TheVerge reported that Apple CEO, Tim Cook, acknowledged Windows Phone as a legitimate competitor and the third horse in this race. Recently we heard a few Apple fans sharing their praises for Nokia Lumia for focusing on user experience first, in both hardware design and OS. Still, you wouldn’t expect the top man at their helm, Tim Cook, to acknowledge the Windows Phone effort based on current performance.

“There’s a horse in Redmond that always suits up and always runs, and will keep running.”

http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/24/2730972/tim-cook-phone-market-isnt-a-two-horse-race-theres-a-horse-in-redmond

As well as WP, He also notes that “there are other players we can never count out”.

Could Cook be talking about Symbian? MeeGo? BlackBerry? Bada?

Midnight rambling…

I think it’s good never to count out your competitors. Doing so would put you in deep trouble, like say, ignoring those doing the clamshell or heavens, touchscreens even if at first they don’t look to be threats. Consider everything as possible threats and do what you can to make sure they never become a proper one (Nokia could have easily snuffed out iPhone/Android before they ever got famous but they moved much too slow, like a giant trying to stomp on an ant…but those Ants had time to grow and turned radioactive and are now bigger than the giant).

A lot of people are discounting what WP can do. It is still very, very early days. Limited market release, 1m+ sales? Not mind blowing but not really terrible. Nokia never intended Lumia to ship in volume in 2011. Note, the Lumia only became available initially at 6 countries mid October. Mid October. 6 countries. Mid October. I seem to need to repeat this. It’s still too early to say it’s a success or a fail, regardless of what naysayers or even fans try to paint one way or the other. Really it’s possibly Q3 that we’ll get a fairer indication of how things are panning out (and I think Elop has mentioned 2012 is still transition time – I think he mentioned this last year already anyway).

Nokia Lumia is essentially a good product. It needs more time to get to more markets and to have that brand established and recognized. Such recognition is absolutely very powerful in Sales. Consider how much of iPhone sales are going, not on merit, but on the brand of it (though I do agree the 4/4S are very excellent smartphones). It’s easier for people to look, pick up and buy something they and their friends are familiar with.

Nokia must also do their damnedest to make sure they continue to create great Lumia products for that project to be successful. Great not just by Nokia standards, but one that meets and possibly exceeds industry expectations. The Lumia 900 in a way pleased a lot of the media (surprisingly enough) but as a geek, I’m still itching for a super high end Lumia and by the looks of things, we might not get one until Apollo arrives. I hope by then it’s not too late and Nokia learns to announce and release before people forget thing you announced.

In the mean time…lower end Lumia’s may help fill in the numbers (especially Tango ones) as they compete on price, but still manage to deliver a great user experience (it’s a pain to get a cheap Android and have the same user experience as S^1 :s).

The 710 could do well on T-Mobile USA and Rogers Canada, especially since it’s generally accepted to be very good value for money. The 900 could also be a big hit for AT&T. We know there’s more Lumias on the way, more to be announced at least every 3 months or so. With more handsets available, and to more countries, we should hopefully start seeing these numbers pick back up.

If we remember all the way back from last year, the transition is expected to be 2 years; annoying since we’ve already spent 4 years in transition from non touch to crappy touch (and snuffing the awesome touch as we went and played with Intel). Note the side bar of the graph below says 100% eventually being Nokia Windows Phone sales. The biggest worry is that when that is true, the Nokia Windows Phone sales is completely negligible. Who wants 100% of 0? The midway point in the graph below is expected to take place this year according to Morgan Stanley’s estimates as WP shipments begin to equal Symbian – though to the overall detriment of lower total smartphone sales for 2012.

Concerns of doubters are valid, but so is the hope still of fans that things are slowly (go frikkin faster, Nokia!) but surely clicking in to place and working out (“no one will buy Nokia WP”, well there’s already 1 million).

I wonder what the prediction is now by those analysts that once predicted quite lofty sales by Nokia and MS. Quite a bit of an overestimate but nice to hope that it could significantly pick up by 2015 – it doesn’t even have to be number 1 as a couple predicted. At least still a major, independent player.

We really need Nokia to step up and give people more of a reason to choose their devices. When’s the ETA for that awesome camera of the N8 that should have been there on the first Lumia, huh? The longer they take to get stuff done, the more opportunity to break out with WP is lost. Any expectations for MWC? We were told they were coming back in a big way last year to 2012 MWC but I’m unfortunately not that optimistic.

In the past, Nokia has always been known for head turning design, either by being bold and distinct or just being utterly beautiful. Nokia’s touch phones have looked nice but nothing to light the world on fire.

Then came of course the Nokia N9 which gave a glimpse as to what the Lumia 800 might have been like. It was a stunner on screen, in pictures and videos and quite something to behold when in your hands. It is quite a remarkable feat what Nokia has achieved given that everyone and their mother seems to be stuck doing:

a) cloning the iPhone (hello Samsung )

b) making shitty ugly phones (hello HTC )

c) copying Nokia (hello Acer iconia )

d) cloning the iPhone (hello Apple. Only you trump Samsung)

Either way, no one is really making fresh, daring, new but gorgeously designed phones. Then came what we saw in N9 (and later in Lumia 800) of something so sleek as to have come from a 26th Century Modern Art gallery. I kinda wish Nokia opted for the invisible capacitive keys (ones where they disappear when there’s no back light) so it can assume the N9′s near perfect untainted obsidian black screen. I say near perfect as the front camera taints it a little when held at certain angles. I’m sure it would have been possible to make it less visible.

The love for this new Nokia design is not by Nokia fans alone, it was met with rapturous applause and worship even from Nokia’s harshest critics on the blogosphere. Those famed for defaming Nokia, either out of sheer hate, spite (or paid to :p jk) could not deny the brilliance achieved by Nokia’s design team.  It was something of a revelation, something revolutionary. It is something that Sir Ive would be proud of. My Mac Air is jealous of its design. Also it’s not just pretty, it’s damn durable and practical too.

Long, long ramble aside, you came here for the TechnoBufallo angle. Top of TechnoBuffalo’s list for the sexiest gadgets of 2011. Quite an honour. Or I thought so until I saw the vomit inducing BlackBerry Porsche 9981. But let’s ignore that blemish and read what they had to say:

To be honest, I was tempted to put the iPhone 4S here, but I decided against it for one simple reason — the form factor hasn’t really changed in two years. But Nokia‘s Lumia 800? Maybe it’s not the analysts’ darling, but I think it’s a fresh take that stands out in a sea of smartphone form factors that, frankly, all starts to look the same after a while. The company took those rounded edges and deep-colored polycarbonate — and put it together with Windows Phone OS, a 1.4 GHz CPU, 8MP camera, and Clearblack display. The result? A stunner of a design-forward package. While I do bemoan the lack of a front-facing camera and a few other specs, I also have to say — never has WinPho looked sexier than when it runs within this handsome handset. Available in Europe, those of us in the States will have to wait until next year to see if this (or its successor, the Lumia 900) will be enough to make the platform a real contender. Personally, I can’t wait.

http://www.technobuffalo.com/technobuffalo/hello-gorgeous-11-sexiest-gadgets-of-2011/

When you have a strong design, it becomes part of your identity, something you’ll be recognised for. It’s in part why iPhone has been vastly successful and why Samsung has been so darned insistent on cloning it. It is a design that works and has become ingrained into consumers mind as belonging to one particular company.

It seems that Nokia will go that way with the Nokia Lumia 900. Well at least in terms of design hints. It’s not going to be a near enough minimally distinguishable like the iPhone (all the same size, all the same face. The back sort of changes and then finally the last two you cannot tell apart in design even if you were Sherlock Holmes…) The Nokia Lumia 900 is of different proportions. It’s larger, has a larger screen and the buttons are all in slightly different places.

But how far should Nokia pursue making similar N9 esque shapes? Do they need to move on? You can kind of see from the Nokia N8 an evolution of tapering curves. I think there’s still room for improvement even upon the amazing N9/Lumia 800. They could just have a 100% visibly seamless phone. There’s space still to trim at the top and bottom.

But keep the shape, those sweeping curves, those tapering edges (the last thing we want is a plain rectangle with curved corners which of course, is patented by Apple :p). Hopefully, Nokia can keep making fantastic designed phones that don’t compromise on the internals as they aren’t used to having such slim phones. I perhaps can live on with this camera, but I really want to be back to using one where I know it will come out great and not just “well, it’s better than nothing”. Nokia is becoming synonymous for these tapering edges. And it’s a design that’s working as Acer and Motorola are copying it too. Oh, please, no raised bezels. As functional as they are they kinda look ugly and present a hiccup in another wise flawless design (for finger flicking, it interrupts the swiping and scrolling motions).

Thanks Alan for the tip!

Anyway, I am not here to talk about the success of these devices or the Nokia “ecosystem” and their strategy. I am here though, to share a comparison between the N9 and Lumia 800, MeeGo vs. Mango, Swipe vs. Metro. I won’t bother with the hardware a lot, just mainly when it comes in conjunction with aspects of the software.

Jay: Michael asked me to just take a look but I decided to butt in and interrupt now and again instead of waiting to comment later :p I’ve grayed it out though so you pay attention more to Michael’s stuff.

Likes about N9 and MeeGo

• Swipe: So simple and so easy to pick up. It has definitely become second nature. In fact, I swipe on my N8 and on any other phone I use, because it has become a habit. [Jay: It's amazing. Really. Except in some games where you accidentally swipe away, other than that, everywhere else, swipe is just very, very awesome]
• Double tap screen to wake: Like swipe, second nature. When I first opened the Lumia 800′s box, booted it, I double tapped the screen. I got frustrated that it wasn’t working, until I realised, “Wait, it’s not my N9″. [Jay: This and the swipe to unlock is actually not a natural movement at first. Everyone I've shown N9 to can't unlock the screen. However, once they get it, they find it very straight forward. This like pinch and zoom (which is also unnatural at first) becomes a must have gesture when you learn it.]
• Unique: It is the only device of its kind. (Sorry N950, you don’t count! )
• Three Homescreens: These views are so easy to use and get used to, I am having trouble living without it on the Lumia. (Live tiles helps and I’ll talk about that too.)
• Hackability: I know this isn’t for everyone, but neither is the device. The N9 does target a niche market. I like the inclusion of developer mode. Although the OS isn’t as user customisable as Symbian and Android, you can still modify the system A LOT. ( Like I’ve shown you with adding IM accounts, changing icons from static to dynamic etc.)
• No self reboots: The only reboots I ever do, are after I use terminal, and the restart is needed for changes to take effect.
• Real Multitasking: This is probably the largest thing that I forget about when using multiple devices. MeeGo-Harmattan doesn’t “freeze” the applications. They indeed run in the background, visible when you navigate to a webpage, swipe away, and watch it load in the Multitasking homescreen.
• Screensaver: I struggle to live without this. It is so handy just pick up the device, look at the screen and see the time, as well as any new email, call or message notifications.
• Laminated Screen: It just feels so nice under your fingers. I know I said I wouldn’t talk about the hardware, but it relates to software. It makes those swiping action so much easier and smoother

Dislikes about N9 and MeeGo:

• “Dead OS”: Although Nokia continually states it will get support, many are skeptical. This mainly impacts developers. No users, No developers, No apps. And consequently, No apps, No Users.
• Battery Consumption: The N9 has decent battery life, but I expect it to be better. In the current times of smartphones, battery is a major part that influences user decision. (Android is renowned for being heavy on the battery, thus many people will go elsewhere.) I tend to get at least a day ( my day is usually 13+ hours switching between 3G, WiFi and no signal at all, so that is something to consider) out of it. Which is still good don’t get me wrong. I am just greedy and want more. For most people, this will be enough.
• Ringer Volume: I find it is way too soft, even on full. I had to go through some terminal commands, to up the volume. (Yes, even though it is full, the volume can go higher? ) [I find speakers on both Lumia and N9 to be quite poor. There's no body to the sound and they're kinda quiet. Tinny and quiet. It's annoying to hear punchier sounds from my Omnia )
• Keyboard: It is way better than Symbian Anna/Belle, but I tend to, more often than not, hit the full stop/period ( . ) instead of a space. It is quite annoying. (At least some apps let me use landscape keyboard so this alleviates the issue a bit, but still, it is annoying.) No, I will not use Swype, it is even worse. [Haha, agree. It's the best Nokia virtual keyboard by far, but usability pales in comparison to Lumia/4S]
• Messaging: I love it. You can have Skype, MSN, Facebook chat, etc. in the one app. (“Wait, why is this in the dislikes?”)  I dislike that each service is separated. It would be nice if (like iOS and Mango) the services where in the same thread or linked contacts, just differentiated by a line across the thread saying “Text”, “Skype”, “Facebook” or whatever, or even, a thumbnail icon next to the time stamp.

Likes about Lumia 800 and Mango:

• Live Tiles: Okay, they aren’t the widgets you are used to on Symbian or Android, but they are still very helpful. Its simple, and elegant, looking a lot less cluttered than Symbian.
• Metro UI and Minimalism: Something I wasn’t sure about using at first was the whole Metro UI (Tiles and panoramic view), but I am warming up to it. It is incredibly fluid and simple to use.
• Camera UI: I like the way you swiping from the top(or left if in landscape), to view previously captured items is a really polished and fluid feature. Saves having to select gallery and scroll through items.
• 270 Degree Screen Rotation: I like it because it is different from what I am used to. It helps in bed sometimes as whilst it is charging, the phone can rotate so the cable isn’t being pulled as much.
• Pictures: This is super cool. The gallery actually connects to your Facebook account, and populates itself with the albums you have shared with your friends.
• Messaging: Like I stated above, I like how Mango groups your chat messages and texts in the same thread, and it is so simple to switch between the two.
• Build Quality: I know it isn’t SW related, but I must say, the glass on the Lumia 800 flows seamlessly into the body. I cannot feel the edge of the glass. Sadly, I can’t say the same for my N9. Maybe I am just unlucky?
• “Me” Tile: This is really handy. It retrieves notifications for you automatically, and will inform you when you have “new items”. Helps when your Facebook tile isn’t up the top and you forget to scroll down and look.
• Keyboard: This is by far, the best keyboard on a touch screen I have ever used. I think I have spelt two words wrong so far. That is way better than the constant full-stop instead of space that happens with my N9.

Dislikes about Lumia 800 and Mango:

• Random Shutdowns: Within the first two days, the device shut itself down about a dozen times. The first was during installing apps, so I shrugged it off. Then they became more random, not having a common cause. (During messaging, calling Voicemail, WhatsApp, Facebook, XBox Live!, Standby and surfing the web.) [Jay: I'd just like to add that another Lumia from Nokia Connects, the one we're using with Steve is experiencing similar random shut down problems. Mine and my batman lumia have had none at all. Never had it in 10 months with Omnia. Batch problem?]
• Arranging Live Tiles: When you arrange the tiles, there can sometimes be blank spaces where the tile once was, due to shifting it around. Tiles don’t just move to the next spot, pushing everything over one, instead creating a new gap. Some people may like this, I sadly don’t. [Jay: I would also like live tiles to have a scroll bar at the side so when I have filled my screen with tonnes of tiles, I can quickly jump to particular group of tiles via scrollbar]
• Contact Transfer: This was shocking. I had the vast majority of my contacts entered as “<unnamed>” or just the number. Even after using it for a week or two, my contacts differ between Lumia and N9, even though it is the same Sim-Card. [Jay: I love Contact Transfer. It's what my Omnia dearly misses and is a great Nokia asset to transfer contacts. It works a treat for me, and Steve even managed to get his to pick him his LG dumbphone contacts]
• Call Quality: This is shocking. Even when I have full signal, (which is rare on the Lumia), I can barely hear the recipient of the call, and they can barely hear me. [No issue with call quality on mine. Normally on HSDPA but it depends on T-Mobile which seems to have a 70% suck rate in the UK. My Lumia on O2 always has signal, like N9 and N8]
• Signal Strength: I know it is supposed to be the same as my N9, but I doubt it. Maybe the indicator is too weird for my liking, as it is greyed out all the time, and I’m not sure if that is for 2G connection, or no signal :/ I find I need to reboot the device for it to fetch a signal and download text messages backed up for days.
• No Screensaver/Standby Screen: Extremely hard to get used to, coming from the N9. It is so useful as I take a glance at my phone and I know the time, and if anyone has contacted me. Okay, I know I can tap the lock button on the 800, but it is just that one less task that, for me, would make the experience a bit more pleasant and refined. [Jay: I love the N9/Symbian's AMOLED standby clock. I like seeing it when the light is off and I don't know where my Lumia/Omnia has gone but can see N8/N9. Or if just at a glance, I can look at the time, no button pressing necessary]
• Tethered Software Updates: The “luxury” that I have grown accustomed to on Symbian and MeeGo, of updating OTA through the device, is a must. Forcing the user to connect the device to a computer to update, is stupid. It will most likely mean that the user won’t update for a while, because of the hassle, or won’t update at all. (App updates happen on device, so why not FW? Besides more complex etc. )
• Ringtone Customisation: As far as I can tell, and I’ll be happy to be wrong, the only way to add additional ringtones, is through apps. This is stupid. If the app doesn’t have the latest tune you’re looking for, you can’t set it as your tone. [Jay: Whilst WP has done themselves a service by making ringtone apps, the whole act of adding a ringtone yourself is a little cumbersome. Pus you don't get to set it as a message tone. It's a little annoying and needs to be addressed in Tango/Apollo. Seriously, it's not difficult to do, right?]

I could definitely go on and on about both for hours. But I think I have put you readers through enough torturous reading. You are probably thinking, “well, what is Michael’s verdict?” The answer isn’t simple. If you want different, you go for the N9. Completely different experience (at least for now) than anything else you will find. If you want something with apps, and that will get all the love and support you want, go Lumia 800. Personally, I love both. I have been swapping them around every few days, spending more time with the Lumia 800. (Maybe because I know I have to give it back soon ) I like the simplicity of the Lumia 800, but then again, why “use the front door when you can use the back, or side doors” of the N9, thanks to Swipe?

I do know I will miss some things from the Lumia, mainly the Virtual KBD, “Me Tile”, push notifications for Facebook, sync/backup to skydrive etc, but they are all things that can be added to the N9 in updates, and also will be improved upon in the Lumia devices to come and WP Apollo and Tango updates.

Michael

Yesterday the discussion was mostly about Nokia’s delivery times for updates. Now let’s look at that oh so subtle change of the legend of a name that was Symbian – the first to bring smartphone to the masses which now has been quietly dropped in line for the Nokia brand, Nokia Belle.

It’s been almost a day, how are you liking it? Should Nokia have stuck with Nokia Belle or kept Symbian Belle? Maybe some other name?

It was for a time, really great with the various UIs from other manufacturers. Nokia went full on flooding the market with brilliant S60 (Series 60) phones but never really understood how to get S60 on touch without looking like a disaster of S60 just plastered on a touch screen. I remember seeing the first ever demo, knowing what to expect from iPhone and just feeling such an anticlimax.

It got worse as Android started picking up and was also beginning to improve usability on the touch screen. In the mean time we were stuck with S60 5th whilst Symbian floundered wasting time trying to make itself open source. Whilst no real development occurred, the wider public became used to simplicity, fluidity and stability. This meant that all of Symbian’s riches were being overlooked. It was no longer about features X,Y,Z but how easy it is, how quickly and reliable it was to perform A, B or C.

Over time as Nokia failed to maintain Symbian to the standard it needed to be usability wise, Symbian was and had lost the respect of some of the major tech blogs. Many as you know often making snide jabs and constant put downs before even having tried the device. Many comments from youtube immediately ignorant to the new S^3 basing it on either poor experience with S^1/S60 5th/S60 or not even that at all, but the hearsay of the tainted Symbian name.

I’ve seen a few comments, some Symbian fans saying it’s hard to accept that now Symbian is associated with a fail. Particularly now that even Nokia’s CEO has deemed it so and is moving to a different platform (though still continuing to improve and support it, making sure it’s not stuck on S^3 but has gone from Anna, Belle and will continue to Carla and Donna).

So is it a good thing to change the name, the tainted brand of Symbian so that no preconceived notions and wrong assumptions are made before trying out Symbian Belle. Belle is indeed correctly beautiful, addressing many of the usability concerns and as many have put making the phone feel new. Some saying they can’t look back to Anna at all.

What they need then is just a chance for the consumer to try it out. Not be swayed by the iPhone brand or the now almost equally as popular Android (brand wise). Yes, Belle should have been on the N8 since launch. Really it should have been there from 2009 at the latest given that we already had something so inconceivably amazing in the Nokia N900 with Maemo 5. I don’t want to digress to much into the brilliance of that little thing as I could go on forever, but i just remembered one comment by a reader reminding us of how it came about that it was about internal politics killing Maemo. It was the sheer strength of Symbian at Nokia that supposedly prevented the brilliance of Maemo from taking over when it should have done, prevented it from developing at the pace it could have done. If you were ever lucky enough to use a N900 you would know why we are all so passionate about it. It renewed a lot of faiths to see just how brilliant Nokia could be. I tweeted this last night – it sums up what I could but won’t write in several walls of text

I miss Maemo 5. Imagine if it received the same love Symbian did. Imagine if it did not get diverted to MeeGo. Maemo would rule the world.

As a Nokia fan, it pains me that we had waited so long and the solution for total dominance was there (Maemo at high end, Symbian crushing Android before it even got a foothold of mid). Positively received software, the hardware was powerful, the only niggles were some things that could have easily been ironed out and that it was fat. Just that. We would never have needed to go Windows Phone, we would still have many great Symbian phones but then many more and even more amazing Maemo 6 and Maemo 7 phones. Apps, well, Nokia just needed the right consistent platform to build on. The maemo community would always be there, but then they could have done similar projects, many many give aways, even buy developers, spend a few billion just getting developers. Why not, they did have sufficient cash then.

They played the game much too safe, bet too much on Symbian instead of taking the risk with the incredible Maemo and now here we are. Symbian name is no longer on the table.

We already saw a quick initial review of the latest cross-messaging app for Nokia phones yesterday, from the perspective of a Symbian User. This is a post I have quickly drawn up, as a way to provide some extensive feedback to the developers, as well as gauge the opinion of the readers here at MyNokiaBlog.

I may upload a video later on to be a part of the N9Apps series, possibly after it is out of Beta mode, but this is mainly just a written rant, with a few screenshots.

Issues:

The first main issue I have faced, is importing contacts. (Personally, importing from Phonebook was alright, but I have seen it written on twitter that this caused a few issues. ) For me, importing Facebook contacts was the main issue. I am given a browser window inside the app, directing me to log in to Facebook and authorise the app’s access to my account. It then displays the “busy indicator” and unfortunately, does not stop. The app cannot do anything else while this is going on, and you are forced to exit the app.

Second issue is the notification system. It does not display anything on the screen saver, yet it is displayed on the lock screen. Toolbar notification is temperamental. Sometimes it will display the flag icon and have the notification on the Events homescreen, others it wont. I’m pretty sure I have narrowed this down to when the app is open. If it is open, (even in the background), no alerts will be shown at all, toolbar and lock screen. This can be quite annoying when you are multitasking and forget you were in a conversation. Something else I don’t like, is the double over of alert sounds. One to say I have a new message, and another when I go into the app, and it refreshes the inbox. This is annoying as I often think I have two messages, and wait for it to load another one, when in fact there was only the one message. The notification alert sound is also quite feint. (Given the alert sounds on N9 are not loud, but this is softer than the “Beep” profile in my opinion.) It would be nice if it were the same default SMS tone selected by the user for regular messaging.

Thirdly, there is no Settings option that I can find. It would be nice to have a settings menu that allowed you to choose preference of WLan/3G, refresh contact list, tone preference etc. This does not have to be in the app, it could even be a part of the device’s settings, like other apps out there, (eg. Calendar Feed), but this little added aspect of customisation can make the user feel like the app is catering for them more, and just adds to the overall pleasant user experience. (This isn’t a must, but like I said, it would be nice.)

Finally, the speed at which it takes start-up (select the app and open) is a bit longer than I would like. It would be really nice to see it start instantly or within 1-2 seconds.(Currently launches in about 6-7 secs). Maybe this will be sorted in an update to come.

Positives:

So I know it seems all I’ve done is slander the app, but it is in fact very good. The UI fits very well with the MeeGo-Harmattan paradigm. The speed at which it connects to the service is phenomenal. (Provided you have good data speeds/signal strength). There is a feature in which XMS will not send the message until a network connection has been established. This is good for people driving in remote areas, as once there is signal, the message will be sent.

I like the inclusion of the “typing” indicator below the contact’s name, as well informing you that the message was read. It can be frustrating sometimes sending your mate a message, waiting for a reply, and wondering if they ever received it in the first place.

Being built in QT, you expect the app to be smooth and fluid. It does not disappoint. It’s quite instantaneous. Only slight “lag” occurs when selecting a message thread, most likely due to loading the messages.

Something I keep forgetting is that this app is still in Beta. There are several features in the iOS/Android/Blackberry versions that are still yet to be released to the Nokia platforms. If eBuddy XMS wants to be number 1, it needs to ensure it has identical features across all the OSes and do just that. Have an app for all the OSes, not just the most popular.

You probably are thinking, Michael has listed all these negatives, why should I download it? The answer is simple. It works, and works well. The chances are, that if you are using this to cut costs, you will have the contact in your phonebook, so Facebook import is no issue. You will get used to closing the app each time, to get the notifications, I have and it’s a little over a day. My judgement; it is definitely worth a download. If you haven’t already got it, hit the source link below.

Drop us your thoughts in the comment section below.

Michael

SOURCE: eBuddy XMS for MeeGo

It seems after we posted about a new N9 FW being available on Navifirm, many claimed it to be Pr 1.2, others a bug fix for PR 1.1. This post is to settle the dispute. Sorry for an image that looks sketchy, it is all I can reveal without sharing the developer’s details, but the email this was contained in has been forwarded to me, and it is legitimate.

Firstly, V 22.2011.44-2 is PR 1.1.1, which is simply a fix for PR 1.1, aimed at the Middle Eastern market. This supposedly fixes a bug caused by Arabic language support. So to fully clarify, PR 1.1.1 is V 22.2011.44-2 which adds Arabic support for the UI. Secondly, I was tipped from a dev who wants to remain anonymous, that their app was tested by Nokia (during Store Publish testing) on RM-696 CE (RM-696 is N9, yet CE is typically used for “Community Edition”? Codename for N950?), running PR 1.0, PR 1.1, PR 1.1.1 and PR 1.2 (V 30.2011.47-1). This version info for PR 1.2, corresponds with the screenshots from the original leak we posted about a few weeks back.

For those who have not yet seen the various posts here, and around the internet, detailing the changes to come in PR 1.2, here they are;

• In Settings > Applications, update has added a “Manage Applications” button.
• The interface now separates the camera flash options, from the other options available.
• In the video recording UI, flash icon is separated as well.
• The buttons have a new style.
• In Settings > Display, there is a new settings option given to Colour Profiles.
• Gallery has a new option for face recognition.
• In an image, opening the Options menus now has an “Insert face” feature.

If you have PR 1.1.1 and have noticed any differences other then Arabic Support, let us know in the comments section below.

Michael

It was something I’ve been fearing and has been reported through a lot of sources now (from IDC numbers). Nokia’s home market share is less than half what it was this time last year.

• What are the new competition beating phones in the Nokia portfolio? E7? X7? C7? Hello? What did we have against the competition apart from the N8 during Q4 2010? Q1 2011? Q2 2011? Huh?
• Stronger competition with iPhone and Androids. Again, portfolio. Where was all the good stuff?
• What kind of apps were available on Nokias in 2010 and subsequently 2011?
• Androids eating up Nokia share with cheaper phones that essentially offered better user experience.
• The Feb11 announcement – an effect on Symbian’s sales for Q3? (Q2 was supposedly overstock issue overflowing from Q1)
• No new phones until Q4 2011

Nokia N9 essentially is a Q4 product, as is the Nokia Lumia 800. Likewise, the Belle phones  - Nokia 603, Nokia 700, and Nokia 701 could only really make an impact for Q4. Until then, what exactly did we see Nokia offering? It was around this time I found it hard to recommend any other Nokia phone apart from the N8 and its spectacular camera. E7 vs SGSII with pricing just a touch more expensive on SGSII at the time? Say what? There’s not even a successor for the N8 this year. There’s no flagship Symbian in 2010. What year has there been no new flagship Symbian? (701 is not that).

BTW does anyone have the numbers from Q2 2010, Q4 2010 to Q1, Q2, Q3 2011?

I hope to God Nokia has some actual flagship deserving products in 2012. Give me that high end N8 successor. Give me the Nokia Lumia 900 that has no excuse any more for not delivering high end features. Maybe even give us that phone that apparently continues Swipe features. The N9 is fantastic. The Lumia 800 is a great start. But that’s not good enough really in the world where your competitors are always pushing the boundaries. What are you doing? What happened to that incredible 12mp camera in the N8 huh? The N9 and 800 are being trounced in the camera department by an iPhone. Jeez! Stop going backwards for goodness sake!

I know what’s coming in Q1 2012 is already set in stone (most likely Q2 releases as well). We have indications on what precisely those will be and they might be brilliant. But still, not wanting to take anything for granted…

Bring us some incredible products, PLEASE, Nokia! You’ve made ground work with user experience on 800, now excel, show us what you can do and that supposed Nokia stamp. Show off Symbian Belle with updated hardware (seriously, what’s nHD in 2012? You want a slap?) Ah. I don’t want to go to extreme rant mode, it just brings back to many crappy, stupid Nokia mistakes since 2007. (See what happens if I go to rant mode >>click<< that’s just in comments section)

We need one awesome product in 2012, and then another, and then another, and then another. Right now I think it’s important to focus first on mindshare. Bring back the great and fantastic Nokia products we know you can and have made. The ones that set the bar not just for your portfolio but for the competition too. Keep the marketing going to let folks be aware of your products. I think it is possible to reverse the current negative image of Nokias – we just need to have some really amazing Nokia products next year. Please, before you release something, take a look. Is it mediocre? If it is, go put that thing in the bin unless of course you price it cheaply enough. Nokia, don’t mass produce a million variations of crap that harms your brand. Look how you destroyed Nseries.

Again, repeat because it cannot be said enough times.

Give us more great designs, great user experiences, and new up to date features. Back it up with the marketing so consumers will be aware and give your products a chance. This is all just plain common sense stuff, but based on the crap they’ve been doing since 2007 you just can’t take it for granted that they’d avoid stupid, obvious adventures to Fail-Land. What you did with 800 marketing, pump the same into 900. But better. Always strive for better. Don’t ignore the new Belle phones either. You still have much to gain there. Don’t waste it away on mediocre hardware.

Come on Nokia.

Cheers mrprince for the tip.

Image from mobiletechreview

I don’t have the actual translation so just going on google translate which might skew some details.

Apparently:

“RBS estimates that Lumioita sold during the fourth quarter, a total of 850 000 to million pieces.”

RBS arvioi, että Lumioita myytäisiin vuoden viimeisellä neljänneksellä yhteensä 850 000:sta miljoonaan kappaletta.

Update: Thanks for the translation guys, it does indeed say estimates of 850k-1m that Nokia ‘would’ sell.

http://www.taloussanomat.fi/informaatioteknologia/2011/12/02/rbs-nokia-lumia-800n-myynti-ollut-penseaa/201118207/12

 

 

Apparently that means luke warm sales.

Is that the expected sales for Q4 2011 or what has sold already? I think that’s an expectation for Q4.

4th Quarter? You mean the fourth quarter that began selling the Lumia in 6 European countries from November 16th? So that’s what, about 6 weeks of sales?

Since when has 1 quarter equalled 1.5 months? If it was on sale for the full Q4, that could then mean 2M right? In a phone sold in 6 countries? Where iPhone and Android is the default thing and there is no attraction or demand right now for WP? iPhone and things like SGS (X) already have a firm branding now. They’re recognized options. Lumia is nothing right now. A new unknown entity.

Wasn’t that 2M the rumoured expected shipments from Nokia anyway? (Not confirmed by Nokia) But Nokia has mentioned they will first get the Nokia WP OUT in 2011 and then in 2012 ship that thing in volumes next year (hence why a lot of Nokia’s markets aren’t getting the Lumia till 2012). Why is this all a surprise to everyone?

release aWindows Phone by the end of the year, though we likely won’t be seeing it ship in large volumes until early next year

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/16/nokia-first-windows-phones-still-shipping-by-end-of-year/

It’s a great start for Nokia on what is not their high end star. It wasn’t exactly certain whether Nokia would even get a WP phone out this year based on their performance of getting a phone out from design labs to the consumer. As far as we heard, the orders from Compal suggested Nokia never expected to sell this phone in droves this ‘quarter’.

How fast did Samsung get the original SGS (At time when Android was already very popular)? 6 weeks. Hey, isn’t that almost the same as the Lumia 800? But since it’s Nokia or WP that must mean it’s bad?

• http://www.kitguru.net/mobile/android/jules/samsung-galaxy-s-phone-sells-1-million-units-in-6-weeks/
• http://www.dailytech.com/UPDATE+Samsung+Galaxy+S+Sells+1M+Units+Lands+on+Verizon+Sept+9/article19483.htm

It’s clearly not the numbers achieved by Nokia Symbian smartphones – of course not the iPhone either or the equally popular SGSII. Those have a reputation of being great devices already (plus the iPhone is led by the best marketing team in the world hands down – like a news article in the Metro paper said a guy got fired for complaining about the alarm on his iPhone. Image was too important and dissing the company on facebook is a no no). Lumia is not even 1 month old. Nokia’s reputation is still pretty much those cheap disposable phones or the unfortunately ‘difficult to use’ Symbian. It’s going to take a while to recover their image. That will be done with Belle, Carla, Meltemi and Lumia WP.

As for the numbers, since Nokia hasn’t released any data, we don’t really know for sure other than estimates.

Cheers BellGo for the tip!

Dear MNB readers, the Nokia N8 impresses once again. Say what you may about Symbian^3/Anna/Belle and even Nokia, but we cannot truthfully deny the craftmanship that went into designing and developing the N8′s 12 Megapixel 720p Carl Zeiss camera module.

From GSMArena:

The rapid progress that cameraphone have been making over the past few years is no secret for anyone, but shooting a whole movie on one? Yes, please! – said phone directors Hooman Khalili and Patrick Gilles and proceeded to shoot their full length feature film Olive on a Nokia N8.

We are talking a full cinema-ready movie here that should be hitting theaters in the US soon. And all it took for the N8 to turn into a piece of cinematic gear was a 35 mm lens adapter, which was modified to fit the smart phone in order to achieve the needed shallow depth of field.

The film stars two-time Academy Award nominated actress Gena Rowlands as well as John Scurti, Chris Maher, and Ruby Alexander. And the sound design was created by the George Lucas-owned Skywalker Sound.

Side rant: How come all the N8 vs. Other Phones videos never compare Digital Zoom during HD video recording? Answer: All other phones show the weakness of their camera modules and software and would lose massive amounts of detail, thus, the N8 becoming the obvious winner! Really, the quality of the N8 720p HD digital zoom compared to other phones HD digital zoom has to be seen to be believed. Does anyone know what video editing program is used to show split screen video comparisons? I want to make a N8 vs SGSII side by side video comparison.

Without further delay, head over to the GSMArena article for more information and a special Behind the Scenes and First 5 Minutes video preview of the upcoming movie: Olive.

You wont be disappointed.

Source: GSMArena

Thanks goes to Edmund for the tip!

Here’s an interesting video covering a topic that’s coming up frequently in the discussions here.  The video is titled,

“What is life-enhancing? The balance between technology and user experience”

Here they talk about focusing now on user experience instead of just pure technology. Nokia has led in Technology before like no other, but along came Jobs and his user experience. Despite what future technologies our Nseries had, it was no match for the simplicity of use that brought smartphones to a whole new level of users. Joe averages that didn’t have to be that extra bit technical to work a phone. It was all to promote simplicity, ease of use, reliability, fluidity of usage. In essence, as Nokia said with the N8 (though never quite got on Symbian^3) It’s NOT technology, it’s what you do with it. It’s not about having feature X, Y, Z, it’s about having features that users/consumers will connect to and as such find it easy and natural to use. This means no menu digging, just simple, here it is. Done. Nokia’s achieved this brilliantly with MeeGo-Harmattan (not used it long enough to say but it was sure pleasant) and now Nokia’s focused on bringing ‘user-experience’ first on Windows Phone.

Right, ok to the actual video. Had a little rant there. The video is with Nokia’s Jo Harlow, EVP Smart Devices and Noel Lee, Founder of Monster – Nokia’s new partner for the Purity line of audio accessories. Jo talks about how consumers now are bombarded with specs. As far as the public is concerned, the simplest way to understand things is the bigger the number, the better? (Processors, megapixels, GB storage etc etc) though obviously to you and I, that’s not always the case. Noel talks about liking Stephen Elop’s presentation. There are many phones that do social media, but none quite as integrated, as cohesive, as simplified, effectively as fun as that people hub. That’s the kind of the not-necessarily-inventing-but-polishing-and-simplifying job that Apple is often known for.

I’d love to carry on and talk you through the rest of the video but I’ve got some revision for tomorrow that I have to finish up. Maybe I’ll come back to this video again if there’s anything worth talking up again.

Video by NokiaConversations