PureView

We've all seen the Nokia video highlighting the new optical stabilization of the Pureview Camera. You know the one.  The full length version of where the girl is riding the bicycle?

The video has portions shot with the Pureview Camera to demonstrate how good the optical stabilization works (and from what Dan tells me it works really good). The video has come into question when a reflection of the van following the bicyclist to shoot the video suggests the footage was shot with a professional video camera instead of a Pureview Camera. 

Windows Phone Central's Photo Gallery from the Nokia Windows Phone Event

It has been a busy morning with all the news coming from Nokia's Windows Phone event.  We've seen the introduction of the Lumia 920, Lumia 820, the 8.7 megapixel Pureview Camera, floating lens technology, Nokia's Maps adding augmented reality, a handful of new Nokia exclusive apps, and a new Lenses app for the Windows Phone camera.

Then there's the Nokia Fat Boy charging pads, the JBL Bluetooth Speakers, and even Steve Ballmer popped in to say hello.  Our own Dan Rubino had front row seats for todays event.  While he's busy interviewing folks and snatching some hands on time with all that has been presented, we thought we'd share some images he's already captured.

Nokia Lumia 920 will have a Pureview Camera

When Nokia released the 41 megapixel Pureview Camera everyone was impressed with the image quality and just about everyone asked when we would see a Pureview Camera on a Windows Phone.  It may not be the 41 megapixel version but Nokia has announced that the new Lumia 920 Windows Phone will be fitted with a 8.7MP Pureview Camera with image stabilization.  Nokia refers to this as floating lens technology.

While the 8.7MP camera may be a disappointment to some but realize the 41 megapixel sensor isn't what defines a Pureview Camera.  It's the software driving the sensor combined with the sensor itself, along with the overall design of the camera that makes a Windows Phone camera  a Pureview Camera.

New sensor technology could put a larger cameras into smaller packages

Nokia may have the best smartphone camera system around with its 41 megapixel Pureview camera. We are all hoping to see similar Pureview technology (but on a smaller scale) with the Lumia 920 Windows Phone 8 devices. While the Pureview cameras have turned heads, what Nokia has up it's sleeve should take the Nokia cameras to a new level and eliminate that pesky hump in the process.

Nokia has filed a patent application for the sensing of photons utilizing graphene technology. Graphene is a two-dimensional material made of a single atomic layer of carbon layers. It allows photo sensors to be smaller than the current crop of CMOS sensor and capture light photons across a broad spectrum of frequencies of visible light. Combined with the transparency of the graphene layers, this should make the graphene sensors better low-light performers than what we have today.

In a nutshell, we are looking at potentially a smaller, thinner, better low-light performing photo sensor that may give us the 41 megapixel Pureview camera without the hump.

We are ever so close to the 5^th of September where it’s possible Nokia and Microsoft are planning to reveal all about Windows Phone 8. We still have much to learn about the next version of Windows Phone such as possible consumer features for the OS that include Xbox Live and music improvements, as well as anything else Microsoft may still have hidden up their sleeves.

While there is still much to learn about Windows Phone 8, a recent video release only adds to the mystery of what's in store for September 5th.

In what has to be the biggest non-secret ever, Bloomberg note that 'sources familiar with the matter' have informed them that Nokia plans to exhibit their new Windows Phones 8 devices next month at Nokia World.  And to spice things up, according to our sister site iMore (and confirmed by other media) Apple is planning to reveal the iPhone 5 on September 12th—just one week later making the timing by Nokia seemingly perfect.

If accurate, we can’t think of a more exciting two weeks for the mobile industry, as arguably two of the best phone designers will be revealing their new devices to the world and setting the bar for everyone else.

Nokia India announced today at the Nokia Strategy Summit in Chennai that its Lumia 900 and Lumia 610 handsets will be coming to India sometime in Q3 of this year. The pair of Lumias will fulfill the desires of both those looking for a high-end powerhouse phone, in the Lumia 900, and those in the market for something more economical, the toned-down 610. Both phones run Windows Phone Refresh (aka Tango), but are much different in the hardware department. While the 4.3-inch Lumia 900 packs a 1.4 GHz processor, 512MB RAM, 8 mega-pixel and 16GB of storage, the 610 has a 3.7-inch LCD, 800MHz processor, 256MB RAM, 8GB of storage and a 5MP camera. Neither a concrete arrival date, nor pricing, were revealed for either device.

Another announcement that came out of today's Nokia Strategy Summit was the mid-June arrival of the 808 PureView, which was originally revealed back at MWC 2012. The 808, if you recall, is the Symbian-powered phone that is equipped with a 41-megapixel camera. It was originally expected to hit shelves in May, but was delayed for unknown reasons. Nokia has put up a website to pre-book the 808 PureView, but has not made any pricing known for that either. It's an odd move for a device that is so close to its release date. The 808 runs a 1.3GHz CPU, 512MB RAM and 16GB of storage, which can be expanded with a microSD card.

The next few months should be pretty exciting for those in India itching for a new Windows Phone device, or a phone with a monster camera hanging off the back of it. We will keep you posted if any further release dates or prices make their way out into the Ether.

Source: FoneArena (Link 2); Via:Mobigyaan (Link 2), Thanks, ASM, for the tip!

Leaked photos of a Lumia Pure View Windows Phone 8 ("Apollo") handset have blasted through the headlines this morning. According to a Chinese website, the handset pictured in this article is a Nokia PureView Windows Phone handset. We know what you're immediately thinking: "Gosh, this is fake or it's a damn ugly concept!". It could well be, but we'd like to take a different view on this one. We previously covered the Pure View technology back at MWC 2012, which left us in awe at the 41MP sensor.

First of all, check out the new Windows 8 logo used on the center capacitive button, a minute detail. Another is the blurred out information (probably device [code]name) in the bottom-right hand corner. Finally we've already seen a Pure View Symbian handset from Nokia. Since they're currently in a partnership with Microsoft, and there are even rumours of upcoming Windows 8 tablets from the Finnish manufacturer, it makes sense (and has been confirmed) for Nokia to bring this new camera-phone technology to Windows Phone to strengthen the Lumia family (if we don't see a second family emerge with the release of "Apollo").

So, back to the alleged PureView Windows Phone. Reported specifications from the slides are as follows:

• 4.3" Curved Glass touchscreen with HD display
• 41mp sensor, Carl Zeiss lens and PureView imaging technology
• 1080p full HD video recording and Rich Recording technology
• Dual Core processor with Adreno 320 GPU
• Windows Phone Operating System

The 4.3" curved screen is an interesting feature to say the least. The Lumia 800 features curved glass to wrap it inside the polycarbonate shell, but this is taking things to another level. In the images we can clearly see the glass actually curves inwards. The design would certainly turn a few heads if spotted in public.

With the 41MP sensor, Carl Zeiss lens and PureView Imaging technology, one would expect the end results to be quite spectacular. As well as better image quality, 1080p HD video recording is listed, a feature to combat competitor handsets. Lastly we have a dual-core processor accompanied by an Adreno 320 GPU. To sum up - it'll be quite the beast. The Windows Phone OS already runs smoothly on single-core chips, so we could hopefully see advances made in the gaming side of the platform to really make the Xbox Live integration stand out.

Fake or not, what do you make of the slides? Would you be excited for the 41MP shooter sporting Windows Phone with this design? Be sure to check out our hands-on of the Symbian Pure View device from MWC 2012.

Source: it168.com, via: MyNokiaBlog

We've played with the Lumia 610 and now it's time for Symbian. But only because the Pure View 808 sports a whopping 41MP camera sensor allowing unprecedented photo taking (not to mention killer audio quality). Allowing you to save in 5, 8 or 38MP photos, it's really quite a technological feat that brought cheers from the crowd when announced.

No doubt, the phone is a bit chunky but what do you expect? To be honest, it's not that bad and we actually like the feel of it in our hands (the thin 2/3 of the body helps in holding it).

While this isn't a Windows Phone, you can bet Nokia and Microsoft are itching to get this on a Lumia, something we'll be waiting for this fall.