Samsung Ativ S review

Introduction

Microsoft's campaign is underway across the board with Windows 8, RT and WP 8 and all eyes are now set on Redmond's allies for a demonstration of fire power. Following some early warning shots fromNokia and HTC, Samsung are now free to fire at will.

   
Samsung Ativ S official pictures

Their Ativ S was the first Windows Phone 8 flagship announced and, respectful of chronology, the first we're about to properly review. The Nokia Lumia 920, the HTC Windows Phone 8X and the Ativ S are often painted as allies - but that's mostly rhetoric. To a certain point, they have little choice but to unite against the Android and iPhone hordes. On the other hand, these fine smartphones will be sworn enemies fighting over every user drawn close enough by Microsoft's upgraded platform.

And by the way, Windows Phone 8's appeal is easy enough to understand. It is now a consistent cross-device platform that will get app developers interested. Multiple-core-chipset and screen resolution support will help Microsoft-powered devices stand next to their Android and iOS counterparts as equals.

OEMs on the other hand are also giving potential users a good enough reason to be excited. Just look at what the Ativ S is offering to those who are willing to go with Samsung.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• Quad-band 3G with 42 Mbps HSDPA and 5.7 Mbps HSUPA support
• 4.8" 16M-color Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen of 720 x 1280 pixel resolution
• Scratch resistant Gorilla Glass 2 display
• 8 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash, 1080p@30fps video recording
• 1.9MP front camera
• Windows Phone 8 OS
• 1.5GHz dual-core Krait CPU, Adreno 225 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8960 chipset, 1GB of RAM
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band
• GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS support
• Digital compass
• 16/32GB of on-board storage
• microSD slot
• Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic
• Built-in accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• microUSB port
• Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP and EDR, file transfers
• Impressively deep and coherent SNS integration throughout the interface
• Xbox Live integration and Xbox management
• Data Sense
• Class-leading JavaScript performance
• NFC support
• Samsung exclusive apps: Music hub, Chat on, Photo editor

Main disadvantages

• App catalog falls short of Android and iOS
• Competition has quad-core Krait CPUs already
• Costs more than the Galaxy S III SIM-free
• No FM radio
• No system-wide file manager
• No voice-guided navigation
• No music player equalizers
• No lockscreen shortcuts

So, there we are. The Ativ S is running an OS that has just had its potential unlocked by a major update. The hardware powering has been inspired by no other but Samsung's droid flagship, the Galaxy S III. OK, it's a different chipset, and a couple of CPU cores short, but most of the rest is there - from the HD Super AMOLED screen to the 8MP camera.

Windows Phone 8 has finally caught up with the industry leaders. There's a massive gap between Samsung's last generation of Windows Phone and the Ativ S. Goodbye, Omnia and, sorry to say, you won't be badly missed. They could've done better when naming the new lineup, that's for sure. But the fresh start most certainly called for a brand new name.

   
Samsung Ativ S live pictures

That's a minor point though - we can live with a name without a ring as long as the engine's got a hearty rumble. So, we're taking the Samsung Ativ S out for a spin and you're most welcome to join. Hit the jump to the design and build.

FULL REVIEW AT GSMARENA

Superphones TOP 5 must watch

There are smartphones and there are superphones, and the latter category is heating up to a boil. While it sometimes seems that the release of cool new phones slows down to a trickle, this year it’s becoming more of a firehose. It can be trying to keep up with the Next Big Thing in the phone world, so it makes sense to pick out the 5 best superphones to watch.


HTC EVO. 
It was only announced yesterday but the EVO became the top superphone to watch. Take an Android phone, put a giant (4.3-inch) display on that baby, throw 4G into the recipe and then stand back. The EVO is expected on the Sprint network “this summer” and already has enthusiasts buzzing like crazy. Sprint and HTC are adding mobile hotspot capability to the EVO, so that high-speed 4G connection can be shared over Wi-Fi with up to 8 devices. Sweet.

1. 

NextPrevious

Picture 2 of 6

HTC EVO 

Read out more interesting HTC EVO 3D Specification

Nexus One. The Nexus One is already out on the market, but with Google adding a carrier a week (it seems) it is still a hot commodity. The Nexus One on Verizon is widely anticipated to be arriving soon, and many are excited about getting this great phone on the Verizon network. That will bring the number of carriers serving the Nexus One to four in the U.S., which challenges the old business model. 

1. 

NextPrevious

Picture 3 of 6

Nexus One

Read out more interesting Google Nexus one Specification

HTC Desire. If it seems that Android is dominating this top 5 list, it’s because it is. The Android space is white hot right now and many of the hot phones are running the OS. The Desire is a “non-Google” version of the Nexus One, with an updated form and the HTC Sense interface that is so popular. It is only in Asia and Europe initially, but you can bet some U.S. carrier will be bringing this superphone to these shores based on the popularity of the Nexus One.

1. 

NextPrevious

Picture 4 of 6

HTC Desire

Read out more interesting HTC Desire Specification

HTC HD2. This phone has been out for a while, but it’s only just become available for T-Mobile customers in the U.S. The HD2 is basically an EVO without the 4G, and with Windows Mobile onboard for fans of that platform. The HD2 is the best phone I have personally evaluated, bar none.

1. 

NextPrevious

Picture 5 of 6

HTC HD2

Read out more interesting HTC HD2 Specification

Samsung Galaxy S. This phone was just announced and it puts Samsung’s mark on the superphone space. It has an Android backbone augmented with Samsung’s own secret sauce, “Smart Life”, which integrates a user’s online networking into the UI. The Galaxy S uses a fast processor and a big (4-inch) AMOLED screen to bring the web home.

1. 

NextPrevious

Picture 6 of 6

Samsung Galaxy S

Read out more interesting Samsung Galaxy S Specification

This list is by no means complete, and not all will agree with these choices. These 5 phones do demonstrate how far the smartphone has progressed at what seems like lightning speed. All of these phones have a fast processor (1 GHz or better), lots of memory and big touchscreens. All but one of the phones is running Android, which is no doubt the hottest platform currently. Hopefully that may change when Windows Phone 7 finally hits the pavement.

Four of these superphones are made by phone giant HTC, a testament to the innovation the company is bringing to the space. It is almost scary how many great phones they produce, and all of them superphones. It is no wonder Apple is worried about them.

Source: gigaom.com

Nokia C2-02 Reviews and prize in india

Introduction

As Nokia smartphones struggle to hold the line against the storming droids, more and more pressure falls on their feature-phone squad. It will be up to those foot soldiers to buy enough time for the heavily armed Windows Phone 7 reinforcements to arrive.

 
Nokia C2-02 official photos

The Nokia C2-02 is the first of a trio of handsets to try and make the most of what's probably Nokia's last remaining stronghold - simple to use phones with good looks and an attractive price tag. The Touch and Type series has been doing well for Nokia and even though they scrapped the name, the spirit will live on.

To get us started, here's what the C2-02 is all about:

Key features

• Dual-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• 2.6" 65K-color resistive TFT QVGA touchscreen
• S40 6th edition
• 2 megapixel fixed-focus camera
• QCIF video recording at 15fps
• Stereo FM radio with RDS, Visual radio
• Bluetooth v2.1 (with A2DP)
• Standard microUSB port
• microSD card slot (32 GB supported, 2GB included)
• 3.5mm audio jack
• Extra smooth and precise haptic feedback
• Attractive price

Main disadvantages

• No Wi-Fi
• Doesn’t charge off USB
• No screen brightness control
• No document viewer
• No smart dialing
• No video-call camera
• No accelerometer sensor means no cool features like tap-for-time and turn-to mute
• No multitasking

If you’ve been keeping track, you’d surely find the flaw list familiar. S40 made the leap to touchscreen but Nokia still didn't bother packing it with smart dialing and multitasking – features already available on competing feature phones for years. The screen itself is nothing to shout about: a small, low-res, resistive display. But the slider form factor makes quite a bit of sense - especially if you had doubts about the first Touch and Type candybars. Sliders make better use of space: the C2-02 gives you a reasonably comfortable dial pad and a bigger screen.

   
Nokia C2-02 studio shots

The C2-02 is supposed to make traditional Nokia users less anxious about giving touchscreen a try. It should be a small and tentative first step - a proper keypad is still a must. What’s more, texting is a relevant feature to both the budget range and the demographic profile.

Ultimately, it's the familiarity and ease of use that will help the likes of Nokia C2-02 reach their intended audience. It's a huge pool to draw from given Nokia's strong grip on the low end of the market. Not a bad place to start at all. We, on our part, are ready to start exploring this S40 touchscreen slider. We've got a full review to do before we can say we like it as much as, say, the X3-02. The hardware inspection begins right after the break.

Read full review click here