14 DAY TRIAL // A new Nokia app is now available for download for the owners of Windows Phone-based Lumia smartphones, namely Nokia Chat, designed to provide users with the possibility to stay in touch which their friends that own other Nokia handsets.
Nokia Chat was already available for the owners of Nokia Asha, S40, and Symbian devices, and is now up for download for Lumia phones as well, in a beta flavor.
For the time being, however, the application is available only for users in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Nigeria.
Owners of a Nokia Lumia smartphone in one of these countries should head over to this page on the Nokia Beta Labs website to download the Nokia Chat for Windows Phone trial and install it on their devices.
The application is expected to become available for users in other countries as well in the not too distant future.
Although only a beta release for the time being, Nokia Chat for Windows Phone does pack a nice range of features inside, including:
- Person to Person Messaging: Reach millions of Nokia Chat and Yahoo! Messenger users across different mobile and computer platforms.
- Push Notifications and Live Tile Updates: Receive new message notifications, preview new messages, and see how many notifications you’ve received - even when Nokia Chat isn't running.
- Share a Place: Send information about a restaurant, store, or other point of interest. If the recipient is also using a Lumia, they'll see details, directions, and reviews inside the HERE Maps app.
- Broadcast Your Location: Optionally include your city or neighborhood in your status message, so your friends and family know when you're near or faraway.
- Find Contacts: Scan your phone's address book to find friends and family who already use Nokia Chat and Yahoo! Messenger.
The owners of Windows Phone 8 Lumia devices will enjoy some additional features as well, including the ability to write messages using speech, to set lock screen notifications, and to use voice commands for the application.