Windows Phone soars -- literally, not in sales
Windows Phone 8 smartphones are wonderful devices -- except for the underlying operating system. While I actually like the OS, it still has a long way to go (notification center, hello!?).
Sales have been decent in some European countries, mostly due to the low cost. However, these things are hardly flying off the shelves. With that said, one user has found a way to make them fly -- literally, like...in the air.
According to Michael Stroh of Microsoft, "most of us go to crazy lengths to protect our smartphones from the slightest scratch. Then there's Martin Hämmerli, who one day last fall drove several hours to a rocky Swiss ravine, strapped his Nokia Lumia 1020 to the body of a radio-controlled model helicopter, and sent the fragile-looking craft soaring 36 stories into the crisp November air".
Yes, you've read that right, Hämmerli made his Nokia Lumia 1020 fly. The obvious question is, why? Well, he was entering a photography contest that was held by Nokia and National Geographic. The only device allowed in this contest was the Nokia Lumia 1020. While pictures of butterflies and water are obvious, aerial shots are not.
He utilized some impressive technology to make his dream a reality; a Three Dee RC Helicopter, GoPro Hero 2 camera and a GPS called the the DJI AceOne, which offered a sophisticated auto-pilot. Why a GoPro camera? It supplied him with real-time video, so he could capture the perfect shot.
Sadly, while he was a finalist, all his hard work was for naught as he did not win the contest. However, he is a winner in my eyes for creating such beautiful art. If you would like to see all of his aerial shots, you can see them here.