The features detailed are mostly with respect to the PureView camera on Lumia 1020.
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Showing posts with label Mobile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mobile. Show all posts
12 October 2013
41 Reasons with 41 MP sensor to Buy Lumia 1020
Nokia has unveiled its latest offering in Lumia series, the Nokia Lumia 1020 with a 41 MP sensor which is capable of best shots and is currently rated as the best camera smartphone you can get. Nokia has released a new infographic which tell you 41 reasons why you should be picking the Lumia 1020.
The features detailed are mostly with respect to the PureView camera on Lumia 1020.
The features detailed are mostly with respect to the PureView camera on Lumia 1020.
29 August 2013
Here’s what Samsung’s Galaxy Gear companion app looks like
Let’s see, we know the hardware specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch and the expected battery life, so why not any info on the companion software?
The Gear smartwatch will use NFC to easily pair the wearable to a smartphone over Bluetooth. It appears the process will use the watch’s charger based on the screen capture. The Clocks setting likely points to different watch faces and possibly secondary time zones. And the “Find my watch” feature will be handy if you misplace your Galaxy Gear: Tap this and the watch will probably make a sound, provided it is in Bluetooth range of the smartphone.
There’s still an open question on whether the Galaxy Gear will work with non-Samsung handsets, but that’s why we’re going to the press event on September 4! We still thinking this will — at least initially — be exclusive to Samsung smartphones.
27 August 2013
Best Buying mobile phones 2013
Smartphones have never been bigger. Soon enough every pocket will have a mini-computer, and the sheer variety of smartphones out there means there's something for everyone, at almost any budget.
Once you've used a smartphone every day, you'll never look back. Here's our pick of the bunch, from Android.
Samsung Galaxy S4
One of the best smartphones just got better
The Galaxy S4 is the update to the Galaxy S3, our favourite Android smartphone for the last year. It's possibly the most hyped phone of all time, but thankfully it's still an impressive handset.
Despite the phone's huge 5in screen, it manages to be slim and light, and weighs just 130g. It's the first phone to use an AMOLED screen with a Full HD resolution, which gives it a huge pixels-per-inch figure of 441, up from 306ppi on its predecessor. The operating system and web pages are, as you'd expect, hyper-sharp.
The S4 uses the same Qualcomm chipset as the HTC One, but it's clocked at 1.9GHz rather than 1.7GHz. The phone is awesomely fast in both everyday apps and running 3D benchmarks. Despite all this power, the S4's 2,600mAh battery managed to keep it running for ten hours and 43 minutes when playing back video, which is one of the most impressive figures we've seen.
The S4 is a lot of smartphone for your money. It's a relatively conservative design, yet has a bigger screen and battery than the HTC One in a smaller package. You may prefer the HTC One's metal body, but if you don't get on with HTC's extensive operating system tweaks, the Galaxy S4 is the phone for you.
SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 4.2.2
PROCESSOR SPEED 1.9GHz
NUMBER OF CORES 4
RAM 2GB
MOBILE DATA GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, LTE
DISPLAY 5in 1,920x1,080 LCD
CAMERA 13-megapixel
INTERNAL STORAGE 16GB
MEMORY CARD SLOT microSD
CLAIMED BATTERY LIFE 17 hours talktime, 15 days standby
DIMENSIONS 137x70x7.9mm, 130g
Motorola RAZR HD
A great alternative to Samsung's Galaxy S3
The RAZR HD is a powerful and good-looking Android phone with a huge battery, and it's also good value on contract.
We liked the Kevlar back panel, splashproof coating and scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass screen, and the large 2,530mAh battery meant the phone managed a huge 14 hours in our video playback test.
The phone's 4.7in screen is an AMOLED model with a 1,280x720-pixel resolution, and is just as impressive as that of the Samsung Galaxy S3.
The phone is also 4G-compatible if you fancy a bit of super-fast data - the only let-down is its uninspiring camera.
SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 4.1.2 (JellyBean)
PROCESSOR SPEED 1.5GHz
NUMBER OF CORES 2
RAM 1GB
MOBILE DATA GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, LTE
DISPLAY 4.7in 720x1,280 LCD
CAMERA 8-megapixel
INTERNAL STORAGE 16384MB
MEMORY CARD SLOT microSD
DIMENSIONS 68x132x8.4mm, 146g
HTC One
The ultimate next-gen smartphone
Now that the Samsung Galaxy S4 is here, the HTC One finally has some stiff competition, but it still holds its head up high. The phone has a gorgeous metal body and high-contrast 4.7in Full HD display, which is perfect for browsing web pages at full zoom.
The phone feels gorgeous in the hand, and the display's vibrant colours makes using Android 4.1 a pleasure. The HTC One is fast, too, thanks to its quad-core 1.7GHz processor.
Beautiful design aside, the One stands out from other Full HD Android phones such as the Sony Xperia Z due to its far-reaching software modifications. Instead of being full of icons and widgets, by default the homescreen is an information feed, with chunky tiles displaying the latest information from news and social media feeds.
If you’d prefer the standard Android homescreens instead, you can always shuffle around the order so the news feed isn't the first thing you see. If you like your phones to have a gorgeous design this is the handset to buy, but the Samsung Galaxy S4 has a larger screen and longer battery life, as well as less extensive operating system tweaks.
SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 4.1 (JellyBean)
PROCESSOR SPEED 1.7GHz
NUMBER OF CORES 4
RAM 2GB
MOBILE DATA LTE
DISPLAY 4.7in 1,920x1,080 LCD
CAMERA 4.1-megapixel
INTERNAL STORAGE 32GB
MEMORY CARD SLOT none
DIMENSIONS 137x68x9mm, 143g
Samsung Galaxy S3
No longer the best Android smartphone, but still great value
The Samsung Galaxy S3 is no longer the best Android smartphone there is and has been superseded by the S4, but it's still slim, fast, has a beautiful AMOLED screen and is now available at a very reasonable price.
The phone has just got better, too, thanks to an upgrade to support 4G. On Everything Everywhere's network we saw speeds up to 25Mbit/s, which is twice as quick as many home broadband connections. However, if you want 4G be sure to get the LTE version of the handset, as there's still a lot of 3G-only ones on sale and only these are available as part of the cheapest offers
Samsung has loaded the phone with clever features. If you bring the phone to your ear while a contact is on screen it will call that person automatically, if you flip the phone over while it's ringing it will turn the ringer off, and the Smart Stay feature uses the front camera to keep the screen on while you're looking at it.
Throw in an excellent camera and you've got all the ingredients for a brilliant smartphone, which is now available for a very reasonable price.
SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 4.1
PROCESSOR SPEED 1.4GHz
NUMBER OF CORES 4
RAM 2GB
MOBILE DATA GPRS, EDGE, 3G, HSDPA, (4G optional)
DISPLAY 4.8in 720x1,280 LCD
CAMERA 8-megapixel
INTERNAL STORAGE 16GB
MEMORY CARD SLOT microSD
DIMENSIONS 137x71x9mm, 133g
Google Nexus 4
Google's cut-price Android 4.2 wonder
The latest Google-branded smartphone is made by LG, and it's a stormer. The Nexus 4's quad-core 1.5GHz processor runs Android 4.2 incredibly quickly, and its 4.7in 1,280x768 display has a similar pixel density to the iPhone 5's Retina screen.
There's also a high-quality 8-megapixel camera and built-in NFC, so the phone will support Google Wallet's tap-and-pay service when it arrives in the UK.
The phone is also incredibly good value SIM-free at just £239 - it's a lot of phone for the money.
SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 4.2
PROCESSOR SPEED 1.5GHz
NUMBER OF CORES 4
RAM 2GB
MOBILE DATA GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA
DISPLAY 4.7in 768x1,280 LCD
CAMERA 8-megapixel
INTERNAL STORAGE 8GB
MEMORY CARD SLOT none
CLAIMED BATTERY LIFE 15 hours talktime, 16 days standby
DIMENSIONS 134x69x9.1mm, 139g
Apple iPhone 5
A worthy update to the iPhone
Our Expert Opinion Five generations on, and the iPhone is still the model to beat. Android has taken great strides, but iOS is still the slickest, fastest and easiest to use operating system, and there's no arguing with the quality of the apps in the Apple App Store.
The iPhone 5 is an evolution of the 4, with a longer screen for more room for app icons and an aspect ratio better suited to widescreen films. It's also incredibly quick - more than twice as fast as the iPhone 4S in the Sunspider JavaScript benchmark.
The only thing stopping the iPhone 5 from getting an award is Apple's horrendous new Maps app, which replaces Google Maps, but this should improve with time.
SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM iOS 6
PROCESSOR SPEED 1GHz
NUMBER OF CORES 2
RAM 1GB
MOBILE DATA 4G
DISPLAY 4in 1,136x640 LCD
CAMERA 8-megapixel
INTERNAL STORAGE 16GB
MEMORY CARD SLOT none
DIMENSIONS 124x59x8mm, 112g
Motorola RAZR i
A gorgeous slimline Intel phone
The RAZR i has an Intel rather than ARM processor, and it's seriously quick - around the same speed as the iPhone 5 in the Sunspider JavaScript benchmark. It runs Android 4.1 incredibly smoothly, and the operating system looks great on the phone's 960x540-pixel Super AMOLED screen.
The RAZR i has a 4.3in screen, which is big considering how compact the phone is. It's also incredibly slim, and the rubberised back looks great and makes the phone comfortable to hold.
It's a classy handset all round, and is also remarkably good value on contract.
SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 4.1
PROCESSOR SPEED 2GHz
NUMBER OF CORES 1
RAM 1GB
MOBILE DATA GPRS, EDGE, 3G, HSDPA
DISPLAY 4.3in 960x540 LCD
CAMERA 8-megapixel
INTERNAL STORAGE 8GB
MEMORY CARD SLOT microSD
DIMENSIONS 123x61x8mm, 126g
Nokia Lumia 925
The best Windows Phone 8 handset there is
The Lumia 925 is an update to the Lumia 920, our previous favourite Windows Phone 8 handset.
It addresses some of the criticisms levelled at the 920, such as its heavy 185g weight. The Lumia 925 cuts that back by 46g, at the same time as shaving 2mm from the phone's thickness.
Instead of being a solid lump of polycarbonate like the 920, the Lumia 925 is split into a plastic rear and a metal frame; we're fans of the frame, as we feel it makes the phone comfortable to hold.
The 925 has a 4.5in AMOLED display with a 1,280x768 resolution. It's not a Full HD screen as found on much of the competition, but it still has an impressive pixel density of 332 pixels per inch, which compares well to the iPhone 5's 326ppi. Image quality is excellent, too, with deep blacks and beautifully saturated colours.
Like the Lumia 920, the Lumia 925 has a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and 1GB RAM. This is enough to run Windows Phone 8 beautifully, and the 925 comes with some useful preinstalled maps, such as free offline navigation and music. If you're after a Windows Phone 8 handset, this is the one to have.
SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows Phone 8
PROCESSOR SPEED 1.5GHz
NUMBER OF CORES 2
RAM 1GB
MOBILE DATA HSDPA
DISPLAY 4.5in 1,280x768 LCD
CAMERA 8.7-megapixel
INTERNAL STORAGE 32GB
MEMORY CARD SLOT none
CLAIMED BATTERY LIFE 18 hours talktime, 18 days standby
DIMENSIONS 129x71x9mm, 139g
Sony Xperia L
A whole lot of Android phone for your money
The mid-range Xperia L may be quite expensive on contract, but it's a steal SIM-free at less than £200.
The phone has a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB RAM, and runs Android 4.1 smoothly. Sony's subtle Android customisations looks great, apps open and shut with a snap and animations are silky smooth.
The Xperia L also has an impressive screen, with bright whites and punchy colours, and we even like its chunky design and pleasing rubberised finish.
SPECIFICATION
OPERATING SYSTEM Android 4.1.2 (JellyBean)
PROCESSOR SPEED 1GHz
NUMBER OF CORES 2
RAM 1GB
MOBILE DATA HSDPA
DISPLAY 4.3in 854x480 LCD
CAMERA 8-megapixel
INTERNAL STORAGE 8GB
MEMORY CARD SLOT microSD
CLAIMED BATTERY LIFE 8 hours talktime, 498 days standby
DIMENSIONS 129x65x10mm, 137g
PART CODE Xperia L
24 August 2013
Apple reportedly shipping two new iPhones next month
Not only does it look like Apple is set to unveil two new iPhones in September, but it will be shipping them then as well. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Apple has asked assembler Hon Hai Precision Co. (better known as Foxconn) to start shipping its two new iPhone models early next month.
Apple has typically made its phones available within a week or so of their announcement, so this news is not particularly surprising. What is interesting is that this further confirms Apple will announce two different phones at its event next month — the iPhone 5S, as well as the rumored budget spinoff, the iPhone 5C.
According to the WSJ, Apple’s suppliers began working on components for two different phones in June — one with a metal casing similar to the iPhone 5, and another, lower-cost version. We’ve seen plenty of leaks purporting to be of the iPhone 5C, so this just fans the flames.
Another rumor seeming to quickly gain credence is that of a gold color option for the iPhone 5S. All Things today is reporting that its sources have confirmed the phone will definitely be available in gold.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C at an event on September 10. It did not respond to WSJ’s request for comment.
23 August 2013
LG G2 to arrive before mid-September
According to a report, the LG G2 will be available before the middle of September.
When LG announced the G2 a few weeks ago, it had a lot to say about its new flagship phone, minus one key detail: a release date. Android Central today is reporting that sources familiar with LG have pegged the phone for a September 12.
Launching the phone before mid-September will likely give LG a head start on Apple, HTC and Samsung, which are expected to introduce the iPhone 5S, the HTC One Max and the Galaxy Note 3, respectively. And getting the phone to market in just over a month in the U.S. is a slightly faster turnaround than we have seen from LG in the past, which is key if it wants to remain competitive in the smartphone market.
Samsung announces the Galaxy Golden, another dual-screen Android flip phone
Samsung is back with another new Android flip phone, the Galaxy Golden, with features designed to appeal to an older crowd. Just one week after announcing the dual-screen, quad-core Hennessy, Samsung is back with another Android flip phone, the Galaxy Golden. If Golden makes you think of your golden years, or even the Golden Girls, you’re right on the money.
The Galaxy Golden has some decent specs, but comes loaded with features designed to appeal to a more senior crowd.
Spec-wise, the Galaxy Golden is mostly a step up from the Hennessy. It features two distinct 3.7-inch AMOLED displays with 800 x 480 resolution. Each display is on either side of the top part of the phone. The bottom is home to a number pad and control pad, just like you’re used to seeing on feature phones.
The phone is powered by a dual-core 1.7GHz processor, with an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, though in this case, I’m not sure which side is considered which. The Galaxy Golden also features LTE support, Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) comes loaded out of the box, and an 1820mAh battery should keep those screens going for a while.
Then there are a few features Samsung has added in hopes of marketing this phone to an older crowd. An “easy mode” modifies the software, pushing certain features to the front and making the phone simpler to use. A built-in pedometer links up with Samsung’s S Health app, and the phone has a business card recognition function. There’s even an FM radio, just like old times.
Is an Android flip phone revolution at hand? I doubt it. The Korean asking price is 799,700 won, or $715 USD, which is pretty steep. And aside from the high price tag, it is unlikely this phone will see a release outside of Korea.
Can tablets replace smartphones?
How big of a phone will consumers carry? We’ll soon find out as the 6.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Mega debuts on three carriers this month, offering a tablet-like experience with cellular voice capabilities.
Samsung isn’t waiting until September to debut all of its new products. On Monday the company announced the 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega will arrive before the end of August.
So what do you get with this tablet, besides the voice calling abilities?
The 6.3-inch display uses a 1280 x 720 Super Clear LCD screen with wide viewing angles. A 1.7 GHz dual-core CPU — just a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 — is paired with 1.5 GB of memory and the device runs Android 4.2.2. Samsung didn’t specify the internal storage capacity as that could vary by carrier. However, the Galaxy Mega does support up to 64 GB of expandable storage through a MicroSD card slot.
Samsung will also offer an S-View cover, similar to the Galaxy S 4′s, which shows a portion of the display for notifications, even when the cover is closed. The Galaxy Mega also has several Galaxy S 4 features, such as AirView and the option to run two apps at the same time on screen; a perfect use case for a larger device.
So if tablets are going to replace smartphones, the devices have to be as portable as their smaller cousins. But weighing 199 grams (7.01 ounces) and measuring 168 x 88 x 8mm (6.61 x 3.46 x 0.32 inches), the Mega will feel more like toting a tablet; not a smartphone. On the plus side, it has the potential to replace two devices by itself thanks to the big screen.
22 August 2013
Turn Your BlackBerry into a Mass Storage Device
Smartphones combine the features of lots of smaller devices into one. For instance, you no longer have to carry around a separate camera, MP3 player, or GPS device. Another cool feature is the ability to use your phone like a flash drive so you can carry important files around with you. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, take a look at how to turn your BlackBerry into a mass storage device.
Step 1: Turn Mass Storage Mode On
It doesn’t matter which BlackBerry phone you have, they all have MicroSD cards that let you store files on them. Of course, there are affordable BlackBerry 10 Smartphonesif you’re ready to upgrade. If you want to store files on your phone, you have to prepare it first. You do this by turning on mass storage mode. Use your USB cord to connect your BlackBerry phone to your computer. You’ll see a pop-up that asks you to enable mass storage mode—it will look different depending on your operating system. You’ll have to enter your password if you have one setup. Once you’ve enabled mass storage mode, you’re ready to start using your device like a portable flash memory drive.
Step 2: Locate the Removable Drive on Your Computer for Your BlackBerry Phone
Before you can start storing files on your BlackBerry phone, you have to know where to put them. Most computers will automatically open up your BlackBerry folder when you plug in the phone. However, this is not always the case. If you need to find your BlackBerry folder, go to Windows Explorer and look for the tab that says removable drives. Your BlackBerry folder should be listed in a submenu. It should show up as BLACKBERRY1.
Step 3: Upload Files to Your BlackBerry Phone
After you’ve located the correct folder, you can start copying files over. On most systems, you can simply drag and drop them into your BlackBerry folder. You can then look inside your folder to make sure they are there.
The amount of files you can store on your BlackBerry phone depends on your model and whether you have added an additional microSD memory card. You can see how much space is available for storage on your BlackBerry phone by going to your options and then scrolling down to memory. You can also just search for storage from your home screen and your media card settings will be an option.
Step 4: Disconnect Your BlackBerry Phone
Once you have added all of the files you want to your BlackBerry phone, you need to make sure that it is safe to remove the USB cord and disconnect your phone. You do this by right clicking on the safely remove hardware icon in the system tray and then selecting disconnect. You risk having corrupted storage files on your phone if you skip this step.
Once your BlackBerry phone is disconnected from your computer, you are able to take your files anywhere you want. This process is pretty simple, and it will save you from having to carry around multiple device.
21 August 2013
Nokia is reportedly working on a 6-inch, 20-megapixel Windows Phone phablet
According to a report from the Verge, Nokia is prepping a 6-inch, 20-megapixel Windows Phone Phablet Codenamed Bandit for release later this year.
Windows Phone is about to get a whole lot bigger – physically, that is. According to a report from The Verge, Nokia is currently testing a 6-inch Windows Phone device.
Codenamed Bandit, a 6-inch display would make this the biggest Windows Phone yet, and the first “phablet” for Windows Phone in general. The phone reportedly features a 1080p display and is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, which also places it at an advantage against the rest of the competition, which top out at 720p resolution and dual-core processor chips.
But the biggest news is that the Bandit will feature a rear camera with at least 20-megapixel resolution. There will be a slight bump on the back of the phone to accommodate the large sensor, like we’ve seen on the Lumia 925.
Nokia is no stranger to pushing the limits of mobile photography, as we have seen most recently with the 41-megapixel Lumia 1020. My biggest concern would be the size, as most Lumia devices so far have been on the bulky side, but the Verge is reporting the Bandit will have a thin, lightweight polycarbonate design.
Nokia just started to roll out its Amber update, which includes a host of improvement for Windows 8 Lumia devices. The Bandit should include all of these updates, and Microsoft is currently at work on a WP update of its own, which will include features like an additional column of Live Tiles on 1080 phone screens.
17 August 2013
Galaxy Mega 6.3 press render surfaces with navy blue body
Courtesy of the ever-reliable @evleaks, it appears the Galaxy Mega 6.3 is indeed coming to AT&T. A purported press render shows the device colored in a navy blue plaid with the carrier's globe logo below the rear-facing camera. Of the few versions that passed through FCC, you may recall that this one (SGH-I527 Melius) features Ma Bell-compatible LTE connectivity. There are currently no other details aside from all that, but it seems this behemoth of smartphone should hit the States soon.
16 August 2013
Verizon's HTC One starts shipping on August 22nd for $199 on contract
For those attached -- willingly or otherwise -- to Verizon, your time to snag an HTC One has come. Well, almost. The universally-hailed Android phone is headed to VZW's LTE airwaves on August 22nd, with an on-contract price of $199.99. Oh, and if you're just waking up from the underside of a rock, have a gander at our review before canceling all of your plans.
14 August 2013
Two New iPhones Likely to be Made Available this Year
If you’re on the lookout for a new pay as you go mobile then you might be weighing up whether it’s worth opting for a smartphone that’s available now – like the iPhone 4s or iPhone 5 – or holding off a little longerto see what Apple comes up with next.
In recent years, we’ve seen daily speculation on what the electronics giant has planned next, and now rumours are circulating that suggesting there may be two new devices released in September. The first is thought to be an iPhone 5S, which will look the same as the iPhone 5 but with additional features. This might include the much talked about fingerprint recognition technology, an improved battery, a faster processor and a 12-megapixel camera (rather than the eight-megapixels on offer from the current flagship device).
You might find there’s not much longer to wait for another phone from Apple too, as it’s also thought to be eyeing a third quarter release of a low-cost iPhone, something that might appeal to those wanting a more affordable 4g phone. The handset, which is rumoured to have a plastic casing and a range of colour schemes, could also help the company’s expansion in emerging markets such as India and China.
Low-budget iPhone 6 concept based on leaked pictures
Of course back in June, Apple unveiled its plans for iOS7, which is set to be officially rolled out in September – perhaps indicating that any new releases will come with the software as standard. Writing for the International Business Times reporter Dave Smiths predicted Apple will release its new software on September 18th, 100 days after it was announced, which was exactly what it did with iOS6.He added the manufacturer is likely to leave a gap of a couple of weeks between any releases, to ensure stores are not faced with an overwhelming level of visitors.
And it seems Apple is still able to create something of a buzz when releasing new hardware, as research conducted by We Are Social indicated the iPhone 5 launch generated around 1.7-million social media conversations on the day itself. This is way ahead of competitors BlackBerry Z10 and Samsung Galaxy S4, which generated 300,000 and 140,000 discussions respectively.
Apple is sure to be pleased about such findings, but might be hoping to improve in other areas as the firm also indicated that just 29 per cent of talk surround the iPhone 5 was in relation to new features, while 56 per cent of Galaxy S4 chat was about innovation.
Top Smartphones Under $300
The sub-$300 is a perfect price range for those who want to buy a mainstream smartphone with full fledged smart features and mid-tier specifications. In fact every major Android smartphone manufacturer aims to release their devices under this price range which most folks look for. Good screen sizes, more than decent cameras, latest smartphone platforms, adequate storage capacities and dutiful batteries – form the characteristic features of the sub-$300 smartphones.
We have listed out the best smartphones under $300 price range considering their ReviewGist Scores. The ReviewGist Score considers expert ratings from various authentic sources to rank a product on a scale of 1 to 100. We further narrow down our selection only to those models which have been released recently, to give you a most updated product recommendation.
1. Sony Xperia L
Sony Xperia L is one of the modest Xperias at the low end, with an attractive 4.3 inch TFT LCD screen, 8 Megapixel camera, a dual core processor and the new Jelly Bean version of Android OS. The only thing missing from the list of these specifications is the HD screen, which makes Xperia L a competitive model in the list of smartphones affordable under $300. Another attractive feature is the LED light strip which has been embedded at the bottom of the phone’s body which blinks when you have any unread notifications.
The unlocked Xperia L itself is fairly affordable, but it can be still discountable if you are going for a contract. PhoneArena review summarizes that the Xperia L is a well-rounded mid-ranger with lag-free performance in menus and nice looks. And adds that it does not have a hugely impressive screen nor a particularly great camera, though, and in the fiercely competitive Android market those are big flaws. TrustedReviews has a verdict which says that the Sony Xperia L lacks the spit and polish necessary to standout at this price; the basics are good enough, but the sluggish camera and merely ok design count against it.
Sony Xperia L offers a few good things for its price. If you have the modest demands from your smartphone, Xperia L can suffice the performance needs quite effortlessly.
2. Google Nexus 4
Nexus 4 showcases the pure version of the latest version of Google’s Android operating system, on the top of that it offers an impressive hardware. Google Nexus 4 is manufactured by LG as an OEM, which is sold unlocked and has been marked at a highly competitive price. The phone sports surprisingly sports some of the premium specifications like HD display, high quality 8 Megapixel camera, 4.7 inch IPS LCD screen and a quad core processor. Apart from the its inability to support 4G LTE network, Nexus 4 can be regarded as a perfect affordable Android smartphone.
One of the biggest advantages of choosing a Nexus 4 is that it comes with a promise of providing regular and undelayed Android updates from Google directly. The conclusion part of CNET reviewstates that in general, the device is excellent and reliable – its internal speeds are zippy and smooth, the camera is packed with new features, and Android 4.2 is indeed sleek. PCMag has a 4-star rating and a comment that LG’s Google Nexus 4 is a powerful unlocked smartphone with a beautiful, minimalist design, fast performance, and the latest version of Android. The Wired review suggests that Nexus 4 is the best overall Android handset currently available.
If you are in need of a near-perfect unlocked smartphone and if you like to use the unadulterated version of Android OS, Nexus 4 is a great option right now, combined it just costs $299.
3. HTC Windows Phone 8S
Besides Nokia, HTC is entering into the league of the major manufacturers of Windows Phone. This time HTC has come up with a mid-range model – Windows Phone 8S, available for a very economical sub-$250 price range. With a HTC flavored body build, Windows Phone 8S features a dual-core processor, 4 inch screen and an internal memory of 4GB. Among its unique features – the phone is incorporated with Beats Audio for quality music output from the speakers. When compared to Lumia phones, HTC didn’t include as many built-in apps in 8S but definitely has the access to the Windows Phone Store applications.
HTC has stripped down few of the features from its earlier Windows Phone 8X model and has delivered a more affordable 8S. The TechRadar review’s verdict states that the HTC 8S is a good all round handset, it doesn’t do a terrible job of anything but stylish looks aside it also struggles to stand out. PhoneArena review compares HTC 8S to its direct rival Nokia Lumia 820 and remarks that the latter is capable, but more expensive and more unwieldy to handle. The Wired review notes that HTC Windows Phone 8S delivers a performing dual-core processor, solid build, okay screen and a not-bad 5-megapixel camera.
HTC Windows Phone 8S score well in many areas for its price, but considering its bleak battery life, we suggest that you might have to consider the other Lumia phones which fare very well overall. But unlike some of the Lumia phones, HTC 8S supports memory expandability via microSD slot.
4. Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini
With a similar design and the toned-down features of Samsung’s earlier flagship model Galaxy S3, the Galaxy S3 Mini is a more affordable Android smartphone. Galaxy S3 Mini is loaded with the latest Jelly Bean Android OS, a dual core processor and it is available with two storage variants – 8GB and 16GB. The best part of the S3 Mini’s 4 inch screen is that it uses AMOLED technology for a great display quality but at the same time the screen hasn’t got the HD resolution.
With the popularity of Galaxy S3, Samsung had chosen to release mid-range version of the same under the ‘Galaxy S3 Mini’ name. The CNET review notes that the Galaxy S3 Mini internally uses a significantly slower processor, still delivers a pretty slick user experience thanks to Android Jelly Bean, but the screen and camera aren’t on a par with those of the S3. The Tech Radar reviewer seems to be quite impressed with the device which is again expressed by statement that it ticks all the right boxes, and comes in at a very decent price.
Released at the same time, the very affordable Galaxy S3 Mini can be a comparable to Google Nexus 4 in terms of the pricing. S3 Mini is a mainstream smartphone, but unlike the Nexus, it supports memory expandability and but has quite inferior specs. If you are ready to pay a bit more and if you need a more powerful and a reliable phone – Nexus 4 stands as a great next option.
In this article, all the smartphone models were picked considering their rankings at Review Gist in July 2013. Visit our regularly-updated page of smartphones priced under $300 to know our present day’s selection of such products.
Ubuntu Phone vs Firefox OS: The Review
As you already know, almost everyone uses a smartphone. Theses smartphones are mainly based on the most popular mobile platforms including Apple iOS, Google Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry OS. Do you think people will shift to other mobile operating systems in a market that seems saturated already? There are two major mobile platforms coming in the wild: “Ubuntu Touch by Canonical and Firefox OS from Mozilla“. Theses two mobile platforms can be major competitors to Android and iOS.
Now, let us have a comparison between these two new players in the game.
Ubuntu Phone – A Unique experience
It’s undeniable that Ubuntu is the most popular Linux distribution ever. Ubuntu Touch is the mobile platform from Canonical, which is expected to feature many smart devices including your smartphones and of course, tablets. Unlike Android or iOS, developers have designed Ubuntu Touch to run on low-end hardware for smartphones to compete in the low-budget smartphone market. The mobile platform boasts of the same Linux kernel used by Android and this means that majority of Android smartphones will support this operating system.
Prominent Features of Ubuntu Phone
Here are the most important features seen in Ubuntu phone:
App Compatibility
All apps made for Ubuntu’s current and older versions will be compatible with Ubuntu Touch. Inside Ubuntu phone, there will be pre-loaded apps such as Facebook, YouTube, RSS Reader, Email client etc.
Side Stage
Multitasking is the key feature of Ubuntu phone. Side stage is key principle of multitasking. With this feature you can open and run applications side by side by resizing windows according to the need. In this way, productivity increases. Ubuntu Touch also feature multi-finger gestures.
Phone to PC
According to Canonical, in every dual-core phone, there’s a PC trying to get out. The principle on which this is based is that you can connect your Ubuntu phone to an external monitor and your phone will transform in to a PC. You can operate your Ubuntu phone from the monitor screen with some extra features any user would appreciate. This feature is probably the greatest feature of Ubuntu phone that even Apple could only dream about.
Hardware Requirements
Firefox OS: It’s Better
Firefox OS is trending theses days on web. Firefox OS is a product of Mozilla, which is popular for its web browser, Mozilla Firefox. Mozilla’s Firefox OS is also known as the part of their projectBoot to Gecko (B2G). Many network operators and manufacturers, such as T-Mobile, LG and Sony embraced the OS. Recently Mozilla has launched its first two Smartphones based on their Firefox OS:ZTE Open and Alcatel One Touch Fire.
Firefox OS uses the JavaScript and Web APIs for enabling direct contact with hardware. The mobile OS can gain popularity due to its low-end hardware requirement. Now manufacturers can make low-priced Firefox OS Smartphones.
Prominent Features of Firefox OS
Low Hardware Requirement
Hardware requirement for running Firefox OS is low because it uses Web APIs and JavaScript for communicating with hardware. Use of HTML5, CSS and C++ for coding the OS is light weight !
Rich use of HTML5
Firefox OS makes rich use of HTML5. HTML5 is the main coding language used for making firefox OS. Now it is very easy for developers to build apps for Firefox OS with use HTML5.
Finally it can be said that Firefox OS is mainly built for low-end hardware but despite this, its a great OS to use on smartphones and Ubuntu phone is both for geeks and regular users. Both OS have great potentials to compete with Android and iOS. But, we still have to wait and see how the whole thing plays out.
