Nokia and Microsoft form partnership

[sn0m]

I always liked nokia, a european company that has supplied me with good quality phones over the years and somewhat not to aggressive to open source ideas. Maybe their phones weren't as flashy as iphones or androids but I felt I was in safe hands, something different from the neurotic and almost shameless use of private data by apple and google. But there you go, it is now part to the evil empire of Microsoft.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12427680
I think they have made a bad decision to became part of Microsoft windows mobile, a dull and almost dead mobile phone platform. I guess the megoo will dissappear as well, instead there is going to be the boring nokia windows phone, what a waste.
So long Nokia, it has been brilliant.
(please move it cafe if you like, can't open a new post there)

[idi0tf0wl]

Ooo I love playing devil's advocate... but seriously:

I think your opinion is a bit short-sighted. This was a good move for Nokia. Think about it: they obviously aren't going to get iOS, and Android doesn't really offer them a way to really distinguish themselves from, say, HTC (or anyone, really), who has come up really quickly being one of the go-to names for an Android device after being the platform's very first commercial vendor.
Another point to consider: Windows Phone 7 is not terrible. In fact, compared to Android 1.5 (first version to appear on commercial devices), it's pretty damned slick.
Also, speaking as a developer, this is a truly brilliant move since: there is competition (competition is ALWAYS a good thing), and (this is important) it keeps my investment in each other platform from stagnating. If the user chooses to move to another platform (why shouldn't they?), they will have access to that platform's version of my application, which puts more money in my pocket and in turn funds future development, which could certainly be argued as a good thing. The converse to that is: say everyone runs Android, and there's never a reason for anyone to spend two dollars more than once. What does that do for development? Forces me to develop quick-cash crap or sink investment capital (mostly time, which makes it even MOREso) into something to which I have a definite income cap. Look at Apple: how ballin' was OS X before they became the hot new thing? And how quickly did it stagnate once they were sitting in the immensely beautiful position in which they're sitting now? Look at iOS: damned revolutionary at release, but once it was the market leader, is stagnated (iPad... fail) faster than you could say "easy money". Look at the changes from version to version and it's (incredibly) disappointing. The exception to this trend since iOS 1 was the release of iOS 4, which, wouldn't you know it, included a number of significant and USEful additions to the SDK and distribution program. When did this happen? When they decided they had serious enough competition to warrant the work. Jeez, Microsoft's entire story is a testament to this reality!

Re-assess your brand (dis)loyalty, because it's not doing anybody any good.

[uRock]

The Community Cafe is currently closed for a reason. Please do not start off topic threads in the help sections of the forums.

Moved to the Cafe.

[blueturtl]

I'm genuinely curious as to what could come from the Nokia-Microsoft partnership. They're both giants with massive (though diminishing) power in their respective markets. Both desperate to relive their glory days.

My gut says - based on the reputation of both - that this is not going to work to the advantage of either really. Microsoft is not a big player in the phone market so they stand everything to gain from leveraging Nokia as a distribution platform for their software (does this kind of deal bring a feeling of deja vu to anyone else?).

Nokia on the other hand now has the opportunity to attach the controversial Windows-brand name to their products. If Nokia previously had trouble selling their phones due to the buggy and cumbersome software, attaching the name 'Windows' to their branding isn't the best thing they could have done, I feel.

However Windows as a phone operating system is completely different than the PC version, really only carrying the familiar name. It could be much better, who knows. Then again there was the Zune time bug (http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/31/all-zune-30s-crapping-out/). :D

Time will tell. I won't be buying a Nokia though. I'm a little too weary to do that now, I admit.

[Dustin2128]

I personally think it wasn't a great decision, but only time will tell.

[murderslastcrow]

I'd much rather we have a stable, modern mobile OS on our phones if it's going to be free. The last thing we need is a half-baked product to defame Linux in the minds of the public.

I think once Alien Dalvik is out it would be a great idea to release MeeGo and make Nokia reconsider their position. I mean, their agreement wasn't to do Windows Phone exclusively for a long time, was it?

MeeGo looks great for maybe two or three years ago. But for phones, it may need a bit of UI re-engineering. It's a shame that they don't have a lot of user feedback to assist them with this.

Sometimes open source fails to deliver, and that's fine. It's the fact that we so often succeed and that our model provides a long life for all of our software to grow and find new ownership with enthusiastic developers.

But since this post is merely stating a position on how we should judge Nokia's actions, I suppose you're merely looking for support or dissent. And I would have to say that it's Nokia's right to leave behind the open source community, and that this says very little for the quality of their products and services. However, I can see why so many are upset, as this was the first real birth outside of the N900 for a truly open source phone based off of mature Linux, not Android which seems to be a safe haven for closed applications (albeit a more secure way of handling them than say, Windows). I hope Samsung, who seems to love Linux, will be supportive in the future, and other members of LiMo.

[Khakilang]

Once Window is infected by virus. Nokia will go down hill. Risky partnership I would say.

[ventrical]

I have a Nokia C3-00 with PC Suite (needs Windows XP and up) and I just can't find a program to install so I can read larger text files. Thats all I want it for. Is there a Linux Program for Nokia C3-00?? or do I have to go through the hassle of setting thisall up in a Windows Environ?

Even with OVI , one needs a MS product - so I thought they were always partners anyways. I mean, back about 11 years ago I got an Epson Stylus 600 with a embedded anodized (Desinged for Microsoft Windows 98) and I could not get that thing working in MS DOS, Finally I did.

So it's like most of the major companies are aleady owned by MS already.

[Giant Speck]

I think it was a fairly good movie, business-wise. Nokia didn't really have many options left.

[ve4cib]

I was a bit disappointed with the announcement. I was really hoping for an Android device built by Nokia. But alas... At least there's a million other manufacturers making Android phones for me to choose from.

At the moment I'm still pretty happy with my N900, so I doubt I'll be getting a new phone anytime soon. But if Nokia do go through and release a MeeGo handset I'd look into getting that for sure.

Personally I think I'm the wrong demographic for a WP7 phone. I don't own an XBox and being an Ubuntu-user I doubt the Zune software would play nicely with my computers. And since gaming and Zune software seem to be the two biggest selling points... yeah. Not for me.

Now, on the flip-side, provided Nokia and Microsoft can put out some high-quality handsets, this may provide an extra spurt of competition. That in turn should push Apple and Google to improve their platforms too, resulting in even better devices for us consumers. Given how much money Microsoft has already invested in WP7 & related advertising I don't think they're going to give up easily. So it's really all on Nokia to build some good flagship phones that people will actually want to buy.

[wrtpeeps]

Good news. Nokia's OS sucked. Really, really bad. I've had 3 Nokia phones in a row now, all long term, and the OS has been continually rubbish. Wasn't going to buy another one, but now I might.

Good move by Nokia.

[alexfish]

one scary bit , or possibly a BIG scary bit is this statement

"Nokia and Microsoft working together can drive innovation that is at the boundary of hardware, software and services," he said.

QT coming off the system .

[JDShu]

I don't think its a good move. In the short run, investors clearly are not happy with it. Android has much bigger mindshare than windows phone 7, so I think moving to Android would have been a better move.

[earthpigg]

I wonder if Nokia will be able to pressure Microsoft into making Windows Phones friendly with Linux.

[jperez]

I wonder if Nokia will be able to pressure Microsoft into making Windows Phones friendly with Linux.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh...sorry, you were being serious? Let me laugh harder and louder then.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Yeah...sure...THAT'LL happen the day that Bill Gates gives away his billions to all the poor people in America, which will be NEVER!

Sorry, MS is too stingy to allow that. As Steve said himself, "Linux is a cancer". Have fun with that notion however.

Jesse~

[jrothwell97]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh...sorry, you were being serious? Let me laugh harder and louder then.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Yeah...sure...THAT'LL happen the day that Bill Gates gives away his billions to all the poor people in America, which will be NEVER!

Um... yeah. About that... (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx)

Although the thought of MS writing a Linux client to sync with WP7 is outlandish, of course. To my knowledge, Nokia have never written any despite their support for Qt: there's simply a lack of demand.

[walt.smith1960]

<snip>
Sorry, MS is too stingy to allow that. As Steve said himself, "Linux is a cancer". Have fun with that notion however.

Jesse~

He said that? Does that mean MickeySoft is terminal? :confused:


:lolflag:

[jperez]

Um... yeah. About that... (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx)

Okay, fine, that'll happen when I become a literal monkey's uncle and last I checked, none of my family is into bestiality. ;)

Jesse~

[RiceMonster]

I wonder if Nokia will be able to pressure Microsoft into making Windows Phones friendly with Linux.

Ignoring the fact that Microsoft wouldn't do it, why on earth would Nokia want to?

[jperez]

Ignoring the fact that Microsoft wouldn't do it, why on earth would Nokia want to?

This. Nokia has no leverage to tell Microsoft what to do. Besides, even if they did, why would they want to do that now? Seeing as Nokia has jumped into bed with MS, thanks in no small part by the MS Exec, Stephen E(f)lop, they're going to distance themselves from Linux even more. Only reason Elop is even going to release the MeeGo phone is due to the money already spent on it. After that, it's going back into R&D...which is freakin retarded.

Was going to make Nokia my knight in shining armor is they went full steam ahead with MeeGo, but now that they are a Windows puppet, they are nothing but a lost cause and a failure in my eyes.

Jesse~

[idi0tf0wl]

Was going to make Nokia my knight in shining armor is they went full steam ahead with MeeGo, but now that they are a Windows puppet, they are nothing but a lost cause and a failure in my eyes.

I was excited for MeeGo myself, but mostly from a (very) nerdy standpoint. As an adult who has to make money, it was something I was not looking forward to. Windows Phone 7, though it hurts to say, it only about as terrible as Windows 7, which in turn is to say (oh, it burns!) not terrible at all. Microsoft can continue to lose ground in the desktop market (let Ubuntu come up) and shift its position for the first time in history to playing catch-up (in ALL senses) with open source. The more they run after us, the more we own them (just like how the more we ran after them on the desktop, the more they owned us). Really, it's a winning battle for everyone:

http://idi0tf0wl.blogspot.com/2011/02/windows-vs-mac-vs-linux-mobile-edition.html

[Hyporeal]

MeeGo is important because it represents the next step toward having a real Linux distro on a phone. It brings us closer to the Ubuntu phone. Modern smartphones are app-selling rackets, much like feature phones are ringtone-selling rackets. Even a moderately successful MeeGo phone could change the game by proving that something better is possible on a phone. It could raise expectations, ultimately moving smartphones forward. The early abandonment of MeeGo would be a shame.

Having said that, I feel that the biggest barrier to a better smartphone is not the OS but the nonsensical power relationship between phone manufacturers and carriers. As a result, I think it will be a long time before smartphones are worth the expense. Until then, I'll stick with something a little more practical.

[tinachan]

I am not sure yet it is really needed: unlike other hardware manufacturers, Nokia has the license to customize WP7. Actually, they claim they'll be working in partnership with MS to that purpose. So, I'm already assuming that the WP7 OS we'll find on Nokia phones will be to some degree different (albait compatible, I really hope) from the one on other hardware producers.
This is going to be a great partnership. The world's leading phone manufacturer with an awesome OS. It will get better and better. Just look at iOS. When it was released it was laughable and now it is rockin. Android and Apple better be paying attention.

[Zlatan]

I am not sure yet it is really needed: unlike other hardware manufacturers, Nokia has the license to customize WP7. Actually, they claim they'll be working in partnership with MS to that purpose. So, I'm already assuming that the WP7 OS we'll find on Nokia phones will be to some degree different (albait compatible, I really hope) from the one on other hardware producers.
This is going to be a great partnership. The world's leading phone manufacturer with an awesome OS. It will get better and better. Just look at iOS. When it was released it was laughable and now it is rockin. Android and Apple better be paying attention.

yeah, Nokia has QT;]

[alexfish]

MeeGo is important because it represents the next step toward having a real Linux distro on a phone. It brings us closer to the Ubuntu phone. Modern smartphones are app-selling rackets, much like feature phones are ringtone-selling rackets. Even a moderately successful MeeGo phone could change the game by proving that something better is possible on a phone. It could raise expectations, ultimately moving smartphones forward. The early abandonment of MeeGo would be a shame.

Having said that, I feel that the biggest barrier to a better smartphone is not the OS but the nonsensical power relationship between phone manufacturers and carriers. As a result, I think it will be a long time before smartphones are worth the expense. Until then, I'll stick with something a little more practical.

if history learns us one thing, then perhaps in the future you will be left with no choice

http://www.pcworld.com/article/219416/microsoft_and_nokia_partner_on_smartphone_future.h tml