My Nokia Blog |
- Nokia to increase orders from Compal for 4.7″ Nokia Lumia 625
- Bias: The killer of innovation, the dasher of dreams, the destroyer of hope and something that MUST be put down!
- MNB RG: Nokia/Monster Purity Pro compared to Purity HD – Gaming with Purity
- Facebook gets another update for Nokia Lumia (v5.0.3.0) be more antisocial with unfriend and unlike!
- Rich Recording Phase 2?…how did I miss that?
- Lumia 520 Review; Nokia’s Low Cost Saviour.
- MNB RG: Halo: Spartan Assault Preview, Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8
- Gallery: Accessories – Battery Camera Grip for Nokia Lumia 1020
- Lumia 521 Insanely Price at $80 (HSN)
- A Closer Look at Nokia’s Earnings
| Nokia to increase orders from Compal for 4.7″ Nokia Lumia 625 Posted: 19 Jul 2013 10:43 AM PDT
Digitimes reports that Nokia’s going to further increase their orders from Compal. Their sources appear to confirm the 4.7″ screen ordered from Compal, priced possibly at 320USD with a Q3 announcement.
Cheers Joni for the tip! |
| Posted: 19 Jul 2013 10:25 AM PDT
Dear MNB readers, Before I start, let me put out a disclaimer: This article is LONG…over 3,500 words. It is a subject that I feel strongly about and if you would afford me the space to write about it and some of your time in joining the discussion, I thank you in advance. If so, you may want to grab a snack and a drink, if not, I understand and you can skim through as there are some nice pictures of Lumias that were taken with my 808 PureView for those of us (myself included) who love photos During the Lumia 1020 announcement Q&A session with Stephen Elop, Joan Lappin from Forbes had this to say:
As some of you may know, Elop countered with a response that took the responsibility off of AT&T and put all of the blame on Nokia. His response was given with confidence, sounded good but the reality is that no matter what Nokia builds, no matter what kind of stellar training they provide, no matter what kind of marketing materials, kiosks or CEO endorsements that the budget allows, the fact is that the consumer decision to purchase a WINDOWS PHONE is HEAVILY swayed by the amount of OPERATING SYSTEM BIAS that the in store rep has! Notice I didn’t say a Nokia Lumia smartphone purchase. It is not about Nokia and what Nokia can do, it is all about Windows Phone and the how the in store rep feels about WP. There is an OS war going on and the front line soldiers, the very ones that have been trained and armed with the tools (exclusive tools at that – 1020, 920) may just be doing all that they personally can to fight against the charge that they have been given, all they can to push their OWN agenda to what is their OWN expected sales end. What do I mean? Let me share 2 vastly different experiences that I have had over the past 2 days:
Ever since news broke that some 1020s have arrived at AT&T stores, I have been visiting our 2 local AT&T stores and also our single T-Mobile (all the photos are from the T-Mobile store..more on that later) store to check up on the status of their Windows Phones, especially Nokia devices. I have been calling each day, speaking to different reps to get a sense of the amount of training or effort and attention that they have given to Windows Phone and the Lumia range. Neither of the AT&T stores have the 1020 as of today but what was alarming is what happened when I went to one of the stores… 2 Days Ago… So I happily go into an AT&T store after work, armed with my trusty 808, prepared to talk up some 41MP goodness, give some demos like I always have since the N82 days. I am standing around the WP section, I see the HTC devices, then the 820 and 920 (in stunning glossy red) yet no sign of a Lumia 1020 coming soon poster. Ok, nothing strange yet as they have more than a week to get the 1020 materials out for display. I am there so long that my attention goes to a huge screened Android phone, 5.5 inches of 1080p HD sharpness..impressive and NO, it was not a Samsung phone THEN…. A customer comes over while I am holding the 5.5 big screened Android phone next to the red Lumia 920 and I say “Wow, this screen is soooooooo big and pretty, the screen is almost bigger than this phone (pointing to the 920) she says yeah. Clearly NOT interested in the big screened Android phone but leaning towards the various WP devices. We continue our chatter and then a sales associate finally arrives. The lady and her daughter have been checking out the HTC 8X (I am ready to counter with the red 920, having pros and cons on the tip of my tongue)…….the customer tells the sales rep “I like this phone here!”, holding the 8X, ready to dive into WP….and then it all goes down hill from there… BIAS BIAS BIAS BIAS…B……I…..A…S ALERT!!!!!
The AT&T sales rep FROWNS and says “but it runs WINDOWS PHONE!!!”. The rep looked besmirched by the words Windows Phone!
Now……the entire time, I am standing maybe 3 feet away, I am thinking.. “PLEASE, PLEASE don’t let this conversation go where I think it is going…please!!!” I felt the urge to speak up, I felt all of my attention focus on the rep, BUT I held my peace….at that moment. The customer looks at the Rep almost as shocked and says “Oh??????” in a slightly confused or “What’s the problem with WP” manner. The rep takes it to another level of bias. Rep: Windows Phone is, you either love it or hate it! Customer: And you? Rep: Hate it. I don’t like Windows Phone. (frowns, shakes head in disgust and TAKES THE 8X FROM THE CUSTOMER AND SAYS:) But we have this…picks up the 5.5 HD Android Phone. Rep: I like Android better than Windows Phone. Android is better. Customer: Oh…looks at Android phone and INSTANTLY drops all appearance of wanting a Windows Phone. Me: (Having had ALL THAT I CAN TAKE!…calmly joins the conversation) To the rep: Oh, you say you don’t like Windows Phone? Rep: Yeah, I don’t like it. Me: Why not? Rep: I just don’t like it. (now holding the red 920… with a disgusted look on her face) I like Android better. Me: You know, that comes off VERY negative towards WP and turns people away from it when AT&T reps say and do things like you just did. Rep: (shrugs shoulders) We sell plenty of Windows Phones Me: Why don’t you like Windows Phone? (I am in full interrogation mode) Rep: I’m used to Android, that’s what I have been using. Me: BUT why don’t you like Windows Phone, you can tell the customers you don’t like it but WHY don’t you like it!!!??? Rep: Windows Phone is designed for kids and people who have never had a smartphone. It doesn’t have a lot of apps. It’s too simple, like the iPhone. I just don’t like it. I like Android. (Takes customer away with the Android phone) Me: (Fuming) Left the store. No pictures, took a store card and called to speak to the store manager, whom wasn’t available.
That is the POOREST customer service I have ever seen in person. It was SO FULL OF BIAS!!! The Rep sold the customer what the REP wanted. So selfish….so rude….so dishonest, pushing her own agenda, her own opinions on the customer! Now the customer is not going to even buy a WP and will probably tell their friends and family the same biased comments and lies that the rep told them, swaying their opinion away from what may be a viable solution for the customer. The rep’s job is to assess the customer’s needs and wants, not to push their own needs and wants on the customer. Elop said So I left the store. Moving on to yesterday….at T-Mobile
While getting out of my car, I honestly expected worse situation than at AT&T. I had dealt with this T-Mobile store in months past, they lacked a WP display, associates had NO IDEA what WPs I was asking about, they didn’t know release dates, didn’t even have live WP demo phones, no Lumia 521, a non working 810, and they discontinued the 710. I was expecting NOTHING but to my surprise…..
WOW! Working Lumia devices, a large display with looping videos highlighting the features…what a surprise and a welcomed sight! Ok, there MUST be a catch! I just knew that some rep would come over with chronic Biasoris and start speaking of Android, iOS, apps, cores and moars. I find myself standing there oogling over the 925 as it was my first time seeing it in person and I begin taking photos with my 808. There is one rep in the store and 3 other customers. The rep takes care of everyone fairly quickly and efficiently and then he comes over to me. THEN… Rep: I see you are looking at our Windows Phones. Are Windows Phones the only phones that you are interested in? Me: Yes, pretty much. I have had many Android phones, and iPhones. Rep: Me personally, I don’t really like Windows Phone that much…(I felt a Hulk smashing rage coming on) BUT..I think that the Windows Phones are great devices. They are doing a lot better that when they started. They have more apps, their phones look better too. (false alarm…no gamma charge today) Me: Yeah (holding the 925) This phone looks great! Rep: It’s the best Windows Phone we have. The screen is great, it’s fast. I like what they are doing with Windows phone. It (WP) isn’t up to where Android is (lifting his hand in the air) but I can tell that one day it will get there. Me: I agree. Rep: This one here (925) takes the best photos out of any phone we have. The GS4 has a 13 MP camera and this one only has 8.7MP BUT it has a Carl Zeiss camera and that makes the pictures better. Me: Oh wow! (I honestly COULDNT BELIEVE HE KNEW HIS STUFF AND WAS BEING HONEST AND UNBIASED!!!) Rep: It’s a really nice phone. We also have this one (521), it is cheaper. It is really nice but in my opinion, the screen is better on this one (925) I think it is because of the 1080p HD screen (yes, he said 1080p, I don’t care one bit that he misspoke, the man was TRYING HIS BEST to inform me based on what I..I…I..not he…not him…not they…nor them…but I…I…the CUSTOMER…was interested in). Me: yeah, looks MUCH better. Me: (seeing the 810) Wow! I though this phone was discontinued! Rep: Well, we haven’t gotten any in a long time. I think we are discontinuing it. Me: It’s strange to be discontinued, it has better specs than the 521, the camera is better. Rep: I believe it was the price that hurt it. It’s cheap now but at first it was $400 something full price. Yeah, I think it was the price that was bad. It’s still a good phone, it has a front facing camera. The 521 doesn’t. Rep: You can’t go wrong with any of these Windows Phones. Me: I Nodded in agreement. I didn’t say anything. Loss of words! WHAT just happened!
The rep then goes on to encourage me about T-Mobile’s new plans, reasons to switch, the pros and CONS of their data pricing (he said, you may want to get more than 500MB because that lasts like 4 days and when it’s up, you’ll get 2g speeds and you will be mad at T-Mobile, saying our data speeds suck and are slow). He talked MORE about WP, tailored to what he perceived to be my smartphone needs. He only mentioned Android once, recommending a cheap phone for my daughters if we were budget conscious after I told him she had an iPhone 4. He provided EXCELLENT CUSTOMER FOCUSED customer service. He made Windows Phone seem to have hope, more life, a brighter future, far outclassing the stunning design of the 925 that if I wasn’t 100% behind WP when I came in, I would definitely walk out with a WP or two!
He did not, I repeat, did not let his own experience with Windows Phone stand in the way of what I liked. He didn’t push his own agenda or try to sway me in the OPPOSITE direction. It was such a stark contrast compared to my experience at AT&T, Nokia’s premier WP partner, exclusive U.S. carrier for the Lumia 900, 920, 1020 flagships that some people really want to buy. Whomever manages the store on Veterans Parkway, Angel B. deserves recognition. He deserves a raise, a free lunch, a work smartphone, VIP parking or something because he showed that he can put his personal opinion aside and provide excellent customer focused customer service. He deserves something! I’m not with T-Mobile anymore but that level of UNBIASED service made me think about switching to T-Mobile and buying 5 925s for my family, if only it was that simple and easy.
Mr. B. would not hinder WP (or any other OS) or the customer in any way. He knew his material, remembering his training, pointing out features that would interest the customer, who appeared to be interested in Windows Phone. He didn’t lead me to a big screened Android phone that I didn’t even look at (can’t miss the big screen so obviously I am not interested in it). He didn’t spout apps apps apps or insult my OS choice by saying it is made for kids, when clearly I am interested in it. He examined the situation, tried to sell me devices and services that fit my family’s needs and wants. THAT is the kind of representative that Microsoft needs in the stores, that Nokia needs, that all WP investors and fans need to see. T-Mobile isn’t even the premier WP partner. They have barely supported the 710 and 810 and they are clearly as a company, on the Android bandwagon, being the original Android launch carrier with the G1 after all. The fault isn’t on Nokia, the WP ecosystem is directly strengthened by exclusive releases on certain carriers, 41MP means nothing if a rep is SOOOOOOOO BIASED that they can’t see the customers wants beyond their own. All of Nokia’s hard work and AT&T top level training means nothing if I can walk in the store and be basically told to not buy a WP device, no matter how awesome the phone may be. Windows Phone isn’t at the level of individual acceptance to where it really stands a chance at retail unless there are some good and honest employees like Angel B. who just want to do a good job and provide unbiased service.
Now, as I draw to a close, I want to make it clear, I am not praising T-Mobile. I have my fair share of bad, biased experiences with them as well. There are recent reports of people having similar experiences of EXTREME bias, especially towards Windows Phone as well. Windowsphonecentral has an article about the lack of information at certain T-Mobile stores and some of the comments are even worse than my AT&T experience. Similarly, comments on a TmoNews article echo the level of bias that some consumers face when they simply want to purchase a device that THEY like. This comment from reader Random3 is an example of extreme bias that makes it difficult for consumers:
There is no place for bias in a customer service and sales environment. Bias (OS bias in this case) is like a disease that spreads from the heart of the person (rep, manager, friend, coworker) to the mind of the listener. It is powerful, easy to get yet hard to get rid of. If the same bias that is being shown towards WP was shown towards iOS or Android, they would be in the same boat. Nokia can do all they can do. MS can do all they can do but if those on the front line, down in the trenches, the ones that make or break a product are extremely against selling your product, it will never gain the traction that it deserves, and that is a shame. Thank you all for reading and bearing with me during this super long article. Please comment below about your thoughts on the subject. Have you experienced extreme bias when shopping, whether it is for phones, homes, cars, food or any other thing to where the representative pushed their own agenda to a fault? I will end with this, Random3 had his mind made up and determined not to be persuaded otherwise and in the end, he got the device that works best for him. We all have different needs, wants and standards that help define our purchasing decisions but when we are given the responsibility to serve the customer, it is not about us, what WE like, it is simply about the customer and what THEY like. Sincerely, Deaconclgi |
| MNB RG: Nokia/Monster Purity Pro compared to Purity HD – Gaming with Purity Posted: 19 Jul 2013 10:20 AM PDT
Another post from Janne today, related to the earlier one about Spartan Assault and how Nokia’s Purity Pros go well with this game. Actually I love using my Purity Pros and their extra punchy bass playing these games. N.O.V.A. 3, Modern Combat 4, Royal Revolt – all sound and play so much better when you listen through headphones. I enjoy using my AKG-K551 but I find myself always putting on my Purity Pros instead.
The Purity Pros are over ears, the Purity HDs are on ears. __________________
Nokia/Monster Purity Pro compared to Purity HD In my Halo: Spartan Assault preview (http://mynokiablog.com/2013/ So, on a whim I picked up a pair of black Purity Pro’s today (went with black for practical reasons, the glossy red looked best in my opinion in the store though). I already had a year and half-old pair of the original Nokia Purity HD wired headset, which I have found excellent too. Purity HD vs. Purity Pro I pretty much expected the Purity Pro to be just a wireless version of Purity HD with a few added features, but was surprised to notice at the store that indeed they are quite a bit larger and sturdier physically. Not hugely, but enough to be noticeable – Purity HD is clearly the smaller set of the two. Somehow that detail had missed me prior. The added electronics probably play a large part here. (Sturdiness too is welcome, because I know of one pair of Purity HD’s that broke from the curve.) In the case of the wired older Purity HD, the headset is a fairly simple affair, there is really nothing more to it – technical feature-wise – than a 3.5″ connector. In Purity HD, the microphone and remote controls (which can control calls and songs in a limited fashion depending on what the handset supports) are in the wire and there is no (music) volume control. In addition, Purity HD comes with a Symbian/N9 compatible wire that lacks the controls, although does have a microphone – the main wire with the controller works with Lumia, as well as iPhone and Android devices. Windows Phone/iPhone/Android use a different cable setup and remote controller standard than Symbian/Series 40/iPhone, that’s why the separate cables. The Purity Pro does have a 3.5″ connector too and in fact, again to my surprise, comes with a wire – although this time only of the Lumia/iPhone/Android compatible flavor (because the controls have moved to the headset itself and work wired only with Lumia etc.). You can use the wire if you run out of battery. The packaging says that the set works with Symbian/Series 40/N9 only wirelessly – although I can confirm it works with the Purity HD Symbian/N9 cable just fine, both headphones and microphone in the wire, so if you have a separate cable from Purity HDs or some other set you can use that (I tested with 808 PureView), just don’t use the controls. Both kits have carry/storage cases, although different designs – Purity Pro has a soft bag, Purity HD a semi-hard case. And that’s pretty much where the similarities with Purity HD end, though. There is a lot more to Purity Pro. Features galore First of all, the Purity Pro headset is wireless and contains a built-in microphone, so you can pair it via Bluetooth and off you go. There is a micro-USB connector for charging, a charging light and a Nokia AC-50E charger (Euro version) and USB cable is included with the kit. It works as a Bluetooth headset, basically. There are also volume controls on the right-most end of band. There are multi-function controls on the left-most end of the Purity Pro too, which can actually achieve a fairly large number of functions (although many of these Purity HD can also do with Lumia using the controls on the wire): call/answer/end/reject call, transfer call between phone/headset, re-dial last number, use phone’s voice control, play/stop/resume song, next/previous/restart song and scan current song. Some of these options work also when Purity Pro is on a wired connection (with a Lumia or a compatible device). That’s not all: Purity Pro’s come with active noise cancellation. The microphone outside of the speakers registers ambient noise and counters it within the headphones, basically reducing outside noise coming in to the headset further (the comfortable and form-fitting over-ear cushioning already does part of that of course, the headset is closed design). The noise cancellation really works too. You can definitely hear it kicking in, when you place the headset on. If you want to, you can turn off the noise cancellation by holding previous track and less volume keys for a while. Noise cancellation also turns off when used in wired mode. Finally, Purity Pro’s do NFC and automatic on/off when folded. My PC has NFC, so I just tapped the areas marked NFC on both together, acceptance click on the Windows 8 side and there it was. After a moment the Purity Pro announced with male voice: “Connected.” (There are also other voice messages, such as “Battery is full.” and “Turn Bluetooth on in your device and pair.”) Pretty cool stuff. Not that Bluetooth pairing is hard, but NFC is just a great added bonus and convenience. If you choose or need to Bluetooth pair, there is a small button with a blue light on the Purity Pro for that. As for turning the set and off, just fold it closed and open as needed. Really useful features. What an amazingly versatile piece of kit. They sound great too, at least that is my initial impression. (Picture: wireless Nokia Purity Pro on the left, wired Purity HD on the right.) _____ Cheers Janne! |
| Facebook gets another update for Nokia Lumia (v5.0.3.0) be more antisocial with unfriend and unlike! Posted: 19 Jul 2013 10:07 AM PDT
I thought this was an earlier update I had missed so I ignored it but JB just tweeted.
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| Rich Recording Phase 2?…how did I miss that? Posted: 19 Jul 2013 07:54 AM PDT
Hello MNB Readers! We have already seen a demonstration of Rich Recording on the Lumia 1020 but Daniel P. over at PhoneArena has a VERY informative article about Rich Recording (RR) Phase 2 on the Nokia Lumia 1020. Somehow, I missed the announcement of RRP2 (not Ridge Racer Player 2) so his article was very informative indeed. Enough of my small talk, here are some quotes from the article:
He goes on to speak of the new Rich Recording abilities:
Something also totally new to me is that there are MANUAL AUDIO SETTINGS in the Nokia Pro Camera application:
I don’t want to simply take all the info from his article so head right over to the article to find out what the actual Audio Settings are and a brief mention of HTC’s Rich Recording incident. Regardless, improved audio capture, manual audio settings in addition to the manual camera settings widen the innovation lead that Nokia has over its competitors and is a win for consumers who want the best pictures, video and audio from a pocketable device that more often than not, will be right there with them to capture the moment.  As always, thank you for choosing MyNokiaBlog, Deaconclgi Via: PhoneArena |
| Lumia 520 Review; Nokia’s Low Cost Saviour. Posted: 19 Jul 2013 07:14 AM PDT
I played around with Nokia’s low-priced Lumia 520 for a bit more than a month (true it was slightly eclipsed by the arrival of the Lumia 925- but nonetheless). I previously covered separate segments of the 520′s performance including gaming, software, hardware, and imaging; so naturally this is the part where I string it all together and throw the “review” word around. The Lumia 520 has been making some (relatively) large splashes in the pond (and across it – in the form of the 521), grabbing the title of the world’s most popular Windows Phone 7 or 8 device; sure there isn’t much competition in that field but it’s still an impressive feat for such a small phone. But has the Lumia 520 rightfully earned the throne? Or did it just weasel its way in on a ridiculously low price tag with the usually matching low performance. (naturally I can’t straight up tell you, because then none of you would watch the video I put together for you guys below) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTAuY7avS5o
To put it simply, the 520 is everything the 620 and 720 were in terms of Windows Phone experience, besides one or two shortcomings (the poor build quality in the camera shutter, and the choppy video recording), but in a word YES the 520/521 really do deserve their moment in the sun having shed the price tag without shedding much of the performance. And as the recent quarterly results have proven; the 520 has definitely given Nokia that “boost” it needed to secure its spot as the 3rd OS in the market, and perhaps even send a tremor of fear up some of the smaller Android OEM’s who had a portion of the low end market. In case you missed them here’s the rest of the 520 review series, starting with the unboxing! Lumia 520 unboxing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb0QrxjqtxA Removing the back cover and Inserting Sim/SD card:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrhfL-26m9Y Gaming Performance Test:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSptXe5SQUI Software performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtFimWdydng and finally Video Recording Sample:
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| MNB RG: Halo: Spartan Assault Preview, Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 Posted: 19 Jul 2013 03:28 AM PDT
______ Halo: Spartan Assault preview I was asked to do a little review of Halo: Spartan Assault. Game reviews are probably beyond my scope, but I decided to write a little preview instead. Halo: Spartan Assault launched yesterday/today for Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8/RT. The game is currently available for Windows Phone 8 1 MB devices, with a 512 MB version coming in August. In the U.S., Verizon operator has a 30 day timed exclusive – elsewhere there has also been some talk/rumor of carrier exclusives online, but nothing conclusive. Anyway, in Finland and many other European countries people have been able to buy the WP8 game just fine despite of carrier. Getting the game I bought the game on the launch night (4 pm PST but night for us in the Europe) for both Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8. Surprisingly, it was available to download for WP8 prior to Windows 8. I got the WP8 QR code from WP Central (http://www.wpcentral.com/ It took over an hour more to get the game to my Windows 8 machine. Microsoft’s Halo blog (http://blogs.halowaypoint. On the other hand, this morning the Windows Phone 8 store search still doesn’t find Halo: Spartan Assault (which actually is named Halo: Spartan Asslt. confusingly, probably an unfortunate title length limit), unless you use the QR code. Microsoft really would do themselves a favor to step up and fix the Store experience in this regard. A more experienced user knows how to play around the propagation delays and inconsistencies, but a novice might just assume “it doesn’t work”. Windows 8 vs. Windows Phone 8
From what I can tell of initial testing, the Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 versions are basically identical. They start with the same logos, videos, tutorials and menus. They play the same. The only real difference I could discern is the resolution difference. Although Lumia 920 is 1280×768, I believe the game is playing at a somewhat lower resolution – you can tell from the screenshots that while the resolution technically is 1280×768, the graphics are lower resolution. Some quick resizes tell me they look sharp at 800×480 (the base Windows Phone resolution), so I imagine the game plays at that. Luckily I couldn’t tell the difference from the Lumia 920 screen, it looks very nice on the screen, I only noticed this from the screesnhots later on. On the PC the game is clearly higher resolution (I played on full HD in my case), at least most parts of it are – the video clips (which are plenty in this game) seem a little lower resolution than game screens, but overall still much higher resolution than the mobile version. Again something I only noticed when examining the screenshots, not inside the game really. Anyway, my initial impression of both the Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 versions is that they look great and they play great. Very smooth graphics, very high quality graphics. Clearly this is shaping up to be a AAA title, unless something drastic goes wrong later down the line in the game. Very nice. Obviously the second difference is that still today these games are purchased completely separately – and there is a price difference, Windows 8 game is priced at €5.99 where as Windows Phone 8 version, I believe, was something over six euros. On the other hand, this is still like 12 euros for a game of this caliber playable on a multitude of devices. The mobile app pricing has skewed our thinking a little, I think this game is a bargain compared to what conventional games cost – even when buying for both platforms. Third difference is the added control options on the settings screen in the Windows 8 version: you can select between touch and mouse & keyboard, whereas this screen has only a touch input cheatsheet on the Windows Phone 8 version. Later on (August?) Microsoft has also promised Xbox controller support for the Windows 8 version, so those options will grow on the PC side of things – Windows Phone 8 is and will obviously remain touch only (which is what this game was designed for anyway). That brings us to the final point on Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, which really isn’t a difference – it is a convergence. You should actually be able follow the same game progress on both operating systems, as long as you are logged into the same Xbox account. Not only that, pre-release information sated you can actually pause your game on one of the machines and continue on the next. Unfortunately at this time I am unable to confirm either of these, even though I log-in with my same Xbox account, neither the stats or game situation seem to sync between the two. Maybe I’m doing something wrong, or maybe this feature only arrives in the August update (supposed to bring 512 MB WP8 support and Xbox controller support on Windows 8). Backstory Halo: Spartan Assault is Halo canon, set between the stories of Halo 3 and Halo 4. The game pits Spartan soldiers in training against past missions in the humans vs. Covenant wars, actually playing on tablets themselves. So, really, Halo: Spartan Assault is a simulation of a simulator (this affects just the backstory and explains the top-down perspective, it doesn’t show in gameplay itself). Each mission starts with a very well done and narrated video clip slash animation – very Halo in itself – of the backstory and then you are hurtled in the middle of the action. Unlike past Halo shooters, which were first person, this one is from the top-down angle like Halo Wars. However, unlike Halo Wars, Halo: Spartan Assault otherwise plays like the first person games. This means not only that it is a shooter (it actually reminds my a little of the old MicroProse hit on 8-bits, the Airborne Ranger, due to the perspective and versatility), you can also do pretty much all the stuff you can do in Halo 1 – 4, including mounting cannons and vehicles such as tanks and Warthogs as well. There is of course the usual multitude of weapons, different kinds of grenades and so forth. You will even come across sharpshooting, although here the familiar zooming-in action (so nice on FPS Halo games) is naturally missing due to the changed perspective. So, how does it play? First of all, I must say I was really apprehensive about the touch aspect of this game. I have seen enough mobile games merely simulating console controls on a touchscreen to really dislike that approach. Usually games like this simply place a couple of circular control points on the bottom corners of the screen that mimick analog sticks. Not only do your fingers take up valuable screen real estate, those circular control areas do not provide the tactile feedback an analog stick does, meaning often loss of control. Considering that Halo: Spartan Assault, too, is mainly controlled with your thumbs on the bottom corners of the screen, I was worried. Worry not, it seems. Halo: Spartan Assault plays great. Although the mission start screen might suggest so (you place two thumbs on circles to start the mission), Halo: Spartan Assault actually doesn’t have the conventional control circles at all. Instead, your two thumbs are free to wonder anywhere on the left and right sides of the screen, so you can follow the action without worrying where exactly your fingers need to be. This works particularly well, because there are also some little gestures your thumbs can do that make the character do certain actions. Gameplay So, as already mentioned above, the basic controls of Halo: Spartan Assault are keeping your two thumbs on the sides of the screen and moving them around. Your left thumb controls your movement, basically you swipe a little to the direction you want to go and then hold down the controller as long as you want to go there. It works, really, really, well. But that’s not all. On your right thumb, you fire your weapon, but not just by clicking it, you can also swipe with the right thumb to different directions and the character then shoots there. Basically you can hold your both thumbs on the touchscreen all the time (you don’t have to lift your fingers) and just roll/swipe them into different directions to run and shoot everywhere. Mayhem. And it works great. Now, that’s not really all you can do. First of all, there are some gestures that require halting your thumb or lifting it up a little, such as charging some weapons and firing bigger blasts. These work very intuitively as well. So the basic mechanics work wonderfully. It really feels like a game designed for touch and the end-result is a pretty crazy shooter. Perhaps not Touhou bullet-hell crazy, but crazy nonetheless. The weakest link, like on any touch game, are the actual touch buttons that populate the bottom edges of the screen. Here you can swap weapons (you can carry two types of weapon and two types of grenade at a time), intiate interactions with things like mounted guns and vehicles and throw grenades. Now, these controls are not badly done at all and work really well, but the requirement to look in their direction reminds me how well a traditional video game controller works – with mechanical controls you don’t even have to look. Of course, on Windows 8 PC you have other control options. Eventually you can even play with an Xbox controller for Windows, but for now a combination of mouse and keyboard is the alternative to touch controls in PCs. The keyboard/mouse controls are quite traditional: you use the mouse to point, aim and fire (and throw grenades), while WASD buttons control your movements. Various other buttons on the keyboard replace the touchscreen buttons for switching items, melee attacks and so on. The optional mouse and keyboard control work well for what they are, people familiar with them will surely be at home instantly, but I didn’t like them compared to the touch controls – the natural feel for the movement is lost. I’d expect the console controller with two analog inputs to fare better when the update to support that on Windows 8 hits later on. On the upside, when using mouse and keyboard controls, the sides of the screen clear up from those pesky touch buttons. Parting words There are 25 missions in the game and it starts off with a really nice tutorial, that gives you all the information you need. What I think is most striking in Halo: Spartan Assault, it must be the soundtrack. Not only that slightly melancholy music, best part of any space opera, the first time you hear those enemy grunts groan in that familar manner you are inside Halo – no matter the change of perspective. That’s the power of sound design. The other great part, especially for a Windows Phone game considering the production values – but striking on the bigger screen as well – are the video clips that accompany the missions. While the simulation backstory lacks the sense of urgency in some Halo games, making this feel a little lighter (perhaps good for a mobile experience you play less intensely), those clips and the narration really bring that sense of Halo universe in the game. Anyone who has ever played Halo knows that these kinds of things are what really tie you into the story, it is not only about the fighting – and luckily, this remains intact in Halo: Spartan Wars. Third, I must say, I’m impressed with the touchscreen gameplay. This game was really done for Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8/RT touch devices, no question about it. The two-thumb action really works wonders and the traditional, tried and true WASD/mouse controls seem almost clunky in comparison. This is a game to be touched. (Images 1-4 from the Windows 8 version, 5th image from Windows Phone 8 tutorial.)
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| Gallery: Accessories – Battery Camera Grip for Nokia Lumia 1020 Posted: 19 Jul 2013 03:20 AM PDT
As an added option for Nokia Lumia 1020 owners, you can get a battery camera grip (I think it is being given free in one of the MS promotions for the 1020) which extends the life of your Nokia Lumia 1020 as well as providing even better grip for one handed use as well as a standard connection for tripods. Here’s Kelly from Nokia demoing the camera grip.
It comes in White, Black and Yellow.
Note how the wrist strap has a slot so it can still be used without having to detach it from the 1020 or push it through a hole. There’s also a slight gap that apparently prevents the right microphone from being obscured.
On a tripod.
Here’s how it looks without the phone
Charging indicator to show how much power is left. There’s a microUSB port to charge the case
Connection to the phone is via the microUSB. The 1020 just slides in In Black
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| Lumia 521 Insanely Price at $80 (HSN) Posted: 19 Jul 2013 02:09 AM PDT
As if the Lumia 521′s original pricetag of $140 wasn’t tempting enough, HSN have gone completely insane and priced it at $80! That’s what some people pay as their monthly phone bill alone! You can grab the phone here:
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| A Closer Look at Nokia’s Earnings Posted: 19 Jul 2013 02:01 AM PDT
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. On to the topic at hand!
. Nothing wrong yet. I move back to the WP section and now I’ve been in the store about 10 minutes without any help. Maybe reps called out sick. Nothing wrong, I am still in a chipper mood.
We mentioned that Spartan Assault was available for Windows Phone earlier today. Janne was asked to do a game review and shared a lot of thoughts and feedback with us.
I like that the option is there to make it look more like a camera if you wanted to. Without it, your 1020 looks pretty much like a regular Lumia.
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