Days in the Life of a Mobile Diva

Nokia Lumia 720 deals now available from O2, from £11 a month

Former British Telecom mobile phone network O2 is now carrying the Nokia Lumia 720 handset, in the colour of red.

Nokia announced this phone at Mobile World Congress this year, as a midrange device - complimenting the Lumia series, only without 4G capabilities.

It has a 4.3-inch ClearBlack 800 x 480 display, which can even be used with a glove - thanks to its super sensitive touch screen technology.

Powering the mobile is a dual-core 1GHz processor, with 512MB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. It is the first of the unibody range to be able to accept microSD cards, up to 64GB.

This boasts the title of being the slimmest Lumia to date, coming it at 9mm.

There is a 6.7-megapixel camera on-board, which has an f.1.9 aperture lens. That is said to be the largest found, in a phone at this price point.

O2 is retailing the Nokia Lumia 720 on contracts starting from £11 a month, with the handset costing £179.99.

It is also available without an upfront cost on a £22 tariff. That has 600 minutes, an unlimited text message bundle and a 750MB data allowance.

The network is also stocking the 720 on pay as you go deals, for £299.99

Check out Omio’s hand-on pictures from MWC 2013, along with the video walkthrough – from a product spokesperson. 

Via: The INQ

Nokia Lumia-inspired Asha phones leaked?

Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia has seen pictures leaked online of a yet-to-be-announced Nokia Asha range, with design cues taken from the Nokia Lumia series.

This photo has come from the infamous Twitter user @evleaks, which in the past as revealed accurate information - ahead of a company official unveiling it.

These are the possibly soon-to-be-launch HTC Facebook Myst handset; the HTC One press photos; Huawei Ascend P2 and name of the first BlackBerry 10 OS handset - to name but a few. Even the Samsung Galaxy S4 had its first outing on the popular user's account.

This latest piece of info has been posted to its Twitter account, in a tweet that simply reads  -"Remember that Nokia Asha design language preview?".

That is accompanied with the picture above, which highlights the purported Nokia Asha phones - with a look of the Lumia portfolio.

Nokia has already started to incorporate a one-look-design philosophy, which we saw at Mobile World Congress this year.

That was with the very low-end and basic Nokia 105, which has the cost attached of just 15 Euros.

It isn’t inconceivable the Nokia Asha range will gain this look too, but we will just have to wait and see what is coming next from the Finnish.

Via: Cnet

Update brings FM radio capabilities to Lumia handsets

Seattle based software developer Microsoft is prepping an update to Windows Phone 8 run handsets, which will offer access to those that have FM radios - which are currently dormant.

These are with mobile phones such as the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820, which ship with this disabled hardware – that we reported on here.

The update, thought to be called General Distribution Release (GDR2) for Windows Phone 8, will activate that hardware along with providing a new screen gesture.

That will be coming from Nokia, where Lumia 920 and 820 owners will be able to simply double-tap the screen to wake the device.

This is opposed to pressing the power on/standby button to reactive the mobile phone that has entered the standby-mode.

Tech news title The Verge has learned this information, from sources familiar with Microsoft and Nokia's plans.

It also adds that other improvements coming from Nokia are a flip to silence mode, and a Lumia colour profile setting for the devices.

The update is believed to be a minor one, and will be made available over the next coming months.

Nokia Brings Windows Phone 8 Camera Apps To Early Lumia Smartphones

Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia has made public that its digital camera lenses, only found on the current Microsoft Windows Phone 8 operating system, are around for its non-WP8 handsets.

These features, such as Cinemagraph for animating photos and Camera Extras are being rolled out to the last generation of handsets - which can't be upgraded to WP8.

That is the former flagship Nokia Lumia 900, Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Lumia 610 and the truly entry-level Nokia Lumia 510.

Those mobile phones are in the process of being upgraded to Windows Phone 7.8, which Omio recently reported has been resumed.

Microsoft had discovered an error and temporarily paused the update rolling out, as covered here.

Windows Phone 7.8 does bring in features of the new Windows Phone 8 OS, where these Nokia exclusive apps round the additions off nicely.

We have already covered what Cinemagraph can do, which can be seen in the picture above.

Camera Extras come with features such as Smart Shoot, with its multiple shot burst mode; a self-timer picture capture function; an all-around panorama and action shot capabilities.

Check out the demo video below of the new digital camera lenses, and how to get them.

Nokia Lumia 720 coming to O2

Former British Telecom mobile phone network O2 has confirmed the mid-range Nokia Lumia 720 Windows Phone 8 handset is coming to its network, in April this year.

It has done this by adding it to its Coming Soon page on its website, along with including a pre-registration page - for keeping you in the loop.

O2 is the first network to do this, although it hasn't announced any prices as yet.

Omio believes that it will be available for free, on around the £27 a month contract mark - with unlimited calling and text messages, plus a 1GB data allowance.

Nokia's Lumia 720 was launched at Mobile World Congress last month, along with the budget Lumia 520.

The 720 lacks 4G capabilities, but it does have a 4.3-inch ClearBlack display, a dual-core 1Ghz processor; 512MB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage.

It is the first unibody handset from the company that can accept a microSD card, and up to 64GB of expandability.

There is a 6.7-megapixel camera on-board, with an f1.9 aperture lens - thought to be larger than any found, in phones at this price point.

Omio has also published hands-on pictures of the Lumia 720 captured at MWC, along with a video walkthrough of the mobile phone.

Via: UnwiredView, Omio

Rumour: Nokia To Revive Classic Designs, Resurrect N-Gage Brand For Windows Phone 8?

Nokia is apparently taking a trip down memory lane for forthcoming Widows Phone 8 devices, flicking through its photo album of happier times and bringing some of their most iconic designs to bear on the modern smartphone.

The above image (courtesy of someone who knows someone at Nokia's Design Studio team...) shows a new Nokia Lumia device mirroring the 5700 XpressMusic in form factor, complete with swiveling camera and dual-purpose keypad.

The rumoured Nokia Lumia X would boast a Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor - making it ideal for gaming - as well as a Clear Black AMOLED display and an 8-megapixel camera. The swivel apparently reveals a set of gaming keys on the flipside.

Logistics and practicality be damned, that would be pretty cool...

Not content with stirring up memories of Rihanna swivelling her 3250 in the S.O.S. video, the same source also touted a revival of the gaming behemoth that was the Nokia N-Gage, with the brand due to see a revival powered by Windows Phone as opposed to the original's Symbian Series 60 credentials.

N-Gage design missteps like cramped keys, a need to remove the battery to change games and insane overheating issues hopefully won't be making the leap from the ill-fated original to its curent generation incarnation...

I think the obligatory 'suppliment with sodium chloride' warning is definitely applicable to these leaks, but we so want them to be true!

What do you think?

GSMDome via IntoMobile 

Windows Phone Price Crash: Nokia Lumia 710 Available For £7.50 Per Month, Under £100 on PAYG

Good news for those looking for a 'gateway' Windows Phone device - the none-too-shabby Nokia Lumia 710 is available for an incredibly low price from UK retailer Carphone Warehouse. 

Praised for its build quality, processor power and replacable back-plates (return of the Xpress-On covers!) at launch, the Nokia Lumia 710 is in fact identical under the hood to the pricier Lumia 800 with a 1.4Ghz processor and 512MB of RAM...more than enough to run Microsoft's Windows Phone platform with aplomb.

Available now for a paltry £7.50 per month on Talkmobile or a fantastic £99.95 on pay-as-you-go, the Lumia 710 is a decent way to dip your toe into Tiles and Xbox Live on a phone without breaking the bank.

 

Nokia Lumia Devices Get Exclusive Weather Channel App, Added Social Features

The Weather Channel has decided to beef up its app offering to Nokia Lumia smartphones, lending new social networking functionality to Windows Phone fans of precipitation and...isobars?

Exclusive to the Lumia range for a limited period, the app offers the ability to see the weather experienced by friends and family, as well as receive weather alerts ahead of any adverse conditions.

The app also enables AR functionality, overlaying photos taken by others in a similar location, as wlll as up to ten days forecasting information.

The Wather Channel app is available now for all armchair meteorologists in possession of the Nokia Lumia 610, Nokia Lumia 800 or Nokia Lumia 900, and is currently free in the Windows Phone Marketplace.

Nokia Ditches Development Of Android-Killing Operating System?

Sources have divulged to Reuters that beleaguered phone maker Nokia have recently put the brakes on developments of a new software project - one which had designs on toppling Android as the mass-market mobile platform of choice.

Linux-based 'Meltemi' as it was codenamed, was set to replace Nokia's Series 40 software, but the Finnish manufacturer scrapped the project in an effort to cut costs. 

This loss stands to further erode their once healthy position in the lucrative entry-level sector, as affordable Android-powered smartphones continue to deliver an impressive experience at bargain price points.

Other recently announced cost-cutting measures from Nokia include the loss of 10,000 jobs, and a continued reliance on Windows Phone to power its smartphone range.

 

Where Were We Before Social Networks?

Yes... it's been awhile, no... I'm not going to give a reason for my absence, however, I will extend yet another apology.

It occured to me today... I guess with all the news about Charlie Sheen and his new Twitter account. Or maybe it was that new phone service commercial where the mom so casually asks her daughter if she needed help in composing a tweet. With all of these things going on... I'm wondering just where the heck we were before social networks?

When I first started blogging text messaging was the thing and being able to keep in touch via text was a main focus. Having my sms forwarded or connected to my computer via an application was just the coolest thing developed. There was no Twitter or Facebook.

Since the introduction of Facebook I have managed to reconnect with tons of people from my hometown, school, old neighborhood... and just think, I thought Classmates was cool back when I first stumbled across it. When I first joined Facebook it was only to network with the large groups of people that I had met within Nokia and companies that I've dealt with. LinkedIn was more of a professional outlet, whereas FB was more social and personal. Add in a connection to Twitter and Flickr and even more sharing begins.

I'm definitley thankful for the existance of sites such as Facebook, Twitter and the likes... but now as I'm hounded on a daily basis by my 11 year old son begging for his own account just so he can keep in contact with his classmates whom he sees daily... the question hits me again.... where were we before social networks?

On a more person non-related note.... I'VE MISSED BLOGGING!!! :D