It’s the world’s first smartphone to feature their new PureView imaging technologies. Which means that the 808 comes with a quite ridiculous 41 megapixel camera. That’s right: 41. Quite what Nokia were thinking we’re not sure, but it’s a man-on-the-moon moment for the convergence of cameras and phones.

At standard resolutions (2/3, 5 and 8 megapixels) this means the ability to zoom without loss of clarity and capture seven pixels of information, condensing into one pixel for the sharpest images imaginable. At high-resolution (38 megapixel maximum) it means the ability to capture an image, then zoom, reframe, crop and resize afterwards to expose previously unseen levels of details.

The headline feature is obviously the 41MP camera, and although you can’t access all those megapixels, you can take 34MP photos that you can zoom into to dizzying levels.

In addition to superior still imaging technology, the Nokia 808 PureView, also includes full HD 1080p video recording and playback with 4X lossless zoom and the world’s first use of Nokia Rich Recording. Rich Recording enables audio recording at CD-like levels of quality, previously only possible with external microphones.

“Nokia PureView imaging technology sets a new industry standard by whatever measure you use,” said Jo Harlow, executive vice president of Nokia Smart Devices.

“People will inevitably focus on the 41 megapixel sensor, but the real quantum leap is how the pixels are used to deliver breath-taking image quality at any resolution and the freedom it provides to choose the story you want to tell.”

The only issue with the 808 PureView is the decision to have the phone running on Symbian rather than Microsoft’s Windows Phone (we expect this to happen later this year, though). According to Nokia this will be the last high-end phone on its own Symbian OS.

Samsung were at MWC, although without the Samsung Galaxy S3, and showed off two new products that caught our eye. The first is a new tablet. While it might look like a Galaxy Tab, this new tablet is actually part of the newly released Note family of devices. The Note 10.1 is essentially a 10.1-inch version of the new Note Smartphone with the new S-Pen support.

Software-wise the Note 10.1 runs Android 4.0 with the Touchwiz and comes with pre-loaded versions of Adobe Photoshop Touch and Adobe Ideas which will be ideal for users who want the tablet for design and photoshop.

Specs-wise, there’s not a lot to shout about, apart from the pen. There’s a more than adequate 1.4Ghz dual-core Exnos processor, the screen comes with the usual 1280×800 resolution, a 3-megapixel camera on the back and a 1.3-megapixel shooter on the front. Connectivity comes in the form of a HSPA+ 21Mbps cell radio, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, and you’ll find up to 64GB of storage with a microSD slot on the side.

Despite Samsung disappointing the tech world with no Samsung Galaxy S3 at MWC, the Korean technology giant did have a new handset on show to try and soften the blow. The Samsung Galaxy Beam is a new smartphone that comes with a built-in projector.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen a projector in a phone. In fact 2 years ago Samsung had a phone with a projector – but this new version is thinner, sleeker and runs a much more advanced version of Android OS.

While the projector is a nice touch, the 15 lumen of brightness isn’t going to win any awards, especially as you need a really dark room to see the projector image clearly.

The Galaxy Beam projects at a 640 x 360-pixel resolution. Samsung says that the Galaxy Beam’s larger 2,000mAh battery will keep movies and other content projecting for about 3 hours straight.

Beyond the projector, the phone itself sports a 4-inch WVGA TFT touch screen, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 1GHz dual-core processor. Built-in projectors tend to add a lot of weight, but the clever bods at Samsung have managed to keep the phone the typical depth of your average phone.

LG were at MWC touting a new quad-core smartphone in the form of the LG Optimus 4X HD. The 4X HD features the same Tegra 3 1.5GHz quad-core processor as the HTC One X. There will be a fifth battery-saving core that will be used to you’re performing less power-intensive tasks. The quad-core will then kick-in when you start playing games, rendering websites or multitasking.

Running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the 4X HD features a 4.7-inch high-res display for watching full HD video, packs an eight-megapixel camera with LED flash and 1080p video capability and 16GB of on-board memory (expandable by up to 64GB via microSD).

The LG Optimus 4X HD will launch in Korea first with a UK launch expected later in the year. Pricing is yet to be announced, but we’ll bring you all the news as soon as we get it.

MWC 2012 Roundup: Nokia, Samsung & LG is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

The first handset they showed of was the HTC One S – a 4.3-inch dual-core mid-range handset. Unlike Sony’s Xperia’s the new HTC handsets are coming with the much sought after Ice Cream Sandwich.

The 4.3-inch screen is packing Super AMOLED screen technology, 1.5-Ghz dual-core processor and a host new features and tweaks to the standard HTC recipe.

The HTC One S comes with an impressive camera with 8-megapixels, F-stop 2.0 sensor for low light performance, and will capture video at 1080p at an impressive 60 frames per second.

Like most any HTC it won’t win any awards for looks, but it’s an improvement on the rather drab HTC’s of 2011. It’s more functional than a looker.

HTC are making the phone in two styles: you can have the body of phone made with micro arc oxidation (a metal frame in a plasma field that is then electrocuted for a smooth ceramic finish) or a gradient anodisation which you can, apparently, file your nails on if you want.

There’s no word on networks or pricing, but the phone is expected to hit retail in April so it won’t be long until we have more details.

HTC had two other One series smartphones on the show the floor at MWC. First of all, Tthe HTC One X is their new the top-of-the-range handset  and comes with specs that will surely make Samsung and Apple sit up and take notice.

It comes with a whopping 4.7-inch screen, boasting “Super LCD” technology and comes with an impressive HD resolution of 1280×720 pixels – similar to what you’d find on the Galaxy Note and Xperia S.

It must be said that HTC should be applauded for getting Ice Cream Sandwich on board the One series, something Sony unfortunately hasn’t achieved with its own new family of Xperia handsets.

HTC always likes to tinker with the OS and have added customisations to the phones, and to this end, they have opted to include a new version of its Sense user interface.

HTC’s partnership with Beat Audio Technology is in toe with the entire One series, and is signalled by the red logo on the back of the devices. HTC has expanded upon the Beats Audio software so that it improves sound quality across the board, even for third party apps such as Spotify, which is most welcomed.

Seeing as the One X is the top-of-the-range handset for HTC you’d think they put an incredible camera in it, but it would seem they’re are happy to continue with the 8-megapixel snapper with the low-light F-2.0 session and wide angle 28mm lens.

The real meat behind the One X is the quad-cor processor which will be the beating heart of the One X. They’ve also opted to make some changes in the way of card support – swapping SIM for Micro SIM, and doing away with Micro SD support.

But it’s not all bad for extra storage as the One X comes with a healthy 32GB of internal storage and HTC have signed a deal with Dropbox for a more memory capacity through the cloud.

UK network Three has already confirmed that it will be stocking the One X, though prices haven’t yet been confirmed. You can expect most, if not all, UK networks to be stocking this beast in the coming months.

The final handset to come out of the HTC skunk-works is the HTC One V, while it might not be as shiny or as technologically advance as its cousins, the V is a cheap and cheerful smartphone aimed at the lower end of the market.

Despite its light weight specs and price tag you’ll still get a handset that comes with Ice Cream Sandwich, a 3.7-inch WVGA display, boasting a 480×800 resolution. The processor is a single core 1Ghz processor which will be more than adequate for your average Android user.

Camera-wise you find a 5-megapixel camera with a BSI sensor, LED light and auto-focus. HTC are stating that it will be able to capture video at 720p. The One V is also touting Beats audio technology, but the phone only comes with a puny 4GB onboard storage – although you can upgrade it to 32GB through the microSD slot.

If cloud storage is your thing, you’ll also be able to take advantage of signing up to a Dropbox account which will give you 25GB of storage as well.

The HTC One V is expected to be available here in the UK in April, with an expected retail price of £254 SIM free.

MWC 2012: HTC Unveils The New One Series of Smartphones is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Mobile World Congress is the world’s largest consumer electronics show that is focussed on Mobile communications. Every year the world’s top mobile manufacturers (apart from Apple) descend on the Fira Da Barcelona to show off their plans for the forthcoming year.

This year’s Mobile World Congress is an incredibly important trade show for Sony as it gives them an opportunity to rebrand, regroup and show its shareholders that the buyout of Ericsson was the right move.

At this year’s mobile world congress Sony has unveiled a new family of phones: Xperia. They’ve seemingly finally realised that they will be more successful if they refocus their mobile division. To this end they are releasing just three three phones: one high-end phone, a mid-ranged phone and one for the lower end of the market.

Besides the launch of three new handsets, Sony also announced the completion of its takeover of Sony Ericsson. Sony’s next CEO, Kazuo Hirai, showed up at the event and talked about the company’s plan to leverage its current gaming and entertainment assets for its mobile phones.

He said that they would “spare no effort to ensure its (Sony Mobile) success”.

All three handsets are on show at MWC and should be available within the next 2 months. The first thing you’ll notice is that Sony has completely ditched the Ericsson brand.

Their top-end handset is the Xperia S. The most important spec for the S is the 4.3-inch screen with a 1280×720 resolution, 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, 1GB of ram and is a Playstation certified.

It comes in two flavours the 16GB or 3Gb, with the option to upgrade the memory with a microSD card. It comes with an impressive 12-megapixel camera capable of 1080p HD video recording. It’s joined by a 1.3mp camera on the front for video calling.

Unfortunately it’s not all good news, the Xperia S comes with the rather old-hat Android 2.3, instead of the must sought after Ice Cream Sandwich – however Sony has promised an update but it won’t be arriving until the latter half of 2012.

While it’s up for pre-order there’s still no indication of when exactly the device will be available but should touch down at some point in Q1 and could well go on sale next month.

The colourful U is obviously the budget phone of the bunch and is smaller than its new mid-range and high-end cousins. The U features a 3.5-inch FWGA display with 854×480 pixels, a 1Ghz dual-core processor and a 5 megapixel camera.

It’s a similar story to the S with regards to the OS, so it will be coming with Android 2.3, but it will be updated to Ice Cream in the latter half of 2012. The Xperia U comes with the same 1Ghz dual-core processor that will be used the mid-range P – with performance on par with last year’s nippy Xperia Arc.

The Xperia U comes with a mid-range 5-megapixel camera, unique fast capture, HD recording and Sony technology to capture 2D and 3D panoramic images. Sony have also included new sound technology xLoud and 3D surround technology meaning mp3 playback should be excellent.

The handset will be available in a choice of white or black, with pink and yellow exchangeable caps for the base of the smartphone are included in the box.

The final phone on show at Mobile World Congress from Sony is the Xperia P, it’s a mid-range smartphone that sits perfectly between the cheap and cheerful 3.5-inch U and the top-end high-spec 4.3-inch S.

While the Xperia U comes with comes with a 3.5-inch display and the S comes with a 4.3-inch screen. It only seems fitting that the P takes the middle-ground with a 4-inch display incorporating Sony’s new WhiteMagic display technology.

Sony reckons that the new screen tech will deliver the brightest display they’ve ever made and will be very good in sunny conditions. It does this is by adding an extra sub-pixel which is the secret to its sucees and presumably the name.

The display itself offers a resolution of 960×540 pixels. Underneath the Xperia P is a 1Ghz dual-core processor, the same chip found in the U.

Sony haven’t said how much RAM is on offer. But in terms of onboard memory you’ll have 16GB built in. The Sony Xperia P weighs 120g and measures 10.5mm thick.

It features an 8-megapixel autofocus camera, based on the Exmor R sensor, supported by an LED flash. It will offer you 3D panoramic snaps and 1080p video capture. The battery looks a little small, however, with 1305mAh listed. The new handset will launch on Android 2.3, with an upgrade to Android 4.0 promised for Q2 2012.

MWC 2012: Sony Rebrands and Shows Off The Xperia U, Xperia S & Xperia P is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

MWC (Mobile World Congress) is only a couple of weeks away and the world’s top mobile phone manufacturers, apart from Apple, will descend upon Barcelona to show off their latest handsets. Samsung, LG, Nokia, Sony, HTC, Acer and Asus will all be on hand to show what they have planned for 2012 and beyond. Here’s what we think you might be seeing at MWC 2012.

Nvidia

While we’ve already seen the Tegra quad-core processor in the new Asus tablet we’d bet our house that Nvidia & Co will be on hand at MWC to confirmed more Tegra 3 mobile devices. Adding even more fuel the fire they’ve already sent out a press release teasing “quad-core firsts” during Mobile World Congress.

We’ve known about quad-core smartphones since CES, but anything on show was displayed behind glass – so it’s going to be exciting to get some proper face-time with the new handsets. It’s been reported that HTC and LG are both planning to unveil Tegra 3-powered devices, which are expected to feature 4.7-inch displays with 720p resolutions.

Windows 8 & Windows Phone

Microsoft revealed recently that it plans to launch the consumer preview version of Window 8 on February 29 – to coincide with their event at MWC. It’s does seem odd that Microsoft will be discussing Windows 8 at a mobile phone trade show, but it could mean Microsoft to will unveil more details on how Windows 8 will work alongside their Mobile phone operating system.

Not only will Windows Phone 8 share the same Metro style user interface as Windows 8 for tablets and PCs, but developers can reuse the same code for both operating systems. It’s not clear if Microsoft plans to discuss its Windows Phone 8 plans, but a Windows 8 Consumer Preview launch at Mobile World Congress makes it look that way.

Samsung

Its been confirmed by Samsung that the follow-up to their Galaxy S2 wouldn’t be making an appearance at this year’s MWC, but even more bizarre is the news that Samsung won’t be making a major press announcements at the 2012 show. Samsung should still have a new product or two to launch at MWC, as promised, however the usual big set-piece event is now off the table.

Their US PR team said: ”Samsung confirmed that they are not hosting a press conference at Mobile World Congress, but Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012.

“The successor to the Galaxy S II smartphone will be unveiled at a separate Samsung-hosted event in the first half of the year, closer to commercial availability of the product.

“Samsung stays committed to providing the best possible mobile experiences for customers around the world.”

Sony

The leaked shot above show the entire family of Xperia phones, but there’s also a couple of family members we haven’t seen before. According the Xperia Blog the new handsets include the rumoured Xperia Nypon and the phone in the middle of the bottom row, is thought to be the recently-announced Xperia S. We’ve had several emails about Sony’s plans at MWC, so we’re betting they’ll be bringing a host of new phones to MWC under the Xperia brand.

Blackberry

Ailing smartphone maker, Blackberry, should be at MWC with their new operating system. Once called BBX, its now been dubbed Blackberry 10 and has yet to released on any smartphone.

According to a RIM rep the company will be at MWC to show off the new operating system as well its current Blackberry 7 – which comes with new NFC and BBM capabilities. Unfortunately, it appears there still won’t be a device running BlackBerry 10 until later this year.

New reports from BGR blog are suggesting that Blackberry has cancelled the BlackBerry Colt, as well the Milan. Meaning RIM only has the BlackBerry 10 smartphone. First unveiled in London, the handset comes with dual-core 1.5Ghz, 1GB of Ram, 16GB of onboard storage and front and rear facing cameras. RIM focusing on a single device could be a good thing, but we’ve heard it won’t be ready until the third quarter of this year, which might just be too late – let’s hope they have something more concrete at MWC.

HTC

HTC has already confirmed their plans with a press conference set to take place the day before the show officially kicks off. They’re expected to show of the HTC Edge , which could also be the world’s first quad-core phone. There’s also talk of the Quattro tablet, also quad-core thanks to Nvidia’s Tegra 3 processor, as well as the Ville, another Android Ice Cream Sandwich superphone, and the Primo, a more mid-range device.

We also wonder if we’ll hear of the European version of the Titan II Windows Phone we saw at CES, with its ginormous 16-megapixel camera. Let’s hope so.

MWC takes place from February 27 to March 3.

Mobile World Congress: Gaj-it’s Top Mobile Phone Predictions is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

6. PlayStation Vita

The Playstation Vita is a beast of a system and is jam-packed with tech and features that firmly brings it into the realm of a device that can satisfy your every mobile need: gaming, entertainment and communication.

The system includes both front and rear-facing cameras, it features head tracking and facial recognition, a gyroscopic sensor and accelerometer, a microphone, a 5-inch OLED touch-screen and a rear-mounted touch-pad.

With a powerful processor and plenty of memory, the PS Vita promises a much more impressive gaming experience compared to its predecessor the PlayStation Portable. Despite its impressive technology, pricing – while at the premium end of the market – is reasonable, with ShopTo.Net putting the RRP at £229.99.

Vita is releasing in Japan this month, so there is a possibility of getting one on import before Santa Claus climbs down your chimney - it is likely to be plagued with shortages as it is the only new gaming device to be released this Christmas.

7. Asus Padfone

The Asus Padfone is either going to be a massive success or a bit of a damp squib, essentially it’s a giant smartphone that can then be slotted into another device to make a fully fledged tablet. When it was announced it raised quite a few eyebrows. But with the new Tegra 3 processor as well as Ice Cream Sandwich – it’s going to try and unify the ground between a phone and tablet.

With a launch planned for Mobile World Congress, we could be about to see the first quad-core phone release, and that’s really going to shake up the competition.

8. Sony PlayStation 3D Display

Sony’s budget 3D TV has been specifically designed to be used with a Playstation 3, for less than £400 you get a 3D display capable of 1080p output and a pair of 3D glasses.

The monitor is on sale in the US, with a European release date expected in early 2012. If it’s successful, it could be the TV that takes 3D to to the mass market.. The set has been designed for those of you who want a device in a bedroom or snug, and don’t want to spend thousands to enjoy the plethora 3D content now available.

Sony’s new TV does have one particularly impressive party piece – it will allow users to play games with split screen action but each user will see a full screen instead of half – we’re not sure whether it will only work with the glasses, but the the idea and tech is very clever indeed.

Included in the price will be a pair of 3D active shutter glasses, 6ft HDMI cable and a copy of Resistance 3, for a price of $499. Sony have also pointed out that the new glasses can be purchased for $69.99 and will work on their different 3D TV’s.

9. Android 4.0 tablets

You might wonder what Android 4.0 actually brings that Android 3.2 doesn’t offer now, but the answer isn’t as simple as a list of better features. In our Android 4.0 review, we found that the big steps forward is in the little things. It’s much more streamlined, and more easy to use, and that’s vital for making it seem as appealing as the iPad to those who don’t care about hardware specs.

But more than that, we want to see what it inspires in the tablet manufacturers. We see all sorts of different app choices, custom widgets, hardware differences and philosophies from the different companies making Android tablets, and we can’t wait to see what Ice Cream Sandwich brings out of them.

10. iPhone 5

Apparently the last project Steve Jobs personally work on before his untimely death was the iPhone 5 – after the disappointing upgrades we saw in the iPhone 4S – everyone expects the new iPhone 5 will be massively different.

Unlike the iPhone 4S, it’ll be a completely new design from what has gone before, so that means an entirely new casing.

Interestingly, someone who claimed to have seen a larger-screened iPhone 5 prototype said in November 2011 that Steve Jobs canned the new handset and opted for the iPhone 4S because of the larger screen size of the new device. According to Business Insider, it was feared that a new size would create a two-tier iPhone ecosystem.

Based on the roadmap of mobile chip design specialist ARM (of which Apple is a licensee), we’ll see a quad-core processor debut in the iPhone 5 – probably called the Apple A6. We know that we’ll see other quad core handsets debut in 2012, so it’s not too much of a stretch to say that the iPhone 5 will be the same.

Other rumours suggesting the Apple will finally make a handset compatible with 4G and NFC have also been rumoured, quite when we’ll see the iPhone 5 remains unclear, but it’s likely to shown off in the summer 2012.

Gaj-it’s Top Tech Predictions For 2012 Part 2 is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

It would seem that Samsung want three tabs in their family – just like the three bears – a tablet for everyone in the family – a Samsung exec, said the newly minted tab, which will sit alongside the existing 7-inch and 10.1-inch versions, will be available from mobile networks.

We suspect this version might be sold via mobile phone networks as a sweetener for mobile contracts or as data- enabled version – we for one don’t really see why they want a 8.9-inch one – but it might prove to be more popular in different regions.

According to reports the new tab will be definitely land in the first half of 2011 – with some rumours even pointing to a launch of next month to go against the Motorola Xoom, HP Touchpad and possibly the iPad 2.

No details have emerged on whether the tab will have the same spec as the 10.1 edition – but were sure all will be revealed soon enough – it might be possible that Samsung wants as many new tabs as possible to soak up components and prevent its competition from getting a foothold a la Apple. But this of course if just speculation.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9-inch model incoming is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

The news was first reported by BBC’s Rory Cellan-Jones, who tweeted, “Breaking – Microsoft opens up Kinect to hacker community, rolling out Software Development Kit for personal use.” Microsoft expects the move to garner solid response from developer community. Eventually, the company is aiming to integrate Kinect with PCs. During Mobile World Congress, Microsoft Boss Steve Ballmer had hinted that Kinect is headed towards bigger things and would certainly be moving beyond gaming. Expect the use of Kinect technology for streaming TV, music and movies. Well, we are going to tone down our pipe dreams now and let’s wait to see the kind of response these SDKs get.

Source: Pocket-Lint

Microsoft to Give Development Kits to Kinect Hackers is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

However, it is yet to be seen how Nokia is planning to accomplish this feat. Microsoft has a set of stringent minimum requirements needed to be fulfilled for using their platform. However, Microsoft may decide to loosen its strings a bit. Whatever this couple does, but one thing is sure that both these companies desperately need to make a splash in the mobile segment. Just concluded MWC also proved to be a one big damp spot for WP7, since Android clearly stole the show there. All of the major handset makers were busy displaying their Android wares and WP7 was largely conspicuous by its absence. Let’s just hope that next year, the scenario will be different.

Source: Engadget

Cheap Nokia Windows Phones to Arrive ‘Very Quickly’ is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

A HTC representative confirmed that the phones would be upgrading to Gingerbread during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but  wouldn’t provide exact dates.

HTC’s man did say that the first Gingerbread update would be released within a month of the Desire S hitting the shop, but then he flip-flopped and changed his mind and said it would probably occur within two months. Confused ? We are.

The HTC Desire S will launch in the summer, sometime around May or June, the best-case scenario, therefore, is that older phones in the Desire range could receive an update by June. That means you’ll have Gingerbread goodness with your ice cream in the summer.

If the Desire S launches in late May or June, and the update takes two months, then it could be August or September before it’s available for the older Desires.

Depending on the networks and the time that lapses between updates for the different phones, the nights could be drawing in before Desire owners get the update. Which to use seem like a very time

So there you have it straight from the horses mouth and this comes after Google wanted a less fragmentation and quicker updating of all Android running handsets. This seems to be a pipe dream at the moment.

What do you think of the lag when it comes to getting Android updates ?

Android Gingerbread Update Confirmed For HTC Desire Expected In Summer is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com

Earlier in September last year, Android guru Andy Rubin was said to be in talks with record companies for reaching a deal. On a separate occasion, Google had also said that mobile would be a key component of its music strategy. So, it is about time for Google to take the plunge. While, Apple App Store model is receiving brickbats, this time from AT&T, we cannot wait for Google to jump on the music subscription service bandwagon. Well, a little competition is always good for consumers.

Source: Pocket-Lint

Google May Launch Music Subscription Service with Honeycomb is a post from: UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping Site - Gaj-It.com