Nokia has launched it's most powerful phone ever, taking Windows Phone to another level with a full HD 1080p screen and lightning fast quad-core processor.
Up until now Windows Phone devices have been capped at 5-inch, 720p displays and dual-core processors, but with the arrival of Update 3 for Windows Phone 8 alongside the Lumia 1520, a whole new world of opportunity has opened up.
Nokia, now owned by Microsoft, has taken full advantage of this by equipping the headline making Lumia 1520 with a full HD, 6-inch AMOLED display and punchy Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor - both world firsts for a Windows Phone device.
So what else does the Lumia 1520 offer? Well it's obviously running the latest version of Windows Phone 8, while round the back Nokia has furnished the handset with a PureView 20MP Carl Zeiss lens, which should be capable of producing some pretty decent snaps.
Nokia's first real competitor?
You'll also be able to enjoy 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and a microSD slot. As this is a Nokia phone the Lumia 1520 comes in a range of fetching hues including yellow, cyan and red as well as the blander black and white.
No matter which way you look at it, AU$199 (£149, US$189) for a quad-core smartphone is a tough proposition to argue with.
While the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One and Sony Xperia Z1 get all the headlines, Aussie company Kogan has tried to trump them all with the new AU$199 (£149, US$189)quad-core Agora smartphone.
An update to the previous Agora 5-inch dual-core smartphone, the newer, HD version doubles the number of processing cores to four, adds 720p resolution to the now IPS 5-inch display and bundles in 1GB RAM and 4GB of on board storage, with a MicroSD card slot to expand that when it runs out.
Like the previous version, Kogan has squeezed in a second SIM card slot, which allows users to make calls over 2G networks. We say squeezed because both slots are actually for full-sized SIMs, which are almost as rare as white rhinos these days.
Inside, the 2,000mAh battery keeps the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean phone running while you're making and taking calls.
The camera on the back has been upgraded to 8MP, while the front facing snapper now boasts 2MP, although as we know, not all phone cameras are created equal.
Overall, it's a pretty impressive spec upgrade to the dual-core model from the start of the year.
The appearance
Unboxing the Agora 5.0-inch HD, it's amazing to think how for Kogan has come in terms of design since its original Agora Android prototype back in 2009.
The front of the phone looks fairly standard in today's sea of large Android devices. The 5-inch screen is surrounded by a narrow black bezel on the sides. Above, the speaker and front-facing camera rest while Android's standard three soft buttons can be found below.
The left side has the volume rocker, the right side has the power button. Up top, a 3.5mm headphone jack and MicroUSB slot rest, awaiting cable insertion.
The back of the device is a matte black cover, that seems to blend perfectly into the phone's body. It's not initially apparent how to open the back cover, although once you do manage to work it out (by pulling around the MicroUSB jack), it becomes evident that the back cover isn't as robust as it appears.
Still, the cover is comfortable to hold and offers a decent grip, which is something lacking in many modern phones.
Pop open the bonnet, and you're confronted with those two full-size SIM card slots, with a MicroSD slot wedged between them. Below these, the 2,000mAh battery resides.
While it's possible to slip your SIM cards into the phone without removing the battery, taking them out again will require the power to be removed. It's a small thing, but can be slightly frustrating, especially if you're using an adapter to bring your Nano or Micro SIM card up to full-size to fit the slots and there's an issue.
The phone itself is a little bit chunkier than many phones, although it's nowhere near a deal breaker. The tapered edges of the back actually help mitigate any real issues with holding the device in the hand
Initial testing
Our ongoing tests will offer a more definite answer, but initial results show that the quad-core processor inside the Agora does a pretty good job at keeping things snappy. There wasn't any real lag or delay, with the phone switching between apps nice and quickly.
The 8MP, meanwhile, still seems to struggle a bit in terms of clarity and definition. We haven't been able to put it through its paces fully yet, but the few pics we did take in our initial play with the device all seemed a bit washed out and grainy.
The screen itself shows the biggest improvement over the previous generation. Bright, vibrant and clear, the 1280 x 720 pixel resolution is a far cry from the 800 x 600 of the Agora dual core model. Viewing angles are respectable, although not fantastic, and even squinting it's tough to make out the individual pixels on display.
Early verdict
No question about it, this phone punches above its weight. For under 200 bucks, it's impossible to argue the value for money case.
There are some conditions though. There's no 4G, and the 3G will work nicely on Telstra's 3G bands, but not Optus' 900MHz spectrum. The camera also has a pretty large question mark over the top of it.
Given that the Nexus 4 will set you back AU$249, with double the storage but half the SIM card slots, there's an argument that it's not the best value for money in the market, although it does come close.
We'll be interested to see how it really performs as we fully test it, but first impressions tell us this is a great device for those looking for a budget handset.
16-megapixels provided by the experience candidate or the guy who knows the guy
Samsung is reportedly committed to upgrading the Galaxy S5 with a 16-megapixel camera, but the unresolved choice of a camera supplier may be coming down to two companies.
Sony and Samsung LSI - a division of the South Korean electronics giant - are vying for the job of making the camera for the company's next flagship smartphone, according to Unwired View.
That means the Galaxy S5 camera work could once again be farmed out to Sony, which currently manufactures the 13-megapixel sensor inside the Galaxy S4.
It also happens to supply the new iPhone 5S with its 8-megapixel camera sensor that's 15 percent larger than the one in the iPhone 5.
Sony certainly has the most experience with tiny, but powerful camera sensors that fit into the tight confines of a smartphone.
The Samsung advantage
Samsung LSI, on the other hand, obviously benefits from the fact that it's part of the South Korean conglomerate. This could lead to more flexibility and cheaper prices.
More than any overhead-related perk, though, Samsung has the advantage of ISOCELL.
ISOCELL is supposed to substantially increase light sensitivity and offer higher color fidelity even in poor lighting conditions. That's pretty much half of the photos taken with smartphone cameras these days.
The first Samsung image sensor with ISOCELL is the S5K4H5YB, which is being planned for the end of the year. It's only 8 megapixels, so the company would need to double its efforts rather quickly.
But ISOCELL combined with a 16-megapixel camera would be difficult for Samsung's competitors to top if it were to make it out in time for the Galaxy S5 launch that's expected early next year.
New Microsoft WebApps are repackaged, downloadable mobile sites
Microsoft has begun publishing a new variety of apps called "WebApps" that are simple, repackaged versions of existing mobile sites for Windows Phone devices.
The new apps appear in the Windows Phone app store under the title WebApps, and they're free to download and behave like normal apps.
"We are helping people access great mobile experiences on Windows Phone by creating pinnable Web Apps that show up in the app list," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement obtained by ZDNet.
The company has an ulterior motive, though; "These are not a replacement for native apps," the statement continues. "In most cases we hope that usage of the Web App will encourage the ISV to publish its own native app."
App holes
The new downloadable WebApps include repackaged sites from Southwest Airlines, the Food Network, Cars.com, Lowe's, TMZ, Progressive insurance, Orbitz, Atari, CarMax, 1-800-FLOWERS, and more, for a total of around 50.
Windows Phone has long suffered from a lack of apps, despite developer incentive programs and plenty of assurances from Microsoft that all the big apps available on iOS and Android will eventually be available on its platform.
It's not surprising that Microsoft would try to encourage more app makers to jump on board its mobile OS like this, and it also makes it look like there are more actual apps available in Microsoft's app marketplace by filling the selection with easily created web apps.
Meanwhile, the company is said to be working on a joint app store for Windows Phone and Windows 8 - and possibly even Xbox - as it works toward unifying its fragmented operating system landscape.
Nokia is expected to unveil its high-end Lumia 1520 phablet at Tuesday's big Nokia World event in Abu Dhabi, but on the eve of the launch, another big-screen beauty has appeared in an official-looking render.
The now-notorious Twitter leak artist @evleaks posted the purported press snap of the Lumia 1320 device on Monday evening, adding it will arrive before 2013 ends, rather than during tomorrow's keynote.
The serial leaker first brought attention to the Lumia 1320 earlier this month, while further reports seemed to confirm its existence, suggesting Nokia had selected the internal codename 'Batman.'
It is thought that the Lumia 1320 won't challenge the 1520 for top-line specs, but will be an affordable alternative with core specs rivalling handsets like the lower-end 4.7-inch Nokia Lumia 625.
Those reports claimed the Caped Crusader will only have a 5-megapixel camera and a front-facing VGA webcam, just like the Lumia 625. Little else is known.
Why so Sirius?
It appears very unlikely that Nokia will take the wrappers off the Lumia 1320 during the Nokia World launch, where the Lumia 1520 is likely to be joined by a 10.1-inch Windows RT tablet, codenamed Sirius.
Just today it was rumoured the Finnish company has an iPod shuffle rival called Nokia Guru, on deck for the high profile event, which will could be its final public showing before handing over the reins to Microsoft.
You can join our coverage of Nokia World, which kicks off at 10am UK time (5am EDT, 2am PDT), throughout Tuesday. Nokia is also kindly live-streaming the event.
