World’s fastest smartphone unveiled
Huawei, which recently overtook BlackBerry as the third largest smartphone maker, says its device downloads films, videos, songs, and ebooks over wifi two and three times faster than competitors, including the market leading Samsung Galaxy S3 and Apple iPhone.
It was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress, the world’s biggest exhibition and conference for the mobile industry, which opened yesterday in Barcelona.
Embattled Nokia, meanwhile, is focusing on price. It launched four models at the conference, including the Lumia 520, which costs €135.
The high-end Lumia 720, which costs €249 and is available in five colours, is notable in that it has a wireless charger. The smartphone, which uses Windows 8, could be perfect for colder countries thanks to a super-sensitive touch-screen technology that can be used while wearing gloves.
The phone also comes with a 5MP camera and access to the music streaming service Nokia Music.
Alongside this, Nokia launched the 105 phone — a €15 standard mobile that is now the cheapest in the company’s range.
It comes complete with an FM radio and a torch, with Nokia explaining that it could be perfect for those living in areas where reliable electricity is in short supply. The Finnish company is releasing it in the likes of China, India, and Russia.
However, it is also the end of an era as the 105’s colour screen means Nokia has made its last phone with a black-and-white display.
Meanwhile, Asus looked to capitalise on another trend with the launch of two phablets — smartphone and tablet hybrids.
Whereas the Fonepad offers an all-in-one device, basically a small tablet with the functionality of a 3G phone, the Padfone Infinity comes in two parts — a normal smartphone that fits into the back of a larger tablet device.
However, it was the Fonepad that had the packed press conference buzzing, drawing gasps as its price of €219 was announced by Asus chairman Jonney Shih.
The Intel-powered Fonepad also comes with a camera, voice recognition software, and a touch-screen. Asus claimed it outperforms the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 for battery life. A full charge should give 31 hours for 3G voice calling and 9.8 hours when playing back 720p video.
Shih called the Padfone Infinity “a masterpiece I am very proud of”.
The phone fits into the back of the tablet and the display and functionality immediately switches to the larger 10.1in device.
One of the features is voice recognition which allows users to take photos on its 13MP camera simply by saying “cheese”.
However, at €999 it is much more expensive than the Fonepad.
Both devices will be released in Europe in April.
The conference bore the hallmarks of austerity cuts across Europe: Vodafone has cut its spending by 20% at the conference and Google isn’t even here. However, the number of delegates at the trade show has risen by 3,000 from 2012 to 70,000 this year.
Unlike preceding years, handset innovation is muted, with little to distinguish between competing manufacturers. Apple, for example, seems more psyched about the launch of its Apple TV than the next iPhone.
Sony has created a bit of buzz, however, with the launch of its Xperia Z tablet, which, like its companion the Xperia Z smartphone, launched last month, is waterproof so you can slosh around in the bath with it. It’s also dustproof.
The Xperia Z tablet features, which include a camera, are unremarkable, with the exception, perhaps, of its metal standby button, but its design is beguiling. It’s sturdy, thin, and weighs only 495g. It goes on sale in March.
Security was an abiding concern with speakers at the conference. About 150,000 computers are hacked every day, said Anne Bouverot, director general of GSMA, the conference organisers. Two thirds of CEOs say security is their most important technology concern, claimed Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao.
“Life is more and more mobile,” said Colao, reiterating a claim he made at last year’s conference that people would prefer to give up alcohol, chocolate, or sex than discard their smartphone. He cited a study that 70% of people cannot avoid looking at their phone for longer than an hour.
Some of the biggest buzz at the conference surrounded the notion of the “internet of things”. By 2017, more than half of smart devices will connect with other devices rather than connecting people, claimed Franco Bernabe, chairman and CEO of Telecom Italia Group.
To illustrate, a simulated, mobile-enabled city has been installed at the conference venue, prefiguring initiatives in development in Rio de Janeiro in the run-up to next year’s World Cup and the 2016 Olympics; while on the streets, in keeping with the “connected city” theme, 700 taxis in Barcelona have been geared to accept smartphone-operated payments during the week of the conference.
Developments in GPS are refining the shopping experience, said Steven Gray of CSR. With smartphone in hand, shoppers can be steered through a store towards the products they’re searching for. Or if they’re linked to social networking sites, they could be guided to special deals based on their friends’ preferences.
Smartphones for the elderly: Austrian phone manufacturer, Emporia Telecom, has created a smartphone based on simplicity. The EmporiaConnect is designed for the elderly and the disabled. It has removed complex menus and unnecessary options to make it easier to use.
Design features include oversized buttons for those suffering from arthritis or hands that shake; raised pressure points on keys and an audible clicking sound on buttons so that a visually impaired person will know if a button has been pressed or not.
High-contrast screens, which help with legibility, and a headset adapted for people with hearing aids also comes with the phone. It also a built-in camera, too, and an emergency speed-dial button.
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