We’ve all been to a party or barbecue where the music is just awful. And of course, being the polite guest that you are, you can’t just unplug the host’s smartphone and swap yours in for a better playlist. On a quest to save your sanity and make the music at your next gathering more interactive, Internet Explorer and Nokia launched a new music platform called Mix Party, making playlist creation collaborative. Here’s how it works: The host of the party can open Mix Party on his Xbox using Internet Explorer. Although the host needs an Xbox with Xbox Live subscription, anyone with a smartphone can play along. First, download the accompanying smartphone app, which requires scanning a QR code to join the Mix Party. Then vote on which songs to play next. The service is free through the month of July, and at the end of the offer, you will be prompted to sign up for Nokia Music, an ad-free service that launched in September 2012, exclusive to Lumia smartphone users. The concept actually builds off Nokia Music, which lets you to download up to four one-hour music mixes. Users can upgrade to the platform’s unlimited access plan for $3.99 a month, which gives Mix Party users access to Nokia’s full library, so you can hear any song at your next gathering. Nokia has been creeping further into the music game over the past year. The mobile manufacturer has also built Nokia Mix Radio, a free service that lets you skip songs and save playlists for offline use (like when you’re underground on the subway). What creative ways do you manage playlists at parties? Let us know in the comments below. Image via Gilles Mingasson/Getty Images Read more: http://mashable.com/2013/07/02/nokia-mix-party/
Nokia expanded its apology over faked video and photos used to publicize the company’s newest flagship phone. Unveiled on Wednesday, the Lumia 920 features the “PureView” camera, which has a “floating lens” optical image stabilization (OIS) technology that Nokia claims lets users take sharp photos and video. Earlier this week, Nokia admitted a video that purportedly demonstrates the benefits of the 920’s OIS capabilities was “a simulation” and not shot using its PureView camera. It later revealed on Saturday that promotional photos were also faked. “The video was produced while the Nokia Lumia 920 was in early prototype and still not ready to show the full benefits of the amazing innovation it contains,” spokesman Brett Young told Mashable in an emailed statement. “While there was no intention to mislead, the failure to add a disclaimer to the video was obviously a mistake.” Nokia also apologized for misleading photos that were taken from the video. Set in Helsinki, Finland, they show the same actress in three different scenarios: riding a bike, sitting on a carousel and standing in the street at night. A photo posted to Hacker News on Thursday reveals sophisticated camera and lighting equipment at a photo shoot for the Lumia 920. In both cases, independent bloggers denounced Nokia for false advertising. The Finnish telecom giant issued an apology on its “Conversations” blog Thursday. “We should have posted a disclaimer stating this was a representation of OIS only,” wrote spokeswoman Heidi Lemmetyinen. The video is now marked with a “Simulation of OIS technology” disclaimer, which you can see above. Nokia said it posted genuine images of the Lumia 920 being used in low light conditions, alongside similar photos taken by a competitor’s smartphone, on Wednesday. They use a Lumia 920 prototype and “no artificial lighting or stands,” the company told Mashable on Thursday. Check out what Nokia claims to be the 920’s photo, followed by its competitor’s photo, below. An industry report suggests Nokia will start selling the Lumia 920, which features a 4.5-inch 720p curved-glass display, this November. Are you less likely to buy the Lumia 920 in light of this controversy? Does it change your perception of Nokia? Discuss in the comments below. Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/09/08/nokia-lumia-920-misleading/
