ND Technologies

*Disclaimer* I am a Nokia stockholder, and these are my thoughts only.

I probably shouldn’t write this, but after reading the countless tear-filled tweets and “ERMAHGERD! I’M GONNA SLIT MAH WRISTS!!!!” blog posts/comments about Nokia selling it’s mobile phone division to Microsoft, I had to say something.

First of all:

If you aren’t a stock holder, you should just STHU. That’s right. Your endless whining and complaining will do nothing to change the mind of the Board of Directors at Nokia. NOTHING. “But I’ve used Nokia since blah blah blah blah!”, well good for you! You know what’s even better for you? That Nokia sold off the black hole that is the current Mobile division. This unit is simply NOT profitable, and, had they not sold out to MS, probably would have lost more cash than Nokia had to make it profitable. Be glad they sold out, because now Nokia has enough money and cash positive divisions that they can sit back, watch how mobile goes, and try again in a few years. How many mobile companies get a second chance like this? NONE.

Second:

SYMBIAN WILL NOT AND WOULD NOT HAVE SAVED NOKIA! Ever used Symbian? If you haven’t, it was a terrible OS. It had really great ideas and innovations, but it was simply a terrible mobile operating system. Meego and Maemo weren’t mature enough, and wouldn’t have been mature enough to stop the bleeding either, so just SHUT UP already. I get it, you hate that Nokia went to Windows Phone, well you know who you can blame for that? Not Stephen Elop…but EVERY ONE OF NOKIA’S EXECUTIVES THAT DIDN’T TAKE THE IPHONE SERIOUSLY. There, is that loud enough for you? Whine and complain all you want about “Windows Phone is the spawn of Satan, blah blah blah”, but the truth of the matter is that Nokia NEVER stood a chance, simply because the pre-Elop Executives didn’t take iPhone seriously. The same thing happened to Blackberry, and look where they are. Blackberry is what Nokia WOULD be right now, if it had not been for Microsoft. Running out of money, with no prospects of staying in business. Would you rather have had that? I didn’t think so, so SHUT UP. While we’re at it SHUT UP ABOUT NOKIA MOVING TO ANDROID! This would have been a terrible move too for MANY reasons, so SHUT UP ALREADY!

Third:

If you think, for just one second, that Nokia should have spent every LAST DIME trying to win Mobile, then you are a flat out imbecile that needs to take an intelligence test. What idiot Board of Directors would approve something like that? Nokia did the BEST thing for Nokia. They sold off the most unprofitable unit they had, so that its other, profitable, businesses could stay afloat. Nokia’s mobile division has continually lost money quarter after quarter for YEARS. No company can sustain multiple years of losing money like that. You should be grateful that Elop came and made the initial deal with MS, just so they could stop the bleeding.

OH NOES! WHAT DO I DO NOW?!?!?:

If you want to make a difference, then quit your complaining on Twitter and blogs, and go buy Nokia stock, and vote at the upcoming shareholders meeting. That is the ONLY way you can stop this. I am voting for it, because I want Nokia to be around for a very long time, and this is the ONLY way they can do it. Now shut up, and go put your money where you mouth is, or else take your blanket and go cry in a corner.

I am a big believer, I mean BIG believer, in using Pre-Paid cellular services instead of traditional post-paid plans like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc. for a number of reasons. Mainly though, it’s to save money. Who doesn’t like to save money, am I right?

Well, if you’re interested in my thoughts on this subject, I’ve written two articles for EnConnected.com that details my thoughts and experiences with these carriers.

Held Hostage: Another year of pre-paid carriers and post-paid shenanigans

and

Held Hostage: Escaping your cell phone carriers iron grip