MyNokiaBlog unboxes a Samsung Omnia 7 WP7 phone. Hell not frozen yet.

So, this morning I went to the T-Mobile store in Manchester and got myself a Samsung Omnia 7 which runs Windows Phone 7. I got it because Nokia are of course, have shifted focus to Windows Phone so, like Andre, have picked one of these up so we can learn about the subject we’ll be talking about ((in addition to the usual Nokia, Symbian, MeeGo, Qt stuff – btw Andre has an Impressions/Opinions post on his early experience with his Focus)

I’ve done a quick unboxing video, photos below. You’re seeing it pretty much the first time I’m seeing it. I will go through software later, but through the course of my usage I’ll be giving demoes of the Omnia 7 in action.

The main reason I’ve picked the Samsung Omnia 7 is because it’s the only one available on T-Mobile. I was very tempted by the HTC 7′S  (on O2)  massive 4.3″ display after watching @stevelitchfield’s review, I thought against it. Plus it was the majority recommendation of twitter folk 

At the T-Mobile Store. Served by a cool guy called Chris, who just happened to previously work for Nokia.

Their wonderful non functional display unit

Ah, look at that beut!

What’s in the plastic bag?It’s not a very big box. Very minimalistic.

Slide the box open

Quick photo with N8. I will still be using it of course. I’m just having the Omnia 7 for educational purposes. It’s an odd feeling – was probably one of the least excited I’ve ever been about a new phone. I thought it would have been because it’s not Nokia, but not really. I’d be quite excited if it was an iPhone or some high end Android. Yeah, I said it. Only because they’re so highly regarded at the moment. I still have my doubts. Let’s see if the real experience proves me these as my personal misconceptions.

The package is just stacked up. Phone on top, manual underneath, accessories at very bottom.I’ll do device shots some other time, as well as of course, demoes of Windows Phone 7. Man, tell me one month ago I’d be making this post and I’d call you crazy.

Nokia to be dethroned as number 1 smartphone manufacturer?

In December, Electronics Giant, Samsung was said to have been trying to oust Nokia from their top spot as number 1 manufacturer of phones world wide. The time frame for this? 3 years. Note, that Nokia has been number 1 since 1998 (12 years), toppling then Supreme Motorola (which would have all but disappeared were it not for Android).

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/13/us-nokia-smartphones-idUSTRE75C18O20110613

Did you know however that Nokia has been number one in another category for 14 years? It’s the range that they pretty much invented and only until 2008 began showing decline. Smartphones. Nokia had the communicator series back in 1996.

Reuters are reporting that Nokia will be dethroned from their smartphone crown.

“Samsung Electronics Co Ltd will become the world’s largest smartphone maker this quarter, overtaking struggling Nokia Oyj which has lead the market since 1996, Nomura said on Monday.”

They’re still number one seller in total of all mobile phones. Is it really surprising given that Nokia hasn’t even announced a flagship device for 2011? The only new handsets are the somewhat midranged X7 and E6. Plus of course there was the effect of Symbian being issued with EOL in the yes of the media, operators and distributors of Nokia Symbian phones.

What’s worse is that Nokia isn’t just moving to number 2, but to number 3 position. Nomura also sees also Apple overtaking Nokia and pushing it to number 3 in rankings. Apple already has over taken Nokia in revenue back in April. In Q4, Nokia sold 24M smartphones. That’s great. Apple sold 18M.

During Nokia’s transition, Q2, Q3, and possibly Q4 too will look terrible. June 21 at Nokia connect may give us at least something positive to look forward to. It’s doubtful that it will sufficiently positively impact Q3. Until Q4 all will look lost. All I can do is just hope Nokia pulls it off and get back on their feet. There was never any real reason why they couldn’t have trampled all over their competition, snuffed out iPhone and prevented Android from ever getting anywhere, instead from tripping over in 2007 through to 2008, and 2009, and 2010, now on hands and knees. From a time when every single manufacturer COMBINED could not equal Nokia, tough competition, complacency, indecision and incompetent management leads us here.

If another set of analysts from Gartner, IDC and Pyramid Research are to be believed, if Nokia gets things right with Windows Phone, WP will be beating iOS by 2015 (Pyramid Research even goes on to say beating Android too).

Source: reuters

SAMSUNG’S Nexus S Aboard NASA’s Final Shuttle

Space Shuttle Atlantis

Kennedy Space Center – July 8, 2011 — Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), a leading mobile phone provider and the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. 1, and Google™ today announced Nexus™ S, is aboard NASA’s final space shuttle. As a leader in technology and innovation, Samsung is pleased to be a part of this moment which will most certainly be marked in history. 

Nexus S from Google is part of research that will equip small, free-flying satellites called Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) used by the astronauts to provide a broader range of capabilities and give better communication between land and sky. Nexus S is the first commercial smartphone certified by NASA to fly on the space shuttle and to be cleared for use on the International Space Station. The experiment will use the smartphone-enhanced SPHERES as remotely operated robots to conduct interior survey and inspections of the station, to capture mobile camera images and video, and to study how robots can support future human exploration.
The addition of Nexus S to the SPHERES will add to the capabilities of each individual satellite while further increasing NASA’s understanding and exploration of space. Lead engineer in the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., DW Wheeler, explains, "By connecting a smartphone, we can immediately make SPHERES more intelligent. With a smartphone, the SPHERES will have a built-in camera to take pictures and video, sensors to help conduct inspections, a powerful computing unit to make calculations, and a Wi-Fi connection that we will use to transfer data in real-time to the space station and mission control."

“Samsung is proud to have the Nexus S chosen to be aboard NASA’s final space shuttle launch, an event that is historical,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile. “The research that is being conducted with SPHERES using the Nexus S will help monitor and communicate from the International Space Station.”

Dale Sohn, President of Samsung Mobile

Research Overview
In 1999, a group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) undergraduate students, in conjunction with the Department of Defense and NASA, built five volleyball-sized free-flying satellites. These satellites are now referred to as Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reporient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) and three of them have been on the International Space Station since 2006. Each SPHERE satellite is self-contained with propulsion, power, navigation and computing equipment. When first designed, the usage possibilities of today were far from conceivable, thus an “expansion port” was built into each of the SPHERES. Additional appendages and sensors can be added to the satellites, allowing wireless power transfer systems and cameras to become parts of the systems. Nexus S is the first commercial smartphone to become a part of the SPHERES via this expansion port.

With the addition of Nexus S, it allows SPHERES a wider range of capabilities on the satellites and improved communication between the land and sky. Mission control can remotely operate Nexus S-enhanced satellites to perform relatively mundane tasks such as running inventory or environmental surveys on the space station. Thus, astronauts will be able to dedicate more time to science experiments and other work rather than having to respond to routine maintenance demands. 

The Nexus S

About Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space shuttle Atlantis will embark on a 12-day mission to the International Space Station from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-135 mission is the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program. Atlantis' STS-135 mission will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts to sustain space station operations after the shuttles are retired.

Free Samsung Apps Chart

This week's free Samsung Apps chart is brought to you by the Monopoly guy! Nooo, not that Monopoly guy

this one!

AccuWeather / Lizard Eye

1. Angry Birds by Rovio
2. Monopoly Here and Now by Electronic Arts Nederland B.V.
3. AccuWeather Clock_m by Chelsea Park
4. Angry Birds RIO by Rovio
5. EA Games by Adam Fulford

So Angry Birds is still top of the stack as the most downloaded app this week, also stealing fourth with its Rio variety. I can see why someone would download it - its the same damn game, but with a different cast.. Not sure what the appeal is with Angry birds, but hey ho, I'm obviously wrong on this one!

Monopoly Here and Now is an interesting app.. Gone are the boot, dog, Iron and hat etc, replaced instead with a laptop, some fries and probably a Royal Wedding Tablet PC.... . I was too tired to play for long so gave up before I beat that laptop into the ground with my successful equity purchasing strategy. In fact, I am too much of a hippy to play Monopoly.. When the game starts, I instantly give away all my money and quit. Its "The Dude" in me...