In this gadget loving generation, phones are not just to make calls. If you own a smartphone, you’ll want your phone to do much more like tweeting, checking directions etc. Your smartphone can do all of these alright but with the launch of Windows OS, everything is being done at the lightning speed. The Windows Phone platform is as fast as they get and is perfect for social networking as well as multi tasking. Windows have found many takers especially in Europe with a growth of 156% YOY in market share. The phones are now set to take the market by storm with some new models as well as the existing models.
Upcoming Windows phones
Nokia Lumia 900
Nokia Lumia 900 is astonishingly fast way to connect. It has a brilliant 4.3 inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with resolution of 480 x 800 pixels and 16M colors combination. The powerful 1.4GHz Qualcomm APQ8055 + MDM9200 (WCDMA) processor with Windows 7.5 ‘Mango’ Operating system make this phone totally irresistible. Its cascading tiles and 3D transitions are a feast for the eyes. The phone supports Carl Zeiss Tessar lens and 8Mp sensor with auto-focus, dual LED flash and geo tagging feature. This 3G enabled phone has 512 MB RAM and 16 GB internal memory. It’s beautiful both inside and out, easy to use and undeniably fun. It is expected to hit Indian markets in June of 2012
Nokia Lumia 610
Nokia Lumia 610 is being launched as the cheapest Windows phone in the world. The phone is set to be priced at Rs 11000. Catering to the needs of budget conscious users, the Lumia 610 has some strong points, arriving with WiFi tethering out of the box and a raft of Nokia’s impressive home-made apps. The phone feels beautifully made, with no flex in the body, has definitely got the edge in looks over the Lumia 710, and is on the verge of being the best-looking Lumia in the entire range. Nokia Lumia 610 is powered by a 800MHz processor with 256MB RAM. With 5 MP camera with LED Flash and 8 GB internal memory, this one is definitely appearing to be a hit in the market.
Samsung Omnia M
Samsung Omnia M is the latest mobile phone announced by Samsung. It offers up a 4-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 X 800 pixels. The phone runs on Windows phone 7.5 OS and is aimed at the budget end of the market. Samsung Omnia M has a powerful 1GHz processor which is backed by the 384MB of RAM. It also has a 5MP camera with LED flash, and a VGA front-facing camera enables video chats. It is expected to be launched by the end of the year.
Existing Windows Phones
Samsung Omnia W I8350
With Nokia spreading their wings in the Windows market Samsung have been making sure that they too have a decent competitor in the Windows OS segment. Samsung Omnia W I8350 is a marvelous piece of hardware. The phone has a 3.7-inch super amoled display – a size that gives you a good amount of screen real estate without making the phone itself too large. The gadget runs on Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) operating system and possesses a powerful 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Scorpion processor that allows you to multitask without affecting the speed of your applications. The 5 MP camera is loaded with a LED flash. It also has a VGA camera in the front for making video calls. 512 MB RAM does not let the phone slow down. This one is available at just Rs. 13,599.
Nokia Lumia 800
The Nokia Lumia 800 is the first Windows Phone handset to pop out from the Microsoft / Nokia tie-up announced almost a year ago. This 3.7 inches AMOLED touchscreen phone is sleek and looks handsome. 1.4GHz MSM8255 Snapdragon/Scorpio helps add snap to the Windows Phone Mango operating system. The beauty of its Metro user interface definitely strikes the user. The phone is engineered with an 8 megapixel camera with f/2.2 Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, autofocus, dual-LED flash and 3x digital zoom. The gaming experience becomes memorable with Adreno GPU. The gadget has 512 MB RAM and 16GB Internal memory. You can bag this one for Rs. 21,999.
HTC Radar
The HTC Radar is the latest smartphone to run Windows Phone 7.5. The younger sibling of HTC Titan and the second handset from HTC to run Windows Phone 7.5 HTC Radar is a solid little handset. It’s crafted from a single piece of metal and looks amazing. The front of the phone is dominated by a 3.8″ SLCD screen. The camera is fairly decent. The 5MP unit is also capable of capturing 720p HD video at 30FPS. Unlike other phones of this genre the storage space is just 8 GB. 1GHz Processor and 512 MB RAM makes this phone does not let the phone slow down. You can grab this one at Rs. 15,990.
Dell Venue Pro
The Dell Venue Pro is running with similar internals as all of the other Windows Phone 7 launch devices. This one is the second latest launched in the market. The gadget includes a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 512MB of RAM. It comes in both 8GB and 16GB storage configurations without a user-accessible microSD slot for added storage. It’s packing a five-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash that can record 720p video. Sizing up at healthy 4-inches, its AMOLED display with WVGA (480 x 800) resolution makes for a striking combination. Venue Pro features a slick slide-down keyboard, fantastic build quality, and great performance. You can get this one at Rs. 14, 399.
HTC HD 7
Similar to Nokia Lumia 900, this phone has a massive 4.3 inch 16M-color capacitive LCD touchscreen of WVGA resolution of 480 X 800 pixels. There is a 5MP camera on the back offering a dual-LED flash that can also be used as a video light when capturing HD video at 720p. The HTC HD7 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform. It has 576MB of RAM, 512MB of ROM and 16GB of built-in storage, which cannot be expanded. The HD7 has a built-in accelerometer which gives it an edge over others. Overall the Windows Phone 7 interface on the HTC HD7 is excellent and the large display makes it even more usable. Get this one at Rs. 27,825
Nokia Lumia 710
Nokia Lumia 710 is aimed at budget conscious buyers with a budget of Rs 15,000. Unlike in the Lumia 800, the back cover of the phone is replaceable and is available in multiple colors with matching colour profiles in the phone. With a 3.7-inch ClearBlack LCD display, a 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor aided by 512MB of RAM, a decent 5 megapixel rear shoot capable of 720p video capture it has all what is required. Nokia Lumia 710 is a solid and attractive smartphone for first-timers. You can bag this one with Rs. 13,899.
Summary
Windows phones are here to stay. It is the most exciting thing to happen to phones in a long time. Microsoft has definitely laid the foundation for the next several years of its mobile play. More and more phones are already being added by several companies. The revolution has just begun. If you are looking to experience the Windows OS, these are the phones that should cater to your basic needs.