Steve Kovach, Business Insider
Hello there!
We’re going to be live blogging Nokia’s big press conference to reveal two new Windows-based smartphones, the Lumia 920 and the Lumia 820.
It’s supposed to get started at 10 AM east coast time. I’ll be live blogging from the webcast, and Steve Kovach, our Tools editor is on hand snapping photos, adding additional color commentary.
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This is a big event for Microsoft and Nokia. The massive partnership between the two companies has failed to yield much in the way of results for either company. The latest comScore data shows Microsoft losing share in the smartphone market in the U.S. Nokia, meanwhile, is on the brink of collapse.
The frustrating thing for both companies is that their phones and operating systems aren’t bad. They’ve been critically well received. But, for whatever reason consumers have rejected them.
This event is sort of make or break for this partnership. Nokia has to deliver something that is good enough to dent Samsung and Apple’s growing lead.
We’ll see what they have…
9:38 AM
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10:02 AM
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Here we go!
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop on stage now!
10:05 AM
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10:09 AM
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Jo Harlow, EVP of Nokia, on stage now
10:10 AM
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“Today we’re ready to take the next step”
We’re watching a weird demo video now.
10:13 AM
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Lumia 920: Better pictures and photos than any other competitor phone.
10:14 AM
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10:16 AM
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Now she’s talking about problems with smartphone photos …
Lighting is out of our control. We don’t have time to fiddle with settings. But, best of smartphone is that we capture unexpected moments. Unfortuantely we get dark, blurry photos. To capture more light shutter has to be open longer, that leads to blurry photos…
Well, PureView technology captures 5-10X light of any competitor smartphone camera. Inside is floating lens tech that surpasses even most Digital SLRs. Reacts to movements of your hands.
10:16 AM
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Brighter, clearer images, even indoors without flashes.
10:17 AM
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Smooth HD video.
10:18 AM
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She says people buy Nokia Lumias for the maps, one of the most cited reasons.
10:18 AM
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Talking about location services. Offline maps will be a key feature. Not caching, real deal, true offline maps that work.
10:18 AM
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10:19 AM
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Nokia drive with free turn by turn directions. Daily commute feature. Journey to destination based on traffic.
10:21 AM
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Nokia City Lens: Most intuitive way to explore the world around you. Point camera at any city block, you can see restaurants, cafes, overlaid on camera.
(Our question: can’t you just look at the place if you’re on the block?)
She says this is a more human way to explore your city. (Human? You’re using a phone to remove you from talking to people?)
10:23 AM
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10:24 AM
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Nokia uses polarizers to cut down on glare. Sunlight readability enhancements. Bright, colorful display you could see in the desert or on the beach.
10:24 AM
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So immersive, you never want to put it down.
10:25 AM
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So how do you get enough power to use all day?
Largest battery in a Nokia phone ever. Enough to get you through the day. Snapdragon s4 is up to 30% more efficient than quad core alternatives.