Lately, The Nokia brand has been phased out by calling the phones just "Lumia" and redirecting Nokia online properties to Microsoft.com. This rebranding effort will expand and soon the lineup will become "Microsoft Lumia".

Lumia is already the de facto face of Windows Phone it accounts for about 90% of the market. Microsoft has been busy signing up new vendors but they will struggle to gain significant market share as the big names have mostly neglected WP.

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According to a Forbes report, Microsoft is about to launch a wearable device in the coming weeks. The gadget will reportedly hit the shelves in time for the holiday shopping season.

Microsoft's upcoming creation will focus on tracking physical activities that include steps, heart rate, and calories burned among others. Some smartwatch functionality is also expected, though it will not be the product's main highlight. Battery life of the wearable device is tipped to be in the ballpark of two days.

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Nokia HERE Maps is heading to Android, but can it compete with Google Maps ? Well, HERE marketing team showed us that its much better than Google Maps, Describing Google Maps offline mode is only "a glorified screenshot".

Google is an Internet company so offline mode was never much of a priority, while Nokia has been offering navigation software on its phones since less than 10 people had mobile Internet.

The video shows the Save for offline use feature of Google Maps and points out you can't plan new routes, hence the "screenshot" jab. Google Maps can at least reroute you while offline, which the video conveniently overlooks.

Demo [Video]

Snapchat is one of the most popular messaging servicess among the teens. It's been around for over three years now and even though it's yet to monetize its user base, things are going very well for it. There were even rumors Snapchat refused acquisition bids from Facebook and Google worth $3 to $4 billion.

It seems the Snapchat CEO was right to turn those offers, if real. The company is estimating its value at $10 billion as it prepares for another round of financing.

Apparently Yahoo is very close to investing $20 million into Snapchat. It has done such investments before and they turned into billions of profits later.

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Microsoft is suing Samsung for $6.9 million, which the software giant says is unpaid interest that is owed to it by Samsung. The latter apparently felt that Microsoft's purchase of Nokia's Devices and Services unit was a breach of contract. The contract called for Microsoft to be paid a royalty for each Android phone and tablet produced by the Korean manufacturer over the course of a year.

While Samsung did eventually pay the $1 billion it owed Microsoft last year, the crew in Redmond said that the payment was late, and as a result it is owed the $6.9 million in interest on the $1 billion. The deal was agreed to back in 2011 and runs for seven years. It also includes a cross-licensing pact between the two firms.

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