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 Last night our new Nokia mapping service ‘Here‘ launched in San Francisco. If you’re completely unaware of this then I recommend you head here to find out more about the next generation of location services.

In a nutshell we’ve renamed our location services ‘Here’ and laid out the vision for the future of mobile maps, available for Nokia Windows Phone, iOS (pending Apple approval), Android and Firefox OS (coming soon).

We also introduced LiveSight, a technology based on a highly accurate, 3D map of the world, which provides the most precise and intuitive augmented reality experience. Nokia City Lens, developed exclusively for Nokia Lumia devices, is the first application using LiveSight.  

I wanted to see what the community had to say about the launch so here is a little round-up of your first reactions:

Ubergizmo

“iPhone users may find some relief with the recent announcement of the free Nokia HERE Maps for iPhone. This version of Nokia HERE Maps is based on HTML5, which may raise a red flag for those who prefer native applications for performance reasons, but Nokia’s live demonstration looked pretty good – better than using Google Maps in web mode, which we tried during a recent overseas trip”.

The Next Web (great examination of Here across Chrome/Android)

“It’s your turn. HERE is a big enough product that you owe it to yourself to test it. As the Internet goes mobile, mapping has moved from interesting feature to core capability”.

All Things D

“Just from tooling around with Here for a few minutes, it generally knows what you’re looking for before you finish typing, and directions load incredibly fast. At least some of us now have a reprieve from the hellacious Apple Maps nightmare”.

Tech Crunch

“Unlike Apple, which only recently got in to the mapping game, Nokia has been here for years. Nokia Maps has been around in some form or another since 2001. Nokia took Maps over from Gate5 in 2006 via acquisition, and has been improving it ever since”.

My Nokia Blog

“My first impression of “here” is that it’s pretty darn fast; which would of course be due to the fact that it’s all located in the cloud; so no need to communicate with Nokias servers for the data, and it seems Gizmodo agrees with me”.

Gizmodo

“Apple Maps sucks hard but Nokia’s navigation solution, a product called Here that was just announced today, is fast as hell. You can try it in on the desktop or in web app form at m.here.net. I wish I had had this over the weekend—I visited San Francisco for the first time and kept forgetting Apple Maps lacks transit directions. And I cried and cried”.

The Gadget Show

Talking Points Memo

Alex Kurys

For more information on Here why not head to @heremaps on Twitter, the YouTube channel or check out more from Nokia Conversations. Let us know if you have any questions or comments below.

As previously noted, Dani has undertaken the ‘Ultimate Experiment‘, using only the Nokia Asha 302 while abandoning all other mobile devices.

Following the first few days of assessing the hardware, camera and contacts features, she has now evaluated the quality of the apps, the series 40 operating system and its overall functionality on a daily basis.

While the operating system offered both ‘basics and more advanced’ services, the default apps were easily accessible and similar to those on smartphones.  However, Dani found the built-in social apps to be limited in scope, only featuring Facebook, Twitter and Flickr – and even then, only providing a ‘minimal amount’ of feeds.

Additionally, the small-sized home screen doesn’t allow for social media and incoming email alerts to occur concurrently, but Dani concludes favourably that the Nokia Asha 302 offers ‘much of what the smartphone user wants’.

Boasting  a ‘superb’ user interface, she found the mobile device to be an ‘excellent feature phone’, which provides ‘much more than you would come to expect of a phone in this price range’ - with the inbuilt apps, the camera and the hardware emerging as particular highlights.

The multitude of personalisation and organisational tools, among the phone’s offerings, make the Nokia Asha 302 suitable to a wide range of people, regardless of previous knowledge and experiences.

With some tender, love and care, Dani showed the Nokia Asha to be a worthwhile companion.

Have you had your hands on an Asha 302? Got any experiments you’d like to try with a Nokia? Let us know on Twitter or on the Trial A Nokia page.

With around 280 million active users every month, Skype is very high on a lot of people’s communications priorities. Here on Conversations, we use it all-day, every day for everything from team chats and one-to-one messaging, to intercontinental videoconferences.

We talked to Skype’s Derek Snyder (@dereksnyder) about the latest version, and what it means for the company.

Download Skype

1. Press the Search button on your Nokia Lumia and then tap Vision
2. Scan the QR code
3. Tap on the link when it appears on the screen
4. Install the application from the Windows Phone Store

What’s the importance of Skype?

Skype’s mission is to bring people together. We enable people to be there when they’re not, and share moments and connections.

Being available on every screen that people use is important for us, so of course this new version for Windows Phone 8 is enormously important for us.

We understand that some technology changes in the newest version of Windows Phone were important to the evolution of Skype?

We really wanted a version of Skype for Windows Phone, and to be able to take advantage of the cool, modern design: the ability to use panoramas to switch between all the core functions and pivot from one screen to the next. So we were delighted to be able to produce a version for earlier Windows Phone models.

But we also wanted to build Skype into an always-on experience. And that’s something we have been able to do through the advanced capabilities of Windows Phone 8. On this platform, Skype is always reachable, without any impact on either performance or battery life.

Baked in

Skype is also a part of the Windows Phone 8 operating system as a whole. This has been the first product where we’ve had a full planning cycle as part of Microsoft. That’s given us a lot of privileges and foreknowledge that we don’t necessarily get with other operating systems.

Although Skype is an over-the-top app, it becomes integrated into the phone once installed:

• We use the same calling screen that’s used for regular GSM voice calls, and you can even switch between Skype and GSM calls the same way you can between regular calls;
• Notifications of missed Skype calls and messages can be seen on the lock screen;
• Skype contacts are integrated and linked in your People Hub, the same way people from accounts like Facebook are;
• And you can initiate a Skype chat right from there with one button press.

And, of course, we make use of Live Tiles. Like with the other tiles, you get different functions according to which size you use. At small and medium sizes, you see a count of missed messages, whereas the large size shows you the actual last message you received.

You’ve called this a ‘preview’, what does that signify?

There’s two parts to that. On the one hand, we’re still testing and refining some features, so we wanted to alert users that this isn’t yet a fully finished, rigorously tested release.

Second, while the Windows Phone version is actually more advanced in many ways than our Android and iOS releases right now, there are still some capabilities that we know our customers love from those platforms that we’ll want to build into Windows Phone going forward. So we’ll expend some of our effort going after that.

There are lots of great things ahead and our release cycle is pretty quick, so look out for lots more to come.

Thanks, Derek, for your time!

You only have to hold the Lumia 920 in your hand to see that it’s a stunning example of design. Of course, Nokia designers have been beautifully matching form with function for decades. The rest of us, however, often don’t appreciate the importance of design in our lives. In fact, we should probably say ‘wow!” every time we walk into the kitchen or bathroom. Why? Because they contain a feast of design delights that, like the Lumia 920, help make the everyday amazing.

Juicy! Alessi Juicy Salif Lemon Squeezer

More War of The Worlds than plain old kitchen implement – this 1990 design has height, elegance and verve. It’s fun too. Lemon juice runs down the spindly legs rather than just pool in the bottom. Designed by Philippe Starck, the success of it made people think. Why couldn’t an architect design a spoon? Why did mass-produced mean dull on the eye or humourless? It led to a wave of competitive aesthetics, particularly in kitchen design. If life gives you lemons, you make lemonade – right? But you’ve got to squeeze them first….

 Cool operator- The fridge

After scientists had refined the basics (no more methyl chloride or Freon) it was time for beautifying. No longer just ‘white goods’ – now fridges loom large and bold in every kitchen. The technology inside – to produce ice and chilled water – means that no one treks to the mountains for ice, or keeps goods in a cellar. Huge amounts of food are kept fresh and sensitive medicine stored.  Happy bachelors are able stockpile beers in a mini-fridge. In the USA, you can even buy one that looks like a Marshall amplifier. That’s cool in more ways than one.

Cleaning up society – the bath 

Imagine shivering, washing yourself in cold water (if at all).  Contrast that with sliding into a hot scented bath. Baths were originally cast iron, enamel and later, warmer and cheaper acrylic. But no designer wants to be limited. Now materials like copper, stone are used. There are minimalist half-egg shapes or more ornate forms. Even retro. A Brazilian company Innovative House manufactures the Smart Hydro. It prepares your bath – exactly as you like it – before you even get home. It will speak to you when ready and even clean itself afterwards. Now your bath can be a friend.

 Flower power -  Alvar Aalto puddle (savoy) vase 

Glass as a material is pure magic. From gritty sand to smooth sensuous beauty – it’s alchemy. The avant garde Finnish designer Aalto wanted more than straight lines. Inspired by nature and puddles in particular, he produced his curvilinear vase in 1936. His influence was a profound one – designers looked now at nature for their ideas. It also made glass objects affordable art for everyone’s home. Even the humble jam jar with flowers in it. The fact that glass can be recycled is an added bonus.

 Sitting on art – the chair 

One use, many incarnations. Huge scope for designers. Some chairs have even been hung up on walls as pure art. Who could forget Starck’s Le Courbusier chair or Jacobson’s Swan and Egg set? Never has the word iconic been so appropriate. Chairs are about the joy of adapting to the human form. But some more conventional classic designs have also been adapted to use in space. The classic wing chair for example – using open cell visco-elastic memory foam that adapts to your shape.

There’s no doubt that design helps make our lives more amazing on a daily basis, but is it so pervasive that we take good design for granted? If so, what every day items do you think deserve more praise? 

Image credits: Eraphernalia

Nokia has an exclusive partnership with Bloomberg – one of the most robust news organizations in the world. Everyone from casual investors, financial news watchers and day traders all have eyes on Bloomberg. Nokia Lumia users can access all Bloomberg business and finance information in one single place, through the exclusive Bloomberg Hub for Nokia Lumia. 

I wanted to get some perspective on Bloomberg as a news production facility, so I reached out to Oke Okara, Global Head and General Manager of Mobile and Connected Devices at Bloombeg.

Give me some numbers behind Bloomberg - reporters, data collectors, analysts – what does it take to make the entire operation run?  

Oke: We have one of the largest news organizations in the world with more than 2,300 reporters in 72 countries, a global television network, a radio station, print magazines, websites, mobile products, and enterprise services.  We also have over 700 analysts and so many people doing smart things with news and data that our headquarters can sometimes feel like an extension of a top research institution like MIT.

Our core competence in quickly and accurately gathering and delivering data, news and analytics through innovative technology is at the core of everything we do. In recent years, we’ve built on that core competence and started delivering innovative solutions in the fields of government, law, energy and sports.

How do Bloomberg users’ behavior differ on mobile?

Oke: Mobile supplements our different media platforms — TV, Radio, Print and Web — by enabling our users to stay connected throughout the day. Our mobile products are often the first place our users start their day when they check in for the latest news and market info; be it how overseas markets performed while they slept, breaking news, the latest news or what to look forward to in the day ahead.

Then during working hours they hunt for specific information related to their investments and breaking news on their business/industry while dipping in and out of checking market indices, stock prices and the latest news headlines.

Our users end their days getting a better understanding by looking at analysis and commentary on the day’s events.

What’s the most used mobile feature within the Nokia Lumia application?

Oke: It’s too early to identify the most used feature in the Windows Phone app; however, we designed it to give consumers a personalized one-stop hub experience for critical business and finance news, market data and portfolio tracking tools. We hope consumers leverage the custom panoramas and Live Tiles on the start screen for information that matters most to them.

What can we expect next from Bloomberg on Nokia Lumia?

Oke: We just launched the Bloomberg app on Windows Phone 8 this week, which gives consumers an increased level of personalization. For example, in addition to being able to track personal portfolios in the Live Tiles, they can now use their watch lists as their personal lock screen. Also, now that users can choose from up to three sizes for the Live Tiles they pin to the home screen, they can see more of their news, market data or stock information at any given time.

What was unique about working with Nokia to bring the Lumia app to fruition?

Oke: Over the years, we’ve had a long-standing relationship with Nokia and have brought exciting new products to their users. This is just another one of those exciting products and we look forward to working together to do more for their Windows Phone 8 users as it takes off.

Have you used the Bloomberg app for Nokia Lumia? 

 Last night our new Nokia mapping service ‘Here‘ launched in San Francisco. If you’re completely unaware of this then I recommend you head here to find out more about the next generation of location services.

In a nutshell we’ve renamed our location services ‘Here’ and laid out the vision for the future of mobile maps, available for Nokia Windows Phone, iOS (pending Apple approval), Android and Firefox OS (coming soon).

We also introduced LiveSight, a technology based on a highly accurate, 3D map of the world, which provides the most precise and intuitive augmented reality experience. Nokia City Lens, developed exclusively for Nokia Lumia devices, is the first application using LiveSight.  

I wanted to see what the community had to say about the launch so here is a little round-up of your first reactions:

Ubergizmo

“iPhone users may find some relief with the recent announcement of the free Nokia HERE Maps for iPhone. This version of Nokia HERE Maps is based on HTML5, which may raise a red flag for those who prefer native applications for performance reasons, but Nokia’s live demonstration looked pretty good – better than using Google Maps in web mode, which we tried during a recent overseas trip”.

The Next Web (great examination of Here across Chrome/Android)

“It’s your turn. HERE is a big enough product that you owe it to yourself to test it. As the Internet goes mobile, mapping has moved from interesting feature to core capability”.

All Things D

“Just from tooling around with Here for a few minutes, it generally knows what you’re looking for before you finish typing, and directions load incredibly fast. At least some of us now have a reprieve from the hellacious Apple Maps nightmare”.

Tech Crunch

“Unlike Apple, which only recently got in to the mapping game, Nokia has been here for years. Nokia Maps has been around in some form or another since 2001. Nokia took Maps over from Gate5 in 2006 via acquisition, and has been improving it ever since”.

My Nokia Blog

“My first impression of “here” is that it’s pretty darn fast; which would of course be due to the fact that it’s all located in the cloud; so no need to communicate with Nokias servers for the data, and it seems Gizmodo agrees with me”.

Gizmodo

“Apple Maps sucks hard but Nokia’s navigation solution, a product called Here that was just announced today, is fast as hell. You can try it in on the desktop or in web app form at m.here.net. I wish I had had this over the weekend—I visited San Francisco for the first time and kept forgetting Apple Maps lacks transit directions. And I cried and cried”.

The Gadget Show

Talking Points Memo

Alex Kurys

For more information on Here why not head to @heremaps on Twitter, the YouTube channel or check out more from Nokia Conversations. Let us know if you have any questions or comments below.

As previously noted, Dani has undertaken the ‘Ultimate Experiment‘, using only the Nokia Asha 302 while abandoning all other mobile devices.

Following the first few days of assessing the hardware, camera and contacts features, she has now evaluated the quality of the apps, the series 40 operating system and its overall functionality on a daily basis.

While the operating system offered both ‘basics and more advanced’ services, the default apps were easily accessible and similar to those on smartphones.  However, Dani found the built-in social apps to be limited in scope, only featuring Facebook, Twitter and Flickr – and even then, only providing a ‘minimal amount’ of feeds.

Additionally, the small-sized home screen doesn’t allow for social media and incoming email alerts to occur concurrently, but Dani concludes favourably that the Nokia Asha 302 offers ‘much of what the smartphone user wants’.

Boasting  a ‘superb’ user interface, she found the mobile device to be an ‘excellent feature phone’, which provides ‘much more than you would come to expect of a phone in this price range’ - with the inbuilt apps, the camera and the hardware emerging as particular highlights.

The multitude of personalisation and organisational tools, among the phone’s offerings, make the Nokia Asha 302 suitable to a wide range of people, regardless of previous knowledge and experiences.

With some tender, love and care, Dani showed the Nokia Asha to be a worthwhile companion.

Have you had your hands on an Asha 302? Got any experiments you’d like to try with a Nokia? Let us know on Twitter or on the Trial A Nokia page.

With around 280 million active users every month, Skype is very high on a lot of people’s communications priorities. Here on Conversations, we use it all-day, every day for everything from team chats and one-to-one messaging, to intercontinental videoconferences.

We talked to Skype’s Derek Snyder (@dereksnyder) about the latest version, and what it means for the company.

Download Skype

1. Press the Search button on your Nokia Lumia and then tap Vision
2. Scan the QR code
3. Tap on the link when it appears on the screen
4. Install the application from the Windows Phone Store

What’s the importance of Skype?

Skype’s mission is to bring people together. We enable people to be there when they’re not, and share moments and connections.

Being available on every screen that people use is important for us, so of course this new version for Windows Phone 8 is enormously important for us.

We understand that some technology changes in the newest version of Windows Phone were important to the evolution of Skype?

We really wanted a version of Skype for Windows Phone, and to be able to take advantage of the cool, modern design: the ability to use panoramas to switch between all the core functions and pivot from one screen to the next. So we were delighted to be able to produce a version for earlier Windows Phone models.

But we also wanted to build Skype into an always-on experience. And that’s something we have been able to do through the advanced capabilities of Windows Phone 8. On this platform, Skype is always reachable, without any impact on either performance or battery life.

Baked in

Skype is also a part of the Windows Phone 8 operating system as a whole. This has been the first product where we’ve had a full planning cycle as part of Microsoft. That’s given us a lot of privileges and foreknowledge that we don’t necessarily get with other operating systems.

Although Skype is an over-the-top app, it becomes integrated into the phone once installed:

• We use the same calling screen that’s used for regular GSM voice calls, and you can even switch between Skype and GSM calls the same way you can between regular calls;
• Notifications of missed Skype calls and messages can be seen on the lock screen;
• Skype contacts are integrated and linked in your People Hub, the same way people from accounts like Facebook are;
• And you can initiate a Skype chat right from there with one button press.

And, of course, we make use of Live Tiles. Like with the other tiles, you get different functions according to which size you use. At small and medium sizes, you see a count of missed messages, whereas the large size shows you the actual last message you received.

You’ve called this a ‘preview’, what does that signify?

There’s two parts to that. On the one hand, we’re still testing and refining some features, so we wanted to alert users that this isn’t yet a fully finished, rigorously tested release.

Second, while the Windows Phone version is actually more advanced in many ways than our Android and iOS releases right now, there are still some capabilities that we know our customers love from those platforms that we’ll want to build into Windows Phone going forward. So we’ll expend some of our effort going after that.

There are lots of great things ahead and our release cycle is pretty quick, so look out for lots more to come.

Thanks, Derek, for your time!

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Od jutra w ofercie podstawowej w Play prawdziwa gratka dla wszystkich, którzy przymierzają się do zakupu PlayStation 3. Zamiast telefonu klienci mogą wybrać:   Sony PlayStation 3 Super Slim 12 GB lub Zestaw: Sony PlayStation 3 Super Slim 12 GB + Wonderbook: Księga Czarów Wyjątkowy zestaw w Play zawiera: – Nowe PS3 – Kontroler DUALSHOCK [...]