Friday, November 26, 2010

N8 Xenon Flash


Flash photography

One of the reasons the N82 was venerated for so long in the Nokia canon was its Xenon flash. See my feature on this, but essentially almost every standalone camera has a Xenon flash, while almost every camera phone has LED flash (or none at all). LED flashes are almost useless for everything but the most amateurish of shots - which is why some manufacturers haven't even bothered to fit one. In contrast, a Xenon flash is up to 10x brighter (in terms of light energy output) and also lasts for a thousandth the duration, meaning that people and objects get frozen in time and don't become a blurry, fuzzy mess.



It's a bit of a mystery (other than build cost) why more smartphones haven't appeared with Xenon flash over the years. Here's a typical example, taken in dimly lit room on the N8 (click through etc etc.), raising my glass to toast - note the extreme detail and 'frozen' action:

To compare the N8's Xenon-lit photos with the best of the competition, I tried the same action and pose on the N82 and on the Xenon-flash-equipped Motorola XT720, the only serious current smartphone competitor to Nokia with a Xenon flash:



From left to right, N82, XT720, N8. I was stunned at the difference, once zoomed in like this. The 5-megapixel N82's shot (which we'd have named the best of the bunch in any other flash photo roundup, I suspect) looks over-exposed and the detail is all fuzzed out by the noise reduction and sharpening. The XT720 does better (at its 'kludged' 8 megapixels), with better exposure and clearer detail - but it didn't quite look in focus. On the right, the N8 nails the shot, with stunning detail - look at the weave of the cloth on the right and at the buttons, plus perfect exposure.

If I had a criticism of the N8's Xenon capabilities, they would be that the flash is very centre-focussed, i.e. whatever you're focussing on will be lit perfectly, but that items at the edge of the frame don't receive enough light. But this is a very minor point.

There's a slight degree of red-eye removal in 'auto' mode, in that there's a small pre-flash, around a tenth of second before the big one - interestingly, if you explicitly set the flash mode as 'red eye reduction', the delay is raised to a second or so, but you get a brighter flash (around 10 to 20% brighter), since the flash unit has had longer to recharge. Thus your tip for the day, if trying to Xenon-shoot an subject that's more than a few metres away and wanting all the lumens you can get - turn red eye reduction on - even if your subject is a car!

Not tested here but worth noting is an extraordinary degree of intelligence in the N8's camera algorithms: if the N8 detects a face which is backlit and within the flash range then it will automatically fire the flash as a fill-in. It balances the exposure so you get an extra kick from filling in the shadows and adding a sparkle to the eyes but deliberately doesn't 'overcook' it (making it look like it was obviously shot with flash).

Friday, July 30, 2010

Nokia latest phones will use components that can be recycled



NOKIA mobile phone company recently announced plans to release 40 new models that have used materials that are recyclable and not harmful to the environment.

One of them is the Nokia 3110 which has been using 65% of existing components with a material that can be recycled (recyclable).
For information, most mobile phones currently available are not much use of materials can be recycled and also dangerous (toxic) such as a lithium battery that can be dangerous for the environment if not disposed of properly.

To further support the "campaign" or environmentally conscious, even NOKIA will set up bins for recycling (green bins) in each office or service center where customers can dispose of or part of a mobile phone which is not used anymore.
It seems to serve as an example for other phone companies and may be also reduced for those of you who like to cover mutually phone.

Monday, July 26, 2010

List of All Mp3 Players Available for Symbian


====================================

Mp3 Players for S60 v1.x and v2.x
====================================



PowerMP3 by MobiFactor

PowerMP3 will turn your S60 smartphone into powerful MP3, OGG, AAC and MA4 player. PowerMP3 includes a lot of features: Play music in MP3,OGG, AAC and MA4 audio file formats Create custom Playlists to organize your music

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1546&faq=4




ALON MP3 Player by ALONsoftware

An audio player which supports MP3, OGG and WAV - the most popular audio formats with built-in 3-Band Parametric Equalizer. Main features: Supports MP3, OGG and WAV Audio formats Built-in Equalizer for all supported audio formats

Code: Select all
http://www.alonsoftware.com/products/product10.htm




CubiX MP3 Player by Cube Multimedia

High quality MP3 player which lets you create your own playlist, displays amazing 3D visualizations, provides a 10-Band Graphical Equalizer, skinning and much more. CubiX MP3 Player is compatible with all Series 60 smartphones.

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1484&faq=4




MP3 Base Stereo EQ by Mobile Vault

MP3 Base Stereo EQ is a cool music player for your phone. 10-band equalizer is included for optimized music output. Music can be listened through phone speaker or headset. Playlist view lets user manage playlist and delete songs. Playback, pause, stop, next and previous functions are available to control the player. Total play time, elapsed time and audio information is visible on the screen. MP3 Base pauses playback upon incoming call and continues when call is hanged. The program is Symbian Signed.

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1465&faq=4



MP3 Base by Mobile Vault

MP3 Base is a music player for your Series 60 phone. Music can be listened through phone speaker or headset. Playlist view lets users manage playlist and delete songs. Playback, pause, stop, next and previous functions are available to control the player. Total play time, elapsed and audio information time is visible on the screen. MP3 Base pauses playback upon incoming call and continues when call is hanged. The program is Symbian Signed.

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1386&faq=4



MP3 Gravity by Free Gravity Oy

MP3Gravity is an MP3 music player for NOKIA 3600, 3650, 3660 and N-Gage. You can play MP3 songs stored in the main memory or MMC memory card (recommended) in the phone. Load more skins from web or create your own. Features: Support of MP3 music in 24K/32K/64k/128k/256k/320k bitrates.

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=771&faq=4



UltraMP3 by Lonely Cat Games

UltraMP3 is a music player for your mobile phone. It is a handy application with cool graphical user interface, allowing you to listen to your favorite music on your Symbian mobile device. UltraMP3 loads and plays music in MP3 format, as well as MOD, XM etc?

Code: Select all
http://www.lonelycatgames.com/index.php?chapter=ultramp3



Mp3Player by Viking Informatics

Mp3Player is an MPEG Layer 3 audio player for Nokia 7650 and 3650. Supports MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-2.5 files, from 8kHz to 44.1kHz, from 8kbps to 420kpbs. Features: plays MP3 files (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-2.5); displays bitrate, frequency and mono...

Code: Select all
http://www.viking.tm/product.php?id=1




MP3Go by m-internet.com

MP3Go for Nokia Series 60 is a MP3 music player running on Nokia Series 60 phone such as Nokia 7650/3650, so you can play MP3 songs stored in the main memory or MMC memory card (recommended) Features: Support MPEG-1 layer 3 file in 24K/32K/64k/128..

Code: Select all
http://m-internet.com/mp3gons60/




OggPlay by Leif H. Wilden

OggPlay is an Ogg vorbis audio player for smartphones. Ogg Vorbis is an audio compression format similar to mp3

Code: Select all
http://symbianoggplay.sourceforge.net/




FIVN Player by Loc Nguyen

FIVN Player is created for easy and simple multimedia playback. It has a lot of functions, settings and it supports many sound formats. FIVN Player uses phone plug-ins to play sound files. Formats that the player tries to check if they can be played are: ...

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?faq=4&fldAuto=1348




AACPlayer by Viking Informatics

Features: plays AAC audio encoded files (in .AAC files or in .MP4/.MPA container), supporting Low Complexity (LC) profile; stereo, 44.1kHz playback (if phone supports it); playlist shows all AAC/MP4 files on phone; displays author, title, bitrate, frequency and mono/stereo

Code: Select all
http://www.viking.tm/product.php?id=37




MultiMedia Player by PSI NT (Psiloc)

MMP is an advanced audio player for Nokia 7650. It supports playlists and recognizes all default file formats: MIDI, WAV, AMR, AU etc. MMP is also going to support MP3 files via external plug-in (available soon).

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=91&faq=2




WMAPlus! by Filamoon Workshop

Finally, here comes a WMA player for symbian phones. WMAPlus! is an advanced music player for Symbian OS 7.0 or higher. It is the first Symbian music player that can support Microsoft's Windows Media Audio (WMA) format except the Nokia N91.

Code: Select all
http://shop.my-symbian.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=695&jid=4X42A9XXA746XC94AFA7A6C88E2XXX4E&platformId=4&productType=2&catalog=0&sectionId=0&productId=175507




SymbPlayer by CoolTel

SymbPlayer is an MP3 player with nice and graphical user interface. You can customize the screen with skins and images from your device. With Playlist Editor you can rearrange the list of songs, and listen in the order you wish. Features: Plays MP...

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1638&faq=4



EzPlay by S-One Telecom

EzPlay is a music player application that supports AMR, WAV, MP3 formats on Series 60 phones. Selectable skins and multiple play lists are also suppoted. ...

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1318&faq=2


XSound by SymbCode

XSound is an mp3 song player with nice and clear graphical user interface. You can customize how to look like the screen with skins and images from your device. With Playlist Editor you can rearrange the list of the songs, and listen in the order you wish.
XSound has the best sound quality ever heard on cellphones. With trial version you can listen 15 minutes music. After it the application is asking for the registration code....

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60v3/software/applications.php?fldAuto=86&faq=14


Moremedia by Omniaway

Audio and video contents can coexist into a playlist : Moremedia switches automatically to the correct graphic user interface. Player commands are displayed on the fullscreen custom user interface and rapidly accessible through the joystick avoiding menu and softkeys interaction. This brings the user to a real one-hand experience.
Videos can be appreciated at full screen size and the player is skinnable loading the images straight from the mobile device's gallery.

Code: Select all
http://my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1695&faq=4



Muzee Music Player by Thobee

Streams: mp3, ogg, aac, aac+ streams broadcasted by SHOUTcast and Icecast2 media servers are now supported, so it brings you almost all internet radios to your ears... (di.fm, soma fm, Virgin Radio, Club 977, HBR1 and many many more ...)

Code: Select all
http://www.my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1744&faq=4



MusicBox by FoxStudio

MusicBox is a music player for Series 60 phones supporting MP3, AMR, MID, and WAV. Play music in MP3, AMR, MID, WAV audio file formats. Support for MPEG-1 layer 3 with 24k/32k/64k/128k/192k/256k/320k bitrate. Smart interface: manage all functions using simply the joystick button

Code: Select all
http://www.my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1352&faq=4


QuodRings by QuodSoftware

QuodRings is a practical music player application for your smart phone, you can use it to conveniently carry and listen to your music files everywhere you go. But QuodRings is more than a common music player as it allows you to use your music files as rin...

Code: Select all
http://www.my-symbian.com/s60/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1163&faq=4


==================================
Mp3 Players for S60 3rd Edition
==================================

Pocket Ogg for S60 3rd Edition by WildPalm

Pocket Ogg by WildPalm is the ultimate OGG Vorbis music player for your S60 3rd Edition smartphone with easy to use playback controls (and also support for Nokia 3250 hardware music controls), high quality gapless playback and full telephone integration - music automatically pauses for incoming ca.. ..

Code: Select all
http://shop.my-symbian.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=695&jid=4X42A9XXA746XC94AFA7A6C88E2XXX4E&platformId=4&productType=2&catalog=0&sectionId=0&productId=193933



Muzee Music Player by Thobee

Muzee is a music player for S60 3rd Edition phones. Features: files: mp3, ogg, aac, mp4, m4a audio files ID3 tags: artist, album, title, genre,... next info: volume, played time streams: mp3, ogg, aac, aac+ streams broadcasted by SHOUTcast an...

Code: Select all
http://www.my-symbian.com/s60v3/software/applications.php?fldAuto=103&faq=14



===========================
Mp3 Players for S80
===========================

Mp3Player Viking Informatics

Mp3Player is an MPEG Layer 3 audio player for Nokia 9300/9500. Supports MPEG-1/2/2.5 files, from 8kHz to 44.1kHz, from 8kbps to 420kpbs. Features: English, German, Spanish, Hungarian; plays MP3 files (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-2.5, ABR, VBR);

Code: Select all
http://www.my-symbian.com/s80/software/applications.php?fldAuto=776&faq=4



OggPlay by Leif H. Wilden

OggPlay is an audio player for Series 80 devices. Oggplay is able to use standard Symbian MMF plugins. MMF (Multimedia Framework) is a feature of Symbian Operating System (SOS) that allows (among other things) 3rd parties to use audio decoder plugins.

Code: Select all
http://www.my-symbian.com/s80/software/applications.php?fldAuto=646&faq=4



UltraMP3 by Lonely Cat Games

UltraMP3 is a music player for your mobile phone. It is a handy application with cool graphical user interface, allowing you to listen to your favorite music on your Symbian mobile device. UltraMP3 loads and plays music in MP3 format, as well as MOD, XM, IT, S3M. The player has built-in playlist editor, which allows you to arrange music files on your phone, and play them in any order you wish. High degree of customization allows you to choose from one of more available skins, and skin editor ships with application -- in a few simple steps you may create your own skin. Handful of nice skins is shipped already with the application.

Code: Select all
http://www.my-symbian.com/s80/software/applications.php?fldAuto=630&faq=4



MultiMedia Player by PSI NT (Psiloc)

MultiMedia Player (MMP) is an audio player for Nokia 9210 Communicator. It supports a wide range of audio formats: MP3, WAV, RA, AU, SND etc. MutiMedia Player has many advantages over the default system player

Code: Select all
http://www.my-symbian.com/s80/software/applications.php?fldAuto=242&faq=4


===========================
Mp3 Players for S90
===========================

UltraMP3 by Lonely Cat Games

UltraMP3 is a music player for your mobile phone. It is a handy application with cool graphical user interface, allowing you to listen to your favorite music on your Symbian mobile device. UltraMP3 loads and plays music in MP3 format, as well as MOD, XM, IT, S3M. The player has built-in playlist editor, which allows you to arrange music files on your phone, and play them in any order you wish. High degree of customization allows you to choose from one of more available skins, and skin editor ships with application -- in a few simple steps you may create your own skin. Handful of nice skins is shipped already with the application.

Code: Select all
http://www.my-symbian.com/s90/software/applications.php?fldAuto=1024&faq=51[size=12][/size]

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Nokia N97 Full Screen Game Tips


Tips how to make your game running in Full Screen :D

  1. Install the game
  2. Open / launch the game
  3. Make sure your game is fully touch screen support or not
  4. If your game not support touch you must use keypad to play it (game using virtual key : badmanga, party campus, night fight, etc
  5. Way of converting into Full Screen : MENU>SETTINGS>APPLICATION MGR.>INSTALLED APPS.>Choose the game you want to set to Full Screen>OPTIONS>SUITE SETTINGS>ON-SCREEN KEYBOARD turn to OFF ( there are some caw yg jg game can be altered by its suite)
  6. Try again the game guys! enjoy the Full Screen game :D

Nokia N97 Virtual Keyboard




Virtual Keyboard for Nokia N97

Download Files Here
http://rapidshare.com/files/299837290/DayHand.zip

Monday, May 24, 2010

Nokia Man


When Nokia was founded in the year 1865, it had nothing to do with phones, and it was a pulp mill established on the banks of Nokia rapids in Finland. Its founder was Knut Fredrik Idesram.

The Finnish Rubber Works started using the Nokia brand in the beginning of 20th century. After the World War I, two companies Nokia Wood Mills and Finnish Cable Works, which was in the business of producing telephone and telegraph cables, were acquired by Finnish Rubber Works and these three companies amalgamated to form Nokia Corporation in the year 1967.

The current era of Nokia has its roots in the year 1960 when the electronic section was founded by the cable division and with its amalgamation in the year 1967, that section started making telecom equipments.

In the year 1972, Nokia got its first order from Finnish Defense Services for mobile phones for field radios.

N900


RiceGF says:

Most people I know don't make phone calls by launching a phone application and punching numbers, but by selecting an existing contact. On the N900, this is accomplished in the most obvious way I can imagine - slide open the keyboard and type the first couple of letters of the name of the person you wish to call or text; matching names appear, and you tap the one you want, followed by the medium ("cell", "SMS", whatever).

The still and video camera are just as intuitive - open the lens cover, and the camera app opens. Then point and push the shutter button on top (like a "normal" camera). Pretty intuitive to me. And gorgeous photos and flix.

Your other observations are spot on, although my phone app does automatically switch between portrait and landscape. I only use it in landscape, though - the N900 is clearly a *tablet* (you say the volume, power and shutter are on the right - but as a tablet, they are on the *top*, where I'd expect them ;-).

And yes, the web browser *is* as good as they say. Brilliant!

Zak Sloan says:


I have been waiting for your review on this, and glad to see you have had the chance to test the N900.

Just a couple of points:

The N900 was designed and released as an 'internet tablet with phone capabilities', so although it falls into the smartphone category, it wasn't designed as a phone.

Recent updates have enabled portrait mode, which can be activated using Ctrl-Shift-O.

Also, as much as I love the N900 and all of its features, I would not recommend it for the average user. I would see them getting very frustrated with it.

You are right about the "potential" of the N900. I have had mine for over three months and also feel I have only scratched the surface!

It's a tinkerer's dream, and the features and capabilities run rings around other devices.

Skype does not need to be downloaded as an app, as it is integrated into the phone, so you can choose to make a regular, VoIP, or Skype call(or send an email) to a contact in your address book.

Ovi store for apps is still looking very poor, but there are lots of free apps available in the repositories.

@M0les,

The current information is that the N900 WILL be upgradable to Meego. There were a lot of worried users thinking they would be left behind, so this is very good news for them. We do not yet know when this will happen.

No carriers have announced that they will provide the phones, but some retail stores have said they will be selling it.

Lost Series Finale


Season 6 premiered on February 2, 2010, at its new timeslot of Tuesdays at 9:00 EST pm in the US and Canada and features 18 episodes. The sixth season follows two timelines, each an outcome of the detonation of a hydrogen bomb in the previous season finale. In the first timeline, referred to as "flash sideways", Oceanic Flight 815 never crashes. In the second, the survivors return to the present day and must deal with the demise of Jacob, whose death has been orchestrated by the mysterious Man in Black, the Smoke Monster. According to show producer Damon Lindelof, the term "flash-sideways" was deliberately used instead of "alternate reality" because it might then "infer that one of them isn't real, or one of them is real and the other is the alternate to being real."

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Downloading applications on Nokia N900 Maemo


Downloading applications

Internet Tablets use the concept of software repositories, a concept carried over from Linux. You can tell your N900 where these repositories are via the Application Manager. The Application Manager automatically then presents you a list of available applications that can be installed on your device, and takes care of any dependancies that may be required.

There are multiple repositories available for the N900:

1. Nokia's Ovi Store
2. Commercial Application Vendors
3. Community Applications

The Application Manager also allows you to uninstall applications as well as keep you notified of updates to your installed applications.

You will also find One Click Install Applications on the web for instance in the Downloads section of this web site. You may also want to ]install applications which are not available through maemo.org, but which you download from third party sites.

If you can't find what you want, sign up to Maemo Talk and ask. If a few people are interested, or if a particular developer sees value in your idea, it's likely someone will write you an application to do what you want. And yes, that really does work.

Or you can learn to program in Maemo or Qt yourself.

There's a good set of tutorials here, with a Hello world app too... and there's a separate Developer FAQ on this site.

Application manager

Application manager is a preinstalled graphical user interface to APT.

Application manager shows contents of configured repositories. It is a tool to search and install software. The basic repository list has approximately same content as maemo.org Downloads.

Application manager also handles software updates automaticly.

Managing Repositories

In this example, we will be enabling the 'maemo.org' repository. (Which should already exist, but this is simply an example.)

Open Application Manager (Dashboard > Menu > More... > App. manager)



Go to Application catalogs (Press the menu bar at the top, where it says application manager)



Press New



Enter the Catalog Details



You can also disable catalogs for future use (Useful for maemo.org extras-testing and maemo.org extras-devel catalogs.)



Save.

Other ways

It is recommended to use the application manager since it this is the easiest way to install software. If it doesn't suit your needs please see the following solutions:

* Maemo Select - showcase for the best community and commercial apps
* maemo.org Maemo Downloads - for community-developed apps
* Ovi Store - for commercially-developed apps

Enhancing List Application Able To Install with Maemo


We know that Nokia N900 apps can be download in OVI store or in application manager. But we cannot find all application only in OVI store. So we can download from application manager by enhancing some new catalogue.

To add new catalogue, we need to step into Menu -> Application Manager.

Continue click of Application Manager exist in topmost shares. And afterwards this choice will emerge .

Continue click in Application catalogs, continue catalogue choice will emerge.

Then click again in New to add new catalogue, later will emerge form we which must fill.

This is the catalogue:

1. Maemo Extras Catalog Details :
Catalog name: Maemo Extras
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras/
Distribution: fremantle
Components: free non-free

2. Maemo Testing Applications Catalog Details :
Catalog name: Maemo Extras-Testing
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras-testing/
Distribution: fremantle
Components: free non-free

3. Maemo Developer Testing Applications Catalog Details
Catalog name: Maemo Extras-Devel
Web address: http://repository.maemo.org/extras-devel/
Distribution: fremantle
Components: free non-free

Monday, May 10, 2010

N900 keyboard shortcut - Potrait Mode on Web Browser


In the reality we can peep out Potrait Mode on Nokia N900. But only in WEB BROWSER.

To activate Potrait Mode just press "Ctrl+Shift+O" in Nokia N900 default browser web (Is not Mozilla etc). And tadaaaa... Nokia N900 Web Browser now turn into Potrait Mode.

Hope this tips can help improve your Web Browsing experience.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

N900 keyboard shortcut




General :
* Ctrl + Backspace: From within an application this will take you back out to the visual task manager
* Ctrl + C: Copy text
* Ctrl + V: Paste text
* Ctrl + X: Cut text
* Ctrl + A: Select all
* Ctrl + O: Open (if available)
* Ctrl + N: Create a new item (if available)
* Ctrl + S: Save (if available)
* Ctrl + Z: Undo (if available)
* Ctrl + Y: Redo (if available)
* Ctrl + F: Open search bar (if available)
* Ctrl + Right arrow: Move the insertion point to the end of the word
* Ctrl + Left arrow: Move the insertion point to the beginning of the word

Web Browser :
* Ctrl + N: Open a new window
* Ctrl + R: Reload the current page
* Ctrl + B: Open a bookmark
* Ctrl + D: Add a bookmark

Email :
* Ctrl + Enter: Send a message
* Ctrl + R: Reply to a message

RSS Reader :
* Ctrl + R: Refresh the feed

Screenshots :
* Ctrl + Shift + P: Capture a screenshot

Friday, April 9, 2010

Nokia E71 and E66 get Ovi Maps free navigation




Nokia today announced the availability of Ovi Maps 3.3 (3.03) for the Nokia E71 and E66. The updated version brings the free worldwide pedestrian and car navigation edition of Ovi Maps to these devices. Nokia says the release is a result of listening to consumer feedback: 'you spoke, we listened', says the press release. The E71 and E66 versions do not include the Lonely Planet guides due to technical constraints, but the core navigation offering is the same as that found on more recent devices.

The process of making the latest version of Ovi Maps available for existing devices is quite involved, but the team managed to include complete navigation functionality. Due to technical constraints in back porting the app to existing devices, unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to offer further premium content such as the Michelin and Lonely Planet guides.


The announcement is a follow on from January 21st, when Nokia announced that Ovi Maps was going free.

In the press release, Nokia note that the E71 and E66 will be "the last of our S60 3.1 and older devices to sport this version of Ovi Maps". This means we will not be seeing free navigation support for the Nokia N95 and other S60 3.1 devices. However, as we noted in an earlier story Nokia have reduced the licenses prices significantly for pre-3.3 versions of Ovi Maps, which means navigation is available for older devices at a very low cost.

Ovi Maps 3.3 (3.03) on the E71 and E66

Ovi Maps is a relatively large install and will be placed on the C: drive, so you will need to ensure that you have enough free disk space (recommended 10MB or more) before installing the new version. It will replace any existing version of Ovi Maps or Nokia Maps that is installed on the device.

In usage there are occasions, as with earlier version on the Nokia E71, when Ovi Maps can feel somewhat sluggish compared to more recent devices. However the streamlined user interface is a significant improvement and the new version is a recommended install for all E71 and E66 users, not least for the availability of free car and pedestrian navigation.



Ovi Maps for the Nokia E71 and E66 will be made available via the maps.nokia.com website. It will also likely appear in the Ovi Store shortly.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Nokia X6 Review


So here comes the X6. As the de facto sequel to the surprise hit of the 5800 XpressMusic, the X6 has a lot to live up to in the eyes of the media and the consumers. Actually, being honest, a touch screen device, with music support, operator backing and a stylish black look such as the 5800 had all the indications of being a successful device even before launch. Shall I cut a long review short and simply say that the X6 doesn't (yet) manage this, but if Nokia apply themselves, it could do so in the future?

And now, the longer version, over multiple parts.



The X6 doesn't have the first mover advantage of being Nokia's first touch screen S60 device, but you can't help but fail to notice the biggest change in Nokia's touch screen devices with the X6, and this is the switch from a resistive touch screen to a capacitive touch screen. No more stylus needed (or in fact, able to be used), the X6 screen will only pick up on the touch of human skin on the screen (normally your finger).

This has an impact on the S60 UI, and I'll come onto that in a subsequent part, but in general this change to the interface has made the X6 a much more tactile and gorgeous device to handle. You don't need to struggle with a stylus, aim a fingernail at the screen, or even be pixel perfect accurate – a glancing stroke with a finger or a thumb swiping across the screen is more than enough to have your touch picked up and acted on.

Just to give you a heads up that the S60 5th Edition changes in the X6 lack one word – consistency – but this is nothing to do with the physical hardware of the screen. Not only is it excellent and responsive, but the colours and sharpness give the X6 a wonderful clarity; I'd go so far as to say that it demands to be held and touched.



Also on the front of the machine are the call/end call/app buttons. Unlike on the 5800, which had these as three raised buttons, a strip of plastic that takes up all the space at the bottom of the screen carries the three buttons here. Rather than being touch sensitive, this is a physical set of buttons where the whole strip pivots slightly depending on which button you press. It suddenly takes away from the glorious screen and dumps a cheap plastic phone back in your hand. Not good mojo.

This bendy and cheap plastic feel also applies to the back cover. It's a single sheet of moulded plastic, and instead of slides, catches and runners to hold it in place, you just bend it up at the bottom edge and pop it off. It makes for a smooth construction (and lower production cost) but again, adds to the tacky feel of the phone.



And then you have a SIM card slot cover which is little more than a plastic wedge over a push in slot – there's nothing seamless or tactile about these buttons and covers. Okay the SIM slot is a thing that the average user might only use once, but it has an impact on perceptions of the machine.

Which is a shame because the X6 is more stylish than the 5800. With the two long edges nicely curved, it sits comfortably in your hand, while the slight off-vertical surfaces at the short edges give an almost trapezoidal shape. The curve fits my hand, it's easily picked up from a table,and perhaps my only complaint is that with no lip around the screen (as the 5800 has) it's very easy in this thin candybar format to have your fingers stray into the touch screen area.



Right then, let's address the biggest issue I'm having with the X6 – and it's a physical problem. The key-lock slider on the side of the unit, which unlocks the touch screen has two problems. It's far too stiff and the sliding key needs far too much pressure when pulled towards the base of the unit to be at all comfortable. Also, unlike the similarly functioning key on the 5800 which was heavily ridged, there's a tiny raised padlock symbol which gives almost no purchase on the key. This is a backwards step from the 5800 and one that seems to be more a lack of oversight than anything else.

Yes, there should be some style, but this is a step too far.



The top edge of the X6 carries all the connectivity and power options. There's a microUSB connector hiding under a plastic grommet that seems securely fixed to the X6 body, the 3.5mm headphone/headset socket, an charging socket and the power/profile button. That button seems to have a huge amount of play before it actually does anything, which isn't particularly reassuring; and the inclusion of the charging socket is required as the X6, amazingly, does not charge over USB.



The volume buttons and camera buttons are in the expected place, on the right side with volume at the top and the two stage camera shutter button at the bottom. This is Nokia's design language and not something you would expect to see changed. What's interesting is that these two buttons are a different style to the key lock and power buttons. Much like the software of the X6, the outside seems to be two different ideals running into each other and compromising as best they can.



On the opposite long edge to the volume buttons are the speakers – one at the top and one at the bottom. I like this positioning, both of them are on the left long spine of the X6. This makes little difference when the phone is thrown on the kitchen worktop as I bake another masterpiece (really? - Vikki Spence), but the benefit becomes clear when you watch video on the 16:9 ratio screen, you've got yourself some stereo separation for the latest feature film (or in my case Question Time on the BBC iPlayer). They're also a substantial set of speakers for such a small unit. You won't get high fidelity from them, but you will get enough noise to fill a hotel room as you get ready in the morning. That'll do for me.



One problem with the diagonal styling on the top of the unit is around the 3.5mm headphone socket. Because the socket is at right angles to the screen, but the plastic moulding around it carries the angle. With certain cables that need to fit flush, they're pushed very slightly out of the socket, which is just enough in some cases to cause connection problems, especially for audio playback.

Plugging in a generic peripheral to the socket and you're asked to confirm what you've just put in... every time. A default setting here would be nice. What would also be nice is if the Music Player paused when something is removed from the headphone socket, or at least have another option to set this, because it's really useful. Of course a certain company already does this – and if Nokia were to add this usability feature would they be hit with another patent/copying lawsuit? Who knows, but I wish they would take the chance.

The X6, once it gets into the supply chai,n either on a hugely subsidised contract or in a version which removes the Comes with Music addition and brings the SIM free price into the 'disposable' range, should be a popular phone. And anything that makes the X6 punch above its RRP is to be welcomed. That's why some of these styling faults are going to be disproportionately punishing on the fortunes of the X6. People don't want to be seen with a 'cheap' phone; and the little niggles in the construction detailed above move the X6 away from 'stylish' to 'tacky.' It's not insurmountable – the screen and front style is lush and modern, but someone needs to get a grip in the factory and break some knuckles before the X6 breaks too many hearts on the High Street.

Source: allaboutsymbian

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