Video: Nokia Lumia 800 Dark Knight Rises Edition shown off in London, only 40 will be made

The next movie in the Batman series, The Dark Knight Rises, is set to be 2012′s ultimate summer blockbuster. When a movie of that caliber comes out, you know brands will do anything to associate themselves with something bound to receive such an ungodly amount of attention. One such brand is Nokia, who will take the Lumia 800 that they already sell, put it in a fancy box with the Batman logo on it, set the default wallpaper to a photo of Bane (the primary antagonist in the film), and best of all they’ll etch a little Batman logo into the back of the device. How many of these limited edition handsets will come out? Just 40. Where are they going to be available? Not sure. How much will they sell for? An arm and a leg. We’re waiting for some additional details from Nokia, but don’t expect this thing to show up at a store near you.

The bigger question on our minds is why isn’t stuff like this done more often and to an even greater degree? This Batman flavored Lumia 800 should have been custom 3D printed to look like one of Batman’s weapons. It should also have come preloaded with crazy custom ringtones. And it should have sold for double what a regular Lumia 800 sells for. Such a device would be picked up so fast that Nokia’s payment processing servers would melt. And why stop at Batman? There are plenty of other franchises to latch onto. All in the name of marketing, right?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWhR3fk2bK4

Article: RSS via IntoMobile

Tags: Batman, Lumia 800, Nokia, Smartphones, The Dark Knight Rises, Video, Windows Phone

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Developer teases voice control of Zune, using PC and Windows Phone (video)

The great thinkers of the world have long known a secret that we’re now happy to disclose: it’s not necessity that’s the mother invention, but rather laziness. Fortunately, expending a great deal of effort on a project — simply to perform a task effortlessly — sometimes brings very cool results. A concept app known as ZuneVoice easily passes muster in this realm, which is used to control Zune software on the PC with only a standard microphone and spoken commands. As you can see in the demo video, its creator, keyboardp, is able to play individual songs, issue commands such a “pause” or “next song”, and even display full-screen music videos from YouTube. The developer even crafted an app for his Lumia 800 known as PhoneZune, which serves as a remote control for times when he’s away from the box. Neither application is yet publicly available, though feedback is welcome. Next, we’re told to expect Kinect integration. Perhaps one day, these gems will see the light of day.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNFsx-_EDek

Article: RSS via Engadget

Tags: Apps, Lumia 800, Microsoft, Microsoft Kinect, Music, Nokia, PhoneZune, Smartphones, Video, Windows 7, Windows Phone, Zune, ZuneVoice

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Nokia to release Windows 8 tablets this June, top drawer Lumia in the works?

There’s some intriguing Nokia news coming out of France this morning, thanks to Paul Amsellem, head of the company’s Gallic outpost. In a recent interview with Parisian daily Les Echos, Amsellem described Nokia’s aspirations to regain some of the market share it’s lost within France, explaining that his firm is squarely targeting the 60 percent of French users who currently don’t own a smartphone. More salient, however, is what the exec had to say about Nokia’s plans for future releases. According to Amsellem, Espoo will unveil a new Windows 8 equipped tablet by June 2012.

Unfortunately, that’s about all he had to say on the subject, but it’s certainly enough of a carrot to raise our heart rates — as are Amsellem’s comments on the Lumia 800, which hit French stores yesterday. Comparing the handset to a BMW 5 series, the chief went on to say that Nokia “will soon have a full range with a 7 Series and 3 Series.” He didn’t elaborate much on this analogy, though its implication is rather self-evident — new Lumia cousins may be in the works. Of course, it remains to be seen when and if the company will expand upon its Lumia line, though we’ll definitely be keeping our yeux on it.

Article: RSS via Engadget

Tags: Lumia 800, Microsoft, Nokia, Smartphones, Tablet PC's, Windows 8, Windows Phone

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Nokia: Lumia 800 will be available SIM free on 16 November

EXCLUSIVE: Will go on sale

Following the news of a Clove report stating that it won’t be getting any SIM free stock of the Nokia Lumia 800 until 2012, and therefore neither will the rest of the industry, Nokia has set the record straight saying, well, the complete opposite.

“The Nokia Lumia 800 goes on sale on the 16th of November as we stated during the launch at Nokia World. There are some rather odd stories circulating at present, it’s rather flattering as it proves that there are a lot of people who believe the Lumia 800 will be a major sales item and are now trying to get it onto their shelves.

“However for the rollout of our first Lumia products, we have chosen to work with the UK operator and retail partners who shared our enthusiasm and commitment to bring these first products to market with a major focus on bringing alive the Nokia with Windows Phone experience for consumers. Therefore we are making sure that by using these channels the Lumia 800 will be available to our customers in the widest variety of outlets from SIM free to contract.

“We have also worked extensively to train these channels to support the product. From Q1 next year we will be supplying the product to our wider UK distribution network and in the interim we will be supporting these additional channels with training ready for this wider reach.”

Turns out Clove just isn’t one of those key parties. It said in a statement on Tuesday:

“It’s bad news on the Nokia front this afternoon unfortunately. We can now confirm that the Nokia Lumia 800 will not be available SIM-free in the UK until January 2012, although it will still be launched in the UK on November 16th with a contract and will be available from selected stores.

“This is a real shame as we’re seeing massive interest in the first baby from the Nokia/Windows Phone marriage and we’re expecting it to be well received when it does launch. We will be contacting customers that have pre-ordered by email shortly.”

Our bet would be to get it from one of the network operators with or without SIM. You can read our thoughts on the new Nokia phone in our Nokia Lumia 800 review.

Tags: Lumia 800, Nokia, SIM Free, Smartphones, UK, Windows Phone

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Nokia Lumia 800 hits UK carriers this November, Xbox 360 used as bait

Nokia fanboys and girls across the British Isles are getting the Lumia 800 love as early as November. Confirmed on a trio of carriers earlier today, Espoo’s “first real Windows Phone” is slated to hit Vodafone, Orange and 3 UK sometime next month, though no specific street date has yet been revealed. You can hit up the operators’ respective sites now to sign-up for the availability updates, or go whole hog with an in-store pre-order in the case of 3 UK. At least one of these networks is sweetening the pot for potential subs, as Orange’s enticing lure of a free Xbox 360 with handset upgrade is sure to reel in bargain hunting customers.

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Tags: Lumia 800, Nokia, Smartphones, Windows Phone

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Nokia Shows Off Flexible Mobile Device of the Future [VIDEOS]

Look what Nokia has done with this mobile gadget — Nokia calls it a “kinetic device,” a prototype with a flexible display the company showed at Nokia World 2011 in London.

Instead of the pinch-to-zoom capabilities copied throughout the smartphone industry, Nokia has come up with a novel way to accomplish the same thing: When you bend and twist this handset, the image on its screen does your bidding in a highly intuitive way.

One of the advantages Nokia touts for such a device is the ability to use it without looking at it — for instance, twisting it in your pocket to dismiss a call or change song on a music player.

How does it work? According to CNET, a Nokia demonstrator said the company was experimenting with bundles of carbon nanotubes whose electrical properties change when they’re stretched. Those nanotubes are embedded in a flexible substance that allows the device to control the screen when twisted and bent. An additional advantage: The device is much tougher — and is water resistant, too.

We’ve heard of displays that might be capable of folding like a newspaper and rolled up like a tube, but the idea of controlling by bending is different. Imagine the possibilities: Perhaps it could be used by blind people, where the bending properties of the device would not require vision to intuitively control a smartphone.

When will we see such a thing in the real world? Nokia’s not saying precisely when its kinetic device will be released, but one rep tells IntoMobile in the video embedded below, “hopefully soon.”

Article: RSS via Mashable

Tags: Flexible Display, Kinetic Device, Nokia, Nokia Kinetic, Video

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Nokia smartphone sales down 39 per cent

Hurry up WP7

Nokia has just posted its Q3 sales results and things aren’t looking too great for the company. The bottom line is that Nokia has managed a $94 million net loss in its third quarter with a worrying 39 per cent drop in smartphone sales.

CEO Stephen Elop has responded to the worrying financial results stating:

“I am encouraged by our progress around the first Nokia experience with Windows Phone, and we look forward to bringing the experience to consumers in select countries later this quarter. We then intend to systematically increase the number of countries and launch partners during the course of 2012.”

Looks like all eyes within Nokia are now on Windows Phone to turn the company’s fate around.

“To position Nokia for the future, we are driving fundamental changes in how we operate. In addition to the changes announced in April, in Q3 we announced plans for structural changes in manufacturing, Location & Commerce and supporting functions. The planned changes we have initiated are difficult but necessary in order to align the company to our strategy.” said Elop.

Nokia was most likely aware that these results were going to be bad. The company has been in a serious period of transition of late, moving towards Microsoft in the hope that Windows Phone 7 can re-affirm its position in the smartphone market.

As Elop states, this takes time and does require some painful financial results on route. Ultimately Windows Phone 7 has got to be Nokia’s last shot. A 39 per cent drop in sales is huge and despite Nokia’s position in the dumbphone and affordable handset market, more and more people are now adopting things like Android as the go-to for phones, expensive or not.

Fingers crossed for next week’s Nokia Windows Phone 7 launch, it’s going to have to be a good one.

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Tags: Mobile Phones, Nokia, Smartphones, Windows Phone

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Nokia 800 Windows Phone’s Three Colors Revealed

Besides adopting much of its design language from the “boutique” N9, it now looks like the upcoming Nokia 800 Windows Phone 7 will also come in the same trio of colors as its Meego-powered linemate. New imagery, which gives us the best look yet at a phone tipped to launch next week at London’s Nokia World conference, shows the 3.7-inch handset sporting shades of black, blue, and pink.

Recent evidence suggests that the 800 (codenamed Searay) — and possibly as many as two other devices — will launch just weeks after its debut; we’ve heard that November 15th is the date to watch. Unfortunately for Nokia (and, by proxy, Microsoft), its flagship Windows Phone will likely drop into an ecosystem habitated by just-announced, and much more powerful, Android offerings in the form of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Motorola Droid Razr. The Nexus, in particular, should probably give Redmond some second thoughts about the somewhat slow progression of its hardware requirements for the year-old platform.

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Tags: Nokia, Nokia 800, Smartphones, Windows Phone

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Nokia Essence promises 99.8 percent noise cancellation, lets you listen to Ke$ha in peace

In-ear headphones that cancel out almost all of the background noise? Yes, please. The Nokia Essence is the latest stereo Bluetooth to hit the market, and it’s poised to eliminate as much of the world around you as possible — 99.8 percent of it, at least. As many earbuds impel the user to turn up the volume level just to hear more bass, the idea with the Essence is to zap out low-frequency background noises (such as traffic) to provide a deeper bass sound without having to crank up the knob to 11. The Essence is also equipped with NFC for easy tap-to-pair functionality. Scroll down below to see a video showing a guy who’s getting the most out of his new headphones.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUrb77KQPsA

Article: RSS via Engadget

Tags: Accessories, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Stereo Headphones, NFC, Nokia, Nokia Essence, Video

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Windows Phone 7 Nokia Maps: screenshots leaked

Nokia handset exclusive?

Pictures of Nokia’s new Windows Phone 7 Maps app have been leaked online. They show images of a Symbian-style Ovi Maps navigation app, complete with directions, photos and detailed place descriptions.

The app is rumoured to be bundled as an exclusive with Nokia’s Windows Phone 7 and should bring more detailed and accurate navigation to the operating system.

From the pictures it looks as if the Nokia Maps app is very similar to Symbian, with the same map layouts and icons. The zoom bar looks slightly different as does the Windows Phone 7 font.

The app listing itself also reveals that Nokia Maps will include public transport information and directions as well as info for walking and driving.

“Nokia Maps helps you to be a local anywhere you go. See where you are and discover places nearby in a snap. Get reviews, uncover new destinations and reach them with smart routing for public transport, walking and driving.”

Not much else is known about Nokia’s Windows Phone 7 efforts, short of staff at the company regularly informing us how amazing it looks.

The early video of Nokia’s Sea Ray Windows Phone 7 handset in action doesn’t appear to include the Nokia Maps icon, instead it features conventional WP7 maps. This suggests the Nokia Maps app is a later addition to the companies’ Windows Phone 7 handsets.

Given how well Ovi Maps runs on Symbian, we expect Nokia will be pushing the mapping function quite a bit when its WP7 handset does eventually arrive.

Article: RSS via Pocket-lint

Tags: Apps, Navigation, Nokia, Nokia Maps, Windows Phone, Windows Phone 7

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