Nokia Dieing Slowly

[Chicog]

Yes, I heard the rumor of a possible VPN update as well... Nothing confirmed as best as I can tell...

Kind of sad that MS would release a phone without that pretty basic capability. But even if they solve that particular lacking with a future update, that won't do anything to solve the other failings on what otherwise is considered to be a pretty good phone.

TBH, like Windows 8, I think they were trying to get it out in time for Chrimbo.

[Spoonman]

A few issues to be aware of re the Nokia Lumia 920:

Limited app selection (compared to Android or IOS)

No microSD card

No FM radio

Non user-replaceable battery

No VPN capability in OS at present

And then the bigger question for me... Are Windows 8 phones going to have a sustained lifecycle and presence in the marketplace, or is the market dominance of Android and IOS so prevalent that Windows Phones are destined to become another also-ran at best...or Kin at worst...

Why would I need all the apps that i-fool and android have, Nokia has all I need.

32gb is plenty as long as you are not wanting to fill it up with movies

Radio here is shit, no need for FM receiver.

Most phones these days seem to have non user swappable batteries.

What is the VPN for ? .

I reckon windows phones will have a sustainable future for the time being.

[Chicog]

What is the VPN for ? .

Secure, encryption communication to your office applications, for example.

The battery is a definite minus, two of my testers have told me it drains far too quickly with heavy use. The fact that you can't buy an expanded or extra battery is a tick in the minus column.

I agree on the apps, WP8 has pretty well all I use as well.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Everyone has different needs and expectations of their phones... And sometimes, what one expects of their smartphone today isn't the same as what it will be a year into the future. But at any rate, suffice to say, smartphones needs and preferences are a very individual, personal thing.

VPN, in addition to what Chicog mentions above, is also the entry ticket required for those living abroad who want to access a lot of location restricted content from their home countries, such as streaming video (Netflix) and sometimes even online purchasing opportunities.

My point in the post above wasn't to diss the Lumia 920. But rather, to highight some of its documented limitations. If those don't matter to a particular user/buyer, then go for it...

However, I would say as a longtime Windows user, that MS hasn't exactly been a pillar of success or consistency in its hardware ventures, nor has it treated its customers very well in some respects lately. Witness the rapid-fire abandonment of Windows 7 phones and users in the move to Windows Phone 8, and the schizophrenic introduction of Windows 8 OS and the dueling Surface RT/Pro tablets.

It all makes me more than a little uneasy about the notion of buying into their smartphone ecosystem, when IMO, there's a much more established, well developed and stable smartphone OS in the Android world.

[Chicog]

However, I would say as a longtime Windows user, that MS hasn't exactly been a pillar of success or consistency in its hardware ventures

In fairness, Microsoft don't make the phone hardware, Nokia/Samsung, etc. do.

[Gary A]

Nokia has something none of the other manufacturers have. That's a decent navigation map for Thailand.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

However, I would say as a longtime Windows user, that MS hasn't exactly been a pillar of success or consistency in its hardware ventures

In fairness, Microsoft don't make the phone hardware, Nokia/Samsung, etc. do.

It's not so much the issue of who manufactures the product. Apple doesn't manufacture most of its own products. It contracts them out to entities like Foxcon...

Similarly, MS itself didn't manufacture the Kin phone, but it was a MS product that was killed shortly after its release. Nor does MS itself manufacture the Surface tablets, but they are MS branded products, and MS is responsible for their development and overall marketing and brand direction. And more broadly, MS is directly responsible for the Windows Phone 7 and now the Windows 8 Phone OS's, which are the platform on which the various smartphone manufacturer (Nokia, Samsung, HTC) products are based.

[mark131v]

I think all buyers have different expectations and needs, I have had quite a few android phones and lately decided to get a Nokia 808 and for me it is awesome and I have no regrets. Personally I dont need a gazzilion chad apps that I will never use all I need is a good phone with a the ability to check emails with decent battery life and a good camera

I got all that in the 808 but with an absolutely awesome camera plus navigation 64g of storage brilliant video and sound capture and a good music player, I only have to charge the battery every 2 or 3 days and I am really happy with it....guess what the missus wanted for Christmas and she has had several samsungs a htc Desire Z and is still using a Sony Experia Arc till today that is but it is now in the cupboard as a spare as she has now got an 808 as well

Looks like Nokia are still making good products to me even if their business sense is looking a bit dodgy, again in my own opinion and as someone going to symbian from android I have not really got any grumbles with the os or the phone itself in the 3 months or so I have had it unlike my last htc which was getting me frustrated by the end of the first week....

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Right now, Amazon in the U.S. is having an up to 50% off sale on a half dozen or so earlier Nokia unlocked models, like the E5, C6, the N8, the Nokia 700 and the Lumia 610. (Sorry, no 808 on sale, as you wouldn't expect.) So if that variety of phone is your thing, the prices Amazon is offering for new models of those older Nokia phones are pretty good.

Edited December 25, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Nokia (NOK) Lumia Devices Heavily Discounted in Post-Holiday Sales

December 27, 2012 6:47 AM EST

Despite a rousing endorsement from Mark Cuban recently, Nokia Corp (NYSE: NOK) is finding its Lumia smartphones being sold at a discount to attract buyers.

According to the WSJ Thursday, Nokia's Lumia 920 can still be had for $99 at AT&T (NYSE: T) in the U.S. The same device, however, is going for $39 on Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) with two-year AT&T contract.

The Lumia 822, which is sold by Verizon (NYSE: VZ), is sold for $99 with contract, but buyers can get the device for free with contract on Amazon.

T-Mobile USA is still offering the Lumia 810 for free to those signing a new contract.

It's not clear whether the discounts will hit just the carriers or if Nokia is providing some financial support. The WSJ cites a spokesperson from Nokia, who said that "pricing is always a carrier decision."

The Lumia line runs on Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows Phone 8. Nokia and Microsoft saw little in the way of success with the first Lumia, which ran Windows Phone 7 and sales stagnated this year when it was announced that older Lumia devices wouldn't be able to upgrade to the new operating system.

One area of concern would be discounting so close to launch. The Lumia 920 and 822 were released in the U.S. in November despite being announced months before. The Nokia spokesperson also noted that Samsung devices are also being given away for free on contract in some markets, though he didn't specify which devices those were.

Unlike Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) or Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), Nokia and Samsung really only get the bulk of revenue from hardware sales. Apple and Google also have an ecosystem to fall back on so they can capitalize on content and ad sales.

http://www.streetins...es/7970947.html

Edited December 28, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK