Nokia Lumia 1520 review: Finnish fable

The Nokia Lumia 1520 is just like the rest of the premium Lumia smartphones we've seen, but bigger and faster. The advanced imaging and the custom app selection by Nokia will make the difference against Android phablets, with the Snapdragon 800 making sure the Finn won't feel outgunned. Sounds like a promise for the best experience yet on Windows Phone.

A few months ago Nokia was in the headlines for what seemed the wrongest of reasons to people who fondly remembered the Finns from their glory days. Voices were rising once again above the lamenting choir, about what might have been had Nokia gone with Android instead.

Oh well, we're well past the what-ifs and should-haves. And no, it's not because Microsoft's check has already been written. Nokia's first phabet has crossed into what was, until now, a strictly Android territory. And not just average droids either, but some of the biggest, meanest species of Android we have seen.

   
Nokia Lumia 1520 official photos

The Nokia Lumia 1520 didn't just tip-toe in, looking over its shoulder. Armed with a PureView camera, a 1080p display and a quad-core Snapdragon 800, the Finnish giant entered with a bang!

The latest GDR3 version of Windows Phone finally has support for quad-core Krait processors and Full HD displays. There's an attempt too, to make better use of the size and resolution by adding an extra column of contents across the interface. It was about time Microsoft brought the platform back in the hardware race and we are delighted to finally meet the first Windows Phone to aim for the pole position.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• Quad-band 3G with 42 Mbps HSDPA and 5.7 Mbps HSUPA support
• Penta-band LTE Cat4 support, 150Mbps downlink, 50Mbps uplink
• 6.0" 16M-color ClearBlack IPS CLD capacitive touchscreen of 1920 x 1080 pixels; Corning Gorilla Glass 3; Nokia Glance
• 20MP PureView sensor (15MP effective), 1/2.5" sensor size, ZEISS lens, Optical Image Stabilization, dual-LED flash
• 1080p@30fps video recording; 2x lossless digital zoom
• 1.3MP front-facing camera
• Windows Phone 8 GDR3 OS with Nokia Black
• 2.2GHz quad-core Krait 400 CPU, Adreno 330 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset, 2GB of RAM
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
• GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS support
• Free lifetime worldwide voice-guided navigation
• 32GB of inbuilt storage
• microSD card slot, up to 64GB
• Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic
• Wireless charging with optional accessories
• Built-in accelerometer, gyroscope and proximity sensor
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• microUSB port
• Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP and file transfers
• SNS integration
• Xbox Live integration and Xbox management
• NFC support
• Digital compass
• Nokia Music
• FM radio

Main disadvantages

• Screen has average sunlight legibility
• Non-user-replaceable battery
• No system-wide file manager
• No lockscreen shortcuts

At first glance the Lumia 1520 looks like a magnified Lumia 1020 - it has the same design and build, only without the camera hump. The trademark unibody is the right bit more impressive at that size, while the PureView camera has lost some of its sensor area and half of its pixels, but hopefully kept the amazing image quality.

Nokia's Lumia Black update isn't bringing as many new features as Amber, while the GDR3 version mostly makes sure the OS would happily accommodate the new chipset and screen resolution. Users will perhaps have to wait for the 8.1 update for a notification center (hopefully) and a file manager (not too likely) among other things.

  

Microsoft Surface 2 review: Sink or swim

There is a tall task ahead of the Microsoft Surface 2. The first generation of the Microsoft tablet arrived with much fanfare but had little success, and the newcomer has to entice new customers, proving along the way that Redmond can be a factor in the consumer tablet marketplace and, more importantly, that Windows RT has a future as a platform.

  
Microsoft Surface 2 official photos

To make a case for itself, the Microsoft Surface 2 comes with an OS update. Windows RT 8.1 is a notable improvement over its predecessor, which includes welcome UI tweaks, better integration of Microsoft services, as well as a broader choice of third-party apps compared to a year ago.

In addition to the updated OS, the Surface 2 comes packed with some seriously capable hardware, including an NVIDIA Tegra 4 SoC, a 10.6" FullHD display, a 5MP camera, and a long list of connectivity and storage expansion options. Here goes its full list of talents.

Key features

• 10.6" FullHD LCD touchscreen, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels
• NVIDIA Tegra 4 T40 SoC with Quad-core 1.7GHz Cortex-A15 CPU, 2 GB of RAM, ULP GeForce 72-core GPU
• Windows 8.1 RT with deep Microsoft service integration
• 32/64GB of in-built storage; 200GB of free SkyDrive for 2 years
• Micro SD card slot, up to 64GB supported
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity with Wi-Fi Direct
• Standard USB port, USB 3.0 host functionality
• Bluetooth 4.0
• HD video out
• Accelerometer, compass and three-axis gyro-sensor
• 5MP main camera capable of recording 1080p@30fps video
• 3.5MP front-facing camera capable of recording 1080p@30fps videoSuperb build quality and finish
• Built-in two-stage kickstand
• Built-in stereo speakers
• Full version of Microsoft Office available out of the box
• A year's worth of free Skype Out calls to sixty destinations worldwide
• Duo of available keyboard covers (sold additionally)
• Impressive battery life

Main disadvantages

• Windows RT app availability is still confined to the Windows Store
• Limited amount of good-quality apps available
• Heavy compared to most other 10" tablets
• Awkward to use in portrait mode
• Display resolution falls below the competition in the same price range
• There're options with the full-blown Windows 8.1, some at a lower price

At a quick glance, the Microsoft Surface 2 is a worthy successor of the original. It boasts beefed up specs and slightly improved ergonomics, while retaining the same signature design and dimensions, which have become a family staple. The same goes for its additional Touch and Type covers - they offer better experience and ergonomics than their respective predecessors.

The biggest question mark hanging upon the Microsoft Surface 2 concerns its OS. Windows RT has been abandoned by most major players in the industry, with Microsoft and Nokia left as the only manufacturers to go forward making devices to boot the OS. As a result, developers aren't exactly gushing over the prospect of creating cool apps for the platform, thus putting its very future in question.

There is also the matter of the competition which the Microsoft Surface 2 has to face. In addition to a duo of brand new iPad models and a host of premium Android offerings, the tablet has to deal with a few lower-priced Intel-powered tablets running full Windows 8.1.

   
Microsoft Surface 2 live photos

Nokia Lumia 1020 - A Review

Their Windows Phone endeavors may have not been all smooth sailing for Nokia, but the Finnish company finally came up with the smartphone to beat - the Lumia 1020. Combining the best of both worlds - solid smartphone experience and an unrivaled camera, the Lumia 1020 promises to become the hero device that both Nokia and Microsoft so desperately need at this moment.

Nokia has been the king of cameraphones since the golden days of Symbian. The legendary Nokia N95 won our first 5 megapixel shootout, and it was shortly followed by the N82, which added a xenon flash to the mix. Symbian's fate then took a sharp turn for the worse, but even so, the emblematic sharpshooter Nokia N8 came along. Then, at the end of the Symbian era, the 808 PureView arrived and changed our understanding and expectations of cameraphones for good.

 
Nokia Lumia 1020 official photos

Unfortunately for the Finns, their WP8 cameraphone voyage didn't begin as smoothly as the Symbian journey ended. The Lumia 800 had an interesting multi-aspect sensor, which sacrificed only little resolution when shooting 16:9 stills, while the Lumia 920 was first to bring optical image stabilization (OIS) to the smartphone world, but neither of those was able to achieve the iconic status of their predecessors. Perhaps adding the PureView moniker to the Lumia 920 in an attempt to capitalize on the brand was a mistake by Nokia, as that guaranteed the smartphone will often be compared to the 808 PureView and that was a battle it was never going to win, OIS or not.

People wanted their 41MP WP8 smartphone and yesterday Nokia finally delivered.

The Windows Phone ecosystem is still growing but not fast enough to compete with the big boys. Perhaps bringing the platform to the forefront of the cameraphone race is exactly the kind of push it needed. And camera aside, the Lumia 1020 delivers duly on all those vital other aspects of a modern-day smartphones with barely any compromises made - check out the complete breakdown below.

Nokia Lumia 1020 at a glance

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 MHz; HSDPA 42.2 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps; LTE bands 1, 3, 7, 8, 20 LTE Cat 3 100Mbps down, 50Mbps up
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar
• Dimensions: 130.4 x 71.4 x 10.4; 158 g
• Display: 4.5" 16M-color WXGA (768 x 1280 pixels) ClearBlack AMOLED capacitive touchscreen; PureMotion HD+, 2.5D sculpted Gorilla glass 3; Super sensitive touch
• Chipset: 1.5GHz dual-core Krait processor, Adreno 225 GPU, 2GB of RAM
• OS: Windows Phone 8
• Memory: 32/64 GB of built-in storage;
• Still camera: 41 megapixel camera with 6-element ZEISS lens, OIS, 3x zoom, xenon and LED flashes
• Video camera: 1080p video recording at 30fps with two Rich Recording mics; 1.2MP front-facing camera with 720p video
• Connectivity: dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, stereo Bluetooth 3.0, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS, HERE Drive+ free worldwide navigation, 3.5mm audio jack, NFC
• Battery: 2,000mAh
• Misc: Nokia-exclusive Pro Camera app, FM Radio, built-in accelerometer, multi-touch input, proximity sensor; available in Yellow, White or Black
• Accessories: Snap-on camera grip with built-in 1,020mAh battery and tripod mount, Snap-on Qi wireless charging cover

The Nokia Lumia 1020 didn't stay in the factory long enough to get a quad-core chipset or a full HD screen - this kind of WP phones are probably set to arrive further down the road along with the next WP8 release. However, the Lumia 1020 can now make full use of the growing catalog of WP8 apps, which is now not too far behind Android and iOS as far as the most important titles are concerned and is even starting to get an exclusive app now and then.

  
Nokia Lumia 1020 at the office

There's also the free lifetime voice-guided navigation that needs no data connection to operate. Getting that on another platform usually costs a pretty penny, so delivering it out of the box is certainly going to earn quite a few points for the Lumia 1020.

Then again the new Nokia flagship has quite the price tag to live up to, so it will need all the help it can get. 

Nokia Lumia 925 preview

Introduction

Nokia refined the design of the Lumia 920 flagship, but didn't fundamentally change it - the Lumia 925 is, in essence, the 920S. The number of changes might be small, but their magnitude isn't. With a better body, screen and software, the Nokia Lumia 925 is a more desirable device than its 920 sibling.

  
Nokia Lumia 925 official photos

Let's break down the changes. The thick and heavy polycarbonate unibody is gone, with an exposed aluminum frame and polycarbonate back taking its place. The diet has shaved 36g and 2.2mm off the waistline of the Lumia 925.

Part of that is the new AMOLED screen, which is thinner than the LCD of the older phone. It has the same basic specs - a 4.5" diagonal, WXGA resolution, Gorilla Glass 2, ClearBlack and Super sensitive touch. But we believe that AMOLED is a better match for Windows Phone - LCDs just don't do the interface justice . AMOLEDs simply render colorful squares on a black background better.

There are some other changes too, like the added Nokia Smart Camera app and FM radio support.

Nokia Lumia 925 at a glance:

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 MHz or 580/900/1700/1900/2100; HSDPA 42.2 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps; LTE 800/900/1800/2100/2600 or 700/1700/2100; LTE Cat 3 100Mbps down, 50Mbps up
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar
• Dimensions: 129 x 70.6 x 8.5 mm, 78 cc; 139 g
• Display: 4.5" 16M-color WXGA (768 x 1280 pixels) ClearBlack AMOLED capacitive touchscreen; Gorilla glass 2; Super sensitive touch
• Chipset: 1.5GHz dual-core Krait processor, Adreno 225 GPU, 1GB of RAM
• OS: Windows Phone 8
• Memory: 16/32 GB of built-in storage
• Camera: 8 megapixel auto-focus camera with Carl Zeiss lens, OIS, face and smile detection; 1080p video recording at 30fps; 1.3MP front-facing camera with 720p video
• Connectivity: dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, stereo Bluetooth 3.0, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS, HERE Drive+ free worldwide navigation, 3.5mm audio jack, NFC
• Misc: Exclusive Smart Camera app, FM Radio, built-in accelerometer, multi-touch input, proximity sensor

windows security- how to set a strong password

How to set a strong password

Passwords act as a wall between your private data and the world online. There could be anything behind your password that you don't want to share at all. Password keeps all that data safe. But sometimes people do predict your password and access all your personnel junk.. and that situation is ridiculous. Here are few points which can help you to set a strong password

•  Always use a unique, alpha-numeric password for all your important accounts. 
• Keep the password long and make sure it is alpha-numeric which means it should have combination of letters, numerals, symbols and, of course, it should be case sensitive. The minimum length of your password should be at least eight characters. What many people do not know is that you can also include spaces in between the characters.
  For an eight character long password, after all the possible combinations, there are 6 quadrillion possibilities which is quite hard to guess. 
• Make sure that your password does not contain your user name, real name or company name and also it is not a complete word. The other way is to reverse the order of the characters. For example, Hell0u2@ can also be written as @2u0lleH which is a strong password. Though it is not necessarily the best option, but still better than keeping words the way they are spelt. 
• It is always advisable to keep changing your passwords regularly and also making sure that password recovery options are safe and up-to-date in case you forget (which will happen often!).

so by following these steps u are making your stuffs more safer than before, and less compromising with your privacy