Apple has released iOS 5.0.1 to its registered iOS developers. According to the release notes, the new beta—listed as build 9A402—“fixes bugs affecting battery life, adds multitasking gestures for original iPad, resolves bugs with Documents in the Cloud, improves voice recognition for Australian users using dictation,” and “contains security improvements.” Notably, the update also “introduces a new way for developers to specify files that should remain on device, even in low storage situations,” seemingly addressing an issue recently brought to light by Instapaper developer Marco Arment. an Apple spokesperson confirmed that some iOS 5 users were experiencing battery life issues early today, telling The Loop, “A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices[.] we have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks.” iOS 5.0.1 beta for the iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and third- and fourth-generation iPod touch is available now as a download from the iOS Dev Center.
Verious Partners with Elance to Launch World's Largest Network of Mobile App Contract Developers, Designers and Service Providers
San Carlos, CA (PRWEB) November 08, 2011
Verious, inc., the one-stop marketplace for mobile app development, and Elance, inc., the world’s leading platform for online employment, today announced that over 25,000 mobile professionals from the Elance network have been added to Verious’ existing network of mobile app component developers. Now, enterprise decision-makers and small business owners looking to quickly and cost-effectively develop new app features—or entire new apps from scratch—can browse, review and even post requests to over 25,000 pre-screened, qualified mobile developers and app designers on Verious.com.
“With the continued push to ‘go mobile’, enterprises are looking for ways to dramatically accelerate their mobile app development efforts. Additionally, restaurants, retailers, law offices and other ‘main street’ businesses are looking to participate in the booming mobile app economy,” said Anil Pereira, Founder and CEO of Verious. “Our partnership with Elance exponentially expands our network of outsourced mobile app developers and broadens our marketplace to include designers and others who can help businesses create the assets they need to enhance existing apps or create entirely new apps for iOS, Android or other mobile devices.”
Through their partnership, Verious and Elance have created two new categories in the Verious Marketplace: “Find Contract Developers” and “Find Mobile App Projects.” the first category, “Find Contract Developers,” enables product managers, brand managers, small business owners and developers to browse a mobile app contractor directory which lists over 25,000 outsourced contract developers and designers skilled in developing iPhone/iPad apps, Android apps, app feature buttons, app icons, splash screens, or even multimedia features. These developer profiles come complete with details of a contractor’s capabilities, qualifications and ratings from prior projects.
The second category, “Find Mobile App Projects,” allows contract developers and designers to review postings for newly requested projects, submit their capabilities/credentials/profiles and bid on these projects accordingly. “Find Contract Developers” and “Find Mobile App Projects” are both available now at Verious.com/Developer.
About Verious Verious (Verious.com, @Veriously) is a mobile infrastructure company operating an online marketplace and license management service for mobile app development. the company launched in beta as a Finalist at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco, CA in September, 2011.
“Verious” means “very serious, major, something cool”. the company is backed by leading seed and angel investors and its management team includes industry veterans with experience at leading mobile, software and trusted services companies including American Express, Apple, Motorola, Oracle, Samsung, TRUSTe, VeriSign and VMWare. for more information, please visit Verious.com or follow us on Twitter @Veriously.
About Elance Elance, the world’s leading platform for online employment, helps businesses hire and manage in the cloud.
For businesses looking to staff-up a team on an hourly or project basis, Elance offers instant access to qualified professionals who work online. Elance provides the tools to hire, view work as it progresses and pay for results. Elance is faster and more cost-effective than job boards, staffing firms and traditional outsourcing.
For skilled professionals who want to work online, Elance offers access to qualified clients, a virtual workplace and guaranteed pay for great work. Contractors have already earned more than $450 million on the Elance platform.
The company is privately held and headquartered in Mountain View, California. for more information, visit Elance at elance.com.
Copyright Verious, inc., 2011. Media inquiries may be directed to Laura(dot)Nunez(at)Verious(dot)com.
The iOS 5 Update May Kill Your Personal Hotspot
It doesn’t seem to be a widespread issue — so far I’ve heard of it happening on Telstra iPhone 4S units, but it may go further — but it looks like the upgrade to iOS 5 may remove the personal hotspot feature entirely. Here’s how to get it back.I’ve got to give thanks to Daniel Vooks (of Vooks.net) for passing this one along. Not just because it’s useful information, but because restoring an iPhone 4S last night with a Telstra SIM in it made the same thing happen to me. over the weekend, Daniel upgraded to iOS 5. alongside all the shiny new features he noticed that something was missing; the personal hotspot feature that was present previously. he did something brave — he phoned Telstra support to sort out the issue. Not always the smoothest procedure, but he’s shared the details of what worked for him with me, which means none of the rest of us have to spend hours waiting on hold. thanks (of a sort) to my own 4S doing the same thing last night, I can screenshot the procedure for you.
Hey, where’s my hotspot gone?
Guess I’d better head into settings
And then network. In my case, all that was needed was to switch the hotspot back on, but Daniel’s case was more severe.
The hotspot flag wasn’t even there. Telstra advised him to reset the phone’s carrier network settings.
Then reboot, reconnect to 3G and/or WiFi and head back into settings, then network. Personal hotspot should have reappeared.
So all you’ve got to do is switch it on.
I can now continue to hotspot away to my heart’s content.
Republished from Gizmodo
3.4 Million Votes Cast in 2011 eBay Motors People
eBay Motors today announced the winners of the 2011 People
Wi-Fi tethering 101: Use a smartphone as a mobile hotspot
Buried inside many of the latest smartphones is a capability that few people take advantage of. a feature called tethering lets a phone go beyond talk, email and Web surfing to act as a mobile hotspot that can supply Web access to nearby computers, tablets and other devices.
“It lets [smartphone users] always have the Web with them without taking any extra equipment along,” says Allen Nogee, research director for wireless technology at market intelligence firm In-Stat.
Like dedicated mobile hotspot devices, these phones connect to a mobile data network and then act as a Wi-Fi router, distributing the bandwidth to nearby clients. There is a price to pay for the convenience that hotspot phones provide: three of the four national networks charge an additional fee to use tethering. on the other hand, you don’t have to worry about finding a public Wi-Fi hotspot or having another device to buy, lug around, keep charged and accidentally leave behind.
Want to know more? After speaking to analysts, network engineers and other mobile experts, I’ve rounded up and answered the 12 most common questions about smartphone tethering, including options and carrier policies. Additionally, I used a couple of smartphones as hotspots in various parts of the U.S. and Europe to discover what the experience is like in real life.
Finally, I’ve gathered a listing of all the hotspot-capable smartphones currently available from the big four U.S. carriers, including how much they cost, which network(s) they work on and how much tethering services cost.
FAQ: Tethering with a hotspot phone
Tethering is the ability to share a smartphone’s Internet connection with computers or other devices. It can be accomplished by connecting the devices with a USB cable, a Bluetooth wireless link or a Wi-Fi connection. This story concentrates on Wi-Fi hotspot tethering because it’s convenient and can service more than one client at a time — and because just about all laptops and tablets have Wi-Fi built in these days.
How does a hotspot phone work?
After connecting to the mobile phone data network, the smartphone can distribute its Internet connection to several clients via a Wi-Fi connection. Any Wi-Fi-enabled computer or tablet can connect to it, and the real bonus is that the Wi-Fi router is inside your phone so there’s no extra stuff to carry with you and no other device to recharge.
Which phones and networks support Wi-Fi tethering?
All four national mobile data networks — AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon — offer phones that can act as Wi-Fi hotspots, and there are about 60 smartphones available today that can perform this task. they come from the major phone makers; use a variety of mobile operating systems, including Android, BlackBerry, iOS, webOS and Windows Phone; and come in a variety of sizes and shapes. At the moment, Android offers the most options, with around four dozen hotspot-capable models available.
I’ve used phone hotspots in my office, in my home, on trains and in a moving car. Basically, wherever you can get a mobile data connection, you can broadcast it with a hotspot phone.
Does Wi-Fi tethering make the phone any bigger or heavier?
No. Wi-Fi tethering requires that the phone have a Wi-Fi chip built in, but smartphones already have this for connecting at Internet cafés or at the office. the hotspot ability is enabled by software and doesn’t add to the bulk of a phone. in fact, there are hotspot phones that weigh as little as 3.2 oz.
Is the setup hard to do?
Anyone who’s set up a Wi-Fi router or used a mobile hotspot can enable Wi-Fi tethering. To get the phone to act as a Wi-Fi hotspot, you need to start the tethering app by tapping on its icon; it usually has some variation of “mobile hotspot” in its name so it’s hard to miss.
The details vary based on the phone in question, but after clicking a box to turn the hotspot on, you’ll typically need to configure it by typing in a network name, choosing its encryption type and designating a security password. (You only have to do this once.) most hotspot phones are up to date with WPA2 protection so that outsiders can’t tap into your mobile network or read any data. Setup takes a couple of minutes; when you’re done, the phone is ready to be used as a hotspot.
How difficult is it to connect devices to the phone’s hotspot?
It’s no more difficult to connect a notebook or tablet to a hotspot smartphone than it is to connect one to a home or office Wi-Fi router. the network name shows up on the Wi-Fi connection screen, and you are required to type in the network’s password the first time you connect. After that, you can set it up to connect automatically.
What clients can connect to the hotspot and how many clients will it support?
A hotspot phone can link to any device that has Wi-Fi networking. I’ve used hotspot phones with various laptops, an iPad and several Android tablets.
The phone can supply an Internet connection to as many as 5 to 8 clients, depending on the model. be warned, though — the connection speed is often not enough to spread across several users, and you might be disappointed.
What speed and range can be expected?
The connection speed depends on many variables, including the cell network you’re connecting to, how far you are from the network’s closest transmission tower and how congested the Internet is at that moment in time. I’ve had connections on Verizon’s 4G LTE network that hit 25Mbps, but others that barely got to 100Kbps. About 300Kbps of bandwidth is a reasonable expectation.
When it comes to 3G and 4G data networks, geography is destiny. even as Sprint and Verizon roll out their 4G networks to select cities (with AT&T’s LTE rollout due to begin soon), there are still many places in the U.S., particularly in the upper Midwest, that don’t have data coverage, period. Consult the coverage maps on the carriers’ websites to find out if you’ll be able to access a data network where you need it.
Typically, the phone’s Wi-Fi signal has a range of about 100 feet, so it works well in a temporary office, at the beach or even in the largest hotel suite. One thing to keep in mind is that, as with Wi-Fi routers, the signal’s strength and bandwidth decline as you get farther from the hotspot.
Can you tether and talk on the phone at the same time?
That depends on the phone and network it lives on. most 4G phones can do this without a problem; phones on older CDMA-based 3G networks can’t; and phones that run on HSPA-based 3G networks are a mixed bag. if this is an important factor, it’s best to consult our chart and the carriers themselves to determine if a particular phone can support voice and data at the same time.
How much does tethering cost?
Each network’s tethering plan is different, so it’s hard to compare them. Shop carefully to reduce the sticker shock when the first bill arrives. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Verizon charges $20 per month for tethering on top of your base data plan (which costs between $30 and $80), and it provides an extra 2GB of data per month.
Sprint charges the most to use your phone as a hotspot: $30 in addition to your regular data plan (costs range from $30 to $100). It doesn’t provide any extra data above what your data plan offers. if you have an unlimited smartphone data plan, your mobile hotspot data use is limited to 5GB per month.
T-Mobile is the cheapest at $15 per month above your regular data plan (prices range from $40 to $70). Like Sprint, it provides no extra data.
AT&T doesn’t charge extra for tethering but instead has a complete 4GB data plan that includes tethering for $45 per month.
If you go over the allotted amount of data, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will charge an overage fee and likely try to sell you a monthly plan with a larger limit. T-Mobile will slow your data flow to a crawl.
To subscribe to a tethering plan, you set up a monthly payment that’s included in your bill whether you use tethering that month or not. However, there’s no long-term contract attached to these plans, so you can cancel and restart your plan as needed; you just have to remember to actively manage it in this way if you need tethering only occasionally.
None of the carriers offers a one-time or day-pass option for tethering.
As always in the mobile world, things can change quickly, so check with your carrier for the most up-to-date pricing and plan info before making any decisions.
Can I use a third-party tethering app instead of paying the carrier’s subscription fee?
Yes and no. if you like to surf dangerously and if your phone has Wi-Fi built in, you can download and use apps such as MyWi for the iPhone, Android WiFi Tether for Android or JoikuSpot Light WiFi Hotspot for Symbian to turn your phone into a hotspot. Each basically does what the phone’s built-in tethering app does, but without the knowledge, approval or expense of the carrier.
Needless to say, the carriers don’t like when you do this because it cuts into their revenues, and they often monitor their networks for these apps. if you get caught, some networks will shut off your service, while others will automatically upgrade you to a tethering plan and start charging you for the service. in other words, your next monthly bill might contain a surprise. my advice is to read the very fine print in the service agreement to see what your rights are and where you stand.
Can these phones work as hotspots overseas?
Some can, some can’t. You’ll need to make sure that your phone of choice can before buying it. Generally speaking, if the phone supports HSPA or HSPA+ technology, it can work throughout Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as parts of Africa, Asia and South America. You’ll need to upgrade your service plan to include international data, though.
As an alternative, when you’re out of the country, In-Stat’s Nogee suggests renting — through a phone rental service such as CelloMobile — a smartphone that can act as a hotspot. For example, you can rent an HTC MyTouch 4G, which will work in any European Union country as well as in Switzerland, and will act as a hotspot for up to four devices. It costs $12 a day, $80 a week or $200 a month and comes with 500MB of data per rental. the best part: no long-term commitment needed.
Check out our chart of hotspot smartphones — or keep reading to see what it’s actually like to use one in the real world.
Hands on: Hotspotting at home and abroad
To see for myself if smartphone tethering lives up to its potential, I got my hands on a pair of Verizon hotspot phones and took them for a ride. both the LG Revolution and the Motorola Droid 3 did well (and both cost $200 with a two-year Verizon contract), but they are meant for different situations. because it can be used on Verizon’s 4G LTE network, the former has the speed advantage in certain locations in the U.S. Stuck on 3G, the latter is slower, but it works in Europe.
To set them up, I tapped the Mobile Hotspot icon on their home screens, and they each brought up their hotspot settings page. After configuring the hotspots’ network names, I set them to secure the network with WPA2 encryption and typed in my security passcode. in each case, it took only a minute before the phone was sending out a Wi-Fi signal and my laptop was online.
I tested the LG Revolution in and around New York City to see how it performed on Verizon’s 4G LTE network. with an HP laptop tethered to its hotspot, it averaged scorching speeds of 19.6Mbps for downloading and 4.5Mbps for uploading data, as measured by SpeedTest.net’s broadband benchmark site. That’s roughly three times what I get with a wired cable line at the office on a good day, and the phone’s peak speeds were even more impressive: 21.1Mbps download and 5.6Mbps upload.
(These numbers are, of course, indicative only of what you can expect using LTE. if you’re using the Revolution on a 3G network, your connection will be slower.)
Next, I tried out the Motorola Droid 3 on Verizon’s 3G data network. While it can’t touch the speeds achieved by the Revolution over LTE, it can be used on HSPA networks in Europe. (Remember to upgrade your plan for international use before you go.) wherever I went for a month, the Droid 3 was my constant travel companion. in addition to day trips into Manhattan, I went to London and Paris, followed by a road trip to central Michigan and back.
It worked well at my office, in my home and on the road. on two occasions, I used it instead of expensive hotel broadband, saving at least $15 a night.
The Droid 3 was a respectable hotspot performer here and abroad. with my HP laptop tethered, it hit average download and upload speeds of 1.4Mbps and 747Kbps in New York City, peaking at 2.1Mbps down and 824Kbps up. That’s about half the bandwidth I’m used to from a wired connection at work, but it’s still quite invigorating while traveling.
I also watched YouTube videos, collected and sent email, and downloaded a big file at various times — all with the laptop, an iPad and a Lenovo Ideapad connected. the Droid 3 kept me smoothly connected throughout.
During my road trip to Michigan, I used the Droid 3’s tethering abilities with the HP notebook every night and morning to catch up on work. This portion of my data journey yielded average download and upload speeds of 1.4Mbps and 620Kbps, with peak speeds of 2.2Mbps and 651Kbps.
On my international journey, I averaged 1.5Mbps for downloading and 640Kbps for uploading. I used the Droid 3 hotspot connected to the HP laptop and an iPad to view digital maps, listen to Internet radio, watch videos, play a few games and update a website. the biggest surprise was that while on a Eurostar train rolling from London to Paris, I had more than enough bandwidth for mapping the next stage of the trip and reading the headlines to know what was going on back home.
There is a downside to all this data consumption. using the Droid 3 as a hotspot for an iPad playing online videos chewed through the battery in 3 hours and 15 minutes, compared to about 15 hours for typical on-and-off data and voice use. in other words, if you plan to use the hotspot abilities of a phone, be sure to bring the charger with you and keep an eye out for AC outlets.
Also note that building out the mobile data networks here and in Europe is a work in progress, and I encountered lots of dead zones in my travels. For example, while driving from Paris to the Loire Valley as well as cruising on I-80 in central Ohio, I had intermittent data access.
All in all, though, I found that having my own Internet connection inside my phone most places I went was an incredibly liberating feeling. but be warned: It makes it harder than ever to hide from work.
Next: Chart: Smartphones that support Wi-Fi tethering
Brian Nadel is a frequent contributor to Computerworld and the former editor in chief of Mobile Computing & Communications magazine.
Rebecca Armstrong: Look the part and shed pounds
I’d never really bought into the adage “beware of all enterprises that require new clothes”.
In the past I thought that a recently purchased bag, belt or top adds a spring in one’s step that’s useful if the enterprise in question is a job interview ("you think my accessorising is good? Just wait until you see what I can do with a spreadsheet!") or a frenemy’s wedding ("this incredibly flattering dress? oh, I’ve had it for ages"). of course, buying new shoes for a specific event is madness, because any of the magic bestowed by shiny, fresh footwear is fatally undermined by limping and wincing.
One of the best aspects of taking up something you’ve never tried before is the fact that it’s a great excuse to get a hold of some highly specific accessories. When I first took up indoor climbing some years ago, the possibilities for new stuff were thrillingly huge – harness, climbing shoes, chalk bag, ropes even. all justified because obviously you need all these brilliant bits in order to climb better and higher (and boo hiss to anyone muttering "all the gear but no idea").
But recently I’ve been attempting to curb my event-based spending excesses. A work-related charity bash with a black-tie dress code last week saw me dutifully digging out a trusty old black lace dress rather than splurging on something floorlength and fabulous. But my savvy sartorial saving was marred by the fact that I realised too late that the elbows were fatally wounded by previous nights out and riddled with holes.
One area where I was convinced I was ahead of the game was with my new obsession, running. Billed as the cheap way to keep fit (no gym membership, no harnesses or safety helmets), I thought I had everything I needed to pound the pavement – some old tracksuit trousers, a T-shirt, trainers and headphones. Tick, tick, tick, tick.
And yet… the more you do something, the more you realise that certain items, while not essential, would certainly make things more comfortable (a lightweight running top that makes you less of a sweaty beast; a hand-friendly water bottle), more convenient (an armband to hold an iPhone snugly in place, a – whisper it – bumbag for keys and cash), or just a bit jollier (pumping new tunes at 59p a pop to update my "run for it" playlist). and don’t talk to me about the fancy, barely there Vibram trainers that mimic barefoot running that have just taken a bite out of my bank balance. They might not make me limp, but the receipt is definitely making me wince.
Nokia Lumia 800 Review
The Nokia Lumia 800 was introduced at the recent Nokia World by Stephen Elop (Nokia’s CEO) who said “it’s the first real Windows Phone”. It’s a bold statement, but it’s true that in the past, Windows Phone have often inherited from designs that were not the very best handset makers could offer. Unlike others, Nokia is in a unique position where it is betting everything on Windows Phone 7. so, with such an enthusiastic reception at Nokia World, does the Lumia 800 live up to the expectations?
Technical Highlights
1.4GHz Qualcomm SnapDragon S23.7” AMOLED display8 Megapixel rear-camera (no front-camera)16GB of storage (no MicroSD)Windows Phone 7.5FM Radio1450mAh battery142g
Context
We all use smartphones differently, so it’s important that I tell you what I do with my smartphone: I typically check my email often with the built-in email app (via Microsoft Exchange), and I reply moderately because the virtual keyboard is slow, even on large displays. I browse the web several times a day to check on news sites, but I rarely watch movies or play music. I don’t call much – maybe 10mn a day, if at all.
On the “apps” side, I have a couple of social networks, a receipts manager, but I rarely play games or do something super-intensive. This usage pattern will affect battery life and the perception of what features are useful.
External design (beautiful)
The curved display design is beautiful
The Nokia Lumia 800 is beautiful. Just like we expected, it is using the same “design language” than the Nokia N9, which is built with a single-bloc of polycarbonate. It looks awesome and feels very soft to the touch. interestingly, it is the opposite of the iPhone 4 design, which has much sharper edges on the sides.
Look at more photos in our Nokia Lumia 800 Gallery
The Lumia 800 doesn't fell "plastic" at all
The first question that one may have is: does the Nokia Lumia 800 feels like plastic? actually, it doesn’t. the Nokia Lumia 800 feels more solid (and rigid) and less “plastic” than a Samsung Galaxy S2, to give you a specific example (the GS2 -despite all of its greatness- is often criticized for its “plastic” feel). the Lumia 800 feels more solid and is heavier than you may expect. try holding one, you’ll be surprised.
At the top, you can find a standard 3.5mm audio jack, the USB port, and the micro-SIM tray, which is very elegantly designed, and doesn’t require any tool to remove (watch this iPhone 4/4S). It’s not like I remove my micro-SIM in and out often, but that’s a nice touch that the frequent world traveler will appreciate every now and then.
The right side is populated with a number of buttons: volume (+/-), power, and camera shutter. They are all built with quality material and switches, which is not as common as one may think.
I like how the power button lands right under my finger (I hold the phone with the left hand). With the right hand, I prefer having the power button on the top, but you may disagree.
At the bottom, there’s a speaker which has decent audio quality, although it is not as loud as other phones out there, namely the iPhone 4/4S, the LG Optimus 2X, or the Motorola ATRIX.
In the back, there’s the 8 Megapixel camera with dual-LED. I really appreciate the discreet Nokia logo. We’ll get back to the camera later, but it has a Carl-Zeiss lens.
From the outside, the display is really the centerpiece of this design. In fact, after every components have been inserted in the polycarbonate body, the AMOLED display is put in place to close and seal the phone.
I think Nokia could have easily gone with the classic flat display and no-one would have noticed, but I’m glad that they went for this particular curved design. the only thing that Nokia could have done better is to make the glass a bit less prone to fingerprints. the iPhone 4/4S has a better resistance to prints.
After turning the power on, the display comes to life, and the image quality is great. I’ve gotten used to over-saturated colors from AMOLED displays from Samsung phones, but to my surprise, the colors were rather normal here. This is a matter of settings. From what I’ve been told, and some Samsung handets can actually be tweaked, others can’t.
The contrast is amazing obviously but now that colors are much more “accurate” (closer to the original ones), the image quality is top-notch. that said, the resolution is still inferior to the iPhone’s retina display. Overall, I don’t think that this is a problem, but there’s no denying that a higher pixel density would be neat.
Windows Phone 7.5, What’s new?
Multitasking: Windows Phone 7 is now multi-tasking capable. It is possible to switch from one app to the next. It is closer to iOS than it is to Android: purists will prefer Android’s multi-tasking, which is closer to what a computer would have, while iOS and WP7 are a bit more limited, but they may limit the power that background apps consume.
Voice to text SMS: you can now dictate SMS messages using your voice, and there’s also some level of voice commands. for instance, while you’re on a Bluetooth headset, you get notified of new messages by a synthesized voice, and can use your own voice to command the phone to read them for you, or to reply.
I wish that the voice-to-text dictation was pervasive and always available whenever the keyboard is up, like it is on Android, and with Apple’s Siri. However, that’s not the case yet.
Twitter and LinkedIn: those two social networks are now integrated into the OS itself, and it’s great because you can share updates across several networks at the same, without having to download yet another app for that purpose. It also makes it possible to follow your friends’ updates (on those networks) in the People HUB.
Live tiles: the application tiles on the home page are now animated and can display information without requiring you to launch the app – think of those as widgets, although of very small size. That’s a few more drops of productivity right there.
Multiple Calendars: you can display calendars from Outlook, Facebook and other locations at once. usually, this is really useful for people who have a personal+work calendar, and on top of that you can add the Facebook calendar as well.
These are some of the most important new Windows Phone 7.5 features, but if you want more details, hop to the official “what’s new” web page on the Windows Phone site.
Killer Apps
Despite everything that modern smartphones can do, the lives of most smartphone users usually revolve around these activities/apps. And you know what, most “apps that people can’t live without” are in fact text-based.
Keyboard (very good): I’ve said it in pretty much all my smartphone reviews: the Windows Phone 7 keyboard is the best in terms of responsiveness and ability to guess which key you’re trying to hit with your finger. if you have never tried it, I suggest you do. I’m refraining from scoring this with an “excellent” score because the WP7.5 keyboard does not have a voice dictation feature, which is great for short replies.
Facebook (excellent): First, it is worth noting that the Facebook integration in the Windows Phone OS itself is simply extraordinary. From the people HUB, it is possible to post an update and see your friends’ updates. In the photo gallery, the Facebook albums are accessible and the image loading is even pretty fast, which makes me wonder if the photos are pulled to a Microsoft server, shrunk down before being sent back to Windows Phone.
To access the full array of features in Facebook, there’s a native app which has a Windows Phone “look and feel”. All the Facebook features that I normally use are there, but I don’t know if something is missing when compared to iOS and Android versions.
Skype (not yet): Ironically, there is no Skype support for Windows Phone 7 at the moment (Microsoft has acquired Skype for $8.5), but you can bet that Skype and Microsoft are now working very hard on it. that said, if you need Skype today, it is simply not there and I have not seen a decent equivalent.
Email (excellent): the email support is top notch in my opinion. It’s true that you don’t have things like the Blackberry shortcuts, but the Exchange Server support is great, the setup is extremely easy: I basically just had to enter my email and password. On Android and iOS I have to enter 5 or 6 long strings of information with the server URL, etc…
The font used in Windows Phone and the ultra-clean design makes emails very readable. Overall, I love the WP7 email experience. I’ll take the WP7 email experience over iOS or Android any day. only Blackberry remains the king of the hill on that one.
Bing maps is OK, but many street names often don't appear
Maps (average): the default mapping application on Windows Phone is Bing Maps. It’s pretty good, but unfortunately, it’s not as good as Google Maps, especially when the Android version has had so many improvements over the past year. yet, it should be good enough for most use cases in pedestrian mode. if you are trying to use it while driving (should you?) things can be a bit tough because street names aren’t as pervasive or readable than with Google Maps.
Nokia Drive has great maps, and it does not use a live data connection
Navigation (very good): Fortunately, for driving around, there is Nokia Drive a true personal navigation application that is great for many reasons: for one, the maps are stored locally on the phone itself, so the phone does not need to download the maps in real-time, which is great for speed and battery life. the map is also a bit better in terms of street names readability. the best part is that it’s free — and you can download maps for almost every countries in the world. good news: Nokia Maps will arrive to other Windows phones.
Web Browsing (good): the new Windows Phone browser is now using the Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) rendering engine, which is much better than the IE7 engine used previously. This time, I have not seen any site compatibility issues, and overall, things work fairly well, but this phone won’t break any performance record in terms of Javascript benchmarking – more on that topic in the performance section…
No Flash support: unfortunately, there is no Flash support, and although Microsoft has declared that it has no “philosophical issue” with having Flash on its platform, the current reality is that Flash isn’t available. HTML5 is well supported, so you may try your luck on HTML5 sites, but I usually hear that many smaller services, especially in Europe, still run video on Flash. actually, that’s the #1 complaint that I hear about the iPad in Europe. Windows Phone 7.5 will have the same issue, although as a handset, it seems less of a problem than it is for a tablet.
Basics
Dial and contacts: Dialing with the virtual keypad is very simple, and finding contacts is too. There are two ways of doing it: 1/ go in the People HUB and search for a specific person. 2/ add a contact directly on the start page as a Tile. With this second option, a call/SMS to a contact is only 2 taps away.
Voice commands: Windows Phone supports a small number of voice commands like “call <name>”, “text <name>”, “Redial”, etc… if it doesn’t understands a comment, it will default to a search. Obviously, this seems a bit archaic when compared to Apple’s Siri, but it can be handy when driving etc. Android also has this kind of capability.
To activate it, press and hold the “Windows” button.
Photo and Videos (Average+)
Given that Nokia has a glorious past in terms of mobile photography, I came in with high expectations. An 8 Megapixel sensor and a Carl Zeiss lens seemed like a very good pair, but in the real-world, I was surprised that it yielded only what I would call an average to average+ performance, whether it is in broad daylight, or in dim lighting conditions.
this is a difficult low-light shot
I call this average+ because at this point it is comparable or slightly better than many recent smartphones on the market, but the image quality can’t touch the best out there, namely the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the iPhone 4/4S. This is true for both photos and videos.
Photo taken with the Lumia 800 on a cloudy day
I have uploaded samples of photos taken with the Nokia Lumia 800, the HTC Radar and the iPhone 4S to our Ubergizmo Flickr account. take a look for yourself. I took the photos under identical conditions, and some came out a bit blurry (I couldn’t tell on the small screen), but these are real-world conditions.
Entertainment / Play
Gaming: it is fair to say that Windows Phone does not have a lot of games, but I really like the fact that the WP7 Marketplace lets me try any app before buying. On the Android and iOS stores, I have often been disappointed by apps after the facts, and obviously all sales are “final” there. With Marketplace, you can try before you buy – this is huge.
Tried Jet Car Stunt WP, Kinect Animal, Angry Birds and Infinite Flight. Angry Birds needs no presentation, but Jet Car Stunt was fun and Kinect Animals was interesting for a short time. none of those two are graphically impressive, but they run at a solid 30FPS.
Infinite Flight has been developed by a couple of friends, and it is a flight simulator aimed at folks who actually want a simulator, not an arcade game. I’m not much of a pilot, but this may be worth a try.
In the end, it’s fair to say that gaming is still nascent on Windows Phone, and it makes sense: developers will focus on platforms with the most market share: iOS and Android. However, I’m pretty enthusiastic about the WP7 SDK, and the fact that it is so close to what developers already know on PC and Xbox. There is great potential here, and you should see some of that soon from EA.
a "PC" Trailer of Starcraft II plays without a hitch
Video Playback: the phone has been able to play a 1080p MP4 video that I usually use for my reviews. It’s the Gran Turismo 5 trailer. I also tried watching the Starcraft II: Ghost of the past. Both played without any issues, so I think that the video decode capabilities are more than sufficient. No problem there.
The photo gallery is very convenient, and you can access your FB photos too
Photo Gallery: I like the photo gallery, it’s efficient, and I can sort it by month, people or albums. It lets me access my online albums as well (I mainly view Facebook’s photos – mines and my friends’) and it’s relatively fast, even over 3G. I also love the fact that the background image in the Pictures HUB is randomly selected from my recent photos. good stuff!
Music: obviously, you can import/buy Mp3 files, but each Windows Phone is also a Zune player, which means that you can also buy videos and subscribe to an listen music service from Microsoft. I used it for a while, and it’s pretty good.
If you want more choices, there is a host of apps that are available through Marketplace: Rhapsody, Slacker, LastFM, Amazon, Sirius – just to name the most famous.
Nokia Music: this app/service is exclusive to Nokia handsets: Nokia music for Windows Phone was introduced at Nokia World, and it is dead simple: choose your music style, press play, and it will start streaming music. Don’t like the current song? Skip to the next one.the radio is completely free, no login required, just tap and listen.
If you like a song, it’s also possible to purchase it, but you will then need a login so that Nokia can track the purchases.
System Performance
When talking about the performance of a consumer electronics device, I always try to separate the “measured” and “perceived” performance. Measured metrics are obtained by running synthetic (not always life-like) benchmarks to stress specific parts of the system.
On the other hand, “perceived” performance is the user observation and perception of performance. Although they should correlate, I would always place perceived performance as being the most important one. after all, what is performance good for if you can’t tell?
Measured Performance
When I looked at the hardware specifications, I knew that the Nokia Lumia 800 would probably not score very high in the benchmarks, because most of them are currently optimized for multi-core systems (Javascript benchmarks), and we don’t have a good graphics processing or CPU benchmark on Windows Phone, which is too bad because performance seems pretty decent there.
Sunspider, Browsermark: the Lumia 800 ranks pretty low in terms of Javascript benchmarks, and I think that it may be getting a double-whammy here. Let me explain: Javascript benchmarks show two things: how fast the CPU is, and how fast the Javascript interpreter is.
For example, the iPhone 4 got a tremendous boost in performance after the release of iOS 5 and end up showing scores higher than many dual-core handsets, even though it’s a single core iPhone.
The Lumia 800 seems to be hit by the single-core issue, but I suspect that the Windows Phone Javascript engine could also be optimized by quite a bit. at 1.4Ghz, the hardware should be able to get close to the iPhone 4+iOS5 scores.
I also tried the Microsoft IE Fishtank Test, which is an HTML5 graphics test. the score is pretty decent, considering that many handsets won’t even run the test, but it is much inferior to the old iPhone 4, which has a higher resolution.
Perceived Performance
The perceived performance of the Nokia Lumia 800 is very good. Most Windows phone have always had a zippy user interface, and most basic functions like email, browsing, messaging etc… run fast and can be more responsive than on some dual-core Android handsets.
That said, user interface optimization does have its limits: when it comes to brute in-app performance, things can be mixed: for applications that are not optimized for multi-core, the Lumia 800’s superior frequency can help it hold its ground, or even beat a dual-core 1Ghz processor. However, as soon as the task is multi-core friendly (photo processing, physics…), it should no longer be able to win, simply because it’s being outgunned.
With the current crop of Windows Phone games, I don’t think that the chip is being pushed to its limits anyway. Current games aren’t very graphics-intensive, and that’s the main type of applications that will require the big muscles that modern chips have.
The bottom-line is: it is zippy in general, but can’t outgun powerful Android handsets or the iPhone 4S when running complex games or tasks.
Battery Life (test in progres…)
I’m still working on the battery life tests. I’ve been running all sorts of tests, and it has been hard to get into the “normal usage” mode. I’ve also heard that the first batch of Lumia 800 may need a software upgrade to get maximum battery life. the battery is quite small (1450 mAh), but this is a single-core system, so we should stay within reasonable limits, but I’d rather test it a little more, than come to the wrong conclusion on this one. Thanks for your patience.
Conclusion (very good)
The Nokia Lumia 800 is a very nice phone, I absolutely love the design. It feels great in my hand, and it is incredibly robust. I have already accidentally dropped it once on a hard surface, and I could not find any trace of the impact. the Polycarbonate construction really paid off.
Overall, the phone won’t earn any “top speed” records, and I’m pretty sure that specs-oriented buyers will criticise it for that. I think that Nokia knew it and they’ve decided early on that they could not get into this fight as Windows Phone is not yet multi-core friendly anyway. the blunt truth is: this is not a “heavy weight” handset when it comes to pure number-crunching, but this doesn’t mean that the user experience is slow – on the contrary.
The Lumia 800 has an excellent responsiveness to user interaction, and this is one of the most important factor for any touch-devices. In the end, this phone does exactly what it has been designed for: to address the needs of first-time smartphone users.
So… should you get it? It depends. Here are a few typical situations that you may be able to relate with:
Wanted: Terra, Incase's Playful But Stylish New Collection Of Carrying Cases
Terra protects your laptops without looking overtly tech-y.
Incase has designed bag collections for bona fide hipster brands like A.P.C. and the Ace Hotel. now, it’s releasing the Terra collection, a casual five-piece line fashioned out of black-and-oatmeal canvas tweed with red accents.
Terra is slightly more playful than Incase’s other offerings, with oversized zippers and pulls inspired by trends in outerwear. although not overtly tech-y, it still has all of the functionality and tech protection one would expect: The backpack has multiple internal organizer pockets and a padded notebook compartment (lined with a red polka-dotted print) that can fit a 15-inch MacBook Pro. Likewise, the tote features an extra-wide opening for loading a 13-inch laptop, a padded interior with compartments, and an exterior zippered pocket for stashing keys or an iPhone. Also available: 11-, 13-, and 15-inch sleeves.
Prices range from $49.95–$99.95. The line will be refreshed seasonally with different materials like denim and traditional canvas.
Reviews: Audio-Technica ATH-BT03 Wireless Stereo Headset
Headphone makers have tried two approaches to creating wireless versions: some have tried to hide all of the battery and electronic components inside oversized earphones, a popular strategy that hasn’t worked particularly well for canalphones, while others have created a special compartment for the electronics so that the earpieces can be smaller and more comfortable. ATH-BT03 is an example of the latter, using the hybrid canalphone earbuds from Audio-Technica’s ATH-CK400i as the basis for a Bluetooth headset that’s available either in a black and red color combination or a pure white version. each is bundled with a micro-USB cable for charging, but no carrying case or other frills.
Just as with ATH-CK400i, Audio-Technica drops 8.8mm drivers inside of housings that look like mushroom caps between a chrome-capped stem that connects to the cables, and a pipe that’s covered with your choice of four silicone rubber ear tips. The rubber tips pop into your ear canals while the rest of the earphone sits in the nook of your outer ear. while some hybrid earphones of this type can feel large and uncomfortable in your ear canals, these housings are small and light enough to be inoffensive in virtually any ear.
The difference with ATH-BT03 is that the cabling is uninterrupted on both sides, leading to a Y junction and then a large glossy plastic box with a shirt clip on the back. Shaped somewhat like a battery, this box contains a five-position remote control joystick with separate power and telephone call buttons, a microphone for telephone calling, a Bluetooth 2.1 receiver, and a battery with six hours of audio transmission or 200 hours of standby time. Tiny lights on the unit’s face flash red or blue to indicate power and pairing status; you can change volume, tracks, and play/pause status with the joystick, while answering or making calls with the separate call button. Voice Control and Siri did not appear to be triggered with the button; instead, holding down the button makes the iPhone call the previously dialed number. Apart from this limitation, wireless performance was otherwise nearly identical to making a wired connection with an iOS device.
Our feelings on the overall performance offered by ATH-BT03 are nuanced but generally positive. Sonically, this headset represents only a small step down from ATH-CK400i, and then only in the bass department—an area of ATH-CK400i’s performance that was notably already deficient. ATH-BT03 similarly focuses considerably on treble and midrange detail, with somewhat underwhelming low-end performance, relying upon a tap of the power button to activate a “3D Bass” feature that brings the bass nearly up to ATH-CK400i’s levels. Still, given how bad the audio sounds through many Bluetooth headsets at higher price points than this one, the fact that this $80 unit offers only a very modest reduction in sound quality relative to an otherwise comparable $60 wired version is somewhat noteworthy. Callers were further surprised that the microphone’s apparent static level sounded just a little lower on the ATH-BT03 than with the wired microphone in the ATH-CK400i, and roughly comparable in intelligibility. This will change, however, if you place the remote and mic unit dramatically lower on your body; there’s enough cable length here to get it to nearly belt level on a 6-foot-tall user.
The cabling is the primary reason that ATH-BT03’s usability paradigm is sort of iffy. You’re paying a $20 premium over the ATH-CK400i to get six hours of Bluetooth streaming time, for which you’re required to mount a relatively large battery pack somewhere on your shirt or belt, and not given much else in the way of advantages. ATH-BT03 doesn’t sound better, dramatically reduce your ability to have to carry anything around, and saddles you with a mounting requirement that may or may not work for you. It’s best suited to public transit commuters who want to hide their iPhones, iPods, or iPads, and are willing to wear the comparatively inconspicuous remote, mic, and Bluetooth box on a jacket instead; alternately, it may work for iPad users who want the convenience of hearing their music from an up to 30-foot Bluetooth distance without having to hand-hold their tablets. If you’re not in one of these camps, you’ll be better off with ATH-CK400i, which offers a better overall sonic and remote experience at a lower price.
SIM Free White iPhone – Software Review
A SIM free white iPhone 4 will soon be available on the high street. The new design has brought about major hardware improvements including a faster, more efficient processor, better stills camera, high-definition video recording and better battery life. We take a look at the new software that Apple has introduced to complement this new hardware.
iPhone and iBooks
In a similar move that Apple made with the iPad, the iPhone will feature a version of iBooks complete with PDF and annotations support. The iBook application will be able to synchronize between Apple devices, so you could start reading a book on an iPad and then continue reading at the same point on your smartphone. Users will have the ability to download purchased books to all of their supported devices without any additional charge.
iPhone OS 4 (iOS 4)
Apple’s mobile device operating system is now officially called iOS 4. The new software will be standard on the SIM free white iPhone 4 and will be available for the iPhone 3GS, 3G and iPod touch, although some limitations may be applied depending on the hardware in question. The main feature is that it will finally introduce the much needed multitasking support with app switching being carried out by double clicking home button. another long-awaited feature that has been available on rivals such as the HTC Desire and Sony Xperia X10 is the use of a folder structure for the storage and organisation of apps and documents. It will also include support for Apple Bluetooth external keyboards, a Mail inbox supporting multiple services, a game center, improved support for Microsoft Exchange and enterprise users as well as introducing the iAd mobile advertising network
FaceTime video calling also makes a debut with the iPhone 4. The feature will at first be Wi-Fi only with a possible 3G capability coming in the future and can only be used between iPhone 4 smartphones, although it may be extended to other platforms in the future. As well as using the front facing camera, users will be able to use the rear-mounted 5MP camera to let callers see what they’re seeing.
White iPhone 4 availability
Initially available in the United States, France, Germany, Japan, and the UK, the new iPhone will become available throughout the world during the remainder of 2010 and early 2011. The SIM free white iPhone 4 is available with either 16GB or 32GB capacities. a black version is also now available.