Nokia N1 comes with reversible USB plug and Z Launcher

Just yesterday we talked about Nokia's willingness to license its brand, and it looks we didn't have to wait long for it, with this Foxconn manufactured Nokia N1 tablet that most people wouldn't consider to be out of place if they found it in... an Apple Store.

Nokia will get back to smartphones in 2016

The Microsoft/Nokia deal needs no introductions, but it seems the issue is far from over and Nokia will once again get back to the smartphone business in 2016, as soon as it's deal with Microsoft allows.

Microsoft puts an end to the Android Nokia X "experiment"

If you were one of the people that didn't quite understand why Microsoft would have a Nokia X line of products with a "sort of Android", then you'll be pleased to know that MS's new CEO agrees with you, and has put an end to it.

Nokia unveils their X Android phones

Hell didn't freeze, but for some it may seem like it did: Nokia (now belonging to Microsoft) has officially announced their new X line of devices... using Android! And we're not talking about a single Android device, but three: the X, X+ and XL.

You'd be hard pressed to tell them apart, as they all look the same, except for the XL, which as its name implies, is larger than the other ones. They all have a dual-core Snapdragon CPU, 4GB of storage space plus microSD and dual-SIM. The resolution is fixed at 800x480, but you have a 4" screen in the X and X+, and 5" in the XL. The difference between the X and X+ is the RAM: the first comes with only 512MB, the other with 768MB (like the XL). They also have 3MP cameras (5MP on the XL).

These devices are based on Android 4.1.2, but you won't find Google Play Store on it, nor the usual Android interface. The system has been reworked by Nokia, presenting a mix of Asha/Windows look, and you now get Nokia and MS services as standard: Here Maps, Bing, outlook, Skype, One Drive, etc. Although some claimed Android to be unforkable due to the essential Google Services that are not open-source, Nokia proved otherwise. Most Android apps can run just fine in these Nokia X, and for the ones that don't Nokia provides a new set of APIs for location, notification and payment services - which can be used by developers to quickly migrate their apps to this platform.

Nokia X is available right now for €89, while the X+ and XL will arrive in the coming months for €99 and €109.

If you want an even cheaper device, Nokia has also announced their cheapest Asha yet - the 230 - with a 2.8" (320x240) touchscreen for just 45€; and the even cheaper 29€ Nokia 220, a feature phone with internet access, and Facebook, Twitter.

Concerned Fan tried to warn Nokia about impending Doom in 2008

Do you remember the time when cell phones were... well... phones? There wasn't much to know about it: you'd turn it on or off; you'd press the green key to start a call, the red one to stop/cancel one; and that was about it. Of course, soon after they began to have graphoc displays which have been growing ever since, and features and more features that today turned it into powerful computers. But in 2008, a concerned fan wrote Nokia expressing his issues.

After years of owning Nokia cell phones, he finally got one (the E51) where he couldn't do the things he had always done. Simple things like choosing a custom ringtone were hidden under several layers of options; and even writing a text - something you'd expect to be doing a lot every day - now prompted him continuously if it was a text message, multimedia message, etc. It was a very different experience than the one he had navigation his iPod Touch, and clearly... Nokia should do something about it.

Nokia did in fact reply, going as far as scheduling a meeting to explain their vision for the future (what would become the now mostly defunct MeeGo), but the thing is... even Nokia execs news they were in trouble. Off the record one told him that he had exactly the same issues with the current Nokia devices, and that he was one of the first persons at Nokia to try the new iPhone (Nokia had them shipped as soon as they launched in the US).

When his 4 year old daughter got interested, he decided to let her try and play around with the iPhone... which she did effortlessly. (Something that we can now see all over YouTube, with babies and young children easily moving around -some- mobile devices). But it wasn't until later in the evening that the Nokia executive found out the extent of their problems... when his daughter came to him asking if she could have the "magic telephone" to put under her pillow during the night.


That might have been magic... but the really sad part was Nokia not being able to do something about that would ensure they'd still be going strong a few years later. Now... we'll have to see how well they fare under Microsoft's ruling.

Microsoft buys Nokia Devices & Services

No one can say they didn't saw it coming: Microsoft is buying Nokia devices and services units, as well as licensing their patents for the next 10 years (though Nokia will still be free to license them to others).

It's a move that many will say it has been planned since the first moment Stephen Elop set foot on Nokia, becoming what some claim to be the worst CEO of all times (a long read, but a good one, when you have the time) and bringing down a company that up until then was "too big too fail". We'll have to see how thing move on from here on and how the other MS partners will react, considering that although Nokia already had a preferential treatment by Microsoft, now it becomes part of the family. Will Samsung, Asus, Acer and other still feel the same way about investing in Windows Phones and Windows RT?

Now Elop returns to Microsoft and is already being considered as a candidate for CEO. Might it turn out that Elop will end up going from "baddest CEO ever" to the one that will be able to pull MS back into top shape? Or will he just do the same thing he did at Nokia, and bring down Microsoft in just a few year's time?

It sure will be interesting to see...

New W8 Lumias arrive in November

So, we got to know the new Windows Phone 8 Lumia 920 and 820 by Nokia, which even brought some nice additions like the wireless charging (it isn't new, I know, but it's "nice" to have it as standard), but there was one annoying thing missing from the presentation - something most customers are now growing increasingly inpatient with - its price and launch dates. People want to know when they can get their hands on the new devices, and equally as important... how much it will cost them.

Yesterday's Amazon new Kindles presentation got that right, and let's hope this will become the norm rather than the exception for all future presentations for all brands and manufacturers.

But finally, we get to know when these new Lumias will arrive, being scheduled for November.

This means that you'll have to wait about 2 more months to finally get your hands on a Nokia Windows Phone 8. And considering all the existing Windows Phones out there can be considered obsolete (both thanks to its now "old" hardware, as well as not being able to be upgrade to Windows Phone 8) that means the drop in sales that has began with the Windows Phone 8 presentation is sure to last for at least that long.

Sure, MS has a lot of things to make it stand from the crowd, starting with a new universal operating system, that spans from smartphones, to "low-cost" tablets, to high-end tablets, to desktops and laptops, and even your living room thanks to its Xbox. But the key point here is: none of the new Windows 8 devices is available right now!

And although I sincerely think MS is on the right track with Windows 8 and all the devices, all these delays are summing up to be an ever growing obstacle no one can ignore. For instance, after yesterday's new Kindle Fire HD annoucement, offering a 8.9" 1920x1200 screen tablet for just $299... can anyone justify to pay twice as much (or more) for an equivalent device, just because it will run Windows? Some may, but I don't think the majority will... So... it'll be very interesting to see how Microsoft and its partners will price the first wave of Windows 8 devices.

Nokia 808 PureView with 41MP Camera

If you thought camera sizes were getting grazy on smartphones, Nokia just decided to prove you right! What else could they be thinking of when announcing the new Nokia 808 PureView with its 41MP image sensor?

Before you start thinking about how fast your precious gigabytes would be gobbled up by 41MP snapshots, Nokia has taken care of that for you... Because this 41MP image sensor will actually provide you with more manageable 5MP photos. Yes, you're reading it right.

All those pixels will be used to enhance your photo, but each block of 3x3 pixels will end up accounting for just 1 single "noise-free" pixel.
Why should they choose to go insane with 41MP instead of a 5MP sensor with bigger pixels?... I can only think of the advantages of bypassing potential bad pixels (nearly every CMOS image sensor has bad pixels, that are auto-corrected based on its neighboring pixels). If you have one bad big pixel, you're losing a lot of detail, whether if you have 1 or 2 or even 3 in a block of 3x3 pixels... you'll still have enough pixels left to provide a more accurate result.

Unfortunately, as Android is not an option for Nokia, and instead of using Windows Phone, this Nokia 808 PureView relies on Symbian Belle, which might not be up to the task for anyone wanting a "41MP" camera these days.

[via the verge]

Nokia N8 as a Portable "Desktop" Computer

Ever wished to use your smartphone as a desktop computer replacement? We're getting there; in fact, you can do it today, if you happen to have a Nokia N8.

Unlike other devices where the video output needs special apps or works only in a few select modes, the N8 outputs its screen via HDMI. Meaning, you can simply connect it to a HDMI monitor, pair a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and it's done!
(Sure, you'll have to settle with an upscaled 640×360 resolution, doubled to 1280x720 "HD").



Just like their "pre-Tablet craze" MIDs like the N770, I think Nokia is once again ahead of its time. You can bet this type of stuff will become increasingly normal in the upcoming years; but my guess is: it's still too soon.

Nevertheless, kudos to Nokia for enabling us to do this kind of stuff... today!

Nokia Own Voice for Ovi Maps

After turning Ovi Maps free, Nokia now steps forward into differentiating itself from the rest. While voice packs for navigation systems are nothing new (TomTom has had it for years), Nokia now allows you to record your own voice for guidance with this Own Voice for Ovi Maps.

It might now be of interest to many, but I'm sure it will make for some fun moments on the road for lots others.

[via Engadget]

Nokia N8 HD Video

While some say Nokia's new N8 failed to impress with its seemingly unifinished Symbian^3, at least it shows great potential in recording HD video.
It truly seems smartphones may indeed displace most compact cameras and even some SLRs for most of the stuff we use it to.


Nokia N8 sample video from Nokia Conversations on Vimeo.

Free Ovi Maps Racing from Nokia

No secrets here: since Nokia started offering their Ovi GPS Navigation Maps for free one week ago, users have downloaded it over 1.4 million times.

Now, Nokia wants you to take it a step further and actually play around with it with... Ovi Maps Racing!

Don't tell my you've never wished playing a racing game in your neighborhood -  and now, you can. Head to your nearest Ovi Store and download it now, it's free for a limited time.

Check the video:

Nokia Home Control Center

Here's a video showcasing  Nokia Home Control Center. Using Z-wave, Zigbee, and other popular home automation protocols, it will allow you to control your home from your Nokia cell phone.

Wiimote on Nokia N810 - Part II

Here's another (and let's say it: more exciting) project connecting a Wiimote to the Nokia MIDs.

(and Ryan, no it still doesn't require placing LEDs on the N810 screen... at least for now ;)

Wiimote on the Nokia N810

What can I say? It's the advantages of using a standard protocol for input devices... even though it took a lot of experimenting till "hackers" found out how to properly use all Wiimote functions.

If it's common to use Nintendos bluetooth Wiimote controller on the PC, this is slightly different: as you can now use it on your Nokia N810 MID.

Thanks to a small python script, your Nokia can now receive the Wiimote bluetooth commands and translate it into common X-Windows events (simulating keypresses and mouse clicks.)

Check the video:


Project page [WiiControl]

Android on Nokia MIDs

So, are you looking forward to seeing how Android pans out?

Why wait any longer? Why not see it right now?

If you have a Nokia MID laying around, you don't have to wait any longer. Just head to this link to learn how to get Android running on your OMAP.

Nanotechnology Concepts

Watch this nanotechnology concept video from Nokia, on how this technology can eventually change the way we communicate - and therefore, change our lives as well.



All we need now is a release date and affordable price tag. :)

Nokia S60, with haptic feedback touchscreen?

We all know Nokia is keeping is iPhone "killer" S60 under tight wraps, but every now and then some new details slip by.

This time, a new touchscreen tactile feedback system was revealed (and actually tested) by RedFerret.

As we all know, one of the most "uncomfortable" things to do on a touchscreen is to type. That's the reason why so many handheld devices come with foldable or sliding keyboards.

If Nokia is capable of providing a real typing feeling on their touch devices, lots of customers will certainly appreciate it.

This haptikos system has been in development for over 10 years on Nokia's Research Lab and aims to provide the same feeling as if you were typing on a real keyboard.

“The basic technology is not that difficult,” said Roope Takala, Senior Program Manager at Nokia’s research labs while demonstrating a hacked Nokia N770, “We inserted two small piezo sensor pads under the screen and engineered in a 0.1mm movement in the screen itself. What’s taken the time has been fine tuning the movement and response to mimic exactly the sensation of pressing a real key.”

And although it may come as a surprise...

“Funnily enough, although you think you’re typing faster than normal because of the feedback, in actual fact you’re not,” said Takala, “There’s just some sort of mental satisfaction that comes from typing with a tactile response.”

Glad to know Nokia is working to keep us mentally satisfied! :)

This technology is expected to show up on the upcoming S60.

If it's as good as advertised, I don't doubt it will be the next evolutionary step in mobile touchscreen devices.