The forgotten losers of the console wars
History is written by the victors, but for all those generations of console wars we’ve managed to weather through, what about the other guys? Opening this week, a new games museum in southern Japan houses 56 different consoles of varying fame (or infamy). For every NES / Famicom, there’s curiosities like the huge “Pocket Home PC”, failing on the very definition of its name. Remember the Sega Game 1000? We didn’t, but we should probably cut these (mostly) beige consoles some slack. While most of the devices toured here weren’t a commercial success, each helped gently push gaming towards its current state — if only by firmly demonstrating what we didn’t want. And yeah, we wish the Dreamcast was still around too. Here’s to the games consoles we’ve loved and lost over the last 40 years.
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Apple, Sony, Microsoft, Nokia, Nintendo
T-Mobile will sell the US’ first Windows Phone 8.1 device on July 5th for $99
If you’ve been waiting for a US-friendly device that ships with Windows Phone 8.1 out of the box, you can stop twiddling your thumbs. T-Mobile is launching Nokia’s Lumia 635 (aka the Lumia 630 with LTE) this month for $99 up front, or $7 per month — not bad for a phone with Cortana and other features that aren’t officially available elsewhere right now. Just when you’ll get this spiritual successor to the Lumia 521 will depend on how you like to shop. Your first chance to buy the 635 is on July 5th, when you can tune into the Home Shopping Network to get one on a prepaid Simple Choice plan; after that, you’ll have to wait until July 9th to order it online, or July 16th (the 18th for MetroPCS) to find it in a store. It’s not the Lumia 930 that many power users crave, but it may fit the bill if you’re looking for the cheapest way to get into Microsoft’s latest mobile ecosystem.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia, T-Mobile
Source: T-Mobile
Adobe finally brings Photoshop to Windows Phone
Android, iOS and even Windows 8 users have had access to Adobe’s mobile version of Photoshop for quite some time, while Windows Phone owners were excluded from the party. That changed today after Adobe pushed the slick photo-editing app to the Windows Phone Store. As you’d expect, you can crop, straighten, rotate and flip images and apply a range of different filters and “looks,” which may require you to run the in-app purchase gauntlet. Nevertheless, Adobe’s first major Windows Phone app (if you discount Reader) won’t cost you a penny, and you can grab it using the link provided below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia
Via: Nokia Conversations
Nokia X, X+ and XL wont receive the software platform 2.0 update
We’ve got some bad news for all of you who purchased the Nokia X, X+, or Nokia XL. None of these devices will be updated to software platform 2.0. Nokia says that the upgrade isn’t possible due to hardware limitations.
Nokia’s software platform 2.0 is based on a forked version of Android 4.3 and it is believed that 4.3 may have a requirement of at least 1 GB of RAM. All three of the previous Nokia Android devices have less than 1 GB of RAM. Now this doesn’t mean that there wont be any more updates for these devices in the future as Nokia did state that further software improvements will be released for the Nokia X family in the coming months.
Not getting the latest version of Android is a huge let down for any lover of the platform. If you own one of the first generation Nokia X devices how do you feel? Are you happy with the experience as it is? Will you never buy another Nokia Android phone again? Let us know in the comments.
Source:Nokia
Via:Android Central
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Microsoft calls on Nokia X2 for emerging markets
As expected, Microsoft on Tuesday announced its latest Android smartphone in the form of an entry-level Nokia X2. Slated for release in July, the handset features a 4.3-inch ClearBlack display, 1.2GHz Snapdragon 200 processor with 1GB RAM, and a 5-megapixel/1-megapixel camera duo.
The Nokia X2 will feature three home screen layouts, including one (Fastlane) that looks quite a bit like the Windows Phone experience. Users can pin select items to the home screen and quickly access apps, events, and other items. Although powered by Android, the handset comes with a number of Microsoft apps and services such as Skype, OneDrive, Outlook, Bing, and OneNote.
The Nokia X2 will be available initially as a dual-SIM device and retail for 99 euros. Color options are reported to include glossy orange, black and green; glossy yellow, white and matte dark grey will be offered later.
It’s not clear exactly where the X2 will be sold nor whether a single-SIM model is in the works.
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Nokia’s fourth Android phone does dual-SIM for just €99
After the Nokia X, X+ and XL, the Microsoft Devices team is back with its fourth Android-based budget smartphone dubbed the X2 Dual SIM, and the best part about it its €99 (about $135) off-contract price. That’s very attractive given the range’s pretty “inner glow” design, and the specs are also decent for what it is. We’re looking at a 4.3-inch WVGA ClearBlack LCD screen, a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 200 chip, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage, microSD expansion of up to 32GB (plus 15GB of free OneDrive cloud storage), 5MP/VGA cameras and a removable 1,800mAh battery. If this sounds like your kind of phone then look out for it as it goes global in July.
With its 4.3-inch screen, the X2 sits between the X and XL in terms of size, and it feels just right in my hand with a secure grip — the latter courtesy of the straight sides that subtly round off to the curved backside. The unit we got to play with is orange, but you can also get it in green, yellow, dark gray and white. With the exception of the matt dark gray version, these colors come with the series’ signature glossy, translucent plastic casing — which is, by the way, removable to access the Micro SIM slots, the microSD slot and the battery.
As before, Nokia doesn’t emphasize the fact that the X series runs on a heavily skinned Android. The X2 runs on a new version called the “Nokia X Software Platform 2.0,” which looks very similar to its predecessor. Users will find the three similar home screens welcoming you, with the main one featuring a Windows Phone-like tile UI, and you swipe right for the Fastlane for the recent apps, and swipe left for the new apps list that’s basically a carbon copy of the one from Windows Phone. The software felt slick during our brief hands-on, and the 5-megapixel AF camera was similarly responsive. Not a bad package overall.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia
Nokia Z Launcher Brings Simplicity and Organization – APP OF THE WEEK
The company that had no interest in Android, not only announced their first Android phone, but they decided to drop their very own launcher for Androidians to try. That launcher is Z Launcher. And it brings simplicity to the max, and organization by learning. One of the very first pieces of information you will find […]
Yes, Nokia has released an Android launcher
The Android launcher scene might be getting a little out of control — even Nokia (whose X phones are now under Microsoft’s wing) is getting into the game. The Finnish firm has just released Z Launcher, a home screen replacement that gets you to frequently-used apps, contacts and sites as quickly as possible. The software learns your habits and surfaces the content you’re most likely to use based on where you are, what you’re doing and the time of day. It might put your calendar app at the top when you’re in the middle of the workday, or highlight Instagram when you’re out on the town. You also don’t have to dive into the app tray if you’re looking for something specific; you can draw an item’s first letter to bring up a narrow set of results.
Z Launcher’s interface may be simple, but getting a copy may prove tricky. It’s currently available only to a limited number of users in a rough alpha release. And while the alpha should run on many Android phones, Nokia has only tested on the Nexus 5 and recent Galaxy S models — don’t be surprised if other devices throw a fit. We’ve also noticed that the launcher download process is hit-or-miss, so you may have to be patient. Still, this is your big chance at seeing how Nokia designs an interface for other companies’ handsets.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia
Source: Z Launcher
Access your important stuff quicker with Nokia’s new Z Launcher [App of the Day]
Introducing Z Launcher from Nokia Z Launcher on Vimeo.
Samsung is not the only hardware maker to debut a new launcher for Android this week. Indeed, Nokia has thrown their best effort at us, introducing its new Z Launcher app. Designed with the premises of helping users more quickly get to the important apps and “stuff”. How does it work? From the moment you install it and start moving about your device, it’s learning what you do. Toss in some gestures on the home screen and you’ve got instant, simple access to your apps.
Throughout the day, Z Launcher is learning how you use your phone and promoting your favorite apps so you can get to them faster.
Whether you’re texting a certain someone, trying not to search for apps in the car, or multi-tasking at the office, your screen changes based on your everyday life. The more you use it, the better it gets.
This one’s not yet available in the Google Play Store; interested parties can sign up for the limited beta directly through the website.
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Symbian was once held ransom for several million euros, and Nokia paid it
Long before Nokia took up residence at Microsoft and became enamored with Windows Phone, the company had another Mobile OS to care for: Symbian. For awhile, it was the most widely used smartphone OS in the world, and according to a Finnish TV station, being its custodian was no easy task: in 2007 Nokia apparently paid several million euros to keep its encryption key private. MTV News (no, not that MTV) reports that criminals threatened to release the encryption key into the wild, potentially opening the OS to attacks and malware by unsavory programmers.
Naturally, Nokia contacted the police, hoping to catch the crooks when they attempted to collect their ransom in a Tampere parking lot. Sadly, something went wrong: after the criminals collected the untold millions, Police somehow lost track of them. The suspects, their encryption code and Nokia’s bag of money were gone. MTV News and Reuters both indecently verified the blackmail with Finnish police, which is still considered an open case. These days, Symbian is a bit more open source — but remember: once it was a big enough driving force in the mobile market to be held for ransom.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Nokia
AIVAnet 