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Batman-themed Nokia Lumia 900 coming soon, utility belt clip not included
A befuddled Joker once pondered "Where does he get all those wonderful toys?" Soon you'll have a chance to inspire the same sort of wonderment amongst your friends -- at least the more eagle-eyed ones. Nokia has announced it's launching a Batman-themed Nokia Lumia 900, with the minimalist logo of (spoiler alert) Bruce Wayne's alter-ego laser-etched onto the back. It's the same treatment that was given to a special edition Lumia 800 earlier and, no surprise, it'll be available exclusively in Batman's favorite color. It's also exclusive to Europe, at least initially, where it's said to be going on sale in a few weeks. Act fast and you might have yours in time to listen to Christian Bale grumble his way through the conclusion of the Dark Knight Trilogy.
Mobile Miscellany: week of May 21st, 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, it was revealed that the HTC EVO 4G LTE likely supports simultaneous voice and data connections on Sprint's network, Samsung's Galaxy Ace 2 landed at Three in the UK and Vertu revealed a refresh to its Constellation series of luxury phones. 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 May 21st, 2012.
Nokia uses Lumia 900 as a hammer in a torture test, makes us wince (video)
As much as we're familiar with mobile device torture tests, they're normally inflicted by us or otherwise not-so-voluntary. Nokia, however, has stepped up to the plate and doled out the abuse to the Lumia 900 itself with a hammer and nail, all based on a wager that the Windows Phone's use of Gorilla Glass would hold up to Sonim-level punishment. The company's Chris Ruble and Mike Meyers (not that Mike Myers) used a Lumia 710 as a dry run before an on-camera demo that not only saw the 900 assaulted with the hammer, but used as a blunt instrument itself -- all without a crack or scratch. We imagine that other toughened-glass phones would survive the hit, and there's every possibility that smacking the polycarbonate plastic would leave more than a scuff mark. Nokia's test still proves that its pride and joy can withstand more than just a casual roughing up, and you can see the slightly cringe-inducing test in the video below.
Refresh Roundup: week of May 7th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
PSA: Nokia Lumia 900 available from Phones4U in the UK from today!
Remember when Nokia said that overwhelming demand had postponed the UK launch of the Lumia 900? Forget it, Phones4U let us know that it received an early shipment of the Finnish flagship and will offer them to customers today instead of next Monday. It's available on Vodafone, Orange and O2 and will set you back between £20 and £40 each month depending on your plan, either in both Black or White, the latter exclusive to the independent seller.
It's not your imagination: Nokia promises fix for purple hue problem seen on some Lumia 900 screens
We didn't notice any purple screen niggles during our Lumia 900 review. For some users, however, the purple hue issue is real and not so spectacular. If you're one of those hapless souls seeing purple on your Lumia phone, Nokia recently tweeted that it will release a software fix for the issue -- though it declined to provide details on when the update will drop. For the uninitiated, the purple screen problem reportedly occurs when automatic brightness is turned off and the display is set to "low." The good news for Nokia is that the issue apparently hasn't prevented folks from gobbling up the Lumia 900. "What if I'm seeing blue instead of purple," you ask? Uh, you might wanna see a doctor for that, buddy.
Nokia City Lens augmented reality browser hands-on (video)
It warms the heart to see Nokia's Beta-Labs delivering goods we actually want on our handsets -- and even more so when we really want the handsets themselves. Espoo's revered Lumia line has been treated to a new toy and it costs not one red cent: Nokia City Lens. Using an augmented reality browser, the user is offered a virtual view through walls and buildings of various points near you that can be browsed by categories such as food, nearby, sights or searched for with text. Better still, searching for AT&T WiFi will find access points nearby and all you then need to do is hoof it in the direction shown by the small icon on the display. Sound neat? We agree. Follow the break to see a video of it all in action, then take your Lumia-owning self on over to Beta-Labs to grab a copy.
Samsung Galaxy S III vs. rival flagships: iPhone 4S, HTC One X, Lumia 900
Oh yes, it's a good time to go shopping for a smartphone, particularly if you've acquired a taste for an abundance of pixels and silicon cores. But which phones ought to be considered flagships worthy of comparison with the shiny new GS III? Yes, we're including the Lumia 900 in this context, for the sake of platform neutrality and also in recognition of the fact that raw specs don't count for everything -- but we can't overlook that this handset is sorely lacking in terms of ppi and some other areas. The next two choices are more obvious: the eternal (or infernal) iPhone 4S and AT&T's version of the HTC One X. So here it is: one table to rule them all, right after the break.
Refresh Roundup: week of April 23rd, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Mobile Miscellany: week of April 23rd, 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, we learned that ZTE intends to release a phablet of its own, and Samsung unseated Nokia as the world's largest supplier of mobile phones. 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 April 23rd, 2012.
Nokia Lumia 900 blushes, new magenta version revealed at Finnish e-tailer
Aside from a very desirable white edition, Nokia's Lumia 900 hasn't quite caught up with the color explosion that characterized the Lumia 800's launch. It looks like it's getting there, with a magenta variant spotted at Finnish retailer, Gigantti. At the moment, availability is posited for the vague area of May -- matching those mid-month dates we've been hearing -- but the site is still taking pre-orders ahead of any concrete launch day. You can volunteer your details at the source below.
Nokia reportedly delays Lumia 900 release in the UK, cites high US demand (update)
Despite remaining mum on how many Lumia 900s it's moved in the US, Nokia has been raving about how it's trying to keep up with demand for the flagship Windows Phone device. Consider us unsurprised, then, that the company has apparently delayed the phone's previous April 27th release date in the UK to "around May 14th," citing a need to keep the device stocked in the States. The news comes from V3.co.uk, which got the information from a Nokia spokesperson referring specifically to retailer Phones 4u. Hit up the links below if you'd like to catch the full spiel -- and why not check out our review for a second time to solidify your decision while you wait. Update: And just like that, Phones 4u has officially confirmed the May 14th release date and US demand. The carrier will indeed be the first to carry the device when it launches, and notably, folks who pre-ordered early will also receive a free pair of Nokia Purity by Monster in-ear headphones -- this, on top of the already bundled-for-free Play 360 wireless speaker. You'll find all the details in the press release after the break and at the more coverage link below.
Nokia's White Lumia 900 reportedly available now at AT&T stores
We'd previously heard AT&T's White Lumia 900 was slated for a release on April 22nd, but photos tweeted by the outfit's Chris Weber would suggest the Mango device is up for grabs now. By the looks of it, at least a pair of customers were able to walk into a Rethink Possible shop and grab a pale piece of the Lumia pie for themselves. Naturally, AT&T's site still doesn't have the Windows Phone handset listed, while the Cyan flavor remains out of stock. Perhaps, now it's a good time to head to your local AT&T store and cough up those 99 bucks, or get it gratis through tomorrow. Be sure to drop us a line if you were able to take one of Nokia's own unicorns home with you. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
European carriers take shots at Nokia's Lumia line without leaving cover
Reuters reports that four big European carriers are disappointed by Nokia's Lumia range and its ability to compete with the big hitters from Apple and Samsung. None of the naysayers have been named, but an executive from one of the companies has been quoted as saying that "no one comes into the store and asks for a Windows Phone" and that Lumia handsets would be "easier to sell" if they ran Android. Another said Nokia should "lower the price" in order to make the Lumia range a loss leader and "get it out of the door." Meanwhile, AT&T claims to be having a different experience in the U.S., having gone to unusual lengths to market the Lumia 900 (even if that recent Time Square fandango was all Nokia) and now seeing it sell out in "many stores." That proactive approach appears to contrast with the attitude taken by some of Reuters's European insiders, who insist that all they can do is "open our stores to [Nokia] and train our staff to sell the phones."
Mobile Miscellany: week of April 9th, 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, we've seen clues to suggest the Galaxy Nexus will arrive at Sprint in a matter of days, and leaked materials suggest Rogers will have the HTC One X in stock by April 20th. 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 April 9th, 2012.
Nokia Lumia 900 data connectivity fix available now, three days early
Good news came late today for all those Lumia 900 owners out there. It appears that Nokia has officially released the software update to resolve the handset's data connectivity issues -- a full three days early, in fact. Users may download the software through either Zune on the PC or Windows Phone 7 Connector on the Mac. For those who'd prefer to swap out their handset at an AT&T store, you have between now and April 21st to complete the exchange. Naturally, the limited-time offer remains in place for all those who purchase a Lumia 900 before April 21st to receive a $100 credit to their AT&T phone bill, courtesy of Nokia. Quite the graceful recovery, indeed.
Nokia makes Lumia 900 free to all AT&T customers, now through April 21st
Now through April 21st, any AT&T customer who purchases a Lumia 900 will receive a $100 rebate from Nokia -- effectively making the device free. Ostensibly a gesture of goodwill from the Finnish manufacturer, which confirmed that a small number of early handsets shipped with faulty software that caused memory management issues and eventually data connectivity woes. It insists this problem is now fixed, and that come April 16th, all affected consumers may swap their device at any AT&T store or merely download the update. Previously, AT&T had announced a $100 mail-in rebate for new subscribers that'd purchased the Lumia 900, but thanks to Nokia, it's now effectively free for all. You might wanna jump on this one.Update: To clear up any confusion on the rebate process, Nokia states, "Every individual who has already purchased a Nokia Lumia 900 - or who will purchase one between now and April 21st – will receive a $100 credit to their AT&T bill from Nokia." Hope this helps!
Nokia Lumia 900 arriving in the UK April 27th, dressed in white
Sure, the US has already had its chance at Nokia's Windows-packing smartphone, but UK-based fans of the Lumia 900 won't have to wait too much longer, if the release date on Phones 4u's site is to be believed. The retailer currently has the handset's delivery date listed as April 27th -- a date that includes that white variant we've been seeing pop up from time to time. Also, in spite of some false starts, Carphone Warehouse also has the Metroed handset listed, though its date is the far broader "May 2012." We're sure Kourtney Kardashian is lining up her tickets as we speak.
Some Nokia Lumia 900 handsets having trouble connecting to data networks
Nokia's latest Lumia, the 900, has been rightfully lauded for its low price and lovely polycarbonate shell, but apparently, all is not well with the new handset. According to forum posts on Nokia Support Discussions and elsewhere, some 900s aren't able to connect to any of AT&T's data networks. The affected phones get data reception initially, but once the connection is severed by turning the phone off or placing it in airplane mode, it fails to reconnect. Some have successfully solved the problem by removing the SIM, performing a master reset, shutting the phone off, reinserting the SIM and turning it back on. However, it looks like that solution isn't working for everyone. It seems the problem has appeared in a limited number of Lumias, so we've asked AT&T about the issue and are awaiting an official response on the matter while it investigates. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if your 900's data deprived, or if it's been loving LTE without interruption.
Windows Phone Free-Time Machine draws curious New Yorkers, one Kourtney Kardashian (video)
Oh the thrill of seeing a familiar face. No, not the Nokia Lumia 900, which made an appearance in several forms at the Windows Phone event in New York City's Bryant Park today, but Kourtney Kardashian, who drew crowds to the Free-Time Machine -- that fled just as quickly as they arrived. The reality TV star far overshadowed the Windows Phone experience, which is on display in several cities across the US today. New Yorkers can visit Bryant or Madison Square Parks for a chance to flick through some Metro tiles on a Lumia 900, and play to win gift certificates and other prizes -- and in the case of one ecstatic youngster, a day with the above-mentioned celebrity and a $5,000 gift certificate. There were also a few smartphone giveaways on order, along with some "free time" prizes, like a dog walker gift certificate or a chance to skip the line (saving "60 minutes") at the city's Shake Shack burger joint. This isn't the first time we've seen an oversized Windows Phone drop by Manhattan, and it's probably not the last. Jump past the break for a peek at the phone, and the Kardashian.%Gallery-152680%
