Review: Nokia Lumia 730, a phone with a promise

Nokia Lumia 730 is one of the most recent launches by Microsoft in the mid range segment of Lumia smartphones. Powered by a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 Quad Core chipset, the device features 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage which can be expanded upto 128 GB using Micro SD Card. The device has a 4.7 inch OLED display with a HD 1280 x 720 Pixels resolution. Named as the selfie phone, the device features a 5 MP front camera with wide angle lens for perfect selfies and a 6.7 MP rear camera. Other features include Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, Double-tap to Wake, Sunlight Readability Enhancements and Brightness Control. The phone weights 130 grams.

Looking at the specs sheet will make anyone a big fan of the device. The phone rocks on the specs sheet but the real test is, does the phone impresses us. For this, we decided to pick one for ourself made some categories for the device. Head below as we reveal the real life tests of this device and see if this is the device which will give Nokia/Microsoft a big boost in the Windows Phone department.

Design:

Nokia Lumia 730 follows Nokia's legacy design. The phone feels really bold and solid. The design matches with the Lumia 920 though it is not that thick. The phone feels great in hands and has a good glossy work on the back which makes it as good as glass. But picking the glossy design features its own drawbacks. The device is slippery is we do recommend our users to use covers to protect it from accidental falls.

Coming to the front, the device has a 4.5 inch screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The device don't have any physical navigation keys so you need to rely on the on-screen keys. The device also don't have a dedicated camera key so if you are upgrading from a older Lumia device, then you might face problems. Overall the device is solid in terms of design department.

Software:

After seeing legacy design, we have a new OS for the device. The Lumia 730 is one of the first device in the market which comes pre-loaded with Lumia Denim software update. The new update has plenty of new features for everyone. Microsoft's Nokia unit has added a few of its own apps, but the Windows Phone 8.1 software is largely the same we have seen in earlier phones.

Performance:

Nokia Lumia 730 is powered by a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 Quad Core chipset and features 1 GB of RAM, making the device buttery smooth to run. Windows Phone has been a resource-optimized software from the start and the latest version is no different. Lumia 730 is a very fast smartphone that can give Rs 25,000 Android phones a run for their money.

We tried our hand at Asphalt 8, and it played like a breeze. Lumia 730 shows no lag or jittering while handling the game, and 1 GB RAM once again proves sufficient to power this resource hungry game.

Though Lumia 730 is not a big-screen phone, it is a decent multimedia device. The rich, vibrant colours make for a good video viewing experience, and the media player can run all the common file formats without a glitch. The audio quality, however, is not as good since the loudspeaker exhibits as sound starts breaking a little at high volumes.

Camera:

One of the biggest power of Lumia 730 is the camera. The phone is the first Selfie oriented device made by Nokia/Microsoft. The device exhibits a 5 MP front camera with the Wide angle lens for clear and crisp selfies and for Video Calls over Skype. The 5MP camera has 24mm focal length, f/12.4 aperture and wide-angle capabilities, making it the most well equipped camera unit at this price point. However, the soft flash in front is missing. The phone also has a 6.7 MP rear facing camera which enables you to take amazing shots both indoor and outdoors. The device is also equipped with a rear flash for night shots.

If you want to make the best use of the selfie camera, then using the Lumia Selfie app is the best choice. Microsoft actually has preloaded the Lumia Selfie app in the smartphone, which allows you to edit the selfie once it's taken. You can not only add filters but also brighten the teeth, soften the skin tone etc. It even puts your face on magazine covers, which is a little gimmicky to be honest. The Lumia Selfie app lets you enhance photos, and here we have used one filter that makes the photo appear livelier than the original shot. Moreover, it reduces the bluish tinge making it appear a little more natural.

 Let's not forget the 6.7MP rear camera that's used on the back of Lumia 730. The camera setup is same as that of Lumia 720, which was launched nearly two years ago: f/1.9 aperture, 1.3.4-inch aperture and Nokia's PureView technology. Though it's not much of an upgrade, it is still pretty good.

Battery Life:

This is one of the areas where most of the smartphones failed to score but when Lumia 730 is concerned, you don't have to worry as a owner. The 2,200mAh battery lasts over a day with moderate usage and a day with moderate-to-heavy usage. We played videos stored on the microSD card, streamed songs online, played games and accessed the internet during this battery test.

Now that we have covered all the aspects of the device, lets's move to the part which is going to make purchasing this device a bummer. Like every gadget, Lumia 730 also has some of the drawbacks making it a deal breaker. We are going to highlight those points below.

• Glance – No (Yes, you read right. No Glance support)
• Dedicated camera button – No
• Dolby Digital sound – No
• Dolby Audio levelling – No
• Dolby Dialog enhancer - No
• Earphones are only good for calls, nothing extra ordinary. Better get a new one for music.
• No data cable in the box.

For the Lumia 730, the biggest omission is Glance and Dolby audio support. The Dolby stuff is a big cost due to licensing, and it makes sense to cut that where possible, but the lack of Glance is a real bummer, especially since the Lumia 720 did have it. Still, users get double-tap to wake, Motion Data, ClearBlack display and lots of other perks making the Lumia 730 and Lumia 735 great values.

Final Verdict:

Now that, we covered everything regarding this device, it's time for the final verdict which is no doubt the positive one. If you are in the market for a selfie phone at a budget, then Lumia 730 is a sureshot choice. Plus, it's a well rounded smartphone that can be used as a multimedia device as well as a decent camera for casual shots. The overall package of Lumia 730 is more than enough for a person looking for a device under 15k INR.

We highly recommend this device. This is one of the best Lumia device available in the market with a price tag of 15,000 INR. The device though lacks some features but the overall package more than makes up for it.

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Microsoft's 2014 Windows Phone roundup, Vote for your favorite Lumia Device

As we move towards the end of 2014, we have got a special roundup for our audiences. We have selected all the devices launched in 2014 and put them into the arena. Now its your time to pick the best device in each category and see your favorite devices winning the fight. The rules are simple. You need to select one device from each category. The voting will end on 1st Jan 2015. We will be announcing the winners on 2nd Jan 2015.
Show us your voting power and get to the top to make your favorite device the ultimate winner. The time starts now. Go!!! Go!!! Go!!!

Budget Category:

Mid Category:

Flagship Category:

So here we had all the categories. Vote for all of them and see them win. See you all in 2015 with the results. Have a great year ahead. Happy Voting.

The Voting has been ended. Stay tuned for the results. Thanks for voting.

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Reported issues of Lumia Devices

First of all, humble thanks to all the viewers who provided us the feedback on our official facebook page.We have noticed some issues of Lumia Devices, which includes the following:

1.)Double tap to wake do not works.
2.).Battery suddenly reaches to 100 after 57% or near and reverts back when charger is unplugged.
3.)Loading an app takes a lot of time and then device hangs.
4.)Some updated apps show old version.
5.)Issue with proximity sensor.
6.)Auto brightness bug
7.)Displays filled SDHC even if its blank.
8.)Device automatically restarts
9.)Battery saver brightness does not works.
10.)Starting the camera, or taking a picture will result in a green screen or washed out picture.
11.)Phone shows the last time charged was within the hour all the time.
12.)Navigating through native videos, causes loud noise from speaker.
13.)Contact photo resolution is very low.
15.)The brightness suddenly flashes to full and auto reverts to normal.
16.)Cortana do not speaks the text messages aloud.
17.)Device Freeze while making a call.
18.)In microsoft office, the files in SD card cant be found, but files in phone memory can be seen and opened.


 If we are missing something please let us know in the comments below, so that we can assist you with the same.Microsoft is working on windows 10 update that will probably fix all the issues.

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Rumor: RM-1062 will be a low end phablet

Looking to upgrade? Well we might suggest to wait a bit. Recent data from AdDuplex suggest that a low end phablet is in works and we expect it to launch in MWC next year.
NokiaPowerUser adds that according to their sources the Lumia RM-1062 will be a phablet with a rather special feature – a 14 megapixel Pureview camera.
The affordable phablet is expected to have a 5.7 inch 720P HD screen, Snapdragon 400 processor, 14 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front camera with 1 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage and will likely run WP8.1 Update 2.
According to AdDuplex:

…the  Microsoft/Nokia RM-1062, RM-1063, RM-1064, RM-1065 is a new 5.7” phablet with a 720P display seen it in Finland, US (AT&T) and some Asian countries. AdDuplex suspect this device may be released very soon, and be a follow-up to the 1320.

 If the specs are true the device appears once again to be only let down by a middling processor, which is a shame, because otherwise the specs are pretty spot on, and would do well if priced well.

What do our readers think?

Source: WMPU

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Windows 10 Build 9901 leaks wild on the Internet with tons of new features and Cortana

Windows 10 has been a hot topic for awhile now. Microsoft recently announced that the company won’t release official builds for Windows 10 to Technical Preview users this year anymore. However, couple of internal builds of Windows 10 has leaked recently – though most of them didn’t include a handful of new features or even improvements. Now, a new build of Windows 10 has leaked into the wild. The build, 9901 comes with fully functional Cortana and much more.

With Build 9901, you can finally try out Cortana on your Windows PC. The personal assistant isn’t pretty on the build yet, however. Fortunately, most of the features on Cortana seems to work with the build. Microsoft has also included hot-word detection for Cortana on Windows 10 — meaning that you can open Cortana just by saying “Hey Cortana”.  Build 9901 also comes with a re-designed Store app. The store app has been updated with a brand-new design which looks much cleaner and beautiful. There is also a redesigned Calculator app on Build 9901. That’s not all – there is a new Welcome screen as well as some new wallpapers.
 Build 9901 also introduces a redesigned Settings app  and three new apps. The build comes with a Xbox App, Getting Started and a Remind Me app. The company has also included some new animations for the TaskViewand a redesigned taskbar. Here is all the screenshots of the updated features

Windows 10 Build 9901 ISO is a 3.8 GB file. However, as it isn’t an official build, we don’t recommend you to install it. If you want, you can download and install it at your own risk.

What do you think of the upcoming things on Windows 10? Let us know in the comment section below.

Download Here

Via: Microsoft-News.com

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Having touch problems on Lumia 535, a fix is on the way

Many Windows Phone users have reported that the new Lumia 535 has a serious touch issue making it almost unusable specially with multiple fingers.  Winphoneviet demonstrates the issue pretty convincingly, with the handset having issues tracking fingers accurately, especially when it comes to multi-touch.
This problem gets worst when a user uses the WordFlow or the Swype keyboard on Microsoft Lumia 535. Also from my personal experience, the touch has problem specially on the far downside of the screen near the navigation keys.
Fortunately Microsoft has said they are aware of the issue, and are planning a software update to address it. Check the video by Winphoneviet demonstrating the issue below.


In the interim some users are reporting that de-activating Screen Magnifier (under Settings>Ease of Access), which is on by default, helps improve the situation significantly.

Are our 535-using readers plagued by this problem? Let us know below.

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New leak reveals Cortana UI for desktop on Windows 10

Microsoft has already revealed the Windows 10 OS for insiders and is providing prompt updates to the same. As the new OS is still under development, one thing that is dragging the attention of the tech enthusiasts is Cortana.
There have already many leaks for Cortana before and there has been so many concept videos ramming the internet. These videos however are not original ones.
Today WinBeta uploaded video demonstrating the new Cortana UI for Windows 10. The build appears to be 9910 which has been recently compiled by Microsoft. We are still not sure when Microsoft will actually release Cortana for Windows 10.
Microsoft has send invitation to all the insiders to attend the event on 21st Jan next year. We hope that Microsoft will reveal Consumer Preview and also Cortana for Windows 10.
We are digging more into Windows 10 just to find some useful stuff for our readers. Meanwhile check the video below, uploaded by WinBeta.

Source: WinBeta

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Facebook replaces Bing in favor of its own Search Engine

Facebook has replaced Microsoft’s Bing in favor of their own personalized search tool. As a company spokesperson confirms, Facebook will be using their own tool to let users quickly search through old posts, comments, and to find friends.

Since 2007, Microsoft and Facebook have partnered up following Microsoft’s $240 million dollar investment in Facebook for 1.6 stake in the company. Part of the deal brought Microsoft’s banner ads to the social network, which they ended in 2010 to bring their own ads online. Now it seems Facebook has taken another step to untie the knots in their deal with Microsoft by replacing Bing.

This certainly isn't the best news for Microsoft but Facebook stated that they will be continuing the partnership with Microsoft in other fields.

What do our readers think of this? Let us know below.

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VLC Beta gets a bug fixing update

As promised earlier, the VLC team has released a update for Windows Phone which fixes many bugs. This is update for the private beta users hence those who haven't enrolled for the app can't download it. Thomas notes on twitter that VLC will come to Windows Phone only when they have a high quality code, which I guess will take a lot of time. This turns to be a sad news for the ones who are waiting anxiously for the app but it is better to get a full app than to have a broken one.

Here's the Store link for those 10,000 users who signed up for the Beta. 

Download it from Here.

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Microsoft now accepts Bitcoin as a payment option for digital contents

Microsoft has announced that it is now accepting Bitcoin as a payment option for buying digital content. The integration allows you to add funds to your Microsoft account with Bitcoin, which can then be used for purchasing digital content on Windows, Windows Phone and Xbox.

You cannot directly buy digital content with Bitcoin just yet, as Microsoft illustrates:

You can only use bitcoin to add money to your Microsoft account and then purchase digital goods at select Microsoft online stores. You can't use bitcoin to purchase Microsoft products and services directly at this time.

All transactions will be handled by BitPay. For instructions on how you can add funds to your Microsoft account using Bitcoin, head to the link below. How many of you are excited to see Microsoft integrate Bitcoin as a payment method?

Source: Microsoft Commerce; Via: Windows Central

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Comic Reader Cover debuts on the Windows and Windows Phone Store

Windows and Windows Phone Stores have finally got Cover, a beautiful comic reader. The app was in closed beta for a month and is now available for public.

Here's a full list of features currently available in the first release of Cover for Windows Phone:

• Comic book management with shelves (folders), read/unread, page count, current page, etc
• Add folders to the library or open standalone files
• Supported file types: CBZ/ZIP, CBR/RAR, 7Z/CB7, PDF (beta), EPUB (images only)
• Supported image types: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP
• In-app purchase to unlock unlimited library
• Open files directly from Files app
• Indexed library for quick search
• Customizable page layout: single or dual page, fit width/height/page
• Pinch zoom, swipe et tap supported in reading screen
• left-to-right or right-to-left reading (aka Manga mode)
• Change page background color
• Display only recently read, unread, etc

An important note from the dev: If you have unlocked Cover on your Windows 8.1 device, you will automatically receive the same unlock on your phone. It may take some time for the Store to associate the two apps, so in the meantime DO NOT buy it if you already did on Windows (but you can try to "restore" your purchase in the app settings).

We still read most of our comic books the analog way, but we think now's a good time to buy one digitally and use Cover on Windows and Windows Phone. What do you think of the app?

• Download Cover for Windows Phone (Free/In-app purchases)

• Download Cover for Windows 8.1 (Free/In-app purchases)

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Dovetail Games clears Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition for Takeoff on December 18

Dovetail Games today announced that they will be releasing the new PC version of Microsoft Flight Simulator X Steam Edition on December 18. The version of Microsoft's Flight Simulator X will provide gamers with an overhauled airborne experience with "a special introductory price" to invite everyone into the cockpit.
Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition will offer more than 80 missions to test players in a variety of ways, including search and rescue challenges, test pilot scenarios, races and more. Also included in this release will be updated multiplayer functionality (farewell, GameSpy), 20 aircraft, Windows 8.1 support and over 24,000 airports. Unfortunately, there no improvements have been made in the graphics department.

Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition delivers an authentically accurate aerial experience for simulation enthusiasts and those with a passion for all things flight.  Pilots can climb into the cockpits of over twenty aircraft, from commercial and fighter jets to single-engine private planes and helicopters. More than 80 missions will test players in a variety of ways, including search and rescue challenges, test pilot scenarios, races and more. The game features updated multiplayer functionality, Windows 8.1 support and over 24,000 airports, delivering a beautiful, connected world and vast horizon begging to be explored.

Dovetail Games also states the studio will launch a range of add-ons for the title in the New Year. The company will also be working on future releases using Microsoft's Flight Simulator engine, though no plans have been revealed. Check the announcement post over on the Dovetail Games website for more details.

Source: Dovetail Games; Via: Windows Central

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Deal Alert: Grab $50 Off On Xbox One And A Free Game from Microsoft Stores

As a part of 12 days campaign, Microsoft is offering $50 off on Xbox One and a free game. The deal is available only for today on both Microsoft Stores and Online Stores. Xbox One brings together the best exclusive games, the most advanced multiplayer, and entertainment experiences you won’t find anywhere else. If you buy Xbox One bundles like Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle, you will get two games along with it. For example, Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle comes with Assassin’s Creed Unity and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag games.

If you missed buying Xbox One during Black Friday sales, be ready to grab it tomorrow. Find the deal here from Microsoft Store.

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VLC Beta gets its first update, fixes audio issues

VLC team last week released their beta version of Windows Phone app in Store. Many users reported about lots of audio related issues. In fact, I was not able to play any audio on my Lumia 920 devices running WP8.1 developer preview. Today, VLC team released an update to the beta app which fixes this issue. I can now play video and audio without any issues on my device. The following version is now available in Windows Phone Store.

• 2014.1208.1435.1366

You can update the app here from Windows Phone Store.

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Pick the Lumia 830 from Amazon India at just 22,915 INR

Are you the one waiting for the price fall of Lumia 830? Consider yourself lucky today as Amazon India is now listing the black and white color variants of the device for just ₹22,915 ($370), which is lesser than what it costs on Amazon US.
Amazon's discounted price is the best deal you can get on the handset in the country, as Flipkart has the same model listed for ₹26,990 ($436), while Snapdeal is carrying it for ₹25,996 ($420). Do note that Amazon's pricing is valid only on the black and white color variants of the Lumia 830. If you were looking to pick up the device in orange, you have to shell out ₹28,990 ($468).

Who's looking to pick up the Lumia 830 from Amazon India?

Buy Now Here

Via: WindowsCentral

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Video: Unboxing and First Impressions of GOQii Fitness Band

It was two days ago when GOQii landed on our Review Desk and unfortunately I was out for some work. Today I got time to upload the unboxing video. I am pretty excited about this one as GOQii is the first Indian OEM to launch a fitness band. Also they launched a Windows Phone app a couple of days ago so that too is not a problem. Here we present the unboxing video of GOQii band.

Also we have a good deal for you. You can get 20% off on these bands if you use our promo code- anmol715.
Also GOQii is providing 50% off on these bands so you can get them at half price. You can buy them Here or from Amazon India Here.
Do let us know your opinions. Also if you have any questions regarding this, you can comment here or on my Twitter ID. I will include them in my review.

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BBM Beta For Windows Phone Updated With Support For Message Retraction, Stickers And More

BBM Beta for Windows Phone today got updated to v2.0.0.14. This new update includes several new features including support for stickers, timed messages, message retraction and more. Find the full change log below.

Change log:

Stickers: Stickers are a great way to add some more fun to your BBM chats. Not all sticker packs listed are available to beta, but we have a few specific freebies for you to use in your testing:

• Gilbert’s Tale
• CosCat
• BBM Characters
• BBM things you do
• Say it with flowers
• BBM Stickers

Timed Messages: Set how long contacts have access to messages and pictures shared in a chat.

Message Retraction: ‘Retract’ a message to remove it from your BBM chat.

Fixes: This new version is fully loaded with many great fixes for some of the most reported concerns:

• BBM crashes when tapping on a profile on HTC devices
• BBM is slow to launch
• BBM stuck on set-up screen on Nokia devices
• Retract Message tooltip does not appear even after exchanging a few messages.

Download it Here

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Video: How to replace the Nokia Lumia 930 battery cover

Nokia Lumia 930 was one of the most advance and popular device from Nokia. Because of this, when the device was first launched it was in pretty low supply, and many users had no real choice over whether they preferred neon green or business white.

It turns out however that it is pretty easy to replace the battery cover of the Nokia Lumia 930, in such a way that your warranty service will never have to know.

The key is a small slot visible when the SIM tray is removed.

This allows one to press the back off at one point using a sharp object, which makes removal of the other clips pretty easy. Mobile World Channel demoes the process in the video above. Check the video below.

Replacement covers (here on Amazon in a sedate black) are not that cheap unfortunately (between $30 and $40) but can be found quite readily, and will allow one to finally freely customize the appearance of the device. Will any of our readers be giving this simple hardware “hack” a try? Let us know below.

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Windows 10 build 9888 leaked online, available for download

Unreleased build of Windows 10 which was spotted in the wild last week with kernel version 10.0, has reached the web. The leaked Windows 10 Technical Preview build 9888 includes updated animations, better organized context menus, a new default applications for settings and more.

Microsoft has recently released Windows 10 build 9879 via the Windows Insider program and said that no other updates will be revealed until January 2015.

This new leaked Build 9888 is intended for partners and not for Windows Insiders and will not be supported by Microsoft, so we don’t recommend installing it. But if you are eager to know what’s new in this particular build give it a shot.

Keep in mind that this release does not come from Microsoft itself, but from an OEM. So if you do decide to install it, you’ll be doing it entirely at your own risk. Find more information to download the Windows 10 build 9888 here

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WeChat For Windows Phone Updated With Newly Designed Interface

WeChat, one of the popular messaging app has got a update today. WeChat Windows Phone app got updated to v5.4.0.0 in Windows Phone Store with new features. One of the main changes in the update is the redesigned UI which offers clean and simple experience. Find the change log below.

• Newly designed interface for a better experience
• View all images from a chat quickly
• Extract QR codes from within images

Download it here

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