New N73, N70 & N93 internet editions

This was mentioned in some press stories yesterday but wasn't really picked up much. It seems Nokia are going to release further variants of the N70, N73 and N93. We've had the music editions, now it seems there are going to be internet editions too. The multimedia key, which on the music editions allows one touch access to the music player (which once opened is an absolute pig to close down) will offer one touch access to the internet on the internet edition phones

Nokia will also pre-load the internet edition phones with Live messenger and Yahoo Search.

Whilst this is all well and good, I don't understand why the differentiation needs to be made between particular services. I'd like to have my N73, with full internet service integration, and the decent music player. Is that too much to ask?

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Gizmo VoIP Service on the N80ie

Details announced today, from the Nokia World Conference. All sounds great. But how big is VoIP really gonna be? I don't know anyone who uses VoIP. I get more than enough calling minutes from my network, the only time I would personally use VoIP is for cheaper international calls.

Detail on the announcement below:

Nokia today announced that users of the Nokia N80 Internet Edition will have easy access to low-cost calls over the Internet with SIPphone's Gizmo Voice over IP (VoIP) services. The Nokia N80 Internet Edition is optimized for SIP-based Internet calls, and now Nokia and SIPphone have worked together to create an easy way to configure and make calls using Gizmo VoIP directly from your multimedia computer.

"Mobilizing the Internet is a key focus for Nokia and I'm excited to see how a multimedia computer like the Nokia N80 Internet Edition can provide people with the convenience of Internet calling," said Ralph Eric Kunz, Vice President, Multimedia, at Nokia. "Our collaboration with SIPphone makes Internet calling easy, plus our open VoIP platform allows for any SIP-based VoIP provider to incorporate their services in our device architecture, giving consumers the best of the Internet world."

Nokia N80 Internet Edition users download the free Gizmo VoIP settings from the Download! folder in their device, automatically beginning the installation process. During installation, users go through a simple two-step process for creating a free account that they'll use to make Internet calls. Other capabilities, such as customizing voicemail greetings, purchasing Gizmo Call Out credit for dialing landlines and mobile devices and managing Gizmo account settings are available by using the Nokia N80 Internet Edition to browse the www.gizmovoip.com web site.

"Collaborating with Nokia has allowed our development teams to create a compelling VoIP experience on the N80 Internet Edition and instantly enable millions of mobile consumers around the world to save money," said Michael Robertson, Chairman and CEO of SIPphone. "Ease of configuration and intuitive everyday use options make this Internet calling service unique in the mobile VoIP space."

Making an Internet call with the Nokia N80 Internet Edition is as easy as making a regular voice call, only the call is carried through wireless LAN, saving money and conserving cellular airtime minutes in the process. The VoIP framework, based on the SIP-protocol, is integrated into the Nokia user interface, so downloading the GIZMO VoIP settings is simple. Furthermore, the open S60 platform on the Nokia N80 Internet Edition is optimized for downloading compatible third party Internet call applications.

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Orb streaming working on the N73

I like the PC access services, Orb and Avvenu. Orb is going to be one of the new services available in the X Series from Three and is going to be an additional service available on the N80ie.

Orb has a new version, now Orb 2.0 This version gives a nicer phone interface than before. With Avvenu, you still get the standard web page login. The benefit of Avvenu, for me, is the ability to download files from the PC to your phone. Orb is for streaming. The advantage of Avvenu occurred just last night. I had purchased a tune online, and wanted to put it on my phone, but I forgot to transfer it. No problem, I just logged in via the website, accessed my PC desktop and downloaded the tune to my phone. Simple as.

I've always had problems getting connections with Orb. Not reliable a all. Just once I have managed to stream a video. All other times I've had all manner of problems. So I've mainly used it for viewing pictures and other items on my PC. Finally, I've found the solution to the streaming problem. Simply, I needed to change the configuration in the Orb settings on my PC. Instead of using the default port 554, I changed it to 555 and now Orb streams onto my phone. Screenshots below:

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Nokia announce some new phones

No new N Series, but one of them is a S60 handset. We'll start with that first:

Nokia 6290
Nokia 6290 Smartphone - advanced technology made simple
The Nokia 6290 smartphone combines the collective power of S60 3rd Edition and 3G in an easy-to-use, attractively designed package. It supports a number of practical new features, multiple alarms and handy Quick Cover access keys which enable instant access to a wide range of the device's useful features, including an interactive world travel application.


Nokia 6300
Nokia 6300 - Clean styling, compact size
The Nokia 6300 is a mid-range model that represents an evolution of the modern monoblock design. Less than 13.1mm thin, the slim Nokia 6300 has a stainless steel frame that adds both design interest and strength. In addition to its organic curves and appealing design, the Nokia 6300 offers a robust range of easy-to-use features.

Nokia 6086
Nokia 6086 Cameraphone - Compelling feature set, seamless connectivity
The Nokia 6086 allows consumers to stay in touch - in any environment. This quad-band GSM and UMA-enabled cameraphone hides its sophisticated circuitry in a classic design with a large keypad and intuitive user menu.









Nokia 2626
Nokia 2626 - Tune into style
The Nokia 2626 is a colorful mobile phone designed for style-conscious consumers in emerging markets. The Nokia 2626 will be available in a range of bold colors, such as Fiery Red and Spatial Blue, and includes an FM radio for music on the go.

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Nokia podcasting app updated

blogs.S60.com report that the Nokia podcasting app has been updated. Full details and a link for download here.

I've had problems with the app in the past but after a re-install and some other changes, all seems to be fine now.

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COTM 55

The latest edition of the Carnival of the Mobilist can be found here. As ever the carnival has some very interesting articles to go through.

Next week the carnival arrives at Mopocket.

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Nokia World

On the 29th and 30th November the Nokia World event (Formerly known as the Nokia Mobility Conference) is being held in Amsterdam.

The agenda is here, details of the Expo here & you can create a personal page here. This allows you to store items of interest from the event. Once registered you'll be sent a link to your phone with a personal login to allow you to access content from your phone.

I'm looking forward to any new kit Nokia may announce at the event. There have already been rumours surrounding new enterprise handsets that may be unveiled (see here) My next handset is already planned to be the N95. Lets see if Nokia have anything up there sleeves that will make me change my mind.

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Mobile broadband speed restricted

T-Mobile offer Web n Walk, all you can eat data access, including Mobile Broadband (HSDPA). Three are on the verge of offering the X Series, initially on the Nokia N73 and SE W950i. Three will launch Mobile Broadband early next year.

One of the concerns operators have that some users will clog the bandwith available using P2P services as happens on landline internet. ISP's regularly claim that there is a small group of heavy users who ruin the broadband experience for the majority by hogging bandwith and network capacity.

To counter this Nokia will offer Peer-to-peer traffic control to mobile networks early in 2007, to counter bandwith hungry applications such as VOIP and P2P file sharing, by carefully managing and balancing network resources.

Whilst I can see the reasons why the networks would want to control usage across their networks to ensure the end user experience is as good as it could be, I hope they implement the product with a good dose of common sense. With WnW and XSeries T-Mobile & Three are leading the way for open, unlimited high speed data access on your mobile phone. It would be a shame to temper these market leading products before they've fully taken off.

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Updating an N73 to Music Edition

It's possible to update an N73 with the N73 Music Edition software. You can read posts on the AAS Forums and the What Mobile Forums

The screenshot shows the new music player. You get the Moby tune "In My Heart" that Nokia use in the adverts pre-loaded. The joystick controls play, down to stop left/right to rewind/fast forward. The media key on the phone becomes a one touch access to the music player.

It's only really recommended to update to the N73 Music Software if you're confident of the procedure. It will invalidate any warranty on your handset and there is always the chance you'll 'brick' the handset. And as always, make sure you back up any data before updating your firmware.

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N73 Flickr usage

Posted by Tommi on blogs.s60.com

I really like to see details like this. Popularity of a particular service or phone or application. The N73 is showing a fantastic rise, matched and at the end slightly topped off by the K800i. The popularity of the K750i shouldn't be a surprise, seeing how good a camera phone it was (and still is)

I've owned the K800i and it's core competency, the cybershot branded camera, is very good. But the N73 is still my preferred choice. There is a definite blurring between top end phones and smartphones though, in terms of features and functionality. Off hand, I can't think of a feature I can do on my smartphone N73 that I can't do on the K800i. The normal definition of smartphone is a handset that allows you to add functionality by downloading and installing additional software. No? I can do this on the K800i with some java apps. Add Opera Mini. Add Shozu for uploading to blogs (although the K800i does have a built in blog upload function) The K800i offers email access. Web browsing. Has expandable memory, etc, etc. But it is not classed as a smartphone.

I like S60, I like the flexibility the O/S offers, the total menu customisation, etc. But the difference between smartphones and 'normal' mobile phones is less clear than it used to be.

I'm off now to increase the N73 stats by uploading some pictures to Flickr

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Rumours, rumours....

There was a rumour a while back, regarding an update to the N93, the N93i. New metallic body and other slight changes. Well the rumour persists, Slashphone have more detail on the handset today. Could be that it's announced imminently, which would tie in with the Nokiaworld Mobility conference happening in Amsterdam soon.



















There's certainly more chance of the N93i being reality than the recently rumoured N97:

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N95 Review

It's typical. I'm out for one day, away from the PC, and an N95 review turns up! The review is over on Nokia List. All things considered the N95 seems to be all you could hope it would be. I can't wait to get my hands on one, it's top of my wishlist for the next mobile handset.

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Carnival of the Mobilist 54

Another week, another edition of the Carnival of the Mobilist. This week the carnival is held on Goldenswamp.com Golden Swamp is a new site to me. One of the great things about the carnival is the amount of additional sites you get exposed to, those hosting and those good enough to submit articles.

As ever it's a good read, it takes me a few days to go through the articles as I don't have time to read it all at once.

Next week the carnival will be on fiercedeveloper.com

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Too complicated to use?

I was reading through some mobile related sites the other day, and I came across this article. It's related to the story the other day that Symbian have shipped 100 million smartphones.

A couple of the comments in the story caught my interest. First:

The S60 3rd Edition interface has received tonnes of criticism from veteran Nokia users for being far too complicated to use. It's great that there's new stuff to play with, but not so great that the old stuff, as in making calls and sending texts, has been made more complicated.

Is this really true? Is S60 so hard to use these days? I don't think so. I've been a fan of S60 since the 7650, through the 6600 (what a great phone that was) 7610, and on through to the N70, N80 and N73.

One of the things I liked about S60 from the start was the simple customisation of the menu structure, the flexibilty in creating folders and moving programs from place to place. S60v3 still has this. Setup on S60 phones has always been straight forward and easy, S60v3 is still so. Even more so now with the settings wizard. Is making calls and sending text more complicated on S60v3 than previous versions of S60? I don't see how it is.

The fact is, Nokia's phones are in danger of turning from the iPods of the phone world into the Gizmondos -- from devices dedicated to doing one thing well to jacks-of-all-trades that do too many things poorly.

The NSeries range is aimed at people who want more functionality from their phones. Sure, some features are not as good as they could be. The standby screen on S60 is not as customisable as on a S40 phone. I would dearly love to remove calendar appointments from the main screen and just keep the shortcut icons. And there are a few other areas that S60 can improve. Better PIM features (apparently, the built in calendar covers my needs but feedback on various forums suggest it is not good enough for most) would be one. But jack-of-all-trades, master of none is not a comment I would use to describe S60 phones.

You now have to wait for your 'multimedia computer' to boot up and shut down and once everything is up and running you have to wait while an application loads. Is that what mobile phone users really want?

It was often a criticism against S60 phones, how long they take to start and access the menu when switched on. S60v3 is faster than on previous phones. Start up time on my N73 and N80 is quicker than that on my SE W810i. Accessing the menu is a second or so after start up, afterwards it's as fast as I need it to be. I rarely turn my phone off, so this is a minimal issue for me.

Then there's the issue of battery life. With so many new features the battery simply can't cope anymore. Recharging your phone almost every day has become the norm, which is a far cry from the days when phones like the Nokia 6310 would last you four or five days.

Battery life is a problem on phones like the N80. But then, do a check list between an N80 and a 6310. You can't compare the two. Battery life on my N73 runs at around 3 days. I don't turn my phone off, so that's three total days. Usage is internet, email, Orb or Avvenu, calls, text, occasional Sat Nav use, music player, etc, etc, with the phone powering a large QVGA colour screen. Battery life of six days would be great, but for what I use three days is good.

Last month Crave went to the Symbian smart phone show and we were blown away by the number of applications Symbian-based handsets can support. It was simply overwhelming -- from satellite navigation to instant email access to VoIP. But do phone users really want all these new features?

For those who don't, there is the Nokia 6021. Or 1112. For those who do, we have NSeries.

The perfect balance would be to do both well. Rather than focusing all efforts on making expensive converged devices, it might be a better tactic to make several devices that do one or two things very well, with calling and texting at the heart of the user experience. Nokia phones' ease of use and simplicity made them the iPod of the mobile phone market. But the dream of convergence has made Nokia fly too close to the sun

I think Nokia have this covered. They offer the high end smartphones with various features across the range, with WiFi on some phones, better cameras on others, QWERTY keyboards, etc, they have a good number of mid range phones covered by S40 UI and there is a fair number of low end phones for the 'I only call and text' brigade.

For me, The N73 covers all I need and does it very well. And where it could do better, there is usually a third party application I can use instead.

edit: There is a related discussion to this topic at this post on blogs.S60.com

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Orb just got better

I wrote briefly about ways of accessing your PC via your phone here. At the time (and it was only a few days ago) my preference was for Avvenu

Since then Orb went 2.0 and it is a significant improvement. The view when logged in via your phone is much better. A simpler layout, easier to navigate with quick access to all There is an article on the new Orb over on blogs.S60.com

With the new page layout on the PC and the better look from the phone it may just be that Orb becomes the preferred choice for accessing files on the move.

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X Series from Three

Sometimes you come across information that is worth sharing, even if it doesn't fall within the core interest of your blog. This info will be of interest to anyone in the UK. 3, the multimedia company (that's how they like to describe themselves) have announced a new range of services, the X-Series. A whole range of mobile broadband services. The first two handsets that will be available for the X-Series is the N73 and SE W950i. Press release below, it is interesting stuff.

Hutchison Whampoa announced the global launch of the X-Series from 3. The X-Series from 3 marks the beginning of the internet via mobile broadband, and heralds a new way of doing business for mobile network operators.

It will extend several of the core applications and uses of the broadband internet to the mobile handset, with a new pricing model. The X-Series from 3 will be supported by the leading internet companies, cutting-edge handsets from the world’s leading mobile manufacturers and premium customer service.

Customers will be able to make unlimited calls from their mobile using Skype, watch their home television via their mobile using Sling, access their home PC remotely using Orb and have access to the best of internet and messaging services from Yahoo!, Windows Live Messenger and Google.

The X-Series from 3 will be priced like fixed line broadband. It will offer use of mobile internet services free at the time of use, for a flat fee. The X-Series from 3 will be available in the UK from the 1st December 2006 and in 3’s other markets around the world in early 2007. Each 3 company will provide further details as they launch X-Series in their markets.

Canning Fok, Group Managing Director of Hutchison Whampoa, said:

“This is the internet as it was meant to be and what people have been waiting for. Mobile broadband is the natural next step for mobile services, extending the full power of the internet to mobile handsets. By partnering with the leaders of the internet and the leading handset makers, the X-Series from 3 will give everyone access to more of what they want, when they want it, and however much of it they want, all free when they use it.”

Frank Sixt, Group Finance Director of Hutchison Whampoa, said:

“We believe that giving our customers the benefit of the favourable economics of the broadband world will lead more customers to join our network. That is the proposition the 3 Group will be putting forward in all of its markets under the X-Series. This is why we created 3, and what our network was designed to deliver. The X-Series heralds important changes in the business model for mobile media and internet. Moving away from unit charges will set mobile users free to enjoy broadband services without fear of ‘bill-shock’.”

The X-Series from 3

The X-Series from 3 will allow people to communicate, find information and be entertained in ways they have never been able to do before using a mobile handset.
With X-Series, the 3 Group is sharing the power of mobile broadband with its internet partners and above all, with its customers who will get more of what they want, when they want it, how they want it, and without fear of hidden charges every step of the way at the point of use.

At today’s launch presentation the 3 Group announced global partnerships with major internet brands Sling Media, Orb and Google. These partnerships build on global agreements announced earlier this year with Skype, Microsoft and Yahoo!

New Charging Structure

X-Series customers will be charged flat access fees for X-Series mobile broadband services on top of their basic subscription. The access fees will include all you can Skype, all you can chat by instant text message and all you can search and browse. There will initially be an additional access fee for customers who also take higher-bandwidth services like Sling and Orb. Just like the fixed line internet, all X-Series services will be free at the point of use, subject only to fair usage limits.

The X-Series will lay the foundations for the mobile broadband charging models of the future. The broadband internet is based on a completely different economic model than that of most mobile operators today. As internet and media technologies have evolved, customers are able to do more at less cost. Customers in the future will be attracted by greater and greater choice, and higher and higher usage levels, for fair, attractive and transparent access fees.

This charging structure overturns the traditional telephony model of charging per minute, per message, per click, per event and per megabyte. This is made possible by the rapid development of all IP (internet protocol) mobile networks, HSDPA and HSUPA network speed upgrades, peer-to-peer technologies, and a number of efficiency improvements in every aspect of a mobile operator’s business. As a result, the cost of providing broadband internet and media applications in mobility may be expected to continue to decline, as it has in the internet and fixed-line broadband world.

Voice

An X-Series customer will be able to make and receive unlimited Skype calls with Skype PC users anywhere in the world, and to any other Skype 3 mobile customer. Skype to Skype calls on a 3 mobile will be free.*

Niklas Zennström, CEO, Skype, said:

“Over the last three years, Skype has changed the way people communicate with one another. There are 136 million Skype users today who are making free calls to other Skype users across the world. With 3, I am very proud to say that for the first time, our users can now try out making Skype calls on the move using a mobile phone. We always want to delight our users by letting them try out new ways of keeping in touch. This is a real milestone for Skype because now you can use Skype beyond the PC, no matter where you happen to be.”

Your TV where you are

An X-Series customer who purchases a Slingbox will be able to watch anything they are able to watch on their own TV, including their terrestrial TV, Freeview, cable, and satellite TV, at the same time, on their mobile. Slingbox will also let X-Series customers control their home personal video recorder (PVR) to watch shows they have recorded, pause and rewind live TV, or even queue a recording when away from home using their mobile.

Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media, said:

“Working together with 3 has enabled us to push the boundaries of TV viewing further than ever before. 3 understands the power of mobile broadband to deliver compelling, value-add applications and services like a truly personalized mobile TV experience. We are thrilled to be working with them. The availability of SlingPlayer Mobile for 3 customers is a major breakthrough in mobile TV viewing. Customers can now view all the programmes they love to watch at home whilst on the move via their mobile phone.”

Your PC where you are

Using Orb means people can access the digital content that they have stored on their PC at home, including music files, playlists, digital photos and videos, on their X-Series handset. Orb has specifically designed a user interface for X-Series handsets, which will ensure the X-Series customers taking Orb will receive the best user experience.

Joe Costello, Chairman and co-founder of Orb Networks, said:

“3 Group just gets it. They are the first mobile media company to give their customers the freedom and choices to use the mobile Web the way it was intended to be used. Who doesn’t want the freedom to control what digital media we enjoy, when we enjoy it and where? That’s the type of media freedom Orb provides. 3 is not running away from the future, they are running towards it with open arms, ripping down the wall around the garden and offering up the best Web 2.0 services to their customers.”

Messaging

X-Series from 3 will offer customers text instant messages, to or from Windows Live Messenger or Yahoo! Messenger, to another X-Series handset, or a PC. Sending and receiving text instant messages with an X-Series mobile will be free.*

Sharon Baylay, General Manager, Microsoft Online Services Group UK, said:

“We’re excited to be bringing one of Microsoft’s best of breed communications services to 3’s network. Already, in the UK alone, 3 users are having one million Windows Live Messenger conversations every day. These are exciting numbers and mobile broadband will bring a rapid shift in the delivery of internet services, and consumers’ usage of them. This announcement shows Microsoft at the forefront of the mobile broadband revolution and we will continue to roll out ‘anywhere access’ to our leading web services.”

Open Internet Access and Search

Customers will be able to search the internet without limitation from their mobile using a GoogleTM or Yahoo search engine, depending on their choice and the search services available in their country. Searching and browsing the internet on mobile will be free.*

Terry Semel CEO of Yahoo said:

“Approximately three billion people in the world today are using mobile devices, and to have the ability to connect to those three billion, with broadband capabilities, and allow them to take advantage of Yahoo! services on the go is a huge opportunity for both our company and for 3.”

Dominique Vidal, Regional Vice President & Managing Director of Yahoo! Europe, said:

“As the number of consumers accessing the Internet on their mobile devices continues to grow, creating and partnering to deliver innovative mobile communications services, personalized content and an intuitive search experience is a key component to Yahoo!’s future success. With the launch of broadband mobile Internet, 3 Group and Yahoo! can now deliver the rich and personalized Internet experiences that consumers want on the go.”

Jim Holden, Director Wireless Strategic Partnerships, Google, said:

“We want people to be able to find useful information on the internet wherever they are. 3 share this goal. Mobile search offers people the chance of a rich internet experience on the go. Our agreement takes us a step further to meeting this ambition.”

The best Internet shopping with eBay
X-Series customers will be able to shop on eBay real-time. Searching and browsing and bidding will be free. This will give eBay users with access to 3 the ability to enjoy enhanced opportunities to buy and sell on the go and not just in front of their PCs. With 3 and X-Series, eBay sellers and buyers will be able to stay connected to one another when and where they want.

Cutting Edge Handsets

The global launch of the X-Series from 3 is being made possible by the first two handsets that will support this full range of services: the Nokia N73 and the Sony Ericsson W950i.

Kai Öistämö, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Mobile Phones, Nokia, said:

“We are firm believers that mobile convergence is the future of mobility. With its wide array of features, the Nokia N73 multimedia computer is simply ideal for this kind of innovative service. The X-Series from 3 will be a great way for consumers to take full advantage of the devices’ great features. We are proud to take part in the X-Series and we are most confident that our customers will greatly benefit from this mobile broadband service.”

Miles Flint, President, Sony Ericsson said:

“Today’s sophisticated consumers want complex services at their fingertips and our devices are the physical touch-point between Internet services and the consumer. But consumers don’t just want a functional device, they want something highly individual. That’s what the W950i Walkman phone brings to the X-Series.”

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100 million Symbian Smartphones shipped

Symbian Limited, today announced that 100 million Symbian smartphones have shipped to over 250 network operators worldwide since Symbian's formation.

"Hitting the 100 million mark with over 100 different models currently shipping from 10 leading handset vendors is a phenomenal achievement for Symbian and a strong indication that more and more people are embracing the smartphone lifestyle. However, we are still at the beginning of a technology revolution that will change peoples' lives profoundly," said Nigel Clifford, CEO, Symbian.

Since the first Symbian OS phone, the Ericsson R380, shipped in 2000, 100 million Symbian smartphones have sold around the world including devices manufactured by BenQ, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Lenovo, Mitsubishi, Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Samsung, Sendo, Sharp, Siemens, and Sony Ericsson.

"Reaching the 100 million milestone is not Symbian's achievement alone. We thank our customers and network operators for their support. We also thank Symbian developers for driving innovation in the smartphone market and our close network of 300 Symbian Platinum Partners, in particular our vital user interface partners in S60, UIQ and MOAP that continue to develop new software solutions and award winning applications for Symbian OS. Our combined efforts result in compelling, innovative and differentiated phones as demonstrated last month at the biggest yet Symbian Smartphone Show[1]", said Nigel Clifford.

Symbian Outlook

"We see two trends driving smartphones onward. The first is that while smartphones have their highest penetration rates in the most saturated and developed markets, the highest future growth rates are likely to be in rapidly developing markets such as China, India and Brazil," said Nigel Clifford. "The developing world will likely account for 50% of smartphone sales within five years as smartphones are a huge opportunity to fast-forward into the information era. The second is the rising youth market, a generation who are demanding the most innovative, fashionable devices and are attracted by the services they can offer."

Full article here

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Nokia New Year's Eve Party

"Five cities, One party"- Nokia announces the world's biggest New Year's Eve celebration in five party capitals of the world

On December 31st, Nokia will welcome the New Year in unique style - by connecting millions of music lovers from around the world as they count down the final minutes of 2006. Nokia New Year's Eve, a global music event stretching across four continents, will feature a number of international artists including The Black Eyed Peas and Scissor Sisters to entertain audiences at New Year's celebrations from Hong Kong to Rio de Janeiro. Those unable to attend in person can experience the party via television or the internet

Nokia New Year's Eve will travel from east to west, starting in Hong Kong's Ocean Terminal, followed by Mumbai's Andheri Stadium, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro and rounding off the night in New York.

It should be a good event. More info and updates as we move towards the new year can be found here:

Nokia New Year's Eve

You can also access via your mobile phone:

wap.nokianewyearseve.com

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Pictures of the black N70

Taken from Slashphone It needs to be said, the black N70 looks really good. The N70 is one of the best handsets I've owned, I just never got on with the camera cover.

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Accessing your PC from your phone

One of the options available on the new N80ie is support for Orb. Orb is a service that lets you browse your PC from your phone (or another PC) you can access your documents folder and browse pictures, videos etc. I would love to get hold of the S60 client and try this on my N80, if anyone can point me in the right direction? I've tried logging in to Orb using the web browser on the N80, I can view files on my PC but when I try to play a video or music file it fails.

There is another service, which I haven't been able to try out fully, yet. Avvenu seems to offer better access to more of your PC, more folders, drives, etc. It's a free service but if you pay a small fee you can have access to an amount of online storage to access data even if your PC is switched off. $29.99 gives you access to 5GB.
I only signed up to Avvenu yesterday, so I need to give it a good try. Interestingly it has an upload from phone feature, allowing you to upload pictures/videos, etc, from your phone to your PC.

As ever, with these type of services an unlimited data plan is highly recommended. I use T-Mobile Web n Walk, probably the best data plan for UK users.

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Carnival of the mobilist 53

It's time for Carnival 53 already. I've only just finished reading stuff from last week! Anyhow, the link to this weeks edition is here.

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A couple of interesting new applications for S60v3

Over on My-Symbian two new interesting applications to try out:

LCG Jukebox
Smartcom Navigator

The best thing is each application has a trial option so you can see if they offer something you actually want before you lay out any cash. Trial periods are to be appluaded. I've downloaded the apps and will play around with them later.

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Nokia podcasting app causing phone freeze?

I downloaded the Nokia Podcast app the other week, and yesterday I decided to take a look and see what podcasts I could find. I subscribed to 29 Guide and downloaded a clip. Which I couldn't open on the phone.

A short while later, I receive an SMS football alert, which I had been receiving all afternoon with no problem. This time, I couldn't open the SMS. I had to reboot the phone three times before I could open the text. I received another SMS a short while after, from a friend this time, same problem. The only change I'd made to my phone was opening & using the Podcast app.

Usual process of cause and elimination followed, I decided to delete the app and see if that helped. After more than an hour trying to delete the application from my phone, using the built in app manager, Nokia PC suite and Y-Browser I finally managed to remove the downloaded video clip and the application. The phone just kept on freezing on me. I've never turned off/on my phone so many times since I bought it!

Finally removed all trace of the app except a 1kb file which can only be seen in the app manager on the phone, with a 'not installed' tag underneath.

Since removing the application everything has worked fine. I shall be avoiding this application for a while. More than anything the problem I had removing it has really put me off. I'm not too impressed, that's for sure.

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Update to Screenshot, version 2.45

I've been reading Antony's Mobile Blog recently, the hassle he's had getting the screenshot application signed. That's all sorted now, all the information and links to download are here.

A screenshot app is always useful to have, and this excellent application is free, too.

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Smartphone Show 18

The latest Smartphone show is up over on AAS

Topics include:

Hands-on review of the Windows Mobile 5-powered Loox T830, a keyboarded communicator with built-in GPS; Latest countdown of the top 10 rated smartphones and communicators; Video tips on shooting better footage with the Nokia N93

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Resco Photo Viewer

If there is one thing that Nokia really do not seem to understand on the new S60v3 handsets it is how the gallery application handles image folders. I have quite a few fun pics on my memory card which can be used for MMS. Funny gifs, animated pics, etc. All stored in folders, inside one main image folder. But the Nokia gallery app just opens all files in one large directory. So you have to scroll through hundreds of images, taken with the camera and stored on the memory card to find what you want. And if you have an application like Tom Tom on your phone you have all the images this product uses to go through too. It sucks.

I mentioned this to a representative from Nokia at an academy event a while back, and the response was that Nokia don't expect people to store & keep pictures on their phone, that you should really back them up to a PC instead. That sucks too.

To get around this I browse my images folder using the phone's file manager. The other solution is Resco Photo Viewer.. This is an excellent application and I noticed on E61 Life today, the latest version is just released.

Take note, Nokia, this is how your gallery app is supposed to work!

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Post update on N73 firmware change

So I managed to change my firmware yesterday evening, using the NSU. As ever, heed the warning and make sure you back up your files before doing a firmware change. I backed up to PC suite and most things re-installed fine. For some reason apps that I have stored on my memory card had to be installed again (Opera, Advanced Call Manager, Yahoo Go, etc)

Since the update my messaging menu froze once. The phone worked phone, I could navigate the menu, use web, etc, but I couldn't access the messaging menu. A re-boot fixed that. And then this morning after using Opera, my data connection wouldn't drop. Well, the indicator on the screen under the signal bar showed a data connection was active. A re-boot fixed that too. I also still have a list of themes installed on my MMC that I cannot remove, as the app manager does not see them, with other themes I've installed on the phone not showing on the available list.

Otherwise, so far, things seem to be ok. I will try out Tom Tom later, I hope the issues I had connecting to my GPS dongle are resolved now. Pre update that was the biggest PITA for me.

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N73 software update

The N73 is listed in the nokia software update:

N73 update

I'll be trying this later on today, so I'll feedback any issues if I find any. But if you've done it already, post your findings in the comments section.

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N73, Blogging & Flickr

If you are going to sell something, 90% of the task is accomplished if you are enthusiastic about your product. Enthusiasm sells. I am enthusiastic about mobile phones in general, but in particular I love Nokia S60 phones. Ever since the days of the 7650, 6600, and on.

My current favourite phone is the Nokia N73. And I make sure everyone knows. My family, my friends, they all understand about my addiction to mobile phones. I've been going on recently about the qualities of the N73, so much so that my enthusiasm for the product has convinced some friends that this is the handset for them. One thing I always make the point of is how the handset integrates so well with a wide range of services.

One such service is the integrated Flickr support. Take a picture, and upload it to Flickr. Within minutes your pictures are on the web, for all to see. Before you can do this, you just need to add a few details to the settings.

On the N73 after taking some pics, go to the gallery, then images. Scroll to the picture you wish to upload, or mark multiple pictures. The choose Options -> Send -> Web Upload. Select 'Create new Flickr account.'

Enter the following information:
Account Name Free text field, enter anything you want
Service Provider Flickr is preselected here, don't change it.
User name & password Here you need to use the username & password supplied by Flickr, it is not the same as your Flickr login details. This is the bit that caught my friends out. Login to Flickr on a PC, and go to www.flickr.com/tools/lifeblog

Once you have entered this information the programme will ask 'Create XXX?' (XXX = account name) - Select 'Yes' The programme will then ask to 'Retrieve services now?' Again, select Yes and your Flickr account will appear as one of the services.

And that's it. You can now upload images to your Flickr account direct from your N73.

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Nokia Global Search on the N80

I'm having trouble getting the Nokia Global Search app to load on my N80. It's the latest version, 2.13 but it just hangs on the start up screen (shown in image)

It works fine on my N73. Firmware on the N80 is v4.0623.0.41 Does anyone have have an issue? Or even better, a possible solution to the problem? I've tried uninstalling, re-installing, letting the app sit to see if it will eventually load. But so far, no joy.

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Carnival of the Mobilists - 52

The latest edition of Carnival of the Mobilists is online over on AAS

I'm a late convert to COTM, so if like me until recently you haven't checked this out, do so now.

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Opera mini 3.0 in beta release

I was browsing the web over the weekend, and I noticed (can't remember where) that Opera mini 3.0 is now released in beta. I've installed it on my N73 and it looks good. First thing I noticed, the logo looks bigger on screen in the menu (I really detest the little logos you get with java apps in the menu) and also, built in support for RSS and a photo upload option.

I haven't had much chance to really try it out thoroughly but so far it's looking good. You can find more info here.

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Gmail app - the fix

Finally. A fix for the Gmail app. A few posts down from here, I mentioned I had installed the java Gmail app but couldn't connect, neither using my N73 nor my N80. The fix is very simple, for any and all who are having problems. Go to your Gmail page on the PC and in account settings change the language to English US. And behold, the application works. Nice.

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Security Genius

Now this is an app that I will buy. Once installed the app is invisible on the phone. If you lose your phone and the finder changes the SIM, a customised SMS is automatically sent to pre-defined mobile numbers. My only concern, I regularly change SIM myself, flicking between phones and SIM's, also when in Italy I use a local Italian SIM. As long as the app can be disabled to allow me to do this, then I'm sold.

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Changing the op logo on S60v3

If anyone knows how to edit the Op logo on S60v3 phones, please let me know as it beats me. I've found an app that will allow you to switch the op logo on/off here. Once installed you can find the app through menu>tools>settings>phone>standby mode>operator logo, where you can switch it on/off. But oplogo editing would be a major plus.

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N80ie WLAN Wizard

I recently picked up an N80, shortly before realising there was an Internet Edition due. One of the benefits of the Internet Edition is a WLAN wizard which makes connecting to the net via available WLAN networks straight forward and simple. I'd heard this may not be available for existing N80 phones but lo, on E61 Life & Allaboutsymbian news that the WLAN wizard is available for download here.

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Gmail java app

A new app for Gmail users, can be downloaded here

I've put it on both my N73 & N80, I can't get it to connect. Other people on forums can connect but have other UI issues. Still, I like to see companies like Google and Yahoo continue to push for better mobile services. I'm sure updates to the Gmail app will be released over the next few days/weeks.

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Live messenger

I installed the Live messenger app on my phone the other day, and it is very good. I'm slowly getting family and friends used to the idea of using IM on a phone instead of SMS. One quick SMS to say "Get online" and then chat. The Live Messenger app is neat, straight forward to use, simple layout. Can be a bit flaky with connection though, a couple of times I've connected and it shows no-one online even though in fact some people are.

I still have a preference for Yahoo messenger via Yahoo Go but the whole IM world seems to use MSN. Either or, IM now accounts for about 80% of my messaging, with about an equal split of the remainder between email and SMS.

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Another quality theme

I recently purchased a Nokia N80. It's the second time I've owned the phone, first time I just got so fed up with that poor battery stand by. I've put the new firmware on, and that does make a difference. My N73 still rules as number one handset, mind.

I noticed the other day on the My-Symbian forum a thread about the Pearl Black theme. It looks fantastic on the black N80. Here's a couple of screenshots:

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YouTube on your mobile

YouTube have announced that from early 2007 it will be possible to download and view videos on a mobile phone. It makes sense, given the capabilities of many mobiles these days, especially the Nokia NSeries. But why wait til 2007? Have a read of this article by David over on N80Geek:

How to get YouTube videos on your NSeries

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