ZTE Tania – Preview
The new ZTE Tania smartphone is forecast to bring the Windows Phone 7 ecosystem to the masses. ZTE showcased it at the CES 2012 in Las Vegas. Top-end brands are hampered in using the Windows Phone operating system since Microsoft’s tight control of the OS means they can’t distinguish their product from the competition; the user experience looks the same whichever device you use it on. For budget manufacturers this is an advantage, as they can offer the same theme and functionality as anyone carrying the Windows Phone 7 OS.
Thus the ZTE Tania offers a similar user experience to that found on the Nokia Lumia 800 – the same live tiles, but with a larger 4.3-inch display. Admittedly, the ZTE Tania build quality is slightly inferior – its smooth pastic rear panel doesn’t give the same premium ergonomic look and feel as top HTC or Nokia handsets, but of course ZTE won’t be able to invest the same amount in manufacture if they’re to charge so much less than the big boys.
On the rear of the ZTE Tania a 5MP LED-flash camera delivers average shutter speed and mediocre flash length, yet the snaps it takes are not so far from anything found on mid-range smartphones right now. There’s also a dedicated camera key too, which Microsoft has decreed as one of their criteria for carrying WP7.
One or two features mark out the Tania from the rest of the pack. Internet Sharing enables users to take 3G data from a contract and convert it to a WiFi signal, something HTC accomplished with the Titan you also have the option to tether the phone via USB. Tania also features MegaTile, which permits users to extend the live tile interface to show more of the items they want to see on the homescreen. It’s a useful feature for adding the personal touch to your WP7 experience. The unibody chassis of many modern smartphones is sacrificed to give a removable battery, which can help prevent or curing bricking of the device. The ZTE Tania uses a 1400mAh battery to run its 1GHz CPU.
Nokia Lumia 900
We have just recently reviewed New Nokia windows phone Lumia 800. CES in Las Vegas has kicked off and Nokia is present with its new windows phone Lumia 900. How is 900 different from 800?
Nokia Lumia 900 has a larger screen of 4.3-inch in size. Nokia stayed with same ClearBlack OLED technology as in 800. Nokia decided to use Carl Zeiss optics for its new Lumia 900, which makes its cameras much better. With 28mm focal length quality of picture is amazing. Front facing camera has f/2.4 and rear facing camera has f/2.2 aperture. This is a huge step in picture taking capabilities in lower light conditions.
Hardware-wise, Lumia 900 is run by 1.4GHz processor. Nokia Lumia 900 is exclusively made for AT&T in United States. It will be using AT&T LTE network. This is actually unprecedented, since no other smartphone was ever made for just US. Price and release date has not been given.
Happy Holidays
From Windows Phone MIX we’re wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year.
Paul Merak
Nokia Lumia 800
It’s an exciting time for the new Nokia/Windows partnership. The past few months have been all doom and gloom since the decline of each company’s respective market share. Combining their efforts took many by surprise, but if future collaborations prove to be as exciting as the Lumia, then it could make for the comeback of the decade.
The first of their combined smartphone line, the Lumia, was released this month to much fanfare. While the 710 also makes for a fantastic handset, the main focus has to be on the Lumia 800, the more sophisticated model. Both run a 1.4GHz processor, and support HD video playback.
The 800 supports a pretty darn spiffy 3.7 inch AMOLED display; running a 800×480 resolution to generate an overall highly impressive display – sure to be one of the phone’s most talked-about features. The handset’s smooth yet sturdy casing is made of polycarbonate; similar in look to the HTC Legend or one of Nokia’s own earlier efforts, the N8.
The Lumia 800 runs the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango operating system; a system already familiar to some, though the addition of the Nokia Maps app makes for a refreshing change to Bing’s previous efforts.
Previous incarnations of Nokia phones have come under fire for their poor touchscreen capabilities; the Lumia seems to have dispatched any new fears with ease, as we found scrolling through menus and screens to be a breeze; even the onscreen keyboard was a joy.
With the release of the new Lumia, the message is clear; the new Nokia/Windows line is one not to be trifled with. Expect a UK release in early 2012; in the meantime go to the site for more on this exciting technological development, and to find out which contract phones are for you.
Xbox Mobile App review
In anticipation for the North American launch of the new Nokia Windows Phone 7 (WP7) smartphones, like Nokia Lumia 800 Microsoft has been concentrating its efforts on improving its mobile, entertainment and gaming products. The Redmond-based company recently announced the release of a major upgrade to its Xbox 360 Dashboard, as well as two mobile apps that will allow gamers to be check up on their console-centered world even when they are away from home.
The Dashboard Update
The Xbox Live Dashboard underwent a major redesign that is immediately apparent thanks to the elegant Metro User Interface (UI) that WP7 users are already familiar with. The Metro UI is a significant departure for Microsoft, a company that has pretty much stuck to the same UI since Windows 95. With this new update, Microsoft is preparing its strong gaming community for the future Windows 8, an operating system (OS) which will not only feature the Metro UI, but that will also bring together future desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and Xbox consoles with true cross-platform functionality.
Microsoft is calling this update a “game-changer” for many reasons. The Metro UI’s clever use of Live Tiles neatly organizes content across television screens of all sizes. It may look awkward in the beginning for very large screen sizes, but users will get the hang of it quickly thanks to its responsiveness and intuition. For Kinect users, the new Dashboard experience will feel truly futuristic, as the Metro UI smoothly reacts to many different gestures and voice commands. The new Xbox Live Dashboard brings all forms of home entertainment together: live television, video, music, online social networking, and a special version of Bing that specifically looks for, and returns, search results for media that can be played by the Xbox.
Xbox Companion for Windows Phone 7
When Nokia unveiled its upcoming Lumia lineup of WP7-powered smartphones earlier this year, a few lucky journalists got a chance to preview Microsoft’s Xbox-branded mobile gaming app. The Xbox Companion app for WP7 is what future Nokia smartphone users will enjoy on their handsets. While the Xbox Live Dashboard with Kinect allows gamers to completely ditch their remote controls, the Xbox Companion turns WP7 smartphones into clever remote controls and game controllers. The Companion app also doubles as a game manager and media player, and it relies on a decent mobile broadband or WiFi connection to work properly.
One of the coolest features of the Xbox Companion app is that it lets gamers set beacons to alert them when their friends are connected to Xbox Live and what they are doing -namely, the games they are playing. Gamers who are away from their consoles due to work, school or social engagements will probably feel pangs of jealousy to see that their friends are online and playing games, but they can also send them a message right from their smartphone to let them know that they may be able to join in at a later time. The Companion’s integration with Facebook allows users to post their high scores and achievements directly from their Xbox consoles.
My Xbox Live for iOS
Gamers who own an iPhone don’t have to ditch it for a WP7 smartphone just to get closer to their Xbox consoles at home. Microsoft My Xbox Live app lets Apple iPhone and iPad users access some of the same content they can access at home, such as games, music, videos, and television shows. Seeing the Metro UI on the iOS platform may seem initially awkward, but the interaction through touch and swipe gestures make it a natural for a device such as the iPhone. Just like with the Xbox Companion, users can take advantage of mobile broadband access to stay in touch with friends and set beacons to see what games they are playing.
This is a guest article by Ruben Corbo, a writer for the website Broadband Expert where you can find internet service providers in your area and compare prices on different deals for your mobile broadband needs.
