Tag Archives: windows phone 7.5

Nokia Drive offline navigation review: taking the Lumia 900 for an off-the-grid spin

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Nokia Drive offline navigation review taking the Lumia 900 for an offthegrid spin

I've sung praises about it for years, but it seems like only now the industry is getting on the same train of thought. It could be my unnatural adoration of travel, or just an entirely healthy fear of getting lost, but offline navigation has long since been a top priority for me when choosing a mobile device. Or, more importantly, a mobile operating system. For the longest while, iOS forced my hand to Android due to Google Maps Navigation being available only on the latter, and while even that wasn't offline, it still far surpassed any other routing app in terms of system integration, map updates and general silkiness.

Even dating back to our 2010 mobile GPS shootout, Nokia has been a player. At that time, it was the outfit's Ovi Maps leading the pack, offering the only legitimate offline solution amongst a legion of ho-hum alternatives that required bits of data to keep you on track. But frankly, there wasn't a Symbian device in Nokia's stable that could show up my Nexus One in terms of overall utility, so begrudgingly, I pushed it aside. Eventually, Google came around and added caching to routes, which effectively downloaded all routing guidance along your path as soon as you plugged in a destination. The killer, however, was that it wouldn't take too kindly to veering far from that path should you ever drop signal. Close, but no cigar.

Fast forward to today, and we've got Google Maps already working in offline mode for Android 2.2+ devices. Furthermore, the company's Brian McClendon confessed to us at its June 2012 'Maps' event that it's "committed" to bringing all of the app's features to iOS (and potentially other platforms). But in my haste to find something in the here and now, I recently turned to the Lumia 900 for guidance. Literally. Back in late March, the Lumia-exclusive Nokia Drive application gained full offline access, and I sought to use the handset exclusively to navigate a 1,900-mile trek through some of America's most remote locales. How'd it go? Join us after the break to find out.

Gallery: Nokia Drive navigation on Lumia 900

Continue reading Nokia Drive offline navigation review: taking the Lumia 900 for an off-the-grid spin

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Nokia Drive offline navigation review: taking the Lumia 900 for an off-the-grid spin originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 11:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Omnia M with Windows Phone makes UK debut on August 1st, exclusively at Phones4U

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Samsung Omnia M with Windows Phone makes its UK debut August 1st, exclusively at Phones4U

We're well aware that a relatively large portion of the UK (and the world) is highly focused on this Olympic event at this very moment, though something tells us a few of you might take some time from the 2012 Games to properly welcome Samsung's Omnia M. The Mango-flavored device will be making its official debut across the pond in a couple of days, coming as an exclusive to the renowned Phones4U -- at least for the time being. As far as pricing goes, Sammy's 4-inch Windows Phone handset is set to be up for grabs for as much as £290 SIM-free or, if you're looking to go the monthly route, it'll be a freebie with a modest £20.50 plan. Best of all, Phones4U's taking orders right now, so anyone interested can pop one in at the source link below.

Continue reading Samsung Omnia M with Windows Phone makes UK debut on August 1st, exclusively at Phones4U

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Samsung Omnia M with Windows Phone makes UK debut on August 1st, exclusively at Phones4U originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone Kodak Pic Flick app pushes photos to printers — as long as you have version 7.5

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Kodak Pic Flick app moves photos from Windows Phones to printers and digital frames as long as you have the latest software

Kodak's recent announcements may have circled around patent brawls (and victories), but if you've indentured yourself to the company's range of all-in-one printers and digital photo frames, you might want to pick up its new Windows Phone app. Pic Flick will share your images with compatible hardware through WiFi -- provided you're connected to the same network on your phone. It's largely identical to the existing iOS version, albeit cocooned in Microsoft's metro style, and includes a handful of simple editing tools and filters. However, you will need to check that your Windows Phone is running version 7.5 or later. If you pass that requirement, hit up the source for the download.

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Windows Phone Kodak Pic Flick app pushes photos to printers -- as long as you have version 7.5 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change the Nokia Lumia 710?

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How would you change

While Nokia's Lumia 710 may have been imagined as the Jan Brady of the Lumia line, this supposedly awkward middle child does plenty of things right. In fact, for everyone outside of the smartphone hardcore, it'll serve you very well at a far lower price than the better-looking (yet similarly specced) 800. That said, does it really need to exist? Would you pick this over the cheaper 610, the better designed 800 or the LTE-packing 900? That's the question we're asking you today -- if you were bending Stephen Elop's ear off about his trials and triumphs, what would you say about the 710, and more importantly, what would you change?

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How would you change the Nokia Lumia 710? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 22:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia and AT&T cut Lumia 900 price to $50, sweeten the Windows Phone 7.8 pot

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Nokia Lumia 900 review

Early Lumia 900 adopters might feel spurned knowing that their devices won't get any near-future upgrades beyond Windows Phone 7.8, but AT&T and Nokia are hoping that some new customers just need a little incentive to forgive the OS ceiling. As of now, the Lumia 900 has taken a permanent price cut to $50 on contract, whether it's one of the early color options or pretty in pink. Although the price drop might not take power users' eyes off of the Windows Phone 8 prize, it could make the Lumia 900 a low-hanging fruit for more than a few newcomers.

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Nokia and AT&T cut Lumia 900 price to $50, sweeten the Windows Phone 7.8 pot originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 11:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of June 25th, 2012

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Mobile Miscellany week of June 25th, 2012

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Samsung introduced its first Windows Phone for China and both HTC and Samsung each chimed in about Android 4.1 -- the sweet treat better known as Jelly Bean. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of June 25th, 2012.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of June 25th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 21:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia Lumia 800 and 710 get Windows Phone 7.5 update, finally get to Tango (updated)

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Nokia Lumia 800 and 710 updated to Windows Phone 75, finally get to Tango

We'd heard that the Lumia 800 and 710 were to get Windows Phone 7.5 a software update bringing fresh features sometime soon, but the time has officially arrived for these two to Tango. Today Nokia announced that the fresh code has already started rolling out, bringing hotspot and flip-to-silence functionality to the handsets. Plus, once you've updated via your Zune desktop software, access to the nifty Camera Extras software -- already promised to Lumia 900 owners -- is but a download away. As a refresher, those Extras allow Lumias to take Scalado-powered Smart Group Shots, provide a better burst mode for action pics, plus add a self-timer and panorama mode as well. Want to see the new camera features in action before taking the plunge? Check out the video after the break.

Update: As our astute commenters have pointed out, the Lumias both have Mango onboard, so this bit of software is but an update to Windows Phone 7.5 that brings additional features.

Continue reading Nokia Lumia 800 and 710 get Windows Phone 7.5 update, finally get to Tango (updated)

Nokia Lumia 800 and 710 get Windows Phone 7.5 update, finally get to Tango (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 18:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Editorial: Windows Phone 8 looks good, but can it uproot those entrenched in other ecosystems?

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Editorial Windows Phone 8 looks good, but can it uproot those entrenched in other ecosystems

At the tail end of Microsoft's marathon Windows Phone Summit keynote, the company's own Kevin Gallo said the following: "Everyone in the Windows ecosystem benefits." He was waxing poetic about the myriad new features coming to the outfit's latest and greatest mobile operating system, and nothing about his quote was incorrect. Developers will adore the shared codebase. Users will adore the new additions to the software framework. Carriers probably won't shun the opportunity to push yet another platform this holiday season. But the one word in there that sticks out most to me is this: "Windows."

I've been wrestling with the ecosystem issue for some time, but the gravity of it has never been so evident. Starting in 2008, one could argue that it stopped being purely about hardware. Purely about design. Purely about software. Purely about partnerships. Particularly when it came to smartphones. Slate-style handsets were en vogue years ago, with design changing extremely little and software becoming ever more of a factor. But it wasn't just software in the simplest sense -- it was how the software was interconnected to every other piece of the digital ecosystem. Phones were no longer standalone devices; they were simply the most convenient entry into a rabbit hole that Microsoft's going to have a tough time digging people out of. Allow me to explain.

Continue reading Editorial: Windows Phone 8 looks good, but can it uproot those entrenched in other ecosystems?

Editorial: Windows Phone 8 looks good, but can it uproot those entrenched in other ecosystems? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 12:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia Lumia 610 with NFC hands-on (video)

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Nokia Lumia 610 with NFC handson

You never know what's going to be hiding in the deep dark corners of an event, and in our searches during the Windows Phone Developer Summit we came across the Nokia Lumia 610. But this isn't just the standard fare; no, this particular version offers NFC and should soon be making its way to Orange. Yes, by offering Near-Field Communication, the handset will be compatible with Nokia's NFC-enabled accessories like the Essence and Play360. While this elusive device is no stranger to us -- we've seen it shown on video, it's been certified for MasterCard's PayPass service and it's even been blessed by the FCC -- this was the first time we held it in our hands.

So what can we expect from this particular flavor of the Tango-running Lumia 610? Frankly, our impressions matched that of its non-NFC predecessor: build and overall feel remain unchanged from the original version. Naturally Nokia needed to find some space to stick the contacts and antenna, and those are inconspicuously found on the back of the device and on the battery cover, respectively. We still haven't seen any pricing surface, but it's been expected to arrive on Orange at the beginning of next quarter -- which frankly means we could well see it available within the next couple weeks, though we couldn't get an official date. Head below to get a good look at the NFC-enabled glory as well as a brief video showing the phone interacting with the Essence.

Gallery: Nokia Lumia 610 NFC hands-on

Continue reading Nokia Lumia 610 with NFC hands-on (video)

Nokia Lumia 610 with NFC hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 17:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Go to school, get a Lumia 900: all incoming Seton Hall University freshmen to receive a Windows Phone

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Go to school, get a Lumia 900 all incoming Seton Hall University freshmen to receive a Windows Phone

Granted, this'll be just one more way for upperclassmen to quickly identify the newbies, but all incoming freshmen to New Jersey's Seton Hall University will be given a Nokia Lumia 900 upon orientation, as a means to integrate technology with the school's curriculum -- quite similar to previous efforts that we've seen for the iPad and iPhone. Not to stop there, university officials hope to make the smartphone a key component of student life with the SHUmobile app and its Freshman Experience hub. Here, freshmen may interact with each other via social media and direct messaging, find peer academic advisors, learn about their future housing situation and get to know their roommates. As for mobile service, it's said that students will receive pre-paid access to AT&T through the fall semester. After that, it seems that freshman will need to pick up the bill or leverage WiFi networks to remain connected. To learn more of how SHU is thinking very differently, just hop the break for the PR.

Continue reading Go to school, get a Lumia 900: all incoming Seton Hall University freshmen to receive a Windows Phone

Go to school, get a Lumia 900: all incoming Seton Hall University freshmen to receive a Windows Phone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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