Microsoft buys Nokia for S7.2 Billion

Microsoft buys Nokia for S7.2 Billion

Microsoft has announced that it plans to acquire Nokia's devices and services business, as well as license its patents and mapping services in a $7.2 billion deal.

As part of the transaction, Nokia will grant Microsoft a 10 year non-exclusive license to its patents as of the time of the closing of the deal and Microsoft will grant Nokia reciprocal rights. In addition, Nokia will grant Microsoft an option to extend this mutual patent agreement to perpetuity. Of the total purchase price of EUR 5.44 billion, EUR 3.79 billion relates to the purchase of substantially all of the Devices & Services business, and EUR 1.65 billion relates to the mutual patent agreement and future option.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop will be coming back to Microsoft, and he will lead an expanded Devices team, which includes all of Microsoft’s current Devices and Studios work. Nokia board chairman Risto Siilasmaa will take over CEO duties while the Finnish firm looks for a new CEO to replace Elop.

Nokia Lumia 625 Launched : Windows, 4.7 inch Screen , 4G Ready

Nokia Lumia 625 Launched : Windows, 4.7 inch Screen , 4G Ready

The big 4.7-inch screen on the Nokia Lumia 625 offers a larger view of everything that’s important to you. It’s viewable in direct sunlight and offers our super-sensitive touch technology for operation with gloves or nails.

At the same time, the phone is 4G/LTE-ready, and, delivers mobile entertainment from online video services up to 10x faster.

Tech specs
Display: 4.7 inch WVGA @ 201ppi with Sunlight Readability Enhancement, High Brightness Mode, Color Enhancement and Super Sensitive Touch
Battery: 2000 mAh; talk time – up to 15.2 hours (3G)
Processor: 1.2GHz, Dual Core Snapdragon S4
Size/Weight: 133.25 x 72.25 x 9.15 mm, 159g
Connectivity: USB2.0, BT 4.0+ LE, WLAN IEEE 802.11b/g/n, A-GPS and Glonass, 3.5 mm audio connector
Camera: 5-megapixel autofocus, LED flash, 1080p@30fps; VGA front facing camera
Memory: 512MB RAM; 8GB storage with support for up to 64GB SD card

Available in orange, yellow, bright green, white and black, the layered polycarbonate on the changeable shells gives the surface of the Lumia 625 a translucent quality that signals an evolution in materials design.

The Nokia Lumia 625 comes with all the amazing Nokia apps and services that enrich the navigation, entertainment and imaging possibilities of the Windows Phone 8 operating system. It also comes with the latest Amber update.

It'll be headed to EE, Vodafone, O2, Phones4U and Carphone Warehouse in early September, priced at £200 or 220 euros for continental Europeans. 

Nokia Lumia 1020 with 41 Megapixel Camera Launched Priced at $299.99

Nokia Lumia 1020 with 41 Megapixel Camera Launched Priced at $299.99

Nokia established a new benchmark in smartphone imaging with the arrival of the Nokia Lumia 1020, boasting a second generation 41 megapixel sensor. Unlike any smartphone in the market today the Nokia Lumia 1020 reinvents zoom, enabling people to discover more detail than the eye can see. With Nokia's innovative PureView technology, including optical image stabilization, the device is able to produce some of the sharpest images possible by any digital camera.

While the resolution is top-notch -- you'll be able to take 34 and 38MP pictures, depending on your desired aspect ratio -- the 1020 will also simultaneously take 5MP oversampled shots that are much more friendly for Facebook and SkyDrive sharing

The Nokia Lumia 1020's 41 megapixel sensor features leading ZEISS optics with six physical lenses, plus optical image stabilization, delivering crystal clear pictures even in low light conditions. It also captures blur free videos with stereo sound even at the loudest concerts thanks to Nokia Rich Recording, which handles sound pressure levels six times louder than conventional smartphone microphones.

Nokia Lumia 1020 Specifications :
Display size: 11.43 cm
Display technology: ClearBlack, AMOLED
Touch screen technology: Super-sensitive touch
Main camera sensor: 41 MP, PureView
Flash type: Xenon flash
Talk time (2G): 19.1 h
Talk time (3G): 13.3 h
Music playback time: 63 h
Wireless charging: Yes, with accessory cover
Processor name: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4
Processor type: Dual-core 1.5 GHz
Windowa OS 8

The Nokia Lumia 1020 will arrive first on U.S. shores exclusively with AT&T, with sales expected to start on July 26 at a price of USD 299.99 on a two-year contract.

The Nokia Lumia 1020 is then expected to arrive in China and key European markets this quarter. Nokia plans to ship an exclusive variant of the device with Telefonica to select European and Latin American markets. The Nokia Lumia 1020 will be available in yellow, white and black.

It mostly confirms to the Nokia Lumia 1020 Leak shots we earlier released.

Nokia Lumia 1020 Leak Shots , Specifications ahead of Launch

Nokia Lumia 1020 Leak Shots , Specifications ahead of Launch

The Nokia Lumia 1020, which is due to be announced later today, rumors of a 41-megapixel camera with the new handset also featuring a 4.5-inch AMOLED HD+ display with a 1280 x 768 resolution wrapped in Gorilla Glass 3.

The phone will be released under Pureview branding.Nokia's PureView camera on the Lumia 1020 will include a Xenon flash and F/2.2 lens, alongside a new Pro Camera application and the company's OIS stabilization. The camera app will provide access to white balance, ISO, focus, shutter speed, and other settings through a radial menu-like interface. We understand that Nokia's camera app is feature heavy, with options to toggle aspect ratio on photos and the ability to enable a "dual capture" mode that takes images at different resolutions at the same time.

Inside the phone will use a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, although which exactly still remains to be seen. Then there is 2GB of RAM to play with and 32GB of internal storage. 7GB of SkyDrive space will also be included.

Keep tuned to get more on the 1020 later today, with Nokia's dedicated event starting today in UK.