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Nokia Lumia 1020 vs Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5 – Can Nokia Defeat Samsung and Apple?

July 19, 2013 By Nicholas Anderton 13 Comments

The new Nokia Lumia 1020 is going to be introduced in the smartphone world very soon. It is going to be the next big phone from Nokia to taken on the giants like Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5. Will the Windows Phone 8 powered Lumia 1020 sell more than current market leaders like Galaxy S4, HTC One and iPhone 5? The Lumia 1020 comes with a 41MP camera and host of new apps onboard. Still, it does not offer one of the most preferred photo sharing app like Instagram.

The Galaxy S4 is already ruling the market and it does not seem any other phone that are going to be released such as the LG G2, HTC One Max or Galaxy Note 3 are going to disturb the sales of Galaxy S4. However, the manufactures at Nokia have packed in 41MP PureView technology camera. And we can say that finally Nokia has started making top of the line smartphones to really take on market giants.

One of the major problems associated with the Windows Phone 8 OS compared to Android and iOS is that it has got very less apps in its store. Also, there is a lack of proper support from developers. Whenever a new app is to be launched, mostly the app makes debut on iOS and then it comes to Android. Hence, still many well-known apps are yet to be available for Windows Phone. Developers take around one to two years to launch apps for Windows Phone.

Surely Nokia wants to divert the attention by offering the best possible camera compared to any other smartphone can offer. The 41 MP camera is capable of snapping stunning photos and it comes with plenty of camera features. For instance, the Dual Capture feature allows you to snap photos at two different resolutions simultaneously. It means you can snap two separate photos of 38MP and 5MP at the same time. The former type of photo can be used for editing purpose whereas the latter type can be used for uploading on social networking sites.

The Nokia Lumia 1020’s camera comes with six powerful lenses from Carl-Zeiss. It is also supported by two kinds of flash, namely LED flash and Xenon flash. Undoubtedly, the Lumia 1020 can capture good resolution photos in dim lighting conditions. Even the HD quality videos recorded with Lumia 1020 appear sharper and crisper.

The other features of the Nokia Lumia 1020 include 4.5inch PureMotion HD+ AMOLED display. The horsepower of the phone comes from the 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and 2GB RAM. There is Adreno 225 GPU Onboard, 32GB inbuilt storage space and 2000mAh battery. The battery seems to be less on capacity but it is only when the phone is officially we can provide you with hands-on review on Nokia Lumia 1020 and its battery life.

Stephen Elop, Nokia’s CEO claims that the Lumia 1020 is very challenging phone. In US, the phone is going to be first released on the AT&T network. This means the biggest cellular carrier of US, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile are not going to sell the phone when it is going to be launched. The competitors of Lumia 1020, the Galaxy S4, iPhone 5 and BlackBerry Z10 are all available at attractive prices across major cellular network providers of US.

If you checkout the deal offered by AT&T, you may be surprised to see a Nokia phone being sold at such an expensive price tag. In order to sign-up a two year agreement with AT&T for Lumia 1020, you will have to pay a huge down payment of 299.99. The price is definitely not reasonable. In fact, buyers will be spending $100 as down payment compared to the price that was offered for HTC One, BlackBerry Z10, and Galaxy S4 when they were launched.

Another problem with the Lumia 1020 is that the 32GB internal storage is quite small. Since it is a phone that has got powerful camera and amazing HD+ display, you will be loading the internal storage space with lots of snapped photos, videos along with a HD movie and some songs to enjoy on your phone. This way your 32GB internal storage will be full in no time. It lacks external microSD storage space. Instead, Nokia is offering cloud service. You can simply snap your photos and you can upload them on cloud.

What we feel is that the Nokia Lumia 1020 is a very competitive piece of hardware. However, in order to attract new app developers, it needs to sell more devices. Currently, the phone is being offered only by AT&T. With only carrier offering the Lumia 1020 and that too at an expensive price, it will be very difficult for Nokia to sell maximum number of Lumia 1020 phones right from the day it will be launched.

In US and also in most places of the world, the most preferred mobile platform operating system is Android and then it is closely followed by iOS from Apple. The third spot is taken by BlackBerry which released the newest version i.e. BlackBerry 10 in this year. And then comes Windows Phone in the ranking. It is a clear sign that the Lumia phones are not doing any good to Nokia as well as Windows Phone.

iPhone 5 vs Galaxy S4 – Camera Comparison of Apple vs Samsung Best Camera Phones

July 18, 2013 By Daniel Giordano 1 Comment

When it comes to camera prowess, the Galaxy S4 is considered to be the best and better than iPhone 5 in the market. This fact was recently confirmed by DxO which is a well-known French company that deals with study camera optics and image sensors.

According to the tests conducted by them, Samsung managed to bag 75 points whereas the iPhone 5 managed rank close second with 72 points but the Nokia Purview 808 managed to salvage 77 points. Since Nokia Purview 808 is a Symbian powered device, it is not popular compared to Android’s Galaxy S4 and iOS’s iPhone 5.

Camera has undoubtedly become one of the most desired features in smartphones. Even camera software has become so intuitive that it allows you to snap and upload or share to your social network within few seconds.

The Apple iPhone 5 comes with an 8MP camera that supports a maximum resolution of 3264 x 2448 pixels and comes with features like LED flash, simultaneous high-definition video and image shooting, touch-focus, panorama, video stabilization and HDR. It even allows you to record 1080p HD videos at 30fps. At the front, there is 1.2MP camera which is also powerful enough to shoot videos of 720p quality at 30fps and lets you use FaceTime app with web connection and also features face detection.

The Galaxy S4 comes with a much powerful 13MP camera that supports a max resolution of 4128 x 3096 pixels and comes with manifold features like LED flash,dual shot, simultaneous high-definition video and image shooting, face and smile detection, image stabilization and HDR. It supports HD quality video recording of 1080p at 30fps and allows you to simultaneously record two videos. The front cam is of 2MP and supports 1080p at 30fps and features dual video calling.

According DxO, the Galaxy S4’s surpassed iPhone 5’s camera in various fields like still images and videos. The video stabilization on iPhone was found to outperform the same feature on Galaxy S4. When it came to shooting images in low-lighting conditions, Galaxy S4 captured sharp images marred with noise.

The competition is going to be tough when forthcoming phones from Nokia and Apple will be released. Nokia is expected to unveil its EOS phone which is going to sport larger image sensor along with powerful lens like the one of Purview 808. It is going to run on Windows Phone OS. Apple is soon going to unveil the next gen iPhone which may be iPhone 5S which will be available in two variants, black colored high-end iPhone 5S and cheaper iPhone 5S with different colors. Definitely, it is going to come out with advanced camera features.

Top 5 Smartphones Money Can Buy From Sprint

July 15, 2013 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

Sprint, which ranks the third largest network service providers in the US, has come up with very interesting collaborations with smartphone device makers. Users of the Sprint services therefore have a large choice of smartphone’s that they can pick up from the service provider. Sprint not only provides some of the most attractive choice of phones to the consumer but also add on features that makes the deal more lucrative to the consumer. The second half of 2013 has seen big names in the Smartphone market launch several of their products, most of which have been included by sprint in their tie ups.

The most important feature of Sprint also called Now Network is that it offers the unlimited packages as yet, which the likes of AT&T, Verizon have long ago shelved. Sprint is also a network that is fast expanding their 4G coverage, to give AT&T and Verizon a run for their money.

Subscribers of Sprint therefore have lots of benefits with choice of package for their network services as well as the smartphone that they can own. If there is a negative side to this entire aspect then that is the confusion that a consumer would fall into given such a large plethora of options to select from.

To help those who are in the confused zone, the best five smartphone to take up are listed here.

The suggestion would be the iPhone 5 which rules the roost. It would only be replaced by the iPhone 5S which is expected sometime later in this year. What the iPhone 5 from Sprint has that the device from other retailers doesn’t have is its unlimited data plan from Sprint itself. It also has the iOS 6 running on it with the iOS7 update assured when it comes out. The design and display of the iPhone 5 is already top notch. It comes with a tag of $199.00 and there is the option of getting pre-owned one at an even cheaper $50.

Next would be the Samsung Galaxy S4 which is also one of the high end makes from Samsung and Sprint once again offers unlimited data package with this device. The phone comes with a 1080p display and has apps like Air View which makes it an interesting buy for the consumer. The OS of this device is 4.2 Jelly Bean. The S4 is also about its good looks and style. Users get access to the 4G LTE network from Sprint with this device. Then there also is the option of buying via third party sellers which comes with no contract deal and therefore end up being cheaper than the price of the device at sprint’s site directly.

Next in line is the HTC One which is a phone of choice for many. It has a 1080p display screen, is built around a quad core processor and sports a unique camera having Ultrapixel resolution. Other apps of interest are the Sense 5 and HTC Zoe. The metallic designed phone is also about solidity and durability and is a choice of millions. Buyers could also try out the third party retailers for the phone with no contract binding with Sprint.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the best choice on the sprint network. The device is one of the most powerful devices for its cost at present. Gamers and techno geeks both would find this device and its specs very attractive. Users must also remember that the updates for Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 would be applicable for the Galaxy Note 2. This will make it almost at par with the current generation, enough to make for a compelling choice at a low cost.

The fifth place of choice is a fight between the LG Optimus G and the Samsung Galaxy S3 which the Samsung beats the LG device on the single issue of support. Updated for the LG Opitmus would never match that for the Samsung in its life cycle. It means the LG device would soon be outdated while the Samsung Galaxy S3 would not.

Samsung Galaxy S4: AT&T Releases New Update With Several Bug Fixes

July 15, 2013 By David Crozier Leave a Comment

Users of the Galaxy S4 perhaps never had it so good. For users of the Samsung flagship device has emerged the beneficiary of a healthy dose of update from two of the biggest network service providers in the US.
The first to start it was Sprint, though it now seems AT&T too is as well following the footsteps of Now Network and has decided to reward the customers by releasing an update which can take care of quite a few bugs. The size of AT&T’s I337UCUAMF3 update for the Galaxy S4 is almost similar to that of Sprint’s, though if that made you to think both might as well bring similar tweaks then you are in for a surprise. While Sprint is focusing on bringing Samsung Knox as well as apps to the SD support, AT&T, on the other hand is keen to tackle a completely different set of bug fixes with its update.

At about 359 MB, the new software update from AT&T and Samsung fixes a number of issues with the device. These include the random reboots the device has been suffering which has been taken care of with the baseband now updated. The same should also be applicable to the email, Wi Fi as well as Drive Mode SMS which were plagued with several issues. The update also allows two more LTE bands besides improving the functionality of NFC.

So that’s quite a few reasons to look forward to the new update that has been released over the air. For those who are yet to receive their official notification can attempt to download the update manually tapping on menu > setting > more > about device > software update > then finally, check update.

Apple iPhone 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. HTC One: Comparison of Batteries

July 10, 2013 By Micheal Baptiste Leave a Comment

Battery life and processing power are the two most demandable smartphone specs. Samsung fans can experience the very new and advanced Galaxy S4, HTC lovers can test HTC One with an absolutely new Sense UI, and of course, iOS admirers can check out iPhone 5. However, neutralizers would definitely find it hard to make a choice between the three.

Apple products are always a bit expensive than Android devices, so those seeking an on-Budget smartphone would prefer Samsung or HTC. Screen size is also a demandable spec that smartphone users intensely wish for. Samsung Galaxy S4 steals the crown at 5.0 inches, closely followed by HTC One at 4.7 inches. Apple is never keen on extending its screen size, which is evident from 4.0-inch iPhone 5, though it bears the finest quality display.

Apart from all these, smartphone users should focus on two crucial specs while purchasing a device. Processing power and battery life are intensely valuable specs that make a device more admirable. Check out the following table that notes an accurate comparison of battery life and processing power of the hottest smartphones of 2012-2013 so far – iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One.

Device	Battery Type	Standby Time	Charging Time	Talk Time	Internet Usage
Apple iPhone 5	Li-Po 1440 mAh	255 hours	141 minutes	8 hours	261 minutes
Samsung Galaxy 4	Li-Ion 2600 mAh	370 hours	164 minutes	17 hours	405 minutes
HTC One	Li-Po 2300 mAh	480 hours	237 minutes	18 hours	339 minutes

So, as per battery life is concerned, Samsung Galaxy S4 steals the crown. The device was launched in April this year. 20 million units were shipped just within two months of its launch, making it one of the fastest selling Samsung smartphones. The device is now available in seven different colors, and according to many technical analysts it is the best smartphone available for purchase so far in 2013.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Vs HTC One Google Editions: How they stand against each other?

July 9, 2013 By Micheal Baptiste Leave a Comment

Android watchers clued-up on the latest happenings are eagerly waiting to see the performance of the just-released Google editions of Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One. Anticipations are rather high especially after the standard editions of the two smartphones – current flagships of their corresponding manufacturers – took the market by storm. The common feature – the highlight – of both devices is that they both run on the untouched version of Google’s mobile operating system, which, until now, has been exclusive to Google’s tailor-made Nexus devices. That’s what has kindled much of the curiosity on how the two will vie with each other!

The pure Android experience

Either handset is designed to give you the pure vanilla Android experience on the best hardware available today. Both devices feature the pure latest Android 4.2.2. Jelly Bean version instead of the customized software from the manufacturers, providing an interface free from the proprietary overlays and bloatware. They come as unlocked handsets, so there is no need to tie up with cellular carriers. As pure Android devices, they are fortunate to receive quick and direct updates from Google, free from carrier-related delays.

Key differences from standard editions

The Galaxy S4 Google edition lacks some Samsung-specific features as it is devoid of Samsung’s TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0. The standard S4 allows you to run two apps simultaneously in a split window, a feature that is absent in the Google edition. The Google version has stronger alarm sounds compared to the soft melodies of the standard version. Its camera lacks some features like dual shots and has lesser shooting modes compared to the standard version.

Similarly, the HTC One Google edition lacks a few HTC-specific features as it does not have HTC’s Sense 5 UI. So, its UltraPixel Camera will lack the Zoe feature, which can stack several images to show action. The standard HTC One allows you to slide icons on the lock screen to make calls, send texts or click photos, whereas the Google edition requires you to unlock the screen to get the icons to do the job.

Nevertheless, the pure Android experience has much to do with a clutter-free interface, which is otherwise bloated with apps and features that makes it complex to use.

Useful add-ons

Both phones have a 360-degree panorama called “Photo Sphere,” slightly modifying the basic camera features. The Google editions also come with useful add-ons specific to each device.

Google Galaxy S4 has a magnetic sensor that allows compatibility with the S-View flip cover. The sensor detects the closed mode and switches to a different mode to let you view the time and caller details via a window on the cover, so you can respond to calls without having to flip-open the cover.

Google HTC One features the standard version’s front-facing speakers that enhances sound while watching videos or listening to music.

Design

Galaxy S4’s Google edition features a solid plastic design measuring 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9mm, and weighs 130g.

The HTC One is slightly taller than the Galaxy S4 and its edges slant slightly inward towards the display. It measures 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm and weighs 143g. Its aluminum body is unbeatable, rendering a solid feel.

Display

Google Galaxy S4 features a Super AMOLED 4.99-inch touch-sensitive display having a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a pixel density of 441ppi.

Google HTC One sports a slightly smaller 4.7-inch Super LCD 3 display with RGB Matrix. The touch-sensitive display has a screen-resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a pixel density of 468ppi.

Hardware, Processor and Storage

Both the devices have ports for micro-USB and headphones.

The Galaxy S4 version is powered by a quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and Qualcomm Adreno 320 graphics. It features a 2GB RAM and 16GB storage.

The HTC One version is powered by a quad-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor. It has the same Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB RAM as the S4 version. Its 32GB onboard storage is higher than its counterpart.

Connectivity

Both the Google editions are unlocked versions that support 4G LTE speeds. They are compatible with T-Mobile and AT&T and with carriers using GSM cellular technology; they are not compatible with CDMA networks of Verizon Wireless and Sprint.

Both the devices support NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. The Galaxy S4 version also supports DLNA.

Camera

The Galaxy S4 version features a 13MP rear camera and 2MP front camera.

The HTC One version has a 4MP rear camera with UltraPixel image sensor and a 2.1MP front camera.

Battery

The Google version of Galaxy S4 has a 2,600mAh battery while that of HTC One has a 2,300mAh battery.

Pricing and availability

The Google version of Samsung Galaxy S4 is priced at $649, while that of HTC One is cheaper, priced at $599. By comparison, the standard version of either phone can be bought for $100 to $200 via wireless carriers for a two-year subscription. Google is making them available from July 9^th and has offered free shipment.

Bottom Line

The Google editions of both Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One render an exceptionally simple feel free from the clutter of added bloatware. It gives you the independence to add your preferred widgets to the homescreen rather than force you.

The steep price and the requirement to pay it in full may intimidate some, especially when compared to subsidized prices that wireless carriers are offering with agreements. Lack of compatibility on CDMA networks of Verizon and Sprint may be disappointing. The handsets are available only on Google Play Store, another drawback.

HTC One Mini Release Date – Likely to take on Galaxy S4 Mini

July 6, 2013 By Brandi McCants Leave a Comment

We can see a line of mini devices coming in the market. First it was Apple to roll out the mini version of iPad. Next, Samsung rolled out mini versions for Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S4 and now HTC has joined the bandwagon by announcing the mini version of HTC One. The HTC One Mini is going to arrive this month and its timing shows that it has been manufactured to fight against the Galaxy S4 Mini.

The HTC One Mini is going to hit the stands right after the Nexus version of HTC One rolls out. In the recent past, lots of rumors were doing round about the mini version of Galaxy S4 and HTC One. Samsung was the first one to clear the rumors as they announced the Galaxy S4 Mini in the previous week. However, Samsung refrained from revealing the release date and cost of the device. It has got a 4.3 inch display and is powered with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS and speculations show that AT&T is going to be the first one to support it.

Even though the HTC One Mini which came out late in the news, the makers have revealed that it will arrive in somewhere in the mid of July. The device is also called HTC M4. According to previous rumors, the device was to arrive at the end of June and July was also taken into consideration. However, there is no update about which carrier is going to support the HTC M4.

It seems the HTC One Mini is going to give serious competition to the Galaxy S4 Mini. The HTC One Mini comes with a better display with support for 720p. However, the one on S4 Mini is qHD. The HTC One id powered with dual-core CPU, ultrapixel camera and sleek metal design.

HTC is also going to introduce a edition of HTC Butterfly called the HTC Butterfly S. The new smartphone is going to replace its predecessor. According to the recent rumors, the HTC Butterfly S will sport a larger display and a huge battery. The device is speculated to come out of the den in the third quarter of this year. It is going to be powered with Snapdragon 600 quad-core CPU which is also available on the HTC One.

The HTC One which came out weeks before the Samsung Galaxy S4 did not compete well with the S4. It was reported worldwide that HTC failed to advertise their flagship device well. Now is the time for HTC to compete again with Samsung. This time around the HTC M4 seems to be a better device than the Galaxy S4. We will have to wait and see whether HTC manages to win the competition because of better specs or Samsung continues to pioneer ahead thanks to their sheer popularity.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Gets 5,500 mAh Battery From Mugen

July 4, 2013 By David Crozier 1 Comment

For those who have bought the Samsung Galaxy S4 but have been thinking in the back of their heads the device could have done with some more battery power have some good news awaiting them from Mugen Power. For the company has now come up with a new battery unit which it claims can add a lot of punch to the Samsung flagship device which otherwise can be considered to flaunt just about average backup times.

For those who prefer pure numbers, the Galaxy S4 stock battery is rated at 2,600 mAh which can support about four hours of video streaming, 17 hours of talk time along with about 8 hours of moderate usage with the smartphone. All of these can seem puny is the face of what Mugen Power is offering, which at 5,500 mAh can well be considered a beast. The after market battery solution comes with a back cover which in turn is available in shades of black and white. That is not all for the back cover also comes with NFC capability. Also, Muger Power has stated their battery is completely hassle free in that it is perfectly compatible with the standard S4’s electrical layout and is hence completely safe to use.

As for its capabilities, the S4 powered by a 5,500 mAh power source can last 2 to 3 days on moderate use, which includes an app install once in a while, sending e-mail replies, along with web surfing. This would be incredible to say the least considering most smartphones fizzle out within a day’s usage itself. In contrast, it would take a lot of effort on part of the user to bring down the Morgan Power battery unit for the S4 within that time. The extended battery is all set to hit streets in late July for $89.50.

Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One Google Editions Release Date Debut on Google Play Store

June 28, 2013 By Micheal Baptiste Leave a Comment

The grandiose Google Editions of Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One made their prompt official entry on Google Play Store, with shipping date set for July 9^th for both devices. Shipping will be free. Both come as unlocked versions, meaning that there is no need to commit to service agreements with any cellular carrier. The Galaxy S4’s Google Edition sells for $649, while that of HTC One sells for $599. Both will work on AT&T and T-Mobile SIM cards.

Either device features the vanilla Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, free from the proprietary bloatware or add-ons of their manufacturers. In other words, the Galaxy S4 edition will not have Samsung’s TouchWiz interface and the HTC One edition will not have its Sense 5 interface. The advantage is that users will be entitled to direct software updates from Google, without having to deal with delays foisted by carriers for tests, bug fixes, and so on.

The Galaxy S4 Google Edition features a 5-inch Full HD 1080p Super AMOLED display, 16GB storage expandable to 64GB via external SD card, 1.9GHz Snapdragon 600 processor, 2,600 mAh battery and 13.1MP rear camera. HTC One Google Edition features a 4.7-inch Full HD 1080p SuperLCD display, 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 processor, 32GB storage, 2,300mAh battery and 4 UltraPixel camera. Both support 3G and LTE bands.

Each device touts its own set of exclusive features, so when it comes to making a choice, the decision depends on what feature appeals to you. For instance, Galaxy S4 edition has a bigger removable battery, faster processor and microSD card slot for extra storage. On the other hand, HTC One edition has a friendlier price tag, bigger internal storage and all-metal design.

Considering the tough competition between Galaxy S4 and HTC One, the performance of their corresponding Google Editions remains to be seen.

Samsung Galaxy S4 to be Powered With Intel Processor – Other variants to follow

June 12, 2013 By Brandi McCants Leave a Comment

Building on the success of its Galaxy S4, Samsung is busy releasing several variants of the device one after another. With the Galaxy S4 Mini, S4 Active and S4 Zoom already making hype, Samsung is unveiling a new Inter-powered Galaxy S4. The news comes from Engadget’s report on Intel’s keynote slide.

A presentation, which was part of Intel’s keynote, unveiled a list of devices that will arrive with Intel SoCs at its mobile keynote at Computex. Among the devices were ASUS MeMo Pad, ASUS FonePad, ZTE Geek, Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 and Samsung Galaxy S4. The listing also included Windows-based ASUS laptops.

As of now, the Galaxy S4 comes in two processor versions – the Qualcomm Snapdragon and Exynos 5 Octa. The former is sold across America and Europe, while the latter is available in Asia and Africa. Samsung Mobile has not yet said anything about a new processor variant for Galaxy S4, so details about specs, price and release date are not clear. The device is expected to support LTE.

A recent report said that Samsung’s next generation flagship tablet – the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 – will be powered by Intel Clover Trail 32nm SoC processor. While it is not surprising to see Intel chips in Samsung’s Ativ range, i.e., Windows-based devices, the use of Intel chips in its Android-based devices signals a new trend. Until now, Samsung has mostly relied on ARM chips for its Galaxy series.

There are possibilities that Samsung will announce the Galaxy S4 Intel variant at the IFA event in Berlin this September. The London Premier event, meant to unveil some Galaxy and Ativ devices, is on June 20^th. Most probably, the Intel-based Galaxy S4 will arrive near the close of this year or early 2014. Samsung seems to be doing everything possible to make its Galaxy S4 iconic.