Samsung Galaxy S4 versus Nokia Lumia 920

Quick take: Samsung Galaxy S4 versus the Nokia Lumia 920

Today here in New York, Samsung finally pulled the sheet off of the Galaxy S4, their next big flagship Android phone for 2013. Due at the end of April, the phone looks almost exactly like the S3 save a few minor differences, but it’s the guts and software that make this a killer device. It will launch on a massive 327 operators in 155 countries for complete global reach.

We’ll spare you all the details of the S4, though it does feature 2GB of RAM, an eight-core Samsung Exynos 5410 running at 1.8GHz, a triple-core PowerVR SGX 544 graphics chip with a massive 2600mAh battery. Oh yeah, it also has a swanky 5” 1080P Super AMOLED display at 440 PPI and various sensors, including Infrared gesture, temperature and humidity sensors, which while gimmicky is still really neat. Finally, it sports a 13MP rear and 2MP front camera, with some new "innovations" like two-way shot.

We briefly put it up against our Nokia Lumia 920 in a video and while this is far from a controlled “versus” battle, you can at least get an idea of how Samsung’s beast looks against Nokia’s.

Should Windows Phone and Microsoft be worried?

As much as we hate to admit it, yes. Samsung is a juggernaut right now with a lot of momentum. Just as the S3 is peaking globally they’re showing off the next version, which nicely builds off of its predecessor. For all of Android’s faults (and yes there are plenty), since the 4.2 1 update the operating system has stabilized with a more coherent feel to it.

The problem is becoming clearer with every release: Samsung (and other Android OEMs) can out maneuver Microsoft and its partners, both for phones and new iterations of the OS (though carrier updates are a separate issue).

Don’t get us wrong, loyal readers, we’re not down on Windows Phone at all and still prefer it. But we’re not blind either to recognize that tonight, the completion just ratcheted up to a new level. And if you saw the money and determination behind the Galaxy S product line, you’d be concerned too.

For more hands on video of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and more information, head to our sister site Android Central for all the details.

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Nokia Lumia 920

Rumor – AT&T to launch the Nokia Lumia 920 on October 21st

Coming to the US on October 21st? Not likely.

File this under wishful thinking and maybe true but BGR’s Geller personally posted that they’ve confirmed through sources the AT&T launch date for the Nokia Lumia 920. On Tracour, BGR.com only has a 52% average rating on rumor accuracy, so take this rumor with some skepticism. 

The flagship Windows Phone from Nokia is reportedly going to launch on October 21^st—a traditional Sunday launch for the company. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy Note II will launch the same day. That contradicts earlier rumors from the Verge and TechRadar who suggested November 2nd--the last day of Microsoft's Build '12.

That date, if accurate, is certainly earlier than the November time frame that many have come to expect. If AT&T and Nokia can pull it off, it will surely be a huge win for the OS and the Finnish company as uncertainty about the release has plagued them ever since the September 5^th announcement.

Skepticism?

AT&T has not even officially announced that they are getting the Lumia 920, though it has long been speculated seeing as they are the “premier” Windows Phone partner in the US. What’s more, to our knowledge, Windows Phone 8 OS has not been finalized or released-to-manufactures (RTM) which makes this early date slightly suspect. We should also mention there is no finalized, official SDK yet either. That does not bode well for the idea that this phone is coming out so early.

Then again, with all the pressure Microsoft and Nokia are under, perhaps some late night struggling and corner cutting have been implemented to get this out the door sooner than later.

Or perhaps we are seeing a pre-order day and not one for an actual launch.

No price was announced though we’re going to guess that $199 on contract seems to be a fair pricing point for the flagship phone. Will Nokia undercut that and go for $150? Too early to tell.

Edit: Due to some personal communications with others in the tech field since we first published, we've downgraded this to a 4 on the rum'o'meter from a 6.

Source: BGR

link: http://www.wpcentral.com/rumor-att-launch-lumia-920-october-21st

Nokia Lumia 920

Nokia Lumia 920 Pureview Camera: bad ads or bad camera? New evidence suggests the former

The Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone's Pureview Camera turned a lot of heads this week with it's very impressive low light and stabilizing features. The demo video and still images gave hope that a "knock your socks off" camera was heading to the Lumia Windows Phone line. But the video and still images have been dissected more than a High School science project with accusations that Nokia faked it all and the camera isn't as grand as Nokia would like us to think. But is this a case of bad advertising or a bad camera?

We think it's two separate issues and too many nay sayes are trying to mesh them together to make the Lumia 920 look bad. We believe this because the specs on paper lead credence to the camera's touted performance and most importantly because we've seen the camera perform up close and personal.

We believe the Pureview Camera will be a solid performer based on two things, specification and personal observations. On paper the Lumia 920's Pureview Camera has a 8.7mp camera that is fitted with a 28mm f2.0 lens. The sensor is a BSI sensor that has the wiring behind the receptors to allow for more light to hit the sensor. The optical housing is stabilized by a series of springs that allows for more stable operation when using slower shutter speeds. Having used similar technology on other devices and based on my experience as a photographer, all these elements combined gives the Pureview Camera the potential to be a better low light performer than other smartphone cameras.

There is always a chance that what is on paper doesn't translate as successful in real life. There is always a possibility that the Pureview Camera could fall flat on it's front element but we've seen it up close and personal in action and the performance quality is there.

New image samples from the Verge shows the 920 still out-performing the competition

To further bolster the low light performance of the Lumia 920, an old friend who used to haunt these parts was given the opportunity to take the Lumia 920 out for a nighttime test drive. Dieter Bohn from over at The Verge compared the Lumia 920 to the Samsung Galaxy S III, Apple iPhone 4S, the HTC One X and the Lumia 900. Dieter's conclusion,

"The Lumia 920 takes very good low-light images, the OIS compensates for enough hand shake to take in light to create a photo in situations where you'd expect none are possible. In near darkness, we will say that it took a relatively steady hand to get a shot without camera shake — but that's a very small complaint. While we were getting blur on the 920, we were getting vastly darker and grainier images on the rest."

I had to raise an eyebrow when Nokia apologized and admitted the footage was a simulation of what the Pureview Camera could do. Based on all that I know, I discounted the critics and felt the videos and stills were legitimate. The performance and quality results made sense. Then I remembered that most advertisements are simulations to grab your attention and it's not that uncommon.

From "Bounty being the quicker picker upper" to car ads that show mini-vans conducting high speed maneuvers. They are all simulations of performance with one exception. Most of these ads will have fine print disclaimers letting everyone know what they are watching is a simulation. Not having such clarification doesn't help Nokia and the footage and photos should never have been shown without such a disclaimer.

But that omission should reflect poorly on the ad agency, not the camera. Due to our competitive nature we try to associate one poor decision as an indictment on the whole.

Consider this, this isn't Nokia's first ad blunder. Remember the Beta Test ad campaign? Where Nokia boasted that they had finally gotten the smartphone right? Then a few days later the data connectivity issues surfaced on the Lumia 900 and it was obvious that Nokia didn't get it right. Nokia jumped on the issue, fixed the problem and while the ad campaign didn't make Nokia look good, the Lumia 900 is still a quality Windows Phone. We think the same will hold true on the Pureview Camera.

With the Lumia 920's Pureview Camera we know that it has the potential based on the specifications and we have a two reliable sources who have witnessed it's performance. That's enough for me to cut Nokia some slack for a bad ad decision and still believe that we'll see a fantastic camera on the Lumia 920.

Related:

• Thoughts and impressions of the Nokia Lumia 920’s PureView camera
• Nokia takes photo challengers against the Lumia 920 PureView, crushes the iPhone, GS3

Video footage and photo sample via The Verge

link: http://www.wpcentral.com/nokia-lumia-920-pureview-camera-bad-ads-or-bad-camera