handset | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Sun, 22 Mar 2020 18:14:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png handset | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Motorola launch the moto e6s affordable smartphone https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/motorola-launch-the-moto-e6s-affordable-smartphone/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/motorola-launch-the-moto-e6s-affordable-smartphone/#respond Sun, 22 Mar 2020 11:44:10 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=458003 Motorola added a new smartphone to its moto e series this week named the Moto e6s, which is a cost-effective handset featuring a class-leading dual camera solution to snap amazing looking photos with responsive overall performance. The new moto e6s smartphone is equipped with a 13 MP dual-camera system and ultra-fast focusing with phase detection …

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Motorola added a new smartphone to its moto e series this week named the Moto e6s, which is a cost-effective handset featuring a class-leading dual camera solution to snap amazing looking photos with responsive overall performance.

The new moto e6s smartphone is equipped with a 13 MP dual-camera system and ultra-fast focusing with phase detection autofocus that allows users to snap professional-quality photos, while an integrated depth sensor makes shooting creative photos simple and look amazing with blurred backgrounds and super sharp portraits.

Featuring an ultra-wide 6.1” Max Vision display provides maximum viewing of your favourite photos and videos while bringing gaming to life and a large screen to body ratio allows users to comfortably hold the phone with one hand without blocking screen content. A convenient, discreetly located fingerprint sensor is placed on the rear of the handset so as not to interfere with viewing.

Performance is handled by an octa-core 2.0 GHz processor, which means the moto e6s will respond quickly to every touch, tap and swipe so you can get to all your favourite apps and content quickly and smoothly. 32 GB of built-in storage should be enough for most users, if not, you can always top up the storage up to 256 GB via a microSD card if necessary.

The moto e6s also features a water-repellent design to protect against moderate exposure to water, so while you are out and about enjoying life, you won’t have to worry about splashes and spillages. The moto e6s is expected to be available for pre-order in the coming weeks throughout selected countries of Europe, Asia and Latin America. For more information on price and availability, head over to the Motorola site.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Its good to see companies such as Motorola remember the importance of cost-effective handsets that are designed to keep people connected whose budget won't stretch to the flagship models. What do you guys think of this new moto e6s smartphone?   

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Doogee launch the N100 affordable smartphone handset https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/doogee-launch-the-n100-affordable-smartphone-handset/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/doogee-launch-the-n100-affordable-smartphone-handset/#respond Sat, 07 Mar 2020 10:11:43 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=455561 Doogee has announced the launch of a new affordable smartphone. The Doogee N100 is packed with features including a 10,000 mAh battery, 21-megapixel dual rear camera with a 5.99-inch Full HD display. With an impressive 10,000 mAh battery, Doogee claims that its new N100 handset is the world’s most portable and long-lasting battery smartphone, ideal …

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Doogee has announced the launch of a new affordable smartphone. The Doogee N100 is packed with features including a 10,000 mAh battery, 21-megapixel dual rear camera with a 5.99-inch Full HD display.

With an impressive 10,000 mAh battery, Doogee claims that its new N100 handset is the world’s most portable and long-lasting battery smartphone, ideal for active users who are regularly travelling and away from the home or office. This high capacity battery offers up to 100 hours talk time or 350 hours of standby battery life. The N100 can be fully charged via the USB Type-C charger in just 3.5 hours.

The Doogee N100 also features support for OTG reverse charging, as well as 10W wireless charging via the Qi wireless charging standard. The N100 is equipped with a FHD+ 1080 x 2160 resolution IPS display. All this is housed in an 8mm thick chassis that sports a leather-look appearance on the rear. Powering the N100 is an MTK 8 core Helio P23 processor, with 4GB LPDDR4X RAM, 64GB eMMC Samsung flash storage and a micro-SD slot for further storage expansion up to 256GB.

A dual rear camera supplied by Sony uses an IMX230 stacked sensor with a 6P and F2.0 aperture combination, similar to that in the Huawei P8 and Honor 7, to help capture high-quality images even in poor lighting conditions. In terms of security, the N100 features facial recognition, as well as a fingerprint sensor.

The Doogee N100 runs on Andriod 9.0 Pie operating system and supports all the feature of the operating system, such as adaptive brightness, full-screen gestures, dark mode, notification details along with all the default security features integrated into Android 9.0. The Doogee N100 handset is available to purchase from Amazon UK now, priced at £159.99.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: The Doogee N100 looks like a decent, cost-effective Android handset that offers plenty of time between charging with that whopping 10,000 mAh battery. Do you guys like the look of it?

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Sony announces a new Xperia L4 smartphone https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/sony-announces-a-new-xperia-l4-smartphone/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/sony-announces-a-new-xperia-l4-smartphone/#respond Sat, 22 Feb 2020 14:04:13 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=453241 Sony has announced a new handset is being added to its Xperia portfolio of entertainment based smartphones. The new Xperia L4 features a sleek 21:9 wide display, triple rear camera setup and a powerful 3,580mhA battery. The new Xperia L4 handset from Sony is equipped with a 21:9 wide 6.2-inch display that the company claims …

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Sony has announced a new handset is being added to its Xperia portfolio of entertainment based smartphones. The new Xperia L4 features a sleek 21:9 wide display, triple rear camera setup and a powerful 3,580mhA battery.

The new Xperia L4 handset from Sony is equipped with a 21:9 wide 6.2-inch display that the company claims to offer more browsability and multi-tasking productivity. The 6.2-inch display format provides a slender form factor that fits perfectly in the hand, with a 21:9 ratio allowing more content to display on the screen. The new Sony multi-window user interface allows two apps to be launched simultaneously and viewed on-screen at once.

A triple rear camera on the Xperia L4 is the first for a Sony Xperia L series handset. The main lens offers 13MP photo quality with a 5MP ultra-wide and 2MP depth lenses allowing users to capture creative photos of landscapes and close-ups which benefit from bokeh effect. An 8MP selfie camera is also located on the front of the handset.

Sony has outfitted the Xperia L4 with a powerful 3,580mhA battery that gives users enough power to stay connected all day long. As well as this powerful battery, the Xperia L4 also features fast charging via an optional USB Type-C UCH32C fast charger.

Dimensions of the Xperia L4 are 159 x 71 x 8.7mm and the device weighs in at 178g. It features dual sim support so you can keep work and personal calls separate and the handset is powered by a Mediatek MT6762 processor with 3GB RAM and 64Gb internal storage, with a built-in microSDXC slot supporting up to 512Gb additional storage capacity.

In terms of connectivity, the Xperia L4 includes 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and USB Type-C, with a 3.5mm headphone jack for connecting headphones. The handset also features a fingerprint sensor, a display resolution of 1680×720 and comes pre-installed with Android 9.0 Pie operating system.

According to the Sony website, the Xperia L4 will be available to purchase soon, in a choice of either black of Blue colours, however, no price has been announced just yet.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: The 21:9 ratio display on the Xperia L4 looks great for multitasking and viewing those landscape photos. What do you guys think of the new Xperia L4 smartphone from Sony?

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Samsung announce the Galaxy Z Flip foldable smartphone https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/samsung-announce-the-galaxy-z-flip-foldable-smartphone/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/samsung-announce-the-galaxy-z-flip-foldable-smartphone/#respond Wed, 12 Feb 2020 10:17:40 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=451424 While most of the attention at the Samsung Unpacked event yesterday was focused on the reveal of the new Galaxy S20 line up, Samsung had another innovative smartphone in the form of a new foldable that it was pleased to show off. Samsung is keen to avenge its shortcomings in its previous foldable smartphone, the Galaxy …

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While most of the attention at the Samsung Unpacked event yesterday was focused on the reveal of the new Galaxy S20 line up, Samsung had another innovative smartphone in the form of a new foldable that it was pleased to show off.

Samsung is keen to avenge its shortcomings in its previous foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold which suffered a few setbacks when it was launched last year. On the initial launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold, tech reviewers found some serious defects with the screen hinge and folding mechanism which meant that the display would be rendered useless after just a few hours of using the handset. Samsung made some adjustments to the design and re-launched the Fold a few months later with more success.

The latest foldable from Samsung is a different concept to the Galaxy Fold, the Galaxy Z Flip features the first-of-its-kind foldable glass display. Unlike the Galaxy Fold which opened up like a book to give a more tablet-style screen space, the Galaxy Z Flip is a clamshell-style foldable that folds open to present a more traditional smartphone form factor and screen real estate.

When folded closed, the Galaxy Z Flip is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, about the size of a wallet and can display notifications on the cover display. Once opened, the Galaxy Z Flip reveals a stunning 6.7-inch display that can be used in a free-standing mode. The clever hideaway hinge and Infinity Flex Display, with Samsung’s bendable Ultra Thin Glass, allows the screen to be half-open, where it offers a split-screen display for viewing content on the top half with controls on the bottom.

In terms of specification, the Galaxy Z Flip is equipped with a 6.7” FHD+ 2636 x 1080 Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex main display with a 1.1” 300 x 112 Super AMOLED cover display. The Galaxy Z Flip features 12MP dual rear Wide-angle and Ultra-wide cameras with a 10MP front-facing Selfie camera. Powering the Z Flip is a 7nm 64-bit Octa-Core processor with a maximum frequency of 2.95GHz, 8GB of RAM, 256GB internal storage and a 3,300mhA dual battery. When folded, the Galaxy Z Flip measures 73.6 x 87.4 x 17.3mm. Unfolded it’s 73.6 x 167.3 x 7.2mm (6.9mm thick) and weighs in at 183g.

The Galaxy Z Flip will be available initially in selected markets including the U.S and Korea, with a choice of Mirror Purple and Mirror Black colour options on 14th February 2020. An additional Mirror Gold version will be available when the handset launches in a selection of other counties later. Samsung UK is showing the device on its website priced at £1,300, however, it is listed as out of stock right now with an option to get stock alerts sent to your email.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: It will be interesting to see how this new foldable glass screen compares with the one in the original Samsung Galaxy Fold and how durable it will be. Any of you guys interested in this clamshell-style foldable handset from Samsung?

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Huawei introduces the updated and affordable Y6s handset https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/huawei-introduces-the-updated-and-affordable-y6s-handset/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/huawei-introduces-the-updated-and-affordable-y6s-handset/#respond Wed, 15 Jan 2020 09:33:06 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=446860 Huawei’s affordable Y series smartphone range is set to receive an upgrade this month with an updated version of the Y6 coming in mid-January, so anytime now. Huawei has boosted performance of the Y6 and added a 13MP rear camera and 8MP selfie camera in the new Y6s. According to Huawei, the new Y6s handset …

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Huawei’s affordable Y series smartphone range is set to receive an upgrade this month with an updated version of the Y6 coming in mid-January, so anytime now. Huawei has boosted performance of the Y6 and added a 13MP rear camera and 8MP selfie camera in the new Y6s.

According to Huawei, the new Y6s handset “combines quality technology and stylish design at a truly affordable price.” The Y6s which is due to launch very soon leverages a 6.09” display with a 13MP rear camera to provide a cost-effective solution for taking high-quality photos or video and sharing them on social media.

The Y6s features a 13Mp rear camera with LED flash that should produce perfect photos even in low light environments and can recognise more than 22 different objects categories and over 150 scenes. Thanks to its built-in Ai Scene Recognition, the Y6s can automatically make adjustments to the scene to capture the best possible shot.

Huawei has equipped the Y6s with the MediaTek MT6765 octa-core chip, 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage, to provide enough power and storage space for images, video and games. The Y6s runs on EMUI 9.1, based on Android 9 with complete Google Mobile Services and is equipped with a 3020mAh battery, meaning users will have ample battery life for all-day use.

Another new feature of the Y6s is the Huawei Dewdrop Notch Display which is a minimal and unobtrusive notch that the front camera is housed inside. The new 8MP front selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture allows users to capture high-resolution selfies, while an integrated 3.5mm headphone jack provides excellent audio using your favourite compatible headphones.

The Huawei Y6s will be available in two different colour options, Starry Black and Orchid Blue. The handset is scheduled for a mid-January release, so anytime now, priced at £129.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: With its 6-inch display and high-resolution cameras, the Huawei Y6s could be a great smartphone for users on a budget. What do you guys think of this affordable handset from Huawei?

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Huawei announce the P30 Lite New Edition https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/huawei-announce-the-p30-lite-new-edition/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/huawei-announce-the-p30-lite-new-edition/#respond Sun, 12 Jan 2020 11:03:43 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=446287 Huawei has announced it will extend the P30 smartphone series with the addition of the P30 Lite New Edition. The new handset features an increase in RAM capacity, larger internal storage and a new 32MP selfie camera. The Huawei P30 flagship smartphone series has sold over 10 million handsets since its launch and now the …

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Huawei has announced it will extend the P30 smartphone series with the addition of the P30 Lite New Edition. The new handset features an increase in RAM capacity, larger internal storage and a new 32MP selfie camera.

The Huawei P30 flagship smartphone series has sold over 10 million handsets since its launch and now the company is adding to the range with the P30 lite New Edition, which is a refresh of the original P30 lite but with hardware updates to offer a higher specification that will run on Android 9 and EMUI 9.1.

“Following the successful launch of the HUAWEI P30 lite last year, we’ve updated this handset to bring people an even better device for taking, storing and processing photos. The HUAWEI P30 lite New Edition is a great option for those looking to own a world famous HUAWEI P Series smartphone.” Said Anson Zhang, Managing Director UK Huawei Consumer Business Group.

Upgrades to the Huawei P30 Lite New edition include a 32MP selfie camera featuring Super Selfie Night Mode that allows users to capture great selfie snaps regardless of the environmental lighting levels. The camera is AI enhanced and includes eight scene recognitions for capture of the perfect selfie. On the rear of the P30 Lite New Edition is an updated 48MP Wide Angle lens, an 8MP ultra-Wide Angle lens and a 2MP dedicated bokeh lens.

The P30 Lite New Edition also includes a 6.15-inch FullView display with 2312 x 1080 (FHD+) resolution, an impressive 6GB RAM with 256GB storage. In terms of battery power, the new P30 Lite is equipped with a 3340mAh battery cell and 18W Quick Charge. The included octa-core Kirin 710 processor ensures smooth operation and maximum power efficiency to provide longer battery life.

The Huawei P30 Lite New Edition will be available to purchase in the UK from 15th January, priced at £299.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: The new P30 Lite from Huawei has been upgraded with some improved hardware and sounds like it could be a good option for the mid-range handset market. What do you guys think?

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Honor discounts its smartphone devices for the festive period https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/honor-discounts-its-smartphone-devices-for-the-festive-period/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/james-dawson/honor-discounts-its-smartphone-devices-for-the-festive-period/#respond Tue, 24 Dec 2019 11:09:51 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=443650 Tis the season for discounts, and smartphone manufacturer Honor realises this. Throughout the festive period and into January the company will be offering discounts of up to £50 on some of its flagship devices including the latest 9X smartphone. Honor devices getting discounts during the festive period include the Honor 20 which is the company’s …

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Tis the season for discounts, and smartphone manufacturer Honor realises this. Throughout the festive period and into January the company will be offering discounts of up to £50 on some of its flagship devices including the latest 9X smartphone.

Honor devices getting discounts during the festive period include the Honor 20 which is the company’s gaming handset featuring industry-leading GPU Turbo 3.0 which boost the devices gaming capabilities by providing users with a visual and tactile experience.

Along with the Honor 20 series, the company’s 9X handset will also be discounted, the 9X is Honor’s first device to feature a pop-up front-facing camera that allows for high-quality imagery and creates a notch-free display experience. The pop-up front-facing camera has a built-in sensor that automatically retracts the camera before hitting the ground if the user accidentally drops it.

The Honor 10 Lite budget handset will have some cash knocked off its price over the festive period too. The Honor 10 Lite’s AI-powered camera is capable of recognising eight realtime scenarios and can identify different environments instantly to provide easy photography with great results. The front camera in the Honor 10 Lite features 3D facial recognition and light fusion technology to ensure you will always look great in those festive selfies.

Discounted Honor devices from 18th December 2019 – 31st January 2020:

Model RRP Discounted RRP
Honor 20 Pro £449.99 £399.99
Honor 20 £329.99 £299.99
Honor 9X £249.99 £219.99
Honor 20 Lite £199.99 £189.99
Honor 10 Lite £179.99 £149.99

Discounted Honor devices for the festive period are available from Amazon UK, Carphone Warehouse, Argos, John Lewis And Very until 31st January 2020.

KitGuru says: Have you got all your Christmas shopping done now or are you one of those who truly leaves it until the last minute? If you are, then there is still time for you to pick up an Honor device at a discounted price for a Christmas gift.

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Chief exec of Nokia re-affirms: Nokia will develop smartphones again https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/anton-shilov/chief-exec-of-nokia-re-affirms-nokia-will-develop-smartphones-again/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/anton-shilov/chief-exec-of-nokia-re-affirms-nokia-will-develop-smartphones-again/#comments Fri, 19 Jun 2015 02:34:07 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=255284 Chief executive officer of Nokia Corp. this week reaffirmed that the company will design smartphones again in the second half of 2016. Officially, the company only wants to develop hardware and leave production, distribution and selling to other. Still, for end users it will mean the return of Nokia smartphones. “We will look for suitable …

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Chief executive officer of Nokia Corp. this week reaffirmed that the company will design smartphones again in the second half of 2016. Officially, the company only wants to develop hardware and leave production, distribution and selling to other. Still, for end users it will mean the return of Nokia smartphones.

“We will look for suitable partners,” said Rajeev Suri, CEO of Nokia, in an interview with Manager Magazin, reports Reuters news-agency. “Microsoft makes mobile phones. We would simply design them and then make the brand name available to license.”

nokia_oro_3

Nokia sold its devices and services division to Microsoft Corp. in early 2014, but it retained its Nokia Technologies research and development division, which owns thousands of patents and employs hundreds of engineers worldwide. With intellectual property and development talent Nokia still has, the company is more than capable of designing a variety of mobile and consumer electronics products.

Back in November, 2014, Nokia introduced its own Intel Atom and Google Android-based Nokia N1 tablet, which is produced and sold by Foxconn Technology Group in China.

Under Nokia’s current business model, the company does not manufacture or sell any hardware, but licenses design, bill-of-materials, Z-Launcher software and other things to contract makers, who then handle production, distribution and sales.

nokia_e7

The once world’s largest producer of mobile phones now wants to adopt its current business model to smartphones. The company plans to develop them, but leave production and selling to other. While the company officially has no ambitions to become a supplier of devices, its CEO admits that a more aggressive business model could be considered.

“But of course we would be able to attack, otherwise we would immediately drop this [idea],” said Mr. Suri.

In general, chief executive of Nokia once again re-affirmed what the company’s executives have been talking about for months: the company is going to return to the market of smartphones at some point in the future.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The biggest question is whether Nokia has plans to become a supplier of handsets eventually once again. Such move is logical because it needs to monetize its patents in different fields. However, revealing such plans before you want to try to license designs makes absolutely no sense.

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A non-leather, cheaper LG G4 variant could be on the way https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/a-non-leather-cheaper-lg-g4-variant-could-be-on-the-way/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/a-non-leather-cheaper-lg-g4-variant-could-be-on-the-way/#comments Thu, 07 May 2015 18:16:36 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=248473 LG recently revealed the LG G4, its new flagship device featuring a Snapdragon 808 six-core processor and a leather bound back. However, it looks like a non-leather version of the handset could be on the way if new leaked images are anything to go by. The LG G4c is apparently going to be a lower-end …

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LG recently revealed the LG G4, its new flagship device featuring a Snapdragon 808 six-core processor and a leather bound back. However, it looks like a non-leather version of the handset could be on the way if new leaked images are anything to go by.

The LG G4c is apparently going to be a lower-end device with a lower price. The phone has appeared on a few German and Dutch shopping sites, according to TechRadar. The listing also points to specs, featuring a 5-inch 720p display, 1GB of RAM, a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410 SoC and an 8MP rear facing camera.

LG G4c leak 0815.eu-650-80

The LG G4c will cost just under 300 euros, which works out at around £225/$340. It looks almost exactly the same as the LG G4, aside from the plastic, non-leather back and a curved screen.

The device has not yet been officially confirmed but apparently it is due out some time in June. It is not uncommon for manufacturers to quietly launch cheaper variants of their flagship handsets in certain markets.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I'm not a big fan of leather on smartphones but it looks like the LG G4c is going to be a pretty weak device in terms of specs, targeting the lower end of the market. Are any of you guys looking to get a new Android smartphone this year? Any specific device you are waiting for? 

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Nokia’s return to smartphone market confirmed by executive https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/anton-shilov/nokias-return-to-smartphone-market-confirmed-by-executive/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/anton-shilov/nokias-return-to-smartphone-market-confirmed-by-executive/#comments Sat, 25 Apr 2015 03:50:27 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=246675 President of Nokia China has confirmed the company’s plans to return to the market of smartphones next year. He indicated in an interview that the company is currently evaluating different options and building its own manufacturing facilities is one of them. This week Mike Wang, president of Nokia China, participated in the ground-breaking ceremony of …

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President of Nokia China has confirmed the company’s plans to return to the market of smartphones next year. He indicated in an interview that the company is currently evaluating different options and building its own manufacturing facilities is one of them.

This week Mike Wang, president of Nokia China, participated in the ground-breaking ceremony of the company’s new major research and development centre in Sichuan, a province in southwest China. The R&D facility will operate as a part of Nokia Technologies, the company’s research and development arm, which has offices in Finland, the U.K. and the U.S. Nokia’s R&D centre in China will explore various new technologies, including wireless communications, Internet-of-things and other.

nokia_oro

Among other things, Mr. Wang confirmed in an interview with Sichuan Daily News that next year Nokia plans to return to the market of smartphones. The handsets will use Google Android operating system, possibly redesigned by the company’s UI [user interface] specialists. The high-ranking executive has neither confirmed, nor denied intention to build a manufacturing facility in China to produce the phones.

Earlier this week it was reported that Nokia intends to re-enter the market of smartphones in the second half of 2016. According to the unofficial information, the company plans to develop smartphone hardware, design as well as software and then license the package (along with its brand) to other firms, who will handle manufacturing, distribution and sales. Such business model does not require a lot of capital, but can help Nokia to gain ground on the smartphone market. Unfortunately, Nokia will have to share profits with third parties, which will lower its investment abilities and could affect competitive positions in the long term.

nokia_e7

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It looks like Nokia is assessing different options of return these days. While nothing is clear at the moment, one thing looks rather obvious: the company wants to be in the smartphone business. Keeping in mind that sales of smartphones are expected to hit two billion units several years from now, it is understandable why Nokia wants to do this. Still, if Nokia wants to re-enter handset business, it has to figure out how to make profit there. At present, only Apple and Samsung earn money by selling smartphones…

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Nokia may return to smartphone market https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/anton-shilov/nokia-is-planning-its-return-to-market-of-smartphones/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/anton-shilov/nokia-is-planning-its-return-to-market-of-smartphones/#respond Wed, 22 Apr 2015 02:58:39 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=246147 Nokia Corp. is plotting its return to the market of smartphones and tablets, a media report suggests. This time, however, the company will not manufacture its handsets itself, but will develop devices that will be made and distributed by other companies. In accordance with its agreement with Microsoft, Nokia does not have rights to make …

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Nokia Corp. is plotting its return to the market of smartphones and tablets, a media report suggests. This time, however, the company will not manufacture its handsets itself, but will develop devices that will be made and distributed by other companies.

In accordance with its agreement with Microsoft, Nokia does not have rights to make and sell smartphones under its own brand until the second half of 2016. The company also cannot use Asha and Lumia trademarks for any products. However, nothing stops the firm from developing handsets, which is exactly what the company’s Nokia Technologies division is doing, reports ReCode.

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Nokia Technologies, which has offices in Sunnyvale, California, Cambridge, England, as well as in Espoo and Tampere in Finland, is a research and development arm of Nokia, which also holds over 10,000 of various communication patents. Nokia Technologies is controlled by the chief technology officer of the company and was developing non-Windows Phone-based devices even after Stephen Elop signed agreement to exclusively use the OS from Microsoft Corp. in 2011.

In order to return to the smartphone market, Nokia plans to develop handsets and then license designs along with software, technologies and brand to third parties. The latter will handle production, distribution and warranties.

Currently Nokia licenses its N1 tablet design to Foxconn Technology Group, the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturing company, which sells the device in China under Nokia brand-name. The business model allows Nokia to concentrate on development of software and hardware, but to avoid massive expenses. However, it also means that Nokia does not control success of its products and cannot earn massive profits.

nokia_lumia_920

In theory, if Nokia’s smartphones and tablets regain popularity, the company could start to order manufacturing to companies like Foxconn and distribute them itself.

Nokia did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The vast majority of today’s high-tech companies today outsource manufacturing to contract makers of consumer electronics. What Nokia proposes to those producers is to essentially outsource research and development to the Finnish company.

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Nokia is set to launch a new £30 handset https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/nokia-is-set-to-launch-a-new-30-handset/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/nokia-is-set-to-launch-a-new-30-handset/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2015 14:30:31 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=228924 Nokia is back, fighting for its share of the budget mobile market with a new £30 low-cost smartphone, dubbed the Nokia 215. The device closely resembles the company's classic candy-bar style phones, with a tiny 2.4 inch QVGA screen. Despite being labelled as a smartphone, the Nokia 215 won't run one of the more traditional …

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Nokia is back, fighting for its share of the budget mobile market with a new £30 low-cost smartphone, dubbed the Nokia 215. The device closely resembles the company's classic candy-bar style phones, with a tiny 2.4 inch QVGA screen.

Despite being labelled as a smartphone, the Nokia 215 won't run one of the more traditional operating systems that we are used to these days, it will be running Nokia 30+, a new proprietary OS. App support will be extremely limited, you will get an Opera browser but you will be limited to a 2G internet connection.

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This device is clearly designed for emerging markets and won't be taking the tech world by storm. There will be two versions of the handset available, one dual SIM and one single SIM. The Nokia 215 will be hitting Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa during early 2015.

The Nokia 215 will cost under £30 and will last 29 days on standby off charge. Several color options will be available including Black, White and Green.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: A cheap, classic style Nokia device could be good for those heading off to festivals, or hiking mountains. The only thing missing from the classic style handset is the Symbian Operating System. 

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Acer wants to release Windows-based smartphone, boost market share https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/smartphone/anton-shilov/acer-wants-to-release-windows-based-smartphone-boost-market-share/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/smartphone/anton-shilov/acer-wants-to-release-windows-based-smartphone-boost-market-share/#respond Wed, 10 Dec 2014 23:59:21 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=225775 Acer Group reportedly plans to introduce a smartphone based on Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Phone operating system next year as a part of its plan to significantly increase shipments of its smartphones in 2015. Acer released its last Windows Phone 7.5-powered handset in 2011 and since then has offered primarily Google Android-based smartphones. Given cut-throat competition …

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Acer Group reportedly plans to introduce a smartphone based on Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Phone operating system next year as a part of its plan to significantly increase shipments of its smartphones in 2015.

Acer released its last Windows Phone 7.5-powered handset in 2011 and since then has offered primarily Google Android-based smartphones. Given cut-throat competition on the market of Android devices, Acer wants to enter less competitive market of Windows Phone 8.1 handsets, reports Focus Taiwan.

No details about the upcoming Windows smartphone from Acer are known, but given the fact that the company plans to address entry-level or mainstream markets, it is highly likely that Acer will introduce an inexpensive Windows Phone 8.1-based device in the first half of the year. Windows 10-based products are projected to become available only in late Q3 or even in Q4 2015; the initial models are likely to be aimed at higher end of the market.

acer_smartphone

IDC predicts that around 35 million Windows Phone-powered handsets will be shipped this year. The platform is expected to command only 2.7 per cent of the market, which does not make it really competitive. On the other hand, Acer could market its Windows-based notebooks and tablets together with smartphones.

The China Post reports that Acer wants to significantly improve its presence on the smartphone market in Taiwan. It is likely that the intention to use Windows Phone operating system is a part of the plan to boost home market share in general.

Acer did not comment on the news-story.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Given the fact that Acer has less than five Google Android-based smartphones in its lineup of devices, it will be very interesting to see how exactly it will position its Windows Phone-powered device. Perhaps, Acer will target corporate users who buy Windows-based PCs with its WP-powered phone.  Unfortunately, due to lack of any information about the product, all the guesses are pure speculations at the moment.

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Nexus 6 to launch for £499 in the UK https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/nexus-6-to-launch-for-499-in-the-uk/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/nexus-6-to-launch-for-499-in-the-uk/#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2014 17:35:05 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=220928 The Nexus 6 has finally popped up on the UK Google Play Store, showing off a £499 price tag although there is no confirmed release or pre-order date available just yet. The Nexus 6 is currently shown as ‘coming soon' and due to a slight hiccup last week, it is currently not known if the …

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The Nexus 6 has finally popped up on the UK Google Play Store, showing off a £499 price tag although there is no confirmed release or pre-order date available just yet. The Nexus 6 is currently shown as ‘coming soon' and due to a slight hiccup last week, it is currently not known if the device is already sold out or if Google has even yet to start taking pre-orders.

It is very likely that someone over at Google made a mistake when the Nexus 6 was shown as on sale and then swiftly sold out in just a matter of minutes last week. However, Google has still yet to comment on the incident or release details about a future release or pre-order date.

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Recent rumors are suggesting that Google plans to launch pre-orders on the 18th of November and begin shipping handsets before the 1st of December. Additionally, Google has revealed to XDA Developers that it intends to cease production of the sensibly sized Nexus 5 in order to sell more Nexus 6 devices.

The base price of £499 is for the 16GB model, for £549 UK buyers will be able to get their hands on the 32GB version. The Nexus 6 will feature a large 5.9 Inch 1440p display, 3GB of RAM and a 2.7 GHz quad core CPU, making it a truly high end device.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Google hasn't been all that organized with the Nexus announcement this year. The Nexus 6 only just arrived at the FCC for certification testing towards the end of last month- after the product announcement. Additionally, there is absolutely no concrete release information. Hopefully Google can sort these issues out soon and get the phones out to those who want them.

Source: Google Play Store

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3D printed budget phones offer blind a Braille handset https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/3d-printed-budget-phones-offer-blind-a-braille-handset/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/3d-printed-budget-phones-offer-blind-a-braille-handset/#comments Tue, 20 May 2014 08:06:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=193880 Time was that if you were blind, you might have been able to figure your way around a traditional mobile phone with a bit of practice. Sure there weren't many indicators of what does what, but with a bit of tutoring from a seeing friend, you might have been able to figure it out, as …

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Time was that if you were blind, you might have been able to figure your way around a traditional mobile phone with a bit of practice. Sure there weren't many indicators of what does what, but with a bit of tutoring from a seeing friend, you might have been able to figure it out, as you could easily feel where the buttons were, their shape and placement among the others, but touchscreens present a whole new problem. However if you happen to be blind and want a new handset, then OwnFone's 3D printed Braille phone could be just what you need.

The London based tech company already makes simplistic phones designed for the elderly and/or children, with several hard printed buttons with specific people or company's names on, letting you call them with the press of a single button. The same applies with the new Braille phone, expect it has 3D printed Braille bumps on each one, letting those with sight problems easily find their favourite – or least favourite – contacts.

design
Even the blind might want some styling options. 

If you can't reach braille though, that doesn't matter either, as words or symbols can be printed on the buttons – whatever you want, and it all costs only £60. That does however only give you access to the two button version of the device. For a four button model, you'll need to shell out a few more pounds, bringing the total cost to £67.50.

It's all very easily customisable through the OwnFone site, which lets you choose the model, the colour scheme, button type – and you can even upload your own images for the phone's cover.

Contract deals aren't the most competitive in the industry, but they are simple. £10 a month gets you 100 minutes of calls, whereas £15 nets you 500. There's no need to worry about text or data as these phones can't handle it – since they don't have a display. Contracts are month on month, so you don't need to sign up for a long period, though there are discounts available for six to 12 month packages.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: This seems like a great idea for older phone users as well as the blind. And children in-fact, since it gives them the connectivity to keep in touch if they need to but doesn't let them get online without the parent's knowledge. 

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Blackberry hoping to halt slide with budget handset https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/blackberry/jon-martindale/blackberry-hoping-to-halt-slide-with-budget-handset/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/blackberry/jon-martindale/blackberry-hoping-to-halt-slide-with-budget-handset/#comments Tue, 13 May 2014 07:57:06 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=192733 Blackberry is one of those company names that seems destined to limp off into the sunset before long, having fallen from smartphone darling of the business world to vaguely remembered third wheel in the handset race. However it's not going down without a fight and is hoping to at least maintain its business in emerging …

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Blackberry is one of those company names that seems destined to limp off into the sunset before long, having fallen from smartphone darling of the business world to vaguely remembered third wheel in the handset race. However it's not going down without a fight and is hoping to at least maintain its business in emerging markets, with the launch of a new budget phone in Indonesia.

It's called the Z3 and it's now been launched in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, in partnership with Foxconn, a company better known for its scandalous working conditions. While the Z3 will be launched in other markets eventually, Blackberry is targeting Indonesia with its features and pricing, keeping it under $200 at launch. Since Blackberry once had a 40 per cent stake in the country (and now has just four per cent), you can see why.

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To tailor it to its missing customer base, Blackberry has made the phone able to type in many Asiatic languages, as well as having a specifically developed version of Blackberry Messenger to allow for local characters. To bring the cost down even more in the future, Blackberry will be launching a “Classic” phone in the region later this year, featuring the traditional Menu, Back, Send and End buttons which were hallmarks of a Blackberry device for a long, long time, but disappeared in the wake of the touchscreen revolution.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Do we have any Indonesian KitGuru readers? If so, does this sort of phone sound like an attractive buy to you?

[Thanks Reuters]

Image Source: GSM Arena

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‘Snowden phone’ offers handset with full encryption https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/snowden-phone-offers-handset-with-full-encryption/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/snowden-phone-offers-handset-with-full-encryption/#respond Wed, 05 Mar 2014 09:22:29 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=180415 With the revelations of PRISM and Tempora surveillance that came about last year thanks to the leaks of ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden, the world at large is aware more than ever that governments are spying on them. One way to make that much harder for them though, is to encrypt your data but that's never …

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With the revelations of PRISM and Tempora surveillance that came about last year thanks to the leaks of ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden, the world at large is aware more than ever that governments are spying on them. One way to make that much harder for them though, is to encrypt your data but that's never been particularly easy on smartphones, especially with the abundance of privacy stealing apps. Now though, FreedomPop has released the Privacy Phone – affectionately nicknamed the “Snowden Phone” – which combined with the mobile service, offers completely encrypted voice and text communications.

According to the Techcrunch breakdown, the Privacy Phone uses 128-bit encryption for any calls you make or messages you send and if you happen to go online, you'll automatically be linked through a VPN to protect your anonymity. This not only protects against any government spying, but has the added benefit of preventing online marketers from learning much about you. Of course it also means you should be able to bypass any local site DNS blocks as well.

privacyphone
The weak link your privacy chain is always going to be whomever you're texting

There's also some more traditional protective measures in place though, such as anti-malware software, tools to find it again if you lose it and the ability to lock it down if you misplace it, encrypting your contacts, call and message history, as well as blocking phishing websites and other sites that might try and steal data through auto-complete or other methods.

To top it all off, if you want to buy one anonymously, you can order it with bitcoin, so there isn't even a trace that you've bought one. The only downside at the moment is that it only seems to be available in the US.

KitGuru Says: Granted a phone like this is just as likely to be used for criminal means as it is protecting the rights of individual citizens, but that's the toss up with these sorts of situations. You can't have freedom, privacy and added protection from criminal activity in the same breath. Freedom comes with a price, but it's one we should be willing to pay. 

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Dual-booting Windows Phone and Android handsets to come this year https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/dual-booting-windows-phone-and-android-handsets-to-come-this-year/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/matthew-wilson/dual-booting-windows-phone-and-android-handsets-to-come-this-year/#comments Mon, 03 Mar 2014 17:38:47 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=180116 Karbonn Mobiles, an Indian mobile phone manufacturer is set to release dual OS phones at some point this year,  these devices will run both Windows Phone and Android with Microsoft's blessing according to Company Chairman, Sudhir Hasija, who told The Times of India that “Microsoft has eased the regulations and is opening up its platform …

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Karbonn Mobiles, an Indian mobile phone manufacturer is set to release dual OS phones at some point this year,  these devices will run both Windows Phone and Android with Microsoft's blessing according to Company Chairman, Sudhir Hasija, who told The Times of India that “Microsoft has eased the regulations and is opening up its platform for other players.”

Karbonn Mobiles has signed a deal with Microsoft to release Windows Phones “in the next three months”, with dual boot options to follow. There is no clear benefit to having two mobile OS's on the same device, that said, these handsets are likely to be aimed at app developers and enthusiasts, I don't see the average person wanting to mess around with dual boot solutions any time soon.

htc-one-android-windows

Microsoft is currently working on its Windows Phone 8.1 update which will allow manufacturers to create low end Windows Phones with as little as 4GB of storage space, other updates to the mobile platform will include dual-sim support, on screen buttons, a Siri competitor named Cortana and finally, a change to the volume of current handsets.

KitGuru Says: When rumours of a Nokia Android device were circulating, I thought it would be pretty cool to see a dual-booting phone. Mobile technology is catching up to the desktop standard fast but I don't see the PC going away any time soon. Let's say in ten years time, if our portable devices were capable enough, would you replace your desktop? Let us know what you think in the comments and on our KitGuru Facebook page.

Source: TNW

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Hey look, it’s a Firefox smartphone https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/hey-look-its-a-firefox-smartphone/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/hey-look-its-a-firefox-smartphone/#comments Mon, 01 Jul 2013 18:00:51 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=140513 Well, a smartphone with the Firefox OS at least. The news of this open platform, HTML5 operating system got a lot of mobile developers excited earlier this year and it's likely to continue today, as the first handset sporting the browser giant's OS has now landed. Set to go on sale tomorrow in Spain, the …

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Well, a smartphone with the Firefox OS at least. The news of this open platform, HTML5 operating system got a lot of mobile developers excited earlier this year and it's likely to continue today, as the first handset sporting the browser giant's OS has now landed.

Set to go on sale tomorrow in Spain, the ZTE Open will make use of the Telefonica Movistar network and will cost 69 euros (£59). For this price, you get the handset itself, a 30 euro pre-paid balance for calls and messages and a 4GB micro-SD card. As TechCrunch reports, Telefonica plans to bring the phone to other markets in the next few weeks.

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Internally, the ZTE comes with 256MB of RAM, a 3.2MP camera and a 3.5in touchscreen, using the HVGA format. Being built on HTML, it's also capable of running a variety of other apps – theoretically more powerful versions of this handset could easily run some pretty high-tech game-engines too.

However the ZTE Open won't be the only one of its kind, there's also a host of new handsets coming with the Firefox OS later this year. There will be a whole range, covering difference price points and feature options – though it's unlikely to have a super high end one as that market is less lucrative and dominated by iOS/Android.

KitGuru Says: For a smartphone that cheap, it seems like there isn't much reason to hang on to an older type of handset. That is, unless you hate touchscreens – which I got to be honest, I still haven't completely got the hang of yet. I miss-type on my SII, all the time. 

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Galaxy S4 security approved for US government use https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/galaxy-s4-security-approved-for-us-government-use/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/galaxy-s4-security-approved-for-us-government-use/#respond Fri, 03 May 2013 13:01:46 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=133873 US government officials could be the next poster boys and girls for the Samsung Galaxy S4, after the Pentagon gave the nod of approval for its Knox security software – meaning the S4 handset will soon be getting access to some of the world's most secretive information. Approval from the Pentagon means government employees can …

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US government officials could be the next poster boys and girls for the Samsung Galaxy S4, after the Pentagon gave the nod of approval for its Knox security software – meaning the S4 handset will soon be getting access to some of the world's most secretive information.

Approval from the Pentagon means government employees can use the device to access Department of Defence networks, but this has only been given approval, because of Knox. The software makes it possible for heavy file encryption, Virtual Private Network usage and the ability to segregate information on the handset, splitting work and personal data.

samsungknox
Samsung makes Knox look far more exciting in marketing material than it actually is. 

“We are very pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Defense has approved Samsung Knox-enabled devices for use in DoD networks,” Samsung Mobile president JK Shin said in a statement (via CNET). “This approval enables other government agencies and regulated industries such as health care and financial services to adopt Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets. This is a significant milestone for Samsung as we work to grow our relationships within government and large corporate enterprises.”

However this nod by the Pentagon doesn't just give the Galaxy S4 access to a whole new government consumer base, but also future Knox enabled devices. As it stands the S4 is the only Samsung device with Knox support, but future handsets and tablets will come packing the security software.

KitGuru Says: That's also a thumbs up for end users like yourselves. If you're on the look out for a secure smartphone, the S4 might be what you're looking for. 

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O2 dropping phone chargers https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/o2-dropping-phone-chargers/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/o2-dropping-phone-chargers/#comments Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:00:46 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=122340 UK mobile phone provider O2 has announced that by 2015 it will no longer offer phone chargers with its handsets, as part of a new initiative called “Charger out of the Box,” which suggests that since most people have a compatible charger anyway, they don't need another. According to the O2 release, there are already …

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UK mobile phone provider O2 has announced that by 2015 it will no longer offer phone chargers with its handsets, as part of a new initiative called “Charger out of the Box,” which suggests that since most people have a compatible charger anyway, they don't need another.

According to the O2 release, there are already over 100 million unused chargers in the UK. When you combine this with the fact that over 30,000,000 handsets are sold in the UK every year, that number is set to grow exponentially – something O2 is keen to remedy.

However, if you happen to be switching brands, or find that your old charger stops working and you need something to tide you over while you wait for a new universal or brand specific one to arrive, all new phones will come with a micro-USB to USB charge cable, meaning you can hook your new pride and joy up to a PC or similar device and charge away to your heart's content.

Chargers
I'm sure everyone has a few of these lying around. Source: 123RF

“This is a step towards our commitment as set out in the Think Big Blueprint Sustainability plan; to no longer offer a new charger as standard with a new phone by 2015,” reads the O2 statement. “Doing this will reduce the amount of resources used in the manufacturing and packaging process, the amount of waste sent to landfill and the amount of fuel used for transport.”

O2 trialled this scheme with the HTC One X+, with apparently high levels of customer satisfaction, so it's decided to roll out the scheme to all its handsets.

KitGuru Says: Do you guys think this is a good idea? Makes sense to me but hey, what do I know.

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Microsoft working on a smartphone https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/microsoft-working-on-a-smartphone/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/microsoft-working-on-a-smartphone/#respond Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:27:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=114378 Microsoft is apparently testing a new Windows smartphone design, though it's one that will be Microsoft branded, not one developed by one of its partners like Nokia, Samsung and HTC. It's not clear yet if the concept will go into full production, but it's at least in the developmental testing stage. According to the WSJ, …

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Microsoft is apparently testing a new Windows smartphone design, though it's one that will be Microsoft branded, not one developed by one of its partners like Nokia, Samsung and HTC. It's not clear yet if the concept will go into full production, but it's at least in the developmental testing stage.

According to the WSJ, the device is between four and five inches long and will likely run a version of Microsoft's Windows 8 that is already being used on the company's homegrown Surface tablet. Commenters have suggested that this unified strategy of hardware and software, all of which is internally designed, is a practice that has been copied from Apple – and has been shown to be effective by the fruity firm.

Microsoft
Will it be called the Surface mini?

Part of the reason for this could be that current Windows Phones by other developers haven't been selling very well, though they could see a bit of a resurgence with the introduction of Xbox Smartglass, which sees tablets and compatible smartphones able to be used as Xbox controllers. That said, with hints from Microsoft that an iOS version of the app isn't far away, this may not help much.

Of course the official line at the moment is ‘no comment,' with CEO at Microsoft Steve Ballmer simply saying, “Whether we had a plan to do something different or we didn't have a plan I wouldn't comment in any dimension.”

KitGuru Says: Would any of you guys buy a Windows Phone designed by Microsoft? Let us know.

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Rumour: Amazon working on own smartphone https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/rumour-amazon-working-on-own-smartphone/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/jon-martindale/rumour-amazon-working-on-own-smartphone/#comments Fri, 06 Jul 2012 15:55:38 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=98928 A rumour has emerged that Amazon could be developing a smartphone to compete directly with Apple's iPhone. Foxconn is said to be working with the retailer on the production of the handset, while other claims suggest Amazon is attempting to buy up wireless technology patents in an effort to avoid being embroiled in the smartphone …

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A rumour has emerged that Amazon could be developing a smartphone to compete directly with Apple's iPhone.

Foxconn is said to be working with the retailer on the production of the handset, while other claims suggest Amazon is attempting to buy up wireless technology patents in an effort to avoid being embroiled in the smartphone legal wrangling that has beset all the large manufacturers.

While the person behind this rumour is staying anonymous for now, they aren't the first to claim Amazon is looking to enter the mobile market. Back in November last year, analyst at Citigroup Mark Mahaney said that the online retailer had plans for a smartphone handset too.

Amazon
Would you buy an Amazon smartphone?

Bloomberg pointed at Google's acquisition of Motorola as an example of the growing trend of mobile patent acquisition. Doing so potentially gives these large firms much more of a leg to stand on if they are targeted by other smartphone manufacturers with claims of patent infringement. It also provides ammunition for those same companies if they choose to perform their own aggressive litigation.

Taking that into consideration, perhaps Amazon is merely buying up patents in order to protect its growing Kindle platform. Then again, moving from tablet to touch screen smartphone isn't a huge step, so perhaps the rumours are correct.

Kitguru Says: Would you buy an Amazon smartphone if it was released? It could have access to one of the largest music and Ebook libraries available, though it's debatable how fun it would be to read a full book on your phone.

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Nokia’s Lumia 900 now up for pre-order in the UK https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/nokias-lumia-900-now-up-for-pre-order-in-the-uk/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/nokias-lumia-900-now-up-for-pre-order-in-the-uk/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:24:47 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=86710 It's been discovered that Nokia's Lumia 900 is now available for pre-order in the UK as of today with availability expected to be “in the coming weeks”. It is possible to place your pre-order through Phones4U or Carphone Warehouse. While Nokia still hasn't committed to a specific time of release, Phones4U is promising handsets from …

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It's been discovered that Nokia's Lumia 900 is now available for pre-order in the UK as of today with availability expected to be “in the coming weeks”. It is possible to place your pre-order through Phones4U or Carphone Warehouse.

While Nokia still hasn't committed to a specific time of release, Phones4U is promising handsets from April 27th where Carphone Warehouse is playing it safe with availability said to be in May.

The UK version of this 4.3-inch Windows 7.5-running handset doesn't differ much to the recently released U.S. model apart from the loss of LTE connectivity in replacement for HDPA+.

Where Carphone Warehouse is merely offering a pre-registration page at this time, Phones4U is dressing things up for the launch in taking pre-orders for the black or white Lumia 900, and if it's the white one you opt for, the deal is enhanced with a bundled Play 360 Bluetooth speaker at no additional cost.

KitGuru says: Not unlike the case with its white Lumia 710 and 800 handsets, the white 900 will also be an exclusive for Phones4U across the UK retail chain.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S III will boast a 4.8-inch 1080p display https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/samsungs-galaxy-s-iii-will-boast-a-4-8-inch-1080p-display/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/samsungs-galaxy-s-iii-will-boast-a-4-8-inch-1080p-display/#comments Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:35:55 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=80938 While it wasn't to be for Samsung's Galaxy S III to rattle the cages at MWC this year, we are at least starting to get some real meat on what Samsung has in store for us with its next flagship handset and we're sure you'll really like the sound of what Samsung's innovators have come …

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While it wasn't to be for Samsung's Galaxy S III to rattle the cages at MWC this year, we are at least starting to get some real meat on what Samsung has in store for us with its next flagship handset and we're sure you'll really like the sound of what Samsung's innovators have come up with!

The display Samsung is said to be incorporating into the GS III is next to jaw-drop worthy. The company has managed to create a market-ready 4.8-inch sized 16:9 display for the phone which boasts an incredible Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution – a big step up from its already super impressive 1280 x 720 4.65-inch screen used for the Galaxy Nexus and certainly a good chunk superior to Apple's 960 x 640 Retina display on the iPhone 4S.

Further to that wow'ing attribute of Samsung's next big talked about handset, we can also share out a few more details fresh from the rumour mill on the supposed specs. The phone will apparently sport a 1.5GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos processor housed in a ceramic casing with 4G LTE connectivity and of course with Android 4.0 on tap. Its camera setup will be an 8-megapixel on the rear and a 2-megapixel on the front.

At this stage we're itchin' to hear more on Samsung's Galaxy S III but will have to sit tight for now until more solid info filters out.

KitGuru says: The image used in this article was a mock-up from the source, but we can only hope the real deal turns out similar. Edge-to-edge 1080p 4.8-inch screen? Yes please Samsung!

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Nokia announces 41 Megapixel 808 PureView at MWC https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/nokia-announces-41-megapixel-808-pureview-at-mwc/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/nokia-announces-41-megapixel-808-pureview-at-mwc/#comments Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:47:56 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=80716 Remember all that hype from Nokia last week about getting ready for something pure? Cat's out the bag and now we can give you the Pure details. At MWC just a short time ago Nokia announced the 808 Pureview, its new flagship Symbian device sporting an astonishing 41 megapixel camera. Yes, Fourty One! – How …

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Remember all that hype from Nokia last week about getting ready for something pure? Cat's out the bag and now we can give you the Pure details.

At MWC just a short time ago Nokia announced the 808 Pureview, its new flagship Symbian device sporting an astonishing 41 megapixel camera. Yes, Fourty One! – How on earth did they manage to accomplish that? The finer details haven't been fully disclosed but it's basically a combination of Nokia's own-developed pixel over-sampling technology with good ole' Carl Zeiss optics.

The technology means that taking typically sized shots (say, 5 megapixels) the camera can use oversampling to combine up to seven pixels into one “pure” pixel, eliminating the visual noise found on other mobile phone cameras. On top of that, you can zoom in up to 3X without losing any of the details in your shot – and there’s no artificially created pixels in your picture, either.

Otherwise, you can use ‘Creative Shooting Mode’ to capture images at high resolution – 38 megapixels; then reframe, crop and zoom to find the best “picture within the picture” after the image has been shot and before saving it at convenient sizes for sharing and storage.

The oversampling technology also allows for significantly improved low light performance than previous camera phones, Compared to a typical optical zoom camera used at full zoom, the Nokia 808 PureView captures over 5x more light. Under normal lighting conditions, performance is also enhanced, as this combination allows for faster shutter speeds, reducing the effects of camera shake.”

Yes, it's true that megapixels never directly equate to high quality, rich and sharp photos, but Nokia is touting that its PureView camera technology can produce the “sharpest images on a smartphone”. While the 808 Pureview debuts the entry of Nokia's Pureview tech into the smartphone world, Nokia has already confirmed that it will be incorporated into future Nokia phones as well, so the super high MP count certainly won't be stopping here.

Another big feature Nokia pushed with the 808 Pureview is in relation to its audio recording abilities. Nokia said it is capable of recording crisp, clear audio in CD-quality at up to 140 decibels.

Elsewhere, the phone isn't anything revolutionary in today's smartphone world with a single core 1.3GHz processor, 4-inch (360 x 640) screen, 512MB of RAM and 16GB of storage. It's also possible this is the last Symbian phone that sees the light of day, but at least we know PureView will survive through future handsets.

The 808 PureView is scheduled to hit the market in May at a price point of 450 Euros.

KitGuru says: Pity about Symbian's involvement here, but by the sounds of it there will be an eventual match made in heaven somewhere along the line as Nokia merges PureView with a range of upcoming handsets.

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Nokia says ‘get ready to capture a pure view’ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/smartphone/stephen-dougherty/nokia-says-get-ready-to-capture-a-pure-view/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/smartphone/stephen-dougherty/nokia-says-get-ready-to-capture-a-pure-view/#respond Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:26:15 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=80105 Just slightly ahead of Mobile World Congress next week, Nokia has posted up a rather curious and alluring video on its YouTube channel that hints at some sort of big announcement they have on the cards for next week's event. The brief video merely whispers at this time that we need to “Get ready to …

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Just slightly ahead of Mobile World Congress next week, Nokia has posted up a rather curious and alluring video on its YouTube channel that hints at some sort of big announcement they have on the cards for next week's event.

The brief video merely whispers at this time that we need to “Get ready to capture a pure view” and be prepared for “Pure Depth”, “Pure Detail” and “Pure Definition”. One thing we can be clear on here is that whatever Nokia has in store for us, it's touting something that is supposedly a big step away from anything it's released in the past. It could be a super high quality and / or Megapixel camera the handset maker is planning to add to several future models, or perhaps even an Windows Phone-wielding N8 successor of sorts.

Whatever it may be, we will know in a week's time and will be sure to report back on what is hopefully something that really gets Nokia right back into the smartphone picture.

KitGuru says: If you were considering a Lumia 900 you might want to hold off for a bit just to see what you may end up missing out on. The smartphone market in general is about to get a good shake-up.

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus takes a decent price drop in the UK https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/samsung-galaxy-nexus-takes-a-decent-price-drop-in-the-uk/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/samsung-galaxy-nexus-takes-a-decent-price-drop-in-the-uk/#respond Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:23:49 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=79812 Saving your pennies for a shmick new Galaxy Nexus? Today might be your lucky day with Expansys significantly decreasing the price of this high end handset to just £399, down from the usual price of £549. You must be super quick however, as this offer is limited to today only and with limited availability (said …

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Saving your pennies for a shmick new Galaxy Nexus? Today might be your lucky day with Expansys significantly decreasing the price of this high end handset to just £399, down from the usual price of £549.

You must be super quick however, as this offer is limited to today only and with limited availability (said to be only 200 units). If all 200 are sold by the time you read this, Expansys have said the price will go back to the pre-promotion price of £449.99. So once again, jump all over it now if you've got a soft spot for this lovely handset and can scrounge up the dosh.

KitGuru says: And sure enough, all 200 were snapped up like hot cakes. But as mentioned before, the pre-promotional price tag of £449.99 is still a good deal if you were waiting for a good time to pounce on the Nexus..

Also, in response Amazon is now offering it for the same price.

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Nokia’s Lumia 800 bundle now listed at MS’ Online Store https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/nokias-lumia-800-bundle-now-listed-at-ms-online-store/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/nokias-lumia-800-bundle-now-listed-at-ms-online-store/#respond Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:35:21 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=79663 You can now pick up Nokia's Lumia 800 smartphone in the U.S. from Microsoft's online store which comes bundled with a number of additional accessories for US $899, SIM free and unlocked. This option comes days after Microsoft started selling the bundle at its 16 brick and mortar stores across the states, thus vastly improving …

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You can now pick up Nokia's Lumia 800 smartphone in the U.S. from Microsoft's online store which comes bundled with a number of additional accessories for US $899, SIM free and unlocked.

This option comes days after Microsoft started selling the bundle at its 16 brick and mortar stores across the states, thus vastly improving availability for anyone who wants to get their mits on Nokia's first Windows Phone-powered handset.

The bundle includes Nokia's Purity HD stereo headphones by Monster, a Nokia Play 360° wireless Bluetooth speaker and a Nokia Luna Bluetooth headset. The phone is offered in two color choices of Black and Magenta with the aforementioned accessories featuring matching colors.

In Microsoft's words with regard to the bundled accessories, “Your music will sound great over the Purity HD headphones, which not only deliver premium audio, but are lightweight and comfortable with soft ear pads—ideal for long listening sessions.

When you want to share your tunes, the Play 360° fills your room with powerful and clear 360-degree sound. And with the Luna Bluetooth headset, you can talk hands-free for up to eight hours—perfect for those marathon teleconferences or long calls with family and friends”.

KitGuru says: A pretty decent deal when factoring in the cost of all the extras separately, especially if you think you'll be able to put them to good use.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S III will be a no show at MWC https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/samsungs-galaxy-s-iii-will-be-a-no-show-at-mwc/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/stephen-dougherty/samsungs-galaxy-s-iii-will-be-a-no-show-at-mwc/#respond Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:25:37 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=76022 For those of you who were holding out for next month's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona primarily to see Samsung's Galaxy S III formally announced, a bit of sour news has surfaced today that goes against all prior indication that this is when it would be launched. Samsung has reportedly made the decision to hold …

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For those of you who were holding out for next month's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona primarily to see Samsung's Galaxy S III formally announced, a bit of sour news has surfaced today that goes against all prior indication that this is when it would be launched.

Samsung has reportedly made the decision to hold back on the announcement until later in the year, making only a brief comment that it will be “out there before the Summer“. From what we can gather, it's Samsung's discontentment with the amount of time it takes for their products to penetrate the U.S. market versus elsewhere. With the U.S. being a particularly important market, it is assumed Samsung needs more time to plan the launch so folks in the states aren't waiting for so long before they can get a hold of it.

Instead, it is most probable for MWC the Korean giant intends to focus on new tablets and possibly new Windows Phone handsets.

KitGuru says: International sales on pause due to U.S. carriers? We can only hope this doesn't become a trend.

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