Merry Christmas.
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lundi 24 décembre 2007
Merry Christmas
Christmas Eve is here already, the year is almost over. I'd like to wish all readers and visitors to my blog, a wonderful Christmas time.
Merry Christmas.
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Merry Christmas.
dimanche 23 décembre 2007
Nokia N82 and Mail For Exchange
I'm not sure how long it has been available, but the Mail4Echange client 2.2.0 is now available for download. Click here fill in the details and download.
If you are looking for a (free) email service to use, you could do worse than Mail2Web. I started using it after a great write up over at E-Series.org which you can find here
Screenshots below:
If you are looking for a (free) email service to use, you could do worse than Mail2Web. I started using it after a great write up over at E-Series.org which you can find here
Screenshots below:
samedi 22 décembre 2007
8GB Memory Card in my N82
I saw this post over at Modaco the other day. BMC Digital is not a company I have used before, but Paul from Modaco has and the price they are offering an 8GB Micro SD card for is very competitive, just £44.41 inc vat and delivery. You can see from the screenshot, I have the card in my N82 and working fine. If you want to purchase, the product page is here. Once in the cart, add the promotional code BMC4201 to get a 10% discount. (I've no idea how long the promotion runs for) The card is supplied with a tiny USB adaptor, very handy.
I ordered my card on Thursday morning, it was despatched Thursday afternoon and arrived this morning. It would have probably arrived yesterday, if it were not for the Christmas post.
jeudi 20 décembre 2007
Nokia N96 - More Pictures
This N96, it's the real deal. More photos below. I got these from Slashphone. Stefan at Intomobile has some pictures which came from Mobile Review, so I'm guessing that's the originator place for all this. There is a thread over at Jaiku, if you have an account, sign and and join the chat.
First Pictures of the N96
This is a picture of the soon to be released N96. We think. To be honest it looks like I was expecting, so I'm pretty sure this is very much what the N96 will look like. There's been a lot of rumour about the next NSeries releases, as I mentioned in a post a few days ago here. The expected feature set for the N96 is very good, including:
• 16GB internal memory
• WiFi
• 5.0 Megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Lens
• HSDPA
• Digital TV Tuner Built in
It is also expected that the N96 will support a wider variety of video formats than current NSeries phones offer. All in, this looks to be a very interesting handset, I look forward to getting my hands on one.
Source
Nokia Launches N82 with Free Adventure Pack
Following on from my post about the N82 being available to buy for UK users on contract here, Nokia have now launched the N82 on their own Nokia shop. To promote the handset Nokia are bundling a free sports pack, comprising Free Nokia Sports Tracker software and a Free Salomon backpack.I've talked a lot about the N82 recently, but it really does deserve all the good press it gets, it simply is one of the best, if not the best, NSeries phone to date.
To purchase the N82 with Adventure Pack, for just £399 inc V.A.T. click here.
mercredi 19 décembre 2007
New Battery Technology for Mobile Devices
Not strictly on topic for this blog, but something I have a real issue with. I do enjoy the whole evolution of phones and the extra features that we have added to handsets but battery life is always an issue. I've just been reading over at Cellular News about some new battery technlogy that we could be enjoying in the near future.
Basically researchers have found a way to use silicon nanowires to improve the output from Lithium-ion batteries. The example quotes laptop batteries that currently work for around 4 hours could possibly last for up to 20 hours on one charge. A significant improvement. Instead of the batteries anodes being made of carbon as currently, the silicon nanowires, which are 1/20 the thickness of a sheet of paper are used instead.
It all sounds very technical, and if developed should be very useful indeed. Due to advanced current battery technology implementing the new technology shouldn't be a major issue, which is excellent to hear. Anyone for an N95 with two week operating time? Sounds good to me!
Source
Basically researchers have found a way to use silicon nanowires to improve the output from Lithium-ion batteries. The example quotes laptop batteries that currently work for around 4 hours could possibly last for up to 20 hours on one charge. A significant improvement. Instead of the batteries anodes being made of carbon as currently, the silicon nanowires, which are 1/20 the thickness of a sheet of paper are used instead.
It all sounds very technical, and if developed should be very useful indeed. Due to advanced current battery technology implementing the new technology shouldn't be a major issue, which is excellent to hear. Anyone for an N95 with two week operating time? Sounds good to me!
Source
mardi 18 décembre 2007
N82 on general sale in the UK
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The Nokia N82 is available to buy on contract now, with a few online stores making it available from today.I have a few stores linked from my right hand navigation links, please click on the logos, or the links below for the following stores:
www.carphonewarehouse.com, www.mobiles.co.uk and www.e2save.com
p.s. As these sites are updating during the day, the handset may temporarily show as coming soon. If that happens, pop back later. The phone is definitely available to order
lundi 17 décembre 2007
Nokia Nseries helps MTV with climate change campaign
Nokia Nseries helps MTV with climate change campaign by capturing Cannes Young Advertising Creatives in action
A press release issued today from Nokia, about young film makers recording a 30 second commercial for MTV Switch, to help promote the campaign to educate and encourage alternative options to help climate change. Definitely a worthy cause. The commercials were filmed on Nokia NSeries N93i handsets.
A press release issued today from Nokia, about young film makers recording a 30 second commercial for MTV Switch, to help promote the campaign to educate and encourage alternative options to help climate change. Definitely a worthy cause. The commercials were filmed on Nokia NSeries N93i handsets.
Espoo, Finland - During the prestigious 2007 Cannes Lions Advertising Festival, camera crews using video-optimized Nokia N93i devices tagged along with the Young Creative Film Competitors on their 48 hour mission to shoot a 30 second commercial, also using the Nokia N93i, for MTV SWITCH, a new campaign from MTV Networks International designed to educate and encourage alternative options to help save the planet. This marks the first time such extensive access has ever been granted to a camera crew during the two year history of the Cannes Lions Advertising festival.
Recognizing the unique opportunity to capture aspiring young creatives in action and aid in the education of environmental issues, Nokia Nseries recorded the trials and tribulations of the 20 teams representing 20 countries in their race for first place. With 40 hours of content filmed on the Nokia N93i, the footage was edited into an exclusive behind the scenes documentary, "Short Film Shootout: Cannes", which will be available for broadcast on MTV's 61 TV channels across 161 countries starting on December 20, 2007.
"Nokia Nseries was thrilled to be a part of this project to arm filmmakers with this exciting new medium of mobile video through which the students could create commercials and the film crew could capture the experience for all the world to see," said Tapio Hedman, Senior Vice President, Multimedia Marketing, Nokia. "The Nokia N93i devices that were used in this project are a perfect example of how Nokia constantly pushes the frontiers of technology forward to provide innovative new media for everyone to leverage as they create and share their works."
"We are extremely thankful for the generosity and creativity that Nokia has demonstrated, as well as the talent of these young filmmakers in showing millions of young people around the world how doing small things can make a massive difference to the world's carbon emissions," said Bill Roedy, MTV Networks Vice Chairman. "MTV SWITCH is harnessing the power of these creative minds to make climate conscious behaviour an every day reality. Everyone, no matter what age or where they live, can take simple actions to reduce their carbon footprint."
With the release of the special behind the scenes documentary "Short Film Shooutout: Cannes", all Young Creative Film Competitors participants were able to contribute to this important environmental campaign. The documentary, as well as additional content, will be available for viewing online after December 20 on www.MTVswitch.org and www.nseries.com/cannes.
samedi 15 décembre 2007
Nokia N78 and Nokia N96 - Weekend Rumours
There's been a few rumours going around recently, on forums and other blogs, about the next NSeries handsets to be released. Nokia have excelled with NSeries handsets recently, with the N95 Classic, N95 8GB and the new N82 leading the charge. I always like to try and keep up to date with rumours, though some of the suggestions and photoshop pictures are pretty extreme.
IntoMobile had an interesting snippet about the N78 way back in October. The supposed successor to the N73, the N78 will likely be a mono block design phone. Features could include:
• 8GB internal memory
• WiFi
• 3.2 Megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Lens
• S60 FP2
I would like to see the N78 include HSDPA, too. I hope it happens.
The next NSeries handset recently rumoured, the N96, has received a lot of attention recently, due to some highly imaginative images doing the rounds. Features for the N96 could include:
• 16GB internal memory
• WiFi
• 5.0 Megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Lens
• HSDPA
• Digital TV Tuner Built in
The N96, based on the speculative specs above, could prove to be a very popular handset, although I'm not sure if the digital TV tuner will be UK system compatible. One feature I would like to see included on the N96, and in fact something that would be a good addition for all NSeries phones, is support for a wider variety of video formats. That would be a useful way of using up all the memory the N96 proposes to offer, if I could use it for playing back my video film collection. A DVR option for recording from the TV would be nice, too.
However the new releases pan out, 2008 NSeries releases have a lot to live up to.
IntoMobile had an interesting snippet about the N78 way back in October. The supposed successor to the N73, the N78 will likely be a mono block design phone. Features could include:
• 8GB internal memory
• WiFi
• 3.2 Megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Lens
• S60 FP2
I would like to see the N78 include HSDPA, too. I hope it happens.
The next NSeries handset recently rumoured, the N96, has received a lot of attention recently, due to some highly imaginative images doing the rounds. Features for the N96 could include:
• 16GB internal memory
• WiFi
• 5.0 Megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Lens
• HSDPA
• Digital TV Tuner Built in
The N96, based on the speculative specs above, could prove to be a very popular handset, although I'm not sure if the digital TV tuner will be UK system compatible. One feature I would like to see included on the N96, and in fact something that would be a good addition for all NSeries phones, is support for a wider variety of video formats. That would be a useful way of using up all the memory the N96 proposes to offer, if I could use it for playing back my video film collection. A DVR option for recording from the TV would be nice, too.
However the new releases pan out, 2008 NSeries releases have a lot to live up to.
vendredi 14 décembre 2007
NGage games for NSeries phones next week
I've never really got into the whole N-Gage thing. The initial N-Gage handsets were pretty awful, and the whole gaming on mobiles thing has never really appealed to me. I'd rather save my battery for something useful, like email, web browsing, calls, texts, etc.
Anyhow, it appears that the N-Gage experience is going to be available for a select few sometime next week as owners of the N81 and N81 8GB will have access to "one or more" N-Gage games as well as access to the N-Gage platform.
All good news for those who are interested.
Source
Anyhow, it appears that the N-Gage experience is going to be available for a select few sometime next week as owners of the N81 and N81 8GB will have access to "one or more" N-Gage games as well as access to the N-Gage platform.
All good news for those who are interested.
Source
jeudi 13 décembre 2007
YouTube on S60
It seems many people would love to have access to full YouTube clips on their mobile phone. There are a few workaround options available, such as using Orb, and some networks have agreements to a stripped down version of YouTube for users, such as that offered by Vodafone.
A new beta app is around, from Samir, which works with the new Flash Lite Player released a while back.
You need to install the Flash Lite player, and then install the YT Player to the folder C:/data/other or E:/other. Once done, open the flash Lite Player from your applications folder, select the YT Player and search for a video clip. Remember, this is just a beta version, so don't expect everything to run smoothly straight away. I have managed to get video files showing on the N82, so it does work, searching for files showed only one clip at a time for me, and if I watched the clip in full screen by flipping the phone onto its side, the clip ran very slowly. Some screenshots below:
One thing to watch out for, if you are going to view video clips streaming like this, from YouTube and other places, either have a proper unlimited data plan or use WiFi. The clip shown in the screenshots was about 40 seconds in length, and you can see the amount of data used from this screenshot:
The first clip I ran was around a minute and a half, and you can see here how much data that used:
An unlimited data plan or WiFi usage is a must, or you could end up with a bill like this guy!
A new beta app is around, from Samir, which works with the new Flash Lite Player released a while back.
You need to install the Flash Lite player, and then install the YT Player to the folder C:/data/other or E:/other. Once done, open the flash Lite Player from your applications folder, select the YT Player and search for a video clip. Remember, this is just a beta version, so don't expect everything to run smoothly straight away. I have managed to get video files showing on the N82, so it does work, searching for files showed only one clip at a time for me, and if I watched the clip in full screen by flipping the phone onto its side, the clip ran very slowly. Some screenshots below:
One thing to watch out for, if you are going to view video clips streaming like this, from YouTube and other places, either have a proper unlimited data plan or use WiFi. The clip shown in the screenshots was about 40 seconds in length, and you can see the amount of data used from this screenshot:
The first clip I ran was around a minute and a half, and you can see here how much data that used:
An unlimited data plan or WiFi usage is a must, or you could end up with a bill like this guy!
mercredi 12 décembre 2007
Gypsii Client Finally Available for Download
After being announced almost three weeks ago, the Gypsii S60 client is finally available for download from their site. Click here to download the client. A video clip of Gypsii working on an N95 is below:
mardi 11 décembre 2007
Free WiFi Access with Nokia Store
It seems Nokia have done a deal with The Cloud, to give access to over 7,500 WiFi hotspots so users of the Nokia Music store can gain quick access to download their favourite music tracks on the move.
Various locations of WiFi networks offered by The Cloud include McDonalds restaurants, coffee shops and airports. A full location list can be found at The Cloud website.
Source
Press release
Various locations of WiFi networks offered by The Cloud include McDonalds restaurants, coffee shops and airports. A full location list can be found at The Cloud website.
Source
Press release
lundi 10 décembre 2007
Activity Monitor for N95, N82
Nokia have an Activity Monitor available, which monitors your movements whilst running or walking, and charts the activity with real time stats on the phone. Compatibility is currently listed for the N95 and N95 8GB but I have it working fine also on my N82. It counts the number of steps you take, and works out the distance covered and energy used. I tried it out briefly, and it seemed to work well. It is all done by analysing the output from the accelerometer on the phones.
It is warned that the Activity Monitor can be a bit of a battery hog, so beware. It works best when the phone is carried on your belt in a case, or in your pocket, and is less effective if the phone is held in your hand or carried in a bag.
You can download the app from here and more info can be found here
I've taken a few screenshots of the app after briefly testing it out earlier, which you can see below:
It is warned that the Activity Monitor can be a bit of a battery hog, so beware. It works best when the phone is carried on your belt in a case, or in your pocket, and is less effective if the phone is held in your hand or carried in a bag.
You can download the app from here and more info can be found here
I've taken a few screenshots of the app after briefly testing it out earlier, which you can see below:
vendredi 7 décembre 2007
Free App Friday
Thanks to the guys over at Handango, for today only, you can download for free the S60 application, Papyrus. Just click the link here. Papyrus is a calendar program, and one of those apps that work better than the native S60 offering. Similar to the way Profimail is better than the built in email client.
I think it would be great if, maybe some day in the future, Nokia would purchase these apps and integrate them into the S60 setup. Imagine, built in to S60, Profimail as the default email client, Papyrus as the default calendar program, Handy Taskman as the default application switcher, etc, etc.
p.s. Just noticed AAS have picked this up, too.
I think it would be great if, maybe some day in the future, Nokia would purchase these apps and integrate them into the S60 setup. Imagine, built in to S60, Profimail as the default email client, Papyrus as the default calendar program, Handy Taskman as the default application switcher, etc, etc.
p.s. Just noticed AAS have picked this up, too.
mercredi 5 décembre 2007
Nokia acquisition of Avvenu - The Good and the Bad
Not an in depth analysis of the purchase, just a private thought. The good is going to be the integration of Avvenu services to Nokia phones, NSeries in particular for me. The bad, since yesterdays announcement Avvenu is now only available to people in the US. So I have to find another way of accessing PC files remotely. Which kinda sucks, really.
mardi 4 décembre 2007
The WOM World Nokia Quiz Night
The Nokia world event is currently in progress. and the guys from WOMWorld are there with a selection of bloggers, bringing live updates during the next two days.
Tomorrow night, Wednesday 5th December, after the event there is going to be a Nokia themed quiz, with the bloggers being split into three teams as follows:
All About Symbian
Joint Captain: Rafe Blandford
Joint Captain: Ewan Spence
Noel Kennedy (aka kontraband)
Carlo Longino (aka Carlo)
Tarek Abu-Esber (aka TarekAbu-Esber)
Symbian-Freak
Team Captain: Teo Bartulovic (aka Apocalypso)
Martyn Britton (aka Marty3)
Bica Mihai Gabriel(aka Bytales)
Vineeth M Kumar (aka Vinumsv)
Murray Winiata (aka NZtechfreak)
Mobile Burn
Joint Captain Jay Monatano (aka Jose R.A.M)
Joint Captain Ricky (aka Symbian Guru)
Christian Haslam (aka Chaslam)
Michael Onyeyiri (aka MikeUK)
Mohannad Hammadeh (aka zalameh1)
Donna and Frank from WOMWorld will be hosting the event, assisted by Darla Mack and Stefan.
The best bit is, the whole event is going to be streamed, live, using ustream.tv
You should be able to watch via the embedded player below, but as a back up the URL for the event is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nseries-wom-world-nokia-world-quiz
It should be a fun event, kick off time is 19:00 GMT.
Tomorrow night, Wednesday 5th December, after the event there is going to be a Nokia themed quiz, with the bloggers being split into three teams as follows:
All About Symbian
Joint Captain: Rafe Blandford
Joint Captain: Ewan Spence
Noel Kennedy (aka kontraband)
Carlo Longino (aka Carlo)
Tarek Abu-Esber (aka TarekAbu-Esber)
Symbian-Freak
Team Captain: Teo Bartulovic (aka Apocalypso)
Martyn Britton (aka Marty3)
Bica Mihai Gabriel(aka Bytales)
Vineeth M Kumar (aka Vinumsv)
Murray Winiata (aka NZtechfreak)
Mobile Burn
Joint Captain Jay Monatano (aka Jose R.A.M)
Joint Captain Ricky (aka Symbian Guru)
Christian Haslam (aka Chaslam)
Michael Onyeyiri (aka MikeUK)
Mohannad Hammadeh (aka zalameh1)
Donna and Frank from WOMWorld will be hosting the event, assisted by Darla Mack and Stefan.
The best bit is, the whole event is going to be streamed, live, using ustream.tv
You should be able to watch via the embedded player below, but as a back up the URL for the event is http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nseries-wom-world-nokia-world-quiz
It should be a fun event, kick off time is 19:00 GMT.
Nokia acquire Avvenu
Lots of press releases coming out this morning, from the Nokia World event, one in particular caught my eye. Nokia have acquired Avvenu. For those who haven't used Avvenu, I can't recommend it highly enough. On many occasions I have logged in to my home PC using Avvenu, to download various files to the other PC's or onto my phone, via share.avvenu.com. You can store files which can be accessed even when your main PC is switched off, and you can also access your music, via music.avvenu.com I'm eager to see what plans Nokia have for Avvenu. Press release below:
Nokia and Avvenu today announced that they have signed an agreement under which Nokia will acquire Avvenu www.avvenu.com. Avvenu provides Internet services that allow anyone to use their mobile devices to securely access, use and share personal computer files, even if their host computer is turned off. By acquiring Avvenu, Nokia plans to further enhance its portfolio of solutions for mobile operators, as well as deliver a secure file access and share service direct to mobile workers. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and has not yet been completed.
Nokia believes that anytime access to PC content is a missing ingredient to mobile productivity. Smartphone adoption is growing faster than previously estimated and surveys confirm that many people are using mobile devices to view, process, and edit content. Easy access to existing pc content will fuel mobile computing convenience and productivity.
"This acquisition is another step toward delivering on Nokia's business mobility strategy," said Mary McDowell, executive vice president and general manager, Enterprise Solutions, Nokia. "Avvenu's 'digital locker' file access and sharing technology allows users to search, access and share PC files remotely, using their mobile or other connected devices, even when their PC is turned off or not connected to the Internet. With the integration of Avvenu's technology, Nokia will further extend its business mobility solutions beyond email to add collaboration tools that enable greater everyday productivity through access to a user's own content anytime, anywhere, from any connected device."
"We share Nokia's vision of quickly and easily connecting people with their information and content regardless of where they are in the world, and whether their PC is with them or not," said Richard French, CEO, Avvenu. "The combination of our experienced team and our patented technology platform will help realize this vision, while access to Nokia's extensive technology and market resources will accelerate our time to market for new mobile Internet services."
Founded in 2004, Avvenu is a privately-owned start up headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Avvenu will be integrated into Nokia's new Services & Software unit as a part of the company re-organization that will take effect on January 1, 2008.
lundi 3 décembre 2007
Nokia Internet Radio Service Available
Lots of press releases coming from Nokia today, this one in particular caught my eye. Nokia have announced an app for S60v3 phones that will let you listen to internet radio stations on your phone. Definitely one for those with an unlimited data plan or when you are in WiFi coverage. The app can be downloaded from here. Full Press release here:
I've installed the app on my N82 and it seems ok, although in two searches for stations it has found nothing! I'll add some stations manually later and post some screenshots.
Discover and listen to radio shows broadcasted over the internet with the Nokia Internet Radio service now available. The application can be downloaded for free from http://www.nokia.com/internetradio and will also be embedded in upcoming Nokia S60 3rd edition devices.
"Most new music discovery occurs while you're listening to the radio," said Tommi Mustonen, head of the Nokia music business. "By offering the Nokia Internet Radio service on mobile devices, the radio experience becomes more accessible, giving people new ways to find music."
With hundreds of internet radio stations to choose from worldwide, the station directory of Nokia Internet Radio makes music discovery effortless - browsing can be done based on station name, genre, country or language. To find out what hits are hot around the world, hourly updates of the top ten most popular internet radio stations are also available in the station directory. Plus, there is no need to search for your top stations time and again because adding them to the list of 'Favorites' makes them easily accessible.
Moreover, the audio quality is enhanced by selecting appropriate streaming servers that match the speed of the current network connection.
The Nokia Internet Radio application is currently available for download to the following devices: Nokia N82, Nokia N91, Nokia N95 and Nokia N95 8GB. The application is planned to be available later on further devices and will be embedded in selected upcoming Nokia S60 3rd edition devices. Please visit http://www.nokia.com/internetradio for the list of the latest compatible devices.
I've installed the app on my N82 and it seems ok, although in two searches for stations it has found nothing! I'll add some stations manually later and post some screenshots.
vendredi 30 novembre 2007
Another example of why the tech industry and mobile operators don't get along
When you work in consumer electronics, one of the rules that gets drilled into you very early on is that you never do anything to disrupt the holiday selling season. In the US, the month between Thanksgiving and the end of the year can account for three months' worth of sales, if not more. During that time, you don't change prices, you don't alter your ad campaigns, and most of all you don't ever say anything about future products, because that might cause customers to hesitate before making a holiday purchase.
So the CEO of ATT, giving a speech this week in Silicon Valley of all places, says that a 3G version of the iPhone is in the works:
Not only does he spill the beans, but he acknowledges that Apple hasn't announced it and then talks about it anyway (link). The next day the story is carried by the AP, MSNBC, the Times of London, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, the SJ Mercury News (which had the version of the quote above), and 318 other publications according to Google.
In the US, the assessment from a lot of commentators is that this won't have much impact because the iPhone is so popular anyway. Maybe, I guess, although the iPhone isn't sold out, so any loss in sales is still a loss. But in Europe, I think it could be a big problem. iPhone sales there are not going great to begin with, and folks in Europe are generally much more conscious of 3G vs. 2G issues. The acknowledgment that a 3G iPhone is coming could cause a lot of people to hesitate before buying.
If AT&T competed directly with Orange, O2, and T-Mobile Germany, I'd be tempted to speculate that they made the announcement on purpose to hurt the competition. But they don't, so I suspect this is just a case of a CEO who wanted to show that he's not controlled by Steve Jobs but instead demonstrated that he doesn't understand consumer electronics.
So the CEO of ATT, giving a speech this week in Silicon Valley of all places, says that a 3G version of the iPhone is in the works:
"Has Jobs announced that? I don't think he's announced that, but you'll have it next year."
Not only does he spill the beans, but he acknowledges that Apple hasn't announced it and then talks about it anyway (link). The next day the story is carried by the AP, MSNBC, the Times of London, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, the SJ Mercury News (which had the version of the quote above), and 318 other publications according to Google.
In the US, the assessment from a lot of commentators is that this won't have much impact because the iPhone is so popular anyway. Maybe, I guess, although the iPhone isn't sold out, so any loss in sales is still a loss. But in Europe, I think it could be a big problem. iPhone sales there are not going great to begin with, and folks in Europe are generally much more conscious of 3G vs. 2G issues. The acknowledgment that a 3G iPhone is coming could cause a lot of people to hesitate before buying.
If AT&T competed directly with Orange, O2, and T-Mobile Germany, I'd be tempted to speculate that they made the announcement on purpose to hurt the competition. But they don't, so I suspect this is just a case of a CEO who wanted to show that he's not controlled by Steve Jobs but instead demonstrated that he doesn't understand consumer electronics.
N82 Support Pages
Just a very quick post, the N82 support pages are now live on Nokia.com, click here to view
Adding Active Standby Plugins
You can see from the screenshot the standard standby screen, on my N82. There are the 6 Active Standby shortcuts, and three functions listed below, Search, Calendar and WLAN. What I would like to see Nokia incorporate into NSeries and standard S60 phones is the Active Standby plug-ins found on ESeries phones. I really don't see why it can't be included for most phones in a firmware update. The plug-ins allow you to choose which options are listed under the shortcut icons. You can remove all shortcut options under the icons, if you wish, you can add features such as message inbox details, add voicemail alert details, etc. My friend Neil from Mobile Venue has just picked up a Nokia N95 8GB and one of the first things he wanted was to remove the calendar, and search.
I've had a few comments and emails when I posted about this back in March and it is often talked about in forums.
If this is a feature you would like to see added to S60 phones across the board, click on this link and add your voice to the S60 application wishlist. Rate the idea, add a comment, and if enough people show they want this feature, maybe Nokia will implement it for us.
p.s. I saw the theme used in the screenshot here and here. It's now my default theme.
mardi 27 novembre 2007
Questions about Verizon's new "open" attitude
More than half of the traffic to this weblog comes from outside the US, so there are times when I feel obligated (and a little embarrassed) to explain how the mobile market works here. This is one of those moments.
Verizon, the largest US mobile carrier, made headlines in the US today by announcing that by the end of 2008 it's going to make its network available to any device and any application that the user chooses to install (link).
This will seem remarkable to people living in GSM countries where it's normal to choose any device you want. But in the US, it's an unusual idea. Here mobile usage is split between GSM and CDMA. GSM phones have SIM cards, which technically allow you to switch your account to any phone you want. But in practice, almost no users are willing to give up the several hundred dollar subsidy for buying a phone and service plan together, so they only choose phones that come through the operator.
Things are even more restrictive in the CDMA space, where there are no SIM cards. If you buy a Verizon phone, it can only be used with a Verizon account. Same thing for Sprint.
So Verizon's announcement is a nice change, on the face of it. It's also something of a pleasant shock, since Verizon has the reputation of being the most conservative and controlling US operator. But the announcement's actual impact on the market is going to depend on several questions that Verizon hasn't answered yet:
--How will open access be implemented? Verizon says it's going to define a process by which phones can be certified to work on its network. That could be routine or it could turn into a huge barrier to entry. We also don't know how a user's account will be switched between phones. Is Verizon planning to start installing SIM cards in its phones (something that has been done with CDMA in China)? If not, will you have to take the phone to a Verizon store to get it activated? How much will that cost?
Verizon apparently said something about doing activation through a toll-free number, which could be cool.
--How will the service be priced? Verizon's service plans include recovery of the several hundred dollar subsidy for hardware. You pay for the subsidy as part of your monthly bill. Since Verizon doesn't have to recover a subsidy cost on its open access phones, there's about $10 or more a month that it could pass along to consumers in the form of lower bills.
If Verizon doesn't price the open service lower, what happens to the extra money? Does Verizon pocket it? Or will they offer some sort of rebate on purchase of open access phones?
The answer to this one is critical. The US GSM carriers are technically open, but the subsidy prevents significant sales of alternate phones. If Verizon pockets the subsidy money, very few people will take advantage of the open service. The whole thing could turn out to be a PR gesture rather than a genuine change.
But in the hope that Verizon wants it to be more, here's what they ought to do:
--Make the monthly cost of the open plan lower than a traditional service plan, reflecting the absence of a subsidy.
--Make the handset certification process simple and low cost.
--Make it easy for users to switch their account to a new phone (preferably via a SIM card or website or that 800 number, so they don't have to come to a store).
That's an announcement I'd stand up and cheer for.
Impact on the industry
Until we hear the answers to the questions above, it's impossible to guess how impactful this announcement will be. The most important factor may be how the other US operators react. The best result would be if they start competing with each other to see who can make their network more open. If that dynamic takes hold, competitive forces might drive them to really open up even if they don't intend to.
Verizon, the largest US mobile carrier, made headlines in the US today by announcing that by the end of 2008 it's going to make its network available to any device and any application that the user chooses to install (link).
This will seem remarkable to people living in GSM countries where it's normal to choose any device you want. But in the US, it's an unusual idea. Here mobile usage is split between GSM and CDMA. GSM phones have SIM cards, which technically allow you to switch your account to any phone you want. But in practice, almost no users are willing to give up the several hundred dollar subsidy for buying a phone and service plan together, so they only choose phones that come through the operator.
Things are even more restrictive in the CDMA space, where there are no SIM cards. If you buy a Verizon phone, it can only be used with a Verizon account. Same thing for Sprint.
So Verizon's announcement is a nice change, on the face of it. It's also something of a pleasant shock, since Verizon has the reputation of being the most conservative and controlling US operator. But the announcement's actual impact on the market is going to depend on several questions that Verizon hasn't answered yet:
--How will open access be implemented? Verizon says it's going to define a process by which phones can be certified to work on its network. That could be routine or it could turn into a huge barrier to entry. We also don't know how a user's account will be switched between phones. Is Verizon planning to start installing SIM cards in its phones (something that has been done with CDMA in China)? If not, will you have to take the phone to a Verizon store to get it activated? How much will that cost?
Verizon apparently said something about doing activation through a toll-free number, which could be cool.
--How will the service be priced? Verizon's service plans include recovery of the several hundred dollar subsidy for hardware. You pay for the subsidy as part of your monthly bill. Since Verizon doesn't have to recover a subsidy cost on its open access phones, there's about $10 or more a month that it could pass along to consumers in the form of lower bills.
If Verizon doesn't price the open service lower, what happens to the extra money? Does Verizon pocket it? Or will they offer some sort of rebate on purchase of open access phones?
The answer to this one is critical. The US GSM carriers are technically open, but the subsidy prevents significant sales of alternate phones. If Verizon pockets the subsidy money, very few people will take advantage of the open service. The whole thing could turn out to be a PR gesture rather than a genuine change.
But in the hope that Verizon wants it to be more, here's what they ought to do:
--Make the monthly cost of the open plan lower than a traditional service plan, reflecting the absence of a subsidy.
--Make the handset certification process simple and low cost.
--Make it easy for users to switch their account to a new phone (preferably via a SIM card or website or that 800 number, so they don't have to come to a store).
That's an announcement I'd stand up and cheer for.
Impact on the industry
Until we hear the answers to the questions above, it's impossible to guess how impactful this announcement will be. The most important factor may be how the other US operators react. The best result would be if they start competing with each other to see who can make their network more open. If that dynamic takes hold, competitive forces might drive them to really open up even if they don't intend to.
Nokia N95 reaches one million milestone in the UK
Nokia have announced that sales in the UK of their flagship NSeries phone, the N95, have reached the one million mark.
The N95 is one of the most featured smartphones released by Nokia to date, and has regularly topped retail best sellers lists. N95 features include a 5.0 megapixel camera, WiFi, web browser, bespoke multi media keys and built in GPS.
Andrew Connell, head of multimedia, Nokia UK, said:
The N95 is one of the most featured smartphones released by Nokia to date, and has regularly topped retail best sellers lists. N95 features include a 5.0 megapixel camera, WiFi, web browser, bespoke multi media keys and built in GPS.
Andrew Connell, head of multimedia, Nokia UK, said:
"The Nokia N95 has more than lived up to the hype around its launch as one of the must-have gadgets this year – sealed by hitting the one million sales mark."
"The N95 not only looks good, but also packs a punch by delivering on a groundbreaking features set that takes mobile communication to a new level in convergence devices."
lundi 26 novembre 2007
N95 V 2.0 firmware available
Finally, the update all N95 classic owners have been waiting for, V 2.0 firmware is now available for download via the Nokia Software Updater.
Improvements include demand paging, faster operation and new camera software amongst other things.
Check out the AllAboutSymbian page for more info and screenshots.
Improvements include demand paging, faster operation and new camera software amongst other things.
Check out the AllAboutSymbian page for more info and screenshots.
vendredi 23 novembre 2007
Nokia N82 battery performance
Battery performance is key in any phone I use. It is a major reason why I've stuck with the N73 for so long, and my early impressions of the N82 in this regard are very positive.
Norman John over at the Symbian World blog has put his N82 through its paces to see how well his battery stood the test. Click here for the post.
Norman John over at the Symbian World blog has put his N82 through its paces to see how well his battery stood the test. Click here for the post.
GyPSii Mobile client available
GyPSii have announced their S60 mobile client has been approved by Nokia for use on the 6110 navigator and N95.
GyPSii is a geo-location and social networking platform for mobile and internet connected devices. The service is already available for windows mobile devices and now includes Symbian support.
Visit www.gypsii.com to download the mobile client.
Source
GyPSii is a geo-location and social networking platform for mobile and internet connected devices. The service is already available for windows mobile devices and now includes Symbian support.
Visit www.gypsii.com to download the mobile client.
Source
jeudi 22 novembre 2007
Nokia N82 V Nokia N73 Camera test
A couple of posts down I showed some images comparing the camera of the Nokia N82 with the Sony Ericsson K850i. In the comments someone asked for some comparisons between the N82 and the N73, so here we are. Personally I think the N73 holds its own with the N82 much better than the K850i did. All the images are posted here on Flickr, with all EXIF data, if anyone is interested. Click on the images to see them in full size:
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
The following two pictures are taken in macro:
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
The next two pictures were taken indoors, with the flash on:
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
These last two pictures were taken indoors, without flash:
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
What do you think? From my point of view, there's not a lot in it. So, camera wise, the N73 seems to hold its own. But add in all the other things the N82 offers, such as camera speed (The N73 is painfully slow to load the camera in comparison) menu browsing speed, the fact that the N82 is S60v3FP1, the N82 has the motion sensor, WiFi, GPS, etc the N82 pulls away. Add in to that the battery is as good as the N73, and I really can't see a reason not to upgrade.
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
The following two pictures are taken in macro:
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
The next two pictures were taken indoors, with the flash on:
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
These last two pictures were taken indoors, without flash:
Nokia N73
Nokia N82
What do you think? From my point of view, there's not a lot in it. So, camera wise, the N73 seems to hold its own. But add in all the other things the N82 offers, such as camera speed (The N73 is painfully slow to load the camera in comparison) menu browsing speed, the fact that the N82 is S60v3FP1, the N82 has the motion sensor, WiFi, GPS, etc the N82 pulls away. Add in to that the battery is as good as the N73, and I really can't see a reason not to upgrade.
New firmware available for N95 8GB
Reported by Steve over on AAS there is new firmware listed for the N95 8GB through the Nokia software update service, taking the firmware version to 11.0.026
Check the thread out for comments from people once they've updated.
Check the thread out for comments from people once they've updated.
mercredi 21 novembre 2007
NSeries PC Suite is back
I posted a while ago when the NSeries PC suite was first released, which was of course a beta release. After lots of feedback from various bloggers, the PC Suite was pulled so suggested improvements could be made. After all, the whole point of a beta release is to allow people to try an admittedly non finished product, and to get feedback on what improvements people suggest. In this regard, Nokia are way ahead of the competition. They have an extensive online presence, they talk to people who are passionate about their product and they do listen to feedback.
Anyway, the PC Suite can be downloaded here, you can tell Nokia what you think by leaving a comment on Tommi's blog here and over at AllAboutSymbian you can read about the new release with screenshots too.
Anyway, the PC Suite can be downloaded here, you can tell Nokia what you think by leaving a comment on Tommi's blog here and over at AllAboutSymbian you can read about the new release with screenshots too.
mardi 20 novembre 2007
Nokia N82 v Sony Ericsson K850i
Below are a few sample pics, taken on the Nokia N82 and the Sony Ericsson K850i. Both phones have a 5.0 megapixel camera, with auto focus, and a Xenon flash. The Nokia Also has a Carl Zeiss Lens. Click on the images to see them in full size. Which do you prefer?
This picture was taken on macro mode:
Nokia N82
SE K850i
The next two pictures are taken on standard setting:
Nokia N82
SE K850i
Nokia N82
SE K850i
I think the results are clear enough. Chalk another one up for the Nokia N82.
Edit: After reading through the comments it seems the EXIF data isn't showing for these pictures, and also the picture size isn't what would be expected from a 5.0 megapixel camera. So, I've uploaded the images to Flickr, where all EXIF data is available and image properties show properly.
Click here to access the Flickr set.
This picture was taken on macro mode:
Nokia N82
SE K850i
The next two pictures are taken on standard setting:
Nokia N82
SE K850i
Nokia N82
SE K850i
I think the results are clear enough. Chalk another one up for the Nokia N82.
Edit: After reading through the comments it seems the EXIF data isn't showing for these pictures, and also the picture size isn't what would be expected from a 5.0 megapixel camera. So, I've uploaded the images to Flickr, where all EXIF data is available and image properties show properly.
Click here to access the Flickr set.
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