Oppo Find 7 – just landed – updated with official specs

Android, Tech News

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The key facts from the launch are –

– equipped with MaxxAudio a technical Grammy award winning solution for better sound and bass.

– fast charge. 30 mins of charge takes battery to 75% .

– Video recording at 4K and 720p. 120fps slow motion.

– combines 10 photos at the backend to take 50mp photos using the super zoom.

– 538ppi 2560 x 1440 highest resolution phone available

– Snapdragon 801 3gb ram. 13mp Sony Exmor IMX214 sensor.

– 32gb storage plus expandable with micro sd to 128gb

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Photo source Engadget.

Has Apple lost the plot – iPhone 5C 8gb vs Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Windows Phone

Android, Apple, Tech News, Windows

Yesterday Apple quietly launched the iPhone 5C with only 8gb of storage at a cost of £429. Clove Technology sells the Samsung Note 3 for £433.20 which is a comparable price. In this article I am going to show how Apple has totally lost the plot by comparing the 5C to the Note 3.

Of course I could have picked from a number of other phones that are available for less than the iPhone 5C. These include the Nexus 5, LG G2 32gb, Motorola Moto G or Moto X, Nokia Lumia 1020 or 925 or 1320, Samsung S4 and HTC One. These phones are as much as £329 less than the iPhone 5C. There are many other phones cheaper than the 5C as well. I selected all of the above as on the whole all of these phones trash the 5C in every specification from camera to storage to features except one area. One handed comfort and usage.

So let’s compare the iPhone 5C to the Note 3. They cost the same. I know what you’re already thinking. This is not a fair comparison. The Note 3 is at the cutting edge of technology and has hundreds more advantages over the 5C. And it does. And this illustrates how Apple have lost the plot. But let’s list out a few –

Camera – Note 3 wins with its 13mp camera vs the 8mp on the 5C

Screen – Note 3 wins with a 5.7 inch screen vs 4 inches on the 5C. Also I prefer the colour and clarity on the Note 3.

Storage – Note 3 wins again with 32gb vs 8gb on the 5C

Misc – the Note 3 has a stylus for handwriting input, NFC, USB mass storage, replaceable battery , micro sd slot for expanding the storage, USB 3, wireless charging, multi windows, small apps, one handed use, proper system sharing, selecting of default apps, easy customisation, widgets and theming and so much more. The iPhone 5C has none of the above.

So does the 5C have any winning areas over the Note 3? Yes. iCloud backup and restore is simply the best solution, and the simplest. iOS Apps. I don’t care what anyone says, they always are the most polished. iOS control and notification centres are extremely well designed. One handed use is the best. Also it will become the cheapest option for people to get an iPhone on contact. And anything else is not an iPhone and people want what they can’t afford.

But really is it worth all that extra money? Especially when you can buy a Samsung flagship phone or a number of top performing windows and android phones for considerably less!

Android Wear – Google just made wearables exciting

Android, Tech News, Wearables

Check out the video by Google showing scenes from the new Moto360 smart watch as well as a watch from LG.

Android Wearable is the new operating system that will power a host of new wearable devices announced yesterday by Google. Apart from Motorola and LG, Fossil has stated it will be participating in making watches using this new operating system.

For the first time the Moto360 smart watch looks like something people would wear and use and makes the Pebble and Galaxy Gear seem dated in design and vulnerable.

Now all that is left is for Apple to show its hand.

For more information head over to Google.

The Legendary Apple Service – the new cost

Apple, Tech News

Something is changing. Apple is slowly introducing more charges for accessing its support. Appleinsider is reporting that online support chat will now cost $19 per incident once your apple care coverage has lapsed. Actual telephone support chat is even more expensive.

Is this fair to charge for access to online chat as well? I’m not so sure. How would you feel if genius appointments became chargeable if outside the initial 90 days? Would this make you think twice before buying a product or accepting it as it is ?

New iPad and iPhone 5C – details

Apple, Tech News

Indications from several sources (including our own) indicate that the iPhone 5c is set to see an expansion tomorrow with a less-expensive, lower-capacity 8GB model. But that might not be only Apple iOS device reshuffle announcement for tomorrow. According to a source, shipments of Apple’s fourth-generation iPad with Retina display have been arriving at Apple Stores with notices to not open until today.

The fourth-generation iPad includes the thicker iPad design introduced with the iPad 2, A6X processor, and a five megapixel camera. The device was originally introduced in October 2012 alongside the first iPad mini, and it was discontinued upon the launch of the iPad Air last fall. 16GB versions of both Wi-Fi-only and LTE-compatible in black and white color options have begun hitting stores.

More at 9 to 5.

So is this Apple’s way of combating poor 5C sales and offering a cheaper model to compete with lower cost non iOS phones?  And the same with the tablet. £200 android tablets are getting really good now.

The 8gb 5C is now live on O2 – click here.

Jonathan Ive – The Man behind Apple

Apple, Tech News

The Sunday Times published a 5 page article on Sir Jonathan Ive.

“Jonathan Ive designs tomorrow. He has transformed computing, phones and music with his iMac, iBook, iPad, iPhone and iPod. Apple’s secrecy and his modesty means he has never given an in-depth interview — until now.

Only one country has made the modern world twice. Britain. We industrialised first and paved the way for the mass production of everything from cogs to togs. Two centuries later, two rather shy blokes from London have defined the 21st century as the technology century. Sir Tim Berners-Lee from East Sheen invented the world wide web, then a chap from Chingford put it in our hands, our pockets and our ears. We’ve been taking it — him — with us ever since.

We use Jonathan Ive’s products to help us to eat, drink and sleep, to work, travel, relax, read, listen and watch, to shop, chat, date and have sex. Many of us spend more time with his screens than with our families. Some of us like his screens more than our families.”

I actually subscribed to read the rest. But annoyingly to buy the single episode you needed a Kindle device.

Apple passes Samsung in emerging markets – why?

Android, Apple, Tech News

People want what they can’t have. For many of those living in emerging markets, that’s an iPhone.

Apple is the most desirable mobile-phone brand among inhabitants of emerging markets, according to a report from marketing firm Upstream and researcher Ovum. In the study conducted this year, Apple edged out Samsung Electronics, which was the leader in a separate survey by Upstream last year.

Samsung saw a slight decline in its share of developing-market consumers who favour its phones from 32 percent to 29 percent, according to Upstream. Apple’s share jumped dramatically from 21 percent to where Samsung was last year. More at Bloomberg.

With market research like this, Apple is very unlikely ever to lower its prices.

Nokia X – One Million pre-orders in China – not so fast

Android, Tech News, Windows

It turns out Nokia’s Weibo announcement of 1 million pre-orders for the Android Nokia X is potentially misleading according to wmpoweruser.

LiveSide.net reported that the number was generated at retailer JD.com, and that the pre-orders, which unusually for China did not require any registration or money down, was part of a contest to win the handset with instant wins ie. Click the pre-order button and you can win a Nokia X.

Entrants were also able to “pre-order” for each of the 4 colours, suggesting much less than 1 million Chinese were interested in the handset.

On the other hand LiveSide does note that at around $100 the handset is pretty cheap, even for an Android handset, so it may still do pretty well in the end. However for now we should withhold judgement until much more information is available.

Nokia won’t be the first company nor the last to manipulate sales figures. Let’s hope they can sell a lot more than this figure in any event.