Nokia Unveils New Windows Smartphones

Spanish-speakers snigger at name 'Lumia'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 27, 2011 1:52 AM CDT
Nokia Unveils 'Lumia' Windows Smartphones
The new Nokia Lumia 710 smartphone was unveiled in London yesterday.   (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

Struggling Finnish phone maker Nokia is trying to make a comeback with a pair of new smartphones, Wired reports. The Lumia 800 and Lumia 710 are the result of an eight-month collaboration with Microsoft. The phones—priced at around $600 for the 800 and $380 for the 710—are "the first real Windows phones," Nokia says. Both phones run Mango, the latest version of Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS, and early reviews are very positive.

"Nokia really needed this to happen today, and this is a new start for the company,” an analyst tells the New York Times. "This helps stop the bleeding and will help Nokia get back in the game." The Lumias will go on sale in Europe first, with a US launch expected in early 2012. The company may encounter some problems in Spanish speaking markets, however: MSNBC notes that "Lumia" is Spanish slang for "prostitute." (More Lumia stories.)

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