In this first look review we take an initial look at the Lumia 1320, Nokia's mid tier large screen (phablet) smartphone, which was announced at Nokia World in October of last year. The video-based review offers a tour of the device's key hardware features, commentary on component choice and performance, and discussion on Nokia's positioning of the device.
Galactic Run sounds really good when you read the colour text... "[it] will take you to depths of space, surrounded by enemies, how long will you last?" While Rebel Box's arcade shooter looks the part, once you start playing you're going to realise that the colour text is as good as it is going to get.
We've seen large portable USB chargers (e.g. the Turbocharger 7000), we've seen small all-wireless chargers (the Nokia DC-50), but the Mugenizer N11 seems to offer a feature set that's a very useful compromise. With 4800mAh capacity and both USB and Qi charging output, could the N11 really be the all-purpose mobile charger than many have been waiting for?
Owl Reader is another RSS reading client for Windows Phone. Using the Pocket service online, Owl Reader works with your cloud-based subscriptions, and provides an environment that is very familiar to Windows Phone users while hiding a layer of layout flexibility just under the surface that will appeal to power users.
Guest writer Andy Hagon brings us a review of an application which is so new that it's still - technically - in beta. Yet the very nature of its existence means that now is as good a time as any to look at what it does and how it works (you know, before legal problems stick their oar in, etc.) We've included the link to the beta in the review, should you want to join in too...
"Just slide the blocks into the space that we've drawn". That's the simple premise of Qbism from Blowfish Studio. The only catch is that you're playing in a 3-d environment, and you're going to need all your spatial recognition skills to complete each level in this intense jigsaw style puzzle game.
Creating a Google Maps client on a modern Windows Phone faces a number of problems. Firstly, Google will have nothing to do with it, so everything has to be sourced by public APIs. Secondly, most phones will already have HERE Maps pre-installed, often with full offline country maps, making the online Google Maps slower and less convenient. However, the benefits of Google's POI database, StreetView imagery and traffic layers are all enough to make a good client worthwhile, and Clarity has produced just this, arguably blending the best of all worlds together into a seamless whole...
Level-based puzzle game? Check! Physics-based with momentum, arcs, and gravity? Check! Up to three stars for completing a level? Check! Cute graphics designed to appeal to the base nature of the internet? Check! Actually adds something to the flood of apps that followed 'Angry Birds'? Check! Does -- Wait a minute, does Catorize actually do something new and interesting with the physics puzzler genre? Yes it does.
There are many ways for you to browse through Facebook. American iOS users have had the opportunity to download Facebook's own 'Paper' client, which creates a magazine-like interface with their content. It might not be identical, but JDB Pocketware's Booklet client brings the idea of curated topics and subjects from Facebook to your Windows Phone. While the app is still labelled beta, there's enough here that I like that it's worth a closer look on AAWP.
Solitaire has a long history with Microsoft, being present in almost all the desktop GUI's since a mouse was introduced, to help give basic training on clicking, dragging, dropping, and window management. It was included 'out of the box' in Windows Mobile, and looking back, it's unusual that it has taken so long to arrive on Windows Phone with Redmond's blessing.
