News & Reviews:   Nokia Lumia 1020

The Nokia Lumia 1020 continues to hold the largest megapixel camera sensor in the market and is probably the leader in the cameraphone tech spec race. It is likely to hold that position for some time but as due from such a cameraphone, the initial price was quite high at a pocket burning amount of RM2499. Granted, it comes with an RM300 camera grip with built-in battery but that price is rather high for most people in Malaysia. If you've been wanting the Nokia Lumia 1020, then rejoice because Celcom are now offering it from RM1638 provided you sign up for a Celcom postpaid plan. The deal involves the Celcom First and mPro Plus plans under 12, 18 and 24 month contracts. For more details be sure to check out the links and the table in the article.

Rehashing an old concept with new tech, Toshiba is coming out with dual camera modules which may soon offer smartphones the Lytro-like ability to refocus after the shot while maintaining sharp image clarity. The dual camera module uses two 5MP cameras that records both depth and image information at the same time, creating a 'deep focus' effect and a resulting 13MP image. The camera module works a lot like the Pelican Imaging camera array but unfortunately Toshiba have said that they expect it to reach mass production by April 2014, so we may only see smartphones with these Toshiba dual camera modules after that date. No exact Malaysia release dates or pricing just yet, but it could mean that next year's smartphones will have the same capabilities as the current batch of photo-binning cameraphones, like the Nokia Lumia 1020. 

Nokia Malaysia recently launched the Lumia 1020 cameraphone in Malaysia for RM2499. As the cameraphone with the only 41MP camera sensor and the ability to take Lytro-like blur-free photos, the Lumia 1020 is probably the cameraphone to beat. While the RM2499 price is a bit high, this is probably because the RM299 camera grip is also included. The camera grip isn't just a frame add-on as it also packs in a built-in 1020 mAh battery, extending the battery life of the 2000 mAh powered Lumia 1020 by up to 50% more while giving a more camera-like grip for taking pics. Tech specs and features for the Lumia 1020 include a 1.5GHz Snapdragon processor, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage, the 41MP camera sensor, optical image stabilizer, xenon flash and 6-element Carl Zeiss lens. It comes in Black, Yellow and White and also supports 4G LTE. If you need more information, check out the Nokia Lumia 1020 site.

The 41MP PureView equipped Nokia Lumia 1020 may soon reach Malaysia as Nokia Malaysia has been sending out invites for the launch event scheduled for 19 September 2013. Other tech specs and features of the Nokia Lumia 1020 include a 4.5-inch AMOLED screen with Gorilla Glass 3 and 1280 x 768 pixel resolutions, a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, 2GB of RAM, 42GB of storage and a 2000 mAh battery. The 41MP 1/1,5-inch camera sensor comes with a 6 element Zeiss lens, Optical Image Stabilization and pixel binning so you can zoom in anywhere after you've taken the shot. Unfortunately, no pricing was available but Malaysia release dates should be on the same 19 September 2013 launch date or right afterwards. We're expecting it to launch with a local telco at the same time so stay tuned for further developments. 

After months of leaks and rumours, the Sony Xperia Z1 or previously known as Honami finally gets officially announced. Combining the best of Sony according to the One Sony initiative it puts in an awesome 20.7MP, F2.0 aperture 27mm wide-angle G Lens equipped camera sensor into a thin yet stylish glass covered smartphone. The smartphone itself is IP58 waterproof and features the now familiar OmniBalance design. The main focus of the Z1 remains the camera though as it packs in 3x clear zoom, a BIONZ image processor, super fast shutter to capture time and a dedicated camera shutter button. Other tech specs are equally impressive as it offers a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB storage, up to 64GB microSD, Android 4.2 and a 3000 mAh battery. According to Sony, the cameraphone has up to 14 hours talk time and also utilizes pixel-binning like the Lumia 1020. This pixel-binning seems to offer more sharpness and clarity rather than Lytro-like after zoom effects.

The phone previously known as the Nokia Bandit recently made an appearance as the Nokia Lumia 1520. Leaked images of Nokia's first phablet have appeared, this time side by side with the Nokia Lumia 1020. From looks alone, it seems easy to confirm that the Lumia 1520 will have a 6-inch screen. However, the design doesn't stray from the usual Nokia Lumia smartphone design as you have the same look and feel of most Lumias. Unfortunately, no other tech specs or features got leaked and the picture isn't at the right angle for us to guess. No news on Malaysia release dates for the Nokia Lumia 1520 or about pricing but we're expecting the phablet to make it's official appearance sometime in September 2013.

Nokia Malaysia has confirmed that Malaysia will be getting both the Nokia Lumia 1020 and Nokia Lumia 925 soon. Specific dates weren't exactly available at the time, but they have given a general estimate of arrival for the two premium Lumias. According to Gary Chan, Head of Marketing for Nokia Pan Asia, the Nokia Lumia 1020 is likely to arrive in Malaysia in Q4 of 2013. The Nokia Lumia 925 on the other hand has been confirmed for August 2013. While the metal-clad Nokia Lumia 925 will be priced at RM1799, there wasn't any exact pricing for the Nokia Lumia 1020.

Rumours that Nokia is working on a phablet have been going about since the beginning of the year. While there have been a number of leaks, from side by side pictures to possible naming conventions (Bendit?) the most recent picture to surface looks like the front panel of the phablet from what looks to be a factory floor (supposedly in China). The picture confirms that it will be another 6-inch monster with super-thin bezels but rumours have it being named as the Nokia Lumia 1030, which could indicate a possible oversized camera hump much like the recently released Nokia Lumia 1020.

With the Nokia Lumia 1020 out and the Nokia Lumia 925 on the way to Malaysia, it was just a matter of time before some telco offered the Nokia Lumia 920 at subsidized prices. Celcom is now offering the Nokia Lumia 920 from as low as RM1198. As usual it is on contract with one of the Celcom First plans plus a Mobile Internet plan. Thankfully, the contracts are available for 12 months and 18 months but you will have to pay an extra advance payment which will be rebated later on.

While it hasn't been all that long since the Nokia Lumia 1020 launch, Nokia seem to be prepping or teasing for another major launch. The direct comment from Nokia's Stephan Elop was "next major launch" and came up during the Q & A session for the Nokia Lumia 1020. The Nokia head didn't reveal anything else such as what was going to be revealed or when, just that it would be a major launch and not an incremental model version like the Nokia Lumia 928 and 925 were for the Nokia Lumia 920. While this doesn't mean we shouldn't look forward to a waterproof Nokia Lumia 1025 or interchangeable lens Nokia Lumia 1028 it does seem to indicate that a completely new Nokia product is waiting in the wings.