Nokia, the pioneers of mobile phones, have placed mobile photography prowess in the hands of everyone with their Nokia G20.

Giving a full unskinned and un-bloated Android 11 and Android One experience the smartphone comes with an impressive 48MP rear camera.

STG received one of the newly released smartdevices to give it a run through.

Bearing in mind that while this does have decent camera specs, it is still a low to mid-range device.

A mere 64GB of internal storage may not get some users too far, but you can add a microSD.

Being that it is pure Google, your snaps and other media are likely to save in the cloud anyway.

The Nokia G20 could’ve done with a RAM boost though.

The installed 4GB seems to be enough to run the device, but not much more. There was repeated lag when using the phone which was also experienced when using the camera.

Nokia G20 – Portrait mode

Now, for the full camera specs.

As mentioned, the rear features a large 48MP lens in a quad lens housing with an additional 5 MP ultrawide, 2 MP macro (which didn’t exactly work too well) and a 2 MP depth.

Modes to play with are Night, Portrait, Photo and Video with two additional ones; Panaroma and Timelapse.

Portrait offers up a subtle bokeh effect and Night mode, well… there’s some work to be done there to improve.

The front selfie camera weighs in at a low 8MP.

Nokia G20 – Night mode

Both front and back video is shot is 1080p at 30FPS. Decent enough and produces a real good result – but this is where the handsets storage comes in to play. Shoot a few of these and you’re Nokia G20 will become choca in no time.

The Nokia G20 is not a small form factor at 6.5 inches and has an impressively vibrant dewdrop LCD display. There is no high refresh rate, 20Hz and screen ratio is a low-range 720 x 1600 ratio. The G20 is beautifully cased.

Powering the Nokia G20 is a Octa-Core MediaTek Helio G35.

Nokia G20 – Macro mode

Again, this is enough to power the smartphone and the low resource Android One OS, aswell as optimise the battery life, but coupled with the RAM the G20 is not going to win any speed races.

Speaking of battery, the super hefty 5050mAh is going to keep you going and going and going for… well, for me on average everyday a total of five and a half days from a full charge to empty.

Sure I wasn’t able to play games on it or really do any multi-tasking whatsoever, but streaming media via Bluetooth and usual daily messaging apps and calls the G20 outperformed the life-span of any smartphone I have tested and managed to last the distance and then some.

There is no wireless charging, the G20 must be cabled in via the supplied USB-C cable.

Summing up the Nokia G20 it would be fair to say that it is an eclectic mix of specs.

Bearing in mind that this is not so much of a mid-range as it is low-range. On one hand we have the low internal hardware resource, but then it comes with a killer main camera at the rear and a battery built to last you – at a very low pricing tier.

A winner of a handset for low-level users, or as a first smartphone, gives an excellent pure Android experience and perfect for using just for photos (in Photo or Portrait mode) but not ideal if you’re wanting to do any vlogging, content creation or multi-tasking.

The post Nokia G20 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Cheap doesn’t always mean nasty.

The budget brand; Konic gave STG one of their 43 inch non-smart TV units (Model no: KDL43JT395A2)  to run through.

To get straight to the point, there is no Netflix, no YouTube, but it has been built for digital signals and Freeview.

Designed for those that have Google Chromecast or Apple TV external devices, the high def 43 inch vivid display makes it perfect as a TV for the games room, spare room, flat or Bach. You can watch media via USB (x2 USB ports), plug in game consoles (x3 HDMI ports) and cable TV via the built in digital RCA sockets. General RCA’s are there too, you know, for those old DVD players or pre 2000’s game consoles.

The Konic 43″ is super simple to setup, as you would imagine.

Fool-proofed, the unit will go through an auto install via it’s Dual Tuner for your channels once you have inputted your country selection at the first step.

From there you’ll be watching your fav main-stream or Freeview episodes before you know it.

A larger screen than most priced around this level and in my tests with the TV, streaming from a USB stick is seamless, the full function remote works as the media playback controls.

PS4 or Xbox both looked and played extremely well. All media playback super enhanced by the in-built Dolby Digital surround and varying audio modes.

This is the TV to get if you have small kids, or a larger kid who just wants to play vid games, or an additional TV to place in the guest room.

Another point to make about this Konic TV is it’s portability. No you can’t take it round with you, but to move from room to room anyone could carry it. It is super light-weight.

The Konic 43″ TV comes in at a low $398.00 NZD and is aimed at those that do not want the builtin Apps for subscription based streaming services, yet can also have the flexibility of playing your own media.

The post Konic 43″ TV Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, today announced that the Nokia 1.3, delivering modern technology and the brand-new Android 10 (Go edition) OS, will be available to Kiwis on Friday 8th of May 2020.

Among the first smartphones with Camera Go, as well as low-light AI image fusion technology, Gallery Go and a vibrant HD+ edge-to-edge screen, the Nokia 1.3 lets you truly see it all whether you’re indoors or in the bright outdoors.

One of the first to launch with Android 10 (Go edition),the Nokia 1.3 has more speed, more security and millions of apps.Plus,stay up to date and benefit from an experience that just keeps getting better with a device that will be ready for Android 11 (Go edition).

Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer, HMD Global:“The Nokia 1 was an important step for us in offering an accessible Android experience to more New Zealanders. Today,we’re taking that entry level experience even further. Our close partnership with the team at Google not only allowed us to launch one of the first smartphones running Android 10 (Go edition), but it also allowed us to be among the first to debut the all new Camera Go app. We’ve combined this with our signature AI-powered low-light image fusion technology to give people the opportunity to capture even more images without worrying about running out of storage.”

“Our goal was to build on what an affordable smartphone can deliver, without compromising on modern tech essentials. That’s why we’ve included a large HD+ display, with improved brightness, while remaining true to our Finnish roots, combining performance and function with our classic Nordic design for our latest accessible smartphone.” Modern technology at an affordable price Go bigger, brighter and bolder with a beautiful 5.71” HD+ edge-to-edge screen and a notch design.

The Nokia 1.3 delivers a visual experience that’s also great in brighter sunlight with 400 nits brightness. Plus, take beautiful photos, even in darker conditions with the Nokia 1.3’s AI-powered low light image fusion technology. In addition to a rear 8MP auto focus camera with LED Flash,Nokia 1.3 comes with a 5MP front-facing camera and brightness boost, so you can take your selfies to the next level too.The Nokia 1.3 is among the first smartphones to feature Camera Go.

Camera Go is made by Google, to be fast, and take beautiful photos –while making sure you don’t have to worry about storage. It brings features like Portrait Mode to entry-level smartphones, giving your photos a professional look by focusing on your subject. Most importantly, Camera Go tracks how much photo and video storage space you have left, and then helps you clear up space, so you never miss a shot.

This smartphone elegantly balances performance with a battery that’s built to last. The Nokia 1.3 has the speed you need thanks to the optimised Qualcomm 215 Mobile Platform and all-day battery life courtesy of its 3000mAh battery.

Efficient artificial intelligence meets classic Nordic design The Nokia 1.3 puts efficiency front and centre.

Fans can use visual search to read aloud and translate text with Lens in Google Go by simply pointing and scanning the text they don’t understand,and it will be read aloud or translated from a different language. The Nokia 1.3 is one of the first smartphones to have Gallery Go integrated with Camera Go, helping make your photos more shareable.Save time finding the right picture even when offline;Gallery Go automatically organises your photos so you can easily find your favourite photos, plus benefit from one-tap editing features.

The Nokia 1.3 is also the first Nokia 1 to feature a button dedicated to the Google Assistant. New Zealanders can ask questions, see their schedule and even dim the lights by pressing a button that learns and adapts with every use. Efficiency shouldn’t mean compromising your data.

With the Nokia 1.3 people can get more out of their monthly data plans with powerful data saving features allowing you to choose which apps use your data and when. The Nokia 1.3 doesn’t compromise on style either. Function meets design with the Nokia 1.3 featuring all the hallmarks of Nordic design, from its sleek glass front, and elegant 3D nano-patterned back and durable casing, to a beautiful yet solid finish that’s available in a stunning Charcoal colour.

One of the first smartphones to launch with Android 10 (Go edition), the Nokia 1.3 benefits from more speed, more security and millions of apps. Receive an even quicker user experience with apps on Android 10 (Go edition)now launching 10 percent faster than they did on Android 9 (Go edition). Android 10 (Go edition) also includes a new form of encryption that delivers the same level of data security as any Android device, without compromising performance. With smaller app sizes, more storage space, and more control over how your content is stored, Android 10 (Go edition) helps you save space whenever it’s needed. Plus, stay up-to-date with a device that will be ready for Android 11 (Go edition).

The Nokia1.3 will receive guaranteed monthly security updates for three years and OS updates for two years as part of our promise to deliver an experience that just keeps getting better for our fans.

The Nokia 1.3 in Charcoal will be available online from leading retailers including Spark, Skinny, Harvey Norman, Noel Leeming, The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery and JB Hi-Fi for NZD$169 RRP from Friday 8th, May 2020 and in store once retail outlets re-open.

Everyone that works on STG is a volunteer. If you like the site and it’s contents please think about donating. Even a small amount helps keep the servers running.

The post Nokia 1.3 – Faster, Secure. appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The legends, the pioneers of mobile phones Nokia prove that they are most definitely back in the cellular game.

Placing smartphone technology and high calibre – yet low cost digital photography in to the hands of low budget users.

Teaming up with Google for their Android 9 (Pie) based phones, Nokia have recently released the Nokia 1 Plus.

A 5.4 inch LCD smartphone with all of the trimmings and features of Android, pure Android, without the bloatware.

Under the hood sees a moderate Mediatek MT6739WW quad-core processor, who’s main job really is to handle the single lens 8MP rear camera and 5MP front and crunch the data from your snaps.

Being a low range handset aimed for simple and light users 1GB RAM (memory) is on board along with a very, very low 8GB storage.

You can place a microSD card in to expand – and you will need to even if you’re a super light weight with your smart device prowess.

The Nokia 1 Plus purports to be able to handle external storage expansion to 128GB, but the device that we received recognised a 512GB microSD without issue.

The quality of the camera is where it’s at. Your photo’s will be comprised of HD quality and there’s a few modes on offer. There can be a bit of lag if you move the phone around in both photography mode and video.

This is purely based on the lower end of the spec range.

Perfectly pocket sized, sure it’s not going to win any speed races – but as Nokia have done with their Nokia 4.2 and Nokia 9 Pureview they seem to include just enough specs to see you right.

Being a low range handset and for most an entry-level device the Nokia 1 Plus also comes at an entry-level price – $199.00 NZD, exclusive to Spark.

Perfect for the younger users (or elderly) in your family, or as a travel phone.

The Nokia 1 Plus is most definitely not up there with the bigger players, but in the low end spectrum it’s a major player.

The post Nokia 1 Plus Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Nokia – an enduring and legendary mobile phone manufacturer.

Veterans of the industry they took a few hits during the early smartphone war – but now, with HMD Global at the helm, they are back with a vengeance.

If the recent IFA announcements are anything to go by – Nokia have a range of devices to suit everyone.

For the budget conscious smartphone owners, Nokia have recently released the Nokia 4.2.

An Android based smartphone built with Google – producing a small but mighty Android One experience (as we saw in their flagship device; Nokia 9 Pureview).

With no bloatware – you are in for a full and fluid Android experience.

Being a super budgetly priced handset, one would expect that all bells and whistles would have been removed. Not so.

The dual 13+2 MP rear camera uses Google Camera for web smarts. Handy if your’e mate has a pair of shoes you are envious of. Take a snap of them with the Google Camera and let Google find the best place to get them. Video recording via the rear cameras is in Full HD (1080p).

Also on the rear of the Nokia 4.2 is a fingerprint sensor. Sadly this is not indented enough, and can take a bit of feeling around to find it – likely you are going smudge your rear camera lenses.

The front 8MP lens has lightning quick face recognition for security, and for both front and rear basic shooting modes are on offer; a built in adjustable Bokeh, Pro, Photo (just point and click) and Video.

The Nokia 4.2 is a smaller handset. Weighing in at 5.7 inches (there was a time when that was considered to be huge) and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 Octa core processor. It’s enough for the average light user who is likely to use it as a phone, web browse, watch media and of course take pics.

But, there was some lag – this I placed down to the lower end RAM (Memory) that the device has – 3GB.

Sure, it’s enough but I think it could have done a bit better with just one more GB – boosting it to 4. The device can be sluggish.

Even though the Android System is light, there can be occasions where almost the entire 3GB is used and this causes two thing. One the phone begins to slow down and secondly the lower end 3,000 mAH battery tends to heat up.

If you are a super multitasker, this one may not be for you. Likewise on gaming. The Nokia 4.2 can handle emulators and most puzzle, pick up and play titles from the Google Play store. Naturally the larger, more serious titles are not going to work – some cannot even install. This said amazingly PUBG actually played, but was jittery at times.

But Nokia has not made the 4.2 for gamers, or overly enthusiastic multi-taskers. They have produced a dynamo of a low – to – mid range handset for the general smartphone user, with a higher than I imagined spec’d camera.

Nokia have also added a dedicated Google Assistant button to the side of the handset. Much like the ‘Bixby’ button on the flagship Samsung phones – Google will wake up in an instant and also listens for the ‘Hey Google’ – which is super quick both in executing the Assistant and it’s reactions.

Storage on the Nokia 4.2 is 32GB. This is really low, even by mid-range handsets that are available, there is the possibility of adding an external microSD (Nokia state that it can recognise up to 400GB for external – but the handset STG was sent to review recognised a 512GB).

There’s no need to break the bank, max out the credit card or sell a vital organ in order to enjoy the fruits of smartphone photography and the Nokia 4.2 is absolute proof that if you’re smart when it comes to your mobile phone purchasing you can get a lot of bang for your buck.

UPDATE: The Nokia 4.2 is receiving the Android 10.0 update.

Android 10 is the latest OS update for the devices, consolidating HMD Global’s commitment to Nokia phones getting better over time with consistent software upgrades and new features, including:

• Gesture Navigation: control of your Nokia smartphone just got slicker, with faster and more intuitive controls at the tip of your fingers
• Smart Reply: receive even smarter responses in messages, not just wording but actions you can take
• Privacy Controls: have even more control of your personal data all in one place, and control when your location is shared with your apps – be that always, just while in use, or never
• Focus mode: block out distracting apps when you need to concentrate on what’s important (try it now in Beta)
• Family Link: now part of the Digital Wellbeing settings, helping parents set digital ground rules for the whole family

Everyone that works on STG is a volunteer. If you like the site and it’s contents please think about donating. Even a small amount helps keep the servers running.

The post Nokia 4.2 Android One Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.