4.8-inch Samsung ATIV S is the first Windows Phone 8 device

Samsung’s PRE-IFA 2012 press conference held a lot of announcements, ranging from Android and Windows Phone 8 smartphones, to Windows 8 and RT tablets.

The Android smartphone Samsung introduced was the massive 5.5-inch Galaxy Note II, about which you can find more details here. The Korean giant also announced the world’s first Windows Phone 8 device, the Samsung ATIV S. The news is quite surprising, as the industry was expecting Nokia (because of their exclusive partnership with Microsoft), to be the first company to reveal a Windows Phone 8 device, at their September 5 press conference.

As expected, the next generation of Windows Phone devices would finally bring current generation hardware to the platform, and the 8.7mm-thick Samsung ATIV S doesn’t disappoint - it seems to be the device codenamed Odyssey we'd seen last month in leaked Samsung court documents, when Samsung had also launched the Windows Phone 7.5-based Omnia M. It features a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED Gorilla Glass 2 display with a 1,280x720 pixel resolution, a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Krait (MSM8960) processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear autofocus camera with LED flash and 1080p HD recording, along with a 1.9MP front camera.

The Windows Phone 8-based Samsung ATIV S will come in 16 or 32GB storage variants. Connectivity options include 3G (HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n with hotspot & DLNA functionality, Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP, NFC, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS, stereo FM radio with RDS, and microUSB. Weighing in at 135 grams, the ATIV S is powered by a rather large 2,300 mAh battery.

On paper, the Samsung ATIV S looks like a capable device to usher in the Windows Phone 8 platform, and with the hardware finally catching, we are eager to see what other manufacturers, especially Nokia, will bring to the table. For now, the pricing and release date of the Samsung ATIV S haven't been revealed. Stay tuned for more IFA 2012 coverage, including Samsung’s Windows 8 and RT tablets, called the ATIV Tab, ATIV Smart PC, and ATIV Smart PC Pro.

The 4-inch Samsung Windows Phone 8 device codenamed Marco should be unveiled soon as well. Meanwhile, check out some more renders of the WP8-based Samsung ATIV S, below:

 

Sony Xperia J

First impressions

The Sony Xperia J offers Android Ice Cream Sandwich software -- and the promise of an update to the newer Jelly Bean -- at a potentially wallet-friendly price. There doesn't appear to be anything major to gripe about with this budget handset but there's nothing to get your heart racing either.

Good

• Android Ice Cream Sandwich software
• Jelly Bean update promised

The Sony Xperia J is the latest affordable smart phone from Sony. It's far from the most powerful handset going but it promises to put a snazzy version of Android in your pocket without lifting too much cash out -- we hope.

The price hasn't been confirmed yet but judging by the phone's features and specs, it won't be too expensive. At least, it had better not be. The Xperia J comes with Google's Ice Cream Sandwich Android software on board, with promises of an update to the latest version,Jelly Bean.

The Xperia J launches this winter. My first impressions below are based on the assumption the Xperia J will be reasonably priced.

Design

Styled after the thin 'n' curved Xperia Arc and Arc S, the Xperia J measures 9.2mm slim. It comes in black, gold, white and pink.

The Sony Xperia J comes in four colours, this being my favourite.

It's faced with a 4-inch display, which is a decent enough size, but the resolution is a distinctly average 480x854 pixels.

While that's fine for apps, web browsing and watching video, it's far from the beautiful high-definition screen seen on phones such as theXperia S and Xperia T. Still, you have to accept compromises with affordable phones and the display is the major cutback here.

It showcases a gently curved profile and measures 9.2mm thin.

The 5-megapixel camera doesn't sound that impressive, but Sony has a history of decent camera phones so I hope this snapper is better than the number suggests. A second camera is included on the front for video chats.

Inside is a 1GHz Qualcomm processor and the operating system is Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. That's not the latest version of Android, but it's still relatively rare, especially on cheaper phones. Even better, Sony promises the Xperia J and all the new Xperia range will upgrade to the very newest version, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. However, who knows how long you'll have to wait to see that.

Google's Android Ice Cream Sandwich operating system comes pre-loaded, which is rare on cheaper phones.

Music

On board is 4GB of internal storage for your movies, music, apps and snaps. There's a nod to Sony's past with the naming of the Walkman app, for listening to your music without a care in the world. As well as enjoying the tunes you've bought, you can access Sony's streaming service Music Unlimited. Another clever social feature is the ability to listen to a playlist of songs that have been liked by your Facebook friends.

Outlook

Ultimately, the success of the Xperia J depends on whether the price is as stripped back as the specs. If Sony's on the money, then I won't mind the standard-definition screen, while the presence of Ice Cream Sandwich and promise of Jelly Bean is a definite plus. But if you're looking for thrills, you won't find it here. Other than the choice of operating system, the Xperia J is perfectly ordinary and unremarkable in every way. 

Bad

• Undistinguished screen
• No date for Jelly Bean update

Wishtel launches Ira Comet HD, a 10.1-inch ICS tablet at Rs. 9,999

 WishTel has launched a new 10.1-inch ICS tablet in India, called the Ira Comet HD. The company has priced the Ira Comet HD tablet competitively at Rs. 9,999, aggressively countering similarly priced 7-inch tablet offerings from other manufacturers.

The Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - based Ira Comet HD doesn’t seem to be a slouch under the hood, with Wishtel giving it a 1.2GHz ARM11 Cortex A8 processor, coupled with 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of built-in storage. The tablet supports 3G connectivity via USB dongle. The 10.1-inch multi-touch capacitive display has a 800x1,024 pixel resolution. The tablet features stereo speakers as well. It weighs roughly 600 grams, and is 14.5mm thick.

Other features of the Wishtel Ira Comet HD include microSD storage expandability up to 32GB, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, USB and HDMI ports, and a large 5,00 mAh battery (according to the Wishtel Ira Comet HD page), that is rated to deliver up to 6 hours of browsing time. Wishtel will be bundling an HDMI cable, WLAN to USB port cable, and a card reader. A built-in ‘G-sensor’ will provide motion-based gaming features. For now, reports are stating that the Ira Comet HD has a 2MP rear camera, and a VGA front camera. The Wishtel site however, shows only a 1.3MP rear camera listed in the specifications. We've contacted Wishtel to clarify this, and they shall be getting back to us shortly - we'll let you know as soon as they do.

Wishtel has also bundled productivity tools onboard, such as a document editor, apart from other communication and entertainment apps. According to the company, over 1,000 hours of educational video content has been bundled, as well as course materials for CBSE, ICSE, IIT - JEE, Medical AIPMT, CAT and GMAT, all of which will be available at a special subscription cost.

Speaking at the launch of the Wishtel Ira Comet 3D, Milind Shah, CEO, WishTel, said: “With the growth in the tablet market and increasing adoption, it is expected to meet the customers demand to fit into their lifestyle with the use of technology. With the launch of Ira Comet HD, we wish to fulfil consumers demand for innovation and smart technology and aim to offer them an ambitious product at a competitive price. We are extremely proud to use 3D Graphics technology in our large screen device to provide our audience with some really breathtaking experiences.”

Wishtel had earlier this year launched three other budget Android tablets, the Ira, Ira Thing, and Ira Thing 2.

 

Samsung intros massive Galaxy Player 5.8 PMP, with 5.8-inch display and ICS

 Samsung has unveiled a massive portable media player, set to take on the current-generation, and the next generation, Apple iPod Touch. Called the Samsung Galaxy Player 5.8, it features a 5.8-inch 960x540 pixel LCD display, along with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and Samsung TouchWiz UI.

The Galaxy Player 5.8 comes in 16GB or 32GB variants, along with microSD card expandability, up to 32GB. It also features front-facing VGA camera, for video chat. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, Google Play store access, and a (exceptionally large, for a PMP) 2,500mAh battery, presumably to meet the demands that not-so-small display will make.

For now, Samsung has not revealed all the details about the Galaxy Player 5.8, such as the processor, bundled apps, pricing, or launch schedule. We expect the device to be further showcased at IFA 2012 later in the week, where hopefully, more details will be revealed.

So far, the Korean giant has not brought any of its Galaxy Player PMPs to India, and so it doesn’t seem very likely that Samsung will bring this latest monster to the country. For those who are eagerly looking forward to it, and would like to avoid shipping costs, we can only hope that Samsung’s perception of the Indian market has changed in the meanwhile.

Nikon's Coolpix S800c: an Android-powered point-and-shoot camera for $350

It's here: Nikon's first Android-powered camera, and it's one that you'd actually consider buying. The $349.95 Coolpix S800c is nearly as slim as a smartphone from the middle of last decade, boasting inbuilt GPS (you know, for excessive geotagging), a 10x optical zoom lens, 16 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, 3.5-inch OLED WVGA touchscreen, a 1080p movie capture mode and Android 2.3. That's right -- there's a bona fide copy of Android running the show on a point-and-shoot camera, something that it seems Nikon beat Samsung to the punch with. Put simply, it possesses the ability to generate its own network and tether with your phone, and users can also download photo sharing applications directly onto the cam's 4GB of internal storage. Needless to say, we're anxiously awaiting our chance to see how Android handles on a camera (and how it impacts battery life), and you can find out yourself when it hits shelves in black / white motifs next month.