Nokia Lumia 1020 wireless charging case and camera grip case – Review

With every good phone there should exist a decent selection of official accessories. You know the sort, well made, nice colours and with features not found in third party accessories. The official Nokia Lumia 1020 cases are just that. I’ve got them both and here is my review showing you how they work and hopefully helping you make a purchasing decision. Starting with the slightly less interesting of the two the wireless charging shell.

Nokia Lumia 1020 wireless charging shell

I’m a recent convert to wireless charging, I now prefer my new devices to have it built in and if not at least to have a wireless charging accessory. Luckily for me the Lumia 1020 has a shell that you can clip on and joy of joys it comes in yellow.

Good Points

Available in the same nice coloursQi compatibleFill outs the camera hump a bitAll ports accessible

Bad Points

Not much protection offeredBit flimsy and creakyA bit costly

Design

The wireless charging case follows a similar design to the previous shells for devices like the Lumia 720 or the Lumia 925. It basically just clips over each one of the corners and to remove it’s just the reverse, it is really easy to fit and remove. The case feels just as nice at the Lumia 1020 itself and if anything it makes the whole package feel better as the protruding lense is evened out by the thickness of the wireless charging part.

It’s not all good though, the shell doesn’t really offer any protection at all, it protects the back from scratches and a section of each corner, face down or sideways drops and your asking for trouble. At the end of the day it’s just really for enabling wireless charging and a little bit of protection.

In Use

In use the wireless charging shell is pretty easy to use, slip the shell on and place your phone onto one of the nice Nokia charging pads I’ve got. That’s it really, the shell does easily come off and it doesn’t obscure any of the ports or sockets.

Nokia Lumia 1020 Camera grip

The Lumia 1020 Camera grip created some varying emotions within me when it was announced, varying from, “whoa that’s cool” right through to “whoa that’s stupid”. I knew I’d eventually have to buy one to see how it would fair in real life. So here it is, my review starting of course with my good and bad points.

Good Points

Really great ideaExtra battery powerExtra grip helps with one handed modeTwo stage shutter button helps with focusing

Bad Points

Makes using the Lumia as a phone feel oddTripod screw placement oddSlightly fiddling to removeSlightly overpricedSpeaker obscured when in use

Design

The Lumia 1020 camera grip is an odd looking piece of kit for a phone case, for a piece of plastic that makes your Lumia 1020 feel even more like a camera then it’s perfectly normal. Once you’ve figured out how to fit it is a really damn good idea and it feels really good in the hand, as long as you don’t try to use it as a phone.

The hump houses a 1020 mAh battery pack, a new shutter button, a tripod mount, a battery gauge and the charging socket.

In Use

In use the Lumia Camera grip is pretty good, there are three things that it’s good at. The first is the battery pack, it’s only 1020 mAh so don’t expect huge battery life, but it’s still quite handy to have on hand. The second good thing about the case is the fact that it allows you to easily take shots with one hand, the camera grip really lets you get a good grip. The third thing is how the shutter button makes it easy to do a half press to focus and then fully press to snap the shot. When I have the grip attached I’m always on the look out for something to capture.

Of course there are bad points to the camera grip, such as trying to remove is quite fiddly, the speaker on the bottom of the Lumia is obscured, using it as a phone with the grip on just feels odd and when you connect it to a tripod it’s all a little lopsided.

Conclusion

Overall the cases both have a purpose and they both do it well, although both do have niggling design quirks, like the speaker being obscured on the camera grip and the lack of screen protection on the charging shell. However the facts that they are official accessories that fit perfectly, they are the correct colour and they are extremely well made, all override and slight niggles over the design.

I got the Camera Grip from Amazon who seemed cheapest at the time, the wireless charging shell has now also dropped below £20 on Amazon as well.

Lumia 2520 announced by Nokia

The Lumia 2520, the first Windows tablet from Nokia, has today been announced. Here in the UK there’s only one place to get it, and that’s through John Lewis from December 4th. The tablet includes 4G connectivity, a full HD 1920×1080 10.1? screen, 2.2GHz quad-core CPU, 11 hours of battery life and 4 colours – a glossy white or red plus a matt-finished black or cyan.

Nokia have added some exclusive apps, including Nokia Video Director to edit video and “Dragons Adventure” – a DreamWorks game ideal for the family.

Powered by Windows RT 8.1, there’s a 6.7 megapixel auto-focus Zeiss-optics camera at the back (with a f1.9 apeture) plus a 2 megapixel wide-angle front camera. It has 2GB RAM, 32GB of internal memory, a microSD card and SkyDrive cloud storage with free global Nokia HERE Maps. Price? Well, from Wednesday John Lewis will be off-loading these for £399.99 and you can add a Nokia Power Keyboard case (adding another 5 hours of battery life plus 2 full-size USB ports) for another £149.95.

More details below. What do you guys reckon? Will you be buying one?

The Nokia Lumia 2520 – exclusively available from John Lewis

Nokia Lumia 2520 – keeping you connected and letting you do more on the go

Thursday 28th November 2013 - London, UK – Nokia today announced that the Nokia Lumia 2520, the company’s first Windows tablet, will be available exclusively through The John Lewis Partnership from December 4th. Priced at only £399.99, the Lumia 2520 features 4G connectivity, a stunning 10.1” full HD display, quad core chipset, multiple colour choices, 11 hours of battery life and super-fast-charging capabilities.

“In a market of me-too products, the Nokia Lumia 2520 stands out from the crowd with its unique Lumia design, great hardware and exclusive software experiences,” said Conor Pierce, Nokia’s General Manager for the UK & Ireland. “The Nokia Lumia 2520 is the first truly connected tablet and we look forward to working with John Lewis to bring this amazing connected experience to their customers.”

Premium Design Meets Maximum Function

The Lumia 2520 builds on the beautiful Lumia design and comes in a number of stunning colours, including a gloss finished red and a beautiful black silk finish. The Lumia 2520 is designed to work anywhere as it sports a bright 10.1-inch full HD display giving the best outdoor and indoor readability possible. Also, for the first time, ZEISS optics appears on a tablet alongside Nokia’s highly praised camera applications. The Lumia 2520 has a 6.7 megapixel rear camera with f1.9 aperture, providing great low-light images, and also features a 2 megapixel front-facing camera for high quality video calls. Concerns about power are a thing of the past, as the Lumia 2520 provides up to 11 hours of battery life during video playback and has support for fast-charging; giving you up to 80% charge in just one hour.

Harry Boughton, junior buyer for tablets and telecoms says, “We’re very excited to announce the launch of the Nokia Lumia 2520 tablet exclusive to John Lewis. We have seen a continuing demand for tablets, selling one every 15 seconds, and we think the addition of this tablet to our range will appeal to customers looking to do more than surf the web. It comes with the Microsoft Windows 8 operating system and Microsoft Office is pre-installed, making it ideal for customers who use Excel, Word, PowerPoint or Outlook. It is also 4G enabled so customers can use super-fast mobile broadband to always stay connected.”

Unique and Connected Lumia Tablet Experiences

The Lumia 2520 also comes with a number of unique software experiences that are exclusive to the Lumia family, including the excellent “Dragons Adventure” application, developed in partnership with DreamWorks Animation. Working together with the HERE Maps and LiveSight applications it offers a unique augmented reality experience, Dragons Adventure simply turns every journey into a “How to Train Your Dragon” themed experience.

Nokia Storyteller reinvents the way you relive your stories. Built into the Lumia 2520, it automatically compiles your pictures into a single timeline with great HERE maps integration – including images from Facebook, SkyDrive, Picasa, Flickr and even your Lumia smartphone. The Lumia Share application also allows your Lumia smartphone to interact with your Lumia 2520 and view all your images within Storyteller, simply connecting via inbuilt NFC.

The Lumia 2520 also sees the introduction of Nokia Video Director, a new video editing software that lets you get even more creative with videos captured on both the Nokia Lumia 2520 and companion Lumia smartphones. Shoot a video on your Lumia smartphone, share with the Lumia 2520 and edit it with predefined templates on your tablet.

With industry-leading HERE Maps, the Lumia 2520 is the only tablet with true offline map support for a fast and reliable maps experience. The Lumia 2520 also includes an exclusive version of Nokia Mix Radio preinstalled, providing a super-rich music discovery experience.

Stay Connected, Getting More Done On the Go

With the Lumia 2520 not only do you get great battery life, you also have the full Microsoft Outlook experience, making it easy to finish off your pending mails no matter where you are. With Microsoft Office built in, you can view and edit your Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on the move, while keeping the original formatting. Back up documents to free and secure cloud storage via SkyDrive to pick up where you left off, using any device.

Nokia Lumia 2520 will go on sale at The John Lewis Partnership on Wednesday 4th December and will be priced at £399.99. In addition, the Nokia Power Keyboard Case, giving you an additional 5hrs of battery life and two full size USB 2.0 ports, will be available from John Lewis in the coming weeks and will be priced at £149.95.

10.1” 1080p full HD (1920×1080) AH-IPS Capacitive? Multi-Touch Display, High Brightness with Low Reflectance for the best outdoor readability, Gorilla Glass 28000mAh battery with up to 11 hours of video playback (up to 16 hours with Nokia Power Keyboard)2.2GHz Quad Core Snapdragon 800 by Qualcomm6.7MP Auto Focus ZEISS optics with f1.9 aperture2GB RAM, 32 GB internal user memory, micro SD card support up to 32GB, SkyDrive cloud storage

Windows Phone goes big – Vodafone launch Nokia Lumia 1520 in Black

Vodafone have launched the Nokia 1520 in black today, a full 3 days before Nokia’s initial statement suggested.

This monstrous beast is the biggest Windows Phone ever, sporting a massive 6? full HD display. You think the handset’s too big? You should see the price! If you want to be the proud owner of the Lumia 1529, then it’s cost you from £52 per month on a 24 month contract plus £19 up front!

Aside from an epic phone with a 20MP PureView camera and a 2.2GHz quad core Snapdragon 800 processor, what do you get for your £1,267 then? Unlimited texts and minutes, plus 4GB per month data. You can, of course, lower the monthly cost by paying more up front. There are no pay as you go prices currently.

Source – Vodafone

***UPDATE***

It seems Vodafone were a little hasty in putting that link live. It’s actually launching tomorrow (6th December), as per Nokia’s original statement!

Here’s a reminder of the specs and a nice video that Nokia made.

Operating System: Windows Phone 8 with the latest updatesNetworks: GSM/EDGE: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz; WCDMA: 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz; ROW LTE: 1, 3, 7, 8, 20; USA LTE: 2, 4, 5, 7, 17; HSPA+: DL 42 Mbps (Cat 24) / UL 11.5 Mbps (Cat 7)Speed: LTE 150/50 mbps, DC-HSPA 42mbpsMemory: 2GB RAM, 32 GB internal user memory; 7 GB SkyDrive cloud storage, micro SD card support up to 64GBDisplay: 6-inch full HD 1080p LCD , ClearBlack, High Brightness Mode, Sunlight readability, Super sensitive touch for glove and nail usage, Gorilla Glass 2Processor: 2.2GHz Quad Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800Primary camera: PureView 20-megapixel Auto Focus ZEISS optics with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), 2x lossless zoom, oversampling technology, dual LED flash, 1080p @ 30 fps full HD video with optical image stabilizationSecondary Camera: HD 1.2-megapixel wide angleSize & weight: 162.8 x 85.4 x 8.7mm (volumetric). Weight: 209gConnectivity: NFC, A-GPS+GLONASS, WLAN (2.4/5Ghz) a/b/g/n/ac, µUSB, BT 4.0 LE, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Magnetometer, Gyroscope, Ambient Light SensorBattery: 3400 mAh (integrated) with built-in wireless charging (Qi compatible)Audio: Rich Recording with four microphones; Wideband Voice and multi-microphone noise reduction with four microphones; Dolby(R) Headphone, Graphic equalizer, Audio leveling; FM radio

Nokia Camera update adds RAW DNG file support for the Lumia 1020 and 1520

A few weeks ago in Abu Dhabi Nokia announced real DNG file format support for the Lumia 1020 and 1520. Today they’ve pushed out the update to enable that, so if you really like to fiddle with your images then your going to be happy.

But there is a catch, you’ll need the as yet unreleased Nokia Black update.

In the meantime you can update the app anyway, wishing you could output RAW files.

Windows Phone Store Link – Nokia Camera

Jolla: Entworfen von der ehemaligen Mitarbeiter von Nokia Smartphone werden ab 27. November

A new name of Jolla Smartphone will soon be available in Europe in Finland to be exact, it is a company consisting of former employees of Nokia. Although the device on an owner named sailfish OS OS is running, it might be still interesting Android regulars, either from the point of view that software.

Smartphone Jolla is obviously based on a Nokia N9, with but a good layer of customization. Actually, the Jolla has a kind of interchangeable body with almost the same intensity as the Smartphone, and the is available in several colors. This dish makes it interesting is that they save, or can send data to your Smartphone via NFC connection.

So, you can configure the Smartphone that it changes depending on design color and wallpaper from the hull, which is installed at the rear. In addition, will include also possible his colors own for a Music Studio or an album cover in a shell, you will understand this case is fully customizable.

Apart from this gadget the Jolla but runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor dual core 1.4 GHz and shoulder by a memory of 1 GB and 16 GB internal memory. He proposes a 4.5 inch qHD display and offers a digital camera 8 MP turning backwards with a LED flash. However, Sailfish OS is an operating system, which is still in its infancy at the moment, we make a derogatory comment about the performance of the device.

Then, you can also point out, that it can run Android apps through a compatibility layer. One thing that offers thousands of Android applications through Yandex store Jolla users through the partnership of the company with the Internet of possible huge Russian Yandex. On the other hand, Jolla is not the only this exercise because BlackBerry 10 different Android apps also offers users of BlackBerry OS.

Whatever it is, will the Jolla primarily in Finland at the end of this month of November for about $399 available. But the company said no availability for other countries to this day.

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My thoughts about this weeks Nokia event

Whether it’s for the right reasons or not, Nokia are a big name in the mobile industry. They’ve been a market leader, they’ve nearly gone bust, they’ve jumped onto the Windows Phone boat, they’ve gone and got themselves bought out by Microsoft and this week we saw the latest iteration of their devices. Was that little pile of devices enough to keep them relevant? Was this the last bunch of new devices well ever see bearing the “Nokia Lumia” branding? I honestly don’t know. What this is, is just going to be my thoughts on the Lumia devices announced on Tuesday.

Lumia 1520

The Nokia Lumia 1520 looks and sounds like an astounding device, spec wise it is pretty much in line with the top end Android device, complete with the ubiquitous Snapdragon 800 quad core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32 GB internal storage, a flippin Micro SD slot, a 20 MP camera, Qi wireless charging and a huge great 6? 1080p display.

It is the highest spec Windows Phone ever, complete with the usual Lumia design it’s really going to be a contender when it’s released. The work Nokia has put into creating apps to give Windows Phone an edge, admittedly this is mainly focused in the photography and mapping areas, but it really makes Windows Phone pretty damn useful. The only two slight problems I can envisage with the Lumia 1520 are the price and the fact beneath all of the fancy Nokia apps it still runs Windows Phone. Microsoft really need to fix/add features rather quickly or this huge great phone is going to be another camera orientated device. Things like the threading in the email app, handling of attachments in the email app, sharing between apps in the OS and little things like more accent colours. Don’t get me wrong here, I love Windows Phone, I just can’t use it as my main device as things are a little backward.

Lumia 1320

The next in the lineup was the Lumia 1320, offering a trimmed down spec in an equally as large casing, it’s like the Samsung Galaxy Mega compared to the Note 3. It’s made specifically for those people who really don’t have £600 to spend on a new phone. But that comes at a compromise, you get a 6? 720p screen, a dual-core processor, 8 GB internal storage, 1 GB of RAM, Micro SD slot, 5 MP camera and LTE.

The thing about the Lumia 1320 will be the price, hopefully cheap enough for various networks to pick up and cheap enough SIM free for enthusiasts to get one just because. It will join a sea of other budget Lumia devices that people get on cheap contracts, but the naming convention has got a little confusing now, with devices with lower model numbers having a higher spec. Maybe Microsoft will fix that when they’re allowed to finish off buying them.
The Lumia 1320 should be a nice device though, albeit a little low spec. It will allow people interested in the new six tile wide interface to give it a try.

Lumia 2520

The Nokia Lumia 2520 at the outset seems like a weird product, mainly down to the stigma attached to Windows RT. Spec wise the Lumia 2520 is up there with the other high end tablets, a quad core Snapdragon 800, a decent camera, LTE, HDMI output, a 1080p screen, 32 GB internal storage, 2 GB of RAM, Micro SD slot and that keyboard cover. It’s all going to be about the price compared to the new Microsoft Surface RT.

Up until now Windows RT hasn’t exactly been a success and as to why Nokia would choose it for their new tablet I’m not sure. I guess they didn’t really have a choice, using normal Windows 8.1 would have probably cost more in licensing and it wouldn’t surprise me if Microsoft didn’t “encourage” Nokia to use Windows RT instead. Windows RT is improving, I’ve been using my Surface RT a hell of a lot more since the 8.1 update. Nokia have also took to making software for Windows as well with Storyteller, that video editing thing and a special version of Nokia Music. I think I’d probably get one of these if I didn’t have a Surface RT, but stranger things have happened, I may still.

Overall feeling
Overall I liked Nokia’s new devices, the Lumia 1520 really shone above all of the rest of their range. Personally I’d prefer the 1520 over the 1020, mainly because of the Micro SD slot, but also the size is a plus point.

I was pleased to see Nokia talking about all the new apps coming to the platform, things like Vine, Flipboard and Instagram are often cited as reasons not to use Windows Phone, I guess people will complain about Snapchat instead now. Hearing about RAW support in the 1020 and 1520 was impressive as well, no doubt no other mobile phone will be able to offer this for years. I do feel Nokia are pigeon holing themselves though, either amazing camera or budget, that’s the direction for the next six months it seems.

I would have liked to have seen a Galaxy S4 competitor though, a high spec device around about 5? with a high spec similar to the Lumia 1520 and the new six tile interface. That would be something that a lot of normal people would want.

So good job Nokia, you should have announced a few more Lumias, I guess you’ll have another event in six months time, if Microsoft allow it.

Underwater for more than three months, Nokia Lumia continues to work

Drop your phone in a lake and, well, you’re pretty much stuffed. However, Roger Nilsson found his Nokia Lumia again some three and a bit months later.

There it was, jammed between two rocks at low tide. Roger snapped a picture of it and sent his story to the Nokia Sweden Facebook page. He tells us that…

I took it home and started to clean it as best I could, (there were) shells and sh*t on (the) display, green goo around the entire phone and some other stuff. (I) let it dry on a radiator and then I put the charger cable in..

Imagine my surprise when it boots up as usual! Everything works just like before, the camera is great, battery life is two days and so on.

Now, this is a phone which isn’t sold as being waterproof, and to retrieve if after so long then have it work perfectly – well, that’s something quite surprising indeed.

Images of the Nokia 1320 Batman phablet appear online

All the surprises are being taken away from Nokia fans ahead of tomorrows big device announcement event, it seems, because leaky old Twitterer @evleaks has gone and dropped a couple of images of the new 1320 phablet (previously known as ‘Batman’).

Whilst we really don’t know exactly where the 1320 will stand in the Nokia lineup, the word on the Finnish streets is that it’ll be a ‘budget’ phablet, probably around the 6-inch mark with a 5MP shooter. In fact, it looks like it could be an overgrown 625 taking advantage of the latest version of Windows Phone’s ability to have 6 live tiles in a row. Unfortunately, it’s almost certainly not going to take advantage of the full HD capability of Windows Phone, so the resolution won’t be great.

Other Finnish streets have words on them to the effect that the 1320 is going to come with the new Nokia Camera app, combining both Smart Cam and Pro Cam.

A cut-down spec in a phablet form-factor is a risky move. It’s something Samsung tried with the Galaxy Mega, which met with very little praise.

We’ll find out more tomorrow when the official Nokia World event finally kicks off, but in the mean time: are you a Windows Phone fan aching for a phablet but without the financial pain associated with them? Could this be your next device?

Nokia Guru image leaks out

The Nokia Guru is apparently an MP3 player made by Nokia and no doubt deeply tied into the Nokia Music and Xbox Music services. Regular source of leaks @evleaks has posted an image of the Guru, which I guess will be announced at Nokia World in Abu Dhabi tomorrow.

It looks great, but quite how it will tie into the Nokia and Microsoft services remains to be seen. We shall probably see tomorrow.

Source – @evleaks

My time with the Nokia Lumia 1020

The Nokia Lumia 1020 is an amazing camera, that in the right hands can take some truly stunning photos and it can easily replace your point and shoot. But at what cost? Does Windows Phone support the Lumia 1020 enough? From the day I first saw the leak of what the Lumia 1020 was going to look like I knew I was going to have to get hold of one to play with. It is currently at the pinnacle of Windows Phone hardware and it is arguably at the pinnacle of mobile photography hardware as well.

I’ve been using the Nokia Lumia 1020 for about a month now, carrying it around when I would normally have took a normal camera with me. I even took it to a device launch to see how it would cope in place of my normal camera. As Dan reviewed the Lumia 1020 a few weeks ago this article is basically a roundup of the good and bad points and some sample photos.

First of all if you’ve been living under a rock for the last few months here is what the Lumia 1020 looks like, I’ve placed it next to my Lumia 925 for size purposes:

The phone part of the Lumia 1020

Firstly I want to talk about the phone itself and Windows Phone in general. The Lumia 1020 is currently the highest spec Windows Phone device, with more RAM than all the rest and a camera miles ahead of the closest competitor. I always felt that Nokia pushed the release of the Lumia 1020 to compete against the 2013 lineup of Android and iOS devices. I always felt that what comes next will truly be the Windows Phone device to beat the competition.

So what am I talking about?

Well, for months we have been hearing how the next Windows Phone update (update 3) will enable quad core processors and 1080p screens. Well can you for a second imagine that Nokia won’t release a newer version of the Lumia 1020 when the update is publicly available? With a 5? screen and with a better processor the updated Lumia 1020 would be a force to be reckoned with.

Back in the real world though, it’s my imagination of what will come next that held me back from actually buying one. Yes you should live life for the day and expect the unexpected, but for the money that is being asked for the Lumia 1020 I wanted more.

Windows Phone has matured quite a bit over the last year, a lot of apps have been released for the OS and a lot of third party apps have been released to cover the big name apps that haven’t been released. It all makes it quite fiddly, take Cloud storage for instance, I have accounts with Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Box and Sugarsync. Of those only two have official apps, only one supports auto upload of photos and that’s SkyDrive. It’s great for Windows Phone, but try and use it on another platform and you’ll pull all of your hair out. If I wanted to say use a third party Dropbox app instead I’m hindered by the limitations of the app, due to API restrictions in the OS.

This example exists across the whole Windows Phone OS, you want to do something and the solution usually exists, but it is normally a compromise. I’m sick of compromising with Windows Phone, I just want things to work the way I want, not how Microsoft or Nokia want.

The camera part of the Lumia 1020

The camera on the Lumia 1020 at first seems amazing, then you learn how to use the default camera app “Nokia Pro Cam”. Shortly after it becomes annoying, you play about using the normal Windows Phone camera and “Nokia Smart Cam” then you get annoyed with them both. Then you settle back into using Nokia Pro Cam again and you start to like the whole set up.

I found the Nokia Lumia 1020 to be great at landscape shots, great at detailed pictures, awkward at taking Macro shots, great at low light and pretty damn good at everything else. I’m used to the camera in the Nokia Lumia 925 where I know I can quickly get it out and get the shot I want quickly and with a minimum of fuss. With the Lumia 1020 you can have as much or as little fuss as you want. I guess it depends on what sort of photographer you are, if you’re used to setting up a DSLR then you’ll not mind a little faffing with the 1020.

The Nokia Pro Cam app is quite a powerful app, allowing you to change various settings before capturing the moment.

You can adjust exposure time, ISO, Focus, White Balance, Shutter delay and Exposure. Which truly does allow you to create an image that’s special, I only really scratched the surface of what is possible in terms of decent pictures. The 1020 takes a high res original and then creates two versions, a 5 MP version that you can access and also the original that’s sort of hidden away in the background. When viewing the 5 MP shot you can tap the “Captured with Nokia Pro Cam” text and it will load you into the original high res shot, allowing you to reframe the image and save it, the new saved image replaces the previous image in the Photo Hub. It’s a bit fiddly but you soon work out what’s what.

The original high resolution version of the image file isn’t accessible via the photo hub. So if you want to backup, view or email the picture you need to connect the phone to your PC. I get why Nokia have done this, but I always had the feeling that something special was always hidden away. Another slightly annoying thing with the Pro Cam is the ever so slight delay between taking pictures. It’s a couple of seconds at most, so if you’re wanting quick fire photos consider the Smart Cam or the normal Windows Phone Camera app.

The Nokia Smart Cam allows you to take burst mode photos, whereby the camera takes a load of photos in quick succession in a lower resolution and it allows you to create some really unique pictures. As shown below with the demo image bundled with Smart Cam. It functions similarly to Pro Cam, in that you can go back and change the image at a later date.

Here are some sample images I’ve taken on my daily wandering around. No fancy settings were used in the taking of these, just using the Pro Cam and auto focus.

Conclusion

I’ll end this article in the same way as I started it, the Nokia Lumia 1020 is an amazing camera. See what I did there? As good as the Nokia supplied software is I do feel like it could be so much better.

It’s only me being picky with the OS and the inner workings that limit my excitement about the Lumia 1020. For a photography enthusiast that wants to take some great pictures on the move then this will be an ideal phone, combine it with the camera grip and a tripod and they’ll be happy.

Personally I think I’m going to see what Nokia release in a few months as the Lumia 1020s successor, the prospect of a higher resolution screen and a better CPU makes me reluctant about the 1020.

Nokia Lumia 1020 – Review

With a lot of people now taking more and more photos on their mobile phones, a decent camera has become something we all look to have.

Until now, the megapixel race hit a wall around the 13 megapixel mark. To be honest this resolution is really good for a mobile phone, however Nokia made the world sit up and listen when they announced the 808 PureView and it’s 41 megapixel camera. Trouble was, running the dying Symbian OS, it was never going to take off.

Sony have just released their Z1 with an impressive 20.7 megapixel camera, but Nokia are never one to be upstaged with this, the brand new Lumia 1020. It runs on the latest Windows Phone OS and also packing a camera anyone would be envious of.

 

A 41 megapixel sensor allows for some stunning detail, paired with an LED light to help video and a bright Xenon flash for taking photos where a flash is needed, the Lumia 1020 seems to have it all covered.

Many thanks to our friends at Nokia Connects who were kind enough to provide us with the Lumia 1020 to review

So, onto the specs….

Windows Phone 8.04.5 inch display with 1280 x 768 resolution41 Megapixel Camera (with LED and Xenon flash)DC-HSDPA 42Mb/sLTE 100Mb/s1.5Ghz Dual-Core ProcessorBluetooth, WiFi & GPS32GB Storage with MicroSD slot for more2,000mAh Battery

Looking at the top there’s the Nokia logo, a front facing camera and the earpiece for your calls.

The front facing camera is 1.2 megapixels and can record in 720p video.  The real use for this second camera is for video calls, especially over Skype as that is built into the phone. Microsoft, after all, own Skype now.

The screen is a a nice size at 4.5 inches with a resolution of 768 x 1280 pixels. Not too large and not to small. Plus, with the Clear Black Display and PureMotion HD+ technology, the screen works well in sunlight. The screen also has Gorilla Glass 3 protection, making it strong as well as very usable.

At the bottom part of the device you have the normal Windows Phone capitative keys seen on all phones. These are for going back a step with the back arrow, a Windows button to take you back to the main screen at any time and finally a search button with quick access to Bing. This is for normal searching plus location, music and barcode scanning.

On the back is the highlight of the device and what everyone will be talking about.  A Massive 41….. yes 41 megapixel sensor for taking some amazing photos.

The lens does stick out from the rest of the phone due to the technology needed to pack in all those pixels, but it is no-where near as bad as found on the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom and does rather add to the overall design.

When it comes to the camera, Nokia have thought of everything.

The PureView technology in the sensor not only gets a massive amount of information captured due to the 41 megapixels, it also is great for low light conditions, something we also found on the Lumia 925.

But not only that, it comes with an LED light for helping to focus, also for low light video to help bump up the lighting.

Even better, Nokia even included a Xenon flash which is something I have loved on previous Nokia phones such as the N8 and the 808 PureView.  This Xenon flash makes all the difference in poor lighting conditions and helps you capture some amazing photos.

The only other part worth noting on the back is the two little dots near the bottom. This is so you can attach a wireless charging case to the back and be able to use a wide range of wireless charges on the market including the speaker by JBL.

When you add on a wireless charging case, you will also notice that it makes the back of the phone flat as the extra bulk of the case matches the camera lens so it will sit flat on a desk.

 

 

 

At the bottom is the microUSB port right in the centre. There is also a large speakerphone grill to the right hand side which is very loud and still keeps really good audio quality even at maximum volume.

Then on the left is something I was so happy to see included.  A lanyard / wrist strap loop so you can make sure your Lumia 1020 is safe at all times.

I was recently in New York with a Lumia 925 as my camera. when I was on the top of the tour bus I was always concerned that the phone would drop whilst leaning over the edge. The loop on the 1020 means that this isn’t a concern..

Great thinking from Nokia and another reason this is a camera flagship.

At the top there is the 3.5m headset jack right in the middle.  The supplied headset is very good and gives some very good audio quality when listening to music on the go, however you may want to use your own headset instead and this is perfectly fine as it is universal.

On the left op top is where you pop the pin in the hole to get the SIM tray out.  The Lumia 1020 takes a Micro SIM so you may need to speak to your network and arrange a SIM swap before you are able to use this, especially if you have a normal large or a nano-SIM at the moment.

On the right up top is the noise cancelling microphone which helps improve call quality, it is also used to record stereo sound when recording a video.

 

The left side is blank with no buttons anywhere to be seen, these are all on the right hand side of the device

On the right side you have at the top volume up and down buttons, then in the middle is the power button also used to lock the phone when in your pocket and wake up again

At the bottom is the dedicated camera shutterm, which you would expect to see in a camera flagship these days.

Final Thoughts

I will be honest in that I have not been the biggest fan of Windows Phone in the past. I have made it no secret that I would love Nokia hardware on the Android OS. However, with that not looking to be a reality any time soon, I embraced Windows Phone and was actually impressed.

There is not much I can mark the 1020 down on, even if trying really hard to nit-pick on things.  32GB of internal storage is a large amount for a phone (64GB if you join on O2), even with the large image sizes and with online storage this should still be plenty for you to have space left over.

The battery easily lasted a day with some camera use, and if you want to really try out the camera there is a special grip case you can purchase to make the camera experience even better and add extra battery power.

The screen is perfect even in sunlight thanks to some clever technology.  Some phones I have used in the past made it hard to see the screen in direct sunlight, the Lumia 1020 does not have that problem and is one of the best for using in the sun.

The crown jewel… the 41 megapixel camera complete with Zeiss optics. LED flash for video and a powerful Xenon flash for use in poor lighting conditions.

Add all of that with the professional ‘Nokia Pro Cam’ software for taking full control of the camera settings, and you have a serious piece of kit in your pocket that can replace a digital camera.

Whilst I may never learn to enjoy the OS as much as I do Android, the package offered by the Lumia 1020 is far too good to pass it up and it is so good I would easily consider switching to it.

I enjoy taking photos on a phone but have been more of a point and shoot person in the past. However, since having the Lumia 1020 I have been experimenting with the settings. You do have to hold it still for the perfect night shot, but it has got me into photography more than I ever was, and this is all on my mobile phone!

Nokia have really pulled something special out of the bag with the 1020 and for that I must applaud everyone involved in making this special phone.

With a lot of people now taking more and more photos on their mobile phones, a decent camera has become something we all look to have. Until now, the megapixel race hit a wall around the 13 megapixel mark. To be honest this resolution is really good for a mobile phone, however Nokia made the world sit up and listen when they announced the 808 PureView and it's 41 megapixel camera. Trouble was, running the dying Symbian OS, it was never going to take off. Sony have just released their Z1 with an impressive 20.7 megapixel camera, but Nokia are never one to be upstaged with this, the brand new Lumia 1020. It runs on the latest Windows Phone OS and also packing a camera anyone would be envious of. A 41 megapixel sensor allows for some stunning detail, paired with an LED light to help video and a bright Xenon flash for taking photos where a flash is needed, the Lumia 1020 seems to have it all covered. Many thanks to our friends at Nokia Connects who were kind enough to provide us with the Lumia 1020 to review So, onto the specs.... Windows Phone 8.0 4.5 inch display with 1280 x 768 resolution 41 Megapixel Camera (with LED and Xenon flash) DC-HSDPA 42Mb/s LTE 100Mb/s 1.5Ghz Dual-Core Processor Bluetooth, WiFi & GPS 32GB Storage with MicroSD slot for more 2,000mAh Battery Looking at the top there's the Nokia logo, a front facing camera and the earpiece for your calls. The front facing camera is 1.2 megapixels and can record in 720p video.  The real use for this second camera is for video calls, especially over Skype as that is built into the phone. Microsoft, after all, own Skype now. The screen is a a nice size at 4.5 inches with a resolution of 768 x 1280 pixels. Not too large and not to small. Plus, with the Clear Black Display and PureMotion HD+ technology, the screen works well in sunlight. The screen also has Gorilla Glass 3 protection, making it strong as well as very usable. At the bottom part of the device you have the normal Windows Phone capitative keys seen on all phones. These are for going back a step with the back arrow, a Windows button to take you back to the main screen at any time and finally a search button with quick access to Bing. This is for normal searching plus location, music and barcode scanning. On the back is the highlight of the device and what everyone will be talking about.  A Massive 41..... yes 41 megapixel sensor for taking some amazing photos. The lens does stick out from the rest of the phone due to the technology needed to pack in all those pixels, but it is no-where near as bad as found on the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom and does rather add to the overall design. When it comes to the camera, Nokia have thought of everything. The PureView technology in…

Adidas launches miCoach app for Nokia Lumia smartphones

Today, Nokia and Adidas have announced the launch of a new app by Adidas, called miCoach and it’s a fitness app for Nokia Lumia devices.

The Store description is as follows, it all sounds great, I almost want to run around nearby my work just to see if it works.

Turn your phone into a personal coach; miCoach is your smart running compagnion on Windows Phone 08. The app uses GPS and real-time voice coaching to pace you through your exercise regardless whether you are indoors or outdoors. Additionally get access to hundreds of strength & flex exercises to achieve your fitness goals. miCoach works with many adidas top athletes and coaches to offer the best in training building speed, endurance and strength. Train smarter and be faster with miCoach!

The launch of Adidas miCoach for Nokia Lumia is a significant endorsement of the Windows Phone 8 platform and brings coaching features exclusive for Nokia Lumia fitness enthusiasts. The fitness app combines several features unique to Lumia smartphones:

- Nokia Music: Complete control of your Nokia Music playlists from within the Adidas miCoach app, letting you find just the right beat to accompany your training
- Advanced Bluetooth Technology: With your Nokia Lumia 520, Lumia 620 or Lumia 720, you can be sure of exercising at the right level of intensity simply by wirelessly connecting a wearable heart rate monitor via Bluetooth SMART
- Exclusive Athlete Coaching: Exclusive voice pack from Major League Soccer star Omar Gonzalez so you can be inspired by one of the world’s greatest sportsmen while you train
- miCoach Live Tile: The top-screen miCoach live tile sets out your fitness objectives meaning you can track progress without having to even open the app, making your training program an integral part of your daily routine
- GPS-Enabled Route Tracking: HERE mapping to track your routes and share them with friends

You can get miCoach by just clicking on the link below with your device.

Windows Phone Store Link – miCoach

Job done. Ex-man, Stephen Elop, returns from Nokia with £15.9m in his back pocket

 

On February 11th 2011 Nokia jumped into bed with Microsoft and announced that Windows Phone would be the OS of choice going forward. Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop, a former head of the Microsoft business division, has been in the chair since 2010. However, a couple of weeks back Microsoft (in the wake of a possible Nokia Android handset) decided to purchase the Nokia mobile division. Today it has been announced that Stephen Elop will be paid a whopping £15.9m to return to his old company in an arrangement including 18 months base salary and a cash incentive. It’s a transfer fee that would make most premiership footballers proud.

Since the announcement in 2011 we’ve seen the Nokia market share dwindle and many Nokia staff have been laid off. Critics have called Elop a “Trojan Horse” and have seen the placement of a Microsoft staffer as part of a long-term plan to buy the company at a reduced price.

Microsoft will fund 70% of the payoff, and it’s been only three years since Elop was paid £3.9m to take charge at Nokia.

Dare I ask for your thoughts?

Nokia Lumia 1020 – Unboxing

A nice package arrived via DHL this morning, it contained a handset I have been VERY excited about getting hands on time with away from a promotional stand or dark room.

That is of course the Lumia 1020 complete with massive 41 megapixel camera!

Nokia also posted it in a very special design container which you can check out for yourself in the unboxing below

Having only just unboxed it for the first time, we will be bringing you much more coverage of this amazing new camera phone over the next few weeks.

However is there any questions and of you have about the 1020?

Please ask in the comments below and I will look to answer as many as possible in an update shortly.

BARGAIN ALERT: Bag a Nokia Lumia 920 for cheap as chips……

We are always on the lookout for a bargain here at Coolsmartphone and here for your delectation is an absolute steal.

A Nokia Lumia 920 for only £220 with free shipping (and two quids worth of Clubcard points too) from Tesco Direct.

Yes, £220.  SIM free, unlocked and white in colour.

The 920 was lauded by our own James Pearce back in May and is still a very very good handset.

Have a look here for your opportunity to purchase a dirt cheap 920, what more is there to be said other than get on this one quick for they won’t last long……

Nokia confirm 22nd October event

Nokia have just sent out a tweet which would confirm an event to be held somewhere on the 22nd October this year.

The tweet just says simply…

At Nokia, we never stop innovating. More to share on October 22 #Nokia #innovationreinvented pic.twitter.com/nlptrXE6jp

After many leaks recently we assume this is for the new ‘phablet’ phone called the Lumia 1520.

This new Lumia is expected to pack a large 6 inch display with a resolution of 1080p, a first for Windows Phone, plus pack at least 16GB of internal storage, a 20 megapixel ‘PureView’ camera and run the latest update to the OS adding more features we are yet to have confirmed.

An image of the Nokia Lumia 1520 leaks out

We’ve been hearing about the next generation of Windows Phone devices recently. Be it 1080p displays, extra rows of columns, Quad core CPUs etc. All exciting stuff, well now thanks to evleaks we have an actual image of the Lumia 1520.

Which has styling sort of cross between the Lumia 920 and 925. It is also meant to be nearly six inches in size.

Source – Evleaks

Wow that’s a lot of tiles you’ve got there Nokia Bandit

Bandit is the codename for the rumoured huge 6? phablet from Nokia. Evleaks has posted an image that is apparently a screenshot from the Bandit.

Total information overload, we can tell that the Bandit will be on the next major update to Windows Phone 8 which is rumoured to add extra columns to the start screen. GDR3 is also meant to add support for Quad core CPUs and 1080p screens.

The Nokia Bandit could be a very interesting device. Knowing Nokia I doubt we’ll have to wait long before we get to see this.

Source – Evleaks

I spend most of the day telling people to turn stuff off and back on again. Inbetween doing that I post news and reviews over here.

I currently have a Galaxy Note II, an Ativ S and an HTC 8X. I would rather like a 1080p phone. Thinking Oppo Find 5.

Microsoft agree to purchase Nokia for $7.17bn

I saw it coming when the partnership was announced 2 years ago, but still this news has totally shocked me this morning.

A cool £4.6 billion has changed hands, which is an amount that’ll put those football transfer payments in the shade.

Ex-Microsoft man, Stephen Elop has stepped down as CEO of Nokia and is now becoming the ‘Executive Vice President of Devices & Services’ with Risto Siilasmaa taking over the CEO role.

There is a press conference arranged for 11am Finnish time today (3rd Sept) where we hope to hear more details on this shocking news for the industry.

Nokia Corporation
Stock Exchange Release
September 3, 2013 at 06.00 (CET +1)

Transaction expected to be significantly accretive to Nokia earnings.Nokia continues to develop, and sees significant value in, advanced technologies, its patent portfolio and Nokia brand.Nokia focusing on NSN, HERE and Advanced Technologies post-transaction. Each business a leading player in its respective segment.Nokia outlines changes to leadership and Board of Directors.

ESPOO, Finland – Nokia Corporation today announced that it has signed an agreement to enter into a transaction whereby Nokia will sell substantially all of its Devices & Services business and licence its patents to Microsoft for EUR 5.44 billion in cash, payable at closing. Nokia expects to book a gain on sale of approximately EUR 3.2 billion, and expects the transaction to be significantly accretive to earnings.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokia shareholders, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Following the transaction, Nokia plans to focus on its three established businesses, each of which is a leader in enabling mobility in its respective market segment: NSN, a leader in network infrastructure and services; HERE, a leader in mapping and location services; and Advanced Technologies, a leader in technology development and licensing. At closing, this transaction is expected to strengthen Nokia’s financial position and provide a solid basis for future investment in these three businesses.

“After a thorough assessment of how to maximize shareholder value, including consideration of a variety of alternatives, we believe this transaction is the best path forward for Nokia and its shareholders,” said Risto Siilasmaa, Chairman of the Nokia Board of Directors and, following today’s announcement, also Nokia interim CEO.

Deal Terms

Subject to the closing of the transaction, Microsoft will acquire substantially all of Nokia’s Devices & Services business, including the Mobile Phones and Smart Devices business units as well as an industry-leading design team, operations including all Nokia Devices & Services production facilities, Devices & Services-related sales and marketing activities, and related support functions. At closing, approximately 32,000 people are expected to transfer to Microsoft, including approximately 4,700 people in Finland. Nokia’s CTO (Chief Technology Office) organization and patent portfolio will remain within the Nokia Group. The operations that are planned to be transferred to Microsoft generated an estimated EUR 14.9 billion, or almost 50%, of Nokia’s net sales for the full year 2012.

As part of the transaction, Nokia will grant Microsoft a 10 year non-exclusive license to its patents as of the time of the closing, and Microsoft will grant Nokia reciprocal rights related to HERE services. In addition, Nokia will grant Microsoft an option to extend this mutual patent agreement to perpetuity. Of the total purchase price of EUR 5.44 billion, EUR 3.79 billion relates to the purchase of substantially all of the Devices & Services business, and EUR 1.65 billion relates to the mutual patent agreement and future option.

Additionally, Microsoft will become a strategic licensee of the HERE platform, and will separately pay Nokia for a four year license. This revenue stream is expected to substantially replace the revenue stream HERE is currently receiving from Nokia’s Devices & Services business internally. If the transaction closes Microsoft is expected to become one of the top three customers of HERE.

Microsoft has agreed to make immediately available to Nokia EUR 1.5 billion of financing in the form of three EUR 500 million tranches of convertible bonds to be issued by Nokia maturing in 5, 6 and 7 years respectively. It is at Nokia’s discretion if it chooses to draw down all or some of these tranches. The financing is not conditional on the transaction closing. If the transaction closes, any outstanding bonds will be redeemed and netted against the deal proceeds by the amount of principal and accrued interest.

The following are the key terms of the three tranches of bonds Nokia may choose to issue:

The first tranche matures in 5 years and has a 1.125% per annum coupon payable semi-annually with an initial conversion price of EUR 3.9338.The second tranche matures in 6 years and has a 2.5% per annum coupon payable semi-annually with an initial conversion price of EUR 4.0851.The third tranche matures in 7 years and has a 3.625% per annum coupon payable semi-annually with an initial conversion price of EUR 4.2364.

The Board of Directors of Nokia will separately assess whether to draw down some or all of this financing. If Nokia would decide to utilize this financing option, the earliest that Microsoft could convert any of these bonds to shares is two years from draw down.

Microsoft has agreed to a 10 year license arrangement with Nokia to use the Nokia brand on current Mobile Phones products. Nokia will continue to own and maintain the Nokia brand.  Under the terms of the transaction, Microsoft has agreed to a 10 year license arrangement with Nokia to use the Nokia brand on current and subsequently developed products based on the Series 30 and Series 40 operating systems.  Upon the closing of the transaction, Nokia would be restricted from licensing the Nokia brand for use in connection with mobile device sales for 30 months and from using the Nokia brand on Nokia’s own mobile devices until December 31, 2015.

The transaction is subject to potential purchase price adjustments, protecting both Nokia and Microsoft, and a USD 750 million termination fee payable by Microsoft to Nokia in the event that the transaction fails to receive necessary regulatory clearances.

Building Nokia’s next chapter

Following the transaction, Nokia plans to focus on its three established businesses, each of which is a leader in enabling mobility in its respective market segment: NSN, a leader in network infrastructure and services; HERE, a leader in mapping and location services; and Advanced Technologies, a leader in technology development and licensing.

Nokia will retain its headquarters in Finland. Excluding the approximately 32,000 people planned to transfer to Microsoft, Nokia would have employed approximately 56,000 people at the end of the second quarter 2013.

“Today is an important moment of change and reinvention for Nokia and its employees,” said Nokia Chairman and interim CEO Mr. Siilasmaa. “With our strong corporate identity, leading assets and talent, and from a position of renewed financial strength, we will build Nokia’s next chapter.”

NSN, a wholly-owned business of Nokia since August 2013, is a leader in mobile broadband, and is focused on operating at the forefront of each generation of mobile technology, including pushing the boundaries of connecting people through LTE and future technologies. Nokia continues to manage NSN as a strong, independent entity.

HERE will continue to focus on growing its industry-leading position through a broad location offering across mobile devices, connected devices, enterprise solutions and the automotive environment. HERE will continue to execute its strategy to become the leading independent location cloud platform company, offering mapping and location services across different screens and operating systems.

Our Advanced Technologies business will build on several of Nokia’s current CTO and Intellectual Property Rights activities.Advanced Technologies will explore new business opportunities through advanced research, development and concept products in areas such as connectivity, sensing and material technologies, as well as web and cloud technologies. At the same time, Advanced Technologies plans to continue to build Nokia’s patent portfolio from this innovation and targets to expand its industry-leading technology licensing program, spanning technologies that enable mobility today and tomorrow.

“Following this transaction, Nokia’s financial situation is expected to be significantly stronger and its earnings profile significantly improved,” said Nokia CFO and interim President Timo Ihamuotila. “We will have three well-positioned businesses, each a leader in its market. Overall, we will continue to focus on managing and maximizing the assets of Nokia Group prudently and pragmatically to create value for Nokia shareholders.”

Historical pro forma information and strategic evaluation

This transaction is expected to be significantly accretive to Nokia earnings. In the first half 2013, Nokia Group net sales were EUR 11.5 billion and non-IFRS operating margin was 4.2%. On a pro forma basis assuming this transaction would have closed, Nokia Group net sales would have been EUR 6.3 billion and non-IFRS operating margin would have been 12.1% in the first half 2013.

PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AND PRO FORMA INFORMATIONNokia
GROUP
as previously publishedContinuing Operations
pro formaNokia
GROUP
as previously publishedContinuing
Operations
pro forma

1) The pro forma net sales for continuing operations have been calculated by deducting the Mobile Phones and Smart Devices business units net sales and spare parts net sales from the Nokia Group net sales.
2) Additionally, continuing operations pro forma net sales have been adjusted to reflect the HERE platform license agreement under which Microsoft will separately pay Nokia, as if the transaction had closed on January 1, 2012.
3) The pro forma operating profit % has been calculated by deducting the Mobile Phones and Smart Devices business units costs from the Nokia group costs as well as by making certain cost adjustments between the transferring business and continuing operations to reflect the scope of the transaction.
4) The above figures reflect the retrospective application of IAS 19R, Employee benefits, as published in our 2013 interim reports.

The transaction is also expected to significantly strengthen Nokia’s financial position and Nokia targets to return to being an investment grade company. If this transaction as well as Nokia’s acquisition of 50% of NSN would have closed before the end of the second quarter 2013, Nokia would have ended the quarter with gross cash of EUR 14.9 billion and net cash of EUR 7.8 billion, excluding transaction related expenses and taxes. Assuming repayment of financing facilities related to the NSN acquisition as well as Nokia’s debt facilities of EUR 1.8 billion maturing before the end of the first quarter 2014, Nokia would have ended the second quarter 2013 with gross cash of EUR 11.4 billion and net cash of EUR 7.8 billion, excluding transaction related expenses and taxes. This compares to reported gross cash of EUR 9.5 billion and net cash of EUR 4.1 billion at the end of the second quarter 2013.

Nokia’s Board of Directors is conducting a strategy evaluation for Nokia Group between signing and closing of the transaction. This evaluation will comprise of evaluations of strategies for each of Nokia’s three businesses and possible synergies between them, as well as an evaluation of the optimal corporate and capital structure for Nokia after the closing of the transaction. After this evaluation is complete, deemed excess capital is planned to be distributed to shareholders.

Nokia expects to book a gain on sale of approximately EUR 3.2 billion from the transaction, excluding any potential tax implications, gains or losses related to currency translation differences triggered by the transaction. In connection with the transaction, Nokia will be required to evaluate whether the impact of the sale on future cash flows or operating results requires changes in the carrying values of any of its remaining assets or liabilities. This evaluation will include, among other things, a review of existing goodwill balances for impairment and the potential recoverability of deferred tax assets currently subject to valuation allowance.  Additional assets and liabilities may require adjustment upon completion of our review.

Nokia Leadership

Nokia today announced changes to its leadership as a result of the proposed transaction. These changes, which are effective immediately, are designed to provide an appropriate corporate governance structure during the interim period following the announcement of this transaction.

The Nokia Leadership Team will continue to consist of the current members, but with changes in positions and reporting lines as outlined below.

Risto Siilasmaa will assume an interim CEO role for Nokia while continuing to serve in his role as Chairman of the Nokia Board of Directors. As part of his interim CEO role, Mr. Siilasmaa will, among other tasks, oversee strategy and have four direct reports: Michael Halbherr, Executive Vice President, HERE; Stephen Elop, Executive Vice President, Devices & Services; Timo Ihamuotila, Nokia CFO and interim President; and Jesper Ovesen, Executive Chairman of the NSN Board of Directors.

To avoid the perception of any potential conflict of interest between now and the pending closure of the transaction, Stephen Elop will step aside as President and CEO of Nokia Corporation, resign from the Board of Directors, and will become Executive Vice President, Devices & Services. The following Nokia Leadership Team members will report to Mr. Elop: Marko Ahtisaari, Executive Vice President, Design; Jo Harlow, Executive Vice President, Smart Devices; Juha Putkiranta, Executive Vice President, Operations; Timo Toikkanen, Executive Vice President, Mobile Phones; and Chris Weber, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing.

Timo Ihamuotila becomes President of Nokia for the interim period while also continuing to serve as CFO. Mr. Ihamuotila will assume the responsibility of chairing the Nokia Leadership Team. The following Nokia Leadership Team members will report to Mr. Ihamuotila: Louise Pentland, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer; Henry Tirri, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer; Juha Äkräs, Executive Vice President, Human Resources; and Kai Öistämö, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development.

We expect that Mr. Elop, Ms. Harlow, Mr. Putkiranta, Mr. Toikkanen, and Mr. Weber would transfer to Microsoft at the anticipated closing.

Mr. Ahtisaari has decided to again pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. He will step down from the Nokia Leadership Team and his position as Executive Vice President, Design, effective as from November 1, 2013. He will continue to work on activities related to the transaction through November 30, 2013. Effective November 1, 2013 Stefan Pannenbecker will start leading Design, reporting to Mr. Elop.

This announcement does not change the current leadership for Nokia Solutions and Networks. Rajeev Suri will continue to serve as CEO, NSN, reporting to NSN’s Board which continues to be chaired by Jesper Ovesen who continues to serve as NSN’s Executive Chairman and reports to Mr. Siilasmaa.

Nokia Board of Directors

To avoid the perception of any potential conflict of interest between now and the pending closure of the transaction, Stephen Elop will resign from the Nokia Board of Directors effective today. The Nokia Board currently consists of the following nine members: Risto Siilasmaa, Chairman; Jouko Karvinen, Vice Chairman; Bruce Brown; Elizabeth Doherty; Henning Kagermann; Helge Lund; Mårten Mickos; Elizabeth Nelson and Kari Stadigh. As a result of Mr. Siilasmaa assuming the interim CEO role, and in line with good corporate governance, Mr. Siilasmaa will no longer be a member and Chairman of the Corporate Governance & Nomination Committee. The Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee currently consists of the following three members:  Mr. Kagermann, Mr. Karvinen and Mr. Lund. The Board elected Mr. Karvinen as the Chairman of the Corporate Governance & Nomination Committee. The composition of the Personnel Committee and the Audit Committee remain unchanged.

Extraordinary shareholders meeting and Nokia Board recommendation

Under the terms of the agreement, the closing of the transaction will be subject to approval by Nokia shareholders. Nokia plans to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting on November 19, 2013 and to publish a notice of the meeting and make available more information on the transaction and its background later this month. Having thoroughly analysed the transaction and other alternatives available, the Board of Directors decided to enter into the transaction and recommends that Nokia shareholders vote to confirm and approve the sale of substantially all of the Devices & Services business to Microsoft at the Extraordinary General Meeting.

Investor Conference Call

Today, Nokia executives will hold an investor call at 3.00pm Finnish time. A live webcast of the conference call will be available at http://investors.nokia.com. Media representatives can view the webcast or listen in at +1 706 634 5012, conference ID 45390451.

Press Conference

Nokia will host a press conference today on Tuesday at 11.00 a.m. EET in Dipoli, Espoo (Otakaari 24). Registration will start at 10 a.m., and the doors will open at 10.40 a.m. Due to space constraints, only media who show valid press credentials at the registration will be admitted. Media are encouraged to watch a live webcast of the press conference via: http://press.nokia.com.

Media Enquiries

Nokia
Communications

My name is Dan, I am 30yrs old and from Torquay,Devon and have been into phone tech for over 10 years either running sites or taking part in helping others. I was also the official Sony Ericsson blogger for MWC one year.

I am currently using a Nexus 4, Lumia 920 and Xperia T. My main area of expertise on the site is network news and future technologies such as DC-HSDPA and LTE

You can contact me on twitter @mobilemandan or via [email protected]