I've been using Sports Tracker for quite a few years now and I can honestly say that without it, my physical health would be much worse than it is. It's the app which gives me motivation needed to exercise. Since I hate exercising with a passion, I really do need a lot of motivation to get out from my comfy bed and use some of those dormant muscles I possess. Sport Tracker allows me to do more than just sweat and stink. It gives me actual numbers that mean something instead of just muscle and bone ache. So when I heard about the Nokia N9 version of Sports Tracker, I was naturally quite excited about it. But how does it compare to the more mature Symbian version? Read on to find out.

The latest version of Countdown Timer (v.1.1.1) for Nokia N9 and N950 is now available in Nokia Store. The main changed compared to the previous version are an improved countdown animation and added Timer Modes. The improved countdown animation also fixes the animation bugs present in previous versions, like the countdown animation going in a loop when changing the timer too fast.

Countdown Timer 1.1.1 for Nokia N9 and N950 has now six different Timer Modes, of which three are new. The Timer Modes are No dialog, Normal, Select next, Wait, Immediate and Alarm only. The Immediate Timer Mode has been fixed, as it did not behave correctly in the previous versions.

According to CNET, Nokia is testing LTE variants of Nokia Lumia 800, although Windows Phone does not yet officially support LTE. Nokia is planning to get back to the U.S. market next year and for that to succeed it needs support of the local carriers. Both AT&T and Verizon Wireless have invested heavily in LTE networks and therefore LTE support for Nokia is critical. The CNET article talks about a LTE variant of Nokia Lumia 800, although it is widely expected the Lumia 900, which should be first available in U.S. early next year, has LTE support.

Source: CNET

I'm pleased to announce that the new version (v1.1.0) of Countdown Timer FREE for Nokia N9 and N950 is now available in Nokia Store. This new version has an improved countdown animation and more Timer Modes. Also the previously exiting Timer Modes have been fixed, as there was a bug with the Immediate mode. The new Timer Modes are No dialog, Select next and Alarm only. All together there are now six Timer Modes. As for the countdown animation, in Countdown Timer Free 1.1.0 it has been completely changed. Not only does the new animation look much better, but it also fixes the countdown animation bugs present in the previous versions. An update of the full version of the Countdown Timer for Nokia N9, which doesn't have any of the limitations present in the free version, should be available soon in Nokia Store.

According to Nokia's press release, Nokia Lumia 710 will start selling today in Taiwan alongside the Nokia Lumia 800. Singapore, Hong Kong, India and Russia are next in line to get the Nokia Lumia 710. This should happen within a week. The global roll-out will start in coming weeks.

Nokia Lumia 710, with an estimated retail price of €270 excluding taxes and subsidies, is more affordable than Lumia 800. Hardware wise both models have pretty much the internals, expect the camera. The Nokia Lumia 710 has a 5 Megapixel camera sensor while the Lumia 800 has an 8 Megapixel camera sensor. Both are running the latest Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS.

Source: Nokia

The Nokia N9 in white is finally available, at least in Finland. Verkkokauppa.com, the second largest consumer electronics retailer in Finland, has this much waited white Nokia N9 64 GB in stock. The price for this exclusive device is €629,90 including 23% VAT. It's probably only a matter of time before other countries where Nokia N9 was originally launched, will receive this white beauty. Unlike the black, cyan and magenta versions of Nokia N9, this white version has a glossy finish.

Source: Verkkokauppa.com

The latest software update for Nokia Lumia 800 has begun to roll out. This software update brings several performance and usability improvements in such areas as charging, voicemail notification, Exchange 2003 compatibility, display switching in bright light and audio quality. The roll out should take about two weeks. The next update for Nokia Lumia 800 is planned for early 2012. Check out this link to see how to update the phone software for Nokia with Windows Phone.

Source: Nokia Conversations

I've been using the browser version of Nokia Maps quite a lot lately. What really sets it apart from other online maps, such as Google Maps and Bing Maps is the 3D mode. The Nokia Maps 3D is truly revolutionary and I can't wait to see something similar in the mobile versions of Nokia Maps and Drive. Today Nokia Maps 3D got some new features, including navigation. Now you can check your route beforehand in your web browser in photorealistic 3D. You may also share places and routes with your friends via email, Facebook or Twitter. If you haven't tried Nokia Maps 3D yet, do it now. It's really cool! Follow the source to read more.

Source: Nokia Conversations

There is an interesting interview of Peter Becker-Pennrich, global director for terminals marketing at the Vodafone Group, at telecoms.com. Of Nokia's outlook he said that "there could be quite a good growth curve for Nokia in the smartphone segment in 2012. Is that going to happen for sure? I don't know—but they have a fighting chance and therefore I'm tentatively optimistic." He also had an interesting view about Windows Phone. "Windows Phone 8 kernel is completely changing from Windows Phone 7 to be the same as they have for Windows 8 on the PC", said Peter Becker-Pennrich. He is not the first one saying something like this as there have been quite a few speculations that Windows Phone would eventually run on Windows NT kernel. The interview is quite long but rather interesting. Follow the source to read more.

Source: telecoms.com

A new version (v1.0.3) of Countdown Timer for Nokia N9 and N950 is now available in Nokia Store. This is a minor update which fixes some bugs. For those who have the Countdown Timer FREE version and want to update to the full, it seems that there are some issues in Nokia Store with it. If it doesn't give you the option to buy the full version, you need to uninstall the free version first. Sorry for this inconvenience. You can read more about Countdown Timer for Nokia N9 here.