18 April 2012

My Nokia Blog

My Nokia Blog

Chris Weber gives a Nokia fan some awesome Nokia Accessories?

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 05:35 PM PDT

Remember that guy who went crazy happy after getting a Nokia Lumia 900?

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/04/11/guy-goes-crazy-happy-after-getting-his-nokia-lumia-900/

I don’t actually know what happened since but somehow Chris Weber (Noki US President) apparently gave him a bunch of Nokia accessories as a gift, including Monster Nokia Purity Headphones, a Play 360, a Nokia shirt and some screen wipes. Neat.

I think it’s cool of Nokia to reach out and get people who love their products (and love to talk about their products) more Nokia Original accessories to play with. The guy still likes every other tech too, but now he has some Nokia Accessories to use and show off to his friends/family/interwebs. It’s not really a new thing. The original Nseries blog, then WOMWorld, now Nokia Connects started by looking for Nokia fans around the world, seeing the vocal ones and getting them connected with Nokia, trying new Nokia stuff (so any conspiracies can stop right there that this is just Lumia).

I picked up a pair of my own Monster b headphones yesterday to see what the fuss is about (Good, though not that good). I hope some day, Nokia UK will get some of these Nokia Purity headphones in stock so I can compare. Their trial people don’t have any it seems (or other stuff I’ve asked to try :s).

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Windows Phone 8 (Apollo) going on EVERY WP phone

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 05:11 PM PDT

 

One of the newer concerns that seemed to stack up against Nokia’s Lumia phones was – could it get the new update, WP8? For a long while it was assumed it would be the case, but recently there was a growing worry that it would not.

This uncertainty has led to some sites not recommending the Lumia at all despite liking the phone. Does it have the longevity of updates? Now some people are also of the opinion that when buying a phone, you should think about whether you’re happy with it as it is, or you’re actually hoping for something else in the future.

Engadget are reporting that WP8 (Apollo) is now supposedly going to all WP phones. Erm, Hurrah? Either way, updates would still come to the phones with features still being updated. The source is a ‘Microsoft Evangelist’. Does that mean simply a fan? Surur says according to his Linkedin, he works at MS. Is Evangelist Developer an actual job title?

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/nuno-silva/a/a37/358

 

Source: WMPoweruser via Engadget

Cheers Mitun for the tip

N9 Vs. Lumia 800: Camera & Camera UI #MeegoVsWP

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 12:47 PM PDT

As mentioned last time this was supposed to be part of the Video comparison- but the huge difference in quality called for a separate post for the videos – so here it is, a look at The Camera UI/Gallery on both the N9 and the Lumia 800 as well as some photo samples.

Apologies in advance as I got a bit carried away with some minor ranting and some other things- so the video ran a bit long (around 19 minutes- so I had to split it into two since the maximum time on my youtube is 15)

Part One: Camera UI & Gallery

 

Part Two: Video Recording UI

Camera:

  • First off I’d just like to repeat that I absolutely HATE the fact that the N9 doesn’t have a shutter button; someone PLEASE explain the logic behind that? How would a camera button remove from the “buttonless Swipe experience”
  • Unlocking The Lumia 800 by the camera button and instant capture is a super neat feature, available by default on the 808 and as Michael Posted today- an add-on app for older symbain phones
  • In my general usage I’ve found that the Lumias camera starts up faster than the N9s camera does- but that’s possibly due to the fact that the Lumia always has more “free ram” due to the whole active resume deal.
  • The shutter button on the Lumia is great for taking pictures but holding on the capture area of the N9 gives you similar results (with the added bonus of choosing where to focus, as the Lumia doesn’t focus on a specific point when using the physical button- only when tapping on the screen)
  • Tapping on the screen to capture an image on the Lumia is great, but annoying at the same time; as you might have seen in the video it gets a bit frustrating when the phone gets “capture happy”
  • Sliding directly into the gallery from the Camera & the side-by-side view is a HUGE plus for the Lumia, although it has no real value but the awesome factor is off the charts (besides the fact that the gallery truly becomes part of the camera)
  • Continuous burst on the N9 is a pretty sweet feature; although in my opinion the resulting images could be a bit better- *Cue off topic chat about the One X*
  • From an options/settings point of view the two devices are almost similar minus the couple extra scene modes on the Lumia and the resolution changes on the N9
  • Regrettably neither phone supports pinch to zoom (although the N9 does support zooming with the volume keys)

Video:

  • Lack of the option to zoom in both phones while filming is a real bummer
  • The recording “slit” on the Lumia is ridiculously small and almost pointless
  • Both have the optional LED light while recording that can only be toggled before filming
  • The N9 has the same draggable focus box it has in imaging mode which is useful fro quick focusing (same feature was implemented int eh 808)
  • Similar settings as imaging mode
  • Personally I like the large countdown of how long you’ve been recording on the Lumia- and it’s surprisingly un-obtrusive even though it’s quite large.

Photo Samples:

Disclaimer- I am most definitely not a professional photographer; in fact photography isn’t even a major hobby of mine so the following pictures aren’t the most artistic- for lack of a better word.- to make things easier the image on top will be from the Lumia and lower image by the N9 (I’ve also watermarked them in the lower right corner but it might not be visible in all the shots)- also all these images are uploaded on Flickr so if you want to look at the full size image just follow the links.

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Random Indoor shot of my keyboard- the “blue tint” on the Lumia is obvious, while the N9 seems to have captured better colors but they do appear slightly washed out. (and yes my keyboard is super dirty)

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As was the case in video recording the N9 captures the colors of the subject better in direct sunlight; while the subject in the Lumia appears much darker- However the Lumia captures better details in the background (sky isn’t visible in the N9s shot).

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Random shot in Landscape mode- they both seem almost identical- but here’s a full scale crop:

Lumia:

N9:

Although the Lumia seems to have captured better colors (green of the trees)- look at the dust coming from around the excavator/digger thing that’s only visible on the N9.

WP_000170

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Another shot facing the sun- once again the N9 captures better colors, but the Lumia gets more background details

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Surprising results in this shot- for some reason the N9 seems to have some tinting issues while the Lumia’s picture is plain gorgeous

WP_000188

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Taken in Macro mode on both- I must that the Macro focus on the Lumia is RETARDED! it gets the object into focus then drops the focus a fraction of a second before capturing the image- making it almost impossible to get a decent shot (no matter what I did the focus always ended up on the background surrounded the flower and not the actual flower)- while the N9s results were quite impressive, I really like how the background is slightly blurred showing off the depth of field and giving it a slight “tilt focus” look.

WP_000161

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Once again taken in Macro mode the Lumia failed to capture a decent amount of detail- here’s a full size crop:

As you can obviously see, a noticeable difference in both the color (the Lumia comes off looking like a peachy color more than green) as well as the complete lack of detail of the text in the Lumia’s image- I shudder to think of what the 808 could do here- you could probably see the fissure opening between the lenses on it.

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Once again the Lumia’s Macro mode focusing is absolute garbage while the N9 is quite impressive- Until you see the same shot taken with the N8:

 

Flickr sets:

Lumia: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23218958@N05/sets/72157629474558244/

N9: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23218958@N05/sets/72157629838848195/

-All in all normal shooting they were almost equal both with ups and downs; although the N9 did have the upper hand- when it came to macro mode the N9 beasted the Lumias poor focusing giving it an easy victory. (Apologies for the Lack of low-light shots but I’ve been completely swamped these past few weeks with mid-terms that it completely slipped my mind).

*I had considered taking each shot with the N8 as well but decided against it since it would probably lead to too much confusion.

Final Note: I have about one more idea in mind for this review series (basic service ease: alarms, notes, calculator etc..) so if you have anything else to recommend go ahead list it down below.
Thanks.

European carriers cold to Nokia Lumia? Demand in USA? (WP at 4.95% in Finland says Statcounter)

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 11:49 AM PDT

 

 

Reuters via Engadget reports that European carriers are not too pleased with the current Lumia line’s performance.

Apparently one of the unnamed executives of a European carrier was complaining that “no one comes into the store and asks for a Windows Phone”. I wonder how many people come in specifically to ask for the T-Mobile G1 just a few months after it was launched.

Reuters adds:

Sceptics among operators say the sleek, neon-coloured phones are overpriced for what is not an innovative product, cite a lack of marketing dollars put behind the phones, and image problems caused by glitches in the battery and software of the early models.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/04/17/uk-nokia-telcos-idUKBRE83G08Z20120417

Over priced? Wasn’t everyone complaining about how cheap Nokia were selling Lumia for? Do people actually look to see how much the phone is and what it offers against the competition? I would agree it isn’t pushing any current boundaries on specifications. But I think it is still priced quite adequately for a handset that performs very well.

Engadget points out that the opposite is claimed in the US:

AT&T claims to be having a different experience in the U.S., having gone to unusual lengths to market the Lumia 900 (even if that recent Time Square fandango was all Nokia) and now seeing it sell out in “many stores.”

http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/17/european-carriers-turn-on-nokia-and-its-lumia-phones/

This news ripples from Nokia’s own statements, with Q1 warnings for the upcoming report in a couple of dates.

According to statcounter, although very slowly, the market share for WP is increasing. In the past 6 months. It is actually visible in this graph instead of ‘other’

  • From 0.55 in October.
  • November, 0.55
  • Nokia arrival in those 6 initial countries (+other WP), 1 month in, 0.62%
  • January 2012, 0.69% (0.62% UK, 0.94% France, 1.2% Italy, 1.43% Germany)
  • February 2012, 0.83% (0.67% UK, 0.99% France, 1.22% Italy, 1.6% Germany )
  • March 2012, 0.99%. (0.78%UK, 1.09% France, 1.34% Italy, 1.58% Germany)

Could we say that Nokia’s entry to Windows Phone is at least getting it some momentum? It is very small. Windows Phone has been around for a year, but Nokia has only had 6 months to have a go at it.

Let’s look at Android. HTC G1, from October 2008. It was quite a decent phone at the time and perhaps had what it took to begin rivalling Symbian phones of the day.

http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_os-eu-monthly-200812-201204

 

Android took time to start too, and the competition it was entering is not as tough as it is now.

 

We can only hope all would adopt Lumia like Finland, alas, not quite just yet.

Europe seems to have been going cold to Nokias for a while. Just a check at the main 4, from the earliest period until the end of 2010.

Any notable difference in trajectory?

 

Source: Reuters via engadget

Cheers everyone who sent this in.

Now back to uni work :/

Rant- Rumors: European Carriers Not Keen on Lumias?

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 11:30 AM PDT

I read the following stories on several other sites; but wasn’t sure it warranted a mention due to the fact that not a single solid name/source was mentioned in them- all that’s listed is “un-named source, Mobile executive, Carrier company…) so of course it could be a load of bull..

I’ll start with the obviously ridiculous one; and if this is indeed a true quote then this mysterious “Carrier Executive” really has no idea how business works:

Four of the major cellphone carriers in Europe say Nokia's Windows Phone-powered Lumia smartphones would be "would be much easier to sell" if it ran the Android operating system

Say Whaaatttt??? Seriously? I’d like to know what went through this guys mind before he came up with that, maybe it was dinner time, maybe this quote was taken during happy hour at a pub..  To be clear I DO NOT have a business major or any sort of economic degree; but I’m pretty sure that offering the same OS that’s being offered with over a 150 different phone models, by over 20 different OEMs doesn’t really help your chances of selling. Sure the OS gets alot of publicity but the main thing going for Nokia right now is how it stands out amongst other WP; slap on Android and what do you have? a single core phone that can barely run Froyo- is this guy serious?

Everyone knows that Nokia aren’t exactly the best at making the Latest high-end spec phones- which is why WP is the way to go, and as At&t have proven if you really want to sell WP you can, if they complain that it’s not selling I’m pretty sure that’s just lazy marketing from their part- Microsoft has been pushing WP all over the place and I’m sure if a carrier really wanted to try and sell WP they would have no problems. The main issue is that they’re just too lazy to bother pushing a new OS which isn’t the Lumias/WPs fault it’s the carriers own fault.

And besides don’t both the Lumia 800 & the 710 top most of the selling charts for carries in Europe?

Ridiculous claim Number two:

"no one comes into the store and asks for a Windows smartphone."

Which once again is because no carrier has bothered to try and market it (list one of the multiple stories where phone stores have guided people AWAY from WP devices towards an iPhone or a Droid).

Once again it’s not a fact that WP Can’t sell it all comes down to the fact that Carriers DON’T want to bother selling it- and then apparently complain that nobody wants the OS- Direct point:

Another problem it seems is that stores aren't keen to sell the handsets to consumers. According to the report, Lumia handsets weren't prominently displayed at a France Telecom store in Paris, with the sales clerk offering shoppers iPhones first, then Android handsets.

And the grand finale that really just proves that whoever this “carrier Representative” is has no idea what the hell he’s talking about (similar to point #1):

"If the Lumia with the same hardware came with Android in it and not Windows, it would be much easier to sell," he added.

Should I even bother? 512 Ram and 1.4 GHZ processor with a wVGA (217 ppi)screen running Android..Hmmmmmm let’s put that in perspective the HTC one S (not the top of the line X- but the S) which is priced close to the same range (a bit higher depending where you look) has a dual core 1.5ghz processor with 1 GB ram  and a similar 4.3inch screen but with 256ppi; and that’s not the flagship device while the Lumia is…Imagine pitting it against the One X on the same table Quad-core 720p screen; I can practically see the Android Lumias flying off the shelves.

So all in all what on earth was this “Source” smoking?

Sources 1, 2, 3 - thanks to everyone who tipped this.

President of Finland Sauli Niinistö gifts Lumias to crown-princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband Daniel on a state visit.

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 09:46 AM PDT

According to iltasanomat.fi, Sauli Niinistö, the President of Finland gave the crown-princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband, Danial some Nokia Lumias on their visit.

Some good home support for the Lumia phones. Hopefully they might see some use. There’s nothing else reported other than the other items gifted (which were not Lumias). It’s not really about the price of the gift that’s significant, but the choice and thought behind choosing this product.

Source:  www.iltasanomat.fi

Thanks Janne for the tip!

Rumours: Nokia Lumia 900 coming to T-Mobile USA too?

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 09:41 AM PDT

WMPoweruser reports that T-Mobile USA might be getting the Nokia Lumia 900 too, which thus far has shown to have some demand for AT&T.

When? Apparently around summer. AT&T may have an initial exclusivity period with the 900. Hopefully they will still continue to back it if it also becomes available to T-Mobile.

Source: WMPoweruser

Cheers meh and Prashant for the tip!

Inception tools updated to v0.1.1; works with new dev tools and other bug fixes:

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 09:37 AM PDT

The Inception Tool for deeper access into the Nokia N9 has apparently been updated?

Sorry I can’t look into this right now, just under a lot of work at the moment.

 

http://www.meegoexperts.com/2012/04/inception-v0-1-1-released-works-developer-tools-update-1-480m6/

Thanks Prashant for the tip.

QuickCam for Symbian – Adds pocket-to-picture for your device

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 03:50 AM PDT

There is an app for Symbian called QuickCam that allows you to launch camera from standby just like WP and the 808 PureView. The app can be downloaded from the Store for free.

I have put together a basic video (without audio as it sounded really bad and I don’t have time to film it again) showing the “pocket-to-picture” style function on my N8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vhGtw6SqHw

Here are the features;

  • Choose double tap or hold camera button for execution
  • Auto-start on device boot
  • Sound when executed

Source: Nokia Store via Symbian Tweet

Tango Update spotted on Navifirm for Nokia Lumia 710s in China

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 02:44 AM PDT

 

Tango has been spotted on Navifirm for the Nokia Lumia 710 says WPCentral:

1600.3029.8773.12111 where the “8773″ denotes the OS version and the “12111″ is the firmware build.

8773 is apparently the ‘Gold’ version of Tango, increasing support for 256MB devices. This should mean that 710, 800 and 900 will be even more efficient with this update. The total change log is not known.

Source: WPCentral

Thanks Prashant for the tip!
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