Microsoft (MSFT) Lumia Smartphone Set To Launch Next Week

We look at Microsoft’s first attempt at making a smartphone since dropping the Nokia title after the buyout

By: Larry Darrell

It’s been a short while since Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) decided to remove the “Nokia” name from its smartphone business. But the Redmond-based tech giant shows no intention of slowing down, as it announces, and prepares for, the launch of the first smartphone that will drop the Finnish phone company’s title in favor of naming the series "Microsoft Lumia."

In the past, Microsoft has struggled to find a place in the market for its Windows Phone operating system, which, according to third-party analysts, is used in only 2.5% of mobile devices across the world. Google Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android leads comfortably in first place with an 85% share, followed by the many millions of iPhones running Apples Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) proprietary iOS. 

Most of the phones released by Microsoft have only found a place in developing markets, where people just recently got a taste of what smartphones have to offer – their main appeal being the colorful covers and looks.

In more mature markets, Microsoft hasn’t made a significant impact, with brands like Apple and Samsung Elect Ltd (F) (OTCMKTS:SSNLF) taking the lion’s share. Microsoft’s smartphone business is also under threat from Chinese competitors in emerging markets, which offer decent quality phones and impressive specifications at a significantly lower price.

For now, it seems like Microsoft intends to stick to its previous strategy, which could be considered a questionable move by some. The company announced, “Microsoft is delivering the power of everyday mobile technology to everyone. Come back on November 11, to find out more!”

While the wait till next Tuesday is certainly on, sources say that Microsoft’s new phone will be far from a game changer. As rumors have it, it will have a 5-inch display of around 960 x 540, coming out to be an unimpressive 280 pixels per inch. The core will be quite mediocre as well, with a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 200 Chipset and 1GB RAM. The phone will feature 8GB internal memory and a 1900 mAh battery. Even the camera isn’t much to look at, with a 5 megapixel primary and VGA secondary front snapper.

The one thing that the phone does have going for it is its price, which is expected to be around $100-150 off contract. However, unless Microsoft makes some serious upgrades to the Windows Phone operating system, the new phone may not do very well.

Once again, Microsoft gambles with a low-end device, which is strange considering that just last week, two Chinese smartphone manufacturers – Xiaomi Inc. and Lenovo Group Limited (ADR) (LNVGY) – traded places as the third and fourth largest manufacturers in the world.

Lenovo and Xiaomi specialize in devices that offer much better specs than the phone Microsoft intends to offer. The two pose a serious threat to the tech giant’s business in the emerging markets. And as it is, Samsung and Apple’s premiums lines are often the phones of choice for many in the US, UK, and Europe.

While the release of Microsoft’s new phone doesn’t make earlier versions of the Lumia series such as the 1020, 1520, and 920 irrelevant, these old phones remain the best Microsoft has to offer to mature markets, and they haven’t been updated in a while. In the meantime, Samsung and Apple have been busy updating their devices year after year.

Microsoft has had a mixed experience with hardware. Consoles such as the Xbox and Xbox 360 performed extremely well, while the Xbox One (like some of its phones) was a bit of a disaster. The Surface tablet initially started off slow, but sales have picked up 127% since the release of the Surface 3 Pro.

November 11 and the months following it will show how well Microsoft’s rebranding efforts pay off for its smartphone business.

Credit:http://www.bidnessetc.com/28819-microsoft-msft-lumia-smartphone-set-to-launch-next-week

Finally, a smartphone battery that lives up to its claims: Sony's Xperia Z3 lasts for TWO days - even when streaming videos and making calls

• Official testing revealed the Xperia Z3 lasts, on average, for 48 hours
• This included using a so-called Typical Smartphone User usage profile
• This involved using the device for approximately five hours over 24 hours
• Testers used the device for calling, texting, checking social networks, playing games, using the camera, listening to music and streaming video 
• And reviews of the device have since matched these claims 

By: Victoria Woollaston

Sony unveiled its Xperia Z3 smartphone in September with the bold claim that its battery lasts an almost unprecedented two days.

And while manufacturers have a tendency to exaggerate about such features, reviews of the device suggest Sony wasn’t lying.

Initial testing revealed that not only does the device last, on average, for 48 hours before it needs charging again, this is the case even when streaming music, making calls and watching videos.

Initial testing revealed that not only does Sony's Xperia Z3 (pictured) last, on average, for 48 hours before it needs charging again, this is the case even when streaming music, making calls and using the phone for an average of five hours over a 24-hour period

Sony’s claims were made using a so-called Typical Smartphone User usage profile.

This involved using the device for approximately five hours over a 24-hour period, for a range of ‘typical usage scenarios’.

SONY XPERIA Z3 SPECIFICATIONS 

Dimensions: 146 x 72 x 7.3mm

Weight: 152g

Screen size: 5.2"

Screen resolution: 1,920 x 1,080 

Battery: 3,100mAh Li-ion

Internal storage: 16GB (with expandable storage up to 128GB) 

Rear camera: 20.7MP

Front-facing camera: 2.2MP

They included calling, texting, surfing the web, checking social networks, playing games, using the camera, listening to music and streaming video.

In tests, the phone’s default settings were applied, which included setting the display brightness to 100 nits, with battery stamina mode turned off.

Nits are used to determine the brightness and readability of a display, and the Xperia ranges from four to 713 – meaning 100 is towards the dimmer end, but not at the minimum.

During personal tests, the phone lasted for 45 hours before it ran out of energy completely.

A number of other tech sites have also managed up to two-day battery life during tests.

Engadget’s James Trew, for example, said: ‘The Xperia Z3 performs well and has epic battery life.

'In my personal usage, I regularly got two days of full use, or so near to two days that I'm loath to mark it down for the odd 10pm finish on the second day.’

In tests, the phone's display brightness was set to 100 nits. Nits are used to determine the brightness of a display, and the Xperia Z3 ranges from four to 713. During personal tests, the phone (pictured) lasted for 45 hours before it ran out of energy completely

By comparison, the battery on Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus (pictured) has been improved to last more than 24 hours on average. Sony's Xperia Z2 typically lasts 1.4 days, based on official tests

While, Michael Sawh from Trusted Reviews added: ‘You can comfortably get a couple of days use out of this and that’s without tapping into the battery saving power management modes.

‘It will push on further if you don’t have that brightness cranked up to the max as well.’

By comparison, the battery on Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus has been improved to last more than 24 hours on average.

‘At Sony Mobile, "flagship" now means offering a choice to consumers of enjoying a large screen Xperia Z3 for immersive entertainment or a more compact, lighter Xperia Z3 Compact that doesn't ask you to compromise on features,’ said Kunimasa Suzuki, President and chief executive officer at Sony Mobile Communications.

‘Consumers demand and deserve greatness from their smartphone - in design, camera and battery life.

‘That's precisely what we aim to deliver with Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact.’

Credit:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2800469/finally-smartphone-battery-lives-claims-sony-s-xperia-z3-lasts-two-days-streaming-videos-making-calls.html

Get ready for Apple Pay: Here's how to use it

By: Jefferson Graham

SAN FRANCISCO — For years, companies have been talking about replacing credit cards with smartphones to pay for goods. But consumers have been slow to play along.

That could change on Monday when Apple unveils its Apple Pay program to an audience of over 10 million iPhone 6 and 6 Plus owners.

Apple Pay will also work with the company's new iPads — the Air 2 and Mini 3, which will be released Friday — but only for in-app purchases. To pay at retail, you'll need the new phones.

Left out is the network of over 500 million iPhones sold since 2007, but Apple doesn't mind — it wants to sell new phones and tablets and hopes its new mobile payments system will get consumers excited to upgrade.

The iconic firm has more than 220,000 retail locations that will accept payment on the new iPhones. Major payment networks Visa, MasterCard and American Express and more than 500 banks are on board. Retailers include such biggies as McDonald's, Macy's, Chevron gas stations, Walgreens and Panera Bread.

Apple touts ease of use: Instead of fumbling through a wallet for a credit card, just pull out the phone or tablet. There's also security — no second hands like waiters, valets or other parties will have access to your credit card information.

How to get started with Apple Pay?

• On Monday, update to iOS8.1, the new version of Apple's mobile operating system, via the software update tab in the settings section of your iPhone. The update will allow the new phones to work with Apple Pay.

• On the iPad or iPhone, open Passbook, the so far little-used app that first debuted in 2013 to store tickets, coupons and the like. You can add your credit card or iTunes debit info to the app by using the camera on the Apple device, and scanning your card.

• Look for a retailer that works with Apple Pay to give it a try on the iPhone 6.

Beyond the 220,000 retail locations, apps like Airbnb, Groupon, Lyft and Uber are also working with Apple on their apps to accept payment via the phone and tablet.

• To pay, hold down the TouchID fingerprint sensor on the Apple device and point it at the Apple Pay reader. At home with the iPad, just use your fingerprint instead of a password.

What happens if the phone or tablet is lost? Does all your banking and credit info go with it? Not if you're quick to act.

Apple touts using its Find My iPhone app, where from a computer you can put the device into "lost" mode and suspend Apple Pay.

Apple consumers tend to be such huge fans of the company that they often to rush in and try new offerings on the first days — and inevitably bugs pop up and Apple has to scramble to make quick fixes.

So should folks even bother trying Apple Pay next week?

Veteran Apple analyst Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies thinks it's a safe bet to give it a shot.

"I don't think Apple would release this if the privacy and security issue was not solid," he says. "However, there could be glitches at the point-of-sales terminals during the initial roll-out, although those NFC-based terminals have worked pretty flawlessly so far."

And while Apple's network of 10 million new iPhone owners is a sliver of its total 500 million plus iPhone audience, Bajarin thinks the audience will greatly grow before the end of the year.

He estimates that Apple, which is launching Apple Pay only in the U.S. so far, will have sold 60 million new iPhone 6 and 6 Pluses by the end of the year. Half of the new sales will be in the U.S., and "that would mean that about 30 million of these NFC-based phones would be capable of using Apple Pay this year," says Bajarin.

Credit:http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/talkingtech/2014/10/19/how-to-use-apple-pay/17399647/

Can Huawei become China's first global brand?

By: Lina Yueh

Chinese goods are everywhere it seems. But few are name brands and most are associated with being cheap consumer electronics or white goods.

But one company is seeking to change that. Huawei may not be a name that many people in the West are familiar with, but that could be about to change.

The firm is the first Chinese brand to break into the ranks of the top 100 best global brands, according to Interbrand.

It is the world's biggest telecommunications company and one of the most innovative. It makes the networks that power the internet and mobile phone networks. If you took a peek, you'd find that Huawei is used by BT and Vodafone as they make the USB dongles that provide mobile internet access. They also now make smartphones.

But even if Huawei is technologically competitive with the big players, can it go that extra step and convince global consumers?

In other words, can Chinese companies transform innovation into desirable brands? The answer to that will matter for China's future, as the world's richest countries all have that in common - the ability to produce globally competitive companies.

To find out, I gained unprecedented access to Huawei and its premises. Traditionally media-shy, its current chief executive spoke to me in the first broadcast interview ever given by one of the rotating bosses.

Huawei's sprawling campus

Unlike most other Chinese companies, Huawei has a sprawling campus that is reminiscent of Silicon Valley. The green, open environment is designed to encourage innovation, collaboration, and they even provide on-site basketball courts and ping pong tables.

I met a young engineer who says that Huawei is the place to be for Chinese graduates. He tells me that all of his classmates want to work for a global, innovative company and they call themselves Huawei-ren or Huawei people. They are the Chinese version of Googlers.

The company provides leisure facilities on-site to encourage innovation

However, there are obstacles for Chinese private companies. It was only in the late 1980s when consumer markets developed. This is as the centrally planned economy was liberalised and private firms emerged.

But state-owned companies still dominate key sectors of the economy and they get the bulk of bank credit. Huawei was established in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei with five investors who each put in 3,500 yuan. They imported telecoms equipment from nearby Hong Kong, just across the Chinese border.

Huawei also faces specific challenges as telecoms is an industry that can engender suspicion of industrial espionage. Ren's stint in the Chinese army is a cause for concern in the US and other places such as Australia. Huawei denies all of the allegations made against the firm but it is still banned from bidding for US government contracts.

Yet by not being a state-owned firm, Huawei could not rely on government policy that promoted Chinese-foreign joint ventures to gain technology and know-how. Instead, the company innovated and did so cheaply, undercutting competitors to gain market share.

Workers at the company call themselves Huawei-ren

Another difference in the Chinese attitude towards innovation is that firms like Huawei innovate to serve a market need. In other words, they don't create something new and then look for a market for it.

For instance, I got to step inside one of their anechoic chambers. It eliminates echo so that they can test for interference from their antennae or handsets.

It's one of only a few such chambers in the world, but they tell me that their competitive advantage comes from their data. As they are in 150 countries and over one-third of the world's population uses their products, they have more data with which to test and then fine-tune and improve their products.

But the next stage still needs to be invention - something which is certainly recognised in China. Spending on research and development (R&D) has quickly risen to be among the highest in the world at about 2% of GDP.

Tech companies like Huawei consistently spend over 10% of their revenues on R&D, which is in the same league as the biggest global innovators. Half of Huawei's 150,000 employees work in R&D and it holds an impressive 49,000 patents, making it one of the top five patent filers worldwide.

Of course, spending on R&D doesn't necessarily translate into innovation. For instance, around a quarter of Chinese patents are in design, which are thought to be less innovative than invention patents. In the US, the figure is less than 10%.

But Huawei is working on cutting-edge research that I got to hear about, though didn't get to see, as it hasn't hit the market yet.

I met one of their top scientists, Prof Yang Qiang, who works in what Huawei calls its Noah's Ark. It's where they focus on innovation that could be used in five to 10 years.

He said that they are working on a universal translator where people can speak to each other in different languages and the software translates meaning and not just words. It sounds like Star Trek.

The artificial intelligence can even interpret jokes. So, I tried one: why did the chicken cross the road? (Answer: to get to the other side.)

So how would the same joke be told in China? According to Prof Yang: how do you put an elephant into the fridge? You open the door, and put it in.

The company is keen to show off its investments in R&D

Huawei's next strategic move is to make its name known not just to industry insiders but to the seven billion people around the world, chief executive Guo Ping tells me in the first ever broadcast interview the company has done.

He believes they can take on the market leaders because their innovation is centred on customer needs. But can they get global customers to choose their smartphones over Samsung and Apple?

The thing about history is that it rarely repeats itself. One advantage that Chinese firms have is that their home market has more than a billion people so they start with the advantage of scale. So it's possible that China will be the source of the next global giants.

Huawei is racing to develop a 5G network where a film can be downloaded in seconds

But its path is likely to be different.

In the 1980s movie Back to the Future, Michael J Fox's character Marty McFly travelled back in time to the 1950s. He met a scientist who demanded proof that he was from the future.

After Doc Brown scoffs at the idea of an actor (Ronald Reagan) being president, Marty points to the TV and says that in the future, Japan makes the coolest gadgets like VCRs. Doc turns to him and says now he is convinced that he's not from the future since "Made in Japan" is synonymous with cheap, low-quality stuff.

In roughly 30 years, Japan rivalled the United States and became the world's second-largest economy. Japanese manufacturing transformed from producing low-cost goods into launching world-beating companies such as Sony, Toyota, etc.

Now China has overtaken Japan economically, so could its companies become the next global competitors? Can "Made in China" become "Designed in China"?

Huawei is close and if it succeeds, that would point to whether China can make that difficult leap from imitator to innovator. And that could help China become a prosperous nation.

Credit: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29628044

Lenovo to challenge Xiaomi on smartphones with new company in China

By: Michael Kan

In China’s smartphone market, Lenovo wants to fight fire with fire against rival Xiaomi by setting up a new mobile devices company that will use a separate brand, and leverage the Internet to sell directly to consumers.

The still unnamed company will help Lenovo “attack the fast-growing consumer mobile device market in China,” Lenovo said in a statement Wednesday.

Competitor Xiaomi was not named. But the new Lenovo company will operate with what sounds like a similar business model, according to details provided in the announcement.

Like Xiaomi, which has cultivated a huge fan base in China through its own website and social networking services, Lenovo’s new company will also focus on “close customer engagement”.

Sales, marketing and even product development by the company will rely on an “Internet-based business model,” Lenovo added in its statement.

Lenovo already has a thriving handset business in China that in the second quarter was about neck and neck with Xiaomi for the top spot in the country’s smartphone market, according to estimates from research firm Canalys and IDC.

Lenovo’s current smartphone business has been following a more traditional business model, and selling its products through China’s different mobile carriers, retail stores and its own online channels.

Xiaomi, on the other hand, has been disrupting China’s smartphone market, by largely selling its phones online directly to consumers. The company prides itself on engaging customers for input on product improvements, in addition to offering phones at cheap prices that have undercut competitors’ products.

Lenovo’s new company will become operational on April 1, with more details to come in the following months.

Other rivals in China, including Huawei Technologies and ZTE, have also been stepping up to compete with Xiaomi by focusing on online sales and offering phones at lower prices. In 2012, ZTE set up its own independently managed team to build a new smartphone brand called Nubia, which has grown in popularity in the country.

Credit:http://www.pcworld.com/article/2834692/lenovo-to-challenge-xiaomi-on-smartphones-with-new-company-in-china.html

Best business phones? Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry

Summary: There are some outstanding smartphones available for the business user and in this article Matthew Miller identifies the best ones running iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry.

By Matthew Miller

There are a few common features across smartphone operating systems that business users typically look for in a device. These include long battery life, solid hardware design, reliability, fast performance, ample storage capacity, good communications performance, and availability of key applications.

Each major smartphone platform offers several good candidates for the business user, but in this list we'll take a closer look at what I think is the top phone from each OS. They are arranged in order of current smartphone market share, not necessarily in order of my own personal preference.

Android 4.4: Samsung Galaxy Note 4

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is starting to ship to consumers in the US and continues to set the bar for Android smartphone specifications. The Note 4 satisifes the common features I listed above and Samsung marketing power will likely help Samsung sell millions of the device.

• Pros: Fantastic high resolution display, removable battery, microSD card slot, specs to keep you going for years, high quality design, excellent camera results, advanced S Pen functionality
  
  
• Cons: Non-functional fingerprint scanner, too much carrier bloatware, overwhelming notification area
  
  
• Price: $650 to $825, carrier dependent
  
  
• What user is this good for? There are very few phones left with removable batteries and if you are going to be in away from an outlet for days then the Note 4 may be for you. If you enjoy handwriting with a stylus, nothing beats the Note 4 S Pen experience. Samsung also employs Knox for security on the Android platform and is a natural choice for enterprise security.

iOS 8: Apple iPhone 6 Plus

The Apple iPhone 6 Plus launched last month and continues to impress me daily with battery life that just keeps on going, easily surpassing a full long day every single day that I have owned it. Apple went from one of the smallest phones to one of the largest and there is no better iPhone available today.

• Pros: High quality fit and finish, extensive app ecosystem, functional TouchID finger scanner, massive accessory market, very long battery life, landscape-optimized experiences
  
  
• Cons: No storage expansion option, may bend with excessive force
  
  
• Price: $749 to $949
  
  
• What user is this good for? If you are a fan of the iOS ecosystem, then there is only one iPhone to consider to carry you through more than a day. If you want to replace your iPad Mini with a phone, then this should satisfy your needs. The camera is excellent and everything 'just works.'

Windows Phone 8.1: Nokia Lumia 1520

There haven't been many new high end Windows Phone devices released in the US, so last year's Nokia Lumia 1520 retains the crown as the best device available. While the Lumia 930 is available outside the US, the Lumia Icon may be on the way out.

• Pros: Large, high quality display that is perfectly usable outside, well designed with use of high-end plastic material, microSD expansion card, very long battery life, responsive UI, one of the best smartphone cameras
  
  
• Cons: Very large phone, limitation on available apps
  
  
• Price: $585 for AT&T model
  
  
• What user is this good for? Windows Phone 8.1 offers a unique user interface and excellent integration into the Microsoft ecosystem. If you don't have special application needs, Windows Phone is perfectly fine as a modern smartphone OS.

BlackBerry 10: BlackBerry Passport

BlackBerry recently released the Passport and it comes with the best hardware QWERTY keyboard ever released. BlackBerry took a bold step with the Passport and it's refreshing to see a BlackBerry smartphone with top notch specs and a unique form factor focused on the enterprise user.

• Pros: Best ever QWERTY hardware keyboard, very long battery life, UI focused on efficient communications, functional BlackBerry Blend PC companion service
• Cons: Wide device may not be comfortable for all
  
  
• Price: $599
  
  
• What user is this good for? The BlackBerry Passport offers a fresh take on the smartphone with a tank of a device that seems to last forever. There is no question that hardware keyboard fans should pick up the BlackBerry and those with a BES will not find anything better than this.

Credit:http://www.zdnet.com/best-business-phones-android-ios-windows-phone-blackberry-7000034672/

Apple's iPhone 6 crowned fastest mobile on the market: Handset beats Samsung's Galaxy S5 in independent speed tests

By SARAH GRIFFITHS

Independent researchers at Which? tested the processing speeds and performance of the latest phones from Apple, Samsung, HTC and LG

Processing speed determines how quickly the phones can open apps, play videos and games, multitask and more 

Apple's iPhone 6 came first, followed by the iPhone 6 Plus and Galaxy S5

The speed of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 and Sony Experia Z3 are yet to be tested and it's thought both could be as fast as Apple’s new handsets

It was the most eagerly anticipated handset launch this year, and now Apple’s iPhone 6 has been named the fastest on the market.

Independent researchers tested the processing speeds and performance of the latest phones from Apple, Samsung, HTC and LG. Processing speed determines how quickly the phones can open apps, play videos and games, multitask and more.

Apple’s iPhone 6 came out on top in Which? magazine’s poll, ahead of the firm’s supersized iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung’s Galaxy S5.

Independent researchers tested the processing speeds and performance of the latest phones from Apple, Samsung, HTC and LG. They found that Apple's iPhone 6 was the fastest, followed by the firm's larger iPhone 6 Plus handset and the Samsung Galaxy S5 (all pictured)

Apple's older iPhone 5S model came fourth, followed by the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

The Sony Experia Z2 came in seventh place, ahead of the LG G3 and iPhone 5C.

However, in a blog post Which? noted that ‘we’re only ever a month or two away from the next breakthrough in mobile phone speed.

‘The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus might be the fastest smartphones around right now, but don’t expect that to last for long.’

Experts will soon test the raw speed of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 and Sony Experia Z3, which are both expected to give Apple’s new handsets a run for their money.

To put the phones through their paces, researchers used ‘Geekbench 3 software’ to calculate their speed. This graphic shows how they compare - with Apple performing well

To put the phones through their paces, researchers used ‘Geekbench 3 software’ to calculate their speed.

The software is designed to replicate how people use their phones in the real world and calculates single and multi-core performance.

The phones were given a score for the numerous performance tests, which were then combined and weighted.

The higher a phone's score, the better and faster it is and if a score is double, for example, the phone offers double the performance.

The raw speed of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 (pictured left) and Sony Experia Z3 (right) - which have yet to be tested - are both expected to give Apple’s new handsets a run for their money

Both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models have a dual core, 1.4GHz A8 processor. Their rivals, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 have quad-core processors. Quad-core processors are believed to be faster, yet having more cores doesn't necessarily increase speed. 

It instead increases the phone's ability to do more things at once, faster, which is a small but significant distinction. 

Last year, Which? crowned the iPhone 5S the fastest phone,followed by LG's G2 and the Samsung Galaxy S4. 

The iPhone 5S was recorded to have a multi-core speed of 3,971, which is almost 600 points lower than this year’s fastest – the iPhone 6 at 4,569 – showing how quickly technology improves.

While processor speed matters when it comes to opening apps and playing games, Which? did not compare the quality of the phones’ cameras or screens.

Credit:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2793802/apple-s-iphone-6-crowned-fastest-mobile-market-handset-beats-samsung-s-galaxy-s5-independent-speed-tests.html