Nokia today announced the launch of its first two smartphones to be based on Microsoft's Windows Phone platform, marking a milestone in the collaboration between the two companies that will see Nokia shift away from its Symbian operating system and the transitional MeeGo platform. The shift comes as Nokia tries to rekindle interest in its phones amid a rapid rise in the popularity of Apple's iOS and Google's Android platforms.
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Nokia's Lumia 800 (left) and Lumia 710 (right) smartphones
The high-end Lumia 800, available in black, cyan and magenta, features a 3.7-inch 800x480 AMOLED screen and a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor, along with 16 GB of storage and an 8-megapixel camera. The Lumia 710 offers the same 3.7-inch screen and 1.4 GHz processor found in the Lumia 800, but contains only 8 GB of storage and a 5-megapixel camera. The device is available in black and white, with changeable back covers available in an assortment of colors. Both handsets run the latest Windows Phone 7.5 Mango operating system.
The Lumia 800 will initially launch in a number of European countries next month, with availability set to expand to several more Asian countries and Russia by the end of the year. The Lumia 710 will debut alongside the Lumia 800 in that device's Asian launch countries and Russia later this year, with both handsets set to expand to additional markets beginning early next year.
Nokia's plans for the United States remain unclear, as the company's press release notes only that it will be bringing a "portfolio of products" to the U.S. early next year. The company is so far only promoting the Lumia 710 on its U.S. site.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Look Samsung, you don't have to copy the iPhone. There are options.
Try to be an original. Good boy :D
The software is amazing. It's not tightly integrated as iOS but is definitely becoming better day by day.
It's new; its original and not just a ripoff. From apps to UI, it breaths originality and great seamless user experience. I have used HTC Mozart 7 which I got for my mom. Although the software is not straight forward, as my mom says, its still usable by at least a considerable amount of people who can easily use iOS.
The platform may have some 35k apps, but honestly, the apps are no where near to iOS. The quality and number is both lacking + Microsoft doesn't provide good APIs so that they apps may differentiate themselves. iOS has the best APIs on the planet for UI customisation and UI design which the others can only dream of. WP7/7.5 schema for design and implementation revolves around left/right scroll; so all apps are more or less the same - absolutely monotonous.
I have been using iPhone4S for 3 days and good lord, its the best thing I've ever used. I could never get the amount of apps and good apps on any other platform. Battery life's good as compared to HTC Mozart 7 even though it has a lot of location based stuff - runs on dual core processor with graphic intensive apps.
Summary - Anybody looking for a non-iOS/non-Apple platform - WP7,5 is the way to go.
Well done Microsoft. For once, I believe you have originality and conviction of making something better.
EDIT: As for the phone and the topic - the phone looks great but I can only wonder how uncomfortable would it be to actually use it given it has unyielding corners which may prove to be very uncomfortable in actual use.