Review: Nokia City Lens and LG 55LM8600
Nokia City Lens city guide app that works even in india and a LG 55LM8600 'frameless' 3D smart TV.
Nokia City Lens
Nokia City Lens
Price: Free
Eye on the City
There have been many augmented reality apps over the years, but none that works really well in India. ('Augmented reality' apps merge existing data with live pictures to provide relevant local information.) But that is set to change with the Nokia City Lens, a discovery tool based on augmented reality. Switch on this app on a Nokia Lumia or Symbian phone, configure the compass and hold the phone up to see what commercial establishments and monuments lie nearby. We tested it in Delhi's Connaught Place and the app listed restaurants, hotels, Metro stations and parks. Click on the links and they show how to get to the shops, their phone numbers and other details. The app is still in beta and can be downloaded for free.
+ve: Local listings Ease of use
-ve: Some outdated listings Only on Nokia Lumia & Symbian phones
LG 55LM8600
Price: Rs 2,65,000
The Next Dimension
The 55-inch LG Cinema 3D Smart TV is as close as you can get to bringing home the cinema. For this is a screen seemingly without any frames. The bezel is a hard-to-spot 1 mm strip so that all your eyes see is the picture. The interface is tile based and easy to navigate. The controls are intuitive; every time you press OK, you get the options for the page you open. However, its USP is its 3D, which is definitely the best on any idiot box at the moment. The images are always clear and, unlike in the usual 2D to 3D conversion, actually seem to reach out from the picture frame. And all this with regular polarising glasses that do not cost you much. There are many apps too, and the online content has been optimised for the extra large screen.
+ve: Best 3D TV available Theatre quality images
-ve: High Price Needs fast Internet
Nandagopal Rajan
Price: Free
Eye on the City
There have been many augmented reality apps over the years, but none that works really well in India. ('Augmented reality' apps merge existing data with live pictures to provide relevant local information.) But that is set to change with the Nokia City Lens, a discovery tool based on augmented reality. Switch on this app on a Nokia Lumia or Symbian phone, configure the compass and hold the phone up to see what commercial establishments and monuments lie nearby. We tested it in Delhi's Connaught Place and the app listed restaurants, hotels, Metro stations and parks. Click on the links and they show how to get to the shops, their phone numbers and other details. The app is still in beta and can be downloaded for free.
+ve: Local listings Ease of use
-ve: Some outdated listings Only on Nokia Lumia & Symbian phones
LG 55LM8600
Price: Rs 2,65,000
The Next Dimension
The 55-inch LG Cinema 3D Smart TV is as close as you can get to bringing home the cinema. For this is a screen seemingly without any frames. The bezel is a hard-to-spot 1 mm strip so that all your eyes see is the picture. The interface is tile based and easy to navigate. The controls are intuitive; every time you press OK, you get the options for the page you open. However, its USP is its 3D, which is definitely the best on any idiot box at the moment. The images are always clear and, unlike in the usual 2D to 3D conversion, actually seem to reach out from the picture frame. And all this with regular polarising glasses that do not cost you much. There are many apps too, and the online content has been optimised for the extra large screen.
+ve: Best 3D TV available Theatre quality images
-ve: High Price Needs fast Internet
Nandagopal Rajan
