NFC enabled smartphones like the Nokia N9 allows users to easily connect to compatible accessories or experience multiplayer gaming through a single tap.
NFC. A new whole way to interact with almost anything, easily and very convenient. It lets you connect to any compatible accessories, say the Nokia Play 360, or the BH-219 headset or the BH-505 stereo headset. You can also do other things with NFC, from checking and downloading the latest movie trailers, checking colors and sizes available on the clothing store, to checking map directions to your favorite restaurant in town. NFC also allows you to do multiplayer games, such as on the Asphalt 5 HD and Angry Birds Magic.
Smart has also introduced their Tap Share program. With Smart's Tap Share, you can know your prepaid credits left on your account, download music and games by simply tapping your NFC enabled smartphone on NFC stickers attached on Smart Wireless Center and Smart Stores nationwide. I just hope that they will make more use of the NFC tags. Using it just to check your prepaid balance is just... odd.
NFC feature is supported and built-in on latest Symbian devices such as Nokia 603, 700, and 701. The MeeGo running phone Nokia N9 also has NFC. Existing C7 users can update their phone to Symbian Anna to enjoy the NFC features.
Nokia Philippines has a new look! Following the other redesign of Nokia websites, we also got our own one. The background displays a photo of the Taal Volcano which was captured by Petrix Gueco. I really like the new layout of Nokia websites now. They are sleek, simple, and minimalistic.
Haaaah finally! I've been requesting for this since it become available last August. You can now subscribe to Globe PowerSurf volume-based data plans. For an explanation, volume-based data plans is very good if all you do on your phone is check Twitter, Facebook and other sites which is optimized for mobile.
Here's the rate table of Globe PowerSurf vs. Smart Always On.
Here's a note for PowerSurf 15/30/50 though, once you text the "POWERSURF <15/30/50>" keyword, it will ask you if you want to subscribe to time based data plan or the volume-based data plan. For a shortcut if you want to subscribe to volume-based data plans, here's the keywords:
MB15 send to 8888. (20 MB valid for 1 day) MB30 send to 8888. (50 MB valid for 1 day) MB50 send to 8888. (100 MB valid for 3 days)
Plan 99/299/499 are only available on volume-based data. By the way, to check your remaining MBs, send PSURFMB STATUS to 8888.
It's nice to see that telcos are now offering this kind of data plans here. I just don't like the old-school time based data plans. With these plans, you can leave your Twitter on 24/7 on your phone without worrying for high data charges.
I will try to subscribe to PowerSurf 99 and will report back here if it suits my needs.
A new Nokia RM-813 phone has made it's way to FCC, Engadgets reports. Will post more info soon.
Developing.
UPDATE: I got more images as well as some info from the FCC website. This RM-813 phone will have a quad-band GSM (850/800/1800/1900) and quad-band WCDMA (Band I/II(1900)/V(850/VIII). It will also use the BL-5J with 1430 mAh capacity. It will also have the WH-102 headset, and the AC-11E charger.
Just in case you're itching to get your hands on the new iPhone 4S, look! The pre-order page for Globe Telecom has been leaked before the official launch. The page lists the 16GB and 32GB both in Black and White. It looks like they won't offer the new 64GB model.
As for the pricing, I guess they will offer the iPhone 4S for FREE on Plan 3,799 monthly for the 16GB variant.
You can now 'unofficially' pre-order your iPhone 4S here. Hurry up before it's taken down by Globe if you really want to be the first ones to get it.
UPDATE: Globe has taken down the page, as expected.
Symbian Belle has been in the Internet for some time now and C7 users are always looking for that, too. Well, the time has come. Symbian Belle firmware files was leaked on Daily Mobile. More details below.
Eldar Murtazin strikes back again. He just said in a tweet that Nokia has already decided a price cut for the Lumia 800 that will take effect on second half of January or by February 2012. The price of Lumia 800 will be slashed by 15%. Eldar calls it "success", ironically.
Well for me, it has been a tradition of Nokia to slash prices of a product after maybe 6 months or so, but for a newly launched product, I don't think it's good, given that the Lumia 800 is not yet even released in many countries.
Nokia Philippines has already announced that the Nokia Asha 303 will have a suggested retail price of P6,490 and will be available on Nokia Stores starting on November 25, yes that's tomorrow! The Nokia Asha 303 features a fast 1GHz processor, a 2.6 inch capacitive touchscreen coupled with a QWERTY keyboard for fast and easy typing. It also packs WiFi, 3.5G for fast internet connection. And the killer feature of this phone is... it comes with the Angry Birds game! No seriously, Nokia and Rovio Mobile will bring Angry Birds on the next billion.
Meanwhile, you can check out the Why Do You QWERTY competition of Nokia Philippines. You may win a Nokia Asha 200 or 303!
Smart Communications has already started a closed beta testing of the country's first LTE network. Smart LTE network can have a speed of up to 42 Mbps. Currently, Smart's LTE network is only available in Metro Manila. They have deployed LTE in 23 locations within Metro Manila. Check out the list below.
Cubao
15th Ave Parc COD Reloc
Ateneo
Magnolia
UP Diliman
Singalong
Manila P. Noval
UST
Acropolis Carpark Arcade
Wack Wack
Annapolis
Meralco Ortigas
Ugong
PLDT Greenhills
Xavierville
SM Mall of Asia - North Macro
Makati - Greenbelt
Mandaluyong - SM Megamall Jump
Filinvest City
PLDT Wise Tower
RC Bldg Pico
VAR - Outdoor
Elsie Gaches
UPDATE: Here's a speedtest of Smart's LTE network. Found it on Twitter. Look at that! Look at that! How does a 35.28 Mbps download speed and a 8.49 Mbps upload speed sound? Awesome. Photo by @doblezeta.
For more details on the coverage area of Smart's LTE network, click here.
Hopefully I will be selected as one of the beta testers.
Do you previously owned one of these phones? Is it sitting in your drawer? Change your mind, recycle your old phones. Nokia has just uploaded a video on YouTube explaining all about recycling mobile phones.
Here are the highlights of the video:
What was previously precious to you is the most precious forms of waste
It contains almost every element in the periodic table
300 times richer than the ores they extract from earth
Nokia has the largest phone recycling network
They recycle phones from almost 100 countries around the world
Recycled materials from old phones can be used to build many things, from park benches to a newer phone
Nokia has collected 415 tonnes of phones, batteries, and accessories in 2010
Watch the video below.
And if you're willing to let your old precious phone go off for being recycled, you can visit http://nokia.com/recycle for more information.
Are you a QWERTY phone user? How did it changed your lifestyle? Share it with the whole world and you could win a spanking brand-new Nokia Asha phones!
All you have to do is write a 200-word essay about the topic "How using a QWERTY phone changed my mobile life for the better" and you essay should have a photo of yourself holding your QWERTY phone. So basically, you have to be a QWERTY phone user. Photo/s must be in JPEG format. Send your entry to nokiaqwertypromo@ovi.com on or before December 30, 2011.
Be sure to put a uniqueness on your essay as well as your photos as the criteria will be:
1) Uniqueness - 40%
2) Relevance - 30%
3) Visual Quality of the Photo - 30%
Now for the prizes! There will be four sets of winners. The grand winner, and the runner-ups. Grand Winner: A pair of Nokia Asha 303 1st Runner Up: A pair of Nokia Asha 200 2nd Runner Up: Nokia Asha 303 3rd Runner Up: Nokia Asha 200
And for the refresher of your brains, the Nokia Asha 303 is a touchscreen phone with a physical QWERTY keyboard, with a powerful 1GHz processor, and full set of connectivity features including HSPA (3.5G), WiFi, and Bluetooth.
The Nokia Asha 200, on the other hand, is a phone that features dual-SIM with EasySwap function, a QWERTY keyboard that is targeted for the people who always want to connect on-the-go at a very affordable price.
So, that's it! Submit your entries on or before December 30, 2011 to have a chance to win a new upgrade for your QWERTY phone! :)
Disclosure:This is a contest by Nokia Philippines. We are not involved in any way on the judging and determining of winners.
Wanting to get an Android phone for a not-so-high price? Then this may be the best moment to get one! LG Philippines is offering the LG Optimus Black for only P17,990 P15,990! That's P2,000 off the regular SRP.
For your reference, the LG Optimus Black sports a 5 Megapixel primary camera, 2 Megapixel front-facing secondary camera, a 700-Nit IPS Nova display, 1500 mAh battery capacity, and comes with a 2GB internal memory which you can further expand up to 32GB with a micro-SD card. The LG Optimus Black runs on Android 2.2, but an update to Gingerbread is on it's way.
Are you an iOS gamer? Hungry for more games? Then check out Gameloft's latest releases.
Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation
MC3 is a fps (first-person shooter) game which features 13 intense mission campaign, a multiplayer which can support up to 12 person, a ranking system with up to 90 experience marks, high-tech modern weaponry, and a next generation high quality visuals that can compete with those of Rage and Unreal.
You can get the game on iTunes and to say, this is a universal app so if you have both an iPhone and iPad, you can buy this once and install on your both device.
Price: $6.99
Brothers In Arms 2: Global Front Free+
Another fps game, Brothers In Arms 2 features a multiplayer of up to 5 over WiFi or Bluetooth, and has war battles across 5 locations and 13 levels. And as the name goes, it's free, or freemium at least as there's in-app items over there.
Again, this one is a universal app. Get it at iTunes.
Price: FREE
Gangstar Rio: City of Saints
Last but not the least, the Gangstar Rio: City of Saints. This one weighs in at 818 MB, so you better hook up on a fast WiFi connection to download. Features below.
·An immersive tale: Infiltrate your former gang and find out who tried to kill you and get even
·Over 60 missions and plenty of random events to play in 5 different neighborhoods
·Enjoy a wide range of vehicles and weapons, including a new tank and explosive footballs
·Customize your character with plenty of items you can unlock as you progress
·A true Brazilian atmosphere thanks to a great soundtrack, including famous artists like M.I.A.
Nokia Philippines has posted a photo on their Facebook page and says that the Nokia Asha 303 is coming soon here in the Philippines! No more information is available at the moment but they say stay tuned for more QWERTY coming our way. Other Asha phones maybe?
For a recap, the Asha 303 features a QWERTY keyboard with a capacitive touchscreen, 1GHz processor, complete connectivity suite including 3.5G (HSPA), WiFi, and a 3.2 Megapixel EDoF camera.
Now please post a Lumia photo on your Facebook page. :D
Hey look what's finally here! I've been begging for Nokia since last year to make paid contents available here in the Philippines. And it has finally came! You can now buy paid apps, games, themes, or anything that is available at Nokia Store. Currently, the prices are in Euro (€) so if you're planning to buy using your credit or debit card, you may incur higher charges as Euros have higher exchange rate than US Dollars.
Coincidentally, I tweeted Andrew from Nokia yesterday ranting on when will they offer paid contents here. He replied that paid contents are currently not available here (so I wonder if they has just flipped the switch today) but highlighted that operator billing should be available very soon. Operator billing is a more convenient and easier way to pay for contents at Nokia Store, add the fact that there are millions of stores that offer electronic top-ups here in the Philippines.
Fingers crossed right now that the price will be available in Philippine Peso (PHP) and that the operator billing will be offered on Smart and Globe Telecom. :D
UPDATE: I've got a word from Nokia Philippines that this is currently a test run. But you can still buy apps or games that you want!
Well well well. Looks what's posted above. It's a super clear blurry shot of what seems to be a leaked slide from a Nokia presentation. It even makes hard to understand because of the foreign language.
But according to SymbianLatino, it states that there are 2 more updates coming to Symbian, named Darla Carla and Donna. More details below.
Symbian Belle
Compatible with Nokia smartphones launched in the second half of 2011 with Symbian Anna (they're talking about X7, 500, and E6 here)
All Symbian^3 devices will receive the Symbian Belle update in Q1 2012 (talking about N8, E7, C7, and C6-01)
What the hell? I don't believe that we Symbian^3 users will get Belle in 2012! Nokia insisted that it will come on Q4 2011!!!
Symbian Carla
Nokia Browser 8.0
Dolby Surround Sound
NFC (already have this in Belle, maybe new features?)
Best widgets (meh)
Now in Symbian Carla they have the Browser 8.0 which is definitely a major upgrade since the version 7 which I think shipped sinced the S60 3rd Edition, I don't know. Well I hope that this will bring full HTML 5 support, trash the Flash because it sucks anyway and makes our phones laggy and slow. Then come the Dolby Surround Sound, which is a win for audiophiles out there, NFC, maybe new uses and features? NFC payments I hope. And it ends with *drum roll* BEST WIDGETS! Horaaay! *sarcasm*
Oh and don't expect that Carla will come anytime soon. They're expecting an end-2012 to early 2013 release schedule. Moreover, I think this will be not compatible to first generation Symbian^3 and Anna phones, those without the 1GHz processor.
Symbian Donna
Dual-core processor support
Probably the last Symbian update, as they speculate. :(
HTC Philippines recently launched the HTC Sensation XE and Sensation XL last Friday at Republiq @ Resorts World Manila.
The HTC Sensation XE is just an upgraded Sensation, with 4.3 inch touchscreen with qHD (540x960) screen resolution, 1.5GHz dual-core processsor, 768Mb of RAM, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 8 Megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash capable of 1080p video recording and playback, and of course, it is equipped with Beats Audio. The battery is rated at 1730 mAh.
On the other hand, the HTC Sensation XL is, as it goes by the name, an XL-sized phone with 4.7 inch touchscreen with WVGA (480x800) screen resolution. It's processor is clocked at 1.5GHz too, but it's only a single-core one. For the memory, it's got 16GB of internal storage and 768Mb RAM, it has an 8 Megapixel camera with wide-angle lens, and a 1600 mAh battery.
Both smartphones will come with a Beats headset or heaphones - quite not sure what the package includes - and the software needed to take advantage of it.
The HTC Sensation XE and Sensation XL will come free on Smart's Unlimited Data Plan 2000. If you want to get it off-contract, you will have to shed P31,500 for the XE and P32,500 for the XL. Not much difference in price but I suggest that you go for the Sensation XE as it has a dual-core processor which will make things a lot faster, and of course a better looking phone in red. :D
We just got the official press release for the N9 launch here in the Philippines and it is really going to be available soon!!!
"Since we announced
the Nokia N9 in June this year, the feedback that it has gotten from discerning
and avid smartphone users across the world has been nothing short of
fantastic," said Nikka Abes, Corporate Communications Manager, Nokia
Philippines.
N9 Features:
3.9 inch AMOLED screen with scratch-resistant curved glass
NFC Technology
8 Megapixel Camera with Carl Zeiss lens, autofocus with dual-LED flash
Dolby Digital Plus decoding
and Dolby Headphone post-processing technology
Free turn-by-turn drive and
walk navigation with voice-guided maps for more than 100 countries and in more
than 50 languages
Social networking apps preloaded on the device
The N9 will be available in three colors - black, cyan, and magenta - and will come in 16GB and 64GB variants. Suggested retail price for the N9 16GB is P24,990 while the 64GB variant will retail for P29,450. Unlocked units will be available starting November 19.
Meanwhile, you can also sign-up for a Smart contract and get the device subsidized. The N9 16GB will come free on Unlimited Data Plan 2000 and/or All-in Plan 3500. The 64GB variant will come free on Unlimited Data Plan 3000 and on All-in Plan 3500 with a P1,200 cash-out fee. You can pre-order now on Smart by visiting http://smart.com.ph/nokia-n9, pre-order is going on until November 18.
Gameloft has outed yet another HD game for us Symbian^3 (Anna/Belle) users. Block Breaker 3 Unlimited HD is now available at Nokia Store! I'll post more screenshots as well as my own review of this game in the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime, you may want to grab and buy this game now at the Nokia Store. For people here in the Philippines, watch out for this game at the Gameloft wapshop. I'll update this post as soon as I have the wapshop link. :)
"Experience deeper, more intricate levels that take you far beyond a single screen full of blocks. Grab power-ups, trigger switches and blast through gateways to reach new areas as you push your way towards the top. Try to keep up with multiple balls on the same screen, or even multiple pads! The thrill never stops thanks to the level generator."
Nokia Maps 3.8 has now graduated from the beta version and is now delivered to all Symbian Anna devices. The update weighs 16 Mb in size.
Name: Nokia Maps - with enhanced Drive navigation Description: This new version of Nokia Maps has enhanced Drive navigation, live traffic services, improved Weather service and more. Navigate to your destination by car or on foot in 95 countries around the world. Easily check in to places and keep your friends in the loop. Save on data costs when home or abroad by downloading free country maps via Wi-Fi on your Nokia or using Nokia Suite on your computer. Just visit ovi.com/suite. File size: 16 Mb
I installed this update on my N8 and Nokia Maps is working smoothly! This new update seems to fix the errors and bugs when Nokia released a similar update a couple of days ago.
In a newsletter I received from Adobe, they have mentioned that they have opened up it's online store to cater the Southeast Asia region for easy and better direct purchases. They also have a promo this time and they will do free shipping on all purchases, which is really not a surprise at all...
Because the price of the software listed on the online store is just mouth-watering. For example, the Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Master Collection costs a whopping Php 138,076.00 excluding taxes. Yes you've read it right. One-hundred thirty-eight thousand and seventy-six pesos, exlcuding taxes. Now you do the tax calculations, I don't know how much they charge for imports. Oh and just in case you already own a legitimate copy of CS5 Master Collection, you can upgrade for just Php 29,208 excluding tax.
Are you ready to spend six-digit amounts of money for Adobe software? Visit Adobe Online Store - Southeast Asia now. They offer digital downloads and boxed shipments. They accept Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, and wire transfer as payment options.
Here's a big news for today. Smart is said to be in talks with Apple Inc. about offering the new iPhone 4S on their network. Manuel V. Pangilinan, President and CEO of PLDT (parent company of Smart) said thay they will first offer the iPhone 4S to it's high-end subscribers, end-2011. As with the case in the US, both AT&T and Globe has lost it's exclusivity in offering Apple's iPhone. They have not yet stated any exact pricing and any release dates on the iPhone 4S. They will also start offering the iPad soon, too.
Nokia has not yet announced any successor to it's Nokia N8 imaging phone, which is still has the best camera in a smartphone up to present. Even the new Lumias announced by Nokia has only either 5 or 8 Megapixels of camera, which is still very far from the 12 Megapixels on the N8. So here goes a rumour that Nokia won't make the next imaging flagship phone to run Windows Phone. UnwiredView.com says that Nokia will instead build it on top of Symbian, citing multiple trusted sources.
Here's what we can expect on the next flagship phone (N8 Successor):
Bigger camera sensor than the N8 (not sure what resolution)
Optical zoom (Nokia has mentioned that they will make phones with 'True-zoom' function)
3.5 inches WVGA ClearBlack Display with Gorilla Glass
1 GHz Processor
512 MB of RAM
And, will still run on Symbian (Belle or the next one)
They also say the it is likely to be announced on Q2 2012, and may be announced on MWC.
He maybe meant to say that Microsoft simply cannot support complex cameras like the one on the Nokia N8 on the current version Windows Phone, Nokia could not build such devices (imaging flagship) on Windows Phone.
I then asked him if Nokia will instead use Symbian, and he replied...
So it seems that the previous report by UnwiredView.com is accurate. And we may really see a killer camera smartphone on Symbian next year, with a bumped-up hardware. I just hope that Nokia will bump it a little more, i.e. the screen size, say to 3.7 inches.
Nokia announced their last Nseries device last June, which is the N9. It looks so beautiful. It is dubbed as an 'all-screen' phone without any single button on the front. You just use the 'swipe' gesture to navigate around it.
Meanwhile, the twin phone of the N9, was just announced last October at Nokia World. That is the Nokia Lumia 800. It really looks like the N9, sans the front-facing camera, but with the three capacitive buttons required by Microsoft for its Windows Phone devices, a dedicated camera shutter key, and the slightly moved dual-LED flash.
So, we want to ask you which of the two do you want to buy, or even just want?
Here's the quick round-up for the specifications of both phones: Screen Size
N9 - 3.9 inches | Lumia 800 - 3.7 inches Screen Resolution
N9 - 854x480 | Lumia 800 - 800x480 Processor
N9 - 1 GHz Single Core ARM Cortex-A8 TI OMAP 3630 | Lumia 800 - 1.4 GHz Single Core MSM8255 Snapdragon / Scorpion Camera
N9 - 8.0 Megapixels | 8.0 Megapixels Mass Storage Memoy
N9 - 16 / 64 GB | Lumia 800 - 16 GB RAM
N9 - 1 GB | Lumia 800 - 512 Mb
For the complete comparison of their technical specifications, please visit this link and then cast your vote on the blog sidebar, just below the popular posts.
UPDATE: You can vote on the poll even if you're not going to buy it. All votes are welcome! :)
Whilst Smart has been busy deploying their HSPA+ dubbed '4G' network, they are about to launch another '4G' network in the country, in form of the LTE. Smart describes it as a "fast internet" with speeds to hit up to 50 Mbps. That means an hour of a HD video clip could load up in less than 1 minute, while an upload of 200 Mb file could be easily done in 5 minutes.
Considering they have already posted a product page for LTE on it's website, maybe that means we will finally see some LTE devices from the carrier soon.
Finally. The wait is over! You can now pre-order the Nokia N9 from Smart. You will get it for free on P2000.00 monthly plan which includes unlimited data. Or if you prefer a contract-free N9, then you should wait until November 19 on which it will be available on Nokia Stores.
You can pre-order your own Nokia N9 starting today until the 18th. The pick-up date is on the 21st. All eligible sign-ups will receive a limited edition Nokia Wireless Music Receiver MD-310. Video below.
The Nokia N8 is now available in a new color! After getting painted in Pink, it's now also available in Bronze. However, it's currently available in Nokia Shop Hungary at the moment. The new color looks good. It has a more premium look than the Dark Grey one. I seriously like this color, looks as if you have a Vertu phone. Yum!
For now, it's only available at Nokia Shop Hungary. Let's wait for the updates.
It's official. The once known as the loudest Nokia phone is not making it to the market. Nokia said they has no plans to indtroduce it anywhere. R.I.P. Nokia 600.
Are you anxiously waiting for the Nokia 600? Really wanting to buy one? The Nokia 600 appears to be cancelled and seems it will not launch after all.
Why? Check the proofs below.
1. Do a Google search of Nokia 600. Click the first link. You will see the error in the photo below. The Nokia 600 is now unlisted on all Nokia product page.
Click the image to view in full-resolution.
2. Nokia Philippines is not releasing it here. I don't know if other countries are doing the same.
3. Nokia does not list Nokia 600 videos on it's YouTube channel anymore.
Click the image to view in full-resolution.
4. Existing videos of Nokia 600 are now unlisted. That means, only people who has the link to the video will be able to view it.
Hey guess what? Nokia Maps here in the Philippines now include 3D buildings! No plug-ins, extra software required, but you just have to update your maps data. The latest map data version here in the Philippines is 00.02.44.110 and the release date is 26.09.2011.
It has 3D renders of some buildings here in Metro Manila. I tried browsing some other key cities like Metro Cebu and Metro Davao, but they doesn't have 3D renders of buildings there yet.
3D building renders - Makati
It even includes 3D models of some notable statues too, like this one the Rizal Monument at Manila.
Quezon Memorial Circle - Quezon City
SM Mall of Asia - Pasay City
Iglesia ni Cristo Central Temple - Quezon City
3D maps view is only available on Nokia Maps on mobile. It's not yet available on PC browser version.
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