How to use your Nokia Lumia 800 as a flashlight or Torch!

How to use your Lumia 800 as a flashlight or Torch?

I believe, most LED flash carrying devices should have an inbuilt feature for using it as a flashlight or torch, with Lumia 800, there is no such thing, however there is a free app for it, on the Marketplace.

The app's name is Flashlight-X. It immediately switches ON the LED flash and also with an interesting option of sending an S.O.S signal via flash too!

Flashlight-X

Some excerpts of the app

- Works on ALL Windows Phone devices! (except HTC Mozart because of XENON flash)
- Uses Camera's LED Flash.
- Turns on INSTANTLY!
- FASTEST turn on time.
- NO flickering with NEW version!
- Flashlight-X icon looks great on your Start screen.
- Disables screen lock when the flash is ON!
- Runs under the lock (takes a second to recover). You can turn of the screen and
- Use camera button to turn on/off.
- SOS mode for emergency situations.
- And most importantly Flashlight-X is FREE!

Use when you are
- Reading a book at night
- Looking for your something in the dark
- Walking/Hiking at night
- Need an extra light
- In a emergency situation

Just use the search feature on your windows phone Marketplace for "Flashlight-X".

You can also find it, on the Zune marketplace for windows phone below

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/2638b778-5eab-45f1-a511-a08e1dbde751

Nokia Lumia 1000?!

One of the my rants about Nokia running on Windows OS is, when will we see a touchscreen with qwerty keypad phone.

Apparently, I do have pictures of Nokia Lumia as qwerty windows phone below


Presenting Nokia Lumia 1000 :)





No, seriously, this is just rant, imagine a phone like that. Awesome isn't it?

The Transition from Mini-Sim to Micro Sim!

Thoughts about Micro Sim

( I will refer the Mini Sim as Sim itself, since its standard universally)

Most of the latest Nokia Device come with a Micro Sim slot nowadays. I'll talk about the global scenario regarding this.





Traditionally, the Western mobile cellular networks like US, UK and European nations, usually have subscriptions with the Mobile device, some ties they tie-up with Mobile producing Companies. Since there are many tie-ups between major network carriers and Mobile manufacturers, the end user gets support for both, the micro Sim card and the usual sized Sim cards. However, this might not be the case everywhere

Now Cut back to growing Mass Consumption and growing markets like India and other Asian nations, there are no tie-ups between networks and Mobile Manufacturers, whatsoever.

Unlike western markets, most of the phones available are unlocked and not linked to any networks; since they are a wide array options for network carriers, Mobile Sim cards are easily available; and one can own countless Sim cards from different mobile networks (theoretical possible but practically unfeasible). Moreover, those Sim cards are mostly bought from small shops and outlets on the streets than the Network Carriers Shop.

But there is a work around for this, there are Sim cutters but once you cut short the Sim; you cant get it back, so there are micro Sim adapters which enlarges it the micro Sim without affecting the card's dimensions. Also, one can replace the Sim to micro Sim or vice verse but the user can use only one Sim at any moment, Most Network carriers don't allow duplicate Sims.

The transition of the Sim to micro Sims, would be the same like SD, mini SD cards; to the micro SD cards. The problem is, not all future devices use micro Sim, so for now, the mobile devices that use micro Sim are premium phones, so the end user can afford/take the irritation of toying between both Sim card types.

Nokia Lumia 800 - Some Final Thoughts on the Device

Nokia Lumia 800

Nokia Lumia 800

Here are some final thoughts about the Lumia 800 but first we'll see the pros and cons.


Pros

• Sleek design, very usable in any scenarios.
• Good 8MP camera with Carl Ziess Optics
• Touch sensitive buttons for Menu and other operations
• Ability to multitask flawlessly
• 720p video capture
• Windows OS runs smoothly on the 1.4 GHz Snapdragon Processor from Qualcomm
• Device built is robust
• Excellent social Integration of Contacts from Facebook, twitter, Windows Live
• Share pictures instantly, also upload via Sky drive
• Marketplace and Xbox Live support for Paid apps and games is on the spot.
• Nice backup and transfer feature via Zune
• Passable battery life for moderate users.
• Landscape position on tilting the device on both sides.

Cons

• No Memory Card Slot
• Size of screen might not appeal to some (3.7 inches)
• Lack of Mass Memory Storage Feature
• No Front Camera
• Internal storage of 16GB, no 64 GB like Nokia N9
• Micro USB slot cover feels flimsy, chances of breaking
• The Nokia etched Metal clip on back gets scratched easily
• Micro Sim required for Network Operation

Other Cons basically due to the OS environment

• Lack of free apps and games on Marketplace
• No Bluetooth Transfer
• Music and Videos have to be synced via Zune Software for transfer to the Device

Hmm, looks like there are many cons regarding Zune, marketplace, Bluetooth file transfer etc but no, its just because Windows is a closed environment unlike Android and partly, Symbian users are not accustomed to . The Lumia device operations will draw comparisons to Apple IPhone system of iTunes and its limitations, but this is a step ahead for Nokia as it evolves away from the Symbian platform. This looks very promising and the Finnish Giant can capitalize on it.

If you're the Nokia Fan-boy or any users who wants something different than the usual Android OS and IPhone, the Nokia Lumia 800 is a worthy buy. The Lumia device has a standard of it own.

Nokia Lumia 800 - Camera Review

As promised, the camera review of the Lumia 800,

Nothing special or innovative of the 8 MP camera, it takes pictures of resolution of 3264x2448 pixels, has auto focus and dual LED flash.




Picture Capture

The Camera settings are some oddly in text format only, but its very simple, all settings to scene mode, white balance exposure, Contrast, Saturation,  ISO  are all available. Though I'd prefer settings to be on the screen at one touch, its much more feasible. The only bit which troubles me is, that the zoom in/out from the screen isn't smooth, the zoom progresses in parts, which is really annoying and no, the volume rocker keys don't double as zoom in/out function.



The pictures come out normal in daylight but the colors look dull or bit faded. The night shots are excellent though. Some samples below via flickr

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjyFHXo1




Video Capture

The Lumia 800 can take videos at 720p@30fps. The video quality is real good and supports recording at Night with LED flash like the E7. While recording, the timer shows up on the screen, though its transparent, its bit annoying with those huge fonts, because the screen while recording pinches down from the original screen size as you can see below.

Nokia Lumia 800 - Software Review

You must have read the Lumia 800 unboxing review, of course I missed out some stuff like the micro-usb port and sim slot, together aka Top section of the Lumia 800.



Also more importantly the mention of 8MP snapper with Carl Ziess optics.




Now I will talk about the software which runs on Lumia 800 which is  Windows Phone 7.5, also known as Tango.

When you unlock the phone via key lock/unlock button, the screensaver shows up; reminds me of the N9, :-) the comparisons never stop. However, I changed the default picture. See below

Nokia Lumia 800 Unboxing - Review

Nokia's first Windows Phone and also for me. I have never used windows operated phone or mobile devices till now, I have been a Nokia user and now fan-boy ever since Symbian came, even now I use a Symbian OS device. Its interesting from a Symbian user's perspective to view the Windows OS as a step ahead for using future Nokia devices.

For the user specs, Visit here





First glimpse of the Nokia Lumia 800 reminds me of the N9, it not only looks the same but feels the same, a closer look of the device tells tales.




 From the outside, the Lumia 800 is an obvious look alike of N9 but with touch buttons for back, windows main tile page and search on display.



Also its a tad bit smaller than the N9 with 3.7 inch AMOLED clear black display as compared to the 3.9 inch of the N9.




Overall the device looks sleek and sexy. The device easily fits in your palms and your fingers reach every place on device without strain.

Lumia 800

For the Next part, we will see the software review of the Lumia 800

Nokia Lumia 800 in White (Pictures)

Nokia UK with association with Phones4U have shown some pictures of the Nokia Lumia 800 White Edition!

Nokia MWC 2012 Round-up

Well, I have been missing the build up to the Mobile World Congress, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain. Nokia has announced some devices from the Asha Series and latest Innovation Nokia 808 with 41 megapixel camera sensor. I will do a round up of all devices and their specifications. Since, I have no invitation to the event, I will take excerpts from various blogs.