Nokia's PureView 808 is all set to make its debut in U.S. The Symbian-powered device will be available for $699 on Amazon.
Chris Weber, Nokia's US chief confirmed this news in a blog post. The innovative smartphone will be available without any subsidy or lock in Amazon. But most of the unlocked device comes with a heavy price tag and the PureView won't be an exception here. People get to choose their preferred mobile operator. The smartphone can be used with AT&T and T-Mobile. But the problem with T-Mobile is, it will work at 2G speeds only.
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For those who don't know about the Nokia 808 PureView yet, it's a Symbian mobile operating system based phone with a stunning 41 megapixel sensor camera. This camera also features Carl Zeiss optics and a latest pixel oversampling technology by Nokia. Moreover, you can zoom up to 3x without losing any details or creating artificial pixels in your images.
Another attractive feature of this device is full HD 1080p video recording with Nokia's rich audio recording feature that allows users to record audio with CD-like quality. This feature was available using only external microphones earlier. Nokia is planning to add this feature into the upcoming Windows mobile operating system based devices.
Amazon is planning to start the pre-sales from this week. But people interested to try this device should think again as its packed with an almost-dead mobile operating system, Symbian. People interested in trying this device can sign up on Nokia's website to receive notification when this device is available in the market.
Why Microsoft went with Nokia for Windows Phone 8 - Techradar.com
Microsoft and Nokia have become quick friends thanks to Windows Phone, and the partnership is only growing stronger with the move to Windows Phone 8.
In addition to debuting Windows Phone 8 on a prototype Nokia handset, the new mobile OS is dropping Microsoft's own Bing for maps and adopting Nokia's Navteq-based service to provide 3D maps across all Windows Phones.
- Windows Phone 8 - release date and latest details
The partnership makes sense, given that Nokia's Lumia 900 handsets have given the Windows Phone platform new life in the marketplace.
However, the relationship is mutually beneficial, as Nokia needs Windows Phone just as much as the OS needs it.
After Nokia's Symbian OS fell through the company needed a change, and the crowded Android market has proven a tough nut to crack.
The manufacturer has put its focus in Windows Phone development as a result, leading to its close relationship with Microsoft today.
A new day for Nokia, but not its customers
While Nokia itself is riding high with the official unveiling of Windows Phone 8, early adopters of and supporters of Windows Phone are getting left in the cold.
One of the key features for Windows Phone 8 will be support for dual-core chips, with the rest of the OS feature set built around that extra processing power.
Despite the surge of popularity Nokia's Lumia line brought to Windows Phone, those users are now left unable to take advantage of the new OS, including Nokia's integrated 3D maps.
Windows Phone 8 essentially sets the install base back to zero, which gives Microsoft the opportunity to raise up other manufacturers alongside Nokia.
A Microsoft spokesperson told TechRadar:
"The momentum of Windows Phone is picking up in a wide variety of ways. Nokia is a critical partner for us, but we are also deeply committed to a number of other OEMS.
"We know that HTC is more committed than ever, and Huawei is coming on board this year too which opens up a lot of opportunity for us. We're in this for the long run, and we're happy that Windows Phone has become a credible third ecosystem in the eyes of many of our mobile operator and OEM partners."
While Microsoft is quick to name drop HTC and Huawei as new Windows Phone 8 manufacturers, history suggests that their handsets will be conversions of their existing Android hardware.
Nokia, with its close ties to Microsoft and built-in Windows Phone 8 integration could still come out on top when it brings out new hardware later this year.
Assuming that Lumia 900 adopters aren't still sore from being left behind.
Motorola Mobility Brings the Longest Talk Time of any Smartphone (1) to Saudi Arabia with RAZR MAXX - TMCnet
(ENP Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ENP Newswire - 20 June 2012 Release date- 19062012 - RIYADH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - All day, every day - that's how much you use your smartphone.
With its impossibly thin and lightweight design, Motorola RAZR MAXX boasts features with the wow factor and a battery that can handle even the most demanding lifestyle. From today, customers across Saudi Arabia will be able to start talking, texting, typing, watching and more for even longer.
RAZR MAXX delivers up to 17.6-1 hours of talk time so you won't spend your day plugged into the wall. However its 1GB RAM combined with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and Android operating system will ensure you are always entertained, delivering a lightning-fast user interface and the power to multi-task like never before. You can rock your playlists while checking email, breeze through photos - all day, every day, all at the same time.
Still seriously thin at just 8.99mm, RAZR MAXX is the exact opposite of frail. It's made strong with KEVLAR fibre, while Corning Gorilla Glass defends the hyper-vibrant 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display from scratches and scrapes. And every part of the Motorola RAZR MAXX is protected by a splashguard coating, which even extends to the electrical boards inside, ensuring a go anywhere, do everything attitude.
Smart Actions, the remarkably intelligent application exclusive to Motorola Mobility, pushes the limits even further by automating everyday tasks based on triggers like time of day, location, battery levels and more. Never forget to put your phone on silent in meetings, turn up the volume when your boss calls and even maximize your last ounce of power by dimming the display and turning off power hungry services.
Motorola RAZR MAXX also comes preloaded with the Motorola MotoCast app-2, giving you the power to stream or download content from a home or work computer straight to the device so your docs, pics and music are always available - anytime, anywhere. No uploading to a third party means no wasted time or forgetting to upload that crucial presentation, and everything stays protected, right on your computer.
'RAZR MAXX isn't changing the rules - it's creating a whole new game. Building on the RAZR heritage it combines the pinnacle of design with mind-blowing power and an incredible battery life that is perfect for people who want to push their smartphone to the limits,' said Raed Hafez, managing director for Motorola Mobility, Middle East & Africa. 'Whether you want to watch hours of movies, or don't want to worry about charging between meetings, this latest smartphone from Motorola redefines boundaries and banishes the low battery beep to history.' Motorola smartphones offer some of the industry's most powerful enterprise features available, and Motorola RAZR MAXX is no exception, including government-grade encryption and productivity tools that rival the capabilities of desktop PCs. Collaborate in real time with GoToMeeting and create and edit files right on your phone with QuickOffice.
Availability Motorola RAZR MAXX is available from selected major retailers from SAR 2099. More information available on www.motorola.com/razrmaxx About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.
About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.
Certain features, services and applications are network dependent and may not be available in all areas; additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. Contact your service provider for details. All features, functionality and other product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation 1 Comparison based on manufacturers published talk times as of 29/02/12 for 3G smartphones with voice carried over a 3G network. RAZR MAXX talk time is up to 17.6hrs. Battery performance depends on network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, and voice, data and other application usage patterns.
2 MOTOCAST supports many popular file formats and codecs. Additional software is necessary to enable use of unsupported files on your mobile phone. DRM-protected content is not supported. Respect the rights of copyright owners by only using MOTOCAST to stream and sync authorized content.
MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Android is a trademark of Google, Inc. Corning and Gorilla are registered trademarks of Corning Incorporated. KEVLAR is a registered trademark of DuPont used under license by Motorola Mobility, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. 2012 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Motorola Xoom 2 says buongiorno to Alitalia's cockpits and cabins (video) - engadget
Motorola Mobility Takes Motorola XOOM™ 2 to the Skies with Alitalia
ROME – June 19, 2012 – Today marks a unique opportunity between Motorola Mobility and the Italian airline Alitalia, which will revolutionize aircraft service and in-flight entertainment. Alitalia and Motorola Mobility have always been at the forefront in offering innovative technology solutions: Alitalia to flight assistants and customers and likewise Motorola Mobility to consumers. Today they anticipate that airlines will need more sophisticated technologies, focused on enhancing customer satisfaction.
Alitalia will be among the first airlines in the world to provide their crew with a tablet, Motorola XOOM™ 2, which will contain all relevant information on high value customers. This includes not only the profile of each passenger, but also their preferences in terms of the on-board menu, seating, travel history, as well as any inconveniences they experienced in the past. This will enable the staff to identify all the high value customers and to customise the service according to their needs.
Thanks to the wide range of programs and tools configured on each device and the ability to connect to the web, Alitalia staff will be able to receive updated information in real-time and perform all operations on board without having to print and carry, achieving great improvements in terms of time, efficiency and speed of updates. The flight attendants will also use the Motorola XOOM 2 to access the aircraft's internal manuals from the palm of their hands.
Motorola XOOM™ 2 tablets will also be introduced as Alitalia's in-flight entertainment services (IFE) for Business and Magnifica Class passengers on mid as well as long-distance flights to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tel Aviv, Beyruth, Riyadh and Teheran that are currently without an IFE service. Thanks to the tablets and the preloaded content, passengers will enjoy free access to a wide range of movies, music, online magazines and video games - all from Motorola XOOM 2's gorgeous 10.1-inch widescreen HD display.
But there is no need to be on the plane to take advantage of the Motorola XOOM 2. The Motorola XOOM 2 tablets will also be placed in 10 Alitalia lounges (Freccia Alata) so travelers can keep up to date on the latest news before embarking on their flights. A demo area within the Alitalia flagship store in Rome will provide useful suggestions to passengers on how to use the best technology of Motorola XOOM 2.
"Today we have made another further step ahead in our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy" says Marco Sansavini, director of sales, Distribution and Customer Care in Alitalia. "It is a priority project for the new Alitalia, which involves the training of 9,000 people. Alitalia wants to make the onboard flight an extraordinary experience and the tablets will enable the crew to always stay online and in touch with the needs and preferences of its passengers. Alitalia will be one of the first airlines in the world that will use this innovative way to manage its clients. The tablet will also be used as a source of entertainment for passengers of six medium and long distance destinations and for the guests of our lounge rooms "Freccia Alata".
"With its cutting edge technology and host of entertainment features, Motorola XOOM 2 is the perfect travel companion for Alitalia passengers," said Maurizio Angelone, vice president and general manager, Mobile Devices, EMEA, Motorola Mobility. "Tablets have increasingly become a must-have device for staying connected, whether at home or on the go, and we anticipate the transportation industry will make tablets an integral part of their consumer offering in the years to come."
Review: Galaxy strong contender to iPhone - AP - msnbc.com
NEW YORK — Until I started watching videos on Samsung's new Galaxy S III phone, I never thought of the iPhone's display as small.
The Galaxy's screen measures 4.8 inches diagonally, compared with 3.5 inches for the iPhone. That translates to a display area that's nearly twice the size. Yet the Galaxy is thinner and lighter.
Apart from that, the Galaxy shares the iPhone's curvy and shiny design, along with a center button that wakes up the device from power-saving mode or takes you from whatever you're doing to a home screen.
Unlike the iPhone, the Galaxy runs on faster 4G cellular networks (AT&T markets its iPhones as 4G, but the network is based on older technology). The Galaxy also comes with a new wireless technology called near-field communications, which can be used to share files and make purchases.
Pictures taken with the Galaxy were sharper and had better light balance than those with the iPhone, based on a handful of test shots I took. The Galaxy's tool for measuring data usage — for those of us no longer on unlimited plans — surpasses what comes with the iPhone.
All that makes the Galaxy a strong contender to Apple's popular device.
I understand the comparison isn't entirely fair. The iPhone 4S is about eight months old, and there's a new model expected this fall. Last week, Apple previewed changes to the phone's operating system, promising improvements to its Siri virtual assistant, a mapping service with voice navigation and more.
But the reality is the new Galaxy is available now — not in September or October.
All four national wireless companies and regional carrier U.S. Cellular will sell the Galaxy, which runs the latest operating software from Google, a flavor of Android known as Ice Cream Sandwich.
The basic model with 16 gigabytes of memory will cost $200 with a two-year contract through AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and U.S. Cellular. That's comparable to the iPhone's $199. A 32 GB model will cost $250, which is cheaper than a comparable iPhone at $299. T-Mobile will charge at least $30 more than others, though it may still be cheaper overall with lower monthly data fees over two years.
The Galaxy phones will be available in white or blue. AT&T will also have a red version this summer, but it won't carry the 32 GB model. Availability starts this week, though dates vary by wireless company.
Now back to Galaxy's screen.
The Galaxy shines when displaying widescreen video. That's because much of the display's increase is in width rather than in height when the phone is held on its side, or landscape mode. The iPhone wastes some display real estate to make wider videos fit. There are unused strips of black above and below those videos.
When watching a foreign movie through a Netflix app, the Galaxy's larger screen makes the subtitles much easier to read. I can read them fine on the iPhone, but my eyes kept zeroing in on the text to do so, making me miss the action.
The colors on the Galaxy also appeared richer, thanks to a screen that uses organic light-emitting diodes, rather than a standard LCD.
All that video can deplete your data allowance in no time.
On the iPhone, the tool for measuring data usage isn't easy to find. You have to choose "General" in your settings, then "Usage," and then "Cellular Usage." There's info there on the amount of data sent and received, but no total. You have to remember to manually reset the counter each month on the day your billing cycle starts.
On the Galaxy, "Data usage" is the third item from the top under "Settings." You can tell the phone when to warn you that you're about to reach your cap for the month. You can also automatically disable data usage when you've reached a pre-specified point to avoid extra charges. You don't have to do any math to get the total used, and the counter automatically resets each month. You can also see which apps use the most data.
Before I go further, I'll say a few things about where the iPhone still excels.
— The iPhone has more software from outside parties, extending the device's functionality. Many apps are written only for the iPhone and other Apple devices. Versions for the Galaxy and other Android phones sometimes come months later and lack all of the features.
— The iPhone works better than Android devices in corporate settings. Android, for instance, lacks the tools needed to access Wi-Fi at my office or the corporate email system (though some might consider that a plus for Android).
— The iPhone has Siri, the virtual assistant that hears your voice commands and talks back.
The Galaxy introduces a voice assistant, but she's best described as Siri's forgotten stepchild. The Galaxy couldn't find an Indian restaurant just a block from me, and she gave me the name of a doctor when I asked for Thai restaurants. The Galaxy also lacks Siri's attitude and sense of humor.
Me: "What is the best smartphone?" Siri: "Wait, there are other phones?"
The Galaxy replied with the grammatically incorrect and boring, "Opinion vary but I think Samsung Galaxy is the best of them all."
Motorola Mobility extends RAZR family in South Asia with RAZR MAXX, RAZR V - Nation - Thailand
The long-lasting Motorola RAZR MAXX and the all-new Motorola RAZR V come to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand
Motorola Mobility is bringing the longest-lasting smartphone on the market today, Motorola RAZRTM MAXX, and the sexy yet affordable Motorola RAZRTM V to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Motorola RAZR MAXX will be available with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), and will receive an over-the-air upgrade to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) soon after. Motorola RAZR V will be available with Android 4.0 during the third quarter of the year. Specific availability information for both devices will be announced closer to the retail launch dates.
Both smartphones sport the iconic RAZR design, with the same sculpted face, diamond-cut aluminum accents Not only are they gorgeous, they're also made to last, with KEVLAR® fibre for strength and scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass. Caught in the rain? Spill your coffee? Fear not. Motorola RAZR MAXX and Motorola RAZR V have a splash-guard coating that keeps everything safe - including the electrical boards inside.
Motorola RAZR MAXX - the longest lasting smartphone on the block
With the longest battery life of any smartphone today, this device has enough juice for 17.6 hours of talk-time - on a single charge. And because it's in the Motorola RAZR family, it has the same incredibly thin, fast and light pedigree as the groundbreaking original Motorola RAZR smartphone. It has a vibrant 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display that features a wider range of colours than most LCD HDTVs. Plus at just 8.99 mm, Motorola RAZR MAXX is still impossibly thin.
For aspiring filmmakers, forget about buying expensive, clunky equipment to shoot your first masterpiece. Instead, take advantage of Motorola RAZR MAXX's 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video capture for crisp, clear, cinematic-quality images. Or, simply use it to chat with a friend using the front-facing HD video camera.
The Motorola RAZR MAXX is also "Business Ready," featuring government-grade encryption that protects your email, contacts and calendar. Even the strictest IT manager will be impressed.
Motorola RAZR V - iconic styling and mind-blowing thinness for your budget
At an amazing 8.35mm thin, the Motorola RAZR V makes the iconic RAZR family styling and quality available to everyone. This big-screen beauty is surprisingly compact and light, and feels great even in smaller hands. Thanks to ColorBoostTM display technology, the Motorola RAZR V boastsextremely vibrant colours for better clarity and sharper images.With Charcoal, Glacier White and Rebel Pink options, subject to market availability, you can choose the colour that reflects your own personality and style. And while the Motorola RAZR V comes at a surprisingly affordable price, it gives away nothing in performance, thanks to its dual-core 1.2GHz processor.
Unique to Motorola Mobility smartphones, including Motorola RAZR MAXX and Motorola RAZR V is Smart Actions - a tool that lets you automate your phone's settings throughout the day. For example, you can set your phone to automatically turn off its ringer when you get home from work, set it to turn off emails while you sleep, or dim the screen when battery life gets below 30 percent. Essentially, Smart Actions manages all of the little things that add up to make all the difference in the world - all while extending your phone's already long battery life.
"RAZR is synonymous with design excellence and both Motorola RAZR MAXX and Motorola RAZR V reflect that," said Robert van Tilburg, senior regional sales director, South Asia, Motorola Mobility. "With its fantastic battery, Motorola RAZR MAXX is in a class of its own. Not only do you get everything you love about the Motorola RAZR, but now you get the power to last through marathon calls, hours of surfing the Web, or streaming movies. You'll drop long before this phone ever does. With Motorola RAZR V, we've created the perfect smartphone for stylish, smart and tech-savvy consumers who want great looks, great performance and great value."
Price and Availabily
Motorola RAZR MAXX will start shipping in end-June with the exact availability and prices in each market to be announced closer to the retail launch. Motorola RAZR V will be made available in Q3 of 2012.
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Microsoft demurs at Motorola patent settlement offer - Reuters
SEATTLE, June 20 |
SEATTLE, June 20 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp has brushed off an offer by Motorola, the phone maker bought by Google Inc, to settle patent disputes with Motorola that are threatening to halt imports of Android devices and Xbox game consoles into the United States.
The patents at issue relate to Microsoft technology called ActiveSync, which updates calendars automatically on some Android phones. Microsoft is demanding royalties from all companies using Google's Android system in their devices, and has settled with most major manufacturers except Motorola.
is demanding royalties on some of its own video and wireless technology used in Microsoft's Xbox game console and the Windows operating system.
"While we welcome any good faith settlement effort, it's hard to apply that label to a demand that Microsoft pay royalties to Google far in excess of market rates, that refuses to license all the Microsoft patents infringed by Motorola, and that is promptly leaked to the press," said Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft's deputy general counsel, in an e-mailed statement.
According to Microsoft, Motorola has offered to pay Microsoft 33 cents for each Android phone using ActiveSync, and asked for a royalty of 2.25 percent on each Xbox and 50 cents per copy of Windows for using its patents.
Last month the International Trade Commission recommended an import ban on infringing Android devices and Xbox consoles unless the patent issues were settled.
Representatives of Motorola and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Google’s Motorola Mobility Offers to End Microsoft Cases - Businessweek
Google Inc. (GOOG) (GOOG)’s Motorola Mobility unit said it made a new offer to settle its patent-infringement disputes with Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) (MSFT) over the Xbox gaming system and smartphones. Microsoft questioned whether the offer was serious.
Motorola Mobility offered to pay 33 cents for every phone that uses Microsoft’s ActiveSync software to avoid an import ban by the U.S. International Trade Commission on phones that use the software, Kirk Dailey, vice president of intellectual property for Motorola Mobility, said in an interview today.
The Google unit also lowered its demand for royalties on products that use Microsoft’s Windows operating system, to 50 cents for each unit that uses the industry standard for video compression. The company maintained its request for 2.25 percent of the cost of the Xbox gaming system, Dailey said. Microsoft could be banned from importing the Xbox if it loses an ITC case brought by Motorola Mobility.
“We’re hopeful they’re going to respond positively,” Dailey said. “We should have a response in two weeks.”
A settlement would end tit-for-tat cases the companies brought against each other. Microsoft, which contends all devices that run on Google’s Android operating system use its technology, sought royalties from Motorola Mobility. Libertyville, Illinois-based Motorola Mobility responded by demanding royalties on the Xbox for use of the company’s Wi-Fi and video compression technology.
License Refusal
“While we welcome any good faith settlement effort, it’s hard to apply that label to a demand that Microsoft pay royalties to Google far in excess of market rates, that refuses to license all the Microsoft patents infringed by Motorola,” Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft’s deputy general counsel for intellectual property, said in a statement.
Microsoft has asserted other patents in district court against Motorola Mobility that aren’t related to ActiveSync.
Motorola Mobility, which Google bought last month, is facing an order that it must remove the ActiveSync feature from its Android phones or the phones will be stopped at the border. The import ban is scheduled to go into effect July 17 unless it is overturned by President Barack Obama on public policy grounds.
The 33-cent offer on Android phones equals the amount of a bond that Motorola Mobility is obligated to post during the presidential review period, and is higher than what the company paid under a prior license for ActiveSync, Dailey said.
Standard Rate
Motorola Mobility had offered to license its own patents to Microsoft at a rate of 2.25 percent on the retail price of the products, which the company has said is its standard rate. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft said in court filings that the figure would amount to $4 billion a year and filed a lawsuit accusing Motorola Mobility of violating its obligation to license patents related to industry standards on fair terms.
The $4 billion figure was based, in part, on a calculation that the 2.25 percent would apply to the cost of a computer that runs on Windows. Motorola Mobility challenged Microsoft’s calculation.
Dailey said the offer has been changed to 50 cents per unit so if Microsoft were to sell 300 million copies of Windows, that would equal $150 million.
Motorola Mobility also has made a licensing offer to Apple Inc. (AAPL) (AAPL) and the companies continue to be in discussions, he said.
Respecting Contributions
“Both Microsoft and Apple need to show that they’re willing to be reasonable as well by respecting the contributions Motorola has made in literally creating the mobile phone industry,” Dailey said. “Injunctions are an extreme remedy, but not when you’ve been negotiating with someone for years with no movement, and who is actively seeking to destroy a competitor ecosystem.”
Judges at the International Trade Commission have said that Microsoft and Apple infringe Motorola Mobility patents related to industry standards. The commission is scheduled to announce June 25 whether it will review those findings, and has set target dates in August to complete those investigations.
European regulators are investigating complaints brought by Microsoft and Apple that Motorola Mobility was misusing its patents as the companies battle for smartphone market share.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and leaders of the House Judiciary Committee submitted comments to the ITC saying that companies should be limited in their ability to win import bans using standard-essential patents.
“At a time when the FTC, prominent members of Congress and leading companies from across the industry are expressing concern about Google’s refusal to honor its obligations to standards bodies, this appears to be little more than an effort to change the subject,” Gutierrez said.
The Motorola Mobility case against Microsoft is In the Matter of Gaming and Entertainment Consoles, 337-752 and the Microsoft case against Motorola Mobility is In the Matter of Mobile Devices, Associated Software and Components Thereof, 337-744, both U.S. International Trade Commission (Washington).
To contact the reporters on this story: Susan Decker in Washington at sdecker1@bloomberg.net;
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Bernard Kohn at bkohn2@bloomberg.net
Windows Phone 8 upgrade catch may dash Nokia's U.S. dreams - CNET News
Nokia's Lumia 900, like all other current Windows Phones, will be left stranded with an older operating system.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)commentary Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system looks great. Too bad anyone who actually cared enough to buy a Windows Phone over the past two years will be left out in the cold.
Microsoft today unveiled Windows Phone 8 and confirmed old phones wouldn't be able to upgrade to the new version. Chalk it up to another brilliant move by Microsoft: unveil a sparkling new version of its fledgling operating system, only to deny the very people who would want to use it.Nokia will feel the heat the most. The company has bet its future on Windows Phone, and has touted its lineup of Lumia smartphones as the marquee handsets using Microsoft's mobile platform. But with its current line of Lumia phones stuck at Windows 7.5, what exactly is Nokia going to tell buyers who will soon be stuck on a generation-old operating system? Sorry? Thanks for buying, sucker?
Nokia already had little cachet and even less goodwill with consumers in the U.S. Microsoft's decision to bar older Windows Phone devices from an upgrade kills any credibility Nokia had left in the U.S. Sure, many technically savvy consumers probably held off on buying the recent Lumia phones, and there were hints that this might happen. But there were still a lot of consumers who bought the Lumia 710 or Lumia 900. Nokia's gamble was a particularly risky one in the U.S. After being the maker of the de facto phone here a decade ago, the company lost its standing to rivals such as Motorola and Samsung Electronics and was reduced to a niche brand for phone enthusiasts. As a result, the company had to spend a lot to promote the Lumia 900 and establish a beachhead -- burning cash at a time when its financial performance has been cratering and the company has been announcing layoffs for thousands of workers. The core dilemma for Nokia in the U.S. is its challenge in revitalizing a long-faded brand using a little-known mobile operating system. Nokia could have jumped on the Android bandwagon but opted to further set itself apart with its sole commitment to partner with Microsoft.
The new start screen for Windows Phone 8.
(Credit: Microsoft)The frustrating part is Nokia had a great shot at breaking into the U.S. AT&T backed the Lumia 900 with its biggest campaign, and both Nokia and AT&T called it their flagship phone. But after a strong start, the phone's momentum quickly waned.
Well, it's clear now everyone should have waited for the Windows Phone 8 version of the Lumia. Rather than a flagship phone, it now appears more like a stopgap to something better. Windows Phone 8 is expected to be dramatically better. In addition to a wide number of new features, the key advancement is a tighter integration with the PC and tablet-centric Windows 8 operating system, with common cores between the two. Microsoft said it will release an incremental upgrade to Windows Phone 7 to bring the updated Windows Phone 8 tile interface to existing users. But that's cold comfort for people who went out on a limb with Windows Phone. In comparison, Apple is great at ensuring some of its older phones get access to the newest version of iOS, even if the results aren't always the smoothest. And though Android updates can be frustratingly slow (blame the carriers), they do come. Microsoft has shown in recent days a willingness to irk its partners, so perhaps this shouldn't be a surprise. But Microsoft has a lot of explaining to do, to its key partner, Nokia, and to the customer -- both of whom got shafted.Nokia Lumia 710 given Dark Knight Rises makeover - T3.com
Nokia has confirmed it is to expand its range of Batman themed Lumia handsets with the mid-range Windows Phone packing Nokia Lumia 710 coming in for a Dark Knight Rises makeover.
Following on from its high-end Lumia 800 sibling, Nokia has revealed that those looking to pick up the 3.7-inch Lumia 710 will now be able to plump for a special edition Dark Knight Rises branded option. What’s more, existing Lumia 710 owners will be able to select a new Dark Knight Rises cover free of charge.
Nokia Lumia 710 Dark Knight Rises Edition Specs
Unlike the Batman branded Lumia 800 which features the superhero’s infamous mark etched into the polycarbonate rear, 710 owners will be able to choose a selection of various hued interchangeable rear covers all of which will have the upcoming film’s logo splashed across them.
Available in five separate colour tones, those looking to add some Batman themed frivolity to their handset can select from cyan, white, magenta, yellow and the very fitting black options.
Underneath the hood the Dark Knight themed handsets are the same as the original Nokia Lumia 710 with a 1.4GHz single-core processor lining up alongside an 800 x 480p resolution 3.7-inch display and 512MB of RAM. With a 5-megapixel camera on the rear, the Lumia 710 is capable of capturing 720p HD video content at an impressive 30 frames-per-second.
Nokia Lumia 800 Dark Knight Rises Edition Release Date
Available in the UK now, Nokia’s latest collaboration with the upcoming Batman flick will be available from retailers until August 31st and can be snapped up on a selection of different tariffs and on a PAYG basis.
Are you tempted by the new Nokia Lumia 710? Did the Batman themed finish push you over the edge? Let us know via the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds.
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