Symbian Addict

Nokia N97 Launching In June! Find It At These Online Retailers

2009-06-02T00:43:00.001-07:00

While the wait was long and hard (has it really been six months already?), Nokia has officially come out and stated in a press release that the N97 will be on sale in June (in over 75 countries). While this is still vague, it is a lot better than what was originally speculated which was a July release. Although there isn't a set date it is safe to say that we should start seeing handsets in customer hands sometime around the 25th. This is assuming that the date Amazon had on its site was correct. Now lucky owners can count the days down as June has just started. Lucky for us June only has 30 days! If you haven't had a chance to preorder or were holding out take a look at these retailers.

NokiaUSA.com - priced at $699.99 + shipping (includes free BT headset)

Amazon.com - priced at $603.99 + free shipping

For those looking to wait a bit I recommend check out SNTraderOnline. They are quoting a price of around $550.00 and should have it the third week of June.

Check out this video below of the N97 being assembled at the plant. Proof it's ready to ship...

Will It Be Something Special? What Is Going To "Make" The Nokia N97

2009-05-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

While summer is fast approaching two highly anticipated S60 5th edition devices come closer to being released, Nokia’s N97 and Samsung’s OmniaHD. Both considered to be each respective companies high-end/flagship device for 2009. While both are high-end devices some argue that the N97 is NOT worthy of such a title. Turning back to December when Nokia broke news of its “best kept secret” flagship device at Nokia World 2008, there was much excitement. Not only had Nokia created a powerful N-series device with a qwerty keyboard, but it also added a touch screen! This phone quickly came to be regarded as the true successor to the highly acclaimed N95. When the dust had settled after the initial announcement it was clear that some if not most of the features were similar to previous N-series devices. What had seemed impressive upon initial release was quickly overshadowed by what its competitors would release at MWC 2009.

MWC 09 took place and another S60 5th edition device was announced, the Samsung OmniaHD. This handset would quickly set the benchmark for what a top end handset should have in 2009. The OmniaHD has a large AMOLED 3.7” screen with capacitive touch screen capability, 8MP camera with HD video recording (720p), and HMDI output. Incredible specifications, and something genuinely to get excited about. This left many Nokia fans with a bad taste in their mouths. The questions started to arise. Why did Nokia chose 5MP over 8MP? Why did they use a 4xxmhz processor vs a 600mhz? AMOLED vs LCD? and so on. Although I am also concerned as to why the N97 doesn't pack these amazing features, I trust that Nokia has focused its time elsewhere. The hardware in the N97 is older but by no means dated. Also being able to work with the same hardware for nearly two years should allow for precision tweaks and improvements. This brings the question, what does the Nokia N97 have over the Samsung Omnia HD? What is Nokia counting on to make the N97 the dominant S60 5th edition device this summer? The answer is software. They both run on the same OS but have different additions. While the OmniaHD will offer its TouchWiz3d. The Nokia N97 will offer a customizable front page with internet/active widgets. Nokia has spent a large part of its demonstrations showing off the new home screen widgets. Nokia will also be opening its new OVI store which is rumored to launch with 20,000 items (applications, wallpapers, songs, etc).

While it is yet to be seen whether the software will be amazing/useful/smooth, most demonstrations of the live widgets have looked smooth with minor lag (which can be seen on YouTube). While we wont be sure if the lag will be present in production models we can only hope that Nokia has thoroughly tested its hardware configuration and has a excellent staff that can create a wonderful experience for us when the N97 is available for purchase. While the N97 isn't a hardware beast it may just be time to rethink what an N-series device is. Many still have their N95 because the many firmware updates have allowed the device to grow into a “perfect” device. Maybe this is a new generation of N-series device, one that will make sure that the user is happy not by having state of the art hardware, but having good hardware and great software.

Timi Cantisano is a long time mobile phone user and S60/Nokia fan. You can read more of his articles at his personal phone website called Phoneomenon.com. Keep checking back for more contributions to this site by Timi.

5800 XpressMusic Gets Some Email App Love: Nokia Messaging Available At Beta Labs

2009-04-23T08:43:00.001-07:00

I’m seeing more and more S60 5th edition apps become available which is great news for Nokia 5800 users. Over the next few weeks I’ll be reviewing a handful of 5th Edition applications for the Nokia 97 and 5800 since I’ll have hands on experience. I recently got the Nokia 5800XM NAM. And not the red or blue version – but the black version with silver trim. Very slick! For people on the fence about the Nokia 5800 now is a good time to take the plunge. You can buy it from Amazon right now for $301. Not a bad deal for such an advanced device.

A month ago to this day I showed you an exclusive sneak preview of Nokia Messaging for the 5800. If you’re not familiar with Nokia Messaging it’s Nokia’s new email solution, and I must say it has been working very well on my E71 and N82 combo. The version I reviewed last month for the 5800 was an early alpha with a few quarks here and there. Not more problems than I’d expect from an alpha.

Since then the fellas developing Nokia Messaging have been hard at work fine tuning the application. It’s now available for anyone to try and give feedback at Beta Labs. Email is very important to me and most people so getting this application right is a priority for the development team.

Nokia Messaging makes mobile email easy and mobilizes consumer email across a range of Nokia devices. Nokia Messaging enables users to quickly set up, access, and use their email on their Nokia devices through a service that is optimized for mobile email.

The final release for the Xpress Music 5800 will be coming in May via the Nokia Messaging site. Before that, we'd love to hear if you encounter any issues, or if there are ways in which you would like us to improve the S60 5.0 client.

Known Issues with the S60 5th Edition client

HTML support is coming in a future release.
You many encounter a few quirks involving jumping between mailboxes, please note anything you find in the support forums

If you have anymore issues or suggestions be sure to leave them your feedback. Remember…beta means it’s there for you to test out. It’s not the final version. Try it on your Nokia 5800 and let us know what you think.

Click here to learn more and get started at Nokia Beta Labs.

Nokia 5800 Touch Me Demonstration: Now This Is Smart Advertising

2009-04-03T11:33:00.001-07:00

It's no secret that times are getting tough. Companies are already tightening their belts, looking for ways to market their products in creative ways while being cost effective. Companies like RIM and Apple are spending millions on TV ads, while it seems Nokia spends virtually nothing to advertise S60 products in the North American market. You won't find a radio ad or tv commercial. Once in awhile you'll see a newspaper spot, but not often. Apple does a great job of presenting their product and showing how it works in a real life situation. Most of their commercials are simply demonstrations of how each application works.

The folks over at Nokia Conversations posted an article showing off a gigantic four foot flat panel screen resembling the Nokia 5800. It's placed outside a Nokia Store in Belguim, right on the corner of a busy street. You can walk up and touch the screen, trying out the basic features of the phone like the photo gallery, music player, and maps.

Check out the video below showing people trying this out...

Now I know this is nothing new but why doesn't Nokia put something like this out side the North American Nokia stores? I think it would be a great hit.

“Bypassers can control the mobile phone by touching the glass. Create Multimedia developed a Flash application similar to the phone’s interface. You can listen to music, look at maps, browse video’s, photo’s… The hardware we used was an iWindow Interactive foil combined with their unique daylight technology. This gave an awesome result even in bright sunlight. We also use the iWindow through glass sound system to play music on the street.”

For more information check out this article at Nokia Conversations.

Problems With Nokia Messaging? Try These Troubleshooting Tips

2009-04-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Nokia released an update to their Nokia Messaging application (email.nokia.com), bringing support for Windows Live Hotmail and HTML email to S60 Nokia devices. Along with the announcement came word that the Nokia 5800 will soon be compatible. I got my hands on the pre-release version of Nokia Messaging for the 5800 if you're interested in seeing the screenshots. It's still a little buggy but it's coming along nicely. Even with these announced updates to Nokia Messaging many people are still having problems getting their email set up properly.

Check out the follow tips from the Nokia Messaging team...

Trouble Logging In

If you're having trouble logging in, remember that your Nokia Messaging username and password are the same as the email address and email address password that you used to sign up for Nokia Messaging with.

Setting Up IMAP Folders

In order to sync your IMAP subfolders, Log into your account on email.nokia.com, and select the Edit settings link next to an email address for which you would like to sync additional folders.

Where To Get Nokia Messaging

Depending on the model and/or firmware version of your Nokia device, you may have Nokia Messaging preloaded on your device. If you are in a country where Nokia Messaging is available, the E-Mail setup application on your phone will setup your email address within Nokia Messaging. As an alternative, you can sign up for Nokia Messaging at email.nokia.com. You can also download it from your mobile browser.

Problems Syncing

Check the "sync while roaming" setting if you are experiencing connection problems.

HTML Support

Nokia Messaging handles rich formatted text and lighter HTML-formatted emails very well. Within some larger messages, you may notice some irregular scrolling and selecting behavior. We will continue to work on improving HTML rendering in the future.

How To Edit Advanced Settings Of Nokia Messaging

You can now edit your email settings: while signing up for a Nokia Messaging account, you are now able to include the outgoing mail server as part of advanced settings. Users with a Nokia Messaging account are now able to edit their email server settings from the My Account page. This will be helpful if you are experiencing difficulty sending or receiving emails, or feel like your email provider settings were not discovered correctly.

Personally I haven't had any problems with Gmail or Mail on Ovi accounts in the past few weeks. But from reading many comments around the internet like these from E71Fanatics.com it seems like it's a hit or miss.

For more discussion and troubleshooting help you can visit the Nokia Support Forums.

Hope this helps everybody out!

NEW! Nokia 5800 Photo Browser Brings Eye Candy To Symbian S60 - One Of The Nicest I've Seen

2009-03-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

Nokia Beta Labs just released a new Photo Browser for the Nokia 5800. When I say "one of the nicest I've seen", I'm talking about on ANY mobile device, not just S60 Nokia phones. When I first read this news over at Symbian-Guru.com I was ecstatic as Nokia Beta Labs has been really pushing out some cool new S60 applications lately.

Nokia Photo Browser includes a new facial recognition technology. If there are a few people in the picture you can touch their face and the application zooms in on that person. You can then move the picture around to view other faces in the photo. Scrolling through thumbnails is extremely intuitive and fast - bringing more "eye candy" to the S60 5th Edition, something that is really needed.

Check out the video demonstration released by Labs...

According to Mika from Beta Labs...

Nokia Photo Browser is still prototype application and it has some limitations. We are developing new features and improving the usability continuously. If you have Nokia S60 5.0 phone with touch screen like Nokia XpressMusic 5800, give us feed back how we can further develop Photo Browser application. If you don’t have touch screen device yet, wait for a moment. We will release Photo Browser also for Series 60 3.x products soon.

Nokia Photo Browser will also work for the upcoming Nokia N97. I'm hoping this application entirely replaces the built in photo gallery. Support for S60 3rd Edition devices like the Nokia E71 and N85 is coming soon.

I haven't got a chance to try this out yet, but I'll install it on my fiance's 5800 tonight and let you guys know any gripes I might have. So far a big thumbs up to Nokia for getting us something pretty to show off and at the same time keeping the usability factor. Hopefully we'll continue seeing more applications like this in the near future.

Click here to download Nokia Photo Browser.

Sneak Preview: Nokia Messaging For Nokia 5800 & S60 5th Edition Devices

2009-03-23T09:32:00.001-07:00

As you all know I've been reviewing the Nokia 5800 for a few weeks now. One of the major reasons I haven't been extremely happy with the 5800 was the lack of Nokia Messaging, you know - the email client that Nokia has been working on, originally called Nokia Email. Having email on my mobile device is extremely important to me, and th build in 5800 email application just wasn't cutting it. Nokia Messaging is used on my Nokia E71 and N82 for all my Gmail and Ovi mail needs. Over the weekend I got my grubby hands on an alpha version of the Nokia Messaging application that the developers are currently working on for S60 5th edition devices like the Nokia 5800. So far the application is extremely stable and my email is being sent to my phone immediately, sometimes even faster than it hits the inbox on my PC.

Check out the screenshots and details…

Welcome Screen: All you need to do is input your email address and password. Nokia Messaging takes care of the rest. It managed to set up my Gmail and Ovi inbox without any problems.

Inbox: Below is a preview of how my inbox looks. You can see the Gmail logo in the top left. If you have other accounts set up like Yahoo, Ovi, etc. you just click that icon and it will list your other inboxes. Tap the Inbox icon in the top row and it will show you the other folders like Trash, Sent, and your IMAP folders. Tap the Date icon and you can also sort by Subject, Sender, Flag, Priority, Unread, and Attachments. At the bottom you can reply/forward, delete, and compose. To scroll through the list you can either drag the bar on the right side or put your finger anywhere on the message list and move it up and down. I prefer the second method as it works very well.

Message: Here is what it looks like when you view a specific message. In the row of buttons on the bottom you can choose to reply/forward, delete, and flag your message. In the options menu you can mark unread, move, select text, call sender, and compose.

Compose: This is where you compose or reply to a message. The icons at the right allow you to send, attach, and add priority to your message. unfortunately I couldn’t get a screenshot of this in portrait view, the screenshot app will not let me. So here it is in landscape…

Landscape Mode: As you see above Nokia Messaging also works great in landscape mode.

Extra Notes:

There are a few other notes that I’d like to mention before wrapping up this post. There is a Touch And Hold gesture that works when you highlight an email and hold your finger on the screen. A menu comes up with the following actions: Delete, Reply, Reply All, Forward, Mark Unread, Flag, and Move. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a screenshot of this because the screenshot application won’t capture it. This feature needs a little more work since it sometimes doesn’t bring up this shortcut menu, instead it thinks my finger is trying to scroll. This actually happens across the board. Sometimes when trying to open a specific message by tapping it, the application thinks I’m scrolling and just moves the inbox up and down. I’m sure this will be worked out when the first beta version is released, keep in mind my version is still alpha.

Before you ask - HTML is still not implemented in this version. I can assure you that the developers are working around the clock to bring this functionality. UI design is also being polished, and home screen integration is on the to-do list.

Slightly Off Topic: For all other version of Nokia Messaging: HTML support is “coming soon”. I’ll let you know a soon as it’s available.

If you have any questions about Nokia Messaging for the 5800 feel free to ask! If you haven't tried out Nokia Messaging and you have a device other than the 5800 get it from http://email.nokia.com

Deal Alert: Nokia 5800 NAM On Sale For $396.49, N85 Nam $379.99

2009-03-22T01:43:00.000-07:00

I was just browsing around Amazon.com and noticed that the Nokia N85 NAM and Nokia 5800 NAM versions are now available at discounted rates.

Nokia 5800 North American 3g Version $396.49

This has to be one of the hottest deals on the net right now. I've been using the Nokia 5800 for about a month now and so far the experience with Nokia's first S60 touch device has been very good.

This unlocked cell phone is compatible with GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. Not all carrier features may be supported. It will not work with CDMA carriers like Verizon Wireless, Alltel and Sprint.
Unlocked quad-band GSM cell phone compatible with 850/900/1800/1900 frequencies and US 3G compatibility via 850/1900 UMTS/HSDPA plus GPRS/EDGE data capabilities
Touchscreen multimedia phone with included 8 GB MicroSD card (expandable to 16 GB); 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder; Bluetooth stereo music; Wi-Fi connectivity; GPS for turn-by-turn directions
Up to 4.2 hours of talk time, up to 336 hours (14 days) of standby time
What's in the Box: Handset, 8 GB MicroSD card, battery, charger, music headset, connectivity cable, video out cable, stylus, stand, user guide, quick start guide

Click here to see the deal.

Nokia N85 NAM for $379.99

As you can see, the regular price is $429. After an ~~instant~~ rebate the Nokia N85 comes to $379.99. This is the N85 version that works with North American 3g band on the AT&T network. Update: The rebate is a $50 rebate that must be mailed in or filled out online. Find the details under the "Rebates" area below the details in the image above.

Short description:

Unlocked quad-band GSM cell phone compatible with 850/900/1800/1900 | 900/1800/1900 frequencies and US/International 3G compatibility via 850/1900/2100 UMTS/HSDPA plus EDGE data capabilities
5-megapixel digital camera with Carl Zeiss Optics; DVD-quality video capture (640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps)
Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g); A-GPS for navigation with Nokia Maps app; Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity for both handsfree communication and stereo music streaming
2.6-inch OLED screen; 2-way slider design reveals keypad on one side and media controls on other
Up to 6.9 hours of talk time, up to 360 hours (15 days) of standby time

Click here to see the deal.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. Stay tuned for more articles soon to come.

Nokia 5800 Review: Text Input – So Many Options, T9 Still My Thing

2009-03-20T00:52:00.001-07:00

Nokia 5800 QWERTY Text Input

After using the Nokia 5800 for about a month I can honestly say that I’m not too happy with the qwerty text input. It’s not that it’s poorly implemented on Nokia’s first S60 touch smartphone – I have just come to the conclusion that I don’t like typing on a completely flat surface. Why? Because it requires my full attention and constant brain power just to make sure I hit the right letters. It’s not that I’m looking at it and the wrong keys are being pressed. That’s not the issue here. The problem is I’m so used to the raised keys on both the E71 and N82, so I don’t have to concentrate on typing. I’m a master at no-look texting when I’m in a hurry. Kind of like how Kobe throws a pass while faking out the D-man with his eyes and shoulders. On top of this, I’m not 100% comfortable with QWERTY keyboards – period. Even the Nokia E71 leaves me unhappy at times. I was raised on a T9 style keypad, and I don’t think I’ll ever be entirely comfortable without one. On the other hand, my fiancé loves the qwerty text input of the Nokia 5800 and has no problems with it at all. She prefers a qwerty device, so this is a plus for her. She doesn’t mind concentrating on the screen while typing. Turning the touch vibration settings up to 3 really helps give you that feedback you get when you push a real button as well. So to conclude my thoughts on the qwerty method of the 5800 – I’m biased towards T9. Keep that in mind, and take it with a grain of salt if qwerty is your thing.

Nokia 5800 T9 Text Input

This method really hits the spot for me when it comes to pounding out short text messages. The numbers and letters are laid out just like a standard T9 keypad so I’m already loving that part. As you can see in the picture the buttons are extremely large, making it easy to type and without much effort. After a few days of using T9 on the 5800 you get used to where the buttons are at. I’m typing just as fast as I do on my Nokia N82, the only difference is I need to make sure to look a little bit more closely at what I’m typing to make sure there are no errors. Once again, turning the touch screen vibration setting to level 3 drastically improves the texting experience on the 5800. So far this is my favorite way to type.

Nokia 5800 Handwriting Text Input

This is perhaps one of the most interesting text input methods that the Symbian developers have come up with for S60 5th Edition. Using the stylus pen that comes with the device you can write out your message letter by letter, word by word. Using the calibration the 5800 can be “taught” your handwriting style making this input method very good for when you don’t feel like using your fingers. I find this method faster than qwerty, but slower than T9. That red box you see in the picture is where you write. If you can fit a whole word on there, then go for it. Or you can go letter by letter too. To make a space draw a dash from left to right. To backspace you draw a dash right to left. I’ve written very fast and sloppy and it seems that it’s about 90% accurate. If you teach it good and learn to trust it, this method can be very useful. With that said, I only use this method when I have time to pull out the stylus (which is stored hidden away within the phone) and have a long, thought out message to write.

Nokia 5800 Mini-QWERTY Text Input

This last method is just silly to me. I’ve only used it once, just to try it. It’s not worth it because the boxes are so tiny. I won’t even waste my time taking a picture of this. The mini-qwerty text input method can only be used with the stylus pen since the letters are so damn tiny.

Conclusion

As you’ve read, T9 is my favorite way to type on the Nokia 5800. But for other people like my fiancé and her friends, QWERTY works just fine. It all depends on taste, and again it’s not a matter of the implementation being bad – I simply can’t get used to it typing on a full keyboard style format. I’d rather have real buttons to type, and a touch screen for everything else. Does that ring a bell? Gosh I can’t wait to get my hands on Nokia N97.

If you have any questions about text input let me know. If you have any questions you’d like answered in my next article about a different 5800 topic – Just Ask!

Nokia 5800 Firmware Update - Now At Version 20.0.012

2009-03-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

The only Symbian S60 touchscreen phone - the Nokia 5800, just receieved a significant firmware update. I've been using this phone for a few weeks now and my main complaint is the typing, especially in qwerty mode. My fiance has no problem typing, but my (not extremely large) fingers seem to keep hitting the wrong letters. T9 input is still my favorite, probably because I'm used to it the most coming from the N82. Thankfully it seems touch-screen input has been enhanced, along with a few other improvements...

This software release speeds up your phone with faster touch-screen input. In addition, this update brings faster internet data download times and new camcorder features such as second camera support allowing users to take multiple pictures one after another without needing to repress the picture taking button. Also included is "Geo-tagging", enabling you to add location information to your pictures. Other improvements include: improved e-mail experience, Application Updates feature and better in-device search experience. This software release is available through the Nokia Software Updater: www.nokia.com/softwareupdates.

I haven't forgot about the rest of my Nokia 5800 review. I'm still going to compare the 5800 to the Nokia N82, E71, and N97. I'm also going to write about the typing input, web browsing, and AMAZING music experience.

Do you have the Nokia 5800? Have you updated to the latest firmware version 20.0.012? If so, let us know your thoughts!

Nokia 5800 Review: Home Screen Has More Usability, I've Changed The Way I Use It

2009-02-09T20:45:00.000-08:00

I've had my hands on the Nokia 5800 for a few days now and have gotten a ton of use out of it as my main device. Like I said in my previous article about the 5800 I've never used a touchscreen device before so this is turning out to be an extremely interesting experiment. It turns out that I've approached the way I use the home screen in entire different way then on my N82 or E71. This wasn't on purpose, just the way it works out because of a few likes and dislikes of the 5800 home screen.

Home Screen Themes

First off I'll show you the different home screen options that Symbian S60 5th Edition gives us. In the settings they are called Home Screen Themes.

Shortcuts Bar:

This is the same active standby home screen you get with S60 3rd edition phones like the N82, N95, etc. You can choose four shortcuts across the top and your calendar entries, music playback, and search are shown. I was pretty bummed to see only four shortcuts and such small calendar entry fonts. Seems like a huge waste of real estate with the enormous screen.

Contacts Bar:

This is like your "Fav-5" that T-Mobile has. You choose four of your favorite contacts to be show on the home screen. When you click on one you get the latest contact information you've had with them including calls, emails, texts, and their rss feeds. I like the idea and gave it a try, but just didn't find it useful to me.

Basic:

Just a plain and simple background. No shortcuts, calendar entries or notifications of any kind. Cool thing is you can choose an image and it will fill up the entire screen, unlike S60 3rd Edition which cuts off the image and looks awkward. I'm so thankful for this new full screen wallpaper on the 5800. Keep in mind you can also set a full screen wallpaper for the other two home screen options.

Hidden Shortcuts

With that said, the new S60 touch interface features a few hidden shortcuts that are very handy. These shortcuts are only made possible because of touch screen.

Tap the battery signal area:

As you can see you get a pop-out in the top right corner of the screen. It gives you the time, connection status, and new message notifications. Touch the time and it takes you to the alarm. Touch the message icon and it takes you to the new message or dials voicemail. Touch the connectivity and you got to the Connectivity application which controls the Network, WLAN, Bluetooth, USB, and all other connections. If you're bluetooth or WLAN is ON, it the pop-out will show the proper icons. Say you click the bluetooth icon, it takes you to the bluetooth settings. Very handy all around.

Touch the date or profile area:

A pop-out opens allowing you to go to your calendar application or change the current profile. I especially love the calendar shortcut.

Touch the time:

No need for an image here since there is no pop-out. If you touch the clock in the upper left corner you're taken to the clock application where you can modify the time, check world clocks, and set alarms. Another great shortcut.

Media Shortcuts Bar

Yet another set of shortcuts media bar. The actual touch button isn't on the screen, but right above it on the right side next to the XpressMusic label. Touch it and you get the following pop-out:

Here you can access the Music Player, Gallery, Share Online, Video Center, and the Web Browser. I've found this to be one of the most useful shortcut tools I've ever used on a mobile device. It would be even better if we can customize it, but right now it's not possible.

Summing Up All The Shorcuts, Not Including The Home Screen Themes

So just how many shortcuts do you get when just using the Basic home screen theme? Let's go back over it...

Music Player, Share Online, Video Center, Gallery, Web Browser, Clock, Connectivity options, Message/Voicemail Notifications, Calendar, Profiles, Clock/Alarm application, and Contacts.

I counted 12.

The Way I use The Home screen - Completely different

I didn't expect this to happen, but it has. I don't use the home screen as active standby any longer. No need for the shortcuts bar, search, music playback info,or latest calendar entries. The Basic home screen theme is what I have chosen to use which is completely different than my usage with my N82 and E71. Those 12 shortcuts that are still usable with the basic home screen theme and it's plenty for me. Having the ability to now use a photo as a full screen wallpaper - like I said earlier, is great. I love being greeting with my wallpaper of choice every time I unlock the device.

"What about your all your favorite application shortcuts?", you might ask. This is what I'll cover in the next article. The 5th edition menu is slightly more versatile than the 3rd edition menu, giving me more flexibility.

Stay tuned in a few days for the next segment of my Nokia 5800 review. Once again, let me know if you have any questions. I'll be answering questions from this and my previous article in the next part.

The Unloader Site to Destroy Those Boring Documents That You Have

2009-02-06T16:04:00.000-08:00

The E71 that I received came with a document cut out and an adhesive tape as seen in the picture above. Of course, the tape screams to reform the pieces so i tried to do the "puzzle". And here's the final result (i did not continue until the end):

It's a manually unloaded document, to support the E71/E66 Campaign, The Unloader. This post is sooooo late and you might already know about it since the said campaign started monthssss before but I did not paid any attention to it. This time, I got really curious and gave it a shot. .

...

And it's fun!

Basically, the site helps you get rid of those boring work-related documents that you may have by unloading it digitally. Through a generated video, you can choose to burn them in flames, shred them to pieces or dip them in some tar and feathers. It may sound "boring" as well but what makes it enjoyable is that, you can actually see the uploaded document being unloaded on the video..

Try it during your free time, stretch out from work and have fun with those weary office documents. Unloading a document will also aid the planet, since Nokia will plant a tree in Brazil for every 100 document unloaded.

Now that's more than a good reason to destroy those boring documents that you do have!

Nokia 5800 In The House! Will It Out-Muscle My Workhorse N82?

2009-02-05T18:02:00.000-08:00

I'm FINALLY getting my grubby hands on the Nokia 5800 - the first S60 touchscreen device. The device is sitting on my doorstep waiting for me to come home and unbox it. Now before you read ANY of my thoughts on the 5800, know this... I have never used the Apple iPhone for more than five minutes. I have never been interested in touchscreen devices, despite the huge craze that has surrounded the technology ever since Apple exploded onto the scene. So my thoughts on this hot new device won't be comparing it to the iPhone - not one bit. Instead I will be putting it up against my oh so trusty N82 - my favorite S60 phone ever.

What I'm Excited About:

- Trying touchscreen for more than five minutes for the first time ever.
- Enjoying S60 on a HUGE, high resolution screen.
- The amazing music quality I've heard so much about. I have a 16gb card to make this the ultimate music device.
- Symbian S60 5th edition.
- The new contacts bar.
- The guitar pick (cheesy, but I'm a musician at heart).
- Trying out the camera (double LED vs single LED)
- Last but not least, all the attention it will get. When I WOM about Nokia & S60, the first question I get is, you know... Ooooh - is that touchscreen? YES!

What I'm Bummed About:

- Not having real buttons (maybe I will feel differently after a few weeks).
- Not having Xenon flash.
- Not having a huge 1500mah batter (my E71 I use during busy work days).
- Digging around the internet for 5th edition applications (maybe it won't be so hard).
- Still no Nokia Messaging support.

With that said, I'm very excited to pop in the sim card tonight and fire up Nokia's latest and greatest.

The review will come in stages, with many screenshots, photos, and comparisons.

Stay Tuned! And if you have any "warm up" questions you'd like me to answer, leave them below.

A Huge Nokia Fan - Aaron, His Proper Introduction

2009-02-05T17:53:00.000-08:00

Aaron has been writing on this blog for a few months now. I've never properly introduced him to all of you, a big whopping OOOOPS!on my part. I thought I did, but looking back through the archive it hasn't happened. Sorry dude! So far he's reviewed the N95, E66, and right now the Nokia E71.

Welcome, Aaron.

Aaron Vergara, Writer
contact: avergara08@gmail.com
Articles

Introduction:

Just a regular guy, 22 years old, from the Philippines. Currently, I’m a Computer Programmer and Analyst on an offshore software company here in Batangas.

I had early interest on electronic devices since I was 6 (if I remember it correctly). That time, I was into digital watches (setting date and time, alarms was really fun ^^) and brick games, lol. Then came cartridge games (family computer), nintendo stuffs (game boy) etc. To cut the story short, I was really into gaming. Still a gamer today but not that much (I think). I am currently hooked on online and network games (DOTA! Rules). Thankfully, I’ve never thought of spending hard cash on PlayStation, xbox and other gaming consoles, though I know how cool games can get there.

School days were fun. I hate geography though. Loved computer subjects in contrast. I also enjoyed musical instruments; guitar, flute, piano etc.

The first mobile device that made my eyes go green is the Nokia 5110. I was in high school, it was my classmate’s. Cool she was then when she raises her phone to get better signal reception, but now, do that and look absurd ^^. Snake was indeed an addicting game.

I was in college, freshman, when I had my own phone, the Nokia 3315. After 3 years with this sturdy device (oh god, feels like forever), I can never be happier when I bought the Nokia 5300. That’s the first buy I did when I got my first job as an IT Instructor. Certainly a great phone it is. I did not sleep that day when I bought it, I spent the whole night, playing with the phone, trying everything possible and reading the manual. And the following days were all about camera, games and application downloads. I am all over the phone and did not stop hailing the s40 platform until I find some weaknesses and its limitations.

Just a few months after, I found myself in search for a phone that sports a better camera and video capabilities. I learned about s60, and before Christmas of 2007, I met and fell in love (deeply) with the Nokia N82. Though the price exceeded my budget (for a Nokia 5610, which I originally planned to buy), all I was thinking was to get my hands on this superb device.

Now I can’t imagine myself without my N82. Thanks to Mike, who gave me the chance to share my experiences with the phone thru his blog.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading.

Underrated - Nokia E71 Camera Samples

2009-02-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

Being spoiled by the imaging capabilities of my Nokia N82, I was not really looking forward to see "satisfactory" output from the E71's 3.2mp camera. Also, having trialled the E66 before which sports the same camera specs, I was not impressed with it so I thought the E71 would just be in the same level.

But last month changed the way I perceive the E71's camera. Me and two of my friends have agreed (while we're at it) to visit Manila Zoo and (like a child) I was excited to take pictures. But shoot! I forgot to bring my N82. I was really comfortable using the E71 that I failed to remember bringing my N82 for that picture-hungry trip. So I just took pictures with the E71 instead of going home without having my own set of shots.

I did not took many pictures, as I was thinking the output quality will not be good enough for me. But when i transferred the pictures and reviewed them on my pc, I was very regretful. The result may not be N82-grade but they are more than acceptable, especially those that were taken in great lighting conditions. Here are a few samples:

I was really disappointed that I did not take as many pictures as I could. Evidently, I underestimated the E71 for its potential in imaging department. I'll know better next time :D

Nokia E71 Review: Superb Build Quality and Reliability

2009-02-03T05:30:00.000-08:00

I was excited when I received an E71 from the good guys of womworld last month. From several blogs and forums I frequent, almost every praise you will hear about this device usually revolves around it's excellent build quality. They say the body is rock solid. Zero creaks. Great keypad. And so on.. So I had high expectations.

After using the E71 for 2 weeks now, I must say that the build quality is, as they say, top of the line. Every good things people say about it is true, and they were not exaggerating. One will truly appreciate the overall feel of this device once he gets the chance to have it for everyday use. I'm loving it, and the experience just gets better as days pass by.

During the first week i had with the E66 and the N95 8gb, I noticed a few moving parts coupled with minimal creaks. Especially when you try to look for them. But this is not the case on the E71. After weeks of use, it's still as solid as when I took it out from the box.

The device is surprisingly thin, considering the powerhouse features packed inside it: GPS, WiFi and a 3.2MP cam. It's thinner than the iphone, and even than a pack of gum! I had no problems with the size of my N82, but boy, after using the E71, the N82 now feels a total brick and utterly bulky when held. It made me excited about the future of Nokia phones. Imagine a 5mp device as thin as this.

I was not a fan of qwerty layout for mobile phones. I thought I will find a hard time typing on the E71's keypad because the keys are small and it's, well, qwerty. I thought qwerty is for 10 fingers to be effective, so for mobile phones where we use only our thumbs, T9 is more suitable. But turns out I was wrong. It's really easy and VERY comfortable to type with. The dpad is well raised and feels great to use. The feedback that the keys give when you press them is wonderful. They seem to be compressed but my thumbs can distinguished the division of the keys without difficulty because of their raised design. At first, I had a hard time adjusting but after a day of use, I just loved it. I then always find myself looking forward to receive text messages and email so that I can use the keypad to type a reply, lol. I just love the buttons. Even the power button is a joy to push!

The keys are small, I never had problems with it, but for people with bigger thumbs, these keys might be troublesome.

Music experience with the E71 is not exceptional, but it's not bad either considering the massive storage space it can offer (8-16gb). The sound quality through wired headset is at par with the N82. The only bummer is the 2.5mm headset port, *sad*. On the other hand, the loudspeakers are placed on the top of the device and I was surprised that it actually sounds better than my N82's stereo speakers! Yes it does, the sound details are more crisp and clear and I appreciate listening more with it, despite it being mono only.

And the sweetest of them all, the 1500mah battery. With (my) normal usage, the longest time it lasted was almost three days! It's cool, you might think it's imba, but it's true. I can barely reach two days with my N82 or a day with heavy usage. With the E71, I never experienced trying to restrict myself from using the phone so much, worrying about the battery life nor do I had the need to apply battery-saving settings just to let it last for the day.

Regarding software, it has the same feature-rich contacts and calendar application as I have seen on the E66. Present as well is the remarkable standby screen having great shortcuts and customizations. Another nifty addition is the enhanced predictive text which suggests words as you type which you can select by simply pressing the space bar. It can also automatically correct misspelled inputs (works like MS Word's auto-correct feature).

With 3G, WLAN, and push email support, the E71 can effectively replace a netbook as an aid for your internet and messaging needs. I have to mention that despite the E71 having almost the same screen size as the N82, the internet experience is way better on the E71. Landscape orientation when surfing the net punches a big difference.

Overall, the device's firmware is very stable. So far, errors and hangs are nowhere to be seen.

If we are to talk about build quality among Nokia devices, I am quite sure that the E71 is IT, one of the frontrunners.. Multimedia capabilities is not excellent (because its not where the E71 is made for), but its not bad as well. I think it's more than enough for the device's target users, business professionals (who might even have separate devices for their multimedia needs). If camera, video, and music is not your main concern, you will never regret spending hard-earned cash for it.

Beautiful Connections Mobile Application Video Demo: Putting Life on Your Text Messages

2009-02-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

I received an email from womworld last Saturday about the Beautiful Connections campaign for the E71 and a mobile application (E71 BC) was attached for me to enjoy. I was one of the very few who got the said application a full "48 hours" before it is made available to the public on the campaign site.

The application is simple to use, and its purpose is to spice up your text messages and makes for a beautiful connection. It allows the user to input a maximum of 40 characters of text, then it presents a visualization of that text with random and colorful waves, lines and dots. The fun part is to watch how these lines and waves slowly grow all through out the screen during the presentation. Here's a video demo (may not be visible in some RSS readers):

I like it. The application easily put a smile on my face that saturday morning.The lesser number of characters inputted, the cleaner the presentation becomes. The spiced-up message can be sent via mms through the application itself. It can also be saved as a picture (.png) file. Here are a few samples I made:

It's a java application, specially created for the E71. I tried and it does not work well on a Nokia N82. It had problems on screen orientation and only numbers are accepted as input.

Download here.

UPDATE: The application is now available on the Beautiful Connections site. The site has also been renovated which now features webcam and mic visualizer. Head over to the site to learn more about the campaign.

Review: Gaming with the Nokia N95 8gb

2009-01-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

Big screen, dedicated gaming keys, landscape orientation and tv-out: such gaming delights one can get from a mobile device. As I have mentioned from my previous post, the N95 8gb really looks and feels like a true dedicated gaming console. Sounds perfect, but there are still some letdowns which made me scratch my head and crossed eyebrows.

After playing games (N-gage, vBag, Global Race and a few more) with it, here's a short list of my thoughts:

The dedicated gaming keys are really nice but can be troublesome for button-mashing games (N-gage's ONE for instance). They are hard to push and do not provide good tactility feedbacks. I found it hard repeatedly pressing these keys, especially when on the verge of gaming. For instance, when playing ONE which requires fast combination of buttons, I only use the dedicated gaming keys if I just want to show off to friends landscape gaming with the phone. But for serious fights (i.e to beat up my brother, lol), I always switch to portrait and use the keypad instead. I win fights easier that way :).
Another thing about the gaming keys is that my thumb does not feel comfortable on the narrow pad where the gaming keys are on. My right hand was craving for more space to deal with the keys.
The dpad is great to use and the 2.8" screen is just awesome.
I have experienced errors with N-gage such as "Memory low: Quit other applications.." kind of messages and game crashes. Also, N-gage games tends to be laggy at times, especially if you have background running applications. But these instances are very rare, which only lowers the gaming experience by a very tiny margin. It can be easily addressed either by the N-gage application update, or a firmware upgrade of the device itself. With regards to other third-party games, everything went smoothly.
Games that utilizes the N95's 3d-accelerated graphics chip (like Global Race, 7 Days and Oval Racer) look nice and feastful in the eye through TV-out. But as expected, when I played Crash Bandicot and ONE which rely solely on the software for triangle drawing and processing, noticeable were the stretched out pixels and frame skips. The graphics and animation is definitely smoother on the phone's screen. But as a whole, gaming with a tv-screen is really fun. You can even use a Nintendo Wii remote control or a bluetooth keyboard for a cooler and a more enjoyable gaming experience.
With vBag, the N95 can become a suitable replacement for a GAMEBoy without having the need for cartridges. You'll get a massive storage space for lots of gba games plus tv-out!. The only problem is that the dedicated gaming keys are not supported. So you will have to do key mappings through magic keys for you to really enjoy landscape gaming of gameboy games.

Problems that some may also experience is feeling uncomfortable holding the *bulky* device for hours of gaming and dealing with the gaming keys. But in general, the N95 8gb does excel as a great gaming device. For me, it's the best in gaming from Nokia so far. Big screen, dedicated gaming keys, dual cpu, plenty of RAM, and 3d graphics hardware accelerator chip. Do you own an N95 8gb? What do you think?

The N95 8gb and the N82: A Couple of Thoughts and Initial Impressions from Family and Friends

2009-01-07T21:07:00.000-08:00

image from mobile88.com

I was not at home the day when the N95 came last December. As soon as I got home, I immediately made the unboxing while my family was watching television. I pulled out the device and they were like "whoa!" and "cool" and "nice" and stuff. They instantly loved its design, by the way they look at it and their praising words.

The device was a Spider Man 3 edition, and watching the movie on the N95 8gb's glorious screen was the first thing I we did. They were not really surprised that we can actually watch full-length movies on a mobile phone since they know a lot about the N82, but I myself felt a lil bit sorry for my N82's smaller and dimmer screen. And they all threw questions and made direct comparisons of the two, all of them asking why I chose the *cough*unappealing*cough* N82 over a sexy N95 8gb. And so I gave them my answer.

After several minutes, a few cousins and friends came, and them as well had their eyes glowing on the N95, while ignoring the presence of my N82 which is lying quietly on the table.

Almost all the people whom I showed both devices with, the treatment was like, the N95 8gb as a high-end device, and the N82 as just your average regular mobile phone. The N82 was easily ignored while with the N95 8gb, they will at once recognize it as a "powerful" device and instinctively ask about the on-board features. After I recite the list, they will not be amazed that the N95 can do all of this and that but will rather be amazed whenever I say, "The N82 can do the same things". Wha? Proves that the N82 really is a wolf in sheep's clothing. You'll never be able to appreciate it as a beast until its secrets are exposed.

My brother admired the gaming experience on the N95 but reckons it has a plasticky and cheap feel as oppose to my N82 being solid and firm. Also "The screen is more vivid and the N95's speakers are louder. The dual sliding mechanism is damn Cool!".

While the N95 8gb is definitely an apple in the eye for most people, the case was different for some of my friends. During our christmas party, sort of a college reunion, the major reaction was that the N95 is too bulky. One of them even frankly informed me that she would never be attracted to an N95. She does know what it is capable of but the device's size turns her off. She was like "Never!".

A black N82 owner told me that the most remarkable for her was the N95 8gb's screen. "If only the N82's screen was as good as this..". She added that considering it being bulky, its nice that the device was lighter than she expected it to be. Furthermore, she conveyed that she feels more comfortable holding her N82 especially when it comes to usage of both devices' keypads.

As for me, it's really worthy being called a "multimedia computer". But I say the size of this stunning slider is one of the major deal breakers for me I guess. One would prefer putting it inside his/her bag or carrying pouch for much convenience. But if you are like me, who loves mp3s while walking or on the bus, and who's pockets are enough for everything I bring with, it's utterly annoying pulling out a Nokia N95 8gb from my jeans whenever I receive calls or text messages. Add the fact that the audio port is on the side, it's a pain in the neck to pull it out when listening to music, even more when in sitting position. Before riding the bus, I set my preferred music volume so that I don't need to adjust it anymore during the ride, and I try to ignore text messages until I'm at my office (bummer).

Hands down, the N95 8gb wins the heart of most of my family and friends, maybe even most of all the users in the world. Its design is one of the key factors why the majority of nokia fans ditches out the N82's Xenon Flash for a gorgeous slider.

The Nokia N95 8gb: Viewpoint From A N82 Fanatic

2008-12-27T02:42:00.000-08:00

I remember the time when I was planning to buy an N82, tinkering whether an N95 is a better choice. The N82 offered me all the features I wanted from a mobile phone, but surely there's always something missing. Pinpointed shortcomings. But at the end of the day, I happily got off a store holding a Nokia N82.

After having an actual experience with an N95 8gb for a few days now, courtesy of womworld, do I feel regretful of not choosing it over the Nokia N82?

Here's a list of what I loved from the N95 8gb:

1. The biggger screen - I was happy with the N82's screen but I never thought the experience with the N95's 2.8" display would be wayyy better. The pleasure effect of the 0.4" difference was much superior than I expected it to be.

2. The looks - Sexy black and a slider phone. The looks is even pumped up by the big lcd display. There's no way the N82 can cope up in this department. The N95 can easily grab attention and receive praises and immediate appreciations. Slide it down and show the evidence of being a dual slider, and everyone will say "wow", or at least at the back of their minds, everyone will think "wow".

3. Dedicated music keys - fast, easy and comfortable music while on the go. Absent on the N82.

4. Entertainment experience - Internet browsing, watching videos and gaming on a bigger screen is always a more enjoyable experience. I can also play n-gage games in landscape mode and with dedicated gaming keys. I actually think it looks like a mini psp at first glance. Landscape gaming is even more fun when plugged onto a television. Feels and looks like a true dedicated gaming console. On my n82, all n-gage games are restricted to portrait mode, which is a bummer on tv-out.

5. The charger and usb port - placed on the bottom of the device. Thumbs up as oppose to the N82's being positioned on the side.

Things I hated:

1. Poor indoor and night shots - Xenon flash, one of the major reasons why I bought the N82, is not present on the N95 8gb. It only has a single-led flash, which results to pictures with bluish tints, grains, and colors not as alive as N82 shots.

2. Build quality - it has a plasticky feel and the sliding mechanism is a bit wobbly, no way near with the E66 I have trialled before. The N82 is definitely more solid in the hands.

3. The size of the device - The N95 is about 2.8mm wider and 3.7mm thicker than the N82. It is bulkier and uncomfortable on jeans. I also do not feel relaxed texting with it one-handed.

4. A camera cover would be nice.

5. With the moving parts and gaps on the keypad and on the top and bottom of the device, it looks like dusts can easily get inside, but let's see after a few weeks.

6. Storage memory is limited to 8gb.

The position of the audio port, being on left side of the device, is a good thing that it does not get in the way while gaming with the headset or tv-out plugged into it. But it's troublesome when listening to music through wired headsets with the phone inside your pocket.

Well, I admit that I kind of desire the better entertainment experience that the N95 offers, but all things considered, after almost a year with the Nokia N82, I am still happy and not regretful of choosing it. I preferred it because it's more compact and solid, and not to mention, it's cheaper.

Overall, I am really impressed with the N95 8gb. I can confidently recommend a purchase of this device to friends and relatives. Expect more coverage about this device on upcoming posts.

So far, are you happy with your n-series purchase? Comments are welcome.

Accelerometer Application FlipSilent Now Compatible With N85, N96, Feature Pack 2 Devices

2008-12-03T07:48:00.000-08:00

The developer of the popular S60 accelerometer application FlipSilent has just released a version compatible with newer Nseries devices that are sporting S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2. This includes the Nokia N79, N85, and N96 which are currently the only FP2 devices that have an accelerometer. I've tried to get used to this free application on my N82 but often forget that it's installed. I guess if I keep trying it will be like second nature, but so far no luck.

What does FlipSilent do?

A freeware which makes you use your nokia phone (symbian s60 3rd) in a more natural way:

When you are in a meeting or dating, and a call is coming in, you can flipover your phone to make it go into the silent profile and hang up the phone call or mute the ringer — without touching anything on the phone, just flip it over, your phone will go into silence! Also, you can flipover your phone into silence when the alarm goes off, by either snooze or stop the alarm.

Click here to download FlipSilent.

Video overview on the N95...

Good News For Feature Pack 2?

This upgrade for compatibility is a great sign that developers will begin making their applications work for the newer S60 devices. I know this was a worry for many, that some of their favorite applications would be left behind if they upgraded to a newer device, but this is a great example that this won't happen and eventually most developers will catch on. We're already seeing this with lots of the great theme makers, creating specific versions for Feature Pack 2.

Cheers to that!

Nokia N97 Announced! Huge News - 32 GB Built In, S60 Touch + Qwerty Keypad, Huge Battery, 3.5 inch High Resolution Screen

2008-12-02T05:04:00.000-08:00

The Nokia N97 has now been officially announced after being kept top secret for so long. If you haven't seen the specs to this beast which is due to start shipping around May of next year, check out the pictures, specs, and video of the new Nokia N97 below.

Specifications of the Nokia N97:

S60 Touch 9.5 OS
3.5″ nHD Screen (640×360)
Haptic Feedback
Slideout QWERTY (!)
Dimensions - 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9
Weight 150g
5MP Camera with Dual Led Flash - with sliding lens cover
32 GB Onboard Memory with microSD slot = 48GB currently.
N-Gage Touch
1500mah Battery
COMPASS
Customizable Home Screen with Widgets (RSS, Weather, Facebook, Ovi)
400 hours of standby time
320-400 (3G/GSM) hours of talk time
4.5 hours of video playback and over 37 hours of audio playback
The Nokia N97 is expected to begin shipping in the first half of 2009 at an estimated retail price of EUR 550 before taxes or subsidies.
AGPS
HSDPA
WIFI
3.5mm Jack
TV-out
No stylus built into the phone, but one will be included in the box.

What's Shocking To Me?

Well first off Nokia did a great job keeping this TOP SECRET. No specs, photos, etc were released before the announcement a few hours ago.
32gb? Holy Crap! Plus a microSDHC slot. That's more than my home computer!
Standby screen FINALLY customizable. Quote from Symbian-Guru...
"It has support for customized widgets on the standby screen. The operator, date and profile seem to be standard, but you can add to them application shortcuts, an Ovi widget, weather, email, calendar, RSS feeds, a quick 4-contact link like the Contact Bar on the 5800 XpressMusic, a Friendster, Facebook, MySpace widgets, with any 5 of these available at the same time. You can move these around, remove the ones you don’t want, create your own widgets."
Huge beautiful screen, high resolution.
Huge 1500mah battery to support all this media consumption and creation.
Real keyboard PLUS touchscreen.
No Xenon Flash! A huge letdown.

Nokia N97 Getting Buzz Around The Web...

Initial Thoughts From The Symbian Blog
Nokia's Big Announcement From Symbian Guru (on-site @ the event)
Hands On Video Of Nokia N97
More From The Official Nokia Event Website

So what does this all this mean. Nokia has finally woken up! I'm tired, it's still early on the west coast. So I'm going back to bed for a few hours. More thoughts soon to come.

(note: this was also posted @ then82blog.com)

Video: Nokia 5800 Gaming With Accelerometer - Plus Tons More Coverage From SmashPop

2008-11-18T06:03:00.000-08:00

I just came across yet another up close video demonstration of the Nokia 5800 created by Smashpop - this time showing off Global Racing Thunder. You'll notice it makes full use of the accelerometer. You control the car with the movement of the phone. Great to see this much expected functionality out of the box.

Check it out...

And perhaps a slight failure by Nokia when implementing touchscreen with the popular Bounce game. As you'll see below, you control the movement of the ball with your finger instead of the accelerometer. BOOOO!!! Doesn't look too fun...

Props to Mobile-Review.com for that video.

For full coverage of the Nokia 5800 with a ton of pictures and video, click here to view the "5800 tag" over at SmashPop. They seem have gotten a great look at Nokia's first S60 touch device.

Video: Nokia 5800 Text Entry Methods & Media Players - Up Close & Personal

2008-11-17T20:31:00.000-08:00

I have never been fond of full touchscreen devices. I would love it if my N82 or the Nokia N95 had touchscreen - but not at the sacrifice of a real keyboard for text entry. A combination of both would be ideal. Granted - I haven't yet tried out the Nokia 5800, but if it's anything like the iPhone then it's not for me. However, I've been reading a few reviews around the web that some people - who actually thought they wouldn't like the text entry on the 5800 (like myself), think it's good and easy to use. I can't wait to get my hands on one, hopefully soon.

Check out this video by Mobile-Review.com which I found when browsing Daily Mobile. It shows a hands-on closeup view of the Nokia 5800 and it's text entry methods.

Below is a video look at the Nokia 5800 Radio & Music Player, again thanks to Mobile-Review.com...

A video of the Nokia 5800 Video Playback thanks to Smashpop...

The media features - being able to actually touch the screen to use the controls, is what is really attracting me to the Nokia 5800. From the looks of it Nokia has done a great job implementing the S60 media features into a touch interface. Not to mention the screen looks beautiful and the sound quality seems crystal clear and loud. If the text input features are actually usable and useful, then it looks like the 5800 will be a huge winner.

What are your thoughts? Has Nokia nailed it on the head? Have any readers here got their hands on the Nokia 5800?

Nokia E66 White Review: Internet, Gallery, Music and Camera

2008-11-16T23:56:00.000-08:00

Nokia has really drawn a fine line between the E and the N series family of smartphones. That is, as we all know, enterprise solutions for the E-series, and multimedia entertainment for the N-series. But still, you can see some good media capabilities on the E66 despite this line. Don't expect much though if you are a hardcore N-user as you will likely be disappointed.

Camera

So far, as well as the E71's, the best camera you could ever get from an E-series device: 3.2 mega pixels with auto focus and led flash. The camera software has the same interface, but has a laggy version of the toolbar which can also be found at the right side. No built-in geotagging, but eh, why Nokia? The E71 has this feature, why no love for the E66?

Image processing is speedy, and snappier than the N82. I bet this is not because of the lesser resolution, but the faster processor.

I took sample pictures and macro shots are good, more than acceptable, thanks to the dedicated macro-mode. Some are blurred though, so you gotta have rock steady hands when dealing with low light conditions, even outdoors, cloudy days in particular. Still I was able to get good close-ups and you'd think it's got a potential up its sleeves to fall in line among the top 3.2mp camera phones, but..

Non-macro, pictures are too grainy. More often than not, they are overexposed, and always struggle to balance bright and dark areas especially on landscape subjects. I tried fiddling with the settings (the ones I use and work best with my N82) but things just got even worse. I will never be pleased or contented with the pictures taken by the E66's camera. Spoiled by the N82 I guess, :)

With regards to video capture, QVGA of up to 15fps is unconvincing. No video stabilization. I'll just let the video sample do the talking. Download here.

Gallery

Arggh, this beautiful device is still stuck with the same old lackluster gallery application, just like its e-series brothers. Very incompetent compared to the gallery of the N-series multimedia beasts.

Good thing, images are separated from videos. The nice fading transition when switching the display orientation looks great when viewing pictures. There are also 3 animated flash screensavers that comes with the phone, which compliments with the default theme very well.

Video playback supports MPEG-4, .mp4, .3gp, and RealVideo file formats and H.263, H.264 codecs.

Music

The same music player that we can see on S60 V3 devices.. Loudness and stereo widening options are available for an improved sound quality. Equalizer is only five bands, and no music visualization feature.

As you may have already know, the E66 has a 2.5mm audio jack, bummer it is. The loudspeaker is just horrible, so I bought a 3.5mm adapter to check out its sound quality through my Philips headphone. I was initially surprised by the great sound performance, and at the back of my mind, afraid to know it's quality is better than the N82.

But after shifting back and forth listening with the same file through the E66 and my N82, the sound quality really stood-out better on the N82. I am no expert on this but, for me, treble and mids are quite good on the E66, but fails with bass. Also, white noise is very noticeable particularly on vocals.

I used the E66 as my primary device, and planned to keep the N82 at home during the whole trial period (so that I can really see the goods and bads of the device through everyday use). But just a few days after, I ended up bringing both devices at work. I can last for 2 weeks without the awesome camera, but never without my favorite headphone and mp3s.

The N82 may be better regarding music experience but the E66's performance is indeed respectable. And most people will not really notice the difference unless audiophiles. I am actually satisfied with its sound quality, but the 2.5mm jack is really a big step backward for me.

Internet

As with other top of the line Nokia devices, the E66 also has the superior S60 internet browser. This means full-desktop version of websites with Java / ECMA Script support and Flash Lite 3 for flash sites such as YouTube. Featuring 3G, HSDPA and WiFi, the user will surely have the benefit of a fast and satisfying online experience. Plus the built-in accelerometer which works like charm with the browser.

Full screen browsing is now possible, in both display orientation. Full screen is absent on the N82 when surfing in landscape mode. Also, switching from full to normal screen is now easier as the option is available through the left soft key, instead of digging down Web Settings.

Also, not surprisingly, the E66 can be used for tethering (using the device as a modem to connect your PC to the Internet). And a new highlight, the Intranet application, allowing the user to connect to his/her company's intranet by setting up company-specific VPN policies.

Share Online is also built-in, enterprise professionals can now enjoy direct uploading of photos and videos from the device. (Current services available: OVI, Flickr and Vox)

And being an S60 device, there are endless possibilities for the E66 through a wide array of third party applications available to further expand its online prowess.

P.S - sorry for the much delay of this part, been super busy at work last
week.