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Microsoft Canada claims HTC 8X, Nokia Lumia 920 ship in earnest to Rogers on November 12th
American carriers have almost been tripping over themselves to pin down release dates for their Windows Phone 8 devices, but we've heard precious little for those north of the border. Microsoft Canada has at last showed its hand: the company's Facebook page briefly showed that Rogers would offer both the HTC Windows Phone 8X and full-scale shipments of the Nokia Lumia 920 on November 12th. While Rogers will only confirm to us so far that the HTC 8X is arriving sometime "next week," the post suggests Canada might get HTC's leading device slightly ahead of the US, on top of just edging out Americans on the Nokia flagship. Any truth to the exact timing could satisfy those who think even the wait for Bell's rumored November 15th launch might be too long.
TI details the wireless power chip in the Lumia 920, offers four times the charging area
If you're one of the first on your block to have picked up a Nokia Lumia 920, you might wonder why it's so forgiving with where you set it down on the wireless charging pad. TI is more than willing to share. The 920, 820, Fatboy charging pillow and JBL PowerUp speaker all use a new TI bq500410A controller whose support for new transmitters gives it a charging area four times larger than we're used to. The 2.76 by 0.79 inches of coverage might not sound like much, but it's much wider than the previous 0.71 square inches while preserving a 70 percent efficiency and a safety cutoff if something gets in between. As a companion, there's a bq51050B chip launching at the same time that represents the first Qi receiver with its own built-in battery charger, which TI claims can charge more quickly and in less space than its rivals. Anyone embracing Nokia's vision of Windows Phone 8 can get their hands on devices using the wireless power chips today; we're only left hoping that TI's official news means other phone makers can tag along.
AT&T selling Nokia's Lumia 920 for $450 off-contract
It's an understatement to say that the Lumia 920 is priced "to sell," and that doesn't just mean with AT&T's carrier subsidy. If you'd prefer to own your smartphone outright, you can snag the handset for $449.99 -- $100 less the Galaxy S III and $200 less than the iPhone 5. There's no word on when these pre-orders will begin to ship, but if you're that commitment-phobic, you're not gonna hold other people to deadlines, are you? [Thanks, Tom]
AT&T prices Lumia 920 and 8GB HTC 8X at $100, Lumia 820 at $50, Nokias due on Friday
AT&T is finally spilling the beans on how much its Windows Phone 8 handsets will set you back if you plump for a two-year deal. Nokia's Lumia 920 costs $99.99, $50 less than previously speculated, and will come with a free wireless charging plate. If your wallet can't (or won't) stretch that far, then you can snag a Lumia 820 for just $49.99, the same price as last generation's flagship. If you've had your eye turned by HTC's much-lauded Windows Phone 8X, then you can select an 8GB limited edition version in blue or limelight (yellow) for $99.99, or a 16GB device for $199.99. Both of the Nokia handsets will be available to pre-order from the 7th (tomorrow) and available on the 9th (Friday), while the 8X should be rolling around "before Thanksgiving." Now that 'Ma Bell has tipped her hand, it's now down to Verizon, which is expected to make its riposte on Thursday.
Best Buy pricing once again pegs Nokia Lumia 920 at $150 on-contract (update: now $99)
Seems like just a few days ago that Best Buy inadvertently outed its pricing of the Lumia 920. While the company eventually pulled its listing, its pricing for the upcoming Windows Phone is looking more solid than ever. You see, a shopper in Naples, Fla., was recently able to snag a photo of an in-store display that once again pegs the Lumia 920 at $150 with a two-year contract or $600 outright. Keep in mind that Best Buy's pricing may not be the same as AT&T's own offering, but it's worth putting this on your radar in the buildup to its debut -- especially if the Smurf shirt crew manages to come in cheaper. Update: Following AT&T's official announcement this morning, Best Buy is following suit by pricing the Lumia 920 at $99. Company representatives tell us the smartphone will be available for pre-order at all Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile locations beginning tomorrow, and the Lumia 920 will be available for purchase this Friday.
Nokia Lumia 920 review: Windows Phone 8 and (a little bit of) camera magic
More Info Nokia Lumia 920 official: Dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU, 8MP PureView camera Nokia Lumia 920 low-light shootout Windows Phone 8 review It's been almost a year to the day since we reviewed Nokia's first Windows Phone and now we're staring at its second-generation flagship, the Lumia 920. Since the Lumia 800, Nokia's taken a pretty big role in improving Windows Phone's standing in a crowded (but lucrative) smartphone battlefield. While it may be sharing the spotlight with the new HTC 8X, this slab of hewn polycarbonate has garnered plenty of admirers. No doubt, a large chunk of those would-be phone buyers are, for better and worse, lusting after the phone's PureView imaging tech -- and after our early tests, it looks like it could be just as impressive as the lossless optical zoom seen on the PureView 808. The Lumia 920 dominated Nokia's presentation at Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 press event a few months ago, with the smaller Lumia 820 barely getting a look-in. It's got a "better-than-HD" 1,280 x 768, 4.5-inch high-contrast IPS display, built-in contactless charging, solid build quality and more of Nokia's exclusive software additions. This time, at least on hardware specifications, the company aims to put its flagship on equal footing with the likes of the Galaxy S III and the iPhone 5. Can Nokia's biggest and (literally) brightest smartphone maintain its place at top of the Windows Phone pile? How does that camera fare with extended use? And will the Lumia 920 offer enough to pull you away from Android or iOS for your next phone?%Gallery-170074% %Gallery-170070%
Nokia Music gets upgraded for Lumia 920 and Lumia 820: Equalizer, Dolby support, Facebook connectivity
Now Windows Phone 8 has arrived with Xbox Music in tow, what's next for Nokia Music? Well, at a press briefing this week in London, it told the assembled tech press that its still going -- and Nokia's even adding features. The music service is apparently continuing to expand, with new tracks being added weekly -- Nokia's mix radio currently houses 338 curated mixes in the UK alone, across pretty broad selection of music genres. And yep, there was a mention of K-Pop. New functionality improvements include an immediate share-to-Facebook option, while the Gig Finder feature nestled within the music app picks up improved search skills, capable of checking specific venues and areas, along with the ability to buy tickets for -- and get directions to -- future gigs. The app's new audio equalizer has 18 presets while you'll also be able to tweak the seven-channel system to your own personal preference. On top of that, Dolby tech is also embedded in, with Dolby headphone (a signal processing upgrade) in attendance on both the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820. Nokia also affirmed that the upgraded app will be included on its hardware that gets bumped up to version 7.8. We're just about to get our review model and will give the new features a full rundown as soon as we can.
Nokia Lumia 920 ships first to Rogers, makes Canadians the world's vanguards for $100 (update: still very exclusive)
What, did you think Americans or Europeans would get the first crack at the Lumia 920? Continuing a recent pattern of Canadians getting devices first, Rogers has confirmed that some of its stores will have Nokia's flagship Windows Phone 8 hardware in stock on October 30th -- that's almost immediately, folks. If you call and find you're near one of the choice few shops carrying the 920, it will cost you either $100 Canadian on a lengthy 3-year contract or $550 outright to walk away with Microsoft's poster child. Nearly the only drawbacks to being a pioneer are the black-only color choice (sorry, still no patriotic red) and Rogers' current lock on the initial launch, although Microsoft's own mention of the Lumia coming to Rogers "and others" gives us hope that Bell and Telus will follow soon. It's a small price to pay for making even the Finns slightly jealous. Update: Surprise -- Rogers caught the Microsoft page for itself and says the hint of non-exclusivity was a mistake that's being corrected. We don't know if the carrier has a permanent exclusive, but we'd tentatively go shopping for a Samsung ATIV S on Telus if you're looking for a high-end Windows Phone on another Canadian network.
Nokia Lumia 920 pre-orders reappear: $699 off-contract at Negri Electronics
If you missed Best Buy's early pre-order showing of the Lumia 920 (which soon disappeared) then you might be interested in stumping a headier amount for the same handset, off-contract. Negri Electronics is now listing the device at $699, but minus those monthly payments to AT&T. The online retailer has the yellow iteration, while it's also stocking the Lumia 820 free from contract restrictions -- and in red -- for $599. The site is sticking resolutely to that pre-order label on both, however, with no mention of a possible delivery date just yet.
Best Buy offering pre-orders for Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X for $149.99 and $99.99 under contract (Update: Lumia 920 no longer listed)
Nokia and HTC's upcoming Windows Phone 8 flagships are still on the standard release path: announcement, federal approval and now, pre-order. Keeping device availability tucked firmly under its hat, Best Buy is now offering Nokia's Lumia 920 and the HTC 8X for pre-sale, priced at $149.99 and $99.99, respectively. Early buyers have options, too: the Lumia 920 is kitted out in red, blue, yellow, black and white shells. Fashionistas with a flair for purple, however, will need to stick to HTC's hardware. Unfortunately, you don't get that much choice -- Best Buy's pre-orders don't balk at the devices' AT&T exclusivity. The retailer doesn't say when devices are going to ship, but we imagine early adopters won't have to wait too long. Update: The Lumia 920 has disappeared from Best Buy's listings, while the 8X remains. This seems to suggest that pre-order stock for Nokia's new flagship has sold out, but given the short time it was available, let's hope that other issues are to blame and the absence is only temporary.
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: fall 2012 edition
Shopping for a smartphone can be an exciting and arduous experience. Along with the promise of something new and fantastic, it brings the fear of commitment, and even worse, the prospect of saddling yourself to a lousy device for two years. Fortunately for you, Engadget spends tons of time playing with the latest gear and we're constantly on the lookout for what's coming next. If you're wanting to take the pain out of shopping for a smartphone, you've come to the right place. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: your one-stop resource to finding the best and most exciting handsets on the market today. Before you dive in, however, we've introduced a few changes to the buyer's guide, so take a minute to prepare yourself for what's in store. First and foremost, you'll now find alternate selections to supplement our top picks. This should already be familiar to many of you, which is the same format we use for our seasonal gift guides. The next one is a biggie: we've dropped the QWERTY selection. By and large, manufacturers and carriers alike have shifted their focus away from keyboard-equipped smartphones, and you'll rarely find more than one option on any given carrier. That said, if you still insist on the tactile experience, you'll always find everything you need to know in our reviews. Finally, whenever possible, you'll now find prices from Amazon Wireless, which allows us to provide you with more compelling budget selections and highlight the substantial savings that you can score by circumventing the carriers. It's not like they need your charity, anyway. If you're curious to see how it all unfolded -- and we know you are -- join us after the break, where we round up the very best smartphones of the season.
Leaked training videos peg Lumia 920 as AT&T exclusive for six months, shows off City Lens, wireless charging
Itching for Nokia's latest piece of Windows Phone kit, but aren't ready to saddle up with Ma Bell? Get comfortable: according to a leaked AT&T training video, you'll have to wait six months for the Lumia 920's exclusivity contract to expire. The unofficial Windows Phone 8 flagship is due out next month, though mum's still the word on its actual ship date. The trio of videos also give AT&T employees a brief run down of Nokia City Lens, wireless charging and the handset's NFC features. If you simply can't wait until spring, Verizon and T-Mobile are serving up a pair of mid-range alternatives, the Lumia 820 and 822, respectively. Otherwise, head past the break to see the videos for yourself and test your patience.
Nokia Lumia 820, 920 for AT&T swing through the FCC
Hopefully AT&T subscribers weren't spooked when the Nokia Lumia 920 first passed through the FCC in only its non-US guise, and its lower-end 820 cousin only as the (currently unofficial) Verizon-ready Lumia 822. The two Windows Phone 8 flagships have had follow-up approvals in GSM versions that are unmistakably destined for AT&T and Canadian carriers. Never mind the slightly distracting RM-820 model number on the Lumia 920; it reveals the 920's distinctive curved design, 700MHz LTE in AT&T's range and AWS-based LTE for both AT&T as well as its Canadian neighbor. The Lumia 820 is equally identifiable as the RM-824, even if it limits the LTE access to AT&T's network. We haven't seen any shocking revelations from either device, although we weren't expecting any from phones that hew so closely to the original templates. The filings mostly set expectations for Microsoft's October 29th event -- now that the likely stars of the show are cleared to make their appearances, the companies involved should breathe more easily.
Vodafone Germany expects Nokia Lumia 820 and 920 on November 1st
Everyone knows that Nokia's Lumia 820 and 920 are slated to arrive in November. But how soon into the month? Going by Vodafone Germany's assertions, both of the devices will come just as some of us are nursing our Halloween candy hangovers -- that is, November 1st. While neither Nokia nor Microsoft has confirmed the timing independently, it lines up with a brief mention of a similar date at retailer MediaMarkt and would follow just two days after the big Windows Phone 8 event where Nokia is likely to take center stage. Provided Vodafone isn't just being optimistic, it gives us hope that the North American launches of the advanced Lumias won't be far behind.
Nokia Lumia 920 to be a Rogers exclusive in Canada, we wonder if red is an option
Where goeth AT&T, so often goeth its one-time partner Rogers. That's certainly true for the Nokia Lumia 920: Rogers has confirmed that it will have an exclusive on the Windows Phone 8 flagship in Canada, much as AT&T has a lock on the device in the US. While there's no pricing or color options yet, the Canuck model will share the November shipping window and LTE support, and it's easy to imagine Rogers gravitating towards its signature (and coincidentally patriotic) red. Other Canadian carriers haven't chipped in about the Lumia 820; if history is any indicator, though, we'd anticipate the less expensive portion of Nokia's lineup going Telus' way.
Nokia Lumia 920 for AT&T hands-on: a Windows Phone 8 flagship with PureView imaging and LTE (video)
Much like the 900 before it, Nokia's Lumia 920 will be making its US debut on AT&T as an exclusive. Despite not having Microsoft's "signature" blessing, this Windows Phone 8 flagship is poised to ship sometime this November with all the stuffings of its international counterpart. Inside that vibrant polycarbonate hull, of which there are now five colors (including cyan), is a 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ 1,280 x 768 display, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor buffered by 1GB RAM, an 8-megapixel PureView rear camera and 2,000mAh battery augmented by the inclusion of wireless charging. Naturally, this locked and branded variant will run on the carrier's 4G LTE network and offer the same "Super Sensitive Touch" panel that we tested extensively at the company's Espoo HQ. This being Microsoft's WP8 game, however, we still weren't able to go past the live-tiled start screen and into the meat and potatoes of the fuller app drawer, nor could we truly give the OS a spin -- that'll all have to wait until end of October. From the tightly controlled software bits we did demo, though, the 920's shaping up to be a smooth and solid contender for the beast phone race. Icons and text scroll by without any marked blur thanks to the screen's 60Hz refresh rate. And colors on that saturated display pop, while viewing angles remain consistently impressive. What also hasn't changed is the handset's girth and weight -- it's still chunky and relatively heavy in hand, but we're willing to overlook it for the PureView rear module alone. Within the frenzied constraints of events like these, it's hard to really dive deep into camera performance. But we don't really have much need for that given our exhaustive coverage of the 920's optical image stabilization, low light capabilities and Cinemagraph GIF-making magic. Still, expect us to give it a fuller poke when final review units land in our laps (hopefully) later this month. Unfortunately, the wait for Nokia's next of high-end Lumia kin isn't over yet. AT&T's playing coy and won't fess up to a concrete date or even on-contract price. That should all change as soon as Microsoft makes things officially official. Until then, sate yourself with the images below and don't miss the video after the break.
Microsoft continues invitation spree, asks us to attend its Windows Phone 8 launch event on October 29th
Can we call October the Month of Metro, even if Microsoft isn't keen on the idea? Hot on the heels of its Windows 8 invitation, the company is asking us to head out a second time to see a street-inspired OS, inviting us to Windows Phone 8's formal launch on October 29th in San Francisco. The teaser doesn't say much about what Microsoft will show, although there's a real chance we'll get firmer launch schedules -- not to mention more opportunities with the Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC Windows Phone 8X than staring lovingly at their home screens. You can be sure that we'll report back with the full details.
Nokia Lumia 920 and 820 land stateside on AT&T's 4G LTE network this November
Surprise, surprise -- well, not really. Nokia's Lumia 920 and 820 will be making a splash stateside on AT&T's lineup with the former as an exclusive. Like most of the carrier's other announcements as of late, there's no concrete ship date set for the devices outside of a November bow. As a refresher, the Lumia 920 is the undoubted Windows Phone 8 flagship here, bearing a 4.5-inch Pure Motion HD+ 1,280 x 768 display, 1.5GHz dual-core S4 CPU, 8-megapixel PureView camera with OIS and a 2,000mAH battery. While the line's mid-ranger, the 820, reps the same chipset as it elder sibling, a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 ClearBlack OLED display and 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera. Both are set to launch with LTE radios in tow, with the 920 available in red, white, black, yellow and cyan and the 820 in a lone black hue. Stay tuned for official word on pricing and release. In the meantime, check out the PR below.
From the lab: Lumia 920 image stabilization and 808 drop test at Nokia R&D (video)
Yesterday's lab installment gave us an opportunity to pit the Lumia 920 against competing smartphones in a low-light capture scenario, but Nokia's standard battery of tests is used to evaluate and improve far more than stills shooting. Several stops throughout the day brought us to a foam-filled sound chamber tasked with analyzing call quality in a variety of environments, a room with industrial freezers and ovens used to push the limits of operability, and a rig that can shoot with interchangeable sensors and apply image quality algorithms in real-time, without a handset in sight. Unfortunately, due to proprietary technologies and processes, we weren't permitted to photograph these first facilities, though we did manage to snap away at two other stations -- a platform that shifted up and down at adjustable speeds to test the Lumia 920's optical image stabilization, and a machine that drops smartphones against a block of concrete, used to simulate that all-too-frequent occurrence of handsets plunging towards pavement. We've seen plenty examples of the 920's OIS capabilities this week, so we won't go into much more detail on that front, but specialized (and pricey) equipment enables engineers to introduce consistent processes -- this machine simulated hand shake at different speeds, and even with exaggerated movement, the benefits were clear. A separate building contained the drop test contraption, which releases devices from an adjustable height, letting them land directly on a block of polished concrete. We tested both the 808 PureView and a Samsung Galaxy S III in this manner (with roughly 100 Lumia prototypes currently available, Nokia wasn't quite willing to risk sending one to its death). Both smartphones remained in perfect working order following the drop, so it's likely that they'll be able to handle a similar fall during regular use as well (company reps offered to test our iPhone 5, but we declined handing it over). That wraps up our week at Nokia's facilities in Finland -- there will be plenty more to explore once we have a Lumia sample in hand, but you'll find the OIS test and concrete plunge videos ready right now, posted just after the break.
Photo shootout: Lumia 920, Nokia 808, iPhone 5, HTC One X and Galaxy S III
One smartphone feature that has steadily improved over the years is the camera. Once a novelty, the camera is now an important selling point that can influence a person's buying choice. Engadget recently had the opportunity to test the top camera-enabled smartphones at Nokia's Tampere, Finland research and development complex and found that the iPhone outperforms most, but not all, of the competition. The Engadget team was able to test the iPhone 5 against the Nokia PureView 808, HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy S III and a prototype Nokia Lumia 920. The top performers in their low-light tests were the Lumia 920 and PureView 808, both of which include Nokia's PureView technology. The PureView 808 uses an oversampling technique that captures a high-megapixel image and condenses it into a lower-megapixel image with impressive clarity and detail. Whereas the Lumia 920's PureView camera features optical image stabilization. The iPhone 5 was the runner-up to Nokia's handsets, producing images that were slightly darker than the Lumia 920, and not as detailed. Given the low five-lux lighting, this result is not surprising as most smartphone cameras use small sensors that struggle in low-light conditions. The iPhone 5 easily outperformed the HTC One X and the Galaxy S III, both of which produced dark and grainy images. You can check out the sample photos from each camera on Engadget's website.
