Yearly Archives: 2011

GLOBAL – Happy New Year from the team at Conversations. The year 2011 has been a key one for us and Nokia.

This week we’ve been looking back over the big stories, phone releases and videos of the last 12 months.

So we’d like to thank all of you for getting involved and showing an interest, not just by “consuming” our content, but by leaving comments which help us to bring more of what you want to the site.

And that’s exactly what we aim to do in the New Year. We have a feeling that 2012 is going to be very interesting for Nokia and the people who love its products.

We’re expecting to see many more benefits from the partnership with Microsoft in the shape of devices that will make mobile web services accessible to more people all over the world.

And we’ll be welcoming people looking for news on the Asha range of mobile phones, as well as those of you seeking updates about the continued support for Symbian software.

At the end of the week we’ll be in Las Vegas to see what Nokia has in store at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

And, as ever, we’ll be fascinated to see what you think of it all.

So here’s hoping you have enjoyed the holiday season so far and have managed to relax with friends and family.

And here’s hoping that 2012 brings peace and prosperity.

We look forward to hearing from you with your invaluable comments, insights and feedback.

So, once again, Happy New Year from all of us at Nokia Conversations.

GLOBAL – 2011 has been a great year for new devices. We began by bringing you the Nokia X1-01 developed for the next billion. We ended the year with the Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 710, built to see us into the next year and beyond. There were loads of new devices in between, too. For those who might’ve missed them, we’ve rounded them all up in one post. Here are the Nokia phones of 2011.

March

With a great speaker volume, the Nokia X1-00 is a music lover’s dream. Affordable, bold and running Series 30, this is perfectly created for the Next Billion.

The Nokia Astound has a 3.5-inch AMOLED display with tough damage-resistant glass and tactile feedback on the touch display.

April

Nokia X7

With a large 4 inch touchscreen, the Nokia X7 loaded with Symbian Anna is the perfect entertainment device. It has a rather unique shape, too.

If you’re big on sending text messages or emailing when your out-and-about, you may prefer to use QWERTY phone. The Nokia E6 offers a full keyboard and a touch screen. Perfect for people still wanting to make the most out of physical keys and also try out a bit of touch technology.

May

The Nokia N8 was so popular last year that Nokia has released a pink version.

Twice as nice, the Nokia X1-01 and Nokia C2-00 with Dual SIM make it even easier to connect to the important people in your life, with two SIM card slots. Should you need it.

If you like your 18-carat gold plating, and leather, you’ll love the Nokia Oro – released in selected markets back in May.

June

Because Dual-SIM phones are so popular and much needed in certain parts of the world, Nokia launched the Nokia C2-03, a Dual-SIM phone that also features Touch and Type.

Nokia N9

The Nokia N9 is a beautiful phone on the inside and out and it runs MeeGo. With simple swipe gestures, navigating through the menu system is as easy as pie.

August

Another phone loaded with Symbian Anna, the Nokia 500 packs a 1GHz processor, a 5-megapixel camera and costs only €150 before taxes and subsidies.

Gold phones are normally reserved for high-end smartphones, but that shouldn’t always be the case. Nokia released the Nokia C3-01 Gold Edition for those who like a Series 40 phone, with extra bling.

Size isn’t everything. Sometimes smaller is better. The Nokia 700 became the smallest smartphone in the world when Nokia released it in August, this year.

Nokia cranked up the juice when it came to making the Nokia 701 to produce the brightest screen in the world.

In August we saw the release of the Nokia 100 and Nokia 101 – the same phone, but with single or Dual-SIM option.

October

The Nokia C2-05 and Nokia X2-05 were brought into the public as a mid-level phone. Though, powerful enough to be a music powerhouse.

Nokia 603

With its seamless, smooth design, the Nokia 603 offers leading-edge features at a mid-range price. The Symbian Belle interface is modern and endlessly customisable, offering up to six home screens and an extended range of widgets that can be placed in any combination the user chooses.

Nokia Lumia 800

When Nokia announced plans to use Windows Phone as the primary OS for their smartphones, people wondered when the first phone would arrive in the market. Nine months later, the Nokia Lumia 800 appeared.

The second Windows Phone powered Nokia smartphone is called the Nokia Lumia 710. At a lower price point then the Nokia Lumia 800 but still as powerful.

We saw a new range of phones to come out of Nokia World, Nokia’s new Series 40 Asha range. These include: the Nokia Asha 303; Nokia Asha 300; Nokia Asha 200; and Nokia 201.

December

If you want a Dual-SIM phone with an Easy Swap SIM card access, the Nokia X2-02 is the phone to go for. It’s also great for listening to music as it has an internal FM antenna.

GLOBAL – As well as producing some great stories this year, we’ve also brought you some superb videos. From phone launch footage to far-out technologies of the future and Nokia Maps transforming from 2D to 3D, you’ve seen it all here. So take a look at our top twelve most popular videos of the year.

When we first saw the Nokia N9, we had to swipe our eyes in disbelief. It had no physical keys on the front of the phone, so people wanted to know how on earth it worked. And this Nokia N9 UI hands-on demo (receiving 1,182,534 views) delivers.

Fans of the Nokia N8 will remember the Nokia Bubbles experimental app from Nokia Beta Labs. It transformed your lock-screen from a dull panel into an interactive touchscreen extravaganza, with buttons. Receiving 765,695 views, it’s clear people like experimental apps.

If it’s a low cost, high-specced Symbian Anna phone you’re after, then meet the Nokia 500. So far, this video has been watched 645,924 times.

Who doesn’t like a bit of futuristic tech? Well, not many it seems.
The Nokia GEM: 21st century mobile jewel video has been played 614,579 times. This could be the future!

Earlier in the year, Nokia and Microsoft announced their partnership to bring the Windows Phone OS to Nokia smartphones. So far, that video has been watched 415,499 times.

The Nokia Tune is a classic piece of audio history. In 1994 we saw it come alive and into our hands. Today it has evolved and Nokia gave everybody the chance to create another version of the Nokia Tune. This promotional video has been watched by 410,499 people.

Angry Birds has taken the world by storm. Those feathery-critters have been launched across many a smartphone to meet their doom, attacking the pigs. New levels of the Angry Birds game became unlockable using NFC technology, and this video’s view counter has reached 182,400 views.

Nokia and Microsoft’s partnership caused an avalanche of interest, speculation and excitement across the mobile world. At the time, we had no idea what what this partnership would bring, but now we do. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took to the stage to tell all at the Nokia Strategy and Financial Briefing.

People on the web love to log on and read up on the latest news. The Nokia Reader 1.0 beta app from Nokia Beta Labs sits on your phone and pulls in the news for you, in RSS form. This video has clocked up 97,336 views.

Nokia’s mapping service is amazing. It’s free, it’s accurate and it’s better than the other similar apps on the market. While it currently works outdoors, Nokia Research Center has developed an Indoor Navigation as well. Viewed 85,379 times, this video shows what is possible in the future.

Again with mapping, the new Ovi Maps 3D video shows that the online version of Ovi Maps (now called Nokia Maps) has moved from 2D to 3D, making the world a much more realistic place, as 82,829 of you now know.

At Nokia World this year, we caught glimpse of a working prototype called Nokia Kinetic. This phone bends, and twists and is the future, according to the team at Nokia Research Center. Watched 80,754 times.

GLOBAL – We’ve posted thousands of stories throughout the year to inform, enlighten and even entertain you. And today we can present the most read-articles of 2011, month by month.

January

Nokia at CES 2011!

In January, Phil Schwarzmann jumped on a plane to Las Vegas for the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While Nokia didn’t have a traditional booth at the show, they were on hand to meet developers, customers and partners to talk business.

February

Open Letter from CEO Stephen Elop, Nokia and CEO Steve Ballmer, Microsoft

February turned out to be huge in terms of news. It was the month Nokia declared its primary smartphone operating system (OS) would move from Symbian and/or MeeGo to Windows Phone – the first time in Nokia’s history that an in-house OS would not be used for their products.

Open letter

March

Listen up! The Nokia X1-00 is here

Nokia has consistently made it clear that they plan to connect the next billion people to each other and the rest of the world. The Nokia X1-00 is one such phone that’s built for the next billion and aimed at music lovers everywhere. Priced at €35, this phone has shown to be a real hit with our readers.

April

Announcing Symbian Anna aka ‘PR2’

When we first brought you news about the new Symbian Anna OS, it marked a big change in Nokia’s strategy in updating the existing Symbian platform. With a new name came new features and improvements that we explained in detail, with loads of screenshots.

May

Twice as nice: Nokia X1-01 and Nokia C2-00 with Dual SIM

Dual-SIM phones proved to be a real hit with our readers, and the Nokia X1-01 and Nokia C2-00 were no exception. Both phones offer a way of connecting to people using two SIM cards that are connected to the network at the same time. These phones also have the ability to remember the settings of up to five different SIM cards.

Twice as nice

June

Launch: Nokia C2-03 – Dual SIM and Touch and Type, together

Our most popular story in June was the launch of the Nokia C2-03, another Dual-SIM, Series 40 phone that also has Touch and Type technology. Receiving nearly 500 comments, this continues to keep people engaged.

July

Two weeks with the Nokia N9

Right after we announced the Nokia N9, Ian was lucky enough to get his hands on one and spend two weeks with a prototype version. He examined the hardware, the software and everything in between to give a full in-depth review that encouraged people to leave over two hundred comments.

August

Symbian Belle – the facts, the features and the pictures

After Symbian Anna came Symbian Belle, an update that brought even more improvements including newly designed icons, toggling home screen widgets and even full NFC support for all relevant devices. With heaps of screenshots and a video, there’s plenty to keep people informed.

September

Nokia N9 is heading to the shops

When we brought you news that the Nokia N9 began shipping, you were all appropriately delighted, as were we. Available in black, cyan and magenta with 16GB and 64GB storage options, the N9 became an overnight sensation. No wonder our post was so popular.

October

Sizzi Top: Winning DJ’s tune set to ship on 100mn handsets

Back in September, Nokia held a competition to see if somebody could come up with an alternative remix of the Nokia Tune. The winner was Valerio Alessandro Sizzi, with the Nokia Tune Dubstep Edition. Some mistakenly thought this was supposed to replace Nokia’s iconic ringtone. As if!

November

Nokia GEM: what sort of phone do you want today?

Everybody loves looking to the future and imagining high-tech worlds where people wear shiny suits made of foil. Nokia similarly looks to the future and has created a concept phone called Nokia GEM, a phone where every surface is a touchscreen. Take a look, if you haven’t already.

Nokia GEM

December

Launch: Nokia X2-02 – Dual SIM music marvel

Yet another Dual-SIM phone makes it to our best story list. This time it’s the Nokia X2-02 with its easy-swap sim function and Play via Radio feature that enables you to transmit music over a music system, car stereo or even another mobile phone.

Keep revisiting us in the New Year for even more stories that will amaze you.

GLOBAL - Are you a supergeek or total Nokia novice? Find out in our fun quiz. This year we’ve seen Windows Phone coming to Nokia, the world’s smallest smartphone and also the arrival of our new Conversations by Nokia site. What else happened this year? Let’s see how much you know. Write down your answers and check back tomorrow to see how you’ve done.

No cheating, though…

Nokia decided to change their font this year. What is the new one called?
This image is a section of a Nokia phone. Which phone?
What phone features the “Swipe” gesture?
At Nokia World this year, Nokia SVP Kevin Shields was on stage to talk about the new Nokia Lumia 800. What nickname was given to him by bloggers after his excited performance?
We held a small debate on what was the best way to input text on a mobile phone. T9, physical QWERTY keys, or QWERTY with Swype. Which method won in our poll?
There’s a new super-material that has a breaking strength 300 times greater than steel. What is it called?
The Nokia X1-00 is a musical-powerhouse. Its large rear-facing speaker is capable of producing music at what level (in phons)?
What is this an image of?
You’ve all heard of the Nokia Lumia 800, but can you name the other Lumia phone released recently in the USA?
What was the name of the world’s biggest stop-frame animation, shot entirely on a Nokia N8?

Check here for the answers.

Image credit: tsuacctnt

GLOBAL – DJ Dan McGrath wishes you seasons greetings and explains a new format for the Blogbite. Let us know what you think of it in the comment field.

merry mobile day 10

Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-112 is an easy, stylish and colourful way to go hands free.

It works with any Bluetooth enabled mobile phone, and supports multipoint connections, which means you can use it with more than one phone.

There’s plenty of battery life with 150 hours standby time and 5 hours talk time – and there’s voice guidance to help you pair the device with your phone, and tell you when the battery is running low.

Like many of our products, you can get the Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH112, and matching earbuds, in a range of great colours including cyan, magenta, green, black and white.

GLOBAL – On Wednesday, we announced that Nokia Belle was arriving on handsets across the globe on some existing smartphones, such as the Nokia N8 and Nokia C7 and Nokia C6-01. We also announced there will be a downloadable update for the UI, formerly known as Symbian Belle, in February.

And yesterday we answered some questions arising from that. Today we received another one from Vipul Mehrotra, Head of Smart Devices India Sales Unit.

Some readers asked if Nokia was delaying this update to try to sell more Nokia Lumia phones?

Vipul Mehrotra says:

No, that is not the case. Our Symbian smartphones portfolio has had a key role in many markets before the roll-out of Lumia products, and will have a key role going forward too.

In India, we are especially excited about the new features, innovations and an advanced user experience that Belle will give to people, as we really want to delight customers with great Nokia smartphone experiences.

I think it is also great that we have now started shipping enhanced versions of Nokia N8, Nokia C7 and Nokia C6-01 with Nokia Belle preinstalled. Belle will be a major software update, and we are truly looking forward to bringing such a big update to consumers across the markets.

So, to sum up, it’s a big update with a new name and that has caused a delay. It’s important to get it right in order to deliver a good experience.

As for the name, Nokia has taken others under the main ‘umbrella’ brand recently. Examples include the Ovi Music Store, changing to the Nokia Music Store and Ovi Maps becoming Nokia Maps.

If nothing else, it helps new customers find related products on the web. If you have a new Nokia phone, the intuitive search would be for Nokia Maps rather than Ovi Maps, for example.

For more details on Nokia Belle, we’ve got all the facts, features and pictures in a previous post. And some more answers to your questions. For details go to our post Nokia Belle download starts today.

about the download go here