EE’s 4G networks go live in the UK: Here’s everything you need to know

For smartphone owners living in the United Kingdom, the fourth generation of mobile networks has finally arrived. While we’ve all become accustomed to the basic streaming and download speeds that are possible through 3G, the new 4G networks are promising a much faster and more consistent Internet connection for our devices. Before long, it’ll be the new standard.

In fact, users are being offered Internet speeds which sit somewhere between 8 and 12 Megabits per second (Mbps), which is more than some home owners receive on a standard broadband connection.

EE, formerly known as Everything Everywhere, is leading the charge with its recently revealed 4G network, branded using the same name. While consumers have been able to sign up to the new carrier for a little while now, today is the official rollout of its superfast 4G mobile service. To mark the occasion, we’ve created a little guide explaining everything you need to know about 4G, including price, coverage and compatible handsets.

Location, location, location

As of today, EE’s 4G mobile network is available in 11 cities across the United Kingdom. The first cities to receive access include Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sheffield and Southampton.
Before the end of the year, however, EE has also promised to have 4G connectivity available in five more cities; Newcastle, Belfast, Southampton, Hull, Nottingham and Derby. Although in 2013 this will be rolled out even further across the country, it’s worth thinking twice before signing up for a 4G contract, especially if you’re not going to be covered for at least another few months. There’s no point paying for a service you can’t even use, right?
As part of its rebrand, EE has also opened over 700 new stores on high streets across the UK, in what it calls “one of the biggest and fastest transformations in UK retail history.”

Pricing

Even if you’re already on a network owned by EE (they’re in charge of Orange and T-Mobile too) and have a mobile phone contract that includes Internet usage, you still won’t have access to 4G speeds right away. Instead, you’ll need to sign up for one of EE’s specific 4G tariffs.
With unlimited calls and texts, it costs £36 for 500MB of data each month, rising to £41 for 1GB, £46 for 3GB, £51 for 5GB and £56 for 8GB. All of these pricing plans will tie you in for 24 months, which is pretty common now for smartphone contracts offered in the United Kingdom.
There are also two additional tariffs for small businesses, as well as ‘4GEE Sharer’ options which are detailed in some of our previous coverage, as well as the image below.



Once you’ve registered for a 4G plan with EE – which the company is advertising as 4GEE – you will be given a 4G SIM card to put in a compatible device. These “4G ready” devices must have been purchased on the Orange or T-Mobile network, with one exception; the iPhone 5. According to the company’s website, any iPhone 5 bought directly from Apple, Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4U or any other handset merchant can use 4G with an EE SIM card.

It’s worth also noting that EE is advertising a £99 upgrade if you own a smartphone that is also ‘4G ready’ in another version. Examples of this are the Samsung Galaxy SIII and HTC One X, which can both be bought from Orange and T-Mobile as ‘4G Ready’ and non 4G handsets.

Smartphones

So what are your options at the moment when it comes to choosing a ‘4G ready’ device? Well, when the rebranded EE was unveiled in September, the company confirmed that it would be offering the 4G-enabled iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy SIII LTE, Samsung Galay Note 2 LTE, HTC One XL and Huawei Ascend P1 LTE.

You might have noticed in the list above that the term ‘LTE’, or Long Term Evolution, is often used by smartphone manufacturers when they’re talking about 4G speeds. It’s essentially a new type of technology that enables smartphones to use the fourth generation networks and is usually denoted by having the LTE acronym at the end of their name.

EE has also confirmed that the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820, two devices that use the new Windows Phone 8 operating system, will also be 4G-enabled when they’re launched here in the UK. More handsets will undoubtedly be launched or even re-launched to increase the number of ’4G ready’ devices on the market.

Once you have an appropriate plan and SIM with your 4G compatible smartphone, you will be able to use the network in any of the cities listed above. Move outside these areas, however, and you will default back to 3G speeds or lower.

Networks

EE is the only network offering 4G speeds in the United Kingdom today. If you’re interested in a 4G contract with a rival network such as Vodafone, Three or O2, you’ll have to wait for the time being. They are expected to launch their own ultra-fast 4G networks sometime next Spring, once the government auctions off the remaining 4G spectrum.

Once every network is able to offer a 4G contract, you can expect prices to drop somewhat and the coverage to improve across the country. More handsets will also be ’4G ready’, increasing your options if you’re due for an upgrade or just in the market for a new smartphone.

Source: thenextweb.com

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Rockstar confirms spring 2013 release date for GTA 5

Grand Theft Auto V will release worldwide on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 during spring 2013, Rockstar Games has announced.

The release window was announced ahead of parent company Take-Two Interactive's proposed fiscal Q2 2013 earnings call, which had been due to take place in New York later today. That has since been called off, however, due to the catastrophic effects of Tropical Storm Sandy.

Talking about GTA V's release date, Rockstar Games founder Sam Houser said: "Grand Theft Auto V builds on everything we've learned about open world game design. We can't wait to share it with fans."

Rumours of a spring release date hit the web earlier today following a tweet from retailer GAME. The tweet - which has since been pulled - showed marketing material outlining the spring 2013 release date.

More information on GTA V is expected to be revealed next week. On November 8, further details on the game - including a set of previously unseen screenshots - are due to be revealed via Game Informer.

Source : videogamer

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Acer Delays Windows RT Tablets, Wants to See Surface Reaction First

Acer announced Tuesday that it is delaying the launch of its Windows RT tablets until at least Q2 2013.

The Taiwanese PC maker was originally planning on releasing an ARM-based Windows RT tablet in early 2013, however the company has decided to delay those plans in light of some of the reviews of the Microsoft Surface tablet.

Acer President Jim Wong told Reuters, “originally we had a very aggressive plan to come out very early next year but because of Surface, our R&D development doesn’t stop, but we are much more cautious.” Instead of Q1 as a target, Acer has pushed the date back to Q2 or beyond.

Back in August, Acer was one of the companies that criticized Microsoft’s decision to create its own hardware. At the time, an Acer spokesperson told the press that the company believed “Microsoft’s launch of its own-brand products is negative for the whole PC industry.”

Wong expanded on his thoughts to Reuters, saying:

“We are watching how Surface is doing … How is RT accepted by customers, how Microsoft is aggressive on RT and on Surface, we don’t know… We want to see.”

While Windows 8 is already a success — with more than 4 million upgrades in just the first three days of availability — the verdict is still out for both Surface and Windows RT.

Some users love Surface and the ideas of convergence that it brings to the table. Others are less convinced of the ecosystem and the new interface paradigms.

Although Surface is the most prominent Windows RT device currently on the market, it isn’t the only device currently available. Asus has already released its own Windows RT device, the Vivo. I’ve been reviewing that unit for the last week and find that it offers a good Windows RT experience.

Microsoft is entering new territory with Surface in that it is directly competing with its own OEM partners. While Steve Ballmer can talk up Microsoft’s strong relationship with “partners” ad nausea, the business reality is still uncomfortable.

It’ll be interesting to see if Acer’s plans to delay Windows RT tablets have any impact on other OEMs. Let us know what you think about the decision in the comments.

Source : mashable

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Nexus 4 Vs iPhone 5 specs visual

Now that the LG Nexus 4 has been officially outed by Google, many consumers will inevitably be making the decision in their heads on which handset is better between Google’s new effort and the iPhone 5, which is still considered to be the benchmark in the smartphone market.

As with previous Nexus devices, there is plenty of interest in the upcoming handset, not only because it will ship with the latest version of Android Jelly Bean (4.2), but also because the hardware specifications on paper appear to be very promising indeed and arguably better than what Apple can currently offer consumers with the iPhone 5.

For starters, the processor is a essential factor in any decision making over a new smartphone and you’ll be pleased to hear that the Nexus 4 has been equipped with a brand spanking new quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chip, offering 1.5Ghz per core. In comparison, the iPhone 5 still only ships with a dual-core based A6 processor although the company has made consumers aware that the A6 offers ‘double the speed’ than what was offered in the A5 chip with the iPhone 4S.

Elsewhere, the debate over screen quality is going to be a big talking point as well. The Nexus 4 may even eclipse the infamous Apple Retina Display as well, as LG has fitted a 4.7-inch HD IPS+ LCD display screen on the Nexus 4 with a resolution of 1280×768 and 320ppi, compared to the iPhone 5′s 4-inch Retina Display which boasts a resolution of 1136×640 with 326ppi. Basically both display screens are right up there with the best available on the market.



Looking down the useful visual chart supplied by Droid-Life, we see that the Nexus 4 edges the iPhone 5 in RAM (2GB compared to 1GB), battery life (2100mah compared to 1440mah) and has two features that are not available on the iPhone 5, those being NFC and wireless charging support.

Having said that, there is no running away from the fact that the Nexus 4 is not an LTE device and the iPhone 5 is. This is going to be a massive deal breaker for many already, so it will be interesting to see just how many consumers will be satisfied with just HSPA+, after previously using LTE on an older Nexus handset with the Galaxy Nexus – if that makes sense.

Take a look at the visual for yourself and let us know what you have decided to buy. Is the Nexus 4 the clear winner here, regardless of a lack of LTE support?

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Source: product-reviews.net

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What’s New in Android 4.2

First and foremost Android 4.2 is still “Jelly Bean”, not “Key Lime Pie”, not “Kit Kat”, not (insert your favorite dessert that starts with the letter “K” here). Instead, Android 4.2 is “a new flavor of Jelly Bean”.

This means a few things: most importantly that it’s an iterative build, not a major build; and it implies that all devices currently running Android 4.1.x (which is also “Jelly Bean”) will get the Android 4.2 upgrade — sooner or later.

Code names aside, what’s in 4.2? Google has gone on the record saying that Android 4.2 is “the simplest and smartest version of Android yet”. Why? Let’s take a look!

Camera

Forget panoramas! Try 360-degree immersion!

Google reworked the camera, adding an entirely new photo experience they’re calling “Photo Sphere“. Unlike the “old” panorama mode, Photo Sphere takes individual shots and wires them together to create “stunning 360-degree immersive experiences that you can share on Google+ with friends and family”.

Gesture Typing

Android 4.2 includes a re-worked keyboard that’s supposed to make typing “easier than ever” by letting you Swype ”glide” your finger over the letters you want to type. When you’re done with a word just lift your finger and Android will automagically add a space for you.

That Swyping motion reminds me of something… hmmm

Like the previous iteration of the Jelly Bean keyboard, the “new flavor” keyboard anticipates and predicts your next word for super-fast “typing”.

They didn’t stop there. The dictionaries have been improved and are reportedly “more accurate and relevant”, and they improved the text-to-speech bits while they were at it.

Wireless Display

Who needs wires?

Android 4.2 is making watching content on your big-screen easier — without wires. You can watch movies, YouTube videos, or any of your Android’s screen on any HDTV. If your TV supports the Miracast standard you’re all set, if not all you need is a wireless display for your TV.

This reminds us a of the ill-fated Nexus Q.

Multi-User Support

Keep your grubby little fingers offa my homescreen!

You know what I hate? Handing my tablet over to one of my kids to keep them entertained “for a few minutes” only to discover that their “entertainment” was changing my wallpaper, rearranging my icons, and messing up my tablet!  No more!

In Android 4.2 you can now set up multiple users, so everybody can have their own space. They can set their wall own homescreen and wallpaper, widgets and apps, and they can even have individual high scores and levels on their games. (It sounds like each user will have to buy their own copy of apps, but this has yet to be confirmed.)

Alas, this feature is for tablets only — at least until the custom ROMmers get ahold of it!

Daydream

Just a big clock? Not anymore!

If you’ve got a dock for your phone or tablet you’re probably under-impressed by the fact that, when docked, your device is essentially a “big desk-clock”. Android 4.2′s “Daydream feature” lets you display your photo albums or even news from Google Currents and “more”. Not only that, apparently this feature works when docked or when “idle” — though we’re not quite certain what “idle” means.

Google Now

Google Now — even more “smart”

Google Now got a HUGE update. It can now tell you more information about flights, hotels, restaurant reservations, events, shipped packages, movies, concerts, stocks, developing and breaking news stories, and even nearby attractions and photo spots.

Google Search

For Android 4.2, Google Search gets a new look and is powered by something they’re calling Knowledge Graph, which tries to give you “a precise answer” to all your questions.

Wireless Charging Standard?

The Nexus 4 includes wireless charging (which some of us at Pocketnow think is über-cool and others think is a big yawn). Regardless, it stands to reason that extra bits were added to Android codebase to enable and control the wireless charging components tucked inside the Nexus 4. This could potentially speed adoption of charging without wires, and make it more of a standard among Android-powered devices. Curiously, the Nexus 10 tablet makes no mention of wireless charging.

Conclusions

We thought it odd that Google “cancelled” their press event, rather than “postponing” it, now we know why: they decided to announce everything via press releases instead. We would have loved to see all these items in action at the press event, but we’ll make due with what we got.

Android 4.2, though not the “K-named” version that many of us were expecting, does include a bunch of new features, upgrades, and exciting tidbits. The Nexus 4 is going to be an interesting device (and with 320 ppi it’s on my “must buy” list).

What about you? Are you happy with what Google put into 4.2 or do you think they missed something? What’s your favorite new feature? Let us know in the comments!

Source : pocketnow

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Google Play Store Reached 700,000 Apps, Equals Apple’s iTunes

Android has seen a tremendous evolution throughout the past couple of years; while Apple was ahead in the numbers game as far as application in its store are concerned, Google was no slouch coming in a close second. It appears that the Play Store has now reached another important landmark and has now, according to Mountain View, managed to catch up to Apple.

While everybody can definitely agree to the fact that quantity is not the defining factor — as there are mediocre, to say the least, apps is all application markets — Android fans will definitely be excited to hear the news. Now that the software title offering game has reached a tie, the two companies will probably start bragging about amounts paid to developers. Apple has just recently told everyone that it paid $6.5 billion to developers since the introduction of its online store. Also, the tablet market and dedicated apps seem to the a bragging topic: Apple is proud to have more than 275,000 applications developed especially for the iPad, while Google is still struggling in that specific chapter.

Source : pocketnow

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Intel debuts its first 20-nanometer flash solid-state drive

Intel will today ship its first solid-state drive -- the SSD 335 -- featuring 20-nanometer NAND flash memory.

The new drive stores 240GB in total and offers 500MB/s read speeds and 450MB/s write speeds via the SATA 6Gbps interface. The drive is a 2.5-inch model and is 9.5mm thick, but the retail kit contains all the fittings you need to fit this into a 3.5-inch drive bay.

The drive is also backed by Intel's 3-year warranty.

"The Intel SSD 335 uses Hi-K/metal gate planar cell technology, which overcomes NAND process scaling constraints to deliver the smallest-area NAND cell and die in the industry," said Rob Crooke, Intel vice president and general manager for the Intel Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) Solutions Group. "By pushing technology constraints and using process innovation, Intel can continue to progress SSD technology and pass along savings to our customers."

The SSD 335 uses the smallest and most efficient MLC NAND flash memory on the market today.

Intel's earlier SSDs, such as the SSD 330, made use of 25-nanometer, and apart from the architecture shrink, the new SSD 335 is essentially identical to the SSD 330. The only exception being that the SSD 330 came in 60GB, 120GB, 180GB, and 240GB capacities.

Rather than breaking new ground here, Intel seems to be simply using the SSD 335 to showcase the shrink to 20-nanometers. This technology is likely to lead to increased storage densities in the future, but for now Intel is playing it safe and sticking to 240GB as the ceiling.

You can grab the new drive for around $200 from all usual, good retailers.

Source : zdnet

 

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Steve Jobs’ yacht unveiled in front of family, named ‘Venus’

Several years before his death in 2011, Steve Jobs began working with Phillippe Starck on the design of a luxury yacht. On Sunday, it was unveiled at a special ceremony in the Netherlands.

The yacht that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs helped to design has been unveiled in the Netherlands just over a year after his death.

The building of the yacht was something of a pet project for Jobs and had been in the works for over five years.

Designed with the help of the acclaimed French product designer Philippe Starck and built by Dutch custom yacht builder Feadship, the 80-meter-long vessel is made with lightweight aluminum and features 3-meter-high clear glass windows as well as a large number of 27-inch iMacs on the deck. Sounds like a floating Apple store, some might say. Indeed, according to Walter Isaacson’s biography of Jobs published shortly after his death in October 2011, the former Apple CEO called on the skills of the chief engineer responsible for the Apple stores, asking him to design special glass that would be able to provide structural support for the vessel.

Named Venus after the Roman goddess of love, the unusual looking boat – whose design will certainly not be to everyone’s taste – was reportedly unveiled at a special ceremony in Aalsmeer in the Netherlands on Sunday. Jobs’ widow Laurene and children Reed, Erin and Eve were at the launch.

Speaking to the BBC about the vessel, Starck said, “Steve and I shared the same idea about the elegance of the minimal, the elegance of work well done,” while  at the same time admitting that it does “look strange for a boat.”

In Isaacson’s biography, the Apple co-founder said that despite being seriously ill with pancreatic cancer, he couldn’t suddenly stop working on the design of the boat.

“I know that it’s possible I will die and leave Laurene with a half-built boat,” he told Isaacson, “But I have to keep going on it. If I don’t, it’s an admission that I’m about to die.”

It’s not clear when Venus will make its maiden voyage, or indeed what plans the Jobs family has for the vessel, though we guess at some point it’ll be transported to a location close to their California home.

Source : digitaltrends

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Google Music Ready to Take on iTunes With Warner Agreement

The company announced Monday that Warner Music Group agreed to begin selling its catalog of songs through Google Play. All four major U.S. record labels have now signed on to Google’s music, video and app retailing platform.

Google launched its music offering, which allows users to upload and play their existing library to the cloud as well as purchase music, last November. The service was hampered by its lack of selection, however, making Amazon’s Cloud Player the superior option for Android users. (iTunes is not available on Android devices.)

Google also said it would begin selling movies in Canada, the UK, France, Spain and Australia on Monday, as well as music in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain on Nov. 13.

The announcement was made in conjunction with the unveiling of Google’s new line of Nexus devices: a Nexus 4 smartphone, a 7-inch Nexus 7 tablet and a 10-inch Nexus 10 tablet.

Source : mashable

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Microsoft Surface inward review

There are a number of technology websites that are in the process of their Microsoft Surface review, which would normally focus on providing insight into the Microsoft Surface specs and if the price is worth it when compared to alternatives. Then we have another website well known for loving to take apart the latest technology, which means their Microsoft Surface review will show you how good this tablet is from the inside.

You can see the look inside Microsoft Surface here, or look below at a number of photos revealing part of this process in action. The reviewer even gives you a step-by-step guide for taking the new tablet apart, but strangely they also warn users not to use their instructions as a way to disassemble the Microsoft Surface tablet. We’re sure some people will brave it, but this would obviously be done at their own risk.



 If you want to see how the iPad 4 vs. Microsoft Surface compare then you can see our visual review here, which is supported by a few videos taking a more in-depth look at the operating system behind the Microsoft Surface tablet and also a closer look at the 4th generation iPad. It is worth noting that the iPad 4 has been up for pre-order, although there won’t be any full hands-on reviews just yet until it sees a release date next week. You can also see an early look at the Apple iPad mini from the weekend that compares the 7.9-inch tablet with the Google Nexus 7.



Google had to cancel their event that had been scheduled for yesterday in New York, which had to happen thanks to Hurricane Sandy although they did update their blog with all the details. This had been the wish of fans that didn’t want to wait until Google had time to plan another press event, so feel free to check out the full Google Nexus 10, 7, and 4 details in this article.



We’ll be sure to publish a full Microsoft Surface review roundup at a later date, but for now take a look at the teardown via the above link and let us know if you’re thinking about purchasing the Microsoft Surface tablet?

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Source: product-reviews.net

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How to stay connected during Hurricane Sandy

NEW YORK (AP) — When disaster strikes, phone and Internet service often takes a hit, right when it's needed the most. Here are some tips for communicating with emergency services and loved ones as Sandy collides with the East Coast:

— Cellphones may work even if the power goes out, but you can't count on them. The phones themselves, of course, have batteries. And the cell towers that relay your calls and other messages are often equipped with backup batteries and some have generators. Verizon says all its sites have at least eight hours of backup power.

But tower batteries run down, and refueling generators with diesel can be difficult if roads are flooded. If hurricane recovery drags on for days, cell service may go out due to a lack of "tower power." This is what took out the cellphone network in southern Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, complicating rescue and recovery efforts.

After Katrina, federal regulators wanted to mandate that all cell sites have at least eight hours of backup power. But much of the wireless industry objected to the rule, claiming it was illegally drafted and would present a huge economic and bureaucratic burden that would divert resources from the most disaster-prone areas. The requirement was tossed out.

Power loss isn't the only threat to a wireless network. Calls are carried from the towers by landlines, which are also susceptible to damage, and they connect to communications networks that also need power to function.

Wireless carriers have a menagerie of backup equipment to deploy in areas where their infrastructure has been destroyed, or where emergency responders need extra capacity. Towable cell towers are called Cells on Wheels, or COWs, while Cells on Light Trucks are called COLTs. AT&T calls generators on trailers GOATs.

— Even if cellphones work, wireless networks may be overloaded by people calling to check in on each other or surfing the Web. That's why cellphone companies recommend text messaging rather than calling in any disaster, because text messages use much less network capacity. They also don't use much battery power. Using Facebook and Twitter can be tempting, but try to keep usage brief and use the phone's apps rather than web browsers if possible, to minimize network use and battery drain.

If you have a battery-powered radio, use it to get your news updates rather than taxing the wireless network and your phone battery.

— Keep your phones plugged in so that they're fully charged if the power goes out. There are various products available that can recharge a cellphone from a larger rechargeable battery, AA batteries, or through a car adapter.

— Corded landline phones may work even if the power goes out, because they're powered from the phone jack, which in turn is powered from the phone company's facilities. These are equipped with generators and backup batteries.

Cordless phones won't work if your home loses electric power, nor will Internet phone services like Vonage and Ooma.

Even if the phone company's facilities have backup power, the phone lines themselves are susceptible to wind and water damage.

— Phones hooked up to cable or Verizon FiOS aren't powered by those lines, but the modems in the home usually have backup batteries that will last about eight hours. That means corded phones will work without your home's electric power with these services. Again, cordless phones will be useless.

— Vehicle emergency systems like General Motors Co.'s OnStar rely on a wireless network (OnStar uses Verizon's), so they're susceptible to network outages, just like cellphones. However, OnStar says customers report better luck connecting with their car systems than with cellphones, probably because the car has a much larger antenna, allowing it to reach more distant towers.

— For true disaster preparedness, only a satellite phone will do, but the prices are steep. Phones for the Iridium network cost more than $1,000, and the calls cost more than $1 per minute on most of the available calling plans.

Source: news.yahoo.com

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Hands on: Galaxy Note II and yes, size matters

While armchair analysts yap incessantly about the to-ing and fro-ing between Apple, Samsung and Microsoft over which tablet form factor wins in the race for hearts and minds, I've been getting on with what really matters - road testing the Samsung Galaxy Note II. I've also compared notes with a few colleagues who've also fallen in love with the Galaxy Note. What's the anecdotal but useful verdict?

Despite some of the commenary about its in-betweeny size, I like the Galaxy Note II. I like it so much I paid for the thing alongside signing up for a new data plan. That should tell you a lot because unlike some of my erstwhile tech junkie colleagues, I don't usually buy the latest fashion toy. Far from it. I buy when I need to. In this case a semi-dead LG Optimus (something or other) that blew up two daya before I absolutely needed to be on a call and where the only other feasible option was either a reverse call-in to one of my other mobiles or Skype. Neither of those alternatives was ideal. 

Size matters

OK - what's to like? The size. It fits into any of my jacket pockets with ease, slides neatly into the dedicated phone pocket of my Tumi briefcase and is surprisingly light for its size at 112 grams. It doesn't look stupid when held up to the ear when used as a...wait for it...phone and can be used hands free using the shoulder lift manouver without straining my neck. Not that size matters when you come from an era of using the Motorola DynaTac - or as I lovingly called it: The Luggable.  

Then there is the small matter of what you can display on the Galaxy Note II. Colleagues who are migrating off Blackberry fall in love with the device instantly because at last they can see (and read) web pages without too much scrolling or zooming. As a past 'Four Incher' screen devotee, the additional real estate makes reading most web pages and all applications nearly as easy as on larger devices. Again, it avoids a degree of scrolling. Ergo, my life is easier. 

While talking about size, Samsung has not been daft in realizing that many people prefer using one hand to operate their smartphones. They offer neat little 'helpers' for left (as in my case) or right handed only operation. To be fair though, I prefer holding the device in my right hand and then operating with the left. This has advantages if you live in countries/locales where drive by snatchers operate as you will have a much tighter grip on your device than if it was only used in one handed fashion. A small point? Not if you live where I do. 

And before anyone asks - has Howlett got meat packers' hands? No. I am pretty average on the hands size front though like many others, I continually suffer from 'fat finger' syndrome. Which neatly brings me to yet another advantage of the Note II's size. I am making far fewer typos than would normally be the case when only using fingers. That's a productivity bonus all of its own. 

Loving the S-Pen

Moving swiftly on. I've seen many so called analysts poo-pooing the Note's inclusion of the S-Pen as indicative of a device that doesn't know what it wants to be. Ahem - ever seen people using pen like devices to draw on iPads? In this case, the S-Pen is altogether more useful for enterprisey types. 

Until I got hold of this device I would never have thought to use a smartphone as a device for creating lists yet the combination of some very nice templates and the S-Pen make this much simpler than I could imagine. That in turn has led me to think about the kinds of lists that make sense on this device.

The most obvious is a shopping list the creation of which is often a highly repeatable exercise but always annoying and time consuming. Notes on financial statements, quick meeting notes and instant mind maps are obvious business uses. Using the S-Pen for email is a breeze as it is for calendar updates. Again, we're talking productivity as opposed to aesthetics.

Most important of all, the S-Pen is a natural tool for those of us who routinely use something other than a keyboard with which to communicate. Which I am guessing is something like 99% of the executive population. 

OK - so the S-Pen isn't perfect and I do get odd ball typos (Don't ask, they are deeply embarrassing). But then only having used the S-Pen a few days I am sensing it is a case of getting used to it in much the same way I did back in the day with Palm devices. This is one case where even my advancing years and attendant ADD will not prevail. The S-Pen is too useful to allow that productivity boost to be lost. It does not leave me hankering for a physical keyboard, which I have acquired for my iPad. 

Speed/battery life

I am well used to working on crabby wifi networks, 2G and 3G. 4G is a pipedream for me. Whatever Samsung has done to overcome the natural sluggishness of networks I encounter is magic. Everything loads at lightning speed and even video, which once was pretty much a no-no on other devices, streams flawlessly with this device. Once again, score one for productivity. As a side note, I am tempted to load this thing up with some video for travel. It's certainly watchable although I'm guessing I'd still prefer an iPad for that purpose. 

When I first got the device I did everything I could to exhaust the battery in the shortest possible time. On my other Android devices I know I can kill a battery stone dead in less than four hours just doing email, checking Twitter, LinkedIn and running a few webpage reads. Note II took me a good seven hours of hammering it with video playback and my usual tasks before I was down to 20% power. Even then, the recharge rate was phenomenal, coming back up to full power in less than 45 minutes. More goodness IMO.

Backup/restore/add-ons

Samsung include an app called Kies for backup and restore. This reminds me of some older apps of a similar nature but with the added ability to backup/restore over wifi. I'm not sure the extent to which I will use this solution. Yes it's a bummer if you lose treasured photos that have not been shared on one of the many photo sharing sites or backed up to something like DropBox.

Samsung has a slew of its own apps but most of these are consumer focused. Even so, they should provide devleopers with ideas about how they can re-imagine enterprise apps on this 5.5 inch form factor. That will be interesting to watch. 

For the corporate user, I notice that Samsung has attracted plenty of ISV interest. As I would have expected, SAP is in there with Afaria support for device management. Box is in there too, as is Adobe, VMWare and Zoho among many others. Oracle is not, neither is IBM.

What I am not seeing however is a plethora of enterprise mobile apps built specifically for Samsung even though there is an SDK on offer that includes an update for the S-Pen technology. I am guessing most of those apps will appear as free client side only apps in the Google Play Store with server side functionality as a paid for add-on via the usual user license agreements. It will be interesting to see if Samsung is able to get serious interest in its SDK but for that we will have to wait and see how well the device does in shipping numbers to the corporate market. 

Verdict

I am not geeky enough to go into the whys and wherefores of Jelly Bean, the technical specification and what not. I leave that to the likes of Matthew Miller. I count myself as a reasonably tech savvy user who represents the people I mix with - business folk who care about getting things done. In that regard, Note II is a genuine step up for someone like me who is coming from the smaller form factor world or who is looking for an alternative to iPad mini or some other similar sized device.

The overall positive usability and user experience driven by the size, S-Pen, battery life and other hardware related topics is enough to get me seriously interested. I can for example see road warriors carrying both this and a conventional iPad, rather than opting for iPhone and iPad Mini. It will be one for when they're on the street (Note II), the other for when they're on customer/supplier sites (iPad.) That works if developers are prepared to support both Android and iPad devices for the same applications. Right now I tend to see something of an either/or approach. 

The Galaxy Note II will not be to everyone's taste. I can see it presenting some handling difficulties for those with smaller mitts than me but those limitations can be overcome with a little effort. The default whistling 'tune' when there is inbound data is entertaining for about 20 minutes before it starts to get irritating. That can be easily changed and I can imagine having a lot of fun with finding something more appropriate. Other than that, I can find little to truly complain about.

Source : zdnet

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Microsoft Windows Phone 8 guide: Are these improvements to a great OS enough?

Back in July 2010 I posted my extensive review of Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview and have been using Windows Phone devices every day since that time. Regular readers know I have grown into quite a fan of the platform, largely because it offers a unique experience and for the most part works well for ME. Windows Phone is also the most stabile mobile OS that I have used and that reliability counts for something.

Over two years have passed and we now see Microsoft starting over yet again with Windows Phone 8, but even though the core is different you will see that the look, feel, and performance is just about the same as it has been. That's not a bad thing if you have used Windows Phone and enjoy the "people-centric" experience, but so far the Windows Phone philosophy and UI hasn't seemed to attract the masses (they sit at about 3% market share) and I am not convinced this latest update is going to do much to change that. It is going to take wireless carriers, hardware manufacturers, and Microsoft's concerted efforts to get Windows Phone 8 devices into people's hands.

Although you will see that much of the look and feel of Windows Phone 8 is the same as Windows Phone 7 in my HTC Windows Phone 8X image gallery we see that hardware vendors are coming out with some new designs that are attractive and bold. You can check out my first impressions of the HTC Windows Phone 8X with a review of a Nokia Lumia device coming later this week. Samsung is also bringing the Ativ S to Windows Phone 8 by taking their popular Galaxy S III form factor and powering it with WP8. The hardware is now competitive with Android and iOS devices and we'll take a look at more of it this week, but for now let's take an in-depth look at the OS behind these new devices and see if you think it offers enough of a compelling experience for you to give it a try.

Quick history and current state of Windows Phone

Windows Phone launched at the end of 2010 and if you revisit reviews you will see that nearly every one of them gave Microsoft's new smartphone operating system high praise. I personally have four of five family members (I had five for a couple months) using and enjoying Windows Phone, primarily for the reason Microsoft gives for its compelling nature; it lets you focus more on the people in your life and those interactions rather than the spending all of your time interacting with apps and diving down into the OS. You may recall Microsoft had a commercial with the message that Windows Phone helps you spend less time with your phone. While I do think people should spend more time actually interacting with others in person, I don't think this message resonated with too many people. I understand the intent was to show that Windows Phone was a powerful personal assistant who was doing the work for you so you didn't have to, but it's going to take more to get people to try Windows Phone.

We never saw device sales reported after the release and over the last couple of years we saw studies and sales data from research firms and analysts show Windows Phone only grew to capture about 3% of the smartphone market share. The hardware was decent, but nothing amazing as most manufacturers took existing Android devices and slapped Windows Phone 7 inside. We saw Microsoft update devices to Windows Phone 7.5 that added things such as custom ringtones, threaded messaging, linked inboxes, groups, Twitter and LinkedIn integration, multitasking, Local Scout, and much more. Microsoft then stated that Windows Phone 8 was coming with a new shared core between Windows 8 and Windows RT. However, this meant that no existing devices were going to get updated and it appears that sales flatlined (looking at recent sales data from carriers) while loyal Windows Phone fans were a bit ticked, especially those that just purchased devices like the Nokia Lumia 900. Microsoft restarted with Windows Phone 7 and to then kill it off and restart again two years later with Windows Phone 8 may be a tough sell.

Nokia went all in with Windows Phone and NEEDS it to succeed to continue in the market. HTC's latest financial data is dismal, at best, and it now looks like they too need Windows Phone 8 to be a success to stay in business. Samsung is the only manufacturer to really excel in the Android market so they don't look to be making much of a play in the Windows Phone area. Thankfully, we see both HTC and Nokia actually launching with some pretty compelling products and I hope that consumers give them a try since Windows Phone MUST be experienced first hand to judge. I am not saying everyone will love it and switch, but you can't really judge it without trying it out.

Wide US carrier support has been tepid with AT&T being the primary Windows Phone advocate and T-Mobile providing some devices. Sprint and Verizon only ever offered a single device each and never seemed to care at all about Windows Phone. If Microsoft wants Windows Phone 8 to succeed they need to get at least the top four US carriers on board and supporting the platform. We have also seen a rather weak marketing strategy from Microsoft and they too need to promote the platform along with carriers and manufacturers. I do think the excitement around Windows 8 and Windows RT is going to help Windows Phone 8 since the UI across all three platforms is very similar and people may like the consistent UI.

What are the major new features in Windows Phone 8?

OK, so now let's get into Windows Phone 8 and see what Microsoft did to improve on Windows Phone 7/7.5. Keep in mind that some of these new features may also be manufacturer specific and I'll try to point that out.

• Shared Windows core: Windows 8, Windows RT, and Windows Phone 8 share core components that should give you a consistent experience, help developers write code once and use it on multiple platforms, and help hardware manufacturers get products to market faster.

• Advanced hardware support: Windows Phone 8 now supports multicore processors, three screen resolutions (800x480, 1280x768, and 1280x720), and removable storage.

• Revamped Start screen: You now have the ability to resize Live Tiles, see more interactive Live Tiles and Live Apps, display more information on your lock screen, and let you children use your phone safely in the Kid's Corner.

• People Hub improvements: You will now find Rooms along with Groups and the ability to use NFC to quickly add and share contacts.

• Photos Hub and Camera improvements: The camera software has been updated with a viewfinder, lenses, and integrated editing tools. You will also find the ability to store, sync, and share improved in Windows Phone 8.

• Music & Videos Hub improvements: Xbox Music is now fully supported and microSD support is provided for this hub. You can actually even connect to a Windows computer and browse internal and microSD card storage directly with the File Explorer now, which will please many people.

• Games Hub improvements: There is a new notifications panel, in-game purchase support, and Xbox SmartGlass support.

• Windows Phone Store: The Marketplace has been replaced with the Store with new ways to browse for apps, new payment options, cloud backup and reinstall support, and lots of developer improvements.

• Wallet: This new application lets you carry your phone as your wallet with support for storing debit, credit, loyalty, and membership card info, NFC payments (vendor system not yet in place while WP8 internals support it now), deals, and apps that integrate with Wallet.

• Office Hub and OneNote Mobile: You should find it easier to find documents in Office Hub while each of the apps has improvements as well. OneNote Mobile is now separate from Office Mobile on your Start screen with an option to share photos to OneNote, enter voice notes, and search your notes.

• Email and Messaging improvements: White or dark inbox view is now supported, you can send and reply to email via voice, more support for attachments in SMS/MMS are inside, and new emoticons appear in the Word Flow keyboard.

• Internet Explorer 10: IE 10 is onboard and adds features such as smart address bar, find on page, better touch optimization, and better speeds.

• Search: There is a cool new ability to swipe left and right from within Bing to see local events, local deals, movies that are in local theaters, and top headlines. Local Scout has also been updated and new search categories are present.

• Maps: Maps have been improved thanks in large part to the partnership with Nokia that include offline maps. Turn-by-turn voice guided directions are only present on smartphones that have partnerships in place and this is a good reason to pick up a Nokia Lumia if voice guided navigation is important to you.

• Cloud and over-the-air support: There is now the ability to backup and restore your phone to the cloud. We will also finally see OTA updates so a computer will no longer be required to get an updated device.

• Skype integration and improved Phone app: After downloading the free Skype app you will find Skype can be setup to keep you signed in and reachable even when the app is closed. Skype contacts are integrated into the People Hub and Skype Chat is fully functional.

  Start screen update

  The Start screen on Windows Phone is the first thing you see after unlocking your phone and is also where you will visit on a regular basis. One thing I really like about Windows Phone is that the Start screen is the ultimate in personalization and it seems highly unlikely that you will ever find any other Windows Phone that looks exactly like yours. This is in contrast to the iPhone where I have seen many people with the same home screen and some Android users with the same home screen, commonly the default. Even if every Windows Phone 8 buyer kept the default screen that launched on their phone, you would still see a completely unique Start screen because the dynamic nature of the Live Tiles mean that different people, different photos, and different status updates will appear because we all have different connections to people.

  Resize Live Tiles

  With Windows Phone 7/7.5 we were given Live Tiles in single wide and double wide format with the ability to simply drag and drop them around the display. In Windows Phone 8 we now have the ability to resize Live Tile in a 1x1 (small), 2x2 (old single wide and new medium), or 2x4 (old double wide and new large) form factor. Developers must provides support for small and medium Live Tile size while large is optional. If you go down to 1x1 then you can fit four of them in a 2x2 block. While this is a subtle change, it is HUGE for the way I use my Windows Phone as I can now have a 2x2 tile that has 1x1 small tiles of my four immediate family members rather than having a single family Group. There is also a cool new Rooms feature I will cover later in this article.

  Lock screen improvements

  The lock screen has always been a place where you could quickly see the date, time, upcoming events, and any notifications. Microsoft improved it with features such as more background options, detailed app status, and custom notification settings. I love that you can now select the Bing image of the day to appear each day on your lock screen since I really enjoy the images and like a lock screen that changes. By default, and with Windows Phone 7/7.5, we saw the next calendar appointment on the lock screen. You can now choose to have a detailed status update for calendar, Facebook, selected email inbox, messaging, or phone with the ability to always toggle this off. You can view quick status at the bottom for up to five apps, including Facebook, Games, selected email inbox, messaging, and phone.

  Kid's Corner

  I am wondering if Microsoft's marketing folks talked with parents because as a parent of three daughters I don't think kids associate the word "corner" with a good place to go. Maybe something like Kid's Zone (popular play places) or the Playground would have been a better choice for this functionality. I like the idea behind Kid's Corner and have seen lots of people handing over their smartphones to let kids play games or watch videos, but I am not sure how it will resonate with the market. According to Microsoft, 66 percent of parents allow their kids to use their phones for games, music, videos, and more. I think it is again one of those things you need to try out and live with to appreciate.

  Within the Settings you can turn on Kid's Corner and are then walked through a wizard where you can choose from your installed games, music, videos, and apps. You select the things you wish to share with your child and then enable the functionality. By default, Microsoft locks out communications apps such as email, phone, xxx so that your child doesn't make calls to Japan or send spam texts while they are using their phone. The software prompts you to enter a password for your phone so that your child doesn't get into your stuff and for security purposes that's always a good idea anyway.

  After setup the next time your display times out you will see you have to enter your security code to get into your phone (you may already have seen this previously if you setup security). To get to the Kid's Corner your child simply swipes from right to left to see their customized lock screen and then swipes up to get into the Kid's Corner. Here they will see album art for the selected music along with shortcut icons for the games and apps they have been given access to. In the upper left they will also find the Customize tile where they can customize the lock screen image and accent color of the Kid's Corner. You child can also tap and hold on the tiles and then resize them to 1x1 or 2x2 size and then drag and drop them around the Start screen. They cannot uninstall apps and games or remove content from within the Kid's Corner. If you have multiple children that want to customize the Kid's Corner you will have to work that out with them since there is only support for one "profile" in Kid's Corner.

  People Hub

  The People Hub has always been a great place to view the latest updates from your friends and quickly contact them via various forms of communication. In Windows Phone 8 Microsoft added a new panel called Together that gives you access to your Groups and Rooms. Groups was updated to support syncing to your Microsoft account so you will now see these Groups in your People list on Hotmail or Outlook.com.

  How is Rooms different than Groups?

  Rooms is a new feature of Windows Phone 8 that extends the idea of Groups beyond simple group communication. With Rooms you still have the ability to communicate, but within a private room chat space so that only Room members see communications and every one in the Room see messages and replies. The Room has a shared calendar that is synced to everyone's phones. A room photo album allows you to share photos within the room rather than out on your social network site where everyone can see them. You can also share notes via OneNote so a family grocery list can be manage by all. Only the person who creates the Room can invite or remove people from the Room.

  Room invites are sent via SMS and if you have a Windows Phone 8 device then the Room will be setup after you tap on the link and accept the invite. Microsoft also designed Rooms to work outside of the Windows Phone 8 platform so iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 7/7.5 users can follow the invite to a webpage that explains how to setup the shared calendar while messages within the group will be supplied via Live Messenger. Accepting an invite to the group helps you connect with the creator via Live Messenger.

  Photos Hub and Camera

  I always loved the ability to jump right in and take a photo with my Windows Phone by simply pressing and holding the camera button. Other operating systems have since tried to make it easier to take photos as well, but the simply press and hold of the button is still one of the easiest. Microsoft improved the viewfinder experience in Windows Phone 8 with the ability to zoom via pinch and stretch, easy flash toggle, and ability to switch to a different Lens. One Lens included by default is Bing Vision so from within the camera application you can jump to scanning QR or barcodes in Bing Vision. 3rd party developers can provide other lenses as well, and as of the time of writing this article the only other available is one from CNN.

  The auto-fix editing feature was nice in Windows Phone 7.5 and now Microsoft has added crop and rotate options. There are plenty of sharing options available too, including via NFC and Bluetooth.

  Music & Videos

  I already wrote about my excitement in finally finding the ultimate music service in Xbox Music and am glad I will soon have a phone that supports all the features. One feature of Windows Phone 8 that I did not know about is the "buzz" panel. When viewing an artist in Xbox Music Store or in your collection you can see Twitter feeds, images, and news feeds for that artist. Playlists are also now cloud-enabled so you can sync them across multiple devices, including Windows 8 and your Xbox 360.

  Games

  Microsoft continues to integrate the Xbox experience into Windows Phone 8 with features such as SmartGlass that turns your WP8 device into a remote for your Xbox 360. It is a fun companion too so when you are watching content you can view info on your phone about the cast and crew. In-game purchases are supported on WP8 so we may see more freemium games come to the platform. Unfortunately, I still cannot see my Han Solo outfit on my avatar on my Windows Phone :(

  Windows Phone Store

  The Windows Phone Marketplace has been renamed to the WP Store and along with that comes a few tweaks to help make discovery a bit better. This is important with over 100,000 apps in the Store now too. There is a new discover panel with tiles for the following:
  
  
• Top free

• New + Rising

• Top paid

• Best-rated

• Collections

• Picks

Wallet

The new Wallet hub lets you store your debit, credit, PayPal, reward, and loyalty cards and information in one location and eventually will let you tap and pay for transactions with your phone. You can use cards stored in your Wallet for app purchases. You can manually enter data if it doesn't fit into one of the categories, an MVP flyer card, or other secure data. You can setup a PIN just for Wallet, on top of the PIN you have for your device itself. I really want to see support for things such as movie theater reward cards, Starbucks, and other venues where I can save space in my physical wallet. Apple is competing well with Passbook and I think there is the potential for Microsoft to do even better with Wallet.

The deals panel looks helpful and so far I have seen deals from LivingSocial, Yelp, and MSN. I want to see Groupon and Amazon Local added since those are services I actually do use quite a bit.

Office and OneNote Mobile

Having a native Office app on Windows Phone has always been something that set Windows Phone apart from others and Microsoft took some time in WP8 to clean up the experience and accessibility. OneNote was pulled out of the Office Hub, which makes sense since I tend to see people using OneNote that don't really care to use Office on their phone and to use OneNote as a daily app I think it helps to get out from the Office Hub. Now that I have a Windows RT tablet too I imagine the easy sync of the recent document list will become very handy and I will be using it more.

In addition to the updated user interface of Office Mobile you will find updates to Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile. Office Mobile will actually now pick up right where you left things when you work with Word 2013 on a PC. This is fantastic and exactly the way cloud services like this should work. There is also a new full-screen reading mode. I use Excel Mobile more than the other two modules and we see the same syncing between last saved locations here with support for charts, smoother navigation, and improved cell selection.PowerPoint Mobile now lets you view slide decks in portrait or landscape mode. Editable speaker notes are also now available below the slide on one display.

In addition to OneNote Mobile moving out from the Office Hub we also see improvements like voice recording capture, ability to send photos capture right into OneNote, and the ability to quickly search through your notes.

Email and Messaging

Email has always been one of the best features of Windows Phone and with Windows Phone 8 Microsoft tweaked things to make email and messaging even better. One new change that should both help make battery life better and give you a look that matches your selected theme is dark mode for inbox. With Windows Phone 7/7.5 you only had a white background with black text and now you can switch that to a black background with white and themed color text. Another nice update is that you can pin individual email folders directly to the Start screen which can be very handy for folders of projects and other specific folders you have set up.

Email has always supported attachments, but you always had to go back to the email that contained the attachment to reopen the attachment. In Windows Phone 8 Microsoft places the downloaded attachments directly into the Office Hub after you download and open them. You can also access documents stored on SharePoint Server by tapping a link in an email. I have used voice-to-text in the past to listen to and respond to text messaging via a Bluetooth headset and now you can do the same thing within email.

You could always delete multiple email conversations and in WP8 you can also do the same for messaging threads. Messaging also gains support for sharing contacts, videos, voice notes, contact cards, and your location. Emoticons are also now provided within the Word Flow Keyboard found in Messaging.

Internet Explorer 10

Given the good applications on Windows Phone I don't spend a ton of time browsing the web and was always satisfied with IE Mobile, which was based on IE9. Microsoft continues to improve their products and WP10 adds hardware accelerated graphics, a faster javascript engine, improved support for HTML5 and W3C web standards, protected mode, and tab isolation. You can also now share web pages through more ways, such as tap+send, Xbox, and social networks. Xbox selection opens up SmartGlass as the conduit. You can also receive links from other WP8 and Android users via NFC. I tested the ability to send and receive web pages with my Samsung Galaxy Note II and it worked fine.

Search

One of the main reasons I use Bing on my Windows Phone devices is to check out the cool daily photos, which is why I like that I can now use these as my default lock screen image. With the updated version of Bing you will see Voice has been removed from the bottom row of icons with the mic icon right up there within the search box, which makes a LOT more sense.

You can now swipe right and left from the main Bing panel and swipe through to see local movies, local videos, headlines, local deals, and local events. I like the use of panorama mode here within Bing. A new search category was added, shopping, while images was changed to media to support both images and videos. The Quick Cards relevant information from your search results has been updated to include places, products, movies, events, news, deal, and videos. These Quick Cards can also show likes from friends that appear in a "buzz" panel, similar to the buzz panel found in Music.

Maps

Maps is now powered by Nokia map technology and along with this new backed comes support for offline maps that is included with all Windows Phone 8 devices. You will NOT get turn-by-turn voice navigation by default as that is tied to manufacturer deals. Nokia Lumia devices will include this. Traffic has been improved so that more secondary streets and coverage of 26 new countries is supported.

Skype

Microsoft now owns Skype so support for this VoIP service is prominent in Windows Phone 8. Unfortunately, I was unable to download and test it out on my pre-release device so can only tell you a bit about what is planned for this service. VoIP services like Skype, Tango, and Qik can now be integrated into your phone dialer, contact list, and more. Skype supports video and voice calls with instant messaging and now runs in the background if you are using other apps so it truly can be used as your preferred phone service if you desire. Pieces of Skype can be shown in Live Tiles and on your lock screen too.

Other Windows Phone 8 improvements

While there are many major improvements in Windows Phone 8, like other mobile operating system updates, there are also a ton of things that get updated behind the scenes and aren't necessarily headliners. In Windows Phone 8 we see the following additional improvements:

• Screenshots!: I put this addition down here since I doubt many readers care much about this capability, but everyone who writes about Windows Phone can finally test apps and create reviews with real screenshots that look great rather than crappy photos of the screen we have had to post over the last two years. To capture a screenshot you press the start button and power button at the same time.
• Multitasking improved: Apps are paused when you switch to another app with some, such as navigation and VoIP apps, executing in the background. Windows Phone 8 improves on the multitasking experience while minimizing impact on your phone's performance and battery life. Apps do need to be updated to at least WP 7.5 compliance or even WP8 for full support of multitasking.
• Word Flow keyboard: The software keyboard has been improved with things such as emoticons for texting and chatting, improved word prediction, and custom dictionary support. You will also find the amazing ability we saw in later Windows Mobile devices where words are actually predicted BEFORE you even type a letter. For example, if you are writing a quick note to someone and enter "happy" you may see the next word appear as "birthday" before you even enter it. I used to be able to type full sentences in Windows Mobile by entering just a few letters.
• Deeper Voice capability: The voice support in Windows Phone 7.5 is great and I have had text conversations back and forth while mowing the lawn without ever touching my phone or Bluetooth headset. In Windows Phone 8 Microsoft takes that deeper, if developers take advantage of the capability. For example, if Amazon updates the Kindle app there is the potential to say, "Open Kindle Game of Thrones", to then have the app open up and then that book within the app open up.
• Updated and new Settings: You will find a few new Settings in Windows Phone 8, including cloud backup, tap+send, Kid's Corner, and company apps. Within the Settings you will also find things such as microSD card storage support, more lock screen settings, and Wallet settings.

As you can see, Windows Phone 8 may appear visually as a minor update, but there are lots of fairly significant improvements that make a great OS even better.

Summary thoughts

I have a Nokia Lumia 900 with Windows Phone 7.5 that I use every day and it is still a functional device that does nearly everything I need. Windows Phone 8 improves on that experience in many ways so there is no reason I will not buy a new WP8 device. Microsoft is providing a different user experience than what people see on iOS (app shortcut driven) and Android (widgets and customization) and I think it appeals to the new smartphone buyer. I think most people using iOS or Android are well integrated with those ecosystems and are unlikely to switch for Windows Phone 8. However, with the core of Windows 8 being the same and the UI familiar we may see more people finally giving Windows Phone 8 a chance. I find myself moving more and more into the Windows ecosystem with Xbox Music and Skydrive while also really enjoying my new Microsoft Surface experience.

Source : zdnet

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Nokia Lumia 920 and 820 hits UK and France this week, coming to US and more in November

Nokia has just announced that its Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 phones will hit stores in the UK and France this week, followed by Russia, Germany and additional markets ”throughout the rest of November.” In the US, all anticipated devices will be available sometime in November as well, with AT&T introducing the Lumia 920, T-Mobile introducing the Nokia Lumia 810 and Verizon introducing the Lumia 822.

Nokia’s announcement closely mirrors the larger Windows Phone launch schedule, with phones arriving in Europe first, followed by Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the UK, the US and Vietnam.
We’ve known that T-Mobile, specifically, will be begin selling the Lumia 810 on November 14, but so far other carriers have been less specific.

From Jo Harlow, executive vice president, Nokia Smart Devices:

After seeing the enthusiastic response to the incredible innovation in the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820, we’re eager for people to start experiencing the phones for themselves. We are focusing our efforts on working with partners who recognize the value of that innovation, and who are committed to helping Lumia and the Windows Phone platform break through in key markets around the world.

At Microsoft’s Windows Phone event in San Francisco, CEO Steve Ballmer said in his closing remarks that “Windows Phone 8 is truly the smartphone designed around you.” A successful rollout for Nokia is very important for the larger success of Windows 8, and as our own Alex Wilhelm said, “now it’s up to consumers to decide if it’s a winning idea.”

Image credit: Stephen Lam / Getty Images

Source: thenextweb.com

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Everything you need to know about Windows Phone 8

 

Today at an event in San Francisco, Microsoft unveiled the final pieces of its Windows Phone 8 product. Previously, the company had detailed a number of features of the update to is mobile platform, focusing on developer tools and capabilities. Today, the consumer side of the software was shown off.

This post is divided into two sections: First, a short overview of Windows Phone 8, with commentary on how it fits into the Windows Phone brand, and the larger smartphone market as a whole. Following, we’ll dig into a number of specific features of Windows Phone 8, highlighting what we find the most important, and relevant.

As an aside: Microsoft’s document detailing every Windows Phone 8 feature detail and update is 240 pages. Be glad that we’re gisting this for you, and not feeding you each and every new line item in the operating system.

Let’s get into it.

Overview

Windows Phone 8 is the natural completion of the Windows Phone aesthetic as it was initially described to the world with Windows Phone 7. Early use of Windows Phone 7 – not 7.1, or 7.5 – left the user with a sense of potential, but incompleteness. The first builds of Windows Phone for general public consumption were a bit like a large house that was insufficiently furnished.

Windows Phone 8 fills the void left by its predecessor.

Thus, as Windows Phone 8 is the natural – and far superior – completion of Microsoft’s first vision for Windows Phone 7, if you liked the platform before, you are going to love this new version. That said, if you were not a fan of Windows Phone before, it is unlikely that the new features that the company has introduced up will sway you.

Shared core and its benefits

As you may know already, Windows Phone 8 now shares a core of code with Windows. This is a product decision that was controversial, to say the least. To bring Windows Phone closer into the orbit of Windows, open new doors for the platform’s hardware makeup, and potentially boost its developer interest, moving it to this shared core makes sense. At the same time, releasing new software that every previously sold Windows Phone handset cannot run is frustrating to many early adopters.

This is not Windows Phone 8

That said, Windows Phone 8 has hardware support options that are far better that what was present before. Windows Phone 8 – due to this shared core codebase – now supports more screen displays, multi-core processors, and removable storage. This means that Windows Phone devices can now be more powerful, and more diverse. And as the hardware line for the phone line has always been a touch too stale, this is a welcome and important change.

New start screen

Microsoft’s vision with Windows Phone is that it should be intensely personal. So much so that when you fire up your device, it is a direct representation of what you like, what you are up to, and who matters to you that day.

To that end, the company has revamped the start screen to allow for more total customization. Tiles now come in three sizes, breaking up the ‘Live Tile’ wall that was perhaps a touch too monolithic in early builds of the software.

Will consumers flock to this as a feature? I asked Microsoft on the telemetry regarding Windows Phone homescreen customization, but was told that they don’t track it. That said, the company does seem to hope that by giving consumers more tools and capabilities, that they will in fact take advantage of them. It also mentioned that out-of-the-box, the start screen doesn’t have much in the way of the smallest tiles, to help prevent new users from suffering from information overload.

The new start screen is a godsend for nerdy types who want more information, and now. And for app power users, the ability to flip and swipe about your live tiles, and resize them to change what sort of information they display and how, will be welcome.

For average consumers the start screen value proposition is roughly the same.

Screenshots

At last.

Let’s integrate

Earlier on I mentioned how Windows Phone 8 feels much like the natural completion of the early Windows Phone project. I’ll now provide you with two examples to that end.

Search is now more personal on the platform. It’s linked to Facebook via Bing Recommendations. This makes it a simple, quick way to lean on your social graph, to help you make decisions on things like apps. Also, the Windows Phone Store will now track your usage – uninstall rates and the like – to help serve you better guesses at what you might enjoy.

Two small things, each of which doesn’t revolutionize Windows Phone, but do make its experience richer on the whole.

People Hub, meet Rooms

Perhaps most exciting for Windows Phone users making the leap to Windows Phone 8 is a new feature called ‘Rooms.’ A Room is a sub-Group. In it, you can interact with your selected number of folks in what is essentially a dedicated mobile space. Rooms have chat, calendar functions, photo sharing, and the like.

Essentially, a Room is a micro social network designed for intimate sharing among close friends. I asked why didn’t Microsoft simply buy Path, and bake it into the product. My comment was expressly not reacted to in a way that could construed as meaning anything.

That said, Rooms is a feature that could in fact drive adoption of Windows Phone. How so? Rooms work with other phones, but in a very broken way. Thus, folks not on Windows Phone, or really, those not on Windows Phone 8 itself, will suffer from a very limited experience, whilst other folks in the Room do not. I can see this happening on the occasion.

Kids’ Corner

Do your kids love to grab your phone? Well, rejoice, Microsoft has built something for you. Kids’ Corner is a new environment in Windows Phone that provides tots with a fun smartphone experience, with certain customization elements, and plenty of safety.

Children can customize their tile color, and background if they wish, giving them the illusion of control. Parents, who have access to the main part of Windows Phone, can add and remove apps from Kids’ Corner.

I like to kid that Microsoft is made up of an army of 45-year-old parents in happy marriages – which is only a slight exaggeration – making this feature in fact uniquely specific to the company. It’s not hard to guess how the Windows Phone team came up with the idea, they probably needed it.

Microsoft Account

Microsoft is bringing everything under the aegis of Microsoft Accounts. In fact, if it had its way, you would never have to log onto more than two things: Your Microsoft Account, and Facebook. Let that bounce around your head a bit.

I raise this fact as it’s very much the same sort of experience that Windows 8 brings to consumers. Therefore, if you know how to use Windows 8, the experience in Windows Phone 8 will feel very familiar, and vice versa.

I’ll conclude on this note: With Windows Phone 8 Microsoft moved its smartphone platform all but on top of its operating system aimed at both tablets and other computers, Windows 8.

In fact, using Widows Phone 8 feels a bit like using a modified version of Windows 8 designed with smaller screens in mind. I’m kidding, that’s exactly what Windows Phone 8 is.

Top Image Credit: Robert Scoble

Source: thenextweb.com

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