It’s the beginning of December and with so much, like always, popping around the mobile world, I feel like it’s time for a News Roundup! Let’s see what’s going on in the world of tech!
…not with a bang, but a whimper.
With the slow decline of the Windows Phone over the last year, it seems that Nokia, which was bought out by Microsoft and set to task with the Lumia series of Windows Phones, isn’t really giving us much in terms of a final bow. Nokia is set to release the Lumia 830, the last phone that the once-vaunted handset company will produce. Looking it over, there’s not a lot to be impressed about. It seems that Nokia is looking to simply fulfill their quota, so to speak. While still powerful in its own right, you won’t find anything that challenges any of the other new offerings from giants such as Samsung or Motorola. And given that it runs the Windows OS, I pretty much predict a flop from the Lumia 830. I hate to see such a great hardware company fall in this manner, but in the tech world that’s often how things go down. They all can’t be the 5150, sadly.
LINES! WE DON’T NEED NO STINKING LINES!
We all love coffee. And, for some reason, the more expensive and somewhat pretentious it is, the more we drink it. Starbucks is proof of this. If you don’t think so, simply look at the often out-the-door lines at nearly any Starbucks you come across. The coffee giant feels your pain and in an attempt to get you’re your caffeine bump, and money in their pockets, quicker they’re testing a new way of working with their customers. Currently only available in Portland, Oregon (imagine that) and for iPhone users (imagine that too), Starbucks has released an update to their app that allows you to order your lattes and espressos before you’re even at the store and completely skip the lines. UGG boots are not included with the update, however.
Free music is out. Pocket change music is in.
Spotify, the streaming music service that has completely exploded in the last year, has begun offering a deal that is honestly hard to pass up for just about anyone with a dollar in their pocket and a smartphone. In a special offer, Spotify is offering their Premium service for a single dollar. That dollar will get you 3 months of Premium Spotify, which is basically the ability to directly choose whatever song you wish from your smartphone and, mostly, listen to your music with the occasional ad tossed into the mix.
Witchcraft and Sorcery are the only explanations.
Yota has unveiled the aptly named YotaPhone 2 at a London event. What’s interesting about this? Yota’s new device has a touch screen on the front and back of the phone, featuring an AMOLED screen on the front and a monochrome e-paper screen on the back. The rear touch screen only uses power when it refreshes, so the bite-sized information (like time, temperature, basic messages) doesn’t eat your battery by constantly updating and changing. It’s gimmicky, but honestly different than what most would expect from what seems to be a decently growing company.
