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Nokia "Suspends" Its Free Developer Program

Posted by Unknown on from the only-the-best-fart-app-developers-need-apply dept.

jbernardo writes "Nokia has put in deep freeze its free developer program, the launchpad. Now, in the Developer Programs page, one can only see a pitch for a paid 'Nokia Premium Developer Program,' and below, in the Nokia Developer Pro and Developer Launchpad box, there is a text merely stating that Nokia are not currently accepting new applications for Nokia Developer Launchpad and Nokia Developer Pro programs. With most (if not all) Launchpad memberships already expired, seems like Nokia no longer is interested in the developer community, which once was one of the mainstays of its domination of the smartphone market. Of course, that domination was destroyed by Elop and its 'burning platforms' memo, together with the failed bet on Windows Phone 7, so maybe giving up on developers would also be expectable."

1 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. Windows Phone is no Slouch... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I can honestly say that the Windows Phone platform is by far the most original one to come to the smart phone market. And for someone who has owned an iPhone and many different Androids I can tell you it is more than worth the switch. Here are some key reasons why:

    -Even on what is considered slower hardware these phones run amazingly fast. Feels faster than an iPhone or an Android hands down.

    -Great battery life. Even when I'm streaming Netflix on the go I'm not really worried about the battery. With general use it outperforms other smartphones out there.

    -The OS itself it a joy to use. Simple, intuitive, and more alive. No need for widgets, install an app and pin it's live tile to the main screen and you get instant access to info that you want and need easily. No going into apps, no swiping over to your widgets. You pin whatever you want to the home screen, be it a contact, photo album, song, ebay bid item, calendars. Its simply amazing how much information you can access without ever even going into an app and I love it.

    -Built in X-Box Live and Zune. Having a system built into a phone for online gaming etc that has been tested and proven for years is great. And although the Zune never quite took off you will be amazed at how great it is to use on this phone. And it's better than the music players available on Android, and way more intuitive than the iPhone music player. Hands down, these phones have the lead on music and games.

    -Dedicated camera button. Access your camera even when the phone is locked. Android and iOS have added this recently but Windows Phone does it better. Just hold down the camera button and you can access the camera instantly without even having to unlock your phone.

    -Built in Bing Search. May seem like a gimmick, but its powerful and easy to use. Just hit the search button at the bottom of the phone to use it (or if you really don't like Bing the search button can be changed to use another search provider website). When you do you have access to Local Scout, which uses your GPS to show you what is near you. FInd Gas Stations, Dining, interesting hotspots in the area. You get Music search which listens to music and gives you the name of the song. Bing Vision, which gives you the ability to translate text without typing it in, find an item by its barcode, scan QR Codes, and find DVD and Books online by just scanning the cover. As well as voice search, you get everything you need for search without ever even downloading an app.

    -Built in FM Radio. This may not seem like a big deal, but nobody else really has this in their phone and its great to have. If you don't like carrying around a huge music collection and don't want to stream music over an app just listen to the radio. Less battery is used and you get easy access to whatever local channels are available.

    I could go on and on but these are just some of the main points to get this phone, or any Windows Phone really. Hopefully this helps you make the decision, you won't be disappointed.

    App Suggestions:

    -For Photo Editing, try Fantasia Painter. You can do pretty much anything you could ever want to a photo and then some. Its powerful and easy to use.

    -For Pandora, since there is no official Pandora App use Radio Controlled. Its a great App and way better than the standard Pandora Apps I've used.

    -Ringtones, use easyRing&Music, its a great ringtone app that even lets you download full songs and trim them down to make a custom ringtone. Easy to use.