GOCLEVER FONE 570Q – Review

The last few weeks have been interesting, I’ve been using the GOCLEVER FONE 570Q phablet as one of my main devices and it’s about time  for the main review. My initial impressions are here if you’re interested.

The GOCLEVER is one of those devices that look identical to the big name devices from Samsung, in this case it’s like a bigger version of the Galaxy Note II. So how did I get on with it? Let’s start with my amended good and bad points.

Good Points

Large screenDual SIMMicro SD slot

Bad Points

Screen viewing anglesInternal memory partitionsOdd camera specsFull size SIM cardsHit and miss responsiveness to capacitive buttons

Design

The design of the GOCLEVER FONE 570Q is basically to recreate the Note II but a bit bigger. It is a sea of plastic, a large bezel containing the home and menu keys, a silver edge strip, silver buttons, silver camera surround it’s all as you’d expect.

It is a large device and I soon got used to handling it, luckily being a longtime “large oversized phone” user I was prepared.

Hardware

The spec on the GOCLEVER 570Q is pretty mid range. Take a look below.

Display – 5.7” 1280×720 IPS LCD multi-touchCPU – MTK6589 1.2GHz (Cortex A7) Quad CoreGPU – SGX544 (4core)Android 4.2RAM – 1GB DDR2ROM – 4GB eMMCWi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n)GSM 850MHZ/900MHZ/1800MHZ/1900MHZ // UMTS 900MHZ/2100MHZ HSPA+ (AERO2)MicroSD up to 32GBDual SIMmicroUSB3.5mm audio and mic jackFront Camera – 0.3 MP (4 MP?)Rear Camera – 5.0 MP (13MP?)Battery – 3200 mAhDimensions – 156x83x11 mm 212 gExtras – 3.5” earphone, 5.0V adapter, USB cable, capacitive stylus, rubber sleeve, screen protector

There are a few things to point out about the spec, good points are the dual SIM, memory card slot, quad core CPU. Bad points are the screen which has to viewed straight on to avoid seeing distortion of text, the camera is reported as 5 MP in the spec list but the camera app reports it as a 13 MP camera. The MediaTek chipset has issues with manufacturers wiring up the GPS chip correctly and GOCLEVER seem to have worked it out and the GPS does work, it just takes ages to get a fix.

Lastly there is a crippling problem and that’s with the internal memory.

Correct me if I’m wrong here, in this day and age people want smartphones to install apps on, some games, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Angry Birds, putting makeup on a princess apps, celebrity surgery apps and countless others. Manufacturers know this and they should surely be not taking steps to limit how many apps their users can install. So why on earth in this day and age would a company partition the already small 4 GB internal memory and only allow a small portion of what’s left to be used for app installation.

Take a look at how the internal memory is split.

INSERT SCREENSHOT

Out of the box

After a few weeks of basic app installs

To make matters worse there is the confusing matter of allowing SOME apps if coded correctly to install themselves to the SD card instead. It’s just a confusing mess really, one that has possibly hampered this devices success.

Software

The GOCLEVER FONE 570Q runs what is basically stock Android 4.2, with a few extra apps added in to the mix.

You do get things like Google Now (accessed by a long pressing the menu button) and lockscreen widgets, so you can setup a camera shortcut on the lockscreen.

Where the Galaxy Note range succeeded was in software additions, S-Pen compatible note taking apps, S-Pen handwriting recognition input methods and with the latest Note range a whole host of new stylus based apps. With the GOCLEVER FONE 570Q there aren’t any tweaks to take advantage of the stylus, nor is their any software optimised, the Notepad app is just a basic thing. Installing a stylus handwriting recognition app helped, allowing me to write on the screen. Various drawing and painting apps support stylus input so you could find some apps to suit your needs.

Other notable stuff

Camera

The camera is specified on the GOCLEVER website as a 5 MP camera, the camera app is set by default to 8 MP and within the settings you can actually set the camera to 13 MP. It is odd, benchmark apps identify the camera module at 12.6 MP and the sheer number of pixels multiplied give a total number of pixels at about 12.6 million so it is a 12.6 MP camera. Not sure why GOCLEVER don’t want to advertise this fact. Probably because whatever resolution you set it at the pictures are distinctly average, with noise. In low light it’s very noisy.

Benchmark

Antutu X scores the GOCLEVER FONE 570Q on a par with the Galaxy S2, which is disappointing for a Quad Core device.

Battery life

With my usual battering of a device I was killing the battery after about 8 or 9 hours, with battery drain accelerating towards the last 15% of the battery. I imagine a normal user could easily get through the day.

Dual SIM

The Jelly Bean Dual SIM functionality is pretty cool, you can select which SIM can be used for voice, video, SMS and data. Both SIMs are active for incoming calls and messages, you can also get the device to ask which SIM to use when it’s about to do something. As I said it’s pretty cool.

Conclusion

In conclusion the GOCLEVER FONE 570Q is a great idea, copy a popular device and sell it at a portion of the price. But they have trimmed the specs TOO FAR, the screen, the crippled internal memory, the oddly specified noisy camera, the non functioning GPS all make for a device that is really rather unpleasant to use. Only really the Dual SIM functionality works nicely, if you just want a large Dual SIM phone then this might be for you, but Acer offer Dual SIM devices that are more reliable and are cheaper.

As to how GOCLEVER could improve the FONE 570Q I don’t know, a firmware update to fix the internal memory would be nice.

Maybe when they move onto making something like the Note 3 they’ll not trim the spec too much.

The last few weeks have been interesting, I've been using the GOCLEVER FONE 570Q phablet as one of my main devices and it's about time  for the main review. My initial impressions are here if you're interested. The GOCLEVER is one of those devices that look identical to the big name devices from Samsung, in this case it's like a bigger version of the Galaxy Note II. So how did I get on with it? Let's start with my amended good and bad points. Good Points Large screen Dual SIM Micro SD slot Bad Points Screen viewing angles Internal memory partitions Odd camera specs Full size SIM cards Hit and miss responsiveness to capacitive buttons Design The design of the GOCLEVER FONE 570Q is basically to recreate the Note II but a bit bigger. It is a sea of plastic, a large bezel containing the home and menu keys, a silver edge strip, silver buttons, silver camera surround it's all as you'd expect. It is a large device and I soon got used to handling it, luckily being a longtime "large oversized phone" user I was prepared. Hardware The spec on the GOCLEVER 570Q is pretty mid range. Take a look below. Display – 5.7” 1280×720 IPS LCD multi-touch CPU – MTK6589 1.2GHz (Cortex A7) Quad Core GPU – SGX544 (4core) Android 4.2 RAM – 1GB DDR2 ROM – 4GB eMMC Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) GSM 850MHZ/900MHZ/1800MHZ/1900MHZ // UMTS 900MHZ/2100MHZ HSPA+ (AERO2) MicroSD up to 32GB Dual SIM microUSB 3.5mm audio and mic jack Front Camera – 0.3 MP (4 MP?) Rear Camera – 5.0 MP (13MP?) Battery – 3200 mAh Dimensions – 156x83x11 mm 212 g Extras – 3.5” earphone, 5.0V adapter, USB cable, capacitive stylus, rubber sleeve, screen protector There are a few things to point out about the spec, good points are the dual SIM, memory card slot, quad core CPU. Bad points are the screen which has to viewed straight on to avoid seeing distortion of text, the camera is reported as 5 MP in the spec list but the camera app reports it as a 13 MP camera. The MediaTek chipset has issues with manufacturers wiring up the GPS chip correctly and GOCLEVER seem to have worked it out and the GPS does work, it just takes ages to get a fix. Lastly there is a crippling problem and that's with the internal memory. Correct me if I'm wrong here, in this day and age people want smartphones to install apps on, some games, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Angry Birds, putting makeup on a princess apps, celebrity surgery apps and countless others. Manufacturers know this and they should surely be not taking steps to limit how many apps their users can install. So why on earth in this day and age would a company partition the already small 4 GB internal memory and only allow a small portion of what's left to be used for app installation. Take a look at how the…55

In conclusion the GOCLEVER FONE 570Q is a great idea, copy a popular device and sell it at a portion of the price. But they have trimmed the specs TOO FAR, the screen, the crippled internal memory, the oddly specified noisy camera, the barely functioning GPS all make for a device that is really rather unpleasant to use.

6

Lenovo to release the A10 an Android powered laptop

Lenovo have long skirted around the edge of the Android world, releasing the occasional smartphone with no real success. This time, however, they’re aiming at their core marketplace with the A10 android powered laptop.

This is another strange bit of toe-dangling though, because what is an android laptop if not a tablet with a keyboard attached. This niche has been dominated for years by the Asus Transformer series, who’s TF101 became an instant classic when it was released with its docking dual battery keyboard (despite it running Honeycomb!).

Here’s what we know of the spec list:

1.6GHz quad core Cortex A9 CPU2GB RAM32GB internal storagemicroSD card slot0.3MP front facing cameraStereo speakers10.1-inch HD flip over display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and 10 point touch compatibilityAndroid 4.2

So what will the A10 offer that the latest Asus Transformer Pad TF701 won’t? Not a lot it seems until you get to the price – $250. At the current exchange rate that’s about £155 versus the TF701's expected tag of about £600.

Clearly this means Lenovo aren’t aiming to be a giant killer with the A10 then. But what they could take a chunk out of is the Chromebook customer base.

I’m a big fan of the Chromebooks, in fact I’m typing this article on a Samsung Series 5 right now, but the entry level models weigh in at around £200. With the Lenovo’s extra features and apps this would be a very tempting alternative.

Bai Peng, vice president and general manager, notebook business unit, Lenovo Business Group said,

Lenovo claims that the A10's battery support is up to nine hours of continuous video playback – which needs to be scrutinized under review. “With the recent explosive growth in Android-based, smart connected devices, customers are relying more on Android apps for both work and play. Why should they be required to switch and duplicate to use their laptop? Lenovo’s A10 brings ultra-portability and dual-mode benefits to Android users at a reasonable price. Thin and light, with multiple modes and user-inspired innovations for an outstanding user experience … the A10 is uniquely Lenovo.”

After the rumours of Lenovo buying HTC it’s good to see them already reinvesting in Android with an innovative and good value product.

HTC One Max – Review

HTC have been making pretty good hardware for a while now and their latest range of ‘One’ handsets have been some of the most impressive phones of the year so far.

However, large phones are becoming more popular now. We’ve already seen the Samsung Galaxy Note range and now Sony are getting in on the act with their Xperia Z Ultra. Is the Max as good?

With a massive screen comes some impressive specs – 2GB of RAM, 16GB storage and a MicroSD card slot for additional storage.

You also get a Quad-Core 1.7Ghz Snapdragon 600 processor which is very powerful. However, many tech guys seem disappointed this was not the latest Snapdragon 800 range, especially as this is what the Note 3 has – plus that also has 3GB of RAM.

This review is based on the hardware side of the device, the Max does have a new version of Sense called 5.5 and this will be made available to other devices shortly. The main differences revolve around BlinkFeed, and you can now add more content including RSS feeds. You can also hook onto your G+ account to pull in additional important information for you.

There is more to Sense 5.5 and that will be covered in a separate review shortly.

Many thanks to our friends at HTC who were kind enough to provide us with the One Max to review so early!

So, the full specs….

Android 4.35.9 inch display with 1920 x 1020 resolution4 Ultrapixel cameraDC-HSDPA 42Mb/sLTE 100Mb/s (Cat3)1.7Ghz Quad-Core Snapdragon 600 ProcessorBluetooth, WiFi & GPS16GB Storage (expandable)3,300mAh Battery

Looking from the top you have the light sensor to adjust the backlight depending on your lighting conditions. There’s also a large speaker which is part of the BoomSound setup, and a front facing 2.1 megapixel camera which can record in 1080p quality.

The screen is massive at 5.9 inches. Whilst large, the 1920 by 1080 resolution 373 PPI means it’s clear and detailed too. This is really noticeable when watching back HD video content or using the phone as a camera.

The LCD screen is bright and colourful but cannot stand up to the same outdoor experience seen on something like the Lumia 1020 with it’s AMOLED Clear Black display

At the bottom part of the device you have the second part of the BoomSound speaker setup and, when paired with the top one, you get one of the loudest phones I have ever heard in all my years of tech reviewing. Both speakers easily cope and the inbuilt amplifier ensures that music is loud without disruption or a tinny sound. I had the volume cranked up to the max (no pun intended). ;)

Something worth noting – the One Max lacks the “Beats” technology that you may have seen on other HTC kit.  Don’t get me wrong, the speakers are great, but it’s a little sad to see this missing now that the two companies have posted company.

Just don’t get your hopes up on having the same Beats experience you had on the One when listening through the headphones.

On the back there the same camera as seen on the One and One Mini. The optical image stabilization is missing but this is an Ultrapixel camera and lets in more light than a normal camera. This phone allows better quality images instead of ramping up the megapixels.

Next to the camera is the single LED light that helps when recording video and also does a good job in low light conditions. These LED flash units are not on par with a Xenon flash.

Below the camera is the main new feature of the Max – the fingerprint reader. It’ll let you unlock your phone and open certain applications depending how you choose to set it up.

Whereas the iPhone 5S has the sensor on the home button, the Max has moved it to the back. This helps due to the large frame the phone has, and it means that it’s perfectly positioned for the left or right index finger.

There are two issues I have found so far though.  First is that because you cannot see the sensor, you have to guess where it is and I often found myself swiping down on the camera lens instead of the fingerprint sensor. The second is that it didn’t always seem to recognise my swipe every time, maybe 6 out of 10 attempts it would work fine but the other 4 it did not recognise me. I ended up having to enter my password anyway.

If this was to happen on a full retail unit, after a few days of this happening, I’d end up just turning this feature off. This would be a big shame as it is a rather unique selling point, although in testing I must say the iPhone 5S touch ID seems more accurate and more reliable.

At the bottom is the microUSB for charging and daaa transfer with the small microphone hole next to that.

 

At the top there’s the 3.5m headset jack which is pretty standard for phones these days.

You also have the IR blaster but, unlike the original One, this doesn’t act as a power button. This instead has been moved to the right hand side. Having used a HTC One for a while, it was a little strange with this layout and I often tried to turn the phone on and off again using the IR blaster.

The left side is blank with no buttons anywhere to be seen, these are all on the right hand side of the device.

On the right side you have the volume up / down buttons and the power button, which is also used to lock and wake the phone. As I mentioned before this is different to what you see on the One and One Mini.

Something lacking, which is a shame once again, is a dedicated camera key. Instead you have to rely on the touch screen for everything.

Initial Thoughts

Having used many phones recently I can say I do really like the design offered by the One series.  The Max takes it to a bigger level with the massive 5.9 inch screen and, for some things, this is really nice. Especially web browsing and using the camera.

Whilst the Max is a nice phone, take out the larger screen and a fingerprint reader and you have the same phone people are used too with the original One but much more trouser pocket friendly.

If you’re looking for a larger phone / phablet then you already have a good selection to choose from. I like the Sony Xperia Ultra with its waterproof body, but it does have a ridiculous 6.4 inch display size. There is the more recent Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which has a nice 5.7 inch display – one of the best I’ve seen on a phone. It also has a 13 megapixel camera but suffers from a cheap-looking plastic build. The One Max, with a 5.9 inch screen and aluminium body, is perceived by many to drop down on the camera with the 4 ultrapixel unit.

Why?

Well, ultrapixels are great in low light conditions (as seen above), but when you transfer normal daylight shots to a larger screen you can start to see where megapixels DO in fact make a difference.

Whilst the build quality of the Max is very impressive there are too many key flaws in this to be a flagship when compared to other large phones.

The RAM is less than seen on the Note 3 and the processor is not as powerful as the Note 3.

The screen is not as bright and clear as the Note 3 and even the LTE speeds are lower due to it being a Cat 3 device. This gives 100Mbps 4G against the Cat 4 on the Note 3 allowing up to 150Mbps speeds starting to roll out on networks like EE.

Taking all specs into account the Note 3 is the far superior handset as well as being thinner and lighter.

That’s not to say the Max is a bad phone, it does have some good things going for it, just not enough to be the best in this class.

HTC have been making pretty good hardware for a while now and their latest range of 'One' handsets have been some of the most impressive phones of the year so far. However, large phones are becoming more popular now. We've already seen the Samsung Galaxy Note range and now Sony are getting in on the act with their Xperia Z Ultra. Is the Max as good? With a massive screen comes some impressive specs - 2GB of RAM, 16GB storage and a MicroSD card slot for additional storage. You also get a Quad-Core 1.7Ghz Snapdragon 600 processor which is very powerful. However, many tech guys seem disappointed this was not the latest Snapdragon 800 range, especially as this is what the Note 3 has - plus that also has 3GB of RAM. This review is based on the hardware side of the device, the Max does have a new version of Sense called 5.5 and this will be made available to other devices shortly. The main differences revolve around BlinkFeed, and you can now add more content including RSS feeds. You can also hook onto your G+ account to pull in additional important information for you. There is more to Sense 5.5 and that will be covered in a separate review shortly. Many thanks to our friends at HTC who were kind enough to provide us with the One Max to review so early! So, the full specs.... Android 4.3 5.9 inch display with 1920 x 1020 resolution 4 Ultrapixel camera DC-HSDPA 42Mb/s LTE 100Mb/s (Cat3) 1.7Ghz Quad-Core Snapdragon 600 Processor Bluetooth, WiFi & GPS 16GB Storage (expandable) 3,300mAh Battery Looking from the top you have the light sensor to adjust the backlight depending on your lighting conditions. There's also a large speaker which is part of the BoomSound setup, and a front facing 2.1 megapixel camera which can record in 1080p quality. The screen is massive at 5.9 inches. Whilst large, the 1920 by 1080 resolution 373 PPI means it's clear and detailed too. This is really noticeable when watching back HD video content or using the phone as a camera. The LCD screen is bright and colourful but cannot stand up to the same outdoor experience seen on something like the Lumia 1020 with it's AMOLED Clear Black display At the bottom part of the device you have the second part of the BoomSound speaker setup and, when paired with the top one, you get one of the loudest phones I have ever heard in all my years of tech reviewing. Both speakers easily cope and the inbuilt amplifier ensures that music is loud without disruption or a tinny sound. I had the volume cranked up to the max (no pun intended). ;) Something worth noting - the One Max lacks the "Beats" technology that you may have seen on other HTC kit.  Don't get me wrong, the speakers are great, but it's a little sad to see this missing now that the two companies have posted company. Just…

Virgin to continue using EE network

EE sent out a press release earlier confirming the long standing agreement between themselves and Virgin Mobile is set to continue and the MNVO will get access to both 2G, 3G and we believe soon 4G networks.

The original deal was signed 14 years ago between then T-Mobile and Virgin Mobile but was coming to an end, and with T-Mobile now being part of EE, it was agreed to carry on what has worked so well for them all these years

Virgin Media extends long-standing MVNO partnership with EE

Virgin Media customers to continue to benefit from the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network 

21 October 2013, United Kingdom: EE and Virgin Media have announced that EE will continue to provide the network and services that underpin Virgin Media’s mobile service, Virgin Mobile, the UK’s leading MVNO with over three million customers.

The new and exclusive MVNO agreement is an extension of EE and Virgin Media’s longstanding and successful partnership, which dates back to the launch of Virgin Mobile in 1999 as the world’s first MVNO.

EE was selected based on the strength of its network, its strong industry reputation and its flexible and technologically advanced MVNO platform. EE offers the widest 3G and 2G coverage in the UK as well as the country’s biggest and fastest 4G network.

Gerry McQuade, Chief Marketing Officer, Non-consumer, EE said: “We’re delighted that following a competitive industry tender, Virgin Media has again chosen to partner with EE and build on our longstanding and successful relationship. By choosing the EE network, Virgin Media will ensure its customers and around 14,000 employees continue to have access to the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network.”

Dana Strong , Virgin Media’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Combining the leading mobile network with our powerful broadband means Virgin Media customers get the best connectivity whether at home, out and about, or even beneath the streets of London. Having worked together for over a decade, this partnership between the world’s first virtual operator and what is now Britain’s most comprehensive mobile network is moving into an exciting new phase.”

The HTC Fetch is for losers

Are you a loser? I don’t mean a pasty geek who spends hours obsessing over mobile phones then writing about them on the internet, I mean someone who misplaces their phone. Well, either of the above may be interested in the HTC Fetch.

It’s basically a keyfob that beeps at you if you move more than 15 metres away from the HTC phone to which it is paired. When I say ‘you’ I mean your keyfob, so if you leave your phone and keys behind then you’re still shafted!

Assuming you’ve got your Fetch, but not your phone then it even has a map feature that helps you locate the escapee.

It can act as a remote shutter trigger for the phone’s camera, which is a nice touch.

One other feature is that if you’re on a date (see above for why this doesn’t apply to me) and you don’t like your suiter then you can fake a call by pressing a button on the Fetch. Handy? You tell me.

One thing HTC aren’t shouting about is how this is a good alert if someone lifts your phone and tries to make off with it. That seems like the best application for it to me.

The only slight confusion is about compatibility, as the HTC site states that it’s for the One Mini, Butterfly S and One Max. Surely they can’t exclude the One owners from this essential add-on?!

We’ve seen other versions of the same thing from the likes of Motorola recently, and I’m sure JML probably do something similar, but if you think you’re going to lose your HTC One Max (somehow) and you want a matching accessory you need look no further.

We’ve all been there – delving the depths of your handbag, frantically checking each pocket and flipping every cushion in sight – and all to no avail…it’s gone!

The loss of a phone can be particularly emotional: you wave goodbye to that special someone’s phone number and those priceless pictures from your last birthday…oh, and that championship winning team you spent months building on Football Manager.

If any of this sounds all too familiar, HTC has the answer – HTC Fetch.

With the simple press of a button, the sleek keychain accessory activates your phone’s ringtone, avoiding an adrenaline-fuelled panic as you turn the house upside down. The device has a working range of 15m* so, unless your home has more than one wing, it should only take a moment to locate your phone.

Conversely, you can also cause the Fetch to beep on demand by using the corresponding app on your phone. That means, you can attach Fetch to whatever you are constantly misplacing, not just your phone. Now you can relax when it’s your keys that decide to disappear at the most inopportune moment.

But that’s not all. By pairing your HTC phone and your Fetch, you can set both devices to alert you if you ever leave one or the other behind (think of them as the Forrest and Bubba of the smartphone world). What’s more, if you lose both, there’s a convenient email notification feature lets you know exactly where your Fetch and phone were last together.

The HTC Fetch is a perfect solution for anyone who has a sizeable forgetful streak. However, there are a host of ‘alternative’ uses, even if you are not prone to losing things. Here are a few not-entirely-serious but not-entirely-joking suggestions:

1. Do you own an unpredictable pet that requires walking?

Simply attach the HTC Fetch to your creature’s collar and you’ll be alerted if it ever strays over 15m from your phone. As Fenton demonstrated back in 2011, dogs are fast and cannot be trusted.

2. Is your child the next Indiana Jones?

Hide and seek is a favourite amongst kids. But the game becomes less appealing the older you get, especially in the fruit and vegetable section of your local supermarket. Simply clip the Fetch to your child’s outfit, listen for the beep and win. Fast.

3. Does your boyfriend have a habit of wandering off when you go shopping?

Everyone knows that men cannot be trusted to ‘heel’ in shopping situations. If your partner has a habit of drifting toward the gadget section when you’re trying to buy gifts for the family, just slip the Fetch in his pocket and keep him in earshot.

4. Does the TV remote ALWAYS go missing?

If it’s not your keys, it’s the TV remote. Whether it’s slipped down the side of the sofa or your girlfriend is hiding it in an attempt to seize televisual control, the HTC Fetch is the answer.

5. Another horrible first date?

If you’ve ever had to ask your friend to call you during an awful first date, just so you can make a phony excuse to leave, then the Fetch is for you. Simply pop the device in your pocket and with a single click your phone will ring, giving you the perfect opportunity to up and go.

For more information on the HTC fetch visit: http://www.htc.com/www/accessories/htc-fetch

* Active range of 15m. Working range may vary depending on operating environment

Make Christmas that little bit cheaper

Regular as clockwork, the utility companies have ramped up their prices. With Christmas round the corner and your wallet becoming emptier by the day, it’s time to look at some money saving tips.

We’ve already covered many ways of cutting your gadget expenditure. You can buy a cheaper phone, switch to a SIM-only plan or import a handset that looks just like an expensive phone – even though it isn’t.

Right now I’m standing in Morrisons. Yes. My life is so rock ‘roll.

Just sometimes you’ll find me writing stories on my phone, especially I’ve got some small amounts of “downtime”, like getting stuck in this queue for the checkout. To my left there’s a deal which has caught my eye and I’ve just decided on at least one gift. The present in question is a gift card and, whilst it’s not going to be hugely impressive when they find if shoved into a greetings card, they’ll get a lot of use out of it. Not only that, but I get myself 1p a litre off fuel for every £10 gift card I buy.

You see what I did there? I basically gifted myself. There’s quite a range of cards, as you can see, but I’m going to be getting some Google Play and iTunes cards. A tenna each, two presents purchased, and I get 2p off my diesel. Yes, I’m a tight wad, but you have to be at times.

As we head into the festive season there’s a range of other money-saving ideas for which your smartphone is ideal. The HotUKDeals app is always a great place to start and, thanks to a massive forum and a “heat indicator”, you can see where those bargains are before pacing up and down your local high street.

The eBay mobile app is another must. Ask your son or daughter to name the toys they don’t play with any more (they’re usually the ones with dust on) and, merely by firing up the app and snapping a picture, you can have it on eBay in minutes. Personally I find that items end up in the garage, so there’s no tears when that IgglePiggle toy ends up in a jiffy bag.

If you’re anything like me then you’ll probably want to avoid the complete mayhem and insanity that surrounds a festive visit into town. Personally our own method is for me to casually ask relatives what they’d like for Christmas months in advance, make a note of it on my phone and then crank up the iPad whilst watching Family Guy later on. When they receive the gift they’ll usually thank you for “remembering”, even though your phone did most of the work for you.

When you get to that stage, and you’re munching on a biscuit whilst hovering over the “Buy” button, you should stop. For me, paying full price is just silly and is usually my last option. If you’re buying from somewhere like Currys, PC World or Amazon, always check sites like voucherbox.co.uk, which list all the latest codes for discounts or free delivery. It’s always a nice feeling to see the price of your online basket instantly tumble, and you can celebrate with another biscuit. Well done you.

My time with the Nokia Lumia 1020

The Nokia Lumia 1020 is an amazing camera, that in the right hands can take some truly stunning photos and it can easily replace your point and shoot. But at what cost? Does Windows Phone support the Lumia 1020 enough? From the day I first saw the leak of what the Lumia 1020 was going to look like I knew I was going to have to get hold of one to play with. It is currently at the pinnacle of Windows Phone hardware and it is arguably at the pinnacle of mobile photography hardware as well.

I’ve been using the Nokia Lumia 1020 for about a month now, carrying it around when I would normally have took a normal camera with me. I even took it to a device launch to see how it would cope in place of my normal camera. As Dan reviewed the Lumia 1020 a few weeks ago this article is basically a roundup of the good and bad points and some sample photos.

First of all if you’ve been living under a rock for the last few months here is what the Lumia 1020 looks like, I’ve placed it next to my Lumia 925 for size purposes:

The phone part of the Lumia 1020

Firstly I want to talk about the phone itself and Windows Phone in general. The Lumia 1020 is currently the highest spec Windows Phone device, with more RAM than all the rest and a camera miles ahead of the closest competitor. I always felt that Nokia pushed the release of the Lumia 1020 to compete against the 2013 lineup of Android and iOS devices. I always felt that what comes next will truly be the Windows Phone device to beat the competition.

So what am I talking about?

Well, for months we have been hearing how the next Windows Phone update (update 3) will enable quad core processors and 1080p screens. Well can you for a second imagine that Nokia won’t release a newer version of the Lumia 1020 when the update is publicly available? With a 5? screen and with a better processor the updated Lumia 1020 would be a force to be reckoned with.

Back in the real world though, it’s my imagination of what will come next that held me back from actually buying one. Yes you should live life for the day and expect the unexpected, but for the money that is being asked for the Lumia 1020 I wanted more.

Windows Phone has matured quite a bit over the last year, a lot of apps have been released for the OS and a lot of third party apps have been released to cover the big name apps that haven’t been released. It all makes it quite fiddly, take Cloud storage for instance, I have accounts with Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Box and Sugarsync. Of those only two have official apps, only one supports auto upload of photos and that’s SkyDrive. It’s great for Windows Phone, but try and use it on another platform and you’ll pull all of your hair out. If I wanted to say use a third party Dropbox app instead I’m hindered by the limitations of the app, due to API restrictions in the OS.

This example exists across the whole Windows Phone OS, you want to do something and the solution usually exists, but it is normally a compromise. I’m sick of compromising with Windows Phone, I just want things to work the way I want, not how Microsoft or Nokia want.

The camera part of the Lumia 1020

The camera on the Lumia 1020 at first seems amazing, then you learn how to use the default camera app “Nokia Pro Cam”. Shortly after it becomes annoying, you play about using the normal Windows Phone camera and “Nokia Smart Cam” then you get annoyed with them both. Then you settle back into using Nokia Pro Cam again and you start to like the whole set up.

I found the Nokia Lumia 1020 to be great at landscape shots, great at detailed pictures, awkward at taking Macro shots, great at low light and pretty damn good at everything else. I’m used to the camera in the Nokia Lumia 925 where I know I can quickly get it out and get the shot I want quickly and with a minimum of fuss. With the Lumia 1020 you can have as much or as little fuss as you want. I guess it depends on what sort of photographer you are, if you’re used to setting up a DSLR then you’ll not mind a little faffing with the 1020.

The Nokia Pro Cam app is quite a powerful app, allowing you to change various settings before capturing the moment.

You can adjust exposure time, ISO, Focus, White Balance, Shutter delay and Exposure. Which truly does allow you to create an image that’s special, I only really scratched the surface of what is possible in terms of decent pictures. The 1020 takes a high res original and then creates two versions, a 5 MP version that you can access and also the original that’s sort of hidden away in the background. When viewing the 5 MP shot you can tap the “Captured with Nokia Pro Cam” text and it will load you into the original high res shot, allowing you to reframe the image and save it, the new saved image replaces the previous image in the Photo Hub. It’s a bit fiddly but you soon work out what’s what.

The original high resolution version of the image file isn’t accessible via the photo hub. So if you want to backup, view or email the picture you need to connect the phone to your PC. I get why Nokia have done this, but I always had the feeling that something special was always hidden away. Another slightly annoying thing with the Pro Cam is the ever so slight delay between taking pictures. It’s a couple of seconds at most, so if you’re wanting quick fire photos consider the Smart Cam or the normal Windows Phone Camera app.

The Nokia Smart Cam allows you to take burst mode photos, whereby the camera takes a load of photos in quick succession in a lower resolution and it allows you to create some really unique pictures. As shown below with the demo image bundled with Smart Cam. It functions similarly to Pro Cam, in that you can go back and change the image at a later date.

Here are some sample images I’ve taken on my daily wandering around. No fancy settings were used in the taking of these, just using the Pro Cam and auto focus.

Conclusion

I’ll end this article in the same way as I started it, the Nokia Lumia 1020 is an amazing camera. See what I did there? As good as the Nokia supplied software is I do feel like it could be so much better.

It’s only me being picky with the OS and the inner workings that limit my excitement about the Lumia 1020. For a photography enthusiast that wants to take some great pictures on the move then this will be an ideal phone, combine it with the camera grip and a tripod and they’ll be happy.

Personally I think I’m going to see what Nokia release in a few months as the Lumia 1020s successor, the prospect of a higher resolution screen and a better CPU makes me reluctant about the 1020.