Windows RT |

8.3-inch Nokia Lumia 2020 coming with 1080p display

Nokia is apparently testing the new Lumia 2020 tablet in India, the second tablet from the Microsoft subsidiary. In typical Nokia fashion, they will be lowering the number for the smaller 8.3-inch display, stepping down from the 10-inch Lumia 2520.

The Lumia 2020 has inherited a lot of features from the first tablet, including the 1080p IPS display in a smaller 8.3-inch screen size. Inside the tablet is the quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and multiple storage settings.

Other revealed features include cellular connectivity, WiFi, nano-SIM slot and a stylus. The Lumia 2020 is a lot of the same and we expect the design to just a smaller version of the Lumia 2520, the leaked documents do not show any photos.

We still have no news on how well the Lumia 2520 did in the opening months, we expect Nokia to be having the same success with Windows RT as Microsoft is having, that is to say almost none at all.

Nokia have got the design right and enough horsepower to run Windows RT, but the OS still lags behind a mobile operating system in terms of core apps and a normal desktop OS in terms of performance and power.

Microsoft needs to make the step to actually making Windows RT a full mobile/tablet OS or just kill it off completely, making Windows 8 the platform for both tablets and PCs. Both solutions seem viable, but where Microsoft is sitting now makes no sense for Windows RT.

Nokia is apparently also working on a 4.5-inch Lumia device, the information on this is a little lacklustre, with the only notable feature being the dual-SIM for international buyers to look forward to grabbing.

This is yet another two devices coming from Nokia and it looks like Microsoft is going to have to deal with the backdrop of smartphones and tablets in development before completely taking over the ship.

Nokia Lumia 2020 could launch in early 2014

By Leave a Comment

The numbers keep stacking and now that Nokia is in the tablet market we are bound to see more devices released from the company, one could be the Lumia 2020, an 8-inch Windows RT tablet set to come sometime in early 2014.

The Nokia Lumia 2020 will take the same approach as the Lumia 2520, the 10-inch Windows RT tablet becoming available across Europe and in the US this month. We expect the same design the Lumia line has become well known for in a smaller and possibly cheaper form factor.

According to rumors the Nokia Lumia 2020 will have the same internals as the Lumia 2520, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and 1080p display, we should also see multiple storage options and NFC coming on the Lumia 2020.

Nokia is not entering a quiet market, the 8-inch market has burst to life after the initial success of the iPad Mini from Apple. Samsung, HP, Acer, Dell and others have jumped at the chance of grabbing some market share and Nokia will try with a Windows RT tablet.

Windows RT 8.1 has some improvements from the previous version but it still feels like an operating system with little home. It is divided between tablet-centric usage and full Windows 8 and Microsoft has been unable to pull a vast amount of application developers onto the platform.

Even though the Nokia Lumia 2020 may look like an impressive device, smaller tablet buyers are looking for services, not gadgets. Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos has been clear to air this idea, naming this the reason why so many people buy Kindle Fire tablets.

The Lumia 2020 should be coming sometime in early 2014 alongside a slew of other smartphones and tablets, including a full relaunch of the top Android smartphone flagships. We expect the Lumia 2020 to come at the same price point as the iPad Mini, around $300 off contract with an LTE option.

Nokia announces the Lumia 1520, Lumia 1320 and Lumia 2520

By Leave a Comment

Nokia World may have been a little overshadowed by Apple’s iPad event, but the company announced some new products, a few days after announcing eight million Lumia sales in the past quarter, an impressive mark for Windows Phone.

Nokia also announced some exciting news for Windows Phone in the coming months, the platform will be getting an official Instagram, Vine and Flipboard-tablet apps on the store.

Nokia Lumia 1520

The event started with the Lumia 1520, the newest phone from Nokia with a 6-inch 1080p display and quad-core processor. After Microsoft announced the GDR3 update, Nokia has been pushing for a quad-core 1080p smartphone, to compete with Android smartphones.

Windows Phone has never really run bad, even on the cheapest Nokia smartphones. The Lumia 1520 is a big push to make Windows Phone devices able to compete with smartphones like the Galaxy S4 and HTC One.

The Lumia 1520 also comes with a 20MP sensor and 3400mAh battery, Nokia has not added any first party stylus functionality to the smartphone. Nokia will start selling the smartphone for $749 off contract, no on contract price was announced at the event.

Nokia Lumia 1320

Nokia has also made a budget end version of the Lumia 1520, named the Lumia 1320. The numbers are starting to get a little confusing but the idea seems to be making a larger phablet device with cheaper parts.

The Lumia 1320 comes with a 720p display instead of the Lumia 1520’s 1080p beast and runs on Qualcomm’s dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor with 1GB of RAM. The Lumia 1320 also has a 5MP camera instead of the 20MP on the Lumia 1520.

Nokia will start selling the Lumia 1320 at $339, a solid purchase for anyone wanting to test out Windows Phone with a large screen.

Nokia Lumia 2520

The final product of the day was the Lumia 2520, the first Windows RT tablet from the Finnish company and one of the first third party Windows RT tablets. The Lumia 2520 takes features from the Surface 2 and remakes it in classic Lumia colors and rubbery polycarbonate back.

The Lumia 2520 has a 10-inch 1080p display and many first looks and hands on say it is one of the best tablet screens in the industry. The design is classic Nokia as we have said, it looks like a larger Lumia smartphone.

Inside the Lumia 2520 is a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 11 hours of battery life, two USB ports and a Power Keyboard, adding an additional five hours of battery life to the tablet.

This is Windows RT and many still have their worries about the app selection. Lag and bugs have been cleaned out and the Snapdragon 800 processor does a great job of keeping the tablet running steady without any hiccups.

Microsoft announces new Surface 2 and Surface 2 Pro

By Leave a Comment

Microsoft has announced the two new Surface tablets, the Surface 2 running Windows RT and the Surface 2 Pro running Windows 8.1. Both tablets look like revamped versions, with no real software changes apart from the Windows 8.1 tweaks.

The original Surface cost Microsoft $900 million, with lots of stock not selling and Microsoft paying billions in advertisement to try and sell the device. Needless to say the Surface tablet failed to gain any traction, with many contending the iPad superiority.

Surface 2

This is Microsoft’s revamped Surface 2, with new internals and some interesting freebies. Starting with the internals, the Surface 2 packs the NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor alongside 4GB of RAM and 32/64GB of internal storage.

The new Surface 2 packs 10 hours of video playback battery life, a USB 3.0 port and the slightly better 1080p ClearType display. The original Surface had incredible build quality and beautiful display and the Surface 2 is a slight upgrade.

Microsoft is bundling a year of free Skype calls and 200GB of SkyDrive storage into the Surface 2. Windows RT has four compatible Office RT applications and Microsoft will revamp Windows RT to 8.1, like its more powerful brother Windows 8.

The Surface 2 starts at $449 for 32GB of internal storage and 64GB for $549. It is available to pre-order tomorrow and will launch on October 22 in 22 different markets.

Surface Pro 2

The second tablet revealed was the Surface 2 Pro, the more powerful version running full Windows 8.1. Microsoft has added in Intel’s Haswell processor and made a whole range of accessories for the new PC/tablet hybrid.

Externally the Surface Pro 2 is the same device, but internally with the Haswell i5 processor the new tablet performs 50% better than the original, with more graphical performance and 60% improvement in battery life.

Microsoft has created a new kickstand to compliment some of the issues the original raise, they have also made a Power Cover and backlit Type Cover and added USB support for third party mice and keyboards, for a old school PC feel.

All the freebies on the Surface 2 apply for the Surface 2 Pro and prices start at $899 for 64GB of internal storage with 4GB of RAM. This can go all the way up to 8GB of RAM with 512GB of internal storage, priced at $1799.

Nokia preparing to launch Lumia 1520 at special event on October 22

By Leave a Comment

With the news Nokia had cancelled an event in New York on September, there were rumors the Microsoft-owned company had given up on the Lumia 1520, but with the new reports about a special event in October 22, it has reignited the belief the WP phablet is coming.

The event invite doesn’t show a lot of details, apart from three hashtags and a desert. The three hashtags: #blazing, #stories, #innovationreinvented seem to point at the powerhouse Lumia 1520, set to come with a quad-core processor.

As for the setting, this points towards a Middle Eastern launch, possibly in Abu Dhabi according to evleaks. Nokia has a few potential spots, with London being a favorite and possibly Finland, considering this will be the last launch for Nokia.

The Lumia 1520 will be the first “phablet” phone on Windows Phone OS, with the six-inch full HD display. The Lumia 1520 is also set to sport a quad-core Snapdragon processor, 2GB of RAM and 22MP rear camera, not as big as the Lumia 1020 but still a beast.

Nokia may also have the new Windows Sirius RT tablet at the event, this has had some negative feedback already, with moderate specs, Windows RT and a $499 price tag. It doesn’t seem like an optimum purchase, considering some Windows 8 tablets are currently on sale for less.

Still, this is probably the last event we will see with Stephen Elop getting on stage as the Nokia CEO, with 32,000 employees from Nokia jumping ship to Microsoft. Microsoft acquired Nokia for $7.71 billion a few weeks ago and news has come around that the move may have been to stop Nokia from switching to Android.

Nokia Sirius Windows RT tablet new render leaked

By Leave a Comment

Rumors of a Nokia Windows RT tablet has been around for a while, with some dating back to the end of 2012. With the acquisition of Nokia’s Devices Division from Microsoft, now seems the perfect time to re-energize Windows RT.

The tablet, codenamed Nokia Sirius, is set to arrive on September 26 alongside the new Nokia Lumia 1520 Windows Phone phablet. Both will be unveiled at a Nokia event in NYC, similar to the one held for the Nokia Lumia 1020 reveal a few months back.

With a new leaked image render showing the Nokia Sirius, we must say the design is adventurous, with a sleek-red color and sharp edged design similar to the Windows Surface, it looks like a pretty decent competitor.

Inside the Nokia Sirius is Qualcomm’s quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, multiple storage options, ten hours of solid battery life, 6MP rear camera and a 1920 x 1080 resolution screen.

The odd thing about this rumor is the price, according to leakers, the Nokia Sirius will start at $499. This is more expensive than some of the cheapest Windows 8 hybrid computers and the same price as the iPad, not to mention a lot more expensive than some Android tablets.

Even with Nokia’s amazing hardware on the Windows RT tablet, the main problem is the software running on Nokia Sirius. Windows RT still does not have a lot of developer support and many find the OS odd, simply because it offers two experiences.

Competing against the iPad on price is hard, especially when the software is half-baked with nowhere near the amount of apps Apple has acquired with the iPad. Windows Surface got slammed for its price and it was $100 cheaper than the Nokia Sirius.

We are looking forward to the six-inch Windows Phone from Nokia at the event, but this tablet seems a bust if it is anything over $399 and certainly not worth $499, when a user could grab an iPad or cheap Windows 8 hybrid.

Will Microsoft release Outlook client for Windows RT?

By Leave a Comment

Have you thought of the need for an “Outlook RT” to complement Windows RT systems? Well, there are some talks that Microsoft has developed an Outlook version for Windows RT and that the program is under a test process. But, Microsoft has not released any official statement to this end, and the new Outlook version may just be imaginary, we don’t know whether it will make it to the market.

It seems that Microsoft’s new Outlook client for Windows RT is more powerful than the Mail app that comes on Windows 8 devices. The supposed Outlook version runs on Redmond’s ARM-based Surface RT tablets. Windows RT devices come preinstalled with Office 2013 Home & Student RT, a package that includes Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. Only the Home & Business edition includes Outlook in the Office suite.

So, it remains that Windows RT users can’t do business messaging and collaboration. And, the built-in Mail, People and Calendar applications are said to offer just the basic functions. That’s not comparable to what many smartphones have to offer. And, Windows Store doesn’t have other better options, meaning that webmail has been considered apt.

There are divided views about the need for Outlook RT. The RT Office suite has virtually all the expected apps, except Outlook. But, that hasn’t deprived the efficacy of Windows RT. Nevertheless, a few favour the launch of Outlook RT. Some say that Microsoft may prefer to keep its Mail client on top.

With all that, some conclude that Microsoft is left with two options – either rename the Mail app to Outlook, or introduce an ARM version of Outlook client. Or is the company preparing to include Outlook in its future Windows RT devices? Microsoft’s Surface Pro is due to be launched in February 2013.