What browser does this use? Is there now an IE for Android? EDIT: It's Opera Mini: http://gigaom.com/2014/06/24/microsofts-android-line-evolves...
It's actually "Opera" based on Blink.
Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
61–70 of 154 posts
Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
#62Nokia. The fact that Nokia belongs to Microsoft is immaterial here. It's a Nokia phone.
The UI is Microsoft.
As much as this UI is Apple.
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Adwaita+Cupertino?con...
Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
#63http://gigaom.com/2014/06/24/microsofts-android-line-evolves...
"Here’s a fun game. Mentally rewind 5 years and see how likely the following sentence would have been: Microsoft has decided to make Opera the default browser on its new, Linux-based Android handsets."
Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
#64"It will cost 99 euro ($135; £80) when released in July." Is that the price with a 2-year contract or is this going to be a great value phone? Will I be able to wipe this phone and install stock Android? Skype, Outlook, Bing, and all that other MS crap is unwanted. I'm actually a MS supporter and understand the need for them to create all of those services but I personally don't/won't use them. Also, why are UK citiz…
>>Also, why are UK citizens against adopting the euro? Do you not watch the news?
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Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
Except it doesn't have the Google Play store or Play Services, so it's not going to appeal to the usual Android user. As someone who uses Windows Phone, I keep scratching my head wondering why Microsoft even bothers.
It's a Nokia phone, not a Microsoft phone. It takes an average of 18 months to bring a phone to market. The Nokia acquisition was completed just two months ago, and the teams must be fairly independent right now. While the Nokia acquisition was being completed, Nokia was legally required to act as if the acquisition would fail. China approved the Nokia acquisition only on April 8, what would have happened if they did…
I don't know about the 18 months, the Blackphone started development in December or January and is coming out in a few days, which is a far cry from 18 months. Maybe that's an outlier, though.
Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
#66it had already been developed, it would have made no sense for them to scrap it.
It was developed before or after Elop's burning platform speech ?
Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
#67Microsoft releases a phone running Android, Microsoft releases hardware running Linux, pigs are flying and hell is freezing over etc etc. The real news is that this is not just an Android phone, it's a really good Android phone. It has a front facing camera, a decent SoC, enough RAM, what appears to be an IPS display (according to some sources), likely very decent build quality, and a price that is likely to dip belo…
Except it doesn't have the Google Play store or Play Services, so it's not going to appeal to the usual Android user. As someone who uses Windows Phone, I keep scratching my head wondering why Microsoft even bothers.
Will it be possible to flash the phone with a stock Android ROM, or some other ROM that has access to the play store?
I realize that's not relevant to the vast majority of the market, but I'm curious.
Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
#68To me, this looks like Microsoft opening a new front against Google and one which has the potential to change the landscape - note that I said 'potential', I'm not claiming unequivocally the strategy will be successful and Google will be sent to the dustbin of history.
What I am claiming is that Microsoft:
+ May have the killer smartphone app - carrier independent voice calls (aka "Skype").
+ Clearly has a more thoughtfully designed user interface in the form of Metro versus Android's WIMP on a phone mashups.
+ Could offer a more thoughtfully integrated suite of development tools should they get Android tooling into Visual Studio.
+ Already has a set of platform agnostic cloud services that are at least as good as Google's and since they include Office more attractive to general users.
+ Because of their B2B orientation, access to revenue streams other than advertising and therefore more latitude in providing a more appealing user experience in the consumer market.
Finally it is possible that Microsoft will play the 'bundling' card against Google's policy in regard to its platform, and by producing an Android phone, they get legal standing.
Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
I doubt they are burying it, I rather assume they are just going to continue with it - and I think this phone is an indicator of a business strategy to simply expand, not only by using android but also by using the name 'Nokia' which still means a lot.
> I doubt they are burying it, I rather assume they are just going to continue with it I'd love to agree but still it hurts ,when one looks at the specs,dont you think?and if that phone is really successfull, what's next? this phone obviously cant run Windows Phone apps,so why did I get all these IDEs and Sdks on windows to produce apps for Windows Phone? I'd like MS to make it clear what is the strategy here.
I'm pretty sure this is the remains of a Nokia strategy of not getting too deep into Microsoft.
The release of X2 should probably be viewed in a similar light as the release of the N9, which was a platform that basically got axed on release by Nokia, because of Elop wanting to change direction to Windows as the main platform. But that decision came too late to halt the release of the N9, just like the finalization of the Nokia sale probably was too late for MS to halt the release of this one.
Re: Microsoft to release Android-powered Nokia X2 handset
#70Microsoft releases a phone running Android, Microsoft releases hardware running Linux, pigs are flying and hell is freezing over etc etc. The real news is that this is not just an Android phone, it's a really good Android phone. It has a front facing camera, a decent SoC, enough RAM, what appears to be an IPS display (according to some sources), likely very decent build quality, and a price that is likely to dip belo…
Except it doesn't have the Google Play store or Play Services, so it's not going to appeal to the usual Android user. As someone who uses Windows Phone, I keep scratching my head wondering why Microsoft even bothers.
"the Nokia X smartphone achieving top-selling status in Pakistan , Russia , Kenya and Nigeria,3 while earning the third-best-selling smartphone spot in India ," said Timo Toikkanen , head of Mobile Phones, Microsoft Devices Group.
This phone is not aimed at people who a power users. This phone is aimed at emerging economies where people are buying their first smartphones. Nokia X has all the basics (music, free messaging, email, Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp), all running on some reasonable hardware.