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White Nokia Lumia 800 hands-on
Today's been all about the white phones, and Nokia's new Lumia matches that glossy finish we saw on its near-identical twin, the white N9. Here, opposing the matte goodness of the rest of Lumia 800 family, the unibody shell has an almost-enamel feel on what is still largely the same polycarbonate material (Nokia tells us that each "batch" has to be tweaked for each color). From our brief play with the device, it's looking to be a pretty pervasive color choice to go alongside that pitch-black AMOLED screen. We know the phone is set to arrive later this month, blessing fans of blanc in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and another handful of European countries. See how its good looks stack up against the rest of the Lumia rainbow in our hands-on gallery below.
Nokia clarifies battery update on Lumia 800, promises audio / camera fixes soon
Nokia already came clean about the Lumia 800 battery bug, but evidently that just wasn't enough to appease the masses. A community manager in the outfit's own forums has just responded to pages upon pages of comments regarding the most recent update, partly to (re)set the record straight regarding the battery, and partly to address more fixes that are just around the bend. The latest update (1600.2483.8106.11500) was meant to "enhance standby time as well as to bring an improvement to the issue reported by some customers in December," and according to Nokia, said update does indeed address those problems. However, folks that still have concerns regarding audio and camera settings aren't being ignored; those quirks will be worked out in "a series of future updates." Eager to learn more? The full reply is embedded just after the break.
Mobile Miscellany: week of January 23, 2012
This week may not have been incredibly packed with news in the mobile world, but it was still easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of January 23, 2012:
Refresh Roundup: week of January 9, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from 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!
Nokia Lumia 800 likes to taste the rainbow, wants to try a splash of white and yellow?
Cyan and Magenta were a good start, but Nokia hasn't finished plucking eye-catching colors for its smartphone flagship. Alongside a not-exactly-unexpected white model, these leaked renders suggest that our favorite polycarbonate Windows Phone will net a zesty yellow (possibly lime green) wardrobe at some point in the future. According to MonWindowsPhone, details on timeframes and launch regions remain foggy and will depend on customer demand. If the phone fares well in certain locales, Nokia will likely be more willing to offer up some spicier colors.
Nokia ready to start shipping Lumias to Launchpad developers
Things were a lot less clear back in early 2011 when Nokia announced it would abandon its burning platform for Windows Phone 7. Amidst that uncertainty, Espoo pledged to give select developers an E7 as well as a mystery device running Redmond's bits in the near future. The company's now making good on the latter part of that promise, informing those registered under its Launchpad program that their gratis hardware is ready to ship. Kindly forwarded by a tipster is email proof (seen after the break), which in non-redacted form would provide instructions for procuring a complimentary Lumia 800. Previous whispers suggested the Lumia 710 will also be part of the scheme, so your mileage may vary. Still, a free handset is better than none -- or at the very least a Nokla, right? [Thanks, Jota]
Nokia Lumia 800 infiltrates Washington, succumbs to FCC teardown
It's a rite of passage for any stateside-bound communications device, and now Nokia's darling Windows Phone handset has arrived at FCC HQ to lay disrobed alongside the agency's imposing L-square ruler. The Lumia 800 has been available through carriers in other countries since shortly after its Nokia World launch, but it has yet to land in the US with a carrier subsidy. It's not clear exactly where the shiny slab is headed after its mandatory pit-stop near the nation's capital, though with no reports of 1700 MHz AWS on board, it's safe to say that this iteration won't be joining its Lumia 710 sibling over at T-Mobile.
Nokia publicly acknowledges Lumia 800 battery bug, promises fix in next update
Nokia's flagship Windows Phone may be a gorgeous slab of polycarbonate, but it's proving to meet its match with its own battery performance. It began with concerns about charging and overall battery performance as we reviewed the device, and the phone was given an update nearly a full fortnight ago to alleviate power management issues. We're still awaiting a maintenance release next month to take care of the charging portion of the problem, but it seems that yet another bug will need to be addressed at the same time. After word spread last week that something was causing the battery's capacity to show up as worse than it really is, Nokia did some digging and promptly admitted that something was awry. In the statement (found past the break), the company assured the masses that the battery itself was perfectly fine, but there was a bug in the software and a fix will be included in the next planned update. And then everything will be absolutely perfect... right?
Refresh Roundup: week of December 12, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from 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!
Refresh Roundup: week of December 5, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from 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!
Nokia rolls out first update for Lumia 800, offers up new features for web-based 3D Maps on the side (video)
Nokia is pretty busy at the moment. Alongside clandestine events with T-Mobile, the first update for the Lumia 800 has now begun to roll out. As is the case with most WinPho upgrades, you'll have to plug the polycarbonate slab into Zune to pull down several new performance enhancements and features. These will include charging and audio quality improvements, as well as improved display switching in bright light. Don't panic if you're unable to grab the update immediately; the phone manufacturer told us that it will be gradually rolled out across all of the initial launch countries over the next two weeks. But Nokia didn't stop there -- it has also added more functionality to its impressive -- and free -- web-based maps. Its 3D Maps, available in 25 cities, have been given new navigation functions, sharing and search options. You'll have to install a browser plugin to get your hit of pop-up cartography, but Google Earth addicts should be suitably impressed. Click the source below to judge for yourself, or hold on after the break for a quick intro video.
Nokia Lumia 800 and 710 to get limited Latin American release in early 2012
If you're lucky enough to call Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico or Puerto Rico home, and have been craving a bit of Nokia Lumia love, then felicidades! Señor Elop himself announced the 800 and 710 will be lighting up faces in a store near you from Q1 next year. Speaking from Sao Paulo, the Nokia CEO confirmed that both Windows Phone models would get a run out in the above countries, with production taking place in Brazil. Interestingly other large markets, like Argentina and Venezuela, didn't get a name call as one of the lucky countries, but you can bet your bottom peso though it won't be long before this is rectified. Hit up the source link for more info, en Español.
Refresh Roundup: week of November 28, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from 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 reiterates Drive isn't coming to Windows Phone Marketplace
There seems to be a bit of confusion about Nokia Drive's future in the Windows Phone Marketplace. News of its impending arrival -- for a price -- was originally tweeted by a third-party and then re-tweeted by Nokia India. Sadly, we're told this was all just a mistake. We originally reached out to Espoo's finest to confirm the story, and well, we met a giant brick wall in the process. According to the company's media relations department, "Nokia Drive comes pre-installed on our Nokia Lumia range and there are currently no plans to make it available for Windows Phone based devices from other OEMs." It's a heartbreaker, indeed, but the crew at Navigon can certainly breathe a sigh of relief -- for the time being.
Unlocked Nokia Lumia 800 now available on Expansys, plays nice with AT&T
You could sit there and twiddle your thumbs while you wait for the Lumia 800 to arrive on US shores. Or you could just head over to Expansys, where you can grab an unlocked version of Nokia's new handset, for $789. The Mango-soaked device comes packed with 16GB of internal storage and is primed for use on AT&T, so if you're prepared to shell out the dough, check out the source link below.
Nokia promises software updates to fix Lumia 800 battery woes
We experienced occasional battery and charging problems when reviewing the Lumia 800, and it looks like others have had issues too. In fact, it's become a sufficiently (un)popular topic on Nokia's support forums to encourage the company to post up a reply, confirming that two software fixes are in the works. The first will target power efficiency and arrive in early December, while the second will follow in January and hopefully improve charging. Only a minority of users are affected, we're told, so it's lucky for them that they're vocal.
Nokia Lumia 800 hits UK stores, preorder demand leaves Orange UK glowing
As Nokia's first Windows Phone lights up shop fronts across Britain, Orange has informed us that the Lumia 800 has attracted the most attention it's ever seen for a Nokia device. Based on preorders, the smartphone has trumped both the critically acclaimed N95 and the 5800, while we're sure the gratis Xbox 360 for upgraders hasn't hurt demand -- 50 percent of those looking to pick up the polycarbonate phone are already Orange customers. The carrier has told us that an Xbox-based offer for new customers looking to pick up the Nokia-coated Windows Phone is also in the pipeline -- something for UK network hoppers to get excited about.
Nokia to release Windows 8 tablets this June, top drawer Lumia in the works?
There's some intriguing Nokia news coming out of France this morning, thanks to Paul Amsellem, head of the company's Gallic outpost. In a recent interview with Parisian daily Les Echos, Amsellem described Nokia's aspirations to regain some of the market share it's lost within France, explaining that his firm is squarely targeting the 60 percent of French users who currently don't own a smartphone. More salient, however, is what the exec had to say about Nokia's plans for future releases. According to Amsellem, Espoo will unveil a new Windows 8 equipped tablet by June 2012. Unfortunately, that's about all he had to say on the subject, but it's certainly enough of a carrot to raise our heart rates -- as are Amsellem's comments on the Lumia 800, which hit French stores yesterday. Comparing the handset to a BMW 5 series, the chief went on to say that Nokia "will soon have a full range with a 7 Series and 3 Series." He didn't elaborate much on this analogy, though its implication is rather self-evident -- new Lumia cousins may be in the works. Of course, it remains to be seen when and if the company will expand upon its Lumia line, though we'll definitely be keeping our yeux on it.
Engadget Distro Issue 12 -- Now with more exclusive content!
You asked and we answered. Engadget Distro Issue 12 is here, and it's full of original content. We've got not one, not two, but three never-before-published features for you this week. Michael Gorman takes you on a tour of NASA's next-gen spacecraft, Brad Molen goes behind the scenes at AT&T to reveal what it takes to make a smartphone, and analyst Ross Rubin makes his Distro debut to pose the question: What's next for the nano? This week we'll also bring you our Nokia Lumia 800 and Motorola Droid RAZR reviews and follow HotHardware's Dave Altavilla in his ascent to geekdom. And last, but certainly not least, Box Brown gives you a healthy helping of iPad 3 rumors in the Distro comic. So, pick up that iPad or hit the PDF link below and get ready for a nice long read. Distro Issue 12 PDF Distro on the iTunes App Store Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Telefonica exec echoes what we already know: Nokia's new handsets are too spendy
Nokia has certainly had a reputation of keeping its premier phones at a high price, but it's not too often that we hear a head honcho in the industry say anything about it. Telefonica European General Manager Simon Lee-Smith went on the record to voice his displeasure over the exorbitant cost of the Lumia 800 as well as the N8 and N9. Speaking with Telecoms.com, he mentioned that the only way Espoo's going to push a significant volume of Windows Phones is to offer them at a reasonable price point. Vendors, according to Lee-Smith, have unrealistic expectations of what consumers -- and carriers -- will pay for smartphones. Sayeth Lee-Smith: "All device manufacturers seem to think that a €400-plus device is the norm. Well, it isn't. Customers and operators won't pay that cost for a device which doesn't differentiate sufficiently." In other words, the Lumia 800 (priced at €420, or about $585) needs to offer something more unique to customers in order to justify its cost. It does make us curious to see if Nokia can satisfy the needs of US carriers if it doesn't bring down its asking price. Head over to the source to read more of Lee-Smith's quotable quotes.
