CES 2013 – the week that was, Calum MacDougall

I’m still feeling the strain of being on my feet all/every day during CES 2013; meeting with partners and media and speaking to people on the show floor was tiring stuff, but as always, the fun far outweighed the fatigue 

The response in Vegas was phenomenal; a palpable buzz from bloggers, media, analysts and show visitors alike that surpassed even our (high) expectations! Now we’re looking forward to launching our Android smartphone, Xperia Z in the coming weeks, into the hands of consumers across the world.

Someone from the team asked me to share my top highlight/favourite memory from the week. Too many to choose from really, but if forced I’d actually pick the raft of 12 awards, that by my reckoning made Xperia Z the most-awarded product of CES 

Winner

Popular Mechanics | CES 2013: Editor’s Choice Awards | http://bit.ly/VMdbTH 

TechnoBuffalo | Best of CES 2013 | http://tchno.be/WFKbsM 

Laptop Magazine | Best of CES 2013 | http://bit.ly/RJU10f  

Tech Radar | Best of CES 2013: Best Cell Phone | http://bit.ly/WzWoPM 

Stuff | CES 2013 Hot Stuff | http://bit.ly/VYxxGr 

Gotta Be Mobile | CES 2013: Best Phone | http://bit.ly/XoKkE3 

PC Pro | CES 2013 Greatest Hits: Best smartphone | http://bit.ly/WY32Ad 

Mobile Geeks | Best Smartphone

Ubergizmo | Best of CES 2013

Computer Act!ve | Best of CES 2013

Contender/finalist

TechnoBuffalo | Reader’s Choice | http://tchno.be/ZIowr3

CNet | Best of CES | http://bit.ly/VP1yrk

Wow. What a tally! Without being overly immodest, it is just great to see a product which the team has put so much care, attention and love into be recognised in this way. It’s a fantastic start to what we think will be an incredibly exciting year.

There’s no rest for the wicked, even before CES we began planning for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona so keep an eye on us during the event, and see what else we have in store…

We’ll also be bringing you more live content from the ground and who knows, hopefully I’ll retain my guest blogging slot!

10 top tips and tricks for your Nokia Lumia 920

So now you’re the proud owner of the world’s most innovative smartphone, you’re probably wondering what it can do. The simple truth is the Nokia Lumia 920 can do tons of amazing stuff. Often, however, it’s the little things, which make a big difference. So, we scoured the internet communities of Lumia 920 users to see what tips and tricks they think everyone should know. Here’s their answers.

1. Talk to text

You probably know that you hold the Windows button down to access the speech recognition function. However, if you have a Bluetooth headset, you can turn on message so they are played to you. The phone will read messages to you and you can reply, edit, send text messages using only your voice. It’s a safe way to text and drive.

2. App control

Hold the back button to zoom out and see your open apps. Pressing back again will return you to your last opened app, pushing back again will close the app, and tapping the the back button a few times will close all the apps.

3. Stay notified

Go to settings and then to lock screen. Tap app to show quick status – This is where you choose to be notified if you want to know how many missed phone calls, text messages, emails, etc. Get the battery saver app and you’ll be able to see what your current battery level is without unlocking the phone.

4. Take a screenshot.

Press the unlock button and the windows button at the same time to take a screenshot of your phone.

5. Unfreeze your phone

If your Nokia Lumia 920 ever freezes up and you turn it off and it won’t turn back on, don’t panic. Instead, hold down the volume button, the unlock button, and the button to take photos until the phone vibrates.

6. Better lockscreen  

Go to settings and then to lock screen. If you tap background, you can auto change your lock screen with photos or Facebook or use apps. Some cool ones include Astronomy Lock Screen, NASA Image of the Day and Accuweather.

7. Keep organized

Go to settings and then to lock screen. Tap Notifications – Default for this is calendar so if you are business oriented it’s a great way to have your next meeting right there on the front screen.

8. Keep track of your data

You can pin your wireless, data, and Bluetooth connections to the start screen with ConnectivityShortcuts.  This is tons easier than going into “settings” each time you want to toggle these connections.

9. Pin contacts to start screen

To pin contacts go to any contact and do a long press and hit pin to start screen. This has the added benefit of showing their updated Facebook status when it changes. In fact you can pin nearly anything to the start screen. Apps obviously but songs, artists, playlists, people, pictures, videos, etc as well.

10. Stay up to date with groups

Make groups for the people that you really want to see updates on, and then pin the groups. You can have a tile for family, close friend and work colleagues,  in fact any grouping you can imagine. Then all the updates from those groups appear on their respective live tiles.

We’ve been busy trying out these top tips and they’re already making life loads easier. If you can think of any others that do the same, please share them in the comments below.

Apple working on cheaper iPhone – report

Apple Inc is working on a cheaper version of its popular iPhone that could be released this year, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.

The device could resemble the existing iPhone, but might use less expensive materials, such as a shell made of polycarbonate plastic, according to the report, which cited anonymous sources.

Apple could decide not to move forward with the lower-end iPhone, the report noted.

The product would represent the first time Apple has diversified its line of smartphones with significantly different models since launching the original iPhone in 2007. The company faces pressure from rival smartphone-makers such as Samsung Electronics Co LTD whose products use Google Inc‘s Android operating system.

Apple declined to comment on the report.

Shares of Apple, which closed Tuesday’s regular trading session at $525.31, are down 25.5 percent from their 52-week high of $705.07 in September.

Nokia to launch Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 in India on January 10

After much delay, Nokia is finally set to launch its Windows 8 flagship devices, Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 in India. The company has already sent out invites for a January 10 event. Additionally the Finnish handset maker is also running small teaser television ads featuring a yellow Nokia Lumia 920 with a yellow wireless charger to help create buzz around the smartphones.

Nokia introduced Lumia 920 and Lumia 820at a gala event in September 2012. Nokia Lumia 920 is a Windows 8 smartphone, which features a 4.5-inch PureMotion HD display. It is powered by dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU with 1GB of RAM. It has 32 GB of internal storage, 8.7-megapixel rear camera and a 1.2-megapixel front shooter. Nokia Lumia 920 has a 2000mAh battery and supports wireless charging.

Nokia Lumia 820 on the other hand is a mid-range smartphone. It features a 4.3-inch Clearblack display and is powered by 1.5GHz Qualcomm S4 dual-core processor. It comes with a 8-megapixel rear shooter and a VGA front camera. Nokia Lumia comes with 8GB of internal storage and runs on Windows 8. The India price for both these smartphones is not known so far.

Nokia Lumia 920 first started shipping to markets like France and UK markets in October, and it was earlier speculated that Nokia Lumia 920 will be launched in India by November. However, that did not happen, perhaps because the device was in short supply in some markets.

The smartphone has received a warm response in United States mostly due to the aggressive pricing strategy adopted by Nokia in this market. Even in a price sensitive market like India, Nokia will have to price the smartphone attractively to make sure that it generates keen interest amongst Indian consumers.

Windows 8 gets Dropbox app; still no Windows Phone 8 love

Dropbox has closed a gaping hole in the Windows 8 lineup by releasing its official client for the platform.

Dropbox for Windows 8, now available via the Windows Store, bringing the ability to sync Windows 8 devices to the cloud, as well as other features like the ability to browse and preview all files on Dropbox and ability to open/ edit/ save Dropbox files from other Windows 8 apps.

The app includes support for both Windows 8 and Windows 8 RT and comes with Metro-style UI and includes Windows 8 goodness in the form of the Share Charm that lets users share any file or folder as well as the Search Charm that lets users search across their Dropbox files.

Dropbox is one of the most popular file-sharing services with over 100 million users as of November 2012. It is present on almost all popular mobile and desktop platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, BlackBerry and Android. Unofficial ports also exist for Symbian and MeeGo platform. The one remaining void is Windows Phone 8.

With Dropbox for Windows 8 now available, Windows Phone 8 users would be hoping an official client for the mobile platform is not too far away.

Dropbox for Windows 8 release notes

Description
With the Dropbox app for Windows 8, you can easily browse all your files, view your pictures, and watch your videos with a tap!

Features
Browse and preview all of your files and photos on Dropbox
Open, edit and save files from other Windows 8 apps
Share any photo, file or folder with the Share Charm
Find your files with the Search Charm

Supported processors
x86, x64, ARM

BlackBerry 10 leaks keep on coming, reveal purported price and specs

Research in Motion (RIM) seems to be having a tough time keeping its forthcoming BlackBerry 10 smartphones away from the camera. Pictures and videos of the full-touch BlackBerry 10 smartphone, which is touted to be launched as BlackBerry Z10 have been around for a while.

Adding to that list of leaks is the ones received by Business Insider, which reveal that this smartphone will be available through two major US telecom operators – Verizon and AT&T. Verizon is the largest telecom operator in the United States of America and was one of the first operators in the world to offer BlackBerry smartphone when they were launched.

The current set of leaked pictures placed iPhone 4S in between two BlackBerry Z10 smartphone to help compare both these devices. Business Insider claims that the build quality of BlackBerry Z10 is really nice. Its back cover feels rubbery and snaps pretty much like the back cover of Samsung Galaxy S III. However, these leaks do not give any indications on by when will these smartphones will start retailing.

Furthermore, a new video of the BlackBerry Z10 has been leaded by ETradeSupply.com, whichallegedly details the internal parts of this smartphone. According to this video, the full-touch BlackBerry 10 will be 10 millimetres thick.

The video features two 4.3-inch screens of what they claim to be BlackBerry Z10 smartphone. Both these screens seem to have a different layout of camera and sensor. Only one of the screens in the video seems to have BlackBerry logo, which makes the website speculate that this may perhaps be the final version of the display, while the other might be a prototype of a forthcoming BlackBerry 10 device.

RIM has already sent out invites for the January 30 event, where it will be launching its much awaited BlackBerry 10 operating system. It is expected that RIM will be launching two new devices at the launch, the all-touch BlackBerry Z10 and a QWERTY smartphone that is rumoured to be dubbed BlackBerry X10. Certain operators around the world have already started taking pre-orders for these smartphones.

The latest to join this bandwagon is the Canadian telecom operator Bell. The operator is also running a contest on its site, and promises to give away five new BlackBerry 10 devices to users who pre-register for updates.

As per Mobilenapps.com, the terms and conditions of this contest hints that the new BlackBerry 10 smartphone may carry a price tag of 700 Canadian dollars. Though it is not certain whether this price is for the full-touch smartphone or the QWERTY one.

Byond unveils 7-inch Mi-Book Mi7 Android 4.0 tablet for Rs. 11,499

Pune-based Byond tech has launched a seventh tablet in the Mi-Book series dubbed as the Mi-Book Mi7 priced at Rs. 11,499. The tablet will be available with online retailers like Flipkart and other distributors across the country.

The Mi-Book Mi7 sports a 7-inch capacitive touch screen with a 1024×600 pixel resolution and runs on Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). It features a 2-megapixel rear camera and a VGA front-facing camera as well. It supports 1080p video recording.

The tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor with 512MB RAM. It has 4GB of internal storage with external expansion options of upto 32GB.

The device comes with various pre-installed applications like Facebook, Angry Birds, Temple Run, Adobe Reader and more. Connectivity options on the tablet include Wi-Fi (with hotspot) and Bluetooth apart from 2G and 3G calling support. The tablet comes with a 3,200mAh battery.

In October last year, Byond had launched 3D-based Android tablets with 7-inch, 9-inch and 10-inch screens priced between Rs. 4,300 and Rs. 11,000. These tablets pertain to the Mi-Book series, which include the Mi1, Mi2, Mi3, Mi5, Mi7 and Mi9.

Just a week ago, the company entered the phablet category with its 6-inch Phablet PIII. The dual-SIM device comes with Android 4.0, an 8-megapixel rear and a VGA front camera, 1GHz dual-core processor and a 2,500mAh battery . It is priced at Rs.14,999 and is now available across India.

Mi-Book Mi7 key specifications

• 7-inch (1024×600) capacitive touch screen
• 2-megapixel rear camera
• VGA front camera
• 1.2 GHz dual-core processor
• 512MB RAM
• 4GB of internal storage expandable upto 32GB
• 2G/3G calling support
• Android 4.0.4

Indian tablet market expected to double in 2013; Samsung leads the pack

The year 2012 was an interesting year for the tablet market. There were plenty of new Indian players that entered this market such as Micromax, Karbonn and Lava. According to India Quarterly Media Tablets Market Review for 3Q 2012, the India tablet market recorded sales to the tunes of 1.1 million units in 3Q (July-September) 2012.

This is a huge jump considering that only 98,135 tablets were sold in the same quarter last year.

Furthermore, the India’s tablet market is expected to double to around six million units in 2013, led by increased enterprise adoption and availability of Windows 8-based devices, as per research firm CyberMedia.

The research also indicates that there were about 135 vendors that have launched their tablets in India till 3Q 2012. It is expected that keeping the current trends in mind a few more vendors might be tempted to join the bandwagon soon.

Another interesting facet that gets highlighted in the research report by CyberMedia is that the Average Sales Value of tablets in India during 3Q 2012 was approximately Rs. 13,200, while 63.5 percent of all tablet sold were below the Rs. 10,000-mark.

In terms of ranking, CyberMedia research pegs that Samsung is currently the market leader in the tablet market with a market share of 23.9 percent, followed by Micromax at the second position with 15.3 percent share and Datawind (manufacturer of the controversial Akash tablet) at third position with a 12.3 percent share, in terms of sales during 3Q 2012. However, sales of Aakash tablet have not been taken into consideration for the compilation of this data.

The total shipments for the tablet market are expected to close at 3 million units in 2012, as per this report

Commenting on the trends for 2013, CyberMedia says 2013 will see markets crystallise around three price points, which include Rs. 5,000-10,000; Rs. 15,000-20,000 and over Rs. 35,000. The research firm believes that some vendors might have to undertake price corrections to fit their devices within these three price segments, to serve the market aptly and participate in these high-volume price levels.

The analysts at CyberMedia also feel that will be at least a few Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) who will announce LTE / LTE-ready Tablets for the India market in 2013. According to Faisal Kawoosa, Lead Analyst, CMR Telecoms Practice, “A majority of the Tablets currently on offer have built-in Wi-Fi connectivity with 3G access enabled through a USB dongle. However, going forward, increased penetration of 3G networks, declining ASVs of 3G-enabled Media Tablets and launch of BWA (4G / WiMax / LTE) services in the country is likely to see a rise in 3G-only Tablet devices with larger screen sizes. This trend is expected to give a fillip to new types of data services and content being demanded and consumed by subscribers, which in turn will drive a further increase in adoption of Media Tablets in India.”

Sony Xperia Z pricing details leak

In the latest set of leaks with regard to the Sony Xperia Z (aka Sony Yuga C660X), Unwired View reports that the pricing details of the device have cropped up in an ad on a Thailand forum. The details reveal a Thai pricing of 19,990 Baht, which translates to about $660 or 500 euros or Rs.36,000 rupees.

The tech blog notes that while the current pricing is specific to Thailand, prices in other regions will vary depending on Sony’s global pricing strategy.

This is not the first time we’ve seen an expected pricing for the device. We reported earlier that the Xperia Z is scheduled to go on sale in china on January 15 for around 4,298 CNY ($690 or €520).

The rumours surrounding the Xperia Z’s existence, however, have been around for quite a while now. The first round began with a set of  benchmark leaks, where Sony was rumoured to be working on a 5-inch device codenamed Odin or Yuga. Then came the device’s specs while it was still named the Sony Yuga C660X. This was followed by the smartphone’s name change to Sony Xperia Z and the fact that it will debut at CES this year.

Next set was a series of image leaks for the device in the form of press renders until it was finally spotted on Sony’s official website confirming the device’s existence for real.

Apart from this, the Sony C650X Odin was also seen alongside the Xperia Z and though it was earlier rumoured to be named as the Xperia X, the device is now expected to debut as the Xperia ZL, a slightly thicker, heavier, but smaller version of the Xperia Z.

To recap, the Xperia Z apparently sports a 5-inch 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) display at 440ppi with Sony’s Mobile Bravia Engine and runs on Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage, which is expandable by another 128GB.

Other features include a 12-megapixel rear camera (as opposed to the 16-megapixel mentioned earlier), Micro-USB as well as USB host mode, 802.11 a/b/g/n in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz modes, Bluetooth 4.0, LTE and NFC.

There are also rumours of another mid-range Android smartphone from Sony, the C5303 codenamed HuaShan. Mentioned a few days ago by the Xperia blog, the device apparently will be part of a C530X series, alongside the C5302 and C5306. Many countries, including China, could witness the launch of the device. Looks like we will have to wait it out until CES 2013.

Nokia Lumia 920 successor codenamed 'Catwalk' to be thinner, lighter: Report

The Nokia Lumia 920 is yet to make its debut on Indian shores. But while we’re still waiting, here’s something that might be interesting. Reports from The Verge suggest that the Lumia 920’s successor will reportedly feature an aluminium exterior.  Furthermore, the site has learned that the Finnish handset manufacturer is also working on two new Lumia devices that will be a part of the new Lumia lineup to be revealed later this year.

Citing “sources familiar with Nokia’s plans”, the site states that Nokia is planning to switch over from the polycarbonate plastic casing to an aluminium body, thereby making the phone much thinner and lighter. If this happens, then it could compete with the likes of Apple’s iPhone.

The report states that we’ll get to see the look on a new device codenamed Catwalk, that is a likely successor to the Lumia 920. It is expected to have hardware specifications similar to the company’s current flagship device.

The device sporting the aluminium framework could be revealed not earlier than the Nokia World event that takes place around September. Since the Lumia 920 is yet to show up in many regions including India, it would be logical to reveal the successor later  in the year.

Nokia had first showcased its Lumia 920 alongside the Lumia 820 at an event in September last year.

The Lumia 920 comes with 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ display, wireless charging support and 2,000 mAh battery. Nokia Lumia 820 on the other hand is a mid-range Windows Phone 8 smartphone. It has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm S4 dual-core processor, 4.3-inch Clearblack display, 8GB of internal storage and a 8-megapixel rear camera.

Nokia has been offering Lumia 920 in US for $450 without any contract, which is $100 less than Samsung’s flagship device, the Galaxy S III and $200 less than Apple’s iPhone 5.

It was earlier rumoured that Nokia will be launching its Lumia 920 in India sometime in November 2012, but later pushed back the same to December. Of course it’s January already and we’re still waiting for the launch. As of now, there is no confirmation about the India pricing of this smartphone.