Google LG Nexus 5 Still Possible; Dual-SIM Lumia 720; Phonebloks Concept the Ultimate Customisable Phone
When the first hints of the Google Nexus 5 finally started trickling in, fans started to rejoice at another possible winner smartphone from the partnership between LG and Google.
So when trusted insider info provider @evleaks shot down the FCC leak for the LG D820 being the possible Nexus 5, there was a string of disappointed voices that followed. Now the rumour is back and running again, when @evleaks posted this tweet, "Happy to say it looks like I was wrong about the LG D820/D821."
Earlier reports gave the LG D820 device with a number of specs that resound the expectations of the Nexus 5, including the 5-inch screen, Android 4.4 KitKat (though previously called Key Lime Pie) and a Snapdragon 800 processor.
Aside from the latest rumour confirmation, a new render of the Nexus 5 came from a forums member of The Verge. Here, user deuxani provided a render, which is pretty close to most of the previously reported specs.
This image, courtesy of The Verge, shows the new Nexus 5 on the left in comparison to the old Nexus 4 on the right. It has a more squared off look and a flatter curve at the bottom and top, with a front camera and a sleeker overall design. Do you like the different design?
Nokia Lumia 720 Going for Dual SIM?
The news about the possible Google Nexus 5 is not the only new information that @evleaks has given out. It also touched on a new device coming out for Nokia.
"Dual-SIM Lumia 720 may be on the way," @evleaks tweeted.
Granted, the Lumia 720 has been under the spotlight for a while now as a long-lasting budget phone. It has been touted as having the look and feel of a flagship phone but the price of a mid- to low-range device.
According to the official Nokia website, the Lumia 720 has a sleek unibody design, an extra long battery life, sensitive display screen, a wireless charging function, camera with Carl Zeiss lens and camera functions and apps.
Pairing the great design and decent features of the Lumia 720 with the dual-SIM functionality, it may be one of the more affordable and practical devices for those who lead a more active and connected lifestyle.
WMPowerUser added that the dual-SIM capability is a potential nod to the previous suggestions of Nokia execs regarding rolling out dual-SIM phones in the near future.
Phonebloks: The Future of Smartphones?
The recently held IFA 2013 is proof that smatphones, tablets, phablets and other devices have very short lifespans. In a year or less, there will be many variations of phones that become available, making it harder to stick with your old device if you want to stay at pace with the technology.
What if there was a phone that allowed you to keep your unit intact for a longer period of time--and allow for modifications in certain parts that have experienced wear and tear? It seems like the paradise of smartphones--where you get to make improvements and additions to the unit without having to buy another one ever so often.
This is the suggestion made by Dave Hakkens of Phonebloks, which touts the main goal of having a phone that's worth keeping.
Hakkens' idea seemed to be strikingly brilliant at the start. You have a phone that is made up of blocks for the other features and components, and they are all connected to one base. Think of it as almost a lego-like device, where you just pile on the necessary component that you need into the phone.
The main idea is that if you want better storage or feel that your processor is already too slow for your convenience, you just take out that block related to the function you want to replace, plug in a block with a higher capability and you essentially have a better phone.
Aside from upgrading and repairing certain parts, customisation is also an advantage of Phonebloks. So this means having the ability to trade in the space in your phone for what you really need--be it a bigger camera or a better battery.
But, as always, there is a catch. For this project, it may be too big to actually see this project take off. Since Phonebloks is basically giving you the phone that you will need for a lifetime, you will be taking huge chunks of the profits from all the competing companies. And as if that's not yet a problem, Hakkens sees Phonebloks as an open platform project, where these same companies will help each other develop the perfect phone.
No doubt this project has a lot of potential, not only as an innovative approach to mobile technology but also as a movement for environmental awareness, but with the kind of competition in the market today, it also serves as the factor that makes this idea almost impossible.
What are your thoughts about this new project? Are you in it or do you prefer the evolution of phones of today? Show your support here, if you are interested.