Howdy everyone! It’s Tuesday once again
which means it’s time to get your weekly dose of technology news and updates
from TFL. And just like what we said last time, the storm product launches and
announcement has already begun with Amazon on Nokia leading the race.
So in this week’s edition of Tech Tuesdays
on TFL, we’ll be talking about the recent announcement of several tablets, a
couple of smartphones and an invitation to introduce one of the most
anticipated gadgets of the year.
LUMIA
After weeks of information leaks, hoaxes
and rumours, Nokia has finally broken their silence as they announced two new
Nokia Lumia phones last week. Although Samsung was the first manufacturer to
jump into the Windows Phone 8 ship, The Finnish Company’s close relationship
with Microsoft has proven its worth with the much sensationalized announcement
of the Lumia 920 and 820.
But the two phones weren’t only sensational
because of the company’s partnership with Microsoft. The two Lumias sports
several notable design elements and functionality. For starters, both phones
have exceptional cameras (8 Megapixels), the Lumia 920 to be specific sports
the company’s PureView technology (not to be confused with the technology in
the PureView 808) that helps with optical image stabilization that helps users
take sharp and crisp pictures even in low light conditions.
Specs wise, both the 920 and 820 feature
high pixel density displays, 1.5GHz dual core Krait processor, 1GB of RAM,
Adreno 225 GPU, wireless charging and the usual host of features that any
smartphone has. This includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, accelerometer,
proximity sensor, compass and A-GPS support.
Based on reports, the two phones will be
available to consumers in a few weeks time, probably by October.
KINDLE
The war of the tablets has just gotten
bloodier. After Google’s launch of the Nexus 7, Microsoft’s announcement of its
Surface tablet and the upcoming iPad mini; Amazon has upgraded its arsenal with
the three new devices.
First on the list is the Kindle Paperwhite.
This device is a touchscreen e-reader that uses a high-res screen with 25%
better contrast and will cost around $199 with built in light for reading in
the dark. The second announced device is a revamped version of the current
Kindle Fire which would cost around $159.
The third and most important tablet from
Amazon is the Kindle Fire HD. Unlike the Paperwhite and the first generation
Kindle, the Kindle Fire HD has a high-resolution screen which comes in 7 and
8.9-inch sizes. Screen resolution is set at 1920x1200 and 1280x800 pixels
respectively. In addition, the Fire HD will have 4G LTE connection and dual
Wi-Fi antennas.
And unlike tablets from other
manufacturers, the Kindle line will still cost significantly lower as they
still follow the company’s advocate in generating profit through selling
software rather than hardware. Availability of the said devices is yet to be
announced especially with a rumoured iPad mini in the works.
iPHONE
Last but definitely not the least is
Apple’s September 12 announcement which all points to the introduction of the
fifth generation iPhone. The event press invite was released last Tuesday
(Wednesday in the Philippines) which provides the event’s venue – Yerba Buena
Center for the Arts in San Francisco.
It is still unsure whether or not Apple
will reveal an iPad mini in the event. Nevertheless, the announcement has
definitely made some waves in the IT world and has heightened the public’s
anticipation.
So are you excited with the numerous news
and announcements? We are excited too! Tune in again next week for more tech
news, updates and features from the Filipino Lifestyle blog. You can also
follow and like our Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest profiles for other
interesting topics from the rest of the TFL team.
