drmsriram: CAMERAPHONE SPECIAL .....PHOTO FINISH

PHOTO FINISH

The Nokia 8 and Google Pixel 2 both touted as camera phones face stiff competition from the new Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy Notes and the OnePluses. Nokia wants to put its Windows Phone days behind it and now hopes to woo its old faithfuls with new Android devices, while Google has been trying--ever since its Nexus smartphones--to lure back its old flock on the promise of OS updates, and the strength of its sterling cameras. Ashutosh Desai puts the Nokia 8 and Google Pixel 2 XL through their paces to tell you if they are worth the hype and your money...

NOKIA 8

The Nokia 8 is an all-round performer. You get the latest processing hardware, its cameras are capable of great photos, while videos are further enhanced by its spatial audio recording technology. Its hybrid SIM slot means you can add extra storage space with a memory card. Plus, you are assured the Android Oreo update, whenever available.

If you are a Nokia loyalist, you won't be disappointed with this handset, but we recommend you check alternatives--like OnePlus 5 and Honor 8 Pro--before putting your money down for this one.

BUILD & DESIGN:

The Nokia 8 boasts of a polished aluminium unibody , with sturdy plastic edges at the top and bottom of the phone to conceal its antennae. The device carries an IP54 rating, which means it is resistant to dust particles and is splash proof. This does not mean that the handset will survive a dunk in water, but its construction provides you with some insurance against water and liquid damage.

Up front, you get a 5.3-inch Gorilla Glass 5 display and a capacitive home button with backlit navigation controls on either side. The home button also doubles up as a fingerprint sensor for added security . This worked flawlessly , time after time, to unlock the device.

Overall, this smartphone feels solid to hold, but when it comes to design it still seems underwhelming, especially since many devices, which cost half as much, look almost identical.

TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAY:

The Nokia 8's display is bright, and is legible even in direct sunlight. It is capable of rendering crisp text and sharp visuals with natural colours. Nokia doesn't allow you to customise screen colour profiles, but the handset's default output and excellent colour contrast give no reason for complaint.Besides, an ambient light sensor dynamically adjusts brightness on the fly for glare-free visuals.

High-definition videos are displayed without any loss in detail, while the touchscreen is responsive to taps and swipes. Interestingly , this handset is almost as large as the Pixel 2 XL, but carries a 5.3-inch screen as opposed to the six-inch display on the latter.

FEATURES & PERFORMANCE:

The Nokia 8 runs Android Nougat with very little customisations. But you still get basic gesture and motion actions: Flip the phone to reject an incoming call, “mute on pickup“, launch the camera app when the power button is pressed twice, etc. The OS lets you switch between apps with a double tap of the recent apps button; gives you the ability to split the screen to view two apps at the same time and more.

The handset houses the current flagship processor from Qualcomm, and it is no surprise that it blazed through all synthetic benchmark tests. In fact, it fared a shade better than the Pixel 2 XL that costs twice as much.Indeed, this smartphone is well-equipped to handle heavy workloads, including video editing, 3D games like Asphalt 8 and Modern Combat 5 and hi-def video content.

Nokia says this handset has a copper cooling pipe and a graphite shield under its back panel to dissipate heat.During tests, we did not see this construct do anything extraordinary . If anything, we felt a fair amount of heat being generated while using the camera. But this did not create any issues, especially since temperatures go back to normal once the camera app is closed.

For audio, you get a single speaker on the handset's bottom edge. This is loud and clear enough to understand movie dialogues and to answer hands-free calls at home.Output over earphones, however, is very good. The default sound signature is balanced, with deep bass, as well as clear mids and highs. Calls on the Nokia 8 are clear and the antennas do a good job of latching onto networks, even in areas of poor coverage.

CAMERAS:

The dual rear cameras--one with a colour and the other with a monochrome sensor--come with top-of-the-line Zeiss lens. Both shooters work in tandem, along with an IR focus assist, to capture snapshots. Photos taken in well-lit environs contain lots of detail with neutral colours, which are worthy of postcard-sized prints. But this mostly works with still subjects: There is a slight lag in focusing and shutter release, which sometimes results in missed moments and blurry shots. Interestingly, we didn't notice any real improvements in image quality when we used both cameras. The only time, the stereo cameras make a difference is in the Live Bokeh mode. Here, the Nokia 8 lets you adjust the level of background blur for DSLR-like results. You are also given the option to focus on background objects in the scene with the Bokeh Editor. This works well for portrait shots, but at times it does not do a perfect job of isolating the foreground from the background.

The camera app also supports modes like manual control, macro, panorama, beautify , and “Dual Sight“.The last of these lets you shoot single split-screen photos or videos with the rear and front snappers simultaneously .The app also allows you to livestream this footage on your Facebook and YouTube accounts.

Another interesting feature is Nokia's home-grown Ozo audio technology , which uses the device's three mics to record surround sound for a spatial sound effect. This works as advertised and puts you at the centre of the action when you listen to the playback through headphones. On the downside, this is a video-only feature.

The Nokia 8's 13MP front camera is equipped with a wide-angle lens and beauty mode. This allows for group shots and selfies that comprise a fair amount of detail.

BATTERY:

And finally , you can expect to get a day's worth of mixed use internet, movies and music from the Nokia 8. Battery life tends to drop with extended use of the camera. But you can use its fast charger to replenish the battery to 50% in half an hour.

PRICE: `36,999 | RATING: 6.5/10

GOOGLE PIXEL 2 XL

The Google Pixel 2's camera is the best you can get on a smartphone today. Plus, the device boasts of close integration with Google's services like Daydream for VR, Google Lens for object recognition in search, and also, you're promised OS updates for the next couple of years.

If price is not a deterrent, then this handset is well worth your consideration. As alternatives, in the same price band, you might want to consider the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 if you want an Android device, or the Apple iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or the iPhone X that runs the iOS operating system.

BUILD & DESIGN:

The Google Pixel 2 XL sports an aluminium unibody design with a distinctive dual-tone finish on the back. The camera area is polished and shiny , while the rest of the panel with its fingerprint sensor has a matte finish for a better grip.

On the front, you get a 6-inch Gorilla Glass 5 display that's surrounded by a narrow bezel area, which houses the handset's dual front-facing speakers.

The Pixel 2 XL lacks a home screen button, and instead uses an onscreen control for navigation. Buildwise, you are promised a dustproof and waterproof handset (up to a depth of one metre) that carries an IP67 rating. Overall, the device looks and feels premium.

TOUCHSCREEN DISPLAY:

The Pixel 2's six-inch display is bright, and renders natural colours with excellent contrast. You get an option to change this colour profile to “Vivid“, if you prefer a more saturated output. There is a slight shift in colours when viewed at an angle. But this is not a deal breaker. More importantly , because screen legibility is not affected at all, even in sunlight.

Other configurable options include an always-on display for time and a night mode that you can schedule to cut screen glare when you use the handset to read.

The screen resolution does not follow the conventional 16:9 (cinematic) aspect ratio; it is 18:9, so it plays Full HD videos with black strips on either side. However, you can pinch-to-zoom videos to make them fit the screen. The slim bezel, coupled with this mode, makes movie watching enjoyable. Colours appear natural and with deep blacks. As expected, the screen is also very responsive to touches and swipes.

FEATURES & PERFORMANCE:

The Pixel 2 comes with a new feature called Active Edge. This lets you squeeze the handset to activate Google Assistant. We found this to be faster and more intuitive than saying “Ok Google“.You can configure pressure sensitivity to your preferences and even set it to silence incoming calls. You also get motion gestures to launch the camera and the option to use the fingerprint sensor to view the notifications panel.

Another new feature of the Pixel 2 is its ability to listen to and identify tunes that are being played around you; it displays the name of the track on the lock screen, and works consistently to help you discover new music.

The Pixel 2 runs the latest Android Oreo (v8) OS, which gives you a few new features over Nougat (v7).Some changes shorter boot time, background tasks management and enhanced security to protect against unsafe apps are not apparent. But there are some useful additions like autofill for common text fields like email and usernames, and also auto-connect to saved Wi-Fi hotspots even if you forget to switch it back on.

Then there's Google Lens, which can be accessed in Photos. It analyses images to provide web results of similar-looking objects. You can use this feature to identify products, landmarks, and even pick out text from business cards and printouts.

The handset also performs smoothly while rendering 3D games and playing high-definition content; multitasking between them doesn't pose any problems either.The front-facing speakers work well for movies. Dialogues sound clear and there's even a hint of bass without any audible distortion.

Notably , the Pixel 2 XL does not support the standard 3.5mm headphoneearphone jack. It does not come with a pair of USB Type-C earphones either. Instead, you get an adapter in the box that allows you to use your existing pair. On the brighter side, you can expect clear sound output across the aural spectrum with just the right amount of bass. Overall call quality was found to be clear and we did not encounter any issues with network reception either.

CAMERA:

The rear camera on the Pixel 2 is the best we have seen so far. It captures fine details, with just the right amount of exposure, even in incandescent lighting.Shots taken in poorly-lit environs are also impressive.The Pixel 2 adjusts exposure well and its HDR mode is capable of evenly-lit snapshots.

You get a portrait mode for both snappers that uses software optimisation to blur the background. This also works as advertised, to create a fine DSLR-like effect.

You can also take photos and capture a few seconds of video with each shot. This feature, called Motion Photos, saves these results in video format, in case you want to share it with friends.

You don't get granular control over the camera's settings. There's just exposure and white balance to tinker around with. And you only get a few shooting modes like panorama, photosphere and slow motion.That said, the Pixel 2 cameras easily win over all other shooters that we've seen in current-gen handsets.

BATTERY:

We were able to get well over a day's worth of basic usage movies, audio streaming, emails and messaging on a single charge of its battery . With its fast charger and fifteen minutes, you can easily extend battery life by a couple of hours.

PRICE: `73,000 (64GB), `82,000 (128GB) | RATING: 6.510 Note: For this review, we tried out the Pixel 2 XL. If you want a smaller handset, you could look at Pixel 2 that comes with a 5-inch Full HD display. (`61,000 for 64GB, `71,000 for 128GB).

What the ratings mean: Below 5: The product is poor and doesn't offer the experience it promises | 5 & 6: The product works as advertised | 7: The product is very good; will not disappoint the buyer | 8: Very good; super value for money | 9: The device is exceptional | 10: You're kidding, right?

TOI4 NOV17

drmsriram

Monday, November 6, 2017

CAMERAPHONE SPECIAL .....PHOTO FINISH

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