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We’ve pretty much reached the halfway point in our first Nokia Connects Challenge! You were asked to grab your Lumia and match its colour with something cool. Actually, we said match it with something super cool.

You still have until the 8th of February to join the competition. You can make as many submissions as you like as well, so if you have more than one idea or camera angle, go for it!

You may have noticed these images are of submissions so far. We’ve had some great entries and some that maybe need a little more ‘super cool’, but whether you’re in it for fun or in it to win it, these photos are your benchmarks.  So, if you want to win one of the two Nokia Purity HD stereo Headsets that are up for grabs, you’ll need to beat them!

Do you have an idea for a parody?

Our Nokia Connects judges are looking for something that is clever, interesting, funny, super cool, exciting, amazing, shocking or just plain awesome! If you need some inspiration take a look at on #NokiaLumiaChallenge on Twitter or in the comments section of this post, there are plenty of entries to give you ideas, but it’s up to you to break the mold and do something super cool.

[Image credits: Dhaval N Damar, Giorgia Iannaccone, pma, Duncan Nagle, Harry_Leah, bawboh86]

Industry veteran Herocraft has just celebrated its tenth anniversary of creating games for mobile phones. But what made them get started and what have they learned about mobile gaming in the last decade? We asked company spokesperson Alexey Sazonov to tell us all.

“In 2002 the concept of mobile gaming was very new, and quite revolutionary. But when the founders looked around, they couldn’t see enormous potential for growth in traditional gaming. For mobiles, on the other hand – well, we’d already seen the rise of PDA gaming and the success of sites like PocketGear. It seemed very likely to us that we’d see a similar explosion in mobile.

“And we’ve been developing for Nokia since day one, with tens of millions of downloads!”

So, after ten years in the industry, you must have a very good idea of what makes a good game?

“Hah. I wish someone would tell us!

“We try not to follow any formulas, because that would stifle innovation. Instead, we experiment a lot.

“I’d have to say that there are two secret ingredients: passion and good ideas.”

Broad and deep

Herocraft is quite unusual in the breadth of its offering. Instead of specialising in one operating system, the company supports a wide cross-section of platforms, and in more than a dozen different languages.

“We’re dedicated to being cross-platform – we’ll support any device so long as it makes money for us.

“In fact, one part of our business is to take games developed for other platforms and migrate them to new ones. An example of that is Contre Jour, which we’ve just released for Symbian.

“When it comes to choosing platforms, well, we don’t want to miss out on any big new success stories.”

What are the trends Alexey is seeing in mobile gaming?

“Well, the market is mature now, so it’s becoming necessary to find your niche and become expert in it. Herocraft always seeks to have a broad portfolio of different titles in its catalogue. But over time, we’ve come to specialise in strategy titles. Partly because they’re the sort of game we like to play ourselves. Our biggest title, Majesty, fits into that genre.”

Thank you, Alexey for your time, and here’s to ten more years in the business!

NB: HeroCraft is currently having a 10th-anniversary sale on some of its most successful titles for Symbian and Series 40 devices.

Majesty: Fantasy Kingdom Sim

Majesty: Northern Expansion

Romance of Rome

Treasures of Montezuma 2

Scrubs

Farm Frenzy

I had never understood why you would want two SIMs in the same phone before, but now that I’ve got a Nokia Asha 308 I think it’s a genius concept.

I guess if you don’t have a dual-SIM phone, then you wouldn’t need to think about all the opportunities that it offers. After all, most of us do perfectly fine with just the one SIM in our phones.

Well, they say that ignorance is bliss, right?

However, after just a few short weeks of owning my Asha 308, it’s now my favourite feature on this classy and beautiful looking Asha Touch smartphone.

Two is better than one 

The key, I think, is that it’s so easy to use, right from inserting the SIMs to switching between the two for different purposes such as calls, SMS, MMS and data.

First though, let’s start right at the beginning and consider why you would need to use two SIMs in the first place.

In my previous post, A Week with the Asha 308, I considered several scenarios why having two SIMs might come in extremely useful. 

• On holiday, to take advantage of local data rates so you don’t get stung by roaming charges
• Again, when you’re on holiday having a new local SIM for cheaper call rates but still keeping your old SIM and number for emergencies
• Being able to keep your work number and personal number in one device
• Even if you’re not actively using the second SIM – it’s really handy for storing an extra SIM card. These little things are very easy to lose!
• Storing phone numbers on your second SIM

To those five, I have since thought of a 6^th scenario – the ability to take advantage of different operator network deals.

For example, one operator may have a great deal for you on calls and SMS but another has cheaper data. If you’re on Pay As You Go anyway, then it really makes sense to make your money go further in this way. 

Managing the SIMs

If you think managing two SIMs in one device – and using different SIMs for different functions no less – sounds like a lot of hassle then you’d be wrong.

The first SIM is inserted underneath the battery as normal. The second SIM is inserted into the side of the Asha 308, much like you would for a micro-SD card, which incidentally is just below the SIM slot.

You can insert, remove and switch between the SIM cards all without the need for turning the phone on and off.

With the SIMs now in place let’s look at how you can start using them on your Asha 308.

The SIM Manager app comes pre-installed on your Asha 308 and is the key to getting the most out of your two SIM cards.

The first thing I did was use the manager to give each SIM a name – this sounds all sweet and fluffy but it’s actually really useful. Once you’ve inserted the SIMs it’s very easy to forget which one is which!

The SIM manager gives you the following options for you to select from:

• Use SIM1 for outgoing calls, SMS, MMS and data
• Use SIM2 for outgoing calls, SMS, MMS and data
• Always Ask: Pick a SIM every time you make a call, send an SMS or MMS, or use data
• My Choices: This lets you personalise your SIM options

Clearly, the most adaptable and flexible option is My Choices. It is here where you could select, for example, SIM1 for calls and SMS and SIM2 purely for data.

What’s wonderful is that the SIM manager is so quick, simple and easy to use.

You can set up your choices and just get on with using your phone, or you can change your mind whenever you want.

The drop down SIM menu

There’s one further way you can change the SIM options, aside from within the SIM manager.

When you swipe down from the top of an Asha Touch device you’ll see the familiar shortcuts and notifications menu. This is where you can turn Bluetooth on and there are shortcuts for you to make calls or compose SMS messages.

On the Asha 308, there are also icons showing you both your SIMs. The green one is the one that’s in use. Tapping on either of the SIM icons brings up a simple graphical menu that lets you explore the options in the SIM manager.

From here, you can also quickly select either SIM1 or SIM2 to handle all calls, SMS, MMS and data. I like to think of it as the quick override option.

By being clever about using two SIMs you can ensure that you get the most value for money, stay within your data limits and make the most of having two different numbers – without the need for carrying around two phones.

I am completely sold on the idea of having a Dual-SIM phone. I might have been a sceptic before but the brilliance of the Asha 308 has changed everything. One SIM will never seem enough again!

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is quickly becoming mainstream and we’re are rubbing our hands with glee at the prospect. But what’s so exciting about a technology, which some say has the potential to be as important as the Internet?

1. Well, for a start, it can print cars! The makers of the latest Bond movie, Skyfall, got German 3D printing company, Voxeljet, to knock up three 1:3 scale models of 007′s precious Aston Martin DB5 for (gulp) destruction during filming. Never mind, though—one survived, and was later sold by Christie’s for almost £100,000.

 2. Smaller but equally as suave, the world’s very first Nokia Lumia 820 shell was printed by 3D printing wizards, Makerbot just last week. The specs had been available for less than a day when the guys did what they do best, 3D magic.

3. The medical equipment industry is one of the largest markets to have embraced 3D printing.  What a hip? Print it out! The prosthetics market loves 3D. Biomedics specialists in Belgium recently implanted a 3D-printed titanium jawbone into an 83 year-old woman. Whatever next?

 4. Wing Commander Andy Green is gearing up to smash the land speed record in 2013, piloting the Bloodhound SSC above 1,000mph—and the car’s been fitted out with 3D printed components. Using CAD and a clay moulding of Green’s hands, the titanium steering wheel was printed out as a custom fit for the intrepid driver. Ready, steady…

5. We were also jazzed to learn that 3D printers can be used in conjunction with CAT scans to print out a clone of a tumour before an operation, so that surgeons can see exactly what they’ll be tackling. Very handy!

6. University of Warwick scientists say that electronic circuitry can be integral to 3D printed objects—and to prove it, they’ve invented a material called carbomorph, and used it to create both a computer game controller and a mug that knows when it’s full.

7. NASA and researchers at Washington State University are working on 3D printing using moon dust. We could eventually be looking at on-site fabrication of a moon-base, using all-local materials. Meanwhile astronauts could use the tech to repair or replace broken equipment. Houston, we have a solution!

8.  Finding the postal service slow? File-sharing company The Pirate Bay have launched a content category called ‘Physibles’, for what they describe as ‘data objects that are able (and feasible) to become physical’. In other words, upload your 3D blueprints, and whoever receives the file can print out the actual object. Now that’s what we call sharing!

 9. Be careful, though: some 3D printing gamers have run into legal difficulties after using their devices to replicate Warhammer 40,000 figurines. Games Workshop—Warhammer’s makers—were quick to step in, worried about their patents. Looks like the fight over physical objects will be the next stage in the digital copyright battle…

10. Want more? Check out Thingiverse, where 3D printing aficionados upload shots of their home-made printables: from toys, jewellery and key-rings, to camera stands, mobile phone cases and USB stick holders, there’s enough on there to make your eyes pop!

As you can see 3D printing is already doing some amazing stuff, but apparently there’s plenty more to come. Question is, if you were only limited by your imagination what would be your first 3D printed project?

Image credits: Makerbot + Brooklyn Museum + Duckofd3 + symore

While I adore my two young nephews, I do believe that they only love me back because I let them play with my Nokia Lumia 820.

It’s always been a heart-stopping experience letting young children play with your smartphone. Their fingers are filthy; they drool everywhere and invariably end up trying to eat it.

Concern for the physical integrity of the device is just the start. You can be guaranteed that a child will somehow manage to call someone, purchase some apps or delete key data from your phone.

But if it keeps them quiet for just a few minutes then it’s all worth it, right?

In the Kid’s Corner

Thankfully, with Kid’s Corner on your Nokia Lumia 920 or Lumia 820 such fears are now a thing of the past.

Kid’s Corner creates a part of your Lumia that gives children access to the games, apps, music and videos that you’ve already chosen for them.

Everything else such as your Start screen, your apps and your data is out of bounds behind a password.

With Kid’s Corner you can let children play with your Lumia with complete peace of mind – just make sure they’ve washed their hands before you hand it over!

Setting up Kid’s Corner 

First Kid’s Corner needs to be enabled from your Settings. When you do this for the first time you’ll be given the option to add: 

• Games
• Music
• Videos
• Apps 

Go through each of these in turn and add the game, music, video or app that you want included in Kid’s Corner.

You’ll also be able to customise and change these options whenever you like by returning to Settings > Kid’s Corner.

If your Lumia doesn’t already have a lock screen password, you’ll then be asked to create one. Tap Finish and you’re ready to go!

Playing with Kid’s Corner

You’ll now notice that if you swipe towards the left from your lock screen, the Kid’s Corner screen will appear. Swipe up just the same as you do with your lock screen to see all the content that you’ve allowed in Kid’s Corner.

When someone is in Kid’s Corner they are unable to access the other bits of your Lumia unless they know the passcode! Rather than a corner, think of it as a completely sealed room.

You will hear message notifications in Kid’s Corner, such as email or SMS, but to access them you’ll need to return to the lock screen and enter your password first. However, you will be able to answer phone calls directly from Kid’s Corner.

Obviously from within Kid’s Corner, a child won’t be able to make calls, send any texts or buy any apps.

Here’s a useful FAQ on Kid’s Corner on the Windows Phone 8 website. In particular it’s worth bearing in mind the web browsing options in Kid’s Corner (severely limited) and making in-app purchases (only if you’ve set up Wallet PIN on your Lumia).

Customising Kid’s Corner

As well as adding the apps, music, video and games that you want, the screen image, accent colour and name of Kid’s Corner can also be changed. Just tap the ‘Customise’ tile at the top of the Kid’s Corner screen to change these options.

It’s also worth mentioning that the tile sizes can be changed in exactly the same way as the tiles on your regular Start screen. It even supports the wide tile!

Finally, if you only need this feature on rare occasions then you can go to Settings > Kid’s Corner and switch it off. At least you know it’ll be ready the next time you get ambushed by some young kids!

I’ve spent the past decade using all sorts of mobile phones, and have lived happily with loads of different Nokia handsets. The Nokia Asha 308 is the latest arrival, and it offers a number of key differences. For a start, it’s the first Asha device I’ve used. So what’s it like?

With a 3-inch screen, the Asha 308 is physically smaller than most touchscreen smartphones, and it feels a lot nicer in the hand because of it. It’s a curvy design, it’s lightweight, and it’s a really nice phone to hold.

Even as a complete newcomer to the Asha range, I found it really easy to navigate the Nokia OS on the Asha 308, flicking, tapping and swiping my way around in seconds. The capacitive screen is lovely and responsive, and shows just how far affordable handsets have come.

One thing I loved about the Asha was the ease with which the dialer can be brought up. You can end up prodding at a tiny icon to reach a numeric keypad on so many expensive touchscreen phones these days; with the Asha it’s just a swipe to the right.

Adding shortcuts to the homescreen is just as easy; simply tap and hold the screen, and then pick an app. If you don’t want to access the app from the homescreen, click the menu and select it from the list. Facebook and Twitter are both pre-installed, and it’s easy to stay in touch on the go.

Obviously there are some big differences between the Asha 308 and Nokia’s Lumia devices – there’s no Wi-Fi, for instance, and 3G and 4G connectivity is also omitted. It’s not a problem though, as the Nokia Xpress Browser uses compression technology to require up to 90 per cent less data, and web pages are genuinely quick to load. Quicker, often, than other smartphones on 3G. If Wi-Fi is a must though, you can always opt for the Nokia Asha 309, which adds wireless networking to the mix.

Nokia Maps makes an appearance, and although there’s no GPS, it’s still incredibly useful. In this case, you can get an approximate location via your network operator, and it’s still a really useful app for checking out the local area.

The choice of games is one of the biggest pluses for me though, including Worms 2011 Armageddon, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit and the Sims 3. They ‘re titles that were a staple of consoles and PCs when I was growing up, and they’re just as much fun on the small screen. It makes the Asha 308 perfect for younger users wanting to be entertained.

The Asha 308 also has some neat hardware tricks up its sleeve, such as the hot-swappable second SIM card. Situated right next to the memory card reader, it’s easy to add a second SIM at any point, making it perfect for those with both business and personal numbers, or even to share between two people. With the second SIM added, you can simply select which number to use when sending messages and so on.

Overall, it’s the efficiency of the Asha 308 that’s the most surprising though. It did everything I asked of it, running smoothly and without lag. Even the games ran at an impressive pace. I absolutely loved the fact the battery lasts for days between charges, helped by the relatively small screen and efficient OS. It may not be quite as desirable as the latest Lumia handsets, but it’s a great all-round package.

Jutro na stronie internetowej znajdą się nowe urządzenia w ofercie na życzenie Jestem bardzo ciekawy tego sprzętu i chyba zaszaleję i kupię sobie na Walentynki. Nie miałem jeszcze okazji dłużej pobawić się Windowsem 8 RT. Postaram się potestować czy rzeczywiście tak genialnie to współpracuje z Windowsem Phone 8. Bardzo podoba mi się ten system [...]

Zgodnie z zapowiedziami rozpoczęliśmy szerszą dystrybucję obu smartfonów. Nie powinno być problemu z zamówieniem ich przez Salony. Oba modele są również dostępne na naszej stronie internetowej. Dla kupujących przygotowaliśmy specjalną promocję! Tylko teraz przy zakupie Nokii Lumia 820 i 920 dodatkowe akcesoria do bezprzewodowego ładowania GRATIS!!! Nokia Lumia 820 w zestawie z: obudową umożliwiającą ładowane [...]

Jutro na stronie internetowej znajdą się nowe urządzenia w ofercie na życzenie Jestem bardzo ciekawy tego sprzętu i chyba zaszaleję i kupię sobie na Walentynki. Nie miałem jeszcze okazji dłużej pobawić się Windowsem 8 RT. Postaram się potestować czy rzeczywiście tak genialnie to współpracuje z Windowsem Phone 8. Bardzo podoba mi się ten system [...]

Zgodnie z zapowiedziami rozpoczęliśmy szerszą dystrybucję obu smartfonów. Nie powinno być problemu z zamówieniem ich przez Salony. Oba modele są również dostępne na naszej stronie internetowej. Dla kupujących przygotowaliśmy specjalną promocję! Tylko teraz przy zakupie Nokii Lumia 820 i 920 dodatkowe akcesoria do bezprzewodowego ładowania GRATIS!!! Nokia Lumia 820 w zestawie z: obudową umożliwiającą ładowane [...]