My Nokia Blog |
- Gallery: Nokia 808 PureView (new samples!) GSMArena: ‘stunning… mind blowing detail resolved…NOTHING comes close’.
- Firmware Updates: Nokia N8/C7/E7 with Belle and Nokia Lumia 800 with FW12070, Vodafone Australia
- It was only a matter of time: Android overtakes Symbian as most used mobile OS.
- Video: Nokia 808 PureView vs Nokia N8, Belle FP1
- Wordament For WP updated- Gets Xbox Live Support
- Nokia India Store Huge Price Drops
- Lumia 800 Goes to Space, Comes Back With Super-Powers
- Ex Symbian Foundation Chief, Lee Williams, on Nokia/Android/WP/Elop; ElMu on W8/WP8 Tablets/Phones
- Accessories: Wireless Music Receiver, Nokia MD-310 Review/Unboxing
- Leaked: Nokia 110 appears in China, (VGA camera and QQVGA screen?)
| Posted: 26 Apr 2012 06:36 PM PDT
Gorgeous set of pictures over at the Nokia Flickr Page. GSM Arena dubs them as ‘stunning’ calling PureView ‘really impressive’
They love the shallow depth of field that they say is normally difficult to get on a smartphone.
The sharpness on some full sized photos might not be as impressive as the PureView version, but the detail resolved was apparently mind blowing. The PureView stuff is really out of this world.
Conclusion?
Cheers ‘dss’ for the tip!
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| Firmware Updates: Nokia N8/C7/E7 with Belle and Nokia Lumia 800 with FW12070, Vodafone Australia Posted: 26 Apr 2012 06:16 PM PDT
All updates, Belle for N8/C7/E7 as well as FW12070 for the Nokia Lumia 800 are available. Belle
Lumia:
Source: blog.vodafone.com.au and Softpedia Cheers Prashant and Dave for the tips!
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| It was only a matter of time: Android overtakes Symbian as most used mobile OS. Posted: 26 Apr 2012 03:30 PM PDT
Hello MNB readers! Our friends over at AllAboutSymbian have an excellent write-up about the current user base counts for Blackberry, iOS, Android and Symbian (abbreviated B.i.A.S lol, which AAS does NOT have). I always figured it would just be a matter of time before this happened. The more devices sold, the more users and no one can deny the success of Android and iOS. What do you guys and gals think Nokia should have done differently to keep the top spot? WHEN do you think Nokia should have done it? Let’s be realistic, Symbian in it’s prior to Feb. 11 strategy could NOT stop the Android onslaught so all the “TURNZ BAQ TO SYMBIAN NOWZZZZZ!!!!” and “Say No to Windows!!!” would not prevent Symbian from losing the top spot. I’ll start it off: To me, for Symbian to have remained the #1 OS, most used, several things would have had to happen: In no particular order… 1. Should have had Wider OEM/Carrier support: Android is successful in part due to its availability by many different manufacturers at basically little to no cost to the OEM. Nokia was going it almost SOLO with Symbian. The few OEMs that supported Symbian (SonyE, Samsung) left the licensed structure of Symbian for a free/smaller fee based structure of Android. Carriers in certain countries never bought in to Symbian, and when they did, the chose the WORST Symbian devices (5230 Nuron when much butter 5th Ed devices were out) and then barely promoted them anyway. Nokia should have NOT took the “If we build it, they will come” attitude and instead should have said “Let’s build it and tell them they NEED it, take it to them!” 2. Should have had Constant Symbian OS and Hardware updates: Love it or hate it, Android is also where it is due to the constant, sometimes too soon, OS and hardware revisions. Techies, including myself, like the cores, the Super Amoled+HDs, and all the other bells and whistles. Sure, it is trivial as to WHAT is needed and not needed but no one can deny that OEMs have used Android as the vehicle and mobile tech has improved by leaps and bounds. Meanwhile, where has Symbian gotten the mobile world to, technology wise? No seriously, HONESTLY think about it. Erase Android from the face of the universe. Never happened. Currently, with the exception of Apple, tech would have only evolved to 640×480, 512MB Ram and single core. If Nokia has not done massively better WITH COMPETITION, I don’t think they would have WITHOUT competition. Nokia dropped the ball through the floor by changing its stance on GPUs during the N95/82/E90 era…. I could go on and on but the Meat and Potatoes are over at AAS’ so head right over and have a look. Thanks to dss for the tip! Source: AAS The above Chart is a Copyright of Steve Litchfield, All About Symbian, 26 April 2012
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| Video: Nokia 808 PureView vs Nokia N8, Belle FP1 Posted: 26 Apr 2012 01:11 PM PDT
Here’s a video comparing the Nokia N8 with the new Nokia 808 PureView. The N8 seems to have some Belle FP1 style mod going on there. The N8 is the oldest of the S^3 bunch, so performance difference would be a bigger gap than say, the 701. It might just be the wallpapers, but the 808′s screen just pops out in terms of the vividness. And that’s through video.
by exx10sive Cheers Zymo for the tip!
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| Wordament For WP updated- Gets Xbox Live Support Posted: 26 Apr 2012 11:31 AM PDT
My favorite WP app EVER just got a huge update pushing it up to V2.0; the latest update brings Wordament into the elite group of “Xbox Live games” (Coincidentally it’s one of the few FREE Xbox live games). The new version has a completely redesigned UI giving it a more polished metro look and bringing my favorite feature of Xbox live: Achievements! as well as a complete list of all the possible words from each letter on the board. Here’s the original Video we filmed for Lumiappaday:
Also worth noting that when I first demoed the app about two months ago the number of players in a game would be around 400 Max. at peak times; however know there’s almost always above 900 players no matter when you play. Good signs. Update: Here’s the QR code so no more excuses not to download.
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| Nokia India Store Huge Price Drops Posted: 26 Apr 2012 10:56 AM PDT
Here’s a nice boost for all Symbian users out in India; Apparently there have been some HUGE price drops on almost all applications. I’m not sure about the extent of these price cuts but from my twitter feed it seems to be a serious price buster issue. Story source and a minor rant by CJ over here: @UnleashThePhones-
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| Lumia 800 Goes to Space, Comes Back With Super-Powers Posted: 26 Apr 2012 07:41 AM PDT
I know this is a couple days old; but I’ve been feeling so extremly lazy lately I was hoping Jay or Michael would post it- but fine be that way guys. Anyways as part of some “Research” scientists from the University of Southampton sent up a Lumia 800 attached to one of those weather balloons up into the Stratosphere; to test out methods cheaper atmospheric studies.
Honestly I can’t see how the Lumia made it on a single charge if it was filming/imaging constantly- Although it’s pretty cold “Up There” which means that batteries will last longer (I’ve actually seen people who live on the equator get noticeably less battery life due to faster chemical reactions – high heat = fast reaction speed = less battery life). And of course since Polycarbonate is also used on JumboJets it has no problem in extreme conditions.
We didn't do this for fun – we used the Nokia Lumia 800 as a serious scientific tool, and the results were remarkable." - Sure ”not for Fun” I gotya All in all pretty cool; I think Google or Samsung did this with one of their droid launches, can’t be sure thought. Thanks to everyone who sent this in VIA
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| Ex Symbian Foundation Chief, Lee Williams, on Nokia/Android/WP/Elop; ElMu on W8/WP8 Tablets/Phones Posted: 26 Apr 2012 03:34 AM PDT
Here’s Lee Williams, Ex Head of Symbian Foundation (previously SVP S60) talking to CNET UK about Nokia. The credit rating has been bad for Nokia. Already struggling in the transition, it does them no help that lowered ratings restrict their momement because
Apparently, Elop has been at Nokia for 2-3 years and has no roadmap. Yup, clearly Elop has not delivered. Where is the first Windows Phone due end of 2011? Where are these Windows Phones due for USA? Why has Nokia stopped and no longer has any future WP in their plans?
I’m sure Williams loves roadmaps, we saw plenty of non-delivering roadmaps.
Oh and what products eroded this Nokia brand, huh? I hope they had some constraints not to release these bad products. We of course know there have been several duds, detrimental to the Nokia brand that just made you question: Why is this Nseries? Why is it even a Nokia? I am shocked at the arrogance. This is precisely what needs to be stopped. Williams is in agreement that Nokia could not have gone with Android.
Android is about pushing Google Services, they are not a consumer products company.
Not an untrue statement. BTW, Interesting story from TheVerge about how Android was in its early days: He doesn’t like WP, complaining about bad battery and camera performances, as well as having non-existent differentiators. Seems to be enough in the US for the Lumia 900 to be, really, the only WP handset people are talking about, despite the Titan II being a very good alternative too (and in many ways better). Speaking of the Titan II, doesn’t that Windows Phone have one of the better cameras (even compared to several Droids?) how is battery life on that? At the very least, Windows 8 is seen as a step in the right direction, though he is jaded at the whole waiting for the next iteration to fix all the problems of the current one. I think we all know precisely how Lee Williams feels, especially with OSes closer to home. S60 5th will be better, firmware update will fix S60 5th, S^3 is coming soon, firmware update will fix S^3, FP1 will fix everything, Anna, wait for Anna, Belle wait for Belle… On that note, it’s not just about fixing, it’s fixing in a timely manner. Belle has appeared too late and there’s a possibility it will be the same again for WP8. Time is not on Nokia’s side. Apparently Nokia’s approach to producing phones was like producing Molitov Cocktails. Without actual weapons, Nokia’s resourcefulness used bits of scrap. Yes, perhaps with certain enemies you can fight them with scrap, but what happens when you have a new incomer that’s impervious to that? Nokia had a Nuke in the making called Maemo 5 but decided to stick with Molitov Cocktails. This bit also troubles me. It sounds like what other ex Nokians have mentioned, how cost efficiencies overruled the goal of creating the best phones for consumers. It was all about the balance sheet for today, and not the mindshare of the consumers for tomorrow.
Williams suspects Elop has about 6 months left to see what can be done with this strategy before ‘course correcting’. That sits tightly around the Q3 region that we would hope would be the time when we see Nokia begin to turn things around. Though according to Ollila yesterday, the turnaround is expected to be seen at the end of the year (possibly when the WP8/Apollo Lumias are there with less of the restrictions, instead freedom for Nokia to deliver more of Nokia into the Lumia).
I don’t like the sound of this either. I’d prefer Nokia to see this strategy through. The momentum is very small, but it is there. The transition from Symbian could have been handled much better. If Symbian was healthier, there would be less pressure on Lumia and more time to deliver the pivotal Q4 products. They are crucial because it is W8 that could introduce the masses to Metro, and it would be WP8 to allow Nokia to put their own ‘stamp’ on things. I’m disappointed it was nigh on impossible for Nokia to do in WP7.5 but with the little they could do, they managed to get all eyes on their products. All stakes are pretty much gambling that W8/WP8 products will be a hit, with Nokia leading in that space. But we have no indications it will be this way since they are yet to be launched and no one has any ideas what the full experience will be like. On Apollo, there is very little known – this secrecy supposedly in place to keep these features unique. Now we haven’t talked about ElMu much, though he is still saying a lot. Just today he’s been ‘sharing’ some info on WP8/W8. Take this with a massive pinch of salt.
Hmm…so despite W8/WP8 being promising, ElMu still sees Nokia as dying. Now this is another legitimate concern. Can Nokia distance themselves into the lead? It’s all well and good WP8/W8 being good, but not if it’s Samsung/HTC that are eating all the sales and profits. Cheers DKM, Joni, Janne, dss, Oscar and everyone for the tip.
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| Accessories: Wireless Music Receiver, Nokia MD-310 Review/Unboxing Posted: 26 Apr 2012 12:20 AM PDT
So, I found these whilst clearing out my room. It was the MD-310 Wireless Music Receiver that we got at Nokia World. I hadn’t used it as I thought I would need a NFC handset, and also, I had something similar a while back and found it awkward to connect to my speakers.  Box contents:  The Nokia MD 310 is a lot easier to use than previous similar Nokia accessories of this nature. Just a couple of RCA adapters or, even easier for me, 3.5mm jack which I can feed into the line in of my laptop (which is then subsequently connected to a monitor which is then connected to the speaker). This way, I can play music from the phone onto my normal audio set up. If I connected to the speaker/monitor, I’d have to keep switching settings/wires. For some people their speaker system might be separate anyway. The MD-310 is a shiny, piano black pancake. The material seems to be some durable plastic with a cold metal base at the bottom. At the top you have an LED ring that lights up white when on and blue when connected to a device.
At the side, the 3.5mm jack loops its wires around the recess. When empty, it will glow a soft white light whenever audio is being transferred. At the bottom you have a small rubber ring which allows it to grip to your surface. This is powered by a 2mm pin charger. You connect to your speakers either via RCA adapters (which attach to the 3.5mm jack) or via the 3.5mm jack directly.
Pairing is easy, either traditional bluetooth (though all I had to do was select pair, no password necessary) or tap with NFC. Note, NFC needs to be switched on (not on by default) and you may need to just rest the phone onthe MD 310 for a bit in case you miss the initial NFC contact. You can also use the NFC tap to disconnect.
This plays pretty much all audio except calls/alarms. This means, music, games, videos and even incoming alerts. The quality is very high and the range is quite something. Where WiFi is normally killed by our ancient super thick walls, the bluetooth oddly manages it. In Nokia’s own promo video they mentioned getting as far as 100m. You can connect multiple bluetooth devices, though not simultaneously. To switch to a different device, just press the button in the middle. It will blink as it tries to find the next device in the list and it will connect if it’s available. You can grab a Nokia MD 310 on Amazon for as cheap as £34.
               
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| Leaked: Nokia 110 appears in China, (VGA camera and QQVGA screen?) Posted: 26 Apr 2012 12:18 AM PDT
Chasing the heels of the recently announced basic phone, the Nokia 103, the Nokia 110 makes an appearance in China. Amazingly however, there’s a camera, most likely VGA therefore suggesting this would be a QQVGA (128×160) colour screen (and not monochrome). The back seems to be textured. Cheapest camera phone ever? Cheers aikon171 for the tip!
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(£39.99)
(£34.03)
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