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Nokia Transport just received an update, adding segmented route maps and more specific directions for those crucial moments when you need to know precisely what to do. This comes in addition to a redesign that updated the interface for a more intuitive, easy-to-take-in experience. The update is for Windows Phone 7 and 8, as well as Symbian.

Windows Phone 7 and 8 users get the most feature changes, gaining a segmented map that offers a more detailed image of a route. There’s a plan-ahead feature, allowing users to view routes and select route plans by entering a future travel date and destination. Users can toggle distances between miles and kilometers, depending on preference, and can view departure times by seeing how much time is left or the exact time something is scheduled to leave. In addition, users can easily pull up route history, or delete history if you need to keep your journeys private.

Symbian users get a different kind of update, with an overall improved user experience and search function. In addition, there’s the new ability to get over-the-air coverage updates, removing the need to download a fresh app whenever an area extension is pushed out. The new app is in beta, and is available via Nokia Beta Labs.

Nokia Transport presently covers over 550 cities and 53 countries, and, according to the company, “is constantly growing.” You can find out if the mapping/navigation platform covers an area you’re interested in by visiting Nokia’s comprehensive coverage page on its website. The company is actively soliciting feedback on the updates, so if you have an opinion to voice, head over to the company’s @heremaps Twitter feed.

[via Nokia]

Nokia Transport updated for Windows Phone 7 and 8 and Symbian is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Do you have any complaints about Microsoft’s SkyDrive when it comes to hosting and sharing your files with the rest of family and friends? Well, here is an alternative that you might want to check out – assuming you own a Nokia Lumia 810, 820, 822 or 920, of course, as the official YouSendIt application from the Nokia Collection is now available. This is an exclusive app for the Windows Phone 8 platform, where it was announced as so back in September this year.

YouSendit enables you to send, share, sync and even sign your documents on the phone itself, and it does not matter if you want to stash away photos or videos, it does seem as though YouSendIt is able to handle all of it without missing a beat. The service will comes in three different varieties, including free (2GB), Pro (5GB at $9.99 per month) or Pro Plus (unlimited at $14.99 month). It is definitely not as good a deal as SkyDrive for the power user, but for the majority in enterprise and business, YouSendIt is more ideal thanks to its emphasis on sending and sharing files.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Windows Phone 8 Does Not Jive With Xbox Video Purchases, Handful Of HTML5 Websites Now Play Nice With Windows Phone 8,

While Windows Phone 8 is one of the smoothest mobile operating system experiences to date, there seems to be a niggling reboot issue for Windows Phone 8-powered devices. Apparently, owners of the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Windows Phone 8X from HTC seem to be affected far more than the others, as their devices do seem to reset themselves for no apparent reason. Random reboots can be one of the more irritating experiences, and I can definitely vouch for that. Imagine doing your work halfway only to have your smartphone reboot on you without saving your previous work, and unlike a desktop software, it is not that easy to recover (if and where possible) your work. Not only that, modern day smartphones have impossibly long startup times compared to the old school Nokias.

Random reboots are not the only issues plaguing these Windows Phone 8 smartphones, but there have been some users who did mention that they have experienced email synchronization issues as well, where the accounts remain perpetually stuck in a synchronization loop – definitely one of the major ways of draining your smartphone’s battery to nothing in a short while.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Windows Phone 8 SDK Released at BUILD, Nokia Lumia 920’s exclusivity on AT&T reportedly only for six months,

It’s time for Verizon to get its hands on the Windows Phone 8 universe with the lovely Nokia Lumia 822, another iteration of the original Lumia 820. This device is essentially the same as the original Lumia 820 with a 4.3-inch 480 x 800 pixel resolution AMOLED display with ClearBlack technology to make it extra vibrant – covered with a Corning Gorilla Glass 2 pane of reinforced glass and surrounded by some more of that fabulous near-soft plastic we’ve seen on each of the Lumias thus far. This device takes on the Lumia 920 with many of the same features but just ever-so-slightly less top-notch specifications – there may be a little less magic, but there’s certainly magic enough.

Hardware

This device works with a body that’s not going to blast past the top smartphone tier as far as outright beauty goes, nor is it about to keep your iPhone 5 friends at bay with a more high-class feel. What it is going to do is offer you Windows Phone 8 in just about as perfect a combination of hardware and software as you’re going to see on the market today (also see our T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 810 Review for a similar solution). Nokia has always been known for their high-quality builds and long-lasting equipment, and this device is no exception to the rule.

With a body that’s 127.8 x 68.4 x 11.2 mm and carrying a weight of 142 g, you’ll find that this device is just the little “Monoblock”, as Nokia calls the form factor, that you’ll want to experience Windows Phone 8 at the fullest. Inside you’ve got a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, the same as you’ll find in the Samsung Galaxy S III and the bigger brother to this device, the Nokia Lumia 920. This device has an 8 megapixel camera on the back with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens and 2.2 mm F number/aperture. The front-facing camera is no joke, also, at 1280 x 960 pixels ready for video chat – nothing compared to the iPhone 5, but still perfectly useful.

The big differences between this device and the Nokia Lumia 920 are the camera and the display – the display on the 920 is larger (have a peek at our full Nokia Lumia 920 review) and the camera on the 920 works with PureView technology. That means it works amazingly in the dark, effectively. The Nokia Lumia 822 still brings on amazing photos in normal lighting conditions – and you’ve got a dual-LED flash to back you up if you want to head down to the basement as well.

Software

Under the hood you’ve got essentially the same software as you’re getting with every Windows Phone 8 device today plus a collection of Nokia’s own augmented reality and mapping apps. These apps really do make the difference if you’re planning on using your phone for its GPS abilities or if you want to go out exploring the city you live in or want to get to know better. Have a peek, again, at our Nokia Lumia 920 review to see what these apps are all about – or just have a peek at this handy hands-on with the Nokia Lumia 920 courtesy of Nokia – apps ahoy!

You also get a taste of Nokia Music as well as Verizon-specific bonuses like NFC Mobile. This device also comes with Univision for Spanish speaking video lovers and Data Sense. Data Sense is an app that allows you to closely track the amount of data you’re using each day so you’ll never go over your allotted amount – no more pocketbook busters for you! My Verizon Mobile also exists in your app list right out of the box, this allowing you more control over your Verizon account – no hassle!

Camera / Battery

With a combination of the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4′s battery conserving abilities and the ease with which you’re able to manage how much energy you’re using via Nokia and Windows Phone 8, this device will last you at least a full working day. If you’re doing nothing but streaming video via 4G LTE, expect less than a standard 8 hours – anyone can drain a battery if they try hard enough. Also note – we’ve not yet heard about wireless charging for this unit, but the removable back panel gives us hope that the 822 will follow the 820′s lead.

The camera, again, works rather well here with the Nokia Luma 822, just as well as its brethren each starting with the number “82″. It would appear that the Snapdragon S4 processor helps here as well as the high-quality lens and sensor to create an image processing package that’s right up there with the top tier smartphones on the market. Windows Phone 8 also provides a unique opportunity to closely integrate apps with the camera itself rather than opening apps that also have camera abilities, this making the entire photography experience a joy no matter which Windows Phone 8 device you’re on.

Wrap-up

The crowning jewel on this device is, of course, Verizon’s 4G LTE. We’ve had no Lumia device work with data this quick thus far, nor indeed any Windows Phone 8 device not on Verizon’s network. The Nokia team was smart to finally make a connection with Verizon for Windows Phone 8 here, especially now that the Windows 8 wave has begun. Hopefully the hot selling action that’s happening with the Lumia 920 will continue here with the Verizon-bound 822 so Nokia can continue to bring unique solutions like this one to the market. Available immediately if not soon in any color just so long as it’s black.

Verizon Nokia Lumia 822 Review is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We’ve kept anxious eyes on Huawei’s Ascend W1 for a while now, so imagine our disappointment when it was a no-show at the Windows Phone 8 launch. Fortunately, a Huawei employee has tweeted a pair of pictures that show the device in all of its budget-handset glories. Gone are the rounded corners of handsets like the Ascend D Quad, in favor of a boxier aesthetic that sits well with Metro Windows 8 Style whatever we’re calling it this week. Hardware-wise, it’s believed to be carrying a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 4-inch, 800 x 480 display, 2,000mAh battery and a 5-megapixel camera. There’s also an unconfirmed rumor that we’ll first see the China-exclusive device at CES 2013, breaking the hearts of impoverished westerners everywhere.

Continue reading Huawei Ascend W1 makes an appearance in Blue and White

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft

Huawei Ascend W1 makes an appearance in Blue and White originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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