Lumia 520 and 720

Nokia has just announced two new Lumias running Windows 8: the Lumia 520 and the Lumia 720.

The Lumia 520 has a 4 inch (800x400) screen, snapdragon S4 dual-core 1 GHz processor , 512 MG of RAM, 8 gigs of internal storage, and a micro SD slot. Nokia claims that the 1430 mAh battery will provide about 9.6 hours of 3G talk time however we’ll see if that holds true once the phone is released. The dimensions are 119.9 mm x 64 mm x 9.9 mm and weighs about 124 grams.

The second phone is the Lumia 720 which has a slightly larger display (4.3 inches with a resolution of 800 x 480), 6.7 megapixel rear camera, and then the same exact internals as the 520). The 720, however, has a larger battery (2000 mAh - 13.4 hours of 3G talk time), supports the wireless charging present in the 920 and weighs about 128 grams in a case that is 127.9 mm x 67.5 mm x 9 mm.

We don’t have any information on carriers, more on that later!

How Desktop Virtualization Can Save Schools Money

Many schools around the nation frequently face a problem that has never been easy to solve, at least until now. Typically, schools own computers that are outdated, those that are so obselete that no one else wants them. So, these computers end up at schools that can’t afford current technology. Sadly, these legacy computers usually can’t handle even the most basic tasks such as word processing or doing research. Within 4 or 5 years, these computers will become so dysfunctional that they will eventually have to be replaced by another set of decrepit hardware. Neverware hopes to turn this problem around with its affordable Juicebox technology.

Neverware’s product basically uses virtualization technology to give life to these otherwise  “retired” computers. Virtualization’s main function is one massive server that acts as the host. Then, clients, such as computers, act as the clients: the host will power and run on each of its clients. That means the clients, instead of running on its own computing power, will lend the host’s computing power. The server is just one massive beast that possesses all its computer minions’ minds. It will have enough processing power to run every computer’s operating system, but will only cost a fraction of a bunch of computer’s processors combined. Also beneficial is more reliability: all data will be securely consolidated inside the server, so there is less chance for loss of documents. The server will also be more secure from viruses because all the computers are centralized towards it.

Innovation is Key for Mobile Success

Let’s look back to the good old days of 2007. That was the year that a new smartphone king took throne: the Apple iPhone. The iPhone put every other phone to shame including the Palm and the Blackberry. It simply had many “firsts” that were successfully implemented, including a capacitive multi-touch glass display and a great user interface that was meant to be easily manipulated with a finger. Back in 2007 (and even 2008) it was a known fact that the ultimate smartphone was the iPhone. There were better phones for email and better phones for durability, but the iPhone was revolutionary.

But look at 2013. What is the best phone? Is it the Samsung Galaxy S3? The HTC DNA? The Motorola Droid RAZR HD? Or is it still the iPhone? The truth is, in this day-and-age, the best phone must have the thinnest chassis, fastest processor, and highest resolution display. These simple evolutions occur on a daily basis. Every week, there is news of a phone that is .2 mm thinner than the previous “world’s thinnest smartphone”  Currently, the smartphone industry is spending all of its energy trying to catch-up or at best get to the finish line first, because the company that releases the next phone with a new, best-in-class processor, will be the go-to phone for two weeks, when the technology becomes commonplace. Sadly, this mindset removes all possible sparks of innovation and any possibility of truly winning in the mobile space. 

If smartphone manufacturers actually want to win consumers, they need stop playing around and actually innovate. This means they need to do what Apple did in 2007: add technologies to a smartphone in a way that no one has ever seen before. If a new technology is innovative enough, like a flexible display with a unique implementation (not just the technology), that smartphone will beat every other smartphone on the market in the long term. Soon, another company might release an indestructible phone and now, rather than comparing two phones to see which one is thinner and faster, we are comparing entirely different products that the consumer can choose from. And thanks to truly innovative technologies, that flexible phone will stay at the front of the store for months or even years no matter what, as long as it is still seen as innovative.

Let's hope that 2013 is the year that smartphone manufacturers change their ways and actually begin innovating. We know for a fact that Apple spends a large sum on R&D and Motorola is entering the innovation game with their new ATAP Innovation group.  I am cheering for all teams in this race, as these innovations will benefit both the OEMs and consumers.

Application Video Review: xScope

Application review for xScope, which is available on the Mac App Store for $29.99.

Video Review - Nexus 10

Check out our video review of the long awaited Google Nexus 10! Does it live up to our standards? Watch to find out!

A written review is on the way!