Review: Nokia Lumia 610

Review: Nokia Lumia 610

Windows Phone devices have primarily been high-end devices due to the high hardware requirements set by Microsoft. There have hardly been any device below theRs. 15,000 mark, which for many is still the most they would spend on a smartphone. As such, that market is now completely dominated by Android devices due a complete lack of credible competition.

With the launch of the Tango update, Microsoft reduced some of the hardware requirements, allowing devices such as the Nokia Lumia 610 to exist. The best thing about this device is that while the hardware requirements are definitely lower, it does not compromise on the smoothness of the UI that Windows Phone is known for.

We decided to take a look and see if it is a worthy buy for smartphone buyers on a budget.

DesignThe design of the Lumia 610 is very simple yet attractive. Despite its affordable pricing, the Lumia 610 does not come across as a cheap-looking device. In fact, it looks even better than its more expensive sibling, the Lumia 710.

The front of the device is dominated by the 3.7-inch touchscreen, with an attractive chrome ring running around the bezel. Above the display lies the earpiece, the proximity sensor and the ambient light sensor. The Lumia 610 does not have a front facing camera. Below the display are the three Windows Phone keys, including the back button, Home button and Bing search button.

On the right side of the device lie the volume control buttons, the lock key and the camera shutter button. Being used to finding the lock switch usually on the top, the location of the button on the Lumia devices always causes confusion and takes getting used to.


On top of the phone are the headphone jack and the microUSB port.



On the back of the device is the camera lens near the top with an LED flash and the loudspeaker near the bottom. Take off the battery cover and inside you will find just the SIM slot under the battery.



Just like the design the Lumia 610 has a nice upmarket feel thanks to the soft touch back cover and the solid build quality. The weight and size also feel just right. Those who are not fans of gigantic smartphones would love the size of this phone.

Display 
The Lumia 610 has a 3.7-inch, 800 x 480 resolution display. The display is one of the problematic areas of the phone. The quality is very mediocre, with pale and washed out colors that just make everything look drab and boring. The viewing angles, black levels and contrast are also not up to the mark.

The only saving grace here is the resolution, which is quite high, especially for this price range. The resolution prevents the display from being a total failure. It also ends up looking better than most of the other smartphones in its price range, despite the quality of the LCD panel.

Hardware and Software

The Lumia 610 runs on the Qualcomm MSM7227A SoC with a single-core 800MHz CPU and an Adreno 200 GPU. This is a downgrade from the 1GHz MSM8255 on all the previous Windows Phone devices. The RAM has also been reduced from 512MB to 256MB. Lastly, the internal memory is 8GB with no expandable option, as usual.

On the software side, it comes with Windows Phone 7.5 built-in. Nokia has added some of its own software on top of the OS but the most important ones are the Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive applications. The former is a simple mapping application whereas the latter offers free turn by turn voice navigation.



In our usage, both the applications were quite good, particularly the Nokia Drive application, which provided reliable navigation in India. You just have to download the maps for the region along with the voice data beforehand, which can be anything from 50-150MB. The Nokia Maps application is not as good as Google Maps on Android and at times provided inaccurate results for searches but is still a significant improvement over the built-in Bing Maps application, which doesn't even let you search.

The Lumia 610 also comes with Nokia Music application that lets you download as much music as you want for free for a year. While this sounds great, the actual music doesn't, mostly because it is encoded in pathetic 32kbps MP3. Yes, you read that right. 32kbps. Even ringtones use higher quality these days.

As for Windows Phone itself, it is pretty much the same as it was on other devices. The UI still looks fresh and attractive even though it has been around for two years now and is very easy to use, especially for those who are new to smartphones. The built-in social networking features are also amazing and unmatched by any other platform. You almost don't need to have dedicated Facebook and Twitter apps installed.



It still has its fair share of issues. The multitasking is rather poor and third party apps tend to pause once you put them in background and take a while to resume. The notification system is poorly thought out, the built-in Internet Explorer browser makes pages look weird thanks to the inconsistent font sizes, the search button opens Bing every time instead of searching within the application, you can't take screenshots or transfer any data to and from the device without a desktop client, there's a single volume level for loudspeaker, headphones and ringtones, and many such annoyances.

The biggest problem for most people, though, is the poor choice of third party applications available for download on the Windows Marketplace. Nokia and Microsoft like to boast of big numbers at every event but in reality the actual quality of apps and games is way behind iOS or Android.

What makes the situation worse on the Lumia 610 is that a lot of the applications aren't compatible with the device due to the lower RAM. You can't, for example, install Angry Birds on this phone. This makes the already small library of apps and games even smaller and eventually you are not left with much to download.

In the end, if apps are what you want, you would be fairly disappointed with the Lumia 610 or with Windows Phone in general. Just think of it as a glorified feature phone and you should be fine.

Regarding the software update situation, the Lumia 610 is in the same boat as all current Windows Phone 7.5 devices, where none of them will be getting updated to Windows Phone 8. However, Nokia has announced that it will be bringing some of the newer features such as the new Start screen to current Lumia devices through software updates.

PerformanceThe Lumia 610 has a slower processor and lower RAM than other Windows Phone, but you'd never figure this out by using the phone alone. The user interface remains ridiculously smooth and fluid within the built-in applications. Third party application performance is not as impressive and the most common issue is that the screen blanks-out when you start scrolling. However, this can be observed on other Windows Phone devices as well, so it's not just an issue with the Lumia 610.

The web browser is where you'd see the effects of the reduced hardware the most. The browser has trouble keeping more than one full size web page in the memory and if you open multiple tabs the phone starts struggling. Switch from one to another and the phone has to load it all over again because the memory is just not enough to keep them all. Stick to just a single page and the phone remains impressively smooth and fast.

The multimedia performance is a mixed bag. The music playback is fine with the only annoyance being the need to use the Zune PC client to transfer music. Even for transferring the photos to your PC you need the Zune application. If you have a Mac you will need the Windows Phone 7 Connector client installed. Same for videos. You can only transfer those videos to the phone that Zune supports and even then it converts them to either a lower resolution or quality while transferring.

The loudspeaker on the phone is pretty loud but sounds tinny. It loses some of its edge and volume when you keep the phone on a flat surface. Nokia does provide a respectable pair of in-ear headset with the phone so you won't have to rush out and buy a new pair.

The call quality and network reception were up to Nokia's usually high standards, as was the Wi-Fi and GPS reception.

CameraThe Lumia 610 has a 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash. The camera is a bit of a mixed bag. At times the images look surprisingly good, with decent color, contrast and sharpness. At times the colors go for a toss, and end up being either too bland or just incorrect. The leaves of plants, for example, often have a noticeable yellow tint even if the actual leaves are bright green. Still, for quickly taking a picture and sharing them on social networking websites, the camera on the Lumia 610 is more than adequate.

The video recording, however, is plain bad. The phone only records VGA resolution videos, unlike the 720p videos on all the other Windows Phone devices out there. The quality of the video is also quite mediocre. If you want to record good quality videos, then you should definitely avoid this phone.

Battery Life The Lumia 610 surprised me with amazingly good battery life. With regular usage, consisting of a few calls, taking pictures and using the built-in social networking features over 3G, the phone ended up lasting for almost two days on a single charge. Granted, I was not using many (or any) third party apps on the phone as people usually do, but that's because there are not enough quality titles for this phone to spend time in.

For someone looking for a device mostly for social networking, the battery life on the Lumia 610 is excellent.

Conclusion It's amazing how you can enjoy something when you set your expectations low and that's exactly what happened to me while using the Lumia 610. I knew from the beginning the application selection wasn't going to be great, that there won't be a lot of games to play, the display won't be phenomenal and that the camera won't be outstanding. And I pretty much got what I was expecting. For someone who isn’t expecting a full blown smartphone experience will be as satisfied with the device as I was. 

Where the Lumia 610 truly impressed me was with its fluid user interface, which was way smoother than what I expected. Its smoothness puts many expensive smartphones costing several times its price to shame and this is something that Microsoft (and Nokia) needs to be commended on, for managing to retain the smoothness of Windows Phone despite the weaker hardware.

It also helps that the OS looks absolutely stunning and that it has an amazing integration with Facebook and Twitter. For someone looking for a simple phone that can be used to communicate with their friends online or as a second device to someone who already has an accomplished smartphone or a tablet, this can be a very good option.

Unfortunately, Nokia has dropped the ball with the pricing. The Lumia 610 costs around Rs. 12,000 right now. Spend a couple of grand more and you can get the Nokia Lumia 710, which has faster hardware that not only performs better but also gives you access to more applications than is possible on the Lumia 610.

A price of around under Rs. 10,000 would have made the perfect sense. Unfortunately, that is not the case and as much as I liked the Lumia 610 I cannot recommend it at that price.

VIDEO REVIEW:

It's Apple versus Galaxy, not Android

Samsung ‘Galaxy' has become a more popular search term than Android for web users searching for information about Android-powered smartphones, highlighting many handset makers' fears that Samsung is becoming bigger than the other Android manufacturers and that the smartphone market is slowly becoming a two-handset, rather than an operating systems, race.

Research by analyst Benedict Evans plots the popularity of Android-related search terms over a period of years and shows that 'Galaxy' has become more popular than 'Android' as an Android-phone-related search term since November. He claims that 'Galaxy' now has greater brand awareness among consumers than the term 'Android.'

Brand awareness is one thing, sales are another, and according to data from mobile analytics firm Localytics published on Thursday, eight of the top 10 Android devices currently in use are Samsung smartphones and tablets. The Galaxy SIII accounts for 9.2 percent of the market on its own, making it the most popular Android handset, and the Galaxy SII is the second most popular, with an 8.2 percent share of the global market. In all, Samsung currently has a 47 percent share of the world Android market.

The only good news for the wider Android community in Localytics's data is tablet use, but even that is not 100% positive. "It's interesting to note that despite their overall Android dominance, Samsung does not hold the number one spot for Android tablets; that honor goes to the Amazon Kindle Fire, which accounts for 37% of all Android tablets, the vast majority being US-based," said Localytics's Daniel Ruby in a blog post. However, Amazon's tablets, though nominally Android, run a ‘forked' version of the operating system that is different from the version found on other Android tablets and therefore offers a different user experience and access to a different ecosystem of apps.

Further proof of Samsung's growing dominance comes from research released on Wednesday by Canaccord Genuity that shows that only Apple and Samsung made any profits in the smartphone market in 2012. Apple's profit share was an incredible 69 percent of the global market, while Samsung's profits were 34 percent, which when added together comes to 103 percent of total profits. This number is possible because Nokia, Sony and Motorola together made a loss or a -3 percent profit. BlackBerry and HTC are believed to have broken even over the last 12 months.

It will be interesting to see how this situation develops. Some industry experts have suggested that Google should sell the Android platform to Samsung while others believe that if the platform is to survive and continue to be open and inclusive, Google needs to follow Apple's lead and start building its own, high-end smartphones to offer consumers more choice.

Happy news

Govt for providing Aakash at Rs 1,500

The government is keen to take Aakash tablet to the people at a cost of Rs 1,500 apiece, Telecom and IT minister Kapil Sibal said on Tuesday.

"I asked Rajat Moona (Director General,C-DAC) to help us in Aakash. Let us take that Aakash to the people of this country for a sum of Rs 1,500. Each student must have a Aakash in his/her hand so that they can see the world with it," Sibal said at a function.

At present, the government purchases the device from Datawind, the maker of Aakash tablet PC, at Rs 2,263 apiece.The government will distribute the tablet to students at subsidised rate of Rs 1,130 apiece.

Sibal said that there is need to gain expertise in providing cutting-edge technology at affordable prices to people, and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) should work towards developing such technologies.

The minister also said that C-DAC should work in the direction of providing cheap and effective technological options for the security of women. "Recently, we had this very very unfortunate event in Delhi and I called Rajat and said I want a technological solution of the safety of girls and women in our country.

"I want a wrist watch, which will video graph, which will set up an alarm, which will call up dedicated lines. Lets have a GPS system and lets produce this for less than Rs 1,000 for the citizens of our country for their safety," Sibal said.

He added that the country needs to scale up its technology skills and attain self-reliance.

"As we look into the 21st century, we realise that there are several areas where we need to be self-reliant. Super computing is of exceptional importance one such area. I see C-DAC as a technology leader in the world. India should provide technological solutions to the world," he said.

Apple appeals denial of product ban in Samsung patent case

The Samsung Galaxy S II Android mobile phone was one of the devices Apple motioned to have Samsung blocked from selling.

Apple has appealed a federal judge's denial of its request to ban 26 Samsung products that were part of a sweeping patent infringement case it won in August. 

In that case, a jury awarded Apple $1 billion after finding that Samsung had violated several mobile-related patents held by Apple. Following that verdict, Apple had asked the judge to increase the size of the awards, as well as permanently ban the 26 Samsung products in question. 

PHOTOS: Devices in the Apple Samsung trial

But in December, Judge Lucy Koh denied Apple's motion to block the sale of the smartphones — including the Fascinate, Epic 4G and Galaxy S II. 

Koh wrote in her decision that Apple had failed to make the case that the features covered by the patents played a decisive role in consumers' purchase decisions. In addition, she wrote that such a ban would unfairly deprive consumers of the right to buy the Samsung products. 

On Jan. 3, Apple's attorneys filed a notice with the U.S. District Court in San Jose that they had appealed Koh's ruling on the product ban with the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C.

Samsung is also expected to appeal the jury's verdict, but has not yet done so.

READ MORE AT: http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-apple-appeals-denial-of-product-ban-in-samsung-patent-case-20130115,0,4451226.story

Technology trends in 2013

Trends to watch at CES 2013

The annual Consumer Electronics Show, when tech companies gather in Las Vegas to show off their biggest, boldest ideas of the year, is set to open the second week of January. The show has lost some of its cachet in recent years, particularly withformer headliner Microsoft opting to stop its traditional keynotes. But it is still a key place to see what smartphone makers, television companies and automakers are forecasting for the future of technology. Here are five trends to watch at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.

Connected cars: Audi, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia and Subaru are among the top automakers making appearances at this year’s show.

“Cars are becoming rolling computers,”said Tom Coughlin, a consumer electronics consultant and member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. It’s not simply that cars are becoming more technologically advanced, with richer sensors and better data, he said, but they’re also working more closely with existing gadgets that consumers are already carrying. “Cars are a mobile application platform; let’s start configuring them in the way I want them to be.”

Higher hi-def: There’s always a push to make high-definition screens even better, and this year is no different. Tech trend watchers are expecting to see high-definition televisions get even clearer, sharper and more accessible to the general public. The screen resolution on cellphones is also expected to get better, particularly as the screens creep up and over the 5-inch range.

Coughlin said he expects screens on laptops, computers and other devices to continue getting sharper while manufacturers also figure out how to have these screens use less energy overall.

Video on demand: Samsung has already made clear that it’s planning to do something big in television, which is generally seen as the area of consumer electronics that’s most ripe for innovation and disruption. A teaser on Samsung’s “Tomorrow” blog hinted at a television with “unprecedented new TV shape and timeless design,” the Verge reported.

Whether it’s set-top boxes or smart TVs that offer more a la carte programming, consumers have made it clear that they want greater control over what they’re watching. Large companies such as Google and Microsoft have jumped into the space with their own offerings through Google TV and the Xbox Live service. Consumers should expect to see more on-demand video integration than ever at this year’s show.

Gesture control: Technology companies are also looking for more intuitive ways for users to interact with their gadgets, putting aside the remote control in favor of something that won’t get lost in the couch cushions — your body.

EyeSight, an Israeli-based company that works on motion control, is particularly interested in bringing down the scale of gesture control.

“These are not shoulder-level hand motions,” said EyeSight Marketing Director, Liat Rostock. “It’s all down to the wrist level...down to the resolution of the fingertip.”

EyeSight is already putting some of its technology in the laptops and televisions of major manufacturers, and saving some money by building their technology directly into the devices rather than adding the features on as accessories.

Competition for digital advertising: While CES is mostly about the gadgets, content is important at the show as well. One of the companies rumored to be making a big splash at this year’s show is Yahoo. The company is reportedly looking to make a name for itself at this year’s show under the new leadership of chief executive officer Marissa Mayer. According to a report from All Things Digital, Mayer is going to work on building up partnerships with companies who may be looking at competitors such as Google, Facebook and AOL.

Aakash Tablet is making wonders

Aakash maker Datawind becomes the third largest tablet seller in India

BANGALORE: British-hardware manufacturer Datawind, also the maker of Indian government's low-cost tablet Aakash, emerged as a surprise candidate to become the third largest tablet seller, according to latest data from technology market researcher Cybermedia Research.

During the July-September period, Datawind that has been facing criticism for missing deadlines to deliver the Rs 2,263 Aakash to government, had about 12% market share in India's tablet market, according to cybermedia. This does not include its sale of Aakash tablets to the government.

New technology in mobile world

New software turns smartphones into versatile keys

Berlin, Jan 6 (IANS) You can open doors using an application, but the technology is still a long way from gaining widespread acceptance.

German researchers have now developed a piece of software that will make smartphone technology even more secure, versatile and acceptable.

Thanks to ShareKey, digital keys can be transferred by e-mail using a smartphone.

Fraunhofer SIT (secure information technology) smartphones and tablets have become an integral part of our daily lives, according to a Fraunhofer statement.

ShareKey sends electronic keys directly to the user's mobile phone, in the form of a QR code attached to an e-mail or MMS

"In essence, ShareKey offers two new functions: users can issue digital keys remotely and assign these keys certain user permissions," explained Alexandra Dmitrienko from the SIT, associated with the project.

"For instance, I can grant the building superintendent access to my apartment for a short period so that he can open the door for the gas meter to be read while I'm at work," he said.

"The solution is built around modern security technologies and can be easily integrated into existing access control systems," said Dmitrienko.

At this year's CeBIT trade fair in Hannover from March 5 to 9, Fraunhofer SIT researchers will be demonstrating their ShareKey software, a solution which will make the key app concept even more versatile and secure.