Microsoft Launches Lumia 530 w/ 4-inch Display

By Ben Woods at TNW:  


Microsoft has today announced a new member of its Lumia range in the form of the low-end Lumia 530, which will arrive from the start of next month in Europe.

Priced at €85 before taxes or local subsidies, Microsoft said it expects the Lumia 530 to go on sale in European countries for a retail price of below €100 when it starts to roll out next month, putting it at the lower-end of the affordability scale for Lumia devices.

Key specs include the most recent version of Windows Phone 8.1, a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a 5-megapixel camera, a 4-inch FWVGA (854 x 480 pixels) display and a selection of interchangeable colored shells – available in bright orange, bright green, grey or white. The device will also be offered in single SIM and dual-SIM variants.

Alongside the phone, the company also introduced a new mini speaker designed with portability in mind. Priced at €19, the Bang by Coloud may not offer luxuries such as Bluetooth connection, but it does offer connectivity through a 3.5mm headphone jack and promises up to eight hours of playback. Microsoft said it would be available “in the coming weeks”.

Microsoft To Cut 18,000 Jobs This Year

By Bill Rigby at Reuters:  


Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it will slash up to 18,000 jobs, or 14 percent of its workforce, this year as it trims its newly acquired Nokia phone business and tries to transform into a cloud-computing and mobile-friendly software company.

The larger-than-expected cuts are the deepest in the company's 39-year history and come five months into the tenure of Chief Executive Satya Nadella, who outlined plans for a "leaner" business in a public memo to employees last week.

"We will simplify the way we work to drive greater accountability, become more agile and move faster," Nadella wrote to employees in a memo made public early Thursday. "We plan to have fewer layers of management, both top down and sideways, to accelerate the flow of information and decision making."

The size of the cuts were welcomed by Wall Street, which viewed Microsoft as bloated under previous CEO Steve Ballmer, topping 127,000 in headcount after absorbing Nokia earlier this year.

Microsoft Reveals Siri-like Windows Phone Feature

By Anick Jesdanun at Yahoo Tech:

Microsoft unveiled a new virtual assistant for Windows Phone devices Wednesday as it seeks to gain traction in a highly competitive and lucrative market for smartphones.

The assistant, Cortana, is named after an artificial-intelligence character in the company's "Halo" video games. Cortana tries to be chatty like Apple's Siri, while anticipating information you might want, like Google Now.

Cortana is among the new features coming to a Windows Phone update called 8.1. The updated operating system will come with new phones in about a month, including three that Nokia announced Wednesday. It will also be available as a free download for existing phones a few months later.

Microsoft is also updating its Windows 8.1 system for tablets, laptops and desktops. Although Microsoft has been pushing touch-screen controls, the new update is designed to make it easier for those with traditional keyboard and mouse controls. The update, simply called Windows 8.1 Update, is available starting next Tuesday.



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Nokia X Is An 'Affordable Smartphone' Running on Forked Android

The most exciting, and bizarre, of Nokia’s announcements at the Mobile World Congress belonged to the much-rumored Nokia X handset — and a surprise addition of another two peers, the X+ and XL — all of which run an operating system based on Android.

The devices are targeted at the “affordable smartphone” segment of the market and run the Nokia X OS platform — a forked version of Android that includes the Fastlane UI found on Asha devices.

The Nokia X’s hardware itself is aligned with its ‘affordable’ smartphone tag, offering a 1GHz dual-core processor, 4-inch 800 x 480 pixels IPS display and a 3-megapixel fixed focus camera on the rear. There’s also 4GB of on board storage and 512MB RAM.

However, clearly the most notable thing about the device is the Nokia X software platform, which will run many standard Android apps.

In fact, Nokia told TNW that only three APIs have been changed, so if a developer isn’t making use of these, no changes are needed at all.

However, as the Nokia X is not an ‘Android’ device in the truest sense — it doesn’t have Google Play certification — apps need to be loaded onto the device from Nokia’s own app store, which will have a special section for apps that run on devices in the Nokia X family.

In addition to providing largely unfettered access to Android apps, there are also a few exclusive apps like Mix Radio and Here Maps pre-installed on the device.

Other than loading apps via Nokia’s app store, users will also be able to download them from third-party app stores like Yandex or side-load an APK directly onto the device from a computer.


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BBM coming to Windows Phone

BBM is coming to Windows Phone. Nokia's Stephen Elop announced at his company's Mobile World Conference 2014 press event that the popular service will be available to Windows Phone users, but did not give a specific launch date. The instant messenger app first went multi-platform last year, when it appeared on iOS and Android in October.


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Why Microsoft Might Actually Release an Android Phone

Nokia’s “Normandy” Android handset has become something of a curiosity for many smartphone fans who see it as a “what-could-have-been” for Nokia if it had decided to not go exclusively with Windows Phone. ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley, however, thinks that Nokia’s Android phone is more than just a novelty, however — it might be a hint of what’s to come from future Microsoft phones now that it’s on the cusp of buying Nokia’s handset division.

Why in the world would Microsoft release an Android phone, you ask? As Foley explains, a heavily modified Android that incorporates a lot of Windows Phone’s design choices and that prominently features many of Microsoft’s mobile apps might be a great way of gaining a foothold into some emerging markets.

“Microsoft wants to be a devices and services company,” Foley explains. “If you buy a handset that runs at least some Microsoft services and apps, Microsoft is guaranteed to earn at least some revenues from that transaction. If a user foregoes Windows Phone as it stands now in favor of an iPhone or Android phone, Microsoft will likely make far less from that potential customer. Of course, Microsoft’s preference would be for that handset to be all Microsoft, with a pure version of Windows Phone OS inside. But an Android core with Microsoft apps and services is the next best thing, isn’t it?



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Instagram Lands on Windows Phone

Instagram is launching a Windows Phone app today, enabling more people to share their photos on the Facebook-owned photo-sharing social network. The move comes less than a month after company CEO and co-founder Kevin Systrom teased Windows Phone users that it would be arriving in the “coming weeks”. But while it’s great to see the app on Windows Phone, it initially ships without support for videos, along with other missing tools.


In its move to bring the popular app to Windows Phone devices, the company says that it spent time focusing on creating “an awesome experience” with Instagram’s core features. However, while the fundamental app exists, it’s not without some differences.

So we know that it’s a somewhat subdued app, but what else is missing? As Engadget reports, some features have not yet been added, including photo tagging, viewing geotaxis, and taking a photo from within Instagram — yes, that’s right. Windows Phone app users can only import photos taken from another app and then import it.


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Nokia Lumia 2520 Tablet Will Launch in the US for $399.99

Nokia will launch the Lumia 2520 in the US next week, starting with AT&T on November 22. The device will only be available in black, and will be sold for $399.99 as part of a new two-year contract with the carrier.

Nokia’s first attempt at a tablet comes with a 10.1-inch, 1080p display and Windows RT 8.1. It offers 32GB of internal storage, a micro-SD slot and a 8,000 mAh battery. In the camera department there’s a 6.7-megapixel camera on the back, supported by a 2-megapixel variant on the front.


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Nokia Becomes 4th Largest US Smartphone Brand

According to a new report from research firm Counterpoint, Nokia became the fourth largest OEM to ship smartphones in the US for Q3 2013. The Finnish company came in at fourth place with 4.4 percent, behind HTC which held 8.6 percent. There’s a big gap after that though, with Samsung and Apple supposedly neck and neck at 33 percent of the US market.

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Nokia Lumia 2520 Bigger, Faster, Lower Power Than Microsoft's Surface 2

If you, like me, took some offline time this weekend, we’re a bit late to the latest slap fight in the world of Windows RT. Until recently, there was only one functional player in the Windows RT space – Microsoft, and its Surface 2 tablet – but Nokia has stepped into the ring, and one of its suppliers is talking a little trash.

No shame in that, of course. Bragging is as old as language. But how Qualcomm – the supplier of the Nokia Lumia 2520 Windows RT tablet’s processor – is taking the Surface 2 to task is interesting.

Both the Nokia 2520 and the Surface 2 run Windows RT, so when it comes to software, they are on parity. Certainly, you could argue that the Surface 2 might behave better with Windows RT than rival devices, given that Microsoft builds both, but that’s edge work.
Qualcomm, as quoted by CNet, thinks that the Lumia 2520  is “bigger, faster, [and] lower power” than Microsoft’s rival Surface 2 tablet. Ok.

The kicker to this is that, for the Surface line of tablet hybrids, the hardware component of the devices has largely not been the point of complaint raised by reviewers and users. Instead, it’s been the software that the Surface devices run on – Windows 8 at first, and now Windows 8. 1- that was the sticking point. Windows 8 was not ready at launch. And Windows 8.1 has yet to be tested against consumer demand.

Why Qualcomm is trumpeting the “speeds and feeds” of the Lumia 2520 is simple: It provides the silicon that powers the device. Microsoft’s Surface 2 runs on Nvidia chips.

Keep in mind, however, that Microsoft is in the process of buying the Nokia assets that built the Lumia 2520, so we could see reconciliation. For now, however, Nokia’s tablet does directly challenge its future brother. Microsoft recently reported that Surface unit volume doubled in its most recent quarter, compared with the sequentially preceding quarter. Surface revenue totaled $400 million for that period.



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Nokia Reportedly Sells Record Number of Smartphones

Nokia is gearing up to launch a slew of new devices at Nokia World in Abu Dhabi this week, and it seems that the company’s flagship Lumia smartphone series is gaining momentum after the Wall Street Journal reported that sales hit a record of “at least eight million” units between June and September.

For comparison, Nokia sold 7.4 million Lumia phones in the second quarter of this year, and that 8 million figure is more than double the volume sold one year ago.

This promising figure — while not confirmed by the company — follow recent research which estimated that Windows Phone accounted for 8.2 percent of smartphone sales across five major European markets between May and July.

Nokia is still some way behind iOS and Android but the signs suggest it is entrenching its position in third place.


Via TNW

Microsoft Shares, Then Pulls, Ads Mocking iPhone

The iPhone 5S and 5C were only announced on Tuesday, and the competition is already pouncing on them. Nokia took the first swipe on Twitter on Tuesday, and now Microsoft has created seven new videos mocking the various design decisions seen in both the iPhone 5S and 5C.

As is the case with most rushed projects, Microsoft’s latest attempt to go after Apple doesn’t exactly fair that well. In the first video, we get a design meeting between what appears to be Steve Jobs and a poor Jony Ive impersonator.

First things first – does Microsoft think that Jobs is alive? Maybe they believe Apple pulled a Disney and cryogenically froze the Apple founder only to thaw him out when the company needs to approve a design concept. You have to remember that this is the same company that made the butt ping pong ad so it’s already apparent that nothing is sacred to Microsoft.

This is the part of the article where I would have embedded the videos for you to watch and either get a quick laugh or a short sigh out of. As you can see, however, that’s not happening. In the process of writing this piece, Microsoft took the videos offline in what appears to be an attempt to save face after receiving some vitriolic YouTube comments that called the company for using a representation of the deceased Jobs to poke fun at the iPhone 5S.

Thankfully, YouTuber dwayne smaith preserved the first (and longest) video:

There were six other videos, but they’re no longer available. Microsoft must have realized that it’s usually not okay to mock a competing company using said company’s deceased founder. It also could have been due to the absolutely vitriolic response it received in the YouTube comments on the video.

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#Path, #Vine, #Flipboard and #Hipstamatic are all coming to #WindowsPhone 8

As Nokia lifted the lid on its new Lumia 1020, a 41-megapixel beast of a camera smartphone, a number of app-related news nuggets piggy-backed on this announcement in New York earlier today.

First up, Path – the private social network with a 150-friend limit – has revealed that due to uber-popular demand, it’s finally coming to Windows Phone, working directly with Nokia to make it happen.

“This is a platform that we are especially excited to build on because it has been one of the most requested platforms by our users from all corners of the globe,” the company said in a blog post.

“We’ve worked closely with the team at Nokia to build Path for Windows Phone, with a special focus on the new Nokia Lumia 1020 device.”

Indeed, photo-sharing is a core aspect of Path as a social network, so the 1020′s 41 megapixel camera, alongside Nokia’s Imaging SDK and premium filters, should work well for it. No date has been set yet for the launch.

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#Nokia And #Path Partner To Bring The Private Social Network To #WindowsPhone

Path is preparing to cross to the Windows Phone mobile platform — one of the more ‘private’ mobile OSes currently in play, with its marginal market share compared to the dominant duo of Android and iOS. Which sounds like a perfect fit for a private social network. Path co-founder and CEO, Dave Morin, confirmed to TechCrunch the network is ”coming to Windows Phone in full partnership with Nokia”.

Path was named one of the forthcoming apps at the launch of Nokia’s new Windows Phone flagship, the Lumia 1020, taking place in New York today, as Nokia announced a new imaging SDK specific to that device. At this point it’s unclear whether Path will be exclusive to the Lumia 1020 — the only Windows Phone to sport a 41 megapixel camera — or whether it will be made available for download to any Windows Phone handset. We’ll update this post as soon as we confirm.

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Nokia Maps Update Brings Groupon Deals, Advanced Route Planning

By Bonnie Cha at AllThingsD:
Nokia Maps is giving wheelin’ and dealin’ a new meaning.
Today, the cellphone manufacturer released an update to its mapping application for Windows Phone devices that adds daily Groupon deals and advanced route planning to the mix.

Now, whenever you perform a search within Nokia Maps, the app will display relevant Groupon Now! deals in your area along with your search results.

All deals are identified with a green G next to them and include a full description of the bargain. To purchase, simply tap on the item and you’ll be taken to the Groupon mobile site to complete the transaction. The feature will only be available in the U.S.

In addition to Groupon deals, Nokia Maps now allows you to plan your trip in advance. Before hitting the road, you can input your start and end points into the app and select your mode of transportation (car, public transportation or walking) to receive directions.

Nokia Maps works with the Nokia Lumia 610, Lumia 710, Lumia 800 and Lumia 900. Current users will receive an alert when the update is ready, or you can download it for free from the Windows Marketplace. But Nokia warns that it might take a day or two to show up in the app store depending on where you live.

Twitter Launches Official Nokia App

By Shea Bennett at Media Bistro: 
Nokia is, believe it or not, still the most used mobile platform in the world (although that position looks like it will be challenged in 2012), and Twitter has finally caved in to that enormous demand by releasing an official app for that platform, which is available now in the Nokia Store.
I know what you’re thinking: There’s a Nokia Store? Yep, apparently there is.
The Nokia app is for Nokia Series 40 devices (whatever that means), and follows the existing range of official Twitter mobile apps for iPhone, Android and Blackberry and Windows Phone 7.

It’s yet to show up on Twitter’s Download page, however.

“If you have a Nokia S40 device, you can sign up for Twitter directly from your phone, read Tweets from all of the accounts you follow, connect with others, and more,” writes Brian Frank, Product Manager at Twitter’s mobile team.
The app is available now.

Nokia and Microsoft hosting special event August 17th, both companies likely to give their vows

Between the "accidental" unveiling of the Sea Ray, the announcement of Fujitsu's Mango device, and the less-than-stellar Q2 Nokia had, it doesn't take a lot of crazy speculation to surmise that Stephen Elop's quite the eager beaver in ensuring it'll get the most out of its newfound marriage with Microsoft as soon as possible. Thus, hearing word of a special event being thrown at the beginning of Gamescom, an annual gaming conference in Germany, is definitely a good sign; according to press invites sent out today, the party -- to be held on August 17th -- promises "exciting actions and surprises," and we're pretty sure they don't mean a free t-shirt. So join with us in determining what these surprises are, but please... don't try that hard!

Android's UK market share explodes as Apple overtakes Symbian

Look at the chart above and you'll see two things happening. First, Apple has overtaken Symbian to become the top smartphone platform in the UK (with a 27 percent market share).

Nokia Maps hits iOS and Android

Nokia might have a hard time selling phones recently, but its mapping software has remained one of the company's strengths. Actually, that's one of the features that Microsoft plans to integrate in Windows Phone, but curiously enough, Nokia hasn't settled there and is working on an HTML5-version of Nokia Maps.

Nokia Windows Phone set for October launch in London

 

Nokia could reveal its first Windows Phone devices in October. The world's largest phone manufacturer is holding its annual Nokia World conference at the end of October this year, setting the stage for its hotly anticipated -- and desperately needed -- Windows Phone smart phones.
Nokia World takes place on 26 and 27 October right here in Britain, so you better believe the Crave team will be on hand for all the news from Nokia.