Nokia unveils Lumia 800 Windows Phone

NOKIA LUMIA 800

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop took to the stage at Nokia World in London on Wednesday to reveal Nokia’s first Windows Phone.

The Nokia Lumia 800, codenamed Searay, is Nokia’s first entry into an increasingly busy Windows Phone market. Elop revealed the device to the world on Wednesday. Elop described the Lumia as “the first real Windows Phone” before unveiling the specifics of the Lumia 800. The Lumia 800 includes a curved 3.7-inch ClearBlack LCD display and will be available in black, cyan or magenta colors. The Lumia 800 also features a 8-megapixel camera that includes an f2.2 aperture, and is designed for low-light environments. Nokia described the camera as one that’s for “ordinary people, under ordinary circumstances.”

Nokia has invested heavily in navigation, music and sports. Nokia’s Lumia 800 will include full voice guided turn-by-turn navigation with Nokia Drive. The Nokia Drive application includes an optimized horizontal view and will allow users to navigate whilst in their cars or on the go. Nokia’s Music application is an easy way for users to discover new artists and music. The headline feature is mix radio that provides pre-setup mixes of full length music for Nokia Windows Phone users.

Microsoft to Acquire Skype.

Microsoft and Skype today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Microsoft will acquire Skype, the leading Internet communications company, for $8.5 billion in cash from the investor group led by Silver Lake. The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of both Microsoft and Skype.

“Skype is a phenomenal service that is loved by millions of people around the world,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “Together we will create the future of real-time communications so people can easily stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues anywhere in the world.”

Skype will become a new business division within Microsoft, and Skype CEO Tony Bates will assume the title of president of the Microsoft Skype Division, reporting directly to Ballmer.

“Microsoft and Skype share the vision of bringing software innovation and products to our customers,” said Tony Bates. “Together, we will be able to accelerate Skype’s plans to extend our global community and introduce new ways for everyone to communicate and collaborate,” Bates said.

Skype will support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of Windows devices, and Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities. Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms.


I also don’t believe that Facebook and Google were serious buyers. Google, with its Google Voice offering, doesn’t really need Skype. In essence, I feel that Microsoft was bidding against itself. Even then, I personally think this is a bet worth taking, especially for a company that has been left out in the cold for so long.

• Skype gives Microsoft a  boost in the enterprise collaboration market, thanks to Skype’s voice, video and sharing capabilities, especially when competing with Cisco and Google.
• It gives Microsoft a working relationship with carriers, many of them looking to partner with Skype as they start to transition to LTE-based networks.
• It would give them a must-have application/service that can help with the adoption of the future versions of Windows Mobile operating system.
• However, the biggest reason for Microsoft to buy Skype is Windows Phone 7 (Mobile OS) and Nokia. The software giant needs a competitive offering to Google Voice and Apple’s emerging communication platform, Facetime.