With the highly anticipated Superman flick, Man of Steel, about to release exactly a month from now, Warner Bros. and Nokia have collaborated to launch the official Man of Steel app. The app is exclusively available on Nokia Lumia devices running Windows Phone 8.

The official app offers a gamut of movie related stuff like wallpapers, character information, movie trailers and actor biographies. There’s also a counter counting down to the release date.

In addition to the above, the app also offers the users nearly 40 challenges, which has them using the phone’s camera to click a photo and super-impose the Man of Steel on them or destroy objects with Superman’s powers, again in an augmented reality view. On completing the challenges, users will unlock exclusive rewards like DC comics, ringtones and special wallpapers.

If you have a Lumia with Windows Phone 8 running, head over to the Windows Phone Store to download the official Man of Steel app for free.

Previously, Nokia partnered with Warner Bros. before the launch of Dark Knight Rises for an exclusive version of the Lumia 800 and this looks like the continuation of the same partnership.

The first Windows Phone 8 Lumia smartphones might still be a few months away but that did not stop Nokia CEO Stephen Elop from teasing what might or might not be a part of the first Lumia smartphones running Windows Phone 8 operating system. During today’s quarterly earnings call Elop stressed on Nokia’s location services and said he wanted Nokia to be the “where” company while Facebook and Google are the “who” and “what” companies. He also hinted at future phones that would be full of sensors and probably even measure the user’s pulse rate.

When asked about how the next Lumia smartphones would be different from the current ones, Elop explained how Nokia did not have much time last time to differentiate its products from others since the tie-up happened pretty late in the software development life cycle. However, this time he promises the next wave and wave after that of Nokia Lumia devices will offer better differentiation than the current lot. He mentioned Nokia has been working closely with Microsoft since the beginning during this cycle and the both companies are dependent on each other – Nokia for the platform and Microsoft for Nokia’s location services, which will become the default maps and navigation service across all Windows Phone 8 devices irrespective of the vendor.

We expect Nokia to experiment more with materials and industrial design in its next portfolio of Lumia smartphones running Windows Phone 8 operating system. Nokia has already announced its PureView camera technology will come to a Lumia smartphone in the future and we think it could happen with Windows Phone 8, which has been built from scratch and shares its core kernel with Windows 8 operating system.

Nokia today announced taking approximately $270 million (Euro 220 million) “inventory allowance” related to excess component inventory, future purchase commitments and an inventory revaluation related to its Lumia, Symbian and MeeGo devices. We had expected smartphones running on Symbian to account for most of the write-off considering it is an aging platform and Nokia has already moved on from it to focus on Windows Phone. However, it turns out Lumia led the write-offs, followed by Symbian and the MeeGo, the last one being just one device, the N9.

This was revealed by Nokia’s CFO Timo Ihamuotila in response to a question during the earnings call. This comes as a surprise, considering Nokia sold 4 million units of Lumia smartphones this quarter, almost double of what it did in the last quarter. The announcement of Windows Phone 8 in June along with the revelation that existing Lumia smartphones won’t get the update could have been one of the reasons but according to Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, “Lumia activations in weeks after the announcement were flat, to up.”

In all probability (and this is what we hear from our independent sources as well, the Lumia 800 did not do as well as Nokia would have hoped leading to inventory piling up. Elop also said during the call that Nokia would continue to have Windows Phone 7.5/7.8 smartphones even after Windows Phone 8 is launched and these would service the lower-end of the spectrum of Windows Phone platform. Considering Nokia won’t have any Windows Phone 8 devices in the next quarter, we can expect to see some price cuts in the existing Lumia smartphone range.

Microsoft has been on a roll this week. First it took everyone by surprise with its Surface tablet and today it appeased everyone by delivering most of the features that were on everyone’s Windows Phone update checklist. Microsoft has not just refreshed Windows Phone platform but has rebooted it completely with Windows Phone 8. Gone is the Windows CE kernel and in comes Windows NT core that the smartphone platform will share with tablets and PCs running on Windows 8, making it easier for developers to create apps for both environments. This would also enable OEMs to use more powerful hardware enabling them to create better user experiences and developers to offer high quality apps and games.

But all this comes at a price – smartphones running on Windows Phone 7.5 won’t get upgraded to Windows Phone 8 as most of the new capabilities are hardware driven. And this will sting Nokia for the next couple of quarters till the first Windows Phone devices make an appearance towards the end of the year. Read on for my thoughts about how this bodes for both Microsoft and Nokia.

Windows Phone 8 is a significant move for Microsoft that will finally bring to reality the concept of having a single cohesive platform that covers all possible form-factors – PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. This is the promise Microsoft has been peddling since the days of the XDAs and Windows Mobile running PDAs (remember those?). With higher resolution displays, multi-core processors, better apps with multitasking support and a lot of Nokia’s software solutions, Windows Phone 8 devices finally appear competitive with other Android smartphones and hopefully even the iPhone.

In short, this is what Windows Phone should have been when it was first announced way back in 2010. I was present at the Microsoft press conference in Barcelona when Joe Belfiore first showed the Metro UI. It was something no one had ever seen on a smartphone, but it lacked substance. The next version, Windows Phone 7.5, was a slight improvement but it was done to buy Microsoft more time till it built the real thing.

Windows Phone 8 is THAT thing. The strategic tie-up with Nokia was crucial for Microsoft to ensure the platform did not suffocate for the lack of a serious OEM partner. Those who believe that Nokia committed a serious mistake by going for Windows Phone instead of Android do not see the bigger picture. Nokia always knew it would be Windows Phone 8 and not the intermediary Windows Phone 7.5 that would rescue it from the “burning platform”. Nokia CEO, Stephen Elop, has maintained from the beginning (February 2011) that the first two years will be the transition period. And the next couple of quarters will be the most difficult ones that could also mark the end of the transition period and put Nokia back on track for recovery.

However, the timing of Windows Phone 8 could not have come at a worse time for Nokia. It has just announced massive layoffs and a dismal outlook for its second quarter results. On top of that comes the news that the smartphones Nokia has just launched and is planning to launch in many markets would be outdated within the next six months. What’s worse, its Symbian smartphones aren’t selling well either and the first smartphones running Windows Phone 8 will only be available close to the holiday season, which is six months away. In essence, Nokia has relatively little to sell for the next two quarters.

Nokia has no choice but to grin and bear it. Elop has promised low-end Windows Phone smartphones, which obviously won’t run on Windows Phone 8. Nokia could probably look at launching sub-Rs 10,000 (approximately $200) unsubsidized smartphones running on Windows Phone Tango to take on cheap Android smartphones just to keep the numbers going. These cheaper smartphones will be critical for Nokia while it bides its time for the first Windows Phone 8 smartphones.

Yes, time is running out for Nokia but I still believe it is just one hit away from regaining the lost ground. Will Windows Phone 8 provide that hit? Nokia certainly thinks so and I hope it does.

While the Pureview 808 sort of stole the show, the Lumia 610 marks a significant release as well, and something that is worth paying attention to. The decidedly downmarket Windows Phone device aims to provide the Windows Phone experience to a much wider array of folks, and we think Nokia might have a hit on their hands. The new suite of Nokia software includes a Library app, and a completely revamped Maps application. We had a chance to spend some time with the little guy, and we left generally pleased, though not overwhelmed. But, then again, we suppose that’s the goal with a 189 Euro smartphone, now isn’t it? Specs include 256 mb of RAM, a 3.7″ WVGA screen, a 5mp camera, and 8GB of onboard storage. Hit the gallery link below for some hands-on shots!

This post originally appeared on BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech.com

Nokia is all set to unveil a cheaper Windows Phone device, the Lumia 610 and a global version of the LTE-enabled Lumia 900 at next week’s MWC, according to Reuters. Nokia had earlier launched the Lumia 900 with AT&T at CES this year. Earlier today, the Finnish handset giant also released a teaser video for what seems to be a high-end camera phone, probably the successor to the N8. Nokia is also expected to unveil at least a couple of phones in its affordable, mass market Asha series. Nokia is hosting a press conference on Monday, February 27.

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Nokia’s unannounced Lumia 719, which was earlier tipped for a CES launch has just received its Bluetooth certification, hinting at a possible Mobile World Congress announcement in a week’s time. Surprisingly, the Lumia 719 certification mentions the same specs as the Lumia 710 – 3.7-inch Clear Black Display, a 5.0 MP camera with HD recording and the usual apps that come on Nokia’s Windows Phone devices like Nokia Drive. If we were to bet our chips, we would reckon this would be a regional variant of the Lumia 710 for Latin America and even China. It makes sense as Nokia has not yet tapped these markets and the certification does not mention Europe in the list of regional availability. In all probability, we will come to know very soon.

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Nokia’s design head, Marko Ahtisaari, has hinted that future Lumia smartphones running on Windows Phone could get NFC and probably even wireless charging capabilities, in an interview with the Guardian. “If you can take away a moving part and make it [the phone] more beautiful in the placement of the components, we’ll do it, so that’s something where we can certainly keep improving. Take it to the extreme, and why are there any connectors?” Ahtisaari is quoted as saying. Nokia has bet big on NFC with a range of NFC-enabled Bluetooth headsets that don’t need any PIN codes to pair with other NFC-enabled devices and can connect by tapping the two together. It won’t be surprising if Nokia does launch Windows Phone Lumia devices with NFC capabilities in the coming months. Windows Phone does not have NFC functionality yet, but Nokia now has the clout to fast track features on the OS level it thinks are crucial for its portfolio. Microsoft had earlier given an October timeline when Windows smartphones with NFC will start shipping, which is about the same time when Nokia hosts its annual Nokia World event where it announces its flagship products. Even the first Windows Phone Lumia devices, the Lumia 800 and 710, were announced at Nokia World last year. Hit the source link for the complete interview.

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Uh oh! If online retailers like Letsbuy and Flipkart are to be believed, Nokia has slashed the price of the Lumia 710. Launched only a month ago for Rs 18,999, the Lumia 710 is now available from Rs 15,490 onwards, marking a roughly 20 percent price drop. Nokia has bet its smartphone strategy on Windows Phone running Lumia series and things are not looking very bright right now. Industry analyst and usually a messenger of bad news for Nokia, Eldar Murtazin, had predicted the price cut on Twitter last week, citing the model not being very popular. In our opinion, we find the Lumia 800 overpriced (it is still priced at Rs 29,990) and were pretty excited about the Lumia 710. We have reached out to Nokia for a statement on the same and will update this post if and when we hear from them.

Hat tip to @mur2za

Nokia has admitted that some Lumia 800 units suffer from a software problem, which does not give access to the complete battery charge. However, Nokia India suggests the impact in India will be minimal considering the smartphone was shipped recently – “India impact will be minimal since we just started shipping. Therefore, if a consumer buys a Nokia Lumia 800 today, there is absolutely no impact. Nokia will go the extra mile to delight their consumers especially with a flagship product like Lumia 800,” the statement said. However, if you still feel your Lumia 800 suffers from the bug, read on to find how you can confirm it.

First, let’s understand the problem. According to Nokia, some units have a software bug, which prevents it from accessing the full capacity of the battery. The battery itself is fine and all it takes to fix it is a software update, which Nokia will provide in early January. All Lumia 800 units come with a diagnostic tool that enables the service centers to check the status of the phone if it is ever given for repairs. That tool can be accessed by typing ##634# in the dialpad. This will open the diagnostic tool. Users are required to check the battery status. Affected units show full charge capacity to be less than 1,000 mAh. In case your phone shows more than a 1,000 mAh, you have nothing to worry.

We have received tips from multiple retailers that Nokia recalling some stock of Lumia 800 from stores in India, which we were able to confirm from Nokia India. However, it is not related to the battery issue that has been plaguing some units. Nokia sent us a statement regarding the battery issue as well as a verbal confirmation of why some Lumia 800 stocks are being picked up. Read on…

Following GLOBAL reports of examples where the preloaded Diagnostics tool in the Nokia Lumia 800 was showing lower than expected levels of full battery charge capacity we immediately conducted extensive testing on the devices at a global level.

• Following the tests, we can now confirm that while the battery in the devices is fine, in some variants a software problem is preventing the phone from accessing the full battery capacity.

• The good news is that as it is a software problem it can be easily resolved and the planned early 2012 software update, as well as including some performance enhancements, will also include a fix that will enable the affected phones to access the total battery capacity. Once this update is applied customers should experience much better battery life.

• Anyone customer who needs further clarification is being asked to contact Nokia Care (Care contact details and locations can be found at www.Nokia.com/support).

On the limited stock recall, it has to do with wrong MRP stickers and not about any software update. “The units shipped in India do not have the battery issue as these are recent shipments. However, some boxes had the wrong MRP sticker on them and hence are being picked up,” a Nokia spokesperson told BGR India.

We now have confirmation from Nokia India that the Lumia 710 is also going on sale in India tonight. It will carry a best buy price of Rs 18,999 and will be available exclusively at Nokia Priority Partners and dealers for a week post which it will be available across retail stores in India. Even the Lumia 800 goes on sale from tonight for a best buy price of Rs 29,999. The Lumia series of Windows Phone smartphones are the beginning of Nokia’s new smartphone roadmap that CEO Stephen Elop initiated in February this year, where it will be Microsoft’s most important handset partner. Nokia will continue to support Symbian till at least 2016. Watch out for our review of the Lumia 800 coming up soon.

Rebranding your own stores to promote your latest and greatest products is one thing but repainting airplanes is quite another. And if reports emerging from Mumbai are any indication, Nokia is just about to do that by branding Jet Airways’ aircraft painted with ‘Lumia colors’ that is a part of its ‘Amazing Everyday’ campaign that is visible in the branded store pictured above. Nokia India Western regional general manager Prashanth Mani has also been quoted saying the company will also rebrand taxis, buses and cars very soon.

We know Nokia desperately wants the Lumia range to succeed in India but we find this to be bit of an overkill.

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Nokia’s upcoming flagship Windows Phone, the Lumia 900, has been revealed in a leaked promotional video aimed at developers. First discovered by Netherlands-based All About Phones, the video was accidentally posted to Nokia’s public YouTube channel before being marked private. The video offers very little in the way of details, though it does show an image of the sleek Windows Phone next to the text, “When you bring together Nokia’s stunning new hardware and a dynamic Microsoft OS you get amazing every day.” Nokia’s Lumia 900, code-named Ace, is expected to feature a 4.3-inch ClearBlack AMOLED display, a 1.4GHz processor and an 8-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics. Nokia France boss Paul Amsellem on Wednesday alluded to the device while speaking with a French newspaper, but Nokia responded to reports by saying it had nothing to announce at this time. Nokia’s full promotional video follows below.

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This post originally appeared on BGR: The Three Biggest Letters In Tech.com

Nokia is all set to launch its Lumia series of Windows Phone 7.5 smartphones in India tomorrow. This will probably one of those rare instances when India will be part of a half-a-dozen countries that will get a high-profile smartphone while others will have to wait for at least a couple of months. We are not sure whether Nokia will launch both the Lumia 800 and 710 right now. Both Microsoft and Nokia are expected to launch a massive marketing campaign to ensure its success. Nokia has bet the company on the table for Windows Phone and its performance in India will be a key indicator whether the company is headed in the right direction. Nokia’s success will define whether Microsoft still has a role to play in the smartphone space.

According to Nokia’s global announcement last month, the Lumia 710 should be priced slightly below Rs 20,000 and the Lumia 800 at slightly under Rs 30,000. The Lumia 800, in particular, has received pretty good reviews globally. However, with the momentum Android has at the moment in India, it is yet to be seen if consumers get excited by Windows Phone 7.5. (Related: Windows Phone 7.5 review.)