YugaTech | Philippines, Tech Reviews Blog

Nokia Lumia 610: Windows Phone 7 for cheap?

Louie Diangson — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:33:41 GMT

The Nokia Lumia 610 was finally unveiled at the MWC Nokia press event and is positioned to redefine what is “entry-level” for a Windows Phone.

Here’s why.

Let’s start with the basic specs:

• Running Windows Phone 7.5
• Powered by an 800MHz single-core Snapdragon S1 processor
• 256MB of RAM
• 8GB of internal storage
• 3.7-inch WVGA TFT LCD (480 x 800 pixels)
• 5MP camera w/ autofocus and LED flash
• HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps & HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps capable
• WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth 2.1
• GPS
• Measurements at 119 x 62 x 12 mm

The Lumia 610 will be available in four colors (white, cyan, magenta and black) and will hit the market in 2nd quarter of 2012 for the price of 189 euros which is about Php11,000. Is it cheap enough or what?

Check out the hands-on video below courtesy of Nokia.

Asus Padfone officially announced!

yuga — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:15:55 GMT

Asus’ re-entry to the smartphone market (after a failed partnership with Garmin) is highlighted by their flagship Android handset called the Asus Padfone, an ICS smartphone that transforms into a tablet.

First unveiled in Computex back in May 2011, the Asus Padfone is a combination of a tablet that’s powered by a detachable Android phone.

Asus didn’t have full specifications of the Padfone then.

Asus Padfone specs:
4.3″ Super AMOLED display @ 540×960 pixels
Qualcomm MSM 8960 Snapdragon S4 Krait 1.5GHz dual-core
Adreno 225 GPU
1GB RAM
16GB, 32GB and 64GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
HSPA+ 42Mbps
8MP autofocus camera
GPS w/ aGPS support
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

The handset itself is also pretty thin at just 9.2mm. The Padfone comes with a 10.1-inch tablet which you an tuck inside (from the back) and turns the whole set up into one large ICS tablet.

Asus did not indicate the battery life of the Padfone but says the tablet adds 5x more battery life to the handset. There’s also an optional keyboard dock which is sold separately (much like the Asus Transformer).

We expect Asus to release the Padfone this April but we’re not sure it that includes the Philippines.

Samsung unveils 10.1-inch Galaxy Note

yuga — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:07:03 GMT

And while we thought the stylus is no longer in style with tablets, Samsung showed it can still do a good job with the 5.3″ Galaxy Note N7000. Now they’re doing a 10.1-inch version of the Galaxy Note announced at the Mobile World Congress.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 will also use an S Pen which was unique to the original GT-N7000 model from last year.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 specs:
10.1” WXGA PLS TFT @ 1280×800 pixels
1.4GHz dual-core processor Exynos chip
Mali-400MP GPU
1GB RAM
16GB, 32GB & 64GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, (2.4GHz & 5GHz)
WiFi Direct, WiFi Channel Bonding
Bluetooth 3.0
3MP rear camera
1080p full HD video playback
720p video recording
2MP front-facing camera
USB 2.0 Host
GPS w/ aGPS support (3G model)
GPS w/ sGPS support (WiFi model)
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Samsung TouchWiz UI 4.0
Li-Ion 7,000mAh battery

Based on the technical specs, the tablet will come in WiFi-only and 3G+WiFi models.

Samsung did not detail the release date of the Galaxy Note 10.1 as well as the suggested retail price but we will update this post once it becomes available.

Vodafone partners with Smart for $10/day data roaming

yuga — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 09:15:27 GMT

Our February 12 story regarding Vodafone Philippines setting up local operations might not hold water in a recent announcement by Smart about a roaming partnership.

Apparently, Vodafone representatives were in the Philippines to Smart Smart executives on key services and practices:

The training sessions, held from February 14 to 16, 2012, were conducted by Vodafone’s online team, and had Smart’s senior management and online customer management team, among others, as participants.

The social media accounts of Vodafone Philippines on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube were created sometime in February 12, 2012. This coincide with the preparation of the training.

So it looks like our hope for a new competitor in the telco industry has just fizzled.

In any case, the good news between this partnership between Smart and Vodafone (under the Conexus alliance) will result to a $10 a day flat rate for international data roaming.

You can read the full story of the partnership here.

Nokia 808 PureView with 41MP camera announced!

yuga — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:39:25 GMT

Nokia earlier teased us with the super-cameraphone and has finally announced the Nokia 808 PureView with a humongous 41-megapixel camera.

Running on a Symbian Belle OS, the Nokia 808 basically replaces the Nokia N8 as company’s flagship cameraphone.

Nokia 808 Pureview specs:
4.0″ display @ 360×640 pixels
1.3GHz single-core processor
512MB RAM
16GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0
HSPA 14.4Mbps
41MP Carl-Zeiss rear camera w/ Xenon flash
1080p video recording
GPS w/ aGPS support
Nokia Symbian Belle

It is interesting that Nokia used Symbian Belle instead of Windows Phone 7 with the Nokia Pureview.

The camera’s sensor has a size of 1/1.2” and capable of 4x zoom while recording a full HD 1080p video. Here are the ful specifications of the camera;

• Carl Zeiss Optics
• Focal length: 8.02mm
• 35mm equivalent focal length: 26mm, 16:9 | 28mm, 4:3
• F-number: f/2.4
• Focus range: 15cm – Infinity (throughout the zoom range)
• Construction:
· 5 elements, 1 group.All lens surfaces are aspherical
· One high-index, low-dispersion glass mould lens
· Mechanical shutter with neutral density filter
• Optical format: 1/1.2”
• Total number of pixels: 7728 x 5368
• Pixel Size: 1.4 microns

Nokia set the price tag of the Nokia 808 PureView at 450 euros or about Php26,000. Expect the Nokia PureView to be released by May 2012.

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Sony Xperia P, Xperia U takes cue from Xperia S

yuga — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 03:52:55 GMT

While Sony has already announced its first flagship smartphone (post-Sony Ericsson era) with the Xperia S, two new mid-level handsets were also revealed — the Xperia P and the Xperia U.

Sony Xperia P specs:
4.0-inch LCD display @ 540×960 pixels, 275ppi
NovaThor U8500 1.0GHz dual-core processor
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA
3G/HSPA
Bluetooth 2.1
GPS w/ aGPS support
8MP autofocus rear camera, LED flash
1080p video recording
VGA front facing camera
NFC support
FM radio tuner
1300mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 2.3 Gingerbread

While the Xperia P is considered as the mid-level smartphone by Sony, the Xperia U is the entry-level handset with a smaller display screen.

Sony Xperia U specs:
3.5-inch LCD display @ 480×854 pixels, 280ppi
NovaThor U8500 1.0GHz dual-core processor
512MB RAM
8GB internal storage
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA
3G/HSPA
Bluetooth 2.1
GPS w/ aGPS support
5MP autofocus rear camera, LED flash
720p video recording
VGA front facing camera
FM radio tuner
1300mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 2.3 Gingerbread

The NovaThor chipset is a product of ST-Ericsson which consist of an integrated System on Chips (SoC) and modems. The NovaTor U8500 supports a dual-core processor and an HSPA modem.

NovaThor is also the same processor that Nokia uses in their Windows Phone 7 handsets.

Both handsets will be upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich once it becomes available. Though I am told the Sony Xperia S will be released in the Philippines by the 2nd week of April, I am not sure if the XPeria P and Xperia U will tag long with it.

Huawei announces Ascend D Quad and Quad XL

yuga — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:16:18 GMT

Huawei also has their own set of Android smartphones that feature quad-core chipsets, namely the Huawei Ascend D Quad and the Ascend D Quad XL — both running on a totally new Huawei K3V2 quad-core processor.

Unlike Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor and NVidia’s Tegra 3 processor, Huawei customized their own chips based on ARM’s Cortex A9 architecture.

Of the two, the Huawei Ascend D Quad XL is the faster and more powerful one.

Huawei Ascend D Quad XL specs:
4.5″ IPS+ LCD display @ 720×1280 pixels @ 326ppi
Huawei K3V2 1.5 GHz quad-core
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD card
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0 HS
HSPA+ 21Mbps
8MP autofocus camera w/ dual LED flash
1080p video recording
1.3MP front-facing camera @ 720p
GPS w/ aGPS support
Dolby Mobile 3.0 Plus
2500mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

With the biggest capacity battery, the Ascend D Quad XL is only 10.9mm thin but the slimmer Ascend D Quad is pretty thin at 8.9mm (uses the slower 1.2GHz quad-core processor and just 1800mAh battery).

If Huawei could just push this product locally and sell it between Php20k to Php25k, then there might just be a market for it. Unfortunately, their track record for releasing their products in the Philippines isn’t that polished so I have doubts if they will ever release this locally.

HTC One S is slimmest HTC yet at 7.8mm

yuga — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:35:45 GMT

Aside from the two behemoth of the HTC One X, it looks like the slimmer successor to the HTC Sensation is the HTC One S. At 7.8mm, it’s the thinnest handset in HTC’s line-up.

While the HTC One S is not as powerful as the HTC One X, we’re more inclined the consider this 4.3-inch ICS smartphone as a closer relative to the HTC Sensation.

HTC One S specs:
4.3″ Super LCD 2 display @ 540×960 pixels
Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait
Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon
Adreno 225
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
8MP autofocus rear camera, 1080p
1.3MP front-facing camera, 720p
GPS w/ aGPS support
Beats Audio
1650mAh Li-Polymer battery
Android 4.0 ICS

The HTC One S also features the same camera with an f/2.0 aperture and 22mm wide-angle lens. It would be interesting to see how the camera fares on these new line-up from HTC.

The HTC One S will also use a mciro-SIM slot instead of the regular SIM.

Expect the HTC One S to arrive in the Philippines sometime in the 2nd quarter of 2012 with a retail price of probably just under Php30k.

Updated: Estimated retail price of the HTC One X is $715 or Php30,500.

HTC One X and One XL becomes official

yuga — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:41:59 GMT

HTC’s very own flagship smartphone is the 4.7-inch, quad-core Android smartphone called the HTC One X (with the One XL as the dual-core, LTE version).

The HTC One X has an interesting 8MP camera which allows you to shoot 1080p videos and take still photos at the same time (that, plus an f/2.0 aperture and 22mm wide-angle lens).

HTC One X specs:
4.7″ Super LCD 2 display @ 720×1280 pixels @ 312ppi
1.5GHz quad-core NVidia Tegra 3 processor
1GB RAM
32GB internal storage
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
NFC
Bluetooth 3.0
8MP autofocus rear camera, 1080p
1.3MP front-facing camera, 720p
GPS w/ aGPS support
1800mAh Li-Polymer battery
Android 4.0 ICS

While the HTX One X is the quad-core version, the HTC One XL is just dual-core but packs an LTE modem. The One X though sports an HSPA+ chip that’s still decent at 21Mbps.

HTC One X specs:
4.7″ Super LCD 2 display @ 720×1280 pixels @ 312ppi
Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait
Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon
Adreno 225
1GB RAM
32GB internal storage
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
NFC
Bluetooth 4.0
8MP autofocus rear camera, 1080p
1.3MP front-facing camera, 720p
GPS w/ aGPS support
1800mAh Li-Polymer battery
Android 4.0 ICS

Both the HTC One X and XL are slightly slimmer at 8.9mm and weighs about 130grams. There’s no microSD card slot here though. Like the previous HTC Sensation models, these handsets also comes with Beats Audio.

Expect these smartphones to arrive in the Philippines by 2nd quarter of this year. As for the price, expect HTC Philippines to sell them at Php30k and above (probably even at the Php35k mark).

Updated: Estimated retail price is $780 or around Php33,500.

10.1″ Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 announced

yuga — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 06:15:19 GMT

Samsung is introducing yet another model in the 10.1-inch category of its Galaxy Tab line-up, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. What is rather odd is that the design and hardware specifications of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is almost the same as the older tablet, except for the fact that the new one comes with Android 4.0 ICS out of the box.

Samsung also announced a Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 last February 13 so this Tab 2 10.1 is just part of that new batch.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) specs:
10.1″ PLD TFT display @ 1280×800 WXGA screen
1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core processor
1GB RAM (724MB actual)
16GB and 32GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash
720p video recording
1080p video playback
VGA front-facing camera
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0 HS
FM radio
HSPA+ 21Mbps
7,000 mAh battery
GPS w/ aGPS support
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Samsung will offer the Tab 2 10.1 with WiFi-only and WiFi+3G variants. And unlike the previous Tab 10.1 which di not have any microSD card slot, this one will.

Expect the pricing to be similar to the 1st-generation 10-inch Galaxy Tab.

Transformer TF101 finally gets Ice Cream Sandwich

yuga — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 05:28:56 GMT

Yesterday morning, I was finally able to upgrade my Asus Transformer TF101 to the latest Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. We checked out what’s new with ICS and compare it with the old Honeycomb 3.2.

Since I also have the new Transformer Prime TF201, it’s easy to compare the Transformer TF101 in terms of what ICS offers the two tablets from Asus.

After several minutes of downloading the update directly into the tablet and the system rebooted, I actually did not notice anything in terms of the interface. In fact, unless you go to the settings and look at the profile of the tablet, you would not really notice any difference (well, there’s some subtle changes there if you just look really closely).

What I actually liked with the ICS on the Transformer Prime is that the Status bar shows the battery life of the keyboard dock and the tablet separately. It even animates the icon when you plug the Prime to the power outlet showing that the dock is charging and transfers the same to the tablet at the same time.

As for performance, I didn’t also notice anything significant. I ran a few benchmarks and the results are almost the same.

Has anyone done the update to ICS on their Transformer TF101? Noticed anything new or totally different?

HTC Titan in the flesh, first impressions

yuga — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 04:19:52 GMT

Announced back in September 2011 along with the HTC Radar, the HTC Titan is yet to be officially released in the Philippines (the HTC Radar was already launched locally since last year). In any case, we got a unit here for review. Check out or unboxing and first impressions after the jump.

The HTC Titan reminds me of the HTC HD7 (one of the first Windows Phone 7 handsets then) that was released more than a year ago. The Titan is slightly larger than the HD7 (4.7″ vs. 4.3″) plus a couple more hardware improvements. The body design closely resembles the Desire HD though.

And while the display size has already grown, the screen resolution remained the same at 480×800 pixels. Nevertheless, HTC was able to pack the Titan with a decent Super LCD display making the screen look way better than the HD7 (better contrast and richer colors).

The design signature is pretty much the same as the previous large-sized HTC handsets — deep, dark earth tones, heavy on the hands,, simple lines and minimal curves yet elegant to look at. The thick glass display is almost edge-to-edge.

With the latest WP 7.5 Mango update, the HTC Titan got some really nice new features and functionalities:

Aside from the previous Facebook, Google & Windows Live integration, it now supports Twitter and LinkedIn accounts as well.
Internet Sharing is now supported (tethering).
Battery Saver to help manage your handset’s battery life.
Attentive Phone makes the handset more responsive in a natural way (like the Pocket Mode which automatically increases ringer volume when the handset detects it’s inside your pocket or bag).

A few more additional features are included that I’ll cover once I publish the full review.

The last time I used a really good camera on an HTC handset is with the Sensation XL. My initial impression with the 8MP sensor of the HTC Titan is that it could be better (based on the initial photos I took but I’ll need more sample under different conditions).

The hardware configuration is almost the same as the one on the Sensation XL, except for a smaller amount of RAM.

HTC Titan X310e specs:
4.7″ Super LCD display @ 480×800 pixels
1.5GHz Scorpion processor (Snapdragon S2)
Adreno 205 GPU
Qualcomm MSM8255 chipset
16GB internal storage
512MB RAM
HSDPA 14.4Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/, DLNA
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP
microUSB 2.0 port
8MP autofocus camera w/ LED flash
720p video recording
1.3MP front-facing camera
FM radio tuner
Dolby Mobile and SRS
GPS w/ aGPS support
Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
Li-Ion 1600mAh battery

And then, there’s the absence of Beats Audio in favor of Dolby Mobile & SRS.

The size is another thing — and though 4.7″ is already larger than the usual 4.3-inchers of most flagship handsets, when you place the HTC Titan beside the Galaxy Note with its 5.3-inch display, you’ll get a better perspective.

Here are more unboxing photos of the HTC Titan. I’m very curious to try out that camera in the outdoors. So far, I’m liking it. Too bad it cannot record 1080p videos, just 720p.

Play

Full review coming up later next week. The HTC Titan is not yet officially released in the Philippines but online stores like Widget City is already carrying the handset for Php28,000.

Disclosure: Widget City provided for the review unit. They are also a display banner advertiser on this site.

Acer Liquid Glow gets early announcement

yuga — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:21:54 GMT

Acer is not giving up on the smartphone market and despite its slow uptake in the local market, it’s pushing onwards with more Android handsets. The latest in its line is the mid-range Acer Liquid Glow running on Ice Cream Sandwich.

Acer Liquid Glow specs:
3.7″ display @ 480×800 pixels
Qualcomm 7227A 1GHz processor
512MB RAM
1GB internal storage
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1
3G/HSDPA
5MP autofocus camera
GPS w/ aGPS support
NFC-support
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Some of the specs are not complete but we should see this updated once Mobile World Congress starts.

The only notable feature here is the inclusion of NFC and the ICS operating system used out of the box.

Acer might have a good chance if it will just focus its handset line-up in the entry-level to the mid-level category, providing consumers more options and better bang for their buck. In any case, we might be seeing a lot of ICS handsets in the 2nd half of this year that’s priced at the Php10k to Php15k levels.

Now, if only Acer could update that Iconia Smart 300 to ICS and offer it below Php20k.

Lenovo updates IdeaPad S110 with Cedar Trail

yuga — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 04:11:12 GMT

New netbooks with the latest Cedar Trail chips from Intel are starting to roll out in the local market. Lenovo has updated their netbooks with one and offers the IdeaPad S110 for only Php14,500.

It actually has the same design as the IdeaPad S100 but will upgraded hardware.

Lenovo IdeaPad S110 specs:
10.1-inch LED display @ 1024×600 ixels
Intel Atom N2800 1.86GHz dual-core
Intel GMA 3650
2GB DDR3 RAM
320GB HDD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1
10/100Mbps LAN
Card Reader
6-cell Li-Ion battery
DOS

What’s really great with Intel Atom Cedar Trail is that it is now on a 64-bit instructions set (from the 32bit in the old Atom) which means it can also support DDR3 RAM of up to 4GB, breaking the 2GB barrier of the old netbooks.

Lenovo has also opted to offer the IdeaPad S110 without any OS so you can just install Ubuntu on your own.

Nokia Lumia 800 Review

yuga — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:51:01 GMT

Nokia’s adoption of the Windows Phone 7 platform will steer a new direction to the Finnish company. Among the first few handsets that was borne out of this new partnership with Microsoft is the Nokia Lumia 800. Check out our full review after the jump.

The Nokia Lumia series isn’t the first line of handsets that got Windows Phone 7 out of the box. For over a year now, several other manufacturers have dipped their toes into the Microsoft’s new mobile platform.

Nokia’s decision to join the WP7 party is both interesting and surprising. This is because after losing the smartphone market, a lot of critics have suggested to Nokia to adopt 3rd-party mobile operating systems. Both Android and WP7 were considered. In the end, Nokia picked WP7.

The Lumia 800 represents one of the first few handsets showcasing Nokia’s ability to steer into the new direction. Yet, even before that, they also tried another platform in the name of Meego Harmattan for the Nokia N9.

Obviously, Nokia just recycled the design of the N9 for the Lumia 900 and the Lumia 800 with very minimal UI or navigation changes. Whether it’s because they ran out of design ideas and was rushing the Lumia or the original design of the N9 was already pretty impressive is still unknown, I am inclined to believe it is the latter.

The Lumia 800′s 3.7-inch display screen is just enough — not too big like the usual 4.3-inchers but not too small either. Besides, the Metro UI doesn’t really need a big screen real estate to be functional but if you’re heavy on the web and watching videos on your phone, I guess that 3.7″ might feel a bit lacking.

Nokia used AMOLED in their curved glass display which makes it look stunning. The edge to edge screen is just pretty although I don’t understand why they still had to have the glass protrude or embossed around the edges. It made sense with the Meego UI but not with the Metro UI.

The polycarbonate unibody design is simple yet elegant; the soft, matte finish is smooth to the touch and the cyan paint job completes the eye-candy look.

The power button is on the left side along with the volume controls and the dedicated camera button. All four buttons come in polished silver accent. The micro-USB port and the micro-SIM card cradle are tucked away in a sliding contraption at the top end of the handset. And yes, Nokia still uses a micro-SIM card on this one.

At the bottom corner of the display panel are touch buttons for Home, Back and Search (typical of a WP7 handset).

I’ve extensively used WP7 before with the HTC HD7 that I bought and used for about 6 months from December of 2010 so I have a fairy good experience with the OS. At that time, I must admit that despite the great UI and very refreshing, responsive user experience, it suffered from lack Market support and sparse apps.

The update to Windows Phone 7.5 Mango has significantly changed all that and Nokia has even added a few very good features and functionalities not found in other WP7 handsets. And I must say that I love the Nokia Drive with local maps support and turn by turn navigation.

From a UI perspective, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango still offers the same sleek and intuitive interface that’s simple yet splashy.

Since a couple of weeks ago, the Windows Phone Marketplace has also opened in the Philippines allowing user to download paid apps. And while most of the common apps you’d be using in iOS or Android are also found in the WP Marketplace, there’s still a number that’s conspicuously missing.

Nevertheless, I still love the native email, Twitter and Facebook app. The contacts linking also works like a charm.

The 8MP camera on the Lumia 800 is the same camera used in the Nokia N9. It shoots good to great pictures especially on well-lit conditions. The images degrade once you start shooting in low light conditions.

The Lumia 800 can also take videos of up to 720p HD quality. Here are some sample shots taken with the camera. Notice the autofocus adjusts every several seconds or so (evident in the car park scene below).

Windows Phone 7 has indeed shown that it does not need top-notch hardware to work fluidly and while the Lumia 800 on sports a single-core, 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor with just 512MB RAM, the handset works smoothly and the system is pretty responsive, over-all. Web browsing with the native IE mobile browser is also pretty fast and smooth.

Nokia Lumia 800 specs:
Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon 1.4GHz
Adreno 205 GPU
3.7″ AMOLED display @ 480×800 pixels (252ppi)
Nokia ClearBlack display
16GB internal storage
512MB RAM
HSDPA 14.4Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1
8MP autofocus camera, Carl Zeiss optics, dual-LED flash
720p video recording
FM Radio tuner
GPS w/ aGPS support
Li-Ion 1450mAh battery
Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5 Mango
Release Date: TBD
Suggested Retail Price: TBA

Conspicuously absent in the feature-set is NFC which, according to Microsoft, is not yet supported by Windows Phone 7.5 Mango (a WP7 update will eventually support it).

Also, since there is no expansion SD card slot, you have no choice but to contend with the 16GB internal storage.

The virtual keyboard on the Lumia 800 is easy and comfortable to use but considering the relative size of the screen, I tend to make more mis-types than usual (compared to when I am using the HTC HD7).

Battery life is pretty decent actually; oftentimes better than any Android handset with the same battery rating. I’d get a full days use with minimal connectivity and multimedia playback. One disadvantage with the unibody design though is that you can’t just easily replace it with a fresh one.

The Lumia 800 offers a lot of promise for Nokia. Great design, good hardware configuration, refreshing new OS and hopefully, a more competitive pricing. What actually separates Nokia WP7 from the other WP7 handsets we’ve tried before is the turn-by-turn navigation offered by Nokia Drive. It’s not much but it’s a start.

The Nokia Lumia 800 has not yet been officially launched and released in the Philippines but units are now being sold online stores for about Php23,500. You can get one here at Widget City.

Disclosure: Widget City supplied this handset for review. They’re also selling it for Php23,500 but this review unit will be disposed at an additional Php2,000 discount (makes it just Php21,500). Widget City is also a banner display advertiser on this site.

Android 4.0 ICS update for Asus Transfomer TF101

yuga — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:49:40 GMT

Asus has just announced the upgrade of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to their Asus Transformer TF101 started rolling out last night. The update is coming over-the-air on the 1st-gen tablets.

Asus Global posted the good news on their Facebook Page about 15 hours ago:

Dear valued ASUS fans,

ASUS prides itself on delivering the best products to end-users, which means that we not only aim to deliver innovative products but also to continue improving the out of box experience throughout their life cycle with regular firmware updates.

Many of our Eee Pad Transformer TF101 users have waited patiently for the promised Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update and we are delighted to announce that the first wave of FOTA updates for TF101 firmware v.9.2.1.11 started today in Taiwan. The update will FOTA in other regions soon after.

Although we will announce several new innovations at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week, we take great pride in delivering on-going enhancements and support for products that are well into their life cycle.

Thank you once again for your valued support!

I have tried the update on my 6-month old Asus Transformer TF101 but it has not detected the update yet. I hope it will be ready within the next few days so I can compare it with the Transformer Prime.

Hat tip to Anthonette Jane Clerigo.

LG Optimus 4X HD announced with ICS and Tegra 3

yuga — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:24:39 GMT

LG Mobile has officially unveiled the successor to the Optimus 2X. Touting a quad-core, Tegra 3 processor running on Android Ice Cream Sandwich, the LG Optimus 4X HD is one of the first Tegra 3 handsets in the world.

LG scored points when it announced the first dual-core smartphone last year and wants repeat that record with the first quad-core smartphone this year.

LG Optimus 4X HD specs:
4.7″ IPS LCD display @ 1280×800 pixels
Tegra 3 processor
NVidia GeForce GPU
1GB RAM
16GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
MHL, DLNA
Bluetooth
HSDPA/HSUPA
GPS w/ aGPS support
8MP autofocus rear camera
1080p video recording
1.3MP front-facing camera
2150mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 4.0 ICS

The Optimus 4X HD sports a massive 4.7-inch display and a thin profile of just 8.9mm (close to the LG Prada 3.0 which is at 8.5mm).

The Optimus 4X HD is expected to be released some time in the 2nd quarter of this year.

Forget the N8: Nokia teases PureView camera phone

Louie Diangson — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:28:42 GMT

Nokia hypes up this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) with a teaser clip of its upcoming camera phone technology called, PureView, also rumored to be called the Nokia N808.

I was wondering when Nokia will release a successor to the N8 – the Symbian phone (sighs) which refuses to die all because of its ridiculously large camera sensor. With PureView, the Finnish company is just really showing off. Check out the teaser below and may I suggest that you play it full screen in 1080p.

Now don’t be disappointed if you can’t find a trace of the camera phone in the snow. The 22-second clip shows three images that boast the camera’s ability to produce “Pure detail”, “Pure depth” and “Pure definition”. It then shows a snowy landscape revealing that the previous images are just crop outs of a bigger picture. Now that’s stunning quality!

No specifics yet on how many megapixels this camera phone is carrying under the hood but we can expect it to have at least 12 MP, capable of 1080p HD video recording with video stabilization. For the OS, it’s more likely to run with the latest Symbian Belle.

Excited? We’ll soon find out on February 27, 2012 at the Nokia MWC press conference.

LG Optimus 3D Cube and 3D Max announced

yuga — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:32:36 GMT

LG Mobile has announced two new 3D smartphones a couple of days ahead of the Mobile World Congress — the LG Optimus 3D Cube and the LG Optimus 3D Max, the successor to the first Optimus 3D from last year.

The new Optimus 3D Cube and 3D Max are much thinner now at 9.6mm compared to the first one which is a bit thicker at 11.9mm. The new handsets will also both have NFC support

LG Optimus 3D Cube SU870 specs:
4.3″ 3D IPS LCD @ 480×800 pixels
Nova Display
TI OMAP 4430 1.2GHz dual-core
PowerVR SGX540
16GB internal storage
1GB RAM
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA
GPS w/ aGPS support
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ EDR
NFC
2 x 5MP autofocus camera
1080p video (2D and 3D)
1520mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 2.3 Gingerbread

What’s actually odd is that the Optimus 3D Max is just similar to the Optimus 3D Cube, except for a more basic LCD and smaller internal storage.

LG Optimus 3D Max specs:
4.3″ 3D LCD @ 480×800 pixels
TI OMAP 4430 1.2GHz dual-core
PowerVR SGX540
8GB internal storage
1GB RAM
HSPA+ 21Mbps
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA
GPS w/ aGPS support
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ EDR
NFC
2 x 5MP autofocus camera
1080p video (2D and 3D)
1520mAh Li-Ion battery
Android 2.3 Gingerbread

It’s most like that this new 3D duo will split the category in the price point. Remember that LG’s Nova display will be much brighter than the conventional LCD.

Both 3d smartphones will be ready for Android ICS once the updates become available. Expect them to be released in the market starting March 2012.

What will happen to Sony-Ericsson Philippines?

yuga — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:47:10 GMT

Now that Sony has finalized the buyout of Sony-Ericsson, the new handset company will be named Sony Mobile Communications. So what happens to the folks over at Sony-Ericsson. I happen to talk to one executive from the company who gave me some possible scenarios.

I am told that Sony-Ericsson Philippines will eventually be dissolved and Sony Philippines will take over the mobile phone brand.

As for the folks from SE Philippines, they will all be invited to move and work for Sony Philippines under the mobile handset division. What we’re not sure is if the GM and some of the top executives of Sony-Ericsson will also join the Sony Philippines team under the new division.

We’re likely to see the new Sony Xperia handsets (i.e. the Xperia S) will be launched in the Philippines by 2nd quarter of 2012.

Updated: I have just been told by someone from inside that the Sony Xperia S will be released in the Philippines after the Holy Week, that’s first to 2nd week of April 2012.

BlackBerry Playbook OS 2.0 now out, ready to download!

yuga — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:53:02 GMT

RIM has just send out notice that the BlackBerry Playbook OS 2.0 update is now available to all Playbook tablets. This global update is available over the air (OTA).

If you have your BB Playbook, just connect to a stable WiFi and start updating.

1. On the Status bar, tap Settings icon » Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the network you want to connect to.
3. If necessary, type the network password.
4. Tap Connect.

Then update software:

1. On the Status bar, tap Settings icon » Software Updates.
2. Tap Check for Updates.
3. Tap Update and follow the on-screen instructions.

Still waiting to update my Playbook once I get home in an hour. If you have done so, please chime in and let us know how it goes.

ZTE outs Mimosa X: ICS on Tegra 2 smartphone

yuga — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:34:38 GMT

ZTE has announced a number of new Android smartphones prior to Mobile World Congress this Sunday. At the top of their heap is the ICS-touting, Tegra 2-powered ZTE Mimosa X.

If you take a second look at the Mimosa X, you might find some semblance to the HTC Sensation.

ZTE Mimosa X specs:
4.3″ qHD display @ 960×540 pixels
NVidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor
GeForce GPU
4GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD card
5MP autofocus rear camera
VGA front-facing camera
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1
GPS w/ aGPS support
Icera 450 HSPA+ up to 21Mbps
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

And while we already know ZTE does not really market its handset in the Philippines, unlike Huawei (which already has a number of phones and tablets released locally).

In any case, the only probable way this ZTE Mimosa X will arrive in the country is via close partnerships with local telcos. We’ve already witness how Smart re-badged the ZTE Blade and offered it as the Netphone 701. It is likely that Smart will do the same with the ZTE Mimosa X.

via Betanews.

Samesay Mi18 Docking Station for the iPod & iPhone

yuga — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:09:39 GMT

Every once in a while, when a supplier sends us a proposal for a product to be placed on a YugaDeals, I would request a review unit that I can test and try out before approving it. That way, I’m confident what we’re putting there is something that’s decent and worth every cent. This is the case of the Samesay Mi18 speaker and docking station for the iPhone.

Since it’s a virtually unknown brand, I wanted to really check it out for myself to see the build quality and the sound performance.

The packaging looks good and the design seems decent. I originally thought this is a one-piece set but after unboxing it, the left speaker seems to fall off from the set. Turns out that part was unhinged from the main set and in a few tweaks, I was able to put it back.

The built quality is decent, not really that great or impressive. You can certainly tell from the finish that it’s just a well-polished plastic in silver and black.

The dock supports the latest generation of iPod Touch and the iPhone 4S (and charges it at the same time). The front panel has an LED backlit display with a touch sensitive screen. There’s also an IR remote control that works as you are in line of sight.

The docking station works as a FM radio tuner, alarm clock and can be hooked up to an external player via 3.5mm jack if you don’t use an iPod. While you need to plug the dock into a wall socket to power it up, there’s an option to just use 2 triple-A batteries.

As for sound performance, the Samesay Mi18 plays very decent, not the best in its price category. The bass doesn’t offer enough punch especially at the top of the volume. At the lows and mids, it’s actually good and pretty even.

The Samesay Mi18 retails for Php6,999 over at Widget City which I have to say is really very expensive. I don’t think you’ll take a second look at this model when you see it in stores especially with that price tag.

Sun Cellular’s Omnibus Anti-Bill Shock Plans

yuga — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:57:09 GMT

Sun Cellular started the Anti-Bill Shock for data plans last October 2011 and this was followed by Smart and Globe later in January 2012. Sun has finally rounded up more plans to include SMS and voice plans.

The new one is for their SMS plans which offers 1,000 free text messages to other networks for only Php199 per month.

Additional SMS beyond the 1,000 allocation is charged Php1. However, once you reach 1350 SMS or more, Sun Cellular will only charge you a flat rate of only Php549.

To activate, just text “ABS199 ON” to 2199 or call *199#.

The other one is for their Mobile Landline plan which includes Sun Cellular Mobile postpaid service and a SunTel Wireless Landline service.

The Sun ABS Mobile Landline Plan 249 allows for unlimited calls to SunTel and Digitel landlines, unlimited calls to any landline network within your local area, and unlimited mobile calls and text to Sun numbers.

Combining all of their anti-bill shock plans will give you Php999 + Php549 + Php249 or a total of Php1,797. The only service that’s not really covered here is the one for unlimited inter-network calls.

Disclosure: Sun Cellular is a banner display advertiser on this blog.

iPad 3: Why not call it the iPad 2s or iPad 2 HD?

yuga — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:44:08 GMT

With the announcement of the next-generation iPad tablet from Apple, a lot of rumors and leaks have surfaced identifying the hardware and design that will be used for the next iPad. Everyone refers to it as the iPad 3. This, despite the fact that we’ve already seen how Apple named the supposedly iPhone 5 as the iPhone 4S last year.

We’ve already established how Apple uses their naming convention with the iPhone — starting with iPhone 3G to 3GS and then from iPhone 4 to 4s.

It’s almost logical that the new iPad that will be announced this March will follow a similar nomenclature. It will probably have almost the same design and form factor but with a more improved hardware specification.

Hence, we’re more inclined to name this new iPad to be the iPad 2S or the iPad 2 HD or maybe even just the iPad HD and not the iPad 3.

Let’s put this to a vote — what do you think will Apple name its new tablet that they will reveal this March? My money is on iPad 2 HD.