Nokia

Gadgets

Nokia Welcomes Budget-Friendly Lumia 520 and Lumia 720

Nokia's family of Lumia devices keeps on growing.
Nokia Lumia 520 and Nokia Lumia 720

Nokia's family of Lumia devices keeps on growing. The Finnish phone maker introduced a new penny-saving, entry-level Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia 520 (pictured on the left), and a new midrange model, the Nokia Lumia 720 (on the right), at the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

The two new additions make the prized features of Nokia's highest-end phone, the Lumia 920, more affordable. A "supersensitive" touch screen that recognizes input even when wearing gloves, the Cinemagraph GIF maker, and Nokia's specialized digital lenses will be available in the Lumia 520 for about $180 (the cheapest Nokia Lumia phone yet) and in the Lumia 720 for about $330.

Our sights are set on the 720, which the company claims has "the best camera experience" of any midrange smartphone with f/1.9 aperture and Carl Zeiss optics. While Nokia has announced that the Lumia 520 will ship with T-Mobile in the US as soon as Q2, the Lumia 720 is only set (for now) to ship in Asia, Europe, Africa, and India.

We'll keep you posted on the phone's US release, but until then, click on to see all the standout features of Nokia's latest phones.

Nokia Maps Strikes Again With a Native Mobile App

The saga for iOS 6 maps app alternatives has resurged with the release of Nokia's native maps app Here (free).

The saga for iOS 6 maps app alternatives has resurged with the release of Nokia's native maps app Here (free). And no, we're not just inviting you to click. That's the name of the actual app. It's also the name for Nokia's evolving map project, which powers the new mobile app for iOS and aims to help users explore and discover new places. Nokia Maps already had a mobile web app in place, so the turn-by-turn voice navigation, traffic reporting, and public transit directions aren't anything new. But we did like the app's fresh approach to bookmarking with its Foursquare-style Collections feature, which organizes favorited points of interest and most-frequented addresses into categorized lists.

Although the iTunes reviews of the app, which was released today, are less than spectacular, Nokia Maps' mobile website was one of our favorite alternatives — we even called it the most underrated navigation app. We're curious to see what the company's native version can do, and also about your thoughts on Here. How does Nokia's native app perform in your area? Does it compare to Google Maps?

Poll

Microsoft Launches Parent-Friendly Windows Phone 8 Today

How often have you handed your phone over to your kids only to have them delete your favorite apps, mistakenly text your boss, or end up watching a YouTube video they shouldn't see?

How often have you handed your phone over to your kids only to have them delete your favorite apps, mistakenly text your boss, or end up watching a YouTube video they shouldn't see? Probably more times than you'd like to admit. That's the experience Kat Holmes, a principal user experience designer on Windows Phone, had over the years. Her experience, shared by many parents, was the inspiration for the Kid's Corner on the new Windows Phone 8, just introduced today.

The Microsoft Windows Phone 8, which will be available next month, will come with a built-in Kid's Corner that is a virtual phone-within-a-phone designed to keep kids safely and securely away from mom and dad's screens. With their own log-in action (a right-to-left swipe of the lock screen), a personalized start screen, and the ability to take pictures, draw, or play their favorite games without having to hide the phone from mom, the phone may be the perfect solution to handing your phone to your kids without worrying about what they're doing to it.

So tell us, are you more likely to buy a smartphone that has kid-friendly features like the Windows Phone 8?

Nokia Maps: The Most Underrated Navigation App

Since Apple Maps isn't the best navigation option currently, our next stop on our quest for the perfect iOS map is Nokia.
Nokia Maps iPhone Alternative

Since Apple Maps isn't the best navigation option currently, our next stop on our quest for the perfect iOS map is Nokia. Yes, the same company that made phones preloaded with our beloved Snake, which amazingly you can still play online. Nokia has since ventured into the territory of maps with a web-based mobile map site (free) that may just be the best maps app we've ever tried.

Except — it isn't really an app: it's a site accessible through mobile Safari on your iPhone, which is probably the only problem we have with it. The native Nokia Maps app is only available on the Nokia Lumia, Belle, Asha, and N9. But for those of us without Nokia phones, here are nine reasons why Nokia Maps is the most underrated navigation application yet.

Tech News

Nokia Channels Summer With the Pink Lumia 900

With smartphones looking nearly identical these days, we're major enthusiasts of the Nokia Lumia 900, which boasts a larger display size, Windows OS, and colorful exterior options to stand out in a sea of iPhone clones.

With smartphones looking nearly identical these days, we're major enthusiasts of the Nokia Lumia 900, which boasts a larger display size, Windows OS, and colorful exterior options to stand out in a sea of iPhone clones. To add an even brighter glow to the smartphone landscape, the Lumia 900 will be available in pink beginning July 15.

Offered in the US exclusively through AT&T, the Lumia 900 also comes in cyan blue, black, and white bodies for $100 with a two-year contract. Would you buy Nokia's smartphone offerings over the standard iPhone and Android phones?

Reviews

Nokia Lumia 900 Review: 5 Reasons You'll Love It

I couldn't get the Nokia Lumia 900 off my mind after getting a look at this year's CES, and now that I've spent a few days with it as my main device, it appears it was worth the wait.
Nokia Lumia 900 Review

I couldn't get the Nokia Lumia 900 off my mind after getting a look at this year's CES, and now that I've spent a few days with it as my main device, it appears it was worth the wait. The Lumia 900 is a fantastic device for those who just can't get into Android and don't want to drop hundreds on an iPhone. The easy-to-use Windows OS is visually appealing, and paired with the Lumia 900's design, it's a match made in heaven.

Jumping on the Lumia 900 bandwagon is easy, but here are five features that will lure you in right off the bat.

Amazing: Nokia Lumia 900 Will Cost as Little as $0

Here's something to consider if you're shopping for a new smartphone this month — the coveted Nokia Lumia 900 is free for new AT&T customers; you'll even get the phone a whole two days before it hits streets on April 8.

Here's something to consider if you're shopping for a new smartphone this month — the coveted Nokia Lumia 900 is free for new AT&T customers; you'll even get the phone a whole two days before it hits streets on April 8. What's more, you can buy the same phone at WalMart for $50 with a new service agreement or contract renewal. Considering the phone is only $100 to start with (you can preorder now by the way), these deals all but ensure that the phone will be flying off shelves in the coming months.

Tech News

Nokia Lumia 900 Coming on April 8 For Just $100

If you've been crushing on the flagship Nokia Windows Phone as much as we have since CES, we have good news: the LTE Nokia Lumia 900 will hit AT&T on April 8 for just $100.

If you've been crushing on the flagship Nokia Windows Phone as much as we have since CES, we have good news: the LTE Nokia Lumia 900 will hit AT&T on April 8 for just $100.

Coming with a beautiful 4.3-inch AMOLED screen, 16GB of storage space, 8MP camera (complete with a Carl Zeiss F2.2 aperture lens), and a choice of either cyan or black for an exterior hue (glossy white coming later in April), the Lumia 900 is quite a stunner. Of course, that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how awesome the Windows Phone OS is to use. One hundred bucks is an incredible deal compared to other smartphones on the market today, and naturally, you will have to sign a two-year contract with AT&T to get that price.

Tech News

The Skinny on Nokia PureView 808's Huge 41MP Camera

Nokia announced the PureView 808 at the Mobile World Congress this week, and while it may look like any other phone at first glance, it's packing serious power under the hood.

Nokia announced the PureView 808 at the Mobile World Congress this week, and while it may look like any other phone at first glance, it's packing serious power under the hood. Coming with a huge 1/1.2-inch sensor and a Carl Zeiss lens capable of capturing 41MP images, the PureView 808 blows your iPhones and DSLRs out of the water. But as you may know — more pixels don't necessarily make a better photo. The PureView 808 oversamples the image, compresses it down to smaller size, and leaves out details that other cameras include but shouldn't (like grey tones between black and white colors), which makes the shots crisp and clear. According to hands-on reviewers, the PureView 808 also takes amazing low-light photos and video, so it could be your one-stop camera for nighttime outings and daytime excursions alike.

Besides the camera, the PureView 808 will be coming with a four-inch AMOLED Gorilla Glass touch screen, 16GB of onboard storage, expandable up to 48GB (which you'll need if you're going to be taking lots of pics), HDMI and DLNA support, and up to 11 hours of talk time.

Stay tuned for more details on when the PureView 808 is set to hit US shores, but UK residents can get their hands on one for $599 starting in May. Check out more pictures of the device in the gallery!

Poll

Will You Buy the Nokia Lumia 900?

We heard rumblings of a March 11 release date for the Nokia Lumia 900 on the floor at CES, but according to leaked documents handed over to BGR, the date might actually be closer to March 18.

We heard rumblings of a March 11 release date for the Nokia Lumia 900 on the floor at CES, but according to leaked documents handed over to BGR, the date might actually be closer to March 18. What's even more exciting? The docs indicate a $100 price tag.

The Nokia Lumia 900 was easily the most talked-about gadget at CES this year, coming with a sleek blue or black bod and Windows Phone 7 Mango. And with a price tag that small, Nokia could have a massive hit on its hands. Tell us — would you buy the Nokia Lumia 900?