19 May 2012

My Nokia Blog

My Nokia Blog

Weekend Read: Creating the Windows 8 user experience

Posted: 18 May 2012 05:46 PM PDT

With Nokia expected to create a tablet with Windows 8 on it, it’s good to know a little bit more about what we’re getting into (perhaps without delving into getting a consumer preview version).

There’s a very interesting  (and very long) read into Windows 8, titled, “Creating the Windows 8 user experience” tweeted on my feed by @stroughtonsmith.

Amazing blog post from Microsoft about Windows 8; they talk the talk – Windows of yore is dead

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/05/18/creating-the-windows-8-user-experience.aspx

At the start there’s a lot of reflection back on the previous versions of Windows – how it evolved with plenty of criticisms (with hindsight) about usability. They mention that all of that was ‘pre-iPad World’ and now expectations of a personal computer is rapidly changing. With that, they tell us about their goals for Windows 8 experience. They offer some criticism about the Windows 8 consumer preview and a forward statement again on the aims for Windows 8.

As Steven said, MS is certainly talking the talk here. Come Q3/Q4 we need Nokia and MS to walk the walk and deliver. Windows 8 tablet/pc and windows 8 phones.

Lumiappaday #185: Hardboiled Pinball demoed on the Nokia Lumia 800

Posted: 18 May 2012 03:28 PM PDT

 

Hey, this is Hardboiled Pinball – a very simple pinball game. In the demo that I recorded a while ago, I didn’t realise that landscape view was available in settings ( I had wondered why the game started in landscape and then showed a portrait gameplay). I advise you to switch to landscape as this pinball game looks and plays much better that way.

 

 

#185) Hardboiled Pinball

Price:  £0.79

Link: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-GB/apps/7f1efdb2-32f3-4f4c-91f6-63f3d8df9660

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFdnz1peEAs

Developer Blurb:

 

First table of the Stryde Games classic 2D pinball series. Visually stunning crime noir table theme, backed by a hard swinging detective jazz soundtrack.

 

* Play in portrait mode for a complete overview of the table, play in the classic fast scrolling landscape mode to enjoy the graphics at high resolution.

* Smooth pinball physics.

* Simulated table nudging to save those balls that go down the side drains.

* Exciting table logic with increasingly difficult challenges, leading up to the jackpot.

* Compare your top scores with players around the world through the global online hiscore list.

 

Update 1.2:

- Fixes the crash and some other issues

 

http://www.strydegames.com

http://www.twitter.com/strydegames

Rating:

Design: 7

Usability: 7

Performance: 8

Price: 9

Video: Nokia Lumia 900 vs Hammer. Nokia Lumia 900 is the hammer.

Posted: 18 May 2012 11:26 AM PDT

 

I saw this video RT’d into my timeline by markmurray98119. It shows a test of the Nokia Lumia 900 against a hammer. The hammer’s force is concentrated with a nail. Admittedly it doesn’t look like such a strong thump though that would be sufficient force to push that nail into some MDF.

Anywhoo – what surprised me more was when they used the Lumia 900 as a hammer to drive the nail into the piece of wood. Awesome! It’s like the indestructible Nokia meme revived with new Nokias. Now you’re obviously not meant to do that and perhaps a bad fall could break the screen but in general, it’s very tough.

by 

Videos: Nokia 808 PureView clips vs SGS3 vs iPhone 4S (plus 808 hands on)

Posted: 18 May 2012 07:13 AM PDT

 

Here’s a bunch of videos Nokia 808 PureView fans will want to take a look at. They’re by by  and . There’s sample videos as well as hands on and similar video samples shot with the SGS3 and iPhone 4S for comparison.

SGS3

Why is the audio so bad?

iPhone 4S

808

You can hear that stereo recording as the car travels to your left.

Zooming tests:

Indoor

Hands on

 

Cheers zymo for the heads up!

Nokia 808 PureView at Tenaa China

Posted: 18 May 2012 06:27 AM PDT

More confirmation that the Nokia 808 PureView is heading to China. Tenaa  is a telecommunications equipment certification center in China, famous apparently for taking bad product photos.

Anyway, we already glimpsed the Nokia 808 PureView presence in China back at the start of April with these crazy zooming samples.

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/04/02/wow-nokia-808-pureview-sample-pictures-from-china-crazy-detail/

Source: tenaa

via tieba.baidu.com

Cheers aikon171 for the tip.

Is this filmed with the Nokia 808 PureView? Nokia presents: Adventures in Los Angeles

Posted: 18 May 2012 06:19 AM PDT

 

Remember the post about Nokia Adventures that didn’t really make much sense?

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/05/12/weekend-watch-nokia-presents-adventures-in-london-what-does-this-have-to-do-with-anything/

The only way that could have made sense for me was if it was filmed with the Nokia 808 PureView. But it seemed on occasion the depth of field was too shallow for a phone camera. But of course, the 808 PureView is no ordinary camera and on the weekend we saw some amazing clips from topolino70′s 808 that even had GSM Arena questioning whether topolino70′s clips were from a phone.

Well today Nokia just uploaded another episode to Nokia Adventures. It’s in LA.

I watched out closely for reflections to see if we could see a massive camera filming it or a tiny pocket thing. Did you see anything significant? Look at the bottom left. Is that someone holding a long pocket camera? I don’t really see anything bulky that they’re filming with.

Also something that happens in the video. They look at something and then another frame it’s zoomed in.

The video is in 1080p – Nokia rarely uploads videos in 1080p.

Now of course this might not be filmed with a Nokia 808 PureView. If not then I really don’t understand the connection or purpose of these videos.

Wishful thinking.

by 

Video: Nokia Lumia 610 demo from Nokia Poland with Metro Panoramic overlay.

Posted: 18 May 2012 05:27 AM PDT

Interesting promo from Nokia Poland.

They have the Nokia Lumia 610 being demoed but interestingly, they have an overly of the UI to show what’s happening with panoramic Metro UI. It’s pretty cool

As mentioned before, this kind of interface works great for Lumia phone but equally it could translate itself easily to tablets.

I could see elements of this style of metro presentation being really useful for an advert.

Design the next MyNokiaBlog Logo

Posted: 18 May 2012 04:21 AM PDT

This is a really short post, but I thought I’d get it going now. So we have had a fair few of you complain about the My Nokia Blog logo. We agree! So that’s why we are opening the logo up to you.

If you think you have a better design, we want you to share it. We are looking for a new, fresh icon, that en-captures everything the blog stands for; Nokia, and a community. No matter how elaborate or how simply your icon is, we would love to see it. Be as creative as you wish.

This logo will get used on the site’s Twitter Page, Facebook Page, and future apps we publish.

Have fun!

Michael

Windows Phone/Lumia in China – Yay or nay? Possible 7% Marketshare in China?

Posted: 18 May 2012 03:43 AM PDT

 

I was rather skeptical to read the WP blogs saying that WP was apparently getting some initial traction in China.

Oh you know I’d of course like it to be true, but I’m not too convinced as evident by my rather hesitant title.

Both WMPoweruser and WPcentral are reporting that WP has exceeded iPhone’s share in China. Now, for some context, I don’t think iPhone isn’t doing that well anyway in China (not as easily available, though people had been going crazy for it).

http://m.wpcentral.com/windows-phone-marketshare-overtakes-iphone-china

http://wmpoweruser.com/windows-phone-takes-china-by-stormalready-7-market-share-ahead-of-iphone/

The source they both cite says:

The Windows Phone, which has recently been available in China, has two months after launching a market share of about 7 percent, according to Microsoft. Slightly larger than Apple’s iPhone, which accounts for nearly six percent.

http://www.emerce.nl/nieuws/china-microsoft-grote-leercurve

Michel van der Bel, COO Greater China Region at Microsoft, expects the market share is sure to grow. ”We’ve only just begun.” He expects a lot of the new smartphone and PC tablet because of their multitasking: “Our smartphone and PC-tablet hybrid, which is suitable for the consumer, but also easy to insert in an existing business infrastructure . This allows us better than most competitors respond to the consumerization of IT .

Is there an error in translation somewhere. 7% after two months? The only place this traction is seen is in Finland. It’s possible that it’s 7% of the sales taking place at one operator but it’s mentioned as China as a whole. iPhone BTW is on 6%.

Neowin and TheNextWeb has also interpreted the same source as 7% for the entire chinese market

http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-phone-opens-a-can-of-whoopass-in-china-takes-7-of-the-market

http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2012/05/17/windows-phone-has-quietly-picked-up-7-of-the-chinese-market/

Actually, no not just Finland. Apparently Windows Phone is doing well in Russia too.

http://wmpoweruser.com/windows-phone-devices-outselling-iphones-in-russia/

Hopefully this translates into positive sales numbers for Q2 2012 for Nokia Lumia. More Lumia models is expected in China, hopefully making it to more operators.

Cheers DamielRohie and Viipottaja for the tip!

 

Bridgestone Australia use Nokia Lumia 800 as company’s smartphone

Posted: 18 May 2012 03:34 AM PDT

Part of the goodies bag I got from Lumia Lounge, included a Press Release from Nokia and Bridgestone Australia, one of the nations largest tyre brands. This release was to say that as of yesterday, the company “upgraded its smartphone fleet to 140 Nokia Lumia 800s”. Apparently, the devices had been trialled extensively by the staff recently.

The company chose the Lumia 800, after comparing it amongst the latest Blackberry and iPhone handsets. The choice is being reported as coming down to its “seamless integration with existing business tools (including Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office Word and Excel), ease-of-use, in-built navigation, aesthetic design, security, and improved reliability”.

Bridgestone reports that they previously used various devices across multiple platforms, but kept “struggling to meet differing workplace needs”. The device balances the business needs of their employees, whilst also giving them a device that meets the needs of a personal device.

It’s good to see initiatives like this taking place, where Nokia is gaining traction in the business sector. I think this is where Windows Phone will excel, as it has those things like ActiveSync and Lync, which many companies have built their IT infrastructure around. Plus, like they mention in the press release, it doesn’t compromise on usability as a personal device, and looks good.

Nokia needs to enter the business sector even more, as it is typically iPhone dominated, and this domination ripples on into their homes. Nokia needs to be associated with the powerful, sleek, modern smartphone that is desirable and snappy. Right now, its still the “budget handsets your grandmother has”.

Michael
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