Staying connected: compact Nokia N78 puts online communities in the palm of the hand

Fully-featured multimedia computer optimized for sharing music, images and 'new discoveries'

Mobile World Congress 2008, Barcelona, Spain/Espoo, Finland - Nokia today introduced the Nokia N78, a multimedia computer that combines music, navigation and photography with the benefits of mobility. The Nokia N78 is designed to take advantage of the new suite of Nokia services, including the Nokia Music Store, Nokia Maps, and Share on Ovi - a new online service that enables consumers to share their personal media. The Nokia N78 is expected to start shipping during the second quarter of 2008, with an estimated retail price of approximately 350 euros, before taxes.


The Nokia N78 packs a powerful range of technologies, including integrated A-GPS, with free Nokia Maps, WLAN and high-speed HSPDA 3G connectivity, a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and support for microSD memory card, currently available at up to 8 GB, to store favourite music and media. The novelties of the N78 are geotagging of photos and an integrated FM transmitter that allows music to be played on any FM radio, in a car or at home.

"The Nokia N78 truly lives up to the Nseries promise of delivering unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences with the very latest technologies and services," says Jonas Geust, who oversees Nokia's Nseries devices. "The Nokia N78 empowers people to explore their passions, enjoy their favourite music and share their experiences with others and is set to continue the range of well-balanced Nseries devices such as the successful Nokia N73."

Search, snap, tag and share

Taking advantage of its integrated A-GPS functionality and 3.2 megapixel camera, the Nokia N78 introduces the increasingly popular online practice of 'geotagging' to a Nokia device. The Nokia N78 automatically tags images with capture location metadata, making it possible to view the capture location on a map either on the device itself, or online. With its high-speed internet connectivity, over WLAN or HSDPA, uploading photos and videos to online communities like Share on Ovi, Flickr or YouTube is a single key stroke away.

Music remains a core feature of the Nokia N78 and Nokia's range of Nseries multimedia computers. In addition to the up to 8GB of memory, internal speakers and support for standard 3.5mm headphones, the N78 also comes with Nokia Internet Radio, giving instant access to thousands of radio stations around the world.


About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions and services for communications networks.

Media Enquiries:

Nokia
Communications
Tel. +358 7180 34900
Email: press.services@nokia.com

www.nokia.com

'Hills' puts People's in the spotlight

LOS ANGELES: Fashion PR agency People's Revolution anticipates the hiring of The Hills stars Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port will expose the inner-workings of its business and its brand on various episodes.

Port joined as a full-time employee the third week in January. She had interviewed in LA and trained in New York during fashion week. Conrad is working as an intern in LA. The Hills third season debuted on March 24. The first episode did not feature the agency, but owner Kelly Cutrone said they have been filming in the office.

The girls met the owner, Kelly Cutrone, when Teen Vogue contacted her about using its template of fashion shows to facilitate the girls' internships at the magazine.

Cutrone explained that while the show this season is more about the girls than the agency, she's excited about being involved in a show with a high market value, and exposing the agency's marketing template and brand set.

“For us, [the affiliation] makes sense because we're taking young women and turning them into publicists; we're a very education-based agency,” said Cutrone.

To educate Port, the agency threw her into various situations, one of which involved client Julia Clancey, a London designer arrested by an LA-customs officer days before her show.

Clients were also excited, providing a “resounding yes” when asked to participate. “Our clients [understand] that you can't just be in six magazines a year to communicate a strong brand,” said Cutrone.

Media reports had mentioned People's Revolution's spotlight before the season began. Since Monday night's premier, the number of companies soliciting the agency has exceeded the usual 10-12 per day.

“From the perspective of being a communicator and loving pop culture, I'm excited about watching it, but I don't know what the outcome will be,” said Cutrone.

Whitney Port: Not as Dumb as You Think!

Nokiainside - Hot News


Ask any viewer of The Hills to describe Whitney Port, the tallest and prettiest of the show's four female principals, and invariably you will get something like this: "She's the dumb one." Even New York Times took a shot at the doe-eyed blonde, referring to her as "the best approximation of a Shakespearean mute that reality TV has ever produced." According to her boss Kelly Cutrone, however, Whitney is no airhead. She's simply misunderstood!

"The thing with Whitney is she's actually very smart and a really talented worker," Cutrone, who runs high-end fashion PR shop People's Revolution, tells Radar. "She just happens to be a six-foot tall knockout blonde. Obviously, there are a lot of stereotypes that go along with being a six-foot tall knockout blonde, but she definitely doesn't conform to them. I love working with her."

According to Cutrone, Whitney, who graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in gender studies, proved time and time again to be a valuable worker bee. "During a show we did for the Pussycat Dolls, one of the dancers left a piece of lingerie on the catwalk," recalls Cutrone. "One of the models started walking towards it, and I thought for sure she was going to trip. But Whitney, who was sitting in the front row, spotted it and literally dove to make sure that she got it out of the way. We threw her into some pretty intense situations, and she always handled herself well."

As for the other prevailing notion about The Hills—that it's scripted? "Maybe they write other scenes, but we were never once given a script or told to say anything," Cutrone says. "The filming is a very dynamic process, but there's no directing."

Nokia N96

Nokia N96 is a quad-band handset with dual-band HSDPA support for worldwide coverage. It runs on S60 3rd edition, FP2 and has a 2.8" QVGA (240 x 320 pixels) TFT display with 16M colors. Other features of this true powerhouse include GPS with A-GPS support and geo-tagging for photos, Wi-Fi, the stunning 16GB of onboard memory, plus a microSD slot. If that feature pack doesn't grab your attention, hardly anything will.

Nokia N96 has a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with Carl Zeiss optics and powerful dual LED flash. It also records video in VGA resolution at 30 fps.The connectivity set sports Wi-Fi b/g with UPnP support, microUSB v2.0, DVB-H class C, a 3.5mm stereo headphone plug and Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP stereo audio.

Nokia N96 weighs 126g, and did feel a little bulky in our hands. The display however seemed on par with the Nokia N95 8GB (read: great).

Nokia N82 Storytelling Contest

The Nokia N82 Storytelling Contest is a Visual story telling contest. To participate in this contest follow the instructions below
Note: Only participants of legal age (in accordance with the legislation of the relevant participant's country/territory) who are residents of Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Thailand and Vietnam will be eligible to participate in this Contest

To participate fully complete the online contest registration form at www.n82storytelling.com and

• Submit at least 5 pictures and create your own story to complete the theme ‘once upon a time’
• The story should have an introduction and conclusion with description that clearly explain the story flow for each image.

All submission(s) to the contest [“Entry/Entries”] must be:

• The original independent creation of the participant;
• A true and verified photograph of the participant submitting the entry; and
• Free of any claims or encumbrances, including without limitation any copyright or trademark claims, by any other third parties.

All submission(s) to the contest [“Entry/Entries”] must not:

1. Have been published previously;
2. Have been submitted as an entry in any other competition;
3. Have won any prizes or awards in other event or competition;
4. Be subject to any restrictions as to use, publication, duplication, copying or in any way; or infringe any third party rights; and
5. Be defamatory or violate any applicable laws or regulations,

Each participant may only submit 1 Entry for this Contest. Duplicate Entries will be void and not considered for the Contest

Contest ends on 1 March 2008

What can you win?

1. There will be 2 winner for the storytelling contest who will receive the new Nokia N82 phone in addition to other Nokia goodies
2. You can also stand a chance to win Nokia goodies by voting for a story, telling your friend about this contest or posting a comments on Jamie Aditya’s Blog

For more information visit the contest site www.n82storytelling.com

Terms and conditions

http://www.n82storytelling.com

9500 vs 9300

With the announcement of the Nokia 9300 Communicator, you'll be wondering what the differences between the 9500 and the 9300, and which is right for you? Ewan sits down with both devices and plays "Spot The Difference."

The Really Quick Answer

The 9300 is smaller, while the 9500 has Wi-Fi connectivity and an integrated Digital Camera.
For Those Of You Still Reading

9210, 9500 and 9300The 9500 and the 9300 are obviously aimed at seperate markets. The 9500 was always pushed as a business phone, and lots of individual users were saving hard to make sure they could afford it - the Communicators have been notorious at launching at a very high market price - and All About readers aren't know for being able to wait till the price drops. The 9300 is going for the consumer PDA market and attempting to take on devices like the XDA and the Treo's head on.
Media Features

For a phone that appears to be aimed at the consumer, the obvious difference is the most unusual. There's no Digital Camera on the 9300 (only on the 9500). Given that the networks like to push this feature, and it's one of the complaints you hear about the N-Gage QD, there must have been some design decision discussions in Finland.

They both comes with a built in Media Player supporting MP3, AAC, WAV, MIDI and Real formats. Hopefully the OGG Player project (http://symbianoggplay.sourceforge.net/) will be able to take on board this project, because their Series 60 and UIQ implementations are smooth and hassle free. There are a number of headsets available, both wireless and cabled, and the 9300 has the regular POP port, so it may be possible to use your own headphones. Polyphonic ringtones are supported on the 9300. You don't have the Image Viewer app on the 9300, which makes sense as there is no digital camera, nor do you need the video recording app - just streaming video on the 9300.
Connectivity

Internet Applications
The core of the Communicators (and the name gives it away) is the Messaging Application. Here there's no difference - both phones support SMTP, POP3 and IMAP4, as well as MMS and SMS sending and recieving. Note that there's no mention of Mail Authentication - if you use the BlackBeryy Push Software (it's an additional purchase) then that may support some form of authentication.

The WAP browser from the 9210 is no more, as the new integrated browser supports WAP 1.2.1, as well as HTML, XHTML, Javascript and smart rendering. Note the 9500 also supports WAP 1.3, as well as 1.2.1.

Data Connections
Tri-band is available on both phones, in both a European (900/1800/1900) and an American (850/1800/1900) flavour. As well as standard GSM, (which was all the 9200's had) we have both GPRS and EDGE enabled in both the 9500 and 9300.

Desktop and to Other Devices

If you hadn't seen the Wi-Fi on the 9500, you'd be very impressed with the 9300's connectivity options. As well as the IrDA port lurking on the edge of the machine, we've got Bluetooth and a fixed USB cable for conenction to your PC. Bluetooth profiles aren't listed yet, but we've got the Wireless Booms and Headsets available as extra's, so we can assume the Headset profile is present, as is the Hands Free profile for the car kits.
Day To Day Usage

That picture above is the relative size, the 9300 is a lot smaller than the 9500. It also weights a lot less (167g compared to 227g). The last complaint of the Communicator series (the size) is finally being addressed. While still quite large compared to devices like the Siemens SL55 or Sony Ericsson T6100, the 9300 is a reasonable pocket sized phone.

Estimated battery life on the 9300 is about 75% of the 9500, and they use different batteries, so no ordering a 9500 battery for your 9300. Both phones have the 80mb of internal memory, and space for the old style regular MMC cards. The smaller form on the 9300 may mean the keyboard is a bit more cramped, but until we get both units in our hands, it's going to be impossible to say. Finally, there's no bundled games on the 9300 CD. If you're desperate for Bounce, Triplepop, Snake Ex and Card deck, you're going to need to download them from Nokia's 9500 or 9210 web pages.

And (as Raven's just pointed out in the forums) the 9300 hinge will open 180 degrees, allowing the device to sit flat n a table. The 9500 only opens around 130 degrees.
Not a Lot To Choose

The 9300 really is just a 9500 with no Wi-Fi and no Camera. There's very little to choose from, apart from the 9500 being out 3-4 months before the 9300, and we'd assume a difference in price of around 100-150 Euros. They're software compatible with each other (and with the older 9200 Series) so when they're side by side in the shops, it will probably comes down to a simple choice of a lower price or the two extra features.

Life Timer on Nokia

From the main screen hold it down and it will display your life timer. Hold it down for a long time, at least 4 or 5 seconds, hold it down untill it shows the life timer. Works on the 6225 and 6585

'Hogan's Heroes' Actor Ivan Dixon Dies

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Ivan Dixon, an actor, director and producer best known for his role as Kinchloe on the 1960s television series "Hogan's Heroes," has died. He was 76.

Dixon died Sunday at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte after a hemorrhage and of complications from kidney failure, said his daughter, Doris Nomathande Dixon of Charlotte.

Actor Sidney Poitier said the two men became friends after Dixon was his stunt double in the 1958 movie "The Defiant Ones."

"As an actor, you had to be careful," Poitier said in a statement. "He was quite likely to walk off with the scene."

Dixon began his acting career on Broadway in plays including "The Cave Dwellers" and "A Raisin in the Sun." On film, he appeared in "Something of Value," "A Raisin in the Sun," "A Patch of Blue," "Nothing But a Man" and the cult favorite "Car Wash."

But he was probably best known for the role of U.S. Staff Sgt. James Kinchloe on "Hogan's Heroes," a satire set in a German prisoner-of-war camp during World War II. Kinchloe, in charge of electronic communications, could mimic German officers on the radio or phone.

While her father was most proud of work in plays such as "A Raisin in the Sun" and for films such as "Nothing But a Man," he had no mixed feelings about being recognized for the role of Kinchloe, his daughter said.

"It was a pivotal role as well, because there were not as many blacks in TV series at that time," Nomathande Dixon said. "He did have some personal issues with that role, but it also launched him into directing."

Dixon also earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the CBS Playhouse special "The Final War of Olly Winter."

In addition to acting on television, he also directed hundreds of episodic shows, including "The Waltons," "The Rockford Files," "Magnum, P.I." and "In the Heat of the Night."

Born April 6, 1931, in New York City, Dixon graduated in 1954 from North Carolina Central University in Durham.

His honors include four NAACP Image Awards, the National Black Theatre Award and the Paul Robeson Pioneer Award from the Black American Cinema Society. He was a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Directors Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild of America and the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.

In addition to his daughter, survivors include his wife of 53 years, Berlie Dixon of Charlotte, and a son, Alan Kimara Dixon of Oakland, Calif. Two sons, Ivan Nathaniel Dixon IV and N'Gai Christopher Dixon, died previously.

At Dixon's request, the family said, no memorial or funeral is planned.

Nokia N82 Black edition

Nokiainside - Review



It's now as official as it can get - the Nokia N82 will also come in black. There has been quite a lot of speculation since the first pictures leaked on the Nokia USA online store.

Just as we informed you of it, the photos were removed to give way to a lot of uncertainty about the black N82 ever seeing daylight. It's rumor no more - the black version of Nokia's best cameraphone to date is already available.

Well, it does impress more than its silver sibling and it might be the right kind of update. After all, with the equipment perfectly alright, an alternative paintjob is just what was needed.

For those in need of a memory refresh, Nokia N82 bundles up a 5 megapixel camera with xenon flash and auto focus, Wi-Fi and GPS. It has a 2.4" 16M-color QVGA screen.

The black version of Nokia N82 is expected to begin shipping within weeks, with an estimated retail price of 400 euros, before taxes and subsidies.

"Punky Brewster" Star Soleil Moon Frye And Husband Welcome New Baby Girl

Nokiainside - Hot News

Jan Westmark - Celebrity News Service

Los Angeles, CA (CNS) - Former "Punky Brewster" star Soleil Moon Frye has welcomed a second baby into the world. The actress and her husband, Jason Goldberg, are now the proud parents of a baby girl. Frye gave birth to the baby on Monday.

Frye and Goldberg named the 8 lb. 6 oz baby girl Jagger Joseph Blue Goldberg. She joins her 2-year-old sister Poet Sienna Rose Goldberg.

According to her rep, mom and baby are doing great.

Fyre, 31, and Goldberg, 36, the producer of MTV's "Punk'd," got married in Los Angeles in 1998. Frye, along with partners Paige Tolmach and Beth Birkett, opened the eco-friendly baby boutique The Little Seed in Los Angeles last October.

Lennon was a secret womaniser

Nokiainside - Hot News

Washington, March 18 (ANI): John Lennon’s former assistant May Pang has revealed that the ‘Beatles’ legend was a secret womaniser, and that he even cheated on her while they were seeing each other.
Lennon’s romance with Pang went on for about 18 months after his wife Yoko Ono set them up, in a bid to save her marriage.
Pang says that she and Lennon spent time in New York and Los Angeles during their relationship, where she caught the singer cheating twice.
“I know he had a couple of affairs. But he would come back. And when I found out, he’d say, ‘I’m sorry.’ And I forgave him. It was his insecurity. He was like, ‘I’m with somebody, am I making the right decisions?’ and he did something stupid, and he came back,” Contactmusic quoted her as saying.
“It was just one-night-stands. He had one in New York and one in L.A. I forgave him. Absolutely. It was one night. What was I going to do? It wasn’t something that carried on over and over and over again,” she added.
Fifty-seven-year-old Pang is promoting a book of rare Lennon photographs, Instamatic Karma, these days.

Reality romance

Nokiainside - Hot News

When British financier Matt Grant comes calling on the season premiere of “The Bachelor,” it may be an Oklahoman who snags his heart.

Carri Perrier, described in ABC press information as a 25-year-old church marketing representative from Oklahoma City, will be among the 25 American women vying for Grant’s heart in the 12th edition of ABC’s romance reality series “The Bachelor: London Calling.”

It debuts at 8:32 p.m. Monday on channel 8.

The winner of numerous beauty pageants, Perrier has competed as a singer and supported platforms including suicide prevention and the national Girl Power campaign.

In the 2007 Miss Oklahoma Pageant, Perrier, as Miss Bricktown Oklahoma City, won the $1,000 Miss America Community Service Award andwasnamedatop10 finalist. A resident of Bartlesville, she was then a graduate student at Oklahoma City University, according to a Tulsa World article. She was also a finalist in the 2006 Miss Oklahoma Pageant where she was Miss Bricktown OKC, and competed in the 2005 pageant representing Sooner State and the 2004 pageant as Miss Frontier Country. Also in 2005, she was chosen as Centennial
Homecoming Queen at Oklahoma City University, according to her sorority’s (Alpha Phi) magazine. Perrier was Miss Oklahoma National TeenAger 2001 and a semifinalist in the Miss National TeenAger competition.

The Oklahoman joins a cast that includes the daughter of actor Lorenzo Lamas (and granddaughter of Fernando Lamas and Arlene Dahl), a diva who makes her own gowns, a singer-songwriter, a know-it-all everyone loves to hate, a blonde with a mysterious family past and one out-of-control woman who has few, if any, inhibitions.

“However, few could rival Carri and her rare and dramatic ability to bite a tin can in half — a talent she readily demonstrates to the ‘Bachelor,’ ” according to an ABC statement.

As in seasons past, the women will move into plush accommodations for the duration of the series.

On Monday night, Grant, 27, will send 10 women home, leaving 15 to compete for his affection. The women will continue to be eliminated each week.

In a new twist, a woman can decide she’s no longer interested in the Bachelor, and can reject his invitation to continue dating.

A few lucky women will meet his family, and he will visit their hometowns in an effort to determine the woman with whom he is most compatible.

The series moves to its regular time slot of 9 p.m. Mondays starting March 24. Chris Harrison returns as host of the series.

The bachelorettes include:

Alyssa, 24, a biology student from Boise, Idaho.

Amanda P., 26, a law student from Las Vegas.

Amanda R., 27, an account executive from Niceville, Fla.

Amy, 22, a nanny from Stockton, Calif.

Ashlee, 22, a singer/songwriter from Jacksonville Beach, Fla.

Carri, 25, a church marketing representative from Oklahoma City.

Chelsea, 24, a pharmaceutical sales representative from Durango, Colo.

Denise, 30, a former Bush aide from Washington, D.C.

Devon, 24, a makeup artist from Austin, Texas.

Erin H., 25, an event planner from Seattle.

Erin S., 33, a hot dog vendor from Venice, Calif.

Holly, 25, a children’s book author from Suffield, Ohio.

Kelly, 24, a medical sales representative from San Diego.

Kristine, 32, a personal trainer from Charlotte, N.C.

Lesley, 23, a youth minister from Tampa, Fla.

Marshana, 27, a fashion designer from Brooklyn, N.Y.

Michelle, 28, an administrative assistant from Syracuse, N.Y.

Michele, 33, an interior designer from Laguna Niguel, Calif.

Noelle, 26, a photographer from Loveland, Colo.

Rebecca, 30, an attorney from Alamo, Calif.

Robin, 22, an advertising coordinator from Holland, Mich.

Shayne, 22, an actress from Malibu, Calif.

Stacey, 26, a graduate student from Chicago.

Tamara, 23, a cocktail waitress from Beverly Hills, Calif.

Tiffany, 33, a real estate marketing representative from San Francisco.

3 - Piece Set T28 Cell Phone and PDA Disassembly Tools

Nokiainside - Tools




Pros: Good set of tools for opening your mobile phone. I used it to crack open my phone with a broken screen without damaging the housing.

Cons: none

Other Thoughts: Don't pry in your housing without tools like this. Otherwise you will leave marks on your phone.

Can be used with other devices which you want to take apart.

Bottomline: Good tools which does it job well.

Nokiainside - Pop Goes to Cell Phones

Nokiainside - Tips



As TechOnline points out, "In less than five minutes, trained workers at recycling centers can manually disassemble a computer and sort all of its plastics and its ferrous and nonferrous metals in preparation for recycling." But five minutes costs money. Today most cell phones and other small electronics are shredded instead of taken apart for recycling, because the disassembly time is too expensive for the amount of material reclaimed.

What if the product disassembled itself, in one second?

That's what Active Disassembly is all about. Screws that lose their threads and lengthen to push themselves out. Hooks that straighten to unhook and push the other piece away. Adhesives that melt or dissolve. Plastic parts that depolymerize into powder. All these and more are not just fantasies, they've been done in the lab for a couple years, and are getting closer to hitting the shelves:

Nokia has prototyped a cell phone that pops itself apart in two seconds, as opposed to the two minutes normally required for manual disassembly. Their diagram shows how they use shape memory alloy springs to push apart the snap-together plastic case and pop the circuit board off, use shape memory polymer screws which lose their threading, and use shape memory polymer screw bosses which expand to release the now unthreaded screws.

All of these shape memory materials are actuated by heating them up with a laser. The temperatures involved are around 60-150 ºC, cool enough to not melt the surrounding plastic but hot enough to not be easily triggered accidentally. ...Though in many parts of the world you'd have to watch where you set your phone on a hot sunny day. I know this isn't a problem in Finland, but they'll have to do some environmental testing before wide release--having software crash is one thing, but having your phone / laptop / camera / car spontaneously collapse into its component parts is a whole other level of "usability issue".

Nokia is not the first player in this game: various academic research has been done, and there is at least one company--Active Disassembly Research--that works exclusively on this. Active Disassembly does technology, logistics, and policy-related work in the field, and they have a great video gallery showing how some of these things work: screws unthreading, rivets and hooks unhooking, reversible glues sloughing off, ribbons and washers becoming springs to push components apart, etc.

Because many of these methods use snap-together fasteners that release on cue, it could also help manufacturers improve assembly times as well. Traditionally one of the reasons to avoid snap-together systems is the difficulty of disassembly for repair and maintenance, but if service technicians had portable devices to set off the active fasteners (probably just a heater of some sort, since most of these shape memory materials are heat-activated), this problem could be avoided. Plus, if the actuator were specialized (say, inductive or laser heating), it could allow products which are easily opened up by official service technicians but unopenable by the average consumer. Although the hackers and open-sourcers among us cringe at that, many companies would love the idea.

Whatever the specific incarnations of active disassembly, reducing breakdown time from minutes to seconds can make product recycling much more viable. With the WEEE and other take-back legislation coming down the pipe, the manufacturers will have to start paying for that time instead of governments or third-party recyclers, which is why manufacturers are starting to get interested in Design for Disassembly. We'll no doubt begin seeing spontaneous pop-apart products along with the myriad other strategies.

Nokiainside - Unlock Nokia with X-Sim

X-Sim

If you are one of those who are looking for latest mobile handsets but don’t get them in India and then do something to get the locked versions from US or UK and then unlock them with software or local vendors and screw up things then this utility id for people like you. A Chinese site has come up with an X-Sim, which is capable of unlocking most DCT4 and BB5 Nokia mobile phones. The No-Key Nokia X-SIM will unlock the mobile phone and will let you use services provided by your mobile service provider. Locked phones do not work because they cannot identify the SIM with the service provider. The X-SIM card gives a signal to the mobile phone and is identified just like an original SIM card, so actually the mobile phone is not unlocked, it just allows the user to operate in any network. This is something cool, just like fooling the mobile phone and make it usable in any network.

Nokia N81 vs iPhone

Nokia N81 vs Apple iPhone





i have been using iphone for the past 2 months till yesterday made up my mind changed to Nokia N81 8G

look: iphone is def better, slim, classic, hardware exp buttons & lCD is better, Nokia in this round is lousy, i saw 2 second hand N81 which the top left lock switch is loose or broken :p slide is not smooth, i got my first set changed due to rough sliding feel.

MUSIC: i m a heavy music listener! in this round NOKIA N81 8G def WIN big time! Sound quality is better than any ipod or iphone. Convert to Mobile optimised m4a format at 48 kbps u can store almost 3x more songs than iphone!

Nokia Games & Apps: i seldom play games. maybe some one is kind enough to sent me a cracked version of smart movie :p

overall battery can last me 2 days with abt 40mins talk time, 3 hours music, 30 mins wifi, abt 30 sms, plus 20 camera shots with flash on.

but most of all is i like this phone. the important thing is u must understand that this is still another nokia N series phone! cant compare to iphone with non symbian OS which is very fast & swift in terms of functions, music & camera. N81 camera sucks big time! so my concern is the MUSIC quality plus not so many restrictions as like iphone. I will still prefer a Nokia N81 8G. i guess i will be happy to use it for another year or so.

complains found online abt iphone. instead of looking cool, i think buyers end up like a poser, buying for the sake of the overhyped up apple logo... so isn't the choice obvious?


Lack of memory expansion slot to increase the basic memory

Volume too soft for voice calls, earpiece, speakerphone, ringer
Alert sounds (including voicemail and text messages)

Slow download speeds

No document viewer on iphone

Browser does not save passwords, or synchronize passwords from the big-screen browser

No search tools which is useful for finding music or contacts.

The inboxes in the email are not aggregated as they are in apple mail

Screen only reacts to human skin, hampered by the use of gloves

When the volume on the earpiece is set to a maximum level, severe echoing can ensue.

Iphone has bluetooth, but can we really use it? No!with all, i repeat all, other phone we can do nice things with bluetooth like:

• transfer files to the mac/pc or to other bluetooth devices
• synch your phone with the mac/pc. No need for a cable!
• connect to external gps in your car. The iphone has all the nice google maps, why can’t we not use them in a proper way!?
• internet access from your laptop

The only thing that you can do on the iphone with your bluetooth is connect a headset, this is makes the iphone a somewhat crippled device when it comes to bluetooth!

Does not offer umts support, one of the third-generation (3g) cell phone technologies.

No office suite is available. You can not store documents on the device to be viewed, they can only be viewed as attachments when they're sent to your in an email.

Limited to the default ringtone choices no way to grab your favorite piece of music from itunes and set it as a ring tone, will have to pay an extra 99 cents to do this!

Battery life shorter than promised. The iphone battery is not able to be changed directly by the consumer. It has to be changed in the store or sent into an apple service center. This cost is covered by the apple care extended warranty, but if you do not have it, or it has expired, changing the battery will cost you around $80

Iphone web browser is slow over wlan.

Losing their responsiveness over some screen areas. Greatly affects the screen keypad and makes text input difficult

Lack of flash support in the web browser

Built-in gps is not user accessible

Built-in camera has no ability to be adjusted

Lack of useful applications (ssh, sftp, vnc, remote desktop

No games

No voice dialing

Keyboard is very difficult to use, does not lend itself easily to fast typing. It's not a device you can use with one hand comfortably, much less without looking

The iphone incorporates a 2 megapixel digital camera. The camera is strictly point and shoot. There is no zoom, no focus and no flash. It can be difficult to snap quality pictures with the iphone camera's limitations. Pictures may end up too dark or blurry. To be fair, pictures that do come out tend to be high quality.

No instant messaging, users have to rely on sms messaging or email.

Cut and paste. For easy manipulation of text and for grabbing chunks of information from websites, people typically rely on cut and paste. At this time, iphone does not have this otherwise standard feature.

There is no file browser on the device at all. Data must be organized (if at all) in the appropriate application.

You can only send one picture at a time in an email.

No speed dialing (which can be made up by the "quick list", but getting to that quick list isn't as fast as holding a single key on a real keypad)

No video.

No mms.

LAMAS DAUGHTER WILL WOO 'BACHELOR'

Lamas Daughter


March 14, 2008 -- THE daughter of Hollywood heartbeaker Lorenzo Lamas will be among the 25 women hoping to land the star of the latest edition of "The Bachelor."

Shayne Lamas, 22, who has appeared on "General Hospital" and three unheard-of movies - most recently as "red bikini girl" in something called "Endless Bummer" - hopes to be the winner of the dating show, which this season will feature the first British bachelor, Matt Grant.

Lamas' dad has famously been accused of being a serial bed-hopper, especially during his days on "Falcon Crest." Recently, he was seen on TV's "Bold and the Beautiful," but has since appeared in at least three major motion pictures, including upcoming "30,000 Leagues Under the Sea."

"The Bachelor" has managed to hang on to a piece of ABC's primetime schedule for nearly seven years even though no bachelor has ever married the girl he chose at the end of the show.

"Bachelorette" Trista Rehn and fireman Ryan Sutter did get - and stay - married after the show, however.

REALTED TV STORIES

'92010' To Be Re-Made Next Fall
Female Bonding Put To Test In 'Jezebel'
Jury Gets Ritter Case
'Ugly' Name
BLOG: 'Lost' Recap
Starr Report: One-room 'Tudor'

Six Kim Myles Design Tips

Kim Myles Tips




Tip No. 1
Paint is the best option for a fast, inexpensive makeover. It can change the face of an entire room, even if just one accent wall is finished in a rich color. If selecting the right shade feels overwhelming, try using a favorite pieceof art, furniture or clothing as inspiration. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport, HGTV)



Tip No. 2
White paint is your friend! Try painting boring old furniture, items like side tables, or the fireplace mantle (seen here). This will unify the space and provide the rest of the furniture and art with a fresh backdrop. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport, HGTV)



Tip No. 3
To give a room a fresh start, try removing all items from the space and then putting the room back together using only the pieces you love. Most people are surprised by how much stuff they live with, but don't necessarily enjoy. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport, HGTV)



Tip No. 4
Creating a unique piece of art for a room is as simple as purchasing a beautiful sheet of paper from a specialty paper store and framing it. The look of a matted and framed print will lend an air of legitimacy to the decor. The paper can be changed seasonally or according to mood. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport, HGTV)



Tip No. 5
Resist the urge to buy all matching furniture and accessories. By collecting individual pieces in harmonious-but not matching-shapes, colors, or materials, you'll instantly achieve a much more stylish look. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport, HGTV)



Tip No. 6
A simple vase with fresh blooms is an easy and inexpensive way to liven up any space; even the underrated carnation can be displayed with style. To achieve the most impact, gather the heads of the flowers in a tight bunch, then cut the stems so that the petals are the only part peeking out of the vase or vessel (seen here). A common mistake in at-home coral displays is allowing too much stem to show. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport, HGTV)

Kim Myles: 'The Black Martha Stewart'

Reality TV finally becomes reality Sunday night for Kim Myles.



Last year's winner of HGTV's "Design Star 2" interior design challenge launches her new show Myles of Style on the cable network HGTV.

Myles talked to Black Voices last fall and said she wants to bring a different and more diverse perspective to the Martha Stewart version of design.

"I'm excited to be that new voice in design and I'm happy to stand on B. Smith's shoulders," Myles told us right before she moved from New York to L.A. to start production on the show, which was the grand prize for winning the reality TV competition.

Once again, the interior design diva dropped some knowledge on us with her top six tips for creating the perfect room. You can also preview the show below.

Reset Nokia Security Code

Reset Code



So you don't know or you have forgotten your Nokia Security code? No data cable needed with this new solution.

So what is a master code?
Well lets assume you have forgotten your security code. The master code is a 10 digit number that will always be accepted as if it were your actual security code.

You can then use the master code to change your security code back to what ever you like. When your Nokia handset asks you for the security code simply enter the master code.

Will work on all of DCT3 generation, like:
2100, 3110, 3210, 3310, 3315, 3330, 3350, 3390, 3410, 3610, 5110(i), 5130, 5190, 5210, 5510, 6080, 6110, 6130, 6138, 6150, 6190, 6210, 6250, 7110, 8210, 8250, 8290, 8850, 8855, 8890, 9110(i), 9210(i), 9290.

Will work on most of DCT4 generation, like:
3100(b), 3108, 3120, 3200(b), 3220, 3230, 3300, 3360, 3510(i), 3530, 3590, 3595, 3600, 3650, 3660, 5100, 5140(i), 6020, 6021, 6100, 6101, 6108, 6200, 6220, 6230(i), 6260, 6310(i), 6500, 6510, 6590, 6600, 6610(i), 6620, 6650, 6800, 6810, 6820, 6822, 7200, 7210, 7250(i), 7260, 7270, 7280, 7600, 7610, 7650, 7700, 7710, 8310, 8390, 8800, 8910(i), 9300(i), 9500, N-Gage (QD).

Will NOT work on some of DCT4 generation, like:
1100(B), 1101, 1110, 1112(i), 1600, 2300, 2310, 2600, 2610, 2650, 2652, 6030(B), 6060, 6111.

Will NOT work on any of BB5 generation (all newest phones), like:
3250, 5300, 5400, 5500, 6125, 6131, 6233, 6234, 6280, 6282, 6630, 6680, 6681, 6682, 7370, 7373, 7390, all E-series, all N-series.

PC Version:

Kod:
http://www.MegaShare.com/72543
pass: theologaster

SIS Version: [ For S60 Version]

Kod:
http://www.MegaShare.com/137519
pass: theologaster

JAVA Version: [For S40 Version]

Kod:
http://www.MegaShare.com/137520
pass: theologaster

Unlock Security Code using Memory Card

Unlock Security Code using Memory Card



Steps to unlock ur sec code.
1. Off Ur mobile.
2. remove battry
3. remove memory card
4. On ur computer and plug in ur memory card.
5. insert ur memory card.
6. unzip the attachment file and place it to ur memory card
e:\system\recog
7. now insert ur memory card into ur mobile and switch on the fone.
8. now if it ask for code type 12345 and ur mobile unlocks.
9. Every times u restart ur mobile it will unlock ur mobiles security code.

Kod:
http://www.MegaShare.com/218723
pass: theologaster

BB5 Lock Code Remover (Symbian only not s40)

1.extract and copy system.rar to your memory card

2.put sim card and MMC....power on and wait 2 minutes

3.turn of the phone.....take out the MMC

4.power on the phone w/ simcard inside

5.done........lock code has been removed!.........

Kod:
http://www.MegaShare.com/305819
pass: theologaster

Memory Card Formatter

Memory Card Formatter



MMCMedic & MMCTool

Kod:
http://www.MegaShare.com/339089
pass: theologaster

How to Unlock Password - protected Memory Card?

For S60 1st and 2nd Phones

What should we do if we forget the password? For S60 1st and some of 2nd phones, such as Nokia 3650, Nokia 6600 and Nokia N-Gage, the password is stored in a plain text file.

Firstly, you need to install FExplorer, a free file manager that allows us to browser through S60 file system.

Kod:
http://www.MegaShare.com/339083
pass: theologaster

Next, launch FExplorer and then browser to c:\system folder. There is a file, called mmcstore.
Rename the file to mmcstore.txt and then open it. Your password must be several characters at the end of the file.
For S60 3rd Phones, Nokia N-Series and Nokia E-Series

Unfortunately, there is no way to recover the password in the latest S60 phones. The only way that I know so far is by reformatting the memory card. It can be done from Memory Card application by selecting Options | Format memory card menu. Of course, you will lose all your data in the memory card…

If any of you have experience unlocking password of memory card in latest S60 phones, feel free to share it here.

Compatible devices: S60 1st, 2nd, 3rd Edition, Nokia Nseries, Nokia Eseries.

Kaspersky Anti Virus.Mobile.v6.0.80.S60v2.SymbianOS7.Cracked - illusion

Installer

Kod:

http://www.MegaShare.com/339132
pass: theologaster

Virus Definition Update: January 12, 2008
This is the latest update for the virus definition of kaspersky... Just copy and paste, overwrite b.dat in the directory C:\System\Apps\KSMobile using a file explorer, then it would be updated.

Kod:

http://mihd.net/23je97

Nokiainside - Security Code

S40
2355, 2600, 2610, 2626, 2630, 2650, 2651, 2660, 2760, 2855, 3100, 3105, 3108, 3109, 3110, 3120, 3125, 3152, 3155, 3155i, 3200, 3205, 3220, 3300, 3510i, 3520, 3530, 3560, 3585i, 3586, 3586i, 3587, 3587i, 3595, 5070, 5100, 5140, 5140i, 5200, 5300, 6010, 6012, 6015, 6015i, 6020, 6021, 6030, 6060, 6070, 6080, 6085, 6086, 6100, 6101, 6102, 6103, 6108, 6111, 6125, 6126, 6131, 6131nfc, 6133, 6136, 6151, 6152, 6155, 6155i, 6165, 6170, 6200, 6220, 6225, 6230, 6230i, 6233, 6234, 6235, 6235i, 6255, 6265, 6265i, 6270, 6275, 6275i, 6280, 6282, 6288, 6300, 6560, 6585, 6610, 6610i, 6650, 6651, 6800, 6810, 6820, 6822, 7200, 7210, 7250, 7250i, 7260, 7270, 7280, 7360, 7370, 7373, 7390, 7600, 8800, 8801, 8910i

S60
3230, 3250, 3600, 3620, 3650, 3660, 5500, 5700, 6110, 6120, 6260, 6290, 6600, 6620, 6630, 6670, 6680, 6681, 6682, 7610, 7650, E50, E60, E61, E61i, E62, E65, E70, E90, N70, N71, N72, N73, N75, N76, N77, N80, N90, N91, N92, N93, N93i, N95,

S80
9210,9210i,9300,9500

All who have little place on phone memory so they cant recive big files and cant change storage location in options DO EXACTLY THIS:

1. Unrar and install MsvDriveE.sis to your phone.
2. It will change your SMS folder to MMC. If not, restart phone.
3. Use a file manager and copy 'C:\System\Mail' folder onto MMC (somewhere, NOT E:\System\Mail !)
4. Turn off phone and remove MMC. Power on phone without MMC. Open 'Messages' once, it will turn SMS setting back on phone. Then turn off phone again.
5. Reinsert MMC, power on phone. Use a file manager, go to E:\System. Delete the 'Mail' folder. Move the copied 'Mail' (the other real one which we wanted to use) into E:\System. Hopefully you will suceed, as long as the phone has just restarted and you havent' opened 'messages' application or send/receive any messages.
6. Use filemanager, go to C:\System\Apps\MsvDriveE and click on MsvDriveE.app. It will reconfigure to use MMC for messages again.

DONT ERASE MsvDriveE.app OR MOBILE WILL USE PHONE MEMORY AGAIN

Kod:

http://mihd.net/qtk4ur
pass: newknaber

Nokia Secret Codes

On the main screen type in:
*#06# for checking the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity).
*#7780# reset to factory settings.
*#67705646# This will clear the LCD display(operator logo).
*#0000# To view software version.
*#2820# Bluetooth device address.
*#746025625# Sim clock allowed status.
#pw+1234567890+1# Shows if sim have restrictions.

*#92702689# - takes you to a secret menu where you may find some of the information below:
1. Displays Serial Number.
2. Displays the Month and Year of Manufacture
3. Displays (if there) the date where the phone was purchased (MMYY)
4. Displays the date of the last repair - if found (0000)
5. Shows life timer of phone (time passes since last start)

*#3370# - Enhanced Full Rate Codec (EFR) activation. Increase signal strength, better signal reception. It also help if u want to use GPRS and the service is not responding or too slow. Phone battery will drain faster though.
*#3370* - (EFR) deactivation. Phone will automatically restart. Increase battery life by 30% because phone receives less signal from network.
*#4720# - Half Rate Codec activation.
*#4720* - Half Rate Codec deactivation. The phone will automatically restart

If you forgot wallet code for Nokia S60 phone, use this code reset: *#7370925538#

Note, your data in the wallet will be erased. Phone will ask you the lock code. Default lock code is: 12345

Press *#3925538# to delete the contents and code of wallet.

Unlock service provider: Insert sim, turn phone on and press vol up(arrow keys) for 3 seconds, should say pin code. Press C,then press * message should flash, press * again and 04*pin*pin*pin# \
*#7328748263373738# resets security code.

Default security code is 12345
Change closed caller group (settings >security settings>user groups) to 00000 and ure phone will sound the message tone when you are near a radar speed trap. Setting it to 500 will cause your phone 2 set off security alarms at shop exits, gr8 for practical jokes! (works with some of the Nokia phones.) Press and hold "0" on the main screen to open wap browser.

Nokiainside - How to make your old phone connect to Yahoo Messenger, MSN, AOL and other IM service without downloading 3rd party Software

First Step is to ascertain your Handphone have GPRS fitur
Then ensure that your Handphone you have earned incircuit to Internet

To Incircuit only to Yahoo Messenger.

• Step into Web Browser in your ponsel
• Then select to go URL
• Type http://wap.yahoo.com
• Select its regional
• Then step into Messenger
• Including and username of password your Yahoo mail
• Happy Connect

To incircuit to Yahoo Messenger, AOL, MSN And the other IM service.

• Step into Web Browser in your ponsel
• Then to go URL
• Type http://wap.ebuddy.com
• Select IM desired
• Including and username of password your IM
• Connect

Nokia E90 - Battery Lifetime

Reader Review bout E90 Battery





I'm already using this phone since 3 months ago. It's a great phone. It has everything, but for me it has 2 lacks:
1. is the Quicksheet, i'm 9300 former user, and compare to 9300, E90's sheet is NOTHING.
2. is the Camera, though 3.2 MP, if you compare it with K800, K800 has little sharper image.

I'm a big person, so i will choose a bulky phone than little one, so have nothing problem with E90 size.

what else, oh yeah, battery, have no problem, with it's capability, the battery lifetime you can say it's TOUGH. If you never use the Internet, it can work until 1 week. I've tried it.

Nokia's GPS - Enabled Pocket Computer

Loaded with Web 2.0 applications, the N810 could help usher in location-aware computing

At the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco on Wednesday, Nokia unveiled its latest product, an ultraportable, Wi-Fi-enabled tablet computer called the N810. The new gadget, which will be available in the United States in November for $479, is slightly taller, wider, and thicker than an Apple iPhone, but it features a slide-out keyboard as well as a touch screen, a Web camera, and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. Nokia is also offering a set of tools that let programmers add their own bells and whistles to the device, which could lead to such features as geotagged blog posts, friend-finding capabilities, and location-based mobile gaming.

While the Web 2.0 Summit, a gathering of Internet-software experts, may seem like an odd place to unveil a new piece of hardware, Nokia's Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president and general manager of multimedia, played up the tablet's Internet importance. "Look what happened to the Internet," Vanjoki said in a presentation. "First came Internet search and browsing. Now, Web 2.0 is a social place with media sharing. We believe that Nokia will have a very important role in making the next Web."

The software preinstalled in the N810, Vanjoki said, includes video and music players, as well as Web applications such as a browser, the Internet-telephony software Skype, Gizmo video chat, instant messaging, and GPS-integrated mapping tools. The device's processor operates at 400 megahertz; it has 128 megabits of random-access memory, two gigabytes of internal storage, and an expansion slot that can accommodate up to eight gigabytes more.

At first blush, it's tempting to compare the N810 to Apple's iPhone. But the N810 is not a phone: it can tap into the cellular network only indirectly, through a wireless connection to a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone. Rather, the device falls into the product category of ultraportable computers, gadgets that aren't as bulky as laptops but have similar capabilities. For years, ultraportable computers have languished in the middle ground between tiny cell phones and larger laptops. But some experts say that their shrinking size has them poised to take off. (See "Smaller Is Better, Say Makers of Ultraportable PCs.") And size is certainly one of the N810's advantages: while slightly larger than many smart phones, it can still fit comfortably in a pocket.

Software developers will be able to create Web services for the device using Nokia's Ovi platform, which has been publicly available for some time. This means that Nokia's community of 3.5 million mobile-phone programmers has access to the new gadget.

Vanjoki believes that this is big news for location-based services and "context-aware computing," since the N810 has a fully functional GPS receiver. "We have integrated GPS in this device and have a nice API [application programming interface--the tools for writing software for the device] that will allow location to become a major context," he said. "Combining location information with the device is a fantastic opportunity to rethink the next stage of the Web."

However, since Wi-Fi coverage is sparse in much of the country, the only way to ensure the N810's constant connection to a network is by keeping it in close proximity to a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone. As a consequence, the device is likely to prove an incremental step toward true location-based services.

"GPS brings a lot to mobile devices...and it enables innovative location-based Web applications," says Phil McKinney, vice president and chief technology officer for the personal systems group at Hewlett Packard. HP is currently trying to hone location-based games--games in which people use GPS-enabled mobile devices to complete different tasks--called mscapes. (See "Your Phone as a Virtual Tour Guide.")

The target audience for the N810 is young adults, so the device's featured applications focus more on fostering social connections and on sharing and playing media files than other smart tablets' do. Vanjoki, however, believes that the N810's Web applications are the types of features that the market wants in an ultraportable computer.

Nokiainside - Yahoo Messenger for Mobile

Yahoo Mobile Messenger



Even when you're out, you're in.

Yahoo! Messenger keeps you connected even when you're away from your PC. There are two ways to use Yahoo! Messenger with your mobile phone:

1. Send IMs as text messages from your PC to your friends' mobile phones
2. Sign into Yahoo! Messenger from your mobile phone and send IMs to your friends when you're away from your PC

To start using Yahoo! Messenger right from your phone, find out which version works best for your phone model, it's easy!

1. Go to Yahoo! Mobile
2. Choose your carrier
3. Enter your phone brand and model

Get Yahoo! Messenger on your mobile phone and get going!

Nokiainside - QuickIM

If you have a Series60 or Series 80 or Series 90 or Java MIDP 2.0 device (Nokia 6670, Nokia 9300, Nokia 9500, Nokia 7710, Motorola, Siemens, Samsung, SonyEricsson...), you can download QuickIM Symbian Universal edition for Java phones from here, technical support is available from QuickIM mobile messenger support forum

Nokia 770

Nokia 770 = Love

The Linux enthusiasts out there may remember a few years ago that Nokia released an Internet Tablet called the 770. It isn’t quite a cell phone, and isn’t quite a laptop, but something in the middle. The big knock against it at the time was the price tag, often somewhere in the $350-400 range. For a device that isn’t quite anything, that is a decent amount of bank.

Well, times have changed.

Nokia released the followup device, the N800, earlier this year and as a result many internet retailers have been flooded with 770s. They can now be had for as little as $130.

So I bought one, and I have to say that I love it. As a longtime Linux enthusiast I am probably a little biased; I routinely spend entire weekends trying to get servers up and running, so the ability to hack a device that fits in my pocket is a long-awaited delight. It has a beautiful 4` screen with a semiludicrous 800 by 480 widescreen resolution. It connects flawlessly to WiFi and many bluetooth cellphones. It runs a Debian variant and can be updated via apt-get. What more can you really ask for?

I have even found some uses for the thing!

I installed a streaming media server called SlimServer on one of my Linux boxen and can now use its web interface to stream music to the Nokia’s media player. It’s like a radio where I can pick the music! There is a version of mplayer available that lets users watch movies and TV shows on the device, and a handy desktop application that helps encode your movies for optimal performance. The web browser is AJAX-capable, and I am using it right now to edit this blog article in Wordpress. The Bluetooth keyboard compatibility makes it much more palatable to use the Nokia as a laptop replacement since it gets around the one-finger, hunt-and-peck onscreen keyboard. Did I mention it has a terminal with most Unix utilities built-in? I installed subversion and the vim text editor for some of my light development work. I am also pretty sure that ssh is available for server management tasks. Also, it has a VNC client and server. I can connect to my Macbook and click around OS X pretty seemlessly. Depending on your resolution the amount of scrolling can be awkward, though, so your mileage may vary.

Despite all of these positives, it isn’t really for everyone. I bought one for my girlfriend in the hope she could use it as a web browser, pocket word processor, and ebook reader. She was frustrated by the flakiness of the oldish Opera browser which randomly crashes on sites she happens to frequent. She found text input to be a chore with the tiny onscreen keyboard and stylus. The default Acrobat reader doesn’t allow for vertical orientation, forcing the user to scroll more often then she would like. Finally, the software available for the device is difficult to install for the uninitiated. Unlike Palm, with a huge installed base of regular users, the Nokia community seems to be largely computer geeks like myself who think nothing of setting up apt sources and manually tweaking text files until everything works right. The main website to get software (maemo.org) contains a handful of one-click install applications, but most require you to set up repositories in the package manager for almost each and every app you want to install. This is a dealbreaker for the casual point-and-click user.

The Nokia 770 is difficult to pin down. The included software is generally solid while not being robust enough (in my opinion) for casual users. It shows some signs of being a version 1.0 product. For me, this is offset by the fact that there is really nothing else like it out there. I have had a fair amount of experience trying to use a smartphone for web browsing and the Nokia redefines what the portable web can be. It’s an inch or so longer than my Blackberry and has about three times the pixels to work with, letting me see the pages as they were meant to be seen. Given a good portable keyboard, the device can be a serviceable laptop replacement; it can use Abiword for word processing and GNumeric for spreadsheets, and has plenty of Unix development tools. While no PIM software is included, it is easy enough to download. And it still fits in your back pocket.

If you have some time and a spare $140, you just may fall in love.

Til next time.

Nokia N81 - Review

Nokia N81 - Review

Fitting in snugly behind the now revamped N95, the Nokia N81 is the company's latest Series 60 model that comes packed with a stack of new features including music imaging and gaming credentials.

Following on from our First Look review, we've sat down with the new handset for the last week, so are are first impressions bang on the money, or have, having had time for a longer play we changed our mind? We get dialing to find out.

With 8GB on-board memory the first thing you'll want to do is fill it with music. Using 48Kbps encoding, Nokia say you can get up to 6000 songs on your N81, equaling that of the W910 from Sony Walkman and the iPhone from Apple.

With major song support, stereo Bluetooth, a 3.5mm headphones jack and the ability to access the newly launched Nokia Music Store via the Ovi internet interface Nokia means business, and for the most part delivers.

The key selling point of the phone is promise of a couple of button presses and you're able to buy tracks from the newly launched Nokia Music Store.

In practice it is easy, but not that easy, as the system expects you to connect in, surf the pages you want and then download the tracks from there. Those familiar with the one track purchase of the iTunes store will be disappointed.

Luckily songs aren't priced at a premium for accessing them on the go and are automatically sync'ed with your PC account, however users will have to be using Windows XP or Windows Vista to use the service.

Get past the music functionality and it is business as usual with this Series 60 handset.

On the imaging side, Nokia has disappointingly settled for a 2 megapixel camera rather than 3 megapixels as found in the 5610 XpressMusic or 5 megapixels as found in the N95, although has included a Xenon flash to boost performance.

Gaming wise, the phone is able to use the new N-Gage offering from Nokia as part of its Ovi internet offering. Games can be played either vertical or in landscape mode, allowing users to benefit from the 2.4-inch screen, which as per our first look, is bright and crisp with plenty of detail. Text is easy to read as are the menus.

Elsewhere and features include built-in wireless b and g connectivity alongside 3G for surfing on the go away from hotspots.

As for the design, the gloss back finish looks smart and the keypad easy to use and clearly labelled. What isn't clearly labelled, however, are the plethora of buttons on the top half of the slider. With music shortcut keys, menu shortcut keys and other buttons that appear in certain modes, newcomers are like to find it difficult to navigate their way around - we certainly did even after closer inspection.

What makes it more confusing is the introduction of a new secondary menu system in addition to the current Series 60 menu system. While it does give people the choice and a more interactive feel (think CoverFlow), we found ourselves not sure which one we should be using and therefore as the button isn't even labelled ignoring it completely. What Nokia should have done is made its mind up over which was the better interface and gone with it.

VERDICT
The N81 will still be seen as the Nokia N95's cheaper brother and with that in mind will always be fighting to prove its worth, especially when you see both in the store for free come its launch at Christmas - if you sign a big enough contract.

As a music phone against the equivalent offering from Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Apple, the Nokia beats the Samsung offerings but neither the Sony Ericsson W910 or the Apple iPhone.

Sony Ericsson's implementation of software for us is better executed with its array of apps like SensMe, TrackID and ShakeIt, however where the Nokia N81 wins out is the addition of the Nokia Music Store.

That said, the Nokia Music Store's implementation against the iTunes Wi-Fi store from Apple on its iPhone just doesn't compete.

As a phone, the N81 does pack the 3G connectivity and better phone functionality, but if it's purely the music you are after, the iPhone is still the one to go for.

Nokia E90 - Review

Nokia E90 - Review






This review isn’t going to include a series of test photographs comparing this phone’s camera to that of a Samsung or even to that of a sibling ‘N series’ device. This isn’t that kind of phone. This is a ‘business phone’.

This phone is about getting business done. It is about not only projecting the image that you’re all ‘business’ but also about being able to whip out your phone, download the latest version of your M&A spreadsheet and do a vlookup while holding a speakerphone call at the same time. Yes. That is what this phone is about. It is about showing the world how big you are, and how big your phone is to prove it. So it would seem normal then, and right in line with your expectations, that 100% of the comments you will get are:

“Wow, that’s a big phone.”
“What time are you in, the 1980’s?”
“Does that thing do your laundry?”

So, the real question then is, does this phone live up to its expectations? Well, unfortunately, not entirely.

This review is broken up into two parts. This part will deal with the hardware ’stuff’ and the next one will deal with the software ’stuff’. Thus, in this part I will cover construction, display impressions, keyboard impressions, GPS/WiFi/3G connectivity, reception, and battery life.

Let’s start with the construction. This phone feel relatively solid overall. However it also feels like a typical rental car. Looks new and clean, but after a few day’s rental you start realizing that random hidden things are broken or squeak. Most of the problems with the E90 surface from the back side. The battery door moves around a bit, and the panel around the battery squeak whenever you squeeze it, which is mostly during typing. The hinges of the door, though feel pretty solid, but when the phone is closed, they allow some backwards forwards play of the screen on top of the keyboard, which if you did it enough, would presumably scratch the screen. To confirm some weird thing going on between the keyboard and the inside screen, you will typically get marks on the inside screen from the keyboard. So far these key-like marks haven’t been permanent, but only time will tell. I give the construction an 8/10.

One of the key selling points of the E90 is the Dual Display action. You get a small screen on the outside which lets you deal with things that don’t merit a full screen (such as initiating a call, or looking up a bit of information quickly), and inside you get a nice wide screen to deal with things such as web pages and spreadsheets. There isn’t much to say about these screens other than they are beautiful and well executed. 10/10.

However, as we all know, big, bright, and pretty displays = battery hogs. The E90’s battery life is an odd duck. It is supposed to be an enterprise device which will allow business people to hold conference calls, browse the web, modify documents, and do other ‘business stuff’. However, the E90’s power drain prevents you from doing this for more than a day, unlike my favorite power-efficient smart phone, the E61. In order to get this day, you need to be conscientious of how much you use the larger display. I only use it for the bare minimum of things, and rely on the smaller external screen with T9, for example, for simple SMS. This is not to say this phone is unusable like the N95, whose battery life I found unacceptable, but rather, just enough power to get you through the day, and no more. One thing I found helpful was to take the phone’s radio off of dual-mode and placing it either only on UMTS or GSM. UMTS-only isn’t that bad actually, and can get you through the day while enjoying the benefits of 3G. Battery life = 7/10.

Which brings me on to connectivity services, mainly stuff like GPS, HSDPA/3G, and WiFi. I have tested the E90 on T-Mobile UK’s HSDPA network, and when it can get a lock on a HSDPA slot, the 3G icon adds a little .5 to it, and off you go at what I have clocked at around 400 kbps or thereabouts to the phone’s browser. You can take advantage of this as well by hooking up your laptop via Bluetooth to take advantage of the HSDPA connection, a nice plus. As for voice calls, the sound quality incoming and outgoing is good, but the speakerphone volume is a bit weak for my taste considering the size of the phone (and presumably speaker).

WiFi connectivity works much like that of any other Nokia phone. Its reception isn’t stellar, but it works fine so long as you don’t stray too far from the Access Point. Lastly, GPS is a joke. I think I’ve only got a satellite lock once and it was by leaving the phone by my window unattended for a period longer than my short term memory can recall (and yes, this is with A-GPS). Thus, I largely rely on my recent Google Maps install which will give you a rough estimate faster than relying exclusively on GPS via other apps. I’m sure that if I were outside hiking the E90 would come in nicely in a pinch, but for driving, I may very well rely on my external Bluetooth GPS device for a link up. 8/10 overall for all the connectivity options.

So what about phone reception in general? Well, as with most Nokia phones, reception is pretty darned good. EXCEPT, and this is a HUGE thing, which is why I’m writing in CAPS; HUGE. When the phone is open in ‘laptop-mode’, and you are using both hands to type (you need to), your right hand will SEVERELY impact the reception of the phone whilst on 3G. I can actively decrease the imprecise ‘bars’ of reception by 3 just by placing my hand in writing position. What this means to you is that if you are in an area of mediocre reception, you need to type, and then remove your hand in order not to kill your reception. Big MINUS. I have come up with a little dance which involves typing quickly, and then placing the phone vertically half-open, while it downloads things in order to get the best reception. Very annoying. 7/10.

Touching briefly upon the keyboards, I find that the internal keyboard is excellent in terms of shortcut buttons, but slightly less excellent in the distance between hands, leading to a bit of a stretch to reach some of the keys in the middle. If your hands are larger, you may have a different experience than mine. Key travel gets better with age, and while at first it was tough to tell when you hit a key, I find that now it is better and has a more pronounced ‘down press’ feeling. As for the external keyboard, it’s acceptable. Not stellar in terms of feel since the travel is shorter than a typical phones (due to the display in the back most likely), but acceptable and solid feeling. However, one thing that struck me as odd about the keyboard is how poorly optimized it is. As you can see from the pictures below,

The E51 (on the left) has more dedicated external buttons such as address book and calendar. The E90, has a whole bunch of wasted space below the * 0 and hash keys. It’s like a there is a huge gap there! I don’t know why they didn’t use that space to move the keyboard down and add some dedicated keys to make up for the lack of shortcuts the external screen has compared to the internal screen.

So, as you can see, from a hardware perspective, the E90 doesn’t cruise in with a stellar performance. Sure, it has two beautiful screens, but at a price, both in terms of battery life and cost to your wallet, as this phone is sold in the UK for £624 or roughly $1200 US. So far, I’m not sold that this phone is truly worth that much money. Stay tuned for episode 2, where I’ll explore the software and see whether or not it truly adds value to this ‘mini computer’. Oh yes.. and if you’re still wondering how the camera performs… yeah, it’s decent. Slow, but good for a camera phone.

Nokia E90 - Repair Chinese Dictionary Bug on Nokia E90

Repair Chinese Dictionary Bug





Humvee from Jakarta reporting a bug in Nokia Chinese Dictionary for Nokia E90. If you upgraded old Firmware to the new one, or you hard reset your phone, you will lost word chinese dictionary database that installed in the phone memory. To solve this problem, here simple trick to do:

Download Database word chinese dictionary Here or Here
Then unzip the file and locate the "101f9cfe" file in Memory Card
Exp: E:/private/101f9cfe
The problem should be solved now. Enjoy it!

Thanks Humvee!

Nokia E90 - About E90

Nokia E90


Although I am happy with the Electronics/SW and speed of the E90 I am not very pleased with the mechanical build. I have been to Salo and my friends there confirm that I am not alone.

They now have a fix for new production, but that does not help those who have already paid close to 1000Euro.

The problem is a combination of new type of metal swivel hinges and a very tight/close tolerance between keyboard and internal display.

http://www.letsgomobile.org/images/news/nokia/nokia_e90_cell_phone.jpg

When you close the case the hinges do not always operate squarely, they twist, and the keys can touch the display, and as the hinges correct their non square/twisting movement, this can and does result in scratches to the screen.

The case must be firmily shut/registered with its magnetic clip, to permit the camera operation hence the close tight tolerance on the key board to display gap. You can see that my job is quality control.... Very Happy Very Happy

Other possible problems associated with a move from 9500 and 9300 to E90 is that the E90 uses the newer Symbian S60 V3 OS and older 9500/9300 uses S80. SW written for S80 does not work on S60 platforms. So David your Finnish dictionary cannot port to the E90.

Third problem which is causing lots of moans is that E90/3G does not support Fax ...Traditional big markets in Far/Mid East love faxes.. 9500 9300 had it E90 not. The Nokia BB is full of cries of dismay.

But these are the only -ve of E90..

Now Nokia have corrected the early build problem....and if you dont need fax...It is much quicker than 9300..E90 has a 350 Meg CPU
9500/9300 only has 50 megs..

Memory will never be a problem with E90 I have sucked off the internet just about every availble SW option, Inclúding a big FI racing game with incredible graphics.. and it has bearly made a splash at the bottom of my memory ..It also has a huge memory card but I have only used that for back up when I updated the firmware.