MWC 2012: Nokia reveals 41MP cameraphone…

A 41-megapixel Nokia smartphone was among the new technology on show during the opening day of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

 
 
 The 808 Pureview offers enhanced low-light performance as well as sophisticated image compression designed to help users share pictures.
Nokia hopes to regain ground lost to Google and Apple in the mobile market.
However, some have criticised Nokia's decision to use its own operating system, Symbian, on the device.
Nokia's other smartphones typically run on Microsoft's Windows Phone software.
Symbian, which first appeared on Nokia phones in the 90s, is widely regarded as inferior to the app and social media-driven Windows Phone system.
"The Pureview 808's Symbian Belle operating system might detract from its appeal to a broader market, where it deserves recognition," said Tony Cripps, a principal analyst with Ovum.
"It's a pity that Nokia was unable to combine the photographic prowess of the PureView 808 with the style of the Lumia 900.
"Such a device may well have been the first smartphone to truly deserve the title of 'superphone'."
 
 

'Breathtaking'
Nokia claims the 808 sets a "new industry standard" in mobile imaging devices.
"People will inevitably focus on the 41 megapixel sensor," said Jo Harlow, executive vice-president of Nokia smart devices.
Nokia say the 808 will set a "new industry standard" for mobile imaging
"But the real quantum leap is how the pixels are used to deliver breathtaking image quality at any resolution and the freedom it provides to choose the story you want to tell."
 

 
 
 

Nokia celebrates 1.5bn phones running on S40..

 

Nokia s40 mobiles VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Nokia's S40 has come a long way since 1999

 

Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia says it has shipped the 1.5 billionth phone running its S40 operating system.

The first S40 phone was sold in 1999, and the software underpinned Nokia's commercial success for years.

"It's difficult to think of a product line with such an impact on the world's population," said Mary McDowell, who runs Nokia's mobile phone division.

S40 is used in feature phones, which can run applications, but lack the computing power of smartphones.

Nokia estimates that there are currently 675 million active owners of S40 phones in the world, and says that it is currently selling about 12 phones of the S40 family every second.

Today's version of S40 is far removed from the original, with some feature phones having functionalities and running applications that until a few years ago were the exclusive reserve of smartphones.

Luring the next billion

And Nokia believes that the S40 line has some way to go.

The company says that the software's efficient management of phone memory and battery power makes it an ideal candidate to "connect the next billion" - people who either don't have access to telecommunications right now, or are too poor to afford smartphones.

"The next billion," Ms McDowell told the BBC, "will not come from rural areas, but from big cities and the very young."

To make S40 phones attractive to them, the software - and the hardware it runs on - now supports a wide range of apps, from the wildly popular Angry Birds game to instant messaging and apps to connect with social networks. Ms McDowell says that "a lot of work is being done to get such marquee apps" on to the S40 platform, to boost its attractiveness.

And indeed, every day Nokia registers about 3.7m app downloads to S40 phones.

Scale business

Last October, when the company launched its new flagship phone, the Lumia 800 running Microsoft's Windows Phone 7.5 software, it also presented a range of S40 phones under the new Asha brand.

Some industry experts question Nokia's attachment to S40, but Ms McDowell defends the software.

"It is a scale business with relatively low research and development cost; so even though the average unit price is low, it's profit is still good," she says.

Last year, Ms McDowell's low-margin business contributed about half of Nokia's profits.

When the world's mobile phone industry meets in Barcelona in February, industry watchers will have to ready themselves for another clutch of brand-new S40 Asha phones.

 

Technorati Tags: nokia,mobiles,technology

Top 50 best free iPhone apps 2011 Part II

26. Tube Map
At its most basic, Tube Map is a London Tube map on your device, for free. In landscape, even the ads get out of your way, which is rather nice. And if you've a web connection, the app also provides live board info, a station finder and a route calculator.

27. Google Earth
"Hold the world in the palm of your hand," says Google about Google Earth, which enables you to fly across the planet by swiping your finger. More integration with content and features from Maps would be good, but Google Earth's Wikipedia articles and a Panoramio layer at least ensure it's a great app for seeing the world from your living room.

28. XE Currency
XE Currency is a fine example of an app that does what it needs to, without fuss. You configure a list of currencies, and it shows current conversion rates. Double-tap a currency to set its base rate or to define values for custom conversions.

29. Shazam
Shazam is an app that feels like magic when you first use it. It's deceptively simple—hold your iPhone near to a music source, and wait while the app listens and tells you what track is playing. But the sheer technology behind this simplicity is mind-boggling, and while Shazam doesn't always guess right (and only allows five 'tags' per month for new users, unless you upgrade to the paid version), it's worth a download.

30. Bump
Another contender for the 'surely, that's witchcraft?' award, Bump enables you to select up to four contacts, then 'bump' your device into another iOS device running Bump to transfer details, or to compare contacts. And, yeah, we know there's an email-based 'share contact' option in Contacts, but where's the fun in that?

31. Yell.com
As you might expect, Yell.com enables you to find local stuff. Select from a bunch of built-in categories or type in your own term for a list of local amenities, and use the map to navigate. Avoid the clunky augmented reality view, though.

32. BBC News
BBC News has a mobile website that works very nicely in Safari. However, when using it you'll find video isn't accessible. The BBC News app has some slightly quirky navigation (and occasionally questionable stability), but provides quick access to breaking stories, complete with playable videos and zoomable text.

33. Find My iPhone
For the paranoid souls out there (or the unlucky ones who've had their devices pilfered), Find My iPhone has now been freed from the paid version of MobileMe. Assuming you've a 2010 or later iOS device, you can set up a free account and locate your devices within seconds. (Note that older devices can also be added to Find My iPhone - you just need a recent one to get things going.)

34. Dragon Dictation
Fed up of typing on the tiny iPhone keyboard? Use Dragon Dictation instead, which happily converts your speech into text (with slightly spooky levels of accuracy for a freebie app). You can even punctuate ("Comma! Full-stop!"), and when you're done the app enables you to fire your thoughts at Facebook, Twitter, Mail or the iOS clipboard.

35. iHandy Torch Free
It's a torch! It's a cheesy neon light! It's a hypnotic spiral effect! With slightly annoying ads! (In reality, iHandy Torch Free is a mostly a handy app to have installed in case you get up for a midnight snack or toilet visit, don't turn on the light and want to avoid smashing your toe annoyingly hard into an unruly cupboard.)

36. TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide
TV Guide is an app that's come a long way. At one time, this was a disappointing UK TV listings app. Today, it boasts now-and-next and scrollable listings views, reminders, and calendar, Twitter and Facebook integration. Only avoid if you hate TV or don't live in the UK.

37. Zoopla Property Search
There are loads of property search apps on the App Store, but Zoopla is the best of them. Its listings are comprehensive and there's also local market data, including local sale prices and estimates on market value. The location button is a bit rubbish, but the app soon finds properties when you manually type a location.

38. IM+
If you're an instant messaging fiend, IM+ gives you access to GTalk, Yahoo, MSN/Live Messenger, AIM/iChat, ICQ, MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, and Jabber. With multitasking and push notifications in iOS 4, IM+ has been transformed from a curiosity into a must-have freebie app.

39. Atomic Web Browser Lite
The lite version of Atomic is missing quite a few features that are found in its paid-for version, including even basic multitasking support and content resumption on reopening the app. However, for times where you need a single-session browser that automatically dumps everything on exit, such as when buying gifts, this is a handy app to have installed.

40. Virtuoso Piano Free 3
Virtuoso Piano Free 3 won't turn you into a virtuoso, but it's a perfectly serviceable mini piano. You can amend the number of keys shown on screen, and buttons enable you to rapidly navigate the full keyboard. You get two built-in voices for playback, to which you can add variable levels of sustain.

41. TuneIn Radio
Don't bother buying a DAB radio - just install TuneIn Radio instead and plug your device into a set of speakers. TuneIn Radio has a great interface for accessing over 50,000 digital stations; it also has AirPlay support, and you can use it as an alarm clock.

42. 4oD Catch Up
Technically, more like '4oD Catch Up With A Specific Chunk of Channel 4's TV Shows Only' (no archives yet in the iPhone version); also 4oD Catch Up lacks subtitles and AirPlay support. But it's free, unlimited, and gives you a month to catch up with Channel 4's programming on your device.

43. Jamie's Recipes
More a gateway drug for the tasty treats of Jamie Oliver, this IAP-infused app nonetheless flings ten freebie recipes your way and a few videos. The interface in Jamie's Recipes is lickable, and there's a handy shopping-list feature, for those of you who don't fancy arriving back home after fighting the crowds in the supermarket, only to find you accidentally picked up 500 lemons and forgot the chicken.

44. Instagram
Take a photo, smash a filter into it, and upload it. Instagram's service is now used by millions of people to share nuggets of visual loveliness, and the app itself is a pleasure to use, and also to browse during moments when you're not feeling quite so inspired.

45. Google Translate
Assuming you're online, Google Translate is a great app for translating text between 57 different languages; handily, 15 of the most popular also enable you to speak into your device and listen to translations. It's also considerably cheaper and more portable than 56 translation staff.

46. iMotion HD
We say a big PFFT! at CGI. Real animators use stop-motion, until they inevitably go crazy at only being able to craft about three seconds of footage per week. iMotion HD enables you to create such painstaking animations with your device.
The sting in the tail: a £1.49 IAP for export, but if you don't care about that, you can play your creations on your device to your heart's content. There's also the free iMotion Remote to use as a remote controller over Wi-Fi for iMotion HD, to avoid you accidentally moving your 'camera'.

47. TED
TED is brain food. The app provides access to talks by insanely clever people, opening your mind to new and radical ideas. You can also save your favourite talks locally, for even easier access, or ask the app to inspire you, based on your mood and available time.

48. Remote
The remote for Apple TV is a bit of a joke when you need to do anything more than play or pause. Remote is a free app which provides much better control and the ability to stop yourself going mad when typing things into search fields. It'll also happily use Home Sharing to pull content from computers on your network to your device, or fire said content at your Apple TV using AirPlay.

49. Skyscanner
Skyscanner's a great website, which enables you to punch in airports and find out the cheapest way of getting from A to B. The Skyscanner app is the same, but it's on your device and with a spiffy AI. Well worth a download, even if only to check flights for an upcoming holiday.

50. Apple Store
Apple fans with a lack of self-control should steer clear of the Apple Store app, which enables you to buy shiny Apple products directly from your device, and also to locate your nearest shrine of tech loveliness (aka Apple Store).

Top 5 Winter Gadgets - stay warm in winter…

       Winter brings to mind images of snow, fireplaces and of course Christmas but most predominately; cold. While most of us enjoy a lot about winter, usually shivering cold is not one of them. Here are 5 fun gadgets to help beat the cold and get on with enjoying winter! Stay warm with these winter gadgets…!!
 
Speaker Beanie





      The speaker beanie is a genius invention for any music lover. Let’s face it, wearing headphones under your beanie or cap can get annoying, if they fall out you have to take everything off and put them back (which means putting your ears in the cold, brrr). Enter the speaker beanie. A cap with built in headphones that can plug into almost anything! It’s warm, plays music and the top five best gadgets for winter list wouldn’t be complete without it! Ranging in price from $14 – $50, speaker beanies come made for iPhone, MP3 Players and more.
 
 
 
USB Mug Warmer




Another big problem with winter is that your coffee/cup of soup/hot chocolate cools down way faster in the cold. The USB mug warmer is a simple winter gadget that plugs into a USB port on your computer and gently warms your mug of coffee for 20 to 30 minutes. Models vary in style, color and price but can usually be found in the price range of $3 – $8.



Heated Slippers



   Most people dread having cold feet, not the cliché kind, the kind where you slip out of your shoes and notice your toes are blue. These days, there is a solution that while isn’t really 100% electrical, still makes a great gadget for winter. A heated slipper insert is filled with a special thermal material that you can just pop into the microwave and stick on your feet. The material will stay warm for up to 30 minutes. While prices vary, most of these slippers can be found under $20.



Touchscreen Gloves



      You don’t want to take your gloves off in the cold winter but your touchscreen just won’t work with them on. Touchscreen gloves make the top five best gadgets for winter because they serve the dual purpose of keeping your hands toasty warm while allowing you to use your smartphone/touchscreen computer at the same time, no hassle of removing your gloves, freezing your hands and then putting everything back on. Touchscreen gloves come in a variety of sizes, for both men and women and can usually be found $20 and under.



USB Warmer Mouse



      A heated mouse might be exactly what you need if you spend long hours at the computer. Whether at work or in your home, the heated mouse will keep your hands warm with little to no inconvenience on your part. A heated mouse is the perfect winter electronic. Value Rays heated mouse starts at $35.95 and features 800 DPI scrolling, a heat on/off switch, plug and play install, two buttons and scroll wheel.

Incredible Top 20 Future Gadgets

 
Gadgets are more unusual and more clever than normal technological objects and that makes them gain popularity. These wonderful gizmos ease our daily routine and keep us in contact with the innovative movement, making sure we don’t get stuck in the past. But of course, in the world of gadgets there are also some devices that take it a little bit far, making us gaze at them with hope that we will get our hands on them sooner.


Window phone concept
Is it a window, is it a phone? No. Actually, it’s Window phone and this is the part where you are saying “Whaaat? What are you talking about?”. The phone is actually a concept with extraordinary features. Surely if this could be actually put into production, it would set a new standard for the term “cool”.
 
             


               



 
 
 
 
AFGT Gaming Device
This gadget seems to be the holy grail of the gaming world. Its interesting feature is the tactile feedback that is used to enhance the gaming experience. This very interesting gadget is made out of touch sensitive silicon, to be more specific, silicon air pockets, each with a pressure generator.
 
        


 
 
 
Sound Mug Speaker
This particular device could look a little bit strange at a first impression but actually it’s a damn cool thing. The crazy looking speaker can fit in your car’s cupholder and don’t worry about batteries, the gadget is powered by car’s accessory socket.
        

 
 
Vestalife BumbleBee Earbuds
If you’re a guy, it’s unlikely that you will be interested in these little pink earbuds but as a girl, you’ll find them pretty glamy.




Babelfisk
In case you’re getting lazy in classes these wonderful glasses will give you some help. They have two microphones that can be directed to where someone is speaking and you have text and audio recorded into a flash drive.




QWERTY Keyboard For iPhone
Surely, this sounds like a dream come true. The Iphone is everywhere and probably a lot of you have it encountered the typing problem. With this tiny little qwerty keyboard you can type fast and accurately.




Sliding Pooltable






Bio Robot Refrigerator
The Bio Robot fridge cools biopolymer gel through luminescence. It might look stinky and sticky but it’s actually an odorless gel that envelopes the food.
         
 
 
 
eRoll
eRoll could be the future of e-reading, along with iPad and another gadget that will be presented in this article. If you don’t want it to read ebooks on it, you can use it as a self defense weapon.
       



Folding-out Laptop
The Transformers wallpaper on this laptop says it all. This laptop transforms into a mega-laptop as soon as you unfold its keyboard.




MU SPACE
Listening music in bed with your headbuds in your ears can be really annoying and it appears that Yuan-Hao Hsu and Lin Tzu Hsuan have figured that one out. The result consists in a mp3 player pillow that will help you relax when taking your nap.




Wind circle
This will surely start a lot of discussions with your house guests but besides that it will also cool the air in the room. Yeah, it does that too…




Bracelet phone
Concept phones are becoming very popular these days. The stranger their shape is, the more popular they get. Probably that’s why this bracelet phone got so many fans or because it has a round dialer on it, like in old land phones.
      


 
Mint Sputnik projector
 

      





Portable Interactive Display
This device should be interesting especially for architects or industrial designers because of its interesting features. Its software can take CAD drawings and display them on the surface where they can be manipulated easily.
 
 
Newspaper of the future
Nowadays people try to find alternatives to using paper and they come up with interesting solutions. We already saw the eRoll in this article and tablets like iPad are made in a lot of variations today but Seon-Keun Park and Byung-Min Woo came with a different idea.




Air Clean Balls
Enough with the serious talking, let’s talk about balls (…?!). They have a funny name but an interesting feature, they can clean the air in the room by using a form of ionization with a photocatalyst complex sterilizing. It is interesting that it doesn’t freshen the air as you would probably think, but it actually cleans it, removing bacterias and viruses too, besides strange odors.
        
 





Geist Projector
We’ll keep on going with the balls issue but this time it’s about a projector. The mobility of the projected image is given by the levitating ball that sustains itself in the air with the help of electromagnetism.
       


 
Help Readers device
This device converts text to audio, helping you in case you have eye problems or because you’re infected with the laziness virus. in
          
 
 
 
HP LIM Glass computer
The HP LiM (Less is More) concept is set to feature a 19″ transparent touch OLED screen along with a wireless keyboard. The touch screen slides down to create a more ergonomic touch experience and easy navigation.
        
 

Technorati Tags: technology,gadgets,iphone,computer,future technology