Parallel to its main strategy, which is aimed at pulling out Nokia from the current difficult situation, the company continues to manufacture feature phones. Often such handsets are out of people’s attention, but they are actually very good, too. One of such devices was introduced a couple of days ago – the Nokia X1-01, now it’s the Nokia C2-00’s show time.

The Nokia C2-00 is a dual-SIM handset with a number of useful features. Among them I can mention the S40 UI, the VGA camera, the built-in web-browser and Nokia Messaging. There isn’t much to tell about such phones, so I guess I should just mention its price, which is very attractive — only €45 (about $63).

According to the initial information, the Nokia C2-00 will be launched this quarter in several markets, including the African and Asian countries where Nokia is doing what its slogan says – connecting people. I guess no one thinks this handset will be shipped to Europe and the U.S., as people in there are waiting for another products of Nokia — the WP7-powered handsets.

Microsoft’s new product – Windows Phone 7’s update known as Windows Phone 7.5 Mango was being discussed on the net for a long time. Many things were expected from it, including some interesting new business features, new browser and many others.

Now we have interesting news – Windows Phone 7’s update is going to be called Windows Phone 7.1 Mango, not 7.5 as we thought earlier.

At Microsoft’s Windows Phone VIP Reception, president of mobile communications Andy Lees and senior Windows Phone product manager Derek Snyder spoke about the upcoming update and told what we should expect from Windows Phone 7.1 Mango.

I guess I should first of all mention that the update will be available to all Windows Phone smartphones this fall, most likely, in the beginning of fall. And of course, it will appear on the upcoming devices of Microsoft’s partners, too, including Nokia (we have already written that the first Mango-based Nokia devices are already being tested).

Windows Phone 7 seemed to be a bit “raw” to us, but Windows Phone 7.1 will be different; according to Microsoft’s representatives, it will bring about 500 new enhancements, including the improvement of a number of services, applications, the mobile Internet, the Office, communication upgrades and much more. Of course, the long awaited Internet Explorer 9 browser that supports HTML5 will also be included.

I was going to finish this post right here, but then remembered that there is an interesting video that might interest you. Joe Belfiore introduces Windows Phone Mango in it, so have a look to learn more about the upcoming platform update

Microsoft finally revealed most of its secrets and upcoming plans during a conference devoted to the newest version of the Windows Phone OS. The novelty, which was rumored to be WP 7.5, is actually coded as WP7.1, while the lucky “Mango” name remained the same.

The event was also a chance for Microsoft to talk a few words about their coopera

Nokia has announced a new device – the dual SIM Nokia X1-01, which is radically different from all other dual SIM devices you have ever seen.

The dual SIM Nokia X1-01 can remember the setting for up to five different SIM cards (you can even give each of them a logo, a ringtone or a music signature), and it won’t cause the phone any problems. The Nokia X1-01 is also a Dual-Standby device, which gives you the chance to “choose which SIM card to use for calls, messages and other functions, and switch between them easily from call to call,” as Nokia Conversations describe it. Besides, you will always receive notifications of messages and calls on each SIM of yours without having to switch between them.

Besides, the Nokia X1-01 is a “music device,” and it can deliver up to 106 phon (a unit of perceived loudness) – it’s very loud, believe me, especially for a mobile device. The speakers of the device are very good, too, designed so not to distort the sound even if it’s very loud. They say it’s Nokia’s clearest and loudest speaker ever.

The Nokia X1-01 supports up to 16GB of storage, so you can store many thousands of songs on it – a very important feature for a music device. I think you have already guessed that it has an MP3 player, an FM Radio and standard 3.5mm jack, too

This phone will most likely ship this quarter, and we have heard it will cost €34 (about $48).

When handsets are equipped with a touchscreen and don’t sport a hardware QWERTY keyboard, there is always a question which app to use to make the messaging process easier. Of course, typing on a virtual keyboard is pleasant, but when we realize it can be even easier and more comfortable, we begin to seek for appropriate apps. The most popular of them is Swype that was initially launched for Android-powered handsets. Then developers brought it to Symbian-based devices.

If you own one of the latest Symbian smartphones, you are probably familiar with Swype’s capabilities. I guess you think older Symbian handsets don’t support this feature and have to work with such apps as Gravity. But I have good news for all those who own mid-range all or low-end devices running Symbian (like the Nokia 5800 and the Nokia N97). The Swype app is now available for them, too!

Now you won’t have to type every word, you can just “travel” on the keyboard, and the app will “understand” what a word you want to write. You can think it’s an easy work to develop such an application, but there were some problems with a portrait mode version of it.

The Nokia Astound was the first Symbian handset supporting this functionality. Then the updated Swype was included in the Ovi Store and became available for all Nokia users.

So I guess there won’t be any issues with quick messaging for Nokia users anymore. Plus the app is quite small in size — only 3.6MB, and it won’t take you long to download it.

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The Nokia X7 is one of those smartphones that can make Nokia more popular all over the world. I really believe it, since there are at least two Symbian^3-powered Nokia devices that are very popular now — the Nokia N8 and the Nokia E7.

The X7 is packed with many useful features that can help it find its way to the people’s hearts. This handset is designed for gaming, and it adds a special charm to it. So I am glad to announce the Nokia X7 will be launched in the UK on June 3.

Earlier we informed you that the smartphone had appeared on the website of Three UK — the mobile operator that will bring this awesome handset to its consumers. Why am I so excited? The answer is simple — Nokia has packed the smartphone with such features that will make even Nokia’s enemies forget about their hate towards Symbian OS.

Nokia X7 features

• 4.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen
• 8MP camera with dual-LED flash
• HD video recording functionality
• 1GB ROM
• 680MHz processor
• Symbian^3 operating System (Anna)

No words about the pricing, but it will probably come like other Three’s handsets — for free with a contract and a plenty of data plans.

P.S. I wonder if AT&T has not changed its mind to bring this smartphone to the U.S.

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Nokia is planning to release 12 smartphones by the end of 2012, and some of them will most likely have dual-core processors. The release of the smartphones will start in the fourth quarter of this year.

The Nokia N8 is already based on a Qualcomm dual-core processor, but the upcoming handsets will not be using this exact version of the processor; Nokia will shift to the ST-Ericsson processors when creating its first Windows Phone-based devices.

In an interview with Forbes Carlo Bozzoti, STMicroelectronics’ CEO, mentioned that they “have very close relations” with Nokia and that the company will supply processors for at least 8 out of 12 Nokia smartphones. Most likely Nokia will choose the ST-Ericsson U8500 system-on-a-chip package, which includes ARM Cortex A9 dual-core processors. It is a rather powerful chipset that can support displays with a resolution of 1280 × 768, and video recording capabilities of 1080 p.

Some analysts still claim that the first Nokia smartphones based on Windows Phone OS will get an early release — before the end of 2011. Most likely Nokia will stop manufacturing Qualcomm handsets by the end of this year, and the entire 2012 will be devoted to the ST-Ericsson chipsets.

It’s noteworthy that ST-Ericsson used to be the main supplier for Nokia until 2009 (it used to be called ST-NXP Wireless) when Nokia started to work with Qualcomm and other manufacturers.

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Not so long ago Windows Phone came to replace Windows Mobile. I guess all of us remember that when Windows Mobile was still popular, Microsoft created the Windows Mobile Marketplace for distributing its apps and games. Now App Hub reports that the days of the store are numbered.

The EdgeWay Software developers received letters saying that starting from July 15 they will not be able to publish new applications in the Windows Mobile Marketplace, though the apps that are already published can still be purchased by users, and the money will be transferred to the developers as before. Wieser Software Lt also confirmed this information.

If the Windows Mobile Marketplace is really closed, what will Microsoft get from it? What reasons or benefits can be hidden in this decision? Perhaps Microsoft is trying to encourage the developers to start making more apps for Windows Phone and not to waste time on the old Windows Mobile. And besides, to tell the truth, Windows Mobile Marketplace wasn’t a really successful project, since it was established rather late, when the users already had a habit of downloading software and applications from other sources.

This decision will not affect Nokia and its future Windows Phone-based smartphones anyway (on the contrary, if the developers start making more apps for WP7, the users of the upcoming WP7 Nokia devices will only benefit from it), but I guess the owners of old smartphones that run Windows Mobile OS will not be happy to hear about this…

As you know, Nokia is the most popular mobile manufacturer in the world. It reached such heights thanks to the right strategy it used during years. However, it looks like the traditions cannot continue, since the mobile world is changing. The market now prefers smartphones, and this is the weakest side of the company, as during many years Nokia remained devoted to its slogan and was busy connecting people.

Now Nokia is doing its best to become number 1 again, and one of the steps it takes is the new program on inviting all inventors with innovative ideas to cooperate with Nokia.

At the first sight it can seem that the company is so powerless that it calls for others. But as the official website of this program mentions, the company has enough talented employees, and this program only shows Nokia’s wish to work with “external companies who can bring diverse technology and new ideas.” Probably it wouldn’t be something revolutionary, but people will feel they take part in Nokia’s “saving” process.

Anyway, the program is quite attractive for third-party companies that don’t have enough financial resources, and now Nokia can act like their “godfather” helping them to introduce their ideas to larger masses.

All necessary information can be found on www.inventwithnokia.nokia.com. We also offer to watch the video below where Stephen Elop introduces the main idea of this program.

Nokia has decided to start using Windows Phone instead of Symbian — I guess you already know about this. But this is not going to be the only significant change in the upcoming novelties. We have heard that the chips will also be changed — the typical Qualcomm processors will be replaced with ST-Ericsson.

This news is rather important for Microsoft. The thing is that they used to work directly with Qualcomm for all of the smartphones based on WP7. This includes even the latest smartphones from HTC.

Forbes states:

“Even after the Microsoft deal ST-Ericsson continues to have “very close relations” with Nokia, said Bozotti, and will be “an important supplier” for Nokia’s Windows Phone 8 phones. (The first/current wave of Windows Phone devices is called Windows Phone 7 but the next generation of Windows Phones will be known as Windows Phone 8.)”

Nokia has plans to introduce not a couple, but 12 smartphones based on the Windows Phone OS in 2012. We guess some of them will be based on Windows Phone 7.5.

The first chip that will be used for the Nokia’s WP devices is going to be U8500, which is a dual-core chipset, which is also present on such devices as the Samsung Infuse 4G and the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G.

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