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  • Samsung crams LTE into a tiny smartwatch chip

    by 
    Steve Dent
    Steve Dent
    10.11.2016

    Samsung's mobile division is in crisis mode right now, so of course the company is happy to talk about one division that is doing well: chips. It just unveiled the Exynos 7 Dual 7270, which is not only the first 14-nanometer wearable processor, but the first in its class to have a built-in LTE modem. That means your next smartwatch could connect to a cell network and let you tether your laptop without a smartphone -- a trick that's reserved for the LG Urbane LTE and just a few other wearables right now.

  • UK retailer Argos tries to undercut the Hudl with £100 Android tablet

    by 
    Steve Dent
    Steve Dent
    10.15.2013

    UK supermarkets carrying their own branded tablets is apparently a thing now, and Argos has joined Tesco with its launch of the 7-inch MyTablet. Though the £100 price trumps the £119 Hudl, the tab is decidedly more budget, featuring a 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 screen, dual-core 1.6-Ghz CPU, 2-megapixel camera and Android 4.2.2. Hudl, meanwhile, rocks a quad-core 1.5Ghz CPU and 1,440 x 900 screen. Also, unlike Tesco's in-house styled offering, MyTablet appears to be a rebadge, though we can't put our finger on the manufacturer. Argos told the BBC that it'll be affordable to its tween target market at that price, explaining that "kids find it hard to share." We won't argue with that logic, but we reckon parents should be more willing to spend the extra £19, given the difference in specs.

  • Qualcomm grows Snapdragon 200 family with six new chips, targets emerging markets

    by 
    Myriam Joire
    Myriam Joire
    06.20.2013

    Just because Qualcomm's gone to plaid (aka. reached ludicrous speed) with its Snapdragon 800 flagship doesn't mean the company's been standing still at the other end of the market. The Snapdragon 200 family just received a major boost with the introduction of six new chips geared at China and other emerging markets. Available with dual- and quad-core CPUs, the processors are manufactured using a 28nm process and incorporate HSPA+ (21Mbps) and TD-SCDMA radios. The new SoCs are optimized to provide good multimedia performance and long battery life, with support for dual cameras (up to 8MP rear and 5MP front), multiple SIMs (dual standby, dual active and tri standby), iZat location tech and Quick Charge 1.0. Qualcomm's Adreno 302 GPU rounds up the spec list, making these chips well suited for devices running Android, Windows Phone and Firefox OS. The company's expected to begin shipping these new processors (8x10 and 8x12) in late 2013. Full PR after the break.

  • Hands-on with Maxwest's $65 7-inch dual-core Jelly Bean tablet at CTIA 2013

    by 
    Myriam Joire
    Myriam Joire
    05.23.2013

    It's true that cheap affordable Android tablets are a dime a dozen at most trade shows these days, but here at CTIA 2013 we stumbled upon something that caught our eye -- a 7-inch dual-core tablet running Jelly Bean that costs just $65. The Maxwest TAB-7155DC aka. Ippo Y88 measures 182 x 122 x 10mm (7.16 x 4.8 x 0.39inch), weighs 187g (6.6oz) and comes in several hues (black, white, silver, red, blue and pink). It features a 7-inch 1024 x 600-pixel capacitive multitouch LCD, an Infotmic IMAPx820 SoC (1GHz dual-core Cortex A5 CPU with Mali 400 GPU), 512MB of RAM, 4GB of built-in storage, dual VGA cameras (front and back), WiFi b/g/n and a 2800mAh battery. The screen isn't covered in glass and there's no sign of any Bluetooth or GPS radios, but then again, what do you expect for $65? You''ll find a power / lock key, DC socket, micro-USB port (with on-the-go support) and mini-HDMI output on the top edge, plus a 3.5mm headphone jack, volume rocker and microSD card slot on the right side. A microphone and speaker round things up in back. The tablet runs a mostly stock version of Jelly Bean (Android 4.1.1, to be specific) and includes the usual assortment of Google apps along with access to the Play Store. Performance is adequate -- not buttery smooth but perfectly usable. Build quality and materials are surprisingly decent for the price (the plastic is color-through), but the display leaves a lot to be desired (viewing angle are poor and the acrylic covering the screen is scratch-prone). Then again, it's only $65, right? Check out the gallery below for our rose-colored hands-on with this inexpensive tablet. %Gallery-189293%

  • Sony Xperia L: a budget Android device with a focus on imaging and style

    by 
    Joseph Volpe
    Joseph Volpe
    03.18.2013

    The days of the new Sony Mobile are now long past. Two years in, and the company appears to have hit a stride with its smartphone portfolio, churning out new Xperias on a consistent basis. And today is no different with the unveiling of the Xperia L, a mid- to low-end effort that places a heavy emphasis on the camera experience. Carrying on the Arc's legacy, this 4.3-inch handset packs an FWVGA display, dual-core 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, 1,700mAh battery, 8GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD), NFC and an 8-megapixel rear shooter with Exmor RS sensor into a conspicuously curved body rounded off with that signature Xperia power key. Though it lacks the greater resolution and screen size of its 720p sibling the SP, this more budget-friendly device does enjoy an exclusive perk: HDR stills and video. A feature Sony's included to make the L an attractive point-and-shoot option for budget-minded consumers concerned with style points and not LTE or raw performance. Unsurprisingly, it comes pre-loaded with a trio of Sony's own media apps -- Walkman, Movies and Album -- a precedent it set at IFA last year. %Gallery-183057%

  • Nokia Lumia 720 preview: a slim and 'trendy' Windows Phone 8 handset for the social networking set (update: video)

    by 
    Joseph Volpe
    Joseph Volpe
    02.25.2013

    It's what the 920 should've been -- the Lumia 720, that is. And that's likely what other press will claim, as well. From the moment Nokia laid the slim, 4.3-inch device in our hands, it was apparent the company has a different user in its sights: the hyper-social and style-obsessed. With a profile of 9mm, the Lumia 720 is now the thinnest Windows Phone 8 device in the Finnish company's lineup. And it's also the "trendiest," as Nokia will no doubt remind you in its eventual marketing. So, you can forget about dazzling specs -- the 720's demo supposedly isn't concerned with bleeding-edge tech. In fact, some of what you'll find in the 720 can also be found in its lowest-end cousin, the 520; like that dual-core 1GHz Snapdragon processor and 800 x 480 Sensitive Touch display. The question then is: what makes this Lumia sleek enough for the fashion crowd (and their tiny purses and skinny jeans)? At its base, the 720 is all about color(s) and camera, just not in the way the Lumia 920 was. For starters, the slight-looking 720 will come in five different shades (matte: cyan, yellow, black and red; glossy: white) and includes a 1.3-megapixel front facer with wide-angle lens and a new 6.7-megapixel rear camera module with f/1.9 lens (developed with Carl Zeiss labs) for low-light performance. There's also a new digital lens Nokia's pre-installed, dubbed Glam Me, to give selfies (aka personal portrait shots) an extra bit of sheen -- something Nokia tells us its Asian users are clamoring for. Apparently, this new filter adds the ability to whiten teeth, widen eyes, soften skin and even overlay a rainy-day window or magazine-like layouts to shots.

  • Nokia Lumia 720 unveiled: 4.3-inch ClearBlack display, 9mm thick, 6.7MP Carl Zeiss, wireless charging capable

    by 
    Joseph Volpe
    Joseph Volpe
    02.25.2013

    Notice Vogue in that live tile up there? That's because Nokia's toning down its focus on imaging innovation at this year's MWC (remember the PureView 808?) for a hyper-targeted take on the mid-range: the Lumia 720. Made for über-social types prone to late-night party shots, selfies and multimedia uploads, this 4.3-inch device builds on the polycarbonate unibody of its 920 elder, albeit in a much slimmer and smoother form factor. Measuring just 9mm in thickness and weighing 128 grams (4.5 ounces), the 720 also bears the distinction of being Nokia's most svelte Windows Phone 8 device to date. It also packs a dual-core 1GHz Snapdragon CPU (the same as the Lumia 520), 512MB RAM, 800 x 480 ClearBlack display, 2,000mAh battery, NFC and an option for wireless charging (enabled by a separate snap-on cover) into the trendiest design the company could create. To push that trendsetting message forward, Nokia's imbued the 720 with a dual-camera setup that's ideal for the party circuit (e.g., low-light shots and self-portraits). Up front, there's a 1.3-megapixel camera with wide-angle lens and a 6.7-megapixel rear shooter with f/1.9 lens on back, specifically crafted by Carl Zeiss labs to take in more light. And as a further lure for the vainglorious types that may pick it up, the 720 will also ship with a new digital lens pre-loaded: Glam Me. As the name implies, this proprietary filter allows users to edit their images (whiten teeth, oversaturate colors, widen eyes, etc.) before sharing on social networking sites. In addition to that proprietary camera software perk, Nokia's also tacked-on its full suite of Here apps (Drive, Transit and Maps), as well as Nokia Music -- all exclusives to the Lumia line. Nokia fans keen on a US release will have to sit and wait this one out (or opt for the Lumia 520 on T-Mobile). At present, the Lumia 720's only set to launch in Asia (specifically China) and parts of Europe in five colors (cyan, black, yellow, red and glossy white) for €249 (about $330 USD) this Q2 2013. Head on past the break for the official PR.

  • Intel launches dual-core Clover Trail+ mobile Atom processors

    by 
    Steve Dent
    Steve Dent
    02.25.2013

    Intel teased a dual-core Clover Trail+ earlier this year at CES 2013, and now it's revealed the rest of the story on the new Atom-based mobile processors at MWC 2013 in Barcelona. While based on the same 32nm architecture of the previous Medfield generation, the new Z2580, Z2560 and Z2520 chips will pack dual 2.0GHz, 1.6GHz and 1.2Ghz CPU cores, respectively, along with two PowerVR SGX 544 GPU cores. That should make the new chip a lot more competitive than the previous generation, performance-wise, though battery life may suffer next to 28nm chips from the likes of Qualcomm. Still, Intel says that the new chips will burn less juice at idle than Medfield, meaning cell life could vary widely depending on usage. On the radio side, Intel's at last bringing support for 42Mbps DC-HSPA+ along with 11.5 Mbps HSUPA cat 7 with its XMM 6360 silicon, but there'll still be no multimode (on-chip) LTE support for now. However, it also launched its new XMM 7160 radio as a separate chip, supporting 15 LTE bands along with HSPA+ and saying that it'll appear on its upcoming 22nm SoC chips -- which the company said were on track to arrive by the end of the year. Finally, Intel flaunted a new Clover Trail+ reference design, featuring a Z2580 CPU, 2GB of RAM, a max 256GB(!) of NAND, WUXGA support (1,920 x 1,200) and a rear 16-megapixel camera. Hopefully, there'll be a large battery to go along with all that -- check the PR after the break for more.

  • BlackBerry Z10 official: 4.2-inch 1,280 x 768 display, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus, LTE, BB 10 for $200

    by 
    Joseph Volpe
    Joseph Volpe
    01.30.2013

    After months of rumors, speculation and official teases, RIM's BlackBerry's first full-touch BlackBerry 10 device -- the Z10 -- is finally official. Look familiar? It should. Thanks to an incessant stream of leaks, the handset you see in black and white above had become something of an open secret. But now we can confirm that candybar slab does indeed pack specs quite similar to that of the Dev Alpha unit that preceded it. Bucking the bigger is better trend we've seen in the mobile industry as of late, the Z10 comes outfitted with a palm-friendly 4.2-inch 1,280 x 768 display -- amounting to a pixel density of 356 dpi -- and measures in at 5.13 (130mm) x 2.6 (66mm) x 0.37 (9.3mm) inches, making it significantly bulkier than, say, the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III. So, it's not the thinnest device we've seen as of late, but at 138 grams, the Z10 certainly won't be weighing down your hand. Beneath its mixture of aluminum and hard, textured plastic lies a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus buffered by 2GB RAM, a removable 1,800mAh battery, slots for microSD (up to 32GB supported) and micro SIM, as well as radios for Bluetooth 4.0, NFC (integrated into the backplate) and WiFi a/b/g/n. And because no 2013-era smartphone launch could go without it, the Z10 will ship LTE-ready for AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, with carrier-branded models across the top four US operators. Long time BlackBerry fans will be glad to note that the Z10 does, indeed, sport that familiar red notification LED, in addition to ports for micro-USB, micro-HDMI and a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the imaging front, the handset packs a 2-megapixel front facer (720p video) and 8-megapixel rear shooter capable of 1080p recording -- both perfect for using Scalado's Time Shift camera software. Of course, it nearly goes without saying that the Z10 is RIM's showcase entry point for its BB 10 OS. Of the stateside carriers, Verizon is the first to confirm that it'll charge $199.99 for the handset on a two-year deal when the hardware arrives in March, and has also called shotgun on the white version as an exclusive. You can read along at our liveblog!

  • Allwinner throws A20 dual-core and A31-quad-core processors into ARM fray

    by 
    Steve Dent
    Steve Dent
    12.11.2012

    Whimsically monikered Chinese chip-maker Allwinner has added a pair of ARM Cortex-A7 processors to its lineup supporting Android 4.2 or higher systems. The A20 is a dual-core design with 512KB L2 cache, dual-core Mali 400 graphics and 2160p HD video playback support, while the quad-core A31 packs a 1MB cache, PowerVR SGX 544 graphics and UHDTV (4k) video decoding talents. The A20 is pin compatible with its Linux-hobbyist favorite sibling, the A10 -- meaning devices such as the MK802 mini-PC using that chip could likely be upgraded by manufacturers on the cheap. However, the more powerful A31 seems destined for higher-end Android or Windows RT devices only, considering its beefier PowerVR graphics. On top of the extra zip, licensor Imagination Technologies keeps its source code cards close to the chest -- likely ruling out Linux for that chip.

  • Sony Xperia TL review: the company's second US flagship is much improved, but still imperfect

    by 
    Joseph Volpe
    Joseph Volpe
    11.02.2012

    As Sony's second stab at the US mobile market, the Xperia TL arrives with a major corporate synergistic push: a 007 movie franchise tie-in. But an awkward distinction as the official Bond phone and a smattering of pre-loaded "Skyfall" multimedia content alone won't drive consumer adoption; the specs and pricing will. Following in the footsteps of the company's first stateside flagship, the Ion, this AT&T 4G LTE exclusive is priced aggressively at $99 on two-year contract, packing a 4.6-inch HD Reality display (1,280 x 720) powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 clocked at 1.5GHz, 16GB of storage (expandable up to 32GB via microSD), 1GB RAM, NFC, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, as well as an integrated 1,850mAh battery. With Ice Cream Sandwich running the show and a planned upgrade to Jelly Bean in the works, it has all the makings of a current-gen high-end offering. So will the Xperia TL help Sony build much-needed buzz for its mobile division here in the states? Can a sub-$100 price tag effectively lure consumers away from the bigger, faster and flashier Android phones AT&T has to offer? Or is this mainly one for Sony loyalists? Find out after the break as we put the TL through its paces.%Gallery-169692%

  • HTC 8X review: Windows Phone 8's compact flagship

    by 
    Myriam Joire
    Myriam Joire
    10.29.2012

    More Info Windows Phone 8X by HTC: 4.3-inch 720p display, LTE, dual-core S4, available this November Windows Phone 8X by HTC hands-on: Microsoft's modern mobile OS personified in polycarbonate Windows Phone 8 review It feels like forever since Microsoft announced Windows Phone 8 back in June, but the mobile OS is finally here and with it comes the inaugural volley of compatible handsets. The first one to cross our desks is the global, unlocked version of HTC's Windows Phone 8X, a device we first saw in September. Unlike other current flagships, this phone breaks the bigger-is-better trend by providing a full set of high-end specs in a relatively compact package -- combining a 4.3-inch 720p Super LCD 2 display, Qualcomm dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and NFC in a sleek and colorful package. Does the 8X have what it takes to carry the Windows Phone 8 torch? Is this a bona fide flagship despite its reduced footprint? Has HTC designed a better handset than its existing Android superphone, the One X? Find out in our review after the break.%Gallery-169525%

  • HTC One VX for AT&T hands-on: mid-range style on a budget (video)

    by 
    Myriam Joire
    Myriam Joire
    10.04.2012

    What do you get when you raid HTC's parts bin and combine the camera from the One V, the screen resolution from the One S and the design language from the One X? Say hello to HTC's One VX for AT&T, a stylish mid-range smartphone running Ice Cream Sandwich and Sense 4. It features a 4.5-inch qHD Super LCD 2 display with Gorilla Glass 2, Qualcomm 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor (MSM8930) with GSM/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA+/LTE radio, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 8GB of on-board storage and a five megapixel f/2.0 autofocus BSI camera with flash and 1080p video recording. The front glass incorporates the earpiece, AT&T logo and VGA shooter up top along with the usual capacitive buttons (back, home and recent apps / menu) below the display. A silver plastic rim traces the sides of the handset -- it's a simple and familiar layout, with the power / lock key, headphone jack and secondary mic on top, micro-USB port and primary mic at the bottom, and the volume rocker on the right edge. Pop the white plastic back cover and you'll find micro-SIM and microSD card slots, a non-removable 1810mAh battery and the NFC antenna. Unfortunately, we were given a non-functional dummy unit to play with so we can't comment on things like screen quality or subjective performance. We can tell you that the phone is light, thin and feels good in the hand -- it slots somewhere between the One S and the One X in terms of size, and looks nice despite being made of cheaper materials than its stablemates. AT&T and HTC are still mum on availability but we were told to expect aggressive, budget-friendly pricing. Want to see more? Take a look at our gallery below and our hands-on video after the break. Update: we expect to see a working One VX at today's AT&T announcement so stay tuned for more impressions.

  • NEC Medias Tab UL runs Android 4.0, weighs just over half a pound (hands-on)

    by 
    Mat Smith
    Mat Smith
    10.02.2012

    Folded in between DoCoMo R&D prototypes and One Piece-themed smartphones unlikely to make it across the Pacific, NEC's new Android tablet caught our eye. The 7-inch NEC Medias Tab UL is one very svelte slab. Measuring in at just 7.9mm (0.3 inches) thick and weighing a mere 250g (0.55 lbs), the tablet still manages to house a 3,100mAh battery, and a Snapdragon MSM8960 1.5GHz dual-core processor. If you'd compare it to the Nexus 7, Google's own effort look a little weighty and thick against this white-finish tablet. Performance from the dual-core chip is also suitably impressive, despite the curious DoCoMo-decked Android skin coating the Ice Cream Sandwich OS. In true Japanese style, there's a TV aerial embedded within the side and while it won't broadcast the crisp high-definition delights of NOTTV, there's plenty of terrestrial viewing available -- if you stay in the Land of the Rising Sun. We were pleasantly surprised with its crisp WXGA screen, which looks to be TFT. The 1,280 x 800 resolution display meant videos and websites looked sharp, while there was barely any color degradation at wider angles. On DoCoMO's network, users can expect to see download speeds up to 75Mbs, and upload speeds hitting up to 25Mbps. The tablet is now on sale across Japan, but there's still no word yet on it launching elsewhere.

  • Intel reveals Quad-Core, LTE-capable mobile chips are on the way

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    09.24.2012

    Intel's curious decision to shun the US and release Medfield-powered smartphones in India, China, Russia and the UK might be because of those countries' underdeveloped levels of LTE. Marketing chief Sumeet Syal told TechCrunch that its current-generation x86 system-on-chip won't support the standard, but a modem solution will arrive at the end of the year -- with production ramping up in 2013. He also let slip to the site that a replacement dual-core platform will arrive shortly, claiming they'll benefit from Intel's hyper threading know-how. Syal said that Santa Clara is "comfortable" with its progress just months after entering the smartphone space but declined to discuss numbers -- for which we'll have to wait for the Q3 earnings call in October to find out how well (or not) Intel's mobile ambitions are going.

  • HTC One S family hits China sporting different threads, identical specs

    by 
    Steve Dent
    Steve Dent
    09.07.2012

    HTC has delivered smartphone triplets to the Chinese market: the HTC One ST, SC and SU -- and while the devices have identical guts (except for network gear), each has its own housing, carrier and color scheme. All three carry 4.3-inch 800 x 480 screens, dual-core 1GHz processors, 1GB RAM, 4GB storage, a 5-megapixel camera with 5 fps continuous shooting, Beats audio, dual-sim / dual standby capability and Android 4.0 with HTC sense 4. But the HTC One ST, destined for China Mobile, brings a curvier 9.2mm thick design and choice of three colors, including a now passé red. The One SC for China Telecom has a squarish, 8.9mm asymmetric two-tone design, and three color choices as well, including a burnt orange for the more fashion forward. Finally there's China Unicom's HTC One SU, with a similar body to its SC counterpart, but featuring powder blue as an accent color. No pricing has been announced yet for the entry-level spec'd models, but consumers there may want to check their wardrobes before picking up one of the bolder models. %Gallery-164697%

  • Amazon Kindle Fire sequel may have surfaced in logs, points to Android 4.0 and return to dual-core

    by 
    Jon Fingas
    Jon Fingas
    09.05.2012

    There have been surprisingly few if any concrete leaks of Amazon's future Kindle Fire plans, even with the follow-up's appearance likely just hours away. Thankfully, we may have been given a last-minute peek into the company's strategy after an Engadget reader tipped us to some unusual activity in an app's hardware usage logs. At least a pair of hits have come from a new device identifying itself as "AmazonKFTT" instead of the much plainer "AmazonKindleFire" language attached to the original model. There's also signs that Amazon has upgraded the OS underneath to Android 4.0.3. We wouldn't anticipate this particular slate carrying a quad-core chip to tackle the Nexus 7 head-on, though -- unless the KFTT variant is just a firmware-updated Kindle Fire with a name change, the next generation should still have at least one dual-core tablet in the range. Here's hoping there are a few more surprises in store by the time Amazon takes the stage on Thursday. [Thanks, Jared]

  • Motorola announces Droid RAZR Maxx HD

    by 
    Michael Gorman
    Michael Gorman
    09.05.2012

    Well, we weren't expecting it at today's Motorola event, but Motorola just outed a Maxx version of the Droid RAZR HD. Like its svelter sibling, the HD Maxx has a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED HD screen, 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, LTE, and an 8-megapixel shooter, but it upgrades the onboard storage to 32GB. And the main event with any RAZR Maxx is, of course, an upgraded 3,300mAh battery that promises up to 21 hours of talk time, 13 hours of video playback or eight hours of web browsing on LTE. Naturally, a price has to be paid for such longevous life, but at 67.9mm wide, 131.9 mm long and a mere 9.3mm thin -- less than 1mm thicker than the standard HD -- it's a relatively small one. Naturally, we don't know how much this beast will cost, but Motorola's telling us it'll be available for this holiday season. Folks looking to dig into the details even further can find them in the PR after the break and at the source below.%Gallery-164427%

  • Nokia Lumia 920 hands-on: the dual-core, HD Windows Phone 8 flagship to take on the beasts

    by 
    Joseph Volpe
    Joseph Volpe
    09.05.2012

    It's official. Nokia's just taken the wraps off its worst-kept Windows Phone 8 secret: the Lumia 920. The device, announced at the manufacturer's event in New York City today, is a spiritual successor to the 900 that first broke onto American shores and can largely be seen as a response to critics of that former device. With a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU (the same one that drives the current US supremos, the HTC One X and Galaxy S III), a "better than HD" 1,280 x 768 LCD display, PureView imaging (albeit with only eight megapixels), NFC capabilities, 2,000mAh battery with wireless charging and a next-gen Redmond-baked OS, this handset's a big-break proposition for the flailing Finnish company; an attempt to up the ante and compete on even ground. From the outside, it may appear as though not much has changed in this generational hardware leap, but rest assured that what Espoo's packed inside should take the mobile outfit to the next level. So, follow on after the break as we dive into our first impressions of this curiously hued smartphone splash.%Gallery-164354%

  • Nokia Lumia 920 official: Dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU, 8MP PureView camera, Windows Phone 8 (video)

    by 
    Joseph Volpe
    Joseph Volpe
    09.05.2012

    It was only this past spring that Nokia crashed onto the US smartphone scene to stake its claim and make inroads into consumers' minds and hearts. Now, just five months later, the Finnish company's poised to overtake the buzz of its fledgling, former Windows Phone flagship, with what many consider to be a true high-end contender: the Lumia 920. As one of the first Windows Phone 8 devices to be officially announced, this device augments Espoo's line with a larger, curved 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ display, dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU, 2,000mAh battery, NFC, integrated wireless charging and an 8-megapixel rear PureView camera capable of 1080p video. The display packs WXGA (1,280 x 768) resolution, is 25 percent brighter than the next best panel on the market and it's the fastest LCD that Nokia has ever shipped on a smartphone. What's more, the screen also boasts what Nokia calls "Super Sensitive Touch," which promises to let you use it even when wearing gloves or mitts. As you can tell from its humpless back, this PureView is not that of the 41-megapixel variety -- it's merely all about the branding, as the moniker will now ring synonymous with "high-end cameras." Despite that fall from 808 grace, Nokia's Head of Imaging Damian Dinning has assured detractors the magic is in what's done with the optics and pixels and not sheer gargantuan sampling size. To wit, the 920 employs a "floating lens," which, in layman's terms, translates into hardware image stabilization and also packs impressive low-light capabilities -- an area the company's seems squarely focused upon. In a true return to form, the 920 also hearkens back to the Lumia that started it all, opting for the "sinuous tapering" that debuted on the 800 with glass edges that blend gently into the polycarbonate hull. Unfortunately, not all of that design language has made the transition, given its chassis now appears glossier and more polished, distancing itself from that premium matte finish. Still, as looks go, the handset's keeping to its 900 origins, appearing nigh indistinct from its predecessor save for that attention-grabbing mellow yellow hue.And as a bonus, Nokia's imbued the device with integrated wireless charging, based on the Qi standard, which corroborates those leaks we saw just last week. The Lumia 920 will arrive in pentaband LTE and HSPA+ variants and both are expected to ship "in selected markets" later this year. %Gallery-164319% %Gallery-164359%