Just yesterday we got wind that Microsoft is working on the next-generation of Android powered Nokia X smartphones, and now a leak from China has spilled the beans on the hardware. The device will be powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor, with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage memory.

The increase in RAM should go a long way in curing the X's lethargic performance and run more powerful apps smoothly. The processor on the other hand received a score of 11,827 in the benchmark tests, which according to the report is very respectable for a budget phone.

These general specs will put the Nokia X2 up against Motorola's new entry-level heavyweight, the Moto E. However there are a few key issues which the leak doesn't address. While the device will run a forked version of Android, it is yet to be seen if Microsoft dumps Jelly Bean in favour of the more efficient KitKat operating system.

Pricing too will play a key factor in the success of the Nokia X2, and like the current device it only makes sense if Microsoft prices the device below its entry-level Lumia phones. While the device may still be a long way away from hitting store shelves, given that the Nokia X was only recently launched, we can't help but think that Microsoft could have a winner on their hands.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Open Source Android, Microsoft Mobile, Nokia X

The market is flooded with affordable Android smartphones from companies such as Micromax, Karbonn, XOLO, and Celkon. In the 15k segment, Motorola blew the competition out of the water with its power-packed Moto G. If that wasn’t bad enough for the Indian brands, Nokia (Microsoft) has rolled out its first budget quad-core smartphone, the Lumia 630, for an attractive price of Rs 11,200. To keep the pricing in check, Nokia has cut many corners. For instance, 512 MB RAM makes the phone look weak on the paper. However, rather than judging the book by its cover, let’s gauge the phone’s real world performance.

Design And Build Quality
Nokia's Lumia line-up is known for bright hues and sturdy construction, and the latest addition is no exception. The Lumia 630 improves upon its predecessor 620's industrial design. The phone has identical rounded corners, but it feels compact due to sharp lines. While adding a relatively bigger 4.5-inch screen, the manufacturer has managed to retain single-handed usability.

For 630, Nokia has refreshed the colour palette. You can choose from bright green, orange, and yellow. For those not keen on bright hues can go with the elegant white variant. It also comes in black, but we advise you give it a miss, as it looks incredibly boring.

The attention to detail in the manufacturing process is outstanding. Not a single corner or seam of the phone shows up a rough edge. Since the outer shell is made of polycarbonate, you don't have to worry about losing colour — not even if the phone gets scratched.

While the key placement is a standard Lumia affair, capacitive navigation keys have been replaced by the onscreen ones. It's also the first WP device from Nokia to do away with the dedicated camera button.

The only accessory to ship with the phone is a wall-charger. It boils our Indian blood to see an 11k handset lack earphones and USB cable. Especially, when most domestic brands provide a couple of complementary flip covers and sometimes a spare battery for free.

Display
The 4.5-inch IPS screen packs in 480x854 pixels. That makes up for pixel density of around 218 ppi. To put things in perspective, iPhone 5's pixel density is 325 ppi. The 630’s screen is not very sharp, but you're unlikely to see jagged edges unless you're determined to find them. The IPS panel offers great colour reproduction. ClearBlack polarisation filters improve the sunlight legibility so some extend. The screen is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 3, so you don't have to worry about it getting scratched easily. What's missing here is the ambient light sensor. To make sure you don't get stuck with only three brightness levels, Microsoft has added brightness profile that gives you total control over luminance.

Key Specifications
The 630 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 400 chipset. The quad-core chip is clocked at 1.2 GHz. The phone has 512 MB RAM, 8 GB internal storage, microSD card slot that supports up to 128 GB. Other features include a 5 megapixel camera, dual-SIM functionality, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 1830 mAh battery. What's missing here is a front-facing camera. I understand that Nokia must have made this decision to keep the price in check. However, considering that Windows Phone 8.1 comes with tight Skype integration, denying the 630 users video calls is a stupid move.

Software
The Lumia 630 is the first Windows Phone 8.1 handset to hit the Indian market. Dubbed as Cyan update by Nokia, the new software comes with a more flexible Start Screen. Users can now set custom background that slides below the transparent tiles.

Windows Phone platform is known for its originality. Be it the Start Screen or calendar layout, these elements have been built from the scratch. However, following Apple’s footsteps, Microsoft too has now copied Android's notification centre. Dubbed Action Centre, this swipe-down element not only brings you notifications, but also gives quick access to Wi-Fi, Flight Mode, Bluetooth, and Rotation Lock toggles.

Apart from these new features, there are a few usability improvements such as independent volume controls for ringtones and media, download option in Internet Explorer 11, ability to install apps to memory card, Bing device search, and phone back-up. While Cortana isn't officially available in India, you can get it on your phone by following this tutorial.

Thanks to the well-optimised OS, the 630 delivers fantastic user experience. During my week's usage, not once did this handset showed any stutter or lag. On 512 MB RAM, Android can be almost unusable, but WP runs perfectly fine. I didn't encounter any stutter while switching between the apps, and latest games including Asphalt 8 worked fine. You will miss-out on top-end games such as Modern Combat 4 and Spider Man 2 that require 1 GB RAM. If you're a gamer, you should stretch your budget by a few grand and go for the Moto G.

GPS Navigation
If you travel a lot, the Lumia 630 can be your ideal companion. Nokia's HERE Drive+ software lets you download map data for an entire country as well as for individual states. For instance, you can install the India (All) map, which is 950 MB in size, or opt for the Maharashtra/Goa map, that fits into 198 MB. You can avail free voice-guided navigation in offline mode. Here's instead of using network to locate your position, the phone uses satellite triangulation to offer turn-by-turn navigation. The GPS chip only takes around 10 seconds to lock on to satellites.

Camera
The phone packs in a 5 megapixel camera. It lacks a flash, so night photography is out of question. Similar to the high-end Lumia camera phones, the 630 comes pre-loaded with Nokia camera. It offers advance controls such as shutter speed, exposure, and manual focus. Refocus app, which lets you tinker with depth of field after taking the photograph is also compatible with the 630. More importantly, the photographs turn out to be quite good. The phone records HD video at 30 fps. Saved in MP4 format, these files offer good amount of detail and smooth playback.

Multimedia
The Lumia 630 comes with MixRadio subscription that offers free downloads for three months. The FM radio has also been duly covered. One things worth mentioning here is the insanely loud onboard speaker. Coming to the subject of video playback, the 630 can handle Full HD MP4, WMV, and AVI files without any issue. The default video player now supports subtitles. One annoyance here is that software navigation keys remain visible during the video playback. After hours of experimenting, I found out that there’s no option to hide the navigation bar. Come on Microsoft, how can you miss out on this detail?

Telephone And Messaging
The first dual-SIM (dual-standby) Windows Phone offers elaborate settings. For instance, you can choose SIM for data connection. Dialler and compose message screens give access to SIM switch button, so that you can change the SIM anytime you want.

 

The 630 features ‘Word Flow Keyboard’ that lets you type quickly with swipe action. It's pretty much like the SWYPE for Android. Then, there are handy options to block unwanted calls and mute SMS from certain contacts. Last, but not the least, the device's call quality and signal reception is great.

Battery Life
The Lumia 630 ships with an 1830 mAH battery. In our HD video loop test, it lasted for over 6 hours. Under normal usage, I was changing charging the battery on a second day. However, I mostly use Wi-Fi for data. Those using 3G will probably have to change charge this phone every day.

Verdict
The Lumia 630 delivers excellent smartphone experience. Windows Phone 8.1 is fast, fluid, and smart. Considering its price tag, the handset is incredibly well built. You'd be forgiven to think that the phone costs around Rs 15,000. The screen isn't very sharp, but does a good job at producing colours. The phone doesn't support Candy Crush Saga, but you get useful apps such as Microsoft Office Suite, HERE Drive +, and Mix Radio.

If you're looking for smooth and sophisticated smartphone experience, go for the 630. For those into gaming, it makes sense to stretch budget to 14k and get the Moto G.

Features: 3.5/5
Design and Build Quality: 4.5/5
Performance: 4/5
Value For Money: 4/5
Mojo: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4/5
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Multi-SIM, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia

European retailers have finally started offering the Nokia Lumia 930 for a high-fetched price of 550 euros. When converted to Indian monies, the Rs 49,000 price tag does seems a bit too steep. Nokia seems to be all geared up for their upcoming launch of the Lumia 930. While we have yet to receive an invite for the official launch in India, we can still clearly say that it will take place before the end of June.

Many European retailers in Germany and even Amazon in France now show the Nokia Lumia 930 on pre-order for a price tag of 580 Euros. The phone will certainly hit stores before the big Lumia Cyan update becomes available for the rest of the Nokia Lumia devices, after which will it will fail to remain exclusive. The device still is a bit too expensive if you ask us.

Why? Do you ask? Well, the Lumia 930 does come with last year’s processor the Snapdragon 800 and 2GB of RAM, which although pretty powerful in the Windows Phone space, will still be considered old in a few months. Then comes the fact that the Nokia Lumia 1520 (which also is an excellent device) retails for around Rs 40,000 and comes with a bigger screen, expandable storage and a much longer battery life as well.

The excellent optics of the Lumia 930 still remain the same and produce stunning images which can easily stand up to the latest smartphones in the Android space. What does not stand a chance is the lack of 4K video which every Android smartphone flagship this year comes with (minus the HTC One M8). Then there is always the lack of quality polished apps (the sudden disappearance of WhatsApp does not improve things as well) which somehow fail to make it to the Windows Phone Store and end up with a few less features.



Some may say that 4K adoption is too slow and that it may not be a big deal. They have obviously not seen the picture quality that 4K video delivers. It was the same case with Full HD video on a smartphone; but look where we are now…

Nokia always has the habit of omitting that one thing that makes their phones complete. So by omitting the 41MP sensor from the 1020, is the Nokia Lumia 930 a case of ‘too little too late’?

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia

Everyone (including me) expected Microsoft to quash the oddity that is the Nokia X soon after taking over the Finnish company's devices arm. Fortunately of unfortunately, BGR India now reports that Microsoft Mobile (formerly Nokia) is working on the next-generation of X-series phones, touted to come with a home button.

According to the report, many users of the Nokia X have complained of the lack of a 'home' button. The phone currently comes with a singular back button which when long-pressed takes users to the home screen. The added step obviously didn't go down well with users, and Microsoft has now set out to fix this.

Apart from sporting a 'Home' button, the report doesn't reveal any further details about the upcoming Nokia X phones. Even if the rumour is true, at this point it isn't even clear if Microsoft will retain the 'Nokia' part of the device's name.

If Microsoft does retain the X-series of phones, the only thing that's clear is its positioning. Nokia created the X to bridge the gap between its feature phones and its more expensive Lumia devices. The X devices pushed Nokia and Microsoft's own apps and even the tiled interface you get on WP devices, all in the hope retain customers within their own environment.

A passing comment Stephan Elop once made was that the prices of the Asha, Nokia X and Lumia devices will continue to come down. At a time when Microsoft has made its Windows operating system free-for-use on devices with screen sizes smaller than 9-inches, one could question why even have the X series of phones?

Still, better pricing, better features and better performance are three things we'd love to see from the Nokia X. Companies like Motorola are revolutionising the entry-level smartphone market with devices like the Moto E and Moto G, and all we could ask for closely matched rivals in consumers see as much or more value.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Open Source Android, Nokia, Microsoft Mobile, Nokia X

Finnish smartphone manufacturer Nokia has announced the launch of its 225 Dual SIM feature phone in India at a price of Rs 3,199. Apart from supporting dual SIM cards, the device is identical to the Nokia 225 which was announced in April this year.

The 225 Dual SIM sports a 2.8-inch LCD display with QVGA (240x320) resolution and a pixel density of 142ppi. It runs on Nokia's (now Microsoft's) propitiatory Series 30+ operating system that comes pre-installed with Nokia Xpress Browser, featuring Bing search as the default search engine.

A 1,200 mAh battery gives the phone a standby time of 648 hours and supposedly delivers 21 hours of talk time. The 225 sports a 2-megapixel camera, standard equipment on a feature phone of its cost. It lacks 3G connectivity, but that's mostly down to the lack of requirement of fast internet on such devices.

Apart from this, the phone supports expandable storage of up to 32GB via a microSD card slot. The dimensions of the 225 stand at 124x55.5x10.4mm and the phone weighs in at a just 100.6 grams. It comes pre-installed with a few standard apps such as a voice recorder, calculator, clock, calendar, converter, alarm clock and flashlight.

Following the take over of Nokia's devices arm by Microsoft, the fate of the company's feature phones was dubious. However, it wouldn't be too far fetched to think that Microsoft would use these feature phones to draw customers into its app environment – Bing search being the default search engine is one such tiny example.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Series 30+ OS, Nokia, 225 Dual-SIM, Feature Phones

Microsoft Devices finally launched the bigger sibling of the Nokia X, the Nokia XL. The newest member of the Nokia X family of devices brings an experience similar to the Nokia X but in a bigger package.

The Nokia XL similar to the Nokia X runs on the Nokia X Software Platform with AOSP Android Jelly bean 4.1 as its base. The device comes with a 5 inch (800 x 480 pixel) display and is powered by a 1GHz S4 dual-core Snapdragon processor with 768MB of RAM. The handset comes with a 5MP primary camera and 2MP front-facing unit coupled with 4GB of internal memory which is expandable up to 32GB to store the same. All of the above is powered by a 2000 mAh battery which Microsoft claims comes with a standby time of 41 days.

“With the Nokia X Family we look to offer a variety of choices to our consumers at different price points.  After receiving a great response with the Nokia X, which introduced the category to this market, we are now bringing the much awaited Nokia XL and X+ to our consumers. Nokia XL, our flagship offering within the Nokia X family, comes packed with a large screen experience with a superlative front camera and a wide array of apps, offering a great smartphone experience at an affordable price point.” said Mr. Viral Oza, Director Marketing, Nokia India Sales, a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobile Oy.

 

Microsoft Devices have even joined hands with Indian mobile operator Airtel to offer users free unlimited downloads of Android apps for six months from the Nokia Store and the 1Mobile store as well.

The device is available online in bright Green, Cyan, Yellow, Black, White & Orange and will hit brick and mortar stores shortly for Rs 11,489.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Open Source Android, Nokia, Microsoft

Nokia has come up with an exciting offer, giving Nokia users access to some premium gaming titles and apps from the Windows Phone store. The offer is valid on recently purchased Lumia 625, 1020, 1320, and the 1520 will now give you access to install Rs 1500 worth of apps and Rs 2230 worth of games from Gameloft.

The games include some hit titles like Asphalt 7 Heat, Modern Combat 4, NOVA 3, Assassin’s Creed and Shark Dash will now be available for free for a limited time. The Lumia 625 of course will be limited to 5 games only due to the 512MB RAM capacity.

To download the free apps, you have to own one of the above mentioned devices. Next, simply go to Nokia Collection in the Windows Phone Store and download the Gift Voucher app. Once the app has installed, open the app and follow the instructions to redeem your Rs 1500 gift card. To download the games, simply click on the Gameloft hub that comes with your device and start downloading.

The Gameloft game titles that are part of this offer are as follows:
(a) Asphalt 7: Heat
(b) Modern Combat 4
(c) N.O.V.A. 3
(d) Order & Chaos
(e) Shark Dash
(f) Earthworm Jim
(g) Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles
(h) Let's Golf 2
(i) Brain Challenge HD
(j) Asphalt 8: Airborne

The offer is valid only from 10th of May till the 30th of June 2014 (both dates included) and you will need to have a valid SIM card inserted into your device to do the same. So which game will you download first?

TAGS: games, Apps, Downloads, Nokia

Nokia let the Nokia XL loose and the device is now available on sale online for Rs 11,489. The device is the elder sibling of the Nokia X which was announced along with the XL+ at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this year. The handset is available online on the official Nokia E-Store and will soon be available with retailers shortly.

The Nokia XL similar to the Nokia X runs on the Nokia X Software Platform with AOSP Android Jelly bean 4.1 as its base. The device comes with a 5 inch (800 x 480 pixel) display and is powered by a 1GHz S4 dual-core Snapdragon processor with 768MB of RAM. The handset comes with a 5MP primary camera and 2MP front-facing unit coupled with 4GB of internal memory which is expandable up to 32GB to store the same.

The Nokia X was an instant failure and saw severe price cuts which were part of Nokia’s efforts to push sales. The device certainly performed horribly for its asking price and is clearly an abomination of Microsoft’s services coupled with tweaked Android apps.

We have no clue how many more would fall victim to such a bad combination of hardware and software in a market that gives plenty of options to choose from. If you are in love with Microsoft’s squared tiles, you could go in for the Nokia’s very own Lumia 630 which is priced at Rs 10,500. You will get complete access to the Microsoft’s ecosystem of apps and the perks that come with it as well. Again, if you are indeed hell-bent on running Android apps, you could always go in for the Moto G (8GB) which retails for a slightly higher Rs 12,500. Both devices offer better hardware (Snapdragon 400 processors) and much better software. Moreover it always beats sitting on the fence right?

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Open Source Android, Nokia

In 2007, Nokia, in its prime, purchased Chicago-based maps and navigation provider Navteq for $8.1 Billion. This acquisition helped Nokia build its own mapping solutions. Later, the Finnish company aquired geo social service Plazes, Plum, social travel company Dopplr, and location aware search service Metacarta. After getting everything in place, Nokia released 3D maps for its Symbian smartphones in 2011. The unique thing about Nokia's location service was its ability to run in offline mode.

After abandoning Symbian for Microsoft's mobile platform, Nokia ported its maps services to Windows Phone platform. If you're a Lumia user you would know that Nokia Drive (now known as HERE Drive+) software lets you download map data for an entire country as well as for individual states. For instance, you can install the India (All) map, which is 800 MB in size, or opt for the Maharashtra/Goa map, that fits into 220 MB. Once you've downloaded the desired maps, you can avail free voice guided navigation in offline mode. Of course, all this mapping goodness was exclusive to Nokia phones. On an HTC or Samsung Windows Phone, you had to pay Rs 25,000 to avail these services.

Now that Microsoft has taken over Nokia, it's offering the Finnish company's maps app free to all Windows Phone 8.1 handsets. So if you're running WP 8.1 Preview on your handset, follow this link to download HERE Drive + for free. If you haven't installed Windows phone 8.1 update yet, check out this tutorial.

TAGS: Apps, Downloads, Sat Nav, Nokia, Microsoft, Windows Phone

The Nokia Camera Beta app just has received an update and it indeed gives us a demo of things to come in the upcoming Lumia Cyan update. The update brings some interesting new features some of which include ‘living images’ and rich surround sound capture.

What is interesting though is that the Nokia Camera Beta app is often the test bed for things to come. This means that Nokia will put in some new and outrageous features in here just to find out if users find them interesting; and they sure are!

Living Images is one of the new features to make it to the app. The feature allows your smartphone camera to click a gif like image (with about 3 frames), helping you capture a moment instead of a single shot.

The next most interesting feature is continuous auto-focus which keeps images in focus most of the time while the viewfinder is open. This indeed makes snapping images a lot quicker, since the camera has already locked focus before you reached for the shutter key. Additionally there will also be surround sound capture in video included in the package as well.

As you must have figured out by now, the above features do require some additional horsepower and hardware support from your smartphone. This is why Nokia has mentioned that the above two will only be available for the Lumia 930, the Icon and the Lumia 1520 handsets because they are powered by the Snapdragon 800 processor. Yes, they have skipped out on the Lumia 1020 already.

But fear not, because the rest of you get some much needed features as well.

Full resolution zoom support will now allow you to peek into the images thanks to the new improved Camera Roll app which also includes inline playback of video, cinemagraph, smart sequences and refocus images. A much-welcomed addition if you ask us! Nokia Camera will now connect with Creative Studio and the Video Trimmer for editing your photos and videos as well.

Expect such features and more to show up as standard once the upcoming Lumia Cyan update rolls out for Nokia devices in June.

Publisher: Nokia Corporation
Platforms: Windows Phone 8.0, 8.1
Size: 14 MB
Price: Free
Download : Windows Phone Store

TAGS: Downloads, Software, Apps, Windows Phone, Nokia

Nokia announced its first Windows Phone 8.1 device today, the Lumia 630 and to accompany it, they also launched the Nokia MD-12 portable wireless speaker and the Treasure Tag as well.

Both accessories simply add to Nokia’s colourful, yet practical NFC portfolio of devices. The MD-12 wireless speaker connects to your device via Bluetooth and comes in an array of colours which are similar to the Lumia 630. The speaker comes with a built-in vibrating actuator at the base which ensures that you feel the beat when placed on a solid surface.

The speaker packs quite a punch considering that it is small enough to fit into your pocket and is guaranteed to last for up to 15 hours on a single charge as well. Connecting it to your Lumia device is fairly simple. All you need to do is ensure that the NFC is switched on and then simply tap your phone to the speaker to connect the two. The speakers even come with an AUX in port (and a cable) in case you happen to have a phone or device that does cannot connect via Bluetooth.

The next accessory to be announced was the Nokia Treasure Tag which is basically built for the forgetful. Apart from making NFC tags look cooler, the Treasure Tags can be re-used (which justifies their price tag) by simply replacing the CR-2032 coin-cell type battery which is touted to last for 6 months.

These are not your average mindless NFC tags. Treasure Tags come with an accompanying Nokia Treasure Tag app. The app allows you to do a lot more than just remind or alert you when you drift away from something (or even someone for that matter). The app makes it even more fun to use with Live Tile integration, displaying updates about where your tag was last seen. Obviously all tags can be given names with the help of the app, but what makes things more interesting is that you can deactivate these tags with a simple long press of a button.

The Nokia MD-12 Bluetooth speakers come in yellow, green, orange and white and are priced at Rs 5,499 while the Treasure Tags are priced at Rs 2,099 each. Both of these accessories will go on sale starting from the 31st of May, 2014.
 

TAGS: Accessories, Bluetooth, Nokia

Nokia has finally announced the Nokia Lumia 630 in India, which will soon be available in stores today in both single and dual SIM variants with price tags starting from Rs 10,500. The single SIM version comes with a price tag of Rs 10,500 while the dual SIM variant will sell for Rs 11,500. The device comes with a couple of firsts for the Indian smartphone market. Apart from being the first dual SIM Windows Phone device in the market, it will also be the first device to officially run Windows Phone 8.1 out of the box as well.

Beating the Lumia 930 to the launch, the Lumia 630 is in all probability one of the much-awaited handsets in Windows Phone world. This is because the handset easily beats the Lumia 525 (except for the RAM size) which has indeed been doing really well in the budget segment for Nokia.

The Lumia 630 will directly compete with the Moto G from the Android space. The Moto G was a great success, set new standards for the Android platform and quite frankly is an all-rounder that runs pretty smooth on KitKat 4.4.2. Where the Lumia 630 will probably out do the Moto G, is in terms of device construction and expandable memory; which can be taken all the way up to a hefty 128 GB.

Where the Moto G wins, is in terms of the app gap and the fact that the device sports a sharp 4.5 inch 1280 x 720 pixel screen as compared to the 854 x 480 pixel screen of the Lumia 630. Both handsets are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 400, with the only downside of the Lumia 630 being the paltry 512MB of RAM.

So which handset will you go in for, now that there is a worthy competitor for the Moto G in the Windows Phone space?

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia

Now that Nokia has clearly separated itself from Microsoft and wants to focus on HERE Maps instead, the guys in the PureView department apparently are looking out for greener pastures.

It’s always the case when a company splits wide open into two, meaning that some of the talent does get absorbed while the rest have the option to stay behind. Senior Lumia engineer Ari Partinen is one such employee who made his choice and was apparently looking out for a place to help him display his engineering talents.

We are not clear about who made the first move, but Ari confirmed via his Twitter handle that today will be his last working day at Nokia. He also mentions that his next company will be based in Cupertino and later goes on to confirm, that the company is none other than Apple.

Come to think of it, a patented camera technology was the only thing that Apple’s iPhone ever lacked. The company as we all know has plenty of resources at its expense and clearly knows how to build an industry out of an idea.

Seeing a bulky Lumia 1020 sized PureView sensor on the back of an iPhone is definitely not what is on Apple’s mind right now. Better sensor technology along with improved processing may be something that we will surely get to see from Apple instead.

We are not saying that Microsoft did the wrong thing by taking over dying Nokia. But it would surely look odd to see an ex-Nokia PureView engineer deliver a keynote for an iPhone announcement. Nokia’s loss is indeed Apple’s gain if you ask us. 
 

TAGS: Nokia, Apple, Microsoft

It was just a week ago that we brought to you news about Nokia launching its much awaited Moto G beating Lumia 630. Well, we have now have confirmed news through a press invite from Microsoft for the launch of Nokia’s first dual SIM Windows Phone handset which is scheduled for the 12th of May, 2014.

The invite sent from Microsoft playfully displays the words’ “The Power Of Two” hinting that we will indeed see the Nokia Lumia 630 at the press event.

Apart from being Nokia’s first dual SIM handset, the Lumia 630 will also be the first handset in India to run Windows Phone 8.1 out of the box. So if you were about to purchase a Moto G, we suggest you hold on to that purchase and have a look at Nokia’s newest Windows Phone offering. The much-awaited Lumia device which was announced a couple of months back at the Mobile World Congress is finally all set to enter the Indian mobile market.

What is most interesting about the Nokia Lumia 630 will be its pricing which is said to be around the Rs 13,000 mark making it a direct competitor to the Moto G. The device is said to available in both single and dual SIM variants as well.



On the outside you get a 4.5 inch (854 x 480 pixel) FWVGA ClearBlack LCD display which is covered in Corning’s Gorilla 3 glass. Inside, you will get the latest Windows Phone 8.1 operating system with onscreen navigation buttons and a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC. The device comes with 512MB of RAM, 8 GB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot expansion up to hefty 128 GB. The handset lacks a front-facing camera but a 5MP auto-focus primary camera will take care of the imaging duties. The phone comes with a sufficient 1830 mAh battery which should keep the device running for a day.
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia

Job postings today provide an alternative way to know what a company is up to and now that Nokia has clearly detached itself from Microsoft, there indeed seems to be a lot going on. The company’s recent job postings show that Nokia is on the prowl for Android and iOS developers who have experience in creating finished products for the same platforms.

While the first job posting calls for software engineers with both Android and iOS experience, the second job posting is for an Android developer only. Both of these postings indicate that Nokia is now serious and clearly focussed on growing it’s HERE products and expanding its services to both Android and iOS platforms.

It is indeed a smart move by Nokia, now that the Microsoft dominance seems to be over and the company can do what they want to do. Introducing HERE Maps to the Android and iOS space would be extremely beneficial for the company since both OS’s currently lack a good offline maps alternative. Dominating both the operating systems currently in the mapping area is Google Maps which although a very good service certainly does not have full-fledged offline capability.

HERE maps is currently available only for Windows Phone devices, and offers complete offline capability where you can download a map for a city or a country and get directions even without  data or internet connectivity.
 

TAGS: Apps, Software, Windows Phone, Android, iOS, Nokia

Now that Nokia has sold off its handset business to Microsoft, the company is looking to invest its time and money in expanding one of its most profitable services – Here. According to an Engadget report, Nokia has announced the investment of $100 million for the development of connected car technology utilising Here's mapping and location capabilities.

By investing in companies developing connected car technologies, Nokia is trying to grow the ecosystem that utilises Here. It's chief competitors Google and Apple have already showcased their future in-car capabilities and Nokia is now playing catch-up.

Moreover, now that Nokia isn't restricted to developing apps just for Windows Phone OS, we could see Here and other Nokia services and apps coming to Android and iOS. As sniffed out by NPU, through some LinkedIn job postings it is clear that the company is hiring SDK developers for iOS and Android platforms.

While that does not mean Nokia wants to bring its apps directly onto the iOS and Android platforms, the company is instead looking to build tools through which developers can build apps utilising Here's services.

Microsoft will continue to be one of the largest customers for Here and other Nokia apps, which are sort of a highlight of the Windows Phone platform. With Google and Apple already making headway in connected car technology, it is to be seen what innovations Nokia can bring to the table, especially since its building upon a platform as solid as Here.

TAGS: Nokia, Here Maps, connected car technology, Windows Phone

We have just got news that the Nokia Lumia 630 which was announced a month ago, will be available for purchase in a week’s time. One of the much-awaited Windows Phone devices of the year (considering its price bracket) will be hitting store shelves all over India in just a week’s time.

What is most interesting about the Nokia Lumia 630 will be its pricing which is said to be around the Rs 13,000 mark making it a direct competitor to the Moto G. The device is said to available in both single and dual SIM variants as well.

On the outside you get a 4.5 inch (854 x 480 pixel) FWVGA ClearBlack LCD display which is covered in Corning’s Gorilla 3 glass. Inside, you will get the latest Windows Phone 8.1 operating system with onscreen navigation buttons and a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC. The device comes with 512 MB of RAM (which is a bit small) and will also include 8 GB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot expansion up to hefty 128 GB. The handset lacks a front-facing camera but a 5MP auto-focus primary camera will take care of the imaging duties. The phone come with a sufficient 1830 mAh battery which should keep the device running for a day.

The vibrant colours will certainly attract the youth and the phone is bound to sell like hotcakes in the Windows Phone market considering the price tag. So will you go in for one?
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia

We all know and have heard about Nokia’s 3310 handset. It has been featured in memes as the strongest handset on the planet — basically something that is indestructible. Well, an incident reported in Brazil now points to the Nokia 520 as the new ‘King of the Ring’. The Globo, a Brazilian news channel has reported the entire incident where an off duty police officer got saved by his trusty Nokia Lumia 520.

The police officer was apparently off duty and just entered his apartment when he noticed that the house was in the process of being robbed. His parents, held hostage by the thieves who were in the process of gathering items around the house, shot at him twice. 

The first bullet was a clear miss while the second one, hit the officer near his back pocket. Lucky for him, there was a Nokia Lumia 520 which protected the officer from getting a bullet wound. The thieves managed to escape but the officer was grateful that the phone protected him from the bullet.

We guess from now onwards, we will see the Nokia Lumia 520 appearing in all those 3310 memes instead. Don't you think?

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia

In a landmark deal, Nokia last week sold its devices arm to tech giant Microsoft for a sum of $7.5 billion, which excluded the company's troubled India unit. While Nokia's factory in Chennai would continue to manufacture phones for Microsoft, the management has informed the workers' union about its need to trim 'excess manpower'.

In a meeting with union representatives on Wednesday, Nokia's management expressed its need to reduce operational costs. "The management told us there must be reduction in workforce. We have categorically dismissed the idea,” said A Soundararajan, President of the Nokia India Employees Union, according to a Times of India report.

The company had announced an employee separation scheme last month, but it has been rejected by the union. Soundararajan added that the Nokia management has been informed that none of the union members will accept the scheme, given that protection of jobs is paramount.

Nearly 744 trainees at Nokia's Chennai plant have opted to take the severance package and exit the company, while the plant's more than 5,000 strong permanent workforce has rejected the offer. The contract between Nokia and Microsoft for manufacturing phones at the Chennai plant will be for a year, with the option to renew.

"Nobody knows what happens after one year. They have no answers. Employees are panic-stricken," said Soundararajan. "We are exploring several options. One could be a government-mediated job assurance. It is still premature."

It seems as though Nokia is looking to keep the Chennai plant alive in the hope that it will receive a favourable ruling from the Supreme Court. The government's role in the decision could also affect the outcome and hopefully save thousands of jobs.

If the facility is freed from litigation, the unit changing hands from Nokia to Microsoft could still be a possibility. The one year manufacturing contract can be too easily seen as sort of a deadline, after which the plant could be shuttered.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Nokia, Chennai facility, Microsoft, Contract Manufacturing

In a bid to better appeal to young selfie-loving customers, one of the first phones to come from Nokia's stable after acquisition by Microsoft, could feature a 5MP front facing camera. Dubbed 'Superman' the phone will run Windows Phone 8.1, but as The Verge reports, it is unclear whether the company will market it as the ultimate selfie-taking device.

The intentions of the company to appeal to younger buyers is made even more clear given that the phone will feature a 4.7-inch screen and typical mid-range phone innards. If launched, the most distinguishing feature of the phone could very well be its 5MP front-facing camera, a massive step up from the company's current 1MP standard offering.

According to The Verge, Microsoft is currently working on two updates for its Windows Phone 8.1 OS, and the roll-out of the updates will coincide with the launch of new devices. The first update is scheduled for roll-out in July, while the 'Superman' will debut along the second update later this year.

Microsoft is also believed to be working on more Windows Phone 8.1 devices scheduled for launch this year. The most notable is 'Goldfinger' which was set to debut along with Windows Phone 8.1, but was delayed. It isn't known if any of the upcoming phones will carry the Nokia branding, with Microsoft not revealing plans of future branding.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Microsoft, selfie

Microsoft has finally completed the acquisition of Nokia's mobile phone business. Off-loading its phone manufacturing business to Microsoft is not the end of the road for Nokia. The Finnish company still retains Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN), HERE maps, and a large pool of patents. You will be surprised to know that Nokia's roots date back to times when Finland was a part of the Russian Empire. In 1865, Fredrik Idestam (a mining engineer) started a wood pulp mill. The name Nokia came into the picture when Fredrik opened a second processing unit on the banks of the “Nokianvirta” River. By 1922, Nokia acquired Finnish Cable Works and Finnish Rubber Works. Venturing in multiple businesses, Nokia produced papers, tyres, footwear, communication cables, electricity generation machinery, robotics, capacitors, plastics, aluminium, and chemicals. The company also manufactured the communication equipment called Sanomalaite M/90 and M61 gas mask for the Finnish Army. In the 80s, Nokia shifted focus to the telecom industry, and what followed, as they say, is history.

Nokia, as we know it today, is all about the phones it manufactured in last three decades. So let’s revisit some of the company’s iconic handsets that made Nokia synonymous with mobile phones.

Nokia Mobira Cityman 900
Year 1987, Launch Price: Rs 4,00,000 (approx.)
Back in the 80s, when the music was awesome and phones used to be as heavy as 5 kilogram, Nokia introduced Mobira Cityman 900. Weighing under 800 grams (outrageous by today’s standards), it was one of the lightest mobile phones available in 1987. The Cityman 900 and Nokia grabbed the media attention across the globe when Mikhail Gorbachev, President of the Soviet Union, made a call from Helsinki to Moscow. Little wonder that the handset was simply known as “Gorba” thereafter.

Key Features:
Monochrome screen that could display 8 numbers.
1000-mAh battery (talk time of 50 minutes).
Operated on the now-defunct NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephone) network.



Nokia 1011
Year 1992, Launch Price: Rs 110,000 (approx.)
This mobile phone was launched on 10th of November, hence the model name 1011. Although not the first commercially available handset, it was the first mass-produced GSM phone. The 1011 was able to receive text messages, but not send them. As you may already know, the call charges were so high that network congestion was out of question.

Key Features:
2-line, 8-character monochrome LCD with dedicated function symbols.
Phonebook: 99 entries.
900 mAh Ni-CD battery.
Weight: 495 grams.



Nokia 9000 Communicator
Year: 1996, Launch Price: Rs 53,000 (approx.)
While the world was still getting used to no-frill phones, Nokia introduced its first business phone, the 9000 Communicator. The device is a testimony to how early Nokia had envisioned a smartphone. The phone was based on GEOS operating system, developed by Geoworks. It was powered by an Intel 24 MHz, 386 processor and had 8 MB of flash memory. Not impressed? Well, just imagine using email, fax, and web browser on your phone in 1996.

Key Features:
2 grey scale LCD displays.
Primary screen had pixel dimensions of 640x200.
Operating system version: GEOSTM 3.0.
Supports: SMS, Email, Fax, and web Browser.
Intel 386 processor clocked at 24 MHz.
8 MB flash memory.
Full-QWERTY keypad.



Nokia 3310
Year: 2000, Launch Price: Rs 12,000
The Chuck Norris of mobile world, Nokia 3310 was released in 2000. Thanks to its handy-design and straightforward interface, the handset was a massive hit back then. The phone’s build quality was rock-solid, which is one of the reasons behind the phone’s cult following. The 3310 shipped with Snake and Space Impact games that became a rage in years that followed.

Key Features:
Monochrome Screen: 5 line text support.
User exchangeable front and back covers.
1000 mAh battery.
Indestructible (citation needed).



Nokia 7650
Year: 2002, Price: 53,000 (approx.)
The 7650 was Nokia’s first smartphone with built-in camera. The phone featured the Series 60 (S60) OS, which was built on Symbian platform. Apart from that, the phone’s slider design was too awesome to ignore. After getting featured in Steven Spielberg's Minority Report, it had become the must-have gadget for geeks.

Key Features:
LCD screen with 4096 colours, Pixel dimensions of 176x208.
104 MHz ARM processor, 4 MB internal storage.
VGA camera, Browser, Bluetooth, Java MIDP 1.0 support.
Symbian OS 6.1, Series 60.
750 mAh battery.



Nokia 1100
Year: 2003, Launch Price: Rs 5000
In times when the world was fast-moving towards smarter phones, Nokia managed to pull out another smash-hit dumb-phone, the 1100. Apart from user-friendly nature of the device, it was the built-in torch-light that attracted consumers in many developing countries. Selling over 250 million units, it's not just the most successful phone, but also the best-selling consumer electronics device in the world.

Key Features:
Monochrome display: supports 4 lines.
Built-in flashlight.
Replaceable covers.
850 mAh battery.



Nokia N90
Year: 2005, Launch Price: Rs 30,000
After becoming the world's most sold digital camera brand, Nokia targeted the camcorder market with its unique N90. Of its two screens, one supported 270 degree swivel action. It came with a 2 megapixel rotating camera with Carl Zeiss lens, 31 MB internal storage, and a 64 MB memory card out of the box.

Key features:
Primary Screen: 2.1 inches screen with 352x416 pixels (260 ppi).
Secondary Screen: 65K colors display with pixel dimensions of 128x128.
31 MB internal storage, Memory card slot.
220 MHz ARM processor.
2 megapixel camera.
Platform: Symbian OS 8.1.

Nokia N95
Year: 2007, Launch Price: Rs 30,000
The best all-round smartphone of its time, the N95 was launched in 2007. The phone was based on Series 60 3rd Edition software, built upon Symbian OS v9.2. The N95 was stuffed with features like a 5 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, 3.5G, Infrared port, and GPS. The handset also had a two-way sliding mechanism that allowed access to keypad or media playback buttons. This was the time when Nokia was at its peak, and the N95 was what iPhone is today.

Key Features:
2.6” screen with 240x320 pixels.
160 MB internal storage, MicroSD card slot (supports up to 8 GB).
332 MHz ARM 11 processor, 3D Graphics HW support, 64 MB RAM.
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Infrared, Mini-USB port.
5 megapixel autofocus camera with Carl Zeiss optics.
Platform: Series 60 3rd edition, Symbian OS 9.2.



Nokia E71
Year: 2008, Price: 20,000
While the N95 was battling it out with the newly launched Apple iPhone, Nokia decided to take on BlackBerry with its metal-clad E71. This Symbian 9.2 powered phone came with a full-QWERTY keypad and Quick Office to work with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Nokia Maps app was another useful addition since BlackBerry mapping solution was useless in many countries.

Key Features:
2.4” screen with pixel 320x240 pixels.
110 MB Internal storage, MicroSD card slot.
369 MHz ARM 11 processor, 128 MB RAM.
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Infrared port.
3.15 megapixel camera.
Platform: Series 60 version 3.1, Symbian 9.2.



Nokia N8
Year: 2010, Price: Rs 25,000
After quite a few disastrous touchscreen phones, Nokia finally launched its first handset with touch-friendly capacitive screen. The specialty of this 3.5-incher was its 12 megapixel camera with the biggest sensor slapped onto a phone (at that time). Apart from impressive photography skills, it boasted of an AMOLED screen, Dolby sound enhancements, HDMI-out, USB-OTG, FM-transmitter, and GPS. In short, it was a Swiss Army knife equivalent of mobile phones. The only downer here was the ageing Symbian platform.

Key Features:
3.5” screen AMOLED screen.
12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics.
680 MHz AMR 11 processor.
Platform: Symbian^3.



Nokia N9
Year: 2011, Launch Price: Rs 30,000 (never officially released in India)
After realising that the old warhorse Symbian was no match for the modern iOS and Android, Nokia introduced its first phone based on MeeGo OS. This Linux based mobile platform was a joint effort between Intel and Nokia. The N9 was the first Nokia phone to feature a sporty polycarbonate unibody and curved display. The phone garnered positive reviews for its swipe based UI and elegant design. However, due to the Microsoft deal which materialised in the same year, the phone saw a limited release.

Key Features:
3.9” AMOLED screen with 480x854
1 GHz Cortex A8 CPU, PowerVR SGX530 GPU.
16 \ 64 GB internal storage, 1 GB RAM.
8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics.
Platform: MeeGo OS, version 1.2 (Harmattan).



Nokia Lumia 800
Year: 2011, Launch Price: 26,000
Due to the lack of confidence in building its own eco-system, Nokia embraced Microsoft’s bold new mobile platform. The early fruit of this partnership, the Lumia 800, was a fine balance between N9-esque clean design and the minimalistic Windows Phone UI. It was the first Nokia handset that matched the fluidity of the iPhone. However, due to stupid restrictions in the first iteration of WP, the phone didn’t do very well in the market.

Key Features:
3.7” AMOLED screen with 480x800 pixels.
1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor, Adreno 205 GPU.
512 MB RAM, 16 GB internal storage.
8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics.
Platform: Windows Phone 7.5



Nokia 808 PureView
Year: 2012, Launch Price: Rs 32,000
Two years after the N8, Nokia released a 41 megapixel camera monster, the 808 PureView. This 4-incher was filled-to-the-gills with technology that Nokia invented all these years. While the camera on this one was brilliant, the handset was mostly criticised for the dated Belle software platform (also known as Symbian Belle).

Key Features:
41 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics.
1.3 GHz ARM 11 processor, Broadcom BCM2763 GPU.
16 GB internal storage, MicroSD card support up to 32 GB.
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, FM transmitter, and GPS, HDMI port, USB OTG.
Platform: Nokia Belle (Symbian).



Nokia Lumia 1020
Year: 2012. Launch Price: Rs 40,000
Nokia’s latest flagship, the Lumia 1020 offers the goodness of WP8 OS and 41 megapixel camera in a sleek package. Improving upon the 808, the 1020 packs in a BSI (Backside illuminated) sensor with floating lens technology. The 6-lens assembly is manufactured in collaboration with Zeiss. The phone also comes with a specially designed Pro Camera app that gives total control over parameters such as shutter speed, exposure, white balance, and ISO.

Key Features:
4.5" AMOLED screen with Clearblack tech (768x1280 pixels), Pixel density: 334 ppi.
Display features: Curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Sunlight readability enhancements.
Main camera sensor: 41 megapixel auto-focus with Zeiss Optics.
Camera features: Optical Image stabilisation, Backside-illuminated image sensor, 6-lens optics.
Sensor size: 1/1.5 inch, f-number/aperture: f/2.2, Camera focal length: 26 mm.
Chipset: 1.5 GHz Dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, 2 GB of RAM.
Platform: Windows Phone 8.


 

Tags : Culture, Mobile Phones, Nokia

Remember Windows Mobile platform? It was Microsoft's attempt to mimic desktop interface on smartphones that sounded nice but turned out to be a mess. By the time, these Redmond guys realised their mistakes, Apple was ruling the roost and Google quickly copied iOS to provide a much needed alternative. Microsoft made a bold decision of scrapping the existing OS and start with a clean slate. Steve Ballmer brought in his best UX guy to the game - Joe Belfiore, known for designing Windows XP User Experience. In 2010, He delivered the software design that was unlike any other mobile operating system. It offered you dynamic live tiles that made excellent use of the screen's real estate. Over the span of four years, the OS matured, and garnered positive reviews from critics. However, Windows Phone platform's market share still hasn't reached double digit figure. It certainly deserved better than that. So what's holding Microsoft's mobile platform back?

Perception Issue
Apple has carved out a niche market by presented itself as a company that fuses technology with art. Similarly Google is considered as a Santa Claus that distributes free stuff. On the other hand, Microsoft known for Windows Operating system and Office Suite are considered boring. There's a good reason for that — most of Microsoft's products are generally essential for businesses. So people generally look at Microsoft like a boring guy you find in those offices. Yes, those Apple's Mac Vs PC ads were quite clever.

Due to this perception, although Microsoft has delivered many hip products recently, people refuse to consider it cool. None is at fault here except for Microsoft's marketing team. We're not going to discuss what they've done in the US (super bowl ads and all), but in India, the company hasn't done enough to promote its mobile platform. Little wonder then, these things are reflecting in sales numbers. Now after taking over Nokia, let's hope that Microsoft does come up with a good marketing plan to shake-off its old image. 

Ecosystem
During the PC era, ecosystem has been a strong point for Microsoft. If you look at the desktop operating systems, Windows beats every other platform when it comes to the number of third-party apps. In late 90s, Microsoft knew that rich ecosystem can make or break platforms. Unfortunately, now the software-giant seems to have forgotten that. If you're still wondering what Windows Phone OS lacks right now, let the company's ex-CEO Steve Ballmer remind you that in this video. For dramatic effect, crank up the volume, say "Hey Steve what is it that Windows Phone lacks?", then hit the play button.

So yes, a bigger developer community is the need of the hour for Windows Phone OS. The good thing is that the latest iteration of Windows Phone is quite promising, and that should help Microsoft attract more coders. If you think there are more things Microsoft needs to address, sound off in the comments section below.

Tags : Mobile Phones, Microsoft, Windows Phone

Taiwanese phonemaker HTC has issued a statement denying reports about the company's interest in purchasing Nokia's Chennai plant, adding that CFO Chia-Lin Chang’s comments were misinterpreted in his interview with the Economic Times.

“HTC would like to clarify that the company has no intention of purchasing the plant. From a business perspective, we continually review opportunities to strategically invest and we will continue to do so in the future,” said the company in an email statement. “It’s unfortunate that Mr. Chang’s comments were taken out of context during the interview.”

With the $7.5 billion deal between Nokia and Microsoft expected to be concluded this Friday, the fate of Nokia's manufacturing plant at Chennai still hangs in the balance. Locked in tax disputes, it seems unlikely that the plant will be made part of the deal where Nokia transfers its device and services business to Microsoft.

The factory employees 6,600 people and manufactures phones not only for the local market, but also exports. The Indian government has voiced its concerns over how the plant's closure could effectively half all mobile exports out of India. Nokia has however hinted that it could run the plant under a special contract to manufacture phones for Microsoft.

If HTC was indeed interested in buying the Nokia Chennai plant, it could have been a viable option for the company to completely exit the handset business. With Microsoft not showing any signs of wanting to retain the Indian manufacturing unit, the most likely fate of the plant for now seems closure.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, HTC, Nokia

In the most bizarre turn of events, Taiwanese phonemaker HTC has announced that it would be considering to buy Nokia's Chennai plant if it is put up for sale to a third party other than Microsoft. The company is looking at ways to better reach Indian consumers, as it increases focus on manufacturing mid-range smartphones.

"I am happy to look into it, because the overall preparation, exploration hinges upon if it will serve consumers better. If that (plant) will do that (service consumers better), then we would be happy to look further into it,” said Chialin Chang, CFO of HTC, in an interview with the Economic Times.

The transfer of Nokia's device and services arm to Microsoft expected to come to a close this Friday, though there's still a high probability that the Indian plant will be left out of the deal. Nokia has been unable to resolve the tax disputes with Indian authorities, barring its sale to anyone else.

Unless Microsoft, or indeed a third company steps forward to clear the Rs 5,000 crore in unpaid taxes, Nokia will not be able to dispose of its assets. The company even showed interest in running the plant to manufacture phones for Microsoft under a special agreement.

According to an unnamed person in the know of the matter, Nokia's Chennai plant may be losing its importance to Microsoft, given the issues faced. "It makes no sense for Microsoft to keep the factory as they can easily outsource the entire production to China, just like Apple does, and successfully at that" he said, according to the ET report.

If this does indeed happen, there could be just two possible outcomes for the future of Nokia's Chennai plant. The company would either choose to shutter it, or indeed sell it to a HTC who's betting on India to power its growth. The legalities of such a deal are however unknown, as it would mean more competition for Microsoft which is also looking at India as a prime market.

In his interview with ET, Chang said "India is a very crucial market for HTC. We want to go deeper into tier 1 cities, expand beyond tier 1 cities." He added that the company is looking to launch more phones at different price points in the coming months, while also bringing its wearable devices and tablets in the second half of 2014.

The Taiwanese manufacturer has already begun showing signs of increasing its presence in the low to mid-range smartphone market. The company recently launched its cheapest handset in the Indian market, the Desire 210, priced at Rs 8,700, along with its Desire 816 phablet.

Update: HTC has now released a statement saying that Mr Chang's comments were taken out of context in his interview with ET and "HTC would like to clarify that the company has no intention of purchasing the plant (Nokia's Chennai unit)."

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Nokia, HTC, Microsoft, mid-range smartphone

The $7.5 billion deal involving the sale of Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia's device and services arm to Microsoft is likely to conclude this Friday (April 25), but surprisingly there are still many unanswered questions.

Nokia's Indian manufacturing unit, which has come under litigation, will most likely be excluded from the deal. The company has expressed that it hopes to continue to operate the plant located in Chennai under a service agreement with Microsoft, but there hasn't really been any official announcement.

The deal with Microsoft also brings up questions about the fate of Nokia's newly launched X range of Android Open Source Project powered phones. With Microsoft's opening up its Windows Phone 8.1 operating system for easier third party development, along with making its Windows platfrom free for use by devices with screens smaller than 9-inches, the future of Nokia's priced project X seems to be doomed.

Many would argue that the Nokia X was a marriage that should have never happened, and with the recent developments that seems true. The Finnish company has taken far too long to bring its Android powered devices to the market, which has clearly not changed in the favour of Nokia.

Even after going on sale, the performance of the devices in the market is muted to say the least, and while it offers a vastly different experience to regular Android phones, it is far from perfect. Slotted in between the company's Asha range and more expensive Windows powered Lumia devices, the Nokia X may make good sense on paper, but in reality, it's critically flawed.

Nokia has created a feature phone using the world's most powerful mobile operating system

It may seem funny, but the Nokia X is nothing more than a feature phone. It would have seemed far more useful for the company to develop its tried and tested Asha range of phones further, than investing on developing a whole new environment – which the company has no expertise in.

Even if Nokia had made good phones out of the X series, recent developments at Microsoft could make it nothing more than a distraction to the company's plans. With tie-ups with Micromax and other low-end device manufacturers, Microsoft can effectively lower the price point of devices that run its Windows Phone operating system. This singular move goes a long way in propping up Windows as a worthy competitor to Android.

Studying Microsoft's recent moves, it's clear that the company wants to make Windows Phone as powerful as Android and then some. The operating system may never be as malleable as Google's offering, but with the sheer number of users that have been exposed to the Windows environment, it's definitely worth a try.

If Microsoft perfects integration of software across PCs, tablets, mobiles and other devices, the Windows environment could well beat Android in the race towards the 'Internet of Things'. While this may be dwelling deep into Microsoft's plans for Windows, it only goes to show how useless the Nokia X series is in Microsoft's grand scheme.

We wouldn't be surprised to see Microsoft kill off the Nokia X range just as easily as it plans to kill the 'Nokia' name altogether. Nokia's marriage with Android was clearly made in hell, and its imminent failure is unfortunately a classic case of 'too little, too late'.

Tags : Mobile Phones, Open Source Android, Nokia X, Microsoft, Windows Phone

A letter has leaked out on the internet, describing the transition of the recently announced takeover of Nokia by Microsoft. The document apparently sent to Nokia’s suppliers to prepare for the transition, suggests a new name for Finnish company’s mobile division—Microsoft Mobile Oy.

For those of you who are confused, Nokia will not be changing its name to Microsoft Mobile Oy but just Nokia’s devices business — which Microsoft acquired for around 7.2 B dollars. So the Nokia Oyj will soon become Microsoft Mobile Oy. If you are wondering what the ‘Oyj’ and ‘Oy’ stand for, it basically is an abbreviation in Finland for ‘Public Limited Company’ or PLC.

We wonder how this will affect business once Microsoft Mobile takes over. This is because the world buys a Nokia handset because it is a Nokia and replacing that name with Microsoft Mobile may bring down sales by a huge margin. Unless Big M flexes its muscles and spends a lot of money on a massive marketing campaign, the world may simply ignore the brand leading to a drop in sales in Windows Phone devices. This is pretty clear from the fact that Windows Phone picked up sales only once Nokia stepped in.

Microsoft has a built a name for itself by building a couple of premium Windows Tablets with the Surface range. But that range never touched the Nokia Corporation’s biggest markets which exist in the Asian subcontinent. All we know is that Microsoft Mobile has some pretty big shoes to fill.
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Nokia, Microsoft

Launched just a month ago, Nokia seems to be having trouble selling the Nokia X. Well, it makes no sense if you ask us. Who in their right mind would pick up a Nokia X powered by AOSP (Android Open Source Project) Android Jelly Bean but runs Microsoft services? Well, apparently there are a few, and we wonder if they are still happy with their purchase.

Thanks to this Nokia, Microsoft and Android massacre, Nokia has already given the confused Nokia X a price cut. The Nokia X went on sale for Rs 8,599 just a month ago, and thanks to the price cut will now sell for Rs 7, 027 instead. Makes us wonder what will happen to the rest of the under-powered Nokia X range when they launch a month from now.

The Nokia X Software Platform recently saw an update to version 1.1. The update did not bring a newer version of the open source android base which lies below, but just a lot of bug fixes and performance improvements to Nokia’s additions.

Launched at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) earlier this year, the Nokia X runs on the Nokia X Software Platform based on the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The phone comes with a 4 inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) capacitive display and is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. The Nokia X, similar to the Asha range comes only with a rear 3MP camera and dual-SIM support.

If you ask us, we would definitely suggest a Nokia Lumia 525 which sells for about Rs 8949 online. The right hardware coupled with right software additions from Nokia, will at least give you the full-fledged Microsoft experience; instead of a half-baked Nokia X one.
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Open Source Android, Nokia

Cellphone cameras have come a long way. From the humble VGA beginnings, their megapixel count have reached double digits. Today's smartphones can challenge point-and-shoot cameras. It may not give you the flexibility to interchange lenses like a DSLR, but camera phones clearly have an edge when it comes to portability. So if you’re planning to buy camera phone, here are your options at different price bands.
 

Under Rs 10,000

XOLO Q800 X-Edition
Street Price: Rs 8500
The XOLO Q800 may not be the best smartphone under 10k, but it definitely the best camera phone in this price range. The handset sport an 8 megapixel camera with BSI (Back-Side Illuminated) sensor. It helps you capture relatively sharper images in low-light conditions. The Q800 sports a 4.5-inch IPS display with 960x540 pixels. It’s powered by a run-of-the-mill 1.2 GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6589 chip. It comes with 1 GB RAM, which is enough to handle Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It’s a dual-SIM handset comes with 4 GB internal storage and microSD card slot. Connectivity features include Bluetooth 4.0, 3G, Wi-Fi, A-GPS (Assisted GPS).

Under Rs 20,000

Street Price: Rs 17,000
Nokia Lumia 720
Nokia’s mid-range Lumia 720 comes with a 6.7 megapixel autofocus camera. It’s backed by Carl Zeiss optics that delivers incredible low-light photography. The Lumia 720 comes with Nokia camera app that debuted with the Lumia 1020. The software combines Smart Cam, video recorder, and DSLR-like Pro Cam in a single easily accessible suite. Apart from that, you get a 4.3" WVGA IPS screen, 1 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 8 GB internal storage, microSD card slot, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, and 2000 mAh battery. Although the phone only packs in 512 MB RAM, the Windows Phone 8 experience is smooth. To further sweeten the deal, the Finns have thrown in Nokia Music (free music download for a year) and HERE maps (offline sat nav).

Under Rs 30,000

Samsung GALAXY S4
Street Price: Rs 27,900
In the Android world, the Samsung GALAXY S4 has a great camera. The 13 megapixel auto focus snapper comes loaded with plethora of camera features including Dual Shot, Drama Shot, Cinema Shot, Sound & Shot, Eraser, Best Face, and Beauty Face. It is powered by the Exynos 5410 chipset that features 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor, and 2 GB of RAM. Other features include GALAXY packs in a 5" Super AMOLED screen, 16 GB of internal storage, microSD support for up to 64 GB, , 2 mp front-facing camera, Wi-fi, A-GPS with GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, IR LED (Remote Control), MHL 2.0, and 2,600 mAh battery. After the recent price cut, it’s a great deal for Rs 27,900.

Nokia Lumia 925
Street Price: Rs 28,000
In addition to its elegant design, the Lumia 925 offers an excellent camera. The module boasts of Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and Back Side-Illuminated image (BSI) sensor. To achieve OIS, Nokia has suspended the entire 8.7 megapixel Zeiss lens assembly on springs. This help cancel the shakes to produce sharper pictures even in low-light. Other specs include Snapdragon S4 processor, 4.5-inch HD AMOLED screen, 16 GB internal storage, and 2000 mAh battery. The phone runs Windows Phone 8 Black out-of-the-box and is eligible for WP 8.1 update. It comes with productivity apps Office Suite, SkyDrive integration, and HERE Maps.

Cost No Bar

Nokia Lumia 1020
Street Price: Rs 38,000
Nokia’s camera wonder, Lumia 1020 isn’t only about 41 megapixel sensor, but how the Finns have tapped its full-potential with a thoughtfully designed camera app. The 1020 offers total control over parameters such as shutter speed, exposure, white balance, and ISO. With so many settings to play around with, creativity is only limited by your imagination. The interface is so convenient that we wonder why Canon or Nikon couldn’t come up with something like this. Thanks to the Xenon flash, you can take snaps in pitch dark conditions. Long story short, the 1020 is way ahead of the competition. Click here to check out a few sample images.

Tags : Mobile Phones, Cameras, Buyers Guide, Nokia, Samsung, xolo

Thanks to OLX and Quikr, second-hand gadget shopping is on the rise. As we all know, currently the hottest gadget category is smartphones. Looking at the obnoxiously priced high-end phones, you can't blame anyone for going for a pre-owned smartphone. However, the problem here is that these deals are much like the lotteries. To get more money, sellers tend to fake warranty. These folks support their claims with the help of forged bills. In India, it's very easy to get such bills (you too submit fake medical bills to avoid taxes, remember?). Thankfully, you can validate the phone's warranty status without having to step out of your house. Most of the popular brands have dedicated portals just for this. To track the details, all you require is the phone's IMEI (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity) number. It can be found under phone's battery. Alternately, you can dial *#06# to get the IMEI.

Apple
iPhone and iPad users can check their device's warranty status and support coverage on Apple's official website. Here's the exact link:
selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do

Nokia
Unlike Apple's website, Nokia's webpage only informs you whether the handset is in the warranty period.
Link: www.nokia.com/in-en/support/warranty-check

Lenovo
Chinese manufacturer Lenovo lets you check warranty and support on its official portal. We wish, the company does away with that annoying captcha though.
Link: mobilesupport.lenovo.com/us/en/warrantylookup

Gionee
Apart from offering the warranty status, Gionee's website also lets you apply for review devices (if you're a blogger, give it a shot).
Link: gionee.co.in/warranty-tracker

Samsung
Unlike the portals we've covered so far, Samsung's 'Cyber Service Centre' requires you create an account to access the warranty information.
Link: cybersvc2.samsungcsportal.com/cyberservice/csc/account/login01.jsp?

Micromax
At the time of publishing this article, Micromax's support page is returning 404 (Not Found) error message. We're not sure if the service is temporarily down or the company is dropping hints about its after-sales service.
Link: www.micromaxinfo.com/support.php

Tags : Mobile Phones, Apple, Nokia, Samsung, gionee

Nokia X, the Finnish company's first open source Android powered device, has received a price cut just a month after its launch, and is now available for Rs 7,729 on the company's official web-store. The dual-SIM phone was launched at a price of Rs 8,499 which was nearly Rs 900 more than its current price.

The reduction in price of the Nokia X comes just ahead of the launch of its sister devices – Nokia X+ and Nokia XL. The company will most probably price the X+ at the former pricing of the X, with the XL will come at a slight premium to the other two devices.

All three devices sit well below the entry level Nokia Lumia 520 in terms of pricing. They fit Nokia and Microsoft's strategy to serve as a stepping stone for smartphone users to get into the Windows environment.

The Nokia X sports a 4-inch WVGA LCD display (800x480p), is powered by 1GHz Snapdragon processor and has 512MB of RAM. The phone also comes with a 3MP camera and a microSD card slot through which storage is expandable to a maximum of 32GB.

The phone runs on a Android JellyBean, albeit a highly customised version of the popular operating system. Users do not have access to Google's PlayStore for downloading apps, but instead have to use Nokia's very own app store. Like larger Nokia Lumia devices, the X pushes users into the Microsoft app environment, in the hope that they will upgrade to Windows Phone devices in the future.

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Open Source Android, Nokia, Nokia X