AT&T to sell Nokia Lumia 900 for $100 on April 8

There's a lot at stake for this phone, with Nokia and Microsoft betting heavily that the Lumia 900 will finally help Windows Phone break through in the U.S. market.

Nokia's Lumia 900 smartphone will hit AT&T's store shelves on April 8, a move Nokia hopes will usher a return to the U.S. in a big way.

The phone will sell for $99.99 with a two-year contract, AT&T told CNET. It is one of the most affordable flagship products AT&T has ever sold.

There's a lot at stake with this launch. Nokia badly needs a buzz-worthy hit product in the U.S., a market it has struggled to operate in over the last few years despite dominating early in the cellphone business. AT&T hopes the 4G LTE-capable Lumia 900 will spark interest in its still new next-generation network. Microsoft, meanwhile, needs any Windows Phone to succeed in the market and establish some legitimacy to its platform.


The Lumia 900 faces the same challenges that many past Windows Phones have struggled to overcome, including convincing consumers that the relatively new mobile operating system is worth taking over Apple's iOS and Google's Android. The iPhone and a host of high-end Android smartphones dominate current sales.

Nokia already has a smartphone in the U.S. with the Lumia 710 for T-Mobile USA, and the device appears to be selling well. But the phone, which was designed to be more affordable at the expense of higher end specifications, hasn't been a blockbuster and is selling at the country's fourth-place wireless carrier.

The Lumia 900, by contrast, will come packed with some of Nokia's best hardware. The phone will have a 4.3-inch ClearBlack Amoled display, an 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera lens, and a higher capacity 1830 mAh battery. The phone will be available in matte black and cyan blue, while a white version will hit the market on April 22.

Customers can begin preordering the black and blue versions on March 30 in store and online.

At $99.99, the hope is the attractive price tag will be enough to turn some heads and get the device in the conversation for consumers considering a new phone. A typical flagship phone will sell initially for $200 or more.

The Lumia 900 should get a fair share of marketing support. Nokia's partnership with AT&T was one of the carrier's centerpiece announcements at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, part of a broader push for LTE products. The phone was Nokia's big announcement at CES.

With AT&T still rolling out LTE products and markets, the company will give this product a lot attention. Another planned LTE Windows Phone, the HTC Titan II, isn't expected to get the same kind of push.

With few indications that Verizon Wireless or Sprint Nextel are rushing to stock new Windows Phones, Nokia and Microsoft only have AT&T and T-Mobile to rely on in the near term, at least in the U.S. Elsewhere, there are signs Nokia's Windows Phone is starting to surpass its older Symbian smartphone platform.

But in the U.S., where Symbian never got off the ground, Nokia has a blank slate to work on.

Source cnet

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Posted in: Nokia

Compare HTC Titan II vs. Nokia Lumia 900

AT&T is about to be the first carrier in the United States to land two 4G LTE Windows Phones and we thought it would be appropriate to compare them to each other. The phones we speak of are the HTC Titan II, a handset that features an absolutely massive display and the Nokia Lumia 900, which will be the Finnish company’s first foray into the 4G LTE arena.

Both devices were announced back at CES 2012 in Las Vegas and we came away impressed with both of them as they each bring some unique things to the table. Of course, while that’s fantastic, it makes a decision on which one to pick up a difficult one.

Well, we’re here to help make that choice a little easier (hopefully) by outlining the strengths and weaknesses of each handset and then tossing them into the arena for a fight to the death.


Who would hurt a smartphone ?

Anyway, without further ado, here is a breakdown of the HTC Titan II Windows Phone against the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone, both for AT&T’s next-generation 4G LTE network.

Hands-on Video:

HTC Titan II

In the video below, you can check out the HTC Titan II. We were able to spend some hands-on time with it at CES 2012 and we came away pretty elated.

Nokia Lumia 900

We are also spend some time with the Lumia 900, a device we awarded our Best of Show award for CES 2012. Needless to say, we were thrilled with Nokia’s offering and think it could make a big splash here in the U.S.




Hardware

Nokia Lumia 900As we mentioned before, Nokia fully intends to launch the Lumia 900 as its flagship device here in the United States and it’s easy to see why. It’s a gorgeous smartphone from a hardware standpoint. It’s sleek, it’s easy to hold, and it doesn’t feel cheap.

There are some other impressive things on board as well.

It sports a 4.3″ AMOLED ClearBlack display, a single core 1GHz processor, a large 1830 mAh battery, and an 8-megapixel camera with a wide aperture sensor and Carl Zeiss optics, and a 1.3MP front-facing camera. It’ll also have a 1830 mAh battery.

The Nokia Lumia 900 is a big smartphone but it pales in comparison to the HTC Titan II.

If you’re familiar with the original HTC Titan, the Titan II picks off where its predecessor left off sporting an absolute monstrous 4.7-inch display.

It will also have a Qualcomm 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S2 processor, 1730 mAh battery – bigger than the one found on the original, 512MB of RAM, a whopping 16MP rear camera with a f/2.6 wide angle lens and dual LED flash and a 1.3MP front-facing camera.

So here’s the deal. Both feature displays that are good, but sport lower resolution then  top of the line smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus or HTC Rezound. That is to say, they aren’t HD.

They both have fairly large batteries in order to handle AT&T’s 4G LTE network.

The HTC Titan II measures in at 13mm thick, the Lumia 900 is only a few inches thinner with a 11.5mm thin design. And both feature single-core processors.

That leaves us with two major differences. The cameras and the screen size. While we haven’t been able to extensively test either camera, we will say this. Nokia is known for the high-quality cameras it puts into its phones and this one, with its Carl Zeiss lens, should be no different.

That being said, the Titan II is packing an impressive one as well. But as of right now, we’re going to have to consider the cameras a wash. So, that leaves one major difference.

Both displays are pretty darn big and so it’s going to come down to personal preference. Do you need the extra space that the Titan II provides?

Or are you comfortable with the 4.3-inch display on the Lumia 900?

It’s up to you.

Connectivity

Both the HTC Titan II and the Lumia 900 are supported by AT&T’s 4G LTE network. That means that if you’re an area that’s blanketed with LTE, you’ll see data speeds that are up to 10 times faster than normal speeds on 3G.

Now, unfortunately, AT&T’s network isn’t as widespread as Verizon’s which means that many of you, if you buy one of these, will have to use it on AT&T’s HSPA+ 4G network. It’s fast, but it’s not as fast as LTE.

Here is a list of the markets where AT&T’s 4G LTE network is currently available:

    * Austin, TX

    * Athens, GA

    * Atlanta, GA

    * Baltimore, MD

    * Boston, MA

    * Charlotte, NC

    * Chapel Hill, NC,

    * Chicago, IL

    * Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

    * Houston, TX

    * Indianapolis, IN

    * Kansas City; MO

    * Las Vegas; NV

    * New York City metro area

    * Oakland, CA

    * Oklahoma City, OK

    * Orlando, FL

    * Phoenix, AZ

    * Raleigh, NC

    * San Antonio, TX

    * San Diego, CA

    * San Francisco, CA

    * San Jose. CA

    * San Juan, Puerto Rico

    * Washington, D.C.

In its defense, AT&T’s network is growing and the carrier will be making a rapid expansion over the course of 2012 so don’t be surprised to see a few more markets added to this list by the time these devices hit the market.

Release Date

Even though AT&T has announced both the Lumia 900 and the Titan II, it hasn’t given either an official release date. Luckily, sleuths have managed to track down a release date for both phones which coincidentally falls on the same day.

Which day might that be ?

March 18th.

Right now, that’s the only rumored date and it’s one that makes a lot of sense as both devices will likely be launching with Microsoft’s Windows Phone Tango update that is currently being tested for release.

Pricing

Like the release dates, AT&T, HTC and Nokia have remained mum on the prices that will be attached to the Lumia 900 and the Titan II.

The Nokia Lumia 900 on-contract price is rumored to be $99. Nokia has made it clear that it will be pricing its Windows Phones aggressively here in the United States and if you need evidence of that, look no further then the Lumia 710 for T-Mobile.

It has been out a month and it is already free at some retailers.

So, this $99 price is definitely realistic.

As for the Titan II, it’s rumored to cost $199.99 which, if true, is an absolute shame as it really offers nothing that justifies the extra $100. Of course, this is just a rumor but don’t be surprised if we see this large of a price difference go down when it’s all said and done next month.

Software

As it stands, both devices are Windows Phone 7.5 Mango devices. But there is a definite chance that that could change by the time March rolls around. That’s because Microsoft is prepping an update, dubbed Windows Phone Tang0, that might end up being the software that these devices run right out of the box.

What does that mean ?

Not as much as the Windows Phone 8 Apollo update, but there should be some goodies on board.

Verdict

We never said there would be a clear winner here but based on rumor pricing, the Lumia 900 looks to be the better option.

Both have what appear to be great cameras. They both will run either Windows Phone Mango or Windows Phone Tango. Both have access to 4G LTE speeds. And both feature decent displays with single-core processors.

The two major differences lie with the display size.

The Titan II has a massive 4.7-inch display, which may end up being too big for some of you. The Lumia 900 boasts 4.3-inch display. Just for reference, the iPhone has a 3.5-inch display.

These are no joke.

In addition, there might be a wide difference in price. While still rumor, the Lumia 900 is apparently going to check in with a $99 on-contract price while the Titan II is rumored to have a $199.99 on-contract price.

If true, we have a feeling a lot of you will be priced out by the HTC Titan II.

Source: gottabemobile

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Posted in: HTC,Nokia

Nokia E7 Vs HTC Desire Z Vs HTC 7 Pro

Ever wondered which QWERTY smartphones are the best? Devices like the Nokia E7 are perfect for out of office use – offering outstanding features and unrivalled build quality, but other smartphones like the HTC Desire Z and HTC 7 Pro put up a good fight. Join us after the cut to find out what they’re like in a head to head…

Nokia has an impressive history when it comes to producing smartphones with touchscreens and QWERTY keyboards, including the Nokia N900 and Nokia N97 Mini. The Nokia E7 looks like being one of the best yet, however.

All About Symbian has pitched the Nokia E7, HTC Desire Z and HTC 7 Pro together in a head to head, and it makes for fascinating reading.

It’s evidently the Nokia E7′s hardware that impresses the most, with AAS pointing out of its build quality:
Aluminium shell with pivoting Gorilla glass display on metal hinge. Lovely hardware, lovely form factor, incredible build quality, amazingly thin for the keyboard size”.

Having played with the Nokia E7 ourselves, we have to agree – it’s definitely the most solid QWERTY smartphone we’ve seen to date. The Nokia E7s rivals are a lot more plasticy, although both the HTC Desire Z and the HTC 7 Pro feature equally impressive sliding mechanisms for their keyboards.

The Nokia E7 gets the upper hand when it comes to playing back movies too, thanks to having the largest screen – at 4 inches rather than 3.7-inch for the HTC Desire Z, and 3.6-inch for the HTC 7 Pro. Although the Nokia E7s rivals counter with higher resolutions, AAS gives the win to Nokia due to its CBD screen technology and the fact the screen also works in portrait and landscape mode.

All About Symbian pitches the three phones together in lots of other ways – including the camera, video recording, memory, web browsing, connectivity and more. At the end, you’ll be glad to know that the Nokia E7 comes out top of the pile – winning eight categories to its rivals six.

AAS rounds up the article by stating:
“Unsurprisingly, given my focus on pure specifications and functionality, and despite the many compromises Nokia had to make to create the E7, it still manages to trounce the opposition here.”

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Posted in: HTC,Nokia

Nokia Striving to Prevent MeeGo Brain Drain

Nokia is trying to make sure MeeGo developers do not leave the company by offering them a hefty bonus, according to the online newspaper Taloussanomat. The company’s aim is to entice the programmers into staying until the first MeeGo smart phone hits the market.

Information available to Taloussanomat indicates that Nokia will offer its MeeGo developers a 50 percent bonus. Nokia’s offer allegedly encompasses three deadlines: the end of July, the end of September and the end of year. If employees leave before the agreed date, they forfeit the entire bonus.

Nokia has apparently not revealed what would happen to the MeeGo programmers once the smart phone is ready. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has said that MeeGo, developed in cooperation with Intel, will become mainly a research project in the future.

Earlier, Nokia stated that one high-end MeeGo-based phone will come out this year. It is supposedly to be called N950.

MeeGo has been a smart phone platform in development at Nokia along with Symbian, which is now to be replaced as Nokia’s main operational system with Microsoft’s Windows Phone. It has been predicted that the recent partnership with Microsoft signals layoffs for thousands of Nokia employees.

Even though Nokia has made no decision to stop MeeGo development completely, some MeeGo programmers have already begun looking for jobs elsewhere. Taloussanomat reports that Intel and Google, for example, would gladly employ Nokia experts.

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Posted in: Nokia

Nokia Plans to Open Vietnam Factory for Low-End Handsets

Nokia Oyj, the world’s biggest maker of mobile phones, said it plans to open a plant in Vietnam to manufacture low-end phones, bringing its number of handset factories to 11.

The Espoo, Finland-based company will initially invest 200 million euros ($275 million) at the site near Hanoi, and expects “further sizeable investments” in the future, it said in a statement. Nokia aims to have the plant open in 2012.

Nokia churns out about a million low-end phones a day at prices as low as 20 euros apiece. The company aims to cement its position as the biggest manufacturer of phones for emerging markets and upgrade users of basic devices to more powerful feature handsets with Web browsers as higher-speed networks come on line.

“The new manufacturing site will play a key role in our effort to connect the next billion to the Web,” Nokia Senior Vice President Juha Putkiranta said in the statement.

The factory would add to plants already built in Vietnam by technology companies including Intel Corp. and Canon Inc., which are among the biggest investors in the Southeast Asian nation of 87 million people.

Last year, Intel opened a $1 billion assembly and testing plant in Ho Chi Minh City which Chief Executive Paul Otellini said helped put Vietnam “on the map for high-tech investment,” while Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates said during a 2006 visit to Hanoi that Vietnam has the potential to develop as an outsourcing center similar to India.
Nokia Sites

“After the Intel plant came into operation, technology companies now recognize that Vietnam can be a viable location,” said Than Trong Phuc, the Ho Chi Minh City-based managing director of investment fund DFJ VinaCapital L.P. “Costs are rising in China and Vietnam has a cost advantage, although Vietnam still lacks a sufficient supply chain.”

Nokia currently manufactures low-end phones in countries including Brazil, China, India, Hungary, Romania and Mexico. It makes smartphones in Finland, China and South Korea. The company faces challenges in Asia from manufacturers using standard components from Taiwan’s MediaTek Inc., as well as from Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., the world’s second- and third-largest mobile phone makers.

Low-end phones, which have a limited set of features and lack the flexible programming capabilities of smartphones, accounted for about 80 percent of phone shipments by units last year, according to Gartner Inc.

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Posted in: Nokia

Nokia X6 GSM Phone Review – Slap in Your SIM Card and Go

The unlocked Nokia X6 GSM phone is a very powerful networking and entertainment machine and boasts a 3.2 inch true widescreen touch screen capacitive display, an integrated GPS navigation system, Ovi Maps Navigation added for free, Carl Zeiss 5.0 megapixel camera and 16 GB of onboard memory. There is plenty of room for apps, videos and more, and when you get tired of the same old stuff, head over to the Ovi Store for more downloads.

Nokia includes a passable stereo headset with mic, and adds several sets of comfortable gel ear pads in different sizes for just the right fit. The included headset is okay, but you will want to upgrade at some point. The display and phone front is sharp-looking, with everything clearly marked and easy to navigate. Your main screen on the Nokia X6 has a dedicated key called the Media Bar which gives you one touch access to all your stored video, music downloads, online file sharing sites and web browser. This main screen also has a Contacts Bar that allows for some awesome social interaction.

More than just access to your contacts list, this one touch capability on the Nokia X6 GSM phone allows you to make calls and handle your messages, and even follow up to 20 web feeds from your favorite social networks like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other blogs and sites. The onscreen QWERTY touch keyboard ensures that you can immediately interact via any of these feeds, and move back and forth between them seamlessly. And your phone doesn’t care how much you move, it re-orients itself immediately with the integrated gravity sensor .

The Nokia X6 runs on the most recent version of the Symbian OS, and comes pre-loaded with some pretty neat games, DJ Mix Tour by Gameloft and Spore by EA. WIFI networking, stereo music streaming a stereo FM receiver and up to 6 hours talk time on 3G networks all add value to this nice little package. Bluetooth access for hands free operation and a full HTML web browser are along for the entertaining ride as well.

The unlocked X6 phone can be used on GSM service providers only, and only needs you to slip your SIM card inside for it to port all your information. Pick up the unlocked Nokia X6 GSM phone at Amazon today, where you get over 40% off the regular retail and free shipping during their current promotion.

See other high quality and top rated Nokia cell phones in the Amazon Nokia Smartphone, Cell Phone, and Accessories Store.

For those of you who are looking for a savvy smartphone with service, you can visit the Amazon Wireless store for great deals.

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Posted in: Nokia

Nokia Beat Apple, HTC and Palm et al in Eco Stakes

We all know Nokia is an eco-aware brand and is doing more than any other smartphone company out there to make sure its products are as Green and Eco-friendly as possible. So, it should come as no surprise that Nokia comes top in a new study that looks at the social and environmental impact of making and selling smartphones. That’s right, Nokia beats the likes of Apple, HTC, Palm and even Samsung in the eco stake. Read on and find out more about Nokia and its eco credentials.

GoodGuide is a website set up in the US of A and by all accounts is a spin-off from the TechCrunch50 crowd. How they differ from other chart sites is that they have a rating system based on social and environmental issues. This means they take in to account the materials used, the packaging the phone comes in, the effectiveness of the charger and even the details of the carbon footprint the phone has getting from factory to store, to your hands.

In its latest research it has shown that Nokia has the best credentials of any phone manufacturer, taking more care and pride in its products than anyone else.

If you’re interested in reading more about what makes up the science behind the new GoodGuide findings then check out the GoodGuide Blog. However, for those who need a quick overview, here are is the list of criteria:

Energy management (product)
Toxic waste (product)
Environmental disclosure (product)
Product management (product)
Eco-materials management (product)
Green production practices (company)
Extended producer responsibility (company)

Want to know which device came top overall? Well it was the Nokia C6, that’s right, the funky little 3.2-inch smartphone with the slide-out QWERTY keyboard that many thought was just a simple Nokia N97 Mini update. Read our Nokia C6 review.

Check out the most environmentally sensible phone manufacturers:
1. Nokia
2. Sony Ericsson
3. Apple
4. Pantech
5. Palm
6. Kyocera Sanyo
7. Motorola
8. HTC
9. Samsung
10. Curitel

So, there you have it, Nokia beats all other manufacturers hand down when it comes to the eco-stakes. Sure, companies are improving and we can all do are bit to help preserve the Earth’s resources. The question is, are mobile phone manufacturers being as eco-friendly as they can be? Let us know what you think in the Comments below.

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Posted in: Nokia

Nokia will slash prices of Windows Phone devices

FINNISH PHONE MAKER Nokia is so sure that its upcoming Windows Phone handsets will sell like hotcakes that its CEO Stephen Elop has already said that it will slash prices.

Nokia might not have been exhibiting at last week's Mobile World Congress, but its decision to jump into bed with Microsoft was the talk of the show, with many wondering if Elop's decision to hook up with his former employer would result in the firm releasing successful handsets. Barely a week since the announcement, Elop has said that he expects the price of Nokia handsets running Windows Phone software to reach "a very low price point", adding that Nokia has "become convinced that we can do that very quickly".

Usually companies slash prices on products when they are not selling well or when trying to clear stock for a new product. Given that Windows Phone is new for Nokia, that suggest the firm realises that it will have a hard time flogging Windows Phone devices.

Nokia's price cutting plan is not without precedent. In the US, Microsoft resorted to selling Windows Phone 7 devices on a buy-one-get-one-free basis in the hopes of boosting sales.

Elop is banking on Nokia loading Windows Phone on as many devices as possible through the firm's product range. With Google's Android starting to appear on devices priced below £100, Nokia will need to slash prices fast if it is to hold on in a market where it has traditionally been strong.

Elop also told Finnish journalists that he had sold all of his Microsoft shares on 17 February and purchased 150,000 shares in Nokia, days after it fell 20 per cent on the news of its tie-up with Microsoft.

Nokia had better hope that Elop's gamble of selling cut price Windows Phone handsets pays off, otherwise the future could start looking grim for the former titan of the feature phone business

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Posted in: Nokia

Nokia X7-00 Leaked, Runs Symbian^3 has Four Speakers

Another Nokia phone surfaces in the wild, videos and pictures of the unannounced Nokia X7-00 have now leaked online. The report comes from SlashGear, the upcoming Nokia X7-00 runs the Symbian^3 and has four speakers which suggest that it is heavily focused on entertainment.

Features of the phone include a 4-inch screen with a resolution of 360 x 480 (probably a gorilla glass like the Nokia N8). Along with four speakers the Nokia X7-00 has an 8 megapixel camera, 245MB of RAM and 450MB on onboard storage.

Obviously now pricing and availability information is yet available, but check out this video. I feel it is way better than the Nokia N8 and definitely a great device for Nokia fans.

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Posted in: Nokia

Nokia to push out cheap Windows Phone handsets quickly

Speaking during a meeting with Finnish business journalists, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said the handset maker would produce inexpensive Windows Phone handsets quickly. The ability to produce smartphones with a very low price point was reportedly on of the key factors in selecting Microsoft as a partner for the future of the Finnish company’s mobile platform. “We have become convinced that we can do that very quickly,” Elop said during this meeting on Friday. The final agreement between Microsoft and Nokia should be inked within the next few months and Windows Phone handsets are expected by the end of the year.

The initial response to Nokia’s decision to drop Symbian and adopt Microsoft Windows Phone has been mixed. The Finnish company’s stock dropped more than 20% and many Finnish employees unhappy with the decision took a voluntary day off when the deal was announced earlier this month. A group of stockholders claimed to be staging a coup to unseat Elop, but this Nokia Plan B initiative was later revealed to be a hoax.

Though many Symbian fans may be disappointed to see their mobile OS of choice disappear, mobile industry executives view the plan as a good move for two companies that are struggling in the mobile marketplace. Nokia is the top manufacturer by volume but is losing marketshare each quarter to Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android OS. Microsoft is currently on the bottom, trying to fight its way up the ladder. This partnership will give each company a much needed boost.

Nokia CEO Elop also sold all his Microsoft shares on February 17th and purchased 150,000 shares of Nokia. The CEO came under fire earlier this month when it was discovered he held a large amount of Microsoft stock and none in his own company. The battered CEO claimed regulations prevented him from selling this stock during the negotiation period between the two high-profile companies. Now that the deal is public and close to being inked, the former Microsoft executive sold his interest in Microsoft and rightly invested it in Nokia.

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Posted in: Nokia

Nokia, Samsung Take Top Spots in Good Guide's Green Phone Ranking

With mobile phones becoming ever more ubiquitous around the globe, and taking on many of the tasks previously assigned to personal computers, measuring the environmental impacts of mobiles is an urgent task.

This week, the Good Guide, publishers of detailed rankings of the health, environmental and social impacts of consumer products ranging from pet food to appliances, have added mobile phones to the lists.

The results of the rankings of 596 cell phones from 16 manufacturers, highlight some clear winners and losers, and also showcase how a company's overall performance can and should impact the greenness of a product.

Nokia holds the crown for having the highest-ranking phones -- 26 of the top 30 models are Nokia phones -- most with scores of 7.7 or 7.6 out of a possible 10 points. Also scoring near the top is Samsung's Blue Earth phone, with a perfect 10 on the product environmental score for its energy-efficient charger, use of eco materials, and elimination of brominated flame retardants and PVC.

Nokia's C6 cell phone, which is the overall highest rated product in the list, scored 9.0 on the environmental rankings, but because Nokia as a company performs better on environmental criteria, with 6.5 out of 10 compared to Samsung's 5.8, the phone scored higher overall.

Apple's iPhone fell in the lower-middle of the pack, with a 5.6 ranking for all three iPhones tested. While the product itself scored an 8.5 on environmental criteria -- the company long ago began phasing out toxics from its devices -- Apple the company earned just a 5.0 ranking, in part for its lack of disclosure of other key social and environmental issues.

By far the lowest-ranking company on the list is Research in Motion, whose BlackBerry phones earned a 3.3 rating on average, the lowest of all phones scored. Although its phones in general earn higher scores -- the Bold 9000 smartphone, as an example, scored a 5.0 -- the scores were dragged down by RIM's poor environmental performance. The company scored just .08 on standard environmental performance, for its greenhouse gas commitments and reporting as well as water, waste and air pollution records.

Good Guide was started by Dara O'Rourke, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, as a way to make it easier for customers to make smart decisions about the products they buy, while they're shopping.

As the company's senior director of business development, Joshua Saunders, wrote on GreenBiz.com last summer:

Here at GoodGuide, we provide millions of consumers with health, environmental and social responsibility information on the products they buy every day. While we provide product and company-level information with the hopes of influencing consumer purchasing behavior, we aren’t directly rewarding consumers who do make greener purchases. A little over six months ago we launched an iPhone barcode scanning app so that consumers can get sustainability information quickly and easily at point of purchase and the app is quickly approaching a half million users.

The full rankings for all 596 cell phones are available online at GoodGuide.com.

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Posted in: Nokia,Samsung

BlackBerry App World beats Android and Nokia; Is the Apple App Store unstoppable?

IHS reports state that while Apple is still wiping the floor with the rest of the mobile market in application market sales, BlackBerry is in second place overtaking both Android and Nokia.

While the battle for younger users is between the iPhone and BlackBerry handsets, these figures show that iPhone users buy and download the most applications. Though BlackBerry users in a far away second place downloading even more applications as they become available.

In short, while it does not show a direct correlation between Apple and BlackBerry users and application sales through their respective application stores, it does show Apple’s dominance in the market.

Granted, the Apple App Store is in clear first place with 82% of all revenue, raking in over $1.78 billion in 2010, with BlackBerry taking second place at 7% and $165 million.

Even though Android is the world’s most used mobile operating system, with a staggering 350,000 Android applications per day, it shows that the Android Market is falling behind all the major players - even Nokia.

But crucially, as BlackBerry, Nokia and Android users are year on year buying and downloading more applications, iPhone users are slowing down.

Once Nokia and Microsoft close the deal and the Windows Phone Marketplace and the Ovi Store is combined, this will further dent the figures. Though truth be told, the merger will probably hit the BlackBerry maker Research in Motion more than the Apple.

Is Apple’s App Store unstoppable?

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Posted in: Apple,BlackBerry,Nokia

Nokia: Cheap Windows Phones will reach market “very quickly”

Nokia has promised low-cost Windows Phone 7 smartphones “very quickly”, addressing concerns that the Microsoft OS would drive up prices of the Finnish company’s smartphone range. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop confirmed that “we have become convinced that we can do that very quickly” having revealed that one of Microsoft’s key messages throughout negotiations was that Windows Phones could readily hit “a very low price point.”
Mobile World Congress 2011 this past week proved something of a flop for Windows Phone, with new Android devices dominating the line-ups of most manufacturers. Nokia itself has said that its first smartphones running the platform aren’t expected until later in the year, and SlashGear is hearing that carriers are responding negatively to increasing pressure from Microsoft to promote devices.

One of the current issues is pricing, with Microsoft’s stringent minimum specifications and inflexibility on modifications leading to an expensive range of functionally very similar handsets. Broader support for chipsets other than Qualcomm’s will be one important step in that process; earlier this week, ST-Ericsson confirmed it was focusing strongly on the Windows Phone platform.

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Posted in: Nokia,Winphone