Website: www.apple.com
Over the past year we've seen a galaxy (pun
intended) of all-singing, all-dancing smartphones, but there was only one
launch that could stop the whole planet in its tracks. If they'd sold tickets
to the iPhone unveiling, they would have been snapped up quicker than the
canapés at a piranha convention. Thinner, lighter and more powerful, the new
iteration of the world's most influential gadget is unmistakably Apple because
it's also restrained, shunning pumped-up specs for style, simplicity and a
build quality that puts the competition to shame. Try Asphalt 7 (as seen in
pic) to set your retinas scorching on the new 4in screen, the first game to be
optimized for the new size. This 7.6mm-thin, 112g gadget is so important that
we felt its presence long before it arrived. Mostly in the form of rumors on
the internet.
Apple
iPhone 5
Nanoscale
Smaller is better, no? With local players
Vodafone and Airtel placing orders for Nano SIMs, the launch of the iPhone 5
here is imminent.
Nanotech
The new Nano SIM takes lesser space than
the Micro SIM. Cutting your current SIM won’t help because it is even thinner.
Wait for the official launch, unless you feel very, very adventurous.
Game on
The new A6 chip has a CPU and a graphics
processor claimed to be twice as fast as the A5 chip in the 4S and iPad 2.
Apple says this allows for ‘console-quality’ graphics. Ask no more.
HD FaceTime
FaceTime gets a 720p camera and the option
to use your network connection as well as Wi-Fi. Siri, meanwhile, gets improved
local search skills, which should help.
Screenstar
The new screen is still a dazzlingly crisp
326ppi Retina display, but it’s now a 4in, 1136x640, 16:9 window. More space
for app icons and films, but there’ll be black bars down the side of some apps.
The
new screen is still a dazzlingly crisp 326ppi Retina display, but it’s now a
4in, 1136x640, 16:9 window.
Engineering marvel
Diamond-cut aluminum edges, textured
anodized surfaces and glass inserts fitted to within microscopic tolerances
come together to offer a luxurious feel as you hold the device.
iPhone5 - should you
upgrade?
The resemblance between the iPhone 5 and
the 4S is striking. But it is only when you look closer and pick up the device
that you begin to truly absorb the amount of micron-level precision engineering
that’s gone into its making. If I had to buy Apple’s latest toy, I would buy it
for its solid build, larger screen, the seamless way iOS 6 gets things done and
LTE, which along with the power of the new A6 processor, will allow you
lightning-quick browsing if you are in Bangalore or Kolkata (thanks to Airtel’s
4G network).
Technical specs
·
Product Type: Smartphone
·
Network Band: Quad Band
·
Wi-Fi: Yes
·
Effective Camera Resolution:
8 Megapixel
·
USB: No
·
Contract Type: SIM-free
·
Built-in Flash: Yes
·
Main Screen Resolution: 1136 x 640
·
Main Screen Size: 10.2 cm (4")
·
Cellular Data Connectivity Technology: HSPA+
·
GPS Receiver: Yes
·
Dual SIM Supported: No
·
Secondary Camera: Yes
·
Integrated TV Tuner: No
·
Cellular Generation: 4G
·
Cellular Network Supported:
LTE 2100
·
Battery Talk Time: 8 Hour
·
Weight (Approximate): 112.0 g
·
Green Compliant: Yes
·
Green Compliance Certificate/Authority: WEEE
·
Touchscreen: Yes
·
Bluetooth: Yes
·
Wi-Fi Standard: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n
·
Built-in Memory: 16 GB
·
Operating System Version: iOS 6
·
Main Screen Type: LCD
·
Realtone: Yes
·
Multi-touch Screen: Yes
·
Height: 122.9 mm
·
Width: 58.7 mm
·
Depth: 7.6 mm
·
Operating System: iOS
·
Manufacturer Part Number: MD298B/A
2. Nokia Lumia 920 - Nokia's great yellow hope
Website: www.nokia.com
Just before Apple unveiled the iPhone 5 and
the internet almost hypegasmed itself inside out, a little-known rubber
manufacturer from Finland launched a phone of its own. And you know what? It
looks pretty good. The Lumia 920 adds half an inch to the iPhone's 4in screen
matches its 4G innards and includes wireless charging and NFC inside its
primary colored, polycarbonate package. It's also one of the first to get the
new Windows Phone 8, which means a more customizable home screen, updated Nokia
Maps (with offline mode and indoor cartography) and ‘lenses' which add tricks
and filters to the 8.7MP camera. How ‘do you like them, Apple?
Nokia
Lumia 920
Clearing it up
It might not be a 41-megapixel monster like
Nokia's PureView 808, but the 920's PureView snapper combines an f/2.0 aperture
and floating lens tech for bright, smear-free snaps.
Lens flair
A new on-screen ‘lenses' button links to
the 920's camera apps. Our favorite is Smart Shoot, which combines multiple
shots to remove unwanted objects from your pics, post-snap.
4G - All you need to know
It's fast
Theoretical maximums of the new 4G network
make for some exciting reading - figures such as 100Mbps have been hollered,
although a real-life download speed of 25-35Mbps is more realistic for now.
Rest assured, webpages on 4G should run like Usain Bolt over hot coals. Apps
too should be able to load around a fifth of the time as they do over 3G, and
1080p YouTube videos should buffer and play in under 10 seconds. That's bloody
quick!
Rest
assured, webpages on 4G should run like Usain Bolt over hot coals
It's here
Currently, Airtel is the only network here
that supports the 4G network, and you can enjoy 4G speeds if you are in
Bangalore or Kolkata. 4G data plans are offered at rentals as low as $17.99, up
to $54.99. The plans include free data usage between 6-30GB. But the remaining
players aren't far behind. Reliance has a massive 4G rollout plan that has us
interested. If things go according to plan, over 700 cities in India should be
able to enjoy 4G coverage. However, considering the way things go here, it
looks like a distant dream right now. However, we are mighty hopeful for a
zippy 4G future.
Nokia's amazing technicolor dreamkit
Nokia Wireless Charging Pillow
One of several brightly colored accessories
announced alongside the 920, the Wireless Charging Pillow is a powered cushion
that will juice your Lumia without wires. It's made by Fatboy, a company better
known for its giant bean bags, but we're not sure sitting on this mini version
would be such a good idea.
Nokia Purity Pro by Monster
Monster might've parted ways with Dr Dre,
but Nokia has taken the producer's place. The Purity Pro Stereo Headset has
Beats-esque styling, but the inclusion of NFC tech for quick Bluetooth pairing
with your phone shows that Monster may be OK with forgetting about Dre after
all.
Nokia Play 360
Much like the Purity Pros, Nokia's Play 360
wireless speakers use NFC to connect to your phone with a tap, allowing you to
stream your music straight to it. The inbuilt rechargeable battery runs 20
hours (depending on how hard you rock it). Buy two of these and you can have
stereo sound for your house parties. We like.
Technical specs
·
Screen: 4.7" diagonal, 768 x 1280 pixel
resolution (320 ppi), WXGA IPS, Corning(R) Gorilla(R) Glass 2
·
Memory: 16 GB internal storage (actual formatted
capacity will be less), 2 GB RAM
·
OS: Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
·
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon(TM) S4 Pro
·
Cameras: 8 MP (main), 1.3 MP (front)
·
Battery: 2,100 mAh Lithium polymer
·
Connectivity: Micro USB, SlimPort HDMI, 3.5mm
headphone jack
·
Wireless: Wireless charging, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n,
NFC (Android Beam), Bluetooth
·
Sensors: Microphone, Accelerometer, Compass,
Ambient light, Gyroscope, Barometer, GPS
·
Network: Unlocked GSM/UMTS/HSPA+,GSM/EDGE/GPRS
(850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz),3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz),HSPA+ 21
·
Size: 133.9 x 68.7 x 9.1 mm
·
Weight: 139g
