The Nokia 5.3 runs stock Android 10 with no bloatware preinstalled.
HMD Global has finally launched the Nokia 5.3 in India after it was launched internationally in March. This new smartphone is a part of Google's Android One programme and promises two years of Android updates as well as three years of Android Security updates. While this will appeal to an Android purist, can the Nokia 5.3 impress other consumers? I got my hands on the Nokia 5.3 and here are my first impressions.
The Nokia 5.3 is the first budget smartphone from HMD Global to launch in India this year. It has a 6.55-inch HD+ display with a dewdrop notch at the top. This notch houses an 8-megapixel selfie shooter, and there is a thin earpiece right above it. The display has a tall 20:9 aspect ratio and HMD has used Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection.
It is easy to grip the Nokia 5.3 but reaching the top of the display requires shuffling it in the hand. HMD Global has opted for a plastic body for the Nokia 5.3 but it does feel well built. It did not feel very bulky in the hand and the weight is well distributed.
The Nokia 5.3 has its power and volume buttons on the right and a dedicated Google Assistant button on the left. The power and the Google Assistant button are well positioned but the volume buttons need a bit of a stretch to reach. All of them offer good tactile feedback. On the left side, just above the Google Assistant key, is the tray which has two Nano-SIM slots and a dedicated microSD card slot.
While the Samsung Galaxy S2 can be
considered “old,” it still capable of offering services that recent models
offer. We did receive reports from our readers that their phone started to act
up and one of the most common problems is being stuck in the boot screen or
during the boot up process.
More
often, if a phone is stuck in boot loop or can’t get through the boot up
process, it’s the firmware that has problems, although there were reports of
hardware-related issues that may also result to the same problem. There’s not
much we can do about hardware issues because you will need
A couple of weeks ago we heard that Microsoft was sending a Windows 10 ROM to a select group of Xiaomi Mi 4 owners, allowing them to get the mobile version of the OS up and running on the otherwise Android smartphone.
Now inevitably it's been filmed in action and if the video shared by Windows Blog Italia
is anything to go by it looks surprisingly slick and impressive,
especially for a non-final version of software running on hardware
designed for Android.
The software is the same technical preview of Windows 10 Mobile which can be installed on Windows Phone
handsets and using it completely replaces Android on the Xiaomi Mi 4,
but the video suggests that the new software makes for a fairly smooth
experience.
YouTube : www.youtube.com/watch?t=33&v=lTTTFV38G_QOffering Windows 10 Mobile on Android could be a great way for Microsoft to get more exposure for its operating system.
Forward-thinking
Users
who make the software switch will be tied into Microsoft's apps and
services, which can only be a good thing for the Redmond company and it
may even inspire some Android users to make the switch to Windows Phone
hardware.
Of course for now it's a limited trial, but that allows
Microsoft to gauge user's reactions to the software and iron out any
issues, so it's entirely possible that wider availability could be
planned down the line.
For now though unless you're one of the lucky few invited to take part in the trial you'll have to make do with the video.
It’s a humbling and amazing thing to work on Windows, which is used by over 1.5 billion people in every country of the world. From kids playing with computers for the first time, to writers and journalists, to engineers, to gamers, to CEOs, at some point Windows has empowered all of us.
In the Windows team, we’re proud of this – but we also know that the world today is very different from the one in which Windows grew up. Today, devices outnumber people. Connectivity is like oxygen. The tension between the desire for agility versus stability poses a huge challenge for IT Pros. Experiences – no matter what device you’re on – just need to work. The only thing that hasn’t really changed is the situation for developers – still too much to do, and not enough time.
One way to look at it is that Windows is at a threshold :-). It’s time for a new Windows. This new Windows must be built from the ground-up for a mobile-first, cloud-first world. This new Windows must help our customers be productive in both their digital work and their digital life. This new Windows must empower people and organizations to do great things.
That new Windows is Windows 10.
Windows 10 represents the first step of a whole new generation of Windows. Windows 10 unlocks new experiences for customers to work, play and connect. Windows 10 embodies what our customers (both consumers and enterprises) demand and what we will deliver.
Windows 10 will run across an incredibly broad set of devices – from the Internet of Things, to servers in enterprise datacenters worldwide. Some of these devices have 4 inch screens – some have 80 inch screens – and some don’t have screens at all. Some of these devices you hold in your hand, others are ten feet away. Some of these devices you primarily use touch/pen, others mouse/keyboard, others controller/gesture – and some devices can switch between input types.
We’re not talking about one UI to rule them all – we’re talking about one product family, with a tailored experience for each device.
And across this breadth of devices, we are delivering one application platform for our developers. Whether you’re building a game or a line of business application, there will be one way to write a universal app that targets the entire family. There will be one store, one way for applications to be discovered, purchased and updated across all of these devices.
Windows 10 will deliver the right experience on the right device at the right time. It will be our most comprehensive platform ever.
Now, during the design of a new Windows, we spend time with many diverse customers. One of the most important of these customers is the enterprise. In the past year I’ve talked to dozens of enterprise customers and listened to how they are using and deploying Windows, and what they need from us.
These customers are betting their businesses on Windows – in the first half of this year, shipments of enterprise PCs grew 14%. In that same time period, shipments of Windows enterprise tablets grew 33%.
Tomorrow, we are excited to announce the Windows Insider Program, where PC experts and IT Pros can get access to a technical preview of Windows 10 for desktops and laptops. Soon after, we’ll also be releasing technical previews of Windows Server and our management tools.
With the Insider program, we’re inviting our most enthusiastic Windows customers to shape Windows 10 with us. We know they’re a vocal bunch – and we’re looking forward to hearing from them.
The Windows Insider Program is intended for PC experts and IT pros who are comfortable using pre-release software with variable quality. Insiders will receive a steady stream of early builds from us with the latest features we’re experimenting with.
This week’s announcements are just the first chapter of our conversation with customers about Windows 10 – with a focus on enterprise features (because enterprises have a need to evaluate software early on) and the desktop/laptop experiences. Early in 2015 we’ll introduce the consumer chapter and talk much more about other device types and more consumer features. We’ll then continue the conversation with the developer chapter at our Build conference, and later in the year we’ll release Windows 10 and look forward to some amazing new devices.
Today was an important beginning for our customers and partners as we embark on the Windows 10 journey together. I encourage everyone reading this to sign up for the Windows Insider Program, download the technical preview, and let us know what you think. Check here tomorrow for specific details – but in the meantime, here’s a peek at some of the new features you can test drive once you become an Insider:
Start menu: The familiar Start menu is back, but it brings with it a new customizable space for your favorite apps and Live Tiles.
Everything runs in a window: Apps from the Windows Store now open in the same format that desktop apps do and can be resized and moved around, and have title bars at the top allowing for maximize, minimize, and close with a click.
Snap enhancements: You can now have four apps snapped on the same screen with a new quadrant layout. Windows will also show other apps and programs running for additional snapping and even make smart suggestions on filling available screen space with other open apps.
New task view button: There’s a new task-view button on the taskbar for quick switching between open files and quick access to any desktops you create.
Multiple desktops: Create desktops for different purposes and projects and switch between these desktops easily and pick up where you left off on each desktop.
Find files faster: File Explorer now displays your recent files and frequently visited folders making for finding files you’ve worked on is easier.
Watch the below video from Joe Belfiore to see many of these features in action. Immediately you’ll see how Windows 10 carries forward a sense of familiarity, while providing new capabilities to help you way the work you want to and be more productive.
Today was an important beginning for our customers and partners as we embark on the Windows 10 journey together. While it’s early and things are bound to change as we collaborate together in the months ahead, this should give a strong sense of where we’re going not only with the desktop experience, but in general overall. We’re looking forward to getting your feedback on Windows 10, as well as continuing this conversation in the weeks and months to come.
New Delhi/Gandhinagar: As soon as it became clear that he will be India's 15th Prime Minister, Narendra Modi
visited his mother, Hiraben, at her house in Gandhinagar. After he
touched his mother's feet, she blessed him by placing her hand on his
head. He then tweeted a selfie of him seeking her blessings. (Election Results 2014: Armed with Massive Victory, Narendra Modi Meets His Mother)
Mr
Modi, 63, has captained the BJP to the strongest result by a political
party since 1984. On the day that he voted, he tweeted a selfie of him
with an ink-stained finger that pushed him into a controversy - he was
seen flashing the
