The Nokia Lumia 530 has finally hit Ireland ,a couple of days later than what we had been told some weeks ago,but nonetheless its finally here at last.
Today on Facebook Nokia Ireland made the announcement..this is the latest handset in the portfolio at the entry level bracket priced at €99
Emobile have also posted the device on their Facebook page.
Whilst Meteor mobile has a competition running to win the Lumia 530.
Currently there is no listing for O2 regarding the device nor is it live on the websites just yet,we will update when the info comes in.But we have received the following info. This is from the latest brochure.
Three Ireland will also sell the device which is expected this week.
The device is expected to be in the region of €89/99 euros and as confirmed by others,this concludes with the info we received prior to today.
If you have not used HERE maps and stick to Google maps you do not know what you are missing,as a user of both i find them both great to be honest but HERE has the edge,often i would try out the both services and compare them and HERE offers a smooth experience for users and of course off-line as you can save your maps data to your device.
HERE for Android is a free app with fresh maps that truly keeps working even without an Internet connection: your location will be still found via GPS, and browsing the map, searching for places and offline navigation will also keep working, even if you’re not connected.
Forget cumbersome caching of small areas and enjoy the possibility of downloading entire countries or regions.
Can’t search for places or plan routes with your other map when Internet coverage is spotty or unavailable? No worries, HERE has you covered with full map functionality available offline, like when you’re underground or in rural areas.
Keeping your maps stored on your device also means that they are super fast. Because they’re instantly available, you can pan them, rotate them and zoom in and out without any lag. HERE will be the maps app you can always rely on.
When you search for a place with HERE, you’ll have the option to drive, walk or take public transport to get there. You can adjust options to get the best route according to your taste. If you want to take a car, for instance, you can exclude toll roads and you get up to 3 different route alternatives.
You can read the full announcement HERE Pun Intended.
We have had the MD-12 some time now and also the all new coloud BANG speaker and many people asked about the two of them and how they compared with sound.
First off two things to note,the MD-12 will cost around around €60 and the Coloud BANG is set to cost and nice €19 we have yet to see any in stores here in Ireland yet but those who recently bought the Lumia 930 would have got the MD-12 alongside the DC-50 wireless charger with the deals that operators had on offer last month.
First up the MD-12
Below is a video on how to connect the MD-12 to your NFC enabled device and we can listen to some sound.
Packaging.
The MD-12 comes packed in familiar packaging similar to other products from Nokia with the unit completely visible.
What does the MD-12 give you and what are the specs.
Wire-free efficiency
Be wire-free with Bluetooth and NFC. And combined with a long-lasting, rechargeable battery, keep the music pumping all night long on a single charge.
Boosted battery life
With the long-lasting rechargeable battery, spend more time enjoying and less time charging.
Small speakers, portable or not, often miss the clout, especially in the bass department.
That’s about to change with the Nokia Bluetooth Minispeaker. With a built-in vibrating actuator located on the base, low frequencies (read: heavy bass) are created when placed on most surfaces, especially hard ones, delivering a surprising amount of bass for such a compact speaker- in fact, it’s rather fun experimenting with different surfaces.
This pocket-sized powerhouse can fill a room with sound and, when its rechargeable battery is fully juiced, offers 15 hours of playback, enough for your regular party. Well, the parties we go to, anyway.
While the speaker is obviously a travelling music-fan’s dream, it also doubles up as the perfect speakerphone so you can work on the go.
Pairing your phone with the mini speaker is simple; just tap your NFC-enabled device on the speaker to instantly pair. Alternatively, connect via Bluetooth. With the new Nokia Device Hub app, you can easily manage your speaker and other connected accessories easier than ever, and fun. It provides app recommendations for your accessories and even lets you see where you used them last time, in case you misplaced it.
If your phone lacks either wireless technology, don’t sweat, just use the audio-out connector and lead that comes in the box.
Costing around 60 euros and continuing Nokia’s bright new colour language for 2014, the Nokia Bluetooth Minispeaker comes in the same distinctive colours of yellow, green, orange and white.
Maximum music playback time: 15h
Maximum output: 95dB at 0.5 m
NFC: Pairing
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0 + HS
Rechargeable battery: Yes
Audio
Maximum output: 95 dB at 0.5 m
Connectivity
AV connectors: 3.5 mm audio connector
Charging connectors: Micro-USB
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0 + HS
Bluetooth profiles: Headset profile (HSP) 1.2, Hands-free profile (HFP) 1.6
LED indicators: Battery level indicator, Power on indicator
Dimensions
Height: 38 mm
Diameter: 84 mm
Weight: 180 g
Environmental features
Materials: Free of PVC, Free of BFR, rFR as in Nokia Substance List
Recycling: 100% recoverable as materials and energy
User guide: Small printed guide, full on nokia.com, One colour printing
Packaging: Packaging is 100 % recyclable
Overall the MD-12 is great it can handle the music,but at certain levels it did sound tinny and distorted at times,it does move around depending on the music even though it has a rubberised underside it can still move,this is to be expected,with the magnetised underside its hand to stick in places where you have the option to use it,again similar instances of movement were seen but not so much as on a flat surface such as a table.It offers great sound overall and is a great accessory to have if you have not picked one up,it does seem pricey though and it may not suit some overall im happy with it and how it performed.
NokiaNewsIreland rating 4/5.
The all new Coloud BANG.
This is the latest offering from Coloud,and once again thanks to Mix Radio for hooking us up with these new speakers set to cost a very impressive 19 euros(approx) when they eventually hit the shops in Ireland which i hope is soon..
Last year we also had the privilege to be the first to test the latest headphones from Coloud which was the Knock,Pop and Boom
These speakers came much larger than anticipated when they were first announced,they looked nice seemed solid robust and nice colours to match the current Nokia Lumia series which both look well together they compliment each other well and can be used with any device that supports 3.5 mm jacks,we tried these on several phones and they worked,such as the Xperia Z2,HTC ONE M8 and the One Plus One.
Pictured above and below is the Lumia 530 which is also Orange in colour and they certainly complement each other well indeed and they look great .
Sound test and tour of the Coloud BANG.
These speakers are certainly value for money and the sound was impressive i am no sound engineer but to distinguish the difference fairly is hard against the MD-12 both had great quality sound and again depending on the music you are playing there was some variables with sound which one handled it better over the other as to volume and loudness,volume would be really the key factor in both being honest when we noticed sound variance.
Paired together there is no doubt that the Coloud Bang gave some punch,these can be daisy chained together so you can add a few together and get some really impressive sound,sadly we only had 2 units but we would of liked to see the effect with 4 or 5 together and see the overall impact,judging from the 2 we had i would say the music experience would be great.
The Coloud BANG is a solid speaker and not too big it can easily fit in pocket or bag there is no sharp edges on them so it would not dig into you so to speak if carrying in trouser pocket for example.
What do i get with the Coloud BANG and what are the specs.
Dimensions
Width: 75 mm
Height: 51 mm
Weight: 96 g
Cable length: 17 cm
Audio
Frequency response: 200 – 15 000 Hz
Maximum output: 94 dB at 0.5 m
Speaker drivers: 40 mm high performance
Connectivity
AV connectors: 3.5 mm stereo headphone connector
Charging connectors: Micro-USB
Power
Rechargeable battery: Yes
Maximum music playback time: 8 h
They come in Three colours Orange,Black and Green.
Sound Comparison test with the Nokia MD-12 and Coloud BANG
Overall result the BANG is exactly that, You get some BANG for your bucks the sound is great,they are small,portable,durable look great and a cost effective solution to bring your music with you in a more convenient conventional way .Only thing i would say the cable that comes with the speaker (built in) is short but hence its design its still a clever way of not having too long of a cable separate to carry about,its all in one unit.
Not very often things get announced without official announcements but it does happen,its happened before and has happened yet again,this time its a Bluetooth headset not a phone or any like it.
Currently the status says its “Coming Soon” But we are all aware of how that phrase sounds now.
The Nokia BH-222 bluetooth headset is what we are talking about not seen anything of late on this department but here we have it.
Nothing is known about price or availability just now so its a guessing game as to what the future holds for this..
Listen up
This tiny headset lets you effortlessly enjoy music, podcasts and calls from any Bluetooth enabled device such as a smartphone, laptop or tablet while freeing your fingers for more important business.
Universally accepted
Charge your headset through a USB port in your laptop, car or even boat and enjoy hours of music or conversations with a single charge.
Stay free of distractions. The crystal clear sound quality helps you stay on top of calls even in the hustle and bustle of busy streets. Available in timeless black or white colours, the BH-222 rests subtly and lightly in your ear.
No need to change batteries. A universally available USB port and the included micro-USB plug is all you need to keep your headset fired up for hours on end.
Dimensions
Width: 15.5 mm
Length: 57.5 mm
Thickness: 8.6 mm
Weight: 8 g
Audio
Audio features: Mono
Digital/active noise reduction in uplink audio: Yes
Usage
Maximum talk time: 5 h
Maximum music playback time: 5 h
Maximum standby time: 4 days
Connectivity
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0
Bluetooth profiles: Headset profile (HSP) 1.2, Hands-free profile (HFP) 1.5
Recently the super budget phone the Nokia130 has been announced and caused a bit of a stir to say the least considered the recent talks about X series and Asha platforms been shelved further down the road so we can almost expect that the Nokia 130 will be the last phone we will see running the Series 30 UI .
Nokia Ireland stated they will not be ranging the 130 here which was a rather disappointing announcement and also rather quickly too,which means they must have a pretty good idea of the roadmap going forward..From a personal standpoint i don’t see why this handset should not be ranged on the networks here,its a perfect phone to bring on travels and holidays and will be popular,it would fit under the category as a throwaway handset.Its cheap,cheerful does plenty and yet you would not miss it if lost,well that may depend on the individual and if they had their SD card installed…
We decided to look further afield on this and made some general enquiries and we have one good news result to report today and hopefully more soon regarding as to the availability of the €19 euro handset which is to be launched soon.It will yet remain to be seen if the handset will retain this price on launch due to various things.
Argos have told us the following,plus we had a brief phone call with them..
As seen in the mail it will be stocked and more info provided as they get it,Subsequently they will also inform us of the info..
Nokia have been the leader of the pack for decades when it comes to devices and hardware,now things are focusing outside the box rather than inside,also today we read that there is tests on how sweat can charge your phone too,recently too we seen that we can power phones with vegetables,so we are slowly moving away from conventional charging its seems,also lets not forget the latest way to charge your device wirelessly.
Researchers at Nokia and Queen Mary University in London believe they have a novel solution to smartphone battery limitations: Instead of trying to improve the battery itself, they’ve figured out how to keep it charged through sound waves.
The key, according to Gizmag, is the use of zinc oxide, whose piezoelectric properties can generate an electrical current from mechanical stress. The researchers started by spraying zinc oxide onto a plastic sheet and heating it in a chemical mixture, creating an array of zinc oxide “nanorods.”
The nanorod sheet bends in response to sound waves, creating enough mechanical stress to generate electricity. Researchers then sandwiched the sheet between layers of aluminum foil to harvest the voltage.
On a prototype device roughly the size of Nokia’s Lumia 925, the researchers were able to generate up to five volts from background noise such as traffic, music and voices. They claim that’s enough help charge a phone, though it’s not clear to what extent.
It’s easy to get excited about these kinds of developments, but keep mind that success in a university lab is a poor indicator of future products. For years, we’ve been hearing about amazing battery research, from the ability to charge electronics with a heartbeat to instant charging technology to entirely new battery chemistry, but none of these advancements have appeared in actual phones that you can buy today. Many of them must address significant hurdles around design, cost, manufacturing and safety before they become practical for the market.
In other words, you’ll have many more realistic reasons to scream at your phone for the foreseeable future.
This may suit many people who shout and scream,been honest i will be looking forward to this method with wireless charging becoming ever so popular this shows some insight as to what lies ahead in the world of mobile phones..
