Tag Archives: Nokia Lumia

Easily Convert MP3, WMV & M4A Songs To Ringtones On Nokia Lumia

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Just a few days back we discussed #trending, a Windows Phone app that lets you get ringtones of your favorite songs from Twitter's new music discovery service, among other things. While ringtones were just one feature in the #trending app, Windows Phone has had plenty of other apps that focused solely on loading your phone with tons of free ringtones. Trying to find readymade ringtones can be a bit tough though, since you might not be able to find the right tone of your favorite song despite having it in your music library. If you are really desperate for it, there is the possibility of exporting the music file to your computer, and then cutting it to an appropriate length using a desktop tool of your choice. Thankfully, users of Lumia devices have a much easier solution to this problem. The Nokia Ringtone Maker has been around for quite a while, but the beta of its latest version has taken the app to a whole new level. The app can now handle several file formats, rather than just MP3. Read More

Stream Photos From Windows Phone Lumia To Any Device With PhotoBeamer

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Nokia Lumia owners already have Play To, an app that lets them stream media to any DLNA-enabled device, so a few might label the new PhotoBeamer as redundant. However, you have to bear in mind that not everyone wants to go through the rather lengthy and complicated procedure of setting up DLNA on a computer just to stream a couple of photos. PhotoBeamer on the other hand requires no configuration, and can be used with any internet-enabled computer or TV to show photos from your Lumia device to a larger audience. Just point your phone at the display, select the album you want to stream, and the images will start appearing on the other screen without any noticeable delay! Sounds almost magical, doesn't it? Read More

How To Get Back Bing Maps On Windows Phone 8

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Unlike Apple's Maps saga, there weren't any complaints when Microsoft decided to ditch Bing Maps in favor of Nokia Maps for Windows Phone 8 devices. If you compare the feature list of both these services, Nokia Maps is the clear winner. However, that does not mean that Bing Maps was completely useless. After all, a lot of people (read Windows Phone 7 users) have spent the past couple of years navigating the roads thanks to Bing Maps. The unavailability of Bing Maps in WP8 can prove to be a bit of an inconvenience for users migrating to the new platform from Mango phones, if they are satisfied with what they were using and don't want to fix what's not broken for them. Also, Bing Maps offers better mapping for some areas as compared to Nokia Maps. Fortunately, now you can get the best of both worlds by enjoying Nokia and Bing Maps side-by-side on WP8. Read More

Official World of Red Bull App Released For Nokia Windows Phone

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Red Bull’s presence in extreme sports and Formula 1 has elevated it to a status that is far beyond a mere energy drink. The corporation has recently been involved in “Stratos”, the project that resulted in Felix Baumgartner’s historic space jump. In fact, there is so much going on under Red Bull’s wings that all the extreme sports and racing enthusiasts really needed something like World of Red Bull. This Nokia-exclusive Windows Phone app has all the news, event details and latest videos related to the brand. There is so much on offer that World of Red Bull comes with the option to let users create their own customized feed by adding their favorite sports and athletes. Read More

How To Unbrick Nokia Lumia 920 By Flashing New Firmware

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Windows Phone 8 has enjoyed a rather successful start, but less than a month has elapsed since the platform was released, and an eerily familiar story has already started developing. Quite like earlier versions of WP7, Windows Phone 8 is not as stable as you would expect it to be. There are complaints of short battery life, random reboots and even devices getting bricked. Since Lumia 920 is probably the most popular WP8 device till now, many of the issues have been reported specifically for it. While the folks at Microsoft have assured users that the reboot and battery issues are being looked into, you are pretty much on your own if your phone refuses to start at all. This 'bricking' has been reported to happen when users reset or wipe their Lumia 920. While some retailers and carriers are offering free replacements for such cases, there is a way you can rectify the problem yourself. Read More

Nokia Xpress Is A Web Browser For Lumia Windows Phones With Limited Data Plans

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Unlike its desktop counterpart, Internet Explorer is a pretty nice web browser on Windows Phone (albeit one without too many bells and whistles attached to it). As is the case with most smartphone apps designed for web browsing, the stock browser in WP7 provides users with a seamless and feature-rich browsing experience. This might be perfect if you always use Wi-Fi, or have an unlimited data plan, but if that is not the case, you are sure to feel the need for some app that focuses more on data conservation rather than bringing high quality, flashy images to your phone’s screen. Nokia Xpress is a fresh release for Lumia phones, and it aims to provide a browsing environment that is quick and utilizes the minimum possible data through cloud-based compression. In addition to that, people can use the Xpress app as a feed reader, since the app’s Magazine section displays content in its most data-friendly form (much like an RSS client). Read More

StyleSaint For Nokia: Get Fashion News, Photos & Create Your Own Magazine [Windows Phone]

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Most smartphones are available in black or white these days, but if you dare to be different, and want your phone to be a bit more colorful, the Nokia Lumia series can be a pretty good choice. Lumia phones come in a lot of colors, and the Windows Phone operating system is cosmetically pretty good, too. When it comes to fashion-oriented apps, the “Lifestyle” category in the Windows Phone Store might be lacking in quantity, but there are some pretty good apps available there. StyleSaint is the latest fashion app that has been released in the Nokia Store, and deals with just about everything related to style. The app offers downloadable photos, news items related to the fashion world, and you can even use StyleSaint to create your own fashion magazine to gather your favorite stuff in one place. Read More

Welcome Home: Transfer Contacts, Apps & Media From Other Platforms To Windows Phone

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A lot of people get bored of their smartphone after a while, but delay making the switch to another device or platform to avoid going through all the hassle of transferring contacts and media to the new phone. If you are thinking of going to a new device that uses the same platform, things aren’t too messy, but if you are planning to give Windows Phone a try after using Android, Blackberry or iOS, then you are in for a long and troubling few days. As Windows Phone hasn’t gone too mainstream till now, there are not many tools that help people get started with their devices. Maybe this is why the folks over at Nokia have decided to take matters into their own hands, and have collaborated with Mark/Space to come up with a solution named Welcome Home. With Welcome Home, you don’t have to worry about a thing if you are switching from any other smartphone platform to, say, your new Lumia. The application copies all your photos, videos, contacts and even apps to your new Windows Phone, and that too without requiring too much work from the user. Read More

Official ESPN Fantasy Football 2012 App Kicks Off On Nokia Lumia Phones

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Nokia really knows how to make other Windows Phone users jealous. The Nokia Collection section of the WP7 Marketplace is always growing, and has got some really spectacular apps. Quite a few of these Lumia-exclusive apps are related to sports, and the latest to join the list is ESPN Fantasy Football 2012. There are already many Windows Phone Mango apps that deal with American football, but ESPN FFL 2012 focuses primarily on ESPN’s famous online Fantasy Football game. With ESPN Fantasy Football 2012, you will be able to manage your fantasy leagues, view the results of your matchups, and get all the latest NFL scores, news and related videos clips. If you're not interested in fantasy football, and are just looking for a companion app for the NFL season, ESPN FFL 2012 is sure to prove quite sufficient for you. Read More

Counters: Track & Limit SMS, Call & Data Usage On Nokia Windows Phone

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When the Lumia series was first unveiled, Nokia did not take full advantage of the OS customization rights that Microsoft had granted them. Nokia’s own version of Windows Phone wasn’t too different from the one rolled out for other OEMs, which proved to be a bit disappointing for most WP7 fans, but thankfully, the folks over at Nokia seem to be determined to make everything right and give their customers special treatment by rolling out a slew of Nokia-exclusive Mango apps. The latest addition to the Nokia Collection section of the Marketplace is Counters. The app is sure to prove useful for almost all Lumia owners, as the functionality it brings to the mix is pretty basic, yet important. Using the Counters app, you will be able to view all the usage stats related to your monthly calls, text messages and internet data. And that’s just half of it! The app can also be used to place restrictions on all the aforementioned items, so that you can stay within your phone budget each month. Read More

Kaliki For Nokia WP Devices Brings Audio News From Various Sources

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News apps are nothing new for Windows Phone 7, and there is even a category for news + weather in the Marketplace. The profusion of news apps for Mango means that there needs to be something really special about an app to make it a favorite among WP7 users. Kaliki is a new Lumia-exclusive app that is not a conventional news aggregator, although it might look like one on the surface. Kaliki has categories for all news items that might interest an average user, but instead of providing you with written news articles, the app features professionally recorded audio clips for all news stories. This can be really helpful if you are driving (or doing something else) and just want to listen to all the best news items and articles. Read More

Nokia Camera Extras Adds Face Detection, Panorama Capture & More To Lumia Phones

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Windows Phone 7 might not be an obscure smartphone platform anymore, but still the biggest selling point of the Nokia Lumia series is its awesome Carl-Zeiss camera rather than the OS. Having said that, a lot of people have claimed to be rather disappointed by the picture quality of the cameras in Lumia phones, and the companion camera app isn’t too mind-blowing either. Fortunately, instead of trying to sweep the issue under the rug, Nokia has taken it by the scruff of the neck. A few months back, the camera received some basic improvements via a Lumia-exclusive update, and now the Finnish mobile makers have launched Camera Extras, an app that adds a host of new features to the stock camera app in Lumia 710, Lumia 800 and Lumia 900. The new options introduced by the Extras app include the addition of panorama mode, smart group shot (a feature that makes good use of automatic face recognition), better capturing capabilities for moving objects (via the Action Shot menu) and even a nifty little self timer. Read More

PGA Tour Brings Golf News, Player Stats & Videos To Lumia WP7 Devices

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The Nokia Lumia series is fast becoming the best smartphone line for golf fans. First, there was the Caddie+ app to help you play the game yourself, and now, PGA Tour has arrived in the Nokia section of the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace. PGA Tour is an app that will let owners of Nokia Windows Phone 7 devices stay up to date with all the latest happenings in the golfing world. There are other apps in the Marketplace that aggregate news items related to the sport, but if you are looking for a true companion app for every worthwhile golf tournament played on Earth, PGA Tour is what you want. This smart app automatically updates its homepage with respect to the current tournament(s) in progress. In addition to keeping you in touch with the proceedings of underway majors, the app is a good place to find detailed stats for any player on the tour. The PGA Tour app has a pretty decent collection of free videos as well, and you can view all the best moments of any tournament right on your Lumia’s screen. Read More

Nokia Trailers: View Movie Trailers, Cinema Details & More On Lumia WP7

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The ultimate goal for Microsoft and Nokia is to make Windows Phone 7 a real match for iOS. While that scenario might not be on the horizon just yet, the Lumia series is doing pretty well in the market, and Nokia is making the user experience even better by coming up with more and more Lumia-exclusive apps. The latest among such is Nokia Trailers, an app that looks pretty similar to the iTunes Trailers app from Apple (reviewed here). Nokia Trailers can be used to view high-quality trailers from newly released or upcoming Hollywood movies, and lets you maintain a complete record of all the movies you have watched (or wish to watch). Nokia Trailers will provide you with reviews of movies along with a list of all the theaters near your current location. So, if you are a Nokia Lumia owner and like watching movies, head past the break for details of Nokia Trailers. Read More

The Caddie + For Nokia Lumia: View Stats Of Fellow Golfers In Augmented Reality!

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Golf might appear to be a rather simple game if you are watching it on TV, but if you've ever been to the greens yourself, you probably know that it isn't as simple as hitting the ball with the club. Plus, you have to find some golfing buddies, someone has to keep the scores, and, if the course is unfamiliar to you, finding your way across all 18 holes can be a real headache. This is the reason there are many apps in the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace that can help you with all this, and leave you free to concentrate on your game. The best among such WP7 apps is The Caddie +, and although the app has been around for quite a while for Mango phones, a Lumia version of the app has recently been released. The Nokia app is pretty similar to the original one, but it has some really fantastic augmented reality features that make it a cut above the rest. With the app’s Golfscope feature, you just have to point your device at anyone playing against you, and the app with display their stats and score right on your screen! Intrigued? Read of past the jump for more. Read More

City Lens For Lumia WP7: Identify Places Near You & View Info In Augmented Reality

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When Windows Phone 7 was bumped to Mango, one feature that came across as a good addition to the OS was the search menu’s Local Scout. If you don’t already know, Local Scout provides users with search results that are related to their current location. It is a good way of discovering interesting and useful places near you. As attractive as the official feature might sound, it does have a few shortcomings, and it does not work outside the US and UK. Maybe that’s why Nokia has decided to launch City Lens for Lumia WP7 devices. The app has been around on Symbian phones for quite a while, but you won’t guess that by the Mango version’s polished Metro interface. City Lens is basically an augmented reality browser that allows users to discover places near them. Many other apps can do that, but the best thing about this Nokia app is the fact that you can use it to point your device at any place in real life, and it will give you all the information about it on your phone’s screen! Read More

How To Add EDGE Option To Lumia 900 Cellular Data Settings [Guide]

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When the Lumia 800 was launched, people called it the best Windows Phone 7 device to date, but all that changed as soon as its elder sibling, Lumia 900, hit the market. The most prominent difference between the two devices is the front-facing camera in the latter, and the fact that it is the first ever LTE WP7 device! So, the Nokia ship was sailing smoothly regarding the Lumia 900, but then battery issues started rearing their ugly heads, and Nokia even released an update that claimed to fix the battery issues plaguing the Lumia devices. However, there are other steps users can themselves take to enhance their phone’s battery life. How about switching to EDGE on your Lumia 900 instead of using the power-hungry LTE when you don't really need it? We do know there isn’t an EDGE option in the Cellular settings of the phone by default, and this article is all about getting that facility. Read More

How To Interop Unlock Nokia Lumia 710/800 & Flash A Custom ROM

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In the opinion of most Windows Phone 7 users, the Nokia Lumia series represents the best breed of WP7 devices. The awesome camera, form-factor and display of the Lumia 800 and 710 have gone a long way towards endearing Nokia’s Mango phones to the masses. Given the popularity of these devices, it makes sense that the developer community has been taking an active interest in finding an interop unlock method (or in simple terms, jailbreak) for the Lumia series. Fortunately, they seem to have stricken gold (or silver, for that matter). If you are lucky, Nokia sold you your device with an unlocked bootloader, paving the way for flashing custom ROMs and attaining interop unlock. Such bootloader is not to be found in all Lumia 800s, but the owners of Lumia 710 might be a whole lot more fortunate than that. Confused? Read on, and we will try to explain matters. Read More

Lumia Highlights: Get Tips, Tricks & Tutorials For Nokia Windows Phone

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Before the Lumia series was released, many people were calling it Windows Phone 7’s last hope. Although this is something of an exaggeration, as things weren’t that bad for the Mango phone, it is still nice to see how popular Nokia Windows Phone devices have become. The increase in any platform’s popularity always means one thing - there are a lot of new WP7 users, and many of them have never used a smartphone before. If you have been using WP7 for a considerably long time, you might be used to the workings of the Mango platform, but things can seem tricky for a lot of new users. Just a few days back, I had to explain to one of our readers, in great detail, the method for transferring songs to the device via Zune. Keeping such new users in mind, Nokia has launched a help app (much like Microsoft’s official Help+How-to) named Lumia Highlights. Even for experienced WP7 users, the app holds the charm of coming up with some really cool tips every once in a while. Read on to learn more. Read More

Play To: Stream Photos, Music & Videos From Nokia Lumia WP7 To DLNA-Enabled TV/PC

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DLNA is the technology using which media can be streamed over Wi-Fi from one device to another. In most cases, DLNA comes in handy when you want to show a slideshow of images, or a video to a large number of audience, and have only got it on your mobile phone. Having a bigger display for media can be a really useful feature, and that is why DLNA is an important feature. Most newer models of TVs and computers support the technology, but what use those devices are if your phone does not have the capability to broadcast data over DLNA? Unfortunately, this was exactly the case for Windows Phone 7 devices until recently, but now, the Lumia series has finally acquired Nokia’s official DLNA app, named Play To. Read on to know all about the awesome Mango app. Update: The app has left its beta phase, and the final version is now available with music streaming options. Read More