nokia lumia 900

Nokia to launch flagship smartphone on Verizon this year -- report

Nokia is readying a flagship smartphone for Verizon Wireless, a new report claims.

Verizon is planning to carry the Lumia handset later this year, The Verge is reporting today, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the company's plans. That device, codenamed Laser, will "be a variant" of Nokia's Lumia 920, but it's not clear what sort of features the handset will have.

According to The Verge, Nokia's device will be put on the same playing field as Verizon's other flagship devices, including the iPhone.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop hinted at a … Read more

Top five Cracking Open teardowns of 2012

From smartphones and tablets to a $7,000 desktop, we've cracked open a lot of tech this year. And as is the tradition at the end of each year, it's time to take a look at a few of our favorites. During this special episode of Cracking Open, I'm counting down my top five teardowns of 2012.

5. Nokia Lumia 900

First on our list is the Nokia Lumia 900. Released in the spring, this Windows Phone device was Nokia's attempt to recapture some of the American smartphone market.

Unfortunately, as we discovered during our teardown, the phone's hardware just wasn't up to par with the competition. I went so far as to call it mediocre. So why did I include our 900 teardown on this list? Because it's probably this year's best example of why knowing what's inside a device is an important factor in deciding whether to buy one.… Read more

Episode 15: Molly gets her iPhone 5

I really wasn't going to order an iPhone 5 -- I stayed up until midnight on pre-order night to order two unlocked versions, one to unbox, and one to torture, and then realized the unlocked versions weren't available.

So, I now own one, but I do think that makes this week's Unboxing more exciting, because of my personal stake in the whole thing.

Speaking of exciting, for those of you who requested that we torture test the Nokia Lumia 900, here it is! Jeff Cannata takes over this one, and I think he's really getting the … Read more

Nokia City Lens app for Windows Phone 7 zooms in on local shops

Owners of virtually all Nokia Lumia phones will be able to discover local businesses via the company's new City Lens augmented reality.

Shown off by Nokia last week, City Lens overlays nearby businesses on the screen when you point your phone in their direction. Tapping a specific business reveals full details, including contact information, reviews, walking distance, and directions.

Though demoed for the upcoming Windows Phone 8 Lumia 920, the new app is actually available as of yesterday for the current Lumia 900, 800, and 710 Windows Phone 7 handsets. Owners of any of those phones can download City … Read more

What to expect from Nokia's next Windows phone

On September 5, Microsoft and Nokia will introduce the world to the its first Windows Phone 8 devices. The form of that signature handset remains a mystery for now, but I'll venture a guess that from the outside, the next iteration of Nokia's flagship phone will look very similar to the Nokia Lumia 900 device we know now.

Why do I say such a thing? There are a few reasons. First, the form factor would be more easily produced than creating a new design in a relatively short period. After all, the Lumia 900's look already exists … Read more

Nokia Lumia 900 update includes flip-to-mute

If you wish your Nokia Lumia 900 did a little bit more, you may be in luck. Nokia began rolling out another update today to its premier, polycarbonate smartphone that includes a few little enhancements like the popular and ever-useful muting of calls when you flip the phone face-down.

In addition, Nokia has also improved camera performance when you press the hardware button that launches the camera app, even when the phone's locked. The Lumia-maker also said that it has made the boot sequence more reliable on startup after you've completely drained your battery.

Unfortunately, these aren't … Read more

Smartphones with unique designs (roundup)

Phone-makers use every trick in the book to differentiate their phones on store shelves, from bright colors to unusual proportions, textures, and materials.

Here are five smartphones that turn heads for striking shapes, aggressive style, and distinct physical features that you just don't see every day.

Nokia 808 PureView (unlocked), June 2012 You can't expect to slip a camera module as large as the 808 PureView's 41-megapixel shooter into a smartphone chassis without a little give. The trade-off is a thicker middle and a huge hump at one end of the phone that makes for some potentially … Read more

The new look of Microsoft Office

Monday's top tech headlines feature a new challenger to the LTE battle:

Microsoft is releasing a new flavor of Office to go along with the new look of Windows 8. This new Office is all about making your documents available wherever you are, on any device. The design is also streamlined. Since you might be using it on a touch-screen, Microsoft simplified some options. You can see highlights of the features in our review of the new Office suite.

Sprint's already been selling devices that use 4G LTE, but today customers can finally tap into that faster network. … Read more

Lumia 900 still a raw deal despite heavy discount

commentary Don't let the new price fool you -- even at half off, the Lumia 900 isn't a worthy purchase.

The Lumia 900, which now costs $49.99, down from its original $99.99 price tag, is the victim of bad timing. That's because it, alongside all other Windows Phone devices, are unable to upgrade to Windows Phone 8 when it comes out later this year. Unfortunately, if you're a Windows fan or want to try something new, Windows Phone 8 is the mobile operating system to wait for.

That's because there will finally bring … Read more