video call resolution)
  • A-GPS, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), USB 2.0 high-speed, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 3.5mm headset connector
  • 1,830mAh battery
  • Accelerometer, Proximity, Magnetometer, light sensor, Gyroscope
  • Volume: 90cc
  • Weight: 160 g (5.6 ounces)
  • Dimensions (max): 127.8 x 68.5 x 11.5 mm (5 x 2.7 x .45 inches)

These review will have 2 sections, the hardware side of the Lumia 900 and the software side of it.

Read More (1,242 More Words, 25 More Images, 1 More Video)

Apple Singapore AppStore Now In Singapore Dollars (S$)

· · · Software

Finally! Prices in both the iOS AppStore and Mac AppStore in Singapore are now displayed in Singapore Dollars (SGD$ or S$) instead of United Stats Dollars (USD$). This means that the price of an app will not fluctuate because of the horrible currency exchange rate between Singapore and United States given by banks.

Last month, when I bought a USD$0.99 app, my credit card bill will reflect SGD$1.30, but now the app just cost SGD$1.28. Apple uses very reasonable exchange rates, according to Google the exchange rate today (13:45 on Friday, 22nd June 2012) is:

1 U.S. dollar = 1.27689948 Singapore dollars

iOS AppStore Now In Singapore Dollars (S$) - iPhone
iOS AppStore Now In Singapore Dollars (S$) – iPhone

iOS AppStore Now In Singapore Dollars (S$) - iPad
iOS AppStore Now In Singapore Dollars (S$) – iPad

iOS AppStore Now In Singapore Dollars (S$) - iTunes
iOS AppStore Now In Singapore Dollars (S$) – iTunes

Mac AppStore Now In Singapore Dollars (S$)
Mac AppStore Now In Singapore Dollars (S$)

Also today, Apple launches access to the AppStore to 32 new countries, bringing the total count of countries that have access to AppStore to 155.

Might Be Interested: iTunes Store: Which types of items can I buy in my country?

SingTel & Samsung Pledge Support For Team Singapore For London 2012 Olympics

· · · Current Affairs, Press Release

Both SingTel and Samsung has pledge supports for Team Singapore for the London 2012 Olympics. Samsung will sponsor 60 Samsung Galaxy SIII (White) while SingTel will provide complimentary airtime and data subscriptions to allow them to keep in touch with their family back in Singapore.

Team Singapore Olympians and Paralympians and Samsung Group Shot
Team Singapore Olympians and Paralympians and Samsung Group Shot

Team Singapore Chef de Mission
Team Singapore Chef de Mission

For those who wants more details, the press releases from the 2 company are pasted below.

Microsoft Announces Windows Phone 8

· · · Software

Earlier this morning, Microsoft announced Windows Phone 8 at the Windows Phone Developer Summit. Before I start, existing Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) users will not be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 8 due to hardware differences and hence they will be getting a minor update dub Windows Phone 7.8 in a few weeks time that bring some changes to the start screen for existing users.

Windows 8 Start Screen
Windows 8 Start Screen

My summary of Windows Phone 8 from the summit:
Hardware

  • Windows Core – WP8 will share the same Windows Core as Windows 8
  • Supports Multiple Cores – Supports dual-core, quad-core, octo-core and in theory up to 64-cores
  • 3 Screen Resolutions Only – WGA (800×480 15:9), WXGA (1280×768 15:9) and 720p (1280×720 16:9)
  • MicroSD Support – You can store music, photos, videos and even install apps onto it
  • Native Code (Games) – Common gaming platform based on DirectX
  • NFC – Sharing content (think Android Beam), playing game, e-payment
  • Enterprise Support – Encryption and secure boot, Line of business (LOB) app deployment, remote management
  • In-app payment – Ability to purchase virtual contents within apps
  • Integrated Internet Calling – Skype will be tightly integrated but remains the flexibility of a separate app
  • Multitasking enhancements – VoIP and location apps can now continue to run in the background

Software

  • Internet Explorer 10 – Faster JavaScript and HTML5 performance, SmartScreen Anti-phishing
  • Wallet App – Storing credit/debit/loyalty/membership cards information, supports NFC payment, access deals
  • Nokia Map – Built-in to WP8, using NAVTEQ map data, offline map support and turn-by-turn navigation
  • Revamped Start Screen – Live tiles now comes in small, medium and large sizes and you can resize all tiles to suit your liking
  • Company Hub App – For enterprise customers
  • Compatibility – WP7 apps will run fine on WP8
  • Zune – Is dead
  • Nokia Lumia – PlayTo (NEW)- DLNA app, allows you to share music and video wirelessly to DLNA devices
  • Nokia Lumia – Nokia Counters (NEW) – Monitor data usage, allows you to set data limits as well
  • Nokia Lumia – Camera Extras (NEW) – Extension to the camera app, allows you to do self-timer, action/panorama/smart group shot

Existing Users
As mentioned earlier, if you an existing Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) user, your phone will not be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 8, but instead Microsoft is “kind” enough to port some of the features including UI changes of the start screen from Windows Phone 8 to Windows Phone 7.8 and you will be able to get WP7.8 soon. Take a look at Engadget’s article preview of Windows Phone 7.8 running on Nokia Lumia 900.

If you are intending of getting any WP7.5 phones now, I suggest you wait till WP8 is out, if not your phone will be Dead On Arrival (DOA).

Microsoft tries not to make the same mistake for WP8 and they are promising updates for at least 18 months.

For more detailed preview on Windows Phone 8, check out The Verge article entitled, Windows Phone 8 in detail: new Start Screen, multi-core support, VoIP integration, and NFC.

Official Blog: Announcing Windows Phone 8

Microsoft Surface Tablet

· · · Gadget

Looks like Microsoft has jumped on the tablet bandwagon with Microsoft Surface. I have no idea whether the official name is Microsoft Surface or Microsoft Surface Tablet, because when I think of Microsoft Surface, I would think of the huge touchscreen “device”.

It seems that Microsoft had renamed the old surface to Microsoft PixelSense and I am assuming that Microsoft Surface and Microsoft Surface Tablet means the same thing.

There will be 2 versions of Microsoft Surface Tablet, one running on Windows RT with NVIDIA ARM Chip and one on Windows 8 Pro with Intel Ivy Bridge Core i5. Disappointed that no pricing has been announced yet. If the Windows RT tablet price is reasonable, I might get one just to play with it.

From Engadget’s Hands-on with Microsoft Surface for Windows RT, it looks like the editors have very limited time (2 mins) with the tablet and it seems to be just a working demo rather than close-to-final retail version.

Microsoft Surface Tablet
Microsoft Surface Tablet

Industrial Design Highlights

  • Software takes center stage: Surface sports a full-sized USB port and a 16:9 aspect ratio – the industry standard for HD. It has edges angled at 22 degrees, a natural position for the PC at rest or in active use, letting the hardware fade into the background and the software stand out.
  • VaporMg: The casing of Surface is created using a unique approach called VaporMg (pronounced Vapor-Mag), a combination of material selection and process to mold metal and deposit particles that creates a finish akin to a luxury watch. Starting with magnesium, parts can be molded as thin as .65 mm, thinner than the typical credit card, to create a product that is thin, light and rigid/strong.
  • Integrated Kickstand: The unique VaporMg approach also enables a built-in kickstand that lets you transition Surface from active use to passive consumption – watching a movie or even using the HD front- or rear-facing video cameras. The kickstand is there when needed, and disappears when not in use, with no extra weight or thickness.
  • Touch Cover: The 3 mm Touch Cover represents a step forward in human-computer interface. Using a unique pressure-sensitive technology, Touch Cover senses keystrokes as gestures, enabling you to touch type significantly faster than with an on-screen keyboard. It will be available in a selection of vibrant colors. Touch Cover clicks into Surface via a built-in magnetic connector, forming a natural spine like you find on a book, and works as a protective cover. You can also click in a 5 mm-thin Type Cover that adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.

Surface for Windows RT tablet

  • Processor: NVIDIA-made ARM chip
  • Weight: 676g
  • Thickness: 9.3mm
  • Display: 10.6″ ClearType HD capactive touchpanel
  • Battery: 31.5Wh
  • I/O: microSD, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video, 2×2 MIMO antennae
  • Software: Windows RT + Office Home & Student 2013 RT
  • Accessories: Touch Cover, Type Cover, VaporMg Case & Stand
  • Capacity: 32GB or 64GB
  • Availability: “Around” the Windows 8 launch (fall 2012)
  • Pricing: TBA

Surface for Windows 8 Pro tablet

  • Processor: Intel Core i5 (Ivy Bridge)
  • Weight: 903g
  • Thickness: 13.5mm
  • Display: 10.6″ ClearType Full HD (1080p) capactive touchpanel
  • Battery: 42Wh
  • I/O: microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, 2×2 MIMO antennae
  • Software: Windows 8 Pro
  • Accessories: Touch Cover, Type Cover, VaporMg Case & Stand, Pen with Palm Block
  • Capacity: 64GB or 128GB
  • Availability: “Three months after” the Windows 8 launch this fall
  • Pricing: TBA

Spefications taken from Engadget.

You might want to consider reading an interesting article from Neowin.net, What we know (and don’t know) about Microsoft’s Surface.

Press Release: Microsoft Announces Surface: New Family of PCs for Windows
Official Site: Microsoft Surface

Sponsors

  • Web Hosting by

    Web Hosting By Vodien Internet Solutions
  • CDN by

    CDN By MaxCDN

Miscellaneous

  • Feeling generous today?

  • Monitoring by

    lesterchan.net's WatchMouse Status Page


    lesterchan.net's Pingdom Status Page

  • Tracking by

    lesterchan.net - Extreme Tracking

Polls

Which Is Your Primary Email Account?

View Results