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Nokia Belle Feature Pack 2 returns, hopefully for good this time
Nokia's Belle Feature Pack 2 has suffered more false starts than a race meeting burdened with a dodgy starter pistol. However, it looks like the on-again, off-again saga is at an end, now that the company has remedied an issue with the Nokia Music app with a separate hotfix. Toting one of the company's 603, 700, 701 or 808 handsets? You should be able to snag the update as we speak, if not sooner.
Nokia 808 PureView flashes backstage pass, shows off video chops
When it comes to smartphone photography and videography, the Nokia 808 PureView is the truth. We glowed about the device's optical prowess in our in-depth review, but some of you still may not be convinced. For the skeptics still out there, we present you with Exhibit A: a clip from an 808 taken at a Foo Fighters cover-band gig. Cacophonous sound, constant lighting changes and front men with long flowing locks swaying to and fro... there's no doubt that a rock concert is the place where a video camera can prove its mettle, especially when it comes to audio. Slide past the break, crank the video quality up to 1080p and watch Nokia's 41-megapixel machine do its thing. Be sure to pay special attention to the audio clarity and feel free to pay homage to the 808's Rich Recording engine in the comments.
Nokia 808 PureView now available stateside, $700 via Amazon
Finnish phone purveyor Nokia has delivered on its promise to bring its flagship camera phone to US soil, with or without carriers' support. The company is offering up the PureView 808 on Amazon, complete with Carl Zeiss optics and Nokia Belle, for a cool $700 contract free. That's no small tariff for a device running a slightly antiquated mobile operating system, but if you've got a soft spot in your heart for Symbian -- and fancy yourself a photographer -- page through our review then head over to Amazon for the purchasing details.
Nokia PureView 808 is running 124 hours late, due in India June 5th
A countdown timer has appeared at an official-looking Indian PureView site, indicating that the 41-megapixel camera (with a twist of smartphone) should arrive in that country on June 5th -- or equally the 6th if you're in that time zone. The last we heard it was scheduled for initial release in India and Russia sometime in May, but being late is surely okay when you give a firm ETA.
Nokia confirms intent to bring unlocked 808 PureView handset to North America (update)
Nokia's major focal points within the US market may currently be its Lumia 900 and Windows Phone, but that doesn't mean it's planning to leave its other notable offerings outside of Uncle Sam's borders. Speaking with PC Mag, Nokia executive Chris Weber explained that the company aims to offer its current Belle-rocking, imaging-champ, the 41-megapixel 808 PureView, north of Mexico in the "next couple of months." That's rather unsurprising, considering it recently passed through the underground testing-chambers of the FCC. Unlike the Lumia, however, this mega-phone will only be sold unlocked, naturally sporting AT&T bands (possibly others, too. See the update below) for connectivity. While we're still eager to find out more detailed availability information, you can now rest assured that you'll soon be able to capture highly detailed photos of your freedom fries to post on Tumblr. Update: PC Mag's Sascha Segan wrote in the comments below to clarify this device's likely connectivity options: Weber said he was sure the phone would support AT&T. He didn't refer specifically to any frequency bands or say the phone wouldn't support any other carrier. I presume it's going to be the international model, so it'll be any carrier the international model supports.
Nokia Senior VP: PureView imaging technology coming to our Windows Phones (updated)
We're sure many have fallen in love with Nokia's new cameraphone, but are perhaps not so willing to get back together with its Symbian OS. Fortunately, it looks like Nokia will be -- unsurprisingly -- gently placing its Pureview technology inside a future Windows Phone family member. Confirmed in Finnish broadsheet Aamulehti, Senior Vice President Jo Harlow said that although no date was penned in quite yet, it wouldn't be all that far away. The high-end camera credentials gifted to the Pureview 808 at MWC last week surprised plenty, given that Nokia proclaimed that its whole company had nailed its colors to the Windows Phone mast when it came to its flagship OS. Regardless, a polycarbonate PureView sounds pretty good to us. Update: From a Nokia spokesperson: "We have stated that we plan to use PureView imaging technologies to deliver high-end imaging experiences in future Nokia products. Since Nokia is committed to Windows Phone as its primary smartphone platform, that includes plans to bring PureView to Lumia over time... We look forward to revealing more in future, but for now we are focused on rolling out the Nokia 808 PureView to markets around the world."
HTC may not have PureView, but it does have ImageSense
Not to be outdone by the Nokia 808's appearance at MWC, HTC has released sample shots taken using the ImageSense camera module that comes in its One X and One S phones. In many ways they're normal-looking stills, with nothing like PureView's 41-megapixel oversampling (which is claimed to result in a superior still), and certainly no massive 1/1.2-inch sensor. However, if you look closely, you can see the benefits of some of HTC's improvements. Top among those is the faster f/2.0 lens, which will allow for shorter exposures and clearer moving subjects -- like the skateboarders above. Such images will also likely benefit from the 0.7-second time window for capturing an image and the 0.2-second auto-focus when shooting continuously. Whatever you make of the sample shots in the gallery below, HTC can also claim one key advantage over PureView -- at least for the time being: camera technology that still fits into a regular-sized smartphone.%Gallery-149381%
Mobile World Congress 2012: smartphone roundup
Mobile World Congress is a dignified affair held yearly in Barcelona that companies take very seriously. For example, unlike CES, there are lots and lots of suits -- after all, this is a congress. Here, some of the most unique and desirable handsets meet the eyes of press, analysts and buyers for the very first time. Accordingly, anxieties were high among company leaders as they put their best foot forward and held their breath for the first round of impressions. This year's show has been a wild ride, and we've seen many devices stretch the boundaries of our imagination. There were more than a few stunners, and as the dust settles, companies such as HTC, Nokia, LG, Huawei and Asus can all hold their heads high. Join us after the break as we reminisce the most notable smartphones from Mobile World Congress.
