AT&T to spend $150M on Lumia launch, more than it did with iPhone

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Comments

  • Reply 61 of 87
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The $99-on-contract Windows Phone, which officially went on sale on Sunday...



    when all the AT&T stores were closed. Well done AT&T, nice way to start off spending that $150 million.
  • Reply 62 of 87
    kotatsukotatsu Posts: 1,010member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NoahJ View Post


    Ugly phone, and an Ugly interface. If that is their best promotional photos I doubt the device will be a runaway success out of the gate. It might take off IF it works well...



    What an absurdly contrarian viewpoint, either that, or you're trolling. According just about every reviewer out there the phone is absolutely gorgeous, and Windows Phone is a well designed OS, if one lacking in apps.
  • Reply 63 of 87
    bullheadbullhead Posts: 493member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kotatsu View Post


    What an absurdly contrarian viewpoint, either that, or you're trolling. According just about every reviewer out there the phone is absolutely gorgeous, and Windows Phone is a well designed OS, if one lacking in apps.



    And just about every website out there is getting tons of money from Microsoft in one way or another. The phone is garbage. The OS is fugly. GUI design 101 = never have text scrolling off to the right. The hardware is no different from Windows Phone cloner to Windows Phone cloner. The OS is lacking many key features. You have to use Microsoft's overpriced development tools and software for it. Developers can't make any money on it because there are no users. Microsoft has to pay developers large sums of money to port their software to it.



    So yes, it is terrible and there is no other plausible reason pundits are saying it is an ok phone other than they are getting paid from Microsoft in one way or another.
  • Reply 64 of 87
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    Yes, very late, but they usually are. I can't think of a single market they were first and yet can think of several of them that they ended up dominating for one reason or another.



    Apple was also say to be "late to the party" and that "the market was saturated" and "there was no way PC guys are going to come in and figure it out" but they did, and exceedingly fast. As previously noted the benefit MS has is not needing the mobile market the way Nokia does so they can hold out indefinitely waiting for an in. Does it not then behoove them to keep better their product whilst they wait for the opportunity? I think it the smart move.



    As for reasons, I can think of security, SW, services, and refinement off the top of my head for switching from Android to WinPh.



    I'd be curious to know how many Android users are really fans of the product and how many are just Apple haters who can't stand Apple's so-called "walled garden". I could see these people being poachable when it comes to tablets (outside of maybe Transformer Prime there isnt really a compelling nob-iPad product) but not so sure with smartphones. I can't see many people who use Samsung Galaxys switching to Nokia Lumia.
  • Reply 65 of 87
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kotatsu View Post


    What an absurdly contrarian viewpoint, either that, or you're trolling. According just about every reviewer out there the phone is absolutely gorgeous, and Windows Phone is a well designed OS, if one lacking in apps.



    That's not true, either.



    While you are correct that most of the reviews are positive, there are plenty of 'ho hum' or negative reviews, as well. For example:

    http://www.bgr.com/2012/04/03/nokia-lumia-900-review/

    There are others that are somewhat negative and a few more with a 'interesting, but I'm not going to get rid of my current high end phone" attitudes.



    Even the favorable reviews cite some potential problems - low sound volume makes it hard to hear the phone sometimes (isn't that the purpose of the phone) and limited, non-upgradeable storage. If you're not going to use memory cards, you really need to offer more than 16 GB of storage as an option.



    Surprisingly, the reviews I've seen don't cite lack of software as a big problem. The consensus seems to be that most of the key apps are out there even though the total number of apps is somewhat limited.



    It looks like the bottom line is that most reviewers expect it to do well, but not to be a runaway smash hit that restructures the market. Personally, I suspect that it will hurt Android more than iOS, but few reviewers are speculating on that yet.
  • Reply 66 of 87
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bullhead View Post


    And just about every website out there is getting tons of money from Microsoft in one way or another. The phone is garbage. The OS is fugly. GUI design 101 = never have text scrolling off to the right. The hardware is no different from Windows Phone cloner to Windows Phone cloner. The OS is lacking many key features. You have to use Microsoft's overpriced development tools and software for it. Developers can't make any money on it because there are no users. Microsoft has to pay developers large sums of money to port their software to it.



    So yes, it is terrible and there is no other plausible reason pundits are saying it is an ok phone other than they are getting paid from Microsoft in one way or another.



    After reading some of these reviews and how much the tech writers are pimping this phone I did wonder if they were getting paid to write this stuff. There was one article on CNET drooling over the hardware saying it was something Steve and Jony would be impressed with. Er, maybe that's because color wise it's almost identical to the iPod Nano of 4 years ago?





  • Reply 67 of 87
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NoahJ View Post


    Ugly phone, and an Ugly interface. If that is their best promotional photos I doubt the device will be a runaway success out of the gate. It might take off IF it works well...



    Having used the interface first hand before it actually isn't half bad, though I much prefer my iPhone. The body of the phone however I don't get at all, I agree that it's ugly. Seems like Microsoft is always going for the play school look, I guess there are a lot of people at Microsoft who like that toy like satin finish and the bright colors. I'm sure there will be people who really like the way it looks, like teenage girls.
  • Reply 68 of 87
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post


    After reading some of these reviews and how much the tech writers are pimping this phone I did wonder if they were getting paid to write this stuff. There was one article on CNET drooling over the hardware saying it was something Steve and Jony would be impressed with. Er, maybe that's because color wise it's almost identical to the iPod Nano of 4 years ago?









    Just struck me that all the buttons are on the right side where (if right handed) you only have 1 digit to press buttons with. Wonder how many people will drop their phone just trying to turn volume up & down. Seems trivial but that kind of detail can make or break lawsuit eligibility. Think iPhone 4 & antenna gate.
  • Reply 69 of 87
    Now, now. That's not a bad bit of kit from Nokia/Msoft. And since they are pumping a huge amount of money into marketing it - it means that the WP faithful will get a decent phone, and at $99 it's a stone cold deal for the penny-pinching would be entrants into smartphone ownership - and it will trigger some interest from the Android users as well. The rest will revolve around actual user experience.



    Nokrosoft did themselves no favors by lagging so badly in the mobile marketplace. Redmond needs to build a strong ecosystem around this platform and make it better than their rehashed Zune interface.



    Some potential drawbacks - battery life: those OLEDs draw a lot of juice. Poor res level: why didn't Nokrosoft reach out in front of the marketplace and nail this?? Neither one of these is a serious flaw - Samsung/HTC/MotoMob, watch out.



    Soli - while your assertion that Microsoft has eventually owned in a coupel of markets despite being behind is correct, there in no indication (yet) that they really get the mobile market - which is critical to them moving back strongly into it after failing with the earlier WinMos as the smartphones eroded feature phone share. Their track record with Zune is an important indicator here.



    That being said, we need to sit back and see where Nokrosoft takes this.
  • Reply 70 of 87
    kotatsukotatsu Posts: 1,010member
    Judging by the pure spite filled venom being spat by the apple fanboy defence department here I would say Microsoft and Nokia have put out something genuinely good for a change. I can smell the fear, and it's not pleasant.



    I say this as a mostly Apple guy in a house full of Apple kit, and I'm typing this on an iPad. I can just recognise a good product when I see one, and the lumia 900 looks pretty damn nice. not nice enough for me to buy one, but still, it's nice.
  • Reply 71 of 87
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hezetation View Post


    Just struck me that all the buttons are on the right side where (if right handed) you only have 1 digit to press buttons with. Wonder how many people will drop their phone just trying to turn volume up & down. Seems trivial but that kind of detail can make or break lawsuit eligibility. Think iPhone 4 & antenna gate.



    Interesting observation. Seems to me the hardware buttons should be on the left as most people are right handed.
  • Reply 72 of 87
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kotatsu View Post


    Judging by the pure spite filled venom being spat by the apple fanboy defence department here I would say Microsoft and Nokia have put out something genuinely good for a change. I can smell the fear, and it's not pleasant.



    I say this as a mostly Apple guy in a house full of Apple kit, and I'm typing this on an iPad. I can just recognise a good product when I see one, and the lumia 900 looks pretty damn nice. not nice enough for me to buy one, but still, it's nice.



    Design wise I'd take this over pretty much any of the Android phones. But geez if you're going to go with color (not black or white) don't pick almost the exact same color a competitor has already used on a successful product. There are plenty of shades of blue they could have used that would look really nice.
  • Reply 73 of 87
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post


    Interesting observation. Seems to me the hardware buttons should be on the left as most people are right handed.



    I guess it's how you use it, now that I think about it I can see how some people might hold it in their left hand despite being right handed. On my iPhone I hold it in my right hand & navigate the screen with my thumb, which works because my hand is wrapped around the phone at that point. It's also easier to flick the silence button with my finger as I put my phone in my pocket top down (keep from shoving pocket lint into the dock port). To use it the way they designed it would imply that typical use of the phone requires 2 hands, hold it in your left & tap with your right. I wonder which way is more popular.



    I was joking about the lawsuit by the way, though now that I've mentioned it watch someone try it.
  • Reply 74 of 87
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hezetation View Post


    I guess it's how you use it, now that I think about it I can see how some people might hold it in their left hand despite being right handed.



    I'm right handed, but I ALWAYS hold my phone in my left hand. I'd rather use the left hand for things that don't require fine control (like holding the phone) and the right hand for things that do require fine control (hitting the small keypad buttons, selecting an app, dragging, etc).
  • Reply 75 of 87
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    I'm right handed, but I ALWAYS hold my phone in my left hand. I'd rather use the left hand for things that don't require fine control (like holding the phone) and the right hand for things that do require fine control (hitting the small keypad buttons, selecting an app, dragging, etc).



    So +2 for single handed use & +1 for 2 handed use. That settles it, 2 to 1, the button orientation was a big mistake!
  • Reply 76 of 87
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kotatsu View Post


    Judging by the pure spite filled venom being spat by the apple fanboy defence department here



    I wonder which forum you're reading.....



    Reading the posts, there are a couple that are pretty negative, calling the phone fugly or worse. However, there are quite a few more that have fairly positive things to say about the phone, sometimes combined with some negative comments, as well, but certainly nothing that would count as 'pure spite filled venom'.
  • Reply 77 of 87
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kotatsu View Post


    Judging by the pure spite filled venom being spat by the apple fanboy defence department here I would say Microsoft and Nokia have put out something genuinely good for a change. I can smell the fear, and it's not pleasant.



    I say this as a mostly Apple guy in a house full of Apple kit, and I'm typing this on an iPad. I can just recognise a good product when I see one, and the lumia 900 looks pretty damn nice. not nice enough for me to buy one, but still, it's nice.



    Venom is always spewed when losing products are introduced as the "first real competition for the iPhone" or some such nonsense.
  • Reply 78 of 87
    jfanningjfanning Posts: 3,398member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post


    After reading some of these reviews and how much the tech writers are pimping this phone I did wonder if they were getting paid to write this stuff. There was one article on CNET drooling over the hardware saying it was something Steve and Jony would be impressed with. Er, maybe that's because color wise it's almost identical to the iPod Nano of 4 years ago?



    Nokia have been selling coloured phones many years, does this mean Apple copied off them by selling Black, or White phones?
  • Reply 79 of 87
    majjomajjo Posts: 574member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jfanning View Post


    Nokia have been selling coloured phones many years, does this mean Apple copied off them by selling Black, or White phones?



    ahh memories.

    My first cellphone:

  • Reply 80 of 87
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jfanning View Post


    Nokia have been selling coloured phones many years, does this mean Apple copied off them by selling Black, or White phones?



    Well I wouldn't say black and white are 'colors'. And I never said the Lumia being colored was an Apple rip off. I wondered why they didn't pick a different color/shade than one recently used by Apple. Especially considering the unibody design of the phone. Do a google search - I'm not the only one who thought iPod Nano when I saw this phone.
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