Hasta La Gadget!

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is currently on stage at MWC in Barcelona, and he’s had a few choice things to say about the recent announcement that Nokia will partner with Microsoft to create devices which run Windows Phone software. Elop told the crowd assembled there that Nokia’s “first priority is beating Android,” and he also took a moment to let everyone know that Nokia is not interested in being the only company producing Windows Phones — countering some recent exclusivity chatter. The presentation is still going on, so we’ll keep you updated.

Be sure to check out our full liveblog right here.

Nokia: ‘Our first priority is beating Android’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 13:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve been gathered at the same cozy venue as two years ago (for the introduction of the E52, if memory serves correctly) for Nokia’s event at MWC 2011 this evening… and frankly, in light of what’s happened the past few days, we’re not quite sure what to expect. CEO Stephen Elop should be on stage to take some questions — but in terms of product or strategy announcements, it’s anyone’s guess. Follow the break for all the fun!

Continue reading Live from ‘An Evening With Nokia’ at MWC 2011!

Live from ‘An Evening With Nokia’ at MWC 2011! originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stephen Elop, in his financial and strategy briefing continuing Nokia’s marathon Capital Markets Day, just posed an interesting rhetorical question: will Nokia be able to “customize everything” on Windows Phone 7 in order to differentiate itself? “Yes!” was Elop’s ebullient proclamation, though he quickly pulled it back to say that Nokia likely won’t make extensive use of this freedom to tailor Microsoft’s OS. Instead, the company will be cautious and seek to maintain compatibility rather than pushing the boat out too far in tweaking the underlying software. That’s a major shift for Microsoft, who forbade HTC from skinning Windows Phone 7 with Sense, something the Taiwanese company would surely have loved to do, and limited it to the introduction of a self-contained Hub. Now Nokia’s saying it — perhaps exclusively — has been given the liberty to play around inside WP7 to its heart’s content. We’ll see how important that turns out to be whenever Nokia delivers its first device bearing its new smartphone OS. An insider tip tells us the current plan is to introduce such a handset by the end of 2011, potentially based on current hardware. Who’s ready for Xbox Live on a future version of the N8?

Nokia will be able to customize ‘everything’ in Windows Phone 7, but likely won’t originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s happened. Former Microsoft exec and current Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has married his future and his past in the holy matrimony of a “strategic alliance.” Windows Phone is becoming Nokia’s “principal smartphone strategy,” but there’s a lot more to this hookup — scope out the official press release just after the break. Microsoft’s Bing and adCenter will provide search and ad services across Nokia devices, while Nokia will look to innovate “on top of the platform” with things like its traditional strength in imaging. Ovi Maps will be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services and will be integrated with Bing, while Nokia’s content store will be integrated into (read: assimilated by) Microsoft’s Marketplace. Xbox Live and Office will also, as is to be expected, feature on these brave new Microkia handsets. An open letter on Nokia’s Conversations site, penned jointly by Stephen Elop and Steve Ballmer, sets out the foregoing details along with the following statement of intent:

“There are other mobile ecosystems. We will disrupt them. There will be challenges. We will overcome them. Success requires speed. We will be swift. Together, we see the opportunity, and we have the will, the resources and the drive to succeed.”

Nokia and Microsoft enter strategic alliance on Windows Phone, Bing, Xbox Live and more originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 02:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last.fm has decided to tweak its offering on the app front, where it is now introducing a new subscription requirement for most mobile and home entertainment devices. From here on out, you’ll have to pay for the privilege of streaming music through the company’s software on devices like the iPhone and Squeezebox, though the blow is nicely cushioned by the news that there won’t be any ads to dilute your aural pleasure. Windows Phone 7 won’t be subject to the new fee for the remainder of 2011 in the US and UK, while Sonos devices will continue to stream freely until this summer, but eventually it seems like all these apps will cost a little bit of cash to use. And “little” is the operative word here, as Last.fm is asking for only $3 / €3 / £3 per month. If you really can’t stomach the outlay, however, just stream via the web or desktop application… you tightwad.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Last.fm radio app goes ‘premium’ on home and mobile devices, web and desktop streaming remain free originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 06:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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